‘The experiment has begun.’

….. You look down at the clothes you’re wearing. All white. There’s a bed, and a toilet. A sink, and shower. That’s all.

Well. Other than the camera. You knew it was here somewhere, even though you couldn’t see it.

‘You agreed to 60 days in this cell. You were shown it beforehand and have accepted responsibility for your own care inside it.’

Looking around again…familiarizing yourself with this place….maybe savoring it a little. After it’s over, after you know this place, it’s all old. It’ll become old too quickly.

‘There will be a closet, of food supplements nearby. Again, you yourself are responsible for your own health here.’

It was all white. It had blended into everything, but when you look closely, there it was. A deep closet, all filled with white bottles. You let out a sigh.

‘As per the terms of our agreement, you will subject yourself to physical and Psychological evaluation once leaving the cell. You will be compensated; you and your family will never want again.’

A small roll of your eyes. From the beginning these lab coats have held your situation over you. You, your wife…your daughter. Almost jeering at your situation.

‘Once you go to sleep for the night, this note will be gone. Everything you need to sustain your body is in here. Again. It is up to you to maintain…or fail to.’

Next to the toilet, toilet paper, white. Near the shower, white bottles. Body wash, shampoo, conditioner.

You almost didn’t want to read the rest. It would be real when you finished, and everything would start to spiral…slowly, but surely, you knew. You would probably not be the same man you went in as.

‘I, as the director am personally looking forward to seeing the effects of isolation. Of how well a human will take care of themselves under such circumstances. This of course would never be allowed anywhere. So you and your situation have given us a wonderful opportunity.

Thank you, sincerely. Good luck. You know the risks.

I hope it pays off.

—Director Clamwell.’

….. Crumbling the paper, you look around. Somewhere there was a camera, watching you like a rat. Like an experiment. They didn’t particularly care wether you lived or died. Either way….

“…You guys…already won huh. Well…don’t expect me to lose either.”

Sitting on the bed, you stared ahead. Thinking of…anything to do.

60 days, 1440 hours. 86400 minutes wouldn’t pass themselves.

Pt2

I run off, towards the explosion. The robot must’ve diverted power to the remaining arm, shoving….

“Who was the robot fighting again? And who’s controlling-?”

SMASHHHH!

“Ah, Maximus. Must’ve had a rough week.” The hero rockets out of the crater the robot shoved them into, punching the robot up.

“Hmm…looks like a Don of Destruction creation…or, no, spikes was a thing for the Mastermind! Although they’ve been changing it up recently….let me see.”

As I use my abilities, rewinding time and restoring the gas pipe, and undoing the explosion and saving the people and property on the block, I look up who Maximus is fighting now….

“Ah! It WAS Mastermind! Although their machines are usually harder to destroy….I-“

CRASHHHH-!

Seems Maximus won…by ripping the perpetrator out of the robot…sending it hurtling to the ground.

“Ugh. More falling crap….” I ran forward, just as the machine was about to crash down and raise my hand.

“This might take some effort in my part..!” Well, not too much. The machine is lighter than I thought it would be. It did’t take much to freeze it in time, siphoning the momentum it had into my body….

“What the…something’s not-“ WHOOSH-

Maximus comes to a halt in front of me, the doctor in his grip.

“Heh hah, spiffy work as always son. Not a building damaged. It’s like the fight never happened!”

“[Sigh], It’s Contrarium, and, I agree, in more ways than one. This seems too easy….”

“Well Contraire, when you’re as experienced as I am…it all looks easy~”

“Ugh, that’s not what I-“

“Toodolii, Toodleoo!” He rushes off, zooming towards the prison island with a THWOOOSH!

[God I hate that catchphrase….arrogant mother…]

I can only think it in my head, thanks to his MAXIMUM HEARING! Pretentious prick.

“Well, this is a job well done I’m pretty sure. Cleanup crew’s already disassembling the robot, and I don’t see too much damage I haven’t fixed….”

Just to be sure though, I pull out a small drone, and toss it up. It scans a local area, checking for collateral damage I missed. Sure enough I don’t find anything physical. But….something still seems off.

I’m inclined to check out the robot, pushing past some disassembling crew members. I get some weird looks, and pretty sure a few people try ti stop me, but I shrug them off. I even turn down my video to investigate this feeling, single mindedly.

I look into the cockpit, where our brave hero smashed a hole straight through. Just a small peek….

I see something immediately odd. A flashing light, connected to a briefcase, slowly beeping faster….and faster….and faster…..oh.

Ohhhh. Ohhh SHIT.

This was a bomb wasn’t it? It HAD to be a big one too, there’s bo reason to leave a small one just laying around. Even if it wasn’t supposed to be set up as a type of trap, to put a bomb in a seat not two feet from you means this is probably a last resort weapon. Either way, it was trouble, BIG trouble.

