Welcome to Year Three! Coincidentally, as I'm typing this AN and chapter, I start my year three is less than a week. So, let's get started since this year has a lot. It'll possibly be longer than the previous two years. (As I'm publishing, I end my third year in a few weeks. Wow).

Year Three: That SO is Theirs

Xavier: Everyone on our floor is asking where you are.

Ashton: Driving to campus.

Xavier: Please tell me you're not texting and driving.

Ashton: Relax, I'm on the Pennsylvania-Ohio border.

Ashton: NOT texting and driving. I'm taking a break.

Xavier: I should've bought you a plane ticket.

Ashton: I've known you for three years and that's the first time you're offering that. I've been driving to campus for three years.

Ashton: THREE. YEARS.

Xavier: Maybe next time.

Ashton: I'm leaving now just so I could come to campus sooner and kick your ass.

Xavier: If you manage that, then I'll buy you a plane ticket for when you go home on Thanksgiving.

-o-

Atlantic Residence - 12:45 PM

Upper years and recent graduates have told them that third year was their favourite year. It was when they could move on from theories and basic training and experiments with reports because now's when the fun starts. Sparring, inventions, weaponry, field training, aviation techniques - all the best. But it's also the year where things change. People come and go, and everyone learns something new about everyone including themselves, most things they would rather not know.

Most cadets leave the Academy at the end of this year, not wanting to or qualified for graduation. For some of them, they had another path in mind but for others, it wasn't by choice.

But for now, Angela and Merida have finished unpacking their dorm. It's had the same layout as the last two years. Angela has a side, Merida has the other, and they have a common section with a beanbag chair. The only differences are small like new clothes and a mess of textbooks and new workout uniforms since their old ones were worn out during the past two years.

"I've been looking for you!"

That booming voice nearly sends Angela and Merida to the ground. They almost drop the belongings in their hands as they're both grabbed into a strangling hug. Angela and Merida try to squirm out but cooperate when they see that it's Brody.

"You could've called," Angela said.

"I can't hug you over the phone," Brody says, letting them go.

Before they could say they're grateful for that since a Brody hug from over the phone would've definitely killed them, Orchid skids in front of their open door. Based on her abrupt stop, it seems like she ran here.

"My girls and my man!" Orchid screams before tackling the three of them in a giant hug.

Brody hugs Orchid back while wrangling Angela and Merida. The two girls try to escape but now they have Orchid and Brody holding on to them. It's not that they don't appreciate the hug but they appreciate being able to breathe. However dying in this hug would be a great way to go, especially since Brody kissed the tops all their heads.

"Are you two in the mysterious Gift of Fear class?" Angela asks.

"We both are," Brody responds, still holding on to them tightly. "Are you?"

"So are we, Xavier, Ashton, and our Sci-Nerd friends," Merida responds, trying to find an escape route from this hug. There were different sections for that course but they all shared the same allotted time.

"What a party!" Orchid exclaims.

"But the course seems sketchy," Angela states. "It's mandatory for every cadet, no confirmed prof, no course information or syllabus, and upper years say it changes annually so even they can't tell us anything."

"I've heard it's a scary course," Brody adds, "hence the ominous name."

"Scarier than learning how to beat each other up and fire weapons?" Orchid asks rhetorically. "Sounds like home sweet home to me."

-o-

Edison Residence - 12:58 PM

Daniel exits his door after finishing unpacking and walks down his floor's hallway. He catches glimpses of who his neighbours are, seeing them settle in. Some people are new faces but he recognizes most of them from past classes, the Boiler Room, the library, or random classes or laboratories. Daniel passes their common area, walking by the kitchen to see a group of boys reorganizing the fridge to make sure their items get space.

"Idiots can't afford a mini-fridge."

Daniel turns and sees Keith beside him, looking down at his phone. He wasn't sure if Keith even knew he was there or just said that thought aloud.

"Please tell me your Sci-Ops class is Wednesday and Friday mornings," Daniel says.

Keith glances up and removes a headphone. He definitely didn't notice Daniel there but he grins amicably. "My summer was great, Daniel, thanks for asking. And I'm pretty sure. Why?"

"Because I'm in that class and was curious. I've asked around and all I got were people I barely know."

"And why should I care if I'm in your class?"

"Because since James is in Operations, he won't be there."

Keith lights up and instantly searches for his timetable on his phone. When he pulls it up and zooms in, he and Daniel sigh relieved that they share that course.

Keith pats Daniel's shoulder. "Bless your soul. What about this weird Gift of Fear class? That time?"

"Yes," Daniel responds.

"With James?"

"Yes."

