When Basque slid the door open, the room went silent. Since he'd left the teachers' room early, his class wasn't seated in their chairs. A number of them congregated around Reianna, and they all fell silent when Basque walked in.

Their eyes followed him. Their usual smiles were replaced by scowls and glares. Even the happy-go-lucky Dmi had expressed her annoyance with him.

After none of them made a move towards their seats, Basque said, "Take your seats, please."

Still, none of them moved. Avae folded her arms and glowered at him.

"I understand that you all are upset."

"Now there's an understatement," Kyre said.

Basque's face clouded. They were dancing on the border between disappointment and disrespect, but before he could vocalize his anger, Reianna spoke up. "Sit down. Let's see what he has to say for himself."

The students gathered around her desk wandered back to their seats, but they all kept their glares leveled at Basque. No one spoke. No one fidgeted. They all sat straight and glared at him. The only noise was the sliding of chairs as the standing students sat.

Moving over to his lectern, Basque stood behind it, gripping the edges of the top. He kept his expression neutral as he looked at each of his students. "I'm proud and honored that you all thought so highly of me. That you felt so close to me. If you hadn't, none of you would be so disappointed as you are now."

They didn't flinch.

"It really is an honor. However, my job isn't to be liked by you. My job is to teach you. This is another lesson you must learn: those in command will not always make decisions you agree with."

Letting go of the lectern, he paced towards the door. "Sometimes, you do not have access to all the information that they have. What may look like a poorly thought-out or rash decision to you might be a key movement in a larger picture."

He turned and went back across the room. "You also will not always like the people you work with. Isn't that right, Kamryn?"

Kamryn still scowled at Avae every chance she got. "I—"

Basque held up his hand. "Being annoyed by people you have to fight with and being appalled by their actions are two separate things."

Kamryn closed her mouth.

"Yesterday, Krill killed Banca's entire family and came to kill her, too. However, she escaped. Things are so bad in Banca's life that the only person she could think of to turn to was Reianna."

He walked back behind the lectern. "Think about that. We all know what she did to Reianna, but when her life was on the line, she went to Reianna for help. Not because Reianna is a pushover, but because she has conviction."

Pointing at the ceiling, Basque shook his finger. "That…that is the greatest honor I have ever experienced as a teacher. To have a student who can put aside her hate and help someone in need…" He shook his head. "I've considered myself blessed to teach you all, but to have a student capable of doing that goes beyond the word 'honored'."

Reianna stared at him with her blank face, that face that was impossible for him to read. "Now, it comes to my decision. I know you are all wondering if I value you and Reianna so much, then why am I forcing Banca on you? It's because I also have the same convictions that Reianna does."

Turning to the board, Basque picked up a piece of chalk. "I'll go through my choices, and if any of you have any other ideas or options for me, I will gladly listen to them."

He wrote a one and 'Krill' next to it. "One. I could ignore the self-sacrifice that Reianna made to save her abuser and turn her over to Krill. As I just told you, that would have led to Banca's death. Had I done that, I would deserve the hate you all would have for me."

Next, he wrote a two and 'Sanya', then crossed through Sanya's name. "Two. I could respect what Reianna did and find a solution that doesn't involve Krill. I could send her out of the school. But to where? Everyone she knew or loved is dead. There is no option for her to do what Sanya did. She can't just go to another school; she doesn't have a supporter. She has no home to go back to. I saw it burning."

Below the two, he wrote a three and 'Class E' next to it. "Three. I can't give her to the authorities, because the authorities are the ones trying to kill her. I also can't send her home or away, because there is no home or away for her. That leaves us—incorporating her into this class. Now, is there an option that I'm missing?"

Xav raised his hand.

"Yes, Xav?"

"Why can't Banca be a maid? Is-Yesenia had to become a maid. Why didn't she get a chance to join us? Let Yez join us and make Banca the maid."

"Excellent question and suggestion, Xav."

Turning back to the board, Basque wrote a four and then 'maid'.

"This is one of those 'you didn't know' things that I was talking about earlier. In order to save Islae, Tyze had to report her dead. So, to the world, Islae is dead. Yesenia is not Islae. Yesenia can't join our class because she's not enrolled in the school. The only way I could save her was to have her become my maid."

Basque waved the piece of chalk. "We don't have that path for Banca. The world knows that Banca lives, and they are very interested in the outcome because of her father's rank. While I could sneak Yesenia in that way, with Banca, it would be impossible. She's too high profile. But she is still enrolled in the school, and it is possible to have her reassigned to Class E."

