Date: Sat, 18 Dec 2021 21:02:29 +0800 From: Tallahassee Wilson Subject: Rocket Man 1 (Young Friends)(Science Fiction) I dunno why, but the mixture between sci fi and young friends always cease to inspire and amuse me. So, here's another story y'all. Hope you'll like it. Disclaimer: This obviously contains sci fi and not a lot of people enjoy sci fi. As always, this is a work of fiction. Any places, events, characters, dead or alive are just make believe and are purely coincidental. Donate: https://donate.nifty.org/ ------------------------------ "Arthur!" Mr. Wilson shouted as I was back to my senses. "What? I didn't do nothing!" I said. I was still drawing some blueprints for the makeshift aquarium pump. Took me 4 days to make it. "What are you doing there? Aren't you paying attention to what I was explaining?!" He pointed the laser pointer at me. "Oh! Plants photosynthesize through sunlight, carbon dioxide and water." I said. Science was the bestest subject ever made. "Oh, that's very good, Arthur. I actually thought you weren't listening." Mr. Wilson said as I continued to draw. I listened closely while drawing the new components for my aquarium back at home. "Let me guess, it's for the aquarium. Am I right?" Gill said as he peeked at the blueprints. "Yes, and I don't want you to meddle with them. They're still overfed because you put too much fish food. Good thing, Sir quickly strained the fish pellets." I said. Gilbert and I lived in the same foster house. It's kinda cool. There are 5 of us living in the same roof, including Sir. We call our foster dad Sir since we were comfortable about it. Gilbert and I were the eldest there. Sir said that he found me outside a control-net satellite dish, 9 years ago. I was just an infant when he first found me and I'm happy about it. Sir wasn't your stereotypical foster. He loves us like we were his real children. He might be the coolest person ever. I finished drawing, showed it to Gill as he fiddled with my blueprint. "There. Perfection. You just need to add dinosaurs!" He drew scribbles of dinosaurs all over the blueprint. "I'm gonna kill you!" I said angrily as he chuckled and erased the dinosaurs to reveal that he actually fixed my oxygen implement. "See! Told ya. You still need to build that, but this...copy of the oxygen pump is perfect! I know, I'm awesome, right?" He said with pride as I softly punched his shoulder. "Ow. Anyways, I'm off to my Spanish class. Bye, Artie!" He stood up as we did our BFF handshake. Gilbert and I were best friends. He was optimistic, cheery and loud. He also helps me when I draw some of my ideas. He's smart at all things, except for maths. He hates maths that much. I continued to draw and make some minor tweaks on my blueprint as Mr. Wilson saw what I did. "Oh, that's what you've been working about? You're a brilliant kid, Arthur. You should know that. If you're willing, there's the robotics club you can join." He said. "Nope. I don't think I'm cut out to be in a club. Creative differences may be a problem." I said. I hated arguments and stuff that makes me angry. "Oh, okay. Too bad. Your talent is unlike any other, Arthur. I can't believe a 9-year old like you is capable for inventing these things. You might be the next robotics prodigy here." Mr. Wilson said as he left. I finally finished my blueprint when our History class started. Mr. Swift was explaining about the Ottoman empire when my classmates peeked outside the window. They were cheering and they seemed like they were mesmerized about what they saw. I took a look and they were pointing to a weird flying thing. It looks like a jet or some sort. "Everybody, back to your seats!" Mr. Swift shouted as we got back to our seats. "But, it's the rocket man! Look at him, flying around the city!" One of my classmates said. Rocket man? Who's that? I still looked at the window and saw the rocket man, fly by as Mr. Swift snapped his fingers at us. Rocket man? Like he flies with rockets? That's kinda cool. School ended as Gilbert walked back home with me. "So, how do you think about my Spanish? Ola, soy Gilbert. Como estas, chicos. It means Hi I'm Gilbert. How is everybody doing?" He said. We walked as we saw some of our classmates riding a hover. "Don't worry, Artie. We'll get that fancy hovers that they have!" Gilbert