Later that evening, the atmosphere inside The Rusted Blade—a bar known for its clientele of the influential and experienced—was lively but steeped in a calm authority. Headmistress Harriet sat at the corner of the bar, swirling a glass of whiskey in her hand, her tattooed arms resting on the bar's polished wooden surface.

Around her, other headmasters and headmistresses from the various academies of the Japanese Section on Comoros were gathered, most of whom were well over a thousand years old, just like Harriet. They were veteran educators, seasoned enough to know that their rivalries ran as deep as their camaraderie.

Nissin Tech Academy's headmaster, Ryohei Sato, a tall, stoic Warrior Class with graying hair and a quiet demeanor, was seated beside her.

Despite his usual silence, a grin played at the edge of his mouth as he listened to Harriet's recounting of her recent encounter with the Earthling transfers.

"So," Ryohei began, his voice gravelly from years of barking orders on training fields, "CherryWood Academy's reputation as 'Earth Human Central' is now the biggest point of pride, huh?"

Harriet chuckled, taking a sip. "Seems so. You wouldn't believe the chaos it's caused, though. Those kids have the Warrior Class girls practically fighting for their attention, and the drama...it's relentless."

Headmistress Ophelia Juno from Aegis Preparatory, an elegant Softy-Islandar hybrid with a sharp wit, rolled her eyes with a smirk.

"Harriet, I'd say the universe finally gave you the challenge you've been looking for. And with Earthlings involved, the stakes are definitely higher."

Harriet scoffed, but her smirk betrayed her amusement. "Challenge? Try pandemonium. I've got Warrior Class kids ready to rip apart Saint Queen's Academy students every time they sniff around CherryWood territory, let alone when they even glance at one of the Earth humans."

Ophelia leaned in, her sharp green eyes gleaming with intrigue. "Well, that only adds to CherryWood's exclusivity, doesn't it? You've got Earthlings directly under your care. You're setting quite the precedent."

Kurogane, the headmaster of Titan's Reach Academy, a Giant Class stronghold, laughed heartily from across the bar.

His laugh was deep, resonant, like an avalanche echoing in the mountains. "A bit of competition between the schools never hurt! But the Earthlings...they do add something special, don't they? Fresh blood, fresh perspective." He raised his glass in a toast. "To the Earthlings who've managed to shake the dust off of our centuries-old academies."

Everyone raised their glasses, clinking them with a warmth that only ancient rivals and friends could share. Harriet gave a rare, genuine smile. "To the Earthlings—and to the beautiful chaos they've brought with them."

The bar fell into an unusual silence as each of the headmasters and headmistresses took a moment to reminisce, their eyes slightly glazed over as they looked past their drinks, past the walls of The Rusted Blade, and back to a time that had irrevocably shaped their worlds.

Harriet leaned back in her chair, her gaze far away, her whiskey forgotten on the bar. "Three hundred years ago..." she muttered, her voice just a whisper. The others nodded, memories slowly unfolding in their minds like an ancient book being opened to a dusty but cherished chapter.

Ryohei's stern expression softened, and he let out a sigh. "The prison ship... how could any of us forget? We were just prisoners to them, pawns in a war we never asked for." His eyes seemed to burn as he remembered the cold chains, the metallic gray of the ship's cell walls, the rank stench of fear that hung in the air.

Ophelia touched her fingertips to her glass, tracing the rim. "We were captives, our people chained like beasts," she murmured, her eyes narrowing at the memories of their captors—the members of the evil space empire, who had subjugated their people without mercy. "But then, the crash..."

Harriet nodded slowly. She remembered the crash like it had happened yesterday. The ship breaking apart as it fell through Earth's atmosphere, the way the metal screeched, tearing itself apart. For many of the Comos, it had been both terrifying and the glimmer of hope they'd been waiting for—a chance for freedom, even if it came in the form of a fiery wreck on an unknown world.

Kurogane chuckled softly, his rumbling laugh sounding less amused and more reflective. "Humans—Earthlings—weren't exactly thrilled to see us, were they?" He smirked. "First, the war, then the crash, and suddenly there were all these alien prisoners on their soil. Most of us thought it would be the end of the line."

Harriet smiled faintly. "They were suspicious of us. I mean, who wouldn't be? A massive ship crashing down in the middle of a war with an alien invasion. To them, we were just another threat." She paused, then let out a long breath. "But some of them... some of those humans were different."

"They helped us." Ophelia's voice was soft, almost lost amidst the low hum of the bar. "They saw us for what we were—not enemies, not invaders, but survivors. People who had been forced into chains just like they were fighting not to be."

Ryohei nodded. "There were those who fought against the invaders... and once they realized we were prisoners and not soldiers of that empire, they extended a hand." He clenched his fist as he remembered the first time he'd seen it—a young human soldier, dirty, exhausted, but with determination in his eyes as he broke the chains that bound Ryohei and his fellow captives.

"Comradery." Kurogane said, his voice deep and warm. "That's what came after the hostility. We fought beside them, against those damn invaders. Side by side, our people and theirs. We shed blood together. Built trust from the rubble of war."

Harriet's lips curled into a smile. "And something else." She chuckled softly. "It's funny how even in the midst of all the chaos—between the battles, the desperation to survive—connections formed. I remember seeing some of the first romances spark between humans and Comos."

