Three unconscious bodies resembled corpses while lying next to the magician.

The first was in horrible shape. Legs twisted in opposite directions, one arm missing while the other sported a long, deep wound and was forcefully bent to an unnatural angle. His entire body in dire need of stitches before he bleeds out completely. In fact, the man had bled so much since first arriving through his team leader’s dimensional portal, that it was actually shocking to see him still alive.

But the other two? They were only put to sleep by him - NOT, in fact, rendered unconscious. Mr. Houdini Abrams’s thoughts were very simple: ‘I need to limit any uncertain variables that may sprout from them. I need to protect them. And I need Rise to revert himself! To hurry and undo the nonsense that caused his transformation!

Mr. Abrams: “Damn. Just how do I explain Rise’s condition to the students?

…

Maybe I should leave him here? No, that wouldn’t be ‘proper’ of me, as his teacher and all. Hmmm...hmm.

…

No choice. I’ll have to wake him. I’d rather avoid doing such a thing – he’s a whole degree more peaceful this way.”

Rise: “GRRRRRAAH! I’LL KILL YO--

.

.

.

*Snore”

Mr. Abrams: “(How I wish I can just teleport this troublesome fellow to the dormitory without dealing with him personally. I need to remember baby steps – handling Class 3 – C requires baby steps.)”

Rise: “...*Snores for a long while*”

Mr. Abrams: “…Stop sleeping!”

*THUNK!*

Rise: “………Mmmh, Grrrrraooonnnn…Huh? Wha…?”

Mr. Abrams: “Wake up, Rise. I have something to ask of you. Please answer truthfully.”

Rise: “...Huh…? Nnnh, *Lightly rubs eyes with his wrists* What time is- *Yawn* -is it? Is it time to go back to the Dorms…?

…

mmmn...

*looks around*

…

This place looks familiar for some reason.”

Mr. Abrams patiently waits, staring at the tired boy while he gradually catches his bearings. Pretty soon, Rise feels something bump into his clawed hand, and looks down.

He sees a small, brown haired child. Two years younger than himself if he had to guess. The dark brown haired male soundly slept without making so much as a peep of sound. A large gash ate away a chunk of his right shoulder as the outer layer of his school uniform became stained with dried blood. The blood itself was sizzling a tad, but hardly enough to be noticeable. Only somebody with Rise’s heightened hearing, sight and smell could pick it up.

His left leg was badly damaged too. A fairly large hole showed exactly where the heavily enchanted blade pierced through his tough muscle tissue: without stopping its acceleration until its tip protruded from the back of the child's calf. If one looked closely, they might see a part of the bone clearly visible within the newborn hole. Oddly enough, blood only stained the diameter of skin and cloth closest to each injury. It never leaked on the grass or soil, nor on the bugs investigating why their homes were suddenly flattened.

Yes…

It was all coming back to him now.

This short, dark brown-haired youth was the very same who earlier pulled a strange magic trick on Four’s flying metal weapons! It was thanks to his interference, although unnecessary, that Four’s actions were limited. Not only this, but the ‘disappearance’ of his metal itself limited the amount Pre-transformation Rise needed to be cautious around; and further provided an appropriately-timed distraction.

Succeeding that fight - during their second encounter with the Numbers after Four was revived, somehow...Rise clearly remembered the sound asleep shortie disappearing. In the middle of his rematch against that weak metal manipulator, this guy vanished without a trace along with the man who threw Leos’s decapitated head. How did he do that? That wasn’t any ordinary speed the kid used on him either, after Rise threatened to cut him down with an aggravated swipe of his claws. His classmate moved at least as fast as he does ... AFTER undergoing the blessed beast transformation!

But...why was he covered in wounds? Had Rise thought about the stench of blood on him suddenly thickening, he would have noticed sooner. Had Rise looked around to notice the bits of smashed metal, the countless smaller craters in the floor, the broken or damaged trees and the myriad puddles of blood throughout the forest leading through the trees and connecting both battlefields: it would NOT have taken him this long to notice the oddity.

Rise: “(...Was he this weak?

Or…

…nah. He must’ve been weak. Heck, look at him! It was probably all he could do just to not die. His arms are flimsy! With a bit of muscle, sure, but it doesn’t change that they look like a coupl’a twigs!

