Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

[Some playable audio to enhance your reading! Credit at the bottom.]

With a deep breath, the soothing air carried the scent of the pine trees around me. I'm laser focused right now, as I fight the furious current of the cold river pounding against me. I'm used to it at this point, but the rainy season had flooded the river, so training today was especially difficult. It didn't matter to me-- I just had to focus on the current of the river as the waters swish and roar around me, no matter how cold I feel. My waters have to surpass the intensity of this river if I'm ever going to become a hero. I take another deep breath...

"Become the beast." That's what Tiger always tells me. It's heroes like him that push me to train harder to become the hero I want to be, unstoppable. 

I open my eyes again; the stones I've set up in random spots along the river lay before me. I carried these stones myself from the rock pile about 100 meters away from the river. They're heavy, durable stones that are awesome for building my strength, and they make good target practice. I stick my right palm out in front of me, careful to not lose my balance from the current. Grabbing the wrist with my other hand, I start to take aim. Here, the Beast's Forest is my territory.

... FIRE!

Water ejects from my right hand at the speed of bullets-- all five of my projectiles darting towards their respective target. Then, my favorite sound echoes above the roaring current: the shattering of rock. I quickly jump out of the river to see how I did. Haha! Awesome! Even though these rocks were so durable, I saw a clean hole that came out the other side in each of the five... never mind. Turns out the last stone only had a dent in it without coming out the other end. Piece of crap... And I plan to become a hero at this rate? U.A. High, the most prestigious hero school in Japan, would want nothing to do with me if I can get beat by some shitty rock...

I'm Kota Izumi. I'm 15 years old, and my Quirk allows me to shoot water from the palms of my hands, just like how my parents used to. My parents were a hero duo known as "Water Hose". I loved them so much, because no matter how busy they were in their hero careers, they always found time to be with their son... Then they were taken away from me when I was three years old. My parents left to defend a village that was under siege by an A-Rank villain. They told me they would come back to play with me, but they didn't come home that night. Cousin Shino babysat me when the breaking news report came on the TV.

"Water Hose duo killed by villain while defending village"

Killed? ... Killed? ... Killed? Killed? Killed? Killed? Killedkilledkilledkilledkilledkilledkilledkilledkilledkilledkilledkilled...

Water Hose... killed?! My world came crashing down like a violent waterfall. Cousin Shino was about to grab the remote to turn off the TV but I quickly took it from her. Why were Mom and Dad gone? Who stole them from me?!

"The heroes honorably served as a diversion away from the village and seriously injure the villain. The village was saved, but the duo was killed in their efforts."

Honorably? That's some bullshit. They knew I was waiting for them at home. Were those village people somehow more important than me? Mom and Dad should've known it was a fight they couldn't win, so why didn't they come back to me? ... After the news, I spent two years as a kid hating heroes and the entire superhuman society as a whole. Cousin Shino took custody of me, which annoyed little me. Just 'cause she's a hero too, she felt the need to "save" me? All heroes and villains were doing was killing each other without thinking what's actually important to them, like their family. Cousin Shino tried talking to me: 

"Kota, about your mommy and daddy, Water Hose... It's true that they ended up leaving you behind. But there were definitively lives saved because of what happened to them. I'm sure someday you'll meet someone, and then you'll understand. Someone who'll risk their life to save you... Someone who will be..."

Excuses... I thought that anyone who wanted to use their Quirk, whether for "good" or "evil", was a power-hungry bastard that didn't have their priorities straight... But that was before I met him. 

"MR. IZUMI!"

Wah!! That startled the crap out of me!

"Kota, don't you see how late it is?" It was Cousin Shino. She's using her Quirk to talk to me telepathically from base camp. "It's wonderful you're dedicated to your training, but you know you shouldn't stay at the forest until dark. Please come to camp quickly so I can take you home."

I lost track of time. She's right, I should forget about the stupid rock and make my way back. I quickly dry my wet hair and put my shirt back on, as well as my red sneakers and my favorite maroon-colored cap with yellow horns.

If I have to get there quickly, it's the perfect time to use that little trick I've been practicing. I'm a changed person after I was five; I no longer hate the superhuman society, and I'm grateful for my quirk and for the work done by heroes like my parents. Heroes can do all sorts of awesome things with their Quirks, and that's why I've prepared the stunt I'll use to get to camp. I put one foot in front of me and stuck my arms out downwards and behind me. I hope I don't crash and eat the dirt, but I'm ready.

Become the beast...

WOOSH!!

Putting immense pressure, I blast water from both palms into the ground, launching myself into the air. I am my own jetpack! Like an eagle at dusk, I float above the pine trees as the sun sets behind me. Now, getting this high up is one thing, but moving forward while staying in the air was another. I lean forward to get the angle I want to propel myself forward, and now I'm free falling, about to kiss the ground. I unleash another blast of water from my palms to get back into the air. I keep this cycle between free falling and propelling upwards with a decent rhythm. This is child's play! 

Speaking of which, do you know about the superstition that a flock of crows will bring you bad luck? Well, I got so into launching myself with my Quirk, that I didn't notice a feathery bunch of dumbasses flying in front of me and I got hit with a face full of crow, and I lost my coordination!

Wahhhh!!!!

I'm free falling for real this time, face towards the ground, so I don't have the angle I need to propel forward. Solid ground is below me, so this fall will hurt ... No! A hero can handle this! I stick my arms out towards the ground, and launch a blast of water. This will slow down my fall by propelling me against gravity. I made it! ... Little do I realize that I stop the water when I'm still a few feet in the air.. and I splat right onto the muddy pool of watery dirt I made below me.

Craaaaap...

My T-shirt and trunks are now mucked with mud, and I know Cousin Shino will give me a good scolding. By some miracle though, my red sneakers and my favorite hat weren't caught by any of the mud that splashed all over by my impact. I'm not hurt badly, thank god. It was pretty stupid of me to try a stunt like that and get injured, especially a week before I need to be in top shape for that. I'll just jog the rest of the way to camp. Heroes don't let small things like this weight them down. Never!

[You may now turn off any ongoing audio.]

_________________________________________

"Cousin, I'm back," I holler when I enter the agency building at base camp, "Sorry I'm late."

It's quiet in here... way too quiet. This is an office building where Cousin Shino and her teammates do paperwork for hero stuff and manage the Beast's Forest, but they're a loud bunch even if they're working. The rooms are painted with this fugly shade of pink and they're littered with cat ornaments everywhere, but I've gotten used to looking at it over the years. It's just weird not to see them here..

"Cousin? You here? ... Tiger? Helloooooo... Anybody?" Did they leave camp or something? Did a villain start a rampage nearby and they rushed to the scene? No, Cousin Shino would've telepathed me that they were leaving. Did something bad happen...?

"Lock on with these sparkling gazes!"

What?

"We've come to lend a paw and help!"

Okay they're doing this I guess...

"Coming out of nowhere..."

You got that right.

"Stingingly cute and catlike!"

"Wild, Wild..."

*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･゜PUSSYCATS™~☆ !!! *･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･゜

Well, here they are in front me, in poses and all. In their signature cat idol-like costumes, complete with collars, tails, and giant paw gloves, were the Wild Wild Pussycats, starring Pixie Bob, Ragdoll, Tiger, and Mandalay (Cousin Shino). While they may act wacky and a bit cringy with their kitten get-ups in front of my friends sometimes, they were my loving family ever since Mom and Dad passed. And they all seem to be okay, thank god... Well, except for Cousin Shino after a few seconds...

"KOTA WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH YOUR SHIRT!!" Shino started hammering the scolds at me while the rest of the Pussycats sigh, business as usual. "We wanted to surprise you for working so hard in your training but for you to come with your shirt and trunks so soiled and filthy makes my head hurt because we just ran out of detergent again and now I have to get moooore and you know I'm not made of money and..." She stopped when she looked at my face.

"I'm sorry, Cousin," I tell her, "It was an accident..." I'm still frustrated by how I could screw up like that when I tried to fly. Maybe Shino saw that in my face.

"Well... it's fine, things like that happen." she says with a smile.

"We have curry!!" Ragdoll pops up with her enormous eyes blinking in front of me. "We made it especially for you!"

"You'll need some protein to recover your strength!" Pixie Bob says as she put her glove on my shoulder.

"It's clear you've put the extra effort today, young man." Tiger towers over me with his hulking body, though it's hilarious with the cat outfit on. Tiger's been the most involved in my training and he would always give great advice. "It seems that when I told you to become the beast when you're getting serious, you took those words and put them in your heart... and in your MUSCLES!!" 

They're all... so nice to me. They've always been there for me, even if I hated them when I was younger for being heroes. Of course, they may be getting a little old for the whole cat aesthetic, them being in their 40's and all, but I never asked them to support me in my journey to becoming a hero and they still go out of their way to help. That's what being a hero is about, right? 

"Thanks you guys!" I say, "I'm ready to dig in!"

Cousin Shino gives me that look. "Change your clothes first, young man..." Oh, right, hehe.

I'll be ready for next week. I'll overcome all the hurdles I need to overcome in mastering my Quirk. I'll become the best hero I can be. I want my parents to look down from above and see the hero I will have become. I want to repay him for what he did for me all those years ago. It all starts with next week...

when I take the U.A. Entrance Exam!

To be continued...

Chapter Text

The air feels heavier today than normal; my heartbeat pounds like an enormous drum used for a ceremony. Today's the day that proves whether or not I'm worthy of attending U.A. High...

"Are you nervous?" Cousin Shino is driving me to U.A. for my entrance exam, and she was looking at me with a smile.

"N-no... mind your own business..." I huff at her and look away.

D-don't get the wrong idea. I really wasn't n-nervous. Sure, the gakuran uniform I'm wearing might smell a little bit sweaty, but that's just from my hard work. Sweat means confidence, r-right?

Shino turned back to face the road. "I think it's really awesome you have the opportunity to test for the best hero course in the nation. Not a lot of people get that."

"Y-You're right. I'm going to put my best effort to this exam."

"Now that's a good mindset. Just know that the rest of the Pussycats and I are very proud of you for all of the training you've done, even if it seems like I always scold you for the messes you cause... I'm sure your mom and dad are proud too."

I stare at my palms as she says that. I know I've been working my ass off. Very few kids at my middle school could compare their Quirk training to mine. It's just... the kids applying to the hero course at U.A. are in an entirely different league. I have too much on the line for me to screw up. Mom, Dad, the Pussycats, ... him. A large portion of the pro heroes that have left a legacy on Japan are alumni from U.A. If you didn't graduate from U.A., you're setting a cap on what you can accomplish as a pro hero.

I shouldn't be thinking about that right now. I need to focus. Cousin Shino's right, a good mindset is what I need right now.

"Get yourself ready," Cousin Shino said, "We're here. I'm going to drop you off. Do your very best, Kota!"

"Thanks, Cousin." As I'm getting my bag and exiting the car...

"Kota, wait!"

"Yeah, Cousin?"

"I love you, Kota." She smiles just like Mom...

"Th-that's... Love you too, Cousin..." I scratch an itch by my eye. Yes, it was an itch. Don't think it was a tear. I wouldn't tear up. Don't get the wrong idea. Idiot.

Cousin Shino waves me goodbye and drives off. I turn around to see the one and only U.A. High. The building... The building is SO COOL!! I knew it was tall, but I didn't know it was THIS tall! All of those windows make U.A. look like the shining crystal of Musutafu, Japan! The lush green trees, the clean blue sky... but what the hell is that cackling noise in the background? It's pissing me off. I look to the left and I see three other middle schoolers huddled under a lamp post. Delinquents...

"Hey guys, was that dork just dropped off by one of the Pussycats?"

"Keheh, guess you can call him a pussy, haha!!"

"Stupid cap he's got on. Makes him look like he crawled outta hell, kya!"

No one screws with me like that. I stop right then and there. I drop my bag, channeling all of my pride to my chest, and like boiling water erupting from a powerful geyser, I unleash my legendary battle cry:

"I'M GONNA PUNCH YOU GUYS IN THE DICK!!"

"Shit! He really is the devil! Let's haul ass and get out of here!"

Heh. That's how you become the beast. I'm not going to let anyone get in my way of becoming an amazing pro hero, especially no stupid delinquents. Ironically, this boosted my mood a bit. Can't believe I was being a wuss a minute ago. And... being called a devil kinda has a nice ring to it...

I follow the crowd of students entering the front gate of the academy. Usually the security at this school is so tight that it makes Tartarus prison look like it's no big deal, but they're letting people in that have filled application forms and their middle school IDs. I got inside the academy no problem, but... it's so huge inside... There's no images online of what the school looks like indoors, mostly to prevent a planned attack on the school based on the floor plans, so navigating this building is going to be a nightmare. There's signs posted that say to report to the assembly hall, but the crowd of people here isn't helping me with that. I begin to wander around...

___________________________________________

Is there someone here who could give me directions? ... Ah, there's a girl in the corner of the entrance hall, and she's wearing the U.A. girls uniform. She stood out with her long, light-blue hair.

[Some playable audio to enhance your reading! Credit at the bottom]

"Excuse me?", I say when I approach her, and she turns around... and... she was really pretty... There was a moderately sized horn that poked out of the right side of her forehead, but kinda in a cute way, you know? There were rubies in her eyes, and they sparkled in the light from the windowpane. Her blue hair flows more stunningly than the rivers of the Beast's Forest. No girl in my middle school looked like her...

"U-uh, I'm sorry to b-bother you, haha, but I'm looking f-for the assembly hall..."

There was a silence and she just stared at me... crap, did I sound stupid?

"Of course!" she says with a big smile, grabbing my wrist. "I'll take you there. Follow me!"

W-what! W-well that turned out okay, I guess... She takes me through this labyrinth of a school toward the assembly hall. At least, that's where I think she's taking me.

She turns around while walking and smiles when she asks me "So you're taking the entrance exam? You nervous?"

"N-no... I mean- yeah I'm taking the exam! And I feel very confident about it!"

"That's awesome! I just finished my first year here, and I just came to see what potential freshmen I could see on campus next year. Your confidence definitely stands out!"

"T-thank you, senpai."

"Well, we're here!" She lets go of my wrist and points to two large doors that were held open, and several people were walking into the commotion inside.

She turns back to me. "Just make sure you're always smiling and I know you'll do great! I like your hat by the way! Hope to see you next year!" She gives me another big smile before skipping into the crowded hallways.

She was... very unique. She was very nice and encouraging to me, a total stranger who bothered her for directions. I've really never seen anyone as pretty as her. Damn it, I can't believe I forgot to ask her for her name! There was one aspect about her that stood out to me though... It isn't how nice she was, or how pretty she looked. It also wasn't the horn on her forehead; that's pretty ordinary in superhuman society. It was something that made it very weird to speak with her. It was... how she smiled at me. She smiled at me a lot, which doesn't seem strange if she's a cheerful person, but it was the feeling she gave off. Each time she smiled, you could feel...

You could feel a harsh sadness from her every smile...

[You can now turn off any ongoing audio]

___________________________________________

"Thank you all for coming out today!"

AHHHH!!!! It's the Hearing Hero: Earphone Jack! There's no mistaking it: that rocking leather jacket, that short purple hair with the sound wave streaks, and those iconic headphone jacks extending from her earlobes-- it's really her!! She's a pro hero and a U.A. alumna whose Quirk allows her to use the jacks on her earlobes to amplify the sound of her heartbeat to unleash powerful vibration attacks! She's also able to hear very quiet sounds and vibrations by plugging her jacks to a surface, which made her a valuable asset for over a hundred rescue missions! Not only that, she has a music career, with her newest single "You're a Hero, Too" topping the Tokyo Billboard Chart for 5 consecutive weeks! She's on all my playlists, and now she's in this assembly hall right here before me! Don't pinch me!

Earphone Jack points to the crowd. "I'm sure your blood's pumping as you're about to take U.A. High's entrance exam! I remember when I was in your shoes a little over ten years ago! I was anxious, because this was where my dream toward becoming a hero was taking a critical turn. However, Hearing Hero: Earphone Jack is here to save you from your anxieties! Can I get a 'U.A.' from my people?"

"U.A.! U.A! U.A! U.A! U.A!"

"Radical! Now allow me to give a simple rundown of the exam. As of last year, the entrance exam is different from what has typically been given to U.A. applicants for years prior. The exam has been adjusted to be fair for applicants with any kind of Quirk, whether they have applications in combat or not, as they all have potential for hero work. This exam is divided into three parts:

- a demonstration of your Quirk,

- a simple series of fitness tests,

- and a written interview.

We at U.A. will be evaluating each part of your exam holistically to determine which course will be most suited to you as a student. I'm sure everyone in this hall has got what it takes to enter the hero course, where many pro heroes of Japan's recent history got their start from! ARE WE STOKED?"

"YEAHHHHHH!!!"

"Heh, I'm better at this than Mic." Earphone Jack puts her first in the air. "And one more thing. Throughout your exam today, remember U.A.'s motto: Go beyond! Plus Ultra! Never settle for less than maximum effort to saving people! Remember, you can be a hero, too! Now... report to your designated testing area for your Quirk demonstrations! If you can give me a shout, you're dismissed!"

"EARPHONE JACK! EARPHONE JACK!! EARPHONE JACK!!!"

Earphone Jack puts her hand on her neck. "Oops, I started quite a ruckus on school grounds..."

Seeing Earphone Jack at the assembly was crazy awesome! Now, first up, it's time for me to debut my Quirk at U.A.!

___________________________________________

"Next applicant, please..."

AHHHH!!!! It's the No. 3 Pro Hero, Shoto! That half-white, half-red head of hair, that crimson scar over his left eye, and that calm, collected face that causes girls to go insane on the online hero forums! He's another U.A. alum with a Quirk that lets him generate ice from the right side of his body, and generate fire from his left. Although he's constantly shifting from the No. 2 and No. 3 spot with another hero, he earns his reputation by being able to halt enormous villain invasions almost immediately with his Quirk. Together with two of his siblings, they started the Todoroki Children's Initiative, a nonprofit organization committed to inspiring elementary school children to be proud of their Quirks and to see heroes as role models. Shoto's always under constant chase by the paparazzi, so it's incredible to see him here at U.A.!

We were all in line at the outdoor P.E. area where Shoto and two U.A. staffers were seated to observe our Quirks. I'm second in line, and the dude in front of me walks forward to about ten feet before Shoto.

Shoto takes out his pen. "Name, please."

The guy stood up straight with his arms at his side, but he looked stupid with his messy blue hair. "Basuto Karafuru, sir!"

Shoto begins rummaging through a folder of papers. "Karafuru... Karafuru... Here you are. Your Quirk is... Firework. Your file says you put your hands close together to heat the air between them, which forms an explosive projectile. And..." Shoto opens his shirt pocket to take out a pair of glasses. The moment after he puts them on, I hear several large thuds behind me. I turn around... several girls are on the ground, fainted with smiles on their faces. Shoto goes back to the file. "It also says you have requested targets for your demonstration. Good luck."

A pair of U.A.'s helper robots lined up three targets to the right of Karafuru, who turns toward them and takes a deep breathe. He puts his hands together, almost touching, and after a few moments, you could see something glowing between them. Karafuru turns his head to the line of applicants and smirks: "You amateurs ready to see a pro-level attack? Hahaha!" The glowing ball between his hands got larger, getting almost... too large. Panicked, Karafuru looks back at his hands. "Aw crap, it's getting way too hot! I don't know if I'll control it!" I could feel the heat from where I was standing. This won't end well for any of us!

I turn around to the line of people and shout "It's dangerous! Everybody, we need to ru-" I quickly glanced again at the Karafuru, and Shoto had his right arm extended outward. The next moment...

WOOOOOOOOOOSHHH!!!!!

A powerful, cold fog blew across the P.E. grounds, blinding everyone. The fog started to settle, and what I saw was insane. Karafuru, the idiot who was about to go out with a bang and take us with him, was frozen within an enormous mass of ice.

Shoto, expressionless, lowered his right arm and took his pen. "Good effort. Please go to first aid before your next test. Next applicant, please."

The U.A. robots from earlier bring in a trolley cart and lift the popsicled Karafuru into the platform, and they left. I let out a small giggle. Hehe, blue-haired idiot. Then the realization hits me: I'M NEXT!! AFTER THAT CRAP THAT HAPPENED?? Gulp... I walk forward to Shoto, the No. 3 Pro Hero: Shoto.

Shoto takes the folder of papers again. "Name, please."

I clench my fist. "K-Kota Izumi!"

"Izumi... Izumi... Here you are. Quirk: Water Gun. You're able to eject water from the palms of your hands. And you have also requested targets. Oh, the ones from earlier are still here. That's nice. Good luck."

It's time, my debut at U.A. High. I've been training my Quirk since the start of middle school, and the next few moments will prove what's become of that training. Deeeep breathe... I look at the targets in front of me. What I notice is that they're slanted slightly backwards. That's perfect.

I extend my arms in front of me. Focus. I have only one shot at making this perfect. Become the beast! I take my arms and....

WRRRRROOOOSH!!

fling them downward to bombard the ground with water, catapulting myself high into the air! At highest altitude of about 20 meters, I extend my right hand at the three targets below. Focus!!

FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!!!

Three water bullets rocket towards the targets. I can't look if they've hit or not, because I have to stick this landing! I won't fall flat like last time! I stick my arms straight down with my body perfectly upward, and I pump water onto the ground to slow my fall...!

Wrrrrrrrrr...

And... I... land on two feet! Woohoo!! Hell yes, I'm not dead! But did I screw up on the targets? I catch my breathe and I see Shoto is standing behind the targets. He's poking his eye through a hole in the center target. There's some commotion in the line of applicants behind me.

"An aerial sniper hitting three bullseyes..." Shoto stood up to look at me. He doesn't smile much, but you could see the faintest smile on his lips. "Impressive."

Yeah!! Did you hear that? I impressed the No. 3 Pro Hero! I was in U.A. when I did it! If only Mom and Dad were here to see that!!

Shoto went back to his table and took his pen again. "Good work. Don't worry, I will dry the ground with my Quirk. Also, interesting hat. I feel I may have seen it somewhere before... Good luck on the fitness test."

The fitness test ended up being an absolute breeze, mostly thanks to my training at the Beast's Forest, but we were also allowed to use our Quirks, as that would be realistic to actual hero work. I was able to glide through the the 50-meter dash and the standing long jump with my Quirk, and I was able to get an amazing score on the ball throw by launching the ball with water. The sit-ups test and the distance run were things I'm used to, and the repeated side-steps, seated toe-touch, and the grip strength test weren't difficult either.

On to the final part of my exam at U.A.!

___________________________________________

"Please sit quickly, quietly, and promptly!"

AHHHH!!! It's the No. 8 Pro Hero, Turbo Hero: Ingenium! That shiny set of armor, those engine pipes protruding from his calves, and that serious facial expression that commands attention! Once again, another U.A. alum, this time with a Quirk that gives him breathtaking running speed and kicking power from the engines in his calves! He is a major investor in multiple support equipment firms, particularly those that make equipment for those who are handicapped. After inheriting the Ingenium name from his older brother and debuting as a pro hero, he was able to reduce the annual number of villain-induced car crashes on Japanese freeways by 37 per-

"You, with the red cap! Take that off while you're indoors and please have a seat!!"

Crap! Ingenium is chopping the air at my direction with his helmet off and that serious look on his face. I don't wanna take off my favorite cap, but I'll probably be kicked out without taking the last leg of the entrance exam. I'll just hold onto it, as this cap still means a lot to me even if it's not on my head. I go to an empty seat in this enormous lecture hall.

Ingenium clears his throat before announcing. "In a few moments, you all will be taking the written interview portion of the U.A. entrance exam. Becoming a hero means you will be placed at a high level of authority. However, if a hero were to treat his duties as nothing more than an opportunity at wealth and fortune, that would obstruct the very principals of heroism. The purpose of this interview is to assess your virtue and state of mind for becoming a hero. For every question in this interview, there are no correct answers. You are expected to write your opinion towards each question and provide sufficient explanations for each." U.A. staffers began passing out papers face-down. This paper in front of me was the final obstacle between me and U.A...

Ingenium took out a stopwatch. "You will all have 60 minutes to complete this portion. You may flip your paper in 3... 2... BEGIN!"

I flip the paper with my pencil ready. I just have to answer honestly and think like a hero. I just have to think about what he would do, and the rest will work out...

What are your motivations to become a hero?

Are some lives more valuable than others?

Do ends justify the means?

Are "mercy kills" heroic?

How do you know whether to intervene?

Do heroes have to be popular?

How can a hero become a villain?

How can a villain become a hero?

Can anyone become a hero?

...

"TIME'S UP!" Ingenium announces with a click of his stopwatch. "Pencils down. Your papers will be collected. With this, you are free to return home. Expect your admission decision to reach you as early as two weeks from now. Dismissed!"

This... was... cake! You don't need to be Aristotle to think about how to be heroic. I trusted my gut with each of the 15 questions. All of the questions were very thought-provoking, and for sure it made me really think about what kind of hero I want to be. Sure, I want to be one of the best, but what does that even mean? I never knew I could learn something from an exam.

Now, I can finally relax. The only thing I can do now is wait...

___________________________________________

Two weeks of anxiety made it difficult to sleep. It was the anticipation for this moment, the moment where I have the envelope in my hands, the envelope stamped by U.A. containing their decision to accept me or reject me. I know I was confident of how I did in the exam, but for these past two weeks I couldn't help but thinking about how other people could have done better than me. After all, it's U.A., right? Doing only decently on the entrance exam shouldn't reach the bare minimum. So, on some nights, I panicked. I could've went higher on my demonstration. I could've ran faster on the distanced running. I could've answered differently on the interview. It's settling for just doing a "decent job" that will screw me from reaching the dreams I need to reach.

Though, the dark thoughts go away when I remember that Cousin Shino and the rest of the Wild, Wild Pussycats are standing behind me. We're at the house I live in with Cousin Shino, which is separate from the Pussycats' agency over in the Beast's Forest.

Cousin Shino hugs me from behind. "There's nothing else to do but to open the envelope. Go for it, Kota! You've worked so hard for this."

I nod at her and the rest of the Pussycats and I walk into my room with the envelope. I'm opening it up... inside was a piece of paper. It was a letter with the U.A. logo imprinted at the top. Hands trembling, a drop of cold sweat running down my face, I start to read it.

"Mr. Kota Izumi,

We at U.A. High would like to begin by thanking you for your pursuit towards becoming a hero. The commitment to becoming a hero requires exceptional tenacity, bravery, and selflessness -- qualities that many young people do not have. By simply applying to the hero course at U.A., you should be very proud of yourself.

There is immense pressure on U.A. to educate students such as yourself on how to be a proper hero. Quirks have the immense power to do irreversible damage even if the user's intentions are heroic. When those intentions are villainous, it's up to U.A. students and alumni to have the capabilities to put any adversity to rest.

The admission process was difficult. The hero course poses a great risk to a student's own safety and state of mind; therefore, only the most exceptional students may be selected who may best handle the burden of becoming a hero. All admission decisions are made with the student's best interests in mind.

With that being clear, we are unable to offer you admission to the hero course at U.A. High."

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Down... down... down... my world came tumbling down... 

Down went my tears. Down went any self-confidence within me. Down went any aspiration toward becoming a hero...

I've never cried as much as this, not since Mom and Dad were killed. This hopelessness. This overwhelming rejection. This unbearable headache. My cries whaled across my room and outside. There's so much water that pools around me on the hardwood floor -- water not just from my eyes, but from my hands too. It started when I turned eight, when my hands would start to leak water whenever I cried. It's like my Quirk cries with me. Only this time, it mocks me. The damned Quirk that failed me from going to U.A. has me soaked in a puddle of my self-hatred. And it won't stop; my regrets pump out endless tears from my eyes and palms. I've been so choked up from sobbing that it's difficult to breath, as if I'm drowning.

I'm just not put up for being a great hero, am I? I've read that rejection letter over, and over, and over, and over again. I couldn't understand what it meant. My "best interests"? "The burden of becoming a hero"? I had my confidence built up and I just came crashing down. I will never be able to thank that nice girl who helped me at U.A., and I'll never be able to ask her why she felt the way she did... Maybe this is my punishment for doubting heroes when I was a kid, for being so selfish after my parents' ultimate sacrifice. I am a failure to my parents' legacy, and I know they're looking down on me in disgust...

Was I not Plus Ultra  enough? Would I just get in the way of saving people? It's because I'm not strong, right? Maybe not strong enough to... kill a person? ... I'm letting these dark thoughts get to me. But why does it matter? I'm not going to be a hero anyway. After all, my dream is dead. Lifeless. It's been killed. It's been killed. Killed. Killed. Killedkilledkilledkilledkilledkilledkilled-

*Knock* *Knock*

[Audio off]

"Kota? You've locked yourself in since yesterday. This isn't like you. We need to talk, my boy."

That was... Tiger.

"G-go away..."

"This isn't very acting of a hero-"

"I'M NOT A HERO!! GO AWAY!!"

Tiger went silent, but it's clear that he's still there. It did hurt to yell at him like that...

But then...

CRAAAAASH!!!

Tiger busted down the damn door with a kick!

"No silly door will be preventing me to coming to Young Kota's aid!!" Tiger flexed as he did one of his signature Pussycat poses. "Ow! That actually hurt... I'm getting too old to do stunts like these. I hope I didn't startle you..."

I was too stunned to cry anymore. "Y-You destroyed the door-".

"And I would do it hundreds of times again if it meant saving you, Young Kota! Provided I had something for my suffering foot afterwards..." Tiger walked into my room and stood in front of me, lending a hand. "What a sorry state you're in! Heroes don't swim in their own misery after the unexpected occurs. Nothing will get better if you simply wallow like this, my boy. Do not mind the door. Let's have a chat."

Well, Tiger won't be leaving if I tell him to go away again... Nothing he says will get me into U.A., but Tiger seems dead serious about talking to me...

I try to wipe my eyes with my sleeve and I give Tiger my hand, and he lifts me up from the puddle of my tears.

"There you are! You're already halfway towards your rehabilitation. I've brought a small towel as well. Dry your face and hands and have a seat."

I'm feeling better. It still hurts to be turned down by my dream school, but I guess we have to talk about it now. I dry the excess water off me with the towel, and I take a seat onto my bed, gripping the towel. Tiger takes a seat on my desk chair, which somehow contained his massive frame.

"It had to be this particular school, did it?" Tiger asks calmly.

"Yeah... because he went there, too."

"Your hero?"

"Yeah... he changed the way I saw heroes as a kid, and changed how I saw Mom and Dad's sacrifice. N-Not only did he save me from certain death, but he also saved me from my selfishness."

"Ah yes, I remember when he and his class came to visit us all those years ago. I remember it far too well..."

On the summer of 10 years ago, two freshman classes of U.A.'s hero course arrived at the Beast's Forest to stay for a private training camp, hosted by the Wild, Wild Pussycats. I was five years old, and I came with Cousin Shino to the forest since she wouldn't be coming home until the training camp was over. Of course, I hated each and every one of the U.A. students because they wanted to be heroes, power-hungry bastards that wanted to kill their way up to the top of the food chain. There was one student, though, who annoyed me more than any other. He always wanted to talk to me for some reason; in fact, when I first met him and he wanted to talk, out of disgust I... uh... I punched him in the dick... 

Even after I assaulted him, that guy wouldn't stop trying to be friendly with me. I guess Cousin Shino spilled about what happened to Mom and Dad, so he felt bad for me. He brought curry to me one night when I was alone in my hideout spot in the forest. I always told him to go away, because I didn't want his pity, but maybe I really did need a friend that time... Then, tragedy struck.

Cerulean wildfires swallowed hundreds of pine trees, and toxic gas crawled all across the otherwise calm air. Villains came to kidnap one of the U.A. students to recruit him, or if that failed, use him as a hostage for a ransom. I was at my hideout spot, stunned at the sight of the blue hellflames in the distance. Then, my situation took a turn for the worse, as what stood before me was an enormous, hulking man with muscles too massive for his own skin to contain. His face, full of murderous intent towards me, was scarred over his prosthetic left eye. That scar was the last stand left by Water Hose, my parents, before they were murdered by this villain's own hand. By some twist of fate, he was about to kill another Izumi. 

"KOTA-KUNNN!!!"

Then, my hero saved me. His poster is on my wall, and I admire at all his glory from my bed. It was the same kid from U.A. that I hated the most, who sprinted to my aid to take the villain's violent barrage of attacks. It seemed clear that the kid couldn't win, as he stood shaking with both arms broken and internally bleeding, but the look in his eyes said he was prepared to accept death if it meant my escape. That student, my hero, is currently the number one pro hero of Japan, the Symbol of Hope, Deku.

"You know, Kota," Tiger says during my internal replay of events 10 year ago. "Heroes aren't gods."

"...Yeah?"

"A hero's strength can only do so much. Remember that Pixie Bob and Ragdoll were badly hurt during the incident, too. A villain's attack left that large scar on Pixie Bob's forehead, and Ragdoll was kidnapped with her Quirk stolen, and you know she is still Quirkless to this day." Tiger got up from his chair to sit next to me on my bed. "I was there when it all happened, too. I saw that villain hit Pixie Bob's lovely face, and I let them take Ragdoll and that U.A. boy right under my nose. I've regretted the events of that night, and I've blamed it all on my own weakness. Though, I wasn't about to lay down and give up in hopelessness, instead I ran to the frontlines in Ragdoll's rescue, and I swore to myself I would not allow that night to be repeated ever again."

"Are you boys gossiping about us?" Pixie Bob poked her smiling head into my room, and Ragdoll was with her too... Are they not going to react at the pieces of my door on the floor? 

Tiger pats me in the back. "We're reminiscing the events of 10 years ago, when all our lives were changed, especially for Young Kota."

"That's right! Kota saved the No. 1 pro hero!" Ragdoll cheered with her arms up.

I couldn't help but blush. It really wasn't anything... It was one of the first times I used my Quirk, and I only distracted the villain for a second before Deku sent him flying. It just was at that moment, when Deku was begging me to run away as he laid trapped and bleeding by the crushing villain... I couldn't just do nothing... so I acted on my own to try and save him.

Tiger jumps from my bed with a determined look. "Take this advice to heart, Young Kota! Bust down every door that locks you from becoming a hero! I could not be here by your side to save you if I played things casually! Take risks and make huge leaps, all for the sake of saving others! Isn't that right, Ragdoll and Pixie Bob?"

"Actually, Ragdoll and I came to give something to Kota." Pixie Bob has a gentle smile on her face. "You were locked up in your room, Kota, so we couldn't give it to you."

Ragdoll tugs my arm with excitement. "But when we heard Tiger demolish your door, we knew we were finally able to hand you this! You've already seen it before, but it's something you've never given much thought about!"

Took those two a while to bring up my door. Anyway, I stood up from my bed to face Pixie Bob, who had something behind her back. She handed it to me with a playful laugh.

It's... an opened envelope. Yeah, it's this opened envelope. Not my letter from U.A., but something entirely different. It was something I completely put aside because I was so focused on U.A. It was...

my offer of admission to Shiketsu High School.

"Not all hope is lost," says Pixie Bob with a bright smile on her face, fading the darkness of her face scar.

"It's not U.A.," says Tiger, "but it is Japan's second most prestigious hero course, nonetheless."

"We knew you didn't wanna be placed in the boring general studies course at U.A.!" Ragdoll hopped behind me. "We knew you wanted to be a hero! No less than that!"

I mean, sure... it's Shiketsu, I guess... For years Shiketsu and U.A. have been neck and neck for the best hero course in the nation, with U.A. being unmatched in the east of Japan and Shiketsu unmatched in the west. Recently, though, U.A. has surpassed Shiketsu in producing higher quality pro heroes, which was evident by the unprecedented level of skill seen in last year's U.A. graduates, many who found themselves to become sidekicks at the greatest hero agencies of Japan. Now, U.A. sits comfortably at an indisputable first place, while Shiketsu lags at second.

I've always thought that a second-rate hero school would make second-rate heroes... I mean, it's probably better than not being a hero at all... Am I being too much of a hardass about this?

"This means..." I start to say while holding the admission letter, "You guys wanted to remind me of the opportunity that I'm being offered by Shiketsu High?"

 "We totally get the sentimental value you have towards U.A.," Pixie Bob says while placing her hand on her hip, "But this is too great of an opportunity to let it slide!"

"When you got that letter," Ragdoll cheers, "you were treating it like it was no big deal at all, when we were all celebrating our hearts out for you!"

That is true. The only way to even apply to Shiketsu, first of all, was to get scouted. Shiketsu officers survey middle schools across the country for students with the most promising potential of becoming a hero. Even though my grades were only about a B- average, and I get into a few fights at school, everybody knew I worked my ass off to master my Quirk, so I guess Shiketsu got word of that and they scouted me. Then, I had to send them some essays and demonstrations of my Quirk and stuff, and they sent me that letter of admission. I really only applied to Shiketsu as a sort of practice test; if I couldn't get into the second  best hero course in Japan, it would've been foolish of me to even apply for the first best hero course in Japan. I saw my acceptance to Shiketsu as nothing more than validation of my pursuit for U.A.

I'm probably being too strung up about this... It's still an opportunity for me to become a pro hero-- to become like Mom and Dad, to become like Deku. I'm still unsure...

"Thank you... guys, but... Shiketsu is over on the west. That's on the other side of the country... I don't want to leave you guys behind."

"We are also saddened at the thought of you no longer visiting us at the Pussycats agency," Tiger says with his arms out and a soft smile, "However, young Kota, you're quickly becoming a man. You're at the age when you can choose your own destiny for yourself. You are free to leave the nest to reach greater heights, my boy!"

