( Ken POV )
"Huft... Huft... L-lord Mordred... I'm already at my limit..."
"Huh!? Only ten laps and you almost knock out? So weak!"
From where I stood under the arching trees of the garden, I could hear every word. The two girls ran the worn path in a wide circuit around the sculpted bushes and flowerbeds, with Daisy visibly struggling, her dark hair plastered to her forehead as she tried to keep up. I couldn't help but smirk at their little exchange.
"What kind of hero you want to be if you can't even finish a basic exercise!?"
"But I don't have superpower! I can only do some tech stuff..."
"Even without superpower, this is still necessary because it's a basic. You've got a hundred push-ups, sit-ups, and squats waiting for you after this.
"B-basic!? All of that is just a basic...?"
Daisy's face drained of color after hearing Mordred plan for her. Her gaze wide with disbelief as she stumbled slightly, catching herself just before tripping. But despite her tired expression, she still gritted her teeth and continue her run.
"Of course, now stop whining and continue running!"
"Ma'am, yes Ma'am!"
Watching them, I couldn't help but chuckle, arms crossed as I leaned back against a garden pillar, half-concealed by the shadows.
Seeing Mordred guiding Daisy physical training, I found it quite amusing. It seems Mordred like to take care someone younger than her, just like Fran from London singularity back then.
'Anyways, Daisy herself needs to strengthen her body for her future power. But how is she supposed to awaken it...'
But therein lay the problem: I had no idea which version of Daisy we were dealing with. If she were from the MCU, she'd need the Terrigen Mist to unlock her powers. But if it is her comic counterpart? I had no clue what might work for her.
'Anyways, that's a problem for the future. Now let's focus to the other subject.'
Not far from me, Anna sat under a shady tree, her face tight with concentration. Her right hand was held up, a small metal coin balanced on her palm, her brows knitted and her eyes closed as she tried to harness Magneto's power that still attached to her.
"How is it going?" I asked her.
She opened her eyes with a frustrated sigh. "It still doesn't work, I can't sense my power at all..."
Her voice was barely above a whisper, tinged with discouragement. She dropped the coin, letting it fall to the ground.
I fell into a silence, contemplating what is wrong with her practice.
While I was thinking, next to me Mash gave Anna an encouragement look as she stroked the great white beast on her hand, looking uncertain about how to help.
'Hmm, this is also quite a problem for me...'
Like honestly, compare to the Avengers information, I don't have much knowledge about the X - men beside from uncle wolves and the two old guy.
I'm mainly a movie watcher after all, and I heard the mutant's movie is mostly below average. So, my interest toward them is low.
'If I can recall correctly, Rogue ability allow her to absorb the powers, memories and even the vitality of her opponent. But I don't know if it is only for temporary or permanently, and how long she can keep it inside of her.'
"Did you find the problem, Senpai?" My kawaii kouhai asked me, feeling concerned about Anna situation.
But instead of replying, I continued to study Anna closely. She was avoiding my gaze, maybe feelings a bit awkward under the weight of my attention.
"Anna, could you tell me what is on your mind while you try to access your power before?"
My question hung in the air, tension building as I waited. Anna's eyes widened, clearly caught off guard. She hesitated, her gaze flickering downward before she eventually answers it.
"U-uhm... I was thinking about when I was touching my m-mom that day... W-when I awaken my power..." Her fingers twisted the edge of her shirt nervously as she whispered.
The amount of anxiety and fear latched on her answer is quite visible even for me. She was even shivering before she quickly turns on the CID 2.5 version on her wrist that Sion specifically build for suppressing the Meta's power.
'Naruhodo... No wonder she failed...'
Hearing the poor girl answer, my guess is not too far off then. The reason she can't use her power is simply because she is afraid of it. The amount of PTSD brought by it is quite awful for a teenager like her.
Even if she wishes to control her power, deep down inside of her mind or maybe even in her heart, she is afraid of her own power. All of the past events happening to her, making her subconsciously reject her own power.
'So, no matter how I guide her now, she will eventually fail, huh...'
I sighed, crossing my arms. "Let's stop the training for now." My words were abrupt, and both Anna and Mash looked up at me, startled.
"Huh...!?"
"Senpai?"
I glanced at Anna and Mash, both staring back at me, their expressions a mixture of confusion and surprise. Shaking my head, "It's no use for Anna to continue training today, she is not in the right state of mind right now."
"W-what did you mean? I thought you could help me?" Anna's voice wavered, her words hesitant but laced with disappointment.
I sighed again, softer this time, shaking my head as I tried to find the right words. "Anna, I can only help you if you can help yourself first." I held her gaze, hoping my words might reach her this time. "You asked me to guide you in controlling your power, but… deep down, you're avoiding it, aren't you?"
Her voice came out uneven, nearly cracking. Her fingers tightened around the bracelet on her wrist—the CID 2.5 device designed to hold back the abilities she was so fearful of. "I'm trying, really! I've been trying so hard, but… it just doesn't work."