Crossing out 'maid', Basque drew another circle around 'Class E'.

Once more, he looked at his class. "Anyone else? I would love to hear any ideas."

Arion raised his hand.

"Yes, Arion?"

"Hikki in the A. Shell closed. No scrambling."

Basque looked at Kamron.

"He asked why she can't just stay in Class A and not mix things up."

"Ah." Basque wrote a five and 'Class A' on the board. "From my understanding, as long as she remains noble, she has the right to challenge Krill for the ranking or something like that. But if she gives up her nobility, she loses the right to challenge for it. If she's not noble, she can't stay in Class A, and as long as she's noble, Krill has to kill her."

Basque crossed it off. "Any other ideas?"

No one else raised their hand or said anything, but they needed to hear more. All he'd done was explain his choices.

"But, that's only looking at things from Banca's perspective. I can tell from the way you are looking at me that you feel that is the only way I have been looking at this. I promise you, it is not. Fawna."

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Fawna jerked in her seat, sitting up straighter. "Uhh? Yes, Gerenet-Shr?"

"Is Banca repentant?"

Fawna was silent, then said, "She did apologize for what she did."

Putting the chalk down, Basque brushed his hands off. "That is what is key in my decision. She's lost everything. She is showing that she regrets her actions. If she was the same girl who beat and abused members of this class without remorse…"

Basque shook his head. "I would never endanger you all. But she is showing remorse. She deserves a chance. Even if you think she is being manipulative, she still deserves the chance. Your skepticism is founded. It will help you keep a wary eye on her."

Walking around to the front of the lectern, Basque stood in front of it and folded his arms. "I will not tolerate her causing harm to any of you, be it physical or emotional. If she does something to any of you, if you see her do it to someone, someone not even in our class, like one of your friends from a different class, to a maid, even to Crystal, tell me immediately, and I will handle her."

He went silent for a second. "The inverse is also true. I will not tolerate any of you abusing her. Since the tournament, she has been abandoned and abused by her former friends. Just yesterday, she lost everything. Natt and I will work with her. I know many of you have also dealt with loss. If you think you can help her and are willing to do so, I would appreciate that."

Basque dropped his arms to his sides and walked behind the lectern again. "If you can't say anything nice to her, I ask that you say nothing to her. Now, are there any questions?"

No one raised their hands. While their expressions had somewhat softened, they were far from warm, or even neutral.

Gripping the lectern, Basque leaned forward. "She is giving up her nobility. Banca will become a commoner. With no one to take care of her, she'll be homeless. In other words sent to the camps outside the wall. Xav, would you be okay with that?"

"No, Gerenet-Shr."

"You all saw how talented she was in the tournament. With her in our class, she can help us grow. So, I ask you, please give her a chance."

He looked at his class, who were all silent in contemplation. "Is there anyone in here who absolutely refuses to give her a chance?"

They looked at their desks.

"Thank you all. Just as I started this lesson saying I was honored to have a student like Reianna, I consider myself even more honored to have a class filled with students of conviction."

This time, when he looked at them, his heart swelled. They were going to give Banca a chance. Now it was up to her and him to make sure that that chance wasn't wasted.

"Now, since we're getting a new class member, we'll have twenty-five students, rather than twenty-four. I could just ask for a pod to take Banca in with them, but I would prefer you all to be equal and have the same number of members in your pods."

At last, something resembling normality returned to the class as the students looked around at each other with sparkling eyes. Kamryn especially sat up straight at the announcement of new pods.

"Before we get into the details of who and how we will make the pods, I want to ask if there is anyone who would volunteer to be in a pod with Banca."

As he feared, no hands went up. While his eyes scanned for a hand to go up, he made sure not to linger too long on any one student, so they wouldn't feel pressured to volunteer.

Finally, a hand went up, and Basque almost sagged with relief when he saw it was the person he'd hoped for. "Thank you, Cayelyn."

The azure-haired girl lowered her hand. "Well, I figure out of everyone here, I would know how to handle her best since I grew up in a noble household." She looked across the classroom. "Jame, you know nobles. Will you help me?"

The daffodil-haired boy jerked his head towards her, then sighed. "Fine. I'll help you take care of the little duchess."

"Thank you, Jame. That's three. We need two more people."

