Chapter 3: Starting Over

"Wait Grant!" A voice called from behind the old man.

A young man in his twenties ran into the room with a shocked expression on his face. As he rushed to Lars's aid he pushed his glasses back to the top of his forehead.

" Where's your stress ball! How many times have I told you you can't just go around knocking out kids! I'm the one who always has to clean up the mess!" He said.

*Shit up Simone! Do you see my clothes right now? This kid is as good as dead!"

" How many times do I have to tell you! My name is Seymour!" Seymour yelled.

" Die kid!" Grant said, aiming his punch again.

" Well... your clothes are pretty soaked… I guess we can charge this as assault on an officer? Sorry kid, you're screwed, you really pissed him off!" Seymour said shrugging his shoulders

"Waiiiiiiitttt!" Lars yelled, stretching out his arms. Getting onto his knees he begged for forgiveness.

" Please Mr. Ultra powerful Grant guy. I didn't mean to do that! I lost control! I have no idea what I'm doing!" Lars pleaded.

"Wait… so you're telling me you screwed up the clothes of a colonel by accident? How stupid can you be?" Seymour laughed

"A colonel?" Lars asked.

"That's right! He's the Colonel of the S.P.A combat academy and the director of the S.P.A exams! Colonol Grant!" Seymour said.

"I didn't know!" Lars pleaded. "I'm very sorry Mr. Simone sir! I'm truly sorry!"

"Screw this shit! Kill the kid!!!!!" Seymour said flaring with anger.

Finally calming down, Grant put out his cigar, and returned to his normal form.

"Heh," he giggled

"Hahahahahh! Simone who the hell is this kid?" Grant laughed

Letting out a deep sigh, Seymour took out his holographic notepad, giving up on correcting them on pronouncing his name.

"His name is Axel… he's rank 250 In this academy… poor grades, bad fitness times… says here he hasn't even passed his basic training requirements. How he's here is a mystery to me?"

Colonel Grant paused for a moment taking in the information. For a moment, it seemed like he recognized Axel from somewhere.

"Let's go Simone '' Grant said walking away. "I've finally calmed down, I've gotta meet the pain in the ass general for a meeting anyway."

"Yes sir!" Seymour said following behind him.

As Lars saw them walk away, he began to feel the same feeling he had felt in his previous life. The feeling of failure.

"I'm the same…" Lars thought. " In this world I'm the same loser who can't do anything, I have powers I can use but that I can't control… I bet I'm the laughing stock of the school… Why? Why do I always have to struggle? Why can't I ever just live my life In peace!"

The Colonel opened the door to the bathroom shaking his head.

"How disappointing," he said under his breath.

"Wait!" Lars said, falling to the floor.

"Hahhah? What you still want some?" Grant asked readying another punch.

"You're right! I am a loser! I am a disappointment! But I don't want to be this way forever! I want to become strong! I want to protect other people like me who are weak! I want to know what it means to be strong! Please is there any way you can help me become strong!!!" Lars said.

Seymour and Grant looked at each other exchanging expressions.

"I don't have time," Grant said to Seymour.

"And you think I do? I'm a major? Get one of the captains to do it!"

"I knew it…" Lars thought. He sulked onto the floor, dreading his attempt to ask for help. "What did I expect… these two random strangers who don't even know me to help? I guess I really am doomed… I guess I really am… no matter where I go… Lars the loser."

" Are you disobeying an order?" Grant asked.

"With his lack of control we'll have to start from ground 0, the basics of ether! The different Shifter types…"

" Well then! You better get started!" Grant said laughing.

"Godamnit! I should have let you kill him!" Seymour said laughing.

" I'm a loser, I'm sorry that I'm such a burden…" Lars said.

Wham!

Grant smacked Lars on the back of the head.

" Stop talking like that? Where do you think you are? An anime? This is a military academy! Start acting like a man!"

"Sir…" Lars said.

"It's fine to be a loser but it's not fine to stay a loser!" Grant said. " You're in the S.P.A, the Shifter Protection Agency! It's our job to protect the weak! What you said was good kid! But if you want to do that you've gotta be more confident! Let me hear you say it now! I will become strong! I will become an S.P.A agent!" Grant said.

" What is this?" Lars thought . " A few seconds ago… these guys hated me… they said I was a disappointment… it's like they believe in me now…" Suddenly he felt a confidence come over him. "Maybe...A loser like me... really can start over!"

" I'm going to become the strongest!" Lars yelled confidently. " I'm going to become #1 and protect the other 249 people here!" Lars said. "When I become an agent I'll make sure no one gets left behind! I'll make sure no one is unprotected!" Lars yelled.

" In order to do that you'd at very least become a Colonel, or even a General of the S.P.A are you ready for that?" Seymour asked.

"Yes!" Lars said "I'm ready to change my life!"

"He, not bad kid," Grant said, patting his head. "You'll make a great leader someday! Seymour!" Grant yelled.

Seymour's eyes watered with flattery hearing the colonel call his name correctly.

"Yes sir!"

"Arrange a time for him to do basic training again!"

"Yes sir! Axel you are to report to room 1249 for a Basic training rehash at 1200! I will see you in 2 hours!"

" Yes Sir Seymour sir!" Axel said saluting Seymour.

Returning his solute, Seymour and Grant left the bathroom.

" I… I did it, ' Lars said, tearing up. "This whole time I've been so alone… so weak… but I never asked for help… I thought they would hate me … I thought they would make fun of me… But these teachers actually care about me… If I had done this in my previous life, would things have been different?"

Lars clenched his fist tight, wiping away his tears.

"This feeling" Lars said. "I'm finally feel like I'm not a loser! Maybe change really is possible for someone like me!"

Down in the hallway corridors Seymour approached Grant.

" What was with that look?" Seymour asked Grant.

" Tsk, it's nothing" Grant said

"Bull! What's going on Grant! What's your relation to that kid!" Seymour said. "It's not something I talk about Seymour," Grant said.

"Is it classified?"

"No…"

"Then why don't you talk about it?"

"Because," Grant said, closing his eyes. " It's too damn sad!"

"Shoot! I was gone so long I missed class!" Lars said, returning to his empty classroom.

" I should have a schedule somewhere on this notepad!" Taking out his notepad he searched through the screens until he found his calendar.

"Whattttt!!!" Lars exclaimed. "It's already 1200? I'm late! I'm sorry Simone!"

"Hhhuhhhchoooo?" Seymour sneezed looking around the room. "Where the hell is that kid! And why do I get feeling that wherever he is… HE'S SAYING MY NAME WRONG!"