PACHELBEL’S PILOT - II.b.

The scent of Eric's coffee in the morning in the training area was lost on the new recruits from last night's debriefing.

Staying seated on the very same bench his boss did, he took in the sight of his five heroes running laps in an artificially simulated gravity course. It had a kick indescribable to the human mind, much stronger than typical G-forces: able to challenge their balance by running, walking, crawling, and then sprinting if pushed far enough.

Eric took another sip, the bitter taste making him bite the inside of his mouth and feel as if his throat was closing up.

Sometime after completing the initial lap course, Mirage Mistress and Inferno Blaze were finishing their third. The white-haired heroine had a rather relaxed gait, despite her rapid pace, while the dark-clad teleporter found herself somewhat frustrated with it.

Eric eyed the woman with her face barely recognizable behind the black ski mask that gave him a strange look, hoping that it conveyed his intention of his current dilemma. He was afraid that the longer he spoke and his vocal cords got used to sound again, the less distinct they would be.

The heroic duo were neck-and-neck then, Inferno Blaze starting to heat up as sweat scorched up instantly from her skin; his body turned red and steam rising as hot temperatures left a tear-shaped aura flaring up around him.

A few members further ahead sped past them both.

"My clothes will get all sweaty," groaned Mirage Mistress as she pulled a long-sleeved shirt over her body. Her shoulders started to move out of the way in a smooth, sultry motion. While it probably looked effortless and quick from a distance, it appeared, in fact, to be quite slow and languid.

Eclipse huffed as she pushed herself. Beside her the sound of Nicole's footfalls resounded alongside Snarrk's, who picked up his gait hurriedly.

The fiery superhero bit his lip, releasing a small trickle of crimson down the side.

Both were powerhouses, yet with their innate abilities restricted and having flight act upon them as a second muscle, it was clear who was winning. He turned his gaze to the group leading him, burning eyes revealing no emotion.

"Who needs a 'Gravity Trainer'? I could feel that naturally by hanging upside down inside a wardrobe closet."

Immediately Mirage Mistress changed direction to join up behind him—close enough that her breath sent goosebumps across his skin.

"Relax," she said in a soft tone. "Stop trying so hard..."

Eclipse halted as her mind focused solely upon Nicole's whispered advice: "Focus on feeling, not thinking. Will yourself to act, and you can be in two places at once."

Snarrk's breaths stopped and his eyelids drew up a touch, prompting Nicole's hand on his shoulder, prompting him: "Trust me. Trust yourself...you've got this."

From Eric's standpoint, the two had effectively switched places: a phenomenon which triggered him into making an incalculable decision:

"ALRIGHT-

TIME OUT!"

He waved his hands up in the air, blowing a whistle before slamming the control panel to disable the extremities of the gravity gym.

Mirage Mistress had to shield her face with an arm, lest she was blinded by a dazzling glow, blinding Inferno Blaze completely while exposing a gaseous liquid substance sprayed forth, leaving a trail behind as the artificial gravity was lessened.

Others stood in shock as the lava puddles under Inferno Blaze disappeared in a wisp of steam and sparks of electricity with the sound of thunder interspersed with bursts from his suit, the seams and sections that divided the cloth-covered material turning a bright gold and red after a moment or two.

Just as Eclipse turned to Mirage, his eyes slowly opened and looked at her, his pupils constricting.

"Are you deaf?

-Didn't you hear ME!?"

The wind mistress scoffed, snapping back at the impotent fire starter with a witty insult: "What's wrong, mate? Lose track of time? If I've done something wrong, then just say so."

"Who else have I saved? Could it be any of you? I'm not surprised... it's just too embarrassing!" Eclipse mocked while fidgeting with her energy drink.

As casually as he would have stated a fact, the volatile hero reignited.

"Don't get angry, darling. You should learn to calm down when there's no need for excessive force."

"OKAYYY-"

Eric butted in between the two just before things got worse. "We'll ALL take FIVE- Inferno. You know the rules about abusing your powers in an artificially simulated environment."

"The same is NOT true when it comes to my very essence. You should learn, when invincible, that the laws of nature affect only things you can't consciously understand or control.

Such an outdated, anarchist society couldn't change THAT."

The hero shook his head violently. Without a mask, a gleam could be seen coming off him.

Mirage huffed and puffed, "Sighing out of the mouth is the most absurd thing anyone has ever said in 'metahuman' life."

She stared down at the floor as she noticed the group regroup with each other once again, still somewhat unsettled from their colleague's earlier rant. To say that she didn't have an inkling of fear would have been a foolish assumption, but when the mind's eye strayed a tiny bit too long off into the surrounding crowd her curiosity would get the better of her.

"Keep walking, keep walking..."

"You know the drill from here by now." Eric flashed his razor thin tablet, going through the data. "Get yourselves trained in a one-on-one 'No holds barred' exercise and focus those efforts into ONE task- and soon we'll all begin working together as the team we are meant to be..."

Nicole and Snarrk paused a few meters away, discussing in whispers what had just transpired. Just behind the both of them, Eclipse's icy glare could be felt practically burning into his skull- her disapproval evident even with her partially concealed features.

Mirage Mistress stepped around Eric and toward the former, offering a firm nod of approval. She addressed her now absent partner: "Our dear friend Flame Knight over there is being quite arrogant... Perhaps it would be best for you to practice ‘calming him down’ so that we don't get fired before our internship ends?"

Eric fell silent, as if something else was breathing down his neck.

"...OUR?"

He jumped with a yelp, astonished by the sight of a purple dragon the size of a house cat flapping its wings above his head, causing everyone's attention to shift his way. From the shocked expressions coming off the rest of the heroes- faked or not, it seemed like it wasn't some mere projection.

"YEAH, 'OUR'."

The masculine voice boomed, landing as the reptilian perched himself onto his right shoulder, rummaging through his coat pockets like a raccoon just to extract his lunch- a ham-and-cheese sandwich.

"Hey! That's MY food."

"If you wanna talk about being cocky, 'darling'-"

Eclipse phased her head out from the floor, fitted in a purple sports suit before screaming: "ROCKWEED! GET BACK HERE!"

"Please no, your new HUBBY is an asshole! Let me share MY belongings just THIS ONCE!!"

In the panic that ensued, the beast released a torrent of fire all over the ground, melting even the floor’s reinforced alloy frame, devouring Eric's food like they were wet straw. Rockweed let out a belch, emitting more flame that nearly took out the man's hair in one breath.

"DUDE- NICE!" Inferno shouted from all across the hall with a raised thumb.