The next morning, Kleff clutched his growling stomach in his seat while waiting for homeroom to start. He had barely touched his dinner and breakfast, since they’d seemed so tasteless. It had been a long night of reevaluating his outlook on life, so he hadn’t gotten much sleep either. Even now, his mind was racing, and he was struggling to get his thoughts in order.
It was disappointing, but Xard wasn’t early this morning either. Kleff had wanted to apologize to him. He had never been able to get a grasp on why he was so angry at Xard to begin with, but knew he still needed to apologize. What he had said was crude and tactless, unbefitting his station as class rep. In the future, he’d strive to turn arguments and accusations into conversations instead.
The bell rang, and Xard came in a minute later, delving right into the usual business. Kleff figured it would be wrong to interrupt, so he’d wait till after. However, the moment homeroom ended, Xard was immediately ambushed by Jordi who had a slew of questions since Xard had avoided her yesterday. Feeling it rude to butt in, Kleff left, figuring he’d try another time.
His first class of the day was math, and he was anxiously waiting for it to start, wondering if today would be as hectic as yesterday. However, his anxiousness only grew when Xard entered this room too, turning out to be his teacher for this class. It was less than before, but Kleff still felt a strange discomfort whenever he saw Xard. Fortunately, this would give him another chance to talk once the class was done, but now Kleff was mostly curious as to what kind of lesson he’d teach.
“Some of you know me, but I’m sure just as many of you don’t, or only recognize me from the incident earlier this year,” Xard began his introduction. “I’m Xard Randex, a former student here. Now I’m the Fiend known as The Artillery, working for the Fiends For Hire. As for this class… Well, I’ll be honest, I was never the best at math when I was a student, and am probably not the best choice to teach it out of my peers. However, I was forced to learn one aspect of it rather quickly due to the nature of my power. So today, I’ll be giving a lesson in physics.”
Xard quickly shed his casual clothes, revealing the outfit underneath. It was one Kleff had seen several times in photos, the one he used while working. Xard then pointed the palms of his hands towards the ground. A second later, he was in the air, hovering a few feet above the floor, his head almost scraping the ceiling. After enough time had passed for everyone to gasp as he grabbed their attention, he landed.
“That’s just a brief demonstration of how I use physics to make myself fly,” Xard explained. “My innate power isn’t the ability to fly, rather it’s the ability to absorb, redirect, and control the flow of energy. By using this energy, I can provide enough lift to get off the ground, and apply a steady stream of force to keep myself afloat. Now as to what this has to do with math… Basically, I have to perform mental calculations to accurately produce the right amount of energy.”
“As you saw, I didn’t slam my head into the ceiling. Normally when taking off, I’d fly almost a lage into the sky. To avoid that, I had to quickly measure the amount I would need to only go up a few feet. Then, I had to adjust the amount in order to maintain my height. Now I’m sure many of you are wondering how this would apply to you, since you don’t have the same capability to fly as me. Well, the answer is that the future may come sooner than you think.”
“I work with someone who could probably replicate my powers on a smaller scale and equip the technology to a regular person, enabling them to fly. Hell, I’d wager that he could have someone flying by the end of the day. Though the specifications would probably have to be different. I can only sustain flight because of my increased resistances. The opposing energy would likely damage a normal person’s legs, not to mention what the changes in temperature and air pressure would do, along with wind resistance at high speeds. A full protective suit would probably be needed.”
“Anyways, the point is that it is not improbable for you all to experience what I just showed you. It’s quite possible that one of you here might end up pioneering that industry, but in order to do so, you need a good understanding of how the physics of it works. I’m not here to make you all experts in a single class. My goal is to give you a general guideline of how it works, and perhaps pique someone’s interest who might not have thought about it previously. Now then, let’s delve into the structure of these calculations.”
Kleff was both surprised and mesmerized at this lecture. As a student, Xard wasn’t awful. He worked hard, but just hard enough to keep him on solid ground. Kleff firmly believed that he had never really applied himself to the full extent of his capabilities. Seeing him so passionate like this, Kleff could really see how much Xard had grown. He was also starting to understand his core problem with Xard, though it still needed further thought.
