Shared Pain

Thane groaned as the preset alarm chirped in his head before quickly shutting off as his PRD read his active brain waves.

Looking at the time, Thane realized it would be hours before the artificial lights that simulated the sun started the day cycle. Thane was ready to go back to sleep when he looked around at the unfamiliar room, causing a flood of memories to surge to the forefront of his mind.

At that moment, the door to his room slid open, and Charles stepped in, "Ah, good, you're up. Must be a light sleeper. I remember my first day in training. Oh, it was hell on Earth. Now hurry up and follow me. I have to show you the grounds before we start training at 0600 hours."

Charles didn't wait for Thane to respond as he turned on his heel and left, leaving Thane speechless, still half asleep in bed.

Lurching to his feet, Thane almost fell over as his sheets caught around his ankles. Kicking off the offending cloth, Thane stumbled into the hallway to see Charles a good distance away, "What the hell did I sign up for?"

Charles was walking so fast during the tour, Thane was practically jogging to keep up with the much taller man, "And this is the locker room, inside you will find your locker, which is equipped with sterilizing light rays, so you don't have to worry about cleaning your workout clothes."

Thane was wondering if he was supposed to have a 'workout' outfit when Charles shoved a bundle of clothing into his arms, "Here, take this and go get change, training starts in a few minutes."

Knowing that being late was most likely a bad idea, Thane ran into one of the changing stalls and unfurled the cloth to reveal a full-body suit made of elastic material.

Thane climbed into the suit one foot at a time and hissed as he felt small metallic lines woven into the fabric press against his body, "Ugh, what the hell? Why is it so cold?" Pushing past the extreme discomfort, Thane put his arms through the sleeves before he looked down and realized there was a lot of extra slack in the outfit as if it was made for someone twice his size.

"Uh Charles, I think there's been a mistake." Thane called out, hoping the retired Arbiter was still there, "Press the symbol over your right pectoral. The suit will adjust itself."

Craning his head to look down, Thane spotted a hydrogen atom symbol stitched into the fabric. Pressing it, Thane felt something click, and in the next second, the suit was almost painfully tight around Thane's body, and in combination with the bone-chilling cold, Thane wasn't too fond of the outfit.

Stepping out of the locker, Thane looked up at Charles, "Is it supposed to be so cold and tight?"

Charles grinned as if Thane had just said a joke, "The metal inside the suit is a superconductor. It will sap away your body heat when you work out, so you won't get exhausted too easily. Unfortunately, today you won't get to see it in action. We must test you so the algorithm can create a personal fitness program."

Thane opened his mouth to ask a question, but Charles stalled him with a raised hand, "Ah ah, we don't have time for that. We need to get moving. If there is one thing you must learn sooner rather than later is that you must stick to a schedule. Now come on, we'll have to jog to get there."

What Charles considered a jog was a full-on sprint for Thane, which had him bent over and gasping through his mask, his body desperate to get clean air. Of course, Charles didn't let him rest as he pushed Thane through the testing facility and strapped him into the first of many machines.

Time seemed to blur as Thane stumbled through test after test, probing every physical characteristic he had. From Thane's lung capacity to his bone density, which wasn't pleasant as it involved a rather large needle being stuck into his arm and vibrating with frightening speed.

"Okay, that should be the last of it, and I have to say I'm surprised you're even alive. You scored the bare minimum on each test, and after looking at your genome, I can't figure out why. Your genetics all point towards a very healthy body, and not even your condition could do this much damage."

Charles muttered as his fingers flicked across his PRD, looking through Thane's results, "The only thing I can think of that could do this is some medications they used to limit growth hormones. Do you know how the doctors first treated your condition?"

Thane shook his head, "I have no idea. After I left my orphanage, I had to supplement my own medication. Most things to regulate my blood, and stomach acid, honestly it wasn't the smartest decision but the only one I could afford."

Charles sighed, "Well, I'll have someone dig up your medical files and have a real professional look at them and see if we could somehow heal the damage done to your body. Honestly, I have no idea what your doctor was thinking. You're free to go. Tomorrow you'll have the option of getting food first. Make sure to sign in with your PRD to get the pre-planned meal designed for you."

Thane nodded and left the testing facility, pausing when he entered the hallway at a complete loss for what to do, "Charles said this was a testing facility. Maybe there's a workshop I can use."

