Alex was sitting at the black lantern, with her two friends, Ryan and Steph. Sipping on some beer what Jed has given them on the house, even though Alex insisted him not to. Alex could only chuckle when Jed ignored her, and set the three beer mugs on the table and left. "Jed is sometimes way to kind" Alex chuckled as she took a sip of her beer. Ryan smiled. "Sure is"
"Hey-" Steph said. "We should all do LARP again. With Ethan again. He sure did love that last one" She said. Alex nodded. "Yeah! But, with Thaynor again?"
Steph shook her head. "Maybe, but I was thinking we do one my way~"
Ryan arched an eye brow. "And what is that way? Kissing every girl in the town to poison them?"
Steph's face went red. "W-what? N-no! Why would I do that."
Alex laughed quietly, putting her hand on her mouth looking away. Steph rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't do that, Ethan's a kid, he doesn't need to see kissing all over the place."
Ryan chuckled. "Wouldn't want little Ethan to be going around kissing girls or guys like that. Or, in the way Steph is gonna do it-"
"Ugh, shut up Ryan" Steph said. Alex laughed.
She was about to take a sip of her beer, but then she was a guy come in the front door for the bar. He walked in, seeming like he was looking for someone. He also didn't look like an adult, he looked like a kid. Not Ethan's age, but possibly around 15 or 16. Underage people usually aren't aloud to be in bars, but it didn't seem like he was there for a drink. It seemed like he was looking for something. Alex didn't say anything, but Ryan did see, and he whispered something to Alex. "Who's that? Isn't it a teen or something?"
Alex shrugged. "It seems like he's looking for someone. Maybe his father or... mother is here-" That's what Alex thought, but then she saw the guy's eyes turned to her, and he started to walk over to her.
Alex was confused. 'Me?' She thought.
"Hello" The guy said as he came over. "Mind if I sit here?" He asked. Ryan was staring at the guy, and he spoke up. "Hey, aren't you underage? You shouldn't be here ordering a drink" Ryan said. "Nah, don't worry, I'm not here to get any beer. Beer taste disgusting anyways" The guy said.
Ryan went wide eyed. "Hey, you might not be able to drink it, but it's definitely is not disgusting!" Ryan snapped. Alex snorted, then softly laughed at Ryan. "Dude, we all have different tastes"
Ryan came up to Alex's ears. "If I where you, I'd try to read this crazy dude's mind and emotions. See what he's up to"
Alex rolled her eyes. "Ry, calm down."
Alex looked back at the guy, and she saw a purple aurora over him. 'Oh no... what's wrong? Is he lying about the whole beer thing and wants one?' She thought.
She focused on him-
What am I gonna say to her? How the hell am I gonna tell her that she is from the game dimension? How am I even gonna convince her to talk to him....
Wait a minute.... can't she read minds... shit....
Alex looked at the newcomer with a confused stare. The guy looked at her, than looked around.
Did Ryan and Steph go around the town telling people that she can read people's emotions? 'No.... they're good people. They wouldn't do that to me... would they?'
Alex was nervous. What the fuck is a Game Dimension? She has to know.
"Alex Chen? I need to talk to you... alone.." The guy said.
Steph and Ryan heard him, and turned around quick. "Huh? What for?" Ryan asked, looking a little defensive. Steph looked at the guy, then back at Alex. She came closer up to Alex. "Alex? Are.... you sure?"
Alex nodded. There was something about this guy. "Yes" she said with no hesitation.
Ryan and Steph clearly looked like they weren't sure. They could tell something wasn't right.
****
The only place that was quite, and away from people, was upstairs in Alex's room. She lives in a studio that's above the black lantern, that has it's own arcade machine. She opened the door, letting the guy in, then herself after. The guy walked in, standing at the entryway that goes nears the steps that goes to the roof. Alex shut the door, looking at the guy. "Ok..." she said as she closed the door. "What did you want to talk about?" The guy still had the purple arura around him. He looked nervous. Something wasn't right. Looking in his emotions, Alex could tell that he wasn't planning anything bad, but with how it seems that this kid somehow knows about her special powers, he could of been trying his hardest not to think anything that links up with being nervous. So Alex tried her best to be on guard.
The guy turned around. "This... is a nice place you have" He said. "Oh... um, thanks" Alex said. "Wait a second... how.. do you know this is mine?"
The guy looked even more nervous.
Shit.... I just need to tell her
Alex arched an eyebrow.
