Maisie Collard
Her first day at Broadhurst Heroism Academy had, if nothing else, been an interesting one. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting from a new hero training school, or from any training school for that matter. She had been excited on the morning, but also very nervous. This was usually the case for a teenager starting further education at a new college. Though in Maisie's case, her anxiety had less at first to do with the students and was caused more by her fear and uncertainty of what her teachers would be expecting from her. She didn't know much about hero work, so she was nervous about what they might have her do.
She had turned up early on the day, which was something her mother had suggested. Being late on the first day of school never set a good impression. Then she had waited for Jared to arrive, while avoiding any attempts at conversation the other students made. She had known before beginning the course that a lot of physical lessons would be required, but up until the moment she had not understood what that entailed. After the embarrassment of explaining her Quirk to the other students, she was then faced with the challenge of running the entire track around the sports field. She wasn't sure how long the field was, but the track must have been a few thousand metres in length. Maisie was not especially experienced with long distance running. By the time she had reached its end she was suffering with cramp in several sensitive spots across her body, mild dehydration, dizziness, exhaustion, sore feet and an oncoming headache. Though to her astonishment she had not come last. She had been at the very back of the main group, yet there were a few behind her who were doing worse. As she came to a stop at the asphalt finish line, and turned back to welcome in the final runners, she noticed that Jared was one of them. That had surprised her a lot, though it surprised her even more to see him come last.
She had not managed to speak with Jared before leaving that day. Though she had been able to catch him for a moment after the race had ended, the teachers had continued with the lesson quickly after, and she felt it would be rude to talk over them. Yet for some reason Jared had decided to stay behind after that and continue exercising. Maisie had wanted to head home and rest, as her legs were starting to itch with soreness. When she left the changing room he was still there at the edge of the asphalt, doing squat thrusts with another boy who had feel made of solid iron blocks. She was not sure who the boy was, though she had noticed that the both of them were the last two students to finish running the track. It seemed that Jared was already making friends, while she had been too nervous to even try talking to any of the other girls in the class. She had been given a perfect chance to start chatting with them when she accidentally bumped into one of them while trying to remove her polo shirt, yet she had not taken the initiative. She hadn't even apologised. The girl, who had short red hair, had looked at her with annoyance and stepped away. There was only one student at the academy she had spoken to other than Jared, and that was Tate. She wasn't sure just yet if she would call him a friend. He was rather too intrusive, and it made her feel very uncomfortable.
That evening Maisie had returned home with a horrid pain in her legs. She spent the rest of the day lying in bed, squirming uncomfortable as the lactic acid which had been building up inside her muscles created a burning sensation in her legs. Her mother had provided her with a hot water bottle, hoping that it would help calm down the pain, or at least distract her from it. Both of Maisie's parents had been surprisingly supportive of her more recent endeavours. While the both of them, her father especially, worried about her safety, they had taken a more encouraging stance after learning of her enrolment within Broadhurst Heroism Academy. Though they were still unsure if Maisie was capable of becoming a hero, at least they were trying to assist her. They had agreed to take her to a local forge when she wanted to make her gadgets, where qualified engineers and metalsmiths could assist her and make sure she didn't hurt herself. Her mother would drop her of at the academy on her way to work, then pick her up on the way back. Neither of her parents were rich, smart or free for time, but with the course their daughter was on they did not have to be. Maisie didn't expect them to be capable of helping her with everything. As long as they were supporting her, that would be enough.
The next day she turned up to class and, with the other students, made her way to classroom Red-3, where they would be having there very first academic lesson. Ravenhead was already inside, planning out the lesson and making notes upon the whiteboard. A few of the students greeted him as Mr. Victorsson, and he greeted them back in a cheery manner. Though he had specified that this was how he was supposed to be addressed, Maisie couldn't help but find it strange. The man was a well-known hero. She could not think of his as anything but Ravenhead.
Most of the class had arrived by the time it reached ten o'clock. Jared arrived two minutes later, out of breath and sweating profusely. He had to awkwardly push past the other students on their row in order to reach his seat.
"Sorry." He muttered as he carefully avoided standing on the feet of the boy sat to Maisie's right. He only gave Jared an annoyed look, before glancing back towards the whiteboard. "I had to run all the way here again." Jared whispered to Maisie in admission, as he sat heavily down into his seat by the wall. "Have I missed anything?"
"We haven't started the lesson yet." Maisie whispered back.
Indeed Ravenhead had his attention away from the class, his thin fingers carefully and awkwardly gripping a marker pen which he used to scrawl words upon the whiteboard. The occasional squeaking sound it made was quiet yet aggravating, as if someone was stepping on a mouse. When he was done, at about five minutes passed the hour, he finally turned to acknowledge the class. The hero smiled at them, and held his arms out invitingly.
"Welcome, everyone, to our first lesson on the History of Quirks and Heroes." He announced with a loud, enthusiastic tone. "I'm hoping you are all as excited as I am, as this subject is incredibly fascinating." He clapped his hands together with eager delight for the topic he would be teaching. "Feel free to write down any notes. Remember, you will be taking exams on these subjects in a few months' time."
Maisie reached an arm down towards her small bag by her feet, and from within she pulled out a pink notepad. The cover had pictures of unicorns on it. She looked awkwardly at Jared, who was staring at the thing in disgust.
