Male Reader x Remi

Part 4

"Weather manipulation."

"I'm sorry?" Isen perks up his head. He's smiling with his mouth, but his eyes tell another story.

"My ability is weather manipulation - I can manipulate the weather."

A moment of silence hangs over the room. But I don't feel any tension. The three of them seem to be processing just what such an ability must mean. And I mean, they can take all the time they need. I'm still figuring it out.

"So you can manipulate the weather, like what?" asks Blyke.

"Rain, wind, and..."

"Lightning?" Remi asks.

"Yes- lightning." Isen audibly gasps, jotting things down into a little pocket notebook.

"So that's why I was sensing something from you..." says Remi, placing her head in her hand.

"You were?"

"It's my passive ability, I can detect electrical currents." passive abilities? What're those? "I'm surprised you couldn't sense me, since you're an 8.7"

"I... I felt something but, I wasn't sure what it was..."

"Who cares about that?! Not only is this kid an 8.7, but they've got an upgraded ability of the school's Queen! Oh man, the Wellston Weekly is going to lose their minds over this!" Goddamnit Isen.

"Hey! We aren't just going to expose a friend like that Isen. Not for some newspaper cred..." I appreciate Blyke as a voice of reason, but Isen's distracted expression makes me wonder if that voice is being heard. "He'll tell everyone when he's ready."

But that wasn't the part that was distressing me, for once. I could tell Remi really did feel like she was getting showed up. I can't say it was the first time, but, at least before it was only that my level was higher. To have an ability that's a straight upgrade... this world really isn't fair after all. Some people are just unlucky.

Plus... she seems, nice. Nicer most royals, that is.

"So, Mr. Soon-to-be-King, what are your plans for Wellston?" Isen sticks out his pencil towards my face as though it were a microphone.

"U-Uhm... I just got here, so, no plans as of yet." King or otherwise.

"No plans... so you're THAT kind of King.... got it!" he scribbles down in text so small I have to assume it's gibberish. Does he really use his ability to write?

"Well- I don't know if I could even beat the King in the first place."

Isen's giddy expression turns stone serious, his journalistic instincts telling him to press. Meanwhile, Remi and Blyke both seem a bit flabbergasted with my answer. Blyke, tilting his head to the side, and Remi lifting hers from her hands. She'd been looking down before then.

"Of course you could! You're levels above him, it'll be a cakewalk! Unless... you have something holding you back?"

D-Does he know? About... no, there's no way he does. He wouldn't be acting so ignorant this whole time if he did. Besides, those records are not something he could get his hands on. No, he must mean if I'm holding myself back. Which, I guess I have been.

"Well, I haven't used my ability in a long time. I was a late bloomer too so, I-I never really got the hang of it." Yeah. That's pretty much the truth.

"What do you mean?" asks Remi, her downer expression replaced with an inquisitive one.

"I mean, well, I've only been able to bring lightning down from the sky. Makes fighting indoors awkward. And it's slow and, I haven't been able to control it well so I usually spend all my energy on one strike, and I didn't even know about passive abilities until now and I-"

"Woah woah woah, slow down there! No need to start a pity party." Isen stops me in my tracks. I guess I was getting a little self-conscious about my ability. I never thought I would, not in that way at least. But can you blame me? The one time I really used it I... misused it. And besides then, when it was a detriment, it's just been useless to me.

"It sounds like you need to start training, then." Says Blyke. "Lucky for you, this school is one of the best places to train your ability." So I've been told.

"Blyke's right. There are plenty of spots around campus for sparring. Although, I usually prefer to watch myself." Isen chimes in with no one asking.

"Actually, with his Hunter Isen can be a pretty good coach." Blyke says. "That is, when he's actually watching the fight as promised and not on his phone."

"I can multitask!"

Is Blyke really suggesting what I think he's suggesting? "No no... I really don't want to be a bother. I can train on my own. You guys don't have to go out of your way to help me."

"Isn't that what friends do?" Remi asks. God, I don't know what I'm having a harder time with. Beating that smile, or avoiding her eyes. "Our abilities are similar, so you can spar with me. I'll teach you everything I learned about lightning."

Who are these people? Not only did they just meet me a few hours ago, but I'm from out of town, I'm not a royal like them, in fact I'm threatening Blyke's position in the hierarchy, but they're all so ready to help me? A stranger? Or... do they really mean it, am I really a friend?

"You guys aren't going to let me say no, are you?"

"Nope."

"Nah."

"No way!"

I smile softly, lowering my head so they can't tell. Friends. I forgot that they were like this.

Suddenly, an alarm blares from Blyke's phone. "Oh man, 11:30, and I still got homework to do." guess we lost track of time. "Sorry guys, I really gotta finish this tonight."

"It's no matter Blyke" Isen responds. "About time for my beauty sleep anyhow, Rem?"

"Yeah, I'm feeling kind of sleepy too." Blyke nods, and the four of us walk to the door.

"It was nice to meet you guys."

"Nice to meet you too, Y/N." Remi melodically woos.

"Yeah. See you at school tomorrow? Goodnight!"

"Night."

"Night guys." Blyke concludes as he shuts the door on his waving friends. "I told you I had good friends."

"Yeah. Remi's really nice. And Isen..."

"Like I said, he's Isen." suppose that's the only way to put it.

As is often the case when a larger party breaks up, the two of us awkwardly stare at each other's feet, unsure as to if we ought to continue or break up ourselves.

"I gotta get to my assignment..."

"Yeah. I think I'll get some sleep." I had barely gotten any shut-eye since landing in this town.

"Alright." Blyke smiles, giving me two pats on the shoulder. "Goodnight. Let me know if I'm being too loud." he paces over to his room and shuts the door.

"Night." I reply. Man, what a day. Lot more new faces than I was expecting to meet on my first night. I check into my room, and don't let myself get acquainted with it before I crash into bed. This might've been a long night, but tomorrow is only going to be a longer day...

...only for once, I have a feeling it's going to be a good one.