Chapter 22 - Class

Author's Note: Hey! Found time; I hope you enjoy it!

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Quiet. As all things should be.

The Principal-Director stared into the organized sections of students. The fresh and untempered at the forefront, seniors at the very back.

A good start. The young ones copied the overall vibe of the older students, silent, although not all were attentive. Fury spotted some overly excited freshmen, too eager to look around, bobbing and weaving heads.

Satisfied with the silence, he began.

*Thump*

*Thump*

*Thump*

Thumping at the microphone, signaling the start of the orientation.

"Good Morning. Welcome to SHIELD Academy, home of the best Heroes this country has ever seen and felt," he said, not rushing his speech. The first step to obedience was creating an image of respect.

"I am Principal-Director Fury. However, as students, you will address me as Principal Fury." To the people in the know, they would have giggled at this. Fury is a person who doesn't like to share his full name, always making people address him as Fury, even his mother.

"Now, let's get this show on the road."

What happened next were the introductions of the Academy's staff and personnel. And to look at their numbers was something. And all of them are highly experienced in the fields they teach. A simple google search and a paper's worth of achievement are easily compilable.

However, there was something that got Leo's mind thinking. 'In terms of fame and experience, almost every teaching staff here is equal to one another, so they a standard then. Well... except for the homeroom staff for Platinum rank classes.'

Looking at them, the handlers of the Platinum classes, they were the veterans and most achieved in their field: heroics, law enforcement, and support industry. Of course, the Academy doesn't section staff into rankings like the students are; that would have been disrespectful.

However, Leo noticed it, so it was probably an unsaid thing within the school on who is qualified to handle the top students. A simple search of his assigned homeroom advisor's credentials compared to the others... it was best to leave things unsaid.

After the introduction of staff and the like, Principal Fury went on to explain the benefits of each categorical ranking. The only difference is in comfort, privacy, and specialized requests.

Platinum-ranked students get their own individual exercise space in which they can request specialized training equipment, their own spacious dorm room, and their own support buddy.

Everything else was self-explanatory except for the support buddy. You can choose a personal partner to work with as long as the other party approves.

For example, if a Hero course student needs support gear, they must go through the standard procedure, file it into the Support and Development Department, and then wait. Of course, with the Academy's quality and resources, the wait is negligible.

However, it's a different experience for Platinum-ranked students. The students can directly request support items from their Support Buddy without waiting and filing the necessary items. They can then personally talk to their partner about the fine details of their wants and needs. But don't get it wrong, their assigned teachers still supervise the Buddy.

Of course, this works both ways. The support student can also ask their respective partner to test their inventions. After safety checking everything, of course! Wouldn't want someone accidentally dying now. This has happened...

Overall, there was little difference in the grand scheme of things. It's not like they deprived a rank of anything; the main differences were the comfort and space.

Afterward, a brief campus presentation was given. Then, the rules and such were explained. When that was said, the Principal dismissed everyone and told them to go to their respective dorms and unpack.

School starts in two days, giving ample time for the new students to adjust, cope, and prepare.

'Well, it starts here then.' Leo thought in determination. He would miss his mom and friends, but he just has to keep telling himself that he'll get through this soon enough.

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*Click*

Opening the door to his room, Leo is surprised. It was spacious but not overly so. From the looks of it, it was like an apartment. There was space for everything: a one-couch living room, a small kitchen space, a sizeable bathroom, and finally, a bedroom with walls. Hell, it's fully furnished too!

"Giving us this much furniture and space only gives us more things to clean. But I am not complaining; it's not like I don't already clean the house with mom."

After his small comment, he unpacked his tightly packed clothes in his sizeable duffle bag and hung said clothes.

Done with the chore, he immediately removed his uniform and plopped onto his bed. The only garment on his bare body was his boxers. Although he just came, he had already felt mentally taxed.

'Nothing, a bit of sleep, can't fix... the more I sleep, the faster these two of no classes will go by.'

In record time, his mind drifted to sleep. However, Leo would come to regret this. For he had forgotten one simple thing. Turning the AC on. He would come to wake up in the dead of night, covered in sweat.

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Fast forward, Leo strode out of his dorm with a freshly ironed uniform. Although not needed with how Leo's body literally stretches any creases away.

And it wasn't only him coming out of their dorms; other ranked students too. 'Huh, and here I thought all my neighbors would be the same as me. Maybe to promote camaraderie with the different ranks?'

With it officially being the first day of class, everyone was simultaneously curious, eager, and anxious. For the majority, everything is new, being separated from their parents, leaving their home state, the works. Hell, some Americans don't even leave their birth state!

