Dream Come True??

That evening, Michelle returned to her apartment and found every room and her bedroom had been cleaned. Inside the refrigerator, there were some dishes ready to be heated, and on the fridge door, there was a memo that read:

"Thank your Alphonso for his kindness."

Michelle read the note and then looked at Alphonso, "Did you do something for Jaime that made him thankful to you?" Alphonso's eyes smiled, "Perhaps a little fix on his motorbike."

Michelle laughed happily, "I'm glad you two are getting along." She took out a plate of spaghetti from the fridge and placed it in the microwave.

"Did he cook that?"

"Of course, he's an excellent cook."

As the microwave beeped and Michelle set it on the dining table, Alphonso anxiously asked, "It isn't poisoned, is it?"

"Why would he put poison in it?"

Alphonso smiled mischievously and whispered, "Because he's thankful to me."

***

Yesterday night, just before sleep, I moved my thoughts, trying to command my body to float above the bed, but to no avail. I'm still not able to fly at will, and even when I desperately want to, I can't lift off even an inch. Conversely, a few times I was able to fly on my own when I didn't intend to; this morning during meditation, I found myself floating and then suddenly falling, causing my leg pain as it slammed onto the hard floor.

My control was messy, but as far as I could recall, I could fly when my mind was calm and peaceful, moving with gentle intent like flowing water. But when I really wanted my body to fly, I just fell back down. That point of control was so delicate and sensitive, so subtle and hard to grasp in its exact feeling. It felt exactly like walking on a thin thread, a slight mistake and you fell, but step on it just right, and you soared. I could only practice deeper mental calmness through meditation and understanding the energy that flowed within my body. As for my motorbike? I had to revert to using my old bike.

For the days that followed, I kept practicing, and I promised that once I've mastered my flying skills, I would immediately register with BtP. I didn't want to feel embarrassed by half-hearted flying. I will become a member of BtP and surprise everyone. For now, I can only practice on my own. Often, in the dead of night, I'd go into the forest behind the house and practice flying until the chirping of birds and the morning sunlight made me realize how time had flown. Throughout my practice, especially during meditation, I increasingly felt a gentle and warm energy flowing within me, centered around my heart or precisely in the middle of my chest.

Thus, when I focus on the heart or center of the chest, I feel happiness, tranquility, peace, and can fly calmly. In contrast, when I force myself to feel the entire control centered on my head or brain, I can't control anything and usually fall immediately. I also felt that when I flew in normal conditions, my clothes would be held down by gravity, feeling slightly heavy. But when I intend to channel energy around my clothes, I clearly feel an energy enveloping them, and I can fly without feeling the weight of my outfit.

'The key is in the Heart, the calmness of the heart, not the force of the mind.'

I tried to lift my bike to fly, and immediately felt the heavy weight of it, making it exhausting to lift. However, when I channeled my body's energy into the bike and enveloped it with my energy, I could fly with my bike without feeling its weight, but it was incredibly draining due to the continuous energy flow.

"Practice makes everything perfect." A handwritten note on a large paper was posted by me everywhere visible to the eye. I kept practicing flying inside the house and anytime I had the opportunity. Initially, flying for just one minute would wear me out, my head felt dizzy, and the room seemed topsy-turvy. Perhaps this is what's called "flight sickness" if there's such a thing. That time I felt like I lost the sense of up and down, and my imperfect flying method made me spin often and feel nauseous. Slowly, over time and with practice, my flying duration increased.

Nothing unusual happened except that my appetite suddenly increased, consuming more of my salary. Flying is such a joy. I never tire of soaring in the dark night, piercing the night sky in astonishing freedom.

I love all of it.

Madame and Master agreed that recently my face had always looked radiant, the sparkle in my eyes so lively, and they guessed I would soon get married. I continued to smile sweetly and mysteriously, wanting to surprise them later.

***

"IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!!" I screamed so loudly while looking at the response from BtP on their online site.

Since the early morning, I had created my detailed profile and sent it to the BtP new superhuman registration site, with a complete explanation of my powers, which this time, I had to admit, wouldn't end in embarrassment like the first time. My face turned red, full of pride and happiness thinking that I would soon be accepted into BtP. Honestly, I had even been busy contemplating this for the past week and had already planned for the future to buy a new house for my children and my future wife, Nadia, to the point that I suffered from insomnia for several nights.

