Chapter 2: This is messed up

It took only a moment for me to regain myself. The awe and hope were replaced with anger. Stepping forward, I pointed at the Mysterious Entity that now wore my mother's face.

"You fuck' in ghoul! Why do you have my mothers' face?! Answer me!"

I didn't understand what it gained by doing this. Was it trying to torment me? Why? I was an asshole at times in my life, but I hardly ever did anything to deserve this. The thing before me moved my hand away with ease. I struggled to resist it, to no avail. It was powerful. If its strength was this potent, I didn't understand why it needed to play these games. It stared at me with those discolored eyes, and all I saw in them was pity.

"Don't look at me like that! Just answer my question!"

The Entity sighed and saw that my anger wasn't going anywhere; my rage could not be subdued by the Entity merely with time. I needed answers; I demanded them.

"I did not choose this face. You did."

"What the… hell are you talking bout?" My confusion began to merge with my rage.

The Entity turned around to face the Castle in the distance. It was the right decision. Not having to look at my dead mother's face, I might actually calm down just enough to actually listen to what it was saying. Not like it mattered. It was several times stronger than me and could apparently control space-time, from what I can tell. It could do anything it wanted to me. So maybe I should calm down a bit before I actually make it mad enough to kill me. I let out a long sigh, as it still hadn't answered my question.

"You gonna answer me or what?"

"Have you calmed yourself?" It retorted.

"Yeah…" I softly said, nodding my head. I was already here, wherever here was. Throwing a fit without all the information wasn't going to help the situation. I needed to hear everything. My arms folded over my chest, my eyes narrowed as I tried to make sense of this myself. The Mysterious Figure peeked over its shoulder and glanced at me with those same eyes filled with pity. Before I could rebuff it from looking at me with those pity-filled eyes, it spoke.

"I am what people in the Castle called a Quqe. We are bioengineered, designed for a single purpose."

"So you're a Replicant? A Replicant of my mother… that's messed up." I interrupted as if I understood everything. This was a messed-up dream. It should have been obvious, really. Castle of Dreams was a bit on the nose, and now this thing is obviously a Replicant. I should stop watching those weird old movies before bed. I was a bit relieved. Now I knew it was a dream; I could make it a lucid one. Just as I was going to try and fly away, the Mysterious Entity shook its head.

"I'm not a Replicant, and this is not a dream."

I was hardly listening as I sprang to the tips of my toes to try and begin my flight. It was no good. Well, Plan B, shoot a Ki blast at the Mysterious Entity. Getting into my horse stance, I joined the bottoms of my palms together horizontally. I extended my arms out in front of me.

"HA!!!!"

I bellowed like an idiot as no signs of ki were released from my palms. Lame, this is a lame dream. There's nothing left for me here if I can't fly or shoot a Final Flash. This dream was worthless. I looked up into the endless light that surrounded me, and just as I was to shout to wake myself up, a sharp pain radiated the left side of my face. The Mysterious Entity slapped me, and those eyes filled with pity were now dead and lifeless.

"This isn't a dream, idiot."

"Right…ok, what's a 'Quqe' then?" I asked, rubbing my cheek. The pain was real enough, more real than any dream I've ever been in. Alright, fine, it wasn't a dream, and the thing before was not a Replicant. I shook my head to gather myself for what it was going to say.

"Quqe is designed to find and guide, 'Senohoi.' Most closely translated to 'The Qualified' in your language. These are individuals chosen by the Castle of Dreams."

"Chosen for what?" I had to ask because it seemed content to give me the bare minimum. However, it didn't seem that she would provide me with much more to go on.

"I'm not sure." Well, that wasn't helpful at all.

"So, you're a Quqe, and you're here to pick me up because I'm one of these See-no-hoes?"

