Home is Where the Monsters Are

[Enzo Matrix]

"Here we go."

AndrAIa's words summarized the exact thoughts in Matrix's head as they approached the dock at Cinnabar. There was no telling what sort of welcome they would receive. Zlick had directed them to a much closer pier than the one they had previously used. Getting by the half-hearted Imperial blockade hadn't been too much extra effort, but there was no creeping up on the civilization. Indeed, there was a large crowd gathered at the dock. It was an absolute hodgepodge of monsters like they had never seen before, but Matrix could easily make out the Machamp and Golem standing at the front.

Matrix looked over to AndrAIa, a little apprehensively. "If this goes bad, get ready to throw the kids on the dock and take off," he said in a low voice, so their three passengers wouldn't hear.

AndrAIa wanted to voice her disapproval with that line of thinking, but recognized that it was probably right to be prepared for that option. So she simply nodded, and looked to the front of the boat. Coal, Zlick, and Kero were standing on the front, waving wildly at their friends and family.

Matrix guided the boat up to the dock, and several creatures with wildly varying appearances were already grabbing the dock lines and helping to pull the boat in. The Charmander and Jawa leaped from the boat, while someone else had to grab the Tonberry and lift it off. AndrAIa watched and smiled as they disappeared into the relieved and celebrating crowd.

Matrix wasn't looking at the children, though. Instead, he stepped from the boat and onto the pier, directly before two of the council members that hadn't wanted him to know of this problem in the first place. He kept a serious expression as he looked between the two.

"You found out," Golem simply said.

"Yea," Matrix gave a gruff reply. "And we rescued them."

"You have to understand our hesitance to trust strangers," Machamp said. "We've a civilization of creatures that have been taken advantage of for as long as any of us can remember. Even now the Empire looms off shore, ready to enslave us at the first opportunity."

"We've done our part," Matrix responded, looking at the various creatures standing around, and briefly turning to glance at the sea monsters behind their boat. "You know we don't mean any harm, now. If you want us to leave, we'll leave."

"No, you've proven yourselves friends of Cinnabar. We do not make friends or welcome outsiders easy, but you two are skilled, capable, and above all, loyal," Golem said, extending his odd hand. "Welcome to the island."

Matrix reached out and shook his hand, and then Machamp's. A wave of relief surged through him. They could rest and relax for a little bit, and even set up shop somewhere on the island. It would be nice to have a place to fall back to, as the Omniverse was a large place and getting lost was more than possible. He looked back to AndrAIa, who was stepping onto the dock with a large smile at that news.

"Thank you," AndrAIa warmly said, shaking their hands, as well. "I really think we can help you all just as much as you can help us."

Golem gave a nod, and then looked to the boat as he got down to the business of logistics. "What supplies do you have that need moving? We will help get your belongings situated."

"Everything we have, which isn't much, is on that boat," AndrAIa explained. "As long as there is somewhere we can dock it, we'll be alright."

"It will be fine there, for now," Machamp nodded, deciding that they probably didn't want to get straight to the business of moving in. There would be time for that later. "Follow us into town. You can rest a bit, and then we will find a proper place for you to use as a residence."

Matrix simply gave a nod of agreement, then Golem and Machamp turned and began to head back towards the civilization. He took AndrAIa's hand in his and followed after them. That had gone much better than he expected, to his great relief and surprise. For once they didn't have to think about their next move in this strange world, and could simply relax and unwind.

[Enzo Matrix]

Matrix and AndrAIa stood in a small clearing near a river a bit outside of town. Matrix crossed his arms and looked around the area, observing the terrain and all the little details. AndrAIa, meanwhile, was jotting notes down on a small notepad. They were looking for a place to set up a more permanent residence, and and agreed on this area. Having been permitted to set up their house anywhere on the island, they decided to venture out of the town just a little bit. They were still close, but had plenty of room to themselves. They'd also realized that Matrix's control of Omnilium allowed them limitless options for their home, but they had slightly different ideas on how to utilize that.

Matrix uncrossed his arms, pointing around the area as he began talking. "That's a good place for mounted defenses. We can set up the barbed wire fence running down that pathway, there, and the gate with the scanner can go right th-"

"Oh, no," AndrAIa loudly interrupted. "Absolutely not. We're not building a military fortress to live in."

Matrix looked bewildered, and dropped his hands to his side. He sounded disappointed as he spoke. "But...but we have to be ready to defend ourselves."

"From what, Enzo, the Mankey that looked at you funny?" AndrAIa retorted, looking over to him.

