Dawson was shocked that she lost control after hearing why Jo attacked that man. And maybe even proud? "So... you got protective." Ruth summed up. Machi chuckled as her cheeks tinted red.
"He's the Dawson Black. He can take care of himself." Ruth then added. Going over the lists of achievements which made her feel more embarrassed than ever. During that, Machi wondered what that energy was. After all... her ability was not super strength but as a healer.
As the flame around her wrist diminished, she circled it and felt no pain anymore. "Can I ask the all important question as to why that just happened?" Machi interjected. That's when they all looked at one another. He made a valid point and Ever and Zac looked to each other than Dawson. "You have something they want. Especially if he infiltrated the City and this high profile event." Jo concluded. Seeing him nod, Evermore suggested this talk to happen after the gala. And Jo knew he couldn't hide it from at least Ever and Zac, but there was a chance she'd not be let in on why her own husband is being targeted.
"Yeah but now Aunt Jo broke the snack bar I have no incentive to remain here." Machi argued.
Across the hall, Lord Hellyer and Lord Hogwood watched the scene before them. Mira Hogwood watched as well and wondered how such a low level could surround himself with such legends. "Machi Harkness seems to be an oddball don't you agree Hellyer?" Hogwood said, almost amused. "Issac seems to see such potential in him." Hellyer was no stranger to Issac Kalona's feats. Admired the scientist a lot.
Lord Hogwood noticed his daughter watch with confusion. He understood why she was feeling that way. Power surrounds itself with power, that's what they were taught. But in Machi's case, his intellect surpassed the limits of normal.
"Ban fell asleep. Should we head over and see what's going on?" Hellyer suggested and Hogwood noticed the scene. He may be a fickle man, but he trusted the woman known as the Leader of Academy City. "If they ask for our involvement we'll be told, for now they can handle themselves."
As the gala continued, Hogwood watched as Hellyer took his leave to give his grandson a proper bed to sleep in. "It's getting late. We should head back too father." Mira said.
'Is he not even going back? The next round begins tomorrow.' Mira wondered.
***
Seeing the kids leave, Evermore wanted to speak to Hogwood and Hellyer about Dawson's discovery but put it off for tomorrow. Since all had an early start tomorrow, everyone decided to leave the gala and allow the rich ones to enjoy themselves.
Jo and Dawson arrived separately so the healer wondered how he even arrived. Hearing from Zac that he advised (read: forced) him to come, the pair headed off in the car Jo owned and arrived back at the now guardless home.
Barking was heard as Jo opened the door and Dawson was jumped by the little dachshund, called Jesse, he remembered was just a little puppy. It was then he felt the time he spent away hit him, their puppy was all grown. Jumping out of his arms, Jo chuckled as she watched him run up the staircase.
"I won't even get 8 hours." Jo complained as she kicked off her heels. Hoping to hear her husband at least ask why, she turned and noticed he was searching through the drawers.
'Why are you like this sometimes?' She asked. Hearing the drawer then shut, she didn't pay attention to when he turned around until she did. That's when her mouth dropped.
"Don't ask why or how. But this is why people are after me. I should-"
"Why didn't you hand it in sooner?" But that's when she realised he didn't plan to.
"You know the rumours Josette... ability books are the only way for someone to possess two abilities simultaneously. Or for the rare non ability people to gain one. Freed was after this, so I decided to get it first." He admitted. Everything now began to add up. His attentiveness, unwillingness to let his guard down, remaining in the living room... ensuring that the book was safe at all times.
Ability books are rarer than diamonds or SS rank missions. Only one has ever been recorded and that's in Ashmire where Lord Hellyer gained his powers. Anyone who has an ability book has access to one of the strongest powers in existence. Luckily Lord Hellyer used his power for the benefit of his nation.
***
Jo woke and noticed Dawson still remained asleep beside her. Step by step but... they were getting back to their normal. 'This years exam will never end if we keep having disruptions like this.' She thought as the announcement went out that they needed to delay the Round 3.
She was also told - through a message from Zac - that she could have the day off to 'talk' with Dawson. In reality, to allow the pair to get back to their normal. That plan went out the window when she heard someone knock on the door. Jesse barked loudly which woke Dawson and he headed down and noticed Jo just looking at the person knocking at their front door.
It was Machi.
"I want to confirm something Aunt Jo." Machi said as he sat at the kitchen island while she made breakfast. He was left to his own devices which was a normal day for him. "Your ability is healing isn't it? The drawback is you can't heal yourself."
Nodding, the pair wondered where the kid was going with this. "Then how the hell do you have strength like that? Not even the average human has that much power and I can't see any bulky muscles on you."
Only one person apart from Jo knew what Machi was talking about and that was Dawson. Everyone else believed the healer possessed a bloodline that made her super strong as the Harkness mentioned.
"I guess your mother never even revealed this to you. I wasn't born in the Old City - the city before the Revolution. I was brought here from the outskirts of the South Hemisphere, close to the Partition (essentially the equator which separates the north and south). There, abilities weren't the centerfold for the survival. This energy was. I don't know if anyone else survived and it would be a pity to not pass it on. It is called ki. And before you ask, I tried teaching Dawson... he failed spectacularly."
