Chapter 11—Testing

Thanks for the reviews! Don't forget to leave one at the bottom!

"Where does testing take place for us?" I asked Mom.

"The Arena," she replied, pointing to the large building.

It had been transformed for testing. The top had been covered for extra privacy, and a pair of double doors appeared between the entrance and main area.

"It to make sure people can't watch others taking the test," she told me. "Slugology starts next."

Slugology is the study of slugs, and I decided to split my studies between it, Blaster-Smithing, and Slugslinging. It was a lot, but I was certain I could handle it. I would easily ace the slug language classes, I know quite a bit of slugs, and I'll probably be placed in classes with Mark, so he can help me with my problems.

"All students studying Slugology may enter now," a professor called, opening the door to release chemistry students, among whom was Vinyl.

"You're studying Slugology this year?" Mark asked me.

"Yeah," I replied.

"Cool."

I nodded and we walked inside, where two rooms were revealed, and the one we were in at the time had countless desks, each with tests on them.

"Everyone, please sit at a desk and begin your tests," the professor told us.

We all went to our seats and began our tests. I took one look at mine and almost burst out laughing.

It was all written in slug language. I didn't even know there was a written version of it.

I smiled and adjusted my mind to translate it so that I could answer questions. Some were just questions to test our knowledge of slug language, like two plus two, and the rest were about the abilities and native caverns of certain slugs. I'd like to say I knew it all, but I didn't. I was surprised that I knew more than I thought I did, though.

"How do you think you did?" I asked Mark as the tests were collected.

He shrugged. "I think I did pretty well, but having the test in slug language may have messed up a few of my answers," he told me.

"Yeah. It took me a few seconds to translate it in my head. I've never read slug language before, so it took my mind a bit longer to adjust," I replied. "Your intelligence Gift probably helped you on tough questions, though."

"Yeah, I had to use it once for a question about an Enigmo's abilities," he added.

"What's usually next?" I asked him.

"Not sure. They probably changed it from last year," he replied. "I'm sure we'll do great, though."

I agreed as a professor emerged from the second room to call the name of one of the students, the first of us when going in alphabetical order.

"Looks like we'll have to get comfortable," I commented. Both of our names end in 'S', so we were near the end.

"Shane, Jacob," the professor called twenty minutes later.

I stood up and walked with her into the other room.

"We are going to hold up a picture of a slug and read a list of their attacks," she explained as we sat down at a table. "I just need you to give me the name."

"Okay. I'm ready," I replied.

She nodded and picked up a picture of an Enigmo slug and read a list of its attacks.

"Enigmo," I said. Mo jumped out from his backpack, but noticed he wasn't needed so I rubbed his head for a second before he returned to my bag.

As we continued she showed more and more pictures, but I was even able to name them all until we reached one that looks similar to an Aquabeek, but not quite.

"Do you give up?" she asked me.

"Not yet," I replied, searching my mind. Finally, I realized where I heard its name and said "Riviera slug."

"Very good," she told me.

I nodded and thought back to where I first saw that slug for the first time.

I was about ten or eleven years old when Eli, Trixie and I were passing through an unknown cavern, where we met their friend, Elina Shae. She showed me a Riviera slug, and said that when Eli and Trixie decided I was old enough, she might give me the slug.

"Jacob, please pay attention," the professor told me, holding up a picture of a Strang slug. A Strang slug has two eyes, side-by-side, is completely brown, has a zig zag pattern on his back, and tusks that form a 'V' when viewed from above. I actually noticed that Leo has a Strang slug.

"Strang," I replied.

She nodded and we continued for about three more minutes before I was done.

"Thank you," she said. "You may leave, but please don't tell anybody about this part of the test."

I nodded and walked out. Mark was called after me, so I wished him luck as we passed each other.

"How did you do with the second part?" I asked Mark as he walked out.

"I got them all but one," he replied.

"Riviera?" I asked him.

"How did you know?" he demanded.

"It took me about thirty seconds to figure out the name of it, and I met one five or so years ago," I explained.

"Oh," he replied. "What tests are next?"

"Blaster-Smithing," I told him. "They start ten minutes after Slugology ends, so I'll have time to grab anything I need."

"Good luck, then," he replied. I nodded and left for my room.

"How do you think you did?" Leo asked me when I arrived.

"I'm pretty sure I did good," I replied, perusing my shelf of mods.

"You have a lot of blaster mods," he commented. "How can you afford them all?"

"I built them," I replied. I grabbed my double barrel mod and looked over it for any dust.

"Why do you have a double barrel mod and a fusion blaster?" he asked me.

