M-Cube: I have school on Monday, but here's the next chapter of like I promised.

*InnocentDiamond: Me neither! I guess you like seeing bullets chase the hell out of the enemy? I have plans for Shun's weapon already. There's won't be annoying teammates here (maybe Dan), but they all get along well enough.

*Sugar Spice Rush: You think so? Then I'll work harder on the botany abilities then! I'm kind of stuck on Billy. He has nothing new. I set that problem aside, so there's nothing to worry about there.

*Maiden Warrior: I hope that retreat accident sounded realistic enough! Shun definitely wouldn't be the same without Alice. The apology is in this chapter (won't be anything like Ace *cough*). The thing about having the rest of the gang together is that it gets really crowded with writing dialouge, but I'll do my best with that.

*CookieDecor22: You don't say? Dolphin dives are cool! Well, try to get what that accidental call to Runo will lead to this time. Alice isn't going alone. You'll know caused the smoke this time. "Instincts are basically your own expectations of yourself." I like that!

*Cherry-Tree: Waiting won't take long. Marucho and the others might finish early. This traitor graduate still hasn't shown his face in the public again yet, so that'll have to wait.

Runo: Let's do the disclaimer!

Alice: The author doesn't own any characters but the plot.

M-Cube: Tenth chapter special disclaimer...you have got to be kidding me.

[10] Splitting Up, Coming Back

After hearing the screeching ring, Shun ran over and picked up the phone. "Land training grounds, Shun Kazami speaking. How may I help you?"

"Shun? It's Runo! You sound so different on the phone."

"When was the last time I spoke to you through a telephone? Anyway, how are you doing?"

"I have this week's optics classes left to teach, but I don't want to do it. I'd rather be helping you guys, or at least helping Marucho out in the sea. I don't want to wait anymore!"

"Slow down! What's with the sudden change of thought?"

"Yesterday, Dan hit my smart-watch frequency on 'speed dial' after falling down, and I saw the mess he got himself in. Whether he did it accidentally or deliberately, I want to be there with you guys. Can you ask Principal Hamasaki to cancel my student teaching classes?"

"I'm in a mess as well, but I'll see what I can do. You didn't have to call by telephone."

"Not when my supervising teacher confiscated my smart-watch for a day after what happened yesterday. Bye!"

"Later." Shun hung up just when Alice entered the main office. "You're up early."

"So are you. Who was that?"

"Runo. She asked me to ask if Principal Hamasaki could take her out of teaching students so she can help us or Marucho. I said I'll try. Either way, should she be here with us, or there with Marucho?"

"Firstly, coming to the land training grounds is faster and closer than the water training grounds. Besides, those people are after here, not the waters. I don't understand why they have to destroy this place in the first place. First the school, then the waters, now here. You have no idea how upset Dan is that the pyrotechnics theater is still under repair."

"That's like having science students not being able to use the laboratory." A sweet aroma traveled from the food hall to the office. "I realized that I didn't eat breakfast yet."

"Good, because you'll probably like what I made. This way." Alice lead Shun to the food hall, where plates of delicious foot laid on one of the tables. "I couldn't sleep, so I woke up and made food. We have pancakes, eggs, sausages, fruit, toast, milk, orange juice, and every other typical thing."

"And this is just for the five of us?"

"I made more. You can eat the other plates of food for now if the others didn't wake up yet. It is six-fifteen in the morning."

"I'll eat whatever suits my tastes." They both took a seat, and Shun took a bite of the scrambled eggs. "Reminds me of my mom's cooking."

"Really? Does that mean you like it?"

"The flavor isn't exactly the same, but it's good. Anyway, I wonder how everyone is doing back home. All I did was stay out to train with Runo and Marucho, and then the entire residential district lit on fire. Runo teleported us to SDI, and now we're here."

"Can she just teleport herself here during breaks?"

"Not exactly. It might interfere with her schedule. What I'm worried about is that I haven't heard any news from my family."

"You are very focused on your tasks at hand right now. Have you called them? Who's in your family?"

"I haven't called yet, but will do so later. My immediate family just has my grandfather and me. I have extended family in other places, but I rarely see them. My dad worked in the military, but passed away defending a national power plant that ended up exploding and killing many after the enemy sniper fired just one shot. Even if Grandpa disapproved, Mom enrolled me in SDI anyway, and I never regretted ever being here. Of course, as for that survival retreat incident..."

"Shun, like I said, that wasn't your fault. Everyone has their ups and downs. Maybe one day when we're less occupied with this mess, you can go back and check on your family."

