ã€ŠProject Hero: Teaching Students With The Weakest Powers!ã€‹


 Chapter One: Hauling Ass.

    Despite being monstrous in its display, Jeremiah Stoudemire¡¯s Blessing is rare and exciting to see. My highest priority in facilitating his proficiency in such an ability is not in training, but in assisting Jeremiah in coming to terms with such a grotesque Blessing.

    -Roger Hill¡¯s Notes

    Jeremiah knew he wasn¡¯t ready to be a superhero.

    Meeting his future Instructor only confirmed his doubts.

    On the day Jeremiah met Roger, he was nervous. Nervous and doubtful. The two traits of Jeremiah that always took space in his thoughts. Today, those traits took up all of the space.

    It was no surprise to Jeremiah that he was not accepted into Myriad High. The premier Principality, a school for training those with Blessings used for combat and rescue, would only accept the cream of the crop. What surprised him is that he landed the waiting list, rather than being blown off completely. Jeremiah applied to every Principality in the New Empire, not even expecting to hear an answer back from Seraph City¡¯s beloved academy.

    But here I am, somehow. Jeremiah thought. Flown across the country to sit on my hands for a ¡®maybe.¡¯ Jeremiah currently stood in a shared boy¡¯s bathroom, washing his face for the third time.

    Temporary housing aside, the Holding Company Dorms were luxurious. If he didn¡¯t know where he was, Jeremiah would think he was in a five-star hotel room. Amenities and all, it was definitely the nicest place he¡¯s lived in.

    He was supposed to meet his future Instructor today.

    But who is he really? Jeremiah wondered.

    The Head Instructors of Myriad High were famous Agents of T.H.R.O.N.E. except for Miscellaneous Instructor Roger Hill. Jeremiah was a light enthusiast of Agents and other Blessed, but he never heard of this man. The fear of that unknown led to Jeremiah splashing hot water in his face for the fourth time today.

    My face¡­ Jeremiah looked in the mirror and saw the familiar blend of frog and human.

    It was a wide and fat face, with lips that extended to fit his peculiarly amphibious appearance. He had human teeth where it should be, but that only served to make him look weirder. Things could be worse though. His skin was a normal beige when it could have been green or something. The eyes could also have looked like a frog¡¯s as well, but Jeremiah¡¯s were perfectly human. A little bit bigger and slightly spread out, but that can be explained as normal ugliness.

    Jeremiah was super, all right.

    Super ugly.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Through the other door of Jeremiah''s connected bathroom, his roommate snores in his bed. He never got a chance to speak to the messy-haired boy. He must have come in late at the dead of night. Jeremiah poked his head through the open door at his sleeping roommate. The room listing had his name and class. They were both supposed to meet Instructor Hill today, so it¡¯s only right to wake up a peer before they¡¯re late. Even so, Jeremiah hesitated.

    Should he wake Isaac up?

    What kind of person was he?

    Jeremiah started sweating profusely. He¡¯s never had a roommate before. What if this leads to a bad start? Will Isaac hate him? How long will they be roommates? Can he switch rooms? What if he starts a fight? No wait, what if Isaac gets kicked off the list for being late on the first day? Then it¡¯ll be Jeremiah¡¯s fault. Was he overthinking things?

    Of course he was overthinking this. He always does. Jeremiah realized he was breathing heavily, and slowed himself down as he entered Isaac¡¯s bedroom. He placed a tentative hand on Isaac¡¯s shoulder and shook him a few times. As he did this, Jeremiah glanced at his watch and gawked at the time. How long was he sitting there, paralyzed?

    Jeremiah practically leaped out of the door and made a dash for the exit outside. Hopefully, the half-hearted shaking will wake Isaac up, for there was no more time to waste. Maybe being a few minutes late won¡¯t be as bad as showing up hours later? Jeremiah thought. He hastily showed his freshly-minted identification card to the gate guard and rushed out.

    Instructor Hill wanted to meet with three members of the Miscellaneous Holding Company in Downtown Seraph. Unfortunately for Jeremiah, the Holding Dorms are above ground, while the L-Train is underground. Even then, he should still have a chance to make it on time.

    That chance disintegrated once he checked his watch. Bullet Train Four would embark in seven minutes. The direct Train to Downtown Seraph that didn¡¯t allow passengers to board five minutes prior to leaving, would embark in seven minutes.

    ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡± Jeremiah uttered. ¡°Over before it started.¡± He slumped against the wall beside the academy gates. The L-Train is fast, but Seraph City¡¯s fifteen square kilometers of land was more than a small journey. Bullet Train Four wouldn''t return and disembark for another thirty minutes, which meant Jeremiah was about to make a hell of an impression on the only Instructor who would actually give him a chance. Before he could agonize any further, Jeremiah heard a voice on his right.

    ¡°Yo! Whatcha doing on the floor, roomie?¡±

    Jeremiah snapped his head towards the voice. It was the same disheveled boy Jeremiah was shaking awake no more than five minutes ago. Isaac was fully dressed in the academy¡¯s uniform, though it looked like it went through a windstorm. He had a squinty, impish grin plastered on his face. Jeremiah could tell he wasn¡¯t from Seraph City; a kindred soul. The tan skin and hazel eyes weren¡¯t the biggest clue, but his cheerful demeanor was a spotlight that could rival the sun. He absentmindedly rubbed at the dark blotch of a birthmark on his brow.

    ¡°How¡­ are you here?¡± Jeremiah asked.

    Isaac extended a hand to Jeremiah and helped him up.

    ¡°Just hauled some ass is all.¡± Isaac smiled. ¡°Thanks for waking me up, my man. I¡¯m Isaac.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Jeremiah. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±

    ¡°It looks like we¡¯re both gonna be late, though. By the schedule, Bullet Train Four leaves in three minutes and we won¡¯t get another chance until 0800.¡± Jeremiah sighed, beginning to shrink against the gate once more.

    ¡°Sheesh,¡± Isaac said, adding very much to the conversation. ¡°That sucks.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think it sucks a lot, actually.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you said it closes in three minutes?¡±

    Jeremiah looked at Isaac, who still had his hand on his chin, despite looking anything but the contemplative type. The messy-haired boy grinned and said, ¡°I got a genius plan, my man. Let¡¯s haul some ass.¡±

 Chapter Two: Chasing Trains

    After a short sprint, the two boys made it to Train Station 4. Train Stations in Seraph City were beyond state-of-the-art. If there was a blue sky above them, one would think they were in some kind of classy airport. Just as Jeremiah said, the L-Train was no longer accepting passengers. But it was still there, preparing to move at a speed that would put traditional bullet trains to shame. Because of the near instant velocity of these Trains, there was a bright, holographic neon red line separating future passengers from the Tram itself by a couple dozen feet.

    Panting, Jeremiah looked to his roommate.

    ¡°Like¡­ I said¡­ It¡¯s closed¡­ and we can¡¯t get on.¡± He huffed. ¡°Now what?¡±

    Jeremiah turned his attention away from Isaac and to the L-Train which was producing a shrill, elongated beep, like some kind of laser beam sound effect in an old school movie.

    That meant it was preparing to shoot itself through the maze-like tunnels underneath Seraph City.

    ¡°Yo, Jerry. Hold my hand.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make it weird, my man.¡± Isaac laughed, throwing his hand out to Jeremiah. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing you need to do for my master plan, and it¡¯s holding my hand.¡±

    Jeremiah grimaced. He didn¡¯t want people getting the wrong idea, and it also felt like this was a setup for an unfunny joke, but Jeremiah was desperate for this to work out somehow. At the edge of the safety line, just as Jeremiah grasped Isaac¡¯s hand, the Train shot down the railway.

    And so did the two boys.

    Jeremiah wasn¡¯t quite sure what was happening at first. Everything seemed like it was in slow motion, and yet the world was blurring around him. He was no longer on the Train Station¡¯s metal floor, but on the railways itself? Jerry¡¯s eyes, moving slower than ever, looked to Isaac first. Isaac had an even wider grin than before, his eyes were glued on the Tram that the two were somehow matching speed with. That¡¯s when Jeremiah realized what was happening.

    Isaac was keeping pace with a HardTek Train, running behind it and dragging Jeremiah with him. Afterimages of themselves were left behind in the unbelievable speed Isaac and Jeremiah maintained. Jeremiah was too scared to speak, to scream, even to move. He just squeezed Isaac¡¯s hand and shut his eyes. What would happen when they stop? Would the whiplash from instantly stopping break their bodies apart? Is Isaac literally insane?

    When Jeremiah opened his eyes, all three questions were answered. Normal sound returned to him, and the blur and afterimages were gone. They were directly behind the Train, now motionless. Isaac whooped and let go of Jeremiah¡¯s hand to offer a high five instead. Jeremiah, still in shock, slowly raised his hand with a blank stare and an open mouth.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, baby!¡± Isaac harshly high fived his roommate and rapidly fist pumped. ¡°These Hardy-techy Train things are sick! Way faster than anything topside!¡± Isaac quickly came down from his high and started scrambling to climb up the platform.

    ¡°Oh, crap. We gotta act natural, like we were on the Train, ya get me?¡±

    ¡°R-right¡­¡±

    Isaac made it onto the exit platform and struggled to pull Jeremiah up. Just as they made it up, The L-Train doors opened. The two roommates leaned against the side of the L-Train, and as students began to exit, they awkwardly acted as if they were walking out as well, whistling like idiots. It was not as convincing as it could be, only because the amount of passengers were surprisingly small. Jeremiah noted that only nine kids and a couple adults were leaving the Train.

    Either way, it seemed as if they were in the clear. Only one person seemed to notice them. Jeremiah and Isaac both tensed up under the frigid stare of a taller girl with bright auburn hair. She looked at the two of them, emotionless, and yet still somehow accusatory. Jeremiah subconsciously exhaled, while Isaac cleared his throat and laughed nervously.

    ¡°Uh, what¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°H-hi?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The girl responded with silence. Jeremiah¡¯s anxiousness began to spike. What did Isaac drag him into? There was no way they didn¡¯t break a thousand rules by doing that. Was she gonna report them?

    As if she could hear Jeremiah¡¯s thoughts, this expressionless girl was expressionless no more. A sardonic smile slowly crept upon her face. With a flip of her hair, she turned away from the two and confidently continued off of the exit platform and towards the tunnel leading aboveground. Jeremiah¡¯s fear lessened, albeit barely, and was overpowered by indignation.

    ¡°So that was your master plan?¡± Jeremiah whispered.

    ¡°Yup. Pretty sick right? My Blessing is that if I see something go from still to moving, I can copy it¡¯s speed as long as-¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were gonna break a thousand regulations before that!¡± Jeremiah realized he was yelling as a couple of the passengers turned back, eyebrows raised. He felt himself shrink down, but still glared at Isaac.

    ¡°But now we¡¯re on time thanks to your boy, so it¡¯s all good.¡± Isaac bragged. ¡°And you looked sad when you said you were gonna be late and stuff, so I figured I would pay you back for waking me up.¡±

    Jeremiah sighed, and it felt like his anger was leaving with his breath.

    ¡°Forget it. I appreciate your help, but just tell me what you¡¯re thinking before you do it.¡±

    ¡°Jokes on you, I don¡¯t do thinking!¡± Isaac laughed, wrapping his arm over Jeremiah¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Somehow, I feel like you aren¡¯t joking.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Who¡¯s joking?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just meet our Instructor, Isaac.¡±

    <hr>

    Downtown Seraph was as divorced from Jeremiah¡¯s home as possible.

    He was far from home to be sure, but the urban environment could convince him he was on another planet entirely. Jeremiah felt like an invasive species, moving from a real jungle to a concrete counterpart. Somehow, the smell hasn¡¯t changed. Jeremiah frowned. The city was dense, sprawling and dizzying. It felt as though there was a shiny skyscraper for each head in the ambling crowds surrounding him. Like gaps between window blinds, large blimps went in and out of sight behind the buildings. Like the skyscrapers, they shared the same glossy surface, shining in the sky.

    ¡°Yo, Jerry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Jeremiah. What is it?¡±

    ¡°Still upset about my master plan?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me. That was definitely illegal, by the way.¡±

    ¡°Yeahhhh, probably.¡±

    Jeremiah sighed, ¡°What were you going to ask?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Isaac perked up. ¡°What¡¯s with these buildings? They¡¯re all glossy and stuff.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re screens. For emergency announcements and warnings.¡±

    Isaac stared at his reflection in one of the buildings.

    ¡°For Adversaries, right?¡±

    Jeremiah nodded.

    ¡°You¡¯d have to be a pretty dangerous Adversary to show up on the big screens, but that¡¯s correct.¡±

    Jeremiah almost started a lengthy lecture on the Seraph Police Department¡¯s casualty control response procedures, but was brutally interrupted.

    ¡°Yo, there¡¯s the spot!¡± With an excited whoop, Isaac shot a finger toward a dense patch of green in the distance.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Jeremiah¡¯s stomach churned.

    First impressions, Jeremiah thought. Way scarier than an Adversary.

    Instructor Hill waited for them right where he said they would. Sitting on a bench just outside the evergreen Hunting Park in Downtown Seraph. The two boys slowed their pace a bit as they approached him.

    What a weirdly normal guy!

    The baggy turtleneck sweater and square glasses made him seem plain in an extraordinary way. The sweater couldn¡¯t exactly hide his built physique, and the glasses couldn¡¯t obscure the bold and resolute focus in his eyes. He sat with a mixture of leisure and alertness. Relaxed in posture, but his eyes tell a different story. This is the plain man who bumps shoulders with retired Dominion Agents in the jewel Principality of T.H.R.O.N.E. without a single Heroic Deed to his name.

    It doesn¡¯t matter. Jeremiah thought. If he became a Major Instructor, that means he earned it somehow. Merit was all that mattered in Seraph. Nepotism and bribes can only take one so far in this district. If this place cared about merit more than anything, that means they¡¯ll look past Jeremiah¡¯s¡­ everything if he could just prove himself. A small smile appeared on Jeremiah¡¯s face, a symptom of his excitement.

    As long as he could keep up, this Instructor would teach him great things.

    ¡°Yo Teach, we made it!¡± Isaac said. He ran up to Instructor Hill and threw his hand up for a high five. Jeremiah tried not to gawk. Why is Isaac acting so familiar with him? To Jeremiah¡¯s doubled horror, Instructor Hill returned the gesture instantly.

    ¡°You certainly have, Isaac.¡± Instructor Hill replied, his eyes melting into gentle warmness. His voice was soft and friendly. Something like an elementary school teacher, and not a mentor to future superpowered soldiers.

    ¡°You say that as if arriving here was an accomplishment, though. Why is that?¡±

    Isaac started scratching his birthmark, obviously a nervous tic.

    ¡°W-well, uh, I mean.¡± Isaac stuttered. He looked at Jeremiah and quickly threw an arm over his shoulder again.

    ¡°My man Jerry here ain¡¯t used to Seraph so I had to help him out! Yeah!¡±

    Jeremiah gave a weak smile in concurrence.

    ¡°Ah, yes. Jeremiah. I¡¯m Roger Hill. Feel free to call me what you like.¡± Instructor Hill stood up, revealing an imposing height. He towered over Jeremiah and extended a large, rough hand. Jeremiah took it, and the ensuing handshake nearly tore his arm off.

    ¡°I read the examination on your Blessing! It¡¯s quite exciting to meet another student with a power brimming with such potential!¡±

    ¡°Uh, thanks?¡± Jeremiah said. The image he had crafted of the Instructor was obliterated in a single exchange. His Instructor smiled wide like a child seeing their favorite Agent.

    All for someone like Jeremiah. You don¡¯t have to patronize me.

    ¡°No, thank you!¡± Instructor Hill quickly replied. He let go of Jeremiah¡¯s hand, still smiling like an idiot as he plopped back onto the bench seat.

    ¡°And now, we wait for Ashley.¡±

    ¡°Ashley didn¡¯t show up yet?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t see her come out of the train.¡±

    Does everyone know each other but me?

    ¡°We took the last train for another thirty minutes, so¡­ she might be late.¡± Jeremiah said. Roger frowned a little, but shrugged.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing I didn¡¯t expect. We can wait thirty minutes, can¡¯t we?¡±

    Ashley showed up over an hour later.

    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late~! I was too busy with my makeup and couldn¡¯t make the train?!¡±

    Bored, Isaac was sprawled out on the bench next to Instructor Hill, who sat as patiently as he was when they arrived.

    Jeremiah knew for a fact he had never seen Ashley at the dorms. After all, how could he forget a sight like this?

    This girl was vibrant to say the least. Her blonde hair was clearly dyed, with multicolored tips at the end. The amount of loose colored bands on her wrists should be an impossibility at worst, and uncomfortable at best. Jeremiah¡¯s seen this kind of fashion statement before, but didn¡¯t really believe it was something girls actually fell for. But at the same time, she wasn¡¯t gaudy enough to be unsightly. Her pink lipstick didn¡¯t make a mockery of her lips, but accentuated them. The eyelash extensions looked heavy, but brought out her green contacts. It was a bit much, for sure, but she was a tasteful kind of-

    Jeremiah realized he was staring. So was she. He made an indiscernible sound and snapped his head toward his shoes. From his peripherals, the fashionista was still looking at him. Jeremiah slowly craned his head back towards her, preparing a line to recover his chance at a good impression on a classmate he¡¯ll have for years.

    ¡°Umm¡­ Sorry about that, I was just surprised by how you look¡ªnot that you look bad! You look good, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± He trailed off as the girl slowly raised a finger, pointing a long, acrylic nail at him. She smiled wide and pleasantly.

    ¡°Froggy~!¡±

    The color drained from Jeremiah¡¯s gawking face. He returned his gaze to the ground, gritting his teeth. What was he thinking? Of course she was staring at him because he¡¯s a freak. What could he even say to make a good first impression when his face does all the talking for him?

    ¡°No, Ashley.¡± Isaac said with a mocking sternness, like scolding a kid. ¡°His name is Jerry. Not Froggy.¡±

    ¡°I know, he just looks like one.¡± Ashley chuckled.

    ¡°Wrong again, Ash. He definitely looks more like a toa-¡± Isaac caught himself when he noticed Jeremiah¡¯s glare. Jeremiah suddenly realized he disliked everyone here. He turned towards Instructor Hill, who tugged at his turtleneck sweater like a nervous boy, waiting for a chance to break the ice. He¡¯s the one I dislike the most, Jeremiah realized. He¡¯s the least honest.

    As if he could hear Jeremiah¡¯s thoughts, Instructor Hill cleared his throat to speak.

    ¡°Now that everyone is here, we can begin our first day of Waiting List Training!¡± It seemed like Instructor Hill¡¯s enthusiasm returned with those words. He pulled a small notepad from his pocket and began flipping through pages.

    ¡°Miscellaneous Agents are few and far between, even in a Principality like Myriad High. This means Miscellaneous classes are just as rare. As you all know, you¡¯ve had to wait some time before a suitable class can begin, but time is a commodity you¡¯ll want to make the most of.¡± He smiled and held his arms out in pride.

    ¡°But you three already knew that. It¡¯s why you are here, ready and willing to make the most of your time on the Waiting List! For that, you three have my respect.¡± Instructor Hill bowed slightly. Jeremiah looked to his two peers. They both shrugged and smirked. He¡¯s always like this, they seemed to say.

    ¡°For now, let¡¯s start with introductions, then we can¡ªOh?¡± Instructor Hill looked to see a small child scampering up to him. The little girl tugged at his slacks, so he kneeled down. A single eyebrow raised as the child whispered something in his ear. After a moment, he smiled and stood back up. With a single adjustment of his glasses he spoke, his voice deep and monotone.

    ¡°Small change of plans. Opportunity strikes.¡±

 Chapter Three: A Cat in a Tree

    A cat was stuck in a tree. That was the so-called opportunity that struck. From Jeremiah¡¯s point of view, it looked perfectly relaxed and in no sort of danger. The calico cat yawned at the five humans below with bored apathy. Jeremiah was positive that ¡®rescuing¡¯ this cat would only earn some claw marks to the face.

    ¡°I was afraid that today would be less than stimulating, but now, there¡¯s a real problem to be solved!¡± Instructor Hill exclaimed.

    ¡°No worries, Roger. I¡¯m already calling the fire department~¡± Ashley said, pulling out her cell phone.

    In a flash of movement, Instructor Hill cleared 10 feet of space between himself and Ashley and plucked her phone from her hand.

    ¡°We have all the help we need right here, Ashley. An opportunity to use one¡¯s Blessings in a real environment is the real blessing.¡±

    ¡°Eww! Bad pun!¡± Ashley cried as she jumped up and down to take her phone back, while Instructor Hill dangled it just out of reach. Isaac laughed more than necessary at this, using Jeremiah¡¯s shoulder to prop himself up. Soon, Isaac¡¯s laughter died abruptly as he caught on.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Isaac said, ¡°You want us to save this cat?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Instructor Hill replied, finally returning Ashley¡¯s phone to her. ¡°I already know your Blessings on paper, so why should you repeat yourselves when you can show me instead?¡±

    ¡°What if our Blessings aren¡¯t suited for it?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± Instructor Hill tilted his head, staring at him quizzically. Something about that look irked Jeremiah. Isn¡¯t it obvious?

    ¡°I mean, what if we can¡¯t do it?¡±

    ¡°Jeremiah, is that a question a superhero should be asking?¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª¡±

    Isaac butted in, ¡°I¡¯ll do it! It¡¯s kinda lame but it¡¯s better than sitting around doing nothing.¡± As he approached the tree, he started stretching. The cat looked down at Isaac with a princely contempt. Isaac turned and gave a crappy salute to the other three.

    ¡°I¡¯m Isaac Lopez from the Southern Empire. My favorite color is blue and I¡¯m gonna be an Agent of T.H.R.O.N.E. for the ladies!¡±

    A small moment of silence followed his introduction, interrupted only by soft meowing from above.

    ¡°Laaaaaame.¡± Ashley groaned.

    ¡°Is he serious?¡± Jeremiah said.

    ¡°Honesty is a hallmark of heroism, isn¡¯t it?¡± Instructor Hill smiled.

    Isaac sized up both the tree and the cat, gears working in his mind. He pulled out what looked to be a slingshot and stooped down in the grass.

    ¡°Nope, too jagged,¡± He muttered. ¡°Nope, too small.¡± Then, with a triumphant a-ha! Isaac retrieved a smooth pebble from the grass.

    Jeremiah was about to repeat his earlier question, but Isaac brought up a hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this isn¡¯t for the cat! It¡¯s for me.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you introduce your Blessing as well, Isaac?¡± Instructor Hill said.

    Isaac nodded as he loaded his slingshot.

    ¡°¡®I¡¯m trash at explaining it, so I¡¯m just gonna say what Teach said one time.¡± Isaac said. ¡°I¡¯m only as fast as the potential speed of whatever I¡¯m copying. What sucks is, I can only get that fast when the object goes from still to moving.¡±

    That explains the L-Train, and why he didn¡¯t just use super speed to get here on his own. Jeremiah thought. He can copy speed, but can only begin at the exact moment the object begins to move.

    Ashley looked uninterested, while Instructor Hill beamed for some reason.

    ¡°I guess you¡¯ll copy the speed of the pebble when you sling it, but what does that have to do with saving the cat?¡± Jeremiah asked.

    Isaac¡¯s perpetual grin turned into a cockier smirk. He readied the slingshot and aimed it at the branch of the lounging calico.

    ¡°It¡¯s real simple, Jerry. I use the pebble to scare the cat off the branch,¡± Isaac said as he fired the pebble, hitting the branch with a surprisingly weighty impact. In that time, Isaac¡¯s image blurred as it placed itself forward and directly under the branch. When Isaac¡¯s speed returned to normal, his arms were spread wide and outward. ¡°And copy its speed so that I¡¯ll be right under to catch¡­¡± His voice faltered as he realized the cat didn¡¯t move a muscle. It yawned in reply to Isaac¡¯s pebble and stretched before nearly instantly falling asleep.

    Ashley doubled over in a wheezing, donkey-like laughter. Isaac stood there, frozen in his pose, mouth open. Jeremiah simply facepalmed. He hated to imagine how they looked to bystanders. Was being a superhero supposed to be this embarrassing? Isaac returned to the group, deflated. Instructor Hill dutifully made additions to his notes and looked at Jeremiah and Ashley.

    ¡°She¡¯s a tough one,¡± He said. ¡°It¡¯ll take more than a little trick to get her. Who¡¯s next?¡±

    Jeremiah tensed up as he realized that Instructor Hill''s eyes settled on him by the end of his words. Until Ashley spoke up.

    ¡°Alriiiight, Roger. I¡¯ll do it as long as I¡¯m like, your number one pick for your next class~?'''' She said, sashaying towards the tree and cracking her knuckles. Ashley struck an irreverent pose and said, ¡°Heyyy, it¡¯s Ashley Baker from West Gardenia! I¡¯m like, toootally a fashionista and I joined T.H.R.O.N.E to get rich and famous!¡±

    This surprised no one.

    ¡°Anyway, my ability is Color-kinesis. I can like, use my mind to mess around with anything as long as they got the right color. Buuuuut it¡¯s kinda iffy ¡®cuz that color changes every time I sleep.¡±

    ¡°And what is your color today, Ashley?¡± Instructor Hill asked.

    Ashley smiled and turned to face the sleeping cat above. She reached towards it, and pulled her hands up, palms facing the sky. The cat awoke with an angry hiss as it began to be pulled upwards from an invisible force. It looked as if it were being grabbed by its loose skin, specifically, the skin covered by patches of black fur.

    ¡°It¡¯s Velvet Black day! It¡¯s a totes unlucky color, but this cat is waaaay unluckier!¡±

    ¡°Velvet Black? The heck is a velvet black?¡± Isaac said.

    It¡¯s a situational power, Jeremiah thought. But it seems pretty useful once you find a way.

    The cat continued hissing as it dug its claws into the branch. It looked at Ashley with seething hatred. Ashley grunted and reoriented herself and pushed upwards again.

    ¡°You¡¯re stubborn! If all your fur was black, this would be way easier!¡±

    At those words, Instructor Hill furiously scribbled down notes.

    This contest of strength lasted a couple of minutes before Ashley gave up. She was visibly sweating by the end of it. The cat once again made itself comfortable.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Making me sweat my makeup off,¡± Ashley panted, giving the calico cat the finger. ¡°You¡¯re the freakin'' worst.¡± Jeremiah could have sworn the cat had stuck its tongue out at Ashley. Am I hallucinating right now?

    Instructor Hill¡¯s voice brought him back to the present.

    ¡°It¡¯s just you now, Jeremiah.¡±

    Jeremiah knew his turn was coming, and somehow, he pushed it to the back of his mind, as if it was years in the future and not a matter of minutes. He had to do it. It was his Blessing, his identity. It¡¯s why he is here in Seraph City. It was why he could become a superhero, an Agent of T.H.R.O.N.E. And yet he didn¡¯t want to use it. He looked at Ashley and Isaac. Miscellaneous as their Blessings were, they were leagues ahead of him in finding a use for their powers. They thought this was a waste of time as well, and they still did it.

    It was going to happen eventually. Endure it for now. Someday, this Blessing of yours will be your pride and joy, Jeremiah.

    Jeremiah walked closer to the tree and turned back to the others, absentmindedly tugging at his pants.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Jeremiah Stoudemire from, uh, Behema. I¡¯m a fan of old-school superheroes and I want to be a T.H.R.O.N.E. Agent for. . .¡± He couldn¡¯t tell the truth. The truth being his desire to make up for a childhood of being ashamed of his Blessing.

    ¡°Travel, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Behe-what?¡± Isaac blurted out.

    ¡°Travel? Ooooh, T.H.R.O.N.E is international! I totes forgot.¡±

    Instructor Hill frowned. Jeremiah found himself frowning back. Not a good enough reason? After what they said?

    ¡°I don¡¯t think this Blessing can help, but here goes.¡± Jeremiah said.

    ¡°I appreciate your cooperation, Jeremiah.¡± Instructor Hill said. He leaned forward with a giddy smile, sunlight bouncing off his glasses.

    Jeremiah sighed, and in a swift motion, threw his head back and ejected his stomach. The stomach was oversized by human standards. It was pink, bulbous and tubelike. Like a human stomach, but longer. This was his so-called ¡®Blessing.¡¯ A frog stomach he can eject from his mouth.

    Jeremiah¡¯s body significantly slimmed down to a scrawny figure once his giant stomach was out and in his hands. However, the weight of his stomach could not be held by himself, so he followed it to the ground instantly. Lying down with his frog-like stomach in front of him, he closed his eyes and tried to explain his ability.

    ¡°My stomag ith lig a frog¡¯s,¡± Jeremiah said, his voice muffled by his own esophagus. ¡°I gan thow ub my own thomach. I gan altho thore idems thad I gan thwallow. Dey gum bag good ath new, lig they were neber thwallowed.¡±

    He kept his eyes closed. For some reason, he could only see Instructor Hill¡¯s excited face in his imagination, waiting for Jeremiah to use his ability.

    Jeremiah remembered the last time someone looked at him with any kind of anticipation for what he could do. It was right before his first activation of his Blessing.

    It was his parents who were excited for him. He remembered the way their wide eyes narrowed. The way their nostrils flared and their chins lowered. The corners of their lips turned down. An expression of disgust, as they watched their only child eject their own stomach in front of a doctor.

    Jeremiah¡¯s eyes opened, and he looked to his Instructor. It was Hill, now standing in front of him with a passionate glimmer in his eyes and an open-mouthed smile. Behind Instructor Hill¡¯s towering form, Ashley and Isaac¡¯s jaws were wide open.

    ¡°And there it is! Amazing, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s amazing!¡± Hill jabbered. He dropped to a knee to inspect the gargantuan stomach.

    ¡°This is a Physiology Blessing of a truly exotic caliber! Normally, these kinds of Blessings are shaped by the human form, but in this case, the Blessing itself is what his form is built around! This allows it to defy biological proportions and carry out its function to a supernatural degree!¡±

    Jeremiah¡¯s face went red. This wasn¡¯t what he was afraid of, but this level of attention wasn¡¯t something he knew how to deal with. So he stayed still. Meanwhile, the hysterical ramblings of Instructor Hill continued.

    ¡°It looks as if my hypothesis on the weight of the stomach is true, but now we need to see the limits of what it can hold! Do you mind if I¡ª¡± Instructor Hill caught himself before reaching his hand out and turned to the other two as he cleared his throat. He unfolded a piece of paper from his notebook and adjusted his glasses.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain Jeremiah¡¯s Blessing since he cannot properly speak at the moment. Jeremiah¡¯s Blessing takes the form of an ejectable frog stomach. All Blessings are supernatural in some way, and Jeremiah¡¯s stomach supernaturally defies biology in that whatever he chooses to remain untouched in his stomach will stay that way.¡±

    Taking cue, Jeremiah silently pulled items out of his stomach. A wallet, a cell phone, a handheld gaming device. He even turned the phone on to prove it was still functioning.

    ¡°Woah!¡± Ashley and Isaac shouted in unison.

    The two quickly swarmed Jerry and his stomach, hollering like they ran into a celebrity hero. Ashley started snapping photos with her phone from Instructor Hill¡¯s side, while Isaac frantically pulled his slingshot taut back and forth.

    ¡°That¡¯s freakin¡¯ metal, Jerry! A vomit-stomach, man? Freakin¡¯ metal!¡±

    ¡°Noooo waaaaay! It¡¯s like, the perfect purse! Trade Blessings with me, Froggy~¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s give him some space, why don¡¯t we?¡± Instructor Hill shooed the two back and smiled at a dumbfounded Jeremiah. Where was the look in their eyes? Where was the disgusted expression, the gagging and retching? Why are they. . .

    ¡°A Miscellaneous Blessing, indeed. Just like everyone else here.¡± Instructor Hill said. There was something else in his words, just beneath. Jeremiah¡¯s eyes widened as he understood the Instructor meant. Your Blessing is strange, but I¡¯ve seen even stranger ones.

    Jeremiah couldn¡¯t help but hang his head. What an ego he had! In a small town, Jeremiah was a popular laughingstock to be sure, but in Seraph City? He was just another person with a superpower. And still, somehow, I made it on the waiting list, Jeremiah thought. He raised his head to face his Instructor. Because of him.

    Jeremiah slowed his speech in an attempt to speak as clearly as possible.

    ¡°Why me?¡± Jeremiah asked.

    ¡°Because I was curious,¡± Instructor Hill immediately answered. ¡°Miscellaneous students tend not to go far as superheroes, but I believe they weren¡¯t given the proper lessons to make the most of their abilities.¡±

    Instructor Hill looked back at the other two students. ¡°Those two lacked faith in their Blessing just like you. In fact, they probably still do. Don¡¯t expect them to think less of you for having an ability just as Miscellaneous as theirs.¡±

    Jeremiah remained silent, staring at his Instructor. He watched as Instructor Hill¡¯s eyes went glassy and without focus.

    ¡°Let your feelings of inadequacy push you to strive for a better self and a better tomorrow.¡± Instructor Hill murmured. Jeremiah recognized those words. Someone else said that, a long time ago.

    An old hero.

    ¡°M.G. Myriad?¡±

    Instructor Hill¡¯s eyes blinked back into focus as he smiled ruefully.

    ¡°A fan of his, Jeremiah?¡±

    ¡°Something like that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d have good taste to be.¡±

    A small sort of silence lingered for a moment, before Instructor Hill cleared his throat. As he walked over to a nearby bench he waved at Ashley and Isaac.

    ¡°You two! Jeremiah does not see a use for his Blessing in the rescue of this poor, unfortunate cat! Use your Blessings together and save the day!¡±

    The two joined up with Jeremiah who began to suck his stomach back in. Isaac, ever the helpful one, attempted to assist him.

    ¡°No worries, my man! I gotcha¡ªoh man that¡¯s heavy!¡±

    Before Isaac could snap his spine in half to lift Jeremiah¡¯s stomach, Jeremiah deeply inhaled his stomach, swallowing it in less than a second.

    ¡°Thanks for the help, but it¡¯s not heavy as long as I swallow it.¡±

    ¡°Aww, now you¡¯re all fat again,¡± Ashley mocked, causing Jeremiah¡¯s ears to turn red. ¡°Must be tough carrying such a heavy. . .¡±

    She faltered, apparently lost in thought. Jeremiah took it as a mercy and tried to strategize.

    ¡°The cat is tough, and doesn¡¯t want to leave the tree. . .¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Isaac said.

    ¡°Ashley might be able to pull her off, and Isaac is definitely fast enough to catch her. . .¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡±

    ¡°And¡­ All I can do is store items. . .¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°Can you help me out here, Isaac?!¡± Jeremiah snapped.

    Isaac pursed his lips, scratching at the birth mark on his forehead.

    ¡°What would Teach do?¡± He said.

    Jeremiah sighed. How was he supposed to know? Jeremiah wouldn¡¯t dare to try decrypting the thoughts of someone like that. But maybe he left some sort of hint for us? Jeremiah began thinking about the Instructor¡¯s excited outburst when he ejected his stomach. Something about. . .

    Jeremiah snapped his fingers, just as Ashley gasped.

    ¡°The weight!¡± They both said in unison.

    ¡°The wait for what?¡± Isaac said. ¡°What are we waiting for?¡±

    ¡°That stomach of yours is totes heavy,¡± Ashley said. ¡°And you can vomit it out pretty quick too.¡±

    ¡°And I don''t even feel it either,¡± Jeremiah added in. ¡°It¡¯s also incredibly tough. That¡¯s what they said in my physical when I joined, at least.¡±

    ¡°So if you, like, aim your stomach at the tree. . .¡±

    ¡°While you pull at the cat. . .¡±

    ¡°And I. . .¡± Isaac chimed in. ¡°Don¡¯t know where we¡¯re going with this, man.¡±

 Chapter Four: A Cat in a Tree II

    ¡°Ready?¡±

    ¡°Hella ready, my man.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready~¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jeremiah said, ¡°Go!¡±

    Ashley began pushing her arms out and pulling them back in a push-up motion. The invisible force of her Color-Kinesis began pulling at the cat¡¯s loose skin covered by black fur. The cat instantly sank its claws into the branch once more, barely batting an eye this time.

    ¡°Cocky jerk.¡± Ashley sneered.

    ¡°Ashley, do you think you can shake her around faster, more erratically?¡± Jeremiah asked as he approached the trunk of the tree.

