Graduation Exam (XI) or Caesar And Clark or The Birth...

Planet: Tarsonis

Year:2529

Place: Confederate ??? Academy

-- Jun 11, 2529 - Confederate calendar - Day of the graduation exam --

Bryce woke up. Band-aid from head to toe with a medical iv in his arm. To his right, were the recruit's band-aid all over. On his left, those undergoing surgery or skin grafting. In front of them, was a massive monitor displaying the ongoing exam.

On it, Caesar and Clark stood face to face. Surrounding them were broken chairs, pools of water, partially melted ice, burnt, and an assortment of goods. In the far, far back were Victoria and Yasha hiding in the distance.

'You can do this Clark. You can beat him on the biggest stage. You have to,' thought Bryce. Praying whatever god would listen.

His eyes widened witnessing Clark leap back with hurricane legs as a chandelier fell from the ceiling. Caesar shot forward with psionic speed, he was upon Clark in seconds.

The chandelier crashed, destroying one of Caesar's cars. Its explosion sent the second one flying and sent glass into Caesar's back.

He grinned while pressing forward. 'That was a pleasant surprise, hopefully, there's more,' thought Caesar. As he did, Clark leaped back into the air while wooden spikes flipped out of the rubble.

Caesar scoffed then bent his knee, before front flipping over the spikes.

Clark's mouth hung open, his eyes went wide. Caesar's heel fell upon his shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground.

Yet as he fell, Clark grit his teeth before firing a quick hurricane fist. Its winds hit Caesar's chest, sending crashing back into the chandelier. While allowing Clark to safely fall.

'He's doing it!' yelled Bryce. His thoughts echoed the room, attracting those barely conscious.

They watched Clark rise to meet the smiling, yet bloodied Caesar.

"TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY!"

Clark's voice boomed across all audio, shocking most spectators. They looked upon his broken shoulder before glancing at Caesar's bloodied back.

Caesar said nothing as Clark shot towards him. He grabbed Clark's face before charging towards the bridge entrance.

They burst through the entrance. Caesar carried Clark like a ragdoll as he threw him into a car door, the nobles gasped at his strength.

'He doesn't even take the muscle and bone density supplements. So why is he still this much stronger?' Thought Clark.

He rose from the car door, laboring in pain. But as his eyes lingered on Caesar, it was replaced with anger and determination.

'I can do this, I can do this. I have to do this! I have to show everyone, our hard work can overcome these snotty elitists.' "I will show you, I will show everyone."

Yelled Clark, he channeled his psionic speed and hurricane legs alike. Before rocketing towards Caesar.

He tackled him through the open door and back into the southern building.

When the two hit the floor, Clark mounted Caesar before raining down punch after punch. However, Caesar blocked each and everyone, with relative ease.

'I can sense your mind waning and your energy failing. Come on Clark. Don't quit yet,' said Caesar.

His words bypassed Clark's psi-screener and into his mind.

"Uraahh!" Roared Clark as he channeled his hurricane fists one more. "I won't lose!"

He fired blow after blow towards Caesar's head. Yet each and everyone was blocked, their hurricanes left Caesar's forearm bleeding profusely.

'Huh. I'm losing too much blood,' thought Caesar. He grabbed Clark's wrists, then tossed him to the side. Before backflipping to his feet and dashing back to Victoria.

"Heal," said Caesar. As Clark sprinted after him. Victoria used her psionic energy to heal the wounds on his forearm.

"Isn't she amazing?" Asked Caesar. "Truth be told, I should take you...a bit. More seriously. However, I'm more interested in experiencing that power of friendship, which drives you."

Clark fired punch after punch towards Caesar's head. But he blocked each punch while Victoria pulled the glass out of his back.

"Just do what you can," said Caesar. Seeing Clark charge up for a big attack.

Yasha watched, intrigued to see if Caesar would protect Victoria or let her take the hit.

Clark grinned, throwing his hurricane fist at Caesar's stomach. "Come on, dodge. So my hurricane can hit her head. Nobody believes you're noble enough to take it."

