[ Location: The Byers' Residence ][ Date: November 4th, 1984 - Saturday Night (9:30 PM) ]
The plan was set. It was reckless, dangerous, and relied heavily on a heater and a telekinetic girl who looked like she needed a nap.
"We take Will to the cabin," Hopper said, checking his shotgun. "We burn the virus out. Me, Joyce, Jonathan, Nancy."
"And the Gate?" Mike asked.
"El and I will close it," I said, stepping up beside Eleven. "We go to the Lab. We kill the brain."
El looked at me and nodded. She looked fierce. Punk rock. Bitchin'.
Max stepped forward. She looked at El with wide, admiring eyes. "Hi. I'm Max. I've heard a lot about you."
Max held out her hand.
I watched closely. 'This is the moment. The handshake.'
El looked at Max's hand. She looked at Max's face. Then she looked at me standing next to Max.
Her eyes narrowed.
She didn't shake the hand. She brushed past Max like she was a ghost, bumping her shoulder.
"Let's go," El muttered to me.
Max stood there, hand hovering in the air, looking hurt and confused.
I sighed. 'Jealousy. The true final boss.'
I looked at Max. "She's... terrified," I whispered. "Give her time. I'll fix it."
Max crossed her arms, looking away. "Whatever. I don't care."
'She cares. And I care. I can't just be the dense anime protagonist who ignores the tension. If I want a harem—or just, you know, friends who don't hate each other—I have to man up.'
I walked out to the porch. Steve was swinging his bat, looking at the sky.
"Harrington," I called out.
Steve stopped swinging. "What, Frostwell? You heading out to save the world?"
"Something like that," I said. "Listen. A warning."
"A warning?" Steve scoffed. "From the twelve-year-old?"
"From the guy who more mature than you and I have powers," I corrected, my voice serious. "Max's brother. He's coming."
Steve frowned. "Max's brother? Why?"
"Because he's angry, he's looking for Max, and he hates you," I said. "If a guy with a mullet and a denim jacket shows up, do not engage. Do not try to be the hero. Just lock the door."
Steve laughed. "Billy? Please. I can take him. I'm King Steve."
"You're going to get knocked out," I said bluntly. "Like, unconscious. Brain damage level. Just... duck."
Steve waved me off. "Get out of here, psychic boy. I got this."
I gritted my teeth.
'I try to help him And he shooes me away. Fine. Get concussed. See if I care.'
I turned and walked to Hopper's police blazer.
'System. I'm done playing on Hard Mode.'
[ Location: Hopper's Blazer - En Route to Lab ][ Time: 10:00 PM ]
Hopper was driving. El was in the passenger seat. I was in the back.
We hit a bump.
'Perfect time to grind.'
I focused on the spare tire behind the seat.
'Lift.'
[ Ability Active: Telekinesis. ]
I floated the tire. I spun it. I compressed it.
[ System Notice: Telekinesis Proficiency Increased. ][ Current Mastery: Level 5 (99%) ]
'Almost there. Come on.'
We passed a dead Demodog on the road. I reached out with my mind and yanked it into the woods as we drove past.
SNAP.
[ System Notice: Telekinesis Proficiency Increased (100%). ][ LEVEL UP! Telekinesis is now Level 6. ]
'Finally.'
I didn't celebrate. I opened my Inventory.
[ Item: Skill Upgrade Token. ][ Use on Telekinesis? Y/N ]
'Hell yes.'
[ Upgrading requirement not met for now... ][ Telekinesis Level 6 -> Telekinesis Level 7. ][ New Perk: Matter Reconstruction. ]
'Upgrading requirement not met for now, What…? But why? Sigh. You know what? I'll think about it later.'
'I Am Not done yet.'
I opened the Shop.
[ Dimensional Shop ]
Mental Potion (Permanent Boost): 100 Points.
'I have 1182points. I'm rich. And I'm about to fight a god level monster.'
"Buy three," I commanded mentally.
[ Transaction Complete. Balance: 882 Points. ]
Three small vials appeared in my hand. They glowed with a soft blue light.
Hopper glanced in the rearview mirror. "What's that? Drugs?"
"Vitamins," I said, popping the cork on the first one. "For strong bones."
I downed it. It tasted like mint and lightning.
My brain expanded.
[ System Notice: Mental Capacity Expanded. Telekinesis Level +1. ]
I drank the second. Fire in my veins.
[ Telekinesis Level +1. ]
I drank the third. The world slowed down.
[ Telekinesis Level +1. ]
[ Current Status: Telekinesis Level 10 (MAX). ]
I gasped, dropping the empty vials. The air around me rippled. I felt... everything. I felt the engine pistons firing. I felt the electrons in the metal roof. I felt the Mind Flayer in the sky.
I looked at my hand. It was trembling with power.
'I'm not a average weak protagonist anymore. I'm a Fucking OP.'
Suddenly, my Remote Viewing flared without me even asking.
Static.
I saw the Byers' house.
Billy Hargrove burst in. He looked crazy.
He attacked Lucas. Steve stepped in.
"I told you," I whispered to the vision.
They fought. Billy smashed a plate over Steve's head. He punched him. Again. Again.
Steve went down. Unconscious. Just like I said.
"Idiot," I muttered.
Then I saw Max. She grabbed a syringe. She jammed it into Billy's neck.
'That's my girl.'
The vision shifted. The kids were dragging Steve into Billy's car. Max was driving.
"They're going to the tunnels," I realized. "They're going to burn the hub."
Hopper looked at me. "You say something?"
"Just checking the traffic," I said, my eyes glowing faintly violet. "Step on it, Chief. We have a gate to close."
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