Shaper of Metal Post-Apoc Progression LitRPG

Jack returned the big man's handshake, and under the power of his endless, flagrant cheer, Jack couldn't help but smile back, even as he shook his head. "Highfive, huh? Why does that seem so appropriate?"

Highfive shrugged in nonchalance. "Because it's truly badass?"

"Something like that. Anyway. Jack. But you heard."

"Yeeeeah, but you need a new name, my man. A Non-name, a super sapien handle. Then you're one of the cool kids."

"Just what I've always wanted. I'm working on it."

"Are you? Whatcha got?"

Jack blinked. "What I mean is, I will work on it. In the near future."

"Right. Alright then."

"If you two are done jerking it," Lighthouse called from a distance, "we've got another game to play!"

"Or lose, in your case!"

"Frag yourself, Highfive."

"I could try, but I thought you wanted me to play?"

Lighthouse scoffed loudly in disgusted annoyance. Highfive maintained his dumb grin as he met Jack's eyes and subtly up-nodded in that kind of, 'Ha, got her, didn't I?' state of camaraderie, like Jack was just one of the guys.

Jack smiled faintly. "You two must be close friends."

Highfive blew out air. "Been through it all together. She's the best bro a guy could have. Ha!" He smirked as he turned and jogged over to his side.

When Jack went to his huddle with the others on his team, Lighthouse declared, "We're gonna mix it up this time. Fake 'em out to the right, get some commitment, outrun them, with luck, we'll just have to deal with Highfive adjusting full speed lateral movement to left field. I'll run with it, but I'm gonna pass at the last moment." She nodded to Bandana Guy. "You're gonna take the ball. I'll tangle up Highfive, and you'll run past everyone to the endzone. The other two… just get decent blocks to keep the rest out of the play."

Everyone nodded silently in agreement, and Jack put his fist out. The others were soon to follow, and so the quatro-bro-fist was made again, the slow 'explosion hands' following, such performance now written into the laws of the playfield and bad luck to defy.

They got into their bunch and started jogging right, as the two poised teams neared once more. Close together, Jack and the other blocker charged in and clacked staffs. Jack followed through instead of just holding, pushing through on his left, and interjecting himself. His defender instinctively went 'inside' to play on the ball, but by then, the other two were cutting in a loop outside and left.

The speed and momentum of Lighthouse and Bandana Guy took most of the rest out of the play, though everyone started running that direction to some degree. The red-scaled guy was moving slowly, as if conserving energy, knowing he wouldn't catch up. Jack, meanwhile, sprinted for his life. Who knew what would happen? He was slow, sure, but he might need to block again.

The imposing form of Highfive was sprinting and collapsing toward the ball, destined to meet before the offense could hit open grass beyond the half field. As they neared, Lighthouse and Bandana Guy did another expert fake-out: she pretended to let the other come up to block Highfive, but instead handed him the ball in a split moment where line-of-sight would be obscured to Highfive, then was all staff in two hands charging at Highfive. Bandana Guy broke around her.

Highfive was definitely caught confused for a split second, and it was enough to force him into Lighthouse. He tried to use his power and size to completely bowl her over with the staff. Lighthouse was ready, though, and gave ground deliberately, getting bounced back but keeping her feet, and staying between him and the ball.

Bandana guy flew by with significant momentum already, compared to them. Highfive adjusted well, twisting away from Lighthouse to pursue…

At the last second, while they were still facing each other almost sideways to the field, Lighthouse pulled her staff back and then tossed it between Highfive's legs. It was a perfectly timed toss, and Highfive was tripped up and fell.

"Wh- a trip from behind?!" Highfive called in annoyance as he rolled.

"No!" Lighthouse practically hopped up and down as she protested. "No! No, it wasn't, Highfive! Front, it was the front! No! Don't you even-"

"Gahhh!" Highfive scrambled up to continue his pursuit — but it was hopeless. He had no chance of catching Bandana Guy.

There was one problem, though. Ponytail Girl had taken the smart angle to protect the backfield despite being taken out of the play initially, and she wasn't slow. It looked close.

"Go, go, go, go! Go, Homey, go!" Lighthouse called as she picked up her staff and began running in pursuit, too. More calls from everyone came, egging on their respective teammates. Jack just kept running after the ballhog.

