Chapter 34——— Training 'Em When They're Ripe [2/3]
——————————————————————————
Surwick, in all its glory, boasting it to be one of the largest and prestigious schools in the N.U.S.N, having a dozen elevators currently operating.
Akina Willoby had seemed to have forgotten about the elevators and darted down the stairs. She was late for training with the No.2 Hero.
With the No.2 Hero waiting for her to come.
Just Akina alone.
She was making a bad impression in being late for their training today. All because she was overthinking again, it was one of her weaknesses.
Oh man, oh man, oh man. Her thoughts were parallel to that of the white rabbit when he went down the rabbit hole to Wonderland. Akina was indeed late.
I'm gonna be late! I'm gonna be late! I'm going to be late!
As the duel pink colored haired girl was rushing herself to the location, as she turned to a corner too quickly. She wasn't thinking right now: All of her she was thinking on how to
She was going too fast where could not stop herself, another quick step like this and could go right through the wall.
Akina had bumped into another student with a non-lethal speed, rubbing her forehead and cursed profusely to herself as the other one did as wellX Dammit, about eyes on the damn road next time, dude!! Or dudelette? She complained mentally while the another student recovered and offered to help her get up by reaching out and lifted her up with no effort.
"Sorry-y for that-" Despite her being in a rush and being a bit upset, Akina sill had manners. She was raised by a family where etiquette matters and triumph over everything. She tried to say sorry but realized that the person who bumped into was none other than Regis Luxulric; the Prince of Somnus.
Even she thought he was quite handsome, but then Akina remembered: This was the guy that Marcus told her about; the showboat who defeated him with no effort. You....You. She remembered him. Her palms became tighter as reminiscing how they first met.
It was around the second week when they met in the cafeteria where Jordyn was tormentIng her and her brother. It was the usual mimicking, throwing food at them and calling them names. Regis came to their aid, for which Akina was grateful at first.
That is, at first.
As it turned out, he was much more worse than her. It was that condescending tone that makes him a jerk, a egotistical prince with a demeaning attitude towards people like Akina.
All that anger became apparent to him as her hair once again stood up and was a bright pink yet again. Regis simply lit up as she spoke fiercely. "You're Regis."
He paused a bit before smiling at her, somewhat pleased to meet her. "And you're Akina Willoby. I hear that you're quite really strong-" Regis tried to complimented her, but she had enough of it. "I'm sorry but I have to go to the beach!" She angrily told him before running off to the the exit, puzzling him before he shrugged.
I thought she's the shy girl who stutters; not the one who stares at people menacingly and tries to bite a person's head off? He thought. Who goes to beach anyway after school? Who are you, a desperate This realm is hella weird anyway. And just like that, he went on with his business in the hallways.
———Three Minutes Later———
Just a few more blocks and I'm there. She murmured as she ran to Memorios Beach, hoping she didn't waste any more time of Chief Apex's.
Memorios Beach.
Memorios Beach is one of most beautiful beaches there is in the N.U.S.N. The skies are always clear when she comes with her family, she spent two of her birthdays here.
The seas are to die for; they were so clear and so pure, a person could see a memory in the waters.
Purer than most seas these days. Legend has it, that a great Aeon inhibits in the depths of Memorios Beach. Otherwise than that; nothing out of the blue. People relax and enjoy themselves like they should while being on the edge of Navotitlan.
However recently, there has been an abundance of green algae and dead fishes that was brought over from the tides changing.
There he is; Chief Apex. He wore a black polo with cargo shorts, Akina could tell that he was at the beach for a while due to his sunkissed skin on his arms and legs. Enapay was in his normal form in public, so that hungry eyes did not suspect him to be the N0.2 due to him being in his "Clark Kent" disguise.
He waved excitedly as Akina got closer to him, there was not another person on the beach, due to the over accumulating algae living on the sand and blue oceans, not to mention to the recent smell.
Chief Apex began to speak, "Hey kid! I see you got the location quicker than I thought! Sorry if I'm late."
Wait. I'm the one who's late….Why is he apologizing? Akina thought before she came more curious. After thinking about it, what are we doing here on the beach? Shouldn't we be at some type of gym to train or that one mega-gym where some of the Heroes go to? I need to ask him.
Akina tried asking him by mustering up the confidence she needed in order to cease her stuttering. "Sir? What are we here? On the beach-ch?" She was shocked at the end of her sentence when it surfaced again. Wishing that she didn't have her stutter, she had no confidence in herself; Akina wanted to be in that form of hers.
She wanted to feel that adrenaline again.
His face changed. "I have a quick question, Akina: Where do we come from?" He asked in a serious tone. "Us Ultimen, I mean." Chief Apex added quickly.
Then one thing dawned on Akina, that one part when she was unconscious and talked the spirit, it was:
The Ulitmen, once billions of them, were protectors of humanity when conquerors wished to conquer Mid-World, none of them were successful, the last time although successful...The cost was heavy. 98% of the Ultimen population died out in a month. Nowadays, they cling to the shadows, becoming urban legends when they can gain glory.
Those words were still lodged inside her mind, that whole paragraph of what happened to Ultimen and where they at now.
"It was a whole paragraph that my spirit told me: it was 47,000 years ago. That's a long time ago and history books don't exactly share that information. Those days were dark, bloody: I had an ancestor who fought them...I don't want that for you, I don't want you to fight a force that rarely comes to earth: I want you to be a great hero in the making. I want you to stand in the face of justice——to uphold the law. We stood up against the forces of Corheim and many of us died in the process."
