Aaron finishes loading up an entire dumpster with bags of trash.
Aaron: (We’ve only been here for a day… how can there be this much trash?)
Fatal walks up behind him.
Fatal: There’s more trash where that came from!
Aaron: Are you guys importing this stuff from a garbage dump!
Aaron hears the sound of a truck backing up.
Aaron: You’ve gotta be kidding me…
Fatal: We take discipline very seriously here at U.A., and you earned the privilege of being “The Example.” Better get to stepping; otherwise, you’re not going to be done until sunrise tomorrow.
Aaron sighs.
Aaron: If this is the price of victory, I don’t care how much trash there is.
Fatal: Oh, okay.
Fatal pulls out her phone.
Fatal: Yeah, we’re going to need six more trucks.
Aaron: (FUCK!)
Back in the classroom...
Adrian: Alright, now that you have your assignments, I’ll give the third-years a chance to meet with their teams. It’s the first day of school, so this is all we’ll do for today, but be ready for regular classes tomorrow. Dismissed.
Adrian exits the room.
Daniele: Okay, Team Daniele! We’re going to meet by the fountain in front of the school!
Tyson: Everyone except Gus from my team, follow me.
Gus: Aw...
Yul: With only three team members, let’s head to the cafeteria.
Isaiah and Demetri bolt to the front of the classroom and bow before Yul with tears rolling down their faces.
Demetri: Thank you for taking us!
Isaiah: We won’t let you down!
Yul: I know, now please follow me.
Isaiah and Demetri hug.
Demetri: He’s treating us like human beings!
Isaiah: I’ll die for this man!
Aster: I guess since everyone else is leaving, my team can stay right here.
Daniele: That’s creative. I carefully chose my team’s meeting spot.
Aster laughs.
Aster: Who cares where we meet?
Daniele: You clearly know nothing about leadership.
Aster: You clearly know nothing about relaxation…
Daniele: Alright, team! First Lesson: Aster is annoying!
Lilith starts writing in her notebook.
Angel: Lilith… y- you don’t need to take notes.
Lilith: But what if this ends up being important?
Angel: I… I can’t imagine.
Daniele grabs Hayze’s hand.
Hayze: What are you-
Daniele power walks to the door dragging Hayze behind her.
Daniele: Follow me, team!
Saige turns to Blair.
Saige: Is that what I’m like?
Blair: Yes.
Saige stares at Blair for a moment.
Saige: Damn, I’m good.
As Daniele and Hayze walk through the hall, they pass by Adrian.
Adrian: Hold on one second, Hayze. I need to speak with you.
Hayze: Huh?
Adrian: Sorry, Daniele, this will only be a minute.
Daniele: Well, alright. I will see you later.
Daniele leaves.
Hayze: What is it with these girls…
Adrian: If there’s anything I’ve learned in my life, it’s that women are far too complex for us to understand.
Hayze: I can agree to that. Anyway, what did you need me for?
Adrian: Follow me, we should talk in private.
Adrian and Hayze walk to Adrian’s office.
Adrian: So, how was your time with Vargas?
Hayze: I’d say it went well. I learned a lot, and while I accomplished almost everything I set out to. I’d say I left better off than I was before.
Adrian: That’s good, but then again, I already knew most of that.
Hayze: Hm?
Adrian: You think I didn’t know where you were that whole time? I communicated with Vargas closely during your training. You can thank me for many of your exercises with your water, wind, and lightning quirks.
Hayze: Wait… really? Why didn’t you… why didn’t you ever try to make me come back?
Adrian: If a person’s lost, they won’t come home. After everything happened, I knew you would need time. So I told myself I’d get only worried if you started pushing the boundaries of missing school. That’s when Vargas and I decided to send Saige after you.
Hayze: So, that was part of your plan, eh?
Adrian: Of course it was. You’re fortunate to have people in your life who care about you, don’t ever forget that, okay?
Hayze: Yeah… right.
Adrian smiles.
Adrian: Anyway, that isn’t the only reason I wanted to speak with you.
Hayze: Huh?
Adrian places his hand against Hayze’s chest.
Adrian: Good, you still have it.
Hayze: Yeah, I’d be on my knees screaming if I didn’t.
Adrian: I know, but I have to be sure. The public isn’t fully aware of what the rings are yet. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t people digging for information. So you’re potentially going to be a target for them. Especially Ivan, but I don’t think he’s aware that the rings can be fragmented.
