"BACON JUMPS OVER BUDDHA!" James shouted excitedly as he unleashed his dream-inspired killing move on me.

However, I had seen it once before, and knew exactly how to counter it.

I smashed my own blunted spear down on his and forced his spear to the ground!

"BACON SWEEPS THE FLOOR!" I shouted excitedly. "Ha! How do you like the ultimate killing move counter I made specially for you? Just so you know, YOU'RE the bacon!"

"ANGRY BUDDHA EATS BACON!!" James shouted as he pulled back his spear sharply and charged in close to me to deliver a powerful kick in one fluid move. "I'm the BUDDHA!"

"BUDDHAS DON'T EAT BACON DUMBASS!!" I laughed loudly at him as I jumped back lightly to reduce the damage I got from eating his kick.

Bam.

"BACON IN MY TUMMY!" I yelled as I gripped his foot and pulled him forward powerfully, causing him to lose balance.

"BUDDHA SKEWERS BACON!" James shouted as he went along with my pull and leapt forward with all of his strength.

BAM!!

Both of us collapsed onto the ground in a messy jumble.

"BACON POUNDING TECHNIQUE!" I shouted as I began to pummel him with a series of punches.

"BUDDHA'S MIGHTY PUNCH!" James punched back at me with all of his strength!

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

After a full minute of intense punching..

"DING! Round over. Red Mecha had received fatal damage. Black Mecha Victory." A disembodied voice announced.

"YEAH!! BUDDHA VICTORY!!" James shouted with elation. "Gramps! DID YOU SEE.. Hey! Gramps? Emma? Where are you guys??"

The two of them were probably so disgusted at our lack of finesse and utterly unimaginative names for so many basic moves that they couldn't stand it anymore!

James won the fight against me that day.

Of course he did.

In the spirit of fairness, and to challenge myself, I didn't use my red energy at all.

But I made very sure that it would be the last time he did so.

Two hours later, we waved goodbye to the old man through the internal display of the mechas we were in.

He waved back at us with a stiff smile.

After that, an entire squadron of fifty Red Dragon Heavy Lancers led by a massive white mecha took off from the massive courtyard.

James, Emma, Julie, Margaret, Tes and I were spread out randomly in the mechas, and only the old man knew exactly which mechas we were in.

After the assassination attempt a few days earlier, the old man was taking no chances. He had ordered Ajax to escort us to school in his white mecha!

Fifty Red Dragon Heavy Lancers led by Ajax's mighty looking white mecha made for an impressive sight.

"What is the name of this white mecha?" I asked Emma who was sitting next to me within the cockpit of the white mecha.

"It's called the Whitefrost Dragon." Ajax rumbled from in front of us. "This white mecha is the second most powerful white mecha that we own within the entire Whitefrost Estate."

My highly intelligent mind instantly caught a few critical clues.

"It is the second most powerful WHITE mecha. So does that mean that it's not the second most powerful overall mecha? They have another grade? A golden mecha, perhaps??" I thought to myself.

"And it is the second most powerful white mecha IN the Whitefrost Estate. So that means that it is not second if other mechas outside of the Whitefrost Estate are included? But this makes sense. They have their secret Black Dragon Army. It is normal if those high profile warriors own several more powerful mechas than the ones found within the Whitefrost Estate."

"Whitefrost Dragon, huh? So this mecha represents the Whitefrost Clan?" I asked aloud.

"Yes, you can say that. This mecha is the drawn sword of the Whitefrost Clan. Barring a serious crisis, this mecha is all the Whitefrost Clan needs to exact revenge on our enemies and to teach them lessons that they would never forget. Or rather, lessons they would instantly forget." Ajax chuckled.

"Because they'll be dead." I smiled at his little joke.

"Yes." Ajax replied.

"Is grandpa's mecha the most powerful mecha in the clan? I haven't seen him pilot a mecha before." Emma asked.

"Your grandpa USED to pilot the most powerful mecha. But that mecha has been passed down to your father, Emma. Phil is now our ace in the hole. If anything happens, the weight of the Whitefrost Clan is upon his shoulders." Ajax said softly. "He's still alive. I know it."

I blinked and waited for more information to be revealed.

But that was it.

For the rest of the short flight to the National Mecha Pilot Academy, none of us said another word.

Very soon, the sprawling estate that was my new school appeared in the horizon and all of the mechas landed within their Mecha Landing Zone One, and entered their secure hangar.

"Thanks for the ride Uncle Ajax." Emma said with an emotionless voice as she hopped out of the cockpit.

"Thanks Uncle Ajax." I said to him with a friendly smile.

"Sure, no worries. You look pretty tough. I'm sure you'll be fine. Don't worry too much, Even Phil didn't manage to get first on his first day."

"What are you talking about?" I stopped myself from jumping out of the cockpit and turned to look at him.

"Huh? They didn't tell you about the first week of school for newbies??" Ajax asked me incredulously.

"No they didn't. Will you please tell me?" I asked him urgently as a deep feeling of unease welled within my heart.

"Uh.. I am sure they had their reasons for not telling you. I don't think I should tell you. In fact, I think I've already said too much. Now go! Get out of my mecha and enjoy yourself!" Ajax shooed me out of his mecha impatiently.

I gave him one last glare of disappointment before I leapt out of the cockpit, and joined the rest of the Whitefrost kids.

"Well. We're here. Justin! You uh.. Do your best, alright? Make the clan proud!" Julie patted me lightly on my back.historical

"You'll be fine." Margaret said confidently.

I turned to glare at Emma and James.

"You two want to tell me anything?" I growled at them.

Emma and James merely grinned at me. Grinned WIDELY.

My heart started to pound in excitement and in worry.

What exactly would the first week of school be like?