It’s been almost two weeks since the meeting between the world leaders. The incident ended with the leaders safe from harm, no ransom was given, and everyone that was part of the ploy was arrested. It should have been a happy night. Except it didn’t turn out that way.

   Among the confusion, Adam Todd, the president of Mikorontana, was being led to Bushfire by his head bodyguard Maxwell Roth. Apparently, Todd’s entire bodyguard force consisted of Bushfire’s cultists, and they had been waiting for this kind of moment to make the meeting possible.

   Under Bushfire’s incitement, Todd had ordered the guards at Iron Valley Asylum, the max security prison in Mikorontana that contained the world’s most dangerous criminals, to release the said criminals.

   Literally all hell were break lose, as the criminals could destroy a city by his or her own should they feel like doing so. So far, they were just hiding and did not cause any trouble, but no one could sleep soundly now.

   Currently, Checkmate, who did not took the chance and ran away, is the only inmate in the prison. Jonathan gritted his teeth. He wished the poor kid have chosen to ran away, although he doubt a child like him could go very far by his own.

   One day after making the biggest mistake in his political career, Todd had a press conference to apologize for his blunder. As a token of apology, he decided to step down as the president of Mikorontana. Following his resignation, a new president called Edward Frazer had been elected by the people.

   As for Bushfire and his cultists, they made a swift escape after Todd ordered the release of the prisoners. Once again, Jonathan was astounded by the way they manage to escape without being detected.

   Lastly, the police. The public and the media had been surprisingly gentle and forgiving towards them, despite the fact that it was their neglect that caused this incident in the first place. After the meeting, most of the officers from other districts had returned to their original posts, and spend few days in the hospital to had the things that controlled them (which turned out to be in the shape of insects) removed surgically.

   Unfortunately, Sergeant Tilia Dawson was not one of the officers who left Desordre, and is still enrolled with the same school as Jonathan. Three days after the incident, she had joined the disciplinary committee and requested a major change in school rules.

   All male and female students are to wear the exact same uniform: the shirt, the pants/skirts, socks and shoes must be the same length, brand and color. No accessories are allowed. In regards to hair, no coloring is allowed. Furthermore, for male students, their hair must be short and tidy, or they will be called out in an assembly and had them cropped in front of the other students. As for the female students, their hair must not reach their waists.

   Mobile phones and other electronic devices are not allowed within the campus. Those confiscated will not be returned until the end of semester.

   All students must line up according to their genders in an orderly manner when leaving classroom during lunchtime and when school is over. Both genders are not allowed to mingle with each other and being in a relationship is absolutely forbidden (Jonathan and the unpopular male students have no issues with the last two rules).

   Students are also not allowed to loiter around after school hours and must go straight home. Dawson had proposed the GPS wristband to school principal Brandon White, but was rejected for fear of backlash by the media. Jonathan could not help but notice that White did not mention the students’ human rights, not even once.

   Academic results are looked into more than ever, and students who failed their tests are sent to detention for a whole month. In addition, the number of tests have been increased from once every three months to once per month.

   Due to these strict rules, the school is now devoid of positive emotions, at least from the students. Every day, they come to school in a gloomy expression. They no longer laugh and chat with each other and enjoy school life like they should. School is now nothing more than a prison to brainwash them (or more than ever for Jonathan).

   Unhappy environments will always give birth to bullies, and this is no exception. These bullies, however, are smart enough to bully others outside school compound to decrease the chances of getting caught. Since all of them happened outside the school, White and the teachers are happily claiming zero responsibilities for the ever-increasing cases.

   Jonathan decided to take back his thought on these rules when Dawson first transferred in. He minds these rules a lot now.

   When Jonathan reached his classroom, Dawson has just finished patrolling the school and goes back to her seat. Everyone in their classroom glared at her like they wanted to beat her up real bad, consequences be damned. If not for the fact that she is a police well trained in martial arts, Jonathan thinks they would have done it.

   Now that all her classmates avoid her like a plague, Dawson always sits alone at a table during lunchtime. However, this is the least of the problem, as the whole cafeteria is so quiet that Jonathan thought he had accidentally went to the library.

   After the pri… school is finally over, Jonathan head straight back home like the model student that he is. He still goes to Book Attic for his part time work, a permission given by the school after a painful and lengthy process, but he does not feel like working today.

