W I N T E R C A R L Y L E

---

Winter waited with her classmates when Kit entered the room. Immediately, she felt uncertain. The man that walked forward like he owned the place seemed weird, even by their standards. And the fact he knew them was even more of a red flag. He also pestered Sebastian, which grew a fire in her belly. She was about to raise her own interjection when Sebastian sprang up.

Draoi. Sebastian asked clear as day. Was this man a Draoi? Was Jonas in trouble? Sebastian started taking charge, ordering Evander to freeze him and Aiden to flame him should things not go to plan. He moved to the center of the room, keeping an eye on her. His body language spoke another tune. He was prepared to stand in front of her should things go haywire. Winter wanted to hug him, then and there, but there were other issues. Obviously this Kit person couldn't be trusted. Not right away.

Sebastian asked if he was the man at the dance. "I'm...not sure. His face was concealed with a hood, but he appears to be around the same height and build. There...was someone who had a better look, but he doesn't remember doing so." It was then that Winter remembered the events of the dance again. The hooded man that went after Elroy met someone else. Someone who stared into the Draoi's face.

Aiden.

She looked at Aiden, "Aiden got a good look at the Draoi before he took control of Aiden and started the fire and took Elroy. If..I could use my power, perhaps I can help Aiden remember and we can determine if Kit is him or not. If it's all right with Aiden, though." She didn't know what to expect. Aiden still didn't trust her, it seemed. She also didn't understand her powers fully. Without Jonas, she wasn't sure if she ever would. But she needed to try. If Kit truly was the Draoi, they needed to be sure.

---

Besides solidifying her opinion of Jonas — dislike, distrust, and everything else in-between — Brynn felt that, for the first time in a while, the information she’d just received went way over her head. Venari? Templars? she thought, silently and blankly echoing the words inside her head. This… This is ridiculous.

And yet, it somehow made sense, benefiting both parties at the same time. While Brynn and her classmates would get a chance to improve themselves under an experienced mentor, Jonas would be able to test whether his vision could be realized. And, if it could, he would be one of the strongest people on the planet — a goal that made sense at its very core.

However, what did all this mean for Brynn? Did she want to be a part of whatever test squad Jonas was assembling? If she joined, her current life and schedules would definitely be impacted, and such required an analysis and reordering of priorities. Here Brynn stood at a crossroad: Following Jonas would mean that everything else she had planned for her future — focusing on working towards an internship and applying to college — would take a step back in importance. After all, what was a PhD compared to her current abilities, or what they could become after some practice? However, not following the Social Conscience teacher-turned-magic-wielding runemaster meant giving up her first — and perhaps only — chance to unlock and hone her powers. Both were important, life-changing decisions, and both had numerous positive and negative implications.

I’m not dealing with this right now, Brynn immediately thought, making for the direction of the campsite. It was late in the evening, and too many revelations had been unearthed, too much information shared, for Brynn to process. Tomorrow. I’ll work through it all tomorrow.

---

Saturday morning came all too soon, but Brynn pulled herself up and out of her sleeping bag, relishing the bitingly cold breezes that graced the mountains in the morning. The morning was a monotonous series of mechanical actions: wait patiently for everyone to wake up, complete whatever pre-breakfast task Lehrer assigned to her, eat breakfast, and await further instructions. Through it all, Brynn’s mind was focused not on the here and now but rather on herself. What was her first order of business, and why? Was it to suck up to Lehrer in an attempt to be the teacher’s pet and hopefully get an edge somehow? Or was it to get the hell away from the man and his strange stories under the mantra, “Ignorance is bliss?” Honestly, Brynn didn’t know, but she was as sure as hell that she’d figure it out.

Thus, Brynn was preoccupied for the remainder of the trip, unable to pay much heed to anything else but her own problems at hand. Talking only when spoken to and following whatever instructions Jonas gave mindlessly — with just the bare minimum of common sense to filter — it sufficed to say the girl wasn’t her most receptive or most social during the remaining days at Orlaith. She found that small talk with Evander — ice-boy, as she learned, having thought that the cold aura around him had been purely psychological rather than physical — was nice enough, proving to be a good distraction from the looming choice she’d have to make. While Brynn had been a little preoccupied during some of their brief conversations, she found that the boy was receptive enough to know when the conversation was ending — a skill she wished many of her regular acquaintances at school possessed.

Belle and Aiden she didn’t talk much with, the two being rather wrapped up in their own thoughts anyway. The sharp-eyed girl with the curious fashion sense seemed rather unperturbed by Jonas’ revelations, sometimes even smiling to herself. Brynn, growing more and more annoyed at how ridiculous all the courses of action were — and the fact that all courses, including requesting a transfer to a boarding school in New York, were plausible even for a moment — couldn’t think of a reason to smile other than to slap one on for show or to laugh cynically to herself, if she had the energy to waste. So, because Brynn had too much on her mind right now to try and decode the mysterious sometimes-smile, she noted the fact down and set it aside.

Aiden, on the other hand, seemed to be avoiding — or just warding off — Brynn rather than the other way around, looking broody and lone wolf-like throughout the rest of their trip. While she’d been angry at him initially — how could she not after the boy lit the entire forest on fire and almost killed her? — that anger dissipated as the rest of the information Lehrer had provided sank in. The whole class was one big pet project, a brilliant new idea Lehrer was trying out. Should she submit, she would be a sort of test subject. She’d have better conditions, yes, as well as a good amount of free will to boot, but the basis of the concept was the same. Banding together in an attempt to fight off Draoi had never been done before, and Lehrer could very well be dooming them like ducks after a mother as the snake slithered forwards, inhaling one duckling after another like in some grim political cartoon.

