[City of Mantle]
Daniel wakes up reluctantly, forced to rise not by his own will, but by the annoying and persistent sound of system notifications, which haven't stopped going off for a while now.
"Mgrr…" he grumbles in frustration, half-opening his eyes. He's only just regaining consciousness when he becomes aware of the warmth surrounding him. Rosella and Sadako are asleep on either side of him, their soft bodies pressed against his.
Carefully, he pulls them a little closer, silently enjoying the feeling of his hands gliding along their waists, and the way their bodies wrap around his. Maybe it's because of his werewolf nature and pack instinct, but sleeping like this, accompanied, feels more comfortable, pleasant… safer.
He even thinks that if he had more women with him, he would enjoy it even more.
The warehouse windows are still shut, but the light coming through the hole in the ceiling—the one GIR left—confirms to him that it's already morning. He's sure that, if it weren't for the heaters Rosella installed, which are miraculously still working, they'd already be freezing.
"Ah…" he sighs, resigned. "I should get up…" he thinks, remembering the list of objectives GLaDOS gave him, but he's not very motivated yet. Lacking energy, he decides to stay in bed a bit longer and check the system notifications.
With a mental command, several screens appear floating in front of him.
[You've cheated on your girlfriend]
You've cheated on Ruby Rose with Rosella, the Tasmania Werewolf.
Score: B
[Stat assimilation from Rosella: 10% (maximum 25%)]
[You've cheated on your girlfriend]
You've cheated on Weiss Schnee with Rosella, the Tasmania Werewolf.
Score: B
[Stat assimilation from Rosella: 15% (maximum 25%)]
[You've cheated on your girlfriend]
You've cheated on Ruby Rose with Sadako, the vengeful spirit.
Score: B
[Copying semblance from Sadako: Semblance not found]
[Stat assimilation from Rosella: 5% (maximum 25%)]
[Unique trait copied: Nensha]
[You've cheated on your girlfriend]
You've cheated on Weiss Schnee with Sadako, the vengeful spirit.
Score: B
[Stat assimilation from Rosella: 10% (maximum 25%)]
[Curse of the Tasmania Werewolf: 55%]
[Bonus reward]
+16 gacha pulls
[Activating stats…]
Name: Daniel Hawk
Age: 17
Race: Tasmania Werewolf / Silver-Eyed Warrior
HP: 2,945.0 (1335.50)
MP: 0.0 (+0.0)
AP: 21,700.0 (+19135.00)
STR: 271.3 (+176.73)
VIT: 279.0 (+135.40)
DEX: 294.5 (+195.20)
INT: 77.0 (+0.0)
"Damn it…" he thinks as screen after screen unfolds in front of him. He had completely forgotten to check if he could link Rosella to his system.
"Better late than never," he mutters, stretching out his arm and gently brushing Rosella's cheek with the back of his hand.
"…Mhmm…" she moans, stirring slightly, beginning to wake.
"Mhm… What is it?" she asks sleepily, eyes half-open.
"Rosella…" he replies, keeping his voice low. "Say I'm your partner. Or your boyfriend. And don't ask why."
She can barely look at him, still half-asleep. Her expression is vague, but she manages a lazy smile and nods.
"You're my boyfriend…" she murmurs, and right after curls up beside him again, falling back asleep without another thought.
As soon as those words leave her mouth, the system reacts and new windows immediately pop up.
[Mission complete?]
Get a girlfriend…
[Updating… Error]
Rosella agrees that the host may have more partners besides her.
Rosella is not a valid candidate for the Netoru system's partner registry and therefore will not be counted.
Daniel just shrugs as he reads the messages.
"At least I tried," he thinks, not too bothered. Deep down, he was already expecting something like this, sensing that the system must have some kind of restriction for cases like this.
He stops paying attention to it and focuses his gaze on another of the notifications. He curiously checks the abilities he got from Sadako, noticing that, just like with Rosella, he didn't obtain a semblance.
"They haven't awakened it… or they don't have one, since they come from another world, " he deduces after a few seconds.
Even so, one particular trait catches his attention.
