Chapter 9: Chapter Nine: Drinks

The city glowed in the dark, rainy night. A dreamy feeling fell over my senses as I couldn’t take my gaze off the city. Neon lights ran along building edges. Streetlights lit the way. Odd vehicles hovered two feet off the ground, not making a sound as they slipped by in the rain.

I glanced over to Hope, the rain beginning to soak into her hair. She seemed to not mind, and to tell you the truth, neither did I. I loved the rain. Many instances of standing in the lush, green forests during different seasons. The water soaking into my clothes and hair, running down my face. It felt natural and true to my spirit. I often slept the best after being in the rain. Maybe it was nature speaking to something that was already there, a connection to something deeper.

Hope shifted her gaze to me and smiled. “I can call a hover drone to cover us, in case the rain is bothering you?”

I shook my head with a small smile. “No, I prefer this. The rain reminds me of home.”

Hope nodded and looked forward as light rain continued to fall. “The public did receive a summary about you and bullet points on interactions.”

I looked over with a small raise of my eyebrow. “Really? What did it say?”

“Xull informed the populace of Dream City that you are a visitor from another planet, called Urth. Urth happens to be one of my favorite planets across the known galaxy.

“We are to treat you as one of the people. We’re encouraged to meet and talk, but not to mob or crowd. Your time here is limited, and certain hours are off-limits. There was some chatter that you were training, and it was open to the public.”

I was stuck on what she said earlier. “Favorite planet? You know about Urth?”

Hope nodded. “We do. Xull has hidden satellites on many worlds in this part of the quadrant. They are only meant to study and gather information. The data is available to all citizens, for scientific research.”

“Xull seems to be everywhere,” I said.

Hope glanced at me with a warm smile. “She is, in a sense. We barely notice it. She is integrated within our lives, but she is not overt. She has allowed us to be independent, which is a big change considering how she used to be.”

“This is fascinating. How was she, in the past?” I asked.

“She left very little room for personal thought and growth. She used to control people’s lives, detailing career and social paths. She used to tell everyone that she understood their genetic patterns and tendencies. For the most part, she was right. The people of Xull did as she said, the whole world turning into something like an ant farm on your planet.”

Hope’s gaze dimmed as she looked down. “But for some, it was too much control for the sake of a perceived paradise. There was a shadow rebellion. A resistance was formed. Genetic resequencing equipment was stolen. The resistance incorporated genetic manipulation to fool Xull’s scans. For a long time, it worked.  

“We didn’t know it at the time, but Xull was allowing us to challenge the system. The resistance often bombed nodes to disrupt Xull. They felt like they were making a difference.

“When the resistance war ended, she explained to all citizens what was actually happening. She allowed it to give many dissatisfied citizen’s a reason to live, to fight.”

“It must have been very upsetting when the people learned the truth.”

Hope lifted her face to the rain and smiled. “It was for some. But for most, it was a relief. Xull protected everyone and allowed us to be ourselves. She made herself scary, but when we learned what it was about, we discovered just how special and wonderous our world truly is. It ushered in a new era of honesty and truth. Xull stepped back from controlling our lives and gave us the freedom to choose a life we wanted to live.

“It’s why some, and myself, have minimal implants and altered our genes to be different. That is why I have wolf genes and some characteristics. I wanted to honor older generations that wanted change and fought for it.”

“It’s interesting to hear it how beneficial it was for the people of Xull. On Urth, such a lie would have angered many, and made things worse. Which is odd, because most people lie to each other about many things, from social status to skills, and wealth.”

“We didn’t let a lie destroy ourselves. We let it liberate us from the chains of oppression. It became a lesson to work harder for ourselves, and each other.”

I nodded as I drank in every word from Hope. She seemed genuinely at peace from what happened in the past. It was eye opening to see a world open to learning and choosing your own path.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why wolf genes?”

“I don’t mind. Ask me anything,” Hope grinned before continuing. “Animals like wolves, have appeared on many different worlds, with slight alterations. Much like a crab, nature evolves certain species to fill gaps in the evolutionary timescales and environments.

“As for why I chose the wolf, they have always spoken to me, if that makes sense. The hunting aspect is appealing. Pack mentality, speed, and better than normal hearing is always a plus. I have a great admiration for wolves.”

“Are most people on Xull, animal hybrids?”

“The people of Xull have many choices for how they will spend their lives, but they often fall into four categories. Hybrids are people who choose to alter their genetic makeup to align with an animal of their choice. The data records are filled with almost every type of animal and species across the galaxy.

“Then there are Xullians. They are people with cybernetic implants. Sometimes, they replace most of their bodies with cybernetics, to many varying degrees. They are a merging of people and machines to become cyborgs.

“The third category is Digital Ghosts. They leave their physical forms and become digital ghosts within the network. They are free to roam and create, without having to worry about a body. They often help other citizens on the network, or spend their time creating virtual worlds.

