Learn and Improve - 3

3

Time went by and I spent a lot of my time studying, especially when final exams were approaching. I came home exhausted, but I did what my university asked of me.

One day, when I got home, I collapsed face down on my bed. Two steel spheres had formed on my mask, weighing me down as I carried them all the way home.

Right after that, a masked man entered my room. It was me (once again a copy), but with a different objective. He sat down in front of my desk and, without stopping for a second, grabbed a notebook and searched through my notes.

He came from an idea I had inspired by television. I had seen many times characters who created clones or copies of themselves, but with some small differences between them.

In some cases, an exact copy was nothing more than an inanimate object. But in others, it had its own consciousness, identical to that of its creator.

That could apply to a single clone or to a multitude of them. In the latter case, there was also the possibility that they had a collective consciousness, which is more like a single mind functioning in more than one body.

The idea I had this time did not fit in with any of those ideas. I actually wanted to imitate a scene where a character splits into two, leaving each half with a different quality.

Normally, this would result in a good and an evil half of himself, with slight changes in their designs. What I did was split myself into an exhausted half and an energic half.

That way, one of us could rest while the other used the last of our energy. Our only visual difference was our masks, as mine reflected tiredness and his concentration.

Twen 2: When you can do everything , you have to be creative, right? You rest a little while I study... And don't force yourself to answer, it's not necessary.

Clearly, he knew how I felt. My tiny effort to respond produced nothing more than a low sound muffled by my pillow.

I hoped that, with a clone like him, I could take advantage of even the moments when I lacked motivation. In theory, when our bodies were once again united, so would our knowledge, so I did not have to worry.

It is a complicated technique, but I only planned it to a certain extent. That is the result of my practice to achieve skills that many would only dream of.

Twen 2: Isn't it weird to think that even though we can do everything in theory, we'll never fully understand it? Even when we're in a university just for that…

The truth is that I was no longer paying attention to what was going on around me. The only thing I was thinking about was that my body would not leave that bed for a long time.

However, that ended when a text message arrived on my phone. My clone was the first to try to read it, but I was the one who finally did. That is how we discovered that my phone had also been duplicated.

The message was a request for help. Apparently, Lani had a small cut on her finger, and Zena, who was with her, wanted me to heal her with my powers.

She sent a photo and in it I could see Lani completely calm and with a wound smaller than an eyelash on her thumb.

I considered doing something to help her, but Lani texted before I started moving to clarify that it was not necessary. As a result, I was left in the same position as before.

However, for some reason I did not feel so exhausted anymore. My brain was working again and did not seem to have any intention of shutting down again.

So, I corrected my posture and sent a text to Zena, telling her that with some salt and lemon she could try to clean the wound (a joke, obviously). Shortly after, I received messages from both her and Lani.

By sending and receiving messages, I was able to learn the story from both sides. This dynamic continued for a few minutes, and it entertained me more than I expected.

That ended when a loud sound distracted me. It was the sound of my doorbell, probably because Mom had just arrived home. I immediately stood up to greet her and my clone remained in front of the desk.

It was in fact her, with a grocery bag in her hands. She handed it to me, and we walked into the house together. I put everything in its place and Mom made herself some coffee.

Meanwhile, another text message arrived on my phone, but before answering I preferred to finish what I was doing, so I just left it on the table.

Shortly after, more arrived and again I did not read them, but Mom did. It was out of sheer curiosity, and I did not have any problem with it. Or at least I thought so, but I reconsidered when I saw her reaction.

I was surprised, and although she did not say anything, her gaze told me a thousand things. She did not make any particular gesture, she just stared in silence. Something had happened, it was obvious, but the problem was that I could not figure out what.

I approached her, confused and so intrigued that I could feel a great tension building in the air. Her gaze flicked back to the screen, then back to me.

When I finally managed to grab my phone, I prepared to read whatever had left Mom like that, and I quickly understood everything.

Lani: “Hey, Twen, would you like to go out with me?” ... “I'd like to spend more time with you and get to know each other better…”

I shared Mom's surprise, though not in the same way. Her lips formed a smile and her eyes looked at me as if she had caught me red-handed. I, on the other hand, let my mask speak for me.

