?: "Phew. Dammit... I truly went for first place this time!"

?: "...You're fast."

?: "Thanks! And I am terribly sorry ma'am, but if you're up for another round, maybe in the future we could-"

Angry brother in the stands: "HEY!! YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER! UGLY!"

?: "..."

?: "Pffft, hahaha! Sorry, sorry! That's my brother and he's very protective over me. Please don't take his words to hear--"

?: "I AM NOT UGLY!!"

?: "..."

?: "YOU'RE JUST JEALOUS!! GIRLS EVERYWHERE WOULD KILL TO BE WITH ME!"

?: "..."

Angry brother in the stands: "Ha! My sister and I are royals. You honestly think you're a match for her? Not a chance – not a million chances."

?: "COME HERE AND SAY IT TO MY FACE PUNK! OR BETTER YET, PUT YOUR SCHOOL ID WHERE YOUR DIRTY MOUTH IS AND RACE ME YOURSELF!!"

Angry brother in the stands: "FINE! JUST WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR WHEN I ENTER HIGH SCHOOL!!!"

…

?: "...you're not in high school?"

Angry brother in the stands: "NO STUPID."

?: Corey, please stop shouting, you're embarrassing our homeland."

Corey: "Sorry, Iris."

?: "...Idiot."

Loving sister in the stands: "Phoebus!! Phoebus~!! Be nice to people, or else you won't make that many friends!"

Phoebus: "Hmph! Who cares about stuff like that, Diana. Mind your own business!"

Diana: "YOU SHOULD CARE... haah.

Tsk, tsk, Phoebus. Aren’t you the representative for the God of archery, music, dancing, diseases, healing, prophecy and TRUTH?! Why aren’t you being truthful?!

...

Oh, and nice job making it in second place! Second IS the best, after all~ Good job little bro!"

Phoebus: "...Thanks."

…

3rd Place was a refreshingly pure female. Her strawberry blond hair was tied up in a ponytail, however even then, its radiance was unmistakable. With a beautifully done manicure and cooly picked sports outfit: she looked all to ready for a normal day under the sun.

Yet, the necklace she wore, her hazel green eyes and that calm and composed aura she exuded made her appear nothing short of absolutely imperious to those watching her at the finish line right now.

-Her name was Iris Ravius.

…

2nd Place was a boy with dark tan skin that glistened in the morning sunshine. Sweat drops sparkled like dew drops after a morning shower passes through, The arrogant teen's bright red hair with a light golden undertone signifies his position of power that only those of status within the celestial organization - SUN and has been transferred to their branch organization 'Sun of Apollo' organization dominance in speed today.

- His name was Phoebus.

…

1st Place, a Golden haired youth with bright ocean blue eyes. He wore a crown-patterned cap on his head, a thin t-shirt that featured a realistically designed suit of golden armor as it's pattern. Long arm bands that resembled gauntlets, shorts with zippered bottoms that looked as if they could double as long and loose pants, and Shoes that resembled Golden boots in design but were cut off and missing their greaves.

- And his name was...

[W-Winner! We have a winner!]

Momo: "I...I lost...? ME?? Impossible – That's completely impossible! I can't LOSE in speed!"

Iris: "Grow up, and stop throwing a temper tantrum."

Phoebus: "You lost because you were too slow."

Momo Humphries: "No! Liars – you are all CHEATERS! Yes – that's it! You must have taken drugs before this test – or slipped some hard to detect device inside your wares!! Reveal the truth IMMEDIATELY!! You could NEVER have beaten me fairly!"

Corey: "Hmph, there's no hope for him."

Diana: "What a fool."

…

?: "Hmhm~ more importantly... If uncle is telling me the truth, then... heeheehee! I'm going to fulfill dad's promise immediately! Now... I hope you were watching..."

…

His shout scared the audience silent.

Following this brief shock, whispers began to stir.

Random audience member #1: "Hey... that's..."

Random audience member #2: "*Gulp* Yeah... He's the Sonic Speed King. He just came in fourth!"

Random audience member #3: "Then that means..."

Random audience member #4: "Is he... Is he... No longer-"

Random audience member #5: "No longer a 'King'?"

…

Oliviera: "My – My Leechums... My – My Leechums...! HE LOST?! IN A SPEED RACE?! THEN WHY IN THE WORLD IS HE CALLED THE SPEED KING?! AAAH, NO, NOT ONE OF MY PRINCE CHARMINGS!"

Noel: "Wow. They were actually fast. I wasn't expecting that."

Elijah: "I don't think anybody was expecting those three to be this good... and 'fast'? Hahah, that's an understatement. Those three were incredible!"

Noel: "No. They were just fast. Nothing mo-mphhph!"

Mr. Abrams: "Just stop it already. We've already been over this nonsense, change your way of thinking!"

Noel: "...Hmph!"

Elijah: "...Huh? Am I missing something..? Ahaha."

