Hill Crown Preparatory Academy

A cold fall was just starting to settle in as the first days of the new school year approached, each day's temperature decline just a few degrees. Winds from the north blew in on a regular basis, bringing with them a bit of precipitation and near-freezing temperatures. Trees had been stripped of their leaves, and freezing fog flocked the bare branches, creating quite a beautiful landscape for those who appreciated the aesthetics of nature. A variety of persons bustled around the grounds. Faculty mostly, heading to their appropriate places, whether they be offices, classrooms, or work stations. Most were bundled in heavy coats to fight the wind and snow that beat against their bodies, while others dressed more lightly, knowing that they would be inside below the cold was able to breach their mundane defenses.

One individual, however, dressed very lightly, clad only in a t-shirt and a nice pair of blue jeans. A large set of headphones cupped his ears comfortably and completely, and a pair of dark sunglasses concealed his eyes and sheltered them from the sting of the wind. He seemed not at all bothered by the weather, walking casually, if not somewhat rigidly, toward the school's main entrance. Having been away for the summer, his duties had been passed to another, which usually meant cleaning up someone else's mess when he returned. Much to his delight, he was able to maneuver himself through the halls and avoid any contact with the other staff. His entrance had gone unnoticed.

Thankfully, this time was different. The classroom had already set up just the way he preferred, bookshelves stocked with old texts, many of which were still on the Banned Reading lists of various countries throughout the world. But such was his prerogative as an educator at Hill Crown. His position gave him more freedom than public school teachers, or even some college professors.

Sitting at his desk, the young man took a deep breath through his nose with his eyes closed, exhaling slowly through his mouth. His eyes opened, the eerie split of one white eye and one green eye piercing the dim, lifeless space between himself and the desks his students would fill in just a few short days. A new year was beginning, and Ezra was ready.

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"Run Steiner! Run!"

Across the pavement the young man's feet beat, his legs pumping harder than ever before. His muscles burned, screaming for rest and relief but receiving none. Despite his every effort, Steiner felt as if there was an invisible force wrapped around his torso, pulling backward and slowing his pace substantially. He resorted to falling forward, using his hands to claw for every inch. The panicked cries of his mother and sister rang in his ears like a pair of police sirens, deafening him with terrifying waves of emotional turmoil.

Steiner felt his feet suddenly swept out from underneath him, causing him to collapse onto his stomach. He rolled to his back just as he felt a long blade slide into his stomach, burying itself up to the hand guard. His abdomen exploded with pain as blood began to spurt from the open wound dramatically. Again the cold steel of the blade pierced his skin, this time in his chest. Over and over the knife drove home while Steiner flailed his arms, waylaying his attacker but having no success.

Screams became metallic and electronic, each cry falling into a rhythmic tempo. Slowly the world began to fade away until there was nothing left but darkness and the soft hum of a small motor nearby. Steiner's eyes opened slowly, blinking several times as he struggled to clear his vision. The nightmare he'd been experiencing had ended, though he knew it would return. It always did. The young man had the same dream several times each month. His sister delighted in teasing him over it, using her childish voice and amazing imagination to put together reenactments as she would picture them.

They were never accurate, but they were haunting still. Steiner did not tell her just how badly they shook him.

"Steiner, time to wake up honey." Steiner's mother Laura, with a voice as smooth and sweet as fresh honey, called him down for breakfast. It was the big day; it was the day that he would move to Hill Crown Prep, to which he was not looking forward. Hill Crown was a place for rich people, and his family certainly was not rich. His scholarship took care of everything, from tuition to boarding, even supplies, with enough money left over to do extra things when he so desired. Steiner's mother had put away some money as well, but both of them knew that it wouldn't compare to what the other students would have.

Steiner threw on his clothes in a hurry, opting to wear something comfortable but fashionable that he had purchased specifically for that day, when he'd need to make a good impression. A pair of dark blue Converse started the ensemble, fit below a pair of dark jeans and a dark gray t-shirt with a roller-blade company logo on the front. He wore a black jacket and a black baseball cap, completing the gloomy outfit, keeping it clean but casual.

