“No and no, I don’t want to work with a fluke like you!” She hissed, dragging her nails across her shoulder. I winced as she began to bleed. In quite the shocking spectacle, Emily’s blood burst out of her shoulder in massive quantities, creating a grim glimmering aura of crimson. Another girl and a boy partnership, twins most likely, took hands and melded together, forming a four armed armored monster. Its roar was high pitched, and it charged towards the beast with nothing to lose. The monster’s tail swung at it, the twins jumping over it with ease. Their success was lived short as a powerful kick ripped the two apart and back into their normal form. Each one grimaced in pain as they slammed into the back wall, the girl twin passing out, but not bleeding. The boy looked like he wanted to go back at it again, but without his twin he was virtually powerless so he went to help her. I looked back around, seeing if anyone else was on the battlefield. Then I saw a limp-bodied Mark, dangling from its mouth. I froze, watching in terror as it tossed him up and gulped him down.

“Mark?” I called in disbelief. I fell to my knees, my vision being blurred by tears. I started to hear the voices. If only you had been there to protect him. What were you doing this entire time? Going around trying to find someone to work with? What about him? What have you done for him? Aren’t you Rank BA? What a laughable joke! Guess you really were a fluke! I went blind, my vision fading steadily into complete blackness. I felt like I was being pricked to death. The feeling expanded from just being pricked to being squeezed. I heard a deafening scream, was it mine? I couldn't think anymore.

“Lila Michigan, Rank BA. You are being promoted to rank AH before the end of the school year, seeing as you have successfully beaten a monster you were intended to merely survive. Seeing the conditions of your power, we require you under the same arena and possible lodging terms as Iris.” Came a voice. I looked around groggily, unsure of what I was doing or where I was. My vision cleared and I saw the student council before me. I let out a small eep and tried to bow before realizing I was laying down. I realized quickly after that I was in a hospital. I looked back at the student council. One of them seemed disgusted in me, but I was pretty sure that was because he was convinced I was a fluke. Either that, or I had surpassed him, which I’m sure would’ve left him equally bitter. I felt like I was forgetting something, then remembered with a painful tear. I looked to the student council, for once pleading to higher ups.

“Where’s Mark? Where’s my partner?” I asked quickly, looking to each of the council members in turn. They looked at each other in confusion. Finally, the tallest boy cleared his throat.

“I’m not sure, but your powers seem to be generating people. You were never assigned a partner, due to no one wanting to work with a ‘fluke’.” He said, bowing because he understood the pain I must be in. From my perspective, someone was gone from my life. They figured how that must feel. To them, I’d always been alone. It hurt for now, but I began to remember that I’d gone through this before. Someone randomly shows up out of nowhere and I feel like I’ve known them forever, completely forgetting about the last random person to show up and disappear. I began to remember that’s how my powers worked, activating under grief. The greater the grief, the greater the power. Usually I couldn't stay conscious for animals or monsters to beat. People I could stay conscious with. I looked down quietly at my bed.

“Whatever terms or conditions I have to accept [Like Iris’s house arrest terms], I’m willing.” I finally sighed. The second tallest girl clapped her hands together happily and brought over a wheelchair. I shook my head and attempted to stand up.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea…” She said, offering her arm at the very least. I took that much, limping wherever she guided me. She led me out of the hospital room and down the hall. I looked back to see the student council dispersing to attend to their own business while the girl led me down the hall. She looked mildly familiar. It finally hit me, Bottom of the Food Chain Kate! I had no idea she was on student council!

“I didn't know you were on the student council, does anyone else?” I asked, confused since student council members were usually picked off rank. My arm slipped from her for a second, but she caught me and helped get me upright.

