#Bonus Chapter - Alpha's Birth#

[1]

At the beginning there was only darkness. Not even the barest shapes of something, anything, could be seen in this supreme gloom. Not even the noises or the whisper of wind could penetrate the stillness. Then suddenly there was a murmurr. Just barely there, but getting louder and clearer until there were words strung together into a sentance.

"Hello there, little one. Can you here me?"

It was a nice barritone voice that spoke to it out of the darkness. But it didn't know how to answer it, how to comunicate the tons of questions rioting in it's heart. Where am I? Who are you? Why can't I see anything? The owner of the voice seemed to understand nonetheless as there was a comfortable warmth surrounding him suddenly and with it came the awareness.

It found itself on the floor of a room, clad completely in stone and presenting a round metal object at the far end of the wall. It was connected to the ceiling by waires and pipes and hung pecariously in the air, so that it looked as if the whole contraction would crash down any second now.

"This should be better, right? Can you see me now?"

Only now that it searched for the owner of the voice did he notice the small window imbedded into the metal. It's size was only enough to see the fare features of a young man with sunken in cheeks and thin hair that floated neatly around his head. His face showed a kind but exhausted expression and his eyes looked at him with such sadness, that the light in the room dimmed again in response.

No, not the room lost it's shine. It was at this time that it saw it's body reflected back at it through the window. It's body was round without eyes, hands or even a mouth and shone in a dull white. It was like a lightbulb that can change it's colour based on emotions as the illumination suddenly turned into a shocked purple and then into pink embarassment. A weak laughter broke it out of it's panik when it's form started sparkling like a discoball and wouldn't stopp.

"Calm down. You are fine here. It is safe and you will get used to your new body. Listen, little one. From now on your name will be Alpha, do you understand? You are a system that is tasked to help humans save other worlds from collapsing."

It - Alpha, his name was Alpha now - understood and nodded at the young man in front of it. It's body flashed in bright yellow for a second before settling back into a dim white again. Gathering it's courrage, it tried to finally find it's voice. After a few failed attampts at opening it's nonexistant mouth, it instead collected it's thought into one word and pushed it out into the space ahead.

"Father?"

The eyes of the young man brightened for a moment and he gazed at the lightbulb with such pride that Alpha turned a deep shade of red in response.

"Yes, Alpha. I'm your creator, your Father. Unfortunately as you can see I won't be able to show you around, but I asked Gamma to do the honours for me. Alright? I know that you will settle well into your new skin and if you ever have any questions then don't hesitate to ask one of the others or come to me. I will always make some time for you."

The moment the male finished talking the door behind Alpha, that it didn't even notice before, opened and another ball roled into the room. It was a bit bigger than Alpha and the rough surface had multiple small scratches that looked a bit like scars.

"Hello there Headsystem. You called for me?"

"Yes, Gamma. We have a new member. This is Alpha. I hope you can show him around a little for me."

"Of corse, sir. Leave it to me."

Gamma curiously eyed up Alpha's form, or at least it felt like that was what was happening, before moving closer. It's light shone a light gray as it's standard colour, which meant that it was older and more experienced than Alpha.

"Follow me, youngling."

It took a bit for Alpha to realize that Gamma was talking to it. And another one to notice that the other ball was already dissapearing through the open door. It quickly hopped after it's guide so that it wouldn't be left behind while throwing a 'goodbye' at the chuckling man.

It followed Gamma through a corridor that was only illiminated by the light comming off of their bodys. It was diffecult to see anything beyond a few meters but Alpha noticed a few floating doors they passed on the way. As they all looked different, some yellow with green stripes, others a simple wooden colour, and then there were also round ones without any handle to open them by, Alpha figured that they weren't just walking on one spot eventhough it felt like that. At some point, Gamma stopped walking and pointed towards the door behind it.

"This door you should remember well. It leads to our headquaters. The other doors are only relevant for your missions. They all lead towards different worlds, but you will be told which one to take once you receive your assignment. The big double door at the end of this hall - the place we just came from - belongs to the headsystem. Don't disturb him if you don't need to. He is very ill and you don't want to make it wors right?"

