Trainer

“So, that’s what happened.” Nicolas explained the final bit of what happened to me. We were sitting in a classroom because I was doing some math’s. Nicolas' powers was still the biggest mystery. But I at least got some hypothesis. 

“I see…” I was thinking. “Someone that can control carbon, huh? Seems like there are more people in this country that has superpowers. Who knows, maybe some people from all around the world has gained superpowers.” I then leaned back. "But why? Why are people getting superpowers."

“So, anything else you have discovered with my body?” Nicolas then asked.

“Yesterday, you passed out at the entrance of the lab door.” I started to explain my next theory. “From your story, it is possible that the bad guy snatched a couple of carbon atoms from your body. But it also doesn’t align with when he could’ve have done that. So, my second theory is energy?”

“Energy?” He asked.

“This is not a complicated word.” I answered. “It should be common sense. You are using your brain and body to control water. You used a lot of kinetic energy, if you don’t eat enough, your cells will not have enough mitochondria for energy. Your total energy will then be depleted fast.”

“You say common sense, but you are using all the advanced words.”

“Long answer short, you use too much energy while using your superpowers.”

“Any ideas on how we could fix that?”

“First of all, eat more. You are slim as hell. Your body is comparable with a stick. If you want to be a superhero, you will need fat to turn into muscles and become strong.” I then took out my phone. “I might not have a superpower teacher to help you like in anime's, but I do have a friend that will help you improve your fighting strength. He is a genius with teaching fighting techniques. I will in the meantime figure out how you can defend against a carbon controlling ability. Got it?”

“Yes.” He answered. 

“Good, he’ll be here in five, prepare yourself.” I then stood up to continue writing complicated mathematical formulas on the blackboard. Nicolas, not wanting to look at the complicated formulas and equations, stood up and left the classroom.

At the same time, Mizuki entered the room. “Hey Aki, I did the experiments you asked for.” She said handing me a file of documents.

“For real?” I was surprised once again by Mizuki. “I didn’t know you would do such thing for me.”

“Searching for gravitons fried my brain, so I decided to turn my brain to something simple to cool down my brain.”

“Did you find any discoveries?” I grabbed the document to start and read it.

“With an inverted microscope, I saw an anomaly in his cells.” Mizuki started to explain. “I thought that it might be a coincidence in the beginning, so I got new samples. The results were the same. Nicolas has an extra cell organelle.”

I could see a picture of how it looked like in the document. It was a perfect circle and was only slightly smaller than the cell nucleus. It took a lot of cells making it look very unhealthy. This could also be considered a cancer in some way. But Nicolas isn't having any negative feelings or pain. Perhaps that is due to his healing ability.

“Do you know the function of it?” I asked next.

“Not exactly.” Mizuki answered. “The bubble is completely empty. But the shape did change if Nicolas use his powers. It becomes small and deformed, my theory at the moment is that it is filled with something and when he uses his powers, that something exits the bubble. We just don't have the material to see that thing.”

“Interesting…” I then took out my laptop. “I am going to note this down. Thanks for the assistance. I will put your name in the document.” I always make sure to give credit to everyone that works on a project.

“I might be obsessed with my own researches, but I can also always help.” Mizuki then headed out of the classroom leaving me alone with my equations.

☐☐ Ding Dong ☐☐

The doorbell could be heard. “Nicolas, that’s for you!” I heard Aki shout from the other room.

I then ran towards the door and opened it. By doing so, I saw a guy with droopy eyes, messy hair, a brown overcoat and a flask in his hands. He reeked of alcohol and smoke.

“You’re Tsushima Nicolas?” The guy asked me.

“Y-Yes.” I stuttered.

“Well Nicolas, I will be improving your physical abilities starting from today.” He said that as he pulled out a gun. He pointed it at me and pulled the trigger. My life flashed before my eyes as I heard a loud bang. 

I fell to the floor but felt no pain. Is this how dying feels like? The bullet must've gotten rid of my ability to feel pain. This must be the end... What a sad short life I must have...