    ¡°Totally!¡±

    Ashley grit her teeth in a much more ferocious expression, clashing with her doll-like appearance. The cat matched her ferality, angrily hissing as it began to swing back and forth with the branch. The giggling coming from Ashley as she did this was sort of scary, but Jeremiah ignored it. He looked to Isaac, who stuffed his pockets full of stones in case of emergency. They nodded at each other.

    ¡°You got this, my man.¡±

    ¡°I hope so, or this will get pretty embarrassing.¡±

    Jeremiah began scaling the tree. He silently thanked his childhood self for spending so much time by the river, away from everyone. He hadn¡¯t climbed a tree in a long time, but the expertise was still there. He made it to the branch in a matter of seconds, leaning against the trunk, hovering over the calico.

    ¡°Damn, Jeremiah! I thought you looked more like a toad, but all I¡¯m seeing is a tree frog!¡± Isaac cheered.

    ¡°Just get ready to shoot!¡±

    ¡°Born ready! Just do your thing, my man!¡±

    ¡°Can you, like, hurry? I¡¯m getting tired here!¡± Ashley whined.

    The cat was distracted by the tug of war with Ashley, but just as it gave a moment to notice the rotund human near its branch, Jeremiah had already ejected his stomach.

    Directly onto the branch.

    It snapped like a twig.

    With the branch becoming nothing more than a stick, and Jeremiah¡¯s stomach now affected by gravity, both cat and boy fell.

    It¡¯s all up to Isaac now, Jeremiah thought, closing his eyes as he fell. That¡¯s a scary fact.

    Jeremiah fell as gracefully as expected. His stomach hit the ground first, and his face landed on his stomach.

    Or so he thought. He opened his eyes, realizing he was being held. Jeremiah saw the Instructor, face twisted in exertion. He also saw Isaac holding the cat, doing his best not to get clawed in the face. And lastly, he noticed that Ashley was attempting to help Instructor Hill, the invisible force of her Blessing pushing up against his black slacks.

    As gently as possible, Instructor Hill placed Jeremiah down by his stomach and said, ¡°A bold strategy. A dangerous strategy. Possibly a suicidal strategy if you fell wrong, but a successful strategy as well.¡±

    Jeremiah hastily sucked in his stomach, breathing hard.

    ¡°Is that a good thing?¡± Jeremiah huffed.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, Jeremiah. But what I can say is, you did what you could. I cannot ask for anything more.¡± Instructor Hill smiled. ¡°But I will ask you to keep it up.¡±

    Ashley dramatically collapsed on the grass. Her makeup ran down her face like a death metal singer.

    ¡°Ugh, did we pass? I need to go home and, like, fix myself.¡±

    ¡°And I might need to get checked for rabies because this cat is hella feral, my man.¡± Isaac said, his head blurring as he dodged the claw strikes of the cat.

    Instructor Hill pulled out an archaic flip phone and dialed a number.

    ¡°The cat is acting up, could you bring it back to the neighborhood? Perfect, I appreciate it.¡± Instructor Hill promptly closed the phone and put it back in his pocket. Jeremiah and Ashley shared a look of bewilderment, until Isaac said, ¡°What the heck?¡±

    The cat was complacent now. In fact, it was calm and contemptuous again. It patted at Isaac¡¯s hand as if it were saying, That¡¯s enough of that, you can let me down now. Isaac, awestruck beyond belief, obeyed.

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    ¡°I said it was an opportunity,¡± Instructor Hill said, ¡°But not for me. It was an opportunity for you three to get acquainted with each other and your respective Blessings.¡±

    ¡°So. . .¡± Jeremiah said, just as awestruck as Isaac, ¡°That cat was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Being controlled, yes. I called in a member of my old class to help out. She can remote control animals from up to a mile away, seeing through their eyes as if she became the animal. Isn¡¯t it neat?¡±

    The trio couldn¡¯t find the words to respond.

    ¡°Well, that finishes Introduction and Team-building,¡± Instructor Hill beams as he scratches something off on his list. ¡°Now I have a list of chores for each of you all, made for using your Blessings for the sake of your community. Have at it!¡±

    He passes out a piece of paper to each student, the three of them still in shock but taking the papers nonetheless.

    ¡°Have them done and return to this spot in the next 8 hours! You don¡¯t want to miss curfew!¡±

    As the three of them shuffled away from Instructor Hill and out of Hunting Park, Jeremiah shared a distant look with Ashley and Isaac.

    ¡°Really, who is that guy?¡±

    <hr>

    8 hours later, the three were sitting side-by-side on a park bench facing away from the same tree that sheltered a mind-controlled cat earlier. The sunset peeked through the thick leaves of the tree that provided merciful shade for the future students.

    ¡°So,¡± Isaac said, the exhaustion sapping all spirit from his voice, ¡°What¡¯d you guys do?¡±

    He was answered with silence, interrupted only by the distant honking of cars and plane turbines leaving and entering Seraph City. The capitol that knows no rest.

    ¡°I did deliveries for a pizza place who couldn¡¯t get a delivery driver,¡± Isaac volunteered, ¡°That was kinda cool.¡±

    He sighed before taking a bite out of a cold pizza slice. The soggy cheese threatened to slide off, but Isaac smushed it back on.

    ¡°For the first hour, I guess. Then it got boring.¡±

    It was another moment of silence before Ashley said something.

    ¡°I painted walls all day,¡± Ashley said. ¡°Like, all day. The brush handles were black, so. . .¡±

    The two boys nodded.

    Then, Jeremiah spoke up.

    ¡°The deep freezer for an ice cream shop broke suddenly, so I kept the cartons cold. Didn¡¯t even know I could do that, so I guess that was cool.¡±

    ¡°Nice one.¡± Isaac said, still monotone.

    ¡°Nice what?¡± Jeremiah said, equally monotone.

    ¡°You said that was ¡®cool,¡¯¡± Isaac said. ¡°Like ice cream. Cool.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Another moment of silence.

    A snort from Ashley.

    A chuckle from Isaac.

    Suddenly the two were laughing hard. Jeremiah looked at the two by his side. He was about to ask what could possibly have been so funny, but as he moved his mouth, he realized he was smiling.

    He started laughing with them. They laughed until their eyes were wet.

    ¡°Maaaan, this sucks.¡± Isaac wheezed. ¡°I¡¯m laughing at a joke this lame?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t intended!¡± Jeremiah laughed, trying to catch his breath.

    ¡°O-M-G, that was not funny at all~¡± Ashley held her stomach.

    Eventually the laughter died down. They gradually remembered why they were there.

    ¡°Is he normally late?¡± Jeremiah asked.

    ¡°No way. His Blessing is probably being a super stiff.¡± Ashley replied.

    Jeremiah pursed his lips.

    ¡°You guys don¡¯t know his Blessing?¡±

    The blank stares from Ashley and Isaac answered the question. That¡¯s a new level of secretiveness, Jeremiah thought. Some Blessings weren¡¯t revealed to the public for all sorts of reasons¡ªespecially privacy¡ªbut for public Agents of T.H.R.O.N.E, that tends to only make them more suspicious and less approachable.

    Then again, Instructor Hill wasn''t an Agent.

    I¡¯ll try asking him when he gets here.

    Isaac suddenly shot up from the bench.

    ¡°Hey. Since he¡¯s not here yet, and we¡¯ve been valuable members of the community, why don¡¯t we treat ourselves?¡± Isaac said.

    ¡°To what?¡±

    ¡°I know this place that serves a good flan for cheap! Come on!¡±

    He began pulling at the two, who groaned in protest.

    ¡°Where do you get this energy from?¡±

    Once again, the trio left Hunting Park and made their way down the crowded streets of Downtown Seraph, painted orange and yellow by the setting sun.

    ¡°What do you think he¡¯s doing right now?¡± Jeremiah asked.

    ¡°You crushing on him or what, Froggy?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± Jeremiah cut his words short as he noticed Ashley¡¯s jeering expression transformed to confusion.

    ¡°Guys, stop.¡±

    He followed her gaze to the opposite sidewalk from them, separated by a busy street leading to a busier intersection. There was a man in all black, assailing an old lady. The man roughly knocked her onto the sidewalk. With her purse in hand, he began to run off, turning his back to the woman¡¯s cries. Is this seriously happening? Jeremiah thought.

    ¡°That¡¯s too cliche, man.¡± Isaac said, laughing nervously.

    ¡°No worries, I¡¯m already calling the cops.¡± Ashley pulled her flip phone from her own purse.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Isaac brought his hands over the phone.

    ¡°The heck do you mean ¡®wait,¡¯ idiot!¡± Ashley snapped.

    ¡°Like I said, man! It¡¯s too cliche.¡±

    Jeremiah narrowed his eyes, reevaluating Isaac in his mind.

    ¡°Isaac, you don¡¯t actually think. . .¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I do,¡± Isaac said, pulling out his slingshot. ¡°After the cliche ¡®cat in a tree¡¯ thing, Teach is doing the cliche ¡®thief steals granny¡¯s purse¡¯ thing.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I knew you were, like, stupid, but not this stupid.¡± Ashley said.

    ¡°Well, this idiot is gonna actually be a hero. Feel free to call the cops while Teach thinks of me first when he picks his students this year.¡±

    With those words, Isaac fired a pebble and blurred after the thief.

 Chapter Five: Chasing Motorcycles

    Isaac Lopez is a child that rushes into things without thinking. It is no surprise, with a Blessing like his. Taking the Ego Theory into account, I might ask myself this: Like the paradox of the chicken or the egg, Did Isaac¡¯s Blessing give birth to his personality, or vice versa?

    -Roger Hill¡¯s Notes

    This had to be the scariest game of Frogger that Isaac had ever played. Not that he wasn¡¯t having fun or anything. His Blessing felt like a thousand dopamine injections when he used it. The problem is, he was still speeding through Downtown Seraph during one of many rush hours.

    One wrong move, and it¡¯s Game Over.

    Isaac becomes paste.

    When he broke away from the other two, he would have caught up to the robber easily if not for oncoming traffic. Isaac followed the rock he fired, only canceling his Blessing right before the projectile hit the side of a moving truck. Isaac cursed as he watched the robber¡ªnow separated from him by two lanes congested with moving cars¡ªhop onto a motorcycle without a license plate.

    ¡°Come on, come on!¡± Isaac shouted, looking back and forth from the stoplights to the robber.

    As if answering him, the stoplight turned red. Isaac rushed down the crosswalk as the motorcycle revved up. Just a little closer!  Isaac let loose a clumsy rock at the back of the robber. A muffled grunt escaped the criminal, as he looked back with widened eyes at Isaac. The thief snapped his head forward and began zooming down the street.

    With Isaac on his tail, blurring at the exact same speed.

    Isaac¡¯s grin grew manic as the rush of using his Blessing swept through him. Now that he was in the zone, or as Teach called it, the ¡®Speed-Space¡¯ he could properly think of what to do next. The boy could never explain how it felt, but a runner¡¯s high couldn¡¯t compare to the clarity of his Blessing.

    I got three more rocks to sling, Isaac thought. As long as I have ammo I can keep chase if he breaks away from me, but I also gotta apprehend him. Then I¡¯ll pass the test.

    He didn¡¯t really know for sure if this was a test or an old-fashioned granny robbery, but it didn¡¯t matter. In fact, he was sure this wasn¡¯t a test anymore. That changed nothing, though.

    Isaac was going to be a superhero, and this was something superheroes do.

    With that in mind, Isaac readied his slingshot as he blurred behind the motorcycle and its rider. The robber hesitated before looking back to see Isaac somehow keeping pace with his ride, and visibly shivered before leaning in and speeding up. And of course, Isaac sped up as well. As they went further into Downtown Seraph, Isaac waited for his target¡¯s next move.

    What are you gonna do now, buddy?

    The robber did exactly what Isaac hoped against.

    He swerved onto the highway.

    Isaac suddenly remembered one of his first talks with Roger Hill. The guy was weird but he knew his stuff. In fact, Roger knew more about Isaac¡¯s Blessing than Isaac did.

    ¡°Your Blessing is extrasensory,¡± Roger said, ¡°There¡¯s a small field around you that allows you to activate your Blessing with anything inside that field.¡± He was scribbling in his notebook even then.

    ¡°Let¡¯s call it the Speed-Space for now. If the object whose speed you are copying leaves the Speed-Space, then you can¡¯t continue to speed along with it.¡±

    Isaac didn¡¯t see the problem.

    ¡°But Teach, how can anything leave the Speed-Space if I¡¯m always copying their speed? They can¡¯t outrun me if I¡¯m as fast as whatever I copy.¡±

    Roger sharply closed his notebook.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple, Isaac. You copy the speed of a chosen object in your Speed-Space, but you also copy its initial direction at the time it begins to move.¡±

    Isaac didn¡¯t take those words too seriously at the time. Why would he care if he couldn¡¯t make sharp turns? But now that he¡¯s chasing something that is more than capable of making sharp turns, Isaac finally took the lesson to heart. The Speed-Space wasn¡¯t visible but Isaac could feel the motorcycle leaving his grasp. What now, Isaac? We can¡¯t let this prick go!

    Isaac found himself wondering what Roger would do. A Blessing is only worth as much as you can squeeze out of it, Roger told him once. Strive to find more about it, so it can better serve you.

    With the last moment the motorcycle remained in Isaac¡¯s Speed-Space, he quickly loaded his slingshot and instead, fired alongside the bike rather than directly at it. Then, Isaac blurred after the rock.

    A Speed-Space within a Speed-Space.

    Genius, Isaac. Genius.

    The motorcycle slowed to enter the highway, giving Isaac enough leeway to move himself, and his Speed-Space side-by-side the robber.

    And he was still copying the speed of the motorcycle!

    Roger would have a fit right now if he saw this! Isaac thought.

    Now they were on the highway proper, and the two stared at each other, one with a look of triumph, the other with disbelief.

    ¡°Give it up, man! You aren¡¯t outrunning me!¡± Isaac shouted.

    ¡°The fuck is with you!¡± From the motorcycle helmeted robber.

    Isaac smirked through the sweat, but he was panicking. From what he felt in his pockets, he was running out of pebbles. Only a few more opportunities to change trajectory. The highway wasn¡¯t congested enough to stop vehicles, but it was busy enough for someone like Isaac to have multiple chances of getting splattered on a windshield. Still, he couldn¡¯t back down now. His Blessing bolstered his courage more than ever.

    The robber leaned in, speeding up on the highway. Isaac was only inches away from the robber. Isaac attempted to hit the brakes, but the robber caught on. Freeing a hand, the man threw out vicious backhand swings against the boy. To his dismay, he saw Isaac effortlessly bob and weave the attacks with the same speed he chased him with. To Issac, it was practically slow motion.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tire yourself out, man!¡± Isaac laughed.

    The robber cursed and attempted to ram the boy, but that didn¡¯t work either. Isaac maintained the same distance from him as long as his motorcycle maintained the same direction.

    As Isaac went for the brakes again, the robber went to ram him once more. Isaac figured he was getting desperate, until he realized the robber was smarter than he thought. There was a van to Isaac¡¯s left that the motorcycle was catching up to.

    No way. . .

    He was trying to crush Isaac against the van!

    ¡°Holy crap!¡±

    Isaac readied his slingshot and made a split-second decision. He canceled his Blessing, slowing down just as the motorcycle rammed against the honking van. Isaac watched as he narrowly escaped the spot where he would have been dented in the van. The robber lost control of his motorcycle with his maneuver and wiped out on the highway.

    Unfortunately, Isaac also wiped out with his own maneuver.

    Isaac covered his head as he skidded across the ground. The rough highway served no cushion for Isaac. This wouldn¡¯t be the first time he had to take a fall. He could almost feel when and where each bruise and abrasion on his body would appear: both elbows by tomorrow, left knee in an hour, upper thighs by the weekend, and definitely the tailbone by tonight.

    It¡¯s always the tailbone.

    ¡°Ow ow ow, this sucks!¡± Isaac yowled. He struggled to pull himself up and off the asphalt, rubbing at his new wounds. The van made a wise decision to keep driving, so Isaac faced the fallen criminal. Except the criminal wasn¡¯t on the ground anymore. He was back on his motorcycle, facing Isaac. The revving of the engine felt like a lion¡¯s roar. Isaac dove out of the way as the thief nearly ran through him. Already preparing to continue the chase, Isaac twisted mid-air and activated his Blessing.

    The danger of the situation wasn¡¯t lost on Isaac. He had this guy on the ropes, but that only made the criminal more desperate, more reckless. Now they were on the wrong side of the road, speeding against the rush hour. I¡¯m having too much fun, Isaac realized. He had never been able to chase a thrill like this. Just a little longer, until the thief gives up. Just let me enjoy this a little longer!

    And so Isaac readied his slingshot with a smile, following the motorcycle as it began to enter the horde of rushing cars. With a cacophony of honks, screams, and curses, Isaac and the criminal made a mess of swerving cars on the Downtown Seraph highways. There were a few close calls where Isaac had to break away from the motorcycle, dashing around cars in a combination of straight lines, like a Tron bike. As much as the thief tried, no matter what daring, nigh suicidal maneuvers he made to evade his pursuer, his rear view mirrors displayed a blurry brat with messy hair and a wide open smile.

    Isaac watched as the motorcycle swerved back onto the entry to the highway that started this adrenaline rush and gleefully followed. Looks like he¡¯s giving up. That sucks. I was just getting started.

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    The motorcycle slowed down, weaving through the streets. Isaac didn¡¯t even need to change trajectory with his slingshot. He could just cancel his Blessing, turn, and then activate again to keep up. Nearby, Isaac heard police sirens, which only boosted his skyhigh confidence.

    He followed the criminal to a concrete neighborhood near Hunting Park as the sun rested on the edge of the sky. The motorcycle pulled into a dingy, cramped alleyway. Isaac stopped just outside the entrance, listening to the motorcycle¡¯s engine cut off. He peered into the dim alleyway, barely getting a visual on the all-black thief. Isaac could almost feel the hatred coming from this guy with just his body language.

    ¡°Who are you with?¡± The thief asked, muffled anger bubbling from his helmet.

    ¡°Just a future Agent of T.H.R.O.N.E. snagging a Heroic Deed before classes start,¡± Isaac said, stretching. ¡°Nothing personal, man. Go ahead and sit tight for the police, yeah?¡±

    Isaac watched as the thief slowly pulled out a switchblade.

    ¡°Oh come on, man! You saw me dodge your hits earlier. That ain¡¯t gonna work.¡± Isaac smirked, doing his best to remain calm. Sure, he dodged those swings earlier, but that Speed-Space high is gone and there¡¯s a knife now.

    Once again, Isaac was looking at an early death. He really wished that adrenaline high could come back right about now.

    ¡°Keep talking, little shit.¡± The thief backed up into the shadows, and Isaac¡¯s jaw dropped as the criminal simply vanished. It was properly dark now, with the only source of light being a lamppost bleeding into the alleyway. Isaac suddenly felt cold as fear began to grip him.

    Of course the prick has a Blessing, Isaac screamed in his mind, This is a trap Isaac! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

    Isaac backed away from the seemingly empty alleyway in front of him, and felt his back against a wall.

    Except, it wasn''t a wall. He turned to face the thief, now behind him. The glint of the switchblade flashing in the near pitch black alleyway.

    Isaac managed to activate his Blessing, narrowly avoiding a slit throat by blurring backwards. Despite that, Isaac brought his hands up to his throat, eyes widening in panic. When he accepted that he wasn¡¯t a dead man just yet, Isaac had to dodge another brutal swing.

    Perhaps in a moment of hopeless resignation, Isaac put the pieces together. This alleway was so narrow, the motorcycle had little space to move around. Isaac could only back away from the switchblade as moving left and right wouldn¡¯t protect him. With two more swings, Isaac found himself backed against both the motorcycle and the dead end just behind it.

    ¡°H-hey. . . look! I¡¯m not really an Agent of T.H.R.O.N.E! I¡¯m just a thrill-seeker. I won¡¯t tell anyone a thing!¡± Isaac began to blabber, shocked at how scared he was. Shocked at how his bravery seemed to be nowhere in sight. This isn¡¯t happening, not when I was finally being a hero!

    Isaac suddenly wondered how painful it was to be cut to death, to be stabbed and gutted. Why would he wonder now, when it was about to happen? Now, even without his Blessing activated, everything felt in slower motion than ever before. As he watched the thief prepare his swing, Isaac solemnly decided he wasn¡¯t cut out for this kind of work.

    As if in agreement, sirens erupted from just around the corner of the alleyway.

    ¡°Shit.¡± The thief said, monotone.

    Once again, Isaac watched the thief back away and disappear into the darkness. Isaac tensed up for a moment, but he soon realized the thief had booked it, leaving the motorcycle behind. Not like he really needed it. Isaac slowly sank against the wall, paying no mind to the puddle of who-knows-what he found himself sitting in.

    In a few seconds, the source of the sirens were just at the alleyway. Isaac averted his eyes as red and blue lights painted the once dark alleyway.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here!¡±

    Isaac¡¯s shock was quickly overwritten by confusion. That¡¯s a pretty young sounding cop. . .

    Squinting through the bright lights, Isaac didn¡¯t see a cop car with a uniformed officer. He saw a boy his age on a cheap bike with an amp and a light bar attached. The dark-skinned kid with a military haircut hopped off the undersized bike, folding his arms as he pierced Isaac with an unearned aura of authority. In fact, this stick-in-the-mud, bossy, militant behavior was oddly familiar to Isaac.

    ¡°Wait, do I know you?¡± Isaac muttered.

    ¡°Huh? Don¡¯t answer my question with a question!¡± He barked, furiously rubbing at his buzzcut. ¡°I heard a scuffle going on around here! You do know this neighborhood has a curfew, right?¡±

    ¡°How could you even hear. . . wait!¡±

    Isaac suddenly shot up from his spot on the ground. He remembered this military brat! This was the same guy that yelled at me for my haircut back when I registered at Myriad! Small world.

    ¡°No way! Thomas, is that you?¡±

    ¡°I said stop answering my questions with a¡ª¡± Thomas¡¯ outburst was quickly snuffed out as he recognized Isaac. Isaac felt a rush of relief. Not that he was saved, but that he recognized someone. It felt like the soundest proof that he was alive.

    ¡°Man, it is you! Yo, I have never been so happy to see that stiff face you got!¡± Isaac found himself grabbing onto Thomas, who dwarfed him by several inches.

    ¡°Hey, let go of me! Don¡¯t think this act of yours is getting you out of this!¡±

    Isaac looked at him innocently.

    ¡°Out of what?¡±

    Thomas almost looked happy to list all the infractions Isaac has made.

    ¡°First of all, you live on Myriad High grounds but you¡¯re offbase well past curfew, you have clearly been in some kind of fight, and¡ª¡± Thomas gawked at the motorcycle.

    ¡°I can actually explain.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the same motorcycle they described on the police scanners!¡±

    ¡°I said I can explain, man!¡±

    By the faroff gaze in Thomas¡¯ eyes, Isaac could tell he wasn¡¯t even listening. It was the same look he had when Isaac first got a talking-to from him.

    ¡°Underage driving? With a stolen vehicle? And no license plate?¡± Somehow, Thomas seemed the most distraught about the last one. Isaac sighed as he remembered one last thing about Thomas. The kid¡¯s a one man volunteer neighborhood watch. Thomas somehow managed to brag about that as he chastised Isaac¡¯s messy hair.

    ¡°I¡¯m notifying the authorities.¡±

    ¡°Man, let me explain! I was chasing a thief and I cornered him here, and then he somehow disappeared and then uh, reappeared and um,¡± Isaac stumbled over his words, ¡°And then I was cornered and almost died, but we heard sirens and so he disappeared again because he thought the cops were here but it was you!¡± Isaac inhaled a shaky breath, nearly running out of air. He realized he was blinking back tears, and hoped it was too dark for Thomas to notice.

    Thomas'' face relaxed as he tried to understand Isaac¡¯s panicked ramblings and just shook his head. He slowly pried Isaac off of him and sighed.

    ¡°Calm down, Isaac. I¡¯m calling the cops, but not on you. You don¡¯t fit the description of the thief. You¡¯ll just have to answer some questions at the P.D.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll still get destroyed by Myriad, though.¡±

    Thomas sighed again, a sign of actual sympathy.

    ¡°Yes. Most likely.¡±

    Isaac nodded. This was okay. It was fine. Getting kicked out of Myriad High might be for the best. Isaac already knew he was an idiot, but today he learned he was also a glory-hound, and needed a speed-high to not be a coward. Sure, he was green, but Isaac could tell he was practically cannon fodder in a horror movie. The kind of guy who dies early just so the audience knows the bad guys are no joke.

    Instead of keeping pace with this and getting himself killed, maybe he should quit while he was ahead.

    ¡°Well, go ahead and call¡ª¡±

    The two both jumped at the sign of screeching tires. Startled, the two watched as a van pulled up, blocking the entrance to the alleyway. Isaac instantly noticed the side door sported a sizable dent. No way. . .

    The side door opened, and Isaac saw two more people he knew. Jeremiah and Ashley scrambled out of the door. Jeremiah nearly fell on the way out, narrowly dodging the responsibility of being Ashley¡¯s floor mat. They both clamored around Isaac.

    ¡°Are you ok? Where¡¯s the thief?¡± Jeremiah began simultaneously checking for wounds and checking for hostiles.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ever do something like that again,¡± Ashley shouted. ¡°You could have totally died!¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I know.¡± Isaac softly replied. He hung his head low. If these two are here, so is Roger.

    With a slam of the car door, Isaac¡¯s teacher loomed over him. Isaac kept his eyes low, staring at Roger¡¯s shoes. Thomas seemed prepared to speak, but the beginning of his words petered out quickly. Jeremiah and Ashley also went still and silent.

    ¡°To be honest,¡± Isaac mumbled. ¡°I did all of this expecting a different ending.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Roger¡¯s voice was softer than normal. Isaac couldn¡¯t tell if it was meant to comfort or intimidate. There was a soothing menace to his tone.

    ¡°Yeah. I told them I thought it was a test, but I figured a Heroic Deed would have convinced you I deserved to be in your class.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    The silence maintained in the alleyway became unbearable after a moment. The silence was eventually broken.

    Broken by laughter.

    Roger Hill laughed with enough mirth to brighten up the alley alone. Roger tousled Isaac¡¯s hair and patted his shoulders.

    ¡°Goodness, if I knew bravery was this easy to find in the new generation, I¡¯d figure criminals wouldn¡¯t dare to try anything in this city!¡± Roger continued laughing.

    ¡°Teach?¡± Isaac asked.

    ¡°When I ran into your two peers, they were screaming about you chasing a thief! Now, I cannot say I was purely confident in your safety, but I didn¡¯t expect to hear of a highway chase on the police scanners! And the stunt you pulled to stop yourself from being rammed into this van? Excellent!¡±

    ¡°Teach. . .¡± Isaac found himself pleading.

    ¡°Hm? What is it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, man.¡±

    Roger¡¯s smile disappeared. He nodded.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be. I¡¯m sorry for being late.¡± There was genuine remorse in Roger¡¯s voice that nearly got a physical reaction from Isaac. The guilt didn¡¯t disappear. It only grew. I¡¯ll make this up to you, Teach. Isaac thought.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time for this day to come to an end, yes? Hop in, you three.¡± Roger began walking back to the van.

    ¡°W-wait, Instructor Hill!¡± Thomas stammered. His voice quickly shed its authority now that there was actual authority. Roger turned to face the boy, reeling back in surprise. He acted as if he only just noticed Thomas¡¯ presence.

    ¡°Why, is that Thomas? A pleasure seeing you again!¡±

    ¡°Sir, Isaac is a witness to a robbery with a criminal still on the run! Don¡¯t you think he needs to deliver a testimony to the S.P.D?¡±

    ¡°How is your father doing? He won¡¯t answer my calls anymore. Did he change his number?¡±

    ¡°Well, he¡¯s doing fine but please don¡¯t answer my question with another question!¡± Thomas whined.

    ¡°Oh, and how come you didn¡¯t show up for Waiting List Training?¡± Roger asked.

    The trio gasped.

    ¡°You¡¯re Miscellaneous?!¡± They shouted in unison.

    Thomas made a small sound while stifling his embarrassment and outrage. His perfect posture ended as his shoulder shot upward, his fists clenching.

    ¡°I¡¯m too busy making sure my neighborhood is safe!¡±

    And not having to deal with Teach¡¯s weird methods, huh? Isaac thought.

    ¡°I see.¡± Roger sounded disappointed. ¡°Well, you can always show up when you are ready! I¡¯m sure your peers would be quite impressed by your Blessing.¡±

    It looked as if Thomas didn¡¯t plan to give up just yet, but a strange cawing came from above the alleyway. Isaac jerked his head up, but didn¡¯t see a bird or anything on the rooftop. Thomas seemed to exhale slowly, then his posture drooped.

    ¡°Alright, alright. Fine.¡± He squeezed past the van and sullenly rode his bike down the street, muttering to himself about things being ¡®out of regs¡¯ and ¡®unsat.¡¯

    As the Waiting List Classroom piled into Roger¡¯s van, Isaac sank against the seat and closed his eyes.

    Slow and steady wins the race.

    That had to be the dumbest saying Isaac had ever heard.

    Until now.

    Isaac knew he had to dial it back. Those were the last words he heard as he let the exhaustion he ignored for hours finally take over.

    Dial it back. . .

 Chapter Six: To Catch an Adversary

    Telekinesis is a type of Blessing highly regarded for its versatility. But how can one use a superpower that is paradoxically as versatile as it is specific? The answer is a highly analytical mind, a perceptive mind. Ashley Baker fulfills these conditions easily.

    -Roger Hill¡¯s Notes

    In a quiet room inside Central Seraph Police Station 3, Ashley lounged in an uncomfortable chair. She stared at the countless bracelets adorning her from the beginning of her wrists to the end of her forearms. The variety of colors became twin rainbows on her arms, where she can run her telekinetic hands across, feeling for her lucky color.

    This was supposed to be part of her morning routine; finding Today¡¯s Color. Instead, she was rushed off campus¡ªoffbase, technically¡ªto be questioned as a witness to yesterday¡¯s fiasco.

    The cause of all this piped up from her left.

    ¡°Hey, Ash? You ain¡¯t mad at me though, right?¡±

    Ashley remained silent as her invisible hands gently sorted through the options.

    No reds today, which is alright since red isn¡¯t too common.

    ¡°C¡¯mon man, I said I was sorry!¡±

    But gray and white aren¡¯t working either.

    Maybe blue? Nope.

    ¡°They¡¯re probably just gonna ask us some lame premade questions and we can leave. Right, Jerry?¡±

    On Ashley¡¯s right, Jeremiah stumbled over his words slightly. This distracted Ashley. After all, Jeremiah is a pretty distracting looking person.

    ¡°W-well, we d-definitely aren¡¯t suspects?¡± He replied, sounding like he asked a question. Ashley paused her daily routine to side-eye Jeremiah, who had remained as silent as Ashley until now. His eyes bounced from Isaac to Ashley as he attempted to placate her, small beads of sweat trickling down his ruddy cheeks.

    Ashley took a moment to decide what to call this sight.

    She settled on one word.

    Adorable~.

    This big, sweaty frog was adorable when he was nervous.

    Wait a sec, Ashley thought, Frog. . .

    Ashley looked back at her bracelets and ran a telekinetic hand over the green bracelets. Finally, the intangible hands managed to grip something in the physical world. She smiled at Jeremiah, who didn¡¯t seem any calmer from it.

    ¡°Thanks, Froggy~.¡±

    ¡°Uh, no problem?¡±

    It was Isaac¡¯s turn to swivel his head from Jeremiah to Ashley and back. He braved a grin and raised a hand for a high-five.

    ¡°Well, I dunno what that was but does this mean you aren¡¯t m¡ª¡±

    ¡°Still mad.¡±

    Isaac was quickly interrupted as Ashley¡¯s telekinetic hands removed the green bracelet from her wrist and pulled it as taut as possible just before launching the bracelet, efficiently nailing the target, being Isaac¡¯s birthmark. Isaac whimpered as he clutched his forehead.

    ¡°Oww! That¡¯s way more painful than it should be!¡±

    Before Ashley could deliver some ruthless reply, the door to the soulless room swung open.

    And in comes Detective Clark, with Roger close behind.

    When Roger Hill told the three who they were meeting with, they were definitely expecting something else. This was supposed to be Thomas¡¯ father, so Ashley expected a grown up version of Thomas. Same level of uptightness but a little more maturity and common sense.

    From the look of things, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case.

    Detective Clark¡¯s skin and eye color was the only similarity between him and his son. He had the face of a brute: untamed eyebrows, unkempt stubble, a once broken nose, and lastly, a deep scar that stretches from his forehead through his military high-and-tight haircut. Ashley noted the same level of roughness applied to his clothes. His heavy beige trench coat was stained with a toss up of either coffee stains or dried blood. Ashley definitely wasn¡¯t going to ask, so she tried her best to ignore it.

    It was decided right then and there.

    Detective Clark was a terrifying guy. Roger¡¯s serene, near jolly expression behind the detective was almost infuriating in comparison. Ashley realized she was suddenly sitting up in perfect posture. So were the other two.

    ¡°Apologies for the wait, everyone. Detective Clark here was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s make this quick.¡± Detective Clark said. His way of talking was curt and deep. Another difference between him and his son. Roger simply smiled and shrugged at his interruption.

    ¡°You already know what happened. Now let me tell you why you¡¯re here. Some idiot steals an old lady¡¯s purse. And then another idiot chases after the first idiot. On a populated highway, risking a pileup of innocent lives.¡± With each sentence, Detective Clark bores his eyes further into Isaac¡¯s head. Isaac barely managed not to sink under the table.

    "Isaac, your intentions were certainly admirable,¡± Roger said, ¡°But there are rules, laws, and other hoops to jump through when using your Blessing to fight crime.¡± Ashley couldn¡¯t help but sense insincerity from Roger¡¯s tone.

    Almost like he was reading from a script.

    ¡°Instead of jumping through them, you broke them.¡± Detective Clark said, ¡°We got you on unauthorized use of your Blessing in a public space as well as government property.¡± He snorted. ¡°Hell of a first entry to your record, kid.¡±

    Isaac¡¯s lips trembled into a nervous grin. He was incessantly scratching at the birthmark over his eyebrow.

    ¡°Yeah. Sorry.¡±

    Detective Clark grit his teeth and continued.

    ¡°With the mishap of yesterday, the precinct can¡¯t put this under the radar anymore. The higher ups need something to show for this. We don¡¯t have a suspect in the station, but we got witnesses.¡±

    The trio visibly flinched. Being involved as witnesses to the crime committed would be proof that they were not only involved in some shady business, but it may as well be a signed confession that they broke curfew. Roger covered for them with a convenient half-truth about extracurricular lessons, but if they learn Isaac specifically chased after the thief?

    Forget the three of them. Even Roger would probably have to resign.

    ¡°Detective.¡±

    Detective Clark turned to face Roger. So did everyone else. Everyone noticed the icy tone Roger adopted all of a sudden. Of course, the serene smile persisted, but his eyes narrowed into slits.

    ¡°It is in the interests of Director Hunt that future students of Myriad High do not go on record as witnesses in any criminal investigation. Relations between T.H.R.O.N.E. and Seraph City¡¯s police should be maintained to the best of our ability.¡±

    The bland room suddenly felt like a warzone. The trio shared looks between each other, wondering if they should make a run for it.

    ¡°Right, Clark?¡± Roger continued, pressuring a response from the detective.

    Detective Clark smiled without a hint of mirth. A wolfish grin.

    ¡°And what do you expect me to do, Instructor? I couldn¡¯t care less about some purse thief. You want to wave threats around? Bring it up to the Commissioner.¡±

    Roger chuckled.

    ¡°That would be counterintuitive, I think.¡± Roger then feigned a look of epiphany. ¡°How about this?¡±

    He leaned in to whisper in Detective Clark¡¯s ear, who was now staring back at the three kids. Then, his eyes widened. He quickly left the room with Roger, who spared a wink to the trio and a gesture to wait a moment.

    A few seconds of silence. Ashley used her telekinetic hands to tug at the rest of her green bracelets in an attempt to calm down.

    Forest, sage, olive, jade, moss¡ª

    Isaac leaned in and whispered, ¡°Hey, did I hear that right? Teach just said future students, right? Does that mean we¡¯re in?¡±

    Jeremiah just sighed, giving an exasperated smile. Isaac¡¯s lack of tact eased the tension somewhat. Not that it didn''t keep Ashley from wanting to launch all of her bracelets at his birthmark like a bullseye.