Pulling up a map of the compound, Thane looked around before zooming in on a large room named 'lab.' Figuring it was a good place to start, Thane pulled up directions and followed the arrow in the corner of his vision leading him down the hallway and to the left.

After walking for a bit and entering an elevator, Thane took one final left before stepping through a door to find himself on a catwalk above an ample warehouse space. Lab stations with all sorts of high-end equipment decorated the empty white floor that had Thane's heart racing.

Looking for a way down, Thane went back out the way he came in and moved down the hallway and a set of stairs before finding the right door. On the ground floor, Thane could see everything in much greater detail.

Running over to the closest workstation Thane gasped as he realized what was in front of him, "A fabrication bench, no fucking way." Much as its name suggested, the fabrication bench could make things, a lot of things. Thane, for years, had watched videos about how to operate the machine even if there was a slim chance he would ever lay his hands on one.

With a gentle tap on the cold metal surface, the machine came alive, as different add-ons, from robotic arms to a 3d printer, appeared from hidden cupboards. Grinning like a maniac, Thane tapped into the bench's Leyline, allowing him to operate the entire machine with a simple command.

Looking over the full capabilities of the bench, Thane blinked, 'Must be a newer version than I'm familiar with. But with all of this, I could make some much-needed improvements.'

Switching screens on his PRD, Thane had his device test the air quality, "Okay, it isn't so bad. I might need to take my medicine tonight, though."

Thane muttered to himself. He took out his mask and placed it on the bench. While he didn't need it, walking around exercising for over three hours was a different situation. Almost immediately, a light shone from the machine as it began to scan the mask up and down. A few seconds later, a complete holographic 3d model of his mask appeared floating above the bench.

"Alright, let's get this party started!"

---

A few hours later, Thane looked through a set of lenses as he finished soldering the last electronic circuit in his mask. Tearing his eyes away from the eyepiece, Thane blinked, "Damn, that is painful. Note to self don't use the microlenses for too long."

Blinking the last vestiges of the pain away, Thane looked down at his new mask. The design was slimmer as the mask would only go around Thane's mouth and nose, exposing most of his jaw.

Other than that, the mask didn't look that different. Most of the changes had been internal. Thane was confident he could breathe as easily as anyone, and the filters could now eliminate minor toxins without much difficulty.

Picking up the mask, Thane placed it against his face, and the mask locked in place with a hiss. The new silicon gel padding felt nice against his skin, "That's so much better."

Opening up the workbench one last time, Thane downloaded a transcript of what he had done to ensure nothing was lost. After it was done, Thane turned off the machine and turned around to leave when the door opened before he could get there.

Through the door, a girl around his age stepped into the lab. The first thing that caught his eyes was the white ring around her left bright blue eye and a streak of white through her curly hair. Otherwise, she had flawless light brown skin, and curly brown hair framed her picturesque face in long loose ringlets. And her heterochromatic eyes seemed to bore into Thane with a mix of fascination and anger than Thane expected.

"What are you doing here?" The question was sharp, full of rage and venom. Cocking his head to the side, Thane was a little thrown off by the feeling of danger he was getting from the girl, "I was using a fabrication bench. Olivia said I could use the facilities, and since it wasn't restricted when I entered my ID, I thought it was okay?"

The girl didn't respond, instead seeming content to glare at Thane, "Okay, I'm going to go now, unless you want to have an actual conversation and not continue trying to shank me with your eyes."

Thane paused for a second, waiting for a response that never came, "Alright then, see you hopefully in a well-lit room with a witness nearby, good day."

Slowly approaching the girl, Thane gave her a wide berth like a wild animal, never taking his eyes off her as he slowly backed out of the room.

---

Naomie glared at the door Thane disappeared through, her thoughts of rage only broken by a rumbling stomach. Going without food for the day was a punishment she had had many times but never seemed to get easier.

As much as she hated to admit it, Naomie had been watching Thane while he was working. At first, she was sure he would try and steal something, but instead, he had spent the better three hours fusing over some sort of mask.

Naomie remembered her mother mentioning that Thane was born with a medical condition, and she wondered if his mask was somehow connected to it or if it was just some fashion piece.

On a whim, Naomie turned around and walked over to the fabrication bench Thane had been using. Turning it on, Naomie connected her PRD and scrolled through the machine's catalogs which could only be accessed by certain personnel. Naomie was included in the exclusive list, allowing her to display the 3d model of Thane's mask.

Only after a minute of looking over the device Naomie could see it was made by a person with a good deal of understanding of electronics and basic chemistry.

