The Loner Page 8

  “You just unlocked your powers and you told me you were heading out to the gym. It was also implied that you were going alone, because, well, you know—”

  “Out with it.” Summer turns her head to the side and draws out a long sigh, agitated with her defeat.

  “Mr. Hoover said I should work more on being compassionate, so I thought I’d start with you... So, as I was saying,” she continues, bitterness outlining her words, “you just unlocked your powers and you were heading to the gym. There’s a learning curve when you first start off. Everyone’s body is unique to them, but some things are universal, at least to an extent. Using your abilities takes control and energy. If you’re unaware of how far you can push yourself, you can end up in trouble, fast. The smart thing to do is to gradually push your limits, but you’re stubborn as hell. I knew you’d go all-out...not because you’re an idiot, but because you think you have something to prove. You’re with an advanced group of students and you just learned how to tap into your powers at will—you’re welcome, by the way.” Summer unfolds her arms and tosses me a protein bar. “Hope you like chocolate.”

  “Everyone likes chocolate,” I say, still exhausted and covered in sweat.

  “Yeah, but you’re weird, so I had to take a gamble.” I take a bite out of the bar, and I instantly feel better. It’s impossible for food to travel that fast, but I was hungry and forgot about it. Having something in my mouth scratches the itch. “You don’t want to over train, Aiden. Know your limits and slowly push against them. That’s how you make it out here. Do you know what you’re in for, tomorrow? Did you even think about that? What about the day after? The whole week? You’re in school, so you’re expected to perform. I found you on the floor, out cold. It’s safe to say that you’ll be feeling the effects of today for a few days.” She’s right. I may have shot myself in the foot by going too hard. I don’t know my recovery time or how my powers will react if my body is seriously fatigued. “Go home and call it a day. Get some rest before you make things worse.”

  “I will, but what about you?” I ask, still on the floor.

  “I’m going to take this room after you. I already have it booked. There are some things I want to practice.” She smiles mischievously. I should have known. Her outfit is different than when I saw her earlier. She’s in gym clothes, too. I guess that’s what everyone is doing after getting their feedback—finding ways to improve on their mistakes. “You’d best get going. Your time’s just about up.” Summer gestures as if shooing me away and a breeze of cool air washes over me. I didn’t see any ice, but somehow, she was able to effortlessly cool the air around her. How does she do it? How long did it take her to have that level of control? I stare at her in silence, mystified by her unorthodox display of power until the timer buzzes in the distance, making me self-aware.

  “Summer...how did you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “I saw you shoot beams of ice from your hands and just now you made the air around me a little cooler. How?” I ask while rising to my feet. “When I make my flames, I can control the intensity of it, but that’s about it. I can’t make it do what I want. Not entirely, anyway.”

  “Honestly, it’s hard to say. It’s like wiggling your ears. There’s more to it than that but think of it like this. When you try to wiggle your ears, you have to think about it, but there’s a thought that backs it up, followed by a specific muscle. Everyone can wiggle their ears, but the muscles are so weak that it takes practice along with an extreme attention to detail.”

  “Wiggling your...ears?”

  “Layover time, expired,” the automated announcer booms. Summer looks up at the display, slightly peeved. “Please confirm your credentials on the outside panel or terminal to begin your session. Thank you.”

  “I’m not a scientist, but that’s the best example I can think of. I don’t know all of the facts, but it’s the same principle. You have it in you, you just have to practice and try to bring it out. No two powers work the same, even if they are shared among multiple people. There are a host of similarities, but overall, your powers are your own. You can one hundred percent activate your powers at will now, right?”

  “Yeah.” I nod.

  “Okay, well, at one point it seemed impossible. You tried probably more times than you could count to get them to work—but once you found out the solution, it was easy. It’s the same with manipulating your flames. It’s possible. You’ve done it before. I saw you. You just have to flip the switch. That make sense?”

  “Yeah, it does. I think I know where to focus now,” I say, glancing downward at my hand. A tinge of pain shoots through my forearm, but I hide my reaction from Summer.