Pixie Bob puts a hand on my shoulder. "Just know that the Wild, Wild Pussycats will support you entirely for whatever decision you make, Shiketsu or otherwise." 

"You don't have to give up on U.A. either," says Ragdoll, "If you really want to, you could transfer to U.A. after your first year at Shiketsu!"

...! I could really do that? I could still have another chance at U.A.? I don't know how transferring works but... if going to Shiketsu could really do that for me, maybe it's worth a shot. Even if I don't transfer, there are people out there that need saving, and going to Shiketsu should allow me to help them...!

Suddenly, the sound of the front door opening reaches my room.

"I'm baaaaack, everyone." It was Cousin Shino. "I just stopped by the groceries. Is Kota alright? If he's out of his room, I bought some yummy Paw Pad Buns for h-"

Shino froze at my doorway. "WHO ANNIHILATED THIS DOOR?? NOT EVERYTHING IN THIS HOUSE IS INSURED, YOU KNOW!!! TIGER, THIS HAS YOUR NAME WRITTEN ALL OV-"

Cousin Shino stops when she realizes I was up, and she sees the letter from Shiketsu in my hands. She's standing there in silence.

I walk to my desk and set the letter down. I didn't want to ruin it, because water was dripping from my hands again.

"Cousin," I tell her, managing a smile, "I... I think I want to go to Shiketsu."

Cousin Shino gazes at me, her expression full of surprise. She dropped both her grocery bags, and hustles toward me... to give me a big hug.

"I... I was so worried for you," Shino says as tears fill her eyes, "I was s-so heartbroken that the effort you put to your dream school d-didn't work out. I wanted to s-say s-something to comfort you, but I was lost and I didn't know h-how to support you! But now I'm so happy for y-you, Kota. My little c-cousin will do great at Shiketsu! That I'm sure of!" 

She's not holding back her tears of joy, and it's... contagious, I couldn't help myself to let it out either. These tears are different from the tears from minutes ago; before, I was alone on the cold, hard floor, regretful and frustrated, but now I'm under the warm embrace of my family, as Tiger, Pixie Bob, and Ragdoll all join in on the hug. It almost feels like Mom and Dad are here too...

These guys are my heroes, and I'll do whatever it takes to become like them!

...

Actually, it doesn't end there. I look to Cousin Shino again, and she's got a nasty look directed at Tiger, who is visibly in a cold sweat. Yikes, no doubt she's telepathing him something...

"No Paw Pad Buns for you, catnip for brains..."

_________________________

Three months later, in April...

The clanging of the arriving electric train echoes across the above ground station like a symphony, and cherry blossom petals decorate the sky with their vibrant pink color, almost like a celebration that the school year's about to start. Today is when I take the long train ride to the opposite end of Japan.

At first, I was still thinking about if this is the best choice for me. I could've enrolled into general studies at U.A. and try to transfer to the hero course from there, but that's risky. Now, there's no going back, as I've made my decision. Being rejected by U.A. doesn't sting as much anymore, now that I'm wearing the Shiketsu uniform: a white collared shirt, dark pants, and the blue cap with Shiketsu's logo. The uniform was delivered to me, and I'm expected to be wearing it on my arrival to the academy, so I packed my favorite horned cap with me, as well as the blue Shiketsu jacket that's too warm to wear right now.

I've been training especially hard for the past three months so I could start strong at Shiketsu. Tiger says I've bulked up a bit, probably from the extra stone-carrying and push-ups I've been doing in the forest. I also grew my hair out a little; it makes me feel mature now that I'm in high school, and it looks cool when other guys have longer hair. I feel like a completely different version of myself from a few months ago.

The train has come to a stop at the station, and with a smooth  sound, the several doors along the train open for boarding. This sound hurts me, not in my ears, but in my heart, as I get a tight feeling in my chest. The opening of these doors means... it's time for me to leave my family. I have to leave Pixie Bob and Ragdoll,  who were always able to make my day brighter despite their past trauma. I have to leave Tiger, my mentor in much of my training and the man who taught me to have confidence. I even have to leave Cousin Shino, who took care of me for almost twelve years like I was her own son.

I look to Cousin Shino. "Well, it looks like it's time for you to go..." She's managing a smile, but I can tell this is hard for her.

"You will do great things, champion!" Tiger says, "You've got a man's face on you now!"

Pixie Bob pats me in the back. "You've got this, Kota! Study hard and train hard!"

"Don't forget to call us whenever you're free!" Ragdoll cheered.

We all have one last group hug, and this is when I use my final chance to say "Thank you guys for everything, for being my heroes... and for being my family..."

We all keep our embrace for a few more endless moments, until the hug finally breaks before I could be late for my train. I give my heroes a happy wave as I board, making sure I take a window seat so I could see their faces a little longer... The doors of the train close shut, and through the window I see Shino being to tear up. I won't worry her with my own tears, so I just give her my brightest smile, as the train starts to leave the station. Goodbye...

_________________________

Later that day, at the Pussycats' Agency, where Shino gets a phone call...

???:

"Hello Mandalay-san! I hope you're not too busy to have a casual talk."

Shino:

"Hello! What a surprise to get a call from you! No worries, I'm available. And it's so like you to be so formal like this. If this is casual, you can just call me Shino, you know."

???:

"Of course, Shino-san! I realized that I haven't reached out to the Pussycats for a while. In fact, I was thinking about Kota-kun. He's about to start high school, right?"

Shino:

"Aww, you're always so thoughtful for Kota. And yes, he is! He decided to attend Shiketsu."

???:

"...Shiketsu? Was he not admitted to U.A.?"

Shino:

"Sadly, n-"

???:

"I'M SO SORRY, MANDALAY-SAN!! I JUST REALIZED HOW RUDE I SOUNDED!! I-I-It's not like it isn't impressive that Kota-kun made it to Shiketsu, he's in fact a very talented boy, it's just that healwaystalkedaboutwantingtogotoUAandIwasjustsuprisedthathewouldmakeachoicetogotoarivalschool  a-a-and *mumble mumble mumble*... I HOPE YOU CAN FORGIVE MEEEE!!!"

Shino:

"Y-You're fine, really! I was just going to say that Kota took the entrance exam at U.A., but they didn't accept him into the hero course."

???:

"H-How upset was he?"

Shino:

"Devastated."

???:

"R-Really? I probably could've talked to the admissions-"

Shino:

"No, Kota would be humiliated if he only got accepted to U.A. by his connection to you. He always tells me how much he is in debt to you from years ago, so he wants to reach his success on his own, without relying on you again. Besides, now he seems satisfied by his decision for Shiketsu."

???:

"I understand. That's very admirable of Kota-kun. I do hope to see him someday, just to catch up with him. He's probably all grown up now! Has he already left for the west?"

Shino:

"Yes, today he left with the train to the other side of country. I already miss my little cousin Kota... I'm sure he would be very happy to see you after he learns a few things from Shiketsu."

???:

"You're great family to Kota-kun, Mandalay-san. Hmm, it's probably best if Kota-kun didn't know I called, right? I don't want to add any stress he may be feeling as he starts his hero academia. I seem to impact him quite a bit."

Shino:

"If that's what you think is best, I won't mind keeping this call a secret between us. It'll definitely be more of a surprise when he eventually sees you, instead of just getting him anxious for who knows how long."

???:

"Thank you, Mandalay-san. I'm sorry-- It seems I'm needed at the moment. I enjoyed hearing about Kota-kun very much! I'll find a time to call you again when I'm not as busy."

Shino:

"I enjoyed chatting with you too, Deku. Stay safe out there!"

Deku:

"I'll try! Hahahahaha!"

To be continued...

Chapter Text

This is soooooooo exhausting...

I still have two more stops after this one... I could've just taken a flight to the west if Cousin Shino wasn't so doubtful about the safety of planes. This pent-up suspense over arriving to Shiketsu mixed with my growing homesickness make this train ride so agonizing. There's nothing to do on my phone, and there's nothing to do on this train... Don't get me wrong -- it's a nice, decorated train, that's completely different from the ones from the subway, but I feel like I could just rot in here...

Though, the one thing this train ride has given me is plenty of time to think. Mostly, I've been thinking about blue-haired girl from U.A. ... D-don't get the wrong idea!! Don't be gross. I mean, yeah I admitted she looked pretty, but I wouldn't fall for someone I only met for a few minutes. Besides, I'm probably never going to see her again if we're on opposite ends of the country, but I can't help but be feel a little sad about that. She just can't leave my head because... she was such a paradox. How could someone seem so joyful and be full of smiles, but also give a vibe of such unbearable sadness? It was as if she could have shattered at any moment. If I had the time back then, I would've asked her what was wrong. I would've... I don't know... given her a hug or something... Gah, I know what you're thinking and I SAID NO!!! I don't feel that way, damn it!  It's just that I can't help but feel like we could've somehow become friends, even if distance separated us.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I think that was one of the only meaningful interactions I've really had with any girl. Girls in my middle school always sorta annoyed me, and I wasn't interested in all the sorts of drama that comes from dating someone... But I think it was when that blue-haired girl grabbed my wrist and was so willingly helpful that things somehow felt... different, like my cheeks were fuzzy...

ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz....

Huh...?  God, I'm so tired. I'm not sure how long I was asleep for... It looks like there are different people seated than before. Damn it, did I miss my stop? I need to get up and ask which stop we're headed.

"GET AWAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!"

What the hell?! This bloodcurdling shriek lifts me from my sleepiness, like ice had filled my veins. My adrenaline brings me to my feet toward the other end of the train car, where all the seated passengers have their eyes direction at the same scene: two people standing face-to-face. 

On my side was a guy my age, who had messy brown hair and freckles in the middle of his face. He's wearing... the same Shiketsu uniform as me! So he's a student, too? He has a horrified look on his face, like he might collapse out of fear at any second.

On the side away from me was a tall woman with long, violet hair, and she was wearing a coat out of dark feathers that made her seem like a dominant peacock. Her expression is calm and dignified.

"I-I-I-I...." Freckles starts to stutter, "I saw your w-weapon!! I saw you coming t-t-towards me with that blade in your coat!!" Passengers start to shriek in terror at the woman, looking grossly displeased at the situation. Is she a villain...?

"Well aren't you a troublesome boy?" the feathery woman says curling a wicked smile, "You have a good eye, but it's rude to be staring at a woman like that, you know. I'd force some manners out of you, if I wasn't about to have your HEAD ROLLING ACROSS THE FLOOR!!"

In a flash, she reaches inside her coat, pulling out an enormous, razor-sharp rapier with a swing aimed towards Freckles's neck!! His pupils widen in despair as he glances at the incoming instrument of his murder!

"STOOOOOOOP!!!" I scream with my arms out, ready to unleash a violent blast of water at the feathered lady. But then...

A passenger, noticeably muscular and dressed like a businessman, leaps in between Freckles and the incoming blade! Is he a dumbass!? He's going to get himself killed!!! I'm too stunned to move...!!

KLING!!!

...

"That was pretty manly of you to call out the villain, little man, hahaha!" The man stood tall between Freckles and the woman, and the sword was stopped at the man's raised forearm, scraping like it's collided with stone. Wait... and that voice... could it be?

[Some playable audio to enhance the reading! Credits at the bottom.]

"Now that my cover's blown..." With his free hand, the man rips off his entire business suit and throws off the hat that hid his bright red hair! "Sturdy Hero: Red Riot reporting for duty!"

T-t-the No. 6 Pro Hero: Red Riot! The manly, burly hero who inspires teenage boys all across the country!! With his hardening Quirk, he will never be cut by any blade!

Red Riot hardens his other hand to tightly grip the ultra-sharp blade of the rapier, holding the feathered lady in place. "ALL PASSENGERS EVACUATE TO THE NEXT CAR!!!"  At his cue, a wave of panicked passengers hurdle from their seats to the next nearest car. The problem is... Freckles had tripped when Red Riot's sudden entrance startled him, and he lies face-flat in the way of a stampede of passengers! 

"H-help..." He moans weakly, but I sprint toward him to grab his hand and use all my strength to pull him into an empty seat on the left, just before we would have gotten trampled by the fleeing civilians. "W-Wow! Thank you..."

Gah, his klutziness frustrates me. "Get a hold of yourself! This is a crisis!" I tell Freckles, who whimpers in response. The other passengers have all successfully deserted the car,  while Freckles and I silently agree to hide behind the seat to watch the clash between Red Riot and the feathered lady.

Like a hydraulic press crushing a metal beam, Riot uses his awesome strength on the rapier to bend the blade backwards, rendering it useless. "Apologies, ma'am," Red Riot says with a smirk, "This belongs to you, I believe."

The lady chuckles. "Oh ho, it seems chivalry isn't dead, after all, as expected from Red Riot!" Unexpectedly, the bent blade begins to morph out of Red Riot's grip!

Riot's shock fills his face. "W-What the...? It's like fluid!"

The feathered lady jumps out of Riot's reach, and the thin, bent rapier has transformed into a vicious, thick-bladed katana! "And just as expected from Red Riot, he's a shit-brained imbecile for thinking he could meddle with the queen of dripping crimson, Harpy!"

*************************************

B-Rank Villain: Harpy

Quirk: Sword Molding - can convert any blade to any other type of blade for a limitless variety of weaponry

*************************************

Riot is bothered at how easily Harpy was able to recover. "Grr, you're coming with me, criminal!"

"Sorry, hun, but I only come with men who buy me dinner first," Harpy scoffed with a sadistic smile. Harpy lunges at Riot with a powerful, two-handed lunge of the katana into the center of Riot's chest, but it only barely fazes Riot's hardened defense.

"I'm afraid this isn't your matchup, hahaha!" Riot says pridefully.

"Believe me, dear, with your gaudy choice of hair color, we wouldn't make a good match at all." Harpy gracefully combos several strikes of the katana to Riot's hardened chest, surprisingly making him flinch! "Listen well, Red Riot, you may believe you're invincible, but that's because every villain you've faced has been so spineless that all they give is a random barrage of attacks at your entire body."

Red Riot is managing against Harpy's bombardment of katana thrusts, but he's taken aback quite noticeably. He unleashes a never-ending series of punches at Harpy, but she's always able to dodge with her mobility. The length of the katana has built too much distance for Riot to grab Harpy, and it's useless to grab the sword itself because Harpy can always free it from his grip. Riot hardens his body further and puts his arms up to cover his chest, looking like a monstrous fortress. "I'll just keep you put until my backup comes to finish you!"

Harpy lets out a malicious laugh, as she uses her Quirk to morph the katana into a sickle, using the hooked edge of the blade to pull Riot's arms away from his chest. Then, in the blink of an eye, Harpy reverts the sickle back to a savage katana and keeps striking at Riot's chest! The katana is beginning to crack from the recoil of Riot's improved defense, but Harpy takes one of several small throwing knives from her coat and fuses it with the katana, effectively repairing it.

I can understand what Harpy's doing! She's not trying to slice Riot; she's trying to carve him! Like a jackhammer pulverizing concrete, she's using quick, powerful strikes at a single point on Red Riot's chest to push the limits of his defense. Riot could engage to his most unbreakable form, but he can only hold it for about a minute, and it's likely he's already figured out that it's impossible to resolve this fight in a minute with Harpy's speed and grace.

Red Riot puts his hand to his ear to speak into his comm device. "Real Steel, why hasn't this train stopped already?! ... Controls have been compromised?! What about my backup? When's it coming?! ... Ten minutes?! You're killing me, man..."

This isn't looking good for Red Riot. Who knows if ten minutes is enough for Harpy to start digging into his chest? Then, Freckles pulls on my shirt. 

"Sh-Shouldn't we help him? You're in Shiketsu, too, aren't you?" He's right. Why are staring with our asses on our seats when we need to be Red Riot's backup?!

"RED RIOT!!!" I yell from our hiding spot behind him, as he's taking several stabs, "We're from Shiketsu High! Let us help you fight this villain!"

Riot notices us as he keeps his guard, "That's great, little dudes, but have you two got your provisional hero licenses yet?"

Th-That's right... It's a crime to use your Quirk and intervene with hero activities without a provisional hero license... I glance at Freckles, and he just shakes his head regretfully. I-It might be illegal to intervene... but who gives a crap about that? This is an emergency!

I shout back to Riot "No, we don't but please-"

"Then what are you still doing here?" Riot calls back frustrated, "Evacuate NOW! I'll be fine, because I'm Sturdy Hero: Red Riot, the number 6 hero!"

After he says that, a spray of blood spurts from a crack in Red Riot's hardened chest. "Gahhh!"

"Riot!!" we both shout in distress.

Harpy lets out a malicious burst. "Bahahahahahahaha!! Watching Red Riot bleed red! Such ecstasy! Let me see your heart, Riot! You boys, too! I'll make a kebab out of the three of you!"

While maintaining his defense, Red Riot seems deep in thought. It's incredible that he has the stamina to be holding his hardened form this long, but that's why he's number 6! What's he thinking about? Does he have a plan? I've got to believe in Red Riot!

"You men, over there," Red Riot says, turning towards Freckles and I, "When I was your age, I once did a very stupid and reckless thing to save somebody I cared about. It was completely out of line, and I could've gotten expelled from my school for it..." Riot's troubled frown turned into a bright, toothy smile. "But y'know what? I've never regretted it one bit! I was able to save my friend because it's a hero's job to intervene when you don't have to, yeah? You two men catch my drift, right? If you've got a plan, Red Riot's your sidekick!"

W-what? He's okay with us helping him? Even if it's a crime? That's awesome! Freckles tugs my shirt again, this time with a confident smile on his face. "I have an idea, but I need to get close to Red Riot without that lady trying to slash me. Could your Quirk build some more distance between Riot and Harpy?"

This tension is familiar. I know this sense of urgency all too well. This is the same feeling I had ten years ago, as Deku fought the impossible struggle against that monstrous villain. This is the same feeling that brought me to become involved even if it means risking myself!

I give him a bold smirk. "You've got it!" I jump out of our hiding spot and into the walkway, behind Red Riot's back as he keeps Harpy busy. I've been studying her movement pattern; it's staying fairly consistent, and if I can just predict where she'll hop to next...

FIRE!! FIRE!! FIRE!!

I let out several jets of water over Red Riot's shoulders, aimed at Harpy. They're not pressurized because we're not trying to kill her, but luckily...!

"WAAAH!!" Harpy lets out a shriek as she receives a faceful of water, pushing her backwards. "YOUUUU BRAAAAT!!" Riot gets on his knee, exhausted from Harpy's onslaught and gripping his chest to prevent any further bleeding.

I turn to Freckles. "It's your cue! Move it!"

He nods. "Thanks, got it!" He sprints toward the debilitated Riot, then... both his hands begin to glow green.

"RED RIOT!!" Freckles cries in a fit of determination, placing both his glowing green hands on Riot's back, "GOOOOOOOO!!"

Red Riot eyes widen, as if he's been rejuvenated. The bleeding from his chest has stopped, and he's standing on his feet. "I... feel... AWESOME!! Hahahahaha, thanks little man!" Riot bumps his hardened fists together in his signature pose. "Might not be manly to hit a lady, but this lady's got some manly strength! Consider this as a recognition of your power, Harpy!"

Riot takes a step back, honing his newfound energy into his fist, while Harpy struggles with her wet makeup blinding her. Then, Riot dashes forward like an unstoppable missile!

"RED GAUNTLET!!!"

"AAAAAAHHH!!" Harpy shrieks like a banshee as she's launched into the wall. 

[You may now turn off any ongoing audio]

Freckles and I couldn't help but beam. "You did it, Riot!"

Red Riot turns around at us with his signature toothy smile. "We did it, little dudes!" The crack in Riot's chest had now closed. What could Freckles' incredible Quirk be? Red Riot turns back to Harpy, who sits on the floor after being struck by a direct Red Gauntlet. "You're under arrest, Harpy, for attempted murder! I'm taking you to the police!"

Through her pain, Harpy lets out a chuckle. "I'll give you this victory, but if you think you'll be arresting me, you're dumber than you look."

The adrenaline of the situation stopped us from realizing... that the train was coming to a stop. Then, a window on the right is shattered as a dark figure zooms into the car from outside!

"Bye-bye, boys! It was fun while it lasted!" The dark figure picks up Harpy from the ground, and  the crashes into the opposite window, escaping into the landscape outside and making a run for it.

"CRAP!" Riot watches through the shattered window as the two make their getaway. Suddenly, police sirens are audible from outside. Red Riot's backup arrived a little too late. "They're on the run! After them!"

Riot is visibly bothered that he failed to arrest Harpy... but he turns back to Freckles and I. We're both speechless from this turn of events. Riot kneels in front of us with a smile, "You two men okay?"

I gather my composure as best I can, as I'm speaking to the Number 6 Hero. "Y-Yes Red Riot! We're fine, thanks to you! I-It was awesome to work together with you!" The guy next to me was nodding with an extremely bright grin.

"Thank goodness," says Riot, standing up again, "Then the mission was successful if no one got hurt." He's an incredibly muscular hero from his years of training, as a build like his best suits his Quirk for being a human shield. "You two meet me outside. I have to evacuate everyone from the other cars first, then I wanna talk to the both of you. Don't worry, you're not in trouble for earlier." We stare at him with awe, because what would Red Riot want with us?

"I-I'd like to introduce myself." Freckles speaks to me while we were standing outside the train. It seemed like the train stopped at some countryside with grassy hills and bright sunshine throughout the scenery, and the commotion of all the evacuated passengers chimes through the air. "We're both Shiketsu students, a-after all. My name is Katsuma Shimano, and I'm fine with first names. I'm a second-year." Does he have some sort of nervous tic? It's kinda bothering me...

"Yeah... Kota Izumi, first-year."

Surprise filled Katsuma's face. "W-w-what? You're only a first-year? A-and you were able to hit that lady with your Quirk while she was hopping from every corner? I-I can't believe my junior outdid me in helping Riot..."

"You're joking, right? You came up with the plan for me to knock her back, and your Quirk brought Riot back to full power. What's your Quirk, exactly?"

"Cell activation. B-Basically, when I touch someone, I speed up the recovery of their cells and improve their physical condition."

"Heh, with a Quirk like that, why were you being such a wimp earlier? I can just spray water from my hands."

"D-Don't tease me! And your Quirk is cool, too. It's so versatile-"

"HEYYY, YOU GUYS!!!" A voice roared, startling the crap out of Katsuma and I. We turn to the sound, and it's Red Riot jogging toward us with a big smile on his face. "How you doing? Hahahahaha!"

Red Riot smiled as he towered over us with hands on his hips, and Katsuma and I are just silently looking up at him, wondering why he wanted to speak with us. Riot squints his eyes as he stares at us intensely... and it's actually starting to intimidate the both of us...

 "Yup! No doubt! I recognize the both of ya!" ... Red Riot recognizes me? And Katsuma? I can't imagine how Riot could recognize me; he tours middle schools and high schools across the country as a motivational icon for teenage boys, so he probably seen thousands of guys who look like me.

"Y-You recognize us?" I say, almost squealing behind my breath.

"Absolutely! My memory might not be good for passing exams, but I can always recognize a face!" Red Riot points toward Katsuma. "You were the kid living with his sister on Nabu Island, yeah?" Riot moves his finger toward me. "And you were the kid who tagged along with the Pussycats for the training camp at the Beast's Forest, yeah? You dudes tell me I'm right! Hahahahaha!" Riot... recognizes me from that far back? From the training camp for U.A. students from ten years ago?

Red Riot removes my Shiketsu cap to rustle my hair with his hand. "I absolutely can't forget you after you pulled that memorable punch on Deku's groin! BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

O-Oh god... My face is so red... I thought my memories of being a goddamn cringe nugget were way past me... And for Red Riot  of all people to be bringing that up...

Katsuma turns to me horrified. "Y-Y-Y-YOU WHAT!?!"

Red Riot puts my cap back on my head. "Anyway, I just wanted to thank you both for you know what. Who knows how much worse it could've gotten if you two didn't do what you did."

"RIOT, BROOOOOOO!!" Another roar in the distance sends Katsuma and I shivering. It resonates from far away...

"BROOOOOO!!" Red Riot turns around, looking toward the horizon, where a shiny, metallic motorcycle comes flying down the countryside. Two people in helmets are riding, a muscular man in the front and a slim woman in the back. 

Vrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

With a smooth turn to the right, the motorcycle kicks up a cloud of dust in its stopping. The dust obscures the two riders as they remove their helmets, but as the debris settles, they become immediately recognizable. The man was none other than Real Steel, the second co-owner of the Red Riot & Real Steel hero agency, and a practical twin bother to Red Riot! 

Red Riot and Real Steel, laughing and cackling, give each other the most powerful fist bump imaginable that you can almost feel the shockwave. 

"Riot, bro, you good, bro?"

"You know it, bro!"

"You sure, bro?"

"I'm sure, bro!"

"Aw, I'm glad, bro!"

"Thanks, bro!"

They both engage in a tight, powerful bro handshake, with muscles tensing from the arms of both men. 

"You two meatheads are lively as always!" says a woman's voice. She steps toward us while whipping her brilliant, tangerine hair. With the blue qipao she's wearing, it's none other than Battle Fist, the chief sidekick of the Red Riot & Real Steal agency!

Real Steel grins a bright grin. "BAAAAAABE!!" Real Steel embraces Battle Fist in a powerful, crushing hug, as the two happen to be Japan's most popular motorcycle couple, Steel Fist! They're a badass pair with their hand-to-hand combo attacks.

Battle Fist endures Real Steel's affection, "Love you too, Tetsu, but we've got work to do. Hey Riot, I've got a question for you from the police investigation of that train car you were in."

"Sure, what's up?"

"The police only found two things that were peculiar in that car. There were the small cracks in the wall from when you socked that lady, which isn't surprising because that's just how you settle every incident. But more interestingly, most of that part of the car was also soaked in water. Would you happen to know about how that could be?"

Uh... shit... Red Riot freezes still as he gulps and eyes toward me, then looks back to Battle Fist. "Uhhhh... I dunno... maybe that crazy lady caused a water bottle to burst... or something-"

"I used my Quirk on the villain."

Riot turns around to me in shock, after he tried to cover for my crime. I understand that he doesn't want me punished for acting like a hero, but still...

"I used my water Quirk to drive the villain back so that Red Riot could finish her. And no, I do not have a provisional hero license. Intervening was my own decision and I'll accept any punishment..."

Riot stood there in awe at me. Katsuma stood there as well, shocked that I basically covered for his involvement, as well. Real Steel and Battle Fist look at me with serious looks on their faces.... Several seconds of silence, and the suspense is agonizing... until the Steel Fist couple looks at each other... with grins on their faces."

"BAHAHAHAHA!! You're fine, man! That's pretty manly of you to get involved!" Real Steel says as he clenches his fist, pulsating his biceps.

"We can just pass this off as self-defense, no worries at all," says Battle Fist with a warm smile, then she looks to Katsuma. "My intuition says you helped in the effort against that villain, too, didn't you? Well done!"

Katsuma gasps, then blushes bright red as he hides his face with his cap. He whispers to me "Y-You didn't have to do th-that. I'm your s-senior. I'm s-supposed to look after you..."

Red Riot lets out a huge sigh of relief, wiping the sweat of his forehead. "Phew, well I'm glad we've got no problem out of that. Say, you two Shiketsu dudes, were you going back to the high school before everything that went down?"

"Yeah," Katsuma said, "Moving into the dorms is today. We're all supposed to have checked in by midnight tonight."

"This train's not moving again 'til it's fully inspected," Real Steal says while crossing his arms, "If you dudes need a ride, how 'bout you come with us?"

Red Riot steps up to Reel Steel full of energy. "Woah bro! This means you brought my hog all the way here, bro?"

"Yeah, bro! I knew you'd need it bro!"

"Aww, no way, bro!"

"Aww, yes way, bro!"

"Tank's full and she's wiped clean, bro?"

"Of course, bro!"

"Broooooo!"

"Broooooo!"

No way... by his hog, does he mean...?

"The Red Riot motorcycle: Red Inferno!"

H-hold on... I turn to look at Katsuma, who's also just as bewildered. We just said the exact same thing at the exact same time...

"You men are fans of the Red Inferno?" Red Riot says as he ruffles our hair like a teasing big brother, "Real Steel's hog ain't bad either! Battle Fist, you cool with staying here at the scene while we take these dudes to school?"

"Not a problem, Riot. We'll just need those boys' contact information in case we need testimony from them."

"Ahahaha, alright!" Riot grins as he takes his motorcycle helmet. He's never needed it because his Quirk is all the safety he needs, but he still wears it to be a good role model for kids to wear a helmet while they're riding bikes. Though, this time Riot hands his helmet and Real Steel's to Katsuma and I. "You two dudes decide who you're riding with! This is gonna be awesome!"

Katsuma immediately shoves Riot's helmet to my hands. "Y-You deserve to ride the Red Inferno more than I do! I-I-I insist, as your senior!" He's smiling with an embarrassed shade of pink on his cheeks.

Heh, I decide to tease him a bit. "Thaaaaank youuuu Katsumaaa-senpaiiiii."

We both a share a big laugh, and I'm glad he took the joke. Did... we just become friends? We put on the helmets, and I hustle towards Red Riot while Katsuma goes to Real Steel.

Real Steel puts his fist in the air. "You bros think we've got some time for a burger joint?"

"Aw, heck yeah, bro!" Riot says, holding back his drool, "Let's treat these dudes to some burgers! Let's get going!"

I can't help but smile. Red Riot's carefree energy is so admirable and contagious, as it should be for a hero who inserts himself into deadly situations for saving others. This gets my blood pumping even more to become an amazing hero!

As I hop behind Red Riot sitting in the Red Inferno, he speaks to me: "You've got a lot of Deku's fire in you, you know?"

Huh...? Deku's fire... in me?

"Deku's rubbed off on you, no doubt. He's rubbed off a little bit on all us,  haha!" Riot turns to Real Steel. "You ready, bro?"

"You've got it, bro!"

Riot looks straight, smirking full of zest. "You men better hold on tight!"

Vrrrrr..... Vrrrrr..... VRRRRRRRRRRRRR....

The acceleration hits my face with a powerful blast of wind. The scenery, the pedestrians, the massive train -- it all goes to a blur at the formidable speed of the Red Inferno. This rollercoaster velocity collides the air to my body, giving me goosebumps and bringing every hair on my body to stand up straight.

This... is... freaking awesome!

I let it all out! "Woooooooohoooooooo!!"

"Slow this crazy thing, pleeeeeeease!!" On my left, Katsuma is looking absolutely petrified, like his ghost has left him as he clings to Real Steel like his life depends on it. Hehe, I'm totally going to poke fun of him about this later!

This journey... has went off to an incredible start...

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Crickets chirp their rhythmic tune, and fountains splash water in a soothing chorus. Our steps on the brick walkways are a beat to the anthem of my first night in Osaka, Japan. Our shared bag of fries rustles during my conversation with Katsuma. 

Katsuma and I had talked quite a bit during our hamburger dinner treated by Red Riot and Real Steel, after that crap that happened in the train earlier today. Katsuma had brought up that he has an older sister who's been a pro hero for about two years, and that when he was six, a freshman class from U.A. had acted as a team of real heroes in his hometown of Nabu Island. Most incredibly of all, one of those freshmen included Deku.

"So that's why you punched Deku in the groin, that's interesting." After enough talking with Katsuma, it seems he's lost his stutter from when we spoke at the train, which finally made it easy to talk to him.

"And if you ever bring that up, I'll annihilate you with a blast of water."

Katsuma chuckles. "Don't worry, I know my manners." Katsuma takes a fry from the bag and plops it into his mouth, chewing and swallowing before he speaks again. "So it looks like we've both been saved by Deku."

"In more ways than one, it seems. That's why I've been training so hard so I could get to Deku's level..."

"You're not the only one! Remember that I have a year of hero training over you. Sure, I need to work on my confidence in a dangerous situation, but I know I've been getting stronger."

I smirk at Katsuma. "Heh, does this mean we're rivals now?"

"H-huh? Rivals? I m-mean... if you want to be rivals... but that wouldn't be very fair for you, junior, wouldn't it?" Katsuma tries to hold back his laughter. Behind that timid face, he can be pretty cocky, huh?

"If that's a declaration of war, you're on!"

"Y-Yeah! Maybe something more f-friendly than that but... we'll see who becomes the greater hero!"

Katsuma and I share a tight handshake as we smile at each other. This is great! Now that I've got a rival at this school, I know who I need to top during my training in Shiketsu!

"Katsuma," I say, "If you're a second year, that means you have a hero name picked, right?"

"Mhm", he nods, "My hero name is Regen Hero: Celadon! I hope you don't think it's lame... I thought it would be fitting, you know? Celadon's a shade of green, and... you can probably imagine why it's one of my favorite colors..." Katsuma puts his hand on his neck as he blushes a little.

Hehe, this guy. "It's not lame. It's a pretty cool hero name. Deku would like it."

"Y-You think so? Thank you!"

We take a few steps, then Katsuma points to a turn in the walkway. "Sorry to cut our conversation short, Kota-kun, but this way is the second-years' dorm. You can keep the fries; thank you for sharing! I'll see you around, then?"

I wave at Katsuma with my most taunting smile. "No doubt, rival. Don't let anybody else kick your ass before I do!"

"Y-You're scary, Kota-kun, b-but I'll make sure I'm staying strong for you and Deku! See you lat-"

Katsuma trips... That's twice in one day...

"Ow! ... D-Don't worry! I can heal myself with my Quirk! You can't with your Quirk! B-Bye!" Katsuma gets up, brushes off the dust on his uniform, then jogs toward the second-years' dorms. Heh, he's a handful, that guy.

The map on my phone is helping me find the first-years' dorms. It's about 8:00 pm right now so I've still got time to check in. And... there it is! It's something smaller than a mansion, built with red-orange bricks, and it had while pillars and accents all around it. It almost has an old-timey feel to it, without looking like a fossil of architecture. The exterior of the dorms doesn't look too bad. I'm standing at the front door, and nobody else is here, probably meaning I'm one of the last to check in.

Inhaaaale... exhaaaaale... I've got only one chance to make a first impression in my high school career. I put my hand on the door knob. Here goes nothing...

*click*

"H-Hey! Give that back! Perverts!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!""

"Bro, you suck at this game! Cover for me!"

"Why aren't there any cute boys here? Wahh!!"

"SOMEBODY STOLE MY TOOTHBRUSH!!"

"Uhh, something's burning in the kitchen..."

What the hell?! It's like a zoo in here! Booming commotion, teens running around everywhere; it's a far cry from how distinguished of a school I imagined Shiketsu to be. This can't be how it usually is in here, right?

In the middle of all this madness, one man with sunshine blonde sits at the side of the front doors. He's rather slim in his yellow hoodie, and his blonde hair is wildly unkempt, and he had a small goatee developing on his chin. 

"Howdy!" the guy says, smiling bright, "You checking in as a student? No problem! I'm the R.A. for the first-years' dorms. I also act as your councilor here, if you need it! Hero work can be stressful, after all. You can call me Taishiro, or just Tai if you'd like!"

Well he's super bubbly. I walk over to Tai's table with my bag and hand him my Shiketsu ID.

"Thank you kindly!" Tai says all cheerfully. "Also, please don't mind the other first-years tonight. I usually enforce the expectations around here more, but tonight I'd like the kids to act like kids before they get suuuuper busy with their studies, yknow? Alrighty, you're Kota Izumi aaaand you've got room key #18. Here you go! Your luggage should have been delivered in your room! Hope you like it here, bud!"

He seems... familiar... I can swear that I've seen at least a photo of him somewhere, but maybe he's dropped a few pounds.

Ah well, I'll ask anyway. "Aren't you Fat Gum?"

"Hahahaha! Whaaaaaaat?" Tai goes on an uncontrolled laughter... laughter that seemed to be mixed with a bit of nerves. "You calling me fat, buddy? Hahaha, how rude! Hehe... hehe..."

For the love of-- I can see through his bullshit. "No, pretty sure you're Fat Gum. You retired like... 3 years ago, or something?"

"Hehehe, I mean.... maaaaaaybe I look like him, hehe... or what's left of him... *sigh*"

I squint at him with an intensity that makes it seem like there's lasers from my eyes. Why won't you admit it?

"Haha, guess the jig is up, ain't it? Yeah, I guess I'm ... former BMI Hero: Fat Gum. My fat absorption Quirk was pretty  spectacular, huh? Hahaha! ... Until my physician pointed out it don't exactly make me immune to heart disease. Imagine that! I got to that age where it started to matter if you weighed over 400 pounds, haha! ... Haha..."

Then Tai realizes the bag of fries in my hand. He starts making puppy eyes at the bag, a look of torment on his face. Is he okay?

After Tai escapes his trance with a shake of his head, he pulls out a lunchbox from under the table. "Don't worry about me, pal!" he says with a big smile, and he puts his fist by his chest with a sense of pride, "I happen to be an alumnus of Shiketsu High! I've worked with the police and I made it high on the Hero Billboard Chart during my time as a hero!"

"Eh, I'm not worried. I've never really had an interest for heroes from Shiketsu anyway."

"W-What! But you're a Shiketsu student!" Tai lets out another sigh, then gives a calmer smile than before. "I still think you'll like it here. Just make sure you're comfortable here on your first night in the dorms! Make some friends! If you need anything, I'll be here eating this yummy slice of pizza! ... with reduced fat ... on cauliflower crust..."

