An arm.
Much like his own left, this was also a mechanical limb, but unlike Lion’s…

"It's... indistinguishable from the real thing," he whispered, trying to hide the amazement.

"Correct. Aside from the seam at the shoulder, you should be able to keep it a secret."

"I..." he turned to Bunny.

"Hey... Don't thank me. I literally got a call this morning."

"So... whose idea was it?" Lion was humbled.

"It was mine. Please accept this. It will only help you. I have added extra functions. You may be able to finish your training in time."

Lion slowly lifted his gaze. It was the first time he looked her directly into her eyes. He felt humiliated for the lack of respect he had shown. Not toward Lala though...

"Lala..."

"Yes?" she asked, tilting her head in an exaggerated fashion.

"Whoever it was that made you..." Lion accepted the arm, "...did a damn fine job."

Lala didn't answer for some time.

"Thank you."

* * *

Hopeful to pass it, Lion was in the zone dedicated to training against the masters of the elements. Those nomads could use some of the most common things in nature as powerful and deadly weapons. The chamber was filled with everything they needed for the test; a pool of water, a burning fire, an electrical outlet, and some ordinary ground. Having failed to effectively switch between the provided weapons, shields, and gadgets the last time, Lion was eager to try again, armed with his new prosthetic.
Bunny and Lala waited outside the testing chamber, observing him behind a glass panel.

"I don't believe for a second you decided to make that arm on your own," Bunny told her.

"Believing has nothing to do with it. I told you already-"

"You are incapable of lying, I know," he shrugged mockingly, but then added in a more serious tone, "But you may be as well capable of not speaking the whole truth."

Lala turned toward him with her whole body.

"I am not withholding any information from you."

"So you say, but we can't possibly tell."

"I can assure you I am not programmed to speak falsehoods, Agent Rabbit," she stated in a formal tone.

"Thing is... I don't think you are capable of having ideas of your own. Sure, you could have a combination of given parameters giving a brand-new result. And sure, you could call it an 'idea', but the fact remains..."

Bunny now turned fully toward her.

"...someone had to give you those parameters. And it sure as heck wasn't us."

"No, I am not under orders to ..." The android stopped mid-sentence and remained quiet as she lowered her head and looked slightly away from the agent. Bunny's lips parted as he realized Lala was having ... thoughts? Calculations? Was she doubting her programming? Checking it for tampering? A few moments later, Lala raised her head and her gaze fell on Lion. If she had any doubts, she wasn't sharing them.

"He's starting," she turned back toward the glass, "Let us cheer him on."

The speakers turned on and Lion stopped, expecting a change of plans or extra instructions.

"Go, go, Future Agent Lion! Go, go, Lion! Hurray!"

He heard Lala's voice. It made him chuckle and shake his head.
He proceeded toward the other side of the room, where one of the 'coffins' waited for him. No matter how many he had seen, it never stopped being an unnerving sight.

"Ok," Bunny ordered, "You can start."

At his command, a ball of fire flew toward Lion from the coffin's direction. Lion put his left arm forward and shot a highly pressurized beam of water, slicing it in half.
Immediately after, a gust of wind pushed Lion back, but he shot a grappling hook from his elbow into the floor and stood his ground.
He intercepted an electrical attack with a lightning rod which retracted as soon as it caught the bolt, effectively storing the energy in the arm's batteries.
He melted the flying ice spikes with a flame-thrower from his palm, ducking and slicing the last one with a retracting blade.
Finally, he punched the incoming piece of ground, shattering it to pieces.

He smirked victoriously and showed a thumb up to Lala and Bunny.
Lala returned the gesture.

"Excellent," said Bunny upon Lion's return from the chamber, "You broke some records just now."

"It's all thanks to Lala," Lion said humbly.

"Actually, Future Agent Lion deserved the praise, " Lala explained, "No matter how good the tool, it always depends on the one wielding it. Not many are capable of controlling as many different functions with such ease and precision. I have installed almost as many as I have in my own body."

"I shiver at the thought," Bunny rubbed his shoulders.

"Three down, four to go," Lion said out loud.

"You have proven capable of holding your own against a master of the mind, body, and elements," Lala summarized, "But you still need to learn how to defend yourself against a master of the matter, void, soul, and energy."

Lala made a dramatic pause before continuing...

"And since no living soul has the needed energy to capture every one of the nomads, I will fill the void by being your partner in the upcoming test. It is only a matter of politeness."

