Episode 7-Ender's Game (7)

The day had come. The day where I would enter a shuttle, and be launched into space. If memory served well, that was Chapter 4 of the novel, which was simply titled "Launch." There was 19 other boys, and we exited the bus we rode on, and entered the elevator that took us upwards. This would lead us to the opening that would lead us into the shuttle.

As we treaded forward, the other boys goofed off, joked around, and acted like normal, snotty-nosed children. I, on the other hand, stayed silent. I couldn't socialize with them, mainly due to the fact that I was a fifteen-year-old teenager in the body of a six-year-old boy. Plus, their jokes were childish and stale.

There was another reason why I was silent. Graff and the other officers were observing, like hawkish teachers, or job interviewers.

(Everything we do is being watched.)

There were others watching as well.

[Constellation "Abyssal Black Flame Dragon" is annoyed of the other children, except for Incarnation "Ethan Nakamura."]

[Constellation "Abyssal Black Flame Dragon" has seen Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.]

[Constellation "Abyssal Black Flame Dragon" wishes for Incarnation "Ethan Nakamura" to wipe them out.]

[Constellation "Abyssal Black Flame Dragon" has said: "Do it."]

[Constellation "Savior of Corruption" is telling Constellation "Abyssal Black Flame Dragon" to calm the f*ck down.]

I ignored Darth Flame Dragon and Jedi Master Michael, and kept on walking. Television interviewers kept on talking to me as I walked, and I answered their questions with short answers. Within the novel, Ender was incidentally turned into the spokesperson of the other boys, probably due to his serious demeanor. Cameras were also on me; they were filming, and the citizens of planet Earth would be able to watch us exit this world.

Human cameras weren't the only ones filming me.

-[Hey, are you okay?!]

It was Dokkaebi Herald. I haven't talked to him for a few days, I think. He was sending messages through Dokkaebi Communication.

-[I'm alright.]

-[How did you stumble upon this!?! I saw the rewards for this!! Legendary Fable!! Do you know what that means?!?]

-[I do. Fables are powerful things within the Star Stream, and they are the foundation of a Constellations existence. The stronger the fable, the stronger the Constellation.]

-[Sheesh, you do know. Okay, I need to warn you. I have little control over this hidden scenario. I can't get you out through a sub-scenario, and I can't control this scenario as much. It's beyond my control. I can only monitor you.]

-[That's alright.]

-[Also, be wary. I read over the coding of this scenario, and you are supposed to receive "flashbacks." Aka, excessive immersion that makes you think you are Ender Wiggin.]

-[I already know that. But I have a strong mental skill that protects my psyche.]

-[I hope so. I'm still a young Dokkaebi, but I have seen crazy people be consumed by their narratives. As a fresh Incarnation that hasn't inherited a story, you don't know what I'm talking about.]

-[Don't assume. I do.]

-[...]

[Yeah, probably. Anyways, I'll stop talking, but I'll still be here watching the scenario with the Constellations.]

It felt as if Herald was my guardian angel.

-[Thank you, Herald.]

After that, Herald left Dokkaebi Communication.

***

An officer directed us, and I climbed through the ladder that led into the innards of the shuttle. Within the novel, it is described as a wall that was carpeted and adorned with rungs, as if it was a floor that you had to climb on. This type of thinking allowed Ender to quickly adapt to zero gravity, and show his intelligence to the I.F. officers.

I buckled myself in my seat, while the other children had to have the help of adults. Being mentally older had its boons. After that, Graff came.

(In the novel, Graff had isolated Ender from the rest of the boys by praising him, and degrading the intelligence of the other children. This placed Ender on a pedestal that the other kids were jealous off.)

[Please proceed with your dialogue!]

"Oh, already figured it out," Graff said.

[Fragment of the 4th Wall is activated!]

[Co mi ng wi th us?]

"Coming with us?" I asked.

"I don't usually come down for recruiting," Graff said. "I'm kind of in charge here. Administrator of the School. Like a principal. They told me I had to come back or I'd lose my job."

Graff smiled. I smiled as well. Sadly, it was bittersweet.

