Chapter 6

A month into Shuu's trial, YES is having a joint martial arts practice between trainees and Team Falcon in Level 1. Shuu is standing among the fresh recruits of Junior Trainees in the back row of the biggest gym hall, as he has been part of YES for just about three months. His fellow juniors are whispering among themselves as they not so discreetly point at some Falcons.

"There, that guy, I heard he's a brilliant transfigurer," One of them murmurs loud enough so everyone around can hear him in the middle of the packed gym. 

"How about that girl? I saw her pacifying another Falcon easily - that's quite handy, isn't it? Do you think that means she could pacify a mutant's ability?" 

"That kind of ability should promote her to Team Garuda, don't you think? Why is she still in Falcon?"

"It's not a matter of having good abilities or not. Placements in Team Falcon are usually for those who work well on the sidelines attacking large amount of lesser mutants and doing crowd control. They do a lot of support too".

"Oh my God, I just introduced myself to a Falcon!"

Shuu lets himself soak in all the chitter-chatter around him as he stays in formation. Most of those his fellow juniors are whispering about are people he has met in his wushu class and it's hard to gush over them when a lot of them are people Shuu has trained alongside and are even people Shuu consider a friend.

A lot of the junior trainees, however, are not as lucky.

They don't have the privilege of training with actual espers by Class S trainers, nor are they mentored directly by a Phoenix. And they have no idea that one of them has that privilege.

"Shuu, is there any Falcon you want to introduce yourself to? A lot of them have watched your training - they must know your name at least," a junior finally addresses Shuu, who has been silent the whole conversation.

"Uhh," Shuu's eyes scour the hall, "Takao-senpai seems like a cool person". He catches a glimpse of the guy doing fire tricks in the center of a circle formed by the Falcons and senior trainees, all of them hyping him up as the difficulty of the tricks continues to rise.

"Ah, I figured. An elemental like you would also look up to another elemental user". And as they crane their heads to see Takao better, Takao notices the attention and waves at Shuu, mouthing an excited, "Oi!", that Shuu returns with a shy wave. "Oh my God!" Another trainee yelps, "He notices us! I heard he is very friendly - we should try talking to him after this training!"

What they don't know is that Shuu and Takao know each other. In fact, Takao has helped Shuu with his wushu training a lot and goes as far as helping him with his private training at home. But how would they know? So far, Shuu has not missed a single training with the other junior trainees. As far as they're concerned, Shuu is definitely ahead of all of the trainees in terms of skill, but they never know how far ahead he is.

Everyone returns to their line the moment Yamada, the Director of the Gym, climbs the elevated podium at the front of the gym and greets everyone through his head-worn microphone. "Good afternoon, team - trainees and my esteemed Falcons. Welcome to our main gym, the largest in the whole facility, in fact. As you can see, you can all fit yourself in this hall with enough space between yous. So what does that mean? Well, of course, there's enough room to spin around, swing you arms and legs, and try Chinese martial arts!"

There are cheers from the seniors and the Falcons. Takao and his friends could be heard chanting, "Laoshi! Laoshi!" in excitement. It seems that the old trainer is a favorite among seniors. A number of people watching from the second-story balcony of the gym hall are also clapping their hands. A lot of them are Garuda members and trainers. 

"Unfortunately, the Laoshi is a little preoccupied today," The Director explains, which is instantly welcomed by a synchronous boo, "However, I have someone very special to introduce you - well, he's not really a stranger to The Falcons, but he's a new face to our junior trainees. I bring you one of Laoshi's best students and an Esper of 5 years, Mazaki Ryota-san!"

Another round of applause ensues. The man steps onto the podium with a light wave to the crowd before bowing slightly to the Director and then activating his own headset mic. "Hello, my name is Mazaki Ryota, pleased to meet you, and, for some of you, I'm happy to finally see you again. There's a lot of new faces here, and a lot of faces I see a lot on the field, some I even see as early as yesterday," he greets. The Falcons cheers, possibly knowing they are who he was referring to. "So, yes, to a lot of you I am not a stranger. However, it has been a while since I last stepped into YES Headquarters. I believe last time I was here was a year ago. I am very grateful for being invited here once again. Looking at everyone today, I think you have Team Falcon present?" The man turns to the Director, who nods.

"Yes, and our trainees".

"Ah, the trainees, no wonder there are a lot of young faces today. I am very pleased to know you guys today, I hope you'll enjoy our training today. Because this is YES, I thought I would be seeing the Phoenix too?" Mazaki jokes to the Director, who surprisingly answers, "Actually, Mazaki-san, one of the Phoenixes will join the training today. He has been practicing wushu the last few months so he said he'd join".

