AT THE SAME TIME
VANESSA'S POINT OF VIEW:
The headmaster's office is ahead, the door looming like a final judgment. I don't know if I'm ready for this, but I know it's too late to back out. When we reach the door, Laura hesitates for just a second before pushing it open. The headmaster's desk is massive, stacked with papers and records. His sharp eyes turn to us the moment we enter, and I feel like a deer in the headlights.
"Laura." He said, his voice warm but authoritative, "What's this about?"
Laura steps forward, and I can barely breathe. She doesn't say anything right away. She just looks at me, then the headmaster, before speaking.
"Headmaster, there's something you need to know about... this student."He asked.
He narrows his eyes.
"Is there a problem with his grades? He's been excelling so far."He asked.
"That's the thing." Laura continues, her voice steady but carrying a sense of urgency. "This student isn't who they claim to be."
My heart pounds harder. Every inch of me wants to flee, to hide back in the woods where no one can see me. But I stay still, not daring to move. I glance down at the floor, unsure how to handle what's about to come. The headmaster looks at Laura, a confused frown forming on his face.
"What do you mean, not who they claim to be?"He asked.
Laura takes a deep breath, and I can feel her resolve.
"His real name is Vanessa, not Villiam."She said.
There's a beat of silence. The words hang in the air. I hear the soft rustling of papers on the desk as the headmaster processes what she's said. Then, his eyes snap to me sharp and intense.
"Vanessa?" He repeats my name, a sense of realization dawning on him.
"Yes." Laura confirms, her voice soft but steady. "She's not Villiam Blackstone, she's a girl."
I feel the world tilt around me. The truth is out there now, in the open. And I don't know what happens next. Will they kick me out? Send me back to the woods? I'm terrified of the consequences. The headmaster doesn't speak immediately. Instead, he stands up and walks over to a large set of bookshelves behind him. I swallow hard, feeling like I'm about to faint. He picks up a record and looks at it for a long moment, before he turns his attention back to me.
"Vanessa, I know you're not a Blackston." He said quietly, his tone serious. "But I also know you've been one of the best students here in terms of your skills. And from what Laura's said, it's clear that there's more to your story."
I feel something stir in my chest. I never thought anyone would see me like that, like I mattered. But it's still terrifying. I glance at Laura, and she gives me a small nod, as if to say that everything's going to be okay. The headmaster sits down behind his desk again. He gestures for me to sit, and I do. My hands are shaking, and my mind is racing.
"You've been living in the woods, haven't you? Surviving on your own?"He asked.
I nod silently, my throat dry.
"Yes."I addmitted.
"How long?" he asked.
"Years." I admit, feeling the weight of that truth settle heavily on my shoulders. "I've been alone for as long as I can remember."
He doesn't look disgusted or angry. He simply nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"We'll help you, Vanessa. You're not alone anymore."He said
The words hit me harder than I expected. I want to believe him, but it's hard after all this time. Hard to trust people and to believe that they might want to help.
"And about your skills..." The headmaster picks up my test results, flipping through them with quick precision. "You're incredibly talented, more than anyone could have guessed."He said.
I try to breathe steadily as he reads through my scores, his eyebrows raising as he sees the numbers.
"Archery-98%. Herbology-92%. Physical endurance-94%. You've been excelling in everything you've tried."He said.
I feel a mix of pride and guilt. Pride because I know I've worked hard, but guilt because it's all been to survive, not for glory.
"I, I didn't have a choice." I whispered, barely above a breath.
The headmaster smiled, but it was not mocking.
"You'll have a choice now. We'll help you learn, grow, and make sure you're safe. No more hiding, Vanessa."He said.
I let out a shaky breath, the weight of the past months, years really, lifting just a little bit. But there's still so much fear. Will I belong here? Will they help me?
"Now." The headmaster continues, setting down the paper. "You'll need to retake your test to confirm your placement here. It's a formality, but we must ensure that you're getting the right kind of support."He said, and Laura smiled.
I nod quickly.
"I understand."I said.
He hands me a fresh set of papers and gives me a stern but kind look.
"This is your chance, Vanessa. Prove to yourself what you can do now that you have the opportunity."He explained.
