After the final bell rang, the students began packing their bags to head home. Mr. Howard clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.
"Listen up! Everyone needs to be in class tomorrow. Because of the incident this morning, witnesses reported seeing six unregistered superheroes fighting a giant monster nearby. Some even saw them heading toward this school. Tomorrow, the Association will be conducting tests to check for superhumans on campus. Don't worry—anyone detected will simply be documented, transferred to their specialized school, and eventually given a job. It's a good opportunity, so don't stress. Understood?" Howard announced.
The classroom erupted in whispers, but Steve remained perfectly calm. He was certain he wouldn't be detected. Once Howard left, the students scrambled to leave. Steve grabbed his bag and headed into the hallway, but instead of going to the exit, he went up to the roof. He walked to the railing and stared down at the courtyard.
"Did I get sloppy? Did they see me?" Steve wondered.
As he was lost in thought, "clack," the roof door opened. He turned to see Erica walking out.
"Huh." They both froze, staring at each other.
"What are you doing here?" Steve asked, adjusting his glasses.
"I should be asking you that," Erica retorted.
"I'm here because I didn't want to walk home with you. I was waiting for you to leave first," Steve explained.
"Same. So, feel free to go ahead," Erica countered.
They lapsed into a stiff silence, standing on opposite sides of the roof. The wind whipped through their hair as they stood like statues. After a long, awkward moment, Steve finally broke the silence.
"Do we really have to be like this? It's going to be hard on Mom and Uncle George if we're always at each other's throats," Steve said.
"I'm not fighting with you. It's just... I don't want to be near you... because..."
"Because I'm a guy," Steve said, finishing her sentence.
"Yes. So I'm sorry, but I can't just forget what happened to me," Erica replied, her mind flickering back to the horrors of Pantheos.
"Fine, I get it. But let's at least try not to look like we're in a feud. To be honest, I'm not exactly thrilled to be around women either. I've had my own bad experiences, so we're actually in the same boat," Steve said, his voice tightening as he remembered the betrayal in Arendel.
"Okay... I understand," Erica said.
The silence returned. They stood there, unmoving, until Erica eventually walked over to the railing—keeping a safe distance from Steve—and looked down at the students streaming out of the building. Steve turned back to the view as well.
"Hey," Erica called out.
"Yeah?"
"Back then... why did you come to my house and save me when the Minotaur was tearing it apart? Why did you lure it away?" Erica asked. "Even though that's not exactly how I remember it happening," Erica thought.
"I was just passing by," Steve said shortly. "I can't exactly tell her I was busy saving her from a truck," Steve thought.
"Well, thank you again. And I'm sorry. Because of me, you were in a coma for three months," Erica said.
"It wasn't your fault. I chose to help, so don't go feeling guilty," Steve replied.
"Thanks... Brother," Erica said softly.
"You're welcome... Sister," Steve replied.
They went quiet again. The conversation was brief; neither was ready to push for more. "Meow." Suddenly, a black cat rubbed its body against Erica's leg.
"Oh... a kitty."
Erica immediately knelt down, picked up the cat, and cradled it against her chest, stroking its fur. Steve glanced at her for a second before looking back down at the street. He narrowed his eyes. He saw Dawn walking out of the school building, with Rex trailing her from a distance.
When Dawn looked back, Rex quickly looked away, fumbling with his bag and pretending to walk back toward the building. As soon as Dawn reached the gate, Rex started following her again.
"Is he stalking Dawn? Wait... aren't they supposed to hate each other? Back in class, Dawn couldn't stand Rex, and vice versa. This is weird," Steve wondered.
"Hmm... someone is following Dawn," Erica murmured.
"Yeah. They're usually at each other's necks... I don't get it," Steve said.
"You know them?" Erica asked.
"I've known them since elementary school. We were childhood friends, but at some point, we stopped hanging out and started acting like enemies. Last I saw, Dawn and Rex were practically at each other's throats, even trading punches," Steve explained.
"Oh, I see. I'm still new here," Erica said.
"Whatever. Want to head home? The school is empty now, so no one will see us together," Steve suggested.
"Hmm... yeah, okay. Can I bring the cat?" Erica asked, showing him the feline in her arms.
"Sure, bring it," Steve said.
They headed for the roof door. When Steve pushed it open, he nearly jumped out of his skin. Victor was lying on the floor, leaning against the wall right next to the door. Steve nudged Victor's foot with his shoe.
"Hey, what the hell? Why are you sleeping here?" Steve asked.
Victor rolled over and looked at Steve and Erica. He glanced at the cat in Erica's arms, then turned back to face the wall.
"I'm tired. Don't bother me," Victor grumbled.
"You're a weird guy. Fine, whatever. Nearly gave me a heart attack," Steve muttered.
Being near a guy like Victor made Erica tense up immediately. She hurried past Steve and bolted down the stairs, clutching the cat tightly. Steve shook his head and followed after her, keeping his distance so as not to overwhelm her. Suddenly, his phone buzzed. He saw an unknown number on the screen and answered.
"Hello?"
"Is this Steve?" a man's voice asked.
"Speaking. How can I help you?"
"Please head home immediately. we are standing in front of your house. We have something to discuss with you and your sister," the man said.
"Alright, I'm on my way," Steve replied, feeling an uneasy knot form in his stomach.
"Thank you. We'll be waiting."
The call ended. Steve pocketed his phone and looked ahead. Erica had stopped and was also on her phone, still holding the cat. Steve walked toward her but stayed back. When Erica hung up and turned around, tears were streaming down her face. Steve froze.
"What happened?" Steve asked, confused.
"The military is at the house... waiting for us. It's about Dad and Aunt Helen," Erica sobbed.
"I know, I just got a call... but why are you crying?"
"They said... they're bringing Dad and Aunt Helen's belongings. The defense base was swarmed by a pack of Wyverns... and there were no survivors," Erica choked out through her tears.
"W... what?" Steve gasped.
The world seemed to stop. They stood there like statues; Erica stood weeping while clutching the cat, and Steve stared at the ground, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. He didn't cry, but his head hung low. The black cat watched them both, its golden eyes filled with a strange, heavy sadness.