Embarrassment:

My mask quickly turned completely white, but soon a thick layer of pink material began to form in random areas, even obscuring my vision a bit. It was somewhat reminiscent of chalk blocks, as it easily broke into chunks and fine dust, creating a pink mess that was annoying to deal with.

Many thoughts ran through my head, but the one I heard most was that this was probably just a joke. I knew it looked like something else, but it could not be…

Mom thought otherwise and already suspected that there was a hidden romance in my life. And it makes sense, since a woman my age had just asked me out on what looked like a date, and I admit that my first reaction was not to the contrary.

Twen: No, Mom, wait. You're getting the wrong idea! I don't think it's really what it looks like… Look! Zena's going to be there too, so it's not what you're thinking.

Mom put both hands on the table and tilted her head as she looked at me, as if she was saying she did not believe me and wanted to hear the truth.

I continued to put the pieces of that puzzle together and soon I could see the final image. The strange pink material fell off my mask and its design returned to the original.

Twen: I think I know what happened and it's not what you think. It was just a joke by someone who grabbed her phone...

Mom's expression did not change and her eyes remained fixed on mine. I figured it would take a little longer to get the idea out of her head, so I was going to have to put up with it for now.

Anyway, it was more of a funny situation than an annoying one. In fact, even my clone was curious about what was going on outside the room, although he never came out.

It was not necessary, as he would find out sooner or later and there were more important things to do at the moment. So, he turned his attention back to the notebook in his hands.

…

My schedule did not require me to spend too much time at the university, as great importance was given to studying at home and other personal activities.

However, there were days when I felt like my classes were going on forever. That day, according to my classmates, was Thursday, and every week they cursed it before, during and after class.

Not only was it the day we started the earliest, but it was also the day we had the most classes in a row and the most professionally boring teachers I had ever met.

The last subject we had to endure was “Fundamentals of Physics”, which practically summarized everything we had learned about the subject at school and added some specific topics. It was complicated, but at the same time very important and meaningful for me.

Our last class before the exams was basically a compilation of questions that we should be able to answer. Our teacher asked them, we reflected and finally we compared answers.

It required concentration, but many had already lost it. Some did not know how to arrive at the solution and others did not even want to try.

I, for one, could not say that I was really paying attention either. I had my head resting on one of my hands and was just staring at the drawing my teacher had made on the blackboard.

A sphere attached to one end of a string. In other words, a pendulum.

I saw it moving left, right, left, right… Slower and slower, until its speed reached zero and its movement stopped.

???: No, no… The movement is supposed to be harmonic and ideal, it shouldn't just stop like that.

Yes, my teacher was right. Its movement was not as I thought. Actually, it should be moving left, right, left, right… And so on to infinity or until someone stopped it.

???: Yes, that is much better. Thank you very much for this graphical representation.

I felt a few heads turn to look at me, and then I better understood the situation I had gotten myself into.

I was not only visualizing that pendulum inside my head, but also in reality.

The chalk my teacher had used for her drawing (white and red) moved from one side to the other on the blackboard as if by magic.

And in a way, that was the case. My OV's powers showed themselves before I realized it, and that caused a few laughs.

Even from my teacher, who seemed to waiting for me to do something. So, I slapped my mask (because it was blocking my cheeks) and returned my attention to the classes.

I knew I had made a mistake and my only way to redeem myself was to do what she, as a teacher, would expect of her student.

???: Well, since we're here, I'd like you to remind the class about two exceptional moments in the movement of this pendulum.

Twen: Exceptional moments?

???: Of course, because the mechanical energy that this pendulum possesses is divided into two parts, at least in this example, but there are two moments in which we could consider that this energy is composed of only one element.

Twen: Oh, I get it… When the pendulum reaches its maximum height, the speed of the pendulum becomes 0, so the kinetic energy is zero and only the potential energy is taken into account. However, when the pendulum is halfway, it reaches its lowest point and the opposite occurs…

I did not know if I needed to go into more detail or not, but the answer had to be correct. And that is what my teacher thought, explaining with drawings on the board.