"Oh? Who is it?"

"Hide-kun. He'll join a bit later as he still has something to do today".

"Aahh...," Mazaki exaggerates a grimace to the crowd, "Out of everyone in Team Phoenix, we have to get that one".

Shuu does not expect the laughter that everyone shares on that tiny comment. Segawa Hide is renowned throughout the facility to be a ruffian. Rumor has it he's so wild and aggressive that it's hard for even his trainers to contain him. This, however, happens to not be the case in their wushu class.

However, that knowledge does not deter everyone from laughing at Mazaki's comment. Maybe to everyone, Segawa Hide is something they can laugh about, but after being confronted directly by the guy, Shuu stops talking about him altogether. He stops asking around and, especially, he stops mentioning that name. 

Hinata Ren.

He does not know the significance of that name, but if he could avoid any problem with Segawa Hide, then he would cease mentioning that name ever again.

"Yes, he will join the training in approximately 20 minutes," the Director adds.

"All right. Then you guy better shut up before he finds out you laughed at him behind his back," Mazaki tells everyone, which renews everyone's laughs.

Shuu swallows thickly. This man sounds like he knows Segawa Hide well.

"Wait a minute! Actually, a trial to Team Phoenix is with us today in the hall!" The Director exclaims as if he was just reminded of the fact. The trainees look around as if wondering who it is, but the Falcons turn to one particular person among the junior trainees. 

"The Phoenixes are welcoming a new member?" Mazaki asks, clearly surprised.

"Yes, he has to be somewhere in the back row with the juniors - ah! There he is! Narukami Shuu, our junior trainee!"

In an instant, all eyes are on Shuu, whose eyes grow big as saucers at the mention of his name. Everyone around him, his fellow junior trainees, have their bodies turned and bent towards him, mouth agape and stunned. "Dude, you're joining Team Phoenix?" One of them asks.

"I - I'm still on trial," Shuu answers.

"And you never told us??"

The first wave of applause comes from The Falcons who have known of Shuu since his attendance in Laoshi's class. Takao and his friends can be heard chanting, "Shuu! Shuu! Shuu!" which makes Shuu's cheeks flush. Soon enough, his fellow trainees all clap their hands for him too, some even pat his back and congratulate him.

Shuu has never received this much attention before. All he can do is bow to his friends, cheeks red and tongue too weak to say anymore.

"So young!" Mazaki says from the podium, "And so handsome too! I am looking forward to what you can do, kid. Surely, if the Phoenixes are interested in you, you must be extremely awesome".

"HE IS!" That's Takao. People start laughing anew thanks to his antics.

"Wow, you've got a fan already".

"I AM!"

Shuu flushes. He should really talk to Takao after this. Knowing the older teen, he will not stop teasing Shuu no matter what the latter says.

After things calm down, Mazaki starts the training by demonstrating basic Shaolin Style Wushu using the bo staff, both defense and offensive moves. Afterward, they all follow the movements; moving synchronously. After everyone has a better grasp on the skill, Mazaki gives them a brief review of the set of moves. As he does so, Shuu recognizes two people entering the second story of the gym.

He would recognize that curly hair and that swept hairstyle anywhere. It's Abe and Segawa, walking together into the gym. Abe stops at the balcony, leaning towards the railing, while Segawa walks ahead to the stairs leading to the training ground. He sees Segawa taking one of the bo staffs from a rack near the stairs, and he wordlessly joins the right-end corner of their line. 

"Great that you finally join us," Mazaki says for everyone to hear. People start trying to have a better look at the one and only Segawa Hide, but he is standing where it is hard to see him. "We are going to start our sparring session. You will split into teams of two to practice the use of the moves that I have shown you. Before that, we shall have a demonstration from two volunteers - I am, of course, expecting someone from Team Falcon or even the senior trainees, but if a junior trainee is happy to try that will also be excellent".

Everyone starts talking among themselves; complaining that they will have to spar and are expected to volunteer a spar that will be watched by everyone. Surprisingly, one hand rises up above everyone's heads. "Ah, yes, Segawa-kun, are you volunteering yourself?"

No one can hear Segawa Hide's answer, but Mazaki responds with, "All right. We have one volunteer, will we have a challenger?"

This time the murmurs get louder. "No way anyone is going to volunteer to be beaten to pulp by Segawa Hide!" Someone behind Shuu hisses. 

"One of the Falcons, maybe?" Mazaki suggests, not mentioning any of the trainees due to the fact that everyone knows that Segawa will be a difficult opponent.

Segawa keeps his hand raised, which Mazaki can no longer ignore. "Yes, Segawa-kun?"

