It was about 6 am, but Rachel was too excited to start training, so she told me to help her push all of the tables to the side. I struggled with this task, as they were covered in machinery of varying sizes. Rachel, however, had moved 3 tables while I was struggling with my first. This is even more impressive by the fact that she lifted and CARRIED them. She simply grabbed one end of the table and carried it to the wall, as one would carry a pizza box.
One I finally get my table to the wall, I'm already super tired.
"Why are you so strong?" I ask, breathlessly.
"I already told you," she shrugs. "I lift."
I roll my eyes. "Well yeah, but that doesn't answer my question."
Rachel sits on the edge of a table. "I guess I should explain it since you're gonna be my student."
I scoff but she keeps talking. "You know about the Acres, right?"
I nod. I had learned about this in history class.
When Fulton City was built when Mr. Fulton came into power, as is the tradition of out loving presidents. Whenever a president comes into power, they get district named after them for them to control, and President Fulton chose this nice central spot in the United Districts (formerly known as the United States). This area wasn't always futuristic. None of them were. In fact, this spot was one of the few spots left on the continent that wasn't deforested and modernized. Mr. President believed that this was hindering human advancement, so he built yet another large city. The city I sadly call home.
The Acres are the patches of natural land left generally untouched by the presidents. The presidents are required by law to leave at least a little bit of land unprocessed should they decide to create a city. People who previously owned that land or cannot afford to live in the city build villages in the Acres and cultivate the land to survive. Some villages make it, others don't. Some house rebellions. Should the President in power find about such a thing, the village is burned to the ground or bombed, and the whole village is arrested.
Each District has a village(s) around them. Fulton City has 1 village associated with it; I think. Politicians call it Village F.
Rachel then continues. "Good. So, I assume you know about the Village southwest of the City?"
I nod. "Village F, right?"
"Right. What else do you know about it?"
I pause. "There's more to know about it?"
Rachel's face falls. "They really do tell no one."
"Tell us?" I ask.
Rachel exhales. "President Fulton is not a good person, but you probably knew that already." Rachel takes another breath. "Fulton has Dipotymene factories down there."
My blood runs cold. "…really?"
Rachel nods. "He forces the villagers there to work in them, or he'll raid our village."
I pause, taking that in. "That's terrible. You're from there?"
Rachel nods once again. "Yep. When Fulton was built, my family couldn't afford to live in the city, so we lived in the village down there with about half a dozen other families. When Azure Energy was pioneered, battery factories were built in Village F, and all villagers 5 years old and up and to work in there."
I sit there in silence taking in the information.
"The conditions are anything but safe, too," Rachel says. "The machinery is huge and hella heavy, even the battery pallets." Her expression got dark. "It was pretty often when something would break, since our valiant president couldn't spare a dime for better equipment. And when stuff breaks, it falls. You wanna know what I lift? I lift those hot chunks of metal off of my family."
"I'm so sorry," I say.
Rachel has tears welling up in her eyes. "I wasn't always strong, either. There were always people I couldn't reach in time. And if that didn't kill us, the factory waste would. Dipotymene particles were constantly in our water, and especially in the air. I've lost too many people to the poisoning." A tear runs down her cheek. "That's why I left them to move out here. I have to stop the problem at its source: President Fulton, himself.
I nod. "I understand." I stand up. "I'll do whatever I can to help."
Tears are silently streaming down Ray's face now. "Thank you. But please…" Rachel trembles silently. "I don't want to you lose you, too. I haven't had a friend in so long…"
I hesitate at first, then lean in and give her an awkward hug. She hugs back, crying into my shoulder. After a couple moments, she sits up and wife her face.
"That's enough of that, then," Rachel stands up. "Crying won't solve the problem. Let's get to work."
Rachel walks me to the center of the room. "Stand in front of me."
I obey and take my spot.
"All right," Rachel adopts a fighting stance, boxing, I think. "Put 'em up."
I try to match her stance the best I can, but it feels super awkward.
Rachel shakes her head and walks over to me. "There's your issue, super-boy. We have to fix this right now."
Rachel uses her foot and widens my stance, then she lengthens it. I feel way more balanced now.
"How's that?" she asks.
"Way better," I say surprisedly.
"Good. Now make sure you stay light on your feet. Don't stay rooted."
Rachel returns to her position. "Look." Rachel shifts her weight and bounces up on her toes. "Light and agile."
I copy her movement.
"Just like that," she says. "Now your power makes you super-fast. We have to be able to use that in battle too, for offense and defense. So I want you to dodge my attacks."
I pause. "Dodge?"
Ray shrugs. "Or block."
I think back to Ray fighting the mutant. She laid that thing out with little to no effort. If she hits me I could be seriously hurt.
"Ready or not…" Rachel says, closing the distance way faster than I could've thought. My brain stalls and I'm unable to react. Before I can blink there is a fist an inch away from my nose.
"Too slow," she says smirking. "You'd be asleep on the ground by now. Try again."
Ray returns to her spot and gets into her stance. "Actually dodge this time, 'kay?"
I exhale. "Right…"
Rachel rushes at me in the same manner, throwing a jab at the center of my face.
In that second, I activate my power and dodge around the punch, the attack still almost connecting with my head.
"There ya go," Rachel says. "Here's another!"
Rachel shifts her weight and throws a rook with her back hand. This attack is WAY faster than a back-hand hook should be. I leap back out of the way.
Rachel laughs. "That was pretty good."
I however, was not laughing. My heart was racing, and not from my powers. These punches are DANGEROUS. There is a feeling in the back of my mind telling me that this is a fight I can't win. Rachel's aura is almost immobilizing. I kneel down, my breathing labored.
Rachel walks over. "You good?"
I nod my head and sit down, my heart-rate returning to normal. "You're a serious fighter, Ray. I fell like I'm in actual danger even thought we're just training."
Rachel nods. "I've gotten that before." Then she laughs. "Must be because I have no clue how to hold back!"
I feel the blood drain from my face.
"Just kidding!"
I almost pass out.
"You need to lighten up, Evan. I'm not gonna hurt ya!" Rachel reaches her hand down to help me up. She pulls me to my feet, and I stretch.
"Thanks for the pointers," I say.
"No problem," Rachel smiles.
Suddenly there is a storm out footsteps rushing past the door.
Rachel gasps and grabs my shirt. She hurls me into the healing pod like I'm trash bag and slams the lid shut. She then grabs a tarp and tosses it over the machine. Just then the door opens. I can barely make out what is said next.
"New mutant outbreak on the Northside." It's Commander Valice. "Suit up and meet us down there. This one is big."
"Yes ma'am," Rachel replies, and I hear the door slam shut.
The tarp is then ripped off the machine and Rachel hops on top of the lid, straddling it with her face pressed against the glass.
"Oh my gosh, Evan! We have another mission!!!"