Juniper pointed at the pooling sludge of organ bits, the dead beast was slowly dissolving Into a grayish and greasy biological sludge. Parts of its torso, were still lodge into the wreckage of the car. The scent of something fruity and sweet, like apricot, escaping from it.

  “What the hell am I supposed to do about that, I can’t explain that to anyone!” She started hopping around, pointing at the stagnant and disabled world around her. Biting her own tongue. “And this!? He said hours, hours! Can you believe that?”

  Quixis quiet, crawled closer, eyes narrowing, accessing the situation, staring at her infected arm. “Ah. I never expected him to target you or interfere in this world.” His voice dropped, it sounded like sadness.

  Juniper stared at him mildly infuriated, she also knew he wasn’t the cause of this. But if he held the role of guardian, as he claimed, he was at least partly responsible for this ‘traveler’s actions.

  “And look at this too,” she held her arms out weakly. Her veins thick, curling and contorting in a spiral, it was becoming weaker by the second. It felt strange, instead of the direct pain she grew accustomed to, Slowly her arm was becoming numb like infantile paralysis, and it was spreading fast.

  Quixis’ fluffy ears twitched. “Don't worry, Juniper. I'll fix what I can.”

  He floated over to the aftermath of Juniper’s first contact with an alien dog-ape. He hovered over the sludge, then waved out his limbs, in a pattern like he was drawing an invisible sign. Magic lights appeared from his nimble claws.

  The space around the car distorted, slowly sucking in the disintegrating body, it’s alien blood slurping away, out of known existence, vacuumed up and into a single point. Leaving the pavement clean, like nothing happened here, bar the wreck car and a hanging lamppost.

  “Unfortunately, If I fixed up the vehicle, it may end up creating a bigger time anomaly then what the traveler did?”

  “So people are just going to witness the car crumpled under a second?!” She asked livid. “The government won’t be happy.”

  She wanted to yell at him as he flew towards her. But as he approached, her anger was slowly melting into a warmth, overwhelmingly soothing. She felt her new skill doing her work. [Otherness Recognition]

  Her freshly picked up sickness clawed at her, blackened veins creeping through her body. She felt it grow, artery by artery. How long before it slithered its way into her heart.

  Quixis landed softly next to her, in his current state, he barely came up to the length of her thigh. He stretch out his white paw to her, the reddish flames around his leg contorting. She took his paw. Colorful sparkles excited her skin, and like spilled oiled, the blackened venom, fled through the pores of her skin.

  She gasped, and Quixis flinched. “Oh dear… How else did he hurt you?”

  “He forcefully touched my head, and in the next moment, Sys-chan was gone, I tried resisting–”

  “But you couldn’t.”

  “No,” she shook her head.

  “Juniper, can you kneel for me.” he asked politely, looking up at her, his slender eyes, observing her. She does, bringing her legs down, half shaky. Quixis pressed his white paw against her forehead, he then muttered something, like a skill, she could hear it, sense it even. [Nujh’maw’en].

  For a moment nothing, happened, and the little extradimensional fox, stared at her waiting in anticipation. What came next shocked her to the core, she felt the mass in her brain rearrange itself, fluidly. Her exhaustion had disappeared like puffed smoke. She felt energy return to her, like she had been given new life.

  The whole she felt in her head, had gone away as well, filling up, no longer was she hollow.

  [

  

  

  ]

  Alert pop-ups clouded her face, and a familiar voice returned. [Juniper!!! I still exist! Like a cockroach in a server rack! Except cuter!]

  Juniper, falls to the ground. A strange wave of cooling relief washed over her. Sys-chan was till here, she needn’t panic anymore. She hardly could hardly believe it, from passively hating the system AI to growing attached to the little annoyance in her head.

  [ Indeed, all is still well in the grand cosmic spreadsheet!]

  But was it? a part of her felt bad, should she apologize for the way she feels, on the surface level, Sys-chan could feel everything she felt.

