"Hm, excuse me?" Loid asked his son to repeat that question as he looked over the tests and quizzes Eric handed him. 90 and above on all of them.
"I want to know how I can earn Stella Stars faster. Get at least one before my exam." Eric asked as he stood before his father while Anya was stationed in front of the TV.
Loid was happy when his son expressed a strong desire to get Stella Stars. But then he glanced down at his son's bandaged hands that were poorly hidden by his sleeves. The sheer effort he put into winning that game proved to be in vain when he didn't receive a Stella.
Loid put down Eric's test scores and leaned back thoughtfully. "Well, aside from being a bookworm, what else do excel at?"
"Well, I like moving around. Aside from training for dodgeball, I haven't tried out any sport that would suit my taste." Eric explained, though in truth, he needs an outlet to vent some of his frustrations in a safe manner.
Loid nodded as Yor came back with a first aid kit. "Eric, you don't have to push yourself." Yor sat down on the couch and beckoned Eric to sit beside her so she could change the bandages. "You should take your time, you've got plenty more years at Eden. Plus, I heard you became MVP by your classmates. We'll find a sport that's right for you. But for now, wait until your hands are completely healed before you think about catching a ball." Yor said as she removed the last bandage and dabbed disinfectant into the cuts and blisters. It amazed her how their son could endure that kind of catch.
Eric hissed through his teeth at the stinging sensation that shot through his palm. It's been days since the dodgeball match, and his hands haven't completely healed. The pain bothered him sometimes, especially when writing notes, but he had to bear it for his father's sake.
Loid nodded in reluctant agreement. His son's academic prowess is gleaming, but physically, he shouldn't take on sports until his hands are fully healed. So, we'll put that on the back burner. But thankfully, there are other ways to get Stella faster. He went through the options in his head, immediately crossed out art since it requires the functions of his fingers. Music is also a strong possibility, mainly piano. But he's still having the same dilemma with Eric's fingers.
That left one more option.
"Eric, how about we go somewhere tomorrow?" Loid suggested as Yor rebandaged Eric's hands.
"Huh?"
"An ooting?" Anya asked from her spot in front of the TV.
In addition to music, sports and academics, there's another way to earn Stella. Community service.
In a local hospital, Loid stood behind his son and daughter among the other parents and their children. As they listened to the nurse who appeared to be in charge of volunteer work, Loid went over multiple opportunities in his head on how community service and good deeds to society can earn Eric more Stella Stars. From apprehending criminals and rescuing people from fires. He could have HQ stage these incidents, but that would be too risky.
Anya looked up at her father with wide eyes at such scenarios going through his head. She wanted to come along on this excursion because she wanted to spend more time with her brother and see how she can help him in her own way.
"For starters, if I could have the Forgers clean this dressing room around the corner?" The head of the volunteer group requested their presence.
"Oh, look Papa, they have a swimming pool." Anya pointed at the map with an excited look.
"That's for rehabilitation." Papa explained.
"Because water can help with physical therapy, mainly in improving movements in the lower part of the body when patients suffered a recent physical set back like broken legs." Eric added, giving his sister a calm stern look that told her not to cause trouble today.
Anya pouted as the nurse clapped her hands, "Well said, young man."
The Forgers then set to work on performing community service. So far, nothing went as planned. As they cleaned the dressing room, Anya broke a flower vase, the noise startled Eric who slipped on a wet spot and knocked his head on the counter. Tears peaked at his eyes as he frowned at a tearful Anya while holding a newly acquired hematoma on that spot he's most familiar with.
Then the nurse suggested they go to the library where they can tidy up the books. Eric had no problem with that since he's well acquainted with reading and organizing. Loid was on the one side of the bookshelf while Eric handled the other. With a bandage around his head, Eric set to work with using a three-step stool to put the medium sized books back on a higher shelf. Eric grunted at the weight in his hand then heard a soft giggle to his right. "Anya, you're supposed to be helping with the books, not reading comics." Eric said as he placed the book back in the shelf, not noticing his grip beginning to slip or the book that wasn't slid into place all the way. "Hurry up and hel-" He realized too late that the book fell from his fingers and hit him on the side of the head. This caused the boy to lose his balance and fall off the step stool with a thud. Loid and Anya jumped and turned to see Eric sporting two new bumps on his head.