Still, I’ll thank the kid for not letting me fight them both alone. My body would’ve been in pain, dealing with that guy’s speed and punches – on TOP of this mining loser.)”

In the far corner of the battlefield, a man lay broken. Rise’s lips stretched up and curled into a cocky, smug smile – clearly proud of his own handiwork.

Rise: “Hmph! That’s what you get for working with the guy that killed my classmate! Uhh...What was his name...Reos?”

Mr. Abrams: “Close – it’s Leos.”

Rise: “Oh, that’s right! Leos! Grrahaahaha…!

…

…

Gaah! Mr-Mr. Abrams! That’s right… YOU were there.

Ah!

I remember now – you hit me with a stick and then I blacked out! Why’d you do that? What’s your problem with me?! What did I do??”

Mr. Abrams looks at the boy-turned beast. Something feels wrong about him, something FELT wrong when the enemy was still around. There was another reason why he knocked Rise out, but he can’t for the life of him remember what it was. Wasn’t the boy acting strange...at one point?

Mr. Abrams: “Before I answer any of your questions – I need you to answer a few of mine.”

Rise: “Hmph! Ask away then, but make it quick! I wanna know why you hit me – and changing the subject WON’T help you lead me away from asking! If it ain’t good enough...GRRR!”

Mr. Abrams: “(Ha! Empty threats from a child. This boy is too cocky. Far too cocky. Maybe it’s all the adrenaline from winning his fight? Oh well. I’ll have plenty of time to educate him later.) Yeah. Nice. You can growl - *Claps* amazing. Do something productive for me instead. Such as answering my questions. *Pulls out clipboard* Three questions is all I plan on asking you for now. First question: Which is your true form – human or beast?”

Rise: “Both are technically my true form.”

Mr. Abrams: “Which came first?”

Rise: “Is that my second question?”

Mr. Abrams: “No, this is still just part of my first question.”

Rise: “Then human. Or...wait. I… don’t really know. I wasn’t exactly WATCHING my own childbirth. There’s no possible way I’d know if I was born fuzzy or pink! Is this a trick question or something?! Because after thinking about it, now my head feels strange.”

*DING!*

Mr. Abrams: “…It wasn’t supposed to be. Then next question: can you change your form at will?”

Rise: “Naturally.”

*DING!*

Mr. Abrams: “Good. I want you to prove it then. Change yourself back to your human form right this second. Your next question is; can you do it?”

Rise: “Heheh, you keep on doubting me teach. Watch and learn!”

*Rumble!*

It was a beautiful sight. A huge and hairy beast becoming a wild haired boy.

Yes. It was very beautiful.

His canine and buck features transformed into human ones. His long, blade – like claws became small, extended and sharp fingernails. It was a sad occurrence that Rise had taken off his shoes before, and his upper uniform tore to pieces. All he had left on him was long pants that looked more like Swiss cheese than school apparel.

And finally…

Rise: “S-See?! Huff – Huff. I...I can totally do *Cough - Cough* i-it…

.

.

*Bleugh!* I don’t feel so goo-"

*BONK*

…

*Plop*

Mr. Abrams: “Phew! Easy – going fella. The honest ones usually suffer the worst fates. But…

*Looks Down*

This kid just threw up blood.”

Mr. Abrams quickly teleports to Rise and examines his neck. The slit from One’s earlier blade still remains, and a strange metallic dust encircles the wound.

Mr. Abrams: “He’s been poisoned. I can’t tell what this dust is, but he’ll have to rush back for emergency treatment.

*Glances over at Noel*

Those wounds look serious, but blood isn’t leaking out. Had he been spilling blood everywhere I’d have dropped everything and brought him directly to Ms. Daisy.

*Glances at Four*

Is he still alive? … What the hell. I’ll take him too. I WAS going to leave him for security to collect, but… Unlike Noel, his wounds are actually leaking a little. Did he try first aid while fighting Rise? Impressive. A devious piece of shit, but an impressive piece of shit, nonetheless.”

With a thought, all three injured fighters appear at his feet. He lifts Noel up, who has the more obvious looking wounds, scans around the battlefield one last time, then teleports to his other students: silently preparing himself for their all too clear reactions.

---