Hot water dripped down my hair, the sound of dripping took over everything, enveloping the tiny bathroom with the relentless collision of infinite water against the tiled floor. The thick mist fogged my sight, clouding all I could see. I combed my hair just as a downpour of droplets bore down on my head, heating it up for a single second before running down my bare skin, I cupped two handfuls of water and splashed it on my face, wiping it clean of soap.
Everything stopped after I twisted the shower's knob, clearing the fog and turning the air lukewarm. I reached out my left and grabbed a towel, white, and smells like actual soap. It's clear that the thing is provided by the gym, I wouldn't own something like this. Not for now. 'I hope.'
I wiped myself dry and got out of the bathroom into a locker room full of naked guys of all sizes and species. I stopped and waited for a pair of midgets to pass me, I smiled at the two of them and they responded with a low nod. Continuing, I made my way pass a large, brutish looking half-orc that's halfway through changing, his blue shirt looked a little bit too tight for him, which I guess is intentional if he wanted to show off his large muscles. A thought briefly passed if I should do something like that for my hero costume but I quickly put it away, 'I already decided what I want. No point in being indecisive.'
Besides, it's not like I can't change the color of my clothes on the fly anyways.
I opened my locker and took out my newly washed clothing, I felt the Theikos enchanted Dye react when my fingers touched the jacket's leather and smiled, 'Yep, still there.' - I know I shouldn't be surprised about it but knowing that I now have enchanted stuff, no matter how weak, is just so fucking cool to me, the thing appeals way too much to my inner child for me to not smile at it.
I put the jacket back on the hanger and threw on my T-shirt, then my underwear- Changing didn't take that long and I was out of the gym's bathroom with my mask in hand before I even knew it. My head turned as I scanned the gym, the way everything looked exactly like the standard gym reminded me of the registration room. 'Seriously, what the fuck is up with that?' Why would they just copy a gym for Mutant registration? 'It even has the pulley things on the walls.' I thought as I passed by a man sitting down on a bench while pulling on a battle rope.
As for what the things back in the registration room are called, I don't know. (But I think it's called pull torture.)
I got out of the Gym and basked under the darkness of the night, the stars shone beautifully up above, some blinking like they were communicating in a hidden language whose true meaning is lost to man. I started walking while keeping my eyes up to the sky, even with all the light, the hundreds upon hundreds of stars in the skies didn't fade, 'Hardlight tech really is amazing.' It's a shame that the man had to die. All the powerful heroes do, 'Overstimulation is a bitch.'
So many powerful people die from just... that- the disease. People called it a punishment for having power and in some twisted logic, it makes sense. Some also call it an assassination attempt by the Aristrocats, which, I guess sure, they're the corrupt government trying to control the city under their thumb and unruly pawns are something that will ruin all of that but then comes after someone overstimulates, where the monsters outside the city swarm into the walls, trying to get into the city because they want to kill the person who overstimulated.
And it's not like overstimulation is rare either. Because it happens in what? 1 in 700 mutants? Even though most of those cases are fairly weak and thus don't attract the monsters in a wide area, they can still be used as bait. It's one of the reasons why Broker's Dam is so successful, because the bottom of the Dam serves as a hospital for the ones who contracted the disease, turning it into both a research facility as well as a bright beacon that attracts the monsters.
There's hope that one day the people of Gloria will be able to see the outside again, and the main reason for why that is, is because monsters are getting killed daily back at the Dam and maybe when enough of them die, we'll be able to get out of this place. 'One day.'
I looked away from the sky with a sad smile on my face, 'Daydreaming is bad.' I said to myself, Jericho's words echoing my own voice, 'It's better if you take action instead of just think.' - I think those were Peerless' words? Or maybe Ares? I forgot.
And speaking of taking action- I took my new phone out of my pocket, it was big, a foot in length, and had the width of a brick. Pretty heavy too. My thumb ran across the side of the device, eventually finding a button that when pressed, opened up a slot where I can insert my Mutant ID. The thing slid in and my phone lit up to an interface that's normally not seen on the phones of non-mutants.
