Aegis kaisso 1

Description

Kai is a genetically-modified human--an aegis-- assigned to his sire, Kyungsoo, for the

purpose of combat in the upcoming tournament, Armageddon.

Kyungsoo gasps when the surgical lamps flash down upon his four-year-old body,
naked limbs hidden only underneath of a thin sheet. He starts to panic, his little face
crumpling and body struggling as the surgeons strap his arms and legs to the table. He
screams. He screams for dear life through the sterile, metal room filled with people
who couldnt care less about his fear, fear that echoes along the walls. The gas mask
muffles the cacophonous sound and eventually they fade as his eyelids drift closed.

They take a piece of his heart.

Fourteen years later, Kyungsoo watches curiously as the crimson liquid flows from his
arm, through a butterfly tube, and into a vial. He thinks that maybe hes sick for
thinking his blood looks beautiful as it's being drawn. The nurse comes back from the
adjacent room and disconnects the needle after three vials are filled, pressing a
bandage expertly over his puncture wound.

Thank you very much, Do Kyungsoo. Please make yourself comfortable in the waiting
room as the process to test your blood will take approximately eighteen minutes, she
recites mechanically. Her left eye is a vivid yellow when their gazes meet and
Kyungsoo knows that shes an android.

The waiting room is designed for maximum relaxation; walls painted a soft lavender, a
saltwater fish tank occupies the middle of the space, and the sound of rain plays on
hidden speakers. Despite the decor, Kyungsoo sits stiffly in the chair, much too nervous
to flip through the various magazines with tutorials on how to become a better citizen.

A poster on the wall reminds him of the upcoming tournament. Armageddon is

approaching again, as it does every year. The thought of bloody battles and
ruthlessness for the sake of entertainment brings a disgusted look to his face, knitting
his eyebrows in frustration. He just hopes that him and his aegis wont be one of the
ten pairs chosen to participate. He hopes that theyll be able to live in peace together,
wake up to the artificially blue sky and drink coffee with too much milk on their days
off.
A different android nurse enters the room to call for him. Do Kyungsoo, were ready
for you now.

As theyre heading down the pristine hallway, Kyungsoo notices that this place looks
just like any other hospital despite being the building where aegises are grown and
trained. The android leads him into a small room and closes the door behind them. She
motions at the metal cabinet on the wall. Please put this suit on as your aegis is still
sterile.

She stands off to the corner, watching as Kyungsoo wearily opens the cabinet. He
removes his clothes and, through the mirrored wall, stares at the tattoo of his ability
over his left pec. Earth. He wonders what ability his aegis will have as he stuffs his legs
into the skintight suit and zips it. He hopes it wont be something too interesting as
that will increase their chances of being chosen to participate in the tournament. The
nurse hands him a device meant to be clipped behind his ear and, the second its on, it
automatically creates an invisible barrier around his head. He fingers the band around
his wrist, the one meant to suppress his ability, and the nurse notices his silent
question.

You may keep that on.

When hes done, he follows her down a succession of hallways and he feels like a
mouse being led down a limitless maze to its demise. Hes sure that hed never be able
to find his way out of the building if he were to lose track of his guide. They pass
through a series of doors requiring card-access and Kyungsoos eyes widen as they
stroll by a room with an expansive glass wall. Inside the room are numerous pods, the
innards illuminated by a pastel blue light. In some of the pods there are entire bodies;
malformed limbs in others; and some look as if theyre empty save for a few tubes. He
wonders where his aegis is.

They finally arrive at a plain room and the nurse motions for him to step inside. She
doesnt follow him in though and he flinches when the automatic door shuts. He can
hear the wispy sound of his breathing and the pounding of his heart beating against his
skull as he tentatively takes a few more steps into quiet space. There isnt anything in
it; no windows, no decorations, nothing. Its just white.

He stills when a neon green circle appears on the floor before it opens and a pod
appears. His nervousness seems to dissipate a bit upon seeing the body inside, still
hooked to tubes with a life-support mask on. Theres a flutter of familiarity as he stares
at him but, he knows that hes never seen this man in his life. He knows its simply
because hes his sire; they have the same DNA. They possess the same heart.
The liquid inside the pod begins to drain and the tubes glow a pastel pink as they
disconnect from the body. Its then that Kyungsoo sees the triangle over his aegis pec
and he wonders what ability a triangle could possibly symbolize.

He soon finds out though, because the second the aegis opens his eyes and sees him,
hes gone.

