Shaper of Metal Post-Apoc Progression LitRPG

After the nurse took a moment to disconnect him from his IV, Jack was soon digging into piles of food, eating furiously from a metal tray suspended over the bed. The nurse was pretty much in and then out, sensing his hunger — perhaps slightly frightened of it — and letting him eat in relative privacy, lest he be seen being a pig. He was actually quite grateful for that.

He tried not to be too loud while stuffing his face, with Scaper still sleeping in the other bed. She stirred a bit here and there, but remained asleep through his consumption of multiple slices of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, grilled veggies, and so on.

Now that is a miracle, considering the smell. She's a Non, too. Or maybe I'm just an especially piggy Non, and she isn't even hungry right now?

This sudden crisis of self-reflection gave him a moment's pause, but he shrugged it off and continued being a pig. There was still some food left, and it was rude to waste such delights!

When he was finally done and sipping orange juice from a paper carton, he was feeling both antsy and seriously needing to piss. Fortunately, there was an attached bathroom, so he got up and relieved himself there. Recalling Memoria's warning about Scaper's senses and discomfort being alone, he left the door cracked and hoped that was enough.

When he came back out, Scaper was sitting up, eyes squinted to slits, and rubbing one hand through her chaotic mess of hair with a terribly sour expression on her face. She caught Jack's movement and tried to focus, then was interrupted by the necessity of yawning. She stretched her arms out as she did, then flopped them down when it was over, moaning in the general annoyance of a grumpy, tired person that didn't want to get up. "Mmph. Where the hell…" She stifled another yawn, then sniffed the air. "Food?"

"Yeah," Jack replied as he paused and stretched his own arms. "Just ate. We're in the infirmary on the Madagascar."

Scaper gasped, watery eyes blinking as she began to focus. "Steel?!" She suddenly tossed the blankets fully off and hopped off the bed, clad in only her underwear and a sports bra. She gasped, hands splaying out, apparently caught in various wakeful realizations. "We did it?!"

Jack blinked at her. "Did what?"

"The mindscape, the operation! We succeeded?!" Her voice was half question, half declaration, her eyes seeking Jack for confirmation more than anything.

"Uhhh, well, we got vital intel that helped the task force and even Memoria herself. So, in that sense-"

"Yes! Hyeeeah!" Scaper began jumping up and down and fist-pumping. "We won!" Such was her mental and physical state, she soon stumbled. Jack moved to catch her arm and steady her, and in the rebalance, she laughed joyously and jumped on him, hugging him and thrusting her fist up in the air. "We got that bastard! We did it!"

Jack was utterly stunned, staring at her incredulously, even as he instinctually caught and held her up. One hand on the bare waist, one hand on the bare thigh of a strange woman who was as light as a feather to him.

Uhhh-

Just as this realization was occurring, the door opened, and Jack turned, two faces swiveling to see an exhausted Agent Sato peek in, eyes quickly taking stock. He raised an eyebrow. "Oh my. Should I come back… later?"

Jack and Scaper looked at each other, and Jack dropped her down so her feet touched the floor. But Scaper looked at Sato with sudden coldness. "Yes, Agent Sato. This is a private moment, and I'm not even dressed. Rude."

Sputtering, Jack turned fully toward Sato and waved his hands. "Unnph, no! Ah! Hey! Don't listen to her! Not a private moment at all!" Jack swiveled his head between them. "She- you can get under the covers if you want, or get dressed. That, or I go out and talk to him in the hallway. Well?"

Scaper was glaring at him before he threatened to leave, at which point she blanched, called, "Covers!" and ran to hop into bed, soon covering her bottom half and looking at Jack like, 'See? I did it,' eyes suddenly pleading. He knew that meant she didn't want him to leave her.

Jack sighed. Older than I am, and she's practically like a kid. But… not at all in other ways. Better watch it with her.

Sato nodded, keeping his eyes to the floor as he walked in, closed the door, and approached, his general energy 'dragging' significantly.

