The lecture hall buzzed with the low hum of students typing on laptops, punctuated by the professor's droning voice explaining object-oriented programming principles. Nathan sat rigidly in his seat, his enhanced senses picking up every tiny sound and movement around him. The once-familiar concepts now seemed trivial, almost laughably simple compared to the complex systems he'd interfaced with during his time away.

His skin itched beneath his clothes, concealing the patchwork of supernatural grafts that had transformed his body. The urge to hunt, to use his newfound powers, gnawed at him relentlessly.

Abruptly, Nathan stood up, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. The sudden movement drew all eyes in the lecture hall to him.

"Mr. Whitman?" the professor paused mid-sentence, eyebrows raised. "Is there a problem?"

Nathan's gaze swept across the room, taking in the curious and confused faces of his classmates. For a moment, he considered sitting back down, continuing the charade. But the thought of enduring another minute of this felt suffocating.

"This is pointless," Nathan said flatly, his voice carrying an edge that made several nearby students flinch. Without another word, he gathered his things and strode towards the exit.

"Nathan, we're in the middle of a lecture," the professor called after him, a note of irritation creeping into his voice. "If you leave now, it will affect your grade."

Nathan paused at the door, hand on the handle. He turned back, his eyes meeting the professor's. For a brief moment, his irises seemed to flicker with an inhuman light. "I don't care," he said simply, then pushed the door open and walked out.

As Nathan exited the building, he nearly collided with a muscular guy in a UW football jacket. The guy's face was vaguely familiar, but Nathan couldn't place the name.

"Yo, Nate! Where you been, man?" the teammate said, his initial grin fading to a frown. "You missed practice last night. Coach was pissed."

Nathan stared blankly, barely registering the words. In his mind, he marveled at how insignificant this all seemed now. Football. Practice. Coach. It was like looking at ants scurrying about their hill, oblivious to the larger world around them.

The teammate's tone grew annoyed. "C'mon, I know you were gone for a week on that rafting trip, but that's no reason to miss scheduled training. We've got a big game coming up."

Nathan felt his anger rising, the triviality of football practice grating against the experiences he'd had. His skin rippled slightly, the chameleon graft struggling to maintain his human appearance.

The urge to lash out, to tear into the teammate's flesh with his hidden claws, surged through Nathan. He clenched his fists, feeling the crystalline blades itching to extend. With a herculean effort, he turned away, striding quickly towards the campus exit.

It had only been four days since their return, but for Nathan, it felt like an eternity. The constraints of this world, so familiar yet now so mundane, were already chafing against his transformed nature. He was tired of pretending, of holding back. The urge to unleash his true self, to hunt and feed the monstrous aspects of his new being, was becoming harder to resist with each passing hour.

Nathan absently reached for a phone that wasn't there, having never bothered to replace the one lost in the alternate Earth. The thought of being connected to this mundane world held no appeal for him.

As he made his way across the campus, passing by groups of students engrossed in their phones or chatting about upcoming exams, the normalcy of it all felt surreal. Approaching the administrative area, with its stately brick buildings and manicured lawns, he caught sight of a familiar figure in the distance.

Rose walked along a path leading to one of the admin buildings, her posture slightly different than he remembered. Curiosity stirred within him, a faint echo of his old self. He changed course, moving to intercept her.

"Rose," he called out as he drew near.

She turned, her eyes widening slightly in recognition. "Nathan. I... didn't expect to see you here."

"Could say the same," he replied, studying her face. Even with her disguise, he could sense something different about her. "What brings you to admin?"

Rose hesitated for a moment. "I'm dropping out," she said finally. "College... it's not what I need right now."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Dropping out? You?"

"Things change," she said, a hint of steel in her voice. "I have plans, and a degree would just be a waste of time for what I want to do now."

Nathan nodded slowly, feeling a strange kinship in that moment. "I get it. More than you might think."

They stood in awkward silence for a moment, the weight of their shared experiences and divergent paths hanging between them.

