Starseeds

Part 5: Bodybuilder

After a moment of observing me he said "You know I used to be just like you. I didn't want help, I felt I had something to prove. I had determination, discipline and ambition, but without help from others more experienced you won't get as far as you think." I looked up at him sensing his genuine desire to help me.

"Thank you." I said after a moment quietly.

"Here come try this one out." He said leading me over to one of the large machines. I was slightly intimidated by the appearance of it.

"Looks scarier than it is." He said chuckling. "Here grab these." He instructed as he handed me two elastic straps with black handles attached to them. "I'm gonna put the same weight on as before, ok kid?"

I nodded my head in agreement and was now eager for the new activity.

"Now just pull as hard as you can." I did as he instructed. "Good, good, now release it back down slowly and gently." I continued to follow his direction as I could feel the muscles in my arms tightening. After a few pulls he suggested "Now try crossing the direction of your hands, pulling the bands opposite ways from each other." I did that a few times. I lost momentum for a moment. "Mind over matter. Use your willpower to overcome the pain." He said as I pulled harder. I grunted pulling and crossing the weights as I began to feel a burning sensation in my chest and abdomens. "If you're tired take a break kid." He said sensing my struggle again. He was clearly very experienced in this field. I kept going until I was out of breath. "Yep, just like me." He said with a hearty laugh. "You'll be as big as me in no time." That last part brought me a great sense of euphoria. I appreciated his advice, instructions and the potential he saw in me.

"Thank you." I told him more loud and clear this time. I wiped sweat off my forehead and hair with a smile.

"No problem kid." He said walking off.

"Well hold on." I said following behind him. "When do you come here?" I asked.

"I'm here every day around this time. I'll see you again kid."

"Then I'll be coming every day too." I told him. He smiled back at me and gave me a pat on my shoulder before he continued on to his next work out. I decided to give myself a break for the day and walked back home as my muscles now felt tense and sore, I wanted them to recover for tomorrow.

"There you are Number 2." Said Number 1 as he pulled his knife out from the tree. I felt a sense of disdain hearing him call me Number 2. I knew it was time for my new name and I was eager for that as well.

I walked back inside to see Number 3 by the television watching a show that had these sort of fantasy characters on them, they displayed acts of power and magic. She seemed quite interested so I did not want to disturb her. I walked back over to the mirror and flexed again, this time it was easier to imagine myself looking the way I desired. I felt hopeful. I was excited to continue the process. After a few minutes Number 1 walked back inside as it grew dark out and the show Number 3 was watching had ended. We flipped through the channels again to see a show with a similar man starting.

"Hey it's that one guy." I said referring to the dark haired muscular character.

"Yeah I like him." Stated Number 1. We continued to watch that show as an introduction for it began to play.

Starring Bruce Lee it said near the bottom of the screen as it displayed a scene of the man performing what was called Martial Arts in the show.

Bruce. I repeated in my head. "Bruce." I repeated out loud this time.

"Huh?" Asked Number 3.

"Bruce. That is my new name. It sounds strong and powerful, it's fitting for my new appearance."

"Sounds cool, I like it. Bruce it is." Agreed Number 3.

"Your appearance hasn't changed yet." Stated Number 1.

"Yes, yet." I responded. "Number 3 didn't change completely right away either, it takes time. It's coming."

Another presentation began playing in the middle of the show. It was a familiar showing.

"Kill the germs that make your family sick with Lysol disinfectant spray. Lysol is approved to kill over 50 germs including the cold and flu viruses."

"Lysol." Number 1 repeated. "I remember that showing from our first day here. Number 3 recited the lines from it exactly before we even knew what we were saying." He failed to hold back a laughing smirk as he finished.

"Lysol. What is takes to protect." The presentation finished with that line.

"What it takes to protect." Number 1 repeated to himself. "I like it. Lysol it is." He comfirmed his new name.

Once the show finished we brought together the pillows and blankets we had and got ready for sleep again. I could picture my new appearance in my dream and I got to live it out temporarily. I realized the brain doesn't know the difference between what is real and what is imagined, so it was still qualified as an experience, a very pleasant one. Maybe that's why Number 3 had suggested for me to imagine it, but now it was being drawn into my reality.

The next morning when we arrived at school the three of us walked around before the first class began. Number 3 seemed to be receiving a lot of attention from her new, gradually improving appearance. She received attention from everyone, boys and girls. She seemed to particularly enjoy the attention of males, intentionally orchestrating situations in which they would approach her. As more males fell to her intention more of them did and eventually all of them did. A small group of guys began talking to her as she stood near by them. Another boy separate from the group had walked up to Number 1 and myself.

"You don't even care that she's trans?" The boy asked us both quietly.

"No, not really." Responded Lysol.

"Are we supposed to?" I asked.

"Do you care?" Lysol asked the boy.

"What? N-no I don't care." He responded nervously. "But other guys might."

"We are supposed to care about what other guys care about?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well no, but you don't think it's weird?" The boy also asked quietly.

"I think a lot of things here are weird." I replied without hesitation. I could feel Lysol glancing over at me and I knew I shouldn't have said that.

"What do you mean?" Asked the boy.

I paused for a short moment to redirect my thoughts to something that made me sound normal. "I don't think labels are of importance, it's limiting to the human experience." I finished.

The boy looked off to the side and walked off as Lysol slapped and pressed the palm of his hand against the center of his face. I turned over to him and shrugged my shoulders. "It's fine." He said. "Let's just go get Number 3."

We went to our classes prepared to start the school day. When we sat down I noticed a boy staring at Number 3 from across the room. I could sense his dislike towards her. I looked around and then noticed another boy staring at her, but this time I sensed a feeling of infatuation towards her. Both of these perceived feelings I observed from them made me feel a sense of anger that I didn't understand. I looked over at the boy behind who seemed in a sort of lustful trance and he snapped out of it and looked down immediately. I then glared over at the boy who felt opposing feelings towards Number 3 and continued my predatory stare at him until he backed off and his eyes went back to his assignment. Number 3 seemed to be oblivious of both of these situations.