Aemi clung to her mother’s neck as he carried her quickly inside the element testing center with mere seconds to spare before their appointment.

          After quickly checking in, Ryeowook learned that they thankfully weren’t the last of the group to arrive and were in fact still waiting for about three more children. Once finished signing all the forms they provided, he guided Aemi to a chair just a few seats away from another family.

          The area appeared almost like that of a doctor’s office waiting room, with chairs lining the walls, a receptionist desk at the front and various coffee and end tables covered with books and small newspapers spread about the small space. The atmosphere was similar as well, thick with anxiety and fear.

          It was currently filled with children and their parents, each small family talking quietly amongst themselves, obviously preparing their children for what was too come. It made him miss Yesung even more, knowing things would go so much smoother if his husband were there.

          Unlike Ryeowook, Yesung had actually undergone the tests himself and while the older had attempted to explain it to both of them, Aemi had clearly held no interest and definitely hadn’t retained any of the information given, and Ryeowook still had so many questions he wished he had asked. Still, he attempted to explain what he could.

          “Alright, So one of the nice teachers here is going to lead you and a few other kids through that door over there,” he paused and pointed to the blue door just beyond the receptionists desk.

          “Are you coming with me?” She asked before he could continue, and Ryeowook could see the fear in her eyes.

          “No, sweetie I can’t, but you’ll only be gone for a little while, and I’ll be right here when you get out, I promise. It’ll be just like when you have your lessons with Uncle Minnie and Hyunnie, but shorter.” He assured, noting that even though she didn’t appear remotely convinced, she nodded. “Ok? They’re going to ask you to complete some tasks, and you are going to try your hardest to complete them, but they’re going to be really really hard, and you might not be able to do any of them and that’s fine, a lot of people can’t.”

          “Why not?” Aemi asked curiously.

          Ryeowook thought for a moment, and then smiled. “Do you remember why I can’t have babies?”

          “…because you weren’t made that way?” she answered, and her mother nodded.

          “Right. Well, a lot of people can’t pass these tests because they weren’t made with the powers to do so. Only a few people are made with the power to pass these tests. I know it’s confusing, but I think you’ll understand better once the teacher explains it.”

          “We will begin the first round testing in a few minutes. Parents, please make sure your children are ready.” A man announced as he stepped from the door beyond the receptionists desk.

          Ryeowook knew the man as Shin Hyesung, the lead proctor of the testing center. From what he’d been told, the man had been there for over twenty years and had led both Heechul and Leeteuk through their element tests as well. While he’d never met him, he trusted him aware from what Heechul had told him that Hyesung understood the concept of girls from what Hangeng had to explained to him the year before during the twins testing.

          He and Yesung had requested personally that Hyesung be the one to lead their daughter’s testing, as he wouldn’t ask any questions like the others undoubtedly would.

          The moment the words were spoken, Aemi was once again attached to her mother’s arm, tiny hands squeezing so hard they nearly cut off circulation. “Eomma…” She whined, eyes wide and pleading.

          “It’s alright.” He soothed, smoothing down her hair. “It’s only for a little while. I’m going to be right here waiting for you. You’re going to do great.”

          Hyesung was already beginning to round up the kids as he spoke, and he was relieved to see that many of the others were reacting the same as Aemi, afraid to leave their parents side’s, clinging to them as the proctor attempted to guide them away into the group.

          When he finally came for Aemi, Ryeowook gave her one last hug, a little reluctant himself to let go when the time came, and he watched her go proudly, surprised that she hadn’t put up more of a fuss considering this was one of the first times she had been forced to interact with people outside of her family.

          Her eyes didn’t leave her mother until the door closed behind her and she could no longer see him.

          The room they were lead too reminded her of the playroom back at the castle, large with random colorful objects stacked on shelves and in drawers. The walls were beige, the plush carpets white, and there were no windows, only the door they entered through and an identical one on the opposite side.

         There were also three other men within the room, each standing stoically by one of the three tables placed throughout the space, one supporting a large clear tub of water, another with candles, and the final with a small package unidentifiable by the children.

       The proctor gave them a few moments to explore their surroundings though very few took the opportunity, some venturing out while the rest remained in a pack, the majority wanting the test to be over with so they could get back to their parents.

       Hyesung, sensing that, led them over to a small table containing three candles.

       “Does anyone here not know what these are?” Hyesung asked, and when none of the kids spoke up he continued. “I’m sure most of you have seen these lit before as well, with fire. That’s what we’re going to do right now.”

        “My dad won’t let me play with matches. He says it’s dangerous.” One of the older boys from the back spoke up, his voice particularly eager.

        “It is.” The proctor nodded in agreement. “That’s why we’re not going to use matches.”

        As if on cue, the man beside the table stepped forward, and closed his eyes, leaving the children to watch in amazement as all three of the candles wicks burst into flame. He quickly put them out.