I connected my ID to my phone earlier, and doing so made it so that I didn't have to bother with passwords. It also has a few additional features, like, again, changing the interface so that it's more mutant friendly; apps that hide the caller's information and makes them anonymous so a would be hero doesn't have to reveal their identity when they apprehend someone, a few chatrooms that do the same for secret villain meet ups, as well as other miscellaneous stuff that improve mutant life overall.
For now, I decided that the anonymous features are useless so I decided to open a public messaging board and set up a profile, when that was done, I copied my information on Girl's contacts and started writing a message and she replied before I even finished writing my starting message.
Girl: I've been waiting for you.
Her message was followed by a brief pause, and I idly stood there, tapping my foot under the light of the streetlight.
Girl: Gosh. You know it's sort of my first time talking to an actual hero. And like- I don't know? It's sort of exciting! Heh. It's probably weird though, right? Like, you're probably just a regular guy and I'm here talking about you as if it's some sort of newly the top thing.
'This is what Alissa should've mocked instead of Jericho's way of writing texts.' I thought while I comprehend the Girl's message. And as expected, most of it is just a bunch of nonsense meant to fill up the text bar. Just as I was preparing a response, my phone beeped as a notification of her changing my nickname came onto the screen.
Girl changed your nickname to Dark Clown
Then it beeped again.
Girl changed her nickname to Totally a Strawberry Jester.
Totally a Strawberry Jester: We have matching nicknames now!
Dark Clown: You don't need to be excited about this. Like you said, I am a normal guy.
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Yeah but you have powers! That's ******* cool!
Totally a Strawberry Jester: *Fcking
Dark Clown: Yes but I am still a human without my boosts.
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Wait, boosts? Like you put lightning into yourself and stuff?
Dark Clown: Something like that
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Oh come on! Can't you like, give me a hint at least? As an Elite, I command you~! ( (@ _...(@) ) > this is me.
Dark Clown: That's not how that works.
'Nor will it ever.' I thought thankfully. Usually for her people to get their way, they have to pull on the city's laws with money and win through legal loopholes or some such. It was only after they succeed with winning in court that they can do whatever they want.
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Well, I tried!
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Anyhowwwww... so, you're supposed to be a mercenary right?...
I stared at her messages and sighed. I didn't get why she had to pretend like she's trailing off instead of just telling me outright what she wanted. 'I guess people are just complicated.' I tried to reason while swearing that if someone ever pulls this on me when they want a job, they're not gonna get a mercenary.
For now, I'll just take the bait.
Dark Clown: I heard from The Doctor. You want me to escort you down to the market so that you can buy Techie Tech.
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Exactly!
Dark Clown: So, when are we gonna go?
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Maybe next week? Ehehe... I kind of don't have money right now?
Dark Clown: Fair enough. Message me when you're ready.
For a while, the three dots continued to dance on her corner of the screen and I thought that she was gonna message me with something long but completely opposite of what I expected, she said this-
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Okay, see you then!
Dark Clown: Goodbye.
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Goodbye!
I put my phone on vibrate before turning it off and pocketing it. Walking around, I realized that I still have a few more Digits left so I decided to splurge for a bit, going down deeper until I reached the boundaries between the lower and middle parts to go find a place that I can hang out in. It didn't take me long to find one and after a bit of walking, I'm standing in front of a boxing gym.
The building was like the rest of the others in a way that caused it to be attached to another, larger building directly to its side. People renting out rooms isn't exactly uncommon in this area, and usually, if someone gets lucky, they get to rent it for cheap. Because of the law preventing anyone from the upper parts selling illicit things, the rooms here are mostly used as apartments but on rare occasions, borderline things such as boxing gyms like the one in front of me can be seen here too.
And it's not just this either, to my right is a building whose front glowed with pink neon signs, and at the very top hangs a sign with the silhouette of a girl taking off her panties drawing in red and blue LED wires.
