CHAPTER 16: BUTTONS

All three people at the table stared at Hiro after her outburst. After a beat, the Headmaster opened his mouth to say something, but Hiro decided she wanted to speak first.

She leaned forward and pointed her bandaged finger at the tiny mustached man, "You mean to tell me that you rushed me into absorbing these magical concepts with no explanation other than a tiny AI guy you implanted in my head, without permission I might add, based on some prophecy that, what did Moria call him, Old Man Time, had causing me to mess up my magic because I didn't know enough to realize how serious a situation the change was? Do you realize how messed up that is?" All her pent-up frustration poured out of her in one breath.

She took a deep breath and he again opened his mouth to speak, but she kept going right over him, "And then to top it off, you decided, oops this girl messed up and had an accident, so we're going to drop her like a hot potato because this other guy showed up and he's probably going to be more powerful than her so he must be the chosen one." She was about to say 'Guess what she had a platinum-level power too' when the words froze in her mouth. The words she had heard when she first got her Time powers echoed in her head.

"Only tell those you trust of the essence you hold. Time is fickle but mortals are worse." She did not trust this guy. His name was Headmaster Death for goodness sake! How ominous did he have to be? She might've told Moria if they were alone, or maybe Duffy if they wouldn't report it due to some regulation, but this guy did not give her good vibes. She didn't know why he unsettled her, but she trusted her gut.

She was angry at the whole situation. If one thing had changed this whole process could've gone way smoother. If they had asked if she wanted power in exchange for a helpful AI tracker she probably would've said yes, but they didn't ask and they dumped her naked in a hole and now her powers didn't want to work properly. True she was to blame for a part of that. She should've listened to Button, but she couldn't be blamed for all the things she didn't know!

She shook her head. This whole place had some serious flaws. The threat of anomalies was clearly serious. Hiro had seen it firsthand, but what possessed them to deal with Genesis this way? All on the say-so of a vision. And clearly, they need to read or watch some rouge AI speculative fiction.

By this point, she had been silent for two seconds and the Headmaster, thinking she was done, tried to open his mouth for the third time when she interrupted him yet again. She was being rude, but she finally was able to vent her frustrations to the guy who seemed to be the root of several of her current problems.

"Also, clearly Genesis had a mental break after interacting with the AI in the PGA's why on earth would you continue using them? Isn't that a massive security risk? She could be tapping into the system to spy on you! Or worse, maybe the AI is corrupted and messing with your whole program at your headquarters! Why would I put such a thing in my head?"

This time the silence lasted only seven seconds before surprisingly Mrs. Celeste was the first one to speak. "You bring up valid concerns about the PGA systems. Ones we have already addressed in fact. The tainted AI that affected Genesis was closed out of the main system. We are studying it in a secure site with no outside connections. Even the technology sparks who work there have dampeners to keep their PGA's isolated. In fact, I built one into the newest model you and the other new spark will receive."

She leaned forward her general excitement about technology turning into intensity, "I have scoured the current PGA system corner to corner myself to ensure Genesis cannot access her PGA or the system. I have a security team for technology sparks constantly scanning to prevent any breaches not only from Genesis but from any who wish to spy or harm those in our system."

Mrs. Celeste leaned back satisfied with her answers to Hiro's questions. The headmaster picked back up the thread of conversation. "Yes, well, I see how my decision to follow Time's vision and advice to prevent a rolling collapse of multiple universes was a little hasty. I apologize that you feel wronged, but I had the lives of billions perhaps even trillions of people to think about."

Moria frowned a bit as he said this. Hiro was disappointed she didn't say anything in her defense. It was a 'not' apology. A ploy Hiro's mother was fond of. It took her therapist to point out that it was something people would do when they didn't feel like they were truly in the wrong. She spotted it now, but he was still talking and she felt she had said her piece for now.

"Time said it was imperative to not let the new sparkline know anything before picking their powers. It could affect how they chose concepts and how powerful they would become. His words were, 'We'd need the strongest possible sparkline to stop the cascade.' So, we followed that protocol for both you and Mr. Smith our new Soul. You were the only ones recently flagged in any budding universes. Time has been guiding us to the best possible paths for generations now as did the Time before him."

The headmaster folded his little hands and placed them before him on the table. "Now, even though, we believe that Mr. Smith will be required to stop the cataclysm of TIme's vision, that does not mean we would abandon you. Or what did you say, 'Drop you like a hot potato?" He smiled at her his fancy mustache quivering. "We have all the resources back at headquarters to help you with your magic and fixing your situation. We haven't had a faulty change in millennia, most people following paths that have been set by their clans prevent it. As well as our normal introduction for new sparks."

