The Great 2-D Class Rep Election of 2XXX...+1!

"Good morning, everyone! Please choose whatever seats you like for now. We can work on making them more permanent locations by the end of the week. We can talk about changing desks more at the start of the next semester if need be.

"Welcome to the first day of the new school year, class. For the few of you that I didn't have the pleasure of knowing well as Freshmen, I am Rosethorn-sensei, and I will be your anchor for the beginning and end of each school day. You can come to me if you need help and at the very least I should be able to guide you to the right place. You will also see me for Ethics training, an essential part of the Hero Track here at Shiketsu."

Rosethorn broke out into a wider smile that she'd practiced thousands of times. It was perfected to put people at ease.

"This will be a short opening today with plenty of free time. There is a small formality we need to deal with, but first, does anyone have any questions about the coming year?"

Runt, a bunny-eared sophomore student who was wearing a hood that came out from under his uniform shirt, immediately raised his hand. The hood reminded Rosethorn of a certain other student from the same grade level who had refused to remove parts of his hero costume and she smiled in remembrance.

"Yes?"

"How long will it take?"

"One year."

Runt lowered his hand. He looked up at the ceiling tiles to puzzle this answer over and idly snuck a palm-full of mud from a trouser pocket, then chewed on it thoughtfully.

"No snacks in class, please. Any other questions? No? Then there's only one last thing to take care of."

Rosethorn clapped her hands together once and brought a box out from under the desk. It was glittery and golden, with a slot in the lid.

"We're experimenting with a bit of a policy change this time. This is a ballot box! The class representative of 2-D will be chosen by anonymous election, voted on by the students themselves. Isn't that fun?

"Simply list as many students as you'd like, with the one on top being most preferred and descending from there. The votes will be silently tabulated by me and the elected representative can be announced before the official start of your first lesson.

"Sensei is excited to see how this works. Everyone, please get out some paper." With a bright grin, Rosethorn turned to begin writing names in the roster order up on the board, for everyone's benefit. Then she heard a determined voice from within the rows of desks.

"Sensei. Could I say something before we continue?"

"Hm? Oh, Nyoro-kun." Rosethorn saw how she was shivering just a bit, but her voice was emphatic and clear. "Yes, that will probably be alright."

"I just wish to say please, please... do not vote for me." Hoge bowed at a ninety degree angle and then shouted a little louder so she could be heard even though her voice was aimed at her desk.

"Thank you for the opportunity last year, but I did not enjoy how it created a barrier between myself and my peers. From the bottom of my heart, I ask 2-D to give me more free time and less responsibility." Then she swiftly dropped into her chair with her head still bowed. The tops of her ears were blushing and she was blurring at the edges.

Rosethorn raised her eyebrows. "That's not what I expected, but I support your right to make your own decisions." Her eyes flicked around the classroom. Many of the students were also exchanging looks or mumbling quietly to each other. So Rosethorn nodded once to herself.

"If anyone else would like to say something about their candidacy, then let's try doing that while I finish with the board. Please keep things civil and act the way prospective Heroes should." She left them to it, writing names up on the smartboard with swift, even strokes.

Runt brought attention to himself again by climbing onto the desk while Rosethorn's back was turned. He puffed out his chest and began imitating a fat, regal statesman with his voice.

"It is granted that I am known well by all of you here today," he began, looking off into the distance and gesturing grandly. Rob nodded along, causing his forehead antenna to wiggle about. Everyone else seemed confused. "And so you know what I can bring to all of you here. But what you don't know is my power - my power to create change. You see," said he, raising up one finger, "I found a gun by the side of the road. And-"

Runt went to continue on but the room burst out in a flurry of crossed comments.

"What did he just say?" "Is that a joke?" "Is it part of his Diet roleplay just now?" "Maybe he mispoke..." "I think he's serious! Someone should do something!" "No, he's being chuuni. Ignore him."

"Class." Rosethorn spoke firmly and flatly, immediately drawing attention and silence without raising her volume at all. She looked over at Runt sternly, then closed her eyes. "Please get down from the desk, Runt-kun. That wasn't a funny joke and I will forget this so you can make a second first impression. I expect you to clean that desk before you leave at the end of the day."

Then she opened her eyes, the board still unfinished.

"I want this to be successful so that the school does not control this position as tightly. Please act befitting your status as future Heroes and my present, cherished students. Any other speeches?"

Bobby reached over and nudged Inigo with his elbow. Inigo was sitting with his hands closed together, bowed out like the two halves of a nutshell. Inigo looked at him and then looked at Rosethorn. He cleared his throat and stood, equally grand to how Runt did before.

Rosethorn tilted her head forward in a subtle warning, and Inigo pursed his lips and gave her a few rapid, reassuring nods back. He lifted his hands above his head.

