Grandma brought John to sleep on her lap, as he had wept continuously until he slept off. She placed him on the bed before putting the blanket over his body as it was a cold night, and she closed the door silently so as not to wake her sleeping grandson.
The next morning, John stood up energized,
"I feel great this morning (yawns). Awwn, grandma placed a blanket over me."
John! John! Get down now.
"Why would Gramps be calling me down when I just woke up now?" John said as he sluggishly stood up from the bed. John walked down the stairs but looked surprised when he reached the last step.
"What the... gramps, how are you up on your feet already?", John exclaimed.
"Are you shocked your old man can handle little bruises", grandpa replied before staring at John's face purposefully.
"By the way, what's that look on your face? Were you crying?", grandpa added.
"Uhm, I took a quick shower before sleeping. That's why I look this way". "Okay if you say so", Grandpa replied with a serious look on his face, as if he were suspecting John.
"By the way, go freshen up, son; training will soon be starting".
John immediately went back upstairs and quickly took off his top before dashing into the shower. "Crap, I can't believe I forgot to remove my trousers".
Meanwhile, Grandpa went down to the basement of the apartment to set up the training room.
"I think this place will do, although it's a little rusty," said Grandpa.
Grandpa turned on the electric switch at the entrance of the basement before all the lights began to switch on.
"Wow, this place might not actually need much work after all", he said before stepping into the room, which was completely white and wide.
ring! ring!
"Meet me down the basement", grandpa said to John through his mobile phone. John quickly dried up his hair with the hair dryer before rushing down the basement.
"Wow, this place is awesome. How come this place is so big, though?".
"It's an underground training room I constructed during... anyway, that's not important. This is where you will be training from now on. This room minimizes the emission of your powers, at least to a very low level, if I must say".
Meanwhile, John wasn't paying attention at all; he was just focused on reaching the edges of the wide room.
"John! Focus, we don't have all day". "Yes, sir!" John replied.
"We will be trying to find out about your powers, John; I believe you don't know them yet, right?", grandpa asked interrogatively as he curiously waited for John's reply in anticipation.
"No, sir," John replied while nodding his head.
"We will be starting with the breathing techniques I taught you last time, but I want you to add a little something. I don't know how you can channel your energy since I don't know what your power is yet, but I do mine by just breathing in and out while trying to move my core. Like this," grandpa said before activating his score to show John.
fwoosh!
"Now you try!"
"Breathe in, bring out... Grandpa, I can feel something".
"Very well, keep up with it then". "Crap, it's just my stomach growling."
After two long hours, John managed to activate his core by just thinking of activating it.
"So it was that easy!" exclaimed John as he began jumping up and down.
"How can it be so easy", Grandpa thought before attempting to try it as well, but to no avail.
"Is this how ultimate power feels like?" I almost gave up back there", John said, still in excitement.
"We don't know what your power is, John; why don't you test it?" What do you feel you can do right now?".
"Why don't I test it then", he said before approaching a training mannequin down the hall.
pow! pow!
"hun!!" John exclaimed as he stared in awe at the place he just punched.
"Uhm, grandpa, is this normal or what?", he muttered in a shaky tone.
"It's not normal, my boy. I can't believe you couldn't even make a dent in the training mannequin meant for low-class supernaturals".
"I'm doomed!", John yelled as he grabbed his head tightly.
"Don't worry, John, it's not useless; let's try what else you can do."
"Ok," John replied. "If it's okay, why don't you do something you are good at, like jumping or running?" added grandpa.
"Oh, running, that should be it," John said as he stayed in the running stance.
"1,2,3 go!".
Immediately, John dashed with all his might, but surprisingly, he was actually fast, as only a glimpse of him could be seen as he ran.
"Oh sh*t, it actually worked. I am a superhero. Grandpa, did you see that? ..."
"Of course, John, but is that really all you do? Why don't you try shooting fireballs from your hands or something, or maybe healing?"
"I don't feel anything else, Gramps, no strength, energy ball, or healing. But wait, how do I actually feel it?".
"Oh John!" sighed grandpa.
After two hours of trying to find out John's powers, only one thing could be concluded: John had only one power, which is speed.
"Oh boy, I guess I am just a fucking loser with or without powers.". "That's not it, John. There is a legend about a man, or boy, so to speak, who had only one power but had the ability to use the majority of other powers. "I'm not sure what it was, but I think it was speed probably," grandpa asserted.
"You just made my mood worse, man, with that bloody ass lie", John interrupted.
"Why don't you keep on training your skills more, John? Maybe...".
"Come on, Gramps, I think I've had enough practice for today. Besides, what I can only do is save a little boy from getting hit by a vehicle or something,", John sighed.
"If I told you the potential you might have, John, I don't think you would doubt your powers", grandpa thought to himself.
"I can't believe the powers I felt back then when I slumped were just weak ass speed powers. I mean, what good can actually come from them?" John grumbled to himself.
"I wonder what could have happened back there..." Grandma thought as she spotted John mumbling to himself. "Let me go set the tables now", Grandma muttered before putting on her apron and heading towards the kitchen.
Meanwhile, John, who was still frustrated, suddenly looked out of his window and spotted people on dirt bikes approaching the building. "Who are those people?", he muttered with a confused look in his face. "I thought this place was a wasteland. Wait, what the..." he added before quickly rushing down to inform his grandparents.
"grandpa, grandma!" He shouted hesitantly. "I think they are here!".
"Who!" Grandpa and Grandma replied in chorus.
"The vi-vi llains. But I thought they were no longer active,", John stuttered.
"There is an emergency exit shuttle down the basement; I want you and your grandma to go down there and...".
crash!
"Howdy Kevin!".
"Change of plans; just find a way to survive at least to..."
"Don't worry, Kevin, we are not here to hurt you. We just wanna have a little talk and, of course, take the boy,", said the female black hog member, who appeared to be in her fortys. She had black curly hair and wore a tight black dress to showcase her figure.
"Over my dead body, Jessica", grandpa replied.
"You see, I've always liked you, you know!" Not until you married that useless b*ch you call a wife", Jessica replied furiously.
"Why don't you have your little family reunion while I go back inside?" John said nervously.
"Philip! "Bind the boy; we don't know what he is capable of yet," Jessica exclaimed.
"Did I hear the word bind or were my ears aching?", John muttered as he began sweating profusely. "You heard me right, kid. Bind the boy now!" Jessica replied.
"There is an emergency drop pod to your right. I want you to go over there and jump in", whispered Grandpa to Grandma. "What about John?" Grandma whispered back. "I can handle it; just jump down now.".
"but i...", Immediately, Grandpa pushed Grandma into the pod.
"John, run!" grandpa shouted. Immediately, John began to run, activating his powers while he was at it.
"Maxwell, get a hold of the boy!" yelled Jessica.
"Well, this isn't going as planned, is it?", Jessica muttered as she began walking towards Grandpa.
"I guess it's me and you then," smirked Jessica.