Christopher Williams stood in line at the military school's bustling mailroom, scanning his surroundings.The military school's mailroom was crowded, filled with cadets eagerly awaiting packages from home and other personal deliveries. Behind the counter, the walls were filled with shelves filled with boxes and envelopes, and the smell of cardboard permeating the air.

To pass the time, he inspected his system menu, reviewing the various skills and traits he had been awarded by the system. His mind raced through the possibilities these new abilities could offer. He was happy to see they manage obtain the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skill without even spending any points and it was the equivalent of two books. He also noticed the new ability that they received from the Lung Capacity trait and started to wonder what trait they should focus on next.

Traits

Skills

Toughnesss (Bone) (MAX) - Bone Armor

Beauty (Face) (MAX) - Mesmerizing Gaze

Lung Capacity (MAX) - Aquatic Breathing

Flexibility [100]

Beauty (Hair) [120]

Beauty (Skin) [86]

Beauty (Hands) [50]

Toughness (Teeth) [42]

Toughness (Nail) [20]

Enhanced Hearing [5]

Enhanced Smell [1]

Enhanced Sight [1]

Enhanced Taste [1]

....

Muay Thai [MAX]

Firearms (Rifles) [MAX]

First Aid [MAX]

Piano Playing [MAX]

Basketball [MAX]

Massaging [100]

Acrobatics [100]

Judo [72]

Knife Fighting [52]

Sambo [45]

Swimming [32]

Torture [10]

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu [2]

..................

Finally, it was his turn. He closed the menu and stepped up to the counter and requested his package. He also asked for his sister Kristine's package, figuring he could save her the trouble of waiting in line.

The mail clerk, a stern-looking woman with short, graying hair, peered at him from behind her thick glasses. "Name?" she asked.

"Christopher Williams," he replied, watching as the clerk checked her computer and retrieved two packages from a nearby shelf.

"Here you are," she said, handing the packages over to him. "Make sure you sign for them on the way out."

After verifying his identity, the clerk handed him both packages. With both packages underneath his arms, Christopher left the mailroom and made his way back to his dorm.

Upon entering, he was greeted by his roommate, Kai who was currently curling some dumbbells. He eyed the packages curiously. "What've you got there, Chris?"

Christopher opened the package addressed to him, revealing a sleek Psion bracelet. He slipped it on his write and a voice emanated from the device, instructing him to register the device.

Kai's eyes widened with shock as he watched. "Dude, you're a Psion?!"

"Yep," Christopher confirmed, "and my sister is too." He held up the other package for emphasis.

"You know, I always thought there was something off about you two," Kai exclaimed. "No wonder you both look like you just stepped out of a fashion magazine."

Christopher offered an awkward smile. "Umm, our Psion powers aren't related to our looks. That's probably just genetics."

"Yeah, yeah, sure thing, Chris," Kai joked.

"Does it scare you?" Christopher asked hesitantly.

"Nah, man. You saved me from Micah before. You're a good guy." Kai shook his head and returned to his workout.

Christopher let out a breath of relief when he heard the reply.

He decided it was time to find his sister and deliver her package. He reached out telepathically, asking Kristine where she was.

"I'm in the cafeteria," she replied in his mind.

He waved goodbye to Kai before heading out the door to deliver the package to his sister.

**

As Christopher walked towards the cafeteria, a pair of female cadets caught sight of him. They eagerly greeted him, their eyes shining with infatuation.

"Hey, Christopher," one girl said, batting her eyelashes playfully.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Call me," the other chimed in, forming a phone with her hand and bringing it to her ear.

At that moment, the girls noticed the new Psion bracelet on his wrist, their curiosity piqued.

"Is that what I think it is?" one of the cadets whispered to her friend.

"I think it is," her friend whispered back. "Talk about hitting the jackpot."

Every girl knew that marrying a Psion and having a Psion child was one of the surefire ways to get ahead in life. Many female cadets attended the academy for that very reason.

Christopher couldn't help but be slightly surprised by their reaction. The academy's atmosphere towards Psions wasn't exactly favorable at the moment. But it seemed it didn't matter if you had good looks.

Suddenly, the PA system crackled to life with an announcement.

"Christopher Williams, Kristine Williams, Gurpreet Singh, and Kevin Wong. Please report to my office immediately," Principal Davis's voice rang out.

Christopher was surprised by the announcement. He eyed Kristine's package and the Psion bracelet on his wrist, realizing the four people called were the only Psions in the school. Could it be related to the sparring accident days ago?

Upon reaching the office, Christopher found Gurpreet, Kevin, and Kristine already there. "Hey, Chris," Kevin and Gurpreet called out, seeming genuinely curious about why the twins had been summoned as well. They only realized the reason when they spotted the new Psion bracelet on Christopher's wrist.

Christopher waved back at the two and said, "Delivery," as he tossed his sister her package.

She caught it with ease, revealing a bracelet adorned with rectangular black and white patterns resembling piano keys. It symbolized her recently discovered passion for music in this life.

Gurpreet and Kevin stared at the twins' bracelets, similar to their own, now adorning their wrists. They wanted to ask the twins about their powers when a loud shout erupted from the principal's office.

