Shaper of Metal Post-Apoc Progression LitRPG

Jack, having learned dutifully from his shifu, ordered his food via his Mem-interface on the way to the mess, approving tracking since he didn't know where he'd sit. He had a craving for typical comfort food so he ordered two 'Meat Medley Machine Heart' classic gyros and an 'Engine Grease Hummus Plate,' from Cyber Gyros. What exactly the correlation was between comical cyborgs and Greek-inspired cuisine, was forever a mystery.

I bet our weirdo goddess Memoria is responsible for it. Little did us homo sapiens know it was all along a nod to the bizarre physiology of the Nons. That's my best guess, anyway.

When they got to the mess hall, Highfive looked off to the side and exclaimed, "Ooh! Perma is out! Want a milkshake, bro? I'll introduce you!" He began jogging over without waiting for an answer.

Jack felt a bit stupid jogging after him to keep up, but he did anyway. "We actually already met!"

"Oh! Sweet! Yeah, she's… cool." He flashed a dumb grin.

Jack snickered and shook his head.

They were slightly early to lunch, so there were only a couple of other people in line. Highfive ran up to the side of the counter and shouted excitedly, "Permaaaa!" He leaned over and held his hand out, held high.

Permafrost, the living figurine of ice, lit up in a grin when she saw him, immediately shifting to the side of the counter. "Fiveeeer!" She did a short hop to give him a high five with a distinctive crystalline twang and a little spray of ice. Then, they did some gesture briefly, leaning forward slightly, and waving their hand in front of their face, in unison. "Mantles Forever!" They called it out simultaneously, and then she straightened. "It's so great to see you!"

Highfive shook his hand in front of him, pretending it hurt, though never losing his smile. "Yeah, you, too. Didn't know you were back! You still kicking ass out there? You better be."

Her smile didn't change much, but Jack noted the slightest waver. "You best believe it! Always, Tall Drink. How are you? Operational, yet?"

The big man's smile faltered blatantly, but only for a moment. "Nope. Soon! Don't be surprised when I'm at your shoulder, Frosty!"

"Is it destiny, then?"

"You know it! Destiny!"

"I'd like that. Don't hold your breath, though: it's a big continent. Too many posts, not enough superpowers." Her eyes shifted to the side and saw Jack, and her eyes widened again. "Jack Laker! Oh, are you friends with Highfive?"

As Jack was opening his mouth to reply, Highfive grabbed him around the shoulder in a hug and shook him with a big smile. "Hell fraggin' yeah, he is! Dude. He scored on me in Staffball." He slapped Jack's chest. "This guy has heart!"

Jack coughed once and grinned somewhat sheepishly under the manhandling, eyes shifting between both of them. Highfive seemed to know just the right amount of 'oomph' to use to make a tough body feel it, still. It was kinda nice to see the impressed look on Permafrost's face, though. "Eh, he had to run down half the field and still caught me from behind like a bloodhound."

As Highfive scoffed and gave him a look of reproach for his humility, and Permafrost was grinning and nodding at them in approval, someone cleared their throat.

All heads turned to see a young man waiting impatiently behind the register. "Um, can I get my milkshake?"

Highfive was the first to reply, staring him down. Suddenly, the jovial giant was quite intimidating, whether intending to be or not. "Yeah, you will, bro. But we're having a moment here, so chill out for a second, would ya?"

"R-right… sure…"

Permafrost was quick to step in. "Sorry, sir! Don't mind the big, rude lug, please. One second-" She turned her head and called out loudly, "Daaad! Customer, please!"

"Coming!" Mr. Billswan came rushing from the back a moment later, drying his hands on his shirt. But the instant he saw Highfive, he flung his hands wide and exclaimed, "Fiveeeer! Hahaha!" He leapt over the counter and gave him a boisterous hug, soon bear-hugging and lifting him off the ground briefly, after which Fiver, laughing, reversed the situation and lifted Mr. Billswan, who let out an "Ohhhh!" as he was spun around.

Jack stood there shaking his head in amazement. In the corner of his eye, he saw Permafrost facepalm, and she quickly shifted over to the customer to handle his order, smiling apologetically.

"Jack Laker!" Mr. Billswan called as soon as he saw him, giving him a big hug as well. "How are things coming along, then?"

"Good!" Jack replied. "Learning more and more every day."

"I see you're looking better, too! Healthier. I can see it, son. We gotta stay healthy, even if we have a treat now and then! But then, you boys can eat damned near anything and shrug it off. Haha! Girls, too!" He glanced over at his daughter, who was glaring at him poignantly in between conducting her ice-craft to fill a shake. "Welp. Better get back over, then."

