The three came upon a young man on the ground next to a door with a dent the size of his back in it. He had light brown skin and was about as tall as Reito. Headphones sat atop his spiky light blue hair that was slicked down in the front and flared out in the back almost like sideways hedgehog quills. He wore jeans that were tempted at the foot.

“Damn it, again!? Ya’d think after all this time I’d be able to land a clean knockout blow on you, ya halfway mute bastard!” He angrily said, rubbing his back, his tone loud and filled with confidence.

The one who came after him was of a similar build. His skin was porcelain, and his eyes were a cool turquoise. When it came to his hair, it was white, and spiked out behind his head. He wore a simple white headband, and a black and blue one piece tracksuit.

“Impatient...wasted movement,” the boy said, quietly but deliberately with a hand on his hip and the other on his chin, an armband that read “President” flaring out.

“Piss off! I’ll show ya wasted!” He shouted as he put his hands on the ground and twisted them to perform a handstand kick.

The one it was meant it for shifted his body slightly in a way that avoided it without even scraping him.

“Uh oh,” the headphone donned boy said, losing his balance and stumbling towards The three.

“Dude, come on, seriously?” Reito asked, avoiding the kick, but not the person who threw it, making them smash into each other, knocking both of them down. Reito sat up. “Geez, would it kill ya to look around before just throwin’ kicks around?”

“Maybe don’t get in my way next time, dude,” the headphone donned boy scoffed, straightening his “Fuego” print graphic T-shirt, his gold wrist bangles jingling, “who the hell are you to tell me what to do anyway?” He questioned, getting up and meeting eyes with Reito. “Wait a minute, I know yer face!” He shouted, pointing at the boy, causing his armband that read “Vice President” to shake.

“Well, whether I want to be or not, I’m pretty infamous by now, least around Kita anyway. And ya say that, yeah, but an apology’s still in order.” Reito reminded him.

The boy he was talking to turned his head away. “Hell, if anythin’, ya owe me an apology, whether it be a sorry, or cash. 500 Glint for your first mistake.” he demanded, rubbing his fingers together.

“...Huh?” he responded, pursing his lips.

"You guys at it again, Forte?” Chikara asked.

Forte gestured towards the grey haired President. “Yer damn right! and today was the day I had him too! All I needed was one good openin’!”

The one he was pointing at looked to the side and hung his eyelids low. “Couldn’t even come close,” he divulged with monotone delivery.

Forte drooped down a bit while shaking and rising up to meet his face. “Oh yeah!? Then let’s go again! I’ll lay yer ass out!”

“You’re spitting...calm down.” The other boy said, shielding his face.

Hesitant to step from behind Chikara, Evie peered from behind him and slowly moved to the side of him. “Sorry about that, Maestro, I was showing him around. It’s my fault so can you overlook it, please?” She pleaded, holding a hand up in apology while leaning forward with a wink.”

Forte stepped back a bit, his face heating up as he turned away from her, rubbing the back of his head while his lips curving into a goofy smile. “W-Well if he’s under your watch, T-Tanaka, I guess I can let it slip by my radar just this o-once!” He stuttered with an awkward.

She brought her hands down in a pout. “Come on, Maestro, is it really that hard to get into the habit of calling me by my first name?”

“W-Well, it just feels really informal is all, and my lips sorta just blurt out your last name first outta habit. It’s like the mind over body y’know? I’ll get used to it though, sorry!” He apologized, stammering. That pout’s unfair, damn it! Too cute~~!

Sighing, she beamed once more. “No big deal, it’s not like you’re hurting anything, just try not to think too hard about it, easy breezy, okay?” She held up an “ok” hand sign.

“Okay~~!”

Reito rolled his eyes as he stood up. “Talk about whipped, how simple can ya be?”

Turning to him, Forte gave a cocky sneer. “Oh yeah, forgot about ya for a second. So yer the asshat who’s rank shot up all of a sudden. Well, ain’t today your lucky day?”

“And how is being run into by some headphones wearin’ schmuck who hasn't even introduced himself considered “lucky”? Reito threw up air quotes.

“Oh! Well, well, well! Ya didn’t look like anythin’ special, but I guess ya do have some grit, smartass. Hmm…alright, I guess ya’ve earned the right to know my name, but first!” He pressed a button on a wireless Walkman that latched to his pocket and closed his eyes. “Nope, nuh uh...hmmm, yeah, there we go! The perfect beat!” Jumping around a bit, began bobbing his head a little while he held the right side of his headphones up to his right ear.

The tracksuit wearing boy brought his hand to his forehead and shook his head, turning away from Forte.

Done with his jam session, he pointed at Reito. “Yer in the presence of the master of flow, when a beat gets goin’ in my head, I’m unstoppable! Name’s Forte Mayer! Student Council VP and gold rank number two at Kita, also known as the one and only rockin’, Rhythm King!” He pointed at the three with an exaggerated pose.

