A Fairy's Lesson of Revelations (Part 2)

Hearing Lydia's reassuring words helped calm Alex down once again. He set aside his curiosity about the calendar system's abolishment and focused on understanding his current place in the world.

"Thank you, Lydia. I'm feeling much better now," Alex said with a small smile. "Could you tell me more about the Genetics Ascension Program you mentioned earlier? I'm really curious about it."

"Oh, okay, sure!" Lydia's demeanour instantly shifted. She straightened her back, adjusted her glasses, and adopted a serious tone as if she were about to reveal a long-kept secret. "Let me tell you a story," she began, "a story about a program that changed everything, the Genetics Ascension Program."

"This is something I've heard from the oldest and wisest person in our community," Lydia began, her voice dropping to a whisper. "The Genetics Ascension Program, or GAP for short, was supposed to ascend human genetics, literally."

Then, with a swift and practised movement, Lydia retrieved a small drawing board and a piece of chalk from the same drawer she had pulled the glasses out of as if she had done this bit many times before, ready to illustrate her points. Her drawings, though not perfect, were a key part of her storytelling, adding a visual element to her words.

"According to old history studies, monkeys 'ascended' to humans, and it took billions of cycles to achieve this 'evolution.' Then, a group of scientists, driven by a burning ambition, believed that humans could achieve another level of evolution. They didn't want to wait billions of cycles to see it happen. They wanted it now. So, the GAP was born, a creation designed to accelerate that process."

As Lydia spoke, she drew various pictures to illustrate her story. However, Alex couldn't help but notice that her drawings were somewhat…unique. What were supposed to be humans looked more like abstract shapes, with arrows pointing in intriguing directions. At least her verbal explanations were clear. He decided to keep quiet about the drawings and let Lydia continue her story.

Lydia paused dramatically before continuing, "But here's a question: why did they believe humans had another level of evolution? Want to take a guess?"

Intrigued by the mystery, Alex leaned in closer, pondering the question. "Is it something to do with our blood? Our DNA, maybe? Since it's quite literally called the Genetics Ascension Program."

Lydia's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Wow! That's an amazing guess! You're smart!" She began doodling another picture, though Alex couldn't quite make out what she was trying to draw.

Lydia continued, "It's just as you said. According to the story, they discovered that our DNA could be changed and edited. This suggested to them that there was potential for further evolution. They believed that by making changes to our DNA, they could manipulate and control what humans could become."

Alex nodded slowly, absorbing the information. The idea that scientists had tried to force human evolution was both fascinating and unsettling, reminding him of the lab. Not wanting Lydia to worry about him again, Alex quickly pushed the memory aside and focused on his curiosity. "So, what happened then? Did the program succeed?"

Lydia sighed, her expression turning sombre. "Well, that's where things got complicated. Initially, there was some success. They eventually developed a 'serum,' which was said to be safe for humans to use." Her expression darkened further. "Unfortunately, during that time, the government in the country where they invented the serum started to interfere. They pushed the scientists to skip some safety checks and forcefully used the serum on human subjects. That was when the first human experimentation began."

Alex gulped, feeling an eerie familiarity with Lydia's description. The fragmented memory of a government official visiting his classroom resurfaced vividly. Could he have been one of the program's first victims?

Lydia suddenly smiled wryly. "Strangely, the human subjects they tested on at the time were all fine. No one suffered any side effects. The serum did exactly what the scientists advertised." She then drew a smiley face on top of the mess of doodles, which she probably intended to illustrate the process.

Alex raised his eyebrows in surprise. This new information contradicted the theory he had just formed.

"But that's where the worst part started to happen," Lydia declared, her expression pained. "Once the serum's success was confirmed, the government immediately saw it as an opportunity to create a superior class of humans before any other governments in the world could. They began to mass-produce the serum and administered it to people without consent, leading to widespread chaos and suffering. The serum's effects varied dramatically, creating extraordinary abilities and horrific mutations in the process."

Alex's heart sank as he listened. The image of a world torn apart by such reckless experimentation filled his mind.

Lydia continued, her voice heavy with emotion. "The government's actions eventually led to an uprising, sparking many cycles of war and terror within the country. This chaos eventually spread to other nations, leading to the total collapse of human society."

