The Mystery of The Other World

Chapter one

Cody was being very careful working with the odd machine he had discovered. He had called Luna, a friend of one of his dad's hoping she, being an alien, could help him discover what the machine was and whether or not it was possible it was dangerous. That said he was still flipping switches and trying to figure out what the flashing lights mean. There was a bright flash that immediately made Cody wonder if he had finally messed up, and was going to die.

Then the light dissipated. Cody was left outside the house, the Dream House that his great grandparents had worked so hard for so many years ago. He had been born in this house, and he currently lived there with his cousin Rueben. Figuring that the device was a simple short range teleporter.

He went into the house where he saw Rue lounging on the couch playing video games.

"Hey, Rue. That machine wasn't anything spectacular. Just a teleporter." It was kinda odd seeing his model cousin hanging out on the couch in his underwear. Not that Cody understood fashion. Rue was probably pretty stressed.

Rue looked up, eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about? When did you even get here?" He asked, in a tone Cody hadn't heard from him in years. But it was what he said that really caught Cody's attention.

"Get here? Rue we've lived together since Dad died." He had moved in to keep his cousin company. He hadn't wanted him to live in a big old house all alone.

"Uhhh? No? First off, Kaiden is very much still alive, stupid. Second off, you've never lived here. I live here with Hunter and Salome and the kids."

Cody became very aware that something was wrong. Hunter had never come back from Salvadorada except to visit. He certainly never lived with Rue! Well...not since their falling out as teens.

Cody's mouth went dry. Had his simple teleporter been something so much more?

Without another word to Reuben Cody ran from the house. Okay so he didn't live with Rueben...he called Kaiden his father, which wasn't possible with his ungodly pale skin. He looked like Faith...but maybe that was the best place to start.

It was a long busride to the city but soon Cody arrived at Torendi Tower. He took the elevator to the penthouse and looked in his pocket, finding the apartment key and letting himself in. His heart momentarily stopped in shock when he saw Ryder sitting at the table drinking tea and reading an art book (Cody recognized it as one of Ryder's favourites).

The living Specter of his late father smiled warmly at him. As though nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Welcome home, Cody. You seem out of breath." He seemed concerned. Ryder was always the warm one of his dads. He ran to him and put his arms around him, momentarily forgetting his current hypothesis in his joy at seeing his Dad again.

"I missed you so much." Cody said as his tears spilled out of his eyes.

Ryder hugged him back, though it was clear he didn't understand.

"Why don't you sit down? I'll get you some cake so you can calm down." Typical Ryder, always about cake...still, he was getting hungry. He laughed and pulled away from him, wiping his eyes. "Yeah...okay..." He agreed, taking a seat on the stool beside the one Ryder had been sitting on, while Ryder got up to get cake from the fridge. Two pieces of sugar free coconut carob cake. Ryder set one down and Cody took a bite. It was really nice to be around Ryder again. He had been so busy in Strangerville with the Mother, and the Zombies and everything that he had almost forgotten how much he loved him.

"Where's Papa?" He asked, wanting to see Jake too.

Ryder smiled gently. "If you want I can message Kaiden to come home early. You seem like you could really need your Dad." That was the second time someone had called Kaiden his dad. The only thing he could think of was that his original theory was correct, this was an alternate universe. Somehow, the infertile Kaiden, was his father in this universe...not Ryder and Jake. The idea felt weird. He liked Kaiden and he would have made a good dad, but Cody wasn't raised by him.