There are some rather interesting information and things inside, for example, reading the earth compositions to affirm the minerals inside, learning to control the suction, compression and expulsion of air to make pulses, a small sachet with crystals that actually recomposes itself when burnt, which, well, since it's an oxidising crystal, is meant to understand the nature of fire, but that's about it.
There were also some boring stuff like things I already know, forming basic shapes with leaves by controlling the cells within and a rather heavy, copper-coloured page that can be torn out from the dotted lines, supposedly to assist in air and wind control. It was so boring, that I actually read those boring sections to fall asleep in favour of listening to soothing music like I usually do.
Nothing in the book helps me to understand Ice Pelter, however. Managing and maintaining a single spear is already this hard, not to mention I still haven't figured out how to rotate and stabilise the one single spear nor send the spear forward at a reasonable speed and power to hurt enemies. Right now, the most I can do with my Ice Pelter's standard is to form a pair of disposable, reusable ice chopsticks. That's barely any help at all. The book does say that it has an in-depth study in the arcane, but it's not all that exciting neither. Nor does it tell me how to precisely control how much to rotate the ice spear.
Well, I can't complain much. I got a rather serene sleep, and I felt quite energized this morning. Maybe I'd practice my v.vizard powers during work.
... Wow. How unlike me to actually feel this invirogated for work.
*** ***
I'd probably be called lazy for hating my work, but nothing is more boring nor relaxing as maintenance repair. It's a decent job, I suppose.
Half the time there, we spend it either reading books, or playing board games, while keeping an eye on the status screen and the pressure gauges.
Usually it's just small adjustments to the machine for reparations - It's usually a blown fuse, a worn-out belt, jammed gear, burnt circuit boards, rusted pistons, nothing major. Even if it were something major, for example having corrosive fluids leak onto the circuitry and the belt itself, it's nothing too hard.
And, surprisingly, my pay's a whopping USD58k annually. It's not a lot compared to the rich businessmen who make millions, but it's more than enough to get by. I save around 2k every month, so it all adds up, but recently a friend's loaned quite a huge sum for his wedding, or I would have bought that manual on Airmazon. Still, I seriously can't believe that my pay would have been this high and rewarding for spending half the time doing non-constructive work, but since we're handling rather dangerous objects to begin with, it's quite understandable.
Usually I'd have been the Chief Engineer for my team, but the current Chief Engineer is a high-time bootlicker. Yet, I'm a lot more proficient compared to my team, even surpassing the current Chief Engineer's standards by a rather large margin, so I've been appointed as Assistant Chief Engineer. Had I bothered to put actual effort into my work, instead of lazing around and thinking about how I was going to be, or rather, am now a v.vizard, I could have them all eat my dust, dandruff and epidermis.
Well, that's not important. What's important is that I gotta get all of this done as quickly as they come.The more free time I have, the more time I get to practice my v.vizard powers and study the book. It's supposedly also a 'hands-on' guide as well, so it ought to suffice as learning the fundamentals if I try them!
... Or so I say, but since I rarely get any actual time-consuming work at all, I'd probably end up spending most of the time practicing.
"Hey, Vance! Where were you last Friday? We wanted to celebrate your birthday with you!"
The first thing that greeted me was a coworker named Soo Choi Jong, who came from Korea. Since it's still around 20 minutes before work, usually aside from us, only Palchou, the Chief Engineer, would be present. Most people call him Jong, seejay or Korean guy, but I call him Sue. He's not too shabby, a man of an average height of 1.73m, big, brilliant eyes, a flat nose that brings up his Asian background, and mushroom hair with a pair of rather adorable sideburns that really gives him the silhouette of a delicate woman. Well, if only his stomach wasn't this revealing, and if his physique was a bit skinnier.
"Morning, Sue. I headed home and rested early last week. I just didn't feel like going out nor smelling alcohol." Well, that's not the main reason why I chose not to go, but since it's also the truth, it shouldn't hurt my already pathetic v.vizard powers.
"Ahahahaha! That's Vance for ya - Always the straight guy. Well, here's praying there are no casualties as always."
"... Ohoho, don't worry, Sue. Today I'm gonna do it at record speed. I'm gonna bulldoze through it so quick, by the time you guys lend a hand I'd probably be done with most repairs."
