A Hero in the Dark: 2nd Edition

Chapter 124: Personal Training Endeavor

After a morning chalked full of motion sickness and overwhelming dizziness, the afternoon isn't that great. Kopano meets me as soon as classes are finished. Kopano Okeke, that is; the Nigerian kid that Nine's training to control his density. He roars at me as he rushes in from the end of the gym. I admire his moxie; Kopano's the first—and quite frankly, most eager student—to jump at the chance I've given them all: personal training, that is, or other relevant counselling.

Albeit, I didn't get enough sleep for this, and I know bae can tell. He's standing on the sidelines keeping a keen eye on the proceedings if anything goes wrong like he promised. It's not a big deal. Even though I was slightly annoyed at his overprotective persistence in the beginning, at the same time, I also adore it. I hope I can be there for him in the same way.

I stomp my foot back at Okeke and emit a wave of electrified energy down below his feet. He wobbles, unsteady, but only for a moment before he regains balance, and he continues his path for me from midway across the gym.

From there, I aim a glowing palm at him and blast a beam at his torso, though I only put half of the effort in so as not to hurt him too bad. It doesn't seem to do much except slow him down. He smirks like he's having fun.

Despite the weariness crawling under my skin, I smile back. I take a breath, as if I've been chasing Pixie around for hours on end and pull just enough of Kopano's energy to my own body to face him still. He doesn't even seem to notice.

He closes the distance within seconds, as quick and nimble as a feather in the wind, unlike before when it felt like he was bearing down on me like a rhinoceros. He easily avoids my rays and throws a punch for my head, but I duck at the last second. He kicks at my feet, presumably trying to knock my weight from under me, and for a moment it works. I fumble, but with a breath and a pull of my telekinesis on the collar of my shirt, I'm able to stay upright and balanced.

"Your strong, Kopano," I mutter in a weak outbreath. "Nine must be proud of you."

"Guess so," he says, shrugging, staring, smiling, and in the blink of my weary eye, he's behind me and he grips me in a headlock. Bae takes a step forward but that's the most that I can see before we spin. My hands fly up to pry myself free, but the spin is insufferable. He's strong; I can't deny that. "Does this mean I win?" he asks behind my ear, smugly.

"Guess so," I utter back at him, feigning defeat.

"Call it a day?"

I nod and he loosens his hold, but as he does, I use the leeway to stomp a wave of energy out and all around us. He jumps back and I spin to face him, sweep his legs out from under him with a quick telekinetic swipe, and grab hold of his shirt in an iron grip.

His breath floods out of him as his eyes go wide. "So cool," he huffs.

I almost chuckle. "First rule of combat, Kopano: Don't assume it's over, until it's over," I say, taking a breath. "Anyway, good job. You fight well; I'll give you that."

"Thanks."

"Keep practicing," I urge him as John makes his way over. "Try to remember how that felt; how weightless or heavy you really were and adjust yourself accordingly. It'll get easier the more you do it, as your body gets used to the different masses."

"You mean, you knew whenever I..."

I nod. "Of course," I tell him. Bae loops an arm around my waist. "I read other people's energies, Kopano. I can sense it, or lack thereof. You were practically invisible to me."

"What does that mean? Invisible to you?"

"I can read anyone's aura from miles away; their essence or presence, if you will. Even Number Six—the Loric with invisibility—I can sense her if she disappears. But you, once you went weightless, if I couldn't see you, you might as well be more invisible than her."

"Em, you mean to say that you couldn't sense him when he had no density?"

"No," I say. "I couldn't. It was like his energy... it disappeared."

"Wow," Kopano says, mulling over his hands. "That's incredibly awesome."

"Something to run by Malcolm and Nine then," is all bae proposes, so we head that way.