Talent Awakening

Quickly the old man started barking out names, and people were forced towards the current hypersphere.

It would quickly glow a red color, and suddenly the person knew what their talent was.

This would've been the most confusing part of the whole day, but the glasses I was wearing were telling me what their talent was, typical Bladecorp.

Most of the Red Grades awakened talents that would work for the city through production.

They would be able to make plants grow slightly better.

Or they would've had some talents that made life slightly easier.

The Orange Grades were much of the same, but very few actually were able to work with research based work.

There was also the rare chance their talent was geared towards battle. 

One had awakened a talent called Strong Club, but all it did was increase their hit strength with a club.

I don't know how much, but there wasn't anybody else who knew more.

Maybe Jessica, but she was standing behind me staring towards my back, but I couldn't tell because our reflective glasses.

(We need to talk real quick)

The holograph said.

This time there was no freezing of everyone else, but there was no floating box of words.

There was only a voice projecting itself throughout my brain.

I looked around, the testing was currently on the Yellow Grade group, so there was some time to talk to it.

(You don't need to say anything because if you think about it I will know it)

That is pretty creepy, I thought.

(My bad, didn't know you liked talking to air like a madman)

Fair point, I admitted, I just like to have some privacy. 

(Not my problem because some people are going to be able to talk in your mind, or just read it)

(Putting that to the side I need to talk to you about how your talent is going to work)

Wait, aren't you my talent, at least I thought you were, I inquired.

(Sorry, but I am not your talent)

Then what are you? I demanded to know.

(Your talent is actually around a Green Grade, but I can make it better)

(What is going to happen is that I can make it so your talent shows up, or I show up)

(That shitty tessellation is going to show your talent at this point, and I would like it if you kept it there)

Depends on what it is, so if you want it that way tell me, I demanded.

(Sure, simply put, your talent is going to be ***********)

Beyond the uncensored build up, an inexplicable phenomenon replaced its voice, and sent a shiver down my spine.

Did you seriously bleep what you just said, I asked as I winced from the childish behavior.

(I didn't do that)

(I want to tell you, but I can't until it is awakened, but I can tell you what I am)

Then just do that, I sighed.

(I am the Disease System)

(I basically give you the power to infect people and give them diseases)

(Currently I can only give you the ability to syphon power from you enemies)

(I mean this literally)

You let me take people's powers, I quickly reaffirmed.

(Yes)

Wow, I can only say or think of anything that wouldn't be for kids right now, I quietly celebrated.

The testing was finally done with the Yellows, but they skipped all of the Green Graded kids, and moved straight to the one Blue Grade who hadn't signed with Bronzeheart academy.

(Quickly decide)

(Do you want to reveal me, or do you want to reveal your talent)

Show my talent, I decided.

"Zen, Indigo Grade step forward towards the testing device," a staff member called out robotically.

I quickly walked forwards toward the machine.

Its everchanging shape seemed to slow down as it turned into a hypercube in front of me.

It smoothly transitioned into a literal line, and broke my brain as it folded itself into a hypersphere.

An Indigo light had already been shining when it was a line, but it had grown much stronger when the hypersphere was constructed.

Soon my glasses started to display information in paragraphs longer than most essays, and it kept flooding me with more of those paragraphs.

After my talent was identified, they quickly shooed me away from the testing device, apparently called a tessellation.

(Congratulations, people now don't know you can take their powers)

(I will disapear for a little after this message, but I will be back, and just so you know your power isn't stealing powers, so don't be arrogant)

Huh? I wondered.

Who the hell does it think it is talking to?

I am not that arrogant, and even if I was I wouldn't make a big mistake that could get me in any big trouble.

"Juliana, Indigo Grade step forward towards the testing device," the staff member called out again with no emotion.

She walked forward, and had the same response as me.

The machine hadn't done anything different, and when her talent was revealed she was quickly shooed away.

After we were all done we were told to leave, so the ones going to Bronzeheart Academy could get their talent done in private.

We were allowed to leave school after this, so most kids went home, but I was a little worried about it because of the small staking issue I was currently having.

Juliana, as it turned out, was still walking behind me with perfect precision. 

Currently I was leading her around the schoolyard, but I was getting a little annoyed.