   Jonathan just lied down on his bed and waited until nightfall, then carefully left his house and head for the usual alley.

   As usual, Blitz starts off his night by patrolling the streets aimlessly. After the body-controlling incident, the number of police cars have increased tremendously, but Blitz could still avoid them without any issue due to the sound of their sirens.

   After a while, Blitz got thirsty, so he was planning to run to the nearest convenience store. But then, he saw a police uniform-wearing Dawson just standing all by herself with a depressed expression. Since he was bored out of his mind, he decided to talk to her.

   ‘Hey there.’ Blitz ran next to her and acted like he was about to hit on her.

   ‘Would you go away? I’m having a moment right now.’ Dawson told him in a tired tone.

   Blitz was completely surprised by her reaction. They have met a few times in the past, so Dawson definitely knows who he is. Usually, she would have either reached for her handgun, call for backup to assist her in apprehending him, or calling him out for being a murderer who’s playing hero, sometimes all at the same time.

   ‘Are, are you all right?’ Blitz couldn’t help but asks.

   ‘Like I said, I’m having a moment.’

   ‘You want to talk about it?’

   At first, Dawson looked like she wanted to tell him to go away again, but somehow changed her mind. ‘Well, I’m not really fitting in with my new school.’

   ‘Why not?’ Blitz knows a gazillion answers to that question, but he asked anyway.

   ‘Well, I had been asking the school to enforce strict rules so that the students will become more disciplined, but the students seem to hate me for it.’

   ‘What kind of rules did you ask the school to implement exactly?’

   Before Dawson could open her mouth, Blitz stopped her.

   ‘Hold on. I need to get something first.’ he said before disappearing in a flash.

   When he came back, he was holding a packet of seaweed-flavored potato crisps and a large bottle of lemon soda.

   Dawson shot Blitz a murderous glare. ‘You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?’

   ‘Not at all. What makes you think that? Anyway, you can start now.’

   Dawson let out a long sigh and told him about what he already knew: the dress code, ban on electronic devices, gender segregation, no loitering after school, and the increase of exams. Blitz listened without interrupting, mostly because he was busy eating crisps and drinking soda.

   ‘Huh. Honestly, I’m kind of surprised that the students at your school didn’t launch a strike.’ Blitz said after she is finished.

   ‘Is it that bad?’ Dawson asked with a paled look.

   Blitz lets out a loud burp. ‘It kind of is. It’s like you’re punishing them before they did anything wrong.’

   ‘But that’s not my intention at all!’

   ‘I know I know. You meant well, you want to make sure all the students are prim and proper so that they will not become a blight to the society when they grow up. But the method you used is wrong. You’re basically shoving rules down their throats, which makes no difference than brainwashing them. I admit that rules are important, but so is trust.’

   Dawson widened her eyes at the last part.

   ‘If you list down tons of rules for them to follow, you’re implying that you don’t trust them. Tell me, how on earth can you become close to someone who doesn’t trust you?’

   Dawson hung her head dejectedly. ‘I guess I went overboard.’

   ‘You sure did.’ Blitz nodded in agreement.

   ‘So, what am I supposed to do now? Show remorse by resigning from the disciplinary committee?’

   ‘You don’t have to go that far. All you have to do is loosen up the rules a bit. For example, don’t make them wear the exact same stuff. Some people can’t afford new uniforms, you know.’

   ‘Oh dear, that’s another thing I didn’t bring into consideration.’

   ‘That’s why you should stop doing this on your own. Ask for others’ opinions. It’s their school too, so I’m sure that they’re more than happy to help. Also, made sure to explain why you implemented those rules. People will be more obedient in following the rules when you actually went out of your way to tell them why you want them to follow those rules. Lastly, remember to refrain yourself from being condescending.’

   ‘I was never condescending.’

   ‘Says the one who was one step away from being a tyrant.’ Blitz shoved more crisps into his mouth.

   ‘Oh, give me that!’ Dawson snatched the packet away from Blitz.

   ‘You do realize you just committed robbery while on duty, right?’

   ‘I know, and I don’t care. Go on, call the cops.’ Dawson dared him while having some of the crisps.

   ‘Officer, I am here to report that a Sergeant Dawson just took my crisps.’

   ‘I see. And?’

   ‘Aren’t you going to arrest her?’

   ‘No, no I will not. Now be a dear and throw this away.’ Dawson handed the now-empty packet to Blitz.

