slurp slurp

slurp slurp slurp

Hearing some downright strange sounds permutating in my ear , I tried to ignore it for a long time but it was getting louder making it unable to ignore. Rolling over I made a undecipherable sound that had the meaning of letting me sleep longer. Despite my complaint the sound didn't seem like it was showing any signs of slowing down. Trying to open my eyes with little success i used the most primitive tool for gathering information. Using my hands to feel around I felt something weird and furry. This furry fuzzy thing had a heart beat , oh right we adopted/stole Buck .Using my hands some more I felt on his face then his mouth, there was something in his mouth .A nipple? I Opened my eyes to see what the flip was going on .Forcing my eyes open i saw Ezra feeding him a warm bottle of milk and the sound was him feeding rather sloppily.

False alarm, getting away from the feeding Buck i wobbled over to my couch making sure to take a pillow with me because i guess Buck owned my bed now .I was happy to give it to the lil guy after all he's been through but i just didn't want my much need sleep to be disturbed. I was few feet away so the sound was dulled , good enough i thought putting a the pillow over my ears. He had to finish that bottle eventually so i let him be.

----

clop clop clop

A few hours later when finally woke up i saw the Buck running around the room, he was happily running into walls in his endeavor to stretch his legs.

"why don't you take him outside into the grasslands? he cant possibly having more fun in here then he would there"

"yeah i am, we we're just waiting on sleeping beauty" Ezra said

One day they'll understand how important sleep is .I loved buck don't get me wrong but i had no time to take care of him and i wasn't going to project that. My mind was still focused on not getting murdered on this mission, but i didn't mind being around him while i was training .Who knows maybe he'll be a fighter.

"Alright well prince Phillip ,I'm well rested and want to go back into training"

"wahh you want to do something as barbaric as fighting when we have this cutie here? i wont allow him see you doing that." Ezra replied

That was just stupid. baby or not life is chalked full of danger, but i didn't see any reason to go back and forth. When he becomes of age he can decide ifs he want's to fight or not, all animals are different .Gwen in contrast had other plans

"Ezra! that is MY child and MY child is going to be the biggest badest warrior Elk to ever grace this planet"

were they having a mommy battle or something, glad i didn't have to deal with that .Avoiding the ongoing quarrelers i walked around them to get my gear i equipped them piece by piece . Until All that was left was my beloved Plasma Rifle , picking it up my eyes wandered over it from top to bottom. Remembering what Gwen said about me one day giving it a name, i still couldn't see that. It saved my life a few times but i could say that about all my gear did that mean they all deserved a name as well? That was a rabbit hole i didn't want to get myself into, it would be a slippery slope next thing you know i would give everything a name.

"Are you guys done arguing or are we ever going to get a move on"

"Hey Farron since you're the dad you decide"

"Yea you decide"

"huh?" did acknowledging their existence pull me into their petty drama

" Is Buck going to be a petting pet or a fighting pet"

These guys still had no value for life, why not let buck chose his own fate

"Buck isnt a pet... he your damn kid, let him decide when he gets old enough you damn pyschos"

Hearing that Buck's opinion of me seemed to improve. Now the evidence was only anecdotal but he ran directly towards me and started prancing around me in a very Rudolph like manner .Did our little dude understand human language, who knows all i did was start petting him and he responded by rubbing on my torso. I wonder how long it would be till he was bigger then me, probably not much time.

Seeing Buck choose me over either of them i heard "Oh please get a room"

This was my room sighing i reiterated "Gwen ,Ezra lets go you can fight for dominance more when we're outside"

Seeming to get the message we headed out. This time not to the forest but to the Northern part outside of the base. It was a few km wide open field without any real purpose to it, which was perfect for us . Buck could do all the running he wanted under our supervision and we could train without interruption.

Ezra conveniently took up refuge on a smooth rock that was under the protection of the only tree in the area. Buck started prancing around like the child he was and that lighten the mood. Putting my rifle down i turned to face Gwen.

"Don't get a airhead now you only got me to resign once , this will be different"

I'm sure it would , but i wouldn't have it any other way. Wordlessly i put up my fighting set

This time Gwen popped it off closing the distance between us in seconds. Using her right leg she went for a circle high kick intending to knock me out in one motion. She really was a brutal, but im not going down that easily anymore. Dodging by a hairs width i was going to tackle her while her position was still tricky, anticipating my actions in milliseconds. she rotated her body using the kinetic energy to spin all the way around for her left foot to reach my head. I wouldn't be able to dodge in time , so i activated both barriers successfully deflecting her deadly double roundhouse kick. This bought me a little space, but She was relentless immediately after Gwen threw a right punch, seeing a opportunity i used my right hard to grab her stomach and my left hand grabbing her extended right hand catapulting her into the air.

