1 Chapter One

The light above Monarch's bed flickered once every couple seconds. His eyes fixated on the faulty bulb, intrigued by just how nonconforming it was. Professor Shea had told him that they'd get the bulb replaced later that afternoon- just another measure to ensure that everything in the lab was completely controlled. Monarch knew that, just like the bulb, he would be replaced just as easily if he fell out of line. According to line four of the Project Metamorphosis funding contract, he was nothing more than a lab rat.

He was okay with that. After all- he was a living technological breakthrough. He didn't have to worry about a thing- here in the Helix Bionics Laboratory, Monarch got everything he needed. What more could he ask for?

The automatic doors of the chamber flew open, and Monarch's polar opposite shuffled inside. Acmon deliberately dragged his feet as he walked over to his bed, something he always did when he was in a bad mood. Unlike Monarch, Acmon couldn't be more resistant to the idea of being a test subject.

The two fifteen-year-olds were identical in almost every other way outside temperament- they shared everything from their copper-brown hair to their mint-green eyes. They were made to dress identically in the same white scrubs, something Professor Shea thought was appropriate in order to keep the experiment as controlled as possible. Although their caregiving robot Vega always styled their hair in the same way, Acmon always messed it up as soon as she left. Their hair, one of the only differing features, was a minor act of rebellion Professor Shea had overlooked.

He dropped himself onto the bed and glanced at Monarch with one eye. "They stuck me with those needles again. You're next," he grumbled.

"Vega always gives me a lollipop afterwards. It's fine," Monarch said. Acmon sighed deliberately loud at his brother's lack of concern.

"They call us twins," Acmon chuckled hallowly. "It couldn't be further from the truth."

Monarch said nothing. Soon, the door opened again, and Vega called for him to follow her to the lab.

"Subject Monarch, you are required in the examination lab."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Acmon asked.

Monarch relaxed at those words. Even though he didn't mind being part of Project Meta, some of the tests they did to him weren't very pleasant. Having Acmon there brought a wave of calm that nobody else could give him. Although their personalities differed drastically, they were in this experiment together from day one. Whether it was because the scientists had encouraged them to do everything together, or because they were literal clones of each other, the two of them had always been nearly inseparable.

Acmon needed no other answer than Monarch's exhale in relief. He stood up from his bed and walked beside him to the lab.

"What kind of experiment was it? Did it hurt?" Monarch asked.

"It was one of those mind things again. You'll be fine. The only thing that hurt was the needle."

They stopped at a room, which Monarch was allowed into, but Acmon was stopped by Vega. This wasn't new; neither of them were ever allowed to accompany the other during a test. The most Acmon could do was give him an encouraging smile from the doorway.

The scientist inside escorted Monarch to a chair, and promptly stuck a needle into his neck.

"You'll fall asleep soon. We're going to place you in a simulated environment in hopes of activating the Meta-Gene," she said.

His stomach dropped. The Meta-Gene, the gene they were designed with, only activated when they were under a lot of stress. When it detected that he was in a dangerous environment, his body would change in some way to accommodate for it. The gene had only activated several times before, but the after-effects left him with anything from headaches to even being in a coma for several days at age ten. Anxiety trickled up his arms until his hands began to shake.

Monarch felt his eyes growing heavy, a feeling he knew all too well. The scientist continued talking, but her voice grew distant as his mind slipped away from the small white room. He focused his eyes on Acmon, who gave him a thumbs up. Monarch's mind began drifting off, but he wasn't ready to go yet. He didn't want this. He fought against his eyelids, trying to keep his brother in view.

"Acmon," he said, but barely audibly.

"Bro, it's fine. You'll be okay."

His breathing accelerated. Was this the simulation? His heart was already racing- how much more stressful could this get?

"Acmon," he said again. He continued fighting against his thousand ton eyelids, but they were slowly winning. "Acmon," his voice was too low for anyone to hear. The impatient scientist finally pushed Monarch's eyelids shut with her fingers.

"Ac-," was all he could get out before his mind shut off.

Monarch's eyes opened to darkness. The lights were off, and he could sense nobody around him. As he took in the room, he recognized it as the same room he'd just fallen asleep in. Where was everybody?

He stepped out of the chair and as he stepped one foot out the door, he heard a loud scream which he recognized as Acmon's. He found the room in seconds, but the door was locked. Through the window, he could make out Acmon's figure inside with shackles around his wrists. Professor Shea stood behind him with a syringe. He could faintly hear his voice.

