"So, can I come over to your place?" Lisa asked, "We can get some R&R, then play a few games before we get to studying?"
Liam sighed as they climbed the stairs to his dorm room. "Should a young girl really be spending her free time with a boy?"
Lisa blinked in surprise, then a mischievous grin spread out over her face.
"Oh? What's this?" she snickered whilst poking Liam in the back, "Are you embarrassed at the idea of a girl coming over? Or..." she paused to gasp for effect, "Could it be that you're hiding something?!"
"What? No!" Liam exclaimed as Lisa barrelled past him shouting, "Investigation time!"
Liam watched her run up the stairs, out the "emergency stairs" door, and into the corridor that led to his room.
"He-heh. Idiot," Liam smirked as he put his hands in his pockets and continued walking at a leisurely pace.
When he reached the corridor, he paused to look at the sight beyond the parapet. Bright lights and colours, several beautiful feats of construction, hundreds of people walking around the campus...
It's amazing, Liam smiled as he leaned on the parapet with his arms.
Then he turned his head to the right and smirked at Lisa, who was standing, arms crossed, at his room's door.
Did she seriously forget that only specific students and specific staff members can access their dorm rooms?
Liam covered his smirk with a hand and laughed quietly as Lisa took great strides towards him. The closer she got, the clearer her indignation was.
"You jerk!" Lisa yelled, and Liam burst into laughter. He was quickly silenced by a punch to his lower ribs, and he fell to coughing on his knees, clutching his side in agony.
"Uuggghhhh..." Liam groaned in pain as Lisa glared down at him.
"You should be grateful that's all you're getting for laughing at me," Lisa said as she turned to look over the parapet.
Liam eventually got back on his feet, and both stood in silence at the parapet, admiring the view.
Liam glanced at Lisa for a brief moment, remembering what had happened earlier in the day, when she had announced her Venma.
Why did she do that? She could have refused, or stalled for time. Maybe she could have diverted attention from herself... or worst case scenario, use her power on sir Zantos. Why was she so honest? And not only that, it's obvious how others react to people like us. People still treated the Denied differently. There isn't open discrimination—not anymore—but the difference is there. It's quiet. And that kind of quiet is impossible to ignore.
"Hey Liam."
Liam pulled himself out of his thoughts and turned to Lisa. "Yeah?"
She chuckled, even though her eyes were fixed on something in the distance. "You answered on the second call this time. You must not have been thinking that hard."
Liam scratched the back of his head with a soft chuckle, then turned away and stared off into the distance as well. "Sorry about that."
"No worries. You're a fast learner after all. You'll get the hang of pulling out of your thoughts eventually."
"Yeah... thanks."
They fell silent again, and soon the wind picked up, ruffling their hair.
Unfortunately for Liam, it sent Lisa's long hair straight into his face.
As he spat and yelled, Lisa laughed and apologised. They both fell silent for a brief moment, then burst out laughing again. They both went back to standing at the parapet, and when their laughter quieted down, Lisa sighed.
"Hey Liam, you remember the second stage of the entrance exam right?"
Liam glanced at her from the corner of his eye for a second before looking forward.
"How could I forget?"
****
"Alright everyone," Mark addressed the twenty four candidates, "Well done for passing the first stage. You have had your fifteen minute break, so it's time to move on to the next phase of the exam..."
Mark paused, observing all their expressions, noting the looks of resoluteness outnumbered the looks of despair. Satisfied, he continued:
"The second stage is Venma Evaluation."
His statement was met with quiet exclamations and a few whispers, but the overall feeling emanating from the applicants was acceptance.
They had basically signed up to become Hunters after all. If there was no evaluation on their powers, it would be best to start questioning the school's professionalism.
Liam, despite knowing this, was still nervous. After all, he was one of the Denied. A wielder of a power that could become a thorn in humanity's side. Several Denied had been turned away from certain institutions due to the safety risks, and even though Dawn Academy was famous for its fairness, he wasn't sure his Venma would be accepted for a myriad of reasons.
Medical issues at the very top, he thought in slight dejection.