Kolt raised his hand. "I guess I don't mind, and someone needs to protect Banca from Jame."

"Hey!" Jame yelled. "I would never hurt her."

"Physically."

"Hate the game, not the player!"

Kolt rolled his eyes.

With her eyes locked on Kolt, Kamryn blushed as she raised her hand. "I'll join, too. Banca can't be any worse than some people in my group."

"I love you, too, ya Yani!" Avae said.

Kamryn stuck her tongue out at her former pod member.

"Thank you, all. Now, as for the rest of you, you must have at least one member of the opposite sex in your group."

Dmi raised her hand.

"Yes, Dmi?"

She glanced at Reianna sitting next to her. "Can we be in the same group as current members?"

"Good question, Dmi. While I know you all work well together, I want you all to get used to working closely with different people, so no."

Dmi's face fell. "Aww, why did I ask!"

"Alright," Basque said and clapped his hands. "I'll give you all ten minutes to make new groups. Begin."

The students hesitated until Cayelyn said, "My pod, gather on me so we're out of the way." Once Jame, Kamryn, and Kolt moved, the others stood and walked around the room.

About seven students gathered around Reianna. Her blank face broke, and she looked troubled. Taraia latched herself onto Reianna's arm, and over the light din, she kept repeating, "Don't care who else, but Rei is mine."

"And it would be easiest to keep Rei and me away from Banca if we're in the same pod," Fawna said.

"She, uhh, needs boys in her group, and umm, Xav and I were here first," Malcalm said.

"Of course you were," Thoms said, but he and Jardan walked away anyway.

"Hey, you two, just come join us," Braelyne said. Macey and Avae flanked her. "We'll have five that way."

"Whatever," Thoms said, but he and Jardan went and joined them.

"Arion oversit street lookers, unsolid branch?" Dmi asked.

Kamron shook his head. "Dmi, he should probably actually be in a group of people who don't understand street. It'd help him get better at noble."

"But Cayelyn and Fawna are already podded."

"Arion?" Kamron asked.

The lime green-haired boy shrugged. "Two more?"

"We'll join," Emilisa said, pulling in Medow.

Almost without being noticed by the rest of the class, Saevi, Jan, Miya, Ryleegh, and Kyre had already grouped and were playing a game while they waited.

"Excellent!" Basque said. "These look like good groups. Now decide who your leader will be."

"Reianna!" Reianna's group said in unison.

She shook her head.

"Rei, knock it off. Just do it," Fawna told her. "Stop it with the humble act."

"Fine!"

"Cayelyn is our only choice," Jame said. The others nodded their heads.

"Dmi, wanna be ours?" Kamron asked.

"Yani no! I was leader last time. You be it!"

"Three bottom rungs," Arion said. "Kamron top shelf."

Kamron sighed. "Okay. I'll be the leader."

"Saevi's ours!" Miya yelled out. "We're the pretty people party, and as the prettiest, Saevi's ours!"

The platinum-haired girl just smiled her pretty smile.

Basque turned his attention to the last group.

"I guess I'm ours," Braelyne said.

"Okay. These will be our groups through the end of the year. Next year, we'll probably redo them again, but I'll make those groups. Now, let's rearrange the room. Pod leaders in the middle, two on each side."

As the students rearranged, the tension that had been in Basque's chest since Tyze had told him Banca was in Reianna's room finally eased.

Though the atmosphere was considerably lighter than before, it didn't mean his class had forgiven him. It would take time. They would need to learn that they could trust Banca, and Basque believed in his heart that they could.

The rest would be up to Banca. She had to prove herself. Despite the certainty in his heart, Basque still wanted to see it from her. He needed to see her change and grow.

But that didn't mean he was worried. By adopting her, Natt was all but saying she considered it a done deal, that the young girl would become a positive force in the world. He truly hoped it was so. Natt had had enough heartbreak in her life.

Finished rearranging, Basque's students sat in their seats, waiting for his next command.

"Okay, everyone. These are your new groups. During reassignments on hunting missions, people can sometimes get confused and wander over to their former groups. Make a note of your new group in your interface if you need to. Two extra laps in the morning for anyone who mixes it up. Honor system."

"Yes, Gerenet-Shr!" they said as one.

Though the class wasn't like it was before, outright rebellion had been avoided. Basque looked at Reianna. She didn't smile, but her face wasn't hard either. It wasn't forgiveness, but it was a start.

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