A Saturday passed. And then another. Yet another passed.
Then entering week four, I became very happy. Soon, it would be my special day. I could barely wait to celebrate the addition of another year to my roster. The last three weeks were enjoyable, including my History classes. With a teacher who actually taught the subject, and my new willingness to learn, I was finally able to get my grade up for the subject, bringing a smile to both me and my dad.
Speaking of Mr. Aguanandez, if that was even his real name with how strange it sounded; he was rather weird. I often got to speak to him, and each time my impression of him changed. He was opinionated for sure, and as we talked about various topics besides academic ones, I noticed I had gained some kind of ability to discern his real state of mind. Between my acute vision and manual boosts to my hearing, I could tell whenever he meant or not whatever he said based on a combination of his tone, breathing and body language. This caused me to try it on other people, and I realized that I could now accurately detect lies or subtle deceptions. The one thing I could not tell about Mr. Water was whether he actually liked me or not, though he made it seem that he held nothing against me. It was just odd.
February 14th, 2044. 6:45 AM.
This particular Tuesday morning, I awoke with a beaming smile on my face. I swiftly got up and made my bed. I went to my window and drew apart the heavy dark curtains. Early morning golden light shone through the window and bathed the room. I heard Ameera stir and mumble in her sleep about the window and the light... and a red elephant? Ameera in the morning could say just about anything in her sleep.
Anyway, I closed the curtain, drowning out the sunlight, and walked over to the door. Hearing movement downstairs, I stepped out of the room and looked down from over the railing. Mom and Dad were carrying a familiar oblong metal box to the door. "Mom, Dad, what's going on?" I asked, although I already knew the answer.
"Bill! You're awake!" cried Mom, startled.
"Come on down and help us out, birthday boy!" said Dad. I smiled.
"Light boost," I whispered. I flashed down the stairs and was at their side in seconds. Wind stirred up from my run briefly blew through their hair.
"Happy birthday, my son. We are going on a family fishing trip to our little lake to celebrate," said Dad.
I smiled. "That sounds awesome!"
"Happy birthday, Bill," said Mom. She would have hugged me, but her hands were full with the box. "My brother, your Uncle Davis, will be coming with the boat. He should be here by eight. Could you run down to Mr. Goodwill's store for a few things to pass the time?"
"Pass the time! Mom, with my speed..." I got no further.
"Bill, please. Go slow. Don't use your powers. You will not be on a high-speed chase, just a trip to Mr. Goodwill's."
I would argue, but they needed to bring the heavy box outside. "Yes, mother."
"The list and the wallet are on the table, Dear," said Mom as they went out. I dashed to the kitchen. Daina was whipping up waffles for breakfast. On the Kitchen table was a large platter containing a batch of ten. Next to it was a bowl of scrambled eggs, and a 2-liter jug of orange juice.
"Help yourself, birthday boy," said Daina, not turning.
"Thanks, Daina!"
"Form Coat: Aluminum. Form Change: Extension." She passed me a plate with a knife and a fork on it by extending from her left arm a metal arm and hand. "Here you go."
"Cool! Thanks," I said as I took the plate. She retracted her arm and returned the metal coating back into her body. I then went about taking my share of breakfast. I ate quickly and made my way out. "Commencing operation!" I said with enthusiasm.
"Remember what I said!" called Mom behind me. I only waved in response.
7:27 AM.
I stopped just outside of Goodwill General and took a look at my shopping list. "Okay, let's see here… peanut butter, sandwich bread, large bottle of orange drink… OK, so picnic items. I get it." I went in.
"Good morning, Bill," greeted Mr. Goodwill, just as usual.
"Good morning," I greeted back with a smile as I shook one of his hands.
"Oh, you came alone this time," he said as we released, doing a purposefully poor job of hiding the disappointment in his tone. I only laughed.
"She was making breakfast today, so she couldn't come." Understanding entered his eyes. "Anyway, I need to pick up some picnic items."
"Going on a trip?" he inquired.
"Why, yes! We're going fishing," I replied proudly, a beaming smile on my face.