    Before she could enact justice, the two adults returned. This time, Detective Clark had a much more reserved look on his face, while Roger, now smiling giddily, snuck a thumbs up to the trio from behind him.

    Ashley didn¡¯t know what that meant, but a wave of relief washed over her. Whatever Roger did, they were probably going to be okay. When she first met him, she thought the plain Instructor was some kind of kindergarten teacher who got lost and wound up at Myriad High by accident.

    One thing she knew for sure was that he knew what he was doing, and she could at least count on that. Unconventional thinking or not, he was an Instructor through and through.

    The other thing she knew for sure is that he¡¯s really, really weird. Which means there might be a catch here.

    ¡°Change of plans,¡± Detective Clark grumbled, ¡°You are no longer needed as witnesses.¡±

    Isaac stupidly let out a sigh of relief.

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    Ashley did her best not to smile. Like I thought, Roger knows what he¡¯s doing.

    ¡°Um, Mr. Detective,¡± Jeremiah muttered. ¡°The way you say we aren¡¯t needed as witnesses. . .¡±

    Ashley¡¯s lips spread thin.

    Wait, Froggy¡¯s right. Detective Clark didn¡¯t say they were free to go. She shot a glance towards Roger, who met her with a twinkle in his eyes.

    Detective Clark confirmed her and Jeremiah¡¯s suspicions.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You aren¡¯t needed as witnesses, but as assistants. Help Central Seraph in finding the culprit, and you all are free to go.¡±

    Ashley¡¯s head slowly sank into her hands.

    Like I thought, Roger¡¯s really, really weird.

    <hr>

    ¡°Returning to the scene of the crime? Makes sense.¡± Isaac declared.

    They returned to the cramped alleyway from the previous day. The smell of urine and trash ruined Ashley¡¯s already sour mood. But she couldn¡¯t scrunch her face in disgust. It would only mess with her cosmetics.

    ¡°But the motorcycle guy didn¡¯t steal from that lady here.¡± Jeremiah said.

    ¡°Yeah. . . but my almost-murder happened here!¡±

    With a clap of his hands, Roger began to speak in his jovial, teacherish tone.

    ¡°You three! Fighting crime is more than just subduing the criminal. Police departments are still more than relevant, and when they¡¯re after a suspect who they believe to be using a Blessing to commit crimes, T.H.R.O.N.E Agents will be dispatched alongside them.¡±

    He gestured towards Detective Clark.

    ¡°When you graduate from Myriad High, you¡¯ll most likely be working side-by-side with officers or detectives like Mr. Clark here.¡±

    Detective Clark scowled.

    ¡°Consider this a one-day internship. I¡¯d never ask for the assistance of kids if it wasn¡¯t for your crooked Instructor.¡±

    While Roger laughed off Clark¡¯s rudeness, Ashley tugged on her Instructor¡¯s sleeves.

    ¡°Teach, what do we have to do to get out of here? It stinks!¡±

    ¡°Right, right. I¡¯d like you three to form a theory. Answer this question: How did the suspect seemingly disappear from this alleyway?¡±

    He waved his hand down the alleyway, like an auctioneer showing off a prized artifact.

    ¡°This is a dead end of an alleyway, the wall at the end being part of the building on the other side of the block, which is easily over 20 feet tall. The alley is also incredibly narrow, no wider than 5 feet.¡±

    Surprisingly enough, Detective Clark chimed in from the entrance.

    ¡°The motorcycle was left behind, but the stolen items such as the lady¡¯s purse are gone as well.¡±

    Surprised by the detective¡¯s cooperation, Roger stayed silent as the Detective continued with the details.

    ¡°Footprints of both Isaac and the suspect have been found, but only Isaac¡¯s are shown leaving the alleyway. There¡¯s no sign of the suspect somehow climbing the walls. That¡¯s all from me.¡±

    ¡°Well there you have it, kids. The detective and I will be having a chat right outside the entrance to the alley,¡± All of a sudden, Roger stared intently at Ashley.

    ¡°When you have a well made theory, let us know.¡±

    And with that, the odd teacher and the grumpy detective retreated to the entrance.

    ¡°They are like, totally making us do their job.¡± Ashley complained.

    ¡°Man, I shoulda read more detective books growing up.¡± Isaac said.

    ¡°You can read? No waaay~¡±

    Knowing he was the fault of all of this, Isaac sighed as he took the verbal attack.

    ¡°When you think about it, this could be a valuable experience,¡± Jeremiah said. ¡°How many of our peers could say they helped in an investigation before graduating? We¡¯re already ahead!¡±

    Ashley and Isaac were equally put off by Jeremiah¡¯s sudden enthusiasm. Noticing this. Jeremiah cleared his throat.

    ¡°W-well um, anyways. Any ideas so far?¡±

    Whatever Roger is planning, I better give him what he wants so we can get this over with.

    Isaac spoke first, as always.

    ¡°It¡¯s gotta be invisibility! The guy straight up vanished right in front of me and then he was right behind me! When he thought Thomas¡¯ bike lights were the police, he turned invisible and got the heck outta there!¡±

    Isaac suddenly looked grim as he recalled his close brush with death.

    But there¡¯s something wrong here, Ashley thought.

    ¡°But there¡¯s something wrong about that.¡± Jeremiah said.

    Ashley smiled.

    ¡°You have an idea about his Blessing, Froggy?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. Isaac, you said he disappeared, then reappeared behind you?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah. I had him cornered, then all of a sudden I couldn¡¯t see him. Right after that, he was behind me and then I was cornered! Cruel world, man.¡±

    Ashley shook her head as she remembered what Roger told them. It is also incredibly narrow, no wider than 5 feet.

    ¡°We saw this guy before you chased after him. He was totally buff, not some scrawny kid. If he turned invisible, you would have bumped into him in this super narrow alleyway when he got behind you.¡±

    Isaac tilted his head like a confused puppy.

    ¡°Ohhhhh. Well there goes my idea.¡±

    Jeremiah adjusted his glasses as he spoke.

    ¡°His appearance behind you after disappearing still happened, even if he didn¡¯t turn invisible. It¡¯s very possible we¡¯re dealing with a suspect with the Blessing of Teleportation.¡±

    Isaac gawked.

    ¡°Wait, but isn¡¯t that rare? Why would a guy with a Blessing like that spend his time with small-time stuff like stealing purses?¡±

    Jeremiah shrugged, but his face still seemed troubled. Ashley once again understood why. There was still something wrong here.

    ¡°Wondering why he didn¡¯t teleport from the beginning, Froggy?

    He nodded.

    Isaac scowled as he looked between the two.

    ¡°Now what? You guys gotta stop with this weird smart people telepathy thing and just say it all out loud!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just. . .¡± Jeremiah sucked his already thin lips in. It bunched his cheeks up, like a ribbiting frog.

    Cute.

    ¡°If this suspect can teleport, why¡¯d he go through all the trouble of coming here?¡± Jeremiah said. ¡°Couldn¡¯t he have teleported the very moment he stole from the old lady? Why use a motorcycle as a getaway vehicle when you are the getaway?¡±

    Isaac made an attempt to contribute.

    ¡°Maybe he didn¡¯t want anyone to know he was teleporting? I hear you never want your enemies to understand your power and stuff.¡±

    ¡°Or,¡± Ashley said. ¡°He has limits on his teleportation ability.¡±

    The trio went silent as they mulled over the possibility.

    ¡°We need more details.¡± Ashley spoke up.

    ¡°I think so too.¡± Jeremiah agreed.

    ¡°Teach wanted theories, and we have some. We don¡¯t have to have the right answer.¡± Isaac said.

    Ashley thought about the pointed look Roger gave her. This was a test, She thought. They probably already have the right answer. Roger, you suck.

    With those thoughts, she stomped over to the entrance, the other two scrambling to follow her.

    Ashley found the two where they said they¡¯d be and hesitated to move further. The two spoke in low voices and dour expressions. Detective Clark looked incredulous and condemning, while Roger¡¯s expression was icy and tight-jawed. As they noticed the three, their expressions evaporated to normal. It happened so fast that Ashley dismissed it as a misinterpretation on her end.

    ¡°That was fast! You have a good theory for us, I hope?¡±

    Isaac and Jeremiah looked reluctant, but Ashley, with her hands on her hips, looked at Detective Clark.

    ¡°Can you, like, answer a few questions for me, pretty please?¡±

    Detective Clark raised an eyebrow, smirked, then nodded as he stomped out a cigarette.

    ¡°Go.¡±

    ¡°Okaaaay. This was an ongoing investigation right? So that means he¡¯s done this a lot, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Okaaaay. Has he ever robbed someone before sundown?

    A wolfish smile crept upon the detective¡¯s face.

    ¡°No. He robs exclusively after sunset and before sunrise.¡±

    Bingo, Ashley.

    ¡°Alright~ I know the answer to how he did what he did.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What would that be?¡± Roger asked, a suddenly hungry glint in his eyes.

    Ashley inspected her acrylic nails, clicking them together.

    ¡°He shrinks.¡±

    ¡°Huuuuuuh?!¡± Jeremiah and Isaac shouted in unison.

    Roger placed a hand on his chin.

    ¡°What led you to this conclusion?¡±

    Ashley jabbed a thumb at the alley.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be invisibility, because Isaac would have most likely bumped into him as he got behind him. Also, if he could turn invisible, why go through the work of getting behind him instead of just stabbing him up front?¡±

    Roger nodded.

    ¡°I accept that deduction. But why not teleportation? That could explain how he got behind Isaac despite being right in front of him.¡±

    Ashley shook her head. He doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s teleportation either. He¡¯s just setting up obstacles for me. Lame.

    ¡°Why the motorcycle, then? He totally wouldn¡¯t need that if he could teleport.¡±

    ¡°That goes for your shrinking theory as well, doesn¡¯t it? Why use a motorcycle when he can just become the size of a bug and hide?¡±

    Detective Clark chuckled harshly as Ashley continued.

    ¡°Because, Roger. He can¡¯t do it all the time. It¡¯s why he robs specifically when the sun is going down. I bet he can only shrink when it''s super dark.¡±

    Isaac facepalmed in realization.

    ¡°Oh snap, that¡¯s why he got me into that car chase! He was just stalling for time to lead me into a dark alleyway.¡±

    ¡°That way, he gets the upper hand over Isaac as well as a chance to evade capture. . .¡± Jeremiah¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°It all checks out, Ashley!¡±

    Ashley watched as Jeremiah¡¯s opinion of her changed in his eyes. She wondered why she smiled so dumbly.

    ¡°The girl and I share the same theory.¡± Detective Clark said. ¡°I can also confirm that at the very least, he didn¡¯t show up on the rooftop with some sort of Blessing either.¡±

    ¡°Huh? How do you know that?¡± Isaac asked.

    ¡°Because I was there that night.¡±

    In a blink of an eye, Detective Clark¡¯s form broke down, melting like slime. His entire body, clothes and all, morphed into that of a large crow. Ashley muffled an eep! with her hands as the trio flinched at the sudden transformation. It flew onto Roger¡¯s shoulder, who winced a little at the bird¡¯s harsh grip.

    ¡°Might need those claws ironed down a bit, Detective.¡± Roger said.

    With an overexaggerated gasp, Isaac pointed at the crow.

    ¡°Wait, that bird noise last night was you?!¡±

    The crow responded with a caw.

    ¡°The police force benefits greatly from an eye in the sky like the detective here.¡± Roger explained. ¡°Detective Clark used his Blessing to follow after his son last night, and didn¡¯t see the suspect escape via the rooftops.¡±

    Attempting to play off her astonishment, Ashley fumbled with her hair as she changed the subject.

    ¡°Soooo, anyway! We¡¯re done here right? Can we go home, Roger~?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± Roger looked at her with childlike confusion. ¡°But we haven¡¯t caught the suspect yet?¡±

    While Ashley hung her head, Isaac pumped his fist, before wrapping an arm around Ashley and Jeremiah each.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it, man! We¡¯ll catch this guy for real this time. Legally, too!¡±

    ¡°Wait, but isn¡¯t this dangerous? He pulled a knife on you!¡± Jeremiah whined.

    ¡°Well, yeah that¡¯s true. But now we got numbers!¡±

    Roger, while attempting to pet the evasive head of the crow named Detective Clark, pointed towards the surrounding neighborhood.

    ¡°With our current theory, we can try to get some confirmation from previous victims of this crook. We¡¯ll solve this crime by the end of the night!¡±

 Chapter Seven: Out Comes the Switchblade

    Unfortunately, the case started to go cold.

    For the next four hours, the group had scoured the nearby neighborhoods of Central Seraph, gaining clues that forced them in a tug of war for a deduction. Some say the thief would steal and then run away, while others had watched as he rode off on a motorcycle. Some even described a different type of motorcycle as well. Ashley wracked her head until she felt it would fall off, and found herself in a circle of contradicting accounts and groundless conclusions.

    They took a small break on the curb of a gas station. It seemed like Ashley was the only one exhausted by then. She hated asking the same questions. Usually, she would either be given an answer or figure it out herself. But how is she supposed to know where this guy would strike next? This is the worst.

    ¡°It seems that you¡¯re giving this as much thought as I hoped you would.¡±

    Roger sat down next to her.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re happy, Roger.¡± Ashley replied sullenly. Don¡¯t make a face, Ashley. The makeup will come off.

    ¡°I am. Things are going better than expected.¡±

    ¡°Even though we totally can¡¯t figure out where he¡¯ll go next?¡±

    ¡°Mm-hm.¡±

    Ashley sighed.

    ¡°Ashley, you say ¡®we,¡¯ but I haven¡¯t seen you confer with Jeremiah and Isaac yet.¡±

    Can anything make this guy happy?

    ¡°Like, why should I? I¡¯m the only one who figured out the shrinking theory anyways.¡±

    Unable to contain a glare, she shot an accusatory look.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that why you were staring at me? You were testing me, trying to see if I could figure this out.¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I was testing you for.¡± Roger shot back in an empty tone. His face betrayed no emotion as well.

    Ashley tried to form a sentence but stopped, her mouth slightly open. Even if she could speak, Roger stood up and rejoined the group a few steps away. Ashley found herself staring at the ground. She never was much of a team player, was she? Especially in the thinking side of things. Ashley was always smarter than she looked, more eloquent than she spoke, and more dignified than she acted. It was a strategy that led her to being a solo thinker.

    Of course she failed Roger¡¯s test.

    ¡°No freaking way!¡± Ashley raged. She stomped at the ground a couple times and then pointed a long-nailed finger towards Jeremiah and Isaac.

    ¡°You two! Over here! Team meeting!¡±

    The two looked at each other with faces resigned to their fate. They took too long, so Ashley dragged them aside herself. They huddled together, their heads pressed against each other as if to squeeze the answers out by force.

    ¡°I¡¯m kinda at a loss here, so any ideas would be totes helpful right now.¡± Ashley admitted. Somehow, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders.

    ¡°Huh? Looks like the crazy-smart chick actually¡ª¡±

    Before Isaac could dig his grave, Jeremiah cut in.

    ¡°Well I¡¯d love to help, but what exactly are you at a loss in?¡±

    Ashley bit her lip. A lot of things, Froggy.

    ¡°Lemme guess, why Shrinkman uses a motorcycle in some crimes and in other crimes he doesn¡¯t?¡± Isaac asked.

    ¡°Yeah, actually. Wait. . .¡±

    Ashley and Jeremiah squinted at Isaac.

    ¡°Shrinkman?¡± They asked in unison.

    ¡°Shrinkmaaaan.¡± Isaac reassured. ¡°Real catchy, right? Gets the point across.¡±

    Ashley shook her head. Jeremiah laughed just enough to politely get the conversation back on track.

    ¡°Anyways, I can see the issue. Figuring out his motive is the key to figuring out where he¡¯ll go next.¡± Jeremiah said.

    ¡°When I chased him, we didn¡¯t come back to where we started, but I did chase him back down the highway,¡± Isaac said. ¡°Maybe he has a territory? He hasn¡¯t committed any crimes outside of Central Seraph, right?¡±

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t exactly narrow it down.¡± Jeremiah said. ¡°Central Seraph is the largest part of Seraph City. The real question is: Why would he come back when he could have just driven far away from where he robbed the old lady?¡±

    ¡°For some reason he feels that he needs to come back here.¡± Ashley pondered.

    ¡°Sounds like he¡¯s got some kind of hideout. Orrrr maybe he just lives here?¡± Isaac half-joked.

    ¡°Ah, maybe he¡¯s got some kind of vendetta!¡± Jeremiah exclaimed. ¡°It explains why every victim says he steals small stuff like purses. He just wants to provoke the police!¡±

    ¡°Like an attention grabber?¡± Ashley wondered. It explains the stereotypical purse robbing.

    ¡°Hey, not to get off track, but I was thinking about my cinematic chase scene and something kinda clicked.¡± Isaac said.

    Ashley and Jeremiah looked at Isaac with exhausted expressions.

    ¡°How much you wanna bet this Shrinkman only uses a motorcycle when it isn''t dark yet?¡±

    Now, their jaws were hanging open. Isaac couldn¡¯t comprehend their shock, and assumed the worst.

    ¡°What? I¡¯m trying to contribute, man!¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just. . .¡± Ashley faltered. Fine, Roger. I get it. Lesson learned.

    ¡°Let¡¯s try to confirm this somehow!¡± Jeremiah said, an excited glint in his eyes.

    ¡°I know just where to go, my guys.¡± Isaac stood proudly, dramatically raised a hand, then pointed it directly at the sliding door of the store¡¯s entrance a foot away from them.

    ¡°It¡¯s snack time!¡±

    They entered the convenience store. It was both a place of business and a home, the latter being built directly above the former. Happy Takakura was apparently a well-loved convenience store and candy shop that¡¯s been around for decades. The sleek, almost soullessly clinical interior you would expect of a convenience store did not exist here.

    The trio found themselves in a collage of different shades of brown wooden shelving and racks that held a rainbow assortment of candies Ashley both recognized and never seen before. She couldn¡¯t read or pronounce half of what was for sale. A sign by the entrance stated ¡®A candy from every country!¡¯

    Now that when she was inside, Ashley remembered seeing the place on social media. If she wasn¡¯t so busy, she would have pulled out her phone and¡­

    A small idea formed in her head. Ashley scanned the store for a green phone case. Meanwhile, Jeremiah fought to stir himself from the overstimulation, while Isaac sauntered through the rows of candy, selecting his go-tos like a true regular. By the time Ashley found a green case (it was olive green, but she didn¡¯t have time to be picky), she met the other two at the register.

    Isaac proudly struggled to hold his lot, while Jeremiah was empty-handed and uncomfortable. The register was seemingly unmanned. In fact, it was strangely empty for a place so supposedly popular. Where was everybody?

    ¡°What, you two ain¡¯t getting any? Anyways, this is the chick we¡¯re here for.¡±

    ¡°Um, who, exactly? I don¡¯t see anyone at the. . .¡± Jeremiah faltered as he looked over the counter.

    It looked like a child was seated at a chair for a grown man¡¯s stature. Without staring over the counter, all you could see is the height of her jet black topknot. The girl wore an unfriendly leather jacket and an even unfriendlier grimace.

    When she realized Jeremiah couldn¡¯t see her due to her unfortunate shortness, she stomped onto the chair with brutal combat boots, now roughly passing their height from behind the counter. She loudly crunched a lollipop while popping her knuckles in sync.

    There was no doubt.

    This disgruntled girl was the reason for the low clientele.

    ¡°This girl here is June Takakura, poster child of Lucky Takakura,¡± Isaac said, nodding his head in greeting to the little grump. ¡°¡®Sup, June. That one¡¯s Ashley, and that one¡¯s Jeremiah.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t act all friendly with me, Ballsaac. They¡¯ll get the wrong idea.¡±

    She made this scathing remark, while sizing them up. Isaac didn¡¯t react. A symptom of prolonged exposure, Ashley figured.

    ¡°The fuck do you guys want?¡±

    Jeremiah winced at the profanity coming from such a small, innocent-looking girl. Ashley spent a moment trying to figure out where she recognized her from.

    ¡°You¡¯re, like, a Myriad High student, right?¡±

    June nodded. She began ringing up Isaac¡¯s countless candies.

    ¡°Yeah. Only made it to the Waiting List, though. Bullshit if you ask me.¡±

    ¡°Check it, June. We¡¯re tracking down a thief in the neighborhood with those two guys outside,¡± Isaac said. ¡°You got some juicy info, man?¡±

    He was leaning forward with a hand blocking his mouth as if Ashley and Jeremiah weren¡¯t allowed to hear. June¡¯s face darkened. She shut her eyes, and Ashley could¡¯ve sworn a crack appeared on the scanner June was using.

    ¡°If it¡¯s the piece of shit stealing random stuff and being a showoff, I don¡¯t think I got anything special for you.¡±

    ¡°Did he steal from you too, girl?¡± Ashley asked.

    ¡°Yeah. From my pops. His own chocolate-infused sake recipe, bottled up and everything.¡±

    June scoffed.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t touch the register or nothing. Just the bottle. Shithead.¡±

    That checks out, Ashley thought. Jeremiah¡¯s theory of the thief being an attention seeker is making more and more sense.

    Ashley listened as Jeremiah swallowed his fear in order to speak to the miniature delinquent.

    ¡°W-well, when did this happen, if y-you don''t mind asking?¡±

    June scowled hard enough to give Detective Clark a run for his money. Maybe that¡¯s why Roger needed them to ask previous victims? If the Detective met June, it would be like an unstoppable force hitting an immovable object. Death of the universe. June¡¯s response managed to remove Ashley from her amusing thoughts.

    ¡°It was right before closing time. We close at 8.¡±

    Isaac swiped his card as he chimed in.

    ¡°Wait, you were there, June? Why didn¡¯t you just beat him up?¡±

    Ashley side-eyed Isaac. Beat him up? Her? She can¡¯t ride a rollercoaster but you think she can beat up a grown man?

    ¡°Because he disappeared, jackass!¡± June slammed the counter. Isaac raised his hands like an animal trainer attempting to calm a rabid beast. Surprisingly, June attempted to steady her breathing rather than be further enraged by Isaac. She shook her head as she scanned Ashley¡¯s new phone case.

    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you piss me off more than you do by default, Ballsaac. I¡¯m done letting you play detective in my store.¡±

    ¡°Hey, sis! Just one more thing, alright~¡± Ashley hastily jumped in. ¡°Isaac won¡¯t say anything else. In fact!¡± Ashley nodded to Jeremiah, then the door. Thankfully, Jeremiah took the hint and ushered Isaac out of the store.

    ¡°But what did I dooooo?¡± Isaac lamented as Jeremiah took him away.

    June regarded Ashley with a new look. Maybe something like respect? Or maybe June was more cooperative when Isaac wasn¡¯t around? He totally has that effect on people.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°How did he disappear, and where?¡±

    June pursed her lips, looking up at the ceiling.

    ¡°I chased him out the convenience store. But he disappeared in the alleyway next to the store, in between the building on the right of this one. It¡¯s a deadend too, so the fuckhead used a Blessing or something.¡±

    Suddenly, a breakthrough.

    ¡°Ok, I know I said one more question, but for realsies this time!¡± Ashley was nearly boosting herself onto the counter with enthusiasm.

    ¡°How many dead end alleyways exist in this neighborhood?¡±

    ¡°How the hell am I supposed to¡ª¡± June shook her head, too bothered to commit to the meanspiritedness. ¡°Two maybe? The one next door and the one near the prissy neighborhood on Hunting Boulevard, I guess.¡±

    Hunting Boulevard? Ashley thought. Like Hunting Park? That has to be the one Isaac chased him into!

    Ashley paid for the green phone case and thanked the little grump.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you when the school year starts?¡± Ashley asked.

    ¡°If that weirdo Instructor means what he says? Maybe.¡± June said with a smirk.

    Ashley returned the smile, and left Lucky Takakura while switching out her overly bedazzled phone case with her recent purchase. She tried to ignore Roger¡¯s knowing smile that greeted her outside, and failed miserably.

    ¡°Is there a retake for this test, Roger?¡±

    ¡°The test wasn¡¯t over.¡±

    ¡°Lame~¡±

    Roger chuckled while Detective Clark approached her as well. Before he could ask, Ashley answered his unspoken question.

    ¡°If Shrinkman does his thing today, I know two spots where he might disappear.¡±

    The dour detective and the strange Instructor shared a brief look of amusement.

    ¡°Shrinkman?¡±

    From afar, Isaac reassured the two.

    ¡°Shrinkmaaaaan.¡±

    <hr>

    Standing on a rooftop overlooking the neighborhood, Ashley held a device no larger than a child¡¯s fingernail in her palm. The gadget was a tracking device given to the trio before they split from the two adults.

    ¡°Normally,¡± Roger had said, retrieving the devices from a duffel bag. ¡°These are used for the sake of training during your second year, but our situation called for its use.¡± The trio watched as he pressed the nearly paper-thin tech to the collar of his button-up shirt. Then, Roger showed them another tool from Myriad High. It looked like a heavy metal compass, and shared the same size. Their Instructor pressed one of two buttons below the screen, and what looked like a digital map of Seraph City came into view. A single green dot appeared on the radar.

    ¡°These radars are specifically linked to the trackers here. It tracks at an approximate 25 mile radius. If you see the crook, tail him but do not engage. Contact us as you follow him, understood?¡±

    The trio nodded, Isaac more so than others. Ashley saw a fiery look in his eyes, but had nothing to say.

    What could she even say?

    Now, he was peering down the building, a foot resting on the edge.

    ¡°Nothing more iconic than a superhero looking down from the rooftops, man!¡± Isaac said.

    ¡°You¡¯re, like, gonna give us away if you keep shouting.¡± Ashley muttered.

    ¡°And you¡¯ll fall if you aren¡¯t careful!¡± Jeremiah pleaded.

    Isaac snickered as he retreated safely, saying, ¡°Alright, alright.¡±

    ¡°Anyways,¡± Jeremiah said. ¡°What Isaac said earlier today has a lot more credence with this.¡± He held up the tracker.

    ¡°Maybe we really are future Myriad students in everything but name? He just handed us some expensive-looking high-tech gadgets like it was normal.¡±

    Ashley and Isaac shook their heads.

    ¡°The thing about Roger is. . .¡± Ashley started.

    ¡°He¡¯s weird.¡± Isaac finished.

    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s weird. From what I hear, he¡¯s totally a freewheeling kind of teacher.¡± Ashley said. ¡°Even this ¡®Waiting List¡¯ program is a random Roger thing.¡±

    Jeremiah seemed to mull over their words as Isaac brought up a good question.

    ¡°Myriad¡¯s supposed to be the best Principality in the country, right? How¡¯d a guy like Roger get a job there?¡±

    A moment of silence arrived and quickly left, as strong wind blew past them on the rooftop. Though she was curious about a possible answer to Isaac¡¯s question, Ashley continued to stare down at the streets below. The sun was setting and the streets were far from busy.

    If Shrinkman is coming, it¡¯s now or never.

    ¡°The main instructors are all retired Agents, famous ones too.¡± Jeremiah said. ¡°But I don¡¯t recognize Roger from anywhere. Did he ever talk about his career before Myriad?¡±

    ¡°Nah.¡± Isaac said.

    ¡°What about where he¡¯s from?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    ¡°Friends and family?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    Jeremiah huffed. ¡°Then what¡ª¡±

    ¡°Boys,¡± Ashley interrupted. ¡°He¡¯s here.¡±

    Isaac and Jeremiah instantly ended their talk and sidled up to Ashley, peering over the railing together. It was the same burly looking person. All black clothing with no skin in sight, completed with that jet black motorcycle helmet from before. The helmeted man walked down the street as if he owned it. There were only a few people on the street, one of them being some sort of businesswoman rushing down the sidewalk.

    Slowly, Ashley stuck the adhesive tracker to the back of her phone.

    Like watching a trainwreck in slow motion, the trio witnessed Shrinkman close in on the lady.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope this works.¡± Ashley said as she raised her phone up. Ashley¡¯s telekinetic hands lifted the phone up gracefully. If Today¡¯s Color is green, then as long as what she manipulates is attached to something, it¡¯ll be moved as well.

    ¡°You two, boost me up!¡± Ashley whispered. ¡°And don¡¯t let go!¡±

    Jeremiah and Isaac hurried to hoist her over the railing. Ashley watched as Shrinkman began to loudly accost the woman, grabbing her purse with one hand and shoving her with the other. There was no way Ashley was going to tail a crook like him on foot. Instead, she¡¯ll plant the bugged phone in the woman¡¯s purse. Currently, her phone lowered from the roof as softly as a feather. Ashley¡¯s invisible hands slipped the phone into the loose compartment of the purse just as Shrinkman turned to escape, leaving the woman screaming at him on the ground.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Ashley shouted, then clamped her hands over her mouth. Jeremiah and Isaac lowered her down. She pointed at Isaac, who held the radar gadget.

    ¡°Turn that on.¡±

    They watched as the rader flipped on, and in the middle of the top-down map, the dot steadily moved west, the very same direction their criminal had gone.

    ¡°Ash. . .¡± Isaac said. ¡°You did it. . .¡±

    A small celebration happened on that rooftop. They whooped and hollered, jumping up and down and sharing high fives, before remembering that a crime had been committed just below them. After clearing their throats and cooling their heads, the three began descending the side-alley staircase.

    ¡°Isaac, give Roger a call and tell him we got Shrinkman bugged.¡±

    ¡°Gotcha!¡±

    As Isaac began relaying the message to Roger over the phone, they made it back to ground level. Ashley ached to get her phone back, but it was worth it as long as she got into Myriad. Four years of military academy for an easy transition to a career with money, travel, and easy retirement? Ashley thought. No day jobs for me~

    Ashley¡¯s thoughts of a comfy future came to a halt as Jeremiah spoke up. He had a wavering voice when he tried to raise it, but even now, the nervousness was more apparent than ever.

    ¡°Uh, guys?¡± Jeremiah asked. ¡°He¡¯s not supposed to be going here, right?¡±

    He showed the radar off once again, and what Ashley saw was far from planned.

    ¡°Wait, that ain¡¯t an alley, Ash!¡± Isaac exclaimed.

    ¡°I can see that!¡± Ashley barked, feeling a headache coming on. ¡°It¡¯s, like, one of those buildings that didn¡¯t finish construction or something.¡±

    The dot from Ashley¡¯s phone no longer moved. It was still in the center of what looked like an abandoned building with equally abandoned construction equipment surrounding it. It was barely two blocks away.

    ¡°Could it be Shrinkman¡¯s base of operations?¡± Jeremiah asked.

    ¡°What if. . .¡± Ashley wondered. ¡°He knows we bugged him, and left the phone there?¡± The thought terrified her the moment it escaped her lips. When I¡¯m this close? No freaking way! Roger told them to trail Shrinkman, but Ashley thought planting a bug was a better idea. But now, the plan is blowing up in her face. She couldn¡¯t slip up in front of Roger twice today.

    She yanked Isaac¡¯s phone from his hands. With recent thoughts of ambition flooding through her mind, she made her decision.

    ¡°Roger, we think he¡¯s onto us, so we¡¯re gonna go back to the original plan to tail him ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Ashley,¡± Roger replied, with the sternness of an elementary teacher no one respected. ¡°I understand you are invested in this, but if he truly knows¡ª¡±

    ¡°You said we¡¯ll catch him tonight, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ashley¡¯s voice cracked. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna be the reason this doesn¡¯t work!¡±

    She hung up before Roger could reply, and pushed the phone to Isaac¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    <hr>

    Ashley could tell Isaac was scared, as well as Jeremiah.

    She was scared too.

    At the front of the construction site, they inspected the outside area, hoping to catch a glimpse of their suspect leaving the scene. Of course, they saw nobody. Jeremiah kept his eyes on the radar, noticeably trying to keep a steady hand and failing.

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t moved since. The tracker is still in the middle of the building.¡±

    Isaac, with grit teeth and clenched fists, approached an unfinished window and peeked through.

    ¡°Looks like there¡¯s nobody there, but it¡¯s pretty dark so. . .¡±

    Isaac turned on the flashlight on his phone, and held it through the window. He rapidly swiveled it around, back and forth, expecting someone to appear out of nowhere.

    Once again, nobody. Ashley felt a small bit of tension subside. But her pride had taken a beating. Her gambit failed. They watched a crime occur and had nothing to show for it. Some heroine-in-training I am, Ashley thought. She began stomping up the stairs, beckoning for the other two to follow.

    ¡°Keep the flashlight on, Isaac. We totally need to at least find the tracker. It''s probably super expensive.¡±

    In the barely-illuminated building, Ashley found her phone instantly, the green case serving as a rough contrast to the dusty concrete foundation. She picked it up, grimaced at the new crack on the screen, and sighed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just wait outside for Roger.¡± Ashley muttered.

    As they turned to leave, Isaac turned the flash towards the entrance they came from. And springing from the darkness as the flash illuminated him, appeared the suspect.

    Shrinkman was right in front of them.

    The trio stopped in their tracks, facing the man who blocked their escape. The one they called Shrinkman stood motionlessly, arms to his side. Ashley suddenly felt her heartbeat ringing through her ears and her blood running to ice. She kept her eyes on the crook, but she could almost tell that Jeremiah and Isaac went through the same feelings.

    Shrinkman cracked his neck and rounded his shoulders, whatever expression he had obscured by that motorcycle helmet. In a raspy, bored voice, he spoke.

    ¡°That tracker¡¯s real high-tech.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think you really are from T.H.R.O.N.E.¡±

    And with a click and a glint in the darkness, out came the switchblade.

 Chapter Eight: They Call Him Shrinkman

    Q: Major General, What do you think decides the outcome of a fight between Blessed?

    A: Some will give a longer answer, but this decides everything: do you know more about the opponent¡¯s Blessing than they know about yours?

    -M.G. Myriad interview, published post-mortem.

    ¡°So what happens now?¡± Shrinkman uttered behind the helmet.

    Jeremiah¡¯s mind felt empty. Too fast, He thought. This is happening way too fast!

    Jeremiah was supposed to go through years of training and classes before this. He was supposed to know his Blessing inside and out, like it was an arm or a leg. He was supposed to be in some kind of fighting stance right now.

    He was supposed to be ready!

    But why would people like the man in front of him wait for that?

    Isaac and Ashley were by his side, equally motionless.

    ¡°W-what h-happens now,¡± Jeremiah stuttered, his breath escaping him, ¡°Is that we w-wait for the cops to show up.¡±

    In the corners of his eyes, Jeremiah¡¯s peers reacted to his words with a start.

    Isaac slowly loaded a pebble into his slingshot, while Ashley¡¯s telekinetic hands lifted up her phone.

    That¡¯s right, guys. There¡¯s hope. They¡¯re coming for us.

    ¡°Am I supposed to be scared now?¡± Shrinkman swiveled his knife between the three. ¡°I¡¯ve got three hostages right here!¡±

    With that, Shrinkman lunged at Jeremiah with his free hand, aiming for his collar. Jeremiah cried out and stumbled backwards.

    If I get grabbed now, it¡¯s over!

    In the nick of time, a small thunk accompanied a pebble as it collided against Shrinkman¡¯s helmet. Simultaneously, Isaac shoulder charged Shrinkman from his right as he blurred after the rock. It was ineffective, barely knocking Shrinkman to the side, but it managed to stop the man from grabbing Jeremiah.

    Shrinkman regained his balance instantly, and changed targets as he swung at Isaac, light reflecting off the clean sheen of the sharpened edge. As expected, Isaac could not be touched. Unlike the alleyway, it was an open area. There was no cornering him here. Meanwhile, Ashley enabled the flashlight on her phone and kept it floating close to Shrinkman, preventing his Blessing from activating.

    ¡°Isaac! Keep him busy!¡± Ashley shouted.

    Jeremiah heard a stifled ¡°Got it!¡± between high-speed bobs and weaves. Ashley turned to Jeremiah with a scrunched face.

    ¡°Froggy, grab a weapon or something,¡± Ashley whispered. ¡°Isaac can¡¯t do this forever.¡±

    Jeremiah nodded, and began frantically searching the room. Without any light to call his own, Jeremiah could barely see a thing. Still, he strained his eyes as hard as he could. The sound of the fight behind him and his thumping heartbeat threatened to steal his focus. Nearly tripping on it, Jeremiah found a misplaced steel rod near a corner of the room. Jeremiah couldn¡¯t contain his relief as he picked it up. It was heavy but it would have to do. Just before he was about to return, Jeremiah doubled back when he saw what was sitting on the unfinished window sills.