Hayze: That’s good.
Adrian: And speaking of Ivan…
Hayze: Huh?
Adrian takes a seat at his desk.
Adrian: I have no clue where his planetary creation quirk came from… but… I think I have a guess.
Hayze: What do you mean “came from?”
Adrian: The Ivan I knew… that wasn’t his quirk.
Hayze: What!
Adrian: His original quirk allowed him to understand everything about another person’s quirk. I have no clue if he still has it, but one thing’s for sure he definitely couldn’t create planets 8 years ago.
Hayze: So what are you saying?
Adrian: Somehow, someway, Ivan gained another quirk… and there’s only one way that can happen.
Hayze gets a shocked expression on his face.
Hayze: The quirk serum… how?
Adrian: I don’t know, I have a hypothesis that I can’t share, but I’m confident that’s how he did it.
Hayze is silent.
Adrian: Ivan fell to the dark side… but given the history of the serum, there’s probably something else going on inside his head. The running theory was that people who didn’t have quirks developed a dissociative personality disorder while people with quirks gained multiple personality disorders. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Something tipped Ivan over the edge, but the serum exacerbated it. It makes me believe the Ivan I knew is still alive, but…
Adrian slams his fist against his desk.
Adrian: He’s done far too many heinous things to ever be forgiven…
Adrian looks Hayze dead in the eye.
Adrian: I understand why you didn’t kill him when you had the chance, but if you get another one. Do it.
Hayze is caught off guard by Adrian’s demeanor.
Adrian: You took his hands, so he can use neither the Iota nor Omega rings anymore. But he’s still out there… and I don’t think that’s the last we’ll see of him.
Hayze: Yeah…
Adrian: Okay, that’s all for now. Head back to your group.
Hayze: Yessir, cya around.
Hayze goes to leave.
Adrian: By the way…
Hayze: Huh?
Adrian: Be careful with Daniele. She can be… interesting.
Hayze: What do you mean by that?
Adrian: This business can sometimes be sexist; the industry is about 55% male, yet the top 10 only contain two females. Unfortunately, if women want to stand out, they must work twice as hard as men.
Hayze: I know about that. Why are you mentioning it?
Adrian: Based on how she’s interacting with you, I can see what she’s up to. Just remember that everything she does benefits her in some way, okay?
Hayze: Uh… okay?
Adrian: Cya.
Hayze: Goodbye.
Hayze leaves.
Adrian: (The teams worked out the way I thought they would. I should have expected Yul to do what he did beforehand. That kid is sharper than a needle. He took advantage of Tyson’s weakness. I’m sure those girls already figured out why they’re on his team, but they’ll see soon enough that Tyson is far from another Isaiah and Demetri.)
Hayze steps outside the front entrance of U.A.
Daniele: Hayze! Over here!
Daniele, Angel, Blair, Lilith, and Saige are gathered at the fountain. Hayze joins them.
Hayze: (Hm?)
Daniele is holding a tattered notebook.
Daniele: Welcome to team Daniele. As a member of this group, you will be required to listen to everything I say explicitly. I reserve the right to berate you at any given time, and if you cry, good. Any questions?
Angel raises his hand.
Daniele: 600 push-ups.
Angel: Wh- wh- what?
Daniele: 700.
Angel: *sighs*
Angel starts doing push-ups.
Daniele: Good, I needed a place to sit.
Daniele sits on Angel’s back.
Daniele: I expect excellence out of each and every single one of you. Your failures reflect on me as your mentor, so don’t fail.
Hayze: What’s that notebook in your hand for?
Daniele: I’m glad you asked.
Angel: Wh- what?
Daniele: Restart.
Angel: Come on!
Daniele holds up the notebook.
Daniele: We were informed of the mock hero agency assignment some time ago. This notebook is a complete and detailed analysis of each member of your class. I had to determine which of you were worth having on my team and the best ways to utilize your talents and draw the most out of your abilities and yourselves. My team will be the best, and I’m pleased with how the draft turned out.
Hayze: Speaking of which, do you mind explaining what the hell was going on?
Daniele: What do you mean?
Blair: How come Eve went first?
Lilith: And that guy Yul took Isaiah and Demetri with his first picks.
Daniele: Strategy, my dear Watson.