He opened his hands to her with a concerned look on his face, "We had to dive deep when this happened to you. I didn't even know it was possible until our archives told us that it happened quite often in the first couple of generations of Sparks. When addressed properly it can actually increase control and power outputs. Only rarely would the Spark not be able to fix their magic channels and be locked out of their powers. However, previous headmasters have stocked the Academy with the resources, procedures, processes, and guides to help throughout the generations. But first, we have to get you there."

Hiro narrowed her eyes at him. It was good that she wasn't the only one this had happened to and there were ways to fix it, but she had a feeling she knew what came next.

"We are several universes and planets away from Headquarters where the Academy resides. With the integration of the PGA system a few hundred years ago, you now have to have a PGA in order to use the teleporters to Headquarters. There are other ways to get there of course, but the faster we address the faulty change the better according to the archives."

"So I have to get the PGA if I want to get help with my powers. This is blackmail."

"No, it's the law Mrs. Skylark. You may not have come into our world on the best foot or with all the information, but you're here now. Getting a PGA is a forgone conclusion. It comes with the powers. Besides they're incredibly useful both for mundane and magical purposes. I tasked Mrs. Celeste here to make this new model specifically to be useful to the new sparkline Time told us about with his input as well. Since she made a backup both you and Mr. Smith will receive it. It will be good to get data back from multiple people."

"It has the most advanced systems ever created! The best protection, the best interface! Everything is top of the line!" Mrs. Celeste enthusiastically added.

"Indeed." The Headmaster agreed clearly cutting off a long list of features she was about to recite. "However, We have a rescue mission in operation right now and the medical bay is currently occupied. So it will wait for tomorrow. Time is of the essence for many things, and thankfully the archives say that you have a few days before we must be concerned for your magic. Ms. Kinross here will take you to a berth It's been a long day for you and for her team."

Moria nodded him taking that as a dismissal, pushing her chair back, but Hiro had one burning question. "Will Duffy be alright?"

The headmaster gave a solemn nod. "It is a gamble, but M. Duffy is a genius with many sparks in the technology field. I ordered them to go with Genesis when they called in about the situation. Unlike Ms. Kinross here they are capable of crafting breadcrumb signal devices literally on the fly. My strike team is closing in on their signal now. If all goes well I will have Genesis in custody and M. Duffy back soon. But excuse me. As the acting General I have to coordinate this mission."

The headmaster reached down and brought up a case that he opened while Moria gestured to Hiro to get out of there. Mrs. Celeste brought up her own case and started setting up some inscrutable contraption before plugging it into the helmet the Headmaster had pulled out of his own case. It had narrow slits to allow his ears to stick out and looked positively goofy on him as he slid it on.

Hiro just raised an eyebrow at the image as she followed Moria out of the room. She stayed silent as she led her back down the stairs and out of the main building. Once they were outside she finally had to ask, "What is the headmaster?"

Moria looked round at her. She had been weirly leading the way, exhaustion written all over her. "What do you mean? Do you not know what a headmaster is?"

"No, I mean what race? I'm a human, you're a human, he's clearly not human." Hiro gestured between the two of them and then back at the big building. "Shoot Mrs. Celeste didn't seem very human either! She was so tall!"

"I'm not a human," Moria said shaking her head, some of her old amusement returning to her face though worry lines still crossed her forehead.

"What?" Hiro gasped when the translator filled her in on what she said.

They keep walking toward the building Natia had taken her to clean up in. "Yeah, I don't know how it will translate my race, but my people tend to live in underwater cities. We look very human-like, but I am able to breathe underwater and have some other physiological differences Like hair and eye color. Some of my people have scales or webbing, but my grandmother was human, so a lot of my features don't show. I do have webbed toes, and some scales and frills, but they are hidden under my clothes. We are called, the 'Roypond.'

The translator struggled for a second before just repeating the last word Moria said instead of translating it into an English word.

"As for Headmaster Death, he's a Gnome." This time the translator had no problem finding an English word for the complicated name, "Woaik-jers" Moria said to describe the headmaster. She went on to describe their species as what Hiro understood a Gnome was. Short, society mostly lived underground or in forests with dense canopies and they had some inherent magical properties. Plus a preoccupation with facial hair, but not as much as dwarves.

"You should be careful speaking to the Headmaster as you did. I don't blame you, but he is a platinum. He hasn't caused any unintended deaths since he first got his powers according to my grandpa, but still, not the best guy to piss off."