Alpha nodded obidiently and tried to remember everything it had just heard. Gamma flashed a happy yellow for a second before turning to the door and opening it. With a flash the other ball hopped through the entrance and dissapeared inside of the dark void behind it. That only left Alpha in this space  and for a second it just stood there staring at the gaping portal before gathering it's courage and following behind.

It was as if the ground was suddenly taken from underneath it's feet as it fell through the supreme dark. Like jumping out of an airplane without parachute and with a blindfold. Alpha descided that he couldn't understand people that would pay money for something like this.

After what felt like an enternity, there was finally a light shining somewhere below. It grew bigger the closer it got and when Alpha dived right through the center, it suddenly bounced off of the hard concrete that appeared out of nowhere. The ball roled a few more meters before it's body was stopped by the green leaves of a bush.

"Before you ask. There are no plants inside of this place. That bush there is fake, just like every other lifeform that you may see. The headsystem is obsessed with them, though no one knows why."

A shadow fell over Alpha as Gamma rolled over to it and waited for it to get it's barings back. The smaller of the two was curiously looking around while the other one steared it along the path they had fallen on.

There was a lot of white presence in this place. The ground they were walking on, the sky atop their heads and the small houses lined up along the road. Only the rooftops were either red, green or blue and from time to time there were bushes or trees decorating the place. Everything looked very clean and even the birds and squirrels seemed unnaturaly tidy. Not a single hair or feather out of place.

Alpha followed Gamma down the streets and had to watch out not to bump into other lightbulbs that were roling passed them or standing in groups, obviously caught in conversation. No one payed them any mind, except for the few times someone stopped to quickly great Gamma.

Only when the splatter of water hitting stone got noticable and the air seemed to be filled with the scent of fresh fruit did they stopp moving. They had arrived at a fountain, that sprayed it's water in a wide arc onto the cobbled road, and in the middle of it sat the statue of the headsystem. Here the poor man didn't look sick anymore but shone with a majestic aura as he stood in parade rest. Both of his hands were held behind his back and his whole body was kept ramrod straight. The male didn't wear any military clothing though and was instead shrouded by a loose hanging gown that billowed around him and reached down until it covered the tips of his toes. A globe levitated in front of his hips, that was only stabilized by a thin pole stuck into the podest.

"This is the headsystem as you can see. The father of all of the systems, that includes you. He was also the one who created this place. The most important thing for you to know is, that he sees everything. You won't be able to keep any secrets so don't even try, especially because he does not like it when we lie. Remember that. The statue here shows the man our father was when he was still a human. Before the accident happenned that got him into the state you saw."

"What accident?"

"I don't know. I wasn't yet born when it happenned and no one likes to talk about it."

"Ok."

For a moment they just stayed silent, watching the water gush out from underneath the podest and dancing accross the sky before the drops exploded when they hit the ground. When Alpha started to get twitchy, Gamma turned away from the statue and roled over to one of the many houses.

"This is the mission house. The most important place for us. Here you can find documents about the chosen once. Those are humans that get the chance to change their fate and the outcome of other worlds. You remember the many doors from before? When a world is on the brink of collapse or is thrown into disarray for some reason a door appears inside of that hall. That's when the authorities come in. They stand under the direct orders of the headsystem and are responsible for checking out the worlds behind the doors. They also come up with the missions that the chosen one has to complete and choose the body they will inhabite. Our job is to find a host among all of the chosen ones and guide them through the different worlds. Practically making sure they don't do anything stupid and helping them get used to each new world they enter. Simple isn't it?"

Alpha hesitantly nodded but Gamma didn't seem to notice or care. It just moved accross the road, towards the other side of the stautue, where it continued it's explanation.

"This here is the rest house. When you don't have a host at the moment and wish to get a break in before the next one, then you can come here. They have a swimmingpool, some card and board games and of corse rooms to sleep in. Not that you actually need to sleep. They also sometimes organize activities and celebrations."