Meh, he'll be fine. I just need to find my room number, then finally crash onto a bed after what a long day it's been. Leaving home, running into that villain bitch in the train, riding on the wicked fast Red Inferno, and meeting Katsuma over burgers; this day was pretty incredible. 

I'm walking down the dorm hall for the Class 1 hero course students, where it's slightly more peaceful since people are preparing for bed. I pass through a lot of different people my age; there's a girl with flowers all over her hair, who greets me with a quick smile, and there's a guy with long black bangs wearing a high-collared version of the Shiketsu uniform, and he didn't pay attention to me. There's all kinds of characters here... I think I'm almost at my roo-

...! I feel cold... I feel so cold... Like a subzero blizzard has me frozen to the ground... This is fear. My breathing is so heavy. I-I'm horrified out of my mind... I feel I'm g-going to cry because... that guy over there. That guy with the ashy blonde hair, standing by one of the dorms... I d-don't know if I want to scream and beat the shit of him... or run away and hide... That guy looks exactly like from that night. That villain from 10 years ago in the forest, that villain who k-killed Mom and Dad... Oh god I'm shaking... my eyes feel teary as drops of water drip from my hands. 

The villain who killed- killed- killedkilledkilledkilledkilledkilledkilledkilled

"Are you okay?"

Gah! A girl behind me! She has dark green hair tied in two pigtails and... is that a long tail behind her?

"Are you feeling sick? You seem pale..." She looks at me very concerned.

I look back at the dorm room that ash-blonde guy was in front of. He's gone now... that must be his dorm room. His face looked so similar to the musclebound villain that killed Mom and Dad, and almost killed Deku and I... Though now that I think about it, the villain had a face scar and a prosthetic eye; this guy had neither of those. His body looks very built, but not nearly as built as that villain. Gah, and what the hell am I thinking? This guy is clearly much younger than the adult villain from 10 years ago... Am I losing my mind?

I turn toward the girl at her worried expression. "I... I'm fine. Thanks for asking, though. I think I'm just... nervous on the first night."

The green-haired girl's frown becomes a smile. "Thank goodness, well that's understandable. Drink some water and have a good rest. I'm Satsuki Asui, by the way. I think we may be classmates in the hero course. I'll see you tomorrow then!" She waves goodbye with both her hand and her tail. That's actually pretty hilarious.

"Heh, thanks for looking out. See you."

I just need to crash on my bed. Let this day be over already. I find my dorm, #18, thank god. I put in the room key, unlock the door, and get inside to meet the soothing air of my dorm room. It's pretty bare bones in here -- nothing on the walls, just some drawers and a closet, as well as decently comfortable twin-sized bed. In the middle of the room was a large box; that's all my stuff that was shipped from home! I immediately start tearing it open, careful not to ruin anything inside... Here it is!

These empty walls will be empty no more, because I'll be hanging this up: my poster of the all-incredible, all-power, all-righteous Deku. I haven't trained at all today, so I better do some pushups before bed while Deku watches me from my wall, with his iconic beaming smile. A hundred pushups should do it... Screw it, two hundred pushups!

... I wonder what that blue-haired girl from U.A. would think seeing me here... Wait, n-no I don't!!

"I

LOVE

SHIKETSUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!"

Holy crap, this guy is loud. This morning, all Shiketsu students were gathered in this huge auditorium for the welcome ceremony. A few hundred students from all years and courses were crowded here, but I was seated with the first-year hero course students, as expected. Now there's this grown man screaming from the stage. He looks like a pro hero, judging from his costume of a thick, burgundy coat and cape with a giant gauntlet-looking thing on his left arm. Ah, and he has a cap with the Shiketsu logo on his head. Figures.

"WHO LOVES SHIKETSUUUUUU???" the hero roars across the entire auditorium, without even using a microphone. Can this dude catch a break already? He's being obnoxiously lou- woah, whaaaaaaaaaaa-!!

A cyclone of wind lifts me up from my seat, hurling me into the air! Holy crap! I'm left hovering and spinning in the air as a whirlwind cloaks me. I-Is this that guy's...?

"DO YOU LOVE SHIKETSUUUUUU??" He's batshit crazy! He has his arm towards me; clearly this whirlwind is his Quirk! I'll g-give him what he wants so he can put me the hell down!

"Y-yes!! I l-looooove Shiketsuuuu!! Put me down please!"

The cyclone stops and I land straight on my ass. Owwwww... I hear a bit of laughter from the crowd... until the whirlwind guy starts doing the same thing to other people!

"HOW ABOUT YOU?? YOU LOVE SHIKETSUUUUU???"

"TELL ME HOW MUCH YOU LOVE SHIKETSUUUUU!!!"

"WE ALLLL LOVE SHIKETSUUUUU!!"

Combined with his fierce, happy cheers for Shiketsu, the yelling and screaming of several students as they're carried into the air by whirlwinds echo the entire auditorium. Hope those were the guys that laughed at me...

"Your ass okay, man?"

I turn to my right, and it was the guy sitting next to me. The was smiling with his sharp, pointy teeth, and his grayish hair was slicked back and spiked from behind. He seems friendly...

"Yeah, I'm good. I don't know if he's a teacher or what, but that hero over there is pretty nuts."

"Haha! That's Gale Force for ya! Number 12 pro hero, and you can really see his power!" The shark-toothed guy offers me a fist bump. "The name's Takara Tamashiro. Think we can be buds on campus?"

I exchange a smile with him, and I accept a fist bump. He seems like a cool guy. "Sure, dude. Name's Kota Izumi. I'm going to be a hero as strong as Deku!"

"Damn, dude! You've got some aspirations! I'm not gonna let Gale Force mess with your pride like that, bro! Watch this!"

Tamashiro opens his palm, forming a black ball out of nothing. He chuckles naughtily, and the black ball also forms a smile with teeth as sharp as Tamashiro's! Tamashiro rolls the sharp-toothed ball under the seats of the students in front of us.

I'm suspicious of him... "Dude, what was that and what are you doing?"

"Relax, man! It's just one of my Binging Balls. Look at the stage!"

Tamashiro's Binging Ball had rolled beneath all the seats of the auditorium, and it hops onto the stage platform. Is Tamashiro controlling it remotely? Then the Binging Ball rolls behind Gale Force...

I pull Tamashiro's arm. "Dude, I don't think this is a good idea!"

Tamashiro's face is full of wicked mischief. "Calm down, dude! This is gonna be priceless!"

The Binging Ball floats up from behind Gale Force, who's not taking notice as he's blasting gusts of wind from students' seats. Then, the ball grips its fangs on the Gale Force's cap, flinging it backwards, and the Binging Ball vanishes in a puff of smoke. On realization, Gale Force is frozen on the stage... his shiny, bald head exposed for the entire student body to see...

".........AHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!"

The entire auditorium has lost it, students bursting out in laughter and pointing at Gale Force, whose face turns to a flush pink, along with the rest of his disco ball-like head... Okay, that's actually pretty freaking hilarious!

Tamashiro playfully elbows me as I'm losing myself to laughter. "Told ya it would be priceless! Serves him right to be messing with Izumi, the future hero as strong as Deku!"

Gee, he did that all that for my sake? That's pretty awesome of him... getting involved when he shouldn't... It did feel great watching that human thumb have the tables turned on him!

Gale Force attempts to gather his composure, as he crawls off the stage. "I'm going to... collect the shattered pieces of my Shiketsu pride now......"

In a stark contrast to the bald Gale Force, a different man hurriedly steps onto the stage, but his body was completely covered in hair! From head to toe, not a square centimeter of his skin was showing, as it was all covered in long, light brown hair. He looked like a fluffy troll monster...

The hairy troll steps to the podium as he puts on a pair of reading glasses. "Ah hem... Er, uh, thank you to Mr. Gale Force for a stunning pep rally to begin our welcome ceremony to Shiketsu High Students! You upperclassmen know me already, but for our incoming freshmen, I am Principal Mora. You may have heard of me as Hairy Hero: Chewyee during my pro hero career! Then, as a Shiketsu graduate, I decided to dedicate myself to the education of Shiketsu students. Shiketsu High has had the privilege of educating several stunning alumni that have made outstanding names for themselves in Japan's hero scene!"

A projector screen descends from behind Principal Mora, who pulls out a remote from his bushy beard... or at least the area where a beard would be... the principal is basically one huge walking pube...

Meanwhile, Tamashiro next to me looks absolutely dazzled? There was a twinkling in his eyes as he clenches both of his fists in excitement... What's he so pumped for?

Principal Mora clicks his remote, showing a picture on the projector of the crazy-ass Gale Force saluting with excitement. "You are all aware of Gale Force! The current No. 12 pro hero, and a heroics teacher here at Shiketsu!" 

Click. Next was a picture of a woman with long, brown hair, wearing a black catsuit. She's posing as she's surrounded with colorful mists that look like the aurora borealis of the Arctic north... Is it appropriate to be showing us this picture? Tamashiro next to me still full of energy, as you can see hearts shaping on his eyes as steam exits his nostrils. I mean... I guess she does look kinda hot...

"You all may also be familiar with Illusion Hero: Maboromicamie! Marvel at her beautiful mists as she trances all evildoers! She teaches art history here at Shiketsu!"

Click. Oh look, it's Tai. "Who could forget our lovable councilor friend, Taishiro Toyomitsu! Otherwise formerly known as BMI Hero: Fat Gum! Isn't Toyomitsu in the audience? Ah, there you  are! Would you like to speak a few words, Mr. Toyomitsu?"

Principal Mora points at Tai from the front row of the audience, who stands out with his bright blonde hair. Tai flinches, and the yellow man turns into a pink lemonade, minus the sugar. "H-huh? Fat Gum? I don't know any Fat Gum! Hahahahahaha!! Um, I need the bathroom!!" Tai sprints off somewhere, probably not the bathroom...

Principal Mora keeps clicking with his presentation, showing images of different Shiketsu alumni that I don't recognize at all. Maybe I should've invested more time to dig info about these people...

Suddenly, Mora takes a big breath. "And last, but not least, one Shiketsu alumnus and faculty member who stands out from the rest, as the living embodiment of Shiketsu values-"

*SLAM*

"I shall be introducing myself, Principal Mora."

The double doors from the back of the auditorium fling open, the echo demanding silence from every student and faculty in the room. A single individual steps into the auditorium, their arms crossed behind their back with an air of dignity. It was a man in a red mask, with purple hair obscuring the left of his thin, slanted eyes. He wore a black overcoat with red trimmings and sleeves that only reached his elbows, and on top of that was a black apron. He had strange gloves that covered only his thumbs, index and middle fingers, and he wore black boots that echoed with every step. And, of course, the Shiketsu cap topped it all off.

He spoke with his chin up. "I am Mr. Seiji Shishikura, otherwise known as Fleshy Hero: Sisicross. Class 1 homeroom teacher." He slowly stepped across the open walkway with an intense aura like he was sharpening the air around him. Is he really a hero? He looks more like a top villain... Tamashiro is pale next to me... Does he know Shishikura?

Mr. Shishikura makes it to the podium. "I have but one goal as a homeroom teacher... To squash the undignified insects attending U.A. High. With my teachings and the values of Shiketsu, you will all succeed in my goal. I will make you soar to greater heights than U.A. ever could in their insect-infested school. I will make this hell for you... To all my Class 1 students...

class is now in session! Mwhahahahahahaha!!"

To be continued...

Chapter Text

"They call him the Shiketsu Butcher." Tamashiro and I were in the guys' locker room after Mr. Shishikura hijacked the welcome ceremony and stole all of Class 1 to change into our gym uniforms. "Shishikura tolerates nothing outside of what's perfect, and his punishments towards students who don't act within his expectations are hella cruel. We've gotta watch our backs, Izumi."

Shishikura to me came off as a total prick at the ceremony for calling every student at U.A. an "insect". Not only was that just offensive, but it was just plain incorrect, because the incredible students and alumni of U.A. like Deku, Shoto, Red Riot, and especially the blue-haired girl deserve respect. I know they're far from insects, and they're more like the swans and doves of the superhuman society. What does that make me, as a Shiketsu student? I'm going to figure that out, and eventually I want to fly high to the top along with the greatest heroes of Japan.

 Tamashiro and I find our locker numbers, which happen to be close to each other. "Thanks for the heads-up," I tell him, "Something didn't feel right about calling him a hero." My words echo as they bounce around the cold, metallic lockers and circulate around the locker room. No doubt this building's got some history, as everything seems so dated.

"Nah, Shishikura's still nothing short of a hero," Tamashiro says as he figures out his locker combination, "His Quirk controls his flesh and bends the flesh of others, and he's been able to stop huge invasions in Osaka by turning all the villains into goop without killing 'em. It does the job, but it ain't pretty to look at."

"You know quite a bit about Shiketsu heroes, Tamashiro. You've got a sibling who goes here or something?"

"Nah! No siblings. It's just I've always thought that the heroes from Shiketsu were pretty rad. I remember when I first got my Quirk during primary school, I was a tiny bastard who felt like he was the top dog for having a strong Quirk. None of the Quirk counselors could have a handle on me, 'cause I only cared about being the strongest of my group of friends. Then, we went on a field trip to meet some hero course students, and some of them were from Shiketsu. Heh, they all came of as dorks at first, but they eventually showed us that Quirks aren't a measure of strength, but part of a person's character to help those who need saving. There were U.A. freshmen there, too, but... something stood out from Shiketsu, I guess, and I've gotten really into this school ever since... I guess I also realized that the girls from Shiketsu are pretty cute, haha! Maybe that was part of my decision, too, heh."

Holy crap, he's a fanboy like me! What Shiketsu is to Tamashiro is what U.A. is to me. This puts an enormous smile on my face, as I may have found somebody who matches my passion for heroes! I tell Tamashiro "That's a pretty awesome origin story, Tamashiro. Make sure you tell the press all that when you make it pro!"

"Ahhhh, man, you're too nice! Thanks for listening while I acted all soft in front of you." Tamashiro then beams a smile of bright sunshine at me. "What 'bout you, dude? What made you wanna be a hero?" 

I give a little chuckle as I fondly think of my answer. "A lot, really. The biggest reason is that I've been surrounded by heroes my whole life, and they taught me to always be willing to take the risk of saving others. I guess I just soaked up that heroism like a sponge, and I wanted to become a pro myself. My parents were a hero duo called Water Hose."

"Water Hoes?"

"Yeah, Water Hose. You've heard of them?"

"Water Hoes... I haven't, but I'll definitely look into them, dude!"

"Ah, um... You don't have to. You probably won't like what you see."

"You sure, man? I'm, like, down for most things."

"....Are we on the same page?"

I open up the plastic packaging of my gym clothes. It looks like it comes with a pair of athletic pants and a short-sleeve shirt in matching gray colors. Darker gray lines streak through the clothes in the design of an "S" for Shiketsu. Not bad.

"Holy crap, dude, you're jacked!" Tamashiro wowed at me while I had my shirt off. Haha, that's what Tiger's been telling me too, that my arms are well-sized, my chest has some volume, and my abs are clearly defined, but I don't think I deserve that much praise, heh. I guess this was the three months of ambitious training I did after deciding on Shiketsu.

"You look pretty athletic, too, you know," I remind him. It was no joke, since Tamashiro looked pretty toned in the chest, arms, and abdominal area. It's no doubt that he trains hard as well.

"But you're an absolute beast, man! Could we maybe train together sometime?" 

He called me a "beast"... It's only been one day and I'm already homesick of when Tiger would tell me to become a beast, an apex predator of any environment I find myself in. Tiger and I would spar in the forest all the time in order to improve my hand-to-hand combat, and he would always win, of course. Now that I'm across the country, other than maybe Katsuma, I don't have anybody who would be willing to challenge me in their own time ... until now, it seems!

"Yeah," I reply, "I would really like that. Let's find some time this weekend to train. You probably know all the best training spots on campus, haha! Right?"

"Of course, man," Tamashiro says with a thumbs up, "I've got us covered!"

... Something's not right. From the corner of my eye, I feel like we're being watched. I look down some lockers and there's a guy there looking at me. His hair's in a mullet, dyed yellow in the back and left black at the top. He's got a pair of shades on, even though we're in a locker room. What's weirdest of all is he's got something in his right hand, a metal rod with a yellow lightning streak across it...

Does he want trouble? I give him a tough look. "You looking at somebody?"

"Whoops, my bad if I was staring," he said with a snide chuckle, "You two brothers were having an interesting conversation, so I was eavesdropping a bit. Bad habit of mine."

This guy's got some nerve to disrespect our privacy. I was about to give him a piece of my goddamn mind before Tamashiro noticed my anger and interrupted me...

"Hey, those are some awesome-looking shades, man! But, uh, you think Shishikura is gonna let you wear those around campus? ... and carry that metal rod thing around?"

The mullet guy in shades smirked as he leaned against a locker. "Heh, Sissycross? What he says don't matter to me. I'd like to think I'm a free soul who does his thing. Some rules aren't meant to be followed, yknow? Besides, I'm sure he'll let me keep these either way, especially since..."

The Mullet takes his free hand up to his shades, and removes them with a smooth swipe. What he revealed... were a pair of pale eyes. They looked completely lifeless, void of any soul inside them. With the grays in his pupils, you could mistake that they were from a corpse...

"... I'm blind."

O-Oh... That must be why he was... looking at us... he didn't know that he was... I w-wouldn't fight a blind guy!

Unable to see the look of surprise on the faces of Tamashiro and I, the guy puts his sunglasses back on to cover his eyes. "My eyes look pretty gnarly, huh? Figured they might make people feel uncomfortable, so I've always got these on. Makes me look kickass, don't you think? Haha! My name's Mejiki Kusari, by the way. Remember it, fellas!"

Wow... He does care what people think? I guess this Kusari guy only came off as arrogant with his whole look and attitude. His comment on "Some rules aren't meant to be followed" does bother me, since that seems to mix with heroism as much as oil mixes with water... I think I've gotta cool off when I'm meeting new people...

Tamashiro seems pumped to meet someone as unordinary as Kusari, as Tamashiro hurries over to where Kusari was standing. "You're pretty awesome, man! This is Izumi, and I'm Tama-"

"Watch your feet!"

"Ah-!"

Tamashiro was about to step on an old, metal bottle that would've surely tripped him, if it wasn't for Kusari spotting it first and giving Tamashiro the heads-up. Tamashiro lets out a sigh of relief. "Phew, thanks dude, I would've seriously gotten hurt if you didn't see that- ... Hold up, how did you...?"

Wait, this isn't right at all... "Kusari," I utter, "How did you see that bottle?" Was he just lying about his blindness and he's just an invasive dick after all? No way, because his eyes definitely didn't look healthy, since you couldn't even tell if the light was entering his eyes or not. Is it a Quirk...?

Kusari adjusts his sunglasses with a big smirk on his face. "Heh, it's all magnets!"

***************************************************

Shiketsu Class 1: Mejiki Kusari

Quirk: Electromagnetism -  Kusari ionizes the air around him to create magnetic fields for controlling metallic objects

Birthday: August 3rd

Likes: Heavy metal, proving people wrong

*****************************************************

"Here's a neat science fact, buds," Kusari smirked, "Every single object in the universe has got a magnetic field. Every single thing, it's just that some fields are stronger than others, like from metals, you dig? But ya know, I've put up a weak little magnetic field through this entire room, and this rod here's like a compass, picking up all the magnetic fields that work against mine. I just feel the vibrations of this compass, and I've got a pretty good map of everything in the room, even around the corners and behind the walls! So, for our purposes, fellas, I can 'see' a hell lot more than either of you can! Hahahaha! Ain't that neat?"

W-Wow! An application of a Quirk like that to overcome a disability! I- I- I- I have so many questions! "But Kusari, to feel all those different pulls on that rod using just your hand, isn't that difficult?"

"If my hands are sensitive enough to read braille, then feeling each pull on my rod is cake, especially with all my practice, haha!"

That's so badass! Heroes with disabilities are pretty rare, but with a versatile Quirk like Kusari's, he might have potential.

Kusari takes a seat along the lockers, resting his rod on his lap like a guitar. "Anyhow, enough 'bout me, how are you boys doing? What do you think Sissycross is up to with the twelve of us?"

"Twelve of us?"

"There's twelve students in Class 1, seven boys and five girls," Tamashiro explains, "Pretty small for a class, right? Word on the street is that Shishikura pushed to make the class sizes this small, so the other freshmen hero students here are in Class 2. It's an efficiency thing, apparently."

"That means Sissycross is gonna be crawling up your back more than other teachers," Kusari added, "I'm betting he's got some crazy stuff planned for us this semester."

Shishikura seems intense... Even if I don't agree with his attitude towards U.A., he might be the mentor I need to become stronger very quickly. This intensity will thicken my skin for the real battle, where people are suffering from life or death situations and need saving. 

"You boys ready to head out?" Kusari said, turning towards the locker room exit, which is still impressive how he's able to locate that, "Might to be good to arrive early, before Sissycross starts making a fit we'd have to listen to."

"I bet you can walk yourself?" I ask Kusari, more to be polite than actual concern in his ability.

"You better not underestimate me," Kusari says, "It might bite 'chu in the ass, haha!"

Tamashiro and I nod at each other, shut our lockers, and made our way with Kusari to where Shishikura had said he will be waiting.

"Single file, arms behind your backs! Hustle!"

Tamashiro, Kusari, and I made our way to the P.E. courtyard outside, along with several students behind us. Shishikura is already here, radiating that cruel aura around him as he glares at each student. From where we were standing in the middle of the courtyard, the main school building towers over all of us, and I've never had the opportunity to take a good look at it.

Shiketsu almost looks like a cathedral from the outside, an enormous structure of dark red bricks and dark blue accents all across. There's an old school feel to it, as if dozens and dozens of heroes had walked through this campus during their times as students. There is a central tower with the Shiketsu S at the top, standing like a beacon in the Osaka spring season.

"We shall start with introductions," Shishikura starts, "And keep it brief. Only your names are necessary for this exercise, and there is no time to waste on meaningless drabble. You, in the far end, you begin."

Shishikura is looking towards the opposite end of where Tamashiro and I stand, so I wonder who's at the the opposite end?

No... No, oh god, it's him again. My muscle freezes up and tense as the fear... no, the anger cloaks around me again, as the memory of that murderer's face from ten years ago invades my mind. This guy looks... horrifyingly like Mom and Dad's killer, and the lack of any face scar doesn't change a damn thing... He's standing tall as the light breeze blows his hair, ash blonde as his lookalike.  He's visibly muscular, slightly more than Tamashiro or I. His expression is serious, bloodcurdling. He steps forward...

"Hatsuiku Kanashimu."

That's all he said, and there's a pulsing ache in my head as that name is burned into my mind. This raging anger spreads like wildfire throughout my body, the scorching feeling met by the dripping sweat from my forehead. Why does-

"AHEM!"

Crap! I was lost in thought! As my mind comes back to Earth, Shishikura is giving me a malevolent stare. I look to my right, and all eleven of my classmates have their eyes on me from where they're standing. Asui, the green-haired girl with the tail from last night, gives me a shy smile, and Tamashiro right next to me gives a slightly worried expression. Meanwhile, Kanashimu's eyes are like darts at my direction.

I look at Tamashiro in confusion. "Go," he mouths silently. D-Did I seriously miss everybody else's introductions?

"I am K-Kota Izumi. It's a pleasure..."

"Excellent," Shishikura huffed in impatience, "That took you all long enough. Now, allow me to begin elaborating on the Shiketsu mission, as well as how I, Seiji Shishikura, Fleshy Hero: Sisicross, shall have you all rise to the sky as the greatest..."

Shishikura begins this long blather about Shiketsu this, Shiketsu that, demolish the U.A. insects, Shishikura is the greatest instructor in the history of the universe, yadda yadda et cetera. It's super exhausting...

"You okay, man?" Tamashiro whispers next to me, "You look kind of out of it."

"I'm good, just daydreaming."

"You sure? Looked more than just a daze-"

"Excuse me, Mr. Tamashiro."

Gulp. Shishikura.

"You seem to believe you have the authority to speak over me."

Tamashiro is petrified as he looks up to the Shiketsu Butcher. "N-No, sir! M-M-My sincerest ap-p-pologies! It will never happen again!"

Shishikura raises a purple eyebrow. "Not happen again, will it? Hmm, I am not convinced." Shishikura extends his hand. "Let me teach a lesson that will be tested all year."

Tamashiro shrieks! "N-N-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

SPLAT!

Holy crap... sweet mercy... The sight of Shishikura using a single hand to morph Tamashiro into a meatball mass of flesh, an abomination that no hell could spawn. Tamashiro's eyes, nose, hair, everything rearranged into random swirls of flesh. It doesn't look like Tamashiro's in pain but...  My breakfast isn't staying in my stomach very well, and the rest of the class seems panicked. Asui looks like she'll faint at any moment...

Shishikura picks up the fleshy mess of Tamashiro in his palm. "WELL!? Was this worth interrupting my monologue? Was this worth disrespecting the pride of Shiketsu High? Was this worth-"

"Ooooooooh Seeeeeeijiiiiiii!!"

Shishikura freezes completely pale, dropping the Tamashiro meatloaf with a squishy, plopping sound to the ground. Wasn't that... his name that some lady was calling? Shishikura rubs his face like he's under a migraine, his face morphing through several stages of anguish. "For crying out loud... Not this again..."

Tamashiro slowly morphs into his original figure, and he's... visibly shaken... "That felt.... so weird... dude..."

The class looks at the direction where the woman's voice came from. It's... Maboromicamie! The foxy lady in black was easily one of the most memorable faces from the ceremony, and she's hustling toward us across the courtyard, waving playfully at Shishikura.

"Seijiiiiiii, you were, like, sooooo extra at the ceremony today!"

"That is Sisicross to you, Ms. Maboromicamie! Have I not always told you to never intrude my class, and you pick the first day of the semester to do this?!" 

"LOL, I totally forgot you use our hero names while other people are around! It's, like, totally my bad!"

Camie walks past Shishikura to take a look at the class of us twelve, scanning left and right at each of us with a bubbly expression. "So yallz are taking my art history class this year? You all look sooooooo cuuuuuuuuute!! Like totes adorbs! Sorry about Seiji over here, crew. He can totally be super emo sometimes." 

"I-I am not an emo! Camie, leave my class at once, you imbecile, or I will not hesitate to make a meatball out of you!!"

"Aww, Seiji, you've been threatening that for, like, alllllll the years we've known each other and you've neverrrrr brought yourself to doing that, hee hee!"

"I- I- ... you wench!"

"Seiji, your tiny eyes look soooooo cuuuuute when you make that face! Like, a puppy!"

"My eyes are n-not tiny! They're b-big and handsome! Go away!"

"Are you, like, blushing? Omigod, Seiji, it's like that time when you had that crush on Namonaki-chan in high school!"

"W-Why you...! I t-told you that secret ten years ago and you still torment me with it?!"

"Only 'cause we're the bestest BFFs, Seiji-chan! Hee hee!"

"Y-You have no business wearing Shiketsu's pride on your head!"

In a fit of frustration, Shishikura reaches for the Shiketsu cap on Camie's head... before Camie disappears in a puff of smoke...

"W-Wha...?"

"Over herrrrrrre, Seiji-channnnn!!"

From several meters away, Camie waves with her same bubbly smile. "Just a little illusion for ya! I'll see you adorable kids at class today! Keep it fresh!"

Shishikura cringes with both fits shaking in a peak of annoyance. "Why do I tolerate you...!?"

Tamashiro, who has fully recovered from the traumatic experience of being meatballed, playfully elbows my arm. "That's a pro-level illusion from Ms. Camie, I tell ya!" You can still see the steam coming from his nostrils, and I can't help but smile, because he's good at distracting me from the guy at the other end of the line.

Shishikura gathers his composure as he adjusts his jacket and his cap. "Ah hem! Class, we may finally begin the exercise I intended for you all. As you are all aware, I would love nothing more than to crush every individual cockroach attending U.A. High, the sole obstacle preventing Shiketsu High from achieving glory as the top hero school in the country! Well, as this is the beginning of the semester, this is the perfect opportunity! Who here would know what I am referring to?"

Wait, I know what he's talking about! The Pussycats and I always watch this event live on HD TV! I would launch my hand upward, but a guy with wavy, yellow blonde hair calmly raises his hand with an air of dignity.

"Mr. Shishikura, would you happen to be referring to the Grand Sports Festival?"

"Gold star! Yes, the Grand Sports Festival, mwhahaha! Unless you are an insect that lives underground, you would know that the Sports Festival used to be an annual event exclusively held by U.A. High, until a few years ago when they began inviting other schools to participate in a much larger competition, thus marking the start of the Grand Sports Festival... And U.A. has won every, single year. Every SINGLE YEAR! IT IS OUTRAGEOUS!" Shishikura cools down and take a deep breathe as he adjusts his cap. "Anyhow, this class must have candidates to participate in the Festival next month. That is, each of you shall travel to U.A. to destroy them in their home turf! Mwhahahahahaha!!!"

Next month... we will all the visiting U.A. High? That means... I have a chance to finally thank her... That's incredible!

"However," Shishikura continues, "You must earn your place. As you all are likely aware, there are various events in the Grand Sports Festival, ranging from performing arts to... mwhaha... combat! That is why we shall be doing a simple exercise that even the insects of U.A. High are able to comprehend! You and a partner shall be opponents in an open court area. The goal is simple: combat with your opponent until either of you surrender, or when either of you steps outside of the court area." Shishikura pulls out a rolled piece of paper from his apron.

"I have hand-picked your opponents for this exercise, after a careful deliberation of each of your strengths and weaknesses. You all better have been paying attention during introductions, because the names of you and your opponent are scribed in this list here!"

Who am I paired with? ... !

Kota Izumi - Hatsuiku Kanashimu

Oh no... Why? Why why why is it him? The face who killed Mom and Dad... he's looking straight at me... This is cruel... I don't know whether to cry or to scream...

"Use any open court in this area," Shishikura says, "Hustle, hustle!"

Kanashimu had already picked the court closest to the school building... I drag my feet towards where he stood while glancing at Tamashiro, who seems he was paired with some hyper-energetic girl with long, red-orange hair. 

[Some playable audio to enhance your reading! Credit at the bottom]

I make it to the court, standing across from Kanashimu, who simply stares at me. "You've kept me waiting," he says, "Let's get this over with." Then, the image I most dreaded stood before me, as Kanashimu extended both arms... and enormous red muscle fibers envelope them entirely...

********************************************************

Shiketsu Class 1: Hatsuiku Kanashimu

Quirk: Muscle Augmentation - able to amplify and manipulate their own muscle fibers for increased strength, speed, and durability

Birthday: ???

Likes: ???

**********************************************************

H-He's got the s-same Quirk as him! What c-cruel irony is this? Not only the same face, the same Quirk that killed Mom and Dad...!

No... NO, I have to gather my focus! This isn't cruel irony; this is fate! An opportunity to put my fears and trauma behind me, and put all of my pride and energy into beating this guy! I can never be as strong as Deku if I'm unable to overcome this hurdle! I am going to kick his ass!

"You will all have exactly 3 minutes to eliminate your opponent. 3 minutes is the difference between life and death at the scene of a tragedy. I shall be monitoring each pair closely for the most painfully honest feedback you all have had in your academic careers. READY?"

As Shishikura pulls out his stopwatch, I position myself to go all out... I will do this... for Mom and Dad!

"BEGIN!"

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSHHHHHH!!!!!!!

"Seattle Hydro Surge!"

I put everything I possibly had into this one vortex of raging water, so I can launch Kanashimu to next week! He's finished!

"You're too slow."

Shit! Kanashimu somehow dodge that and he's right behind me! He's reinforced the muscles in his legs to be able to sprint faster! His muscle fibers emerge from his left arm and wrist, forming it into a red mass and Kanashimu grabs my ankle.

Kanashimu gives a sly smile. "See you later." *FWISH!* He throws me at the school building at a rocket-fast speeeeeed!! I'm over the out of bounds line of the court! ... But I'm not done if my feet don't touch the ground!

I grunt, "This was your first mistake, asshole!" Launching at the wall allows me to do this! Arms toward the I burst water onto the wall to launch myself back onto the courtyard, and I land on my feet. Shishikura is eyeing us, and it seems I'm still in this match if I didn't step on out of bounds. 

"Good start." Kanashimu begins sprinting at me with his increased leg strength, like a ferocious bobcat coming to gnaw at me. He's going to be in my face in the next second!

"Florida Geyser!"

I unleash water onto the ground to spring myself high up, dodging a violent push from Kanashimu's enormous arms. I'm not out the woods yet, as Kanashimu does a powerful jump to attempt to catch me!

Perfect. "And this was your second mistake! Have a drink!" Right before Kanashimu as a chance to grab me, I quickly grab the collar of his gym uniform... and I use my other hand to launch water directly into his mouth!

"Gah-ah, AH," Kanashimu is choking up at the barrage of water into his mouth. I can end this quickly, and this is my win! ... Then, Kanashimu's eyes turn violent. "You- *gah*, won't win..."

Then, the unthinkable happens, as Kanashimu extends his muscle fibers from his arm even further... to wrap around my leg!  Impossible!

Still in midair, Kanashimu grabs my head to say this into my ear: "Checkmate." No...!

Kanashimu lands on his feet, supported by his grown legs, as I stay dangling with my leg trapped in his arm muscle. Next thing I know, we're spinning. Spinning, spinning, spinning as I'm trapped, Kanashimu is trying to build momentum to throw me again, but not if I have a damn thing to do about it!

"NOW YOU DIE, KANASHIMU!!" I extend my arms to the ground, I'm going to make him slip! I burst water onto the dirt of the court, causing it to go muddy as Kanashimu sloshes through it.

"W-Why you...!" Kanashimu trips backward on the mud puddle, and he releases me from this muscle fiber trap! Hell ye- OW! I land on my tailbone after he let me go... God damnit!

Though I'm able to get up, and Kanashimu struggles to rise from the watery mud below him without slipping. This is perfect; my prey is ready for kill! I just need to unleash my maximum output at his face and I- !

"Mr. Izumi is out of bounds." 

[You may now turn off any ongoing audio]

H-Huh..? I turn around, where Shishikura stands over me, unamused in the face. "Look down, boy, you're out of bounds."

This... can't be... I look down at the ground. There it is... the white border of the court. And looking up at Kanashimu, he's fully stood up, looking at me with his frozen cold eyes, mud covering his entire uniform as he coughs up the water I shot down his throat. Was he that strong that he was able to throw me out of bounds when he let me go? How... did I fail...? How did I allow myself to fail...?

I'm... dizzy... I failed... Mom and Da- ..........

"Izumi? ... Hey, Izumi, dude, what's wrong? IZUMI!"

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Th-the smell of burning forest... the stinging of toxic gas... and this giant in a b-black cloak...

"Hey, by the way, you've got a nice hat there, kid. Trade with me for this lame mask. They made me wear this toy since I'm new..."

N-No... he k-killed... I have to RUN!

"Oh, hey... Let me get a shot in to cheer up!"

He's going to kill me!!!

AHHHH!!!!

W... Where am I? I'm lightheaded... Like the world is swirling into formation as my eyes readjust to the light...

The ground is soft... I'm on a bed. And there's... computer typing in the background?

"Oh lovely, you're awake!"

Huh? It's a lady, dressed in a uniform that's pink as cotton candy. She looks young, even though her long, curly hair is colored snowy white. She's got the Shiketsu cap on, which must mean I'm still at school...

"What happened...? Who are you...?"

"Ah, I'm the school nurse here in Shiketsu High! I am Medicine Hero: Lala Lozenge, and I'm very happy to meet you, Kota! It seems like you passed out a few minutes ago. From my brief examination of you, it looks like it's nothing serious. No worries!"

Oh, that's right... That humiliating loss... I couldn't overcome the same Quirk that my parents fell victim to all those years ago...

I rub my throbbing head. "H-How did I pass out, then?"

"Could be a variety of reasons. It could've been vertigo or dizziness. It could've been stress. Your hands were wet when you got here. Do you have a water-based Quirk? There are cases of people getting dehydrated after pushing the use of their water Quirk. It could also be a mix of these."

That... makes a lot of sense...

I sit up while rubbing my eyes, like this was all a very bad nap. "How did I even get here?" 

"Oh, your teacher, Mr. Shishikura, came running and carried you all the way over here to my office!"

Huh? Shishikura did that? Did he want to get me help as soon as possible? That doesn't seem like the cold, sour Shishikura I've come to expect. I guess I misjudged h-

"Then he tossed you onto that bed and said 'He is your problem now' before shutting the door behind him."

Oh.

Lala rolls on her swivel chair over to her desk, where she takes a spoonful of a mysterious white powder and stirs it into a cup of water, the spoon clicking against the edges of the cup like a windchime's tune. Lala glides across the office on her chair like a pink flower petal carried by the wind. "Drink this! It's filled with vitamins and it'll make sure you're hydrated!"

"Thank you." I take the rose-pink cup in my hands, and I sip the contents. It tastes... sweet? I would've imagined some bitter medicine, but this tastes like syrup. I look up to Nurse Lala, "Isn't this just sugar water?"

"Technically, you're not wrong!" Lala giggles, "But it's also a little more than that!"

**********************************

Shiketsu High School Nurse:  Lala Lozenge

Quirk: Placebo  - Can convert ordinary table sugar into medicinal drugs, which can include allergy medicine, antibiotics and even vaccines. Lala must understand the chemical makeup of the drugs she's replicating,

Birthday: November 4

Likes: Coffee, petting zoos

*****************************************

"What you're drinking is a soothing vitamin blend that's almost like tea!" Lala says proudly and brightly. "My Quirk is wonderful for turning bitter, awful medicines into something more palatable for the ill."