"Why-y? I thought-t we were strong."
"I don't know. No one does. All I can tell is that Corheimr are much more vicious than we are.
That boy Ryoji is one of a kind. I can tell he's a good kid: Just different."
Yeah. You're right about that. Akina smiled.
They sat down on a plastic collapsible chair, facing towards each other. "The reason why you're an Ultiman is because one of your family members had to be an Ultimen: It's a recessive gene or dominant one depends on which parent had it. I think my grandpa had it?" Chief Alex scratched his chin, as it was itchy from thinking too much about his grandpa.
I never met my birth parents before. I don't think they're alive anyway….. Akina thought in sorrow, clenching her fist.
Chief Apex moved onto today's session. "Okay, I brought you here because the algae has crowded the place I love the most when I'm off work. And it reeks like dead fish too. Moving these are a little complicated. You could make all of this go away if a single blast and you could theoretically destroy the entire beach." Chief Apex pointed out to his apprentice. "So, I want you to move all of that nastys and trash on the beach with a long-range attack: A flick."
Akina was confused, seeing how a blast could easily decimate a pile of rubbish. " Think of it as a gun, except your fingers are making a vacuum in the the air and then shooting it towards a target."
"Makes sense-e." Akina retorted.
Chief Apex told her. "So, use a flick like this…." He had his index and thumb and pushed the air and moved an entire wall of algae and fish carcasses away from the beach.
Away from them.
Akina was amazed by her idol, gasping audibly as he smiled.
"If you're successful, the winds generated from your fingertips will be a force to that of a small hurricane, it will move it back safely and peacefully. However, there is a lot of sand here as well. Don't try to cause a sandstorm here. Since your form seemed to be caused by negative emotions, try to use some of your power with positive emotions." He instructed her while pointing her target, where it was the most accumulated algae there.
A Mount Everest in terms of weight and height compared to the the piles. Akina looked at him, perplexed if she has to do one pile or two.
I really got to do this? I feel so queasy….. A deep
She took a deep breath, her eyes widened as it was her turn to move the massive accumulation of underwater garbage without laying a single finger on it.
Akina locked her feet in place, held her middle finger and thumb in place as well.
Three…..Akina counted down mentally.
"I want you to feel something happy." Chief Apex told her how to control her powers from a distance.
Two…..She better positioned herself for stability.
"Like spending time with your favorite people, or enjoying sightseeing in a forest! Something peaceful."
Or enjoying my friends...Oh gosh: I'm not using the power of friendship to make me stronger.. Akina smirked, she was feeling that euphoria again like she did a few days ago.
Hair standing up and was bright pink again, strange markings were on her face yet again, flicking never felt so godly to her.
Seeing how that mountain of rubbish went back to the sea. "Holy-" Marveled Akina, whose finger was busted up from moving a large pile of algae into the ocean; only using the winds equivalent of an actual hurricane to push it in the waters of Memorios Beach.
She can use that form too with positive affirmations? Wow: Color me giddy and impressed!
Chief Apex thought in excitement before shifting it to concern.
Akina breathe in sharply, she wasn't able to contain her screams of pain. Oh gosh: That really hurts!!
It was only seconds before Chief Apex rushed in to check if she was okay. She bit her mouth in pain as her newfound mentor checked as gently as possible while it hurt even more. "Argh!! Why does it hurt so much!??" She yelled on the top of her lungs and began to doubt herself; like she usually does. Can I really do this? Can I? I don't even know anymore...
The No.2 Hero went to see if Akina could continue forward, Akina held her finger in agony like a dying deer He tried his absolute best to be gentle once again. "It's alright. It's alright. I'll take you to Red Alert."
While he was younger and enrolled in Surwick, he took a class of Medical Terminology and Medicine Procedures. He and Lucius, or Red Alert, had the same classes together. Ever since they graduated, they have been great friends.
Now look at them; both of them are working for Lino Saon.
Even now, that talking dog still scares the living crap of both Chief Apex, the Symbol of Valor, New Glory and Red Alert. Three of which are excellent heroes. He remembered his little "discussion" with him the other day. While it was civil at first, it escalated quickly.
"Shit! Shit!"
Akina groaned from the top of the lungs as Chief Apex put his newly appointed apprentice finger back in place, she sat down in agony.
He shook her to see if she was still alright. "Are you unable to continue this? I won't be mad and we can go get ice cream afterwards—"
Akina simply said no. It made him stop, even he knew his limits but this little girl before him didn't.
No? Seriously? Man, you are really full of surprises! And you're stubborn too! I'm glad you accepted your proposal…..You remind me of someone…
He thought, she was starting to get his respect
"No-o. I'm going for-forward!! No matter how broken my body will be in the future, I'll be strong as New Glory, Lino, even you; Chief Apex!!" She declared. "I won't give up!"
Impressed yet again, her teacher held out his hand; she couldn't leave him hanging. Ok Kid, let's continue on. He pulled her up, it felt to her like she was took off to Mars.
She didn't even stutter.
Akina regained her balance, now she was riled up from the adrenaline pumping. She was ready to flick more algae into the beach as her hair stood up and markings appeared on her body as she thought of Ryoji. "Okay! Let me do this!" Akina said as she was ready by getting herself in a flicking position. Huh.....I wonder on what Ryoji is doing right now?
———Track 34 Ended———