The Astral soul system-Chapter 220: I don’t buy it

"okay, let’s try this again"

Before he could knock on the door, Theia interrupted.

"Are you sure you haven’t been impaled again?"

Zyro ignored her.

This whole thing was started by him so the others decided he might as well finish it.

"Classes start in a few minutes,I hope this is quick"

Zyro knocked on the door and similar to last time he was asked to step in

Ava was already waiting inside, though he wasn’t very surprised by that.

"Glad to see you could make it"

Tim said.

"Honestly i kind of prefer him with the hole"

Tim didn’t even bother reprimanding Ava since he was sure it’d be pointless. The two students in front of him were some of his biggest source of headaches in this year. For Ava it was understandable she’d make waves, but Zen (Zyro) was literally nobody. He just didn’t exist on the academy’s database,or any database for that matter.

The only bright side he could think of was that they were both straight A genius level students, and they were decent in combat too.

"Alright kids, let’s make this quick. You broke rules. The academy regulations clearly state that not only can you not endanger things unnecessarily,pets are also forbidden on campus and during classes, and especially expeditions"

"But -"

"But-"

"I don’t want to hear it. Seriously"

They both gave up, pouting slightly.

"Now, you’re both first years and first offenders so-’"

Ava suddenly raised her hand.

"Um,sir actually. He isn’t a first offender. You just never caught him before "

Zyro’s jaw dropped.

Was she seriously throwing him under the bus with such a deadpan expression? He was right there?!

"Ava-"

"The issue with the second years a while back, he was part of the people that caused it because of a grudge he had with one of them. I have a video of him attacking them and causing it"

Zyro facepalmed

Video?! What video?! Was there anything that went on in this school she didn’t know about?

"Ava-"

"And it’s not just that. He also-"

"Ava, I’m not going to give you a lenient punishment just because you like stalking people"

"..."

Ava grumbled but finally stopped, rolling her eyes in indignation.

Zyro wasn’t even sure what to say at this point. Sure it wasn’t even him she had on video,it was Zen, but still

It was very impressive

He couldn’t help having some respect for her skills, though he wasn’t a fan of what she tried to use those skills to do to him. He wondered what else she had recorded.

Thank goodness Tim wasn’t easily swayed, though Zyro wasn’t sure if he didn’t believe her,or just didn’t care.

"Alright, so what’s our punishment"

Tim sighed.

"For a situation like this, not much, but I feel like for you two specifically I’d have to pick something to make it stick "

"So you’re gonna screw us over because you don’t like us?"

Tim once again ignored her

"What are you gonna do,sir? Expel us? Haha"

Zyro joked

"No... but I can suspend you for a while "

"What?!"

They both reacted at the same time, looking at Tim who looked dead serious.

"Oh don’t worry, you won’t be sent home"

They sighed in relief. Zyro didn’t even have a home to go back to.

"But you’ll be unable to come to school, you’ll be assigned to low level missions, obviously whatever you earn at these will be given to the academy as your apology "

"What?!"

Tim had a satisfied smile on his face, some of his wrinkles even seemed to smooth out.

"Judging by your reactions I’d say this punishment is adequate. I believe about... three months should be adequate "

Ava stepped forward,her steps rushed.

"There is no way that’s an adequate punishment for bringing pets to class. "

"Are you questioning my judgement,cadet?"

Ava flinched and clenched her fists. He’d gotten formal, he was actually being serious.

"I can’t, okay?"

"I’m sure your parents will understand "

Ava sighed. At this point, being a smart alec wouldn’t save her

"Damnit!"

"Um...sir? Isn’t that a bit too harsh"

Zyro spoke up

"Sorry kid. The only one who can save you now is the dean"

Hearing that, Zyro’s eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"..."

In front of Ava and Tim, he started scrolling through his contacts on his watch.

"Man,I really hope this works"

He finally landed on a specific number saved as gramps.

"Um,are you sure that’s a good idea?"

Theia asked.

"I know the guy seemed to like you but -"

Too late, he’d already clicked call.

He was really hoping Freya was right about the Dean being chill.

Tim and Ava stared in confusion as he did all this.

The watch rang a few times before the other side picked up.

"Hello?!"

Tim immediately froze in his seat. That voice. He recognized that voice, how couldn’t he?

"Hey gramps"

Zyro said cheerfully

"Zen?"

"Close enough. Um... hope i didn’t meet you at a bad time"

"Is something wrong?"

The dean asked directly.

"Well I’m in sort of a pickle here and i was hoping you could help...smoothe things over?"

He flipped the hologram so the dean could see Tim and Ava.

"S-sir"

Tim said, immediately straightening up and standing on his feet.

"The dean looked around, seeing Ava, but she didn’t really react to his presence.

"Oh, this can’t be good"

The dean said, chuckling lightly.

"Sir,you... know these kids?"

He nodded

"Yes, they’re a few personal favorite’s of mine? How are you,Ava?"

She sighed.

"I’m fine, old-timer,geez"

Tim looked like he was about to rip his hair out. Even he didn’t dare speak this way to the strongest force in sentinel city.

Who in the hell do these kids think they are? One of them just casually has the dean’s personal contact for some reason. Even he didn’t have that.

