Ren's eyes widened upon hearing what it does.
(Scientist) "This way, Talentless people like us no longer have to fight an uphill battle against the people with Talents. No one will look down us or step over us anymore. So what do you say?"
Ren gulps at the prospect of having his own Talent, but also feels a little cautious towards it.
If I get my own Talent... How much would that change? Stuff like being looked down on by people might change and maybe people will be more sympathetic, and they'll stop the bullying at school all the time. Some stuff like our debt and our living situation might not change, but it will make things a bit easier for my sister and I.
Heck, if I get a fire Talent we don't have to worry about gas prices anymore.
After some deep thinking Ren answers.
"Alright. I'll do it."
The scientist let's out a wide smile as he carefully hands the vial over to Ren.
Ren carefully looked and stirred the clear liquid in the vial.
"Now, all you have to do is to drink it and the effects should be immediate."
"What Talent am I gonna get?"
"I don't know. But I hypothesize it can be something as common as super strength or something more uncommon like barrier creation."
"So basically, it's random?"
"In short, yes. The same thing also goes for its rank, it can be either E or S."
Ren gulps nervously as he uncaps the vial.
"Are you sure this is safe?"
"I'm 80 percent sure that it is.....with a 70 percent margin of error..... A-anyways don't worry about it too much! If it was a gacha game, a 10 percent is practically guaranteed."
Ren gives the scientist a look of disdain before he brushes it off with a sigh, content with his fate. Ren takes a quick sniff of the vial, he catches the scent of mint and the scent of something woody that he can't put his finger on what it exactly is, enters his nose.
Ren gulps nervously as he puts the vial closer to his lips.
Well... Here goes nothing...
Quickly, Ren drinks the clear liquid. Swllowing it all in one gulp.
Though the scent was peculiar, the liquid itself did not have any taste. Instead, it had a slimy like texture that slowly rolled down his throat and left an after taste of something that can only be described as fresh charcoal.
The scientist's eyes were glowing with excitement, as if expecting something. Asking Ren while holding his breath.
"...So?"
"So what?"
"Anything?"
"Am I supposed to feel something?"
Ren looks at me the scientist confused, while the scientist explains to him.
"People with Talents, say that their Talent just suddenly appeared one day when they were children. Like waking up one day with an extra fully controllable and functioning arm or leg. It should have worked the same way with yourself."
"Well I don't feel any difference, or like I have another arm or anything like that."
Ren stretches his fingers trying to imagine fire bursting out of his palm, but to no avail.
The scientist after a brief silence has an idea.
"...Maybe you're still not aware of it! Yes, maybe because you weren't born with a Talent you aren't aware of it yet!"
The scientist starts to look around almost erratically, spotting a heavy trash can filled with trash and running over to it.
"Here! Try lifting this up. Maybe you have a form of super strength."
Ren gets closer to the heavy trash can, ignoring the smell of garbage and flies. Bending down and trying to lift the heavy trash can off the ground.
But no matter how hard he gritted his teeth and pumped his muscles, the heavy trash can refuses to budge an inch.
Ren eventually gives up and sits down on the ground, sweat dripping across his face while he catches his breath.
The scientist on the other hand looked disheartened for a second before his expression brightens up again as another idea enters his head.
"Maybe you have super speed! Here I'll throw some rocks your way and you try to catch them!"
"Huh?! Hey wai-"
Before he could complain, Ren was hit by a barrage of rocks with a variety of sizes from the scientist.
"Maybe your Talent will awaken in times of danger! So, treat this as a life or death scenario!"
"Sto- Wai- I- You! -"
Ren manages to catch a rock that was about to hit his face.
The scientist had an estatic look for a moment, believing his invention has finally taken fruit.
Before it was cut off by a bruised, red and angry Ren, with the veins on his head on the brink of popping.
(Scientist) "...I'm gonna take a guess and say you don't have super speed?"
"*grins* What makes you think that?"
"... L-let's keep testing then..."