"We don't know what we'll run into out here. This is a strange world and we need to be prepared," Matrix turned to looked at her as well.

"This world is more alive than anywhere we've ever been, and I want to enjoy it for a change," AndrAIa replied. "We're not in the Games, fighting for our lives. We're not fighting for Mainframe. We can breathe. Isn't that what you wanted to do?"

"I guess so," Matrix admitted. "What did you have in mind, then?"

"Glad you asked," AndrAIa said in a sultry voice, narrowing her eyes mischievously. Matrix rolled his own in response. Here we go.

"This'll be good," Matrix said as he looked at the notepad.

"I want at least two stories," AndrAIa said, reading off of her notes. "A large deck on both levels and both sides of the house. At least three bedrooms, and the whole upstairs is a dedicated bedroom for us. A large kitchen and entertaining area, and a pool. Don't forget my pool."

Matrix reached over and snatched the pad of paper, looking it over in disbelief. "Is this a resort or a home?"

"It's both, because you can make it both," AndrAIa said, smiling wildly. "We're moving in, we're making friends, and we're making the most of this power of yours."

"I'm starting to wish that you were the Prime," Matrix grumbled, turning the pad over to see more jottings. "Fine, but I get a basement with all of my ideas in it."

"Deal," AndrAIa said, then turned and began walking.

Matrix just looked after her curiously for a second, but then threw his hands up. "Where are you going?"

AndrAIa stopped and looked back to her boyfriend. "I can't summon our dream house from thin air, and since it's going to take awhile, I thought I'd go look around town some more."

Matrix's only reply was a stern and annoyed glare.

"You'll do great," AndrAIa winked at him. "I'll be back in a few hours to check on you."

Matrix shook his head as his girlfriend disappeared down the trail. She was right, this could take hours. One of the last things he imagined himself doing was designing houses, but he was going to have to pull something decent together from these notes. He'd focus on the house and his basement for now, and just make modifications as AndrAIa requested.

He tossed the notepad to the ground, and held his hands up. An orb of Omnilium slowly emerged from his right hand, and he took a deep breath. Time to get to work.

He closed his eyes and began to concentrate.

[Enzo Matrix]

Matrix lost track of how long it had been since he started the summoning. That was fine, because this was taking all of his concentration. He had managed to construct a house with four levels. Two were above ground and the other two were well hidden underneath the house. He'd met most of AndrAIa's specifications, and even crafted a deck with a pool overlooking the river nearby. The rooms matched what she had vividly and dreamily described, but he had also included a hidden and secure hatch that would lead to the basement.

The basement was simply two levels, with a main lower level and the upper level consisting of catwalks around the perimeter. Various rooms split off from both floors, though he was more excited to have a base than to actually use it, so for now they were mostly empty. It was enough for now. Simply having the ability to retreat to a secure location was enough to put him at ease.

Matrix dropped his arms and stepped back, letting out a deep breath. It had taken a lot of time and focus, but he was done. He nodded in satisfaction as he looked at his new home.

He paused from admiring his work when he heard a light rustle from behind him. He could feel the presence of another being in the immediate area. Someone had snuck up on him while he was summoning, and he was no longer alone. It wasn't AndrAIa; it couldn't be. She knew not to sneak up on him. His robotic eye twisted and began to glow red.

In an instant, Matrix spun around and drew his weapon, aiming it at the newcomer. The creature that stood there was unique, indeed. It was a white and purple monster unlike anything he'd seen before. It calmly waved one of it's three digit hands and Matrix's gun was thrown from his own before he could even finish turning. The firearm bounced across the ground before stopping a fair distance away. There was no time to worry about it, so instead Matrix simply clenched his fists and stood ready to fight with his bare hands, if that was what this creature wanted.

"Relax," the monster's voice penetrated his head and spoke directly into his mind. It stood there with it's arms by it's side, completely relaxed in the face of Matrix's aggression. "I mean you no harm."

"What are you?" Matrix demanded through clenched teeth.

"I am Mewtwo, leader and guardian of Cinnabar Island," it explained.

Matrix immediately felt much more comfortable in the face of this telepath. He didn't like surprises, but at least he wasn't going to have to fight. He dropped his arms to his side and relaxed. He watched Mewtwo as the creature walked past him and looked up at the house he'd just spent all this time crafting. While it did that he went ahead and walked over to his gun, recovering it and holstering it on the side of his leg like usual.

