A Bar Set By Gods

 “Group two! Listen up.” Kana has led us to a small area in the training zone. Other groups of students are also here on various testing courses. “Today, Day One, is all about gauging your raw power. You’ll be tested on your unrefined strength and Gift utility. Got it?” She asks.

“Yes!” Our group says in unison. I’m a bit worried...I’m lacking in raw power. I’ve been honing my strength, sure, but it’s nothing compared to a Physical Gift’s level.

“Now, let’s begin. In front of you is a padded wall. It’s wired to a machine that will score you on a scale of one to a hundred based on how hard you hit. Gift usage is allowed, but there can be no unnecessary destruction to the property. Understood?”

“Yes!”

“All right. First up; Atlas Alexander.” Atlas jumps at his name, a slight smile on his face.

“Watch and learn.” He says smugly, strolling up to the wall. He raises his fists, jumping back and forth to hype himself up. Suddenly, he leaps back and-

Wham!

The thud is deafening as he jumps forward and drives an overhead punch into the wall. I flinch in surprise as air whooshes past my ears. His punch is already strong, but it’s a serious force to be reckoned with when he uses his Gift with it.

“Yowch.” He takes a step back, shaking his hand. “Went a bit overboard.” A digital counter on the wall like the one you would see counting points at a sports game begins making beeping noises, calculating Atlas’s score. Finally, it shows results.

65/100. Our group claps enthusiastically. That Gift really is something.

“Sixty five. Not bad.” Kana says, nodding her head. Atlas grins, scratching the back of his head and rejoining the line.

“I could’ve done better, though.” Atlas whispers. “Sixty five isn’t all that impressive compared to my father.”

“Your father has similar strength?” I ask. Atlas’s eyes widen.

“N-Nothing, don’t worry about it.” Once again, he’s dodging the subject of his father. I’m seriously curious now.

“Next, Esmerelda Chorro.” A girl a few people away steps forward, cracking her knuckles. She’s wearing a white tank-top, shorts, sneakers and has cut, black hair with dyed streaks of purple running through it.

“Let’s get it started!” She exclaims. She has a deeper voice with hints of a Spanish accent. She stands in front of the wall, closing her eyes and raising her hand. I narrow my gaze. She seems very confident in her abilities. Does she have a Physical Gift like Atlas? Suddenly, a giant gash opens in her hand and begins to bleed profusely.

“H-Hey, are you-” Atlas asks, taking a step forward in concern.

“Just shut up...!” Esmerelda says, gritting her teeth. Suddenly, all the blood she’s lost begins rising upwards. Oh, that’s right. I vaguely remember this from the line-up. Esmerelda Chorro. Gift: Crimson Creation. This Materialization Gift allows her to form any kind of item she wants using her own blood. Right now, it seems she’s making some sort of weapon. It looks like she might pass out, then-

“There!” She grins. She’s holding what appears to be a six foot long sledgehammer. The edges are shimmering and there’s blood seeping down her arm. She snaps her other hand’s finger and the blood hardens. She looks back at us. “Told you I was fine.” Then, she raises the giant weapon, winding it up like you would a baseball bat. She releases, and swings it into the wall with all her might. A thud rings out and she steps back with recoil. She holds the sledgehammer up, and it dissolves back into blood. She seems to be absorbing it back inside her body. Incredible...so she can suck it back up to make sure she doesn’t get light-headed. The counter begins calculating, and stops on…

28/100. Esmerelda pumps a fist.

“I’ll take it!” She smiles, returning back to the line.

“That’s quite an interesting Gift you have.” Kana remarks. “Anyways, next up. Niko Arnold!” She calls out. A giant man, maybe even seven feet tall, lumbers forward. He’s wearing a dark tank top with bulging muscles and has a buzzcut.

“No unnecessary destruction, right?” He asks. For such a ginormous person, I was expecting his voice to be a lot deeper and more crass. Instead, it’s at a relatively normal pitch and tone, with the only thing of note being a slight German accent.

“Correct.” Kana responds. Niko grins.

“Watch and learn, my friends!” He yells. He stands in front of the padded wall, charging up a punch. However, there’s something odd…

He has a cannon on his back.

Niko Arnold. Gift: Living Tank. His Mutation Gift makes him huge in stature and also gives him a giant tank cannon on his back. However, he does have to be loaded by someone else to actually fire from it. That doesn’t stop him from packing a punch, though. What a strange Gift.

Niko crouches down low, winding back for a blow. Suddenly, an ear-splitting boom rings out as he fires a blank from his cannon, propelling himself forward at the wall at unprecedented speed. He slams his entire body into the wall with a hearty thump. The entire building shakes with this force, causing me to let out a gasp. After the mini earthquake has subsided, Niko’s score is calculated.

67/100. Niko turns around, grinning.

