There I was, sitting at my desk at home, looking at an application.
My name: Peter Scott. My Age: 16.
The rest of the form sat blank waiting on me with my parents signing at the bottom. Possibly today, May 14th, 2015 was the first of many days I would finally be able to leave this over-sized heap of crap called my hometown of Varisville, South Dakota and head to a city called "Academy City" in Western Tokyo and know what this city was really about.
Because if any good ever came out of the damned place I had to call home, I surely hadn't seen it yet.
"Are you sure you want to do this, you little freak, in front of these people? Just hand it over already and we'll be on our way." Yet another wanna-be gang member, but school reject junkie as I was walking home from class.
I blocked a punch that came my way from yet another idiot who wanted to tell me things were different. That the grass was greener on their side. That they had it better off then me. So long as they were the top dogs.
They were all wrong.
"Well punk, you going to stand there and shake or should I help you get that look off your face!" The dumb one's friend said. These guys are always together, otherwise the cops flush them out if they act on their own.
Another punch came my way. I swung back, but not before I got hit myself, while knocking the fool of a bully on his ass, but also having my wallet knocked out of my pocket at the same time.
"You're messing with the bulls, whelp! Now I'll show you what it really means to be afraid!" Another kick and punch combo, same as usual for these fools. I blocked it and jabbed the bully in the face and broke his nose.
After some usual sounds of crying and such from the attackers with the usual threats to have me in the can soon enough, the two ran off, seeing that I wasn't going to be a pushover. Yet here I was, still the victor, but twenty two dollars shorter then before after picking my wallet up, along with a new bruise to show for it.
I'm an explorer, a thinker, and honestly a fighter, due to being in judo and taekwondo for a year. Academy City is also the one place I can turn to because of the weird ability I have. I can basically feel something inside me, but I don't know what it is.
Last time I focused really hard, I could make tiny bits of sparks come out of me. Although, this wasn't anything like normal static electricity, this was different, as if I could actually make electricity myself. After my accident, that is.
There was my 15th birthday. Celebrating, cheering, the adults drinking, cake, presents from family and some friends, the usual celebration like every year. We had gone to a small community center that my parents had rented for the celebration, because our house wasn't all that big for 22 people to fit into at one time and be comfortable.
Filling up the cooler with ice again for the beer, I went back to the basement to go get more out of the fridge. The weather outside was a bit dreary and raining, with the possible thunderstorm lingering around.
What a great way to start my birthday off, shucks.
A roll of thunder was overheard as the sky changed a bit to welcome the warm front through the area, and so the pounding on the roof started.
After an hour or so, i went back and got another bag of ice with a friend named Darren. The storm had really picked up a bit; the National Weather Service had issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning and Flash Flood Watch for our area.
"Gee Pete, do you think it'll ever let up?" Darren said, turning to me, after the lights had flickered a little as the second loud boom hit nearby.
"You know how these storms get up here, its not like mother nature hasn't caused too much trouble, ya know." I said, getting the ice into a big zippered baggie to leave the rest for when we needed it.
"Yea, true that. It's just that..." Another big boom like the sound of a freight train crashing had hit close by and had stopped Darren mid-sentence as the power went out at the same time and the room was turned black with almost no residual light at all.
"For all the love of joy and happiness, you've got to kidding me!" I exclaimed in frustration and tried to find my way to the wall to use as a guide.
"Come on man, it ain't that bad. Just another good day, in our wonderful no-luck town we live in, eh?" Darren said with a cocky tone, as I heard him finding his way to the wall as was I.
"Yeah, as if man. What's better though then our town, you may ask. Some of the girls in the next county over who are athletic junkies unlike our ragtag team of try hard idiots who can dribble a ball and call it basketball" I said with a laugh. "Might as well call them the "dribble drops." We both shared a laugh at the joke.
I inched my way along the wall until I hit a square panel of sorts and felt it to see what it was. As i examined it, I found that this was the circuit breaker or possibly a master breaker box as the size of it was pretty good. The next thing I knew, I heard another boom outside. I then felt something in my fingers.
