Chapter 4.3

Alina and Asami were collapsed on their desks respectively while Michelle was finishing her notes. Hearing the bell ring caused Asami to come back to life as she jumped out of her seat, her excitement jolting everyone near her.

"It's lunchtime!" she exclaimed. "Let's head to the Dome! I've heard that they have all sorts of meals there. Tempura, here I come!"

The Dome was the Academy's lunchroom but due to having an elementary, high, and college section there was a need to create a large building that was connected to all school levels of the Academy. This place was eventually named the Dome. After hearing Asami's suggestion, Michelle nodded while Alina, who was going through her bag replied busily.

"Sure, I'll go with you guys but I won't-" Alina stopped abruptly when she realized that she didn't bring her lunch. In her rush to leave home early and avoid Jason, she forgot to pack it.

"On second thought, I might as well get a meal too." Alina brushed it off as the trio walked to the lunchroom. On their way to the Dome, however, they encountered an awful scene.

Emily was arguing with a guy, who seemed to be a senior student from the college curriculum while two girls looked on disdainfully. One of the girls said something to Emily that angered the guy, causing him to shout and slap the latter.

Flames erupted in Alina's eyes as she immediately activated her ability and focused it on her legs, propelling herself forward. Reaching the guy in a second, Alina sent an upper-cut, with all her momentum, into his solar plexus. As he kneeled down with his head forward, Alina performed a spinning kick, smashing the bottom of her heel onto the back of his head. His head impacted the ground with such force that his nose broke and he lost consciousness.

"Alina! c'est assez!" Michelle said when Alina took a step forward to continue her attack. Alina lowered her fists and turned around, taking a few steps away from Michelle before turning to Emily.

"You okay?" Asami asked Emily as Alina approached them while Michelle called for a medical team to treat the injured student.

"I'm fine," replied Emily while trying to hide the bruise she got, a forlorn smile on her face. "It's nothing, really. Just one of my ex thinking he can control me."

"You have bad taste in men, sans vouloir vous offenser," Michelle said as she walked to them.

"What can I say? I was young and stupid," Emily replied, trying to smile. "Hey, I'm - I gotta go. I'll catch you guys later."

As Emily left, Alina wanted to call out to her but Asami stopped her.

"We can't," Asami told Alina and Michelle. "If we try, she'll just feel more inferior."

"What do you mean?" asked Michelle confused.

"Think about it, if she was a sixer or even a level three, would he treat her like this? Would anyone treat her like that?" as Asami spoke her eyes were on the other two girls who had fueled the fight. Right now, they had already walked away but Asami continued eyeing them.

"You can imagine how Emily must feel, and it won't help if we try talking to her. We're just a reminder of how powerless she is." All three sighed when Asami finished, each quiet and lost in their own thoughts.

***

Emily hurriedly walked through the empty hallways, looking for a quiet and empty place to gain her bearings. Looking down, Emily was unaware of an approaching figure until she slammed into his chest and flew backward.

"Whoa, hey now," the figure said as he easily caught her hand and pulled her towards his chest, balancing her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," said Emily, feeling like a broken record. Why was everyone asking her that?

"Right. Huh, you look just like the night I met you. You know, submissive, without a shred of fig- ah! There it is! Now you look more lively." Jason shameless egged Emily until she glared at him, smiling at her angry stare. Emily prepared to stomp away when Jason caught her arm.

"Wait, Wait. I- I'm sorry. I'm not good at ... comforting girls. With words," he explained when she looked at him.

"Oh? So how do you usually comfort them?" Emily asked back annoyed.

"Usually? With my tongue," his words appalled Emily into stunned silence. "Okay, why don't I apologize by helping you. Now hold my hand."

"I- what?" asked a flustered Emily while looking at his outstretched hand.

"Hold my hand. Go on, don't be scared, it doesn't bite. It pinches." Jason answered roguishly.

Emily blushingly reached her hand out and daintily placed it in his open hand, but Jason grimaced as though he remembered something.

"Ah, my bad," he said, a rascal's smile was plastered on his face. "I meant my wrist, hold onto my wrist."

"Are you trying to annoy me?" asked Emily with a pointed stare as she quickly grasped his wrist.

"Focus on my arm. Focus on what you feel," Jason said sternly, any hint of playfulness vanishing as he spoke. "Feel the energy wrapped in your hand, feel it flowing."

As Jason continued speaking, his arm in Emily's grasp started glowing, the green energy crawling around them like wisps of smoke. Slowly, he lifted his hand and stroked the bruise on Emily's face with the back of his hand. The bruise disappeared as he moved his hand to her other cheek, gently stroking it. As she felt the warmth of his hand, she couldn't help but lean her face closer to it.

"What do you feel?" he asked, his quiet voice sounding much more exotic.

"It's warm and gentle. It feels comfortable but familiar..." Emily replied slowly with closed eyes.

"It's what you have inside you, the power to heal," Jason said as Emily opened her eyes and looked at him in surprise. "My ability ... it's Energy Manipulation. I basically copied the type of energy your ability would release when being used.

"Now focus on yourself, try to sense a similar sensation from within yourself," he said seriously.

"I can feel it. It's ... it's ...." Emily stuttered when she felt Jason move his hand from her face and gently sent it downwards, tracing down from her neck to between her breasts, all the way down to her navel.

"Here," he whispered, his hand and voice causing Emily to shudder. Looking up with watery eyes, she realized that he didn't have a trace of lust in his eyes, rather, he took that as normal behavior.

"Focus over there and try to move it like another limb, like you would for your hands and all. If you succeed then you'll advance to level one, I promise." Jason continued nonchalantly. "Well, I have to go and find Alina, keep practicing in the meantime. I'll see you in tomorrow's class."

Jason waved his hand and walked away, leaving a red-faced Emily who was still shocked by his caress, standing like a frozen sculpture.