"Impressive use of Omnilium," Mewtwo suddenly broke the silence. "How long have you been in the Omniverse?"

"Not long, from what I can tell," Matrix replied, crossing his arms. "Time has been difficult to keep track of."

"Yes, it's different everywhere, and for everyone," Mewtwo agreed as it surveyed the home. "Another oddity of this realm. But you have done well with this."

Matrix was silent, simply staring at Mewtwo until the creature turned around.

"When I learned that the council had accepted a prime onto the island, I wanted to come investigate," Mewtwo explained his purpose for being there. "This is a new practice for our civilization, so we're being careful about it."

"Not a lot of primes out there?" Matrix asked.

"Not as many as there are secondaries. A secondary can be just as formidable, if not more, but the unique powers of a prime are never to be trifled with," Mewtwo said as it walked over to Matrix. "That makes them a desirable commodity anywhere in the Omniverse."

"Is that right?" Matrix took a slightly sarcastic tone with the psychic Pokemon. "Because your welcoming committee gave me a different vibe."

"Cinnabar treats everyone with caution. I know it was explained to you that we are outcasts and hideaways," Mewtwo was quick to respond. "We have no desire to take part in the politics of this world. We just want to survive."

"Sounds like that's why we'll get along," Matrix was somewhat snide with his response. "I just want to find a way out of this place so we can go home."

"That is an admirable goal, for someone with something to return to. Whatever happens when you venture out into the Omniverse in search of it, leave it out there. Do not drag this community into it," Mewtwo cautioned, his mental voice stern as he said that. "You have done us a great service so we are allowing you to live here. We're not taking up arms on your behalf, however."

"Fair enough," Matrix agreed. "Does everyone here share your neutrality mindset?"

"For the most part," Mewtwo replied. "Many have experienced harsh times in the Vasty Deep and the other verses. Some, like the children you rescued, know no better. Others disagreed and left the island not long ago. They formed their own...more violent culture."

Matrix nodded as he listened. "They wanted to play politics?"

"No, they wanted to strike back," Mewtwo clarified. "Such actions are not our way, and I want to make sure everyone on this island knows it. We don't have enemies, and we don't have friends. We have each other, because that's all we know."

"So if I get into a fight, don't tell them where to find me. I'd rather people not know where I'm hiding out, anyway," Matrix said, his tone showing that he was annoyed at what he interpreted as a scolding for something he not only hadn't done, but had shown no inclination of doing. "Is that all?"

"I believe so," Mewtwo said, uninterested in Matrix's annoyed and slightly aggressive tone.

"Let me ask you this, then," Matrix said, and Mewtwo tilted it's head in interest. "If you've been around awhile, maybe you can help me, here. Where would we go to begin to try and find a way out of the Omniverse?"

"The Omniverse is massive, and houses a great many secrets that neither of us can fully comprehend," Mewtwo said, then paused for a moment. "There are stores of information on the dataverse, but some more difficult to find material may be available in Coruscant's libraries."

"The Imperial home verse?" Matrix asked skeptically.

"Yes, you would have to travel to their population center," Mewtwo explained. "It is a sight to be seen, but you have to be wary there. However, the reward may be worth the risk. I wouldn't recommend you think with your weapon, like you did upon my arrival."

Matrix paused and thought for a moment. Now he knew why Mewtwo had chosen to arrive in such a manner. He tried to think of another question, but decided he had enough to go on with that information. "Sounds like that would be worth a look. Thanks."

"Of course," Mewtwo replied. "Welcome to Cinnabar Island. I look forward to you and your companion being strong members of our community."

Matrix simply nodded, and Mewtwo turned and began to walk down the trail.

"I'll see you again another time," the psychic Pokemon threw one last sentence into Matrix's brain, then levitated off the ground and disappeared down the trail at an impressive speed.

Matrix watched as the leader of the island vanished, and then simply shook his head. Another strange guy, but he could basically see his point. Matrix and AndrAIa certainly looked the part of violent warriors, but it was really crafted out of a necessity to survive. He could imagine the concerns and the debates that went on out of their earshot, and it made the appearance from the all powerful leader make a little more sense. A warning and maybe a veiled threat, but he could understand. The important thing was that he now knew his next step.

He walked up onto the deck of his new house and sat in one of the freshly spawned chairs overlooking the pool and the river. While he waited for AndrAIa to return he watched the sun begin to set. It was a peaceful and beautiful sight, and it was something to relax to as he pulled up the dataverse on his robotic eye and began to plan the next move.

