Cooper House, Garage.
Being big is every child's dream, although they rarely appreciate the implications of their wishes. Jimmy was no different. At this moment, he was too focused on his experiment to notice details that others might consider important.
"Alright, it's 5:30. If everything goes as expected, I should be ready by 9:20. If something unexpected comes up, you'll handle it, as we discussed." Jimmy said while preparing a chemical mixture in his makeshift laboratory.
Using boiling water, he poured some harmless chemical compounds into a tub in the corner of the garage, carefully covered to prevent it from being seen from the outside. His plan was simple: once the process was complete, Sheldon would cover it with a blanket to keep it out of view, and then he could continue his afternoon playing with his trains.
This formula was an improved version of the beta compound Jimmy had developed earlier. Since it was a larger dose, the side effects could be unpredictable. However, it wasn't the first time he had experimented with it, and so far, he hadn't had any issues.
After several trips between the experiment table and the tub, the compound was finally ready.
He looked at the black water in the tub, and a slight nervousness crept over him.
"Maybe this isn't the best idea..." he thought, while Sheldon, from a distance, stepped back, clearly uncomfortable with the proximity of the dark liquid.
"Jimmy!! Are you sure this is safe? That looks... I don't know, dangerous!" Sheldon exclaimed, stepping back as if the water might jump out of the tub and reach him.
Jimmy, however, didn't pay much attention to his friend. If he weren't the creator of the compound, he certainly wouldn't be getting in, but he was confident. This was one of his most innovative inventions, and he trusted everything would go well.
With a deep breath, Jimmy stripped off his clothes. He hesitated for a moment, but finally submerged himself in the water.
"Well... it's done," he murmured, as the liquid began to release hot steam, making Sheldon even more nervous.
"Jimmy! That's boiling! Are you sure we shouldn't wait for it to cool down?! Call the fire department if this explodes!" Sheldon was about to grab his phone when Goddard, seemingly much calmer than his owner, stopped him with a soft bark.
Ignoring Sheldon's warnings, Jimmy fully immersed himself in the water. He knew that if he had followed all the procedures correctly, this liquid substance should help his body reach its maximum human potential, significantly improving his physical abilities.
However, if he hadn't prepared everything correctly, the process could become painful. Fortunately, Jimmy knew what he was doing... or so he hoped.
As the liquid made contact with his skin, an intense heat started to spread through his body. At first, the pain was minimal, but soon, he felt a surge of energy that began to enhance his physical abilities.
Although the process was designed to improve human genetics, the compound's effectiveness would be limited by his age. Nevertheless, the feeling of strength was unmistakable, and as the heat in his body increased, the improvements began to be evident.
"I think... I did it," he thought, though he couldn't be completely sure yet.
Meanwhile, Sheldon watched with concern, constantly glancing at Goddard, who seemed more relaxed than ever.
Was it really working perfectly?
The scorching heat began to affect Jimmy. His skin turned red from the burn of the liquid, and his body was releasing sweat rapidly and in large amounts. Despite the discomfort, he submerged himself even further into the tub.
Soon after, an overwhelming sense of exhaustion took over him. He leaned on the edges of the tub, and almost immediately, he fell into a deep sleep.
"I'm going to fall asleep, Sheldon... remember the deal…" he murmured before losing consciousness completely.
Goddard, watching with concern, ran to the tub and quickly bit Jimmy's hair, making sure he wouldn't drown in the water.
Sheldon, witnessing the scene, panicked and, overwhelmed by the situation, collapsed to the floor, fainting.
...
An indeterminate time later, Jimmy regained consciousness.
"Status...?" he murmured, feeling confused upon waking.
"The physical enhancement process lasted 3 minutes and 27 seconds. No changes were detected in the environment." Goddard responded precisely, as always.
Jimmy, still half-dazed, looked down and, seeing the liquid in the tub, was surprised to notice it had changed color: from black to white. After cleaning himself with cold water, he noticed a noticeable change in his body. His height had increased.
Not only that. As he looked at himself in the mirror, his eyes shone with disbelief. "It worked... better than I expected…"
Although he hadn't developed explosive muscles like those of a bodybuilder, his body showed a more athletic shape. The lines of his body were even, smooth, and he looked healthier than ever.
He tensed his muscles, and they responded quickly, displaying hidden strength he had never had before.
Jimmy stared at his reflection for a few moments, amazed by the changes. He had never been able to do this before. Even though he wasn't fully accustomed to the new energy flowing through his body, he knew that, according to his research, this feeling of power should become more natural for him in a few days.
"In a few weeks, I'll stop being the scrawny kid anyone can knock around…" he thought, smiling satisfied as he put on his clothes. He touched his chin in the mirror with a somewhat narcissistic smile.
After cleaning up the bathroom and making sure everything was in order, Jimmy left the garage. Seeing Sheldon recovering from his fainting spell, he murmured, relieved: "Good... I thought I might be guilty of involuntary manslaughter."
"Well, looks like everything finished earlier than expected..." he murmured as he headed to George Jr.'s gym. There, he began testing his newfound strength with the training equipment.
Although Sheldon, as usual, wasn't entirely convinced by what Jimmy was doing, he couldn't stop him from using the equipment, since George Jr., as his employee, had agreed to let Jimmy use the tools at his disposal.
...
A couple of days later, Jimmy found himself in the school library, going through some computer science books. He walked through the halls looking for a quiet place, and when he sat down, he noticed Ally was there, studying.
Without thinking too much, Jimmy sat next to her, with a confident smile.
Feeling someone approach, Ally turned her head. Seeing Jimmy, her eyes showed surprise, but not for long.
"Do you think I've become more attractive?" Jimmy whispered, lowering his voice to Ally's ear with a somewhat arrogant smile.
Upon hearing this, Ally let out a soft laugh, clearly amused but also a bit indifferent to Jimmy's narcissism. Without giving it much importance, she turned her head back and continued with her studies.
Frustrated for not getting Ally's attention, Jimmy looked at George Jr. from between the book shelves in the distance and shook his head.
It was clear that his attempt at courting hadn't been successful, despite the advice George Jr. had given him.
This wasn't the time or place for something so unnecessary, so Jimmy focused on the programming books in front of him. He knew he needed to find a way to earn more money since he had spent almost all of his own in the last few days.
Jimmy learned faster than most people thanks to his incredible intellect, and that was his advantage.