Breakfast was quiet. No one really wanted to see him go, but Laura knew that he would get a better education at Hill Crown. After breakfast, Steiner went back upstairs to get cleaned up and to finish packing. His shower was steaming hot, just as he always preferred, though he made sure to take a little extra time, as it would be the last shower he would enjoy at his home for a long time. His hair was cut exceptionally short, with fuzz around the sides and the back and a little longer on top. It was quick and easy to wash.

Packing was quick and easy; he wasn't planning on bringing much, just some clothes, computer, and other necessities, figuring he would purchase what he needed that was too much of a pain to take on the train with him. Both his mother and his sister took time off of work and school to see Steiner off, taking him right up to the train before they were forced to part company. A tearful goodbye and promises to write and call often were given, then he boarded his train and found a seat, bound for a destination where literally anything could happen. Steiner had never felt so much apprehension in his life.

It was time. The new year was starting; new people, new school. No one would know, maybe this time would be different.

Terezi stared at her reflection in the mirror, trying to memorize what she looked like without bruises and cuts and scars. She noticed the way her chocolate brown hair fell down her shoulders, her green eyes revealing the hope she had in this new Academy. It was almost sadistic. Every few months she had to move to to a new school, circumstances no longer allowing her to remain where she'd been. So, instead of requiring her family to pick up and move again, she had enrolled herself in the Hill Crown Preparatory Academy. It had dorms, it had a full staff, and it was known to be one of the most prestigious schools in the country. It also accepted cripples. There weren't many places that did anymore.

Hill Crown was an expensive school as well, but Terezis family was well off enough to be able to send her there and live comfortably. Though convincing her father and mother to let her go was an ordeal. They'd argued for the whole summer until they yielded to her. For years they had moved around for her, because it was too dangerous for her to stay. Enough was enough.

"You can change your mind." Terezi turned to see her father standing in the door. He was frowning, worry in his eyes.

"I'm going." She said, crossing the room. "I'll be fine. The administration knows, and are making arrangements for me."

"You dont have to go." The older man wrapped his arms around his daughter, holding her tightly, but not so much as to hurt her.

"I do. Ian is better off if we stop moving, he's still so young." Terezi looked at her room, all packed and ready. "I have to go. I'll miss the plane." The young girl grabbed her go bag, and started to head for the door, pausing for a moment. "I love you, Daddy. I'll be home for the holidays."

******

That was two days ago. Terezi got to the school a day earlier than most, wanting to get settled in before the others arrived. With the welcome letter came a schedule and instructions for the first few days of class, along with a map for the new students. Never having been to a place as high class as this, she felt a little intimidated by its imposing structure, but it was her last real chance at a semi normal life. See, Terezi was a cripple, she wasn't like the vast majority of the population. She didn't have a power, she was a normal, boring human. And that made her a target, a big, easy, weak target.

Pushing himself out of the cab, Steiner took a long look at the sprawling campus where he would be spending at least a year of his life. Most of the buildings were old, showing their age through charming wear and weathering, while others were quite new, where their ages were shrouded by delicate use of paint and fire. Many of the students around him who commented on the appearance were fooled, but Steiner was not. He had always enjoyed looking at old homes, looking for scary places to spend the night or look for ghosts. Ridiculous, of course, but it was his hobby, and he loved it.

Steiner approached the main building and pulled open the large door, stepping inside and following the signs for registration. Some students had already received their schedules and dorm assignments, but Steiner's late registration meant that he would not receive them until he had arrived. The line to speak to someone at the desk was long, causing him to shift back and forth on his heels until it was finally his turn.

Though he wore a pair of earbuds for music enjoyment, he was not playing anything through them, choosing instead to mask the fact that he was listening to everyone around him, learning what he could without having to actually interact socially. He made himself small and unassuming, hoping everyone would just ignore him or right him off, a hope which endured until it was his turn at the desk.

