The scientist's blurry face was hard to look at yet hard to ignore. As Zeka finally settled down, the scientist began explaining how the world viewed their unique, godlike power.
"The world, isn't just a place where peace is the only thing you expect, but humans only want one thing: control over the weak. And all of you are weaker than a vulnerable kitten roaming around the city for food. You must know how your power works, how it activates, and how you could survive this cruel world..."
The voice faded from Zeka's mind as his focus shifted to Liora. The rest of the group were sitting beside her; his focus was only on her, the small movements of her hands, her eyes focused on understanding the scientist.
Even her scent registered as something new, something none of the rooms he'd known ever had, and he was just trying to save the data of her personality from the outside.
And the cold hit him; his bare skin started to shake noticeably as he tried to sit down without moving much. He was fighting the cold, but it was just hard to do; it was just too cold inside the laboratory. He wanted to get up and to move around just to try and feel his legs for the first time, but getting up mid-conversation felt wrong to him, so he just tried to resist the cold.
"Training starts tomorrow morning. Whoever doesn't survive it wasn't going to survive the world anyway."
The scientist finished his 'story' as he turned around and entered the invisible door that was right behind him, disappearing behind the white mixed with gray walls.
The four children who were sitting next to each other were already asleep; maybe they already knew what was wrong with this world before they even sat.
And Zeka decided to stand up just to move around and warm himself up. While Liora was still sitting, watching Zeka in silence.
"By the way, what's your power?"
Liora muttered under her breath as she waved her hand, offering him to sit next to her and talk together for a moment before they drifted to sleep.
Zeka looked down as her innocent smile made it hard to say no. He sat down next to her as he started speaking.
"My power...? I think it's... fire... probably... w-why?"
A slight crack was visible in his voice; he'd barely spoken since he could remember, only ever counting through his own torture.
Fire...
She said in her thoughts.
"Well, that's a cool power; it's exactly my opposite power, huh. Mine is water; well, it's a little bit complicated since it doesn't have shape yet."
She exhaled as Zeka looked at her in confusion.
"A shape? Water has... shape?"
He swallowed.
"Don't be silly! Water is just my main source of power; what I mean by 'a shape' is just if it's going to be ice or boiled."
She explained, but Zeka was still confused; he didn't understand what she meant, so she just added on top of it:
"The water power is the only power that has two shapes instead of one; for example, your power is fire, your power is just... fire. While mine is water, and water can have two types: boiled or frozen, and most past users had the boiled type, which makes the water extremely hot and can ruin your skin~."
She finished her sentence with a little teasing as she sat closer to take a better look at his confused face.
"But who knows... Fire might have two shapes or maybe even three; would be cool, right, Zeka?"
She tests the name she gave him just to make sure it's easy on the tongue. She stretches her body like a little kitten on the floor.
"Tomorrow will be a hard day. That scientist is strict with everyone, so be careful, and don't worry about those chumps; they are nice and trustworthy, just like me!"
She pointed at the sleeping group, one girl and three other boys; one looked broad-shouldered, two looked identical, and the girl looked like an international girl, probably not from Japan, but why would she be here?
And Liora got back to her position as she looked back at Zeka, making sure he was still awake.
"Well, we have to sleep now, just on this cold floor. Well, we can't complain, or we will just get more hard work in tomorrow's training. Hmm... good night then... I guess..."
She turned her body to the other side as Zeka tried to copy her position; after all, he was always staying most nights just for the torture he received every day.
A few minutes passed, and Zeka was still wide awake; Liora was already asleep, and the group was still sleeping, but Zeka was awake. He was just observing what the room looked like: a few cracks on the wall where green plants were covering it, and the cold humming sound of the snow outside the building falling.
A sudden crack ran through Zeka's ears. A crack of a stick, probably?
Zeka stood up as he reached the invisible door he entered through, and the door opened. He walked through.
He reached the main hallway again, where the experiment room was right in front of him behind the glass window. No one was there, and Zeka decided to get out of the building. He reached the gate he entered from with the scientist.
"What are you trying to do with that filthy leg?"
The voice of the scientist cut through, and Zeka immediately froze in place, already accepting his fate before the scientist even added more words.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to punish you yet. But getting outside the building is a big trouble, little thing. So turn around and go back to that room; today will be a tough day, and you must rest."
Zeka didn't nod; he just turned around and reached the room he came out of quietly without adding anything extra. He stopped right before entering the room, taking a glance at the experiment room, and then entered the room again without any more hesitation.