Jade smiled as she watched the first few flakes of snow fall from the sky. It had been 71 degrees just two days before, yet now it was below freezing, but she wouldn't complain. She always loved it when winter came early. November 21st this year. What luck!

"I swear if you don't put a jacket on," Bella mumbled.

"Why should I?" Jade asked, a smile on her face. "This is my type of weather."

"What are you even made of?! Somehow you need a jacket during the hottest weeks of summer but you don't even want a light jacket when it's below freezing!"

"I don't ask about the science behind my weird body," Jade smiled. "I simply embrace the good and accept the bad."

Bella rolled her eyes as she mumbled, "Weather Witch" and watched Jade leave.

"Have a good day," Jade said in return as she went out the front door in ankle boots and a short-sleeved sweater dress while Bella looked for her winter coat.

Jade stood in the falling snow for a few moments, enjoying the feeling of the snow falling on her skin. She'd always wondered about her odd reaction to weather as well, but she'd long since accepted it. The best explanation she could give was that when the temperature dropped below freezing, it was as if her powers were heightened, protecting her from feeling the cold. However, when it was warm and her powers weren't as strong, her iron-deficient body acted as a normal person's body and she became cold. She could likely fix the problem by simply having a higher iron intake, but that required eating healthy. She certainly didn't plan on doing that. Besides, she wasn't sure if that was even the real reason.

Jade strongly considered using her powers to allow her to ice skate to campus, but that would be irresponsible. She sighed and headed to the bus stop. Public transportation was unreliable, but it was better than revealing her secret identity before she even had one to protect.

Jade went to a cafe on campus then sighed as she walked to her first class. She hated Powerless Fighting 233. It was a class on fighting offense. She was awful at offense. She could defend herself until her opponent dropped from overexertion, but she was sure she was going to fail this class.

She snuck into the room and began stretching. It was one of the few places she could get full marks in the class, so she intended to get them. She needed at least a C- if she was going to avoid retaking the class. Three minutes later, she stood off to the side with the rest of the class as their teacher, Holden, stepped into the center of the room.

"Today," he said, getting right to the point as always, "there will be a pop quiz. You will spar and you will be graded on what you show me." He walked around the room as he spoke, stopping in front of Jade as he began saying his next sentence. "Don't make me question my teaching abilities."

Jade sighed and slumped her shoulders as he called out the names of the first two sparring partners. The good news was that winning didn't always mean getting a good grade. The bad news was the same. She could win by blocking and evading every attack until her opponent became tired and lethargic, but she wouldn't get a good grade. She could lose by attempting to attack, but she'd still receive a bad grade because her attacks were atrocious. A tutor was probably a good idea, but who had the time?

Jade watched each sparring match intently, trying to remember what a good punch, jab, and kick looked like. Unfortunately, she could only focus on Holden shaking his head with a scowl as he scribbled on his clipboard. She inhaled sharply when the sparring match ended and Holden called out her name.

She groaned as she walked to the center and shook hands with Yvette. "Good luck," Yvette whispered, a sorrowful look on her face.

"You too," Jade sighed as she got into her stance.

********************************************

"Ready to lose again?" Mitch laughed.

"Hey Mitch," Bella smiled, "say hi to my dad for me, would ya? I mean, assuming there is some type of afterlife..."

"You can't kill me. It's against the rules."

"I'd happily lose if it meant ridding the world of you."

"OK, great trash talk guys-"

"Wasn't trash talk," Bella said, interrupting Professor Dark.

"But we need to start your battle. Remember, no use of formalized fighting instruction. Powers only. No killing, but maiming, almost killing, and knocking your opponent out are not only allowed but encouraged.  Go!"

Bella and Mitch both took their places several feet from each other. Long-distance powers were better used from a generous distance.

Bella immediately put a telekinetic shield around herself.  Her downfall freshman year was that she didn't protect her blind spots and was struck by Mitch's poisonous thorns less than a minute into the fight.  She was paralyzed within seconds and Mitch barely broke a sweat.  This time, she was ready.

Mitch caused vines to grow and wrap around Bella's shield, but she'd already planned her attack.  She could have knocked him back into the wall, but she had yet to master such control as to know how hard she could throw him with her telekinesis without killing him.  Even if it was an accident, a kill would lose her the battle.  Control and strategy were tested in this class, so she needed to show control and she need strategy.  She had both.

Bella knew exactly how to beat Mitch.  It had taken her a year to figure out, but it was worth it.

He had no defense.

