บท 40: First Flight
(Carter POV)
After dinner had concluded, I headed back upstairs with the excuse that I needed to finish up some last-minute assignments, which Debbie and Nolan seemed to accept the latter flying away to do his night patrol.
I was working on lining the sides of my room with various materials. I know how much a certain agency leader likes to spy on people, so I'm definitely going to need to arrange for some privacy protection.
So, after blocking out all the shades, I began to test out what my tech jacket could do. After forming the armor, which honestly reminded me of the Symbiote suit from that one Iron Man series, I didn't get too deep into the Lord of the Marvel DC universe, but I did catch on to a few exciting things.
" Tech jacket, is it possible to line the walls with any unscannable materials that allow for soundproofing as well as signal proofing?" Thanks to the mental connection with my suit. I don't actually have to speak any of these words allowed.
[ Yes, sir, we have over 3,250,069 various options according to this world's current technological level. Please place your hand along the wall so that we may begin implementing security measures.]
Upon placing my hand on the wall, the tech jacket seems to extend its noun-based technology and spread across the walls like a type of slime. I don't need to worry about it actually harming my suit, as due to the replicating features of the armor, it's constantly producing enough Nanotech to keep itself supplied and armed at all times.
Indeed, this armor is a wonder of science, and to be honest, I would be very tempted to take it apart, but I knew I wouldn't be able to understand heads or tails of it quite yet since it was created by the same being that rules over my jump chain. I don't think he would appreciate me taking apart his stuff.
Honestly, that part of it does sting a bit as I want to truly make something that's mine after all of these years. While I have created many inventions, none of them really stood out. But now, even with these couple of seconds passing as the nanotechnology lines my walls, I could've thought of over 100 ways to apply this to even regular super suits.
[ The Nanotech film has surrounded your room. Is there anything else you would require?]
Yes, tech jacket, check if you could try to locate any possible recording or visual scoping technology within the area. Let's see if we have any stalkers around.
[Scanning for spyware and malignant viruses... scan complete. This unit has located 30 auditory bugs, 20 micro cameras, and multiple heat signature recorders. Would you like to disable them?]
Can you loop any of the camera footage and delete any recent auditory data without it being suspicious?
[Yes, it is a possible creator… Heat signature scanners, as well as any and all auditory bugs, have been wiped clean, and all cameras surrounding the creator room have been up and placed on a loop. If you wish to retain their functions, simply send a mental signal to the tech jacket.]
Thank you for your assistance, tech jacket. Please return to civilian mode.
[Understood creator.] After saying this, it immediately returns to its watch form.
I am most likely going to have to create a schedule for the feeds so that the global defense agency will not suspect anything. Based on my knowledge of Cecil Steadman, his skills as a spy are only surpassed by his paranoia.
Honestly, I almost understand the man as he lives in a world where one of me, without any of my other powers, could destroy entire worlds in seconds, but since I am not a genocidal maniac, at least against those I live with.
For now, psychoanalysis of myself will have to wait. As I finish locating all of the various bugs and micro cameras in my room and noting their positions, I grab my computer because I actually do have to finish some last-minute homework assignments.
These things are why I will probably regret becoming a teenager during some of these jump worlds.
" I should probably invest in creating some type of virtual assistant to do these for me, who is gaining some type of perk that finishes all my paperwork for me." Grumbling in frustration the homework barely takes 20 minutes, as it only requires some introductory essays, worksheets, and a couple of video-watching.
Thankfully, this world has a similar music collection to my original one. So, after loading up a playlist that I had chosen, I began to work on more important things.
I also needed to focus on increasing the size and distances of my portals. I can only open them up to alternate dimensions, so I need to learn to locate specific ones. Thankfully, my experience as a jumper is actually helping me out here. The inherent nature of these portals being related to space is helping me navigate the pathways between the dimensions.
Another reason I want to increase my skill with these portals is that I may need to use them as a fallback option in case things go south in this world, but I would not do so because it kind of takes the challenge out of things.
So, after creating a portal in front of me barely the size of my pinky finger, I focused on increasing its size, but I met some resistance as if the walls between the dimensions were trying to force me out.
Mentally concentrating more than I would have liked, the portal began to open wider and wider slowly, but only about the size of my hand before it shut all on its own. The force of this threw me onto one of the walls of my room, but thankfully, with the reinforcement from the Nanotech film, no one heard me crashing into the wall.
But to say it hurt was an understatement, as it felt like being smacked in the face by an angry gorilla.
Rubbing the side of my face, I sat back down on my bed and tried again. But I know I won't be able to do this forever, as I believe. My brother is going to take his night flight tonight around 1 o'clock in the morning, and since he is the older sibling that I am, I will have to make sure he doesn't cause an international incident.
Speaking of which I reach over to my closet and pull out two large masks, and after cutting some holes into both of them, I placed them on the table next to me because I would rather my brother not get recognized before his debut.