[Unique trait copied: Nensha]
"Nensha…" he repeats mentally, trying to analyze the word. It doesn't sound familiar at all.
"Fucking system and its lack of useful info, " he growls to himself.
He doesn't even bother asking it what that ability does. He already knows it won't give a clear answer—or any answer at all.
But that doesn't discourage him.
"Who needs the system when you're a natural-born polyglot? " he tells himself, starting to break the term down on his own, trying to figure out its meaning using pure logic.
"Nensha… or more accurately, 念写. "
He immediately recognizes the Japanese word written with Chinese characters.
"念, 'nen'… thought, desire, intention, mind. And 写, 'sha'… to copy, reflect, project, photograph. "
Together, they literally mean to copy thought. Or more clearly… to imprint thoughts into an image.
He finishes his deduction with a slight smile, satisfied with his analytical skills.
Without moving too much or disturbing Rosella or Sadako, he lifts a hand toward the ceiling and extends his middle finger.
"Fuck you, system. Who needs you? " he mocks inwardly, laughing to himself and basking in his small victory.
"Alright…" he thinks. "Now, how do you use this thing? "
Recalling the meaning of the ability, he takes a deep breath and focuses his gaze on one of the warehouse walls. He concentrates, trying to organize his thoughts and project an image with his mind. He puts all his focus into the idea… and to his surprise, it works.
A circular figure appears on the wall, clear and stable.
"That was easy, " he mutters, raising an eyebrow as he looks at the result.
But the excitement doesn't last long.
"What the hell is this skill even good for? "
He can't help but ask himself, trying to imagine a practical use. He spends several minutes thinking, but for now, no useful ideas come to mind.
"I'll figure something out eventually…" he murmurs, giving up for the moment.
He sighs, resigned, and starts getting out of bed carefully.
It takes him a couple of minutes to move without waking either of the girls, but he manages it. Once on his feet, he can't help but glance at the two figures beneath the sheets.
Rosella is partially uncovered, her hair messy and one leg sticking out from the blanket. Sadako remains motionless, with a serene, almost indifferent expression.
The sight pulls a low growl from his throat.
"Grrr…" he grumbles, forcing himself to look away and not crawl back into bed.
He turns around and starts looking for his clothes around the room.
As he gets dressed, his thoughts return to the abilities he got from Sadako… or rather, the ones he didn't get. That dark energy surrounding her, giving her strength, or her instant-kill ability.
"So how the hell do you get those powers then?"
And even though he asks himself, he already suspects the answer is probably tied to Nensha.
"Yeah… that ability might be the starting point to access the rest of her powers."
"I'll have to ask Sadako directly at some point… if she's even capable of speaking," he wonders, remembering that ever since she showed up, aside from a few moans and growls, he hasn't heard her say a single word.
Once fully dressed, his attention shifts to the latest notifications. His stats. Curious, he spends a moment analyzing the data, noticing that the numbers have exploded since he arrived in Atlas.
"2.25 times more…" he thinks, doing mental math as he compares them with the values he had when he got there.
He knows a big part of the stat boost comes from the werewolf curse. The rest, clearly, comes from stat assimilation… more specifically, from Rosella.
He notices the bonus stats have risen significantly and is convinced it's thanks to her.
Sadako, like all the girls he's slept with, doesn't transfer particularly high stats. Not because she lacks power, but because her strength doesn't come from raw numbers—it comes from a secondary energy that enhances them.
Sadako with her cursed energy, the others with Aura.
Rosella, on the other hand, is different. She's grown stronger in a tangible, direct way. Her strength is natural, solid, and that translates perfectly into the system.
With that in mind, he makes a mental note: "Find a way to power up Rosella…"
He knows it's a logical investment. The stronger she is, the more benefits he'll get.
"Well, enough wasting time," he says, now fully dressed and ready. He walks over to the table and calmly picks up the scroll.
"Time to start the list."
He feels rested… or at least enough to get to work. But when he opens the scroll and sees the time, his expression changes instantly.
"It's past noon?!" he exclaims, incredulous. He knew it was already morning, sure, but he didn't realize he'd spent half the damn day in bed.
"GLaDOS is gonna kill me…"
A familiar, mocking voice cuts into his thoughts.