The guy took a deep breath. "Alex... My name is Marcus Baker. You can call me Mark. I'm a huge gamer, and-"
Alex smiled a little. "Oh, are you now? Heh, Gabe played a lot of games...... when he was here..." She said that last part with a hint of sadness in her voice. "Yeah... I'm sorry about what happened" The guy said, now his arura turning blue.
Alex was about to ask how the hell he knows about Gabe, but then she realized if this kid is from the town, he obviously would have known. "Yeah... thanks" She said. There was a small silence for a while, until she asked something-
"What did you wanna talk to me about? What's wrong?"
The kid sighed. "I'm from another dimension" He blurted out.
Alex stared at the kid. 'What?'
Another Dimension?
How is that possible?
"A-another dimension?" Alex asked. Mark nodded. "Yes. I don't know the name of it yet, but the dimension you are from, is called the 'Game Dimension'. You're world is apart of a branch of it."
Alex was confused. "Game... Dimension? W-What does that mean?" She remembered Mark thinking that, and it was tied to her emotion. "It means... that your dimension... exists in another dimension as a video game" Mark said, smiling nervously.
Alex blinked. "... Excuse me what?"
Mark sighed. "I know, this probably makes no sense-"
"You're right it... doesn't-" Alex said.
"But I'm telling the truth Alex. Your dimension, exists in an alternate dimension, as a game what people play"
Alex couldn't believe it. "Are... you joking? Cause... it's sounds funny and it sounds like something Gabe would make up."
Mark closed his eyes, sighed then looked back. "Want me to prove it?"
With all the pacing around, Mark had his back turned to the door, and Alex was in front of Mark. She then, saw the door open a crack, and saw Steph peek inside, with Ryan above her peeking in, both of them looked like cartoons pecking around a corner. But, Alex didn't say anything. She knew they where there already, and maybe opened the door once they heard Mark saying he was gonna prove himself. Alex didn't make it obvious that she knew they where there, she didn't want to alert Mark, since he did say he wanted to be alone with her.
Luckily, Mark didn't realize, so she nodded. "Sure... prove what ever it is you're gonna prove."
Mark nodded, he lifted arm put, in front of him. Like he was going to do force or something. 'What the?' Alex thought. Steph and Ryan looked just as confused.
Then something happed next, that one could say that could happen in the movies.
Sparks flew around Mark's hand, until steam blew out from an outline of what seemed to be some weapon, then appeared a weird key shaped weapon, that showed up as a explosion of something what looked like steam, Mark grabbed it as soon as it appeared.
The steam disappear reveling the weapon to actually look like a key, with the 'key' end to have rotating gears, that had something what looked like a steam piston that was connected from the gears to rounded part at the bottom, spinning around. And a key chain at the bottom that looked like the smoke stack of a locomotive.
Alex couldn't believe her eyes, and neither could Steph and Ryan. Ryan was so surprised, that his slipped and fell, and slammed on top of Steph, and they both crashed onto the around, slapping the door open. "Oof!" Ryan said as he slipped.
Mark gasped then turned around seeing Ryan lying down on the ground on top of Steph. "Ow... my back..." Steph said.
The weapon vanished, in cloud of steam. Then he walked over to Ryan and Steph, and helped them both up. Once they where standing up, they both stared at Mark like he was an alien. ".... What... are you?" Ryan asked.
Mark sighed. "I'll explain everything to you all, lets sit on the couch"
***
"So... we are video game characters in your dimension?"
Mark, Alex, Steph and Ryan where sitting on the couch, talking. They really wanted to hear what Mark had to say. Mark sounded unbelievable, but what he was saying, was actually true. "Yes Ryan. You all are"
"Does that mean... we are fake?" Alex asked. Mark shook his head. "Nah. Your dimension, as crazy as it sounds, is real as real can be. It's just how dimensions work. Some dimensions love to use other dimensions out there, as way to create something fictional it's world. It might sound weird, I know."
"You're damn right it does" Ryan said. "And it's not just this world, there's a lot of game worlds out there."
"Man... imagine of Gabe was here, to hear this crap" Ryan said, sipping on some beer. They all where drinking something, all except Mark.
Alex laughed what Ryan said. "Knowing my brother, he'd probably want to take his vacation days off in other dimensions."
Ryan chuckled. "You're probably right with that one"
Everyone looked clam, but Ryan and Alex where freaking out a little. Who wouldn't? You know that people can spy on you in other worlds?
"I know what you all are thinking. No... people don't see when you go to the bathroom."
"Oh... so it's not like the Truman Show?" Ryan asked. "No! Of course not! It's like a 10 hour game, that's all."
"10 hours? Wait... oh my God, our lives is like one giant LARP!" Steph yelled out.