Jack took a seat on his bed and asked, "How'd it go at the location?"

Sato puffed his cheeks slightly and blew air out, shaking his head. "About how you'd think. No more priority intel to pick at, so we rounded everyone up and got the hell out of Dodge. The girl was taken first, and separately. Agent Lopez was detained, too. Sad state of affairs there. He definitely snagged some Derangement. Hope he can be helped. He was morose but cooperative after you and Shreddy left."

"A trained Exemplar with situational Derangement?" Scaper mused. "Highly likely, whatever it is can be reeled back, and we can stabilize him. He might not like his duty change, because they'll never send him out for something like this again, but he should be okay. I might end up being the one to smooth him out myself!"

"I hope it works out for him," Jack said. "Guy was a beast for that mission."

"Maybe a bit too much of a beast," Sato offered. "Anyway, since then, I've just been questioning small-timer after small-timer brought here. I'm about questioned out, honestly. Got a headache and the meds ain't doin' shit." He ran a hand over his head, sighing and looking weary. He winced slightly. "Guess we got some nuggets here and there, at least. Hell if I can put it all together, but someone is. Bermuda, maybe. Central as a whole and Memoria, if no one else. I hear you two found some sweet intel in that scuzzbucket's noggin, eh?"

"Yeah. Got a bead on the honcho herself." He paused to make sure with Mini that the name was okay to drop, and got the 'nod.' "Qingu. Big lady. Wears the mask of an old Babylonian king caricature, but made bestial. She gave Shreddy something seriously strong and mind-altering, which fucked up his head big time. Probably made him the way he is."

"I'm reviewing the details I missed now…" Scaper muttered absently.

Sato whistled at Jack's statement. "Damn nice pick up, Rookie. She sounds like a piece of work. Anyway, I'm headed home to crash because I'm an overworked government shlob. Just wanted to say you did a great job, you're getting a resounding approval in my report, and it was nice working with you." He held out his hand for a shake. "Agent Steel."

Jack shook his hand and nodded. "Likewise, Agent Sato. Thanks for showing me the ropes. Hopefully we get to work together again, but I know I've got a bit of a detour in my training coming up, and then, well… I might be heading quite Out of Town for a while, if you catch my drift. Based on what I know currently."

"Right. Actually, I was also told to be, ah… expecting an unusual trip in the future. No timeline, but they said I'd know a few of the agents going." He gave Jack a significant look.

Jack blinked as he processed the possible meaning. Sato for the ocean trip? Hmm. Oh shit, that's right — he's got a drop of Allotment with known psychic powers! Of course, he'd be a priority target of bonding and cleansing if it were feasible! That has to be it. Holy shit, I'm excited for him! He deserves it.

Jack couldn't keep the smile off his face as he replied, "Awesome." It made the observant investigator squint his eyes suspiciously, so Jack continued, "In any case, I think the future remains in flux. See you when I see you, brother. Get some sleep. I just had some and I heartily recommend it. In fact, I might steal some more."

Sato smiled faintly and wanly. "Only actual Nons get the royal treatment to sleep all damned day, but I'll do what I can. Until next time, Your Majesty." He did a twirl of his hand and a little, mock bow.

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"Come oooon," Jack protested at such a title, his hands out helplessly, as Sato turned and departed. The agent ended up holding the door open for a nurse, who thanked him as she squeezed in carrying a tray of food.

Scaper perked up, sniffing the air. "Oh Goddess, is that for me?!" She thrust her hands out and made grabby motions. "Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!"

The nurse survived the handoff and exited whole and hale, as Scaper soon dug into her food without reserve or quarter. She made somewhat disturbing, throaty noises as she stuffed her face with a variety of tantalizing morsels, as if unable to resist each taste available at any given moment.

Damn. I guess that answers that about Non piggishness.