Everyone ceases from speaking. "I would like to name an opponent".

"Oh? So you are the challenger. All right, who do you have in mind?"

"Narukami Shuu".

If just half an hour ago everyone was looking at him in envy, this time, all Shuu can see is pity. "Shit," he hears someone say; something he himself would like to cuss once he heard his own name being mentioned.

"Well, he is only a junior," Mazaki excuses with an awkward laugh.

"Words around that Narukami Shuu could handle himself well in combats. He is quite skilled," Segawa's speech is filled with a mocking tone.

Shuu grips his bo staff tighter. As Mazaki speaks behind his mic with the Director, all the other people around them steer clear of Segawa Hide and Narukami Shuu. In no time at all, Shuu finds himself in the direct line of sight of the strongest, the most brutal, of The Phoenixes.

"All right, all right, you two. We will have this spar," Mazaki joins them on the gym floor, "But remember, this is just a demonstration. You should stick to the movements that have been taught. Segawa-kun, because you were not here for most of the demonstration, you'll be on the defense and Shuu, offense," He stresses his words when his gaze meets Segawa, "There is no need to use your abilities, understand?"

It's clear that the warning is directed towards Segawa and not Shuu. Both teens now stand face to face. Shuu sees the smirk very clearly on Segawa's face. His heart thunders as every word, every gaze now prick at his skin.

"Sure," Segawa tells Mazaki, "I can hold myself very well in combats. I guess I'll just follow along Narukami's offense". The way he leers at Shuu is... eerie.

"Okay! Let's start!" Both teens stand a little farther away from one another and do a salute before they slowly take their form. Mazaki taught them very simple moves, so Shuu, despite his nerve, starts demonstrating the exact same steps. In the last step, Segawa is supposed to demonstrate the main defense, where he would cross his bo staff against Shuu's so the offense is blocked. What happens instead is a very quick set of movements. Next Shuu knows, his bo staff is thrown spinning wildly into the air.

"STOP!" Mazaki orders at the same time Shuu stops his bo staff from falling and hitting someone mid-air using his air-wielding ability. He hears the low gush of, "Woah" from their surrounding.

"We are practicing the moves that have been demonstrated before. Segawa-kun, you were adding unnecessary steps into your moves," Mazaki then explains to Segawa the steps they're practicing.

"I get it. If you don't mind, we should have a second try so I can demonstrate the correct moves," Segawa is all smiles, but Shuu sees the threat laced in his words.

"No, we can just proceed to -"

"No, I think we can have another try," Shuu interrupts as he effortlessly uses the air to get his bo staff back in his hand. Shuu does not know where he gets that courage. His heart is racing - though this time it is from a force that is unknown to him instead of nerve. He never has such a strong feeling before. All his life, Shuu is always calm and cool.

They both return to position before Mazaki manages to get a word out and soon enough they are already on the move. This time, Shuu makes sure to step back on the last move and adds a swing that has been taught to him by Katsu. That swing causes Segawa to almost lose his grip on his bo staff.

"Woah, okay! That's that, let's stop right there -," Shuu hears Mazaki saying, but they don't stop. Instead, Segawa tightens his grip and starts his own series of attacks, bo staff spinning and twisting madly as he advances, slash after slash towards Shuu, who expertly blocks every swing. Finally, the older teen jumps and points his bo staff to the ground. When he lands, the force sends everyone toppling off the ground with Shuu holding his ground only because he protects himself with a shield made of ice.

With a wave of his hand, the ice shield diminishes to small crystals - this time, Shuu makes his advance with his bo staff engulfed in flame.

"Stop it!!" They both hear Mazaki, "I said no abilities!!"

Shuu's flame creates a mirage of his bo staff, each swing is now deadlier, but, this time, Segawa abandons his bo staff and comes with his fist - a weapon deadlier than any wooden stick when it's used by Segawa Hide.

"A pacifier!! Do we have a pacifier in the room???" Mazaki calls, which is quickly answered by a girl from Team Falcon, "On it!!"

And that is how the flame on Shuu's bo staff is reduced to mere smoke and the fist that is flying to Shuu's face, although now losing the brutal force of Segawa's ability, hits a cheek. A loud smack echoes in the gym as Shuu receives a punch to the face. 

"What the hell are you doing!? Stop th -"

They don't stop. After dropping to the ground, Shuu jumps back to his two feet and runs at Segawa with his own fists. With their abilities momentarily locked by a pacifier, they both settle with their hands and feet. "Stop this! Stop this at once!" Mazaki tries getting between the two, but these are two teenage boys fighting like two drunkards at a dive bar. They are head to head, nose to nose, when, out of nowhere, a bo staff flies between their noses, successfully separating the two.

