Gemini Project

Prologue

Picking myself up from the rubble, I cough through the dust. The amount of destruction the battle has made is undeniably the worst, even when we combine every battle in the past year. The limbs sticking out from under cement blocks make me gag. This could have been prevented, I could have prevented it. This is my fault, but I can’t dwell on this right now. I must find him; I say to myself as I keep looking everywhere. I need to because I can’t survive without him. He’s the other part of my soul, he’s my heart and I wouldn’t be here without him. Spotting a trail of blood on the ground, I follow it to the edge of the crumbled building site. Dread fills me and my heart pounds faster with each step I take. The trail stops to the biggest blood puddle I’ve ever seen, tire tracks visible at its side. Nobody can survive that much blood loss, not even me.

My heart drops as I see in the middle of this red sea, the gold chain I gave him for his birthday, the one he swore never to take off. I sink to my knees sobbing, removing it from the crimson liquid. The chain now dangling from my fingers, drips with his blood still warm. He’s gone, taken, or maybe worse, dead.

Chapter 1 - The beginning

One year earlier.

-Katy-

“Supers are the coolest. My favorite is Octohack because he completely messed up the Normie life.” Joey starts. Urgh, there they go again. I swear they are complete opposites that will destroy each other or end up together.

“What do you mean you like Octohack better than Catastrophe? How?! Catastrophe can create natural disasters in a second! He wants to fuckin destroy a city? Bam! F5 tornado appears in the blink of an eye!” Lizzy whisper screams to Joey because we are in a public café.

“Octohack has eight arms AND can hack practically anything with any technology in it. Not to mention Captain Strike took down Catastrophe in less than a week. It took two years for Hack Master to capture Octo and he also got away several times.” Replies Joey. I think those two are attracted to each other, but they haven't realised it yet.

Lizzy opens her mouth to counter, but Chloe interjects. “Ok enough you two. We do not need another fucking weeklong debate, all though I have a question for you guys. If you could be a Super, what would you be?”

Surprisingly, Louis, the quiet one, answers first. “I would be a Terrien Shifter with low Flier and Healer qualities.” Everyone nods their heads staring at him. “What? I’ve thought about it.”

“Well, I would love to be an Elemental Plus with either an Enhanced or a Specific. Don’t know which though. So hard to pick.” Samantha says with a mad pensive face.

“Cool. I think, if I could choose, I would be an Illusionist. I’d like to mind fuck people and make my teachers give me an A on a paper I didn’t do.” Interesting, I did not think of that one for Chloe, yet it fits her to a tee.

“I for one am glad my parents are Normies. I have everything I would want right here.” Expresses Eric. I see him glancing towards me, but he looks away before anyone else notices. I think he has a crush on me, not sure about it though. “I feel like it would be too much pressure,” he continues, “with all the expectations of today's societies. And not to mention the lack of privacy…” He’s interrupted by Joey’s patience wearing thin.

“Okay, we get it, geez! You like being a normal boring human!” He practically shouts. The surrounding customers give him the stink eye until he apologizes half-heartedly. “I don’t think you guys could guess what I would want.” He says with a smirk.

We all roll our eyes at that statement, especially with his smug look, responding in unison, “Techy with Enhanced mind.”

“Ya ok, I think I might have mentioned it once or twice.” We chuckled to that. Or a thousand. “I would give anything to be Super. What we could do with all that power, everyone would be equals. Supers, I hate that my whole family are Normies.” He ends with an awkward subject.

“On a different note, I would love to be a Shapeshifter like Masquerade and go undercover, but I’d add the Communicators’ power, so I could go visit the world and understand everyone.” States Lizzy with her usual peppiness. “But what about you Katy? You haven’t said a thing.” Hearing my name, I turn to face her.

“I honestly don’t know. I would love to try them all, but I wouldn’t want to be a Mimic you know, it’s not me. Powers are supposed to reveal who we are inside the good and, or the bad. I would hope if I had any it would reveal the best of me.” They nod along and seem interested, so I keep going. “But we all know that powers are passed down from parents to children, and in the rarest cases, it can skip generations before manifesting. But they always, and I mean always, develop at the earliest age ten, but always during puberty. That is for every person in the records, no exceptions and they never manifest in someone older than sixteen.” I pause to catch my breath before finishing. “And I doubt I would have any since my family tree is completely human. Plus, I’m too old. Maybe in an extreme case where I was in a freak accident like Lady Wonder, it can happen, but I doubt that. Yeah, so… To answer the question, I’d maybe like to be Enhanced with Healer to be able to help a lot more people and animals.”

