The sun hung low over Novaria's bustling town square, casting long shadows across the cobblestones. The air buzzed with excitement as locals and visitors alike milled about, enjoying the lively atmosphere. Colorful banners announcing the upcoming New Light Festival fluttered in the breeze, and the tantalizing aroma of street food wafted through the air.
Amidst this vibrant scene, the neon sign of Pizza Zap flickered to life, its electric blue glow a stark contrast to the warm hues of the setting sun. Inside, the retro-styled pizzeria hummed with the chatter of patrons and the sizzle of fresh pies emerging from the oven.
In a corner booth, an unlikely group had gathered. Bill, still reeling from his encounter with his intimidating new mentor, found himself seated across from not one, but three identical versions of Angelo. The oversized slices of pizza before them steamed gently, their edges hanging off the plates like cheesy waterfalls.
Angelo took a deliberate bite of his slice, the stringy cheese stretching comically. Red's eyes lit up with exaggerated pleasure. "Oh man, that's the stuff!" he exclaimed, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "Nothing beats a good slice after a long day!"
Bill's gaze darted between the three Angelos, his expression a mix of fascination and bewilderment. Before he could voice his confusion, Angelo turned to Red, his tone laced with exasperation.
"We get it, Red. You're a pizza fanatic," Angelo said, rolling his eyes. "But why are you even here in physical form? You can make these comments without materializing, you know."
A mischievous grin spread across Red's face. "Oh, but you see," he said, leaning in conspiratorially, "this makes Billy boy here uncomfortable, and I'm most comfortable around those who aren't comfortable. So, I'm getting comfortable by making Bill uncomfortable."
Angelo and Bill exchanged looks of disbelief, momentarily united in their bewilderment at Red's twisted logic. The silence stretched between them, broken only by the distant sizzle of the pizza oven and the muffled chatter of other patrons.
"You're a psychopath," Angelo muttered, shaking his head.
Red's grin only widened. "Well, well, Angie," he drawled, "if I'm crazy, what does that make you? After all, I'm just another side of your charming personality."
Blue, who had been observing the exchange with growing irritation, finally stepped in. His voice cut through the tension like a cool breeze on a summer day. "That's enough, Red," he said firmly. "The Professor already explained how our condition works. Stop playing your mind games."
Blue's gaze softened as it shifted to Bill, who looked like he was trying to solve a particularly complex puzzle. The young recruit no longer seemed terrified, which Blue considered progress. Perhaps Red's antics, as grating as they were, had served some purpose after all.
Deciding to offer some clarity, Blue addressed Bill directly. "I imagine you have quite a few questions right now," he said, his voice taking on a gentler tone.
Bill let out a nervous chuckle, his fingers fidgeting with the edge of his napkin. "That's putting it mildly," he admitted. "I feel like I've stepped into some kind of bizarre dream."
Blue nodded understandingly. "I can see how this might be... overwhelming," he acknowledged. "Allow me to explain. In essence, the energy that forms our physical being has been divided, resulting in three distinct entities that share a profound connection."
Bill's furrowed brow deepened, clearly struggling with the concept. Seeing this, Angelo decided to step in with a more down-to-earth explanation.
"Look, kid," Angelo said, leaning forward, "think of it this way. We're like three pieces of the same pizza. Different slices, same pie. That's why Red here can taste what I'm eating without taking a bite himself."
On cue, Red let out an exaggerated moan of culinary ecstasy. "Mmm, speaking of which, this pizza is top-notch," he drawled, his eyes closed in theatrical bliss.
A tentative smile tugged at Bill's lips as the absurdity of the situation finally started to sink in. "Okay, I think I'm starting to get it," he said slowly. "But if that's the case, why can't Red just eat his own slice? Why does he have to, uh... experience it through you?"
Angelo sighed, his expression a mix of annoyance and resignation. Explaining the intricacies of his condition was clearly not his favorite pastime. "It's because Red's body isn't exactly real," he explained. "It's more like a projection of energy. If he tried to eat that pizza and then reintegrated with me, we'd end up with a mess of half-chewed pizza on the floor."
