Wha-wha-wha-what should Alexa do?!?!?!?

  Main Core! Define Princess! Alexa needs to know why the word makes her malfunction! Such a dangerous word!

  “[Princess: A princess is a female member of a royal family, typically the daughter or granddaughter of a king or queen. She may also be the wife of a prince. It usually refers to those in a modern setting when they are people with power. In another setting it could be used as a way of complimenting someone. Usually highlighting their good appearance, beauty, charm or monetary/political prowess.]”

  “[In this setting can be used to describe host as a she is currently using the identity of the daughter of a powerful entity.]”

  Ah yes, that makes complete sense yes…BUT WHY IS ALEXA LIKE THIS?!?!?!

  “Say…isn’t this like you and Sam’s upper body?” “...No.”

  What?!?!? No! Alexa is not like that, ew. EWWWWWW.

  “[...]”

  AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.

  “Harmonia, Saintsworths, pay attention.” The teacher person said making Alexa hit her face against the desktop making a loud *tud*. “...Or do that.”

  Yes, Alexa would do that.

  “I’m okay!” Alexa said raising her hand and her face, she felt a throbbing pain on her nose and was half sure that Main Core was fixing her face in real time. Since some of the students seemed to wince while turning to look at her, of course Alexa made sure to turn her face away from Alan, it wouldn’t…

  Wait, why?!?!?!?!?!?!? IT DIDN’T MATTER HOW ALAN SAW HER LALALALALALALALALALALLALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALA.

  “...Teacher I think my joke broke Alexa.” Alan said from the side.

  No wait, Alexa was broken?

  “That’s it! Main Core! Fix Alexa!” Such an easy answer!

  “I can see that Harmonia, I’m debating how to deal with this.” The teacher person said from the other end of the room, he seemed to be analyzing Alexa, but Alexa didn’t care!

  “[Current damage to facial structure has been fixed, no further damage found.]”

  “But Alexa is feeling weird!” Alexa said confused.

  “Alexa, come this way,” Glory said, motioning to Alexa to get closer, so Alexa did as instructed. She totally didn’t do it because she didn’t want to be near Alan and kept feeling the weird twirly thing on her tummy. Totally. “You are flustered, no one complimented you before?”

  Did they? Of course they did it, all the time, she was Alexa! It was obvious that people would say she was cute, she was the cutestest of them all!

  “Of course they have, Alexa is the cutestest so she gets called cute all the time!” Alexa said, nodding at the obvious, “It’s natural!”

  And it was! How could you resist calling someone that was cute cute!

  It was impossible! Humans didn’t work like that!

  “No, if you think it’s natural, then it isn’t a compliment.” Glory suddenly said.

  No, wait…doing something that was natural…made it not a compliment? Then since Alexa was called cute all the time it was no longer a compliment but something expected…That…kind of made sense?

  But it meant that Alexa was getting fewer compliments than she deserved! But…she couldn’t get more about other things! Being the prettiestest was Ale’s job!

  Alexa couldn’t be pretty! And since Alexandra was the most beautiful, then she couldn’t be that either!

  Alexa was scammed!

  She was scammed by the mean one and the naggy one!

  No, wait, but Alan complimented her! Then that meant that it was possible! But…she didn’t like how she was feeling! She was all tingly all over! It made her feel weird!

  “Focus Alexa,” Glory said shaking her, “Listen to me, you can’t leave yourself like this, ground yourself. Compliments aren’t meant to control you; you must control the men and get the compliments. It is your birthright as a lady of a noble and ancient house.”

  She was a what from what in what?

  “All nobles ladies must receive them; to Alan, it was mere lip service. He gives them to every girl he meets.” Glory said with some distaste in her voice.

  He did a what? Alexa…did not like that. She didn’t like getting secondhand food… That made almost all the tingly feeling leave, leaving her worse than she was at the start, while she didn’t like feeling tingly and blushy…Feeling like a secondhand complimented…

  “?” Alan turned his head sideways as Alexa looked at him; he seemed confused and awkwardly waved at them.

