"I still don't get it. If this treaty is hundreds of years old, why don't we get along now?" Adrien asked while waiting in line for the blood bag that would be his lunch.

"Oh sunshine child, a millennia's old feud doesn't just disappear in a few hundred years. Creatures still look down on hunters as human vagabonds that have the guts to kill us and they look at us like we are abominations," Alya said waiting with him while Nino went to grab his meal. "And it's not like the killings have completely stopped. Creatures still sometimes kill hunters just for coming across them and it's the same with hunters." Adrien turned away from the line he was waiting in, giving his full attention to Alya. "It's really rare but there have been cases of both creatures and hunters breaking the treaties. They are usually quickly caught and imprisoned pending trial, but they have definitely kept our relationship from being anything more than a semi-civil work relationship."

"Here you go kid." Adrien nodded at the lunch guy before following Alya over to Nino.

Half way through the lunch period Marinette showed up to grab her lunch then left again. Seeing Adrien staring at his elusive classmate Nino decided to explain Marinette a bit more. "She usually eats lunch with Mr. Fu the meditation and control teacher. He's a eastern dragon and really the closest person here to Marinette's Creature culture. She doesn't like to be with the rest of us."

"You and Alya seem pretty close with her."

"Luck of the draw on that. I showed her around her first day and our mom's became friends and Alya's her roommate so of course they're going to be close." Adrien turned back to look at where Marinette had disappeared. Alya grasped his hand.

"Give it time, she'll warm up to you. She's had bad experiences with humans. You being a former human has probably made her jittery. Just keep being yourself and she'll come around," Alya said. Adrien nodded and resumed sipping from his blood bag.

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"Today we will continue with our training for the Inter School Sparring Competition. As you know entering is completely voluntary but training is not. Fighting has been an integral part of Creature survival in the past and is something to be celebrated for not being needed now. Now pair off!" The gym teacher Mr. D'Argencourt yelled.

Everyone quickly found a partner and began sparing. Juleka and Rose were half heartedly attacking each other along with Ivan and Mylène and Nathaniel and Max, they just didn't like violence. Sabrina and Chloé were sitting on the bleachers texting each other not even bothering to follow the lesson.

On the other hand Alix and Kim and Alya and Nino were attacking each other with full blown force. Alix and Kim were growling as they ended up on the floor fighting with claws and teeth rather than the training weapons. Nino opted for the same claws and teeth fighting while Alya was wielding a staff.

The fight between Alya and Nino was something to watch, everytime Alya wacked Nino with her staff colorful sparks flew showing the magical power behind her attacks. She was serious, everytime she landed a hit on Nino that made him pause you could tell she was overjoyed with the accomplishment. Nino on the other hand you could tell was holding back. His more physical hand to hand combat would have been much more destructive if he wasn't trying to also cushion the blows.

Both held back in their own way, Alya didn't use magic, which from what little Adrien had seen her do was somewhat powerful, and Nino was pulling his punches so to speak. Adrien tore his gaze away from the two and headed over to the only other unpartnered person in the room, Marinette.

"Sooo, it looks like we're partners." Marinette recoiled at his sudden closeness. She took her eyes away from Alya and Nino's fight and looked around at her classmates, all paired up.

"Do you even know how to fight?"

"I did fencing." Marinette nodded before going over to a rack holding practice rapiers. She grabbed one and tossed it to Adrien before grabbing a bo staff. She led him over to a mat in the corner of the room.

"You ready?" Adrien nodded raising his rapier. She was fast. Adrien barely oriented himself when Marinette went on the offensive and brought her staff down. Adrien was pushed on the defensive as Marinette kept trying to land a hit.

Adrien was tired, could vampires be exhausted? He had been sparring with Marinette for what felt like hours, it was ten minutes, and he still couldn't find a way through her offense nor she through his defense. Then it happened, Marinette went to swipe his feet out from under him and left her back exposed. As she crouched Adrien jumped over her and brought his rapier to her neck. "I win," he said before collapsing on his back.

"This round," Marinette responded collapsing next to him breathing hard.

"Your really good, but you need a better defense."

"I could say the same for your offense." Adrien laughed and he was soon joined by Marinette. It wasn't until their laughter died down that they realized they had an audience. The entire class had gathered around their mat to watch and all of them were silent.

"Dude, What was that?"