"Well," Rose said finally, "I should go. Papers to sign and all that."

Nathan watched her walk away, feeling a mixture of nostalgia and disconnection. The Rose he knew, the girl he'd dated, was as gone as the Nathan he used to be.

Reaching the edge of the campus, Nathan glanced around briefly. Without warning, he crouched and leaped, his enhanced muscles propelling him vertically onto the roof of a nearby five-story building.

A maintenance worker, bent over an HVAC unit, jumped back with a startled yelp. "What the hell?!"

Nathan barely spared him a glance, already moving towards the opposite edge of the roof. With casual disregard for who might be watching, he leaped again, sailing through the air to land on the next building over.

As he continued his urban journey, bounding from rooftop to rooftop, Nathan felt a grim satisfaction. Let them see. Let them wonder. He was done hiding what he had become.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Nathan strode away, leaving his bewildered teammate standing there, Brad Johnson—Tori's boyfriend—jogged over, his brow furrowed in concern.

"Hey, Tyler, what's up with Nate?" Brad asked, coming to a stop beside his friend. "I saw him storm off. He looked pissed."

Tyler Anderson shook his head, still staring in the direction Nathan had disappeared. "I don't know, man. It's like he's a completely different person. Blew me off like we've never even met before."

Brad ran a hand through his short-cropped hair, his expression troubled. "Yeah, he's been acting weird ever since he got back from that rafting trip. Missed practice last night too."

"Coach is gonna have his ass for that," Tyler said, turning to face Brad. "You think something happened on that trip? I mean, a week of rafting doesn't usually change a guy that much."

Brad shrugged, his muscular shoulders rippling under his UW sweatshirt. "No idea. Tori was on that trip too, but she's been... different as well. Not talking much about it."

The two football players stood in silence for a moment, the bustling campus life continuing around them. A group of students walked by, laughing about some shared joke, providing a stark contrast to the serious conversation between Brad and Tyler.

"You think we should talk to Coach?" Tyler finally asked. "I mean, if Nate's going off the rails, it could mess up our whole season."

Brad hesitated, loyalty to his teammate warring with concern for the team. "Let's give him a day or two. If he doesn't show up to practice tomorrow, then we'll talk to Coach. Maybe he's just going through some personal stuff."

Tyler nodded, not entirely convinced but willing to go along with Brad's suggestion. "Alright, man. But if he pulls this crap again, I'm not covering for him."

"Fair enough," Brad agreed. He glanced at his watch. "We better get going. Don't want to be late for practice ourselves."

As they walked towards the athletic facilities, Brad's mind wandered to Tori. "You know, come to think of it, Tori's been pretty distant lately too. I tried to catch up with her earlier, but she seemed... I don't know, almost scared to be around me."

Tyler raised an eyebrow. "Trouble in paradise?"

Brad shook his head. "Nah, it's not like that. It's just... weird, you know? Like she's carrying some heavy secret or something."

"Maybe it's got something to do with whatever's eating at Nate," Tyler suggested.

"Maybe," Brad mused. "But what could happen on a rafting trip that would mess them both up like this?"

They reached the locker room and started changing into their practice gear. The familiar routine of putting on pads and cleats provided a sense of normalcy, but the conversation about their teammates lingered in the air.

"You know," Tyler said as he laced up his cleats, "maybe we should organize something. Get the whole team together, do something fun. Might help Nate snap out of whatever funk he's in."

Brad nodded, pulling his jersey over his head. "That's not a bad idea. Tori too, maybe. Get everyone back on the same page."

As they headed out to the practice field, both Brad and Tyler were lost in thought, wondering about their friends and hoping that whatever was going on, it would blow over soon. The sound of whistles and the thud of kickoff practice filled the air, temporarily pushing their concerns to the back of their minds as they focused on the familiar rhythms of football.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rose watched Nathan's retreating form, a frown creasing her brow. His behavior had been off, more so than she'd expected given their shared experiences. She waited until he was out of sight before reaching for the small communicator hidden in her jacket.