And Kyungsoo panics. This is not supposed to happen! he screams mentally, searching
the room for help. In his peripheral, he spots the aegis crouched in the corner with its
back to him. What the heck, what the heck, what the heck, he chants as he shuffles
closer. He holds his breath as he reaches his hand out to touch the wet shoulder and--
it disappears again, leaving a puff of smoke and static in its wake.

He turns and realizes that there are multiple puffs of smoke around the room and only
a momentary flash of color where his aegis appears and disappears again. He cowers
in the corner and draws his arms against his chest.

Mine knows witchcraft! Thats what the triangle stands for! he decides, trembling.

Abruptly, his aegis appears right in front of him and Kyungsoo shrieks in terror, the
grating sound and the room reminding him so much of the operation room he was in
when he was younger. And his aegis seems upset by his sires reaction, so he frowns.
The aegis reaches his hand towards his sires head and Kyungsoo thinks that this is the
end. This is how hell die: his aegis will kill him.

(which is silly, because hes immune to his powers.)

But, the invisible helmet prevents the aegis hand from touching him, glowing upon
contact with skin. Out of breath with his back pressed against the corner, he tries to
calm himself down. He cant hurt you, he tries to remind himself.

Just then, the door opens and the android nurse returns. Do Kyungsoo, your allotted
two minutes with your aegis has ended. We must administer tests on his health now.
You will be able to meet him again in approximately two hours and fifteen minutes.

So, Kyungsoos ushered out of the room and led through the maze of hallways again to
change out of his sterile suit. He slumps in his seat in the cafeteria on the first floor
and it immediately molds around his body to maintain an ergonomic design. He scrubs
his face with his hands, exhausted by his first encounter with his aegis. Theres too
much adrenaline racing through him, making his stomach ache too much for food right
now.

It seems as if no time has passed at all before theres a breeze to his right and
Kyungsoo turns his head to see his aegis staring at him. A massive shriek is about to
erupt from his throat until the android nurse appears.

Do Kyungsoo, were happy to inform you that there seems to be no defects with your
aegis. The Ministry has decided to name him Kai and his ability is teleportation. He
seems to be reluctant to speak but, this should clear up as he becomes acclimated to
his surroundings. Please schedule an appointment two weeks from now for his routine
check-up.

He nervously thanks her and she proceeds to schedule an appointment for him. As she
does so, he stares at his aegis who is now distracted by the people walking around
them. And he wonders how hell be able to deal with his rather unique aegis, hopes
this wont cause them to be chosen. He stands up from his seat when theyre done and
Kai follows after him immediately. As theyre walking away, he thinks that he hears
tournament from the nurse, but it must be his imagination.

The clouds are a slate gray when they join the throngs of people mulling through the
streets, rows of red blinkers from cars stuck in traffic beside them. The wind is colored
by a distinct chill signaling the coming winter and the lights from offices in skyscrapers
shine bright like stars peeping through the blanket of the universe.

Kais more interested in his sire, Kyungsoo. He keeps his attention glued on his
bobbing head through the hordes of people rushing home from work. Arbitrarily, he
decides that Kyungsoo is perfect. Absolutely. Perfect.

It seems that with every step he takes, a few more citizens pop out of a void in front of
him somewhere, causing him to gain more and more distance from Kyungsoo. Fed up,
he teleports through the crowd and next to his sire, earning a surprised flinch and a
few gasps. Rather than being happy to see him, Kyungsoos facial features are wrought
with annoyance. Kai thinks its adorable.

Its not polite to use your ability in public, he reprimands. Despite the entire
population possessing some ability or another, its still awkward for people who dont
have abilities deemed normal to use them in public. Kyungsoo wishes Kai had the
ability to make delicious coffee instead of this witchcraft.

They arrive at the train station and a particularly cold breeze sprints by, whipping their
hair and raking their cheeks. Kai immediately zips Kyungsoos jacket for him and is
rather pleased when he sees a pretty pink tint in his face. Thanks, comes the
embarrassed mumble.

The train arrives and people squish into every corner of the car, causing Kai to be
separated from Kyungsoo again. Again. And hes getting rather irritated that the whole
world seems hellbent on separating them. This is their first day together and hed
rather spend it next to his sire, thank you very much. So, he ends up teleporting back
to Kyungsoo and ignores the surprised yelps and gasps.