  “Good. Now leave me alone. You know these things boot you out if you don’t do what it says.”

  “Roger. Good luck.”

  “Right back atcha’.” I look over my shoulder and see Summer blasting the training dummy with a frigid wave of ice, donning a satisfied smirk.

  I make it back to my dorm not long after that, too tired to make any detours. I hit the shower and then, my bed after chugging a protein shake to tide over my hunger. The next morning is going to be brutal—and that would have been the case even if I hadn’t tried to test my limits.

  That’s just the nature of the academy.

  ****

  Despite my fatigue, I wake up well before my alarm. From the window of my dorm, I can see that the sun hasn’t quite risen, and the campus is still asleep. Just adjusting myself on my bed sends a sharp wave of pain throughout my arms, causing me to lose my breath. I’d pushed myself just like I’d been doing every day since I came to the academy, but only this time, it was through the use of my powers and not my body or mind.

  I gently try to position myself back in a comfortable position but encounter more of the same screaming pain—it’s almost like someone got a hot knife and peeled back to the muscles in my arms.

  I try my best to go back to sleep, and the alarm ringing beside my bed is a testament to my success. When I sit up a second time, the pain is a bit more bearable, but I’m still sore.

  I somehow manage to roll out of bed, power through my morning routine, and grab a quick breakfast before heading out to my classes.

  Time seems to slog by, and it’s hard to focus. While it’s true that the academy is known for housing the gifted, the ‘normal’ classes aren’t anything to take lightly. I can usually handle anything that comes my way and catch on quick from the teachers, but so far, today has been anything but a walk in the park. My mind keeps veering into my distress whenever I make sudden movements, and when I’m at peace, I can’t help but think about ways to improve without being a burden or a hazard to my classmates. My powers are an enigma, even to the teachers, so I’m sure they’re just as puzzled as I am. Now that I can use my powers at will, there’s more that’s required of me, which is to be expected. It’s only natural. It just sucks that ABT is my next class and my situation has hardly improved.

  When I made it to class, it seemed like everyone was paired up with their teams from the previous exercise, so I fell in line. Summer and Erik were already there, so I sandwiched myself between the two, not wanting to seem like I had no one else to talk to until Mr. Hoover arrived. I didn’t have much to say, and neither did my teammates. We were all preoccupied with our own thoughts and what was to come next—the first day after our first real ABT session. We’d each gotten feedback, but it was unlikely the academy would end it there.

  Among the students, of course, there was Tristen. I hadn’t seen him since our fight, but Summer and I had to deal with his goons the following night. I’m sure he got the message not to mess with us, but I’m not sure how he took it. We exchanged eye contact, but not a word was said between us. Both of our faces like stone amongst the sea of students as he walked to his team, Kaci and Wayne. There was an anger in his eyes, but that was it. Nothing happened in the locker room—he wasn’t there when I changed—and anyone that would give me trouble didn�
��t so much as look my way. Maybe the message that Summer and I sent had been heard. We’re not to be messed with and anyone that does...well. It sucks to be them.

  “Greetings, class. I see that you’ve all made it out today, which is good. In the past, some students have been too intimidated by the course to continue to attend.” Mr. Hoover walks into the center of the room, his hands tucked militantly behind his back. While he’s mild-mannered, his presence demands respect. He doesn’t have to say it, but it’s understood. Even with a friendly smile, his towering posture and physique are that of someone you’d expect to be a leader of some sort if you had to guess from appearances alone.

  “Good afternoon, Mr. Hoover,” the class responds as a collective. It’s hard to imagine Mr. Hoover’s proclamation, but it makes sense. People drop out of freshman courses all the time in normal schools. It’s a surprise no matter where you go.

  “I’ve given you all your feedbacks, and I hope you’ve taken them to heart. Overall, this class shows great promise for the future. I’m proud of you, and you should all be proud of yourselves. However, there is work to be done. Keep on improving and striving for excellence. Your time at the academy is only beginning.”

