"Are you ready to get scolded by your best friend?" Kira warned, gesturing with her arm.
The low hum of flickering neon lights filled the underground gym below the apartment, sweat hung heavy in the air as Katsu and Kira circled each other, bare fist poised.It wasn't just training, it was a ritual that grounded them both.
Katsu grinned, wiped the sweat from his forehead. "You talk big for someone who is going down."
They lunged toward almost simultaneously. Katsu moved faster his punches precise and strong. Kira faked a left jab and blocked a right hook, but then Katsu surprised her with a swift uppercut and she counter with a kick that pushes the both of them back.
"Hey!" She laughed, resetting her stance. "I'm a lady, you should go easy on me." She signal to Katsu with her fingers to come for it.
Katsu felt a spark of pride, adrenaline coursing. He pressed the advantage, moving swiftly, dodging Kira's counter and landing blow after blow. The rhythm between them was electric, a dance of dust and gift.
Suddenly, Katsu saw his chance. Kina guard slipped, and he threw a solid look aimed straight for her rib.
She smiled almost teasingly, the lower her arm a faint light pulse along her forearm, and one of the rings on her forearm flashed. A flash of light reflected the incoming punch like a mirror.
Katsu's fist collided with the barrier and eicheted back. The force knocked him of balance, sending him sprawling onto the gym floor.
He frowned, holding his rib. "You cheated," he muttered. "Cheater." He said chuckling despite the sting
Kira laughed out loud. "Seriously, you're landing that on me? C'mon it's not fair, it's called self-defence". She teased and laughed.
"But it's not fair, the rule says no powers." Katsu was pained, while Kira stretched her arm towards him.
"Maybe, but it's not like I did anything, you're lucky I held back." She pulled Katsu up with a grin.
Kira raised an eyebrow, "You are pretty strong though, I did a good job training you, if you become an awakening, you'll definitely be an A level"
The word hinged in the air like a secret promise, heavy with hope and something deeper, something Katsu wasn't ready to admit even to himself.
Just then, a buzz broke the moment. Kira glanced at her wrist communicatior and frowned.
"The test of Awakening starts by 2pm." She said softly. Even if she didn't say much, Katsu understood what she meant.
"I'm not going." He said surprisingly, Kira jaw dropped.
"Hey!" She yelled. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
"Remember, if I'm going to become an Awakening, even before the test, I would have felt it" he said with a bit of disappointment.
"Is that all?" Kira asked.
He looked at her, she picked his jacket and tossed it to him. "Get up, and get some rest done," she said with a narrowed eyes.
"I'm not repeating myself." She warned and left the gym.
"What do you take me for now I?" He murmured and. Walked slowly to the exit.
"Kira, wait" he called out, but he knew she's gone already.
*****
The test is usually held at the Headquarters of the Association of World Protectors (AWP), the organisation that brings all the world Awakening together. It's located at the central of the city, an open space in New - Tokyo, where crowd gathered, nuzzling with energy and excitement. Serene floated in mid-air outside the building displaying the name of candidate that have done their test.
Katsu stood near the edge of he crowd, his heart pounding in his chest. He wore simple clothes, nothing flashy, but something cool, just like always. No glowing, no shimmering like others. To most he was invisible.
The test began, one after the other, candidate inside the building, stepped inside the trial done, where their potentials, skill, and power, were evaluated. Then it was Katsu's turn.
He stepped into the dome, eyes fixed on the floating panel that would scan him. "Awakening potentials." The crowd murmured, some chuckling softly.
The machine hummed, scanning Katsu from head to toe as he placed his hand on a rolling orb before him, light flickered around his arm but nothing.
Then a voice from the speaker. "Candidate Katsu Mamoeu, potentials. S- level."
Every one was full of surprises, Katsu eyes widened with glimmer of hope, he was keeping the excitement down to his belly.
"Status - No Awakening detected. Unworthy." He stepped out of the dome and the report of the test was handed over to him, as he opened the main door, a ripple of laughter erupted from the crowd
"He has potentials but not power, useless after all."
"He's nothing, no powers, even unworthy."
"Why on earth will he show up in the first place?"
"Gosh, this is a waste of time."
"Son of a useless traitor."
Katsu clenched his fist, swallowed the lump rising in his throat. Face blurred, the noise dimmed, and only one thing echoed in his mind: USELESS.