'He's using metal filters to catch carbon dioxide and other materials and then superheating the filters to vaporize any particles, so he doesn't have to change them out.' Naomie felt her tiny ember of hatred for Thane soar into a raging fire, feeling like he had one-upped her again.

"I was wondering if you were still going to be here." Naomie flinched as a voice spoke into the silence. Naomie turned and glared at Charles, spinning on her feet, "Why must you always sneak up on me?"

Charles smiled at the teen with humor in his eyes, "As a reminder, how at any moment you are vulnerable to an ambush or attack."

Growling, Naomie turned off the fabrication benched and leaned against it as Charles moved closer, "Sure, it's definitely not because you're a sadistic freak who enjoys scaring people half to death!"

Unfazed by the hostility or insult, Charles stopped, so he was only a few feet away from Naomie, his eyes lacking the humor they held just a few moments ago.

"Your mother is worried. You've become increasingly aggressive both in your attitude and training. She is concerned that your current mental state will affect your performance in the upcoming exam." Naomie froze at Charles's words before her hands curled into fists, "Did she send you down here to say that?"

Charles shook his head slowly, "No, no, she didn't, but I felt I should say something. I also passed Thane in the hall, who said that a beautiful psychopath was trying to kill me with her eyes. So I thought it was as good a time as ever."

Naomie blinked as she felt a small wave of heat wash over her face, "O-okay, maybe you're right, i-it's just that I don't understand why he's here."

"I thought your mother made it quite clear that she wishes to tie Thane closer to her. I doubt she expects him to make it into the Academy, but making an effort will go a long way towards Thane accepting to work for the company." Charles placed his hand on Naomie's shoulder and squeezed lightly, "Just know that while it might not seem like it, everything your mother does is to benefit your goals and ambitions."

Naomie sighed, "I know. I just thought this time would be different. I've been practicing all my life for the Academy. I've aced every test she's thrown at me. I-i thought maybe, for once she would just come to my room and say how proud she is of me. Instead, I have to watch her flatter some nobody instead of me. Oh god, I'm a selfish bitch."

Naomie seemed to deflate as she remembered the disappointment on her mother's face as she dismissed her yesterday. A second later, Naomie was pulled into a hug by Charles, "There is nothing selfish about wanting attention from one's parents. But I don't need to tell you that acting out won't make your mother happy, do I?"

Naomie shook her head, her face still buried in Charles's stomach, "Well, then you can start tomorrow. You'll be under my tutelage again as you help me teach Thane. I believe you owe him an apology for earlier. I won't ask you to do anything more than that. You two are more similar than you think."

"Are you talking about his condition?" Naomie muttered and looked up at Charles, her eyes red with unshed tears, "I heard mother talking about it, is he Tainted just like me?"

Charles nodded, confirming Naomie's question, "His parents must not have had the money to afford a gene tailor or decided to go through with having him. Just like your own mother. His condition forces him to wear a mask to breathe."

Naomie suddenly felt sick as a sour taste spread through her mouth, 'I wouldn't have treated him like that if I knew. I hope he doesn't think I was judging him because of his taint. I know how small it can make you feel.'

With several breakthroughs in genetic engineering and cellular technology, It was a rare occurrence in Bastion for a mother to give birth naturally. It was commonplace that couples would conceive invitro and have their baby incubated outside the mother in a secure facility.

Companies that offered such services could ask for egregious amounts, making their owners extremely rich. Having a child invitro allowed a highly trained genealogist to look at the entire genome, pointing out potential diseases or disorders. Parents would have thousands of eggs fertilized at a time so they could pick the cream of the crop as parents were limited to one child in their care at a time due to population control.

Those who were born with genetic defects were called Tainted and looked down on those born with all five fingers and toes.

Naomie stepped back from Charles, letting out a shuddering breath, "Thank you, I will be there for training tomorrow. I will try, but you know me, I'm not much of a social butterfly."

Charles chuckled, "Yes, you're much too blunt for that. I remember the one time your mother tried to set up a playdate between you and the heir to the Heron fortune. You sent that poor boy home in tears. It was quite a show."

Pouting as Charles teased her, Naomie wiped the last of her tears away, "Why do you always have to mess with me? The only time you're serious is during training."

Charles shrugged, "I rarely get to see you smile, and I thought if I acted more like a friend, you might turn out… How do I put this nicely…normal?"

Naomie's face went slack as she stared at Charles, "I hate you."