"Hazel," she said quietly into the device, "I just ran into Nathan. Something's not right. We might need to keep an eye out for any unusual sightings or incidents. He seemed... unstable."

After receiving Hazel's acknowledgment, Rose took a deep breath and turned towards the administration building. Its imposing facade loomed before her, a symbol of the life she was about to leave behind.

Inside, the air was cool and sterile. Rose approached the front desk, her posture straight and determined.

"I need to speak with someone about withdrawing from the university," she said to the receptionist.

Moments later, Rose sat across from Dr. Eleanor Winters, the university's senior career counselor. The older woman's brow was furrowed as she reviewed Rose's file on her computer screen.

"Ms. Newman," Dr. Winters began, her tone a mixture of concern and confusion, "I must say, this is highly unusual. Your academic record is exemplary. Perfect GPA, glowing recommendations from professors, and you're on track for early graduation. Why on earth would you want to withdraw?"

Rose maintained her composure, her face a mask of calm determination. "My priorities have changed, Dr. Winters. I've come to realize that my future lies outside of traditional academia."

Dr. Winters leaned forward, clasping her hands on the desk. "Rose, may I call you Rose? I've seen students make rash decisions before, often due to stress or personal issues. Whatever you're going through, I assure you, withdrawing is not the answer. We have excellent support services—"

"I appreciate your concern," Rose interrupted gently, "but this isn't a rash decision. I've given it careful thought. My experiences recently have... opened my eyes to other possibilities."

The counselor's eyes narrowed slightly. "These experiences during your rafting trip? Rose, one week away shouldn't derail your entire academic career. You have so much potential. Have you considered how this will impact your future job prospects?"

Rose allowed herself a small, knowing smile. "I have a clear plan for my future, Dr. Winters. It just doesn't involve a traditional career path."

Dr. Winters sighed, realizing she wasn't making headway. "At least consider taking a leave of absence instead of withdrawing completely. It would give you time to reconsider without closing doors."

"I appreciate the suggestion, but my mind is made up," Rose said firmly. "I'd like to proceed with the withdrawal, please."

Reluctantly, Dr. Winters began processing the paperwork. When she reached the financial section, her eyebrows shot up. "Rose, you understand that withdrawing at this point in the semester means you're responsible for the full tuition and fees? The amount due is... substantial."

"I'm aware," Rose nodded. "What's the total?"

Dr. Winters swiveled her monitor so Rose could see. "It comes to $14,372.50. Now, we can discuss payment plans—"

"That won't be necessary," Rose interrupted, reaching into her bag. She pulled out a sleek, metallic card that seemed to shimmer slightly in the office lighting. "I'll pay in full now."

Dr. Winters blinked in surprise. "I... see. Well, let me just process that for you." She took the card, examining it curiously before running it through the reader. The machine beeped its acceptance almost instantly.

As she handed the card back, Dr. Winters couldn't help but ask, "Rose, are you certain about this? It's a significant amount of money to walk away from your education."

Rose tucked the card away, her expression unwavering. "I'm certain, Dr. Winters. My education is far from over. It's just taking a different form now."

The counselor shook her head, a mixture of admiration and concern in her eyes. "Well, I can't say I understand, but I respect your decision. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No, thank you," Rose said, standing up. "You've been very helpful."

As Rose left the office, Dr. Winters watched her go, unable to shake the feeling that she'd just witnessed something extraordinary—though she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

As Rose stepped out of the administration building, the warm afternoon sun hit her face. She took a deep breath, feeling a sense of liberation mixed with the weight of responsibility for what lay ahead. The campus bustled around her, students rushing to classes or lounging on the grass, oblivious to the momentous change in her life.

Her communicator buzzed insistently. Rose ducked behind a large oak tree, away from prying eyes, before answering.

"Rose here," she said quietly.