said as he pats my back and smiles at me. "Yeah! Maybe if I havs enough materials and tools, I can make one of those! It's actually pretty simple if I have some new tech." I said. I loved to make and tinker some ideas that I think of. Like that aquarium. I still have to construct it. I sure hope Sir bought the stuff I requested. The sight of ads in holograms were really mesmerizing. We got to the bridge as we stared at the nearby neocolored buildings. There were colony and research ships, from other countries flying above our heads. Below us were more buildings and we did our best not to look down. We crossed the bridge as we took the bus back home. We came home, Sir was cleaning the counters as Gilbert and I hugged him from behind. "Oh, boys! So, how was school today?" Sir asked as we arranged our backpacks. "Oh it was great, Sir! I learned Spanish! Also, Artie said that his schematics about his aquarium is now finished." Gilbert said as we got to our home clothes. "Yes, Sir. Anyways, I need some grease for my automatic feeding machine and also some nuts, bolts, a welder, a laser cutter and some wires." I said as Sir gave me all I requested. "Yay! Thanks Sir!" I said as I hugged Sir and got to the basement/workstation. I pinned my blueprint on the wall as the PDA attachment on the wall started reconstructing the automatic feeder and the oxygen pump. I was connecting wires when I saw something fly on the window. Yeah, our basement is still at the 27th floor of the building. Our house is located on the 28th floor of this residential building. I took a closer look and saw what they say is the 'Rocket Man'. It seems like he's been avoiding the buildings and continues to fly upward. Why was he flying? A question came up on my head. Rockets? He uses rockets to fly? I still have no knowledge about these stuff. I came to the living room and asked Sir about the rocket man. He opened the windows as he pointed the rocket man. "See that, Arthur. That there is the rocket man. Some say, he just flies all over the city, doing nothing. Some say that he's a superhero that saves people, but he never lands. He's always flying and flying around the city. Nobody knows who he is, why is he flying and what made him fly. All we know is that he's still in the sky, watching our every move." Sir explained as I was amazed by it. "Wait, how come he always fly when he never lands? Does he have unlimited fuel in his rockets?" I asked Sir. "Well, that's a question nobody knows the answer to." Sir said as my mind was still amazed. "Whoa! I want to be like him! I wanna fly, around the city and maybe go and discover new places! That looks so cool." I said. Think about it, flying around the city, he has no responsibilities and he just keeps flying! "Dream big, Arthur. I'm sure that someday, you can fly like him." Sir said as he ruffled my hair. I hugged Sir as Gilbert kept watching the rocket man. "That is impossible, Artie! How would you invent a rocket that has infinite fuel?" Gilbert said. "I'll find my way, Gil. Who knows, I may even be the 2nd man to fly!" I said and an idea came to my head. Time to get back to my workstation! (4 years later....) Wind, check! Atmospheric pressure.... high, but good enough! "Log number 778. I'm sure of this! This time, it'll work! I finally made some..." I recorded my log when Gilbert interrupted me. "Artie! Get down there! Sir's gonna see you!" He shouted as I ignored his warning. This has to be it! I'm sure of it! I strapped my goggles on and my mask. "Don't worry, Gill! I know what I'm doing! Okay.....and jump!" I jumped as Gilbert tried to catch me. Okay, I jumped the 200 storey building and still reconfiguring the rocket. Okay, if I put this here, it'll probably explode, so let's leave that there. Oh shit! I'm gonna land! Please work, you goddamn rocket! I finally reconfigured it and....bam! I-I'm flying! Yes! Okay, but I don't know how to steer it. Oh fuck! Fuck! I'm gonna crash!! "Artie! Artie! Arthur!!" I woke up to the sound of Gilbert's voice. It seems like I was in another house. "Oh goodness, you're awake! I was worried sick! Come on! We need to get home before Sir finds out about this." He carried me to his back as my body was weak. Seems like I crashed on another's house. They were nice enough not to get mad at the mess I