2424
They had big plans for the next month or so. Hobie had shown Felix how to create his own dimensional travel watch before leaving for his mission, and it was a major hit among the members of HQ. People here quickly discarded their old devices, satisfied with the new freedom. Making your own watch meant the spider people no longer had to be dependent on Miguel to decide if they could travel through dimensions.
Felix took this as inspiration to start mass producing them.
He quickly discovered that idea was only sustainable for so long. Felix was only one person, he couldn’t even make twenty in a day. And it’d get noticeable if a group of people suddenly showed up with different watches.
He needed a solution.
A solution that just wasn’t coming to Felix right now. Maybe a little time away from the workshop would do him good. But this time he knew late night drives and messing around in the living room just wouldn’t be enough. This creative block was real, and running deep.
Felix had an ache in his stomach telling him to go somewhere far, just until his brain started working again. It would be useful, and it always helped in the past. But traveling now was way too spontaneous and risky.
While trying to talk himself out of the idea, Denzel came in, a little confused when he saw Felix laying on the floor, staring blankly at the ceiling.
“Um, hey? I was gonna ask you something but if your busy I can-“
Felix shot up off the floor. “Busy? No, I wasn't doing anything.” he replied mechanically.
What was he supposed to say!?! Oh I was just laying on the floor and planning to take a vacation because I’m going insane and running out of ideas!?
No!!!
Denzel looked at him curiously, but continued, “I have this job I need to take care of, it might take a couple of days but you should tag along.”
Felix paused.
“What?” He was probably dreaming.
“I said if you wanna tag along you can.” Denzel said, leaning against the doorway.
The heavens must’ve blessed Felix for making all those watches. This was the break he needed, and it was dropped in front of him on a silver platter. Not to mention the fact that it was his best friend asking him. He was about to fall to his knees and start praying right there.
“Yes. Yeah. When are we leaving?” Felix said, his excited mind not catching up with his body yet.
“I’ll give you time to pack. Hurry up though, it’s still a mission.” Denzel said as an afterthought, too busy doting on the little upwards curve to his mouth.
Felix was back in his room, rushing to throw whatever clothes he had in his bag.
Wait…how long did he say they were going for? A couple days?
Felix groaned, pinching his temple. If they stayed for more than a couple days then that meant he’d have to bring his t-shots. And that was going to kill him because he hadn’t exactly told Denzel he was trans yet! Felix stared at the little clear bottles, sighing. Maybe if he pulled off the stickers it’d be harder to tell.
He could make up an excuse right?
Ah shit. His phone was ringing again. Felix shoved the now sticker-less bottles in his bag, digging to grab his phone.
“Yeah I'm ready, I'm ready.” He said with a slightly anxious tone. All of a sudden Felix wasn't so excited to leave. He had kept it a secret for so long and wanted to tell Denzel on his own terms.
Felix climbed back up outside of HQ, duffel bag rustling behind him. Denzel pulled him up, grunting as he did.
He stood up, the distance between them now non-existent.
“Uh, hey.” Felix swallowed.
Denzel cleared his throat, looking away. He prayed Felix couldn’t see his blush.
“You ready now?” he said.
“How many times are you gonna ask me that? It’s been at least fifty now.” Felix replied, rolling his eyes.
Denzel looked down, unable to reply. He typed the code into his watch and a dark purple portal opened up.
Something in the air was changing, like the slow descent of green summer leaves into fall.
“I don’t know where exactly we’re going to land in this dimension.” Denzel said, soft eyes illuminated by the orange glow of the portal.
“That’s fine, as long as it’s solid.” Felix teased.
He jumped in after Denzel, immediately landing onto a slippery metal object, the wind hitting his face at top speed.
Felix rapidly felt himself falling, quickly shooting his webs out onto something for purchase. He tried opening his eyes, bracing himself against the wind, all to no avail.
The only things he could make out was Denzel in struggling front of him and that they were on the roof of a futuristic looking train. Felix almost cried in relief, realizing there was a hatch about 15 feet in front of them.
He began painstakingly pulling himself forward, heart lurching everytime his foot missed a mark. Denzel had reached the hatch, frantically trying to open it. He eventually gave up, slamming one of his arrows straight through, piercing the metal and leaving it to fall below. Felix grabbed onto one of those arrows, using the momentum to pull himself in.
Denzel lay exhausted on the floor, gasping for breath while Felix shakily got up. They were in one of the train cars, this one filled with hundreds of boxes cramming up against the windows. Felix pushed them aside one by one, letting a dim light fill the car.
The more boxes he pushed aside, the more disbelieving he was.
Inhumane buildings towered far around them, dark and corporate. They sped past thousands of virtual billboards, washing out the already weakened power of the sun. There was no end to the creation.
Felix grimaced.
Just how far in the future were they?
“Earth-2424, a thousand years ahead of our timeline.” Denzel said, joining him at the window.
“Why are we here?” Felix replied, realizing the scope of this mission.
Denzel knew he couldn’t keep him in the dark forever. And now seemed like the perfect time to say it, no matter how bad his reaction would be.
He took a deep breath.
“Here’s the situation. This specific dimension is the end result of almost every other timeline. It’s an end all be all.”
Denzel confirmed it.
“And by that logic this dimension has to be protected the most. It ensures a future for others.”
“But?” Felix asked, dreading what came next.
“But…there’s a minor anomaly that’s been detected and if we don’t do anything soon, a lot of other dimensions are gonna go to shit.” Denzel said it all in one breath, waiting for disaster.
“You mean to say…”
“We have to search for a MINOR anomaly. HERE.” Felix gesticulated wildly at the massive city.
“And IF we don’t find it, EVERY DIMENSION GOES TO SHIT?”
Denzel nodded, a dreadful expression on his face.
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier!?!” Felix said, frustrated.
“I just found out yesterday.” Lie. Denzel had known since last week, he just…needed some time to think.
Felix sunk down onto the floor, the train grumbling underneath them.
“What’s your plan.” He said dejectedly.
“Get off this goddamn train. Food and sleep.”