Artificial Memory (DISCONT'D BUT WILL UPLOAD UNEDITED CHAPTERS)

Chapter 3: The Genderqueer Tumblr Shitposter In My Head Is Actually Useful

That was when I dropped the confident demeanour and went pale. That was my father, but...

I narrowly dodged the man's knife, flinching as it cut some of the fur off my parka. I jumped to my feet, snapping back into the situation at hand. Frantic thoughts raced through my head and eventually, I settled on finding a way to use my power to my advantage. I mean, Dreamwalkers were allowed to use their powers, being an asset to the human race, but I'd never used them in real combat.

I didn't even know if I could use my eyes to do anything other than see people's dreams.

I dodged again, but this time the blade opened a gash above my right eye. Blood dripped down my face and I hissed through my teeth, wiping it away with my sleeve to restore my vision.

"Nimble little bastard, ain't ya?"

He taunted with a smug look.

I swear to fucking hell I'll bust this Arnold Schwarzenegger wannabe's teeth out of his face.

All of a sudden, I heard a voice in my head,

"Calm down, aight? I may be an 'insufferable nomad' but I'm helpin' you out. If you don't get super excited, it'll be easier to fight."

I narrowed my eyes.

"Cry?"

I thought.

"Yeh, but you're in a helluva mess, so calm down. I'm gonna help you out. You're a Dreamwalker, so focus on the elemental ability you obviously ain't used yet. You've got it, but you just need to call upon it."

Taking a long, deep breath, I followed Cry's directions and focused on thinking about the fact that I could indeed use fire as a weapon. That I could use it to protect myself. Once I'd calmed my nerves, I opened my eyes again and to my surprise, it seemed like the guy was moving in slow motion. Was this how Memory saw things when he fought? How humans moved compared to other races?

"That's it! Now..."

Cry began in a cheery tone, then their voice dropped and changed into a much, much more serious one,

"Make him regret fucking with you."

I shot forward and ducked under his lumbering figure to come directly in contact with his abdomen. Without thinking too hard about it, I drove the heel of my right palm into his solar plexus.

As I felt the thrill of having caused a strong adversary significant damage, I could feel an instinct welling up in my head.

Sort of like remembering the answer to a final exam when you didn't study.

Except this wasn't some math formula. It was the instinct that came with the Dreamwalker ability to manipulate fire.

With a rush of excitement, I clenched my fist and tongues of fire appeared around it. In my adrenaline-induced excitement, I threw my flaming fist into the same guy I'd knocked backwards a few seconds prior.

Just like a Falcon Punch.

"Nice one! Do it again!!"

Cry whooped.

He nearly fell, clutching his torso but remaining on his feet. I leaped away from him, dead calm for some reason. As he began to recover, I met his eyes and said,

"Burn in hell"

Before the words dropped from my lips, I broke into a dead sprint directly towards him. He braced himself, knowing that I'd be able to hit him before he had a chance to dodge or strike back. I went with a simple yet brutal move.