There was a loud hum and suddenly a large spark flew out at me from the panel and my arms were locked to the panel like I couldn't let go. I felt the electricity going through my body and felt it tingling all over, as the surge tried to find its way out of my body and through a side conduit my right arm was in contact with, unknown to me. I felt like this was an eternity, but in reality, this was no more then a mere ten second ordeal. The last of the electricity finally left my body and the lights came back on as the breaker reset. I slumped to the ground, as my vision became foggy as i began to lose consciousness.
I could barely make out Darren yelling for me and then yelling for help upon seeing me down, as my mind went blank and I fell asleep, or rather unconscious due to my heart.
As I woke, there was a light in my eyes as two Paramedics were looking me over and after I had come to fully, went through the usual questioning and such. I overheard the words "...could have been worse if we weren't up the road on storm watch..." then I was back in my drowsy state for a second before my mind came fully to, and my vision and hearing cleared up.
It's also the reasoning behind a member of Academy City's Governing Board named Teijo delivering a letter and application to my home the week before, addressed to me, but also listing my name in Japanese, Pi-to Sukotto. Heh, as if any weird oriental could get it first chance and be right.
The letter continued stating that they would like to meet with me for some testing and seeing about my enrollment into the academia programs there. They'd like to assist with finding the cause of my ability, after stating they had caught a glimpse of my medical report from the State University's request for assistance behind the cause of it, after their people turned up empty results.
The board member had said they have the equipment and staff to help pinpoint the cause, as well. Or as my doctors called it a strange unexplained phenomenon and my parents didn't know what to do or where to start.
So much advancement in medicine, science, and technology and they still can't explain it, go figure.
I always hated getting my physical done each year. The nurse examining me this time was looking over a few results on a chart that didn't look normal, from the expression on her face. "Doctor, can you read over this, please" she said, peeking out the door.
A doctor who I wasn't familiar with before entered the room. "Hello, I'm Doctor Darby, nice to meet you" he said, extending his hand.
I shook it and said, "Peter, likewise" as the doctor took the chart and examined it.
After a minute, he looked to the nurse. "Please get Doctor Francis for me, Beth." The nurse turned and left. "Yes Doctor."
Doctor Francis, my physician, entered the room a few seconds later, and shook my hand with a smile. "Good to see you Peter, staying out of trouble I assume?"
I smiled. "it's good to see you too Doctor Francis, I try my best."
Doctor Francis whispered something to Doctor Darby and the two of them left the room. Doctor Francis reviewed my results with Doctor Darby, according to Nurse Beth. The two doctors and my parents entered the room a few minutes later and we chatted about my physical.
Doctor Darby then spoke up. "The results of Peter's last physical do not correspond with his records this year, which is interesting given his age and developmental processes."
My parents came up with excuses and said the usual things. I'd been eating well, sleeping well, getting exercise and what not.
Darby then looked at me after finishing with them. "I'd like to run some tests just to be on the safe side, if that is alright with you Peter and your parents."
I nodded in agreement. "I'm ready when you are."
Doctor Darby smiled and said "that's the attitude I like to hear" while looking at my parents for approval. My parents, naturally wanting to know, said yes.
Doctor Darby then said "come with me" and we all left the room. We walked into a room with an X-ray machine. Doctor Francis said that he'd like me to lie down, which I did. They covered me with an apron of sorts, and Doctor Darby explained, "I'm just going to take an image of your body to see if anything is amiss" as he positioned the camera. He left and I relaxed, as I heard the camera warming up.
"Just relax and be still now" I heard Doctor Francis through a speaker, as I stared at the white ceiling. I heard a click and saw a flash, then I heard the camera powering down. Doctor Darby came out to me and said "your good to get up now Peter."
After the results displayed on the monitor, both doctors looked puzzled. I snuck a glance and saw my body but something else too. There was a slight interference of some sort. Like a ghost image on top of me. Both doctors were quizzical and asked me to do it again, just to get a better picture. After the second picture, it was the same. Both doctors didn't know how to explain it. They later recommended a specialist at the Regional Hospital and sent the results to the State University of Medical Research for analysis and recommendation.
