Across the room, Edith was engrossed in her preparations. The pistol in her hand looked deceptively ordinary, but Fii knew better than to underestimate its power. It was a far cry from the pipe pistols and rifles that the smaller gangs and street thugs carried. This was the real deal: a gun that only the larger gangs had access to, thanks to their connections to the metropolis or other places outside the country.
Fii gulped, steeling her nerves.
The dummies stared back with their misshapen faces, their bulging eyes seeming to challenge her. They were silent witnesses to her fear; their metallic bodies bearing the scars of her previous training sessions. But today was different. Today, the stakes were higher.
Edith's fingers danced over the weapon, making minute adjustments. Nearby a speaker crackled to life, and Helix's synthetic voice filled the room, its tone neutral, yet ever observant.
[Calibration complete. Ready when you are, Dr. Edith.]
"So...um...are you sure about this?" Fii asked nervously, keeping her hands in the air.
"Positive," Edith replied, her voice calm and assured.
Oh boy…
Fii's heart raced. She'd faced gangs, dodged enforcers, and navigated the treacherous streets of the slums, but this was different.
She cleared her throat, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "You're seriously going to shoot at me?"
Dr. Edith looked up, her gaze sharp. "Yes. Theoretical knowledge is all well and good, but there's no substitute for practical experience. You need to feel the pressure, the danger."
Fii swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry. "And if I can't deflect the bullets?"
Edith's lips quirked in a half-smile. "Then you'll have a few bruises to remind you to do better next time. Don't worry, they're rubber bullets. Since you’re a metahuman, they'll hurt, but they won't cause any lasting damage. Just make sure you wear those goggles."
[Statistically, the chances of severe injury are minimal, provided you follow instructions and remain focused.]
Fii took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. "Alright. Let's get this over with."
Goggles ready, she slid into a defensive stance, feet shoulder-width apart, hands raised in anticipation. Every muscle in her body was coiled, ready to spring into action. She tried to recall the techniques she had learned, the hours of practice, but all she could focus on was the gun in Edith's hand.
Focus. This is just another test.
She stared down the barrel of the pistol, unable to tear her eyes away from the tiny black hole at the tip. She watched as Edith's finger twitched on the trigger, squeezing slowly, steadily, before the gun clicked.
BANG!
The sound of the gunshot was deafening in the enclosed space, and Fii's instincts took over. She tried to dodge, but her movements were sluggish, her reactions too slow. The rubber bullet struck her shoulder with a blunt, painful thud, and a stinging sensation that lingered.
"Ooowww!"
Pain radiated from the impact point, and Fii gritted her teeth, trying not to cry out. She touched the spot gingerly, feeling the beginnings of a small bruise forming under her fingers.
Edith lowered the gun, her eyebrows raised in surprise. "I expected you to use your gravikinesis," she remarked, a hint of disappointment in her voice.
Helix's voice cut through her pain. [Your reaction time was 0.3 seconds too slow. You can't rely on dodging. You need to deflect the bullets.]
Fii clutched her arm, trying to shake off the pain. "I... I wasn't ready," she admitted, her voice shaky.
"No one ever is," Edith replied, a wry smile on her face. "That's why you have to be prepared. Always be on guard."
Fii sighed, rubbing her shoulder. She got back up, planting her feet on the ground once again. "Fine. Let's try this again."
"Are you sure you want to continue?"
"Yep. I can take a few punches. Bring it." Fii raised her hands into a defensive stance, determined not to be caught off guard this time.
The gunshot rang out, echoing loudly in the enclosed space. Time seemed to slow as Fii watched the rubber bullet hurtle towards her. Panic surged, but she pushed it down, focusing instead on the gravitational field around her. She imagined a well of gravity in front of her, a force strong enough to pull the bullet off its trajectory.
The bullet veered off course, missing her by a hair's breadth. It slammed into one of the training dummies with a dull thud, leaving a visible dent in the metal.
Fii let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, relief flooding her. She had done it. She had deflected the bullet.
"Haha, I did it!"
Edith, however, was unimpressed. "That was sloppy," she commented, her voice sharp. "You need to be more precise. The bullet shouldn't have come that close."
Fii bristled at the criticism but bit back a retort. She knew Edith was right. "Got it," she said tersely. "I'll do better next time."
Helix's voice interrupted their exchange. [Prepare for the next shot.]
Fii took a deep breath, steeling herself. She couldn't afford to be complacent. She needed to be better, faster. She focused once more on her gravikinesis, feeling the ebb and flow of the gravitational forces around her.
Another shot rang out, and Fii was ready. She created a gravitational well, stronger and more precise this time. The rubber bullet veered off course, missing her by a wider margin. It bounced off the wall with a muffled thump.