Scoffing, I looked away and pushed the doors of the gym open. The smell of sweat immediately escaped out of the room and from the inside, I can hear the people chant the names of some boxers that I don't know of. 'Definitely unmodified.' I thought with a grin, even without all the dodging and superhuman movements, unmodded boxing is actually pretty entertaining. 'It's just an all around slugfest.' And sometimes, people tend to love simple things like that.
I walked into the darkness and accidentally bumped into someone, "Sorry about that." They merely grunted and moved past me without a single word.
I looked at them as they got out and when the neon lights from the signs illuminated them, I saw that they were a girl. I took a peek at the visible features partially hidden under the hoodie; pale skin, button nose with spots of freckles on the bridge, and a pair of glasses in front of her eyes. When she bobbed her head to look at her right, I saw a bit of curly brown hair peek out of her hoodie.
Her eyes shifted and met mine just as the doors closed shut, "Huh." Usually, girls like her like to watch monsters fight instead of humans. 'I wonder why she's here?'
"Alright! Up next we have a one time champion here in the ring! Give it up for TUSSLEEEEEEEEE!!!!" The announcer's voice cut me off of my thoughts and I turned away from the swaying doors to go deeper into the gym.
The corridors were silent enough that I can hear faint drops of water coming from somewhere in the dark hallway and amidst the silent, unnoticeable sounds were the faint echoes of name calling and barely veiled threats crawling out of the tunnel's end. Rainbow lights flashed from the bright, square shaped silhouette ahead of me. From time to time, I can see glimpses of shadows taint the light.
"AND HERE WE ARE!" The announcer's voice turned deafening when I got close enough. After one last step, I'm finally out of the tunnel and into the underground boxing gym. Compared to the small entrance outside, the building's interior was large enough to hold a coliseum. Seats filled with hundreds of people circled around an oval arena at the bottom, "LOOKS LIKE TUSSLE IS GONNA GO UP TO THE SEMI FINALS!!!"
Enthusiastic cries erupted from the crowd after that announcement, their shouts getting higher and louder until they overthrew the next thing the announcer said. I took a free seat right next to a 7 foot tall Tusk and made myself comfortable, I stared at the arena, there, an adult human with 6 feet in height stood in front of a downed Tusk as tall as him.
"Whats' a shame eh?" I turned to face the wide grin of my seatmate.
"Yeah." I nodded, agreeing. "Still, managing to beat a Tusk as a regular human must be a pretty big deal right?"
He bellowed out a deep laugh that got drowned out by the shouts, "Nots' really! Humans can get pretty strong too ya know?"
Not as strong as a species that has literal piston punches, but sure. "I guess."
A little while later, the boxers cleared the ring and left to recover. And it was this time that the vendors and betters start running around the crowd to sell their wares and start wages. One such vendor passed us by, he was thin, with a red hat and a portable stand hanging from his neck on his chest, "Want one?" I looked at the rows of hotdogs for sale and shrugged.
"Sure, why not."
"Ill's take one too!"
I was halfway through finishing my food when the announcer said something again- "IS TUSSLE FINALLY GONNA GET HIS SECOND CHAMPIONSHIP?!" The announcer riled up the crowd, and to great success because everyone started chanting, including yours truly.
The announcer circled his right arm before pointing on one end of the arena, "-ORRRRRRRR IS HE GONNA FALL BY GARDRAB'S HANDS?!"
The crowd started stomping their foot and I quickly followed with a grin, and in the corner of my eye, I can see that Tusk did the same.
Why? It's simple- because coming out of one of the entrances is a massive hulking figure seven and a half feet in height, his long black hair flowed down behind him like a waterfall and his hands were clenched into hammer-like fists. His mouth was twisted into a scowl while blue eyes intensely glared at the entrance opposite of his.
I grinned as the half-giant stood at the center of the arena, waiting for his opponent in the semi finals with an angry look. The rules are unmodded, there's nothing saying anything about weight class or species differentiation. Otherwise, everything would just be too boring. And boring, to the gym, means no customers.
