After the movie finished, Mr. Reeds turned around and spoke to the class, with his back facing them all and his left hand steadily reaching for a stack of papers and his right grasping for the nearby cane that lay resting against the wide teacher’s desk.

Aria was summoned to begin passing the papers out to everyone in the class. On each of them was a single question: |What did you learn about the ‘roles’ these early volunteers played in the selected historical scenes?|

Free period was soon established for the entire Class 3 - C, where the kids all decided to get a head start on their essay homework while the documentary still remained fresh in their minds. It wasn’t really meant to be entertaining by any means, rather, it was designed to remind cocky young hero inspirees how reality shapes around both successful, and failed clashes with powerful and weak - but underestimated villains; as they rampaged throughout history and took the world by storm.

The movie was particularly interesting to some, and extremely boring to others. Nonetheless, Noel got his essay finished in under 15 minutes, second in the class to complete his homework during free period.

First place dutifully went to Ian, who finished his 1 page long essay a whole minute in a half faster than Noel.

Their faces were stone-faced, unfazed and indifferent… however inwardly, was another story.

Noel was cursing Ian for coming in first place, and at himself for being lazy while writing.

Ian was terrified that the 12 year old grade-skipper almost put his work away at the same time as him.

Just how smart was this kid?? He was exactly two years younger than Ian, but was just as smart!

Well… at the very least, they both paid attention to the movie and formulated their answers simultaneously. Maybe this didn’t reflect on their actual intelligence level, as much as it did their ability to focus, formulate a plan and learn at a rapid pace; but still!

It was most likely a coincidence, but such a coincidence, to Ian at least, was still scary.

Here at classroom 3 – C, the mood became awkward. Awkward and suffocating. We have Noel, who decided to take a one-eyed nap with his head buried into his arms. Ian who was testing himself in various subjects via prepared pop quiz worksheets in an effort to reaffirm and confirm his self-confidence.

Elijah who was both, almost done with his essay, and decidedly adding his point of view from a ‘hero’ in training, as his paper uniquely required of him. It was an add-on sentence to the original question, on his paper only and marked for Elijah Abiko.

|Please explain your answer from both a non – combtant’s point of view, and an aspiring hero.|

Therefore, Elijah alone, never noticed his sheet actually differing largely from the other students around him. He was wholly focused on his dual answers that required him to remember the mindset he once had, and recall an answer from that perspective.

Forcing the boy, Elijah, to re-immerse his mentality and consciousness into that of an aspiring hero and Generational leader. One might even argue that this one little addition to the topic, actually chiseled the first ‘crack’ in Elijah’s hardened layer of protection – a wall that completely surrounds his former dream – and his newfound acceptance as a civilian volunteer.

.

.

.

And then there was the rest of the class.

Ophelia was accurately studying her answer while recalling the movie. Seeing those villains distracted her, bringing back sad and painful memories…

Aria was dazed and attempting to write quickly, but she too, kept stopping continuously. As if something serious was busily occupying her mind.

As for Oliviera…

Well, she… was having a fit.

Oliviera: “You know, on ONE hand, this class makes me really happy. WHY, you may be asking in your hearts…? Because THAT cleaning class I have been dreading for SO long turned out to have a completely different meaning ...which means NO NASTY TOILET TOUCHING OR BROOM SWEEPING OR ANY OF THAT , NASTY GARBAG-Y STUFF!!

...But on the other…

*opens a pack of gum and begins chewing*

It’s PLUBBING worse!! I mean, dear leechums- these crazy people actually want me – ME of all people to hop around falling buildings and evacuate dying people… while VILLAINS AND HEROES ARE STILL FIGHTING?!?! I PREFER SWEEPING! Aaaaaagh~ Some of those volunteers even had to work together and ‘lift’ huge piles of junk! No – no – no – no - NO! I am not, never – ever - EVER doing that stuff! These… these CRAZY people are no different than VILLAINS!”