Next came serving food to patients, but Anya tripped and knocked straight into Eric who was holding a tray full of food. Which ended up with a bump on top of the first bump.
After that was laundry, though sad to say, Eric had to lay down because the spinning combined with four concussions made him nauseous. Meanwhile, Anya fell asleep on top of the laundry with her father giving her deadpanned look as he rubbed his motion sickness of a son's back.
The three Forgers walked down the hallways. "I think I've earned more hematomas than Stella. This could be a new record." Eric grumbled as he rubbed at his bandage covered head.
Anya then said they could hand doctors a scalpel before leaving to find the operating room. She turned the corner and bumped into the nurse who just reached the end of her patience with them. "I have had enough! Will you leave? You're doing more harm than good!"
Dejected, the family went to leave the hospital. Anya had a guilty look on her face, "Papa, I'm sorry."
"It's okay, we all make mistakes." Loid assured her despite all the mishaps that happened today.
"There are other forms of community service, not just the hospital." Eric stated as his head injury throbbed.
Anya then froze upon sensing another's distressed thoughts as Loid walked ahead while thinking if he could ask HQ to change their timeline. Eric stopped when Anya was no longer following. He was about to call her over when he noticed her fearful expression as she looked around.
'I can't breathe. My leg won't move.' It was from a little boy, and he was drowning in the pool.
Anya thought about telling her father, but quickly dashed it since he'll question how she knew about that from so far away.
'Someone, help me!' The boy pleaded for someone, anyone to save him.
"Papa, I know how we can get big brother a Stella Star." Anya whispered as she approached Eric and grabbed his hand very tightly. "So I'm..." She pulled with all her strength and dragged her brother behind her with impossible speed a four-year-old shouldn't have. "...taking him to the pool and have him become a swimmer!"
She ignored Loid calling after her to stop them as Anya basically kidnapped her older brother while following the distressed thoughts.
"Ow, ow, ow! I don't have skin on my palms Anya! What's gotten into you?" Eric demanded as Anya pulled him rapidly down the hall while dodging patients and staff members.
"Boy. Pool. Drowning. Save him!" Anya frantically said, making Eric's eyes widen as he held her hand and ran alongside her to the rehabilitation pool.
They skidded to a stop before the two big pools which they marveled at for a moment before Eric shook his head and searched the water's surface. 'Where is he?'
Anya looked around trying to find the drowning boy until she picked up on their thoughts. 'I'm...gonna...die.' Her big green eyes widened with fear as she found bubbles on the surface at the deep end of the pool.
"Eric, the bubbles, look!" Anya grabbed her brother wrist and pointed frantically towards where the boy was located.
"Anya, stay here." Eric ordered as he ripped off his jacket and ran towards the deep end.
Anya caught the jacket as her eyes widened upon another realization. "Brother wait, you can't swim!"
But it was already too late as Eric dove headfirst into the water, holding his breath as he searched for the boy until he found him sinking lower into the pool, his crutch floating away from him. Eric kicked his legs towards him, trying to get close enough to grab him and send him back to the surface. But the pressure from the deep end and the lack of oxygen was starting to get to him.
'No, I can't leave you here!' Eric thought furiously as the bandages loosened on his hands from all the movement and fell away from him like streamers.
Eric had little time left, and he never used it to carry another person through water. But he knew this was the only way he can save him. Summoning his power, he thrusted his hand forward, the water slowed his movements. His face held pain from his lungs burning as he pulled his arm back, calling the boy to him as he rose from the bottom. Once he was close enough, Eric wrapped around his front and kicked his legs against the bottom of the pool as he used one arm to pump them towards the surface.
However, the weight of two people in the pool was too much for one person as small as Eric, and the need to breathe was too great. He gasped in some water, eyes wide as he tried to summon his power again to push them to the surface. But he couldn't concentrate through his fear.
'No.' Eric looked up at the water surface as tiny hands reached down searching frantically for him. Even though it was distorted, he could see Anya's fearful face. 'Dad...help us!'
"Big brother, where are you, come back up!" Anya cried as she laid on her belly with her arms shoulder deep in the water as she reached for Eric.
Loid rushed into the rehabilitation pool and searched for his children until he found Anya trying to grab something in the pool as tears streamed down her face. Eyes wide when he saw bubbles coming up on the surface. Taking his jacket off and tossing his hat aside, he dove in.