Oliviera: "Mr. NO I mean, PROFESSOR! Please! You have to TELL ME! WHO. ARE. THEY. WHO ARE THEY?!"

Mr. Abrams: "Iris Ravius is the Princess of a kingdom at the coast of Spes Nova called Ravedian. governed entirely by a brand new Monarchy while simultaneously becoming known as a protectorate of Herotopia – this massive hero nation of ours.

Her brother is Corrin Ravius and he's 13."

For a brief moment, Mr. Abrams's gaze met with Noel's: mentally comparing a 'normal' 13 year old with the 12 year old. As if reading the thoughts behind that stare, Noel retorted defiantly.

Noel: "Hey. I can't help it if I'm smart! If it wasn't so 'beneath him', then he could have tried applying as a non-combatant too."

Mr. Abrams: "He wouldn't have gotten in unless there was a valid--- Oh who am I kidding. Yeah. You're probably right. Most likely, he could get in the same way Oliviera did."

Noel: "*Turns and stares*"

Elijah: "...How...did you get in, if I may request permission to ask?"

Oliviera: "Ohuhuhuhu~ No need to be so NERVOUS hehe. I don't mind sharing~ Daddy just payed them money, that's all~"

Elijah: "...Your father... bribed them?"

Oliviera: "Yup of course! I can't think of anything that money can't buy!"

Elijah: "Well, It's not my place to judge."

Mr. Abrams: "It wasn't really bribing. Her father offered to support some of our... newer, projects... in exchange for a favor. That favor so happened to be that she be given admission in return.

Back to the previous question. Her brother's name is Corrin Ravius and unlike Noel, he won't be attending high school early. So he plans to stay here until next year when he can apply. The two of them are foreign exchange students for Hero High and Hero Middle schools."

Noel: "There's a middle school for heroes too? Isn’t that a bit early?"

Oliviera: "Where have you been living - under a rock or something???"

Elijah: "They start from elementary school, where young kids can transfer to Herotopia’s Hero elementary if they exhibit oddities that separate them from normal children."

Noel: "Ah okay. Thanks for answering my question."

Mr. Abrams: "...the next guy to cross the finish line is Phoebus Aurelius. He is a descendant of the Celestial organization 'SUN' and currently attends their branch as Apollo's chosen incarnation."

Oliviera: "Incar-what?"

Elijah: "Incarnation. It means to embody a deity. At least in this context it does, right Mr. Abrams?"

Mr. Abrams: "Mm. Apollo is one of the more powerful and well known Olympian Gods and Goddesses, along with his twin sister, Diana Luminera. That boy Phoebus and his twin sister, Diana, were chosen by the two Godly...twins... to be their partners and physical vessels in a 'give and take' relationship of equal exchange. Forgive my lack of knowledge on the topic of ‘Gods’ but basically they have those two deities' assistance and knowledge."

Oliviera: “Aah~ I think I’m in love~! A real Princess, and A literal hottie~ Goodbye Momo! Hello Phoebus and Iris!!”

Noel: "Help from a God or Goddess, huh...That sounds handy. Especially during battle."

Oliviera: "I know right?? If I had their divine wisdom, no test would be too challenging for me. Huhuhuhu~"

Elijah: "I think a God or Goddess of any respectable standing would be embarrassed to only help you pass a couple of tests."

Oliviera: "Oh no, no that's just the BEGINNING! I can buy whatever I want and know that each purchase had a special meaning while avoiding the ones that are just wasteful to me. THEN I can-"

Mr. Abrams: "Those two are special students that specialize in both combat AND healing. As such, they came here to focus on mastering their healing craft first. It is the logical choice. Healing is crucial no matter where you go.

...Oh, wait: sorry, it's only Phoebus that specializes in Healing. Diana might attend as a combat hero, not sure since she's not in any of my courses. But she is also an 'Incarnation'. Even though they were twins, they were taken to two different Celestial organizations due to personal family reasons, She became chosen at an early age by a different 'MOON' branch, one that worships Artemis: or better known as Diana, the Moon Goddess, and Goddess of the hunt."

Elijah: “What about childbirth? Isn’t Artemis or Diana the Goddess of-”

Mr. Abrams: “...We don’t teach that here. And I would assume the MOON faction, Diana’s family and Artemis herself could help her with any gifts pertaining to that.”

Oliviera: "And? And? What about the last one who came in first place and beat Momo out of his title!

Now 'Sonic Speed King' doesn't even make sense! He came in FOURTH!! Ughh I've just GOT TO have his name! I need to do my research on him ASAP!"

Mr. Abrams: "That last boy is-"

Before he could even finish his sentence though, that 'boy' did something strange. He kept his gaze fixated on a specific direction, without even looking away to the cameras orbiting him and the other contestants.

It was strange...

But what was even stranger was that the 'direction' this first place winner kept his gaze fixed on, led directly to Mr. Abrams's room.

?: "Found you."

---