It was the Friday before the start of the Autumn term, and the teacher's hall was buzzing with boredom. A full day of notes and review were done and everyone was ready to go home and forget about all of it until Monday.
“Alright then.” Vice Principal Haruto Thompson squared a stack of papers. “With all field day activities scheduled and prepared for, we have only one more topic to discuss.”
“Oh Sweet Mercy, Tom. Why?” Simon Mirmen groaned. He sat near the Vice Principal since the seating arrangement went around the table. With the Principal's seat empty at the end, Thompson sat to the right with counselor Viy next to him, followed by other faculty members until the senior teachers were lined up, followed by the junior and sophomore teachers warping around the end and ending with the freshman teachers across from the faculty. “We’ve been here all day! What else can there be to talk about?”
“Oh come on Simon.” Arthur Hall, the demigod Math teacher slapped his friend’s shoulder. “He said one more, that means last. We’re almost free.”
“Yes, Simon.” Madeline Turner, the mutant Science teacher added, “You should know that as an English teacher.”
“Bite me!” Simon shot back. “You all know these meetings just keep getting longer and longer. They’re starting to become torture sessions.”
“Well, I ensure you this is the last thing on the agenda,” Haruto said. “In fact, the majority here can already leave if they want since the topic at hand is about the freshmen year’s class J. Anyone who isn’t involved in their education is welcome to dismiss.”
Haruto Thompson’s suggestion was followed as more than half of the staff members rose and stretched before strolling out. “Now then, I’m sure everyone here knows the basis of our concern.”
“They don’t have discipline!” suggested one Coach Sergeant Joshua Smith, the mundane man who simply refused to die and continued to teach the freshmen class in field studies. “We need to work double time to whip that lot into shape. Especially that Abraham boy. Never seen a soldier with so little meat on their bones.”
“That’s due to a condition he has no control over,” Counselor Viy stated. “There’s not much anyone can do about it.”
“Plus,” Arthur said, “the boy uses magic. There’s no need for muscles with magic.”
“Not entirely true,” Viy chimed.
Madeline raised a finger. “Indeed, a great deal of endurance is required from my understanding of magic.”
Simon Mirmen slammed his fists onto the table, shaking it and stopping the conversation. “Aren't we forgetting something? Why are we talking about Class J without their homeroom teacher present?”
He gestured to the empty chair next to him. The very last one. Where the homeroom teacher of Class J was supposed to be sitting. Thompson sighed lightly. “Mr Galacto is-”
“Supposed to be here!” Simon punched the table with a violent crack. “And yet he's been absent more than half of the time since he started teaching here.”
“I have a significant amount of responsibilities.” The voice of Galacto came from the door as he entered. “As much as I would like to be attentive, I can not drop them so easily.”
Galacto sat in his assigned seat with Simon glaring at him. “So you just drop your responsibility to the students.”
Galacto glared back at Simon. “It's not my desire to abandon my post here.”
“And yet!” Simon once again slammed a fist down. The table crackled under the force.
“Damn, Simon,” said Arthur, amazed. “You trying to break the table?”
“How can you be so nonchalant!?” Simon turned and yelled. “Your students are suffering too from us having to pick up his slack!”
“With all due respect.” Dr Bobo, the mutated chimpanzee, Class E teacher, and primary substitute teacher of the school, entered the conversation, “I am the one doing the majority of the slack pick up, and I don't mind it. Even Galacto's honestly pathetic attendance has allowed me to be so much more hands on with my own class. I appreciate the time he has given.”
“Yes,” Madeline said, “while we were all shocked by the development, and all disappointed in the situation, we're all adjusting to it quite well.”
“Except for you,” Arthur tagged on.
“This is bull!” Simon shouted before hammering another blow down on the table. It creaked a plea for mercy as Simon continued. “How can I be the only one with a problem here?”
“You're not. Mr. Hall is wrong,” Galacto said, bringing all attention to him. “I am also upset by the current situation. The fact of the matter is I am being called away far too much. The powers that be rely on me far too much, but that's to change soon. I spent the last two weeks ensuring it.”
“You've started to arrange the proper offsetting of your duties?” Thompson asked.