"Guess you can say it's a Live Action Role Play" Mark said, looking at them. "So... how did you reach here?" Alex asked, looking at Mark in the eye. "Well.... the world I'm from, is where the game is from."
"Woah really?" Steph asked. Alex looked down. "If we are from this game... that means...."
Ryan and Steph looked at Alex. ".... You're the main character" Mark said.
Steph smiled at Alex. "Girl, you're famous!"
Alex could only chuckle. "So... if I'm the main character... that means... you control my power?"
Mark nodded.
"What is the name of the game anyways?" Ryan asked.
"Life is Strange: True Colors"
"Life is Strange?" Ryan asked arching an eye brow. Alex chuckled shaking her head. "They couldn't have picked a better title." She said. Mark chuckled, "Yeah. It's also the 4th installment in the series."
That caught everyone's attention. "4th? I know my life has been pretty hectic, but... can it really stretch into 4 games?"
"Hm? Oh, no, no, the past 3 games has had different characters." Mark said. "Oh... was I there?" Ryan asked. "Nah, True colors was your only game"
Steph snorted. "Sucks to be you" She said. Ryan rolled his eyes. Mark smiled. "First game, had these two characters named Max and Chloe."
THAT caught Steph's attention. "Chloe?! Chloe Price?! Shit... I haven't heard that name in years....."
"Wow... who's Chloe? Does that mean the games are connected?"
"And I'm not in the past games still..." Ryan said folding his arms.
"Yeah. Life is Strange 1, was about Max and Chloe. There was another game after, called 'Before The Storm' That one, was a prequel. Then, a second game came out, this was the true second game, that was about to Mexican boys. A 16 year old and a 10 year old on the run from the police, for something they never done"
Everyone was shocked. "Damn, that sounds rough...those poor boys..." Alex said. Mark nodded. "But, they're doing alright. I've visited them before. The 10 year old, is now 16, and he has become... more than friends with this steam engine who can turn human, and back. And now he can too."
All of them looked confused.
"Excuse me what? A steam engine?"
"It's a long story.... one of my other fictional properties... kind of leaked into their world.... and this links up to the big thing I need to ask"
Alex looked at Steph and Ryan, who only shrugged.
Alex looked back at Mark. "Um, ok. Shoot" She said. Mark nodded.
"Ok. So... this entire 'Game Dimension' is meant to be something hidden. No one, is ever meant to come here, who is an outsider from it. This, goes for most dimensions." Mark said. "Because the dimensions can break and cause paradoxes?" Ryan asked. Steph looked at him with an arched eye brow. Ryan looked at her, then back at Mark. "Uh... hey, can a park ranger not be a fan of a little sci-fi?"
"Well... Ryan, not exactly. It's because certain dimensions can have different realities, what others can't handle. Like, if one world... like mine... that doesn't have any form of magic, power, or space travel, then a dimension filled with a bunch of magic spells and flying saucers, came into my world, it would shatter. People wouldn't know how to fight it, because we have nothing of the sort" Mark explained.
Alex nodded. "Ah, yeah... that makes sense."
"So your world has nothing at all like that?" Ryan asked
"We thought our world was like that, until we met Alex" Steph added.
"And.... this links up with what I wanna ask. It wasn't me who opened the dimension. It was something from my world." Mark said. "Something opened it? But don't you need like... powers to open dimensions... or... a device or something?"
Mark nodded. "At first I thought it was from the game I got warped into, but after exploring that game, and facing this thing one on one... I figured out it was from my world. I just don't know what he exactly is"
"So... um... why do we need to exactly know this? This thing isn't gonna exactly hurt us too is it?"
Mark looked at Alex. "I need to borrow you. You're power. You can read emotions. This things name, is Dark-Blade. I can tell it's very angry at something.... or someone. He has darkness all over him, and he's pretty dangerous. But, I know that you, have the power to read emotions. And you're my only hope, to get trough him to see what he is, and what is wrong with him." Mark said.
Alex was surprised. Then, she looked back at her two friends. She could tell Ryan and the rest where nervous about this. What Mark just said, sounded like this thing was dangerous probably. And... scary. Darkness all over his body, seems like something from some very dark horror movie.
"What... does he actually do?"
"He can suck people's powers out."
"WHAT?!" They all yelled. "Well, not exactly suck them out, but copy them. He even attacked my boyfriend. And me. It's all a long story."
"Awe, is your boyfriend ok?" Alex asked. Mark nodded.
Steph smiled. "We need more gay people up in this joint"
Ryan rolled his eyes.