Hot water dripped down my hair, the sound of dripping took over everything, enveloping the tiny bathroom with the relentless collision of infinite water against the tiled floor. The thick mist fogged my sight, clouding all I could see. I combed my hair just as a downpour of droplets bore down on my head, heating it up for a single second before running down my bare skin, I cupped two handfuls of water and splashed it on my face, wiping it clean of soap.
Everything stopped after I twisted the shower's knob, clearing the fog and turning the air lukewarm. I reached out my left and grabbed a towel, white, and smells like actual soap. It's clear that the thing is provided by the gym, I wouldn't own something like this. Not for now. 'I hope.'
I wiped myself dry and got out of the bathroom into a locker room full of naked guys of all sizes and species. I stopped and waited for a pair of midgets to pass me, I smiled at the two of them and they responded with a low nod. Continuing, I made my way pass a large, brutish looking half-orc that's halfway through changing, his blue shirt looked a little bit too tight for him, which I guess is intentional if he wanted to show off his large muscles. A thought briefly passed if I should do something like that for my hero costume but I quickly put it away, 'I already decided what I want. No point in being indecisive.'
Besides, it's not like I can't change the color of my clothes on the fly anyways.
I opened my locker and took out my newly washed clothing, I felt the Theikos enchanted Dye react when my fingers touched the jacket's leather and smiled, 'Yep, still there.' - I know I shouldn't be surprised about it but knowing that I now have enchanted stuff, no matter how weak, is just so fucking cool to me, the thing appeals way too much to my inner child for me to not smile at it.
I put the jacket back on the hanger and threw on my T-shirt, then my underwear- Changing didn't take that long and I was out of the gym's bathroom with my mask in hand before I even knew it. My head turned as I scanned the gym, the way everything looked exactly like the standard gym reminded me of the registration room. 'Seriously, what the fuck is up with that?' Why would they just copy a gym for Mutant registration? 'It even has the pulley things on the walls.' I thought as I passed by a man sitting down on a bench while pulling on a battle rope.
As for what the things back in the registration room are called, I don't know. (But I think it's called pull torture.)
I got out of the Gym and basked under the darkness of the night, the stars shone beautifully up above, some blinking like they were communicating in a hidden language whose true meaning is lost to man. I started walking while keeping my eyes up to the sky, even with all the light, the hundreds upon hundreds of stars in the skies didn't fade, 'Hardlight tech really is amazing.' It's a shame that the man had to die. All the powerful heroes do, 'Overstimulation is a bitch.'
So many powerful people die from just... that- the disease. People called it a punishment for having power and in some twisted logic, it makes sense. Some also call it an assassination attempt by the Aristrocats, which, I guess sure, they're the corrupt government trying to control the city under their thumb and unruly pawns are something that will ruin all of that but then comes after someone overstimulates, where the monsters outside the city swarm into the walls, trying to get into the city because they want to kill the person who overstimulated.
And it's not like overstimulation is rare either. Because it happens in what? 1 in 700 mutants? Even though most of those cases are fairly weak and thus don't attract the monsters in a wide area, they can still be used as bait. It's one of the reasons why Broker's Dam is so successful, because the bottom of the Dam serves as a hospital for the ones who contracted the disease, turning it into both a research facility as well as a bright beacon that attracts the monsters.
There's hope that one day the people of Gloria will be able to see the outside again, and the main reason for why that is, is because monsters are getting killed daily back at the Dam and maybe when enough of them die, we'll be able to get out of this place. 'One day.'
I looked away from the sky with a sad smile on my face, 'Daydreaming is bad.' I said to myself, Jericho's words echoing my own voice, 'It's better if you take action instead of just think.' - I think those were Peerless' words? Or maybe Ares? I forgot.
And speaking of taking action- I took my new phone out of my pocket, it was big, a foot in length, and had the width of a brick. Pretty heavy too. My thumb ran across the side of the device, eventually finding a button that when pressed, opened up a slot where I can insert my Mutant ID. The thing slid in and my phone lit up to an interface that's normally not seen on the phones of non-mutants.