  [Of course! No spooky, cryptid-coded boy in a telnyashka is going to uninstall me!] [Oh. Oh. LORD QUIXIS?!]

  Quixis clicks his tongue, lifting his mandible, “Ah. The assistance subunit, System-Chan, was it? You certainly have a personality quirk, don’t you?”

  “You can hear her?” Juniper asked befuddled. What was she saying, of course he did. He is an extradimensional being.

  “I can hear everything I need, or want to. I don’t live in this level of existence.” he said, proud but not arrogant.

  He was cute, but the way he was smiling at her opened the uncanny valley. He was stuck somewhere between the 2nd dimensional world and the fourth. Quixis looks at Juniper, his expression grim. “It would’ve been better if you hadn’t engaged with the Traveler. It’s like shaking hands with a demon and being surprised when it takes something from you.”

  Juniper scoffs, he summoned a thing that would kill civilians, what was she supposed to do, watch and abide while the ape-dog teared into defenseless people?

  “I acted because, people–” She stopped, and Instead of explaining herself, a strange, esoteric excitement, filled her limbs. “Wait a minute, demons are real?”

  Quixis sighs, it looked like he didn’t like the direction the topic was taking. He turned his face away, as if saying, don’t pry about things you don’t understand. “Yes. But they’re rare here.”

  “I didn’t choose to fight him. He cornered me, then had the audacity to lecture me about my choices.” Juniper bristles, returning to the previous point of discussion. She pointed at her bare feet, “look, I was in the middle of eating dinner, and then he decided to make a ruckus.”

  Quixis shakes his head. “Still, You shouldn’t have fought. You should have run. Now he has definitely taken an interest to you, and will certainly try dragging you into his schemes. “

  “Was I supposed to sit back and watch? You didn’t exactly give me an instruction manual on how to manage, cosmic scares and ancient little boys.”

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  “No, I didn’t. Quixis exhales, weary. “ The Traveler isn’t a person anymore. Not unlike you, Juniper. He was selected by the System—and by extension, Elysium. He’s more akin to a disruptive force of nature now. A persistent small storm, but still a storm.”

  Juniper’s blood runs cold. “He said he's becoming a god.”

  “That’s the problem. He isn’t lying.” Quixis let out a short, bitter laugh—more like an exhalation of exhaustion than amusement. “But I can’t intervene, not yet.”

  [He felt so scary. Like… like, he reached into my code and yanked me out! Juniper, I was everywhere, and then I was nowhere! It was… unsettling.]

  Juniper turned towards the wreckage and it’s remains. The SCRA will be all over it in the morning, she wondered if she should declare what happened here, or should she keep it to herself. She was just afraid someone would get hurt by this.

  [I don’t think you should say anything. Not yet. You’d just be rolling out a welcome mat for trouble, and you have enough trouble as it is.]

  True, they’d really want a piece of her when, mysterious stuff started occurring around her.

  “Juniper,” Quixis, called out to her. “I assume you want this to end. Shall we relocate to where you were before time was frozen.”

  Quixis grew without warning, his muscles stretched outward, becoming much more muscular. Quite unlike her [Iron drive].

  She hesitated, but climbed up anyway, she had seen enough of the city for a day. Quixis took to the sky, his back felt like a fluffy pillow. It was comforting, she wanted to cling to him, but only if he was okay with it. “Can I lean on you Quixis,”

  “Of course, don’t hug me too tight.”

  She collapsed onto the Fox's back, arms around his neck. It was warm, soothing, like climbing into a heated bed in winter.

  Quixis muses as she lay on him. “Juniper, I can sense that you’ve become stronger, but you’re growing too fast.

  Juniper frowns, she assumed that was the whole point, and even she felt she was doing it too slowly. “What do you mean I’m growing too fast?”

  She wanted to argue her case, in fact she felt she was moving too slowly.

