Nami's fourteen questions became seventeen by the time we reached the first building. Then twenty-three somewhere between the second floor stairwell and the third floor corridor. I stopped counting after she asked if my white hair was natural or if the stress of having a famous father turned it that color prematurely.
"It's genetic."
"But your mom had red eyes and black hair and your dad had white hair and blue eyes so you got the hair from him but the eyes from her which means the genetic expression was selective and I read that trauma can sometimes trigger early manifestation of recessive traits so I wanted to confirm."
How did someone talk this fast. Where was she storing the oxygen.
"My hair was white when I was born."
"Oh! So it's dominant expression then. That makes sense. Does it run in your dad's family or was he the first?"
"I don't know my dad's family tree."
"Right. Because he's been in care for ten years and probably doesn't remember either." She said it matter-of-fact. No pity. Just stating information. "Question twenty-eight. Do you think the awakening ceremony incident is related to what happened to him at the Kasumira Gate or is it just a weird coincidence that you both had catastrophic events involving power systems that don't work right?"
I stopped walking.
She stopped too. Looked back at me with those big amber eyes still completely genuine and waiting for an answer like she'd asked about the weather instead of the two worst days of my life.
"That's not a question you ask someone you just met."
"I know. But you're interesting and I don't like pretending I'm not curious when I am." She tilted her head. "You don't have to answer. I'm just putting it out there so you know I'm thinking about it."
"Can we just get to Class Z."
"Yes! Sorry. I get excited." She started walking again. Faster this time like she was making up for the pause. "It's this way. Third floor west wing. The remedial track gets the older building because the simulation pods in this section have more lag but honestly I think the location is better because you're closer to the library and the cafeteria is only two floors down and the morning light comes in really nice through those windows."
She pointed at windows I couldn't see yet.
We turned a corner. The hallway changed. Older. The floors were still clean but the walls had that worn quality that said this part of the building predated the renovations. Fewer students in this corridor. The ones I saw had the same kind of energy. Quiet. Heads down.
Class Z energy.
Nami stopped in front of a door. Standard classroom door. Nothing special about it except the small plaque that read 1-Z.
"Here we are!"
I looked at the door. Then at her.
"Thanks for the tour."
"No problem!" She checked her phone. "Oh. Professor Jackson isn't here yet. He might have gotten lost on the way. He does that sometimes."
"The teacher gets lost."
"He's really good once he shows up I promise." She smiled again. That same genuine warmth. "Good luck with Class Z, Max! I'll find you if I have any more questions!"
I opened my mouth.
She was already gone. Down the hallway. Around the corner. Disappeared like she'd never been there.
What the hell just happened.
I looked at the door again. Heard voices inside. Multiple voices. The kind of scattered conversation that happens when a room full of people are waiting for something to start.
Right. I was doing this.
I pushed the door open.
Twenty heads turned toward me.
The classroom was standard size. Rows of desks. Windows on the left side letting in that morning light Nami had mentioned. A teacher's desk at the front that was empty.
Twenty students filled the desks. A few looked up, curious. One kid with sandy hair grinned like he'd been waiting for a new episode to drop.
A girl with a book never lifted her eyes from the page. Most just stared, their expressions ranging from bored to vaguely hostile.
Nobody spoke for three seconds.
Then someone in the back row leaned forward.
"Is that really Maximus Sterling? Son of the Mad Hero?"
Male voice. Sounded excited. Too excited.
I stepped inside. Let the door close behind me.
"My father has a name."
"Yeah, well, 'Kaius Sterling' doesn't exactly roll off the tongue like 'Captain Kickass,' does it?"
A girl near the window laughed. Short brown hair.
Someone else spoke up. Different voice. Quieter.
"Is it true you're incompatible with all Anima?"
"That's what the report says."
Movement near the front. A girl with short black hair and a dark bow stood up. Blue eyes locked on me with the kind of focus that felt like being assessed.
"Great. Another useless student in this class."
Her voice was cold. Flat. The kind of statement that wasn't meant to start a conversation.
The guy who'd mentioned my father spoke again.
"Show some respect. That's the son of the hero of our world!"
"Yeah?" The girl with the bow didn't look away from me. "And his offspring is a dud. Might I remind all of us we're dead last in the cohort ranks and we just got more dead weight."
Okay. That was enough of that.
"Yo." I dropped my bag next to an empty desk in the back. "I'm still here you know. Living breathing Max right here."
The girl's expression didn't change.
"And?"
"And I might not have an Anima but I could kick any of your sorry asses in a straight fight."
The room went quiet again.
Someone whistled. Low and impressed.
The girl with the bow smiled. It wasn't a friendly smile.
"Confident."
"Accurate."
"Prove it."
"Thessa." Another voice. Female. Softer but with an edge under it. A girl with long brown hair and green eyes was watching from the middle row. She looked between Thessa and me like she was running calculations. "We don't fight on the first day."
"I'm not fighting." Thessa sat back down. Her gaze never left me. "I'm just noting that confidence without proof is called arrogance."
I met her stare.
"Then I guess we'll see which one I've got when the assessments start."
The girl with green eyes laughed once. Short. Surprised sound.
"He's got spine at least."
"Spine doesn't win gate runs." Thessa opened a notebook. Dismissed me by looking down at it. "But it's a start."
===
A/N: Thanks for reading this chapter! Support by adding to your library and giving a power stone or two. Comment for a cookie!