"Follow me," Mark ordered, turning around and heading to the gateway opposite the entrance.
They were led down a short flight of stairs, then through a long, bright corridor. Liam soon immersed himself in his thoughts as they walked.
I wonder what they're looking for. From everything I've seen so far, it's obvious these guys don't care about simple "strength". That Caesar guy is a good example.
Liam recalled everyone's shock when the round, quiet, dumpling of a boy had turned into a thin, very sweaty, quiet boy. That loud guy, the blue hair who announced himself as Nanami, had bombarded him with questions until he was dragged away by his friends.
They might turn him away for lack of physical power, but he has some pretty strong willpower. He's persistent, and even though he came last in the race, he never gave up. That has to count for something. And if it does, that means I have a chance, a chance for me to be accepted.
After a few more minutes, Mark spoke up:
"We're here."
They walked into a large grey room filled with comfortable looking chairs, exactly twenty four in number, arranged in a three row eight column format. A single door had been placed in front of the chairs, and Mark stood in front of it before beckoning with his hand.
"Sit."
The candidates immediately obeyed. Liam took a seat at the edge of the second row. Right beside him was Caesar, and in front of him was the tall blonde.
"Alright listen up. Here are the following procedures of this test:
First of all, you will be called according to our own roster, meaning there will be no definite order as to who will be called.
Secondly, you will have a maximum of seven minutes to display your capabilities to the examiners behind this door," Mark gestured to the door behind him, "No more, no less.
Finally, these chairs have been built with comfort as their core function. Keep that in mind."
Liam furrowed his brow. Is it just me, or did his voice get lower when he said that last line?"
"I will be joining the examiners on the inside, so prepare yourselves. After all, it's best to catch the room empty."
The moment he finished, Mark turned around and entered the room.
There was a short silence, then-
"Does anyone know what that last thing he said meant?"
Liam sighed inwardly as Nanami's voice punctured the silence.
Of course he'd ask that. But it's a pretty simple message. It means: "Be early". Dad loved saying weird, cryptic stuff like that...
Liam paused for a second, his lower lip trembling a little. Then he shook his head and leaned back into the chair, feeling some of his earlier exhaustion trickling away
In other words, they're taking our arrival time into account. But how does that matter? We're definitely going to be early. The moment they call our names, we'll respond...
Liam stifled a yawn, then flinched at the sound of a yawn being cut short. He turned to his left, and noticed Caesar's face was red, and he was covering his mouth with his hand.
Liam blinked, confused, then turned around to look at his fellow applicants.
Most were fine, kicking their legs from boredom, sitting up straight, stretching their bodies to loosen up, or making conversation. A few however, were covering up yawns, snuggling into their seats, and nodding off occasionally.
What...? Liam frowned before turning his attention elsewhere.
The room was at a comfortably low temperature, much unlike their hot bodies. The seats themselves were incredibly comfortable; Liam found himself sinking a little into his own. They absorbed whatever sweat had been on the candidates' clothes, and at closer examination emitted miniscule vibrations for soothing the seater.
"... these chairs have been built with comfort as their core function. Keep that in mind... prepare yourselves..."be early"
Liam's mind began whizzing around, all background thoughts of relaxation disappearing as he sat up.
Hunters are always prepared... meaning there may never be a moment of rest for them... now that I think about it, Dad never sat back in chairs or couches unless Mom said something. And he always woke up super early. Mom once complained that he rarely slept...
Liam's eyes widened a little. How much time has passed?
"Hey...Caesar?" Liam turned to the thin boy, who seemed to be trying hard not to nod off.
"Hm wha~?" the boy replied. Then his eyes shot wide open, and he visibly recoiled from Liam. "W-w-w-why?!"
Liam blinked in surprise. Is this how I act when speaking to people?
He shook his head a little to clear his head and asked, "Do you know how much time has passed?"
Caesar shook his head repeatedly, "N-n-no... m-m-maybe two minutes?"
Liam nodded. "Thanks."
He turned away from Po, his expression serious.
I can't believe it, he thought as he put his head into his hands.
These chairs are a trap?!