THE GIRL WHO PARTNERED WITH A MONSTER
1333 Words
Ava’s journey at HEROES Academy had begun… but not the way she expected.
After separating from T. L that morning, Ava boarded the bus assigned to the Tribrid division. The ride was short compared to the first journey into the academy, but as the bus moved deeper into the inner compound, the buildings changed.
This section was built like a city within a fortress.
Tall silver towers with glowing golden H symbols rose above the training grounds. Elevated bridges connected buildings in the air. Glass walkways shimmered under sunlight. Massive arenas surrounded the dorm blocks.
The Tribrid quarters stood at the center—a sleek, towering structure surrounded by fountains that pulsed with colored light.
Ava stepped off the bus with her bag in hand.
She looked up.
“Okay,” she whispered. “This place is showing off.”
A nearby student laughed.
Ava smiled nervously and followed the assigned route into the girls’ dorm.
---
Her room was on the seventh floor.
When she opened the door, two girls were already inside, unpacking.
One turned immediately with a bright smile.
She had dark yellow hair tied in a loose ponytail and eyes that seemed always cheerful.
She waved excitedly.
“You must be the last roommate!”
Ava blinked.
Then smiled.
“Uh… yeah. I’m Ava.”
The girl rushed forward and shook her hand enthusiastically.
“I’m Shine! Nice to meet you.”
Shine practically radiated energy.
Ava laughed.
“You seem very happy.”
Shine grinned.
“We’re in HEROES Academy! Why wouldn’t I be?”
Ava dropped her bag.
Fair point.
The second girl sat cross-legged on one of the beds, watching them with a calm smile.
She had long black hair and a confident look that made her seem older than the others.
She stood and offered her hand.
“I’m Lacy.”
Ava shook it.
“Hi.”
Shine jumped onto her bed dramatically.
“So, what powers do you have?”
Ava hesitated.
“Teleportation… telekinesis… and water control.”
Shine’s mouth opened.
“Ooooh, you’re cool!”
She pointed at herself proudly.
“I have telekinesis too. Plus fire and water.”
Lacy smirked.
“Show-off.”
Shine pointed at her.
“You tell yours!”
Lacy shrugged.
“Telekinesis. Purple energy flares. And shapeshifting.”
Ava’s eyebrows rose.
“That’s… actually amazing.”
Lacy smiled slightly.
Shine suddenly looked at Ava’s plain old bag and clothes and tilted her head.
“You’re not from any academy school, are you?”
Ava shook her head.
“No. I came from an orphanage.”
The room went quiet for a second.
Then Shine’s expression softened.
“Oh.”
Lacy sat beside Ava.
“Well, that doesn’t matter here.”
Shine nodded quickly.
“Exactly. Power is power. Doesn’t matter where you came from.”
Ava smiled, relieved.
“Thanks.”
Lacy gave a small grin.
“Besides, if anyone makes fun of you, Shine can drown them and I’ll turn into them and ruin their reputation.”
Shine gasped dramatically.
“That was supposed to be our secret evil plan.”
Ava burst out laughing.
For the first time since leaving T. L, she felt a little less alone.
---
Suddenly, the loudspeaker crackled across the dormitory.
“All Tribrid first-year students report immediately to the training hall for your first assessment.”
Shine jumped off the bed.
“That’s us!”
Lacy grabbed her jacket.
“Move before you miss the first day and become legendary for the wrong reason.”
Ava picked up her academy band and followed them out.
---
The Tribrid training hall was enormous.
It looked more like an indoor stadium than a classroom.
Rows of students gathered while instructors stood at the front.
Three directors stood on the raised platform.
Mrs. Chloe Michael.
Mr. Adams James.
Mr. Moses Keniler.
All three wore the golden HEROES command uniforms.
Ava’s eyes widened.
But something else caught her attention.
Off to the side, laughing among themselves, stood a familiar group.
The same team from the bank robbery incident she had seen on television.
The Tribrids.
The ones who had burned the robbers alive.
There were five of them.
Enoch—their leader, tall and calm, with an unsettling confidence.
Mia—the girl with mind control, teleportation, and energy blast.
Theresa—the girl who had incinerated the robbers.
And the two boys from their team, Rylan and Jace, both standing like they owned the room.
Ava’s stomach tightened.
She whispered to Shine.
“That’s them.”
Shine looked.
“Oh. The elite field team.”
Ava stared.
“Elite?”
Lacy nodded.
“They’re among the youngest active mission squads. Dangerous too.”
Ava swallowed hard.
That didn’t help.
---
Mrs. Chloe stepped forward.
The hall fell silent.
Her voice echoed powerfully.
“Welcome, first-year Tribrids. Today marks your first step into the path of HEROES.”
She paced slowly.
“You were selected because your powers exceed ordinary classifications. Tribrids are among the rarest and most unpredictable assets in our world.”
The students looked around proudly.
Mrs. Chloe continued.
“You will train here to control your gifts, strengthen your bodies, and learn to protect civilization against all forms of threats—criminal, supernatural, and catastrophic.”
She raised her hand.
“Power without discipline is destruction. Discipline without courage is weakness. Here, you will learn both.”
The students applauded.
Then she smiled and turned.
“And before we begin—congratulations to Enoch’s field squad for completing yesterday’s robbery interception.”
The room clapped loudly.
Enoch’s team gave casual nods.
Ava’s mouth dropped open.
She whispered under her breath.
“Wait… what?”
Shine leaned close.
“What?”
Ava looked horrified.
“I thought HEROES saved lives. Not killed people.”
Lacy looked uneasy too but said nothing.
Mrs. Chloe raised her voice again.
“For your first training exercise, each student will partner with another. This will help us assess teamwork and combat instinct.”
Students immediately began moving toward one another.
Shine grabbed Lacy’s wrist.
“We’re together.”
Lacy shrugged.
“Obviously.”
Ava turned to them in panic.
“Wait, I—”
But before she could finish, both had already moved to another side, pairing with each other.
Ava froze.
Her heart sank.
No partner.
Then a calm voice came from behind.
“I guess we match.”
Ava turned.
It was Mia.
Standing close.
Too close.
Her expression was unreadable.
Ava’s mind instantly screamed.
No. No. No. Not her.
The image of the burning robbers flashed in her mind.
Mia tilted her head.
“You look scared.”
Ava laughed nervously.
“No! Why would I be scared?”
Mia crossed her arms.
“Maybe because you saw the news.”
Ava said nothing.
Inside her head:
Yes, because you people turned men into ashes in a bank!
Mia stepped closer.
Her tone softened.
“I don’t bite.”
Ava quickly looked around.
She wanted to reject her.
She turned toward Shine and Lacy—
But both girls were already standing with another pair, talking and laughing.
No escape.
Mia followed Ava’s gaze.
Then completed her sentence with a faint smirk.
“Partner?”
Ava swallowed.
She forced the most awkward smile imaginable.
“…Sure.”
Mia’s smirk widened slightly.
“Great.”
Ava stepped beside her, but inside she was panicking.
Me? Train with this murderer?
No. Not possible.
She was one of the people who killed those robbers. What if she kills me too?
And the directors would probably say she acted in self-defense.
Ava smiled weakly beside her.
Mia looked ahead calmly.
But after a moment, she glanced sideways at Ava and said quietly—
“You think too loudly.”
Ava froze.
Her eyes widened.
Mia smiled.
And walked toward the training floor.
Ava stood rooted to the spot.
One thought pounded in her head.
This is going to be the worst day of my life.
- Writer
