Mech Highschool

	I’m COM-3A.  It was my first day at my new school and I couldn’t be more excited!  I’m finally old enough to wear a uniform so I’ll stop looking like a little baby.

	Most of my classmates were already in when I got to the classroom.  Two girls were arguing by the front desks.
	“You’re taking my seat!”
	“I didn’t see you in it.”
	“You ran to it before I could get to it!”
	“Not my fault you’re so slow.”
	“That doesn’t give you the right to steal my seat!”
	“I didn’t see your name on it.”
	The two arguing are a Jenner and Raven.  I also see two Spiders in the classroom.  My sister COM-2D is in another class.  There’s suppose to be a Flea as well but I guess she’s not here yet.
	Then our teacher Ms. AWS-8Q came in.  She ordered everyone into their seats.  I took a desk near the back next to the windows.  I like looking out the windows during class.
	Ms. AWS-8Q stood behind the desk with her PPC on her hip and announced “Now I’m sure you’re all raring to go at the books but first I want everyone to introduce themselves and tell us a little bit about yourselves.  I’ll start, my name is Ms. AWS-8Q for those you don’t know and aside from teaching I love baking and knitting.”  Her hand actuator swung with a flourish to punctuate her introduction.  She paused for a moment then motioned with her hand actuator towards the Jenner.  With a nod she said “Now why don’t you go?”
	The Jenner stood out of her desk and turned towards the rest of us and announced “I’m JR7-D, I like running and jumping and I want to be your class representative!”  We all clapped lightly as she turned and sat back in her desk.  She gave a knowing look to the Raven who began glaring at her when she announced her intentions to become class president.
	Ms. AWS-8Q spoke again “That’s very nice JR7-D, now it’s your turn girl” as her hand actuator motioned toward the Raven.
	She stood up and turned and announced “My name is RVN-3L, I like reading and exploring and I wish to be a better class representative!”  She gave a satisfied hop back into her desk as we gave the customary applause.  Instead of glaring JR7-D turned away with a disdainful ‘hmph’ as RVN-3L sat back in her desk.
	With a hand to her chest our teacher exclaimed “My, won’t this be an interesting year!” Ms AWS-8Q’s actuator then landed on the first Spider in the room.  “It’s your turn now, tell us a little about yourself.
	With one smooth efficient motion he stood up from his chair and out of his desk.  Standing straight as a board with his arms still at his sides the Spider announced “I am named SDR-5K and I love tanks and guns!”  The rest of us gave the usual applause as he slid back into his desk with the same efficiency as before.
	Ms. AWS-8Q resumed, “Wonderful--”, I panicked, I wasn’t thinking of what to say and now I’m next.  My mind raced through the options as the actuator creeped its way towards me.  “--why don’t you go now?”  The actuator landed on me like an impact.  Everything went still as if all sensations stopped at that moment.  I then became aware of every eye in the classroom staring at me.  Out of resignation I got out of my seat and I stood up stiff like SDR-5K but out of fear and not practiced precision.  Looking towards everyone but not at anyone I rushed through my introduction.
	“I am COM-3A, I am armed with two SRM-6s, a Flamer and a Medium Laser for my role is close-range support!”
	Silence, There was no applause or any response from anyone.
	More silence, I can’t bear it.  “T.. Thank you..” I mumbled and escaped into my chair.
	The scattered applause finally arrives as Ms. AWS-8Q tried to segue my disaster into the next introduction.  “Good, good!  That sounds great!  Now finally lets have you go.”  The actuator pointed to my last classmate, a Spider that sits in the very back row.  She hesitated but then stood up, but her eyes don’t leave the floor.  She appeared so tiny and delicate.  I think she’s saying something but I can’t make it out.
	The teacher waved her actuator in a beckoning motion.  “Come on girl, speak up!  We can hardly hear you!”
	“...SDR-5V.”
	A pause, and then the teacher goaded her into volunteering more.  “And what do you like to do?”
	“...drawing.”  With that she slipped back into her desk.  Everyone else gave a few weak claps to try and cover up the awkwardness. She’s still hunched down, and looked even more tiny when sitting.  I wonder if she has any friends.  Crap she caught me staring, better turn away.
	The teacher moved her actuator to her other hip, “Well, that was fun.”  Looks like FLE-17 is absent today so she’ll have to give her introduction next time.”  She sat at her desk and took out a book and instructed the rest of us “Everyone please open your book to page 30 and we’ll begin our first lesson.”

