Part 779: Adrenaline

January 29th, 2021. Aevum.

Daisy, exhausted from her sparring matches against Jerome and Phoebe, had gone to bed early for the day. The other teenagers were hotly discussing what they’d seen, with all of them excited by how drastically Daisy’s improvements had ended up being.

By this point, the benefits of Jason’s MindCores were fully proven. The side effects had been pretty bad before, which made the teens wary, but Daisy’s MindCore had zero side effects at all! That meant Jason had finally ironed out the majority of kinks, and future MindCores would have few if any issues worth mentioning. The teens were looking forward to their powerups.

Jason teleported back into the sparring ring. He looked around and saw Phoebe chatting with Nadia on one side of the ring, while Bryan, Marco, and Sasha were discussing the previous sparring matches on the other side.

The Wordsmith’s eyes fell on Phoebe for a moment. He enjoyed looking at her. He enjoyed drinking in her beauty. But he never allowed himself to look long, especially when, despite having her back turned to him, Phoebe turned around and smiled at him. Somehow, she had immediately sensed his arrival.

He smiled back, then turned to look at the teenagers.

"So, kids." Jason said, wandering over to them. "I’ve decided I’m going to give Sasha the next MindCore, then Brian, then Marco. Are you all okay with that?"

All three of them nodded.

"Sasha has the most useful power. It’s the most brain-focused." Brian said.

"I’d prefer to go last anyway." Marco said, lowering his eyes. "I still don’t think my power has much use."

Jason sighed. Marco’s self esteem was, by far, the lowest of all the people in Aevum. He constantly doubted himself. He was rather spineless, in many ways. It wasn’t a good quality for someone who might have to fight demons in the future. Maybe just keeping him in a backline support role would be for the best. Jason could easily get months, even years of work done in mere Aevum-minutes, provided he could handle the sustained isolation from all other forms of life.

If that was all Marco was ever good for, it would be a tremendous boon for humanity, but Jason felt bad, knowing he’d be reducing a potential powerhouse to a mere finger-snapping assistant. Surely Marco’s powers had way more utility than even Jason had thought of yet.

"Sasha’s Alchemy has countless support and combat uses." Jason said. "The fact her powers are mentally-focused definitely means she needs a MindCore the most. But don’t discount yourselves. Brian, I knew an incredible fire manipulator in the future I came from. His name was Beelzebub, and I fear if he hadn’t joined humanity’s side, he could have stayed one of our most dangerous enemies."

Jason turned his head toward Marco. "And Marco, I’ve never known anyone with an ability like yours. It’s utterly unique. You’ve got to grow a spine and start thinking better of yourself. Hopefully this new MindCore helps you out with that…"

Marco shrugged. He didn’t seem too enthusiastic about the whole thing, though he was naturally interested in becoming smarter. Even if he didn’t think highly of himself, he did at least think a MindCore would put him above the level of most ordinary humans. Getting a good job in the future wouldn’t be too hard with such a boon.

The fact he was still thinking of mundane things like ‘jobs’ when the fate of humanity was at stake went even further to show just how out-of-the-game his head was.

After setting up appointments for each of the teenagers’ MindCore installations, Jason turned and strolled over to Nadia and Phoebe, who had fallen silent after Jason arrived. Whatever they’d been discussing was likely idle small talk. They were much more interested in Jason, whenever he was present.

"Am I interrupting anything?" Jason asked.

"Not really." Nadia said. "Well, actually, Jason, I did notice something when Phoebe and Daisy were sparring. I’m sure you noticed it too."

"Her enhanced reflexes?" Jason asked.

"Yes, exactly." Nadia replied. "During the match, I was struck with the thought that Daisy and Phoebe were moving in an eerily similar manner."

Like mother, like daughter. Jason thought. He didn’t voice those words.

"To me," Nadia continued, "I felt as though I were looking at two iterations of the QuantumReflex MindCore. It was as if Daisy had one, and so did Phoebe. Except, I thought that Phoebe’s was much, much more advanced."

