19. Ah, the folly of youth

(Matt's PoV)

I wake up in an unfamiliar bed. The morning's sunlight comes from a window to my right, slightly tinted gray by the shutters.

The first thing I do is get a hold of myself. My body still feels strong, and my mind still feels sharp. I flare my aura, try to focus on my Observation Haki, cover my arm in a rudimentary coat of Armament Haki, even burst Conqueror's... they all work. Even Armament, the only one I didn't have a handle on yet, worked flawlessly, although it is rudimentary. I see all around me, which strikes me as something that should be weird, but it's just normal. Natural, even.

'Everyone here?' I ask my body tenants.

{Yeah! Ooh, our connection feels good for some reason~!} Symby almost purrs.

|Agreed. Our body is now even more in tune with all its modifications. Also, yes, I'm here.|

'I noticed the fluidity as well. The package said we would arrive the day the party on the barn happens; that means we have until night to test this new set of powers - including the telekinesis- and to find where the barn is. Erm, Not Caby, can you access the local Wi-Fi and search for it, please? It was in a place called Haven Hills.'

|On it, Matt.|

I slowly get up from the bed, feeling my body move differently but not in an unfamiliar way, somehow. I stand up straight and start to stretch.

Arms, shoulders, back, legs, even neck. Not a single creak, pop, or squeak, good. Very flexible, with firmness and sturdiness.

Great.

Self-glazing aside, I finally flex the one muscle that feels odd. It feels natural, like a part of me, but one I never paid attention to. I know I never had this one muscle though.

I look around my room. A double bed, a wardrobe, a cabinet with a tube TV sitting up on it, a few posters of punk rock bands, pop singers, and a Pink Floyd album cover - Dark Side of the Moon, I think - displayed on the walls. The door is closed and the window shutters as well, leaving the room with a pleasant if stiff air.

A hamper by the bedroom door gives me a few targets. I look at one sock, barely hanging from the hamper. I try to move it. As soon as I think about doing it, it happens: as if someone picked up the sock by one of its extremities, it started floating in the air on its own.

Despite my careful approach, I found that doing this was as effortless as picking up the sock myself would be. Slowly but surely I pick up the sock's pair, fold them together, and put them back in the hamper.

A smile spread across my face, pure glee radiating from my face.

"heheheh.... ehehehehehehe... YES!!!" I can't resist and howl at the top of my lungs, cheering for a few minutes until I hear someone banging on a door, downstairs.

I clamp up quickly, ask Symby to cover me with simple clothes and go downstairs.

The little house is simple; two bedrooms and two bathrooms, with a laundry room, kitchen, and a living room with an LCD TV. I opened the front door, having heard the banging coming from it.

"Can I help you?" I say, looking at an irritated-looking lady. Blonde hair, middle-aged, tired eyes, a little crick in her back... a suburb mom?

"Look here, young man! I don't care if you live alone in this house, you will keep the noise down! It's not even 7 a.m. yet and here you are screaming like a rabid dog!" Hm, I hate to say it, but she's... right. Besides, I'm too happy to be annoyed by this.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, just got some... shocking news." I muster a fake smile, opening the door a bit more.

She looks at me for a few seconds, before she huffs. "You better respect the noise regulation of the neighborhood; no loud noises before 7 a.m. and after 10 p.m. Also, shouldn't you be getting ready for school?" I make a show of widening my eyes.

"Yeah! Yeah, I do, Mrs...?"

"Yolanda Martin, Mrs. Martin to you. I'll be going, I have a lot to do. Still have to prepare the kid's lunch, and put clothes on the dishwasher- rather, the washer, and..." She trails off, muttering her increasingly long list of chores - most of which she needs to do before 7:30 - as she goes away to the house next door.

This neighborhood seems calm, like a nice little suburb. It must have been pretty easy to hear my scream, considering the morning's silence. I close the door, going inside again.

I take a deep breath. 'Not Caby, do you have access to the local internet yet?'

|Naturally... Can you stop calling me that? I... haven't decided on a name yet, but that is so not cool...| It actually feels dejected when saying this.

'Ok, I'll call you... MecMe, ok?'

|Mechanical Me... shouldn't have expected more. Fine, that is an... apt nickname, if nothing else.| I smile. |Here's a map of the local area. Haven Hills, a place with some abandoned barns and properties, is highlighted.|

The HUD now appears before my eyes, without the need for the Scarab Armor covering me. 'That's neat!' I study the local map, committing it to memory.