There’s a moment of calmness where no one speaks, only absorbing my monologue.

“Damn, that was… that. On to another subject, a better one like Katy’s birthday is tomorrow! I know you celebrate with your parents on your actual birthday, but can’t you convince them just this time to let us celebrate with you.” Chloe mentions. “It’s your eighteenth birthday like come on! And the new Oblivion movie comes out tomorrow, it looks good. I even got an in for some discounts from a worker that likes me.”

“I’ll ask but I don’t think they’ll budge, it’s a family tradition. We’ll have to go to the movies tonight or Saturday because Friday we have that end-of-year party, remember.” With the conversation shift, the mood changes to a lighter one and we all agree to meet tonight. Our lunchtime ends, and we all get up to leave.

“Don’t forget about our last cheer practice.” A smiling Samantha mentions before I split from the group.

I smile and wave as they return to school. I walk to the animal shelter down the street where I have been working since the beginning of the semester because I had enough credits to graduate last semester. I’m still graduating with the others in two weeks but now I have a little more work experience with animals. In September, I will be attending Storne City University since I’ve been accepted into their veterinary program.

The afternoon goes by quickly. Before I know it, work and cheer are done and I’m on my way home to shower. Upon entering the house, I spot my parents at the dinner table with serious looks on their faces. Oh boy, what have I done now?

“Katy, we need to talk.” Dad starts before I interrupt him.

“Sorry, can’t right now. I need a shower then I’m going to the movies with my friends. We can talk when I get back.” I run up the stairs and hop in the shower.

I finish getting ready when I hear my friends honking outside. My dress flows behind me when I run down. As I get my shoes on, my mother stops me, making me promise we’ll talk after. I agree, then step outside. In the driveway, waiting for me are Eric, Louis, and Sammy (short for Samantha) in her red convertible she got last year. I hop in and we sing along to the radio all the way there. I sigh, feeling content. I wouldn’t change a thing about my life.

Chapter 2 – Birthday Surprise!

-Katy-

I’m on the floor of a dirty old kitchen. Broken dishes and spilled food are in front of me, some pieces of a broken plate are slicing my hands, making them bleed. I look back up to see the horrible-looking man taking off his belt. I close my eyes knowing what is to come. Whack! Pain slices through my back again and again. My flaming red hair frames my face. I refuse to make a sound or to shed a tear. After a few minutes, the hits subside and all I can hear are his exhausted pants. I look up once again only to see a fist come down on my face.

The horrible nightmare wakes me from my slumber. Shaking off the horrors, as usual, I can hear my alarm screaming at me. I must have fallen asleep on the ride back from the movies because I don’t remember coming in. I wonder what my parents wanted to talk about. Oh well.

As I get up from my bed, something feels weird, like something has changed but I don’t know what. Stopping my alarm, I go through my normal morning routine but when I pass in front of my mirror, I stop to look at myself.

My skin is clear and kind of glowing. Not glowing per se but healthier than it’s ever been. Not a pimple or scar to be seen except the small scar on my left hip I’ve had since forever. My chestnut hair is fuller with no split ends, my dark brown eyes shine brighter, but the biggest change is with my muscles. I have abs! Freaking abs. I wasn’t fat or skinny before, but I definitely did not have abs. My arms and legs also have more definition like I’ve been hitting the gym.

What the hell happened to me last night! My mind is running through everything that took place in the last few days. My phone rings with my last alarm. Damn! It’s twenty to eight. I’ll be late for work! I throw on my work clothes and run downstairs. My parents have gone to work, and the bus will take too long, but if I run, I should be able to make it with a few minutes to spare.

I start to sprint, and I barely feel the weight of my bag on my back, nor am I winded when I reach the shelter. I catch the time on the clock inside and it’s ten to eight. No, that can’t be right, it takes me about fifteen minutes to run that distance. The clock must have the wrong time, so I check on my phone ignoring the birthday messages. Nope, it’s the right time. I must be fitter than when I last ran to work.

