Several weeks after firearms training, Instructor Aquino stood in front of the classroom, his muscular frame towering over the students. His dark hair was cropped in military style, and he had piercing brown eyes. His distinct Southeast Asian complexion set him apart from other instructors.

A seasoned military veteran with extensive experience in close combat tactics and techniques, Instructor Aquino was the newly opened military school's sole martial arts instructor. Today, the cadets would be learning the finer points of military grappling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). Despite his gruff exterior, he proved to be a patient and compassionate teacher.

A student's hand shot up with an inquiry, "Sir, I have a question. Why are we spending so much time on man-to-man combat techniques? Aren't Psi beasts more dangerous than other people? Isn't this just a waste of time?"

Instructor Aquino nodded, acknowledging the student's concern. "That's true, cadet. Psi beasts are extremely dangerous," he agreed. "However, Psions are more dangerous. Our control over our powers and our creativity in using them surpass anything Psi beasts can do."

The students glanced at the Psion bracelet on the instructor's wrist, understanding his rationale. They knew Instructor Aquino was a Psion with years of military experience, likely having killed many people during his service.

Instructor Aquino clapped his hands together, rousing the students. "Right, off to the gym, everyone. Time for sparring. Pair up and start practicing your grappling moves and takedowns. And remember, this is just practice. Don't go too hard on each other."

**

Paired with a tall, gangly boy with short, spiky hair, Kristine couldn't help but feel annoyed as they began sparring. She knew he was going easy on her, which she didn't appreciate. As they practiced their grappling moves and takedowns, Kristine grew increasingly frustrated, noticing that her male opponent seemed distracted by her appearance rather than focusing on their sparring.

Losing her patience, Kristine took him down and mounted him, ready to start striking. That's when she felt something hard beneath her.

"This fucking bastard!" she thought, disgusted by her opponent's reaction. In the next moment, she slammed her elbow downwards into the face of the cadet beneath her.

The cadet clutched his face as Kristine got off him, writhing in pain. Though it was an illegal move, she didn't care. She felt it was the only appropriate reaction to her opponent's utter disrespect.

She was genuinely committed to learning and mastering as many skills as she could. This would not only benefit her but also help Christopher in saving up their Love And Hatred points. By learning skills the hard way, she could reserve her Love and Hatred points for emergencies.

Instructor Aquino witnessed what happened and facepalmed. In the past few days, he'd noticed Kristine's exceptional combat talent. Unfortunately, every sparring partner she encountered, regardless of gender, was too easily distracted by her appearance, depriving her of valuable sparring time and learning opportunities.

Kristine was about to storm off when Instructor Aquino stopped her. "Do you want to spar with me instead?" He offered, but before they could begin, a shout from one of the sparring cadets caught their attention, and they turned their heads. "SHIT!" echoed through the gym.

**

Christopher was having a blast learning grappling techniques, but he knew his sister felt differently. She constantly complained about her struggles in finding decent sparring partners.

Every night, she asked him to share his memories of the sessions, like a student copying notes for a classmate who missed class. She really didn't want to fall behind.

Suddenly, a yell of "SHIT!" caught his attention.

He and the other students in the gym turned to see an Asian teenager standing over his unconscious opponent, a look of shock and horror on his face.

Christopher recognized the unconscious person as Micah, the bully he had encountered on the first day. He was now collapsed on the ground. He noticed a Psion bracelet on his opponent's wrist, symbolizing his status as a Psion. It seemed his opponent had instinctively activated his psionic ability, causing Micah to lose consciousness. Instructor Aquino and the medical staff rushed over, their faces filled with concern.

They quickly assessed the situation, checking Micah's pulse and ensuring he was okay. The Asian student spoke to the medical staff in hushed whispers.

Christopher couldn't hear what he said, but he knew the student was disclosing something crucial to treating Micah. Upon hearing the student's information, the medical staff looked at the boy in shock. They exchanged glances.

After a few moments, the medical staff injected Micah with a needle, and he started to come around. His eyes fluttered open, and he looked around, disoriented. The medical staff quickly sprang into action, transporting Micah to the medical room and making sure he was comfortable.

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The Asian student sighed in relief as the medical staff put Micah on a stretcher and hurried him away.

Christopher wanted to know what had happened and why the Asian teenager had activated his psionic ability. He approached the Asian teenager, wanting to find out what had happened.

As he approached, he noticed the people around them muttering and pointing, their eyes fixed on the Asian teenager. Christopher realized they had both noticed his Psion bracelets, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He was also a Psion but his bracelet did not arrive yet.

"Hey," Christopher said, his voice low and soft. "What happened? Why did you activate your psionic ability?"