Lion looked at Bunny, unimpressed.

"Was that a ...pun?" he asked.

"Please rephrase, and..." Bunny put a palm on his face, "Refrain from ever doing it again."

Lala made a deliberately sad face.

"You do not appreciate my sense of humor."

"No, we don't," answered both of them.

As they were following her to the zone dedicated to the masters of the energy, Bunny was called to a meeting, leaving Lion alone with Lala.
They entered a walled dome, visibly reinforced and covered with some kind of panels.

"Do not worry Future Agent Lion, the inside of this chamber is plated with energy-absorbing shielding, much like your suit. Both were my design."

"I wasn't worried," said the man, "To be honest, I have no clue what this 'energy art' is all about. I hadn't taken any training in it yet."

"Excellent. It means you will have not learned anything misleading. Training solo with me improves your chances of success. Unfortunately, I can not dedicate my time solely to you."

"Fair enough," Lion nodded, "I'm grateful for your help."

Lala nodded back. She then suddenly jumped backward, making a distance between them. The fact she back-flipped with such ease and grace, so immediately and with no preparation or showing any sign of the intention...
It frightened Lion immensely.
She lifted her arm toward him and fired an energy beam without any warning.

Lion flinched and rolled out of the way.

"What the actual...! Are you nuts!?" he shouted.

"Don't roll out of the way, Future Agent Lion. Use your energy barrier to deflect my attack or the energy-absorbing plating of your palm. Try it now."

She then shot one just as fast.

"Fuck!" Lion shouted but bravely put his palm forward to meet the blast. To his surprise, the beam of light dissipated and the energy got stored into the arm.

"Whoah!" he exclaimed, "This feels great!"

Lala nodded.

"Now you try it. You can shoot at me whenever you are ready."

Just a few hours ago he would be jumping at the opportunity to disintegrate an AI-controlled android by firing a huge laser beam at it. It was his wet dream.
But after spending the afternoon with Lala, he was now hesitant to possibly harm her.

"Damage her," he corrected his thoughts, "Not harm her."

Lala could hear his mumbling across the chamber yet she didn't say anything but kept staring at him expecting the assault.
Lion lifted his left arm and aimed at her. A drop of sweat slid near his brow.

"I can't," he admitted, lowering his arm.

"You must," she was adamant, "Do not hesitate. Once in the field, you will have to fire at your enemies."

"I know!" he got agitated, "But firing on enemies is not the same as firing on friends!"

"Friend..." she repeated, but snapped back the very next moment, "There might be situations in which you will be forced to. Your partner or a hostage could be mind-controlled. In such a scenario, your life and the lives of other innocents should be a priority. Do not worry. Simply fire away."

"Easy for you to say," he smirked, "You wouldn't hesitate for a split second, would you?"

Lala didn't answer.

"Ah... fine," he took the firing position again, "But don't blame me if you'll have to repair yourself next!"

He fired a beam of energy much stronger than she did. Probably due to the lack of control.
Lala didn't dodge. She didn't put up a barrier either.
Instead, she took the blast head-on.

"Lala!" Lion yelled through the explosion.

After the smoke dissipated, Lala's silhouette appeared. She was unscathed.

"I told you not to worry," she said calmly, as if nothing happened, "With their current arsenal, even the Z.O.O. can not possibly harm me in any way."

The thought was beyond frightening.

"Well... good thing you are on our side," Lion swallowed.

"I am merely following my programming," she said, "I was designed to battle against Ainolonians. Nomads and humans are not even obstacles. I automatically absorb energy attacks to fill up my reserves. I am impervious to mind control. My body can withstand extreme temperatures and kinetic force. I am versed in all martial arts and have developed my own from the optimal combination of them. I call it ‘Style Number 3'."

Lion chuckled at this but still felt unease at what he was hearing.

"You like to brag, don't you?" he asked her.

"Much like my creator," she admitted bluntly, "My sensors are on par with the most optimal combinations of Ainolonian Arts. I tracked your movement since you woke up this morning. Finishing the arm just as you arrived was a calculation on my part."

"So, when you told Bunny his 'timing was impeccable'?" Lion frowned.

"I use phrases like everyone else. To fit in," she made a shrugging gesture, "I have four hidden blades, one in each limb. Two beam-cannons. An energy barrier generator. Two grappling hooks, four energy-propelling boosters, a parachute, and two prototypes of a device similar to the one you used this morning. I am currently working on making it more efficient."

