PSIonic Gladiators part 7

"Glorious Suffering,"

It's hard to really understand why bad things happen. It's also hard to imagine if anyone can have it worst than you. It, being a term that could mean anything. A job, a position, a lifestyle, or whatever 'it' could mean. It's hard to imagine you can feel worse, if anyone can have it worse then you. But then that's actually a good thing. If you can't imagine things getting worse you can at least recognize when things get better. You haven't decided to embrace this 'it' fully. You can't imagine things getting worse, so you focus on what can make things better. It's a really strange way to see things honestly.

Lucas still at this moment doesn't really understand it.

He begun to accept that worse, even embraces the worse. He has begun to cling to the idea of misery and unhappiness. It's a constant he can rely on at the very least. Of course that wasn't always so. Of course he was happy once. Of course the person he is now wasn't him his entire life. However, this is where his choices have led him. He likes to believe they were his choices at the very least anyway. Obviously, being on an alien world far flung into a different time period and trapped to fight for the entertainment of others was not his choice. However, it must have resulted from choices he's made. Being stuck in a cell alone would've been ideal for him, but he was forced to share with two other boys. Ness and Ninten, two kids with similar powers to his own carrying with them that bravado that was so very…nostalgic. Based on the clock they were provided they could finally keep some track of time in this place. It had been three days since that large scale battle that dwindled the participants of these fights. The three of them received excellent medical care putting them back at peak health. Ness and Ninten had tried to talk to him but their words fell on deaf ears. So they spoke mostly just to each other. Discussing about their powers to properly understand what it was they were capable of and trying to pool together their understanding of their abilities to see how they could use them to escape. Ninten's belief and understanding of his powers relied mostly on scientific facts and tangible things. Lucas finds it rather funny to hear PSI explained that way especially where he's from PSI would be seen as more mystical based. Funnily enough Ness' ideas on the abilities seems to contain a mixture of both ideals.

The two were clearly on their way to forming a strong bond. The two of them were quite competitive but simply based on what Lucas had seen of them, they complement each other in combat quite well. During those days of down time they were gifted an entire wing of their home dedicated completely to weaponry and armor. It is composed of weapons familiar to their specific culture. Simple bladed weapons to what appeared to be firearms, although those type items were ignored. Lucas supposed that MC provided these specific type of weapons to each specific race to give each one a type of advantage. Lucas could only imagine what otherworldly weapons other alien creatures' possessed.

"Eager for battle yet my little monster?" MC's voice rings in his head.

Lucas curls his body up a bit tighter in his corner. His back facing the other occupants of the room as they continue taking stalk of the small armory in their possession now. Voices in Lucas' head weren't really anything new to Lucas. He already had one that has been thankfully silent thanks to the collar. But he traded that for MC now he supposed. Although it took some focus Lucas was able to finally figure out that it wasn't true telepathic messages MC was sending. The collar is connected to his vertebrae, and MC has already proven he could take control of their bodies if he wanted to. He must also be able to send signals into the collars straight into the recipients' mind which the brain then turns into words. Gives the poor soul the feeling that MC can look into their mind to see their every thought. Which could lead to serious paranoia, easily break a person to know that even their own thoughts aren't private. However, after Lucas experienced true telepathic communication through Ninten he immediately noticed the difference and took note. MC can only send messages and receive them if they are spoken. He can't hear Lucas' thoughts.

A small advantage, but it was one they had none the less.

However, even with the tradeoff of having MC's voice in his head, he'd rather that honestly. This collar in some strange way gives him comfort. He can stay himself. Who cares if he's technically a dog on a leash? He doesn't matter. His happiness doesn't matter. He's just got to get these two out of here. Then it doesn't matter what happens after that.

"Lucas…" a sock foot pokes against his shoulder. Lucas ignore the nudging of the foot as he stays glued to his position. "Lucas come on…we're spinning our wheels here," Ninten states continuing to nudge Lucas with his foot. "Ness and I were able to figure out our passive abilities but we don't know yours."

"Plus, you haven't spoken to us since that big fight. You didn't even sleep in your bed last night. You've been there all day dude. Starting to freak us out a little," Ness remarks from the small table he's sitting in front of while leaning on it. MC may have the cultures between the three of them confused with another based on the setup.

"…Passive ability?" Lucas turning his head slightly just as Ninten was about to nudge him again.

"Yeah ya know, a passive ability granted by our PSI," Ninten remarks quickly, he seemed rather excited that he didn't need to fight Lucas long for a response this time.

"…Huh?" Lucas responds.

"Ya know like how my passive ability is strength and fortitude. I don't have any offensive PSI, but my passive ability allows me to fight. My PSI is mostly for support but that only increases my fortitude. Perpetually if I have the proper amount of energy I can fight for hours!"

"Yeah, and my passive ability strengthens my fast twitch muscles and dexterity," Ness says as he appears to sit against the wall next to Lucas. "I thought I was strong but after seeing Ninten, ha, no way. But I can move pretty face, I can take in information faster to allow myself to react at the speed of thought. Although, I'm more balanced all around in terms of PSI giving me a pretty good versatility with my powers."

"…I see…" That was interesting to learn. Lucas casts his eyes down for a moment taking in the info then looks back up to see Ness and Ninten staring at him expectantly. Their stares unnerve him, but he still spoke after he broke his gaze with them. "…I don't have anything like that…"

"Sure ya do, everyone has some kind of passive ability. One of my friends has an elemental passive which allows her to use different elemental type of PSI moves. Another of my friends has a more mystical passive ability. He can summon greater strength from meditation and by the happiness of his people."

