Chapter 164: Breaking News

Heavy footsteps clunked up the stairs, catching my attention immediately. 

"Your friend will be fine," the doctor said as he emerged from around the corner, "He was, as you suspected, incredibly dehydrated. But my scans ascertained the correct cocktail of fluids and nutrients that he needs. Within 12 hours of bed rest and a constant supply of fluids, he will recover." 

I sank down into the raggedy sofa slightly as relief washed over me from head to toe. 

As loathe as I was to admit it, part of my eagerness to try and do something about the unfolding situation on this planet had very likely been to try and distract myself from the position that Yr'Arl was in. 

Now that I knew he was going to be absolutely fine I felt that eagerness subside a little, not that I was going to abandon anyone. I was still going to do my best to help. I just wasn't going to run into the situation half-cocked. 

"I do have a question though," The doctor said, moving to collapse next to me on the couch, "What exactly is he? I've seen many a creature from many a species come through my doors, but never something like him." 

I took a deep breath, wincing slightly at the combined scent of old sweat and motor oil that was emanating from the doctor who had just sat down next to me.

"Well, we're not from around here," I said slowly, "Came from a long way away, didn't even mean to end up in this system… just sort of, well… happened I guess."

"How do you end up in a system without meaning to be there?" Dan asked from his position leaning against the wall. 

So I explained it all to them. 

Well, I explained almost all of it to them. 

I explained that Yr'Arl and I had come from a different galaxy, one where magic and technology blend together in awesome ways to create results that humans had only managed to mimic by altering their physiology to be mechanical, or by stealing the entire sun from the sol system. 

I explained that I was stronger than most in that respect, but that humans were never designed to wield so much manna because we had simply never evolved in a galaxy where manna was prevalent to begin with, so that I had needed to increase my control. 

I explained that Yr'Arl had planned to take me to a holy planet for his people, where that control would be taught to me, but that something had hijacked my power and brought us straight to this world, where I had tamed the predator and Yr'Arl had fallen prey to the sun. 

When I reached the end of my story the two men that were sitting around me looked at me as if I were a madman. As if the tale I had weaved for them was an insanity of my own making. But the facts were irrefutable, I had a tamed predator downstairs and we had appeared out of nowhere. 

"I think I was drawn here for some reason, brought here for some sort of task that needed to be completed, and Dan… I think that reason was you," I said, staring the other man straight in the eye. 

If he weren't leaning against the wall he likely would have jumped back in shock, at least that was the impression that the expression on his face. 

"Why… why would you have been drawn to me?" He asked, stammering nervously like a child. 

A let out a long breath. 

Dan and I had come from the same universe, it was a conversation that we hadn't had yet, and it felt like it was a conversation that the other man simply didn't want to have. 

I wasn't going to give him that opportunity. 

"I think I was drawn to you because you were put here for a reason, just like I was put where I was for a reason, and you aren't doing what you were meant to do," I explained. "You and me, we both come from another universe entirely, and I can tell by the clothes that you're wearing that you know what that means." 

He and the doctor both looked down at the custom anime-inspired shirt that Dan was wearing. In a weird steampunk alien city, like we were in now, there was no way a shirt like that was at the height of fashion. He would have had to have gotten it made custom. That's how into anime he had been back on our home world. 

"I… I don't understand," Dan whimpered, trembling like a leaf against the wall. 

I stood up from the sofa and scowled at the coward standing before me. 

"Yes you do, Dan. Just like I was brought to this universe to stop the Null Space Invaders in my galaxy, you were put here to save this planet from Tyranny. Only you didn't rise to the challenge, so whatever deity is looking over me has thrown me into your path," I said sternly, before softening my gaze and my voice, "But don't worry, helping is what I do." 

Through teary eyes, Dan raised his gaze back up to mine, "But I'm not like you," He managed to choke out, "I'm not some hero, I'm just a nobody who got hit by a truck." 

I gave him the softest smile that I could, with as much empathy as I could muster, "Oh come on Dan, you should know better than anyone else that a normal guy who got hit by a truck while crossing the road can end up being the strongest person in the world, just look at me or any of the countless anime that you've probably watched for proof of that." 

"I'm sorry to cut in," the doctor said from his position on the chair, "But are you two saying that you were hit by a moving vehicle at high speed and then reincarnated in this universe?" 

I glanced at the man, and then back at dan, "Yeah, that's exactly what I'm saying."