The Asian teenager looked at Christopher, his eyes filled with tears. "He wouldn't let go," he said, his voice shaking. "I was tapping out, submitting, but he just wouldn't let go. I had no choice but to use my power. I didn't want to hurt him."

Christopher nodded, understanding. He knew that Micah had been a bully and a troublemaker. He couldn’t help but think that Micah had gotten what he deserved.

Christopher looked at the Asian teenager. He knew the student had never meant to hurt Micah, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for him. "It's okay," Christopher said, patting him on the back. "Micah deserved it. Besides, he looks like a tough guy."

The Asian teenager looked at Christopher, his eyes filled with gratitude and relief. "Thank you," he said, his voice trembling. "I'm Kevin Wong, by the way. It's nice to meet you."

Christopher smiled and shook Kevin's hand. "I'm Christopher," he said. "Nice to meet you too."

As Christopher and Kevin exchanged pleasantries, Instructor Aquino walked over to them. "Are you alright, Kevin?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine concern. Kevin nodded, appreciating the instructor's attention. "Yes, sir. I'm fine, thank you."

Looking around, Christopher noticed the surrounding students staring at Kevin with a mixture of fear and awe. The atmosphere in the gym had shifted, and everyone seemed tense. Kevin's demonstration of his psionic abilities left a lasting impression on his fellow cadets.

Instructor Aquino sensed the unease among the students and decided it was best to end the class early. "Alright, everyone," he announced, "let's wrap it up for today. Good work, and remember to practice what you've learned. Dismissed!"

As the students began to disperse and collect their belongings, Christopher walked over to his sister, Kristine, who had been observing the scene from afar. "That was crazy," she remarked, shaking her head.

"Yeah," Christopher agreed, "but Kevin didn't have a choice. Micah wouldn't let go.

Kristine sighed. "I know, but now everyone will be even more on edge around Psions. I wonder if we would be treated any different once we get our bracelets.”

"Who knows?" Christopher replied with a shrug. "For now, let's just concentrate on learning some skills and getting through training."

**

The following night was restless for Kevin, plagued by a nightmare that had haunted him for years. In his dream, he saw his mother with her arms raised, her face bruised and bloody. His father stood over her, a menacing look in his eyes. "You slut," his father spat out, his fist clenched tightly. "You can't even give me a son with powers. Did you cheat on me?"

"No, I didn’t!" Kevin's mother pleaded, her voice shaking with fear. "He's just a child. Give him time. He'll awaken his powers when he gets older."

But his father's deaf to her pleas. Disowned by his affluent family for awakening an F-rank Psion power, he had grown bitter and abusive.

Tears streamed down Kevin's face as he watched the violence unfold. He wanted to protect his mother, but fear held him back. He had seen this brutality before and knew intervening would only make things worse.

Suddenly, the dream shifted. Kevin felt his mother's embrace, only to look up and see her lifeless eyes staring back. A cloudy mist filled the room. His father laughed maniacally, his eyes shining with pride at his son's newly awakened Psionic power. But the laughter turned to a gurgle as his father collapsed, succumbing to the same fate as Kevin's mother.

Kevin's powers, which produced a potent aerosolized opioid similar to fentanyl, had killed both his parents. "No," he whispered, tears streaming down his face. "I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to."

Eventually, he called the police and remained in the dim room, surrounded by the bodies of his parents. He sat in that dark room, hugging his legs, and waiting and listening for the distant wail of sirens.

**

Kevin jolted awake in his bed, panting heavily and covered in sweat. The nightmare always left him with a feeling of dread. Getting up, Kevin splashed cold water on his face and glanced at the bracelet on his wrist. A constant reminder of the powers he wished he never had.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Kevin, are you awake?" a familiar voice asked. "It's me, Gurpreet. Are you okay?"

Kevin tried to play it off. "I'm fine, just a bad dream. Nothing to worry about."

Gurpreet looked skeptical but didn't press the issue. "Okay, if you say so. But if you ever need to talk about anything, just tell me."

Kevin nodded, grateful for Gurpreet's concern. "Thanks, I appreciate that," he replied, managing a weak smile. "And thanks for agreeing to switch rooms with my roommate."

Gurpreet shrugged. "No problem, Kevin. Fellow Psions stick together. Now get to bed.”

After their conversation, Gurpreet and Kevin returned to their beds. As they lay down, backs against each other, a sigh escaped Gurpreet's lips. "You know, it'd be awesome if there were more Psions in this academy," he said.

“Yeah…” replied Kevin quietly. He shared the same sentiment.

Little did they know, Christopher and Kristine were Psions as well, and they would be receiving their Psion bracelets soon.