Red's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Ooh, now that sounds like a fun experiment," he said, reaching for a slice. "Want to see me try it?"
Angelo reached out slapping Red's hand away with a warning glare. "Don't even think about it," he growled.
As the banter continued, Bill found himself relaxing, his initial fear giving way to genuine curiosity. "So, if I'm understanding this right," he ventured, "Red and Blue aren't some kind of superpower you have, but actually part of who you are? Like, a condition?"
Angelo and Blue exchanged surprised looks, impressed by Bill's quick grasp of the situation. "That's... actually spot on," Angelo admitted, his stern expression softening slightly.
Emboldened by this small victory, Bill leaned in, his eyes shining with excitement. "Is this what makes you such a formidable Auron? This teamwork you have with yourself? I've heard stories about the criminals you've taken down. You must be incredibly powerful – Veteran rank at least, right?"
Angelo blinked, caught off guard by the sudden enthusiasm. "Uh, to be honest, I don't really keep track of all those rankings," he confessed. "Is Veteran considered high?"
Bill's face lit up like the New Light Festival decorations outside. "Oh man, do I have a lot to teach you!" he exclaimed. "Okay, so let's start from the beginning. The first rank is Novice, right?"
Red let out a dramatic groan that could rival the most petulant teenager. "Oh great, here we go. Another lecture. Just what this pizza party needed."
Ignoring Red's protests, Bill forged ahead with his explanation, his words tumbling out in a rush of excitement. "After Novice, you've got Adept, then Elite, and then Veteran."
Blue, his interest piqued, chimed in. "Interesting. So Veteran is the fourth tier? That does indeed sound like high praise, Angelo."
Bill nodded enthusiastically, nearly knocking over his glass of soda in the process. "Absolutely! There are eight ranks in total. The first four are considered the lower tiers, and the last four are where things really get intense. Veteran is the highest of the lower ranks. After that, you're in the big leagues, starting with Arch rank."
Angelo's eyes glazed over slightly, his mind drifting to Albert's assessment of his abilities. "Right, I suppose that is pretty impressive," he muttered, remembering that his powers were always about half as strong as they should be.
Undeterred by Angelo's lack of enthusiasm, Bill continued his impromptu lesson, his voice filled with the passion of a true enthusiast. "Then comes Master rank, followed by Enlightened rank."
Red perked up at this, his interest momentarily overcoming his disdain for the lecture. "Hey, we just learned about that one, didn't we?" he interjected.
Blue raised an eyebrow, his analytical mind already working on the implications. "Indeed, but I'm curious. I had assumed Enlightened would be the pinnacle, given its association with the actual Enlightened individuals. It's said that Aurons of Enlightened rank can rival true members of the ES in terms of power."
A knowing smirk played across Bill's face, reminiscent of Red's earlier mischievous grin. "Ah, but what if I told you there's something even beyond that?" he said, clearly relishing the moment. "There's one more level – the stuff of legends, literally. It's the Legendary rank!"
Angelo's irritation was palpable, but he held his tongue, his fingers absently tracing patterns in the condensation on his glass. Bill, oblivious to Angelo's discomfort, pressed on, his voice filled with awe.
"They say that Lu-Min, the founder of Luminia, was a Legendary Auron," Bill said, his eyes shining with admiration.
Blue tilted his head thoughtfully, his analytical mind already processing this new information. "Interesting. We had always assumed that was more of a figurative description – that she was simply an Auron of great renown, not necessarily that she belonged to a specific 'Legendary' classification."
As the conversation lulled, Angelo turned his attention back to his pizza, savoring each bite in silence. Red, having lost his audience for his antics, settled back contentedly, basking in the secondhand enjoyment of Angelo's meal. The pizzeria buzzed with the chatter of other patrons and the sizzle of fresh pies in the oven.
Blue, ever observant, noticed Bill's lingering excitement about the ranking system. He leaned forward, his voice gentle with curiosity. "Bill, you seem quite enthusiastic about the Auron rankings. Is there a particular reason behind your interest?"