The woman staring back at him looked like she might be a cherry individual if it weren't for the dark circles under her eyes and the sort of smile one might wear while speaking to a customer on the phone, trying your hardest to sound like you are happy to help them but really you just wish they'd go away. She was neatly dressed in a beige skirt and jacket combo with a white blouse and bright red lipstick. Perhaps in her 40's, Steiner wondered how her personality would change once the school year was half over.

After check-in, Steiner headed straight for the dorm to find his room, which was located inside a five-story block of a building, obviously the newest of all the structures on campus. There were several windows, some of which were already decorated with treatments or other decorations. Inside there were signs, duct tape lines, and even school staff directing traffic, separating the girls and the boys into their own sides of the building. Steiner followed the guidelines until he found his room, 313.

Terezi could hear the other students moving around outside in the dorm. An apprehensive feeling began to push through her despite her efforts to keep it down. They were all Ordinarys. She only knew that because usually it was two students to a room, but she was roomed alone. If there was another cripple they would have put them with her, but there was none. It wasn't uncommon to be the only one, most people were Ordinarys. Not like the years before when they referred to them as Metas and they were the rare ones.

All of her things had arrived before the other students began to appear, so Terezi focused on unpacking her things and getting settled. It wasn't until that afternoon when the welcome gathering was going to happen so there was really no need for her to rush. It only took a couple of hours to rearrange the room to her liking, and when that was done she still had about an hour until the gathering.

Figuring she would get lost trying to find the building it was in, she grabbed her phone and ear buds, double checked thatbshe had her room key and set out. The hall was relatively clear of people since they were, most likely, getting settled, and Terezi was glad for it. The longer it took for them to realize what she was, the better.

His room being exactly what he expected, Steiner set his bag and his single piece of luggage on the bed he claimed as his own and started to unpack. He took his time, making sure everything had a place, and rearranging several times before he was satisfied enough to take a break. The room was still immaculate, but with decorations that he had added to the walls and the dresser. Once he had finished, he began to thumb through the schedule, each day having its own set events before the first day of class, starting with a school-wide social.

Scheduled to take play inside the gymnasium, Steiner decided to be proactive and try to find his way through the halls early, so as to avoid the bulk of the crowds trying to get inside. Though he had a map, it might as well have been written in Sanskrit. The font was small, the lines were thick, and the colors were muted pastels that did not stick out apart from each other. But once he oriented himself to cardinal north, he followed the halls and paths to the west, knowing he would eventually run out of campus or found his destination.

So buried in trying to figure out where he was that he failed to notice someone's footsteps coming around the corner. Without looking he turned sharply, running chest first into a girl about his age, whose brown hair fell in waves across his face as she was brought to a very abrupt halt. Steiner, in his lack of grace, tried to spin around but became tangled in his own feet, sending him crashing to the tile floor.

"Oof! God, i'm sorry!"

Walking down the hallway, Terezi had her face buried in the map, her music playing loudly in her ears. She rounded a corner unaware of her surroundings and effectively slammed into someone else. Her face hit his chest, the sudden halt caught her to stumble back. If she didn't have the training she had, she might have fallen down, but she managed to right herself before losing her footing. Her eyes crossed as she looked down at her nose making sure no damage had been done, then she turned her attention to the boy she'd run into. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to knock you down." She tilted her head to the side and crouched down by him to make sure he was okay.

'Blend in. Don't be weird. Don't act like a cripple.'

Terezi offered him a hand to stand, her hair falling over her shoulders. "I'm sorry, I should have been paying attention instead of having my face buried in that map." She offered him a small apologetic smile, hoping he didn't take offense and jump to show off power. Most Ordinarys went straight to violence to solve problems, bad tempered, awfully mannered people.

