This is a work of fiction. The people depicted in this story (to the best of the author's knowledge) do NOT exist. And these events are, for the most part, all the imagination of the author. More importantly, this is a work of science fiction (and, to a significant degree, fantasy), so while some of the situations may seem probable, and scientifically possible, that hardly means that this is to be taken as real. As for content... suffice it to say, eventually, this story may well turn explicit. I'm a stickler for a good storyline, though, so it might be a while til there's anything "offensive".

If you are under 18 years of age (or whatever the legal age in your area is) you must leave. Of course, I can't very well make you leave... but if you choose to stay, DON'T GET CAUGHT! It is neither my fault, nor the fault of this wonderful site, if you get caught running around here.

Also, if you are repulsed by the concept of homosexual romance and/or sex, please feel free to leave at any time. (In fact, now would be a good time.) But hey, it's your call, of course... I can't make you leave, either... but if you choose to stay, feel free... who knows, you might even change your mind! My only question is: why are you here if that's the case?

This is a new story, mostly independent of my older work; if you are interested in that, it's in HighSchool/Ukiah_Chronicles. I say mostly, because the main character (and perhaps an occasional "guest star") are based on the Ukiah Chronicles. The inspiration for this work is Symbiota Sapiens, written by the charismatic (if occasionally over-loquacious ;P) Dean. Feel free to go read. (It's an excellent story, really. Do go read it. ^^)

Please feel free to email me with your comments/suggestions at the address below. Or, if you'd prefer, you can IM me on the chance you catch me online. (I leave my IMs on 24/7, unless my computer crashes or gets force-rebooted for some reason.)

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And now, without further delay:

Not about to risk Alliesa getting annoyed and coming in after me, I switched direction, heading towards the front door, just as I heard her in the back of my mind, humming. :OK, OK, I'm coming,: I shot at her, and was rewarded by her stopping humming, as I came around the front door, locking and shutting it behind me.

"What took you so long?" she asked, in a I'm-annoyed-but-it's-funny tone.

"Eh, wanted to grab a few final mementos of my life... or, well, mostly my kind of clothing. Blue isn't my color."

"Coulda fooled me, you were three shades of blue when we picked you up LAST time!" she smirked.

"Heh, and here I thought I was naked. Sure was when I woke up, you standing over me," I said, slapping her shoulder lightly as she started to pull out of the drive. We continued on like that, chatting back and forth as if we'd been friends forever... and I wondered idly, how much of that was because, for the first time in my life, I was really OK... I was lonely, but it was temporary. Sad, temporary. These would be fixed when I was able to sneak out and spend time with Tyler. And I had every intention of doing so as often as I could... I didn't yet know how often it would be, but I was sure there'd be chances.

::Again,:: Chris demanded, directly into my mind. This new method of communication still took getting used to, and moreso communicating with Ty. Three days later, and I was missing his namesake more and more.

::Focus,:: Ty said, as I began drifting. ::This is child's play; you need to master these basic implants.::

Sighing mentally, I tried to focus... what? Thoughts to words, mind to machine, sending the processed message... no, lost it.

::You're thinking too hard,:: Ty chided. ::The process should just flow.::

:HELP me, then!: I demanded, frustrated, and noticed both Chris and Benito, seated across the room from me, wince at the 'sound' of my 'shouting'.

Chris sighed. "You prove, regularly, you are able to use the abilities," he chided aloud. "The problem seems to be consciously interacting with the ability." He went silent, staring expectantly at me, as Benito stood and exited the room. I closed my eyes, 'moving' away from this room as I envisioned 'Ty's' room., that creepy aquamarine dome.

:Isn't there some way you can help?: I asked him, once inside the room. :Trying to think about this... I give myself migraines more than I make progress, it seems.:

Ty closed his eyes, as if thinking. ::Well,:: he replied after a moment, ::there is one option. Given how you think, you would likely relate to it more strongly as a spell, or perhaps telepathy. However...::

Not waiting for the however, I emerged from the room and focused on thinking at Chris, like you'd expect telepathy to work. :Chris, can you hear me? How is this?: I mindsent, amazed how easy it was to try this way... as was Chris, given his reaction.

