"Oh man… Science final is tomorrow?" Eijiro said.
"You guys have known about it for weeks. What exactly have you been doing?" Leonora asked them.
"They've probably been goofing off." Soul said.
"What about you? We haven't seen you studying." Denki said.
"Heh. Studying is for chumps too slow to do an easy way out. Me...I got a system." Soul said.
"Let me guess, you have the answers in your headband again?" Maka asked.
"Nope...my entire body is covered in cheat sheets. You gotta work smarter, not harder." Soul said.
"No one likes a showoff you know." Ruenheid said.
"Hey...you all just enjoy the test by studying all night while I take knowledge in the fact...I'm gonna easily pass tomorrow." Soul said.
"By the way Ming, can I just say that we're jealous of you? You got to talk to Venusmon, the Goddess of Love and Virtue." Hope said.
"I was looking for a way to get David to notice my affections, and it just led to all of that. I didn't expect the turn of events at all." Ming said.
"Well we're glad everything turned out well." Kohaku said.
"So guys, did you hear the news Sissi gave me and Odd yet?" Ulrich asked.
"When does Sissi ever give news worth listening to?" Lacy asked.
"Rarely probably." Lin said.
"About that party that's gonna be thrown in the gymnasium. Yeah, I've heard about that." Kaede said.
"I'm actually surprised Sissi managed that. Then again, her dad is the Principal of the school." Hope said. "Wait, you can't have a party without music. Who's gonna be the DJ?"
"Doesn't matter. No attending if we don't pass." Eijiro said.
"Well that means we have to study hard unlike "Mr. Cool" here. If we want to go." Aluche said referring to Soul.
"You'd best Keep an Eye on Black Star too, Tsubaki." Maka said. "Wouldn't want him to experience another painful lesson in stealing the test answers like with Professor Stein."
"I guess it wasn't pretty huh?" Lin asked.
"They bombed it...hard." Maka said.
"Like people always say. "Cheaters never win"." Simon quoted.
"Amen to that, good sir." Francisca said.
"You people have no idea what you're talking about." Soul said.
The next day…
During the finals, Soul was standing in front of the class in his underwear as his clothes were confiscated.
"You sure this is all of them?" Vector asked.
"Why? You want my underwear too?" Soul shouted.
"Just take your seat." Vector said as Soul returned.
"Like I said." Simon whispered to himself.
"(Idiot)". Ruenheid thought.
"(Oh brother)". Maka thought as she sweatdropped.
"Is it just me, or does this seem incredibly familiar?" Liz asked.
"It is. This happened back at the DWMA too…" Tsubaki said.
"(Type to never learn his lesson. Got it.)" David thought. "(Oh… Oh man… I'm so nervous! Science was never one of my best subjects.)"
"Just be cool, okay? It's only a test, don't take it like he's doing it." Hope said pointing to Soul who was just losing his mind.
"No talking during the test." Vector said smacking Hope's hand. "Sorry...I don't enjoy this." he whispered.
"Okay...just gotta focus." David thought. "Can't end up doing that." he said looking at Odd folding his test into a swan.
"Well done Odd, that's one of your best yet." Jim commented as he collected the finished tests.
"Really?" Izuku asked.
Meanwhile, as Jim was taking the tests with him to the Lockers, the all too familiar sight of XANA's miasma creeped its way out of a socket as it surged into him as the eye of XANA appeared in his eyes. And in the Desert Sector, a tower was indeed active as a Megatank rolled its way in, primed to guard the tower.
Later that Night….
"Phew. Glad that's over.' Eijiro said.
"Even though you know you failed?" Jexi asked.
"Yeah." he said. "Sucks. I wanted to see Aelita DJ."
"Seriously, Eijiro. What's with you and flunking exams?" David asked.
"What about you? I suppose you've passed?" Mayumi asked.
"Yeah, but barely." David said.
"We all tried our hardest and that's what matters, right?" Lilianna asked.