Winter and Sebastian — as Brynn finally puzzled out during the moments when her brain was too fried to continue arguing with itself — were dating. A week ago — heck, three days ago — Brynn would have sat Winter down and told the girl to prepare for a good, long lecture on how to avoid getting hurt. Now, Brynn wasn’t so opposed to the idea; Sebastian turned out slightly different from what she’d thought, and she couldn’t say that she wholeheartedly disapproved of their relationship. She would be lying if she said that the boy’s knight-in-shining-armor-of-flames moment with her didn’t play a role in molding her new judgement of him, but Brynn knew better than to let that stand as the be-all, end-all of proofs. Sebastian’s care for Rita — he was affected by her disappearance, although to what extent Brynn wasn’t sure of — and usually well-directed anger — while easily prone to wrath, the boy wasn’t always wrong about who was on the deserving end of it, in Brynn’s opinion — earned him newfound respect from Brynn, which prompted her to flash him a smile when their eyes met rather than looking away like she would have before.

However, it was also clear that there was some sort of rift between Winter and Sebastian. While Brynn often saw the younger girl cast lingering looks at her boyfriend, she also noticed that Winter seemed to only glance at the boy when he wasn’t looking, choosing to avert her gaze when Sebastian turned his head. A lovers quarrel? Brynn had wondered, a little bothered that the girl she’d so often seen as a younger sister was facing hardships. However, Brynn had better things to worry about at the moment, and she hadn’t been able to find a good time to talk to Winter anyway — the girl always seemed busy when Brynn’s brain ran out of steam — so the older girl shelved a note to herself on the topic.

Then there was the man of the hour, the dark knight that the city and school never wanted: Jonas Lehrer. Brynn knew that he was smart — brilliant, perhaps much more so than herself, seeing how he’d survived up to this point — and she knew that, if she wanted guidance, she had no better options at this point in time. However, she hesitated all too easily at the prospect of speaking to the man. She found him strange, alien in a town she’d called home for so many years, and she hated going against her gut feeling. Still, Brynn knew that in a race governed by Darwinist natural selection, time mattered, and she couldn’t afford to dally for long.

Giving up everything I’ve worked for as the Brynn Reyes I am today… I can’t do that, she realized. But I also can’t just turn a blind eye to the things Lehrer said. So the middle ground…

---

Detaining Brynn was no easy task considering that the girl’s first phone call called over the town’s main doctor. Seeing as Michael Reyes was “Dr. Reyes” to everyone at the station — save for the new secretary and the sheriff visiting from the next town over — none of the officers particularly wished to upset him or, by extension, his daughter. Her second call, however — this one sanctioned by the greying man who still had a stethoscope around his neck, looking lost amidst the uniformed blue men with gruff voices — was redirected past a secretary to a very cross female voice that immediately spoke of hiring lawyers and taking matters to court if anything went wrong.

“I’ll be going then,” Michael told his daughter, toes already pointed towards the door. Still, he had the decency to pause, leaning down to give Brynn a reassuring hug before he left. “Don’t worry, sweetie. You’re going to be fine — the lawyer will handle everything and get you out as soon as possible. All you have to do is follow his instructions, alright?”

“Alright, Dad,” Brynn said, squeezing back lightly as her mind wandered off in search of the last memory she had of hugging a member of her family. Christmas, perhaps? Or as a formality the last time we attended one of Mother’s galas. She was silent as she watched her father transform from an awkward, greying old man into the reassuring and charming Dr. Reyes when he said his goodbyes to his patients scattered around the office. Her father had always been charming — confident even — but somehow he lost some of that confidence around his children. Brynn had always believed that it had been because he didn’t need it in the house; Brynn’s mother had more than enough manpower for the entire family, never mind just her father.

After a brief introduction back-and-forth between her legal advocate and her, Brynn found herself being questioned by a nice, trim lawyer who spoke respectfully enough when he wasn’t pressuring her for a particular answer to a particular question. Her mother’s chosen representative of the law sat by her side throughout the meetings, a perpetual frown on his face as either party — friendly or not — spoke.

“I attended all of my classes on Friday — morning to when school gets out after three — before heading home to grab my luggage for the trip. I left school at around three-twenty, got home, grabbed my stuff, and arrived back at school at around three-fifty or so,” Brynn recounted as clean-cut, bespectacled Mr. Leonard made notes on his clipboard. “The rest of the time I spent with my classmates. The van ride to Orlaith Valley took around forty minutes or so, max, and hiking took another hour. We then set up camp and ate dinner before starting a game of capture the flag.” Brynn paused briefly before continuing, taking a measured breath in-between. “The game was as you’d expect from a bunch of high schoolers in the woods — loud and obnoxious, but mature enough not to resort to violence. I was on the team that lost...”

The explanation went smoothly from there in that there was nothing else of importance to recount. Had she seen Lehrer display any aggressive physical behavior? No. Had she or any of her classmates felt that they were in danger, in her knowledge? No. Had she seen Elroy Bain anytime during the trip?

“I haven’t seen Elroy since the school dance after which he’d gone missing,” Brynn said flatly.

“So, to summarize, you don’t think Jonas Lehrer is the culprit,” Mr. Leonard summarized, peering at the girl from over his frames.

“I—”

“My client has nothing to say on that matter,” Brynn’s legal counsel said, clasping a firm hand on the girl’s shoulder and silencing her. “Miss Reyes does not intend to be part of the investigation more so than she has already, prosecutor, so if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be walking my client out. Any further questions can be redirected to my office.”

Exiting the door the gentleman in the slate-colored suit held open for her, Brynn found herself exhaling a controlled breath of relief. Thank god that’s over, she thought, listening and nodding to the directions her lawyer left her with before dialing up a taxi. Her father was probably chest-deep in clients at this time — you’d think people would be smart enough to avoid booking appointments around rush hour, but no — and Brynn was way too tired to attempt the jog home.

---

Coming to a stop a few hundred meters before the port dock, Brynn took a deep breath of the cold, brine-tinged air she’d come to associate with the Crestwood port just as a black-white painted barge pulled up to one of the more prominent docks ahead of her. The cargo ships had already started their parade of arrival, prompting the girl to check her watch. 6:13 AM. Still have time.

