Dad starts showing us everything the Training Room has to offer.

“I got two treadmills, two ellipticals, two bench presses, two lat pull down machines, two leg extension machines, two pull up bars, two cable and pulley machines, two hammer strength machines, two leg curl machines, two hyper extension benches, two preacher curls, two leg press machines, a squat station, and several dumb bells.”

It’s all normal gym equipment. And, most of it comes in two. Dad must have prepared for this day.

“You two will exercise on these machines for 3 weeks.”

“What?!”

“What did you expect?”

“We expected to be using machines that weren’t made on Earth. We can’t get stronger through ordinary means.”

“Yeah, Dad, look at this. A treadmill? I have superspeed. I’ll run over the treadmill.”

Jovan and Dad immediately look at me like I don’t have common sense.

“I was joking.”

I utter, feeling humiliated.

“Yeah. You two can’t use your powers properly.”

“How would you know? You weren’t.”

“I didn’t need to be there to know that you can’t control your powers. You found out that you had powers SIX DAYS AGO.”

Dad interjects my sentence. I can’t say anything because he’s right.

“Javon can't use his superspeed, but I can use my eyes just fine.”

“Then, change your eyes right now.”

Dad confidently commands. Jovan repeatedly opens and closes his eyes to try to activate his blue eyes. He undoubtedly can’t.

“Okay stop, I clearly made my point.”

Jovan stands with a plain and irked look on his face.

“Another reason you lost to Bane is because your body couldn't keep up with your powers. Your bodies need to adjust to your powers. Especially, you, Javon.”

“Why me?”

“Superspeed can easily tire you if you are not fit.”

I can’t argue about that. Every time I used it, I got exhausted fast. I felt like passing out.

“You two just need to exercise in general. You’re both lazy.”

Did he really have to say that? I already know I need to exercise. He does, too.

“Then, shouldn't you be exercising, too?”

Jovan impolitely asks because of Dad’s last statement.

“No, because I have superstrength.”

“Why don’t you show us some proof?”

“I'll show you on April 27th.”

April 27th? Dad hands us a calendar. Let’s see how far is that from April 6th.

“THREE WEEKS FROM NOW.”

Dad always knows how to make a fool out of us. I can't believe we actually took the time to look at the calendar. We could have just did the math.

“Exactly. Now, enough distractions. Start exercising.”

Feels like we don't really have a choice. Dad always ends up winning the conversation somehow. Jovan commences exercising at the squat station. There is still one thing on my mind.

“Wait, Dad.”

I request.

“What?”

“Did you fight Everbleed?”

“Yes, I did.”

That’s what I thought. There is no way that Dad sat idly by when Everbleed was attacking the city.

“Did you defeat him?”

“Yes, and you won’t have to worry about him again.”

“Wow, even with all the tech he had on him. That alien had a big-ass gun and armor that made him invisible to normal people.”

“But, that doesn’t mean we can relax. He is not going to be the only one, who comes for the Aquos Crystal.”

“I know.”

We need this training for when that time comes. I wonder if the other aliens have the same kind of tech as Everbleed. Well, no time to worry about that now. I begin exercising by going on the treadmill.

“Javon.”

“Yes, Dad.”

“Get on the elliptical.”

“Why?”

“The treadmill is not prepared for your ACCIDENTS. I don't want to take the risk of you using your superspeed by mistake and fucking up the treadmill. Money doesn’t grow on trees. The leaves on trees are not coins. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand.”

Seriously, he has way too much stuff to be up my ass about a treadmill. I get off the treadmill, go on the elliptical, and begin exercising.

“Okay, I need to take a break.”

I breath heavily as I hop off the elliptical and lay on the floor. Man, I thought I was going to pass out.

“What the hell? You were on the elliptical for TWO MINUTES! You can’t be tired already.”

Dad argues with a loud and angry voice.

“I don’t know what to tell you. I’m exhausted.”

“Dude, seriously. You are not sweating at all.”

