"Wayne, do you think it's possible she could get the information I want?"

"Not knowing what it is you're looking for doesn't help me, but, if I had to place a bet it would be on her ability. She is best at sneaking around after all."

"Do you know where I rank? Is there a chart or something I can see?"

"I don't even have to look, you're at the bottom. If you weren't when you first got here then you definitely were after you got disqualified from a match, and then you got disqualified from another. Wait, are you actually going to try and move up now?"

It was the plan from the beginning, I just got sidetracked for a little bit. Whether I become an agent or help her escape, I have to get stronger than I am.

"Yeah."

Wayne jumps into the air, or I think that's what he tried to do. "OW ow o ouch. I'll be your trainer!" He says while hunched over and lifting only his right arm.

"Do you know anything about training?"

"Well, not technically. If I knew your ability I'm sure I'd be able to help out in some way though."

"Fine." I walk over to the mat he's on and whisper to him, explaining the basic fundamentals of my ability. I decided I would tell him the truth instead of giving him the same answer I told the bitch in a box, but I don't tell him everything just in case.

He nods as I tell him, saying the occasional 'Ok.' I finish explaining it and lean back looking at him. He remains leaned forward before realizing I had finished.

"Wait, that's it?"

"What's that supposed to mean? Yeah, that's it!"

"No, I just... Are you sure you don't have any speed enhancements because that spinny-flippy thing you did when you dodged the--"

"Yes, I'm sure. It's all timing and prediction. So you got anything?"

"Mmmm, this is worse than I thought. You're basically a normal person for the most part, so you just have to do physical training."

"I know THAT, but it will take too long."

Wayne looks around the room awkwardly. "What is it, Wayne?"

"Well, there might be a way to speed up the process..."

"So what is it?"

"I feel like if I tell you you're going to do something stupid."

"Wayne. Just tell me, I need this."

A loud clanging sound rings out behind me, that of weight's hitting the floor but I don't take my eyes off Wayne.

"There's someone here who can heal injuries."

"What does that have to do--wait, if that's the case why haven't you gone to see them?"

"You see that guy over there, don't stare at him too long!" Wayne pointed only used his eyes, but even with that, there was currently only one other person in here. I look at the man with shoulder-length hair. I could see his veins popping out from even this distance as he squatted a massive amount of weight.

Now that I think about it, who is this guy, just him being here made Carnie have a strange reaction.

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"That's Jason."

"And?"

"Well, the healer is kinda his girl."

"I don't need to sleep with her, I just want her to heal me."

"That's the thing, think of her ability as she's a factory that produces healing liquids... And he's not too fond of people asking for his girlfriend's spit."

"Her spit? Wait, how do you know her ability so well?"

"SHHHHHHHH! It's not like that, back before they got together she would offer to heal people for certain favors or a price of some sort. For the people who agreed she gave them some of her spit and would tell them to drink it. I heard it worked pretty well too."

"So I have to ask him for his girlfriend's spit! It's awkward but I guess I have to try."

"NO, no-no-no. You can't just ask him, he's one of the top five ranked people in here. No one has ever been able to touch him, it's weird, like he knows what you're going to do before you do it. He's never even used his ability in a fight, that we know of. He always beats his opponent's in a hand-to-hand fight."

"He sounds like a perfect person to train me."

"He doesn't train people, he barely talks to anyone besides his girlfriend, Veronica."

"You said someone ranked higher can't refuse a challenge, right?"

"Yeah, but why-wait where are you going?"

Walking across the room my heart raced, but I didn't stop. If anybody can help me get stronger it's him. He's fast enough to where he's never been touched, strong enough to deliver a finishing blow despite not using an ability, and he even has something to speed up my recovery. If I can't get him to train me, just fighting him should help me get better.

"Jason!" He proceeded to do a few more reps before finally sitting the barbell on the rack and turning around to me. He was huge, at least a foot taller than me, and muscle that made him look a foot wider than me too.

"..." He was peering down at me but made no motion to say a word.

"Um, I challenge you to a match." Nothing on him moved except for the sweat that ran down his face, and a single eyebrow that raised after I spoke. "And if I win you have to let me be healed by--"

The veins on his head started rising to the surface, that was all it took to trigger my perception. I saw his right hand coming at me and slipped it, but then his left hand shot out at me. He hadn't even pulled back his right arm yet but with his size, he would probably still be able to generate enough force to hurt me, even from this position. As I slipped this one I looked at his face, it looked like he was angry but for some reason, he seemed to be in a large amount of pain too.

My fist slid up his chest and connected with his chin.

I touched him! Wayne said he had never been hit and I hit him! This should be enough to prove that I'm worthy.

His face hadn't moved a centimeter from where it was when I hit it. No wait, it's moving forward.

Is he going to headbutt me?

I slip back but run into a wall.

That's, that's his arms! He has me trapped, I was too focused on getting a hit in!

I try to duck down but I'm now in the vice-grip that is his arms, making it impossible for me to move.

His pain-riddled forehead connects with mine and everything goes black.