Victoria shuttered, her eyes rose to meet Caesar's. Deep in her mind, Kai's old words replayed on a loop. 'Why would Caesar treat you with warmth, when you look at him like he's a test subject?'

'He shouldn't,' muttered Victoria. As her thoughts spilled out for all to hear. Caesar's psionic energy burst forth, engulfing everything around them. At the same time, Clark released a massive hurricane straight punch.

That tore through Caesar's energy, dispersing both energies on the way to Caesar's stomach.

"Just die!" Yelled Clark. When his hurricane fist came within inches of Caesar's body, its energy dispersed while carrying Caesar's energy. It cut into Caesar, Clark, the walls, and the exposed wiring around them.

"What the?" said Clark. The lights shut down, soon after the cameras. Clark's eyes rose to meet Caesar's. As his fist hung in the air and his shoulders slumped over, Caesar's eyes changed from their stunning light-grey to a vibrant lime-green.

"What!?" said Clark. Caesar's eyes gave the dark and unlit room a haunting feel to it that he could never shake. He stepped back seeing Caesar grin while the electricians worked to restore the technology. Now his, technology.

Clark mind race a mile a minute. His mouth dropped when his mind thought back to Caesar's speaking into his mind. 'How? My psi-screener's on!?'

His eyes fell to Yasha who muttered. "I remember those glowing green eyes. I saw them during the blackout. Suki said I was hallucinating all those years ago."

Her words caused Clark to kneel over, replaying her previous speech over and over. Before eventually focusing on one line.

'Clark's as kind as Caesar is cunning. So ask yourselves. Why would Caesar throw us a bone?'

"You're almost there," said Caesar. He still dawned the smile while Clark worked through all the information. His mind was like a running faucet, spilling all his thoughts to everyone on the floor!

"You set me up," said Clark. His voice was laced in awe and hurt.

"You set me up! Yasha was right. You aren't loyal to the confederacy. Hell, you care less for it than I do. Oh my god! How did we miss this? I mean. I can see why the staff wouldn't notice. They don't even care about us.

And Rishul! He used to talk about displaying loyalty so we could see another day. And would only bully us when we didn't do the same. At one point I even thought he was like us. But that changed after meeting you.

So then why?

Why would you spend all these years-"

"Martyr," said Caesar.

"What?" asked Clark.

"When I first came here almost everyone was broken. Their eyes were dull, lifeless, hallowed out husk waiting to be led. However, I knew. That if I rallied the troops, they would eventually kill me. Making me a martyr.

And so, I sought out options. For a moment I sought to use Rishul, but then that's when you came. That's when you-"

Clark interrupted Caesar, continuing his thoughts. "That's when I stood up and defied Mr.Quackenbush, ranting about the confederacy's false history, getting my dad killed. Making me the perfect target.

Am I right?"

"Yeah. You made the perfect martyr. Your sympathetic, heroic, charming, compassionate...all of the above. You were so stunning nobody else came close."

"I see," said Clark. He wanted to cry, yet held it back.

`

"For everyone to take the next step, I need to die. So then regardless of my grade, they were going to have everyone torture me. Won't they?" Asked Clark.

Caesar nodded.

Clark rose to meet him. The two looked into each other's eyes before he asked. "Caesar, what is your dream?"

"My dream. Is to build the starships of tomorrow."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Clark laughed at the top of his lungs.

"For someone so smart, your thinking too small. Why build starships? When you can build a nation! Why settle for the discovered. When we live in a time of DISCOVERY!?

If some rich FUCK NAMED MENGSK can claim the planet Korhal! Why can't you build a nation? Why can't you find something better? Why can't you rip the confederacy apart while doing it? Let it die! And through its death, build something grand. FOR EVERYONE WHO'S SUFFERED! AN AEGIS IF YOU WILL."

Clark's words left everyone stunned. As for Caesar, he just laughed. "An Aegis! A grand Aegis to cover humanity!"

"I love it! The nation of Aegis." Smiled Clark.

In another time they would've been friends. But for today, It was the birth of a new dream! And an undying promise.