“How is that for a punch?!” Kana glares at him, rubbing her ear with her palm.

“Good hit, but give us a warning next time before you rupture our eardrums.” Niko laughs heartily, moving back to the line. Atlas is smiling.

“That guy is good, I gotta admit.” He remarks.

“Next: Puppetmaster!” Kana shouts. My turn. I stride forward, not saying a thing as I make my way to the wall. This is it; everything I’ve been working towards in the past few months. I’ve never felt more confident before in my life. I’ve worked hard. I know I can do this. I raise my fists, taking a step back and throwing myself forward with an overhead blow.

I slam my fist into the wall with a resounding thud. I recoil from the blow, shaking my hand. I stare at the counter with intent. I felt pretty good about that punch. It was executed perfectly, maybe even my best one yet. I think it was at least a twenty, maybe even a-

12/100.

I stare at the number. Twelve…? I...I thought I was stronger now. What the hell happened? Is this number right? Twelve out a hundred?

“Next up, Masaru Akamatsu.” Without thinking, I’m trudging back to the line with shock on my face. Masaru passes me and we bump shoulders.

“Pathetic.” He whispers. By the time I comprehend what he said, he’s already at the wall and I’m in the line.

Masaru Akamatsu. Gift: Absorb Break.

He does an odd karate pose, extending both hands out and rotating them.

Masaru has the ability to “sense” the flow of physical energy around him.

As fast as a bolt of lightning, he slams a palm into the wall.

He can absorb and reflect this energy into blows.

The blow is completely silent. A second passes.

If enough energy is built up, he can even break through stone.

74/100. Masaru looks completely unphased by this.

A few minutes pass as everyone else does their test, usually landing in the low 20’s. I can’t pay attention. The only thing I can think about is the single word Masaru said in passing. And he’s right. That was pathetic. All that work I put in for a measly twelve? I think back to all the pain I went through at the gym. I seriously thought I would die, but I got through it because I truly believed I would get stronger.

“Here are the results.” Kana points to an electronic leaderboard. Masaru is at the top with seventy four, and there I am at the bottom with twelve.

“Damn. I can’t believe two whole people did better than me.” Atlas says, rubbing his chin. “I guess I didn’t expect to be at the top...this’ll do for now, I guess.” I stare at him. I got a twelve, and he’s complaining he only got a sixty five. Time after time, Atlas reminds me why I hate heroes. That happy-go-lucky attitude. That effortless strength. That damn condensing look.

It pisses me off.

“Seems we’re in the same boat, Puppetmaster.” A girl’s voice comes from behind. I turn to look at the source. In front of me is an average height girl with long blonde hair and a tophat. She’s wearing a suit and bowtie like a person in an old black and white movie would.

“Same....boat?” I ask.

“Observe.” She points a finger at a name above my score. It reads: HOLLY WEST: 12. “Appears we’ve tied. We’re in a bit of a predicament, aren’t we?” Holly laughs. I stare at her in confusion. She did terribly, and she’s laughing?

“There’s a good chance neither of us will get in because of these scores. What’s so funny about that?” She cocks her head at me inquisitively.

“Did you seriously expect to do well on a test measuring raw strength? Neither of us are suited for that, at least according to the description of your Gift. We both have Psychic Gifts, you dummy. We can’t even be compared to physical heroes in that regard.”

That’s right. Holly West. Gift: Illusion. She didn’t give much of a Gift description, saying that “a magician’s secret can never be revealed.” However, Kana wouldn’t take this for an answer and forced a bit more out of her. She explained whilst pouting that she could make all sorts of “miracles” happen by manipulating the minds of those around her. Sounds like it could be pretty malicious if put into the wrong hands. Holly just uses it for magic tricks, though.

“I-I suppose you’re right.” I stutter out.

“Seriously, think about it. How could any Psychic Gift hero get in if raw strength matters as much as you think it does? Sheesh. I thought you’d be a lot smarter from the way you act all aloof.” She crosses her arms.

“A-Aloof?” This girl has no social filter, it would appear. Although, her brutal honesty has struck a chord. I am a bit stupid for letting myself get so down.

“Oh, while we’re here. What color eyes do you think look the most magician-y?” What? Why are we switching topics so fast? Suddenly, Holly’s red eyes begin changing colors. I quietly gasp. This must be her Gift. She stops on blue.

“Yes? No?” She asks.

“Hm...I always envisioned magician’s having cloudy grey eyes.” I say.

“That would look too scary, though. Hm...ah! What about...this?” She changes her eyes to a dark, amber brown. Time pauses. Those are the exact eyes my father had.

“Th-Those are good.” Holly laughs quietly.

“This is actually the color my eyes were before my Gift developed. That’s probably the thing I hated the most about having a Gift; I think red eyes are kinda boring, aren’t they?”

