Chapter 11
First Day of Clashes
"What could possibly go wrong," Jake muttered, adjusting his gym shirt, "in a high school full of anime characters, superheroes with secret identities, gag characters who break the fourth wall, suspiciously overdesigned people, and a psychic space cat?"
Mew poked its head out of his locker.
"Mew."
Jake closed the locker slowly.
"…I just jinxed it, didn't I."
Behind him, Wednesday walked past.
"Yes."
Gym Class
The gymnasium was enormous.
Not school-enormous.
Tournament-arc enormous.
The ceiling seemed higher than physically possible. Reinforced walls. Impact padding. Energy dampeners along the perimeter.
Jake looked up at the scoreboard.
It read:
Combat Fundamentals — Instructor: Glynda Goodwitch
Jake's stomach dropped.
At the far end of the gym stood a poised woman in purple, glasses sharp, posture immaculate.
Glynda Goodwitch tapped her riding crop lightly against her palm.
"Welcome," she said coolly. "This is not dodgeball."
Jake swallowed.
"Of course it isn't."
Students lined up.
DC sidekicks.
Martial arts prodigies.
Magical girls.
At least two protagonists radiating destiny.
And—
A blonde bombshell cracking her knuckles with a grin that promised violence and enthusiasm in equal measure.
Yang Xiao Long.
Jake blinked.
"Oh no."
She noticed him staring.
Her grin widened.
"Oh yes."
Across the gym floor leaned a calm, dark-haired girl with catlike poise.
Blake Belladonna watched quietly.
Jake felt like prey in a brightly lit documentary.
Pairing Assignments
Glynda's eyes scanned the class.
"Pair off."
Jake did not move.
He attempted invisibility.
It failed.
Yang stepped forward eagerly.
"I'll take the new guy."
Jake pointed at himself weakly.
"…Why?"
She looked him up and down.
"You look sturdy."
"That's not reassuring."
Blake's lips twitched faintly.
Yang bounced on her heels.
"C'mon, farm boy."
"How do you know I—"
"You've got dirt under your nails."
He blinked.
Fair.
They stepped onto the sparring mat.
Jake squared his stance the way the mansion platform had taught him.
Breathe.
Balance.
Precision.
Yang rolled her shoulders.
"So," she said casually, "you got powers?"
"No."
"Semblance?"
"No."
"Secret demon contract?"
"No!"
"Bold strategy."
Across the gym, Mew floated invisibly near the ceiling beams.
Watching.
Glynda raised a hand.
"Begin."
Jake stepped forward cautiously.
He feinted.
Yang didn't even move.
He threw a controlled jab.
She caught his wrist effortlessly.
"Oh," she said, impressed. "You've got form."
She flipped him.
The mat hit his back hard.
Air left his lungs.
The class winced collectively.
Jake stared at the ceiling.
"…Okay."
Yang offered a hand.
He hesitated.
She grinned.
He took it.
She yanked him up harder than necessary.
"Again."
He reset.
This time he circled.
Better footwork.
She lunged.
He dodged—
Almost.
Her shoulder clipped him.
He stumbled but stayed upright.
Yang's eyes lit up.
"Ooooh. He learns."
Jake's heart pounded.
Adrenaline surged.
He tried a low sweep.
She jumped cleanly over it.
And tapped his forehead lightly.
"You're dead."
He blinked.
"…That was fast."
She laughed.
"Relax. I've been doing this a while."
He exhaled, brushing hair from his face.
"You could've ended that immediately."
"Yeah," she said. "But where's the fun in that?"
Across the mat, Blake watched with quiet interest.
Jake reset again.
Sweat forming.
Legs burning.
He charged once more.
Yang met him head-on.
Their forearms clashed.
Pain shot up his arm.
She grinned.
"You've got guts."
She swept his leg.
He hit the mat again.
Harder this time.
Silence.
Then—
He started laughing.
Yang blinked.
"…You okay?"
"Yeah," he wheezed. "Just recalibrating expectations."
She crouched slightly.
"You're not quitting?"
He looked up at her.
"…No."
There was a beat.
Yang's grin softened just a little.
"Okay."
She offered her hand again.
He took it.
This time she pulled him up more gently.
"You're cute," she said bluntly.
Jake froze.
Across the gym, three anime girls gasped in synchronized fashion.
Blake walked over calmly.
Yang draped an arm over Blake's shoulders casually.
"You see that?" she said to her girlfriend. "He doesn't fold."
Blake studied Jake.
"You recover quickly," she said quietly.
Jake nodded awkwardly.
"Years of embarrassment training."
Yang leaned down suddenly—
And kissed Blake.
Not subtle.
Not shy.
Just casual affection.
Then—
She looked back at Jake.
And winked.
Inviting.
Jake's brain shut down.
Yang used Flirt.
It was super effective.
Jake is Confused.
Somewhere near the ceiling, Mew made a curious sound.
"Mew?"
Glynda cleared her throat sharply.
"Miss Xiao Long."
Yang straightened.
"Yes, ma'am."
"This is gym class. Not a dating show."
Yang grinned unapologetically.
"Why not both?"
Glynda's eye twitched.
Jake stood there, heartbeat uncooperative.
He had, apparently, found a type.
Gorgeous.
Confident.
Could absolutely destroy him in hand-to-hand combat.
Blake tilted her head slightly.
"You look overwhelmed."
"I am."
Yang leaned closer again.
"You free after school?"
Jake short-circuited.
"I— I have farm chores."
Yang laughed.
"That's adorable."
Blake's eyes flicked briefly to Mew floating above.
"You have interesting energy around you."
Jake stiffened slightly.
"…Do I?"
Yang shrugged.
"Whatever it is, it's not boring."
Glynda clapped once sharply.
"Rotate partners."
Yang stepped back reluctantly.
"We'll spar again," she promised.
Jake swallowed.
"…Sure."
As she walked away, she bumped Blake's shoulder affectionately.
Blake smirked faintly.
Jake stood there processing.
Wednesday appeared beside him silently.
"You're blushing."
"No I'm not."
"Yes."
"She just—"
"She flirted."
"She has a girlfriend."
"Yes."
"She winked."
"Yes."
He stared ahead blankly.
"This school is going to kill me."
Wednesday's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
"You survived."
"For now."
Above them, Mew floated slowly downward.
It tapped Jake's forehead gently.
A small psychic whisper formed:
Grow.
Jake exhaled slowly.
"…I'm trying."
Across the gym—
Yang cracked her knuckles again and laughed loudly.
Peter Parker got thrown into a wall by someone with telekinetic overkill.
Glynda corrected three forms simultaneously without moving her feet.
Blake glanced back at Jake once more.
Evaluating.
Curious.
Jake rolled his shoulders.
Still sore.
Still breathing.
Still standing.
"Okay," he muttered.
"First day."
He wiped sweat from his face.
"I'm not dead."
Mew purred proudly.
From the doorway—
A silver-haired student watched him carefully.
Interested.
Calculating.
The clashes were only beginning.
End of Chapter 11.