The newly formed group of Power Squirrels met at a small café not far from their campus. Hana advised everybody to wear their uniforms out, so they would have a matching appearance. It was a pleasant warm day to sit outside and Hana ordered the biggest ice cream bowl on the menu.

Hana: "It's so rad, that you and Ryo got in the same shared room! How were even the chances of being with your best friend?"

Toki: "Best friends, you say …" He gave a sarcastic glance to Ryota. "But yeah, it's really funny. Let's see when we will start quarrelling." He laughed.

Ryota: "Toki-chan, you know exactly, I don't beat up girls!" Everyone laughed, Toki screwed up his face.

Toki: "If you're not careful, I'll create an illusion, so that everybody sees you as a girl forever!"

Ryota: "Haha, learn mastering this first, little kid."

Hana: "Boooooys, chill down! We're not here to fight, but to get to know each other better. Well, at least Sayu-chan and Hiroshi as well as us in return! So try saying something useful for once!" She stuck out her tongue.

Sayuri: //I hope they have lots to tell, since I don't wanna say something about me … aaaah//

Ryota: "Okay, okay. Hiro actually knows the basics about us already, but you're right, Sayuri doesn't know anything about me …" He looked at her. "My clan is well-known for two certain things. First is to be flexible like gum, second, for what my tang is. This may sound cocky, but I'm bloody strong and fast. In kinda every sense. That's … pretty awesome." He grinned.

Toki: "Well … if being fast is really awesome in every sense …" He tried not to laugh at his own joke.

Hiroshi: "It is 1:1 now, I'd say."

Hana: "Toki!!"

Ryota: "Oh, really? Can't we have a serious conversation here?!"

Toki: "Sorry, but the reference was yours." He just laughed. 

Sayuri smiled. You could easily see that those three had known each other for a long time already. It might not apply to Hiroshi, but his calm personality seemed strangely fitting in anyway. 

Would she ever fit in as well? It was nice, getting to know some new people, but they all were from a different world. Better said, she herself was from the different world. Just science, no fiction. Even if she had a tang, who knew if she ever would learn to use it? Did she even want this? At least, she could try to.

Sayuri: "So, how strong and fast are you, Ryota? What could it be compared to?" //It's hardly imaginable. I mean, of course, he has an athletic statue, but he's not a hulk?//

Ryota: "I'm fast like a hare, so round about 70km/h. My strength, well, that depends on my mood, haha. But it's not just my muscles, also my nerves and synapses." 

Sayuri: "Wow, that really sounds awesome!" She tried to imagine this.

Hana: "Oh yes, he is our superbrain, great hero and king of self marketing!"

Toki: "The cute little bunny hops fast."

Ryota: "Oh Toki, shut up already."

Suddenly Ryota had a fist in his hand, not far from his cheek. Hiroshi, sitting next to him, just made a punch and just before anyone else even noticed, Ryota already blocked it.

Hana: "Hiroshi?!"

Hiroshi: "I just wanted to try what he just said." He laughed and freed his fist.

Ryota: "As I just said. Not just my legs are fast. Same goes for reaction." He smiled satisfied. "But enough from me now. What about you and your clan, Sayuri?"

Oh no. What should she just say?

Sayuri: "Uhm, well, … theoretically speaking, I can control ghosts or something? My family is known for … nothing? I really don't know …" //AH, this is so embarrassing!//

Ryota: "A secret necromancer clan? Sounds cool! I was always wondering where they're hiding."

Sayuri: "N- no, you got this wrong, I–"

???: "Well, well, who do we have here?!" An unknown male voice interrupted Sayuri.

???: "If that's not Sato! And in a Northwind uniform, look at that, hahahaha." Another male voice.

???: "He even has girls with him." 

The third unknown person spoke and everyone turned around to them. Three guys around their age were standing in front of them and seemingly knew Hiroshi. There was a tall one with a long blonde ponytail, a smaller one with blue-green-dyed tousled hair covering half over his face and a bald guy looking really beefy. All of them wore casual clothing. Hiroshi didn't have a pleasant look on his face when he saw them.

Hiroshi: "Oh, hey … I didn't expect to meet you here …"

Guy 1: "Why not? Do you only have eyes for your new elitist friends now?"

Guy 2: "You could have stayed in touch with us over the past month, you know?!"

Guy 3: "Don't ya want to introduce us?"

Hiroshi: "Uhm, yeah, of course, … so …" His cool attitude changed immediately. Hiroshi seemed totally different from before. "They're … old friends. Kazuo, Yoshitora and Mitsukuni." He first pointed to tousled hair, then to the blonde one and lastly to the bald guy. "Kazu, Yoshi, Mitsu, … those are my new schoolmates Hana, Sayuri, Ryota and Toki."

Hana: "Oh, perfect! Won't you take a seat? What school are you attending? You surely have a lot to tell about Hiro, don't you? We're just about getting to know each other!" She smiled friendly and curious towards them.

Mitsukuni: "Nah, Sweety, we're just going to borrow our good ol' pal, ya'know? I don't think we're the right ones to introduce him." He had a nasty grin on his face.

Kazuo: "And actually, we're no old friends. We're pretty relevant." His smile was kinda scary.

Hiroshi: "Does it have to be now out of all times? I can call you later, okay?"

Yoshitora: "Yes, it has to be now!"

Hiroshi sighed, apologized to his schoolmates and stood up. He assured it won't be long and went with his other friends down the street. It seemed like an urgent issue.

Hiroshi: "Hey guys, it's really nice meeting again, but … really? What do you want?"

Yoshitora: "So much sarcasm in your voice? Not so nice! Actually, we had nothing special in mind. We were just strolling around and saw you. We just couldn't believe it!"

Kazuo: "Exactly! You just vanished without a word after all. We never would have thought, you're attending that stupid elite school!!

Hiroshi: "Sorry guys, but you should have known this all along. It's a chance I won't miss!"

Mitsukuni: "We thought that we – your true friends – could change your mind. Just because your clan has always been there, you don't need to!"

Kazuo: "Yeah, but don't worry, Bro! We already have some nice plans. Now that we've found you again, everything will be even better!"

Yoshitora: "Instead of complaining, we're taking this opportunity to mess with the Northwind."

Hiroshi: "Are you kidding me?"

Yoshitora: "Just think about it. You're the only one of us who can get anywhere. We could do so many things …"

Kazuo: "And be it just to mess with all those stiffs! Just think about the good old times! We had so much fun together."

Mitsukuni: "Ya know, we're strong and the kiddos fear us. Together we can run the show! Fuck the elite! After all your dad was–"

Hiroshi: "Keep my old man out of it, okay?!" //Back then … fun … power … I liked it, but now?// "I don't do this kind of thing anymore. Just let it be!" 

Mitsukuni: "Hiro, Hiro … I'm quite disappointed." He directly approached him. "Are we no longer friends? You shouldn't make us your enemies!"

Hiroshi: "Well, so what! Everything changed … just leave already." He pushed Mitsukuni away.

Mitsukuni: "Dude! I don't believe it. We should bring you to your senses again! I'm sure, if you taste blood again – in the truest sense of the word – your opinion will be different." He raised his fists …