Taking the offered hand, Steiner pushed off the ground and pulled until he was back on his feet. "Heh... I was doing the same thing. No worries." Steiner dusted himself off and collected the map that had fallen from the girl's hands. It was a bit crumpled from the collision, but still plenty readable. "Sorry..." Steiner rubbed the back of his head, the hair little more than fuzz on the backs and sides. For anyone that knew him, it was a tell, a sign that he was nervous. She was a pretty girl, not usually the one that would talk to him.

Refraining from the standard response to conflict, Steiner smiled a little and tried a different approach. "So.. my name's Steiner. I was just going down to the assembly. Do you... wanna walk with me? Maybe we can figure out the way together." By making himself a little timid, he could disarm most hostile situations. If she was a particularly violent, it might defuse her enough to just shove him away and ignore him. If she was spiteful, it would at least get him out of the current situation and he could figure out how to avoid her another time.

Unless she was genuinely nice... then he wouldn't know what to do.

A non-violent Ordinary? That was different. Normally they'd jump to violence, and show off their power. Terezi just openly stared at him for a moment, then realized that she hadn't responded to him, at all, and that made her look rude. "Oh! I'm.. I'm Terezi, sorry. I... zoned out." So much for not acting weird. She held her crumpled map in her hands, shifting on her feet, glad that no one else was around.

"This map is hard to read, and I'm directionally challenged so I don't think I'd be much help to find it, but if.. if you don't mind potentially getting lost, I.. wouldn't mind walking with you." Terezi realized that she was rambling, and her cheeks tinted pink. She stepped back, nervously pulling at her hair, avoiding making direct eye contact with Steiner. Hoping he didn't realize that she was a cripple, she diverted her attention to the wrinkled map, as if she were studying it.

Chuckling softly, Steiner rubbed the back of his head again and nodded, a smile gradually forming on his lips. "Sure, it'd like that." Slowly he started to walk in the direction they both were originally head in, no longer really caring if they reached their destination or not. He wasn't terribly social anyway, though he understood why they would host such a function. They were going to be basically living together for the next long while, and it was better to know each other and get along than to distance yourself and risk being bullied.

That was the very thing he was trying to avoid. He was smart. Very smart. But unfortunately being smart also meant being a target for some reason. Steiner could only figure that intelligence alone was enough to justify bullying and general harassment. A new school was just what he needed to pass through unnoticed. Keep his head down, never shine anyone out, and he'd be just fine.

"You know, i've heard really good things about this place. It's supposed to be the best. Just looking at the structure, they really went all out."

"The buildings are great. They look new, but if you really look at them you can tell that they're insanely old." Terezi folded the map, and slipped it into her pocket walking alongside Steiner. She laced her fingers together behind her back as they walked; she may have seemed laid back, but she did not let her guard down. It was rare for an Ordinary to be so chill, even low level ones were pushy when it came to dominance. Just because he seemed kind now doesn't mean that he was always going to be that way. New school, new life.

As they walked, Terezi didn't much pay attention to where she was going, it was how she bumped into Steiner in the first place. Unfortunately for her it was a common occurrence, and always got her into a lot of trouble. It just so happened that other students were out as well, getting a feel for the grounds. None seemed to be paying much attention, and Terezi ended up bumping in to someone else. Again.

"Oh.. sorry, I-"

Before she could get the apology out of her mouth a fist came flying at her face. Jerking back, Terezi ducked, blocking the swipe and pushing the fist from her face. The sweet, soft look in her eyes disappeared, her expression darkeneing. 'Fucking Ordinarys.' The cripple shifted on her feet, getting into a defensive stance, hands balled into tight fists. 'They use violence to solve everything. What's wrong with just apologizing and moving on?'

"We don't have to do this." Terezi said, oddly calm for someone who was getting into something she might not make it out of.

Standing their ground, the older students snickered and grinned. There were four of them in total, two boys and two girls. The way they draped their arms around each other told Steiner that they were couples, which made sense. It was a school for both girls and boys, after all. Both boys were tall with athletic builds and dressed in expensive casual wear. One girl was very meticulously groomed with nails done and hair curled, while the other had more of a tom-boy look to her, wearing a school jacket and a ball cap.

