14 Days of Cyan & Kinn (Incomplete)

Day 2: Taking Interest in Each Other

I held the square-shaped pendant in my hand, examining it as I lose myself in my thoughts. There has to be a reason why I've become a Guardian. When exactly am I going to need this? Was something big going to happen?

"Hey, Cyan." A gentle voice snapped me back to reality and I looked up to see Kinn, standing in front of the bench I was sitting, just like when we first met. I blushed.

"O-oh, hey Kinn," I greeted her awkwardly, and I mentally slapped myself. "What-what brings you here?"

She shrugged lightly. "Everyone was off watching Verdan play basketball but I couldn't find you anywhere, so I decided to look for you. And seeing you sitting alone from afar..." she smiled, "I thought you needed the company."

I tried desperately to hide the red colour blooming on my face, but I just couldn't stop blushing. And Kinn was right in front of me to see it all. Oh god. "Well, I-I wouldn't mind a friend here," I said, patting the empty space next to me on the bench. "Sit down."

Kinn sat down and I anxiously fiddled around with my pendant. I was not ready for a one-on-one conversation with her alone like this. I hoped she wouldn't notice my anxiety.

"So why aren't you watching Verdan with the others?" Kinn asked.

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Well... I'm not really close with them yet, and-and I need some time to think about all... this." I gestured at the pendant and sighed.

"It is a pretty huge turn in our lives," Kinn said, nodding. "When Luna invited me to become a Caretaker, I thought I was dreaming. Seeing them get all those new powers... and suddenly a task to find you and make you a Guardian. It... feels like a massive responsibility is dropped onto my shoulders without any warning. Not that I don't enjoy the work, but y'know."

I agreed quietly, looking at my pendant again. "That reminds me," I murmured, looking up. "What are your Caretaker powers? Luna and Neptune demonstrated theirs, but I don't think I've seen yours yet."

"Ah. Yeah..." Now it was Kinn's turn to look a little self-conscious. "I don't know. I wasn't gifted anything." She paused as my eyes widened in surprise. "Luna got her propellers and Neptune got his cutlass... but I've got nothing. No weapons, no power. Maybe I do, but not like a physical power - maybe it's within me. But it was a little disappointing, I guess," she sighed. "I feel a little left out... and a little useless."

"You're not useless," I immediately spoke up. "The Tree of Life chose you for a reason, just like all of us. I mean, you got me chosen as a Guardian, you're doing great! Maybe you haven't encountered the spark yet. Maybe your power needs a particular trigger. But don't worry, you're not useless and I'm sure you have your own special powers."

She looked up and gave a small smile. "Thanks, Cyan."

I smiled softly in return.

"So what are yours? Every Guardian has their own powers when they wear their pendants. Lili found out she had super-speed and Ferris could jump five times higher. Verdan was still trying to work out his. Have you found yours?" she asked eagerly.

"Nope," I shrugged. "Never found the time. But I can try a couple things, see if I can find out now..." I stood up. I've always wanted teleportation or telekinesis powers. Maybe I got one of them if I was lucky!

I spotted my first test subject - a crushed can of soda. I focused on it and stared hard...

...nothing happened.

I could hear Kinn giggling softly behind me, and I flushed a bright red again. "What are you trying to do?"

"I'm trying to move this soda can with my mind," I said with a strained voice, but then I released the breath I was holding and broke off my staring contest with the can. "Damn," I muttered. "Alright. Not telekinesis."

Kinn watched with interest as I tried teleportation. Maybe, if I focused on a location hard enough, I might be able to materialize there. I looked at the far end of the pathway and memorized hard.

Again, nothing happened.

I sighed in disappointment as I opened my eyes. "Nope," I said. "Not teleportation either."

"We can try visiting the group," Kinn suggested. "Maybe they can help you find yours."

I shrugged. I was... actually having fun with her. We're actually talking... and conversing... something I only imagined in my wildest dreams. I didn't really want to leave now. "Let me try a couple more things first," I said as I picked up the squashed soda can to place it in the nearby bin.

But just before I managed to drop the can into the trash, I spotted the big black spider chilling on the lip of the bin.

I hate spiders.

I shrieked, a very unmanly sound to make, and shoved the bin away from me by reflex...

...and suddenly both my hands glowed a bright blue and the whole bin - and the spider - flew off the ground.

Kinn and I watched in shock as the trash bin flew a nice hundred metres from where I was standing and landed, scraping the ground and scattering the grass with trash. I gaped at it.

"...What the fuck just happened?" I said in disbelief.

"What did you do to it?" Kinn asked in awe.

"I saw this spider and just... shoved it," I said. "I shoved it, and my hands glowed blue. And then out of nowhere that bin just flew off the ground."

Kinn was silent for a moment, trying to work out what it meant. "...Cyan, try punching the ground," she said.

"What? That's gonna hurt."

"Trust me, it won't."

I groaned and stared at the ground. It looked pretty solid... and pretty painful if I hit it...

"Oh, fuck it," I snarled and threw my fist towards the ground.

Suddenly, my fist glowed blue, just like earlier, and there was a short, non-painful thud and the ground shook slightly as my fist landed on the dirt. When I lifted it, there was a large depression shaped like my fist on the dirt.

"Holy shit, I've got super strength!" I exclaimed in delight, staring at my fists.

"That's gonna be really useful in battle... only if that happens, of course," Kinn added quickly, seeing the appalled expression on my face at the word 'battle.'

"Let's go back," I grinned. "I'm in the mood to show off."

Kinn just laughed. "Alright, follow me."

We walked away from the bench feeling closer than before.