TF Chapter 3 Another Teammate 

There is a theory that every particle in the universe is held in an electrostatic field with plenty of space in between...something I had researched a bit on one of those days I randomly traversed the metaverse.

I hadn't particularly put my mind into it at the time, but now, I felt it even more powerfully, wandering whether the dense mesh of atoms beneath my butt were powerful enough to hold it, or would I really fall through and into the unknown? It was scary, very very scary! 

This is the first time I felt a con upon embarking on the path of the forger. This was going to be problematic in the future. Imagine struggling to place your foot in front of yourself, having developed the fear that you might sink into the ground with that step! That was one very scary scenario!

"Don't fear, the sensation you are currently experiencing is only temporary, though, its also a gift. You will only experience that once again when you probably become a god-like being in this world...according to the advancement theory of a forger." 

God! Imagine, if I could literally take control and rearrange these particles! Just the image alone invoked both excitement and also a fear...fear that someday, someone might possess the power to rearrange the atoms that I am made out of...or could it be that such a being already existed, after all, who was the first forger? And how had this path to power even been created?

I should calm down. That is in a realm so far high that I might even die without ascending to such a level or even meeting such a character. It was time to focus on this reality. How long was I going to stay in this state?

As I was wondering about that, something changed, my clear perception somehow dampened. It was like someone throwing a transparent item over your eyes, except that that item wasn't as good as your naked eye. The mesh of particles that I could capture making up the stone seat were no longer capturable, except the particles drifting around me.

I also regained my control over this body of mine.

"That was...exhilarating! But I never want to feel that vulnerable ever again." 

Oh! Danny boy could actually speak such words! I turned to him, managing to capture the excitement within his gaze, before he could hide it away.

"I feel the same way." I said, deciding not to bug him about that once again. It would make me come off as rude and nosy. But it still rubbed me the wrong way that he was keeping secrets.

I flexed my limbs, checking every part of my body that could move such that there were no abnormalities. Its amazing how I managed to hear the man's voice when my mind had been disconnected from my body! Could it have been the work of spirit, or would I have been able to hear Danny too, if he had spoken...no, wait, I should have heard the collapsing bodies of others when their minds disconnected...but I didn't. So, the spirit can be used as a means of communication?

"Starting this year, things are going to change around here. I won't go into details about the others but...the first change is going to be about you working as individuals. Teams are going to be heavily featured moving forward...and it will be better if you form your own before you are forcefully lumped together. The minimum should be three people and the maximum, five."

With those last words, the bald-headed forger left the stage, taking the tunnel he had previously arrived within.

Teams? I had been expecting this year to be like the others Danny had filled me in about. 

Working with other people... Danny was already giving me a headache! How was I going to cope with joining up with others?! I placed my face in my palms, trying to work out how I was going to survive interacting with people.

"Danny boy, could it be that you knew about this?" My gut had already reached a conclusion even as I asked this question. Had Danny approached me with the knowledge that something like this was going to be announced? That couldn't be, right? I didn't see all the other youthful rich kids acting as if they had known, instead, it was quite the opposite.

Those blue eyes of his gazed back at me with impassivity, causing me to wonder whether this guy was really as youthful as his body suggested.

"I will go search for a teammate, senior Nat. It will be better if you don't accept any offers in the meantime." He stood up, not to run away from my curiosity, that much I could tell...instead, he had ignored to answer as if I hadn't even asked at all!

-----

What's up with that guy? Why did he choose to team up with me? Could it be that there is something special about me?

I traced the lines on my palms, contemplating the answers, but none revealed themselves as plausible. My background wasn't special in any way...except for one thing, that I came from the same state as the first forger; but that wasn't enough to have some rich kid practically glue themselves to me, right?

Someone came up to me to probably invite me to join their team only for me to answer back with a refusal, though, I hadn't put my mind into the surroundings, the thought that there was something wrong with the way Danny boy was clinging to me causing me to develop a fear. What if he wanted to murder me? Did he choose me because I was inconspicuous?