"Yeah, but Dave's right. The more exams I flunk, the more reasons that Monoma guy is gonna have for laughing at me." Eijiro said.
"Yeah, he'd do that." Shiozaki said.
"Hey, don't worry about it." Kendo said. "I'll take care of Monoma if he gets in your face."
"She's good at it too. I saw her take him out with one chop to the back of the neck." Izuku mentioned.
"Yeah, she always seems to be the one keeping him in line." Ochako said.
"I guess this Monoma is one of those annoying self centered types?" Lin asked.
"Not really. He just wants to edge out Class 1-A." Hope said. "Heaven knows….why." he said peeking out the window to see Jim carrying Aelita. "XANA! We got trouble! We gotta move!" he said as they charged out only to be blocked by a flock of pigeon like birds along with Unfezant and Tropius.
"Afraid you aren't going anywhere." Tropius said.
"Oh great…" Eijiro said.
"Wait a minute, Tropius doesn't even fly, whys he a Flying Ace?" Soul asked.
"Tropius is a Grass and Flying type, ya no knowledge idiot." one Pidove shouted.
"Hate to take their side, Soul, but they have a point." David said.
"And for the record, I can fly." Tropius said flapping its wings as it took to the air.
"I honestly could never tell you were able to, what with that big body of yours." Hope said.
"They say the same about bees yet they fly. Now let's tear out their eyes!" Unfezant said as the troops flocked them.
"They're all over us!" Hope said.
"PDEE BARMA!" Simon chanted as he danced and summoned Madama Butterfly as she blew the troops away before disappearing.
"Nice thinking, Simon!" Eijiro said.
"Too bad you forgot us! Bullet Seed!" Tropius said firing seeds.
"Air Cutter!" Unfezant said sending cutting waves.
"Oh no ya don't! Maka, let's get in there!" Soul said transforming into his Scythe form and deflecting the attacks.
"Nicely done. Flare Shot!" Lin called out as she fired a flame imbued bullet at Tropius.
"I've got you!" Unfezant said blowing the bullet away.
"Thank you. Now...Sunny Day!" Tropius said making the sun rise early.
"You just made a big mistake." Flamberge said.
"I doubt it...Now...Solarbeam!" He said firing a beam of light.
"Oh, it was a mistake!" Flamberge said drawing her sword and deflecting the beam. "I'm Fire too! SO that means Sunny Day charges me up!"
"Can we count on you, Maka and Soul to take on these guys?" Ulrich asked.
"Sure! Just leave it to us!" Flamberge said.
"How could you not know that Fire attacks are more powerful with Sunny Day?" Unfezant asked.
"I would have to agree. The risk-reward wasn't in your favor there." Flamberge said.
"Catch up with us when you can, alright?" Zan asked.
"You got it, sis!" Flamberge said as the two ran ahead. "Big bird's mine. You two can take Unfezant, okay?"
"Hard to do considering you already took him out with his own beam." Maka said looking at the fallen Tropius. Maka then spun Soul around. "But we can take Unfezant. It's been a while, after all. Let's go, Soul!"
"Just say the word, Maka!" Soul said.
"Let's go!" she said as Soul's blade grew incredibly large.
"Not good." Unfezant thought as he tried to fly away.
"Genie...Hunter!" she shouted slashing through him taking him out with one shot.
"We still got it." Soul said.
"And with this...that makes eight of them defeated." Maka said.
"Hopefully the others have already saved Aelita." Flamberge said before they heard wings flapping as a large bird with a colorful mane landed before them. "And who might you be?"
"Pidgeot. Are you...the Dimensional Heroes?" He asked.
"Yes...that's us." Maka said.
"I'll make it perfectly clear...I would like to ask in your assistance." Pidgeot said.
"Assistance? For what?" Flamberge asked.
"Taking Avia." Pidgeot said.
The three of them was stunned as the RTTP went into effect.