“Yes, at the great displeasure of the United Nations. But they can shove it. I came here to teach.”
“Excellent. We can officially begin the addressal of concerns with Class J.”
“Like how it's completely full,” Arthur started, “This is the first time the freshmen year has been full since the expansion of eighty-eight.”
“That's not surprising,” said Madeline. “The world population is steadily growing, and with it the number of demi-humans goes up.”
“That's my point. More people, more problems. More demi-humans, more demi-human problems. And we all know how demi-human problems can end up.” Arthur outlined his point.
“Yes, but that's not what I am referring to,” Thompson assured. “I’m talking about more specific details.”
“Like the world's greatest hero putting all his worldly duties aside to play pretend teacher?” Simon said in a tone that would have made lemons taste sweet.
“Actually, that is one of them,” Thompson confirmed. “Mr Galacto's entry into education is something of note along with the other details, but we'll address this now. Mr Galacto, why did you choose to teach this year?”
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Every eye turned to Galacto's calm form. He sat looking forward, directly across from Vice Principal Haruto Thompson, but not at him. The half dozen teachers past the freshmen were leaning around to see him. Simon Mirmen squinted out of the corner of his eye. Galacto gave a shallow sigh.
“I've grown tired of being the world's greatest hero,” he monotoned, “and I've been wanting to teach. But I will admit I had my hand tipped sometime ago by a rather obscure entity.”
Simon Mirmen shot up, kicking his chair away into the wall behind him. “Who! Who was it? I swear to God Galacto, if you know about some doom prophecy about our students, I will do anything to end you!”
Galacto sighed again. “Are you familiar with the name Roi DuRuse?”
“No.”
“Mr Thompson?”
Haruto Thompson nodded, and Galacto continued.
“He came to me and hinted about this class in particular.”
“So you do have some prophecy!” Simon shouted. “What is it? Is it about the Dark Walker?”
Galacto scowled, his patience finally being tested. “No. There is no prophecy, and I don’t know anything about the Walker.”
“Bull!” Simon raised his fist and started to slam it down until Arthur caught him by the wrist.
“Simon,” Arthur said with a hard line. His lightning-blue eyes glowed under the strength of Simon's fist. The two men were equal in strength at their base level, but Arthur was summoning additional power to stop the augmented man. “This table ain’t never did nothing to hurt nobody. It doesn’t deserve this.”
“Bite,” Simon ripped his hand out of Arthur’s, “me.”
Arthur chuckled as he sat back down. “Simon. You are worrying too much. Whatever happens, we will handle it. Now sit down so we can get back to worrying the right amount.”
Simon scoffed as he fetched his discarded chair and the Vice Principal was able to get back on track.
“As we all know, many students of Class J have traits that would have marked them for the higher class tiers. The pre-expansion tiers,” Thompson explained. Like the other demi-human high schools, West Progress High School for Demi-Human Juveniles had ten classes labeled A through J. Classes A and B were marked for primary combatant training while classes C and D were designed for support roles. Not just combat support, but support of the social system that allowed the world to function. The system was designed in the later years of the International Conflict and finalized days after the Peace Day Treaty was signed.
At the very beginning, only the four classes were in place, but soon Class E was founded. Class E was the most unique since it was a class designed for those who had become demi-human after reaching adulthood. There was no sense in building a whole new system when a team of experts was already assembled.
Soon after that Class F was founded to teach the children of diplomats and help bridge the gap between nations. Both mundane and other.
For nearly three decades that was enough, but then it wasn’t. In 1988, it was decided to add a second tier of classes to each of the schools. Class G, Class H, Class I, and of course, Class J. These bottom four classes were simply miscellaneous, a place for the overflow of students who were neither combat material nor talented in ways that served the bigger picture. A class of miscellaneous children.
“Now, the tier system does not reflect any limitation of the students. Merely outline the attention they are supposed to receive.” Thompson webbed his fingers together. “In fact, I believe we all find the system outdated.”
“Oh yeah!” Arthur said, “Like Simy Largge. The boy is the son of the city's best active hero. How did he slip through the fingers of Class A?”
