13 Chapter 12
Before I even know it, I've already been in this world for a week. Spending a majority of my time in this place, I again, manage to learn a few things. And while at it, I've also been practicing psionics with Lily. Despite having the Character Building Tool at my disposal, I still found it hard to train with psionics. Focusing on myself and avoid leaking a majority of my psionic energy is pretty hard to do at first. But as I practice more and more, I became used to it. There's still leaks here and there, but compared to my first try, there's a major contrast.
-Sigh -Sigh
"Good! You're not leaking much of your psionic energy, anymore"
As usual, I'm again practicing psionics with Lily. I've spent practically a few days, training with her. And in the time spent, I can say that my total control and understanding with psionics has been better, overall. I still haven't learned a single ability, yet. But judging on how hard the basics have been, for me. I assume that, when I get to the advance stuff, it will get harder.
-Sigh -Sigh
"...Well that ends, today's training. Rest well, for tomorrow's"
"T-thank... God.. I-It's over..."
-Slam
Feeling tired from my training, I feel down to the floor. Gasping for air, I tried relaxing myself on cold and hard ground. If you're wondering where I'm currently am, I'm at the Training Room in the same floor. I somewhat find it weird that a Training Room is located in the same place as the Clinic. But from what I heard of Isaac. He mentioned that, the Training Room supposedly helps some patients who are recovering in a way. So, I can't really argue with that.
"-Sigh.. So? How's my progress, now?"
"Not bad... You're already learning on how to properly focus your psionic energy. So it won't probably be too long for you to begin with the advance stuff"
"Really now?"
"Fortunately, yes. Normally we should be training on how to increase your psionic energy. But seeing how you're an odd one, with an already large amount of psionic energy. You pretty much skip that part of the training"
"I see... that's unfortunate"
"Why? Normally people would be thrilled about it"
"Well... Isn't skipping things, tend to result in bad things"
"For your case... I can't say. But if you're really adamant about it, then I suggest you try meditating and using the flower"
"T-thank you, for the Tip. Umm... L-Lily"
"Stop with that crap, will you. Just say my name normally. It's not like I'm going to bite you or anything"
"Sorry, I just thought that you might offense if I don't call you by your profession"
-Sigh
"Anyway, I'll go back to my work, now. So, you can now do whatever that is you're planning"
"Thanks for the training... And goodbye.. I guess"
"See you again, Bruce. And please turn off the lights, when you're leaving"
And with that over, Lily leaved the place, to continue her work. Living me alone at the room. Still exhausted from the training, I lay there for a moment. Before leaving the place. Turning off the lights, I wearily leave the Training Room and make my way to the elevator. While preparing to leave the floor, I suddenly stopped my tracks when I felt a familiar feeling at my stomach.
-Growwll...
...I should probably buy some food.
Heading my stomach's needs. I went to the canteen to buy something for dinner. Knowing that Claire probably won't have dinner as well. I bought myself some food that is good for two people. While on the topic of food, despite the things being foreign to me. I'm quite surprised to see that a majority of the food served, wasn't that bad. Although with that said, I can't help but noticed, that a majority of the food served here is quite lacking in the veggie side.
Finished with ordering the food. I again ride the elevator back to the dorms. Arriving at my room, I calmly open the door, using my keys. And casually walked inside.
"Oh? Big bro you're back. How's work?"
"A-ahhh... pretty good. A-anyway, I brought food"
"Ohhh... is it mushboar steak?"
"You going to get fat, if you keep eating that. So, I brought something more nutritional. For a change"
"Boo..."
"Stop giving me that look will you. I'd just spent a majority of our money paying on taxes. So, we're little on the financial side right now"
"Fine..."
"So? How's school?"
"Pretty ok. Teacher Katherine gave us a lesson about history, today"
"Oh? A history on what?
"Terracore, mainly about how it's created"
Hearing what Claire just said, I was quickly reminded of another information that I've gathered. Supposedly, Terracore was created by Terratech; a renowned tech company. As a last bastion of humanity. After a war which devasted the whole world and made the lands unhabitable. Another weird thing I found about said information. Is that, after holing up the last of humanity. A majority of workers in Terratech just disappeared all of the sudden, never to be seen again. And with the disappearance of the people leading the bastion, people eventually divided themselves creating factions of their own. Which in total created the society of Terracore, today.
I wonder what cause those people to disappear.
"Anyway, what you bought?"