I connected my ID to my phone earlier, and doing so made it so that I didn't have to bother with passwords. It also has a few additional features, like, again, changing the interface so that it's more mutant friendly; apps that hide the caller's information and makes them anonymous so a would be hero doesn't have to reveal their identity when they apprehend someone, a few chatrooms that do the same for secret villain meet ups, as well as other miscellaneous stuff that improve mutant life overall.
For now, I decided that the anonymous features are useless so I decided to open a public messaging board and set up a profile, when that was done, I copied my information on Girl's contacts and started writing a message and she replied before I even finished writing my starting message.
Girl: I've been waiting for you.
Her message was followed by a brief pause, and I idly stood there, tapping my foot under the light of the streetlight.
Girl: Gosh. You know it's sort of my first time talking to an actual hero. And like- I don't know? It's sort of exciting! Heh. It's probably weird though, right? Like, you're probably just a regular guy and I'm here talking about you as if it's some sort of newly the top thing.
'This is what Alissa should've mocked instead of Jericho's way of writing texts.' I thought while I comprehend the Girl's message. And as expected, most of it is just a bunch of nonsense meant to fill up the text bar. Just as I was preparing a response, my phone beeped as a notification of her changing my nickname came onto the screen.
Girl changed your nickname to Dark Clown
Then it beeped again.
Girl changed her nickname to Totally a Strawberry Jester.
Totally a Strawberry Jester: We have matching nicknames now!
Dark Clown: You don't need to be excited about this. Like you said, I am a normal guy.
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Yeah but you have powers! That's ******* cool!
Totally a Strawberry Jester: *Fcking
Dark Clown: Yes but I am still a human without my boosts.
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Wait, boosts? Like you put lightning into yourself and stuff?
Dark Clown: Something like that
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Oh come on! Can't you like, give me a hint at least? As an Elite, I command you~! ( (@ _...(@) ) > this is me.
Dark Clown: That's not how that works.
'Nor will it ever.' I thought thankfully. Usually for her people to get their way, they have to pull on the city's laws with money and win through legal loopholes or some such. It was only after they succeed with winning in court that they can do whatever they want.
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Well, I tried!
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Anyhowwwww... so, you're supposed to be a mercenary right?...
I stared at her messages and sighed. I didn't get why she had to pretend like she's trailing off instead of just telling me outright what she wanted. 'I guess people are just complicated.' I tried to reason while swearing that if someone ever pulls this on me when they want a job, they're not gonna get a mercenary.
For now, I'll just take the bait.
Dark Clown: I heard from The Doctor. You want me to escort you down to the market so that you can buy Techie Tech.
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Exactly!
Dark Clown: So, when are we gonna go?
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Maybe next week? Ehehe... I kind of don't have money right now?
Dark Clown: Fair enough. Message me when you're ready.
For a while, the three dots continued to dance on her corner of the screen and I thought that she was gonna message me with something long but completely opposite of what I expected, she said this-
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Okay, see you then!
Dark Clown: Goodbye.
Totally a Strawberry Jester: Goodbye!
I put my phone on vibrate before turning it off and pocketing it. Walking around, I realized that I still have a few more Digits left so I decided to splurge for a bit, going down deeper until I reached the boundaries between the lower and middle parts to go find a place that I can hang out in. It didn't take me long to find one and after a bit of walking, I'm standing in front of a boxing gym.
The building was like the rest of the others in a way that caused it to be attached to another, larger building directly to its side. People renting out rooms isn't exactly uncommon in this area, and usually, if someone gets lucky, they get to rent it for cheap. Because of the law preventing anyone from the upper parts selling illicit things, the rooms here are mostly used as apartments but on rare occasions, borderline things such as boxing gyms like the one in front of me can be seen here too.
And it's not just this either, to my right is a building whose front glowed with pink neon signs, and at the very top hangs a sign with the silhouette of a girl taking off her panties drawing in red and blue LED wires.