    Buckets of paint.

    Ashley jumped as Jeremiah returned, dropping a bucket of green paint next to her. She shook her head in disbelief at first, but in no more than a second, her eyes widened in understanding. Jeremiah gave a nervous smile as he hefted up the iron rod and turned to charge the criminal.

    As Jeremiah closed in, he could tell that both Shrinkman and Isaac were tiring themselves out. Jeremiah stood just outside of the range of combat, and finally felt that trepidation once again. It felt as if another world was a step in front of him. A world he never understood, and yet gravitated towards ever since he thought of becoming a hero.

    But if he didn¡¯t step into that world right now, how much longer would Isaac last in it?

    Not for long.

    Shutting his eyes, Jeremiah bellowed as he leapt forward, using the momentum to level the iron rod above his head and slamming it down upon Shrinkman. A muffled scream erupted from Shrinkman. Jeremiah opened his eyes to see his weapon had struck his opponent¡¯s shoulder. Somehow, a rush of disgust and almost sympathy had begun to plague Jeremiah. Get over it, Jeremiah screamed in his mind. He deserves this!

    ¡°Fuck!¡± Shrinkman cursed as he moved to hold his shoulder. Isaac took this chance to back away towards Ashley, who shouted for him to come to her. Jeremiah tightened his grip on the rod, preparing to strike again.

    But he hesitated.

    Now, Shrinkman faced him with bloodlust beyond his helmeted face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t need three hostages, do I? You fat bastard.¡±

    Once again, Jeremiah felt the pressure of another world. He attacked Shrinkman from behind, like a common thug. But now, they both faced each other. Jeremiah won¡¯t get a clear shot like that again.

    But he didn¡¯t need it.

    ¡°Green is the new black, Shrinkman!¡± Isaac shouted.

    Shrinkman turned, swinging his knife as he expected Isaac to be ambushing from behind. His knife found nothing. Floating above him, was a hastily painted green bucket. It tipped over in mid-air, coating him in the exact same color. Shrinkman¡¯s helmet visor quickly became useless.

    Jeremiah regained his composure and swung again, landing a hit on the same place as last time and eliciting a screech from Shrinkman. If I can bust his shoulder, Jeremiah shook off the nausea, The knife won¡¯t be a factor.

    But he was neither lucky nor strong enough to pull that off. With his free hand, Shrinkman freed himself from his helmet. The man was surprisingly young-looking, and couldn''t be older than a college student. His hair was matted and unkempt, and his expression was just as scornful as Jeremiah had felt. The man leapt backwards, gaining precious distance from Jeremiah. Rubbing his damaged shoulder, he looked at his stained clothes, then to Ashley.

    ¡°You got telekinesis, huh?¡± Shrinkman laughed. ¡°Over green stuff?¡±

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°You¡¯re like, a little off.¡± Ashley said. ¡°It¡¯s over things that look green~¡±

    With those words, Ashley grunted as she threw her right hand upwards. The realization dawned on Shrinkman just as he was lifted by his once-black leather jacket and slammed onto the ceiling. It was like gravity was reversed for him and only him. Clearly exerting herself, Ashley swung her raised hand down with a shout. And so, Shrinkman detached from the ceiling and was flung back down to the floor.

    ¡°It worked. . .¡± Jeremiah muttered, then he shouted. ¡°It worked!¡±

    Ashley forced a labored smile as she prepared to do the same thing again, but her eyelids began to flutter. She held her head and moaned, teetering to the side. Isaac managed to catch her and prop her back up.

    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on Ash?¡± Isaac said.

    ¡°Totally. . . never lifted something that heavy on my own. . .¡± Ashley groaned.

    As exhaustion took her, Ashley¡¯s control over her phone and Shrinkman lessened. They both shook rapidly in the air before dropping to the ground. Worst of all, the phone landed on its back.

    The building quickly returned to darkness.

    Shrinkman began to stir from the ground. He craned his head up¡ªblood trickling down his forehead¡ªand a violent grin spread as he realized what had happened. In that singular moment, Jeremiah had a split second to respond. Their advantage had disappeared, and the phone was too far away for Jeremiah to reach. If Shrinkman activates his Blessing, it would all be for nothing. He would disappear.

    But then, Jeremiah remembered.

    They never found any physical trace of Shrinkman in that alley. No belongings of his, including the stolen goods. Which means¡­

    Jeremiah swallowed his saliva and dived onto Shrinkman, desperately grabbing for his jacket. Just as Jeremiah got a grasp on his opponent, his vision began to blur. The world became darker. The far-off lights from neighboring buildings had become even more distant. For a brief moment, it felt as if Jeremiah was falling. His stomach lurched, cursing him with near instant nausea.

    It soon stopped. Jeremiah saw that the pebbles that once littered the ground by his feet were now boulders that could easily stand at his shoulders. It worked! Jeremiah thought as he continued to clamber over Shrinkman. Jeremiah placed a knee to Shrinkman¡¯s previously wounded shoulder. It worked as intended. Shrinkman began flailing and cursing, futilely swinging his knife around on the floor.

    ¡°Stop your Blessing and give up!¡± Jeremiah shouted. ¡°We could both get hurt at this size!¡±

    ¡°Get off me, fat fuck!¡± Shrinkman replied.

    Jeremiah sighed. I should¡¯ve expected that.

    ¡°Fine, plan B it is.¡± Jeremiah muttered.

    Most Blessings are deactivated upon loss of consciousness. Shrinkman should be no better. But just in case, Jeremiah will put it to the test. Jeremiah tilted his head up, and activated his Blessing. He loudly retched and ribbited as his stomach began its escape. Hearing the grotesque sounds, Shrinkman¡¯s flailing came to a stop. He watched in horror as an impossibly engorged stomach fell from the boy¡¯s throat.

    ¡°Oh, what the fu¡ª¡±

    A horrific crunch sounded out for only Jeremiah to hear. Shrinkman went limp. Just like that, the Blessing came to an end. The same effects happened in reverse. The distant lights came closer and Jeremiah felt as if he were being pulled into the sky. Though his stomach was regurgitated, he felt it lurch nonetheless. Isaac¡¯s faroff voice grew louder and louder.

    ¡°Jerry, where¡¯d you go my¡ªOw!¡±

    Jeremiah grew back to normal size, and in doing so, headbutted Isaac from below. Isaac reeled back, whimpering as he held his mouth. Ashley, who Isaac supported with a shoulder, had to keep both of themselves from falling backwards.

    ¡°Oh, uh, oopths.¡±

    ¡°My. Man!¡±

    Shrinkman was motionless, save for the deep snore of a wholly unconscious man. Jeremiah¡¯s so-called Plan B move was so improvised he barely understood what he was doing until after his stomach was out. Thank the Myriad for intuition, I guess.

    Ashley looked down at Shrinkman.

    ¡°You got him.¡± She said blankly.

    Jeremiah crouched as he prepared to heave his stomach back into his mouth.

    ¡°Yeah, I geth I did?¡±

    Ashley beamed through watery eyes.

    ¡°You totally got him!¡±

    Jeremiah hesitated at Ashley¡¯s expression, slowly and awkwardly returning his stomach to its rightful place. Jeremiah failed to remember a single time he was ever looked at the way Ashley did right now.

    Was this look of gratitude what all heroes get?

    But of course, Jeremiah. He thought. It¡¯s why you¡¯re doing this.

    The sudden guilt forced him to turn away from her.

    ¡°You guys, uh, did good too. I don¡¯t think I would have won alone.¡±

    ¡°You might be right, but dropping a stomach on his head?¡± Isaac threw up a sign of the horns.

    ¡°Freakin metal, Jerry! And Ash over here? Painting his clothes green to throw him against the ceiling? 1000 IQ, my man!¡±

    Jeremiah smiled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you weren¡¯t important either, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Ashley said. ¡°Only your speed could go, like, toe-to-toe with him. If you weren¡¯t there to stall him, we¡¯d be donezo~¡±

    Isaac grinned stupidly.

    ¡°Well, I guess I am the best, huh?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky.¡± Ashley said as she jabbed him in the side. The three laughed away the adrenaline, and exhaustion came after. The urge to have this day finally come to an end was unbearable.

    ¡°They should be here soon, but I¡¯ll give Roger a call to let him know we¡¯re ok.¡±

    Jeremiah nodded. To think I took down a criminal. . .

    ¡°Do ya think we¡¯ll get a Heroic Deed for taking ol¡¯ Shrinkman down?¡±

    ¡°Good question,¡± Jeremiah said, turning to where Shrinkman laid. ¡°This is supposed to be off the books but¡ª¡±

    Jeremiah froze.

    Shrinkman wasn¡¯t there. There was nothing but a tiny pool of green paint and drops of blood.

    ¡°Ashley, turn your phone¡¯s flashlight on and spin it in a circle now!¡± Jeremiah shouted.

    Ashley fumbled with her phone, enabled flash, and tossed it in the air. Her telekinetic hands quickly spun the phone, shining down upon the ground. They watched as the form of Shrinkman sprung out in the light. A few feet away from where he once lay unconscious, Shrinkman glared through the blood and dirt. Jeremiah saw what he did to the man. His nose was terribly shattered, giving him no other option than breathing raggedly through the mouth.

    Another obvious truth was made apparent. Jeremiah will be doing that to many other criminals in the future. Maybe even worse¡­

    Though he was far from being at full strength, Shrinkman still held the knife, swaying side to side with his weapon.

    ¡°Fuck the plan, fuck all of it! I¡¯ll gut you little shits. . .¡± He muttered.

    Shrinkman¡¯s slurring, hateful words brought Jeremiah¡¯s focus back. There was no time to think about what comes later. Worrying about what he could have done better will have to wait. Jeremiah wielded the metal rod once again. What was his best option? He didn¡¯t know. Ashley couldn¡¯t pull off what she did earlier. Isaac could only stall him out.

    What else is there to do than fight him head on?

    But then, another light shone from behind Shrinkman.

    ¡°Gut them? That would be terrible, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    Shrinkman woozily turned to face the man behind them. Jeremiah¡¯s hands and legs gave out. His knees hit the ground in tandem with the iron rod. Isaac laughed incredulously, like he couldn¡¯t believe his luck.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time~¡± Ashley said.

    Instructor Hill, halfway over an unfinished window, waved to everyone. His eyes glazed over the three, treating Shrinkman like something less than an afterthought.

    ¡°It looks like you three are unharmed. That¡¯s great!¡±

 Chapter Nine: Consider Yourselves Enrolled

    Shrinkman spit pink saliva onto the concrete.

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°Me.¡± Instructor Hill sweetly responded. However, his expression as he regarded Shrinkman was anything but friendly. Jeremiah suddenly felt worried for the life of this criminal. But could Instructor Hill really do anything? Jeremiah thought. A guy like him?

    The other Instructors of the Main Halls of Myriad had years of accolades and Heroic Deeds to convince any evildoer to surrender, but Instructor Hill? He could easily be mistaken as a normal school teacher.

    ¡°Ashley, Isaac, Jeremiah? This lesson is very early, but opportunities like these are rare.¡± Roger made it fully into the building, wiped his slacks of dust, and cracked his knuckles. Shrinkman, delirious as he was, could tell that Roger had become the main priority. He gripped his knife with newfound vitriol, and began to slowly approach Roger.

    ¡°Superpowers or not, hand-to-hand combat cannot be ignored. Especially when you want to apprehend criminals rather than killing them.¡± Instructor Hill straightened up as if at attention. Despite being merely steps away from Shrinkman, he continued to look past him towards his students.

    ¡°I would never recommend fighting someone with a weapon while being unarmed yourself. A single slash or puncture can severely injure or kill the average person.¡±

    By the end of his sentence, Shrinkman was already in range, slashing towards his neck. But Instructor Hill leaned into a fall just before, boosted off the ground and rolled back to standing over his three students. What just happened? Jeremiah wondered in shock. It¡¯s like he knew he was going to do that! In Shrinkman¡¯s already dazed state, the disappearance of Instructor Hill stunned him for a moment.

    Instructor Hill wiped himself off once again, and inspected his students.

    ¡°The green paint. . .¡± Instructor Hill said.

    ¡°Yeah, Today¡¯s Color is green.¡± Ashley replied.

    ¡°Incredible!¡±

    ¡°It was Froggy¡¯s idea, not mine.¡±

    Instructor Hill gave two thumbs up to Jeremiah.

    ¡°And his broken nose, would that mean. . .¡±

    ¡°Jerry dropped his stomach on him!¡± Isaac blurted.

    ¡°Incredible! Ah, wait. The lesson. Watch closely.¡±

    Instructor Hill turned to face Shrinkman, who just realized what had happened. Shrinkman cursed and charged, moving to stab rather than slash. This time, Instructor Hill took the initiative. He cleared the distance between himself and Shrinkman by leaping forward. Shrinkman¡¯s look of shock was quickly obscured by Instructor Hill¡¯s shoes, as the mild-mannered teacher knocked him flat on the floor with a dropkick. The trio sat in awed silence.

    As Shrinkman thrashed on the floor, holding his ruined face, Instructor Hill gave a few crumbs of knowledge to his jaw-dropped students.

    ¡°Going to grab the enemy¡¯s knife opens you up quite a bit. If you fail to do so, It¡¯s likely the enemy will strike exactly where he wanted, likely being your torso. The legs have more reach and more power, so make use of them when possible. Unfortunately, it also requires you to succeed in landing a powerful blow to your enemy. Yes, unarmed combat against weapon-wielding enemies is far from optimal.¡±

    He smiled at the trio.

    ¡°Luckily for me, my chances of winning this fight are much higher thanks to you all.¡± Instructor Hill said. He strolled over to Shrinkman, who has found himself on the floor far too many times tonight. Before Shrinkman could use his knife, Instructor Hill pressed his foot on the shoulder previously wounded by Jeremiah.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to give up, friend. You see those lights don¡¯t you? Let go of the knife.¡±

    Jeremiah noticed red and blue lights slowly covering the building. The sirens weren''t blaring, which made sense, since this was a Blessing Related Crime. If T.H.R.O.N.E. was directly involved, cop cars would not even be used in response to BRCs.

    Shrinkman¡¯s eyes darted around in recognition. He then smiled and managed to spit bloodied saliva onto Instructor Hill¡¯s face. The tiny smile on Instructor Hill¡¯s face didn¡¯t change at all.

    ¡°Ok.¡±

    With a foot on Shrinkman¡¯s shoulder, Roger grabbed the wrist holding the knife. Instructor Hill stood, holding Shrinkman¡¯s arm up, pointed to the ceiling. With a fluid motion, he kicked Shrinkman¡¯s elbow in.

    It snapped cleanly.

    <hr>

    Thirty minutes later, Detective Clark struggled with his faulty lighter after dismissing the ambulance and secondary squad cars. It was going to be another long night. When was the last time he had even close to eight hours of sleep? He cursed as his lighter failed to ignite. The coarse, scarred hand of Roger brought a lighter to the detective¡¯s cigarette.

    ¡°You don¡¯t smoke.¡± Detective Clark said.

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    After a few puffs, Detective Clark looked at his cigarette like a stranger. She would always moan and groan about these. He thought. So did Thomas. The detective grimaced at the thought of his son complaining about his work schedule, and instead focused on Roger.

    ¡°A mess as usual with you,¡± Detective Clark said. ¡°I thought you wanted an ambulance just in case the kids were hurt.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡± Roger replied. ¡°But all possibilities should be considered.¡±

    Detective Clark laughed a joyless laugh.

    ¡°Right. Knowing you, if those kids even had a scratch on them. . .¡±

    The crook would have no use for an ambulance.

    ¡°If you care about these brats so much, why put them¡ª¡±

    ¡°Any ID on this Shrinkman?¡± Roger asked.

    Detective Clark smirked. What a terrible working relationship he has with this man. In what world is the Detective only allowed to answer questions? To make it worse, the so-called ¡°Instructor¡± only seems to ask questions.

    What a sick joke.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have his name yet, but we got something. He¡¯s got two pairs of wings tattooed on his collarbone.¡±

    Detective Clark didn¡¯t bother looking at Roger. Whatever expression the Instructor had, it hid what he knew he felt. Detective Clark decided there was a silver lining to being the one with the answers.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°He¡¯s from Cherub.¡±

    The detective now stared at Roger, looking for a reaction. He couldn¡¯t help but savor the slight twitch in Roger¡¯s eye, the tightening of his jaw. After so many years, it was finally my turn to ask the questions, Detective Clark thought.

    ¡°Funny little coincidence, isn¡¯t it? We made a deal about the same subject didn¡¯t we? I let the brats play around and you start talking, so talk. Tell me what really happened in Cherub.¡±

    <hr>

    Sitting side-by-side with Isaac and Ashley in the backseat, Jeremiah watched the two adults converse. Whatever was going on between the two, it only furthered Jeremiah¡¯s suspicion about their relationship. Whatever suspicions he had about his Instructor had skyrocketed after that fight. All that struggle and planning that took a whole day of sleuthing, just for him to deal with it so fast! From the conversation Jeremiah barely heard, Isaac and Ashley felt the same way.

    ¡°Teach probably has some mind reading thing, man! That¡¯s how he acted like he already knew what Shrinkman was going to do!¡± Isaac said, scratching at his birthmark.

    ¡°But, like, what if he can see the future?¡± Ashley replied. ¡°That explains his totally calm attitude all the time, too.¡±

    If their Instructor was using a Blessing, Jeremiah couldn¡¯t tell. He took care of Shrinkman with nothing but his body. To think, they¡¯ll be learning moves like that in the future. . .

    Jeremiah shook off the thoughts for now.

    ¡°He¡¯s coming back.¡± Jeremiah said.

    Ashley and Isaac¡¯s conversation died out as they watched the detective and teacher break away from each other without a hint of a farewell. Instructor Hill strolled to the driver¡¯s door, opened it, and sat down without a word. Though they wouldn¡¯t know, all three of them remembered the clean snap of Shrinkman¡¯s elbow being kicked in. It had nothing to do with them, of course. There was no need to think they would receive that kind of treatment. However, they all knew now that Instructor Roger Hill was capable of doing something like that effortlessly.

    And more.

    ¡°It¡¯s not quite like the comic books, isn¡¯t it?¡± Instructor Hill said. As cold as his voice was, it was a soft sentence. A half-hearted attempt at comforting them, maybe. Staring into the rear-view mirror, he cleaned the dried blood-saliva mixture from his face. It didn¡¯t seem like he was waiting for a response, and neither of them gave him one.

    ¡°It will never be like the comic books, no matter how high in paygrade you go.¡±

    Instructor Hill¡¯s eyes pierced through all of them in the rear-view mirror.

    ¡°You all did well today, but this is par for the course. In fact, things went very, very cleanly tonight.¡± Instructor Hill ended his gaze, and instead looked forward, watching as the detective drove away in his own car.

    ¡°The career of a T.H.R.O.N.E. Agent, if you choose to take it, will be drenched in scenes like this, views like this. Myriad graduates will have the same look in their eyes that you all have.¡±

    Now, his eyes returned to the rear-view mirror, and Jeremiah saw eyes burning with purpose, with vigor.

    ¡°But you three have already reached that step! You have more experience than a Myriad graduate before your first day! You won¡¯t get hurt or killed like so many rookies have because of their greenness!¡±

    And then his eyes shut. He adjusted his glasses, regained his calm, then continued.

    ¡°There are far worse men than Shrinkman. While you three have stopped him, there are more ruthless, more clever, more powerful criminals out there using their Blessings for terrible crimes.¡±

    Instructor Hill¡¯s voice began to stumble, becoming shaky.

    ¡°And they won¡¯t wait for you to be ready. They never have. They never will. So don¡¯t think the hard part is four years away. It¡¯s already here.¡±

    He turned to face the three of them.

    ¡°If you do not want to do this, I need you to tell me now. I¡¯ll do the paperwork tonight and have you sent home within a week. Make your choice by the time we make it to the outer gates of the academy.¡±

    And with that, he started driving.

    It was a silent trip. Jeremiah¡¯s thoughts wandered through every possibility and scenario he could. The silence made things worse. If only the other two could start their bickering right now. But of course not. They were going through the same troubles. There was some comfort in that. Jeremiah suddenly thought about the day before, how worried he was about his Blessing¡¯s usefulness. Now here he was, given an ultimatum for something he wanted so badly only a day ago.

    Thankfully, the silence came to an end as the van approached Myriad¡¯s outer gates. Instructor Hill stopped the car and waited. Somehow, Jeremiah¡¯s heart felt heavier than his stomach. All this for my stomach. . .

    ¡°So uh, I¡¯m still with you, Teach.¡± Isaac said.

    ¡°Why?¡± Instructor Hill asked gravely.

    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna act like I was in this for pure justice and all that, but. . .¡± Isaac found himself trying to find the right pose to sit in.

    ¡°The older I got, the less I could use my Blessing, you know? I joined because I feel alive when I use it. But. . . man! When I was in that alley, I was scared! I thought I was gonna die!¡± Isaac winced at his voice cracking.

    ¡°And¡ªI dunno, murder is more real to me, man! Some people aren¡¯t as lucky so they just get killed and that¡¯s it. If I could use this Blessing to stop that from happening, I¡¯d feel. . .¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d feel like it would be ok to enjoy a Blessing that allowed you to live when others died?¡± Instructor Hill asked. Isaac¡¯s silence gave as good of an answer as any.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Ashley cleared her throat.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t getting rid of me that easy, Roger~¡±

    As much as she tried, Ashley¡¯s nervousness was palpable. Her smile quivered and her breathing was heavy. Instructor Hill pierced her with his eyes.

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°If I become a T.H.R.O.N.E. Agent, I¡¯m set for life. And if it saves lives and makes Seraph safer, that¡¯s totally what I should be doing! Also. . .¡±

    Her charade crumbled as she returned Instructor Hill¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going back home. No way.¡±

    Their teacher didn¡¯t respond in any way Jeremiah could tell, and the car returned to silence.

    It was Jeremiah¡¯s turn.

    He let the words come out before he could even think of them.

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll stay!¡± Jeremiah said, nearly shouting.

    ¡°Then why, Jeremiah?¡±

    ¡°Because! Because. . . I never saw my Blessing as anything other than a curse! But today, my only hope was confirmed!¡± Jeremiah shouted. His glasses were blurring up. Jeremiah yanked them off only to realize his eyes were blurry as well.

    ¡°If I stay here, I¡¯ll be an Agent¡ªno, a hero! If I give up, I¡¯ll just go back to being a freak!¡±

    Jeremiah found himself stunned by his own words. It was like an admission of guilt. He wasn¡¯t in it for the sake of good, of saving people and putting away villains. It was to satisfy his ego. The risk of injury and death was apparent, but that is what makes a hero worthy of admiration, right?

    That is why Jeremiah can no longer go home.

    ¡°Very well.¡± Instructor Hill said. The car returned to silence, and the trio stewed in the new anxiety that comes from laying yourself bare. Waiting for the consequences of what they confessed. It dawned on Jeremiah that there wasn¡¯t a single person in this car whose ambitions were purely for the sake of heroism.

    He took comfort in this, even if he felt he shouldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Major General Myriad, the namesake of the academy you seek to enroll in, was far from a pure hero.¡± Instructor Hill said. His voice was somber, laced with nostalgia and longing. Could he have. . .? No way.

    ¡°Hard to believe, maybe? It¡¯s the truth.¡± Instructor Hill continued. ¡°He made desperate calls, reckless mistakes, and found himself on the side of moral quandaries where many others wouldn¡¯t stand. And he did it all because he thought he was the best.¡±

    Instructor Hill chuckled.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The greatest Agent of T.H.R.O.N.E., and the most iconic hero of this century had a simple motive of proving what he thought he was. So how could I look down on your motivations?¡±

    Instructor Hill pulled out that miniature notepad and began writing through it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided! From here on out, The Afterschool Waiting List is an early orientation for you three.¡±

    The words didn¡¯t stick for Jeremiah. The motionless Ashley and Isaac beside him confirmed that they also couldn¡¯t comprehend what he meant.

    ¡°What d-do you mean?¡±

    Instructor Hill smiled as he closed the notepad.

    ¡°You three are no longer on the Waiting List for the Principality of M.G. Myriad.¡±

    Instructor Hill regarded his students with a truly warm smile.

    ¡°Consider yourselves enrolled.¡±

 Chapter Ten: Pins and Needles

    ¡°When my world came to an end, I was shocked at how easily people died. In less than a second, friends and family became corpses. And yet, the Heroes take much deadlier blows and press on. That was where my obsession started.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with being afraid of needles, Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Ghh¡­¡±

    The messy-haired boy clung to Roger like he was his only hope of survival.

    ¡°Man, this is embarassing.¡±

    Roger and Isaac sat on a cot, while Nurse Alma, in all her lack of compassion, brandished an intimidating needle. One look at the abnormal thickness of the needle had Isaac regressing to the mind of a cornered animal. Nearby, Jeremiah and Ashley were on emotional support duty.

    ¡°It¡¯s not as b-bad as it looks, Isaac!¡± Jeremiah said.

    A loud snort came from Jeremiah¡¯s left.

    Besides Isaac, everyone looked at the gaudy girl who covered her face. Her eyes, wet from contained laughter, hid behind her rainbow acrylic nails.

    Roger shot Ashley a pleading look. The girl¡¯s face was scrunched like a napkin, all to stop herself from laughing at this scenery.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ it¡¯s super easy.¡± Ashley managed.

    They were in Myriad High¡¯s General Clinic, an imposingly sterile and cold medical center where all processing entrants spend a miserable time with paperwork and inoculations. Fortunately, the paperwork was finished. But the inoculations. . .

    Roger certainly didn¡¯t envy this part of the job.

    ¡°Nurse Alma¡­¡±

    The woman looked at Roger, tired and annoyed as always. She was already irritated at Roger¡¯s begging of her to snuff out her cigarette, but now he dared to ask even more of her? The nurse huffed, her messy blonde bob cut bouncing slightly.

    ¡°What.¡±

    ¡°As you can see, my student here is upset. Could you maybe¡­¡±

    ¡°Go easy on him?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes.¡±

    Nurse Alma stared daggers much sharper than needles into Isaac¡¯s head.

    ¡°No. Brat wants to be an Agent, right? Agents get hit by worse than a little needle.¡±

    Roger sighed. Things were going well, until now. About 20 minutes ago, just before entering Alma¡¯s office, Roger gave his three students a quick sitrep on how to behave.

    ¡°Nurse Alma is the Miscellaneous Hall¡¯s Head Nurse. You¡¯ll be seeing her but hopefully as little as possible.¡±

    ¡°Is she¡­ not someone you want to be around?¡± Jeremiah asked, sweat building up on his forehead.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d prefer that you wouldn¡¯t be seeing her, since that would mean you have been terribly wounded.¡± Roger said. ¡°But I suppose her personality can be rough, especially when I am around.¡±

    ¡°Huhhh?¡± Ashley crowed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you stood her up or somethiiing?¡±

    ¡°No way?!¡± Isaac shouted. ¡°Teach is a womanizer?!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Hill¡­¡± Jeremiah said.

    ¡°What?¡± Roger laughed. ¡°No, she just hates that I give her more work than she expects. I had been her patient 32 times in the last class I taught.¡±

    The trio quieted down for a moment.

    ¡°But¡­ how?¡± They asked.

    And with that, they began their inoculations. It went well for both Jeremiah and Ashley, who took the needles with virtually no problem. This would be Roger¡¯s second set of students, so he wasn¡¯t expecting every child to be accepting of needles. He certainly wasn¡¯t expecting Isaac of the three to be the main culprit.

    ¡°Isaac, let me remind you of the benefits of these injections. Just focus on my words. By the time I finish, you¡¯ll be finished. Ok?¡±

    ¡°Alright, man. Just start it already!¡±

    Roger gave him a reassuring smile that Isaac couldn¡¯t see as he was buried in his teacher¡¯s chest at the moment.

    ¡°These are Nanoinjectors, a technological wonder of the medical field that can improve multiple physical attributes. The most prominent example being boosted regeneration and durability, turning otherwise lethal wounds into manageable wounds. Most of the physical testing you went through back home was actually for the purpose of making sure you would be able to handle the nanomachines inside of the injections.¡±

    Jeremiah, curious as ever, raised his hand.

    ¡°Mr. Hill, is it true that nanomachines lose potency the older we get?¡±

    Roger smiled, grateful that his student was playing along.

    ¡°Correct! Nanomachines are rejected as the human body gets older and more intolerant of foreign bodies.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s why Principality¡¯s exist huh?¡± Ashley mused. ¡°Teens have a better chance of accepting the nano-thingies, so we start young~¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s. . . right.¡±

    Roger could tell the practiced smile on his face had faltered. For the sake of our meritocracy, we raise child soldiers. Roger thought. And we tell them they¡¯re heroes.

    ¡°Even then, under 30% of Blessed can accept nanomachines even at a young age. You three are Blessed among Blessed.¡±

    ¡°Uhhm.¡± Isaac dared to peek up at Roger. ¡°When are you guys gonna get this over with?¡±

    Nurse Alma grunted from her desk on the other side of the room.

    ¡°You already got the injection.¡±

    ¡°Whoa, when?¡±

    ¡°About two sentences into my explanation.¡±

    Isaac reeled back from Roger¡¯s chest and dramatically fell to his knees on the cold pale floor.

    ¡°What the hell man? Why didn¡¯t anyone tell me?!¡±

    ¡°Aww, but Isaac!¡± Ashley cooed. She seemed overjoyed to be allowed to break the dam and tease Isaac to death like normal.

    ¡°You looked so comfortable holding onto Roger like that~¡±

    ¡°Anyways!¡± Isaac shot back up, desperate to move on. ¡°Am I bulletproof now?¡±

    ¡°First shot takes a month to augment the body.¡± Nurse Alma curtly replied.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Now get out, all of you.¡±

    The perpetually agitated nurse began shooing them away. Roger reluctantly let himself be guided out.

    ¡°Thank you for inoculating our newest additions with such short notice, Nurse Alma! Maybe I could repay you with¡ª¡±

    The door shut centimeters away from his face. Roger wasn¡¯t startled by this, of course. She had shut the door on him so many times, he memorized the optimal positioning to avoid getting his nose smashed in. The three students huddled together, staring at the locked door.

    ¡°Man, that chick¡¯s real sour!¡±

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°And to think she¡¯s our Nurse. . .¡±

    ¡°Totally rude.¡±

    ¡°Now, now.¡± Roger said. ¡°Like I said before, she is just sick of my antics. She¡¯s quite cheery when¡ªoh look who it is!¡±

    The three kids turned to match Roger¡¯s view down the hallway.

    An old man quickly and loudly approached them from afar. As he got closer and closer, Ashley and Isaac gawked as they realized just how big this man was. Jeremiah made some strange mixture between a squeak and a croak as he pointed at the figure.

    ¡°N-no way, it¡¯s him!¡±

    ¡°IT¡¯S ME!¡± the old man replied with a voice that could easily match an explosion with its deafening volume. Ashley groaned and covered her ears, while Isaac pressed himself against the wall for the sake of balance. Jeremiah stood in place, jaw dropped as if to use his Blessing.

    ¡°Froggy, who is this old guy?¡±

    ¡°How do you not know him?¡± Jeremiah asked with more animosity than what was once thought possible.

    ¡°He¡¯s an ex-Agent of T.H.R.O.N.E.! A Dominion rank hero! That ¡®old guy¡¯ is Bloodnaut!¡±

    ¡°Roger!¡± erupted the gargantuan Dr. Krovopuskov. The man was fully in Suit, barely discernible from his bygone days as Agent Bloodnaut with the classic mixture of knightly plate armor under a veneer of sleek black hazmat material. His voice was slightly muffled by his gas mask, and his warm and friendly eyes gazed down at Roger behind a red visor. He towered over the decently tall Roger by over a foot. The students were even more miniscule in height.

    ¡°Good to see you, my boy!¡± Dr. Krovopuskov rapidly pat Roger on the shoulder, barely managing to not demolish his less-experienced peer.

    ¡°Hey, Bruce. Looks like Amplification training began today, I see.¡±

    ¡°Right you are, my §å§Þ§ß§Ú§è§Ñ! These brats, they get too uppity after passing Midterms exam, so I am letting them to know who is boss!¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope you didn¡¯t get too rough on them. The more time they spend on a cot, the more time they get to strategize.¡±

    As the senior and junior teacher conversated, Jeremiah forced Isaac and Ashley into an impromptu history lesson.

    ¡°Bloodnaut is one of the greatest Agents to ever exist! His own blood amplifies his strength to endless levels! Along with the other Main Instructors, he was a member of Gate! That¡¯s right, best friends with M.G. Myriad! Howdoyounotknowthis?!¡±

    ¡°Chill, man! Bloodnaut rings a bell, I just thought he died of old age or somethin¡¯!¡± Isaac said.

    ¡°We get it, he¡¯s totally a big deal, now can you stop shaking us?¡± Ashley whined.

    Booming laughter shook the hallway. As expected, Dr. Bruce Krovopuskov¡¯s Blessing activates even when he laughs.

    ¡°These new students of yours, they are funny! I am liking them already!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. In a month or so, I¡¯d like to start borrowing some of the Amplification Halls¡¯ equipment once again if you wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± Roger said.

    Dr. Krovopuskov gasped. He excitedly squatted down in an attempt to meet Roger at the same height, his armored knee leaving a dent on the floor.

    ¡°You are having another class? H§Ú§é§×§ã§Ö! Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier, boy?¡±

    ¡°Ah, well. . . I finally have the minimum number of students to teach another class. I reached my quota yesterday night, believe it or not.¡±

    ¡°Wait a sec, Teach.¡± Ashley chimed in. ¡°You just reached the quota? But there was a Waiting List, though?¡±

    Roger smiled. Myriad High was the most prestigious of Principalities. She must have thought I was bluffing about Miscellaneous Students being a rarity.

    ¡°Like I said before, The Waiting List was not for the sake of too many, but too little.¡± Roger said. ¡°The Four Main Halls of Myriad High are Amplification, Physiology, Manipulation, and Creation. Of course, these are the four sections in which Blessings are categorized. The Miscellaneous Holding Company you have been sorted into is not just a name.¡±

    ¡°Right. . .¡± Jeremiah muttered. ¡°You¡¯re the Miscellaneous Hall¡¯s Main Instructor.¡±

    ¡°You won''t be having a better teacher than this one, §â§í§Ò§Ü§Ñ!¡± Dr. Krovopuskov said as he began to gently yet roughly pat Jeremiah on his shoulders as well. Jeremiah croaked in awe at such a celebrity speaking to him.

    ¡°Bloodnaut, sir! C-can I p-please have an autograph please!¡± Jeremiah began to frantically pat his pockets. After a while, his already wide face began to deflate further in realization.

    ¡°Oh. . . I left my notebook at home. . .¡±

    ¡°Oh man, Jerry¡¯s becoming even more of a frog.¡± Isaac said.

    ¡°Aww, it¡¯s ok Froggy! You can always get it another time~¡± Ashley purred. Jeremiah¡¯s hair began to ruffle back and forth, an effect of being pet by Ashley¡¯s telekinetic hands. Krovopuskov, as always, found something humorous about this situation and shook the ground with his thunderous laughter.

    ¡°It is good to talk to you, my boy, but I will not be doing the burdening any more.¡± Krovopuskov said, inhaling loudly through his mask. ¡°I have broken students to cheer up. Goodbye!¡±

    Krovopuskov stomped past Roger and the three kids and squeezed himself through the doors to the Clinic. Though he was separated by both a door and a hallway, Krovopuskov¡¯s voice could be heard as if he had never left.

    ¡°That could have been my Instructor?¡± Isaac wondered. ¡°Mighta dodged a bullet, not gonna lie.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s give the Instructor some space, shall we? A mile or so should do.¡± Roger said. He began to leave, until he realized that Jeremiah stared at the door to the clinic, still enraptured.

    ¡°Oh man. . . Mr. Hill is friends with Bloodnaut. . .¡± Jeremiah muttered.

    ¡°Isaac? Ashley?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re on it.¡±

    Each taking an arm, Isaac and Ashley dragged Jeremiah along.

    <hr>

    ¡°Our investigation led to a pretty big bust, by the way.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Ashley said.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The one you referred to as Shrinkman turned out to be a lackey of a prolific arsonist. Spitfire is what he¡¯s called.¡±

    Jeremiah snapped to attention. His newfound reputation as the Hero-Villain Enthusiast of the group had been made apparent.

