Chapter 10

Walking the streets of the Citadels outer market, Atom marveled at the bracelet he now wore. His suit is currently off and in his inventory. It had been a long time since he had been able to walk openly without his suits. At least not in a crowded street. Someone bumped into him, and he had to remember to give into the accidental collision. Typically, everyone avoided him. Screams of fear as they ran. Even here, where he was absolutely known, or at least his persona was, people made giant bubbles for him to walk in.

He smiled after making sure the citizen was okay, and he continued his sauntering gait. He had to admit it wasn't so bad to walk around like an average person. A second person bumped into him and he politely excused himself. It sure was busy here, but he didn't mind. Out in public for the first time in an eon. It was a wonderful—

A third person bumped into him, and Atom's eye twitched, but he refused to let his stroll be sullied by the event. He tried to apologize, but this person didn't even look back. When the fifth person bumped him, Atom had enough.

He flexed his will, throwing the offender, and everyone around him, for that matter, several meters away. People in front of and behind Atom seem to walk into an invisible wall. His will refused to allow them near his humble personage.

"Ah much better," he voiced aloud. People started crossing the street after that, actively avoiding him. Maybe he enjoyed the persona more than he thought. He shrugged. "Now where was I? Oh yes, the girls."

He continued at a leisurely pace down the street. He could sense Tess in a shop two more doors down. He paused just outside and observed through the glass as Layla and his fiery companion talked excitedly about something behind the shop owner's counter on display. The owner mainly ignored the two. Neither of the duo dressed for this affluent area. Not that it should matter. Ascendants wore whatever they wanted. But Layla was easily sensed as being a plain mortal while Tess had no presence at all. She did have one, but for her, it was either on, or it was off. An Icon thing.

Layla gestured to the box full of fancy tech tools on display. The owner shook his head in a polite but condescending way that signaled he wouldn't be letting them handle such an expensive item. The girls began getting frustrated with the owner for which the man ignored. The owner gestured to a man standing in the back, a sturdy-looking fellow by the looks of it. The owner flipped his hand towards the door, and the big fellow moved around the counter, grabbed Tess and Layla's arms, and began dragging them in protest towards the exit.

