It was Isaac's turn to shoot targets at the Kinetic Shooting Gallery. He stood ready for the signal... and off it went.
Immediately he started shooting targets as they went by.
"Hey, watch the splinters!" someone remarked.
Splinters?
And Isaac realised, even as he pushed more targets off the conveyer belt that he was using way more force than was needed.
And he couldn't seem to damp it down.
250 targets later, Isaac stepped down, sweating. In a daze he walked over to the side, not even bothering to find out how many targets he actually hit. He slumped up against the wall. Some people looked at him curiously, but were distracted by the next competitior.
"Isaac?"
Isaac looked up. It was one of the judges.
"Yes?"
"Are you okay?"
Isaac was a little dumbfounded by the question and said nothing.
"I mean, I've seen you at work," the hydrokinetic said. "I've competed against you. You're very good. But that display back there? A five year old would have treated those targets better."
Isaac sighed.
"Stress, I guess."
"You sure it's just that? I've seen stressed kinetics. Heck, I've been one and I haven't ever lost that much control," he paused. "Because you weren't really in control, were you? Sure you didn't miss many targets, but that's not the point, is it? You were fast - you've always been fast - but you were using too much force, and that's not like you."
"I know this," Isaac replied, frustration leaking into his voice. "Believe me, I know that was not my best performance, but I can't... it doesn't..."
He ran a hand through his sweat drenched hair.
"Don't you have a contest to judge?"
The hydrokinetic pressed his lips together.
"Sorry," Isaac put in quickly. "Stress... just... just stress."
The judge nodded.
"Well, I suggest you find some way to deal with it," he said. "You shouldn't be drowning in your own sweat. You shouldn't have needed to use so much force, nor go to so much effort. And quite frankly, if you get much worse, you may lose further control of your power... and well, I've seen what your power can to. I wouldn't like to see it out of control."
Isaac nodded, and the judge left.
Taylor
"Tay? Tay man? You might want to get over to the shooting gallery."
"What? Why?" Taylor looked up, startled, "is something wrong?"
"It's your brother."
Taylor frowned in confusion for a moment, before apologising the the people he was with and making his way through the crowd.
When he finally found Isaac, his eyes widened at the sight of him.
"Ike?" he began, making his way over and kneeling next to him.
"What... What happened here?"
Isaac
Isaac barely glanced up at his brother.
"Stress," he muttered. "That's all it is... That's all..."
He shook his head.
"I was... I was using more energy than I needed to hit the targets," he admitted. "I couldn't seem to use less... They were all splintering and breaking and stuff."
Taylor
"Ike? I think you should go back to the apartment or something," Taylor insisted.
"You look like s#!+. Can you even get up?"
Isaac
"Hmm? Oh sure," Isaac said. "No problem. Day is still young. She's only 16."
Isaac giggled.
"Get it? Day's only 16? As in Friday? Okay bad joke. But yeah... I think I'll just rest here a bit... and then get something to eat."
Taylor
Taylor just shook his head.
"You are not staying here for much longer. I'm gonna go get you something to eat, and when I come back we're leaving. You're going to excert yourself otherwise."
Isaac
"I'll miss out on the rest of the tournament," Isaac said. "I'm hardly competing in anything else. Really Tay... I'll be fine. Plus can't miss the awards ceremony tonight."
He nodded gravely.
Taylor
"Well by the looks of it you won't need to stay anyway. This is like the first time you haven't come close to winning anything," Taylor pointed out.
"Harry can mind the door for me seeing as Sheldon isn't here. If you're feeling better later on there's no reason why we can't come back, but this just seems too much for you right now."
Isaac
A smile crossed Isaac's face.
"Yeah... Only got 192. I haven't done that badly in years."
Reluctantly he got up.
Taylor
"Ok. You, stay right here. I'll be right back."
Taylor stood as well and began over to a nearby cafeteria. He grabbed a couple of salad rolls and upon returning to Isaac handed him one.
"Ok, let's get out of here. I'll let Harry know on the way out. Dad's nowhere in sight."
Isaac
"Okay, thanks," Isaac said.
He unwrapped the paper from around the salad roll and took a bite as he followed Taylor out.