Chapter 7: Training
Nickoli woke up in his bed in Lilith's home. She had gladly taken him in since he was now making his home in Crimson City. He pondered what he was going to with Zver since he doubted the stalker would fit in around the populous. Nickoli went into the kitchen and found a note on the refrigerator. He pulled it off to see it read "Had to get some work done. See ya around. –L"
Nickoli shrugged his shoulders and made a bowl of cereal to start his day. He looked down at his robotic pieces, placed a finger on his cybernetic eye and touched the top of his metal spine. If there was one thing he didn't like about himself, it was his inability to repair himself. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed "I need help. I need someone who knows how to work machinery." Nickoli thought about that, and he knew exactly who he could go to for help.
Nickoli threw on his shirt and walked out the door towards the Research and Development building. He walked into the door and went to the desk. He pressed the red button, causing the buzzer to sound throughout the building. Gaige walked out of the bot pile and questioned "Well hello Nickoli! Is there something I can help you with?" Nickoli answered "I'm here to ask for a huge favor."
"How huge?"
"I would like to become your apprentice. I want you to teach me everything you know about machinery and cybernetics."
Gaige scratched her chin and asked "Tell me Nickoli, why exactly should I teach you?" Nickoli explained "I really don't want to continually go for help every time something goes wrong with my parts. I want to be able to help myself in times where I can. I understand if you don't want to take on an apprentice."
"I like your stand point. I'll teach you what you want to learn."
"Yes! Ehem, thank you Mrs. Gaige."
Gaige smiled and lead Nickoli over to the pile of robotic pieces. "Your first job, organize this pile of robotic pieces into various parts." Gaige exclaimed. "You want me to clean the place up?" Nickoli questioned.
"Yes! It will show me your organizational skills! Remember Nickoli, you gotta crawl before you can walk. Have fun!"
Gaige walked out of the building, leaving Nickoli alone with the pile of parts. Nickoli decided to get to work and started to organize the pieces by what they used to do for the bot. He put arms in one pile, legs in another and main body parts in the last. He was organizing for an hour when the phone on the desk started going off. Nickoli picked it up and answered "Research and Development, Nickoli Vladof speaking." He heard Lilith reply "Nickoli? You got a day job?"
"More like an apprenticeship. What are you calling about?"
"There's some suspicious activity outside the city, something about a massive stalker at the foot of the bridge. I wanted Gaige to make some sort of spy drone to check it out."
"I'll go and check. Stalkers have a form of respect for me."
"Alright, but be careful."
"Roger."
Nickoli hung up the phone and headed for the exit of the city. "With my guess," Nickoli thought as he walked across the bridge, "It's probably Sver trying to find me. Must have tracked me all the way to the city, but stopped since it is unfamiliar territory." Nickoli made it to the end of the bridge and walked into the Highlands. He looked around and noticed a certain large stalker lying down next to a fast-travel station. The stalker lifted its head and roared in joy at seeing its master.
Sver shot forward and tackled his master to the ground in happiness, licking his face like a canine. "It's good to see you too Sver." Nickoli laughed as he pushed his pet off of him. "That's enough!" Sver backed off and roared in joy again. Nickoli scratched Sver and questioned "What are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay at home." Sver made a whimpering sound and Nickoli sighed "I've been getting some work done, but I really should find you a place around here."
Nickoli scratched his chin in thought about what he was going to do with Sver now that he was staying in Crimson City. He certainly wasn't going to abandon Sver, he was his best friend, so he needed for Sver to find a home. Nickoli got an idea, but it was pretty risky. "Here's what I want you to do Sver." Nickoli instructed. "Follow me through the city, I know a place where you can stay. I want you to jump from the rooftops and avoid the street. Stay camouflaged the entire way there, understand." Sver nodded his head and Nickoli proclaimed "Good. Let's go." Nickoli walked back to Crimson City with a cloaked Sver right on his heels.
Nickoli headed back to the Research and Development building, continuously tracking Sver to make sure he didn't run into anybody. They made it back to the building safely and Sver ran around to get the layout of his new home. Nickoli shook his head and got back to his work of organizing the place. Nickoli tossed an arm into the pile when he noticed Zver dragging a leg to the designated pile. "Looks like the assistant has his own assistant." Nickoli chuckled as Zver put the leg down.
O00000O00000O
Angel walked with her mother to a flat spot in the Highlands so they could begin her Siren training. Her mother turned towards her and proclaimed "This spot will do." Angel excitedly questioned "So what are we going to try first? My Siren power? My elemental ability?"
"Meditation."
Angel's smile dropped of her face as she questioned "Seriously?" Her mother smiled and explained "In order to use your power, you must become attuned with not only your surroundings, but the flow of it and the ebb of the universe."