Mini chimed. <You are cleared to head back to your quarters if you prefer. You'll need to stop by Central and remove the disguise first. You have been removed from 'alerts' for the gestalt chat CFLEX, but may review it for the time being.>

<Sounds good. What about Scaper?>

<She'll be retrieved by a companion after she eats.>

<I'll wait, then.>

Jack stretched out on the bed with his hands behind his head, relaxing and killing time by reviewing the CFLEX chat. It wasn't super interesting, mostly full of reports and clipped statements of activity/intent, varying in frequency depending on the agent's task. One could tell the difference between deliberate reports and the more stream-of-consciousness thought-to-text transfers, which were far quicker and made the chat relevant in the field. It was one of those things that, for most, wasn't always front and center, but did need to be checked during spare moments. Requests for 'area scans' were constant for InSite. He was apparently in perpetual demand.

Some kind of physical clairvoyant. I imagine that's hella rare. Wait, did I just think the word 'hella?' Who corrupted me?!

"Maaan," Scaper suddenly exclaimed, muffled with her mouth full, "this meatloaf is the totallic shiznit, I'm tellin' ya!" She cast an amazed gaze Jack's way as she chewed.

Jack frowned suspiciously at her. I bet it was her.

The door opened to admit a uniformed woman, maybe in her early thirties, hair a buzzcut. She nodded briefly to Jack before her eyes shifted to Scaper.

"Aw, hell," Scaper muttered, swallowing her food before making a great sigh. "I was just enjoying myself, too, and here comes Lucy, the buzzkill."

'Lucy' seemed unaffected by this, expression placid as she shut the door and regarded Scaper. "I'm here so your colleague," and she nodded once more to Jack, "Agent Steel, can leave without you chasing him through the hallways in your underwear. We've been down this road before, no? But without the bra."

"So what?" Scaper challenged, rolling her eyes as she finished off the last scraps of her mashed potatoes. "Who cares about some pointless bra? I barely have breasts. And who says Jack wants to leave, anyway?"

At Lucy's cold look, Jack cleared his throat as he sat up. "I'll hang out, I think." It was better than some incident.

Scaper beamed at Jack, then turned to Lucy and made a rather rude kind of shrug at her. "See? We're good, here. Why don't you run along?" She made a shooing motion with her hand.

Ugh…

Lucy glanced between them, face like a brick wall. "I will not. We'll return home when you're done eating, regardless. Unless you'd prefer another demerit when you create an incident? We're over that, aren't we?"

Scaper looked down at her food and up at Lucy, then glanced at Jack, before returning to the food. After a brief internal debate, she speared one of the last bits of meatloaf and sighed as she put it in her mouth. "No fraggin' fair… I was looking forward to sneaking into Jack's bed again when he was asleep."

Jack's mouth fell open. "You what?!" He was otherwise lost for words.

She shoved another morsel in her mouth as she met his eyes innocently. "What? I don't like sleeping alone, you're warm, you seemed dark and lonely in your dreams, bada bing, bada boom — I shared your bed. We both slept better! Until a nurse had a conniption about it, scolded me, threatened to out me to The Man, and made me get out." After a pause with her eyes shifting to the side, she added, "And put back on the bra." Suddenly, she froze, looking over at Lucy. "Shit. You're here. That's not a demerit, is it? You didn't witness it!"

As Lucy facepalmed in disturbed exasperation, Jack looked away in mild embarrassment, running a hand through his hair and blowing air out of his mouth. And I thought Lindsay was a handful.

Lucy waved her hand and scowled. "Alright, that's it for you, young lady. Not a single bit of bullshit, do you hear me? Get dressed. Now." She didn't look happy. "You're on thin ice, Miss Scaper."

Scaper opened her mouth to protest, but caught herself, closing her mouth, swallowing, and glancing at the tray. As if a switch was flipped, she got more subdued, though her eyes flickered around rapidly. She put the fork down and slinked out of the bed wordlessly, seeking out her uniform. It was folded up on a chair, so she momentarily dressed and put her boots on.