“Oh, well he didn't do very well during his evaluation.” Viy lifted her hand for attention. “It was a private evaluation and ultimately he scored rather poorly.”
“Did he try?” Arthur asked. “I saw those scores, but I've heard reports that Simy is easily the second-fastest student in the class.”
“Plus he's trained under his father,” Madeline added. “His combat skills are impeccable.”
“He lacks a fighting spirit,” Galacto said in his bored tone. “He won't start a fight if he can avoid it.
“He's right,” Simon said in his annoyed tone. “Simy has a good heart, and could never stand aside in the face of evil, but he's not going to seek glory for himself.”
“Right, and then there's Jessica,” Arthur noted to move the conversation along.
“What do you mean?” Madeline said, shocked. “Jessica Blanc has next to no combat potential.”
“No discipline!” Joshua slapped the table.
Arthur raised a finger. “I meant Jessica Black. She's supposedly a high level spellcaster.”
“She was assigned to us at the last minute,” Viy explained. “The rosters were full by then.”
“And good for her,” Galacto spoke again. “I doubt she would do well with any real pressure.”
“Yes. Ms Black's mental state is fragile,” Simon followed again. “We would all do well to watch her. If she starts using the powers given to her, there could be problems.”
“And then there's Ms VonBec,” Arthur counted on a finger. “She's one of the legendary zodiac warriors, and there's twelve of those bastards running around.”
“Well, while Samantha showed potential, she ultimately was outclassed by others,” Viy said. “Had she applied herself a little more she may have been placed in the top tier.”
“But that's not where her priorities are,” Galacto drolled.
Simon's chair took off again, smashing into the wall with a crackle and leaving a dent, “Can you quit being right about everything!”
Everyone was silent. Some out of concern. Most out of annoyance. Galacto's silence was undefinable as he simply sighed. “I am only reciting my assessment of the information provided to me by the personnel reports of my students.”
“Yeah, I know!” Simon screamed. “I wrote them!”
Again the room returned to silence. This time broken by the timid voice of Counselor Viy. “Umm… I also wrote parts of those reports.”
“Yeah, pretty sure I put a few lines in there too,” Arthur said.
“Yes. So have I,” Madeline followed.
“Not the point!” Simon slammed both his fists to the table. The wood snapped longways and collapsed before everyone present. Still heated, Simon turned to Galacto and looked him dead in the eye. “You. Don't. Belong. Here.”
Another round of silence layered the room. Before anyone could lift it, the door opened to reveal a darkness. Not the hallway sans lighting, but a solid void of nothing.
“Has the meeting concluded?” The dark asked in a single echo that it shook into the air.
“We are on the closing topic of the day, sir,” Vice Principal Thompson answered. “We are addressing the odd arrangement of Class J.”
“Good. When you're done come by my office. We have other matters to discuss,” The dark said, and as Thompson confirmed the appointment, it slid the door back closed.
“Now then, Mr. Mirmen,” Thompson said. “Mr. Galacto is a full tenured educator like the rest of the staff here. So please put your personal dismay aside and let us return to our assessment.”
“I don't think there's very much to assess,” Mr Stienfaust, the disciplinary officer for the boys noted and started, “Odin went and adopted a random brat and threw her at us. Atlas sired a brat and threw him at us. And that Kevin brat got thrown at us. The whole class has some bull behind them, but they're all a bunch of punks and punkettes that need strong hands to guide them and stronger fists to knock some sense into them when they step out of line.”
“I agree.” Ms Stienfaust, the disciplinary office for the girls, spoke up. “We can't micromanage each student, or any student for that matter. To even try is fruitless.”
“She's right,” Galacto agreed. “A part of why I decided to come to teach here was my flexibility in possible responses.”
“You think we need you?!” Simon yelled, stomping a foot down to crack the floor tiles now the table was thoroughly defeated.
“Okay, that's enough.” Arthur stood up and grabbed his friend. “Haruto, can you call this meeting already?”
“I guess so. It seems as if we've all come to the consensus of playing it by ear.” Haruto Thompson stood up to which the rest followed suit. “Now, I have other business to address. Such as getting a new conference table.”