Jason blinked. He looked at Phoebe, her face blank and uncomprehending.

Is Nadia saying she thinks Phoebe spontaneously grew a MindCore? That certainly seems outside the realm of possibility. I guess stranger things have happened though. Maybe that Sphinx powerup seriously juiced her more than I ever anticipated!

"Phoebe, mind if we poke around in your head, then?" Jason asked. "You can say no, if you want. I intended to give you a MindCore in the future, so if you’re at all interested, it won’t hurt to do a check-up now."

Phoebe fidgeted a little, seeming surprisingly more nervous than usual. "Well… okay then. I suppose it couldn’t hurt."

With that, Jason, Nadia, and Phoebe vanished, leaving the teenagers behind.

After a few moments, Brian coughed. "The Archseer really is building quite the harem, isn’t be?"

"Harem?" Marco asked. "What makes you say that?"

Sasha and Brian both gave him pitying looks.

"Marco, it’s pretty obvious Nadia’s fallen head-over-heels for him." Sasha said. "Phoebe can’t keep her eyes off him, and don’t forget when Heaven’s Daughter was here."

Marco was completely oblivious. "You’re saying all three of them… like him?"

"Uh. Yes. Something like that." Brian said, laughing quietly to himself. He shook his head at Marco’s unknowing expression. "Someday, you’ll meet a nice grl, and it’ll make sense then."

"I’ll take your word on it." Marco said with a shrug.

…

Jason and the two women appeared inside the medical center. Phoebe laid back in the examination chair, and Jason held both his palms an inch away from both sides of her head, while Nadia donned her PepScan and watched from the side.

Jason uttered a Word of Power, then his soul exited his body and dove into Phoebe’s glabella.

As soon as Jason entered her mind, his eyes were blinded by a brilliant light.

[Ahhh!] Jason cried out. [W-what the hell! What’s this light? What is this?!]

If his soul had tear ducts, his eyes would definitely be watering. It was like looking directly at the sun, except the ‘sun’ was shining its brilliant light from all directions, simultaneously. It resembled Heaven’s Light, but was far brighter. It even made Raphael’s False Cosmic Realm feel somewhat dull.

Jason sensed, but couldn’t really see, Phoebe’s soul-form materialize beside him.

[Is something wrong?] Phoebe asked, perplexed.

[Are you seriously asking me that?] Jason retorted, trying fruitlessly to cover his eyes with his hands. He failed, due to his hands being mostly transparent. [What is this crazy blinding light?]

Phoebe looked around. She shrugged. [I don’t know. It doesn’t seem all that bright to me…]

Jason’s jaw dropped. He couldn’t believe how blasé her reaction was regarding what her inner self looked like. Had she already grown fully accustomed to her strange Mind Realm, to the point its existence was utterly banal? Or maybe it truly didn’t seem bright at all to her, and it only did to Jason because he was a foreign soul?

Jason did not know the answer.

After poking around a while, Jason convinced Phoebe to ‘mess around’ with her Mind Realm a little. Eventually, the light levels dropped, and a planet came into view.

Jason was shellshocked. As the light dimmed and he became more and more capable of gazing upon Phoebe’s Mind Realm, he realized Nadia was completely correct. Somehow, Phoebe had developed a massive Mind Realm bigger than any of Jason’s MindCores, more power efficient than any of his newest versions, and so rich in life energy he was left reeling.

The world that stretched out before him appeared somewhat barren at first glance. It was a planet similar to Earth, but with a purple sky that tinted the world below in a similar hue. There were strange creatures roaming the planet Jason didn’t recognize at all. One thing was for sure though; they were completely alien life forms. There were bipedal Sentients of many different types living in cities made up of different technological eras, wildlife living in vast forests the size of the Amazon, deserts and tundras, plains, farmlands…

Phoebe’s Mind Realm appeared to be made up of multiple alien civilizations, all somehow coexisting on the same world. By now, Jason was feeling extremely doubtful, even suspicious.

