After getting a muffin and a glass of milk in the cafeteria, we went straight toward class. Nat and I were the first ones in our homeroom beside Ms. Key. All the seats were being arranged in a circle. Well, as good of a circle as could be made in such a tiny room. Was this place once a closet of sorts? It was far smaller than the other classrooms.

"W-what are you working on, teach?" I asked, swinging my arms behind my head.

"I'm getting things ready for us to have a discussion," Ms. Key said, smiling slightly as she finished putting the last seat in place.

"O-oh, like a council?"

"Sort of."

"B-but what's the topic?"

"Guess I can explain a bit to you two." She walked to the center of the room. "We're going to start discussing what to do for the spring festival."

My eyes shined. "It's festival time?"

"Not for another two weeks or so," Nat said, glancing at me.

I sighed. "Aww. I wanted to eat candy apples with the girls."

Ms. Key narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.

I gulped. "I mean, with my friends."

Nat sighed. "Guess we aren't buddies then?"

"No, we are!"

He laughed. "I was only kidding."

I pouted. "Meanie!"

Ms. Key chuckled as she walked back over to her desk. "Looks like some of the others are here."

Huo, Jude, Lidi, and Ling walked in.

"Huh? You beat us?" Ling said.

I chuckled. "Of course! I do get up early for my daily jogs!" I bit into my muffin. It was red velvet.

"The early bird gets the worm. Or in this case, the muffin," Nat said before taking a bit of his blueberry one.

"We got muffins too," Huo said, raising one that looked like it had strawberries.

"I was being punny."

He scoffed. "Well, it wasn't a very funny pun."

"You really love being a stick in the mud, don't you?" I asked, leering at him.

Huo turned away and sat down in one of the seats. He frowned at the arrangement. Did it annoy him? Know I didn't like having my stuff moved.

"Are we doing some kind of activity today, Miss?" Ling asked as she took a seat to the left of Huo.

Ms. Key nodded. "Yes. We're going to discuss festival preparations. I want us to get a bit of a head start. Depending on what we decide, we might need it."

"W-what did you do in the previous years?" I asked.

"We set up some food stands and made some floats. Although, the latter got destroyed by some miscreants. If we do it again this year, we might really need the extra time. Given the backlog on stuff."

Lidia frowned. "Is it because of us?"

Huo lowered his head. "You don't need to fight for us. The princess and the two of us will return to liberate Sera one day."

"Well, my country isn't involved in this war, but Kyuu Seishin and Mina aren't just fighting for Sera, but for themselves too. That two arch rivals are willing to put aside their differences to get rid of them is a sign of how much of a threat H.E.H. is to the region."

Someone knocked on the door. We all turned to see Tammy, staring at us with a smile.

"Oh, hey, Tammy! Were you standing there for a while?" Lidia asked.

She shook her head as she sat down next to her.

"M-must b-be her way of greeting us," Jude said.

Ling nodded.

"Hey, why didn't you come in with Mira today?" I asked as I sat down next to Jude.

"Huo asked Jude if he wanted to come with us," Lidia said, grinning. "Mira had something to do still, so she told Jude to go on ahead. Same with his brother."

"Ohh!" I chuckled. "Too bad Huo is too short to piggyback ride on."

Huo grumbled. "We're all short compared to Mira."

"Nat's pretty tall, though," I said.

Nat smiled. "True, but Mira's armor is still taller than me. That said, I think you're forgetting something."

I blinked. "Oh, studying!" I removed my pack and took out the textbook we got for Mr. Obi's class.

Lidia smiled and did the same as me. 

Nat asked Lidia and me questions after a brief reading session. Lidi got way more right than me. Perhaps Mr. Obi had reason to worry after all. There was just too much for my little brain to remember.

"Hmm, maybe we should switch up approaches," Nat said.

The bell suddenly rang. "Sorry, Carter, but we need to get the discussion underway. You can keep studying once we're done. Okay?"

I smiled slightly. "Okay!" Maybe a nice break would help my head process things a little better.

"You upperclassmen probably know what we're going to discuss today, right?" Ms. Key said.

Hal hummed and chuckled. "No idea!"

Kun shook his head. "Me neither."

Yen sighed. "Don't clown around, you two."

Ms. Key chuckled. "Your coy faces assure me that you do. But I am happy to tell everyone. Especially as I didn't explain things to every single first year."

"It's festival time!" I blurted out.

"Oh, Carter must be one of the ones who got the special knowledge," Kun said, giggling.

I nodded enthusiastically.

"A festival? Sounds like fun!" Aurelius said. "Uh, what are Kyuu Seishinian festivals like? Is there like a big bonfire and a lot of music and dancing?"