“The fourth category are the Pure. They are people without any implants of any kind. There isn’t many of them. The few that are Pure, live in domes, far from the cities. They led lives of farming, learning skills through practice, and, as they see it, being free from the network. Despite their freedom, Xull silently watches over them in a shared agreement. All people are precious to Xull, and she wants to make sure we are all okay.”

Hope let out a soft laugh. “Sorry. Here I am talking about our world, when I wanted to meet you and learn more about your world.”

“My world?” I said as we continued to walk in the rain.

“Urth is fascinating. It reminds many people of Xull of our world in the distant past. We lost many records of that time, but it is incredibly interesting to see your world prosper. There are virtual classes on current Urth events. Spiral City is often talked about, including the societal structure built around a city with super-powered beings, good and evil.”

I rubbed the back of my head, “Yeah, it’s a little weird. Some people are born gifted with powers. They often grow up and fall into different camps, those who fight for the protection and betterment of others. Then there are those who only want to hurt and steal from others.

“It almost feels like the city is prone to urthquakes and natural disasters, when heroes and villains fight. It’s not an everyday occurrence, but conflicts rise up a few times a year. Most people simply try to live their lives.”

Hope’s eyes were very wide, drinking in every word. She seemed to genuinely have an interest in my home world.

Hope turned her head and looked up at a neon sign. “We’re here. Let’s get those drinks.”

I followed her as she opened the door and stepped in. I walked in and took in the surroundings. The place looked almost like a Spiral City bar. It had a bar top that wrapped around in the middle. Flatscreens covered some of the walls as music played from hidden speakers. Tables and chairs filled alcoves along the walls. Many different people filled the bar, some with animal features and others with cybernetic implants. There was an electrical current in the air and I felt it along my skin. The whole area held a charge as it washed over my senses.

“Grab a seat. I’ll get us some drinks,” Hope said and stepped away.

I made my way over to an alcove with a small table and two seats. I sat down and surveyed the area. I remember hearing that there were secret bars and places for super heroes and villains would frequent, but I had no idea if the rumors were true. Before the last few days, I was just a normal guy. Now I’m on an alien world and talking with a wolf-woman hybrid. I never thought in a million years this would happen, but now that is has, best to go with it and see where it goes.

Hope came back and sat down. She was already dry as she placed two glass mugs of beer on the table.

I touched my pants and shirt, my clothes already dry. These nano-drones were fantastic. No more laundry days for me.

She picked up one mug and I picked up the other.

“To new friends,” Hope smiled.

“To new friends,” I said with my own smile.

We took a big gulp of our drinks before putting the mugs back on the table.

I leaned forward a little, enjoying the low music and atmosphere.

Hope did the same. She looked at me with bright eyes and a warm smile. It was odd, but I felt like I was some sort of celebrity in her eyes. I wondered if she was going to take everything we talked about and put it on the net?

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“You don’t have to worry. I will keep everything we talk about between us,” she said as if she was reading my mind.

“That’s a relief. I know I can sometimes be too friendly, and it has bitten me in the past before.”

“With so much power, I would assume people’s words would have little effect on you.”

“I have strong powers and abilities, but I still have feelings,” I shrugged.

“Good to know you’re not some celestial being that thinks so little of others. We have many records about gods, monsters, and those gifted with cosmic powers. The worlds, or realms, are filled with all manner of people and creatures. But I must say, this is a pleasant experience and I’m having fun.”

“Me too,” I said before taking another sip from my drink.

“Is sex difficult for someone with your power?” Hope asked.

I nearly spit out my drink, but I had the presence of mind to not do that, since it may come out with enough force to blast her from her seat. Instead, I put my drink down and looked at her with understanding eyes.

“I’m new to all of this, but yes, my power makes it difficult to be with others in a sexual way. Why do you ask?”

Hope nodded as she stared at me. “Xull has always taught us to follow our feelings, be honest, and test our boundaries. Those tenets ensure rich social experiences where someone can decide if they want to continue, or move on.”

Hope slowly blinked at me. “As for me, call it natural instinct and scientific curiosity.”

“Am I an experiment?” I flirted. I had no idea where this new confidence was coming from, but I was liking it.

“You can be,” she flirted back.

I put my hands up to my shoulders, palms out, “I’m flattered, but I think intimacy with me may be a little too dangerous.”

“It sounds like your bragging,” Hope said and licked her lips.

“Being honest,” I grinned as heat touched my own cheeks.

The light in the bar gleamed off of Hope’s blue eyes. She shyly glanced away before parting her lips.

“I must admit, I did have one, small, ulterior motive.”

I took a long sip of my beer, before putting it down and leaning forward a little again. “The plot thickens,” I smiled.