"Ahh.. It's cave bunny soap with mushrooms and also beans"
"Ehhh.."
"We'll be eating this, Until I receive my next payment, which is today. So, you won't be having that look for too long"
"Ok... I'll go and prepare the plates"
After preparing the plates, we quickly had our dinner meal. Eating the meal, I again found it surprising that the soup didn't taste that bad. The combination of the bunny? Meat and mushrooms gave the soup this alluring taste that I can't describe, while the beans just taste awful.
.
.
.
"The beans taste like crap, big bro"
"...-Sigh. Just eat it... I promise I'll bring something better for dinner"
"Okay..."
Finishing our not so good lunch, we quickly washed the plate and went on our day. Claire wanting to study more, went to the facility library. While me on the other hand, Went and check the laptop for any messages.
Let's see...
Checking the messages for anything new, I've managed to discover another message by Harold. Clicking the message, I again was greeted with a bunch of text.
Sender: Harold Gears
Subject: Payment
Hello again, Bruce. I've heard about your first mission from Banner. Tough shit, getting chased by rats. I'm quite surprised that you've manage to survive. So, good for you.
Anyway... Congratulations, on a job well done. As for your payment, visit me on my office. You can grab it there.
Finally, about time.
Closing the laptop, I quickly headed to the outside. Opening said door, I was caught off-guard when a person whom I've never meet, was standing outside.
"M-may I help you?"
"Umm.. Are you perhaps, sir Bruce?"
"Indeed, that's m-me..."
"Umm.. I-I'm here to deliver your package"
"Package?"
"A-aahhh... the one you ordered from miss Grace"
Hearing what the person just said, I was quickly reminded of the things that I ordered from Grace. It has been a few days, when she said that she'll deliver it to me. Has it finally come.
"Ahh, yes! The one from Grace. Have it finally arrived?"
"Yes, I have it right here. You'll just have to sign the paper to complete the transaction"
Signing the paper, I am now in possession of the package. Opening the thing, I was greeted with the clothes that I've ordered and 5 magazines suspiciously tuck inside the clothes. I guess she tried hiding it, in case Claire is the one to receive the package.
How thoughtful of her.
Putting the new clothes in the cabinet. I again, continue my travel to Harold's office. With 5 new magazines in hand, I'm now more secure than before.
Let's hope that I don't get into another situation, similar to the rat incident.
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Arriving at Harold's office, as usual I knock on the door and carefully enter the place. What greeted me was the familiar room with Harold relaxing on his desk, without a care in the world.
"Oh? You've finally arrived, you fucking cunt. I was wondering when your slow-ass is going to show up. Here, catch"
Throwing a brown small envelop at me, I easily catch the flying thing without breeze. Judging from the feeling I got from catching it, I easily guessed that the thing inside was this week's payment.
"Don't get that money in your head, just yet. You still have to finished another mission to complete your month's quota"
-Sigh
"Can I at least get a greeting before you start berating me"
"Well... All this greeting's and shit does, is waste everyone's time. I'm a very hard-working man that values my time, you see"
You're the one to talk
"Anyway... I heard that you haven't accepted another mission, ever since the first"
"A-ahh, yeah... Sorry about that, I've been kind of busy with other things"
"No pressure, I can somewhat understand that mindset. Forcing yourself to work, when there's still a lot of time left can be very boring"
What are you implying here...
"But just in case you need another job to complete your quota, I've heard that Richard is having troubles lately"
"Who's that?"
"Settlement's head agronomist, his been having some shortages from what I've heard. So If you can help the guy, out. Try visiting him at the 8th floor"
"I heard that there are other people just like me in this place. Why haven't they tried helping this Richard, person"
"Well a lot of them is still resting from the repair job. Plus, unlike you, most of them already finished their quota and are mostly looking for other jobs to earn more to their pockets"
"Fine..."
-Ring-Ring
"Huh?"
While busy with our conversation, a sudden ringing can be heard in the room. Grabbing something out in his pockets. Harold revealed a device that oddly look similar to an old phone.
"Hello, Harold speaking"
"..."
"Uh-huh"
"..."
"Yeah, his here. Why?"
"..."
"I see.."
"..."
"Well... Thank you. For calling me, I guess"
-Beep-Beep
It seems that their conversation is already over.
-Sigh
"Who was that?"
"Isaac, say's his looking for you"
"Why?"
"Don't know, something about learning advance psionics and visiting Heisenberg"
"W-what?"