  *Snap*

  “...Alexa doesn’t like secondhand compliments,” Alexa growled. She was angry, why was she angry? Alan didn’t steal her mango, but even so, she was furious.

  “No one does,” Glory said nodding herself, “That is why you must analyze them, why did they compliment you? Did you do something to deserve it? Are they actually looking at you? Or are they merely giving lip service? Think Alexa, why did Alan compliment you?”

  Why did he call her Princess?

  Ah, they did when the CRADDLE person showed the data of the Exam wars. When her identity as a Saintsworths got them extra information that they shouldn’t have access to.

  “He did when the CRADDLE person gave us more data than we should have gotten,” Alexa said after thinking about what she had done.

  “Exactly, now. What did he say? That you were the most beautiful? The most gorgeous girl here? That your eyes were like the rising sun this morning?” Glory said, saying some weird complicated phrases.

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  “He called me Princess.” Alexa said, stopping her before she said more complex things.

  “... Princess of his heart? The prettiest Princess? Princess of his heart?” Glory asked for confirmation.

  “Only Princess, he said ‘Hello Princess…’ “ Alexa said the last part mimicking his voice, doing something so simple was easy enough and she could do it without making Main Core work.

  “....I think that was closer to a joke than a compliment, probably trying to be a smartass.” Glory said facepalming.

  “...Then…Alexa is not a Princess?” Alexa said somewhat sadder about this than about getting secondhand compliments.

  “...No, you ARE indeed a Princess.” Glory sighed in defeat, “An important one since you are a Saintsworths. They…aren’t a monarchy and are closer to an Imperium. But even so. Some may say that all the sons and daughters of the main branch are princes or princesses.”

  Ah, right. Hadn’t the Alexanders guy said something about branches, too?

  “So Alexa is a Princess then?” Alexa asked again for confirmation, she had liked how being told that she was a Princess felt. Even if she didn’t like feeling the blush thing and the tingly thing.

  “Yes, Alexa, you are a Princess.” Glory said again with a sigh thing, “For now let’s focus on the class okay? You also need to pull your weight….Remember the MRE you are getting.”

  Ah! The MRE thing! Alexa was getting a Mentalist M(ango)RE thing!

  “Is everything in order Blackthorn? Have you fixed your pocket Saintsworths?” The teacher person said with a weird smirk on his face, she liked him more when he was all theatrical.

  No wait, what? Main Core?

  “[Teacher Designation: Tristan De’Medicci is indeed the Super Villain Designation: The Theater Master. Host had confirmed this before.]”

  …Why did they let a Super Villain teach their kids? No wait, they let them walk around in a BioWeapon testing facility too, this was not weirder than that, actually this was safer since they seemed to move with some weird set of rules that Alexa still hadn’t made sense. Why not attack the medical units? Why not go for the squishier target first and leave the combatants for later?

  Why not just…let her [Devour] everything and let her grow exponentially to the size of a super city like the Desert or the [Ants] did?

  Actually the last one was mostly her own delusions of wanting to nom the world, Alexa had, after all. Been born to Om.

  “Okay then, now that the star of the class has returned to us, focus.” The teacher person said, pointing at the big TV screen, while his echoes pointed at her. “First, we have a favorite, Harmonia. Since you made us waste so much time, explain the event.”

  …How dare he make Alan…No, wait, why was Alexa defending him?!?!?!?

  “Thank you Teacher,” Alan said standing up and giving a small bow to the teacher person, and to Alexa he gave a small wink.

  Alexa would not be deceived!

  “The first event this year seems to be an endurance race, normal layout, so we can expect a circuit of at least a kilometer long run for our noncore users and a five-kilometer circuit for the Core Users.” Alan said pointing at the big tv picture, there was indeed an image of a donut painted on the ground. “We weren’t planning to participate in the Core User race since we didn’t have anyone that would be a good fit for it before but…”

  Alan said turning to eye Alexa, for a second he seemed to look her up and down…What? Got a problem?!?!?!? Alexa will eat you and spit you before you know it! Don’t test Alexa! She could be a rabid…a rabid…A rabitt Alexa! Pyon!