       “How?” another boy wondered aloud, and the flame user chuckled.

       “Would you like to try first?” He asked, and the boy nodded eagerly, rushing forward. “Alright, here’s what I want you to do.” He began, positioning the child directly in front of the middle candle “Close your eyes, and imagine you’re in a dark room, pitch black, like you can’t even see your hand in front of your face.”

      The boy nodded and then did as he was told.

      “Now imagine light, it doesn’t matter if it’s a flame or a light bulb, illuminating the space so everything is suddenly white.”

      The boy scrunched his face in concentration, and the proctor let him try for a few seconds, before stopping him with a hand on his shoulder.

      “All right that’s a good try.” Hyesung praised. “Who wants to try next?”

      A couple of kids stepped forward but the majority hung back, intending to just wait until the proctor told them what to do.

      “When it was Aemi’s turn, she did as the flame user had originally instructed, but nothing happened, and she then felt just as disappointed as all of the other’s that had tried and failed, which ended up being all eight of them.

      They moved on to the wind test, Hyesung demonstrating how he put the newly lit candles out without touching or blowing on them, revealing his wind ability, and telling them to do pretty much the opposite of what the flame user had told them, imagine being in a light room that suddenly goes dark, and again, all of the kids failed.

      The water test yielded better results, two children out of the eight able to make waves in the small container, the event giving many of the other’s hope, but almost immediately after none were able to make a seed sprout, meaning none had specialized in nature.

       Twenty minutes later, the remaining six stood lined up outside the exit door, Aemi at the very back with Hyesung in the lead, blocking the way.

       “This next test will be conducted individually.” He began explaining as the fire user from earlier came to stand beside him. “Minwoo will wait here with the rest of you while I take you each one at a time into the final room. Once this test is done, our assistant will take you back out to your parents.” With that he guided the boy in the front through the door, the wood swinging shut before any of the others could see inside.

       One by one the boys were called away, until only Aemi remained, the girl staring boredly at her feet and humming to herself as she waited.

       When her turn finally came, Minwoo held the door for her so she could move cautiously within, her senses on high alert as she entered the small, foreign area.

       To her left there was a small, buzzing machine set atop a table, and on the ground there was another large tub of water, a small cable running from the machine to be placed within the liquid.

       She moved slowly towards Hyesung who waved her over.

       “Ok, this is the easiest test because you don’t even have to imagine anything. All you have to do is dip your finger into the water and we’ll know immediately if you can control the element or not, alright?” he explained, and the girl nodded.

       She moved to do so before Hyesung could warn her of the pain, and by the time he realized this, it was too late, both he and Minwoo  flinching in preparedness for the cry that would most definitely follow as she dipped her finger in the electrically charged water.

        Instead of crying, she frowned. When nothing happened she pushed her hand further into the liquid, and pretty soon it was submerged nearly to her elbow.

        “I-impossible…” Minwoo murmured, stepping forward to get a closer look

         Aemi pulled her hand out, glaring harshly at the ground as she fought back tears of pure disappointment. She hadn’t specialized in anything, and couldn’t understand why the proctors looked so shocked.

         “Did you feel anything? Anything at all?” Hyesung pushed, and Aemi shook her head, rubbing at her eyes to keep the tears at bay

         “My god… this hasn’t happened since…”

         “Zico.” Hyesung finished for him, and soon he was heading for the door, realizing he’d left the grounding instrument in a desk out front.

          The fact that she hadn’t been shocked meant that she had absorbed the energy, and was controlling it within her body. She was like a live wire and he needed to get the electricity out of her before she could injure someone.

          Unfortunately, the moment he opened the door, Ryeowook was brought into his daughters view and she bolted, Minwoo calling out for Hyesung to stop her.

          He couldn’t however, reluctant to reach out and grab her as she zoomed past his leg to reach her mother, who awaited her with outstretched arms.

          “Wait! Don’t touch her!” He called to Ryeowook, but it was too late.

          The younger felt the shock before he could even register what had happened, his body convulsing a bit before his muscles locked and he collapsed to the floor, a collective gasp from the other people in the waiting room the last thing he heard before everything went black.

          He came to only a few moments later, half of the occupants in the room including Minwoo and Hyesung hovering over him, with Aemi right at his side shaking him lightly as she cried for him to wake up.

          He smiled weakly at her and with some help was able to sit, the feeling in his body slowly returning. He hugged his daughter tightly to reassure her he was fine, which wasn’t entirely true, but knew that after a few minutes of rest would be.

          Hyesung helped him stand and sit in the one of the chairs just to his right, before speaking.

          “Well, congratulations…” He began sheepishly. “Your daughter has specialized in electricity.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

A/N: I know it's kinda short but I needed to change scenes and something important happens in the next chapter....

PLEASE COMMENT!!!!!