As each memory passes by I feel myself unable to remember my present existence. How did I become so tattered? Who attacked me? What do they want? Why can’t I remember?

I exit the portal and arrive in our classroom.

It has mirrors instead of windows, exercise equipment instead of chairs and blood stains on the polished marble floor. I look down to see my face, reflected with blood on it.

Cool! I’m really going to be an assassin. Mom and dad are going to die of pride!

Teacher opens his cloak and something within spits out several books.

“Finally, its study time!” exclaims BladEagle with a prideful grin.

WarWolf looks at the treadmill attached to her desk. “I need a chair since my legs are broken.”

“Why are your legs broken!?” screams Teacher in horror.

BunBun raises a single finger. “Umm, Sir, you broke them actually.”

“Oh.” Teacher’s body bends as it thinks. “I don’t recall that.”

WarWolf seethes and growls, nearly slipping out of BladEage’s arms to attack Teacher.

“Teacher is not lying,” says the voice of a boy.

Or is it a girl?

We turn to the source of the voice, which is a wall in the back of the room.

“Ghosts are real!” cheers BunBun, lifting my hands in the air.

“It’s not impossible, but still…it’s terrifying.” Goopy hides under his hands.

A blade comes out from teacher and slices the air in front of the wall.

Apparently what was actually cut was a sheet of camouflage. A boy or maybe girl was beneath with long blonde hair in the back and no bangs in the front. His eyes were indigo like mine but she had long silver eyelashes. Though his arms were strong looking, she had a very slender tall build. His teeth were sharp like a Shocks and she radiated charisma.

“Who’s the fruitcake?” asks BladEagle with a glare.

Teacher turns its head, scanning us and then shrugs. “Maybe an intruder. Maybe not.”

“My name is StarBorne!” He points at teacher with a knife, showing his muscle with the firm movement. “You’re the one who intruded into my room.”

“His secret is crossdressing,” says BunBun, raising her hand up suddenly.

“An assassin must be like a liquid,” she says, her voice’s grit replaced with sensuality. Starborne removes her own skirt with gentle movements, revealing shorts underneath.

“Yep. I’m right.” BunBun nods to herself.

Teacher coils around the new student or possibly a potential intruder. “The room was empty. It’s impossible to hide from a RiftRipper.”

“Yet you went right past me and allowed me to slip into your portal.” She slides out from Teacher’s coils. “Our first assignment is to discover a secret about one of our members. Well, we’re connected, aren’t we?” He grabs Teacher’s tendril and squeezes it. “Your secret is that you can’t detect life like the other RiftRippers. That’s the only explanation of how I hid from you.”

Teacher’s tendril grows a blade that cuts StarBorne’s hand. “Exceptional espionage, but remember your place, child.”

“I have a gift, gives me insight on the future. In a few years, I’ll be your boss.” StarBorne cleans the wound and sucks out potential poisons before spitting.

BunBun raises her hand and hops up.

Teacher rolls its head. “What is so important that it warrants interrupting me?”

“Umm, what is a RiftRipper? It sounds scary.” She scoots behind me.

“You will get your answer in due time. This delinquent has postponed todays lesson for long enough. Get into positions. I’ll return with another desk.”

StarBorne hops onto a desk. “I’m going to be team leader.”

“I’m team leader!” yells BladEagle.

WarWolf puts a knife to BladEagle’s throat. “And I’m second in command. So if you die, I’m the leader.”

BladEagle gulps. “She’s actually the leader. Despite her, umm, injury.”

StarBorne shakes his head. “That won’t do at all. A leader doesn’t rule by force.” She looks at WarWolf. “I’ll never be as strong as you or as creative. WarWolves are a blend of muscle and machinery. I want to help you become your namesake.”

WarWolf blushes.

“Hey, she confessed to me!” yells BunBun, shoving StarBorne.

At first losing his balance, she suddenly dances on tip toe and spins around BunBun. “You’re soft, small, and quiet. And just like a BunBun you can seduce prey and predator. I’m far too spectacular to ever be as stealthy as you.” He taps her nose.

BunBun covers her flushed cheeks. “I’m sorry Wolfy, my thoughts cheated on you,” she cries.

BladEagle stomps his foot. “He doesn’t know anything about us! He’s just relating us to our animals. Goopy, you’re umm whiny and treacherous. You have an insatiable appetite and will eat your own family if it would help you survive. Your skill is deception.”

“I care about my parents! How dare you!” yells Goopy, punching BladEagle in the face.

