The car screeched to a halt as my father turned to look at me.

"Are ya sure you don't want me to come in with you? It's really no big deal I already took off the day from work." He raised an eyebrow inquisitively as I stared out of the window to my right.

Unlike the facilities during the summer that was hidden on the outskirts of nowhere, the Acadamy was actually located smack dab in the middle of the city of Pheonix, Arizona. Maybe it was due to my ignorance of common knowledge, but wasn't it better for a school dedicated to training Supers that could cause earthquakes, explosions, vaporizing energy, and super strength be somewhere else other than a highly populated city?

"It's fine, the papers didn't say anything about any parents to attend." My eyes skimmed the letter for confirmation.

"Yeah, nothing," I added.

A couple weeks after leaving the facilities I'd received a letter in the mail. It was quite a meaty package since more than half of the papers that lied inside were the legal ones. Basically, they said if I got maimed or died they weren't liable and whatnot. These papers didn't help make my mom feel better about my leaving but hey I'm going to fine.

Probably.

The rest was info about what I would expect at the Academy (if I got accepted after a "testing"), and what would happen if I got accepted. Although not a whole lot of information on what I was going to expect, maybe it was because of security issues, or maybe they don't want to scare us away too soon.

"Alright, if there's anything call me. Call me or your mother if you need anything." He kissed my forehead as I gathered my backpack and opened the door.

"Oh, and kick some ass!" He yelled out behind which elicited a smile from me.

Mom doesn't really encourage cursing but eh.

I'm gonna kick some ass alright.

After saying goodbye, I popped the trunk and retrieved my suitcase (which held clothes and other utilities) and rolled my way across the street. The entire Academy was actually quite marvelous, like many regular universities it wasn't just one gigantic building, but more of a community.

Or at least that's what the letter said.

As I sauntered on the concrete path that led to the entrance I turned in every direction with wide eyes at the sight. Bordering the path were massive lawns, where other students milled about, read books, and conversed with others. Which thinking about it was weird, since the first "real day" for regular students was tomorrow.

To my front was a wide set of steps that led to three pairs of double doors, which opened into what I guessed was where I was supposed to be. Maybe I should ask someone... Nah ill figure it out. The path finally diverged into three, in front of me was the beginning concrete steps to the doors, while to my left and right they led to the sides of the building to where I assumed was another clearing.

After bumping my suitcase multiple times on the steps I threw open the door and sauntered in.

Woah.

The room was larger than expected, a fortunate luxury due to the unholy amount of people that were packed inside. There must've been at least a couple hundred people in here, students and parents alike. They must be here for the same reason as I, I know its like orientation day or something but still like they're suffocating me with how close we were packed. Like Sardines. I could literally take a step in any direction and bump into someone.

As I scooted my way towards one of the four lines that led to a desk (that held four receptionists) I glanced at around at everybody. You'd think that Supers would be easy to pick out (I assumed that all of them were), but not really. About eighty percent of the people who waited around talking looked like regular joes, except for small differences in them, like a change in eye color, sharpened nails, or an unnatural voice. But the other twenty percent where outlandishly different, some had mottled grey fur, some were at least over seven feet tall, a girl even had a falcon perched on her shoulder obediently.

Maybe Julian could talk to birds.

Speaking about Julian where was he and everyone else? Just as I was about to leave the line a voice spoke up.

"If everyone would quiet down please," A soft voice whistled in my ears like I was wearing headphones.

Everyone began turning in confusion to locate the voice.

"If you would please look to the front near the double doors." The soothing voice commanded.

Like a puppet on strings mostly everyone ceased talking and turned to the front where, indeed, a man stood.

"Now, for those who haven't already signed in do so, the rest of you come with me to the auditorium. Parents, unfortunately for you this is the farthest you can come with your child today," he commanded once again before turning and going through the double doors behind him.

Half of the crowd in here followed him out (the bigger ones went last since they could barely fit through the door), a problem that seems like it would happen a lot at an Academy for Supers.

I waited in the line and gave the women at the desk my name, which she then promptly gave me a sticker with my name on it. Which I proudly stuck on my shirt, and walked into the loud auditorium.

I surveyed the scene and again I couldn't find the rest of my friends so I just sat down in an empty seat in the back and whipped out my phone and flipped it open. Now since I "lost" my last phone and I didn't have insurance I was blessed with a flip phone. As it was supposed to teach me some "character", or since I was broke it was all we could really afford.

