Sigma/Star

Chapter 39: Return to Saint Maurius

The transport shuttle carrying the students of the academy softly touched down inside the landing bay of the orbiting school. Exhausted, each of the young pilots unloaded from the ship and collapsed on the floor with their teacher (not wanting to look like an outsider, Rick also laid down on the ground). The patchwork repairs on their Goliaths were coming apart and the machines had hastily been recovered from the battlefield and taken away to the hangar for immediate repairs. It looked like the Crisis Rescue Unit wouldn't be going anywhere soon.

Shotuku stood up first and brushed off his wrinkled robe. He had tired himself out lecturing the youthful group all the way back to the academy and his age was wearing down on him. "Alright let's see." The teacher looked around the room and floor, trying to figure out what was left to yell about. "Well I can't think of much for you to correct anymore. I'm tired, you're tired, we're all tired. Let's go back to our rooms and rest and you shall all report to your regular teacher tomorrow morning, as expected. Understood?"

"Yes Mr. Shotuku," the prone bodies collectively mumbled.

"Good. Then I'm going to go run a nice hot bath and maybe think about that lovely Aunt Shauna a little later." Mr. Shotuku smiled to himself as he trotted off down the hallway to fulfill those actions. The students he left behind suddenly bolted in every direction, scrambling to find a place where they could throw up and clear their minds of the images their elderly mentor had just planted in their minds.

* * * * *

Mr. Toriyama raised an eyebrow when he saw six old faces enter his classroom and take up their original seats. It looked like this wasn't going to be such an easy day after all, but at least now the two smartest students had returned and the questions he posed the class would be answered faster.

Chase was quickly surrounded by his fan club and consumed by their love. They had erected a small statue on his desk to represent him while he was gone and had decorated the surrounding area as though they were welcoming the saviour of the war, which they were in their own minds (and in Chase's).

Ardwen grumbled as he struggled to push past the crowd and get to his chair, still very much aware of the duel he and Chase were engaged in for the hand of Nami. He quickly pulled out his books and papers and began plotting out different attack strategies, some to turn Nami off of Chase and others to get her more attracted to Ardwen. Soon the strategist's pencil tip was burning as it left a smoking trail across the papers and those around him quickly shuffled away, dragging their desks with them.

Riya sat down in her quiet, unassuming way. Her close friends talked to her and got simple smiles and nods for responses. Things were normal on the exterior for the girl. She would never reveal to anyone her insecurities and fears about her father, or about her near-death experience in Abertyl. Everything was the way it should be for her. Except that it wasn't quite the same as before. Unbeknown to her classmates, Riya was being watched by Rick at all times as part of his bodyguard duties and he was currently stuck to the ceiling, his suit flickering every so often with a little buzz of static.

Raul sat in the back as always, his silent demeanour and intimidating presence not lost during his absence from the class, and so those around him gave a little extra space for the ninja to move through. Only now when Raul took up his chair, he had different thoughts on his mind than before. They were thoughts for Nami, the little girl that had stolen his heart. And he wasn't going to sit by idly watching Ardwen and Chase anymore. He was going to get involved in the battle for Nami as well!

Nami skipped to her seat, excited to have returned to the classroom, one of her favourite places in the world. She took in a deep breath, relishing in the familiar smells around her and then pulled out her books and dropped the heavy texts on her desk with a bang. She also pondered her plan and how it was going so far. It seemed that Porter was getting further and further away from both her heart and mind. All these other boys she was supposed to be using were cluttering up her capacity to love. But no more! The spunky teen decided, right then and there, that she would commit to chasing down the affections of Porter now more than ever. Stalker was she? Why, Porter didn't even know the meaning of stalker yet! But he would find out soon...yes very soon.