Ren and the scientist kept doing more tests, imagining fire coming out of his fingers, trying to fly, and trying to lift things with his mind.
All of which ended in failure.
The scientist lies down on the ground defeated. His eyes that were once filled with excitement, were empty and looking up at the sky.
"... It didn't work..... My life's work..... I failed....."
Ren stands over him, feeling sorry for him.
"Look... I'm sorry your thing didn't work."
"Don't. I should apologize to you for wasting your time."
Ren opened his mouth as if he was about to say something, but decided against it.
(Scientist) "It's over for me, isn't?"
"Don't be like that, maybe you can get a job as a janitor."
"These days you need a Talent to become a janitor..."
Ren makes an awkward face in regret over bringing in that topic, before closing his mouth as to not make things any worst.
The scientist takes a long and audible breathe.
"... I guess this is where it ends for me... And my work."
"I mean you're still here, aren't you? I think you can still take another shot at it."
"Maybe. But I'll probably be moved back to being an assistant again. And have to go through all that again."
"I mean... You've done it once before right?"
The scientist let's out a laugh. It might've been because of Ren's comment or one of self-loathing.
He slowly stood up, the dirt and dust from the ground still sticking on his coat even when he tried to dust it off.
"Thank you for that... Um...?"
"Ren."
"Ah, yes thank you for that, Ren. My name is Dr. Walt Florey. And sorry for giving you false hope."
"Its fine, I thought it would be too good to be true."
Ren shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly. He is a bit disappointed, but he already learned a long time ago to always keep his expectations low.
(Dr. Walt) "Well you don't have to keep thinking like that forever! I won't let this setback be the end of me, I will find a way! Then you, I and all the other Talentless will be able to break the chains of our society!"
Dr. Walt's white and dirty lab coat flutters from a mysterious wind as he gives out his passionate speech.
"Ok."
Only to be met by Ren's pessimistic tone.
But Dr. Walt seems to not notice or perhaps he ignored it.
"Just you wait young man! One day! All of us can become anything we want!"
Ren watches as Dr. Walt lets out a hearty laugh while walking away. Not minding how dirty his coat has become.
If only I had as much optimism as him *sigh*
Ren lets out a sigh as the doctor's figure slowly disappears out of his sight.
"Wait, what was I doing before this again?"
.....
"Ah."
********************************
Asougi Academy
One of the most prominent high schools in the entire city.
Notable for their focus on fostering the Talents of their students. Most people who graduate in Asougi Academy end up joining the military or the Eden Guard Department.
But after some time, Asougi Academy has shifted their focus. Focusing not only on just the individual's Talent anymore, but also their physical and mental prowess.
This change was met with backlash with many students of the academy, who wanted the academy to be exclusive for talents.
But the current principal believes that this is good way to promote equality and for the students of the school to be more familiar with the Talentless.
Even though the principal advocated for equality, The entrance exam for the Talentless was far harder than that of Talents.
But nonetheless, if a Talentless does pass they are granted the same rights as any other student in the academy.... On paper at least.
In reality the stigma against Talentless is still present in the students.
In classroom 2-A, class was already in session.
The sound of chalk scratching the blackboard was cut off by the sound of the door suddenly sliding open.
"Mr. Ren Wagner. So nice for you to finally come join us."
The teacher sarcastically remarks, followed by the laughter of the students.
Ren breathing heavily and sweating after running to school.
Ren makes his way to his chair in the far corner.
The closer he got to his chair, the more he can smell a foul stench coming out from under his desk.
The stench makes Ren's face scrunched up as he gags in his mouth, swallowing his breakfast that almost leaves his stomach.
Some of the students gave an amused expression, holding back their laughter.
"Mr. Wagner I know you don't have a Talent, but even you don't need one to sit down and listen to class right? Or do you prefer detention for disrupting class?"
"..."
Ren feeling powerless sat down in his chair, not wanting to look under his desk to find out what was causing that stench. Trying to breathe as little as possible while the teacher resumes his lesson.