	Class was pretty uneventful until our first break, when SDR-5K approached and sat to my right.
	“So, ‘close-range support,’ you say you have a medium laser?”
	“Yeah.” I gestured with my left arm.
	“Can I see?  Can I?”  He tipped his chair forward and leaned in.
	“Well...”
	“Come on man, don’t be stingy!”
	“Well, alright...”  I turned and presented my left arm so that he could inspect the medium laser mounted on it.  He started perusing every panel, marking, dent, and scratch on the laser.  I wanted to say something to fill the awkward silence but I doubt would have heard me if I did say something.
	The tension finally shatters “Whoa!  This is a Rassal Blue-Beam!  But you’re from Coventry!  How did you get this?”
    “You know about the Blue-Beam?”
	“Of course I know about the Blue-Beam!”  He finally let go of my arm and brought a fist up to his chest in a display of pride.  “5 megawatts of energy with a 5 second burn time.  Capable of burning through 5 millimeters of armor per second guaranteed or your money back!  You know you have a true beam when you have a Blue-Beam!”
	Wow, that really took me back.  “Hahaha, haven’t heard that jingle in forever.  Not sure about the circumstances behind mine though, it’s just what I was equipped with.”
	SDR-5K relaxed the arm at his chest and pointed at the laser mounted in his torso.  “What I have is a Imstar Starflash II.  It operates at 2 megawatts with a 2 second burn time.  But it has a 3 second recycle time!”
	We kept talking about weapons until the end of the break.  I hate to say it but he knew more about my weapons than I did!  I really need to study up on this stuff.

	I was wandering around the school grounds after school when I ran into some upperclassmen.  It was a pair of Hunchbacks hanging out under a tree in the field.  They both look in my direction
	“Oh, it looks like one of the new kids is here!”  Crap, they noticed me.  “Come here, come join us!”  The one who initially spoke waved her arms beckoning to me.  I approached them both and stood just outside the tree’s shade near them.  “Hi!  I’m HBK-4SP and this is my sister HBK-4J.”  HBK-4J’s head dipped slightly as she’s addressed but she doesn’t say anything.  She had her hands to her chest and she’s looked anxious about something.
	HBK-4SP tilted her head, “Well, what’s your name?”
	“oh, sorry, It’s COM-3A.  Nice to meet you” I tilted my head towards HBK-4SP and then towards HBK-4J in an attempt to elicit a response.
	A pause and HBK-4J finally spoke, “Pl.. Pleased to meet you.”
	“Oh, he’s so polite!”  HBK-4SP raised a hand to her face and giggled.  This caused HBK-4J to withdraw even more.
	I looked down and mumbled “Sorry if I’m intruding.”
	“Oh don’t mind HBK-4J, she’s always like that around new people.  Anyway, aren’t you hot in the sun?  Come on, join us in the shade!  We don’t bite.”  She resumed the same beckoning motion that initially called me over.  I took a couple hesitant steps into the shade.  It did feel much nicer here.
	“See, I knew you were getting hot!”  I guess the relief was pretty visible on my face.  HBK-4SP approached and placed a hand on my shoulder.
	HBK-4J was taken aback and cried out “Onesama!”
	“Oh it’s fine, I’m just being friendly.  Isn’t that right COM-3A?”  With that she stepped behind me and embraced me.  I could feel her SRM launchers pressing into my back from beneath her uniform!
	“O.. Onesama, you’re so bold...”  HBK-4J is transfixed by what’s happening before her.
	A soft lilting giggle floated up from behind me.  “I need to make sure our new friend feels welcomed.”
	“Sempai!” I cried out.
	“Don’t need to be so stiff, you can call me HBK-4SP.” With that she embraced me tighter, pressing the SRM launchers even harder into my back.
	I heard people arguing in the distance.  I use that as an excuse to extricate myself from HBK-4SP’s grip.  “What's that?  I hear people having a fight.”
	She looked towards the noise and she seemed to recognize the pair but I can’t quite make them out yet.  It appeared to have ruined the atmosphere for her however, as she said “Aww... well we’re late for the meeting anyway.  Have fun with your new friends, COM-3A!”  With that she grabbed HBK-4J’s hand and started off towards the school building.
	“See ya.” I gave a quick wave to the retreating Hunchbacks.
	“Bye-Bye!” HBK-4SP shouted as both sisters wave goodbye.