Lucy turned to Jack and said, "My apologies on her behalf, Agent Steel. She was doing better lately, but it seems something may have affected her during this. She has some issues with boundaries. You should file a complaint — as is your right — for physical harassment."

Scaper flinched but didn't look up to this. Jack smiled politely at Lucy and shrugged with his hands. "Not necessary. No harm done."

Lucy frowned inconclusively at this. Scaper still didn't look up from lacing her boots, but her head cocked slightly.

As they were leaving, Scaper paused, head turned in Jack's direction, though still not meeting his eyes. Hers were still dancing. "Sorry."

Lucy was already turning around like whiplash, ready to scold, but the word Scaper actually said made her swallow it and wait.

"It's alright, Scaper," Jack replied. "I know your heart is in the right place. We did a good thing today. Together. We're compatriots; friends. Got it?"

She smiled in relief and nodded. "Yeah. It was fun and very satisfying. I hope I see you again."

Lucy jerked her head. "Let's go, Miss Scaper."

Jack watched the door close behind them, feeling bad in general for Scaper. Was Lucy being too harsh? Regardless, it might be necessary just to keep the 'wild child' in line at all. In the wrong situation, with the wrong person, her impulsive behavior could be really, really bad. In his case, he only saw it as a weird affectation… perhaps largely because he was a hopeless softie for something like the scenario where she was even a quarter thinking about his well-being as part of her sharing his bed.

I 'seemed dark and lonely.' Sounds about right. I mean, hell, I probably am better off not sleeping alone. Getting a girlfriend is complicated, though. Heh.

It wasn't going to be Scaper. He could handle having a chaos gremlin as a friend, even a psychic chaos gremlin — which was a pretty terrifying combination when it came down to it — but a girlfriend like that was just… not for him.

Jack looked down at himself, suddenly. Shirtless.

Oh. Bad move. The killer abs were probably too much for her. Hahaha…

Trying to more or less laugh it all off, he got up and got dressed, briefly looking in the mirror to see a stranger's face. It was time to peel it off and head home. He needed rest so he could get to Calibration and pick up that massive level boost. Plenty to look forward to, just with that, but beyond, he'd soon be utilizing it for team training. Namely, powers in combat. His first field test was a success, but there was a lot more to learn to meet his true calling 'abroad.' A lot and not a lot of time to learn it, at that.

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After 'de-processing' in Central, getting his face back, and heading home, Jack got more R&R and food to recharge there. Soon, Jack popped into Fatigue Status: Minor and, upon doing so, immediately and anxiously got into a cross-legged position on his bed to get into Calibration mode. He knew the session was going to be extremely extensive, hypothetically the most extensive he'd ever see, if the degree of 'percentage of change' meant anything. Level 2.1 to 3.1, plus a major mutation, was possibly getting into the realm of doubling himself.

It took him a few minutes just to settle down and stop daydreaming about what his capabilities would be. It took a deliberate, firm focus on his Allotment, on the construct extending from him, to break the distractions. Instead of counting sheep, he counted his 'branches.' Fruitless, as he couldn't 'track' such complexity in the macro — like running through a forest to count trees — but it worked for his purposes.

In the spatial void, Memoria chose to be especially gigantic, materializing well in front of him, star eyes level with his body, and those eyes were so massive they could literally swallow him. Soul-shaking laughter resounded through the faux reality as her titanic angel form held its hand out, and she grinned very contrastingly devil-like at him. She looked more like some cocky final boss in an action game. Jack was glad he didn't yet have to slay deities, if this was the expectation.

"My son!" she called in ripe glee. "Here we are, finally! A big mutation, an expansion of power! And ultimately just a taste of what you'll sink your teeth into, one day."

Jack smiled as three supernovae of incredible depth and complexity wove themselves into beautiful form between them.

🎭 Patreon Link, Next Chappy — Chapter 74: Stars of the Show