Not looking forward to today's training. Not at all. Why do I have to train with Marcus (number two)? I hate this guy. The other numbers usually keep to themselves but not this one. He always finds someway to piss me off.
Marcus is a big bulky guy. The biggest definitely among the numbers. Right now he's standing in front of me. We're supposed to fight on equal terms which means he has to use the strength of approximately 25 humans (my current power level).
Life is one big hurdle after another. Just after the mission with Will, the very next day I have to deal with this. Great. Well, I'm not going to go easy on him, I definitely have the upper hand. He has to contain himself while I can go out 100%.
We circle each other. Marcus starts the attack with a jab at my stomach which I quickly evade. He's surprised that I evaded his attack. I take this as my opportunity and jab him on his stomach instead. He flinches.
Tyson takes notes. He watches us closely. The other numbers also watch us. It's supposed to help their visual cognition and decision making or something like that.
"Lucky shot, loser," Marcus remarks.
I don't waste time on talking. I move on Marcus, alternating punches and kicks at him. I keep him on the defensive for a while until he gets fed up and jumps at me. I just move my body from a horizontal position to a vertical one. He misses me completely and lands face first on the mat.
Some of the numbers laugh, Will being the loudest as usual. Tyson takes some more notes.
Marcus gets up immediately and closes the distance between us. This time, Marcus gives it a shot at alternating punches and kicks. His emotions are clouding his movements. They feel forced like he has to connect rather than making them connect naturally. I easily dodge his advances. The more I dodge, the more agitated Marcus gets and the more sluggish his movements become. This is becoming rather boring. I see an opening and kick Marcus away.
He is breathing heavily, sweat dripping like crazy. Man needs a shower.
"Is that all you can do? Dodge like a sissy and land one lucky shot every now and then?" Marcus roars.
"What about you? You look like your having a tough time, against number ten too at that," I laugh.
"This match is rigged, of course you would do better than me. I never hold back but now I have to use such an insignificant amount of my power to play around with you. If I got serious, you would be dead. So why don't you just stay as the loser you are or die for all I care," explains Marcus.
That does it, he wants to talk dirty, we can talk dirty. I can shut him up real quick.
"At least my mom doesn't think I'm a monster," I utter.
All the hairs on Marcus' body rise. His eyes widen, veins pop out of his forehead and arms. Marcus releases a wild, savage cry. He makes a fist fused with all his power and connects it against my abdomen so fast no one has time to register what's going on.
I get sent flying. I don't know how many walls I break through but finally I feel myself land. It's weird. I can't move my body, I can't speak. Am I dying?
Miranda comes over and puts my head on her lap. She's crying, I can't hear her but I can see her. I can see her! I can see her! I am not dead! My mind is registering everything!
Miranda thinks I'm dead, she continues to shake my body, her tears rain down over my body.
**********
A few hours later, I'm moving around, talking, hearing and looking around perfectly fine. There's no pain, no nothing.
Apparently Tyson took Marcus away somewhere for punishment. I'm sitting beside Miranda, the other numbers are nearby. We're to wait until Tyson returns.
"I'm fine now, so you can let go of my hand Miranda," I say softly.
Miranda doesn't release my hand.
"No, let's just stay like this," she says.
I nod, trying my best to hide how pleased I am.
Some of the numbers occasionally give me looks but look away immediately. Have I become an outcast among outcasts? Why am I perfectly fine? Should I be worried or relived?
All these thoughts are making head buzz so I decide to shut them down for now and just wait for Tyson together with Miranda.