The previous night had been a tumble of sleeplessness as Brynn had contemplated, re-contemplated, and re-contemplated the already contemplated possible plans of action until she’d finally heard her father entering the house in the late AM’s. Thus, Brynn was a bit sleep-deprived this morning, but the adrenaline rush she’d maintained as she ran kept her afloat as she ordered her morning coffee and bagel.

“It’s nice to see that the youth still enjoy Monday mornings,” the lady at the counter said, ringing Brynn up. “It might be cold now, but it’s going to be a beautiful day. I can tell.”

“The air does seem very fresh,” Brynn concurred, collecting her bagel and latte. “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” the lady said, flashing the girl a bright smile before calling for the next person in line. Brynn made for the door, fur brushed up. Enjoy Monday mornings? Brynn hated it, dreaded it, loathed the very thought of having to go back to school since doing so would inevitably land her in her seventh period class.

But, she thought, taking a bite of her bagel as she waited for the taxi to arrive, I am just a little intrigued at the prospect of learning more about my powers. She paused as the fact sank in, forcing herself to take another bite of her toasty breakfast. Well, at least I’ll enjoy my demise.

---

Waving goodbye to her normal classmates — normal, because now there was a clear difference between being normal and being her — Brynn walked briskly towards the isolated Social Conscience classroom, figuring that getting there early would be better than getting there late. After all, with attending class — and actually wanting to learn — came the requirement of making sure the teacher didn’t hate you. And Brynn was pretty sure Lehrer already figured out that she disliked him.

Well, other than the distrust, I’ll try and revise my opinion, she thought as she rounded the corner to the stairs. Spotting her seventh period classmates, Brynn smiled in greeting. Funny — smiling at Adrielle in the morning was harder than this, she thought, disliking the implications of that revelation.

The silence that greeted Brynn as she entered the room surprised her — where was Lehrer? Wait — is he detained? she thought, eyes wide as she glanced around at her classmates. But how? He didn’t touch Elroy — did he? And why was I not—

She paused, realizing that she’d made the dumb assumption that her lawyer would call or text to update her on any new developments in the investigation. Of course he wouldn’t tell me — I’m barely even involved. Just an innocent, a not-even witness, she thought, groaning over her blunder internally. Brynn Renee Reyes, snap out of your daze already. You’ve decided to attend and learn, so that’s what you’ll do.

The wait went on for another few minutes, and Brynn sensed that Lehrer was probably not going to be coming. Now we wait until the school figures out that Lehrer isn’t here, she thought, frowning. But they should already know — he teaches periods before this. I know that much. Another few minutes later and Brynn pulled out her economics notes to study since, clearly, Social Conscience was going to be taking a back seat all of a sudden. He could have at least gotten someone to deliver a message or something, she thought as she opened up her notebook and proceeded to study for her quiz the next day.

Her attention, however, was interrupted by the turning of the door handle and subsequent entrance of an unknown man dressed in furs. Her mind drew a blank on names as her eyes flicked over his outfit, not comprehending why an adult dressed in furs was entering the room. She did, however, immediately decide that she disliked and distrusted the man — perhaps even more so than Lehrer.

He looks like a liar — a conman who’s mastered his craft, she thought, putting away her notes as the substitute spoke. Her wariness, however, quickly transformed into dread when Renard’s words seem to hit spot-on with a few of her classmates. A mind reader? Brynn thought, horrified at the prospect. She sat, silent, as Belle asked her question, mind whirling. How much did the man know? There were things Brynn never told anyone — fears of her own that she’d be damned to speak out about, and she didn’t need some unknown cuckoo in furs to be the first to flourish a look. Her thoughts, however, were interrupted by Sebastian as the boy promptly overturned his desk, eyes burning with anger as he shot his accusations at the alleged substitute.

A Draoi? Brynn thought, a pool of fear filling in her stomach. Tentative trust in Lehrer had convinced her to come to class today, and although the thought of a trap had crossed Brynn’s mind — perhaps Lehrer had stayed alive precisely because he was in cahoots with the Draoi — the girl had thought it unlikely. Now, however, that possibility wasn’t as unlikely as it seemed. So there she sat, silent and frozen in her seat, muscles tensed and ready to bolt in the case it came down to the worst. Perhaps she wouldn’t be the first one out of the room, but she definitely wouldn’t be the last.

A I D E N M c K E N N A

---

Aiden looked around the room, having so many questions for the mysterious man, yet something within him denying his will to ask them. It was as though on some instinctive level, he knew better than to leap right into this situation. There was just such an unplaceable quality to Kit Renard that unsettled Aiden, and so he shifted in his seat and scanned the room, hoping that one of his peers would speak. Despite Kit's warnings, Belle obliged.

"What do you know?" she asked. She was assertive in posture, but... Aiden knew her well enough to detect an ounce of trepidation in her tone. He didn't berate her efforts; she was braver than he, and he couldn't blame her for being weary of the stranger. He looked towards Kit for a response, but all the man did was smile. It was not a kind smile.

"Why, Abelle," he sneered. "Who knew you could be so naïve? It's rather endearing, actually," he laughed to himself, though the rest of the room was unamused. "My dear, I know all sorts of wonderful things. I take pride in my homework," he grinned. "Which, according to Jonas, is more than can be said for some of you."

It seemed to Aiden that it was the mention of Mr Lehrer's name that pushed Sebastian over the edge, because within seconds the boy was on his feet and throwing furniture around the room. It was becoming a fast tradition amongst this particular band of misfits for things to escalate decidedly quickly. Seb's body was practically vibrating with rage; and Aiden had faced this particular strain of Sebastian's anger on more than one occasion. The latter of which, he noted, wincing at the memory, had almost cost him dearly. Aiden knew what Seb was capable of in this state, and he wanted to call out to Mr. Renard; urge him to back off, less Sebastian let loose. They didn't want the classroom to become a murder scene, not with Jonas already incarcerated.

But he couldn't. Something - perhaps fear - had him frozen in place. And yet, it didn't seem like Kit needed all that much emotional support. As Sebastian unloaded accusations and threats in Kit's direction, all the substitute teacher could do was smile. It was the faintest of smiles; his lips curled ever so slightly that it might not even be noticed, were it not for the mischievous glee that twinkled in his eyes as he watched the boy explode.

