Flying above the city.
"You don't have a flight license, do you?"
"A what?"
"You can't just fly around without permission. Don't worry, we can get you one later."
'Oh. A flight license? Yeah, that was a thing.'
"Now slow down. That's the fourth speed limit you've broken. Since we're a major agency, we can get away with it in emergencies, but—"
"There are speed limits!?"
"Of course… Are you new to this world or something?"
"…"
"Ah—make that five."
.
We flew low over rows of houses and corner stores, her voice guiding the direction.
"Reports say the suspect is lizard-looking, green, bulky, tall. Keep your eyes open for signs of destruction."
And without much effort, we found his trail; a path of smashed asphalt and overturned cars. Following it led us straight to a construction site. She reported the location, then touched my shoulder.
"Down."
Tap.
Our feet met the ground. Her warmth leaving my arms.
We stepped inside the place. She moved ahead, confident, scanning everything.
Snap.
She flipped the light switch. The bulbs lit bright after a delay, yellow. The construction site was the usual: half-built steel frame, scattered tools, concrete dust everywhere.
We walked further inside.
"Say," she murmured, adjusting her glasses, "have you ever thought about using your power differently?"
"Differently…So you have more ideas?"
She huffed. "Of course." Chin slightly raised.
"You're lucky. Facing a brute like this is a perfect opportunity to try that. And by what I can tell, that's more your style."
'That...?'
I narrowed my eyes at her smug expression.
"You think I'm a fool—" I said.
"To some extent—" she snapped.
"Don't answer it. I know you're just using me as a test subject."
She glanced back at me, a provoking smile.
"It's not like you're not benefiting from this. And relax, it's simple."
She leaned slightly closer, voice lowering.
"Now stop whining and listen..."
.
…I watched as Brainbook step out of the site.
"And she left."
She claimed staying would only get in the way. But she still made sure to give me instructions and lend me her earplugs.
I stood among the tall steel structures, taking in the layout.
My breathing slowed. Eyes closed. Three deep breaths. Fingers loose.
Like wind currents moving across my skin, the telekinetic force rose, lifting every hair, tracing every clothes and gear.
My eyes opened. Arms spread. A sharp outward push cracked the air. A wave of dark force burst from me, making wind and dust vibrate in a high pitched tone.
ZIIIINNNG!
The steel pipes resonated with their own tone, clashing with mine and forming a harsh, devilish symphony.
"Ahh—!"
The earplugs barely helped.
ROOOAR!
A roar. I felt it tremble the ground before hearing it.
It worked.
Unlike real lizards that flee from light or noise, this one took it as challenge.
'A roaring lizard. Weird'
From the direction I sensed him, the creature burst forward. Massive, fast, monstrous. I couldn't focus on details, but he reminded me of that mutated scientist from the spiderman.
Swish!
In a moment, he closed the distance, a huge fist cutting through air towards my face.
Too fast!
I cut the resonance and threw everything into defense. TK latched onto his arm, pulling, dragging. Resisting like steel web-strings trying to stop a train.
POW!
His punch smashed my face anyway, launching me across the site and out onto the asphalt.
I struggled to stand up, pushin aside pipes I'd crashed into.
Far around me there were people watching, but I ignored them.
Something warm dripped from my nose. "Shit—!" A finger swipe came back red.
Blood.
One thing was clear: TK was strong, useful. But not all-powerful. No matter how many tricks I had.
ROAAR!
"The fucker is coming again," I muttered, "Should I run?" I stood half-ready to take off.
But,
That judgment, the instinct to flee… something inside me rejected it violently.
My pulse punched in my chest. Heat behind the eyes.
"I… can win." I stepped forward, fist clench.
A nosebleed wasn't that bad.
"I will win." I wiped the blood away.
SWISH!
In a flash he closed the gap again.
WHAM!
His fist swung.
TK caught the knuckles mid-swing, dragging the force off-line just enough.
I stepped into it.
My punch covered with force slammed into his jaw, and with his own momentum, his head snapped sideways, blood spraying in a wide arc.
He staggered back, shocked.
I answered with a bloody smile.
.
…After a few minutes of pure brawl; gut shots, wild swings, punches to anything our fists could reach. I noticed something obvious:
I was in worse shape than him.
I simply wasn't as strong as a beast.
What was keeping me alive was decent boxing technique and TK pushing most of his strikes off-target.
I need training.
But first, this fight had to end.
"BAHWHH!" he roared, throwing a heavy punch.
I ducked and stepped in. My wrist dropped, energy condensing into an invisible force-blade.
ZWIINNG!
Thud.
His arm flew off. The fight stopped for a moment as he stared at the stump.
"Damn,"
Then he rushed me again.
ZWING!
The other arm hit the ground.
Then his legs.
"I wish I knew this from the start."
I was enjoying this.
'What a weird feeling. I just thought about doing it and it worked.'
"I guess it's true… you do learn faster by doing it."
By the end, I was on top of him, finishing with a few extra strikes to his face. When I felt satisfied, I stood and raised my arm like a gladiator proud of the spectacle.
But oddly…
Brainbook facepalmed.
And the bystanders just stared; some recording with their phones, others giving me strange looks, some simply curious.
As if wondering:
Who is this guy?
Is he really a hero?
.
.
.