Sonia: Welcome back Seigan.

There she was. Sitting in the chair on the outside of the booth just like before. She flashed him a grin as she messed with the controls on the console.

Suddenly, the small booth where Seigan stood stretched far and wide, as if it went on forever.

Sonia: Gonna need some space if you're gonna practice. Just remember, don't overthink, just feel the beat. 

Sonia stepped into the expanded booth. She spaced herself out from him, although he could still hear her perfectly fine.

Sonia: Alright, tonight we're going to cover the basics. Sound amplification, vibration sense, and something I like to call "Vibration breaking". We'll worry about your advanced hearing when you're actually awake. 

Seigan: Alright, I'm ready. Tell me what to do. 

Sonia: Ohh wow, look at you. I'd thought you'd be more stubborn. 

The sarcastic tone in Sonia's voice was something Seigan recognized all too well. 

Seigan: Yeah well, I figured you wouldn't exactly be the best teacher, so we'd need as much time as possible. 

Sonia: Why would you say that…I'm not a bad teacher. 

Sonia's face dropped as tears started to swell up in her eyes. The sound of sniffling echoed through the studio booth. 

Seigan: Hey hold up… I- I was just joking. You're probably a great teacher.

Sonia: Thanks, but apparently I'm an even better actor. 

Seigan: Huh? 

Sonia let out a mischievous laugh that shook the entire studio. 

Sonia: You should've seen your face! "You're probably a great teacher Sonia, you're the best deity anyone could ask for."

Seigan: I didn't even say that last part! JUST TEACH ME HOW TO FIGHT! 

Sonia: Okay, okay, now lay on the floor. 

Seigan: Okay…

Seigan dropped down, the floor of the studio was cold beneath his back.

Seigan: Why exactly am I doing this? 

Sonia: "Vibration Awareness". It's the ability to sense vibrations around you over a wide range, it's a good recon ability as you can feel people walking, or running. Once you're good enough with it, you'll even be able to tell how heavy someone is just by the vibrations they make. 

Seigan: Sounds good. Super useful skill. But what does that have to do with me being on the floor? 

Sonia: You're on the floor because you have to "feel" the vibrations and that's easier to do with your whole body at first. Now here's what's going to happen. I'll walk a certain number of steps, and when I stop you're going to hold up the number of steps I took with your fingers.

Seigan: Won't I just be able to hear you walking?

Sonia: You don't need to worry about that. Now close your eyes and focus. 

Seigan: You're the boss. 

Seigan focused his mind trying to do what Sonia instructed. He heard her take a single step, then complete silence. Even the hum of the studio's instruments disappeared. 

Seigan sat in silence for a while, even though Sonia said to "feel with his body". He didn't "feel" anything. 

Seigan: [This is stupid, she didn't give me any real instructions.] 

A small tremor shot up Seigan's spine. Then another, then a third. He slowly raised three fingers. 

The sounds returned all at once. The hum of the instrument, the soft buzz of the lights above, and Sonia's voice. 

Sonia: Not bad. You got in on the third set of steps. How'd it feel? 

Seigan: It felt weird, I didn't expect the feeling to be in my spine. By the way… were you walking heavier on your left foot on purpose? 

Sonia: Very good Seigan! I honestly didn't think you'd be able to pick up on that. You might be even better than I thought.

The joy in Sonia's voice threw Seigan off, he was sure she'd clap back with something sarcastic. He couldn't suppress his own smile.

Seigan: Thanks…

Sonia: Now, time for lesson two. 

Sonia clapped her hands. The sound created a shockwave that ripped through the studio like cannon fire, the surprise made Seigan flinch. 

Seigan: The hell was that Sonia?!

Sonia: "Sound Amplification". Pour Serava into anything you do that makes noise and it boosts the result. Now you try.

Seigan dusted himself off as he stood up. He raised his arms and clapped. The sound echoed a few times but not like Sonia's. 

Sonia: That was…kinda lame. Give it another try. 

Seigan clapped once again and got the same result. Just a loud noise that didn't have any weight. 

Seigan: It's not working. I feel like I'm using Serava but it's not getting any louder.

Sonia: Well, that's the problem. You're focusing on making it louder when you should be trying to make it stronger. 

Seigan: Any chance you could explain in a way that makes sense? 

Sonia: Let me ask you this wiseguy. Who would clap louder, your friend Takuro or a middle schooler? 

Seigan frowned. 

Seigan: Takuro, of course. 

Sonia: And why is that? 

Seigan: Because Takuro is stronger, obviously.

Sonia: Exactly! So what you need to do is channel your Serava and make your clap stronger. 

Seigan clapped his hands for the third time, channeling his Serava. The shockwave rang out, lifting Sonia's hair gently.

Seigan: There it is! 

Sonia: That's better. We've got one more, it shouldn't take long. 

Sonia held out her hand. A glass bottle materialized and she handed it to Seigan. 

Seigan: Cool! How'd you do that? 

Sonia: Did you forget this is a dream space? I can make anything for the most part. That's not important right now though, focus. 

Sonia created another glass bottle, and she set it down in front of her as she sat on the floor of the studio, Seigan followed suit. 

Sonia: Watch. 

She pressed her fingertips to the top of the bottle. Instantly, an intense pulse ran up her arm. 