Mr. Billswan hopped back over and set about helping the other customer in line. Permafrost slid back over to 'their side' after she was done with the first. "So," she asked, "did you boys want to order?"

"Yeah, in a minute," Highfive replied. "I'm not done talking to my favorite Ice Queen yet. Or is it still Ice Princess?"

Permafrost mimed as if she were considering it carefully, one hand on a hip, the other touching a finger to her lips. "Mmmmmn, I think it'll be Ice Princess forever, thanks."

Highfive grinned with his hands held up. "Perfectly fair. Noted."

"How much longer are you with us, by the way?" Jack asked. "I think you said you were on leave for a short stint."

The ice sculpture sighed in a frosty exhale that chilled the air and smelled of vanilla. "Leaving stupidly early tomorrow morning, dodging the weather, sadly. It's been fun catching up with friends, though. And family."

"Damn," Highfive said, "I was gonna say we should catch up later."

"It sucks, but no can do. After I help with the rush, we're closing early, doing a last meal at home together, and I'm hitting the bed."

"No worries! At least I got to see you." Highfive was shit at hiding his feelings, though, and it was obvious that he was disappointed.

Permafrost picked up on it without missing a beat. "Can I video you before I go to bed, though? Real face. Talk about whatever. I'll send you the time."

Highfive lit up. "Oh. Yeah, for sure. I'd love to. I'm a privileged man."

"Oh, please! We both know this is way prettier." As Highfive tried to respond, she pointed her finger imperiously, shaking it with every syllable her friend tried to make. "Don't counter it! Aup, aup! Nope! Don't do it! Aup! Shut it! Nope! Hey, look, I should really get your orders, guys. The rush is about to hit." Her finger stayed out and went between them as an eyebrow rose with equal imperiousness. "Do you have your cups?"

Jack winced and scratched the back of his head as he looked away. He didn't see clearly, but Highfive had to be doing something similar…

"Okay," Permafrost began calmly, "first of all, that you both reacted the exact same way is too damned adorable, so I kinda have to forgive you, but come on, guys! Remember your cups! You save five percent." She said it like it disappointed her that they weren't saving five percent.

"Sorry, Perma," Highfive muttered.

"Sorry, Perma," Jack muttered.

She sighed. "It's alright. Next time. Now, what'll you have?"

After they got their milkshakes — Jack with a coffee caramel concoction and Highfive with banana vanilla — they found a table to sit down. Jack had his food delivered to him by a drone while he was still waiting on his shake, while Highfive waited less than a minute after sitting down before a drone delivered two giant, mega-stuffed footlong sandwiches. Jack nodded silent approval at the big guy's food choices, who nodded back in agreement while chewing a vast medley of meat, veggies, and sauces. He also eyed and then nodded silently at Jack's food, who nodded in turn and even gave a supportive thumbs up. Highfive grunted as the final, capstone commentary.

After a while of stuffing their faces in stoic silence, Highfive sipped his milkshake and sat back with a sigh. "So, the el-... er, the…" He snapped his fingers a few times. "Uh, you know, the obvious thing in the room, uh, ele-something, what do they call the animal?"

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Jack swallowed his food down and replied, "Elephant."

Highfive pointed. "Right! That! The elephant in the room! I bet you wanna know why I don't have my coat yet."

Here we go. Lead up to a recruitment pitch, right?

Jack shrugged. "You don't have to talk about it."

"Ehhh." He made a face. "I think it's kinda important. Haven't you heard it come up multiple times?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah. But how would you know what it is? Did they tell you?"

"All they tell us is we're not ready. We gotta ask ourselves or each other why. But I think it's obvious, with me. I fragged up in some team battles, even though I was the strong point to fight through. For me, it's the same thing it always is, and everybody knows it." He shrugged. "I'm a big, dumb jock. Cut and dry. The, ah… dull tool in the box."

"A hammer is dull. We still need hammers. And I'm not sure you're that dull. Maybe you're in your own head about it too much."

Highfive frowned even as he nodded, eyes shifting to the table. "It's something, man. I gotta figure it out if I wanna get through this. Light says I make shit decisions, don't listen in battle, get baited too easy. So on and so on. Yeah, I fragged up, but I thought we did good enough. More solid than ever. Two of us got through." He shook his head. He took another bite of his food, contemplating as he chewed. "Shit crushed me, not making it. Felt kinda lost. Never quite took a hit like that."