He stepped back, shoulder heavy, humiliation weighing like a stone. The test ended without a ceremony for him.
Later that evening, Katsu returned to the modest apartment he shared with Kira. The place wasn't luxurious but it was a home.
Kira opened the door before he could even knock.
"Back early," she said, eye searching his face. Katsu handed the report over to her and she collected and went through it. He shrugged off his jacket, dropping onto the soft couch. "I told you, it wasn't worth going" he said with disappointment in his voice.
"They all laughed" he admitted quietly. "I guess they are right after all, a useless brat of a traitor."
Kira sat beside him, her voice steady and calming. "Power doesn't matter, Katsu"
Katsu looked at her with confusion. He clenched his fists, eyes narrowed in anger. "Really?" He sat up and tossed his jacket away.
"If power doesn't matter, why did you insist I take that test? Now I've done your wishes, it only brought embarrassment." He spat out and Kira stood up.
"Yes I admit it,, it's my fault, it's my fault to tell you to take the awakening test and know that you had a S - level potential. It's my fault that I want you to proof to the world that you're not like them." She pointed to the picture of Katsu's parents that was hunged on the wall."
"To what use?" He said angrily.
"Tell me, to what use is the S - level Awakening potential." He walked pass her. Whispering something that Kira couldn't her.
"Katsu!" Kira yelled his name and took a deep breath
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that way." She said calmly.
"It's okay." He said.
The level of understanding between them is one of a kind. It kind of strengthens their bond.
"We could get a support Awakening, that could open up your Meridians" she walked towards Katsu and grabbed his hands.
He looked at her straight in the eyes and lean over, bending to her ear length. "You're unbelievably feigning ignorance, who do you think would want to do that? He asked.
"There's always a way, I know someone I could ask, but I reaching her is the issue." She looked up at him. "You can't call it off, just because of powers, life is more than that."
"And how long will that take?" Katsu asked
" One thing you are getting wrong is that you think power makes you who you are, but no, it's what you do with it, or even without it, you're more than a ring on your arm, sooner or later, the world would realise what they are missing out on" she paused, parted his shoulder and smiled gently.
Her words settled over him like a warm blanket, but deep inside, the ache of not belonging throbbed.
"Maybe," he whispered. "But everyone else.....they don't see it."
Kira hugged him, "then maybe this time they would."
*****
Later on the night, Kira's comm device beeped shortly, she glanced at the message, eyes narrowed.
"The president wants to see me," she said standing up
Katsu looked up, curiosity piqued. "What about?"
Kira face turned serious. "An E - level rifts just opened and she wants me to lead the squad to clear it." Katsu heart jumped.
E - level are the lowest rank rift, why would they want C - level there." He thought to himself
Her comm device beeped again, she looked at it and gasped.
"What is it about this time?" He asked slowly.
"Do you know Rina, the S - level support Awakening?" She paused and Katsu sat up as if he was about to receive what he has long waited for.
"Yes, what's with her?"
"She's coming....."
"Really, are you for real?" He cut in.
"But wait, something is off." He said rubbing his hand under his jaw.
"What's wrong?" She asked curiously.
"Are you slow-witted?" He asked teasingly. "It's an E - level rift, yet a C-level Awakening is joining the raid, not only that, a S-level support Awakening is also joining, don't you think something is fishy" he analysed.
"Bro, you're just overthinking. It's just a normal raid, and I'm only going to assist, since they mostly E level in the team, nothing more." She said
"Can I come?" Katsu asked with hope in his mind
Kira paused, shaking her head. "You? No way. It's too risky. You are not an Awakening. Not yet, you're ...."
"Useless?" Kira finished bitterly, he stood up and faces her. Kira knew she messed up.
"Oh, oh, calm down, it's not like that, it's just that I don't want to risk it " she said quietly.
"But I've been to higher raids than this" Katsu fired at her. " I'm not completely powerless, I can defend myself, I'll join the scavenging team, and I'll be careful."
Kira studied him for a long time and sighed. "Fine , but if you get into trouble, I'm dragging you out. Whether you like it or not."
Katy smiled faintly with determination, burning in his eyes.
"Good" she said, a rare warmth broke through. We leave tomorrow evening, I heard it's by the ocean, so night is the most effective time to clear it."
As they prepare for the mission, the city lights flickered outside, and somewhere beyond the shadow, the rift waited, but Kira's mind wasn't at rest, not because of the raid but because she knew the reason she was going.