Smoke and Mirrors [HIATUS]

Chapter Two: How We Got Mentors and Started to Stress Out Over Tests

One year later, Falcon and I were standing with the other pairs to be Chosen. Actually, we were barely able to stand still and keep calm, having our chips implemented in our necks only a week or so ago. It was very weird, feeling emotions that weren't mine, hearing slivers of thoughts that also weren't mine, and most of all, being able to anticipate what Falcon was about to do. 

Hopefully that would be one of the things that our mentors would teach us about.

Next to me was Festus, a (usually) perpetually nervous, paranoid kid. Usually this kind of event would have him paralyzed with fear, but I could see him standing up straight, not twitching, and basically being like his unemotional partner, Cole. I got the feeling that maybe I was behaving a little like Falcon, too, and that she now might have habits that I have.

I rubbed the chip, a slightly aggravating habit that I started to get after the operation. The skin around it was a bit inflamed and felt hot to the touch, but apparently wouldn't get infected or anything. I wasn't exactly sure that I would wake up dead one day, but then again, it's been around fifty years since an Investigator died of an infected chip.

As before, we would be called into the room one pair at a time, then immediately start our training. A small part of me wasn't sure that we'd be able to pass the preliminary tests that followed the implantation of the chips.

Was that a thought of mine? It didn't seem like it-way too much uncertainty than what my thoughts feel like. Also, there was way too much nervousness, something that I would never have allowed to seep in my voice, let alone my thoughts. And there was a bit of guilt and discomfort on it as well. The only discomfort that I think I felt was from the chip itself.

"Pair number one-five-three, report for Choosing and assessment."

Falcon shot me a glance and we started walking towards the room, aware of everyone's eyes on us. I guess since we were called the last last time, we were now first to be Chosen.

We entered the room only to have around fourteen more pairs of eyes staring at us. There were seven Investigator pairs present (altogether, there were one hundred three pairs alive and in action), one of which would become our mentors. I briefly wondered if we were to be attacked or if that was something that just happened during the first meeting in this room.

All of them remained emotionless as Falcon and I sat down on the chairs. We stayed there in silence until one of the pairs walked forward.

I recognized them immediately. One male, the other female, one with raven hair and the other with hair like starlight, they were one of the most successful and famous pairs alive. Sol and Coral. The ones who set the record before Falcon and I shattered it.

They were living legends.

Excitement and delight coursed through me, the latter being Falcon's emotions, probably. I mostly felt excited.

"Well, I don't see the point-" Sol started.

"In us introducing ourselves," Coral finished. "Let's begin training, shall we?"

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In just three months, Falcon and I could block each other's thoughts at will, perform complex moves that only those who were in complete sync could do, and even anticipate what the other would say and complete their sentence (well, most of the time we just completed it while the other was talking, but we were getting there), just as Sol and Coral demonstrated on the day of the Choosing Ceremony.

On some days, Sol and Coral would separate us and teach us separately, then quiz us on what the other had learned. This helped our link develop and eventually we could be doing one thing and helping the other do another (although it could be very head-splitting, in my opinion, it was worth it).