    ¡°The villain whose saliva turns alcohol into flame when he spits?¡±

    ¡°Correct. The C.S.P.D. managed to find his hideout after interrogating Shrinkman. Thanks to you three, a highly dangerous criminal is soon to be behind bars.¡± A part of Roger¡¯s words were to placate Ashley. As much as she tried to hide it, she was ashamed of her eagerness putting herself and others in danger with Shrinkman. Roger didn¡¯t mind. That eagerness was a valuable resource.

    They lounged on a bench in Myriad Park. It wasn¡¯t a true park by any means. The entire location was just past the gates of the heavily-fortified Myriad High. It was a large statue of M.G. Myriad with tiled flooring over a flowery grass field that served as a warm welcome to arriving students and faculty.

    That statue, Roger thought. It¡¯s the epitome of inaccuracy. Some things will only be a reminder of past greatness and never its true representation. Roger knew this more than anyone.

    More than anyone.

    Strangely, Isaac changed the subject.

    ¡°Gate. . .¡± Isaac said.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Gate.¡± Roger replied.

    ¡°My family never talked about heroes, but I saw merch of them every once and a while. I guess Gate was the real deal, huh?¡± Isaac rubbed at his now swelling arm. Roger smiled bitterly.

    ¡°T.H.R.O.N.E. stands for The Heroic Rescuing Or Neutralizing Enterprise.¡± The Instructor said. ¡°Out of all the Leagues, Gate was the best at doing both of those things. They started T.H.R.O.N.E., after all.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s kiiiinda embarrassing not knowing this til¡¯ now.¡± Ashley said. She turned to check on Jeremiah, who stared at the statue with pure adoration.

    ¡°Major General. . .¡± Jeremiah whispered.

    Ashley shook her head and looked at Roger.

    ¡°So what happened to M.G. Myriad anyways? I know the other Gate guys work here now, but. . .¡± Roger noticed that Ashley spoke with a certain softness. She already knew the gist, but wanted to know more.

    ¡°Cherub¡¯s Fall happened to the Major General.¡±

    And now there was silence. Only the sound of birds, bugs, and far-off traffic graced the park.

    ¡°Damn. Even I know about Cherub¡¯s Fall.¡± Isaac mumbled.

    It would be best to split the events of the world in half: Pre-Cherub¡¯s Fall and Post-Cherub¡¯s Fall. The same goes for my life as well, Roger thought. Before and after that day. Before and after.

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the Major General¡¯s sacrifice, Cherub¡¯s Fall could have been something far worse.¡± Roger said. ¡°You may not know much about him now, but never forget that. He has done so much for you, even before you were born. You will understand this the more you learn what it means to be an Agent of T.H.R.O.N.E.¡±

    Roger¡¯s words were intense, far more intense than he wanted to. He saw the grim yet resolute faces growing upon his students, and hated himself for it. That seriousness will be needed later, not now. Jeremiah broke his gaze away from the statue. The boy looked at Roger and nodded. There was a complete lack of trepidation in Jeremiah¡¯s eyes. Roger felt gratitude from the bottom of his heart, and did not know why. He attempted to smile as warmly as possible. Let¡¯s escape from this!

    ¡°But things must be taken one step at a time! For now, dealing with the aftereffects of your nano-injections will be the first hurdle. The other nine students have already¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait, aftereffects?¡± Isaac jolted to perfect posture. ¡°You didn¡¯t say crap about aftereffects, Teach!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t?¡±

    Ashley sighed.

    ¡°Alright, Roger. What¡¯s gonna happen to me?¡±

    Roger paused.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?!¡± Isaac and Ashley repeated. ¡°What do you mean ¡®Hmm¡¯?!¡±

    ¡°Umm.¡±

    ¡°Umm?!¡± Isaac and Ashley repeated. ¡°What do you mean ¡®Umm¡¯?!¡±

    ¡°W-well. . .¡± Roger stammered. ¡°It¡¯s just. . .¡±

    He stood up abruptly and lightly stretched, unintentionally resting his clenched hands on his hips like the statue of M.G, Myriad. Refusing to look his students in the eyes, he continued.

    ¡°As a celebration and reward for how well you three have done, why don¡¯t I treat us to dinner at a nice restaurant? There¡¯s this¡ªoh! How strange, it feels as if my eyelashes are being roughly pulled at? Haha! Ashley, you wouldn¡¯t happen to be playing a prank on me would you? Oh what¡¯s this? Isaac, surely you wouldn¡¯t be rudely pelting your sweet teacher with rocks and then using that speed to repeatedly shoulder charge me, haha! Ouch!¡±

 Chapter Eleven: Nonblessed

    It was nearly midnight when Roger visited the most important person in Myriad High. He made it past the armored guards and automated sentry guns, the countless passcodes, and about three separate tram rides, just now reaching the elevator. It was a ten minute ride down, chocked full of intricate verification scans. Roger fought the urge to sigh, just in case it falsely tips the system off. Then, the elevator doors would open to a bloody, porous heap of an Instructor shredded by anti-personnel rounds delivered from a slot in the ceiling. That would be suboptimal. Roger has kids to turn into superheroes. How could he do that when he¡¯s dead?

    The long ride came to an end, and the elevator doors parted, revealing a dimly lit lobby. It was known as the Director¡¯s Office, but it was the size of a small mansion. Deep beneath the already subterranean Principality, far below the waterline, was the nucleus of Myriad High.

    And in every way but officially, the nucleus of T.H.R.O.N.E.

    Roger stretched and took off his shoes, leaving them by the elevator. As expected, the Director¡¯s Office was silent. Only the most essential were present at this hour. He stepped through the lobby of exotic woods, humming as he admired photos of bygone days for the umpteenth time. Roger glided through the dining hall and grabbed a drink from a standing bar. For the invisible Agents watching his every move, they probably thought Roger was acting above his station, like he owned the place.

    ¡°I lived here for a while, that¡¯s all.¡± Roger murmured.

    Voicing his flimsy excuse to the invisible guards, Roger continued to make his way through the Office. Once he passed the library and study hall, he ascended the double stairway leading to Control. The giant metal gate serving as the entrance to Control at the end of the hall ruined the comfortable vibe of the Director¡¯s Office. That dark room lit by a thousand screens monitored by a thousand watchful eyes was far from where Roger wanted to be, but the Director did not have the same feelings.

    And yet, things rarely pan out as expected.

    Roger heard the deep, full voice of the Director as he passed an open door on the way to the gate.

    ¡°It¡¯s rather late, Roger.¡±

    In the tiny, spare room that was once Roger¡¯s, Director Gabriel Hunt sat in a lounging chair. The aged man¡¯s silver hair shone in the dimness of the room. Roger couldn¡¯t remember the last time he saw the Director wearing something other than a suit or robe. The robed Director¡¯s kind yet piercing green eyes beheld Roger with a kind concern. Of course, he was smoking from an antiquated pipe. An old gift from his greatest friend.

    ¡°I count 15.¡± Roger said.

    ¡°18 guard the Office tonight, my boy.¡±

    ¡°Shoot. They¡¯re getting better.¡±

    Director Hunt nursed the pipe, his expression hardening. Few times in life would a faculty member be able to speak with the Director in private. Even fewer times would there be a need to. That was what Control was for. Which means the reason for Roger¡¯s visit is beyond Myriad High.

    It was between them and only them.

    ¡°I wonder what you¡¯re here for.¡±

    Roger understood that the Director was painfully polite, but he had known the old man for too long not to understand his language.

    Tell me what¡¯s happening, now.

    Roger took a swig before setting the drink down.

    ¡°There¡¯s a man locked up in Central Seraph Police Station 3 with ties to Cherub.¡±

    The Director barely moved. The most Roger could see was a slight hesitation in his blinking. There was something infuriating about the Director¡¯s demeanor. Roger got closer, slamming his hand on the Director¡¯s armchair and leaning close, risking death from the unseen guard detail. As expected, he felt something cold at his neck as well as the base of his spine.

    ¡°The fourth Cherub this year, not counting Spitfire. They¡¯re becoming more active, more reckless! We¡¯re out of time, Gabriel!¡±

    ¡°Roger, please step back and regain your calm. While you still can.¡±

    Come any closer and you disappear, Roger.

    Roger slowly backed away, and the cold pressed against him disappeared at the same tempo.

    ¡°My apologies, Director. My apologies.¡±

    ¡°All is well, Instructor.¡± The Director leaned back into his velvety seat. ¡°I¡¯ll confirm it for you. Through incompetence or corruption, Cherubim are managing to sneak through the Pearl Blockade and into Seraph.¡±

    ¡°And they¡¯re organizing,¡± Roger said. ¡°It¡¯ll be like having Apollyon set up their headquarters in your backyard.¡±

    ¡°Terrible news, indeed. Here is my question, Roger.¡± The Director stood up to properly stare down Roger. His eyes lost that default kindness in a focused glare.

    ¡°What do you request of me, and what would you like to do?¡±

    State your terms but stay in your cage, Roger. Better a leash than a noose.

    Roger folded his arms and pursed his lips, deep in mock consideration.

    ¡°Well, I want a lot of leniency and a lot of favoritism regarding my teaching methods. If these kids have to deal with our mistakes, then they¡¯ll need to be put in the fast lane.¡±

    ¡°I thought you already did that by implicating them in your apprehending of. . . what did they call him? Shrinkman?¡±

    The old man put a mic on me somehow? Or did Detective Clark rat me out? Roger decided he would press on and ignore that for now.

    ¡°And I want some gear. High-quality, the stuff Control would use. Miscellaneous has always had the short end of the stick when it comes to budget and that needs to end now that we¡¯re out of time.¡±

    The Director stayed silent. This bothered Roger a bit, but he continued.

    ¡°I. . . also want any access to everything T.H.R.O.N.E. has in regards to Cherub¡¯s Fall.¡±

    The Director remained silent for a few more seconds. Roger suddenly felt even more tense. He¡¯s been on high-alert from the moment the elevator doors opened and yet the silence pushed him to further restlessness.

    Until the Director said, ¡°Ok.¡±

    Roger did a double-take.

    ¡°Uh, really?

    ¡°Yeah, sure!¡± The Director began to laugh heartily, reaching up to pat Roger on the head. To Roger, there were two Director Hunt¡¯s: The man who may as well be his grandfather, and the man who may as well be the King of Seraph. Roger liked the former better.

    ¡°To be honest with you, I was just frustrated that you didn¡¯t visit sooner!¡±

    ¡°Well, I took a few of my students to¡ª¡±

    ¡°That explains it, then! Not even the Director of Myriad High could get in the way of Instructor Hill and his students!¡±

    Roger peered at the desk past the Director. An expensive bottle of brandy sat nearly half-empty. This old man. . . handled me while dead drunk. And so Roger¡¯s respect for Director Gabriel Hunt grew to new heights.

    ¡°But let me be clear with you, my boy.¡± The icy menace in the Director¡¯s tone returned so quickly that Roger couldn¡¯t help but clench his teeth.

    ¡°Your demands are solely for dealing with the consequences we three had sown all that time ago. If the spotlight of the public eye falls upon Myriad High or T.H.R.O.N.E., my leniency will be stretched thin. Do you understand?¡±

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Roger¡¯s eyes began to stare endless miles into the unreachable past. The consequences we three had sown. . . Roger didn¡¯t mind being the scapegoat. He¡¯d volunteer if he wasn¡¯t already. What he didn¡¯t think about was the idea of failing. Could this school year really be the end of it all?

    No, that is not going to happen.

    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Roger murmured.

    ¡°Very well. You will have your accommodations by the beginning of your new semester. Please, get some good rest, my boy. And take good care of those kids as well.¡±

    The Director sat down and closed his eyes. The impromptu meeting was over, whether or not Roger was finished. Roger reluctantly left, retracing his steps while polishing off his alcohol. As he slipped his shoes on, Roger spent a moment marveling at how well the negotiations went. Despite everything, Gabriel was rooting for Roger, wasn¡¯t he?

    Let¡¯s hope so, Roger thought as he entered the elevator.

    <hr>

    One Month Later

    Roger spent a little more time than normal at the statue today. He was not a man of meditation or prayer, but when it comes to the profession of teaching children with the potential to become great or terrible people, a bit of good luck is something he could use.

    ¡°My second batch of students start training today.¡± Roger said to the statue. ¡°It¡¯s been some time since the last one. Just enough to make me feel like I lost momentum.¡±

    The statue did not respond, as expected. It simply gave a resolute look into the distance, far past the entrance to the school where it stood, towards the direction of Seraph City.

    ¡°Things didn¡¯t turn out as they should have, and you didn¡¯t exactly get the chance to find that out when you were here.¡± Roger continued. ¡°So we¡¯ll just have to settle for this.¡±

    Roger reluctantly returned a salute to the statue of the Paragon. Roger¡¯s jaw tightened. A tinge of guilt occurred, as if he broke a rule. A man who could never join the military, saluting a war hero.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you, M.G.¡±

    Roger began his day proper, walking through the gates of Myriad High. The military academy of Seraph was at a normal level of busyness today. Jets were lifting off the extended runway behind the main building, drowning out any chance of quiet communication. The roaring of the vehicles faded into the background as Roger entered the Tram Station. The military police in charge of scanning agents at the gate barely spared Roger more than a glance as he flashed his identification.

    He headed to the Instructor-only Tram, expecting to run into his seniors.

    And he did. The first one he saw was a recent sight.

    ¡°Good morning, Mr.Kro- oh?¡±

    Dr. Krovopuskov was asleep standing up, taking up space in front of the Tram doors like a stone guardian. His gargantuan heart was visible through a bulletproof glass fixture embedded in his chest. It sounded like drum bass from oversized speakers. Surprisingly enough, he didn¡¯t snore. The sound of his breathing was amplified, though, so he may as well be snoring.

    ¡°I wonder if he tailors his clothes, or if he just rips them?¡± Roger thought aloud.

    The sound of a throat being cleared came from Roger¡¯s right. The short and slender figure of the sitting Dr. Hardt greeted Roger with a slight wave. If one didn¡¯t know who the Physiology Studies¡¯ Instructor was, they would marvel at the large open pores on his waving hand. He was fumbling with what looked to be a spherical steel mini-drone. Still maintaining eye contact with Roger, he began pulsing electricity into the mini-drone with his bare hands, powering it up. It hummed to life, beeping and rolling on the lap of its creator like a pet dog.

    ¡°If he does a good job of ripping them, it may as well be tailoring, I¡¯d say.¡±

    ¡°Fair point. Good morning, Professor.¡±

    ¡°Morning. I know you and Bruce get along well, but don¡¯t let his recklessness rub off on you. If I have to deal with two of him, I¡¯ll have no choice but to build a Krovopuskov-only Tram.¡±

    Roger chuckled as he made it past Dr. Krovopuskov and promptly bumped into Mrs. Fontaine, a stout, redheaded woman in a sky blue turtleneck covered by a lab coat. She had the demeanor of an overbearing mother rather than the renowned Creation Studies¡¯ Instructor and ex-member of Gate.

    ¡°Roger! Are you ok?¡± Mrs. Fontaine asked. She attempted to get on her tippy toes to inspect Roger¡¯s face, an adorable sight to see in the morning. ¡°Security said you stayed late yesterday like you always do, even though you promised you would stop doing that! How much sleep did you get? Be honest!¡±

    Roger stiffened at this mid-commute interrogation, holding his hands up like guns were trained on him.

    ¡°I uh, I can¡¯t say I was counting Mrs. Fontaine, but I¡¯m sure it was at least four hours. Maybe?¡±

    Mrs. Fontaine¡¯s eyes narrowed with all the viciousness of a stuffed animal. Her ruddy cheeks began inflating into a pout.

    ¡°Maybe¡­ four hours and 30 minutes?¡±

    Mrs. Fontaine almost launched into a lengthy nagging, before the Manipulation Studies¡¯ Instructor spoke up from the corner.

    ¡°Lisette, I understand he is rather young for an Instructor, but do not treat him like a child. He¡¯ll think he can get away with things he shouldn¡¯t be able to.¡± said Ms. Kurotsuki.

    The taller, bespectacled woman in a conservative pinstriped skirt suit picked Roger apart behind the flash of her square glasses as she leaned against the side of the tram. It looked as if her body was threatening to almost become part of the wall.

    Roger sighed, knowing this woman would likely never warm up to a person like him. He couldn¡¯t blame her. A man like him exchanging pleasantries with four of what used to be the most prevalent Strike Team in the history of this organization is a travesty that Roger has accepted long ago.

    ¡°Good morning, Ms. Kurotsuki.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m told you finally start with your second batch of students today. Perform to the standards of T.H.R.O.N.E. as you are expected to.¡±

    The other two silently react to Ms. Kurotsuki¡¯s words, snapping their heads to look at Roger.

    ¡°Is that why you were late? My, you should have said so!¡± Ms. Fontaine laughed.

    Dr. Hardt scratched at his chin, a twinkle growing in his eyes.

    ¡°It looks as if things will get interesting around here again. Let me know when you wish to test my prototypes, Mr. Hill.¡±

    It was at this point that Dr. Krovopuskov began to awaken, spluttering a little as he returned to consciousness.

    ¡°Hm. . . New students? Ah, right. . .¡±

    At the nick of time, the tram made it to Roger¡¯s stop: the Miscellaneous Hall.

    ¡°And there¡¯s my stop! My students are waiting for me, so we¡¯ll have to continue this another time!¡± Roger says as he slinks out of the tram and continues his stride towards the classroom.

    Being at the center of attention is less than optimal. It is much harder for Roger to observe and analyze outside factors when outside factors are doing the same to him. That was the reason why he leaned into the ¡°plain teacher¡± look; circle glasses, beige turtleneck sweater, black slacks and dark brown loafers. Roger checked his appearance in the reflection of a window to an empty classroom. The Miscellaneous Hall is the same size as the other Study and Training Halls, but barely amasses enough students at a time to fill up a single classroom.

    Roger reminded himself that one classroom at the end of the hall, the one he was briskly approaching now, would be his first class of the year, and likely his only class of the year.

    His only chance.

    Roger stood outside the door, still like a statue. Voices of children were behind this door, talking amongst themselves in a mixture of boredom and anticipation. Roger smiled dryly, the one he can wear for hours at a time. It¡¯s a smile he wore at nearly all times.

    That smile was the first thing the students of the Miscellaneous Studies¡¯ Classroom noticed about Instructor Roger Hill.

    As for what Roger saw, it was quite a different experience than what was on the surveillance monitors during the Entrance Exam.

    Roger took in the view of his eleven students as he strolled to the plain podium in front of an old school chalkboard. He slammed his teaching material on the podium. After a moment of looking down at his students, Roger tried to suppress a laugh and failed. It was laced in derision and scorn. It was the kind of laugh that lasted a touch too long. Just enough that the students slowly quieted down at the laughter.

    ¡°Goodness, I have to apologize.¡± Roger swiped off his glasses and wiped at his eyes, wet from laughter. ¡°I should be more polite, hopping right into introductions and calling for attendance. I should be acting a bit more professional, I think.¡±

    Roger cleans his glasses, still snorting from his outburst.

    ¡°But what would be the point of doing things right? After all, you guys are in the Miscellaneous Class.¡±

    Dead silence was in the room now.

    ¡°In a world where nearly everyone is gifted with a Blessing¡ªa power¡ªyou brats believed your powers were enough to enter the fast track to becoming an Agent of T.H.R.O.N.E? And not only that, you were put in the Miscellaneous Class just after?¡±

    Roger leaned on the podium and scanned the students from left to right, back and forth, like a security camera.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the outside world will tell you that Miscellaneous Blessings are equal to the other Blessings, but not here. The city of Seraph is the birthplace of T.H.R.O.N.E. and in this city, we won¡¯t sugarcoat your position. For most of you, your Blessings would have landed you in the other classes if it were just a little bit less inefficient. Without a doubt, as of now, this class is the weakest in Myriad High.¡±

    Satisfied with the prolonged silence, Roger continued.

    ¡°Even if you manage to graduate from this Principality, you¡¯ll face crises with your Blessings deemed ¡®Miscellaneous.¡¯ You¡¯ll work harder just to meet the same standards of others and receive nothing extra from that effort. Consider yourselves unlucky.¡±

    Roger walked back to the classroom door and flung it open.

    ¡°With that being said, I am a busy man. For those of you who don''t belong here¡ªyou know who you are¡ªgo ahead and take the tram topside, pack your bags, and go enjoy the privilege of being protected by true Agents.¡±

    Holding the door open, Roger stared back at the classroom. Among the faces of the youth, there were a multitude of expressions brought on by his opening speech. Grit teeth, growing frowns, rueful stares, and even downcast gazes.

    And yet, not a single one rose from their chairs. Roger held back a smile.

    Excellent. The will to learn and improve was there.

    If that exists, any of these kids can become an Agent.

    No. A hero.

    Roger slammed the door with frightening force and began pacing between the three rows of students.

    ¡°Good. You at least have the intelligence to realize that you earned a seat in Myriad High. This Principality is the most respected in the world, and has trained many legendary heroes, including the past Paragon himself. Even if you are the weakest, we have decided that there is potential for you to be something better than you are now.¡±

    Roger returned to his position at the podium and began writing his full name on the chalkboard.

    ¡°The only way to improve is to identify what you are lacking in, and to correct that lacking detail. Luckily for you all, that potential to become better is guaranteed as long as you follow my instructions. You see, it is much easier to appreciate things you do not have yourself.¡±

    Roger now brought his leg back against the wall and leaned against the chalkboard next to his written name.

    ¡°As for why I can appreciate a Blessing more than anyone else, it¡¯s simple.¡±

    Roger adjusts his glasses.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡±

 Chapter Twelve: Meet the Students

    To form an unofficial League with these twelve unorthodox students, they¡¯ll need to get along. In order for that to happen, they¡¯ll need a common enemy and a common ally. Those two people will be the same person: me.

    -Roger Hill¡¯s Notes

    On the morning of Jeremiah¡¯s first class in heroing, hours before Roger¡¯s big reveal, he sat timidly at the common room table as his roommates argued.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t whatever pigsty you were raised in, Isaac,¡± Thomas growled. ¡°We need to set standards, boundaries, and common ground rules!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a chore list, man!¡± Isaac whined. ¡°Can¡¯t we do this after school?¡±

    Jeremiah gave a tentative glance to one of his new roommates. In the darkness of the alleyway months ago, Jeremiah didn¡¯t get a good look at Thomas. The boy was like a cleaner version of his father, Detective Clark. The same dark skin without the scarring, the same military high-and-tight cut but way sharper, and the same animalistic scowl except way less menacing. Within moments of conversation, Jeremiah quickly realized that despite his height and musculature, Thomas was a terribly insecure boy.

    After all, Jeremiah was the most insecure person in a three thousand mile radius, so he would know when he saw it.

    Jeremiah sighed. He almost missed the Holding Dorms. He had to get used to the lavishness there, but the Misc. Dorms were a brand new level of posh. From the huge bedrooms, the porcelain bathrooms, and the common room that pretty much dwarfed his house back home, Jeremiah felt like an absolute trespasser. The very table he sat in was crowded with just about every breakfast food you could think of. Supposedly, they were prepared by some five star chef team and delivered through a ¡°Meal Tram.¡± From what Jeremiah saw, the surface of the table is a cover for the Meal Tram, which opened to a lift that would raise up food at the start of designated meal times.

    You think this is high-tier? Isaac said when they moved in. This is nothing compared to what I saw when I snooped through the Main Hall dorms!

    Jeremiah questioned why they were even arguing over chores. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there were invisible servants waiting for them to head to school so they can start cleaning at any moment.

    ¡°Isaac has a point,¡± Jeremiah said. ¡°Also, we¡¯re missing someone. Shouldn¡¯t we all be here to decide this?¡±

    Thomas¡¯ face went blank. With an over-dramatic gasp, he barreled through the fourth dorm room connected to the common room.

    ¡°Alex! I told you to wake up thirty minutes ago, you miserable brat!¡±

    Jeremiah could hear a small groan serving as a reply from their fourth roommate. There was a lengthy struggle as Thomas honorably assumed the duties similar to a nurse for the elderly, practically forcing their roommate to get ready for class. Impressively enough, in less than ten minutes, their last roommate arrived.

    ¡°Mmm. . .¡± Alex groaned. ¡°Morning ladies. What¡¯s for breakfast?¡±

    He looked at the buffet on the table.

    ¡°Forget I asked.¡±

    Jeremiah snorted. ¡®Morning ladies,¡¯ he says.

    It was funny, coming from an absolute pretty boy. The tiny kid had the delicate features of a doll, save for the slight shadowing and eye bags of someone who just can¡¯t get enough sleep. Alex¡¯s platinum-blonde hair nearly reached his hips. However, his hair currently touched the ground, as Thomas had denied him the dignity of standing and instead carried him, tucked underneath one arm. Jeremiah couldn¡¯t help but notice that Alex wore bedroom slippers, even with their new uniforms.

    ¡°You, uh, comfortable like that, man?¡± Isaac asked.

    ¡°Definitely,¡± Alex said, his voice like a gentle whistling breeze. ¡°Most kids don¡¯t get to show up to school with their own private taxi.¡±

    Thomas either didn¡¯t hear or didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°We are roommates for the foreseeable future, which means we all have roles to play when taking care of our common spaces.¡± Thomas slammed his free hand at a whiteboard he hung up on the wall. It was neatly charted with their names and every conceivable chore you could think of.

    ¡°Ah, right, right.¡± Alex said, gently dangling. ¡°So you want to split the chores evenly and fairly.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Whoa. Now that I look at it, you put a lot of work into this chart. You¡¯re really responsible, Thomas.¡± Alex mused, a predatory glint appearing in his eyes. Uh oh, Jeremiah thought.

    ¡°W-well, of course!¡± Thomas fought a grin from wiping away his uniform scowl. ¡°This is expected of a model roommate.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I agree. You were raised right.¡± Alex flashed a smile, a mix between a real life angel and a fiendish imp.

    ¡°Hey, how about you lead by example on the chores and show us how it''s done? Then we¡¯ll pick up the slack when we reach your level.¡±

    Thomas¡¯ eyes lit up. He began writing his name on the majority of the chart.

    ¡°Your sleeping habits are sloppy, but at least you¡¯re willing to learn.¡±

    Alex shot a smug glance towards Isaac and Jeremiah as he slyly pilfered from Thomas¡¯ plate.

    ¡°Of course. I appreciate your generosity, Thomas.¡±

    The poor busybody was too focused on divvying up the chart to even realize he was being cheated in more ways than one.

    Isaac raised a fist bump to Alex, who regarded it like a disinterested cat.

    ¡°I think we¡¯ll get along just fine. I¡¯m Isaac.¡±

    Alex returned the fist bump.

    ¡°Alex.¡±

    His empty, yet calculating gaze turned to Jeremiah. Here comes the look, Jeremiah thought. He¡¯d come to slightly enjoy the looks people gave him when they first met. They all varied in an entertaining way. Like a TV show with no reruns, it was different every time.

    Alex didn¡¯t react at all. He just stared at Jeremiah, waiting for him to introduce himself. Luckily, Isaac went ahead and did Jeremiah¡¯s work for him. If he didn¡¯t, there would have been an unbearable silence.

    ¡°And this is my main man, Jerry.¡±

    Alex nodded.

    Jeremiah nodded back as awkwardly as possible.

    ¡°And done.¡± Thomas said with no shortage of pride. The chart had his name on every single section.

    ¡°Make sure to watch carefully how I execute these tasks! I won¡¯t be doing it more than. . .¡± Thomas trailed off as he realized what he had just done.

    ¡°Did I just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh would you look at that!¡± Alex interjected. ¡°We only have 20 minutes until the next Misc. Tram ride, we should probably get on that.

    Jeremiah glanced at his watch. They had more than 30 minutes until the next ride, and the Tram stations were a 5 minute walk away.

    ¡°Uh, but I thought¡ª¡±

    Isaac used both hands to clamp Jeremiah¡¯s wide mouth shut. Thomas¡¯ jaw dropped. He looked at Alex with a newfound respect.

    ¡°Maybe I was wrong about you.¡±

    Alex shrugged.

    ¡°First impressions, am I right?¡±

    With his free hand, Thomas cleared the dishes and made a gesture to the open door. He began marching through the entrance to the Misc. Dormitory. ¡°A good first impression is essential! Let¡¯s go! To be early is to be on time and to be on time is to be late!¡±

    As Jeremiah went to catch up, he looked to Isaac.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know Thomas was so. . .¡±

    ¡°Dumb? Yeah, that¡¯s a shock to me too.¡±

    <hr>

    Though it was a short walk to the Misc. Tram, there was a view that could take hours to digest. Myriad High¡¯s aboveground was mostly for visitors and administrative faculty members, but the true Principality rests deep beneath the ground. Pale steel beams and fixtures the size of highways spread from cavern wall to cavern wall like the web of a colossal spider. Even now, the four boys walk upon one of these very beams, referred to as Lanes. The railings on the sides may as well be gates, but Jeremiah¡¯s fear of heights could not be quelled so easily. So instead, he kept his eyes up, just below the artificial sun.

    The cavern ceiling was so high up, it may as well have been the sky. The engineers would agree, since they erected gigantic screens between the ceiling beams to project a perfect imitation of the sky aboveground. The only imperfections were the narrow lines of empty space that divided the ceiling screens. It reminded Jeremiah of the mosaic glass windows of the Myriadic Church.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    And though the Misc. Dorm Lanes were bereft of people besides themselves, it was still busy. Automated sweeper-bots and mobile vending machines moved down the Lane in separate single-file lines like fridge-shaped marching bands. Holographic mini screens projected reporters breaking news from the outside world as well as announcements from the Principality itself. If Mom and Dad saw me now. . .

    ¡°So noisy. . .¡± Alex yawned.

    ¡°It is.¡± Jeremiah curtly agreed. ¡°Imagine if we were in the other Halls, with hundreds of other students?¡±

    Thomas maintained his scowl.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the faculty maintains order.¡±

    Isaac just kept scanning the Lane itself.

    ¡°Myriad High could make bank hosting races here!¡±

    They arrived at the Misc. Tram, terribly early. There were big differences between the L-Train in Seraph and the Trams in Myriad High. Size was the biggest factor. The L-Train was a near-constantly moving collection of over one hundred train cars. Meanwhile, the Trams were practically luxury vehicles on rails. They were cozier but more cramped as well. Not a problem for a class of 12. Jeremiah thought.

    He wondered what the other classmates would be like. Would this be the first time he doesn¡¯t get bullied in school? An unbelievable thought.

    ¡°It sucks that these things don¡¯t go as fast as the L-Train. It was pretty crazy when we ran with that¡ª¡±

    Isaac¡¯s face went blank as Thomas raised an eyebrow. Jeremiah couldn¡¯t help but croak a little.

    ¡°It was uhh, p-pretty crazy when we ran straight there with only a couple minutes left, right?¡± Jeremiah said, desperately attempting to recover from Isaac¡¯s mistake. Isaac nodded like the idiot he was.

    ¡°Yup!¡±

    And cue the awkward silence. While Alex dozed off, the other three sat inside, waiting for the Tram to activate. As Isaac grabbed a drink from the service robot, he sighed.

    ¡°The bots are nice, but why can¡¯t we get some hot train attendant girls instead?¡±

    Jeremiah could only smile. What would he do without Isaac?

    ¡°High school or not, this is training to become elite government operatives.¡± Thomas growled. ¡°Have some military bearing, Isaac.¡±

    Isaac slowly panned his head towards Alex, hopelessly asleep on the slide-out table.

    ¡°Yeah, okay man.¡±

    At those words, the Tram door slid open and in stepped two more.

    And what a sight it was.

    A boy around Thomas¡¯ size and the same level of muscle appeared. Jeremiah¡¯s blood ran cold as he beheld an absolute delinquent of a student. What caught his eye instantly was what looked to be a claw scar that traveled from across his lips to underneath his stubbled chin. His wavy brown hair wasn¡¯t as long as Alex¡¯s, but reached his shoulders. It looked like a shadow was cast over his eyes at all times as he stood with the stiffness of a lifeless statue.

    What the heck is going on here? Jeremiah thought. Who let an Adversary this far into the Principality? Jeremiah wondered if this was some sort of unorthodox test from Mr. Hill.

    Instinctually, he looked back at the others. Thomas¡¯ lips trembled a bit as he attempted to keep his ¡®military bearing.¡¯ Alex was awake and a small amount of recognition was in his unfocused eyes. As for Isaac. . .

    ¡°Yo, what¡¯s up, man! I¡¯m Isaac.¡±

    Isaac shot up and threw out a fist bump.

    Then things got weirder.

    A high pitched yelp came from the taller boy. He threw up his hands to shield himself from Isaac¡¯s close fist. And then he turned into rock. In an instant, Jeremiah watched as from his shoes to each strand on his head, the menacing boy turned to stone.

    Petrified.

    No really, Jeremiah thought, rubbing the lenses of his thick-rimmed glasses. What the heck is happening?

    ¡°Oh dear,¡± said a voice from behind the petrified statue. ¡°Brother Lloyd here is rather skittish.¡±

    Squeezing past the one referred to as Lloyd, came an equally frightening looking boy. It seemed as if he sucked the life and color out of the Tram with his mere existence. Piercing eyes stared at Jeremiah through thin strands of long, jet black hair. Just below that, a grim smile was painted over the pale skin of this newcomer. His wiry body slouched as well, lowering his height by quite a bit. His nails were painted black, he wore black rings, black mascara. . . black everything. The only hint of color on this boy was a golden necklace with a dangling spiral, a symbol of the Myriadic Church.

    ¡°The uniform code of this school, I swear. . .¡± Thomas mumbled.

    Isaac knocked on the side of Lloyd¡¯s petrified head.

    ¡°What happened to him?¡±

    ¡°That would be his Blessing,¡± The all-black student said. ¡°The act of Self-petrification.¡±

    Isaac mulled over this for a millisecond, then swiveled his fist over to the newer student.

    ¡°¡®Sup. I¡¯m Isaac. This one¡¯s Jerry, that one¡¯s Thomas, and that one over there is Alex.¡±

    ¡°I am Claudius Grimold, and it is a pleasure to meet you, brothers.¡±

    He laughed with the creep factor of a thousand serial killers.

    ¡°Brother Lloyd, release yourself from your stone tomb. Your fellow students are kind, see?¡±

    Jeremiah heard a muffled, ¡°Ok. . .¡± before the statue quickly turned back into a flesh and blood person. Lloyd was now timidly bowing his head, his trembling fingers now interlocked.

    ¡°S-sorry for, um, reacting like that.¡±

    Jeremiah couldn¡¯t believe that he found Lloyd terrifying just a minute ago.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine?¡± Jeremiah said, unsure.

    ¡°Take it easy, big guy.¡± Alex said, slowly powering back down to sleep mode.

    Lloyd looked at his classmates, and almost assumed a genuine smile.

    It was ruined pretty quickly, though.

    ¡°Hey, hey boys!?¡± Ashley cheered from the Tram opening.

    This elicited a yelp from Lloyd and an instant regression to statue.

    ¡°Huhhh? What¡¯s with him~¡±

    Thomas sighed. ¡°You just threw away a small bit of progress.¡±

    ¡°But what did I do?¡±

    Ashley started to analyze Lloyd with those piercing eyes. Jeremiah realized the colors of her irises were different again. Colored contacts, or is that part of her Blessing? His line of thinking was quickly interrupted as the Tram became busier and busier.

    ¡°Damn, girl! Stop standing in the fuckin¡¯ doorway and let me through!¡±

    This was a familiar voice. A high-pitched voice with the mouth of a sailor. . .

    ¡°Oh man,¡± Isaac grimaced. ¡°Hey, June.¡±

    June, the girl from the candy store, Lucky Takakura, was somehow wearing the same uniform as them. Ashley wasn¡¯t very tall, but standing next to June made anyone tall. The delinquent girl stomped in, head held high. With a combination of her ponytail topknot and combat boots, she was close to finally making it past 5 feet of height. As usual, a lollipop was being loudly chewed on in her mouth. Despite her baby-face, she had the threatening aura that Jeremiah had mistakenly seen in Lloyd.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like that tone, Ballsaac.¡±

    ¡°And I don¡¯t like that nickname,¡± Isaac groaned. ¡°So you really made it into Myriad. I thought you were messing with me.¡±

    ¡°Huhhh?¡± June snarled. ¡°You thought I was too dumb to make it in?¡±

    Isaac nonchalantly wiped away a few beads of sweat from the birthmark on his forehead.