I shot Julian (we've been texting over the summer) a text asking where he was, it took a minute since I had to click a button multiple times to get the letter I wanted.

Pure torture.

"Excuse me" I jumped slightly at hearing this.

I still haven't really recovered from the "incident" over the summer and was still a bit jumpy and paranoid. I mean that's why I was sitting on the edge seat in the row, it's easier to get ready.

"Scared much?" She chuckled with a smile.

As I stood up and moved to the side I eyed the falcon on her shoulder, it had a white underbelly, dark grey wings, and dark beady eyes that was seemingly locked onto mine. Something about the bird gave me the chills, but I just couldn't put my tongue what.

"Just nerves," I bit my tongue sightly as I lied.

A technique that I used to pass off a lie, as the slight painful expression would appear on my face, not the lie. Maybe it was my imagination, or my mind playing tricks on me, but the look that the falcon was giving me seemed much more intelligent than any other look that a bird gave me. Could this girl talk to animals or something? Her tree-bark brown hair swished past me, I even caught sight of one of her hair clip things that girls wore, it was green and leaf-shaped.

Maybe she was a tree hugger.

She sat down with a plop one seat over and glanced at me with a playful smile. One that made something in my chest go aflutter. Weird, although thankfully the bird was on her other shoulder (right one) so It couldn't stare at me anymore. I was just about to ask what the deal was with that bird when something caught my eye.

Since I was one of the last aspiring students to arrive only a few more people entered and sat down in the auditorium before a man walked up on the stage in the front. The whispering that plagued the auditorium fell silent on its own as the man tapped the microphone.

"One, two, three, testing... okay do I have y'alls attention?" The man had a stomach that bulged through his button-down plaid shirt that was tucked into his shirt, and a strong southern accent that cut through the air like a knife through cheese.

The girl next to me giggled slightly as he spoke, not really in a malicious way though.

"Each and every one of you here is a Super, a person with abilities that awes science, and threatens religion. Due to probably having lived life easy due to your status you may think the Academy will be much the same. It won't, half of you here today will never get the opportunity to even attend the Greensdale Academy for Supers. For those who do y'all will be taught how to harness your unique abilities, and be pushed to and through your limitations." He paused for a moment to glance at the crowd as if he was picking a turkey to eat for Thanksgiving.

I shuddered slightly, though not from nervousness or fear, but from anticipation. This is what I've been waiting for and I'd be damned if I let this opportunity slip through my fingers.

"Enough dilly dally, the first test will be your easiest, but also the hardest. After your evaluation for those who aren't immediately cut you will be ranked by your performance, this rank will be your lifeline at the Academy. More information will be available and rewarded to you if you manage to stay in. You will be evaluated by your performance on one on one single elimination matches," Everyone was on the edge of their seats as they hung on to each and every word, including me.

"We use the evaluations that you have either conducted here or elsewhere and use that information so y'all be pitted against an evenly skilled or powered Super, there are two outcomes to a match, win or lose. If you do not meet our requirements for acceptance you'll be eradicated from the group, we only accept the strong. More information will be given before the matches start, leave any luggage you may have brought here, they will be cared for and listen for your name and go to the group that was specified. Good luck, and I hope to see all faces after the rankings. To those who will be attending the Acadamy I'm Dean Link." And with that, he left the podium.

Everyone was in stunned silence, and everyone was thinking the same thing. We were going to fight each other? Instantly the air turned hostile as people began to identify everyone else as enemies, again including me. I also didn't do any evaluation, but probably Mr. Richards (RIP) did something, or one of the other men in suits did something for me.

While others may be nervous at the prospect of fighting I was ecstatic. This was exactly the kind of test I was hoping for, I wouldn't have the experience or fine touch with my power as others would have (as they probably had their powers for many years longer than I.) Even if I'd been training my subtle touch with my power it still was many years away until I would consider it a strength. And if it's not a strength...

"Good luck! I'm Nikki by the way" The girl to my side sad wildly.

Something about her wasn't quite right either, weird bird girl.

"Chase," I retorted as I moved out of her way as she sashayed her way to one of the groups that began to form on the sides of the gym (a group surrounded a person that stood on a small platform.) The same soft voice whispered in my ear guiding me to own group in the far right corner.

I checked my phone one last time for any texts (I got their numbers before I left) and headed towards the oddly receding groups. Almost as if they were disappearing. Shaking that thought out of my heard I started to get my head in the game.

It's time.

And not time to buy a watch.

Time to kick some ass.