Chapter 2: Trial and Error (Synopsis)

Chapter 2: Trial and Error 4/26/25

It’s later that night and Dicer is on the phone with his mom telling her that he is alright, got some dinner, but might be staying out late with a new friend he’s made Even if he’s now running late. His mom asks him to be careful and he promises her he will be as he approaches the port up to the Citadel. He ascends and thinks about how he’s never been there before these events and wonders what it’s like inside. He navigates the lifts on the instructions that A.C.E. gave him and he comes face to face with a large round door. 

The door opens to a large white training room made up of convertible square tiles that have formed and morph into different environments for people to immerse themselves into and many different people are working hard to train their abilities. Dicer walks around observing them as he looks for A.C.E.. 

Dicer finds him in an argument with a bigger older civilian. A.C.E. Is telling the man that he doesn't have to take his advice, but if he wants to go into defensive work he’s going to need more than raw strength. The guy flippantly asks “what does he know” about any of that and A.C.E. Says he knows enough. The man huffs and walks away revealing a young girl (Shade) behind him who hesitantly asks A.C.E. For help with her ability like he had helped her last time. A.C.E. Agrees and the girl runs back to her section. 

A.C.E. Sighs and as he turns around he sees Dicer. He acknowledges the other boy made it and tells him to give him a minute. A.C.E. Follows after the girl and Dicer trailed after him in curiosity. He makes it to her station which is dark and bare except for a single spotlight casting a spotlight on the back wall. She is standing there by the light and signals A.C.E. With a thumbs up which he returns and she puts her hands in front of the light. A.C.E. And Dicer watches as she creates shadow puppet and the silhouette cast tore away from the wall. It morphed and formed into a giant shadow monster. The creature's eyes light up as the girl's eyes glow white too and form starts charging towards A.C.E.

A.C.E. Takes a defensive stance as raises a hand. Small glow lights sprout out of the ground and around their glow the monster starts to wisp away but they do little to stop the shadows rampage. As it comes closer, A.C.E.  Shoots out his hand and he creates a void star. It expands rapidly, creating a shield  but inside of reflecting anything, the monster runs into it. Half of the creature is absorbed, but it shifts forms as the girl's hand signs change. 

The part of the shadow that was not absorbed morphs into a rabbit and jumps off the void as if it is now a solid surface. The rabbit leaps over the top of the void and bounces off several smaller voids on the way down. It runs around A.C.E.s legs before leaping up his back, leaving a tag in his hand before it runs back to the girl. she catches the bunny in her arms and sight returns to one of her eyes as the light in one of the shadows eyes fades out. 

She smiles and laughs as she triumphs and holds up the other end of the tracker. A.C.E. Remarks that the control over smaller creations is still better even if the constitution of the bigger shadows is better then it was last time. Dicer watches from a distance as A.C.E. Offers more advice to the girl and she writes down notes intensely. Diver looks at his own hands wondering about his own ability. He looks up again as A.C.E. Sends the girl to pack up the light from her space and moves back over to him.

Dicer expresses his amazement in the girls spark, but then hesitatingly asks if it’s really ok for them to try to make an ability like hers stronger, and A.C.E, defends the girl by saying that someone who fears her just because of what she’s capable of is more dangerous then she will ever be. He explains that no matter what ability a person has they shouldn't be afraid of it - before it is ultimately an extension of themselves. Dicer takes this statement to heart and watches as the small black shadow rabbit runs through space, up and over A.C.E.s arms and leaps back into space before disappearing as it dissolves in the light revealing the girl waving goodbye to them as the training time comes to an end.

Dicer and A.C.E. Are left alone and A.C.E. starts to move to collapse the workspaces. Dicer asks if he hosts these training sessions often, and A.C.E. Tells him that he oversees the training time once every two weeks and it’s just for people to come get help with their abilities if they need it or just stretch with their sparks in ways they can’t normally. 

Dicer thinks back to the man A.C.E. Was arguing with earlier and asked what type of job that guy was talking about . A.C.E. Says the man was inquiring about working for him, but he turned him down even though that guy had been coming to these training sessions for a while. Dicer perks up and asks him if he was hiring. A.C.E.s replies not really, he will contract people with exceptional talent, but works alone for the most part.  

Dicer tries to mention that A.C.E. Said he would help him find a job, but A.C.E. Counters that even if he said that it doesn’t mean he can just offer a Job to Dicer that he’s not suited for. A.C.E. Then questions if Dicer even knows how to use his ability citing earlier at his failed job applications. Dicer admits he doesn't have any training but insists his ability doesn’t work like that and is more passive. Dicer begs A.C.E. To give him a chance to show him. And A.C.E. Sighs but agrees to humor him.

A.C.E. Pulls out a control pad and hits a few buttons on it and the space transforms into an obstacle course. A.C.E. Gestures to the new area and encourages Dicer to prove himself. Dicer fumbles a bit, asking if he really means right now and with confirmation that A.C.E. Does indeed mean right now, he climbs up the structure.

Dicer displays less than stellar climbing and navigating skills and A.C.E. Does his best not say anything about it. Dicer hangs onto one of the rope nets for dear life and argues loudly that this is not showcasing his skill. A.C.E. Hollers across the field what he thinks would be better then. 

Dicer says to just throw things at him. A.C.E. Is very confused by this but after some insistence from Dicer he turns a dile on the control panel and the room begins to flip as the course collapses into the floor. The room morphs again, leaving Dicer now standing surrounded by launch panels. A.C.E. Questions if this is a good idea but Dicer reassures him that he will be fine. A.C.E. Concedes and turns on launchers. 

They send out projectiles and Dicer dodges them with ease even as they start firing faster. The projectiles launch at greater and greater increasing speeds but even if it’s not elegant, Dicer is somehow still dodging them all much to A.C.E.s surprise. That is until he trips over his untied shoelace, causing him not to be able to get out of the way fast enough for an arrow headed straight for him. 

Dicer is struck square in the chest by the arrow and is knocked to the floor from the impact. A.C.E. Stops the simulation and the room retracts as he kneels to check Dicer over for injuries. He checks the impact spot but Dicer has not sustained any sign he was hit - rather it looks like one of the buttons on his jacket saved Dicer from any harm. A.C.E. Can’t tell if this was coincidence or proof of Dicer's luck he kept claiming but he is intrigued.

Dicer asks as he’s helped up off the floor if he proved himself and if he can be considered for a position now. A.C.E. Snorts a bit at the boldness and reiterates that he works alone but says that if he really is interested in working with him to meet up with him tomorrow. He has a mission he is going on and if Dicer can prove himself useful then A.C.E. Will consider offering him something.

Dicer expresses that he will surely prove himself and leaves excitedly to get a good night's sleep. He waves goodbye as he runs off. A.C.E. Is left standing alone again and shakes his head a bit at the others excitement before turning out the lights of the training room.

Chapter end.