Multiverse Chronicles # 2

2. Shadows of the Consortium

The party had just escaped from their captors and have entered a new world. The place they ended up was massive. huge buildings and crystals dot the area, flying cars and other air vehicles are seen moving to and from the city. The people are a mix of all types of races and backgrounds, a large sign near the area simply states "Astral Nexus". oddly enough the place was mostly empty with no one in sight.

"Where are we?" asked Ryan

"Am not sure." said Akiko

Michael began to walk towards what he thinks is the right way to civilization. "Am about to find out for myself, your welcome to come with. we'd probably find out more about ourselves in the process."

"I've traveled with you all thus far, may as well continue traveling with you." said Goro

The party walks around until they found the Central Plaza of the city. people were seen everywhere and while the orange jumpsuits you've all been wearing made you stick out among the crowd nobody seems to mind or care about it.

"This place seems nice, hope we don't have to leave anytime soon." said Kira

"I really need to get some real clothes when I get the chance...orange is not my color." said Ryan

"How could you worry about clothes at a time like this?" Akiko asked

"Well it doesn't seem like those guys followed us and the place looks safe enough." remarked Ryan

"Let's focus on finding out where we are before going off after pointless things like clothing." said Michael

"Hey clothes aren't pointless! they show people what kind of character are you. haven't you seen a character with a good design on anime or a tv series? that stuff tells people what your about!" Explained Ryan.

The party finds a large map of the city, its like one of those mall maps you use to find what your looking for in a large place. Michael looks at this map for a while trying to understand where to go.

"At least the makers of this place had the sense to make a map...now where could we find help?"

"There seems to be a library in the city, maybe that can tell us what happened to us." says Akiko

"Smart plan, I'll head there too. We can find out more about those captors and maybe find out more about this place too." said Michael

"I think we should go to the Travelers Union, maybe they know who those guys were." Ryan says

"Do you even know who the Travelers Union are?" Asked Michael who somewhat critical of the suggestion.

"They have a sort of police badge as their symbol, that's like the closest thing to a police station as I can find on this map." says Ryan

"I'll go there too, I could use some protection...do you think it's good idea to carry these weapons around them though?" asked Kira

"Crap I forgot about that! Alright everyone lets drop this gear in the nearest bin." Michael suggests

"Whoa, let's not get to hasty! we don't know if may need them again." Ryan says but the majority of the party didn't listen and simply dumped their gear in the nearest bin.

"Isn't just leaving weapons there dangerous?" Asked Ryan

The group simply ignored Ryan and headed to both the library and the Travelers Union. Goro puts a hand on Ryan's shoulder and says "Perhaps we should ask the Travelers if such items are allowed? Chances are the gear will still be here for a while."

"Okay, fair enough."

At the Library both Michael and Akiko went to work uncovering what had happened. Akiko had already found out who their captors were. The Void Consortium, a secretive and powerful organization with a history of capturing people to drain them of their interdimensional energy. thanks to a report of a former member of Void it has been discovered that memory loss is a side effect of the draining process.

"That explains why we were captured...they must have wanted interdimensional energy from us." says Akiko. "They must have drained a lot for us to lose our memories."

Michael's research bore fruit as he now understands more about the Traveler's Union, their a faction of peacekeepers of the multiverse. They recruit adventurers known as "Travelers" to their cause and maintain order. What's more Michael has discovered why the party was in that prison in the first place!

"You know how we got there!?" Akiko shocked to hear such early news of their capture.

"Yes, admittedly it's only a theory but if we all used to be Travelers ourselves it would explain why we were captured...plus I've stolen some intelligence papers from an officer prior to our escape plan, I just didn't understand it at the time." Michael explained "For us all to be so close to the Void at the time despite our vastly different manners and skillsets, that could very much mean we were at least once Travelers ourselves...though it's still just a theory."

"So wait, do those papers tell of our history prior to getting captured?" Asked Akiko

"Sadly no, just our skillsets and names...seems we're well suited for danger though." Michael stands up from the chair he was sitting in and says "We should head back towards the Travelers Union Headquarters, if my theory is correct there should be records or at least someone that knows us there."

"Okay, am right behind you!" says Akiko

While the two eggheads of the group researched in the library Ryan, Goro and Kira were at the Travelers Union Headquarters to speak with the staff for help discovering who they are. Ryan and the others reach the counter and speaks with the lady at the counter. The lady looks happy to see Ryan and his two friends and welcomes him. "Hello Ryan, what can I do for you today?" asked the lady.

"Yes I want too...wait you know my name?" asked Ryan

"Why yes, why wouldn't I know, you come here often for work."

"I work here!? No wait that's good cause I have some major questions that need answering."

"I don't follow you, is something wrong?"

Ryan explains what happened over the past few hours of the escape plan and how he escaped the prison.

"Oh gosh! I've heard that you went out on a mission involving the Consortium but I didn't think they'd captured you. I've heard that memory loss is a common side effect of the energy draining process they force on to their victims!"

"Mission? What kind of mission?" asked Goro

"The records show your last assigned mission was a prisoner rescue mission in Void territory, we tried to contact you via your Nexus Locator but you never replied back."

"Why do I have a feeling we left it at the prison we escaped from?" said Ryan

"Well anyways, you should report back to your Celestial Pixie. she'll know what to do next."

"Pixie? Where do we find them?"

"At the Quarters of Reflection." says Michael as he enters the scene with Akiko not far behind. the party is now full again. "It seems you've come to the same conclusion as us, we're Travelers."

