1 week later..
So far while I had been waiting for the academy's deadline to i'd been practicing the feeling of same concentration of energy I'd felt when I first awakened my powers.
I was harder than I anticipated, in fact I still barely could conjure it after some concentration. Still.
It was a great first step in this new world, and i also managed to realize in my second attempt that I had used the energy incorrectly. I had let it flow straight from my mind to the object, thinking that was the only way to handle and control the psionics accurately, but one day I decided to try and keep it in my body for a while instead of shooting it out.
Turns out this is the jock way, simply transfer the energy into your limb and it'd allow you not only to use your body but increase your own strength temporarily, similar to using your mind but it was clear it relied more on your raw strength than mental.
I still couldn't fully understand it or even how to develop the ability but hopefully the academy would help.
I got out of the hovering vehicle with kisses from Theodosia and there stood The Psionic Academy looming in front of us, all sleek curves and typical Xian color scheme. Students of various sizes and hues of color walked, and in one case, skittered across the grounds.
I was pretty clear I was definitely the smallest one here.
"Remember," Theodosia said, kneeling down to adjust my collar for the third billionth time. "Keep your head up. Don't let anyone push you around. And if they do—"
"Theodosia," Olfang interrupted gently. "He'll be fine."
"I'm just saying, if someone starts something—"
"He's three. No one is going to 'start something' with a three-year-old."
Famous last words.
The moment we walked through the main entrance, I felt every pair of eyes in the courtyard lock onto me. Whispers rippled through the crowd like a wave.
"Is that a baby?"
"Why is there a toddler here?"
"Look at his antennae, there barely even grown!"
I kept my face neutral, channeling every ounce of the poker face I'd perfected in my past life getting around my bosses not so subtle insults. Back in the ring, intimidation was half the fight. Show weakness, and they'd eat you alive.
Same rules applied here, apparently.
A tall woman with crystalline skin approached us. Her antennae were fully developed—long, elegant stalks topped with orbs that pulsed with a steady light.
"You must be the Kaine family," she said, her voice smooth and professional. "I'm Headmaster Veloria. We received your enrollment forms. Quite unusual circumstances."
She seemed pretty built for speaking like a nerd.
"Our son is gifted," Theodosia said, her chin raised. "He unlocked his psionics at three."
Veloria's expression didn't change, but one of her antennae twitched. "So I've read. We'll need to assess his abilities before placing him in a class. The two of you, follow me."
The assessment room was nearly like a doctors office similar to my own world. White walls, white floor, white ceiling. In the center sat a table covered in objects of varying sizes—from a feather to what looked like a small boulder.
"Telekinesis is the foundation of all psionic abilities," Veloria explained, gesturing to the table. "Show me what you can do."
I stepped forward, my legs still a bit wobbly. The feather seemed like the obvious choice, but something in me bristled at taking the easy route.
I focused on a metal cube, about the size of a baseball. Reaching out with my mind, I felt that familiar tingle in my antennae, that rush of neurons firing.
The cube wobbled.
Then lifted.
About an inch off the table.
My whole body went rigid with the effort. Sweat beaded on my forehead. My muscles screamed. But I held it there for five seconds before it clattered back down.
I was breathing like I'd just gone twelve rounds.
Veloria's antennae glowed brighter. "Impressive. Most children can barely move the feather. However," she turned to my parents, "his physical development is clearly limiting him. His mental strength is there, but his body can't support it yet."
"So what does that mean?" Theodosia asked.
"It means he'll be in the Foundational Class with the other early bloomers. Ages five to seven. They'll work on control, technique, and gradual strength building." She looked down at me. "You'll be the youngest in your class by two years, Radicles. Can you handle that?"
I met her gaze. "Yes, ma'am."
Her antennae flickered again, wearing amusement on her expression. "We'll see."
My classroom was uh well less than I was expecting.
Twenty kids, all bigger than me, all showing off their abilities like it was a competition. One kid, who seemed to be the leader of the class was juggling three pebbles telekinetically. Another had shaken the desk he was in attempting to lift it to the cheer of some fellow students.
And then there was me, sitting at a desk that was too big, my feet dangling off the floor.
The teacher, Mr. Korvax, was a stocky guy with four eyes and antennae that crackled with yellow energy. He clapped his hands—all three of them—and the room fell silent.
"Alright, settle down. We have a new student joining us today. This is Radicles Okoh"
Twenty pairs of eyes turned to me.
"He's a bit younger than the rest of you," Korvax continued, "which means you will all be respectful and helpful. Understood?"
A chorus of "Yes, Mr. Korvax" echoed through the room, but I could see the smirks, the rolled eyes.
Great. Middle school except im three feet tall now.
"Radicles, why don't you demonstrate your abilities for the class?" Korvax said, gesturing to the front.
Oh, come on.
I slid off my chair and walked to the demonstration area, where a table held various objects. The same setup as the assessment.
I picked the metal cube again. No point in playing it safe.
Focusing, I reached out with my mind. The cube lifted, wobbling in the air. I held it for three seconds this time before exhaustion hit and it dropped.
The class was silent.
Then someone laughed.
"That's it? I could do that when I was a kid!"
"Maybe he should be in the nursery instead."
"Look at his antennae—they're practically invisible!"
Mr. Korvax's antennae flared. "ENOUGH! Radicles unlocked his abilities at three years old. That's earlier than any of you. Show some respect."
The laughter died, but the judgment didn't. I could clearly see it. It didn't matter to me much but i'd be damn to give little brats the satisfaction of snicker.
Besides I could technically life more, I'd used my mental only for both tests simply seeing it offered greater control and posture for lift at my age.
I walked back to my seat, keeping my face blank.
In my past life, I'd been the underdog plenty of times. Shorter than most heavyweights. Not as much reach. But I'd learned early that talking didn't matter. Results did.
These kids wanted to see what I could do?
Fine.
I'd show them. Once I actually learned something.
Lunch was a special kind of torture.
I'd never been unpopular, not in my adult or teenage life. I sat alone at a table in the corner, picking at food that looked like someone had mixed Earth vegetables with alien bio fluid and called it a meal. It wasn't bad, just weird.
"Is this seat taken?"
I looked up to find a girl standing there—greener skin, sharp features, and antennae that glowed with a steady orange light. She was probably six, maybe seven.
"Uh, no. Go ahead."
She sat down, setting her tray across from mine. "I'm Lyssara. You're the three-year-old everyone's talking about."
"That's me."
"They're being jerks," she said matter a factly. "Ignore them. Half the kids in this class peaked at lifting pencils and think they're hotshots."
I couldn't help but smile. "Thanks."
"Don't thank me yet. You're going to have to prove yourself to. That's just how it works here." She took a bite of her food. "But for what it's worth, I think it's cool that you unlocked early. Takes guts to show up knowing everyone's going to judge you."
"Didn't really have a choice. Apparently it's the law."
"True. But you could've played it safe, tried to blend in. Instead, you went for the cube." She grinned. "Bold move."
"How'd you—"
"Everyone's talking about it. You're the hot gossip of the day." She shrugged. "Don't worry, give it a week. Someone else will do something stupid and they'll forget all about you."
I hoped she was right.
But something told me life at the Psionic Academy wasn't going to be that simple.
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No I was not making a six seven joke :/ but yeah also making a patreon +5 advance chapters and an original TAWOG fic (The Amazing World Of Gumball) I'm working on. 10 chapter are already made. it'll be up soon so stay in touch.