“Get back get back GET BACK-!” I shout at the top of my lungs, shoving people away. They seem to get the message, vaguely running back while still staring confused at me.

“Ok….ok, how do I….”

I could attempt to contain the energy of the blast, but I don’t know how large that would be- And I already assume it’s gonna be big. Real big. The best thing to do would be this.

“Ok, ok…disassemble, component, by component. First, the shell…”

I toss up the case, freezing it in the air. First, I unmake the metal casing of the case, reducing it back to it’s original molecular form.

Next, carefully, the power sou-

“Wh-what?!” As the case decays to nothing, I see an odd setup. Bags of what I can only assume to be explosive materials…and wires, all wrapped around a….green crystal. Of some sorts. Regardless if that….

“What is this…I can’t rewind it!” It seemed to be blocking out my powers…like it was under a faraday cage of sorts….

I stare at it for a while, only a civilian’s voice brings me back.

[ah, yeah…bomb. Well…I can just destroy the connections to the source of power. Those wires….]

They were plugged into the rock somehow…well, with wire. It resembled a battery project you’d do in 7th grade. Regardless, THAT i can destroy.

The beeping stopped, and I breathed a sigh of relief as the bomb wen inert.

Dropping the contraption to the ground, I slowly and gingerly picked it up, a few workers huddling around to see what it was.

The green gem glowed ominously. almost pulsing with life.

“…..The hell are you…?” It seemed to grow heavier in my hands…a bit hotter too.

“….”

I always felt I had an obligation to use my powers for good. I never wanted to get into the action though…..

I should’ve known though. In this profession, it’s only a matter of time before the action drags you in, like it or not.

Pt 1

I loved watching super heroes of old. The epic battles, the crazy moments of heroism…! I watched it cheering for the good guys when I was younger….then, I grew up. I stopped cheering when it all just…became an inconvenience.

Then I developed powers. Powerful incredible, super special powers. And perhaps a small, childish part of me always felt I had an obligation to use my powers for good. But by then the glamor had died in my eyes. Yet, everyone, everywhere I look stared expectantly, as if I was always, from the moment I was BORN, destined to be a hero.

So….I became one. But I never Intended to get too far into the action. I’m a creative guy. And with something as nebulous as time at my command, there are ways I could be a hero, and a bystander.

I wish it could’ve stayed that way, forever…..

—————————————

I stroll around a city street, watching my phone. It’s some random meme collection or something, I don’t really care. I feel a cop approach me from behind.

“Sir, you need to step back, th-this is a war zone her-“ BOOM-!!

A robot arm goes crashing down next to me, crushing the guy. Poor dude.

Well, almost. I raise my hand, shifting it a bit. The world around the cop shifts, and time…reverses. I shove the cop aside and he barely avoids his previous fate of getting crushed.

“Wh-wh, h-how di-did y-you-“

Oh great, he survived the initial hit. Or at least, didn’t die instantly.

“Don’t worry about it, just leave.”

“B-but sir? Y-you still should-“

Ugh. What a pain. I fish out my hero registration card, almost shoving it in his face.

Hero name: Contrarium Power: Reversal

“Y-you’re a hero? Th-that’s-“

“Mmhm. If you’ll- ooh?” Ah, I think I heard something funny from the video….

“Heh, hah hah-!”

THOOOOM-!

“Crap, another gas main. I’ll catch you later.”

I stayed on the beachfront the rest of the day, but didn’t really do much before going back into my room. Mostly thought about her.

I made it a rule not to go for women with boyfriends anyway. I wait around 20 minutes before, and just chat at first. Get to know them before putting on any charms.

Well…before her anyways. We clicked so well immediately. She wore a crop top with an anime character I liked, and we hit it off from there. We chatted for an hour before I even mentioned buying her a drink. We spoke all day and spent the night together- Then we spent the rest of the week together. She was traveling with her sisters, nice people I’m sure. I was only focused on her though.

I groan audibly into my pillow in my hotel room. Of course all this comes after the shock. It paralyzed me completely and I despised myself for it.

…Fuck it. The bar was still open right? I didn’t feel like bringing up another girl, just wanted to forget about her. As I slipped on some more presentable clothes I heard a knock on the door next to mine. Soon after I heard the door close. I walked out of my room to find-

It was her…as if my thoughts summoned her to me. We froze again, but it wasn’t like last time. She worse the same crop top….Thats when it hits me.

“You were….looking for me?” I rotate rooms in the hotel. All of them are on the highest floor, but every so often I switch.

She nods her head softly. “It was this room last time yeah? Was it….50 years ago?”