They all look confused.
Daniele: While I am fully aware of what each of them was doing, I don’t really care to explain their rationale to you. Instead, I’ll simply explain my own. First, I chose Hayze and Saige because of their name recognition. I then chose Lilith and Angel because they’re your class's best rescue hero prospects. And finally, I chose Blair because…
Daniele goes silent.
Blair: Well?
Daniele: Anyway, you each have solid to above-average grades and have no history of cooperation issues. Also, there are no personal conflicts between any of you.
Blair looks at Saige.
Blair: You sure about that?
Daniele: Oh certainly.
Hayze: Can we rewind to when you said you picked Saige and me because of “name recognition?”
Daniele: Did you not hear what Adrian said about the Big Four’s goal in this exercise?
Hayze: Hm?
Daniele: The more of you that pass the Provisional Hero Licensing Exam and are hired to work studies, the better for us. So, why wouldn’t I prioritize picking two people with an extremely high chance of landing a work-study simply because of their recognizability? This isn’t a game for us. We can build up our reputation and experience before graduating to an extreme degree. Nailing this could put me on the path to owning a hero agency before I’m even 25. Are you picking up what I’m putting down?
Hayze: Yeah… (I’m also picking up what Adrian put down earlier.)
Saige: (These mock hero agencies are much more interesting than I initially thought.)
Blair: (Damn, this chick is hardcore.)
Daniele stands up.
Angel: *under his breath* Oh, thank god…
Daniele: Restart.
Angel: *groans* Shoot…
Daniele: Now, let’s begin your first training exercise.
Hayze, Lilith, Saige, and Blair: Huh?
Back in the classroom, Aster steps to the podium.
Aster: Well, now then, you four.
Alden: But… there’s five of us.
Aster stares at Alden.
Aster: 80 points to whoever shuts him up first.
Kevin: Mine!
Kevin grabs a stapler off Adrian’s desk and staples Alden’s lips together.
Alden: *muffled* AHHHHHH! WHAT THE FUCK!
Aster: 15 bonus points for creativity.
Justus raises his hand.
Aster: Yes?
Justus: What are the points for?
Aster: I don’t know, but Kevin is ahead of you.
Kevin: Eat it, nerds!
Silver scoffs.
Silver: Judging by the way you’re talking, you don’t seem to take us seriously at all.
Ash: Silver, don’t be like that. We all don’t like Alden.
Silver: That’s not what I mean.
Aster: Then what do you mean?
Silver: Why did you take Kevin and Ash before Justus or me!
Ash: Hey!
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Aster: Easy, because I have respect for them.
Silver is surprised.
Silver: Respect?
Aster: May I remind you of the showcase? Kevin and Ash were instrumental in nearly knocking me out of that battle.
Silver: So what? They never could have done that without Hayze’s direction!
Aster: And?
Silver doesn’t have a response.
Aster: You’re all a part of my team now, and for as long as you are, you’ll have to get used to the concept of respect being the currency.
Aster smiles.
Aster: You know what? I just figured out what the points are for.
Aster walks up to Silver.
Aster: Because this is a mock hero agency, I’m essentially your boss, and I don’t know where you get off questioning your boss’ decisions.
Silver: *grunts*
Aster: I’ll remind you that although Kevin and Ash couldn’t have done what they did to me on their own. Neither could you.
Aster walks away from Silver.
Aster: Everyone except Silver gets 100 points.
Silver: What!
Alden: *muffled* Yay!
Aster: Except Alden, you get minus infinity.
Alden: *muffled* WHAT!
Aster: The first rule of Team Aster is whoever has the 2nd lowest amount of points must sing a song before each meeting.
Silver: What! Are you kidding!
Aster: No, Celine Dion, you better get your vocal cords warmed up.
Silver: (This damn guy…)
Wes, Isaiah, Demetri, and Yul sit at a lunch table beside a window. Isaiah and Demetri are stuffing their faces while Yul is sipping some tea.
Wes: (This guy… he’s a weird one.)
Yul: Unfortunately, only half of our team can be here, but I’m sure Jace and Zach will be able to join us soon enough. Aaron will be a bit more of a wait, and that’s fine.
Wes: Yeah… about our team… not to be rude, but what were you thinking?
Yul sips his tea.
Yul: How about we play a game, Wes?
Wes: Huh?