[Enzo Matrix]

The main town of Cinnabar was a fairly active community, with creatures of all sorts interacting with many others. AndrAIa was trying to take it all in, and had been wandering the town for some time now as she got her bearings. The "people" were nice, and she had plenty of interesting conversations with beings that she never imagined communicating with. It was easy to tell that this was a tight knit culture. The best part was that the council had welcomed them in, and the inhabitants of the island seemed perfectly fine with it. In her first hours in town, she already didn't feel like an outsider, just another part of the community. That was more than she could say about the countless systems she'd been to, sometimes including Mainframe.

Still, she was exhausted. She'd been all over the place meeting as many of her new neighbors as she could, and she was just plain tired. So she stopped in a small park and took a seat on a bench to rest her legs a bit before heading back into their new piece of property to check on Matrix's progress. She hoped everything would be ready, because it would be nice to sleep in a real bed for a change. The boat had been nice, but a little too cramped. Isla Nublar, while surrounded by hungry dinosaurs...well, that had been worse.

She closed her eyes and smiled as she thought of their adventures, so far. To her, the place didn't matter. She had left her home and it was impossible to return to it, should she even desire to. Instead, she had followed her eventual boyfriend to his home, and taken it as her own. But deep down, it was her love of Enzo, not of Mainframe, that kept her around. That's why she followed him into the Games, and that's why she handled being lost in them so well. As her lover grew jaded and weary by the search for his home, she was comforted in that she was simply living her life alongside him. That's what prevented her from going crazy in the midst of their adventures. To him each new system they entered was another failure; to her it was another adventure. It was obvious to her that the Omniverse would be a very similar experience, except this time they were even farther removed and there was no guarantee of a way back to Mainframe. As she watched the citizens of their new community mill about, she had to wonder if that was necessarily a bad thing.

"Miss?"

AndrAIa looked over to see a tall, orange dragon with wings and a flaming tail standing near her seat. She recognized it immediately as a Charizard, a creature she had learned fell under the larger classification of "Pokemon." She recognized it because it looked so similar to Coal, the Charmander they had rescued earlier.

"Hi," AndrAIa simply said with a warm smile, in response. She assumed it was another resident welcoming her to the island. She wouldn't get tired of that at all, because she just loved making new friends.

"I wanted to thank you for saving my son," the Charizard said, with a gruff voice and a small exhale of fire that contrasted it's genuinely appreciative tone and words.

"Oh, of course!" AndrAIa quickly said, standing up and shaking it's hand. Or claw, really. No wonder it looked familiar, he was the father of the Charmander she'd rescued. "We were so happy to help out. Believe me, more than you know, Matrix and I were once kids that got in over our heads just the same."

The Charizard let out a laugh. AndrAIa thought she saw it smile, but it was hard to tell with it's strange anatomy. She was going to get good at reading body language, here.

"I suppose we all were young and dumb, but your help is appreciated more than I can ever express, nonetheless," the Charizard replied. "My name is Vulcan, and anything I can do to help you or the man you came here with, I will gladly do."

"Thank you so much," AndrAIa replied. "I'm AndrAIa, and Matrix is my boyfriend. We're just trying to settle down and get a feeling for this strange place we've ended up in."

"I understand, it's a bit overwhelming," Vulcan replied with a heavy nod. "We'll do whatever we can to help. Cinnabar looks after it's own, and you are one of ours now."

"That's so great to hear, really," AndrAIa smiled. "I'm blown away by the hospitality we've received. Is the whole island like this?"

"For the most part," Vulcan replied, pausing for a second to think. "There was something of a schism, and some of our more radical members left to form the Pokemon Liberation Front. They are a danger, but typically not here on Cinnabar."

AndrAIa smiled, and listened intently. For better or worse, the politics of this place were now hers to be concerned with. Matrix would tune it out as irrelevant, but she wanted to be a genuine member of the community.

"Seems like that will happen anywhere," AndrAIa reasoned. "The nature of large groups."

"Our leader, Mewtwo, beats himself up over it, I'm afraid," Vulcan shrugged. "But I believe we're better off without that radical mindset infecting our children. I admit, I was worried Coal and the others ran off to join them."

"They're good kids. A little overzealous, but as long as their heart stays where it is, they'll do great things in life," AndrAIa laughed.

"Thank you," Vulcan replied, with what AndrAIa assumed was another smile. "And I feel you will fit in here just fine."

"Thanks, Vulcan," AndrAIa replied. "It's just nice to find somewhere I feel like we belong."