Scoffing, I looked away and pushed the doors of the gym open. The smell of sweat immediately escaped out of the room and from the inside, I can hear the people chant the names of some boxers that I don't know of. 'Definitely unmodified.' I thought with a grin, even without all the dodging and superhuman movements, unmodded boxing is actually pretty entertaining. 'It's just an all around slugfest.' And sometimes, people tend to love simple things like that.
I walked into the darkness and accidentally bumped into someone, "Sorry about that." They merely grunted and moved past me without a single word.
I looked at them as they got out and when the neon lights from the signs illuminated them, I saw that they were a girl. I took a peek at the visible features partially hidden under the hoodie; pale skin, button nose with spots of freckles on the bridge, and a pair of glasses in front of her eyes. When she bobbed her head to look at her right, I saw a bit of curly brown hair peek out of her hoodie.
Her eyes shifted and met mine just as the doors closed shut, "Huh." Usually, girls like her like to watch monsters fight instead of humans. 'I wonder why she's here?'
"Alright! Up next we have a one time champion here in the ring! Give it up for TUSSLEEEEEEEEE!!!!" The announcer's voice cut me off of my thoughts and I turned away from the swaying doors to go deeper into the gym.
The corridors were silent enough that I can hear faint drops of water coming from somewhere in the dark hallway and amidst the silent, unnoticeable sounds were the faint echoes of name calling and barely veiled threats crawling out of the tunnel's end. Rainbow lights flashed from the bright, square shaped silhouette ahead of me. From time to time, I can see glimpses of shadows taint the light.
"AND HERE WE ARE!" The announcer's voice turned deafening when I got close enough. After one last step, I'm finally out of the tunnel and into the underground boxing gym. Compared to the small entrance outside, the building's interior was large enough to hold a coliseum. Seats filled with hundreds of people circled around an oval arena at the bottom, "LOOKS LIKE TUSSLE IS GONNA GO UP TO THE SEMI FINALS!!!"
Enthusiastic cries erupted from the crowd after that announcement, their shouts getting higher and louder until they overthrew the next thing the announcer said. I took a free seat right next to a 7 foot tall Tusk and made myself comfortable, I stared at the arena, there, an adult human with 6 feet in height stood in front of a downed Tusk as tall as him.
"Whats' a shame eh?" I turned to face the wide grin of my seatmate.
"Yeah." I nodded, agreeing. "Still, managing to beat a Tusk as a regular human must be a pretty big deal right?"
He bellowed out a deep laugh that got drowned out by the shouts, "Nots' really! Humans can get pretty strong too ya know?"
Not as strong as a species that has literal piston punches, but sure. "I guess."
A little while later, the boxers cleared the ring and left to recover. And it was this time that the vendors and betters start running around the crowd to sell their wares and start wages. One such vendor passed us by, he was thin, with a red hat and a portable stand hanging from his neck on his chest, "Want one?" I looked at the rows of hotdogs for sale and shrugged.
"Sure, why not."
"Ill's take one too!"
I was halfway through finishing my food when the announcer said something again- "IS TUSSLE FINALLY GONNA GET HIS SECOND CHAMPIONSHIP?!" The announcer riled up the crowd, and to great success because everyone started chanting, including yours truly.
The announcer circled his right arm before pointing on one end of the arena, "-ORRRRRRRR IS HE GONNA FALL BY GARDRAB'S HANDS?!"
The crowd started stomping their foot and I quickly followed with a grin, and in the corner of my eye, I can see that Tusk did the same.
Why? It's simple- because coming out of one of the entrances is a massive hulking figure seven and a half feet in height, his long black hair flowed down behind him like a waterfall and his hands were clenched into hammer-like fists. His mouth was twisted into a scowl while blue eyes intensely glared at the entrance opposite of his.
I grinned as the half-giant stood at the center of the arena, waiting for his opponent in the semi finals with an angry look. The rules are unmodded, there's nothing saying anything about weight class or species differentiation. Otherwise, everything would just be too boring. And boring, to the gym, means no customers.