	The arguing couple approached closer as I was seeing the sisters off.  I could now see that one is a rough looking Centurion in a loosely fitting uniform and he was walking with a dainty Trebuchet.  Her walk appeared to be done with a delicate precision, compared to the Centurion’s sloppy gait.
	“What are you staring a buddy?!”  The Centurion was glaring at me with himself imposed directly between myself and the Trebuchet.
	“Er...”
	The Trebuchet looked exasperated. “Geez.”  She sidestepped the Centurion and stepped directly in front of me.  The Centurion gave a shout but he’s ignored.  “Sorry about that, I’m TBT-5N, and this is my brother CN9-A.  He thinks he’s tough but he’s just a blockhead.”
	CN9-A made a fist and started waving it “HEY!  Don’t just tell him your name, you don’t even know who he is!”
	TBT-5N crossed her arms and turned towards both me and CN9-A.  “He’s a student here, he’s not like one of the street kids you make company with.”
	CN9-A stomped and his arm flail more erratically.  “Gah, you never know who they let into the school these days!  And don’t tell strangers I’m a blockhead!”
	TBT-5N uncrossed her arms and turned towards me.  “What’s your name?”
	“COM-3A, nice to meet you.”  I bowed my head slightly
	TBT-5N placed her left hand actuator on my shoulder “Now that we’re no longer strangers, let me formally tell you that my brother is a huge blockhead.”
	He stomped again and pointed a claw at TBT-5N “You should treat your older brother with more respect!”
	TBT-5N dropped her hand  and with a disdainful tone said “we’re twins.”
	“I’m still older!”
	“If you insist.” TBT-5N turned towards CN9-A and shrugged for dramatic effect.  She resumed after the shrug, “No one takes you seriously because you don’t even have an autocannon.  You just stuff your jacket full of SRMs instead.”
	That caught my interest.  “SRMs?  You use those?”
    Finally sensing some respect CN9-A pumped his fist and puffed his chest out.  “Of course I use them!  Packed to the gills with them!  I call it the SRM-Bomb.  I invented it you know.”
	TBT-5N sighed and looked away.  I continued my inquiry, “you invented them?”
	CN9-A puffed out even prouder, “Heh heh, SRMs were just laying around going unused and I thought ‘Well why not pack ‘em in?’  I had to get rid of my autocannon to fit them but that’s what makes the whole thing work.”  He shook his empty gun arm for emphasis.  “Suckers see this and think ‘Wow, this punk will be easy meat.’  Then when they get close I give them the business!”  He demonstrated giving them the business by quickly unfurling his jacket open then closed.  “No one else was packing tons of SRMs until I made it popular.”
	I tilted my head and began explaining “Well actually...”
	CN9-A glared again “What's that?  Sorry, didn’t hear it, my claws are getting a little itchy.”  He flexed his clawed hand actuator and the sharp edges glinted in the sunlight.
	I looked away from the claws and began mumbling “Well actually, I never thought of packing SRMs until I saw your SRM-Bomb.”
	He continued glaring but stopped flexing his claws.  “You know what COM-3A?”  I looked at him expectantly, too unsure to say anything.  “You’re alright!”  With that he slapped me on the shoulder with his claws.  “Catch ya later bro!”  He began walking towards the field behind me and turned his head towards TBT-5N “Let’s go.”
	TBT-5N looked at me and said “I’m sorry about that whole mess, see you around.” She then caught up to CN9-A and walked in pace behind him with the same delicacy she displayed before.

	I headed home after that.  I didn’t expect to meet so many new people already.  I’m looking forward to the next day!