"I didn't fail. It takes too much concentration that I can put elsewhere. And the drawbacks on my body are too high." Dawson corrected and Jo chuckled before looking back at Machi.
Seeing the look in his eyes, Jo placed a nice easy breakfast in front of the genius. As they ate, Jo explained why she was home for the day and Dawson kept glancing back at the drawer which - and they didn't know - caught Machi's attention.
'There is a large source of energy in there. Dawson must have a reason for not revealing it.' Carbine said and Machi agreed. Heading to the garden, Machi wondered why they were in such a spacious area. Feeling a hand on his back, he could tell it was Jo.
Energy surged through his body like never before, entering every single cell, switching them on to a higher level. 'This... feels strong.' Machi thought - hoping Carbine had said something. He seemed knowledgeable in areas Machi shockingly lacked.
'Shouldn't be shocked by Rylan and Eve's son... he's got a natural affinity for ki. Maybe even higher since he has no natural ability. He could easily surpass my strength with the right training.'
As the feeling dissipated, Machi turned around and looked to Jo with wide eyes. 'He felt it? Well... he's got a lot...' Jo surmised. "That energy isn't naturally felt on the first go. You have a natural affinity for ki. First things first, you have to feel the energy through your body. That's stage 1. Stage 2 is imbue the energy into tools and your body."
Machi theorised that the reason Stage 1 and Stage 2 were separate despite having such similarities was because of how hard it would be to control the energy for a focused task. "You can do much more than you think with Stage 1." Jo decided to add. "Ki naturally occurs in everyone. Even if it's a small amount."
"Sensing." Jo somehow found this teaching fun.
***
Shockingly, ability book that laid in the Black Household was not able to be sensed. Zac tried looking for it using every means necessary and Kai went crazy running calculations but they couldn't find it. "The only way that's possible is if the ability book has a user." Kai said. But Dawson revealed it didn't.
Not just a random person can open one. "Doctor Loupe," Kai turned and saw one of the lead scientists, "we've got a red signal."
"Red?" Kai asked. "Where?!" Everyone wondered why he was now so loud and angry but Zac just looked at the screen.
"Heading for Academy City."
Zac looked at the room of scientists and then to Kai. "Team Ruth isn't available. And Team Lorn are in another galaxy. Leading the 101st expedition. Kai this is your call, what do we do?"
"My call?"
That's when he realised. He's the only one who knew about what each signal meant. "Doctor Loupe, there are more signals. Red, orange, blue... black?"
That's when the chilling words left the mad scientists mouth. "Lock down the entire city. And summon every force possible."
***
Dragur. A hybrid humanoid race that really... enjoy conquering planets. Earth was the only planet the Dragur haven't been able to conquer and that was because of the era before war on earth.
Dragur's possess different colours. Green, Orange, Red, Purple, Blue, Black. Possessing scaly skin resembling a snake and spikes along their back like a dragon, the Dragur have been blessed with significant intellect and superior fighting skills. Only thing on par is abilities.
It was a mission when Evermore first became a captain of her squad when she encountered one. The sextet - Rylan, Dawson, Isaac, Evermore, Anne and Kai - ran into the Dragur on a supposedly A rank mission.
So, Kai, who still remained traumatised by the scene that burned into his mind, remained ever vigilant and ensured the tech was able to detect when Dragurs were approaching earth.
"Lockdown? Is he crazy?" People in the room questioned him. The stigma behind him being mad was still present. "You need Lady Harkness' permission to put the entire City on lock down Doctor."
Kai grabbed a device and headed out the door and everyone turned to Zac, who the others had liked and admired much more. "Get ready for the lock down. I suggest you go home and collect your kids. Those that want to remain can remain here. If you would like to bring the young ones here, there are rooms under the labs they can remain in."
-
Ever got the request and just as she was about to reply to Kai, he walked in. "Kai, what-"
"We are under attack Ever." He stressed. "My radars are picking up an army of 50 Dragur. One black, 4 blue, and the rest a mix of red and orange."
With Lord Hellyer in the room, who also knew the threat these creatures faced, Ever got up and looked out the window. "It has been how long? 23 years since we saw one?"
'And Rylan was the one to defeat it. The blue dragur.' Evermore wondered what would happen.
"Lord Hellyer, take all the ones you bought to Kai's lab. Zac will get Lord Hogwood to do the same. If your numbers are correct... we are going to need a whole lot of help to defend against this. Kai, I want you to find out if this was just a rouge attack or if they're finally making a move. Call up Anne and tell her to get all the B rank agents to begin preparing.
All the C rank agents are to keep civilians safe. Liz!"
Everyone watched as Evermore stormed out of the room, throwing on her specially made cloak which helped track her movements via Rebus, the assistant quickly followed behind. "Tell Commander Sunridge that the Citadel Exams are cancelled and that his squads are to join everyone else outside the dome. They are to follow Anne and make sure a healer is present. Get Nakamura on the line and tell him to meet me on the roof.
And get me Dawson Black."