The rise of the unorthodox

The day had arrived to showcase the progress we'd made over the week.

"I hope I won't be disappointed; I enjoy being wowed," Mr. Sayo said with a sly grin as he stood in front of us.

Today's class was being held on an open field, which Mr. Sayo claimed felt like the perfect setting.

"Before we start, let me remind you of why I gave you this assignment. Everything we use to generate our abilities comes from energy. The more energy you have, the more versatile and aggressive you can be with your power. However, there's a catch—put too much energy into an attack, and you could permanently damage yourself or tire yourself out completely. So, it's about balance. You need to put just enough energy to make your attacks effective, but not so much that you exhaust yourself after one move."

His words resonated with me. When I first tried to use my sub-ability, I'd passed out from over-exertion. Now, I understood the importance of balance and was much more cautious with my energy use.

"Alright, let's get started. First up, Devin," Mr. Sayo pointed toward him.

Devin stepped forward confidently, without saying a word. He activated his power, and his arm began to glow with a bright light. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing. In a heartbeat, a glowing orb—identical in color to his arm—shot out into the air. The orb floated gracefully for a few seconds before it exploded with a deafening blast. The shockwave rippled across the field, vibrating the ground beneath our feet.

"That's how it's done, losers," Devin smirked, strolling back to his spot.

Mr. Sayo, clearly impressed, raised an eyebrow. "Nice. And what are you going to call this ability? You've got to add some flair, after all."

Devin didn't hesitate. "Flashbang. It's the perfect name for the best student in class."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. This kid… I didn't like him. Not one bit.

"Alright, next up—Daniel. Let's see what you've got," Mr. Sayo gestured to him.

Daniel stepped forward with a self-assured grin. "Consider yourself impressed, sir," he said, summoning his energy whip into his hand.

I was intrigued. None of us had shared the specifics of what we'd been working on, only that we'd made progress. So, I had no idea what to expect.

Daniel gripped the whip tightly, his hands turning red from the strain. The whip began to shift and change in his hand, morphing from a flexible weapon into something far more rigid. After a few seconds, the whip had completely transformed into a long sword, its blade gleaming with a blue aura.

"I'm not done yet," Daniel said with a smirk. He lunged forward, swinging the sword with expert precision. A surge of blue energy shot from the blade, cutting through the air.

Mr. Sayo raised his hand as the energy reached him. When it made contact, a sharp cut appeared on his dark skin, and blood began to spill.

"Impressive," Mr. Sayo said, unfazed. "Don't worry about the cut—it'll heal in a minute. Now, what's the name of this move?"

Daniel tilted his head thoughtfully. "Morph. Simple but effective."

"Nice," Mr. Sayo nodded. "Next up—Delight."

Delight stepped forward with a quiet smile. "Okay, my ability is called Chimera Creation. It works with all living beings, and I wanted to test whether I could merge with myself—turns out, I can."

She gently placed her pigeon, Lovely, on her shoulder and spoke softly to it. "Are you ready, Lovely? Share your power with me. I'll make sure I give you a treat later."

She touched Lovely's head, then placed her own hand on her own forehead. A brilliant light exploded from their bodies, and I had to squint against its intensity. When the light began to fade, Delight was no longer the same. A pair of radiant white wings had appeared on her back. She flapped them experimentally, and her body lifted off the ground, levitating.

The display was breathtaking. Her wings beat the air, sending gusts that brushed past us.

"Wow," Mr. Sayo said, genuinely impressed. "That's incredible. What's the name of this ability?"

Delight beamed, her eyes sparkling. "I'll call it Symbiosis. After all, I'm working with my animals."

"Last but not least," Mr. Sayo turned to me, his gaze sharp. "Beatrix, it's your turn."

The look on his face said it all—he wasn't impressed with me yet. That only made me more determined to prove him wrong.

I walked forward and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. I let my hair fall to the ground, spreading it out as I began to manipulate it. Slowly, it snaked toward Mr. Sayo, weaving around him until it reached the roots of his hair.

"What do you think you're doing?" Mr. Sayo asked, raising an eyebrow.

I didn't answer. My sub-ability only worked on anything with hair, and Mr. Sayo happened to be my test subject for the moment. My hair coiled around his head, latching onto the roots of his blonde buzz. Then, I severed the strand of hair, and the connection was made.

I focused, feeling the connection grow stronger. I could now control the hair on his head. Stretching it out, I turned it into a rope, but the strand soon withered and died. As it did, Mr. Sayo's hair returned to normal.

"Huh," Mr. Sayo said, intrigued. "I haven't had that much hair in years. It's a clever way to gain the upper hand and use it against your enemies. Good job, hair girl. Now, what are you going to call it?"

I thought for a moment, then smiled. "I'll call it Link."

Mr. Sayo grinned, clearly impressed despite himself. "Nice work".