Bill's cheeks flushed slightly as he glanced down at the table, suddenly self-conscious. "Well," he began, his voice a mix of embarrassment and barely contained excitement, "I'm actually a huge fan of Pro Aurons. There are these amazing tournaments where they compete, and it's absolutely thrilling to watch. The divisions are all based on the ranking system - you've got your Novice division, Adept division, and so on, all the way up to Arch division."
Angelo, who had been silently brooding over his pizza, finally spoke up. His voice carried a hint of sarcasm as he asked, "What, they don't have divisions for the Master to Legendary ranks?"
Blue shot Angelo a quick, concerned glance, noting the underlying bitterness in his tone.
Bill, either missing or choosing to ignore Angelo's sarcasm, eagerly continued his explanation. "Well, Legendary Aurons are incredibly rare," he said, his eyes shining with admiration. "And to be honest, Aurons at that level are just too powerful for regular competitions. I can't imagine they'd be interested in fighting for entertainment. Although," he added, his voice dropping to an awed whisper, "it would be absolutely mind-blowing to see."
Red, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, suddenly perked up. A wicked grin spread across his face as he chimed in, "Oh man, can you imagine the carnage? Now that's my kind of show!"
Bill, emboldened by the conversation, turned to Angelo with a mix of curiosity and trepidation. "So, Angelo, what's your rank?"
Angelo met Bill's gaze, his expression hardening. After a moment of tense silence, he responded flatly, "I don't have one."
Bill's eyes widened in shock, his jaw dropping. "Wait, what? Are you saying you've never taken the ACE test?"
Angelo turned away, his gaze fixing on a point in the distance. "Never saw the need," he muttered. "A rank doesn't change what I can do in the field."
Bill's voice dropped to a near-whisper, as if he was sharing a secret. "But... don't you know about the perks? We just found out today that your rank can affect your salary."
Red's reaction was instant and explosive. He leapt to his feet; his eyes wide with disbelief. "Hold up, what?! You're telling me we could be making more money?"
Angelo reached out and forcefully pulled Red back into his seat, his face a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance. "Sit down and be quiet," he hissed. "It doesn't matter. We're not exactly prime candidates for a high rank."
Bill looked at Angelo with a mixture of confusion and awe. "But why not? You're always taking down criminals. Surely you'd at least make Adept rank."
Angelo slumped back in his seat, fatigue etched into every line of his face. "It's not that simple," he sighed. "Look, let's use non-Aurons as an example. Most people don't work out regularly, right? Only a small percentage actually hit the gym consistently. Those dedicated bodybuilders could easily overpower the average person."
Bill nodded slowly, trying to follow Angelo's logic.
"Now, think about the Auron community," Angelo continued. "Most Aurons are content with the natural boost their aura provides. They don't push themselves further. Someone like me, who actively trains and fights, might seem impressive compared to them. But when you look at Aurons who really dedicate themselves to training?" He paused, his voice dropping low. "I'm probably at the bottom of the barrel."
The weight of Angelo's words settled over the table, heavy with implications. The bustling atmosphere of the pizzeria seemed to fade into the background as the reality of Angelo's situation sank in. His unique condition, while granting him extraordinary abilities, also served as a limitation, holding him back from reaching his full potential.
As the conversation about Auron rankings died down, an uneasy silence fell over the group. Angelo's face was a mask of conflicted emotions, his eyes distant as he absently toyed with the crust of his half-eaten pizza.
Suddenly, a distant boom echoed through the air, causing the windows of Pizza Zap to rattle slightly. The chatter in the pizzeria died down as patrons looked around in confusion.
Angelo was on his feet in an instant, his posture tense. "That wasn't thunder," he muttered, his eyes narrowing as he gazed out the window.
Another boom followed, louder this time. The sounds of distant screams began to filter through the evening air. The other diners in the pizzeria began to murmur nervously, some moving towards the windows to see what was happening.