Hiro shook her head at this, the headmaster gave her a weird vibe, and the smell of Death when she entered the room was bad, but she didn't sense any danger from him. At least not when she was talking with him. Genesis was all danger, like a tiger about to pounce. Headmaster Death was subtler, like a patch of poison ivy hiding in a garden bed. More to be mindful of and avoid than triggering flight or fight.

They finished their walk back to the living quarters while Moria told her about some of the other races of the multiverse. Some of them had translations in English, such as Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, and other traditional race archetypes. Some had no translations, such as a race of insect-like creatures called the Mellifera. They sounded like bees when Moria described them and apparently, it was their engineering that made up most of the base's structure.

Hiro got the feeling Moria was just talking to keep her mind off things. Her words flowed fast and quick as they walked into the habitation hexagon. She paused in describing the biggest races in the multiverse after she led her to a doorway and slid it open.

"And this will be your room while you're here." She slid into the conversation. It looked similar to the peek she had gotten at Natia's earlier. A bed, desk, set of drawers, and a closet sat around four of the six walls. the final walls held the doorway they were in and directly across from it was a hexagonal window.

"What about the other people who showed up? do they all get their own rooms?" Hiro asked after seeing all the space she'd get to herself for now. She had expected to share a room or get a bedroll since the base seemed so tiny.

"They will be in the response team barracks on the other side of the main building. We had an empty room and I figured you'd want some space after the day you've had. It wasn't long ago I was pulling you out of a pool of water in the caverns." She said with a half smile.

Hiro knew it had been seven hours and three minutes ago, but she kept it to herself. Any time someone mentioned time, her brain provided her with the exact calculations. It was both comforting and annoying. "Hey! I was fine in there! I can breathe underwater now!"

Moria's smile just got a little bigger, "Yeah yeah, the water wasn't salty enough for me. The ocean, now that's the best water."

"At least it was quiet under there. All the beasts you guys fought were loud! Who knew lasers made a sound when flying bison spit them out!"

"Hey, monsters that make sound are better than the quiet ones. At least you hear them coming. But I do agree, that being underwater is much quieter. Unless you're in my hometown. It can get loud. I'll have to take you there someday. All Sparks with water-themed concepts love my world."

"I'd enjoy that." Hiro smiled and looked down at her toes.

Moria followed her gaze, "I'll have another pair printed for you for tomorrow, for now, I'm going to get clean and eat. There's food in that cabinet if you get hungry and more blankets in the top drawer if you get cold. Without a PGA you won't be able to turn any of the entertainment on, but I think there's some puzzle cubes in the bin under the coffee table if you get bored."

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"I think I just want to sleep," Hiro said punctuation it with a yawn. The sight of a bed made her realize how tired she was.

"Yeah, I figured, goodnight Hiro. Oh! The panel next to the window will black it out, the sun stays up for three standard days before we hit the three standard nights cycle."

She left Hiro staring at the window speculatively. She had been wondering why it was still so bright outside when she'd been there for so long. She didn't devote much brain power to it. Instead, she slid the door closed and went to the window. She stared out at the alien landscape for a while before messing with the panel. She figured out the picture with the blacked-out window quickly enough. There was a switch by the door and bed. She played with them both. One turned on and off the main light and the other turned off a small lamp by the bed.

Satisfied she had figured out the lights. She poked around in the mostly empty drawers curiously before finally getting into bed. It was comfortable and the sheets and blankets were soft. They were warm enough for her not to feel like she needed the spare blanket.

As she settled she had the weird feeling she was forgetting something. It dawned on her that she was used to taking her dog for a walk before bed. Hopefully, they were taking care of her at Headquarters. She nestled down in the comfortable bed. She had so many questions and concerns swirling in her head she was worried she wouldn't be able to get to sleep. But she dropped off as soon as she closed her eyes.

She woke up to three sharp knocks on the door and a strange language calling through the door. Confused she fumbled around. Was it her landlord? Why was Niss not barking at the knocking? The previous day flooded back to her in a wave and she called out. "Hang on! Let me get my translator back on!"

Rubbing her eyes she walked to the desk where she had placed the translation device. She paused the gemstone to turn it on and walked to the door sliding it open.

"Good morning," Moria greeted her with solemnity. Her translation device was chipper as always though. She was holding some printed shoes in her hand. They looked way better made than the quick ones Ghram had made for her the day before.

Instantly worried, "Did they get Duffy back?" Hiro asked, wary of the expression on Moria's face.