The lesson flew by, and the next thing Kleff knew, he was walking to his next class. Only when it was too late did he remember the conversation he wanted to have. Xard’s lesson had been too engaging, causing Kleff to forget about every other worry and he’d gotten lost in trying to improve his own knowledge. At least he would be able to take it easy in his next class.
◆◆◆
Home-ec was the other elective he’d chosen, and overall, he liked it a lot more than shop class. He’d learned a few useful skills like sewing and the basics of cooking, enough to get him by when he moved out for college at least. It was a good time to get lost in his thoughts as he worked with his hands. Though with how odd his previous lessons had been, it was hard to predict how today would go.
A butler was waiting for him in the home-ec classroom, taking Kleff a moment to realize that it was a woman. There were several recipes listed on the board, so he guessed they’d be cooking, but there was also a rack of fancy clothing. Once everyone had settled in, class started, and the butler introduced herself. “My name is Mallea Dulip. Unlike the others, I am not a Fiend. I suppose it is simpler to say that I’m a modified human instead. Again, unlike the others, I have no plans to teach you any lessons today.”
“Instead, I’m hoping to give you a bit of an edge for when you get out into the real world. One of my monikers is The Temp. This is because of the vast amount of work experience I have in different fields, likely more than anyone else in the world. As such, I’ve also been through more job interviews than almost anyone. Of the 99 jobs I’ve interviewed for, I was hired every time without fail. Hopefully you can take my word for it when I tell you how important first impressions are.”
“An employer can decide to write you off within the first few seconds of meeting. It doesn’t matter what you say afterwards, or even how qualified you are. If they’ve already decided that they’re not going to hire you, very little is likely to change that. First and foremost, the most important thing is respect. If an employer doesn’t feel proper respect from you, your chances are void to begin with. This ties into the next aspect: a professional appearance.”
“It doesn’t matter what the job is. Whether you’re applying to be an executive, or if it’s a part time-job while you’re a student, looking professional is crucial. It shows that you care, that you’re willing to put in the effort. Because if you look like you don’t care, the employer won’t care about you. This is where I’m aiming to assist you. Today, I will make tailor-made handcrafted interview clothing for each of you.”
“While it may sound ludicrous that I could make that many outfits in the short time we have, I can assure you that it is no issue for me. I will be working with you one at a time, and we’ll find the right look that suits your build and the personality you want to exude. I have many samples prepared if you need some help deciding.”
“While you’re waiting your turn, or if I’ve already finished with you, you’ll notice several recipes on the board. These are simple ones that anyone can make, but they’ll taste delicious and make those that you serve them to think that you’re a professional chef. Alright, you’re first then.” Mallea pointed to a girl, and got to work right away.
Kleff wasted no time and went to look at the samples provided. There were more dresses than suits, which was understandable since suits came in less variety. Also, there were far more girls in his class than boys. After getting a clear picture in his mind, he decided to try out one of the recipes, choosing the fudge which sounded delectable. He’d always assumed fudge took a while to bake and cool, but this recipe had a strange cooking pattern where you changed the temperature every few minutes, reducing the time needed drastically.
Before long, the fudge was already completed, and he took a bite. A familiar feeling washed over him, the memory of the lunch he’d eaten yesterday. This was of the same quality, but somehow he’d made it with his own hands. Kleff then took a look at the woman who was rapidly sewing together a dress. He understood now that she had made their meals yesterday, all of them on her own. While it didn’t seem possible that one person could do all of that, he could believe it after seeing her work.
Originally, he’d only planned to make one recipe, but now he needed to try them all. First, he jotted them all down into a notebook so he could have them for later. These would likely become treasured dishes that would be passed down his family for generations. He firmly believed that if Mallea were to put out a recipe book, she’d become the most famous chef in the world overnight.
The class was nearing its end as Kleff finished his fourth dish. Each had been just as delicious as the last. He volunteered to let everyone else get their clothes made first. It probably seemed like a normal studious gesture he’d make, but really he just wanted to keep baking. There were only a few minutes left when his turn finally came. Not long ago he would have never believed a suit could be made for him in that time, but now he had full confidence in Mallea’s ability. She’d probably even have time to spare afterwards.