Bandana Guy was halfway to the endzone when Ponytail Girl caught up. He tried to juke her out and go inside, to the right, but it was a failed move, and she read it smoothly, closing in and going for a low swing. Bandana Guy tried to jump over it and almost got clear, but the staff's swing was adjusted enough to clip his feet, and he went tumbling. He sort of lost his handle on the ball, but it didn't bounce, and he was able to grab it…

He was still on the ground. Ponytail Girl, holding her staff like a sword, loomed over him, ready to swat him, the ball, or both.

Jack was the next on the ball, but trying to block Ponytail Girl had the issue of the fallen form of his teammate between them. Instead, Bandana Guy flung the ball at the last moment to Jack and took an overhand swat in the body. He proceeded to grab the staff after taking the lick, which immediately began a jumbled shouting match between them that sounded quite familiar.

The ball, meanwhile, was in front of Jack, rolling chaotically on the ground.

Oh, shit!

He opted to toss his staff so he could scoop the ball up with both hands. He was able to grab it perfectly, mid-stride, and he had no time to look behind him. All manner of yelling was at his back, with Lighthouse the loudest, screaming encouragement for him to run, run, run! Run, he did. He made for the nearby endzone with all the strength his legs had!

As he was about to cross the endzone line, something tripped up his feet. A glowing staff. With his enhanced reflexes, with his last sliver of balance on toes being hooked backward, Jack pushed off and tried a sorry kind of leap forward. The endzone was close, yet just too far. He stretched out with both hands holding the heavy ball to extend it into the endzone, even as his face ate grass and he felt the jar of impact.

Just past his fingertips, splitting the ball relatively in half, the glowing line of the endzone went from red to green. Score!

The verbal elation of his teammates washed over Jack as he pushed himself up and proceeded to spike the ball into the endzone. The guys rushed him, pushed him, and clapped his shoulders as they called out their congratulations with big smiles on their faces. Jack smiled back, laughing and enjoying it all.

Lighthouse approached, also grinning. She held out a fist to him. "Great job, old man. And you're not even breathing hard, though you are sweating."

Jack returned the fist bump and the grin. "Right place, right time. And I generally don't."

"Part of your powers?"

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

She smirked.

"Hey Jack!" Highfive called from a short distance. He was standing and leaning on his staff. "Good hustle. Great jump. Thought I had ya. Too late."

Jack nodded to him. "You're a damn demon catching up like that."

"I'll agree he's a demon," Lighthouse said as she crossed her arms and looked at him cooly. "An overgrown imp."

Highfive eyed her judgmentally. "That was a borderline trip, Light. Unsportsmanlike."

"Oh, please! I'd do it again. Maybe I will. What are you gonna do about it? Cry?"

They glared at each other for a few moments, and then Highfive cracked a grin. His eyes swept over everyone. "Let's go again, meatheads! Our ball. Time for me to dance in the endzone again!"

It wasn't long before they scored — but it was actually the red-scaled guy, who was like a bulldozer on the field, a pain to bring down, with Highfive a mean blocker, knocking people around.

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The game after that went back and forth with four different fumbles before Lighthouse walked into the endzone, everyone else trailing behind after coming out of one giant melee. Some vaguely illegal swings were had inside, but pretty much everyone was doing it, so the unspoken consensus was to just let it all slide.

Another easy score from Highfive saw him doing a stupid Running Man dance in the endzone. That made it 6-3 total, or 3-2 since Jack came in. Jack did not even hold the ball again after his glorious first score, but he did cause one of the fumbles by precisely poking the ball out of Highfive's hands like he was playing pool. Otherwise, Jack was just a body contributing blocks or jamming up blockers on defense.

Just as they were setting up for another match, the whole field disappeared suddenly, along with the staffs and the ball, and the pressure pressing from every direction lifted away. Jack got text in his head again.

The majority made 'Awwww!' sounds or similar at the news, throwing up their hands in disappointment.

"Come on, man!" Highfive lamented as he kicked a clump of grass. "A few years ago we could make a day out of this shit. It's good training!"

"At the cost of too much lux for the privilege," Lighthouse countered. "Anyway, I only had an hour to begin with. Need to go shower and suit up. You know."

