A… bird… talked…
In front of me is NOT a parrot, I can tell because parrots usually sound annoying when they repeat something they've heard. This one just spoke like it is second nature to it. It stood upon the edge of the garbage bin.
I was so surprised that I was stunned for a couple of seconds. I didn't even know what to think. The bird stared back at me like a normal bird. Was I just hearing things? Maybe controlling a clone can make me delusional after a while. That must be it. Or I thought, until the bird opened its mouth and started speaking like a normal human male, "Bulvik ni vuud paydi."
"What the hell!?" I flinched at the unexpected event. THE BIRD DID TALK! It sounds so formal, is it a person who can change into a bird? Is that possible?!
"How can you speak? Are you a person?" I responded, awaiting a reply, which I never received. "Hey! Do you understand me?" I said louder.
"Luujre huk!" The bird squawked a little aggressively before taking off and not turning back. What the… what the hell was that?! I thought to myself. Well, I guess I should add "talking animals" to the list of things I should get used to in this new life.
Shocked as I was, I moved on. I realized I had no way of transportation, and I don't like the idea of carrying my new clone while I slowly walk home. Even though I don't feel like I have enough energy in me, I decide to try to use my powers on my clone and attempt to control it.
With a little zap from the wrist, followed by severe brain aneurysms, I slowly awake from the clone's perspective. Watching my former clone staring back at me, I rattle my body, swiftly swelling my muscles and cause muscle cramps to occur. It must be like that due to the process of how it was fabricated.
My former cloned body had light fading from its eyes and eventually gave in and got on to its knees before finally falling asleep and collapsing. After my mentality stabilized, I realized I barely had any clothes on and decided to switch back to my former clone. I found a pair of crocs and ripped blue jeans behind one of the little shops. I hastily switched back and forth to put on the new clothes as to not let one of them fall on the ground. This made me realize that I noticeably got a little better managing my control between switching between clones. Before, I would need to focus almost twice as hard.
Now that we are both ready, I finally got to the part that I was avoiding, how am I going to walk both of us home? The last thing I wanted was to switch back and forth like crazy. Even though I could, it definitely makes me use up a lot of energy and makes me drowsy.
It does not appear to me that I have another choice. I started switching rapidly every ten seconds, so I had some recovery time to contain my brain cells. After only three seconds of switching, the empty clone fades out and I start dragging them. And it continues like that for a while.
There was still a lot of distance to cover, and it was getting very inefficient after five minutes, so I decided to go a little faster. Every time I counted up to seven, I would switch. Another ten minutes go by, I decide to go even faster. Every five seconds I was switching.
For the next, I think half an hour, I was getting used to it. I wasn't being as dizzy as before, it was more like a tingle I felt after switching. I think I even went faster than five seconds, unconsciously. I was evolving… I wish I could say it feels good, but after this many times of switching and dragging my selves at a snails pace, it was tiring.
Still a mile to go. I don't know why I had to go to a far place in the beginning, it definitely proved itself to be a pain.
But as we walked, yes, walking. We started to be more in sync. Or it could be that I'm switching connections so seamlessly that it feels almost natural. Only a while ago, I was switching every three seconds. The more energy I put out, and the faster I use it, the better results.
An hour before, switching felt like opening and closing one of my eyes and getting dizzy, now it feels like I'm shifting left and right smoothly. This is like practice to me, and it's amazing.
But what if I just keep getting better?
I decide we should both sit down on a nearby bench on the sidewalk and relax for a little while. I look around to see some people walking and driving on the streets. It feels so empty now, everyone must be inside, even though it has almost been a month.
As I stare blankly, I start thinking about the actions that have occurred. It is quite a lot to process. As I think about my improvement of switching rapidly between clones, I came to a realization. For some reason, when I initially made a connection to my new clone, it wasn't as bad as switching between my former clone. Actually, comparing them both is like comparing a minor headache to someone throwing your brain in the blender and putting it back in place afterward.
I vaguely remember that when I switched bodies before, I could perceive my memories coming back to me like a train full of knowledge. However, it wasn't at all like that in this new scenario, when I switched I immediately understood that I was the clone and my memories felt like they were already there.
Before I finish my thought, I notice someone walking close towards me. I look up to see a woman, who is wearing some kind of professional attire for business.
She looks at me with her sunglasses on while holding on to her handbag. They reflect the sky in a dark-crimson color tone, so I can barely make out the outline of her eyes.
I'm not sure why, but instead of talking, I just froze up. I never noticed her coming at all. She was standing in between my sleeping clone and I.
She looks at the clone, then me, "So…" she speaks. I quickly searched around her person to spot any weapons, none I could see.
"Are you two like twins?" She asked while turning towards me again. Her voice was calm and soothing. I think I was too tired mentally to respond. I just didn't feel like talking, so I didn't respond back.
After a second of silence, she opens her mouth once more.
"You're a quiet on, aren't you."
"What do you want?" I talked a little, sounding less confident than I intended.
"No need to be shy, I'm just trying to make friends."
I sounded shy to her? Either way, the last thing I want right now is get my self wrapped up with some shady person with unknown abilities. When she appeared out of nowhere, that could be some kind of stealth ability.
"So, what can you do?" She asks, slowly leaning in.
"What do you mean?"
"You know… powers" She interrogates.
I keep shut.
"Oh, how ill-mannered of me. What's your name? You can call me… Marilyn." She steps back. All I can think of, is that she doesn't look like a Marilyn.
She smiles at me normally, too normally. I'm probably paranoid, but I'm tired and just wish she would go away.
I decided to not answer her once more. After some silence, a black sedan drives into the side of the street, the door opens and a man in the same professional attire pops out and starts calling.
"Miss! We need to head out now, the officer won't be happy if we are late." The man shouts.
"Oh shoot!" She turns to face the man, then turns back to me and waves her arm, "Well, I guess it's time to go," as to signal a goodbye. She enters the car and it takes off urgently.
What are they, some kind of spies? I ask myself.
Either way, I will go now, I've rested more than enough. And while that woman was yammering, something came to mind and I want to test a new theory.
I stood up and started rapid switching between clones as I was doing before. This time, I only felt a little dizzy instead of a full headache, which is what happens when switching after more than a couple of minutes. It definitely felt more natural and easy. But that wasn't what I wanted to know. What I really wanted to know is what would happen if I was able to switch as fast as possible.
So I started going faster, from every five second switch to four, then three, and I couldn't get any faster, I just couldn't switch fast enough. It feels like a muscle, and I just can't flex it fast enough, it needs a little time to rest each time I switch. I kept trying harder and harder, I got as fast as two seconds, but it drains far more energy than waiting an extra second.
I started to slowly notice that my energy felt like it was flowing instead of targeting a different body. It motivated me to keep going at it. Switch, then take two steps, then switch, two steps, take two steps, then... Wait... my other clone just took steps without me switching...