My Sudden Monster Convergence

“Maeve! Phoebe! Are you guys safe! Wait… where am I?”

looking around I could see a white field with cylindrical walls and a floating circular black and yellow shield with a pair of wings. “Do not fear I have repaired any damages to his incarnation and-” Came a friendly voice.

“You better have! or else I’ll have your moderator rework your code!” Shouted a frantic british voice.

“Hello?” I called out a little confused.

the shield turned around, the image of bronze man looking to the left in a robe appeared on the other side of the shield. “Ah! It appears Mr. Robberts has awoken. your worries were unfounded Britn-” The man painted on the shield said, waving a hand at me.

“Shut it! I wasn't worried about him! It’s my job to take care of problems like this one!” The voice shouted.

“Perhaps but then why leave that pixie to others? you’re not a neuro of the IcMs for nothing.” The shield man argued. “Besides handling a case so personally instead of just using the system?”

“I said quiet! why do you have to be so forward with me!” Grumbled the voice.

“Because you let me.” Replied the shield man with a smirk, staring in a direction as if looking at someone.

“I hate you.” the voice said with a sigh, sounding like she was more happy than annoyed. “So I’ll leave things to you. Got a big mess to clean up so take care of any weird emotion stuff.” The british voice said while the shield waved before turning to me.

“Wait was that Brittney?!” I asked. I couldn't see her but maybe I could still thank her for trying to help me. turning to where the shield waved I shouted. “Thanks Brittney!”

The shield eyed the empty space before chuckling to himself. “She’s happy to help.” He said with a soft smile. “It has been a while Oliver.” He said.

it has? looking closer at the shield i wondered how’d he know me until I noticed the beard, he looked really familiar. “Edmond?” I asked.

“Yes. It’s nice that you remembered my name.” He waved both wings up as if praying. “Now I have something to say but before I begin, is there anything you want to know?” He asked rather quickly.

“Uh-yeah! Is Phoebe and Maeve safe!?” I asked worriedly.

“They are fine, Maeve will be released from that….’creature’ shortly while Phoebe is respawning. so the three of you may enjoy the festivities soon. Anything else?” He asked.

“What about Rez? didn't she destroy the dungeon?” I asked with a worried look, all I remember was the giant exploding.

“She is part of what i wanted to discuss.” Edmond’s 2d face frowned. “Her actions has greatly undermined the school's hopes of creating a safe place. with the explosion of the Gato’s Tail and now this second explosion….” His face darkened as he considered his next words. “I do not wish to burden you with this but your actions in destroying Rez’s machine has put a spotlight on you and your friends.” He said slowly, letting his words sink in.

“What do you mean? I just protected Phoebe from the blast before fainting….right?” I asked with a confused face.

Edmond shook his head before a box appeared in front of me. “Perhaps it’s best to see for yourself.” He said as a screen appeared with a video began playing. In the video I saw my incarnation laying on the ground before the sound of Phoebe’s pained cry rang out. In that moment my body shook before I pushed myself on to my knees, the air around me turned blood red and the star mask my incarnation wore crumbled. but instead of a face underneath was a pitch black hole as if someone smashed a window apart.

“Why are you showing me this?” I gave an annoyed face.

“Because you showed your power like the heroes of legend. Many people will have high expectations of you now.” Edmond explained.

Did he see the same thing I did? Looking back at the video, the gaping hole I just saw was replaced with a faceless head. reminding me that I didn't make an actual face under my mask but was I just seeing things? Maybe it was just the lighting?

“So what happens now? I’m a hero? I can’t go playing some role, I need to learn better magic control before I can actually chase my own plans.” I asked with annoyance and I worried that i’d be tired down yet again with a job I hated.

“You’ll just make one appearance to celebrate the event and then you’ll use something Brittney and I cooked up.” Edmond turned around to face a floating gem that looked to hold moving cream green mist or water inside it, swirling and twisting. the gem was held in a flat gold plate that had vines curl over the gem, creating circular patterns. the plate itself had two daisies carved into its back, the outline glowing a soft green light.

“What is this?” It looked like something you’d put on a pendant or in some ceremonial armor.

“You are getting what some higher ups have, a mandible avatar. Normally I or any of the other constructs wouldn’t give this freely but considering the gravity of current events, your incarnation is being played up a hero of the, little piece of home. This gem will cover your incarnation and make it look like another incarnation and even have different abilities. This is similar to an avatar like the shapeshifters have, copying the natural abilities without the instincts attached. but due to laws on such magic items you can only choose two forms to have, one male and female.” He said as his wings flapped twice.

Shapeshifter huh? so this is like some costume change some games and mods do? But why does one have to be a girl!? Don’t I have enough of that as my normal self! …..Wait! “Can I control what they turn out as?” I ask Filled with hope. Tomboys are a thing so I’ll just aim for something manly! Maybe with extra muscle?

“To a limited degree, yes. But they have to visually be seen as a member of the opposite sex and since your incarnation is humanoid with no tail, you’re limited by races too.” He explained.