Huh, what a Quirk! They say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, but in this case, the sugar is the medicine.

Lala gets up from her swivel chair and walks to a closet at the other end of the office. "It also means that mostly all I need to do my job is sugar!"

*click* *BOOM BAH BOOM*

With a swing of the closet door, five enormous bags of sugar come piling out! And there's more inside the closet... waaaaaay more. I guess it figures, since this is a hero school where people are expected to get hurt.

"You seem to be well enough to go back to class," Lala says relieved, "Let me write you a late pass. If you're from Shishikura's class, it's likely you have heroics with Gale Force right now. Then I'll get right into hauling this sugar back where it belongs."

Ugh, Gale Force... Well, it can't be helped. I drink up the rest of the vitamins, and say to Lala, "Thank you for your care," before taking my leave from her office.

"Come again!" she hollers. Wait... w-what does she mean "come again"?!

The halls of Shiketsu High -- so quiet, so empty, so calm. With my late pass in hand, my steps echo across the lockers, as if this is a deep, underground tunnel. I can't help but think: Did I blow my only chance of a first impression at this school? Do I have what it takes to be placed in the Grand Sports Festival? It's going to be a rough year...

Well, here it is: the classroom of Gale Force, my heroics teacher who gave me a front row to his air show during the ceremony, with me as the opening event. I better brace myself for whatever cyclone that comes to ambush me when I open this door... Here goes nothing...

*click* *creeeeeeeak* 

"Oh, hello there. You must be Kota Izumi." It's Gale Force, and he's ... calm? That works, I guess... 

I look at the classroom, and the eleven other students from earlier today are all seated, watching me... especially Kanashimu. His icy, expressionless stare pierces into my skin, and I get disorientated just look at him...

I can't think about Kanashimu right now. I hand Gale Force my late pass as he gently takes it and begins to skim it.

"....YOU HAD TO GO SEE NURSE LALA?!?!" Gale Force roared with the might of a thousand cannonballs firing off of a ton of dynamite, "IZUMIIIIII, I HOPE YOU'RE OKAY!!!"

G-gahhhh!! He has me embraced in this massive hug, deadlocking my lungs-!! Can't... breathe!!! 

Gale Force lets me go, thank god I'm not dead. "Sit anywhere you'd like! We're doing a small lecture today, so make yourself comfortable and ready to learn! For SHIKETSUUUUU!!!"

Yeah, I'll try making myself comfortable...

"Izumi, over here!" Tamashiro is waving to me from his seat in the left-side back corner of the room, his smile of sharp, pointy teeth beaming. He pats on an empty desk next to him. "I saved a seat for ya! Come!"

What a guy. I return Tamashiro's smile with my own, and I drop my schoolbag at the desk while holding back a glance to Kanashimu. As I'm sitting down, I tell Tamashiro, "Thanks, dude. I was at the nurse, and I'm fine now. Just got exhausted from the training exercise."

"I feel you, dude! My fight was pretty rough, too. I couldn't win against the orange-haired girl over there. She was a real fighter!" Tamashiro pointed at a girl seated in the middle of the room, and her most striking feature was her long, reddish orange hair. She seems like she's... balancing a pencil above her lips for a pencil moustache... 

"Don't sweat about losing," Tamashiro adds, "Before he dismissed us, Shishikura said there'll be more exercises to see if we're up for the Grand Sports Festival in May. Aren't you stoked?!"

"Really?! That's a relief..."

"Alrighty, class!" Gale Force began, "I want to start with a clip from my favorite hero movie that will inspire you all as SHIKETSUUUUUUU students!"

"Let's talk after class," Tamashiro quickly whispers, and I nod in agreement.

It's the end of the day, and it feels like my math, English, and art history classes flew by in an instant. Even with Ms. Camie's energy bringing an end to the school day, I'm still exhausted... I couldn't avoid... looking at Kanashimu... We didn't talk at all today ever since Shishikura's exercise, but his presence just bothers me...

"What's up, dude?" Tamashiro and I are walking about of the school building when he must have realized my exhaustion.

"Yeah, just tired from the long day."

"Okay... I know we kinda just met... but, if anything's bothering you, you can tell me and I'll listen."

"H-huh? I said I'm good..."

"I know, just letting you know."

We take a few more steps, and Tamashiro's thinking really hard about something... Then, all his energy comes back to him.

"Hey, dude!" Tamashiro blurts, "You know about the Tempozan Marketplace here in Osaka? It's a huge outdoor mall by the sea, and they've got all kinds of stores and food there. Wanna go there with me later today?"

"U-us? To a mall? ... It does sound fun."

"Right? It'll be awesome, and we'll get to know each other better as bros! We've just got to go to the dorms and ask permission from Tai to leave campus, and our day's set!"

Suddenly, a voice starts calling. "Kota-kun! Hey, Kota-kun!"

It's Katsuma, jogging our way from the entrance of the high school. "Oh, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to interrupt your conversation with your friend."

"You're fine, Katsuma. This is Tamashiro, my new friend from my class. Tamashiro, this is Katsuma, and he's a second-year."

"Dang, Izumi!" Tamashiro remarked, "You're so cool that you're already hanging out with second-years! Hahahahaha!!!"

"How Kota-kun and I met is a pretty r-remarkable story," Katsuma giggles as he scratches his neck, "Now we've started a little competition to see who'll become a better hero!"

"For real?!" Tamashiro bursts, "I want in on this, too! I'll see both of you at the top of the hero charts!"

"That's fine by me," I tell Tamashiro, "But neither of you cry when I beat both of you!"

"How was your guys' first day at Shiketsu?" Katsuma asks.

Oh boy... I rub my neck at his question. "It was... decent. It could've been... a little smoother. Shishikura seems like he's a tough deal."

"Oh, that's right," Katsuma gasps, "I forgot to tell you about Shishikura-sensei before, hehe... He was my homeroom teach last year, too, and... well... you saw him during the ceremony this morning..."

"You've had Shishikura for a year?" Tamashiro asks, "What do you think about him?"

"Shishikura-sensei?" Katsuma looks into the cloudy sky as he ponders, his brown hair blowing with the April breeze. "I'd say... there's a lot more to him than what people let on." Katsuma looks back to us, fondly. "I'm sure you guys will get what I mean eventually."

...! I don't know why, but at that random moment, an idea struck me.

"Tamashiro," I face to him, "Can we invite Katsuma with us to Tempozan?"

"I was gonna suggest the same thing! You sure your Quirk's not mindreading?"

"Y-you guys are going to Tempozan?" Katsuma shuttered, "I haven't b-been there in a while... and it's only the first day so I'm not busy... Sure! It will be fun to get to know you both more!"

"In that case," Tamashiro says, "Let's go to our dorms right away to get permission, and to change our clothes!"

"We need to change?" I ask him, "We can't just go in our uniforms?"

"No way, dude! You've gotta have some style when you go to a mall like Tempozan! Our school uniforms won't cut it."

"If we're going to be separated until later," Katsuma suggests, "Should we all exchange phone numbers?"

"Good idea," I say, pulling out my phone as they do the same. We were able to get each other's numbers, and we made a small group chat with the three of us.

"Now that we have that taken care of," Katsuma says, putting his phone in his pocket, "I should go ahead and get ready. I'll see you both later, then!"

"Make sure you don't trip on your way!" I tease.

"It's cool to meet you, Katsuma dude!" Tamashiro waves, "We'll have a blast!"

After Katsuma splits to get ready, Tamashiro and I walk to the dorms together, debating about which heroes would win in a fight against each other. 

Tamashiro lightly punches the air as he makes his point. "I'm telling you, Suneater could take anything Chargebolt threw at him!"

"You're forgetting that Chargebolt would hurl a bolt of lightning that would fry Suneater like tempura."

"But wouldn't Suneater be faster if he had his wings? Chargebolt can't aim at anything if he doesn't hit with his disks."

"I don't think he needs to aim if he's surrounded by a million volts of electricity."

"Isn't there something Suneater could eat to be resistant to electricity?"

"If he doesn't care about destroying his own gut, maybe."

[You may now turn off any ongoing audio]

Before we knew it, our debate had led us to right in front of the first-year dorm hall. 

Tamashiro stretches his back after what's been a very long first day. "Haha, alright, I concede! You definitely had the advantage in this debate. I don't know a whole lot about heroes outside of Shiketsu, hehe..."

"Score 1-0, haha! We'll talk about your favorite Shiketsu heroes next time. Should we go inside?"

"You bet! Let's go!"

Opening the front door and stepping inside of the dorm hall, it was a much calmer welcome than when I first walked in here last night. There's several Class 1 students sitting in the lounge area... none of them are Kanashimu, thank god... They're all still in their uniforms, and they're doing small things like chatting, reading, or scrolling through their phones.

"Hello there!" says a girl who had colorful flowers braided into her long, caramel-colored hair, like elegant drapes along a window. She was sitting on a sofa across a guy who had black bangs dyed with copper highlights, wearing a high collar that almost covers his mouth. "I hope you're feeling well," the flowery girl says.

"Oh, hi, thanks," I reply, "I'm feeling better than earlier. Uh, er- I'm sorry, I forgot your name..."

"That's okay!" she smiles back, "My name is Haruka Shiozaki, and it's very nice to meet you!"

*********************************

Shiketsu Class 1: Haruka Shiozaki

Quirk: Flora - Allows the user to sprout any flower from their body, as long as the user gets plenty of sunlight and water, and they have eaten the seed of that flower before

Birthday: March 20th

Likes: Greek mythology, fresh fruit

**********************************

"No way!" I blurt out, "That name, 'Shiozaki'! Are you related to the Faithful Hero: Vine?!"

"I see you're familiar with my aunt," Shiozaki smiled, "She's... pretty unique... but it's nice to have heroes as family."

Yeah... It really is, isn't it...

"Your hair looks interesting," I tell Shiozaki, "Are those flowers you grew with your Quirk?"

"Thank you, and yes!" she gleamed, "I absolutely love flowers with all my heart. My family owns enormous gardens, and I've been able to travel the world, studying nature's beauty placed in flowers. Please watch this!"

Shiozaki puts her palms out in front of her... Red, purple, blue, white. Lilies, sunflowers, tulips, roses, flowers I've never seen before! Flowers sprout from Shiozaki's hands, bundling like a bouquet for the world's luckiest bride. The smells were like perfumes that soothes the mind through nostrils. It's a real sight! ...That blue-haired girl from U.A. comes to mind... Would she like something like this? ... BAH! I've gotta shake that off my head....

"That's incredible, Shiozaki! You'll be getting a lot of fans with flowers that look like that."

"Yes, does it not look absolutely pristine!?"

I turn to the guy in the high collar next to her, and he's absolutely captivated by Shiozaki's bouquet. "The contrast of colors! The blending of warmth and cool! And, of course, the sheer delicate intricacy of each petal! It shakes an artist's heart!" He notices me staring.... confusedly... Did he make a speech about flowers? "Ah! Allow me to reintroduce myself, Izumi. I am the brightest night, I am the loudest whisper, I am Sabaku Doraikawa!"

********************************

Shiketsu Class 1: Sabaku Doraikawa

Quirk: Particle Control - The user can telekinetically control materials that are in the form of tiny particles, such as dust, dirt, sand, and powders

Birthday: March 6th

Likes: Beautiful things, ugly things (because ugly things are beautiful)

************************************

"Your Quirk seems extremely powerful. You'd be awesome for the Grand Sports Festival!"

"Power does not matter to me. I simply wish to challenge the perception of what is beautiful." Doraikawa raises a finger, then... small particles coming from all corners of the lounge come swirling around his fingertip, like a grayish brown hurricane with Doraikawa's finger as the eye. "Dust surrounds us, consisting of dead skin, hairs, dirt, bits of dead bugs-- the discards and scraps of everyday life. Mankind sees these as filth, something serves less than zero purpose. However..."

Over Doraikawa's finger is a tennis ball-sized sphere of dust and dirt, a murky, ugly brown mass of junk you'd find in a vacuum cleaner. But then, with a snap of his fingers... Doraikawa shapes the sphere into a delicate rose...

"My art shall bring out the beauty of all things that have been rejected as 'ugly' or 'filthy'! All things have the potential to become absolutely beautiful! I welcome the ugly face of the universe, so I will turn it beautiful with my art!"

That's... very cool! Very gross, but cool anyway! So he's an artist, huh? Never really understood how anybody could look at some blobs of paint and go "Aw yeah, that's worth 100 million yen."

"That's a pretty creative use for your Quirk, Doraikawa," I tell him, "Do you have an inspiration for your art stuff?"

"Absolutely," he replies, striking the pose of a certain hero, "I wish nothing more to reach the artistic legacy of my muse, my icon, my raison d'etre in art: Best Jeanist! The artistic genius of the high-collared uniform, the modest hair; I must parallel his greatness! ... If only my academics could reflect that..."

"You guys seem like interesting people," I say, "Thanks for the talk!"

"Of course, Izumi," Shiozaki replies, "Let's talk again sometime!"

"Farewell, my friend!" Doraikawa hollered, "Remember, embrace the ugly, because ugly is beautiful!"

Uh... sure...

Tamashiro pats me in the back. "I'm gonna go ahead and ask Tai if we can be off-campus. Sounds cool?" I nod, and he scurries over to Tai's office in the dorms. 

Among the other people here in the lounge, there's another face from my class I've seen before. It's the guy with the wavy, yellow blonde hair, and he was the one who knew about the Grand Sports Festival when Shishikura brought it up. Maybe he watches it too and he's also a fan! He's reading a book as he sits in a corner of the room, but I hope it doesn't bother him if I come to say hi.

I walk up to him. "Hey there!"

"..."

No response? "Um, hi."

"..."

Is he ignoring me? Actually... at a closer look, he's wearing earbuds. So he's listening to music... But I want to at least learn his name for class tomorrow, so I stand in front of him, where he can't miss me. And it works, as he eyes at me, realizing I'm there and removing both earbuds.

"Can I help you?"

"Hey, sorry to bother you. What are you reading?"

"The Hound of Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A Sherlock Holmes novel."

"Oh, cool!"

"You do not seem particularly interested by it."

"Ah, um, I just wanted to ask if you typically watch the Grand Sports Festival, since you seemed to know about it during Shishikura's class today."

"I have never heard of the Grand Sports Festival prior to this morning."

H-huh? He's never heard of the Grand Sports Festival?

"But then h-how did you-"

"It was clear that you weren't paying attention during our introductions, so allow me to disclose my name and Quirk. My name is Shinji Kyokan. My Quirk is Mindhearing."

***************************

Shiketsu Class 1: Shinji Kyokan

Quirk: Mindhearing -  Can read the thoughts or emotions of another person by focusing on their spoken words

Birthday: May 22nd

Likes: Novels, Lo-fi music

******************************

I gasp at his explanation. "Wow, that's an incredible Quirk! So you were able to learn about the Grand Sports Festival from underneath Shishikura's spoken words!"

"It's not an incredible Quirk; it's an invasion of privacy. I can control it slightly, but if you would rather not have your personal secrets leaked by simply speaking to me, I suggest you leave now."

"U-um... Sorry?"

"My apologies if I sound rude, but sometimes I hear too much. It's more of a favor towards yourself than it is to me. Now if you may excuse me..."

Sheesh. What's his problem? I mean, I guess it was my bad for disturbing his peace in the first place... Kyokan plugged both of his earbuds back on and went back to his book.

"Izumi!" Tamashiro jogs towards me. "I asked Tai if we could go to Tempozan with Katsuma today, and he agreed if we both signed this form and get back to the dorms by curfew at 9pm! Here!" He hands me the paper and pen. "Let's get changed in our dorms and give these signed forms to Tai on our way out! We'll also text Katsuma!"

"Sounds good. I'll see you in a bit!"

I have no idea what to expect from this hangout... I've only just met Tamashiro and Katsuma, but they seem like good people. All I know is that I'm grateful; this day has left me drained, and it's nice of them to keep me company while the Pussycats are so far away... I have to get ready! This is when I can finally enjoy myself!

To be continued...

Chapter Text

*rumble... rumble... rumble...*

I hope this train ride is more peaceful than yesterday's...

Tamashiro, Katsuma, and I had united for our organized plan to visit the Tempozan Marketplace, where we can celebrate the beginning of the school year, and enjoy a change of pace from the last couple of days. In the subway train, the three of us sit side-by-side, riding across the Osaka underground.

"It took you so long to get changed," I nag at Tamashiro.

"I told you that you've gotta have style when you go to the mall!"

I didn't go for anything flashy; I have my favorite horned cap that I haven't been able to wear, a light blue collared shirt, some comfortable black pants, and my favorite red sneakers. Tamashiro went up a level, wearing a red flannel that went with denim skinny jeans, as well as a pair of black sneakers. Katsuma went simple; a white T-shirt with green stripes, brown shorts, and some white tennis shoes.

Katsuma points to the overhead displays inside the train. "It looks like we're here, guys!"

[Some playable audio to enhance the reading! Credit at the bottom]

As we get out of the train and take the stairs to above ground, the rays of warm Osaka sunshine meet our faces. A huge white building sits like a castle by the Osaka Bay, where waves crash onto the shore with a soothing purr. A gigantic Ferris wheel towers the entire area, a colorful ring that stands like the sun levitating during the sunrise. Crowds of people come to and fro from every corner, and rich greenery fills the scene very pleasantly to the eye.

"This place looks great!" I shout, "Great plan to bring us here, Tamashiro. You've got a plan for things we can do here?"

"Sure I do," Tamashiro announced pridefully, "Boys, we're here to go fishing!"

"Fishing at the Osaka Bay?" Katsuma wonders.

"No, dude! Catch my lingo. We're here to fish for girls! That's right! It's Operation: Babe Watch, baby!"

What? Heh, I scoff. "You're joking, right?"

"Heck no, I'm not joking, dude! Shiketsu's got a rule that says absolutely no relationships between students... but that's only if you get caught! And that rule says nothing about getting with girls from other schools! Katsuma gets what I'm saying, right senpai?"

"W-w-what? Um..."

Tamashiro playfully puts his arm around Katsuma's shoulder. "It'll also be good for our shy, little Katsuma outside of his comfort zone! You agree, Izumi? You seem like you were a total babe magnet where you came from, so I think you're covered!"

"U-um, actually..." Katsuma utters, "When I w-was a freshman... I was w-w-with... one girl..."

*CRASH* What the hell was that? Oh, it was the sound of Tamashiro's soul shattering...

"YOU WERE WITH A GIRL!?" Tamashiro shrieked, shaking Katsuma by the shoulders. "I've tried everything, man! Pick up lines, dance moves, foreign accents, EVERYTHING!! And I've never scored once! Teach me your ways, Katsuma-senpai! I must learn the ways of courting women from my elder!"

"P-p-people are staring, Tamashiro-kun!" Katsuma hides his bright red face under his shirt. "I g-get flustered j-just talking about it! M-maybe another time!"

Tamashiro gets on his knees and pleads with his hands together. "But I have to unlock the secret of winning girls! I beg of you! ... Wait a sec, I think I've figured it out! Girls are into the shy, emotional type, like Katsuma-senpai, right? I've gotta go for that, then!"

"Uhhh... I'm no expert," I say to Tamashiro, "but I don't think that's your solution. Not that I'd know anything about love, of course..."

"Of course it will work!" Tamashiro blurts jumping to his feet. "Look over there!"

To where Tamashiro is pointing, a girl about our age standing by some vending machines when you can see her drop a keychain from her backpack.

"Now's my chance!" Tamashiro squeals as he summons a Binging Ball. "Time for me to be a gentlemen! You two have my back as my wingmen!"

******************************

Shiketsu Class 1: Takara Tamashiro

Quirk: Binging Ball - Tamashiro can generate spheres that absorb small objects similarly to black holes. These balls can bite, and they can bring their contents to Tamashiro. Tamashiro also has complete control of each Binging Ball, but there's a limit to how many he can make at once.

Birthday: November 25th

Likes: Girls, buffets, practical jokes

***************************

Tamashiro uses the Binging Ball to scoop up the dropped keychain to bring it to his hand. Then, he goes behind the girl.

"U-um... excuse m-me, miss..." Tamashiro says with his god-awful impression of being shy, "I th-think you dropped this..."

The girl turns around surprised, then smiles at Tamashiro. "Aw, how cute! Thank you! I don't know what I would do without my keychain."

"O-oh, y-yeah..." fakes Tamashiro, clearly containing a squeal, "W-would you like me to buy y-you a drink f-from that vending machine?"

"Who's this runt, babe?"

Gulp. Towering behind Tamashiro was a dude in a black leather jacket, piercings all over his face. He picks up Tamashiro from the back collar of his flannel, leaving Tamashiro squirming and dangling.

The girl smiles at the guy with piercings. "Hi babe! This nice guy picked up my keychain when I dropped it."

The pierced dude flips Tamashiro around to stare at him face-to-face. "You messing with my girl?"

"W-w-w-w-what, no way! Hahahaha!!" Tamashiro panicked, giving off genuine nervousness this time.

That's it.

*GRAB*

"Get the hell away from my friend." I clench to the black leather jacket and leer at the tall goblin with piercings. I'll fight him right here if I have to!

He drops his hold on Tamashiro to look toward me. "Why you little..."

"P-pardon us!" Katsuma comes sprinting in, grabbing Tamashiro and I. "W-we apologize v-very much for disturbing your e-evening! U-uh, don't mind these two! H-have a nice day!" Katsuma pulls up away at lightning speed, dashing for the other end of the mall.

"You guys should be more careful out here!" Katsuma scolded us, "As your senior, it's my responsibility to keep you both out of trouble!"

"Right, it's our bad, Katsuma..." I say, putting my hands in my pockets.

"She didn't even have good standards to fall for that guy..." Tamashiro pouted, crossing his arms. "Hold up, I have a better idea! If fishing for babes isn't going to work out, how about actual fish? There's the famous Kaiyukan aquarium nearby, and they've got tons of wicked exhibits to check out."

"That's not a bad idea," I reply. I haven't been to an aquarium for a while...

At that moment, something glittered at the corner of my eye, and Katsuma notices it, too. No way... NO WAY!! We've struck gold! At the storefront over there...! It's-

"The Ultra Deku Hoodie: Deus-X Edition!!"

Katsuma and I look at each other-- the second time we've said the exact same thing at the exact same time. Behind this display glass, in all its green awesomeness and dark streaks, it's the unmistakable Ultra Deku Hoodie: Deus-X Edition

"Look at that price tag..." Katsuma wailed... "It'll burn my wallet..."

"Katsuma..." I tell him, "What size do you wear?"

"H-huh? Um... a medium?"

"Same here. You know what this means, right?"

"We split the cost and share the hoodie?"

"Exactly."

Tamashiro walks up behind us as Katsuma and I press our faces onto the display glass. "Why're you guys getting worked up over some hoodie?"

He did not just say that. "It's not SOME HOODIE!!" I grab Tamashiro by the shoulders. "It's the Ultra Deku Hoodie: Deus-X Edition! These were manufactured at a limited quantity and it's super super super rare to find these in stores!"

Katsuma backs me up by lightly pulling on Tamashiro's arm to knock some sense into him. "It's got air circulation that lets you wear it any time of the year! The pockets also have zippers so your stuff doesn't fall out! It's a valuable asset for living!!"

"O-Okay! Chill, chill!!" Tamashiro struggles, losing his balance. "I buy merch, too, you know! Take a look at this!" Tamashiro pulls out a bright yellow pin from his pocket with the initials F.G. "This is my lucky Fat Gum pin! I showed it to Tai earlier and he went completely nuts. I guess he liked it too!"

"Kota-kun," Katsuma says with an expression of extreme seriousness, "How about I have the hoodie Mondays to Wednesdays, and you have it Thursdays to Sundays?"

"Four days of the week?" I reply with a smirk, "What a generous offer. Deal! Just make sure to wash it when we exchange it."

"Of course! It's only polite." Katsuma and I seal it with a handshake.

"Uhh, I'd hate to bring up conflict right now," Tamashiro uttered, "but once you both get the hoodie, who's wearing it while we're here?"

"Well..." Katsuma giggles looking straight at me, "Today is Monday."

Wait. "You sneaky son of a-"

"Let's go inside, Kota-kun! Then we can go to the aquarium like Tamashiro-kun suggested!"

Walls of glass surround the three of us with mesmerizing blue. The lights swirl all across the walkways, and fish and crustaceans dance all around us with the grace that's unique to the ocean. Echoey music adds to the mysticism, bringing a sense of wonder at the strange creatures that inhabit these exhibits.

"Hey Tamashiro," I call him, "This piranha here looks just like you!"

"Heh, you think so?" Tamashiro says, glaring at the gray piranha, exposing his sharp teeth. "I wanna be like this big guy right here!" He points toward an exhibit of an enormous great white shark, lurking in its oceanic territory while smelling for blood.

"Kota-kun," Katsuma says, with the Ultra Deku Hoodie: Deus-X Edition looking absolutely stunning on him. "This sea urchin is black and spiky, kind of like your hair!"

"Haha, yeah, I see the resemblance!" I crack up, "And that sea sponge over there kind of looks like your hair!"

"Hey guys, come check this out!" Tamashiro waves at us to come where he's standing. It's a huge open pool filled with playful dolphins, dancing around the water as trainers get them to jump through hula-hoops and balance balls on their snouts.

"They're so adorable!" Katsuma gleamed, "Let's take a seat and watch a show!"

The three of us find a bench for a perfect view of the performance, as dolphins laugh and splash about, garnering applause from us and the audience. Suddenly, a dolphin swims towards where we're sitting.

*Squeak!* *Squeak!* the dolphin whistles, and she blows a small splash of water from the blowhole at the top of her head. Then she stays floating there, smiling at us.

Is this an invitation? As Katsuma and Tamashiro sit in awe at the dolphin, I lift both of my hands slightly. I return two bursts of water at the dolphin with a smile, splashing right above her.

*Toot!* *Toot!* the dolphin laughs as she performs a backflip as thanks for me playing with her. This gets an applause from the audience directed at me, and I can't help but turn a little red at their smiling faces.

"That was so cool, Izumi!" Tamashiro shouted.

"You're great with your water Quirk, Kota-kun!" Katsuma added.

Oh gosh, it wasn't much, hehe.

"There you are Kota-kun. Where were you? You said you'd be right back without much explanation, so Tamashiro-kun and I waited here in the food court..."

"I was fetching you guys a surprise."

"A surprise?" Tamashiro wondered, lifting his head from his phone.

I lift up the plastic bag in my hand. "Snacks for days, and some sodas too. I didn't know what you guys liked, so I picked a variety."

Eyes wide, Tamashiro takes my bag and starts rummaging. "Woah, Izumi, you're a champ, dude! What'd you get all this for?"

"It's my way of saying thanks. You guys have been real nice to me, even though we all just met. I owe Katsuma for his bravery at our train, and I owe Tamashiro for taking Shishikura's punishment earlier today."

"Hah, that? I can take being turned into a meatball any day if it means you buying us snacks! You've got anything wasabi-flavored?"

"That's very generous of you, Kota-kun! You didn't have to spend whatever money it took to get all this after splitting the cost of the hoodie with me. Sounds like something Deku would do!"

"Heh, r-really? Don't worry about it. It wasn't much for cakes, spicy crackers, pocky, the works, you know? You guys can help yourselves."

"Shanks Ishumi," Tamashiro muffled with a candy bar in his mouth, "I shertainly will!"

"Tamashiro-kun, don't talk with your mouth full! You'll choke!"

"Shon't worry abou- *gah* *KAH* *KUH*!"

"Oh brother," I sigh, "Here's a drink to wash it down. We should head back to the dorms soon, after we look through the marketplace a bit more. How's that sound with you guys?"

"I agree, Kota-kun," Katsuma replies, "There's some Uravity merch I saw earlier that I think my sister might like."

Tamashiro's chugging down a soda out of desperation to drown out the candy bar, cola-flavored waterfalls down his throat. Once he's saved, he wipes his mouth. "Sounds good, maybe there will be some cute girls there!"

Today's been a good day, a needed opportunity to cool down from the fast pace of the past two days. It seems I'll be depending on these guys to keep me sane for the school year, against Shishikura's lectures, the bastard Kanashimu, and all the other obstacles toward becoming a hero. I know I've just met these two, but for some reason, I feel the three of us could be unstoppable.

[You may now turn off any ongoing audio]

???:

"Reporting in."

???:

"What are they doing now?"

???:

"There's the kid with the water Quirk, and the kid who gave Red Riot that big boost. They've got a third one with them. Spheres come out of him, or something like that."

???:

"You've told me nothing, moron. I asked what are they doing."

???:

"Calm your tits, Harpy. They've gotten out of the aquarium, and they're just going to town on some snacks. What was the point of me being here, again?

Harpy:

"From our info, those two brats from the train have connections with heroes we don't want to deal with. It was a stroke of luck that you were in the area when they arrived, so this is a valuable opportunity."

???:

"Or you're just a sore-losing bitch who couldn't slice a pair of kids."

Harpy:

"Remind me later to skin you alive to make you easier to look at. Find out what you can about that third one, if he'll be a thorn by our side."

???:

"Should I pursue them once they leave the mall?"

Harpy:

"Don't be stupid. It's only been a day since the train. If those three don't return to school tonight, not only will the police be on our trail, but Shiketsu as well.

???:

"You're no fun, you know that?"

Harpy:

"Quit your whining, unless you really want go back to behind bars, pretty boy. Dig up what info you can, then get the hell back here. I need more ice on this wound, courtesy of Red Riot. Don't keep me waiting, Neo."

Neo:

"Relax, lady. I've got a personal interest in these kids. And besides, It's only a matter of time. Hehehehe...."

To be continued...

Chapter Text

"You're pretty good at this, Izumi!"

*WOOSH* *SWISH*

"...But you can't keep dodging forever!"

It's already been an entire week at Shiketsu-- a week of balancing the start of all my normal schoolwork, preliminary hero training, and all the other things that have been occupying my mind. Shishikura's been pretty tough as usual, hammering down on whoever shows up tardy or whoever doesn't have proper etiquette. It's been awkward between with the twelve of us students in class, since none of us really know each other enough to have any conversations. What's been weird is that I'm sure that Kanashimu has been following me around; he's always behind me on the lunch line, always around the corner at the lockers, always giving me those cold eyes during training exercises. He's so goddamn unnerving, but I'd rather not talk to that bastard if I don't have to. If he just leaves me alone, Kanashimu can do whatever the hell he wants.

Now that it's the weekend, Tamashiro and I have started training on our own together like we said we would. Tamashiro knew about an open space nearby the dorms, surrounded by trees and stones. We've done several types of exercises to test each other's strength, like pull-ups on the tree branches, carrying stones, and doing burpees in the April heat. It turns out Tamashiro's pretty fit; his endurance is incredible and his strength isn't too bad compared to me.

Now we've started a sparring match, shirts off to combat the heat. Tamashiro's swarming several Binging Balls at me at once while I fly around jetting water towards the ground and at Tamashiro. It's a flurry of dark spheres against a vortex of water!

"Chicago Cyclone!"

Tamashiro leaps out of the way from my spinning burst of water like a hare dodges a sharp wire. "You were close with that one, Izumi!"

"How'd you get so damn fast, Tamashiro?" I say, gritting my teeth as I evade a barrage of Binging Balls.

"My Quirk gives me no additional mobility, so I've always emphasized speed during my training!" Tamashiro sprints between streams of water, leaping across muddy traps that the water has left behind. "You're not half bad, either! But watch this!"

"Gorging Gunfire!"

Tamashiro unleashes a blitz of several Binging Balls in a single line, all coming after me with their fangs at razor speed. I dodge right on time by launching myself off the ground.

"Pretty sweet!" I say to Tamashiro, "I'm gonna try a new super move on you, alright?"

"Let's see it! Doubt you can hit me with it though!"

Landing on my feet, I prepare my right fist, and I put my left hand behind me. I crouch down, ready to dash forward, then... ZOOM! I shoot water backward to propel myself at Tamashiro. He jumps to the side to dodge... which is exactly what I predicted!

"DALLAS DICK PUUUUUUUUUUUNCH!!!!"

*WHAM*

...

"Ooooooooooooooo..." Tamashiro aches on the ground, "What..... the hell..... dude......."

"Wow, so this move works great as a finisher!" I cheer with proud satisfaction to have invented a fantastic new move to my arsenal. "This is great to know. Thanks, dude! I wanted to try that out for once."

"Sweet mother of god...." Tamashiro rolls over. "Ack, this hurts like a bitch..."

"It seems pretty effective, too. I've always wondered why no one ever aims for the balls during a fight."

"Maybe there's... *cough*... an unspoken rule about... hitting a dude there..."

"You okay over there, dude?"

"Is this the end... of the Tamashiro lineage? ... *cough* *cough* ... Ohhhh, the pressure..."

"Don't be such a baby. You're fine. You've never been hit there before? You can just walk it off."

"My Binging Balls..."

"Damn it, did I hurt you that badly? My bad, dude, let me help you up-"

"No... I've gotta... take this like a champ... like a hero!!!" Tamashiro stumbles onto his feet, like a warrior enduring a battle wound with nothing but sheer determination, "A little bit of pain... can't stop... Takara Tamashiro!!"

"You sure, dude? I can help you..."

"Nah, man... This will become... part of my training! ... If I can take a strike... at my weak point... no villain could ever beat me!! HAHA, HAHAHAHA!!!"

"Kay, then this was a great day of training, dude! Let's get inside to prep for school tomorrow, and so I can throw on my Ultra Deku Hoodie: Deus-X edition! I'll see you there!"

"Y-Yeah! Whoo! I feel... UNSTOPPABLE!! HAHAHA- ah, it still aches..."

Today's a sad day-- a day in which I have suffered a great loss. Today is Monday, and no, I'm not dreading the beginning of a new school week. I'm pretty excited to start another week of my formal hero training. It's just... It's just...

"Bummed that you had to give your Deku hoodie back?" Tamashiro asks as we walk to homeroom.

"Don't you mean the Ultra Deku Hoodie: Deus-X Edition?"

"Uh, yeah... that."

"At least Katsuma looked happy when I handed it to him. He also said something weird about today being an exciting day for the freshmen."

"Really? Wonder what that could be..."

Out of the busy flow of students throughout the hallways, we find ourselves at Shishikura's homeroom. Inside are the usual faces: Asui waves good morning, Doraikawa commenting on my hair, Kyokan sitting alone... Kanashimu quietly eyeing at me. There are others, some who I haven't fully learned their names yet, but they're nice anyway. It's been a routine after one week, and not a bad one either.

"All rise," Shishikura announces as he pompously enters his classroom.

"Good morning, Mr. Shishikura," we all echo in unison.

"You all sound like you've risen from your graves. You may be seated, but here's a change of pace this morning: I have rather exciting news to share with you all. Mwhaha... Yes! This news brings us one step closer to squashing the U.A. insects!

I'd hate to find out what Shishikura considers exciting ne-

"Your hero costumes are ready."

...?! Already!? I only submitted my idea for my costume design a month ago, and it usually takes much longer nowadays to get a costume finalized! So this is what Katsuma was talking about... How does Shiketsu do it so fast?

Shishikura claps his hands to regain the attention of the twelve of us in awe. "There is no time to waste. Get changed in the locker rooms at once, and you will find your costumes there. Then immediately report to Ground Alpha at the north side of campus. We shall be merging this homeroom period with Gale Force's heroics period for another exercise. Do not be late, or else I shall be serving meatballs with your faces on them."

This uplifting sense of pride feels like a ginormous wave carrying across the pristine ocean. This must be what Mom and Dad felt when they first put on their costumes. It feels like their legacy lives within me as I wear my hero costume, modeled after costume worn by Water Hose. A red jacket with black sleeves and pants, white protective pads on my shoulders and knees. A red helmet with a blue visor that covers my eyes, paired with a blue respirator by my mouth. I've taken some inspiration from Deku, too, with a pair of support gloves that I can configure for different blasts of water. And, of course, my red sneakers top it all off.

The only thing that feels a little out of place is the dark Shiketsu cap on my head. We're required to incorporate the cap in our costumes somehow. I guess it sort of goes with my dark sleeves and pants.

"Dude, your costume looks so sick!" Tamashiro catches up from behind me as we make our way to Ground Alpha. He's wearing a black coat that's designed with purple bite marks all over it, and the coat has several pockets by the chest area. Underneath is a purple T-shirt, pairing with a pair of pants of a darker purple. He wears a black mask over his eyes, contrasting from his light gray hair.

"Your costume's pretty awesome, too, dude. Kinda edgy, but in a cool way."

"Sweet! That's just the vibe I was going for. Girls will dig it!"

I look around at the other students that are walking along with us. There's a lot of variety in the design choices among the twelve of us. Then... I look toward Kanashimu, walking at the front of the parade of students. Could you even call it a costume? It's just a dark green tank top, dark red pants and a pair of black combat boots. It's awfully similar... to the villain from that day...

We all make it to the Ground Alpha building, an incredible domed building in front of an entire metropolitan setting, filled with mock models of convenience stores, schools, neighborhoods, almost anywhere where civilians would need saving.

"Shishikura and Gale Force are waiting for us in here..." Kanashimu says closest to the front door. He puts his hand on the handle, opening it...

"SEIJIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!" Before us was Gale Force and his massive frame, embracing Shishikura in a crushing hug that you can hear the agony from Shishikura's spine. "I MISSED YOUUUUU!!!!"