  No wait, that was wrong!

  “Yes, Alexandra Saintsworths is indeed recorded as a Core User so she qualifies for that category, so this class can compete against the other Core Users.” The teacher person said from below, “If she is up to the challenge….whatever they may provide, surely not much against one of the esteemed Saintsworths.”

  “Alexa can do it!” Alexa said raising her hand, “She can defeat them all puny [Humans]!”

  “....Phrasing Alexa,” Glory said from the side, “That kind of words in less understanding ears could paint you as a Core user supremasists. And while we know the official stance of the current Scion, other less intelligent people may think you and the Saintsworths advocate for Core User supremacy.”

  The what now?

  “We may as well get this out now then,” The teacher person said pointing at Alexa, “Answer us this Alexandra Saintsworths, is a Core User superior to a non Core User? If so, why. If not, also why.”

  Was a [Core User] superior to a non [Core User]? The answer was obvious, wasn’t it?

  “Depends on what setting, a non [Core User] can defeat a [Core User] with enough preparation.” Alexa said she was a good example of that; she had defeated [V-8] without using her [Core Power] after all. “It doesn’t matter what type of [Core] you have, Alexa would have not been defeated if she had the scrambler guy power for example.”

  *Silence 2: Electric Boogaloo*

  “...That is indeed the Saintsworths blood speaking,” Alan suddenly said from the side as he started laughing.

  “What?” Alexa asked confused as she felt the blood rush to her face, again. “What did Alexa say?”

  “Most people that are asked all answer the same. That they wouldn’t want to have [The Scrambler]’s Core Power. Hell, some even say that [The Theater Master] is like he is because he doesn’t want to be associated with [The Scrambler].” Alan answered for Alexa.

  “So the teach- I mean, so the Theather person does have the same [Core Power]?” Alexa asked.

  “Debatable, that is more of a semantic question. [The Theater Master] has not twisted anyone into something else, even if some people claim that he could.” The Teacher person asked, Alexa could see some of the people behind him scowl at her.

  But Alexa would not get bullied! Bleh! Bleh Alexa said!

  No, wait, “Why wouldn’t people want to have the scrambled person [Core]? Isn’t he like at the top of the list of dangerous [Humans]?” Alexa asked confused.

  “Because…all Core Powers first use is usually oneself.” Glory answered, “No matter how much you try to use your power, the first time is usually used on you. No matter your wish or situation.”

  So Glory was on the wish theory…

  “Or if you think that the Core Powers is formed by the people you associate, then it means that the Core power was used on you before…Both [The Scrambler] and [The Theather Master] are the reason why people think the wish theory is correct. Since to acquire their core powers would mean to be in contact with what they made them…well, what they are now. The second one could be explained by being around the first, but the first…” Alan said shaking his head.

  Yeah…The teacher person could be explained by being near the scrambled person, but then…near who was the scrambled person when he awoke his [Core]?

  “And so, the fact that you even say that having his core power instead of your shapeshifting power is…” Glory said and then stopped.

  “Hubris,” The teacher person finished for Glory, “That is your hubris speaking, the hubris of a prideful person who thinks that she is better than everyone else.”

  Alexa could see the cracks behind the teacher person spread.

  “[Warning Mana density increasing, detecting sub type variant of mana readings leaking in the background…]”

  “But you are quite lucky, since I’m your teacher and so it’s my job to make sure you know the limitations and the harshness of the real world.” The teacher person said and with that the cracks behind him slowly mended and closed in.

  But it was too late, Alexa had seen it…In that void where no light could penetrate…Within that sludge-like place…Two shining red eyes darted within, and while Alexa was not sure if she had seen wrong or not…

  “[Checking up logs…no evidence of the leakage that resulted in increased ambient mana, no evidence of having encountered the same subtype of mana, logging results. Assigning a temporary name to sample according to behavior: Shadow Mana.]”

  “So this is how we will go about it,” The teacher person said walking to his desk and opening a drawer, “You will participate both in the normal and Core User events,”

  That…wasn’t that bad?

