It was now Wednesday, and Theo found himself seated in his customary spot behind the counter. He had become such a fixture—book in one hand, coffee in the other—that most of the regular customers had stopped questioning the owner's apparent laziness and simply accepted him as part of the furniture.
The focus of his attention on this overcast day was a newly acquired book on Entomology—or, as Theo mentally classified it, 'Bugs N Shit'. He'd picked it up earlier in an attempt to find something novel to capture his interest and was pleasantly surprised by how informative it actually was.
He didn't care much for insects themselves, but he cared deeply about the biological advantages they possessed. With his ever-increasing intellect, Theo realized he had vastly underestimated the potential of one of his core powers: DNA Assimilation. He'd kept the skill at arm's length, only planning to use it for obvious upgrades like the Sea King Meat or other direct Gacha rewards.
As it turned out, he was ignoring a vital, and potentially overpowered, aspect of the natural world. His finger traced a specific line on the page, eyebrows furrowing as he contemplated how utterly terrifying he could become if he pursued this new avenue of evolution.
'Ants can lift fifty times their body weight because their muscles fire with one hundred percent efficiency, unlike humans who are neurologically limited to roughly twenty percent to prevent tearing.'
His fingers tapped rhythmically against the page as he mulled over the concept. What if he started abusing his powers more aggressively? He'd limited himself to the 'grind', and while it had paid off incredibly well, without something akin to a Gravity Training Room, or spending days at the bottom of the ocean, he would eventually cap out his growth due to a lack of external stimulus. It wasn't as if he could feasibly go out and bench press a mountainside without drawing unwanted attention—though he did snicker at the mental image.
Theo wished he could utilize his adaptability and evolution to their maximum potential. However, as much as he 'enjoyed' harming himself to increase his regeneration speed, the plateau he'd reached was netting him diminishing returns.
He found himself wishing for a month in a world like One Punch Man. Theo knew that even though most people assumed Saitama just did his basic routine of exercises, they were fundamentally incorrect. Alongside the workouts, he fought constantly; every monster was progressively stronger than the last. Unlike Theo's current world, Saitama had a plethora of opportunities to push past his limits and shatter his ceilings.
With a shake of his head, Theo discarded his wistful dreams of a training world and snapped back to reality.
Scanning the store for any would-be snoops, he heaved a sigh of relief. Bella, Angela, and Alice were still in school, and judging by the clock, he had at least a solid hour before they arrived to uproot his peaceful day.
Setting the book aside, Theo opened his laptop, launching a web browser alongside a blank notepad. Positioning the windows side-by-side, he slowly typed in his first query.
'Now, if I wanted the most bang for my buck, what would offer the most versatility, strength, or utility? There are so many options, but I need to be realistic in my choices.'
It took less than thirty minutes for Theo, utilizing his increased processing speed, to cross-reference multiple sources ranging from academic research papers to nature documentaries. He eventually compiled a rough outline of what he'd need to obtain to push his evolution further.
Staring at the notepad, he reviewed the options slowly.
Carpenter Ants(Location: Everywhere; the rainforest is full of rotting logs.)
Result: Increase in baseline static strength. Unable to quantify current raw strength, but considering he could carry the weighted training shirt at maximum weight (10 tons) with one hand, he estimated his current limit between could be anywhere between 20 - 80 tons. A theoretical increase of 50x efficiency could push his lifting strength astronomically.
Pacific Tiger Beetle(Location: Sandy banks of the Sol Duc or Bogachiel Rivers, running right through Forks.)
Result: Fast-Twitch Burst (Explosive acceleration). Drastic increase in instantaneous movement speed from a standstill. Current raw speed was upwards of 100 MPH, but this would revolutionize his start/stop capabilities.
The House Fly / Hummingbird
Result: Small creatures perceive time slower because their "Critical Flicker Fusion" rate is much higher. Possible increase in Neural Processing Speed by an unknown factor (x4?), meaning movements occurring at 100 MPH would be perceived as moving at 25 MPH. Tracking fast combatants would become trivial.
Immortal Jellyfish(Location: Needs to be sourced from a specialized aquarium or the deep ocean—Pacific/Mediterranean.)
