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We all were standing at the top of the water dam, some fairing better than others, but still, all exhausted from our hike.
Gracelyn however had hardly broken a sweat. I was a little shocked. Were all dancers this great at cardio?
"After a quick break, I was informed you all will be partaking in an activity. A game, rather…"
"T-That's right, that's right, yes." Our powers teacher, the chaperone of the field trip stepped forward and touched her watch so that an l.e.d blue screen illuminated. But even then…all I could focus on was how her legs were shaking like she was about to collapse any second now!! "Ahem…the aim of this field trip was to show you what real battle fields against resentful entities can very well look like. As credit towards your midterm grades, you all will participate in a scavenger hunt for the remainder of this field trip."
"!!!"
"!!"
"!!!"
"!!!"
"A scavenger hunt?" I glanced at my friends, all of whom we had gathered around one another, shocked.
"Looks like I was right…" Luke mumbled, still seemingly put off by the turn of events. "This really is connected to our midterms."
"That means, what we have to find is…in this forest?" Ivy spoke up hesitantly.
Our powers teacher smiled. "Correct, Ivy. As there are 24 students, you will all be paired off and search for your team flag. Team flags are hidden somewhere around this site."
"W-What?! This site is massive!" Someone complained. To which our teacher nodded.
"That is why each team will be given a set starting point with their flag being within an average 30 minute run from wherever you are placed. Average of your class running speeds, of course.. However,"
Gracelyn suddenly interrupted. "Every 20 minutes, your flag will shift another 100 yards in a random direction. It is your task to find it before then. The sooner you do, the higher your marks."
"W-What? Changes location?"
"This…sounds really difficult. How are we supposed to find it?"
Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke up. "I have a question."
I turned around, spotting Emily walk up to the front with a wicked gleam in her eye. However, it turned to an expression of seriousness as she met the eyes of our professor.
"If this site is one that Superhero Gracelyn personally has ties to, then how is it fair to assume her sister knows nothing about it? What if Sara and her friends cheat?"
"!!!"
"!!!"
My hands clenched into fists as I took a step forward. "I can't believe the nerve you—"
"A valid concern." Gracelyn beat me or any of my friends to the punch, but her words threw me off guard. I turned to her, prepared to argue when she spoke again. "Despite the insinuating ethical concerns your question suggests of me, it is…somewhat, reasonable of you to think this."
"That is why I, personally saw to it that these flag placements, teams, and starting locations were allotted fairly, Emily. This is still a Supernova Academy accredited assessment. " Our powers teacher spoke up, sounding offended on Gracelyn's behalf at Emily's words. "Furthermore, S-Class and A-class mission sites, unless instructed to be revealed to the public, are kept under absolute secrecy to the members on the mission. In order to save public speculation, concern, or unnecessary fear."
"Which means I, prior to this tour, had not set foot at this construction site as it is ranked an A-tier mission site." Gracelyn explained calmly. "Even if it is below my ranking. The details, location, and circumstances of the entity that was here were kept a secret, even from me."
"B-But, then…" Violet's face drained of all color. "Y-You casually…just hiked up this mountain with us, f-for the first time?"
"Jeez…that's the capabilities of a real S-Class superhero, I suppose." A different student began to mumble. Soon, chatters and whispers of students took over.
Still, when I looked back at Gracelyn, she had a little smile on her face that was unexplainable. It wasn't like the words of any of the students were particularly funny or anything. Last I checked, I could praise her a million times and she wouldn't bat an eye!!
And so, I glanced at my friendgroup with a sigh, taking in Gracelyn's words. "It's gonna be a challenge, but I'm sure we can do it. Should we decide our pairs?"
"Right, right," Ivy started. She smiled at me, and then spoke. "Sara, do you want to—"
"Too late." Violet grabbed my arm with a teasing expression towards Ivy. "Sara's my partner. Sucks to suck!"
"Y-You! She didn't even agree to that!!" Ivy's face got all sad. She grabbed hold of my other arm and started pulling on it, pouting. "Sara, don't you want to work with meee?"
"J-Just hold on a sec," I pulled my arm out of both of theirs, crossing them. "You guys better stop being all weird. Why do you wanna work with me so bad? Expecially you, Violet!"
"O-Oh come on, can't a girl work with her best friend?" Violet's grubby hands started making their way over to me.
Jacob sighed, running a hand through his short black. "Isn't it clear? They assume Gracelyn will give you some kind of favoritism because you're her little sister. Your flag will probably be easiest to find."
Violet instantly froze, turning around in a hurry. "O-Of course not!! What do you know? Huh?" She tried to deny, but her face was flustered as though she had been easily caught. "Jacob, why would you reveal that you-"
Jacob faced Violet with a deadpan expression, contrary to his very romantic next words. "Because I don't want you to be her partner, I want you to be mine."
"O…." I stood off to the side, covering my mouth in shock. "Impressive."
"W-Well! Anyways!" Ivy quickly grabbed my arm. "That means we are gonna be partners, doesn't it? Yay!"
I ignored Ivy's words, Alex's frown to watch his girlfriend quickly choose someone else, and also the eyes of other students that focused in on me, whispering something that could only be similar to the conclusion Jacob had reached.
"Hate to break it to you Ivy, but seriously, I know nothing about this place. Not to mention, the flags were placed by our powers teacher, not Gracelyn."
"The fact that you got your sister in on this assessment is no suprise, Sara Bearens." An aggitating voice spoke up from behind the six of us. "What else have you been using her to cheat on? Huh?"
With a frown, I turned around. Ivy, out of instinct, gripped my arm a little tighter. After all, it was Emily who had injured her that day we found her in the bathroom.
"Are you sad about it, Emily?" I spoke coldly. "All I did was remind the school who my sister was. What they did from thereafter was completely up to them."
She gritted her teeth. "You always have to get everything your way, don't you? This assessment, Vikky, even Lu—"
"Quit it, Emily." Suddenly, standing right besides me was Luke. My shoulder was grabbed, and he pulled me towards him. "This isn't about anything other than school, so you shouldn't make it into something it's not. Sara is talented on her own, and whether you think that or not is your problem."
"You-" Emily started to say. I cut her off.
"I think you're forgetting my words, Emily." I stared at her. "I told you to bug off. Remember that? Why are you still here, bothering us?"
"Like a d*mm cicada." Violet muttered.
As Emily gritted her teeth, attempting to walk away, The powers professor spoke up, catching our attention.
"And so, your partner will be selected based on pre-arranged parings which were approved by both S-Class hero Gracelyn and I."
"Tch, this has nothing to do with you, you said?" Emily whipped right back around, and I sighed. "Then how come your sister is in charge of putting us in pairs, huh? It's clear that she's just going to put you with—"
"Student Emily!" It was Gracelyn's stern voice that caused the entire group of junior students to immediately shut the hell up. Even Emily! "I don't take kindly to the idea of my sister using me to make it further in this assessment and during her time at this academy."
I smiled, victoriously. "See?"
"Which is why I would like you to work with her. To personally, see to it, that that is not the case."
"…" Emily went wide eyed and silent.
"…" so did I. Then, it all clicked. "W-What?!?"
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(Such a turn of events, right? I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!)