Aiden couldn't decide whether Sebastian had valid points, or whether he was being paranoid. The latter was understandable, given the combined gravity of the events these last few weeks. But the conviction with which Seb spoke at least made it clear to Aiden that the boy believed what he was saying, even if nobody else did. It seemed that Sebastian was convinced Kit was a Draoi, or here to harm them at the very least. Aiden's attention was captured, as the wild boy ordered him to fry the teacher should the situation call for it. Aiden didn't respond to that at all... He didn't want to make any empty promises. Finally, the room fell silent, save for the heavy breath of Sebastian Scott, and Kit's smiled widened, becoming more pronounced.

"Now, now, children," he chimed, seeming completely carefree in his delivery, as he eyed the students that had been ordered to attack him. "That won't be necessary." he said firmly, taking a graceful step towards the makeshift barrier in defiance of Sebastian's warning. He seemed content enough in his assumption that the students would not follow through on Seb's plan, and for now he seemed to be correct. Locking eyes with Sebastian, Kit walked closer still to the barrier, gently picking up one of the tables with ease, and setting it upright. He made a display of dusting off its surface with his hand. All the while, his eye contact with Seb was unwavering.

"It's a pity you can't focus that wild imagination into a more productive outlet, Mr. Scott," he chastised, staring Seb down as he approached the boy, who for now seemed pacified in the moment. Eventually, the two were almost nose-to-nose, as the taller man looked down at Sebastian. There was a fierce energy between them, despite Kit's pleasant demeanour, as though static electricity were bouncing between their bodies. Aiden noticed that Sebastian was practically growling in his rage, whilst Kit bore an air of bemusement. And then, in a decidedly puzzling move, Kit inhaled deeply, as though he were sniffing the boy. He chuckled to himself. "Very interesting. Very interesting indeed."

He brazenly turned his back to Sebastian and returned to the front of the room, leaving the boy seething. "Unfortunately, Mr. Scott, the truth is so often far less interesting than whatever we dream up in our heads," he said, sighing as he once again slouched back in Mr. Lehrer's seat. "Alas, I am no Draoi. Though, that would be an awful lot of fun, wouldn't it? Marching around, burning down whatever took one's fancy," he paused, looking obviously at Aiden. "Though, I'm sure Mr. McKenna over there can tell us all about that." he grinned, meanly. Aiden went white.

It was at this point that Sebastian spoke up once more, though this time it was to Winter, whom he seemed to be guarding. "Does this guy look anything like the one that attacked us?" he asked her, and once again Aiden found himself the unwilling centre of attention. According to Winter, Aiden had gotten close enough to the Draoi to get the best look beneath his hood, and now the girl wanted to tinker around in his thoughts; an effort to unlock his memory of that night, he assumed. But of course, there was absolutely no way Aiden was letting anyone in his head.

Or so, that's what he thought...

E V A N D E R D A R I O

---

Minutes ticked by and no one spoke and Jonas Lehrer did not enter the classroom. Evander thought that maybe the school would release them earlier as their teacher wasn't there or send a substitute to take over the class - the former he preferred to be honest. He took one glance around the silent room, no one daring to speak and they were all just doing their own thing. The male sighed and leaned back on his chair, obviously an action made out of impatience.

Then someone actually did come. What he expected to be Sir Jonas turned out to be some guy in a fur coat. This definitely did not sit well with Evander, his first impression of the male being 'weird and very informal', at the very least. Though as he continued speaking, the more cautious he was of the man. He claimed his name was 'Kit Renard' and then shot a jab at Sebastian. Evander felt tense, as if he was in danger. The way he shot down his classmates in quick succession was certainly something he didn't like. But what more, is that this male knew about them and it seems that he knew a lot more than just their names and faces.

Everything about their substitute felt wrong and unnerving and he just wanted to get out of there. He saw Belle's arm stay in the air after Kit Renard already shot her down and then she continued to stand up and then ask a question - a question that could have a million answers. He also wanted to know, to be honest. After answering Belle's question, Sebastian stood up and flipped over his desk. Evander's head snapped towards the male who had a single accusatory finger pointing towards Kit.

And his question was certainly interesting. A Draoi. It made sense. And that mere fact that it might be true sent alarm bells ringing even worse than before. Evander nodded at Sebastian, knowing that it was best to follow his lead. He looked back at Kit Renard, curious on what his reaction would be. Evander was prepared to freeze him over... ha, well, if he can even do that. Now's the perfect time to find out. Besides, should he fail in doing so, Aiden was ordered to torch him so it was fine.

They were trying to figure out if this was the man who attacked the school the night of the dance and Sebastian was right, Winter was their best bet. She was the one who remembered everything. Unfortunately enough, she responded that she didn't know. But she did know that Aiden had stared right at the man's face and he would surely know - if she could make him remember that particular night.

As Kit Renard began walking towards Sebastian, it became increasingly obvious that Evander was not capable of freezing the male to the ground. Perhaps it was because he was moving or Evander didn't have enough control over his power to do such a feat. Evander didn't like the fact that neither he nor Aiden had done anything. Both of them were simply looking - Evander out of curiosity as the substitute teacher began speaking.

A I D E N M c K E N N A & W I N T E R C A R L Y L E

---

Kit Renard seemed irritated for only the briefest of moments, before slinking back into Mr Lehrer's chair and grinning to himself. Even when Kit's eyes were fixed firmly upon his latest victim (in this instance, Aiden), they never seemed 'still'. They were like two shimmering emeralds, swimming constantly with some unreadable intent. It was easy to imagine the cogs behind them spinning wildly as he schemed.

"Well, as keen as Jonas was that I stuck to his curriculum," Kit mused, "Winter here seems like she knows how to have a good time. Someone give this girl a spoon." he jabbed, making a 'stir-the-pot' motion and smiling excitedly as he gestured towards Aiden. "Please, proceed."

