08/29/3122 YDB – August 30^th, 3122

“Let me get this straight. You want to go to Trinity Academy?” Alister Mcree said looking at Archer with a quizzical look on his face. He looked over to Archer Griffen, dressed in his freshly ironed uniform, with no hair on his head out of place. His round-rimmed hat was on his side, and he stood at attention.

“Yes sir.” Archer said looking forward to his senior officials. Before him were the previously mentioned Alister Mcree, Dola Dorado, and Jeremy Swayman. Three certified WDO agents who all were active heroes currently. Dressed in suits, the three sat in front of him at a large table looking through files before them and on computers.

“Last time this was brought up to you, you had shown very little interest.” Alister questioned.

“My mind has changed after some thought.” Archer answered.

“Now you are more than qualified for this job but currently we have someone else in mind.” Jeremy said as he flipped through some papers.

“Mable Bishop, I assume sir.” Archer said.

“Very good guess. How did you know?” Dola asked raising an eyebrow.

“I made an assumption based on the information I had on me.”

“Then why not say Pheonix Cooper? He is also in the conversation amongst you kids is he not?” Jeremy asked.

“He is sir. But, based on personal experience with him… he can be difficult in a scenario to do with formal education.” Archer said trying not to throw his friend… acquaintance under the bus too much.

“That is true.” Alistar said with a light chuckle as he crossed something out.

“Nevertheless, while perhaps you have some of the best qualifications compared to the other candidates, you can still be used elsewhere and we still don’t know just how important it will be to put another agent into Trinity Academy.” Dola said.

“Another agent?”

“We already have a more venerated member watching over the place. It is one of the most important schools for upcoming heroes.” She explained.

“I see ma’am.”

“Mable has proven more than capable of taking this mission and she in comparison to you, seemed extraordinarily excited about getting involved to begin with.”

“That’s where I believe the problem lies down to ma’am.”

“Oh?” Dola said leaning back and tapping her chin with her pen curiously.

“The job for Trinity Academy offers a land of refuge for Mable Bishop.” Archer said calmly as he prepared his explanation.

“What do you mean by that?” Jeremy asked.

“Mable Bishop much like many others had never had a pleasant childhood. Never gone to school. This job offers her a piece of normality she very much craves. Hence her excitement.”

“And you think that is a bad thing?” Jeremy asked, resting his chin on his hand.

“In this context, yes sir.”

“Expound.”

“Trinity Academy is seeing an influx of new students this year, not all with good attention. Former enemy nations are sending people to the academy. Some might try and undermine the place from the inside. Tacked onto this; various people from extremely different cultures are coming. There are internal blood feuds, royalty from other lands, the poor and mistreated among others.”

“Which is why we are sending one of you undercover to go and watch over the place.” Alistar said.

“Yes, but if someone were to go there with the thought of playing student first and solving the problem second, I believe it would be a problem.”

“Do you not plan to play student there?”

“No not if I can help it.” Archer said, stone-faced, “I have no intention of acting like I’m going to high school more than necessary. My object in going there is not to make friends, not to be popular, not to graduate. It is simply to complete the mission.”

“And what would that mission be?” Jeremy asked.

“Deal with any issue that comes up, with any method possible.” Archer said.

“Hmm.” Alister pondered, “What you say does have truth to it. It would be useful to have the three-headed demon there. Should be able to take care of most issues that come up with a bit of ingenuity.”

“True. But this is a bit last minute. It would take some work to get everything in order to accommodate you.” Dola said as she looked at her laptop.

“May I ask a question?” Archer asked seeing that he had piqued their interest.

“Go ahead.”

“What is the backstory you plan on using for the undercover agent? I recall there is quite the hierarchy for this academy.”

“The agent would go there as a mid-ranked student of decent social standing. Get involved with the popular kids, and professors to glean information.”

“If I am selected, I would like to be placed at the lowest rank.” Archer said.

“Now why on Gaia would you want to do that?” Jeremy said now leaning in looking interested.

“From what I understand, people will not think much about a kid so low down on the ladder. I would be rather invisible in the eyes of many.” Archer explained.

“It would make forming strong bonds with other students difficult.” Dola questioned.

“That is not a concern. I am not there to be a student. I am there to do a job. I have other methods of extracting information, the student occupation is simply a cover-up. An incompetent student means less connection will be discovered and less time I need to spend on maintaining a reputation.” Archer said.

The three adults looked at one another.

“Well?” Alistar asked.

“It’s a different look.” Dola said, “We have been looking at this through the guise of a student doing everything. But that’s not the point of the mission now is it?”

“No… and having one of the pillars of the next generation be involved would be beneficial.” Jeremy said. After a few more moments of deliberating, the three of them all typed something down on the computers.

“Very well Archer Griffen. I hereby declare that you will be the official WDO trainee being sent to Trinity Academy.” Alistar said as he seemed to stamp something on a piece of paper.

***

Archer Griffen opened the fridge door of the communal kitchen, grabbed a bag of milk out and poured it into his glass. Placing the milk back into the fridge he sat himself down at the table where his breakfast burrito awaited him.

“So the news is out.” Anderson as he walked in just as Archer took a bite of his burrito.

“What?” Archer asked before taking a bite.

“That you just poached the most coveted job right under the noses of the others.” Anderson said as he grabbed an orange from the fruit bowl and began peeling it.