"W-We met just yesterday to a-arrange this exercise, you buffoon!"

"But... But... that's like job stuff! We've gotta hang out as FRIEEEEENDS!!!"

"If you kill me by not letting me go, there will be no friend to 'hang out' with, numskull!"

"Okay... You're right about that..."

Shishikura adjusts his cap and coat as he turns his head towards the class. "There you all are, with impeccable timing. Listen closely, I have a preliminary list of students I am considering to send for the Grand Sports Festival in May. However, this list is far from its final version. There are several more exercises to conduct, which would include this one. Inasa- erg, I mean to say: Gale Force... Could you please, with minimum distraction, explain the exercise to the cl-"

"You betcha, Seiji!" Gale Force beams, "Listen good, everybody! Each of you will be assigned a partner at random. Each pair will be competing against another pair in a 2v2 mission. The scenario is that an explosion had occurred inside a large office building in the city, injuring many. Though nearly everyone has evacuated and the fire from the explosion was put out, a single office worker remains trapped inside the office building. This competition is a race to evaluate which pair will be able to rescue the training dummy first by evacuating it from the office building."

"So it's a simulation test!" Tamashiro whispers next to me, "These are awesome! Really immerses you into the action of being a hero!"

"You've forgotten one detail, imbecile," Shishikura blurts as he jumps to Gale Force's height, smacking him in the neck, getting a "Yelp!" from Gale Force. Shishikura looks back to the class, "There is another element to this race. Rarely do heroes ever attempt a rescue without interference by the villains responsible. Therefore, competing pairs will be able to interfere with each other. Approach this as if the enemy pair were a duo of villains, and you are the heroes to overcome them!"

We're treating the opposing side as villains? And the opposing side is treating us villains? That's pretty unusual, but pretty hype, too!

"Like I said earlier," Gale Force smiles as he pulls out a projector remote, "Your partners are completely random! Since each match is 2 on 2, there will be 3 matches total out of the 12 of you! For the first match, here are the four students competing!" With a press of the remote, four names come up on a projector...

MATCH 1:

Kota Izumi & Marie de Verre

V.S.

Mejiki Kusari & Seiun Karakuri

I'm up against Kusari! That's pretty exciting, since the use of his Quirk is so unique. I wonder if he's just as pump as I-

"Ha! I'm facing Izumi!?" Kusari scoffs out of nowhere, "Izumi didn't last 3 minutes against Kanashimu last week. This should be cake!" Then he turns to me, "You'll be roadkill when I'm through with you!"

Hold up, what's this change of attitude? Kusari seemed more laid back when I met him, but now he's all trash-talky. It pairs with his wild hero costume-- a black leather jacket that strangely has iron plates attached to the back of the sleeves. There's also iron plates on the back of his black and white-striped pants, as well as on the soles of his boots. To compliment the yellow of his mullet, yellow streaks go all across his costume, like bolts of lightning. Finally, he's got gray gloves on, with yellow eyes on the palms, probably to show how he mostly uses his sense of touch on his compass for "sight".

Shishikura claps for attention. "Students in Match 1, you may begin deliberating a strategy with your respective partner. Hustle!"

Kusari turns to a girl next to him. "Hey Karakuri, let's come up with something to blow these two out of the water, like Izumi usually does to himself!" The girl is just standing all quiet. Her costume looks identical to what a ninja wears, except instead of wearing all black, her garments look like the starry night sky with a dark blue hue and swirls of purple, glittered by white stars.

Kusari, that trash-talking bastard... I'll show his cocky attitude. So I'm paired with Marie de Verre, huh? Crud, I've already forgotten who that is... I hope she comes to me fir-

"Kota Izumi!" Woah! This girl startled me... She's got red hair tied in a ponytail, and her hero costume is a magenta-colored jacket with elbow-length sleeves, and pants of a matching color. She also wears a pair of light pink boots, and a matching utility belt around her waits. Her costume looks awfully similar to another hero...

"I'm just letting you know right now, Izumi," she wags with her finger, "Don't even think about doing anything gross around me! My heart will always belong to Shoto, no one else! That is my destiny as Marie de Verre!"

****************************************

Shiketsu Class 1:  Marie de Verre

Quirk: Crystal Prism - Marie can crystalize light energy onto her body to fire off as lasers

Birthday: August 15th

Likes: Shoto, Christmas decorations

******************************************

Her heart... belongs to Shoto? The Number 3 Pro Hero?

Marie crosses arms in a pouting fit. "Hmph, I just thought I'd let you know, since I'm not here to make friends with people who don't even know how Shoto eats his soba."

...! This bitch... Is she testing me?!

"Chilled zaru of 100% buckwheat flour topped with scallions and a side of soy dipping sauce!"

Marie flinches at my response. "H-Huh? ... Well, what was Shoto's senior quote before he graduated?"

"Easy. It was 'Y'all crazy, but cool, I guess.'"

"Y-yeah? Well, how does Shoto wear his bangs?"

"7.5 centimeters down and parted 3 centimeters over each eye."

"W-why do you even know that?!"

"I had a weird phase in middle school. I couldn't pull off the look."

"I... I see... It seems I've misjudged you, Izumi. Your deep knowledge of my handsome darling, Shoto, is very impressive. Well... let's do our best, then!"

"Sounds good, so for our plan I was thinking-"

"Times up," Shishikura deadpans. W-What!? Marie and I didn't discuss strategy at all!

Gale Force beams an big smile. "The students in Match 1 should go ahead to the designated building! There will be cameras all over, so Seiji and I will be monitoring your performance along with the rest of the class!"

Marie and I walk outside of the dome together, making our way to the office building. There's an air of suspense, as this is our first ever simulation test. To ease this tension, my curiosity throws Marie a question.

"Hey Marie, weird question, but do you just really like Shoto, or are you serious about being romantic with him?"

"Of course I'm serious. What's there not to adore about Shoto?"

"But do you really think you can get with the Number 3 Pro Hero? He's like... a celebrity."

"It doesn't hurt to have hope, right?"

I turn to Marie at her response. "... What do you mean?"

"Believing in the tiniest chance to be with somebody is better than having no chance at all, right? As soon as you give into the odds, there's nothing to hope for. You set a ceiling on what things that can make you happy. Ever heard of 'You can't win if you don't play'? I think the exact same way, and that's why I think all love can flourish if there's commitment to it! No matter the circumstances, no matter the distance!"

"...That's quite the optimism."

"Don't you have somebody special, Izumi?"

"Huh? W-what do you mean?"

"You know, somebody who makes you feel warm and calm when you think about them? Somebody who gets you all flustered because you want to be your best in front of them? Somebody you don't want to lose, so you want to hold them in your arms and give every ounce of care for them?"

"Don't be stupid... I don't have time for that."

"Ah, so that's your answer. Hee hee, okay then!"

"W-What's so funny?"

"Nothing! You're just such a dweeb that it hurts."

Marie and I arrive to the designated office building for the exercise, where Kusari and Karakuri wait for us at the other side. The building is worn and torn down, visibly black and burnt from the inside-- a convincing replication of a devastating explosion.

I eye towards Marie. "Don't be so distracting while we're doing the exercise, or you'll piss me off. Got it?"

"Okayyyyyy, fine! Let's do our best!"

KRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! A deafening shriek from the megaphones across Ground Alpha pierces our ears, as Shishikura's voice rings out. "Both pairs are now at their places. You may now.... begin!"

"Let's move, Marie!" and she nods as we enter the shambled building.

"It's pretty dark in here..." I say, "I don't know if we'll be able to spot the training dummy if it's so dark."

"I've got us covered!" Marie assures. She lets our her palm in front of her, and a shiny pink crystal forms, glowing with radiant pink.  "Isn't it pretty? With my Quirk, we can look through every nook and cranny of this building!"

"Got it, lead the way then."

Trekking through the various floor of the office building, we notice that the fire caused by the explosion had only reached the bottom floors, and the top floors lay unburnt, but still shaken.

"Where do you think the training dummy could be?" Marie ponders.

"I dunno," I reply, "It's probably stuck somewhere that would be difficult for a civilian to escape from, like under some rubble or something. I think we might've missed it in the lower floors. We should go ba-"

*click* "Surprise, schmucks!"

What the hell!? Jumping out of the floor, two figures emerge. One black, white, and yellow, and one in a galaxy-like cloak. It's... Kusari and Karakuri!

Kusari smiles devilishly. "Sweet plan to ambush these suckers, Karakuri!"

"You've got it, Kusari," the celestial ninja gloats, "This is the Quirk of Seiun Karakuri!"

**********************************

Shiketsu Class 1: Seiun Karakuri

Quirk: Trapdoor - Can lay a temporary trapdoor onto any solid surface. Each trapdoor has a small open space inside for storage or hiding. When a trapdoor is removed, its contents come flying out.

Birthday: October 27th

Likes: Astronomy, MMORPGs

*************************************

"Now it's my turn!"  Kusari growls from the air, as metal chains emerge from inside his jacket like snakes bouncing from a black pit.

"Seek and Destroy: Chain Strike!"

"Look out!" Marie shouts as she leaps to the side.

Crap! Kusari's chains whip around my wrists and left leg, ensnaring me! The chains pull on me tight... it hurts!

"Izumi, no!" Marie shouts as she runs towards me as I lay trapped on the cold floor.

"Marie, don't come here!" I shout as the chains latch onto my hands and leg, squeezing me like I'm prey to a vicious anaconda.

Kusari lets off a smirk. "Karakuri, you go ahead with the objective while I ensnare these two in chains!"

Karakuri nods. "Understood, I leave this in your hands." She zooms away, disappearing into a dark corner of the room.

Kusari redirects his attention to Marie. "C'mere, little miss! I won't hurt ya!" He hurls a volley of more chains from inside his jackets.

"Amethyst: Queen Beam!"

Marie fires a large laser from a heart-shaped gemstone on her forehead, shattering Kusari's chains before they reach her.

"Marie!" I shout, "Karakuri's gonna reach the objective before us! You go after her! I'll deal with Kusari!"

"Are you sure-"

"Just go!"

Marie stops hesitating as she dashes for the stairs to leave this floor.

Kusari notices. "The party's just started, little lady! You can't leave right n- Guh- Gahh!!"

"Seattle Hydro Surge!"

Before he could send another wave of chains at Marie, I'm able to ignore the pain of my wrists scrunching under the chains and bring my hands together to shoot Kusari in the face with water!

"Little punk," Kusari gnarls, wiping his face, "Now you're trying to be hot stuff? Lemme show you something!" Supported by an electromagnetic pull, Kusari pulls on my chains to fling me toward him, and then... 

"Crazy Train: Iron Fist!"

GEH-GAHHHHHH! My gut meets Kusari's powerful fist-- a punch that's boosted by using a repulsive force on the iron plates on Kusari's sleeve! I hit the floor rolling... My stomach... it hurts...

Kusari slowly walks toward me with an evil smile on his face, as I try to suppress the pain of a full-force gut punch. "You know what I want, Izumi?" Kusari breathes into my face, "I want people to stop doubting that I can put up a fight. I want people to give me the respect that I command when I enter a room. I'll be placing high in the hero charts, but in the meantime, people like you who lose so easily aren't worth my time." He raises me by my trapped leg and uses the chain to fling me against the wall like some trash along the road!

GAH!! Damn it... This losing streak... First my shot at U.A., then my fight with Kanashimu... Whatever I do to become a great hero like Mom and Dad, like the Pussycats, like Deku, I always fall short, and I get beaten into a corner...

"Just make sure you're always smiling..."

Huh? Is that... Is that her voice?

"...and I know you'll do great!"

This was... from the entrance exam...

"Your confidence definitely stands out!"

What is... this feeling? This warmth is stirring inside me...

"Hope to see you next year!"

That's right... If I'm ever going to thank her... If I'm ever going to ask if she's okay... If I'm ever going to see her again... I have to put on a smile for her.. I have to start pushing myself for her!

"You chuckling over there?," Kusari snarls, "Give it up already! I'll put you out of your misery, and knock you out with a chain around your neck!"

This office building... There was a fire here... They've gotta have fire sprinklers on the ceiling. This might work, if I can just ignore the pain on my wrist, then I can put Kusari out of commission...

"Pittsburg Water Pistol!"

As I lay on the floor with my hands towards the ceiling, I fire a water bullet directly at the overhead sprinklers. The glass bulb inside the sprinkler shatters, causing the sprinklers to go off -- a heavy downpour of water that soaks the entire room!

"The hell are you doing, man?" Kusari ponders, dripping from head to toe.

This is where my support equipment shines! I reconfigure my gloves to go from firing bullets to firing sprinkles of water. I start sprinkling my own water across the room, rolling around on the floor in random directions so the water can reach everywhere. This should work...!

"Hold on... Grrr, god damnit!" Kusari fits as the storm of water surrounds him. "All these droplets, they're messing with my magnetism! Like a swarm of locusts blocking somebody's eyes, I've got no magnetic map of the room no more! The hell are you, Izumi!?"

I hate to use a blind guy's weakness against him, but Kusari's pushed me to that edge. As long as the water confuses his magnetic sense of direction and I keep moving around randomly, he should completely lose me!

*cling!*

It works! He's let go of the chain's grip on me! Hurrying on my feet, I know it's time to end this confrontation. As Kusari curses the tempest of water coming from above, I reconfigure my gloves to maximum blast, and combined with the water from the sprinklers...

"Rain-boosted Seattle Hydro Surge!!"

"GUH- GAHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Kusari flies into the wall as an enormous blast of water swallows his body! With a loud thump, Kusari hits the wall, then lumps onto the soaked floor.

[You can now turn off any ongoing audio]

That... phew... settled it.

"Izumi!" Is that... Marie? Gasping for air, water dripping from my hair and all over my costume, a turn around. Marie stands with a rescue dummy in her arms.

"Karakuri's out for the count!" Marie cheers, "A direct hit with a laser and she was done! Let's go, Izumi, and take our win!"

We did it...? We did it! We actually did it! We somehow survived a sneak attack, and completed the objective! This warm feeling is still inside me... How did it go so well for me this time? It couldn't have been... remembering her words, was it? It gave me a feeling... that everything was going to okay, that if she were looking at me right now, she would believe in me... This means I can't let up! I have to keep winning if it means seeing her again! 

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Drip...     Drip, drip...     Drip....

Soaked sneakers hitting the pavement, warm drops of water running down my hair down to my face. In one fist, I hold my pride, happy that I succeeded in my first simulation test, something I feel would make Mom and Dad, the Pussycats, and Deku all feel proud. On the other fist, I hold my discontent for one person: Mejiki Kusari, and his relentless aggression towards me during the simulation exercise.  Marie and Karakuri have gone off far ahead, complementing each other's performance, oblivious to the tension between me and this violet person who walks nearby me.

Drip...   Drip...

Kusari walks with hands inside his wet leather pockets, silent with his back against me like it's a wall between us, as drops of water trail behind his path. 

Like demolishing ice, I break the silence. "Wanna explain to me why you were being such an asshole earlier?"

Kusari doesn't turn around. With a stoic face, he replies "....Don't talk to me."

*grab* I get in front of Kusari and grab him by his shirt collar. "I'm not playing any games. What gives you a reason to act all high and mighty over other people?"

Kusari's teeth emerge in a taunting smirk. "Don't pretend like you'll understand any answer I give you."

This piece of... I tighten my grip on his collar. "So it's a sob story, huh? I've been through a lot of shit in my own life, too, you know?"

Drip, drip...        Drip...

"....Hey Izumi, you ever been afraid of the dark?"

"What kind of a dumbass question is that?"

"Heh, I'd like to watch you try to survive in the dark." Kusari tilts his head forward, which causes his sunglasses to shift down his nose, exposing his gray, lifeless eyes. They stare with a complete lack of emotion; if you fell into the black of his pupils, you would never come back up.

After a short moment to think... I let go of him. "Just curb your ego if you plan to ever become a hero."

"Thanks for the lecture, heh."

"Izumi, dude, that was righteous!" As soon as I enter the Ground Alpha dome, Tamashiro is there to pat my back, his black coat trailing behind him and his bright eyes beaming through his black mask. "That comeback after you both got jumped on was awesome!"

His praise makes me bring my hand to my neck. "Ah, it was nothing. I couldn't have done it without Marie's help."

Tamashiro playfully elbows my arm as he fixes his silvery hair. "While the class was watching, you looked like you got a sudden rush of motivation. What was up?"

"Oh, um... it w-was noth-"

"EVERYOOOONE!!" Gale Force boomed, "You all did great for your first simulation! I was on the edge of my seat, even though I was standing!"

"Silence, you bald buffoon," Shishikura hissed behind Gale Force, creeping around with the menace of an executioner, "It was pathetic how this Izumi boy fell for a measly ambush."

Damn it... I knew Shishikura would say I screwed up by getting caught by Kusari... People can die if I make mistakes like that...

Shishikura looks away. "Although... it was impressive how you managed to improvise a comeback against your opponent... and give your teammate the opportunity to get the objective..."

Sh... Shishikura p-praised me? That feels... kinda great!

As I survey around the room, I realize that only eight of us twelve students are present. "Where's everybody else?"

"Look at the monitor!" Gale Force happily hollered, "These four went ahead as soon you guys in Match 1 were done. Take a look! ... And don't call me bald, mean Seiji..."

MATCH 2

Satsuki Asui & Jonetsu Nensho

V.S.

Homuran Yabusame & Sabaku Doraikawa

Match 2 is already starting!? I wanna make sure I take a good look at these four; maybe I can learn something from them!

Monitors inside the Ground Alpha dome display both pairs of people waiting at opposite sides of the torn office building, which is different from the one from Match 1. I start with the monitor showing Doraikawa and Yabusame as they stand side by side. The cameras on them also have microphones so you can hear what they're saying.

"Are you prepared, my friend?" Doraikawa poses at Yabusame, "Let us execute this plan stunningly, so that it is pleasant to the eyes of our viewers." Doraikawa's costume is a copper-colored cloak that matches the highlights on his black hair. The cloak has a high collar, which matches Doraikawa's style, and he carries a medium-sized sandbag on his back. He also wears orange-tinged goggles that look like glasses.

"Sure man, whatever you say," Yabusame replies with a pat of Doraikawa's shoulder. Yabusame's got this really laid-back attitude to him, and he's wearing what looks similar to a white baseball jersey with several dark blue utility traps on his waist and back. The Shiketsu cap hides his short, brown hair. 

Doraikawa crouches down as he braces himself. "On my mark, get set... NOW!"

*BRRRRRRRRRRRRR*

At Doraikawa's call, a heap of sand emerges from inside Doraikawa's bag and goes underneath both boys' feet, and like a powerful eruption from a hyperactive volcano, launches both of them upward at a ridiculous speed to the very top of the multi-level office building! H-how are they flying up that fast!? Not even I can do that!

"This is my cue, I guess," Yabusame smiles meekly in the air as he touches the soles of his sneakers. As the two are landing on the roof of the office building, Doraikawa uses the sand to carry his feet, surfing on the sand as it rushes over the roof! Meanwhile, Yabusame is... skating on the roof with nothing but his sneakers! He's literally gliding on the surface like he's on wheels. What is his Quirk? 

********************************

Shiketsu Class 1: Homuran Yabusame

Quirk: Frictionless - Yabusame can smooth any object at the molecular level so the object is unaffected by almost all friction, making things slippery like ice. Has trouble smoothing objects with enormous surface areas. 

Birthday: February 6th

Likes: Going with the flow, all sports (especially baseball)

*******************************

Doraikawa and Yabusame bust into the roof entrance of the office building and begin sweeping through floors at incredible speed. One floor, two floors, three floors. Doraikawa rides his wave of colorful sand as Yabusame slides across. Four floors, five floors, six floors. They survey each floor with the blink of an eye, checking every corner for the hidden training dummy.

"This beautiful paradox of surfing on dry land!" Doraikawa hollers, "It shakes my very core!"

"Yeah, this ain't bad," Yabusame replies, "Let's cruise through to keep a look out for the objective."

Here inside the Ground Alpha dome, apart from the monitor that follows Doraikawa and Yabusame, there's another monitor that tracks how Asui and Nensho are doing. I wonder how they're holding up...

Jonetsu Nensho... So this is the girl that Tamashiro lost to during the first exercise... She's someone rather tall and muscular for a girl, and her orange hair with reddish highlights make her stand out. Nensho's costume looks like an exposed version of what a race car driver would wear: a dark blue short-sleeved jacket with bright orange streaks, and it only reaches down her ribs, leaving her stomach exposed. She wears matching shorts, tall socks, and athletic shoes. It all matches exactly with the Shiketsu cap.

Asui is visibly shuttering as she walks with her tail coiled nervously. "N-Nensho... I'm scared... I've never done something like this before..."

Nensho ruffles her hand over Asui's dark green hair. "You'll be fiiiiine, Asui-chan. Step One was to walk inside the building. Step Two is walk outside with the training dummy. We're already halfway! Nothing to worry about!"

"B-But what if I just slow you down? M-my tail always gets like this when I'm n-nervous..."

"Asui-chan, you got into this school for a reason, you know? You've got potential to be an awesome hero like your big sis! Have some confidence!"

Asui hugs her green tail. "U-um, okay..."

************************************

Shiketsu Class 1: Satsuki Asui

Quirk: Salamander - Can do anything that a salamander can do! Includes extending her tongue up to 20 meters, scaling walls, and secreting a poisonous liquid from her body.

Birthday: June 20th

Likes: Her sister's cooking, rainy weather

*************************************

That name... Asui, why didn't I recognize it sooner!? Her sister is the Rainy Season Hero: Froppy! She's a happy, froggy hero who's insanely popular with small children, often educating them on TV about how to preserve the environment. Actually, Asui's costume is similar to Froppy's: a green turtleneck bodysuit with gloves and webbed flippers.

Asui looks upward to her tall teammate. "S-so, um, Nensho... how should w-we go by finding the training dummy?"

"I dunno, this exercise's making me do too much thinking..." Nensho says putting her hands behind her head, "My head hurts when I think too hard. This calls for a drink!" Nensho rummages through her pockets, pulling out an unlabeled glass bottle of a mysterious liquid. Nensho pops out the cork on the bottle, and she starts chugging from it.

Asui panics. "Whaaaaa-!! Nensho!! Y-You shouldn't be drinking on campus!"

"Relax Asui-chan!" Nensho smiles, "This isn't booze. It's just petroleum."

"Oh thank goodness... Wait, W-WHAAAAA?!"

*****************************

Shiketsu Class 1: Jonetsu Nensho

Quirk: Internal Combustion - An engine-like mechanism in her stomach allows her to safely consume gasoline and other fuels, then ignite the fuel inside her body for movements that are literally explosive

Birthday: January 1st

Likes: Vintage cars, chugging contests

********************************

"HYAHAHAHA," Nensho bursts, "I'm just pulling your tail! It's just vegetable oil, not any of that fossil fuel crap. Gotta save the turtles!"

I've never met anybody who can so casually talk about drinking gasoline... Needless to say, don't try this at home, kids.

Nensho interrupts her binge drinking of vegetable oil as she looks up to the ceiling. "You hear that from up there?"

Asui wraps her tail around herself in sheer nervousness. "A-a-are those two coming to us!? Something's c-c-coming closer! And fast!!"

"We're ay-okay, Asui-chan," Nensho says as chucks away her empty bottle, "Just walk to that corner over there. I think I've got this... I think..."

Asui scurries to the corner as Nensho listens intensely, as the other monitor shows Doraikawa and Yabusame approaching the two girls at an alarming rate, not having found the training dummy yet.

Nensho smirks. "They're right above us in three... two... two and a half... one!" 

"Top Gear Kick!"

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!! CRRRRRRRAAAAAASH!!!!!

Holy shit! A l-literal explosion inside of her leg! Embers emerge from inside Nensho's right leg as her foot demolishes the entire floor above her, pieces of debris crumbling and falling like rain with thunderous impact!

Asui screams. "AHHHH NENSHO WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

Adding to the absurdity, it looks like Doraikawa and Yabusame are falling with the debris!

Doraikawa is flailing his arms. "WAH!! My delicately combed hair!!"

Yabusame shrugs. "Well this ain't good..."

*Crash...*

Inside the dome, the eight of us students are stunned. The entire floor above them had collapsed from a single kick by Nensho. Sh-she really is that good... Shishikura and Gale Force have their jaws dropped with their eyes popping out.

"She... She caused more damage to the building than the mock bomb did..." Shishikura utters.

Back to the monitor, Nensho stands proudly in the middle of the debris as she downs a new bottle of vegetable oil. "BURRRRRRRRRRRP. Aw yeah, that was hella awesome! What'd you think, Asui-chan?"

Asui is on the verge of tearing up as she swings her arms around in panic. "N-Nensho!!!! You killed them!!!!"

"Relax," Nensho smiles as she rubs off the excess vegetable oil from her lips, "If they each had a pair, they'd get up right away from a little fall like that."

Asui looks over the rubble. "Um... boys? ... Ah! Nensho! Look!!" Among the collection of annihilated office desks and crumbled floor pieces, a human-like figure rests in a pile of debris. It's... the training dummy! "I found it, Nensho!"

"Such a beautiful display." Doraikawa rises from the rubble, looking mostly uninjured. "Yes, such marvelous strength... strength that has not only revealed the objective to the four of us, but strength that has also enhanced my own." By opening the palm of his hand, Doraikawa beckons all the dust among the debris caused by Nensho's kick, the dust swirling around his hand like a hypnotizing vortex.

Nensho tilts her head. "Huh, didn't think that one through very much, did I?"

"Duststorm - A Starry Night!"

A maelstrom of dust whirls around the room like a hurricane, blowing away Asui with a "Whaaaaaaaaaa!!!"  as she flies off. Nensho holds her stance, resisting the storm as she stands her ground.

"Look like I've gotta move." Yabusame pops out of the rubble as he skates with his frictionless feet towards where the training dummy is!

"Oh, no you don't!" *BOOM!*

Nensho grins devilishly as she detonates both her hands from the inside to let off a thunderous clap, which lets off an enormous wind that clears off all of Doraikawa's dust! "Asui-chan, the spotlight's on you!"

"O-okay!" Asui shoots out her lounge like a bullet, reaching twenty feet away from her to wrap around the training dummy before Yabusame and grab it! She brings the dummy into her arms at lightning speed.

"Pitching Comet!"

Yabusame counters with a volley of frictionless baseballs, ignoring air resistance as they dart at the salamander!

"Eeeeek!!" Out of nervous reflex, Asui lets out a corrosive poison from her mouth, dissolving the baseballs. "I'm s-sorry Yabusame!! I'll b-buy you new ones!!"

"Sweet!" Nensho clenches a proud fist, "You've got the dummy, Asui-chan! We can win right here! Hya!"

*BOOOOOM*

Nensho hurls an explosive fist into the wall, demolishing it and leaving an opening to the outside!

"N-N-Nenshoooooo!!" Asui shrieks, "W-Why didn't you just shatter a window!?"

"No time to think about it!" Nensho smirks, "Just jump outside!"

"B-but w-we're several floors in the air!"

"Sandstorm - Birth of Venus!"

Sand from Doraikawa's sandbag explosively rushes toward the two girls. "Hesitating will cost you the advantage, Asui-san! That is not beautiful at all!"

Before the sand can reach the girls... "Time to face you fears, Asui-chan!" Nensho picks up the small Asui by the hips and THROWS HER OFF THE BUILDING!!

"N-N-N-NEEEEEEEEEEENSHOOOOOOOOOoooooo!!!" Asui cries as she descends several floors outside the building, tears pouring from her eyes as she clenches onto the training dummy with her tail. "I'M GOING TO DIEEE!! ... No, what if Tsu-chan is watching me!! I have to think like Tsu-chan!"

Asui spots a lamppost on the ground and she shoots out her tongue at it, wrapping it around. She pulls her herself toward it, and her speed causes her to wrap around, and around, and around the lamppost... slowing her descent... until she safely lands on the ground outside!!

VICTORS: Asui, Nensho!

"BURRRRRRRRRRRRP!!" Nensho echoes from several floors in the building, "See Asui-chan!? I knew you could do it!" 

"So much spinning... Soooo dizzy..." Asui swirls, "I might just... ble... *rainbows!*"

"That was... quite the viewing experience," Shishikura uttered, then he turns to the students, "Anyhow, with Match 2 concluding, let us shift our focus. You remaining four students know who you are, but let's see the pairings among you for the third and final match."

We're wasting no time, huh? Let's see, the four that are left are Tamashiro, Kyokan, Shiozaki, and... Kanashimu. God, it would so great to see Tamashiro kick Kanashimu's ass for me. Fingers crossed!

Gale Force pushes a button on the projector...

MATCH 3

Hatsuiku Kanashimu & Takara Tamashiro

V.S.

Shinji Kyokan & Haruka Shiozaki

...! W-wha??

"Woot! I'm paired with big ol' Kanashimu!" Tamashiro is hopping around in excitement at the discovery of his teammate... how thrilling. 

I... I don't know what to think of this... My closest friend in this school paired with the face of my parents' murderer... 

Tamashiro runs up to Kanashimu at full energy. "Let's do this, big dude! I've got a sweet plan to save that civilian in there!"

I could've sworn I saw Kanashimu give a quick glance at me, before he eyes towards Tamashiro with his arms crossed. "Sure, kid. We'll make this quick."

Kanashimu better not try any shit against Tamashiro...

*KRRRRRRRRRRRRRR* "BEGIN!"

Before we knew it, the third and final match had begun, I had my eyes focused on the monitor with Kanashimu kicking down the door on their side of the office building, Tamashiro following from behind.

As his spiky blonde hair rustles to his pace, Kanashimu turns to Tamashiro. "What's that plan you said you had? Don't tell me you were bluffing." 

"Of course not, man! Check this out!"

Stopping with a mischievous grin, Tamashiro summons a gang of Binging Balls from his palms, round black minions that each brandish their sharp fangs as they float. Then, he opens several pockets from inside his black coat, and he pulls out these small devices that look like wireless cameras. Tamashiro brings each Binging Ball to gently bite onto a camera before sending the Ball off to a different path. Finally, he pulls out his phone.

"This sweet app my phone can show us the feed from each camera my Binging Balls are holding!" Tamashiro gloats with a bright, toothy smile, "We'll find and save that civilian in no time!"

The two guys hustle throughout each floor of the office building, Kanashimu using growing his arm muscles to flip over debris and bust down jammed doors, while Tamashiro looks over the camera feeds from each of his Binging Balls. The two stay fairly silent the entire time... I sorta prefer that... until Tamashiro decides to break the silence...

"Aren't you stoked about our very first simulation test?" He gives his innocent, sharp-toothed smile, "This has my blood pumping!"

"..."

"Hey, you remember when Izumi launched all that water during his match? Man, that was so rad!" Ahh! Why is he bringing me up in front of him!?

"..."

"Ah wait! You fought against Izumi, yeah? It was kinda scary when he passed out like that. But that must mean you're super strong!"

"..."

"Dude, I think I saw how fast you were in your fight with Izumi! You must have some killer moves, am I righ- "

"You're slowing us down."

Tamashiro flinches at the sudden remark. "Sorry, man... just thought some dialogue would be fun... Is there something about Izumi that-" 

"I've got a great idea, pal," Kanashimu hisses with his icy stare, "Turn around for a moment."

"Huh? Uh... sure man..."

Tamashiro turns away from Kanashimu, and at that instant, Kanashimu uses his Quirk to extend the muscles on his back and wraps them around Tamashiro's shoulders.

"W-woah dude, what're you doin- AH!"

Tamashiro is pulled toward Kanashimu, trapping the shorter one onto the taller one's back. Kanashimu now wears Tamashiro like a backpack...

"H-hey! What's the big idea!? Put me down! We're supposed to working togeth- Mmm! Mmm!""

Kanashimu grows the muscles on his neck to restrain Tamashiro's mouth, whose yelling and nagging is only muffled. That bastard Kanashimu can't do that to my friend...

"You're loud," the blonde deadpans, "Make yourself useful and keep watch over that camera feed."

Tamashiro whimpers as he goes back to keeping tabs on the cameras. Poor dude... I think I'll buy him ramen later.

Curious of the other pair, I look at the other monitor displaying Shinji Kyokan and Haruka Shiozaki. They're strolling through the halls of the office building. Shiozaki is dressed like a Greek goddess, cloaked in pure, cloud white robes that are held together by a blue belt. Interestingly, in addition to sandals and her flower-braided hair, she wields a bow, but she doesn't have any arrows with her. Meanwhile, Kyokan's costume is a dark blue suit and pants, as well as white gloves and black suede shoes. Interestingly, he wears a bulletproof vest for extra protection, and he wields a long quarterstaff as a non-lethal weapon.

Kyokan turns to Shiozaki. "Our opponents have the advantage of physical strength and searching ability over us. We must move quickly."

"Understood," Shiozaki nods. "Actually, Kyokan, I have a small question. How does your Quirk work, exactly?"

"I have access to a person's mind as they are speaking," Kyokan explains. "This is due to tiny alterations to a person's spoken words depending on what they are thinking. These alterations are called discord, and my heightened sense of hearing can detect this discord and understand the meaning behind it."

"Interesting," Shiozaki replies, "Since your Quirk is a mental ability, that's why you have that quarterstaff. Could I show you how I can use my Quirk?"

Kyokan turns away, his yellow blonde hair obscuring his eyes. "I would actually prefer if you didn't speak at all."

"Wh-what? ...Hmph, rude."

"Shh, do you hear that?" Kyokan stops himself and Shiozaki behind a corner, "Something's approaching, but it's not those two..."

"I see it," Shiozaki whispers, "Let me take care of that for you..."

Back to Tamashiro and Kanashimu...

Tamashiro's eyes widen as he dangles off of Kanashimu's back. "MMM!!! MM, MMM!!! MMMMM!!!!!"

"...What do you want?"

"MM!!! MMMMM!!!" Tamashiro uses all his strength to pull away Kanashimu's muscle from his mouth, "Gahh!! I'm losing feed on the cameras! One by one, they're being taken out! Just static on my phone!"

"Good grief," Kanashimu rolls his eyes, retracting his back muscles from Tamashiro, setting him free,  "Can't you fix it, hot shot?"

"They're being sabotaged on the other end!" Tamashiro panics, scrambling to his feet after Kanashimu let him go, "Grrr, they're cutting off closer and closer to where we are! there's nothing I can-"

"Look out!" Kanashimu jumps on top of Tamashiro and they roll across the ground, as something green and red zooms right past them, almost targeting Tamashiro!

Tamashiro flinches as Kanashimu lands on top of him. "Gah, easy down, big guy! What was that?"

"It's company," Kanashimu sterns looking down the hallway. In a flash, the tall blonde produces a huge red mass of muscle on his right arm as a blue figure darts toward them.

*WHAM*

"Impressive reflexes..." It was Kyokan! He wields his long quarterstaff against Kanashimu's massive right arm, which took the blow from the staff's attack. "I don't hear any fear in your voice, Kanashimu. You have impeccable confidence."

Then, Kanashimu jumps backward carrying Tamashiro as more green and red projectiles come from behind Kyokan. They're... roses!?

"I'm surprised we found them so quickly!" Shiozaki chases behind Kyokan, who wields her bow loaded with several red roses that've sprouted from her hand, roses that appear exceptionally thorny. 

Tamashiro breaks out of his teammate's hold. "I've gotta be in the action too! It's time to return fire!" 

"Gorging Gunfire!"

Tamashiro lets off a line of Binging Balls at Kyokan, causing him to bounce backward in an effort to dodge. Kanashimu target's Kyokan's vulnerability by preparing a muscle-boosted fist!

"Flower Shield: Rafflesia!"

Shiozaki intervenes between Kanashimu and Kyokan with a massive red flower protruding from her elbow, taking the massive fist.

There's a mischievous glitter in Tamashiro's eyes. "Now you two are bundled together! Hope you don't need those things you're carrying!" He lets out two Binging Balls, one bites onto Kyokan's quarterstaff, the other nabs Shiozaki's bow! "You're free to do whatever, big guy!"

Kyokan's distress comes out. "No! They've disarmed us!"

Shiozaki smiles like a cougar before her prey. "Speak for yourself! This flower doesn't wilt!" Long, elegant whips of pink, blue, orange, all colors of flowers emerge from Shiozaki's hair, colorful yet dangerous!

"Gah!" Kanashimu is completely ensnared by Shiozaki's flowered vines, vines that look incredibly durable as they keep Kanashimu from expanding his muscle!

"Oh no, big guy!" Tamashiro calls out, running towards Kanashimu, "I'll save you! You can count on- Woooah!!"

Kanashimu had lost his balance and fell backward, right when Tamashiro was behind him. Tamashiro trips over Kanashimu's body... and.. oh... oh no... That's not... good...

 Um... how do I describe what's just happened... Err... I guess there's no better way than to just spell it out. When he landed after tripping, Tamashiro got... a faceful, so to speak, as he lays... with his face right between Shiozaki's two boobs...

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!"

The poor girl's shriek wakes Tamashiro from his fall as he blurts his head upwards... then looks down at the two jugs underneath his nose...

"WOAH WOAH WOAH!! Let's take things one step at a time!"

 "YOU'RE SO GROSS!! SCREW OFF!!!"

"VIRAL COSMOS!!"

"Craaaaaaaap!! Oof... Ow...." A blizzard of flower petals blows Tamashiro off of Shiozaki's body and onto the wall, and he limps as he rubs his aching back.

