…

*Vwoosh*

Oliviera: “Wooow! This is the DORMS?!”

Wayne: “This is…”

Brennan: “It’s almost like…”

Elijah: “...Isn’t this a castle?”

Noel: “...”

{I know I said non-combatants were the real Kings of Hero High, but these people…}

Alyandrea: “No, it’s like a homely log cabin. Where the hell are y’all seeing a castle?

...Wait--! This cabin...!”

Oliviera: “Oh - Oh goodness – goodness…Where’s… where’s Charleston when you need him!”

Ian: “...You better not fall on me again. *steps back*”

Rise: “Why don’t you try, oh I dunno, NOT standing close to her this time dumbass.”

Eljiah: “Now, now. There’s no need for that temperamental reaction.”

Oliviera: “My leechums, this mansion...IS PERFECT FOR ME!”

Leos: “...Why?”

Oliviera: “Because obviously, I need only the best.”

Li shun: “Strange. What are you all talking about? I only see a miniature hotel. It kind of reminds me of this one REEEALLY elegant hotel from Beijing that my mom has a picture of.

..

…

E-Err- had *cough – cough* had. When...uh… when she was alive.”

Noel: “Mr. Abrams what’s going on? Why is everybody else calling the dorms strange things? I don’t see a castle or a mansion. All I see is a small building.”

Mr. Abrams: “That’s because your dorms have been enchanted. One symbol per student, they work by connecting to your psyche in order to bring you a relaxing illusion of what building, in your individual perspective, qualifies as a ‘home away from home’.”

Elijah: “So I...wish to live in a castle?”

Rise: “Ahahahahaha! That’s the ‘Prince’ for you! You just can’t break out of bad habits, huh?”

Elijah: “*Blushes* Th-That’s not true! I never took that ‘Prince’ title seriously and I’ve not ONCE wished to live in a castle!

But… I am curious Rise. Since you’re laughing: what style of building do YOU see, standing before us?”

Rise: “Hm? What building…?

.

.

I don’t see any.”

Mr. Abrams: “...Pardon?”

Elijah: “...You mean heheh, that, just like Noel, you see no changes right? That’s perfectly understandabl-”

Rise: “No that’s not it! I really don’t see any strange buildings like the rest of you.

GAHAHAHAHAHA!! That must mean I’m the only guy here who isn’t a complete weirdo! I don’t see castles or mansions, or weirdo hotels either! I don’t even see the dorm!”

Oliviera: “Gosh, what does THAT mean...*Flash* aww it doesn’t look anything LIKE what I’m seeing...”

Ian: “Hey! I am NOT weird! If it’s invisible then it probably insinuates that you don’t have a happy place, you depressing psychopath!”

Rise: “Gahahaha! You’re words are useless little man. If I don’t have a happy place then so be it! I don’t NEED one! Gahahaha!!”

Ian: “Mmmm..! What about the girls? Why are only the guys being called weird?!”

Rise: “Because the girls didn’t share what they saw.”

Elijah: “…”

Oliviera: “HEY! I AM NOT A BOY! I. AM. A. GIRL! And what I saw was NOT weird either!”

Ian: “...”

Rise: “Hahahaha! Sorry – sorry! Easy mistake! I’ll try to remember that! Hahahaha!”

Oliviera: “It’s true! A well-kept mansion is PERFECTLY normal to have as your happy place!”

Rise: “Ah, whatever you say~ Hahahaha!”

Noel: “Doesn’t the building being ‘invisible’ for you mean that your ‘happy place’ isn’t a building?”

Rise: “Ahahah-

…

.

.

.

What do you mean?”

Elijah: “...Ah! That’s right! This building is supposed to be enchanted to take the form of any building! IF you don’t see one…

...To be honest, I thought it would have meant that you don’t actually have a happy place, like Ian mentioned. That’s really sad. It’s a good thing that’s cleared up, right Mr. Abrams?"

Mr. Abrams: “...You wild child. That just means the forest surrounding the building is so comfortable to you, that you can’t see any ‘building’ in your sights at all.”

{Oooh, I can tell that one hurt. It’s like somebody stabbed him while he was feeling high and mighty hehe. That blow was like a ‘critical strike’ to his heart - no different from kicking him down while he was at his highest!}

Rise: “...It’s true though..it’s so-”

{Time to sprinkle salt in his wounds. Hehehe.}

Noel: “Hey Rise, didn’t you say all of the boys were weird? Well, hehe, at least we don’t feel happiest sleeping outside like some wild wolf.”

Rise: “Grr, you wanna go pipsqueak?!”

Noel: “Aaah~ teacher – teacher! Rise is bullying weak and defenseless me!! Please help!”

Rise: “...YOU SHAMELESS LITTLE – can’t you be a MAN and toughen up instead of tattling?!”

Noel: “Aah~ Alyandrea! Rise is being sexist towards...hey Alyandrea? What’s wrong?”

{At my words, everyone shifted their attention to her. She’s just standing there while crying. Hmm, seems pretty sad. Should I offer to help her? ...No, I’d rather not. I’m not good with these sort of situations.}

Rise: “...I’m...not the best at this stuff so I’ll just...pretend I didn’t see anything.”