Everyone turns to the podium where Abe Koukichi stands with his body bent forward and one arm extended. Slowly, the young man drops his arm and straightens his posture. Missing is his usual smile. In turn, a dark shadow is cast over his face before he raises his head slightly and everyone can see the glare.

"Ahem," the Director, who is wiping his sweat off with a handkerchief behind Abe, coughs into his microphone, "Abe Koukichi from Team Phoenix would like to speak to Segawa Hide, uh, outside. And, someone should take Narukami Shuu to the medical bay".

**

A junior trainee who nicknamed himself Gori was picked to take Shuu to the medical bay on Level 2. The guy, who is as big as expected of someone with such a name, cannot stop talking about the fight. "I mean, it was awesome and everything, man, but if it's Segawa, it's better to just play dead". He continues on to ramble about how skilled Segawa is, how strong, oblivious to the deep guttural emotion seething within Shuu's system.

For once in his life, Shuu feels... furious.

He may not look like it. All his life, he never leaves his polite and kind mask. Now, he's left with this strong emotion and he doesn't know what to do with it.

"Excuse me," Gori announces their entry to the medical bay, which looks like a small clinic. There's a lobby; next to it is a lounge where people can wait for their turn, and behind the lounge is a corridor with numerous doors that Shuu assumes lead to different wards or offices. A woman in her middle to late twenties welcomes them from behind the front desk.

"Yes, can I help yo - oh, what kind of training is scheduled today to cause that bruise?" She gasps and rises from her seat, "I was not alerted of any activity that could cause this kind of injury in the headquarters today! Gosh, all the healers are sent to the field with The Garudas today. We only have guides present at the moment".

She stops next to Shuu and lands a hand on his upper arm, eyes studying the bruise on the side of his face. "What causes this?"

"It's Segawa Hide, ma'am," Gori answers readily.

"Of course, it's that boy again," she grits her teeth, "Guides can't be of much help with such injury. We will have to settle with just cleaning and putting ice on the bruise today. I'll also send an ointment and some painkillers home with you. I'll set you up with a healer for tomorrow".

"It's all right, I'll get Grandfather's healer to fix it," Shuu grunts, his jaw aches as he does so. Being gravely ill and mostly bedbound, his grandfather has a team of 8 guides and 5 healers, almost all of them holding a degree in medicine. Most espers would have been linked to a guide or two, but it is rare that they have a personal healer too.

"Your Grandfather?"

"He's the grandson of Narukami Ryuu, Ma'am," Gori, again, answers.

"Oh, then you are..."

"Narukami Shuu," Shuu mumbles. Shuu isn't sure what it is about his name, but the woman looks slightly taken aback.

"Err, okay. Well, let me check a couple of things," she makes a quick detour to her seat and rushes to type something into her computer. The sliding door right behind the front desk slides open, and from behind it, someone says, "It's okay Hiyori-san, I'll take care of him".

"Are you sure? I can handle him instead".

"No, it's fine," the person from behind the door walks towards them and shows himself. Clad in a high school uniform, leaning to the door frame with his hands crossed is that boy - the one Shuu saw in that parking lot. The one that got Segawa Hide so riled up just because he heard somewhere that this boy's name passed Shuu's lips.

"Ren! But, the board says -"

"It's fine," Hinata states before turning his body slightly, "Come on, you want to get treated, right?"

Gori shifts uncomfortably, but Shuu's hard gaze is trained on that boy. Perhaps it's the leftover frustration he is still feeling after that stupid fight, perhaps it's because this boy somehow got him in this trouble. 'Why can't I talk about him anyway??' Is the protest made in his mind, 'He's just another guy!'

Shuu exchanges glances with Gori, before following Hinata wordlessly into the room behind the sliding door. He hears the woman, Hiyori is her name, telling Gori to wait in the seating area. 

Behind the sliding room seems to be a general check-up room. The room is not too big for it to look like patients would spend a long time in it, but it's not too small that it can't fit a bed and a desk. The walls, like most health facilities, contain health-related posters. It even has a Snellen chart which is used to check one's sight.

Hinata takes a seat behind the desk. "Doesn't look like the level of harm Hide would stop at," the guy mumbles as he jots down notes on a tablet. Shuu does not follow him. Instead, he stands by the door.

"Pacifier," Shuu grumbles with difficulty. The bruise is making it hard for him to speak without much pain.