"Mum bought it for me." She admitted with embarrassment. She flipped the cover over, wanting to hide it from view as quickly as she could. Thankfully the pages within were clean, lined A5 slips, not detailed with pink glitter or horned equine.
Jason Jones' hand shot up sharply, releasing a weak blast of accidental air into the roof. If the action had not caught the attention of the entire class then the sound certainly had. The boy looked at Ravenhead inquisitively. "Why do we need to learn about this?" He asked, with a voice that hid none of the boredom upon his face.
The class turned back to Ravenhead, wondering what his response would be.
"Well, obviously, it takes more than muscle and confidence to make someone into a capable hero." The teacher explained. "Having a strong knowledge of historical figures and events is vital for any newcomer to the world of heroism. You'll need to know of the heroes who came before you, not only so you can create your own unique identity within an already saturated career, but also so you are aware of the events which created the current world we live in and how those events have affected our current society. In order to protect people, keep the peace and serve justice it is essential to understand why all those things are the way they are. This is what this subject will be looking at." He tilted his head, giving Jason a knowing look. "And I would suggest staying awake, Mr Jones. These lectures are compulsory, and if you fail the exams at the end of the term I'm afraid you may have to retake them till you do."
That last threat had gotten the message through to him. Jason Jones lowered his hand, now rather more interested than he had been before. Ravenhead coughed and continued on with the beginning of his lesson.
"I'm assuming that most, if not all of you, already know the basic history of the previous hundred years. Would anyone be up for recounting some of it?"
The hand of Lavender Marshall rose from above the crowd of heads. Ravenhead gestured for her to stand and speak. She stood up, eyes closed, and turned her face downwards, as if recalling passages from a book.
"Quirks were first discovered one hundred years ago, after a child was born with an unusual and unaccountable power. No one is completely sure which country the first Quirk was born in, as it seems each country has its own version of the story. Some believe they came from China, others from India, and some suggest Africa as well. Soon afterwards, other similar individuals began to appear, usually children born upon the same year or soon after. With each passing year more and more people developed Quirks, some as toddlers, some as children and some as late as early adulthood. By the time ten years had passed, it was estimated that twenty percent of the human population around the world had developed a Quirk."
"Thank you very much for that summary, Lavender." Ravenhead said, nodding his beaked skull at her.
Lavender sat back down, looking very pleased with herself. The redheaded girl next to her gave her a small glare of jealously from the corner of her eyes, then looked forwards at the teacher and whiteboard once more.
"It was indeed the case that, in the early years of their discovery, nobody was quite sure what to make of these powers." Ravenhead continued. "Records from the time show that Quirks were spreading like wildfire among the populous, so quickly that within a year two percent of the British population had developed one. In fact this is what lead to the belief that these powers were the result of a disease or virus, as it seemed that powers were spreading upon contact. This view quickly faded after a year or two, as genetic research discovered that actually these powers were originating from an abnormal mutation within our DNA. It became clear that this unusual strand of coding is programmed into every human being, and for a reason yet to be discovered it has only just activated. In addition to this, it appears that another part of the body has begun to degenerate. In place of a Quirk, those who develop one are often born with one less joint in their small toe. It has long been theorised that humanity is slowly losing its smaller digits, as we no longer need them as we once did. It is possible that the original coding once needed to create the structure of a small toe within our bodies has taken on a new job. I should add that this is all speculation. While it is known that there is a link between Quirks and the lack of a small toe joint, as Quirkless individuals more often than not still have this joint, there is no explanation yet as to how they are connected. To this day nobody is quite sure what caused Quirks to come into existence, and most aren't even sure as to why they exist." Ravenhead clapped his hands together. "So, let's discuss it. Does anyone have any theories?"
Maisie put her hand up. She noticed Jared look at her in surprise. He evidently had not expected her to be so eager to answer. Ravenhead nodded at her, letting her speak. Maisie lowered her hand and stood up, trying not to look too nervous as the class turned their eyes towards her. "My science teacher, Mr Barrows, used to tell us that Quirks were a new step in our evolution." She stuttered anxiously.
Ravenhead raised an eyebrow, then nodded at her in agreement. "That is one of the more popular opinions." He agreed. "The leading theory around the world is that humanity has begun to evolve in a new direction, except unlike in the past where evolution would lead our species down one very specific path, it is instead splitting off into many new paths, each with its own strengths and weaknesses in comparison to the previous ancestor. This may be why every person born with a Quirk has a power, ability or body part that varies in some form of manner to anyone else. Even if their Quirk is one inherited by their parents, it will vary from the original in some minute way."
He gestured for Maisie to sit down, and she did so quickly, grateful that the eyes of her fellow students were now turning away.
"Some would suggest that Quirks are complete proof that the theory of Evolution is true." Ravenhead continued to explain. "However, there are some who believe that Quirks are a gift from god, and not a result of unusual genetic coding. I myself am not a religious man, though neither am I opposed to the idea of Quirks being a gift from a greater entity. Most of the evidence suggests that this occurrence is natural, however, and that Quirks are simply another step upon the evolution of our species."
The avian teacher turned to his board, and upon the far left side began scrawling a series of notes.
