Class B-8 Arc Opening Song: Question by 3-nen E-gumi Utatan. [Assassination Classroom]
Class B-8 Part 1: Oroseia Academy
On the outskirts of Oroseia City, Jurabi stood before an old, dying tree, a wooden training sword in hand, drenched in sweat. The raven-haired boy felt his heart beat inside his ears and his blood rush to the top of his head. His negative emotions ran wild—anger, frustration, sadness, and pain, all accumulating but not producing anything useful. He took a deep breath and raised his weapon again towards the tree, scarred with countless strikes from his dulled blade.
In the next second, the Alisen struck the tree again with all his force, breaking the sword in two. Jurabi exhaled as his body slumped.
"Damnit…" He muttered, tossing the broken practice sword into the pile of other swords he broke before grabbing another one.
"Remember, Jubi."
Jurabi heard Aoife's cheery yet serious voice calm, making him turn to the woman in a meditation stance.
"Anger and rage aren't your only sources to draw strength from."
"I…know that…Ms. Chandani," the young boy retorted through his pants, "but I can't feel…any other emotion. If I can't…draw strength from my…negative emotions, then what use…is my power?"
Aoife made three 'tsk' sounds as she stood up from her stance, walked over to the boy, and poked him on the forehead. "If you're banking on negative emotions, you have a long road ahead. Almost two weeks passed, and you still couldn't bring out your Grimm powers."
Jurabi's eyes softened at the reality of his situation. Since he was given leave to train with Aoife and Ken, he has focused on his studies and training. While he excelled at learning the basics of being a Vastel hunter, his training is where problems began to arise. For one, he couldn't call upon the Grimm powers he used in his fight against Gerald. His inhibitor collar stemmed the power, but he had theorized that he could bring out at least a fraction of it through the suppression. However, despite it being granted to him by the mysterious child, summoning the power when he needed it was a different story. Whenever he tried, he would repeatedly fail until he passed out. Eventually, Jurabi got to the point where he could try more before passing out until stamina was no longer the issue. Instead, now it's the question of how.
Aoife patted Jurabi's black hair and smiled. "Cheer up, Jubi. I'm sure you'll figure it out. You've got your dashing youth ahead of you! It's only on you to make the most of what you have."
Jurabi's eyebrow twitched before he lightly smacked the woman's hand away. "Will you cut that out? I'm not a kid!"
"Oh, but you are, my little Jubi," the magenta-haired woman chimed, spinning around the boy like an energetic ballerina. "Anyways, I think you're ready."
The half-Grimm's red eyes widened. "What? But, I haven't—"
"I know. It's a scary situation," Aoife said, resting her hands on the young Alisen's shoulders, "but you've proven that you can excel under pressure. You don't have control of your power yet, but that will come with time, but for now, your duty to Vastel's people is much more important."
Jurabi's gaze moved to the ground. Deep down, he knew she was right, but a part of him also feared the life ahead of him—the difficulty and sheer magnitude of obstacles he had no knowledge of. The thoughts alone made his chest tighten before he whispered, "I just hope I don't sour the mood there."
Aoife let out her usual giggle and replied, "Don't worry about that. I'll be there to offset the tone balance."
Jurabi rolled his eyes at her statement.
##
Once Jurabi packed his important belongings, Aoife drove him to Oroseia Academy. On the way there, she picked up her phone to make a call to Ken's phone. After a few seconds of waiting, the blond faunus picked up.
"Hey, Aoife."
"Kenny~! Have you finished your business in Staneia yet?"
"I have. The paperwork I had to sign was a big hassle, but everything worked out perfectly. How's training with Jurabi going?"
"Well…" Aoife shrugged and continued, "He couldn't activate you-know-what through the collar, but Jubi is now a completely different person from when he fought Gerald. I have no doubt this version of him can beat your kid in a fight."
Jurabi let out a sigh, hearing Aoife's gloating words. "Since when did I agree to participate in this competition?"
They heard a chuckle from Ken's side before he said, "I doubt my kid is eager to play your silly games, Aoife. He's not the talkative type."
"Is that so?" Aoife asked, raising an eyebrow, "That sounds a lot like you!"
"Well…" A brief pause. "You're not entirely wrong. Anyways, drive safely, okay? We're still a few hours away, but I'll introduce you once we get to the academy."
