"All right, since the professor dismissed us early, we can use this time to introduce ourselves!" Mark declared as his other classmates looked at him. They were back in the classroom after Instructor Westeria dismissed them earlier in the Arena.
"I'll start with me!" Mark volunteered himself. "I'm Mark Neptune, 18 years old and I love playing pranks! By the way, my weapon of choice is a katana! Nice meeting you."
"Nice to meet you too, Mark," Nadeshiko said with a smile. "I hope we can be friends, and - oh!" She covered her mouth in a ladylike manner. "I forgot-" she takes a deep breath. "I'm Nadeshiko Tsuna. I'm 19 and I choose naginata as a weapon. Nice meeting you all."
"Wow, you're so mature regarding your age." Mark complimented her.
"Well, I was born from a wealthy family so I must act like a lady. I think you need to lessen your pranks, young man."
"But warn us if his pranks have gone too far," Carol warned and she sighed. "Carol Ortiz. 17 years old. I choose chakram as a weapon of choice due to my skills on said weapon."
"She can throw that like a boomerang, trust me," Ian commented then he laughed. Carol glared at him in response which he stopped immediately. "Sorry. (To everyone) I'm Ian Terarossa, 18 years old, and my choice of weapon is a rifle."
"Wow, so we're the same," Leon exclaimed, clapping his hands in delight. "We have the same long-range weapon. Oh, I'm Leon Winter, 17, and a man of knowledge. My weapon of choice is the bow since I was practicing Archery as a young child."
"Better to cover your ears if he talks too much." Marcus sighed and Leon cried with a 'Hey!'
Marcus only ignored him. "I'm Marcus Chanttel. 19 years old and my weapon of choice is pistols, since my family came from the lines of gunslingers."
"What's with the guns, anyway?" Lena said, pouting.
"They are so cool," Marcus said. "Unlike you who chose a heavy weapon."
"Don't underestimate me and my strength!" Lena said angrily in a comical manner, ready to charge at Marcus.
"Calm down, Lena." Nadeshiko calmed her. Nadeshiko stopped in her tracks before she could attack her classmate.
"Sorry, teehee." She bonked herself and snuck her tongue out. "I'm Lena Titus. 16 years old and my choice is a heavy mace because I want to smash those nasty vampires so hard!"
"She has super strength. It runs in her family." Misty sighed. "Misty Hestia, 17 years old and my choice of weapon is a whip since I practiced gymnastics in my early days."
"Yeah, brat. That's good for your height." Fred mocked her.
Misty snapped. "How many times do I have to tell you that don't call me a child?!"
"It's true, after all."
"Why, you-" but Leon restrained her from attacking Fred.
"Name's Frederick Ion, you can call me Fred. I'm 20 and my choice of weapon is a pair of Tonfa. I will be your big brother in this class." Then he looked at Mina. "How about you, Miss?"
"Umm...."
"Come on, we won't bite!"
"It's okay, Mina," Sephiram reassured her.
Mina nodded. "Name's Mina Lunar. I'm 18 and my weapon of choice is a Scythe. Nice to meet you."
"And I'm Sephiram Davis. Mina, Carol, Ian, Mark, and I are childhood friends." Sephiram introduced himself. "My weapon of choice is a rapier."
"Great, that's all of us which leaves us..." Mark scanned the room and spotted the pink-haired girl sitting far away from them.
"You!" Mark called her out. She turned her head to the group. "You may tell us your name. We're classmates after all."
She looked at all her classmates then her eyes lay on Sephiram. She stands up and approaches the group. "Is that what you want," she said. "Sasha Vidal. 18 years old and the principal's daughter. Weapon of choice is a long sword."
"Wait - you're the principal's daughter?" Ian asked before examining her from head to toe. "Wow, you're so pretty in person!"
"Stop ogling me. It's gross." Sasha said in disgust which made Ian depressed. Then she looked at Sephiram.
"Um, is something wrong with me?" he asked, pointing to himself.
"You're Sephiram, right?" Sasha asked. He nodded.
"May I speak to you in private?"
*
The two students ended up in the rooftop garden. The rooftop garden is the best spot for hanging out, with several flowers scattered throughout the place. Several benches lie nearby in case the students want to sit by and relax. The perfect spot for a picnic.
Sasha is looking at the view atop the building, seeing the mountains from afar, which serve as the wall to their hidden city. Sephiram is behind her.
"You know the reason why I wanted to speak to you?" She asked. Sephiram jolted in shock.