That impassive facial expression of his replayed in my mind. When he donned it, he made me feel as if we weren't on the same level, like we existed in entirely different realities! Honestly, it gave me the chills even just recalling it!

"I must say, today has been my lucky day, meeting two people my intuition has guided me to...hahahahahaha..." That voice was Danny boy's and this time the excitement within was tangible, not a mask, prompting me to discard my thoughts and turn to him...

But then, something drew my attention, someone whose eyes were simply too beautiful! She was standing just a few inches to my side, her form bearing down onto me, with Danny boy blocked behind her.

The moment I raised my head, my breath became stuck in my throat as that narrow sharp gaze bore down onto me, particularly those purple flower patterned eyes!

My heart pounded within my chest, its powerful beats causing a shortness of breath. This was the first time I had gotten such a feeling in my numerous interactions with the female form.

Those purple petaled pupils somehow made my withered attraction towards a woman reignite.

I knew what such pupils meant, that she was from an exceedingly privileged background on the Asian side. Manipulating genes to have unique inheritable birthmarks had started around the end of the 22nd century, with those of Asian and some of those from African descent making theirs particularly bold, visible and vibrant, while the rest of the world made sure to be subtle about it.

"A mere commoner..." 

My hand twitched at that designation. The only people who dared utter such words were the those born in wealth. I struggled to maintain my expression, but I knew that I had gotten angry...but first, I had to think of a logical comeback that would seer that emotionless gaze of hers.

I stood up, becoming a bit surprised that she matched my height, even Danny boy was somehow shorter...anyway, I stared directly into those purple petal-patterned eyes of hers...

"That nano suit with the multiple color and design configurations, did you purchase it with your own money...no no no...the true question here would be, without the background at your back, would you have been capable of buying it?"

The suit was really beautiful, with the purple scales glinting beautifully in the soft white light, not to mention it emphasized all the right places. My piece of dull grey was trash by comparison.

Did I nail it? There's pink allover those cheeks. Or should I prepare myself for the handprint?

"You made your point, but it doesn't change the fact that I might have to partner up with a commoner...I don't see anything special about you in any way at all."

"What's the deal with her?" I strained my neck to look at Danny behind her. I had thought that she had been insulting me, but it turns out she's a robot! She was simply analysing me!

"She's going to be our partner." 

Danny boy's weirdly genuine joyous grin was getting on the nerves. It was as if he had just struck the lottery, something that would have been a joyous occasion if I knew what the winnings were?

"Tell me, are the majority among the forger population those with a rich background? I do know that the slots are divided equally." I practically spat out the question, with venom practically dripping from my mouth.

"Of course that isn't true. What I want to know is, what makes you special? There are very many special commoners...even in this room."

Should I strangle her and just get on with it? No, the suit would save her, seeing as it is of a higher grade than mine.

"If you want to know what makes me special, ask Danny boy behind you."

I gave up on holding conversation with her, plopping back down into my seat. My mere mortal mind had fried after interacting with her, an AI.

"Hey bro, can I join your partnership?" A slippery sounding voice entered my ears from the right. I hadn't cared, but apparently he was my right hand in the seating arrangement.

I picked out that he was one of those rich boys, someone whose parents or family had probably decided to dump here. He had asked me the question but his gaze was lingering on that AI woman past me.

"You do know that you can't have sex here, right?" 

"Only for you dude! These latest Gen suits can do anything! ANYTHING!"

You can do it with such a suit!? For real!? Anyway, this douchebag has to go...and why is his nose twitching? There is no smell. Does he tend to get lost in his fantasies?

"You should buzz off, cockroach!" 

That was Danny boy's voice in my ears, but it was so cold, I got the sensation of goosebumps. I never knew the guy could portray such intense loathing in a couple of words!

The douchebug's expression shifted into one of someone about to fight, before that changed to fear and he stalked off.

"...onto the really important matters now, we three are going to be a team moving forward." Danny boy's expression went back to being sunny. Is he an actor?