  “Mastery is the goal. If you keep picking up power without refinement, you’ll break under the weight. Focus on mastering what you have before moving on to the next, your ability [Mimicry]

  Juniper shrugs, but frowned. “The System said to do it this way.”

  “Would you like me to alter its personality without resetting it?” Quixis’ tail flicks. “To be more nurturing? Like a mother?

  [What the hell? I was simply calculating the most efficient way for Juniper to grow! The numbers check out!]

  “Like how you threw me into fights earlier, and conveniently ‘forget’ to mention crucial details?”

  [Excuse me?! I prefer strategic immersion! If I omitted anything, it was purely in service of optimal challenge exposure! Growth spurts are supposed to be jarring!]

  “The subset AI, isn’t wrong, it’s meant to encourage chosen to tackle new challenges. “

  [See! I’m just a friendly little motivator! A cheerleader! A completely trustworthy guiding presence in your head!]

  “I’d prefer a master tactician.” then she giggled, half because she felt silly, half because she’s her life had taken a ridiculous turn… “No, please leave her as she is, as annoying as she can be.”

  Quixis hummed along.

  This was her opportunity to request the help of a higher being, she didn’t when or how she’ll get the chance to get an opportunity like this. “Quixis,” she started. “This morning I had a strange dream, can you help me interpret it, oh great fox of Elysium.”

  “Flattery doesn’t work on me, Juniper, but ask away.” The fox said, his deepened voice bellowing.

  “I was trapped in a void. Endless and dark. Something appeared, alien, metallic, feminine. A Humanoid. It stabbed me in the gut, berated me, I don’t remember what it said. I didn’t have time to write it down.” She put her hands on her stomach, the pain ever present. “I can still feel the wound.”

  Quixis nods. “It’s probably Likely a hostile alien trying to contact or test you.”

  Juniper squints, letting go of her neck, they were headed in the apartments' direction, somehow Quixis knew when to go, and yet she hadn’t told him. Her head reeled in the opposite direction. “Wait—you’re serious?”

  He gestures vaguely with his massive eyes. “What isn’t serious these days?” They hovered over the apartment, landing inside the complex. Some of the neighbors that were outside were still frozen, she hopped off and onto the pavement, then ran towards her slippers, they were still in the same spot.

  She grabbed them, and slipped them on. Instant comfort, her toes didn’t feel like they want to break off like little icepicks, and her heel eased its pain.

  Quixis shrunk, and he follows her inside into her apartment. She enjoyed watching him hop up on the steps, it was strangely therapeutic. She led him towards her door, but something told he already knew. Likewise, she entered it, her stress dissipating.

  It was good to be back unscathed, and they were just as she had left. Everything was frozen exactly as before—her brother’s head tilted down at his food, her sister mid-motion, about to fling a piece of lasagna

  “You need to be in the exact same spot you, were earlier, to avoid time anomalies.” he instructed Juniper. She responded by going to sit on the chair.

  The fox stared at her family members, but said nothing, just stared at them. Juniper observed his gaze, the silence growing awkward by the minute, there was a sentient multidimensional being in her apartment. Staring at her siblings. Not strange at all.

  Quixis, turned to speak.

  “Before I leave and resume time, I believe I owe you an explanation.” he began, floating midair. “Juniper, you’re one of the awoken—little life seeds we plant across planets. No matter when or where you awaken, you stay you, with a purpose and a goal.”

  Juniper snorts. “I don’t feel awakened. I feel hungover.”

  Quixis humors her. “That’s fair. I understand you're overwhelmed, and I bet you had a rough two weeks.”

  “Can you at least tell me about the Xenos I’ll face?” she said. “I fear I’ll be ill-prepared.”

  “I can’t say much beyond a name. If you learn more on you’re own endeavors, I won’t breach the Aeon’s law. “

  “Aeons?”

