A month had gone and passed, and I actually managed to improve the scanning capabilities I downloaded. It is now able to tell a lot of stuff about people, and is able to discern their very code. Of course not fully, because even if I downloaded every coding and programming guide, I still wasn't a master in it, considering that my brain was still human. So even if I had the knowledge, my brain itself can't catch up.
And I'm definitely not desperate enough, to forsake the frailty of flesh for the certainty of steel. (Where did that come from?) Now walking back to school, a month later, I expected many things to be different.
Perhaps a few traumatized kids, maybe some dead. I walked in, and the whole classroom radiated depression, like actual depression.
'Well, shit' was the only thought that crossed my mind.
Sitting in my usual, lonely corner that everyone left me to be in. I waited for the teacher to start his lecture, which I would breeze through.
But that in fact did not happen, because Andrew walked in, completely different looking, even his mood. The teacher talked about Andrew's situation and Andrew himself presented an apology, to anyone knew him, but explained that the person was gone, and now he went by the name "Joeseph", which was a weird name, but I didn't judge, I chose an even weirder one after all.
And most surprisingly, was the fact that he listened to the attendance, he did act weirdly when some people's names were mentioned, 'perhaps CPU damage?' I mused. But when my name was called, it was different. I raised my hand to show that I was present, all the while staring at Joe like he killed my pet. Because he was acting strange, he actually seemingly recognized some names, but was shocked at mine. Perhaps someone told him about a few of his classmates?
I decided to brush off the most likely paranoid thoughts, listened to the lectures, did the exam, and was always released early, since I finished early.
I had unsurprisingly gotten a reputation for being a genius, which wasn't the case; I was just an adult in a kid's classroom, not to mention all of the things I downloaded. Since a lot of things here differed from my own universe.
Class finished and I left, right behind the teacher, throwing a look back, I saw Joseph trying to convince Doll to get up, shrugging, I just left to eat food that was poison, but delicious. (Is that even poison at that point?)
In the cafeteria, a few minutes later, I saw Joseph, Doll, and Lizzy take a seat at the "popular kids table", shrugging once again, I just went back to my food. (Maybe it is poison, it looks disgusting)
And then I heard a curse, barely audible because of the surrounding noise, and then I heard another one. Looking at the "popular kids table"(of course, it's them), there were some laughs, and then another curse. I actually groaned (I will die of annoyance at this point).
And a week later, I had an enemy, not in the literal sense, but in the reputation regard.
Because Joseph had gotten randomly smarter and was able to crack CAPTCHA's at around the same speed as me.
I decided to just, really not care. Because frankly, Joe(I heard others call him that), gave me a bit of the creeps of an infested, or a possessor, or something.
Which was ridiculous since that isn't possible, then I stopped. 'That literally happened to me...'.
I pondered and decided on, "fuck it, not my problem", and then went to sleep.
A week later, I was bored, like, actually, so mind-numbingly bored. So I just started doing random stuff, watching anime(some good series not gonna lie), on my own Os, in the middle of class. Then I decided, "fuck it I want to touch grass" and so I asked if I could be let out, in the middle of the day, and while they were happy to do so, (there was apparently some sort of allowance, if the day isn't cloudy), and so I saw outside with my own eyes after almost two months. And damn it looked kind of like Venus or something, just a lot colder.
But my human body's void suit, could probably handle that(thank God I still have that).
I decided to explore a bit, trying to find anything of use, basically spamming my scanning for any good loot.
I found some electronics, batteries, magnets(drugs), and a power source that definitely wasn't safe to use without minimizing the power output.
And so I returned, arms full of good stuff, magnets hidden across my body just in case, and a few of the WDF ever congratulated me on my success (which was quite nice, I won't lie).
And so my spree of stupidity started.
I had formed a plan to go out every sunny day, and I requested the teacher to send me what I needed to do. And went outside, if it was cloudy I wasn't allowed to go out, then I went to class. This is how I spent my first actual month of my 3rd grade.
Most people didn't even recognize my absence, and if they did, it was only when I suddenly entered the classroom and gave the teacher 5 different assignments. Who was actually not annoyed by my behavior.
The next day, instead of going outside or to classes(I still took the assignments), I went to my house, made sure there was literally nothing underneath it, because I want a basement.
Then I went to the fabricators or matter printers or whatever they were called here.
And made a hand-held drill, a large container, a few shovels, and a few buckets.
I got so many strange glances carrying everything back, but I didn't care, this was just temporary, I would probably make my own base outside of the bunker anyway.
And so I started digging.
I wouldn't be able to finish this in a day or even two, but I had to start working on the things I needed, for example, a foundry and arsenal, because damn, I missed my warframes a lot.
