The Exchange Teacher - Welcome to Dyntril Academy

The gods, the interface, or Yani-lord, someone somewhere was blessing Reianna. If she'd been pulled into a room and asked for her dream bracket, the school had given her exactly that. The only person missing from it was that trash Haeleigh. Maybe she would have swapped Lavrence for Haeleigh, but Lavrence was on her list, too.

When Reianna stepped out into the arena, she couldn't hear the boos of the crowd. All she saw was one of her tormentors, one of Banca's sycophants. Sanya stood across from her, mocking Reianna by pantomiming a dog.

Gerenet-Shr was going to be angry, but that was something Reianna couldn't avoid. She needed to teach them not to mess with her. She wanted them to feel what she felt, to experience her pain.

The match against Sanya started, and the ruddy-brown Yani-trash charged at her, wielding two knives. The girl was so slow, almost agonizingly so. Reianna felt like she had an hour to watch Sanya swing at her head.

Smiling, Reianna grabbed her opponent's wrist. She slid her hand down until it hit the base of the dagger's hilt, and then, with a little twist, Reianna transferred the blade into her own hand.

How will the little Yani feel when this hits her shield? Reianna's smile widened. She extended her hand to stab Sanya's shield, but the blade stuck in something; her hand came back empty.

Surprised, Reianna looked at her empty hand. Weren't they shielded? What was going on?

Behind her, Sanya lay on the ground, wailing in pain with the knife lodged in her. The wound was light at worst, yet the girl wailed as if Reianna had mortally wounded her. Reianna glared at her in disgust. If she'd cried out like that, Sanya and Banca would have beaten her harder.

Nurses rushed out to the arena to tend to Sanya. Ignoring the commotion, Reianna searched for Gerenet-Shr to see what sort of face he was wearing. Disappointment? Anger?

Her head slightly jerked when she saw his look of relief. Why would he be so relieved? Did he know something about why the dagger stabbed Sanya? Glad that he didn't look like he was mad at her, Reianna stuck a hand in front of her face and ducked her head in a gesture of apology.

She didn't really know what was going on and why the shield failed, but the announcer proclaimed her victory. Not knowing what else to do, she walked back to the waiting room. Miss Cormick was waiting for her. The usually unflappable teacher was biting her thumb.

When Reianna got close enough, the lily-white-haired teacher grabbed her and gave her a big hug. "Reianna! I'm so glad you're okay."

Reianna reached one arm up and patted Miss Cormick on her back. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"They swapped the rounds without telling us. For your and Avae's rounds, the unshielded portion came first."

Reianna's breath caught. "What?! Is that why? What about Avae? Is she okay?"

Miss Cormick shook her head. "I don't know, they wouldn't tell me. According to Miss Emmah, she broke her arm."

Wide-eyed, Reianna looked down. That's why Gerenet-Shr looked relieved. Sanya's attack! The swing and the knife were aimed at her head. If Reianna had stuck to Gerenet-Shr's plan and let Sanya get in the first attack…she would have died. She shivered, and her knees went weak.

Putting her hand on Reianna's back, Miss Cormick led her into the waiting room. Ryleegh and Xav were sitting in a corner on the floor. The noble children from the other classes monopolized the seats. Banca and Jaezmina took the best seats while Lavrence and the boys from Class B catered to them.

When she caught sight of Reianna, Banca's eyes went wide. "What? Why are you walking back in here, Razzle? Where's Sanya?"

"In the bloody heap where I left her, I guess."

Banca shot to her feet. "What?! What are you talking about? There's no way Sanya would lose to something like you."

Reianna didn't respond. She just walked past and went to the corner where her classmates sat. She was done. No longer would she heel to them. Like Sanya, they would all understand that soon.

"Miss Banca," Miss Cormick said. "Why are you not in the on-deck room? They will be calling you now!"

Banca looked at Miss Cormick. "Fine, Miss Cyclopse—Miss Cormick, I mean." Banca smirked. "Oh, Mister Lavrence."

"Yes, Miss Banca?"

"You fight it next, don't you?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Kill it."

"Miss Banca!" Miss Cormick said again. "Now!"

The lilac girl didn't move until Lavrence said, "My pleasure, ma'am. I'll kill it just like those cats Pa had me train on back home." He grinned.

"And find out what happened to Sanya."

Banca left the room.

Ignoring the nobles, Reianna joined Xav and Ryleegh on the floor. As if that brute could match my speed.