"Ah, of course. That pacifier will be here to see a guide very soon, I'm sure, haha". There is a chuckle coming from the boy. Pacifying the abilities of two S-Class users in the middle of a heated fight would exert the energy of a pacifier. "Sorry, I will have to take your blood pressure and temperature. Um, it's standard procedure. Shuu-kun, you can sit down -"

"Are you his Guide?"

Hinata Ren looks taken aback. Like that, he looks confused; helpless even. And Shuu reads people's strengths well with his energy-sensitivity. It's the way he looks up to Shuu, no aura whatsoever, and he is just unbelievably small for someone who stays in such a facility like YES. Unbelievable, how Shuu gets into all these troubles for this person!

But it's the only explanation that would make sense. The boy is sitting here in the med bay, and the front desk lady just said they only had Guides at the moment. Shuu knows Guides also have ranks, that he should be able to sense, but perhaps it works differently for them.

"Whose?" Hinata Ren asks instead, eyes avoiding Shuu's

"Segawa Hide's".

"... Uhh, I guess it depends on how you define a Guide".

What kind of answer is that?

"You're not a healer".

"... No, I'm not". Hinata Ren fiddles with some health equipment on the desk, "Shuu-kun, you should sit down and let me do a basic check".

Shuu obeys but not with a single drop in his frustration. He watches the long slender fingers roam around his arm, finding his pulse, wrapping his arm with the cuff, and taking notes of his blood pressure. Soon he is working on cleaning the bruise on Shuu's face.

The problem is, as he previously sensed in their first meeting, Hinata does not have a wisp of energy that Shuu can see around an S-Class. He can still sense them around A-class and B-class users, and just a little around a C-Class. But Hinata? There's nothing around him.

It's hard to wrap his head around having someone like that in a facility such as YES considering that YES does not recruit anyone below B-Class. Guides and Healers usually range from C-Class to S-Class, though the latter is rare.

Among the two professions, healers are the less common of the two, as they require the ability to restore body functions or to speed the progress of healing. Furthermore, a guide with a high matching rate with an esper could usually also heal an esper in the middle of guiding, hence the presence of a healer is sometimes unnecessary.

If healers heal external injuries, guides are crucial to espers because espers would constantly be out of tune with their ability. When they exert themselves too much, their energy goes haywire and would then lead to a state called 'overexertion', where an esper either goes insane and lose control over their power, or they would just go into a deep coma. 

Most external injuries cannot heal properly when an esper does not receive routine guidings, hence a healer would not make a difference to an esper without a guide. 

There are a lot of factors involved in guiding, obviously; such as matching rate and the relationship between the esper and the guide, but it is well-known that most guides have very low matching rates with S-Class espers. Hence his grandfather needs 8 of them because none of them could give him proper and satisfying guiding.

Still, because of that matching rate and the closeness required between an Esper and their guide, the easiest conclusion to Segawa Hide's unnecessary hostility towards Shuu is that of an Esper's protectiveness of their guide.

Therefore, with the barest of assumption in mind, and the bubbling fury he has against the other Esper, Shuu blurts out, "If Segawa Hide is good enough to be guided by you, would I be good enough too?"

The movements stop.

"S-sorry?"

Shuu watches the round dark eyes widen and the cheeks flushing. Shuu's mind reiterates what he just said to the boy and, so, he realizes how crude and inappropriate what he said really is. "I- I mean -!"

"All right! I got your ice pack and some salve for you to take home!!" Hiyori, the lady at the front desk, opens the door with such force and urgency that it is hard not to assume she is there to stop the conversation. Shuu finds himself staring at her with a flush.

"Here!" She hands the ice pack to Shuu's grip and directs the hand to his swollen cheek, "Keep it there for 15 minutes. You should do that at home too, 15 minutes at a time, throughout the day - that is, unless you get a healer to heal that. You can go home now, by the way! Your parents have been informed".

From how she is saying this, it is obvious she wants him gone from the room. Honestly, Shuu would rather leave too. What kind of Esper would ask to be guided by a Guide after implying that Guide is another Esper's?

"R-right," Shuu murmurs as clearly as he can with a bruised face. He rushes to stand up from the seat and leave the room. He cannot bear seeing this Guide, if he is, after saying that to him. Before he manages to, the boy stops him.

"Shuu-kun!" Hinata calls. Shuu stops with a jump, head slowly turning to the direction of Hinata Ren while his eyes are glued to the floor. "I promise Hide-kun won't bother you anymore!" is what Hinata Ren say.

And while Hinata Ren does not sound as threatening as Segawa Hide, as confident as Abe Koukichi, or as charming as Takenouchi Sora - in fact he sounds like he stumbles on his words a lot - ...

... It strangely sounds like a threat.

**

To be Continued.