"Thanks. That means a lot to me." Shun went to get his tablet and come back. "At least Marucho gave me this before I left. He still has my weapon, and I still have to apologize to Dan."

"Wait until Dan wakes up. He wakes up early only if there's a reason to. What other weapons do you know how to use?"

"I can-"

"Shun!" Billy woke up and ran over in his pajamas. "Ignore my clothing. Anyway, the modified seismometer sensed something moving in the forest area. Maybe it's the thing that released the smoke yesterday."

"That can't be good. You should change and eat first. Alice, should we wait as a group to go or-"

"Shun, you should go now," Billy interrupted. "The seismometer beeped out of control in my room. I had to disconnect the speakers."

"That's beyond serious. Alice, notify the LTG staff for me. Billy, wake the others up and eat breakfast. I have to go. Took my tablet out for nothing."

Alice turned around and asked, "Do you think we'll need the magnetic field out there?"

"Maybe, maybe not. I need to call the school first."

MxMxM

Ace and Mira wiped the sweat off their foreheads and gave each other a high-five with their other hands. "All done!"

"Already?!" Marucho put aside his current work and stepped out onto the coast guard station's pier. "You two remodeled everything, from the lane dividers to the buoys. I don't know how to thank you."

Mira waved her hand. "No problem, Marucho. I'm glad we can help. I miss being here. It brings back so many memories."

"Mira, I swear that you said you've never stepped foot on the water training grounds until now..." Ace corrected.

"Excuse me? I've been here before, just not out here. Marucho, is there anything else we can do to speed up our stay here?"

"Not much. I need to fix the accidental short circuit issue from days ago, but you two don't know how to do that. Since you two finished early, and my work doesn't take very long, we can certainly leave early. Hang out for now."

The Salutatorians boarded the small cruise ship and sat on the lounge chairs after getting smoothies. "You know, Mira. I was getting worried that we might not speak to each other again."

"Are you still on that case? We've been through that already."

"Don't you think it's funny how we solved our problem after graduation? So dramatic."

"You make everything dramatic in an instant. Nevertheless, I'm glad we're talking again. I was about to give up on you."

Ace popped up from this chair and answered quickly, "Please don't give up on me, not after I apologized to you like you always wanted me to."

"I can choose to give up on giving you a second chance, if you want."

"No! Don't do that either! I didn't mean-"

"We have a problem." Ace and Mira faced Marucho, who walked onto the pier again with Shun's broken weapon. "I can't fix this. How do I tell Shun?"

"How are you unable to fix it?" Ace asked.

"First the string broke. Then the release of pressure snapped the curved limbs. This weapon is permanently useless."

Mira sighed and stared at the broken bow. "Make him a new one? Shun might not like it, but it's the only method left. Does he have other weapons to use?"

"They're all back home, where a giant ball of fire destroyed almost everything. I have no choice but to make him a new one. Luckily, I finished fixing the short circuit glitch. Do you want to help me build a new bow for Shun while we still have time?"

"Of course, we do! Let's get started!"

MxMxM

"Do you see anything?"

"I don't see anything. What does your tablet say?"

"Nothing."

Based on the sun's current position, Shun and Alice knew that they and some LTG staff spent the entire morning searching for something nonexistent. "Shun, let me see your tablet. Are you sure you asked Billy to reprogram it last night?"

"I'm sure I did, but without Marucho's proper orders, I don't know if we reprogrammed correctly. Excuse me." Shun pressed a button on his smart-watch after hearing beeping. "Dan, what is it?"

"Shun, are you guys done? Billy's seismometer says that there's movement under the land training grounds' main building. I'm concerned."

"Don't be. Dan, you've been through this before. You'll be fine. Watch over Julie and Billy for the time being."

"You got it. I'll call you back if there's another emergency. Julie and Billy don't have smart-watches, after all."

"Thanks for telling me. I'll ask Mira or someone for two more next time. One more thing," Shun took a deep breath and said, "Dan, I'm really sorry for yelling at you when you gave everyone a suggestion on the day of that meeting. I was thinking too much. I've been through this before, and I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you."

"It's okay, man. You're the graduate here. Sometimes I think too little, but thanks for letting me know what I did wrong so I'll do better next time. See ya!"

Shun cut the connection as Alice walked over. "I see that you finally apologized, Shun."

"And I do feel much better. Anyway, back to what we were doing. Why aren't we finding anything? These woods are so thick."

"Why don't we stop for a lunch break? I packed sandwiches and bottles of water."

After lunch break, everyone split into search parties, but Shun and Alice remained together. "I'm still thinking about what you said about smoke and color yesterday," he recalled. "but it's getting me nowhere. What can emit smoke, send off vibration signals, and hide easily in these woods?"

