Life Is Weird, So Am I!! Episode 11: Aires Virus

In the short break that we took, I remembered that Venom(Rohit) was lying unconscious in the auditorium. Knowing only that Dr Sakaki can help me, I asked his assistance to carry Rohit downstairs. "He seriously hasn't given up on gaining power?" Dr Sakaki asked me. "No... Considering his recent actions, not yet doctor." I replied. We safely brought him downstairs and laid him down in one of the empty classrooms. Checking his pulse, Dr Sakaki estimated that he would wake up in half an hour. We managed to find an ORS from the schools medical facility and laid it down beside him, so he could have it even if we weren't there. We returned to the teachers' cabin. "I can't wait for any longer doctor. Please tell us about the Aires Virus." So Dr Sakaki began his explanation. "Basically, Aires is a special type of virus that is activated by almost any kind of radiation. Like bacteriophages (viruses that eat bacteria), Aires eats DNA. This causes a mutation. But the Aires Virus can only function under the influence of radiation. As long as the radiation, could be any kind, falls or is incident on it, the virus will be active. Once the radiation is removed, it again becomes deactivated." A lot of information to process but I caught on quickly. "So this means this virus is harmless unless exposed to radiation. And that radiation must be penetrating enough to reach the insides of the body, to the part where the virus is present." I said. "Precisely." The doctor replied giving me a smile of appreciation. "Then, how did I get infected? I don't remember particularly being exposed to such strong radiation. Chances of UV radiation being that penetratively strong is rare, considering we have the ozone layer." I was in desperate need of answers by this time. "I wondered the same too. So I checked on your family's health reports. Your mother has thyroid, doesn't she?" He asked me. "Yes." "That's when it happened. Before your birth, when you were still in her womb, her thyroid hot so severe, she had to undergo radiation therapy. This radiation is what activated the Aires Virus. But how the virus entered your mother's body and ultimately reached you to cause the mutation is unknown." "Makes sense". Maya started to dose off on my shoulders by this time. "So this effect, where the virus eats a part of the DNA causing mutations is what you term the 'Aired Mutation Effect' right?" "Correct again! But in your case, the virus ate the DNA from undifferentiated cells, so as the cells progressed to differentiate, the DNA that was eaten was filled in by a new combination, resulting in this rare gift, superhuman ability. But you ended up calling it a demonic transformation." Dr Sakaki knew almost everything about that Virus and me. "It's a Demon alright. People go on a rampage. We cause destruction when we transform." I felt so low speaking those words. "Not all. True, you go on a rampage. But the maximum damage caused was a loss of life. And only one of those 18 who went on a rampage did it." The doctor gave the statistics. "But isn't it weird, that all 18 of us have the same kind of power? If it's a mutation, it could have easily been any combination! It could have resulted in a different power!" I exclaimed. "About that...." He proceeded to rummage his bag again and gave me a file. I went through the file. Whatever I saw, I couldn't believe it... "No way this is true!" I said. "Unfortunately it is." Dr Sakaki sighed. "You mean to say all the 18 of us had either been to that very same hospital either during our mother's pregnancy or after being born and for some other treatment?" "Exactly!" Then he proceeded to the whiteboard and wrote down two numbers below each other. "I have two things to tell you.." he proceeded to point to the number on the top, "I'm suspecting that the hospital is responsible for implanting the virus." "And two, it's a help." He paused. "A help?" I asked. "Yes. There exists one man who is unregistered but can use this transformation. And like you, he does it at will. You're the only one who can transform at will. So I need your help to subdue him and arrest him." I could feel the tone of pleading in his voice. "Mind if I join in?" A voice came over from the door. It was Rohit a.k.a Venom. "I could use some help!" I said, looking at him and smiling. "Don't get the wrong idea. If I can take that guy down, I can become stronger and gain more power!" He said. But I knew why he chose to help. We were once best friends. We still are I guess. And he's my only rival. And I'm his only rival. "Uh-huh. Whatever!" I chuckled. "So what's the guy's name?" He asked the doctor. "As of yet, we do not know his name. But he calls himself the 'Azure King'. He wants to gain control over the world and become the ultimate ruler." "Looks like someone wants to pick a fight with me!" Venom exclaimed. "More like WE are picking a fight with him. Anyways doctor, any more details?" I enquire. "One detail. Along with superhuman strength and mental ability, he shows exceptional healing ability. I believe you have it too. I've readied a training session for you to master the healing ability too. We have one week before he visits this place. I hear he's here for a business deal with some local thugs. Before he can arrive, I want you to master the superhuman healing ability." Doctor looked serious about it. "Sure will, Doctor! I reassured him. "More demon than human you've become!" Venom tried to get to my nerve. "If you're trying to piss me off, I'm afraid it's working, Venom!" I growl at him. Due to the defeat, he feels a bit inferior to me now. I could sense it. "Well then, training it is!" Maya breaks the silence. "Looks like someone really wants to see me tear down a few training dummies!" I tease her. She blushed slightly. "Of course. Which girl wouldn't want to see her man in action? Plus I missed you thrashing Venom around. Would have been fun to watch!" She teased him. "Well, not really, he barely won!" Venom looked embarrassed. "Uh-huh? Fine!" She giggled. "Hey doctor, can I do some training too? If you have spare dummies, I'd like to train to improve my speed and reflexes!" Venom burst out. "Unfortunately, I do have a lot of them. Sure you can train Mr Rohit!" "I prefer Venom... And without a Mr. in the front!" "Understood!" Doctor nodded. With that, we bid farewell to all our teachers, who looked shocked at the chain of events and made our way to Dr Sakaki's car, to head to his research lab where I could begin my training to master the demonic healing ability.