I only meant to stay out one night...I didn't think I'd be stepping into a whole new world....
This is fan fiction mashup of two of my favs...all credit of brilliance goes to CL Stone for her amazing Academy characters and Andrea Hosts Touchstone...
Fourth Squad and I were assembled in the training room that we had used to test Victor's lightning. The boys were lined up in two neat rows, all standing in a military position of attention. The official mission log was running.
Tsee Blackbourne's crisp voice enumerated our tasks for the day. "We will test each ability separately. Each user with that talent will demonstrate first a baseline of current strength and then enhanced strength. Tsen Lee, you have an order of rotation?"
Kota answered, "Yes, as follows: 1. Lee, 2. Griffin, 3. Morgan, 4. Coleman, 5. L. Taylor, 6. N. Taylor, 7. Korba...Will you and Ista Green be testing abilities today?"
"Ista Green will, I will not," Tsee Blackbourne answered.
Kota added, "Then 8. Green, before the cycle resumes."
Tsee Blackbourne continued, "Very well. We know that the enhancement lasts five joden. A wait time of two joden will be instituted between enhancing the next talent user. For example, when we test speed, Tsen Lee will enhance and Tset Griffin will wait two joden before making physical contact with Miss Sorenson. Understood?" Everyone nodded. "Also, after each round of testing, Miss Sorenson, you will rest and eat one of the energy wafers Ista Green has brought along. This will help to keep your energy up. Report signs of fatigue or any unusual symptoms. Ista Green is monitoring you, but it will help if you communicate what you are feeling.
I felt like I needed to salute or something, but merely said, "Okay."
"May I make a suggestion?" Sean piped up. Tsee Blackbourne nodded. "During a previous demonstration, we found that contact with Sorenson did not need to be maintained, and did not need to be hand-to-hand. Sorenson, if you could instruct your nanosuit to leave a space on your shoulder bare, each talent user can then just tap the exposed area to enhance and move forward for the demonstration. I think it would streamline the process," he shared.
The others agreed to this and I made the necessary change to my uniform.
"We will start with Telekinesis. Everyone with this ability step out, and form a line behind Miss Sorenson," Tsee Blackbourne instructed.
Kota, Luke and Sean moved behind me. Kota's demonstration was a repeat of earlier. He was the strongest telekinesis talent user of the squad. Even enhanced neither Luke and nor Sean could lift as much as Kota, but the improvement in their strength was significant. I sat on a block that Sean floated over to me and ate the obligatory energy wafer. Bleh!
Speed was next. Kota stayed, but Luke and Sean were replaced by Nathan and North. Nathan was the fastest Setari currently serving at KOTIS, enhanced he was able to race up the wall and across the ceiling. I giggled imaging him wearing the D.C. Comics Flash costume. Sean sent me an Interface message threatening a cure again and a wink emoji. What in the world was he talking about? I just shook my head. North actually came to halt with a wide grin after his speed enhancement.
Teleportation was out, since it was clear from my accident with Jessica that the unpredictability of the distortion could prove dangerous.
When Kota tried to Levitate after enhancing there was no noticeable change. So he tried levitating while holding my hand and that left us both dizzy and nauseous. After a longer rest, Gabriel noted that I would still need to be moved around somehow during Ena missions, so he put his arm around my waist and made our nanosuits stick together like Siamese Twins, then lifted us up together.
"Now, you have to stick with me, Trouble," Gabriel quipped as we set back down. Luke, Silas and Sean all practiced Gabriel's velcro method too.
Kota's and Gabriel's enhanced Illusion Projections were distorted by inverting whatever image they showed. I did try again to do a projection on my own to no avail. Luke still clapped for me, saying I deserved recognition for my intense look of determination.
Then we started testing the elemental abilities. We moved behind the blast door for safety. We also decided to take the rotation slower, with a rest between each talent user since elemental abilities could take a bit more energy.
"Ready for the big reveal?" Nathan whispered in my ear as he stepped forward and then lifted a fist towards a target. He opened his hand and the target was suddenly engulfed in a pillar of flame. He closed his fist and it went out with a poof of smoke. He smirked at my wide eyes. Then became serious again as he swiped his hand over my exposed shoulder and stated, "Pyrokinesis: Enhanced Strength." This time when he opened his hand, a floor-to-ceiling curtain of fire separated us from the far side of the room. Definitely, a new level of wow.
Next, North came to stand just beyond the protective barrier. "Ferrokinesis: Current strength," he said, deep voice echoing in the large room. He reached out to the barrier itself and shards of metal started breaking off then drifting toward him. He made a series of hand gestures and the pieces all melded together forming a katana sword. His eyes gleamed as he grasped the circular guard with one hand. Then he performed a sweeping motion up the blade with the other, igniting the sword in fire. Enhanced, the ferrokinesis, distorted in a positive way with the sword emerging from the metal fully formed. Unfortunately, when he activated the pyrokinesis, North himself was covered in flame. I screamed and some of the others yelled in surprise, but Silas acted fastest, using his hydrokinesis to douse North in water from a barrel nearby.
"Korba," North grunted, emerging from a cloud of steam. "You know the fire doesn't burn me," he complained. His hair hung wet and dripping in his face.
"Aggele mou, was frightened," Silas shrugged nonchalantly. Luke, brimming with mirth, looked like he could barely contain himself.
"Don't even think about it," North growled, pointing a finger at his brother.
Luke just threw up his hands in a 'what, me?' gesture. The others who had recovered from shock, now burst out in laughter. Tsee Blackbourne even slipped that millimeter smile.
North just stalked over in my direction. He placed his hands on my shoulders and his expression softened. Quietly he said, "Sang, Baby, you don't have to worry about me." He looked over to the others and announced. "Time for a break," then slid one hand down my arm to lace his fingers with mine and pulled me out of the room.
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******** A/n: Here is a list of the Fourth Squad talents
Fourth Squad Talent Set
S=strong talent, W=weak talent
Kota/Green: S: telekinesis (move things), levitation (lift self- fly!) and teleportation. W: combat sight, speed and illusion
Nathan/Red: S: pyrokinesis (fire), Combat Sight, Speed (think Flash of DC Comics, Fastest Setari)
Victor/White: S: electrokinesis (Lightning bolts and whip)
Gabriel/Orange: S: Ena manipulation, illusion/projection, levitation, W: Path Sight