"Sounds like fun. I wish I could join, but as manager I can't just leave."
"Maybe some other time," I suggested. "We could properly invite you then."
"That would be marvelous. I'd like that. I'd really like that. Alright, I kept you too long."
"Yup. As always, it was nice talking to you. Later." I shook his hand once more and then proceeded to do my shopping. I went about it as boring and as slow as possible. Then I went to the counter to cash the items.
When I was leaving, he met me again. "Here you go, kiddo! On the house!" He gave me a big Hershey's chocolate bar.
"Thanks!" I replied as I allowed him to put it in one of my shopping bags.
8:02 AM.
The first thing my amazing vision caught sight of was the shiny red and white Punjabé family Flat Bottom River Boat, the "Spice of India". It was 7 meters long, 3 meters wide and its side walls were 1.4 meters high, with a large cabin. It was twin-engine, Yamaha. It was once owned by my now deceased grandfather, Aarav Punjabé. Oh, as a side note, I think it is time that I revealed my real name: Arjun 'Bill' Punjabé. I just have everyone call me Bill. I kind of liked the American name.
Back on track, I ran faster and met Mom and Uncle Davis talking out front. "Bill, you have come back," said Mom, announcing my return. She came to me and took my bags. "I'll take these."
As she went inside, Uncle Davis came forward. "Happy birthday, Billy-boy! Whoa, you have gotten taller!" He shook my hand before pulling me alongside him. I was 4'7, while he was 6'3, towering above Dad's 5'9.
Meet my handsome Uncle Davis, the perpetual bright spark in our family. I rarely ever got to see him because he lived all the way in Saint Pyre, where he worked for Pacific Storm News as a News Copter Pilot. Therefore, he was frequently 'on the air.' Of the few times in my life that I had seen him, he was always happy, never down for long, and always ready to meet the challenge of whatever came his way.
"You were so short when I saw you last!"
"Well, I was eleven at the time and my growth spurt hadn't kicked in yet," I replied.
"Perhaps." he nodded. "But enough about that. You should go get ready. We leave in about twenty minutes."
"Already!?" He nodded again. "OK, I'll hop to it!" I focused electricity energy throughout my being. "Light..." I paused, not knowing if anyone had told my uncle about APEH. I turned to look at him. "Um, uncle..."
"Yes, Bill? Don't worry. Your mother was just explaining to me about the incident. I'm sorry I couldn't come to visit you last year. I have been super busy. I had to tell my supervisor that enough was enough."
"Wow. Well, it's OK. I know how hard you work. And I was fine, anyway."
"Your mother told me that you were more than fine," he remarked. "You were extraordinary."
"So, since you know, then watch this!" I focused intensely. "Light Boost, Level Two!" My muscles tensed and became a little buff.
"WOW!" he exclaimed.
"And now you see me... Now you don't!" I flashed away into the house. Up the stairs I went to my room. I relaxed from the power-up before hastily putting together a t-shirt and shorts. I then flashed to the bathroom to take a shower.
Everyone was piling out of the house by the time I left my room. "Come on, son! We're rolling!" called Dad at the door.
"I'm coming!" I exclaimed. I fortified myself with Light Boost before jumping down from the railing to the floor below. Then I dashed out the door.
It was 10:00 when we arrived at the not-too-small lake. We wasted no time in loading everything unto the boat and getting it into the clear water. "All aboard!" shouted Davis. Ameera, Mom, Daina and I got on first using the ramp from Uncle Davis' double cab pickup. Dad and Davis pushed off the boat further out before hastily scrambling on.
"Let the Spice of India set sail!" I declared loudly.
"Aye-y, Captain!" answered Dad. Mom and Daina laughed, but Ameera just rolled her eyes. Dad got the motors started and Uncle steered us out into open water. I looked out over the railing into the clear, rippling water. I saw minnows swimming away from the boat, with larger predatory fish hot on their trail.
Once we were in the middle of the lake, Dad killed the engines. "Alright everyone, it's showtime." I turned to see him unlatching the box. He took out three fishing rods. "It's time to get fishing. There are six of us, but three rods. So, please form groups of two." Daina shot to my side. And Uncle Davis approached Dad from the cabin. "Catch!" Dad tossed one to me and another to Mom, which we easily caught. "Ameera, Daina, come and grab a bucket and your pick of lure."