"Wonderful!" she said while in air meaning to land on her feet. I was getting stronger but i could tell she was holding back her fighting spirit in the past confrontations .Sensing danger if i let her recover i rushed her diving at her legs knocking her off balance which worked somewhat .Using both her feet and hands she launched me straight into the air ,this was not good . I had a plan though activating both barriers i wanted to come down like a meteorite, i clasped my hands together in a fist intended to smash her out of the way.

If she was smart she just let me land and hit me then but it Gwen was in a battle trance and wanted to take it head on. Blocking my attack with her right she punched at full force shattering the first barrier and sending me flying. Since there were no trees i skidded along the ground until there was no more momentum to make me keep going .Coughing some blood i rolled out of my position ,standing to my feet .i felt the ground shake with dust and debris flying from where i just was. . A second later i would've been smothered under Gwen foot, i was losing this battle slowly.

Tiredness was creeping in but she looked brand new , i needed to end this before it she did .Dodging a rapid flurry of her fist , i landed a uppercut knocking her head slightly up lessening her view of me. It was now or never left ,right , right right, left , right ,left my was actually hurting from hitting her.

"AHHHHHH" i dont know when but i started screaming and clobbering her.

My last punch was directed at her temple but she grabbed my fist. With a smile she gave me a world class head butt returning all my punches in advance. It hurt like hell i saw one of my back tooth get smashed out of my jaw, but i was used to the pain. Surprising her i started a counter attack i launched a front kick hitting her in the side forcing Gwen to block it. Grabbing her now exposed face i jumped and sent my knee deep into her chin. I finally made her really mad as she grabbed my whole body crashing it into the ground. Mounting me then holding my wrist apart i heard a declaration under her frizzled hair " i won"

Sigh i untensed my body "ok you win"

Happy to hear that she finally stopped her death grip on my wrist and slid beside me. The sun was beaming down directly above was slightly aggravating but i the only thing that was effective was raising my shaking arms to shield me from its rays. Seeing me distressed by the sun she got on top of me putting her hands to the side of my head. Her disheveled look was pretty hot.

"hope i dind't give you too much of a spanking , but hey on the bright side you're getting better"

"ha - ha" i said in a dry tone "That was a good practice run, you wont be so smug forever"

"pfft , yes i will even if you do manage to reach my current level by that time i would've already improved, face it hand to hand will always be my thing.

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I couldn't deny that , not to mention she was handicapped since she wasn't using her trusty sword.

"whatever" i said in defeat

I heard a sound approaching fast then a green blur lodged himself in the middle of me and Gwen .Apparently bUck had seen all the action and proclaimed he wanted a piece. wiggling his body to gain more traction , now was more intertwined between us.

Haha i was delighted to be honest, dude just wanted some love. Seeing me happy he thought it was ok to rest his whole body weight on my sharply leaving me breathless .Gwen picked him up and give him a light scolding about how human skeletons are weak and sent him to Ezra .We didn't feel right making him sad over just wanting to be with us, so we all went over into a big cuddle session with him as the pillow.

The tree served as a great shade .It felt great to be here with the ones i loved, but after 10 minutes something was calling. Not like when Janus called to me but this time it was something else , my instincts ... i wanted to fight more. Looking at Gwen i could see she was soaking in the love and affection .I didn't disturb her she deserved this peace along with the rest of them .My cells on the other hand were itching for deadly combat, i hate to admit something so brazen but i was become an adrenaline junkie. How could i deny it t. I was actively seeking to put myself in harms way and while yes there was always the threat of mission, most people only did the bare minimum. I should be tired but i think I've noticed a trend the more i do something the easier it gets.

The first time i fought Gwen she knocked me out cold for almost 4 days, now i can get beaten to a pulp and a few minutes later I'm back into commission. Seriously Gwen was beating the crap out of me my bones should be broken. i know i was given a power of adapting by Janus but what did that entail? Lets lay down the facts im improving at a large rate, my eye can always change time perception and given long enough almost making time slow, i can think even under combat pressure , my lungs were now suited for space travel. This was like a puzzle i needed to put together i could just chalk it up as powers but i was starting to think different.

Eureka!!! i thought jumping to my feet ,I think i figured it out . The god of Change OR more importantly was Janus the god of evolution. My body was evolving at a rapid rate that was one clear way everything made sense. Yes that's right my body was adapting , Did his power really just change how quick my body evolved?