Noel: “Is that called being honest, or no? Hehe, you actually admit that you suck at som--”

Ian: “No, it’s not. His starting words are somewhat honest, saying he isn’t ‘good’ at comforting people, but then he straight up claims he’s going to ‘pretend he didn’t witness Alyandrea’s tears.’ So at the very end he chooses to lie. What a horrible hero—oh wait.”

Rise; “Grr, I ain’t no hero!”

Ian: “That’s a double negative.”

Rise: “I ain’t A hero!”

Ian: “Actually, now that I think about it for a bit, he was being partially honest still. The ‘opting to lie’ part doesn’t outright negate his honesty, so he was partially honest, partially DIShonest.”

Noel: “...Thanks for that explanation, Ian.”

Ian: “You are very welcome, Noel.”

{You could have just answered my question by saying: ‘Partially.’ instead of breaking down Rise’s entire sentence structure. Look at him – he’s yawning! That shows he lost interest in my comment! He probably forgot about my jab too! Stupid Ian, of COURSE I know that he’s being partially honest, I frickin’ skipped two hole grades to enter high school! Ugh, maybe I’m just too awkward at this whole ‘getting along’ thing. In my family, everybody will be trying to one-up each other.}

Ophelia: “Umm… uhm...don’t – don’t cry.”

Oliviera: “Oh my baby leechums, are you okay?! Do – Do you need something from – oh wait a minute, TEACHER ABRAMS!! ALYANDREA IS CRYING!!!”

Alyandrea: “…”

Li Shun: “Hehe, try saying it a little louder: he might not have heard you, Oliviera.”

Mr. Abrams: “...I’m right next to you – and I can clearly see that she’s crying, Oliviera. Alyandrea, are you feeling alright?”

Alyandrea: “Sor- *sniff* -ry, I didn’t mean to. It just happened.”

Mr. Abrams: “Don’t worry - I won’t ask what you’ve seen. Just take care to-”

Noel: “Hey, What was it that you saw? How beautiful was it, to make you cry like that?”

Elijah: “It must be a pretty amazing sight to produce that sort of effect.”

Rise: “Or horrifying.”

Ian: “Yeah right! Come on, they said this building is your ‘happy place’—oh right. You don’t have one…”

Rise: “...I DO have one. It just isn’t made by humans.”

Oliviera: “Aly, Aly~ What did you see?”

Mr. Abrams: “...Nosy brats.”

Oliviera: “That’s not nice Mr. Abrams, I’m not trying to be nosy, I just worry for my fellow student brought to tears by an unknown school illusion. Sheesh…”

Alyandrea: “It’s just my old home *sniff* – anyways forget about it – forget you saw anything and let’s go inside already.”

{I agree! Jeez, non-stop interruptions. I just wanna-

...

...

…

Ah. Looking at him there’s one last thing I need to take care of.

...You could call it an interruption.}

Mr. Abrams: ”Actually, before you go – I have an announce-”

Oliviera: “Well...now that I know it isn’t a REAL castle, I’m going to call daddy to pick me up. Oh, no. I first have to call Charleston and tell him not to come with Oliver because the dorms aren’t big enough for my tastes. I absolutely must have the right environment to enjoy my school exper-”

Mr. Abrams: “Sorry, but you can’t. None of you can. One of the board of directors spoke to some of your parents, for those of you that gave us their contact information, at least. It was decided last minute through an emergency meeting, that for the sake of all non-combatant students’ safety – ALL of you non-combatants will be staying on campus and under watchful eye by the school staff. Some of the janitorial members or inactive/non-hero staff will take turns overseeing your “Dorm Life”. This decision comes straight from ‘Hero Society’ and, fortunately or unfortunately, is irreversible.”

Ophelia: “There’s...there’s no way! YOU LIAR!! I am totally NOT staying in that small place! Look at this! *Shows phone picture of dorm building* This is NOT my precious mansion!”

Mr. Abrams: “Deal with it. I can’t change anything for you since this decision was made by forces beyond me. Basically: this move went completely over my head. *shrugs* Try to be happy for now, and maybe their decision will change in the future.”

Ian: “Wait – wait wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, WAIT! WAIT just a moment! So are you saying...we have to LIVE together?! HERE?? Boys and girls...together???”

Elijah: “That’s...a tad improper Mr. Abrams.”

Mr. Abrams: “The whole entire Dormitory has been split down the center. There’s extra rooms planned ahead of time for extra students we may happen to get, but girls and boys will BOTH be completely separated. You can choose to see each other since the divider separating the twin living rooms can change from metallic, to clear.

But that’s seeing, not touching.”

Wayne: “Wait! I’m confused, Mr. Abrams why did I see a castle?!”

Brennan: “Yeah, me too! I don’t remember ever caring about castles-”

Mr. Abrams: “Most likely it lacked the options you both wanted, so it chose one for you at random.”

Wayne: “...”

Brennan: “...”

Oliviera: “Waaah! I don’t wanna live in a hobo house with poor people!”

Mr. Abrams: “Welcome to Hero High School, kids~”

---