A hand is outstretched towards me. The owner, a friendly looking guy my age.

Smiling with a bit of relief I give him my firmest handshake and introduce myself.

"Nice to meet you. Name's Ryder."

Kade grins good naturedly and scoots his seat forward so I can sit down on the seat closer to the window.

"I heard there was a new guy coming and figured you'd want a window seat."

I smile before moving into my own seat. As I sit down I get my first good look at my new deskmate.

He has casual clothes and pale skin that doesn't get much sun and looks kinda nerdy with his large glasses, his shirt hints at a sense of humor with the words And Satan said "let's put the alphabet in math!"

On the surface everything about Kade told me he wasn't anything more than what he seems. However, I saw a bit more under the surface. Underneath the sweats and long sleeves shirt was a lean martial artists frame.

The way he balanced perfectly on two of his chairs legs with no trouble was another hint.

Although I guess not everything under the surface is what stands out to me. Without a doubt the most eye-catching thing would have to be his grayish white hair.

I don't mean to say that it was white like he dyed his hair wrong. No it's like someone tried to paint a white canvas with gray and gave up part of the way through.

'tap tap tap'

I was cut off from further thought by the elderly teacher tapping his walking cane gently against the podium.

"Good morning everyone I hope you all had a nice weekend, now before we get to the lesson for today, as I'm sure some of you have already noticed, we have a new student today."

A halfhearted round of applause follows his announcement. Wow, I'm really feeling the love here.

Kade seems genuine at least. He gives me a thumbs as the "applause" dies down, I return it.

"Now Riley has been homeschooled all his life so this will be his first day at school ever, let's be sure to give him Broad Rivers warmest welcoming okay?"

This time I notice the atmosphere is a little different, the teachers smile is a few degrees colder and the students are decidedly more enthusiastic about clapping this time. I also notice that Kade doesn't join in.

Unconciously I gather a small bit of miasma around the palm of my hand hand and tuck my feet under the desk.

What no one can see under the desk is the ground distorting slightly, like ripples in a lake. I was ready to summon a Skeleton Minion at the drop of a hat.

Several long moments pass before the elderly teacher finally drops the sinister smile and replaces it with a quiet laugh.

Gradually all the students drop the sinister looks and laugh a little to themselves.

Relaxing a little I start to let the miasma dissipate. A hand suddenly firmly grabs my wrist. It takes an iron will not to break it out of habit.

I glance at Kade without turning my head. His face is still casual as he browses though his phone with one hand.

I notice that he's typing something as he tilts the screen in my direction.

"Don't let your guard down just yet"

I nod fractionally without ever fully looking at the screen. As I look back up I see the teacher getting into the swing of things, introducing himself (obviously for my benefit) as mr. Berkeley.

Quickly he launches into an explanation about the math assignment that was given over the weekend and going over the answers.

I clue in for the first ten minutes or so...but I've already figured out exactly what kind of problems he gave the class and the answers to all of them.

I don't even have to look at Kade’s paper next to me which he keeps in between us so that I can see it.

Aunt Nat was a very...studious teacher. She was adamant about not only making up for lost time but then surpassing all the others my age after she discovered that my parents took me out of school early.

To be honest I should really be in an AP class but grandma insisted that I join the regular classes first, "to adjust a little easier" she had said.

Somehow I'm starting to get the feeling there's more to it than that...

As I'm once again thinking to myself I suddenly notice something...off about the students surround Kades and my desks.

Everyone of them is smirking or taking glances behind me. I don't hesitate, I fall backward and turn my landing into a roll backwards as I do I hear the sound of something sharp slamming into my desk with a loud THUNK.

Immediately I let the miasma pooling under my feet grow until it's as wide as my shoulders. As I do I roll a second time to the left right as another object firmly stabs into the ground.

I can already tell another one is coming but this time I don't dodge. The object firmly slams into the rusty, decrepit looking shield held stoically above my head. I stand up, now flanked on both sides by Skeletal Minions.

I glance around the room as I casually pull the sharp kunai out of my Minions shield with a firm tug and throw it in a single smooth motion at a darker section of the roof near a corner.

As I do the shadows part and a boy with bright red hair falls out of it and lands with cat like grace a kunai clutched in one hand. It's only now that I notice a desk that was near the back is suddenly missing it's occupant.

I begin to draw more miasma around myself in preparation for a fight. First I'll throw my chair at him to distract him and-

TAP TAP TAP

Like a war drum echoing right next to my head a loud banging fills the room. Students clutch their ears to block the intense sound.

I turn and glance at the source of the banging and there stands mr. Berkeley his walking cane still in one hand and the now dented podium to his right.

WHAT IS IT WITH OLD PEOPLE AND THEIR WALKING STICKS IS THERE A MAGAZINE FOR THIS KIND OF THING?!

WWW.ORDERYOURMURDERSTICK.COM?!

While letting my abused inner monologue do it's thing i allow the miasma to dissipate and unsummon my Skeleton Minions...after making sure ninja boy does the same with his knives.

Mr.Berkeley nods his head in approval as he watches my miasma dissipate like a black fog.

"Very interesting, ah please excuse that little prank just now it's something of a ritual for new students and you were never in any danger I assure you."

I remain silent for a moment before just nodding my head noncommitaly and turn back to my seat next to Kade. But a surprise is waiting for me before I get there.

You've made a strong first impression and smoothly countered a planned sneak attack

+1000 EXP

Without letting the exultant screaming voice in my head show on my face I smoothly walk back to my desk. When I get back to my desk I pick up my tipped over chair and tug the extra kunai out of my desk.

Without actually looking at him I throw the kunai at ninja boy. He catches it out of midair with ease and returns to his own seat...still in his ninja Avatar.

Kade sees me eyeing him suspiciously and gives me a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry about it he never takes the damn thing off."

I nod in acknowledgement but keep my guard up for the rest of class all the same. After an hour the bell rings and everyone starts filing out of the classroom. I stand at the same time that Kade does and we begin making our way out.

"Since you've got this class that means you’re in A lunch with me, i'll take you there."

I nod in appreciation and we start making our way down the crowded hallway.

Kade’s POV

Ryder's an interesting guy, definitely knows his way around a fight i'll give him that. Honestly I was more than a little intimidated when he first loomed over me. His large frame and the prominant scar on his face giving him an intimidating visage.

I was fully prepared to break his hand during that handshake if he tried something. I've been in enough fights to know it's always best to expect the worst. I'm relieved it didn't come to that since I wouldn't have a chance against him with those Minions of his backing him up. After all-

"So you haven't hit Level Five either huh?"

I trip on my own feet when Ryders voice suddenly finishes my own thoughts. I look at him with a bit of caution but he just stares back steadily no contempt or superiority in his eyes. I try to match his emerald eyed stare for a moment but eventualy look away. Those eyes feel like they can see right through me.

"Nothing to be ashamed of i'm also Level Four, some of us just need more experience than others, i've found that the benefits outweigh the cost."

A part of me appreciated his honest understanding and attempt to cheer me up. The rest of me cringed...would he still say that if he knew I was still Level Two...and that it took me fifteen years of blood sweat and tears just to get there...and all i got for that effort WAS MY HAIR TURNING WHITE!

Ryder must have seen something in my face as he let it go and kept walking in companionable silence. I was just starting to get my cheerful mood back when an obnoxious voice cuts through the background chatter of the students filling the hall.

"Hey new kid it's time for round two you jackass!"