"Michael and I have also found out who our enemy was, the Void Consortium. They captured us and drained us to the point of memory loss." Akiko walks up to the lady at the counter and asks. "May we have a copy of our records please?"

"Oh of course you can! I'll send the copies to you right away."

"So wait...does that mean we're cops?" asked Ryan

"More like special agents that maintain the peace across the multiverse." explains Michael

"Alright, it seems we have a vessel for our missions." Says Akiko who is currently absorbed in looking at the records.

"Wait, even after being captured by those Void guys your just going to go back to the lifestyle that put you in that danger in the first place? Just like that?" asked Kira

"Yup, and it seems like your going to do that too due to being a former criminal...wow it says you stole a weapon and a ship before and are now under our watch as you work to pay for your past crimes." Akiko speaking mostly to herself but expects Kira to listen.

"What!? you mean I have to go on crazy missions that could get me killed!?" Kira yells

"Come along, we have a friend waiting for us back at the ship." Says Akiko

"We have a ship?" asked Goro

The party moves to the Hall of Portals and enters the hanger portal leading to a dimension where ships of all kinds rest, it's not far from the Citadel. in fact you could walk all the way back to the city if you wanted to. While making their way towards the ship known as the Celestial Starlight or CS for short. everyone is reading their records and are slowly but surely uncovering their past.

"It says am optimistic and brave, nice." Ryan says "It also says am able to transform into armor and that I was once experimented on by the Consortium and made into a cyborg? But I don't even feel any different...more importantly why!?"

"My records say am stoic and specialized in manners of Occult or the supernatural. It also says I used to have a partner...what happened to them...oh, it seems they are dead. I don't know how to process this news. It also says I had a feud with the cult that killed her, Cult of the 'Shadowed Veil'. While I don't remember you yet Sue I'll try my best to give you justice for what this Cult has done to you."

"Your sense of justice must be strong to want to avenge a stranger you don't even remember." Akiko says

"I have no other direction for my life, the past is all I have right now." says Michael

"My records say I fled from the Lunari Moon Kingdom after stealing a ship, after being taken in I was given a choice between jail or working as a Traveler...damnit I was screwed either way. Why couldn't I have just left for a life among the stars as a outlaw." says Kira

"My records are straightforward, I was a pro wrestler who retired from the ring and joined the Travelers. seems I wanted to put my strength to good use." says Goro

"A pro wrestler!?" exclaims Ryan "Am actually jealous."

After there exchange of pasts they arrive at the CS in the hanger. Akiko having already bought another Nexus Locator uses the device to open the ramp to the ship. the ship seemed small but as the party walked inside they discover that the interior was bigger then the exterior!

"Whoa, this place looks so cool!" says Ryan

"This place is massive...what tech allows for such space to fit such a small vessel?" asked Michael

"Am still trying to find out myself...oh by the way I've checked my records and it seems am a tech engineer I guess. Not sure how I'll be of use with most of my memories gone though." says Akiko

"Ouch, that sucks." Says Ryan

As quick as the party reached the center of the ship the ramp retracts and closes, the party was now inside the Celestial Starlight. as soon as the ramp closes a high voice could be heard.

"Your finally back!" then from nothing a shining light emits from mid air, after the flash reveals a Pixie. with wings and magical aura she flew towards the party with a joyful expression. "I was worried sicked about you guys!"

"Who and what in the world are you!? I thought magic didn't exist" Ryan asked

"You have a magic user right here, you idiot." replies Kira

"That's a voice I could never forget...Hikari, our little Celestial Pixie." Michael says with a sense of certainty.

"Forget, oh no don't tell me it's truth then...I had a feeling when you guys never came back that the Voidie guys got you but I was hoping I was wrong."

"You know this Fairy?" Ryan asks Michael

"My memories are still foggy but I definitely remember Hikari, she works as the mission briefer for Travelers. Appearing and disappearing at will to hand out missions and important info to Travelers...I recall my first mission from her." Michael says

"Well at least one of you remembers me, I wish everyone still had their memories though...it's awkward having to reintroduce yourself" says the tiny pixie. "Well if I have to redo my tour of the Celestial Starlight I will."

The Pixie showed the party around the ship from the living quarters to the training room everything the party needs for becoming Travelers was accounted for. after the tour the Hikari held a small meeting in the Bridge as the ship takes off into the vast multiverse at large in the vast reaches of space.

Hikari begins her briefing. "Well sense you couldn't complete your last mission due to being well...captured I could offer you guys more work if you still feel up for it. but wouldn't you all like to regain your memories before doing another mission?"

"There's no guarantee our memories will ever truly come back, besides it's not like we remember what it was like before our lives as Travelers." says Michael

"I have no place to go but here. may as well make the best of it." Ryan says

"I simply see no reason to leave this group, they treat me well and I know they'll need protecting." says Goro

"Am not here by choice Pixie, am basically a slave working for you guys." says Kira

"Hey now, no need for the anger Kira, we've all been through a lot the past week or so together. Let's not make a fuss about it." says Akiko "I can't help but want to discover the truth behind the Void and their actions. according to my records I joined the Travelers because I saw what the Void were doing to the people of the multiverse...I can't just go home after seeing their cruel acts first hand."

Hikari is amazed "Wow, you all talk like real heroes, am so happy to see you guys again! Oh wait the mission. Yes there is a mission you can take on but am not so sure you guys can handle it but..."