“I suppose you’re right.” I smile slightly underneath my mask.

“Y’know, I was scared you might be a sociopath or something. That’s the main reason I talked to you. I was scared you would kill me in my sleep if I didn’t befriend you.” I-Is that the aura I give off?! A sociopath?!

“I-I see.” For a magician, it’s odd Holly seems to like revealing every card she has.

“Okay, heroes! Damn good work! That’s all for today. Head back to the dorm and find out wherever the hell you’re sleeping.”

“Yes!” We all say in unison, heading back to the CHU building with the dozens of other students who’ve also finished their tests. I hear murmuring among them. I can gather that the average score was around twenty, meaning I’m seriously behind the majority. Although, I hear that most Psychic Gift heroes did poorly or even worse than me, so that’s reassuring. But...I need to work harder. I need to get as strong as possible.

“Yo, PM. Who taught you to punch?” Atlas asks me, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“You di-I mean, a friend of mine did. He’s really strong. Why do you ask?” I almost said “you did”...that’s right. Spencer Dark knows Atlas, not Puppetmaster

“Nothing...it’s just...he must be a pretty shitty teacher! You lock your elbow when you punch, you know that? You’ll break your arm.” He laughs.

“Oh, I’ve been told. Believe me.” I rub my temple. What’re the odds…?

We get to the CHU building, walking inside. The place is huge. It feels more like a luxury hotel than a bootcamp. We’re guided to a spacious cafeteria area where we’re allowed to pick a meat or vegetarian meal. Me and Atlas both pick meat, sitting down at the end of a table. I’m about to dig in when I remember that I’m wearing a mask.

“Dammit...and I’m seriously hungry, too.” I mutter. Curse my attire. It’s too hot, too edgy, and I can’t even eat in it.

“Jusht...mmph, eat it later when nobodies looking.” Atlas swallows, getting his words of wisdom out.

“No, I think I’ll just starve.” Now I’m in an even worse mood. At least I can drink water by inserting the straw between my mask and chin. I look stupid doing it, but at least I won’t die of dehyrdation. Atlas points his fork at me.

“Once you get accepted into CHU, have your costume designer make a mask that can open around just your mouth so you can eat.” He grins.

Once I...get accepted into CHU? My heart drops.

Like that’s ever going to happen.

I keep on accidentally letting my hopes up. I need to stop doing that. I stand up.

“Since I can’t eat, I’m just going to go on a quick walk.” I need to clear my mind.

“‘Kay. You’ll be able to figure out where your room is, right?”

“Yeah.” I wave bye, walking out the cafeteria and out of the university. The sun is just beginning to dip over the treeline, with the sky being a light orange tint. A beautiful evening. I glance at my clock; a few minutes past five. It’s the end of summer, so it’ll be dark soon. I only have an hour or two before I need to get back. I walk along the path heading towards the lake, taking in deep breaths of the cool forest air. I haven’t been anywhere this remote in years. I wasn’t really the camping type nor was my mother. If we were to spend time together, which we rarely did, it would just be watching a movie or something.

This makes me realize just how suffocating the city can be.

I sit at the lake’s edge. There are some stones, which I try to skip. According to my mother, my father was very good at this. You just find a flat one, and flick your wrist.

Plop goes my stone.

I’m not very good at it. Depressed, I look around the lake. There are lily pads and tons of leaves that have floated in. Fish are swimming about lazily. It’s a nice view.

“Hup!” I hear someone cry out across the lake. Surprised, I snap to attention. Someone is on the opposite side of the lake swinging around what appears to be a wooden katana. On closer inspection, I realize it’s Kana. I watch as she practices all her techniques, cutting her imaginary opponent to shreds. Her swings are short and precise and even more mesmerizing to watch in real life than on DVDs. A half hour or so passes with her never stopping. I could watch this all day.

Suddenly, she stops a cut midway through and turns directly towards me.

“Enjoying the show?” She yells. I shoot up.

“S-Sorry!” Oh, shit. I probably looked really creepy just staring at her. She beckons for me to walk over. I’m about to get scolded. Unfortunate. I trudge over, awkwardly avoiding eye contact out of embarrassment.

“Why do you look so gloomy, kid?” She asks, hands on her hips.

“Sorry.” I mutter.

“I didn’t ask for a damn apology, I asked why.” Then, she sighs. “Is this about your score earlier?” I flinch. Right on the money. She sighs deeply. “Did you really think you would do well on strength tests? No offense, but you’re scrawny as all hell.” The words sting, especially since they’re from Kana. “That isn’t meant to be an insult. I’m just pointing out the obvious. I’m not supposed to help trainees out, but…” She looks down. “I was just like you once. I remember when I had to take that test when I was your age. I did better than you did, but only by a few points. And that’s when I realized...you can blame your Gift all you want, kid, but at the end of the day...it’s your fault you did poorly.” She points her wooden katana at me. I look up.