(Ender thought Colonel Graff was his only friend. Ender changed his way of thinking when Graff manipulated the other boys to hate Ender. In reality, Graff did care deeply about Ender overtime, but he couldn't express his emotion because he needed to forge Ender into the perfect weapon to be wielded,) I recalled.

It meant this: I was alone. I was able to stave off the lonesome melancholy of this feeling, but it was hard. It felt as if a heavy weight was on my chest, and wouldn't go away, no matter what I did.

Lift-off began for us. Soon, the numerous G-forces began to press upon our bodies, and the emotional weight that was pressing down on me morphed into a physical one.

It felt better to feel physical sensation instead of a sentimental one. Sadness, loneliness and emotions - in general - would only get in my way. All the officers didn't know it, but they wouldn't have to work too hard to break me; I was already broken before becoming Ender.

(Society was a real bitch. Hearing domestic violence, loud-ass engines, and noisy fights in my neighborhood is just as chaotic and surprising as a drill sergeant.)

I already had it covered when it came to shocking, chaotic situations. Now it was time to be taught like a real soldier, and learn leadership skills that would serve me later.

The shuttle continued to struggle against the grasp of the Earth, but we eventually exited it's field of gravity and emerged into the glorious darkness of outer space. Soon after, gravity as we knew it began to fade away, and I felt different sensations float through me.

All of us were in new territory now. The cardinal directions we once knew became meaningless; all that mattered was perspective and orientation. After this realization, I saw Graff climbing down the ladder like a f*cking Yurei from a horror film. I then saw Graff hook his feet under a rung, and push off with his hands, so that he suddenly swung upright, as if this were an ordinary airplane.

The concept of Zero-Gravity were too much for some of the other children. Some even gagged.

(Now I know why they didn't allow us to eat before launching.)

I continued to watch Graff. For me, this was a first time experience, so watching him float and swing was quite interesting. I made sure I didn't laugh though, and to stop looking at him after some time. I was hoping to avoid "that situation."

[Due to your misplaced timing, the simulation will forcefully continue.]

(Oh, shit....) I thought.

"What do you think is funny, Wiggin?"

Graff's voice was sharp and angry. Shit, I wanted to avoid this.

"I asked you a question, soldier!" He barked.

It was happening now. I had seen a lot of YouTube videos on this subject matter. Drill Sergeants introduced chaotic situations to their fledging soldiers to harden them; they did it to break them down, and to rebuild them anew. I wouldn't be broken anymore, though.

It was time to substitute Ender's explanations with my own.

"I didn't find anything funny, sir. I was just observing you as you moved around. It was interesting to watch your movements. I realized that I could trick my own brain into thinking you were going into various directions."

[Constellation "Secretive Plotter" is satisfied from the intelligent answer.]

[Constellation "Secretive Plotter" has sponsored 1000 coins to Incarnation "Ethan Nakamura."]

I saw Secretive Plotter's messages. I also saw a new system message after those.

[Due to the variation of dialogue, the simulation will acclimate and respond shortly.]

[Simulation Status: Pending.]

I turned my attention back to Graff. The simulation was incredible. I could see Graff's face, and I could see the gears turning in his head; the simulation was probably thinking of a response to send. After a moment, it finally came.

Colonel Graff nodded towards me and said, "Finally, someone who can understand basic logic." He turned to the other children and said, "Unlike you scumbrains; that's what we've got in this launch. Pinheaded little morons. Only one of you had the brains to realize that in null gravity directions are whatever you conceive them to be. Do you understand, Shafts?"

Graff's tone and voice was scathing; I was reminded of my mother's condescending voice for a moment. Graff's insults were weak, but to little children... It would cut through their confidence and leave them wounded. Their egos would be exposed and vulnerable.

The other boys nodded as if they understood. This elicited another reaction from Graff.

"No, you didn't understand. Not only stupid, but liars too. There's only one boy on this launch with any brains at all, and that's Ender Wiggin. Take a good look at him, little boys. He's going to be a commander when you're still in diapers up there. Because he knows how to think in null gravity, and you just want to throw up."