made. But, I literally flew! I just forgot to add a steering device to my rocket. I flew! Yes! I knew it was possible! We immediately got to the grand floor, only to see Sir, waiting for us. "Arthur, you're in big trouble! You could've gotten hurt!" Sir said as we entered the house. "But Sir! I flew! I literally flew! I just need to make the steering device and I'll surely fly, for real this time! You gotta admit, that was cool, am I right?" I said. "Yeah, flying sounds kinda cool." Artemis said. "Kinda cool? I heard was awesomely cool! Don't you agree, Sir?" I said as Sir held my shoulders. "No! Arthur, I can't believe I'm saying this...but you're grounded. No more flying shenanigans." Sir said sadly. "What? You can't be serious! I'm halfway done with my project, Sir! My dreams are beginning to become a reality!" I said. I planned for this for the past 4 years. A stupid and ridiculous idea just came to me about flying, like the rocket man. He became an inspiration to me. "I-I'm really sorry Arthur. I just don't want all of you getting hurt. You know that, right. It's simply my way of saying that I truly care about you. You understand, right?" Sir kneeled as he smiled at me. Dang, his smile was making me guilty. I sighed, "Okay. Thanks anyway, Sir." I hugged Sir as he hugged me as well. I went to my room and admired the neon cityscape. I drew some modifications on my rockets as Gilbert opened the door and pat my shoulder. "Hey, I'm really sorry about you getting grounded. But, you gotta be careful next time, Artie! You're lucky you didn't end up like a flattened bread! All of us were worried. Me, Sir, Artemis, including Kelly. Please, just be careful. You're special to this world....moimpotanlytome." Gilbert said. "What?" I asked. He was murmuring something at the end of his sentence. "I said, you're important to this world, you got talent unlike any other, Artie! You may even get a job at Cynotech or even at NASA! You got big brain ideas, dude! Don't try to jump off a 200 storey building! Anyways, there's something I want to show you!" He said, pulling me out of my chair as we got out of the house. "Ey, ey. Where are you 2 going? Arthur's grounded, remember?" Sir asked. "Oh, Sir. I'm just gonna show Artie something. We'll be back in a jiffy!" Gilbert said fastly as he pulled me out of the house. We got to the uplifter(anti-gravitational elevators) as Gilbert closed my eyes. I can feel excitement from his hands. He told me to keep my eyes closed as I heard clanking. "Okay, now open them up!" He said as I opened my eyes. Turns out, he set up a nice table, chairs, and a platter of vegetables on a magnificent sunset. The silhouette of buildings, the airships that zoom and fly, and the holographic ads and clips were truly magnificent. "Surprise! It's my own console-your-BFF-from-his-first-breakup kinda meal. I spent hours making those. No takeout, I cooked it all. Look, you seem troubled when Riley broke up with you. So, since I'm your half-brother and also your bestest friend in the whole name of the goddamn universe, I'm always here to help you." Gilbert said as he pours a bottle of cheap wine. "Whoa! This is amazing, Gil! You didn't have to do this for me. I mean, I wasn't even there when you won the election for school president." I said. "Nah, I knew you wouldn't show up. You always had your mind up on anything but fun. Advice coming from your bestest friend in the whole name of the goddamn universe: Have some fun, dude! Riley probably broke up with you since you've been too focused on your work and you forgot to have fun! We're still 13! We still have 5 years to cherish our youthful years before we have to find a job, live in a cheap ass apartment, settle down and have kids, move into a bigger house since you're starting a family, worry since you couldn't keep up with the mortgage and then you end up overworked, underpaid and depressed!" I shushed Gilbert since he was talking too much. "Gil! Chill out. Maybe you're right. I studied so hard that I forgot what we first learned when we were kids. Have fun!" I realized it then. I may have became an antisocial freak and only cared about my creation and ideas. Maybe I should give the ol' brain a rest. But one question still remains. Will I ever fly like the rocket man? --------------- TO BE CONTINUED...