"Se-noh-oi…" It interrupted my train of thought to correct me. I guess the nuance of a well-crafted joke was lost on this thing. Not surprising, it probably wasn't programmed with a sense of humor. I rolled my eyes, regardless, Senohoi was still annoying to say, and The Qualified sounded pompous, so…

"I'm one of these Q's, and the Castle chooses us for reasons unknown. What's so special about us?"

It shrugged its shoulders in response. The Mysterious Entity didn't seem to have many of the answers I needed, or it hid what I needed to know. I shot it a glare of disbelief. I didn't get the chance to question further, as she took the liberty.

"Things are… complicated, as you will soon see for yourself. All Senohoi, or Qs as you seem to call yourself, have something unique about them. They all have a unique destiny or ability that could be helpful to the Castle and the people in it. What that ability or destiny is, and whether you will actually achieve what you are meant to, is completely up to you."

I had a unique destiny or ability? The Castle could predict futures, or at least someone in it could. Maybe something closer rooted in actual science, so a probability calculator? None of those theories gave any satisfactory explanation. I still didn't quite know what to make of this, and it had yet to answer my most pressing question.

"Why do you have my mother's face?" I asked again, waiting for the answer to the only question I really cared about at the moment. All the other crap I could figure out as I went. Still, I wasn't going to spend another second with this thing without the answer to that question, especially if it was supposed to guide me.

"At birth, Quqe are bonded with their Senohoi. However, we initially start with no gender, no face. We are born with our own personalities, abilities, and vast but limited knowledge of the inner workings of the Castle. Once our Senohoi interacts with us, we take on a form that will make them most comfortable."

It made a certain amount of sense. It didn't stop it from messing up, but I guess it couldn't be helped now. On the bright side, from our brief encounter, there were enough differences between this thing and my mother that I could disassociate the two, eventually. I stared at it again, taking in the little information that it had shared so far. There was still something I was curious about.

"What should I call you? I'm definitely not calling you, Mom." I joked to lighten up the mood, more for myself than it. The Mysterious Being smirked, and her features softened up. It was then that I saw my mother's reflection on this thing. I shook my head, reminding myself that this thing was not Mom. It was just some creepy, bio android… thing, with some kind of powers… and abnormal strength. At the moment, my old life seemed so much more preferable, but only slightly.

"Quqe is fine, or you can use my designation, Omega. It doesn't matter which."

"Alright, Omega, let's get going then. Before I change my mind." I stared at Omega for a moment. Only now did I start to see it, see her as a person. She had been very patient with me, more patient than I would have been. I wondered if that was part of her personality or something she was obligated to do as a Quqe? I was lost in thought until I felt the stubble on my chin. The sensation brought me back to my senses. A glance at myself, and I notice something obvious that I neglected to this point. I was a mess. Dirty Jeans and a holey white T-shirt, some old busted-up Adidas, and the tattered mane that was my hair. Not to mention, all I had on me was my cell phone and my wallet. Both of which were sure to be useless where I was going. Oh, crap… money. I was going to be penniless, a jobless scrub. What was I going to do for money? Before I could address these concerns, Omega had one more bit of news.

"There is still a lot you need to learn, but first, accept me as your guide. Take hold of my Mask." She held out the Mask, and I went to grab it. It didn't seem like that big of a deal; it was just a weird mask thing. Before I could touch it, Omega pulled back the Mask. What game was she playing now? I told her I was ready. Was she having second thoughts now? It wouldn't be too surprising really, would be right on-brand for me to get rejected again.

"Once you take this Mask into your hands, there is no turning back, do you understand? And it will be quite painful." She had a hint of worry in her voice. I came this far; why would I turn back now? Seriously, it was just a mask. I snatched it out of her hand,

"Stop being so dramatic; it's just a dumb mask~!!! ARGH!!"

A searing pain erupted from the tips of my fingers. I looked to see a black substance emitting from the veins in my hands and moving up my arm. I motioned to throw the Mask to the ground, but it never left the tip of my fingers. The substance began to move faster through my veins, my frantic movement, no doubt increasing the rate at which it spread. I looked at Omega for help. She had a worried look on her face, but she did not attempt to assist me. Dammit, she warned me it was going to be painful, but that was an understatement. My veins were on fire; it felt like my muscles were continually being shocked as my body went into spasm.