“Five student council members are elected by the student body, the first being the president (candidates voted on by the student body) and the next two being two of four selected by the president. The final two are selected by the president and voted on privately by the already elected student council. I was one of the last, and seeing my rank, I was only accepted by a single vote, and I’m pretty sure our student president had to bribe the final person to get me here…” She sighed, taking a corner I wasn’t expecting. I stumbled for a second and she stopped to help me back up. We continued to walk in silence for a while. I eventually regained enough of my sight to see the signs. We were in the walkway to the staff area. I looked out the glass, unable to make anything out. The tile floor was colored white with the occasional yellow highlight tile. I looked out onto the forest, realizing it was coming back into focus. My stride strengthened and I felt much better, leaning off of Kate’s arm. I took a wary step forwards on my own, and gradually felt more confident.

“This way,” Kate called up to me. I hadn’t realized I’d gone ahead so I turned back and followed her. She took a few turns this way and that, eventually coming to an elevator. I wanted to take the stairs, but she didn't trust me that much yet so I hopped in next to her. She hit a basement level which made me nervous. I watched the lights scroll. Eventually I felt my ears pop. I looked at her in surprise, not thinking I would be going down this deep.

“Just how deep down are we?” I asked nervously. She smiled at me and pointed down. I looked down onto a glass floor I hadn’t noticed before, a deep darkness below me, seemingly unending. A stone floor came up quickly out of nowhere, catching me off guard. I looked at the elevator display panel, hoping for a gauge of how deep we were. Nothing showed up. The door opened and Kate walked out into a simple, white and grey concrete hallway. I followed her.

“To answer you’re previous question, we’re around 1,000 meters below ground though you don’t need to worry about earthquakes.” She said, opening a door. I looked in and onto a large, cavernous arena. It was literally a cave, and an old one two. Pillars feet thick formed very slowly, as did everything. Beautiful ribbon stalactites covered the back wall, and a soda straw forest dangled above this end. A strange metal door was on the other side, seemingly having been there before the cave had even the smallest stalagmites. Pillars and beautifully wide stalactites melded over it, bending around it as if guided. I looked back to Kate, wondering if I should go inside. She nodded happily and followed me in. I looked down in surprise at my first step. The ground beneath my foot let out a pulse of blue-green light. I walked around, now intrigued. Kate began to dance around the floor, orange light pulsing. She occasionally hit a pillar to send a glow all around the room. I watched in awe. A purple glow went through the room, silencing our own. I looked back to the door. Bookworm walked in and sat down near the big door. She pulled out a stack of books and flipped through the pages ridiculously quickly. Her eyes lingered on each page for no more than a few seconds. Both Kate and I stopped to stare. Eventually Bookworm looked up.

“Oh, you’re here now. Did you get promoted?” She asked, but I was pretty sure after last time she knew the answer. I took a breath and pretended like I was going to speak. She wasn’t fooled. I actually began to speak and she interrupted me. “Of course you did. I’ve never been wrong with my guesses.” She said in monotone. I sighed and decided to see how far I could push her guesses.

“Do you know what I’m thinking?” I asked curiously. She nodded. I decided to think specifically about my favorite television show. She coughed and said something under her breath, but I didn't catch it from this distance. I’m pretty sure she either said nerd, neet, or otaku. The last one was a bit of a stretch. I remembered to go back to thinking about my favorite show.

“That’s a terrible choice in taste, you need to find something better. My recommendations are Another and Corpse Party.” She sighed, burying herself back in her book. I looked at her in shock. Kate looked at Bookworm in surprise. She headed for the exit so I followed.

“I think that’s the most she’s ever opened up.” She said in shock. I tilted my head in surprise, wondering what she meant. “Oh by the way that was the A class arena.” She said offhandedly. My eyes widened, usually most arenas were very uniform, open to all powers. That was an arena where being invisible would be useless, how were people like… what was his name… Sam! How were people like Sam supposed to be invisible when all movements gave away wherever you were? Eventually we stopped and Kate turned to face me. She gestured to a door on her left. “This is where you’ll be staying,” She informed me happily. I opened the door and was shocked to see the size and quality of my living quarters. It was surprisingly open for being an underground structure, various beautiful plants lining the back wall. A beautiful waterfall flowed behind them, and finally behind that an aquarium full of ancient looking fish. I recognized coelacanth and a few others. I looked back at Kate with wonder.

