Twilight Chronicles I - Ch 1

                              Twilight Chronicles
                                       First Step

                                    A Pupil?
                             <-----The Beginning----->
It is just another night at the city of Daturnoc . . . until it is attacked. Out of nowhere, weird robot soldiers have appeared and started attacking the city defense systems. A kid that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time is running away from a troop of robots, but can't escape from them. He almost reaches the city exit, but a flying vehicle blocks the way. Piloting it is the invaders' leader, a guy dressed rather regally. Seriously, he even has a cape.

Silbius: And where do you think you're going? I can hardly take over this city if any of its citizens are allowed to escape.

Things sure look grim. Then, one of the robots blow up for no visible reason.

Silbius: What happened!?
SR Soldier: Enemy detected. Now targetting- (Gets blown up)
SR Soldier: Enemy detected. Now targetti- (Gets blown up)
SR Soldier: Enemy dete . . . Oh, forget it. (Gets blown up)

Their attacker slows down, having been going at a speed too fast to see. He is obviously a fighter, weilding two swords. He also has a tail like a cross between a cat, a fox, and a monkey, but things like that are common oddities these days. The kid looks around at the soldiers that had been chasing him, now rubble. He looks back and sees the same has happened to the rest of them in town.

Kid: Whoa . . .
Tatsuka: Hey! Cape guy! You picked the wrong town to mess with!
Silbius: . . . And you are?
Tatsuka: Me? I'm Tatsuka, and don't you forget it. This is my town, so take your tin cans and beat it!
Silbius: They say the weak dogs bark the loudest. Very well, I'll humor your fantasies of grandeur for now.

He pilots his vehicle, which opens a rift and leaves this world.

Tatsuka: All in a day's work. (Leaves)
Kid: . . . Wow.
                                   <-----Daturnoc----->
                                          Market
The next day, Tatsuka decided to do some walking around town. Running at 300 mph is fine, but there are some times when a guy just as to take it easy. While checking out the new weapons in stock, he notices someone seems to be following him. This goes on for quite a while. Finally, he gets fed up and confronts whoever's tailing him. It turns out to be that kid he saved the other day.

Tatsuka: Will you quit following me?
Kid: Uh, sorry! It's just, I, uh . . .
Tatsuka: Spit it out, will ya?
Kid: Well . . . can I be your follower?
Tatsuka: Say what?
Kid: Please? I'm a quick learner! And I bought a pair of air skates, so I might be able to keep up with you. Come on, please?
Tatsuka: Kid, if you want to learn fighting so bad, why not just go to a martial arts school or a weapons academy or something. I hear Hogwarts is still open.
Kid: Well, uh . . .
Tatsuka: (Sighs) Let me guess. You don't think you'll be able to learn by yourself. Is that it? Come on, I learned to fight by myself. You don't hear me spouting doubts.
Kid: But . . . Okay, you don't have to teach me to fight. Still . . . can I just stay with you? You know, I need a good example.
Tatsuka: Good example, huh? Trying to flatter me? All right, tell you what. My place is in the canyon near town. If you can keep up with me all the way to my place, you can tag along.
Kid: Really? Thanks, er . . . Sorry, but I forgot your name.
Tatsuka: Geez, you want to be my follower and you don't even know my name. It's Tatsuka.
Kid: Nice to meet you. My name's Keefer.
                               <-----Harka Canyon----->
                                     Tatsuka's Home
Tatsuka races through the valleys back to his place, a little home away from town. He looks around, not seeing that Keefer kid, and shrugs. Before he can enter his house, though, the kid somehow catches up.

Keefer: (Pants) I . . . I made it . . . Phew . . .
Tatsuka: What the . . . you made it? Wow, I didn't think you'd be able to.
Keefer: What!?
Tatsuka: Hey, don't take it too hard! It's just that I've only met one other guy who's as fast as me. Okay, I admit it. You passed the test.
Keefer: So, when does training start? Or are there some monsters here? Oh wait, I don't have a weapon.
Tatsuka: Slow down, kid. Food before fights, that's lesson number one. Let me show you around!

After looking around inside, they eventually have some chow. The menu: pizza. They munch on homemade pizza while watching some TV, while Keefer wonders when the hey the action starts.

Tatsuka: You look bored.
Keefer: Huh? Oh, it's just . . . I was expecting something a little more battle related.
Tatsuka: Being a fighter's not all about fighting, ya know. If you're gonna be my follower, we should introduce ourselves a little more.
Keefer: All right. Stuff about me . . . Well, I'm known as the nerd of Daturnoc.
Tatsuka: Owch. Not much of a reputation.
Keefer: Yeah, well, my biggest strength is learning, so I've tried to exercise that. Unfortunately, I sometimes get a bit enthusiastic about it. You should hear some of the remarks at the rest center.
Tatsuka: Rest center? What, you don't like your family?
Keefer: I wish I could say that much. I've pretty much always been on my own. Luckily for me, a lot of the worlds have people who go by different rules than others, so people like me can come and go as they please.
Tatsuka: . . . Alone, huh?
Keefer: All right, enough about me. What about you? I haven't seen any famil-
Tatsuka: (Glances at TV) Hey, it's starting!
                                  <-----World Rumble----->
The TV shows a huge stadium that is not only popular, but portable. The entire place can be moved from world to world, accepting any fighter who wishes to challenge another. The announcer is a pretty famous hero himself. From the Solana Galaxy, a superhero in green tights, sporting large muscles and an equally large chin, Captain Qwark.