"Wow, that's kinda of neat. I think my girlfriend has that elemental passive ability too," Ninten remarks.

"Girlfriend, why Ninten you sly dog, I didn't know you had a lady in your life," Ness teases elbowing Ninten. Ninten blushes a bit as he swats at Ness. "Being coy all of a sudden?"

"Cut it out, this isn't the time for that," Ninten remarks. "We were talking about Lucas remember?"

"Fine, fine, so what do you think your passive is?" Ness questions Lucas. Lucas can only shrug in respond. He never really tried to understand his powers too much. He saw them as tools and used them as such. Not like they did a whole lot of good for him anyway. "Come on Lucas it's important!"

Ninten sighs, "You do so much thinking by yourself it may as well be a passive ability."

"Hmmm…maybe you're right Ninten!" Ness exclaims.

"Another random thought of mine turns about to be right on the money huh? Heh, I'm pretty good at this."

Ness gets up walking towards the armory until he comes out with a basic round shield, golden trimmed edges with a brown center. "How would you break this Lucas?"

"Huh, wait I'm lost how is this a special skill?" Ninten questions.

However, Lucas was already staring at the shield taking in it's design. He's not familiar with the type of weapon and after reaching out to touch it he can't say he can pinpoint what it's made out of. But there is a nagging in his mind that is trying to tell him something about it. However, he can't comprehend it so he drops his hand then shrugs.

"What really, you don't know? Huh, guess he can't just look at something and know the weakness," Ness remarks.

"That's what you thought it was, why?" Ninten asks.

"Well he fires PSI so accurately always aiming for vital points. I figured that may have been it."

"Maybe extreme amounts of PSI can be a passive skill, I mean MC had to create a collar specifically for Lucas to contain his powers."

"It's because he's powerful that he must have a passive ability," Ness affirms.

"You guys shouldn't worry about that so much. No use wasting the effort on me," Lucas finally cuts in. At this statement Ness and Ninten stare down Lucas. Lucas wasn't really sure of the meaning behind the stares but all the same wished they'd stop. Finally, the two of them look at each other before Ness sighs.

"Lucas…what exactly is going on?"

"…What?"

"We didn't press earlier because we barely walked out with our lives. We were injured and a bit traumatized to even think about what happened. But we couldn't block it out, especially the fact of what you did."

Lucas turns his head away, "I'm a monster remember? Of course I killed them. I had been trying to keep track of each combatant alive and after counting I narrowed it down. After killing the required number the monsters stopped."

Ness' jaw drops, "…I gotta admit, that's amazing that you were able to do that. Which only proves to me that you have some kind of passive ability that deals with strategic decision making."

"But you weren't exactly sure were you?" Ninten suddenly spoke up.

"…"

"Were you Lucas?"

"…No…"

"So in case you were off by one you were prepared to get yourself killed just to make sure we survived. Weren't you?"

"What?" Lucas questions turning back to look at Ninten. "Why does that matter?"

"What the hell do you mean why does that matter?!" Ninten exclaims. "Do you not care about your own life?!"

...

Silence. Lucas didn't respond. But his silence spoke volumes.

"…You don't care if your world dies…and you don't care if you die…But you care about getting us out of here…" Ninten legitimately felt like crying. Especially when again Lucas had nothing to say. "Lucas…you don't owe us anything. You hardly know us, you hate talking to us, you even demanded we not be friends, but you're willing to go that far for us?"

It did sound rather crazy when put in those words.

"This stops here," Ness suddenly spoke up. Ness shoots to his feet. He stands over Lucas to grab the boy by the scruff of his jacket. He yanks him to his feet to glare hard into the blonde's eyes. "Do you hear me, this stops here!"

"Wh-what are you-,"

"I want to yell so many cuss words at you I can barely pick one. You selfless bastard. You don't get to decide whose life is worth it or not. I don't know what you're world is like, I don't know what pain you've experienced, but I won't let you die in this shithole, you hear me."

"I don't want to be frie-,"

"To hell with friendship!" Ness yells. "We don't have a choice since we live together, we fight together, and we are going to die together. No more of this self-righteous crap!"

"You don't understand what you're doing…"

"Goddamn it hurts seeing someone so miserable and wanting to be that way! It hurts that we've shown that we're willing to risk our lives for you but you think so little of that sacrifice. If we die our world dies too! We put that risk out there for you!"

"And you shouldn't have…if I die I die."

"No, I won't accept that. I can't accept that someone who cares so much about others deserves to die. You care so much about complete and total strangers yet you're so cold towards us. For some reason you deserve unhappiness. Your signature attack is called PK Love!"

"Stop prying…" Lucas begged.

"I can't fight alongside someone who doesn't even value their own life!" Ness then releases Lucas as he backs away. "Next time we step out there, you're on your own. Fight for yourself or die."

"Ness…" Ninten mutters as he watches the boy turn to walk toward the table to sit down with his back facing them. Ninten then hears a low chuckle. He turns back toward Lucas confused and startled to see the boy slump to the floor, tears rolling down his face.

"You ruined a budding friendship without even trying."

Lucas was unsure if that was MC or the other voice. But he still saw the humor in it. He could tell that he was starting to get comfortable around them and it would only be a matter of time till they started getting close. No matter what he did it would inevitable happen. He had been thinking of a way to keep that from happening although he hadn't been able to come up with anything. But it seemed all he had to do was be himself. That was pretty much all it took. It was truly disheartening, hilarious, and relieving all at the same time.

What sweet glorious suffering.