::Much better,:: he answered, smiling encouragingly. ::Might I ask how this miracle came about?::

::False association,:: I heard Ty whine... apparently to Chris! ::He can't understand the implants, and has to associate the abilities they provide as 'Magick' or similar powers to understand and interact with them at all efficiently.::

"Unfortunate," Chris sighed, switching to normal speech, "and a habit it would be best to break early. By limiting the powers of your implants by placing them within such limited concepts, you also limit your powers, themselves. By hedging them about with restrictions on how 'Magick' does and does not work, so too will you limit yourself... and you are your own lowest limit." He paused a moment, as if regathering his thoughts, then switched back to Mindspeech. ::Next, this information will allow you to connect to what is known as the shadow internet amongst Guardians. This part is more for... your AI... to be honest.::

A momentary buzz, like a nearby swarm of bees, and Ty was busily 'looking' at the information. :Shadow internet?: I asked him.

::It appears to be a type of network similar to the mortal internet, designed to be accessible via the existing communication implant. Similar concepts seem to be available... limited research access, some form of networking access, and so on. I'm finding most of the accessible research is of a religious nature, however.::

:Figures, given most of the Guardians seem to be old enough to have helped carve the stone tablets for Moses,: I snorted mentally. :Anyways, enough about religious texts... what about the regular internet? You know, the mortal one?:

::...The communication device would possibly be able to interact, similar to Wi-Fi internet connections, with the proper information. Unfortunately, that is information that you do not possess, and which likewise I do not have. It could certainly be researched; perhaps the shadow internet might hold clues for that search.::

:OK, look into that... what about this direct communication, this Mindspeech... can I contact Tyler this way?:

I could almost hear a frown in his 'voice'. ::I do not believe so, no. The parameters are based on direct communication between two or more implants; as Tyler does not have Esseren, and hence, no implants... it would not work this way, no.:: A brief pause, as I brooded on the injustice in this. ::It does appear others have researched, many times in the last century, this possibility of using the communications implant to interface with the mortal internet.::

:Excellent!: I cheered inwardly. Can't have both, but the Mindspeech thing would've been creepy... IMs and email would work for now. :Can you do the same, then?:

::...Not sure. This information only indicates individuals have looked into the possibility; no records that I can access show whether they were successful, or even what methods they tried previously. It appears, by what I see here, any such information would be kept highly confidential... apparently it isn't all sunshine and saving the future like the Guardians make it sound, and it looks like any Guardians who develop their own implants keep the technology behind it very secret, released only either in trade or, once outgrown, to their proteges. From this, they see it as a necessity, to keep an edge over the competition's 'toys'.::

He was starting, slowly but surely, to sound less like a talking dictionary and more like a real person. Finally. :So no getting help from others on implants, back to being a limited newbie, got it,: I grumbled.

::Not necessarily, no. Given the chance to examine either an implant or a similar device, I might be able to decipher how it works and, once I have that, how to construct one. Granted, for a lot of this, your rudimentary knowledge of electronics and nanotechnology is going to work against us, but the mortal internet... once we can access it readily... will provide a lot of those answers, I think.::

He went silent a moment. ::However, I think your knowledge of electronics might actually pay off for us. Wi-Fi seems to operate... from your understanding... on a similar level to radio waves...::

Without further warning, my ears filled with a low buzz, but this time more like static on a radio than anything else, with occasional bursts of activity. Then, without further warning, we came onto a 'clear' spot, and I heard two voices, Benito and Chris, 'whispering' together... via Mindspeech, it seemed.

::Are you sure?:: Chris asked, his 'tone' confused and upset.

