Shifters X

Chapter 3 - Nexus Origin

LOCATION: REN'S DORM ROOM. C-573.

TIME AND DATE: OCTOBER 24TH, 2019.

I was in my dorm room, sketching away in my notebook. My arm was still normal at this point, thankfully.
I hear my phone go off and it's Akira, does she wanna use the shifter today? I pick up and decide to see what she wants.
''Hey 'kira, what's up? Need something?'' I ask her.
''Heeyyy Ren!! So I was wondering.... Are you down for helping me with some errands? I know we are running low on groceries in the dorm... I just got done with classes, where are you right now?'' She asks, I really DO NOT want to help with errands right now...
''Sorry, but I had plans to use the shifter today, I heard from some other Ren's that there was something happening in The Inbetween. So yeah...'' I tell her, hoping she'll understand.
''Aw man... Guess I'll ask someone else, but remember, everytime you don't help with chores or errands during our time here in these dorms you owe me a dollar! Anyway, later!'' She hangs up, thank god she understands.

I use the shifter to create a portal and get out of this place, but instead of heading to the inbetween station, I kinda just wander around the Inbetween itself. I know I shouldn't be doing this... This place is filled with weird creatures... Just as I say that, another Ren appears behind me... But he doesn't seem very... normal? Good hearted like most of us?
''Who are you...? You seem like an odd dude.'' I tell him, maybe the wrong thing to say...
He looks at me, nothing. No words are spoken, he has a Nexus Arm like most other Ren's... Even though I'm pretty well known around the Inbetween Station, I don't have one myself...
As I look at him, I notice he doesn't have EITHER eyes, creepy. I watch as he transforms his arms into a blade, and then his OTHER arm aswell... Who is this guy?

''You haven't been blessed with the power of the Nexus, have you?'' He asks.
''N-No? W-What do you even want from me? All I wanted to do was get away from life for a bit...'' I tell him, he gets a mean look on his face as he draws his arm blades.
''You are impure.'' As he says this, he DASHES towards me, and I barely dodge out the way before he can cut me.
''What's with you?! All I was doing was wandering!! How can you even tell I'm here, you freak?!'' I yell at him.
''Let's just say... My Nexus sees all. Sound allows me to see. Scent allows me to see. And these blades? They're to slash away the IMPURITIES I see.'' He takes another dash at me, and slices at my chest, I fall down and he starts slashing away at my arm...
''Impure fool... You shall rot here for the remaining time you have... Remember, you are mortal, C-573.''
I lay there, on the floor, my arm beyond saving... I don't think I have much time left... Time passes, and I suddenly wake up, I thought I was dead... I see this... Weird... Black sludge? It's gripping onto my arm, and before I know it, I feel... Almost like new... I look at my arm, and see it, the power of the Nexus Arm belongs to me now aswell... Ren's get this ability to protect their realities, fight for what they love... Why me? Ren's die in vain before getting the Nexus arm in countless realities... No time to think about that, I gotta get out of here before that freak of nature comes back...

I create a portal with the arm, guess I don't need the shifter anymore... I should bring it back tho, just in case...
As I go through, I fall right onto the carpeted floor of the dorm, I gotta learn how to control this...
''R-Ren?! Where were you?! You were gone for like, 9 whole hours!!! You're usually only there at the station for like 3 at MOST!'' Akira looks at me in a super concerned way, she sees my ripped clothes and notices the Nexus arm.
''Is this... That Nexus thingy? You finally got it after so many of your variants already had them...? Thats... AWESOME!! You gotta show me what it can do... After you're cleaned up, did you die or something?'' She asks me mockingly. Wow. That's all I can say, just wow.
''I... Think I did actually die for a bit... But the arm revived me... Y'know... This is too much to think about... I'm just gonna... Shower and go to bed...'' I tell Akira, she looks at me with the widest eyes and just... nods. We're both at a loss for words here, but I guess that's reasonable.

As I lay in bed, I wonder who that Ren was... I've never seen him at the station before... I just hope he doesn't do anything worse than THAT... But how did he know my reality's name? What else does he know...? No time to dwell on that now... I got exams tomorrow, I should rest.