I said with a sigh, "Ugh, more paperwork and more tests, and on top of that, more schooling. Well it could be worse." as I stared out my window, looking at the sun-lit grass and smelling the light breeze in the air through my open window, listening to the birds chirping in the trees.
"It's not like I'm actually magic or anything, this is crazy." I thought out loud as my rational mind takes over, but I can't help but solemnly think "why me, and why so suddenly?" If the Governing Board was so eager and willing to just drop me a letter and application. Why not take the chance and jump at it, as I stared at the application, thinking of the pro's and con's.
Was it because of a power that scared and fascinated me at the same time, or was it something that got the attention of one of the most scientific places in the world to look me up. That just doesn't magically happen when you come from a mixed race gang war turf combined with the states largest mining operation less then 10 miles outside a town like mine.
Leaning back in my chair and thinking for a few minutes, I smiled and decided. I picked up a pencil and started to fill it out.
After dinner and showering, I finally finished what I had started a few hours back. Smiling, seeing the application completed made me sigh some relief. My parents could still not believe that I had wanted to take this step, towards learning who I was and what this power could do.
During dinner, we ate spaghetti and meatballs, but also discussed the idea. Dad of course was always saying that he believed in me, and that if I could do it then I should go for it. He still didn't like that I would be away from home though, as I could read his face.
Mom on the other hand... "What if you get hurt, what if they can't help you? Then what?" Ah yes, ever elusive and concerned mother, I should of seen that coming a mile away.
As I turned to face her, i said "I'll be fine mom, and plus they have some of the best and advanced scientific technologies on the planet. They also took notice of this case when the University asked for help because our doctors can't figure it out. So why not try, what do we have to lose? Plus my power is what it is."
She was quick to react. "And you think that this power is normal for you!? For us!? To find out that our son has the ability to be a human stun gun or something worse?! How do you think this affects the family!"
I pointed right back "You don't know that though" I said, with a reasoning voice, "Even I don't know what I can do yet. The last time I tried, all I could do was sparks from my fingers, nothing more. Nothing dangerous."
She shot it right back at me. "You think I'm happy to see you being treated the way you are, in the town we live in, your father and I doing the best we can? Even when your at school!? The doctors have said it themselves! They cant understand what's wrong with you. This worries me to death because of how others look at you, and how they look at us as a family!"
"Enough Darlene! That's enough!" My dad was quick to jump and spout his tongue now, "This isn't helping Peter think, not helping any of us think clearly! The people in this community respect the people who earn it. Peter may not have everyone in his corner, but I am! And I am sure as bricks that I will not abandon or misjudge him just because he's different! How dare you, when i work my ass off at the mine to provide us with what we have! I see all kinds of people from life in those sites, and Peter isn't any different to me just because he is unique! He's no different then the men I see every god forsaken day making a living and earning their way, even if they have to do the tough work to get it done!"
She went off like a rocket "You honestly would compare him to the burly men and macho fake excuses for young adults who work in those conditions. Would you Stan? Would you want to see your son down there doing the work you do? Instead of getting an education and having more people not pick on him!"
He replied sternly but with a calm voice "I know those men would give Peter any backup he needed if he said the word, because they respect me and my family. These aren't some school junkie drop outs we're talking about. These people are men who can take some of the harshest conditions I have seen myself and still smile at the end of the day, acting like nothing happened. Those people have respect. We have respect. Don't hurt his dream because of a feeling. Give him his shot to shine."
Mom took it in for a sec and relaxed a little after taking a breath in. "Sorry Peter if I was harsh on you, you know I just worry about you because I love you." She hugged me and then said, "bring that application down here."
I went off to my room and got it. They both signed and dated it below my signature, agreeing that the application was completely and accurately filled out as I had written it.
The next day, it was sent off. And now the waiting started.