The next few days went by and were more of a slow grind than anything else. While working with Melissa, things did speed up, it was mostly tiring and drained you so much. After about three weeks of work, you and Melissa had developed a working prototype of the arm. So, you guys had developed a set time for a test run of the Full Cowling Mega Buster the following weekend with a few small tweaks here and there.

Finally, you shot awake once again due to the loud alarm at a solid 8 AM. You woke up and did everything as you normally and grabbed a quick bit and headed off for the test run. You were excited, nervous, and just about every other emotion in between. You had gathered some extra parts and a kit just in case you guys needed to readjust the arm just a little. From there, you walked on down to a combat arena used by support designers and got things set up.

You heard your phone go off as you were working on getting sensors set up. You grabbed it and saw it was a text message from Melissa.

Melissa: Hey. On your left.

You rolled your eyes. She was always making references like these, and at 9 AM, yeah, it got annoying. You slowly turned around and saw Melissa bouncing on her pogo stick. She flips forward once she reaches the test zone and lands on the ground perfectly once again. She gives you a wide smile and walks over to you and opens up a case.

(Y/N): What's in there?

Melissa: Our work.

Melissa opened the case and slowly took out the gauntlet you guys had been working on all year. She walked it over to you and showed it to you. She gestured again and you slowly began to understand what it was she was asking for. You nodded and Melissa unclipped the framework and loosed the gauntlet to slowly slip onto your arm. Melissa then clipped the framework back onto your arm and let you gripped down. Mixed with your biomechanical arm, the gauntlet felt stronger, sturdier, and more powerful.

You took a step back from Melissa and looked your arm over. You threw a few punches into the air and looked at it again.

(Y/N): Feels natural.

Melissa: Good! Just keep moving it around.

You did as you were told, slowly shifting the arm around little by little. You didn't want to push it, but you were still slowly moving it little by little. Melissa nodded slightly and began to take down some notes along her pad.

Melissa: Go for something faster.

You nodded and did so. You tossed your arm back and forth over and over again. Melissa watched the arm as you threw it around, more and more. Melissa then held up an arm and silently told you to stop. You did so and allowed her to walk over and placed some sensors along the gauntlet. She then gave you a thumbs up so you began to move your arm some more.

After a few seconds again, she told you to stop and you did as such.

Melissa: Not bad. Durability is fantastic. Now begins the real test runs.

(Y/N): Wait? What do you mean, real test runs?

Melissa walked over to a small drone along the wall. Of course, that was perspective talking. Said drone was at least 6 feet tall and walked over to you. You looked up to it and it looked down at you.

Melissa: Try punching it.

(Y/N): You want me to break school proper-

Melissa: It doesn't belong to the school. And besides, this isn't the first time today that about 20 of these drones have been destroyed. Don't worry about it.

You nodded and looked at the drone. You reeled back and punched the bot, shattering its chassi into millions of little pieces. You looked at your arm, amazed by the force. Melissa typed down the results as she also set up the next few tests. Most of them involved you punching harder surfaces such as stone walls.

Most of the time of working, you guys were laughing a little, enjoying the time together. You were punching steel, stone, some of the strongest industrial metals known to man, all being shattered before your arm. You smiled and turned back to Melissa who smiled back at you. The framework was completely undamaged.

(Y/N): Well, what now?

Melissa: Now we move onto speed based tests!

Melissa guided you over and away from test grounds and back into your main academic building. Unknown to you both, in an office, David Shield was watching you both. He smiled as he saw you two run away. Next to him, Hall walked over and handed him a cup of coffee.

Hall: How are things this morning, Dave?

David: Can't complain. How about him? (He points to you and Melissa)

Hall: Kid's smart, I'll give you that. If his A-grade is still up in the air though.

David: At least for you.

Hall: Well, if the kid didn't want to learn about robotics and how to further modify those goggles of his or his arm, he should try and find a different profession.

David: Really now? Going to blame him.

Hall: Yeah. These kids are all about to hit 20. They should have some semblance of what they want to do with their lives.

David: You don't need to be like that.

Hall: Someone here has to be.

David rolled his eyes and looked out back at the two of them. Hall placed a hand on David's shoulder and slowly turned him back.

Hall: We need to be brutal. Just a little bit. Otherwise, these kids aren't going anywhere.

David: And if you keep putting people down, you won't be a good professor. You'll be a villain to these students.

Hall: Tell that to most of my students.

David glared a little and walked away. Hall watched as you both just entered the building. He rolled his eyes and walked off.

Back with you and Melissa. You guys walked into the academic building and down a few stairs. Finally, you guys reached a long hallway. Melissa walked over to what looked like a rocket and strapped in the gauntlet. You cocked an eyebrow as she walked back to you and slowly guided you out of the room.

(Y/N): So, I take it this will go ahead and propel the gauntlet forward to see how much force it can take.

Melissa: Bingo.

(Y/N): So, how much are we sticking with first?

Melissa: I would suggest we go with 4,500 newtons of force.

(Y/N): Got it. Walk me through how to set it up.

Melissa nodded and walked over to a panel to walk you through the whole process. She told you how to set up the system and how to properly launch everything in as well. Overall, things seem to be going smoothly. So, the new tests began.

Melissa: Three....two....one. Ignition.

Melissa pressed the "Ignition" switch and the rocket took off flying. Within the seconds, the gauntlet slammed into the stone way with over 4,500 newtons of force. You were a bit concerned to see if the project had survived. But low and behold, the thing survived and even the framework was undamaged. You and Melissa turned to one another and basically just gave each other the biggest of hugs.

Melissa: One-speed test down.

(Y/N): Think we should up it to 5,000?

Melissa: Yep! Get us setup!

You nodded and pressed a few buttons. One was to slowly pull back the launcher. Another to readjust how fast it would be going. A third one to up the target from stone to steel and clean off the plat. You and Melissa looked at one another and nodded and tested the gauntlet once again. The test was more than successful as it shattered the steel. You and Melissa looked at one another with some shock.

(Y/N): Was that supposed to happen?

Melissa: I didn't think it would be at that great of speed.

(Y/N): Well then. Want to keep going?

Melissa: Oh yeah!

You two got the launcher reset once again and reeled it back. You two continued to test the device again and again. After about three more launches, you guys had upped the force to 7,000 newtons of force. As you guys increased it just a bit, you launched the gauntlet into another, sturdier wall and you guys heard a bang. You both turned to the wall and saw the gauntlet had shattered.

You and Melissa looked back at one another in shock. You both slowly looked back at the test run and saw the shattered prototype on the ground.

Melissa: Well then...

(Y/N): I just...wow. I have no words.

Melissa: I guess we just restart then.

(Y/N): Yeah...well then.

You and Melissa walked out from the control room and out to get work done on remodeling.