"Woah, woah, woah," Aiden protested, rising to his feet and backing off a few paces. "This isn't cool. You can't just, like, read my mind and shit. No way," he said, visibly panicked but firm in his delivery. His stance only seemed to amuse Kit further.

"Oh, come now, Aiden," he cooed. "Don't be silly. Miss Carlyle wouldn't tell a soul - would you, Winter? Not unless she was... Convinced." He paused, then chuckled at his intentionally sinister tone. "Of course, that would be unnecessary. There's very little she could unearth in that skull of yours that I don't already know. Now please, Winter, will you do the honours." His tone seemed ever so slightly impatient; there was a definite sense of his request being more imperative than he let on.

Aiden felt defeated, but his reluctance was still more than obvious as he looked anxiously to Winter; begging for some sign that he could trust her. He scanned her face; hoping for the slightest glimmer of empathy in her eyes, desperate for her to speak out and assure him that he was safe in her hands. That his secrets were safe in her hands.

Winter was put on the spot and for once in her life...she hated it.

Kit seemed pleased about having both her and Aiden reluctant and confused, but she felt determined. Not only because it would help her understand her own powers, but it would allow Aiden to fully trust her. She silently nodded to herself before she turned to Aiden. She caught his gaze and could see the worry and fear in his eyes.

"I won't lie, Aiden. I don't fully know how these powers work, but I know enough that I should be able to pick and choose what I see. If I do see something I shouldn't, you have my word it will be a secret. No matter what he says, no amount of pressure will get me to break if you don't want me to tell. I promise." She hoped her words were enough to get him to let his guard down.

She reached her hand out, "I need to have physical contact, so if you are ready, I am too." She didn't dare look at Kit, who was probably laughing his ass off. She was determined to prove to herself and to the others she was someone they could trust. If these past few weeks have been any indication, her old self was gone.

It was time for the new Winter to come out.

Aiden nodded, his face full of apprehension though he fully acknowledged that there seemed to be no immediate alternative to the situation. Not with Kit Renard watching over them, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. Aiden might not have spent much time with the supposed teacher, but he understood clearly that Mr. Renard was the type of person who always got what he wanted. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and hesitantly extended his hands towards Winter's own.

They touched, and the world began to fade. The colour in the room washed away, leaving Aiden in a grey twilight, before the details of his surroundings began to warp and slip out of form; like a chalk drawing on the pavement, washed away by an unexpected rain. Only a muddy blackness remained.

And then, from within the blackness, there was a light. Small, flickering, orange; but bright enough to penetrate the darkness that engulfed it. The ember grew, developing into a fist full of flame that illuminated the face of the figure who held it: Aiden. Or rather, a vision of himself, a memory, watched back by Aiden the observer... And no doubt, by Winter Carlyle.

As the vision unfolded, the cloudy scene became more clear; Aiden was crouched in a storage closet, surrounded by mops and spray bottles and other everyday cleaning supplies. Though there was no indication of its whereabouts, Aiden knew exactly where the room was: through the door marked 'PRIVATE - MALL STAFF ONLY", just behind the Nike store at the shopping centre on the other side of Mather Memorial Park. It was the day that changed everything.

He remembered clearly what had driven him to take refuge away from the hustle and bustle, dabbing his bloody nose on his sleeve. He had been accused of giving a suggestive look to one of the school's star quarterbacks during gym class, and his teammates had banded together to make it clear to him that none of them swung that way. But the coast had to be clear by now, and Aiden cracked open the door.

"Hey there, faggot," said one of the brutes, smugly stood waiting for Aiden's emergence.

Aiden made a sudden dash, his fight-or-flight instincts leaning towards the latter. But as two of the boys grabbed his arms, laughing and jeering, a rage began to burn within Aiden's chest. It was a rage that he had been fighting for several months now to quell; a fiery anger that had repeatedly threatened to erupt since his powers had manifested. His father had warned him about it, urged him to commit himself to extinguishing even the slightest ember he felt... But none of this registered during the moment. He was sick of diminishing himself for the benefit of others. If these assholes wanted to try him, then let them. It was time to let go. A burst of orange, a wave of heat, and blackness.

The darkness faded slowly, swirling like smoke, before Aiden realised that it was smoke. And it filled the air, billowing through the trees as Aiden fled the blaze he'd caused at Mather Memorial Park. Tears streamed down his face as he reflected on his actions, furious at himself for giving in to the monster within. Tricked by the fiery tempter within him into releasing his hold on it, and instantly filled with guilt, shame and regret. Instantly, the scene swirled, melting away as hours passed and the moon rose.

Aiden was sat in his room, his hoodie still stinking of smoke from his earlier break. A wet note lay half-written on the desk, dotted with salty droplets that smudged the ink as Aiden buried his hands in his head. A gentle knock at the door broke the silence, as his mother's voice called through the wood.

"Aiden, are you OK, dear?"

Panicked, he grabbed the note as his mother pushed open the door and peaked her head around the frame. It burned away to ash in the heat of his fist; and so did the scene... The night of the dance.

The quickness of the vision alarmed her. She figured it had to be due to lack of practice, but soon she saw the fire. The small flame burning that soon engulfed the vision. She was watching through her own eyes, but she couldn't move. She tried, but it was a powerful force holding her back. She wondered if, with practice, she could move around.

She saw the closet. She saw the bullies. She saw Aiden, fearful and afraid, but also angry. The boys were harsh. It was obvious from the scene this wasn't Aiden's first encounter with them. She could see it on his face. The anger.

Then the fire.

She hated putting Aiden through all that again. She had to imagine it was a memory he didn't want to relive. However, it gave her a new perspective of the boy. An appreciation. She witnessed the rest of the events. Soon, she found herself where she wanted to be. The night of the dance.

She looked around and could see that it was the moment after the wolves attacked and the hooded man was coming for Elroy. She watched as kids ran and screams filled the air. Aiden was doing his best, trying to protect Elroy. Knowing where he was hiding. Soon, the hooden man approached.

Winter looked and she saw his face. Finally, it was there. Both her and Aiden got a good look at his face.