"You're too rebellious for this experiment. We'll be continuing with just Monarch. He's very obedient," he said. Acmon struggled against the shackles as the professor approached him with the needle. "You won't be waking up from this one."

"Acmon? ACMON!" Monarch shouted, banging on the door. It had never crossed his mind that anything would ever happen to Acmon, but the idea of it was more than enough to shake him to his core.

He clawed at the door in a desperate attempt to open it, but it was made of metal.

Monarch could only think of another way to open the door, by hacking the computer that kept the door locked. If only he could somehow control the computer...

The inside of Monarch's chest grew hot and the heat shot into every inch of his body as if a fire had ignited inside of him. It didn't hurt, but Monarch knew that the after effects of this feeling wasn't going to be any kind of pleasant. Gaining a new ability never was.

The veins in Monarch's hand began glowing cyan blue, and his mind shifted. He felt kind of disconnected from his body, but not quite outside of it.

Whatever this new power was, Monarch knew it was the key to saving his brother. Pressing his hands to the door, he willed it to open. Once it unlocked, he bolted inside to Acmon, and snatched the syringe from the professor. He threw it onto the ground, breaking it.

"Calm down, Monarch! Your gene is activating," Professor Shea said. A fire of rage ignited inside of Monarch- rage he'd never known he could have. He pushed professor Shea into the wall behind him and turned around to his brother- but he was limp.

Monarch's eyes traveled back to the syringe on the floor, which upon closer inspection, he found was empty of it's contents. His rage stopped. His fear stopped. Everything stopped.

He was too late.

His new power, still burning inside of him, now released itself in a wave of raw emotion; everything around Monarch that was remotely tech-based ceased function, and a few machines around him began smoking. Everything around him began to look fuzzy, like his vision was blurring. Soon, he couldn't see anything anymore. His image of the world grew fuzzier, and fuzzier, until it was pitch black.

"Monarch, stop! You can stop now!" a voice said.

"What did you do to my brother?" Acmon's angry voice demanded.

Acmon? Was he not dead? Monarch blinked his eyes, and gradually, his vision began to come back, but he wasn't in the room with the Professor anymore. He was back in the examination room. Hovering over him with his brows pinched in anger was Acmon.

"Acmon," Monarch said in relief. He reached his hand out to touch his brother's face.

"Yeah, I'm here, brother. I'm here."

He was still too disoriented to stand up, but Monarch wanted to tackle Acmon in the tightest hug he could give. He settled for holding his hand.

"What did you see, Mon? What was the simulation?"

"You... died," Monarch said.

"What?" Acmon turned around to face the scientist. "You," he hissed. "You forced him to watch me die?!" He yelled.

"Professor Shea's orders. Put the two of you in a high-stress environment based on your subconscious fears. I did not design the environment."

Acmon tightened his fists. "I'll show you a high stress environment," he growled.

"Acmon, no," Monarch said. He held onto Acmon's hand to stop him, but his strength was fading as the heat from earlier wore off. "No, don't," he said.

Acmon sighed and turned back to him. "Sometimes I really want to kill these people. But I know you wouldn't want to see that."

"Don't leave," Monarch said.

"I'm not going anywhere," Acmon said.

The door flew open, and Monarch's still-recovering vision made out a red lab coat. Professor Shea.

"Good work, Monarch. You unlocked another power. I'm proud of you," he said.

But Monarch didn't feel proud. Rather, he felt as if he was going to faint. Acmon's face began to fade again. "Acmon, don't go." He calmed slightly when he felt Acmon grab his hand.

"I'm going nowhere."

Professor Shea cleared his throat. "Actually, you're going to have to step out. We just activated the Meta-Gene. We need to research it before it deactivates again."

"Are you joking? I refuse to leave his side. He needs me," Acmon retorted.

The Professor shoved Acmon away. "Escort that one out of here. He's not essential."

"On your order, Professor," the scientist said.

"No! NO! Don't you touch him! You hear me? DON'T YOU TOUCH-" Acmon's sentence was cut off as the scientist jabbed a pen into his arm. The pen, not meant for writing at all, was actually a concealed tranquilizer for non-cooperative subjects. Acmon was too familiar with it.

"Tranq-pen. Works wonders," she said as she went to get a stretcher to take Acmon back to their room.

"Acmon," Monarch said again.

"You'll see him soon. This next procedure won't hurt much," Shea said.

Monarch wasn't in any mood to cooperate. "No, I want him. Please, my brother..."

"You can't see him now."

As the heat finally left him, Monarch felt his mind be pulled back into the abyss that was unconsciousness.