"Though while I would love to go off on a tangent about the many scientific theories on Quirks and Human Evolution, we have two other important and fascinating subjects to look at today."
He turned back to the class, revealing the words upon the board. 'The First Hero in Britain.'
"In order to get a full view of the history behind the last hundred years of this country, it's best to start at the beginning." Ravenhead stated, and stretched his arms out wide, his wing feathers drooping down. "I have a simple question for you all. What was the name of the first hero in Britain?"
A show of hands shot up. From the mass of limbs Ravenhead picked out one.
"Go on, John." He said, pointing a sharp talon at a bald-headed boy with a third, closed eye upon his forehead.
The boy stood up, lowered his hand and looked uncomfortably around at the class. "Heracles." He said with a small nervous cough.
"Quite right." Ravenhead stated, clicking his fingers in enjoyment. "You can sit down now."
The bald boy sat back down, rubbing his chin nervously.
"Heracles was the name of the first official hero in Britain." Ravenhead carried on with the lecture. "Though his real name was James Smith, he took his hero name from Greek Mythology. The original Heracles is, of course, famous for his great strength and for the twelve labours which he undertook in order to be granted immortality. Upon his death bed, the hero Heracles stated that he chose the name not because of his own enhanced strength but because of the many trials he had faced in life that had led him to becoming the first hero."
Ravenhead clenched his wrinkled hands together and flexed his fingers. The class were listening to him with intense curiosity. Even Jason Jones, who had at first been uninterested, was now paying his fullest attention to the well-dressed raven man.
"He remained the number one hero for twenty five years, longer than any other who came after him. That's no easy task. Even the renowned Progenitor has only held his throne for twenty years. I doubt any of you will know much about the previous number one hero."
Maisie looked at Jared. She wondered if he knew about the previous number one hero, considering that his father was the current number one and would have had to overthrow him to get there. Though, from what Jared had told her about his parent, she supposed it was also possible that he would never consider discussing the subject with him. Jared had described his father, the real Progenitor Wreath, as a selfish, absent, ignorant bastard. Maisie had never heard someone refer to their parent in such a way. It had shocked her greatly.
"In his thirty three year career as a hero, Heracles changed many aspects of our culture and country." Ravenhead continued. "Most famously, he was the founding member of the Hero Movement, the very law which allows licensed individuals outside of the police or military to fight criminals and deal with dangerous situations. His involvement with the way the laws upon heroes were founded allowed for greater freedoms to all heroes throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland." He rubbed his hands together. "Can someone tell me one of the laws he established?"
From the second row a hand shot up. Ravenhead nodded towards the student, who quickly stood up. An Asian boy with a small pair of glasses that sat comfortable upon his thick nose stood up before the class, arms folded behind his back. When he spoke, it was with an intellectual voice that lacked any anxiety or fear, as if he was the only person in the room. "The first law that Heracles put into action was the distribution of Hero Licenses." He stated factually. "These licenses were to be supplied to any individual who had displayed capability of performing heroic acts and had been evaluated by the government as fit to perform them with the safety of the public in mind. The law decrees that a hero must show their license to anyone who asks to see it, as proof that they are indeed a legally permitted hero."
"Thank you, Lu." Ravenhead said gratefully.
The students bowed slightly and sat back down. A few members of the class looked at him with jealous annoyance. Most people couldn't stand smart alecks, and this boy was irradiating knowledge and pride.
"Some may say that this law was the most important of all the laws Heracles founded." Continued the avian teacher. "Thanks to him, heroes would not have to suffer continuous harassment from the police or government officials. If they were to be questioned, they could just pull out their license as prove that they were indeed legal heroes."
He suddenly reached into his pocket, and from it he pulled out a laminated piece of white plastic. He held it out for the class to see. Upon it was the logo of the Hero Movement; a yellow H within a shattered black circle. There was a photo of Ravenhead in his hero costume, an ID number and both his real and hero name. At the very bottom of the license was the name of his Quirk.
"This is my Hero License." The teacher explained, grinning with slight embarrassment. "I'm afraid this is not my best picture. I was having stomach problems on the day it was taken. I look a little too uncomfortable. Usually I don't grimace so much when taking a photo."
A hand from the front shot up. Maisie realised that it belonged to the girl in the wheelchair.
"Mr. Victorsson?" She asked.
"Yes, Freya?" Ravenhead responded.
"Why is your Quirk labelled as Dark Quill Dart?"
Ravenhead looked at the license, then smiled awkwardly.
"Well…" He said with the chuckle. "That's because my Quirk is a bit more than just a cosmetic one. I imagine you expected it to be called something like Raven, didn't you." He held up his arm, putting on display the long feathers which spread out from his arm, turning it into a thick, black wing. "Of course there are Quirks that simply gives a person the features of an animal. Aries has one of those Quirks. His is called Ram, and all it does is give him a ram's horns and back feet, as well as a lot of body hair. Mine has an extra effect, however." He extended the same arm outward. "I can fire the feathers from my arms at will, throwing them like darts at my target." He continued to explain. "That's what my true Quirk is. The raven exterior is merely an addition to it, similar to how George's Quirk is not his dog features but his flammable saliva."