Ophelia's eyes twinkled. "I knew a girl back then who fell in love with a human scientist. The way they worked together, trying to understand each other despite the language barrier...it was inspiring. They married after the war ended."

"Those early bonds built the foundation for everything we have now," Harriet mused, her voice filled with nostalgia. "Our academies, the integration of Earthlings, the cultural exchanges. That chaotic, terrifying beginning laid the groundwork for the peaceful, if not strange, co-existence we have today."

The group sat quietly for a moment, letting the memories settle over them. The bond forged through hardship, fear, and triumph was something that had stood the test of time—through centuries, it remained, stronger than any rivalry that now divided their schools.

Ryohei finally broke the silence, raising his glass. "To the Earthlings—to our allies, to those who became friends, lovers, and family. And to all those who continue to forge new bonds today."

Glasses clinked together, a sound that seemed to resonate with three centuries of history. Harriet smiled, her heart swelling with both pride and warmth. "To the Earthlings," she echoed, "and the future we continue to build."

The door to The Rusted Blade swung open, and a gust of cold night air blew into the bar, followed by a series of figures entering in rapid succession. The dim lighting cast long shadows as each of the headmasters and headmistresses filed in, some with a flourish, others with an air of indifference. Harriet turned her head, her lips curving into a familiar smirk.

"Well, well, the gang's all here," Harriet said, raising her glass in mock salute as her fellow headmasters gathered around their designated table.

Headmistress Seraphina Gale, of Azure Vale Academy, was the first to make her entrance.

She was a Warrior/Islandar Class hybrid—tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in an elaborate set of robes that glimmered with metallic threads, reflecting the soft lights of the bar. Her eyes, sharp as daggers, scanned the room before landing on Harriet, a rare smile tugging at her lips.

"Harriet, Ryohei, Kurogane, Ophelia," Seraphina greeted, giving each of them a nod. "Looks like we're in good company tonight." She found herself a seat, her robes flowing around her like water.

Behind her was Headmaster Aleron Draven of Valhalla Institute, the infamous Nighter Class academy known for its rigorous night-time curriculum.

He was tall, thin, with pale skin and jet-black hair, eyes glinting with a violet hue that was peculiar even for Nighter Class Comos. His entry was as quiet as a shadow, but his aura carried a weight that was impossible to ignore.

"Thought you'd all start the party without me?" Aleron spoke in a near whisper, though his voice carried across the table. His smile was ghostly as he settled into a chair beside Seraphina.

Then came Headmaster Takemi Watanabe from Crimson Lotus Academy, a predominantly Giant Class school.

His towering figure was barely contained in the bar, and he had to duck low to enter, his long, dark brown hair tied back into a loose ponytail. He had a rugged look, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he joined the table.

"You know," Takemi said as he approached, "it's not often we all end up in the same room together. Harriet must've twisted your arms, huh?" He laughed, his voice deep and resonant, almost shaking the glasses on the table.

Headmistress Zora Vega from Obsidian Peak School for the Gifted, an institution specializing in talented hybrids, strode in with a confident swagger.

Zora had dark skin that shimmered like polished obsidian under the lights, and her hair, dyed in alternating shades of silver and indigo, fell in intricate braids. She looked between them all, her gaze briefly softening when she saw Harriet.

"And here I thought it was another hundred years before we'd all get together," Zora said teasingly, her sharp smile betraying her fondness. "What's the occasion this time?" She dropped into the empty seat beside Ryohei, taking his whiskey and downing it with ease.

"We were just reminiscing, Zora," Ophelia said, her eyes softening as she looked at her longtime friend. "The good old days... the Earthlings, the first time we found ourselves on their soil."

Takemi snorted, shaking his head. "The good old days, huh? Getting chased around by military drones, having to convince humans we weren't there to enslave them. If I remember right, they weren't exactly friendly."

Harriet smirked, her gaze far away. "No, but in the end, they weren't just friendly. They were everything—friend, lover, partner. They were willing to go to war with us. Side by side."

"And here we are now," Aleron said, his violet eyes thoughtful. "Centuries later, still dealing with the unique chaos these Earthlings bring into our lives. Whether it be peace... or a fight." His tone carried an odd affection that betrayed how he truly felt—grateful for those connections that had lasted centuries.

Zora's eyes flickered with a smirk. "Speaking of fights—anyone else keeping an eye on these new Earth kids? CherryWood and Nissin Tech, was it?" She raised an eyebrow. "Heard there's been some... tension."

Harriet groaned, rubbing her temples. "Don't remind me, Zora. Aoto and Ay, those two have become magnets for trouble. And then, we got Saint Queen's Academy thinking they can poach students with official papers. It's like these kids don't know what a quiet life is."

Ryohei chuckled, shaking his head. "Quiet isn't the life of a Warrior Class, Harriet. You know that better than anyone."

Takemi grinned, raising his glass. "To the Earthlings—old and new. Seems like they've been shaking up our lives for centuries, and I doubt that'll change anytime soon."

"To the Earthlings," echoed everyone at the table, glasses clinking as they acknowledged not only the past that had brought them together but also the chaotic and ever-changing present that the next generation of Earthlings was bringing to their lives.

The bar returned to its usual lively buzz, the group falling into comfortable conversation, their shared history binding them through the centuries—and, as it seemed, for centuries to come.