Never, never, not ever had any of the Sphinxes he knew mentioned anything about growing an alien Mind Realm in their heads. At this point, Phoebe’s Sphinx power-up was so exaggerated he was beginning to doubt if he’d planted the Sphinx in her, or the seed of some long-dead ancient galactic civilization.

[What do you make of all this?] Jason asked, directing his question to Phoebe’s presence floating beside him as he flew across her Mind World.

[It is incredible…] Phoebe said quietly. [All of this… is inside me? All these strange people and animals?]

Jason looked at Phoebe, turned away, then quickly looked back with an expression of shock. [You didn’t know about your inner Mind Realm?!]

[I wasn’t able to look inside myself until you showed me it was possible.] Phoebe explained. [What does this mean? Is this what your MindCore looks like?]

Jason scoffed. [If my MindCores were 5% as majestic as your Mind Realm, humanity would become unstoppable. Whatever the hell the Sphinx power did to your body, it amplified your brain ten times more. No wonder you were dogging Daisy the whole fight.]

[Dogging?] Phoebe asked, perplexed. [Do you mean… licking her with my tongue? I did no such thing…]

[No! I meant, uh, kicking her butt during the fight.] Jason hastily explained.

Phoebe’s soulform squinted at him. [I did not kick her posterior…]

[No it’s- never mind.] Jason sighed, giving up instead of digging a deeper hole with his words. [I’m just saying, this Mind Realm is extremely impressive. I don’t even know how to start evaluating it.]

Jason retracted his soul from Phoebe’s Mind Realm. He and her awoke at the same time, with Jason feeling somewhat fatigued. It seemed that merely spending time in direct proximity to her powerful soul was a draining experience for him. By now, he understood that this Phoebe had diverged so far from the Phoebe he knew that he had to completely reassess her capabilities.

Her personality seemed mostly the same, but the way she addressed him, the way she looked at him, the way she conducted herself, all of it presented an image of a twin sister who looked the same externally, but did not think the same way internally.

And that made sense. This Phoebe had awoken in the modern era, a time where humans were still somewhat the rulers of Earth. Waking up in a distant future where humanity had become slaves and chattel would prove to be a mind-altering moment, perhaps even traumatic in many ways. Jason needed only look at Catherine as an example of what differing circumstances could lead to.

"Well." Jason said, as he turned to Nadia and rubbed his tired eyes. "We… won’t be able to give Phoebe a MindCore. But it doesn’t seem she needs one either."

He explained to Nadia what he’d seen. Nadia stayed quiet, merely listening and nodding as Jason talked. Every so often, she would direct a sly glance at Phoebe, seemingly an idle movement of her eyes, yet one that also seemed to speak of secret insights she was making in her mind, yet not expressing verbally.

"An entire planet within her mind? It almost sounds similar to a single simulated instance inside a RealitySim. Except it isn’t a simulation, it appears to be a living world with real or otherwise lifelike entities living within. Not to mention Phoebe demonstrated mental abilities in the same vein as Daisy’s QuantumReflex. I’m guessing the two of them are based on similar principles, but Phoebe’s is far more advanced. Jason, you could drastically improve the future MindCores you develop if you were to study the design of Phoebe’s Mind Realm first."

Jason slowly nodded. "Your words make sense, but… I don’t know. Being in close proximity to Phoebe’s Mind Realm was an exhausting experience. I’m hesitant to go poking around in there again."

Nadia bobbed her head, ever so slightly. It was almost as if she was thinking, ah yes, exactly the intended effect. Jason was too tired to notice.

After finishing up, Jason turned back to Phoebe. "Hey, while you’re here, I had something I wanted to run by you."

Phoebe got out of the chair and stretched, popping her back. "What is it?"

"I was thinking we needed more recreational activities in Aevum." Jason explained. "You mind checking out the first one I built? Nadia, you can come along too."

Nadia pursed her lips. "No, that’s fine. I have a project I need to work on. You and Miss Berthold go ahead. Fill me in later."