Alex thought. This seemed dangerous. But, she did want to help. Maybe if she didn't, this dark thing could possibly even come into her world, and damage it while she's of guard. She nodded to Mark. "I'll do it, show me to him"
"What?! Are you insane Alex?!" Ryan yelled. "Ryan, it's... I... I know this sound dangerous-"
"Yeah, exactly!"
"But..." Alex continued. "Mark is right. I can read emotions. I don't want to pat myself on the back, but I'm some what good at helping people with their emotions. Maybe I'm the one to put this... 'Dark-Blade'.... a bay. If I don't do something, he can probably come to our world and hurt us of guard. I need to see what is wrong."
Ryan blinked. He was about to say something, but Steph cut him off. "Alex is right Ryan."
Ryan sighed. "Well... lets all go. It's the least I can do, to at least help."
Mark nodded.
"I wanna come too." Steph said. Alex had got up. She walked over to a table, and got out a pen. She quickly wrote a note, and put it on the table. "What is that?" Steph asked.
"It's a note, so in case Jed comes looking for us. Don't worry, I didn't tell him we are gonna be like, dimension hopping"
"Yeah, that's reassuring," Ryan said.
Mark got up from the couch, and stood over at the left side of the table. "Ready?" Mark asked as he summoned that weapon of his again, then, a gold vortex appeared in front of him. They all stepped back a little, but Steph had the biggest smile. "Hey, you said you can go to weird dimensions, you need to find a safe one where we can have a LARP for Ethan"
***
Mark had taken them all to the a world, where he was sure Dark-Blade was at. "Come on, just this way" Mark said. "I don't know why, but he usually comes here..."
"Ugh... it's so cold... you didn't tell us you where gonna bring us to a snowy place!" Ryan yelled. He was right, it was freezing, snow was everywhere. "Yeah, sorry about that" Mark said. Alex, and Steph was not bothered by the cold. In fact, they where happy. "Yeah it's winter now in this world. This is actually Life Is Strange 2's world."
"Woah, really?" Steph asked. "The home of those two Mexican boys you talked about before?"
Mark nodded. "He usually come here now. He's made friends with the young boy. He trains him with his powers from time to time."
"Wait... what?! Powers? What powers??" Alex asked.
Mark face palmed. "Sorry... forgot to say. The young boy has telekinesis."
"Wow..." Ryan said. "Alex is not the only one with powers?"
They walked more, until they came up to the edge of a hill top. "Stop..." Mark said.
They all stopped. "Down there-"
Down below them, was a river, with the water flowing down, very calm. But, standing right there, next to the bank, stood a figure, shrouded in a dark mist. "Holy shit-" Ryan said. Alex.... saw it. But... she saw a red arura around him. And, the more she focused on it, the more intense she could see into him. It was almost unbearable to her. Whatever this thing was feeling, was
True. Hot. Anger.
"Alex? You alright?" Steph asked putting a hand on her shoulder. Alex touched her hand. "Yes... I think. Oh my god... this anger from it... it's... it's strong...like, very strong, it's almost unbelievable." Alex said.
"Ok... just take deep breaths...."
Alex did so. Breath in, and breath out
She tried to get inside Dark-Blade head.
It hurt like hell.
The anger was intense. She could hear voices, sounds. She felt loss, hurt, pain, sadness, revenge.
Randy speak to me! Randy!!
You killed him! Why!? Why would you do this?!
Alex nearly fell, grabbed her head. The anger was way to strong.
I'm stuck in this time zone, and can't get back to the 40s... and lost my only friend I've met in this new time line...
Loss. 'Ugh....' Alex groaned. This was too much. Alex never felt like this. Not even with Mac's anger.
Jake! I... I can't control my power! Move! Walter move him away from here!
Alex could see that someone was holding someone, hostage style, in front of what seemed to be Dark-Blade. Dark-Blade couldn't control his power, and it all went into Jake.
"JAKE!!!!" Alex yelled, and almost fell to the ground, if Ryan hadn't caught her. "Holy shit!" He yelled. "Alex! Are you ok?!"
Alex had to take deep breaths, as the anger from Dark-Blade started to fade out of her body. Tears was rolling down her eyes.
"His anger.... he lost two people import to him... one by a murder... and one by an accident... and... he's stuck in a time line far from his own."
"What the fuck?" Ryan yelled. "Dude... that's...that's...rough...."
Mark was staring off into space.
"Mark? Are you ok?" Steph asked as she was rubbing Alex's back, trying to calm her. "Jake... he's mentioned that name before. "But... not this other person. Did you see that name?"
Alex panted. "Yes... Randy. "
"We need to help him"