Lastland AU: Cybersteam

Purple Eyes

"Well, hi!"

As Storm woke slowly from her slumber, she was met by two bright purple eyes staring right into her light blue ones. "Woah!" She jerked away.

"Oh, right, sorry!" The girl with the purple eyes waved at her and apologized as Storm rolled over in alarm. "Uhhh... Good morning?!"

"Who are you?!" Storm narrowed her eyes, forcefully rubbing the sleep from them. Kneeling over her was someone who looked about a decade younger, 20 instead of 30. Likewise, while Storm had long, straight, golden hair pulled back in a tight bun, the girl had curly, brown hair that ran midway down her back. Her skin was the same color as her hair while Storm's was much paler, and much more scarred.

"You can call me Iris, by the way!" The purple-eyed girl extended her hand to shake, beaming.

"How did you get here?!" Storm still couldn't help but recoil and shake her head. The town was less than a day's walk away, but it was still far enough away that no one was supposed to accidentally stumble upon her.

"Don't you realize it, silly?" Iris couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head too. "I heard your prayer and accepted your contract!"

"W-wait... You?!" It was an idea that flitted through Storm's mind, but it seemed so preposterous that she laughed it off immediately, instead assuming that Iris was just a girl from the nearby town. My FIRST theory was correct?! No! It's just not possible! Hadn't I prayed for someone powerful? Someone connected to Death, Destruction, Decay, Despair! Not...! This...

Iris was either undeterred by, or unaware of, Storm's intense skepticism and disbelief. "Yeah! Your quest of revenge, remember?"

Storm flinched as if she'd been electrocuted. Iris mentioned the quest in order to prove her identity to Storm, and it worked. It can't be...

"I'm not entirely human!" Iris chirped, then she faded into thin air.

"Huh?!" Despite herself, Storm jolted upright again. Iris phased back into view a moment later. Storm was dazed. She's... a ghost...?

"Now you see why I could answer your quest?" Iris asked, voice light and teasing, purple eyes sparkling. Then she shared a vision with Storm. Iris appeared to be talking to no one, but Storm instinctively knew that she was talking to another ghost.

Storm tensed up. She studied Iris for a moment more, conflict warring in her face. On the one hand, there was still a voice in the back of Storm's head indignantly insisting that there was some sort of mix-up. Or perhaps this was just a divine prank?! There was no way someone like Iris was supposed to be her "patron saint", or whatever! And yet... A ghost... Storm bit her lip.

"Very well," she finally growled. But I don't trust you, Iris. And I don't think I ever will...!

Again, Iris seemed unaware of Storm's disgust and disdain. "That's okay. I'll just have to earn your trust, won't I?" Storm reared back, but Iris only laughed and vanished again. Even though Storm couldn't see her anymore, she could sense that friendly ghost was still around. On with the quest?

Storm reared back again, and she felt Iris laugh in her head, a gentle breeze brushing her brain.

This is NOT going to work out long term... Storm seethed. But for then?

ooo

"So! Fill me in! What did I miss?" Storm cringed as Iris spoke right in her ear. The voice was not too loud, but she hated how close it sounded, as if Iris was literally inside her head. Despite the fact that Iris was a ghost, and apparently already understood the extent of her ghostly powers, she was naive about everything else, and she could not remember anything about the world that wasn't directly related to Storm's quest.

"You have to remember," she said telepathically, "you called me back. I haven't been here in a bit!"

"Well, this is the place colloquially known as "Cybersteam"," Storm began, fighting to keep too much sarcasm from leaking into her voice. She recounted the history of the realm, how different regions sprung up across the land. They were between the Cyber and Steampunk regions of the realm, hence the nickname of the area. "The reason I'm here is because I needed to summon a patron!" Storm continued, sounding almost indignant as some of her initial complaints with Iris returned to her.

As one of the regions built around older technology, steampunk locations were better able to work with magic than more futuristic regions like cyberpunk. Upon mention of the illegal activity that wreaked havoc across the landscape because of the high demand for body parts—flesh and metal—Iris suddenly remembered that she, too, needed a body, if she wanted to be of any real use to her "warlock".

"You are also right in what you said about magic being more prominent in steampunk-like places," Iris said in Storm's head. She flashed more images through the human woman's mind, a roadmap to a steampunk workshop that the purple-eyed ghost suddenly remembered as Storm discussed the region, and Cybersteam. Storm recoiled reflexively.

"Wouldn't a body from the Cyberpunk region, or someplace similar, be more modern?" she asked doubtfully.

"Modern isn't always better," Iris replied. "Plus, I've got friends that work the steampunk shop, so that's why I want to go there!"

"They're still alive after all these years?" Storm again sounded doubtful.

"What makes you think I've been dead a long time? My amnesia isn't due to that. I think the dead just aren't allowed to bring too many memories back, at least not all at once." Iris chuckled in Storm's head, and as uncomfortable as it made Storm, she had to admit that Iris had a point.

Gods, it is still so strange to think that she... she... she... is my... patron. Storm wasn't sure how she felt about it, but she wasn't sure she liked it, still regretful that she hadn't been granted her wish for a wild beast to tame, or an elemental spirit to control. Instead, she got a ghost girl, and one who was far more annoying than she was scary. Not for the first time did Storm question if the universe was playing a joke on her.

"We're closer to the Steampunk region anyway!" Iris added.

"Very well..." Storm grumbled. They would go to a Steampunk city.

"Oh, and by the way?" Iris added. "You don't have to answer out loud. I can read your thoughts too, remember? Just direct them at me!"

Iris compared it to an old TV. Most of the time, the static was so heavy that she could see and hear nothing. If Storm channeled to her, though, she could pick up on Storm's thoughts.

Ah. Lovely. Storm winced, and she felt Iris chuckle in her head again. No, she really wasn't liking this arrangement.

"Don't worry," Iris repeated empathetically. "That's why I used the static analogy. It's not like I'm going to see ALL your thoughts."

Try as Iris did to assuage Storm, though, Storm still wasn't happy. This was going to be a long journey.

AN: This Lastland AU is meant to be kind of DND in that it takes place in a realm (Lastland) compromised of regions that are each a "punk" sub-genre of sci-fi. This fic will only show Cyber and Steampunk (hence the title), but assume that all the others exist in here too.