"Got it~!"
After Aoife hung up, Jurabi asked her, "Who is this 'kid' Mr. Vongarus was referring to?"
The magenta-haired woman shrugged at his question. "Beats me. Kenny wouldn't tell. But if I were to guess…it's likely a faunus from the Nogitsune tribe?"
Jurabi tilted his head. "The Nogitsune tribe? Don't they live outside Vastel's borders?"
"Yeah, but some live in Vastel, like Kenny."
"Won't getting this kid accepted into the academy be difficult without citizenship?"
"That was the paperwork Kenny was referring to covered." Aoife noticed a strand of her hair getting in the way of her sight, making her pull behind her ear, "That was the thing he left a week ago for."
"I see." Jurabi looked back at the old but stable roads the car drove on, his thoughts onto who this 'kid' might be. He must be someone of great importance for Ken to be willing to go through the trouble of a week's worth of paperwork.
##
"Here we are," Aoife announced as they arrived at a grand complex easily confused for a small city with a huge building at the center, "Welcome to Oroseia Academy."
Jurabi looked around and saw countless soon-to-be students walking in and out of the main building with their chaperones and tour guides. "So many people…"
"It'll be rough for someone as isolated as you, but give it a week or two, and you'll be right home in no time," Aoife's cheery expression vanished when she saw the far-away look on Jurabi's face. "Something wrong, Jubi?"
Jurabi snapped out of his stare, looking up at Aoife before shaking his head, "No…it's just." An image of his mother holding his young hand while guiding him through the stone plaza of the academy flashed in his mind. Their happy smiles, the look of wonder on Jurabi's face, and all the rooms Dana showed him, the back-to-back memories made his body freeze in place. Everything was different now as those memories could no longer bring a smile to his face. "Being here brings back faint memories of my mom. She always talked fondly of her time here—even going so far as bringing me here for a tour, if I recall correctly."
Aoife's heart dropped, her own memories of Dana returning to her.
Jurabi looked up at the clear, blue sky, letting out a low sigh, "How different would things be if she and Dad were still here?" He noticed how quiet Aoife got before turning to her, "Sorry, I'm boring you with my past, aren't I?"
Aoife smiled and patted Jurabi's head. "Not at all, Jubi. If anyone is to apologize, it should be every hunter on duty that night, including me. Had we responded quicker, your father might still be alive."
"Perhaps you're right, but…there's no point in mulling over it." Jurabi shrugged. "Dad never liked fussing over the past, so why should I, right? Why don't we start with a tour before meeting with the director?"
They both arrived at the front entrance. After confirming registration at the front desk, Jurabi received a schedule, a brochure, and a strange bracelet decorated with tiny light bulbs.
Jurabi examined the item as they entered the front plaza. He looked at Aoife and asked, "What is this?"
"That's the academy's entry bracelet. Every student is required to wear it for today, but you'll be allowed to take it off tomorrow."
Jurabi studied the bracelet closely. "That's odd." He stared back at Aoife's eyes. "We're not being sent to our jail cells, are we?"
Aoife smiled awkwardly before replying, "Jubi…those aren't restraints. They'll light up in specific conditions are met. Besides, you already have that collar on. Wouldn't an extra restraint be overkill?"
"Perhaps, but what's this condition you're talking about?" Jurabi asked.
Aoife smirked and put a finger to her mouth, "That's for you to find out."
##
Jurabi followed Aoife everywhere during his tour of all the facilities in the academy. It had almost everything a student needs—dorm rooms, a large dining hall, classrooms for various subjects, several greenhouses, training rooms, and a massive surrounding campus where students can unwind with malls, stores, movie theaters, and the list goes on. Most of these facilities were here ten years ago when Jurabi toured the academy with his mother.
Jurabi and Aoife both arrive at Ackmor's office. As Jurabi went to knock on the door, it opened from the other side, causing him to step back. That was when a white-haired girl stepped out from the other side, followed by a man.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Jurabi said to the girl.
The girl laid her gold eyes on the boy, "Oh, you're…"
"Is something the matter, Guendolen?" Asked the man behind her before he noticed the two. He looked to Aoife with a surprised look, "Ah, if it isn't Miss Chandani."
