A Familiar Face

Students chatting loudly

Akemi stares out of the window from his seat with his head resting on his right hand

The classroom door opens and Ms.Taka walks into the room

Ms.Taka: "Ok, take your seats"

The students stop talking and sits down

Ms.Taka: "I want to say good work coming back yesterday" she sits on her desk and looks at the students "that should have given you all a small taste of what being a hunter is about, but there is more to being a hunter than just clearing rifts" she pushes up her glasses "now, for a change of pace I will start with basic things everyone should know if you're planning to be a proper hunter" she puts her hands on the desk and leans back "what does a hunter do?"

A student raises their hand

Ms.Taka: "Yes?"

Student 1: "Hunters clear rifts and they get an appropriate reward based on the rank of the rift"

Ms.Taka: "Correct" she looks around "how is a rift rank determined?"

The students look at each other

Ms.Taka looks confused "really?" she crosses her legs "a rift rank is determined by the wavelength being emitted from the rift, there is a special transmitter that the union uses to measure the wavelength when the rift forms. Until the rank of the rift is determined, it can be dangerous to enter a rift"

The student looks at Ms.Taka in awe

Ms.Taka: "Moreover there are magic ores inside of the rift that is used to create or upgrade equipment for hunters, there are other uses for magic ores but you guys can figure that out"

Doi raises his hand

Ms.Taka: "Doi"

Doi: "How do we get the ores from the rift? I'm sure they're heavy right? Do the hunters have to carry them?"

Ms.Taka: "good question, ores are mined and collected by the noncombatants called transporters. Magic ores are usually found in the beginning of rifts so transporters are mostly safe when mining them."

Doi: "wait wait, I have another question"

Ms.Taka: "Go ahead"

Doi: "Is magic ores the only way to get equipment?"

Ms.Taka: "Well no, but it is the most convenient" she scratches her hand " another way to acquire gear is through purchasing or bringing back parts from monsters" she looks up "parts from monsters is the most popular because they can be used to create very powerful equipment as well as giving effects" she holds up her left index finger "for instance, the fur from an ice bear can create tanky armor and it is resistant to cold weather, very useful for rifts in a cold environment"

Doi: "I see"

Ms.Taka: "apart from armor you can find other things in rifts like accessories that can boost your abilities but you will have to take them to the union alchemist to have the appraised" she digs in her bag and takes out a large book and drops it on the table then puts her right hand on top of it "this is the hunter manual, it will explain everything in further detail and everyone will be getting one"

Doi: "That is enormous!"

Dai: "I'm getting a headache just looking at it"

Ayaka pushes up her glasses while sweating

Ms.Taka: "There is one golden rule for hunters. Hunters can not intentionally harm civilians"

Doi: "Huh?"

Ms.Taka: "Hunters are meant to protect not harm, if you do harm a civilian it can result in jail time, a revoked license, or even an execution depending on the situation"

The classroom door opens and a girl with black long hair and one braid on the left, red eyes and a sword on the left side of her waist walks into the classroom

The student look at the girl and chatter

Students: "look it's the student council president, what is the princess here?, She is so pretty, I wish I had a girlfriend like that"

Ms.Taka looks at the girl "student council president, what a pleasant surprise. Did you need something?"

The student council president looks at Ms.Taka and bows towards her "I am sorry for interrupting your class Ms.Taka"

Ms.Taka waves her left hand "don't worry about it, what did you need?"

Student council president "oh right, I need to see one of your students" she looks at all of the students

Ms.Taka: "Oh, be my guest then"

The student council president walks towards the student

Students: "She coming this way, maybe it has to do with yesterday"

The student council president walks past all of the student and to the back of the class to Akemi

Students: 'What? L-Lian Xu!!!???"

The student council president: "hey, I need you to come with me"

Akemi keeps looking out of the window

The student council president: Hey!" she waits a moment with no response then slams her right hand on Akemi's table "I'm talking to you Lian Xu!"

Akemi looks at the student council president without moving his head

Intermission: BABADOW

Akemi and the student council president walking down the hallway with Akemi behind her

Akemi: "So, where are we going ms. president?"

The student council president doesn't say anything

Akemi: "Hello, ms.president?"

The student council president: "stop calling me that"

Akemi: "What is your name then?"

Kaori: "My name is Akiko Kaori"

Akemi: "Kaori huh? Well then Kaori, where are we going?"

Kaori: "You will see"

A Moment Later

Kaori: "We're here" she stops in front of a big door in the middle of the hallways

Akemi looks at the door "and where is this?"

Kaori opens the door revealing a office with two couches in the middle of the floor, a glass table between them and a desk behind them "the principle's office, of course"

Akemi: "this is a grand office for a principle" he looks up and sees a young man with black hair, a pony tail with two bangs and black eyes wearing a blue kimono

The man looks at Akemi with a serious face "welcome to my office"

Akemi: "your office?"

The man: "are you the one that saved this child?"

Akemi thinks about it and remembers a few days ago "mm well I guess I did"

The man's serious expression soon turns into a goofy expression and he smiles "oh really?"

Akemi looks confused

Man: "I'm sorry for the unwelcoming environment" he rubs his head "I am your principle Shinjiro Fuji"

Akemi stares at him "say...Aren't you a little young to be the principle here?"

Shinjiro: "Young?" he looks at himself "oh right right, sorry I am retaining my youth using magic, but I am much much older than I look"

Akemi sits down on the couch "may I ask the reason you called me here?"

Shinjiro: "Oh yes, I wanted to thank you for saving my granddaughter"

Akemi: "granddaughter?"

Shinjiro: "Ah yes, this girl is my granddaughter" he holds his hand out towards Kaori "I know you can't tell because our last names are different, unfortunately she took her father's last name" he leans forward "I would like to reward you"

Akemi: "Oh?"

Shinjiro: "If it's within my power I will grant you one with Lian Xu..." he puts his elbows on his desk and his hands in front of his face "or should I say Akemi Haruki"

Akemi looks Shinjiro and his eyes narrows with anger "What?"

Shinjiro smiles innocently and waves his hands back and forth quickly "now now you don't need to get upset or anything"

Akemi: "Who are you, and how do you know my name?"

Shinjiro pokes his lips out and puts his hands behind his head "I wonder"

Akemi stares at Shinjiro

Shinjiro: "Come now, a wish...Anything you want"

Akemi leans back and closes his eyes then sighs "I guess you're going to keep playing dumb" he opens his eyes and looks at Kaori "anything I want huh?"

Kaori blushes a little and covers her chest

Akemi: "Then can you change my name in the class from Lian Xu to Akemi Haruki"

Shinjiro eyes widens "What? That's all?"

Akemi gets up and walks towards the door "I don't need much of anything else, it just gets a little annoying being called someone other than myself"

Shinjiro sits back and smirks "I will have it done by tomorrow"

Akemi: "thank you" he walks out of the office and closes the door

Shinjiro laughs loudly and puts his right hand on his forehead "you never change do you?" he looks at the door "What presence!"

Akemi walks out of the school "How did that guy know my name? I don't recall telling anyone other than Rin" he looks to his left and sees some people working with construction hats on "isn't that?"

Rin's husband stands there surrounded by three men while laughing

Akemi smiles menacingly "so this is where you were?" he walks in the opposite direct "forget it...I have other things to do"

TO BE CONTINUED