"I love dancing!" I blurted out.

"We do too!" Tasunke and Tashunke said, standing up from their seats.

Huo adjusted his headphones and grumbled. "Stop shouting everything! This conversation isn't about you."

Ms. Key smiled. "I do appreciate the enthusiasm, though. As for what Kyuu Seishinian festivals are like, a lot of the fun involves stalls. Be they food or ones with games."

"Games?! What kind?" I said, standing up.

Huo grumbled. "Ms. Key, kick him out. He keeps interrupting!"

"Well, not really as this is a conversion between us as a whole. That said, I do ask you to tone it down a little, Carter. You too, twins!"

They grumbled. "Fine, Ms. Key!" they said in unison.

"Okay," I said as I slumped in my seat. Why did Huo always have to be such a sourpuss? Wait, I do know. It's because of his sensory issues. But why are his ears so much more sensitive than mine?

Huo sighed.

"We also have floats sometimes," the twins said.

"But The Eight blew ours up last year," Vermeil said.

The Eight?

"Blew up? Yikes," Kanja said.

"Uh, you tried to take over a train. So should you be that shocked?" Nat asked.

Ling curled her hands into fists. "Those guys really were a nuisance. To think they allowed some of them to return."

"They did help us prevent a bigger disaster, though," Nahimana said. "Even if their actions were the cause of the outflow of abysmals in the first place."

"Fixing an issue they caused doesn't do much to make up for their actions," Ling said, huffing.

Nat nodded.

"Ling, drop it," Renshu said, keeping his eyes on his desk. It was weird to see him like that. While I only knew him for about a week or so, he was usually always smiling. Only when Ling brought up the past, did he look sad. What exactly had happened to him in this school?

She sighed. "I normally would, but I can't forgive those who would hurt you," she said, whispering the last part.

Ms. Key sighed. "The wounds of the past heal slowly. I won't tell you kids to move on. It is best to learn from it and pave the path forward."

Ling nodded. "I think you're right. Anyway, please continue."

Our teacher nodded. "So, what kind of stall should we make this year? That is, assuming you want to focus on one thing."

"Hmm, we have three classes in one. We could all focus on something different," Lei said. "I was thinking we second years could focus on food. We do have Adela, Hika, Yen, Kun, and me."

"Someone is conceited," Nyima said, chuckling.

He chuckled. "We all gave our own strengths. Yen is great with seafood and makes good coffee, Kun is good with pork and beef dishes, Hika and Adela are well rounders, while I am great with fowl."

"I like the plan," Hika said, smiling.

Wanikiya sighed. "I was hoping to do stuff with candy or ice. Like candy apples or shaved ice."

"We second years are a big class. We can probably focus on both," Nahimana said, patting the prince on the arm.

"I want to join Wanikiya," Orion said, grinning.

I sort of did too, but I also had another idea. I eyed my fellow first years. They all seemed focused on the second years.

"Uh, I was thinking we first years could do games," I said with my hand raised high.

"Like target shooting?" Nat asked, moving his hands as if he were about to shoot an invisible rifle.

Huo looked down.

"Thinking Huo should sit this assignment out," Lidia said. "Festivals in general upset him."

Woah! Poor guy. Although, sometimes I needed to retreat too as a kid after a certain point. Seemed my threshold was a lot higher than his.

"Hmm, he might still be able to participate in the less noisy preparations," Ms. Key said.

Huo raised his head. "Really?"

She walked over to him and directed her hand at his headphones. "Plus, don't forget that I'm a sound mage. I can shield you from the harsher sounds of the festival itself. Although, I can't say the same thing for the lights or crowds. But the latter, you can avoid with the help of an earth mage."

"Like me," Ling said, glancing at Huo. "I can make some underground passageways to avoid the masses."

"Yeah!" I said, grinning.

Huo smiled slightly. "You mean I can participate?"

"If you're willing. As I said, I can only limit sound."

Nyima hummed. "Wonder if Kun, Nahimana, and I can help with the light."

"Too bad none of us first years has light magic," Aurelius said, sighing. "We got Tammy to help with the sound issues too and Ling to help Huo get around easier."

"It would make things easier, but at least we have the second years," Mira said. She smiled. "Although, maybe a light mage isn't what we need."

Nat smiled. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

She nodded. "A darkness mage can do it."

Huo blushed. "T-thanks."

Ling smiled. "No need to be shy. We are doing this as a team."

"Didn't expect you to be such a team player," Kanja said, smirking.

Ling glared at her.