"Yes, they already transported them back to Headquarters." She handed her the shoes. "Duffy is in bad shape, and Genesis got away, but at least the rescue mission was a success. Bellator is almost stable enough to send back too. In fact, we are all being sent back and a new team is being brought in to better monitor the area for Genesis. Duffy led them to one of her bases of operations and they wanted to comb through it for clues about where she fled to. Put your shoes on, we'll grab something to eat while we go over the day."

Hiro sighed in relief, before taking the shoes to the chair in her room and pulling them on. They had an inner layer that acted almost like a sock. It was weird. She idly wondered how they prevented blisters before following Moria out to the dining area.

Natia was there working on the Food printer. Cube-shaped food was already on the table in little pyramid stacks. Ghram was nowhere to be seen.

Moria filled her in while they ate the cubes. Ghram was still asleep. He and the other healer worked all night to stabilize and heal Bellator. Even when his magic ran out he used conventional medicine to help. Once the relief team arrived Natia and Moria would be heading out. First Moria and Hiro were to see if they could help the healer using Hiro's healing abilities. Only if Hiro was up to it, however. Hiro indicated she would help. She was Bellator's biggest fan, but he still held the line between her and the monsters. Plus nobody deserved what happened to him.

Next, they would get Hiro's new PGA installed. Hopefully, by the time the relief team was there, Moria and Natia could escort Hiro to headquarters and get her settled at the Academy. By tomorrow they'd all be at Headquarters and Hiro would be starting her training.

Hiro asked a few questions about Headquarters and her dog, getting vague responses that she'd find out for herself soon. She did get a solid response that she had one of the rooms at the academy for people with pets so her dog would have its needs met.

Soon they were heading back to the main building and to the medical room, Hiro had been in the day before.

Bellator's breathing had eased somewhat. The bed had formed to him holding him at an angle. Wires and tubes were attached and monitors along the wall were lit up with information. An elderly-looking woman had her hand on his arm with her eyes closed. Soft music played in the room.

Moria stepped into the room and went to Bellator's side. Running a hand over his brow gently. "How's he doing doctor?" Hiro's device shattered the quiet as it translated Moria's soft words.

The old woman who must be a doctor looked wryly at Hiro while answering Moria, "Much improved. We almost have the cancerous growths under control. We still have to have constant contact with him to make sure nothing escalates. It's insidious. Every time we stop looking something starts growing again. When we fight it, it just goes dormant.

Moria smoothed some of his hair back from his forehead. "I brought the new spark in. This is Hiro. She has the Water concept. One of its primary functions is healing her. Ghram and I both channeled with her to close an anomaly and heal her hands. Hiro this is Dr. Medicie."

The doctor had a kind face and wore green loose clothes instead of the uniform Hiro was used to seeing. her salt and pepper hair was back in a long braid down her back. She looked down at her still bandaged hands. "Let me take a look, dear."

Hiro walked forward and held out her hands. "Did Ghram wrap these?" she asked a faintly disapproving crease on her forehead at the loose bandages.

"Originally, but Natia re-did them after I showered," Hiro replied. The creases smoothed out and the old woman nodded. "I see." She touched each wrist and her eyes went distant. Hiro wondered if that's what she looked like when she looked inward at her magic.

"Hmm, not bad. Extensive damage to heal, but the two of you did a good job." She hummed for a moment, "Your magic channels are a mess dear. I heard there was something wrong with your change but this is excessive. We will have to work on that later though. Your water concept laid itself over everything hmm. Well, you have already worked through some of the other concepts. I can't quite make them all out through the water, but healing should work fine. Send your magic down to your hands, there's a few spots I want to nudge and to heal smoother."

Hiro closed her eyes and reached. Her reserves had filled up again as she slept. She didn't feel full like when she had light or electricity building up in her core, but she felt a natural flow through her from the water. She sent it down and felt tingling as the Doctor guided her magic to her fingertips.

"There, that should make sure they finish healing a bit better." Hiro opened her eyes while the doctor undid the bandages and re-wrapped them fresh after inspecting the skin. It was almost back to its normal color instead of the pink of healing skin. Her fingertips would be whiter than the rest of her skin just like the ropy scars up her arms.

"Alright, do you feel up to channeling with me now?" Dr. Medicie asked. Hiro nodded.

"OK then. I want you to place one hand on me and one hand on Bellator. Moria place a hand on Hiro and you can help bolster her power with your ocean concept. You will be the healing power, I will be the guide. I want a stream, not a gush OK? You have pretty good control over your healing but you dump power into things that need finesse. Power has its place, but so does control."