"Well, well, look who finally woke up. Sleeping Beauty herself."
Daniel recognizes the voice. He turns his head and scans the room, spotting Aegis in a corner, away from everything, holding another scroll in his pincers.
"Why didn't you wake me up?" he demands, frowning.
Aegis stares at him in disbelief for a few seconds, then bows in an exaggerated, theatrical gesture.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't realize you were the big boss and I'm your humble servant. Would you like anything else? A continental breakfast? A cigarette? Should I suck your dick too, you piece of shit?"
Daniel sighs, resigned. "That's what I get for asking."
"Forget what I said," he adds with annoyance.
"You should be grateful I didn't swap you for the ghost girl," Aegis blurts out with disdain, earning another glare from Daniel.
"Why her?"
"Because she's more talented than you." The response is immediate.
"Did you see her last night?" he scoffs. "What takes you a month to learn with effort, she'd do in a single session."
Daniel already knew that. In part, the fight the night before had been a good sign… but he didn't expect the difference to be that big.
"Damn it… I should've stayed in bed," he mutters, picking Aegis up from the floor and placing him on his head.
"She's what we'd call a genius," Aegis continues, settling in shamelessly. "You, on the other hand, are just a lucky amateur."
Daniel decides to ignore him, preferring instead to take out a sheet of paper and scribble a quick note.
"For Rosella: fix the roof and dress Sadako. I'll be back soon."
He rereads it. Short, direct, enough. He nods, leaves it on the table, and exits the warehouse.
As he walks, he changes his appearance, camouflaging Aegis as well in the process. He wastes no time. He heads straight toward the first objective of the day.
"Where are you going?" Aegis asks from above.
"To the city center," he replies, showing the map with the points GLaDOS had marked.
"Excellent. But you're going the wrong way."
"Fuck…" Daniel mutters just before his body begins to move on its own, clearly manipulated by Aegis.
"Your lack of orientation is going to be a major problem," he comments. "I can already feel it."
-/-
[Atlas Tower – Reactor Chamber]
Inside the reactor chamber, several robots work nonstop behind closed doors. The machines assemble the central core with absolute precision, welding and aligning parts with flawless coordination. But that's not the most interesting part.
In an isolated section within the same chamber, something far more valuable is taking place.
On a metal pedestal rests the severed head of Megatron. Multiple cables emerge from it, linking it to various analysis and extraction devices.
"Memory analysis complete."
The robotic voice of an automated alarm echoes through the room.
Immediately, several mechanical arms move in, grabbing the head carelessly and pulling out the cables one by one. There's no delicacy in the process.
Sparks fly as the connections break.
"Interesting…" GLaDOS comments, her voice resonating through the room's speakers. Watching through the cameras, her tone carries a genuine curiosity.
"A techno-organic species… or an alien mechanoid, whose existence defies all traditional classification of biological life."
She speaks to herself while browsing through the collected data. The enthusiasm in her voice begins to fade, word by word.
"A species capable of creating high-tech weapons… interstellar ships capable of conquering worlds…"
As she lists things off, her tone drops further, until it sounds almost bored.
"And yet, I had to end up with the head of a complete idiot."
The disappointment is obvious.
Extracting the memories from this thing—now known to her as Megatron—wasn't difficult. After all, he was a machine, and of course, his brain was literally exposed.
"Trash," she mutters while reviewing a memory sequence.
Combat. War tactics. Mining methods. She can see the ships, the weapons, even some deployment procedures…
But there are no blueprints. No schematics. No detailed manufacturing processes. Nothing that would allow her to replicate what she sees.
"A head full of useless knowledge."
Megatron wasn't an engineer. Or a scientist. Not even a mechanic.
He was a military leader.
And before that… just a simple miner.
"Useless." The word repeats within her system, in a dry, irritated tone.
"Even GIR was more useful than him."
Her cameras rotate toward a corner of the room. GIR—or what remains of him—is completely dismantled. Parts scattered everywhere. An impressive alien design, with advanced weaponry and sophisticated technology… although she still can't understand why he was made so stupid.
She watches him for a few more seconds.