As Reianna sat down, Ryleegh grabbed her hand. "Rei! We're so happy you're fine! Miss Cormick told us that they switched the round order without telling us!"

Reianna nodded. Her near-death encounter was still on her mind. Through the abuse, she knew they would hurt her, but she'd never feared for her life. "Yeah, they didn't tell us, either. I wound up stabbing that Yani."

"What?" Ryleegh said. Xav looked surprised as well. "How…why would you stab her? Stabbed her with what? What about what Gerenet-Shr told us to do?"

"Braxton! Kian!" Miss Cormick called. "On-deck room!"

"Yes, ma'am," they replied and left.

Reianna shook her head. "I'm…I'm not doing what he told us to do. I'm going to get back at them. All of them." Reianna glared at the Class A students who were lounging on the sofa.

Her classmates looked at her with their mouths slightly open and bright eyes. "You're so cool," Ryleegh whispered. Xav nodded in agreement.

"No." Reianna shook her head. I'm horrible. I'm betraying Gerenet-Shr.

"How did you stab her, though?" Xav asked again.

"Oh, I stole one of her daggers and stabbed her, but I thought we were shielded…"

"Yani-shit!" Lavrence said. "There's no way you could have stolen Miss Sanya's weapons."

Reianna looked over her shoulder. "I just stole one of them. Like Banca said, you and I fight next. You can find out then."

"Like a puny thing like you could even lift my axe."

Turning back to her classmates, Reianna asked, "Did you guys ask Miss Emmah about Avae?"

"Hey!" Lavrence yelled. "You gray-haired rat! I'm talking to you!"

"Mister Lavrence," Miss Cormick said. "Sit down. There is no fighting in the waiting room."

Ryleegh and Xav watched what was going on over Reianna's shoulder, but her gaze never left the two of them. Xav answered, "We didn't. I wasn't sure if she would answer."

Nodding, Reianna got up and walked over to Emmah. The butterscotch-haired girl was with the Class C and D kids. They sat in wooden chairs, but there weren't enough, and one of the boys stood. "Miss Emmah?"

The group of C and D students watched her come over. "Miss Reianna. Congratulations on your victory."

"What did you do to Avae?"

Emmah glanced at one of the girls with her, then over at the Class A and B kids. The entire room was focused on Reianna and Emmah's conversation. The Class C girl swallowed. "I broke her arm, that's it. She dodged everything else."

"You continued to attack her even though she had a broken arm?"

"Yes?"

"Why?"

"Why wouldn't I? The match hadn't been called."

"Did you not care that she was injured?"

"Would she have cared if our positions had been switched?"

Reianna clenched her fists. "She would have."

Emmah looked at Reianna's feet and didn't say anything.

The silence dragged out as Reianna calmed herself. There was no hostility coming from Emmah. Her aura was completely neutral with flickers of gold. She wasn't malicious—she was just a girl living in how the world was.

No, only how their world was. Gerenet-Shr's world wasn't like that. He wasn't helping them because he was obligated to. He chose to help Class E. That was the type of world Reianna dreamed of.

"Umm…" Reianna said, then glanced over at where Jaezmina sat. Emmah gave the silver-haired girl a curious look.

Reianna had recorded her tormentors and reviewed their movements hundreds of times, looking for any sort of weak spot. Keeping her voice at just a whisper, she leaned in towards Emmah and said, "Be careful against Jaezmina. Keep to her left. She's weaker on that side."

Emmah's eyes shot up to Reianna's eyes. "Thanks?"

Reianna nodded and went back to her friends. They weren't allowed to watch the matches, even in the on-deck room. Because, apparently, "when fighting Yani, their attacks are unknown until the battle begins." The waiting room was created for that. The on-deck room was made so that fighters could focus their concentration before the match began.

The only time the sound from outside penetrated the walls of the waiting room was when the fighters returned from their battle. When Miss Cormick opened the door to welcome the students back, the cheers and roar would waft into the room. Just like it did now to announce Banca's return. She was alone, which meant Eoghwin required significant medical attention.

"Welcome back, Miss Banca!" the room greeted her.

"I tell you, if that boy hadn't gone up against an elevator first, he never would have made it through the first round. So weak."

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"Miss Banca."

"Yes, Mister Lavrence?"

"Your pet claims she stole one of Miss Sanya's daggers and stabbed her with it."

