an older man in his early 40s settles on the outside wall of a high school, with long brown hair, loosely pulled down into a ponytail and casual and red button up flannel. he seems tired, but smiling gently waiting for someone. maybe his kid?

A young 15 year old girl runs out of the school doors even though it's not time to leave school yet. She trips and falls. She's got some pretty bad bruises all over her. She cries from all the pain and looks around to make sure no one's around to see her so weak

He frowns immediately getting up from his slouched position to go help her up "oh- uh sweetheart, you okay?! Here, lemme help!"
His eyes are covered with sunglasses and his scarf covers the bottom part of his sharp scruffy chin.

Taji back up a bit "n-no! You could be one of dylon friends who wants to hurt me more!! Stay away!!!"

He furrows his brows and helps her up to her feet anyway "well... Dylon, is probably a kid. I'm 42 and trying to help you Hun..."

Taji wabbles on her feet with small scraps on her knees and many bruises, they probably aimed at her legs so she couldn't get away easily. "S-so...you don't know who dylon is?..."

He shakes his head and looks her over "no? Why should I know him?" His smile is sweet and kind as he pulls out a hankerchief "here"

Taji timidly takes it and uses it "th-thank you...he's the principals son. Normaly Everyone knows him. I guess some don't. Are you waiting for your k-kid?"

He nods with a smile looking her over "yeah, but I have a feeling my son skipped. Do... Do you mind if I help you some more sweetheart? You seem pretty beat up...."

"y-yeah....this is sadly normal...but I don't mind your help...I really appreciate it- oh what's your name?"

He gets a flush on his face and grins "eh, it doesn't matter- I'm Russel. Let's get you cleaned up and patched up"

Russ furrows his brows and laughs "I don't live very close, and I'm pretty sure that's be awkward. I'll bring you to the gas station and get some supplies"

"Oh okay...you mentioned you have a son? What's his name? Maybe I know him?" She asks

Russ walks with her and laughs "oh, it's... Zack. Looks a bit like this ol' mug? But with freckles?"

"Hmm Zack?...I don't think I know him...what grade is he in?"

"He's a freshmen" he laughs petting his parted bangs to the side and getting to the gas station "you probably don't know him"

"I guess not...I'm sure he's probably really nice. Especially if you're his dad. I'm sure his mom is very nice too. Well is she?"

Russ frowns going inside and holding the door for her "eh.... Im not on good terms with his mom... It's why I don't think he's at school today. She takes him out a lot."

"oh...I'm sorry...do you have any other kids?"

He snorts picking out some bandages, ointment, and wet wipes- then sneaks a box of twinkies and some pocky "I got lots of kids"

"oo! Can I meet them? It would be nice to have some friends"

Russ laughs checking out, then goes out to the curb to sit down with a wince at his back as it pops and cracks "aaugh- oh... I'm not as young as I used to be.... Eh, you'll meet em probably. I've been all over"

"that will be cool. I'll be sure to tell them how nice you were...thank you again..." She says sitting next to him

He smiles starting to tend to her injuries. His left wrist clicks under his glove with little mechanical wurrs

Taji looks at it and gets a little concerned "what up with your wrist?"

Russ laughs as he wraps her knee "mm? Oh that. I'm secretly a cyborg like in the movies"

"wait really?!" She asks in shock

He smirks pulling off the black silk glove to reveal a metal silver plated hand with segmented pieces and black highlights "yep~"

"woah!! That's so cool!! But also very concerning- what happened to make you have to have it?"

Russ snorts "oh it happened so long ago... I don't remember. I'm also missing an eye and a few organs, to it's fun being this old and broken lemme tell ya"

"jeez!! Seems very painful!! You must go to the hospital a lot!! I honestly hate the hospital but whatever, Can I see your eye?!"

He smiles with a small chuckle and bends down to take off his shades. His left eye has a silver panel around it and a black mark underneath with a hanging circuit design. It's red to match his other still flesh eye and looks real. His eyes are kind with crows feet and tired lines "pretty cool eh...?"

Taji smiles and nods "really cool!! But it looks really futuristic actually. What hospital did you go to for that?"

Russ blushes putting back on his sunglasses "eh? One in Japan- speaking of which... Here" he gives her the bag and steals a Twinkie from the box "here- have some! I'm sure you like em

Taji smiles "oh I love Twinkies!!" She says and grabs one and starts to eat it with a content Expression but then looks at him, not wanting to forget what he looks like.

He eats his and hums happily unwrapping another ".... You know.... My wife Loved these...."

Taji frowns "loved? Did something happen to her?"

Russ frowns "m....myeah..... She died recently.... But... I know she'll be okay. She's with Luci"

"oh..I'm so sorry...if...if you dont mind me asking...what was her name?" She asks

Russ laughs "now that one, I don't think you need to know.... But I called her Patch... So- yeah...."

Taji nods in understanding "well I hope she rests in peace...was she nice?"

"she was the sweetest...." He smiles gently and finishes his second one with a content look "mmm- these stupid things are so gooood"

Taji smiles "they're amazing" she says and starts eating her second one then looks around "I hope dylon Doesn't see us together..."

Russ blushes and frowns tiredly "you.... You don't need to be with that boy you know. There's other much better options out there for a young lady like you"

"I have no choice...if I refuse to be with him he will make my life a living hell...he'll do whatever he can to make sure I suffer...it's bad enough my parents went to jail a month ago and my sister fled to go be a stupid nurse..."

"well..... Let's just say.... That things will get better. Accept the course of time where ever it makes you drift in the universe. Surprises and adventure await those who strive forward with a smile and boundless curiosity"

Taji looks up at him "I guess you're right? I just hope it gets better soon..."

