Tsugi No Level

Chapter 12: Lost Time

Ten opens the door to his apartment and the moment he walks in Mai starts.

"Your uncle was in jail for 7 years and was just released 2 years ago."

Ten having never heard of this nor caught a hint or anything from his grandmother is shocked.

"What? Why?"

"For some reason, his arrest records are sealed. After his release, he set up a company and that company has been doing amazing. But the steady and constant deposits make it a bit too profitable. It's almost as if his company is a front for money laundering."

"That's how he got the money to help me"

"I knew you wouldn't want dirty money, and you turned me on because you knew something was wrong."

Ten looks down at the floor as he goes through his memories to see if he missed anything or if there were hints he didn't see. But there is nothing. He can't believe his granny kept this from him and why would she? He lays down on the bed and stares at the ceiling. His mind races as he is unable to link everything together. After a while, the ceiling bores him and he looks at the dresser next to his bed with the picture of his mom. And then a thought crosses his mind as he whispers.

"Could it be the Glia?"

As the words leave his mouth he thinks back to when he was young and he was in his room. It was past his bedtime but he was still up. He overheard his parents talking and was curious what they were talking about. He quietly opens his door and sneaks down the hallway and peeks around the corner to hear what they are talking about. He can hear his mother's voice talking.

"You should really try it. I just one today and I've never felt smarter or happier."

"YOU DID WHAT!? How could you? Was Ten with you? What is wrong with you? Why would you do that?"

"No, I was alone. He was at school. I wanted to try it because it might help you. You're so stressed and you always say it feels like you're slow catching up. I feel like they are using, so this is just to even the playing field."

"You've seen what Glia does to people! All those junkies we pass. Why would you even bring it up?"

"Those are morons, there is research that shows that as long as you use controlled doses you can enhance performance and mental capacity. Those junkies just got greedy. All we have to do is be smart."

"Be smart? Are you hearing yourself?"

"Just try it, if you don't like it you can just stop right? But you have to do something, your mood swings are scaring me and Ten. I'm afraid you will hurt us and Ten is scared of you in a bad way. Do this for us."

His father looks at his mother with a look filled with confusion but after a few moments, his face turns to one of acceptance and resignment.

"You're right."

His mother walks to his father and hugs him as she says the last words Ten remembers from that night.

"Thank you."

While Ten is lying on his bed Demo is still in the gym. The other gym members are still perplexed at what they saw. They all walk out of the gym as they go home talking about the events that transpired. Demo is in the room he was given reading up on the objects and items in the book he was given by Li-On. That's when Li-On knocks on his door.

"Come in."

Li-On opens the door and smiles as he sees Demo reading the book. Demo doesn't say anything but just looks at Li-On as if to ask why he is here with his eyes. Li-On beckons Demo to follow him. The two walk into the empty gym. Li-On points to the ground.

"Stand here."

Demo listens and stands where he is told. Li-On walks over to a sliding door and grabs a bunch of rocks. He carries the rocks close to where Demo is standing and drops them on the ground. He sits down on the ground between the rocks. He picks one up and throws it gently at Demo who catches it. Li-On then starts explaining what is happening.

"Turn that rock into a diamond."

Demo closes his eyes and starts focusing to break the rock down and turn it into a diamond. Once he finishes he shows the diamond to Li-On proud of how smoothly he was able to do it. Li-On picks up another rock and throws it up into the air. As it comes back down he points out his index finger and times it so that he touches the rock mid-air as it falls down. The moment his finger touches the rock it lights up and transforms into a diamond before it touches the ground. Demo's eyes pop open at what he just saw and he smiles with excitement at the possibility of being able to do that as well.

Demo immediately understands that this is training and points out his index finger and nods like a kid asked if he wants chocolate to show Li-On he is ready to begin. Li-On replies in kind and throws the rock.

They spend the whole night practicing this, but at the end of it Demo was unable to perform this trick. Li-On looks at an exhausted Demo and smiles.

"You did good, get some sleep before the sun comes up. I think you'll be able to get like a good 2 hours before they come get you for the next test. Before that, clean up these rocks."

"Yes, sir."

As Li-On walks back to his private room he looks back at Demo as he thinks to himself that the speed with which he is absorbing things and learning stuff is amazing. Demo after cleaning up all the rocks goes back to his little room and sits on the floor. He grabs the one rock he kept in his pocket and throws it up in the air and keeps practicing. After 2 hours the door opens again and Eight stands in the door frame looking at Demo playing with a rock. He looks baffled and unclear as to what Demo is doing.

"Playtime is over, come down and let's start the 2nd day."

"Okay."

Demo nods as he says it, gets up and follows Eight down. The gym is still empty as just Eight and Demo enter. Eight bends down in the corner and puts a piece of tape on the floor. He then puts a small circular device on the floor with a black screen on its surface. He stands up and places his foot on the device. And as he lifts his foot the black screen is filled with the letter 1.

"This gym is about the size of a basketball field. You have until the sun sets to run around this gym 1500 times. Each time you finish a lap, you step on this device to add your laps. If you forget to step on this device your lap didn't happen. And there is no running backward to step on it after you forgot or missed it. Clear?"

Demo looks at him with a smirk as if this trial isn't as daunting as Eight would make it seem. He nods as he answers.

"Clear!"

"Then start running."

Demo doesn't waste any time and starts running around the gym.

Chapter 12 Fin (Writers note: Sorry I missed last week. I was on vacation in Singapore so I wasn't able to write. But I'm back, so let's keep it going."