The boy that swung first seemed surprised that his punch missed its marked, but not dissuaded by Terezi's attempt to reason. "Oh i'm pretty sure we do," the girl at his side replied, an evil grin on her face. "That's what this school is all about right? Using our powers? Finding out who's best? C'mon, ye stupid little twit. Let's see what you got." Out of seemingly nowhere, a trashcan slammed into Steiner's back, not hurting him but bringing him down to his knees. Both boys focused on Steiner while the two girls peeled off to take on Terezi. The prettier girl's skin began to shimmer, as if it had hardened into a solid crystal. The second one, who had thrown off her hat, took a fighter's stance as her muscles began to bulge.

Another object came flying in, a potted plant this time, but Steiner was ready. Just before the vase smashed against his body, he put up his hand and thrust it forward. Oddly enough it appeared to impact an invisible wall, his palm and fingers flattened out again the unseen force. When the plant finished closing the distance, it instead disappeared into nothingness without a trace. Steiner took the opportunity to get back to his feet and get his fists up.

"First day of school and we're already brawlin'? Alright then. Let's go."

"Can't say I didn't try." Terezi sighed, but did not move, even as the two girls came at her. Taking a deep breath in through her nose, she exhaled slowly waiting until the very last second to shift her body. The tomboy ish girl came at her, even with advanced strength, it didn't take much to redirect her swing. There were many types of training she had undergone in order to guarantee her survival in a world of Ordinarys, and times like these she was glad for it.

Terezi redirected the hit toward the prissy girl, fist coming in contact with her. It may not have damaged her, but the brute force of it made her stumbled. "Oi! Watch it! We're on the same team, idiot."

Taking the free moment she had, Terezi threw her hair into a ponytail to keep the strands from falling into her eyes. "Why aren't you using your power?" The boyish girl hissed.

"I can beat you without it." Terezi replied simply., confidentally.

"Bitch!"

Again, both girls came at her, but she kept moving on her feet, turning and using their powers against them. It was simply a redirect tactic. Get them to stumble and use their power on each other. 'Don't get hit. Don't let them know.'

With all three girls engaging each other, Steiner only had to concern himself with the two boys. No small feet for him, as he didn't have as much experience fighting as the others did. That did not mean he was a novice, or completely inept. Gypsy fighting was in his blood. He was a boxer at heart, on top of being Ordinary, and that meant something. Steiner was ready when the boys came after him, one using his power to toss random hallway items using on the power of his mind while the other formed thick stone around his fists.

The projectiles were easy enough to deal with, for he could simply enclose them in his pocket dimension. The brawler, however, was a different story.He couldn't simply absorb the boy into another dimension. There would be questions. Investigations. What would happen to organic material if he did? There were simply too many risks, so Steiner had to rely on his own prowess to get him out of that mess.

Steiner ducked and rolled, dodging blow after blow but taking his time before he swung back. Even as he back pedaled, the stone fists were coming in faster, one of which slamming into his gut and taking away the air in his lungs. Steiner inhaled deeply and pushed himself back to his feet. It was time to end the fight and there was only one way to do that. Just as another strike came at him, Steiner spun and shoved his arm into his pocket dimension and pulled the first thing he could find, which happened to be the potted plant that had been hurled at him before.

In that dimension, mass did not exist, which meant moving the object was as easy as moving his hand through the air. Out came the plant, smashing into the stone-boy's head and knocking him to the ground, out cold. Steiner then eyed the second boy, who seemed to be rethinking his choice in action.

The girls ruthlessly came at Terezi over and over, but what they didn't know was that she had an abnormally high stamina. She could fight for hours. And it was obvious they couldn't. Even with their powers, Terezi was kicking ass. Their movements started to slow, and chancing a glance at Steiner, she took an opportunity.

Up til now she was just being defensive, but she switched tactics fast, and leapt at the girl with the bulging muscles. Taking her by surprise, she grabbed her arm and effectively threw her into the prettier girl knowing the both of them down. Whirling on her feet, she shot towards the boys. One was already down, so she launched herself at the one still standing.