Aoife smiled cheekily. "Long time no see, Nerry. I didn't expect to see you back here."
"Nerry?" The girl, Guendolen, whispered.
"Still the same as ever." The man sighed. "I'm afraid I'm too busy to deal with your antics today, for I'm the chaperone for m'lord's daughter."
"Ah, old Griffy! How's he been?"
"Mr. Granada, I'm quickly growing annoyed at this woman's lack of discipline and respect," Guendolen said, frowning at Aoife.
"Ah, you Pretorius need to learn how to lighten up. It's just a nickname," Aoife whined.
"Calm yourself, Guendolen," The man said, "It's her way of showing friendship to another, as childish as it sounds." He heard a scoff from Aoife after he called her childish and continued. "Griffon is too busy with Igarus's affairs, so he sent me to watch over his daughter in his stead."
"Griffon?" Jurabi asked.
"He's that white-haired governor you saw the other day," Aoife whispered.
"Oh, him?" Jurabi asked, "So does that mean…?"
"Are you, Jurabi Alisen?" The man asked.
Jurabi looked back at him and asked, "You know who I am?"
He nodded. "Of course. There's not a soul in Vastel who hasn't heard of you. My name is Nero Granada, a diplomatic advisor for Governor Pretorius. I remember advising Griffon to cut ties with your father's company after your abrupt disappearance. The change in direction Achilles took your father's company no longer aligned with our family's interests."
"Ah, so that's why you no longer do business with us," Jurabi said, "My disappearance is no excuse for what my company has done. Achilles did terrible things, and I allowed it to continue. However, now I've regained my place as the CEO of Alisen Industries, so I hope to one day rekindle the company's relationships with other nations moving forward."
"Such bold claims from one so young," Nero said before smiling, "I'll be sure to inform Lord Pretorius when I have the chance. He and I saw promising things in your future, young man. I hope you do not disappoint either of us."
"Wow, look at that, Jubi. To think you'd get the attention of the Pretorius family~!" Aoife cheered.
"Really adding on to the pressure here, Miss Chandani…" Jurabi grumbled.
Silence followed before Nero turned to Guendolen. "Guendolen, you've been staring for some time. Introduce yourself."
The girl was silent for a moment before she spoke in a gentle yet serious tone. "Guendolen Pretorius. Third child of the Pretorius family. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Jurabi nodded. "The feeling is mutual. Are you going to be a student here?"
"I am." She said without skipping a beat.
"Well, I hope I get to have you as my student," Aoife said with a cheery smile.
"I'd sooner be eaten alive by an Ursus," the white-haired girl said coldly.
"Yikes, she bites," Aoife whispered.
"Ah, Mr. Alisen." A male voice called as they turned their attention to Doran, who recently opened the door to the office, "The Director has been waiting for you. Please, come in."
"Of course." As Jurabi and Aoife passed the two, he looked back at Guendolen and told her, "Well, it was nice meeting you, Guendolen."
After the door closed, Guendolen silently stared at the space Jurabi once was in.
"You sensed it, too?" Nero asked.
"Yes…the monster lurking within," Guendolen said, "Such a tragedy his story must be. Jurabi Alisen…"
##
Jurabi examined the director's office after passing through the door. At first, it appeared similar to a typical office, but one thing that stood out was an old, faded picture on Ackmor's desk. It was hard to see the picture, but Jurabi could make out a single man and seven other people.
"Thank you for coming, Mr. Alisen."
Ackmor's voice snapped Jurabi out of his stare, forcing him to look in the director's direction.
Seeing the young boy react that way made the man chuckle. "No need to look stiff. I trust your tour of the academy has left a good first impression."
Aoife let out a proud giggle. "I did a pretty decent job as a tour guide, if I do say so myself."
Doran narrowed his eyes at the woman. "Why do I feel you only brought Alisen to the dining hall, Miss Chandani? You didn't steal any of the sweets, did you?"
Aoife placed a hand on her chest and leaned onto Doran's shoulder, fake tears pouring from her eyes, "Y-You wound me, Ranny! I only steal some on Tuesdays. That's when they have those delicious strawberry shortcakes."
Ackmor ignored the antic display and said to Jurabi, "Mr. Alisen, this is my advisor, Doran."