"I don't know," Sephiram answered. "I mean, you're the topnotcher. You don't seem to have interest in me-"
"Why did you clutch your hand to your left shoulder earlier?" she demanded, now turning to face him. "I have observed you since the opening ceremony earlier. You are clutching your left arm while looking down. Also, I saw you doing it again in the Arena. Not only that, but Carol also called you Fleur-de-lis boy earlier." Her purple eyes burrowed further in suspicion. "Don't tell me, are you the destined human?"
Sephiram was shocked by what Sasha had said. He knew that this time would come. He knew about the story of the man with the mark, but he didn't know the reason why the man was sought after.
'Damn you, Carol!' he cursed to himself.
"I'm sorry." He lied, trying to put up a strained smile. He needs an excuse for his birthright. He needs to get away. 'I had a scar on my left shoulder by accident ever since I was young."
'Please believe me.' He prayed.
Sasha only sighed. "Okay, I believe you," she said. "But what about the Fleur-de-lis boy that Carol talking about earlier?" she added.
"It was just a nickname that she invented." He answered right away. He made a note to talk to Carol later.
Sasha pondered for a moment. 'I have a hunch that he is lying' she thought. 'But what if it was true that he had a scar by accident? Maybe I should ask the doctor who examined him in his medical exam later."
"I'm sorry about the scar that you have," Sasha said to him. She decides to believe his story for now. "It's still hurt?"
"Yeah, it still hurts up until now." He replied. 'Good, she believed me!'
Sasha did a double take on him. "I'm sorry that I doubted you." Sasha apologized.
"That's fine." Sephiram forgave her.
Suddenly, they hear the school bell ring, which serves as a signal to everyone to return to their classrooms. Sasha walked to the staircase and looked at Sephiram. "I think we should go back now. The others must be worried."
"Okay, after you."
"See you later then." And by that, Sasha went downstairs.
When he no longer hears her footsteps, Sephiram puts his hand on his chest, breathing a sigh of relief. "I thought she already found out!" he said aloud.
"But still," he looked up at the sky, seeing the birds flying west. He could hear the wind rustle on the leaves. He clutches his hand on his left shoulder. "I wonder how long I will keep my secret to everyone until they find it out on their own."
'And when that day comes, I will find and see you someday, my-' suddenly, he realizes what he was thinking.
'The hell, Seph?' He shook his head to erase his thoughts. 'What on earth are you talking about? Seeing someone?'
"Okay then," he slapped both his hands into his face to snap him out of his thoughts. "No more daydreaming! (Adjusting his glasses) It's time for me to go back to the classroom." He said to himself while leaving the rooftop garden.
*
"Principal, sir?"
"You may come in." The door to the principal's office was open and a man in his thirties entered. The brown-haired man is wearing a light blue suit with a doctor's coat hanging. Carrying in his arms are the folders of the students of each class.
He saw the files piled on the principal's desk. "Sure, you have a lot of paperwork today, sir."
"They came from the government, giving me an updated report if the destined man is among the new cadets." He groaned. "My head's already hurting every time they send out this particular report."
"About that," the doctor said. "I found one of the new cadets that you need to look up to. He seems suspicious."
The principal perks up. "What do you mean?" he asked in a serious tone.
The doctor handed one of the files he was carrying to the principal. "One of the new cadets has some...strange mark on his left shoulder. He tried to hide it when I was doing his medical exam before."
The principal opened the file. "The new cadet, Sephiram Davis," the doctor continued as the principal read the file; "told me in his medical exam that he has a scar on his left shoulder as a result of an accident. But I don't buy his story so," He took out a small envelope from one of the files that he was carrying and placed it in front of the principal. "I took a photo in secret and here's what I found."
The principal took and opened the envelope and saw two photos. In one photo, Sephiram was lying on the bed, bare-chested when he was preparing for his mental exam. He was somehow sleeping in the picture.
The other photo is a close-up of his left shoulder blade and there, the principal sees it.
A dark brown Fleur-de-lis marked his shoulder.
"I was shocked at first." The doctor explained. "But when I inspected his shoulder blade, I saw the mark with my own two eyes."
"No doubt about it." The principal said, setting down the photos on the table. "What class did the teachers put him in?"
"From what I heard; it was Class Alpha. You may ask Richard if I were you."
"Thank you." The principal thanked the doctor, and then looked at the photos again. "No doubt. This is what the government of Libertas is looking for: the man with the mark of the Lilies."