42

[Neal]

Not a scratch. The fact he survived a fight against a large wolf pack without even a scratch not only surprise Neal, it overwhelmed him. The thought arose the moment he awoke, comfortable in his makeshift bedding. The fact he slept so comfortably was unsettling, and at first it was hard to pinpoint why. To better understand, he slipped away from camp to find a sliver of solitude.

It was not hard to find, and soon enough Neal had nestled himself between two trees, just wide enough for him to spread his arms and touch each trunk with his elbow. Sat comfortably on the grass, Neal crossed his legs and closed his eyes. As he stares into the darkness behind his lids, his forced his mind to empty. He would ponder over each question as they came to him, as he had taught himself years ago.

The darkness and silence persevered for only a moment, then a question strong enough to break his concentration pierces into his peace. Why am I here? The question was simple, and at first the answer was just as such. Omni found me interesting. Simplicity died with the followup that railroaded the original question and answer. Why?

The question was infamous. Why? Why anything. Why did Omni find me interesting? ... He hated those questions, but they were always the most rewarding to answer. Because I wished for this. Neal began. The answer could have sufficed, but there were more answers flooding his mind, filling the space he tried to keep clear. I was different. My reaction in this situation seemed like it could be entertaining.

And what is my reaction? Again, Neal cleared his mind, focusing only on that one thought. That question was a big one. What affect did this world have on him. I like it. There was more. There was always more, but even in thought, he found it hard to express. It feels... like I belong here... like I was always meant to come here. Why?

I was never fit for reality. I was intelligent without being smart, and strong without being powerful. My skills amounted to nothing, and everything I liked fell ages ago. What replaced it, I could never understand. I lived mentally in a fantasy world. Now, I'm in one.

What should I do with this new life? How should I use this new power? That question was simple. Be a hero. For a moment, that statement lingered in his mind as all other answers and questions faded into the darkness and silence.

What about a new personal life? Family, friends? What about the old life? That last question broke Neal. A sudden flood of memory filled every corner of his mind. Neal remembered his family. Good people, so supportive. He'd been lucky to have his family, even though in his frustration with the world he sometimes forgot. His sister, his brothers. His folks and grandparents.

It was so hard to force it all away, to meditate on a straight answer. As the noise was dulled to static, disturbing the darkness only mildly, he finally approached the cluster of questions as best he could. They'll get along fine without me. They were always stronger than I was.

Reality bit at the darkness. He slowly became aware that wet streams trailed down his cheeks. Neal did not bother drying them. He had power and a new life, that did not make him instantly the symbol for manliness. He missed his parents and his siblings. It would have been more troubling if he didn't.

What now? For now, he willed away the onset of depression he felt rising in the pit of his stomach. Instead, he focused on the question. What would his next move be? Find civilization, get a lay of the land. And history, for that matter... current events... He had to mentally reconsider for a moment. Collect Intel.

And what of Lokarri? Silence rose, muddled only by blurred thoughts and mental mutterings. Lokarri is friendly. I'll try to keep his favor. And what of hostile primes?

Others with power and experience, the latter which Neal lacked, could pose a problem. He had not thought about that yet, but he knew it would be wise to consider. I will meditate on that later. The question was not so easily answered in one sitting. Unlike the others, the idea of hostile primes posed a morality question. Violence might not be an issue, but conclusion might. And when would he choose to confront another with closed fists? That question could not be answered when so many others were still lurking in the recesses of his mind.

What now? The question repeated, but the meaning was far different. Before, it was about his plans. This time, it felt more primal. What should he do immediately to prepare for what is to come? Now, a change of focus.. For the first time, he willed himself to breath.

[Neal]

The brief connection to reality was just that; brief. Another lungful of the clean, forest air and his mind went blank. His body returned to autopilot, breathing slow and evenly, as if he were asleep. Long ago he had to focus on his heartrate, but now it maintained a slow, steady pace. The only difference between his deep meditation and sleep was that his eyes did not move behind closed lids. They remained stationary, staring into the blank blackness behind the veil.

This time, Neal focused on one topic; the Omniverse. It was not the people or creatures he focused on, not even the environment. This time, what filled the void he'd created was the bits and pieces that he had learned through trial and error. The snippets of information swarmed him all at once, like piles of unsorted papers.

Neal reached deep into himself, searching for that foreign presence. That energy source within his very core was not all that difficult to find. Omnilium, a name easy to remember in retrospect to the greeting Neal received, and the name of this dimension. The powersource was not unlike staring into a campfire. It was bright and hard to watch for long periods of time, but it had an allure that made looking away impossible.

This is the true source of my power. Neal held no illusions that he was innately powerful anymore than anyone else. Neal went as far as accepting that he was weaker than others, that a fight with a prime would not be so easy as smacking around a few animals.

What do I do with it? The question was painted across the memories. First of all, spend it more carefully. Mind Bullet was effective, but the first four moves were definitely noob goofs. Neal scolded himself lightly, mentally sighing. I can make variations later, but for now, they should just go.

That twinge in the back of his mind caused the rush of memories to fade. He mentally grasps onto it and pulls, trying to yank it to the forefront of his thoughts. The darkness expands outwards, his focus clearing everything else away, except for that strange sensation. It was like a thought he could only barely remember, somehting he should know.

An old memory peeked through, just a sliver of that elusive mass. It was an old Pokemon question - slightly revised for the situation.

You want to learn Insight, but you do not have the Omnilium. Do you want to forget some moves to learn Insight?

Not a second after the question had been asked, he draws a blank. Why did it sound so familiar? And what was Insight? Answers. Insight means answers. And that was his answer. Honing in on that question, Neal mentall agreed, focusing on his four starter moves.

One... Two... Three... Neal's first moves became less than a memory. Not even the sensations remain. However, the fog lifted from his mind. That was like Pokemon... He almost wandered why he had forgotten something so crutial. Not that he focused on it for long, as something else came to mind.

"AAAHH! Lokarri's from FREAKING FABLE!" His sudden vocalization startled a few nearby squirrels that had forgotten he was there. He felt a headrush as he broke from Deep Thought improperly. Even as he gasps and holds his head, he continues to revel in the new swarm of information.

"Omniverse is controlled by Omni, governed by Omniphysics. Primes use Omnilium to harness Omniphysics in their favor. Omnilium is thus power, fuel, currency and experience simultaniously." Hearing himself spout out the string of information that previously he had been struggling to quantify gave Neal a chill down his spine. "This... really is like a game..."