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A Hard Line

Pov: Vice Principal Haruto Thompson

“This is bull!” Adrian Priest slammed both his fists onto my desk. It was designed to take beatings far greater than anything this teenage punk could dish out. “You can not be serious!”

“I assure you Mr Priest, I am.” I reaffirmed.

“You honestly expect me to team up with this fairy!” Adrian pointed a finger at the other boy in the room. An elegant-looking boy with lean features and golden blond hair that dropped to his shoulders curling at the end.

“Yes, Mr Priest. You and Mr Greenleaf have been selected to represent the Westside Sunflowers in this year's New Blood Tournament.” I explained again, “After significant analysis, we determined you two are the best entries we can provide.”

“Why him?” Adrian barked again, “I understand choosing me, but why have me team up with this pixie-dust coughing bastard!”

“Melvin Greenleaf is one of the best combatants of his class, just like you, and he has a good sense for it too, also like you,” I said. Adrian gritted his teeth and slammed another fist down on my desk.

“What about Kevin? Me and him could take on anyone you throw at us!”

“Mr Zapotec is a native of Mexico,” I said, “and while a very close ally to the Constitutional Union, only native-born citizens of The Union are allowed entry.”

“What of my good friend Theodore?” Melvin asked, “I know he has dual citizenship with The Summer Court, but so do I, so I don’t know why he can’t enter.”

“Mr Alexios is a satyr, and while he enjoys the full rights of personhood, he is technically an other-being, and thus is not qualified for entry. This tournament is for demi-humans only.”

“What about Vlad? Or Semy?” Adrian asked with a hint of desperation.

“They lack the tenacity that this tournament will require.”

Melvin lifted a hand, “What about my classmate-”

“Enough!” I slapped a hand down, “This decision is final. You two are not only our best option, but our only option for entry. If you two don't participate, we will be forced to withdraw and forfeit.”

They both scowled at me. Adrian stepped back and straightened his back, “Why have I never heard of this New Blood Tournament? I keep up with all the local circuits”

“We don't publicize it. This tournament is not a spectacle for entertainment. It's a showcase to the US government that today's youth still have a level of gumption to them.”

Melvin stepped up, “Are we allowed to invite family to watch?”

“Yes, viewing of the tournament is open to all students and those they invite.”

Adrian tsked, “Whatever. How do the brackets work, and who's our first opponent?”

“It's a round-robin tournament where you will be pitted against each of the other schools' duos. Your first match is against your fellow Virginians, the Southside Cornflowers. Not this Saturday, but the next. So you two have two weeks to train.” I folded my fingers and leaned forward resting my chin, “Now, if there are no other complaints or questions, you two are dismissed.”

They both had plenty of complaints, but either through frustration or pragmatism, they decided to leave my office of their own volition. Their progress down the hall was easy to track with Adrian stomping his feet down with every step.

“I can't believe this,” Adrian said, “Making me team up with a damn fairy.”

“Yes, because you demons make for grand company,” Melvin snided.

Adrian turned to him and barked, “Fuck you, you dust-shaking bastard. You and yours make me sick.”

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“Oh, I promise you, the feeling is mutual.” Melvin stood his ground, “Being so close to a sulfur-bathed hell mutt is making me so sick I can barely tolerate it.”

“First, I don't take promises off fairies.” Adrian counted off on his fingers, “Second, I don't need lip from your tree-hugging, nectar-sucking, flower-eating ass. Third, don't you think for one moment I'll ever trust you anywhere other than the other side of my fist!”

“Ha! You speak of trust?” Melvin mock laughed, “You demons are all nothing but brutes or conmen. How many lives are ruined by your filth every day?”

“My filth?” Adrian snarled, “You fairies trick people every day with your gile and lies.”

“Fairies can not lie!” Melvin stated with his full body, balling his fists to his sides and bearing his own snarl at Adrian.

“Like that matters! Fairies are always finding ways to doublespeak their way into screwing people over.”

“And I've never once heard of a story of demon dealings going well. Your stone skulled, sulfur breathing, bile pissing ilk are a blight on civilization.”

“Your kind don't deserve to be in society!” Adrian barked

“Your kind don't deserve to be in the light of day!” Melvin barked back.

They likely would have boiled over into physical violence if not for a hand coming down between them. The firm and powerful hand of Mr Stienfaust. He looked directly ahead between the boys and said, “Report to class now.”

They held onto their anger as they looked at the disciplinary officer. Adrian yelled, “You think you can just-”

“Report. To class. Now.” Mr Stienfaust repeated. The even monotone of his words threw something off in the boys. They both step back from the man and from each other allowing the tension to slip away.

“Whatever!” Adrian said before turning away and stomping down the hall.

A moment later Melvin straightened himself and turned to trot away in the opposite direction. Stienfaust held his position until they were out of his earshot. Then he turned and came to my office. Opening the door, he started.

“Sir, with all due respect, this is a mistake.”

“I am aware.”

“Sir, there are other options. I could have a list by day's end.”

“I know. I have my own list, and on it Mr Priest and Mr Greenleaf were the best options.”

“Sir, that's ridiculous!” he stepped in slamming the door behind him, “What about Runesir? He would proudly fight for the school if asked.”

“Mr Runesir requires support to be effective. He would be quickly dispatched by anyone adept in melee.”

“What about XK-88? He's more than capable of handling himself. He could even support Runesir.”

“Mr Scott is already a modern science experiment.” I shot down, “Throwing him into such an environment would not be conducive to anyone's objective.”

“Belen Laskaris would make for a fine entry.”

“Mr Laskaris doesn't have the raw talent or determination to make a fair stand.”

“But with only a bit of training,” he said with growing desperation.

“Training defeats the purpose of the New Blood Tournament.” I leaned back in my chair and sighed, “Alexander, I know how concerned you are. I share your concerns. Those two are likely the most volatile pairing we could present, but they are also our only valid option. Believe me. I would choose another if another option was acceptable.”

Stienfaust scowled, but could only grunt in acceptance, “Fine. I'll keep an eye on them, but I can't guarantee to keep them safe from each other.”

“But we can, together.” Another voice entered the conversation. Ms Stienfaust opened my office door and stepped in, “As you know, I fought Adrian right before Autumn break, and while capable his fighting style is still rather basic. Between the two of us, we should be able to keep them alive.”

“It's improper for the disciplinary officers to cross genders.” Mr Stienfaust said to his sister.

“Impropriety is sometimes necessary.” She said and then smirked, “Remember the great pranking of the bras?”

“That was different.”

“Yes, far more embarrassing for everyone involved.” She chuckled before returning to a scowl, “My point stands. We'll both put in the effects to keep our contestants alive and able-bodied.”

I nodded, “I'll also instruct the rest of the staff to keep a few eyes on them. Many hands make light work, and all that.”

They both nodded with grim expressions and exited my office, walking a good way before speaking to each other.

He started it off, “You don't have to help. It's my job to keep the boys in line.”

“Yes, but that's no excuse to allow chaos to run rampant,” she said, “Our duty to the school is more important than propriety. Again, remember the great pranking.”

“Right. Still, it would have been easier if he chose a boy and a girl.”

“You think so?”

“Yes, on top of giving us both a decent excuse to watch over them, the sexual tension would be useful in preventing violence,” He said and they both laughed to themselves. “Still, we're going to have to stay vigilant to ensure…”

They turned a corner and were finally out of my earshot. I rearranged my papers and checked my schedule. I had made it through the hard part of the morning and would be able to enjoy the rest of the day at a leisurely pace. I would appreciate it too. After all, it was shaping up to be a rough year.