"Maybe I'll rebuild him," she considers, not dismissing the idea. She could use him again, just to annoy Daniel. That's always useful.
As she ponders it, several robotic arms activate. This time they carry industrial torches, which move toward Megatron's head and begin melting it without hesitation.
"Even dead… you can still be useful," GLaDOS comments with a hint of satisfaction.
The molten metal is carefully collected. A bright silver liquid begins to accumulate in a special container.
Transformium.
The alloy that makes up these life forms. A unique metal, discovered after analyzing Megatron's molecular structure. It has exceptional properties. It can reconfigure, reorganize, and transform into anything…
As long as it has the proper schematics. And, of course, enough energy.
A robot places 10 kg of already melted Transformium onto a special platform. Instantly, the platform powers on under GLaDOS's command, and the metal begins to shift shape: first it forms into a sword, then, without pause, it turns into a radio, then into an energy rifle.
Each transformation is exact. No errors. The shapes are perfect copies, faithful down to the smallest detail.
After several consecutive tests, the platform powers down and the metal returns to its original state: a fluid, gleaming mass, perfectly malleable.
"A suitable material for building a body to protect myself with…" she reflects. She already has several designs generating in her memory. All optimized, aesthetically acceptable, efficient… but there's one single obstacle.
Energy.
Transformium consumes alarmingly high amounts of energy. She's been thinking about this for a while. She could use batteries, of course. But that would make her vulnerable to EMP attacks. A single electromagnetic pulse and she'd be taken out. A terrible option.
The next alternative would be using Dust. However, it would require constant refueling. Too much hassle.
She opens the extracted memories from Megatron, searching for possible clues. In them, she finds references to Energon, the primary power source of these beings… but she doesn't have access to it either.
A complex crossroads for anyone—but not for her. GLaDOS already has a solution in progress.
In her mind, a folder opens labeled Project Penny.
"Penny. The first automaton powered by Aura," she recalls, reviewing the associated data. A girl with a self-regenerating energy core, a constant source, hard to exhaust.
Perfect.
New schematics emerge in her memory. Schematics of the Aura Transfer Machine, a device created by Pietro Polendina. She reviews them immediately, and as she does, several warnings appear along the margins: "Project discarded," "Highly dangerous," "Irreversible damage," along with a long list of medical and ethical notes.
Naturally, GLaDOS ignores them all without hesitation.
She's interested in how the machine works, not its consequences. According to the specifications, it's capable of extracting a person's aura, dividing it, and transferring it. It's an incomplete technology, flawed, potentially lethal…
And yet, fascinating.
As she continues reading, she discovers that the creation of Penny's aura was more a fortunate accident than a replicable procedure, according to her creator's own notes.
On top of that, the process inflicts extreme pain and causes permanent damage to the donor: Pietro himself was the example, losing the ability to walk after breaking his aura.
None of that matters to her. If the machine is incomplete, it's simply because it hasn't been tested enough. And if there's one thing Cave Johnson taught her, it's that human experimentation should never be seen as an obstacle to progress.
"I just need a few dozen humans, and I'll have the perfect aura battery," she thinks, completely satisfied.
With a single command, she closes all the screens open in her mind and returns to the present. She watches Megatron's head continue melting and estimates she'll get at least 500 kg of Transformium.
More than enough to build a full body… and maybe one or two spares, just in case.
As she goes over the preliminary schematics of her new structure, she can't help but think of Daniel… and the look on his face when he sees her.
"I hope he's completed at least a few objectives…"
She pauses.
"…Who am I kidding?" she says to herself, resigned.
"He's probably wasting time."
-/-
[City of Mantle]
Daniel is wasting time.
Lying on a worn leather couch, arms crossed behind his head, he speaks nonstop about his life since arriving in this world. Less than a meter away, a man with thick glasses and a notebook on his lap listens with a neutral expression, jotting down every word with professional diligence.
"I insulted God to His face… and I don't even regret it anymore," says Daniel, fists clenched, a hint of pride on his face. "And you know what His punishment was? He forced me to cheat on my girlfriend."
The man silently nods, not looking up, calmly taking notes.
"Go on…" he says in a dull voice.
