The boys run off, probably toward the nearest bathroom to throw water on the fire, and Cas doesn't bother with telling them that it'll only make his arm wet.

"You alright?" Cas asks, helping the girl with her books that fell to the floor during the whole thing.

"Yes, I'm good; they were just having some fun," she answers in a mousy voice.

"There isn't any fun found in tormenting others," Cas responds, then he thinks a bit. Is that really true? Cas found it extremely fun when Remy fell down or unintentionally hurt herself. Sebastian probably found it fun when someone is hurt, though he'd hide it under a facade of sympathy. Salem probably feeds off of others' misery, though that hasn't been confirmed. It hasn't been denied either.

Cas decides that there is, indeed, fun found in the torment of others, just not when it comes to people that can't defend themselves. I mean, look at the girl in front of Cas. She's small and fragile like a hummingbird. There's no way she could've stood a chance in front of numbskulls.

When all the books are either in Cas' arms or the owner's, Cas holds out a hand, "I'm Cas."

"I know," she stands with the grace and dignity of a future queen. Though she seems shy, she isn't afraid to tuck her hair behind her ear and look Cas in the eyes. Cas' is a murky swamp green; hers are an icy blue, like the tip of a glacier. "Everyone knows you Cas, though they probably won't admit it. When we found out there was going to be a transfer student, everyone was in a quiet uproar. People made bets on who you were, what your Ability was and everything. Then, you came, and we were," she sighs, "disappointed."

She takes Cas' hand and shakes, "I'm Arabelle Winters."

Seven

"So you, what, make things explode?" Cas asks as he walks Ara to her last class-Culinary Arts.

"Basically, but it's not really on command." Ara blows a strand of hair away from her face. She holds her books close to her chest like a shield.

"You accidentally make things explode?" And Cas thought his Ability is difficult.

"I mean, I have some control," she explains. "When I'm stressed, or sad, or angry I kind of...go off. Depending on how strong the feeling is, I can estimate the size of the explosion. It's usually when I'm angry we have problems. It's usually the strongest feeling I have."

"Is it like chronic anger like the Hulk, or do you get sudden bursts of anger here and there?"

"The latter," she says. They turn the corner, and Cas knows he'll be late for class, and Ms. Davenpore looks like a teacher that would feast on a student's esophagus if they're late, but he really, really didn't want to enter Combat Training where he fainted yesterday.

"It usually happens when I'm baking."

"What?"

"The exploding. It usually happens when I'm baking."

"How can you get mad baking? My mom used it as a stress reliever."

Ara gives him a cynical glance, "You've probably never baked in your life, and your mom sounds like a lady who had obedient cookies." She twirls suddenly to face Cas, her uniform skirt moving in a synchronized wave. She stands in front of her classroom and smiles at Cas. Like the rest of her, her teeth are extremely white.

"Nice meeting you, Cas, but if you'll excuse me, I have fish marinating, and if I don't take it out soon, I'm going to have issues."

...Well, that was an insanely random encounter.

"You plan on falling on your face again, you little wuss?" says a boy in the corner when Cas enters the training room, dressed in new, clean clothes he found in his locker. Cas ticks his tongue when he sees that who talked to him is one of the people that are surrounding Ash.

"Well, it seems that you've fallen on your face plenty of times while you were growing up, Walker. I mean, that'd explain why your face looks like that." Cas turns to see Salem walking over. Both earbuds in, though it seems like he knows exactly what he said.

The boy called Walker snatches the front of Salem's shirt in his hand and pulls him close, spitting in his face when he says, "What did you say?"

Salem seems unimpressed. His stone expression makes Cas respect him ten times more.

"You bloody well heard me. You're lacking brain cells, not ears."

Walker laughs, mockingly, "I'm going to beat you just as hard as Sebastian beat your little maggot."

The grin Salem gives is heartstopping. With his crazy snake eyes and his slightly pointy teeth...he's terrifying. "I can't wait."

"So, I see we have a match that wants to go in the ring?" Davenpore asks. "Well, what are you waiting for? Goodluck wishes? Get in there."

Salem takes his earbuds out and hands Cas an old mp3 player. "Lose it, and you lose your head."

Cas nods because he's learned enough to know that isn't just a threat.

Walker and Salem are in the same position Cas and Sebastian were exactly twenty-four hours ago. Though Walker is grinning like a rabid dog instead of the nonchalant swaggers Ash had yesterday, and Salem looks totally at ease in lieu of the anxious mess Cas was.

The whistle blows.

Walker attacks first, swinging a fist toward Salem's face, but Salem ducks and punches Walker in the stomach. It isn't an overly powerful punch, but Walker winces and tries to strike with a kick. It lands straight into Say's stomach, but he doesn't show any reaction. It happens a few other times. Walker hits Salem spot on, and he shows no effect. He must have great control of his body to do that. Salem grabs Walker's arm and twists. A wail of pain fills the room, and Salem only lets go after Walker falls to his knees.

Salem whispers something in Walker's ear, and Walker only nods before Salem leaves. What did Salem say? Was it a threat? A warning? An "I told you so?"

How many more lives does the curiosity cat have? Six? Five?

"Was that really necessary, Stone?" Davenpore asks as he helps Walker up. "You broke his arm? Couldn't you have solved this feud with a bit more civility?"

"Absolutely not, Ms. Davenpore," responds Salem as he grabs his mp3 player back from Cas. "If you pick a fight with me, you must be introduced with the consequences. Besides, you were the one that put both of us in the ring together, knowing full well what our intentions were. What does that say about you when you allowed this to happen?"

"This isn't about me," Davenpore says after she tells a girl to lead Walker to the infirmary. "This is about you and your need to prove you're better than him."