"OK!" replied Ameera.
"Yes, sir!" said Daina. They did as they were told.
"Today, we're hauling in the big one," said Davis. "Respect nature's gifts. Six fish per team, eighteen in all. And when we return home, we're going to be having my signature lake fish feast!"
"ALL-right!" I exclaimed with a fist thrown up. "Let's do our best, Sister Daina!"
"Uh, Billy, I have never been fishing before. I don't know how." She handed me the lure she picked: the striped worm. "But, I think I should be able to follow your lead."
"Okay. Don't worry too much; it's not as hard as it sounds or looks." I opened out the rod and attached the lure. I put the rod down and held her hands, causing her to blush a little. "It's all about the throw, the wait, the bite, the snag, the battle and finally the landing!" I was swaying my head from side to side with each word, and she mimicked me as if she were in a trance as she followed what I was saying.
"OK. Let's do this!" she replied enthusiastically. I smiled as I released her hands to pick up the rod. I sat in a mounted seat and made my first cast.
I waited and waited. Then I felt a tug. I waited some more until I felt a stronger tug. After a few seconds, there was 'tugging'. "Snagged one! Fish on!"
"Already!?" exclaimed Davis, Mom and Dad in unison.
"Okay, Daina! Watch closely now!" I exclaimed. The power of the fish excited me. It was probably a Scarlet Bass. Scarlet Bass were great tasting fish with strong swimming muscles. "Hold my hands and feel his strength for yourself!" I said to Daina. She placed her hands on mine. "I'm going to release strength. On my mark, apply your own."
"OK!" I counted down from three and released at zero. Daina applied strength on my hands just a split second after. "Wow! He's a strong feller!" exclaimed Daina. I then used him to show her how to carefully and patiently "do battle" with the suckers.
"See? It's easy! OK, let me bring him in. Have the bucket ready."
Daina did as she was told. I continued my battle and after a minute, I gave a powerful pull while reeling in. The fish was yanked into the air.
"Daina, now!" I commanded. She caught the fish into the bucket like a pro. "Nicely done, Daina!" I got up to check it out. Sure enough, it was a Scarlet Bass. I could see the red scales on the belly. "Uncle! Come help me take out the hook!"
"Figure it out yourself, my boy! Your father and I have our own work to do!"
"Okay..." Every opportunity to learn new skills was important, after all. "Daina, I know it's alive and it looks scary, but I need you to hold it for me. You can muster a firmer grip than me."
"Okay. I'll try."
Between us two, we got the job done and were thus ready for the next cast.
"This time, it's your turn, Daina," I told her.
"I'm not sure..."
"Don't worry, you'll do fine as long as you consider what I told you and follow it in the correct order."
"The throw, the wait, the bite, the snag, the battle and the landing... right? OK. I'll give it a shot."
"That's the spirit!" I cheered.
And like so, we spent the morning and well into the afternoon on our contest, getting up now and then for a sandwich or two and a drink. I caught four fish and Daina landed two. By four o'clock sharp, everyone's quota was secured. Along with a boot caught by Dad and an old slipper caught by Mom. And you would not believe what Ameera snagged: a lost silver necklace! We all had a good time and a good laugh. I just could not wait for the feast.
Tonight was promised to be great. Uncle Davis was an expert cook, after all. During his time training to be a rotor head, he had worked in various restaurants to earn money to pay his tuition and such. All of those restaurants had suffered huge blows when he finally got his well-paying news copter job.
March 30th, 2044.
Finally, second term was over. Starting today, all schools had a short single-week break until the final term. I was downright elated. This was the time for the Plasma Force to take action, to come out into the spotlight, and hopefully draw out our enemies. But also, it was also a time to relax.
Daina and I kept up our Saturday trainings. Sometimes, Mom took us to West Flame City so that we could train with William and Tanaka. So far, William and Arthur's investigations had turned nothing up.