Modern Age Online

Kaleb woke up early on Monday. He grabbed coffee and his equipment. Checking his email, he saw Farrah had sent him a reminder about his training session with the Super, Postal. He was to meet the Ultrarian in a few hours at 9 a.m. He locked his door and left his house just after 7. Making sure his sword was secured in its make-shift sheath he realized Deckart still had his rail pistol.

Kaleb sighed and jogged down the street. Postal’s dojo was in Downtown Austin, a little over 2 miles away. Kaleb figured he could run the distance and maybe get his Endurance skill leveled up. He marveled at how a 6-foot green lizard in shiny armor with a sword on his hip could run down the street without drawing attention. A few people even waved good morning to him.

It was as he was jogging down the other side of the Congress Avenue bridge when he finally got the notification.

*Endurance Skill level up*

Stamina increased by 13%

He felt the soreness in his legs abate and his breathing become steadier. He picked up his pace a little and as he saw the street the dojo was on. It was around 8 when he turned the corner and looked for Postal’s dojo. He almost immediately found it, the sign was a huge cutout image of a featureless man in a cape. Just below the sign were the word “Postal’s.”

Kaleb tested the door finding it locked. The sign on the door said the studio was open though. Kaleb was looking around the door when a voice seemed to emanate from the door itself.

“We’re not taking walk-ins in today.” A male voice said, sounding surly.

Kaleb glanced up and down the door before just speaking into it. “Farrah sent me, I’m supposed to meet someone here at 9.”

The male voice grunted. “Huh, you’re early. Good, maybe we get this over with and I can open for some actual customers.”

The door buzzed before Kaleb could respond. A little miffed Kaleb opened the door and walked in. The size of the store surprised him. He had judged it using the large pane window at the front of the store. The dojo looked like a one you’d find in a strip mall somewhere. But when he entered, he realized the storefront was a ruse.

The space was as wide as a warehouse; it looked like a proper gym. The only lighting came from the large lights high in the ceiling and the front window. There was a track running around a massive padded floor. Kaleb was standing stunned when something hit him in the chest.

Kaleb felt the air leave his lungs as he flew back slamming hard into the front window. The window didn’t even shake. Darkness clawed at the edges of his vision as he tried to look around for the threat.

“There, now you know how useless you are. You can go home now.” said the voice from the door.

Shaking his head to clear his vision Kaleb looked around. He found the voice's owner floating several feet above the ground in front of him. The man was statuesque, square jawed and blue-skinned. He was wearing what looked a skin-tight silver leotard emblazoned with a blue and silver starburst and a blue and silver cape.

Kaleb could feel the smile form on his face as he said. “Nice tights, Blueberry.”

The alien got a dirty look on his face before sighing. “Great. You’re a smart-ass, it always takes longer to break a smart-ass.”

Kaleb drew his sword and got his legs under him. He stared at the alien he assumed was Postal. Postal gave another loud sigh and disappeared. Kaleb felt an iron clamp surround his throat and felt his back being pressed into the wall.

“There’s always some stupid mundane who thinks he can handle the big leagues.” Postal growled in Kaleb face. “I am here to dissuade you of that notion.”

“Good luck with that, buttercup.” Kaleb rasped back, punching out with his fist and stabbing his sword into Postal’s abs. Kaleb grit his teeth in pain as his fists contacted the blue mans chin, and he felt his sword glance off the Super’s stomach.

Postal sighed wearily again and tossed Kaleb effortlessly. Kaleb landed 30 feet away on the padded mats and rolled several feet before he lost momentum. Kaleb shook off his dizziness and jumped up with his sword out in front of him. Postal disappeared again and appeared 10 feet from Kaleb and just stood there. Kaleb grit his teeth and circled Postal waiting for something. Postal seemed to grow annoyed and waiting and gave a loud shout.

The wind from the shout pushed Kaleb back, he felt his shoes drag on the mats as he skidded back a few feet.