"Well I've seen about enough of this," Atom said and walked into the shop.

~~~

Layla tried to jerk her arm away from the thug dragging her and Tess towards the exit when the door flew open. A tall dreamy sandy-haired man stepped through the doorway. His eyes were a shocking burnt orange sort of like Tess’s hair. She thought his face looked familiar, but she couldn't place it. She wasn't aware she knew anyone that dashing.

"What seems to be the problem here?" The voice was more melodic than she would have expected. She was sure she had heard it before too. If it was deeper, maybe.

The thug accosting her and Tess dropped to his knees and coughed, clutching his stomach. Droplets of blood sprayed out on the ground. The thug tried to rise but couldn't seem to manage it.

"Stay down ole boy. Wouldn't want to give you anymore. I'm unpracticed and we don’t want to make a mess in this fine establishment would we?" The man patted the thug on the shoulder. Each pat looked perfectly normal, but the thug took them like physical blows, body jerking, before falling unconscious.

"Now see here! What have you done to my attendant? Do you have any idea who—," the man cut off the shop owner.

"Be silent." And surprisingly, the man was. His face was turning purple in rage, or he was choking, but not a single syllable came out of his tightly compressed lips. Layla looked at Tess to try and get a gauge on what was expected here because she had zero clue what was happening. Tess looked just as stunned as she did.

The man addressed Tess, "Are you okay dear?"

Tess gathered herself before straightening out her clothing. "Yes I'm fine. We were just leaving." She gave such a murderous look at the shop owner that Layla paled a little. Tess might have a bit of a mean streak that Layla needed to watch out for.

"Come now. There's no reason to be too hasty. It was only a misunderstanding. Actually, I'm fairly certain a flash sale just started. Going out of business prices." The man said the last words in a low, dangerous tone. Then he turned to Layla and said cheerily, "Go on girl, take whatever you want."

Layla just stared at him for a moment, unsure what to do. She looked at Tess then back at the man. She was torn between robbing this shop blind or making a run for it. She didn't want to get into any trouble.

"Tess, help the girl. She probably won't be able to carry everything anyway," said the man. Tess nodded and started pushing the gaping Layla towards the display case.

"Tess, are you sure this is alright? Like, we have money right? We don't need to steal anything." Layla half-heartedly protested. She wanted to steal it all, especially after how they had been treated. Layla needed replacement tools for her design projects, and this shop had more than just replacements. Most of the things she saw were clear upgrades, if not outright mythical ones. She didn't even know what half this stuff did and was dying to find out.

Tess laughed, "It's fine Layla take whatever you want." Looking around, Tess pointed to an empty table in the corner. "Just put what you want over there and I'll do the rest."

That was all the confirmation Layla needed. She didn’t suffer from the moral infliction bug. She gave the shop owner the stink eye for good measure and walked straight for the display case where the tool kit she wanted lay. Grabbing the beautiful set and walking it over to the table. Then she went to work fleecing the shop owner for all he was worth. Ticking off her needs in her head. Every now and then, asking the shop owner where something was or if he had something better.

He initially resisted until the man walked behind the counter and spoke into the owner's ear. The owner went stark white then he tried to beg forgiveness. Forgiveness which the man refused. The man pointed at Layla, and the owner began assisting her with great gusto. Going so far as to walk into the back of the shop, bring out things that weren't openly available, and dropping them on the table. Things Layla hadn't asked for or even knew what they did. She shrugged. If he was giving, then she was taking.

After a time and the table running out of room along with the space around it, Layla felt satisfied that she had more than enough to start up her tinkering again, or her own personal custom design emporium.

"Do-do-do you need anything else honored madam? Please do-don't hesitate to let me know. I'm here to serve." The weasel of a shop owner said. Apparently, he feared the man beyond belief.

"Give her your DC chit. If she needs anything in the future I expect her to have it. Actually I expect you to anticipate her needs." The man said.

The shop owner practically sprinted to the back. Layla had heard of those. Direct Contact chits or DC chits gave the chit owner direct communication access with someone. It was more than a contact number. The owner of the chit could just press a button and holo chat without the contacts' ability to block it.

Having a go with your husband. If someone owned your chit, then they might enjoy the show. It was really only used in professional circles or emergency situations. The invasion of privacy was a little intense, so a chit wasn't handed out lightly.

The owner came back with a red chit, and Layla pocketed it. Tess moved over to the area with all of Layla's new acquisitions waving her hand, and they disappeared.

"Let's go girls." The man swept out of the room just as dashing and heroically as he'd entered. Tess followed him towards the exit and, feeling a little petty, thanked the shop owner for his time and walked out the door.

Stepping out of the shop, Layla saw Tess and the man speaking. Tess was looking at the man's bracelet excitedly. She squealed in delight before hugging him. The man became quite flustered, and his cheeks were going red in embarrassment.

Layla walked over to the two. Looking at Tess, then back to the man, she said, "Who are you?" She thought she knew, but she wanted to be sure.

"Atom, of course." He said in his characteristic arrogant and snarky manner.

Layla was afraid he would say that. She felt conflicted. Layla was grateful for what he just did. Deeply grateful. One of the few times in her life where she had actually had money to buy something, and she was thrown out because what? She didn't dress well enough.