Hope looked at me with amused eyes. “The way we met, felt like a cosmic pull to something greater. But my friend, Nora, had the opposite reaction. She’s been complaining about you constantly. It was enough for me to want to know you a little better, and try to see what was grating on her.”

“Have you come up with a hypothesis?” I asked, genuinely curious what would cause so much hate for our chance meeting.

“It’s a little complicated, I do have a working theory. At first, I thought she hated you because you crashed through our dome and shattered a many years’ long experiment. But, even spending a little time with you, I can see that she finds you attractive and hates herself for it.”

I blinked. “Are you sure? Maybe she really does hate me for breaking her experiment? I do have to say, it was all an accident. I had no intention of crashing into your dome.”

Hope waved her hand as if to dispel my words. “You don’t have to worry about what happened. We knew the risks when it came to taking on the experiment. There was always a chance some random event would crack the dome and spoil the results. We had a problem with serpent hounds trying to break in. They are carnivorous and wanted to eat us. I was not only the engineer, but I was also security, and a pilot. It was only a matter of time before the hounds broke in and searched for us.

“Nora was very relaxed. Almost too relaxed. She had a lot of faith in me, and our security protocols. To some degree, so did I, but then you fell on our dome and shattered more than glass.”

“I shattered her sense of safety,” I nodded.

“It was hard for her to come to grips with what happened. A war drone was actively firing on you, and you saved her from it. Xull has always been our protector, but to see such a thing happened, was traumatic.

“I am telling you this because, I don’t want you to take it personally. She may be directing her hate toward you only because she, like many on Xull, have had a charmed existence.

“I spent many years researching history, not only on Xull, but other worlds. I’m not naïve to what may be out there and what may hurt us. Nora on the other hand, liked to simply focus on her research and her plants.”

When I worked human resources, I knew this kind of interaction well. Hope was worried about her friend and was trying to soften the blow to me. She doesn’t know me well enough to know I’m pretty understanding and easy going. I wished I had friends like them, looking out and doing right by each other.

“You don’t have to worry about me. I didn’t take offensive. If someone crashed through my experimental dome, I would be pissed too.”

Hope nodded with a gleam in her eyes. “Thank you, Quinn. It makes me happy to know you have a depth and empathic understanding for social interactions. I think, with time, her hate will cool.

“But I know Nora. We have been friends for most of our lives, and when she likes someone, she is often is angry with them. It has only happened two times before, but I know her well enough to notice it.”

“Will she be okay, you talking to me about her?” I had to ask.

Hope nodded. “I know she prefers it this way. Nora can be very analytical and her social skills can be, not as open as mine are. That’s why we work as friends. I say what she has difficulty saying. Just like she can talk to me about my own feelings in a way I better understand myself.”

The wolf woman leaned back with her drink in hand, and a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

“Despite everything, I am truly fascinated with your world. I would love to hear more.”

I sat back with my own drink in hand, and sense of confident coolness sinking into my demeanor.

“Where should I begin?” I asked.

Hope sipped her drink as she gave me a warm glance. “Anywhere. I’m all ears,” she said as her wolf ears pointed directly at me.

***

The evening turned into a whirlwind of fascinating discussion, drinks, and an electricity I didn’t know was possible. Hope and I talked about everything, from histories of our own worlds, fascinating animals on other realms, close and abroad. It all turned into a soup of laughing and talking seriously. After a few hours, we took our leave of the bar and headed out into the rainy streets.

I saw her home, which she didn’t live that far away. At the doors, she gave me a kiss on the cheek before waving goodbye. I watched her go, feeling a connection that I honestly never felt before with anyone else. It made me fee great, and cautious at the same time. After my private experience with Xull, I was worried of what I could do to someone else if I wasn’t careful. Despite the great time, we had to keep it plutonic, or someone could get really hurt.

With a sigh, I floated up into the rain and flew off. When I was high enough, it was easy to find my penthouse. I flew over to the tallest tower and landed on the outside landing. I stepped into my new home and nano drones dried me out in seconds.

I walked over to my bed, turned, and flopped onto it. The bed creaked from my fall, reminding me I always had to be careful. I felt normal, but clearly if I didn’t check my strength, I could damage a lot of things.

My eyes began to half-close, sleep whispering in my body. Maybe I pushed myself hard today, or maybe the incredible experience was taking a toll on me? Whatever the case, a little rest never hurt anyone. Tomorrow, Xull would have a new training regiment for me and I had to work hard to get as powerful as I could. Xull Omega may still be trying to hurt me, or Xull Prime. I had to be ready for whatever may come.

Before I drifted off to sleep, I pictured Hope. Not long after seeing her beautiful features, Nora appeared in my thoughts. A warmth sank into my spirit. Was I just lonely, or was this part of something else? Being with Xull helped to clear my hyper urges, but maybe there was something else I was looking for.

I fell asleep, the last waking thought was me telling myself to focus on training. If I survived what was to come, maybe I would make some friends in the process.

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