I was kinda hoping for gold or treasure to be in the Taramin vault, daring to dream a bit about all the games I could buy with a solid bar of gold. Instead, it looked to just be another lab, all the counters bright and sterile. Well, the main room we found was, there were a few other empty spaces that had regular beds and those doctor type cushion-y ones as well.

After finding nothing of note in the living space of the vault, we poked around the main lab. There was a frame on one counter, but it had no picture inside of it. Most of the cupboards were empty, save for some supplies that’d be at home in Diast’s chemistry class.

“Hey, what’s this?” Aira asked.

One counter had two round, crystal-looking things, one blue and one purple. They were each about the size of a gumball. Next to them was a little contraption with ten slots in it, but only one was taken, holding a vial with a crimson liquid inside that matched my jacket.

Aira and Syval each took a crystal.

“Be careful, maybe?” I asked. “They might explode or be dangerous?” How did these two manage to get anywhere when I wasn’t around?

Aira didn’t notice anything I said, pocketing the crystal to grab a notebook on the counter. “Research notes.”

“What’s it say?” Syval asked as Aira started paging through.

“They were doing some kind of experiment,” Aira said.

“I mean, duh, it’s a lab,” I said. “What kind of experiment?”

“It’s about…” Aira said. “You want me to just read these?”

“If someone’s gonna, it might as well be you,” I said. “You’ve heard me when I have to read out loud in class, it’s not pretty.”

“The first page is just one note, for 'Project 104181,'” Aira said. “Discovered two wounded in battle on excursion. Against each other? Atrian crystal healing process tested. Vitals stabilized but removal process uncertain. Similar to T.M.?”

“Those crystals…have someone in them?” I asked.

“Beats me,” Syval said, flicking the one he grabbed. “Hello! Anyone in there?”

No response.

“Maybe you should put those back,” I said.

“I…think we’ll keep ‘em a bit longer,” Syval said.

“Sure, whatever,” I said.

“The next few pages have a lot more notes,” Aira said. “For ‘Project 4522912.’”

“Wanna read those, too?” I asked.

I paced around as Aira started reading the notes.

“Beast tendency formula stabilized,” Aira read. “Doses administered. 1-7 to Subject M, Subject A, Subject S, Subject C, Subject C2, Subject E, and Subject C3. Dose 8 did not mix properly and may not create the same effects as 1-7 and 9-10. Dose 9 administered to Subject X. Dose 10 I am keeping for later use.”

I looked back at the vial holder. Sure enough, the only one left was in the eighth spot.

“Administration process simple, can be taken orally as a drink or injected. Results quicker from injection but those afraid of needles noted a preference for the drink version.”

I reached out to the eighth vial. It felt warm to the touch, and I almost dropped it when it bubbled.

Dose 8, huh?

“Incredible boost of power came first for subjects. I have submitted applications for them in category ‘D’ of DBFE program, it would be hard to deny them based on most of their appearances.”

“Subjects C, C2 were already in the stable Atria dimension. Results weren’t wildly different for C2 to the other subjects. C and X, however, did not experience the same transformations as the other subjects.”

So whoever was really in this lab…they were bringing people in and giving them some kind of beast tendency formula?

“Subjects M, A, S, E, and C3 saved from faltered dimension. Experienced immediate effects from dosage administration.”

“M, A, E, S, C3 potentially experienced some time and space effects. M and A in particular reported different ages than tests showed. Possible that time scaled differently in home world, or home world was faulty enough to have rules of nature be particularly coherent. Exploring other options for their physical history as well, perhaps there were more world jumps than they are aware of, making their self reporting inaccurate. All experienced physical changes from administration of dosage.”

“Subject S had no recollection of prior life."

It didn’t sound like typical void crap, but void crap nonetheless. Still, unease grew within me with each entry Aira read.

“Subject R discovered, separate from the others but from the same world as M, A, E, S, C3. Body consistency has turned almost entirely to Elka or an Elka-like substance. Perhaps Subject R always was like this. M, A, E, C3, have recollection of R, but R does not remember them, nor much of anything like S. R’s age has had similar time shift effects. Working to bring R to stable dimension.”

“Subject X is void born and experienced little physical changes, but has been in stable dimension for some time. Monitoring progress and ongoing need for stabilization wear.”

“Lead on Subject R. Potential path to stable dimension found. Could take time to process.”

“Time spent in stable dimension could potentially have effect on the extent of shapeshifting.”

“Then a bunch of pages are torn out,” Aira said. “That might be the last…oh! There’s one more.” Aira cleared her throat. “Permission granted for eight to enter DBFE program, which will soon be initiated at various schools in the country. Hone skills against Cani students. Upcoming void storm should also bring plenty of training opportunities.”

“Huh…” Syval said.

“The hell is going on?” I asked.

“I don’t know…” Aira said. 

“I think we should probably leave,” I said.

“Don’t you wanna wait for that guy to come back?” Syval asked. “We could kick his ass!”

While the idea of beating up Arctus Kathron was enticing, we were pushing our luck. We could beat a retention sprite, sure, but if he was the real thing?

"I'm not so sure," I said.

“Aren’t we going to try to help more people outside?” Syval asked.

“Dude, let’s just go,” I said.

Aira and Syval decided to bring the notebook and the crystals with them. That sounded like a mistake, but I wasn’t in the mood to tell them that. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling. I had gotten to join the real Tokickaman on an adventure, but…

“I feel like I should say…I talked to Caya about this whole thing,” I said once we returned to the street. The orange light of a storm cast everything in a weird glow, but it was still. Maybe it was the eye of the storm, and things were about to get a lot more chaotic.

“You ratted us out?” Syval asked. “How could you?”

“No, dumbass!” I sighed. “I was talking about this hero thing before I knew you two were…just shut up and let me finish! She said if we go down this path…it’s a lonely one.”

I had to tell them. Caya’s advice was loud in my head, but Aira and Syval had never heard it. And they were even less cautious than me, so maybe they really needed to hear it. Aira just shrugged, though.

“I can’t get much lonelier,” Aira said.

The stillness was interrupted by a thud, then another. Something stomped toward us, and it was big.

“Now for some real action!” Syval said when a void monster that looked like a giant crab-turtle with tentacles coming out of the top of its shell came into view. Guess the storm wasn't done dropping weird crap onto the city.

Aira and Syval immediately forgot about my 'let's go home' plan and charged ahead just as the beast started firing lasers out of its tentacles. Again, this didn’t feel much different than my usual void monster fighting time.

The vial of Dose 8 felt heavy in my pocket as I joined them.

What didn't feel heavy though were my legs. I felt light, not quite the same feeling as the start of a beam chasers game but there was this intangible excitement in me as I stared down the monster, which had a lot more eyes on it than I thought it would so it was hard to pick a place to stare. I outpaced Aira and Syval, and was ready to strike first.

This was my moment.

I leapt.

Soared, even.

I was really going to help people.

Then the tentacled monster smacked me, sending me careening into the nearest building.