Jack nodded in understanding as he ate. "You have to take hits, though. As a sporty guy, you know that. Are you even in the game, otherwise? Could be as simple as that. Pushing through."

Highfive nodded thoughtfully, likely doubtfully, as he ate. "Yeah…"

"How long had you been competing with them?"

"Psh. Seems like forever, bro. Inseparable. Not anymore. Just gotta get over it, I guess."

Jack nodded slowly. He resisted saying what he was thinking, right then. That they were pulled apart to test them, knowing those separation pains were possibly inevitable. A test of self-reliance, fortitude. Humility? He might not be so far out as he thought. Held back literally for the growth of high potential.

If so, would telling him be counterproductive? Hmm.

"And here I am," Jack said with a note of humor, "the hot, free agent in the wings."

Highfive wiped his mouth with a napkin and shrugged. "My guess is, regardless of leveling, you're on a fast track, Jack." His eyes widened in surprise. "Oh shit, that rhymed, dude! Heh. Anyway, if I were you, I'd look for a three-person whenever you lock in and get a few levels. It doesn't all happen in a day. Start training with that team as you grow further. They'll help you grow. You'll be an auto-yes from all the intrigue you got. Got that mystery aura maxed out." He did a finger gun and made a click sound, then dug back into his food.

Jack studied him, somewhat surprised. Am I off base here? He hasn't been trying to recruit me? No way what he just said was some kind of reverse psychology manipulation, right? Frag, I'm being paranoid. This is High-five, not Low-Machiavelli.

"I'll look into it," Jack said, curious to see how a noncommittal stance would come off. "I'm not so sure I'll be fast-tracked, yet. We'll see."

Highfive nodded in understanding. "It's your call, your career. Don't forget that. Light and me, and kinda Bo, even — a little — we talked about it and think we're gonna shoot for a six-month plan. Scout people out and do it smart. Basically, I may be a brick, but I am a brick, you know? Hehe. Hard to dislodge, a big ole, punchy ass tank, and everybody knows I'm a fightin' sonuvabitch! So, we can team around it. Address it like it's professional. Or try to. Talk to prospects, brainstorm, play around with powers. Kinda like tryouts. Maybe I figure myself out in the mix, you know?"

"That's awesome, man. Good damn call, I say." I'm genuinely impressed by the mature handling of it. He's probably doing exactly as he should. "I'll say one other thing, though, and I know I'm parroting Light already: pass your damn Law class."

Highfive winced. "Believe me, after not getting the coat? I'm all-in on leaving no black marks on my progress. I didn't think it would hold me back, and I still don't, but it ain't worth leaving it to chance. Anyway, I always struggled twice as much as everyone with classwork. Retook plenty, bro. Tutors all day. It's nothing new. Got through it all eventually. One hurdle at a time! Just a damned grind, that's all."

"Good. I'll help you study, of course." After taking a big bite of his second gyro and swallowing, Jack put on a smug grin. "Yeah, you're lucky to have a genius like me as a classmate. Easy peasy."

"Oh yeah? Got the big brains and the aura? Shit, dude. Maybe you're right up Boiler's alley. Too bad about that face, though. Holding you back." A big grin as he bit into his sandwich.

Jack was eating during this, and he barked a laugh while simultaneously flipping Highfive the bird. After he sipped his milkshake, he said, "Once I get the elusive Shangri-La that is abs, it's all gonna come together." He interlaced his fingers with emphatic insistence. "Trifecta power: brains, charm, abs. Unstoppable."

"Riiiight," Highfive said in sarcasm, raising his eyebrows before continuing his meal.

"So, who is Bo, anyway?"

"She's the other loser stuck with me." He frowned a bit in consideration. "She's sleeping off training right now, I think. If she wasn't, her and her antisocial assclownery lately might actually show up for once, to meet the newbie everyone's been gossiping about."

Jack snorted. "To their credit, people have been fairly polite. They give me my space, for the most part."

"That's discipline for you, and thinking you have a long way to go if you're so new to things. And maybe respect for their elders. You're one of us, but you look like a veteran. An old fart."

"And you never fail to rub it in. Back to your friend, though. Bo. Short for a handle? What does she do? Oh, shit, never mind. That's impolite when she isn't here, sorry."

"Nah, she wouldn't give two shits, dude. That's a D-Head for you. 'Bo' is short for Bogus, which is short for Bogus Pocus. She's a Disruptor. Interference. Like the true meaning of that class name, she just makes shit go squirrelly. Bodies, machines," — his eyes widened slightly — "and fraggin' powers, even. But the last can take a ton of energy out of her. And she doesn't have much. Again, that's a D-Head for you. Her half-assery is better than most at their best, though. If she's used right."