Kanashimu was released after Shiozaki's panic. He gets up and teases a smile. "You look like you enjoyed that."

"N-No I didn't!!" Tamashiro protested, quickly wiping his nosebleed.

"His mind tells me he's lying..." Kyokan interjects, tending to Shiozaki.

"SH-SHUT UP!" Tamashiro barks.

"I feel so violated..."  Shiozaki shivers.

"Don't m-make me sound like a creep!! It was an accident, I'm telling you!!!"

Kanashimu turns to his teammate with an evil smile. "A happy accident, would you say?"

"STOP POKING FUN-"  Tamashiro stops. "Oooooh, hehe, you're right big guy! They're distracted!"

Kanashimu running up to Kyokan and Shiozaki and grabs them by the arms, hurling them across the hallway!

"And the cherry on top!" Tamashiro cheers, "Hustle Muscle Combo: Biting Brutality!!!" He hurls a storm of Binging Balls at the flying Kyokan and Shiozaki!!

"GAHHHH!!!" The two land on the floor, badly shaken from the combination attack. Both having lost effectives means to fight, Kyokan and Shiozaki look at each other. "We... we concede."

..! They gave up!

VICTORS: Tamashiro, Kanashimu!

"We won?" Tamashiro uttered, "We won! Big guy, we won! You and I were a team!!!!"

"You're so loud," Kanashimu stares, "...But I guess we did good work..."

Was it... pure luck? No... It was the combined tactics of both my close friend, and my sworn enemy. Both are people I have to look out for as the school days go by.

So this is what my class is capable of... After watching my eleven classmates fight, it's fit to say that I'll be surrounded by some talented people here at Shiketsu. I'm not going to count myself out, though, I'm going to make sure I train and study hard to make sure I earn my place in the Grand Sports Festival!

With that, we have all of Shiketsu Class 1 introduced! Here's a recap for you all, with everybody's name and Quirk!

Satsuki Asui - Salamander

Sabaku Doraikawa - Particle Control

Marie de Verre - Crystal Prism 

Kota Izumi - Water Gun

Hatsuiku Kanashimu - Muscle Augmentation

Seiun Karakuri - Trapdoor

Mejiki Kusari - Electromagnetism

Shinji Kyokan - Mindhearing

Jonetsu Nensho - Internal Combustion

Takara Tamashiro - Binging Ball

Haruka Shiozaki - Flora

Homuran Yabusame - Frictionless

I hope you enjoy the cast that's been built! For the characters I named myself, I tried to follow Horikoshi's typical naming theme. Thank you all who have read up to this point, and there will be plenty more to come!

Until next time on Chapter 11: "The Devil"!

Chapter Text

"And that's how you use the quotient rule to find the derivative of tangent x. Any questions, Kota-kun?"

"Um... yeah... Could you repeat maybe... everything?"

"Katsuma-senpaiiii, do we even need to learn this stuff to become heroes? I don't think I'll ever get this lesson..."

"Tamashiro-kun, don't be a downer! I was a freshman, too, you know. If I could barely survive the material, you can too!"

Close to wrapping up our entire first month at Shiketsu High, Tamashiro and I are being tutored by Katsuma inside the second-year dorms, and what a challenging month it's been. Shishikura and Gale Force have been relentlessly testing us with new challenges to test our physical and mental ability as heroes. I've triumphed at some, and lost hard on others, and I even ended up in Nurse Lala's office a few times. Though, each of us in the class are dealing with something similar, and as a result, everybody in the class has gotten a little closer to each other, as we struggle together, win together, talk and laugh together; it's a great time. Now, on this Thursday night, armored in the Ultra Deku Hoodie: Deus Ex Edition, I tackle one of the most tasking challenges of all: math.

With a sharp-tooth smile on his face, Tamashiro lifts up from his slouched position. "Heyyy, Senpai, when are you gonna spill those juicy details about that girl you dated, huh?"

Katsuma is taken aback. "Huh!? You r-remember that? Nuh-uh, no way! I-It'll distract you from y-your studying!"

"C'mon, man, at least tease a few details!"

"Sigh... Okay," Katsuma concedes, "If it'll make you s-stop asking..."

"For real!? Sweet! Hey Izumi, let's learn from Senpai on how to win over women!"

"Haha, you treat me like some sort of expert, Tamashiro-kun," Katsuma chuckled, "Well... I might as well start with how I met her."

Gosh, we're talking about girls again. I've never been interested in these kinds of conversations, but I might as well listen anyway... Tamashiro adjusts his seating as he excitedly glares at Katsuma, who takes a big breathe before starting.

"It was last summer when a famous café here in Osaka started selling these hero-themed drinks for a limited time, and after school I wanted to be one of the lucky people to try Deku's Smashing Cherry Limeade after it got a lot of attention. I walked out of the café with the ice cold drink in my hands, watching the bright green syrup swirl with the cherry red base of tart, delicious goodness. I was about to take my first sip... until I happened to trip on a crack on the sidewalk, and I dropped my drink in a panic, spilling everything across the concrete, unable to salvage much of anything... It's such a small incident, but I couldn't help but feel so disappointed that something I was looking forward to that entire day was literally ripped from my hands...

As I sat on the burning concrete, looking at the mess of my wasted time and money, there was a girl. She had a comforting smile on her face as she held a cherry limeade on each hand. She asked if I was okay after she watched me fall, and I was so flustered as I stumbled to my feet, mostly because she was... so beautiful. Then, she offered one of her drinks to me, explaining that she was waiting to hang out with a friend before they had to cancel last minute on her. My cheeks were as warm as the summer sun when she handed the icy beverage to me, and I thanked her as she insisted it was no problem. Though, I could see the disappointment in her face, how her friend had to abandon her, and now she was all alone in this street corner. I've never spoken to girls much before, but in an effort to not make her feel lonely, I tried to start some conversation with her, and she seemed really happy about it.

It turned out we were both freshmen, and she goes to a regular high school in Osaka. We would talk about our favorite heroes, dumb things on the Internet, what school was like, and it was very fun as we enjoyed a drink! We agreed to exchange contact info, and we would talk and meet up from time to time to enjoy ourselves. As the weeks went by... I began to think about how truly special she was, how she was the most incredible girl I've met in my life. I don't know h-how I did it, but... I gathered all my courage to ask her if we wanted to be... something more... and I was so happy to hear she felt the same way."

"Ooooooh, Senpai's a real heartthrob!" Tamashiro teased, "What's the lucky girl's name? What's she look like?"

"N-no way I'm telling," Katsuma stammered, "I know you'll t-track her down just to embarrass me..."

Something from the bottom of my throat is compelling me to ask Katsuma some burning questions. "How long were you two together...?"

Katsuma leaned back on his seat as he thought. "We were a pair for about six months, until we were nearing the end of freshman year... But those were some of the best six months I've ever experienced. Haha, I would get so a-awkward about holding h-hands in public. I must've been sweating buckets, and she would seem pretty nervous too, haha."

A gripping feeling in my chest brings me to ask more. "...Why'd you guys stop? Did something happen?"

"Nothing happened," Katsuma spoke frankly, "It's just... we realized that us going to different schools was difficult... We found that we were getting more and more busy and we had less possible times to be together. I felt like she could be happier with somebody who actually went to her school. She also wants to go to a nice college, and I want to be a pro hero, two very different things... So we just agreed that to stay friends after that."

I just wanted to ask one last thing. "...Do you ever wish you two were still together?"

Katsuma is silent as he looks at the ceiling, thoughts flying through his head of messy, brown hair. "We haven't really had the opportunity to see each other again, but we stay in touch. It's probably fine that way..."

Emanating from the left of me is this annoying, bothersome aura; Tamashiro playfully elbowing me as he holds back his laughter with a smirk. "Look at you asking all these questions! And I thought I was only one who was into this type of stuff, haha!"

"Sh-shut up..." I retort, "I've had a lot in my mind lately, like the Grand Sports Festival... We're supposed to find out soon if we get to compete or not."

"Oh yeah, that's supposed to be next week," Katsuma realizes, "I'm also waiting to find out if I'll be competing in the second-year events. I'm sure you both have been impressing Shishikura-sensei."

I look at Katsuma with a smile. "If you do end up competing, I know you'll kick ass. 'Cause you're Regen Hero: Celadon, right?"

"I second that!" Tamashiro adds, "I wanna see how Senpai gets when he's serious!"

"Oh, you guys," Katsuma blushes, "You both are too nice. I think this brings a good end to our study session. Both of you better be ready tomorrow!"

"All rise," Shishikura declares as he enters the classroom, marking the start of the Friday morning.

"Goo-"

"Yes, yes, 'Good morning', 'Good day', et cetera. Let us skip these time-consuming formalities and take your seats. There is a lot on the agenda this morning."

Woah... Shishikura is more fast-paced than usual...

"I will cut to the chase. I have decided on the students who will be competing in the Grand Sports Festival."

H-holy crap! He's pulling out a piece of paper from his coat!

"There are four events in the Festival in total. Here are the names of the Class 1 representatives!"

Performing Arts
Marie de Verre
Sabaku Doraikawa
Haruka Shiozaki

Speed & Agility
Mejiki Kusari
Homuran Yabusame
Satsuki Asui

Scavenging
Takara Tamashiro
Shinji Kyokan
Seiun Karakuri

Combat
Jonetsu Nensho
Kota Izumi
Hatsuiku Kanashimu

No way... I can't believe it... My name is right there, under the combat event for the Festival! My brutal work has payed off!

"YEEEEEEEEEAAAHHH!!!"  An cheer from the entire class roars in the classroom, as we've all made it to compete in the Festival!

Shishikura holds back a smile with his stoic face. "I have already contacted the guardians of each student that we shall be taking a Sunday flight from Osaka to Musutafu, where that insect-infested U.A. High School is located. The Festival shall take the entire week of four events with three representatives each competing against opposing schools."

Wait... every school sends three reps each for four events... and three times four is twelve, I know that, so if there are twelve of us in Class 1, then the only possible people who could've filled all twelve spots... was each of us.

The realization hits me like a truck. "A-are you saying... that we were going to be placed in the Grand Sports Festival from the VERY BEGINNING!?"  Was this simply a waste of effort into impressing Shishikura so I could travel to U.A.!?

"Of course not, you vehement Neanderthal," Shishikura deadpanned, "While the class size does cap at twelve students, if I felt that any one of you were unfit to participate in the Festival, I would have prevented the entire class from participating."

"Huh!?" the entire class echoes. I-If one person wasn't ready for the Festival, that would've screwed everybody?

"Which means," Shishikura crudely smiled, "If I placed each of you in the Festival, I regard all of you to a high standard of your skills, and I know you all shall not embarrass me nor Shiketsu High. Realize that your success as a professional hero relies on the success of your classmates as well. No single hero can accomplish anything on their own, so throughout your careers, encourage your peers to strive for greater accomplishments."

Woah, didn't know that Shishikura was a poet, but I guess he has a point. Still, it's scary to know I could've screwed everybody if I often messed up my landing or something...

Shishikura delicately rolls up the paper with a face of content. "While congratulations are in order, there is another matter to attend to during this homeroom. I tend to stray away from the usual order things are done by the instructors of this country. However, before you all arrive to the Festival next week to present yourself to thousands of faces across the country, it is important to have solidified your identity as the hero you want to become. That way, the citizens of Japan shall see you as symbols in our society. Now, there's no better way to accomplish that than with... hero names."

"Hero names!?" a fierce cheer resonates within the classroom! Hero names! Hero names hero name hero names hero names!!

Seemingly troubled, Shishikura rubs his head. "Unfortunately, the school administration does not appear to recognize my fine taste in hero names, therefore... sigh, allow me to invite the artistic, all-annoying, all-infuriating-"

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　Camie!　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

"Whazuuuuup my adorable freshies!" Camie waves as she pops out of the classroom door, "Ms. Camie's here to help pick some wicked fresh hero names for yallz! Omg, so exciting!" Camie immediately starts passing out a stack of white boards with pens to everybody.

Shishikura glares at Camie with suspicion. "Camie, you shall witness my violent fury if your antics pose an issue."

"Good vibes only, Seiji-chan!" Camie hums as she hops to the front of the classroom, "Your purple hair is looking like a 10 this morning! Soooo, who's going first? Don't be shy! I know you all've been thinking about hero names since you were itty bitty cutesy!"

Asui timidly raises her small hand from her seat. "M-may I go ahead, Ms. Camie?" 

"Totes, homegirl!" Camie winked, "Come on up!"

Asui goes to the front of the class to face us with her whiteboard toward her. "Um, I've always loved and admired my big sister, Tsu-chan! The way she's so kind to kids... I want to be like her, to be able to make children feel safe and happy! S-So... I'm choosing Rainy Season Hero: Sally!"

"Sooooo cute!!" Camie squeals, "Ms. Camie approves! The kids will love you, Sally! Who's next?"

Haruka Shiozaki. "My mother taught me of an ancient, utopian society where marble white temples were filled with lush, green gardens and pristine fountains of calming water. Although this society is no more, I want to be a symbol for our society to achieve such calming relaxation. I will be known as Flower Hero: Babylonia."

Mejiki Kusari. "Heh, I'll be ruthless to all the villains out there, coiling around them like a snake, you could say. I'm not gonna let my sight get in the way of that. Call me Metal Hero: Snake Eyes."

Homuran Yabusame. "I didn't spend a load of time thinking about it... Things are best kept simple, yeah? Like when I can cruise down the sidewalk while sitting with my sports manga -- the simple life. When I step to the plate, the name's Flow Hero: Slider."

Marie de Verre. "I've always loved fairy tales, and how they end with happiness for everyone. Everyone deserves to live happily ever after, whether by staying safe, or... finding their Prince Charming. My story begins with Crystal Hero: Starlight!"

Shinji Kyokan. "I've put a significant amount of consideration to his hero name. Not that any of you would understand it, though... I am Listening Hero: Witness."

Jonetsu Nensho. "Hell yeah, I've been waiting for this! Floor the gas pedal, no braking here! Life live at full speed! If you crash, get up and keep going! It's time for High Gear Hero: Full Throttle!"

Seiun Karakuri. "Oh gosh, I'm going to come off as overly nerdy, am I? Haha, anyway... There was a Japanese poetess who recruited over 300 orphan girls and lost women to an all-female league of ninjas to the Takeda Clan. I want to inherit her name, so I will be known as Astral Hero: Chiyome."

Sabaku Doraikawa. "I woke during a fine winter morning, and these delicate little specks decorated the sky. Something so small and insignificant can still add beauty to the world. My mark on this world's canvas will be called Particle Hero: Diamond Dust."

Takara Tamashiro. "The hero name that will leave villains quaking in their boots! Hearing it will knock their socks off! Look out for Gnawing Hero: Taka the Kid!"

Tamashiro's picked a cool name; I'm happy for him. There's two of us left, just me and... Kanashimu, who steps up to the front like the others. What he had on his whiteboard had caught everybody off guard.

"I... am Kanashimu. My reasons for this name... they're personal."

"Oh?" Camie says as she tilts her head, "Well... I guess it's not unheard of to use your own name for a hero name... Mysterious! I'm, like, totes okay with it. We just have one more, right?"

That's a weird hero name... I don't think about it too much before Tamashiro gets my attention.

"They saved the best for last, dude! You gonna inherit 'Water Hoes' from your mom and dad? Heh, not gonna lie, that'd be pretty epic."

"I've really thought about it, but I've come up with something a little more interesting..."

I make it to the front of my room, and my heart is pounding. I've got this.

"We need fierce heroes in this country," I start, "Heroes that aren't phased by danger, heroes that acknowledge fear, but press on anyway. That's why I'm going with Aqua Hero: ..."

"Water Devil"

A silence fills the room as I stand proudly with my hero name. They can think whatever they want about it. I know it's badass!

Camie blinks a bit. "Ah, um... Devil? Ummm, bud, I don't know abou-"

"I love it."

Shishikura points a grim finger at Camie. "Camie, I demand that you approve this boy's choice of hero name at once. This is not a request; this is a valuable strike of gold."

"Uhh, Seiji, you sure? Doesn't it seem a bit too-"

"You have been approving these bogus hero names until now and you do not even realize the sheer brilliance of this one. It is perfect." 

"It's awesome! It even matches his short temper!" Tamashiro blurts out.

"I don't have a short temper, shut the hell up!"

"Uhhhh," Camie hums, "Okie-dokie! It's a pretty wicked name now that I think about it. Ms. Camie appro- woahhh!!"

Shishikura melds his flesh into a giant hand that pushes her out of the classroom and slam the door behind her.

"Excellent," Shishikura smiles, "This marks the end of homeroom. Spend your Saturday packing for the week-long trip to Musutafu in the east. I would also like to speak with Mr. Izumi after class... The rest of you are dismissed."

H-huh!? *Gulp* W-what does Shishikura want with me?

Shiozaki jumps from her seat. "Everyone! With our hero names and making it to the Festival, this means we should celebrate! How about we throw a wonderful party tonight?"

"A party?" Yabusame says, "Seems pretty chill... I'm up for it."

"You're speaking my language, flower girl!" Nensho hollers, "Let's get to planning right away!"

As I stray from the exciting party planning by my classmates, I slowly step up to Shishikura in his desk. He begins by folding his hands together with a smug look on his face.

"Mr. Izumi, thank you for your time. You see, I believe very strongly in the idea of finding an identity for yourself to truly grasp what you want to be as a hero. I genuinely like the hero name you have picked, but I feel there is more we can do to solidify your identity as Water Devil in Japan. I have a suggestion that I feel you will happily agree with. After school, meet with me at the Support Department building, may you?"

The moonlight pierces through my dorm room window during the thick of night, as I sit on my bed with my poster of Deku gazing over me. In the distance is the white noise of my classmates in the common room, gathering plates and party food from the local grocer.  I look down at my hands, carrying my Shiketsu cap-- my newly redesigned cap, that is -- the classic Shiketsu blue and orange cap, but completed with a pair of yellow horns, like my favorite red cap.

I lay down on my bed, happy with the design that Shishikura and I had come up with. Though, other things are now occupying my mind. It's still feels surreal that I'll be traveling back to U.A. to compete in the Festival. I'll likely reunite with Cousin Shino and the Pussycats, and I'll even see Deku, who's been acting as the master of ceremonies for the Festival every year. Thinking about these people has been my drive for this first month at Shiketsu, and I can't wait to show them what I've learned so far while I compete!

And, of course, there's the blue-haired girl. I'm so close to finally meeting her again; her twisted expression from four months ago has almost never left my head, leaving me confused and worried for her... Wow, has it really been four months since the entrance exam? I'm starting to doubt if she even remembers me... What should I even say to her? What if I'm awkward in front of her? What if I freeze up? What if-

*knock knock* "You ready, dude? Let's get this party started!"

This pounding of my chest is interrupted by Tamashiro, and it seems like he's gathered with other people too. They haven't seen me with my cap yet, the thing that solidifies me as Water Devil. Here I go...

*click*

"Woahhhhhh..."

"Looks badass, Water Devil!" Tamashiro says as he puts his arm on my shoulder. "You nailed it!"

Everyone surrounds me with "Oooohs" and "Ahhhs" at my pair of yellow horns... It's kind starting to make me blush...

"Thanks, guys! Let's not wait any longer, it's time to celebrate for the Festival!"

"Woooohooooo!!"

Chapter Text

People laughing, snack bowls cluttering, music blasting. The party is a lively display of everyone unwinding after such a hectic month, and it's only going to get more tense with the Grand Sports Festival this upcoming week. But with what I see in the dorm's common room, with a red cup full of punch in my hands, it's just bunch of teens having a good time, proud of the effort that's brought us this far! It's also incredible what a bunch of high school freshmen were able to put together to celebrate!

"Behold this wondrous potato chip," Doraikawa exclaims from the snack table, "Its brilliant golden sheen that matches the rising sunrise! I say, this one is shaped like face of Queen Victoria! And dipping it in this disgustingly foul French onion dip is such an outstanding paradox of ugly and beauty! *chomp* Oooh, how wonderfully awful!"

"Doraikawa, you good, buddy?" Yabusame calls from his bean bag chair, focused in his Smash Brothers match with Karakuri, "A chip's a chip, man, no need to be chipper with a chip off your shoulder."

"Distractions will be your downfall, Yabusame!" Karakuri taunts, her purple hair of glittery silver waving about, "My up-tilt followed by up-air with the down-tilt spike will three stock you so badly that your baseballs will fly out of the park!"

"Cool," Yabusame shrugs.

On another corner of the room, speakers were borrowed from the Shiketsu music room and set up with a microphone for a mini karaoke stand. There, Asui gently and cheerfully holds her microphone as she twirls around to the music.

 ♪Whenever those days come, ♪
♫You tell me how precious I am,♫
 ♪All those words you say, everything's alright, ♪
 ♫From nobody to somebody, ♫
♪I become a very special me! ♪

"Can I see that?" Kusari asks, pointing at the mic with a mischievous smirk.

"Ah! Of course!" Asui happily hands the mic to Kusari as he-

"HEAVY BOOTS OF LEAD,
FILLS HIS VICTIMS FULL OF DREAD,
RUNNING AS FAST AS THEY CAN,
IRON MAN LIVES AGAIN!"

...Not quite my taste. As I look around further, I notice that Kyokan is sitting right next to the music player. He's just sitting with a blank expression... I think I'll try talking to him.

"Hey Kyokan, how you doing?"

"Hello..." Kyokan says as he looks up from his seat, "Don't mind me, simply enjoying myself to some music as I watch the others."

"Don't you want to be-"

"My apologies..." Kyokan says as he points to his ear in the loud music, "I cannot hear you."

"I said, don't you want to be with everybody else?"

"I'm alright, really. I simply enjoy the music, is all. Please..."

What a weird dude... Oh well, if he's comfortable. I spot Shiozaki and Marie huddled over a TV screen.

"What are you girls doing?" I ask.

"We're watching a movie!" Shiozaki beams, "It's called Quaking of the Dead, with lead actor Yo Shindo! Also known as Vibrations Hero: Grand, *sigh* and he's such a dream...."

"Puh-lease," Marie rolls her eyes, "He's not even that hot. Not compared to Shoto."

"Oh no, Hakagame!" Shindo grieves on the screen, "Your body's been sliced in half! Even so... you look just as beautiful!"

"See?" Marie points, "He sucks as an actor, too. Just having abs doesn't make a man."

"We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for a special promotion!"

Hm? Loud, showy sounds burst from the TV screen the movie was playing from, and it catches the attention of everyone in the common room. 

"U.A. High, the most esteemed hero school of Japan," a woman's voice said from the TV, "offering the most exhilarated curriculum to produce the greatest, most able heroes in history..."

U.A.! There it is, that shiny glass school building presented on the TV screen... I miss that campus...

"Noooo, our movie!" Shiozaki gripes, "I thought this channel doesn't do ads!"

"Shhh!" I silence her, "This involves us! Cut the music so we can hear!"

"One of U.A.'s most anticipated annual events is the Grand Sports Festival, where schools from across the country come to compete in various disciplines to see which students are at the top!" The woman steps into view, wearing a red blazer and her black hair tied in spiky ponytail. She's...! "Hello! I am Everything Hero: Creati, vice principal of U.A. High. I am so humbly honored to invite Japan to tune in our televised viewing of the Grand Sports Festival! There are several events we have planned to allow Japan's youth to shine! I will have our first-year heroics teacher detail what you may expect! I believe you will find him *quite* recognizable."

Creati steps out of view for the man taking her place, in his blue jacket and white boots, crimson face-scar and hair split red and white on each side, the current Number 3 Pro Hero: Shoto! It was incredible to have met him in person during the entrance exam!

"AHHHH!!" Marie yelps, "Look at him! I-I-I-I... I'm going to overheat!"

"Thank you, Vice Principal Creati,"  Shoto bows, "I am very happy to have trained some talented students that you will see compete with their peers in performing arts, speed, scavenging, and combat. These are disciplines that are considered to be integral to a hero's ability to serve society. I hope you will be joining us this week."

"Thank you, Shoto!" Creati steps back into view, "And of course, our master of ceremonies during the Festival each and every year, a former classmate that I am proud to call my friend... will be none other than the Symbol of Hope, Deku."

Deku! I haven't seen him in a long time, so I hope I can run into him! I wonder if he would be disappointed that I didn't get into U.A... but he will always be an inspiration and a big brother to me, so I will make sure to impress him while I compete!

"Grrrr, those PESTERING COCKROACHES!!"

The sudden outburst startles us to turn off the TV. Oh boy, that voice could've been only one person... The Shiketsu Butcher himself, Seiji Shishikura, from his black coat to his small eyes. Surprisingly, he's not alone, joined with both Tai and Principal Mora.

"Those insects have the nerve to flaunt their nUmBeR OnE sTaTuS on television in such a matter! My class shall slaughter each and every one of those MEDDLING parasites, and Shiketsu shall finally claim the rank of number one! Mwhahahahahahaha!!!"

"Err, calm yourself, Shishikura-san..." Principal Mora gestured with his hairy, hairy hand, "Students, our apologies for intruding during your celebration between you young people, but we would like to congratulate you all on being placed on the Grand Sports Festival! We are sure you will all make Shiketsu proud."

"I'll be comin' along with yall to support you!" Tai says with his radiant smile, "I'm happy for you all! I'm always seein' you studying hard, training hard! Hey, Izumi-kun, love what you did with the cap! I know our first-years are gonna do-"

Shishikura darts his eyes at Tai. "You talk too much, you Quirkless loser." 

Tai's eyes widen. "Q-... Quirkless loser?"

"You heard what I said, you mustard stain. How ironic that you were once more useful as an obese tub of lard than to serve as a cheerleader for my class." Class 1 exchanges awkward stares at each other at that remark...

"O-oh... I'm sorry," Tai utters as he lowers his head.

Shishikura turns back to the class. "Do not overindulge before the competition, but I approve of you having a cleared state of mind before presenting yourself to the country. Then, think critically of the impressions you make to that crowd as they witness your debut. You all have a good night."

"Good night, children!" Principal Mora waves, "Make Shiketsu proud!"

"Night, buds..." Tai says.

The staff closes the door behind them, leaving the twelve of us in strange silence.

"Uhh," Karakuri tits her head, "What now?"

There's only one solution to this!  I go up to the music player. "Let's get this party moving again!" *click*

Music fills the room like water fills an ocean, and the sound waves carry the party back to a high tide as people like Doraikawa, Asui, and Kusari kill the common room floor with lively movements to the rhythm. 

"You know how to pop off a shindig, devilman!" Kusari laughs.

"Somebody start a conga line!" Tamashiro hurrahed.

After the party had regained momentum, I survey the room again, curious of everyone's activities. Tamashiro and Kanashimu are talking to each other -- something that's become more often ever since the first simulation tests... I still don't know how to feel about that. On one hand, I'm happy that my pal has been talking with more people, but on the other hand... I don't get why it has to be him.

"You really think I should do it?"  Tamashiro whispers to Kanashimu, barely audible enough for me to hear.

"You don't have much to lose. I'd say go for it."

"Thanks, man. I'll do it!"

Tamashiro puffs his chest up as he walks up to Nensho, who's helping herself to the snacks on the table. "Hey Nensho, I wanna ask you something..."

Nensho looks up. "Nom nom... Sure, what's up? Nom..."

Tamashiro curls a smile. "Would you... like to... compete in a chugging contest with me!?"

Eyes wide and with a huge swallow, Nensho bursts. "Hell yeah, dude! You're on! They don't call me the Deep-Throated Chugging Queen for nothing!"

"Th-they wha-!?"

Nensho pulls Tamashiro to the cooler and takes two ice-cold bottles of cola. "First one to down a half-liter wins! You good with that, kid?"

Tamashiro grips the bottle and twists it open with a confident smile. "Yeah, I'm down for that! Is Her Majesty ready?"

As I look behind me, Kanashimu has a fist in the air. "Chug! Chug! Chug!" This catches the attention of everybody else, and suddenly there's a chorus!

"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!"

"Three," Nensho counts, "Two... One!"

The two competitors fling their heads backward, immediately downing the floods of cola. Tamashiro is already struggling as his mouth deals with the carbonation causing all sorts of discomfort. His eye seems to twitch as he forces it down... Meanwhile, the cola in Nensho's bottle carries a smooth descent down her throat, as she crushes down the bottom of the bottle to force the drink out. The clapping and chanting in the room adds a battle theme to their intense contest!

Nensho chucks the crushed bottle behind her. "An empty bottle! The queen continues her reign! BAHAHAHAHA!!"

Tamashiro only realizes his loss as his mouth is filled to the brim with cola. He attempts to swallow bit by bit as his face makes different contortions, receiving several laughs from the room.

"Tamashiro, you look like you've got a squirrel in your pants!" Shiozaki giggles.

Finally, Tamashiro makes a huge gulp of the last of the cola, and with a desperate gasp for air... "Hahahahaha!! That was awesome!" His smile is contagious, bringing everybody, including me, to even higher spirits!

[You can now turn off audio]

I eye towards Kanashimu, and... he's also smiling. You don't ever see him do that... He looks calmer and more relaxed. Maybe he really is having a good time. Then, he closes his eyes, taking a big breathe through his nostrils, and then slowly exhales it out. He does it again-- inhale... exhale... He opens his eyes, and his face has gone serious. 

Then, a turn for the worst. Kanashimu slowly turns his head... towards me. Right there, in the common room, Kanashimu and I are properly looking face to face at each other for the first time in nearly a month. 

"You," he growls, "We need to talk."

... My heart stops. He wants to talk? What is there to talk about? We've barely had any interaction with each other, and suddenly he wants to "talk"? Couldn't he just talk to Tamashiro if they're so friendly now? 

Kanashimu gestures his hand at me. "You heard me. Let's go outside." He walks to the sliding door to the dorm's backyard area, opening it without catching the attention of anybody in the party. Without a second look at me, he walks outside...

B-but, there's no way I can chicken out of this... I can't let him mess with my head like that! So I drag my feet towards the sliding door, determined to hear whatever that guy has to say to me after our monthlong silence.

Crickets chirping, lamplight glowing. Kanashimu had laid out two crates on the grassy yard. 

"Have a seat," the tall blonde ushers, sitting on his crate. His glare focuses on me as I glare back at him, slowly stepping to my seat and suspicious of any malicious intent.

"You have a problem with me, don't you?" he asks, "For the entire month, every time I'm near you, you've got that nasty look on your face like I've wronged you. As far as I know, we're total strangers to each other, and yet you act like I'm your mortal enemy. I know it has nothing to do with losing that very first exercise, because you were giving me that look way before we started fighting. What gives?"

That's... what this is about? A-any words I could say to him simply clog up in my throat -- a burning, scratchy sensation that leaves me dead silent. Was it that obvious that I disliked him? 

"Well?" pressed Kanashimu, his eyebrows arching in a look of impatience and frustration. "Am I right? Are you going to say anything about it?"

...So he's going to open the floodgates, huh? He really wants to hear everything?

"Alright, fine..." I cough out, clenching my fist, "You asked, so I'm going to tell you everything. You better listen, because when I was a kid, I had two of the most precious things in my life stolen away from me. The biggest inspirations of my life, the two people I loved more than anything, my m-mom and dad were ripped from me by a goddamn monster!" 

The rising tension adds a hoarseness to my voice, bringing my eyes to feel puffy and my palms sweaty. "They sacrificed themselves to do a job, but that shitty night forced me to change my worldview for two damn years... But the nightmare was never over-- it was too soon when that monster came back to make me bleed and steal even more people I cared about..."

Recalling the years of agony and anguish... I've begun to break, leaking streams of sorrow from my eyes and palms. "That m-monster... he stood over m-me with his bloodthirsty eyes, an image still haunts me to this day... no thanks to YOU! That shit look on your face whenever you stare like that... it's just like him, and I HATE IT!! That monster's already b-been taken down by the hero I admire more most, so... that's why I'm going to do whatever it takes... to take down a monster like you!! YOU HEAR ME?  You're the walking nightmare I could never escape from, never heal from... If you're at all related to that scumbag... from now on, I'm going to make you get the hell out of my way!"

...

A long silence, tears trickling down my cheeks and arms as I point a vengeful finger at Kanashimu, and he stares with his paper blank expression. I'm prepared for however pissed he gets, because he can't scare me anymore!

...But I wasn't prepared for this, an outcome that I wasn't ready for it to flip my world again. Kanashimu's bloodcurdling stare... had collapsed into a miserable frown...

"I see," he uttered, "I'm... I'm sorry that I remind you of your trauma."

W-what?

He gets up, turns around, takes a few steps... then gives me a delicate smile, "I won't get in your way anymore... Enjoy the rest of your night."

He walks inside... and I'm left with his throbbing headache. What was that reaction? Why did he frown like that? ...What did I even say to him? How do I even process what happened?

I spent an entire minute outside just thinking as my tears dry, leaving white streaks on my face... What's going on in his head? What's going on in my head? Then... the realization hits me: the look that Kanashimu's been giving me all month. Those fierce eyes of his that seemed to stab into my soul-- those eyes weren't of malice, they weren't of anger, nor were they of hatred. I now realize that the entire time, his eyes were always filled with... grief.

"Kanashimu, wait! I'm..."  With this appalling shame weighing down on me as I race inside the common room, everybody but Kanashimu is able to be seen. Tamashiro is standing by the bathrooms. He's gotta know...

"T-Tamashiro! Where did Kanashimu go?"

Tamashiro turns as he's crouched over. "Hm? Ah, the big guy? Yeah, he ran into me! Gah, I needa pee so bad... Anyway, he said he was heading back to his dorm room. Erg... why did I chug so much soda... He said he was tired or something, agh. Real shame, though. He looked like he was having a good time. Grr, WHO THE HELL IS HOLDING UP THE TOILET!? Something up, dude? Your eyes are a bit red."

"I-I'm fine, dude," I say, trying to hide my teary eyes, "I just really n-need to talk to Kanashimu. Thanks."

I hustle over to the dorms, and as I stand in the same spot where I felt that chilling blizzard of fear from meeting Kanashimu for the first time, I see the closed door of his dorm room... I'm scared to approach it-- not scared of him, but scared of giving a half-assed apology immediately after the shit I said to his face-- the face that I had completely shattered in a matter of seconds... 

Damnit! How could I be so stupid to judge him like that? Why did I assume he had anything to do with that villain? How could I let my emotions consume me to the point I hate a guy for no reason, to completely disregard how he may be feeling? What would... What would Mom and Dad think of this? I have to talk to him again, somehow... before the Grand Sports Festival next week.

I don't know what else to do... I can't go back to the party, I shouldn't be celebrating after this... I just drag myself to my room, close the door before me... and cry... Curled up against the wall, my face between my legs, I sob and sob, soaking in shame... The hands that inherited my parents' Quirk, they cry along with me. I'm so sorry that I've misunderstood you, Kanashimu...

Do you miss Eri? Well, stay tuned for Chapter 13: "Him and Her"!

Chapter Text

"Sighhhhh, yes, Cousin, the flight was smooth and there was no trouble."

"Are you sure, Kota!? About 13,000 birds collide with planes every year, and they can get sucked into the engine, and-"

"Ha! There was nothing like that, Cousin, I promise."

"O-Okay... Did you pack enough clean clothes? Do I need to drive down there to-"

"I packed enough to clothe a village for a month."

"Alright... The Pussycats will be cheering you on from the TV in the agency! Love you, Kota!"

"Yeah, love you too, Mom, goodby-" *click*

...Wait, what did I call her? Oh god, that's awkward as hell... I hope she didn't hear that.

Shino:

"WAHHHHHH KOTA CALLED ME 'MOM'!! THAT'S SO- SO... WHOLESOME!!"

Ragdoll:

"Mandalay, stop crying! You'll flood the agency!"

Shino:

"I WILL PROTECT HIM WITH MY LIFE."

Pixie Bob:

"Tiger! Grab a bucket! These files will be ruined!"

Tiger:

"Save me, young Kota..."

Hanging up from my call with Cousin Shino, I look through the window of Class 1's private bus. A quick flight had taken us to Hamamatsu, the "City of Music" and a booming gem of Japan that's relatively close to U.A. High. The pristine Pacific Ocean borders the city with its Neptunian blue shimmer,  and the harmonica-like Act Tower peaks above all of Hamamatsu like an incredible torch with the sun as its burning flame. Our bus passes through crayon boxes of marvelous flowers that decorate the parks full of families and students, and high-class vehicles like cherry red Suzuki cars and jet black Yamaha motorbikes zoom down the streets along with us. To remind us we were still in Japan, Hamamatsu Castle and a few vintage shrines bask in the warm May sunshine.

Tamashiro's seated next to me, his big, dark eyes glued to the scenery as he expresses his excitement with a razor-toothed smile. He insisted on helping me pack during the entire Saturday afternoon, picking out clothes that would "catch the attention of those U.A. girls." He was pretty fun during the plane ride, always cracking jokes, chowing down on the free plane food, catching an occasional glimpse at the flight attendants. Typical Tamashiro.

Reluctantly, I face my head towards the end of the bus, where Kanashimu is sitting with his back facing me. I feel so awful... For the past month, I've done nothing but avoid him whenever he comes close. Now, after my heated admission of my blind hatred towards him, Kanashimu has been actively avoiding me. Throughout Saturday, I spotted him several times at the dorm or at the courtyard where we all train. I tried approaching him every time, but I would get... paralyzed trying to know what to say, and Kanashimu would glance at me looking surprised and hurry to get away from me.