Jovan adds, annoyed at me.

“Get your ass back on the elliptical.”

“Alright, damn.”

Just like that, three weeks of dreadful workouts pass by. Now, I know why fat people stay fat, most of the time. That crap strains the puberty out of your body! There were several times where I was just going to be like ‘fuck this’. Still, I powered through. The things that kept me going was mostly dreams like being a superhero and having a harem. Even though, there isn't a guarantee that I'll get a girlfriend. It was just three weeks, but I actually have gotten stronger and more flexible. I feel like ‘He-Boy’. Yeah, that was clever. Anyhow, the only thing left is to test Dad’s theory.

“Okay, today is the day you stop exercising and begin your superpower training. I’m sure you’re relieved that you won’t be exercising anymore.”

Dad announces as we are back inside the Training Room. He’s right about me and Jovan being relieved, however we’re also pumped.

“Yeah, that was tough. Thank god, we’re done with that.”

“You sound like that is the last time you are going to exercise.”

Jovan presumes.

“Hell yeah, it is.”

“Hell no, it isn’t. How can you still be lazy after those three weeks?”

Dad contends, sounding displeased with my response.

“Dad, it was three weeks, not three years.”

“So, it would take three years for you to stop being lazy.”

“Maybe. So, can I use my superspeed now?”

“Yeah, you can attempt to use your superspeed with all of this equipment here.”

“Was that sarcasm?”

“No, it was sarcasm.”

Of course.

“Where can he, then?”

Jovan wonders while giggling from Dad’s last remark.

“In here.”

Dad types in a code for an unknown door.

“Are there going to be three more doors after this one?”

I ask because of how long it took us to see the Aquos Crystal.

“No, I only do that for the Aquos Crystal.”

“So, the Aquos Crystal is that important?”

“Shut up.”

Jovan insists. I was just joking around. The unknown door opens.

“This is the Simulation Room. And, the code to open this door is ‘twins99’.”

We walk through the door and enter the Simulation Room. We are surrounded by green dots, still the area looks like some kind of matrix. It is like we stepped into a computer.

“I honestly don’t know how to respond to this.”

“Me too.”

How does Dad have this technology? This is just unreal.

“Speechless. It gets better.”

“Dad, I hate to say this, but did you steal all of this from Everbleed?”

“NO, I didn’t steal it. Even if that was the case, why would Bane wait 14 years to take his technology back?”

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

I feel dumb for asking that question. I forgot how smart Dad is.

“Computer, activate the Practice Simulation.”

“Processing… Computer does not recognize.”

Dad’s computer asserts. Cool, A talking computer. It isn’t Jarvis, yet it is still cool.

“Dammit, that is why she told me those strange names.”

“Who's she?”

I simper because Dad is unmistakably talking about a woman. And, you know what that means.

“Not the ‘she’ you're thinking about.”

“Come on, Dad, you don’t need to hide it. You can tell us.”

Jovan jokes with a stupid grin on his face.
“Shut up. Computer, activate Animal Farm.”

“Animal Farm activating.”

Dad’s computer responds.

“Animal Farm, the game?”

I assume because of the name.

“No, not the game. I have to change that later on.”

Why would he name it ‘Animal Farm’ in the first place? The Simulation Room suddenly begins changing the surroundings. The pixels all begin to combine into one and expand to absorb us into them. It is such a strange sensation.

“WHAT IS GOING ON?”

Me and Jovan start to get a little nervous.

“This is apart of the process.”

Dad states with self-assurance.

“Does the process have to look scary as hell?”

I close my eyes while the pixels were doing their thing. It feels like I am being sucked up by a black hole. Momentarily, that feeling goes away. I open my eyes.

“Paradise.”

I am totally stunned. If we weren't in a video game before, we are now. I see a beautiful scenery of grassland. The sky is bright blue with multiple clouds. The grass is light green and almost goes up to my knees. There are some trees and small mountains nearby. There are a couple of animals not too far from here. I can even feel the blissful wind breeze through my body. This place is wonderful.