The hothead boy holds his nose. “Its bleeding. Did you break my nose?” His eyes go hollow.

StarBorne cleans the bloody mess with his long white sleeves. She then rubs some ointment on his injured nose. “Brash, fights any predator no matter the size and a master of all weapons. But you’re not limited to just your animal. WarWolf is a loner unlike her beast. BunBun isn’t sacrificial, rather she would throw someone else in the crossfire to keep her safe.” Our new leader grabs BladEagle’s hand and looks at his palm. “Hmm. It appears that you love to read.”

BladEagle crosses his arms. “I don’t enjoy reading. I do it to make mother proud. A skilled assassin wastes his talents if he doesn’t learn all he can.”

Come to think of it, they all have assassin training. What about me? My only training was Death Pillow and that won’t exactly give me an edge here. I’m already way behind everyone.

StarBorne approaches me and stares at me for a while. “You’re the only one I can’t figure out. I get that you’re cute and cuddly like a Weech but you lack their determination. Do you even have a useful talent?”

I don’t like this new girl.

“He made me feel better,” says BunBun, shifting in place.

Teacher returns with scars on its body and dripping purple blood.

“What happened?” asks BunBun, rushing to help our teacher.

“Mrs. BladeStorm really didn’t want to give up the extra table.” Teacher opens its cloak and shoots out the treadmill desk, having it land with the others.

They make a perfect circle.

Teacher sinks into the ground and then pops up in the center of the desk circle. “By the way I am Mr. KillStreak. A lot of you look at me like I’m some sort of monster. But I was once a gifted child like you all.” He spreads out his form along the ground to be roughly our size.

BunBun reaches out to pet teacher. “I like you when you’re not so scary.”

Teacher looks down to the ground. “I hate that I care about you fodder. But enough moping around. Collect your textbooks and start your machines.”

We get into position and open our “Assassinations for Kids” book.

Teacher sets our machines to a low setting and we have to walk in place as we read. “Muscle memory is the most important kind. It is an assassin’s reflexes that allow him or her to take down much stronger targets.” He flings a knife at me.

I gasp before it hits my chest and then falls to the ground.

“That was plastic but…” Teacher makes a small cut on my arm “you will be penalized for not deflecting them. Be aware at all times, understood.”

That stinging…it’s kinda nice. Makes me think of her.

BunBun pokes me. “You were spacing out. We’re learning about history, okay? The Assassin’s Guild is part of Isekai.”

“What’s Isekai?” I ask.

“It’s an organization created by village chiefs in order to…”

Teacher throws a knife at BunBuns desk. “It should go without saying that talking during class is not permitted!”

BunBun hands the knife to WarWolf. “I got it back for you, sweetie.”

“Oh, thanks Bun,” says WarWolf, taking the blade from her.

BunBun turns to me, rubbing her hand. “They touched.” Her eyes go wide.

BladEagle glares at the book. “You’re lying,” he says softly.

Teacher pops his head out from the boy’s book, freaking him out. “No whispering allowed either.”

BladEagle looks to teacher with an annoyed look. “It says the Assassin branch is the first branch of Isekai, but that isn’t true. The Archivos were the first to join them. It’s not improper to say that the Archivos and Wood Primordials are both the founders of Isekai.”

“What’s an Archivos?” asks teacher, drool dripping from his blank face.

StarBorne smiles. “I guess you’re just not high enough on the blood-soaked ladder to have that information.”

BladEagle shuts the book. “This crap isn’t just basic. It’s misinformation. I became an assassin to learn about the truth, not get propaganda.” He pulls out a notepad from his pocket and begins reading it.

“Oooh, there’s a section on being invisible!” exclaims BunBun, hopping on her treadmill.

“No skipping ahead!” yells Teacher.

StarBorne closes her book with her hand with the sparkly nail polish. “Today’s lesson is about the history of Isekai and the Assassin’s Guild, correct?”

Teacher nods.

“I motion that our hot boy teach us today’s class instead.” She winks at BladEagle.

WarWolf snarls. “The close quarter’s combat section is missing the best moves too. We don’t need this book.”

Teacher shrivels up. “There’s a certain standard to be upheld. If word got out that I was teaching off book…” Teacher paces around, gnawing on his tendril “there would be consequences.”

BladEagle opens the book. “Then I’ll teach both. I’ll read the rubbish and then share the truth.”

“How do you know so much anyway, boy? You’re just a brat and a bully at that.” Teacher glares at BladEagle with ten eyes.