Yul takes a piece of paper and writes down the names of all six team members.
Yul: Look at this paper and tell me if you notice a pattern.
Wes examines the paper for a few seconds.
Wes: I’m assuming you’re referring to the fact that you can divide us into three pairs with extensive experience working together.
Yul: Bingo.
Wes: Look, I’m all for teamwork, but don’t you think you're putting too much stock in that?
Yul: No, I do not.
Wes: Alright… wait a second…
Yul: Hm?
Wes: If you were picking pairs, what was your plan if that Tyson dude didn’t want to give up his pick.
Yul sips his tea.
Wes: D- did you know he was going to do that?
Yul: If you knew Tyson, you would understand that it isn’t nearly as impressive as you’d think.
Wes: How screwed over are the girls right now?
Yul: Well, it depends...
Tyson, Alexis, Karma, Gus, and Eve are gathered on the roof.
Tyson: First things first, it’s time for your team uniforms.
Alexis: Oh boy…
Tyson wheels out a rack of maid costumes.
Gus: Am I-
Tyson: Why are you here?
Gus starts crying by the stairwell.
Tyson: Anyway, I had these made special for each of you. They’re a requirement for any and all participation in training exercises.
Eve: Drop dead.
Alexis: Yeah, I’m not the most modest girl, but I value my dignity.
Karma: Are we not going to question how he got our exact measurements?
Tyson: Girls, girls, girls, you heard what Adrian said, right?
“ Adrian: You’ll report to them during your Hero Classes, and they’ll be your instructor at that time. They can reprimand you, praise you, order you around, and do anything your future Head Hero could do to you. “ - Chapter 112
Tyson: So, here is my first order. Unless you don’t want my expertise.
Eve: Why would we even want you as our instructor? You just seem like the token pervert of your class.
Tyson: I’ll have you know that I’m currently in line to begin a work-study with the number 3 hero, Black Hallow.
The three girls are surprised.
Alexis: (That’s the hero Silver interned with…)
Eve: That’s B.S. How did you end up with a higher-rank hero than Aster?
Tyson smiles.
Tyson: You could find out under my mentorship. All you need to do is put on the uniform.
Eve’s eyes narrow.
Eve: Fuck you! I’m trying to become a hero, not your eye candy!
Tyson shrugs.
Tyson: Suit yourself. I don’t really have any interest in doing well at this mock hero agency thing. If you don’t want my help, then that’s fine. But, be sure to tell me how your pride is doing when you’re the only ones in your class without provisional hero licenses or work studies.
Eve: *frustrated grunt* I want to beat the shit out of you.
Tyson: You really think you could beat me?
Eve: Hell yeah, I could!
Karma: Eve… Don’t. He’s a third-year and a part of the Big Four. Even if he’s a sleazeball, you couldn’t beat him in a fight.
Eve: *frustrated grunt*
Tyson: Who says it has to be a fight?
Eve: Huh?
Tyson pulls out a deck of cards.
Tyson: Why don’t we play a game?
Eve: What kind of game?
Tyson: We each pick a card from the top of the deck. Whoever pulls the higher card wins. It’s that simple.
Eve: Oh yeah?
Alexis: (I already don’t like the sound of this…)
Tyson: If you win, I’ll nix the uniforms, but if I win...
Alexis: Oh boy…
Tyson gets a sinister smile.
Tyson: I get to cop a feel!
Eve: What!
Alexis: There it is…
Tyson: Pretty simple deal, huh?
Eve: Fucking perverts…
Karma: Eve, it’s okay. We don’t need this guy. We can do everything ours-
Eve puts her hand up.
Eve: No, I’m gonna beat this guy and teach him he can’t objectify women like this. I accept your challenge and terms.
Karma: Eve…
Eve: However, I have a few requests. First, I’d like Karma and me to inspect the deck to ensure the cards are legit and unmarked.
Tyson: That’s fine.
Tyson hands Karma the deck.
Eve: I’d also like to be the one to shuffle the deck if that’s alright?
Tyson: Of course.
Karma examines all of the cards.
Karma: They look acceptable to me.
Karma hands Eve the deck. She also examines it.
Eve: These look fine to me.
Eve starts shuffling.
Eve: Who picks first?
Tyson: That’s up to you; I don’t care.
Alexis’ eyes narrow.
