Prologue: Kendra's Machinations

The year is 2125 on Earth. Inside a room, a small limbless figure lay strapped to a steel table. A mask clung to his face as tubes attached on both sides. His head strangely had no skin. Well, his whole body was void of it.

Instead, his flesh underneath was visible. His blood vessels pulsated and throbbed with every heartbeat. This man is Hendrix Alford, and he is close to death after spending a century trapped in this room.

Hendrix's story began a hundred and twenty years ago when he was five.

***

In front of Rhinehill Elementary, where kids played during recess, a petite white-haired boy sat on a bench alone when a young girl approached him.

"Hello, how are you?"

The young girl grinned and peered into his eyes, finally deciding to approach after watching him for a few months, hidden in areas out of sight.

"I'm doing well. Um, do you want to play?"

Hendrix looked upwards at her innocently, noticing she was much taller while tilting his head slightly and supporting himself with his hands.

The other children played, ignoring the duo and completely disregarding their existence as they laughed and played a myriad of things, focusing on having fun and caring about nothing else.

The girl smiled as she swayed her long hair and winked at Hendrix before giggling some and walking closer to him, stopping ten feet away and holding out her hand as she introduced herself.

"Of course, why shouldn't I!? I'm Kendra. May I know your name?"

Hendrix briskly nodded as he pointed at himself.

"Well, um, I'm Hendrix. It's nice to meet you."

Hendrix quickly got off the bench and jumped towards Kendra before tilting his head to the side while circling her playfully.

"Likewise, Hendrix, let's go play!"

Kendra followed, reached down, and picked up Hendrix before running to the playground with him in her embrace.

"Wait, Kendra, please! I'm in kindergarten. What grade are you?"

Hendrix questioned while tightly clinging to her, his heart beating faster as he laughed and looked into her eyes.

"I am as well, Hendrix. Want to be best friends?"

Kendra swayed her head as her pupils dilated and peered into Hendrix's. Her grip tightened while ruffling his hair and rubbing his back.

"Sure, I would love to be best friends, Kendra! Hehe, wee!"

Hendrix began smiling with glee as the wind flew into and past his face.

Kendra giggled, but in her heart, she began plotting, and Hendrix was the center of her machinations.

'Oh, Hendrix, we will have so much fun together. If anyone hurts you, that isn't me, or if they attempt to flirt with you. They will disappear and never be heard from again.'

Kendra thought before gently rubbing Hendrix's head and narrowing her eyes at other people who got too close.

The bell rang as all the kids ran back inside with hurried steps. After they left, the playground and soccer field fell silent and empty, except for the seagulls eating garbage on the ground.

***

Ten years passed as the duo both became softmores in high school, during which they watched Star Wars, Jurassic World, and other movies together. Over the years, they grew closer, and Kendra invited Hendrix to her home.

He quickly arrived and stood before her door, twiddling his thumbs while looking around as he had trouble standing still and tapping his feet.

"Hello, Kendra, Are you home?"

Hendrix knocked on her door and was only three feet tall and had long stopped growing. He is wearing a white t-shirt and jeans with sneakers on his feet and a trace of a white mustache growing on his face.

Faint walking sounded from beyond the door as it quickly increased in volume. As the lock undid promptly, the door opened.

"How's my adorable best friend?"

Kendra opened the door and looked at Hendrix with a slight grin before quickly kneeling and picking him up so he couldn't avoid her embrace.

"I, uh, am doing okay, I guess?"

Hendrix replied as his face turned bright crimson. He quickly buried his face into her bosom, hiding the red shade on his cheeks that kept getting deeper.

"Aww, are you perhaps flustered?~."

Kendra teased as the grin spread across her face while holding back a laugh as her long, raven black hair fluttered in the wind. She was gazing at him with her yellow eyes.

Hendrix didn't say a word as his grip on her tightened while burying his face deeper.

"I know you are. I mean, you buried your face in my chest.~"

Kendra finally burst out laughing, thinking this was adorable, before turning around and walking back inside, carrying Hendrix in her arms and closing the door behind her.

"Um, may I know why you called me here, Kendra?"

Hendrix asked, muffled, still hiding his face while clinging to her tighter.

"Well, we have known each other for a decade, and I've given you plenty of hints."

Kendra sat down on a couch and pulled Hendrix's face from her chest while sitting him on her lap. Her eyes contracted as she peered into his while moving her face a few inches before him.

"I like you, Hendrix. Go out with me.~"

She winked at him and seductively smirked as she swayed teasingly and nuzzled him.

"I-I-I like you too! I'd love to!"

Hendrix stuttered as he hugged Kendra, as his grin grew more expansive as well.

"Aww, let me cuddle you, sweetie. My, good boy."

Kendra chuckled while laying his head on her chest and wrapping her arms around him before tickling his arms playfully as her eyes dilated.

***

Ten years passed as Hendrix and Kendra stayed together, first graduating high school early as juniors and going to different universities.

Hendrix received a Doctorate in science, while Kendra went into politics and received the same level of degree. Both received praise as geniuses after finishing in a mere two years.

Hendrix started his career as a scientist while Kendra went to Washington, DC, and began dabbling in politics. She became the president of the United States in 2034, while Hendrix invented a unique cellular technology that could heal any injury.

The things the technologies could heal included, but were not limited to, brain damage lost limbs, any damaged organs, you name it. Anyone could heal ailments ideally using this tech. The technology also eradicated diseases, toxins, venom, and poisons.

The technology manipulates the cells to divide and recover any lost biomass and destroy any infected cells using outside energy.

Hendrix and Kendra eventually got engaged and planned to get married. But, alas, this was all in Kendra's calculations.