Kleff assumed he saw the glint of a measuring tape, but it was over so quickly that he couldn’t follow her hands. Whether or not he’d actually been measured was a mystery to him. Soon, the framework of a suit was built around him. It was hard to focus on what Mallea was doing, since he had the responsibility of standing perfectly still. Before he knew it, he was wearing a luxurious suit, with a full length mirror in front of him. Kleff stared into it, wondering if it was truly himself in his reflection, because all he saw was a dapper professional.
Kleff left that class with more than he could have hoped for: a tailor-made suit, priceless recipes, and a fully content stomach. Thanks to those treats, he wouldn’t have to starve until lunchtime and could give his full attention to his next class. He’d also never felt more prepared for moving on from high school, but was starting to feel like he could conquer the adult world.
◆◆◆
So this must be The Royal then, Kleff thought as he sat down. The substitute was a man, approximately in his 30s, with a somewhat flashy appearance. His hair and eyes made him unmistakable as a Fiend. He also wasted no time starting the class.
“Good day everyone. I am Feyj Sulatrieve, crown prince of Archlave, and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am supposed to teach you a lesson in social studies, but since I am unaware of what lessons you have already covered, it would be negligent of me to repeat any information and waste your time. However, my Curse has allowed me access to an expanse of knowledge. Therefore, instead of teaching, I will be answering any and all questions you may have.”
“Regardless of topic, whether it’s related to history or anything else, I will give you an answer to the best of my ability. If I don’t immediately have one, I will strive to find it. My Curse also allows me to discover new information quite quickly. However, I will openly admit I am not well versed in topics of an intimate nature. For an example of what you could ask, I could tell you the GDP, elected officials, political structure, unique laws, population, and just about any other individual aspect about any nation. Now then, don’t hold back.”
The students were quite hesitant at first, and there was a good minute of silence before anyone asked a question. It started off with mostly questions about Feyj. Students were wondering if he actually was a prince, wanted to know more about his Fiend powers, and asked questions about the Fiends For Hire in general. Someone also asked whether it was true that Drim and Phon actually killed their parents, making it obvious that there were still skeptics even now.
Once Feyj’s claim of being knowledgeable proved true, the questions began diversifying. People started asking about a few mysteries they’ve had throughout their lives, such as why the sky was blue, why people had different accents and skin tones, and whether sneezing with your eyes open would actually make your eyes pop out of their sockets. Feyj had answers to all of them, and was able to concisely explain them in ways that were easy to understand.
Everyone groaned when a certain student spoke up, a known conspiracy theorist among the class. Mostly, he wanted validation that Rathe was actually a triangle instead of a sphere, but Feyj was able to beat down his theory with an overwhelming amount of evidence and logic. Kleff could never approve of bullying, but he had to admit this verbal assault was fun to see.
Another student managed to eat up a good chunk of time, asking about the ancient doors that had been discovered around the world. She was an aspiring archeologist, so Kleff was happy to see her get answers she craved. Feyj gave a full dump of all the information he knew about them. “So far 19 different doors have been discovered, or at least reported. Of those 19, only 4 have been opened so far. Scientists are hesitant to open the doors forcefully, since they are such unique relics, and are instead opting to find the keys for each.”
He then went into details as to what was behind each of the opened doors. The one the Drazahs had found, and used as a weapon cache, was originally a storeroom filled with ancient foods and rations. Another door strangely opened to nothing, just a solid rock wall. One opened to what seemed like a gallery of art, and the last opened to a bottomless chasm. Scans were done on the rest, to get an approximation of what was behind the others, and it seemed one had an entire dead civilization behind it. Needless to say, archeologists were scrambling to find that key as soon as possible.
As the class was nearing its end, the questions wound down, most people asking whatever they could think of. A sudden inspiration hit Kleff that would perhaps provide the answers he needed to get closure. “I would like to ask about Xard Randex,” Kleff inquired.
“Very well, what would you like to know?” Feyj asked for clarification.
“Whatever you can tell me,” Kleff relayed.
“Alright, but I will only tell you factual information that can likely be found elsewhere, nothing personal,” Feyj declared. “Xard Randex, born Sextaugber 20th, 2057. He is currently 5’10”. Lived an unremarkable youth, and originally wanted to be a cop while growing up. Murdered his best friend Warig, crushing him to death with a car compactor after discovering he was a drug dealer responsible for the death of a child.”
