Fren stirred awake, groaning as he felt someone shaking him. His eyes fluttered open to see Kai looming over him, smirking. "Oi, Fren, wake up! It's our first training session with Sister Vanessa. You don't want to be late, do you?"
Fren yawned, rubbing his eyes groggily. "Huh? Wait… what time is it? I think I fell asleep after—" He paused, frowning. "Some weird thing hit the back of my head…"
Kai snorted, barely holding back laughter. "Oh, yeah, about that. Remember Rosa? She was super salty after losing her match earlier. She kicked a ball so hard it ricocheted off the wall and smacked you right in the head."
Fren's eyes widened in disbelief. "That's what happened?!"
Kai nodded, bursting into laughter. "Dude, you were out cold instantly. It was like watching a chicken faint."
Fren groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I can't believe I got taken down by a ball…"
Kai smirked. "Hey, don't feel bad. It was a legendary shot. Rosa was aiming for me, but you? You took one for the team without even knowing it. What a hero."
Fren shot him a glare. "Some hero. You could've warned me!"
Kai shrugged. "Where's the fun in that?"
Fren sighed dramatically, flopping back on the bed. "Great. My first day of training, and I'm already the laughingstock."
Kai clapped him on the shoulder. "Nah, don't worry. We'll laugh about it together… while running to Sister Vanessa's lesson. We're already late!"
Fren bolted upright. "What?! Why didn't you say that earlier?!"
Kai grinned. "Because watching you freak out is my morning entertainment."
Flashback: Rosa's Fury
The scene flashed back to earlier that day. Rosa, fuming after her match, glared at Kai, who was sitting nearby with a smug grin.
"You're so lucky, Kai! If I had one more second, I'd have wiped that smirk off your face!" Rosa snapped, grabbing the nearest object—a ball—and launching it with all her might.
"Uh-oh," Kai said, ducking just in time.
The ball ricocheted off the wall, spinning wildly through the air like a guided missile… straight into Fren's unsuspecting head.
THUD.
Fren swayed for a moment, his eyes rolling back before he collapsed onto the ground.
Kai blinked, then burst into laughter. "Rosa! You just knocked Fren out cold!"
Rosa froze, then crossed her arms indignantly. "Well, maybe he should've moved!"
Fren, oblivious to all this, snored peacefully on the floor.
Back to Reality
Fren shook his head, groaning. "That's so embarrassing…"
Kai chuckled, dragging him out of bed. "C'mon, Rosa might've KO'd you, but Vanessa's sword will really finish the job if we're late."
As they rushed to the garden, Fren suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes lighting up. "Wait! Didn't Ress mention Vanessa was going to teach us about monsters? And my… uh… ghost-like stigma?"
Kai gave him a thumbs-up. "Yup. Sounds like today's gonna be a blast. You'll get to learn about monsters and figure out how to not get knocked out by a ball again."
Fren groaned. "Thanks for the pep talk…"
Sister Vanessa's Lesson
The two finally reached the garden, where Sister Vanessa stood, her imposing figure framed by the morning sun. She held a wooden sword in one hand, tapping it lightly against her palm.
"You're late," she said sharply, her eyes narrowing.
Kai nudged Fren. "Your fault," he whispered.
Fren glared at him but quickly bowed. "Sorry, Sister Vanessa! It won't happen again!"
Vanessa sighed, motioning for them to stand in front of her. "We're starting with the basics. First, let me explain what a stigma is."
She began pacing, her voice firm and commanding. "A stigma is a hidden power within certain people. It allows you to sense and manipulate the energy of the world around you. This energy is the key to using your stigma, but each person's stigma is unique. Some might control fire, others water, and some even more abstract things like illusions or shadows."
Fren nodded, his interest piqued. "So… how do I activate mine if I don't even know what it is?"
Vanessa stopped, fixing him with a sharp gaze. "There are two ways. The first is by gathering and focusing energy into your body. But that takes time and patience—something you clearly lack."
Fren scratched his head sheepishly. "What's the second way?"
Her expression turned almost mischievous. "The second way? By putting yourself in danger."
Fren paled. "Wait… what do you mean by 'danger'?"
Vanessa smirked. "You'll find out soon enough. For now, we're going to spar until you activate it."
Kai raised his hand. "Quick question, Sister Vanessa. What happens if Fren's stigma doesn't activate and he just, you know… gets pummeled?"
Vanessa gave a small, almost sinister smile. "Then he learns resilience. Either way, it's a win."
Kai turned to Fren, grinning. "Good luck, buddy. I'll make sure to write a really dramatic eulogy for you."
Fren groaned. "Great. My training partner's a comedian."
Vanessa clapped her hands, silencing them. "Enough chatter. Let's begin. Kai, you're up first as his opponent. And remember, no holding back."
Kai stretched, smirking. "Don't worry, Fren. I'll go easy on you. Well… maybe."
Fren groaned again as he took his position. "This is going to be a long day…"
To be continue..