“Wow, this simulation certainly took you out of reality.”

Dad comments.

“Dad, how is all of this possible? Everything feels so real.”

“Remember when I said a friend helped me out with making the security for the Aquos Crystal.”

“Yeah.”

“That friend’s technology is not from this world.”

“Your friend helped you make this too?!”

“Yup.”

“Tell your friend that I said “thank you” because this is seriously a blessing.”

“Sure.”

Dad has a disturbed expression on his face.

“I wonder if I can find Jesus here.”

“Okay, calm down.”

“Why do you call this place Animal Farm?”

“My friend named it.”

Dad doesn’t sound proud about it.

“Your friend must love toying with you.”

“You have no idea.”

“Wait, wasn’t Jovan with us?”

“I put him in another simulation.”

“You can have two simulations going at once?”

“Yeah, but it takes some time. Jovan is in the process of his simulation being created.”

He must be scared out of his mind. That process looks like the end of your life is about to happen.

“So why did you bring me here?”

“For a survival game.”

“What kind of survival game?”

“The one where either you live or die.”

Dad pounds the ground and immediately propels me through multiple trees like

“Dad, what the deuce?!”

“You better start running.”

A mountain crumbles into multiple giant rocks and speedily rolls toward my location Dammit, Dad. You call this a survival game?!

“Outrun the avalanche.”

“You mean rockalanche!”

In an instant, I vanish, like the wind, as the falling rocks almost hit me. I dashed out of there when the boulders got near my head. Thank goodness, superspeed isn’t exactly hard to use.

Simultaneously, Jovan is in an alley at night.

“Finally, the process is done. How come Javon got out of the process before I did?”

“Level 1 initiate.”

Dad’s computer confirms as multiple criminals automatically appear and surround Jovan.

“So, this is my training. Bring it on.”

A thug charges at Jovan and tries to punch him. Jovan swiftly evades him as the thug nearly hits him in the face.

“These eyes sure have close timing.”

Jovan remarks with his blue eyes and white pupils. Another thug strives to jab him, but Jovan spins around him. Jovan also briskly dodges two thugs, that aimed to strike him from behind, by sliding in between their arms and backs away from them afterwards. Next, three more thugs hurry to Jovan and aim to thump him. Jovan jumps above them, like an Olympic athlete doing a high jump, to avoid their attacks. The three thugs accidentally hit each other and drop to the ground.

“This is too easy.”

Out of the blue, a thug comes in with a knife and directly cuts Jovan.

“OWWWWWWWWW!”

Jovan shrieks as blood drips from his stomach and a health bar automatically becomes visible above Jovan’s head. It is at 80%.

“I have a health bar!”

Two thugs quickly punch Jovan to the earth. Still, Jovan rises back up straightaway and flees away from them.

“Now, they're going to start hitting me.”

Then, four thugs encircle Jovan and attempt to pummel him. Two of the thugs miss their target when Jovan tilts his head. However, Jovan is still smacked by the other two thugs. After that, another thug tackles Jovan to the ground like a football player.

“This is harder than I thought.”

Jovan restates, not liking the position he is in. He notices his health bar is at 62%.

“How can this feel so real, but be a video game?”

Concurrently, I am running away from a rockalanche. Because of the exercising, I am not tired yet. However, my eyes still can not keep up with my superspeed. Luckily, I am going straight so I won’t have to worry about that. As I dash through the Animal Farm, I get a chance to see the scenery of it. The medium-sized trees that you can climb on, the mountains that look big far away, but aren't that big up close, the lopsided green hills that are ahead of me, the light blue sky that doesn’t show many clouds, there are some small ponds with clear water, and I'm even running on some sort of grass road. This is really cool. I also pass by giraffes, elephants, and horses, that are also dashing away from the rockalanche. It's sad because I watch them get taken in by the rockalanche. What doesn't make me sad is the fact that they aren't real animals.

“Whoa, a cheetah!”