“Xard was turned into the Fiend known as The Artillery, and recruited into the Fiends For Hire. Since joining, he has been personally involved in completing 58 different jobs. He has also personally caught 106 criminals with bounties, and murdered 12. As of today his criminal score is 5136, making him the 22nd most wanted criminal alive, and the holder of the 34th highest score in history. Would you like to know anything else?”
“Is he happy there?” Kleff found himself asking abruptly.
“I cannot say since I’m not him,” Feyj admitted, “But from what I’ve seen, I would say very much so.”
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“Thank you, I have no more questions,” Kleff confirmed. He wasn’t sure that any of this new information helped him, but part of his heart felt relieved. For now, he’d push it to the back of his mind because his stomach was ready to take over. Lunch was next, and he was preemptively salivating without having any indication what the food would be, or if it was even the same quality as yesterday.
He found the walk to the cafeteria quite odd, since it was much more orderly than any other day. Normally, the student body walked through the halls as a massive clump without any sort of organization. Today, everyone was walking in straight lines, one behind the other. It was also a lot more calm and quiet than usual. When they reached the cafeteria, everyone silently took their seats, and began eating with an eloquent demeanor, properly following the manners of fine dining.
This was well beyond what anyone would expect from the lunchroom of a public high school. Without giving any orders and instruction, the entirety of the student body had become civil and polite when it came to eating. They had been tamed. There was no other word for it. This was the result of a single meal, and it was truly terrifying. There was a common saying that the way to someone’s heart was through their stomach, but Kleff was starting to wonder if that was the key to world peace too.
◆◆◆
Kleff made his way to the final class of the day, and his final class of high school. He was a little jittery from the mix of emotions, but excited to see it through. His final class was Youth Preparation and Practical Studies, but everyone, including the teachers, simply referred to it as ‘Adulting’. It was one of the very few positive legacies of the Drazah empire. They found that many of their subjects weren’t well versed in real world issues since it wasn’t even touched in public education. Thus, they made this class a required subject.
After the Drazah empire was dismantled, the class remained in schools, and most non-conquered countries adopted it as well. The class had to be modified a bit to fit each nation's unique laws and regulations. Also, the lessons on how military drafting and martial law worked were stripped out in most cases.
Now, the course focused mainly on teaching students how to deal with the annoying aspects of being an adult. This included taxes, bills, insurance, student loans, regular loans, interest rates, voter registration, jury obligations, contract agreements, traveling visas, retirement planning, and so on. There had also been lessons on writing checks and spotting counterfeit cash, but those were now useless and would be removed in future years.
Overall, Kleff greatly appreciated the class. He definitely felt that of every class he’d taken, this would be the one with the most relevant information after graduation. Someone had asked in Feyj’s class how much of the information they’d learned would actually be useful after high school, but Feyj hadn’t been able to give an answer due to not knowing what they’d learned, and the wild variables that composed everyone’s lives. Kleff wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt, hoping that the school wouldn’t teach them pointless information, but there were times when even he had doubts.
There was no teacher waiting in the Adulting classroom, but this wasn’t uncommon. Teachers often ran a few minutes late for the last class since it was right after lunch. The faculty would sometimes use the break to hold meetings that could run long. Kleff’s eyes wandered around the room, and noticed something unusual on the teacher’s desk.
There was a stack of books, but they were arranged in a rather bizarre manner. It looked like someone had tried to make a box out of books, or maybe a small house or fort. The book fort started shifting as Kleff stared, and it collapsed a moment later. This left a disheveled pile of books on the desk, which then rustled further. Shortly after, a small furry hand poked out from a crack between the books and pushed them aside. Once a big enough opening was created, a creature’s head popped out, and then it crawled out of the pile.
It was an animal unlike any other Kleff had ever seen before. He guessed it was a mutated monster, but seemed far too docile. A few of the girls noticed it, and started fawning over how cute it was, but no one seemed brave enough to approach it. While Kleff was wondering what the creature was doing here, it hopped off the desk and waddled towards the head of the class. It pushed a stool over to the board, and climbed on top of it.
This class was one of the few that still had a chalkboard. Most classrooms had already been replaced with modern digital boards, but there were still a few left with analog means due to budgetary reasons that would be replaced sometime in the future. Some of the older teachers volunteered to use the classrooms with the outdated boards since it was what they were used to.