"Preposterous!"

"Miss Jaezmina! Miss Emmah! On-deck room!"

Reianna looked at the butterscotch girl. "Left side!"

Emmah looked at Reianna, but didn't say anything. She just left with Miss Cormick.

"Now, Razzle, come tell your master how Miss Sanya hurt herself so we can mock her later."

"Banca," Reianna said, emphasising the lack of a title, "you better beat Kian. I want you in the finals."

"Ha!" Lavrence laughed. "You won't live to make it there."

Banca's aura swelled. Black tendrils shot out from her. "Mister Lavrence."

"Yes, Miss Banca?"

"New plan, I want to kill it."

"You're telling me to throw my match with my sire in attendance? I'm still the son of a Marquess."

Banca put her hands on her hips. "The eleventh."

Lavrence shrugged and stretched his arms out. "All the more reason I can't throw."

"If you kill Razzle, your family and mine will never hunt together again. And I'll make sure that your father knows why."

Lavrence looked down. "I'll do my best to keep her alive for you to kill later."

"Hmph," Banca said and sat down on the sofa. The lilac girl could no longer see Lavrence's face, so she couldn't see Lavrence mouth, "You're dead," to Reianna.

Adrenaline rushed through Reianna. She was sad that the tournament was stretched out over two days. She wanted to crush both of them today.

The cheer of the crowd leaked into the room, and everyone turned to see who returned. The royal-blue-haired boy from Class A, Kian, strutted in. He pointed at Lavrence and smiled.

"My boy!" Lavrence said, and they chest bumped each other.

Behind Kian, Braxton limped in, blood ran down his left arm. Keeping his hand on the open wound, Braxton limped over to the Class C and D seats. One of the other boys moved so he could sit.

In the meantime, Kian flopped down onto the sofa next to Banca. He stretched his arm out, resting it on the top of the sofa so that it went around the lilac girl, but didn't make physical contact with her.

"Mister Kian," Banca said and glowered at the hand that dangled on the other side of her from where he sat. He slowly pulled his hand back. Once it was no longer near her, Banca continued, "You let your opponent return instead of sending him to the nurse tent?"

"A win is a win. I'm not aiming to kill off easy competition."

"Magnanimous, aren't you?" Banca said. She glared at him until he scooted over on the couch, giving her more space.

"Mister Lavrence! Miss Reianna! On-deck!" Miss Cormick called out.

Ryleegh reached out and squeezed Reianna's hand. Xav smiled and said, "Good luck."

Reianna nodded to them and went to Miss Cormick. "Are the rounds switched back?"

Miss Cormick shook her head. "I don't know. They've not said. The last two were switched back to normal according to the students, but don't take anything for granted."

Reianna nodded and went into the on-deck room. The room was dark for "sensory deprivation." Yani liked to fight in the dark, so it was to get the students prepared for going from the blackness to a well-lit space, a common fighting tactic against Yani.

Though there was a cushioned chair in the middle of the room, Reianna didn't sit. She stood next to it, taking deep breaths and doing some light yoda. Lavrence was large. Lavrence was strong. Lavrence could crush her if he caught her.

A month ago, when he attacked and beat Malcalm, he'd been a giant. He'd grown since then. However, his movements were slow and lumbering. She knew he wouldn't be able to hit her, but she had to do to him what he'd done to Malcalm. She needed to lull him into thinking she was weaker than she was.

She also needed to test to see if the rounds were switched back or not. Reianna only wanted to hurt him in the way that Malcalm had been hurt. If he was expecting her full strength at the beginning of the unshielded round, she wouldn't be able to do it. But if he was expecting something weaker, then she had a chance.

"EXIT!" the announcer's voice boomed into her room.

Reianna obeyed and walked through the dark shield that prevented her from seeing out. Lavrence wasn't waiting for her; she'd been called out first. Like before, the crowd booed her with passion, but she ignored it.

The announcer introduced Lavrence, and the spectators roared to life. The sound was deafening, but again, Reianna didn't hear them. She was too busy staring down the mountain-esque boy who was strutting towards her.

He grinned like a moron and pulled out an axe that looked like it weighed as much as Reianna did. "You still think you can steal this from me?"

Does he think he can actually hit me with that?

"Begin!" the announcer called.

Reianna didn't wait. If this was the unshielded round, she didn't have time to stand around and test things out. To make sure she made him feel what Malcalm felt, she needed all ten seconds.