A cheetah appears from the rockalanche and begins to run beside me. I get the feeling that a race should happen. The cheetah sprints past me as the rockalanche gets closer to my feet. Yep, that cheetah definitely wants a race. How exciting. It will be like racing Sonic the Hedgehog. Except, this is more of a competition. Sonic is WAY too fast for me. I move my legs quicker and make an effort to catch up to the cheetah.

At the same time, Jovan is dealing with two thugs with knives.

“I'd feel a lot of better if I had a weapon of my own.”

Jovan cautiously steps away from the thugs. A thug grabs Jovan from behind and holds his arms.

“Damn it, let go.”

Jovan exerts himself to escape from the thug’s grip, yet it's useless.

“How am I weak in a video game?”

Jovan looks anxious as the thugs get closer with their knives. He looks as if he is about to die. One of the thugs pierce Jovan's chest with its knife.

“ARRGGGHHHH!”

It creates a scar on Jovan’s chest that is filled with his blood. The other thug also slashes Jovan's chest.  

“AAARRGGH!”

Now, his scar is practically a bleeding red x. Jovan's health is now at 39%. The thugs repeatedly wound Jovan with each cut making a mark and decreasing his health. Jovan is so depressed that the cuts aren't making him scream anymore.

“What is wrong with me?”

Jovan’s health bar is at 17%. 12%. 8%. 3%.

“I need to go on the OFFENSIVE.”

Jovan kicks the knives out of the thugs’ hands with both of his legs and expertly uses his legs to leap his body above the thug, that is now holding his body in the air like a ballerina. Following that, Jovan descends behind the thug while the thug has his arms and throws the thug at a wall. Jovan smiles as his eyes are currently blue with black pupils.

At the same moment, I am racing the cheetah on the lopsided green hills. I dash on the right side of the lopsided hills while the cheetah sprints on the left side. I have been running for six minutes and I’m starting to get a little worn out and dizzy. The dizzyness is probably coming from me running up and down these hills.

“Man, I can’t believe this cheetah is still ahead of me. Dad must’ve made this cheetah faster than me on purpose.”

As I slow down, the rockalanche approaches me. Some pebbles fly out from the rockalanche and drop in front of me.

“Oh shit!”

I trip on the pebbles and rapidly stumble to the floor. When I look up, I catch sight of multiple boulders and debris that are enclosing me and about to fall on me. CRAP, I’m about to die!

“No, I am not done yet!”

I scurry away from the boulders at blinding speed. Part of the rockalanche instantly went a different path as if it was struck by a strong gust of wind. Without delay, all of the trees and grass uncontrollably shift because of the gust of wind. I am presently nowhere near the rockalanche. As strange as it sounds, that’s how swift it happened.

“That was badass! I escaped the rockalanche. I bet I’m way ahead of the cheetah.”

I cease my feet and turn around to catch a glimpse of the cheetah. I don’t see it. Afterwards, I commence running and inspect the area. I’m not on the hills anymore. I am on plain and normal grassland. I look down on the ground. There are no animals around. As I look ahead, I spot an animal’s footprints. It left a very long trail. It has to be the cheetah. Which means that… The cheetah is laps ahead of me.

“Damn. I am slow after all.”

I nod my head in disappointment. I didn’t expect to lose to a cheetah. This race wasn’t competition for the cheetah, either. Wait, why am I acting sad? I’m still new to my superspeed. I shouldn’t expect to be the ‘Black Flash’ right at the start. But, I believe I will get there. One day, I’ll be as fast as Sonic. My journey just started. So, for now, I’ll just do what I am supposed to do. And, that is to keep running until I drain myself.

“Just you wait, you stupid cheetah!”

I shout with a happy grin on my face as I peacefully dash through the grassland.

At the same moment, Jovan punches a thug in its stomach, which hurls the thug to the wall and produces an imprint of its body on the wall. Then, Jovan bolts to another thug, springs in the air, spins around, and kicks the thug in its jaw like he knows kung fu. The thug was hit so hard to the earth that its head got stuck in the earth. The thug tries to get its head out, still it won’t budge. The thug gives up and magically breaks into little pixels.