I shrugged. "I built the mod first, then the blaster for a project."

I examined his blaster for a few seconds and compared it for a few seconds before tweaking my double barrel mod.

"Do you know how to use fusion shots?" I asked him.

"Kinda," he replied. "Why?"

I tossed the mod to him. "I could probably fix the paint job to match your blaster, but it's yours now," I told him.

"What?" he asked, eye widening. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," I replied. "I'll probably give you some advice about good combinations for it, but it's all yours. I already have my fusion blaster, so I don't really need the mod anymore. Actually, if you need to borrow one of my mods, just ask."

"Really?" he said. "Thanks!"

"No prob," I told him. I decided not to bring any mods, so I returned to the Arena in time to enter the testing for Blaster-Smithing.

"You may begin your testing," the professor told us.

I looked down at the test and answered as many questions as I could in the time allowed. I was pretty sure I got a perfect score due to a large book Red Hook gave me. I read the entire thing several times over the summer, so I had a good idea of the answers.

When our time was up the professors collected our tests and called in people one-by-one. An hour probably passed by before my name was called, so I went into the side room.

"Hello, Mr. Shane," the professors told me. "Your task is to make a functional blaster from the items in front of you."

My eyes widened. I didn't expect them to give me a task that difficult, but I shrugged and went to the table. On it was simple piping, a slug tube, a fusion core, and some other various materials.

I instantly pulled up a stool and sat down, focusing the light on my Holo-Glasses onto the table. I began connecting wires, cutting tubes, and fitting it all together.

"I'm done," I said five minutes later, presenting the crude blaster to them. I cut a portion out of one tube large enough for a slug tube, connected it to the fusion core, and used the spare parts to keep it together and create a trigger.

"Now, let's try it out," a professor said. He pressed a button and a target popped up. He loaded a Rammstone into it and fired it. The slug reached velocimorph, but the blaster let out a puff of smoke.

"Thank you," the professor told me. "You may leave now. The Slugslinging test begins ten minutes after the last test for this."

I nodded and walked out, returning to my room to grab my blasters and slugs.

"Slugslinging tests start in ten minutes," I told Luke and Mark when I knocked on the door.

"Thanks," Luke replied, opening the door.

I nodded and returned to my door, making sure I was completely ready. When I was sure I was I went outside with Luke, Mark, and Emma so that we could go to the Arena.

"We will call you in one-by-one for your tests," Mom told everyone when we arrived. She must have been one of the professors giving the tests.

She called in the first name and the rest of us sat down at the numerous tables and chairs in the anteroom.

As the time passed by the numbers grew smaller. Luke got through his test really quickly, but Mom must've threatened him or something, because he wouldn't give us hints about the test.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Mom called my name, so I walked with her.

"Due to your abilities in the past, your test will be tailored to you," she told me. "For your first test, you need to create a trickshot that can take out as many targets as you could," she added. A screen showed me the top view of a maze, in which many targets were placed. As the image appeared the maze did as well, rising from the ground.

I examined the image and developed a plan, thinking it out in my head. I activated the targeting system in my Glasses and main blaster as I loaded Speedy.

"Let's do this, Speedy," I told him. He nodded so I carefully aimed and launched Speedy in MegaMorph.

He instantly began ricocheting back and forth in a zig zag motion, taking out every target he encountered.

"Good job, Speedy!" I told him when he destroyed every target and continued ricocheting until he returned to me.

"Good job," Mom told me. "For the second part of your test, you will duel a volunteer duelist with new slugs."

"Okay," I replied. I had to do this last year, but the person wasn't a volunteer.

"Here is your new team," she said, holding out six slugs. "You may use one of your own slugs as well, but the rest must be handed over until the end of the duel."

I nodded and looked over the slugs she gave me. They consisted of a Diggrix, an Arachnet, a Flaringo, a Phosphoro, a Bubbaleone, and a Rammstone. Overall, a really good team.

"Speedy, I want you to stay with me," I told my Speedstinger. He cheered as I handed over the rest of my slugs to Mom, and only Mom. I don't trust anyone else with them.

"Who's the volunteer?" I asked her as I welcomed my new team and introduced Speedy and placed him in a slug tube next to them.

"Me," a familiar voice said behind me.

I turned around and saw John Jones standing there, Loki laughing on his shoulder.

"Hey, that's not fair!" I commented. "He has, like, at least fifteen slugs, and I only have seven."

"That's part of the challenge," she said. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do fine," she added before walking out.

I just sighed and pulled out my fusion blaster. It's good for deflecting Hop Rocks, Armashelts, Rammstones, and most other slugs.

"You can go first," John told me.

