Getting a Superpower

This is Orenji's point of view.

Jage, that evil, deserves the death penalty for leaving me on the plane and forbidding me from chasing them. Who does he think I am? Who does he think he is!? 

Yet, something stops me from following them: the confidence in Jage’s voice when he says they will catch up to me in Chicago. 

My ten-year friendship with that jerk has made me trust him more than anything else. And when you’re separated, it’s harder to make a decision that goes against someone you consider more than a partner. 

Now, I freeze in the bathroom stall. 

A few minutes later, the plane departed. 

I looked at my phone, hoping for news from Jage, but I didn't receive anything. 

Of course not. He is probably on his way to the police station now. 

Damn it, even though I know it’s entirely Jage’s fault, I can’t relax thinking about how he has to try to escape the consequences of his actions. And what about Oliver? I know Jage would die to save Oliver.

Suddenly, his mocking voice resurfaces in my head. “Worry about yourself. I can fight while protecting my brother. But it’s going to be harder if I have to fight while protecting you too!” 

Damn it. 

After a few minutes passed, I decided to return to business class with three seats in a row. 

The mega-tutor's daughter, Futaba, is sitting alone in her seat. I see her father drinking and chatting with his group, loud enough until it feels annoying. We probably shouldn’t be sitting here. We should have just gone somewhere else earlier. 

I took a deep breath, then sat back down on my seat. 

I just put on my headphones and played music, trying to relax, but failed.

In a mean time, a man sits next to me while I’m scrolling—definitely with uncontrolable angry face—through the screen, looking for video that doesn’t have annoying cheerful beats soundtrack.

“It seems like the apocalypse is coming soon,” the man says. When I turned to look, I saw a small, slim yet muscular man wearing an expensive-looking black leather jacket that contrasted with his nearly white blonde hair. 

I’m stunned. I’m not the smartest student in the emergency school in Minnesota, Duluth, but every kid can recognize that man anywhere, even if his photo is poorly lit in a book, making his face look grimer than the real one. 

“Vivien,” I said, trying to regain my composure. 

The mega-tutor who can vanish into thin air looks at me sourly. “That's me. And who are you?” 

“Orenji,” I whisper. 

“Ah,” the man nods. He’s about ten years older than me, but his small stature makes him look younger. 

He snaps his fingers, then searches for a movie to watch on the seat screen. 

I blink, then look back at my screen. But my mind is no longer there. Now I’m watching Vivien. 

“How much do I have to pay to get powers like yours?” I asked. 

The man, who just finished picking a terrible movie from two centuries ago, looks back at me. “I don’t take students,” the mega-tutor mumbles. 

“But why?” I asked. “Listen, I don’t have much money. But my parents used to have a lot of assets in—” 

“Assets anywhere but Antarctica are useless,” the man says, and I blink, then sigh. 

True. I know I can’t afford a mega-tutor, but I still try... 

“By the way, I was in the bathroom stall with you earlier,” he says, then the man with the super ability to disappear smiles faintly. “Ah, if I were you, I would punch your friend. But I didn’t expect you to just obey him and stay here. Or are you two not that close?” 

I flinch at the sting in his words, but there’s truth to what he says. 

“We used to be close,” I said, emphasizing the word ‘used.’ “But now I’m just a burden to him.” I looked at his changing expression, sighed in frustration, and then turned my face out the window. “And why am I telling you this?” 

“Oh,” the man fell silent for a moment. Then he adjusts his sitting position and looks back at me. “You know, I usually value my superpower very highly, but now I’ll give it to you at a low price.” 

“What?” I looked at him, feeling like I had misheard. 

“Yeah, I don’t want you to feel like a burden to your friend, buddy. Trust me, I know how that feels, and it’s very unpleasant.” 

“You, Vivien, were once a burden to your friend?” I asked, shocked. “You can merge into the air. You can really disappear. What—” 

“My friend’s power is manipulating the water content of anything,” he replies. “Can kill Sanguinara just by touching it.” 

Right. Water is a crucial aspect of plant life. I can now imagine how powerful Vivien’s friend is. 

“And what happened to him?” I asked. 

“To her,” he corrects me. Then he shrugs. “She left me at the council door. Just before I was appointed mega-tutor.” 

I want to know the full story, but Vivien’s tone becomes less friendly after mentioning that girl, so I just nod. 

“And now, how much do you want from me?” I asked. 

He inspects me for a moment, then his finger stops at my watch. The watch is made 70 percent black gold. “I want that.” 

That watch was the last gift from my parents, but I quickly took it off. I need superpowers more than a watch. 

He took my watch for a moment, then inspected its sides. “It’s in pretty good condition," he said.

I didn’t reply. I know it's in good condition. Then, Vivien puts the watch on his wrist. It fits. 

“Now give me superpowers,” I said. 

“Okay.” 

Then he looked at me, and it happened. 

I’m not good at explaining it, but it feels like something is trying to stab my skin. Something warm. It feels like a light is directed at you, and its warmth seeps into your skin. 

I touch my skin, which glows slightly, then look back at Vivien. 

But now the man is furrowing his brow. “I can't give you my superpowers. You already have.” 

I stare in shock. 

He flips my right palm over. “Here, your power is here; I can feel it.” 

And then, whatever Vivien does to my hand, I can feel the power surging there, ready to be used. 

“Try to focus,” he says. 

I tried to focus. Then, a sword appeared in my grasp. Its shape glows and is hot. 

I blink, shocked. Meanwhile, Vivien examines the sword with his bright eyes.

“Wow, who would have thought your arrogant friend could actually become a mega tutor?”