“Come on, that’s all you got? You guys were giving me a challenge, earlier.”

Jovan boasts, then gets fenced in by numerous thugs. To get out of the thugs’ circle, he jumps to a wall and kicks one of the thugs in the face. He then strikes a thug, who attempted to cut him with a knife, in its stomach.

“That’s not going to scare me, this time.”

Jovan rushes toward the group of thug and begins to eliminate them one by one. He punches a thug in its stomach and the thug disintegrates at once. He elbows another thug in its back, knees one in its chin, uppercuts one, back hands a thug in its face, and jabs one in its ribs. All of his attacks cause the thugs to shatter into tiny pixels. As far as he can see, there are no more enemies.

“Oh, that’s it? That wasn’t so bad.”

Jovan catches his breath and puts his hands on his hips. He views his health bar and it is still at 3%.

“Shit, that was close. I almost died. How do I get out of here?”

Jovan inspects the area to see if there is an exit, however, all he can gaze at is a dark alleyway.

“Hey, Dad! I’m done! Can you you get me out of here now?”

Jovan requests, thinking that Dad will hear him. He gets no response.

“Now what? Do I just wait here? I wonder if Javon finished his training.”

A thug, who Jovan smashed into the wall earlier, rises out of the wall and slowly walks toward Jovan. Jovan is unaware of the thug and whistles, in a terrible way, to express his boredom while leaning on a wall. As the thug creeps up on Jovan, he recommences his bad attempts at whistling. The thug pokes on Jovan’s shoulder. In response to that, Jovan turns to his left and the thug slaps him in his face at that very moment. Jovan’s health bar is now 0%. Jovan automatically tumbles to the floor like a beaten video game character with a befuddled expression on his face.

“Simulation terminated.”

Dad’s computer affirms as Jovan is taken back to the original state of the Simulation Room.

“What the?”

“Immortal Kombat Level 1 Score: 8357.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot this whole thing was a game. But really, it’s called Immortal Kombat? And, I got a score?”

Jovan facetiously replies about the simulation

“What the hell was that?”

Dad pops up in the Simulation Room.

“What?”

“That entire performance. I know you didn’t know how to activate your eyes, but you did horrible for your first try. You didn’t pass the first round and you didn’t get a question mark.”

“A question mark?”

“Nevermind, you didn’t play Batman Arkham City. Your score was literally at 0 until your health reached 3%. Until that point, you were just dodging. Why?”

Jovan sighs and remains silent.

“Were you really so frightened that you couldn’t fight back until your health reached 3%?”

Jovan persists on not talking even when Dad speaks with a stern tone.

“You need to get rid of that fear. You and Javon. It’s good that you eventually fought back, however you did it too late. And, the cockyness doesn’t help, either. If that was real, you would have died.”

“It was just a simulation.”

Jovan obstinately says with a vexed tone of voice

“You’re not listening. If you were in that situation in real life, you wouldn’t have survived. Superhuman or not. That many cuts to your body would have fucked you up.”

Jovan goes back to being quiet.

“Look, just lose the fear. I don’t want you to die because of something like that. Okay?”

Dad phrases to mollify Jovan.

“Okay. So, how is Javon doing?”

“I don’t know. Let me check.”

A floating monitor promptly becomes visible in front of Dad and he uses it like a touchscreen to check on Javon’s progress.

“His simulation is done. He should automatically teleported back here when it was finished. I guess that is a flaw that I have to fix. Computer, teleport us to Animal Farm.”

Tamba and Jovan are instantly taken to the Animal Farm simulation.

“What happened here?!”

Jovan wonders as he sees a path of crumbled rocks and broken trees. He also notices that the sky is light blue with a few clouds, there are lopsided green hills in between the path of crumbled rocks and broken trees, and the beautiful light green grass that almost extends to your knees.