Without further ado, she strolled out of the medical center. Jason was slightly perplexed. Nadia usually chose to join him on activities like this. Perhaps she was just tired from all the excitement.

"I’ll teleport us there." Jason said to Phoebe with a smile.

A moment later, Jason uttered a Word of Power. He and Phoebe vanished, reappearing just outside Argent City, within the Proving Grounds. Here, a massive electrified fence had been erected, forming a large oval-shaped arena. There were bleachers capable of seating 1000 people, not gigantic compared to stadiums on Earth, but certainly far outstripping Aevum’s current population.

"This is a racing track." Jason said, smiling cheerfully at Phoebe. "This is where people driving in cars can race one another."

Phoebe frowned. She looked around the field, slightly uncomprehending.

"Cars…" Phoebe said, before she remembered something she’d read recently. "One of those ‘motorized vehicles’, like Planes, but on the ground?"

"Yes!" Jason said. "I have a feeling you’ll really enjoy this activity in your free time. Let me show you how it works."

Jason waved his hand. Immediately, a bright red Ferrari materialized before him and Phoebe on the race track. Phoebe examined it with mild interest, but she knew very little about automobiles, so she had about the same interest in it as she would if Jason were showing her a collection of butterflies taped inside a book.

Jason popped open the passenger door and gestured inside. "I will be sitting over there and driving. You’ll be sitting here, in the passenger seat. This vehicle drives extremely fast. It’s a real adrenaline-pumper, and it might be scary at first. It makes a really loud noise, but don’t be frightened!"

He remembered the first time he’d introduced his wife to a car, and he’d scared her so badly she had started sobbing uncontrollably. Jason learned from his mistakes and spent a few minutes acclimating her to the concept, not wanting her to cry like she had before.

"Fascinating." Phoebe said, still only mildly interested. "You said this car moves extremely quickly?"

"Oh yes, this will get your blood pumping." Jason assured her. "You want to take it for a spin?"

Phoebe looked at him quizzically. "A spin? Driving in circles?"

"It’s, ah, an expression…" Jason said, realizing he’d once again used a common turn of phrase she wasn’t familiar with. "Sorry…"

"No worries. I’ll spin with you." Phoebe said, smiling sweetly. "So I just… climb into this seat here?"

Jason nodded, then helped her into the Ferrari, also showing her how to buckle her seatbelt. After he closed the passenger door, he jogged around to the other side, climbed inside the driver’s seat, and shut the door.

Jason grinned like a kid opening a present on Christmas Day. He was so excited, getting to relive a core memory with the new Phoebe. Of course, the first time he drove her around had been extremely scary for her, but it had also morphed into her love of racing.

Unfortunately, Phoebe had always been so busy acting as the brains of humanity’s military that she never had time to devote to her driving. Jason was sure she would have gone racing every day if she’d had more free time. That thought left him feeling a little melancholic, which made his expression dim. Now his wife would never have that opportunity again…

"Is something the matter?" Phoebe asked, seeing the smile slip from his face.

"Oh, no. It’s nothing." Jason said, quickly reassuring her while returning to his previous expression. "Let’s have some fun!"

Jason turned on the engine and let it sit for a few moments, allowing Phoebe to acclimate to it before gently revving the engine a little more. He looked at the face of his wife-not-wife, but he was surprised to see she seemed as disinterested as before. It seemed as if she were merely politely going through the motions to make him happy, rather than showing any real interest the activity herself.

That was when a thought struck him.

Was it possible, in his caution to acclimate her to the car, that he’d been too careful? What if the trauma of future-Phoebe’s first encounter with a car had left her adrenaline racing? What if it was the element of fear that had led to her excitement? By carefully explaining every little thing, was it possible that he had inadvertently stunted past-Phoebe’s interest in driving?!

That wouldn’t do. Jason knew that Phoebe was a speed freak, an adrenaline junkie. He had to make sure today left a lasting impact on her.