Didnt I tell you not to use your ability in public? Kyungsoo hisses in a loud whisper.
Kai just shrugs it off since he knows hell be forgiven. He positions his body as close to
Kyungsoo as he can, preventing other people from touching him.

As more people pack onto the train, Kai pulls Kyungsoos head into his shoulder,
holding him as theyre squeezed against the wall. Thats when Kyungsoo catches a
whiff of Kais scent and he wonders if its the liquid he was kept in or the smell of his
clothes that makes him smell absolutely wonderful.

(Nothing smells better than the person you love.)

They finally make it back to Kyungsoos apartment after a rather eventful journey
involving Kai teleporting around people to get to Kyungsoo. The apartment is vaguely
familiar to Kai as he steps inside, the clean floors and tidy surroundings unearthing
themselves from the part of his memory that derives from his sire.

Despite his partial recognition, Kyungsoo still gives him a tour, filling in the gaps. After
doing so, he cooks dinner and Kais thoroughly pleased when he takes the first bite.

Kyungsoo eats a bit of his food, more interested in his aegis as he ravenously devours
the spaghetti. He remembers that this is the first meal of Kais life and he wonders if
every day will be as troublesome as today was; his muscles are sapped of energy from
being so tense.

He looks so happy when hes eating, he notes fondly. When Kais done, he wipes his
mouth politely and Kyungsoos heart trips on the satisfied grin he sends him. Kyungsoo
leans on the table with his elbows and maintains eye contact with his partner. He
notices that Kais left eye flashes a vivid purple in the light, the sign of an aegis.

Do you understand what I say? he asks, curious due to Kais muteness and when he
ignored his scolding earlier. Kai smiles again at the sound of his voice and nods, licking
his lips. And Kyungsoo thinks that hes rather cute, kind of like a child. He exhales
through his nose and gets up, bringing his dishes with him.

As Kyungsoos loading the dishwasher, he feels arms encircle his waist and warmth
against his back. He stiffens and, oh my god, what is happening now? He holds his
breath unintentionally when Kais head rests on his shoulder, his nose in his neck. And
the sound of rushing water is drowned out by his heartbeats, his scorching skin. Hes
suddenly conscious of every little twitch he makes and hes sensitive to Kais calm
breathing.

What are you doing, he mumbles quietly, trying to regain focus. Stop it, stupid.

Kai just hums into his neck and, after a few notes, Kyungsoo realizes that its his
favorite song. Theres a stutter in his thoughts as he wonders how Kai could possibly
know the melody, having been stuck inside of a pod until mere hours ago.

But then, he realizes, You are a part of me and I am a part of you.

And its hard not to love someone who was created for the sole purpose of being with
you forever, supplementing your daily life with an infusion of love and support.

Together forever.

Kai stands there in the doorway of the bedroom, staring at the floor with a
disappointed glaze over his expression. He doesnt even care anymore that the clothes
Kyungsoo had given him to sleep in are so short they expose his belly button. He
doesnt even care that Kyungsoo wouldnt let him be in the room as he changed.

Instead, he cares about the makeshift bed on the floor that hes expected to sleep on
tonight.

He turns to look at his sire who is busily getting comfortable in the bed. And Kyungsoo
notices the look of utter betrayal in his aegis eyes, pouts in response. Youre sleeping
there! he declares, pointing to the sheets on the floor. Kai doesnt move, just
continues to shoot needles of guilt into Kyungsoos conscience.

Were not sleeping together! Kyungsoo exclaims, laying down and pulling the blanket
over his shoulders. Turn off the lights!

Kai does as hes told and turns off the lights. Kyungsoo hears some movement and
assumes that his aegis had given up, accepted that theyre not going to sleep together.
His cheeks burn. He knows that one day theyll have to take that step, but hes not
ready to be so intimate with him just yet.

Then, a pillow smacks him in the face and hes just about to turn to scold Kai but, hes
being shoved against the wall. Kai! he fusses, trying to push him off the bed in the
dark. Hes forcefully turned on his side and he feels him cling against his back, an arm
slung over his waist. Even so, he tries to sit up and climb over him but, his plans are
throttled when Kai drags him back down and squishes him between himself and the
wall. He lays there angrily as Kais breathing becomes slow and even, satisfied now
that theyre sleeping together.

Eventually, he huffs in defeat, relaxing into the comfortable warmth. Suddenly, he feels
so vulnerable; his heart is so soft and supple, childlike as his hard exterior falls away.
Kai seems to sense his insecurity and presses a kiss against his hair, hums his favorite
song again.

