Only one more test I thought to myself as I shoved a gray mush of space food into my mouth. “Pizza” it was labeled. It had that faint fake pepperoni taste to it. Zack then sits down next to me. 

 

“Hey buddy what’s on your mind?” 

 

“Just this test thing I have with Jaqua. He says I have to ‘beat him’.” I reply back. 

 

I imagine me and Jaqua as stick figures with him beating me to a bloody pulp. 

 

“I've heard he’s pretty built under there according to the ladies. Do you think you could beat him?” Zack asked. 

 

I think about it a bit. I’ve never actually fought anyone in real life before. Sure I’ve played games like city fighters and immortal fighting but that was way different. Noticing my pause, Zack continues.

 

“Hey there’s a night class for combat in room 47, you can take it but I've heard the teacher is super strict. Maybe you can try there?” he says as he pats me on the back and leaves. 

 

Maybe that is what I need, a teacher. I decided not to finish up my gray mush and leave the cafeteria early. As I’m walking down the hall I bump into a tall young man with shaggy black hair. He had sunken in cheekbones and eyelids. He almost looked like a walking skeleton. He wore a red suit. I remember reading that those with red suits are usually hotheads but they are usually strong and helpful once you get on their good side. I bow down 

 

“I’m sorry sir.” 

 

He just eyes me up and down and leaves without saying a word. Odd. I make my way back to my room without any other interactions. It feels so empty without Harvest here. Never thought I’d say it but I kinda miss that rambunctious girl. I made my way into the bathroom and pressed a button on my suit to take it off. I stare at myself for a long time in the mirror naked. 

 

I’m definitely a lot stronger than back when Earth was whole. I look at my newly formed abs. Maybe it made me a little sexier too. Gah, what am I thinking right now? Honestly I think that old man Jaqua should be scared of me with all this new found muscle of mine. 

 

Time passes into darkness as the ship's lights dim, indicating nighttime. I head to classroom 47. As I stood in front of the door the floor began to vibrate. What's going on in there? It feels like an earthquake is happening. 

 

I quickly open the door to reveal a room full of students hitting punching bags with a drawing of someone's face on it. 

 

“THAT'S RIGHT YOU BASTARDS! PUNCH THAT GUY WHO RAN INTO ME IN THE HALL TODAY” a guy with black spiky hair screams at the top of his lungs. Wait, I remember this guy. He’s the same guy I bumped into when coming back from lunch. As he notices me he quickly walks to the door. His hair falls down back to its shaggy state. 

 

“Oh I’m sorry is there anything you need?” he says clasping his shaky hands together. 

 

“Um I wanted to join-” 

 

“prefect” he says with a menacing smile. 

 

He brushes his hair back to its spiky form making him look more alive. 

 

“Line up idiots we have a new classmate, I all expect you to give him a ‘warm’ welcome.” 

 

“Oh, you don't have to do all tha-” Before I could finish my sentence one of the classmates rams into me from behind. 

 

I fell to my knees, coughing hard from the blow. What the hell just happened? 

 

“Get the newbie” Someone yells out.

 

Everyone runs fast towards me. I get up as quickly as I can. There's no way out of this; they've all got me surrounded. That's when I saw it, an opening! I run towards one of the men after me and quickly slide under the gap between his legs. I make a break for it behind the punching bags. 

 

I hide behind one of the punching bags while a group chases after me. I push the punching bag down and it falls on top of them. I go behind the next one hoping to do the same. 

 

“Oh you’re not going to get us with that this time.” says a man in the crowd as they spread out in every direction. 

 

I can't push the punching bag on all of them, but I may be able to jump over them if I push it down. I push down the punching bag and jump on top of it. Jumping over one of the men guarding my way. I unsteady land on my feet. 

 

Dammit come on. I made my way to a desk and chair that sat in the corner of the room. I take the chair and throw it against the wall. Two of the legs come off the chair and I take them. They may have bulging muscles and know how to fight but I have a weapon. The group surrounds me. 

 

I attempt to hit one of the men with the broken chair leg. He grabs it in his hand. The wood begins to break down from the pressure he applies. I try hitting him with the other chair leg in my other hand. He grabs it and it does the same thing. I let go of the broken chair legs when a man behind me grabs me. This is it, isn't it? I close my eyes and brace for the fate that lies ahead of me. 

 

“A minute and thirty seconds. A new high score.” says the teacher. “You can let him go now.” 

 

What? What is happening? The men laugh as the man holding me lets me go. 

 

“Did you see the look on his face?” someone says. 

 

“Wah I’m going to get beat up let me cry to mommy,” another man chimes in. 

 

I don’t understand what's so funny? Weren’t they just about to beat me up? A man walks up to me. 

 

“Sorry kid I didn’t mean to ram into you that hard, I just wanted you to fall quickly, you know?” 

 

The teacher then walks up to me. 

 

“You passed,” he says, patting me on the back. “NOW BACK TO WORK” he yells at the others. 

 

“Sorry, I don't think we’ve been introduced. I’m leader Guongku Diyijah and don’t you forget it.” he says with a chummy smile. “I’ve heard about you Zeus and Jaqua training you. I’d like that sucker to go down” He says with a burning passion in his eyes. “Let's all try our best. Now go join these slackers.” 

 

“Yes, sir!” 

 

And that's how the beginning of my training began.