Alexis: (Interesting… When he proposed the idea of a card game, I expected he would cheat, but he let Eve inspect the cards, shuffle and choose who picks first. He has 0 control over the deck at this point. How could he cheat with conditions like these? And more importantly… how will he stop Eve from cheating?)
Eve shuffles the deck rigorously.
Eve: (This guy is done for! He doesn’t know it, but I magnetized together two cards: A king and a seven. With those two cards combined, they’re much thicker than the other 50 cards in the deck, so as I’m shuffling, I can tell exactly where they are at all times. All I’ve gotta do is wait for a quick moment to place those cards on top. I put the seven on top of the king, so I’ll have him draw first, then I’ll win easily. This guy messed with the wrong girl.)
Tyson: Since you went through a bunch of measures to ensure I’m not cheating, may I do the same for you?
Eve: Uh… sure… What do you want?
Tyson: Just one thing, can you cut the deck after you finish shuffling?
Eve: Yeah, sure. (Dumbass, cutting the deck does nothing for you. All I’ve got to do is magnetize one-half of the deck with my chosen cards on top. Then when I cut the deck, I’ll be able to place them on top of the other stack and still be in a position to win.)
Eve finishes shuffling.
Eve: Alright, I’ll cut the deck now.
Eve cuts the deck the way she planned.
Eve: All good?
Tyson: I’d say so.
Eve: Then it’s time for us to play.
Tyson: Yes, but first…
Tyson extends his hand.
Eve: Huh?
Tyson: We never shook on the bet. Therefore, it’s not set in stone.
Eve: Oh, alright.
Eve shakes Tyson’s hand.
Tyson: Alright, let’s begin.
Eve: Okay, you draw first.
Tyson: Right.
Tyson draws the top card.
Tyson: Now you draw.
Eve takes the second card.
Tyson: Ladies, first.
Eve: Alright.
Eve reveals her card.
Eve: (Read ‘em and weep.)
Tyson: Hm, not bad, but not great either.
Eve: Huh?
Eve looks at her card: It’s the seven.
Eve: (Wh- what!)
Tyson: Let’s see what I have.
Tyson reveals the Ace of Spades.
Tyson: Oh wow, it looks like I win.
Eve is in shock, and Karma and Alexis are both surprised.
Alexis: (H… how did he do that?)
Tyson laughs.
Tyson: Sorry, girl, but I win.
Eve: I… I…
Tyson’s hand starts to glow.
Tyson: Time to collect my prize.
Eve: Like I’m going to let that-
Suddenly Tyson is groping Eve’s boobs.
Eve: I… I...
Tyson: Another successful conquest, if I do say so myself.
Eve falls to her knees in humiliation.
Karma: Eve! Are you okay?
Alexis is speechless.
Alexis: How did you do that!
Tyson: Huh? What do you mean? I drew the better card.
Alexis: You know what I mean! Eve was clearly cheating based on her reaction. How did you do that? They checked the cards, and you didn’t touch them once after the shuffle or the cut!
Tyson smiles.
Tyson: This here Ace of Spades is quite special. The edge of the card has been ever so slightly trimmed, nothing anyone could notice without knowing beforehand. With a card like this, during the deck cutting, the dealer’s fingers will always cut exactly at this card. And because the edge is trimmed… it falls on top of the bottom pile and therefore becomes the top card.
Alexis: I see… and because it's the Ace of Spades, you will always win regardless of the next card in the deck. But, that raises another question. How did you know Eve was going to let you draw first?
Tyson: Because she was cheating. No idiot would ever draw first out of a deck they're cheating with. It’s a clear giveaway. I knew that the second I pulled out the deck, you would all suspect foul play, and she’d request complete control of the cards. So, I had a method of cheating that couldn’t be detected by simply glancing through the cards, and I knew that since I wasn’t the one holding the deck, I could stack it however I liked and never be accused of cheating. However, I could accuse her of cheating all I wanted and force her into cutting the deck to avoid that exact outcome. I won the second she agreed to the game.
Tyson laughs.
Tyson: You see, my quirk is called Gamble. If one other person and I lay out the rules and stakes to a game, all I need to do is shake their hand, and we become spiritually bound to one another until the game is complete. Gamble ensures that all antes are paid; this could be anything, money, a pair of underwear, or someone’s life. I’m a high-stakes gambler, and I always win.
