CHAPTER ONE- THE LETTER

What was left of the city laid blackened and charred under a smoldering haze of the burning orange horizon. I watched from afar, horrified by what I saw but unable to look away. I felt hot tears run down my cheeks. "How did this happen?" I cried. "This is my home… I have friends in that fire!"

"There's something big coming," a deep voice growled from behind me. I wanted to turn and look, but something deep in my gut told me I shouldn't. I continued to stare at the wreckage, at the smoke billowing upwards to mingle with the black clouds overhead. "This is the fate that lies before you if the prophecy is fulfilled."

"What prophecy?" I asked. "Is there any way I can stop it?"

There was no response at first. For an instant, I almost thought that I had been left alone in this inferno. "Yes," the voice finally said. "But only if you can find the way."

"Me?" I whimpered. "How could someone like me stop this?"

"Why, you are the only one who can save them. The will of the fates lies in your hands… Esmerelda….

Esmerelda…"

"Esmerelda!"

The teacher slammed his book shut with a loud clap, and I nearly fell out of my seat. "Agh!" I squealed. The other students chuckled from behind their desks.

My face flushed red and I looked around. My things were cluttered around my desk… I had definitely been sleeping. I could only hope I didn't snore, but by the angry look on the teacher's face, I doubted it. He tapped his heel on the ground.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, organizing my desk. "I must have fallen asleep…"

Despite my predictions, the teacher actually chuckled. "Oh, Esmerelda, you've always been so shy. I know you do fine on the tests and all, but can you please at least pretend to pay attention?"

"Of course, sir. I'm sorry."

He nodded. "Anyway, class, back to the lesson. The mitochondria is widely considered to be the powerhouse of the cell, if you will…"

My name is Esmerelda the Sugar Glider. I'm sixteen years old and I'm pretty much just a normal girl. I go to school like everybody else, crush on boys like everybody else, and just like everybody else I dream of going to the best school for any small mammal like me that dreams of being a hero… going to the Sonic Fighting Academy.

Most of us are really unremarkable, not like the ones you hear about in the stories. The Sonic Fighting Academy was only for the truly exceptional. To me, it has only ever been a fantasy, something to dream about during the boring drawl of everyday class and doodle into all my notebooks instead of paying attention in science class. Who needed science, anyway? I wanted to help people when I went out into the real world. I wanted to learn how to battle. Oh well, I guess that was only the stuff of dreams…

…that was until two large dogs sauntered into class that day.

"Hello? Can I help you?" the teacher asked.

"Yeah," the shorter one said. "Is Esmerelda the Sugar Glider here?"

Everybody looked at me and I blushed again. "That's me..." I said shyly.

The dogs walked over to my desk and handed me a letter. "Congratulations!" he chuckled. "You've got somethin' special, kid."

I stared at them with a confused look, then glanced at the letter in my hands. When I saw the familiar logo pressed into the wax seal, my heart stopped.

"The Sonic Fighting Academy?! But how?"

"Don't ask me, kid, I'm just the messenger! Hope you've packed your bags, 'cause we're heading out soon!"

I looked at them, then at the letter, back at them, back to the letter. Without another moment lost I ripped it open and read its precious contents.

To Esmerelda von Calico the Sugar Glider,

We are pleased to inform you that your outstanding academic talents have caught the attention of our scouts which are placed all over the country. Because of this, you have been cordially offered a scholarship to the Sonic Fighting Academy and enrollment for the following academic year. This is a very outstanding offer that we greatly encourage you not to refuse. Graduating from SFA is one of the best ways to become a bonafide hero equipped with the skills and talent to succeed and protect the commonfolk. We hope you will accept this offer. However, we are not worried. After all, we know this is what you want, and we are simply the best.

Sincerely,

Star Gleam the Cat

Headmaster of the Sonic Fighting Academy.

A large signature rested at the bottom with lots of swirls and penmanship. I touched it. It had been signed with a real pen. This was real! "This is incredible!" I squealed. "I can't wait!"

"Come on," the taller dog said. "Let's go get your things ready, there's no need for you to be in this class anymore!"

That was it for me. In no time at all, I had been whisked away to a fabulous new world, one of people with incredible talent and beautiful buildings and incredible potential. I sat on the train, watching the scenery out of the glassy window melt from a lifeless concrete jungle to a luminous and lush green landscape. "I've never seen the countryside before…" I whisper to nobody. The dank echo of my voice in the otherwise empty train car reminded me of the challenges before me. I had no friends! I was going to a new school, where I was going to have to make a name for myself all over again. What if they didn't like me? What if I was a total loser who nobody wanted anything to do with?

