15 The Locker Room

After Math class, the students headed to the locker rooms hidden within the arena. The Arena locker room was where LegendSlayer students would store their notes, books, spare combat uniforms, extra equipment, shower things, and sometimes a weapon case. After class in the arena, the students would come back here to shower and change before lunch or another class.

Jasper had slowly made his way to the locker room so he could drop his books off in peace. He sighed when he saw Kyrie. The interloper was still here.

Jasper moved went to his locker and entered the combination that he had received by text. Hopefully, the interloper would leave him alone.

As Jasper entered his combo, Kyrie fiddled with the zipper on his hoodie. If he left it on it would restrict his movements. But if he took it off then his classmates would see his scars. Scars, the other students were lacking. So far, he'd only seen Ren, Amity, and Caleb with scars. And having scars was not a badge of honor amongst LegendSlayers.

A large number of scars was a sign of failure. The other day Kyrie had easily removed his hoodie because he believed he needed to be ready for anything during the fight. But class, was an entirely different and new experience.

Kyrie glanced at Jasper. "Hey Jasper… Uh, how difficult are the combat classes here?"

Jasper sighed quietly, today was not going well and all he wanted to do was work on his experiments. It was too bad his schedule was full. "They're difficult for most p-people… but e-everyone already knows t-that hoodie is not p-part of your combat equipment and the t-teachers are o-only letting you g-get away with it b-because you're a hero," Jasper had used finger quotes around hero. "If you want to s-stop pissing people off t-then stop wearing that s-stupid hoodie. LegendSlayer s-students are required to be r-ready for c-combat at all times!" Jasper slammed his locker door and left.

Kyrie looked at his sleeved arms for a moment longer, took a deep breath, and removed his hoodie. He opened Taru's case and pulled her out. At the doorway to the arena floor, Kyrie paused for a moment, took another breath, and left as he thought, 'Oh well they already think I'm a crappy hero. All I'll be doing is confirming it.'

♢ ♢ ♢

At first, everything was relatively normal as Kyrie approached his teammates. But then one of his new classmates glanced at his arms and their eyes widened in shock.

As Kyrie walked past, the guy whispered to his friend, "Do you see his arms? They're covered in scars!"

The student's friend glanced at him and responded, "What? There's no way he's got scars like that."

"Dude just look at his arms," the first student said as he pointed at Kyrie, who had almost made it to his teammates.

"Seriously? I wear glasses and specialize in close combat because I'm so blind. How in Mity am I supposed to spot scar tissue on someone so far away."

At this point Kyrie had nearly joined his teammates and was making his way passed James' team. But as he passed Syra she grabbed one of his arms and asked, "Why do you have so much scar tissue? You should have plenty of aura…" Syra pulled Kyrie's arm closer as she studied the scar tissue.

"Though most of your scars look fairly old… Why didn't your healer take care of the scar tissue? It must have hurt… Your healer must be a Jackass!" Syra had a look of disgust and anger on her face. Most of which was focused on the person who had been tasked with keeping Kyrie in top fighting form. What remained was her feelings of anger and disgust that this man, who had hurt James so badly, had successfully made her feel sorry for him.

Kyrie started to tense up and blush as he briefly glanced at James, who had been so startled by Syra's comment that he had breathed in some of the water from his canteen. A canteen that was nearly identical to the one Kyrie had stored on top of his dresser.

"I'm fine!" Kyrie said as he yanked his arm from Syra's grasp.

Syra scowled at that and responded, "Fine! See if I help you when your hurt!" Syra crossed her arms with a humph and glared at Kyrie.

"My healer is one the best alive," Kyrie said stubbornly, as he stared Syra down. 'He's one the best and the kindest,' Kyrie thought – along with, 'it's my stupid body that won't heal right.'

"Ugh, whatever, I'm not getting into this with you," Syra said. No good healer, with a heart, would leave someone with scar tissue marring their body.

While most people believed a lack of scars to be the sign of a good fighter, a fighter who could protect themselves and others, Syra knew better. She knew that the presence of scars meant someone couldn't afford to pay a proper healer or feared that a healer would learn their secrets from the traces left on their body. And a clan as wealthy as the one Kyrie and James were from should have been able to afford one of the best healers around. As long as Kyrie's secrets didn't harm James, Syra would pretend to not care about what Kyrie was hiding beneath the scars marring his small frame.

"Alright class line up in your teams! Team Captains at the front!"

The combat instructor waited until the students were in position. "I'm professor Olson and am your dedicated combat teacher. This means you should consult me when you have questions or need help dealing with something. I'm your professor, unit leader, and counselor. If something is haunting you, talk to me," Professor Olson paused as he glared at the students who were laughing and joking quietly with their friends. The students messing around were the ones who'd lived in Laserath all their lives. The ones who hadn't seen what the world was like outside of their well-protected home.

"You may not understand the severity of PTSD and how important it is to know how to handle it just yet… but some of you will begin to understand after today's class. Hopefully, you'll all fight to the best of your abilities, take this seriously, and come out of today's class unharmed. And if you don't, the least I can hope for is that next time you'll listen properly."

He paused to let his words sink in before he said, "Team Captains come forward and draw the tablet for the legend your team will fight."