Kyungsoos eyelids drift closed to the feeling of being loved.

An underwater variation of sunlight diffuses through the living room when Kyungsoo
sweeps the thick folds of his autumn curtains away, exposing the gauze ones
underneath. The clouds are mottled with veins of sooty gray today and he frowns,
knowing it will rain.

As hes crossing the living room to the kitchen, he slides a remote off an end table and
turns on the television. Kais sleepily clutching a throw pillow to his chest, curled into
himself on the couch. Kyungsoo taps the remote on his head gently as he passes. Go
back to bed if youre still tired, he says in a mock-angry tone.

Kai just groans quietly and remains in his spot, listening to the chatter coming from
the pixels that make up the television on the wall. The news comes on and, at first, its
the same news thats been reiterated for the past few weeks; the flourishing economy;
the unveiling of the tournament stadium; the daily, inspirational quote from the
Supreme Leader. But, todays a bit different.

Kyungsoo doesnt pay any attention to the television, more focused on chopping his
genetically-modified vegetables and thankful that Kais too tired to bother him right
now. He glances over at him and sees him sitting quietly as he watches whatever is
going on on the screen.

A few minutes later, when the news has switched to the weather forecast, Kai comes
into the kitchen to tug on his sires arm. Kyungsoo nudges him away. Im busy
preparing breakfast right now, he voices, not unkindly, as he stir-fries the vegetables
in a pan.

Kai stands there for a moment longer before walking away, back to his spot on the
couch with his throw pillow.

Its alright, because Kyungsoo will find out sooner or later.

What, Kyungsoo deadpans, standing in the hallway near the front door and staring at
the hand being proffered to him.
Kai continues to stand there, unmoving, as he waits for Kyungsoo to accept his silent
invitation. Theyre going shopping for new clothes for him today and he definitely wont
allow anyone to separate them again. No one.

Suddenly, Kyungsoo understands and he cringes in distaste. Were not holding hands!
he states, trying to hide his embarrassment by raising his voice. Kai just rolls his eyes
at him, motioning him forward with his fingers. I said no! he retaliates.

Finally, Kai sighs and teleports next to him. He glares down at him and Kyungsoo
understands the message smoldering in his gaze. Dont make me teleport in public
again.

Kyungsoo bites his bottom lip and looks away as if on the verge of angry tears.
Reluctantly, he snatches his aegis hand and drags him to the door. Fine!

As theyre hurrying through the streets, Kyungsoo continues to contemplate their

relationship. It shouldnt be weird for him to hold hands with Kai like this; it shouldnt
be embarrassing to be intimate with him. But, hes still not quite sold on the widely-
accepted notion that theyll be in love forever. People change, dont they? Shouldnt
they?

Do aegises ever change?

The crowd of people thickens as they near the city center as if they had stepped into a
clump of chewing gum, limbs rapidly slowing down as they slog through the mass.
Eventually, theyre unable to move at all as everyone is at a standstill, attention
focused on the grandiose screens glimmering on the surrounding buildings.

Kyungsoo continues trying to maneuver through the mob, but his aegis keeps him in
place. The look in Kais eyes is sharp and grave as if this is the most important moment
of their lives. Kyungsoo doesnt quite understand until all of the screens blink and a
newscaster appears. The moment weve all been waiting for has come! Just like we
promised this morning, in just a moment well be revealing the participants in the
upcoming Armageddon.

Kyungsoo freezes, eyes wide as the statement massages itself into his brain over and
over again. This cant be happening. He looks over at Kai who is unnervingly calm and
feels him squeeze his hand. His expression crinkles, pleading for them not to be
chosen. Why cant he just live his life in peace? Please?
The screen flashes again and a picture appears. Participant One and his Aegis

One-by-one the participants are revealed and Kyungsoo feels like ice, so incredibly cold
and paralyzed by the immensity of the situation. The ninth pair is being announced
now and they only need to make it through one more announcement. Almost there.
Almost free.

One more.

Participant Ten and his Aegis: Do Kyungsoo and Kai.

Their photos appear on all of the monitors at once as if mocking them, glaring at them
from all sides. This is their cruel fate. A couple glances are traded from within the
crowd before a noticeable shift occurs, clearing a circle around them. It seems as
though Kyungsoo forgets how to breathe properly and his heart cant decide whether
to continue beating or not; it doesnt matter anyway because he might be dead in a
matter of months.

