The skies were blue, painted with white, fluffy clouds like cotton, and brightened with the summer sun. Autumn was coming close, but summer in Washington didn’t want to go without giving the people a memory of its radiant warmth. A light breeze provided relief, with trees already beginning to turn to shades of yellow and orange. For most, these would be the last days of a long vacation before returning to their studies. But for the group of students and teachers currently standing on the large, open field somewhere near the Canadian border, it would be a day of firsts.
To the naked eye, they were adults and children, masters and pupils, nothing more, nothing less. But to the more informed individual, they were the tools of death. In the belief of the Buddhists, souls are eternal, and will continue to be reborn after leaving their original bodies. But this group was little different. They take on the souls of weapons destroyed in the flames of war, abandoned in the fields of research, or lost in the wilderness of life.
They’re called Inheritants. With these souls within, these humans are capable of summoning a version of their past self, suited to each Inheritant’s form.
A plain example included one of the students, Stuart Bellarus, a member of the student council, who had called upon his past self to show his original form. Armored plates covered his vitals, cannon cradled in his arms, and a machine gun attached to his shoulder, swifting left and right as he moved his eyes slowly as he curiously eyed each student. This is the new form of Meteor, an M5 Stuart light tank that was destroyed during the Battle of the Bulge.
Next to Stuart were his teachers, Maria Le-Vif to his left and Allen O’Cullen to his right. If anyone had done their background checks, they’d know that the two were originally graduates of a certain school for extraordinary individuals. The very same school that the man who ran the show used to work for.
Professor Robert Hark, a retired US Army veteran and former physical education teacher. His face barely aged from his time in his previous workplace, especially not his hardened face and calculating eyes. He took a moment to observe his students before leaning forwards slightly, his arms pushing him upon the podium as he began his speech.
“Inheritance is a gift.”
As he paused, the crowd began to murmur as they heard those words come out of the headmaster’s mouth. For many, they took the powers they possesed to be a curse. For many, it was the source of loneliness, creating fear from the people they loved. And for many, the professor’s words were a bad joke.
“I suppose I'm in no position to say that," he confirmed, noticing the wave of negativity now being pushed towards him, "But you are all children who have never felt the true cruelty a world can give to people who have gifts. I've seen minds broken before my eyes, tears of anger swelling to the max from students, just like you, who have powers beyond the human imagination. And now, I have a responsibility to take you all under my wing. To me, you're not weapons. You're students with bright futures ahead.
"However I have a feeling, that some of you take this academy as an exile.”
He began to raise his voice. “I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t have sent a written invitation to people I have no respect for! Every single one of you is here because you have the ability to change the world! You’re capable of controlling those powers you hate, and use them for the betterment of many. No weapon is bad in the hands of good people. That’s why you’re here!”
Clearing his throat, he gestured towards the teachers behind him. “These are the people that will guide you to that future. Each and every one of them has the ability to understand, help, and support you when needed. Do not hesitate to request their assistance during your time here.”
Maria waved towards the students, clearly happy to see new faces. New faces that she would probably enjoy to see at night at her- *SMACK* A fellow teacher, Erich Barkmann, put her back into reality.
Finishing his speech, Robert said, “Now then, we’ll begin the judging to see how you all rank in the academy. Stuart, go on.”
Stepping down, Robert patted the blonde haired teen's shoulder as he made his way towards the microphone, still clad in his suit of armor. He smiled... radically, to speak, as he looked at a sheet of paper now in his hands. “Alright, dudes and gals, it’s time to get this started! Who’s ready to show off their skills?!”
If dew fell off of a leaf just then, it would've echoed. Complete silence overtook the field, only broken by a single student who had equally blond hair, a pair of goggles on her forehead. “Hell yeah!” she shouted, pumping her fist into the air, totally oblivious to the awkward atmosphere in the field. Stuart put a thumb up towards her, totally digging her bro-support. This group is waaaaaaay quieter than last year’s.
“Great, let’s get down to business! We’re going to have an examination to see how well each of you perform might perform on the field, using your Inheritance to make your way towards the final act. Once you get there, you’re going to get the chance to ask for whatever you need to perform a show of sorts, using your best skills to try and impress the judges for a single blast of points. Use that chance wisely folks, you only get that opportunity once! Unless, you know, other things happen.”
As it turned out, the stage the teachers were standing on was actually a platform for a giant screen, which turned on and showcased a schedule for the day. None of it was actually important, except for the last area, which had a scrolling view of student’s names that would go through the talent show.
The very first examinee was named Tamantha Summers. Once more the goggle-wearing girl threw her fist into the air, glad she would be the first to be examined later on. Meanwhile, some meters away, a young girl sighed in relief that she would be one of the last. Her name was Albert, which meant she was actually a he. Looking around, he was still nervous, but he wanted a high score as well. I won't give up!
“Ya sudahlah,” a bespectled Asian muttered, “Just have to prove my worth against these foreigners, right? How hard can that be.” She made sure her ponytail was tied, raising her arms high enough to reveal a name on her uniform, which she wore considering her original schooling in Indonesia. Auliya Nachtmann.
“The first tests start in a quarter of an hour, get yourselves acquainted!” Stuart concluded, waving his arm high in the air as he stepped back, a battery of cannons from the ceremonial artillery club blasting, signalling the beginning of the day. The students began to disperse, some of them becoming friends on the spot, though there were many who decided to stand on their own.
Once relatively out of sight, Stuart stretched his arms into the air as he passed a fellow councilman. “Good thing you’re not grading,” he grumbled, walking away. The other just huffed, stepping off the stage as well. His body spewed a rather cold aura, one of someone who'd never felt the pleasure of happiness. A single thought passed his mind as he glared at the new students once more.
What a bunch of useless weapons.