The dean sighed.

"Tim, could you please tell me what exactly is happening"

"O-of course, sir. You see-"

He spent the next few minutes explaining everything that happened, including how the two had been at each other’s throats during the process.

At the end of it the dean just laughed.

"You kids still won’t stop bickering"

Tim also tried to laugh but it was akward and completely forced.

"Alright, it’s fine. Tim,i get that they broke rules, and they do have to be punished, but you might have been a bit harsh"

Tim didn’t respond.

"However I won’t diminish your authority by simply invalidating your opinion,so how about this? Postpone that punishment for just a bit, and you can still have them earn merit some other ways, even personal ones, and as for the missions, I’ll think of something fitting "

"Sir..."

"I understand, but all things considered,i feel like the punishment specifically isn’t the issue here, it’s the timing. Right now might not be a very good time "

The dean was right about that.

Although it didn’t look like it, Zyro and his counterparts were hiding in the academy. The moment they stepped out of the borders of it’s protection, they would almost definitely be attacked by either Celia, the Arcade,or Zephyr’s brother,none of which he felt like he could handle at least in his current condition. He was just too weak with this choker on, he needed more time.

He looked across the room at Ava and he could tell it was a similar situation, bad timing.

As for exactly how the dean could tell, Zyro honestly didn’t care.

Tim thought for a while

"Just postponing?"

The dean nodded. Of course he could have just ordered it but that would have been a horrible decision for everyone involved. He needed to convince Tim to put off his actions.

"Alright then. I’ll give them a few smaller tasks in the mean time"

"As long as you keep your eyes on them,do as you please"

The dean looked away from Tim and then at Ava

"And as for you two. I think I’ll think up a punishment for you myself. Your bickering seems to always spread out to anyone in your immediate vicinity . Tone it down,or I’ll find ways to tone it down for you"

The two didn’t say anything, though they were both thinking the same thing.

’It was his fault ’

’it was her fault ’

"Alright then. I’ll leave you to it. I have a meeting in a few minutes "

"Bye gramps - wait...I thought you weren’t busy "

Before he could say anything else, the call was disconnected and the hologram disappeared.

Tim slumped back into his seat, his heart pounding.

Ava looked at him, absolutely no regard for the heart issues she might have ust given him

"So we’re free to go, right?"

Tim looked at her and didn’t even know what to say.

He took a few seconds to catch his breath before sitting up straight, mostly calmed down .

"I don’t know, what you-"

"Can we leave or not?"

Tim sighed.

"You heard the dean. You two listen to me now. Meaning i can give you any task now and you have to accept it, even personal ones"

"So we’re your bitches now?"

Tim buried his face in his palm

"Yes, you’re my bitches now"

He said, sounding completely defeated.

"Thank you for that"

Ava suddenly said

"For what?"

She suddenly hit her watch and a recording of the past five seconds started playing, specifically what Tim said.

"Saying something like that to teenagers,kids even. Shame on you, general"

Theia had burst out laughing at this point.

"Okay, this kid is good!"

Tim froze again before sighing.

"Just get out of here"

He wasn’t even able to look them in the eyes.

’poor guy’

Zyro was about to start leaving when Tim suddenly spoke up.

"Wait!"

"Yes?"

He pointed at Zen.

"Are you actually the dean’s secret grandson?"

Zyro was a bit flabbergasted.

Ava also looked at him curiously.

"Oh,um...I don’t know. Maybe?"

"Maybe?"

Zyro scratched his head

"Well,I never met my birth parents so I guess I’ll never know"

Tim slowly dropped his hand

That was true. He didn’t have a last name.

"What about your adoptive family. I already checked and no orphanage on earth ever took a kid with your description "

Zyro didn’t even process how weird it was that she’d done that, choosing to ignore it completely.

"Um... they died...I think? We were caught in the middle of a fight with the arcade and the military, we were split up,and I haven’t seen any of them ever since "

That was a lie. He was almost a hundred percent sure they were all dead,at least Zen was, and he’d seen the sight with his own eyes

"..."

"..."

This time it was Ava’s turn to look at him weird,her brows scrunched up and she stared at him intensely.

Tim coughed, clearly having not planned to go that far. The smile on Zyro’s face as he said it only made him feel more guilty.

He remembered the reports of erratic behavior, symptoms of bipolar disorder, extreme violence and a few others involving this particular student, he could only sigh

"That’s enough. You two are free to go, for now"

As soon as they stepped out, Ava suddenly grabbed his hand and suddenly threw him against the wall.

"..."

"Um...hi?"

She stared at him intently for a few seconds before speaking.

"I don’t buy it "

"O... okay?"

"..."

"Hey, shouldn’t you be thanking me right now?"

"..."

She leaned a little closer, eyes searching his like she was looking for something.

She hummed, noticing he still had his right eye covered.

Noticing what she was about to do, he grabbed her hand

"Don’t,i swear it’s for your own safety"

She didn’t react for a few seconds, glancing at his hand, specifically his right one.

"I don’t buy it"

She repeated again before yanking her hand back and walking away.

Seeing her walk away, Theia suddenly whistled

"Damn. Hey, can we...you know... NOT kill her?"

"..."