Hearing the director introduce him, Doran temporarily moved his attention from Aoife to Jurabi and gave a simple nod. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Alisen."
"No last name?" Jurabi asked.
"Ah…well, that's a long story," Doran said.
"Oh, I'm sorry if my presence unsettles you."
"Your worries are unfounded," Ackmor cut in, "I've discussed things with the faculty and staff. Some are reluctant about your stay here, Alisen, but they all agreed to allow you a chance to earn your place in our esteemed halls."
"That's good to hear, at least," Aoife said.
"So, was there a particular reason you asked me to come here before the opening ceremony?" Jurabi asked.
Ackmor nodded. "Yes. Given that you possess Dark Atoms in your blood, there are certain rules that you need to adhere to, as ordered by the Oroseia Council."
"Failure to comply with these rules will result in termination," Doran explained, "Suffice it to say, you are walking on thin ice, Mr. Alisen."
Jurabi sighed. "That doesn't surprise me."
"And that's not the worse of it," Aoife said, biting her lips, "There is one important thing you must keep in mind during your stay here. You are not allowed to attack students for any reason…even if they attack you."
Jurabi went silent. He knew his stay at the academy would turn out this way, but it was worse than he could imagine.
"Even though the professors and staff are okay with you attending this school, the students will likely not share the same sentiment," Doran explained further.
"The staff will do their best to make students understand that you are not to be harmed, Mr. Alisen," Ackmor said, sensing the unease through Jurabi's expressionless face, "Should they ignore us and attack you, you are not allowed to strike back. If word gets out that a Grimm in our school assaulted one of our students…"
"In other words, your reputation is at stake here," Jurabi said bluntly.
Ackmor went silent for a moment before giving his best reply. "Loath as I am to admit it, that is partially true. Our academy prided itself on the safety of all life from the Grimm for nearly six centuries. As such, failure to comply with the rules set by the council will result in the execution penalty for you. We'll do all we can to ensure you are safe here, but you must avoid improper conduct."
"I see…"
"But don't worry, Jubi," Aoife said, placing a hand on Jurabi's shoulder, "Anyone who wants to hurt you will have to go through me."
Ackmor smiled and nodded to Aoife. "Miss Chandani never goes back on her word, so rest assured that you will be in good hands."
"That is all for now," Doran said, "Thank you for your time, Mr. Alisen, and good luck with the entrance exam tomorrow."
"Indeed," Ackmor said, "I look forward to seeing the fruits of your training. Aoife, take good care of him, understand?"
"Yes, Director," Aoife said as she guided Jurabi to the exit.
Once the two had long exited the office, Doran turned to Ackmor with a stern expression. "With all due respect, Director Kurosaki, have you no intention of changing your mind? Allowing a stranger—a Grimm no less!—into our academy is—"
Ackmor sighed tiredly as he looked over to his advisor. "The council and I have already made our decision, Doran. I know that your job urges you to worry, but there is no need. That "Grimm" is Dana Alisen's flesh and blood, after all."
Doran frowned and crossed his arms. "I can't say that's all too comforting. How trustworthy was this Dana character? We've not found a trace of history or family relations all these years. Now her son was able to retain his humanity despite being infected top-to-bottom? I want to remind you that the esteemed Pretorious family's two daughters are also here. If this Grimm proves to be a threat and Lord Pretorius hears about it…" His expression softened, "I beg of you, Director…please reconsider whether this is an unnecessary risk."
Ackmor turned his attention back to the papers on his desk. "Alisen has my trust. Let that be enough for you as well. More importantly, I have received a report from Rosela." He picked up the stack of papers and handed it to Doran. "It's left me increasingly concerned about that incident ten years ago, and I believe it is connected to our suspicious individual. We cannot ignore those who harbor ill will towards Oroseia, especially if they frequent the academy."
Doran skimmed over the documents and nodded. "Yes, that matter is of great importance as well. I shall continue my investigation." As he began to make his exit, he turned back to Ackmor, "Director…for now, I will have faith that you are placing your trust with the utmost care. I pray that nothing occurs to shake that confidence."
##
"So, Jubi, where do you want to go this time?" Aoife asked, "We have a few minutes before the orientation announcement starts." But when Jurabi didn't answer, Aoife looked back at the boy, who looked deep in thought, "Jubi?"