    ¡°Hey man, you said it, not me.¡±

    June shut her eyes as she cracked her knuckles, and blindly lunged for Isaac. In almost serene clarity, Jeremiah realized this chaos may just be his new everyday for the next four years. If Mom and Dad saw me now. . . he thought once more.

    ¡°Woah, now!¡±

    Leaping in the middle of the two, was someone Jeremiah had never seen before. A lanky, tomboyish girl with a strong sun tan held her arms up to shield Isaac from June. She was peppered with bandaids on her legs and a patch on her face, likely from some sort of sport. June¡¯s eyes opened at the last second in shock, and she pulled her fist back.

    ¡°Shit, Robin! I almost sent you flying back home!¡±

    The tomboy named Robin chuckled nervously as she rubbed at the back of her head, her brown hair cut short.

    ¡°I¡¯d hate it if you did that. Already got a bad injury right now.¡±

    She turned over to Isaac and shrugged.

    ¡°June¡¯s a bit cranky at the moment. Actually, she¡¯s cranky all the time. Maybe don¡¯t tease her too much?¡±

    Isaac mirrored her shrug.

    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡±

    They simultaneously offered a fist bump, which threw both of them off.

    ¡°Is your name really Ballsaac?¡±

    ¡°Hell no.¡±

    Jeremiah relaxed his breathing once the fight had ended. Thomas was angrily chewing on his fingernails, muttering something about how unsanctioned sparring is a severe infraction. Alex was still blissfully asleep.

    He thought his worries were over, until June turned her attention to him. So did Robin. They marched up to him, sizing him up. Here comes my newest audience to the ¡®Jeremiah¡¯s Frog-face Freakshow.¡¯ He thought, bitterness flooding his mind.

    ¡°Ash, this the guy you were talking about?¡± June said. ¡°Looks puny to me.¡±

    Jeremiah chose to ignore the irony.

    Wait, don¡¯t you remember me?

    ¡°He fits the bill, don¡¯t he?¡± Robin asked.

    Ashley bounded over to Jeremiah, throwing an arm around his shoulder and pulling him in. She smelled of honey and fruit. Nope, not this time. Jeremiah shook himself out of being distracted.

    ¡°That¡¯s right! This is Froggy! He tooootally saved us from a Cherub! Knocked him out cold~¡±

    Robin¡¯s eyes lit up. June pursed her lips, looking at Jeremiah with subdued respect.

    ¡°Nice, nice! Hey, show me your stomach!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, let us see it, frogboy.¡±

    Suddenly, Isaac was on the other side of Jeremiah, an arm around his shoulder as well.

    ¡°Ladies ladies, there¡¯s more than enough of Jeremiah to go around, but if you want an interview with him you¡¯ll need to talk to his manager first.¡± Isaac jabbed a thumb at himself.

    Jeremiah wasn¡¯t sure what to do. What¡¯s with all of this. . . attention? It¡¯s not the bad kind of attention either. He remembered how Ashley and Isaac hadn¡¯t reacted how he feared. But even then, he figured they were outliers. But this was the Miscellaneous Class. We¡¯re all outliers, Jeremiah thought. All of a sudden, he felt like he could cry.

    The Tram began its humming tune, signaling that the Tram was ready to embark. It didn¡¯t move as fast as the L-Train, but not securing yourself will lead to the same outcome nonetheless. Thomas barked at them to sit down and strap in, and the students begrudgingly listened. As usual, the trio sat together. Isaac looked at him, smirking.

    ¡°Check out our man Jerry. Celebrity superhero.¡±

    Isaac wouldn¡¯t call himself smart, and most would agree. But he knew more about people than he let on. Jeremiah knew for a fact that Isaac was pushing him to be more ¡®out there.¡¯

    ¡°Celebrity, huh?¡± Ashley said. ¡°Maaaybe~?¡±

    Jeremiah¡¯s eyes met Ashley¡¯s. Now this was something Jeremiah didn¡¯t understand.

    That smile on her face.

    What meaning is it supposed to convey?

 Chapter Thirteen: Meet The Students II

    The Tram ride to the Miscellaneous Study Hall took no time at all. If not for the speed of the Tram, it would be a waste of time to sit down. The students managed glimpses of the other Halls beyond the windows of the Tram in between open sections of the caverns. Every time the windows showed another section of the Principality, everyone pressed their faces to the glass and soaked up as much of the view as possible.

    ¡°Ashley, could you maybe. . .¡± Jeremiah uttered.

    She was leaning over him to get a closer look at what appeared to be the Physiology Hall. Countless students flooded the Lane, which looked like a national park. The gigantic metal fixture was buried underneath dirt, grass, and stone paving. The artificial sky was nearly blotted out by an assortment of thick trees and artificial land formations. And yet, the same service bots and monitors weaved through this facsimile of nature like it was their natural habitat.

    ¡°Aw snap, they got a waterfall in there?¡± Robin said incredulously.

    Unfortunately, Jeremiah didn¡¯t see it. Ashley blocked most of the view from him, her elbows digging into his large stomach. Being so close to her, Jeremiah¡¯s face expectedly turned beet red.

    ¡°Ashley, come on. . .¡±

    ¡°Why do they get colored armbands and not us?¡± Ashley whined. ¡°So unfair~¡±

    She looked down at the uniform, glumly tracing along the forearms of the overcoat where a thin, colored piece of cloth should be.

    She referred to the strange dress code of the Miscellaneous Hall. Blessings were the height of one¡¯s individuality, but the type of Blessing is expressed as well. The Misc. Hall was a strange mixture of all of the Halls. From the top, they all wore the preppy dark-gray blazer suits of the Manipulation Hall, adorned with gold buttons. Underneath that, they wore full combat body suits known as Hard-Suits worn by the Physiology Hall. It was another technological wonder from HardTek Industries. They adapted perfectly to the body of the wearer, practically becoming another layer of skin. No specific tailoring needed for Jeremiah, who was especially thankful. On their feet, were the black, steel-toe military boots worn by students of the Amplification Hall. As for the bottoms, it was up to the students given that it was acceptable by the generic standards of the Principality, likely taking after the lax dress code of the Creation Hall.

    It made sense, considering the fact that everyone here would have normally been in the other Halls. Jeremiah was sure it was Mr. Hill¡¯s idea. He thought to explain this to Ashley, but found his mouth too close to her chest to dare open it to speak.

    To distance himself from his current circumstances, Jeremiah listed off the colors attributed to the Main Halls.

    Red for Amplification, Purple for Manipulation, Green for Physiology, Gold for Creation¡ª

    The Tram returned to its cozy yellow lamp lighting as it entered another tight tunnel, and Jeremiah was truly grateful. He looked at Ashley, expecting her to retreat back to her seat. Instead, she stared at him without a crumb of emotion. It was that analytical stare she sometimes had.

    ¡°Uh. . . Did I do something?¡±

    Ashley¡¯s eyes returned to normal, and she pulled back into her seat. Even her response lacked the sing-songy casual tone it always had.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Jeremiah looked at Isaac for some help. Isaac¡¯s lips were pursed and an eyebrow was raised in the most cartoonish imitation of deep thought imaginable. It was that stupid stare he sometimes had.

    Then, Isaac¡¯s jaw dropped.

    Then, he looked at Isaac with a smirk of smug suggestion.

    ¡°What?¡± Jeremiah demanded.

    ¡°Nooothing, man.¡± Isaac grinned. ¡°Nooothing at allll.¡±

    Jeremiah wanted to press the buffoon further, but a pleasant ding from the rarely used intercom on the Tram signified the end of their short ride.

    The doors slid open and the students silently stared out.

    The fantastical grandeur of the Main Halls could not be seen in the Miscellaneous Hall. It was as if a corridor from any old highschool was magically removed and teleported into the Principality. Drab, run-of-the-mill classrooms faced each other across a brightly lit but otherwise nearly featureless hallway. As expected, there were no lights on inside the classrooms. After all, there were no students there to learn.

    But there were two people standing in the hall.

    A blonde girl with the bombastic french braid of an ancient noblewoman seemed to be loudly pestering another girl. The other one stared off into nothing, absentmindedly curling a pinky around her long auburn hair. The blonde didn¡¯t seem to notice, instead making a flourishing wave with her hand as if she made some grand point in her monologue. The spike in volume from this act managed only a slight wince from the redheaded one. Only when the Tram¡¯s beeping signified its arrival did the two girls look in their direction.

    And it was only then when Jeremiah remembered seeing the redhead. It was the first day of the Afterschool Waiting List. She witnessed Jeremiah and Isaac climbing up from an L-Train Tunnel after using Isaac¡¯s Blessing to tail the caboose. The same one that gave a knowing sneer, promising trouble in the future.

    A chill ran up Jeremiah¡¯s spine. He and Isaac shared a glance of despair.

    ¡°Is that. . .?¡±

    ¡°Oh man. . .¡± Isaac said, wilting like a trampled flower.

    And there it was again. On her once blank, robotic face, a wolfish sneer.

    ¡°Yes, that is me!¡± the blonde one shouted. She practically skipped over to the incoming crowd, with the redhead following at a normal pace. Jeremiah barely noted a small horizontal scar on the blonde girl¡¯s freckled face, just below her hairline.

    Was it glowing, or a reflection of light?

    ¡°Wait. . . wait!¡± Thomas gasped.

    Thomas points a reverent finger towards the blonde.

    ¡°That¡¯s a Goldenchild!¡±

    And just like that, the redhead who could potentially ruin Jeremiah¡¯s life was put on the backburner. A Goldenchild? Jeremiah was sharing a class with a Goldenchild? A Goldenchild is attending the Miscellaneous Class of all places?

    What is going on?

    Upon hearing her legendary family name, she chuckled and performed the same over-exaggerated gesture she did earlier.

    With a dazzling smile she said, ¡°That would be Gloria-Grace Goldenchild to you.¡±

    She regally extended her hand out.

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t mind if I do!¡±

    Without hesitation, Isaac¡¯s lips found themselves on her hand.

    ¡°Isaac Lopez at your service, Princess.¡± He looked at her with a serious smolder of a heroic knight. As serious and heroic Isaac can be, at least.

    June and Ashley audibly groaned in unison.

    ¡°This guy. . .¡± Jeremiah muttered.

    Gloria-Grace¡¯s face went slack for a moment, but her head quickly returned to its upturned position of pride. Slightly higher, actually. She overdid it to the point that her nostrils were all Jeremiah could see of her face.

    ¡°It is about time I have received some proper respect in this place!¡±

    She topped this goofily high-class display with a pronounced ¡®ohohohoho!¡¯

    Thomas managed to tear his face from the Goldenchild and toward the redheaded girl.

    ¡°A Goldenchild is a supreme honor, but the daughter of the AmaTek¡¯s CEO is a different kind of surprise.¡±

    No way, Jeremiah thought. A Goldenchild and the heir to AmaTek?

    He looked back to her, and noticed that her expression had returned to neutral zero. More stone-faced than anything Lloyd could turn into.

    Ashley tilted her head, ¡°Uh, Imma what now?¡±

    ¡°Hah! That¡¯s AmaTek, Ashley.¡± Robin clarified. ¡°They¡¯re a big Suit and Gear manufacturing company.¡±

    With haste, Isaac swiveled over to the CEO¡¯s daughter¡ªstill kneeling, of course¡ªand held out a hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. I¡¯m Isaac Lopez.¡±

    The redhead did not even react to the boy beneath her. The only sign of her acknowledging Isaac¡¯s existence was her curt introduction.

    ¡°Natali Amatore.¡±

    It was as if her tone was a murderer of conversation. The energy of the room was devoured by her cold demeanor. Behind him, Jeremiah heard a quiet conversation.

    ¡°An Amatore. . .¡± Lloyd murmured. ¡°Not good. . .¡±

    ¡°Brother Lloyd, you must remember that she is a child like us,¡± Claudius said. ¡°The doings of AmaTek cannot be attributed to her.¡±

    Robin began nervously peeling and unpeeling a corner of her face bandage. Finding the awkwardness unbearable, she threw a fist pump to the ceiling.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s nice to meet y¡¯all! Let¡¯s make this class a good time, yeah? Oh, I¡¯m Robin. Nice to meet you two!¡±

    It was a clumsy attempt, but the class wanted it to work, so it did.

    Natali nodded with the stiffness of a machine, and Gloria-Grace smiled rose with her shoulders.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Very well!¡±

    Alex spoke up for the first time since the Tram arrived.

    ¡°Can we go to the classroom now? A desk would be nice to sleep on right about now.¡±

    This made Thomas grumble as he glanced at his smartphone.

    ¡°We are in Room 1-A, unsurprisingly. It is at the end of the hall, right hand side.¡±

    June grimaced.

    ¡°All of these empty classrooms and he picked the farthest one? Asshole.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, shortstuff? Scared of a little exercise?¡± Isaac jeered.

    June responded by cracking her knuckles. Isaac wasted no time in starting a sprint to the classroom at the end of the hall. June followed, her tiny legs blurring as she did her best to catch the idiot.

    ¡°Hey, no fighting!¡± Robin pleaded.

    ¡°And no running in the halls!¡± Thomas barked.

    They both ran after them.

    ¡°Oh? But did he not just say running was not allowed?¡± Gloria-Grace laughed. ¡°How humorous! You must explain this joke to me!¡±

    Gloria-Grace began to daintily run as well.

    This left the only sensible people to walk down the hallway. Ashley quickly matched Jeremiah¡¯s pace and leaned in to whisper. Jeremiah did his best not to react, of course.

    ¡°Hey, Froggy. What¡¯s with that chick? You kinda acted weird, and she is, like, tooootally staring at you.¡±

    ¡°Oh um, uh. . .¡± Jeremiah racked his brain for a satisfying response.

    ¡°I saw her before, and. . . she laughed at me for looking like a frog, I guess.¡± Jeremiah said, slowly warming up to his fib as he said it.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°She just thinks I¡¯m funny to look at, p-probably.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Ashley said. She flashed a nasty look back at Natali. The cold expression of Natali still bore into Jeremiah¡¯s head, completely ignoring Ashley¡¯s challenge. Ashley sucked her teeth.

    ¡°Bitch.¡± Ashley muttered.

    The venom in Ashley¡¯s voice made Jeremiah¡¯s eyes widen. Did he just make a mistake telling that lie? It probably wasn¡¯t that far off from the truth, anyways. It was the normal reason he would get such a sneer from someone like Natali.

    ¡°Ignore her, Froggy. She¡¯s just a bitch.¡±

    ¡°Uh, you said that already?¡±

    ¡°Yup~¡±

    ¡°Ok. . .¡±

    Yeah, I definitely made a mistake. Jeremiah thought. As he agonized over his blunder, they finished their walk into the classroom. Jeremiah nervously swallowed, emitting a quiet ribbit. This was an important moment.

    It was time to pick seats.

    There were three rows of four desks in the squat and sparse classroom. Jeremiah quickly absorbed his surroundings and perused his options.

    As expected Alex was in the back of the classroom on the furthest seat to the left of the classroom. The boy was already succumbing to sleep. Jeremiah could have sworn Alex was lagging behind them earlier, but ignored that detail for now. Sitting in the second row in front of him was Robin, who looked mentally exhausted after likely breaking up a fight between June and Isaac. June happened to be seated next to her, still fuming somewhat. Isaac was seated next to her, a noticeable sign of a bruise already forming on his cheek. At the end of the second row, Gloria-Grace sat on a pristine looking cushion placed on top of the standard desk chair.

    In the first row, Thomas sat at the seat closest to the door, no doubt wanting to be the first to greet the teacher every day.

    That was everyone who was currently seated. Jeremiah adjusted his glasses, satisfied with the options left over. It was obvious he needed to be in the front. Sitting next to Thomas would be a pain, and being in the back row was simply not going to happen. Which led to one final option. . .

    There! Jeremiah thought as he made a beeline for the second to last seat on the right side of the room. It was perfect! It wasn¡¯t next to the ever-strict Thomas and was right in front of where Mr. Hill would be! Jeremiah sat down¡ªslowly, of course¡ªin the seat and sighed in relief. What may be his seat for the next four years was the most optimal. It was the first step to redeeming his school life after the disaster that was elementary and middle school.

    He watched as Claudius took the seat next to Alex in the back row, with Lloyd sheepishly securing the seat right next to him.

    ¡°No seats in the middle row? Laaame.¡± Ashley said as she plopped down in the seat between Jeremiah and Thomas.

    Jeremiah didn¡¯t complain about Ashley being next to him. She was pretty smart, so having her nearby wouldn¡¯t be the worst.

    Wait a second, Jeremiah thought. A girl like Ashley, sitting next to him? This seemed like the classic ¡®cute-girl-sits-next-to-dork-to-cheat-off-his-answers¡¯ schtick. No, Ashley probably wouldn¡¯t do that. Maybe?

    Jeremiah was thrown out of his overthinking when he realized Natali was sitting on his left.

    Oh.

    Oh no.

    He could feel an otherworldly tether of pure animosity springing from both sides. Jeremiah didn¡¯t need to look to his right to know that Ashley was death-glaring at Natali. Jeremiah also didn¡¯t need to look to his left to know Natali was probably sneering at him. He looked between both of them anyway to confirm.

    On his right?

    Yup. Ashley¡¯s got the death-glare going at full throttle.

    On his left?

    Natali¡¯s sneering all right, but at Ashley this time?

    Jeremiah then turned to face the empty chalkboard in front of him. Did he say something about the seat he had picked for the next four years being optimal? No, he must have meant suboptimal. And that would be an understatement.

    For the third time in an hour, he once again thought, If Mom and Dad saw me now. . .

    Wait a second.

    Jeremiah turned to look behind him. Three rows of four. All of them were filled except the last row, furthest to the right. Jeremiah recalled Mr. Hill referring to nine other students when mentioning the after effects of the nanoinjectors they took months ago. If twelve is the minimum number, does that mean one is late?

    ¡°Everyone, our Instructor is coming down the hall! Behave!¡± Thomas barked. The class came to a hush as the footsteps of the incoming Instructor became louder and louder. Jeremiah found himself sweating buckets. This was it. It¡¯s finally happening! What would they be doing first? Would there be a pop quiz? What kind of pop quiz could there even be?

    Jeremiah stewed in an endless whirlpool of questions for the thirty seconds it took for the door to swing open. Mr. Hill stepped in with a hard expression, his face taut and stoic. It made sense to Jeremiah. This wasn¡¯t Mr. Hill, but Instructor Hill. He looked towards his Instructor and summoned all the resolve that rested deep within him. Jeremiah took on a determined, resolute face.

    No matter what, nothing would shake his confidence.

    Not in him, nor in Miscellaneous Hall¡¯s Instructor, Roger Hill.

    <hr>

    Ashley glanced at Jeremiah¡¯s flabbergasted expression. She probably would have found his face pretty funny right now, but she couldn¡¯t even giggle. Her face probably looked just as ridiculous.

    After all, an Instructor of the most prodigious Principality in the country¡ªmaybe even the world¡ªjust admitted to not having a Blessing.

    Some of them were silent, some attempted to laugh, and some audibly gasped.

    ¡°There is no joke in these words.¡± Roger said. ¡°I don¡¯t have a single Blessed bone in my body.¡±

    Ashley had a decent handle on when Roger was trying to hide the truth. This wasn¡¯t that Roger. He¡¯s serious, she thought. He¡¯s powerless.

    ¡°What,¡± Thomas said as he struggled not to short-circuit. ¡°Do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Thomas, but we don¡¯t have a lot of time for me to be repeating myself.¡± Roger said. He began writing on the chalkboard with dexterity. In big neat words, ¡®EARLY ASSESSMENT¡¯ was written on the chalkboard.

    ¡°After all, this classroom is far from guaranteed just yet.¡±

    Changing the subject, huh? Ashley thought.

    Fine.

    ¡°But uh, didn¡¯t we pass the entrance examination before we got here?¡± Robin asked.

    ¡°Getting in is easy,¡± Roger replied with a serpentine smile. ¡°Staying in is decided a month later. By the Early Assessment.¡±

    From underneath his podium, Roger placed what looked like a spherical glass container connected to a stand with a lever attached. It had tiny little multi-colored balls no bigger than ones belonging to golf inside.

    ¡°Oh? The Early Assessment is decided by bingo?¡± Gloria-Grace wondered, her excitement far from hidden.

    ¡°Not exactly, Miss Goldenchild.¡± Roger said as he began turning the lever. As the balls were being mixed inside of the container, he continued.

    ¡°T.H.R.O.N.E. and Myriad High want to know how well you can use your Blessings for the sake of neutralizing villains and rescuing civilians. This lottery will decide the teams who will work together to accomplish one of those tasks.¡±

    ¡°Getting right into it, huh?¡± Alex said.

    Ashley noticed the pretty boy sounded more awake than normal. After Roger¡¯s little declaration, anybody would be wide awake after that. It was an excellent strategy to demand the attention of the class.

    Roger periodically fished one of the balls from the machine, setting them aside in three small bowls. When he finished he etched three sections on the chalkboard: Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie.

    Thomas cupped his chin, smiling.

    ¡°Alpha, Bravo, Charlie,¡± He mused. ¡°A nice, military-style naming convention.¡±

    ¡°What a poser~¡± Ashley laughed.

    Thomas grit his teeth, but didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°For Alpha Team. . .¡± Roger wrote down the following names,

    ALPHA TEAM

    <hr>

    June Takakura Alex Evans Isaac Lopez Claudius Grimold

    Ashley listened to Isaac and June¡¯s collectively despairing.

    ¡°Oh, fuck this.¡± June growled

    ¡°We¡¯re so screwed, man.¡± Isaac moaned.

    Alex shrugged while that creepy guy Claudius¡¯ smile grew wider.

    Roger wasted no time as he moved on to the Bravo team.

    ¡°For Bravo Team. . .¡±

    BRAVO TEAM

    <hr>

    Lloyd Law Robin Bennett Thomas Clark Gloria-Grace Goldenchild

    ¡°Saying ¡®Bravo¡¯ already?¡± Gloria-Grace said, shaking her head. ¡°Nonsense, we haven¡¯t even performed yet.¡±

    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what that means, sister.¡± Robin frowned.

    Thomas began writing the names down in a camo-colored notebook.

    Lloyd seemed to be nervously chewing on his fingernails.

    What¡¯s with that guy anyways?

    ¡°As for Charlie team, we have the leftovers.¡±

    CHARLIE TEAM

    <hr>

    Ashley Baker  Jeremiah Stoudemire

    ¡°Yay~¡± Ashley celebrated as she playfully punched Jeremiah, who still maintained a look of shock. ¡°We¡¯re, like, still a team, Froggy! We won¡¯t have Isaac¡¯s super-speed but whatevs!¡±

    Jeremiah¡¯s face deflated, his fat cheeks drooping low.

    ¡°This is bad. . .¡± Jeremiah murmured.

    For a moment, Ashley thought he meant teaming up with her would be bad.

    ¡°Huuuh? What the hell!¡± Ashley scowled. Jeremiah frantically waved his hands, realizing how he sounded.

    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not like that! He¡¯s not done writing, see?¡±

    Ashley looked at the chalkboard and clenched her fists until she felt her acrylic nails threatening to snap in half.

    Was he doing this on purpose?

    CHARLIE TEAM

    <hr>

    Ashley Baker Jeremiah Stoudemire Natali Amatore

    Roger, you ass!

    ¡°This will be the team that you will place your faith in to maintain your place in this Principality. Get familiar with your team member¡¯s Blessings and learn how they are used, how they operate. It will take creativity and teamwork if you are to pass the Early Assessment. Then, and only then, will this class truly begin.¡±

    Roger placed the chalk down on the chalkboards railing.

    ¡°Oh, and one more thing. The mission briefing for the Early Assessment will be waiting for you all in your mailboxes back at the Dormitory in black folders. It¡¯s technically top-secret so don¡¯t leave them in public spaces.¡±

    He scanned the room one last time, and walked towards the door.

    ¡°Wait, um, where are you going?¡± Jeremiah asked.

    Roger gave him a confused look.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving, obviously.¡±

    Jeremiah spluttered.

    ¡°I¡¯d recommend each team to mingle for the rest of the day. For those who moved into the Dorms recently, use this time to explore and acclimate yourself to the Principality. Tomorrow will be much more involved, let¡¯s say.¡±

    Roger gave a wave as he exited without another word.

    Ashley couldn¡¯t believe it. Roger was in the classroom for all of ten minutes, talked trash, said he didn¡¯t have a Blessing, and then he just left?

    After a moment of silence, the class burst into a cacophony of complaints and speculation.

    ¡°It¡¯s some kind of psychological tactic.¡± Alex shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s just bluffing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s r-right.¡± Thomas stammered, flipping through a thick binder of the Principality¡¯s rules and standards. ¡°There¡¯s n-no way an Non-blessed person can be allowed to teach in a Principality!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re so screwed, man.¡± Isaac repeated.

    ¡°I wonder if he is single?¡± Gloria-Grace pondered.

    Ashley attempted to calm down. Class is dismissed, which means there is no need to be here, blabbering with the rest of these guys. She grabbed for Jeremiah¡¯s clammy hand, who emitted a croak of surprise, and stood up.

    ¡°No time to waste, Froggy. Let¡¯s get out of here and, like, strategize or whatever.¡±

    Ashley knew that networking was a vital part of her future career. Jeremiah didn¡¯t seem like anything more than an entertaining oddity when they first met. That was until he knocked a Cherubim out cold. Might makes right, and if Ashley couldn¡¯t be mighty, she¡¯ll just make sure she sides with someone who is.

    She sauntered out of the classroom and down the hall with Jeremiah in tow.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Jeremiah asked.

    ¡°Good question.¡± Ashley said. She really just wanted to get away from the redhead. Ashley got the worst vibes from that bitch. Hopefully she just shows up for the Early Assessment and leaves us alo¡ª

    ¡°Acquiring the mission brief from our Dormitory would be the most logical option.¡±

    The cold voice of Natali pierced through Ashley¡¯s hopes. Jeremiah made another frantic croak, which was loud enough to make Ashley jump.

    ¡°Froggy, I know you¡¯re like, Froggy, but can you stop doing. . .¡± Ashley faltered as she turned and saw that Natali was holding Jeremiah¡¯s other hand.

    This bitch!

    Ashley¡¯s annoyance reached fury as she openly scowled at her competition. She¡¯s got the same plan as me, huh? No way, skank. I got dibs.

    ¡°Can you like, not? Froggy is obviously bothered you¡¯re holding his hand like that.¡± Ashley said in a low voice.

    Natali¡¯s grin oozed a vile smugness.

    ¡°Is that so? What if it¡¯s your hand that bothers him? Those circus-clown nails are moments away from drawing blood from his palm.¡±

    Before Ashley could violently retort, Jeremiah attempted to defuse the nuclear situation.

    ¡°I¡¯m actually fine, haha!¡± Jeremiah said, his lips quivering. ¡°I just sweat easily, and it''s hot in here, that¡¯s all! Maybe we don¡¯t have to hold hands?¡±

    ¡°No, we do.¡± Natali coldly responded.

    ¡°Yeah, we definitely do.¡± Ashley agreed.

    They tugged Jeremiah to the Tram station, glaring at each other over the poor boy¡¯s shivering head.

    ¡°Somebody, anybody. . . help. . .¡± Jeremiah whimpered.

 Chapter Fourteen: The Month Before

    Obviously, the lottery will be rigged. The three teams will be decided long before the first day. My second chance will not go to waste.

    -Roger Hill¡¯s Notes

    June never learned how to swim, so she just sat by the pool, glowering at any passerby that looked in her direction.

    Alpha Team meandered the Principality for hours, finally taking a break in the Recreation Center¡¯s Poolside. The Recreation Center was bigger¡ªno, scratch that¡ªdeeper than each of the Halls. Each of the respective Lanes of the Halls eventually connected to what was both a colossal support beam and a tower with countless floors dedicated to some sort of afterschool entertainment.

    It was Isaac¡¯s idea to visit the Poolside, the indoor water park. June didn¡¯t bother asking why, but Isaac offered his reasoning anyway.

    ¡°If hard times are waiting for us, you gotta relax while you still can, man!¡±

    Alex didn¡¯t care to give an opinion, unsurprisingly. Claudius seemed content to be anywhere, so he didn¡¯t count either. As for June, she just didn¡¯t come up with an alternative. So they went to the Poolside.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Isaac said as they entered, feeling the warm humidity of the water park on their skin. ¡°There¡¯ll be strategizing and tactic-izing too. I¡¯m all over this.¡±

    This was bullshit, of course.

    That bastard Isaac was just checking out girls under the pretense of relaxation.

    So now June was stuck breathing in stuffy, heated air, miserable.

    Through the splashing and voices of countless students bouncing off the walls, June overheard the conversation between Isaac, Claudius, and Alex from the edge of the pool.

    ¡°I gotta say, I like what I see around here.¡± Isaac said, a piglike grin on his face. ¡°Middle school was bleh, but high school girls? Top tier, baby!¡±

    ¡°That so?¡± Alex asked as he lounged in a unicorn floaty.

    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re not thinking the same thing, man! You¡¯re still a guy, even if you look all gi¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t finish that sentence.¡±

    Isaac laughed nervously.

    ¡°My bad, my bad.¡± Isaac quickly attempted to recover the conversation.

    ¡°Back to what I was saying, though. Normal girls can¡¯t compete with the Myriad High girls, and that¡¯s a fact.¡±

    ¡°I suppose their Blessings are more combat-focused compared to a normal schoolgirl.¡± Claudius nodded.

    Alex snorted. Isaac looked at Claudius, finally remembering that he was there.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about their Blessings, man.¡±

    ¡°. . .Oh?¡±

    Claudius pursed his lips as he wondered what Isaac could have possibly been talking about.

    ¡°Let me guess, Alex. You like those preppy, nerdy Manipulation chicks, yeah?¡±

    ¡°If I like what I see, I like what I see.¡± Alex stated.

    ¡°I respect it, but the Amplification girls are the peak. Always taking care of their bodies.¡± Isaac turned to Claudius, almost hesitating to speak.

    ¡°So uh, Claudius. What about you?¡±

    Claudius smiled, holding his hands out as if to ascend.

    ¡°All Blessings are wonderful. I could never fixate myself on a singular classification.¡±

    ¡°You know what? My bad for asking.¡±

    It was at this point that June had lost her patience.

    ¡°Can we actually do something about the shit-pit we¡¯re in!¡±

    Isaac visibly cringed as he felt the eyes of other students descend upon the four.

    ¡°Dang, June! You should¡¯ve just said something!¡±

    ¡°Well I¡¯m saying it now, Ballsaac. It¡¯s been an hour of you being a perv and nothing to show for it! Take this seriously.¡±

    ¡°Maaan. Looks like the fun¡¯s over, boys.¡±

    Isaac sighed as he pulled himself out of the water. Claudius followed suit. As for how he managed to keep his goth-style makeup dry, June didn¡¯t bother to ask. Isaac wrung out the water from his messy hair as he looked down at June with a grimace.

    ¡°You got my full attention, now what?¡±

    June waved the black folder in his face.

    ¡°We read through this and figure out how we¡¯re going to pass.¡±

    Isaac looked at her, frowning in deep thought. It was annoying, the concept of Isaac coming close to any kind of actual thinking.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with this seriousness you got going on? You never act like this.¡±

    ¡°You barely know me!¡± June shouted.

    Isaac smiled.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. But we got a whole month to worry about the Early Assessment, remember? Overthinking is a real pain, take it from my main man Jerry.¡±

    Before June could swear at him, Alex appeared by Isaac¡¯s side.

    ¡°What we should really be talking about is our Instructor.¡± Alex said.

    While June didn¡¯t agree with him, the thoughts still seeped through her main priority. How the hell did that nerdy turtleneck manage to become an Instructor with no Blessing? It didn¡¯t make sense.

    ¡°Instructor Hill. . .¡± Claudius muttered. He gave a small frown, as if he struggled to remember something important. ¡°If he is telling the truth, we are in dire straits.¡±

    ¡°I mean,¡± Isaac replied, adopting a defensive tone. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t pick an Instructor with no powers but it ain¡¯t that bad! He¡¯s a cool guy, and he kicks ass!¡±

    ¡°So you knew he was a Non-Blessed?¡± Alex asked.

    ¡°Nah, but¡ª¡±

    Alex sucked his teeth.

    ¡°And he didn¡¯t tell you? I assume you were in his little afterschool program thing, right? Where you and the other two took on that criminal? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s wrong of him to expose you to potential harm without even having a Blessing to protect you with?¡±

    Isaac was at a loss for words.

    ¡°I. . .¡±

    ¡°The Blessed are many because each Blessing is a small part of the Myriadic Plan,¡± Claudius began. ¡°A Non-Blessed is a rare occurrence because they are without plan, without purpose. Having him as an Instructor is quite the foul omen for us.¡±

    ¡°Screw that! If he managed to get in, he¡¯s gotta be good at his job!¡± Isaac said.

    June almost regretted confronting Isaac. All it did was derail the objective from one distraction to another. She shut her eyes and stomped her foot on the ground. A small tremor rocked the surrounding area, generating waves in an otherwise lazy river. When June opened her eyes, a sizable dent was left on the floor.

    In a low voice, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t care if he deserves to be an Instructor or not. I¡¯m passing his class. Try not to forget whatever bullshit reason you have for joining T.H.R.O.N.E. until we survive the Early Assessment, got it?¡±

    ¡°Damn, easy June. . .¡± Isaac looked as if he wanted to say more on the subject, but kept quiet.

    ¡°Let¡¯s change venues before they charge us for damages.¡± Alex said.

    As they made their way out, Isaac leaned down to whisper.

    ¡°June, what do you really think about Teach not having a Blessing?¡±

    Once again, Isaac wore a pensive expression that didn¡¯t fit him at all.

    ¡°What I said is what I said. Either way, we¡¯re stuck with him, and I¡¯m stuck with this team.¡±

    June grit her teeth.

    ¡°So focus, Ballsaac.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Can¡¯t this wait, Thomas?¡± Robin said.

    ¡°No, it can¡¯t.¡±

    The Founding of Myriad High was open in his left hand as he used his other hand to click through articles on a public computer. Newspaper articles dating back to nearly a decade ago were stacked on the long table where they sat.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Robin asked.

    ¡°We need to get a handle on his intentions ASAP.¡±

    Robin huffed, shaking her head.

    ¡°You don¡¯t trust him.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be crazy not to!¡± Thomas shouted.

    Lloyd¡¯s miniscule voice struggled to find itself.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t shout. It¡¯s a library. . .¡±

    Thomas paused to scan his surroundings. The Main Library was shared between all of the Halls, so the size of the place was obviously staggering. If Thomas were to figure out where the hell Instructor Hill came from, it would be here or the Empyrean Library. While Lloyd had gained a level of comfort in the Main Library, Gloria-Grace became an antsy distraction, like a gnat between the eyes. The former comfortably perused cookbooks with a smile, while the latter noisily shuffled between seats and newspapers.

    Thomas¡¯ chest tightened. He didn¡¯t even realize he was raising his voice. You always had a weak temper. Stop that. You have to explain your side of the story calmly and concisely.

    ¡°I apologize for yelling.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s whatever.¡± Robin quickly replied. She looked embarrassed.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Gloria-Grace said. She pretended to be poring through a newspaper, but the corner of a hot-pink fashion magazine poked out the sides. ¡°You must forgive Thomas for his curiosity. I feel the same way.¡±

    Thomas couldn¡¯t believe it. Of all people, Gloria-Grace understood the urgency of the situation the most?

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Hm, yes.¡± Gloria-Grace continued. ¡°We must know his likes, his dislikes, his pet-peeves, his sign, his type of woman, his¡ª¡±

    Never mind.

    ¡°Slow it down, sis! Aren¡¯t you a little too old to have a crush on a teacher?¡± Robin asked.

    ¡°A crush? Me?¡± Gloria-Grace laughed. ¡°Nonsense.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s nonsense is that there¡¯s nothing to find about this man!¡± Thomas fumed. ¡°Roger Hill¡¯s place of birth, the year he was born, how he managed to get in, nothing!¡±

    Here comes the anger again.

    ¡°And worst of all, there¡¯s no public Agent Profile on him, so unless he is somehow Dominion-ranked, he is telling the truth about being a Non-Blessed.¡±

    Robin pulled up a chair, sitting down in a less-than-ladylike manner.

    ¡°In his defense, it¡¯s not like the faculty members don¡¯t know him. If they trust him, there¡¯s nothing for a bunch of trainees like us to worry about, yeah?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s another issue of mine, him knowing people.¡± Thomas growled. ¡°He even knows my crooked cop of a father.¡±

    Gloria-Grace gasped as she pressed the back of her hand to her forehead in a mock faint.