Bragging about stealing Sanya's knife had given him enough of a hint, and Lavrence wasn't caught off guard by her speed. She saw him swing his axe not at where she was, but where she would be. He was aiming to cut her head off.

Lavrence guessed how fast she moved, but he didn't know how fast she could react and stop. She pulled up short. The axe swished in front of her face. His momentum carried him around, showing her his back. Idiot.

Utilizing the skills she'd stolen from Master Harnel, Reianna pounded into him. Her light, quick strikes battered his head, but the boy didn't react. Around each impact, there was a faint bluish glow—they were shielded.

Her opponent recovered and instead of bringing the axe around again, he thrust the end of the shaft, like it was a staff, towards her stomach. She laughed at how slow it was, and his eyes flared. She spun around and pecked at the back of his head again.

Dancing and spinning around him, Reianna toyed with him and chipped away at his health little by little. The spectators oohed when he struck, and in the time it took them to say, "Hey!" she pelted him with ten quick punches.

Then, one round, her last punch flashed red. Lavrence grunted and fell to a knee. He was "dead," and the shielded round was over.

The colosseum's speakers came to life. "Unexpected. Round two in three seconds." Then there was silence. Reianna didn't know if it was because the crowd was actually silent or if it was because she was so ready to go.

"Three!"

Lavrence had worn himself out and hadn't even gotten close to hitting her. He couldn't even stand.

"Two!"

Reianna bounced on her feet. She wondered why the lady couldn't count any faster.

"One!"

This is it! This is for you, Malcalm!

"Start!" the announcer called.

Adrenaline shot through her again, and she shot herself at one of the Class E tormentors. She'd set him up. He thought he knew her speed. He thought he knew her strength. He knew nothing.

Do it! she mentally cried at the slug. Then he did it. She smiled as his axe came in right at her torso. As strong as he was, he no longer had the stamina to go for her neck, just the fat of her body.

In a move she stole from Miss Cormick, Reianna flipped forward. This time, she was timing his movements. She landed on the flat of his axe. With her additional weight, he stumbled forward. Pushing down with all her might, she knocked the weapon out of his hand, pulled him forward even more, and propelled herself towards him.

Using a move she'd stolen from Avae, Reianna slammed her knee into his face. She flinched as his thick head hurt her knee, but she played back Nurse Tyze's medication, dulling it to a throb.

Lavrence went down like a sack of stale bread. Reianna twisted mid-air so that she landed facing the fallen boy. The instant her feet hit the ground, she jumped back. Landing next to him, she grabbed his fiery-orange hair, whispered, "Welcome to Dyntril," in his ear, then slammed his head down on the concrete surface of the arena.

That's enough. She hopped off the unconscious boy so that the medical staff could get to him. Malcalm hadn't died. She didn't want Lavrence to die. The blood was coming out fast, and something in her felt off. She couldn't look at Lavrence anymore, but it wasn't from the blood.

Keeping her head down, she tried to override that hollow feeling flooding her chest. She thought her taunt would be cool. She thought she'd feel euphoria at striking back, but she couldn't place a word on the gnawing in her stomach and the heat flushing her cheeks. It wasn't joy.

The waiting room fell silent when Miss Cormick escorted Reianna back into the waiting room alone.

Ryleegh and Xav wore small smiles. Banca and Jaezmina sat on the couch, their mouths hung open. In the corner, the Class C and D kids just stared, including Emmah, who stared with one eye as her left eye was black and swollen shut. She sat with her right leg stretched out.

Banca swallowed before saying, "Where's Lavrence?"

"Nurse tent? Still bleeding out in the arena? I didn't look."

Banca jumped out of her seat and rushed Reianna.

"Razzle! You Yani—"

Miss Cormick grabbed Banca and pinned her to the ground. "No fighting in the waiting room!"

Banca struggled beneath the teacher. "Get your hands off me, you fallen Yani trash!"

"No. Fighting."

"I understand, you one-eyed tramp!"

Miss Cormick stood up, letting go of Banca. Banca jumped to her feet and straightened her uniform. "Explain, Razzle."

Reianna didn't even look in Banca's direction. "Miss Cormick, may we leave now?"

"Master Gerenet needs to come get you."

"Razzle! Do you think you can ignore me?"

At last, Reianna turned to Banca. "Two days, Banca. In two days, I will make you feel everything I felt."