Leaping high, Terezi locked her legs around hisnneck, and using the momentum, flung herself forward. The boy stumbled and fell; with her legs wrapped around him, the cripple rolled, slamming the boys body into the ground. Releasing him, she stood by Steiner, a look of dark fury in her eyes, almost daring the girls to try again.

With now only two opponents remaining, Steiner began to push the advantage. The two girls, who appeared to be much more apprehensive about how they wanted to proceed, took a couple of steps back, then went back to the offensive. This time the young man stepped up, though he waited until they were almost on top of himself and Terezi before acting. There was a grin on his lips, a type of smile one might wear if they had a secret in mind bore no intention of sharing it until it suited his purpose.

His smile, however brief and subtle, was not completely lost to everyone, for there was an observer with a very clear view of what was happening. Ezra stood at the end of the corridor in plain view, though he doubted anyone was paying much attention to him.

Steiner wasn't, of course. His attention was focused on the fight at hand, and how to end it. Just before the two girls reached Terezi and himself, Steiner stomped his foot hard on the floor. Underneath the pair of attackers a hole formed, not broken apart and jagged, but perfectly smooth, as if it had been carefully cut and carved out, sending tom-boy and sorority hopeful crashing into the next story down. As soon as Steiner's foot lifted again, the hole disappeared as if it had never been there in the first place.

Bringing his eyes back up to the last one, Steiner practically invited him to pursue, but he instead backed off and walked quickly away.

As soon as the threat was gone, Terezi visibly relaxed. Both girls were gone, one boy was out cold lying on the ground, and the other had done the smart thing and retreated. She smiled and turned to face Steiner, when she spotted an observer. The smile faded, but she didn't go on the defensive, because she had an idea of who it might be. Not by name, of course, but when she'd selected this Academy to go to, she familiarized herself with the staff. And she recognized his face.

When a Cripple goes to any school, the entire staff is notified, and if he was part of it, he knew exactly what she was. She watched him for a moment, then turned to Steiner hoping the man would just go away and not reveal her guarded secret. "Sorry. I guess that whole thing was my fault." She grinned sheepishly. "I really should watch where I'm going."

'Crisis averted. Secret kept. Day one is looking like a success.'

"Yes you should," came a voice from down the hall. Ezra was walking at a casual pace but with a serious look on his face. Fighting on the first day was not all that uncommon, but he had read Terezi's file. He had been briefed, and he had studied her picture so as to memorize everything about her that he could. A part of his father's training of course, but he had long ago accepted that the knowledge imparted to him by his father was incredibly useful. 'Rule number fifteen... always be the smartest person in the room.'

The numerical system by which he had sorted the rules had been forgotten long ago. It was no longer about the order, just as long as he adhered to them. Forgetting them or deciding to follow his own ideas had lead to nothing but death. Well... almost nothing.

Steiner froze as Ezra approached, unsure of what the man's intentions were. From the looks of him, he was a teacher, but a young teacher compared to the others. "It was my fault, actually. I wasn't watching and I accidentally bumped into one of them." Steiner didn't fully understand what the consequences of their scuffle would be, but if there was to be a penalty, he'd rather take it on himself rather than let Terezi assume the blame.

"Don't lie to your teachers, boy. It's rude." Ezra's gaze fell upon Terezi once again, his multi-colored pupils still studying her. The file said she could fight, but he was glad to have had the opportunity to see it for himself. "You should both watch yourselves. Those few don't represent the mean strength of the student body." Ezra did not hang around for a reply, though he would hear one if either chose to speak up. Ezra knew he had to pretend that he did not know Terezi as well as he did, for there would only be one reason for him to know who she was before the year started.

Steiner watched the teacher as he departed, then turned to Terezi, a rougish smile on his lips. "Here that? We should watch ourselves. So you watch my butt and i'll watch yours. Deal?" The wink at the end of his offer signified the playful mood he was in, trying to lighten the air around the two as they were left alone.