George Asher held up a clenched fist in a symbolic display of respect, which got a few chuckles from the class.
Ravenhead lowered his arms and quickly put the license back into his pocket before the class could start laughing at his awful photo.
"I didn't know Quirks could behave like that." Jared whispered to Maisie. "I mean, I knew they could have additional effects, but I wasn't aware that they could affect your body in multiple ways. I always thought that Ravenhead's Quirk made him look like a Raven. I wonder what other heroes have Quirks that behave this…"
"Shut up." Hissed the boy next to Maisie with a slow, angry whisper. "I'm trying to listen."
To Jared's surprise, he shut up. He said nothing else for about an hour. Maisie wasn't sure why he wasn't talking, and it seemed that he didn't know either. Maybe he was embarrassed for being told off by another student. Whatever the reason, he was now paying attention once more to the lesson. The boy beside her sighed with annoyance, and leaned his elbow upon his desk with his hand upon his face.
"So, Heracles was most famous for the laws he put in place specifying what Heroes were legally allowed to do." Continued Ravenhead, straightening the feathers upon his arm in a routinely careful manner. "As well as creating the Hero License, he also specified what a hero can and cannot do when facing criminals, villains or hazards. I will not go too far into this today, as we'll be studying it in depth during our Quirk Law lesson on Friday." He paused for breath. "However, there was one other thing which Heracles did, that had a greater impact upon our society than creating the Hero Movement. Could anyone tell me what it was?"
There was silence from the class. For the first time, there was no one who could answer him.
Ravenhead shrugged his head. "I wouldn't have expected you to." He admitted. "Unlike his involvement with Hero Laws, this next event is rarely associated with him." He paused for dramatic effect. "Heracles was one of the founders of the London Wall. Not only did he sign for its construction, he helped build it."
The reaction the class had was a mixture of stunned surprise and unsure confusion. Maisie knew about the London Wall, as did every other person in Galafrei, Great Britain, and maybe even Europe. The wall had been built ninety years ago to split the London Region in half. At the time the capital of the country had been in the midst an internal warfare, as the north and south sides began to riot against one another. She wasn't quite sure what the reason had been, but she knew that the fighting was both started by and fuelled by Quirks. In an attempt to regain order, the government had made plans to cordon off the north side with a massive wall. This had happened once before in recent history, during the Russian occupation of Berlin, though that situation had been much different. That incident had been caused by two opposing nations taking control over the city after a missive war, while this incident was caused by drastic infighting from the same country. With the region divided into two, it dissolved and formed into two new, massive cities, constructed upon the now separated region. The half on the south side of the wall became Galafrei, the new capital of England, a city full of money, hope and prosperity, where the Royal Family and Parliamentary buildings sat and ran the country. The north half became known as Scarow, a city of poverty, riots and criminals. Maisie had never been to Scarow, not that she would want to. The wall had been built around the entire city, to keep in the criminal syndicates and villains which had developed inside. She remembered seeing the structure only one. It must have reached a hundred feet into the air, made of solid concrete, tungsten and steel. She had heard before that several of the country's heroes would take up a post upon the wall from time to time, to make sure that no one was trying to climb it. She thought that you would have to be mad to attempt such a thing.
"The wall was built as a way of separating our two cities." Ravenhead continued. "The idea was not founded by Heracles himself, but he was one of the first heroes to support it. As you may guess, there was a lot of controversy involving the subject. Just over half of the heroes at the time agreed to sign for its construction, and within one year the wall was built around the entirety of northern London. At first the wall was made to stop the fighting, though since then it has continued to stand in the hopes that both cities may not clash again. The first time around the entire region was plunged into chaos. Nobody wants that to happen again."
Ravenhead wiped his brow, and put on a smile, hoping to take the subject in a more hopeful and cheerful direction.
"Many heroes spend more time working in Scarow rather than Galafrei. For whatever reason, more dangerous criminals seem to come from within the wall. Which brings us to the second topic of our lesson today."
He turned towards the whiteboard, and with a black marker pen he jotted down a series of words. The pen squeaked upon the board, and several students winced at the sound. After a moment the teacher turned back to his class and stood to the side of the board so that his students may read it. He read the words aloud.
"Quirk Danger Levels." He declared, pointing the pen underneath the title, underlining it with a swift movement. Underneath the title he had made a series of bullet points.
"Each and every country has its own way of categorizing the many types of Quirks" Ravenhead continued to explain, tapping the thick pen lid against the tip of his beak. "Here in the UK, we have a system that categorises Quirks by the danger they pose to the public. There are six categories in total, each with its own specific descriptions and requirements, ranging between the numbers zero to five. The higher the number, the more dangerous the Quirk."
He began scrawling a word beside the first bullet point. When he pulled away, the board now read 'Quirk Danger Levels. Type: 0.'
"Can anyone tell me what the definition is for a Type Zero Quirk?" Ravenhead asked. There was a small show of hands from several seats in the front two rows. One of them was Lavender, though Ravenhead chose to give another student a chance to speak. Instead he picked the reptile girl in the seat in front of Jared. "Yes, Rylie." He said, pointing towards her.
