Chapter 1: Frontier Arrival

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Someplace…
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    “You LOST HIM!?!” screamed the shadowy woman, “He was one of the most important ones we needed and you LOST HIM!?”

    “My lady, forgive me,” the scientist pleaded, “The transport spell was disrupted, and he was teleported somewhere else in the world.” 

    “HOW?!” she snapped, “And more importantly, did Sapphron notice?  We’re taking a major risk with this scheme, and if Hirosaki notices, then she’ll ruin everything.  Stupid sympathetic…” 

    The scientist shook her head.  “I don’t know, my lady.  All of a sudden, the devices, the focusing spells, they all started to short circuit.  The magic users will be in comas for a week.” 

    The shadowy woman swore loudly and kicked over a chair.  “We need him back.  We need them all back.  We’ve lost the Grand Archivist.  The Hero King has found his way to the damn league that he created.  We’ve let the Scribe Of Howls escape.  We STILL don’t know what happened to the Druid Queen and the Fox Mistress.  And now we lost the goddamn Storm Knight?” 

    “We’ll get them all back.  We will,” the scientist said, “We still have the Madwoman.  We’ve managed to convert her into something useful, and can send her after him.” 

    The shadowy woman snarled, and prepared to yell at the woman again, when she seemed to notice something.  She took a deep breath and visibly calmed down. 

    “Perhaps… Her history with the Storm Knight as well as the Madwoman’s friendship to him might make her an effective hunter.  Just make sure she’s under our complete control if and when we release her.  She’s among the least of the ones we need, but she does have her uses,” the shadowy woman said, her voice icy.

    “Yes, my lady,” the scientist said, nearly fainting in relief, “What of the other world the Madwoman is connected to?”

    “Ah yes…” the shadowy woman thought, “If we cannot get the Storm Knight and the others back, then we’ll use the Madwoman’s connection to the Other World and use the monstrosities there to destroy the Legendaries.  But only as a last resort.  We must keep our nukes in reserve, after all…”

    The scientist blinked.  “Nukes?”

    The shadowy woman patted her on the head in a condescending fashion.  “Before your time, dear.  Now go, and find the Storm Knight.  I wish to be alone.” 

    The scientist scampered out, grateful to be out of her lady’s frightening presence. 

    The shadowy woman scowled, going over to a bookshelf and pushing the books aside.  She glared in silent, seething fury at the message carved into the stone.

    “DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULDN’T FIND OUT?  WITH LOVE, M.”

    “Miserable cat,” the shadowy woman muttered, “Do not think this is over.  I will acquire the Makers.  All of them.  And I will put an end to you and your cursed kind.  As well as that soft-hearted bitch Hirosaki.” 

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Meanwhile…
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    Yep, I’m in pain, thought the young man as he slowly returned to consciousness. 

    It had been a bad summer for him.  His mother had died, her many health problems finally catching up to her, and he and his father had been arguing constantly.  He had found out that his dog, which had been forcibly taken from him months earlier and adopted by another family, had been hit by a car.  His online lover had both moved and changed e-mails weeks ago and so far hadn’t gotten in contact with him, so his one release from the stress of family wasn’t available, and on top of that several friends and members of his writing group had gone missing.  College wouldn’t start again for another month, and his job was mind-numbingly horrible.  He hated working with customers. 

    When the strange lights had hit him, his body seemingly dissolving as he was engulfed by it, he decided that his life truly and surely sucked.  His only consolation is that at least he’d see his dog and his mother again.

    You can imagine his unpleasant surprise when he woke up on a pile of gravel, quite alive, on the outskirts of a city he didn’t recognize. 

    “Ow…” he muttered, struggling to his feet.  His entire body felt as if it had been put through a gravel crusher, his limbs numb and aching.  He staggered to his feet, adjusting his glasses and looking around.  “What the Hell just happened?”

    “Someone nasty wanted to play with you,” purred a sensual voice, “I decided it’d be more fun if you got a chance to look around first.” 

    The tall, goateed young man looked around in confusion for the source of the voice. 

    “Up here,” the voice purred. 