I smiled. "Bad choice," I said. I loaded the Diggrix and launched it, creating a trench that encircled John. He smiled back and used his Frostcrawler to fill the trench with ice so that he could cross it, launching a Rammstone followed by a Polero.

I batted the Rammstone away and had the Polero wrap around the shaft of his staff, rendering it useless.

I loaded the Rammstone and launched it, followed by the Flaringo.

As he dove one way from the Rammstone I fired the Phosphoro as well, so that he dove away from the Flaringo in time for the Phosphoro to flash in his face.

He shouted in surprise and in the time it took him to recover I gathered my slugs again.

"You should've taken me down when you had the chance," he told me.

"That would make it too easy to me," I replied as he loaded and fired Loki, creating multiple copies of him.

"I repeat, too easy," I said. I split my blaster and launched a fusion shot of the Phosphoro and Speedy. His bright light got rid of the copies, leaving Speedy to ricochet around until he knocked away John's blaster, winning me the duel.

"You win," he told me. "You're pretty good. Eli and I were always at the same level."

"Thanks," I replied.

"Mr. Shane, for your ability and great attitude toward your slugs, you may keep one of them," the judges told me.

"Thank you," I said. I looked over the slugs that were gathered on the floor and picked up the Diggrix. "How would you like to join my team?" I asked him.

"Sure!" he chirped back. By his voice, I could tell he was very young.

"How about I name you Trench?" I asked.

He nodded so I place him in my backpack, which Mom returned to me.

"Why didn't you tell me the volunteer was your dad?" I asked Luke when we were out of earshot of everyone else.

"Your mother," he replied. "She told me not to tell anyone else. I don't know how she does it, but she gives you a look that scares you into agreement."

I almost laughed. Mom had given me that look too many times to count. When I was younger I'd convince her to let me do something when Eli and Trixie were away, and afterward she would tell me not to tell them and give me that same look.

"How'd you do in your test?" I asked him.

"Pretty good. I beat my dad and the other part, which was a scavenger hunt underground," he replied. He was able to do it quickly with his Sand Angler, Dune. "What was your test?"

"I had to take out targets in a maze with a trickshot," I said.

"Let me guess," he commented. "You got them all?"

I nodded with a grin on my face. "After that I dueled your dad and won."

"Is it me, or has he gotten worse over age?" Luke asked me.

"I just think that we've gotten better over this past year," I replied.

He smiled and we fist-bumped me.

"What're you guys talking about?" Emma asked, zooming up to our side as Mark ran up to us.

"Not much," I said.

"Don't…use your…powers like…that," Mark panted when he caught up with us.

"Oh, sorry," Emma replied.

He nodded and walked with us to Shane Hall.

"How'd you do with all your tests?" Leo asked me when we returned.

"Pretty good," I replied. "They haven't sent my results, yet. How did your tests go?"

"Pretty good. I got a perfect score on my Slugslinging test," he replied.

"Are you taking anything else?" Emma asked him.

"Nope. I just wanna sling slugs," he told us.

I nodded and my Glasses buzzed, so I pulled them on and powered them up using a pair of small controllers I hold in my hand. They blacked out for a few seconds before my home page popped up, a picture of Emma and I at the beach in the hidden cavern. I opened the email and saw my new schedule for the school year. It was packed, but I could tell that all of the Slugslinging and most of the Blaster-Smithing courses had no homework, all practical application of our skills.

"How are you going to manage specializing in three subjects?" Emma asked when she read the mirrored image of my schedule.

"I'm only specializing in Blaster-Smithing and Slugslinging, but I'm taking some extra Slugology courses on the side to help my understanding of slugs," I explained. In college terms, I'll have a double major in Blaster-Smithing and Slugslinging with a minor in Slugology. For those of you who don't understand it, just ignore what I wrote last sentence.

"Well, good luck with it," Mark told me, checking his data pad as well. "We're in some of the most advanced courses for our age. All five of us."

"You mean four?" Luke asked him.

"No, five. I checked all our schedules and Leo's to see if we share any classes," Mark replied, checking for Leo's reaction.

His eyebrows rose. "How did you access my account?" Leo demanded.

"Simple. I'm a genius," Mark said with a hint of humor. His eyes lit up green for a second before the light faded.

"Yeah, well, next time, stay out of my records," Leo growled. Save, the Pulter slug, growled to back him up.

"Okay," Mark said, backing off. His Dirt Urchin, Needles, growled a bit from his shoulder.

"Don't push it, bud," Mark told him.

"Hey, Leo," I said, seeking to change the subject. "Wanna duel?"

A wicked grin appeared on his face. "Yeah."