Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Aaramina ❯ Chapter Five ( Chapter 5 )

CHAPTER FIVE

 

That morning, not long after dawn had broken, the hatch of the silo opened. Suddenly, Narxon came flying out of the silo as if he were tossed and he landed on the desert sand with all the grace of a thrown test dummy.

 

“Whyyyy...” Narxon groaned. “It's barely morning. I still haven't fully recovered after last night.” He shivered as if recalling the memory was painful itself.

 

“Oh, suck it up, ya big baby,” Aara hovered out of the hatch and it closed just as she made her way out. She touched down on ground lightly and her Omega field dispersed. “Take a look around you.”

 

Narxon looked up. “It's nothing but desert and buttes as far as the eye can see.”

 

“Indeed. All of this belongs to me. This is my property.”

 

“Don't the Imaltians get suspicious?” asked Narxon as he stood up. “As far as I know, you have illegal weapons here. Myself included.” It suddenly dawned on Narxon how ugly things could get if the Imaltians found out about his cybernetic nature.

 

“Heh! Don't underestimate Betsy and I. Them fruity elves ain't got nothing on us,” Aara said. “Betsy may seem like just a cranky old bat, but she's the best mad scientist in the galaxy, better than all of those Imaltian fruitcake scientists combined. There's a field around this entire area. Basically, it doesn't allow anyone we don't want here in. We're undetectable on radar, and if someone unauthorized just happens to be lost in the desert, and then passes through the field, they'll end up teleported to the other side of the field, and they'll be none the wiser.”

 

Narxon blinked. “I don't get how that works.”

 

“Me neither,” Aara shrugged. “But if someone can make the impossible possible, then Betsy can. In all our years, she has never failed in anything. But, we're getting off topic now. These lands are now our training ground. We have plenty of room to test your abilities. Now! For your first lesson, Narxon, you see that butte way off in the distance there? Tell me what's on top of it.”

 

Narxon seemed unsure of how this could be considered a lesson, but he squinted so he could see. “Hmm, it's hard to make out. But... I can certainly see something... But it looks like... wait a moment, are those football uprights?”

 

At that moment, Aara booted Narxon in the arse, sending him flying off in the distance. He went right through the football uprights.

 

“Three points,” Aara said matter-of-factly.

 

Later

 

“What did that have to do with training?” asked a rather beat-up looking Narxon.

 

“Nothing, really. I've just been dying to do that for the past few years. But it didn't hurt, right?”

 

“No, not really. I hardly felt anything, for that matter.”

 

“Good, seems you're tough enough to take hits, then,” nodded Aara. “Now, Lesson Number Two Which is an Actual Lesson: Your new cyborg body has ten levels of protection on it. Level One is the highest level of protection and is the level you are currently on. Level Ten has absolutely no protection at all, and turns you into a one-man army. But it's only recommended that you use that setting only in the most dire of circumstances. Right now, I have control of your protection levels.” Aara held up a small remote. “Though I will be able to transfer protection level control to you, once you get the hang of it.”

“I get it so far, but how will I know which levels to switch to?” asked Narxon.

 

“I'll list them off,” said Aara. “Level One is a complete limiter, you're basically no different from a normal guy, except for the fact that you still have your defensive capabilities. Level Two gives you your superhuman strength. Though your weapons are still unusable. Level Three gives you the ability to fly. This is the Level you probably want to be in most of the time, because you'll be flying a lot. Level Four gives you your minor, non-lethal weapons, such as stun guns and training swords, Level Five gives you your primary weapons. Level Six allows use of your super weapons, and the levels above that just give you increased power of all your functions with each level you go up. Right now, I'm going to bump you up to Level Two.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Aara pressed a button on the remote. Nothing seemed to happen.

 

“I don't feel any different.”

 

“Try taking a step,” said Aara.

 

But as soon as he moved his leg, Narxon suddenly flew upwards and hit the sand with a whump.

 

“Wait, how did that- gah!”

 

He had attempted to get up, but that just sent him flying upwards again. He faceplanted into the sand. After that, every move he made would send him flying in one direction or another. Aara watched this with great amusement.

 

“I love this job,” she said.

 

Later again...

 

“Baby steps, now. Come on,” said Aara.

 

Aara was now sitting on Narxon's shoulders as Narxon tried desperately to walk and not send himself flying again. He lifted his legs with great caution, and it took him forever just to take one step.

 

“One foot in front of the other, just like that song in Santa Claus is Comin' to Town,” advised Aara.

 

“Please tell me you aren't gonna start singing- whoa!”

 

In the middle of a step, Narxon lost balance and fell forward; this had the effect of launching Aara like a rocket towards the butte with the football uprights on it. When she impacted it, it shattered like glass. After a while, Aara's voice rang out from that direction.

 

“YOU MISSED THE GOAL!! YOU GET ABSOLUTELY NO POINTS, YOU AMATEUR!!”

 

Later again...

 

“Somehow, I think I got the hang of walking,” said Narxon, walking around normally.

 

“See? You can do it if you try. But now, you need to learn how to control your strength. See that boulder over there?” Aara pointed at a random rock.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Give it a good poke.”

 

Narxon had seemingly barely tapped the rock and instantly it shattered.

 

“Holy mother of...” Narxon was so startled by this event that he fell back, his foot kicking up a larger piece of the boulder in the process and sending it straight upwards.

 

“Huh,” said Aara, looking up where the rock had disappeared into the sky. “I think you knocked it into orbit.”

 

Later yet again...

 

“Well, Narxon, since you're having trouble controlling your strength in this manner, I've brought up an alternative method,” Aara flew up from the silo, holding a small orange kitten in her hands. “I want you to try to pet this kitten without killing it.”

 

“For one, NO, I am not using this method you sick bitch, two, since when have you had that kitten?”

 

“Oh, I found him on the streets last night during our little trip,” said Aara. “But, you have a soft spot for cats, eh? Well, all the more reason to try to control your strength. She set the kitten down on the ground, it walked up to Narxon and it started purring and rubbing up against his leg. Narxon didn't dare move. He just stood there, still as a statue, though he continuously mouthed “Aaramina, I hate you I hate you I hate you,” under his breath.

 

“Pet the kitten, Narxon, your training depends on it,” Aara demanded.

 

“Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!” Narxon cursed. “I'm going to regret this, I am so going to regret this. Goddammit, I hate you so much, Aara.”

 

Ever so slowly, Narxon began to lower himself down to the point where he was sitting on his knees. He slowly raised a hand towards the kitten, who was eagerly awaiting a headrub. His arm shook, sweat poured from Narxon's body. As slow as he could, he touched the kitten, and barely started rubbing the top of its head.

 

“Ah, the Kitten Method. Works every time,” said Aara. “You'll now be learning to handle that kitten to learn to control your strength. You had better take good care of it.”

Narxon didn't say anything, he just continued to lightly stroke the purring kitten's head.

 

END OF CHAPTER FIVE

 

Note: Yeah, short chapter, but I did say that some chapters may be a couple pages less than the norm.