Vega Warren liked to spend most of his classes in Sunbird in a drunken stupor, except for Chemistry, where he excelled more than anyone else, so he always had a couple of bottles of Jack Willshire, his favorite brand of purple whiskey, with him.

The lunch break was often a moment of sobering up because he would lose all his alcohol amid the fights in the canteen and entering those fights to get revenge always led to him becoming sober again. That’s why the first class after lunch, before he could go and replenish his stores from the nearest liquor store, was the hardest to get through.

On this particular day it was going to be even harder to get through the rest of the classes, given the destructive fight Yuki, his newest classmate, had just had with Ulura Nightsong in the inner school yard.

Keeping all her new fans and possible worshippers away from the baby doll after her stellar victory wasn’t hard when he could count on the help of the rest of the class. The sudden intervention of Sunbird’s headmaster, Zoran Lawell, however, signaled the coming of the next portion of destruction which Vega feared no one was ready for.

The drunkard and his classmates stood their ground while the rest of the students in the inner yard run to find cover as the phoenix the headmaster could transform into with his mythomorph deva landed in front of the group.

Vega glanced at Ulura’s classmates who were also making their way inside the building, one of them carrying the fallen queen in his arms, probably planning on taking her to the nurse to heal her injuries.

‘We may end up in the nurse’s office, too, by the time the headmaster’s done with us.’ Warren thought with a certain amount of distress as the fiery bird looked around the yard before focusing its gaze on the hot heads.

Another burst of pale red and orange flames led to the replacement of the phoenix by a man in his late 30s – early 40s with very long and shiny straight black hair, black eyes and skin tone a bit darker than King’s, who wore a black coat over a suit that consisted of a brighter red waistcoat and trousers and a darker red shirt, his belt and formal shoes being black, having a rather stern expression right now.

(Zoran) ‘-Do any of you care to explain what has happened here? At first I thought it was just another fight during the lunch break but then a tremor shook the school and I decided to inspect the situation myself.’

Hikaru stepped forward and Lawel turned his attention to him.

‘Good idea.’ thought Vega. ‘Hikaru’s probably the best out of the class when it comes to negotiations. Maybe he’ll be able to convince the old dog to go easy on us.’

(Hikaru) ‘-There was a quarrel between two students and things escalated a bit more than expected, sir. Luckily, the damage to the school was still kept to a minimum.’

‘Now that’s some bullshit, Hikaru. And here I thought we were saved.’

The headmaster looked around the destroyed inner yard and the cut left on the main school building by one of Ulura’s attacks, Hikaru being forced to look around at the actual damage with discomfort before his and Zoran’s eyes met again.

(Zoran) ‘-Is this what minimal damage looks like in your mind, Hikaru? Because I beg to differ. And I feel like there is a lot of information you’re keeping to yourself about what actually happened here.’

Yuki stood next to Hikaru then.

(Yuki) ‘-It actually happened because of me, headmaster. I bumped into Ulura Nightsong in the canteen and she dropped the tray with her lunch because of that. We eventually got into a fight that ended just a little before you arrived.’

(Zoran) ‘-This is not the sort of behavior I was expecting from you when you enrolled in our school, Miss Iceflame. And where is Ulura right now?’

(Vega) ‘-Her class took her away. Probably to the nurse’s. Yuki beat her hard, after all.’

(Seiren) ‘-But in her defense, Yuki acted the way she did to protect the school! Most of the damage you see around you was done by Nightsong! If it wasn’t for our baby, there would’ve been a lot more damage!!’

Zoran raised his hand to silence Blackscale as he stepped closer to Yuki, by that point both Vega and the rest of his classmates being terrified apart from the white-haired beauty that was looking down with a guilty expression and the ever-ready to protect her Hikaru and Seiren.

(Zoran) ‘-If that’s the case … (he put his hand on Iceflame shoulder with a warm smile) … it’s OK. Don’t worry.’

There had been few times in Vega’s life where he had felt his jaw might literally fall off his face from shock as much as he felt it now. Looking around his classmates, their expressions were as full of bewilderment as his own.

(King) ‘-So that’s it? We’re cool?’

(Zoran) ‘-If I have to be honest, Ulura was a problem for me as well. Her family makes a number of donations to our school every year and it would not be an overstatement to say Sunbird has survived as it is because of the Nightsongs. There aren’t many deviants who want to financially support our school and much fewer who have the resources to do so, which is why I was forced to accept the contributions from Ulura’s family all this time. While relying on that money, I couldn’t really take any measures to punish her in spite of the fact she tortured everyone. If one of the students took care of her however, that would be out of my hands. So, Yuki, I’m actually grateful.’