Then I had to actually go to school, because well..
The teacher was quite nice to me and his daughter's birthday is coming up, so I didn't want to get any bad points. I decided to just quite literally give her 5 requisitions for the matter printer, from my own pocket. (Hopefully that was enough, because holy expensive.)
And so as the last class before lunch approached, I made an appearance, after a week of skipping.
Gave the assignments to the teacher(including today's one). I approached Lizzy.
Stopping next to her, I spoke.
"Happy birthday, Lizzy", I said that in the driest way possible,(not good in social interactions).
She turned to me, raised a (digital) eyebrow.
"Thanks, but who are you?"
I actually stared for a second.
"Your classmate?"
Lizzy checked around, most people agreeing that they hadn't seen me.
But thankfully, my saving grace, Joseph, confirmed I was in this class, although I rarely attended.
Lizzy turned back to me.
I coughed(unnecessary)
"Well, I didn't really know what to get you, so I just got you five requisitions at the matter printers for free". Silence, I coughed(again), and continued speaking.
"You can tell one of the workers your name, and you should get access".
With that, I turned to the teacher, requesting tomorrow's assignment, which he already had prepped, a small, barely visible smile on his face.
And I left the classroom after that, not feeling comfortable staying. Besides, I had work to do.
After school hours, I was working on my basement, which was coming along decently. I didn't need that much room for now anyway.
When I got a notification on my Os.
It was from the teacher, telling me that I was actually invited to the birthday party.
Debating on the pros and cons of accepting.
Deciding to go get more possible brownie points from the teacher, I messaged back that "I will try to clear my schedule", to which I actually got a GIF of the teacher raising a brow.
Slightly chuckling I asked when to try and arrive.
Getting a response, that the party will start in an hour. I sighed, climbing out and closing the basement's metal trap door, covering it up with floorboards.
Cleaning myself up, I got ready to leave.
Walking through the halls, I was met by a "birthday party" on one of the doors, knocking on the door, I was met by the teacher, almost looking like he was... waiting for me?
He let me in, closing the door behind me.
And I looked around, everything was pink, not surprising, but it could be less bright in my opinion.
I just stood around, not quite sure what to do.
I was offered a plate of cake, I respectfully denied it, explaining that "I don't like sweets" and I actually got a stare from the teacher so dead I almost cringed.
Strange,y the teacher didn't lead me to the other kids, rather, we just sat off to the side, watching the party.
I suddenly got a thought, not caring how disrespectful it would sound, I asked it.
"So, may I actually know your name?"
The teacher looked at me with dead eyes, seemingly mulling it over, and he answered it.
"I'm Liam", I grinned, since I'm probably one of the first people to know that.
"Great to meet you Liam, I'm Tenno".
He nodded back to me, his digital lip slightly raising at the edges.
And we sat like this for most of the party, sometimes I asked questions, Liam himself only nodding or talking in short sentences.
A few hours later, most of the drones dispersed, only leaving the, "popular kids", as Lizzy called their group.
I turned towards the teacher,
"Well, thanks for the relaxing time, I could have gone without the loud music though".
He only nodded, leading me to the door. Others noticed me as well, I just gave them all a wave and left.
It was already night, according to my inner clock, so I just resigned myself to working in the basement tomorrow.
And as I said, I spent the entire next day working on the basement, finally having enough space to have a foundry and an arsenal.
I sat on a chair I brought down, grumbling as I sat.
"Great, now I just need to make and bring a foundry here", I was kind of annoyed that I gave Lizzy most of my built-up requisitions.
"Oh well", I got up deciding to go outside today.
And of course, when I arrived at the door, I was greeted and then got the annoying news that it was cloudy outside. So school it was and I was already late, great.
Getting to class, I got some strange glances, but oh well. I took my usual seat and turned on the lectures after I noticed the subject, which was, of course, math. And apparently today we have group CAPTCHA's. I actually let out a silent, pitiful groan.
And somehow I ended up in the group of myself, Lizzy, Doll, and Thad.
As soon as the Timer started, I finished the 20 or so CAPTCHA's in around 20 seconds, got up and gave the teacher the answers, and sat back down.
Around half an hour later, the class ended and for the first time, rankings were on display.
Rank 1: Tenno.
Rank 2: Joeseph.
Rank 3: Uzi.
I actually grinned at Joe, who just nodded.
I was certain he had some program or something to speed his thinking, because I always notice a hint of an expression or his eyes(optics?) slightly change, before he reverted to his unflappable exterior. Which was cool, he had the brains(CPU?) To figure out something like that, but I was still a human, and CAPTCHA's were literally made by us.