Once the creature was firmly sitting on the stool, it grabbed a piece of chalk. Kleff was now eagerly waiting to see if it was going to write something. Was it possible that this was their teacher for the day? Given the strangeness of the last two days, he didn’t doubt it was out of the realm of possibility. The creature stared at the piece of chalk for a while, seemingly undecided on what it was going to write. Kleff practically fell out of his seat when the creature stuffed it into its mouth instead and started munching.
Of course it wouldn’t be our teacher, what the hell has my mind gotten used to? Kleff barely had time to recover and get his head right before the door opened abruptly. Drim Drazah entered the room, but it wasn’t the Drim that Kleff had met before. Unlike the last time Kleff had seen him, he wasn’t wearing a hood. Normally, that hid his face pretty well, and it was hard to get a read on him, but without it, his presence was overbearingly intimidating.
Everyone clammed up and went silent when Drim entered, as if they’d just been caught by their parents doing something bad. Seeing his face properly for the first time, Kleff could feel just how daunting it was. Kleff recalled that his father, Relyk, had a similarly scary face, but it wasn’t even remotely to this degree. While it wasn’t scary in the sense of horror, it still made his body tense and heart race just looking at it.
The air around Drim was quite intense, enhanced by his sharp eyes. Kleff felt that if Drim were to look at him with strong enough intent, he’d be cut from just the glance alone. All of the other students seemed to be sharing in Kleff’s sentiment, staring nervously, finding it hard to breathe the suddenly stifling air. One thing could be certain, Drim Drazah was not someone to be trifled with. There would be no messing with him as some students normally would with substitutes. No one would have the courage.
Though all these factors should make Kleff alarmed, he never actually felt genuinely afraid. With just as much fear as Drim’s appearance generated, there was an equal amount of comfort. He gave the feeling of someone of a higher authority, someone to be respected and relied upon. It felt that if Drim was at your back, there was nothing to be afraid of, and nothing that couldn’t be accomplished. As a teacher, Kleff felt that he’d be quite strict, but just as gentle and understanding.
“Alright, let’s get started then.” Drim didn’t waste any time on introductions, perhaps he didn’t feel the need. Certainly there would be no one questioning the validity of him being there. Even without saying his name, Kleff doubted that anyone wouldn’t know who he was. Only the Drazahs could silence a room like that without saying a word. He didn’t need to worry about the class paying attention. All eyes were on him, no one daring to look away.
Drim walked over to the creature, and grabbed the piece of chalk that he was holding. It was halfway munched through, but it was the only piece left. The creature was sad for a moment when the chalk was taken away, but then it climbed up onto Drim. It grabbed the hair on the back of his head, nestling into it, and seemed to fall asleep right away. This did a lot in softening Drim’s image and easing some of the tension in the room, but it was too late for anyone’s position to change. If this were the animal kingdom, Drim would be the leader of the pack, and everyone else would be on their backs, exposing their stomachs in subservience.
Throughout the entire class, Drim didn’t say much, not wasting any words and saying only exactly what he needed to. He didn’t teach them about taxes or anything close to what they’d learned in this class so far. He taught them about survival, skills that would keep them alive when faced with the harshest circumstances Rathe had to offer. He taught them how to start a fire, a few simple knots, how to properly treat and bandage a wound, and more that would be crucial in the wilderness.
Odds are that these skills would be useless to everyone here, but that didn’t make these lessons any less important. People often took their peaceful lives for granted, forgetting how dangerous the world really was. With the introduction of monsters a few decades ago, it had only gotten worse. Cities and the roads between them were generally safe, with monsters not daring to go anywhere near places with high populations. Even if some did, there were military personnel stationed at the borders to stop them.
Outside of the borders, monster hunters did their best to keep the peace, with Drim Drazah at the top of them, having led the charge for the past decade. With their aid, it became possible for land to be reclaimed, and allowed for safe passage through more rural areas. However, it wasn’t perfect. Several new settlements didn’t make it due to monsters, and there were constant reports of travelers being ambushed. Even a train had been derailed at one point by a monster.
Kleff wondered if it was guilt that Drim felt which drove him to become a monster hunter in the first place, since it was through his parents' machinations that they were created. Monster hunting was a life that very few knew, and there simply weren’t enough hunters. Less monsters were being created through radiation each year, but more were made through breeding.