::Completely, I'm afraid,:: Benito replied, sounding weary more than anything. ::He spoke lightly of cutting his ties with humanity when he was charged; however, he seems to still be emotionally tied to that boy, Tyler. Your recognizing his AI's voice as such seems to only confirm my suspicions. Trusting him now, before he shows his true intentions... I fear it might prove completely unwise.::

I gasped aloud. This was clearly not a conversation for my ears. Because I hadn't given up on love, because I hadn't barred Tyler from my life forever for their petty wargames, I wasn't worthy of their trust?

:Ty,: I said, breaking the 'eavesdropping' session. :My plan to sneak outta here... can you, with what you... well, we, know... how can we pull this off? It doesn't sound like I have long before the choice is made for me.:

::It seems like there's two issues at hand,:: he said calmly, as if thinking rationally about the situation... which, apparently, he was more than I. ::The first issue would be nondetection. Aside from getting you out of the area before they think to look for you, though, I don't have any ideas on that right now. The other is transportation.::

Chris raised an eyebrow at me. "Something the matter?" he asked quietly, standing up and walking towards me.

I had to resist the urge to bolt when he laid a hand on my shoulder. "N- no, nothing... just a bit... flooded with new information," I temporized, getting up as well.

"Too much information at once can always be disorienting, especially at first," he sympathized. "Why don't you lie down for a while and rest up while you and your AI sort out all the information?"

He led me gently to the room I'd been assigned... apparently, on the night they 'saved' me from freezing myself to death. Meanwhile, my mind was whirring, trying to think about options... I had no car (and no license besides), no money, didn't know how to hotwire a car nor how to carjack a person... so, that left out most of the conventional - or slightly less conventional - options. I could try to call Tyler... but it's not like he could come down here and pick me up, and no one could get here fast enough if they noticed I'd disappeared...

As we reached the door of my 'room', he pushed me lightly forward, turning slowly to back to his seat. Had his hand lingered a moment longer than necessary? Was there something in his eyes more than concern? Could it be that part of his reaction towards Tyler and my feelings for him be due to feelings for... me?

...for one, I sensed from the Chris individual a strong set of physiological reactions that tied in directly with any interaction with you...

I groaned inwardly. Just great, no wonder he was so interested in me. Because he was interested. In me. Stupid puppy love... even if he's old enough by far that it's not precisely that, it's still the same thing regardless the name. Well, one more reason to make myself scarce, and quickly, if he might get jealous of my attentions lying elsewhere.

:Hitch a ride!: I exclaimed mentally to Ty, wondering how such an obvious answer had evaded me this long. The closer I looked at the idea, the better it seemed... after all, I knew the main drawback of hitchhiking was physical danger, but... :You said that my body's... physically improved, right?:

::Quite so. All that new muscle tone you've been noticing isn't just for show... they're quite a bit stronger than they were before.:: So, if it wasn't just aesthetic... I'd spent a good hour admiring my body the first night back here, noticing just how impressive my muscles looked now, the way they seemed to almost pop out, like with a track star's legs or a school wrestler's chest and arms. To actually have that strength behind me meant I could easily defend myself if needs be. Or run if it was too dangerous, even for the super-stud these Esseren made me.

:Tonight,: I decided. :Once everyone isn't watching me. Before it's too late.:

On the upside, I've discovered I write fairly well without a muse (please don't take this chapter for granted... I *did* have to get through some dry stuff, and since this was gonna be a dry chapter no matter what, I compressed quite a bit in here). I also now have a job where I sit for a good couple minutes between actually working, so I'll have time and then some to write at work. (The next chapter, for example, is almost done.)

I'm going to institute an actual update policy, to try and keep things moving smoothly here on out. That is to say, you should be able to expect an update on Nifty every weekend from here on out. Also, as before, if you want to be added to my mailing list (either just for a notice that there's an update, or an actual copy of the chapter) let me know. I'll be glad to put that back into practice... it helps me keep in touch with my readers. After all, I write to express myself... but I keep writing because I love hearing that people like it. (Or why they don't.) My email's at the top of each chapter.

Take care 'til next chapter!