Unusual alliances

When Diana got to where Vanessa was, Vanessa was doing just fine. Diana folded her arms and looked at Vanessa "Why did you scream? Were you crying wolf?"

"No, I thought I saw..a wild animal but it was just a bunny," she said and picked it up.

"Can we keep him? Can we?" She said and jumped up and down. Vanessa looked at the bunny and looked at Diana. She was making puppy eyes at her. She also saw the bunny making a pitiful face at her. Vanessa tried to resist it but that baby face was just too cute. And she succumbed to Diana's request. Diana was so happy when Vanessa finally agreed for them to keep the bunny. She gave her a very warm hug and took the bunny from Vanessa. They hurried back to their room so that nobody would see them.

When they got to their room, Rosa wasn't there. Diana put the bunny they had rescued in a cage which she surprisingly had. Vanessa was in a corner and she was deep in her thoughts reminiscing about what had happened while they were outside.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I'm Chris and I'm lost. My companion here is...,"

"Which companion?" she looked at him awkwardly. He then remembered that they had parted ways before they got to Heroes World.

"Okay... I hope you find your way soon," she was about to walk out on him when he held her hand.

"Please, I need your help. You need to disguise me,"

"Into what?"

"I'll explain to you later on. Just turn me into a pet or something and you'll transform me back later,"

"And why would I?"

"Please, you have to help me,"

"Vanessa! Are you okay?" Diana yelled

"Fine!" she brought out a ring and gave it to him. He wore the ring and transformed into a bunny.

"Vanessa, which name would suit the bunny. Vanessa! I'm talking to you," she snapped her finger at her and Vanessa came back to reality.

"Uh?"

"So, you didn't get any of the things I have been saying since,"

"I'm really sorry. I'm just missing my dad,"

"Awwwn!" She gave her a big hug. How affectionate she was, Vanessa thought to herself. And too bad she had to lie to such a sweet girl. Well, she did it to help someone. Rosa soon entered the room. She went out to train, Vanessa and Diana could tell by her outfit. She was also with training equipment. She fell on her bed and brought out a book from under her pillow. Vanessa approached her and sat next to her. Rosa just ignored her existence. She obviously wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone at all. The book she was reading was titled 'A HERO'S QUEST' and it was written by a teacher in Heroes Academy. Vanessa tapped Rosa on the shoulder and she glared at her.

"Rosa, we're roommates and we are supposed to communicate," Rosa flipped to the next page of her book really hard and pretended to be engrossed in reading.

"Rosa,"

"Gosh! She's way more annoying than Diana," she said in her mind and squeezed her book tight. She squeezed the book so tight that it she would have even ripped the book into two.

"Trying to be friends with someone doesn't make that person annoying Rosa, Maybe you're just not in the mood today," Vanessa got up from Rosa's bed and she was glad that she had finally left. She flipped the book to the previous page and focused on it. Vanessa went to her own bed and wondered to herself what kind of person Rosa was. She then remembered about the bunny. She got up from her bed and first ensured that Diana was not alert. She was actually fast asleep. She then tiptoed to the bunny's cage. She brought out the bunny from the cage and carried it outside. She removed the ring from the bunny's fore finger and it transformed back to a human.

"Gosh, that cage was so tight and that girl, uh!" He shivered. He thanked her and was about to go.

"Hey! Come back here," he turned back.

"Who are you exactly,"

"I'm... I mean, I was a candidate of... I wanted to enter Heroes Academy but I failed the test. So, I sneaked inside,"

"Wow!"

"Please don't rat me out. I really want to graduate as a Hero. Trust me, even if I get caught, I won't tell anyone that you knew," she looked at him and he gave her a pitiful face. Why does she always have to look at their faces.

"Fine, I'll allow you to get caught by yourself," she left him and went back to her room.

The next day, all the new students of Heroes Academy were excited to begin their first lecture. They gathered in the school hall for assembly. The assembly was usually held to kick start the semester. The new students resumed the other week and another test was conducted in order to take in more students. Now, the semester was actually beginning.

The director of the school addressed both the new and old students. The new students were all given a manual on the school's rules and regulations and a map on every area of the school in order for them not to get lost. After the assembly, they were all dismissed to their various classes.

The first year students sat in their class and waited for their instructor to arrive. After some minutes, the instructor came into the class through a portal. He apologized for being late and began the lecture.

"Who is a hero? That is a question most people can't answer. Before I tell you all, I want someone to tell me what he thinks who a hero is. Anyone? You," he said pointing at Vanessa.

"Seriously! Wait, I can just read his mind to know the answer," she said to herself. She focused really hard and read the answer from his mind.

"A hero is someone who possesses great bravery and carried out extraordinary deeds," she said while smiling. The instructor looked at her and gave a short smile.

"I'm sorry to tell you that you're wrong and that using your powers for selfish deeds is wrong,"

She was astonished that he knew that she read his mind.

"I'm a trained instructor and I can know when someone reads my mind. I just put the wrong answer in my mind. That is a dictionary's definition. Who is really a hero? Now, I want you all to take a moment and think of your own definition of a hero," the students looked at him confused and he tried to make them understand.

"The definition she gave was actually correct but it's another person's definition. I wanted her to define a hero by how she sees it. Now..."

"Vanessa!" She said telling the instructor her name.

"Yes Vanessa, I want you to tell me who a hero is,"

"A hero is someone who gives off himself and puts his own life at great risk, for the greater good of others," they all gave her a round of applause. The instructor asked another person.

"A hero is a person who has a strong sense of justice and goodness and acts upon that sense," some other students gave their own definitions too

"I love all of your definitions. I'll also give you guys my definition. In simple sense, a hero is someone who is Honest, Empathic, Respectful and Open-minded. H-E-R-O," he said and wrote the letters on the board.

"Wow!" The students exclaimed and gave him a standing ovation.

After class, Vanessa went to the library to study. She looked for books that were used in the first year. As she was searching for the books, someone tapped her from behind. She was startled and she dropped the books she had collected on the floor. She turned to see who it was.

"Hello Vanessa,"

"We met the other day and you told me your name but I didn't tell you my name. So, how come you know my name?"

"Hmmm, well, I have a unique superpower. I have invisibility, incineration and cyrokinesis. That is, I can become unseen from the naked eye, burn things with fire and I can manipulate ice and cold,"

"I know that but how does that have anything to do with you knowing my name?"

"Ermh... I... That's not what's important right now. I need your help. I couldn't sneak into any of the classes and I came up with another solution. After every class you take, you teach me also,"

"And what would I benefit from that?"

"You'll get to know it better. It's a win win,"

"I'm sorry but I can't,"

"Please Vanny, what if you wanted to become something and you couldn't have the opportunity to become it and you saw someone that could help but the person refused, how would you feel?"

"Fine, I'll help you just for the mean time. But another entrance test is coming up. Maybe you'll pass that one,"

"Thank you very much!" He hugged her and she freed herself from the hug quickly. He apologised for his behaviour after realising that she was uncomfortable with it.

"Thanks, we're friends now. Aren't we?" He said stretching out his hand for a handshake and he gave her a charming smile.