Most people with a superpower such as his had bodies that automatically protected them from hurting themselves.  Someone with poisonous lips could kiss their own hand or arm and rest well knowing that they hadn't hurt themselves.  Someone hallucinogenic gasses radiating from their breath could breathe in that gas and feel none of the effects.  Someone with botanical powers such as Mitch could usually get pricked with their own thorns or even with the thorns of a plant growing in the wild and not be affected.

Except, Mitch hadn't focused at all on improving his defense.

He'd been so focused on perfecting his offensive prowess that he'd completely ignored his lack of defensive measures.  He was too sure of himself, thinking no one would be able to attack him before he took them down anyway.

As far as Bella was concerned, he was both wrong and idiotic for such thoughts.

Bella stood within her telekinetic enclosure with her arms crossed, taunting Mitch with small gestures; a shake of her head here, a laugh there, and eyebrow raise everywhere.

Her careless state, however, was all show.  The telekinetic shield and the pressure Mitch was putting on it was tiring her out.  She felt both the physical and mental exhaustion that came with such effort.

Bella looked to the clock on the wall quickly.  Two minutes.  It had been two minutes, which was just about how long Mitch had been able to last before his defenses had worn down completely.  He got annoyed and impatient very quickly, Bella knew, and when that happened, his defenses practically completely disappeared.  He already had few, but now he had basically none.

Bella let her shield weaken and break, then used her powers to push her up and over the vines that were closing in on her.  She landed a few feet back from where she'd originally stood and looked up at Mitch just in time to see him sending a vine her way.

One prick and she'd be down in seconds.

She knew the effects of the thorns on his vines well enough.  She'd felt them before, experienced them, so she knew she wouldn't last long enough to win if she was pricked before defeating him.  Good thing she already had a plan.

She used her telekinesis to break off one of his thorns and send it to him.  They'd learned their first year how the more tired you become the more likely your own power will be your downfall.  They'd also learned about how important defenses were in that class, but Mitch had clearly not listened.  Bella knew this and she used his stubborn pride against him.

The thorn hit him in his left shoulder seconds before any of the other thorns hit Bella.  She smiled at him as she watched him fall to the ground.  As her own vision blurred, she heard herself named the winner of the battle.  She had to admit, it felt pretty good.

******************************************** 

 "Jade! Stop using defense!" Holden yelled.  "Attack! For goodness sake, attack!"

Jade frowned, but took a deep breath.  For her own grade, she could allow herself to be beaten.  She stepped back as Yvette threw another punch and readied herself.  Jade threw a punch, the first perfect, if a bit weak, the second easily deflected.  Yvette used her opening to throw a punch, which threw Jade off balance.  Two jabs and a roundhouse kick later, Jade was on the floor and both girls were breathing heavily.

"Yvette wins," Holden sighed, "not that Jade put up much of a fight."

Jade rolled her eyes as Yvette helped her up.  "Could be a little nicer about it," Jade mumbled.

"Ah, he just hates you," Yvette whispered.

"I know."

"Hey, if you want someone to tutor you..."

"Thanks, but I don't want to inconvenience anyone-"

"Nonsense.  It'd practically be helping me out.  I get to do a selfless deed and you get better at fighting.  Besides, you could probably be in the top 10% of our entire cohort if you could get offensive fighting down."

"Thanks, Yvette.  Tell me what time works for you and we'll meet up."

"Definitely weekends, but I'll text you and we can figure something out."

Jade waved to Yvette as she exited the classroom, then picked up her own things and left as well.  She jumped when she felt someone plop their hand on her shoulder.

"Quinn," she groaned.  "You've got to stop scaring me like that."

"Sorry," he smiled.  "So, how'd it go?"

********************************************  

"I won!" Bella cheered.  "Mitch didn't stand a chance.  Strategy beats pure strength at all times."

"The plant guy?" Hades asked.

"Yup, I fought him again and I won this time."

"How is he stronger than you?"

"I'll admit I haven't fine tuned my powers as much as I probably should have," Bella shrugged.

"You should change that," Hades said.  "Maybe then you wouldn't have been in the infirmary again?"

Bella had been to the infirmary several times after battles, both the ones she won and the ones she lost.  Eventually, she found out that by calling Hades, she could get out of the infirmary more quickly.  Generally, the rule was that patients had to stay in the infirmary for at least 30 minutes after symptoms ended.  During that 30 minutes or more, they did tests to make sure the patient had none of the symptoms any longer and wouldn't later have to be rushed to the hospital.  But Hades, Bella had realized after her third trip, could get the rules bent for him, so he did it for her.

She never actually knew why it was, but she suspected it had something to do with the fact that he was student body president.