Nah. I had to get those thoughts out of my head. I could still be cool… right?

The train finally screeched to a halt at a quaint little wooden platform in what was otherwise the middle of nowhere. Out of my window there was nothing but a grassy field and horizon. There's no way this was the right place, but the little handmade sign matched the destination on my ticket: Rosewood Place. I nervously grabbed my things and headed towards the exit.

Something was wrong. How could this possibly be the Sonic Fighting Academy?

The train shut its doors and continued on its path, leaving me alone. In a field. Great.

"Is that all you're carrying, hun?"

"Eep!" I jumped and whirled around to see someone standing behind me, grinning. "Where did you come from?!"

He was tall. That's what I noticed first, anyway. The rest came in shortly after: snow white fur, and differently-colored eyes that were hazel and green. He had shaggy hair that framed his face almost perfectly.

Uh oh. He's cute. I couldn't let him know that, though, of course. I shot him what I hoped was a convincing glare. "You startled me!"

He just laughed. "I'm from the Sonic Fighting Academy. They sent me to pick up the new student at the train station. I'm guessing that's you?"

I looked around. "This is the right place? Yeah that's me."

He nodded and smiled. Huh, he's a hedgecat! You don't see those very often. Suddenly, though, he blinked and seemed to shift his weight. "Anyway, is that all you're carrying, hun? Doesn't seem like a lot." He gestured towards my purse and my single small suitcase.

"The dogs said my other stuff would be waiting for me in my dorm room. And my name isn't hun! It's Esmerelda. Esmerelda the Sugar Glider."

"Oh, what a pretty name for a pretty face! And I can only hope that you are as sweet as your name would imply." He extended a hand. "I'm Pax the Hedgecat."

Smooth, very smooth. I shook his hand. "Pleased to meet you."

In one swift motion he drew my hand to his lips and gave it a light peck. "Charmed."My tough act flew right out the window. Oh goodness, I'm not even at the school yet and I'm about to go boy crazy! This guy was way too cute, and charming at that. I hoped my blushing wasn't as visible as it felt. Don't get ahead of yourself Esmerelda. You only just met the guy.

He held my hand for a moment longer, looking at me and seemingly lost in thought. After a moment, he blinked and let me go. "Anyway," he muttered, his charisma lost for the moment, "The reason they drop you off here is to keep the location a secret. The bad guys would attack if they knew where to look, so we hide it! From here, the rest is done on foot."

"On foot? But I'm in heels!"

"No worries, I can carry you!"

"No way."

"Way," he replied, and with a devilish grin he began to float just above the ground. "It'll be a breeze!"

My jaw nearly fell to the floor. "Woah! That's incredible!"

"Oh, it's nothing. Now come on, let's get you to the Academy!"

I practically leapt into his arms. As we soared over the grass at high speed, I watched the landscape once again melt into color. That wasn't what seized the most of my attention, though. Tall, cute, smooth, has powers, and I already get to have him hold me… for a little bit. This is great!

Pax didn't say anything, just cruised along and smiled ahead. He seemed to enjoy the wind on his face. "So," he said after a while. "What's your power?"

"My… power?" I asked.

"Yeah. Everybody at the Sonic Fighting Academy has super powers. Isn't that why you're here?"

Uh oh. "Actually… no. I don't have any super powers. I'm really, really normal!"

Pax frowned. "Huh… that should be impossible. Nobody at the Academy is powerless. The whole thing is designed to help you learn to control your powers!"

"I don't know, but as far as I know, I don't have anything cool about me."

"As far as you know... maybe you haven't discovered what it is yet! The Academy doesn't make mistakes. They can send their letters a little early though. Heck, I suspected them in myself, but I didn't discover my powers until the day before I got my letter!"

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Powers? With an S? Like multiple powers? What are your others?"

He gave me a perfectly-timed wink. "That's my little secret, hun!"

Perhaps I didn't mind him calling me that anymore.

Eventually we reached it. It was everything I dreamed of, a massive building with gorgeous pillars and courtyards and gates. This was too good to be true! Pax set me down, gave me some directions to the residential corridors, then dashed off to go run other errands.

There I was, standing before the gates of Sonic Fighting Academy. I had made it. It was real! Too bad they HAD made a mistake with me.

I didn't have powers. Even Pax said he had suspected he had them before he got them. I had never sensed anything in myself. Maybe the wrong Esmerelda had gotten the letter? This was awful. I didn't want to go back to my old boring school. Not when there was a bunch of cute guys with superpowers at this one. Let's be real. I had to keep it a secret. Nobody—except for Pax—could know I was normal.

And with that in mind, I stepped through the gates.