The girl stood up, almost slapping Jared in the face with her tail. She didn't seem at all put off by the twenty five pairs of eyes staring at her, including those that belonged to Ravenhead and the ghostly Mitchell. In fact it seemed she quite liked the attention as she was smiling smugly and her tail was swinging eagerly from side to side. Jared had to duck to avoid it.
"Type Zero Quirks are Quirks that risk no chance of causing harm to any person. They are usually mild in nature and often cosmetic, posing no possibility of accidental or purposeful injury to another individual."
"Very good. You can sit down now." Ravenhead said in praise.
As Rylie sat down once more, Ravenhead began writing a series of notes besides the bullet points. Next to the bullet point of Type Zero Quirks now read the notes 'Non-Hazardous, Cosmetic, Mild, Harmless.'
"Type Zero Quirks are especially unique, as very few of them exist." Ravenhead explained as he turned back to the class. "In order for a Quirk to classify as a Type Zero it has to be completely benign, offering no possibility of even slightly grazing another person. Usually Quirks come with all sorts of unique complications. Fire breath runs the risk of causing burns to another person or yourself, enhanced strength could easily lead someone to accidentally bruise another, heightened speed could lead to tripping accidents, and so on. More often than not, a Type Zero Quirk will only affect the way someone looks. An example of a Type Zero Quirk would be one that made a person's skin change colour, or gave them an extra finger. Does anybody here know if their Quirk is classified as a Type Zero?"
Only one hand arose from the class. The hand of the boy with the moth wings. The class looked at him with mild surprise.
"It's not especially common for individuals with Type Zero Quirks to become heroes." Ravenhead told them. "Usually because the Quirk isn't especially useful for fighting crime, stopping crimes or rescuing civilians. In your case, Payton, Moth Wings would indeed be useful for all three of those things. Could you explain why your Quirk is a Type Zero?"
The moth boy, Payton, stood up. "My wings are not sturdy enough to harm anyone nor strong enough to let me fly high or carry anyone while flying. If I were to strike another person with them, it would be like whipping them with a thin sheet."
Maisie hadn't been expecting him to speak with such a strong, upper class accent. He looked so normal that it was surprising to her to think of him as a rich boy. From the back of the class Mitchell gave a small mocking snigger, but Payton payed him no attention.
"Thank you." Ravenhead said, and gestured for the boy to sit. "As explained, the Quirk itself poses no threat to any person. However, this rule does not apply to animals or plant life. For example, there is a hero called Overgrowth, whose Quirk acts like a pesticide, killing any plants he touches. His Quirk only effects plants however, and has no effect on humans or animals, and as such is registered as a Type Zero Quirk. He currently works in the Forest of Dean as a recovery hero, rescuing lost campers and preventing accidents from falling trees." He raised a curious finger. "What is lesser known about this category is that, while they have no Quirks themselves, Quirkless individuals are placed into this category when registered. If you were to look through a file of citizens within the country, you would see that all Quirkless citizens are labelled as having a Type Zero Quirk."
A few pairs of eyes turned to look at Jared, who lowered his head, not wanting the attention. At first Maisie hasn't known how tough it was being Quirkless, but within only a day at the academy she had seen enough to understand. Jared stood out like a sore thumb among a crowd of sparkling, glistening, golden thumbs. Though the looks he was getting were not those of hate or despise, as Jared had suggested. To her, they looked more like glances of apathy, as if they knew he was there but could not see him. Instead they saw a space where something should be, something which could be like them but had not made it there yet.
"Of course, an individual with a Type Zero Quirk is still capable of causing harm to others…" Ravenhead continued after a moment. "… People have been hurting each other long before Quirks were ever discovered… but in the case of a Type Zero Quirk the Quirk does nothing to increase this chance." He spun back around to face the board. "Which is where the category above comes in."
He jotted down the title of the next tier Quirk.
"Type One." He read aloud, as the pen finished spreading the black lines upon the whiteboard. "Similar to the level below it, Type One Quirks are harmless in themselves. The user will not be able to use the Quirk to directly harm others. However, the repercussions of using the Quirk could cause unforeseen or accidental injury. For example, an individual with a Quirk that allows them to shout at a high pitch wouldn't be able to directly hurt someone with their Quirk, but in using it they could do damage to their eardrums. This would make their Quirk a Type One and not a Type Zero. Even if the harm they could cause is small or unlikely, the fact that it could happen makes it a Type One. Does anyone in this room have a Type One Quirk?"
Most of the class were unresponsive, though one figure on the far left end of the front row did raise their hand. A boy with short blonde hair, dressed from top to bottom in pale brown clothing. He stood up quickly, and with a flamboyant, dramatic and mildly French accent, began explaining his Quirk.
"My Quirk, which is called Rubber, makes my skin behave like rubber. It insulates electricity and allows any blunt objects that hits me to bounce back off. As well as this, I can also use it to jump very high and continuously upon any body part." He turned and winked at the class. "And I mean… any body part."
There was a small groan of disgust from the class as to what that comment suggested. Ravenhead blinked in surprised.
"Well… thank you for that, Jean. You may sit down now."
The boy stood standing for a few seconds longer before taking his Teacher's advice. After that unusual display, Ravenhead continued with the lesson.