And it wasn't Kit.

Was that good or bad? She wasn't sure. Kit still rubbed her the wrong way, but at least he wasn't their enemy. Yet. She continued to watch the events as the man uttered some powerful words and soon, flames emerged. It happened so suddenly, but she knew what she saw. Aiden didn't start the fire. He was controlled. So not only did they get the man's face, but they knew he was able to control other powers, perhaps. Also, a small blessing to Aiden to know he wasn't the reason for the fire.

Soon the vision ended. She mustered as much strength as she could and soon the bond ceased. She still held on to Aiden's hand as she found herself back in the classroom. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so she did neither. Instead, she released the boy's hand and nodded "All right. It wasn't Kit at the night of the dance." She kept her promise. She hoped Aiden was all right.

As Aiden sat - wide-eyed, pale and silent - Kit walked smile contentedly.

"Well, I'm glad we're all on the same page," he said, though his tone would indicate that he wasn't particularly interested in what the students thought of him. "Now, I'm sure we'll all be the best of friends. But as much as I'm enjoying getting to know you all, I really must press on with the lesson. We've important work to do, after all, and it's paramount that I have a competent team." He paused, looking around the room. "Those of you who are incompetent, will find yourselves removed. I have little inclination to entertain timewasters."

He looked over the class as he moved over towards the door, holding it open and gesturing through. "Well, come on now, what are you waiting for?" he asked, expectantly. "Make your way to the cafeteria. And do it quickly, please."

As he watched the students file out of the classroom, he called out after them: "And, if anyone is considering playing the truant, they will find themselves removed from the class with immediate effect." His tone was one of business now, lacking much of his usual showmanship. "As I hope I've made clear: I am not here to play games."

But then, as he pulled the door shut, locking the classroom tight and beginning to make his own way to the empty canteen, Kit found himself smiling at the irony of it all. Because, of course, he was Kit Renard. And he loved to play games.

---

Brynn watched in silence as Renard continued to speak, finding that the man — although clearly a threat — seemed like less and less of an imminent danger. If he’d planned on killing the class and draining them of their energy, he would have done so already; Kit Renard was clearly strong enough to take on the entire class at once, perhaps without even breaking a sweat. He was clearly a man competent of picking his fights carefully and gauging his own strengths and weaknesses, so the only reason why he would feel comfortable teasing the class so — especially Sebastian, the most intimidating of the group — was because he felt that they were no threat. So, Brynn figured that Renard was here for some other reason — mysterious and unknown to the class, but prearranged by Lehrer. Indeed, Lehrer was the only reason why Renard had bothered with the students in the first place, and despite her distrust of Lehrer, Brynn found herself again willing to trust the teacher’s intentions, whatever they may be.

So, silently she sat, not uttering a word of protest — or concurrence since doing so would be inappropriate. It wasn’t her place to speak up, and although Winter was clearly uncomfortable being the focus of this particular group of students and staff, Brynn figured that her keeping quiet would escort everything on its way more quickly. Something had clearly happened at the party — something Brynn couldn’t remember — and Winter was the key to fixing that problem.

Her power — helping people “remember?” But she’s clearly able to see their memories as well so… Mind reading? Memory reading? Brynn wondered, both intrigued and threatened by her friend’s newfound powers. Although Winter said she was unfamiliar with her powers, Brynn wondered if that was wholly accurate. Perhaps the blonde had gained her friendship — and that of many others — through her powers? Unlikely, Brynn thought, but kept the thought in the back of her mind as she listened to Winter. Although she is quite adept at working with others.

When Aiden leaned forward and touched Winter, Brynn didn’t know what she expected to happen, but she had definitely not expected the silent stillness that followed. There they stood, Aiden and Winter, eyes closed and both clearly affected by something. Winter was using her powers, and it was clearly taking a toll on her, although Brynn couldn’t properly gauge how much. The blonde appeared to be intensely focused — perhaps to access her power, or perhaps in an effort to control them. Aiden, on the other hand, appeared to be rapidly paling, blatantly affected by whatever he was seeing. Not a pleasant memory, I’d imagine, Brynn concluded, crossing her arms on her desk as she waited. There would clearly be no class today.

When Winter broke the contact between Aiden and delivered the final statement — it wasn’t Kit Renard at the party — Brynn wasn’t surprised. Her prior conclusion that Renard had enough power to easily take the whole class out supported that he wasn’t the enemy, so there was no reason why he’d be the mysterious “hooded man” at the party. Did he set the fire? Brynn wondered. No — that was Aiden. But he had something to do with it.

Renard’s short explanation that came next — apathetically suave in a rough, business-like way with a steady confidence Brynn admired — was relatively horrifying to Brynn since she figured herself one of the said “incompetent.” Having just discovered her power — rather, just recently accepted that she had a power — she was clearly ways behind her classmates in fluency. Aiden, Sebastian, and Evander were definitely fluent with theirs, and Brynn wouldn’t have been surprised if Belle turned out to be as well. Winter was perhaps the closest to her, having said that she didn’t “fully know” the extent of her powers, but she’d just proven herself capable of doing something much more advanced than what Brynn could.

Again, she was frozen in her seat with fear, but this time of herself — of her own ability, because she was unable to meet the standard. All her life, Brynn Reyes had chased perfection — the highest standard, whatever that was — but it was clear here that she didn’t even begin to meet it. Her life of perfect scores had been speckled by some near-perfects, sure, but she was not being told that she had earned an F — a fail. She hadn’t passed, and she wouldn’t, clearly — not with her current skills.

”Removed” — from the class? Brynn wondered hollowly as Renard announced lunch. Rising from her seat, she joined the tidy file out of the classroom, moving more by instinct than by thought. While she’d been able to lead the herd at times, perhaps content to lend her leadership to others when she felt gracious, she now belonged at the back of it. She lacked the skill of a leader — perhaps even of a competent follower. ”Removed” — removed from the class, or from the world? she wondered, eyes lifting to glance at Kit Renard. Would an incompetent follower be weeded from the flowerbed, since they only served to drain resources in the first place?

