Training

Thomas woke up and went to his bathroom. As he looked into the mirror, he saw his new face, and it finally hit him; it was not all a dream after all. If he looked like this, then it was not a dream. Thomas then washed his face, brushed his teeth, and went to see his phone for the time. It was 9 am again.

"Okay, why am I getting up so early?" Thomas said in a shocked voice.

"You see, it is because of me," a male robotic voice was once again in his head, and Thomas knew that it was Red.

"So, Red, why did you wake me up so early, like why?" Thomas was not an evening person, but he hated waking up at 9, especially on weekends. Normally, during school time, he woke up at 7, or at least he used to.

"Simple, Thomas, you need to train and learn about my powers, and I can't grow if you don't," Thomas, after hearing that, was frustrated. He didn't want to hear this from his own beetle.

"Fine, whatever, Red. Plus, Mom did tell me to start getting up early, and it is the 4th day of January after all, so why not," Thomas said in a somewhat defeated tone.

"I also want to ask you something; when I looked up the counterforce, I didn't find anything about it. Why is that?"

"Well, that is simple. Not that many people know about the counterforce, and the ones that do, well, they like to keep it a secret. After all, what will happen if people found out about mages and magecraft?" Thomas thought that last part so that Red does not hear him.

"So, may I ask, how do you know about this?"

Thomas was taken aback by this question. He didn't know what to say. He couldn't just say that he was transmigrated to this universe's version of himself, but he could if this scarab was with the Reach. Then, them knowing that there are other universes, they will try to take over the worlds there.

"I have my ways, okay, Red."

"I understand. But also, I want to ask this: who is this Ereshkigal person you seem to be thinking a lot about?"

"That is none of your business," Thomas almost screamed out that last part, but he didn't. As he then went downstairs to see his mom and dad, his dad had black hair, black eyes, brown skin, and had a full head of hair, unlike the one in his universe. He looked like a daddy.

"This is so weird to think my dad looks like this," Thomas was shocked by how his dad looked in this universe. He looked fine, almost like he decided to take care of his health and hair. He decided not to pay attention and just sat and ate. As he was eating, his dad asked him a question.

"So, have you decided on which college you want to go to?"

Thomas almost choked up on his food as his dad asked that question. He took a glass of water before answering him.

"Not yet, but I am looking into some of them that I want to join."

"Well, now, that is good to hear, son," Thomas's dad said in a happy voice.

"Thanks, dad," Thomas said in a cheery and happy tone. Well, it's not like his dad in his world was bad, but having a dad you talk to and is there to have breakfast with you is nice.

"So, um, Mom and Dad, I want to say that I want to do some type of martial arts training," hearing that, Thomas's mom and dad were shocked.

"Sweety, this is the first time you wanted to do something like this. Why the interest?" His mom asked in a worried voice, wondering what was happening with her son.

"It is nothing, Mom. I think it is better than just staying home studying and playing games all day since I will be waking up early from now on," hearing that, his father started to laugh.

"I see what my son wants, and I will allow it. Heck, I have a friend who can train you," Thomas's dad said with gusto and had a big laugh.

"Really, Dad? Thanks!"

"But first, I need to go to work. After that, on the weekend, I will send you to my friend."

"Oh, okay," Thomas was a little bit disappointed. He thought he would start his training, but it looks like he will have to go somewhere to train with his beetle his own way. As he then finished eating, he decided to go to his room and sit on his bed, wondering where he could go to train. As he was thinking about that, Red started to talk to him again.

"If I say, there must be forests in this place, or you can go into the Fuyuki park if I am right."

Scarab said, thinking that he had answered his host's questions.

"Yeah, you're right, but still, I can't go to Fuyuki Park at this time. Plus, it will be difficult to hide from the mages of this city, so I will look at the map of this city to find a place to train."

"Alright, I understand, Thomas."

Scarab answered Thomas after hearing what he had to say. As then, Thomas got up from his bed and went to his computer to check the map and find a place to train. After looking for a bit, Thomas just remembered something.

"The church! We should go there."

Red was confused after what Thomas said. Why did he want to go to a church?

"I know you're confused and everything, but there is a reason for that, and that is because the city's church is empty, and no one lives in it anymore. Plus, ever since the new one was built here, no one goes there anymore, after all."

"I see. Let's go there, Thomas."

As Thomas got up and packed his bag, taking some food, he said to his mom that he would be going to the Fuyuki Park to train his body. After taking some food, he went to the location of the church. After a few minutes, he arrived at the church, or more or less the abandoned church, as it should be called.

"Hopefully, there is nothing going on here."

"Yes, hopefully, Thomas."

As Thomas entered the church, he found it big and empty. Thomas decided to look around for a bit, trying to find anyone there. After a while, he realized that there was no one there in the first place.