"The next category above this is referred to as Type Two, the most commonly placed category for Quirks. They're the easiest to designate, as unlike the other categories Type Two Quirks are simple and obvious to define. A Type Two Quirk is one that the owner has complete control over, and is capable of being used to harm others but only if the user wishes. I imagine that most of you in here have a Type Two Quirk. My Quirk also falls into this category, as it can be used to hurt people but only if I want it to."
While he had been talking, Ravenhead had also been jotting down further notes upon the board. Beside the second bullet point was written 'Type: 1 – Accidental Injury, Mostly Benign, Docile'. The bullet point below that had written 'Type: 2 – Most common Quirk Type, Controllable, Normal.' Next to the fourth bullet point Ravenhead had started to write down a new set of words. 'Type: 3'
"Type Three Quirks differ from Type Twos in only one area. Type Three Quirks are either difficult to control or impossible to control. The user of a Type Three Quirk will be unable to control it freely in the way that a Type Two Quirk can, though they may have the ability to manipulate it to a certain extent. I don't imagine many of you here have a Type Three Quirk, though I suspect that those of you who do already know the sort of difficulties it can bring." Ravenhead paused, and focused his dark eyes upon a student at the back row. "Mr Anderson, since you're so eager to join in, why don't you enlighten us upon the fun of having a Type Three Quirk?"
The entirety of the class turned sharply around, all to focus their eyes upon the startled, half-asleep young man and his ghostly twin. Tate sat up sharply, whipping his head backwards of the table where he had been resting it, and stared back at them with the petrified expression of a student who had not been paying attention and had just been called out for it.
"What did you call me?" Mitchell said with an offended look at the teacher. "I'm no Type Three! I'm not diabetic!" There was a quiet chuckle from the class, but most of its members didn't as much as blink.
"Seeing as how your Quirk appears to be a blatant case of Type Three, I though you may be able to detail the sorts of problems that can come from having a power you cannot completely control." Ravenhead explained with raised feathery eyebrows. "Take your time. We can wait."
Tate was visibly growing agitated. He had the entire class's attention. Maisie was sat looking right into his face, and he was staring back at her, looking ready to crack with anxiety.
"Well, uh..." he muttered awkwardly. "I suppose... uh..." he stopped, taking a deep breath to compose himself. "Living with Mitchell is like having Tourette's. He randomly blurts out whatever he's thinking, and makes me look like an idiot."
There was a slightly larger laugh this time, which made Tate feel more reassured. Mitchell was not at all please, however.
"Thanks for throwing me under the bus." He muttered coldly in his sibling's ear.
Ravenhead nodded at the twins. "Thanks you, Tate." He said respectfully. "That was very insightful."
He coughed quietly and returned to discussing the subject of the lesson.
"Type Three Quirks can sometimes come in a personality form, like Mitchell, though more often they appear to be like any normal Type Two Quirk, only without the user's ability to control it. A good example would be my fellow teacher and hero, Dubstep. As he explained yesterday, he creates vibrations within the tips of his fingers whenever he talks, yet he cannot prevent this from happening. This small detail is what elevates his Quirk from a Type Two to a Type Three."
An inquisitive hand shot up. "Mr. Victorsson?" Asked a Scottish girl from the end of the third row. She was rather short compared to most of the other students.
"Yes, Melanie?" Ravenhead said.
"I was wondering if you could classify my Quirk." She asked.
Ravenhead furrowed his brow in thought. "Remind me, what was your Quirk again?" He asked.
"Adaptability."
Ravenhead nodded. "Oh yes. The ability to alter your body to survive in any environment, I remember."
Melanie sat up in her seat and nodded affirmatively. "I'm a bit unsure which category it would fall into." She explained. "I can't really use my Quirk to hurt other people, but I also don't really have any control over it. I develop gills when swimming, fur when in cold weather and dark skin in harsh sunlight and heat, and this happens whether I want it to or not. I'm not sure if it would be a Type Two or a Type Three Quirk."
Ravenhead thought for a moment. He tapped a talon against his lower beak. "Do you know if your Quirk is capable of hurting people?" He asked eventually.
"I've never used it for that." She admitted. "But I did once accidentally bruise someone with a fin."
"Then it would actually be a Type One Quirk." Ravenhead deduced. "The deciding factor is the danger it poses to others. Being unable to control how or when your Quirk activates is a side effect when it comes to Type One and Zero Quirks. If your Quirk could directly hurt people it would be a Type Three, without a doubt."
Melanie nodded in understanding, and sat back into her chair.
"I should probably clarify..." added Ravenhead. "If you are not already aware, you can visit any doctor or Quirk specialist in the country and have them diagnose your Quirk Danger Level for you. It's a free procedure and it saves time from having to figure it out for yourself."
Several of the students in the class took note of this. Maisie was one of them. She had never had an official diagnosis of her Quirk, though she doubted it would reach a higher category than Type Two. The thought was making her curious. She would visit the doctor that weekend to have it checked out.
"As I've already said, Quirks are registered by the level of danger they present to the user and to those around them." Ravenhead clarified further. "Though the registry method is a bit more detailed than just acknowledging whether a Quirk can cause harm to someone. It is impossible to completely remove the fatality risk from any situation. A Type One Quirk can still cause a fatal injury, and even individuals classified as Type Zero or Quirkless are capable of murder. Our government is very aware of this, and so when they were developing the Quirk Danger Level system they took this fact into consideration. If they had not, there would be only four danger levels."