The isolation process was beginning. I could feel the cold stares from the stars, and the venomous, hateful stares of children. Some people would brush it off, but the disdain of children isn't something to be taken lightly. In my opinion, the hatred that children emit run deep within. Mainly due to this: they didn't need clear reasons to hate in the first place.

If you force your opinions onto growing minds, such has your views, your ideals, and they will mirror you, and probably grow into something darker. This very thing was happening right now.

[Constellation "Demonic Judge of Fire" doesn't like the character "Hyrum Graff."]

[Constellation "Maritime War God" says it is normal to cause strife in these situations.]

Graff continued with his scolding.

"Most of you are going to ice out. Get used to that, little boys. Most of you are going to end up in Combat School because you don't have the brains to handle deep-space piloting. Most of you aren't worth the price of bringing you up here to Battle School because you don't have what it takes. Some of you might make it. Some of you might be worth something to humanity. But don't bet on it. I'm betting on one."

After that, Graff did some Zero-G acrobatics and left.

"Looks like you've got it made here," the boy from behind whispered to me.

"I didn't ask them to say those things. Truthfully, I don't care. It's all a trap to turn you against me. It's a pretty douche thing to do."

My blatant disrespect to a senior officer caused some boys to laugh. I hoped that they would brush off the insults that Graff doled out, but some of these kids were just too petty. Soon, I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head. I heard the other boys giggle from the spectacle that I couldn't see.

My anger flared. I remembered this... cowardly way. In my neighborhood, this one kid named CJ threw a football behind my back, and feigned ignorance. I decided to let him be, but he did it again. In my pathetic rage, I began punching him, but he socked me in the face. Like a pussy, I ran inside and told my mom, and she shouted at him for hitting me. Still, I received her wrath after it happened. I was just a child when it this incident occurred.

I also remembered when some girls would throw their sandals at me, and how I would walk away pathetically, and stew in my miserable rage.

I felt more pain in my head.

(Enough!!!)

[W ai t fo r ven gean ce....]

(Fraggy? What!?)

[Ti me it r ig ht.]

It was Fragment of the 4th Wall. They were advising me. I cursed myself. Ender dealt with this situation by timing his attack perfectly.

"Hey, fart-eater," came the whisper from behind. I was hit in the head again. "Do you like this? Hey, super-brain, is this fun?"

I received another blow to the back of my head. I gritted my teeth, and kept silent. I wouldn't give these asinine children the pleasure of hearing my whimpers. No one was coming to help me. No one would, especially in this fucked-up world. I could only help myself.

I let another blow come. I began to anticipate the next blow. I heard the rustling of clothing, the swipe of an arm through the air, and the snickering of children that gave it all away.

(I got you, you little fucking shit.)

The arm struck again, but I grabbed it with both hands at the wrist, and then pulled it downwards - as hard as I could.

In normal gravity, the boy would be pressed against the back of my seat. In null gravity, however, he flipped over the seat completely, and flew towards the ceiling of the shuttle. In the novel, Ender didn't factor that null gravity would affect his attack, and what would happen to the boy as a result.

(But I knew,) I thought.

The nameless boy flew through the air and soared through the shuttle cabin. He bounced against the ceiling, then down against another boy who was sitting down in his seat. He then bounced into the aisle and flailed his arms, until he collided and screamed as he flew into the bulkhead. He twisted his arm and flew against another wall, hitting his back painfully. He continued to float around and sob, gradually losing his momentum as he bounced through the cabin.

I wanted to hide it, but I smirked lightly. Truthfully, I wanted to burst out in laughter as the boy hurt himself. Sadly, the laughter that was aimed towards me just moments ago was silent now.

(It would be ill of me to do so.)

In seconds, Graff come back and caught the weak child that couldn't do anything but scream and sob.

"Myyyy aaarm..... Owww!!!! It hurtsss!!!"

His sobs were truly pathetic.

Soon, Graff examined him and said, "Left arm. Broken, I think."

Thus, we continued on our journey.