Russ smirks getting to a knee and winces setting a hand on his back "it will-oh- owowow.... Damn it-hssh- I'm stuck..."

"here let me help you" she says and helps him up very gently

His back pops as he gets back to his metal booted feet and chuckles back at 6 feet "whoo.... Ouch- I probably need some medicine. Alright- I'm gonna get going Taji... You take care of yourself, okay? Don't think too much of this old man... You'll have a good life"

"thank you..wait- but I never told you my name! How did you know?!"

Russ smirks patting her head and walks into the gas station without her"that's my secret love.... Have a good one."

"wait!" She says not really wanting him to leave and heads inside the gas station to try and find him

He's heading into the bathroom and quickly rummages through his pockets as he walks

Taji desperately looks around for him

Russ drops a watch and winces at his back with a grunt "forget it... No one will mind it much...." And warps away in the bathroom leaving the watch on the floor right outside the door

Taji finally gets to it and looks at it "a watch?.." she slowly picks it up and starts to mess with it till something happens

The watch emits a homing beacon and lights up in bright blue. It surrounds her and flashes hot until nothing but a scorch mark is left. She appears in the lab of an unfamiliar ship just off from a slumbering form at a table. The lights all start to flash and warble with a feminine automated voice calling out "INTRUDER INTRUDER"

Taji falls onto her butt and darts her eyes around everywhere "wh-what? Wh-where am I?!" She asks starting to have a panic attack

The figure sits up and grunts pulling on a helmet and growls standing to aim a futuristic gun at her weakly. His arm seems to tremble from the effort, and his breathing sounds labored in the mask "Wh-Who are you! Answer me!"

Taji starts to cry and covers her head with her arms "m-my name is tajimatsu!! I don't know where I am!!! I found this watch on the floor while I was trying to find someone!! P-please!! Don't kill me!!" She sobs out weakly

He pants lowering the weapon and groans stumbling forward "C.L.A.I.R.E., turn off... The alarms... Oh my head...." His voice is digitalized and disguised in the mask, but he sounds dazed

Taji backs up as far as she can from him "wh-where am I?"

He sets a hand on the counter he was at and settles the gun at his belt "my ship.... You... You found a watch you said? Give it to me..."

Taji nods and holds out the watch for him to take still absolutely terrified to go near him.

He reaches out with a gloved hand and holds it close to the screen of his helmet, then sighs taking it off and letting his hair puff up and out like a dandillion before settling into place. He looks really young, and handsome to boot as his shadowed eyes inspect the watch "this is my design... But it's not mine.... It took you to the closest home beacon...."

"I think the person I was following dropped it..."

He leers at her and frowns steadying his footing "so.... We're you on good terms with him, or were ... You chasing him?"

"We were on good terms...he helped patch up my wounds...for some reason he knew who I was but I didn't know him." She explains

The teen frowns pursing his lips "did.... He look like me? Or was someone else running around with my technology...?"

"he looks like you but...older..42? 43??..he said his name was Russ? Or something like that? Oh no why do I have bad memory..."

He blushes wiping his face of sweat "ugh... Dammit... Okay, well, unless I shove you out into space... I'm stuck with you.... So your human? Just a normal Terran?"

Taji nods and continues to cry still being scared. "Y-yes..I'm a human..."

"unarmed....?" He swallows gripping his laser pistol

"i..I am armed but it's because of someone at school..." She grabs her bag and pulls out a gun, that's on safety and hands it to him "h-here...just please don't hurt me..."

He frowns a little and lifts the gun up and sets it on the table along with his laser pistol, then backs up "I just want to be sure there's no damage to be done... If another dimensions version of me was visiting you... You can't be that bad. BUT I'm still gonna be cautious... so uh... Whatever your name was... Get up and follow me... I'm taking you back where you belong... I need supplies anyway..."

"We're in space right?" Taji asks nervously

He nods cautiously watching her. He's sweating and is even paler than the older version of him

"i-i...Don't want to go back...a-and...I don't want to be a bother to you... couldn't you just...i Dunno...kill me?..."

He gets a worried look and frowns at her "I...I'm not gonna kill you for no reason..... I'll find you some place to dwell.... Jus.... C'mon... I have extra rooms.... You'll stay there til I get to an earth..."

"b-but... wont I just get in your way?"

He leers back at her and glares with a bored look "you're gonna be in my way down here... Just fucking listen to me. You're on my ship, and I don't have much energy for a stowaway" he walks out of the lab and to a pair of metal doors to the elevator "c'mon..."

Taji frowns and nods following him "o-okay..."

He lets her into the elevator box, presses the button, then awkwardly stands there with her crossing his arms and trying to stand straight ".........so.... You think the other Russ... Knew you some how?"

"somehow he knew my name even though I never told him my name..."

Russ frowns stepping through the elevator to the second and stiffles a cough "he must have known you at some point in your future... But now your stuck with me cuz he messed up... Yippee..."

"are you okay?" she asks

He shakes his head leading her down to the last door on the left to a purple and black themed bedroom with a soft full sized bed, dresser, nightstand, small desk, and french door closet "I'll be fine... I just... I'm fine. Stay in here til you can't anymore... Bathroom is the last door on the right from here- RIGHT. not left. Got it?"

Taji nods and heads inside the room and sets her bag down and just sits on the ground next to the bed and looks at all the bandages that's on her

Russ swallows and frowns "if... You need more of those... Let me know. I have medical stuff down in the lab..." Then turns around to go to his own room and passes out swiftly as he coughs

Taji just sits there and messes with her bandages till they come off. She looks at the bag in her bag that has the Twinkies and Pocky in it and munches on another Twinkie as she sits in the quietly and ends up listening to the music on her phone. (Mainly "the only difference between martyrdom and suicide is press coverage" on repeat because that's a great song)