He paused, and a solemn expression spread across his face. Maisie wondered what is was that he was about to say. Before he had seemed so jovial and light-hearted towards the subject, but now that had all gone.
Ravenhead lowered his head and continued. "The last two levels left to discuss vary from the two before in one massive way. Type Four and Type Five Quirks are capable of killing a person. Not only that, if a Quirk from either of these categories is used it is practically a guarantee that someone will die."
The class was silent with curiosity. Ravenhead took a moment to gather his thoughts and clear his throat. The subject he was about to discuss was evidently a heavy one, as he was treating it with such seriousness.
"The reason that these two additional categories exist is to help the government keep an eye on individuals that may pose a threat to the general public." He went on to explain. "Without them, there would people many more cases of manslaughter or murder across the country, and many more attempted crimes or successful crimes. By introducing these two categories, we have been successful in cutting crime by sixty-five percent."
He paused to make notes upon the whiteboard. Upon the final two bullet points he had written 'Type: 4' and 'Type: 5'. Beside Type Four he had written the words 'Often Fatal, Dangerous, Controllable.'
"Type Four Quirks are known as Hazardous Quirks, and, while they are uncommon, they are a massive threat to the general public. For this reason any individual born with such a Quirk has to be constantly monitors, and if the police believe that the individual is planning to use their Quirk on another person, they are permitted to have them arrested. Type Four Quirks may appear to be Type Two Quirks upon first glance, yet it is the level of lethality which they possess which truly makes them dangerous. Many villains and mass murderers to rise within the last hundred years had a Type Four Quirk. Though there are those capable of hiding their Quirk, making it seem more benign than it actually is. Because of this, anybody learning the art of heroism has to remember one very important rule." He raised a finger "Never, under any circumstances, attack a villain before you know how their Quirk works. If you cannot trick them into using it, or figure out its effect through watching them, then it's possible they may be hiding its capabilities. If your target turns out to be hiding a Type Four Quirk up their sleeve, then it could very quickly become the end of your career. A dead hero is no good to anyone, and if you make that mistake you'll certainly become one."
The girl with the claw hand raised it. "Mr. Victorsson?" She asked.
"Yes?"
"Have you ever fought a criminal with a Type Four Quirk?"
Ravenhead nodded sadly. "Many."
"Have you even seen someone die while fighting a Type Four Quirk?"
There was a pause. Ravenhead looked at the floor, his dark eyes misting over very slightly. Maisie almost didn't notice it, yet it seemed that he was mourning something.
"Yes." He admitted. "Yes, I have."
The class was in silence over this subject. It seemed that Ravenhead was not especially happy about discussing such a macabre concept with them. He looked up, gave a small sniff, and continued on. From the look on his face, the lesson would not be getting any happier.
"There are some in our society who complain about the lack of privacy Type Four Quirk individuals get. It may seem inhumane, but keeping our eyes upon these individuals it what helps to keep us all safe at night. If we heroes were to ignore such dangerous individuals we would therefore be responsible for all the deaths they caused, purposefully or by accident. While individuals with Type Four Quirks may not have as much privacy as others, they are at least allowed to walk the streets freely, provided there is someone nearby to keep a watch them at all times. They are allowed to live a normal life, have a normal job and own a home, like any other person. Sadly this is not a privilege given to individuals with Type Five Quirks."
Not one student moved as Ravenhead paused to breath. The teacher didn't even turn to add words to the whiteboard. He had their complete and utter attention, and they had his.
"The difference between a Type Four and Type Five Quirks is the same as the difference between a Type Two and Type Three Quirk." Ravenhead told them with a foreboding glare. "Like with Type Three Quirks, the question is a matter of control. An individual with a Type Five Quirk will either have limited or no control over their power. The little control they do have may be able to effect when the Quirk activated or who it harms, but they can never completely control it. This lack of control is the main factor in why Type Five Quirks are considered the most dangerous kind of Quirk. Because of how dangerous these Quirks naturally are, most, if not all individuals with a Type Five Quirk are heavily observed by the police. Some are kept in solitary confinement for most of their lives, while others are allowed some small amount of freedom, though this comes with many restrictions. They cannot live in crowded areas, they cannot go to school, they cannot take jobs, they cannot start families, and some of them aren't even allowed to leave their own homes. The restrictions they may face depends upon the behaviour of their Quirk and the procedures needed to contain it. As unfortunate as this all may be, this is for the safety of others. Type Five Quirks are very rare, yet always lethal."
The class was silent. It seemed that nobody, not even Mitchell, had anything to say about this matter. Those who had not already known about it were reeling in shock, and the few who evidently did were still horrified by it. Maisie felt a shiver run down her spine. There were Quirks that were capable of killing people that easily? Not just that, there were Quirks that could kill people and could not be controlled? She suddenly felt a little uncomfortable with the idea of being around so many individuals with Quirks.