I met her gaze, unmoved. "Maybe you think you're trying," I said, my voice low but steady. "But I can see the truth written all over your face." She looked down, her expression faltering.
"You're nervous. Anxious. Hasty, even… And, most of all, you're afraid. How you become easily depended on that new bracelet. Couple with the previous events happening to you, I could understand that you are afraid of yourself."
"You're afraid of your own power, Anna. Afraid of the destruction it could bring to those around you. Afraid of hurting the people you love. And… most of all, afraid of hurting yourself."
"....."
As I was finished talking, the silence descent and making the atmosphere around us gloomier than ever.
She didn't respond, I saw Anna head hanging down low with a depressed mood while she is touching the CAD on her right wrist anxiously.
Despite the truth that I said, it seems my words is a bit too much for her, making her this depressed. Even Mash, standing beside her, shot her a look of sympathy.
'I feel quite bad for her...'
"Sigh, look, I'm not a psychiatrist who can help you with your mental problem," I said trying to get her attention. "But I could try to help you calm your mind. Besides, a calm mind is a necessary start for you to train your power."
'Should I just awaken Kiara...? She is a therapist right...?' For a moment, I was tempted.
The poor girl finally raised up her head, "I know, and I'm sorry for dragging our training session..." She said with an apology tone.
But Mash reaches out to her, showing her comfort. "It's okay, Anna. We could understand your difficulty, I know you are still worried about your mom's situation."
My kouhai said while she pulled Anna into a gentle hug, and I watched as Anna slowly relaxed, letting out a soft, relieved sigh as she leaned into Mash's embrace.
I couldn't help but smile. Seeing them like this, so connected, so quick to lean on each other, as expected from women.
But Mash's words stirred something in me— a reminder of a conversation we'd had earlier.
"Speaking about your mom, didn't you see Sion and asked for her help?" I asked as I recall that Mash mention it before but not in a detail.
"Uh, this..." Anna seems quite hesitant to answer before Mash take over, "It's like this, Senpai."
"Yesterday we are going to see Sion-san on her workshop, but when we arrived, the door toward her room is still tightly shut. There is only a sign telling us to write what we need on the paper that hanging on the door, and it said that Sion-san will check later it when she has a time."
"Kyuu! Kyu!"
Mash and her pet replied to me while Anna beside them also nodding her head. Now that I recall, I barely saw Sion after I give her Azazel tail that day.
'Well, she is stil a magus in the end of the day...'
"So, there is still no news from her?"
"Yeah, I guess Sion-san is still busy wit–"
Beep! Beep!
Just as Mash was about to finish her thought, a sharp beeping noise erupted from the CAD on her wrist, startling all of us. She glanced down, eyebrows knitting together as she tapped the screen, her eyes narrowing with curiosity.
"It's a notification," she murmured, pressing a button. A small hologram projected itself above her wrist, and a familiar voice of someone could be heard from it.
"Mash, I've read your memo that hanging in front of my door. Sorry if I took a long time because I was busy with things, but I've finished your request and found what you are looking for. Let's meet on the command's room."
The message from our purple hair genius couldn't be more perfect. At least after knowing her mom situation, Anna could be at ease.
Right?
"That was a nice timing. It seems she finished whatever she's doing on her lair."
"As expected from Sion-san."
Both me and Mash express our thought about Sion efficiency while the new girl showing a surprise expression to that news.
"So fast? Is it that easy to find my mom?" She asked, feeling skeptical.
"Of course, Chaldea efficiency will never disappoint you." I replied with a lot of confident.
"Now that Sion-san managed to find something, we better hurry and meet her at the command's room." Mash suggest while picking up the white beast and snuggle it on her arms.
"Kyu!!!" Fou squeaked in agreement.
"Good, let me call the others first." I said before shifting my gaze toward the dying Daisy who can barely even stand anymore.
"I... I... I-I can't... Lord Mordred..." Daisy gasped, bent over and clutching her knees, her breaths coming in shallow pants while begging the lion cub to stop.
"Huh!? What did you mean you can't? There's still fifty laps left." I saw Mordred preparing to drag the poor girl.
My eyes twitched at this scene, feeling a bit pity for Daisy to train under Mordred. I quickly called them over before the lion cub could kill the newcomer.
"Oi! Mordred! Daisy! Let's stop the training for now, Sion asked us to meet her at the command room. Let's go!"
Both of them stop on their track after hearing my shout. I could clearly saw Daisy relieved look and Mordred annoyed expression on their faces as they walk toward me.
"Tsk, you always like to disturb me huh, Master."
"Huft... Huft... I-I thought I saw a strange light for a while... Ken-sama, Banzai!"
Once they joined us, our small group began making its way toward the command room, leaving the garden behind.
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A/N: Please donate your power stones and leave more reviews for my story, I appreciate it and thank you for your support!