Result: Aging would cease completely at his physical peak (around 18–21). If catastrophic damage occurred (e.g., heart destruction), the body wouldn't shut down; instead, it would trigger a massive release of stem cells to "rebuild" the missing tissue from scratch. A biological "Save/Load" function. True physical immortality.
Planarian Flatworm(Location: Common in freshwater ponds and streams, even in Forks.)
Result: Torn-off limbs could be reattached; neoblasts would aid in rapid fusion. Anything lost could be regrown to an optimal state. Combined with natural regeneration and the Immortal Jellyfish traits, even decapitation would simply result in regrowing the head. No loss of memories, as every cell in the body holds a coded copy of the person. Instant regeneration, undying, unkillable unless erased from existence entirely.
Diabolical Ironclad Beetle
Result: The beetle's exoskeleton can withstand a force of 39,000 times its body weight. Under pressure, the sutures don't break; they delaminate (stretch and slide), absorbing the energy without rupturing. Essentially biological Kevlar. Impact energy would be dispersed across the entire torso, rendering him nearly uncrushable.
With a heavy sigh, Theo leaned back in his chair. He had so many options—options he'd completely ignored before this moment of clarity. The sheer scope and breadth of species he could utilize to enhance himself was overwhelming, but he finally had a solid plan.
'Honestly, maybe it was for the best that I hit this natural training plateau. I probably would have completely overlooked something so simple due to sheer ignorance.'
Gently closing the laptop, Theo stood up and stretched his limbs. A series of faint cracks and pops echoed as he felt the lethargy bleed from his body. Glancing at the clock, he noted that the store would soon be overrun with customers, so he began organizing his workspace.
He hummed along to Jennifer's Body by Panic! At The Disco, his hands nimble and controlled as they wiped the counter clean. If someone were to observe him, they'd see just a chipper, happy business owner; unbeknownst to them, they were witnessing the beginning of an evolutionary path never before seen in this world.
Minutes later, Theo was greeted by the sight of a somewhat frustrated Bella Swan. She looked normal enough, but the pensive expression she wore was something he'd come to associate with Edward Cullen-related problems. Angela walked idly beside her, seemingly oblivious to her friend's internal stress.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Theo asked, the amusement obvious in his tone.
Angela simply shrugged her shoulders and went to clock in for her shift, whilst Bella stopped and locked eyes with Theo. With soft steps, she approached the counter and spoke quietly.
"Do we have any books on folklore?" she asked. "I... I have a school report on it and haven't been able to find anything I need yet."
'Ah,' Theo thought. 'She needs to find that specific book on cold ones in Port Angeles. I thought she would have already planned to visit the place this weekend when Jessica and Angela go dress shopping.'
Humming thoughtfully, Theo nodded before walking to the store's computer database. With quick keystrokes, he pulled up a list of books based on folklore, though he knew none of these were the specific tome she was hunting for.
"Before I tell you where they are, is there a specific subject you need to look at? Folklore is a pretty broad spectrum; you could spend months going through different regional tales."
Bella looked confused before she started mulling over her response. It seemed as though she hadn't pieced everything together yet and was just grasping at straws.
"Not really. I don't have a solid idea of what I need to focus on yet."
He decided to throw the poor girl a bone. Even though she'd eventually find her answers, he could make the process easier.
"Well, we've mostly got books based around European folklore here. But if you're looking for something more entrenched in local legends, there's a bookstore in Port Angeles that specializes in the histories of regional tales."
Hook, line, and sinker. Her eyes lit up at his words, and she nodded eagerly. "Please, do you know the name?"
With a quick search, Theo pulled up the page, showing her the address and the specific bookshop she needed. Yes, he was cheating, but he was ensuring she actually slept at night instead of agonizing over breadcrumbs. She'd easily be able to piece everything together after Edward saved her.
'Should I do something about that?' Theo wondered. 'I don't know if my existence in this world is going to change how specific plot points play out.'
Leaving the girl to her own devices, Theo moved upstairs to his apartment and sank onto the couch.
'Maybe I should subtly hint to Alice that they're going on the trip? Edward would instantly follow her if he knew. Yeah, good idea. Give enough clues, but pass it off as idle conversation.'
Deciding it was time for another piece of Sea King meat, Theo moved to his kitchen and began cooking. He hadn't been idle during his downtime; he'd become a fan of watching cooking videos online. The accumulated knowledge had quickly bolstered his culinary skills, transforming him from merely competent to moving with the grace and finesse of a lifelong chef.
