Frederic shakes his head as he opens his wallet to put his training card back inside. He cannot believe he even considered offering Melvin a chance to exercise with the elite. It was a clear misjudgement on Frederics part and it cannot happen again. Jumping the gun, as the saying goes, is a sign of weakness. Frederic only allows himself 2 signs of weakness a week, and he learns from every experience. After placing the wallet back in his pocket, he eyes the rest of the crew. Weak, all of them. Not a single person with the gainz mindset. Frederic is annoyed, for he came on this journey to build his repertoire more than anything else. However, he doesn't wish to build it with these weak like-minded wastes of potential. He has gainz to make in better communities.
However, his eyes settle on Rin. The small girl in the corner of the shuttle. Frederics eyes begin to waiver and get heavy as he watches the child mindlessly play with baby Aldo.
- - - -
"This is stupid. You're an idiot."
"What? It is my investment, Talia!"
A flashback to a decade ago begins with Frederic standing in the archway of his new Callisto gym, alongside his then-girlfriend Talia. The archway is stacked with the neon letters "GAINZ GYM", and Frederic stands under it. The gym has had 3 months of building and anticipation in the making. Frederic invested a great deal of money and all his time inside the ambitious effort to make gainz across the galaxy. His girlfriend, Talia, is another socialite elite in Callisto with no fame to her name but more money than one could count. Frederic is similar to Talia, born in Callisto with more money and time than anyone else in the galaxy.
"You have lofty ambitions Frederic"
"Talia you see..."
"DONT interrupt me!" Talia said pacing. "For starters, you dont know any celebrities willing to work with you. Callisto already has the intergalactic gym, so you wont get the casuals attention either. This is all a waste of time"
Time, the only currency that could be wasted for Frederic. For Talia to call his plan a waste made him lift his shoulders and his anger.
"Talia, I have a business plan. Gimicky name, prime locale... all I need now is luck"
"LUCK!" Talia snorted. " Frederic look where we are, we are probably the luckiest individuals in the galaxy right now. Your luck was given to you when you were born. You're wasting your time with this project of yours. Your last name isn't even GAINZ for fuck sakes!"
Frederic chose to ignore her now. She simply didn't understand the passion Frederic had. He needed to make an impact, not for the money, but for the notoriety. He wanted his time to mean something. He was born in a situation that many people strive their whole life to achieve.
- - - -
It's been a year. That's a lot of time. Frederic sat in his empty gym yet again, eyes sore from nights of making unsuccessful plans for his business. Talia was gone, where her nagging persona stood was a great deal of regret and guilt. Frederic didn't know the first thing about achieving notoriety. He had spent every night thinking of ways to succeed, and still couldn't find success in any of his plans. The endless days of passing pamphlets and celebrity events. The endless nights of spreading the word of mouth about his gym at bars and casinos. Frederic has nothing but time, and he feels like he's wasting the most important resource he has at his disposal.
Until a young girl, around Rin's age, entered the gym. Frederic was startled. A customer? He quickly stood to approach his first client in months. The girl was scrawny, but had the face of a model. She was shy, but interested in making Gainz. Frederic could tell. She had explained that her name was Sarah, and she landed a role as a strong independent titaness in the upcoming film Titaness 3: A New Titan. Frederic was excited, as the roll called for the young girl to train for years before filming began. It was a large gamble, could Frederic succeed?
- - - -
Frederic did succeed. He knew he could. Sarah was a large success as her breakthrough role. Her transformation from a scrawny teenage girl to a motivated, strong, independent woman caught all the attention of tabloids across the galaxy. For the last 3 years, Sarah had been Frederics only client. As Frederic slowly lost more money and time investing into Sarah to succeed, his life outside of his workplace deteriorated. He was evicted from his Central Callisto apartment, a prime location to live in at the time. Both of his parents had died, and Talia had gone on to marry a rich politician in the West Callisto sector, posting incessantly on Facebook about all their rich endeavors. However Frederic had finally succeeded. Sarah was a large success, and her transformation brought a large clientele of actors and models wishing to undergo the same lifestyle and physique transformation. He was a success.
However one night, Sarah had died unexpectedly. She was travelling to visit Frederic from far north of Callisto to thank him for all of his help and for raising her ambition. Frederic wasn't one to get attached to anything but his gym and his career, but he had cried that night for the first time in his whole life. All that time invested into Sarah meant a lot to him, and she loved Sarah like a daughter. It was his 2nd showcasing of weakness that week, and he knew he couldn't do it anymore, so he skipped the funeral to spend time at work.
- - - -
Frederic sat in the shuttle, tearing up as he looked at Rin. He can't help but feel the same amount of emotions as he did when Sarah left this galaxy.
(In parenthesis will be my loggings that are out of character. I dont know how but I think I managed to make people dislike me, but not to the point of leaving me suitless. I love playing this character by the way.)
I have outed my rolls ability to help the group and quell some paranoia, and make me valuable. I am possibly a target because of it, but I figure my massive gains were reason enough to target me.