"Well," the dragon paused, for a moment, in thought. "You've made some good friends through your actions. If you ever find yourself in a scenario that you believe a flying, fire breathing dragon can fix, be sure to let me know."

"You'd be surprised how often that ends up being the case," AndrAIa jokingly winked, and the Charizard let out a loud laugh. AndrAIa laughed too, but then considered Matrix and all of his work. "Vulcan, this has been fun, but I need to go check on Matrix."

"I understand. Visit us any time," Vulcan replied.

"Thank you, and the same goes to you," AndrAIa responded, warmly.

"We just might," Vulcan said. "Coal has a bit of hero worship towards your boyfriend," the Charizard paused for a moment. "Of course, he's grounded for quite a bit, but we'll make the trip eventually."

AndrAIa laughed, and shook hands with the Charizard again.

"Thanks again, for everything," Vulcan said sincerely.

"Anything for family, right?" AndrAIa replied with a smile and a wink.

Vulcan nodded enthusiastically. He was older and a bit more world weary, but he genuinely felt good about this girl. That was no easy task, but she allowed herself to be transparent and her goals were simple. She merely wanted to help everyone out and make her surroundings a little better. Vulcan and his family would benefit from it, so he promised himself that she would be rewarded in return. He watched as she turned and departed from the park with a wave, then turned and went back towards his own home.

He was done with civility. That child of his was in trouble tonight.

[Enzo Matrix]

The sun was touching the horizon, and only half of it remained above. The orange glow of the sunset was a common sight to so many people, but to Matrix it was still something he was getting used to. It was incredible to see the sky do this, but it was just something he had no experience with in his own home. He smiled as he sat back in his lounge chair and peacefully watched it. In his right hand was a small glass of liquor, another thing he'd summoned with Omnilium.

He heard footsteps, and instantly recognized the distinctive sound of AndrAIa's high heels. He turned to see her walking onto the deck, marveling at what had been created. While she did that, he could only watch her. She was happy to see the home he'd built, and he was simply happy to see her happy.

"I think you hit the jackpot," AndrAIa laughed, walking over to where Matrix was seated.

"The important thing is we have your full sized upstairs with a comfortable bed," Matrix replied, looking up at her. "Anything that's wrong, we can fix later."

"I think I can agree with that one," AndrAIa replied with a smile.

She noted the seat next to Matrix's, and sat down in it so she, too, could view the beautiful sunset before them. As she leaned back and got comfortable, she watched as Matrix pulled a second glass and a liquor bottle from the ground between their lounge chairs. He filled the second glass up and handed it to her, which she was more than happy to take from him.

"Something local?" AndrAIa asked as she looked over the liquid in the glass.

"Something familiar," Matrix responded as he set the bottle back of the ground between them.

AndrAIa looked to Matrix, then back to the glowing blue liquid in the glass. She should have recognized their favorite drink, an alcoholic beverage called I/O, but she figured it didn't hurt to confirm. Something familiar was good in the midst of this, however. She looked to her boyfriend, and they clinked their glasses before each taking a sip.

AndrAIa let out a relaxed sigh as she slid back and made herself comfortable in her seat, setting her glass on the arm rest.

"That's what I needed," the game A.I. said peacefully, finally truly unwinding.

"It's been pretty wild, and none of it we asked for," Matrix agreed as he slouched a bit in his own seat.

"But that's what we're used to," AndrAIa jokingly reminded him.

Matrix let out a slow chuckle. That was a truth that he loved some days, and drove him crazy on others.

"I had a visitor today. Guy that said he's the leader of this island," Matrix commented.

"That must have been Mewtwo," AndrAIa said, after a brief pause to think. "I talked to a lot of people in town, and they think pretty highly of him."

"He mentioned the library in Coruscant," Matrix said with a nod. "There might be something there that can help us along. It's a bit of a long shot, but it should be worth a look. I'm going to check it out."

AndrAIa picked up her glass and looked at the liquid, before taking another drink.

"I was thinking about staying here for a bit, and doing what I can to help out Cinnabar," she said as she lowered the glass. "We don't know how long we'll be here, so it would be best to stay on their good side."

Matrix nodded, finding no fault in that logic.

"Can I trust you to not go crazy out there, though?" AndrAIa followed up with that question, her tone joking but with a hint of seriousness in it.

"I'll behave, I suppose," Matrix said. "From what we've seen of the Empire here in the Deep, their home is going to be unreal."

"Take pictures," AndrAIa laughed.

