Duobus malis-VIII
DATE:28th of March, the 70th year after the Coronation
LOCATION: Concord Metropolis
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Despite what happened yesterday, I woke up feeling refreshed. How could I not be? Today I wouldn't be doing any teaching.
My first sentiments were proven correct as even the packet from the professor finally arrived.
In it was a note, a pellet gun and several opaque vials. As I shook it I realized they had a liquid inside.
I went back to my room and started reading his message.
"Dear William, I hope this package finds you well. I have completed the formula on a synthetic drug that would be less forceful on your cerebral cortex. Take only one vial a day for practice as I am not yet sure what is the maximum safe dosage.
-from a friend of Zilliam's" The professor is such a school girl. Who writes letters these days? I already know from practice that cocaine is the most effective starter, so this must just be a smaller dosage if it was meant to be safer. Is this meant to be socially acceptable?
Either way I have to test them. What were the instructions? He didn't send any. Guess I just try one like with the cocaine.
I went to the underground chambers to test it. I haven't gone here before. They were a training facility for the combat classes. I avoided this area because Mr. Perfect is in charge of them. Hopefully he is not here anymore.
How was I supposed to take this dose? In water? Alone? Let's see how it tastes! I broke the plastic vial and drank the whole thing. It tasted horrible, like metal. Was I going to get iron poisoning from the professor?
The pellet gun looked like a Beretta handgun. I used them before, so I was quite proficient with it. Firing a few pellets at the white walls of one of the private training rooms, I found this weapon incredibly dangerous. It had a velocity similar to a pistol. Did the professor give me an actual weapon?
Anyhow, I breathed in and activated my Bullet time. Judging by the lower velocity of the pellets, I wasn't quite as fast as with normal cocaine. I think it went from a 99.9999% slowdown to a 99%? At first this doesn't seem much different, but velocity is compounding. A normal Beretta's bullet has a travel speed of about 380 meters per second. With my cocaine I can get this to about, as I experimented, 0.00038 meters. With this "super cocaine" from the professor the effective speed is about 3.8 meters?
Which is still good, but I wouldn't be able to get away with what I have done up until now. But I also think it is better that they don't know my effective maximum.
As I was shooting pellets at the wall, the person I most hoped to not meet shows up. Mr. Perfect was wearing a tracksuit and had his iconic wide smile plastered on. That smile gives me shivers. It is different from the creepy grin Blazer does. With him, it is a gesture of superiority, showing himself laughing at the world. Yet he is emotional. This pride is only shown in advertisement. He can laugh, but he can also cry. But Akerman? He knows he can make you hurt. He still has that very smile when he guts you in half, guts you like a pig and makes you eat your own intestines. I have heard of this many times.
"Ohh, I didn't take you for a shooter. You have a good form."
"The streets are quite dangerous, though I don't have an actual firearm. This was a gift." Mr. Perfect elongated his neck to watch my Beretta up close. He really doesn't know know strange he appears, does he?
"For a model gun it is very detailed. Did you get it from Mundi?"
"Yeah, it just arrived. How... Did you know?"
"Professor Mundi likes to make works like this. He is a... Thinkerer..." I have an idea that he may do more than just "thinker". To get a pellet gun shooting at the velocity of bullets is a profoundly dangerous feat. There is no motor inside it.
"I think we never discussed, what power do you have William? I heard you came here to practice using it safely." Did the Dean tell him? Orr-
"I can slow down time, but it's nothing much. It is very limited."
"Is that so? Then let's try something;" Akerman took a lunge at me and I breathed in by reflex. It was fast, and I would get hurt severely if it landed. Was this a test? I would normally just take it, but it was going to hit my neck. I could die from that. Was he unaware? No, a professional like him couldn't make such a mistake. This was intentional. He was suspecting me of something and wanted to give me a test. Or perhaps he wanted to punish me, maybe for that incident from yesterday. I couldn't show him I can dodge, but I also couldn't just take that hit. Then an idea hit me. I moved my head just enough for his hand to hit my cheek instead of my neck. Afterwords I stopped holding my breath.
I was hit with a force that made me fall on the floor. I could see in his eyes that he was disappointed.
"Yes, it is... Unremarkable. Sorry for that."
"Y-yeah, no, no problem." I clutched my burning cheek. Damn it hurt. This wasn't even his full force yet I felt as if my skin was falling apart. This man is a monster.
"Well, I'll let you continue with your practice. See you later Will." He left me laying on the ground. What a teacher. Anyway, I eventually got back on my feet and continued practicing. It was strange, I had already used Bullet Time and my head didn't even really hurt.
I wondered what was my capacity with this super dose so I tried it some more. It was a bad idea. A really bad one. I could get about 7 uses, but by the fifth the pain started to get much worse than doing it with cocaine. It wasn't worth it.
I tried to return to the dorms with bleeding eyes. Was this an overdose? Haven't felt that in a while.