Alyandrea: “You’re really overreacting right now. It’s not like you’re being forced to come here.

Hmm… The documentary showed us 10 different jobs the civilian volunteers took, right? Let’s see then…”

Wayne: “They did. They did! There were the ‘cleaners’ who specialized in rubble removal, the ‘Evacuators’ that… well evacuated people. The scene repair experts that fixed broken buildings and damaged streets, etc. Basically the repair experts – or the ‘Fixers’. They worked together with the ‘cleaners’… or at least immediately followed after them. We can simplify matters and just label this combo as the aftermath crew. After these three came the Medical experts, or the ‘Medics’ that largely performed emergency treatment so that the victim or victims could make it to a Healing professional Hero or Sidekick. What else...”

Li Shun: “Um… There will probably be a focus on the self defensive volunteers that banded together and took down the weaker villains… Those powerless vigilantes tghat freed up the sidekicks’ duties after a bit of hit and run… And the people that ‘sweep’ through a scene in the aftermath of a battle to search for victims undiscovered, or at least their bo- bodies… There’s also those volunteers that actively protected the evacuated civilians in a safer environment after the heroes all got caught up and were too busy fighting to help. Those people, like guardians or security or protectors or something.”

Wayne: “So many roles to choose from… how can we describe them all in one page…? WHICH ones should we tlk about first?”

There were indeed far too many roles the civilians back in those times played, and some jobs seemed to overlap and repeat themselves as well. These students struggled and proactively poured effort into thinking about their essay answers, some even doing so out loud. An occasional few glances would be thrown Noel’s way, as he slept seemingly soundly with his head buried beneath his arms. The youngest class member was monitored with envy in such a depressing manner.

Brennan: “Just go in order of what you think is most important to least important maybe… Hey, hey! Don’t you guys think Noel finished way too fast?! That was done in 12 minutes… TWELVE FREAKING MINUTES! How’d he get it done so quickly??”

Alyandrea: “Well… he is a genius that skipped grades you know… it isn’t that surprising…”

Wayne: “What about Ian? He finished first didn’t he?”

Brennan: “Well, yes he did but… um, he… he already has that… look. Yes *Ahem* he just ‘looks’ smart. A-And besides! He’s also older than the rest of us! Noel… he’s...only…”

Wayne: “…He’s ’only’? Only what? Also what do you mean by Ian ‘looks smart’?”

Brennan: “I-”

Rise: “He’s saying that Ian looks like a nerd so it’s normal for the guy to be ranked first in class. Besides, he had all those inventions and all of that miscellaneous book knowledge whenever we speak to him. The guy is bound to be smart in Academics.

And Noel… You’re trying to make the point across that at the end of the day, Noel is still just a seventh grader...right? Heh, a seventh grader that answered his homework almost as fast as the bookworm, over there. What a pair of nerds!”

Brennan: “Hey – I didn’t say any of that!”

Rise: “Heheh, but you meant it all, didn’t you?”

Brennan: “...(Maybe.) No… Not… at least not ALL of it…”

Li Shun: “You guys… stop picking on the poor kid – look at how tired he is? He probably had it the hardest out of everyone here! He’s only 12 and not turning 14 this year. First he comes to high school at a young age, then he gets picked on. Immediately after he acts like a cornered rat and lashes out against everyone in a last resort – self defense type of thing at the auditorium. THEN everyone starts to hate him. After that- he almost gets killed by villains. Then the KINGS visit and some of which, try to attack him in the hospital room! Only after that, does he encounter ANOTHER life – threatening encounter on campus – that gargoyle thing he mentioned to class reps Eren, Fana and Reggie. All while only technically being a seventh grader. Which by the way… is still kinda embarrassing- to be outdone by a seventh grader… I can agree with what you’re saying, Brennan.”

Noel: “…”

{I’m not sleeping you know…! I’m still awake! Stop being rude!}

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