The superhuman registration method for BtP currently is only available online to make an appointment, not like before where candidates could directly enter the headquarters and get tested. If we trace back the reason, it was because a few years ago, one of the BtP branches abroad was attacked by enemy superhumans pretending to register, blowing up the base from the inside.

Since then, it has been mandatory for all BtP headquarters and branches that superhuman recruitment must be confirmed first through letter, online email, or filling out personal data on the BtP online site. From this personal information, one's background would be checked for any issues. If called, they would then receive a pass card that can be used to enter the BtP headquarters to undergo a power test.

Now, my face was serious as I stared at the computer screen, wanting to smash everything around me. My data was automatically rejected by the system, and I was not allowed to try or register at all.

A written warning said,

"Your name is already on our blacklist, as you have previously registered and failed to prove your abilities. You are not allowed to register again, make an appointment, or become a member of BtP."

I felt like screaming loudly and cursing at anyone. In the past, I wasn't accepted because I couldn't demonstrate my powers, but now it's clear that I was rejected after mastering them. I kept searching and reading any information related to BtP member admissions other than from their official site. I remembered that I was already on the blacklist due to past incidents, but it's hard to accept that I was really rejected.

From a few sites, I gathered that those on the BtP blacklist, if they force their registration with BtP directly, are essentially signing themselves up as targets. Both my hands clutched my head, trying to think hard; if I'm a superhuman who can fly but can't register with BtP, what's the point of all of this?

I was enraged. All my efforts were in vain. Again, I wanted to destroy something, to slam the table, kick the sofa, or break something. But thinking about the costs to replace and the effort to fix them, I chose to sit still.

I stood up, unable to keep still, pacing back and forth restlessly.

I spent these past days practicing flying. For what?

I've been enduring all this time. For what?

I left my village. For what?

Without realizing it, I punched the wall of my house hard. Punching it again and again. "For what...?" I asked myself. Now I can fly, but for what? Now I'm a superhuman, but I can't join BtP. What's the point? To become a villain? Tears of frustration flowed. What's going to happen to me?

And I could only whisper softly, "What am I going to do now..." My body felt so tired.

***

I returned to work at Café Eve as usual, but I think the sparkle in my eyes was gone. Madame and Master agreed that I must have just had a heartbreak, my wedding plans failed, and I was dumped. They treated me kindly, hoping I wouldn't end my life.

"The world hasn't ended just because you've been dumped," said Madame, and I continued to smile sweetly, a face no different from a corpse that had lost the light of life. Following that, I spent my days soullessly: I went to work, returned home, ate, slept, and did nothing more. No flying, no meditation, and no more things related to being a superhuman.

I am a superhuman, but I don't have a destiny with BtP. My only options are to be a rogue superhuman, a villainous superhuman, or a rabbit in BtP's research division. I don't know anymore. What's the point of being a superhuman if I can't join BtP?

I don't know anymore...

I feel tired and exhausted from dreaming.

I just want to sleep and forget everything.

Forget about Nadia…

She's too far for me, out of my grasp, and I'm too weary to do anything. But... I don't know what has happened to me, yet I still foolishly love her. Why don't my feelings understand my struggles? Why don't my emotions ease the pain even slightly, especially after realizing my helplessness towards her?

This madness.

This self-deception.

This self-torture... I wonder when it will end.

Now my fate is just one... to hide... to conceal my powers, or I'll be turned into a rabbit. I never flew again.

At least not until that moment.

***

In the dark room,

"This time, there will be no mistakes. Tomorrow, we are going to take down Melodistria. All of Melodistria will be ours the day after tomorrow!"

***

Michelle held a small knife in her hand, and Alphonso was tied to a chair. All of Alphonso's fingernails and fingers had been peeled off and lay scattered on the floor along with blood.

Michelle made a call, "They will take action tomorrow, just as the seer predicted."

After hanging up, Michelle yanked Alphonso's hair, lifting his head upward. Alphonso's face was battered from blows, and his teeth were knocked out in several places.

Michelle brought her face close to Alphonso's, and whispered softly, "You touched my Jaime?"

Michelle thrust the small knife directly into Alphonso's thigh, until she felt the knife hit Alphonso's thigh bone, then she twisted it. This made Alphonso scream in pain.

"Remember, no one is allowed to touch him except me! She is Mine!"