She didn't want to change her view of Atom. She really just wanted to hate him, but he had come through. Defended their dignity and just loaded her up with more gear than she could have ever imagined. No, Layla didn't want to change her view, but he was turning out to be more than she expected. Better than she hoped.

"Lets head back, I'm starving." Atom said.

Layla walked up to the two, and they shifted. The mode of travel was jarring. One moment you're somewhere, then the next you are in a new place entirely. There was no physical movement felt. Everything just blinked to a different scene. It made her a little queasy.

Atom said something to Tess then he shifted away. A slight pop on his disappearance. Layla thought maybe it was displaced air. He occupied space then was gone. The air had to go somewhere, right?

Tess moved towards the kitchen area gesturing for Layla to follow. Atom's home was surprisingly modest in size. She had always thought Mantles would be in a vast mansion with sprawling gardens and attendants around every corner, ready and willing to serve their every need. That wasn't to say it was small either. The room she slept in would easily fit her entire apartment on Golar with room to spare. This was undoubtedly the largest home she had ever stayed in, but it just didn't fit the picture of what she envisioned someone of his station living. The Council meeting chambers and the Citadel absolutely meet her expectation, by an uncomfortable margin.

"What would you like for dinner?" Said Tess as they entered the kitchen.

Layla thought about that. Noodles were the first thing that came to mind. What had she been eating all these weeks? She knew she did eat but couldn't remember. Her mind and emotions too entangled for her to recall.

"I'm fine with anything." She replied back.

"Are you sure? We can get you anything you want?"

"Yeah, I'm not picky. I usually just eat noodles. If we ever had money then we would eat noodles at a restaurant." Layla said. The statement not hitting her immediately. We. There was no We anymore. There was only an I. Because Jogen was gone.

Layla felt Tess wrap her up into a hug. The presence of another human's touch pushing back the walls that she had so desperately tried to keep up. Tears fell down her face as she tried to get a grip on her emotions.

"I don't know why I keep doing this. It's been weeks now." Her head firmly pressed into Tess's chest as the sobs came rocking out.

"Hush now. It's going to be okay love. Everything is going to be okay. I'm here for you." Tess said softly as she gripped Layla tighter, reinforcing her words.

"I can't keep doing this. He's gone and I… he's just gone."

"I know. I know sweetie." Tess said as she consoled her.

They stayed like that for a time. Layla taking all the comfort her friend could offer. When Layla's tears finally stopped, Tess let her go, grabbed a hand towel from the counter, and let Layla collect herself. The hug, the embrace, the words of assurance had been what she needed. It didn't fix the ache in her heart, but it did subside the pain. Nothing but Jogen being here would heal the hurt, and that simply wasn't possible.

She pulled out the softly glowing crystal as she tried to think of happier times with her big brother. It was a warm touch and gave her a feeling of absent-minded relief while handling the thing. Something that she had been doing over the past few weeks. It was the only thing she had left of him.

At first, she had wanted to shatter the thing. It was part of the cause of his death, but she just couldn't do it. She had nothing aside from a few holo images she had taken. Jogen had been the one who had always made sure to take snaps of the two. For someone who had grown up without a family, oddly enough Jogen had known precisely what it took to create one.

Layla moved over to the dining room table off in the corner of the room and watched as Tess started cooking something. Atom came in shortly after she had sat down. He stepped over to help Tess with the task.

She watched the two as they went about their preparing a meal. Their interactions fluid and swift. Tess handed Atom bottles of sauce or spice just as he needed them. It looked both wholly normal and eerily in sync. They talked and joked, both acting like a married couple who'd been together lifetimes. But was it too fluid? She wasn't sure. Layla had never seen a couple prepare dinner before, at least not in real life.

She shrugged mentally. It was weird, but she had just moved from a planet to another planet, most likely on another plane, in the blink of an eye. Her gauge on what was normal needed some serious readjusting.

"Now, Layla, tell me what you think about going to Nexus." Atom said as he and Tess started carrying over plates of steaming food.

"Don't know. Shocked maybe. It hasn't really sank in yet."

"I could imagine so. You surprised me though." Said Atom as he took a seat across from her, "I never would have pegged you for one to accept such an offer."

"Me either," that was the truth too. Layla somehow felt like she had been tricked into accepting. She had felt entirely too comfortable in Dory's office. The woman was a god, for crying out loud.

"Well Dory can be rather convincing. She's the spy master of the Council after all. Not to mention older than the stars in this sky." Atom chuckled. Tess punched him in the side as she sat down beside him.

"I'm going to tell her you said that." Said Tess as she made herself comfortable.

"Dammit woman whose side are you on?" He rubbed at his ribs as he looked at Tess in betrayal.

"It's not polite to speak of a ladies' age. Maybe she will beat some manners into you. Planes help me. I've had no luck." Tess winked at Layla mischievously as Atom spluttered.

"Evil demon woman. Ugh, anyway." Atom said, glaring at Tess, "I'm surprised that you would put yourself through something like that. The Academies are notoriously competitive to the point of being outright deadly. Potentials spend years preparing for a shot at becoming a neophyte. Some are not above willing to kill to make that happen."

Atom grabbed some bread and dipped it in a brown liquid on his plate before taking a bite and continuing with his mouth full, "Are you ready for something like that? This isn't a game." He drank some water to wash down his food. Tess glared at Atom for being the mannerless dog that he was. Atom grinned back at her, making Layla think he'd done that on purpose.