Ok, first: I need my papers and credentials. Then I'll see about buying a car, some snacks, getting Symby to replicate some more trendy clothes, and... yeah, that's it.

I need to blend in with the local 2012 teenage fashion.

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"You made an excellent purchase, Mr. Matthew!" Says the car dealer.

I found my papers and lo and behold, it even had a license! That means I don't have to ask MecMe to make one for me in this world.

"Yeah, thank you, Mr. Hernandez. Can I have it now?" I ask the man. He was skeptical at first; a teenager, even one big like me, saying they want to buy a car, paying full price? Coming alone?

He had every right to be suspicious of me. No matter; in the end, he had the car I wanted (my second choice, anyway) and was willing to part with it on the same day with some... monetary encouragement. MecMe did scan and see that this Chevrolet Camaro 2010 had a few used parts, but nothing that would stop it from functioning.

Honestly, I looked for a Camaro 1977, as a homage to Bumblebee, my favorite Transformer that I didn't get to meet. There were no models in the area though, so I settled for a model that was available readily and locally.

"Of course! The boys are just finishing up preparing your beauty. Would you like a cup of coffee or a glass of water?" He asked, trying to appear more amiable now that the transaction was over.

Along with my papers, came a nondescript wallet with some pocket change and a black card.

Money really is power, there's no denying it. I didn't even try to haggle the price down; I already knew this was one of the only dealers who had this car ready to go, for a reasonable enough price.

"Nah, I want to take the car and have lunch someplace else, if you'd please." We were waiting inside the little office area of his car dealership, but I got up to wait for the car outside.

"O-Of course! They should already be done with the car!" He also stood up quickly to match my way outside. I look at him weirdly. "Mr. Hernandez, calm down. You didn't offend me in any way. I wanted a car and you sold it to me - very quickly, at that."

"Ah young man, if only you knew how many youths come here looking for quick cars and demand all the hush-hush. They are very easily angered, carrying... 'iron', as they put it. Excuse my caution." He pats me on my shoulder, almost sagging in relief.

"No need for excuses, I understand the caution." One of his assistants stopped the car up front at the dealership. I turned to Hernandez, offering my hand.

"Pleasure doing business with you," I say as he grasps my hand in a firm handshake.

"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Matthew! Remember: as you asked for it as soon as possible, the tank's not full. There is a gas station just on the end of this street." He said, releasing my hand and gesturing to the car. His assistant came to our side, and gave me the key, before excusing themselves.

"Sure, I saw it on the way here. Bye bye." I say, getting in the car and accommodating myself a little.

It's been a while since I drove a car, even in my last life. Sometimes I would be the designated driver to many parties, but those were back when I had time to go to parties.

Gripping the wheel to, literally, "get a grip" of the car, I turn it on. Feeling it roar as it turns on brings a smile to my face. Even though I was never big on cars, I did have a grease monkey of a father.

"Let's take this baby for a ride." I wink at Mr. Hernandez and floor it.

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It's now afternoon. After a quick visit to a local grocery store, stocking up the backseat of my car full of different kinds of snacks, I decided to go for a spin around this place.

It's very different from my hometown, especially the climate. The people are nice and the places are... interesting. Definitely have to go to the Space Needle when I can.

I'm now in front of Seattle High School, chilling while leaning on my new car. I came here for two reasons.

One: I want to see if I can identify my would-be bullies. If I know who they are, or at least the main perpetrators, I can try to avoid them. To not make a scene, whenever possible. I did think about getting them expelled from this school, but the Drawback was specific in its mention of most people in your school, so unless I get a lot of people expelled, the bullying will continue.

If it were any other reason but a drawback - one that specifically said it would keep 'haunting me' for as long as I am here - I would solve it rather quickly. Showing who has the bigger stick.

But alas, I can deal with avoiding such matters. I am... somewhat well-versed in such behavior.

And reason number two! I want to get a view for Andrew, Matt, and if possible Steve. Maybe listen around, and check if the party will happen at Haven Hills. Just to make sure.

Oh! An interesting facet of Natural Harmony that I tested as extensively: the whole thing about 'feasibly infinite stamina regarding your abilities', well... it's true. I don't feel even a little bit tired, even if I've been using my telekinesis the whole day to make myself lighter.

It's like I'm holding my whole body up, aiding its movements and making it lighter. I doesn't provide many benefits (nothing that my normal body wasn't already able to do), but it does put a strain on my power. While I sometimes feel a snag in my stomach, the power never truly stops working.

I've haven't had a nosebleed either, but I'm not sure if it has to do with that or just my Clarity of Mind-enhanced brain.