Though, Kanashimu doesn't seem avoid me out of hate, like I had done to him, but it seems he's avoiding me for my sake. "I won't get in your way anymore," he told me that night of the party... It's unbearable that I can't see his face, unable to discern how he might be feeling at the moment, and we're supposed to be teammates during the combat event of the Festival...

Tamashiro pulls on my arm to show me a street band playing in front of a large, sparkling fountain.

I should tell him... "Hey... Tamashiro?"

He looks at me intrigued. "Yeah, what's up?"

"I need to tell you something... about what I did."

"Huh? Sure, dude, I'm all ears."

"So... at the party, I sort of-"

"All eyes and ears on me!"

God damnit! Why does Shishikura always butt in at the worst moment? The teacher stands in the aisle of the bus, as the other chaperone, Tai, sticks this head of ruffled blonde hair from his seat.

"Listen carefully, we shall soon be arriving at the hotel for our week's stay in this city. To keep the arrangements simple, there shall be a deluxe room for the boys, and another for the girls, each with enough bunk beds."

"Hey, Mr. Shishikura!" Tamashiro flails his arm about, "Since there are two more guys than girls in this class, do the guys get a bigger room!? Maybe with a mini fridge, or maybe a flat-screen!?"

"My Quirk is flesh manipulation, not income generation, you fiend," Shishikura growls at his student, "They are identical rooms for both sexes."

"We each get a lot more space, girls!" Marie cheers with the four other girls, as Tamashiro whimpers his flat-screen hopes away...

"Prepare to unboard, all of you," Shishikura calls, "We have arrived."

"Yeahhh!" Tamashiro nosedives onto a bottom bunk bed, wrapping himself in the warm bedsheets until he's a shark burrito. "This ain't half bad!"

As I set my stuff down in the boys' hotel room while everyone's picking bunk beds, Kanashimu walks past Tamashiro and I to pick an unoccupied bed on the other end of the room. 

"Hmm?" Tamashiro notices Kanashimu, "Hey dude, don't you wanna pick a closer bed to me so we could chat and stuff?"

"I'm okay," my tall, blonde classmate sighs as he drops his backpack onto the mattress, though it seems he still has weight on his shoulders...

Tamashiro tilts his head. "Oh, well alrighty then... Hey Izumi, wanna take the bed above me?"

Everybody else had picked their bed; Yabusame and Doraikawa scroll through their phones on top bunks while Kyokan and Kusari relax from the long trip on bottom bunks. All the while, Kanashimu sits alone as the odd number of boys leaves him without a bunk mate. Is he... choosing to be alone so I could be mates with Tamashiro?

"Um, sure dude..."

Tamashiro gets up to whisper in my ear, chuckling as usual. "You were about to tell me about that naughty little thing you did at the party. Gahaha! You hound dog, you!"

"W-What!? No, you're m-misunderstanding. Besides Shishikura told us not to take too long as we unpack. We have to leave again to visit the U.A. stadium."

"Ah, that's right," Tamashiro says as he goofily rolls out of the mattress, "We're not actually competing today, right? Events start tomorrow, while today's an opening ceremony. Let's go, dudes! Where there's a festival, there's food!"

"Steaming hot takoyaki, creamy and delicious!"

"Limited edition Shoto merch this week only! Get 'em before they're gone!"

"The opening ceremony of the Festival will begin shortly!"

This booming liveliness, this energetic atmosphere, and this feeling of bittersweet nostalgia, it's all here in front of the U.A. Sports Festival Stadium. The U.A. school building stands tall in the distance with its glossy exterior, a reminder of my first time on this campus months ago. Colonies of stalls selling food and merch line throughout the walkways of smiling visitors. Electronic music stirs up hype for the competitions that will be viewed by thousands of people this week. It's almost starting to excite my nerves just thinking about it...

"You must resist it, Taishiro..." Tai whispers to himself in fiery determination, "You're not Fat Gum anymore... You're a healthy... lean... changed m-man now! Grrrr!!"

"So this is the campus you always talked about!" Tamashiro says as he playfully elbows me.

"Yeah, pretty great, isn't it?" I reply, happily looking around the blowouts of the festival.

"Come along, you two!" Marie comes up from behind Tamashiro and I. "Shishikura's going to scold us if he don't make it to the stadium quickly."

She's right, there will be more time for festivities later. I drag Tamashiro from the takoyaki stands to the U.A. Stadium up ahead, a huge domed building with an open roof. Here goes!

Our class led by Shishikura and Tai go in from the back entrance of the stadium, passing by several groups of students in various uniforms. It almost makes me anxious to see all these different people here, knowing that they're our competition...

We all make it to a private waiting room with a pair of doors that leads to the playing field of the stadium. There's even a small television that shows what's happening on the playing field while we're inside. There's a podium at the very center of the field, and a very recognizable woman in red is stepping up to make an announcement.

"Good day to you all!" It's Creati, the Vice Principal of U.A. High. "Thank you all for joining us in the opening ceremony to kick off this week's events of the Grand Sports Festival!"

Creati is a great part of the U.A. staff, but it's strange how this is the second year in a row that she starts off the Festival. It would usually the Principal, wouldn't it? What was his name again...

"To start with our ceremony," Creati continues, "We'll begin by announcing each of the schools' participants by grade level to present them to all of Japan! First will be the stunning first-years of this country! These students have the most potential for becoming outstanding heroes, so what better way to present them than with an outstanding hero of our own!"

At that moment, a dashing bolt from green lightning plunges from the sky onto the podium, and a legendary man stands where it struck. His evergreen costume with his bright red cape flowing in the wind make him an unmistakable symbol of Japan. 

"Oh, um, hi everyone!"

It's amazing to see you again, Deku.

"HORRRRRAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"

Deku shyly scratches his neck. "Um, I never know what to say during these-- I mean, I did come up with an outline of 44 inspiring hero lessons I learned at my Festivals, b-but I forgot that outline at home, hehe. But, um, I hope I can give some words of encouragement to every student competing in the Festival this year! Let's see, what did I write again? Don't break your fingers, don't break your arms, it's your power Todo- *mumble mumble mumble*."

"GYAHAHAHAHA!!"

Woah, what? There are two dudes flying in air...

"We're the villain duo James & Butch! We're about to make our grand debut to sabotage the Festival right in front of Deku! We're going the history books! GYAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Oh no... Oh shit, those two are screwed. The entire stadium has their eyes on Deku, who glares at the two villains in the sky. Deku's body becomes enveloped in feral black energy, his pupils completely white as the green lightning circuits throughout his arms and legs. He aggressively lifts up a single hand, and with a flick of fingers...

*FFFFFWWWWWWWWWWSHHHHHHHHHH*

A hurricane of air pressure blasts at the pair of villains, launching them away from the stadium like a rocket leaves the Earth...

The crowd is silent, processing what had happened, then...

 "HORRRRRAAAAAHHHH!!!"

That was awesome!!! Deku effortlessly using Air Force to blow those villains into next month! Though, as typical for Deku, the camera shows him extremely flustered, returned to his usual self.

"Ahh! I o-overdid it again! I'm so sorry! W-why are people cheering at this!? Oh w-well, now t-that has been taken of, I guess now it's time for me to announce the six schools that will be competing in this year's festival! First up, we have Ketsubutsu Academy!"

The first group of students enter the playing field, and they are met with thunderous applause. Ketsubutsu students seem pretty ordinary, though it's also the place where that crap actor Yo Shindo graduated from.

"Next up is the girls from Seiai Academy!"

Several girls walk onto the field dressed in all white. Tamashiro's mouth gaps open at the sight of them...

"Then we have the honorable Seijin High!"

A squad of young ninjas in colorful uniforms dash onto the field. From what I've heard, Seijin is a more traditional high school that emphasizes on Japanese tradition and character.

"Here is the talented Isamu Academy!"

More students arrive, and something about these guys make them seem really smart. Probably because Isamu is a very tech-oriented school, and hero course students also have to take a support engineering curriculum.

Deku's eyes light up for his next announcement. "Now, time for the two schools with the years-long rivalry for the title of number one hero school in Japan!"

O-oh boy... we're about to go out there... in front of thousands of people... in front of Deku...

Huh? Something is forced into my hands... it's like a cloth. I turn to my side, where Shishikura stood.

"Ms. Camie made banners for you all," the teacher said in boredom, "She would annoy me further if I were to refuse handing these out..."

Really!? I unfold my banner...

Water Devil

in black on a red background, filled with ocean waves drawn all across. Wow, this is great! I look back up to the monitor.

Deku grins a mighty grin. "Presenting the challengers of the number one spot, Shiketsu High School!"

"Let's go!" Tamashiro bursts down the double doors to the playing field, and the twelve of us students come marching in, swinging our banners behind us.

"HOOOOORRRRAHHHHH!!!!!"

We're met with excited applause throughout the whole stadium, and the sound echoes throughout my entire body. It feels great, everybody in the class with their heads held high as we're brought into the stadium. But this applause doesn't compare to what happens next...

Deku is over by the podium, and he's visibly squinting... Then he starts to wave... waving at me! Smiling right towards me! D-Deku with waving at me! 

As our class stops at our designated spot, Deku returns to announcing. "And finally, you're reigning champions, here is U.A. High!"

"PLUS ULTRA! PLUS ULTRA!! PLUS ULTRA!!!"

W-woah. A squad of twelve students in U.A. uniforms are welcomed by a pep team equipped with flags and drums, and red and blue confetti burst through the air. These people get way more applause and thunder than us, which figures... We're at U.A. after all.

But my focus is on the students themselves , because these twelve are part of the small sample who made it in...

"Thank you to all of the first-year students who will be competing in this year's Festival!" Deku declared, "Before we present the second-years, U.A. has a special present for all of you! I want to invite my talented former classmate, Earphone Jack, onto the stage!"

The stadium roars once more as Earphone Jack comes up from behind Deku with a guitar in her arms. Earphone Jack is incredible, but... I can't stop watching these U.A. guys and girls... if only I knew what failed me at the entrance exam... if only I was a little bit better back then, I could be standing along with them. But no... they're better than me... I can't do this-

"Hey," Tamashiro called out, "Where are you going, dude? Earphone Jack's gonna perform!"

"I need the bathroom..."

Luckily, nothing gross happened when I rushed into a bathroom from inside the stadium. This is an empty space for me to be alone and collect my thoughts, so I turn towards the mirror, staring at my foggy reflection, the guy with the overwhelmed expression and messy, black hair poking from under his devil hat. It's been way too wild lately, from all my crap with Kanashimu to being placed in front of thousands to test my ability, it's like my life if going a million miles per hour and I don't have the pace to keep up... Though, with a deep breath, I realize it's all okay, because Deku's smile right at me reassured that he's cheering me on, no matter which school I'm attending.

Earphone Jack's performance resonates throughout the entire stadium.

"Think I can fly, think I can fly when I'm with you,

My arms are wide, catching fire as the wind blows,

I know that I'm rich enough for pride,

I see a billion dollars in your eyes,

Even if we're strangers 'til we die." 

"You'll be a changed man after today," I tell my reflection, wiping away the cloudy stains obscuring my face. I think I'm alright now, I just have to step outside and face the competition. Leaving now...

"Ah!" Just my luck, as soon as I walk out of the bathroom, I bump right into somebody. A girl's "Yelp!" emits from her voice as she rebounds from my body.

I readjust my horned cap and turn to face her. "Agh, sorry about that. Are you-"

...I'm speechless. All the words in my head are tangled in traffic, all the things I could say and none of it can come out. As I stand stupefied and amazed at who she was, she briefly fixes her U.A. uniform.

"Don't worry, I'm alright!" She says while pulling away her blue hair from obscuring her eyes. "Oh... Wow, it's you!" A look of happy surprise fills her face -- the face I couldn't forget for months, especially with the small horn on her forehead. It's her.

Somehow, I'm able to utter a few words. "You... remember me?"

"Of course I do!" she beamed, "From the entrance exam, right? Your face, with that hair, and with that kind of hat, of course I'd remember you! Maybe this is weird, but when the school year started, I looked around campus to see if you were admitted. It was a little sad that I couldn't find you anywhere..."

She... looked around for me?

She takes notice at my uniform. "Though, it looks like you're going to Shiketsu now, though your cap is really unique! I'm sorry if you didn't pass U.A.'s exam, but I'm glad that you seem to be doing well. Are you competing in the Festival?"

"Ah, y-yeah," I sputter, all my nervousness coming back to me, "I'll be in the Combat event."

"Oh, that's my favorite! I'm a second-year here now, but too bad I'm not competing this year, haha!"

Even while my chest is pounding, "Oh, we never gave each other our names, have we? I'm Kota! Kota Izumi."

"Kota? Great, I won't forget it!" She gives her hair a stroke before she looks back at me. "You can call me Eri. Eri Aizawa."

******************************

U.A. Class 2-A: Eri Aizawa

Quirk: ??? (unknown to Kota)

Birthday: December 21st

Likes: Apples, live concerts

*******************************

Eri... Finally a name to a face that's been unable to leave my mind for months.

"That's a very nice name."

But then I remember why Eri's been so unforgettable for all these months: her smile. The way her mouth curls to the sides of her face looks incredibly forced. Her smile... it's a mask for the pent up feelings she doesn't want people to see. That smile... It's torture to see her with that smile.

"Well, it's been nice meeting you, Kota!"

Huh!?

"Sorry for bumping into you earlier. I hope you do well in the competition! Bye!"

She's- She's about to leave me again! I... I can't let what happened several months ago happen all over again... Think Kota, think! ... I'll just say it.

"You don't have to hide behind a smile."

Eri stops cold in the hallway. We're separated several feet apart with no other people around, simply me gazing worriedly at her back against me.

"Something... doesn't feel right. There's something about you... every time you smile, it feels like there's something you want to say, but can't. If you want to talk about anything that's bothering you, I'll listen."

The statue named Eri simply stands still as her sky blue hair obscures her face. For all I know, maybe I've insulted her...

"I'm sorry, I'm being inappropriate... I shouldn't ask personal questions like that to somebody. I hope you can forgive me... Bye." 

I'm a goddamn moron... I've been so concerned for her, and I stumble on asking her that one important thing...

"Wait."

...H-huh? I turn around, and I meet Eri's face looking back at mine. Upon eye contact, she gasps and retreats her gaze and simply looks toward the floor with a small frown. Standing right in front of me again, Eri fiddles with her fingers.

"Don't apologize," Eri utters, "I'm the one who should be sorry. You're concerned for me after I worried you all the way from back then. Maybe I should be thanking you..."

I'm struck amazed. "S-so, there is something wrong?"

"Yeah... There's something about myself... that I'm bothered by..."

"Really? W-well, you can talk about if you want."

"Um, okay... You see- Uh... the thing is, I- ..."

For some reason, she won't look directly at me... Do I stink? I put on some deodorant a while ago...

"Um... Uh-um... I don't really know how to put it to words... Um..."  Eri starts to nervously shake from her fingers.

My worry escapes from my mouth. "Y-you don't have to force yourself! You can take your time, or if it really makes you uncomfortable-"

"But I don't want to take up all your kindness just to listen to me..." Eri sighs. Then, lets out a gasp. "I- I have an idea! There's this nice café that an old friend used to take me whenever I was feeling down. I'm always relaxed whenever I'm there. D-do you like boba, Kota?"

"Um... Boba?"

"You've never had boba before!? Then you have to come with me tomorrow morning! We can talk and have breakfast while we're there! I'll get to know more about you! Please, please, please!"

"Oh, u-um... sure."

"Amazing!" Eri takes out a tiny notepad from her U.A. jacket, scribbles on it with a pen, and tears out a note to hand it to me. "Sorry, I have to get going now, but here's my number so I can text you tonight about the details! Thank you so much for talking with me, Kota! Don't forget to text me!"

Eri turns and scurries away... with a genuine smile on her face. She might be leaving me out of the blue, but to see a real, cheerful smile on her face...

I stare at the note Eri gave me, and my face starts to feel really hot. Did... Did I just get a girl's phone number? ... AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

The rest of the day was filled with Shiketsu Class 1 being able to explore some of the Festival, after Tai was able to convince Shishikura to let us go. After a bit of takoyaki and some strategy meetings to figure out our plan for the competition, we all end up back in the hotel.

It's about 8:30 PM now, and all seven of us guys are in the room, and most of us are already prepping for bed after what a long day it's been. Kanashimu and Kusari are already out cold on their beds, while Doraikawa wraps up a pleasant serenade from the shower. Yabusame's hammering through some mobile games, and Kyokan's focused on his novel.

Now that the day has finally slowed down, I can text Eri through her number. For some reason, I get nervous as I type each number onto my phone, and as soon as I'm ready to send Eri a text, I'm mindblank on what I should send her... Eventually, after a lot of typing and backspacing, I finally text her something, and she responds very quickly.

I get an address for Maple Leaves Café, a shop that, from what I can tell, isn't too far from U.A. or my class's hotel. Scrolling through online photos, the place actually seems... kinda cute.

This weird tingly feeling in my cheeks... It's like the bright happiness Eri showed before we split up at the stadium is now shining at me through the screen.

"Watcha doing?" Tamashiro climbs up to my top bunk to peer over my shoulder. "Texting somebody? Hehehe, is it somebody other than your cousin, for once?"

"It's nobody," I say, playfully pushing him away with my palm, "Just somebody nice."

"Ha, you're smiling a lot!" Tamashiro grinned, "I bet that's code talk for something else."

"Shut uuuup."

"Mhm, I see you dude, hehehe."

Kyokan from the other bunk puts away the book in his hands. "Will you dolts keep it down? One of you is competing tomorrow, and it's almost bedtime."

"I'm out. Night, dude!" Tamashiro wishes as he flips a peace sign. 

Yeah, it's probably about time to hit the hay. 

And with that, I'll be having an excellent night's sleep tonight.

Dear Diary,

Today was an exciting day! It was the first day of the Grand Sports Festival, and Deku kicked it off with an amazing speech, and I even saw some of Earphone Jack's performance!

Also... something unexpected happened to me today. There was this boy -- he introduced himself as "Kota" -- I had met him all the way back in January when he applied to U.A. He goes to Shiketsu now, and we met again by coincidence and started chatting. I was about to leave, but... my heart stopped when he said he knew I wasn't feeling alright, and he did it very sincerely, too. Diary, you know the things I write on here, so for someone to show their concern for me is... more than what I could ever ask for.

No one's made me feel that way before... I'm feeling heard for the first time in a long while. I owed him an explanation, so we're going to meet for boba tea tomorrow! I'm honestly a little nervous if I should explain everything to him... but I might feel better afterwards.

Kota actually seemed pretty different to when I first met him, and it felt strange to look right at him. He looks more... matured, like he got a few inches taller, and his shoulders were broader... Ah, it's getting late. I'll just write that I'm excited to spend the morning with Kota tomorrow, and hopefully encourage him before he competes later that day!

Yours,

Eri

New chapters will come out a lot more often now, so make sure to subscribe to this story! Next is Chapter 14: "Tea for Two!"

Chapter Text

Bzzzzzt!!

... Ah! Gooooooood morning!

5:55 AM: Perfect. Shut off the buzzer alarm on my phone, hop off the top bunk, everybody's still asleep for bit longer... First one to the shower, alright!

I take off my shirt, my shorts, then I step right into the refreshing, hot water... It's relaxing how the water trickles down from the smile on my face to the rest of my body. Makes me feel like I'm back home by the forest, where all the waterfalls are...

After a few minutes, I shut the water off and briefly dry myself with the towel before I hustle over to my suitcase full of clothes. Heh, I hope the guys don't mind me walking around shirtless while I find something to wear. 

As I walk over, I catch a glimpse of Kanashimu, still peacefully laying fast asleep with his muscular build compact on a comparably small bunk bed. I notice some faded scars on his forearms and shoulders. Memories of our awful confrontation come flooding back into my mind... I'm sorry Kanashimu, but right now I have to be thinking about meeting up with Eri this morning.

From the corners of my ears, I hear some of the other guys rising from their bedsheets.

"You're in pretty high spirits this morning," Yabusame yawns awake, pointing out my clear readiness to start the day. "Does Tarzan have a meeting today?"

"Yeah, I made some plans to have breakfast with somebody," I explain, "It'll just be some tea and talking before the combat event today."

"As you're competing this afternoon," Doraikawa asserts, "Haven't you considered the possibility that Shishikura-sensei wouldn't permit you to go?"

...Shit.

"U-uh... It'll b-be fine!" I calmly panic, "I think I've got a... p-pretty good relationship with Shishikura. He'd let me go if I ask, r-right?"

"Sissycross doesn't make friends with nobody," Kusari jives, "Just ask our resident problem child, Taka the Kid. How many times you've been meatballed, Shark Tooth?"

"H-Hey!" Tamashiro whined, "Only five times... But Izumi bought me food each time, so it was always worth it!" Tamashiro rolls out of his bottom bunk with a wild bedhead of messy, silvery hair and a smile that never tires. "Izumi, lemme help with your outfit!"

"But... Katsuma texted me yesterday..." I utter, "For good luck this week, he let me hold onto the Ultra Deku Hoo-"

"Hell no!" Tamashiro blurts, "I can read between the lines, and I know exactly what you've gotta wear to your powwow this morning. Trust me, my man!" He leaps onto my suitcase and starts digging like a gopher. "Hmm, we'll need this... and that. Oooh, these'll add that 'bad boy' type of look. Ahh, you'll look sick in these! Aaaand you're borrowing this from me, it's washed, don't worry! ...Sweet, throw these on!"

"Uhh, alright." After a bit of time, I look at a full-body mirror in the room. Tamashiro had picked out his short-sleeved black button-up; it fits a bit small on me, but it doesn't look bad, and it's unbuttoned to show my plain-white T-shirt underneath. I also have on some jeans that are light enough for the spring warmth, and Tamashiro said to cuff them at the bottom. He also supported the look of my red sneakers and red cap on me. Hmm, I could roll with this type of look.

"I've invented a masterpiece!" Tamashiro sobbed, "Wahhh, make me proud, my brother!"

"You are all so obnoxiously loud in the morning..." Crap, it's Shishikura walking in! "Hm? Mr. Izumi, you're conspicscouly dressed..."

"Uhh, about that..." I shudder, "Could I maybe... possibly... meet with a f-friend for some breakfast at a cafe nearby? *gulp* Hehe..."

Blocking the doorway for any chance for escape, Shishikura glares that type of glare. "Mr. Izumi, you seem to think you're in the middle of a vacation in Hamamatsu, don't you?" he hissed, "You know, Devil, I hear that Hell is lovely this time of year. How about I throw you in there myself? So help me, if you ever request anything so irrelevant to squashing those U.A. cockroaches, I shall-"

"Morning, Seiji!"

"Good morning, Inasa..." Shishikura takes a sip of his coffee. A few quiet moments pass... until the realization comes to him-"PFFFT!!! INASA!?! Ah, err... Gale Force!?  What in utter hell are you doing here in the other side of the country!?"

Gale Force grinned a silly grin. "Here to chaperone for the Festival, duh! These are my students too, Seiji! I ALREADY MISSED THEM SO BADLY!!"

"That doesn't answer anything, you nimrod! HOW are you here?"

"Aaaah. So, it looked like there was a bit of a mix-up with the plane ticket you gave me! The flight attendant told me that ticket was a one-way trip to Antarctica and asked me if I was sure I was at the right flight. Weird, huh? I said 'No way!' cause I wanted to be with Seiji and the kiddos! The airport was nice enough to get it all figured out, and I hopped onto a late flight to Hamamatsu! Isn't that great? HAHAHAHA!!!"

"My wonderful plan... ruined by a mere flight attendant..."

"What was th-"

"Nothing! Inasa, go away! The blonde string bean and I are enough chaperones needed for this trip and your presence is a hinderance to my class's ultimate effort to destroy-"

"Hiiiii, Seiji-chan!"

"Hello, Camie. Anyhow, Inasa, you- ...CAMIE!?"

Camie pokes out from behind Gale Force. "What's up, homeslice breadslice?"

"That's MY question!" Shishikura boomed, "Don't you have duties on campus?!"

"I got a totally chill sub to cover my stuff for me!" Camie cheers, "Anything to support Seiji-chan and my most adorable freshies! I hope they loved the banners I made for them!"

Gale Force flips a happy thumbs-up. "Seiji, hope you don't mind if Camie and I crash in your room with Tai for the week!"

"I A-ABSOLUTELY MIND!!"

Camie tilts her head. "Hmm? But like, y tho?"

Shishikura's face flares bright red. "I-it's simply improper for an u-unmarried woman to sleep among several men. W-we must have decency..."

"Well," Camie smiles, "we could, like, change one of those things."

"We... we wha-?"

"Yup! I'll just sleep in my own room! I'll go to the reception desk right away!"

"....A-ah, yes, of course."

Gale Force notices me behind Shishikura. "So what're you talking with Izumi-kun about? Looking sharp, young student!"

Shishikura seems too frazzled to speak, so I should probably explain. "I made plans to meet somebody at a cafe nearby, and I was asking if I could go..."

Ms. Camie whispers into my ear without Shishikura hearing. "Spill the tea, is it with a girl?"

"...M-maybe."

"Omg, let him go, Seiji! It'll be a way for Izumi-kun to unwind before the Combat event!"

"Grrr... fine," he scoffs at me, "But if you are not at your best performance this afternoon, you'll be my most gruesome meatball creation yet."

*Gulp* "Thank you! You can count on me!" I grab my phone and wallet and I rush around the three teachers to make my way.

Camie and Tamashiro both wink at me as I leave. "Have fun!" What are they on about?

Walking down the streets of Hamamatsu, it's this fierce blend of emotions. The city's beautiful during this midspring morning; farmer's markets, glassy skyscrapers that reflect off the sunlight, doves flying through the morning sky. But there's also this weird... swirly feeling in my stomach as I walk close and closer to the café, like it's the itching mystery of what Eri was trying to say to me at the stadium yesterday.

Gruuuuumble... 

Oh, I'm just hungry, hehe...

Ah, I'm here! Maple Leaves Café, a corner shop with a nice, homey feel to it. You can just smell the awakening fragrance of ground coffee and the delicate aroma of freshly baked pastries... I wonder what friend Eri said introduced her to this place.

As I check the time, it's 6:50 AM; Eri's not here yet, and it looks like the café doesn't open for another ten minutes. I should text her...

"Hey, I'm a bit early, so I'll be waiting right here for you."

With not much else to do but wait, I might as well scroll through my phone. I haven't been keeping up with hero news in a while... Hm?

"Underground Turf Wars Grow in Severity Near Western Japan"

What's this? Shiketsu is over by the west...  maybe I'll give it a read-

"Boo!"

AHHHH!! Something's behind me! I turn around and... it's the sun. The sun- she beams brightly at me from where I sit. The sun has her brilliant, sky blue hair coursing around her fair complexion. Her big, round eyes had the colors of a bright red sunrise. Finally, her gleaming white horn is the moon that pairs her face in the daylight to create one of the most spectular sights in nature.

"Hahaha!! You get startled so easy, Kota. I'll keep spooking you and that'll be part of your hero training, haha!"

"Haahaa, very funny Eri, hehe... Oh, you're a second year. Sh-should I call you senpai?"

"You're seriously thinking about that right now? Well, aren't you a gentleman? Eri's just fine, haha!"

As I get up to properly greet Eri, one thing immediately stood out. Eri stood a bit taller than me when I first met her in January, but I guess I must've had some kind of growth spurt if she only reaches up to my eyes. She's dressed cozy casual with a delicate, cream-colored cardigan over a black blouse designed with daisies all over it. Her pearly white leggings contrast with the tan-colored flats on her feet and the small gray bag over her shoulder. Finally, her blue hair was braided from one side of her head as the rest of it went flowing down past her shoulders.

It looks like she put some effort into looking nice. I should complement her...

"Um, I... uh..."

Eri tilts her head. "Hm? What's up?"

"I, um... like... what you're... your horn."

"...My what?"

"Y-your horn. It's... *gulp* nice."

"Oh, um..." Eri blushed, "Thanks! I like how your hair kind of pokes out of your hat like that. Was that on purpose? Looks nice!"

...What the hell is this? I feel like a jammed printer. It's just conversation, Kota, keep up!

Eri gasps and pulls on my arm. "Oh look, they're opening up the shop! And we're the first ones here, so we'll get everything super fresh! Let's go!"

"R-Right..."

Eri nudges me as we stand side by side in front of the menu. "Sooo Kota, do you know what're you're gonna get?"

"There's... so many options... what the hell is a 'grande' or a 'venti'?"

"Pfft, that's for coffee, you dork! Try the milk tea boba with everything on it, you'll love it! Ah, and let's share some apple fritters! Have you had one before? They're amaaazing!"

"Um... sure."

A college-aged girl walks up to the register. "Morning! Can I help you both?"

"Yeah!" Eri smiles, "Two milk tea boba and a box of apple fritters, please!"

"Absolutely. That will be... 1000 yen."

"Sure! Let me just find my money in my bag really qui-"

"Here you go," I say, handing the 1000 yen bill to the cashier.

"Thank you! I'll bring your order shortly."

Eri's just staring at me. Did... Did I do something wrong?

"You- you just paid for the whole thing!"

"Yeah, don't guys usually pay for stuff like this?"

"Oh no, I feel so bad- I asked you to come a-and I'm already troubling you, I-"

"Don't worry about it," I reassure her with a smile, "How's your morning?"

"Oh, um... it's nice, hehe..."

The cashier from earlier returns with two drinks and a blue box. "Here you both are! Have a lovely day!"

Eri collects our drinks and food. "Thank you! Here you go, Kota!"

"Thanks, Eri-" Woah. Our hands sorta touched as she was handing me my drink... "Uh, erg- What's this black stuff at the bottom?"

"H-huh? Oh! That's the boba. It's why they call it boba tea! Try it!"

Hmm, maybe it dissolves or something. As we both find a table to sit at, I take a sip into this comically large straw, trusting Eri in what's possibly in this cup. The milk tea enters my mouth, and it's... creamy, silky, absolutely delectable! It faintly tastes like coffee, without the aggressive coffee flavor. It's really goo-

...Holy hell, what is this? It's round... and squishy, borderline slimy... This weird, foreign matter that went up my straw has invaded the silky tea in my mouth...

My mouth leaves the straw. "Um, somebody put their balls in my tea..."

"HAHAHA!! You're killing me, Kota!" Eri playfully slaps my hand on the table as she's unable to suppress her laughter. Did I say something that funny? Eri wipes a laughing tear from her eye. "Boba are kinda like gummy bears, but they're made of tapioca. You know, like the pudding? Chew it!"

Well, she's the master of this, I guess. *chew*

...PURE ECSTACY!!!! THE CONTRAST OF SILKY, CREAMY TEA WITH CHEWY BURSTS OF TAPIOCA IS MAGIC IN A CUP!!!

"Your face is so funny!" Eri giggles, helping herself to a fritter, "You like the boba?"

Crap, I'm too emotional over a drink!"Ahem, um, yeah it's really good I guess. So... should we start talking about what we're here for?"

"Oh... Yeah, I guess we should..."

"You mentioned yesterday that there was something about yourself that bothered you. You wanna start with that?"

**** Switching to Eri's point of view! ****

You've got this Eri... You've been thinking about how to say this all night. Deep breaths... you've just got to lool at Kota in the eyes and explain-

...AHHHHH!!! WHY IS HE LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!?!?! His fierce, blue eyes, they're directly focused at me, the gaze of someone who truly c-cares... I wasn't feeling so jambled and razzled as I stood by Kota b-butnowthatI'msittingdirectlyacrossfromhim...!!! Don't worry Eri, just stay calm, just stay calm, stay calm, staycalmstaycalmstaycalmSTAYCALMSTAYCALM-

I had an entire five paragraph essay thought up in my head about exactly what to say to Kota, and as soon as I saw his face... *poof!* My mind is blank...

Actually, I've never gotten a good look at him yet...That black button-up he's wearing really suits him... His sleeves are tight around his arms... Does that mean he works out? Wait, he's in the hero course, of course he works out, Eri, you klutz! 

Kota looks worried... "Are you okay?"

"I'M GREAT." I shove an entire apple fritter into my mouth stop the weird twitching of my lips. As I chew, I dwell on the nostalgic flavor of apples...

After I gulp down my fritter, I'm ready to tell him. "I'm sorry, I've been stalling until this point. The thing is... I'm afraid of myself..."

Kota frowns. "Afraid... of yourself? What about you is there to be afraid of?"

"I should probably start from the beginning... I've been living at U.A. for almost ten years now."

"W-woah... How come?"

"It's because...  I know I'm a ticking time bomb.

Until I was six, I lived in an underground hell... A horrible man using my young body and my Quirk to fulfill his twisted ideology... I'll save you the awful details, as I'd like to think I've grown past that hell on earth experience." A faint smile curls up on my lips as the memories flow in my head. "What broke me free from that were a team of heroes, many that came from U.A. High. Would you believe me if I told you it included Deku? Hahaha!"

Kota's ocean blue eyes light up in awe and his cheeks glow in happy pink. He... looks adorable, haha!

"Anyways, a U.A. homeroom teacher who helped save me eventually became my stepdad. I love him like he was my real dad, and he's been kindly helping me train my quirk." My face scruntches up as the words come out. "But... it's my quirk that's caused so much pain, so much loss to begin with...

My Quirk... the potential it has is horrifying. That awful man who shackled me... he was going to use my Quirk to turn superhuman society on its head. As I've gotten older, I've understood more and more of this, that this is the reason why so many people are concerned for me. My Quirk's existence is enough of a threat to people...

Throughout my decade of living at U.A., I've met many classes of students from when they became first-years to until they graduated. Everytime my stepdad introduced me to someone new, I would always think "Is this another person who's going to risk themselves for my sake?" It's been like that every school year...

It's no secret that I have a long history with the school, so there's been lots of weird rumors about me, that I'm... one of U.A.'s lab rats or something... Some people even say I cheated my way into U.A., because I was recommended into the hero course so my stepdad could stay close to me... I try to ignore all the gossip behind my back, but I can't ignore how much time and stress people like Deku or my stepdad have put to making sure I'm okay with my Quirk...

Yeah, I'm in the hero course, but for me, I haven't been training my Quirk to become a hero... I've been training my Quirk because I'm terrified of what I could do to the people I care about... the same things I've already done to hurt people I care about...

I know that my Quirk can be used to help people, and I know I've done that before... but these thoughts in my head have gotten so bad that my brain won't let me use my Quirk unless it's an absolute emergency...

It would be better if people just stopped worrying over me... It would be better if I didn't have this cursed Quirk... It would be better if I wasn't around-"

"Stop."

My heart stops as Kota suddenly lifts himself up from his seat. He towers above me from where I stay seated, his expression is... emotional.

"That last thing you said," he declares, "As long as we know each other, promise me you'll never, ever think that again, got it?"

Kota's seriousness... it's just like Deku.

He relaxes into a subtle smile. "There's things about you that you wish you could change... I know exactly how you feel."

"...You do?"

"I hated heroes as a kid. Heroes or villains? It didn't matter to me; they were murderers either way. It was until my own hell on earth experience that I realized there was nothing I wanted more than be become a hero. As I've gotten older, my path has been filled with nothing but regrets. Why did it take me so long to appreciate heroes? How could I have prepared better for my entrance exams? Why do I always fall short for the people who are counting on me? I get it... and that kind of thinking makes you feel pissed off... 

But Eri, I don't care what your Quirk is... I just care that you're Eri. Everyone cares that you're Eri! What's most important is to be proud of who you already are. Be proud that you have the potential and willingness to save people, be proud that you're training at U.A. to do that, be proud that you're able to endure hell on earth and you still live on to make others proud!

...Though I shouldn't talk. Just recently I've let out all my frustrations on somebody who had nothing to do with me, and now I don't know how to forgive myself for that... I guess I haven't really grown up at all after all these years, haha... 

But as I'm saying all this to you, Eri, you're helping me realize that there's some regrets that I have to put behind if I want to be the best hero I can be. I don't know if I've helped you, Eri, but you giving us a space like this so we can talk... you've definitely helped me... so thanks."

"...AH, UM, YOU'RE FINE!! I didn't really do anything... I-I kinda just vented and then you s-started looking really cool, but... I'm glad you're feeling better too!"

"You said you're in the hero course too, right? Then let's both be like Deku the best we can!"

"Y-Yeah! You've got it!"

There's this twitchiness throughout my body... I don't know if it's the sugar, but my nerves are getting to me as I look more at Kota when he speaks... just one more fritter.

Kota gives a small chuckle. "Haha! You sure like those, don't you?"

I look at the box of fritters... it's empty.

"GAHHH I ATE SHEM ALL!!" I shriek with my mouth full of apple fritter, "I'M SHUCH A GLUTTON, I'M SHO SHORRY, I WANTED USH TO SHARE I SHWEAR!!"

**** Back to Kota's point of view! ****

She's eating that doughnut so elegantly... So Deku's important to her, too? Then it would've been perfect to wear the Ultra Deku Hoodie: Deus X Edition... Tamashiro, you dumbass!

"Hey," I tell her, "I still have some time. Do you wanna... walk around a little?"

"*GULP* Uhhh... sure! I'd... I'd like that a lot."

"So I asked him if I could use a new super move, and when he let me, I punched him right in the dick!"

"KYAHAHAHA!! S-Stop, Kota, you're killing me!"

We were walking around Sanaruko Park, a lush green picnic area with an enormous lake that reflected the glorious sunlight.

I nudge at Eri on her shoulder. "Hey, take a look at this!" I let out both of my palms in front of me as I stood in the sun, and I stream some water into the sky. The water falls down to the grass as droplets, and the passing sunlight causes a rainbow to appear in the water.