CRASH! The bottle shattered into a pile of tiny fragments. 

Seigan: Vibrations?

Sonia: Yeah, good to see you pick up on that. You've learned how to sense vibrations now it's time to expand on that. Most things on this planet vibrate at specific frequencies whether it's glass or steel. You sense it, match it, then force it. 

Sonia pushed the fragments of glass to the side. 

Sonia: It's a bit advanced for someone who got blessed yesterday, so don't worry about using this technique in an actual fight, it'll be useful if there's a door standing in your way though. 

Seigan: I gotcha, I've done the other two, this shouldn't be too hard.

Seigan held his bottle in his hand. He focused his energy. After another moment the bottle exploded in his grasp. 

Seigan: Haha, Yes! 

Sonia: Haha, No! You used pure strength. Try again. 

She handed him another glass bottle. 

Seigan: No way! I can't shatter a glass bottle with my bare hands. 

Sonia: You're probably thinking about before you had a literal God enhancing your body. 

Seigan: Oh yeah… forgot about that.

Seigan closed his eyes. Trying to match the feeling he had when he was lying on the ground. He felt the bottle hum, it was faint, but it was there. He slowly created and tuned his own vibration. The two frequencies synced up for just a moment. 

With a quick snap, the bottle cracked straight down the middle. 

Seigan: Ha! How about that? That was pure vibration control. 

Sonia: Yeah, yeah, proud of you kid. 

Don't start slacking yet though. Now it's time to practice what you've learned.

Seigan: Ready when you are! 

Seigan listened, practiced, and honed his new abilities, for what felt like an eternity. Just as understanding seemed within reach, an obnoxious noise overtook the studio. 

Seigan: What the hell?

BEEP.BEEP.BEEP. 

Sonia: Sounds like it's time for you to go.

She slapped her hand on Seigan's back.

Sonia: Concert time, let's put on a show they'll never forget! 

Seigan groaned as he cracked open his eyes. The morning air was cool, he even considered going back to sleep. Until a condescending voice echoed in his head. 

Sonia: You're acting like that lazy friend of yours.

Seigan jolted up and looked around his room.

Seigan: [Am I still dreaming?]

Sonia: Dumb question.

Seigan: Where are you? 

Sonia: You weren't actually listening earlier were you? We share a body, I'm in your head, I see everything you see. I can even do this…

A low chill crawled through Siegan's body, the air around him wavered. Then, from the corner of his eye, something shifted. 

Sonia's form flickered into existence over his shoulder, she wasn't solid—more like a hologram or a ghost. She hovered lazily, stretching her arms. 

Sonia: 'Bout time, I was getting sick of being a voice in your head. 

Seigan: [Great this is exactly what I needed.]

Sonia: I can hear your thoughts, you know.

With a sigh, Seigan pushed himself off the bed and ran a hand through his dreadlocks before pulling them into a loose ponytail. A box sat at his door, his new training gear—a white compression shirt, dark sweat pants, and the headphones he requested from the R&D division.

He laced up his shoes and went for the door, stopping right before he opened it. 

He glanced at the Goddess watching over his every move.

Seigan: Hey can you go back into my head, it'd be weird if the others said something about you.

Sonia: Relax, kid. You're the only one who can see me, your friends'll probably have their deities right next to them the whole time.

Seigan was the last one to arrive at the basement training room. Siana stood near the center of the room, her sharp eyes watching them with a relaxed expression. 

Siana: Glad to see I didn't have to wake anyone up. 

Seigan: So this is where I'm gonna kick ass, huh? 

Akida scoffed, turning to him.

Akida: That's pretty bold considering Siana hasn't even given us instructions yet. 

Seigan: I'm just that confident. 

Akida: You'd better be able to back that confidence up. 

Siana clapped her hands together, drawing their attention back. 

Siana: Ok, this morning you six are doing sparring matches. I need to see what you guys are currently capable of. 

Tamiko: So who's fighting who?

Siana: First I need to know something. 

She pulled a small notepad from her pocket and clicked a pen. 

Siana: Each of you ask your Deity what 'layer' they're from. They'll know what it means. 

Seigan: [Sonia?]

Sonia: What? I wasn't paying attention. 

Seigan: [What could you possibly be doing…Never mind, what layer are you from?]

Sonia: Ahh, I'm from the 2nd layer. Not to brag but it's the best one. 

Siana: Alright let's start from the right and work our way down. Seigan? 

Seigan: The 2nd layer. 

Siana: Ok nice, next? 

Takuro: The 5th layer. 

Sakiko: No way! Mine's also from the 5th!

Siana: Two from the 5th, Ok. 

Tamiko: The 1st layer. 

Inezo: The 8th layer…

Siana: I see…and you Akida? 

Akida: The 4th layer. 

Siana: Wow, really? Don't see that happen much. 

Siana wrote in her notepad for another moment before shoving it back in her pocket. 

Siana: Ok, now you'll be split into pairs.

Seigan: Nice! Inezo let's do this!

Siana: Not so fast, I'll be making the pairs.

Seigan: Aww, what?! That's lame.

Tamiko: Wouldn't one of the teams inevitably have an advantage from watching the other two fight?

Siana: You don't need to worry about that. Because your opponent will be…Me.