Sue looked at me in surprise. Those huge eyes of his, that weird hairdo, and the jumpsuit really makes him look like some weird cartoon character. Maybe I'm thinking too much, but it's as if being a v.vizard has somehow increased my sense of creativity and my imagination's capacity. Well, given how I need to think up such complex patterns for both controlling and integrating the techniques, it's obvious that I have to be open-minded if I need to strive. Or, at least, more open-minded than I was before.
"... You look serious, Vance. I respect that. Right, let's do our best for today too!" Sue was getting pumped too. Well, this would usually be the time he'd scream out "Let's do this!" to raise team morale.
"Ahahahahahaha!! There you go actually screaming out your mental impersonations again." Oh crap, I got carried away for a moment. Right! No dawdling around, let's get serious!
*** ***
In a mere two hours, the reparations for the day were almost over. All three of the machine rooms I'm responsible for were already covered, and I'm helping Sue with his second room.
Sue was halfway replacing one of the processor's indicator LEDs, while I was scanning for worn-out parts through the other processors in the third room. When this is over, we practically have the rest of the day off. The good thing about this job is that there's an unspoken rule that the last two who arrive have to stay behind for the whole day in case of emergency breakdowns. Sue and I come pretty early, so we often avoid this fate, but Palchou often stays behind and pretends to be busy to get the boss's favour.
Since the only actual dangerous parts is in carrying the scraps with harmful substances and the purification of the materials from these substances, we have it rather easy compared to the team disposing said harmful substances. So our job's actually rather carefree compared to the rough paperwork, so long as we get it done.
It's almost 11.30am, so I might as well stay for lunch at noon and leave at 1pm. Until then, I'd have to keep it up and speed-run my job. I didn't think jobs could be sped-run, actually. But I'm already doing it, so might as well free up as much time for myself as I can so I can get back to practicing my v.vizard techniques.
I walked over to the right side of the room, preparing to check the processor there, when Sue called out, "Vance, that one's done. They're all done. I'm on the last one here."
Wow. Sue loves taking things his own pace, but he's managed to cover this far already. He's definitely what one would call an earnest worker. With him covering for my laziness most of the time, I am really glad he's such a reliable partner. I feel bad for usually having him cover half of my third room, but I guess I can send today's hard work as a thank you to him for being so thoughtful for me.
Now then, since the work's finished, I can finally practice in peace without any obstructions! Hurrah!
I headed back to the locker rooms, and changed into my casual attire. It felt rather tiring to rush this much work, since it's been a while since I've done work beyond my own share. But, it still pays off, since I have time to myself. Now then, since nobody's around...
I might as well practice this compression and expulsion thing. I grabbed the book out of my knapsack and read the part about compression.
Holding up my hand, I use my finger as a sort of sight to pinpoint on a spot in the space. Focus on a single spot, and imagine the entire area around it sucking into a tiny point, like a greedy black hole eating up everything...
... I feel it. The entire area is being pressed into a pea-sized spot. I can definitely feel it, even though I can't see it. It's like trying to feel the middle toe of my foot alone without feeling the other toes - I can't actually sense its presence until I use it to tap the table leg lightly, just as I can somehow understand its existence despite it being air and, obviously, transparent.
And now, imagine all that energy forming into a bubble twice the size of the spot - Which then bursts out explosively...
BAM!!! A loud sound went off, and the mirror at the far end of the room actually caved in a bit!
My first air bomb! Awesome! It's actually pretty potent, considering how explosive and loud that was! I'd probably need more practice to be able to use it quickly without delay, but I'm sure I can hold of-
The door slammed open, and under its archway stood Palchou and his goon, Xavier.
"What was that sound?! Vance, what was that!?" Seeing their reactions, Palchou and Xavier seemed to have heard the explosion too.
"I'm not too sure myself. It may have been something outside the facility that went off, maybe a firecracker? This room is pretty close to that field out there." It's not quite convincing, since people are known to be able to tell the distance of explosions through the amplitude of which it reached their ears. It wasn't exactly lying neither, since I was suggesting a possibility that it came from outside. It wasn't me downright denying the fact that I was responsible out of self-preservation, so I was actually rather glad I uttered that out of reflex.