BladEagle’s eyes ignite. “My beautiful mother was a historian. The Archivos on campus personally tutored her. She may not be good enough for your people, but once I’m in charge hard-working people like her will be given proper respect in the guild.”

“The guild is a body, there are many vital organs to tear out and devour! Ehahahahaha!” Screams teacher in a manic rage.

BunBun grabs onto my hand.

Oh great. I’m needed, aren’t I?

I move to the center of the table and hug teacher.

Please don’t kill me.

Teacher stops screaming and looks down at me. “What are you doing?”

“You were uh, rambling.”

“Oh, sorry about that.” Teacher scratches his head with a knife, accidently cutting into it. “My point is that your parents may all be miserable failures, but they are still doing their duty. They are an integral part of the guild, as are teachers. Well, teachers are actually the most important part, but you wouldn’t know that by looking at our salary. I demand a raise!” yells Teacher before slicing up the ceiling. “Phew, alright. I’ll concede. BladEagle will be your teacher today.”

Class went on for way too long. I nearly fell asleep while walking and my arm is covered in cuts because of all the questions I got wrong. BladEagle specifically kept choosing me to answer just so I’d mess up. Thankfully, teacher realized we were tired and Goopy reminded him that living beings need food.

“Victory is an assassin’s only meal.”

“You mean, you don’t eat? You’ve never had cake?” asks BunBun with a look of horror.

“I eat pain and piss punishment!” exclaims Teacher, flailing his blades around.

WarWolf slams her hand on the desk. “Well we need to eat. I’ll cook it myself if you give me some ingredients.”

BunBun snuggles WarWolf. “You like cooking! I love eating! We’re the best couple ever.” She kisses her cheek repeatedly. “From now on we’re inseparable.”

WarWolf pats her head. “Yeah, heheh.”

“Oh lunch time! Yes! It’s on the schedule.” Teacher looks at the illegible scratches on the back wall. “Only the students who didn’t fail the first test get to eat. BladEagle, StarBorne you two get to enjoy. Everyone else, contemplate on the consequences of your failure.”

WarWolf shakes BunBun off her. “I didn’t fail. Only a simpleton would reveal the truth to a potential enemy.”

“You mean you don’t love me?” BunBun’s cheeks puffs up and her eyes water.

“I never even said that I did.” WarWolf rolls her eyes.

“Breaking her feelings just for a bite. You are indeed a savage one. But you’re also lying,” says Teacher.

WarWolf glares at him and then pulls me up to her.

She kisses me harshly and then pushes me away. “There. Happy. Now give me food!”

Teacher giggles. “Alright, no need to get mad.”

“While everyone else is getting exercise, I’m stuck on the floor with broken legs and it’s your fault!” She glares daggers at Teacher.

“You can all share your meal.” Teacher coughs up a big plate and then coughs up a dead Cuckatrice.

BladEagle rolls his eyes. “Ninjas, assassins from another world, they eat only fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and legumes. Do you know why that is?”

“Uhhhh because they fear the taste of blood?” asks teacher.

“No, because they need to be at optimal health and stamina.”

“He’s right,” says WarWolf while gnawing on the bird’s head.

She looks so pretty when she eats.

BunBun pulls me aside and glares at me.

“Umm, what’s wrong?”

“You stole a kiss from my girlfriend! I’m taking it back.” She grabs and pulls on my lips.

“Owww. Hey, relax. Maybe Teacher is right about romance.”

BunBun holds her fingers to her head. “I don’t even like girls, but she made me feel loved.” She sobs into my chest.

Teacher carves several portals out for us in a circle, matching our desks. “Class dismissed. You can return home. I’ll be at your place at six thirty in the morning so we can continue the lesson. Till then my little warriors.”

Goopy runs into his portal as soon as it opens.

BladEagle takes his book with him into his portal.

StarBorne blows everyone a kiss before she enters his portal.

BunBun glares at me as she walks back into her portal, accidentally tripping and falling on her butt before scooting back into it.

I help WarWolf to her feet.

“Hey, I can still crawl my way home. Don’t pity me.” She glares at me.

She’s breathtakingly pretty!

I help her into her portal.

“Well, go on, scurry back to your loving family,” says Teacher, sinking into the floor.

“An assassin must take every opening he sees. I’m going in!” I rush into WarWolf’s portal.

I’m gonna be a great father and she’ll be a lovely mother! I hope mom and dad won’t worry too much.