Kais dragging him back to the apartment now and his legs are moving, but nothing
makes sense. Nothing makes sense anymore. Why-- how? And the streets blur by,
faces eclipsed by the pain slithering through his throat and into every skin cell. It hurts
and-- make it stop!

His knees hit the ground and he cant stop breathing, fingers tingling and head numb.
And Kai wishes Kyungsoo wasnt immune to his teleportation when he realizes that hes
hyperventilating, just sweeps him into his arms and runs as fast as he can.

--Theyre in the kitchen and Kai shoves a small bag against Kyungsoos mouth,
unbuttoning his collar and sweeping his hand through his sires sweaty bangs. Hes
desperate, scared-- everything colliding at once and exploding.

Kyungsoo loses consciousness.

Kyungsoos throat is sore and cold when he opens his eyes hours later. A matte orange
is filtering through the window blinds, slits of elongated light illuminating the darkened
room. His side is pressed against Kais body and he tries to take a deep breath as he
listens to the vibrations of his favorite song rumbling through Kais chest. He closes his
eyes again and he feels unusually calm as Kai strokes his hair.

Kai notices that his sire is awake now so he plants a kiss on top of his head and
continues humming, repeating the song over and over.

We need to get clothes for you, Kyungsoo remembers, coughing to clear his raspy
voice. Even before he said it, he knew they wouldnt be going out again today; theyll
attract too much attention from the populace if they did. He wonders if theyll have to
shop from home and have the clothes delivered.

After a quiet pause, Kai starts caressing his cheek as he gazes down at him lovingly.
Dont ignore me, Kyungsoo asserts half-heartedly, receiving a grin from his aegis in
response. Youre so annoying, he breathes just before Kai kisses him gently, softly,
then all at once.

And its not like anything hes ever experienced before, as if the space between them is
ruptured by electricity and heat. Even when they separate the slightest bit, Kyungsoo
feels like he wants more, cant get enough of Kais taste and being so incredibly close.
He clutches at Kais clothes, tugging him deeper-- more, more.

His breath hitches when Kai pulls away and grasps his hand, gives him an apologetic
look as he kisses his palm. Not today.

Kyungsoos disappointed when Kai returns to humming. The tournament will be upon
them in a month; they might not have much time left together.

If not today, then when?

Kais eyelids fly open the second the sun starts bleeding over the horizon, furrowed
clouds tainted a spectrum of colors, from the palest pinks to a brilliant crimson. He
listens to his sires deep, even breathing for a moment and thinks about how precious
he is, how much he deserves to live. To hell with Armageddon. But for now, he
carefully disconnects their limbs and climbs out of bed to open the front door as quietly
as he can.

They have guests.

Kyungsoo groans when he feels Kais arms dragging him out of bed. What? he
whines, mostly asleep. He cracks an eye open and sees armored androids standing
behind his aegis, sleek black helmets printed with the logo of the nation.

He doesnt ask any questions as theyre directed to a rather fancy vehicle and
transported to the other side of the city where the other participants will also be
housed until the tournament begins. He sees why they would do this as hordes of
paparazzi ambush them when they exit his apartment building. The nation doesnt
want them to get devoured until game day.

He watches the desolate streets slowly fill with citizens and buildings spark with life as
they drive by, the sun awakening the cityscape. It feels as if nothing is real anymore;
everything is shrouded in the same two-dimensional surrealism as objects in dreams
and fantasies.

When they arrive, they follow the androids through a lobby of sparkling crystal
chandeliers hanging over them, glossy marble floors, and steel and glass elevators--
marvels of human construction. Theyre directed to a rather luxurious room and,
despite the pristine atmosphere, Kyungsoos stomach is wrought with a sick dread.

Kai watches his sires behavior carefully, moving to the mini-fridge in the corner to get
him some water. And Kyungsoo wanders over to the floor-to-ceiling windows, pressing
his fingertips against the plush curtains. He watches as fluorescent signs and lonely
streetlights flicker off like fireflies disappearing into a cave in the midst of a cold night.

Across the street is a glamourous building but, his attention is focused on the banner
with his and Kais face printed on it being hung in front. Its wonderfully edited,
sparkles and a soft image splayed across it as if they were celebrities. Kyungsoo
wonders if the joyful photo of him is real or a computerized replica.