"Alright, Red, it looks like both of us are alone here, so let's do this, Red."

"Alright, let's start, Thomas."

As then, from his back, it started to wrap around his body. As it did, it seemed to be burning his clothes as well. It was like he had that of second skin. At first, it was black like a substance on his body. As it then started to cover his body with red armor, covering his upper half, his arms all the way to his elbow, and his feet up to his waist. Then, shoulder blades started to cover his shoulder, as a red gem was shown in the middle of hischest. With a red mask resembling a beetle covering his face, Thomas opened his eyes and looked at his hands and feet, starting to move surprisingly easily. He went to one of the broken windows and checked his reflection.

"I look cool. Is this how all your past users used to look like, Red?" Thomas asked in a questioning voice.

"Well, you see, Thomas, I don't remember, so I really can't tell," Red replied.

"Alright then, what can you do, Red?" Thomas inquired.

"Well, let's see. I can do this," Red said as two beetle-like wings emerged from Thomas's back.

"Ah, sorry, wrong mode. This is the speed mode," Red corrected himself, and two plasma-like dragon wings emerged from Thomas's back. Thomas just looked at them in awe.

"I am going to guess that I have super speed and super strength, if I am not mistaken," Thomas remarked.

"You're right, Thomas. That is one of my powers, but that is something that all Scarabs have. But it's not my main power; my main power is plasma manipulation," Red explained.

Thomas was shocked. "I can control plasma?"

"In a way, yes, but not fully. You can make it and use it to form weapons, but you can't control anything that is not made from me. But I have a feeling that I may have more powers than just this that I don't remember," Red elaborated.

"I see. So, there's more to your powers. But what exactly can I do with this power of mine?" Thomas wondered.

"Let's see. Think of a weapon, any weapon," Red prompted.

Thomas started to think of some type of weapon that he could use. Then, a red plasma sword materialized from his right arm.

"A sword. Basic, but useful," Thomas commented.

"Yeah, thanks for that, Red. So, what now?" Thomas asked.

"Simple. We came here to train, so why don't we train then?" Red suggested.

"Alright, Red, let's get started," Thomas agreed.

As they both went outside, Thomas began training by cutting down trees into smaller parts to get used to his new powers. Red watched as Thomas wielded his plasma sword with skill, slicing through the trees effortlessly.

"Well, dammit, it works," Thomas exclaimed with a grin.

"Never thought it would, but it looks like you can create all sorts of weapons," Red remarked.

"Hey, I can hear you, Red," Thomas said in an annoyed tone.

"Oh, my bad. But why don't you try to fly this time?" Red suggested.

"Yeah, sure," Thomas agreed.

With a thought, the dragon wings emerged from his back again, and with one jump, Thomas was soaring into the sky. He ascended high enough to see the entirety of Fuyuki City below him.

"Wow, this place is bigger than I originally thought it would be, Red," Thomas remarked.

"You live here, and you didn't know?" Red teased.

Thomas felt like he was stabbed in the head with what his beetle told him. He shook it off, just looking at the city before he asked Red about it.

"This is cool and everything, but how do I go down, Red?"

"Simple. Just close your wings."

"Are you nuts? I will die if I do that," Thomas protested.

"I was just kidding. Just slowly imagine yourself going down, okay?" Red reassured him.

Thomas followed Red's instructions and gradually descended to the ground. He landed safely, looking at his arm before a thought crossed his mind. He changed his arm into that of a blaster and started firing it at the trees, a smile on his face as he did so.

"Well, damn, it works. Never thought it would, but it looks like you can create all sorts of weapons," Thomas exclaimed.

"Indeed, it seems so. I wonder how many more things you can create," Red mused.

"Anyway, I think we should go home," Thomas suggested.

"So about that, I think you didn't notice, but you're naked," Red pointed out.

"Ah, screw it. I somehow knew this was going to happen, so I brought some spare clothes to wear," Thomas admitted.

"Ah, I see," Red replied.

As Thomas went to get his bag and put on his clothes, he then decided to head home. After a while, he arrived and went inside to play some games.

"You know, Red, I hope we don't have to deal with people hunting me down or power-hungry villains. Like, what are the odds of that happening?" Thomas pondered.

"Seeing that Earth does not have that many types of technology or powers, you are safe until the Reach decides to come," Red assured him.

Thomas remembered the Reach and everything about them. "Don't worry. When they decide to show their faces, we will take care of them and make sure that they will stay out of my planet. Got it, Red?"

"That is some level of confidence you've got there, Thomas," Red remarked.

"Yeah, I do," Thomas replied.

Meanwhile, in another place, two people were walking down an alleyway. One of the men seemed to be carrying something in his hand. As he looked at it, it was some type of device. He didn't know what it was, but he was keeping it. Without him realizing, the device was melding with his skin.

To be continued