These children, as expected, are all gifted singers of their own respective tone types. Despite being a catgirl, Yuki-sama is a water subtone, so her psychedelic soul song "Time Washes Away" is absolutely flawless. Takeshi-sama's traditional Japanese "Sun Kissed" song is peaceful. And I have to give the darkness tone, Chris-sama, some credit for singing his alternative metal song, "Twisted Sorrow," without adding any swear words.

Even though nobody, not even Sueka, knows I can sing every one of these song types, I cannot seem to call upon my rhime. Such a gift is rare, actually, considering that most people can only sing one type of style.

"Hey, sensei!" another one of the children asks, "why can we usually only sing one style of music?"

"It's because we only have one rhime tone." Hisashi says. "We've evolved to the point that unnecessary music styles are impossible for those not of the same tone type."

"Why can't we have more than one tone type?"

"Let's just say it's dangerous and leave it at that. The whole reason is a bit complicated. All I will say is that it causes one's rhime to go out of control."

"Okay, singing is over for now," Mai-sama declares.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" the children whine in unison.

"Don't worry," Hisashi-sama interjects cheerfully, "thanks to Oren here, we have something else to do. We're going to make paper mache art!"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Paper...mache?" some of the children say.

"I'll show you."

Hisashi-sama works for a few minutes and makes a giraffe out of the newspapers. The children get excited and start to make their own figures with the newspaper.

"Oren, can you give me a hand?" Hisashi-sama asks, trying to move some desks around to give the children more room.

"Sure!"

(Soul Conversion 3...BEAT!!!)

With my one good hand, I pick up each desk and quickly move them all to the side of the room. This surprises everyone, including the teachers.

"Those desks are a little heavy," Hisashi-sama remarks, "but I don't know any tones that are both that fast and strong enough to carry those with one hand."

"It's a special technique I learned from the animal tones: Soul Conversion. Before animal tones can fully use their rhime powers, it's customary to teach them this to allow them to convert their rhime into physical energy in order to have them work at a young age. At least...that's how it used to be...in Terraz."

I can tell the children don't quite understand, but the looks on Mai-sama's and Hisashi-sama's faces show that they do empathize with me.

After some silence, the children continue on with their work. In no time, laughter and talking drown out the silence.

"I've heard that any art from here can be a good source of income," Hisashi-sama says. "Of course, these are for the children to keep."

!

(I think...I just found my selling point!)

Near the chalkboard, Mai-sama begins to sing.

From the Hands of the one Soul,

Strength is bestowed to All,

But even the One has weakened.

.

Its power bestowed on Nine,

Who protect each of their Kind,

And lead Us to a New Age once More.

For the Nine will rise for all they Love,

And bring the One down from Above,

Awaken the Soul of the God.

"YYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" the sound of a crowd in the distance startles everyone in the classroom.

Hisashi-sama and I go towards the orphanage entrance and see what looks like a rally. The children push one another to get a good view of the scene through the windows.

"Sensei, what are they doing?"

"I don't know for sure, but probably a strike."

"Strike?"

"It's...complicated. Let's see. The best example is having the whole class telling the teacher they all want the same thing that the teacher wouldn't give them. If the strike works, the teacher will listen and will agree to the class's terms."

"Is that my mommy?"

"They look serious!"

"That is one fu... sorry, one really big... sorry again."

Truth be told, I too am in awe at the spectacle.

A chance at revolution.

And I pray this will not end up like Terraz's "revolution."