Lydia paused, closing her eyes to let the gravity of her words sink in. When she reopened them, she continued, "During this dark period of history, an organisation was born, led by the original subjects of the first human experiments. They sought to control the situation and restore order to society. This organisation was called 'Ascension Genesis,' symbolising the origins of human ascension from monkeys, hoping to restore society, the same way it was formed."

Alex clenched his fists, a new theory forming in his mind. 'Ascension Labs' on the scientists' coats—though all crossed out—could have been part of this 'Ascension Genesis' organisation.

Before he could delve further into his thoughts, Lydia continued her story. "The leaders of 'Ascension Genesis' quickly organised teams of genetically transformed individuals to combat the chaos. Through many epic battles, noble sacrifices, victories, and defeats, they tirelessly worked to restore order to the broken world." As Lydia recounted this part of the story, she beamed with pride.

"Eventually, their efforts paid off. The chaos subsided, and a new world government was formed. The noble members of 'Ascension Genesis' then retired and settled into what we now call the Genesis District. In essence, these genetically transformed heroes were our ancestors!" She finished her story with a flourish, holding up her drawing board depicting extremely abstract art of buildings and people, eagerly awaiting Alex's response.

Alex, deeply moved by her tale, clapped enthusiastically. "That's an incredible story, Lydia. Your ancestors were truly remarkable."

Lydia smiled brightly, her eyes shining with pride. "Thank you, Alex. But there's one thing you're mistaken about!" Putting a finger up, she continued, "They're our ancestors! You're most definitely part of the community. As fellow Flawed, we're one big family together."

While Lydia's story and their heartwarming hospitality touched Alex deeply, one question continued to nag at him. Lydia and her grandfather assumed he was the same as them—a fellow "Flawed." What exactly had given them that impression?

As he pondered this, he reflected on their interactions. Despite their kindness, he couldn't shake the feeling that something fundamental about him remained unexplained. What had they seen in him that made them sure of his identity?

Gathering his courage, Alex asked cautiously, "Hey, Lydia? I've been wondering about something... you and your grandfather seem to assume that I'm the same, as in being a 'Flawed,' without a doubt. Why is that? How do you know if I'm a 'Flawed' or not?"

Lydia blinked a few times, processing his question. Realisation dawned on her face, and she replied, "Oh, right! I forgot you had amnesia. Hmm... well, it's quite simple, actually." She raised her hand and pointed directly at Alex's chest.

"The glowing core in your chest. That's a telltale sign that you're a Flawed," Lydia said confidently. Then, as if a thought had just occurred to her, she added, "Oh, right, let me show you my core so you'll understand."

With a surprisingly casual gesture, Lydia raised her hands to her collar and pulled it down. Her clothes stretched readily, revealing her shoulders and an unexpected glimpse of her relatively well-endowed upper body. Instinctively, Alex raised his hands to cover his eyes, panicking and afraid she might have accidentally overexposed. "Whoa, wait a minute!"

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Lydia asked innocently.

"Uh... are you sure it's okay for me to look? I mean... you're a girl, after all," Alex said, concern evident in his voice while still covering his eyes.

"Ah..." Lydia replied with a hint of embarrassment. "I see what you mean, but there's no need to worry. We must always do this when we go into the city." There was a sad tone to her voice, but the moment was too overwhelming for Alex to notice, given his adolescent mind.

"Uh... okay. I mean, if you're okay with it..." Alex said, still panicking. He peeked through his fingers slowly, and what he saw on Lydia's chest became a memorable sight.

Embedded in the centre of her chest, shaped like a diamond and slightly protruding from her surrounding skin, was a pink, glowing core pulsating softly with the light of life. It was unmistakably similar to the one he had on himself, though his core was round and glowing cyan. The sight filled him with a mix of awe and curiosity.

"This," Lydia said gently, "is our core. It is also our heart, our signal of life, showing us that life is present in its owner. Every Flawed has one, regardless of their ability or mutation, though where it manifests depends on the individual. It's what marks us as the descendants of the heroes, a symbol of our identity that shows we belong here, in the Genesis District." She adjusted her collar back into place, her demeanour as composed as ever.