"It is important to remember that part of a hero's job is protection." Their teacher reminded the class. "While Type Four and Type Five Quirks are very dangerous, often the individuals with such Quirks want to avoid harming others as best they can. Please do not seek out these individuals to antagonise or harm them. Broadhurst Heroism Academy has the goal of offering anyone with the capacity of becoming a hero a chance to become one, even those with Type Five Quirks. For this reason, the school has taken on two of these individuals as students."
The entire classes gasped in shock. Maisie was no less surprised than any of them. It was strange that a teacher would talk about the most dangerous category of Quirk a person could have, only to then add that there were two of these individuals in the room with them. That paranoia which had begun to build in her mind sharply bloomed into a flower of mistrust.
"Are we safe with them around?" Asked the Asian boy with the glasses.
"Perfectly safe." Ravenhead explained. "Their Quirks have no area of effect, and these students know their restrictions. As long as they are careful and follow their safety procedures none of you should come to any harm because of them."
"Why would the academy allow this?" Jason demanded, looking stunned at what his teacher had said. "If their Quirks are uncontrollable and capable of killing people, then surely every one of us is in danger while they are here."
"Both of these students are aware of their Quirk and the effects and limits it has." Ravenhead reassured him. "Though both of them have asked me to not disclose their names with any of you. I am obligated by law to discuss the subject and point out that there are students at this academy with Type Four and Five Quirks, but we teachers already have a system set up to make sure that no one comes to harm while they study here."
"If we don't know their names, how are we supposed to avoid them?" Jason asks. "What if their Quirk goes off and kills one of us. How would we know who to avoid before it happened?"
"Jason, I understand your concern, but please calm down." Ravenhead said in as relaxed a voice as he could manage. The class was starting to panic, and he was unsure how to deal with it. "Madam Broadhurst, Mr. Morse, Mr. Mikhaelov and I have already discussed this matter in detail, and put into place several failsafe's should such an incident occur. If their Quirks should take effect, we teachers will be able to stop any harm befalling any students. Please do not panic, everything is under control."
The students look at one another, distrustful and frightened. Not just one, but two students among them were capable of killing with their Quirk. Maisie had to admit that she was unable to stay calm with this concept in her mind. She could feel the paranoid thoughts bubbling within her brain. But at the same time she also felt a small spark of observant curiosity. If a member of their class had a Type Five Quirk, then surely everyone would have already noticed. If such Quirks were uncontrollable, would they not have noticed one going off?
She glanced back towards the still angry and petrified Jason Jones, and noticed sat to his left was a boy in a black gothic dress. She had not paid him attention before, but now with the state of paranoia that the class was experiencing she found that her eyes were fixating upon every detail of every students. The boy had his head lowered, his fringe of black hair drooping over his eyebrows. Evidently he had noticed her looking at him, and he was trying not to meet her gaze. He covered his face with a pair of leather gloved hands and placed his head on the table.
Maisie was not usually the sort of person to be suspicious of other people, but something about the boy was off-putting. It was not his dress sense, nor his shyness, as she was not one to judge him for either. It was something about his eyes. For a mere moment she had seen them, shinning blue like a brilliant sapphire. They reflected so much pain, so much self-hatred, and so much grief. Maisie had wanted to stop looking the moment she had seen them, yet they were so terrifyingly captivating. She was unable to look away, not until his had covered his face and broken her gaze.
Maisie turned back around, as Ravenhead did what he could to regain control over the class and restore quiet and order. Jared tapped her on the shoulder, and gave her a nervous look.
"Notice anyone off?" He asked with curiosity, his voice having now returned. Whatever had been preventing him from talking was seemingly gone. It appeared that he too was unnerved by the suggestion of a dangerous student within their class.
For a moment Maisie thought about suggesting the gothic boy, but she didn't think that would be right. As Ravenhead had told them, these students didn't want their names to be known, most likely because they knew that the class would avoid them if they did. Even if that boy wasn't one of those students, if the class came to believe that he was they would ostracize him in fear. She didn't want to be the person to suggest it, and possibly lead to that student being avoided and antagonized.
"No." She lied, giving him a nervous shrug.
Jared shrugged back. "Me neither." He admitted. "Most people here seem pretty harmless… except maybe Tate and Mitchell." He added in a whisper.
Thankfully the twins did not hear him, and a few moments later Ravenhead was speaking up once more.
"Well, I believe we are out of time for today." He announced, as the class returned to a more quiet state. "For next week's lesson I would like you all to do some further research upon the subjects of Original Heroes and Quirk Danger Levels. I will be asking you all to give me an example of one of these heroes and which category their Quirk fell into. We will continue to look further into the History of Quirks and Heroes after that." He paused, and then clicked his finger. "And also remember that, after lunch, we will be having our first official PE lesson. Aries wanted to start testing your physical endurance, so I would suggest not stuffing yourselves with food in the cafeteria."
The class began to rise from their seats, packing their bags in a hurry to leave through the door. Maisie had not written much within her notebook. She had spent most of the lesson listening to Ravenhead's words with fascination, and had forgotten to write any of it down. Jared had written a tone of notes into his book already, though he had also scribbled a few small doodles upon the edge of the page.
"Our first Academy meal." Jared said to her as they walked to the door. "The most exciting part of the day."
She laughed quietly at him, though her laughter was more nervous than usual. Maisie found herself wondering about the gothic boy once more. She didn't know why, but something about him seemed wrong.