“This place is amazing!” I called out to her. She smiled and waved goodbye, closing the door to leave me to explore my room. I felt like she seemed a bit sad, but I was too caught up with the wonders of my room to notice it for long. There were three steps to a kitchen with a beautiful slate floor. The countertops were granite and it was full of every device I’ve ever seen, and even some I haven’t. I had no idea how to cook, though, and was pleasantly surprised when I opened the pantry to find stacks upon stacks of cup of noodles. My mouth watered just at the thought of them, but my stomach growled at their sight. I opened the fridge next, having grabbed one of the cup of noodles. There was a note just below the eggs.

Please mix something in with ramen, we know you like it but it lacks nutritional value. Try an egg or some shrimp, even try some pork! Anything is better than just ramen!

I sighed and grabbed an egg. I looked around for a kettle, finally realizing the water in the sink was capable of being turned to boiling, which surprised me. I filled up the cup of ramen with the water and cracked an egg into it, which cooked a little bit. Personally I didn't know if it was healthy to eat an egg like that, but I didn't want to spend time cooking it. I enjoyed the ramen while exploring the rest of my room. There was a laundry elevator, which confused me until I realized that meant they did my laundry and sent it back down. There was a glass table with a few seats around it, a wonderful living room on the other side of the aquarium, full of comfy chairs and a coffee table. I found out pretty quickly there were bean bags in the closet. There was a big black wall which I eventually realized was a television screen parallel to the aquarium. Just to the right of the living room was a marvelous bedroom, with a bed just soft enough for my comfort. It was especially nice because it was suited to the way I sleep. When I went to bed, I almost built up a nest in a circle, sleeping in the middle with a light blanket on top. This bed was large and circular, having a gentle depression in the middle where I could already tell I would be curling up later tonight. Finally I reached the bathroom. I almost dropped my cup of noodle. It was a very large bathroom, a circular bathtub in the back that had a gently waterfall at perfect height that it wasn’t too painful and I wouldn’t have to bend over. It was also fairly large and about three feet deep, like a mini pool for me to mess around in. I was mildly surprised that it was constantly full, then I realized it was draining at the same speed it was filling up in order to keep it clean. The toilet itself was just normal, but what would I have expected? The sink was accompanied by a large vanity which I probably wouldn’t be touching besides to wash my face.

Finally I looked for the thermostat. Eventually, after searching through the fish tank, the oven, and the laundry elevator, I found it next to the last one. I turned it down as low as it would go, smiling at how quickly my room cooled. A wonderful 64 degrees Fahrenheit was my favorite temperature. Some people said it was too cold, so at my old home I’d turn it up a bit when guests came over. Considering the way my living space looked, I was pretty sure I was capable of inviting over guests.

I leaned back unwittingly against a button next to the thermostat and heard a clunking noise. I looked out into the main area, past the aquarium and to the television. Gradually it raised, and behind it was a mini gym, a treadmill, an elliptical, and a few other things. I didn't like to work out so I went back and hit the button again, satisfied as the television came down again. As it was coming down, I noticed four game consoles, all the latest versions. Each sat in a little pocket on the far wall.

“Enjoying your new home?” I heard from above me. I looked up into a vent with shock. There, between the gaps, stared two, pretty abnormal eyes.

“Hello and where did you come from?” I asked politely. I saw a white smile that was a little big, then jumped back as the grate clattered to the floor.

“I came from my room but it’s funner to go around the vents than do anything in there.” He sighed, hopping down. He was very short, quite lanky, and frankly mildly disturbing in his proportions. If I didn't know any better, I’d say he was part of a species that lived in caves all their lives. He was pale with grey hair.

“Who are you?” I asked him with surprise.

“Who are you?” He asked me, mimicking my surprise. I sighed and, for some odd reason, felt like patting him on the head. As if he sensed this urge, he put his hands on his hair and growled like an animal.