"Jaezmina will kill you first."

"Reianna! Xav! Ryleegh!" Gerenet-Shr's voice boomed from the outside.

Miss Cormick placed her hand on the small of Reianna's back. "If you'll excuse us, Miss Banca, her teacher is here.

"Don't think we're done, Razzle!"

Miss Cormick led Reianna to the door where Ryleegh and Xav waited.

Emmah limped over to Reianna and grabbed Reianna's sleeve. "Thank you."

Reianna nodded, and Emmah went back to her group.

Miss Cormick put her hands on Reianna and Ryleegh's shoulders. "You all did a great job today. Miss Reianna…, I'll see you tomorrow." She opened the door, and Gerenet-Shr stood there waiting for them.

Gerenet-Shr looked at Miss Cormick. Butterflies danced in Reianna's chest. He was angry at Miss Cormick. Guilt ate at Reianna. What if she had messed up their relationship?

Her teacher shifted his gaze to them. "Come on, you three. Everyone is waiting for us back at the dorms."

Turning and heading off at a casual trot, Gerenet-Shr didn't say anything. Reianna and her two classmates followed after him in silence as well. As they ran through the colosseum's corridors, they got more and more crowded.

"Oh! Hey! It's that common girl!" people called out as they ran by. Reianna shielded her face with her hand.

Gerenet-Shr picked up the pace and soon, they were out of the colosseum and running through a small field back to the main academy building. Reianna wanted to ask about Avae, but she also didn't want to call attention to herself. She knew her teacher was disappointed in her. He was the last person she wanted to disappoint, but it couldn't be helped.

She was at fault for keeping her abuse hidden from him, but she was too scared of what he would do if he knew. She'd only known him a month, but his presence was already the center of her universe, and she would be lost if he vanished from it.

But, talking now or not, she knew she wouldn't be able to avoid getting a lecture from him. "Gerenet-Shr, is Avae okay?"

"Yes, Nurse Tyze is treating her. Reianna, bathe, then come to my room."

"Understood, Gerenet-Shr." The butterflies came back. There it is. She knew it was coming and had an idea of what he would say, but she wanted to hear it. It meant that he cared.

Growing up, it wasn't that her parents didn't care; it was just that their situation didn't give them the luxury to focus on her like Gerenet-Shr focused on her class and her. A month ago, if someone had asked her what it felt like to be loved, her answer would have been completely different then what it would be now.

That's why she was torn. She wanted to do what he said, but at the same time, she knew that stomping down on her bullies would give her freedom. She'd grown up learning that. It was one of the laws of a fallen barony.

They entered the dorm hall, and Reianna wasn't prepared for the greeting she received. All of her classmates stood in the hall, and when she entered, they all cheered her name.

Maecy ran to her and hugged her. The dark-blue-haired girl whispered in Reianna's ear, "Thank you, Reianna. I've been dreaming of the day to see that happen to that Yani bastard."

Reianna stood there with her arms straight for a second, then returned the hug. "I'm sorry I didn't let you do it."

The dark-blue-haired girl backed up, her eyes were moist. "Sorry about the hug. I did it since Malcalm couldn't." Her brother was standing nearby. His face was red.

Not knowing how to handle the adoration, Reianna thanked everyone, then ducked into her room.

"Reianna…"

Fawna was sitting in the audience room. Reianna walked over to her and sat down next to her on the sofa. Fawna lay her head on Reianna's shoulder. "Thank you, Rei. I'm so sorry I did this to us."

Reianna wrapped her arm around Fawna. "It wasn't you. You didn't do anything wrong. And I'll make sure they never bother us again."

Fanwa was silent for several seconds. She just stayed in Reianna's embrace. Then, she muttered, "You were so cool."

Reianna blushed.

"You also stink."

Reianna laughed and pulled away. "Yeah, I do need a bath."

"Natya was just in here getting it ready."

"Thanks." Reianna got up and went into the bath. As she soaked in the water, she shivered as her nerves came crashing down on her. She could have died. Those Yani-lovers switched things out because the "elevators" were doing too well. She was only alive because she'd decided to do her own thing, and the realization was hitting her hard.

Not only that, once she got out of the bath, she had to go get scolded by the man she respected most for doing just that. She didn't want to get out of the bath. She wanted to soak forever. But, she couldn't. She got out, dried off, and got dressed. It was time for her to go face the music.