“So what basically is orientation?” asked Phila. “Are we just going to go over school rules or something?”

“Nah, its different, you’ll see,” said Garnet.

“Why do you guys have to go to orientation, if you’ve been here for so long?” asked Phila.

“We’re here to make sure you don’t get lost, and also because there are some new… precautions this year.” Amethyst opened a heavy oak door into a giant theater.

“That’s Madame Myalo,” said Garnet pointing to an old woman with her gray hair tied into a tight bun. “Don’t ever think bad things about her. Ever. She can read minds.” Madame Myalo tapped the microphone a few times.

“I can tell that you all are anxious to get this done with,” started Madame Myalo. “But welcome to Madame Myalo’s School for Empowered Individuals. Now, we have a few ground rules. There will be no deliberate harming of other students, and no trying to escape.” Madame Myalo rambled on for a few more minutes before excusing the students to go to their first class.

Garnet led Phila and Amethyst out of the auditorium and into a long hallway. "Although we know your powers, every student's abilities are tested."

Amethyst grinned. "This is my favorite part!”

“It’s not mine, that’s for sure. All this violence and not an ounce of healing to do…”

“What?” Phila crossed her arms. “Will I get hurt?”

Amethyst laughed. “Don’t worry about it. You’ll be protected by super-advanced nanotechnology. This is the only time we can say 100% of test subjects- Oh sorry, I mean students, survive.”

Garnet pouted, “Yes, and completely uninjured.”

“But they let you practice in the training room. You have until the end of the month before your test,” said Amethyst. “That way you will know the full capabilities of your power.”

They continued walking down the hallway until the wall color faded to white and it ended. Amethyst opened a door, leading to another hallway of the same white color.

“This is where we leave you, Phila,” said Garnet. “The training room is just down the hallway. Good luck!” Phila walked down to the end of the hallway, where she met up with the others in front of an airlock.

“You ready for the games?” asked Dian, handing Phila a jumpsuit. Phila dropped it and morphed one around herself.

“Games?” she asked as Dian handed the jumpsuit back to Phila.

“You have to wear it, it’s the only way you won’t get killed in there,” said Dian. “We’re either doing Hunger Games or Capture the Flag.”

“Wait what?” asked Phila

“If you get ‘killed’, it stimulates your death and sends you out of the games. But you won’t actually get hurt,” said Dian. Phila still looked confused as she put the jumpsuit on awkwardly. As soon as she zipped it up, Dian shot her with a bolt of electricity from her hands.

Phila felt a roaring pain sear through her body as she was thrust to the floor. A static charge rushed through her. Dian pressed a button on her jumpsuit and Phila got up.

“You almost killed me!” yelled Phila to Dian. Dian shrugged.

“You’re not hurt, are you? A bolt of lightning that strong is aught to kill anyone. It’s the suit, Phila, the suit,” said Dian brushing her hands together. She picked up the brochure on the side of the airlock door.

“Hunger Games,” said Dian. “We need groups of five, and we only have four!” From outside the airlock, Sahara heard people arguing.

“We already have 5 people. You would make us six, Nadia. Now we want our dream ice team so you have to go pick another group,” said Frida. She was surrounded by 4 of her ice divas while yelling at a girl with ombre blue hair.

“I was out last time, Frida. Its someone else’s turn,” said the girl, Nadia. Frida gave her a cruel smile.

“We’ve decided to make some… revisions to our team,” said Rece, looking at the rest of the Ice Diva’s. “We’re no longer accepting warmer members.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” questioned Nadia. “I’m just a bit warmer than you, that’s all. No biggie.”

“It makes all the difference,” said Esma. “We don’t like people warmer than us. Except our boyfriends, but they aren’t warm, they’re hot.”

“Same thing,” said Nadia.

“No,” said Zura. “Obviously you can’t comprehend how we’re sugarcoating it. Basically, we don’t like your type, you’re too warm for us. So get lost.”

“You water people are… nonuniform and unshapely,” added Esma. “Go back to the water where you came from.” Nadia stared in shock at the Ice Divas.

“We’re waiting,” said Frida, tapping her foot impatiently.

“You disgust me” said Nadia. She stormed off, upset.

“Hey, we only have 4 people, want to join us?” asked Ella. Nadia turned around.

“I guess I have to,” she grumbled. “I’m Nadia, by the way. Water powers if you haven’t guessed.”

"No, I haven’t,” said Sahara.

“Ok, are we balanced?” asked Nadia.

“Sort of,” replied Dian. “We have 2 offense, one agility, a stealth, and a stealth-defense.”

“Agility can fly?” asked Nadia.

“My name is Ella, and yes I can fly. I have super speed too,” said Ella impatiently.

“Sorry. Ella,” said Nadia. “Ok, perfect.”

“We have a shifter and a invisibility/force fields,” said Dian.

“Okay. I have a plan. How about we make a base up in one of the trees? And then we can guard it,” said Nadia. “We can play defensive this round.”

“Sounds like a plan,” said Dian. A countdown timer appeared in front of them putting twenty seconds on the clock before the airlock opened.

“Okay everyone, follow me!” yelled Nadia as the airlock opened.