I swallowed hard, but for the first time, there was a spark of hope in my chest, a chance for a better future. The test is daunting. I've never had anything like it before questions that delve into subjects I haven't had proper training in. But I'm not worried about the difficulty. I've had to rely on my instincts to survive for so long. The clock on the wall ticks away the seconds, and I take a deep breath. I let my thoughts clear. Then, I begin. The first section is on basic survival skills, tracking, identifying plants and animals, and assessing danger. I scribble the answers quickly, my hands moving with a confidence I haven't felt in a long time. These are my strengths, my knowledge gained through years of living alone in the woods, hunting, foraging, surviving.
The next section is archery, and I can already feel the familiar tension building in my chest as I recall the bow's grip, the pull of the string, the release. I've never missed a shot in my life. The questions about technique and precision are easy for me. I don't even have to think, the answers come naturally. I almost want to smile, but I keep my focus on the paper.
Then comes the most difficult part. It's the section on strategy and problem solving. It's not like survival tactics; it requires a different way of thinking, planning for situations I've never encountered. I chew the end of my pen, frustration creeping in as I try to work through the scenarios in my head. How do I deal with a group of attackers when I've only ever had to face one? How do I think through the solutions? I look up for a moment, feeling the heat in my chest, the frustration rising as the clock ticks away, but I force myself to calm down. I have made it this far because I adapt. I survive.
Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes for a second, grounding myself in the stillness of the room. And then, the answer comes pretty quickly. I quickly jot down my thoughts, organizing them methodically. When I finish, I glance over at the headmaster, who is still standing by the window, arms folded. I wonder what he's thinking. Maybe he doubts me. Maybe he thinking I'm just some girl who had no idea what she was doing here. But I push the thoughts aside. I've always had to prove myself, and that's exactly what I'm going to do now.
After what feels like hours, I finish the test. The moment the last answer is written down, my heart beats a little faster. I don't want to look at the results. I don't want to see how I did. But I know I have no choice. I have to face whatever's next. I stand up and hand the test papers to the headmaster. He doesn't take them immediately, but instead, he looks at me, his gaze sharp.
"I've seen a lot of students take this test, Vanessa." He said quietly. "And I've seen many who are talented, but there's something about you."
I swallow hard, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Is he going to tell me I'm not cut out for this? Is he going to kick me out and send me back to the woods where I'll never belong? He takes the papers from me, flipping through them slowly. His eyes move over the results, scanning them with quiet intensity. And then, after what feels like a lifetime, he looks up at me again, his expression unreadable.
"These results." He said, his voice tight. "They're better than anyone else's in this academy. Better than Xavier's, even."
I blink, the words sinking in. I don't understand. I've spent my life struggling to survive, doing whatever I could just to get by. And now, here I am, sitting in front of the headmaster, who's telling me I'm better than someone who was born into this world, someone who had everything handed to them. I can't process it, but something in me feels lighter. Like, for the first time, I'm finally being seen for who I am, not for who they think I am.
The headmaster stands up from his desk, walking to a shelf full of books. He picks one up and opens it to a page marked with a crimson ribbon. He scans the contents, his eyes narrowing as he reads.
"You've scored higher than some of the best students we've ever had." He murmurs to himself.
I want to respond, to explain, but the words catch in my throat.
"I think." He continues slowly. "That we need to have a talk about what happens next. You're not just a student here anymore, Vanessa. You're someone with immense potential."
I feel a strange warmth in my chest, but I quickly push it down. I can't afford to get hopeful. I can't let myself believe that this is real. That I might actually have a chance here. Laura's voice breaks through my thoughts.
"Headmaster, what happens now? What should we do next?"She asked.
The headmaster looks back at her.
"Next? Well, Vanessa will need proper guidance. She's too talented to waste here." He looks at me then, his eyes softening. "We'll help you, Vanessa. No more surviving on your own. From here on out, you'll have the resources you need. You've earned it."He said.
I blink, trying to keep the tears at bay. I don't know what to say, but for the first time, I feel like I don't have to hide anymore. I don't have to be scared.
"We'll help you find your place. You're not alone anymore."He said.
"I am grateful,"I said, and I smiled at them.
"We are happy to have you here, Vanessa, alias Villiam Blackstone. Welcome, officially, to a royal Hero Academy."He said.