I must have looked like I was tweaking to the students, but it's not like I cared. I was starting to feel my consciousness slipping, but I forced myself up the stairs to my room. Some teacher looked very concerned for me. I think it was the English one? I ignored her and stiffly dragged my feet forward. Her words were only received as distant murmurs. With shaky hands I took out my key and opened the door. With the last of my strength I closed it and threw my body on the bed. Then I passed out.
I was back in the void.
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DATE:29th of March, the 70th year after the Coronation
LOCATION: Concord Metropolis
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I woke up with Alice bending over me, seemingly checking my temperature. She was quite terrified. My eyes were clouded.
"Will, y-you woke up! I was so worried.
When Miranda said you looked like you were dieing, I got here as fast as I could.
I-I thought I might lose you..." And? Why would that matter to you? She had tears in her eyes, yet my face was pale.
I clutched my head and felt a ringing pain. Thinking about it, adjusting for dosage my limit was the same. This super cocaine the professor brought just let me portion it out.
"I tried the stimulants the professor provided me with. Seems like I overused my power."
"Will!" She grabbed my hand and held it tightly. Her grip hurt. Damn.
"I am fine. No need to be concerned." I properly looked at her. Alice was very tired. Did she stay here all night, watching over me? Such useless behavior. But, she was more than just tired. Gazing into those moon shaped eyes, they were darker, as if the light was extinguished. They were quite ugly so I avoided locking eyes. She was suffering, internally if not also externally. But why? Sure, I didn't give her much attention, but she is a grown woman. She has her own friends, her own family. I think she got along well with the other teachers. They used to be Her teachers after all. I also never heard her complain about the students. Hmmm, were they actually the fault? Or was she breaking from trauma she constantly tries to run away from. Either way it is none of my concern.
"You should go sleep, Alice. You look tired." Embarrassed, she tried to cover her face. Did she think I saw it as her not taking care of herself?
"No, I..."
I raised from my bed, even if the legs didn't want to. They were screaming in pain.
"Sleep here if you want to. I have classes."
"Y-yes? Will?" I left her there, half standing on the chair, half on the ground and went straight to my class. I was still in that horrible shirt and tie.
The professor sent me more clothes, but they were even worse. Striped, plaided, polka dot, zebra shirts with matching ties. Was this some kind of joke Mundi and John were on? What the hell is their fashion sense?
I should go to the mall and buy something normal.
I had two morning classes followed by the lunch break, another two and then standing at detention. I finished at five pm that day.
Quite tiring to be honest.
DATE:30th of March, the 70th year after the Coronation
LOCATION: Concord Metropolis
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I practiced in the training facility some more as my muscle aches were mostly gone. My limit remains the same. I didn't pass out this time.
At noon,
I caught Silvia while setting up one of her pranks. I was so tired mentally I punched the wall behind her. I wanted to hit her, but stopped before the act was committed. My sense of control was really developed. I am very mature. She in the other hand was petrified. She said I "glared as If I wanted her dead", but I think She is exhagerating. I hope this teaches that shrew to behave herself.
When I was getting back to the dorm, Miranda pulled me to the side. Seems like Alice explained my situation. She said that "enthusiasm is appreciated, but that I should take it slower". And I thought, alright? The Donn will wait for me? UltraMan would? I don't honestly believe I can get better at this like the professor says, but it doesn't hurt to try. Or, it doesn't Hurt permanently...
The Dean informed us teachers that we will be holding a party to celebrate the 220 year anniversary of the Zenith Academy. Could have told me sooner. Now I have even more work as I was put in charge of moving boxes for Mr. Perfect. I have no idea why they even bother. He alone could do everything and still have one hand free, but whatever. Maybe Zilliam saw how bored I was.
A very interesting phenomenon I found with these pellets is that I could change their trajectory by hand after they exit the barrel. Of course, I could technically also do that with real bullets, but who would risk their own hand doing it? Oven so,with a special glove it is more than doable. I should tell the professor about it. I received a letter with an email address and now we sometimes talk over the internet. I am not sure how safe this is so I usually say the bare minimum.
Now that I think about it, what power does Alice even have? She must be powerful if she is an apprentice of UltraMan, and I do not mean that just for her surprising strong body. He does have multiple of them, but that just emphasizes how important he was. This man was guiding a new generation. Was it preparation in case of an untimely demise? I don't believe it. I am sure not even Him would have expected what fate marked his end. Also, if he had planned for this outcome his apprentice wouldn't be so instable emotionally. How was Alice supposed to be one of the heroes to carry on his legacy? When she uselessly dragged me here for some fantasy of becoming a teacher? This girl lives in the novels she read while young, I am sure of it.
I am also sure her moon shaped eyes are related to her power. Either the consequence or the source of it. Well, as long as she doesn't become antagonistic it shouldn't matter.
Many questions huh?