---

B E L L E D ' V O I R E

---

Belle bristled at Kit's slimy, sarcastic dismissal. The windows panes of the room tapped as a few wasps banged and bumped against the glass. She had never felt anger or indignation like this before...she felt as if Kit had intruded on a great destiny, steered her off course. Kit had appeared from nowhere and shaken her nest, and Belle felt a deep, innate desire to punish him for his transgressions. And yet...he wasn't their enemy, at least not directly. He seemed willing to teach them, even if it was apparent he favoured the stick to the carrot. Conflict dwelled within her - conflict at Kit's purpose, conflict at new, violent emotions that grew from her core, conflict at what her direction was to be now, what the class's direction was to be. Jonas had laid out his plan for her and her peers, but Kit would never be so...plain. Subterfuge against his own erstwhile-wards seemed counterintuitive, and yet she expected no less.

All the same, she headed to the cafeteria as instructed, stepping her insects down and calming herself with quiet mantra and still thoughts as the group made their way across campus. A brisk September day seemed to instill new vigour in them, and she relished the time away from Renard. He felt like an invasion upon her mind, weighing on her psyche, as if sticky finger filtered through. There was no hiding from Kit Renard - or, at least, that was how he wanted you to feel. Belle instead focused on herself; she watched ants busy-about, observed the last few bumblebees and butterflies supping the last of the season's nectar. The presence of the insects comforted her; in them, she had a domain in which she was Queen, absolute and irrevocable. The whirlwind her life had become - magic, superhuman abilities, vast enemies and impenetrable allies - was whisked away by simply commanding a ladybird to fly to her finger, or a spider to rest upon her ankle, or a beetle to watch the world from her shoulder.

Ahead of them, the sliding doors of the cafeteria quietly slid open as the last few students left; 'Social Conscience' was the last period of the day, and those enrolled were either in other classes or had finished their day. As the group entered, they found the kitchen closed, and the hall empty. A sizeable space that they had to themselves; Belle wondered what Kit had hoped to use such an area for. She looked around at her classmates, the odd, but steadfast bunch they had become. Did any of them know what was to become of them?

E V A N D E R D A R I O

---

Evander waited apprehensively for the result of whatever Winter would see. It would determine whether they would attack and probably wreck the room (He wasn't sure what would happen should the people at the school find out what happened to the room) or if they would follow Kit's lead. He crossed his arms. Everyone was looking at the pair. He kept switching between Kit and the pair. Whatever Aiden was seeing, it probably wasn't good, but that wasn't Evander's problem. Winter, on the other hand, looked like she was focusing so much on the task at hand. From what he can remember, Sebastian, Aiden and himself didn't really put that much effort in concentrating when using their power. Was using her power new to her?

When the session finally ended with Winter telling them that it wasn't Kit Renard at the party, he relaxed. Okay. It didn't mean that he wasn't any threat but at least he knew that he wasn't the person who attacked them before. And now he could listen to him without doubting every single word that leaves his mouth. In theory that is. He leaned onto the wall beside him as Kit Renard began his short explanation on what was about to happen.

Evander raised an eyebrow. Those incompetent will be removed from class? Huh, well would you look at that. It would seem that he would be willing to train all of them but those who fell behind would not be treated kindly. Was Jonas actually planning to use this kind of method as well or was it really just Kit Renard? Though if he was sticking to Jonas's curriculum, it might have been. He was pretty sure that they could all pass this class. They have to. Kit Renard moved to hold the door for them and ordered for them to head to the cafeteria. Evander followed behind his classmates, rather eager to move away from the eyes of Renard. Perhaps like most of his classmates, he felt uncomfortable within his presence. Now putting some distance between him and the teacher, and within reach with the people he knew was going through the same thing - his classmates - put him more at ease.

W I N T E R C A R L Y L E

---

Winter felt the burn in her cheeks, but wasn't entirely sure why. What had she done to be embarrassed about? If anything, she should be proud that she was able to use her abilities. Perhaps that was it? Was it because she could feel herself struggling to use her powers while others, like Sebastian, seemed to use them with ease? She seemed to be the only one who was new to the whole "hyperhuman" thing. That had to count for something?

She looked over at Aiden who went pale. She wanted to comfort him, but it wasn't the best time. She would find him later. She hoped he trusted her enough to know she wouldn't blab his secrets. Old Winter may have if she felt like it would benefit her, but this wasn't the old Winter anymore. That Winter was gone since the night of the dance.

She didn't trust Kit as far as she could throw him, but there were no other options. She felt it best to follow his lead. At least for now. If the situation changed, she fully expected her classmates to revolt and fight back. She wasn't sure what kind of powers Kit had, but if he was anything like Mr. Lehrer, then they would have a fierce battle on their hands. She glanced over at Sebastian, who still seemed to be in his protective state, and gave him a warm smile and nod. She just needed to rest a bit. It took a lot out of her, but she was happy she did it. With practice, perhaps she could grow this power. It was different, to be sure. Being able to remember things. To help others remember things. With practice, perhaps she could explore memories. Use them. Erase them? The limits were unknown, as yet.

She didn't much like Kit's veiled threat of having them removed so it was off to the cafeteria.

S E B A S T I A N S C O T T:

---

^{Monday September 26TH - 2:13 PM | Mather Memorial High School}

W I N T E R C A R L Y L E

---

Winter entered alongside the others. It was quiet for a bit. The tense situation growing as they waited for whatever Kit had in store. Her thoughts raced about recent events. She used her power willingly. That was both a blessing and a curse. She was able to use it, but it seemed like she still needed to practice. And what use could her powers be really? Being able to see memories? What would happen if she ever lost her own memories? She shuddered at the thought. Perhaps she could do more. She wished Jonas were here to help. She didn't trust Kit, even though he wasn't the Draoi after them.

Almost as if they had the same thought, Sebastian called out. Angry. Hate. It could almsot be seen coming off of him. His words rang true though. Kit was not Jonas and he couldn't rightly expect them to just up and listen to him. Even though Winter thought Sebastian could have worded things better, she had to agree with him. Perhaps they didn't need Kit after all. If they had each other they could handle whatever came there way.