"I'm honestly not sure. I need some training. I have no experience fighting. Now tech stuff I'm good at but I'm not exactly an athletic person. Admittedly I've never needed to be." She shrugged, cutting a piece of meat off that was lathered in the brown sauce.

"So you admit that you need training." He said it as a statement more than a question. Layla nodded.

"How far are you willing to go in this training? Because to be honest with you Layla. If I take you as you are now. Then I'll be claiming your body after AT."

"ATOM!" Tess chastised.

"No Tess, she needs to understand what's at stake. I won't be party to her death because she is ignorant of what she's walking into." Atom shot back, for which Tess wasn't happy about given the look Layla witnessed, but she also didn't say anything to correct him.

"Just think about it, and finish your salisbury steak. You wouldn't believe the lengths I went through to get ahold of that."

Layla chewed her 'Salisbury steak. Whatever the hell that is. She had to admit it was better than it looked. The white fluffy stuff on the side was pretty amazing as well. She didn't recognize any of this meal besides the salad, and even that had weird leaf green things she had never seen before. Salads were supposed to be red and brown, she thought.

How serious was she about going to Nexus? Jogen would have drug Layla by her hair kicking and screaming regardless of her thoughts on the matter. She wanted to become stronger. But why? What did she actually need strength for? Praxis, she thought. Yes, the utter annihilation of the Praxis sect from Golar was a rather large priority in Layla's book. But was it enough?

The thoughts of what they had done to Jogen uncovered a rage in her that she didn't realize was quietly burning in the background of her psyche. It shocked her. Layla had never experienced something like this before.

She mentally blew on the flame. Trying to see if it was worthy of nurturing. As if it had only been waiting for her to pay it some attention, it flared. Layla's whole body tingling from the anticipation. The anticipation of crushing the Praxis.

She watched the flame in her mind's eye. Yes, she needed power. Ascendant level power. Not for justice, although her actions would be just. Not because they deserved it, even though they did. No, she needed the power to take back control over her life and they needed to pay for taking her family from her.

Layla ate her meal in silence as she watched the flame. Internally studying the feeling. She looked away from it. She knew it was there, aware of it now. Layla suppressed it down to a slow burn.

Looking up at Atom, she said, "I would give my life."

Atom's face brightened. "Excellent. Because that's exactly what it will cost you if you aren't willing to put it on the line. How was your meal?"

Layla looked down to find her plant clean, and her stomach felt full. She didn't remember doing that. "It was good."

"Would you like seconds?" he said as he pulled a metallic black disk out of thin air.

"No, I'm pretty full."

"Outstanding, hmmm probably should ask you for consent first." Atom said, his face briefly conflicted. "Do you trust that I know best how to train you to prepare you for Nexus? That you accept my decision making and won't hold it against me in the future as long as you are able to accomplish your goals in said training?"

Layla thought that was odd. Why did Atom say all of that? "I… guess?" She said in a non-confident manner. Confused by the line of questioning.

"Close enough," he laughed. "Your training starts now."

"Wait, what?" She jumped up from her chair as Atom dropped the black disk in the air, and a small holo screen came up. Atom began punching icons moving through the screen quickly.

He scratched his chin, muttering to himself, "No that's too much. She doesn't need that."

"What is that," She gestured at the display, "uh the thing you are messing with." Atom ignored her as he flitted through the screen faster and faster. She was certain that he was just clicking buttons at this point. She was increasingly starting to think she should be somewhere else.

"Hey, I'm talking to you. Atom, what are you doing?"

He paused for a moment and looked at her, "This my dear Layla is a Slice. Some call it a God Slice. It is a slice of reality for which the holder has absolute control over. Hence the god part. Now for you, it's a powerful training aid." He looked back at the screen. Shrugging, he started pressing the holo icons in complete randomness.

"You know how to use it right? Like you've used one before?" Her voice shaky. A spike of anxiety in her tone.

"Sure. Sure. I mean how hard could it be," he said offhandedly.

Layla started moving towards the exit. He didn't know what he was doing, and she wasn't going to be his test subject.

Looking back over her shoulder as she said, "Let me go do something real quick while you figure that ou—" Atom cut her off with a clap of his hands. "And done!"

Layla took a step watching Atom closely, making sure he did nothing else. Unfortunately the step didn't touch the ground. Atom waved his hand at her. She jerked her head around, and a maw of blackness was all that met her vision.

~~~~

Atom dropped his waving hand as his charge fell through the doorway into the Slice.

Tess sighed loudly. "You know that she was just starting to trust you."

He looked over at her. "Whaat? I clearly asked for consent?" Tess shook her head in exasperation before throwing down her napkin and leaving the table. Atom was confused. He'd asked her for consent to train her. So what if it started immediately. They were on a tight schedule. Plus, his favorite holo show started in like five minutes. Looking over at the table, he saw plates full of dirty dishes everywhere.

"Tess, babe the dishes are still out." No answer came back. "Tess! Baby! Did you hear me?" He decided she must be putting it off till later. He could respect that kind of thinking.

Getting up to leave, Atom made it three steps before he froze as Tess replied in a threatening tone. "I will stab you."

Cursing, he turned around and began picking up the dishes.