The silence following Rain’s dramatic exit lasted exactly three seconds.
Vice Principal Melody tapped her wand against the holographic board, her smile widening. The pink cosmic energy radiating from her made the air taste like static and strawberries2.
"Now that the drama is over, let's get to the real tragedy!" Melody chirped. "The Board has decided that 'talent' makes you lazy. So, we are introducing a new variable: Liability."
The board flickered, scrolling through names faster than a slot machine.
"Here are your families for the next 80 days. Try not to divorce each other."
[Group 2: The "Heavy Duty" Squad]
- Captain: Knox (Sun) – Rank 1 Elite
- Member: Rian (Ice) – The Sane Person
- Member: Granite (Rock) – The Tank
- Member: Borg (Gluttony) – The Pig
Knox stood up slowly. Absolute horror choked the scream in his throat. His gaze locked onto his table.
Rian and Granite were fine; they were respectable fighters.
But sitting at the end of the row was Borg.
Borg wasn't looking at the board. He was currently unwrapping a second breakfast—a grease-stained paper bag that smelled of onions. He offered a fry to Knox.
"You want one? They're cold, but they still hit the spot."
Knox closed his eyes. A vein throbbed on his forehead.
"Vice Principal," Knox said, his voice trembling with suppressed rage. "This is a sanitation violation. I am a nuclear reactor. He is... a garbage disposal."
"Exactimundo!" Melody beamed. "You burn energy. He eats it. Perfect synergy! Next!"
[Group 3: The "Zero-G" Squad]
- Captain: Lyra (Gravity) – Rank 2 Elite
- Member: Jett (Momentum) – The Discipline
- Member: Tina (Time) – The Elegant
- Member: Torin (Wind) – The Coward
Lyra stared at the name on the board. She turned her head slowly to look under the desk two rows behind her.
Torin was curled into a ball, shaking. He held a small sign that read: Please don't perceive me.
"Professor," Lyra said, her voice cold enough to freeze oxygen. "Statistically speaking, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. My link is currently hiding from his own shadow."
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
"Then make him float!" Melody suggested unhelpfully.
[Group 4: The "Nightmare" Squad]
- Captain: Silas (Spirits) – Rank 3 Elite
- Member: Elly (Darkness) – The Light Killer
- Member: Iris (Illusion) – The Mirage
- Member: Mina (Tears) – The Crybaby
Silas stood, brushing his dark hair from his eyes. "My soul weeps," he proclaimed to the room. "I am an artist of the ethereal. And you pair me with... her?"
He pointed a gloved finger at the back corner.
Mina sat in the shadows. She didn't look up. She was slowly tearing a tissue into tiny, wet shreds, her eyes red-rimmed.
"Go away," she whispered to no one in particular. "I'm sad."
"She is dampening my aura," Silas complained.
"She's a Vampire vessel, darling," Melody winked. "Maybe she'll drink your complaints."
[Group 5: The "Storm Chasers"]
- Captain: Volt (Lightning) – The Agitated
- Member: Serra (Friction) – The Low Confidence
- Member: Terra (Plant) – The Poison
- Member: Senna (Nature) – The Animal Whisperer
Volt looked at his team. "Wait," he raised a hand. "Electricity... plus Nature... plus Plants? If I discharge, my electrocute is going to slip all over because of zero Friction, then I will burn the plants, and kill my whole team!"
"Then aim better!" Melody laughed.
[Group 6: The "Arsenal"]
- Captain: Fione (Weapon) – The Warrior
- Member: Jenny (Metal) – The Builder
- Member: Bikon (Sound) – The Guitarist
- Member: Kip (Echo) – The parrot
This was the only table that wasn't shouting.
Fione’s focus snapped to Jenny. "You make metal?" Jenny raised a heavy wrench. "I can build anything." The focus shifted instantly to Bikon and Kip. "You make noise?"
Kip flipped a coin. "I make noise loud."
Fione smirked. "Acceptable. We have ammo."
[Group 7: The "Twilight Zone"]
- Captain: Sarah (Moon) – The Trauma Transfer
- Member: Nicki (Sloth) – The Lazy
- Member: Olan (Sleep) – The Sleeper
- Member: Andrew (Forgotten) – The Who?
Sarah looked at her team.
Nicki and Olan were both asleep on the floor, wrapped in a blanket she had pulled out of nowhere.
And the fourth seat... was empty.
"Vice Principal," Sarah raised her hand politely. "We are missing a member. Who is Andrew?"
"I'm right here," a boy sitting next to Sarah said.
Sarah jumped. "Oh! When did you get there?"
"I've been here the whole time," Andrew sighed.
[The Aftermath]
The room was a cacophony of elite whining.
"I demand a transfer!"
"My father will hear about this!"
"Borg is eating my eraser!"
Melody clapped her hands once. The sound was like a thunderclap, silencing the room instantly.
"Listen closely, little disasters," she said, her voice dropping an octave. The pink light around her darkened.
"You think the Nullity cares about your comfort? You think the Gods care if your teammate smells like onions or cries in the corner?"
She floated down to the centre of the room.
"You are Class 1-A. You are the wall between humanity and extinction. If you cannot learn to weaponize your flaws, you are already dead."
She pointed her wand at the door.
"Now, get out. General Valerius is waiting for you in the Armoury. It is time for Weapon Selection."
"And trust me," Melody grinned, her eyes flashing. "You are going to need more than just swords."
Lack Flameheart rubbed his temples. He looked at his own squad—an empty seat where Rain used to be, and two empty seats where Tom and Jerry had fled.
"Weapon selection," Lack muttered. "Great. Maybe I can find a shield big enough to hide from all of this."
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