Isabelle got to the kitchen and found someone at the counter with a sandwich in their hand. A woman with dark brown hair and copper brown eyes, dressed in a caramel-colored sweater.

“Oh, h-hey there.” Isabelle greeted as she went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle from in it. “Carol, right?”

“Yeah, we saw each other about a week ago.” Carol replied as she swallowed the stuffing in her mouth “And you’re Isabelle Corona?”

“Isabelle Castella, actually…”

Carol hit her chest, struggling to put down the sandwich, “Right, s-sorry. I’m bad with names.”

“That’s alright. Mind if I sit with you? I like having company.” Isabelle awkwardly asked as she gave her a bottle.

Carol quickly downed half the bottle and let out a sharp, relieved breath, “Ahh. Go ahead.”

“So... what are you doing in the Golden Lion?”

“Um... I came here to visit Felix.” There was a short pause before Carol smiled softly, twiddling her fingers.

“O-oh… really?” Isabelle awkwardly replied with a soft chuckle.

“So, what about you, how’s training coming along?”

“It’s been… challenging, but I’ve been getting the hang of it. Huh—?” She was cut off from her own thoughts as she realized that Carol started to play with her hair.

“Your hair looks white as snow; it looks really lovely.”

“Th-thank you. Are you thinking of going through the implementation?”

“Nah, I’m just a little curious. How did it feel when you went through the process?”

“How did it… feel?” She repeated.

Isabelle’s crimson eyes drift off as the memory resurges. The scene played out vividly in her head.

Her hands and legs were bound to the table as it slowly descended. Three syringes were on the table, and that she had one more shot to go through.

“Here is the last one. This is what will turn you into an enhanced human.” One of the professors said to her, showing her a syringe full of prismatic fluid.

“There was a risk of dying, right? How much?” Isabelle huffed out as she looked over to the man. Her face drenched in sweat as she struggled to breathe.

“Since it’s too late for you to turn back now... ninety five percent.”

“Ninety-five, huh?” She echoed.

“We’ve already paid you the sum, so it’s too late to change your mind now.”

“No. It’s alright… Go ahead.” Her expression was strangely calm, to the point of indifference.

“Oh? Then, for stage one…”

She let out a deep exhale as she did her best to keep a composed exterior. Though she felt fear, there was a sense of relief. At least until her blood started to boil, sending waves of heat throughout her body, and making her scream at the top of her lungs.

Carol watched as Isabelle opened and closed her own palm. The silver-haired woman then raised up one finger and lit it up with psychic power. With a blank expression, she slashed open her own hand using her enhanced finger like a knife.

As her blood splattered on the table, the brown-haired woman nervously gulped, “I-Isabelle.”

“Yeah… I guess I’m still alive, aren’t I?” With a strained voice, her lips opened as she muttered to herself.

“Should… I… get a first aid kit?” Carol worriedly asked.

“Hm? No, it’s fine. It’s shallow, so it’ll heal in a couple of hours.”

She then tilted her head upwards, “What were we talking about again? How it felt, right? I remember now. It felt like I was burned alive… my body was destroyed from the inside out. All I could think about was regret, but... by the end of it, I think I remember…It felt like… I was in a sea of stars.”

“A sea of stars?” She asked with intrigue, there was still a hint of concern in her voice as she couldn’t look away from Isabelle’s bleeding hand.

Isabelle covered her forehead and spoke with a distant stare, “I don’t remember, it’s so hazy, but… it felt so peaceful. I’m sorry, I don’t know how to explain it.”

“I see… still, ninety-five percent…” Carol replied with a dim stare. “Well, that’s all in the past now. At least you survived, didn’t you? Cheers to that.” she raised her bottle.

“... Right, cheers to the five percent survival rate.” Isabelle smiled and raised her own.

As they chugged down their drinks, Carol immediately excused herself from the table, “I’ll just head to the bathroom real quick.”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Okay.” She replied with an awkward smile.

“I’ll be quick.” Carol waved as she headed to the bathroom.

Isabelle then looked at the blood on the counter and grabbed the tissues right next to her, wiping it off.

The bathroom was only a few meters from the kitchen, but when she got to the door, it opened, and Maria walked out with lipstick smeared over her lower lip.

“H-hello— ” She greeted the black-haired woman.

“I saw a spider.” Maria responded and quickly walked away without even turning to face her.

As she left, Carol’s eyes fixated on Maria’s reddened hand, covered in scratches. Her eyes showed slight alarm as she got inside, and saw that the mirror above the sink had been shattered and stained in red.

Carol then inspected the red-stains, confirming to herself that it was blood, and muttered to herself, “There’s something wrong with those two…”

*

In the lounge, both mentor and student sat watching television instead of training.

“Um… what’s this?” Felix asked while sitting next Anastasia on the small couch.

“You don’t like wrestling? Would you rather watch boxing?” Anastasia replied.

“Personally, I’d rather watch anime.” Nero replied as he parched his head on the sofa behind her.

“Y-yeah, me too.” Anastasia responded in a higher pitch, her cheeks suddenly turned beet red.

Felix turned his head to look at the two agents behind him, “What are you two doing here?”

“Same as you. We’re on a break.” Nero replied.

“Damn, that supplex. Think you could pull off something like that?” Grant looked at Felix with a smile while pointing at the screen.

Felix simply raised his eyebrow and replied, “I’ll go make some coffee…”

“Could you grab me a cold drink?” Nero asked as he took his seat.

“Me too.” Grant added as he gazed at Felix as he walked away.