  “We must have really done good then, huh?” Summer nudges me in my bicep and I wince.

  “Yeah.” I nod while hiding my pain. “Guess so.” From the corner of my eye, I see her look me up and down, but I don’t press the issue. She knows what I was doing yesterday. She found me, so she must have realized that I’m still sore.

  “I’m surprised you got out of bed considering last night,” she leans in and whispers. Erik slightly pivots his head my way, no doubt hearing what Summer said.

  “Training,” I say under my breath. “Chill. It’s not like that.”

  “...and because of this, you’ll all be given a free period for today. Work on whatever you like for the remainder of the class period. I didn’t inform you about bringing your suits today, so if you’re sparring with someone, please do your best to show some restraint. Keep it light. Work on technique rather than force. In the future, be sure to pack your suits just in case another opportunity arises where they may be utilized. The next combat exercise will be happening two weeks from now, so be sure to do all that you can to improve. I’ll be finalizing the writeups I’ve created for each of you regarding ways to hone your skills and strengthen your weak points. Expect them to be emailed to you via your school email by the end of the day. Think of these as individual study guides catered to you. Ms. Cosgrove will be monitoring you all, as per usual, and I’ll periodically check in. That is all. Any questions?”

  “Will we have the same teams as last time for the combat exercise?”

  “It will be a group exercise, Roy, but I cannot tell you whether or not you will be paired with the same team. We’re aiming for quick thinking...adaptability. Seeing how your abilities mesh with others is a good way to tackle that objective, but then again, seeing how your abilities clash with a variety of opponents can also breed new ways of thinking and help you overcome pitfalls. Any other questions?”

  Our class falls silent and Mr. Hoover leaves after giving us the okay to use the grounds as we wish. He skipped over Roy’s question completely, but more was said by what he failed to mention. The underlying message behind Mr. Hoover’s words was that we should be prepared for anything and everything.

  It only makes sense.

  While it’s true that we should be focusing on teamwork and communication, ultimately, any team is as strong as its weakest link. We should all be capable on our own. The more proficient we are with our abilities, the more possibilities there are. In our first combat exercise, Tristen was able to use his flames to surround us by spreading them after they made contact with the environment. Kaci was able to use her barriers as platforms in addition to using them for offense and defense on the battle ground. Summer displayed the same level of skill by using her ice in a variety of ways...ways that wouldn’t be possible if they hadn’t honed their skills.

  This is supposed to be a free period—the first one that we’ve had since classes started. Rather than directly coach us, he’s presented us with new information in addition to what he told us during our individual feedback sessions. Mr. Hoover and Ms. Cosgrove are monitoring us, but I’m sure they’re taking notes on how we use our time. Will we focus on teamwork, individual strategies, or ways to sharpen our abilities? Each student is faced with those options. Mr. Hoover told me that I should work on summoning and relinquishing my flame. With the upcoming combat exercise, that alone won’t do me any good. What I should be doing is finding a way to better understand my powers and strengthen my weaknesses. Where I currently stand, I can’t fire projectiles, but I also didn’t have a chance to test the destructive force of my flames. It’s a wild card. At least for now. The most I can do is cause it to spread...in a shotgun-like approach...but the range is painfully short, and it takes a lot out of me. Fighting to the point of extreme fatigue isn’t something that I should look forward to, so I should either find a way to mitigate the stress or build up my tolerance to using my flames in an expanded capacity. I also need to gain more control, overall. I can’t do simple maneuvers and keep my powers activated at the same time. That’s also a major setback—a weakness actually—one that none of my classmates know.

  I need to work on a lot of things if I don’t want to be a burden to my team. Realistically speaking, I’m not that much better than I was a few days ago... The way I’m using my powers right now are suboptimal, and my body’s already taxed from yesterday, so I can’t work on them without running the risk of more downtime. I’ll just have to train my body in the meantime so I don’t waste a day. Continuing to improve my overall fitness is a good move. Powers aside, the user is only as strong as their body allows.