"Definitely something complicated. Wait."

"Alice, what are you thinking?"

The redhead held her hands to her head as she focused. "Yesterday...it wasn't just them. There was someone else here."

"Who? What are you seeing?"

"There's a charred tree around here somewhere. I'm thinking that another drill machine drilled here yesterday, ran into something, and overheated. But that's just me."

"Shun, Alice, there's a burnt tree over here!" a staff member called.

Alice's right. There was someone or something else, and it left a trace. Shun approached the burnt tree and scraped some ashes off with a twig. "Let me talk to Dan on my smart-watch. Dan, are you busy?"

"Nope. Why?"

"Take a look at this." The graduate removed his watch and pointed the camera lens at the tree. "What do you think burned this?"

"Given the abnormally jagged edges and the rough ugliness, I conclude that sparks did this. A real fire is creative and burns with style."

"Thanks." Shun put his watch back on and called Alice. "There was indeed an electrical malfunction here. Now we need to confirm or dismiss that-"

"Incoming active machinery, twelfth hour and approaching." Everyone grabbed onto a tree as the earth shook violently. Alice regained her consciousness and looked around. "This isn't good. Whoever failed to come here yesterday must be back."

"Or, it could be Gus and Mason coming here this time instead of to the—uh oh."

"What's wrong?"

"What if while we're out here, someone else is attacking Dan and the others back there? After all, they received vibration signals, too. And I don't have a weapon on me."

"You still have me and the LTG staff, Shun. Let's wait and see."

Soon, the same drill machine with one huge drill and many smaller drilled appeared from the ground. Similarly, Gus stepped out with a controller in his hand. "Why do we always end up seeing you every time?"

"Pretty sure neither he nor Mason saw us yesterday," Alice whispered.

Shun shook his head. "Let's not take any chances."

Suddenly, someone else stepped out of the drill, and Shun and Alice gasped upon seeing a familiar face. "Thought we'd be gone, did you?"

"Jesse..." the raven-haired graduate muttered. "At least I know that we're still on the same page."

"I don't think so. The last time I saw you, you broke your weapon, so you're not on the same page as me. Ghost Storm!"

"Already?! Alice, hold on!"

"I'm trying! De-Existence!"

The winds completely blinded their senses, making it difficult for the LTG staff to fire their laser guns or Alice to fully retaliate.

MxMxM

"Enough with eating leftover breakfast for lunch! Look outside!"

Julie and Billy both swallowed their last bites of pancakes and went outside to Dan. The blonde dragged out the seismometer, which beeped nonstop again with the speakers plugged in. "First the forests, now here. I hope Shun and Alice are alright."

"Since Shun doesn't have a weapon, and Alice's powers aren't as stable, that will be a problem." Dan worried.

This drill machine only had one huge drill, and Mason was operating it now with a green-haired woman dressed in R&B clothing. "What do you think, Zenet?"

"Seems like a worthy challenge to me, Mason." Without a second thought, Zenet took out an umbrella-looking device and popped it open. Generating in the center at the tip was a white ball of energy that eventually exploded. "Bleach Out!"

Dan and everyone else covered their eyes at the extremely bright light. After it was over, the brunette opened his eyes and saw nothing but blurriness. "Julie? Billy? Where are you?"

"Julie, is that you?"

"Oh my goodness, I can't see you guys!"

"Land Tomb!" Mason planted his palm on the ground and softened the earth beneath the students' feet.

"This again? Tangleweed!" Julie retaliated.

Mason pulled the vines off his legs and scoffed. "That again?" This time, his dug his fingers into the earth and yelled, "Tectonic Split!"

Not only did the earth soften from last time, but now it split along cracks originating from Mason's nails. The cracks deepened, eventually isolating every staff member and student onto their own 'island'. Dan stood closest to the staff building and hopped back. "Julie, Billy, be careful out there! I'll see if I can find something useful!"

"Antipodal Attractivity!" Billy clenched his fists together and painstakingly pulled every piece of earth that broke off back into place. "Julie, come over here. I need your help. You need to keep every chunk that fell off together, or else the cracks will go under the administrative building!"

"Zenet, do something!" Mason exclaimed.

The R&B woman extended the umbrella canopy as the rod tips lit up in shocking light, making it way to the center tip. "Photophobia!"

Meanwhile, Dan played around with the communications system and contacted Runo. "Runo, I need your help. There's-"

"Dan, what's with the goggles?"

"There's a crazy woman out there blinding us all to death with light! Do you have any suggestions? I can't fire a single bullet like this."