Inside, they heard a man shouting. "What the hell happened to my son?" he yelled. "He was attacked by some freak, and now he's in the hospital! I want whoever did this punished, and I want it done now!"

Principal Davis remained calm and collected. "We can't just punish the cadet without knowing the whole story," he said. "He has a lot of potential, and we can't just throw that away because of one incident."

The angry man's response was incensed. "This is bullshit!" he yelled, his fists clenched at his sides. "You're protecting him because he's a Psion, and it's not fair. My son deserves justice, and I won't rest until he gets it."

The four cadets exchanged glances, realizing that the man in the principal's office was most likely Micah's father.

When Micah's father stepped out of the room in his military uniform, Christopher got a good look at his appearance. His right eye was covered with an eye patch and burn marks surrounded it.

When the gruff man's gaze fell on the quartet and the Psion bracelets on their wrists, he stormed towards them.

"Which one of you is the freak that hurt my son?" he demanded.

Kevin instinctively took a step back, but the man noticed his movement. "It must be you, you little monster," he said.

Christopher was the first to step in front of Kevin to defend him. He didn't like this man calling Psions like them freaks. Even though Christopher wasn't a true Psion, many of his family and friends were Psions.

The face of Micah's father contorted with rage. "Who the hell do you think you are? Stepping in front of me, a colonel like this," he snarled. "You guys are nobodies."

Christopher stepped forward, his height matching the colonel. "I'm not a nobody," he said. "I'm the son of Brigadier General Williams. And if you don't leave Kevin alone, you'll have to deal with me."

"Williams?" Micah's father asked, his voice angry. "As in Garrett Williams?"

Christopher nodded, hoping it would deter the angry man. However, the system notification that popped up in front of him proved otherwise.

+999 Hatred Points from Alexander Cohen

"You think you're so special because of your father, don't you?" Cohen spat after a short laugh. "Well, let me tell you something. Your father, Brigadier General Williams, was only promoted because they wanted to keep him out of the battlefield. He served for only eight years before he even got his rank, and it's all because of his psionic powers. He doesn't deserve his rank. He doesn't deserve jackshit."

"That's not true," Christopher said, sensing the man's envy. "My father worked hard for his rank, and he deserves it a lot more than you."

He thought about his father, who was still in the hospital, recalling all the events his father missed because he had to work, the years of hearing him say "Happy Birthday" over the phone. He couldn't stand anyone insulting his current father.

Colonel Cohen chuckled his reply. "Sure, sure. So your father is pushing both you and your sister into the military, and soon you'll be nothing but Psions in uniforms. Another scheme of your father to fill the military with freaks like yourself?"

"Enough!" Principal Davis's voice rang out as he stepped out of his office, silencing Colonel Cohen. He couldn't stand by as Colonel Cohen insulted his friend Garrett. "Colonel Cohen, I understand that you're upset about your son, but you will not insult and intimidate my students. This matter will be handled appropriately, and I assure you that we will get to the bottom of what happened."

**

Colonel Cohen stormed out of the school, his mind racing with anger and resentment. He couldn't believe how Psions were treated so well in society, and he wished he was living in the old days before the Icarus calamity.

"It's not fair," he muttered to himself, his voice laced with frustration. "Do they even care about how much I sacrificed?"

He touched his eye patch, remembering how Brigadier General Williams had been promoted to his position because of his psionic powers, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of resentment and anger. Garrett Williams had served for only eight years before he even got his rank of General while he had been passed over for promotion countless times. In his mind, the injustice of the current society fed his bitterness and hatred for the Williams family and Psions alike.

**

The cadets, were still gathered in the hallway, exchanged glances as they processed what had just happened.

Principal Davis turned to them. "I apologize for Colonel Cohen's behavior," he said sincerely.

He cleared his throat which drew the cadets' attention back to him. "I think you are wondering why I called the four of you here. There's one more matter I need to discuss with you," he said. "Due to increasing pressure from parents and recent complaints, the military department overseeing our school has decided to implement a new policy. Military academies will disclose the powers of every Psion cadet, making this information accessible to all students."

Kevin looked uneasy, but Principal Davis continued, "I understand that most Psions prefer to keep their abilities hidden, and I'm not particularly fond of this new policy myself. However, it's out of my hands, and we must comply with the decision made by those in charge."

The twins and Gurpreet appeared to take the news nonchalantly, but Kevin's discomfort was clear for everyone to see. Just then, all four of them received notifications on their phones. A message had been sent to every cadet's email, revealing the identities and abilities of the four Psions.

Christopher opened the message on his phone and read its contents. He learned that Kevin could emit an aerosolized mist of opioids similar to Fentanyl, while Gurpreet possessed the ability to see 360 degrees around him.

Kevin and Gurpreet were surprised to discover that Christopher and Kristine's powers were not related to their good looks. Christopher had the ability to manifest bone armor, and Kristine possessed an eye-related power that could paralyze people for a few seconds.

"Now that this information is out, I encourage you to use your powers responsibly," Principal Davis advised before dismissing them.