Eyes glued to the teacher as he walked away, Terezi frowned deeply. If he had known that she was the one to bump into that kid, then he was standing and watching through the whole thing. He knew she was a Cripple. That meant he didn't interfere to see her skill, and whether or not she needed to be watched and protected. For some reason that pissed her off. If he wanted to see her skills, then she'd make sure to give him a show of unOrdinary power unlike he's never seen before.

Turning back to Steiner, once the teacher left, she smiled wide. "Definitely!" She winked back at him, wiggling her eyebrows. Her mind was still focused on the implication the teacher presented when he decided to butt in where he was quite obviously not needed. Was he doing it just to mock her? To show that they would always be watching her?

"Still want to try to make to the welcome thing?"

"Not really. It's just like any other new school." Steiner moved his hands forward a bit, adjusting an imaginary microphone then leaning on an imaginary pulpit. He deepened his voice, trying to add more of a British tone to his Welsh accent. "We, the faculty, vow to make sure you have a fun and educational school year since your parents and governments padded our checking account soooooooo nicely. In fact, I was able to buy a new Rolls Royce in cash just from your tuitions! Now please fail all your tests so you can come back next year, and don't hurt yourselves and try to sue us." Steiner's early life was filled with new school experiences, having moved around several times just to 'find a good fit', or so his mother reasoned.

Not that he minded, really. The military had moved his family many times, which gave him a chance to absorb new languages and cultures into his own, giving him the opportunity to shape his identity not just as a young Welshman, but as a traveled, experienced, well-rounded individual. It didn't matter that he chose instead to still be a bit of a rabble-rouser at times, and enjoyed not the classics from each country but their rock and indy bands. He'd rather fly under the radar and do his own thing rather than stand out as some first-rate poster student, which would surely be the fastest way to another school relocation. Once they learned what he could do....

"Wanna just wander around a while? I hear there's all kinds of interesting things here."

As hard as she tried, Terezi could not hold in her laughter. It was too accurate to not be funny. Having seen enough welcome speeches to last her a lifetime, up until the last part, he was mostly accurate. She had to admit, though, that all of her schools had been in America so the accent definitely made it more humorous. It took a moment or so for her to be able to regain her breath after laughing so hard, but when she did, she straightened out and shook her head. "You're funny, and scarily accurate."

Pulling her ponytail out, she wound the hair tie around her finger, and glanced down the hallway, almost to make sure the teacher had gone. "Want to explore one of the older buildings? I have a fondness for old, creepy places and I heard that it's rumored to be haunted." A big grin broke out on her face, as she shoved her hands in her pockets.

It felt good to laugh, and to hear someone else laugh. There was no lack of laughter at his home, but laughing with someone at a new school was always good for Steiner. Once that happened, he felt like the school year could really begin. Of course other kids had laughed near him, within ear-shot, but it was different when he was the one making someone do it. His grin equalled Terezi's at that moment, and for just a few seconds, the world didn't seem like a large scary place. He could handle it. He could handle the school. He could handle any bullies that came his way, and he felt like he had his first friend.

"Oh yes please! I heard it was in the science wing. All kind of freaky stuff happens there, I hear. Bottle flying off shelves and smashing against the walls. Let's see if we can wake the dead." Steiner's smile lingered as he started to walk down the hall with Terezi. She was a cute girl, with a good sense of humor and a great feel for combat. A quick flash of color filled his cheeks and ears when he thought he would like to get to know her more, and maybe she would want the same for him, but he quickly dispelled the notion, trying instead to enjoy it while it lasted. He usually moved schools before he could make any lasting friendships or relationships. No reason to believe otherwise until there was something to prove it.