I crumpled over to my side. I didn't have the strength even to scream. All I could do was whimper and try to bring myself to my feet. My body could not move. The spasming of my muscles ceased, and my eyes focused on the Mask that started this all. The faint lines I saw before began to move around the Mask. In the wake of their motion, the sound of cracking stone followed. The lines moved uniformly toward the forehead section of the Mask. Two of the lines rest next to each horizontally, about an inch apart. The 3rd line rested in the middle of the forehead vertically.

This spectacle could not distract me from the disabling pain. I could not take it anymore and slowly felt my consciousness beginning to fade. The shadow of darkness began to creep over my vision as my eyelids became heavy. As I started to fade, the Mask shook in my hand. I didn't know if it was the Mask or my body, giving one final push to fight back. I saw cracks around the lines that had to rearrange themselves begin to form. The sounds of Rocks exploding echoed in my ears, and the paths open to reveal three crimson eyes, two horizontal, one vertical, staring back at me. Those red eyes flashed, and I felt my consciousness fade completely. For just an instant, I felt a quick burst of pain in the middle of my forehead. That pain brought back my consciousness for just an instant. Before the world went completely black again, I heard the sounds of footsteps and Omega speaking in some strange language I'd never heard.

"Auy tienna eti pa..." I couldn't make out the last part before everything faded from my senses.

…

I knocked on a familiar door, and I wouldn't have to wait too long before I was greeted by the bright smile of a pale blacked haired woman. Her hair was pulled back into a braided ponytail that went down to her lower back. She had a small skinny frame and couldn't have been taller than 5'6. Her dark pool eyes gave off a shimmer in the light of the setting sun. She pulled me into a hug, closing the door behind her,

"My baby's finally home!"

I struggled to get out of the tiny woman's tight grip. For such a frail-looking and frail body, she was still challenging to shake off. I pulled away from her, rolling my eyes.

"I saw you 3 days ago. Don't be so dramatic. I can only stay for dinner; I'm meeting up with some friends for drinks later."

I smiled at her as I turned her around and grabbed her tiny shoulders. I shuffled her off towards the dining room, and I could already smell the food. She looked over her shoulders at me with a disappointed look on her face.

"My own son only comes to see his mother when he wants food. How cruel."

She gave a pitiful look as if she was about to burst into tears. I wasn't going for it; this woman would not guilt me so casually; I knew of her ways.

"Yeah… not buying it, old lady. What did you make?"

It didn't take long to get to the dining area. She stayed in a relatively modest 1 story, two-bedroom home in the suburbs of Seattle. It was more than enough for just the two of us when I was growing up, and it was in a friendly neighborhood. Other than the HOA, there wasn't really much to complain about. The dining area was always rather cozy; there was just a tiny square table there, with a single chair on each side.

We rarely entertained guests, so Mom took a minimalist approach with most of the house. However, she did love Ocean Breeze Orchids, so every room would have at least one arrangement of them, to give a splash of color. No two methods were the same. There was a cylinder centerpiece with water; a single orchid was submerged in the water with a floating candle on top. It looked fresher than the last time I was here; she must have changed it out recently. She worked at a flower shop; fiddling around with flower arrangements was her job and a hobby.

I took my usual seat, ignoring her dramatics for the moment. She walked over towards the kitchen, and a moment later, she came out with a plate of Steak and Potatoes. She smiled as she placed the plate in front of me.

"I made your favorite."

"Every man's favorite." I corrected her with a smile on my face. What weirdo didn't like a good steak? She had made some for herself, though in a clearly smaller portion. She also had a serving of veggies on her plate. She knew better than to soil my plate of steak with rabbit food. She poured herself a glass of wine while she gave me a bottle of water. I quickly took a bite while thanking my Mom for the meal, with my mouth full. Shaking her head, she smiled.