"Sorry," Jurabi replied, "I wasn't paying attention. What did you say?"
"I asked if you wanted to go somewhere else, but you don't look to be in the mood for that," Aoife said.
"Ah…well, all this walking around and looking at stuff has me a little pooped," Jurabi said, rubbing the back of his head.
"I feel you," Aoife said, sighing, "It's tough work to be as charismatic a tourist as me."
"I don't remember asking…" Jurabi thought, his eyebrow twitching. But before he could say anything else, he felt something bump into him from behind, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground, "Ow!"
"Jubi!" Aoife shouted.
"I-I'm so sorry," shouted a timid female voice, "Are you okay?"
Jurabi wiped his pants and answered, "Yeah, and you?" He saw a young girl with purple hair tied in a ponytail wearing a beanie.
"Ugh, I'm sorry," the girl whispered, glaring down at her map, "I didn't pay attention to where I was going. Stupid map…"
"Are you lost, by any chance?" Aoife asked the girl.
The timid girl nodded. "Y-Yes. I was with my chaperone a few minutes ago but might have paid too much attention to this map here. Have you seen him? He's a tall man with blue hair and looks kinda scary?"
Jurabi and Aoife both looked at each other before shrugging simultaneously.
Aoife answered first. "I don't recall seeing anyone like that."
The purple-haired girl's disappointed and hopeless whine made Jurabi speak up. "Well, where were you both heading before you were separated?"
The girl tilted her head, staring intensely at the map, "Hm… I wanted to get a look at this place." She pointed at a spot and showed it to them. "I believe it's where the Opening Ceremony will start."
One look at the map gave Aoife an idea of where the girl wanted to go. "You mean the audience chamber? We can take you there."
"Oh, thank you both so much!" The girl cheered with a wide grin.
"Aren't you an adorable one?" Aoife asked, "You're lucky we came by before the announcement."
"Yes, you're right. I would have ended up on the ground crying and screaming like a child." The girl said.
Jurabi could feel the awkwardness in his heart. "Don't tell me that's the first thing you do when you get lost…"
"M-my name is Angel Sky, by the way!" The girl, Angel said, extending her hand.
"Angel Sky…" Jurabi repeated, shaking her hand.
Aoife smiled while mimicking the action. "And my name is Aoife Chandani. It's a pleasure to meet you, Angel."
After Angel's hand parted from Aoife's, she reached into her pocket, "U-um…here!" She took out two small, circular objects and handed them to the two.
"What's this?" Jurabi asked, examining the objects.
"Sour candy?!" Aoife asked as her smile widened, "Oh, you shouldn't have!"
"It's not just sour, but on the inside, they're sweet," Angel explained while giggling, "Mr. Toru loves making candy and told me to always thank people who help me with something sweet."
Jurabi's eyes narrowed on the candy. "Ah…I see…" He grumbled.
Angel tilted her head. "Something wrong?"
Jurabi glanced over at her and shook his head. "N-No, not at all. Thank you for this. I'm…not much of a sour person, but…"
Angel's pink eyes widened. "Oh…I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"It's all right. I haven't eaten sour food in years, so I doubt this'll kill me." Jurabi said.
"Even so, it's not right that you eat something you don't like," Angel said, "When I get the chance, I'll buy you some candy that isn't sour. Is chocolate okay, or are you more interested in…hard candy?"
"I'm more of a chocolate person. Especially chocolate strawberries." That was when he heard snickering from Aoife, causing the boy to glare menacingly at the woman, "You find something amusing, Miss Chandani?!"
"S-Sorry, it's just…hard to imagine the great Alisen prodigy eating strawberries!" Aoife chuckled.
"Don't you drink soda more than water?!" Jurabi shouted angrily at her. The intense vibrating of his body caused the necklace on his neck to sway left to right.
Angel caught sight of the necklace and felt her heart beat twice. Suddenly a spike of pain erupted in her head, causing her to instinctively hold her head, "Ugh…"
The two immediately stopped bickering after hearing the girl's painful grunt.
"Whoa, are you okay?" Jurabi asked.
"I'm…I'm fine," Angel said, "Just a little headache, that's all."
"You didn't look fine to me," Aoife said, "We can take you to the medical ward instead."