    The young man looked up towards a tree he hadn’t noticed before, spying a beautiful female form stretched out lazily across a thick branch.  The woman had fur the color of fire, her long hair a wild mane, her body clad in extraordinarily revealing leather, her impressive bosom visibly straining out against her top.  Her feline-like face was set in an amused grin, a long tail flicking back and forth behind her. 

    The young man’s blood froze, a sudden, terrified realization coming upon him. 

    “You…” he whispered, “You’re Macavity.”

    Macavity purred.  “Very good.  And you’re Fanfic Fetishist, also called FF.  Although I suggest using a name other than your real one, as the people I rescued you from will probably be tracking you.”

    The young man shook his head, rubbing his temples.  “This… This is insane.  You can’t be real…  You’re just a story…”

    Macavity frowned.  “I must say I’m a little disappointed.  You yourself have believed that there are alternate realities out there.  Why must you disbelieve evidence of it in the form of my exquisitely sexy self?” 

    The young man stared at her for a long moment, slowly coming to realize that he wasn’t dreaming.  “Before… I was hit by this weird beam of multicolored light…” 

    Macavity nodded.  “That must have been when the Sanctuary Goths brought you over here,” she said.

    FF blinked.  “…Why?  What would Sanctuary want with me?” 

    Macavity rolled over on the branch, idly batting at a loose-hanging leaf.  “Isn’t it obvious?  You and yours helped forge this world.  Sanctuary believes that gathering all of you together can allow them to control the world.”

    FF shook his head.  “That’s… That’s insane.  We’re just humans.” 

    Macavity smirked.  “In this world, anyway.” 

    FF blinked in confusion.  “What are you talking about?” 

    Macavity rolled over again, facing FF.  “Others were taken before you.  I had a rather interesting encounter with the man the S-Goths call the Hero King.  He’s developed a rather… interesting… power since his arrival.” 

    FF sat down again, trying to digest this.  The revelation of why the disappearances were occurring was a stunning one.  Especially since he was one of the ones who had disappeared now… He looked up at Macavity again. 

    “Why did you rescue me?” he asked.

    Macavity purred.  “You’re the one who helped shape who I am,” she said, “At least according to the data I found on you.  You should know why.” 

    FF stared at her for a long moment.  “You want to see how much trouble I and the others can cause.” 

    Macavity grinned viciously.  “Very good.  Now, I had best be going.” 

    FF held out a hand.  “Wait a minute!” he yelled, “What am I supposed to do now?”

    Macavity slowly turned invisible.   “That I leave up to you.  I’ve left you outside an area that can help you on your way,” she said, slowly vanishing, her Cheshire-cat grin the last to disappear. 

    FF glared at her as she vanished, and then turned back towards the city.  “Goddamn, what a mess…” he muttered, “Maybe I should have written her a bit nicer…” 

    Shaking his head, he started walking towards the city.  Meanwhile, Macavity, from a tree several yards away from the one she had been in, contacted her current ally. 

    “He’s safe,” she said, “For the most part.  With any luck, he won’t meet any thugs or Ferals along the way.” 

    From a hidden cave, Hild nodded.  “Good.  We lucked out finding about this one at all.  After the others escaped, Sanctuary has been getting careful.” 

    Macavity giggled.  “Things are really getting interesting, aren’t they?” 

    Hild rolled her eyes.  “Only you would find the potential destructive reshaping of this already damaged world amusing.  It’s important that the ‘creators’ stay out of Sanctuary’s hands.  Bad enough that we had to risk getting directly involved…” 

    Macavity purred.  “You’re too uptight, Hildy.  You have to learn to relax, and deal with things as they come.  That is the spice of life.” 

    Hild growled.  “The ‘spice of life’ is more like a damned Ghost Chile,” she muttered, “Consider yourself lucky that I find it too risky to use them myself.”

    Macavity snickered.  “Like I’d let you,” she taunted, “little Hildy.  So just relax.  The Storm Knight’s away.  I’ll check in on him from time to time.  Meantime, you just do your job and keep an eye on Sanctuary.  I’ll liaise with the others and report in.” 

---TO BE CONTINUED---