“My...fault?” I ask.

“You heard me. You weren’t strong or smart enough to do good. You know Holly, that girl you tied with? She’s just as flimsy as you, but she thought smart. She used her Gift to make everyone see a score of twenty one instead of her actual one. I almost fell for it, but she kicked the thing with her knee all locked. I knew there was no way in hell she got that kind of a score with that terrible technique, so I called her bluff.” Kana sighs. “What I’m trying to say is that...there’s always a way.”

“What am I supposed to do with my Gift, though?” I ask, staring at my feet. This monologue is lost on me.

“Eh? How the hell am I supposed to know?” I look up, surprised. “I dunno what you’re capable of. You’re the only one who knows, right?” She grins slightly. I turn away.

“Thanks for the advice, Ms. Kiryu.” I begin to walk away. I have a lot on my mind now.

“Hold it, kid. I didn’t dismiss you.” I turn to face her again. “I have a question for you.”
“What is it?” I ask curiously.

“Out of all the weapons, why did you pick the tantou? I remember that’s what you pulled on me in the alleyway.”

“I don’t have any specific reason. It was just the easiest weapon I could find.”

“C’mon, there has to be a better reason. Don’t gimme that crap.” She waves a hand at me. I ponder this for a bit.

“I suppose I’ve always been interested in light weapons specially designed for speed and movement. I know I wouldn’t be able to use anything that big since I’m not built for that, so I guess that’s why I chose the tantou.” Kana nods.

“Not a bad answer.” She looks away, thinking about something. “Meet me here tomorrow at the same time.” My eyes widen in surprise.

“W-Why?” I stutter.

“Just do it.” She orders. I nod.

“Okay. I’ll be here. Tomorrow. Thank you for talking with me.”

“Dismissed.” She gives me a stern look, waving me away. I give a slight bow and begin walking away. What does she want with me? I’m not complaining, but this interest is out of nowhere. The sun has just set and I can begin to barely see the outlines of the stars in the sky. I pause a moment to look at them. I haven’t seen them in years, I realize, and I’d almost forgotten how much I love stargazing. When I was a child, if I stared into the sky for too long, I’d start getting scared I’d fall into it. An odd fear, I know.

“Hey.” Someone says a few feet in front of me. I snap to attention. Masaru is standing right there, hands in his hoodie pockets and his usual bored expression on his face. It seems he’s on a stroll too. I nod, then begin walking past him. I don’t really want to talk to him. I’m still thinking about what he said earlier. I don’t-

“Your score isn’t what was pathetic. I was calling you that.” He says. I freeze, looking into his cold eyes. A second passes.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I respond.

“Exactly what it sounds like. That look you had on your face after the test. The whiny one practically screaming ‘it’s not my fault I’m like this’. It upset me.”

“What’s your point here, Masaru?” I’m avoiding his gaze now. I don’t want to look at him. I can’t lose my composure.

“My point is that you need to stop staring at your feet like you’re the dejected protagonist of a tragedy. Do you know how lucky you are to be here? You’re a man trying to be a hero, just like me. You better start acting like one.”

“Shut up!” I hiss at him. “Don’t you get it? I’m not strong, my Gift is weak as all hell, and, worst of all, there are always assholes like you that rub it in with that condescending look on your face! Do you have any idea what I went through to get here? How hard I’ve worked? Don’t tell me what I already know!” I yell. Then, I gasp. I shouldn’t have done that. I can’t snap. Dammit, I’ve been keeping this in for months. Why now…?! Masaru sighs deeply, turning towards me.

“To answer your question; I don’t know what you’ve gone through.” We look at each other, his cold, calculating eyes staring into my soul.

“And I don’t particularly care.” My eyes widen.

“What? You don’t seem to care about me, so why in the world should I care about you? The only one who can really understand you...is you.” He points at me. “So why are you expecting others to?” I break eye contact. Is it because of shame? Anger? Maybe...happiness? Whatever the reason, I need to be alone.

“I’ll see you around, Masaru.” I hurry away, then stop. I can feel tears streaming down my face. I click my tongue out of anger, hurriedly wiping them away. Suddenly, as if the tears washed away something in my eyes, I’m seeing the world completely differently. There’s an odd sensation rising in my chest...determination. I...I will become a hero. I have to. No more self-doubt. No more excuses. If I fail, it’s because I didn’t work hard enough. I want to change this world, and I’ll cut through anything in my way. Once more, I stare into the starry evening sky.

“I won’t ever cry again until it’s all over.” I whisper hoarsely.

I wonder when “all over” will even be.

It’s up to me to find out.

Chapter IV: A Bar Set By Gods

End