I know, I know, been a really long time since I put in another chapter. But you know, it's summer, and I'm busy with other stuff. Oh well, I hope to be more frequent. Enjoy.

-------------------------------------------------

I awoke with a jolt as 67 plugged me in. Looks like we were here. I walked off the boarding plank into the bustling village of Talcona, strange thoughts running through my wires. Being a renegade Henger meant that I could think…that’s why I was a renegade in the first place, I could control myself. But that doesn’t mean I can dream, does it? I still need to be plugged in and unplugged. The little girl and boy, the End Bringer…it all seemed so real. Just then, I got a shock from 67, my best friend, a Magic/Henger.
“Haha, what you thinking about, 405?”
“Not much. Hey, how come Gangsters become renegades less often?”
“Considering the definition of the word, that is ironic, isn’t it? I don’t know, more Henger mains, like you, seem to become them. By the way, did you know that the number of renegades has gone up since the war between Milnai and Zalbai started?”
“Maybe that’s because they’re making more pure Hengers, and ones with sub-breeds? I hear there have been 1300 Omegas made just to invade the Forest of Shadows in Milnai.”
“Yes, and 900 Gobis set to work destroying the Zalbai emerald mines.”
“It’s a strange trend, actually. As the number of casualties goes up, so does the number of renegades…”
“Well, I wouldn’t bother trying to understand it. Come on, let’s get to the inn before the people from that other ship fill it.”
67 was always the type to rush and get things done. He couldn’t stand to see someone else get something first. He quickly ran off towards the inn, I followed, slowly. I was intrigued by a young brunette girl, staring intently at the passengers leaving from my ship. She seemed to be looking for someone…

With all those thoughts behind me, I opened the door to the inn. This was the first time I had seen an inn. It was musty, with a foul sense to it. Many people were at tables eating happily, none with children. No, these joyous people were not like children at all. They had no innocence, no beauty; these “people” were pirates. At that moment I felt like I could almost spit. I really would have if it were possible. 67 called to me from the front desk. He had gotten us a large room with titanium reinforced steel beds. There goes his paycheck from the ship ride here. He probably figures I owe him now, and he’s right. Luckily, I noticed something on the way up the stairs to our room. It was a poster that read:

“Monster fight! All monsters welcome! Can a renegade really beat a ranch trained god? Enter and find out! Must be entered by September 15th for round one. Prizes: Round one; 100g, Round two; 1000g, Round three; 10000g, Round four; 100000g, Final Fight; 1000000g”

1000000g…I’d never have to work another day in my life…
September 15th…that’s tomorrow. I figured I would enter it, not knowing the danger of monster fights. Why, what could I lose? If I won, I had an extra 100g, and I advance to the next round, if I lose, I waste some time…it’s not like I need any extra. I pondered over the money, and then shut myself down for the night.

-------------------------------------------------

First thing in the morning the next day, I headed to the association. It was pretty dead. The clerk at the front desk informed me that most other entrants had registered about two weeks ago. Actually, I was lucky. I would be the last entry they allowed. Now I had a day to burn, fights wouldn’t start until tomorrow. Time to lurk. Talcona was a small place, but that was only the topside. It lay right on top of another town, Quewl. An odd name for an even stranger place. Not only was it strange, it was huge. I scanned around for the nearest entrance. A nearby well, perfect. I leapt in without thinking, and landed right next to some miners. That’s the reason why Quewl was so much bigger than Talcona, it was full of diamonds.

I always wondered what the “Wall of Oceans” looked like, and figured that now would be a good time to check it out. I continued to walk down the mine shaft, approaching my goal which was now about a mile down. A massive wall of cement, with windows here and there, and Jells constantly stopping the trickling of water down its sides. I wondered, “how can something so beautiful hide in such a disgusting place?” The wall stretched for miles both ways. To my left there was nothing. The roof was caving in, water flowed without anyone trying to stop it, and it was barricaded at multiple points with signs of warning. To my right…people, hundreds, no, THOUSANDS of them, but more specifically, the girl from the dock. Calmly, I said hello, and mentioned that I noticed her looking for something at the docks, and asked if there was someway I could possibly help. She smiled, thanked me, and said no. I waited for a long while, and she said nothing more, so I decided to leave. However, before I could leave, she began to mumble something, but before I could make it out, someone let out a radar shattering screech. Pirates.

I looked at the girl, and saw an unbelievable look of horror on her face. She cried out, “You lying piece of Gaboo slime!” “I helped you off that ship because you gave me some sob story about your brother. It’s quite apparent that there was no truth in that at all!” He stared, smiled, and lifted his gun. “I think it’s best that I be shuttin you up now little lady.” On that note, he pulled the trigger. As quickly as anyone could, man or machine, I fired a shot of my own. It hit his hand, and the bullet deflected into the empty corridor…which wasn’t so empty anymore. The walls were beginning to crack very quickly, and water flowed in with unnecessary speed.

The man dropped his gun, and began to run out of there, along with all others. Except one…the girl. She looked at me, face full of tears and whispered slowly, “thank you.” Having an automatic panic switch, I said the only thing that I honestly could have “You’re not going to be thankful for anything if you don’t run like hell.” She must have been some sort of idiot because she did nothing but begin to babble on about some Frederick and a guy named Zack. I wasn’t staying there, and sure couldn’t let her, so I scooped her up and began to run like I had never run before. It was as though some of my circuits opened up, they took control of me, and I could no longer think for myself. Any human would call it instinct, I call it going back. I could only get a few words through that were my own, “Can…I…go back?” All else faded. Light passed overhead, and I stopped with a jolt, rolled back, and leapt out of some old mineshaft opening from before the expansion, only to watch millions of gallons of salty muck flow beneath me.

For the first time in my short life I knew what fear was. It felt reassuring, like there was something for me to live for. The girl had kept babbling on, luckily I had recorded it all so I could play it back and jump right in the conversation. I stopped her and asked, “What was Zack like?” She responded quickly that he always cared more about others than himself, and if he felt it necessary, he would leave, rather than be a bane on anyone’s existence. She wondered if that was why he never showed up yesterday, if he would ever come back, or if she should have told me to let Frederick (the pirate) shoot her. Out of nowhere, she commanded that I take her to the Inn…she quickly realized that I was not a worker, and did not take orders. I offered to walk with her, as sort of a bodyguard, and she quietly accepted.

The walk with her felt good. Sort of like the fear I felt in the mineshaft, only better. It’s nice to feel needed…

-------------------------------------------------

w00t, it's a little longer. Sorry about any mistakes, MS Word is being buggy, I've got a headache, and I've got nobody to check it for me atm.

Nice. I'm looking forward to the next chapter/section,