   ‘Tax thief.’ Blitz grumbled while chugging down the last of his soda and threw both the packet and the bottle inside a garbage bin nearby.

   ‘I can’t believe I’m taking advice from a criminal.’ Dawson said in disbelief while covering up her face with her hands.

   ‘You can just pretend like it’s some kind of nightmare.’ Blitz suggested.

   ‘No, I won’t do that. Thank you. I mean it.’

   Blitz cringed visibly. ‘Ugh, getting thanked by a police feels so weird.’

   ‘Trust me, it’s not any better for me. Now get out of here before I call backup.’

   ‘All right, all right.’

   Nothing else happened that night, and Blitz went back to his house as Jonathan without getting seen.

   On the next day, Dawson had a long meeting with the other committee members to reform the school rules. After they are done, all of them went to White to present the draft. Naturally, White and the other teachers preferred the strict rules, but the committee were so adamant that they had to relent.

   And so, the old school rules were implemented once again, with some changes here and there.

   Students’ uniforms no longer needs to be exactly the same, and students whose family have financial difficulties will be made sure to receive financial aid. Accessories are allowed now, but nothing too fancy and expensive. Coloring of one’s hair is accepted to a certain extent, although overly bright colors will be frowned upon. On that note, extreme hairstyles like Mohawks are still not allowed.

   Students are once again allowed to bring electronic devices, but their uses are forbidden during class hours.

   Mingling between genders is also allowed, provided that it does not become overboard. Being in a relationship is given a nod as well, but the committee will well make sure that extreme skinship between couples will be prevented.

   Loitering at arcades, cafes and such is allowed, provided that the students go back home before dark. Furthermore, going to shady places is absolutely forbidden.

   For the examination, it is once again once every three months, and students who failed their tests are no longer given detention, and instead encouraged to seek advice from helpful teachers and disciplinary members.

   After the draft was passed and approved, Dawson gathered all the students in an assembly to inform them of the old but improved school rules, and provided reasoning behind each of them. When Dawson was done, she apologized to the students.

   ‘I know I was rather horrible, what with the strict rules and all. Even so, please believe me when I said the rules were made in your best interests. However, I realized that the rules were cruel nonetheless, that is why myself and my fellow members of the disciplinary committees spent hours to modify the rules once more, and what I just announced was the result. I beg of you, give me one more chance.’

   Dawson is now closing her eyes, probably going to tear up anytime soon. Then, someone in the audience started to clap, and before long, the entire assembly hall was filled with loud applause. This convinced Dawson to open her eyes, and she is now shedding tears of joy.

   It was not long before Dawson was surrounded by her classmates again, and this time, they are serious in wanting to become her friends.

   A few days later, one of them pointed out there is something different about Dawson. If Jonathan was not mistaken, her name is Amelia Walker.

   ‘You know Tilia, you look a lot like a maiden in love lately.’ Walker suddenly told Dawson during lunchtime.

   ‘...Huh?’ Dawson asked dumbly.

   This raised an excitement among the girls, and they started to squeal and giggle uncontrollably.

   ‘Come on, don’t act dumb. You are totally in love with someone.’

   ‘No I am not! Where did that come from?’ Dawson denied while blushing furiously.

   ‘No? Tell me then. Is someone on your mind a lot?’

   ‘Yes?’ Dawson answered after a slight hesitation.

   ‘Do you want to talk to that person all the time?’

   ‘Yes?’ again answered after a pause.

   ‘Does your heart beat very fast every time you think of that person? ’

   ‘...Yes.’ Dawson answered with a horrified expression.

   ‘Yup, you’re in love.’ Walker concluded.

   ‘You. Can’t. Be. Serious.’ Dawson was very close to pull out her hair in despair.

   ‘Who is it? Who is it?’

   ‘Is it the same person who gave you suggestions to change the school rules?’

   ‘WHAT? How did you guessed that?’

   ‘It’s not that difficult, you know? Why else would you have a change of heart all of a sudden?’

   ‘I, uh…’

   ‘So, you thinking of confessing?’

   ‘Absolutely not!’

   ‘Aw, why not?’

   ‘Well, let’s just say that I have some circumstances.’

   The girls leave it at that and started to talk about other things like the new television drama that just aired and some newly opened cafe.

   Somewhere behind them, a boy was sitting at a table all by himself, like how Dawson used to. Right now, he is sweating profusely.