Highfive turned to her and nodded. A guy who wore his heart on his sleeve like him couldn't hide the fact that he felt a certain way about that, but he was trying. He put on a smile. "Right. Yeah! Of course. Thanks for your cut, by the way. Kick some ass for me, would ya?"

"If only. Some boring cop shit to sit in on. Gotta know a little bit of everything for Mommy." Her gaze betrayed a note of sympathy for her friend, but she said, "Promise me you'll study. Extra time on your own. Do it, you dumb jock. Promise."

His grin was wide. "Hey, I promise! I will."

She pointed at him and raised her brow for emphasis. "I mean it. You better."

Highfive shrugged his hands with an aura of surrender, nodding agreement.

Lighthouse turned her gaze on Jack. "Wanna play this again sometime? I dunno when. Maybe something else, too. Pretty small group, so we could use another."

"Absolutely!" Jack answered. "Schedule permitting."

"I'll send you a text when it's figured out."

"Perfect."

She nodded, glanced once more at Highfive, then turned to retrieve a water bottle and depart.

Everyone else started saying their variety of goodbyes and 'good games,' with tapped fists, clapped shoulders, and the like. Jack got some extra congratulations on his 'newbie' showing and a warm welcome to play again. Bandana Guy also flicked a hand at Jack's arm with a grin and added, "Keep getting those guns loaded up with better and better ammo, partner. You'll hold your own."

Jack chuckled. "I'll do my best. Hey, I think I heard more than one call you 'homey,' is that slang or your handle, or…?"

He pointed a thumb at himself and nodded. "Caught me. Homey is short and sweet for Homage." With his thumb still out, he poked out his pinky finger and wagged his hand, a sign Jack only recognized as something Lifeguard did once. "Anyone can use it."

"Ah, gotcha! Well, I'll see you next time, then, Homey."

"Later, Jack!"

As Homey was leaving, another guy called, "Learn better jukes for the next, Homey!"

"How about you kiss my ass as it fliiies by?!" he called back as he started jogging off.

Highfive had run over to talk with the young guy that Jack had replaced, Dozer, who had been lying down, or sometimes sitting and watching, on the sidelines. Jack made his way back to the tree to get his stuff. He took a long drink from his canteen before heading off. Judging from his soreness, he'd ultimately accomplished way more of a workout than his run would've been. It was time to grab a bite before the final leg of the day, which was lifting, then his custom class with the agent, and then 'free time' he'd be spending on power exercises, more running, and probably a bit of studying.

"Hey, wait up!" came Highfive's voice from behind.

Jack paused and turned to see the tall surfer dude run to catch up. "Need something, Blondy?"

"Ehh, nothing much, man. Figured we could chat on the way out, if that's cool."

"Yeah." He took a sip of water, then offered the canteen to Highfive, who declined with a hand motion. Jack swallowed and jerked his head back the way they'd come. "So that shit was pricey and taxing on Momma Memoria, huh?"

"Yeah, it's sad. The suppression field makes it fair for everyone. Fair-er, anyway. It's me out there, after all."

"Yeah, yeah, you're gifted by heaven, to us. But why not Power Park?"

"Ahh, well, first of all, I'm banned." He grinned. "Lighthouse, too. Because of me, mostly. But don't tell her I admitted it."

Jack laughed and shook his head. "Your secret is safe with me. No one died, I hope."

"Nah. But have you ever seen Mother mad? Chewing you out hardcore?"

"Nope. Maybe slightly annoyed."

"Oh, this was beyond that." Highfive visibly shivered. "You don't want to, trust me."

"I believe you. So you and Light, you fight a lot, huh?"

Highfive breathed out a sigh and nodded. "Two problem children, maybe in different ways. She straightened out, though. Feel like it… took something from out of her, to do it, but… I'm proud of her. She grew up, you know?"

"She's got a lot of sass and snark, but I see it. A grounding of sorts. What about you?"

"Ah, you already know! Right? Didn't grow up at all."

"I'm sure you're working on it, bud."

He nodded slowly as his gaze shifted out to the trees of the park they walked through. They were back on the paved path, now. "Hey, I, uh, better tell you, ya know, don't get your hopes up with Light."