  Determined to make the most of my time, I break away from the remaining students while they plot out their course of action for the rest of the period. I already have something in mind—I just have to get to the right person before it’s too late. Once I spot him, I make my way over to him before someone else snatches him up.

  “Hey, Wayne! Do you have anybody to train with?” I ask immediately after coming to a stop from my jog. Wayne pauses and looks over his shoulder with a mute expression, his hands tucked away in his pockets. He doesn’t seem to be in any sort of rush, but I can tell from his absent-minded stare that his mind is on something. Mostly likely, training.

  “I don’t,” he answers flatly, “but I’m glad you asked. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. You have anything in mind?” I didn’t get a chance to see what Wayne could do when we had our combat exercise. His ability allows him to be durable, but he’s at a big disadvantage when it comes to mid and long-range fighters for obvious reasons. Summer and Erik had no problem taking him out of the fight.

  “Do you want to maybe go a couple of rounds?”

  “Fighting?”

  “Yeah. Well, sparring.”

  “Fine by me.” A smirk emerges on his face after the acceptance of my proposal. “Let’s find a spot out in the field where we can have some space. No tricks, just a good ole fashioned one on one.”

  “Of course,” I answer, confidence lining my words.

  We walk in silence, Wayne leading the way while I follow behind him. As we walk, I take note of my classmates, each of them working hard to improve. Some solo and some paired up.

  I took a chance on Wayne because I figured that he would be willing to spar with me given his performance when we originally fought. One of the pillars of the academy is constant improvement, and it’s already been ingrained in our heads.

  “Abilities are on the table, clearly, just try not to blow my head off. I saw what you did to Tristen,” he says to me once we finally come to a stop.

  Wayne wasn’t able to do much for his team, and I was the one who dealt a game-changing blow to Tristen, who’s known for his skill. It’s only natural for him to want to see where he stands, even if we’re
not going all-out.

  “Don’t worry, that won’t be a problem,” I say while spastically waving my hands in front of my face. “I don’t have full range of my abilities yet, so I don’t feel comfortable using them unless we have protection available.”

  “I see...” Wayne’s eyes narrow. “So, just our fists then?”

  “Do whatever you like. Abilities are on the table, just like you said. If you have some sort of special move you’re dying to whip out, go for it, but I won’t be using anything but my body. No tricks.”

  “Are you sure? You’ll be at a disadvantage.”

  “It’s nothing new.” I shrug. “Up until the last class I didn’t have any.”

  “Whatever you say, man,” Wayne answers while stretching. I do the same to make sure I’m limber enough for what’s to come. He’s fast. Nothing crazy, but he lacks the usual setback that you see in comic books—big brutes that can take anything, but they’re slow as hell. That’s not the case with Wayne. For one, he doesn’t have a freakishly huge body. He’s built, but nothing outside of the norm. I think it’s his physical makeup that allows him to take so much punishment, like, his actual cells. Realistically speaking, I doubt I’ll win. “Ready?”

  “Yeah.” I finish stretching and take note of the pain in my arms. The pain isn’t as bad as it was when the day started, but it’s still a long shot from being one hundred percent. Another reason that I decided to try to spar with Wayne is that I have a theory. I don’t think I’m nearly as fatigued as I think I am. My powers have limits, but my muscles should be fine. The stress I put on them is second to whatever resources I pull from to make the flames. What I’m feeling now is just my body relaying its condition to me the only way it knows how, but I think there’s a distinction... I think, and I really hope I’m right.

  I charge in, itching to make the first move and test my body. I close in on Wayne’s guard and slip the punch he used to keep me at bay. I counter with a right straight, and he blocks it with ease. There was strength behind it, but not nearly enough to do reasonable damage, and it was slow. “Good, but you’re going to have to do better than that.” Wayne throws a jab, and I block it by shifting my guard to protect my face. A split-second later, a sharp pain erupts on my right side—he hit me with a sidekick while my vision was obstructed. Rather than let the pain dictate my actions, I push through and land a left hook.