    ¡°He¡¯s a mysterious handsome man on the side of justice but isn¡¯t afraid to get his hands dirty? It¡¯s just like my novels!¡±

    Ignoring her, Robin replied, ¡°Instructor Hill isn¡¯t a bad person.¡±

    Her tone was matter-of-factly, as if she had made a decision. Thomas noticed a softer look in her eyes. Is she pitying me?

    ¡°Oh?¡± Thomas scoffed. ¡°And how do you know that?¡±

    She smiled and pushed her legs out toward Thomas, making him flinch. It was always the tomboyish girls who ignored personal space. Thomas hated that. She moved them in circles, as if that made her point somehow.

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°I lost these legs a few months ago.¡±

    Thomas wasn¡¯t sure what face to make. Gloria-Grace¡¯s antsy shuffling and squirming had come to an abrupt end. Lloyd dropped a cookbook onto the ground.

    ¡°You l-l-lost your legs?¡± Lloyd stammered.

    ¡°Yeah. That Spitfire guy burned down the apartment complex my family and I lived in. The roof collapsed on me and. . .¡± She made a gesture with her hands falling to her thighs.

    Lloyd audibly shivered.

    ¡°My family isn¡¯t rich or anything, so we couldn¡¯t pay for someone with the right Blessing to fix me up.¡± Robin¡¯s voice was monotone now. ¡°It was crazy, to go from a girl with dreams of being a gold medalist in the Olympics to waking up with stubs for legs.¡±

    It was starting to click for Thomas.

    ¡°Spitfire was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yup. If it weren¡¯t for Roger and those three, my family and neighbors wouldn¡¯t have even known to start evacuating.¡±

    Robin laughed as she blinked back the moisture from her eyes.

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t met the guy yet and he saved my life. And then, he visited me at my hospital bed and offered to save my legs too.¡±

    Thomas slowly nodded.

    ¡°I get it. You joined for the medical coverage. Replacing lost limbs would be pocket change for T.H.R.O.N.E.¡±

    A grateful smile crept up on Robin¡¯s face. She thought Thomas was beginning to change his mind. Not that easily.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t an altruistic action. You know that, right? You¡¯re no longer a civilian. In fact, you¡¯re considered an adult combatant now.¡±

    ¡°He saved my life and gave me another chance. If that¡¯s not altruistic, then screw altruism!¡±

    Thomas stared at her, thinking of something to retort. Then, he thought better of it. Robin was just that kind of person. Nothing he could say would get to her, now that she¡¯s trapped in a web of gratitude. So Thomas stopped trying.

    ¡°That¡¯s reckless. You¡¯re a reckless thinker, Robin.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Robin scratched at the back of her head. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m pretty normal.¡±

    Thomas closed the book and stood up from his chair.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m done here. He¡¯s a ghost.¡±

    Robin stood up as well, glad to be leaving.

    ¡°A real friendly one!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too sure.¡±

    Gloria-Grace scrambled to return the unused newspapers.

    ¡°Wait! Did you at least find out his type?¡±

    <hr>

    Jeremiah wasn¡¯t sure why he was in a mall.

    To be precise, he wasn¡¯t sure why he was in a mall at the moment. The three of them were supposed to be poring over the files they were given. Instead, Ashley skimmed through the files and made a snap decision to go on a shopping spree in the Recreation Center¡¯s Mall. Jeremiah would have at least attempted to get things back on track, but. . . Ashley¡¯s been. . . Jeremiah thought. Kind of aggressive lately. Was it something I said?

    His third teammate wasn¡¯t making things better, either. Actually, Natali was actively making things worse. What was she doing exactly? Nothing much. Just being taciturn and elegant in Ashley¡¯s immediate vicinity. Somehow, Jeremiah had to get these two girls to get along when they were basically ice and fire.

    After a while of Ashley burning through her first (and decently sizable) paycheck from T.H.R.O.N.E., Jeremiah made a suggestion.

    ¡°Ashley? Could we take a break? Lunch, maybe?¡±

    Ashley narrowed her eyes in disappointment.

    ¡°Hungry already? I guess we could, like, eat something.¡±

    ¡°Well, not exactly. It¡¯s more like. . .¡± He looked down at the countless shopping bags Ashley had delegated to him, clutched in his fat hands.

    ¡°Tired.¡± Natali concluded. It was the first thing she said in hours. Jeremiah nodded sheepishly. Ashley shook her head as she turned to leave the expensive makeup store they were in.

    ¡°Like, whatever. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Jeremiah felt like he should have been more excited about where he was. Everything about Myriad High was a sci-fi fantasy come true to him, but his current situation was nightmarish to say the least. Mr. Hill having no powers, the Early Assessment, and now I¡¯m in a lion¡¯s pit with these two. . .

    Jeremiah ruminated over his crappy situation, mumbling stock responses to Ashley¡¯s words, and managed to overthink himself into a sleepwalking trance. All the way until he found himself sitting at a table. Ashley was waving the black folder in his face.

    ¡°Heyyyy, Earth to Froggy! Come in, Major Froggy~¡± Ashley cooed.

    Jeremiah blinked twice, reassessing his current circumstances.

    ¡°Oh, sorry. What were we talking about?¡±

    ¡°¡®We?¡¯ Think I can have a conversation with that?¡± Ashley jabbed a thumb at Natali. While Ashley had an over-designed, calorie-monster of a parfait, Natali seemed to be halfway through a buffet constructed from various foods belonging to different restaurants. It was awe-inspiring: the sheer volume of the food, how quickly Natali was polishing through it, and the impossible elegance of her table manners.

    ¡°Girl can totally eat.¡± Ashley sounded impressed.

    ¡°I see that.¡±

    The two waited for her to finish. Not that it took long. She wiped her face as she returned her soulless gaze to the other two. Jeremiah was glad to finally have an actual conversation with this girl, so he spoke first.

    ¡°Well, let''s read through the files together and see what our Instructor wants.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Natali replied.

    Ashley passed the papers to Jeremiah.

    ¡°I read most of it already. It¡¯s kinda crazy~¡±

    ¡°You did?¡± Jeremiah asked as his eyes dissected the text. ¡°When?¡±

    Ashley¡¯s (currently) orange eyes twinkled.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t take that long to try out new clothes, Froggy.¡±

    ¡°I should¡¯ve known. You just wanted to monopolize the. . .¡± Jeremiah¡¯s sentence elongated as the details of their mission rocked his mind. His voice dropped several octaves as the surprise brought out a croak.

    ¡±Informatiooooon?! What the heck is this?¡±

    ¡°Riiiight? Roger¡¯s out of his mind!¡± Ashley cackled.

    Despite his flabbergastation, Jeremiah passed the folder to Natali with a shaky hand. She took it wordlessly and read through it silently. Surely, even Natali would react to what we¡¯re supposed to deal with! The only clue to her own shock was a slight pause in the back-and-forth of her irises as she took in the Early Assessment¡¯s orders. Jeremiah decided to take that as a sign that the girl wasn¡¯t completely robotic. It gave him hope. Maybe he could get along with this stone-faced girl after all?

    Natali placed the folder down on the table and her eyes narrowed until they were closed. Was she trying to think of what to say? Jeremiah wondered. I couldn¡¯t blame you for that. I haven¡¯t even tried to think yet.

    Ashley smirked as she rested her head on her hands. The rainbow-dyed ends of her hair served as a cushion. And here¡¯s another one to worry about. These two are practically nemeses.

    ¡°So, like, I think we should totally talk about our Blessings. If we combine our powers or something, we¡¯ll be able to pass.¡± Ashley shot a look at Jeremiah. Swallowing his saliva, Jeremiah nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Considering what Mr. Hill said today, he wants us to use our Blessings to the fullest, which is probably the true goal of the test.¡±

    ¡°Use my Blessing to the fullest?¡± Natali said. ¡°I understand.¡±

    Jeremiah smiled.

    ¡°Right! Well, our Blessings, to be specific. It¡¯s a group project so we need to work together.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Natali agreed.

    ¡°Well in that case!¡± Ashley twirled her hands as an unpeeled orange floated up from the table. It danced around to the tempo of Ashley¡¯s hands. With the motion of a grand conductor, she made the orange ¡°dance¡± to the background music playing from the Mall¡¯s speakers.

    ¡°I¡¯m telekinetic. Or, like, colorkinetic? Every time I wake up, I can move any object that¡¯s a specific color. Also, this is super lame but if it¡¯s too heavy, I¡¯ll pass out.¡± Ashley clenched her fingers as the orange quickly peeled itself. Then, it split itself into clean sections. Ashley popped a slice into her mouth and smiled.

    ¡°I see.¡± Natali nodded. Thankfully, she seemed to absorb the information without any condescension Jeremiah could sense. She also didn¡¯t show any interest or awe, but that would be too much to hope for. Natali¡¯s eyes focused on Jeremiah¡¯s now. It¡¯s still not easy doing this. It¡¯ll never be easy.

    ¡°Um, my Blessing is. . . hard to explain. Anything I can swallow, I can regurgitate in the exact same state it was in when I swallowed it. My stomach isn¡¯t human. It¡¯s the stomach of a frog.¡± Jeremiah stumbled over his words, hurrying to find a positive note to end on.

    ¡°B-but it¡¯s also tough and heavy!¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Natali nodded again. Jeremiah tried not to look so relieved. There was comfort in Natali¡¯s near lack of emotion. As Jeremiah attempted to cloak his relief, Natali¡¯s blank look changed. It made no sense. Her eyebrows were raised, her eyes taking on a strangely gentle vibe. Jeremiah expected a sneer, not. . . whatever this was. Ashley must have also been thrown off. She cleared her throat and gestured towards Natali, using the floating orange slices like a pointed finger.

    ¡°Alright, your turn. Don¡¯t be shy~¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Natali said.

    Huh?

    Huh?

    ¡°I¡¯m s-sorry, what was that?¡± Jeremiah asked.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Ashley chimed in. ¡°I think I, like, missed something.¡±

    ¡°You did not miss anything.¡± Natali said. ¡°I will not disclose my Blessing.¡±

    Whatever feigned friendliness Ashley tried to make, her efforts quickly dissolved. With a reddening face, Ashley slammed her hands down as the orange slices exploded into pulpy juice.

    ¡°What the fu¡ª¡±

    Jeremiah threw his hands up as if to hold Ashley back.

    ¡°Ashley, wait!¡± Jeremiah shouted. ¡°Just wait.¡± Ashley¡¯s chest rose and fell as her face continued to contort in rage. What would Mr. Hill do right now? What would he say? Jeremiah couldn¡¯t react like Ashley. Natali wasn¡¯t an enemy, even if she was being this way.

    Mr. Hill would gather information.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to tell us?¡±

    Natali calmly wiped any orange juice that managed to reach her. Her response was longer than expected.

    ¡°I did not and will not tell you because of many reasons.¡± Natali scanned the rest of the food court. ¡°You two are recent residents of Seraph. I do not expect you to understand that our Blessings are more than just the foundation of who we are. It is our greatest strength and our greatest weakness. Why would I divulge crucial information to my very being in a public, highly surveilled space?¡±

    Natali took a sip of her coffee.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll use my Blessing and talk of my Blessing when I absolutely need to.¡±

    Still fuming, Ashley spoke up. Her voice was strained.

    ¡°Even when your enrollment is on the line?¡±

    Natali sneered.

    ¡°It is not. We will pass.¡±

    Before Ashley could get into it with Natali, Jeremiah interjected.

    ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll trust you.¡±

    Ashley¡¯s jaw dropped. She stared at Jeremiah with disbelief, betrayal even.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because we don¡¯t have a choice. She didn¡¯t come here just to get kicked out, right? Arguing won¡¯t change a thing. We¡¯ll work around you Natali. Is that fine?¡±

    Natali nodded while Ashley covered her face with closed fists. Jeremiah ended up doing the same. As he buried his face in his hands, he once again thought about what Mr. Hill would do next.

    Unfortunately, Jeremiah was not Mr. Hill.

    Not by a long shot.

 Chapter Fifteen: PARADISO

    As for what was done in the month leading up to the Early Assessment, the second day was where it was all decided. Leaning against the podium, Roger twirled a piece of chalk between his fingers.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start today¡¯s lesson with a question. What is the biggest common weakness among the Blessed, civilian or not?¡±

    A few hands shot up.

    Thomas answered first. ¡°Lack of discipline?¡±

    ¡°Maybe for aspiring Agents like you, but not exactly an issue for civilians. Jeremiah?¡±

    ¡°Misapplication of their Blessing?¡±

    ¡°A good answer, but not the biggest issue now with Identifiers being common nowadays. Ashley?¡±

    ¡°Poor fashion sense?¡±

    That one got a laugh out of Roger.

    ¡°A tasteful fashion sense won¡¯t save you in a fight, Ashley. Anyone else?¡±

    With a combination of stumped or apathetic students, the class seemed to be out of answers. Until Robin slowly raised a hand, her other hand absentmindedly zipping and unzipping her volleyball jacket she wore over her uniform.

    ¡°Is the answer¡­ lack of fitness?¡± She said, hesitantly smiling. Alex, resting his head on the table, smiled as if to say, ¡®How typical.¡¯ Roger could definitely see why. Robin¡¯s priorities appeared to be misplaced. She certainly would have been a blessing to a sports team or the Olympics. And yet, she was sitting in Roger¡¯s classroom.

    With the correct answer, no less.

    ¡°Absolutely correct!¡±

    ¡°Huh? All right!¡± Robin fist pumped. ¡°Uh, but why am I correct, Teach?¡±

    June piped up. ¡°Yeah, why the hell does that matter?¡±

    In a flash, Roger grabbed a piece of chalk and began neatly and promptly drawing a chart spanning the entire length of the blackboard. As he did this, he answered their question.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. Blessings are supernatural abilities that let us do the impossible. In our efforts to achieve the impossible, we neglect what we are capable of with a little bit of training.¡±

    From the feeble groan Roger heard from the back of the classroom, it seemed that Alex caught on the fastest. Roger was drawing a fitness plan for the next month, leading directly to the Early Assessment.

    ¡°There¡¯s only so much we can do in a single month. Refining your Blessings will take semesters, so I will nurture your physical training in the meanwhile. We¡¯ll be engaging in a vigorous training regimen until the Early Assessment.¡±

    Robin and Thomas shot up from their chairs.

    ¡°Finally!¡± They exclaimed in unison.

    ¡°Finally? It¡¯s our second day¡­¡± Lloyd murmured.

    ¡°For a moment, I was afraid we wouldn¡¯t follow any kind of proper procedure.¡± Thomas sighed with relief.

    ¡°And I heard Myriad High was real tough on the body, so I was waiting for this!¡± Robin said.

    Meanwhile, Alex and Ashley had their grievances.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we settle for some light calisthenics? Yoga, maybe?¡±

    ¡°Sweating is gross! It¡¯s, like, a waste of makeup!¡±

    Roger laughed off the complaining and packed up his materials. ¡°Rarely do people regret proper exercise once they commit to it. As for those who aren¡¯t so athletically inclined, we¡¯ll pair you with someone who is.¡± He shot a finger towards Robin.

    ¡°Robin!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, coach¡ªI mean¡ªyeah, Teach?¡±

    ¡°You will be our Physical Fitness Leader for this month. Use your affinity for training to target the weaknesses of your classmates and iron out their flaws as much as possible with the time we''re given. Thomas, you¡¯re second in command.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Teach!¡±

    ¡°Excellent.¡± Roger gestured for the students to follow him out of the classroom. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±

    There was more to this than a makeshift boot camp. It was to test the quality of the nanoinjections as well. Their physical bodies look the same, but may as well be different bodies in how well it will sustain damage and repair itself when given the chance. However, muscle damage leads to muscle repair, and muscle repair leads to stronger muscles. This means that they will be doing much more than just some light exercises.

    Students from different Halls would murmur and jeer as they watched the small Miscellaneous Class run through the tunnels of the Principality. These same tunnels built for Tram passage were now a circuit for the poor kids to run through. They were forced to match the pace of the Tram, which was specifically slowed for their exercise. Mr. Hill leaned over the railings of the Tram¡¯s caboose.

    From an obnoxiously loud megaphone he held, he listed off strategies and explanations.

    ¡°In through the nose and out the mouth! Just because you were given a nanoinjection, doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t grow stronger or weaker! Just 12 more miles to go!¡±

    In the back row, complaints were to be had.

    ¡°How, the heck, am I still running?¡± Ashley said between heavy panting.

    ¡°Teach, just let me use my Blessing, man!¡± Isaac pleaded.

    ¡°But that would make this a waste of time, Isaac.¡± Roger tutted. Isaac could only groan in response.

    ¡°Too late for that.¡±

    Alex was in the back row as well, but his breathing was regulated, despite the miles they had already run. He had a withdrawn look of someone waiting for the right time to leave a boring conversation.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s staring at us. . .¡± Lloyd murmured from the middle row. June was by his side and craned her neck towards the students from the other Halls.

    ¡°Mind your own business before I run over there!¡± She hollered.

    That caused a decent chunk of the crowds to disperse.

    ¡°Uh, thank you. . .¡±

    ¡°The fuck did you say? Speak up!¡± June snapped.

    Lloyd''s face froze in fear, and his footsteps grew heavier. He began slowing down as well. Jeremiah nearly collided into him by accident, barely keeping both of them upright. Gloria-Grace looked behind her, and down at Lloyd¡¯s feet.

    "Hm? Are your shoes normally made of rock?¡± Gloria-Grace asked. ¡°I never realized that. Silly me!¡±

    Meanwhile, in the front, Robin was running backwards, watching her fellow students as some struggled and some thrived.

    ¡°The ones in the back are feelin¡¯ it, but they haven¡¯t given up, Coach!¡±

    ¡°Wonderful.¡± Roger smiled. ¡°I think they¡¯ll be ready to do the same thing while carrying weights by next week.¡±

    ¡°Sir, permission to lead in a running cadence?¡± Thomas asked in a shout.

    ¡°Hmm. Only if everyone else wants to.¡±

    Thomas turned his head as much as possible to look back.

    ¡°Everyone! How about we¡ª¡±

    The boy was instantly assailed by an onslaught of groans, shouting, and other violent, vulgar ways to say ¡®no.¡¯

    Thomas faced forward, a clear look of confusion.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°But isn¡¯t that what we¡¯re supposed to do? This is a military-adjacent organization!¡±

    And the days of back-breaking exercise continued. From running through the Principality¡¯s tunnels to scaling the massive cavern walls, the Misc. Class had learned the ins-and-outs of certain areas of the Principality that they were allowed to traverse. For some of the less athletic students, a small sliver of muscle had begun to show itself. And for those more used to the rigorous exercise, they realized the limits of their body had risen exponentially.

    As for the Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie teams, progress had been made, but none were satisfied. There was never enough time. Roger knew this, and now his students were beginning to understand as well.

    ¡°Not that they are even close to knowing the full of it.¡± Roger muttered as he sat on one of the many benches in the center of the Miscellaneous Lane.

    It was the day of the Early Assessment and this time, Roger waited for them.

    As expected, Roger watched as the students left the Dormitory as a group. Roger made sure to make their togetherness a habit, whether or not they truly got along just yet. He stood up, and the group slowed to a halt as they noticed him.

    ¡°Good morning, class.¡± Roger said. He surveyed the expressions of his students: some were calm, a few were excited. Most of them, though, were nervous.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be making a detour.¡± He gestured for them to follow. ¡°With me.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Yo, Teach?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Isaac?¡±

    ¡°Respectfully, where the heck are we?!¡±

    The large elevator they were taking for over a minute had revealed a new world beneath their Principality. Through the elevator¡¯s bulletproof glass, they found themselves surrounded by an industrial hive of clean white machinery. While the Halls of Myriad High attempted to mimic the outside world, this place did not bother. Instead, it felt more like a different planet with different rules altogether. The elevator no longer descended, but began to travel horizontally in a tube-like infrastructure.

    ¡°This is the Industrial Floor. You could say this is where the impressive technology of Myriad High is born, tested, and verified.¡±

    ¡°And so my Pilgrimage grows stranger.¡± Claudius said.

    ¡°Could we get a tour, maybe?¡± Jeremiah asked.

    ¡°Screw that!¡± Ashley whined. She pointed down towards a long line of technicians in puffy jumpsuits and protective eyewear. ¡°There¡¯s no color variety here. Just White, Off-white, Cloud Gray, and Pale silver.¡±

    ¡°Ash, keep it real with me. There¡¯s no way the last three colors you said aren¡¯t the same fucking colors.¡± June said.

    Out of all people, the frigid Natali held her face to the glass, attempting to absorb what she saw as best she could. She refrained from chewing her fingernails, settling for resting a thumb to her clenched teeth. No time for envy, Ms. Amatore, Roger thought.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be meeting someone important. Be respectful and attentive, please.¡±

    ¡°As long as they do the same for a woman of my caliber, I suppose.¡± Gloria-Grace decided while cooling herself with an oversized fan.

    ¡°You¡¯re fanning yourself? In this air-conditioned elevator?¡± Robin asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not get distracted.¡± Thomas growled. ¡°Remember what Sir just said.¡±

    They soon left the elevator after it lowered itself onto what seemed to be a large landing pad. What is normally used for transporting machinery had just successfully transported freshmen instead. Then again, Roger figured, Both the machinery and the students function similarly.

    The door slid open, and one of the most important men of Seraph was waiting for them.

    ¡°15 minutes early, as expected,¡± Dr. Merwin Hardt said with a clean smile. ¡°So I prepared just as early.¡± Roger moved to shake the doctor¡¯s outstretched hand. The small crowd behind Roger were silent, either out of respect for the old hero, or because they didn¡¯t know who they were dealing with.

    A subdued croak from Jeremiah proved that at least one of them knew.

    ¡°Class, this is Dr. Merwin Hardt, the Physiology Hall¡¯s Main Instructor. He is also the overall facilitator for this Early Assessment.¡±

    Gloria-Grace began to hold her hand out for Dr. Hardt to kiss, but Thomas firmly and gently brought it back down. As that happened, she looked at Robin with pursed lips.

    ¡°Who is this man, exactly?¡±

    ¡°Howdoyounotknow?¡± Jeremiah interjected. Realizing how loudly he barged into the conversation, he lowered his voice as he readjusted his crooked glasses.

    ¡°That¡¯s the retired, Fr?nka-born, Dominion-rank Agent, Stromstark?! AKA Dr. Stormstark! He has eel pores in his palms that can freely transmit any measure of voltage he wants, with a reported 0.0001 margin of error!¡±

    Gloria-Grace¡¯s lips thinned. Her eyes were blank.

    ¡°Very well, I understand completely.¡±

    ¡°No she doesn¡¯t.¡± Isaac whispered as he pulled Jeremiah back to calm him down.

    Dr. Hardt held the amused smile of a man who is used to this level of shenanigans. Roger couldn¡¯t blame him. This class was somehow even more of a production than the last.

    ¡°Anyways,¡± Roger said. ¡°While we make our way to the Testing Site, could I ask you to explain the Early Assessment in person, Dr. Hardt?¡±

    ¡°But of course, Instructor. This way, everyone.¡±

    As they followed the Doctor through the busy corridors of pale square chambers and plexiglass walls, their brief was detailed by Dr. Hardt as if they were on a tour, and not deciding the trajectory of their careers.

    ¡°As you are now, calling yourself students of Myriad is highly debatable, since you can be quickly removed upon failing the Early Assessment. If your profile gained the curiosity of your Instructor, the Early Assessment decides if you will gain his full attention.¡± Dr. Hardt explained.

    ¡°It¡¯s like the last day of try-outs.¡± Robin decided.

    ¡°Or Hell Week during bootcamp.¡± Thomas said.

    They both had a shared look of intensity on their faces that made a few other students laugh.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t make comparisons, you two.¡± Roger said. ¡°This won¡¯t be like anything you have experienced. Please continue, Doctor.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Dr. Hardt waved off a few armored guards, who promptly approached two separate authentication screens on each side of a large metal gate. They synchronized the swiping of their cards, and the first layer of the complex gate had opened. It revealed a smaller authentication screen. As he tapped away at the screen, he continued his explanation.

    ¡°But there was one problem we never managed to solve. That being: How can we create a test that truly gauges how well a student¡¯s Blessings can contribute to T.H.R.O.N.E.¡¯s mission while not running the risk of needlessly endangering them? It¡¯s a simple answer.¡±

    There was a loud yet pleasant ringing from the authentication screen, and the rest of the multilayered metal gate pulled to the sides, one by one.

    ¡°We simulate it.¡± There was a tinge of pride in Dr. Hardt''s normally relaxed voice.

    ¡°I call it Paradiso.¡±

    The last gate parted, revealing a stories-high machine in the shape of a perfect cube. The complexities of the machine could not be seen, despite the exterior of the cube being similar to glass. The reflection of the glass seemed to twist the reflection of the crowd into an endless swirl. Unfortunately, the majesty of Paradiso was slightly obscured by scaffolding and ladders latched on its sides. There were even tarps set nearby, most likely housing earlier construction equipment. From above, thick plexiglass separated a team of technicians in the pale uniforms, huddled behind numerous screens of blinking data.

    The awed students were quiet, save for the fast exhale of breath.

    Roger maintained his mask, but he was no different in mind than his students. And to think, I was sure I knew all of the Director¡¯s secrets. As if he read his mind, Dr. Hardt approached his junior¡¯s side. He was much shorter than Roger, but the doctor¡¯s hushed tone carried over to his ears nonetheless. Roger noted the excited gleam in the older gentleman¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°This was a top-secret prototype I was to take to the grave. And then suddenly, Director Hunt orders me to run a test drive with your students?¡± Dr. Hardt¡¯s smile stretches. A manic look of an experimenter who finally got what he wanted.

    ¡°I wonder, Roger. Who are you, really? He asked.

    Before Roger could form a reply, Dr. Hardt threw an open hand to the cube named Paradiso.

    ¡°Paradiso is the front-running prototype to full-dive augmented reality. AR is no alien commodity to our world nowadays, but one sensation is heavily dulled in commercial machines.¡± Dr. Hardt pinched his chin with his index finger and thumb.

    ¡°Pain, I assume?¡± Roger asked.

    ¡°Pain, indeed. Paradiso replicates every part of the human experience in pinpoint accuracy. It even replicates your current state of bodily function as well.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Natali demanded. ¡°How is that possible?¡±

    A few of the other students stared at Natali¡¯s outburst.

    ¡°Ms. Amatore, how about a question?¡± Dr. Hardt said. ¡°The only way living data can perfectly transfer to augmented reality is with consistently tracked information. How can this be done?

    Natali paused, then relaxed her shoulders in resignation.

    ¡°The nanomachines. One of the nanoinjectors are tracking and compiling our biometrics.¡±

    Dr. Merwin Hardt nodded.

    ¡°With biometrics, Paradiso can synchronize your real and fake selves, accurately imitate your Blessing¡¯s effects, how your body would act upon the outside world, as well as how the outside world would act upon your body. For all intents and purposes, you will be in the situation Paradiso creates for you.¡±

    ¡°But we won¡¯t die, right?¡± Lloyd asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Dr. Hardt tilted his head, leaning his ear toward the scar-faced boy.

    ¡°He wished to know if our lives would be forfeit upon failure.¡± Claudius said.

    ¡°Oh, not at all. The moment you receive a lethal wound or deteriorate to a state where death is imminent, your assessment comes to an end.¡±

    ¡°Oh man, this is crazy.¡± Isaac fidgeted with anticipation. ¡°Put me in, Doc, cuz I¡¯m ready!¡±

    ¡°Very well!¡± Dr. Hardt laughed. He held up a hand to the technicians above. Soon, Paradiso began to emit a ground-shaking hum, the vibrations practically massaging Roger from the calves down. There were a number of seats on the scaffolding around Paradiso. They began to glow a deep green, beckoning someone to sit upon them. For each student, two technicians prepared a chair, tapping a multitude of buttons and flipping an equal amount of small levers. The humming grew even louder.

    ¡°Everyone, sit down and prepare for the sleep injections.¡± Roger said.

    Isaac¡¯s fidgeting quickly deflated.

    ¡°Injections? Like. . . needles?¡±

    ¡°No pussying out now, Ballsaac.¡± June began dragging the increasingly limp Isaac.

    ¡°Not the needles. . .¡±

    Alex smiled as he stretched in the chair, reclining into it with ease as if it were a lounge chair on a cruise ship.

    ¡°I like this. I could use some REM sleep.¡±

    As the students settled into their chairs, the Doctor and Roger began to climb the scaffolding to the computer room. There, they¡¯ll observe each of their projected scenarios. Before shutting the door behind him, Roger shouted down to them.

    ¡°This is the culmination of a month¡¯s work. Be proud you made it here, but don¡¯t you dare become content. Remember: You fail if you cannot fulfill your objective!¡±

    Roger absentmindedly adjusted his glasses.

    ¡°Or if you die.¡±

 Chapter Sixteen: Early Assessment Alpha

    With her Blessing, June¡¯s strength dwarfs every other member of my classroom by leagues. Her skill and willingness to cooperate? A work in progress.

    -Roger Hill¡¯s Notes

    June woke up standing. So did the other three. They faced each other, huddled up close like a football team. Snowflakes gently accumulated on Isaac¡¯s head, and June felt the wet ice prickling on her scalp as well. Behind him, June saw the beginnings of the ocean under a dull and cloudy gray sky. The sun peeked out from the sea, the top of its head slowly being swallowed by the deep. It would be night soon.

    She couldn¡¯t believe it. Maybe it was a shitty joke, and they were just driven to some snowy military outpost? This couldn¡¯t be a simulation, could it? The others clearly felt the same way. Alex surgically ran a series of stretches, while Claudius slowly ran his hands through his jet-black hair.

    ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯m not impressed.¡± Alex said.

    ¡°I agree. Quite lifelike.¡± Claudius smiled.

    Isaac began pinching himself in different places.

    ¡°Oh, man. They even got my equipment down pat, too. This is actually kinda weird. Can I sue for harassment or¡­?¡±

    ¡°There.¡± June said, pointing away from the ocean, towards a blocky building, peeking out from the tall trees.

    ¡°That¡¯s the building in the files, where they¡¯re keeping the hostage. Let¡¯s hurry.¡± She began stomping through the snow, her boots sinking down to her ankles. Once she realized she could only hear her own set of wet footsteps, she turned around to see the others hadn¡¯t moved.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Sister June. Do you not think we should reconsider our strategy?¡± Claudius asked.

    ¡°Fuck no. Why would we? I¡¯ll take care of the bad guys and you guys get us past the things I can¡¯t just blow away.¡± June said.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see if it works,¡± Alex said. ¡°But be ready to switch it up if things don¡¯t go your way.¡±

    Isaac nodded.

    ¡°Teach said something like ¡®always have a plan for when the plan goes wrong, and then also have a plan for when the plan goes wrong when the plan goes wrong¡¯ or something?¡±

    ¡°Wise words.¡± Alex snickered.

    ¡°Yeah, sure. Are you coming or what?¡± June resumed her march. This time, the Alpha team marched together. Despite her words, an inkling of doubt spread through June¡¯s mind. She quickly snuffed it out. Doubting herself was one thing she won¡¯t do, especially now. So, she replaced her doubt with the contents of the folder, letting it play out once more.

    It was a Rescue Mission. Terrorists had escaped from a bloody battle with some foreign nation¡¯s military, taken a ¡®hostage,¡¯ and were holed up in some abandoned building on the outskirts of the country. The Early Assessment would end once they secured the ¡®hostage¡¯ and arrived at the rendezvous point, which was back where they started.

    It sounded like a typical superhero job. Break in, kick the baddies¡¯ asses, and save the civilians. All in a day''s work. Between that and dealing with her annoying teammates, strategizing took no more than a minute to cover.

    The tower grew closer, and sounds of human activity grew louder with it. As they arrived at the clearing in which the building stood, the four teens peeked through bushes to confirm the situation. They definitely heard human activity.

    But these things weren¡¯t human.

    ¡°Oh, what the fuck?¡± June whispered.

    They walked on two feet, they wore baggy winter clothes, and they pressed rifles to their chests, but they were not people. Their skin was the color of shiny metal, and their eyes glowed a pale yellow. Clicking and whirring could be heard as they stomped about the clearing in too-perfect posture. Most of them acted as though they were inspecting equipment. June noticed one of them stomping towards a tree to ¡®urinate.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a terrorist cell, but a horrid rehearsal of one. June wondered why this was so terribly familiar to her.

    ¡°This is freaky,¡± Isaac decided. ¡°Is this supposed to be real or what? Like, are there robotic henchmen just roaming the earth?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no, actually.¡± Alex said. There was a cat-like focus in his eyes.

    ¡°Yes and no?¡± June probed.

    ¡°There are definitely androids in use, especially in criminal organizations like Apollyon, but this is probably some sort of censorship.¡±

    ¡°I see. They don¡¯t want the burden of murder to weigh on us, possibly affecting our evaluation.¡± Claudius mused.

    ¡°I just wish they didn¡¯t have to look so freaky.¡± Isaac shivered.

    June shrugged. ¡°At least I won¡¯t have to feel bad kicking their shit in. Just gross.¡±

    Looking past the android monstrosities, the gate to the building was wide open. It looked like some sort of garage or silo to June. The terrorists were certainly treating it that way, with loads of armored trucks currently being herded inside.

    ¡°They¡¯re busy with pulling the trucks in like the sitrep said they would. Claudius, do your thing.¡±

    Claudius showed his typically creepy smile, and moved ahead, still obscuring himself via the nearly snow-buried bushes. Meanwhile, the other three prepared to make a move for the silo. June looked towards where Claudius was hidden, waiting. A moment later, Claudius stood up straight.

    But it wasn¡¯t Claudius. Its movements were too jittery in some places and lagging in others. Its clothes were slightly off in its color, its texture, how it fitted to its body. Its eyes were rolled back and his mouth wide open in a mindless stupor. It¡¯s teeth. . .

    Okay, now I get what was so familiar. June thought. We already got a freak just like that.

    ¡°What did Claudius call this messed up Blessing of his?¡± June asked.

    Isaac gagged before speaking up. ¡°He calls it ¡®Dear Brother¡¯ or whatever.¡±

    ¡°Well, his Brother is doing his job.¡± June said.

    At her words, Brother launched from the bushes with a delayed moan of anguish. It lurched towards the androids, its limping legs making wider strides than its original self could ever manage. Brother closed the distance with an android before it could fire, swinging his disproportionately long limbs like sledgehammers.

    It caught the android with a downward swing, and then subjected the fallen machine to a flurry of whipping limbs. The sound of denting metals, crunching bones and sparking wires erupted from behind June as they snuck in. A hail of gunshots rang out less than a second later, and all was silent again.

    But the distraction was well used. June, Isaac, Alex, and Claudius found themselves in the cold, damp silo. An army of armored trucks sat in perfect formation, waiting for the rest to be hauled in. With the Brother¡¯s distraction, it was relatively silent in the silo, bereft of android activity. The sound of leaky pipes and humming lights were their only company for now. June scrunched her nose at the musty smell of the place. It threatened to poison the taste in her mouth. She searched her pockets for her cigarette candy sticks, but felt nothing.

    ¡°The first step of getting inside is complete! High fives?¡± Isaac said.

    ¡°Keep your fucking voice down.¡±

    ¡°Oops.¡± He covered his mouth, grinning from behind his hands.

    ¡°I do wish there was a better option than sacrificing my Dear Brother.¡± Claudius¡¯ head hung low.

    ¡°You can conjure him over and over, right? Deal with it.¡± June heard a soft splash on her left, and turned to see Alex taking off his winter boots.

    ¡°The hell are you doing?¡±

    Alex let his bare feet touch the floor of the silo. A frown of displeasure grew on his delicate face.

    ¡°It¡¯s easier to use my Blessing this way. Just didn¡¯t want to get frostbite out there, simulation world or not. More importantly, let¡¯s see about step 2.¡±

    They began to collectively creep through the silo, taking care to duck underneath the trucks at a moment¡¯s notice of robotic footsteps.

    ¡°What we do know is that the hostage is behind a container-slash-cell on a floor that can only be reached by using an elevator. The location of the two keycards needed to access that elevator is what we don¡¯t know.¡± Alex explained as they hid beneath an unused truck.

    ¡°Let¡¯s split up.¡± Isaac said. June glowered at his shitty idea, and familiar faces of disapproval were on the rest as well. Isaac hastily waved his hands in the cramped space.