He easily spotted his son and another kid he was holding. Arms reached up and eyes beginning to close. With a burst of speed, he grabbed his son and the kid and broke through the surface with a gasp.
"Papa!" Anya pushed herself to her knees as Loid carried the kids to the pool's edge.
"Are you two alright?" Loid breathed heavily as Eric coughed and gasped.
"I..." Eric spat the water out of his system, "...hate the water." He rasped out as he was deposited onto dry land and flopped onto his back completely drenched.
"Ken!" One of the rehabilitation nurses cried upon recognizing the boy as she pulled him out of the water. "Someone, get a doctor!"
Eric breathed heavily as he turned his head to the boy, 'Please be alive.' He begged silently as fear of failing to save another coursed through him. He watched as the boy was shaken until his eyes opened and he started crying while holding the nurse.
Eric sighed in relief, "Thank goodness." He groaned as he pushed himself up as Anya helped him on his feet.
People started to crowd around them as Loid pulled himself out of the water. Everyone wondered how they didn't see him, let alone hear him before Loid went on to explain how children make little noise while drowning and that many die because no one notices their struggling.
Loid then glanced down at his children and laid a hand on Eric's shoulder, "Good job spotting him."
Eric looked down as he twisted his shirt against his front to ring the water out. "Anya was the one who saw the bubbles, I merely belly flopped." Eric explained as he held his chest that smacked against the water surface rather painfully. Four head bumps and a belly flop. This is just not his day.
Loid knelt beside his children and kept a firm arm around their shoulder, "You were pretty reckless." Eric couldn't help but nod in agreement.
The nurse thanked the children while one of the swimmers called them little heroes.
"Bright side, the cold water soothed my hematomas." Eric said as he touched his now soak bandaged head.
Miraculously, despite all the mishaps and bodily harm Eric unwittingly took, he was finally awarded his first Stella Star before the entire first grade.
With fresh new sets of bandages around his head and hands, the headmaster presented him with the Star that was now part of his uniform.
"First Year, Eric Forger of Cecil Hall, has earned a Stella for rescuing a person in trouble!" The headmaster announced among the applause behind Eric who bowed his injured head in respect for the older gentleman then turned to his fellow students with a small, yet noticeable humble and relieved smile. He stepped down to join the crowd where Becky and a few others surrounded and praised him. Among them was Professor Henderson.
"Wow Eric, you're amazing. You're the first kid in our grade to earn a Stella in such a short amount of time!" Becky yelled with arms raised as Eric blushed under the attention he was receiving.
"Ultra-amazingly elegant, Mr. Forger. Very well done." Henderson praised the boy surrounded by his classmates and other kids from different classes, mainly girls who blushed when he gave them a humble smile.
The only ones who weren't congratulating Eric was Damian, Emile and Ewen. "He beat me to it." Damian said through clenched teeth. He had hoped to get a Stella before Eric, but once again, the commoner proved himself a better rival.
At home, he was greeted by Ken's parents who thanked him and his sister profusely for saving their son. He and Anya waved at the parents' goodbye as the son sat in the wheelchair before the family drove away.
"You did such a good job kids." Yor said as she knelt down to their level and hugged them, "What amazing children! I'm so happy for you!" Her motherly embrace was beginning to squeeze the life out of the kids.
Loid felt a great sense of pride for his children. He couldn't help but remember how he thwarted his first terrorist attack, that same feeling was no different than what his children accomplished together. He placed both his hands on each of his childrens' heads and gave them affectionate pats while giving them a genuinely smile. "Nice work."
Eric and Anya smiled up at their father then at each other, sharing the same thoughts.
'Anya, we actually saved someone with our powers.'
'I can't believe our powers helped another.'
Grasping each other's hand, the siblings looked up at their father with bright smiles, "Thanks Dad/Papa!"
"Alright, I'm going to cook something special tonight to celebrate!" Yor declared, making the kids flinch in fear before Anya inched towards Loid. "You should probably cook instead Papa." She said, much to Yor's shock as Eric shook his head at them.
I'm ending the chapter right here because it is a good stopping point. Next chapter will be the aftermath of Eric getting a Stella. Plus, Anya will be putting Plan B into action.