“You need a breath mint, dude.” Kaleb yelled back. Postal looked more annoyed but before he could move, Kaleb threw his sword. The sword flew at the alien’s chest. Postal barely twisted his body as the sword sailed past colliding with a water cooler behind him sending water sloshing against his feet. Kaleb had noticed that the alien wasn’t standing on the mat and the cooler. He dove at the alien's leg and grabbed hold.

“Ha!” Postal exclaimed. “Now what are you doing, little lizard?”

“Test number 3.” Kaleb smiled up at Postal.

Postal looked curious as Kaleb mentally flipped the switch on Shocky 2.0. The electrical discharged sent a tingle through Kaleb’s teeth. He watched as the electricity arced out and hit the supers silver leotard. Strangely the electricity seemed to dissipate as it hit the suit.

“Hmm, that one almost made me feel something.” Postal said wrenching Kaleb off his legs and holding him by the back of his coat like a small puppy.

“Yeah, I wonder how it would have done if you didn’t have that suit.” Kaleb grinned.

Postal grinned back before saying. “You’re observant and you can think on your feet. You had Powers you would make a good super.”

“Hah! I’m even better without them.” Kaleb threw a jab at Postal’s chin with his robot arm.

Postal blurred with speed again and caught the metal fist with his hand. Getting in Kaleb’s face he said. “No, you’re not.”

Postal gripped Kaleb’s arm around the wrist and wrenched hard. Kaleb watched in horror as he heard metal screech and piston’s whine as Postal ripped his metal arm out of its housing in his shoulder. Shocky 2.0 detached and fell to the floor as the electronics sparked in Kaleb’s metal arm.

Kaleb glared at Postal with a look of pure rage. “You Motherfucker!” Kaleb made to punch at Postal but halfway through his swing he felt something metal hit his chest. He felt a rib break as he sailed backward deeper into the gym.

*Regen Skill level up*

At rest health regeneration increased by +4

Kaleb sucked in air trying to ignore the pain in his chest when he saw the pop-up about the skill level up. He laughed sending a jolt of pain into his chest. That's right, I can’t win. But, I can use this asshole to raise my skills. Kaleb thought, grinning as Postal floated over still holding Kaleb’s metal arm.

Postal seemed disconcerted at the smile on Kaleb’s face. “Are you all right or have you finally snapped?”

“I’ve just found a use for you.” Kaleb cackled holding his ribs and dashing back toward Shocky. It took longer than he would have thought. Apparently Postal had batted him a good distance. When he got there and picked up Shocky Postal had just appeared.

“What are you going to do with that tiny thing?” He asked.

“This!” Kaleb sliced the small buckler across Postal’s eyes. The blue alien just seemed annoyed again as Shocky just glided across his eyes doing no damage. Postal leisurely wound up and batted at Kaleb again with his own robot arm. Kaleb jumped back and placed Shocky in the path of the swing taking momentum out of the hit. He grinned as he got more pop-ups.

*Shield Mastery Skill level up*

Defense while wielding shields +2

*Shield Mastery Skill level up*

Defense while wielding shields +3

Kaleb hit the ground on his back and groaned as pain flared in his chest again. Once the pain subsided, he laughed aloud again staring up at the ceiling. He heard Postal’s footsteps approaching as he tried to stand up again. He moved to his knees and took a second as the pain flared again. He panted as he stared at Postal. The trainer stared back with a look that was half worry and half pity.

“You’ve gone mad.” He said, shaking his head.

Kaleb grinned up at him. “And you are the most useful blueberry in a gimp suit I have every met.”

Kaleb didn’t see the swing this time, he only felt the metal of his robot arm slam into his face. He felt his body slide along the floor and smack into a nearby wall. He felt half of his body smash through the wall. Kaleb laughed again, the blackness was encroaching on his vision again he was sure he would pass out.

