Just before the end of class, an announcement came onto the PA. “Everyone, please go to the auditorium for a mandatory assembly,” Madame’s voice announced calmly.

Sahara and Phila exchanged worried glances.

As the students left the classroom, hushed whispering was heard. “I bet it’s about the disappearances.” One girl said.

“Nah, she wouldn’t and doesn’t care about that. Maybe someone stole something?” A boy replied.

“Or, maybe there’s a powerless here!” A thin girl gasped. Everyone looked nervously around.

Dian rolled her eyes. “Seriously? No powerless would ever get in here. It may be an assembly, but it definitely isn’t about that.”

Ella nodded. “Besides, did these guys not live the first part of their lives surrounded by normal people? What’s so scary about powerless? They’re weaker than us, anyway…”

Dian shook her head. “They don’t like us much. It’s probably jealousy. But… We don’t mix. It’s not a solution, but it works. We have our world, they have theirs.”

Phila joined the conversation. “Weird. To think we were able to live fine in that world but that they can’t… it’s creepy, a bit.”

Sahara nodded. “Yeah, I bet that you Oma and Amethyst haven’t seen a single powerless in years! They wouldn’t know how to interact with them. Although, Amethyst would probably pour potions onto them instead of actually using her powers, and Oma would disappear in a whoosh of flames.”

Dian grinned as they entered the auditorium and sat down.

“To be honest, I don’t really remember the powerless. But I did kill 3,” said Dian, sheepishly remembering her kindergarten class. “But it doesn’t really seem like a big deal for me.”

Ella raised her eyebrows. “I think I knocked a telephone pole over or something while flying once… but that’s it. The memory’s pretty fuzzy.”

Sahara nodded. “Yeah, I remember something about that, but… Phila? Do you remember?”

Phila, of course, remembered perfectly, and also remembered how their father had erased that memory, but she just shrugged. “Not really.”

“Liar,” said Sahara, playfully pushing Phila. “Our father obviously wiped our memories if we have some recognition of the event.”

Phila opened her mouth to respond, but just then, Madame Myalo stepped onto the auditorium stage and started speaking.

“Students,” started Madame Myalo. “There has been a great misfortune that has happened here at the Academy.” Murmurs about the murders waved through the auditorium, but were softened as Madame Myalo raised her hands. The room went quiet.

“There is a thief among us,” said Madame Myalo to the surprised students who were expecting something about the murders. “And they have stolen one of the school’s heirlooms. It belonged to my grandmother, Madame Mana, who founded that school, and I would like to have it back.” The surprised students looked around at each other.

“If the thief isn’t caught within this next month, I will have our Psychic staff interview each and every one of you,” said Madame Myalo. “Resistance is futile.”

A student interrupted. “But, Madame, what exactly was stolen?”

She smiled. “Thank you, Wein. The precious item is simply Madame Mana’s magic lipstick”

The auditorium erupted into conversation. “What did she say? Lipstick? What’s so special about that?”

However, Sahara and Dian exchanged worried glances. “It’s the thing that Mrs. Osteler was talking about! The false invisibility one!” Phila face palmed.

“Oh great,” groaned Phila. “I’m going to get suspected because I’m immune to mind powers.”

“Now, now...” Madame Myalo tried to silence the auditorium. But she was unsuccessful. Almost every student was discussing how petty it was to call an assembly about a missing cosmetic, but none about the murder of three students. After a Mister flooded the auditorium with an uncontrollable burst of mist, the students filed out. Madame Myalo was left standing on the stage, trying to say something else, but no one heard her. The annoyed students headed off to their next classes, missing the last vital piece of information, something about a murderer.