"The one I used in the 'matter zone'?" Lion touched the coin in his pocket.

"Precisely. My biggest weakness currently is the master of the matter."

"You can't resist it... because you have no will of your own. If you get lifted up in the air..."

"Correct. I may be able to help myself via grappling hooks or boosters, but if I was against an Ainolonian, I would be very inefficient."

So this is why she was researching the way to improve and possibly extend the time the device can nullify that particular power.
With that out of the way, she would be unstoppable. Do Z.O.O. realize what they are doing?

* * *

Tomorrow is the day…

Lion woke up early, had his coffee, and was on his way to the training area. He almost got accustomed to living underground. Almost.
God knows he wanted to come out and see the sun.
See his daughter.
He didn’t want to miss the anniversary, but given the circumstances, he could understand why he wasn’t allowed out.
But not her. She wouldn’t accept any excuse. Missing it equaled shoving a wedge between the two of them, and one that would not easily be taken out. If ever.

“No,” he slapped himself on the cheeks with both hands, “No sulking today. Only winning.”

His tie was high and his step quick. He arrived at the written examination offices early.
In the last month, he had proven more than capable against the powers of body, mind, energy, and elements.
As Z.O.O. didn’t have in their possession any nomads capable of Ainolonian Arts of soul and void, there was no practical training and tests, only information. Lion was scheduled for the written test on those two and then on the practical exam of the ‘art of matter’, later afternoon.
The examiners came soon after and sat in the U-shaped around him, two in front and two behind. Being the only examinee in a completely silent windowless room was nothing short of suffocating. He tried to tune out and focus on the questions.
Most of it, he knew, leaving what he doesn’t for the very end.
But as the clock kept ticking, Lion ended up left with less than 15 minutes to answer the remaining three questions. The Z.O.O. demanded 100%. Of course they did.

A.A. Soul – Describe in your own words the three most distinct levels of ability a Soul user can potentially achieve.

My own words… of course the most unintuitive of the seven A-fucking-arts had to be described in my own words…You want my own words? The freaks can materialize an extra target for me to shoot them dead. How’s that for my own words?

He blew some air and brushed through his hair with both hands.

“Ok…” he said and started writing.

‘The A.A. Soul, users can materialize their spirit in the physical realm and dismiss it at will. The spirit takes the form of the user’s soul, most commonly an animal. That’s level one.
Level two is when they can change the soul’s shape at will, possibly turning it into a weapon.

A weapon that can be materialized at will? Talk about frightening…

The third and final level is when they can fuse with their soul and transform into another being – the act of Transfusion.

Next question…

A.A. Void – What is the minimum, maximum, and average recorded range of the Void user’s awareness radius?

That was 1 meter… 50 kilometres … and the average… what was the fucking average… I remember it didn’t make sense to me, but.... yeah, the right, the maximum was a rare exception. The average was 30 meters.

Lion took a deep breath and cracked his knuckles, which was especially awkward surrounded by four people who didn’t make a single noise during the whole two hours of the test.

Damn… I’ve seen some weird stuff down here, but this… this still sounds like someone's next-level fairy-tale shit. I’ll believe it when I see it.

One hundred questions and only one remaining. Lion wondered if they made the test such a round number to make it easier for themselves to calculate the score. He chuckled at the thought.

A.A. Void - List the materials which a Void user can see in the radius of their power.

Umm… which materials? What was it again? All the matter… no? No liquids… no. How’d that go again…

“Hnngh!” he pulled his hair as if it would somehow motivate his brain to cooperate. It was only a few minutes before the time was up.

Mon ami…

“Huh?”, Lion turned around, trying to see where the voice was coming from.

 Listen… They can’t see any specific materials but the lack of space – the void. It enables them to be aware of absolutely everything in the range of their ability. … this is a trick question. Do not get fooled, mon ami!

Lion recognized the tiny voice even though he heard it only in his head. The accent was a dead giveaway.

‘None’, he wrote confidently, before putting the pen down.

The examiners each took one-quarter of the test and were ready in a matter of minutes to report his score. The one collecting all the papers together put a stamp and handed the test back to Lion.

“You pass.”

Lion stood up and shook their hands, then walked out of the office, closing the door gently behind him.

“Yes!!!” he shouted before looking left and right to check if anybody saw him. He then smiled, showed a thumb up as if she can see him, and thought…

Thanks, Timma!