“I’d like some beer.” Anastasia added.

“Sigh, so this is what Murphy feels.” Felix blurted out on his way to the kitchen.

As the two red-eyed men made themselves comfortable on the couch, Anastasia blurted out “And what about that girl, Isabelle?”

“She went to the kitchen earlier, she should meet Felix there.” Nero answered.

In the kitchen, Isabelle finished her drink. As she headed out the door, she was greeted by Felix, who was just about to enter.

“Oh hey, gotten better at throwing metal balls?” Felix asked.

“I guess. Have you gotten better at pushing tires?” Isabelle replied.

“Heh… so far, this is all I can do at the moment.” He answered as he pointed his finger to one of the bananas on the table.

As a blue fire formed around his fingertips, he shot it out. Suddenly, the blue fire pierced through the banana and splattered everywhere.

Isabelle reflexively defended herself, the fragmented pieces of banana floated midair, wrapped around the red energy in her hands. “That was more… ‘exploding’ than it ‘pushing.’” She blurted out in response, holding back her laughter.

“You’re not wrong.” Felix sighed, wiping off the squashed banana on his face.

“What the—?” Another voice spoke, walking into the kitchen.

“Oh, hey there. Fancy meeting you here.” Felix smiled as Carol entered the kitchen.

“What happened?” Carol replied as she quickened her pace as she walked towards him.

“I was just… showing how much I improved, I guess.”

“Don’t play with your food!” She scolded and pulled him by the collar, wiping off the splattered food on his face with a handkerchief.

Felix’s face turned slightly red, “R-right.”

As their eyes met, her stern expression quickly changed to a flustered one, “S-sorry… you just… remind me of my younger brother.” She quickly glanced away with a pout on her lips.

“Right…” He scratched his cheek.

Isabelle watched the scene unfolding in front of her, and could not help but think to herself;

So does he like Maria or Carol? Who is he gonna end up with, exactly? Knowing Maria, she’s not gonna play nice.

An awkward laughter escaped her lips, and the two looked at her.

“What is it?” Felix asked.

“Ah, nothing, it’s nothing.” Isabelle blurted out.

“So then, what exactly have you improved on?” Carol sighed and asked with her hands on her hips, looking up at him with a slightly annoyed look.

“I just… tried to push, and used too much energy, and I guess I accidentally… squashed it.”

“I see. So then that blue fire is the power of you enhanced humans?”

“The colors depend on the stage, and at the moment I’m the only one who’s blue. But that’s basically the gist of it.” Felix answered.

“Sounds weird.” Carol replied.

“It basically just lets you move things with your mind.” Isabelle simplified the explanation, above her hand were the splattered pieces of banana suspended in the air, wrapped in the red haze.

“I see, so what’s it like? How does it work? How does it feel? How do you use it?” Carol suddenly shot out a barrage of questions.

“I— um…” Isabelle stuttered. “It feels like steam. You’re directing the heat in your body and letting it escape out of your body. Then once it does, it feels like the aura becomes your hand, and you guide whatever’s in it.” She explained cleanly and concisely.

“And when it comes out of your body, it feels like you’re in water…” Felix added.

“As for how to use it, well… that’s what we’re still trying to figure out. Right now we’re still using instinct. But you have to imagine how to use it.” Isabelle answered.

“I see.” The brown-haired woman nodded along.

“I actually had this idea… where I wouldn’t need to kill people. Where I would just restrain people.” Felix explained.

Anastasia walked into the kitchen, “What’s taking you so long to get some drinks?”

“Ah, right. Sorry.” Felix replied.

“Well, I’ll see you two later.” Carol answered as she quickly rushed towards the door.

“What are you doing in our training facility?” The red-haired woman grabbed Carol by the wrist.

“I-I came here to visit my friend, Felix…” She answered nervously.

“I only have one friend at the moment.” Felix awkwardly laughed, but as Carol looked at him with worry, he quickly felt the tension in the air.

Anastasia looked at him with a sharp glare, while Carol gave him a fearful expression, “Her name is Carol Thomas. She’s someone I helped once before.” Felix answered in a serious tone.

“I know who she is. Who authorized her entry?”

Realizing the sudden pressure placed upon her, he quickly answered, “I-I did.”

Anastasia clicked her tongue and let her go.

Carol quickly pulled back her hand, and rubbed on her aching wrist. She glanced over to Felix, and with a smile, she waved him goodbye, “S-see you.”

As she hurriedly walked out of sight, the red-haired woman looked at Felix and remarked, “She shouldn’t even know where we are, much less have access to this place.”

“Ah, right. I’m sorry.” Felix responded.

“I’ll let it slide this time. Don’t cover for her again.” She replied as she walked towards the fridge.

Isabelle spoke up, “I… it might’ve was probably her badge that let her in.”

“Ah, is that so? I’ll look into it.” She rummaged the fridge, grabbing a few bottles, “I wonder if Nero would like this.”

Isabelle turned her head towards Felix and asked, “By only friend, did you mean Maria?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Maybe you could have room for one more? Maybe five more? Us espers need to stick together after all.”

“I guess you’re right. Then, you’re my second friend now.” Felix smiled.

With a flushed face, she smiled back, “I guess I am. I can’t wait until Kaitlin heals up so she could join us.”

Upon hearing those words, Anastasia glanced over to her, and her mouth opened slightly, but decided to keep her mouth shut.

She got up with a few bottles in her arms and looked over to Felix, “Head back in two minutes.”

“Right.”