Through the efforts of hunters, the balance was being maintained. However, if things were left as they were, there was a good chance humanity would eventually be overrun. This still proved unlikely since efforts were being made to increase humanities defenses. New technologies were being developed all the time, and most militaries were starting to create dedicated squadrons of monster hunters.
There were also several academies being established around the world that specialized in training hunters. After Drim’s lesson, Kleff honestly thought teaching at one of those academies would probably be the best fit for Drim. He assumed the Fiends had other plans, but maybe he’d consider it one day. Surely, with a teacher like him, humanity would have nothing to worry about. Even if Drim stayed a Fiend for Hire forever, Kleff felt better off knowing that he was around as a safety net.
In the second half of the class, students were allowed to practice the skills that he’d taught them. As motivation, they were allowed to pet the creature for a bit, whom he introduced as Pox. Not everyone partook, but it was still a big motivator, especially for the girls. When Kleff got his turn to pet Pox, he now understood what all the fuss was about. The animal’s fur was quite soft and pleasant to touch.
◆◆◆
Drim grabbed Pox and departed as soon as the bell rang, seeming to be in a bit of a hurry. Kleff slowly packed his things, then headed out of the classroom with a hollow feeling in his heart. High school was now over, and an important chapter of his life with it. There was still the graduation ceremony at a later date, so he had something to look forward to, but it was still hard to let go.
Before he left for good, though, there was something he needed to do. It didn’t take him long to find Xard. He was at the end of the senior’s hallway, cornered by a group of girls. They were all trying to shove envelopes into his hand, and Kleff couldn’t help but notice little heart stickers on some of them. It seemed his popular time had come, but it was too bad for the girls that didn’t realize he was gay. Admittedly, it was something Xard was never upfront about, but Kleff had noticed almost instantly. He always hoped that Xard would build the courage to come out and be proud of who he was.
Kleff decided that this was fate, and chose to give up on talking to Xard. Perhaps it was for the best that he didn’t get to talk to him, since Kleff honestly wasn’t sure what he was going to say. Feeling a bit defeated, he decided to head down the stairs and depart for the day. He’d made it down a few flights of stairs before he heard his name called from above him. “Oi Kleff, hold up.”
Xard dropped down from above, landing right in front of Kleff. “I still need to pay you back for your phone. Do you have a Common Card on you?”
“Oh, umm, yeah,” Kleff rummaged around in his pocket and pulled out his Common Card without really thinking. “Oh, you don’t have to pay me back though,” Kleff insisted once he realized what was happening. “I have a good amount saved up, so I can just buy-” Before he could finish his plea, his card beeped and an absurd amount flashed on his screen.
“I threw in a little extra to make up for the trouble,” Xard clarified. “I’m sure you’ll find some good use for it in college, reference books aren’t cheap after all.” Kleff absolutely wanted to refute this amount. It wasn’t a ‘little extra’ as Xard claimed. He could buy the most state-of-the-art phone a dozen times over with this much. “Alright, well, I need to get going, take care Kleff.” As Xard said his goodbye, Kleff realized it was no time to be thinking about money. This was surely his last chance to speak with him.
“Wait, Xard,” Kleff grabbed his shoulder to keep him from leaving. “I’m not letting you go until I get a chance to apologize.”
“Really, you don’t have to Kleff, we’re good,” Xard insisted. Kleff wasn’t accepting his excuses though.
“No, I can’t leave it at that. You’ll hear me out, dammit,” Kleff demanded. “What I said to you yesterday was unforgivable. At the time, I thought I was in the right, but I’ve been wracking my brain nonstop to try and figure out why I was upset with you to begin with. I’ve finally figured out why. It’s because we’re a lot alike.” Xard seemed a bit confused by this proclamation, so obviously Kleff needed to elaborate.
“We may not have been friends, or even acquaintances, but I always had an eye on you Xard. I think it’s because we shared a lot of the same core values, and had many of the same strengths. You were just a lot more reserved than me. Many don’t know this about you, but you’re a stickler for the rules too. You’d get upset when you saw someone abusing or breaking them, and take it upon yourself to see that the situation was remedied.”