Those Mutations are a blessing, truly. Everything feels smoother, my aura lasts longer, and even Tattletale keeps working while accessing pretty much all information during traffic without headaches.

'Oh, here they come...' The bell rang and the students started to come out of school.

I made sure to stand in a very noticeable place, as my objective here is literally to be the focus of attention and to draw eyes to me.

Wearing a black t-shirt, gray zip-up hoodie open up front, and black jeans, leaning against a spotless black Camaro (unfortunately, there were no yellow ones), I watched the movement.

Crowds like these are a feast of information for Tattlet- hm, fuck that name, I'll call it Spoiler from now on - Spoiler. Body language, whispers, outright facial expressions: all of that culminated in an open book for me to analyze.

Identifying cliques, factions, and hidden meanings in the briefest gestures, snippets, and actions. Big words to say: most people look at me with veiled animosity or apathy.

"Here's that pretty boy they said would be transferring..." Said one of the students, amongst his friend group, looking at me and my car with open jealousy.

"He thinks he's hot shit because he's rich, what a loser." Said one of the, apparently, popular girls, making the little gaggle of teenagers around her giggle and laugh at me.

Hah, that's funny! So, I had to be bullied because of something, but I'm not fat, not skinny, not ugly, and not disgusting. My defining physical characteristics would be: tall, athletic, and... rich, I guess? So they tag me as a muscle-brained, good-for-nothing second generation rich kid.

That's so funny I actually laughed out loud.

Also, the "main" group that bullies me, at least according to the current attention they've been giving me, are the popular girls.

There's a weird mix of superiority, interest, desire, and vanity when they look at me... huh, they're eyeing me like a trophy. Wow.

Anyway, threat assessed and utterly dismissed, I grab a bag of chips from my car's backseat and keep watch for the boys.

After a few minutes, I see a group of students laughing and talking loudly. There are a few stragglers here and there, handling posters with "Vote for Steve Montgomery for Class President!" to any student who didn't already have one on their hands.

One of the buzzing bees orbiting around the presence of one Steve Montgomery in person noted me and my car and started the gossip. It traveled to the center of their group, where an interested Steve looked at me for a second. Most people on his group were torn; if they were to get the rich new guy's support, they might have another strong ally on their campaign for Steve's presidency.

On the other hand, not many people seemed satisfied with my presence. Recruiting my support for Steve's cause could backfire.

Interesting how he managed to get these people involved in his High school presidential campaign. I guess the social perks for this jump were not an exaggeration.

He turned his eyes away from me, answering a particularly excited girl talking about a rave on the Hills that they just had to go.

Steve's girlfriend started a fire that spread wildly within their group. They all started heading to their respective cars, talking about what booze they were going to get, or who was going to try to get in whoever's pants.

Steve did look once more towards me, but offered nothing more than a helpless nod of greeting. I nodded back, conveying understanding. He picked up on it, turning back to his mob of supporters.

A few more minutes later, two bags of chips were down and most of the students dispersed, a quaint little car pulled up to get an awkward teenager, who was filming everything around himself with a big, shoulder-supported camera.

I got in my car, disguising the movement as me getting a new bag of snacks (Takis this time). I sat in the driver's seat, seeing how Andrew got in his cousin's car and they drove away.

Now, I could be even more of a creep and follow them home, to know their address... that is if I didn't already know it.

I pulled all the information I could on these guys on the local servers: health and student records, birth certificates, work licenses, you name it.

I have a pretty good idea about the families of those three.

I still couldn't see what Steve's family issue was... I'm guessing it's something minor or something they keep under wraps. Matt's family was very laid-back and normal, with both parents currently away on an extended vacation trip, and Andrew... well, Andrew's family is the core of the problem.

I don't know how I should deal with his father, but his mother is getting healed.

But that's all information gathering for now. I turn on my car and drive home, getting a few startled yelps from the nearby students.

Now I just need to be at a teenager's party at night, to look into a hole.

Good thing no one heard that.

{We did~!}

|Yeah...|

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(Matt's PoV)

I'm driving to this Rave party at Haven Hills, and I can't help but think:

Is this really a good idea?

I mean, how could I know that Andrew would bring his massive camera to a rave party? I told him to leave it at home, come to the party, talk to people.

Sigh. I look at my cousin.

"Are you not going to turn that off?" I ask, mildly annoyed. Doesn't he understand this makes him look like a weirdo??

"No, Matt. I'll record everything." Andrew said, looking around the dark woods.