...What a dumbass…, Reito looked on with sheer disinterest. The two behind him started clapping, as if the boy had finished a grand performance.

“If spectacle was a person, it’d for sure be you,” Evie applauded.

“Nice man, how long have you been practicing that intro?” Chikara asked.

Breaking the pose and sticking a hand in his pocket, he gave a thumbs up. “Well being as skilled as I am, of course it didn’t take me that long. I’m basically the Eighth Wonder Of The World. Hell, I’m even the master of readin’ lips!”

The grey haired boy walked from behind him. “Forgive him...no tact with new faces…”

“What was that!?” He growled, turning toward him, but ultimately calming down. “Oh yeah, and this deadpan S.O.B is K-, er...Gold, people around here call ‘im ‘the Seer’. He’s number 1, and the Prez...although I don’t approve of him one bit,” he introduced his fellow Student Councilmen, his tone devoid of his earlier enthusiasm.

“Approval from you means literally nothing...irrelevant,” Gold scoffed, turning away.

“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I’m glad we don’t hafta go searching for ya. Congrats, now that Chikara’s down in the ranks, you’re gettin’ the title of treasurer,” Forte filled Reito in. “Betcha feel over the moon about this, right?”

Everyone looked at Reito expectantly. At the academies, being a part of the Student Council was a great honor, it established your place as one of the strongest Pathos in each Academy. Because of that, if a student got high enough in the ranks to join, they’d be overjoyed. Unfortunately, the one given the opportunity this time had other thoughts about it.

Reito’s face puckered, his eyes narrowing. “Ugghhh, no thanks. Hard pass.”

“Yep, I didn’t think he’d take it,” Chikara shrugged.

“It wasn't an offer, dumbass!” Forte snarled. “Look, yer number four now, so yer in whether ya like it or not!”

“Meh, If I was a part of such a respected group, I’d hafta end up keepin’ up appearances. All in all, sounds like way more trouble than it’s worth. King’s the only title I want, plain and simple. Sorry, go bug someone else,” Reito denied the position, shooing the two.

“Why I oughta-!”

With Forte getting riled up, Kade stepped in to address the situation. “I’ve heard...you’re not very enthusiastic…,”

“Not so much that, it’s more like, if I see it as a hassle, I’d rather not get into it,” Reito admitted.”

Gold raised his eyebrows. “I see, you’ll resist… Mayer, special ruling.”

Forte cracked a smirk. “Yeah, persuasion through a clobberin’, that’s more my speed!”

"Huh, special ruling?” Reito questioned.

“It’s exactly how it sounds,” Chikara began, holding up a finger. It’s a special rule put in place that you can put on any fight, as long as both students agree on it. Taking an item owned by someone else, or making them do a certain thing. But in this case-”

“You’ll be fightin’ me!” Forte banged his fists together. “If ya win, do whatever ya want until Ascension day, and on the off chance that I somehow lose, You’ll get my Rank, and me, yours. but when ya lose, and ya will, ya’ve gotta accept the Treasurer position! And, if yer a sore loser and don’t wanna, you get kicked out, plain and simple!”

So it’s all in, high risk, and high reward, Reito thought, grasping the ramifications of the wager’s outcomes, it seems like a good deal, and all I hafta do is win. And against a complete blowhard like him… “Alright, let’s-”

“Not him, me,” said Gold, making everyone there go wide eyed.

No, not Gold, Evie thought, a drop of sweat rolled down her face.

“Oh no ya don’t! Yer not gonna butt in on this one, stay out of it!” Forte interjected.

“As number one...I’ll fight.”

“Yer pompous ass just wanted to weasel in the fact that yer one spot over me! Arrggghhh...fine,” he took up a more calm tone,” but only because arguin’ with ya is a pain.”

Evie's hand raised meekly in front of them, then slowly opened her mouth to speak. “I have a proposal, let’s make it a Two on Two. Both of you, and Tochi and I...how about it?”

Reito raised an eyebrow to her. “What are ya-?

“I get it, you feel so bad for him that you wanna make it semi fair, and that way, I can fight too. Two birds, one stone. Nice, Evie-chan, you really think of everything huh~~? Well, Gold?” Forte asked, turning to the boy in question.

“No qualms....dates up to you.”

“Alright then!” Forte exclaimed. “One sec. Hmmm... Bingo!” He snapped his fingers. “Considerin’ me alone would be more than enough, for the two of us, you’d need to be able to at least have to be able to put up a halfway decent fight. So we fight in 4 days, although I doubt even that will be enough prep time.”Reito’s eyebrow twitched. Cocky son of a- Sure...let’s go then,” he agreed, “I’ve wanted to kick your teeth in from the moment ya opened your mouth.”

“Not gonna happen...but I’d love to see ya try,” Forte snarked.