[Time cut]
"I threw dirt in a bird's eyes. Then he threw dirt in mine, so I cursed him with eternal vengeance, and someday… I'm gonna eat him."
[Another cut]
"I disguised myself as my girlfriend's late stepfather and slept with her mother, taking advantage of her loneliness."
[Another…]
"I killed a guy. Broke his legs and left him in a snowy mountain."
[…]
"I can talk to this mantis shrimp," he declares, lifting Aegis and holding him up proudly. "He's my master and mentor. He made me kill by blowing up my opponent's head in a fight… although, who am I kidding? I would've done it anyway."
[…]
"The monkey died in my hands. Okay, yes, I shot him. But he started it. So it was self-defense."
[…]
"I caused the attack in Atlas and Mantle. Do I regret it? Not at all. In fact, I'd do it again if I had something to gain."
[…]
"I'm pretty sure the meat they offered me was human. And even though I said no… honestly, it smelled delicious. I would've loved to try it, but I held back. That makes me a good person, right?"
[…]
"And then… I fucked the ghost."
When he finishes talking, there's silence. A long, heavy silence.
The man, who until that moment had been listening with absolute stoicism, rips a page from his notebook, stuffs it into his mouth… and eats it without changing expression.
Daniel sighs in relief and sits up a bit, a half-smile on his face.
"Doctor, I think I'm feeling much better now. Thanks for letting me vent," he says as he calmly lights a cigarette. "Now tell me… what do you think is wrong with me?"
The stoic man slowly takes off his glasses and leans toward him.
"You wanna know what's wrong with you?" he asks quietly.
Daniel nods, taking a drag from his cigarette.
"You really wanna know?"
A crooked smile is his answer.
"Alright… I'll tell you what's wrong," the man growls as he clenches his fist… and throws it straight into his face.
BAM!
"You're insane, that's what's wrong with you!"
Daniel blinks, more shocked by the words than by the punch.
"Insane?!"
"Yes! You should be locked up! Kept away from decent, normal people!" the man shouts, breathing heavily.
"What kind of lunatic are you?" he yells, getting up close, face to face. "Do you just walk up to people on the street and go, 'Hey mister, wanna hear the twisted stories of my sick youth?'"
Daniel clutches his chest, gasping for breath like the air's been knocked out of him. His voice shakes, full of frustration.
"I don't get it! I came to you for help! I bare my soul to you! I tell you my darkest secrets!—" He lunges forward, grabbing the man by the collar. "And now you tell me I'm crazy?! What kind of psychologist are you?!"
"Psychologist?!" The man looks at him like he just said the dumbest thing in the world.
"Are you nuts?! I'm a hobo!"
Daniel blinks, stunned, just before the hobo throws out his arm and gestures around. They're in a filthy alleyway, surrounded by garbage bags, graffiti, and rusted cans.
"You crazy son of a bitch! I'm going to beat the living hell out of you!"
No time to react. The hobo throws a right hook straight to Daniel's jaw, followed by a left uppercut.
Daniel's body moves before his mind catches up: something inside him awakens. His fangs elongate, claws burst from his fingers, and his gaze sharpens.
Without thinking, he lunges at the man. Slams him into the wall, tearing his clothes with his claws, leaving several gashes—an animal's attack. He lifts him off the ground, spins him through the air, and hurls him into a dumpster. Then he grabs the entire dumpster and flings it several meters away, smashing it in the process.
As the adrenaline fades, Daniel regains control. His claws and fangs retract, though his ears and tail remain. He straightens his clothes and calmly walks out of the alley.
"At least I can tell Weiss to give therapy a try," he mutters with a smile.
"Now then, time to find the first target."
-//-
Author's Note:It's past midnight and I'm sleepy… If you spot any mistakes, let me know. I'm not really a Transformers fan, so if I got something wrong, cut me some slack.
I had a nightmare about a mothman, so I generated this image to shake off the fear.
[Image]
I don't really know what else to say… Weekly chapters might go back to just one; my schedule's tight.Anyway, leave a comment—it helps keep me motivated to keep writing. And thank you for reading!
Anyway…Hugs and kisses. 💚