"Can eat like this all the time if you visit your mother more often."

"You know I come whenever I have free time. Plus, if I eat like this all the time, I'll get fat." I responded quickly.

I know my Mom was a little lonely. She had plenty of friends, good friends, but she never tried dating. I told her plenty of times that she didn't need to worry about me if she wanted a new person in her life. But, she always said that it wasn’t because of me. She didn't date because she wouldn't settle for anyone less than dad, and she has yet to find someone who came close. Knowing that I did try to come over as much as possible, things just didn't always work out.

"Mmhmm… So who is she?"

My mother said as she delicately nibbled on a piece of steak. I let out a nervous chuckle as I stuffed my face. I took my time chewing the large piece of steak, stalling as much as possible.

"Oh, now you have manners? Talking with your mouth full is very… on-brand for you. Don't change things up now. So who is she?"

"I ah… I don't know who you mean. Who's who?" I played dumb. It was a poor decision on my part, I know, but it was the only move I had! My usual bullshit was useless in front of this woman; she could read me like a book. The best thing was to speak as little as possible. She looked at me incredulously.

"These 'friends' you're going to get drinks with. What is this friend's name? When are you going to let me meet her?"

"Not telling and never." The need for pretense was pointless now. I might as well rip the band-aid off. There was never anything good that came from discussing my love life or lack thereof with my mother. It always devolved into one thing.

"What!? Why not?! You know I won't be around forever; I want some grandkids." I sighed as I knew she was going with this, but I came prepared this time. I leaned back in my chair with my arms folded, with my eyebrows raised, I asked,

"What if I'm gay, Mom? Huh? What about that?"

"Then you can adopt." My eyes widened at her quick response; I could already see the gears turning in her head. She smiled at me, continuing her assault; she gasped,

"Oh my!! You can adopt!!! Get the paperwork started tomorrow. That’s right; you don't need a partner, just go adopt!"

"I'm not adopting anything!!! I don't want kids right now!!" I quickly snapped back. I never understood her desire for me to have kids so badly. Especially since,

"I thought you hated your family? Why are you so dead set on me starting one?" I asked sincerely. She was estranged from her family to the point that I'd never seen pictures of my Mom's side of the family, let alone met any of them. With a gentle smile as responded,

"It's because I hate my family that I want you to start a new one. I want to get right where they failed. And I won't live forever; you need to hurry up."

Sighing to myself, I stuffed another piece of steak into my mouth. I could understand what my Mom wanted, but it didn't matter how much she rushed me; that wasn't going to make anything much better. I shrugged, finally giving in to my mother.

"Her name is Katherina. She's pretty cool; I doubt it will go anywhere."

"Why is that?" She asked curiously.

"It never does. It is always the same, a couple of months of things going pretty well, and then boom. They don't think it'll work out."

I shrugged, not really worrying about it. Not like I was looking to get married and settle down anytime soon anyway. Not having to deal with long-term comments was rather freeing. At least, that's what I keep telling myself. My mother looked at me, disappointed. She shook her head in silence for a while.

"Why so quiet? Upset that your son can't keep a young lady interested? It's fine, not that big of a deal."

I tried to reassure her. I was still young, dumb, and a little broke. I just got myself a decent job and was still finding my footing; I was sure that things would balance out, eventually. My mother laughed, but it wasn't really a joyous laugh.

"That's not how I see it, son. You think far too little of yourself. You are incredible."

"You're just saying that because you're my mom." I retorted jokingly. However, it seemed like my mother wasn't going for my banter. She stared at me sternly, letting out a grunt of frustration. She dismissively waved her left hand in front of her face as if she smelled something foul.

"I'm not some coddling mother hen. If you weren't worth a damn, I'd let you know. You are extremely talented, and you pick up on things very quickly. The only problem is, you get bored even quicker. You're exactly like your father that way. Once you're bored with something, you don't put your heart into it. If your heart isn't in it, it doesn't matter what kind of effort you make; you won't make any progress."