"I appreciate the concern, but it's fine, honest," Angel said, staring at Jurabi's necklace.
Jurabi and Aoife silently looked at each other before dropping the conversation there.
"In any case, I forgot to introduce myself. My name's Jurabi Alisen."
"Jurabi Alisen…wait…" Angel's purple eyes widened. "You're THAT Jurabi Alisen? The kid who disappeared ten years ago?!"
Jurabi nodded. "The very same."
"Oh…I'm sorry if I brought up a touchy subject."
Aoife giggled. "You sure like to say sorry a lot. It's pretty adorable if you ask me."
"You don't need to apologize," Jurabi assured her, "I don't think you have to be nice to me either, for my sake. After all, I…"
"But it wouldn't be right if I treated you badly after helping me," Angel protested, moving closer to Jurabi without fear, "When someone is kind to you, you show the kindness of equal or greater magnitude. No less. Mark my words; I will get you a tasty treat that's more to your liking, Mr. Jurabi."
Jurabi's red eyes widened. He didn't know what this feeling was inside his stomach, but the more he looked into the girl's pink eyes, the more it boiled. "T-That's…kind of you," he muttered, rubbing his head and turning away.
Aoife let out a silent snicker as she watched the boy turn into a shy mess before something unexpected occurred. The bracelet on both Jurabi and Angel had begun to light up, which shocked the woman at first until she made a knowing smile.
Jurabi turned back to Angel, not noticing his bracelet's change. "By the way, Angel, have we…?"
That was when a beep sound rang throughout the hall, followed by a voice.
"Attention all attending students of Oroseia Academy: Please report to the audience chamber for the Opening Ceremony. I repeat. All attending students, please report to the audience chamber. Thank you."
"Welp, that's our cue," Aoife said, walking ahead of them, "Miss Sky, please follow us."
"Th-thank you, Miss Chandani."
Jurabi internally cursed at being unable to finish his question but began to think it wasn't that important to bring it up again. The three arrived at a huge audience chamber bearing a red and black texture with dark blue leather seats. At the end was a large stage big enough to hold a great play or orchestra.
"And here's the audience chamber," Aoife announced.
Angel's mouth gaped open at the sheer size of the room. "Wow…"
"It's a lot bigger than I imagined an audience chamber would be," Jurabi pointed out.
"The view can be too much for all the newcomers, but you'll be familiar with this place before you know it," Aoife said.
"Angel, there you are!"
Angel's eyes widened at the familiar voice. She turned around and saw Toru rushing over to her with a stern look, "M-Mr. Toru!"
Toru placed his hands on his hips. "What did I tell you about wandering off?"
Angel's eyes softened as she fiddled with her fingers, "S-Sorry, Mr. Toru. It won't happen again."
"Are you Angel's chaperone?" Aoife asked.
Toru answered with a nod. "Yes. Did you two bring her here?" After seeing the two nod, Toru continued, "Then you both have my thanks for looking after her. Toru Shinzo." Upon introduction, Aoife and Jurabi told him about the event that transpired after he and Angel separated. "Ah, I see. In that case, I'm thankful she got to meet you both despite the circumstance. Isn't that right, Angel?"
Angel nodded three times. "Y-Yes!" She then extended her hand to Jurabi, "I-I hope we can become fast friends together, Mr. Jurabi."
"Just Jurabi is fine with me," Jurabi said, shaking the girl's hand.
"Come, Angel. The director is about to speak," Toru said.
"Y-yes, Mr. Toru!" Angel bowed to Jurabi before rushing to Toru's side.
"I guess we should find our own seats," Jurabi said.
"There you two are."
Aoife recognized the male voice and immediately turned to hug Ken, "Kenny~!"
Ken kept the woman at bay with his hand pushing against her face. "Watch it, Aoife. I just got through cleaning these clothes."
"All the more reason I need to hug you!" Aoife shouted, "You must feel warm and fluffy!"
Jurabi sighed before looking around Ken, noticing someone might be missing. "You're here alone? I thought you would be chaperoning someone."
"Yeah, but the kid I'm chaperoning doesn't like crowds. He's probably somewhere on the roof listening into this place somehow," Ken explained.
"That's a shame," Jurabi said, "I was looking forward to meeting him."