*Regen Skill level up*

At rest health regeneration increased by +5

Something yanked on Kaleb’s arm and he felt pieces of drywall and wood fall onto his back. Someone dragged him back to the mat. Postal’s face filled what remained of his vision as the blue Super flipped him on his back. Kaleb coughed as he swung his fist feebly into Postal’s jaw. Kaleb thought he had finally drawn blood until he realized it was his own. He had coughed blood onto the alien’s face and chest.

“He he, there you go. Color really brings out the douche bag in your eyes.” Kaleb slurred as his consciousness faded away.

Kaleb woke up in an alley, robot arm laid across his lap. On top of his robot arm was a brown paper bag with a note attached. Kaleb groggily ripped off the note and read it.

To the dumb ass lizard,

You have the heart, I’ll give you that. But, this line of work will get you killed. I promised Etha-Farrah that I would train you but I hope you're smart enough to give up. You want a proper trainer then you need to do one simple thing: hurt me. If you can do that, it might convince me to take you seriously. You should know though nothing on this planet can hurt an Ultrarian. Give up, go home and raise fat lizard kids.

Postal.

Kaleb crumbled up and threw the note against the alley wall. If that wasn’t a quest being generated then Kaleb would hand in his gamer card. Sure enough, a few seconds later he received a prompt.

*Quest Generated*

The Trainer Postal has said he will train you if you can find a way to injure him. But no force on earth has been found to hurt an Ultrarian. Find something that will and he will take you on as a pupil.

Time Limit: none

Reward: The only Ultrarian Trainer in Texas will train you. Affinity with Postal up.

Failure: Failure to hurt the Ultrarian means that Postal won’t train you and Affinity with HLO will go down.

Kaleb waved the prompt away and reached into the brown paper bag. Pulling out the round object Kaleb laughed before the pain in his chest stopped him. In a small round glass bottle was a red liquid Kaleb was sure was a health potion. Kaleb tore the cork out with his teeth and gulped down half the bottle.

He felt energy surge through him and his breathing became easier. He was still sore though. He stared at the contents of the bottle. Man, I hope your not magic. Kaleb though as he stood and re-corked the bottle. Kaleb figured a little wet chemistry might figure out what they made this health potion out of. He picked up his metal arm and walked toward the street.

“Drink the whole thing, professor.” a female voice spoke up from nearby.

Kaleb laughed having recognized the voice. “And miss the opportunity to study it? Not on my life, Farrah.”

Kaleb kept walking as Farrah moved up beside him. He couldn’t tell where she had come from but he figured Postal called her.

“I’m parked on the street.” Farrah said.

“Good, I could use a nap.”

“It’s a 10 minute drive!” Farrah exclaimed.

“It's been a rough morning.” Kaleb said as they left the ally way.

“It wouldn’t have been so bad if you hadn’t kept calling him blueberry.” Farrah said.

Kaleb just gave her a questioning look.

“It’s a racist insult to an Ultrarian.” Farrah answered as she used her key fob to open her car doors.

“Well shit, I meant it as an insult but I wasn’t trying to be racist.” Kaleb said staring at the dojo before shrugging his shoulders. “Fuck him.”

Farrah gave him an incredulous look.

“Dick bag ripped my arm off.” Kaleb said raising his metal arm for her to see before he tossed into the back seat. He heard a clang and looked down into the backseat and smiled seeing his sword and shield. “You grabbed Shocky?”

Farrah got in the driver seat and waited till he got in before she answered. “I had to talk it away from him. He wanted to keep it as a trophy.”

Kaleb nodded to himself. “Dude really is an asshole.”

Farrah snorted loudly before saying. “That's my friend you know.”

“I know and don’t think I don’t know why you sent me to him. You seem intent on making me give up being a Super.”

Farrah shook her head hard before looking thoughtful. “Maybe I am a little.” She said as she pulled her car away from the curb and started toward his house. “But, I have my reasons.”

Kaleb leaned his seat back and closed his eyes saying. “I think it’s time you tell me those reasons.”

Farrah shot him a nervous glance before nodding. “Yes, maybe it is.”