"Hey, I won anyway," Bella countered.  She smiled as she remembered the final moments of battle.  "It felt great to watch his smug little face twist into disbelief as he fell onto the floor in defeat."

Hades laughed as they found a place on the lawn to sit and eat their pizza.  Bella was an interesting villain in training.  She didn't seem to have the passion for it, but the skill was there without her really having to try and the knowledge came easily.

"Well, congratulations," he said as they began eating.

"Hades! Thank goodness," someone said as they walked up to Hades and Bella.  "Maybe you can help me.  You know everyone on campus, right?"

"Probably," Hades shrugged.  "I try to, at least."

"Perfect.  Do you know a Belladonna Mmmm.... Morrison or... maybe it was Merlin..."

"Marimoor?" Bella asked.

"Maybe..." the person responded.

"There's only one Belladonna on campus," Hades said pointing to Bella.  "Looking for her?"

"Oh, how lucky.  Well, the headmaster wants to speak with you."

"Uh..." Bella stuttered, happy and scared at the same time.

"Now!"

"Uh, OK.  I'll... see you later?" Bella questioned as Hades nodded encouragingly.

"She won't kill you," Hades whispered as Bella got up to follow the other student back to the headmaster's office.  "You're too promising a villain."

That was somewhat encouraging, yet Bella couldn't help but be a little worried about this meeting.  She'd never heard of a meeting with the headmaster going well.

"Headmaster, I've brought Belladonna," the student said.

"Thank you, Erin.  You may go," the headmaster said.  Bella stepped into the room as Erin walked away and closed the door.  Bella hesitantly walked over to the chair in front of the headmaster's desk, which happened to be the only other chair in the room.  She suspected it had something to do with the possibility that otherwise people might choose to sit in the seat furthest away from the woman.

"Belladonna Marimoor," the headmaster said from her seat as she put down her papers.  Bella was sure she'd stand up and walk around the room scowling at her like some TV villain, but she didn't.  In fact, the headmaster was smiling.  "You have become a rather promising young villain.  I was unsure in the beginning, but I'm beginning to think I was wrong about you."

"Wow, that almost sounded like a compliment,"  Bella mumbled a bit too loud before quickly putting both hands over her mouth.

"Well it was almost a compliment," the headmaster responded, her mouth becoming a straight line.  "I was encouraged to find out that you've discovered that using your opponent's power against them is the most definite way to win and you came to that conclusion faster than your peers.  As a result of my gained trust in your abilities as a villain, I have an assignment for you."

"Yes! Whatever it is, I'm thrilled to even be given the opportunity!"  It was true.  Bella had heard, as every student had, that being given a task by the headmaster was the mark of a successful future villain.

"Well, you haven't heard it yet, but I appreciate the enthusiasm.  Your assignment is simple: kill your roommate."

Bella was too in shock to even reply.  Kill... her roommate... as in Jade?  Why?  How would that benefit anyone?  She couldn't.  She physically would never be able to get herself to do such a thing, not to mention she simply didn't want to.

"I can see you're having second thoughts about accepting this assignment," the headmaster stated.

"I... Why? I don't- why?" Bella stammered, simply unable to get out any other words.

"Your roommate is a hero, yes?  It'd only be a matter of time before she was killed anyway.  Might as well get it over with before she becomes a true problem.  Besides, you shouldn't be galavanting around with heroes anyway."

"Then why not tell me to find a new place to live! Stop talking to her!"

"Because that simply won't do.  She knows too much about us already, I'm sure.  If you're willing to bring one of those people onto campus, I can only imagine what you've told her."

Bella lost all color in her face in that moment.  "You knew?"

The headmaster laughed.  "Poor, ignorant child, nothing happens on my campus that I don't know about.  I've eyes and ears everywhere, so while I applaud you being able to sneak past everyone else and change your grade, I can't forgive such disrespect so easily.  I will, however, if you do this."

"We've been friends since we were 7!"

"I know."

"She's the reason I'm still alive."

"I know this as well."

"You're such an evil, maniacal witch!  I don't know if I want you dead or mentoring me!"

The headmaster sat back in her chair, her face showing no emotion whatsoever.  "I aim to elicit that exact feeling from every student here.  You are dismissed."

"But-"

"You are dismissed," the headmaster hissed.  Bella got the message loud and clear as she stood up, almost knocking down her chair as she stormed to the door.  "Oh, and one more thing: you've got until a week from this moment.  So, next Monday at 11:57 am I expect this to be done."

Bella continued storming out of the door.  There was no way she was going to kill Jade, but she didn't know how to fix this.