"That sounds incredibly boring."
Her mother rolled her and proceeded to sit on the ground, legs crossed and eyes closed. "Take a seat Angel." She calmly exclaimed. "Become one with your surroundings, sort of like your father taught you." Angel replied as she sat down "Dad taught me to use natural elements to become one with my surroundings."
"You know what I mean. Cross your legs and close your eyes."
Angel did as she was told and closed her eyes to try meditating. "Now picture your surroundings, feel the energy that naturally flows through the world." Her mother instructed. Picturing the surroundings was easy since she was just staring at them, but feeling the energy? She had no clue what she was doing. Angel took a few deep breaths and thought "This is stupid. What energy flows through Pandora? The only place with life is right here, the rest is a dead planet."
Angel was already starting to get bored, she figured she was going to be using her powers or her elemental ability. Not sitting on the ground "feeling the energy that naturally flows through the world". Angel took a deep breath and sighed, apparently very audibly since her mother proclaimed "I know this may seem boring, very few can immediately become one with their surroundings." Angel rolled her closed eyes and her mother scolded "Don't roll your eyes at me young lady." Angel's eyes flew open and she questioned "How did you know I rolled my eyes?"
"Because I can sense it. Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way."
Her mother scratched her chin in thought and then exclaimed "Try focusing on me, like you would a target for sniper training. Only keep your eyes closed." Angel did as she was told and closed her eyes, mentally focusing on her mother. "This is stupid. How can I…" Angel thought, but the thoughts quickly shot away as something started to glow in the darkness. It looked like a small green light, almost like a Mercenary Day light. She focused harder on the light and it started to glow brighter, it even started to take a shape.
Angel continued to focus on the light until it took a human form, a female form. Angel focused harder and harder until she was able to completely make out what it was; her mother. Angel opened her eyes and noticed the light had changed. It wasn't the early morning sunrise they started at, but now it was incredibly bright like it was noon. "That was something." Angel proclaimed.
"What did you see?" Her mother questioned, eyes still closed.
"I saw… you. Only you were glowing a green color. How long has it been?"
"Approximately four hours, give or take a few minutes."
Angel shot up and barked "Seriously!? It only felt like a few minutes." Her mother smiled and answered "For inexperienced ones, it may take time to read other's energy or aura, as it had been called. I am surprised it was so quick for your first time, it took me all day to read Brother Sophis' aura." Angel sat back down and questioned "So what should I do now? Focus on your aura again?"
"No, since you have shown promise, try focusing on yourself. This may unlock you Siren power or your elemental ability."
Angel nodded and closed her eyes, focusing on her own aura. She could see the small green light again, but this time it wasn't alone. A light blue light appeared next to it, so light it was almost white. Angel began to focus on that light and it started to glow brighter, like the other one before it. It grew and started to take a human shape just like before, only this shape was smaller.
Angel focused more and more on the light until it took a definite form; her form. Angel was staring at her own, light blue aura, her own power and energy flowing through her. Angel mentally tilted her head and her aura mirrored her movements. She raised her hand up and reached out to her aura, aura mirroring her movements until their fingertips touched. The touch was cold, almost freezing until she couldn't handle it anymore and ripped her hand away.
Angel snapped out of her concentration and fell onto her back. "Angel! Are you okay?" Her mother question as she ran to her side. "Yeah, I'm fine." Angel groaned as she sat up. She brought her hand to her forehead, only to find it freezing cold. Angel looked to her hand and her eyes went wide as she saw the fine layer of ice on her hand.
She held her hand out a bit and the ice shattered, falling in small pieces from her hand. "I think we just found your elemental ability." Her mother chuckled. "You're a Siren of Ice." Angel looked at her hand with wide eyes and thought "A Siren of Ice. That is what I am. Now if only I can figure out my Siren power, but this is a nice start." Angel noticed a change in the light, like it was evening time.
Another thing Angel noticed was that she was seriously hungry, almost starving. "How are you feeling Angel?" Her mother questioned. "I'm hungry." Angel answered. "Can we get something to eat?"
"Yes dear, we can get something to eat."
Maya helped Angel to her feet and thought "My little girl, a Siren of Ice. Once she hones her abilities and refines her elemental power, along with her assassin training, Angel will become one of the strongest warriors on Pandora. Maybe even the system, what kind of parent wouldn't be proud?" Maya walked with Angel back to their home and she prepared a meal for her daughter.
Boom, sorry for the short chapter. I just wanted to integrate some good training to show the two trying to reach their full potential. Review or PM any thoughts ideas or suggestions.
-Chief