THE NEXT DAY...
Penelope drove south towards Houston, with two additional passengers in her vehicle. Too bad only one of them was visible; she couldn't take the toll roads.
Her vehicle was a second hand Volvo, and it mostly functioned. On the back bumper, tens of bumper stickers formed a web of crazy fonts and stencil images. Oscar had avoided reading too many, as he didn't want headaches trying to imagine what other things were actually real.
Zarog, meanwhile, glared at him from the back seat. Oscar had been so busy selling his motorcycle and getting packed, they hadn't had the time to discuss this "training" yet.
"So, how fast can we get my legs working?"
"That depends largely on you, lad. How well will you comprehend star dust? In what ways will you be able to control it? Just these two questions alone will take weeks of evaluation, and we haven't even developed a treatment plan, yet!"
Penelope, thinking the question was directed towards her, voiced a concern.
"Brother, I've been thinking... Is it such a good thing to heal your legs right away? I mean, putting whatever this tribulation thing is aside, won't people come to investigate the comet? Like those spooky, black suited men in 'Alien Mysteries'!"
If it were just two days ago, Oscar would chastise her for confusing television and reality. Now, however, he didn't dare take even her crazier conspiracy theories lightly.
"She's a smart lass, i'll give her that. Now, I'm going to begin lesson #1, before you stress any more. Tell her you are going to meditate, and close your eyes."
Oscar did as instructed, and thus could not see Zarog fly into the base of his spine. He did, however, feel an intense sinking feeling, followed by a sense of weightlessness.
"Okay, open them!"
Oscar found himself floating across an empty expanse of cloudy sky. Directly in front of him, Zarog stood next to a massive structure. It looked like a rectangular temple, resplendent in glittering gold.
"What is this? Where are we?"
"Say hello to your Star port, located in what I believe your species calls the tail bone."
"This is inside me!?!"
"Oh, save the stupefied look for the end, please. This is the least cool thing I have to tell you, after all."
Oscar folded his legs into a lotus seating position, and gestured at Zarog.
"Continue, then."
"Excellent, so do you remember those twinkles from earlier?"
"You mean that weird glitter?"
"Glitter... Oh yes, it could have that appearance too. Anyways, that stuff is called star dust; it comes from exploding stars, and is present throughout our universe. Now this star port here will allow you to absorb star dust, and use it to strengthen your body."
"Cool! So I just absorb a ton of this star dust and my legs are healed?"
"You puny body has far more wrong with it than just those legs. Can you survive the vacuum of space? Can you withstand a direct hit from an FRB? Will your cells melt under the constant bombardment of background radiation? By opening the doors to this temple, your body will gain the power to accomplish those things."
"The front door isn't even open, though," Oscar said while pointing to the imposing lock affixed to the front entrance.
"Yup, we just completed the shedding and installed your cultivation organs! It takes way more energy to open these bad boys."
"And I take it that... eliminating other participants supplies that energy?"
"You mean killing the other unlucky saps like yourself? Yup, that is one method. Another is directly absorbing star dust in the atmosphere, and another still is breaking down valuable minerals."
"Minerals?"
"Don't ask me why, but star dust seems to accumulate in minerals more easily than plants or animals. A rare enough stone could equal years of atmospheric absorption. This takes us back to the main question: your training."
"I don't understand, didn't you just say opening those temple doors are key?"
"You aren't thinking broad enough. Remember that memory fragment you saw, during the shedding? While star dust is probably the best energy source for body strengthening, it can be used for many things: changing the weather, shooting laser beams, making unbreakable items, even controlling the cosmic forces themselves!"
"And I don't have enough time to learn everything, since the clock is already ticking."
"Exactly. Plus, the starting requirements to learn some things can be stringent; I'm talking intensive surgery and months rehabilitation stringent, here."
Oscar, having experienced Zarog's memory, knew it was best to not leave the decision in his hands.
"Hmm... What about that thing you used to become visible? I'd be nice to not have to relay whatever you say to Penelope."
"You mean funneling? That's more a partial possession on my part... But then again, controlling the flow of star dust is as good a place to start as any. Okay, I'll draft up some lesson plans, now scram!"
"Why do I have to scram, this is my body! Besides, I don't even know how to leave."
"Just close your mind's eye and open your actual eyes."
"What?"
"... Turn down your strangeness and increase your charm."
"Now I'm more confused."
"Oh lord, you don't even know the eightfold way!?! Fine, I'll kick you out!"
Zarog did just that, literally kicking the astral Oscar. He immediately awoke to find himself in the middle of being placed in his chair.
"Oh, you're awake," Penelope said with a start, causing him to plop into the wheelchair with a THUNK!
"You could have slapped me awake, you know?"
"But you looked so peaceful. Anyway, we are here," Penelope exclaimed while pointing to her apartment's exterior...