For the first time, Master Crawford looked at his notes. "Your full curriculum will begin tomorrow morning, which means that there are no classes for you this afternoon. Enjoy the time off; your courses will be both time consuming and arduous. Freshmen all have the same courses, including those you would expect to receive in any other college across the world. These will be supplemented by Heroics 101, and Supers 102. Most of you will also be split into courses tailored to your particular ability, be you a Warper or Empath. Intellects are, of course, not obligated to attend their courses if they can prove themselves able to keep up."
He coughed, and switched pages. "Um, yes, well, now comes the amusing part: everyone here has been split into groups of four. We have tried to be accommodating, and so you may very well find yourselves with a friend or two. I would encourage you to become close to your new team, as you will be with them for the duration of this semester. This is also a test."
A low murmur of conversation started up. My stomach started to flutter.
Crawford shushed everyone with a wave. "We have taken note of those who are more keen on operating solo. If we found it appropriate, we have left you out of any teams. Solo operators are expected to pull their own weight around here, so don't expect any slack. You will be receiving your assignments... now."
Letters, all neatly folded and pressed, began to fall from somewhere in the ceiling. They wheeled and tumbled, shifting as though caught in a breeze. Then, like a school of fish encountering a shark, the papers split apart. One fell onto the lap of every student.
I looked at mine. It had my name printed at the top right in a neat, cursive hand. Very Hogwarts-y.
"Those teams that wish to take part in the arenas may make their desires known by the end of the week. For now, you are dismissed." Crawford stared across the crowd of students. I had the impression that his eyes lingered on mine. He looked... worried.
A great flood of students started as the headmaster pulled away from the podium with his two guards. Clarence and I were swept up with the tide and were pushed out of the room. In the lobby things were no less hectic with dozens of students milling about and reading from their letters. A few were calling names out loud often with their teammates already standing right behind them.
I decided to wait it out. I could find my team after the whole kerfuffle had passed and the crowd thinned out. Clarence followed, like a puppy after its master, as I exited the building and found a seat in the park.
The kid sat next to me, jumping onto the bench and swinging his legs like... well, like a kid I suppose. "Shall we?" he asked, lifting his own letter up for me to see.
"I guess. What does your Intellect ability say about this?" I asked. Intellects were, as the name suggested, rather smart. The average human would probably rate below Intellect one. Albert Einstein, at the prime of his life and doped up on Adderall might have been an Intellect Three. An Intellect Six... I would not have been surprised to see Clarence speak six languages while jumping rope.
"I suppose that since I did not fraternize with anyone else that those on this list would be friends of yours. Probably two Supers with powers to round out our team composition."
Oh, right. He thought I had friends here. Maybe he was not all that smart.
"And what if I asked to be put with random people? Stranglers with no friends?"
His eyes sparkled. "Then I would respect you all the more. If that were the case then I think we would get at least one combat specialist. Maybe a second generation Super with widespread abilities. Are your abilities combat related?"
"Goodness no," I said. "So, a second generation Super." Secong-gens Supers were nearly always the sort to hit the power jackpot.
Clarence nodded, then waved his paper at me again.
"Shall we?"
I nodded my assent.
We both bent closer as Clarence pried the letter open. He unfolded it. I was just about to start reading when a nagging feeling at the back of my neck made me look up.
Then I saw one of the prettiest girls on campus I'd seen so far. She was tall, with thick blond curls of hair that swept around her shoulders and framed her angular, noble face. As my eyes scanned her up and down, I noted other... assets. The words wasp-like came to mind. The school uniform she wore hugged her thin waist. She was also covered in a liberal amount of some brownish liquid. The stuff (it smelled like... coffee?) plastered her hair to the side of her face and it made her skirt stick to her thighs. Some people were staring at her. I would have continued ogling but at that moment she was quite busy glaring. At me.
"Um, hello?" I tried.
The girl took a step closer to me and snarled. "You two-faced, shit-brained asshole," she replied in greeting.
"Um, what?" I replied with equal eloquence. "Do I... do I know you?"
She snarled. Literally snarled, like a wolf staring down at a pair of kittens that had walked into its lair. I had a sudden and very strong urge to get the hell out of there. "Will Cauthon, I will see you burn for what you did to me."
"Huh?" I reiterated. "Uh, who are you?"
"Who, who am I?" Her face grew red, but I doubted it was with embarrassment. "I am Lillian Blackwood, heiress of..." She shook her head, then returned to glaring at me, more fiercely if that was possible. She looked around and at all the students around us, staring. "I do not know how, and I do not know when, but you and I will have words, Will Cauthon."
She spun on a heel and marched away, futilely trying to wipe the coffee off her clothes as she did.
"What, if I may ask, was that all about?" Clarence asked.
I turned to see him looking at me, the skin between his eyes pinched in a frown. His eyes darted from me to the disappearing madwoman. "I wish I knew," I muttered to him.
He seemed to take this as an answer and nodded. "I was right: you are interesting."
That comment got some gears turning in my head. The kid was an Intellect Six. If what he said was true. Intellects might not have the most sought after powers (they would be nearly useless in a fight) but who in his right mind wouldn't want a walking, talking supercomputer to help with homework? Why was he with the likes of me?
"I'm interesting, am I?"
He nodded. "I knew it from the moment I saw you: You are going to attract trouble like ants after honey." He paused. "Did I use that expression correctly?"
"Close enough," I said. "What sort of trouble?"
He grinned. "The exciting kind." Then he did something a little strange. He waved his now-opened letter at me.
I grabbed it and read.
Mister Clarence Harrington, we wish to congratulate you on the forming of your first team. Below you will find a list of your new teammates. You may do with this information as you please but be aware that teamwork will be a major part of your curriculum.
William Cauthon
Inner - Warper 2
Annabelle Clearwater
Outer - Animist 5
Outer - Energist 3
Lillian Blackwood
Inner/Outer - Warper 7
"The exciting kind," I muttered.
YOU ARE READING
LeftOvers - How to Become a SuperVillain and Take Over the World
Science FictionI never wanted to be a Superhero. Spandex and bright colours were never my style. I was more of a black leather and bank robberies kind of guy. When I learned that I was one of the few that could do something beyond the ordinary, I had some choices...