Sebastian stormed off. It took her a minute, but she looked at the others with a sigh, "He's right, but he shouldn't storm off. I'll see if I can bring him back." She ran quickly out following Sebastian. She looked around and when she finally saw him go outside, she was about to call out to him until he screamed.

You.

Sebastian stumbled into someone and it just happened to be Elroy. Before anything else could happen, Sebastian was on him instantly. Vicious. Elroy may have been in the wrong, but he didn't deserve that. Winter sprinted but it was too late. Another figure emerged and threw Sebastian off. If the feat of strength didn't solidify who it was, the punk look and blonde hair alone should have done it.

Rita was back.

She didn't know whether to be excited or relieved. After all, Rita was an original member of their class. However, something seemed off. Before she could call out, Rita threw Sebastian against the wall and she saw him crumble. She covered her mouth to prevent her scream from being heard. What the hell happened? It was Rita there, right? She wanted to run to check on him until she heard Rita speak, "Now then, where's the rest of those assholes."

She was after them now. Elroy was too, probably. Winter was stuck in a situation. Did she turn and run back to warn the others or did she stay to help Sebastian? Her thoughts raced for her feelings for Sebastian and her feelings for her classmates. She had to think fast as they were approaching.

She sighed. "Sorry Sebastian, I'll come back for you." She ran back to the cafeteria and didn't wait a beat, "Elroy is here and so is Rita. She just attacked Sebastian and she's looking for us now. We don't have a lot of time!"

---

Brynn made her way to the school cafeteria quietly, following her classmates. She was muted, her previous despair and defeat giving way to anger. All I have to do is not be “incompetent,” she thought, and Brynn Reyes doesn’t go down so easily.

Upon arriving at the cafeteria — now rather empty of students, since it was in the middle of a period — Sebastian burst out, his voice echoing around the room as he listed his insults and complaints. Watching with some trace of disbelief, Brynn found herself torn between agreeing for the promised convenience and disagreeing out of self-preservation. He was right in that Renard would never be Lehrer, but he was also wrong; Lehrer had earned Brynn’s respect only because of his strength and self-proclaimed mission, and Renard could easily do the same, seeing as the stand-in was likely chosen by Lehrer. The only discrepancy was that Renard, unlike Lehrer, had a way of getting under everyone’s skin, which wouldn’t do well for his popularity.

Watching as Sebastian stormed away, Brynn glanced at Winter to see if she would follow. She did, disappearing through the cafeteria’s double doors as well as Brynn looked on blankly. Following them was an option, but staying put was too. She’d wanted to get on Lehrer’s good side, and the same applied now that the previous teacher was off-duty. Best case scenario, her good behavior would be mentioned to Lehrer, and at the very least her lack of being mentioned would serve better than being lumped together with Sebastian’s antics.

Silence permeated the cafeteria after Winter’s departure as the students took in Sebastian’s outburst, and tensions ran high. Looking around, Brynn waited to see if any of her classmates would follow, but it seemed that no one had thought along quite the same lines as the boy who’d stormed out. Well, Sebastian always had a way of stirring things up too quickly, she thought, eyes darting to the clock. The bell would ring in less than an hour, and the students would be free to go. She would be free to go.

Go home? she wondered to herself. What’s the point of “home” now that we know these powers exist? Anyone could have them, anyone could be out for my blood. Nowhere’s safe, least of all Crestwood, no matter how nicely Lehrer puts it. Safety, she thought, safety now resides in strength — the power to fend off the enemies I have or will have, and I don’t have that yet.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway, brisk in pace as eyes were drawn back towards the double doors. Winter burst in a moment later, urgency written all over her face as she touted details of Sebastian, Elroy, and Rita.

Rita? Brynn wondered, thinking of the former classmate. Did she turn rogue? Why is she attacking us? Brynn glanced to Renard, waiting for the man to make a call. Fight or flight — which was it?

E V A N D E R D A R I O

---

Between the walk to the cafeteria and entering it, it was only silent for a short amount of time. He relished the silence as hearing Renard's voice put him in a state of great unease. Hell, even just seeing him makes him uneasy. He guessed that was the goal of that man - to plant seeds of fear in them to get them under control... or he was just playing around with them. Either way, the fact that he didn't like Renard was still the same.

The silence was broken by Sebastian suddenly went into an outrage - shouting insult after insult at the man before exiting the cafeteria. The black haired male looked between the door where Sebastian had exited and his other classmates. His words rang true - Renard will never be Jonas. And while Evander does think he will come to respect this man with a fox coat once he finally shows his true intentions (if those intentions were good at least), but he will not put him on the same place as Jonas. He was a more respectable person who knew how to lead them - not through fear but through mutual respect. Or at least, that's what Evander feels. But was going off like that a good decision?

His head turned towards Winter as she spoke up and then walked away to fetch Sebastian. Hm, he should have figured. As silence reigned over them, Evander thought about following them just to see what happens. However, Renard might disapprove of that action and, in his words, "removed from the class". As horrible as Renard is, he was still a teacher and someone he should follow. He half-leaned, half-sat on one of the tables with his arms holding the edge of the table, waiting for a development. He wasn't really sure what he should be expecting. Would it be bad? Would it be good? Or will nothing happen at all?

That was when Winter came in once more, telling them of what had transpired outside. Elroy was here? That bastard who was the cause of Jonas being thrown in jail and them getting Renard as a substitute? But Rita was also here. For a moment, he felt relieved. She suddenly disappeared from the camping and never came back. But that relief quickly disappeared when Winter continued and told them that she attacked Sebastian.

Evander removed his gloves and placed them inside his pocket. He pushed himself off of the table and crossed his arms, eyes travelling to Renard. "From the fact that Winter sounds frantic and Sebastian hasn't returned, I would assume that Rita is powerful. Sebastian's a speedster, and he went down. That means she's dangerous. What should we do?"