Thus, acting on instinct, he suddenly jammed his foot on the gas and peeled out, racing forward and jumping from 0-60 MPH in just 10 seconds. Not as fast as the Ferrari could actually accelerate, but he wasn’t a professional driver anyway. He only wanted to leave an impression on Phoebe.

The moment the car accelerated, Phoebe’s eyes widened. She was pulled back into her seat and gasped as the Ferrari took off, racing down the track as it ramped up to just over 100 MPH, with Jason tearing down the track, his foot holding the gas pedal all the way down.

Jason grinned. He shot a quick glance over at Phoebe, but was surprised to see that her momentary excitement had already disappeared. She was still smiling, but it seemed she had returned to her usual, polite expression.

"I-isn’t this exciting?!" Jason prompted. "Isn’t it fun?"

Phoebe blushed. She realized he’d seen through her thoughts. "Forgive me, Jason. The first burst of speed startled me a little, but… it’s just… not as fast as I thought it would be."

Jason let off the accelerator. He slowed the car to a more comfortable driving speed as he rounded the first bend. Once he returned to a straightaway, he gave Phoebe a quizzical look.

"Not fast enough?" Jason repeated.

The first time he’d ever accelerated, he hadn’t even hit 60 MPH before Phoebe had already experienced a tidal wave of emotions. Now they were at 100 MPH and she wasn’t even fazed? Was the difference between future and past Phoebe truly that extreme?

Phoebe scratched her chin. "If it were going… maybe… three or four times faster, that would feel more exciting, I think."

Jason was incredulous. "At those speeds, we’d be in real danger if we crashed. I don’t want to take such a risk, especially with your life."

Phoebe’s smile brightened. "Well, that’s sweet of you, Jason. Thank you, and I’m sorry. I should be more appreciative of this ‘driving’ experience. My manners are truly poor."

"No… it’s fine." Jason said, as he eventually slowed the car to a stop. He and Phoebe climbed back out. She barely even gave the car a second glance. It seemed she genuinely wasn’t interested in it at all. "I’ll see if I can find something faster that can really excite you."

"No need, no need." Phoebe said, waving her hand politely. "I’m sure the others will better appreciate this ‘race track’ you made."

The problem was, Phoebe had no idea that Jason had told her a white lie earlier. He didn’t make the trace track for the others. He’d made it for her, thinking she would love to race just like his Phoebe had. But she wasn’t interested.

It was similar to if Jason had spent weeks thinking up a thoughtful Christmas gift, only for the recipient to barely feign interest in it. He was feeling slightly soul-crushed, but he didn’t have a way to verbalize his thoughts without sounding like an asshole. It wasn’t Phoebe’s fault he had such extreme expectations regarding her interests.

"I’m sure they will." Jason said, smiling tiredly. "Let’s go back to the city."

Before he could utter a Word of Power, Phoebe took a step toward him. "Jason, are you okay? I… I’m sorry if my reaction disappointed you. I just… it didn’t feel all that fast to me."

"It’s my fault." Jason said, his smile fully slipping as he was now feeling somewhat gloomy. "I ruined the fun by overexplaining things to you."

"No, no. I don’t think you did." Phoebe said gently, touching his arm. "It was very kind of you to take my feelings into account. If I’d been unprepared, that could have been quite a scary feeling for me."

I know. Jason thought miserably. Which would have made it more memorable, and left a lasting impact on you, likely translating into a new interest in racing for the foreseeable future.

He didn’t speak these words. He just sighed and shrugged. "I’ll see if I can do better next time. Don’t worry about it."

"Alright." Phoebe said quietly.

Without another word, Jason teleported himself and Phoebe back to Argent. Once inside the city, Jason split off from Phoebe, allowing her to go about her business.

After he left, Phoebe went back to her domicile. She sat on the bed, a contemplative expression on her face.

"It wasn’t fast enough." Phoebe muttered quietly. "If it were faster, a lot faster, it could have been truly exciting…"

That thought continued to percolate in her mind for a long, long while…