They sat silence for several minutes, watching calmly and contently as the sky continued to grow darker. Moments of peace didn't come often for them, so they enjoyed it while they had it. Finally, they both decided that it was time to go in.

"I'll leave first thing in the morning," Matrix said, as they both stood up. The sun had now set completely, and it was dark. The fatigue from the past few days was setting in. "Or, whenever I get up."

"That sounds like a plan. For now, let's just get some sleep," AndrAIa said as she took the two glasses and went to put them and the liquor bottle in her brand new kitchen.

Matrix nodded, but paused on the porch for a bit. He turned around and looked up at the night sky. He could hear crickets chirping and the running water of the river. He still couldn't get over the differences between this world and the one he knew. Maybe that was something he could investigate further, as well.

For now, he turned and went into the house.

[Enzo Matrix]

Morning had come. They slept in a long time, until the sun was up and morning had nearly passed entirely. After getting dressed and ready, Matrix stood before the bed, facing the giant window that essentially served as a wall. Beyond their upper deck was their view of the natural beauty of this island. He wasn't focused on any of that, though. Instead he was quickly drawing and holstering his firearm over and over again. He would grab it, raise it to eye level, then return it to his side. Sometimes he wouldn't even grasp it, but instead use his ability to levitate it to his hand without actually touching it.

AndrAIa sat in the bed, still mostly under the covers, watching him work. This wasn't any surprise to her, she was very used to him training his muscle memory every morning when he first woke up. It made him a fast draw in combat and also wired his instincts to go for his gun first when things went bad. It wasn't something she faulted or minded. That training had probably saved their lives more times than she could count, but she also worried how he would do when a battle wasn't necessary, without her by his side. She would have to trust him to make the right choices, because thankfully he'd mostly shown a much more level head in the Omniverse than he had in all of their game hopping.

Matrix paused after his last draw, then dropped Gun. The weapon immediately redirected it's own fall and snapped to his right leg as if there were heavy magnets controlling it. He looked over to AndrAIa, who was smiling while brushing her hair and watching him.

"I guess I'm gone," Matrix announced, walking over to the side of the bed.

"Be careful out there, and don't do anything stupid," AndrAIa said one last time for emphasis.

"Same goes for you here, I suppose," Matrix laughed lightly.

"Oh, I'm just going to be a good citizen, nothing exciting about that," AndrAIa replied, then laid all the way back down, sinking into the sheets and the pillow. "Whenever I decide to get up, that is."

Matrix rolled his eyes, but nevertheless bent down and gave her a quick departing kiss. He then turned and walked towards the door, stopping at the entrance.

"Come back soon," AndrAIa called out. "I love you!"

"I love you, too," Matrix replied. "I'll be back before you know it."

With that, he turned and headed down the stairs and out of the house. He paused for a moment and took in the fresh air of the outdoors, then walked across their lower patio and down the trail to the river. He'd have to construct a proper dock, later on, but for now it was far from necessary. He knew he couldn't take the stolen boat back to Costa Del Sol without rousing suspicion, so he'd simply craft something temporary to get him to the Nexus gate.

He focused the Omnilium onto a spot just above the river and before long he'd crafted a small, one man boat that would get him to the island with no trouble. He stepped into the boat and fired it up, then took a last glance at their house. In the time it had taken him to summon the vehicle, AndrAIa had gotten out of bed and also got dressed, because now she was on the upper porch waving goodbye to him. He returned a wave, just before pressing the lever down and accelerating down the river. Before long he was out of the river and into the vast ocean. The HUD on his eye pulled up the map he'd loosely pieced together of the Deep, and he steered towards the town of Costa Del Sol.

----------

After his trip across the ocean, Matrix arrived at a less populated dock with little incident. So little that it bored him, but he tried to remember AndrAIa's words about staying out of trouble. He glanced around as he exited the boat, making sure no one was around. Then, he held out his hand and extracted the vessel back into raw Omnilium. There was no sense in advertising his prime powers if he didn't have to.

With that, he went into town and mixed in with the crowds that were bustling about. After several wrong turns and many frustrations, he found his way back to the gate. It looked just the same as he'd left it, a complete oddity in this town.

He paused for a moment. He could feel the wind in his short hair, and the smell the salt in the air. It was hot and humid. All of this was something he savored for just a moment, because he'd grown to enjoy the Vasty Deep and much about it. He just told himself he'd return shortly, because it really wasn't so bad here.

And with that he stepped into the gate, destined for the Nexus.