"Eh, I wouldn't expect too much if I were you," Ken said, "Jack can be pretty stoic about things. Not the kind of kid you want to invite to birthday parties. Let's hurry and find our seats…if you would first get off of me, Aoife!"
"Hm…but you're so comfy…" Aoife hummed, her arms wrapped around Ken's waist.
After Ken managed to pull the clingy woman off him, the three found their seats and waited for the orientation to begin. Minutes later, Ackmor and Doran walked onto the stage, their microphones ready.
"May I have your attention, please?" Doran called as the audience chamber grew quiet. "Thank you all for traveling far and wide to attend this orientation. I am Doran, Chief Advisor for Oroseia Academy. You may come to me if you have further questions, but for now, I shall allow the director to speak."
Ackmor stepped forward, giving a welcoming smile. "Welcome to Oroseia Academy: Vastel's pride and joy—nearing its 600th anniversary. I am Ackmor Kurosaki, the director, and head of this academy. Words cannot describe how happy I am to see so many aspiring young men and women striving to be valiant hunters. I'm sure you already know this, but you are all standing in the very first hunter school built by the combined efforts of the human and faunus race. This academy has strived to teach the best and only the best in hunting Grimm, upholding honor and respect, and, most of all, protecting Vastel. All of you standing here today are the future elites of Vastel; thus, the weight of responsibility will be placed on your shoulders. I hope all of you strive to become excellent examples of true hunters and students of Oroseia Academy."
Angel's purple eyes sparkled at the nugget of knowledge she received. "Wow…this school's been around for almost 600 years?"
Meanwhile, Seraph, who sat behind her, took note of the surrounding area and how new and clean the campus was. "Six centuries, and this place has only gotten better. Must have been valuable to still be operational to this day."
"With all that said," Doran cut in, "for today, you shall be informed of the events for the coming week and month, so please pay attention. As for this week, all registered students will take the first part of the entrance exam in your assigned classrooms today. This will not count towards your overall grade, but performing your best is recommended."
"Tomorrow, you will be assigned a partner who will fulfill assignments and goals for the coming year together. Every one of you should have a bracelet like this," Ackmor showed the audience the same bracelet Jurabi wears, "At some point during your tour and meeting with many students, you most likely noticed your bracelet light up like this. The condition this occurs should have been revealed the moment it lit up. Check yours if you haven't."
Jurabi did as told and checked his bracelet. On the small screen, some words appeared, which left him confused. "Obtain something of value?" He thought to himself.
Meanwhile, Acacia and her brother, Hyacinth sat beside each other, unaware Lynae sat in front of them.
"Our partners determined by a condition we were unaware of?" Hyacinth asked, "Doesn't that make things difficult for us?"
"I doubt we were able to set off the conditions with each other," Acacia said, looking at her bracelet's condition, "I'm not even sure how to set mine off."
Meanwhile, Lynae, who sat before them, looked at her bracelet with disdain, "Ugh, why am I stuck with the awful one?"
"Your partner will be announced tomorrow if you've yet to activate your bracelet's condition or guess who it will be," Doran explained, "Once you meet your partner, you will report to the drop ship hanger with your assigned drop ship. From there, you will be transported to Test Ruin 053, where we will conduct the second part of the entrance exam: Combat. This event is required, so arrive at the drop ship hanger on floor 12 at noon. Tardiness will not be tolerated."
Dourado swayed back in his chair, impatiently looking down at his bracelet, "So I have to find a partner first? Can't we just get on with the actual exam?"
Jack, who stood just outside the door to the auditorium, stared down at his collar, lit up from him completing his condition, and sneered. "How the hell…?"
"And on a final note," Ackmor began, "there has been a rumor circulating that Jurabi Alisen may be attending our academy. We will not discuss the specific details, but rest assured that there is no need to worry. The decision to allow him into our halls was decided by myself and the Oroseia Council. Steps have been taken to ensure the safety of both Mr. Alisen and the rest of the student body; however, the staff asks all of you to not cause any trouble for Mr. Alisen. Anyone caught attacking Mr. Alisen with weapons will be expelled without further discussion. That is all for now. Professors, please escort the students to their assigned testing rooms. May the Guardians smile upon you."