"Wow! That's awesome. It's exciting just thinking about how that could be used in battle!" Jack hopped up slightly as he gestured with the butt end of a nearly destroyed gyro, and half-munched insides fell out of its bready home — thankfully onto the plate. "If she needed to conserve energy, she could mess up people's movements at key points, making them drop! Right? Probably disable them. And any technological implements are probably child's play for her to disable. And powers! Even just used occasionally, neutralizing someone at a pivotal point in a fight is sheer gold!"

Highfive gave him an increasingly odd look as he listened, finished off his sandwich, and finally popped a small cluster of chips in his mouth. "Yeah. For sure, bro." He took a sip of his milkshake, now more than half gone, and cleared his throat. "Anyway, she's not easy to motivate. Been trying to get her even with me at level six, but I think she's got a ways to go. And six is huge for getting a big Secondary Mutation. At least she seemed to put good effort into training today. I got Light to nag her about it again. Or pep her up — whatever the frag she does to her."

"You're level six?! Shit." Jack took a deep breath. Who am I kidding? I'm definitely not in their league right now. "I gotta eat bigger breakfasts!"

Rich laughter resonated as Highfive dusted off his hands and sat back. "Yeah, you might have a long way to go, bro. It probably takes years. We train slowly at first. I know you're still level one, but don't worry, you'll see progress any day! And you never know what level they'll give you support missions. You've, ah, got that unique thing, so who knows? They can and do interrupt the Quest For the Coat!" He raised his milkshake as though toasting the idea.

Jack raised his own shake and sipped, but was frowning thoughtfully at Highfive afterward. "You know, actually, Highfive, I don't think it's going to take me years. It might be… age-based, essentially. I'm halfway to level two."

Highfive was blank-faced but wide-eyed for a moment. Then a shadow of suspicion crossed over his face, and he laughed and scoffed. "Pfff! Yeah right! You almost got me, bro." He pointed a finger. "Good one."

Jack's eyes shifted incredulously as he shrugged with a hand. "Dude, I'm serious. How the hell would I know to make a joke out of it? And I am a weird situational exception, after all."

Highfive slow-blinked with an open-mouthed, confused expression. He slow-blinked a few more times for good measure. "You're serious?" At Jack's emphatic nod, Highfive slow-blinked again. "Huh. Man. That's a trip!" He shook his head and breathed a sigh. Finally, he shrugged and took another sip of a dying shake. "Even better for you, then. Shit, who knows how quick you'll be team ready. You might beat me to a coat by months, you oldie sonuvabitch!"

Jack winced a bit because he knew it was a sore spot, so he covered it by stuffing the remainder of his food in his mouth before promptly swallowing. He leaned back and shrugged. "Well. Let's not go that far. By a couple of weeks, no more."

"Ohhhh!" Highfive laughed incredulously and rolled a napkin into a ball to throw at him. Jack mimed a defense with his hand. Still laughing, Highfive got up, cramming the last of his chips in his mouth and otherwise picking up his trash. "Hey, I'll see you later, Jackman. Gotta run, run, run. Message me any time, alright?"

"Sure. Likewise. Was great talking, Fiver."

Highfive nodded as he gestured with a finger around his cup, back and forth, pointing between them. "We're bros, now. Straight solid, my dude." He twisted two fingers together and grinned. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. I appreciate that. Really. And we'll study soon, okay? You don't wanna piss off Light."

"Tsh! You got that right. Study hard, but don't forget to work out! And train. Heh. Level, too, I guess." His eyes shifted around in consideration. "You might want to keep that thing on the down low, too, Jack. Until you're ready for a surge of interest. But if you level fast, you better start poking around about teams, too. It's unavoidable. Feel me?"

"I do. I'll keep it in mind."

Highfive nodded, then reached over the table for a fist bump. Jack bumped it, then did the slow explosion return maneuver. Unsurprisingly, Highfive did it simultaneously. He grinned and strode off, shortly pointing and going, "Heeeey!" at some random guy who waved at him.

Jack shook his head as he set about finishing off his hummus and watched the big man disappear in the growing crowd of lunch-goers.

I dunno about his 'Destiny' nonsense, but I think I want to be on his team. Light and him need each other, it seems like, and buddies always help buddies if they can. Besides, I think Highfive is the right hammer for the job; a stones-out, motherfraggin' winner…

Whatever he might think of himself.

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