(Yuki) ‘-Oh. Well … you’re welcome, then, sir!’

(Zoran) ‘-By the looks of it, you’ll need to check with the nurse for additional treatment as well.’

(Exo) ‘-Thank you very much, headmaster. We’ll get her there right away.’

(Tokura) ‘-And we’ll keep Ulura away from her so we don’t get any more fights like this on our hands.’

(Zoran) ‘-I’d appreciate that. Get our Miss Iceflame in top condition as fast as possible, so she can get to work.’

(Annabel) ‘-To work, sir? What work would that be?’

Zoran’s smiling face turned back into his stern frown.

(Zoran) ‘-I said not to worry but I didn’t say there won’t be any punishment for Yuki’s actions. Enough school rules were broken today to leave this scene without reprimanding the students responsible.’

(Seiren) ‘-Reprimand Ulura, then! She’s the one who’s most responsible here! I told you!’

(Zoran) ‘-As I already explained, Seiren, I can’t punish her. Ulura’s parents will not be happy with what happened here and will claim their daughter was the victim. They’ll insist someone be punished for what’s been done to her.’

(Another student from Vega’s class) ‘-So you’re throwing Yuki under the bus after she dealt with the most troublesome person in school for you? Sounds to me like all your problems are solved while someone else who’s completely innocent will take the blame, sir.’

Zoran smiled awkwardly and scratched his head upon hearing that.

(Zoran) ‘-It does sound quite bad when you say it like that, but that’s why I told Yuki she doesn’t need to worry about anything. The punishment won’t be anything severe. It’s just a formality to appease the Nightsongs.’

(Yuki) ‘-And what will the punishment be exactly?’

(Zoran) ‘-You’ll have to fix all the damage that’s been done to the yard and the main school building, clean the pool, the gym, the bathrooms and some of the rooms. Nothing much.’

(Hikaru) ‘-Excuse me, headmaster, but even with Yuki’s abilities that sounds like a whole lot of work for one person!’

Now Zoran patted Hikaru’s shoulder, having returned the smile on his face but that smile being more of the encouraging type now.

(Zoran) ‘-Right you are, Hikaru! That’s why you and the rest of the class are going to help her out with all the cleaning.’

Another unprecedented jaw-dropping moment.

(Seiren) ‘-We can’t possibly do all this today! We’ve still got classes! And what about our club activities?!’

(Zoran) ‘-You can get to work when you’re finished with today’s classes. That will give Yuki more time to rest. And as for the club activities, I’ll excuse all of you from those until the week’s end.’

(King) ‘-But why until the week’s end?’

(Zoran) ‘-Because you’ll be doing this all week long. Our cleaning staff members have been exhausted by having to clean up the aftermath of each mess the students make, so I’ll give them this week to rest up while you do their job. It will be good for you to repair some damage rather than cause it for a change.’

(Tokura) ‘-Are we gonna get paid for this, then?’

(Zoran) ‘-No, Tokura. This is punishment.’

(Vega) ‘-That’s just straight-up criminal, sir! Can’t we …’

Zoran’s expression had become even more stern, now seeming to be borderline angry as his eyes were engulfed in his two-color phoenix flames.

(Zoran) ‘-Do you have an issue with the punishment, Vega? Or maybe one of your classmates does?’

(Exo) ‘-No, no, no, sir! No issue at all!! We’ll do all the things you’ve told us to! For the whole week! Even for longer, if needs be!’

(Zoran) ‘-Very well. Now go back inside and watch your backs. Ulura’s class worshipped her, so they may try to get back at you in some way.’

 

*

 

Later that day after the classes were finished and Yuki’s treatment was complete with only superficial wounds and scratches being left on her, the whole class had changed into PE class outfits – electric-yellow T-shirts and grayish-black sweatpants – to get to work on cleaning all the things in Sunbird Lawell had told them to.

First up was the gym because some clubs were going to have activities there while the inner yard wasn’t going be used for anything and could wait.

Being the hot heads they were, Vega’s classmates had decided to at least play one metalball game before they started cleaning up however, inviting Yuki to join them.

(Yuki) ‘-And how exactly does one play this?’

(King) ‘-You know what volleyball is, Yuki?’

(Yuki) ‘-Mhm.’

(King) ‘-Well, the principle here’s the same with only the ball being different. Actually metalball is a term that applies to all variations of standard sports meant for deviants because in all of those a ball of metal is used in order to allow us to use our powers while playing.