Whatever, I have chores to do. I start by cleaning all the cages and pens like I do every day. However mundane it is, it needs to be done, for the animals’ health and for the sake of our noses. Especially today, my Supers! The smells are positively atrocious. I can still smell my co-worker’s perfume in the air.

“Wow her perfume must be strong if its stench is still lingering,” I say to no one in particular.

“I know right! That’s why I always run from her. My nose is extremely sensitive to smells. Does she know this is a perfume-free place?” I hear someone say, clear as day. I look around, no one to be found save me and the cat whose cage I’m cleaning.

“Oh-kay? That is weird but I might be losing my mind with everything happening.” I say out loud to myself.

“Oh, what is happening? Give me the gossip. I miss having someone to talk too since Rollo got adopted.” I look around one more time before my eyes settle on the cat, Juliet, sitting on her play structure.

“Did I just understand you? You can understand what I say?” Oh, I am definitely losing my mind. I’m talking to a cat, expecting it to respond.

“Of course, I can understand you, I’m not a kitten. I’ll prove it to you too. If you give me a treat, I’ll jump off the top of my structure and do a flip.” Skeptical, I leave to get a treat in the back, crossing my boss Mario at the same time. I ask him something I never thought I’d ask anyone.

“Juliet is quite the talker huh? She won’t stop nagging me, you know?”

“Ya, I usually give her a treat. She’ll stop annoying you and go back to sleep. Sometimes I think she’s actually talking, but then I remember it’s impossible for humans like us to understand.” I hastily grab a treat and go back to Juliet, who is patiently waiting. I hesitantly approach her.

“Now come on, we don’t have all day. You have to visit the others and I need to bathe.”

I give her the treat and she climbs up her tower.

“Ready or not here I come!” She gleefully expresses, right before jumping. She flips in the air before gracefully landing on her paws. “Now leave me in peace. I need to do my toilette.” She says before picking a spot to sit.

“Ok, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Then it hits me, I can talk to animals. Holy shit! I take my things and go to the next enclosure.

The morning goes by much faster because I talk with each animal I see. I have learned a lot from them like turtles talk very fast or that birds’ song is them bitching to each other. Finally, I finish my cleaning portion of the day just in time for lunch. I text my friends that I’m staying here for lunch instead of meeting them. I am halfway through my sandwich when Mario comes by.

“I’ll need you to restock our front shelves with kibble after your break. We have a few families coming by to see the pups and dogs later this afternoon. Oh, before I forget, happy birthday.”

“Thanks,” I respond quickly. I hate stocking shelves. Those kibble bags are really heavy even when I use the wagon.

After my lunch break ends, I go to the back to get the dog food I need. Surprisingly they are already on the wagon, stacked as higher than I am tall and I’m relatively short at five feet two inches. I make sure they are steady before I start pulling. Expecting it to barely budge, I pull as hard as I can. To my surprise, the cart launches after me. I halt before I go through the front window, the wagon hitting my back. Damn! How am I this strong? What is happening to me?

“Well, today just keeps on getting better and better,” I say sarcastically to myself. Grabbing the bags off the wagon, I stack them on the shelves. Once done I check the other products if they need to be refilled, no surprise they do. After the menial task, I go back to the animals.

The end of the day gets here faster than anticipated. Mario lets me go home a little earlier than usual because of my birthday.

“I’ll see you Monday, have a good weekend.” He says to me as I’m about to leave. I decide to run home testing my speed. Securing my backpack, I push myself to my limits. Running faster than I ever have, I arrive at my front step in a few minutes. Opening the door, I yell for my parents knowing they are home.

“Mom! Dad! We need to talk.”

“Your home early. Yes, we do need to have a talk.” Mom says as she sits down at the dinner table, my dad follows suit, then I do, sitting across from them. A silence falls upon us.

“You can start.” My mother and I say at the same time. We chuckle.

“You can go. We were supposed to talk yesterday so you’ve waited long enough.” I repeat.

“Ok. Your father and I want to let you know it doesn’t change our love for you. We expected to have this conversation years ago but when you didn’t manifest, we thought we could wait on telling you.” She starts.

“What do you mean manifest? Am I supposed to have powers? Tell me what?” I question them. They look at each other before speaking in unison.