This elevator has me scared. I do not trust anything but my legs to move me to other places, yah? Especially on a ship that has killed a child. I am getting information on people who vouched for or against entering the elevator incase something goes awry.
Katherine "Percy" Percival @ 7/5/2015 17:47
I am pretty interested in the elevator. I am waiting on my results right now for my scan.
Also I do not like the markings on Aldo face now. I hope he is not becoming injured in the process of taking on all others pain.
Captain O'Hara @ 7/5/2015 18:13
Brr! I have a slight fear of heights, I must say. Elevators - not my favourite.
Kip DeBarge @ 8/5/2015 0:47
Kip cartwheels over to Rin and pats her on the back.
Way to go, little dudette, I knew someone would come through!
Kip let's off a flex for positively no reason and then gazes around the room.
Looks like we totally got a bit more variety this time, man. I don't know, like, I'm a bit curious of that elevator and the things we could find downstairs. It's true that our goal is going up like the stars, dude, but nobody should expect our journey through this place to be, like, short and linear. We should never completely abandon a floor, we could be missing an armory for all we know, which would be pretty sweet to fight against those lame monsters.
Kip backflips over to the syringe and plucks it off the wall. He sniffs it.
Dude, like, do you know how many of these I've helped get off the streets? Man, this stuff is NOT candy! Just say no to drugs! Rin, if anyone offers you this; you find a parent, a teacher, or one of the Ninja Turtles or something, man. Hope none of you are planning on abusing this thing in front of a little girl and baby.... kid. Huh. Hey, dude, you know what I just realized? This rapid-aging babe is going to be older than his own mother soon. Radical, man!
Kip throws the syringe back onto the wall and stands in front of it, arms crossed.
Katherine "Percy" Percival @ 8/5/2015 6:44
Still waiting on my results but will let you know asap since I know it will help determine which direction we should go in.
I am still interested in taking the elevator despite us not exploring this whole level.
Frederic glances down at Aldo's lifeless body as Rin pleads for Frederic to save his life. Frederic holds the medkit, dwarfed by his massive muscles, and recognizes that a decision must be made. Staring blankly, Frederic pushes Rin back, and takes a step closer to the lab equipment to think. The elevator doors loomed infront of him. Frederic knew that nothing good was on this ship. He knew it. He had to. Putting the medkit back in his pack, he turns to Rin.
"We cannot save him, yah? This is a dangerous journey. Gainz must be made"
...
---------
"PUSH HARDER YAH!"
Frederic looms over a skinny teenage girl at the earliest point in his run down gym. The GAINZ GYM sign flickered, obviously needing repair. Frederic's eyes were heavy but he didn't let it show as he teached a young aspiring actress known as Sarah Delong kickboxing.
"Perfect your form, yah! Posture straight, mind focused"
Frederic hit Sarah, not holding back, as Sarah fell to the ground. Frederic stepped away and took off his concussion gloves as he flexed his hand. He didn't hold anything back with Sarah, and pushed her to her limits.
"What the fuck was that for?" Sarah protested, throwing her headband on the floor. Frederic continued to look away as he grabbed a towel.
"Gainz do not wait for you to grow up, Sarah. You must fight with your entire being, 100% of the time. I'm not going to hit you softer because I am bigger, yah?"
Sarah scoffed. "I dont need you. I dont need to train with you if you treat me like this. "
Frederic turned around, looking Sarah dead in the eyes. "If you must disregard me for treating you like everyone else, than that is your wish. Making gainz is not an easy journey, especially for a young girl like yourself. Weakness can change, but your attitude cannot". Sarah looked Frederic dead in the eyes. Frederic called her bluff. She was as desperate as he was to have this be successfull. He knew it. His rough demeanor and rich accent hid his educated thoughts. He knew people. He knew Sarah.
Sarah didn't say anything as she leaned down and picked up her headband. This swiss prick was the only person in her way of success in Sarah's eyes. Hitting girls half his size? That's a low blow. Sarah knew it, but at the same time, she couldn't do anything about it. All the other personal trainers in Callisto were either too expensive or for the noteworthy. Callisto was a hell of a place for someone who wasn't on the up-and-up in society.
She stretched her headband over here head as it snapped in and turned to face Frederic. "Alright, can you at least...' SMACK! Sarah was on the floor again.
"Lesson two to making gainz, always pay attention yah?"
"Prick" Sarah muttered.
----------
Frederic's face was stone cold after he told Rin that he cannot save the child. Rin pleaded, but Frederic muffled the sounds as he leaned over Aldos lifeless body. He noticed the two fusion cells, both intact from the machine gun. He picked them up and quickly and swiftly.
Shall Frederic show the fusion cells to the group, or save them for himself? He glanced around the room to faces he hardly knew. Faces he hardly trusted. He glanced back down at the dimly lit blue fusion cells and saw his own reflection. The journey was already wearing on him, with the death of a baby and potentially deciding the deaths of 9 additional individuals. He decided he needed the cells to keep secret, at least for now. He shall hand them out if people need them, yah. But for now, he cannot possibly decide in the sea of people who deserves the cell.