I was gobsmacked by what she said. She had never been one to coddle me, but she had never been so straightforward about it till this moment. I wanted to argue my point, but she didn't give me the chance to.

"You're also a sweetheart. I've seen you do it all through high school, even when you brought some girls over to visit from college. You get bored with those women, but instead of calling things off yourself, you act just distant, just cold enough for them to break it off with you. It's always the same game with you, and it's the same thing you do to keep your friends at arm's length. You're not untalented or unwanted, sweetheart; you're bored."

She finally gave me the chance to speak, but no words came out of my mouth. I couldn't find anything to defend myself. Everything she said was right, at least to a certain extent. I worked hard at everything I did, but to say I had a passion for any of it… was a lie. I quietly ate my food and the minutes slowly passed without either one of us saying anything. I looked down at my plate in a daze.

"So you're saying I have wasted my potential?"

"That’s a little excessive. It just means you haven't found what your passion is, nor have you found the right person for you. That's all, just don't resign yourself. Keep looking; eventually, you'll find what you need. Just make sure she's not too much like me; that would be creepy." She smiled at me as I rolled my eyes.

"I just want you to be happy, son."

"Really?! It sounds to me like you just want grandchildren." I retorted without giving her any ground. Finishing her wine with a chuckle, she snapped back with no shame.

"Oh my little 'Keta,' ME having grandchildren will make YOU happy." I couldn't hold back my laugh. I could never win an argument with this woman, and I'd never get the chance to. The sounds of our chatting and laughter began to fade with the scenery. Everything started to sink into a haze of light, which was then quickly replaced by darkness. I gasped, opening my eyes, staring into a foreign ceiling. It wasn't the ceiling of the room but the top of a strange bed. I quickly sat up to get a good look at my surroundings, the bed drawing most of my attention first.

It was an odd mix of nature and technology. It looked similar to those weird Lomme beds. You know, the ones that looked like bizarre egg cocoons or alien space pods. The difference being was the bed frame was entirely composed of light purple wood. This coloring was utterly natural; there were no apparent signs of painting or staining from what I could tell. All over the bed were strange designs that I did not understand or recognize. Even if I could not understand them, I could appreciate the beauty. Not only were they craved with perfection, but none of the designs had a jagged edge. Each one of them seemed to flow into the next. They also gave off a strange light aqua green glow.

I touched the glow and felt a tingling sensation on my fingertips. Such a strange feeling. It was warm and pleasant but had no real substance to it. Admiring the bed, I did not pay attention to anything else in the room. That included Omega, who had just walked through a door that was to my right.

"Ah, good, you're finally awake?"

"!!!" I quickly sobered up from my fascination with the strange bed as reality finally came tumbling back. I had almost died. That stupid Mask nearly killed me. I glared at Omega,

"How long was I out?"

"3 weeks." She responded without a trace of concern in her voice. I suppose I wasn't in any danger of dying if she could be so calm about this whole thing. This thought helped to steady the building anger that I was feeling. Rubbing the back of my neck, I took in a couple of deep breaths. My body was extremely stiff, but I felt stronger than before, refreshed. I was already in pretty good shape, as I tried to stay active in my free time. Most of it was just some fight training I was dragged to and led by a friend… freak' in Devin; that training was hell.

I finally noticed that I was in my underwear under the sheets, but what struck me more was my body. My muscles were a bit larger, harder, and defined; I could feel more energy coursing through me. My skin looked smoother; my vision felt shaper. I felt like I was… more. I stared into my hand, and the energy I felt coming from those strange designs before began to emerge from my palm in an aqua green translucent smoke. I closed my fist and looked up at Omega with a curious expression on my face. I had hundreds of questions I wanted to ask her, but only one seemed to come to mind at this moment.

"What the hell happened to me?"

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