Spoiler free summary of this chapter: Aced needs friends. Good thing OCs and Single Parent AUs exist! Also, credit to Elizabeth Cotten for 'Shake Sugaree' because it's a super nice song to wistfully sing to your self when you feel down.

Thank you for reading!

Aced wasn't an idiot; he knew he had been placed in the proverbial dog house for the past month. He and Ira refused to look each other in the eye. Invi would just barely look at him, her scrutinizing eye glaring at him for another screw up. Gula and Ava seemed to have forgiven him- but there was still the fear of him lashing out again. They didn't say it, but he could feel it.

The only witness who seemed to have completely forgave and forgotten what Aced had done was Ephemer. But even then, Aced could still feel the boy's discomfort when Aced raised his voice. And he tried really hard not to; he could face a lifetime of rejection, as long as it didn't come from a kid he liked. Unfortunately, Ephemer was the only kid Aced truly liked- even more so than the students of Aced's own house. It was awful, and pathetic, but it didn't change the situation any.

This wouldn't have happened if he hadn't had lost his temper. He had gone to tell his house not to interrupt the Unicornis debates, and yet some smart aleck did anyway. In all honestly, the stunt had likely been prepared some time in advance. The Moogle that was once operated the school store admitted to having sold several firecrackers to students over the past month or so, and that was when all Aced saw was red. He threw that Moogle out Invi's office, he almost ripped its head off, and when Ira tried to get Aced to cool down, Aced had punched him square in the jaw.

He needed to get out and do something. Anything was better than just sitting here and moping about his own temper problems.

The headmaster looked over at the calendar. March 29. Sunday. This was the week that the Vulpes house was holding their open mic night. Wearily, he then turned his head to the nearest clock. He had enough time to make it. Would Ava even be at the auditorium? The special activities each house had was typically all student lead- the headmasters themselves had little to do with it. Maybe he could convince a student to come with him, like Ephemer, or one of Ephemer's friends.

Who was Ephemer even friends with now anyway?

Aced buried his face in his hands and groaned. He really needed to take a page out of Ephemer's book and try to make friends at the drop of a hat. Maybe he wouldn't fell so alone if he did. How many friends did he have outside of the other headmasters and Ephemer? None, that's how many.

"I really need to get out of this office." Aced grumbled to himself. And with that, he forced himself up off his chair and started to head out the door.

A part of him felt like he was sleepwalking as he headed to the auditorium. This month had honestly been so much of a blur; being under a scrutinized eye tended to do that, he believed. His mind didn't even quite register when he entered the auditorium and sat down on one of the plush seats. Aced dimly looked around the room as some last minute preparations were made; students adjusting the lights, another was making sure the microphone was properly connected, and a few others were eagerly waiting to be the first to show off their various acts of the night.

"Well, hello there stranger." a kind voice said to Aced, causing him to jump a little in surprise. He looked up to see the school's music director. April, was it? April Tremaine. She was older than him, but was about Ava's height. Small, thin, and looking like she could snap in two if hugged the wrong way- that was April Tremaine.

"Good evening Ms. Tremaine." Aced greeted, sounding far more worn out than he anticipated. "Do you mind if I sit in on open mic night?"

"Not at all!" the woman smiled. "Anyone's allowed to go up there if they feel like it- even us teachers."

Something in Aced ignited with a minuscule hope.

"Can I?" he immediately asked. April raised a neatly manicured eyebrow in -what appeared to be- amusement.

"Of course!" she agreed, grinning at him. "I'm MC-ing tonight, so I'll pencil you in."

"Thank you Ms. Tremaine."

"Not a problem, honey." came the genuine reply. Aced smiled at her. He didn't know much about the music director, baring the fact that she had also attended Daybreak Academy back in the day. If memory served, she also had a child attending the school now. But he couldn't remember if it was a boy or a girl, or even what their name was.

Aced gave a sigh as the first act started to go on stage. He tried to relax, trying to understand these kids with voices not as great as they thought, but there was just something nagging at him. Just as the thought came to him, Tremaine was announcing for him to come up on stage. The defeated bear made his way up to the stage and took his place at the microphone.

'These kids aren't even going to know this song…' he bitterly thought to himself. But then again, the song wasn't exactly from his generation either. Aced gave Tremaine a small nod, signaling that he was ready. She then nodded back, giving the kids in charge of the sound system the cue to keep the microphone powered on. Half singing, half monologuing, Aced started the song.

"Have a little song, won't take long. Sing it right, once or twice. Oh lordy me, didn't I shake sugaree? Everything I've got is done and pawned..."

As Aced droned the lyrics to the best of his ability, he didn't feel any better. If there was any good side to humiliating himself, it was that no one was really paying attention to him. Would he even be able to recognize the students in his house? What did it matter if they saw him here? Might even teach them some humility.

"Chew my tobacco, spit my juice. We'd raise Cain but it ain't no bit of use. Oh lordy me, didn't I shake sugaree? Everything I've got is done and pawned. Everything I've got is done and pawned. Everything I've got… is done and pawned..."

With the song concluded, Aced took a small step away from the mic. He gave the audience a weak smile before stepping down from the stage. As Aced got off the stage, there were only five students giving moderate applause. Not bad. He didn't expect anyone to clap for him.

He didn't even see the happy thumbs up Tremaine was giving him. Instead, he sat right back down in the seat he was in before. This time, however, there was a girl with carrot-red hair with two low pigtails sitting in the seat next to him. Aced was quick to notice that the girl tensed as he sat down. It bothered him so much that he turned at her, and asked without thinking;

"Tell me- am I really that unapproachable?"

At first, the girl could do nothing but stare at him in shock. It eventually turned into one more conflicted.

"Those who eat with the devil should have a long spoon." she decided in a rather quiet voice. At Aced's bewildered expression, she clarified; "It's easier to be cautious when you don't know how someone will react. You are… an unpredictable headmaster. You try to keep to yourself, but you are still loyal to your students. The members of Ursus tend to do reckless things because they know you would back them up. N-not in a mean way, or anything! They respect you because you respect them. They trust you because you would fight tooth and nail for them if you could. Even if you were the least approachable headmaster, you still have one of the biggest hearts."

For a moment, the only response Aced could give was a blank stare.

"Is that really how you feel?"

With a small gulp, the girl nodded.

"What house are you in?"

The girl averted her eyes. "Vulpes."

"Of course you are." he sighed. "Ava's house has always been filled with blunt, but kind, kids like you."

And with that, Aced relaxed a little as the rest of the open mic night went on. Strelitzia, on the other hand, was so confused that she refused to look at anything. Had she been too blunt? Geez, she wouldn't have done that two months ago, that's for sure. But still, what was all that about...?