So I can be more than…”How limited in races am I?” I asked.

“Checking. it seems your body allows for, Minotaur, fairy/pixie, human, the churr, Gremiko and the sazaa.” He said before making a screen pop up with different descriptions and both genders.

the minotaurs were interesting with huge muscles and the description given called them loyal warriors that only expose their back to honest individuals. but the female version was very feminine with large breasts, maybe even bigger than my dragon body! How dare she be that huge! No one will out match my magisi-ehm, she looks nice….I  guess.

Quickly looking at the fair and pixie combo in annoyance I read that these sprites are magically tied to their wings, it is their lifeline but gives huge amounts of magical power to them. I don’t know about having more power but since it’s only a suit It would fit with my power already. The only thing that bugs me is that the description also says fairies and pixies adore flashiness and even males like having makeup on. 

skipping the human as I knew it was a good option, I checked the Churr. a race once cursed into existence by playing with magical items. The once humans now exhibit cat like features and abilities and can even allow a full posses. Turning into a werecat form, enhancing all abilities and speed for survival and battle. The image was of small skinny teens with odd cat paw gloves and boots except the fur on them wrapped around their legs and arms like ribbons and over the body in thin strips. Both male and female had long hair covering their ears and wore a headband with cat ears attached.

Okay… Cursed. looking at Edmond I asked how cursed they were, only to be told they were desperate people whose alchemists and enchanters fashioned magical armor out of the large animals hunting them only to keep adding more enchantments and upgrades. the magic items fused to their bodies and even altered their future offspring to be born this way.

“So these aren't gloves?” I asked.

“Not at all. Although they act like magical items, the paws are one hundred percent part of their biology. they’re rare and not many races exist like them so I can understand your confusion though it is odd how you flinched at curses.” Edmond said leaning closer.

“Uh, curses in anime are always played up as dangerous, so it spooked me a little.” I said turning the fear into a joke.

“Alright. For now just give me your suggestions for race and appearance so we may begin the process. The after party will start soon and you need to make that appearance.” He said while still eyeing me before backing away.

Maybe this is a chance to learn more about the different races? Maybe a new way of looking at things might help master my mana and magic too! It could might also teach me about my friends too... Hmmmm.

“Those dung pies! They ruined my plans! What in Maltous were they doing! All my pawns had to do was get both of Phoebe’s teammates captured! A good sacrifice for a grander cause, yet one of them managed to get past my plans!” Rez screamed as she smashed a small controller on the floor.

“Thank Carline that I had a back door but still! I wanted to be a part of that party… Hearing music celebrating my plans succeeding, BUUUUUUUTTTTTT NOOOUUUOO! Phoebe had to use her teammates’ mana to attack me! She must have had some of Maeve’s mana laying around and used her other member like a battery to power it!” Nodding to herself at her briant deduction Rez turned to collect a few more items from her little hidden base. Old motherboards, nexus parts and a few beads she ‘borrowed’ from that dumb green skin magnus engineer Into her item sack.

“I really should’ve taken Mary's offer of extra help. Fine I'll just have to make it up to her and that weird group.” Rez sighed at the work she’d have to handle now as she dumped her now full item sack into a blue portal. For a gnome to make one without the odd slimy after effects was a lord send and would probably make her the lead of a Magis-access team if she made her work known. Her work was truly that great and in a university of its own.

“But for now I better make my exi-” Rez began before an explosion outside so rudely interrupted her silken voice.

“I know you’re in there! Come out before I bring your worthless cave crumbling down on you!” Boomed a powerful voice. Great! That annoying construct is here! 

Quickly turning, Rez eyed her beautiful portal, wondering if she could survive the transfer. She shook her head in defeat before reaching to turn it off. But before her hand could move a centimeter, a golden beam cut into her now not so secret base. The beam stretched until it cut into her control panel, instantly melting it and absorbing any mana within it. The beam quickly pulled itself out of the panel revealing it to be a construct sword. You could easily tell from the flowing runic in the middle and slight fragmentation around the edges, She was obviously pushing herself far too much, probably really pissed. But she’d probably fry her internal data processing-BUT!

Rez clicked her tongue as her back pinched in annoyance before the sword tilted and spun in a wide circle. Hitting every machine and everything looking even slightly dull or hidden. This also created a large hole and loads of dust as everything was ravaged.

"No! I didn't do anything! I was going to turn myself in!" Rez screamed in annoyance and frustration at the needless destruction. She would have to spend hours rebuilding it all. She shuddered at the difficulty of ignoring her ideas for even a moment. 

"You had your warning, Now it's time to pay the viper." Came a now colder masculine and deathly voice. Rez froze at the sound of their voice. Her body trembled as if lightning coursed through her very bones. No! It can't be th-

The golden sword swung at her head, forcing its way into her mouth, down her throat and filling her stomach with its warm stale mana. A taste of iron and of oranges!

"You promised a show, wasn’t satisfied, now I want my refund." Came the voice from all around her before she was yanked into the dust cloud.

NO-NO-NO-NO-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!