Alexis is taken aback.
Alexis: (He concocted an intricate strategy that was so full proof even I was shocked by the outcome, and he did all of this… for a feel of some tits? What could he be capable of if he was fighting for something serious? This kind of planning, ingenuity, and strategy is on the level of Hayze…)
Alexis walks over to the rack of maid costumes.
Karma: Alexis, what are you doing?
Alexis: I don’t care if I have to embarrass myself to do it. I want to learn from this guy.
Tyson: Now that’s what I’m talking about!
Eve keels over.
Eve: I hate my life…
Yul finishes his tea.
Yul: I’m sure Tyson is putting them through the wringer.
Wes: Yeah, hey, one more question.
Yul: Yes, Wes?
Wes: Why are we meeting in the cafeteria?
Yul: Oh, that’s easy. I wanted entertainment with my meal.
Wes: Huh?
Wes looks out the window to see Lilith, Hayze, Blair, and Saige lined up against Daniele.
Daniele: Your goal is simple: lay one hand on me.
They are all surprised.
Daniele: Did I stutter?
Daniele pulls out a timer.
Daniele: You have three minutes. Starting now.
The timer starts ticking.
Hayze: Va bene, andiamo. [Okay, let’s-] (Shit, this again!)
Blair: Huh, what was that, Hayze?
Hayze: È la sua stranezza, lei [It’s her quirk, she’s-] (Dammit! This isn’t going to work!)
Saige: Ahora no es el momento de bromear, Hayze [Now isn’t the time for jokes, Hayze.] (Wh- what just happened?)
Blair: Woah, did I miss a memo or something? Lilith, you aren’t in on this, right?
Lilith: いいえ、私はあなたと同じように混乱しています[No, I’m just as confused as you.] (Huh!)
Blair looks around at everyone in confusion.
Blair: Wh- what’s going on?
Daniele laughs.
Daniele: Having trouble communicating? Kind of hard to work as a team when you can’t understand each other.
Blair: Is this your quirk?
Daniele: You tell me.
Blair: Don’t mess with me! Just tell me what the hell is going on!
Daniele: They’re currently being affected by my quirk, Xenoglossophobia. I can make anyone speak in a completely different language. Hayze is speaking Italian, Saige Spanish, and Lilith Japanese. So, you’re going to have a very tough time against me.
Blair: Is that right?
Daniele: Just look at the others if you don’t believe me.
Blair looks around at everyone else. They look perplexed.
Blair: (Huh? They still look like they don’t understand what’s going on? But she just explained-) Wait a second…
Daniele: Yup, I can also control which languages they do and don’t understand. They don’t know what the hell either of us is saying.
Blair smiles.
Daniele: Hm? What’s that about?
Blair: So, your quirk has nothing to do with strength, huh? Well…
Blair coats her fists in magma armor.
Blair: That makes this way easier!
Daniele smiles.
Daniele: You can try.
Hayze: Blair, non farlo! È una trappola! [Blair, don’t! It’s a trap!]
Blair: I’ve got this, Hayze!
Blair charges at Daniele.
Daniele: Bad idea.
Daniele pirouettes to completely dodge Blair’s attack.
Blair: Huh?
Daniele jabs the back of Blair’s neck with two fingers. Blair slams to the ground, completely unable to move.
Blair: Wh- wh- what the heck? I can’t get up!
Hayze and Saige examine from afar.
Hayze: Punti di pressione. [Pressure points]
Saige: Puntos de presión. [Pressure points]
Wes is surprised.
Wes: Wh- what just happened? How did she take down Blair with a simple jab?
Yul: Daniele’s quirk is not combat-oriented, so she’s picked up on a few things to help her in battle.
Wes: Are you saying she learned ballet to fight?
Yul: She also memorized every pressure point on the human body.
Wes: Are you serious?
Yul: I’m not. She is.
Daniele turns to Hayze, Saige, and Lilith.
Daniele: Half your time is gone. I can see you’re still figuring out how to proceed without any form of communication.
Hayze and Saige look at each other.
Hayze: Andiamo [Let’s go]
Saige: Derecha [Right]
Saige creates a trampoline. Hayze jumps on it and leaps into the air.
Daniele: Hm?
Saige transforms the trampoline into a sniper rifle and takes aim at Daniele.