The volleyball variation is just the most widely known among them, so whenever someone says ‘metalball’, we think of volley metalball or metal volleyball, or whatever you wanna call it.’

(Yuki) ‘-Right.’

(Seiren) ‘-In short, you can go all-out and not worry about a thing, girl! Even use that teleportation from earlier if you want to!’

(Annabel) ‘-Have at it, you bastards! This one won’t be like previous boy vs. girl matches! We’ve got Yuki on our side now!’

(Vega) ‘-That’s good for us actually because we’ll be able to release more power than usual!’

(Tokura) ‘-I won’t do anything to hurt you, Yuki, my heavenly princess, I promise! Only the others will feel my wrath.’

(Exo) ‘-I don’t want to feel anyone’s wrath but you dragged me in this yet again, so …’

Hikaru served to start the match then with a mad roar and lots of lightning bolts shot in all directions.

(Hikaru) ‘-Focus up so you don’t lose your head, Exo!!’

As the ball went over the net, Annabel enveloped herself in light rays, a large light ray appearing right next to the net, from which she came out in order to deflect the ball and send it back to the boys’ side.

(Yuki) ‘-Annabel, you’ve got a light deva, too?’

(Annabel) ‘-Whoever said I can only heal?’

(King) ‘-Neither healing, nor light will be enough to save you from defeat!!’

King had already transformed into his giant form and had used his red energy to get to the net, bating the ball thrown over by Annabel back at the girls with tremendous strength.

Yuki did indeed use her ice teleportation to appear before the ball and sent it back over the other side with her superstrength, the girls from her team cheering as she did that with a decisive smile.

Vega decided to intervene, creating whips of pale green energy in his hands to deflect the ball yet again, Seiren jumping up to give it greater force with a hit fueled with red fireworks.

(Seiren) ‘-Vega, about that deva of yours … did you watch the video of that fight I, Yuki and Summerbolt had with those soldiers at the construction site?’

(Vega) ‘-I saw it, yeah.’

(Seiren) ‘-Wasn’t the energy signature of those bastards’ guns the same as your deva?’

(Vega) ‘-You’re not suggesting I’ve had something to do with that, right?’

(Hikaru) ‘-Maybe you could give us a lead about their identity, at least.’

(Vega) ‘-This energy deva’s my own, Hikaru. Those ones had energy of that type powering their anti-deva weapons. There isn’t a version of this world where I would help create weapons to be used against deviants.’

(Hikaru) ‘-Still, your deva is not the most common type. I’ve never actually seen anyone else using energy with the same color as you.’

(Vega) ‘-I don’t reckon you’ve been around the world and seen it all. There are definitely other deviants with a deva like mine out there. Maybe those soldiers got to some of them.’

(Seiren) ‘-Maybe. Why would they use a deva like that to power their weapons, though? And how come it can be transformed into devas based on different elements?’

(Vega) ‘-Maybe they chose it cuz my deva is superstrong, Seiren! I don’t know everything about my abilities yet, though, so maybe there’s some application those guys have thought of that I haven’t.’

(King) ‘-Sounds kind of suspicious to me, Vega. I think we ought to …’

Yuki crushed the metal ball in his face as she deflected it after using her ice teleportation again, King being pushed some distance back before he could stop.

(Annabel) ‘-You better watch yourself out there, King! Yuki’s teleportation speed will have soon caught up with your Daroid!’

(Yuki) ‘-You have a Daroid as well, King?’

(King) ‘-That’s what makes me so fast, Yuki. And don’t listen to what Annabel or any of the others say. The title of the fastest person in this class will always be reserved for me!!!’

The giant hit the ball again but a mixture of pale red and orange flames incinerated it before it could reach the girls’ side of the court.

Everyone looked to the now open door of the gym with shock that progressively turned into terror to find Sunbird’s headmaster was standing there, stepping inside the building and crossing his arms.

(Exo) ‘-Headmaster, it was all King’s idea! He wanted to play metalball before we started cleaning up the gym!’

(King) ‘-Damn sell-out!’

Zoran smiled reassuringly to calm the youngsters down, stopping a couple of meters away from the girls’ team.

(Zoran) ‘-It’s my fault for not leaving someone to watch over you. I just assumed you would be dutiful about executing the tasks I had given you. I will make sure not to make the same mistake again. But don’t worry, King. (Lawell started enveloping himself in his two-color flames with a face that literally burned with anger)  I’m no monster. I’ll split the punishment for this equally between the whole class instead of just burning you up.’