"Hey, uhm... I wanted to say, you fight really well. You didn't even have to pull out your power to kick their asses. That's pretty impressive. Where'd you learn to fight like that?" Steiner wasn't just making small talk to pass the time. He was going to comment on her combat prowess as soon as the fight ended, but that train of thought had been derailed when the professor showed up. Though he hadn't met the man yet, Steiner could tell that he was going to be a hardass and would ride them the whole year. Without knowing who his instructors were going to be, he could only hope that he'd get lucky and make it through the first semester outside of his class.

'Don't be weird... it's just a question.'

Terezi shrugged nonchalantly. "I went to a few dojos when I was in primary school, joined a martial arts club here and there. Using my power... seems pointless if it's not needed. They were just trying to bully us, but I don't tolerate that. They needed to be shown who was stronger, even if I only used my bare hands." For some reason, despite hiding the fact that she was a Cripple, Terezi felt fired up. Maybe it was that teacher and the way he had looked at her, but either way, she wasn't going to let anyone think they were better than her just because she was powerless.

"You're power, though, was so cool. I didn't know people like that existed, but I think it's awesome. We make a great team." Her grin widened as they made their way to the old science building. Secretly, she hoped it was haunted. All things paranormal fascinated her, and she'd love to be able to see a real ghost. All the other paranormal occurrences she had invesitagted turned out to be Ordinarys just fucking with people. That had always pissed her off.

Stepping out into the crisp air, Steiner held the door open for the girl and walked next to her, as any friend would. For the time being there were no classes, no tests, no bullies, no professors, and no worries. It was time to get acquainted with someone, as well as their surroundings. The science building was not far, but it was detached from the primary set of buildings after an experiment caused an explosion large enough to set the building on fire. From that point on, it was decided to keep the science area separate from everything else to prevent the spread of potential disasters.

"I think you're right. We do make a great team. Certainly better than those jackasses from earlier. Those jokers were so disorganized I think a Cripple could've handled them easily enough." Steiner laughed at the thought, for he had never met a Cripple in person... that he knew about anyway. If he knew how accurate his statement actually was he may not have laughed at all. "Maybe sometime you can teach me a thing or two about fighting. I'm not bad, I could definitely learn a thing or two from you. How about it?"

The science building was just ahead. Steiner trotted up the few steps and tugged on the door, frowning to find it locked. "Well... I guess they intend to keep us out, don't they?"

Terezi forced a laugh at his Cripple comment, awkwardly brushing a strand of hair from her face. Without giving him a chance to notice how uncomfortable she had gotten, she nodded. "Of course I could teach you. It's been a long time since I've trained with anyone and I think it would be nice." She grinned almost evilly. "Don't cry if I push you too hard, though." She added playfully as they came up on the building.

Before she even went to the door, her gaze traveled upward taking the whole building in, letting it's image burn into her mind. She never forgot the places she'd explored for ghosys, and this one would be no different. Stepping up once that was done, she shifted on her feet. "Locked, hm? Challenge accepted." Lifting her foot, the Cripple slammed her leg into the handle of the door and with a loud crack, the door creaked open. Without a moments hesitation, she grabbed Steiner by the hand and pulled him after her.

"C'mon, before someone sees us!" She laughed.

Steiner could hardly believe what he had just watched. Terezi did not even bat an eye before busting the lock off the door. He was impressed by the precision and strength she possessed in a single kick and wondered if it had something to do with her power. It would have made sense, but he didnt have any time to debate it before his hand was grabbed and he was pulled inside.

"I'm coming i'm coming!" Though he was surprised and somewhat concerned, he followed her in and made sure the door shut behind them. Light filtered in through the door behind him and from under the doors of the classrooms on either side of the hall. Everything inside was old. The floors, the walls, the doors, all of it. Though there had been some updates to the electrical and plumbing systems, it almost looked like the original setup, though Steiner knew better.

Anticipation was steadily rising in Steiner's chest while excitement grew along with it. "So what do you like to do when you aren't beating the shit out of other Ordinaries?" A harmless enough question, but one that could potentially determine if they had anything in common. "Other than breaking and entering, i mean," he added with a playful chuckle.