Purotekuta

CHAPTER NINE

We're all standing outside in our gym uniforms. I can feel the confusion of everybody around me, but I'm not confused at all. I know exactly what we're doing—an affinity assessment test.
          "Okay, everyone. You all will be taking an affinity assessment test," Mr. Kaze says calmly.
          "An affinity assessment test!?" Everyone bursts out simultaneously. I roll my eyes, disappointed in my class for not guessing it sooner.
          "What about the entrance ceremony? The orientation?" Himari asks Mr. Kaze with a worried tone in her voice. She shouldn't be worried about that kind of stuff. It's pointless.
          "If you're going to become a protector, you don't have time for such leisurely events," he responds, clearly annoyed. He's right, we don't. We need to be focused on training. "Mamoru's selling point is how unrestricted its school traditions are. That also includes how the teachers run their classes."
          The class seems surprised, but they shouldn't be. If they had done their research before they came here, they would have known about this. I think to myself.
          "You kids have been doing these since middle school too, right?" Mr. Kaze asks. The class nods, almost in unison. "Physical fitness tests where you weren't allowed to use your affinities. This country still uses averages taken from results of students not using their affinities—It's not rational. The ministry of Education is procrastinating." Mr. Kaze turns his attention from the rest of the class to me. "Hajime, you finished at the top of the physical exam, right?" I nod. "In Middle school, what was your best result for the softball throw?" He asks, his dark eyes boring into me.
          I have to think for a bit. I don't exactly remember, but I have a guess.
          "67 meters, I think."
          "Then try doing it with your affinity," he says, a note in his tone that leaves no room for disobedience, gesturing for me to come into the painted circle on the dirt.
          I look up at him, surprised that he would let me do this. I will have to leave Akio for a bit, but I'm sure he'll be okay. He trusted Chinatsu enough to come out from behind me, so I'll leave him with her.
          "Hey, Chinatsu? Can you come and stand with Akio for me?" I ask quietly. She nods and bounds over to us. I thank her silently and walk onto the field and stand in the middle of the circle.
          "You can do whatever you want, as long as you stay in the circle," Mr. Kaze says. I look over at him and nod, turning back to face where I'm planning on throwing the ball.
          If I use the perfect mix of fire and enhance my strength, it will go at a high speed, yet still not melt the ball. "Hurry up. Give it all you got," Mr. Kaze says impatiently. If I don't hold back though, the ball should go even farther. I am assuming that the ball would have some sort of protection over it, though. We'll just see how it turns out if I don't hold back.
          I stretch my arms across my chest, getting ready to throw the ball. I don't have to keep my wings close to my body, so I unfurl them as wide as they'll go, great and arching.
          My ears pin against my head as I take a step forward and throw the rest of my body along with it. I can feel the wind in my hair—in my wings—as the ground rushes closer. I call upon the strength of a wolf and light up my hand with fire. Since I am right-handed, I end up using the hand that was burned, giving it a little extra boost.
          I release the ball.
          It goes flying.
          There is a trail of blue fire trailing behind it as it launches. Everyone is silent as we wait for the ball to land. Before the ball lands, Mr. Kaze breaks the silence.
          "Know your own maximum first." The ball lands, and he checks the length on a device he is holding in his hand. "That is the most rational way to form the foundation of a protector." He then holds up the device he has in his hands, showing the class my score. Their faces are in shock.
          "750 meters? Seriously?" Akihiko looks nervous but excited at the same time.
          "What's this? It looks fun!" Himari says excitedly. Akio is still a bit skittish, but he's getting much better. He didn't flinch when Himari burst out. Mamoru High is going to be a good experience for him.
          "We can use our affinity as much as we want! As expected from the hero course!" Kane says with an excited look on his face, as I expected. He shouldn't be excited. He has no idea what's out there; and in here, too. It's dangerous to be excited.
          Mr. Kaze's long black hair hangs in his eyes, the aura around him dark.
          "It looks fun, huh?" The class goes silent, surprised at the change in mood from Mr. Kaze. Everyone is focusing on him. "You have three years to become a protector; will you have an attitude like that the whole time?" He asks, menacingly.
          The class is silent, disappointment setting in. I knew this was going to happen. They should have been more careful. Mr. Kaze smiles, fear seeping into my classmates. "All right. Whoever comes in last place in all eight tests will be judged to have no potential and will be punished with expulsion," he threatens. The class gasps, shocked.
          I look at Akio and see a worried look on his face. His eyes are wide, and he is clinging tightly to Chinatsu, very clearly mortified. Punished with expulsion?  This is bad... In all eight tests? Akio can't even fly right now, and I don't even know if he has an affinity or not. "We're free to do what we want about the circumstances of our students." Mr. Kaze looks up and smiles grimly. "Welcome to Mamoru's protector course," Mr. Kaze says.
          The other students are sweating, nervous about getting last place. I'm not nervous, but who I am nervous about is Akio. I'll talk to Mr. Kaze about it.
          As everyone gathers into groups and start talking, I make my way over to Mr. Kaze, tucking my wings closer to my back in case anyone gets too close to me.
          "Pardon me, Mr. Kaze?" I ask. He turns around to face me, his usual cold expression back on his face.
          "What?" He responds, clearly annoyed. 
          "What are you going to do about Akio?" I ask carefully. "He can't use his wings right now because they're broken; that will make it so he is unable to perform at his fullest potential. He will lose automatically."
          Mr. Kaze contemplates that for a moment and nods.
          "You are right, Hajime. But you see, if he is refusing to go to the nurse, that is his problem. He could choose to be healed, but he isn't. He could very well perform at his fullest potential if he wanted to."
          I stare at him, dumbfounded. Does he not know what he's been through? Granted, I don't know either, but I have a pretty good guess. I am starting to get angry at him, and I know he can feel it.
          "Sir, with all due respect, I don't know if you are aware, but he is terrified of the nurse and he isn't quick to trust anybody. He isn't going to trust somebody else who is supposed to heal him if he barely knows them," I argue, trying to hold back my anger.
          Mr. Kaze studies me intently. I don't waver under his gaze. I have been faced with it too many times before.
          "Very well then," he gives in. "Akio is excused from this assignment and this assignment only; nobody is to tell me otherwise. This is a one-time opportunity."
          I let out a breath, raise my ears, and bow my head. "I thank you for your courtesy, sir."
          Walking back to stand with the rest of the class, I quietly thank Chinatsu for looking out for Akio while I was up there. I can immediately feel him calm down as he stands beside me, clasping my hand in his.
          "Last place will be expelled? But it's the first day of school! No, even if it wasn't the first day of school, this is too irrational!" Himari pleads, a worried look on her face as she stares intently at Mr. Kaze.
          "Natural disasters, big accidents, and selfish villains. Calamities whose time or place can't be predicted. Japan is covered with unfairness—protectors are the ones who reverse those situations." Mr. Kaze says, looking at all of us with a look of disappointment on his face. "If you wanted to talk to your friends at Gyudon after school, too bad. For the next three years, Mamoru will do all it can to give you one hardship after another," he bellows, looking at all of us as the class stands there, paying close attention to his words.
          He removes his right hand from the pocket of his jet-black pants, and beckons us forward with one finger, a slight smile forming on his face. "Overcome it with all you've got," he growls. The mood in the air shifts; the class is determined now. They understand there are consequences to their actions. "All right, the demonstration is over. The real thing starts now."