“Other than that, this place isn’t bad. How come you didn’t send me here?”

“Shut up, the rockalanche caught up to him. We have to search for him.”

“Okay.”

Dad and Jovan follow the long trail of the rockalanche and stroll across the lopsided green hills.

“Jesus, is Javon dead?!”

Jovan spots blood on the ground.

“No, he can’t die in a simulation. You wouldn’t be here if that was the case. That’s not his blood either. It’s probably from one of the animals.”

“There are animals in this simulation, too. How realistic do these simulations have to be?”

Jovan utters in his mind. They continue to search and they momentarily get to the end of the rockalanche trail. They come across a gigantic pile of large rocks.

“God damn.”

“This is where the trail ends, so he must be under the rocks.”

Dad simply tosses the rocks behind him one by one. All of those rocks just happen to go in Jovan’s direction. Jovan notices them and his eyes immediately turn blue with white pupils. He eludes all of them just by a small margin.

“Watch where you’re throwing those!”

“Think of this as training for your reflexes.”

Dad simpers as he keeps on hurling rocks at Jovan. Jovan narrowly evades them by ducking, quick hops, and mostly running. After some time, Dad finds my unconscious body. I have multiple bruises, however I didn’t bleed.

“Did you find him?”

Jovan is surrounded by huge rocks.

“Yeah.”

“Good. Seriously, Dad, that wasn’t funny.”

Jovan scarcely slips by the giant rocks and meets up with Dad.

“Good, he’s okay.”

“His training was to test how long he can use superspeed. He lasted seven minutes.”

“That’s pretty good for someone who use to get tired after two minutes of exercising.”

“Yeah, it is good. It’s progress.”

I gradually rouse myself and glimpse at Dad and Jovan.

“Where am I?”

“Don’t do that dumb bit. You didn’t die. Your injuries aren’t real. You are still inside the Animal Farm. You were supposed to be teleported out of this simulation.”

“Oh, how did I do?”

You lasted seven minutes.”

Jovan holds out his hand for me.

“At least, that’s something.”

I grab Jovan’s hand and pick myself up.

Dad takes us back to the original Simulation Room.

“I’ll fix that simulation problem later. From here on out, I expect you to practice in this Simulation Room at least three times a day. I only showed you two of the many simulations it has. I will introduce the others to you as we go on.”

“Okay.”

We answer in a basic manner.

“What do you think of the Simulation Room?”

“Awesome.”

“Out of this world.”

“I knew you’d like it. It was worth waiting three weeks for the superpower training, right.”

We weren't waiting. We were exercising. But I have to say, that room is something else. It generates a reality of its own and has us believe that it exist. It might as well be another world.

“Oh yeah, Jo, where did you go?”

“I was doing combat training in a dark alley.”

“Cool, where low-level criminals fight. How did you do?”

“He did terrible.”

Dad replies for Jovan.

“At first, yeah, but I started doing really good later on.”

“The simulation was set up like Batman Arkham City and he couldn’t get the first question mark.”

“Jo, you couldn’t get the first question mark?!”

“Oh my gosh, no, I didn’t get the first question mark.”

“And, he was getting so full of himself that he didn’t pass the first round. He was talking like he was the strongest in the world. He thought he passed, but he forgot one thug.”

“I thought I defeated all of them.”

Jovan tries to defend himself. However, he’s not making a good argument.

“The simulation would have said your score if you defeated all of them. You just waited like I was going to end the simulation. Since you didn’t notice the thug, I decided to make the last thug eliminate you in the most humiliating way.”

“You made the thug tap my shoulder and slap me?! Why?!”

“Because, you deserved it. You needed to open your eyes.”

Dad answers in an offensive manner.

“Wow, you are some sauce.”

“Shut up, Javon. What does that even mean? It’s not my fault. I don’t know how to activate my eyes on my own yet.”

“Well, you better learn because your training will expand. After some time, you two will start vigilante training.”

Vigilante training?