"Matt, are you sure it's here?" Andrew's worried voice sounded after a few minutes of driving in the dark woods.

"Dude, it's here, calm down," I respond. Not 5 seconds later, the lights on the barn revealed themselves amongst the foliage. "Oh, here it is."

"Wow, look, a rave." Andrew mocks.

"Wow, look, a nerd with a camera" I whip right back, rolling my eyes.

I park the car and we enter the party easily enough. Andrew's big camera did raise some eyes, but people were here to dance and drink, not to ask questions.

As we started getting into the thick of people, I turned to Andrew. "Hey, don't follow me around, ok?"

"What do you mean? I thought... I thought you wanted me to come with you?" Andrew responds confused.

"I did, I did, but just go and... do your own thing for once, ok? Just... have a beer, talk to people." I said, trying to dismiss Andrew. Dude needed to learn how to talk to people and relax a little. Besides, I heard Casey was around this party, so maybe I can...

"I don't drink..." I could barely hear Andrew over the music and the people around.

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(Andrew's PoV)

I think coming here was a mistake.

I at least tried recording the people dancing, the DJ mixing the songs, and the overall atmosphere of this party. But then there's this girl...

"Hey! Hey! What are you filming for??" This girl is talking to me, but I was- I um.

"I, um, I do- I don't- I'm just filming." Yeah, I'm just filming the party.

"Oh... cool, cool. I'm filming for my blog! You should check it out, it's actually-" She was interrupted by Matt. Wasn't he on the other side of the party just now?

"Andrew- Oh, hey, Casey!" He turns to the girl, Casey, and says. "Hey, how you doin'?"

"I'm good... I'm good." Casey's answers.

"Yeah... this is pretty lame, right?" Matt intelligently remarks.

She lightly frowns, "Why is it lame?"

"You know... Young said parties are just people's way of seeking widespread validation." He looks at her. "I'm not wanting to... clamor to be cool, you know?"

She smiles in a slightly mocking way, "Wow, way to put in an analytical psychology spin on this barn party, Matt. That's awesome... awesome." She turns and leaves.

"You're awesome..." Matt follows her movements with a stupid look on his face.

"Hey, Matt!" I call him out.

"What did Young say about glow sticks? Haha!" He flips me off, smiling, and walks to another place at the party.

-----

I spend some more time filming the place, people dancing, and the overall vibe of the place.

There was this one girl, dancing on a table, enjoying herself. I... might have been enjoying myself a bit too-

"You filming my girlfriend?" This guy came up to me and said.

I froze for a second, but he didn't let on, "Yes or no?" He pressed, invading my personal space.

"N-no, no. I'm not filming anything, I'm just filming... the party." I said, trying to defend myself.

He looks at me, my camera, and his girlfriend. "I should break your bitch-ass nose, you know that!?" He shouts, inflamed again.

"No- I wasn't-"

"Don't talk back to me! Bitch." I hate these types...

"Ok-" He interrupts me by throwing his drink at my camera.

Damn it! I knew it was a mistake coming here!

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(Matt's PoV)

I nursed a drink as I saw a crowd form and walk towards a secluded spot in the woods.

Noticing Steve and Matt in the crowd, I push against the wall I was leaning into and start making my way there.

"Look! That's the hole!"

"Oh my god! It looks so deep, though..."

"Hey, want to jump in there!?"

"No way! You're crazy, hahahaha!"

I approached and leaned into a tree, downing the rest of whatever disgusting mix they gave me. I watched as the guys and girls ooh'd and ahh'd about the hole, before remembering that they were in a party full of drunk members of the opposite sex, leaving to try and score some.

"Garetty, we gotta check this out, man!" Steve was one of the few who stayed behind, seeming transfixed on the hole. However, it could also be the effect of whatever drug he was on and the alcohol on his body.

"I know! I got- My cousin Andrew, he's got a camera! Go look for him Steve, I'll stay here!" Matt was also having difficulty concentrating on much of anything right now.

"Yeah, ok... I'll be right back!" Steve goes running back to the party.

I start walking towards Matt, "Hey! You guys sure you're ok to be waltzing around a hole? You seem like you need a bed yesterday, dude."

Matt scoffs, "Nah, come on! I'm fine! I just want to see what's in here..." He looks at me for a while, his curiosity winning the battle against his common sense. "And who're you?"

"Matt," I answer.

He deadpans, "Haha, yes, that's me. Now, what's your name?"

I smile as infuriatingly as possible, "Matt."

