Demon Hunters: Last Class

Episode 26: Toni- Chocolate

The dirty dog stole her first kiss... what an animal. I watched him go until he was out of sight.

"Why didn't you ask me," I grumbled. "I would have taught you."

"You could still teach her," Larry said, continuing towards the headmistress's house.

"It's not the same. That dog already stole the best kiss. Now she's ruined."

Lyric laughed. "Are you really jealous?"

"Shut up."

By the time we reached Nena's, the other cohorts scheduled to go on the ride-alongs were already there. I'd expected to see Bastard cohort like last time, but their group had been replaced with Rapier. They were standing at rigid attention, barely responding when I waved.

"Who rammed a stick up their asses?" I whispered to Lyric.

"Attention!" shouted an old warhorse of a man with broad shoulders and a long beard.

"Who's this guy?"

"I don't know, but he looks strict."

"I am Sergeant Paulino of the 25th Lancers. I will be responsible for your field examinations. I grade heavily on order and discipline. I will not brook any silliness or shenanigans. This should be your second ride-along. You will be there to observe and consult as instructed by your chaperones. Nothing less and nothing more. We do not need heroes on your assessments. We merely need to know what you've learned."

"I suspect this ride-along will be far less interesting than the last time," Di said, drawing a frowning face in her notebook.

Lyric and I looked back at the headmistress's house.

"I wish Zeta was running this one. She was fun."

"I wish Uncle Warren was better." Lyric frowned and raised a finger to my mouth. "If you say something nasty, I'm going to be sick."

I raised my hands and professed my innocence.

"Buckler! I will not be repeating myself. Order and discipline!"

I rolled my eyes, but quietly let Paulino finish his little speech. Glancing over at the kids from Rapier, I could see I wasn't the only one not looking forward to this marking period's evaluation. The sergeant called a name and a hunter stepped forward. Reading names from a piece of paper, he collected a trio of students and led them off. The next hunter did the same. So did the next and the one after that.

Paulino's evaluation seemed much more structured than Zeta's, and I promised myself to hate it.

They split us up the same as last time: Lyric and Di, Larry and me. Our chaperone was an overweight woman with an eyepatch and a Boston accent. She called our names then thrusted her thumb towards a beat up black sedan. Without giving us a second glance, she walked away to talk with the sergeant.

"You two stay safe out there," Lyric said, giving me a hug. "Take care of each other."

"You too, burnt girl. Don't let anything happen to Di or Duncan might leave fleas in our room."

Di tried to stifle a chuckle. "He doesn't have fleas," she said under her breath. She touched her lips and smiled, then yanked her fingers away when she noticed we were watching.

"Make sure you check thoroughly before you let that mangy mutt lay in your bed."

"He doesn't have fleas!"

"You can never be too sure."

"Make sure you watch each other's backs, Larry." Lyric hugged him tightly. "Scatterbrain is liable to get lost out there."