Daniele: (I see… Hayze will attack me upfront with Saige spotting him from a distance in case his attack fails. Pretty smart with no ability to communicate.)
Hayze lands next to Daniele and attempts to throw a punch, but Daniele dodges before he even begins the motion.
Hayze: (Her perception skills are unbelievable!)
Daniele: Sorry, Hayze, but I see what you’re up to. I’ve positioned myself so that you are between Saige and me, meaning she can’t get a clear shot. This was a good attempt, though.
Daniele goes to jab Hayze’s neck.
Hayze: Saige!
Saige shoots the back of Hayze’s neck with an elastic bullet pushing him forward and causing Daniele’s jab to miss his pressure point.
Daniele: (What!)
Hayze: Siamo più intelligenti di quanto pensi! [We’re smarter than you think!]
Hayze goes to punch Daniele.
Daniele: (He’s too close to dodge, I only have one choice.)
Daniele bear hugs Hayze.
Hayze: (Huh!)
Saige: (What!)
Hayze is caught so off guard he doesn’t finish his attack.
Daniele: Gotcha.
Daniele pirouettes and slams Hayze to the ground.
Hayze: *groans* Dannazione! [Dammit!]
Saige: ¡Oye! ¡Esa es mi jugada! [Hey! That's my move!]
Wes turns to Yul.
Wes: Did that chick just hug Hayze?
Yul: Pressure points aren’t the only way to paralyze a man.
Wes: Yeah, if I’m being honest, that move would work just as well on me…
Yul: And although it dispatched Hayze quickly, it has an added side effect.
Wes: Huh? What do you mean?
Yul: 3… 2… 1…
Saige transforms the sniper into a rapier.
Saige: ¡Te pillaré! [I’ll get you!]
Lilith: サイゲ！ 一人で入らないでください! [Saige! Don’t go in alone!]
Saige tries to slash Daniele with the rapier.
Daniele: Aw… is someone mad?
Saige: *grunts*
Daniele catches the blade between her fingers.
Saige: ¡Que demonios! [What the hell!]
Wes slowly turns to Yul.
Wes: So… how-
Yul: She’s also a master of physics.
Wes: Gotcha.
Daniele slugs Saige in the stomach, knocking her to her knees.
Saige: *groans*
Daniele: 15 seconds.
Daniele quickly slaps the air.
Daniele: But those are unnecessary.
Lilith returns to standard size and falls to the ground.
Wes: How did she-
Yul: She’s trained her ears well.
Wes: You could at least let me guess…
Daniele’s timer goes off.
Daniele: This was an excellent first exercise. I can now quickly assess where we need to improve. Hayze and Saige, good work creating a strategy without communicating. Lilith, I like the idea, but it was a little too predictable. Blair, at least you were able to give the others information about my abilities outside of my quirk. For now, I’ll leave it on the positives.
Hayze: Right…
Hayze gets up. He turns to Saige, who looks angry.
Hayze: Saige? Are you okay?
Saige: Huh? Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.
Saige stands up and dusts herself off.
Hayze: Right…
Daniele walks over to Blair.
Daniele: Feeling good?
Blair: No… how much longer until this wears off?
Daniele: Just a few seconds.
Blair: Ugh…
Daniele: It’s okay, Blair. I imagine you’re still a little rusty after spending the better part of the last month in bed doing… you know.
Blair: Wh- how do you know about that!
Daniele holds up her notebook.
Daniele: I prepare very thoroughly.
Blair: But- but-
Daniele: Don’t worry, though. You did a great job, given the circumstances.
Blair: All I did was get knocked face-down with my ass up right at the start. Pretty embarrassing if you ask me.
Lilith: Well… at least nobody saw.
Daniele: Oh, the contrary!
Daniele points to the school. Almost every single window has students watching.
Daniele: I believe public humiliation is a great way to make you swiftly correct your mistakes.
Blair’s face turns red.
Blair: Oh god…
Hayze looks up at the school.
“ Aster: I guess since everyone else is leaving, my team can stay right here.
Daniele: That’s creative. I carefully chose my team’s meeting spot. “
Hayze: (So that’s what she meant…)
Daniele laughs.
Daniele: As I mentioned before, I expect excellence from every single one of you. Your failures are a reflection of me as your mentor, so don’t fail. You’re dismissed for today.
Angel stands up.
Angel: 700!
Daniele: Restart.