"Look, dude, whoever you are, that's not funny-"

"What I'm saying, Matt, is that my name is Matt." I clear up his confusion.

He blinks owlishly for a moment, "Oh."

I laugh, "Yeah, "oh"." I get closer to the hole, sensing something from it. 'Scan the hole, please, MecMe.'

"See?? It's so deep, and it's here in the middle of nowhere!" He exclaims, conspiratorially.

"I could be an animal's tunnel or something." I get down on one knee, analyzing the hole's walls. "Too big..."

The hole pulses with a weird low hum, provoking a bit of tinnitus.

"That! Did you hear that!? That's what we heard from it! Why did everyone leave, man, they missed the best part!"

"Garetty!" We both hear Steve call from afar. I look at Matt and he looks at me, before hollering at Steve.

"Steve! We're over here!"

Not long after comes Steve, talking to someone holding a camera.

"Hey, Matt! Hey- we'd everybody go??" Steve asks.

"They left! Anyway, come on!" Matt waves them towards us.

"Who's your friend, Matt?" Steve says, eyeing me.

""He's Matt."" I say it at the same time and cadence as Matt, making him and Steve do a double take.

"Hahaha! My name is Matthew, or Matt, just like him." I clear the confusion, pointing at Matt.

I look at Steve, "You must be Steve, right?" I walk a little in his direction and extend my hand.

He looks at me, then my hand smiles and shakes it. "Yeah man, Steve Montgomery. Uh, sorry about earlier today; I had a lot to do, preparing this party and all." He scratches the back of his head.

I wave him off, "It's fine. I noticed you were busy enough." I smirk at him.

He grins back, then looks at the hole, "But hey! We're here to see this... check this out, man!" He almost throws himself over the hole, lying down by its edge. He looks at Andrew expectantly, "Are you filming this!?"

I give Andrew a nod as a greeting, one he returns awkwardly, focusing his attention on keeping the camera steady.

"Come on Andrew, listen to this!" Matt and Steve lay down, their ears close to the hole. Andrew timidly approached, trying his best to film, while keeping his distance.

"Andrew! You gotta get closer to it, come on! You too, Matt!" Steve gets up and tries to push Andrew closer to the hole, getting him to get closer and encouraging me to do the same.

I get closer still, busy analyzing the scans shown to me. A constant abnormal frequency is pulsating out of the hole.

The hole sends another one of those waves and this time I'm sure. It's some sort of mental influence. It bounces off me easily enough, but it catches the three boys quite firmly.

"Alright, dude, we're going inside!" Steve gets up excitedly, looking at us all. Matt seems to be in agreement, but Andrew seems terrified of that.

"Come on, Matt we- Steve!" Steve just jumped in there.

We all look at each other for a while, when I shrug and position myself along the hole. I look at them both, "I'm going to see what's down there." And jump.

The way down is narrow, with twists and turns, rough edges, and overturned dirt. I find Steve easily enough, but the deeper we go, the stronger I feel something wrong.

Matt and Andrew catch up to us eventually, Andrew trying to film everything he could. Until Steve called out and showed us a glowing blue rock formation.

As soon as I saw it, the feeling fully slammed into me. Anomaly.

I step up and make sure I'm the first to touch it. I feel like a weird something tries to burrow itself in my mind, grating against my mental barriers. I grit my teeth and endure it, this time being ready for an attack.

It was quick and brutal; its fierce attack died when I felt the relief of a job well done, leaving me tired of fending it off. The attempts of this... being, this MOGO (Massive Omnivorous Geodesic Organism), were now feeble and easily defensible. As if all its energy was suddenly gone. What interested me the most, was the way it controlled radio waves-

"Hey, dude, check it out! It's glowing!" The MOGO started glowing red and touching it, I knew what it was doing. It tries its best to turn the three teenagers around it into drones, to do its bidding... to save itself. This being was dying, now that the Anomaly was no longer giving it energy.

I saw from the corner of my eye, Steve touching it, Matt being close enough to almost taste it and Andrew just to its side, filming everything.

Another one of those low-hum's rocked through us all, making all three of them bleed from their noses and have headaches.

"Ugh... what is that!?" One of them exclaims.

With a final push of its will, the MOGO pushes all of its newly created drones out of this cave, causing a cave-in with its messy, desperate attempt to save whatever could be called its last legacy. I stayed by its side, slowly watching the being die, covering myself with a bubble of protection. It wouldn't last very long against the weight of all this dirt, but I only needed just one more... moment... got it.

I understand how it creates drones.