Palchou eyed me for an instant, then diverted his attention to the small rectangular window. "... Maybe. Well, so long as everything's alright," Palchou just left the room with Xavier following him.
... That was a really close call. Had he actually stepped into the locker room and glanced around, he'd have seen the cracked mirror. Whew, that's a really close shave. I guess I better replace that mirror with the one inside my locker before I head out for lunch.
*** ***
The cafeteria food isn't as bad as it used to taste, at least with the new brand of canned coffee in the vending machine now. This new Bakkava brand coffee's not half bad, but it's just not a taste I can get used to. Well, with most of the workers resting during lunch time, I guess I could practice the air bomb a little bit more.
I went into the gents, got in a cubicle and compressed the air again. Imagining it as a bubble with properties similar to one, I held it in my palm, ready to blow it off my hand and out of the toilet window. It's supposed to fly outwards and explode around ten meters above ground. Or, at least, I had predicted it to.
... To think, that there was a vent above the cubicle that actually sucked up the compressed air from my hand!
Oh my lord, that's bad. I have to keep my focus on it. I HAVE to. If I don't, the pocket of compressed air may accidentally explode, and destroy the ventilation shaft!
The ventilation seemed to head outside of the toilet. The most likely conclusion was that it would continue up the shafts, and finally through the exhaust at the top. Well, if only that were REALLY the case.
I chased the vents outside the toilet to see where it would connect... But there's nothing outside. Nothing at all.
Maybe it was within the walls!? I continued sensing the pocket of compressed air, but... There's something weird.
The pocket... is moving through the walls, indeed... but it's not headed up, but rather, is heading down!?
... And finally, I felt its presence in the open air I was in.
... OH MY LORD. THE TOILET...!!! ALL THE STENCH IN THE TOILET ACTUALLY COMES OUT INTO THE CAFETERIA AS 'AIR-CON'!!!
I thought it was the cafeteria food that tasted bad since the maintenance work 8 years ago.
... To think that the cause of the food's horrid taste is actually THE RECYCLED GASES THAT COME FROM OUR ASSES.
Exactly how cheap can a company get!?
BAM!!! Oh shoot! I got distracted by the entire flatulence-scented air conditioners and lost focus!
... Everyone in the cafeteria definitely heard that.
... This is bad. They're all looking up in the general direction at the pocket which exploded.
Well, the one piece of good news is, there doesn't seem to have any collateral damage sustained from that explosion, and it doesn't seem to have caused any undesired side effects.
... is what I'd like to say, but two seconds after the explosion, the alarm rang.
The speaker attached onto the wall activated. "All engineers : I repeat, all engineers, please assemble at the atrium."
*** ***
... In the end, I spent 5 hours looking over perfectly-functional equipment over and over again with my colleagues.
Apparently there was a report that explosive material was present in the scrap pile that was going to be sent in some time during lunch, so they assumed the explosion was actually the highly-dangerous scrap being sent in. Well, after 5 hours of persistently denying any damage was done to the machines, the company finally let loose and we were allowed to go.
It was a rather sucky day at the end, but at least I have learnt a new technique to play with : Air bombs!
Had I been more childish, I would have followed Palchou all the way to his house, and repeatedly exploded air bombs outside his house, disrupting his peaceful night and his sanity. But I'd have grown too big for that, and I don't think that playing pranks like that would be good for my v.vizard powers since that's considered murdering him mentally.
... I just wish there was a better way to learn the techniques. Maybe I should get some assistance from a really good book, or somebody, some other v.vizard that has relatively good control to start me off. Things like guides and tutors don't come as easy as those annoyances we usually find in those massive multiplayer games, unfortunately enough. I'd have to find my own way to manipulate these magic and techniques.
I guess a good place to start would be the library, or maybe some sort of national centre about history, or science, or anything that lets me try out or understand new stuff. Generally, the more things I know and experience, surely the more informational power I would have over my v.vizard powers, right?
... Or perhaps I should try something I've never ever done before. Something unthinkable, yet possible. Something that I would never, ever sanely perform, to understand those kinds of emotions. Like, tell Sue that I was actually rather impressed at how feminine his silhouette appears to be. Or, tell my third cousin Rwanda that his hair has actually given me nightmares.
... Something... unthinkable, huh...? Then, maybe...
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