Hiro nodded and walked up to Bellator. They set up and Hiro and the Doctor started work. Hiro closed her eyes to focus on her magic. She couldn't get it to pass into Bellator to heal him. It stopped at her fingertips. She could send it through the Doctor, but she couldn't get it to flow from her other hand. Perplexed she opened one eye. Moria had laid a hand on her arm but had not pushed any power into her yet. She raised an eyebrow at her.

Hiro closed her eyes and tried again, pushing a bit harder this time. "A stream Hiro, not gush," the doctor said as the power from her other hand also responded to her push. She pulled back and thought for a moment. He wasn't awake, so he couldn't reach out and accept her power. She'd have to reach out to him. Her power worked best in water. Could she get him wet? Would that work?

"Hey Moria," Hiro whispered. "Can you get some water out of the air for me?" Moria smiled and nodded. She used her free hand to make a baseball-sized ball of water. Hiro took her hand and stuck it in the middle of the ball. Focusing on coating her skin with water. Once she felt it cling to her. She took it and set it back down on Bellator. His skin started absorbing the water through osmosis and she used that as her in. Finally, she could push magic through him directly.

Moria's grin widened and Hiro smiled back before closing her eyes again. This time she followed Bellator's magic channels. They were strong and wide. His magic felt metallic. Her power wanted to cling to it. She decided it was probably the magnetism or the water's surface tension. Either way, she had work to do. She followed along with the Doctor while she healed Bellator. They would break down grows that glowed red in Hiro's mind. It seemed like for everyone they broke down, more would pop up elsewhere.

They worked tirelessly for over an hour. Hiro had a good grasp of her control and allowed her power to follow the Doctor's guidance without much thought. She kept supplying her with power as she held back and examined one of the growths as it formed. It was almost like his whole body now held something that would set off uncontrolled growth at any moment. As she bent her mind to look closer using her water to flow around and through his cells and magic she noticed a fragment of magic that wasn't hers or the doctors. It was a green flash just like Genesis. She had placed bits of her magic in Bellator. She watched as it dug into a cell and explosive growth started again. She frowned and destroyed it as she had helped the doctor do countless times now. The grow disappeared, but the spark of green remained.

She followed it still providing magic to the doctor's endeavors, but her attention was squarely on the green prick of light inside of Bellator. It flowed through his magic before finding a new cell to burrow in. It lay dormant but she could feel it begin to pull power from Bellator's magic. "There's a spark of green magic in the cancerous cells. It looks like the same color as Genesis's magic." She whispered.

"Indeed, sharp senses. I've been trying to flush them out of his system, but they are hard to find, if you see one bring my attention to it. I'll try and get it." Hiro nodded and pulled her to the one she found. She watched as she broke it apart before removing it back to the pattern they'd been doing. Hiro frowned. There was still a flash of green left behind as she moved on. Minuscule, but there. Hiro reached out with her magic and encapsulated it in water. If only she could turn back time before Bellator was ever infected with whatever this magic was.

She gasped as her magic responded. The speck of magic grew back to the size it had been before the doctor had ripped it up, and then it pulsed bigger and smaller several times before disappearing. Not only that, but the area around where her magic had flared felt healthy again.

"What was that?" Dr. Medicie said as her attention returned to what Hiro was doing. "Hmm, whatever you did to heal that section, keep doing it. The cells have regenerated perfectly!"

Hiro was shocked herself. She had wound back time to heal Bellator, albeit in a small section in his torso, but a marble-sized spot was something. More importantly, the green flash was gone. No hint of Genesis's magic remained where the tumor had been before. "If you can get rid of the tumors, I think I can heal the cells." She told her.

"Let's give it a try then! I love new healing powers! You definitely need to be in my class at the academy!" They took turns sweeping through and healing Bellator. With Hiro's discovery that she could tap into her time powers to heal the green sparks in his system began to disappear completely. Dr. Medicie would expose the spark and Hiro would surround it and turn back the dial on the spark until it disappeared. The area around it would also be healed. The doctor exclaimed it was the best regeneration ability she had ever seen. Like the cells were brand new. Hiro let her think that instead of dialing back time. They had gotten halfway through before Moria had to step in and start providing power to the both of them.