For a time, the students whispered to one another—likely having doubts about their safety and the staff's capabilities to keep Jurabi from attacking them. But eventually, their chaperones escorted them all to their assigned classes.
"What do you think, Guendolen?" Nero asked Guendolen.
"Even with this announcement, I doubt the students will sit by and do nothing," Guendolen answered, "Tensions are high enough as is without Alisen adding to it."
Nero let out a smug expression, "You're not just saying that because of your encounter, are you?"
Silence followed before a stoic "No." But Guendolen's eyebrow twitched at her lit-up bracelet despite her attempts to conceal her emotions. "Of all people, why him?"
##
One hour later, the students all arrived at their designated examination rooms. Jurabi didn't find anyone familiar in his room, but he could sense negative emotions all around for some reason. Tension from the students as he walked past. After sitting down on his chair, he heard someone whisper to him.
"So you're the Alisen I've heard so much about."
Jurabi turned to see a white-haired boy who looked at least a year older than him. He seemed no different than the other students, his negative emotions as plain as could see, but being civil, the boy responded, "Yes, I am. And you are?"
"Oh, you can call me Akito," The boy, Akito, said, smiling at Jurabi, "Must say I never expected you to come to an academy like this. Figured inventing was more your specialty."
"It still is, but circumstances demand I attend here," Jurabi explained.
"Well, in that case, I hope your school year goes swimmingly, Alisen," Akito said.
Jurabi didn't know why, but he felt Akito's accumulation of negative emotions to be higher than the rest of the students in the classroom. Not only that, but…he felt another from a different source, but he couldn't figure out from where and whom…and this one felt familiar to him somehow. However, he couldn't focus on that now as the exam was about to begin. Jurabi had two hours to answer all the questions to the best of his ability and write a detailed essay.
##
The next day, Jurabi arrived at the hall where the partners were announced on the bulletin board with a huge crowd of students in front, some cheering while others lamenting. Jurabi pushed himself through the crowd, curious about what his partner was. There, he saw Angel searching for her name.
"Oh, hey, Angel," He called.
"Ah!" Angel jumped, feeling her heart pound, before she calmed down at the sight of Jurabi, "Oh, Mr. Jurabi. Did you sleep well?"
"Not really…" Jurabi whispered, knowing he lied right there and then. Admitting that he can't sleep with a stranger doesn't sound like a good idea. "So, are these the partners we'll have this semester."
"Yes, but I'm having trouble seeing my name," Angel said, "They didn't sort these in alphabetical order."
Jurabi scanned the board for a few seconds before already discerning how he should look at it, "Must be sorted by the last name of both parties, so your last name was Sky, right?"
Angel nodded with a hum of approval.
"Then we just need to look at the section dedicated to Person 1's last name," He looked over the 'S' section for Person 1 but didn't find 'Sky', "Then Person 2…" That was when he located her last name, "Here we are! Angel Sky! Now as for your partner…"
Silence followed before both Jurabi and Angel's mouths gaped open.
"N-No way…" Angel whispered, covering her mouth.
"Your partner is…" Jurabi whispered, "My partner is…"
…
…
…
Alisen Jurabi / Sky Angel
Class B-8 Arc Ending Song: Dakara, Hitori ja nai by Little Glee Monster [My Hero Academia]
Jurabi: Hello, beautiful people! We've finally started the second arc of this story, the Class B-8 arc. I know that sounds like an odd name for an arc, but the reason I named it like that is because this arc will focus on the group dynamics of our eight main characters: Jurabi, Angel, Jack, Acacia, Guendolen, Dourado, Lynae, and Seraph. The arc will be structured differently than the last version of this story because I felt the last version ran the risk of dragging the plot and wasting the time, but my new plan should remedy that worry by getting to the heart of this arc's story. You will see soon, later down the line, so I hope you all enjoy what I have to offer.
So I'm happy I managed to get back to this part of the story on my 25th birthday, no less.
Anyways, thank you all so much for putting up with seven chapters of no plot advancement, but I hope you enjoyed the new characters we will read about in the future. I dearly appreciate every single one of you. If any of you are excited for the next chapter, please stop by my discord server. I'm always happy to chat with my readers. If you loved these interludes, please leave a review, a follow, and a favorite. I would really appreciate your support of this story. I'll see you all in the next chapter~!