“Oh. So that got out. Wait when?” Archer asked as he took a sip of milk.

“An hour or so ago.” Anderson said just as he felt a rumble shake the building.

The kitchen window blew open as Zach crawled into the kitchen, “Did you just steal the position from everyone?” He asked hurriedly as he crawled in.

“What are- you’re supposed to be on another continent!” Archer said.

“Yeah, finished my job and flew here as soon as I could once I saw the email.” Zach said brushing the dirt off himself.

“So what happened?” Anderson asked.

“Well-” Archer began before a portal erupted in the middle of the kitchen and out came a stunning girl dressed as a witch and a fridge of a man.

“Archer you’re actually going to school?” The massive man named Tucker Park asked as his clothes were covered with some strange blood-like substance, he clapped his massive hand over Archer’s far smaller shoulders.

“Is anyone else going to swing by?” Archer asked as he rubbed his shoulder from the impact.

“You can’t blame us. It’s a bit unimaginable. For you.” The witch, Pepper Korn said in a sultry and alluring voice.

“What can I say? I was convinced.” Archer said shrugging at the two one-year-older trainees that warped in.

“Not by us though. So who convinced you?” Zach said.

“I thought I was the wannabe detective.” Archer said as he took another bite of his burrito, “Look, all I’m going to say is that I think I could do a good job for this and I feel like it is a very important job.”

“Well. We won’t pry. Keep your secrets.” Pepper said, “But. I think that. Not everyone is happy.”

Archer immediately darted his eyes up from his meal to see Mable who had just walked by the kitchen. The moment she saw him a look of anger flashed through her eyes and she turned and walked away.

“Ah. Great.” Archer said with a deep sigh. His worst-case scenario was occurring before his eyes.

“Well, you did ruin her dream.” Tucker said blatantly. Immediately getting a hard elbow to his side by Anderson in response.

“Don’t worry. She’ll get over it.” Zach assured him, “You’ve got to board the plane and get a debrief in a few hours right? Focus on the task at hand.”

“Yeah, yeah I know.” Archer said. Well. It starts now.

***

08/31/3122 YDB – August 31st, 3122

Fight board number 281 is in thirty minutes please line up. The speaker announced.

Archer sat himself down on one of the many rows of seats in the airport. This is what I get for not asking to go sooner. Archer thought as he tried to make himself comfortable on the plastic chairs.

The original flight had to be cancelled as new paperwork had to be hurriedly created for Archer. Which also meant that most of his equipment was also not coming with him on this trip as they needed to be expedited at a later date.

It also didn’t help that the plane he got had been delayed twice now and it was nearing midnight. There was a very real chance that he might not make it to Trinity Academy before the school year started as he needed to go through some more debriefing when he landed.

“Hey, are you doing okay?” A familiar voice asked. Looking over Archer saw Mariel seated next to him in casual wear with a hat and face mask on.

“What a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?” Archer asked with a smile.

“Well we both wanted to talk to you earlier, but you lived in a place where contact was difficult.” Mariel said.

“I told you that you two were lucky that I found you first.” Archer said with a chuckle before answering her question, “Well, have to wait a while. But other than that I’m fine. Say I don’t suppose that you have the ability to speed up the wait time at an airport do you?”

“Unfortunately no.” She said with a light smile, “It is good to see you in high spirits despite everything. I apologize on behalf of both my sister and me for not being able to prepare you sooner.”

“It’s nothing. I knew it wouldn’t be easy when I agreed.” Archer said, leaning back on his seat, “So what did you want to talk about?”

“We’ll try to stay in contact with you once you land, but I thought that there was some information you should know.” Mariel said looking a bit nervous.

“Information you aren’t supposed to divulge, correct?” Archer guessed.

“… Yes.”

“If it’s about what happens in the future, don’t tell me.”

“But-”

“Don’t risk any more than you need to.” Archer advised, “Besides it will be fun to guess what happens next. Besides, if I’m truly lost I can follow the lead of whoever your friends pick.”

“Alright. If you’re sure.” Mariel said looking a bit concerned yet relieved at the same time.

“Let me guess. You were going against your sister trying to tell me some secrets?”

“How did you know?” Mariel asked looking sheepish.

“You have it written on your face.”

“Huh.” Mariel sighed, “It’s not going to be easy Archer. But we both believe in you. It might not be much and we might not be much help, but we’ll be rooting for you.”

“Hey. Belief’s all that’s needed.” Archer said with a grin, “Don’t worry about me. It’s my job to figure things out. If I fail, then it’s on me.”

“Actually it’s about the fate of the world.”

“That’s reassuring.”

“Sorry.”

“I’m joking.” Archer said with a gentle smile, “I understand the gravity of everything. Look, don’t stick out your neck for me any more than needed. It’s my job to be in trouble.”

“It’s my job to keep you safe.”

“You mean Gaia. The planet.”

“No. You as in humanity.”

“Surely you can allow a couple to be lost.”

“Sariel doesn’t want that. I don’t want that. We’ve changed your fate, your life. We are responsible for whatever happens.”

Archer breathed out a small laugh, “Your heart is in the right place alright.”

“Just don’t get killed trying to help people.”

“I only promise to try.

Mariel gave a small smile before she disappeared into thin air. Man, jetlag is going to suck. Archer thought with a smile on his face.