Meanwhile, before the explosion occurred: approximately twenty minutes before…

Aria: “O-Ophelia, how do I---AH! OH NOOO!”

An avalanche of dumbbells collapsed as Aria slipped and fell into the rack. Had the dumbbells been properly hung on a wall, this would never have happened. But the three girls got lost in conversation while picking out different sized ones to bring over to a few empty mats and just kept stacking them. The resulting mess soon followed...

Ophelia: “Aria are yo--”

Alyandrea: “You clumsy girl! Look at what you’ve done – you dropped ALL of the dumbbells! Pick em up!”

Aria: “But...they’re too heavy...”

Aria tried to lift a 15 pound dumbbell, but felt a *POP!* and had to let go – luckily she managed to jump back in a panic before it crushed one of her feet.

Ophelia: “Here. Let me help.”

Aria: “heeh, Sorry! I’m just so clums-ahh!”

*Plomp!*

It’s a terrible shame. By jumping back to dodge the falling dumbbell, she set herself up to trip over a few sets of it that were sloppily stacked behind her thanks to the avalanche. Unable to watch any more of Aria’s disastrous predicament, Ophelia offered her assistance. She claimed that she would pick everything up since Aria couldn’t do it herself...

EVERYTHING...up….”

Alyandrea: “Be careful Ophelia. Even for someone like you, if these babies happen to fall on your foot it is gonna--”

Ophelia: “...HUP! HAAH! HRAAH! HUP!...”

Ophelia started to pick every dumbbell up: one by one…

...by one, by one ...by one, by one, by one… her arms were soon carrying every single size of the heavy single-handed weight equipment.

Ophelia: “Where should I put them all? Do you want me to put them back on the wall rack?”

Alyandrea: “...!! …

…

…

Nevermind, let me grab a few of THESE for now and set them down. 45s for me, today I’m gonna train light. As for everybody else...”

5 minutes pass… and nothing…

Alyandrea: “(It’s hard! Way too hard to decide – Oliviera...how much can she even hold?

How much can OPHELIA hold? She just lifted a total of, well...I don’t remember but I KNOW it was over 2000 pounds total! What’s her limit?? Or..*Gulp*...it couldn’t be...does she not have one…?

*Shiver* No stop. That’s not true. It just isn’t possible…

.

.

.

but what if it is?

Wait. STOP Aly. That’s not my business. It’s none of my concern. Besides...*Glance* the REAL problem is her. The girl that can’t even lift a 15 pounder without dropping it because of the pain.)

*Stares*”

Aria: “Um...Al-Alyandrea..? Wh...may I ask why you’re staring at me?”

Alyandrea: “Haah. No, it’s nothing. We just need to do a LOT of work to make you at least somewhat strong. Take these 5’s.”

Aria: “Haha. Thank—oof! These are a little...they’re somewhat heavy!”

Alyandrea: “...You better be fucking joking. You’re only 13 and shouldn’t be this weak, unless you have some sort of health condition. If it’s that then I’d like to know BEFORE handing you weights...!”

Aria: “I – I don’t think there’s ANYTHING wrong wi-with thinking 5 pounds are heavy!

...besides, I was kind of just joking. See…? *Lifts a dumbbell overhead* I-I’m fine..!”

Ophelia: “Aly. Let’s get back to the conversation – tell us why you wanted to meet here.”

Alyandrea: “Because of YOU.”

Ophelia: “!! Me?? What in the many worlds are you--”

Aly: “You’re angry, aren’t you?”

Ophelia: “…”

Alyandrea: “It doesn’t matter what you’re feeling. *Hands dumbbell* If you feel emotional for any reason: then train.”

Ophelia: “That’s the--”

Aria: “Aly~ What’s this limbo poley thing for??”

Alyandrea: “WAIT, WAIT WAIT WAIIIT! DON’T TOUCH THAT *Snatches* This is a BARBE—Oh, this barbell has a goo—”

*BOOM!*

Alyandrea: “AHH!”

Ophelia: “The whole...building... Why is it shaking so much…?”

…

3: ”Everyone~ Everybody~ attention~ come here, now~ one of your instructors told us to come get you all~ please come here!!”

2: “Kehehe! Sister, you’re so mean.”

3: “What? It’s the truth isn’t it?? Except….mmm~ All that was needed from them were their heads~”

2: “Kehehe, I guess so. Who do ya wanna start with? I’m kind of thrilled to peel the skin off of that gorilla girl~”

3: “Patience 2, we have to: mmmh~ meet them first. Oh *licks lips* I almost can’t hold it in! PLEASE COME TO THE LOBBY! NOW, STUDENTS~ PLEASE!!”

2: “So...how should we do the deed to ‘em THIS time?”

3: “Hmm~ let’s see~ Based on 1’s reaction to the mission log~ Then I’d say…”

2: “Kahaha! Please tell me we can take our TIME this time..! The last mission over at Villain Haven went by too quickly~ Those villains didn’t so much as bark up a defiant cursing before handing over the kidnapped wife and kid.”

