Chiron Academy

Chapter 7: Lights

USAccess Internal Messaging App

FROM: Dir. Buckingham

TO: All Students

SUBJECT: IMPORTANT! Tomorrow's all squad competition

I hope everyone has enjoyed their first week and that you've all settled in well.

We're very excited about our first inter-squad competition. It'd been a hard week for some, so we're going to have a fairly late morning:

Breakfast will be at 9 and you'll have most of the morning free. Go into the city, take it easy, hit the gym, whatever you like.

However, at 1 o clock, we'll be meeting inside the gym to begin our very first inter-squad competition. I can't tell you the rules yet, because we want it to be a surprise, but make sure you're in costume (gym clothes are fine).

I can't tell you too much, but there will be a prize for the winner. Let's just say that we will have a very special guest next week for a guest lecture and they will need a few helpers. Hopefully, that's something worth Fighting For.

Please remember going into this, that everyone is at different levels in their physical abilities and experience. While we do encourage full participation, we do not condone fighting for fighting's sake. This is a friendly competition and unnecessary roughness will get you disqualified.

Sincerely,

David Buckingham, Director

Chiron Academy

-------------

The gymnasium was a buzz of activity. The whole school was milling around the space. Students with various colorful costume walked past and interacted with others in the school's simple gym uniform.

In recognition of the first truly warmer morning of the year, all of the old bay doors were thrown open, allowing the comparatively warm air to wash into the structure.

Todd was standing by the door closest to the school. He looked at his watch. The time was 12:58. He sighed. Wyatt still wasn't there. He had waited since he'd shown up, keeping an eye out as the what must have been almost the whole student body streaming in, but he still hadn't seen his friend arrive. If he was any later, he might miss it.

Todd knew that Wyatt was late to school a lot, but he didn't expect him to be late for this. The first real chance to show what they could do. Todd had been awake since 7, going running, hitting the gym, trying to warm up for this.

He'd talked with Wyatt last night on patrol. It'd been a week but they still hadn't really found anything illegal of note to stop so Todd had turned in early at about 11. Todd figured there wasn't any use staying out if nothing was going on. Wyatt had insisted on staying out longer, so Todd left him and made the long bike ride back to the facility. 

The faculty had sent the message during the night sometime. Todd hadn't noticed until he got back to the dormitories last night. Todd guessed that Wyatt hadn't seen it; that seemed to be the only explanation for Wyatt's absence.  This was definitely the sort of thing that Wyatt would be into. 

Well, Todd thought to himself, hopefully he's seen it by now, or else he's going to end up missing the whole thing.

Just then, Todd looked up to see a lone figure running towards the gym. Todd instantly recognized the costume: Wyatt had been so proud of his design a few months ago. He'd said he tired of the same old thing and was ready to update his look. To be fair it was a pretty cool design. He must have been running pretty late, he had his sword in its case in one hand.