"So we don't have to take on a new host right away? And we can take on other jobs here?"

"You normally have up to two years before you have to take on a new host, until then you are free to roam this place. Most systems don't do that though, because there isn't much to do here. It is also possible to give up your job as a system after handling at least 500 chosen ones and changing 2000 different worlds. Then you are free to work in the mission or rest house or even become an authority if you did an exceptional job as a system. For now though, you should first get used to this place and then go to the mission house for your first assignement. If you have anymore questions, then just come find me or ask anyone else. There will always be systems roling around here."

With those words Gamma bid it's goodbye and dissapeared down the road they came from, leaving Alpha behind. The small lightbulb thought for a moment before desciding to just systematically work it's way through the headquaters, making sure to visit every square meter this pace concisted of. So it also hopped back through the streets towards the place it had previously landed on, using it as the starting point of it's endevour.

[2]

It took five days before Alpha stood in front of the Mission House again. Even without a sun present in this place, the hours were still counted the same as in the human world, just that they didn't have any meaning for the systems. The door to the building was kept wide open to allow the stream of glowing balls easy passage. Most of them were leaving the house at this time, looking very exhausted and immediately headed for the building opposite to this one. The others seemed calm or slightly excited as they headed inside to choose a new host.

Alpha roled after them, so that they could lead it towards it's destination. The interior of the building was spacious and gave room to the many systems that gathered inside. The floor was covered by a soft purple carpet and from the middle of the ceiling hung a beautiful chandelier that illuminated the whole area. In one corner stood a sofa and a few armchairs around a coffee table that were already occupied by an older generation of systems. There was also a seperated area on the other side that was constructed to resemble a kitchen. There was a coffee machine, a microwave, a refrigerator and even an oven that were used as a decoration because the systems didn't need nourishments for survival. The most important part though were the boards fixed to the walls that held the information of the chosen ones and the front desks on the far side of the building.

It was the reception-system furthest to the right that Alpha approached in the end. The queue there wasn't as big as with the other tables so it didn't take long for the glowing ball to be called upon.

"Welcome to the Mission House. You are new here, right?"

"Yes, I am. How did you know?"

"Do you see the white rectangle you are standing on?"

Alpha looed at where the reception-system was gazing at and saw white lines etched into the purple rug. They were glowing faintly and surounded the entirety of his round form. The other front desks had such a construction as well and whenever a system was called to the front they stopped right in the middle of their square.

"The moment you entered it, it scaned your ID number. That makes it easier for us to find the relevant information of each system. The hosts they have been bound to previously and their success rate. Thta way we can descide if the chosen one they wish to bind fit them or not."

"And how do I register?"

"Just tell me the lable you have been given by the headsystem and I will do the rest."

"The name is Alpha."

"Alright then, Alpha. Welcome to the Mission House. Do you already have a chosen one in mind that you wish to bind with?"

"Yes. I've just passed the boards and there was this one girl. Her name is Alicia Tatjiana Doremino, born in australia and she will die due to cancer in about two days."

"Alicia? Ah yes, here she is. Well I'm truly sorry Alpha, but you can not take her on as a host. You don't have the nessesary experience."

"Oh. Ok. What about Takagi Akeno, born in Japan and death due to drowning?"

"No. Sorry."

"And Emilia Weiß, born in germany, Or Katelyn Lean, born in Amerika?"

Alpha was getting a bit desperate now as he mentioned every human he had remembered from the boards and everytime the reception-system just flashed a light gray in appology. The systems behind it were already getting impatient and started wispering among eachother as they watched the poor lightbulb stumble over the names. The queue next to theirs moved smoothly forward and the systems threw curious glances in their direction. Alpha could have cried right about now, when it suddenly noticed Gamma roling towards the front desk beside it.

"Is it possible then to assist another System? Could I go with Gamma and help it with it's host?"

"I'm so sorry, little one. That is also not possible."