"I think you'll have to wait for the light to go away. Who's with you?"

"Julie and Billy. I can't do anything physical, which is why I'm contacting you."

"Julie and Billy...hold on." Onscreen, Runo looked through the schedule logs on the computer and found the other two students' schedules. "Billy has geophysics, quantum mechanics, and seismology. Julie has biophysics and botany. Wait!" She searched up other stuff and answered, "Tell Julie to pick a leaf from any plant and use Chlorophyllon."

"I don't understand..."

"Just do what I say! If only I were there with you..."

"But if you were, you couldn't have looked up that information easily, could you?" Runo was about to argue back, but Dan shut everything down and greeted, "See ya!"

"Dan, what is with you and contacting me during the most unexpected of times?!"

The brunette picked and leaf and handed it to Julie after she secured all the 'islands' together. "Runo told you to use Chlorophyllon. Can you do that?"

"I'll try. I didn't finish that lesson in class yet. For this mess, I need more than one leaf."

"I'll get it for you." With hand over his eyes, Billy clenched his other fist and pulled in a couple leaves and flowers from nearby. "Oops. Couldn't see what I was doing. The leaves are for your attack, so the flowers are for you. Here."

The blonde tucked the flowers in Julie's hair and placed the leaved in her unoccupied hand. "Aw, you're so sweet. Here goes nothing." Julie waved the leaves in the air like a fan. "Chlorophyllon!"

Not long, streams of light traveled into the leaves as Zenet's umbrella short-circuited and the light dimmed down. "Just my luck! Not enough energy left."

"And operating a drill machine isn't really-"

"Now I can aim and shoot." Dan rushed out with both his guns aimed at Mason and Zenet. "Billion Bismuth Blaster!"

A shower of bullets immediately fired at the unwanted guests, who both hid behind the drill machine. "Mason, let's get out of here. I can't do this!"

"Whatever. Get in." They carefully got back into their seats, and Mason pulled the glass cover down. "You win this one only because you have three people against us two."

"You'd better leave before my bullets dent your machine any longer!" With that said, the drill machine backed up and entered the earth again. "Now to call Shun."

MxMxM

"Slag Tornado!"

"Telekinetic Filter!"

Shun waited until Alice separated the debris form Jesse's most recent attack to make his move. "Cymaticon!" With just a soft whistle blow, the Weaponry Valedictorian stopped the flying debris particles in place sent them back at Jesse and Gus. Like with other sorcery attacks, Shun suffered a coughing fit and held his mouth. Not...again...

"Shun, are you okay?" Alice patted Shun's back, and he finally coughed. "How are you staff members holding up?"

One person shook his head. "Alice, our laser guns are low on power. Every shot we fire ends up ricocheting elsewhere."

"Which basically means we're shooting for nothing. Wait until the wind dies down. Shun, what about you?"

"No weapon...no voice...I can't-"

"Listen to me. You stay out of the way while I hold them back. I don't easily faint from using attacks anymore."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." She turned around and held her hands together in a praying position. "Expellion!"

The redhead's hand glowed lavender until the aura of light expanded and completely wiped the winds away. Gus grunted and took out his remote control. "So, you want to do this above ground? I'll take it underground! Drill Booster!"

"Alice, watch your step!" Shun coughed once more and pulled Alice up into a tree in time before a smaller drill dolphin-dived from where Alice originally stood. "Are you all right?"

"Thanks, Shun. I'm scared to step-"

"Incoming!" After a very loud yell, a plane flew across the sky slowly. Two people jumped off and later opened their parachutes. A small package later fell and landed with the skydivers. "Are you glad to see us?!"

"Ace? Aren't you with-"

"Mira! Just in time!"

#Attacks:

Bleach Out (Zenet): [Contestir] uses umbrella to generate a ball of light and exploded to cause temporary blindness or blurriness

Tectonic Split (Mason): causes cracks in the earth and eventually the ground to split into pieces

Photophobia (Zenet): shines extremely bright light with her umbrella

Chlorophyllon (Julie): absorbs light (and various gases later on) with a plant leaf or more

Cymaticon (Shun): voice frequency ability that sends anything coming the user's way into the opposite direction

Expellion (Alice): deflects all surrounding things

XOXOXO

M-Cube: Top 3 rankings for Number of Attacks!

Shun: First place is me with 6.

Dan: Second place is Mylene with 5.

Alice: Third place is a three-way tie of me, Dan, and Mira with 4.

Ace: MYLENE FARROW IS SECOND PLACE?!

M-Cube: I certainly didn't see that coming. Review, okay?