His fingernails inadvertently dig into the curtains, frustration building within him. With
every second that passes, hes more and more sure that him and Kai are merely sacks
of skin cells as far as the world is concerned. It wouldnt be a significant loss to society
if they were to be brutally slaughtered in front of millions of people. After all, the
tournament was created to find a use for those without safe abilities. Everyone needs
to serve a purpose; how else would you go on living otherwise? How else would society
function?

Kai returns with a glass of water and sees his sires stiff posture as he looks at the
banner in disgust. He taps Kyungsoo lightly and offers the glass to him. Im okay, he
receives as a response before his sire returns to glaring at the banner.

And fury strikes him hard like a lightning strike. He lets the glass of water drop from
his fingers and onto the floor to soak into the exorbitant carpeting. Kyungsoo jumps
when it happens and turns his head at the sound but, Kai comes from behind and
covers his eyes with a hand. He tilts Kyungsoos head back into his shoulder and kisses
him-- rough, forcing his way into his mouth.

Kyungsoo grips at Kais clothes, knees weak from the sudden display of aggression as
his aegis has always been nothing but gentle with him. Not today-- today, Kai cups his
crotch in his hand and squeezes, making Kyungsoo moan into the intense kisses that
keep coming.

Kai breaks contact only momentarily as he nearly tosses his sire onto the bed. Out of
breath and disoriented, Kyungsoo looks up at his aegis to see him strip his shirt off.
And hes so turned on right now despite the force with which hes being handled, a
rush of heat collecting in his groin.

Kyungsoo lets out a pleasured exhale as open-mouthed kisses rain down on his jaw
and down his neck, body becoming so incredibly hot. And he wants him so bad, wants
him inside and closer as he fumbles with Kais pants. His heart is echoing through his
eardrums as Kai nips at his skin, making his way down his body. Touch me.

His breathing hitches when a hand traverses his pants and strokes him, firmly-- just
right, ahh-- And, when hes naked, he experiences a moment of self-consciousness
under the revealing light of day, the instinctive urge to cover himself creating a red tint
on his skin.

Kai notices his mild discomfort and tries to swallow it, pressing their lips together as he
strokes faster. Kyungsoos fingernails dig into his aegis shoulder blades when his mind
starts going numb, his climax building. And Kai knows hes close so he grinds their
erections together, satisfaction arising when Kyungsoo shudders against him a moment
later.

As Kyungsoos coming down from his high, Kai adjusts their position on the bed,
hooking his hands on his sires thighs to slide him closer. He swipes his fingers through
Kyungsoos cum and uses it as lube as he stretches him. Kyungsoo tries to relax,
closes his eyes and breathes.

Theres that thrill of excitement surging through him when Kai presses the tip of his
dick against him, a hand molding against his hip to keep him still. And Kyungsoo
doesnt realize hes trembling until Kai leans down, draws him into his arms and plants
kisses on his face. His nose tingles and tears come from the fear, discomfort-- being so
incredibly vulnerable even to his aegis.

Kai continues to push inside slowly, but his sires heavy breathing worries him. He
draws even closer and his lips are brushing the shell of Kyungsoos ear as he whispers,
Shh, Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoos heart palpitates at the sound of his voice, forgets his darker emotions for a
moment as he drowns in it. He feels the thrusts coming at him as hes distracted.
More, he moans, wrapping his arms around his aegis neck. More, Kai.

Kai just grins into his cheek, kisses him tenderly as if to tease him. No, he replies
curtly, his rhythm getting harder as he jerks him off in time. Soon, Kyungsoos mewling
in pleasure underneath of him and they hit their orgasm at the same time, sharing a
languid kiss as they ride through it.

They snuggle in bed afterwards, Kyungsoo yawning a few times from exhaustion and
being woken so early that morning. Kai hums to him and, when hes sure hes fallen
asleep, he untangles himself. He crosses the room with purpose and gets dressed in
whatever clothes he finds in the closet the nation had prepared for them. He picks a
simple outfit and leaves the hotel room.

As hes making his way down the hallway, he spots a pair being led by armored
androids. A flurry of electricity crackles around one of them as he passes and the
hostility is present when they exchange glares. Kai spots the telling glow in the aegis
left eye, knows his own eye is probably reflecting the same vivid purple in response.
Lightning, Kai decides when theyve passed. His ability is lightning.

A small-scale earthquake rumbles the building as Kai tests his newly-inherited skill in
response to his future opponent.

Let the games begin.