Titles and Trials

The sun had set as we finished eating, and I was now in a completely different predicament than before. "The whole reason for us being roommates is to help the world, so just sleep in the same bed." Lydia said as she looked back at me from the door to the bedroom. I shook my head and said "I'll sleep on the couch. Thanks for the offer, though..." Lydia sighed and said "Being in such a big bed all by myself is lonely...are you sure?"

I spared her a glance before responding. "If it makes you lonely, then take the couch and I'll have the bed all to myself." Lydia threw her hands into the air before shutting the door, leaving me to calm my furious heart. 'I just turned down a girl who wanted to sleep with me...No! I can't get sidetracked...' I climbed onto the couch and laid there trying to sort out my jumbled thoughts.

Slowly, I entered a deep sleep. When I woke I did my usual jog, except I was in an unfamiliar area, before trying out my unlimited access to the training facilities at the academy. The hallways were long and empty, making it take a while for me to reach my designated training room. The door was large and made out of a heavy metal with a keypad on the side. I took my I.D. card and input the six-digit code on the front before swiping it through the machine.

It beeped and the door swung open. The inside was atmospheric to say the least. It looked like I was about to go on a picnic instead of train for a few hours. It was a rolling landscape with lush grass and trees, and there was even a lake with a small waterfall in the back of the massive room. As I walked in, and the door swung shut behind me, making me feel even more excited as I walked toward the center of the room.

There was a large stone circle in the middle and, when I stepped on its perfectly smooth surface, it opened up to reveal numerous large racks of weapons. The racks slowly came up from the ground, leaving me with a sense of intrigue as I began to wonder what kind of weapon would suit me best. I shook my head and stepped off of the stone circle and thought 'I best stick to my hands for now. I would mess my entire foundation up if I tried to use a weapon now...'

I began to do my normal exercises and train my powers before calling it quits and walking back to my dorm room. On the walk back, however, a cold shiver ran down my spine. The surroundings were ridiculously quiet, just like how they were last night, and I could feel that something was wrong. I followed my gut and deviated from the path to the dorms and began to walk the edge of the academy grounds.

Soon, the voice of a man was audible as I neared the forest at the back of the academy. It was a gruff voice that was growling more often than speaking, and I was able to sneak around before coming across a clearing. I hid behind a bush and waited for the voice to come closer. A man dressed in a long black robe with a hood over his head walked into the clearing with another, smaller, hooded figure.

The two were engaged in a conversation, except the man was the only one saying anything. His voice was too low for me to make out any specific words but, with them being so suspicious and so close to the academy, I could only guess about what they were talking about. I was about to ignite my arms into flames and jump out there, but a hand on my shoulder kept me from blowing my cover. I spun and grabbed the hand on my shoulder before stopping when seeing who it was behind me.

Lydia's calm face showed no signs of fear or hesitation as she motioned for me to keep quiet while moving closer. I followed her and we moved in silence as we tried to find a better spot to hear the two, however, a man in a white lab coat with joggers and a white t-shirt walked through the trees and said "You two. You're on private grounds. If you don't leave, I'll be forced to-"

The hooded man turned his head toward the man in the lab coat before lifting his arm and saying "Shut up all ready..." pure silver chains shot out from his hand and flew straight toward the man in the lab coat, however, they phased right through him. The man in the black robe clicked his tongue and practically spat out the word "Professor...!" like it was venom.

The man in the lab coat raised his brows slightly before saying "What? You know me? Oh well, it doesn't matter for you'll soon be in a cell..." The man dashed toward the hooded figures as his body began to shimmer before turning completely invisible. The hooded man scanned the surroundings and flinched at the slightest noise, however, his companion was the complete opposite.

Suddenly, the hooded figure swiped their arm to their side, causing the invisible man in the lab coat to crash against the trees and release a startled groan. Lydia looked at me and I nodded my head in silent agreement as the two hooded figures walked over to the prone man. "Not so tough now, are ya, Mr. Takehito?" Lydia and I edged closer toward the man in the lab coat, and he seemed to notice us out of the corner of his eye.