"That was better," Edith admitted, lowering the gun. "But you can still improve. Remember, it's not just about deflecting the bullets. It's about controlling where they go."
Fii relaxed her stance, her body buzzing with adrenaline. She felt exhilarated, empowered.
I can block...freakin'...bullets!
"I got it," she replied, grinning. "Bring it on, Edith—"
Before Fii could finish her response, Edith raised the gun again, firing off a rapid succession of shots.
Fii's mind raced, her gravikinesis working overtime as she tried to deflect each bullet. She danced and weaved, using her powers to alter the bullets' trajectories, sending them flying in all directions. But the sheer number of projectiles was overwhelming, and she soon found herself dodging and weaving, trying to avoid getting hit.
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Despite her best efforts, she felt the sting of rubber bullets all over her body. But she didn't let the pain deter her. She kept moving, kept deflecting, using every ounce of her power to protect herself.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Edith stopped firing.
Fii collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. Her body was covered in bruises, and her muscles ached from the exertion. But despite the pain, she couldn't help but grin.
Edith knelt down beside her, handing her a bottle of water. "Not bad," she remarked, a faint smile on her face. "But you've still got a long way to go before you're ready to go out there and take on the gangs."
Fii nodded, wincing as she prodded one of the bruises on her arm. "Yeah, I can tell." She gulped down the water, letting its coolness soothe her parched throat. She wiped her mouth, glancing at Edith. "How long do you think it'll take?"
"Honestly, it's up to you. There aren't any metahumans with gravikinesis out there that I know of. So, you're going to have to learn based on your own intuition and observations. I'm only helping you with theory and some practical applications that I can think of. But most of it is on you to figure out."
Fii sighed, staring down at her battered and bruised body. "So, does that mean we're done for the day?"
Edith discarded the empty magazine and reloaded the gun, then pressed her glasses up her nose. "Hardly. This is only the beginning. We still have a long way to go. Now, get up. We're going again."
Fii groaned, but she obeyed, getting back on her feet.
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The sun had begun its descent, casting long shadows across the warehouse. The dimming light gave the place an eerie ambiance, but Fii was too focused on her training to notice. She stood in the center of the room, her eyes darting around, trying to anticipate where the next projectile would come from.
Edith had set up a series of automated launchers around the warehouse, each one capable of firing projectiles—more rubber bullets, pellets, and even paintballs—at different speeds and angles. The machines moved silently through the room, almost blending in with the shadows. Their targets: Fii.
The unpredictability of the launchers was meant to simulate a real-life combat scenario, where Fii wouldn't have the luxury of knowing where the next attack would come from.
"Remember," Dr. Edith called out from her vantage point near her desk, "the key is to anticipate the trajectory of the projectile and create a gravity well in its path. You won't always have time to react, so you need to be proactive."
Fii crouched low, shifting her weight from side to side as she prepared to spring into action. She could hear the whirring of the launchers as they powered up, and she braced herself for the onslaught.
The first projectile shot out from a launcher to her left, and Fii reacted instantly, creating a gravity well that deflected it harmlessly away. But before she could celebrate her success, another projectile came hurtling towards her from the right. She quickly shifted her focus, creating another gravity well to deflect it.
The projectiles came faster and faster, from all directions, and Fii found herself dancing around the room, creating gravity wells left and right. The strain was intense, but she managed to keep up, using her powers to guide the projectiles away from her. She ducked and weaved, never staying in one place for too long, and deflected each of the attacks.
The rhythm of the battle became clear.
Every now and then, she would be able to breathe and steal a moment to reflect, to think of how to adapt to the changing situation. Other times, she had to respond within a split-second, forcing her to rely on instinct and raw talent. Either way, the repetition made Fii's reflexes sharper as she became accustomed to the ebb and flow of the exercise.
She could feel herself getting better with each deflection, her reactions becoming sharper, her gravikinesis more precise.
Suddenly, a projectile came hurtling towards her from above.
She hadn't anticipated that, and she barely had time to create a gravity well above her head. The projectile veered off course, narrowly missing her, but the close call cost her. In the split-second she was distracted, another projectile struck her on the shoulder, sending her stumbling backward.
Fii cursed under her breath, but she recovered quickly, pushing herself back into the fray.
"That was close," Edith remarked, her voice echoing across the room. "Stay focused."
Fii nodded, wiping the sweat from her brow as she steadied herself for the next wave.
The training continued; projectiles kept coming, and Fii kept deflecting them, getting faster and faster with each attempt. She lost track of time, her entire world narrowing down to the projectiles and her gravikinesis. She felt like she was in a trance, her movements becoming fluid and instinctual.