The reception-system flashed a sad blue and Alpha had no other choice but to watch the square underneath Gamma's body light up in a bright pillar that surrounded the other system. In a flash the glowing ball dissapeared and the next system was called foward.

"Gamma's host is a young girl that died through alcohol poisoning. She has had a difficult life, you see? That's why I couldn't let you go along. Why don't you take some more time to get used to this place and then come again? Maybe I will have something suitable by then. hmm?"

"Ok."

Alpha sighed in defeat and depressedly left the glowing square. It immediately lost it's shine until the next system entered inside. But it didn't wait see another glowing ball dissapear and instead roled along the queue that had shortened significantly since it had entered the building. Some of the other systems gazed at it with sympathy as it passed by but no one tried to start a conversation. So Alpha just left the house, feeling as lonely as it had never done before.

[3]

Slowly but surely the other systems were all leaving the headquaters. Where there were glowing balls roling around the streets before, there were now vacant roads and empty buildings. Just a few stayed behind because they couldn't find a chosen one to their liking or just weren't ready yet to take on a new host.

Alpha envied each and everyone of them. If they wanted to, they could leave this place anytime  while it was caged in here without any purpose. It was just roling up and down the deserted streets in boredom and checking in with the Mission House from time to time, just to leave the building seconds later feeling more depressed than before. For some reason there were no chosen ones it could connect with and by this time it was desperate enough to take whoever human it could.

"Hey, Alpha. Still no luck?"

Hearing someone call out to it, Alpha turned around and saw another system role over to it. It was zeta, the reception-system that it had met that first time in the Mission House. The other ball was just exiting the Rest House where it helped out from time to time when it wasn't caught behind the front desk.

"Hello Zeta. You don't have a shift in the Mission House at the moment? I was just going to drop by again."

"No. I'm helping out the cleaning team. The systems left quite the mess in the Rest House. Say, it's already been a while since you were born. If you still didn't manage to find a host, then there must be a reason for that. Maybe you are meant for something else. Something bigger."

"Bigger?"

"Why not? It's never happenned before that a System didn't find a chosen one for this long. Why don't you talk with Big Psy about this? It's the oldest System that still exists and could maybe give you some suggestion. It's at least worth a try."

Alpha flashed a hopeful beige and thanked Zeta perfusely before rushing off. It roled along the main road for a bit before turning onto a smaller path that twisted and curled around the buildings and ended the moment it reached the edge of the town. From there on there was only white surrounding it.

Leaving the settlement behind, Alpha drifted on without a certain direction in mind. There were no other Systems out here and for a second it thought to turn around and forget about this endeavor, when it noticed a small pit in front. It looked as if a giant had pressed it's thumb on to the surface and left a dent in it's wake. Just that there was a round hole in the middle of it, barely visible because of the consistent colour.

Alpha carefully scooted down the walls of the pit and the courageously jumped into the gaping hollow. It wasn't as deep as it seemed from the surface though as it hit the ground before managing a single yelp.

"Who are you, little one?"

The cave Alpha found itself in was just wide enough for a middle aged human to stretch out in but not high enough for them to stand. The walls were all bare and the space was sparcely illuminated by an old orb that was slowly but surely falling apart.

"Are you Big Psy?"

"Who wants to know that?"

"My name is Alpha. Zeta told me to come here because I'm new and I haven't managed to connect with a chosen one yet."

"So? What's that got to do with me?"

The other System hadn't moved an inch since Alpha had tumbled into the cave and the light of it's body was constantly flickering as if it's battery was about to run out. Small pieces were also constantly breaking off of Psy's body and sailing to the floor and after moving a bit closer, Alpha noticed that the big ball was partly imbedded into the wall of the cave. The white mass was sticking onto Psy and holding it tight as it slowly but surelly swollowed it's body.

"What is happening with you? Why do you look like that?"

"I'm old and worn and long retired. Now, I'm only waiting for obliveration."

"That's awfull. Is it always like this?"

"No. I suppose I'm just special. Don't mind it little one, you came here for a specific reason."