The two began to butt foreheads a bit before Forte retracted and walked by him. “But save that energy for our scrap, you’ll need it. Later Chikara, a-and s-see ya, E-Evie-chan~,” with that, he exited the Training Rooms.

“That guy...he really makes me wanna punch him in the face,” Reito muttered.

Unexpectedly, Gold walked by, shooting him a piercing stare. It was icy, but at the same time, it had an intimidating aura to it.

“Becoming King...that’s what you want…?” He asked him.

“Y-Yeah, t-that’s the plan, why?” He confirmed, sweating a bit.

Dropping the stare, he continued past him. “Someone like you...? Doubtful…” He passed Chikara. “You lost to him...?...Disappointing,” he said, turning to Evie to address her as well, “Tanaka, … hopefully, you’ll be...serious about this,” his last words to them.

Chikara dipped his head down, his cheerful smile being overtaken by a frown. “...I knew he’d say something like that sooner or later...he’s just as straightforward as always…”

“Don’t beat yourself up, Kara, you’re still the same ole super strong Bottomless Glutton for sure,” Evie reassured him with a thumbs up.

“Evie...thanks…”

“I can vouch for that,” Reito chimed in, “don’t know if ya remember but ya did break one of my arms after threatening to literally collapse an entire building. Simulation or not, you’re one tough bastard,” He looked up for a second, “wait...come to think of it, you’re the reason I have to put on these stupid contacts!” He exclaimed, pointing at him.

“Sorry about that,” he chuckled, “but you shouldn’t have really brought glasses to a fight in the first place. It’s common sense, right?

...Err...shit...he’s right, he thought. “Ehem… Well, lucky for you, I don’t hold on to grudges unless it’s somethin’ super awful anyway, so forget about it,” he changed the topic, pointing to Evie, “now then, why’d ya butt in?

“No good…,” she shook her head. If you would’ve fought Gold one on one, it wouldn’t have turned out well on your end,” unlike every other time she spoke, her tone was devoid of any playfulness.

“Did I ever say number one would be easy to beat? Look, I’ve got four days, with that long of a trainin’ period, I can catch up to him no matter how strong he is.”

“It’s not that cut and dry,” Chikara added, “Gold’s strong, but it’s a different kind of “strength”. People started calling him the Seer, and it’s because of his oppressive Path. He calls it Enhanced Sense, and it gives him complete awareness of everything that’s happening around him. Punches, kicks, even grabbing him, he’ll negate and dodge it all, making you waste all of your energy.”

“No way, an ability like that actually exists? Oi, shortstack, is this just some elaborate joke the two of ya strung together?” Reito asked, sweating.

Evie shook her head from left to right, her demeanor being a complete far cry from her usual peppy jokester vibe. She seemed to be genuinely serious about the events to come.

“Trust me...I wish this was a joke. Look, Tochi, Gold’s is, to put it into words, strong beyond reason. He’s so revered at Kita that no one even calls him by his first name, and if someone should slip up and say it...they’ll be beaten into submission. But he and Maestro aren’t exactly the best of friends. The only way we can stand even a fraction of a chance, is if you and I work together.”

“Work with ya? No offence, but I don’t think you’d be the easiest person to team up with either. I mean, we’ve only hung out, the one time, so it’s not like we have a leg up on ‘em when it comes to teamwork,” he examined with a shrug.

“No...if you put it that way, you’re right,” she agreed, giving a toothy grin once more “So how about we get to know each other with a little training.”

“You...train me?”

“Yep! Oh, gimme one sec!” She pleaded, one finger raised before reaching into her pocket and starting a call on her phone.

“Good luck, Usodachi, I’ll be heading out. I probably won’t be there to watch you guys spar, can’t let you widen the gap between us.” Chikara said, walking off.

“Of course, and leave me with The Joker over here,” Reito joked as he waved him off, “just dont drop dead pushin’ yourself.”

He smiled in response. “I wouldn’t be so quick to judge her, when it’s time to scrap, she’s really something. And I won’t die, not until God himself tells me to pack it up! later, !” He sprinted out with a faint thought in his mind. Guess you can be at least a bit considerate...huh?

“Perfect! See you then!” Evie exclaimed, finishing her phone call. Now that that’s taken care of, I’ve gotta buy some more sweetbread before it’s sold out,” she drooled.

“Huh? What happened to us preparing for the fight?”

“Already planned out. Meet me right here after school, we’ll have plenty of time then. Besides, no one’s at their best on an empty stomach.”

Reito made a face of reluctant agreement. “That...does make a bit of sense. Okay.”

“Unless,” a wry grin came to her face, “is this your way of saying you’ll miss me? How cute~~”

“Urk- Keep dreamin’! I just can’t wait to knock that smug grin off your face! Just don’t be late after classes are over!” He denied, his ears turning reddish.

Watching him bolt out of the Training rooms, her smile faltered a bit. “Don’t think I’ll be able to keep it up for much longer anyways…,” she whispered to herself.