“Yeah, about that….I, um….a lot’s happened. Hasn’t it?”

“Yeah, a lot changes in 50 years doesn’t it? But I…just stay the same, heh…”

“Yeah…yeah, so do I.”

“Really? Well….um, do you….want to, um…”

“I’ll do whatever! Um, with you, I mean- God what the hell….”

“I KNOW RIGHT!? Seeing you just completely threw me, i didn’t know what to say in the restaurant. Then that guy came and started chatting me up….he didn’t really even say much, I just wanted a distraction….but, he’s gone now…”

“Oh, he’s not in like…a serious thing with you?”

“Oh, no not even….I didn’t think a serious thing was possible after, well….I became immortal.

That’s what YOU are right? Not some ghost or somethi-“

“Oh no, I’m the same…as you. And yeah I never thought of anything long term with anyone since that happened….um, well…..Until right now, actually.”

“Ah….Well…. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t cross my mind when we first….um, were together. You were kinda closed off in that area though….do you remember?”

I….did remember. She asked for my contact information, and I joked that if she wanted to see me again, just…come back here.

“Yeah, I was…Um, yeah…I didn’t know at the ti- Wait, were you….at that time because, you said you didn’t want anything serious from when you became immortal, but then why did you…”

“Oh! Yeah, actually. I was a mortal when you met me. A while after that trip is when I was gifted Immortality. It was definitely a shock but….hah, I didn’t think I’d actually see you again when I came back. And when I was leaving and you saw me I knew you recognized me….I figured if it was true, then just outside of curiosity, I um….well, you know. Could try for something serious. With you.

If you want…I guess I haven’t been…doing this for as long, but I already feel lonely. I knew it’d come eventually, but…”

“Really? It’s probably because of the resort, but I never felt lonely.”

“Ah, I see.”

She shifted her posture, preparing to leave. “Then….um, I’m sorry for-“

“Wait…!

Um. I never want to feel that way….and I think, you could…um, stop me. From feeling that. Maybe.”

“…..Pfft- Random question, how many women have you spoken to, before immortality?”

“Wh- wha-“ THAT threw me for a loop. I probably looked like a deer in headlights to her.

“You’re good at flirting, but have you ever had an honest conversation with one before then?”

“I….well, honestly….”

She giggled softly, folding her arms. “Are you SURE you could handle something like this? An actual girlfriend?”

She was teasing(I was pretty sure-) but man, I… It was just like when I saw her again. Paralyzed completely.

“I want to try. I may never get this opportunity again, so…can we at least try?” I reached out my hand, almost desperately.

“Heh…I’m here for the rest of the week. If we….click, like before, I’ll extend my stay.”

“Oh, well I can pay for it…I can upgrade your room too even, if you don’t want to stay in mine.”

“Hmm….oh, speaking of, do you OWN this resort? Is that why you’re always here?”

“No, actually…I’ve had 300 years to gain wealth hah…buying out this room is much less of a hassle as buying, owning and maintaining the property.”

“Ooh, so drinks are on YOU all week~?”

“Hah, I suppose they can be…” I rubbed the back of my head, probably grinning like an idiot at her mischievous smirk.

“Come on then! Let’s toast to avoiding loneliness, non superficial connections-

And unlimited free drinks!!”

She pulled me along down to the bar, laughing as I held onto her hand.

Non superficial huh? That sounds like a slightly scary, but refreshing change of pace~

[Feedback on the story would be appreciated!🙏]

Pt1

She looks bored. I should talk to her. It wouldn’t be WEIRD to talk to her right?

I mean, its been 50 years right? She’s probably forgotten about me….I mean, maybe?

Despite all my experience- All 300 years, the next steps elude me.

I pick at the food on my table as I wonder what to do, or say. I feel like such an idiot now, c’mon, its not that hard….ah.

When I look back up, she has a guy on her arm. I can’t hear the conversation, but I see the look she gives him. They’re going up to her room.

A steady wave of relief washes over me, but also an undeniable wave of disappointment.

That is, until our eyes meet, and for a moment, time seems to freeze. Literally. Sounds around me stop, people fade, and its just me and her.

She looks surprised, her emerald eyes shimmering with recognition.

… ….. ……..”ir?

SIR?”

Ah, the waiter, he has my drink. A fruity cocktail, the same shade of blue as her bikini. Shimmering with the edible glitter, I look down at, and up from it, then back at her.

Or, where she was. She’s further along to the exit now, pulled by the door by her fling. She stops for a moment before closing the door…but doesn’t look back at me.

Well….there you have it.

I sigh, looking back down at the drink. I don’t have a taste for it now. I wave back the waiter and ask for a stiffer drink. Wonder what some liquid courage would’ve gotten me here.

Pt2 below!