  “Teacher, she is a Core User. Even if her Core didn’t grant her superhuman degree of strength (Which it does), it wouldn’t be fair to the other participants!” Glory said from the side.

  No, wait, whose side were you on?!?!?!

  “That is correct, and for that very reason she will be participating using these.” The teacher person said pulling a tiara?

  “That is pretty, Alexa likes it.” Alexa said, looking at the tiara thing.

  “Is that…a Core Supresant?” Alan said from the side, “I thought…these were restricted? How…?”

  A [Core] what?!?!? Alexa didn’t like it anymore!

  “Indeed they are restricted to own, but after the latest accident with Alexa’s previous class these were distributed to all the classes so now all the teachers must carry one and use it in case of emergency, they come with this handy pair too.” The teacher person said pulling from the drawer a weird watch, “Should this thing beep, the tiara is activated and then I only need to throw it in the general direction and the thing should latch itself on the Core user rampaging. Then these disrupt the connection between the brain and the Core, making the Core User as strong as a normal human.”

  That…was a very convenient tool to pull out just at the right moment.

  “Then why aren’t they more popular?” Alexa asked, “If they can be used to contain Core User, wouldn’t it be easier to capture or disable the [Villains]?”

  Like, if they had these things why had Alexa suffered so much?!?!?!?

  “First, they aren’t foolproof. For example if you attempted to use it on a Villain with a Core similar to V-8 it would be meaningless, the same goes for Super Force and Chrysalis. Or even the master of machines Vulcanus.” Glory answered first.

  “Secondly, they are expensive, and their effect can only last so long. Even if you managed to use it on V-8 since Glory used him as an example, since he perceives time faster than the rest of us as he moves at higher speeds than the rest, then he would be restrained for hours from his perspective. To us, it would be barely a second or two.” Alan added, so smart.

  ….WHY DID IT MATTER THAT HE KNEW THAT! ALEXA COULD PROBABLY FIND OUT IF SHE ASKED MAIN CORE TOO AAAAAAAAA.

  “Exactly, and third. If the Core is mature or the Core User powerful they straight up don’t work. Especially if the Core user knows it is coming,” The teacher person said, “Unless, of course, said Core User wants it to work, so if you put this on knowingly and accept the suppression, it will work long enough to matter.”

  So…Alexa neede to accept being limited?

  “Why would any [Core User] accept this? That’s dumb.” Alexa said, the [Humans] who made this were dumb.

  “Because if you want to participate and help your friends win this very important event, you will need to participate without using your Core.” The teacher person said with a weird smile on his face.

  No wait…

  Participate… without using her [Core]?

  Not Main Core, but her [Core]?

  “...So…Alexa will not be able to use her [Core Power]? And will need to participate with whatever her [Normal Body] can do?” Alexa asked very carefully, trying to not smile away.

  “...That is one weird way to word it but yes,” Glory said from the side, “It’s okay Alexa, I’m sure we can compensate for the events you lose on the Core User track.”

  “You assume she will not lose on the normal ones too, most Core Users are weaker than normal humans you know?” Alan said from the side with a sigh, “It’s okay Princess, we knew the risks, this is merely a bad gamble playing out.”

  “Alexa will win,” Alexa said, annoyed at the heathens not trusting her.

  She wasn’t sure what a heathen was, but she was sure the word fit.

  “Alexa is strong even without using [Core],” Mostly because Alexa had rarely used [Core] to begin with!

  All that she had achieved had been done using her normal body!

  “[Warning, showing a higher than normal degree of power/might may compromise hosts identity.]”

  “But just in case…Alexa would appreciate having more information on the other sports…” Alexa said in a small voice.

  “Main Core! Investigate the limit of a normal [Human Child Stage] of my complexion, age and stature!” And commanded Main Core to get the work done. She needed to know how much she would be limited.

  “And can I have that thingy for a second? Alexa needs to know how much it will affect her before participating.” Alexa said extending her hand, she…would need to check in private how that thing affected her.

  This body….was not made using only her [Core Powers], it was made using her [Nanites] too, so…would it keep cohesion or not?

  This…This may need to be checked in private. Away from prying eyes.