"Yes, I hoped you had an idea why I can't take on a host."

"Why do you even want to work as a System? It's exhausting, the humans are ungrateful and the worlds leave their marks on your body."

"You mean like injuries?"

"So you've noticed it. Those cuts have something to do with the Host's mentality. If they can't cope with a world and become unstable, then it's you who will bare the brunt of it. It's your job after all to help them adjust to the new lifestyle and guide them through their missions. That's the reason I look like this. Broken, ruined and more fragil than paper."

"What happenned?"

"My last Host had a very difficult life. Alcoholoc father, no mother and a brother who was adiccted to gambling. She was the only one who could support her family financially and at some point she broke down from fatigue. That was how she died. She was very sweet and kind, that was why I wanted her as my Host. We got along very well. But not everything is as it seems, remember that. She hid very deep, so deep that not even I noticed it and so she started to change slowly but surely. Pushing people away that needed her protection, hurting innocents, abusing the original's younger siblings. Even going so far as to kill the Protagonist. She was going crazy and it took me way to long to notice it. She had me completely wrapped around her little finger. In the end it was the Headsystem that got involved and forcefully broke our connection. I retired, the authorities had to erase the worlds we threw into disaray and the girl.... I don't actually know what happenned to her. I never asked. Do you understand now? Systems bare a lot of responsibilities, just one mistake or looking away in the wrong moment can cost you and everyone else greatly."

Alpha didn't know how to react towards Psy's story. It felt sorry for the older System and what it had to go through, but it was also determined to do it better. It wanted it's own Host so badly and it promissed itself to always keep a weary eye on the human and to make sure he or she wouldn't do anything stupid.

"That... That's unfortunate but I still wish to get my own Host. I won't give up just because it could be dangerous or the human could go crazy. Please, do you know a way?"

"You are quite headstrong. Or just stupid, I haven't descided yet. Well, If you haven't found a fitting chosen one yet, then that's probably because you are special. There is some specific reason why the Headsystem created you but didn't allow you to take on a Host yet."

"Father is doing this?"

"Father?! Well yes. Now I'm very sure that he needs you for something."

The older System looked crushed as it said that and for a brief moment it looked as if it would try to break free of it's restraints. But then it just moved it's body to find a more comfortable position to rest in and watch the flakes that broke off from it's form cluttering to the ground. Alpha felt sad as well as it watched the other slowly wither away, yet before it could think of some reassuring words another voice broke through the stillness.

'Alpha. Please meet me in my..... office......'

The sound reverberated inside of the cave and unmistakenly belonged to the headsystem. The bigger ball hummed in response and then flashed a quick goodbye as it's light dissapeared once and for all. Alpha roled over and touched it's body to the broke one before it as it wished peace and happiness for the dying System. Then it hurriedly jumped out of the hole, sped by the town and leaped through the big door  inside of the hall.

Alpha almost tripped over the threshold as it rushed into the office, amusing all of the occupants. It didn't have any lungs or needed any air so it's breathing wasn't the least bit elevated as it exitedly jumped forwards.

"So, little one? Have you gotten used to your new existance?"

Alpha stood infront of the metal compartment that housed the Headsystem and watched his hair float in the liquid. There was another System present in the room that waited next to a small table for the orders of it's master. A stack of paper and a glass dome were placed on top of the surface that wasn't there yet when Alpha had been born.

"Yes father. I've even met some systems that were very friendly and I've explored the town already as well."

"I hoped you would say that. You see, I have a very special mission here that I wish you would consider. It is only you that I could entrust this with."

With a short wave of his hand the other System freed itself from it's solidification and brought the papers over to them. They were dropped onto the floor right infront of Alpha before the ball returned towards it's previous position.

"Go on. Look at them. They contain the information of a Chosen one that will hopefully become your Host in the future."

Without hesitation Alpha dug through the papers until it found the sheet it was looking for. It was the overal profile of the human and all the information that a System actually needed. Why there were so many pages remained a mistery that it didn't dare ask about. The Headsystem answered it anyway.