    ¡°Nah, really! We gotta cover ground before they all come back in, right? If we pair up, we could get both keycards faster.¡±

    June frowned. Once again, this dumbass Isaac was applying thought. She took him for a sometimes well-intentioned idiot, but he was proving her wrong. Though, could she trust him and one of these other weirdos to not screw this up? Passing on her own isn¡¯t an option. If even one of them fails, the class can¡¯t be held.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    The family business couldn¡¯t wait any longer.

    Papa couldn¡¯t wait any longer.

    ¡°Though it is a rash idea, the threat of these androids should not be understated.¡± Claudius said, ¡°They ripped through my Brother with precisely placed shots, indeed.¡±

    Isaac flashed a grin full of gratitude at Claudius, and went for a fist bump. Claudius smiled and wrapped Isaac¡¯s fist with both of his hands.

    ¡°Uhh. . . man?¡± Isaac blinked.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Claudius asked.

    June sighed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it. Alex, pair up with Isaac. Church Boy, you¡¯re with me. We get the keycards and come back here.¡±

    Alex saluted lazily.

    ¡°Aye aye.¡±

    ¡°Am I the Church Boy?¡± Claudius wondered as the four slid out from their hiding spot.

    <hr>

    ¡°Hell yeah,¡± Isaac whispered. ¡°Agent Lopez is on the case.¡± He shimmied along the dull, featureless corridor wall, caking dust and grime on his back. Alex walked behind him, hands interlocked at the small of his back.

    ¡°Agent Evans. Come in, Agent Evans! Visual contact dead ahead, over.¡± Isaac held his invisible walkie-talkie to his mouth while he pointed towards the end of the hall with his free hand. He looked at the pretty boy, who raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Play along, they¡¯re watching our every move so we gotta be professional, man.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re watching our every move, so you decide to roleplay?¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, don¡¯t be such a ¡®Fun Police¡¯ officer like Thomas McStickUpHisButt.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d hate to be compared to that brown-noser.¡± Alex shrugged before holding up his own nonexistent walkie-talkie.

    ¡°Agent Lopez, this is Agent Evans. I concur, it looks to be an inconspicuously conspicuous door. Most likely the entryway to our objective, over.¡±

    Isaac nodded with the approval of a sage observing his pupil as he masters a secret technique.

    ¡°Agent Lopez, proceeding to the objective.¡±

    Isaac continued to shimmy a couple more yards, then he got bored of the bit and started walking normally. It was dead silent just like the silo, save for a strange constant beeping sound in the direction of the unopened door.

    ¡°Hey, Alex?¡±

    ¡°You mean ¡®Agent Evans.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Riiiight. Just wondering: If there¡¯s a bunch of terrorist murder-bots behind this door, can you. . . fight?¡±

    ¡°Can I fight?¡± His voice was amused.

    ¡°Yeah. If June was here, I wouldn¡¯t be worried, but uh. . .¡± Isaac gestured towards the pretty boy. ¡°I dunno if your Blessing will really¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know a couple moves.¡± Alex said.

    ¡°Sheesh. If you¡¯re that confident, screw it.¡±

    They stood outside of the door, taking cover on either side. Isaac tried to listen through, but the metal door did its job well. Just that constant beeping. He took one last look at Alex¡¯s unbothered face, then he tried the knob.

    It was open.

    Isaac threw open the door, Blessing readied.

    ¡°T.H.R.O.N.E.''s in the house! Get on the. . . ground?¡±

    Isaac¡¯s Speed-Space confused him. There was nothing that went from still to moving at their entrance. But there was something constantly moving. What the heck is this?

    ¡°Ok. . . this place is full of surprises.¡± Alex laughed.

    It was a freakin¡¯ laser room. Sitting in the middle of a tight cage of bright red laser beams was a pedestal. A glass container rested on top of it. Inside laid a bright red card no bigger than a driver''s license.

    ¡°A freakin¡¯ laser room?¡± Isaac held his head. ¡°Why though?!¡±

    ¡°An abandoned building unused for years. . . has a functioning laser room.¡± Alex rubbed his temples, soothing an oncoming headache, no doubt. ¡°Should Dr. Hardt get checked for dementia? He is getting there in years.¡±

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s kinda cool though, but also unfair.¡± Isaac mumbled. This was definitely the job for a speedster like Isaac, but the laser beams were already moving. If I can¡¯t copy the light-speed of a laser, I¡¯ll just get cut into cheese cubes. This is rigged!

    A dainty hand pat Isaac¡¯s back.

    ¡°This is definitely a test for you.¡±

    ¡°Man, I can¡¯t speed up with something that¡¯s already moving.¡±

    ¡°That just means this is a test for us.¡±

    Isaac scratched at his birth mark. Alex noted his confusion and continued speaking.

    ¡°You told us that you also move with something¡¯s trajectory as long as it¡¯s a decidedly drastic change in direction. All we have to do is change the trajectory of these beams.¡±

    ¡°Uh, how?¡±

    Alex shook his head.

    ¡°With my Blessing, obviously. Get ready to do your thing when I say it.¡±

    Isaac followed Alex to the edge of the shifting laser beam cage. The high-pitched hum of the weaponized light threatened to take years from Isaac¡¯s life. If it hit him, all of his years would be taken off. It¡¯s not real, Isaac thought. Don''t forget.

    Alex placed his foot at the edge of the laser beam cage, his toes threatening to sever themselves against the beam.

    ¡°Your Speed-Space ready?¡±

    Isaac activated his Blessing. The invisible field blanketed him in that familiar comfort of anticipation. He loved it more than anything.

    ¡°Yeah but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop when you get to the pedestal. Go!¡±

    The ground in front of Alex, directly underneath a singular beam, shifted upwards. It grew out of the ground like a mole in a 90 degree incline, shaped like a right triangle.

    The laser that was just pointing down had now changed trajectories, moving away from the two kids and towards the wall.

    And Isaac followed.

    Was this how it felt to move at the speed of a laser? Isaac wished it never stopped. Euphoric as Speed-Space was, Isaac¡¯s mind becomes just as clear. All of those unfocused, meaningless thoughts are honed into as much purpose as a missile-guided rocket, and just as fast. Speed-Space doesn¡¯t slow the world down for Isaac. His mind simply acclimates to its speed.

    For less than a second, Isaac¡¯s mind ran at the speed of light.

    All so he would stop himself at the keycard¡¯s pedestal instead of pulverizing himself against the other side of the cage. He lost his balance as he fell to his knees beside the pedestal. Gasping, Isaac wiped at the sides of his mouth, wetting his sleeves with drool.

    ¡°That¡¯s fast,¡± Alex commented. ¡°I didn¡¯t even see you get there. That was expected, but witnessing it is unreal.¡±

    Isaac struggled to stand back up. ¡°It¡¯s a lot better from my point of view.¡± He clapped his hands and rubbed them together as he appraised the caged keycard. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get to business. Do I just lift this thing or. . .?¡±

    Isaac didn¡¯t wait for a response as he began to remove the glass container from the pedestal.

    ¡°Hey, wait!¡± Alex mustered what little urgency he felt into his voice.

    ¡°Let me use the laser to¡ª¡±

    As Isaac removed the container, a deafening siren rang throughout the base. It sounded like a nuclear warhead was seconds from impact. Isaac froze like a raccoon caught in the middle of raiding a dumpster.

    ¡°¡ªremove the glass.¡± Alex finished. He shook his head, sighing. ¡°In case of alarm.¡±

    ¡°So uh, was that me or did the others just mess up at the same time?¡±

    Alex cupped a hand around his ear.

    ¡°Wait, shut up. Do you hear that?¡±

    Isaac swiped the keycard and threw the glass into the lasers, watching as it was sliced cleanly before falling to pieces. The keycard had a slight heaviness to its feel.

    ¡°Nah, not really. My simulated ears are going deaf from this simulated siren.¡±

    ¡°Footsteps, Isaac. They¡¯re on their way.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, I¡¯m all over it!¡± Isaac said. ¡°I¡¯ll just use my Speed-Space to dodge all their bullets. When they gotta reload ammo, that¡¯s our chance to kick their butts.¡±

    ¡°What about me, idiot?¡±

    ¡°Uh, stay out of the way?¡±

    ¡°And how will you dodge when you¡¯re stuck in a laser cage?¡±

    Isaac¡¯s lips folded inward. Oops, Isaac thought. The thought of euphoria he would feel from weaving through bullets at the speed of a bullet had clouded his judgment a teeny bit. Jeremiah mentioned something about speedsters being famous for losing control when using their Blessings. But for Isaac, it was the opposite. He was at his best, his most reliable, his most comfortable, when he was in the Speed-Space.

    Alex sighed again.

    ¡°Whatever, I got a better idea. Take cover behind the pedestal if this goes poorly.¡±

    Isaac preemptively went behind the pedestal. ¡°What are you trying to do, man?¡±

    Alex began sizing up the door they used to enter the laser room. He began tracing the ground with his exposed toes. He tilted his head, deep in thought.

    ¡°Hello?¡± Isaac said. ¡°Man, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re one of those genius types that forget how to speak when you¡¯re focusing!¡±

    ¡°Sorry to disappoint.¡±

    The footsteps were apparent, even with the alarm. Isaac¡¯s steadily calming heartbeat regained its fervor. Alex is a smart guy, Isaac thought. Can¡¯t be so chill if you don¡¯t got something up your sleeve.

    But what was it?

    The door swung open, and from behind the pedestal, Isaac watched as a multitude of those freakish armed terrorists began to push in, weapons trained on the small blonde kid. Isaac covered his mouth before he could shout.

    Not a single shot rang out.

    Instead, Isaac¡¯s ears picked up a new sound.

    The terrible sound of synthetic meat being torn and singed, all at the same time.

    There was a laser in the chest of the first terrorists, as well as the one behind him, behind that one, and so on. Isaac looked to Alex, more specifically where he was standing. He had used his Blessing to shift the ground. Instead of making the right triangle he used to clear a path for Isaac¡¯s Speed-Space, a low angled incline was made out of the ground below a laser beam. And now, the laser¡¯s found a new path that went through the chests of the first guard and beyond.

    ¡°Giving me a laser room was a bad move, devs.¡± Alex smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s call this beta testing.¡±

    He changed the angle twice: lowering it and raising it. This made the laser move up and down. Alex may as well have cut them vertically with a giant, extra-sharpened knife. The guards stayed in their state of standing death, before their halves peeled to the side. They fell into clumps. In a strange effort to minimize the violence, their organs were replaced with wires, capacitors, and other components. However, there was quite a spray of bluish-green blood beginning to pool on the ground. Alex¡¯s toes were quickly being consumed by the muck. He stared at it with muted disgust.

    ¡°Gross.¡± Alex commented.

    Isaac stood up. Trying not to gag at the violence he just witnessed, he decided to focus on his genius ally.

    ¡°Man, not gonna lie, that was sick. Remind me to be friends with you.¡±

    ¡°Not doing that.¡±

    ¡°But for real, that was so sick!¡± Isaac¡¯s relief finally hit him. ¡°When I heard you could change the ground, I thought it was lame and kinda unspecific but, man! Did you really just eyeball the perfect angle to hit these guys?¡±

    ¡°First of all: it¡¯s not changing the ground. I replace the ground with whatever shape as well as its properties I want within a five foot radius.¡± Alex shrugged. ¡°And second of all: yeah, I guess I did.¡±

    ¡°Can I get an autograph?¡± Isaac asked.

    ¡°You should be asking me to free you. Let¡¯s go, we better hope the other two are as successful as us now that you kicked off the alarm.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, that too.¡± Isaac shivered. ¡°Hey, could you maybe not tell June I set off the alarms and put the whole team¡¯s enrollment in jeopardy?. . . Alex, why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Alex, I¡¯m begging you, man!¡±

 Chapter Seventeen: Early Assessment Alpha II

    Meanwhile, June and Claudius peeked into what looked to be the barracks. The creepy terrorist creatures laid still in bunk beds lined against the walls. Their bodies were ¡®sleeping¡¯ in positions as stiff as the bunk beds probably felt. June saw another door inside of the barracks. Alongside the door was a glass window showing the inside of a small office. Sure enough, she could see a safe sitting on the desk. It was obvious what the simulation was trying to say. June nodded at Claudius.

    ¡°Looks like they sleep here. There¡¯s a shit ton of them, too.¡±

    ¡°A blessing to be sure.¡± Claudius smiled. ¡°We can simply sneak by, minimizing the need for bloodshed on both sides.¡±

    ¡°Sneaking, huh?¡± June said. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just crush ¡®em instead?¡±

    Claudius frowned before speaking.

    ¡°Sister June, these men are armed, yes? We may be enhanced by these nanomachines, but bullets will still bring us to our knees if they are sufficient in number.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I guess. I just don¡¯t like the idea of hiding and sneaking and all that.¡±

    ¡°Pride is important, but also dangerous. Like medicine, it must be measured in the correct dosage.¡± Claudius mused.

    ¡°Huh? You a fuckin¡¯ sage or something?¡±

    ¡°Do you really think so?¡± A glimmer of hope flashed in the single eye June could see from Claudius.

    ¡°Forget I asked. We¡¯ll sneak in.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful, but before that, allow me to increase our chances of success.¡±

    Claudius held his hand out, and a ball of flesh appeared from nothing. June did her best not to get nauseous.

    ¡°Stem cells,¡± Claudius whispered, seemingly to himself. ¡°The primordial ooze of life. It forms any and every component of the body. What a Blessing, to birth a Brother of such potential!¡±

    The ball of flesh formed Claudius¡¯ ¡®Brother¡¯ who was shot to death minutes earlier. It was still the gangly farce of a human being as it was before. It stood with an even worse posture than Claudius. Its overgrown arms rest on the ground, while its eyes rolled up to the ceiling.

    ¡°Why him? Aren¡¯t we sneaking, Church Boy? He ain¡¯t exactly a fucking ninja.¡±

    ¡°So I was the Church Boy. . .¡±

    ¡°You heard me.¡±

    ¡°I. . . Well, Dear Brother isn¡¯t going to be sneaking at all, nor a distraction. Please look at the floor of the barracks room specifically.¡±

    June looked down and grimaced. The barracks room floor was a crappy job of decrepit wood. Even with someone like June, it would creak under any kind of weight. Would it have been better to have Alex with me, instead of Claudius? Fuck it, too late now.

    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have Dear Brother assist us by giving us a padded pathway to dampen the noise.¡±

    Oh no.

    Before she could even speak, June watched as all of Brother¡¯s skin fell off. It was like watching loose cheese fall off a pizza slice. June turned her head as the skin began to move like a slug, lining itself against the floor of the barracks room.

    ¡°Fuckin¡¯. . . fuck.¡± June gagged.

    ¡°There. Now we merely crawl across the path to the door.¡±

    ¡°And if it¡¯s locked?¡± June said, while trying to recover.

    ¡°I will do something similar to pick the lock.¡± Claudius smiled.

    June looked up to the ceiling, as if Instructor Hill was watching from above, which he probably was. Are you guys seeing this bullshit?

    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± June waited for Claudius to enter. Claudius didn¡¯t move. Instead, he gestured to the door.

    ¡°Sister June, you should move first. With your Blessing, couldn¡¯t you also raise our chances of success? I¡¯ll be your eyes.¡±

    Chills spread through June¡¯s body. Crawling would take minutes to make it to the door. She¡¯d have to use her Blessing that entire time? Remember June, She thought. For Papa.

    ¡°I hate this shit.¡± June fell to her knees and slowly placed herself down on the ¡®pathway.¡¯ The creaking was muted, and so was June¡¯s relief at the fact. She was too busy with the sensation of crawling on literal human skin.

    ¡°Sister June, are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Fuck no, but we¡¯re going anyways.¡±

    June held her breath as if to submerge herself in the ocean, and closed her eyes.

    ¡°Full Body Amplification Blessing¡¯s like Dr. Krovopuskov and yours are rare.¡± Instructor Hill had told her. ¡°And conditions for its activation can be taxing to say the least. Closing your eyes isn¡¯t a terrible condition. You simply need allies you can trust.¡±

    No way in hell does she trust the creep Claudius, or the dumbass Isaac, and especially not the aloof Alex. But in this situation, what else can she do? And so she let the world go dark. The muted creaking became nonexistent. She didn¡¯t just have super strength, she had super whatever-she-wanted as long as she closed her eyes. Super stealth was no different.

    Now if only she wasn¡¯t afraid of the dark. Dozens of armed terrorists were sleeping nearby, seconds away from riddling her with bullets. How did it feel to get shot, to die? The darkness brought every other sense to new and terrible heights. The still air, the stale smell, and the grossness of Brother¡¯s skin began to overwhelm June. She was crawling in darkness for only a few seconds, and she already felt like she couldn¡¯t breathe.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Claudius began to speak.

    ¡°Are you afraid of the dark, Sister June?¡±

    A colder chill pierced her heart.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°I see. A little to the left, you are going off the path.¡±

    June tried to recalibrate without closing her eyes.

    ¡°Shut up, you¡¯re going to get us caught.¡± June whispered.

    Claudius seemed to oblige for a moment, but started again.

    ¡°The Myriadic Church¡¯s core teaching is that Blessings are our purpose, and that we are to take comfort and meaning in our purpose.¡±

    ¡°Stop.¡±

    ¡°I think,¡± Claudius continued. ¡°That your Blessing adheres to our teaching like any other. You are afraid of the dark.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± June¡¯s temper began to bubble up with her fear and her embarrassment. With her eyes closed, nothing could stop June from focusing on  Claudius¡¯ voice, his words.

    How true they were.

    What the hell does this wacko know about me?

    ¡°And yet, your Blessing makes you stronger when all you have is darkness. Can¡¯t you see, Sister? This is something you cannot remain blind to. The Myriad seeks to make you whole.¡±

    June stomped to her feet and shouted.

    ¡°I said stop!¡±

    Her eyes opened to the sound of a siren going off. The blaring was just about as loud as her amplified voice. She opened her eyes to look at the shocked Claudius and the barracks room, which was now lit in flashing red emergency lights.

    ¡°Uh, shit. Was that me or. . .?¡±

    In perfect sync, the guards jumped from their bunks, reaching for guns on the sides of their bunks. Claudius waved a hand, and the skin disappeared into wherever it came from. As he formed another ball of flesh, he uttered a prayer June couldn¡¯t hear under the sound of the alarm.

    ¡°A suboptimal situation! I suggest that you use your Blessing and bulldoze the wall of the office, and supply an equal amount of force to the safe as well! Me and my Dear Brother will do our best to buy you time!¡±

    June agreed not with words, but with action. She started running towards the office, and shut her eyes. With the sound of Brother¡¯s roaring and a chorus of gunfire, she added to the cacophony by busting through the wall. The building shook as a hole was effortlessly punched through its foundation.

    It was human instinct to not want to run into a wall, and June couldn¡¯t remember using her Blessing this way. The feeling of her shoulder impacting the wall was a dull sensation. It should have been the agony of a broken bone, but instead it was like a strong flick to the forehead.

    June opened her eyes and had to cough away the hanging dust. She remembered that with her eyes open, she was a normal girl. A single bullet to her vitals will probably take a tiny girl like her out, nanomachines be damned. She turned to see Claudius and his Brother, back to back. He used his Brother as a shield and a weapon, sending jabs and kicks through Brother¡¯s openings to nearby enemies while the long limbs of his monstrous clone swung wildly, destroying bunk beds and terrorists alike.

    Claudius was comforted by his Blessing, grossness aside. Must be nice, June thought as she approached the safe.

    It looked like it was made of decent material. June closed her eyes as he reached underneath it. She lifted it up with no effort, as expected. Her brain screamed at her not to break her hand against metal, but June ignored it. She didn¡¯t need to wind her punch backwards. She placed her free hand to its side, and one-inch punched straight through it.

    She felt around, and pulled her hand back with the keycard in her grip.

    ¡°Got it! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Very well! Keep your eyes open.¡± Claudius shouted.

    ¡°Wait, why¡ª?¡±

    One of Brother¡¯s arms elongated, quickly wrapping itself around June¡¯s waist.

    ¡°What the fuuuuuuck!¡± June was flung into Brother¡¯s embrace with Claudius. Flesh and skin grew over them, wrapping them up in a protective womb of bone and meat. It felt as if they were rolling fast, like they were stuck inside a tire, descending a steep hill.

    ¡°I hate this, I hate this!¡±

    ¡°I find it quite soothing, personally.¡±

    The gunfire was still ringing, but not a single bullet pierced through Brother¡¯s body. Claudius groaned, his teeth clenched.

    ¡°I was prepared for this, but it still pains me to have my twin bear such a painful burden over and over. Ah, this is our stop. Prepare to begin a lengthy sprint. Shall we return to our original meeting spot, or perhaps head for the cells?¡±

    ¡°If the alarm was from them, they¡¯re probably hauling ass too. We go for the cells and pray they live long enough to catch up!¡¯

    With a sickening squelch, Brother ejected them out, and Claudius shapeshifted his monster twin into a wall of flesh, trapping the remaining terrorists in the barracks. June managed to land on her feet, and the two made their mad dash down the hallway.

    ¡°The plan failed, but we used our Blessings well, did we not?¡± Claudius asked.

    We are to take meaning and purpose in our Blessings, huh? June wondered.

    ¡°Whatever you say, Church Boy.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Fancy meeting you two here!¡± Isaac shouted.

    It was no surprise that the duo with super-speed had beat them to the elevator first. Alex and Isaac were crouched behind a manifestation of Alex¡¯s blessing: a five foot growth of square metal, sprouting from the ground. Down the hall, the terrorist things were laying suppressing fire as they slowly pushed towards the team. June and Claudius quickly joined them behind cover.

    ¡°Ballsaac!¡± June yelled. ¡°You set off the alarm, didn¡¯t you!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Isaac held a small pistol in his hands, and began fumbling it at June¡¯s accusation. He managed to catch it, and exhaled shakily.

    ¡°It could have been anybody, man!¡±

    ¡°You little shit!¡±

    ¡°Who the heck is little?¡± Isaac smirked.

    ¡°Who the hell is little?¡± June growled.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the keycard you ordered.¡± Alex said, waving the laminated card in an attempt to bring the two back on topic.

    ¡°We successfully acquired ours as well.¡± Claudius responded as he summoned his Brother as a wall of bone and flesh supported by thick tendon, creating cover on both sides.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡± June snatched the keycard from Alex¡¯s hand, eliciting an unenthused grunt from the pretty boy.

    ¡°Yo, June wait! They¡¯re about to finish reloading!¡± Isaac screamed.

    ¡°Fuck that!¡±

    She tossed the other keycard to Claudius. In a slick motion fueled by adrenaline, the two scanned their cards simultaneously. The elevator slid open like a well-oiled machine, unfitting for a supposedly abandoned building.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Move!¡± Isaac¡¯s voice cut out at the end of his single word of alarm, as the blur of his Blessing covered him. A hail of gunshots rang out as well, adding to June¡¯s confusion. She suddenly found herself on the floor of the all-white elevator. It seemed that the blur had covered her as well. Alex and Claudius dove into the elevator. With a shaking hand, Claudius jabbed a button on the inside of the elevator. Alex scrambled to press a button as well, most likely to close the elevator as quickly as possible.

    ¡°These things always take too long!¡±

    Isaac was still slumped over her small body. June struggled to get up.

    ¡°Get off!¡± June managed to slide herself from under Isaac and prop herself up to sit against the wall.

    Then she looked down and saw the blood on her clothes. June¡¯s jaw dropped, and she closed her eyes to quickly turn Isaac on his back. Her eyes opened to see blood pooling on Isaac¡¯s sides. As the other two boys realized what happened, June remained still. Alex¡¯s eyes were wide, while Claudius¡¯ eyes narrowed.

    ¡°Man. . . I meant it when I said they were done reloading.¡± Isaac blinked slowly. ¡°But we made it so. . . why¡¯s everyone look so freaked? I ain¡¯t that. . .¡±

    Isaac finally looked down to see his wound, then back up to the others.

    ¡°Oh. This kinda hurts.¡±

 Chapter Eighteen: Early Assessment Alpha III

    ¡°Trust is our most vital Blessing. A League of Agents will crumble without it, but they¡¯ll always win when they have it.¡±

    --an excerpt from an interview with Paragon-class Agent M.G. Myriad, published post-mortem.

    The blood kept flowing onto the floor of the elevator and the walls of June¡¯s mind. Alex and Claudius were saying something, but June couldn¡¯t hear it. She kept staring at Isaac¡¯s wound. It was the first time she saw something so. . .

    She remembered when her Blessing first activated.

    It was far too early for her to return home from school. June tried to be as quiet as she could as she sneaked through the crowd in her family¡¯s store. Lucky Takakura was doing decent at the time, but not decent enough for her father to miss his daughter¡¯s attempt at stealth. Just as June reached the staircase to her room, she felt her father¡¯s heavy hands on the sleeve of her uniform. He didn¡¯t know why June skipped school, and she didn¡¯t explain herself either. Why would she do that? Just for him to go to school and make things worse for her?

    As he started his lengthy interrogation, June lost her patience, as usual. She had been blinking back tears all the way home, and couldn¡¯t keep her eyes open anymore. So she shut her eyes, and tried to tear her arm away from her father by yanking her shoulder forward.

    That was when her Blessing activated.

    Neither of them were ready for such force to come from such a puny girl. So she yanked her shoulder forward, not realizing she yanked her muscly, ex-gangster of a father too. And so, in front of an audience of her father¡¯s customers, and with the popping sound of a dislocated shoulder, June finally won a fight. Against someone she loved the most.

    No, the only one who loved her.

    ¡°June!¡±

    Isaac¡¯s voice dragged June away from that memory. She rapidly blinked, sucking in as much air as possible. Claudius had begun tearing cloth from his long sleeved robe. He smoothed his hair back, revealing his gaunt face. Claudius'' eyes were narrowed in focus. Alex was putting pressure on Isaac¡¯s side, but blood still poured out from the opposite end. Isaac stared up at June, relieved to see signs of life from the girl.

    ¡°Glad you¡¯re back with us. You don¡¯t mind putting some pressure on my bullet hole wound? Thanks.¡± Isaac tried to grin, but his lips trembled.

    June scrambled to place her hands on Isaac¡¯s side. His blood was so warm. . . It¡¯s not real, it¡¯s not real! June screamed in her head. She tried to close her eyes and burn the image out of her head, but Claudius spoke sharply.

    ¡°June, don''t close your eyes.¡± Claudius said. His voice was strict, full of authority unheard from the gloomy-looking boy. ¡°Your strength could worsen his wounds, so you must keep your eyes open.¡±

    June listened as her reddened eyes fought to hold back tears.

    ¡°Brother Isaac, your blood type?¡±

    ¡°Uhm, O-positive? Ow, this hurts! I thought I was supposed to be a superhero!¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°You aren¡¯t doing what I think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    ¡°I am. Brother¡¯s blood type is whatever I decide it to be.¡±

    Isaac¡¯s eyes bounced between Alex and Claudius in confusion before the plan dawned on him.

    ¡°No way!¡± Isaac weakly shook his head. ¡°You are not IV¡¯ing me with your Brother¡¯s body!¡±

    It¡¯s all my fault.

    ¡°You are rapidly losing blood. You will die within minutes.¡± Claudius said.

    I got too desperate, too hasty.

    ¡°Yeah, but. . .¡± Isaac muttered.

    Getting him of all people to take the fall for you.

    ¡°Wait a sec.¡± Alex interjected. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a temporary fix? Wouldn¡¯t your Brother¡¯s blood go away once you reconjure him?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but only if I reconjure him. We will simply finish the rest of the mission without him.¡± Claudius grimaced.

    Alex shook his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s not happening. We still have to escape with the hostage and your Brother¡¯s too important to miss out on that.¡±

    Not like this.

    ¡°I''m O-positive, too!¡± June said. She separated a bloody hand from Isaac¡¯s side and thrust it out towards Claudius.

    ¡°Do it to me. That way, your Brother doesn¡¯t have to sit out.¡±

    ¡°For real?¡± Isaac said.

    Claudius didn¡¯t wait for confirmation. The ball of flesh spawned, but it was the least human Brother she had seen so far. It was a lumpy skin bag the size of her head. Claudius held it, as two long, sharpened veins wormed out from its pores. Isaac stared at the repurposed vein with wide eyes.

    ¡°Maybe I should just die?¡± Isaac asked.

    ¡°Quiet, Isaac.¡± Alex said.

    ¡°Alright, just. . .¡± Isaac turned his head away from the approaching needle and stared at June, a pleading look in his eyes. Like her, he fought to keep his tears from spilling.

    ¡°Talk to me? Distract me for a little?¡±

    June wiped her face, attempting to compose herself.

    ¡°How about why I joined? Is that alright?¡±

    Isaac nodded. He looked weaker by the second.

    ¡°I¡¯m bad for business. When my Blessing finally came, I went from the pushover that the other girls used to boost their self-esteem to the school bully in one day. I also pulled my Papa¡¯s arm out of his socket during store hours.¡±

    June laughed bitterly as she watched the needles poke through her and Isaac¡¯s skin. She quickly continued, despite the burning in her chest begging her to shut up. Whatever pain she felt, Isaac felt ten times worse.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Turns out, people don¡¯t wanna shop at a store where a little girl could knock your jaw off for looking at her the wrong way. All that goodwill my Papa managed to build up in the neighborhood¡ªeven with his criminal record¡ªgone just because I got a taste of power and went wild.¡±

    ¡°You got something on your face there.¡± Isaac said. He slowly brought his hands up to wipe the tears June didn¡¯t realize was falling from her face. ¡°Got it. Keep going?¡±

    ¡°Lucky Takakura goes down if I don¡¯t make it in. Either I prop up the store long enough to clean up its reputation, or I ruin everything my father built. That¡¯s why I¡­¡±

    June choked on her tears. The frantic sobbing echoed in the bloodied elevator.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I screwed up so badly! Isaac. . . I¡¯m sorry. . .¡±

    Isaac continued to methodically wipe her tears, from her left eye to her right, then to the left again.

    ¡°Man¡­ You got a hell of a reason to join up!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Really though, I thought you joined to wipe your record or something. I feel like a piece of garbage for that now that I know!¡±

    Isaac grinned.

    ¡°You got a way better reason than me. I don¡¯t regret taking that bullet, but now I¡¯m kinda proud of myself!¡±

    Isaac tried to prop himself up next to June but froze still.

    ¡°Oh wait, lemme stay still so you can inject me.¡±

    ¡°The transfusion is already complete.¡± Claudius said.

    ¡°Wait, really? Niiiice.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a temporary fix, of course. Merely a way for us to buy time until the simulation ends.¡± Claudius let his hair fall forward, returning to its pseudo-veil look. His sleeves were removed, turned into the wrapping over Isaac¡¯s bullet wound.

    ¡°I suggest we get moving.¡± Alex said. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t happen to have a working sink right? I don¡¯t need to smell Isaac¡¯s blood on my hands for the rest of this.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t smell bad right?¡± Isaac frowned. ¡°It¡¯s healthy, right?¡±

    June found herself laughing again, this time with a little less bitterness than before. This guy, She thought. That¡¯s just how he is, huh?

    Alex and Claudius helped the two up, and both June and Isaac had to fight against the dizziness.

    ¡°Isaac, what do you say?¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°You forgive me?¡±

    Isaac tilted his head.

    ¡°For what? C¡¯mon, we got a P.O.W. to save!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Man, what the heck is this?¡±

    ¡°Fuck if I know. . .!¡±

    ¡°This is most concerning.¡±

    ¡°I need a nap.¡±

    They found their POW, but like everything else in this Assessment, it wasn¡¯t what they expected. The elevator had reached the top floor, but due to Isaac¡¯s wounds, the surroundings were put on the backburner. While supporting Isaac, June scrunched her face at the intense smell of the prison as they strolled down the rows of cells. Sparse yellow bulbs and a ray of moonlight through a single glass-less window provided them with sight. June felt Isaac shiver at the winter breeze. Despite the horrid stench of unwashed prisoners, the cells were all empty.

    ¡°I think I preferred Isaac¡¯s blood to this.¡± Alex said.

    ¡°Agreed.¡± June laughed. ¡°Hey Ballsa-uh, I mean, Isaac. Start bleeding again.¡±

    ¡°Not funny, June. But it does smell like trash here. Let¡¯s hurry up.¡±

    Claudius made it to the end of the dark hall of cells, and he pointed to one on the right. His hair swayed in the wind, forming a jet-black blindfold over his face.

    ¡°This cell appears to be occupied, I believe?¡±

    Alex peered into the cell, his blue irises gleaming in darkness.

    ¡°Looks like it.¡±

    June and Isaac trudged over to meet them. There really was something in there, but what? It wasn¡¯t a person. Maybe the next step to finding them. Either way, they were getting in there and finding out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t see a scanner here.¡± Isaac swiveled his head side to side. ¡°Anyone got a key?

    ¡°I do.¡± June reached out with her free hand. With her eyes shut, she bent two iron bars to the side like play-doh.

    ¡°Hah! Should¡¯ve expected that, not gonna lie,¡± Isaac said. ¡°But are you sure you should be pushing yourself? You lost a lot of blood for me.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? And you lost a lot of blood for me, too.¡±

    ¡°Naaah, I just wanted an excuse to use my Blessing and look cool all at once!¡±

    ¡°Just get in the cell, dumbass.¡±

    And there they were, looking at their so-called hostage. It was a boulder-sized sphere of black metal. It buzzed slightly, and small dots of multicolored light blinked in and out of its shiny center. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, June spotted a bundle of wires connecting to the machine, snaking along the corners of the floor and out into the hallway.

    ¡°So their hostage was some kind of valuable tech?¡± June said.

    ¡°I was wondering why they had power in an abandoned tower.¡± Alex rubbed at his tired eyes.

    ¡°But how did they get it up here? That thing is way too big to bring up an elevator.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps we should be asking how we bring it back down, yes?¡± Claudius asked.

    June¡¯s eyes lit up. Could this be a chance to redeem herself?

    ¡°I carry it, duh.¡±

    Isaac spluttered.

    ¡°B-but the elevator can¡¯t fit¡ª¡±

    June raised a fist, then gestured it towards the wall where the window provided a view of the crescent moon. Isaac let his mouth close slowly.

    ¡°Should¡¯ve expected that, not gonna lie.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s cool and all,¡± Alex said. ¡°But what about the rest of the plan?¡± He looked expectantly at June.

    ¡°That¡¯s my contribution.¡± June said. ¡°I won¡¯t call the shots. You guys got us this far, not me. I¡¯ll just do the heavy lifting.¡±

    Her pride burned within her at her words. The same pride that got people hurt. Fine, let it burn ''til there¡¯s nothing left. She thought.

    ¡°Nope. That ain¡¯t right.¡± Isaac decided. ¡°We gotta do the planning and the footwork together.¡±

    ¡°Isaac. . .¡±

    ¡°Isaac¡¯s right,¡± Alex said. ¡°You want to take a step back because you think this¡ª¡± Alex pointed at Isaac¡¯s patched up torso. ¡°¡ªis all your fault, but no. Messing up doesn¡¯t mean you get a free trip out of taking responsibility.¡±

    When have I ever faced myself when I fucked up?

    ¡°Earlier, I said that your Blessing is meant to comfort you,¡± Claudius added. ¡°But the Blessed you come across also share a purpose within each other. Like cogs in a machine, we must work, think, and be as one.¡±

    When have I ever truly been a part of something?

    Isaac stared at her with an intense flame in his eyes.

    ¡°Heroes don¡¯t get to run away when things get rough. That¡¯s for bad guys and civvies.¡±

    When have I ever tried to be a hero?

    June shut her eyes. She spent so much time wondering if she could trust these three, but what did she do to earn their trust? What did she do to even trust herself?

    The answer would be nothing.

    We start now, June. Right now.

    ¡°Would¡¯ve been a cool line if it wasn¡¯t coming from a bled-out idiot.¡± June smirked.

    ¡°So you admit I¡¯m cool? About time.¡±

    ¡°Shut up and let me think.¡±

    June took account of the three boys and what they could do, not as accessories to her brute force Blessing, but as pieces of the puzzle. Wasn¡¯t that what life was all about? Did she really think she could force her way through everything and everyone forever?

    ¡°What a fucking idiot.¡± June whispered.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Alex said.

    ¡°A spiritual breakthrough, perhaps?¡± Claudius hurriedly asked as tears of joy welled up in his eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I said nothing! Alright, huddle up and hear me out. . .¡±