My classmates, sitting next to me, were attentive to my answer and congratulated me when they saw that I did well. Although the celebration was not just between us.

It became an ironic joke, where they acted in an exaggerated way and even got people I did not know to join in. The teacher obviously heard the noise, but she did not ask for silence. Instead, she put her pencil down and turned to look at us.

???: I can see that your classmate has helped you wake up, right? … Well, I have to admit that I'm interested to see this response coming from him. Do you know why I say that?

Listening to her, everyone slowly became quiet and paid attention to her words. It seemed interesting.

???: Conservation of energy, as I have said before, is due to the fact that energy is neither created nor destroyed, it is only transformed. And this applies to the entire universe… Or at least that is what we should believe. But there are theories that suggest something different and clash with what we think we know. Black holes, the expansion of the universe… And also the OV.

A few glances were fixed on me. I felt watched, with a mixture of shame and pride, and all I could think of doing was smiling. They could not see it.

???: Obviously, there are things in the world that science cannot explain. And, likewise, the existence of the OV creates a whole new field that an average human could not come close to understanding. What we call powers are actually actions or events that physically have no explanation. And that is why, at times, what we know about nature gets distorted.

I saw two or three people straighten their backs, making it clear that the topic was not only of interest to me.

???: Of course, there are also theories that try to explain them, and you will have heard some of them in your schools. Such as the “Foreign Fluid Theory” or the “Box Theory”… All of them, clearly, proposed by scientists who, in life, had a bond with an object.

The second of these theories has always been one of my favorites. It was proposed by Joseph John Ruben, who also founded the university.

???: You've probably heard a bit about it before, so you know that the Box Theory is the most widely accepted one at the moment... But don't worry, I'm not going to explain something so complex to you right now. That's a subject for another time.

This was a possibility that many students had not considered. Many of my classmates were relieved to hear it, but soon began to worry about their futures.

???: I just wanted to take this opportunity to mention the importance of OV carriers in science. Because, not only for us, but for them as well, it is extremely complicated to understand how the powers work.

???: Although that doesn't make much sense, does it?

Twen: But it's completely true, actually…

???: That is why the effort of as many people as possible, all over the world, working together, is so important. It is through experimentation, searching for new things, and teaching our learnings that such theories are created. And that is, after all, how science evolves.

It was turning into a kind of motivational talk. And, as sudden as it was, it caught the attention of many.

Not all of them, by the way, as time was not on my teacher's side. Some seats began to become vacant, so she glanced at her watch.

???: Well… With that said, I would like to return to the initial topic. Regarding the conservation of energy in the pendulum, are there any questions?

Except for the people who were already leaving the room, no one said anything.

???: Well, if there's nothing, then I'll let you go. I wish you the best of luck, and thank you for your attention… And if we have classes together again in the future, then I’ll see you next time.

After thanking her for her comment, we got up and left. I stayed with my classmates, with whom I spoke once we were in the hallways.

The topic of object vinculation and science caught their interest. And so, the fact that our teacher had to finish early because of the time left them with a bittersweet feeling. The same happened to me.

Although we felt liberated to be able to return home, two of my classmates were still curious about the subject, and did not refrain from asking.

???: You know, Twen, I still don't get it... How is it that you can't understand your powers if you can do everything?

???: Can't you make the answers fall from the sky? And I mean that literally...

Twen: I wish it were that easy, but it's not... I once heard someone say it's like trying to get through a maze, but all the exits are on the side you came in. So even though you feel like you're moving forward, you end up in the same place.

???: That… How?

Twen: I'm just saying it's too confusing and complicated... I can't even get a concrete idea of how to go about finding answers, or what it is I'm looking for. And if my powers are nothing more than my thoughts, then it's not going to work... Damn, I'm sorry I can't explain it better.

Normally, when I thought about these things I was able to give myself pretty clear explanations. But, when it came to explaining it to someone else, that might not have been the case.

Their faces showed little more than confusion, so I searched for some alternative way to explain myself.

Twen: Oh, there's this other thing too. The “OV fever”. Finding solutions to problems this complex is exhausting, and you know how it can take its toll.

???: It's true, OV fever... What a horrible thing.

???: Have you ever been through that, Twen?

