Greatest Psion: Chapter One

This article was written by fgopl on 2012-02-04 under Novels & Stories.

 

Chapter One

         Jeez, what happened? The world was spinning. Bunpei felt he was hanging off the ceiling.

Woozy, he sat up and noticed black cloth on the floor. It was just a fragment, but Bunpei could identify some insignia on it. A skeleton in a black robe with a ruby in its hand was riding a golden dragon. A dragon? A skeleton? Why is it – Bunpei froze, and the world became still. It’s wearing a black robe, Bunpei realized. He crawled over and stuck it in his pocket.

 

          Down on Town Square, Bunpei was questioning passersby as to whether or not they had seen his mother. After a short time, he saw a tall man with a sheet of paper clenched in his fist. Bunpei squinted his eyes, and further studied his paper. He saw something he hoped he would never see again. What? That guy’s paper has the skeleton and the dragon! Why? Images flashed through his mind of his missing mother. He growled. Maybe he’s one of them!

          Bunpei hurled himself at the man. The two formed a blur of green and gray, one fighting to free himself from this evil boy, the other pinning this evil man who took his mother. The man was able to get up.

        “Okay, who are you, and what do you want?” He dusted his clothes off and threw Bunpei a stern look. Bunpei’s answer did not wait at his tongue.

        “What is this paper?” Bunpei’s rage welled in a puddle at his eyes. The man fumbled with the paper and handed it over to Bunpei. Psionics World Tournament! At the Asteralis Hotel starting August 21st.  Any psion can join! Hosted by the Unmask Alliance.

        So the kidnappers were psions like me, huh. Bunpei took his pointer finger and jabbed it into the tall man’s flyer. He flashed a solemn glare.

“You’re going to take me here,” he said. “But you also have to tell me about yourself.                  

                                                                                       ~~~

       Bunpei Nikato and Hitoshi Kawai stood outside of the Asteralis Hotel. The cool August breeze kissed them behind the ears with rather chilly lips.

       "This is it," Kawai said. His endless sea of black tresses flailed around wildly in the wind. "The Asteralis Hotel". Bunpei looked up at this strange marvel. In flashing lights, "ASTERALIS" couldn't possibly be forsaken.

       "I remember the first time they had this tournament. I was young then. Top of my game, peak of my career. Nowadays, I live off of the money I won. Keeps my family and I in good wealth."

       A cash prize, hm... Bunpei thought of his mother. Don't worry, Mom; I'm coming! I'll find you, no matter what it takes! Bunpei took another look at Kawai.

       "So... What am I going to do until this tournament?" Bunpei asked.

        Kawai chuckled. "You'll have to train. How else do you prepare?"

       "But... How am I going to get strong in a week? The most I can do is a psi blast!" All hope of finding Bunpei's mom shattered into a million pieces. Kawai answered with nothing but a stare. There was a fire in Kawai's eyes, and it was igniting Bunpei's desire. "Kawai," Bunpei whispered, "can you train me?"

       Kawai chuckled. "So asks the kid who tackled me this morning." Bunpei hung his head. "Okay, kid, I'll give you one chance. You and I spar. If you can hit me three times, I train you. If not, say bye-bye to Mommy."

      "All right," Bunpei sighed, "I'll fight you!"

                                                                                       ~~~

     The Asteralis Hotel was not well-known, and pretty much in the middle of nowhere, so it didn't take long for them to find a clearing to battle in. Bunpei stood about 30 feet away from his opponent, and he was drowning at the ankles with chartreuse grass. The rather itchy tickle of the blades stretched its fingers on Bunpei's shoes. Rather calm it was as well for Kawai. A masculine gust shoved him head-on. Finally, the silence ended.

     Bunpei pushed on the earth and dashed at Kawai, drawing his arm back. Kawai didn't move. Ha, he's not going anywhere after this punch, thought Bunpei. He jerked his arm forward in an all-out initial punch. His fist made direct contact - with the wind. What!? I swear he was just there! Bam! A leathery shoe hit Bunpei spot-on, smashing him into an almost instant faceplant.

     Picking his face up out of the dirt, Bunpei was surprised to see deep green eyes staring right at him.

     "Get up," Hitoshi Kawai taunted, "You still have three hits left to go!" A repulsively happy smile played out on Kawai's face, to be met by an eye-twitch from Nikato. Bunpei did a sudden push-up and caught Kawai in the chin, stunning him. In the daze, Bunpei's ankle flew with surprising accuracy at Kawai's stomach. Kawai threw his arms forward in response to getting hit twice, propelling himself backward from his own immense arm strength. Regaining his balance, he entered fighting stance again, drawing the match to another stalemate.

    "All right," Kawai said, "I have to actually stop daydreaming now." Bunpei was struck with a chop that beat the words to his ears. Kawai kicked him into the air and ascended, and before Bunpei knew it, he had been sent sraight down  by Kawai's elbow. What!? This Kawai guy is tough!

     Bunpei thrust himself forward again, drawing his arm in preparation for another punch. Kawai stood there, anticpating another jab. Suddenly, Bunpei stopped. Why did he stop? Kawai didn't have to enough time to be puzzled. Bunpei got him in the face with a momentum-powered surprise kick.

     "That makes three," Bunpei said. Kawai nodded and said, "Yes. Yes it does."

     "So, what will I be learning first, then?" Bunpei was basking in the glory of his triumph. Kawai ran a hand through his jet-black mane.

     "Hm, I don't know. There's quite a lot you have to master, and one week isn't a lot of time to do it in." Kawai looked around. "Follow me. There are some trees over there we can start working on."

     Kawai and Bunpei walked further into the sea of foliage. Hitoshi stopped abruptly and Bunpei's face smashed into his back.

    "Wait, why'd you stop?"

     Straight Punch! Side kick without chamber! Cat stance! Give me 100 reps! Exercise after exercise after exercise. Blast! Deflect! Psi flare! Energy manipulation after energy manipulation after energy manipulation. So went the rest of the day, and it soon reached dusk.

     Kawai snapped two branches off of a tree and tossed one to Bunpei. Bunpei looked at him, perplexed.

    "These are for swordplay practice," Kawai said, "we don't just fight with our fists. Now get up and practice with me." Kawai thrust his branch at Bunpei and smacked his wrist. Bunpei swung, only to be parried. Kawai lunged at Bunpei and disarmed him.

   "Too slow." Kawai stared at Bunpei. "Try again tomorrow."

                                                                                        ~~~

    Training for Bunpei didn't get off to a nice start. After 3 of the 7 days, he couldn't even break anything with his psi. So he sat down underneath a tree and sighed. Aw, come on! I have four days left, and I won't even be able to last five minutes on the ring! It's just... Just so... Visions of his mother flashed through Bunpei's head. Images of her smiling and hugging. Pictures of the times when they had each other. Bunpei stood up as a tears rolled down his cheek. He raised his arm to his eyes.  I can't believe I won't be able to get her back! It's just...

      "SO UNFAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Bunpei raised his head to skies and screamed. All that anger must have sparked something deep inside him, because his psi energy from inside flared out and started ripping up the nearby trees. The flew faster, and the energy blew out harder. The surrounding trees fell one by one. After the last one fell, Kawai was revealed to have been watching.

     "Bravo," Kawai said with a surprised grin on his face, "what an explosion!" Bunpei wiped his tears off.

     "But," Bunpei replied, "I'm still not strong at all." Kawai placed his hand on Bunpei's back and said, "well, I'm training you; aren't I?"

 

   

    

    

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