With Leo's appearance in the dorm hallway, many eyes were on him. His already tall size of 6ft 1in did nothing to help lessen the stares for his age. Add to that his Platinum pins. To put it into perspective, it was like the Royal family making a procession in a village, all eyes on him at this point.

Annoyed with the eyes, he had to stop and stare at them back equally, "Am I the entertainment for your boring lives?" With the blatant staring, Leo couldn't help but rip one at them. With the added flare to his eyes, his intimidation factor rose!

Like rats shined upon a light, they looked away instantly and hurried their pace to their designated classes. Well, to those that were staring, at least. 'Is this what Heroes deal with every day? Constantly being stared at? Well, damn, 'cause this will make me release my frustrations on villains 100%.'

Eventually, he crossed the campus' residential area and made it to the class area of the Academy.

Upon reaching his class, he couldn't help but take a breath just before the abnormally large door. 'This is it. I just hope-' "I see you've passed and become Platinum-ranked as well. Something I expected from someone who fooled me during the exams; I applaud you."

And what is becoming a common occurrence he's bumping into people from the exam. Looking back, he saw a wavy blond-haired teen with a confident look. However, he did have a constant slight frown on his brows.

With his 6ft 1in height, he stood taller than the teen by a couple inches. If a person doesn't have a quirk that helps with their height, then Leo would easily out-height them.

Slightly looking down, "Ah, the third party. Weren't you the one who interfered with my fight? Leo. Not really pleased to meet you." Leo stated casually, still rather miffed with the fellow before him.

"A fight? It looked like a one-sided beatdown, from my view. You may call me Arlo; I'm from the Fortier family; heard of them... Leo?"

"Leo Morningstar. And no, I can't say I have heard of them." Leo said with no change in demeanor. But internally, he groaned. 'I just hope this isn't a rich prick... though I doubt that.'

After that weird introduction, the two made their way inside the class. Some people were already present in the class and had unique traits.

Looking around, he spotted his impromptu partner, Raiden Ei. But now that he thinks about it, 'Her name's Ei since the Japanese introduce themselves with their surnames first. And here I thought her name was Raiden.'

However, seeing two other girls already occupying the seats around her, he went elsewhere for a seat. But not before making some rather prolonged eye contact. With his towering frame, he did the courtesy of sitting at the back. Though, there were only two rows of 5.

Later on, the class started filling up. Beside Leo was another tall teen but not 6ft yet, but inches away. The person had a charismatic look, messy jet-black hair, a Mediterranean complexion, and sea-green eyes.

The complexion even got Leo's attention with raised curiosity, 'Someone from the Mediterranean countries?'

His staring got the other's notice, "Something caught your eye, big guy? Do take note that I don't swing the other way. I prefer my sword partner's a scabbard." That sarcastic quip got a smirk from Leo.

"Ah, nothing. And no, I don't swing that way either, HAHA!" Leo laughed heartily before continuing, "Couldn't help but look at your skin. You from any Mediterranean country? I had a friend from Greece who had the same complexion as you when I was little."

A welcome surprise for someone who guessed his father's birthplace, "A coincidence, my father's Greek and my mother is American! The sun in our part is hot enough to give me this permanent tan."

But before they continued, Leo introduced himself, "By the way, I'm Leo Morningstar; nice to meet ya! You can call me Leo." "Perseus Jackson, but call me Percy, will you? Perseus is quite strange for most people, haha."

Ah, Leo finally found another greek-blooded person! And his first name was similar to his. Leonidas is quite the name, after all.

Eventually, they descended into more minor chatter, happy they found someone to relate to. One is interested in greek culture, while the other is from Greece. Of course, Leo had to spin his tales.

Soon enough, their homeroom teacher walked in with a swagger, a very tall, muscular man with pale tan skin who possessed a set of well-developed abdominal muscles and a bit of a slouch. He has short, spiky, pale blue hair, thin black eyebrows, and scarlet-red eyes.

*Tap~*

*Tap~*

His heels clacked against the clean tiles of the room, creating quite a weird tense feeling in the air. 'Damn... we actually got the Undead as our instructor.'

The instructor made his way to the middle, where a podium stood. Resting two palms on the surface gettings the students irritated with the suspense of what this person is about to say.

Leaning close unintentionally causing the students under him to lean unconsciously as well.

"Congratulations! Under me, you'll be mentally scarred. You'll get so used to guts and blood that you won't flinch at the sight of a popped head. Welcome to my version of the Hero course!" He finished with a smug eating grin and crescent moon eyes, delighted with his future actions.

"What the fuck..." Someone said, but it was the collective words everyone wanted to say out loud.

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CHEEERS!