He'd learned about flavor combinations, precise cooking times, and the application of different oils to enrich his meals. The apartment slowly filled with the aromatic scent of well-cooked food. As a knock sounded on his door, Theo smiled to himself.
"Come in, Alice!" he yelled.
The door opened and closed, and he tilted his head slightly to look at his shadow.
She was utterly captivating; Theo could say that with absolute certainty. Her haircut was reminiscent of the style from the second Twilight movie, and with a gentle application of makeup that somehow enhanced her supernatural beauty, she was illuminating.
"Theo!" she said with enthusiasm, moving into the kitchen and hopping onto the counter. In the days that had passed, she'd begun to treat his home as a hangout zone, becoming increasingly comfortable.
"How was school?"
"Oh, you know, the same old. People gossiping, another breakup, and homework—lots of homework. How are you?" she asked gently.
"Not bad. Just did some light reading today and some random research. Nothing exciting, honestly."
"And what gained your illustrious attention enough to be researched this time?" she asked, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
"Well, I was interested in the environment, and it somehow led me down a rabbit hole about the different kinds of biology in the world. Did you know there's a jellyfish out there that is technically immortal? Like, crush its heart and it comes back completely fine."
Alice nodded along as she followed him into the living room. They'd come to an understanding that she was always 'full' after school, so he had stopped offering her food every time she visited.
"Huh, that's pretty cool."
"Yeah. How wicked would it be to be immortal?" Theo asked in passing, probing slightly. "Imagine being alive for such a long time, being able to experience the world throughout the ages. I'd probably sign up for something like that."
"Really?!" Alice asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She quickly caught her momentary slip, but Theo had noticed, though he chose not to point it out.
"I... I mean, if you were given the chance to become immortal, would you actually do it?" she asked, her voice somewhat subdued.
"Probably. It would be pretty neat. I'd save up a bunch of money and just spend my life traveling the world, learning everything. You'd be able to do anything." Pausing, he raised an eyebrow. "How about you?"
"What do you mean?"
"If you were immortal, what would you do with your life?"
She paused at his question and seemed to mull over the response for a moment. Theo watched as a myriad of emotions flickered across her face before she settled.
"I'd probably do something similar. Maybe go to fashion school, or study architecture, visit all the museums in the world. It might be hard being alone, but I'd hope to find someone who would share my life with me, start a family together. Being immortal can be lonel—I mean, it sounds like it could be lonely."
'Ah,' Theo realized instantly. 'She feels alone. No partner. Sure, she's got a family, but they're really just small relationships glued together into a family dynamic. Is that why she is so interested in me? Maybe she really just wants a partner.'
Coming to a decision—one that would either make or break him—Theo set his plate down and looked at the somewhat somber expression on Alice's face. He'd been teetering on the edge for days, but hearing her words finally snapped something inside him.
'I'm playing with her emotions. She's immortal, sure, but she has the same hopes and dreams everyone does.'
Moving closer to her, Theo gently wrapped his arms around her body. She flinched for a moment before easing into the contact. He could feel the cold of her skin seep through his clothes, but it meant nothing to him as he pulled her into his embrace.
A gentle hand traced soothing circles on her back as she rotated slightly, curling into a ball and cuddling deeper into him. He could feel her body vibrating slightly, either due to nerves or anxiety.
"Theo?" she questioned quietly.
With one hand still tracing her back, the other held her tightly, his head nestled in her hair while her face rested in the crook of his neck.
"Alice," he said gently. "Do you want to go on a date this weekend? Just the two of us. We can go for a drive, find somewhere scenic, and just be together."
"Really? Are you sure?" she asked, her voice almost a whisper. He could hear how vulnerable she sounded in that moment. Gone was the vampire who possessed the strength of hundreds of humans; in her place was a girl, opening herself up to emotions she'd bottled away since being reborn.
With a firm nod, Theo replied.
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life."
*********
Yahallo! New chapter for you lovelies! I took into consideration a lot of comments, and realised I was being a bit slack regarding Theo's other powers. And how nice to see the plot progress! Theo and Alice are finally getting much closer. Let me know your thoughts!
Leave some comments, reviews and donate some power stone! I'll be dropping another chapter or two later (If you're lucky ;))