Finally, after what felt like hours, the launchers powered down, and the room fell silent. Fii collapsed to the ground, her body aching and covered in sweat.
Edith approached her, a look of approval on her face. "Well done," she said, nodding. "You've come a long way in a short amount of time. I'm impressed."
Fii smiled weakly, too exhausted to speak. She just lay there, trying to catch her breath.
After a few moments, Dr. Edith spoke up again. "Now, let's move on to the next phase of your training."
Fii groaned, rolling her eyes. "You've got to be kidding me," she muttered.
Edith smirked, reaching under her desk and pulling out a small remote. "This," she said, holding it up for Fii to see, "is a drone controller. The drones are equipped with paintball guns, and they move much faster than the automated launchers."
Fii gulped, her eyes locked onto the controller. She had seen drones before, and she knew how fast and agile they could be. "This is going to be fun," she deadpanned.
"For this one," Edith continued, "we're going to work on advanced deflection techniques. So far, you learned to create individual gravity wells to deflect projectiles. Starting now, you'll learn to create a continuous gravitational field around you. Think of it as a shield."
Fii's eyes widened. "A gravity shield? That sounds... intense."
"It is," Edith confirmed. "But it's also essential. Sometimes, you won't have the luxury of creating individual gravity wells for every bullet or projectile. You can fall back on this method as a catch-all defense. The principle is the same as before. But instead of creating individual gravity wells, you'll be creating a continuous gravitational field around you. The challenge is to maintain the field for an extended length of time."
"So, I'm creating a bubble of gravity around me?"
Edith nodded. "Exactly. But remember, the field needs to be strong enough to deflect projectiles but not so strong that it pulls everything towards you."
The whir of the drones' motors filled the air, and the sleek, metallic machines sprang to life, zipping through warehouse. Fii's eyes widened in alarm as she scrambled to her feet, her exhaustion forgotten.
As the drones closed in, Fii took a moment to visualize the concept in her mind. She closed her eyes, focusing on her gravikinesis. She imagined a bubble of gravity forming around her, a protective shield that would keep her safe.
She felt a familiar pull, and when she opened her eyes, she saw small pebbles and debris floating around her, caught in her gravitational field.
The first drone fired, but its paintball whizzed past her, deflected by her defenses. Fii grinned in satisfaction. But before she could celebrate, another drone opened fire, its paintballs ricocheting off her invisible barrier.
"Keep your focus," Edith shouted from a safe distance. "Don't get cocky."
Fii bit back a snarky reply, keeping her concentration on maintaining the gravitational field. The drones swarmed around her, relentlessly peppering her with paintballs. Some of their shots slipped through, nicking her, but the majority missed thanks to her efforts.
As the battle wore on, Fii began to feel the strain. Maintaining a constant gravitational field was taxing, and she felt beads of sweat trickling down her forehead.
The assault continued, and Fii found herself surrounded by a storm of paintballs. She deflected each attack with relative ease, her gravitational shield proving effective. But she soon realized that Edith had been right—maintaining the shield was a drain on her reserves. She could already feel herself tiring, her concentration faltering.
Eventually, the drones flew back to their charging stations, and the warehouse fell silent. Fii released her gravitational field, collapsing to the ground again as exhaustion washed over her. She rolled onto her back, gazing up at the ceiling.
"How did I do?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Edith peered over her desk, her gaze inscrutable. "You're improving," she said. "But you still need to work on your stamina. You'll burn through your reserves far too quickly if you don't."
Fii sighed, closing her eyes. Her limbs felt like lead, and she could barely lift them. "Yeah, I know."
Edith offered her a small smile. "Don't worry. We'll keep working on it. And I promise you, you'll master your power."
Fii cracked open one eye, offering a weak smile. "Thanks, Edith."
With a groan, Fii hauled herself off the floor, stumbling to her feet. She gingerly stretched her arms, wincing as her muscles protested. "So, no more training, right? You said this was the last one."
"Yeah. Technically, I said the final phase of training, but same thing. However, that doesn't mean your training is over. If anything, that means you can start practicing on your own. Once I've seen that you've comfortably passed the minimum requirements that I've set for each training phase, you'll be cleared to go out and start making a name for yourself."
"A name for myself?"
Edith leaned back in her chair. "Well, yeah. How do you expect to become a superhero if no one knows who you are?"
Fii shrugged. "I dunno, I figured you'd help me with that."
"Oh, I will," Edith reassured her, smiling. "I'll make sure you've got the equipment you need. You just have to come up with a name."
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image [https://i.imgur.com/4gdpluU.png]