" Damn, I almost forgot about the flaxan invasion. Going to have to figure something out for that, and at worst, I can join my brother and his crime-fighting." But there is a small part of me that almost agrees with what Omni Man did in the first season, basically crippling the entire civilization, but that thought is immediately rejected.
With enough time, I might be able to increase the dimensional barriers within this world so that portal travel like what the flaxen use is almost impossible, but that's going to take time, and the more time it takes, the more past abilities for casualties.
Taking a breath, however, to keep myself steady, I return to focusing on my portals. I watch as, centimeter by centimeter, the portal's size grows to almost the size of my arm, and a smile graces my face as I see my progress.
(Mark POV)
Laying my head on my bed, I almost can't even stay still, as this was it. I could finally start doing the things that Dad does. My mind is almost bursting with ideas about what my future costume may look like or who I will be able to team up with.
It is a bit odd that Carter went upstairs so quickly, but he might just be nervous about tomorrow's practice. I know I seem a bit off, not like Carter, who was hesitant to say something, but it was almost as if he didn't know what to say.
Standing up, I headed over to my window and looked at the moon shining in the sky. As I reached out to grasp it in my hand, I almost felt like I could do it. After reminding myself that Dad could fly, a small thought came to mind: I could even surprise Carter, but that may be impossible as that guy is almost never surprised.
It reminds me of our 10th birthday when he already knew where the party was taking place and even what type of cake it was. Well, it did seem like a bit of a killjoy. I could still see him smiling; it was one of the few times he enjoyed himself.
So, after reaffirming what I'm about to do, I put my foot under the roof and start walking out onto it.
" OK, Mark, Dad can fly. He said it's like a reflex, so I just don't think about it, and if I wanna fly, I'll fly." After taking a couple of deep breaths, I was about to reach my foot over the roof and step down, but before I could do so, I felt a hand gripping my shoulder.
"Ahhh-!" I totally did not scream like a girl, and no one can prove anything.
"Shhhh. It's me, Carter." Looking behind me, I saw Carter still in his school clothes while he gave me a look that almost seemed to burn into my head.
"Mark, what are you doing? We have training tomorrow." I rubbed the back of my head, feeling a small bit of embarrassment, and answered.
" Sorry, Carter. I just couldn't help myself, man. I'm just so excited, and I really wanted to see if I could fly." As I prepared for the verbal lashing, all I could hear from Carter was an exhausted sigh as I saw him nod his head.
"Yeah, I get that feeling. I'm excited, too, but I would rather you not literally break a leg before we even get started. But if you're going to do this now, you're gonna need to put these on." After finishing, he hands me what looks like a balaclava mask and a shirt, to which I then remind myself that I don't actually have a shirt on right now.
I say nothing because I want to dig myself into a hole and die right now. I put the mask in my shirt, as Carter does, but just for the mask, as he's already dressed, which is odd as I thought he'd be ready for bed right now.
" By the way, Carter, why are you still up right now? I mean, I have the excuse that I was just way too excited to go to sleep, but what about you?" instead of answering, Carter just looks away, to which a small smirk forms on my face.
" You couldn't wait too, could you?" I ask while Carter seemingly ignores me.
" I have my right to silence, and I'm not going to answer that." Sadly, you can hide the truth for me, brother, but I won't point it out because it seems like you're about to punch me in the face.
So, taking another deep breath, I took a step off the roof. With a small yelp, I looked down and saw my face hovering over the ground. As I focused on turning myself around, I saw Carter hanging over the roof, prepared to catch me, which was nice.
"Are you alright, Mark?" Carter asked in a hushed tone. I gave him a thumbs-up and returned, and I saw him take a deep breath and feel relief, which was kind of hurtful as he didn't think I was actually going to be able to do it.
After reorienting myself, I began to float left and right, and it was strange, to say the least, as it felt like I could just step on air.
And with an excited feeling in my bones, I flew upwards into the sky with Carter just watching me go.
As I flew higher and higher, I felt as if I could go anywhere and do anything. That was until I saw the commercial flight heading my way.
But before I could react, I felt something grab me and pull me along, and as I looked at what grabbed me, I saw Carter giving me a side eye, to which I didn't look at him for too long.
" Mark, I know you're having fun, but please try not to take down more commercial airlines." I simply chuckled in response, trying to avoid a large amount of embarrassment.
As he let go, we both just floated there above the clouds and stared at the world below us.
I looked at Carter and said, " It's a good life we live, right, Carter?"
He looked back with a slight smile on his face as he simply said, "The best, and may it never change."
" And may it never change us." We then do a small fist bump. But now I had to figure out how we were going to get back down.
(Well, another chapter is done. I'm still trying to figure out whether or not I could save the Guardians of the Globe without feeling a bit contrived, but since the time between Mark's gains his powers and the deaths of the Guardians of the Globe is a bit odd, I may be able to fiddle with things a bit. Keep commenting on my story. Where do you think you could go next?)
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