"So, we have the second years splitting into two groups. One doing a food stall and the other a candy stall. The first years will be making some kind of game stall. But what about you, third years," Ms. Key said as she walked over to the board.

"We were thinking of games but Carter took that idea," the twins said, glancing at each other.

"Hmm, we could just back up the first and second years," Tahoma said.

"But this is our last year," Renshu said, grumbling. "We have to go out with a bang!"

"True," Yuzuki said, tapping her chin with her pen.

"A bang? A fireworks display may work," Ona said as he snapped his fingers.

"That's a good idea!" Kachina said, smiling.

"Oh, oh! We have another possible idea!" the twins said, grinning at one another.

"I'm not sure if I like the sound of that," Orichalcum said, sighing.

"Me neither," Ning said. "I prefer the firework idea. Boom, boom!"

The black-haired friend of Renshu and Ona smiled at them. "While I understand your worries, why don't we hear them out?"

"Thanks, Changying!" Tashunke said, or maybe it was Tasunke. They were hard to tell apart.

"Our idea is something like a haunted house!" the other twin said.

Tahoma scoffed. "In a spring festival?"

"Hear us out! It'll be spring themed! With flowers and a magical display!" the twins said in unison this time.

"That sounds pretty neat!" I said, trying to imagine it.

Ling laughed. "It does."

Renshu smiled. "Seems you two do have good ideas every once in a while."

"Thanks! Hey! What do you mean every once in a while?!" the twin said, glaring at him.

"Think we'll go with the twins' idea," Yuzuki said, beaming.

Ms. Key smiled as she wrote down the ideas. "Seems we're finally getting the ball rolling."

"Yahoo!" I said.

"Although, I do need each group to pick the project lead."

"Wanikiya should lead the candy stall group since he suggested it," Zelde said, giving her prince a slight smile.

Nahimana nodded. "It isn't every day that I agree with her, but today's one of those days."

Wanikiya blushed. "Girls, why do you have to agree on this of all things?"

Lei patted his friend on the back. "Come on, Wani! You can do it!" 

"This is your chance to build up leadership skills," Zelde said, leaning on her seat.

Wanikiya took a deep breath. "Alright, fine! I accept!"

Hal chuckled. "Wani for class president next?"

"You're getting too ahead of yourself!"

"Then, will Lei lead our group?" Adela asked.

"I think someone else should do it," Lei said, grinning.

"Yen?" Kun asked.

He shook his head.

Yen smiled at Hikaru. "It's him, isn't it?"

Hikaru blushed. "Me?"

"Yeah! Your dream is to be a head chef, right? This is your chance to command a bunch of other chefs!" Lei said.

Hikaru looked around. "I-I'm not sure if I can."

"Come on, have some confidence," Kun said, putting an arm around his friend. "You can do it if you put your mind to it!"

Hikaru sighed. "If only it were that easy." He grumbled. "Fine! I'll do it!"

"Great!" Yen said, chuckling.

"Hmm, neither of us is really the leader type," the twins mumbled. "So let's have Yuzu do it!"

"Me? Again?" Yuzuki said.

Ning gave her a pencil-thin smile. "You're the glue of the class."

"Yeah, without you, we would've fallen apart," Renshu said.

Tahoma nodded.

"Guys... Fine! I'll do it since my brother has to be a leader too!"

Hikaru sighed.

"You can ask your sister for tips!" Kun said, messing Hikaru's hair.

"Okay!" Hikaru said, removing Kun's arm from around him.

"That only leaves the first years," Ms. Key said. "Want to be the leader, Carter."

I hummed. It wasn't like I was much of a planner.

"Think you should give it a chance," Kanja said, eyeing me.

"You think so?" I said.

"Yeah! You do say that you plan to be Magus Maximus, right? That'll make you the ruler of the entire known universe!"

"True, but I don't want to ruin it."

"I would do it, but I am not sure about festival games," Ling said, shrugging.

"Same here," Huo said.

"Come on, Cart. Say yes!" Aurelius said.

All of my classmates seemed to lean in toward me.

I took a deep breath and stood up. "Fine! I, Carter Cai, will be your new leader!"

"Uh, this is just for the project, you know?" Ling said.

"Think the power's going to his head already," Huo said.

I grumbled. "Way to ruin my epic moment!"

Nat and the others chuckled.

I sat back down and laughed. Hopefully, I could live up to the expectation. The biggest events I ever planned were Mother's Day and Father's Day surprises, and I had Chun-Hua's help with those. And for stuff like birthday parties for Chun-Hua, I had the help of my bro or Rob before our exile.

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed the chapter ^^. Only 34 more chapters left in this book!**