She hadn't spoken to me all year and she definitely hadn't followed me either.

But now she is following me around like paparazzi do to celebrities.

It wasn't exactly the coolest thing to have the second smartest person follow the smartest around like a dog on a leash.

The looks we were getting were driving my annoyance to the roof.

Suddenly a finger poked my back.

I looked behind me, and saw her with her hand retracting, and with a shy face she was taking a deep breath.

She quietly mumbled some words, but I couldn't hear them.

The wind was blowing in my ears, drowning everything out, even though it never had before.

"What did you say?" I asked because it was never wrong to listen to people.

She seemed a little flustered, and shocked at the same time, so she took a break to reorganize her thoughts.

She was a little shifty; her body swayed, and her mouth opened and closed trying to find words.

After reorganizing herself, she took a quick breath, solidified herself, and asked me a question.

"What are your plans for after High School?"

I looked at her eyes.

They had a small amount of clear liquid gathering at the edge, so I decided to treat this lightly and honestly because I hadn't seen anybody like this in a while.

From prior experience I could tell when someone was straining themselves for something.

I had seen Mother while Father was gone.

I had seen my Mother after Father came back.

I had even seen my friend ask a girl out.

He was a good looking boy, and wasn't a jerk to anybody, so you could've called him a kind boy.

The girl he was asking out was a very pretty girl who was also very nice, and I was sure it would have gone well.

He had planned it for weeks, and not in a creepy way.

Despite his friends and I giving him all of the encouragement he could've needed, he wanted to make sure that he didn't fail.

He had fully written at least thirty responses he could've gotten, and he had spent most the time planning what he would've said to even get the responses.

I could've made a dating sim game with how fleshed out he made this one encounter.

He practiced with us, and if it was a test he would've scored better than me.

It was perfect, and even practiced with a couple of girls, and they agreed that it could've captured their hearts if they weren't already dating each other.

He had made sure everything was going to be perfect, he even got the teachers on his side.

The day cam when he would ask her.

It was the 17th of April.

There was nothing special about that day, and that is why it would've been special.

School was easy that day, and I saw him right before he went to ask her.

He was sweating crazy down the back of his shirt and was slightly shaking.

My man went to go do it, and he delivered.

It was the best he had done ever.

He came back to me and looked astonished.

No, he was shell-shocked.

The man hadn't gone to war, but it looked like he came back from one.

He looked at me, and he had tears slightly forming on the side of his face, but then she came around the corner where I was hiding.

She looked to be gathering her words, and I could tell the confession wasn't over.

I played it off, and simply greeted him, and walked around the other corner to listen.

I heard her say that she couldn't date him now.

He was rejected and left dejected.

But.

She nearly yelled, "I would love to go out with you after I get my mom's permission."

To which he smiled, filled with more emotion than anything else could've given him, "Okay, I'll wait!"

After they did a little more small talk wrapping up loose ends with it, he came around the corner with a smile.

The tears were around his eyes and I could tell he had been on a roller coaster of emotions.

They soon had become the only couple in sixth grade that I acknowledged as anything close to real.

Both soon gained distance from me because they moved, but they kept it going, and have been the school's beau and belle for their high school.

I hadn't had anybody ask me out, and I hadn't talked with anybody to actually develop a strong crush on someone, so my life had been devoid of love.

I calmly told Juliana, "I don't know for sure that I would like to go to a prestigious Academy for further education."

She grew a small, soft smile, "Same, I know you're really smart, so I wanted to ask you about what I should do."

I was a little confused, but I didn't let it show, "I can help you out with that, but how should I contact you?"

Her soft smile grew wider, "How do you normally talk with other students?"

Her smile was getting slightly creepy, "I normally just send late night voicemails to the teachers and students, or we just talk in person."

Voicemails are just what they sound like, but because of technological advancements the voices are crisp, and text is generated for the voice with perfect accuracy.

Her smile grew a little more like she expected this, "In that case can I just get you pulsewave signature?"

"Sure," 

I gave her my address, she gave me a goodbye, and she nearly dashed away.

When I checked my contacts in the Voicemail App there was a new person with the name Juliana added to it.

After making sure that I wasn't being followed, I started my walk home.

Alone.