"heyy whatcha get up for "Ezra said pouting

Oh right there were people around me, i got back down into the cuddle but my brain was moving. I needed to test this hypothesis of mine, what would happen if were to push my body to the extreme and fight all day and night. In the days after that would i be able to eliminate fatigue and muscle soreness entirely? I can't believe it never occurred to me to test my limits for the sake of learning about my powers, i only did it that one time when i caught a case of power induced psychosis. I couldn't lament the past though now that i had a inkling on the true nature of my abilities i planned to test it.

30 more minutes of peace, love and care and Gwen seemed to be tired of the pacifists lifestyle .Warrior was in her oil so i knew i it was only a matter of time.

"Hey Farron want to get back at it again or are you down for the day"

Oh little did she know

"Hey Gwen"

She didn't say anything but i knew she was listening

"I think I'm going to train with you all day including the night"

"What? look i know i said you were getting better but " stopping she seem to consider that i knew something that she didn't "Ok why?"

I told her my current theory about what my abilties really did

"So you think your god given powers speed up the evolution in you?"

Clearly confused I elaborated

"Yes species evolve over a period of time but its not unheard of for animals to evolve more rapidly under more stressful conditions. I think what Janus did was jack up those already prevalent features .instead of taking millions or hundreds of thousands of years to hours and days"

Thinking for a second she said "If that's true... no why wouldn't it be true is the real question"

I'm glad she said that because now she's speaking my language

"soo what do you think? if this is true i might be able to dominate the other planet minimizing risk for all parties involved. If they are dealt with a over whelming force chances are i might be able to force them to surrender if not , i can eradicate them without much threat to us"

"You starting to speak like Remiel its weird, but i get the idea. if you want to try it you know ill always support you"

"Thanks your the best"

"Does that mean that you'll be able to breath underwater?" Ezra interjected

I can see why she would think that but who knows

"That's ... not completely unfounded there are many possibilities to consider. For instance my lungs could become more efficient in the way it uses oxygen or might forgo the need for it entirely, whatever i need my body will adapt to it"

"that's very... interesting. i want to see if you can last " She finished statement holding on to Bucks neck seemingly satisfied

"Me too" i said in agreeance .

This was bordering on the line of some of the more crazy things i did. I was starting to say that every other day so it was losing its meaning but oh well. For science and power i guess

"are you all talk or what get your ass over here" Gwen said

Taking her up on her offer we fought from the now afternoon to sunset, to midnight to sunrise to afternoon .That shouldn't have been possible but here i was drenched in sweat, heart beating out of my chest and still standing .Whats more i could feel the composition of my Dna was changing .My cells were undergoing hundreds of thousands of years of evolution in a single day .The only thing that was repeating in my mind was when Gwen asked me offhandedly "are you even human". I wanted to say that i was, but if i operating under the logic that i wasn't hallucinating this feeling then how could i be.

That's right humans cant fight with Zyanites who don't need food or whatever and have a perfect energy recycling rate, i shouldn't even be able to keep up .I should have died of shock or exertion .Now this begs the question if i wasn't human .. what am i?

"This... is unbelievable i cant ... you... dude Farron your powers are over powered"

"Yea they're actually incredible , wish was chosen" Ezra added

While i was having a existential crisis they were busy gawking. Normally i would be basking in it but how could i, The possibilities in my head were endless .Even my composure had to be because i lost my natural human anxiety, yes this had to be .I remember when i first was ever battle, i lost control of my bladder now my mindset is completely changed and continues to warp I'm beginning to see why Gwen was jealous . She wasn't being a sore loser at all, just pointing out the obvious nothing i did stayed the same capacity for long. I wanted to test my DNA , if my powers held true learning a subject previously unknown to me shouldn't even pose much of a challenge .My body was shuddering at the thought of what i could become just by a change of habits and a sharpening of others, i needed to know.

"Hey Ezra"

"Yes sweetie?" she said petting Buck

"Would it be possible if i used your labs to test my Dna ,blood and brain chemistry"

"Uhm what? sure i guess does this have something to do with evolution powers?" she raised a eyebrow

"Yes.. sorry if i seem a little crazy at the moment , but i cant help it. Most living organism's are a product of their environment. The thought that i could be the one shepherding my own transformation is like saying i have the power to control my destiny"

"Well you do sound crazy" She stated "But hey you loved us while we were going through it so i don't see why i would all of a sudden change my views on you, besides you probably see something that i don't"

"Thank you" i would never mistreat these girls i made a small oath

Normally i would be sleepy but there could be so many reasons i didn't feel my usual weariness .I cant lie and say i wasn't excited.

"Well do you want to fight more or are you going to hit the lab?"

The lab was the most pressing concern now i didn't want to engage in anything until i knew how i changed, this me right now would be the control group. Over time i would compare all my habits, limitations and how they've changed over time I wanted it to be very thorough.

I looked towards the future with a unspoken optimism, time to head to the lab.