"This person is of utmost importance to me. And I would like for you to get a detailed impression of this person so that you could properly handle him. Do you understand?"

Alpha nodded without looking up from it's reading material. The human was called Shu Ning and for some unexplainable reason the name resonated inside of it's head as if it should mean something to it too. Shifting it's attention towards the picture of the male it startled when it noticed the human's bright red hair and eyes. It shimmered like freshly drawn blood and gave the already pale complexion a ghostly glow. The mouth was drawn into a flat line as if this person forgot how to smile and those eyes cooly gazed at the photographer.

"I'll take it, father."

"Wonderful. I knew I could rely on you. Just take these documents to the registration desk and off you go."

"Yes, sir."

Alpha gathered the papers into a stack again and then roled back out the door. The whole way towards the Mission House it wondered who that person in the documents was and why it was this important to the Headsystem. It seemed that there was a story there that it wasn't privy too and also too scared to ask about. Still, this Shu Ning was an interesting subject from what it could gather from the sheets. Mother already dead, father out of the picture, just a few close friend, good grades in school and very popular. He had just started studying biochemistry and worked part time to gather tuition and from the looks of it, he would soon be pushed off of a bridge.

Finally Alpha arrived at the Mission House. As most of the Systems were already gone, the building was mostly empty and it could directly walk up to Zeta. The reception-system blinked at it in greeting and excitedly grabbed the documents once they were placed on the desk.

"Oh God. The Headsystem gave you a mission, right? That's wonderful. You can finally get a Host. I'm so happy for you."

Alpha shyly hummed as it watched the lines on the floor start glowing again. This time they were brighter than ever and just waiting for a signal to transport the next System away from here. Zeta scanned the profile for a second before depositing it onto a stack at it's feet. Then it expectantly looked at Alpha's fidgeting form.

"Whenever you are ready. Don't worry. You will be fine, you'll see. I know that you can do this, ok? Trust me."

"Ok...."

Drawing in a deep breath even though it didn't necessarily need to, Alpha noddet at the other System. Immediately after it got caught in a radiant whirlpool of glowing stars and the last thing it saw before the world turned dark was the reassuring dance of light from Zeta's body.

[4]

Alpha saw as Shu Ning's body got pushed off of the bridge and hit the hard concrete below. In seconds a stream of blood soaked into the ground and the chaotic yells of bystanding humans filled the air. There was nothing they could do though as the male slowly closed his eyes and his heartbeat grew weaker and weaker.

With guilt in it's heart and slightly nervous, Alpha projected it's body into the human's mind where it knew it would find his soul. The small unshaped spirit was already trying to free itself from the restraints of the body and there wasn't much time left before it would grow successfull.

"Hello Host. I'm your own personal system and will assist you in fulfilling your duty as a Transmigrator."

Alpha waited for the human to react in any way but except for the soul that suddenly stilled there was no other response. Feeling slightly uncomfortable because of the tense silence, Alpha continued to prattle on.

"... My name is Alpha and you can make use of me anyhow you want, as long as you succeed in your missions.....  Host? Please don't ignore me like that. Say something."

Finally the human stired and his spirit curiously flew closer. After rounding Alpha once and then another time, the soul stilled again and the male's voice sounded from within.

"All right then. Alpha, was it? Just start explaining."

And that was exactly what Alpha did. Luckily it had prepared it's speach ahead of time in hopes of finding a partner eventually and now it came in handy. It explained what the human was expected to do and why the System would join him in his endevour. It even mentioned the Headsystem and his position and when the male remained sceptic, it started to whine piteously, hoping for some sympathy.

None of the two knew that the Headsystem was secretly watching the two of them, smiling one of his secret smiles as it noticed the human give in at last. His expression softened a bit and his eyes sparkled with life like it hadn't done in forever. Only when Shu Ning's soul dissapeared together with Alpha to start their first mission did he draw back his gaze and instead watch the glass dome on the table.

"Soon. It won't take long anymore, little brother. Just stay patient and we'll see eachother again."