Wait… I am not dead?I looked up and saw the guy looking down at me. Smoke was coming out of the gun.

“Your reflexes are terrible.” He noted. “If someone pulls out a gun to shoot you, you must find the most practical way to defend, disarm and win or flee the battle. If I didn’t use a blank bullet, you would’ve have been dead.” He explained my blunders.

My heart was beating so hard and loud, I didn’t even know what happened.

“Try to hit me.” He dropped the gun to the floor. “I want to see your hand-to-hand combat skills.” He got in a stance, ready to take me on.

I put my fear to the side, clenched my fist, jumped up to give him an uppercut. But he dodged it. I took a step backwards and prepared another attack. With full force, I lunged myself forward to hit his face. But he ducked and gave a punch directly to my gut.

I fell to the floor feeling the pain spread. I was not going to give up now. He was going to kick me to get me completely to the floor, but then I used my powers. I created a ball of water and pushed it forward like a punch. He could not expect this, I could win.

But he managed to dodge it. With that, he kicked me right under the chin making my limbs feel numb. I was still conscious, I just couldn’t move.

“Do you know how many times an enemy has pulled out a hidden gun as a final attempt to kill me?” He then asked, towering over me. “Here’s a tip, use your weapon behind me as a surprise, not right in front of me. Your attacks are too predictable.”

He then grabbed my leg and dragged me deeper into the building. Where was he dragging me to?

“Hey Aki, where is the medical room?” I could hear the guy ask. He was standing at the door of a classroom, looking at Aki.

“Did you really have to knock him out in the first 5 minutes of introduction?” Aki asked. “You’re going to give him a lot of mental trauma.”

“Human minds aren’t that weak.” The guy said. It was as if he was an alien that has been doing a research on humans for hundreds of years.

Aki sighed. “At the end of the hallway on the right. It’s the white door with a red cross on it.” Aki told him the way. "The word 'nurse's office' should be written above the door."

"Thanks." The guy then dragged me there, laid me down on the bed and took a cigarette. He lit it up and started to smoke.

“So, what do you do?” I asked with the little strength I have left.

“I haven’t introduced myself yet?” He asks, taking a puff. “My name is Sena Takida. I am an ex-detective, now I have no direction in life unless Aki asks me to do him a favor.”

“Ex-detective?” I repeated, questioning.

“I search criminals, find them, fight them a lot, almost died hundred times.” Sena took another puff. “I lost my job after accidentally killing an innocent person. That’s my story.”

I then sat straight up, feeling my limbs again. “It must be tough.” I said, starting to feel sorry for him.

“Since I currently have nothing to do in life, I will come visit you once a day to attack you.” Sena then said. “If you can return a punch to me, I will reduce it to 6 days a week.” He then stood up, ready to leave.

Are such measures really necessary? I guess that if I want to become stronger, I will have to. I will win against him. Then I can be an actual good hero.

I created an orb of water behind his head. I then shot it out. But he dodged and kicked my jaw. My limbs feel numb again and I fell off my bed.

Sena kneeled down. “I had a guy pinned once against the floor.” He started to explain an old story. “I thought that he was working alone, but then I heard footsteps behind me and a gun clicking. If you want to sneak up on someone to attack them, you should remember to minimize the sound. Otherwise, the enemy will be able to defend themselves.” He then stood up, ready to leave. “Good attempt though. Keep up the hard work.” 

He left. I was there laying on the floor, my limbs still numb.

×××××

“So, how’s the trainer?” Aki asks, putting bandages on my face.

“He is tough and annoying.” I answered, complaining that I have such a harsh teacher. “But I do understand why this is important. I will make sure to get stronger to the point I can win a fight against him.” But I was determined.

Aki sighed. “If you could show this much determination during class.”

“But you’re a bad teacher.”

“I’m not!”

“Even Mizuki agrees!”

“Mizuki only want to make me angry. She knows damn well that I am a good teacher!”

“You suck!” Mizuki could be heard shouting from another room. “Now shut up, I’m trying to focus!”

This place is so weird. But so fun at the same time. I can't wait for more.