“Truthfully, I think I saw you as a rival in some ways. I always respected you, but I also kind of hated you. You were smart and hard working, but never lived up to your potential. If you tried, you could have been the top of the class, but you preferred to fly under the radar. This drove me mad, but I never brought it up because you had a concrete goal. You wanted to be a cop, a paragon of justice who helped everyone. It was an admirable dream that I couldn’t complain about.”
“Then you became a Fiend. At first, I thought you were throwing your dream away, abandoning it to run off with crazy murderers. That’s why I was so upset. These past few days have shown me a different side, though, something I couldn’t comprehend without getting to know them myself. I see now that you’re exactly where you belong, Xard, providing the justice you always wanted. So, I want to wish you the best of luck.”
“Wow, Kleff… that’s kind of really creepy,” Xard deflected, making Kleff feel rather awkward about the whole thing. “To think you were that focused on me this whole time, definitely not something you’d normally admit to someone. I guess it’s kind of comforting, though, to know you were looking out for us. You were a good class rep Kleff, and I accept your apology, but maybe in the future we could try being friends without any weird titles.” Xard held out his hand, prompting Kleff to shake it.
He did of course, but was still feeling a little awkward, so he couldn’t help but make a joke. “I’d like that, but I don’t know if you’ll have the time with all those girls chasing you.”
“Oh, you saw that?” Xard sighed. “Yeah, that wasn’t for my benefit.” Xard pulled out the stack of letters he received earlier, which he had tucked away into his outfit. “These are all love letters for Drim. The girls wanted me to give them to him since we’re friends, and I guess they’re too nervous to give them to him themselves.”
Ahh, yeah I guess girls do go for guys like that… Kleff sighed to himself.
“Huh, one of these is actually for Feyj,” Xard realized as he looked through them. “I’ll see that he gets it. As for the rest…” Xard crumpled his hands around the letters, applying energy as he squeezed. The letters were quickly reduced to mere specs of dust which then dispersed into the air around them.
“Alright, I really do need to get going. See you around Kleff.” Xard turned around to leave, but then immediately spun on his heel to face Kleff again. “Oh, one last thing. Have you seen Ms. Jaimess?”
“Sorry, can’t say that I have,” Kleff answered. “Which is a shame because I’d like to say goodbye to her and thank her for everything before I leave.”
“Uhh, well if you do, can you let her know there’s a message for her from the principal?” Xard requested. “I can tell it to her, but it’d probably be easiest if she went to his office since it’s written down there. Later.” Xard finally departed, making Kleff wonder if they would ever actually meet again. He also wondered what this message was. His best guess was that the principal wanted a report on how these days had gone, but ultimately it was none of Kleff’s business.
As he made his way out of the building, Kleff briefly scanned every hall for Ms. Jaimess. He wasn’t going to go on a hunt for her, but he at least wanted to put a little effort into trying to find her. At first, he was depressed when he made it to the courtyard with no sign of her, but was immediately relieved when he saw her at the front gates. She was seeing the students off, and having long goodbyes with some of the seniors. Kleff couldn’t help but notice that she seemed more cheerful than usual.
“Oh, hello there Kleff,” Ms. Jaimess greeted him the moment she saw him. “I hope your last days haven’t been too stressful. I know they were a bit more unorthodox than you wanted.”
“Actually, I couldn’t have imagined a better way to spend them,” Kleff admitted. “I learned so much that I wouldn’t have otherwise. Umm, that doesn’t mean I’m trying to devalue the lessons normally taught.”
“Oh, it’s fine, I understand,” Ms. Jaimess assured him. “They sure have a different perspective on things, don’t they? I’m glad it worked out for you. Hopefully those new lessons will help you in your future endeavors. I wish you the best of luck, Kleff. I know you’ll go on to do great things. Feel free to contact me any time if you need a reference.”
“Thank you, Ms. Jaimess, really,” Kleff gushed. “Without your guidance this year, it would have been much harder to get through. I’m grateful to have had you as a teacher, and the best of luck to you as well.” The two of them shared a brief hug, then Kleff remembered Xard’s request. “Oh, I was supposed to mention that there’s a message waiting for you from the principal in his office. Goodbye Ms. Jaimess!” Kleff headed past the gates, eager to take on the next chapter in his life.