“You’re adopted.” My jaw drops open. I am speechless.

“Wh-what?” Is the only thing that comes out of my mouth.

“We couldn’t have children no matter how hard we tried. We went to the orphanage and you were there all bundled up. It was love at first sight. We tried to find out your history, but you were found on their front step with your birthdate and the number A-80 written on a bracelet. No one knew if you were a Normie or a Super, so we adopted you and loved you as our own.” My mother recounts. Another silent moment passes before I talk.

“This makes so much more sense. So that’s why when I asked about my baby pictures, a couple of years ago, you said you lost them all to a computer virus. You just didn’t have any before I was eleven months old, did you? You know, that would have been the perfect moment to tell me! Instead, you just lied to me all these years!” I yell, getting angrier by the second. That’s why I have powers. My hands fist up. I feel like punching something hard. I look up to see my parents’ concerned faces. “I need some air,” I say, then run out of the house.

I run a few minutes, no idea where I am going but I just need to let out my pent-up energy. I stop, take a breath, and look around. I’m surrounded by the biggest trees and I mean the biggest. I think I might be in the middle of Bindley Forest. It’s the only one in the world that has been untouched by people since the Reset War and only a few miles from my house. There are rumors that it's haunted and that anyone who enters comes back crazy or doesn’t come back at all. It’s beautiful and peaceful here, the rumors are probably to protect it.

I close my eyes and tilt my head back, taking a moment to listen to nature and forget my troubles. I can hear a squirrel walking on a branch a hundred yards from me, a rabbit hopping around, the flap of a butterfly’s wings landing on a leaf, and even baby birds crying out for food. I can hear so much and from so far, it’s amazing.

I open my eyes and concentrate. I can see that bunny in a small clearing far from here, the squirrel on the highest branch of the tree, and I can see the ants climbing a tree a couple of feet from me. This is incredible. I look up to the sky, lift my arms to my sides and laugh. I laugh so hard it turns into a broken sob. I sink to my knees and fall to the side clinging to my middle.

I am adopted. The words resonate in my head finally sinking in. I cry until I have no tears left. I cry until my eyes burn and my head throbs. I cry until all I have is anger. Anger so raw, it demands to be used and let out. I get up and walk up to the biggest tree I can see. I position myself and punch the tree so hard I can hear it crack. Why did they not tell me sooner? Why do I have powers? Why did I manifest so late? I punch again and again at each question running through my mind until I sense a little of the weight being lifted from my shoulders.

Beads of sweat roll down the back of my neck and forehead. I look at the damaged tree. Well shit, I made a hole in the middle of it. I rest my hands on both sides of my handiwork and lean against the rough bark to catch my breath. I quickly realize my knuckles are split open and bleeding, although I don’t really feel it. I wish they would heal. I really don’t want to explain this to my parents when I go home.

As soon as I think it, my flesh slowly sews back together leaving only drying blood. Still observing my healed hands, the tree beneath them starts to feel alive. I watch as the hole I made repairs itself, shrinking, and disappearing like it was never there. Wow, I also have Healer powers.

I stay in the forest experimenting with my newfound powers and thinking about my parents’ revelation until I realize the sun is going down. Taking my time, I walk home. I’ve come to realize that it’s not such a big deal. I mean they’re still my parents and I love them. I am still a little pissed that they didn’t tell me sooner, but I can’t do anything about it now. I also have so many questions about myself that I doubt they have answers to. Someday, I’ll find out about my origins. Opening the front door, I’m immediately squished between my parents.

“We were so worried! When you didn’t respond to our calls and messages, we feared you’d runoff.” My father blurts out before they let go.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you guys, but I needed some time alone to process and I forgot my phone in my bag.” I reply pointing at my bag where I left it underneath the table. They look back a second before their focus is on me again. “I just wanted to tell both of you that I don’t care that I’m adopted. You have been the best parents a girl could ask for. I love you and nothing can change that.” My parents and I are on the brink of shedding a tear but before we do, I pull them into a hug.

“We’ll always love you too. Now enough of this, we have a cake to eat.” My mother says as we part and go to the kitchen for my birthday celebration. We enjoy the rest of the evening laughing, playing games and eating cake. Tomorrow I’ll go back to the forest to see what else I can do.