Jack felt a bit ambushed with that. "Huh?"

"Yeah, she's not into guys or whatever." He smirked and waggled his eyebrows. "Nobody at all lately, I think. But, yeah. If you didn't know."

Jack blinked. "I didn't, but I'm not too sure why you're telling me."

"Well, you were probably stalking her, and it seemed like you might be flirting."

"I wasn't st-" Jack cut himself off and sighed in annoyance. "Why does everyone think I'm some playboy?!"

Highfive laughed in genuine amusement. "Something in your vibe, man. Sorry. It is what it is."

Jack looked at him incredulously. "Psh. Okay, so what's the vibe, then?"

"Frag me, I dunno. Nerdy, trying to be charming, and kinda succeeding in a nerdier, endearing way? Maybe. Something with your eyes, too. And it's like… a twenty to eighty percent, uhh...ratio? Of failure to success. Probably gonna work on a few girls, at least."

"I'm not even trying!"

"Doesn't matter. Anyway, it's good. Gotta make a play to score, right?"

Jack coughed a laugh suddenly. "You miss one-hundred percent of the shots you don't take?"

"Exactly!"

"But I'm subconsciously playing, not consciously playing. I'm sleep-playing? Trance-flirting?"

Highfive both nodded and shook his head as he shrugged with his hands helplessly, grinning all the while.

Jack broke into laughter, and Highfive soon shared it. After another moment, Jack declared, "Changing the damn subject: why do they call you Highfive?"

He brightened at this question. "Oh, that's easy!" He stopped dead and upnodded to Jack. "Stand back. Keep backing up until I say when."

Jack complied, curious and excited for what must be a power display. Highfive moved away from the path of the road at the same time, into the clearing of the grass.

"When!" Highfive thrust out his fists in front of him, and there was a strange, pulse-like sound as he was suddenly bathed in a wide nimbus of bright, red energy, with some tints of magenta, particularly at the edges. It quickly flared and obscured the man inside it as it became wider in radius around him.

"Whoa!" Jack exclaimed, marveling at the spectacle.

Highfive and the thick nimbus rose upward a couple of meters into the air, and the energy began forming more definitive shapes out of the chaos — narrowed extensions, one, two, and then five growing in a flash, rising up from a center 'mass.'

It was a giant hand! The bright energy surrounding him had fingers rising as if reaching for the sky. Highfive filled up most of the palm, making it something between double and triple his wingspan or height. There wasn't quite the same concentration for an arm, but it seemed as if there was a lesser, more transparent field of energy connecting him to the ground, while suspending him at the same time.

Jack laughed in amazement. "Holy shit!"

Inside his 'giant energy fist,' Highfive could be seen smiling away. "I know, right?! I can't fly, but kinda can, yeah?!"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, watch this!"

The giant hand suddenly formed a fist and, with quickness, slammed into the ground with a tremendous crash that caused rumbling tremors. He indented into the grass and earth as it was smushed in by the 'fist.' Highfive inside seemed to stay perfectly upright, though he was gesturing much like he'd smashed his fist.

"Damn! That would hurt!" Jack called, laughing. "It's solid energy?"

The hand lifted slightly and pivoted, charging at Jack briefly but stopping short, then forming a 'finger gun' at him. "Psychokinetic! I'm the psycho! Haha! Energetic Bruiser — Psychokinetic Sheath! Primary Mutation: Giant Hand! Unique Name: Adamant Glove!" The hand shifted again and formed a thumbs up, with Highfive inside holding his hands out wide, showing off in pure glee. "How's that, bro?!"

Jack found himself grinning and laughing like a big, idiot kid seeing a new toy. "Hell yeah, dude! It's awesome! I'm blown away! In fact…" Jack began clapping. "You deserve a hand!"

"Duude!" Highfive said in weak admonishment, especially because he was laughing. But he appeared to sober up. "Actually, Jack. Seriously? That was really nice. I've got to hand it to you."

Jack made an 'ooh' expression with his lips, shaking his head in appreciation and continuing to clap. "That you'd say that? You're a real hand-up guy."

"I knew I had a firm grip on the situation!"

"This has been a real gripping display of power!"

They were both silent for long moments as Highfive blinked and drew blanks on more, and then they both burst out in laughter.