3: “Mmmh~ no. Let’s be reasonable… I’ll save one and...you can kill the rest. Quickly, this time. Okay, 2~?”

2: “Aww. It’s no fun if they get swift deaths..”

3: “But~ I can’t help it. My, WOMANLY intuition is telling me to do this job quick~ 1 ALSO sounded like, he wanted to, mmh~ finish this job fast.”

2: “...Tch! No fun. No fun at all.”

…

Ophelia: “…”

3: “Everyone? Everybody? attention~ come here now~ one of your instructors told us to come get you all~ please come here!!”

Alyandrea: “Who the fuck would believe that shit. I ain’t movin’.”

Aria: “...But….but! What if they really a-MPHMPHMPH!!”

Alyandrea: “Stop. In this situation we should hide and wait for a teacher. Dammit at this time I feel as pissed off as Oliviera! We got no signal in this outback cabin – it feels like they’re TRYING to get us killed!”

Ophelia: “I agree. *Nods* on BOTH parts.”

3: “PLEASE COME TO THE LOBBY! NOW, STUDENTS~ PLEASE!!”

Aria: “Wha-Wha WHAT...! Wait...Wait… WAIT! If they are NOT with the school…

Then that means…!

…

*Huff*

*Huff*

……

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!! NOOOOO!!”

3: “Oh~ Playing hard to get I see~ okay then, but you’ve mmmnh~ earned yourself some punishment time~”

Aria: “AAAHH! NO STOP!! STAY AWA-UMPHH!!”

*PA!*

Aria: “...huh..? Why….did you slap me..?”

Alyandrea: “YOU STUPID BITCH LOOK WHAT YOU DID! NOW THEY KNOW WHERE WE ARE!! *Covers mouth*”

Aria: “Mphmphmph!---PWAH Sorry – I’m sorry! It’s just...It’s... it’s scary!! Aren’t they trying to KILL us? Why are you so calm then!?”

Alyandrea: “I’m not – I’m incredibly nervous...but..! Don’t forget! Who do we have by our side? Just WHO was it that destroyed the entire arena??”

Aria: “But...But I don’t want Ophelia to fight them!! She’ll get hurt! She might die!”

Ophelia: “….What...?”

Memories long forgotten came flooding back. Memories hard suppressed surged forth like a giant tidal wave. And, Recent memories about what cataclysmic chaos she committed back at the Orientation games due to not sufficiently controlling her temper, made its way back to the forefront of her conscious thoughts.

Her arms couldn’t help but tremble.

Alyandrea: “Pssh, she tanked Biceps King’s powered up punch that one-shotted THE Huroznik!”

Aria: “She…

.

.

.

……...Then she might KILL somebody!”

Ophelia: “!…Kill ……...I might…….kill…?”

Aria: “Ah! No, that – that isn’t what I meant at all I was jus-”

3: “Aah~ Now I’m coming to get you~”

*BOOOOOM!*

*SHUDDER!*

*SHATTER!*

An explosive earthquake shook the entire building. It was still unclear to the girls where such powerful quakes were originating from and if they were even SAFE staying inside of their dormitory. The sound of glass shattering was quite unexpected though, and what made it even MORE strange, was that there was no glass around them!

Sure there was a divider that alternated between a special metal and see through material which RESEMBLED glass…

but it wasn’t! That wasn’t glass at all!

Still, none of the children were brave enough to leave the safety of their gym. Maybe they could get some help by escaping through the front door, or climb to a higher floor. But can they even make it in time?

Especially without getting caught?

There was only one way to find out – and none of the three girls were willing to risk it.

Alyandrea: “Ophel—hey...HEY! No, no no..! Now isn’t the time for you suffer from a nervous breakdown! We need help! YOUR help! Please!”

Ophelia: “I...I can’t! I CAN’T FIGHT ANYMORE!! I… I don’t want to be a monster!!”

Alyandrea: “Girl now isn’t the TIME to argue about this! Remember what you told Aria and me about that nurse? The kind one? What were her exact words? Please try to remember because I can’t punch explosions.”

Ophelia remembered. This time, rather than the horrible, painful memories where she hurt others constantly, everywhere she went – it served to remind her about the gentle, heartfelt words of encouragement spoken earlier in the day:

___

Ms. Daisy: “Darlin’, I can see that you’re feeling scared. I realize that you feel awful but you wanna know something? I would have punched him too JUST like you did, if I were in your shoes.

This strength of yours, don’t hate it. Okay? You’ll come to appreciate it when nobody is left to protect you.”

___

Ophelia: “I...I can’t. I’m so sorry but I-”

Alyandrea: “...FINE. Haah. I was stupid to depend on you anyway. I...am an aspiring HERO! I WILL be a hero one day! Two measly villains?

Hah!

Hahah, watch me TROUNCE them BO-”

*SLICE!*

Alyandrea: “...th?”

She never got to perform her desired deed. A circular bladed disc cut its way directly through her neck – severing her head from the rest of the body.

3: “Mmmmh~ What ever was that noise? The others must be

mmmh~ having fun, based on these sounds. Oh my.

...Back to business...Heeheehee~ One down~”

---