Captain Qwark: Here we are again, ladies and gentlemen! Introducing your host. The greatest superhero who ever lived. Captain Qwaaaaaark! (Steps into view) Thank you, thank you! Thanks for that flattering intro! Seriously, though, a lot of fighters are giving themselves names like "greatest superhero", but this is where we put their claims to the test! That's right, it's time for World Rumble! Let's see who's fighting today! On one corner, we have a player of the online game "The World", voted the strongest in the R:2 era of the game! The Terror of Death, Haseo!

A contestant enters the arena. Being a player character from a virtual online game, his real self is controlling the character from a distant world. Haseo is an Adept Rogue who can use twin swords, broadswords, scythes, and dual guns. He has a fierce expression, but also seems friendly in a way.

Captain Qwark: And on the other corner! A certain kid with a million tricks up his sleeves . . . or his  pocket! Let's give it up for Ash Ketchup!
Cameraman: Ketchum!
Captain Qwark: Yeah, him!

Another contestant steps into the arena. A kid with a baseball cap (wha?) and accompanied by a yellow mouse with a bolt-shaped tail. Unlike most fighters, he commands creatures known as Pokémon, such as the Pikachu right next to him.

Captain Qwark: Now, let's see who'll win! The digitized character who once beat a hundred PKers without any effort? The cocky kid with a bazillion monsters on his belt? The incredibly handsome hero up here in the booth? Ha, just kidding, folks. Let the battle begin!
                                  <-----Harka Canyon----->
                                       Tatsuka's Home
Tatsuka: Now this is gonna be good!
Keefer: This show's gotten more popular with all these fighters from different worlds. I wonder what it's like going to real worlds while still playing at home. It must be weird for that Haseo guy.
Tatsuka: He's not the only one who's digital.
Keefer: Huh?
Tatsuka: You know how there's all kinds of people, right? Physical, digital, even spirits. You're looking at a digital guy.
Keefer: Really? I couldn't tell. Hey, did you just tell me something about yourself, Mr. Mystery?
Tatsuka: Aw, just watch the fight.

Haseo draws his twin swords first, Empty Skies. Ash takes out a red and white capsule, a Poké Ball, and summons a red dragon with a flaming tail, Charizard. Haseo makes the first move, using a Skill called Gale of Swords. Charizard is ordered by Ash to counter with Fire Spin.

Keefer: Come on! Ooh, missed! Go, Charizard, go! Haseo's SP can't last forever! Oh . . . Oh . . . Agh! Not the Silad! No fair, changing your weapon! Oh, wait! There's Charizard's Seismic Toss! It's a good thing that's a player character, or Haseo's player would be seriously hurt! And he's up again-
Tatsuka: I see why they call you the nerd.
Keefer: Oh . . .
Tatsuka: Don't get sad, geez. I didn't mean it like that. I'm kinda impressed. You're a fast learner.
Keefer: (Tries not to look pleased) Thanks . . .
Tatsuka: By the way, I bet the last pizza on Haseo.
Keefer: You're on!

Haseo, now switching to his scythe Shadowy Death, takes down Charizard. Ash sends it back into its Poké Ball and sends his Pikachu out.

Tatsuka: A mouse? Really? That pizza's as good as mine.
Keefer: Don't be so sure.

Haseo charges, but Pikachu's gone. Its Agility gave it a boost of speed, allowing it to shoot right behind Haseo. It uses Thunder, sending his HP to zero faster than he can say "blasting off again".

Captain Qwark: That's the maaaaaatch! Amazing! The legendary former PKK has been beaten by the radical rodent with the electricity of a thunder god! The winner of this match, Ash Ketchup-
Cameraman: Ketchum!
Captain Qwark: Ketchum and his pocket crew get a brand new Aero Ball, the perfect capture tool for  Pokémon in the stratosphere, the latest product from XS Inc. This superhero predicts that the kid's gonna take up birdwatching for a while!

Rather than being angry about his loss, Haseo smiles at the good game and shakes hands with Ash.

Tatsuka: See, that's the sign of a real fighter. It doesn't matter whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.
Keefer: Yeah, but don't change the subject. Hand over that last pizza.
Tatsuka: . . . Too late.
                               <-----Seventh Sword----->
                                        Bridge
Meanwhile, in some unknown ship, that guy who led the attack on Daturnoc works at his computer. Hardly taken aback by his recent defeat, he seems merely bored. He then gets a call and opens a window on the computer to accept the message. The screen shows a fat, bald, mustache mad scientist with the IQ of 300.

Silbius: Ah, Dr. Robotnik. I've been expecting to hear from you.
Dr. Eggman: Do get the name right, Silbius! I am Dr. Eggman!
Silbius: Very well. Whether you want to be called your own insult is your business.
Dr. Eggman: Th-That's not what I called about. I just called to tell you that all preparations are complete. I've just finished perfecting the programming in NBE-1.
Silbius: And yet you still can't access its initial programming.
Dr. Eggman: A temporary setback! You're talking to the greatest mind in robotic science. No unknown robot life form can hide from me forever!
Silbius: You do realize that we will need that machine's original program to proceed with one of our plans.
Dr. Eggman: Ah, don't rush me. I have my best hacking viruses working on it, though you may want to get that Datamon fellow to lend a hand. In the meantime, it's ready for Phase 44 of the plan.
Silbius: Very well, I'll accept your being behind schedule for now.

He closes the link before Eggman can retaliate.

Silbius: A mad scientist who prefers to call himself an omelet. The help I turn to these days.