Teacher’s Pet (S2E19)

I’ve always thrived in the world of academia - think straight As, meticulous classroom behaviour and even perfect attendance.
 
…Or at least that’s what I’d imagine, the version of myself that might have existed if I’d ever set foot in a proper school. Throughout my youthful years in the Triad, I’ve been under the tutelage of various physical trainers and private tutors - and whilst I excelled in most areas of study (particularly, martial arts and Chi), excellence was never praised, never acknowledged. In the world I was raised in, success wasn’t an achievement; it was the bare minimum.
 
Then again, I can’t say I’m surprised that Crimelords would wield iron fists over their children as much as they did their empires. Discipline, obedience, and strength - those were the only qualities that mattered to the Mokuna. The Triad has hurt me in many ways, but at the very least I owe my patience and my discipline to my parents.

But I digress. Today Master Opah informed Ko that he suspected Triad-affiliated students were lurking within the Academy. With brand new school uniforms now in our possession, we were assigned a simple task: infiltrate the classes and snuff them out. And that is how we found ourselves standing outside the Academy gates at the crack of dawn, fashioning our new student identities amidst the chill of the Autumn morning. Particularly, Mogg, with his abnormally large frame, was transformed into a familiar face - Gurval. I understand that the fidelity of Zyanya’s transformation magic depends on how well she knows the subject, and so a fellow Misfit would make the most sense as her reference point. But still, watching Mogg shift before my eyes, his newly-formed azure scales catching the dim light of the sunrise, his reptilian mouth twisting into a mischievous grin I've grown so fond of - it sent shivers down my spine.
 
We attended 3 classes: Law & War, Chi & Spirit, and Leyline & Arcana. And suffice to say I prospered in the classroom environment - I sat at the front, wrote meticulous class notes and even got to spar Lucid - I won! Of course, I played the role of a dutiful student well, spurring no suspicion at all from the other Academy students. But a part of me didn’t want the school day to end! There was something satisfying about the structure, the class routines, in knowing that if I put in the effort, the results will follow. It feel good to be praised for once, to be an environment both challenging and encouraging.
 
I remembered that I was a Misfit when recess and lunch came around. While the other students laughed, gossiped, and sat in their favourite spots on the playground we had a job to do: observe, assess and identify any signs of Triad activity. Amidst the cliques, unspoken hierachies and social dynamics between the students, I felt as nervous as I did when we were up against the Titan cults.
 
Zyanya, ever charismatic, wasted no time. She slipped seamlessly into a clique of popular girls, charming them with honeyed words and an air of nonchalance that all "cool kids" seemed to possess. Within them was the Mokuna girl who used to torment Ko when she still attended the Academy.
 
We observed her from a distance, tracking her movements. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary - idle gossip and bitching, a cackle here and there. But at one point, her posture stiffened as she suspiciosly reached into her bag. Syrus caught my watchful eye, as we came to the same conclusion and devised our next move. First, Ko would serve as the distraction - confronting her, dredging up old wounds in a way only a former victim could. The emotions would flare, the spectacle would unfold, and in the chaos, I would steathily move in. It was fascinating, watching Ko interact with her old bully. In the Triad, talkback, petty gossip was met with swift punishment. But here? Teenagers could act like teenagers, without the looming of iron-fisted suppression. As they bickered, calling each other sly insults, I slipped behind the Mokuna and plucked the bag from her side. In seconds, I was gone, disappearing into the crowd.
 
Inside the bag, nestled between notebooks and stationery, was a single envelope. A golden lotus was embossed in its centre - the unmistakable crest of the Triad. Inside, scrawled in elegant calligraphy, was an address: the stronghold we intercepted not too many moons ago...
 
We had found her.
 
With Master Opah’s help, we lured the Mokuna into an empty classroom, where we were free to confront her away from the eyes of other students: where had she gotten the invitation? What was her connection to the Triad?
 
In between muffled cries - almost like she was a child, the popular-girl bravado dissipating - she admitted that it was her boyfriend who was a member of the Triad. He had given her the invitation, a test to see if she was ready to join him. She hadn’t decided yet... But he was picking her up after school.
 
Which meant we had a rare, golden opportunity. The plan formed quickly - it was violent, dangerous, reckless. I refuted, opting for pacifism once more, but I had gotten used to fact we were Misfits, and this was our way. We would intercept him. Kidnap him. Drag him somewhere quiet and squeeze out every piece of information we could.
 
An eventful day of school, indeed.