"Okay... class dismissed."
Instructor Moses's voice cut through the training hall, and thirty students collectively exhaled. Some stretched. Some grabbed their bags. Some just collapsed onto the floor like they'd never move again.
Nash fell into the last category.
"Well. I enjoyed that class."
Cyro's voice was slightly amused — the ancient equivalent of leaning back with popcorn. Nash's lips twitched despite himself.
"You enjoy every class."
"Not true. Power Theory was torture."
"You fell asleep."
"I meditated."
"You snored."
"Ancient beings don't snore."
Nash pushed himself off the floor. His ribs ached. His shoulder throbbed. His everything else just felt tired. "Whatever you say."
"Where to now?"
"Lunch break."
"Ah. Fuel."
"Food."
"Same thing."
"Not even close."
Nash grabbed his bag and headed for the door. Students parted around him like water around a stone — not rudely, just... naturally. New kid. Unknown. Better to give space.
He preferred it that way.
---
The hallways were chaos.
Lunch break meant everyone was moving — first-years, second-years, upperclassmen with that annoying confidence that came from surviving longer. Nash weaved through them on autopilot, not really paying attention, just following the flow toward the cafeteria.
"You should eat something substantial."
"I know."
"Protein. You'll need it for afternoon classes."
"I know."
"And vegetables. You never eat vegetables."
"Cyro."
"Yes?"
"Shut up."
"Rude."
Nash almost smiled. Almost.
---
"Hmm."
Nash kept walking.
"Nash."
"What?"
"Someone's coming."
Nash looked up.
A boy was walking toward him — no, walking wasn't the right word. Loping. Long legs, easy stride, the kind of casual confidence that came from being comfortable in your own skin. He was tall. Really tall. Like, basketball-player tall. Like, looking-down-at-most-people tall.
And he was heading straight for Nash.
"Hmm." Nash stopped. Confusion flickered across his face.
The boy stopped too. Grinned. Extended a hand.
"Hey. Name's Wisdom. We stay in the same dorm."
Nash blinked. Processed. Took the hand.
"Oh." The shake was firm. Friendly. "Nash."
Wisdom's grin widened. "Yeah, I know. You're the transfer kid. Everyone's talking about you."
Nash's expression didn't change. "Are they."
"Nah, not really." Wisdom laughed — a warm sound, easy. "I just wanted to see if you were interesting. You looked interesting."
"He's direct," Cyro observed. "I like him."
Nash ignored Cyro. "I'm really not."
"See, that's exactly what an interesting person would say." Wisdom's eyes sparkled. "You heading to lunch?"
"...Yeah."
"Cool. Me too. Walk together?"
It wasn't really a question. Wisdom was already falling into step beside him, long legs easily matching Nash's pace.
Nash didn't say no.
---
The cafeteria was massive.
Nash had seen it this morning, empty and quiet. Now it was the opposite — packed with students, loud with conversation, smelling like food he couldn't identify and probably wouldn't like.
Wisdom led the way like he owned the place. Students nodded at him. A few waved. He waved back at everyone.
"Popular," Cyro noted.
"Seems like it."
"Useful."
"I'm not using him."
"I didn't say you should. I said it's useful."
Nash grabbed a tray. Started loading food — rice, some kind of meat, definitely no vegetables. Wisdom loaded twice as much and somehow made it look effortless.
"You're not much of a talker, huh?" Wisdom said as they found a table.
Nash sat. "Not really."
"Cool. I talk enough for both of us." Wisdom dug into his food like he hadn't eaten in days. "So. Redwood Academy, right? That's over in the forest sector?"
Nash nodded.
"What's it like?"
Quiet. Peaceful. Full of trees and secrets and people who eventually learned to stop asking questions.
"Small," Nash said.
Wisdom nodded like that made perfect sense. "Makes sense. Great Lakes is huge. Took me like three weeks to stop getting lost."
"You good now?"
"Nope." Wisdom grinned. "Still get lost. Just faster at finding my way back."
Nash felt something in his chest loosen. Just a little.
---
They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes. Well, comfortable for Nash. Wisdom kept humming between bites, occasionally waving at someone across the room.
"He's making you social," Cyro observed.
"I'm sitting here."
"That's social for you."
"Shut up."
"So." Wisdom pointed his fork at Nash. "Combat class. Heard you went up against Kaelan Vex."
Nash paused mid-chew. Swallowed. "News travels fast."
"Bro, it's an academy. News travels at the speed of gossip." Wisdom leaned forward. "Word is you put him on the floor."
"...He fell."
"He fell because you put him there." Wisdom's grin was huge. "That's amazing. Kaelan's been top of everything since first year. Everyone's obsessed with him."
Nash shrugged. "He's fine."
"Fine." Wisdom laughed. "You're so weird. I like you."
"I also like him," Cyro said. "He's honest."
Nash hid his expression behind his water cup.
---
The rest of lunch passed easily. Wisdom talked — about classes, about instructors, about which cafeteria food to avoid (most of it) and which was actually edible (the rice). Nash listened. Nodded. Occasionally said something.
It wasn't terrible.
When the bell rang, Wisdom stood. Stretched. His arms practically touched the ceiling.
"Same table tomorrow?"
Nash blinked. "What?"
"Lunch. Same table. You and me." Wisdom grinned. "Unless you got better offers."
Nash didn't. He didn't have any offers.
"...Sure."
"Cool." Wisdom clapped him on the shoulder — hard enough to make him stumble slightly. "See you then, dormmate."
And then he was gone, loping off through the crowd like he belonged everywhere.
Nash stood there for a long moment.
"You made a friend," Cyro said.
"I made an acquaintance."
"Same thing."
"It's really not."
"We'll see."
Nash grabbed his tray. Headed for the drop-off. For the first time all day, he didn't feel like everyone was staring.
Maybe that was something.