Moving away from such thoughts, I got a message from one of the door guys that the clouds had passed, and I was allowed to go out.
I immediately jumped up from my chair, giving the teacher a nod which he returned, and I left the class.
All of my progress was currently slowed, and I never knew when I would get another chance to go outside. There can be a literal death storm for weeks on end, and while it wasn't deadly for me, that meant the murder drones were out and about.
I quickly rushed to a different direction than usual after leaving the bunker, my scanner already picking up several valuable things for the matter printer. I also just remembered there were those abandoned storage units, that I could steal a bit from.
I grabbed all that I could find, luckily, I have found a box to carry stuff more easily.
Then I found another power cell, glowing bright green just like the other one. That being exactly what I needed, I already checked its value, and it was worth way too many requisitions not to be powerful, and I had two of them.
After an hour, I looked up, only for my literal blood to freeze in my veins. Giant clouds were covering the sun, cursing under my breath, I slowly went towards the bunker, well aware there were murder drones already out and about.
And when I saw the bunker, my hopes were dashed, because I saw (and scanned) V, not far away, standing on a rooftop, just in front of the bunker. I couldn't go into the bunker.
And not because I was too slow, because V would most likely try to use me as an entrance to the bunker. I looked towards her direction, only to actually freeze in place this time.
Because V was staring right at me, I looked back to the bunker, then at her. I took a step toward the bunker and dashed right the other way, dropping my loot next to one of the houses. I rushed through alleyways, broken buildings, anything.
I didn't even look back, my scanner told me enough. The chase was on!
Dashing around a corner, I managed to avoid a spray of small-caliber bullets.
Now in the open, I repeatedly spammed the scan, waiting for her to lunge or attack.
She finally did, she lunged high, straight for my chest area.
I slid on the snow, putting a hand down on the ground, changing my direction rapidly.
I rushed into another alleyway.
Then I heard the laughter, my heart beating loud enough to make my ears ring. I continued to dodge her simple attacks, but I knew she wouldn't play for her food forever.
So I got a crazy plan.
Grinning wickedly, fear and adrenaline fueling my actual body and mind, I waited for her to get close.
And as she did, I grabbed onto a sign and spun around it. And punched straight at her, she didn't even try dodging. I got a moment only to see her yellow hunters x, change to two hollow optics before she was sent flying back, my momentum and void-filled drone body, giving me extra strength. I didn't even wait to watch the results, already dashing around corners again.
Since she had thermal vision, she wouldn't lose track of me, so I either needed to outrun her until the sun or incapacitate her.
I started actually shaking from the fear and adrenaline slowly wearing off, thinking of something I called the teacher.
Surprisingly, he answered quite quickly. (Classes must have already ended.)
"Hello?"
I grinned, "Hey, teach! I got into a lot of trouble."
He raised a brow that I could now see since he activated his camera.
Feeling generous, I activated my own.
From my own perspective,
"What are you doing outsid–",
He didn't even have time to finish, when I had rolled, bullets flying right above me,
I looked back for just a second, my optics hollowed, seeing V approach me in fuck off speeds.
The teacher's own optics hollowed, his mouth agape.
I stayed on the ground, and just as V was closing in, I shot out my leg with the force of a bullet, smashing against the bulbs on her head.
That broke and started leaking some type of fluid.
She screamed in outrage, but I only grinned, the adrenaline coming back, as I actually managed to do damage.
And then I got right the fuck off, this time running inside houses, climbing stairs, and jumping from window to window.
Then I stopped in a corner, surrounding myself in the cloak. I stood perfectly still.
The teacher's optics felt they were staring into my own soul, but he kept quiet.
Then V flew right by in front of the building.
And I started spamming my scanning.
Nothing, nothing, nothing, and nothing.
As soon as it was released, a sigh of relief, a ping.
I immediately jumped out of the window, V falling right through the roof, landing in my former position. I grinned at her wickedly.
"Wanna dance?" She actually stopped for a moment. Cocking her head to the side like a cat.
"No", was the only response I got as she lunged towards me. I cut the video call because apparently, I would need to do something drastic.
Ducking her claws, I kicked out with my leg, straight into where there was supposed to be a knee joint. Of course, the attack did minimal damage, but it surprised her, left her unbalanced, I returned to my human form behind her, my drone body falling to the ground, completely offline.
I aimed my Amp at her, and before she could even turn, I blasted her head off. Then I blasted one of her limbs off.
Returning to my own body, I picked up her arm and fucked right off.
I went back to where I dropped off the stuff I found and waited till the sun came out.
Which wasn't pleasant since I had to wait till sunrise. Deciding not to risk another encounter, I just barricaded myself in a basement.
Sending a message to the teacher that I was okay.