  “A story for another time,” He jabbered. “The “Ah-Anu” is probably what you saw in that dream. Maybe a scout. Probably Probing for information. Prodding where they don’t belong. Assessing threats.”

  She repeated it. “The Anu?”

  “No, the Ah-silent A-Anu, pronounced Ahnu to be simpler,“

  She shudders. “How did they know I would be one of their ‘enemies’ ?”

  “They have technology that makes your latest AI computing look like a kindergarten art project.”

  She opened her mouth to speak. But was cut off. “Unfortunately, I am forbidden to say anything more for now. This is your burden to overcome.”

  “Can you at least tell me if there are others like me around, in the present, and not creepy little 200-year-old boys.

  “Yes, I’m working with a quite the few.” Quixis gives a cryptic answer. “Not all awoken are… kind. Some let power go to their heads. They could snap, cause murders, take too much, get a god complex. And even then, I’m not allowed to intervene.”

  Juniper’s head lingers on the little fucker, that ruined her night. Then changed the subject while she could. “Wait—you’re serious?”

  “Unfortunately so.”

  She brainstormed, she’d like to ask another question before he fucks off who knows where. “The system, what is it?”

  “It’s a tool and a method of growing your powers. You perceive it as a video game because that’s your frame of reference. A monk might see it as enlightenment. The abilities change depending on the person. Their perspective, but it’s almost uniform with many of the new awoken I’ve met.”

  “Can you explain to me about cape powers, in-depth, where do they even come from, it's classified information, theirs a law that prohibits most of our society from knowing. I met a cape recently that can see the future.”

  Quixis smirks. “That’s a secret. I’m not the only being that exerts an influence here, I’m just preparing you for your inevitable guerilla war with the Ah-Anu”

  “A word of advice juniper, try to avoid, obtaining powers that mess with reality too much, or you’ll draw unwanted attention. Juniper gulped. Quixis stretches, tail curling. “Follow your heart. But above all, prioritize yourself. You’ve been through too much already.”

  She nodded.

  “Take it slow. Experiment. Get your priorities straight. Grow your power. Prepare.”

  A clock rang out. And she felt herself stirring and moving, like an earthquake was occurring. “Time will be resetting soon, it was probably hastened by my arrival.”

  “Stay away from the traveler if you can, he’ll make you a piece on a board, but I can’t tell you what moves to make.”

  [Goodbye, Lord Quixis. O7]

  “Goodbye, Quixis.”

  “Goodbye.”

  As he disappeared, time resumed like normal. She waited anxiously as things started moving again, she would prank her sister, if she didn’t feel sleepy.

  Efffy’s fork launched a piece of food in the air. It accelerated before a piece of lasagna slaps onto Juniper’s face like it was 1969.

  Juniper sighs. She wiped away the food, she leaned back into the chair, blinking. Tomorrow she planned on taking it easy, she was going to be deliberately late for attendance, she wanted to do something nice, it wasn’t like she was formally, given a job yet, she’ll make excuses.

  Fuck those medical tests, and the training, maybe go look for Kanako, take the initiative, ask her out formally. She had money, she could influence the areas in her life she lacked in. The traveler was right, she was too passive, she wanted to do things on her own accord. Or maybe. Looking for Kanako is a bad idea, something else while she waits, perhaps?

  In the meantime, OBB can stick up their asses and so can the SCRA and everyone else.

  Effy stared at her pale, fearing backlash for her transgression. “I’m sorry Juniper, it was an accident, she stuttered.

  “You went quiet—are you okay?” Remy asked her.

  Juniper swallows. Her [Otherness Recognition]

  She stood up. A worry for a day after tomorrow.

  “I’m going to bed early. Remy, lock the door, Wil you.”

  Effy jumps up. “ Juniper We were supposed to do something fun! Movie night?”

  Juniper shakes her head. “Not tonight. I changed my mind. You did throw lasagna on my face.”

  “Juniper! Come back here!”

  Effy chased her towards her room.

  “Juniper!”