I gave a small signal toward the man to let him know that we were on his side when the smaller hooded figure finally spoke up in a very feminine voice. "I know you're there. Come out, or else I have to come and get you myself." I clicked my tongue and gestured for Lydia to keep going as I stood and walked out of the brush. The hooded man turned and I could see his smug smile from under his hood.

"Well well, it's the pretty boy that walks around like he own the place. I'm so glad we met under these...circumstances." The man flourished his arms out wide and I took a low stance as my arms burst into flames, incinerating my hoodie in the process. The hooded man threw a silver chain at me, and I deflected it before leaping forward.

I was forced to stop my advance when the man created a multi-layered barrier of silver chains before going on the offensive. 'He's a ranged-type...this'll be an easy win if I can figure out his weakness...' I noticed that the man had a semi-predictable pattern in his attacks, so I decided to test him by letting one of his chains wrap around my left arm.

"I've got you now, hotshot!" The man tugged on his chains, and I felt them trying to pull me toward him, but I dug my heels into the ground and turned my flames onto full blast. My muscles bulged as I pulled back on the chains; neither of us willing to give in. This was the only distraction I needed, however. "Lydia, now!" I yelled as I saw the redhead get into position. She jumped from the brush and unleashed a volley of crimson fireballs toward the chain-user and his companion.

A few of the fireballs hit the man in the back, breaking his concentration enough for me to overpower him and send him flying into my fists. The hooded woman evaded all of the fireballs as Lydia grabbed the professor and looked at me with a worried expression. "The hell are you waiting for? Go! I'll be close behind!"

Lydia fled through the trees as the hooded man crumpled under the weight of my blow, leaving me with the mysterious woman. She calmly stood in the clearing, not daring to make even a single muscle twitch as to alert her plans. I, however, did the exact opposite. I paced back and forth, my entire body seething with an unknown rage, and I made sure the woman knew this.

My entire body was ready to leapt forward and attack.

"You reek of Shadow...! You best have a good explanation, or else I'll be forced to deal with you." The woman scoffed and said "Why do I have to explain myself to a stranger? You make no sense, foolish brat." I settled down into a relaxed stance before saying "So be it. If you won't talk on your own..." I leapt forward at a speed most would have trouble following before continuing. "I'll just make you...!"

I threw out a punch with enough force to shake the trees behind the woman before throwing out a low kick to intercept her dodge. The woman jumped and twist in midair to avoid my left-handed jab that followed behind my kick. She was experienced in combat, and I knew I needed to be careful. I threw out a right hook and she dodged backwards before vaulting away from me.

She was trying to keep her distance, so I mentally assumed that she was a ranged-type, however, I didn't let that force me into thinking that she wasn't a melee-type. Suddenly, the air around us began to crackle and pop as the woman settled into a pose similar to that of a person about to do a 200m dash. Before I knew it, the woman's lightning-filled eyes were mere inches away from my own.

I narrowly dodged her knee, earning a small cut on my cheek in the process, before retaliating with a hook kick. She spun and blocked the attack before holding her palm out toward my chest and sending a streak of pure, dark-blue lightning toward me. The attack was too close for me to dodge, so I was forced to tank it. I crossed my arms over my chest as the bolt hit and I was sent flying backwards.

Before I could recover, the woman was already under me with her leg cocked and ready to deliver a blow. I spun in midair and slammed my palm down on her shin as her leg neared my body, causing me to flying off to the side virtually unharmed. "Oh? You actually managed to escape from that? You're better than I thought..." I stood and rolled my shoulders before responding. "It's nothing. I once knew someone who fought like you, that's all."

I leapt forward once more and out fists clashed, sending shockwaves out in all directions. "Heh, I see you haven't slacked off on your training, Kenji..." I snarled as I threw out a knee before following up with a jab. "Don't you dare say my name! You're better off dead, traitor!!" My fury was renewed as my blows began to hit with increasing intensity.

"Now, don't say that. You know I was only doing the right thing..." I ignored the woman's honey-scented words as my flurry of blows increased tenfold, my speed slowly rising as did my wrath. Images of the burning Okinawa once more filled my mind, giving me the strength I needed for this fight, as it had only begun. I still remembered that Shadow's twisted grin to this day, hell it usually haunted my dreams...but this woman...her smile was all too similar...

It was the deranged smile of a sick and ruthless killer, not the friend I once knew.