"We have another candidate!" And he drew the top hand away, flattening his fingers of the other hand, triumphantly presenting none other than a little green lizard with a pink fan flaring out from under its neck and chin. The little creature swiveled its eyes independently to take in the sudden roomful of light, opened its mouth, and made a high, quiet rumble from out of its throat.

The room broke out again in unison, this time in sounds of wonder and appreciation. Someone clapped.

A girl's voice scoffed out, "That's just Gigan!"

Inigo grinned and snapped his fingers on his free hand. Gigan transformed from a green bracelet into a cute little Western-style dragon, making figure eights as he winged in the air.

"Not at all," proclaimed Inigo. And he proved it by randomly swiping his hand all about the air between Gigan and the little lizard, who calmly ignored all the furious activity with its proud raised head.

"It's a little guy we found lost in the hall! I've named him Cammy for no reason at all."

Orochi frowned deeply.

"And he can be the best possible class representative. Look at how cute he is!" Then he lowered his hand and most of the surrounding students got up to get a closer look. At their approving comments, a few more got up as well.

"We might be losing focus," warned Rosethorn. "And only students can be student representatives."

"Well, students can get in on recommendation, can't they? I recommend this little green lizard we found," replied Bobby with a jocular grin.

"Seconded," laughed the new kid Deckard.

Rosethorn rolled her eyes at the antics. "If no one else has any speeches..."

Junichi, a boy who wore his black hair longer and his uniform messy, raised a hand while still leaned back in his chair. His ankles were crossed and rested up on the desk. "I have something to say."

"Mm? Takagi-kun, isn't it? This is going to be serious?"

"Definitely."

"Go ahead."

Junichi didn't stand up. "There was something good in the idea about the lizard, actually. I don't like this class rep thing at all. Someone acting bossy and snooping around."

Hoge was sitting up normally in her stiff posture by now, but rankled at this comment, taking clear offense.

"I think the only way to make sure it doesn't interfere with everyone's student life is if it goes to somebody with no interest in being a rep or doing that shit at all."

Rosethorn frowned openly at Junichi's pointed cursing.

"So that's why you should vote for me. Because I won't do a damn thing. It's as good as an empty seat. If you don't believe me, ask Inigo. Actually, ask Hoge."

"Tch. Good-for-nothing." Hoge spoke without thinking, then clenched her teeth. Junichi shot out a told you so finger-gun at the front of the room, his point proven.

"Loser," added Maxine without even looking at him.

Junichi wrinkled his nose at that one.

Rosethorn sat down at her desk and stifled a sigh.

"I think it's time to write your ballots. Please come put them in the box when you're finished and you can talk quietly amongst yourselves afterward. All your classmates' names are on the board for your convenience."

The room filled with the sound of writing, and soon, the sound of scraping chairs and friendly voices as people grouped up together to play around. The social media clique Jeans were on their phones together, taking selfies and cracking jokes. The remainder of the friend group known to most as The Boys were approached during their spontaneous card game by more than one other young man in casual conversation, including Rob and Deckard. And some of the other girls flitted about from circle to circle making conversation and catching up with everyone.

Only a couple minutes before the period change bell, Rosethorn got the class's attention again.

"I will now announce the winner of the student representative election of 2-D." She spoke with gravitas and seriousness. She was standing powerfully, two fingers of one hand resting lightly on the desk, and a neat stack of unfolded papers in an unsteady tower beside them.

She shook her head slightly. "The winner by a significant margin was a write-in candidate, 'the little green lizard we found.'"

The class laughed together. Inigo made a fist-pump, the lizard in question still basking in his other palm. It seemed to raise its chin with dignity into the air. Hifumi and Bobby high-fived above Inigo's head.

"Just make Nyoro do it again," said Hailey distractedly.

Hoge dropped her forehead down to her desk with a thunk and a groan of self-pity. Rosethorn frowned in thought and then cleared her throat.

"Actually, Takeda-kun came in second place," she said in leading tones. Hifumi looked back with some mild surprise. His mouth cracked open at the unexpected development. One of his buddies reached over and shook him by the shoulder.

Rosethorn added, "If you would?"

Hifumi glanced over at the forlorn Hoge, then back at Rosethorn. His face broke open in a crooked but genuine smile. "Sure, no problem, sensei. How bad could it be?"

Hoge raised her head and looked at him, with a red mark on her forehead and a blank expression. Her eyes were full of mixed emotions, though. Hifumi mouthed back to her, No worries, cuz, and she darted her face away with another stone-faced blush.

Rosethorn laughed inwardly as she packed away the papers, box, and her handcase. The bell rang through the hallway. It was going to be another lively school year.