Alex's voice came through, tense and urgent. "Rose, I need more details about your interaction with Nathan. What exactly happened?"

Rose frowned, recalling the brief encounter. "It was very short, Alex. He seemed... off. Agitated. But we didn't really talk about anything substantial."

"Did he say where he was going? Did he seem like he was about to do something rash?"

Rose shook her head, even though Alex couldn't see her. "No, nothing like that. He just seemed... disconnected. Why? What's going on?"

There was a pause on the other end. When Alex spoke again, his voice was grim. "We may already have a problem with him. There have been reports of someone matching his description doing some impossible feats around the city. Jumping between buildings, that sort of thing."

Rose's heart sank. "That's not good. He's not even trying to hide it?"

"Doesn't seem like it. Listen, Rose, we need to regroup. Can you meet us at home base in an hour?"

"I'll be there," Rose confirmed. She hesitated, then added, "Alex, I've withdrawn from the university. It's done."

There was another pause. "Understood. We'll talk more when you get here. Be careful, Rose."

The communication ended, leaving Rose standing alone under the oak tree. She looked out at the campus one last time, then turned and walked away, her mind already racing with plans and contingencies. She mentally cataloged the equipment she'd need to acquire, the systems she'd need to set up, and the security measures that would need to be implemented at their base of operations.

As she made her way off campus, Rose's thoughts were focused on the immediate tasks at hand. There was work to be done, and she was eager to get started.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jake was in the middle of organizing his toolbox, the late afternoon sun beating down on the rooftop of the administrative building. The soft clink of metal tools against the metal case punctuated the ambient city sounds. He'd been working on the HVAC unit, taking a moment to catch his breath and reorganize his gear.

A sudden thud behind him made Jake spin around, tools clattering to the ground.

A young man had landed barely ten feet away, having seemingly materialized from nowhere. No ladder, no access point—just a sudden, impossible presence. His body was coiled with a predatory intensity, muscles taut beneath his clothing, eyes scanning the rooftop with a cold, calculating precision. Dark hair, athletic build, dressed in casual campus wear that seemed at odds with his feral energy.

Jake's hand instinctively reached for his phone, fingers fumbling to open the camera app. Something about this moment screamed "viral content"—something was fundamentally wrong about how this guy had just appeared.

Before Jake could fully process what he was seeing, the stranger moved again. Not walked, not ran—but launched himself with a speed and grace that defied human capability. In an instant, he was preparing to leap to the next building, his body gathering impossible potential energy.

Jake stood frozen, his phone camera capturing every impossible moment. The stranger seemed to hang in mid-air for a fraction of a second longer than physics should allow, his body coiled like a spring ready to release. Then he was moving again, landing on the next building with a fluidity that made Jake's brain struggle to process what he was seeing.

As quick as his surprise allowed, Jake switched to his front-facing camera. His weathered face filled the frame, eyes wide with genuine disbelief.

"Okay, TikTok," he muttered, "you are NOT gonna believe what I just saw."

He quickly edited the footage, zooming in on the impossible leap, slowing it down frame by frame. The stranger moved with a precision that seemed more machine than human—no wasted motion, no adjustment, just pure, calculated movement.

@RoofTopTechie wasn't just going to post another HVAC repair video today. This was something else entirely.

"Fifteen years," Jake spoke to the camera, "fifteen years I've been working on rooftops across Seattle. I've seen some crazy shit, but this?" He shook his head, a nervous laugh escaping. "This is next level."

He added the video clip, then cut back to himself. Hashtags were crucial—#SeattleMystery, #WTF, #SuperhumanSighting. This would blow up, he was sure of it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End Chapter!

https://discord.gg/NYjPU3auVy
Join Me and some other people to talk shop, discuss artwork, stories, chatter, or just share fun videos or memes!

If you want future chapters ahead of my posted works support me on Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/c/alyssnancyonymous

Also, feel free to PM me if you have any questions or wanna comment.

TTFN Everyone.