"Goddammit. Please don't tell him."

"I won't."

"Bless your soul."

-o-

Academy Courtyard - 13:17 PM

The SA Babes, as deemed by their group chat name, met up in the Academy Courtyard. Despite seeing each other for a good portion of their summers with Emily as well, it was weird reconnecting on campus. It felt like they didn't see each other as much. Well, they didn't hang out as much as they did in high school, where they nearly saw each other every day for most of the day and weekends too. But now? Now they were in their third year in the Academy. The year where they were told everything changes although they already felt that and have felt it since graduation.

But they met to see who their SOs were together.

They sit in the circle of benches, opening their emails on their phones with the sound of people arriving and unpacking around them.

"This email is taking forever to load," Merida grumbles, moving her arm around to see if she can pick up a better internet connection since she's connected to the Academy's network rather than her data. "Someone read me theirs."

"It's a generic one," Xavier responds, "go to your student account."

"Come on!" Merida yells, having already wasted so much time and battery loading the email.

"Please tell me the system is slow for everyone else," Angela says.

"Everyone must be logging on to see their SO," Daniel suggests.

Everyone shows their phone screens to show the same loading page.

"Screw this," James says, turning on his data. His page loads up in seconds. "I'm on. Someone tell me where to go because I've never used this system in my life."

"Under graduation path," Daniel says.

Everyone mutters those steps once their pages load and they reach that step. As they scroll, looking for the next link, they wait again.

"Yes!" Angela exclaims, nearly jumping off the bench in near excitement. "Agent Bonnie Moore!"

"Who?" Her friends ask, making Angela frown at them.

"I'm offended. She's legendary."

"Did we meet her when we were younger?" Xavier asks. "Because that won't help since I barely remember those agents."

Angela rolls her eyes. "We learned about her in class. We were told she was doing undercover work and has been at her post for months. She must've gotten back recently. I didn't think she was at the Academy. Did yours load yet?"

Xavier glances down at his phone and his face drops. "Agent Amory Vander."

Angela, Merida, and James hold back their laughs and pity remarks. Xavier has a blank yet crestfallen why me? Of course, it's me face. Xavier didn't have any preferences on whom his SO would be. None of them did (except Merida who hoped it would be a prof she didn't hate with all her guts).

"Who?" Daniel asks.

"Head academic strategist of Operations."

"Ah," Daniel nods, "so the Director of Operations' right-hand man."

"He regulates the dorm inspections at Atlantic and Hudson and organizes Camp SHIELD. I've never met him since he mostly teaches graduating classes or is doing administrative work, but we've heard he's a real hard-ass."

"Oh wow, I'm so sorry."

"He's perfect for you," James comments, getting a death glare from Xavier. "What? You got the head of Camp. You could be sent back to Camp SHIELD as a counsellor."

Xavier groans, sliding down the bench with his phone flat on his chest. Forget having a tough SO, the possibility of being sent back to that hellhole is a potential nightmare. "Someone tell me their SO."

Daniel glances at his phone and sees that his page loaded while Xavier was internally crying. "Dr. Violet Byrne-Vargas."

James gasps. "Lucky! I heard she's been to space!"

"Who?" Angela, Xavier, and Merida ask.

Daniel smiles. He's excited about his SO. "Head professor of nuclear engineering and associate prof in astronomy." That answer doesn't clear any confusion.

"You might go to space!" James yells, more excited about Dr. Byrne-Vargas than Daniel.

"I doubt that. She might make me do another express Ph.D. in any of her expertise."

Daniel shrugs. He was thinking of doing another one anyways. A lot of his classmates were working on their second already.

"I got bored listening to that," Merida says. She looks at her phone and it's still loading so she glances at James. "Do you think you got an Operations prof or Sci-Tech?"

James shrugs before looking at his phone. "I was hoping for one I can vibe with … and I don't have one."

"Wow, you really don't know how to use your account," Xavier states. "It's right there under supervising officer."

"First no Ph.D. and now no SO," Angela says before smiling a little, "that's really something, babe. Not impressive, but something."

James shows them his phone where it doesn't give a name for a supervising officer but an email to contact. Once they see that James wasn't kidding, he takes his phone back and starts writing an email (another Academy-given application he rarely uses. He opened it and saw so many unread and overdue emails).

"Finally! I'm on!" Merida exclaims as she starts scrolling. Her face is laced with anticipation but then it contorts in anger and she screams in agony, wanting to throw her phone across campus. "This has to be a mistake!"

"What is it?" Angela asks.

"My SO is in Communications!"

Her friends are silent before laughing at her. Merida doesn't laugh along.