"-Sigh.. Isaac said, that you should go visit Heisenberg. His also located in the 8th floor at the Computer Room, if you're wondering"
-Sigh
"Learn to talk normally, next time. Will you"
"Yeah-yeah... Just get out of here. I'm trying to relax"
"Fine... I'm heading out now"
"Good luck, and do be careful. Old man Heisenberg can be very scary sometimes"
What?
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Heading off to the 8th floor, I again made my way to the elevator. As much as I would like to finished my month's quota, learning about psionics is main priority, right now. As such, when I arrived at the 8th floor. I headed straight to the Computer Room. Unlike my previous encounter of looking for direction. The floor that I was in, conveniently has signs in it. That points to where the important sections of the place are located"
Following the signs, I arrived at the Computer Room. Seeing that the doors are open, I conveniently enter the place without doing my usual knocking. Getting inside, I was greeted with a lot of machinery that I'm not really familiar with. And people, who seem to be working.
"Fancy seeing a new face around here"
Distracted at the place, I was caught off-guard by a person from behind. The man whom greeted me looks very dirty in appearance, with clothes covered in crude oil and smell being similar as well. Judging from his looks, I assumed that his one of the workers here.
"Um.. H-hello?"
"Hello to you as well. And what purpose does someone like you doing in this place"
"A-ahh... I'm looking for a guy named Heisenberg"
"Oh? The old man. Well follow me then. And do be careful with the wires, it's pretty easy to slip by It"
"Thank you"
"No problem, The names Jesse by the way"
"Bruce, a new recruit"
"That's explains why I never seen you here. Anyway, what's your business with the old man"
"Don't know. I'm here to find it out, as well"
"Well... whatever your business is, I hope that It's good"
Guided by Jesse, I arrived at the small section of the place. Opening the door, we enter the not so bright room. Inside I saw a bunch of unfamiliar machinery with a man who seem to be tinkering something in a desk. The man in the room, looks very old with a bald head and a somewhat deformed structure. His head has some futuristic looking device stuck on it with tubes that travel to another device on his back. His left arm looks like a robotic arm and from what I'm seeing. I'm very surprised that the man standing in this room, is still alive.
"Hello! Boss!"
-Sigh
"I thought I told you to knock first, before entering"
"Well too late for that"
"...And who's this person, with you?"
"A-aahhh... The n-name's Bruce. I-Isaac said to visit you"
"I see... You're the one whom Isaac mentioned... To be honest, I'd expected much, knowing that you're a Tri-User... Well... you can't really have that much expectation to people these days"
"U-ummm... Might I know, what's the reason why I'm here"
"...Did Isaac not mention why you're here?"
"Sorry but no, he just called Harold while we're in conversation and he told me to visit you"
"I see... quite devilish of him..."
Having this conversation, I can't but help but feel that something dangerous is going to happen to me.
"Relax that mind of yours's will you. Isaac called you to be here, because he asked me to train you with Thought Control"
"Thought Control..."
Don't tell me, that I'm finally going to learn advance psionics.
"T-that's... great! So you're going to be my next teacher"
"In a sense..."
"Sweet! I'm finally going to learn some abilities. So, when's the training going to start?"
"Hahahahahaha..."
"A-ahhhh... what's so funny?"
"Nothing... As for your question... Your training is starting now"
"Wha-"
Confuse at Heisenberg's laugh, I was suddenly struck with a huge pain in my head. My vision suddenly got dizzy and my surrounding getting blurry. I feel like I'm slowly losing my consciousness.
What's happening to me.
Not wanting to lose consciousness, I tried fighting the state that I'm currently feeling through sheer will. But despite my hard efforts, it proved to be futile. And in a few seconds, I feel to the ground and fainted.
.
.
.
"...20 seconds... I guess, you can never really judge people from their looks..."
-End of Chapter 12
Author Note: I've been checking some chapters lately and I manage to find some major errors here and there. I'd manage fix the one's that I found. And seeing these errors makes me what to kill myself.
Here's the settlement layout if you're wondering.
1st floor: Middle Terracore Exit (2nd Layer)
2nd floor: Harold's Office and Settlement Warehouse
3rd floor: Dorms
4th floor: Canteen
5th floor: Library and Office
6th floor: Banner's Office
7th floor: Clinic and Laboratory
8th floor: Computer Room and Agronomy
9th floor: Lower Terracore Exit (3rd Layer)