The three of them worked in a trance until they had swept through his body and magic several times. Hiro was the best at spotting the tiniest parks of green that the other two seemed to not be able to see. Light and accuracy were Hiro's guess as to why that was. After they had made a final sweep without Hiro being able to spot anything at all they pulled back. Bellator looked much better. His pale face had a healthier color and his breathing eased. He didn't wake up but Dr. Medicie was smiling tiredly at them both.

"That exceeded my expectations! I wanted to get ahead of the grows enough to send him through a teleporter, but I am fairly confident we fully cured him! Great work you two!" She beamed at them wrinkles deepening and her brown eyes twinkling. She reached back out and grabbed Hiro's arm to gently squeeze it. "Great work dear!" She patted Moria's hand still resting on Hiro's other arm. She pulled it off as soon as she was done patting it. "You did a fantastic job too for not having a specific healing ability." She returned her attention to Hiro, "You have remarkable control over a new spark. From what I read in your file, water was the one you absorbed during the change. I'm not surprised it is now the one you have the best control over. I'm in charge of helping heal your channels, and I look forward to working with another promising young healer!"

Hiro smiled at both of them. She was as tired as when she had channeled lightning the day before. This time though, there was no pain involved. She liked that a lot better than exploding her fingers. Moria's light behind her ear was flashing and she turned back to Hiro. "They're ready for us in the next room to do your scan. Then we can get some lunch to replenish ourselves before you get your PGA. This took longer than we expected, but the results are already being praised! When we get to headquarters they might even ask you to help with Duffy too."

Hiro nodded happy to help if she could. Healing people felt a lot better than killing monsters that was for sure. Not as good as flying had, but close. They walked down the hall to the workshop room. Many of the machines had been wheeled to the side to make room for a dentist's chair. Mrs. Celeste was in there with a helmet on. She spoke from underneath it. She was even taller standing up. At least seven foot tall. Long and lanky. She was in the normal uniform, but all her clothes were white and she had a lab coat on.

"Hello, ladies! Sorry this chair isn't as comfortable as the adaptive table in the other room, but it should do the trick. Have a seat for me Ms. Skylark." She gestured to the dentist's chair. "I don't often have to do these scans myself, Ms. Kinross will you help me? We don't have the overhead system in here like in the medical bay. I'll need your help to push it around while it scans."

Moria nodded and walked forward. She took up a boxy-looking object with two handlebars on either side while Hiro took a seat on the chair. Mrs. Celeste awkwardly handed her a visor like Duffy had the day before. "That should show you where to hold the scanner." She slid them onto her face while balancing the heavy box scanner.

"As for you Ms. Skylark. Just sit as still as possible." She typed something into the air. "Alright, Ms. Kinross are you in place? Excellent! here we go!" the machine hummed to life. What followed was twenty minutes of Hiro sitting still as a stature while still trying to gawk at all the machines in the room while Mrs. Celest scolded her for moving her eyes too much. She thought she was doing a great job of not moving, but every so often she would huff and say, "Eyes forward please, add another thirty seconds."

Hiro eventually gave up trying to guess the functions of the various things in the room and the scan was completed. "I see a mess of energies running through you. Not a surprise, but instead of them all working together you have one dominant type and several fighting it. No bodily damage other than what was reported yesterday and the PGA you blew up somehow didn't fry your brain! Good!"

"That was a possibility!?" Hiro exclaimed!

"You sent so much power through it that you broke something designed to handle a Spark's power outlets. Of course, there was a chance! Luckily you have the electricity Spark according to your file or you could've done real damage like you did to your hands. Your magic channels there are severely fried. I will recommend treatment to the medical. But you are otherwise fine to get a new PGA! That's what's truly important. I'm sure someone at the academy will go over the other results with you when you get there."

Mrs. Celeste brought out a black metal box and opened it up. Inside was a sparkling crystal gemstone sparking with all the colors of the rainbow. The light caught it and it glimmered. A central black core ran through it. It was long like a spike with a multifaited surface that was smooth to the touch. She held the box up for Hiro to inspect and Moria let out a low whistle as she looked at it.

Celeste handed the box to Hiro who watched the color rays of light come off the gemstone mesmerized. "The Headmaster is making sure I ask this time. Do I have your consent to install your new PGA?" She asked.

"Sure, but isn't the doctor going to insta..." Hiro felt a prick as a needle hit her arm and she faded to black as Moria yelled at the lanky woman in a language Hiro couldn't understand. By the time the translation device spoke, she was already passed out.

The next time Hiro was aware of what was happening a cheerful familiar voice greeted her.

"Good afternoon Ms. Skylark." Button said humming behind her ear, "I have been successfully reinstalled. I am looking forward to working with you again."