Twen: Yep, twice… It was years ago and I don't remember it that well, but I get chills when I think about it.

I was not just saying that for the sake of it. Even my mask shook a little and my classmates, who had obviously learned a bit about it in the past, became a little worried.

Twen: But why worry now? It's all in the past and I'm perfectly fine now.

They seemed not to be very satisfied with my words. Perhaps, this was their first time talking to an OV carrier about that strange and horrible disease.

???: And… Do you think something like that could happen again?

???: Of course it can! It's not like a disease that can be cured, and that's why he has to learn to use his powers carefully.

Twen: What he said!

???: But there's no point in having powers if you're afraid to use them, right?

Twen: It's not that I'm scared... For something like that to happen to you, you have to really abuse your powers, so most of the time I just do it without worrying.

???: You should be more careful! What if one day you push yourself to the limit without even realizing it?

Twen: To the limit?

???: If you ever have a headache, eye pain, ear pain… I don’t know, whatever. I think at that point, you should take it seriously.

???: Ear pain…? But what you say is true. It is not a condition that can simply be ignored.

Twen: I… I don’t really know what it feels like to reach the limit. I haven’t done it in a long time, and I don’t know when I’ll be able to do it again. That’s why I don’t usually worry… But I’ll take into account what you just said.

???: You better! You really should be careful with that…

???: Yeah…

I appreciated their concern, because I thought it would be worse if they had knowledge on the subject and had not cared about me at all.

???: But, you know, I have to say that I think it's kind of cool anyway.

Twen: Sorry?

???: Cool? … Yeah, it might be.

???: Right? All that stuff about trying so hard for a goal that you have so clear, putting your time and health on the line… Aren't you like the protagonist of an action series?

???: Oh! We are friends of the protagonist!

Twen: I can't believe I just earned the same nickname for the second time...

???: But it's true! Look at it this way... You'll put in all your effort, whether under the sun, through pouring rain, or amidst snow and thunder, pushing forward and conquering the challenges of your demanding path... Everything to reach your goal!

???: No matter how many times you fall, you will get back up. No matter what you lose, you will strive to surpass your past self and reclaim it with your own hands… And then, when you are on top of the world, looking down on everyone, you will shout with pride… I am Twen!

???: I am the masked one!

???: The king of the OV!

???: The tamer of realities that dominates the face of the earth!

???: The… The… Oh, I don't know anymore!

Twen: Relax, there’s no need… Although the last one is pretty good, I liked it.

???: It turned out good, right?

The three of us laughed at what that conversation had turned into. Although, as unexpected as it seemed, similar things happened every time our classes ended and we took the same path we took that day.

???: You have my full support, Twen.

???: Mine too… But, you know, don't overdo it. Be careful.

Twen: Yes, I heard you… Thank you very much.

Talking and walking like that we arrived at the place where we used to say goodbye, but that day we made a small exception, since before that the two people next to me stopped to propose me something.

???: By the way, Twen, do you have any plans for after the exams? We could get together and do something, right?

???: Yes! Sounds fun!

Twen: Actually, I do have something planned, for the night of our last day of exam…

???: Wow, it's true that the masked man is someone famous. We would have been very lucky to be the firsts to invite him.

???: But it's okay! Being the second to do it doesn't make us look bad either, right?

Twen: … The third ones.

???: Oh…

???: Don't let it get to your head, okay?

Twen: You asked me if I had any plans!

???: Well, now you have three.

???: That is if he is not forgetting someone. You know, he should check his calendar, see who is in the queue…

???: Must be tough being famous…

Twen: No, I don't know if I should call myself famous. I've only been on the TV because of my mask, nothing else.

???: Must be tough being famous…

???: Must be tough being famous…

Laughing sarcastically, they both finally said goodbye to me.

I had to walk the rest of the way alone, thinking about how they possibly did not notice the smile I had underneath my mask. It shook for a few seconds and they might have noticed that, but they could not see my face directly.

Anyway, when I got home I remembered that I had more things to worry about. And so the days passed until the exams finally arrived.

It was impossible for me not to be a little nervous, but then I realized that it was actually easier than I expected.