Eri's lips are wide open. "Woooow, Kota, it looks so handsome!"

"Handsome?"

"Ah! Um, that was a weird word to use... Beautiful, I meant!"

Eri and I stare towards the lake, standing silently side by side for a few moments. The spring weather feels hotter than usual...

 "This is a nice spot," I sigh.

"It is..." Eri sighs, "You'll be going back to Shiketsu once the Festival is over... Could we... do this again, before the week is over?"

"I'd love to," I smile, "...Looks like it's almost time for me to go to the stadium."

"Oh... I know our schools are competing against each other, but... I'll be cheering you on, too!"

"Heh, thanks!" I have to leave, but I don't want to... "Could I at least walk you to the bus stop?"

"Fiiiiiine. Hahaha!! You're so nice, Kota."

Eri, she's something very special...

"There you are dude!"

After rushing back to the hotel to change into my gym uniform, I dash towards the U.A. stadium, where Tamashiro happens to be waiting by the entrance.

Tamashiro smirks and holds out his hand while I rush closer. "How'd your little rendezvous at the café go?"

"It went awesome," I say, meeting his hand for a high five followed by a fist bump, "Good to see you here."

"I just thought I'd psych you up a 'lil bit! You're gonna kill it, Devil, you hear?"

"Thanks, dude. I won't disapoint!" As I jog a few steps past him...

"Hey, dude." Tamashiro stops me. "...With how happy you've been lately... I don't think I have worry about you anymore." Breaking from his usual hyperactive self, he gives me a soft smile...

"...Thanks. That means a lot."

He points a finger at me. "Now go kick some ass!"

Hell yeah! I sprint inside the stadium and rush through the halls-- looking, looking...

I'm finally here: The waiting room for the Shiketsu first-years... I push the door open.

"Heya, Izumi-kun!" Nensho waves with her bright orange hair flailing like fire, "The three of us, let's show that Shiketsu's some top shit!"

That's right... the three of us. I look over across from Nensho, and there he is, sitting on a lonely bench. With the face of my parents' murderer, but the heart of a misunderstood teenage boy, Kanashimu stares towards me... with a look of utter sorrow.

Meanwhile, at a skyscraper in the Keihanshin metro, a secretary named Inta Saguru approaches his boss's office.

Saguru:

*knock knock* "Excuse me, sir, but are you busy?"

???:

"Is that a real question? When the hell am I ever not busy?"

Saguru:

"Ah, sorry sir... I was just wondering if you were interested in watching the combat event for U.A.'s Grand Sports Festival this year?"

???:

"And have to see that Icyhot bastard's face and his class on my screen? No chance in hell."

Saguru:

"Didn't you meet up with Shoto for drinks just last wee-"

???:

"Not important. I'm not watching any damn festival. I'm typing that report for the latest Quirk study. Don't eat up my time."

Saguru:

"You sure? Word has it that those kids Red Riot was telling you about would both be competing for Shiketsu."

???:

"That shitty-haired meathead? Like I care... But, maybe I'll take a look... If it turns out to be boring, it's a cut from your salary, y'hear?"

Saguru:

"Ah, y-yes sir! Geez, soon I'll have to start paying you to be your secretary..."

???:

"The hell was that?"

Saguru:

"N-Nothing! Ring me if you need anything, sir! Bye!" *shut*

???:

"...The Sports Festival, huh... heh, takes me back."

A clash between schools! A clash between two boys' pasts! Stay tuned for Chapter 15: "Fireworks"!

Chapter Text

"Shishikura-sensei!"

"Hmm, Mr. Kanashimu? Is something the matter?"

"I know this is last minute, but... could you please switch me out of the Combat event for a different one?"

"...Explain yourself."

"My family and Izumi's family... have history. This entire time, I had a feeling I was a negative presence around Izumi, and recently that's reached a boiling point."

"I see."

"The Sports Festival is meant to be an opportunity to be recruited for work studies and internships, right?  If me being on the same team as Izumi would make him unable to focus for the entire competition, I could take those recruitment opportunities away from him, and I would never forgive myself for that..."

"..."

Warming up: one of the most nerve-racking parts of any competition. Warming up is a ritual for hoping that all the best will happen when you step onto the playing field, attempting to prove yourself to your team and a crowd upwards of thousands of people. Like a raging tsunami, thoughts about my skill flood my mind. Have I worked on my technique enough? Do I know my body enough to rely on it? It's too late to train any further than I already have. I just have to raise hell during this Combat Event.

In our small gym-like waiting room, I'm warming up with frog squats, readying my legs for me to jump around and fly with my water jets. Nensho is streching byside me, literally fueling herself by downing a bottle of vegetable oil. Over by the corner, Kanashimu avoids facing me as he warms up his arms by curling light dumbbells, seeming lost in thought.

Nensho lowers her bottle to whisper to me. "Kanashimu-kun seems really quiet, don'tcha think?"

"I guess so..."

My biggest shortcoming was not making up with Kanashimu before we have to become teammates, taking my guilt for relating him to the villain who murdered my family and letting it grow like a weed in the garden of my mind. If we can barely face each other, how do I expect us to succeed in this competition?

"Hey, Izumi-kun," Nensho nudges, "Just wondering, what do you wanna get out of the Sports Festival?" 

"What do I want to get out of it? Hmm, I guess maybe getting my name heard out there? Maybe land some offers for work-studies, and also make my inspirations proud. What about you?"

"I like how you think! For me, I've been hopin' I could inspire Asui-chan to be more confident!"

Huh, that's right. Kinda like Tamashiro and Kanashimu, Nensho and Asui have also been hanging out ever since the first simulation test. Nensho always tries to encourage Asui to step out of her comfort zone, like trying to teach Asui how to down a whole bottle of soda in one go, or convincing her to go on rollercoaster rides. Of course, it all leaves Asui coming back to the dorms looking like a ghost.

Flinging up her arms in a relaxed stretch, Nensho looks up to the ceiling. "Lately, Asui-chan's been puttin' pressure on herself to be like her big sis, Froppy, so she's been so afraid of screwin' up just about anything. Freakin' out about grades, workin' on her hero studies, strugglin' to cook like her sis. She even picked a similar hero name to her big sis, haha!"

"Really? I have a friend who gets nervous like that all the time, except it's just a bad habit of his. But, I hope Asui's able to be like her sister, especially if it's you supporting her, Nensho!" 

"Attention all Grand Sports Festival attendees and competitors!"

Huh? With an electronic blip, the monitor in our room presents Earphone Jack, announcing from a podium in the stadium playing field.

"The first years' Combat Event of the Grand Sports Festival is about to begin! Allow me to explain the rules of this event for all to understand. The Combat Event will be a non-stop round robin tournament between all six of our competiting schools. This means that each school will be combatting with every other school for exactly one round each!

Teams of three students each will compete against each other in a game of triple sumo! The objective of the game is to knock all three members of the opposing team outside of the playing area. Once you're out of the playing area, you're out for that round! The rest of your team will have to resume the rest of the round without you. 

Also, one more thing: there are no breaks between matches! As soon as two schools that have not yet faced each other are available for another match, those two schools will face each other immediately! As a hero, you have to understand there are some fights you cannot win. It might be strategic to forfeit a difficult match early to save your energy for later matches, so strategize with your teammates!

Whichever school has the most wins under their belt is considered the winner of the combat event, which will be important in deciding which two schools will compete in the final event!

Taping Hero: Cellophane will be acting as our chief referee during these events, able to step in whenever the event goes out of hand, like last Christmas when Chargebolt thought he could zap an entire raw turkey until it was cooked and almost burned the entire dorm. 

Now, here are the starting matchups among the six schools!"

...It looks like Shiketsu is starting off against Ketsubutsu Academy, then against every other school in a pretty much random order, including U.A. High. For a while, I didn't know how to feel about competing against my dream school, but maybe this'll be a chance to flex at U.A. and make them feel that they missed out on Kota Izumi!

Earphone Jack points straight toward the camera. "Now, all of our competitors, please step onto the playing field and get ready to begin!"

"Hell yeah!" Nensho bursts, rushing towards the entrance to the playing field, "Let's go, boys! Time to brawl!"

Stumbling to my feet, I'm surprised to see Kanashimu standing beside me, in all of his tall and built frame. As I look up to him, his remorseful expression holds back from meeting mine, trying to choke up words stuck in his throat.

"Nrg..." He hesitates, visibly trying to avoid stepping on a landmine after being aware of my parents' history. "I'm... Good luck out there..." His ash blonde hair swooshes over his eyes, masking them as he turns and walks towards the playing field.

As it turns out, Kanashimu has the greater courage to say anything than I do.

Warm sunlight from the stadium's open ceiling hits my face, and the thrilled cheers of hundreds of spectators fill the ears of all eighteen of us student competitors, three from each school. I gander around the stadium for familiar faces; all the pro heroes are seated together in one region of the stadium. The butcher in black, Shishikura, glares at our team with iron-heavy expectations while Camie and Gale Force appear to be munching on stadium food. Not far from them is one of two observers that everyone in the stadium has their eyes on: Shoto, who calmly sits with his arms crossed, waiting for see how three of his students will perform in this event. Sitting next to him is the one and only Deku, excitedly scribbling on a notebook as he gazes at all of the students.

Cellophane, the hero known for his bottomless positivity, is looking pumped up from a podium overseeing three small, concrete battlefields. The clamour of the roaring crowd shakes each step I take up the stairs, ascending further and further into climatic pressure. The Ketsubutsu competitors appear from the other side; they're super plain, and they don't seem to pose much of a challenge. Cellophane lifts a slab of tape to use as a flag, grinning in excitement.

"When I say Go! Ready?... Set...

...

GOAT!!  Gahahaha!! I got you all!"

Cellophane, you're too likeable but... screw you, man.

"Hyahaha, wow, tough crowd! Okay, for real now. Ready? Set... GO!"

Awful wouldn't even begin to describe it. Four out of five matches, all having gone horribly wrong. Not like we lost any of them, not like the teams from opposing schools like Ketsubutsu or Seiai were too tough to beat. Most of them knew that Shiketsu was a powerhouse, and they clearly saw that as Nensho would dominate every match with her vicious Quirk to ignite fuels inside her body, causing many of our opponents to fall victim to her explosive punches and a few surrendering the match early.

So why were these four matches awful? Well...

Nensho flawlessly dodges explosions and falling projectiles with her improved speed. Upon landing, she heatedly hisses at Kanashimu and I. "Pick up the pace, you two! You think I can carry these matches by myself?! I'm beggin' you, get out of your heads and help me out!"

I stumble onto my feet, aching from a pathetic crash landing of my water jets. I've always been able to land those, but this time there's this throbbing headache -- images of that hulking villain with the prosthetic eye after my corpse...

Despite his impressive strength and built physique, Kanashimu is reluctant to use his Quirk at all, simply resorting to feral punches and kicks that chip away at his stamina and mental stability. He's half-pretending that I'm not even here, and half-attempting to step away from my reckless attacks.

"And Shiketsu secures their fourth victory in a row!" Earphone Jack broadcasts, "Shiketsu's Jonetsu Nensho tears up the competition every time! But what will Shiketsu do about their incoordination between Kota Izumi and Hatsuiku Kanashimu? We'll see in this final battle of the event!"

Damn it... Everybody is seeing how pathetic I can be when I let cursed thoughts infest my head. We're both at our wit's end. We both knew this was not how we usually performed at Shiketsu. This unintentional psychological warfare between us seems to have no end. Shiketsu is winning all of its matches, but we aren't winning at all.

But as Earphone Jack said, our final battle with the final school still awaits us. I don't know if it's by pure coincidence, or by some thread of fate, but the most daunting competitors were saved for last: 

"It's the match-up you've all been waiting for! The fierce rivalry between U.A. and Shiketsu High is about to unfold! Both schools have four wins under their belts, meaning this match will surely decide which school's first-years are the best in combat!"

Stepping onto the concrete battlefield for the fifth and final time is agonizing; the crowd has  silenced in excruciating suspense, and my body feels like a heaping ton of jello, drenched in the sweat of stress and humiliation.

Finally reaching the top, the members of the U.A. team are becoming visible from the other side. The first one, with his messy, chocolate brown hair, cheerfully hops onto the battlefield.

"Oh goodie!! Finally, we're facing Shiketsu! This is going to be sooooo much fun! C'mon, Hitomi, stop being so sulky and hurry on up!"

A guy with long, smokey gray and white hair covering part of his baggy eyes comes to the top. He looks completely uninterested.

"Pipe down, Fudo, you're being irrational. They hold this boring Festival every year, and U.A. always tops. Besides, the slowpoke behind me is taking much longer..."

The last one steps up slowly, and what's immediately noticable is his wild, blue hair... Wild, blue hair? Wild, blue hair... Wait- N-no... There's no way... There's literally no possible way. I-It's him... from back then?

"You've been waiting for this, haven't you, Karafuru?"

He gives a sneering smirk. "Hell yeah, Hitomi! I'm ready to blow up the competition!"

Th-that name... I remember it clearly now. Basuto Karafuru, from the entrance exam! He's... He's the one who was about to blow up in front all the applicants before Shoto had to freeze him into a damn popsicle. He's a first year at U.A. High... and I'm not?!

"YOU!" I scowl,"How the hell were you able to get into U.A.!? You screwed up your Quirk demonstration in front of Shoto before it even started! HOW DID YOU CHEAT YOUR WAY IN!?"

Karafuru notices my call out, first seeming confused, then he puts the most shiteating grin. "Screwed up my Quirk demonstration? I dunno what you're talking about, you amateur! Maybe if you worked a bit harder on the entrance exam, you'd be standing here with us!"

This is BULLSHIT! All my effort, all my training, all my anxiety just to be rejected by my dream school... but THIS asshole was somehow admitted?! I thought I was numbed to the pain of rejection after arriving to Shiketsu, but this rubs salt on that wound. I'm... beyond PISSED OFF!!

Cellophane smirks with his hand in the air. "Woah! Looks like we've got archenemies in this fight! No jokes here then! This match is when it gets serious! Are we ready? ...Set? ...GO!"

"FLORIDA GEYSER!"

TAKE THIS TO THE FACE, KARAFURU!!

"Phase 1!"

KRRRRRRRR!!!!!

Huh? The hell?! The ground between both our teams begins to rumble and shatter with a thunderous scream. A stoney spike pierces the center of the playing field, shielding the U.A. team from my aquatic blast, damn it!  But the spike doesn't stop rising -- it grows taller and wider as it cracks out of the ground, advancing up to the stadium's height until a towering mountain evenly divides the battlefield!

The one who was called Fudo echoes out from behind the mountain. "Whoopsie! I thought we could use a change in scenery!"

****************************

U.A. Class 1-A:  Daichi Fudo

Quirk: Terraforming - Can transform a surface to resemble the rocky terrain of the earth, generating small mountains, trees, and patches of grass

Birthday: April 22nd

Likes: Long hikes, scented hand sanitizers

***************************

This rocky barricade has split the battlefield into two different worlds; it's wider than the battlefield, meaning there's no getting around it. How are we supposed to fight?

"Lemme help you out, Izumi!" Nensho charges toward the rocky barricade with a heated, explosive fist, "A mountain like this is aching for some demolition!"

"Phase 2!"

From the mountain's peak, a shadowy figure is crouching on top of the mountain's peak. It's the one called Hitomi, who's opening his mouth wide like a vicious predator. Then, a strange, pale foam shoots like darts from his mouth!

The foam sloshes onto Nensho, attaching itself different parts of her body like falling snow. "I've done grosser things than this, buddy! It won't stop me making this huge rock crumble down!"

Nensho jams a plain fist into solid stone...

"OW OW OW OW!!!" Nensho flails her pained hand, "Hey, why didn't my fist go kaboom?"

Does it have to do with that white foam? I'll just wash it off of her!

*SPLAT!*

Ergh! I've gotten so preoccupied that darts of foam have stuck to me as well... No matter! My Quirk will handle this! ... Huh? Water won't come out of my hands? What the hell is this annoying foam!?

**************************

U.A. Class 1-A:  Tayasu Hitomi

Quirk: Extinguisher - Allows the user to secrete a white, foamy solution from their mouth, and any targets that make contact with this foam have their Quirks extinguished and temporarily disabled

Birthday: January 16th

Likes: Cats, all-nighters

**************************

The foam cancels Quirks... Luckily, Kanashimu has been staying at the very back and staying out of range from Hitomi's foam, but he's still not putting up a fight!

Hitomi faces back to his team. "I've extinguished two of the three. The third one is too far to reach, but his Quirk is short-ranged anyway. With this, our victory is guaranteed."

"You sure, Hitomi-kun?" Fudo echoes from the other side, "Old Aizawa-san will get upset if you leave your job half-baked!"

Aizawa? That's Eri's last name.... Gah, snap out of it, Kota! You're in trouble without your Quirk!

"Phase 3!"

Hsssssssss......

BOOM!! B-B-BAHBOOM!!!

As if the sky is falling, a barrage glowing projectiles rain from the sky with the force of missiles. Cherry red explosions swallow entire edges of the battlefield, sunlight yellow flares scatter the ground like fiery spikes, and ocean blue eruptions zoom directly towards our feet!

BOOM! Damn it! One explosion nearly burned me! I know exactly whose Quirk this is...!

***************************

U.A. Class 1-A:  Basuto Karafuru

Quirk: Firework - Allows the user to fire explosive projectiles by heating the air between their hands to extreme temperatures

Birthday: July 4th

Likes: Hot dogs, burning ants in the sun

*****************************

GAHHHH!!!! That Karafuru... he could barely control his Quirk during the entrance exam. How the hell did he master it in just a few months!?

Karafuru echoes from the other side of the monstrous barricade. "How you like that, Shiketsu shit-lickers!? This is our Three-Phased Scorched Earth Strategy!"

Scorched Earth? Shiozaki wrote a heroics report about this...

"A scorched earth policy is a presently-used war strategy dating back to the Greeks and Romans. It aims to first take out whatever is most valuable to the enemy, such as food supplies, to severly weaken them before finishing them off."

Grrr, in this case, they chose to take out our Quirks after putting up an enormous barricade between us to stop Shiketsu from having a fighting chance. Now they're hiding like cowards behind a wall and relying on waves of fireworks to knock us ou-

BOOM!!! KABOOM!!!

GAAHHH!!! Another firework flings me towards the edge of the battlefield, landing on my side. It hurts... the air is superheated from the fireworks, Nensho is throbbing from an aching hand, and Kanashimu is standing completely dazed. This is really how we lose to U.A.? How pathetic...

"Kotaaaaaaaa!!!"

It's... a girl's voice. It's her voice. All the pain in my body seems to numb, as I turn to the auidence and see the sparkling sun. It's Eri, face full of confidence and belief as her horn glitters like a beacon of hope.

"No regrets!"

She's repeating the same advice I had given her earlier this morning... How could I have forgetten? Eri, the Pussycats, Deku -- they're all watching me struggle... It's time to let the demons out of my chest. Every regret, every frustration, every single thing I've been letting me eat at my life -- I abandon it all to this one primal scream for help:

"KAAAANASHIMUUUUUU!!!"

His name reverberates across the entire stadium to the shock and surprise of everyone, especially the owner of the name.

Rising from the recoil of the last firework, I meet eyes with Kanashimu for the first time in days."Listen! I'm sorry for everything! All the bullcrap that I spat out about you being a monster,  all the times I treated you like dogshit -- ALL OF IT!! It was me clinging onto a nightmare I wouldn't move on from. You're training to become a hero like I am; you and I are equals! I'm willing to put aside my own parents' deaths if it means we can start over! So please... forgive me and BE OUR HERO!!"

Kanashimu stands stunned, eyes wide and mouth gaped open. He processes everything, breathing deeply, then he goes into deep thought...

"Mr. Kanashimu."

"Huh? What is it, sensei?"

"With how much you and Mr. Izumi have already endured in your lives, do you really believe you do not have the fortitude to overcome this obstacle?"

"Shishikura-sensei, I..."

"The longer you let your past haunt you, the more people will get hurt. Live in the present, because the present is when people need you the most. Now... go make hell with the Water Devil."

"I won't let the past... haunt me any longer!" Kanashimu grips his fists tight, and his grief-stricken eyes have filled with battle-hungry determination!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

With a blaring battlecry, Kanashimu tenses his arms and legs as red muscles coat his body like armor, doubling his body mass before he charges past me and leaps onto the mountain! He climbs up the mountain like King Kong up a skyscraper, going from ledge to ledge as he approaches the top!

"Karafuru!!" Hitomi scolds, "What the hell are you waiting for!? Knock them down with your Quirk!"

"H-huh!? Yeah, r-right!"

At that instant, a new volley of colorful fireworks rain onto Kanashimu as he scales the mountain.

"I've figured the fireworks out!" I shout, "They're color-coded: red are huge bursts, yellow are scattershots, and blue are heat-seeking! You can dodge them by knowing that!"

"Got it!" Kanashimu uses his reinforced leg muscles to skillfully scale past each firework and continute moving onward! Hitomi attempts a few extinguishing darts, but retreats from the peak as the big muscular bulldozer evades these as well, building tremendous speed as he approaches the top. 

"Flex Fist!"

Kanashimu hurls a massive, muscular fist onto the very peak of the mountain, decapitating it! An enormous hunk of stone snaps and starts to fall over the U.A. team! 

"Shit!" Karafuru barks, "We're about to be killed!"

Cellophane was ready to hop in at the last moment before the giant stone crushes the three U.A. students... before Fudo places his hands on the ground and grows a massive tree that catches the stone in its branches! "That was... too close... AHHH!!"

Then, with an earthshattering thud, Kanashimu lands on his feet on U.A.'s side, and stands over the trio like a menacing titan. They're too petrified at the malicious smirk on Kanashimu's face to react at all!

Are you wondering how I'm able to see all this from the other side of the mountain? Well, that's because Kanashimu has been carrying me on his back the entire time, and he was able to shake off all the foam on my body! 

"Seattle Tidal Surge!"

"G-gahhhh!!"  Fudo and Hitomi are carried by the fierce torrent of water as it catapults them out of bounds!

"Fudo, Hitomi, damn it!" Karafuru calls, "Come back! ...O-oh. *gulp* H-hey there, hehe..."

Kanashimu and I stare down at Karafuru as we're all hidden from view under Fudo's colossal tree. We smile at each other with wicked looks in our eyes.

"A-about what I said earlier..." Karafuru shudders, "Um... You're not that bad! Hehe... please be gentle..."

"DALLAS DICK PUNCH!!!"

With the most satifsying sound I've heard in my life, Karafuru lets out an intense grunt as my fist collides with his... rocket, sending him flying out of bounds with his teammates! We... we did it!

Cellophane stares at Fudo, Hitomi, and Karafuru bunched up out of bounds, then after a few seconds, he confirms the results: "A perfect 3-0 victory for Shiketsu High!"

"HORRRRRRRAAAAAHHHHH!!!!"

"What an upset!!" Earphone Jack announces to the crowd's amazement and surprise, "A sudden turnabout between Kota Izumi and Hatsuiku Kanashimu crushes U.A.'s strategy and wins Shiketsu the event! This will certainly look spectacular for Shiketsu's consideration in the final event!"

It's still unbelievable -- how Kanashimu and I were able to put everything aside to quickly finish U.A. We just look at each other... and smile. 

"Heyyyy guys!" Nensho runs up to give us both a squeezing hug, "You boys were keeping all that punch!? You're both some powerhouses!"

Looking around the stadium, I see the faces I saw earlier. Deku gives a standing ovation as he claps with a gleaming smile! Shishikura, thrilled and wildly out of character, wiggles his butt to taunt Shoto, who ignores him and simply looks mildly impressed by the outcome. 

"This has been the first years' Combat Event! All competitors are dismissed for the second years' time to shine!"

[You may turn off ongoing audio.]

"That was RADICAL!!" Nensho skips and flips around the hallway back to our lockers, a face full of thrilled cheer as Kanashimu and I simply watch, walking side by side. "You guys KILLED it out there!"

Only you killed it the entire time, Nensho, haha.

While our steps echo in this hallway, I look down to the palms of my hands. Something weird was happening while I was using my Quirk at the very end of the match -- something that, from what I can remember, has never really happened before... Usually, the water leaving my hands is as warm as my body temperature, but when I let out that knockout blow onto U.A.'s team, the water felt... much warmer than that?

"GASP!" Nensho blurts, "You think everybody from class are waitin' for us with a victory banuqet? I hope Asui-chan made her big sis's recipe for pasta! I must investigate!!"

Nensho speeds away from the hallway on her quest for that heavenly pasta.

Well, now it's just me and him, the previous symbol of all my anguish, in this dead quiet hallway. Kanashimu glances towards me as I glance back at him, and although the pained grief has been wiped away from his face, his stiff nervousness remains.

In the awkward atmosphere, I try patting his back. "Hey, do you want to talk?"

Kanashimu relaxes, even smiling for a bit. "Yeah, I do... There's a lot I feel I should tell you about."

We settle down in an empty locker room, seated face to face with each other, just like that night of the party.

Kanashimu takes a deep breathe, eyes closed as he seems to gather this thoughts. And then... he breaks the ice.

"I need to tell you about... the Carnal Murderer: Muscular... my father."

A secret love child or something!? Find out on Chapter 16: "The Heart is a Muscle, Too"!

Chapter Text

"The Carnal Murderer: Muscular... my father."

Hearing those words from Kanashimu -- it's the type of disbelief that hits like a downpour of ice cold water. The shivering of my spine crawling up my back, the paranoid twitching of my fingers as they retreat into my palms, the shock that I was right all along: this guy is related to Muscular, the scumbag who stole Mom and Dad from my life. 

But it felt strange... I wasn't angry. I wasn't disgusted by what I learned. I simply look towards Kanashimu, who just sits by the lockers, looking anxious for my reaction. Even if I try to feel angry at him, I- I just can't... I just feel... sad.

"That's not the face I was expecting," he marvels.

"No, it's just... I feel bad. My parents have long been dead, but... you're living with the fact that your dad is a murderer. I don't mean to pity you... I just can't imagine what that's like."

He's silent, gathering each word I've spoken... and he lightly curls up a somber smile. "Tch, you're pretty soft for a devil.

"Hey, I'm just being honest!"

This thick, menacing fog of mystery that swirled between us seems to be lifting, and Kanashimu is starting to seem like an ordinary guy with real emotions, something that's been clouded by my memory of Muscular.

But now that my fears are gone, all there's left is curiosity. "So, what's life like for you?"

He glances up, the shadows in his eyes sharp enough to cut steel. "You really wanna know?"

Kanashimu quietly takes a few moments with himself, calmly taking deep breaths...

"I grew up in Airinchiku, the trashier side of Osaka. If Hell really does exist, my hometown's the closest thing to it. Every night was something brutal, whether it was a police riot or somebody's blood painting the pavement, the underworld of petty villains was visible in every street corner. 

I lived in a small shack in town, nothing really comfortable. Living in the crossfires of a bunch of people's bullshit, none of that sits right when you're a kid. But even though the neighborhood was sick and twisted, nobody dared to threaten me.

My father, Muscular, as they called him, was the head honcho of all of the town's fight clubs and police riots. Everybody respected him, or else he'd make a bloodbath outta you, and that kept me safe as a result. If the famous Hero Killer: Stain believed he had a reason to kill, my father had none of that, demolishing people for the enjoyment of it. But what made him the most terrifying is that... he seemed completely normal at home."

"Normal?"

"I never knew about my father's crimes. At the shack, you wouldn't tell that he was a monster. We never had any real father-son connection, and he'd be gone for several days straight, but he always left me food and he was never violent towards me. I thought that's just what fathers do, going off to do his business while I stayed home, away from all the violence outside. I didn't think there was more to that to a father..."

"...What about your mom?"

"Never knew her."

He had no mom? At least I still had Cousin Shino, but to have no family to bond with...

Kanashimu's face clenches up. "And then, everything changed 10 years ago, when my father was arrested.

When I was five, my father got involved in a raid led by a squad of dangerous villains. I only learned about this several years after it happened. The news that he was captured by police came as an outrage throughout the slums. That was also the time when... I could move little red threads of muscle from my arms. My Quirk had manifested.

With my newly discovered Quirk, and nothing between me and the goons in town, they started trying to turn me into the new Muscular. Either they saw violent potential in me, or they were taking out their hidden hatred of Muscular onto his son..."

"Come on, bud! It's easy, just take the brick and slam it right through the puppy's skull!"

"I- I don't want to... It looks like it's scared of me..."

"You got a problem, kid? You'll get a nice rush afterwards!"

"P-please, leave me a-alone..."

"DAMN IT! Your daddy woulda crushed this runt wit' no question!"

"NO! S-STOP!! DON'T HURT IT!!"

"At that young age was when I started to learn what kind of man my father really was. My father broke living things... until they stopped moving... People that were thriving with life and had entire families, suddenly had that life ripped out of them as they spilled blood... blood everywhere... Anybody who would find pleasure in murdering people, like my father would... was human scum that didn't deserve any sympathy."

As he spoke, I couldn't help but trail my eyes along the faint scars on Kanashimu's forearms.

"What it took to survive was just lay low as best I could... I'd still walk myself to school and buy myself food with whatever money I could earn. Sometimes, conflict was unavoidable, and that's when I had to pick between fight or flight.

But I've gotten so pissed off about adapting to that life that I needed to escape from it, so I applied to Shiketsu with the hope of saving more lives than what my father has taken. I've never been able to get an exact body count of how many live's he's killed, but if I just save as many as I can, hopefully I could atone to the families of his victims."

"That's..." I utter, "That's amazing, Kanashimu." Until now, I was being so selfish about losing my parents. I never stopped to realize that there are countless other people who have suffered from Muscular's acts of genocide.

"When I first met you, I honestly had no idea about who you were or what had happened to your parents. I only noticed that you seemed very agitated when you were paired up with me for Shishikura's first exercise.

You were real' aggressive when we fought, but I didn't think much of it. If anything, you made a really good challenge. The ways you threw me around and kept on my toes -- it felt refreshing to go all out and be rough with you.

Out of luck, I got you out of bounds, and then... you stopped moving... When that happened, it shook me a little, because... for a split second, I was thinking maybe I killed you.

This panic and agony was eating at me to know if you were okay, because the thought of killing somebody, no matter how unlikely, just makes me sick to my stomach... You eventually came back to the classroom, but you had this disgusted look in your face, and it cracked something inside me. I felt I could've seriously hurt you, and that I should apologize...

Thing is... I'm not a people person, I never grew up learning how to talk to people, so I didn't know how to approach you... I thought if I just wander nearby and watch you, you'd notice me and start the conversation. All that must have done was creep you out even more, and I felt your hatred of me grew bigger and bigger... Over time, I just got more and more agitated and frustrated that I'd never be able to talk to people...

But then, something got my hopes up -- it was when I got to know Tamashiro. He only came off as annoying during the first simulation exercise, somebody who'd never shut up about teamwork and how awesome Izumi is. He even kept talking to me days after the exercise, and I was almost about to beat the shit out of him, but... he seemed genuinely interested in me, so I started talking with him, and I guess we became close. Oh, um... Sorry if I've been stealing him from you lately..."

That entire time, he was just trying to talk to me... "What? Oh, it's fine! Tamashiro's friends with everybody, so I can't own him, haha."

"Yeah, it was Tamashiro who gave me the courage to talk to you on the night of the party... The way he's always and makes everybody laugh, and he was even willing to be my friend... I often told him about I'm no good at talking with people, and he taught me to always take a deep breathe, and speak from the heart. His advice got me to open up to him more, and I felt ready to speak to you, too. Though, I think I let out my pent-up frustration when I did that...

And then... you spilled everything to me. 

'You're the walking nightmare I could never escape from, never heal from... If you're at all related to that scumbag... from now on, I'm going to make you get the hell out of my way!'

There was no doubt -- it was my father that stole your parents from you, and my family curse had come back to trample any chance I had to a normal life...

At first I thought it was cruel fate that got us to be in the same class in Shiketsu, but as I thought about how many people were killed by my father, it only made sense that I would eventually run into the son of two of his victims.

After that, I felt it was impossible to be in any good terms with you, but I couldn't blame you. Being constantly reminded of the greatest loss of your life, I didn't want to put you through that, so I tried my best for us to not cross paths. Of course, the Sports Festival made that impossible, but I'm glad we were able to make it to victory."

"Wow... I'm sorry to have put you through some of that..." Listening to Kanashimu's story, I've developed a deeper understanding of what he's been thinking the entire time, and how wrong I've been to judge him. "But it's weird; in all of the news reports I've read relating to Muscular's arrest, the last name 'Kanashimu' never came up once."

He breaks into a cold sweat. "I should come clean... Kanashimu isn't even my real last name."

"...It's not?"

"No, my last name comes from my father's side. After I left Airinchiku, I decided I wanted nothing to do with the human scum that's my father, so I decided to adopt a new name that meant 'mourning' and 'grievance' to pay my respects to all of his victims."

"Woah... so that's why Kanashimu is also your hero name. Well then, no offense but... It's kinda weird to call you Kanashimu now. It'd be like if you constantly called me Water Devil... not that I would mind, of course."

"You're right, I guess made things a little awkward again..."

I ponder at how I could address him. "Ah! You know what'd be cool? If you had a nickname!"

"A nickname? There's one people called me back home, but... I never liked those people."

"Yeah? Come on, tell me."

"...Hatsu."

"Ah, like your first name, that's awesome! Why not use it?"

"And be reminded of home every time somebody calls me that? That name's like an insult to me..."

"Don't think of it like that. If you only let specific people call you that, you can give that nickname a whole different meaning."

"...I mean, I guess I've already exposed so much of myself to you." He sits quietly, thinking to himself. Clearly, he's fighting an internal battle of the life he was forced to have versus the life he wants to have. Eventually, he lifts up with a small smile. "Yeah, I'd like it if you and Tamashiro called me Hatsu."

"You've got it! 'Kanashimu' was bit of a mouthful anyway."

"And, um, Izumi," he says hesitantly, "I just want to make sure. Your parents' murders will never be forgiven, but... does this mean we're okay now?"

...That's a good question. Is this right? Should I really be friendly with the son of my parents' murderer? What would Mom and Dad think? Am I dishonoring their sacrifice by associating with this guy?

I already know the answer. "...Yeah, we're okay, Hatsu."

"Really? I'm -- I'm relieved."

Yeah, this is definitely what Mom and Dad would want me to do. They wouldn't want me fixated on my grudges, unable to grow past mourning for them. Even at the face of heartache and tragedy, a hero never stops making progress, and I believe I can do that for Mom, Dad, and myself. That's because I don't know Kanashimu, the son of Muscular. I only know Hatsu, my new friend.

Well, now that we're all square, I might as well start some small talk. "Sooo, do you have a hobby?"

Hatsu raises an eyebrow, "A hobby?"

"Yeah, what do you like to do in your spare time?"

"...I train often, mostly weights."

"Cool! What else?"

"Um... I didn't know I need more than one hobby."

Oh boy, this will be difficult.

Hatsu puts a hand on his neck. "I'm sorry... I'm out of touch on the things people my age are interested in..."

"Uh, that's fine, you'll get there by hanging out with Tamashiro and I, haha."

"I actually have a question for you, too."

"Hm? Sure, shoot."

"Do you ever... drink the water that comes out of your hands?"

"W-what!? Hell no!"

"Hmm? How come?"

"Well- 'cause... y'know, that water comes from inside me! You never drink your own sweat, do you?"

"Sometimes, when I'm training really hard, yeah."

"..."

"...What?"

He's a real oddball, but I can't blame him. If anything, this makes him a bit more interesting. It's gonna take a while to fully connect with him, but I'm willing to do it!

Hatsu fiddles with his fingers with a subtle smile. "Honestly... it's really nice to talk casually like this with you or Tamashiro. Back home, I never really had the chance to-"

Hatsu froze... like an ice sculpture.

"...You okay?" I ask.

"Oh no, not this again... not in front of you..."

He's twitching like a spooked puppy, and he rolls over on his side while embracing himself tightly. He looks... kind of hilarious, pffft.

"Damn it, how embarrassing... This always happens... After I overuse my Quirk, I get so incredibly sore... from lactic acid buildup... I need my BCAAs."

"BC-what?"

"It's like a flavored drink mix... with proteins for sore muscles. It's in my bag..."

Oh, beefy guy stuff. I open his locker and rummage through his red gym bag to find a small capsule. "Instantized branched-chain amino acids." Sounds like some wizard stuff. "Combine one scoop of powder with water and shake thoroughly." Simple enough... *POOF*

GAH! KA-COUGH-COUGH!! Damn it, I inhaled this pink powdery crap!

"Sorry, the container does that sometimes..."

"A-am I gonna morph into a giant kaiju!?"

"Don't be crazy... it's literally just protein..."

Phew, that would've made seeing Eri again really awkward. I finish stirring up Hatsu's BCAAs in his shaker bottle and I hand him the drink.

He looks up at me from the ground. "Um, I can't exactly... grab the bottle... so s-sore..."

"Y-you want me to feed it to you like a baby!?"

"Sorry, I'm making you uncomfortable again... I usually drink that stuff... before I get awfully sore like this..."

"U-um, it's fine. J-just open up."

Unscrewing the cap, I gently waterfall the red drink into Hatsu's mouth -- god, this is so weird, let's not make eye contact. I don't know how that stuff works, but after a few moments, Hatsu gets up with his flexibility back.

"Thanks, I'm already feeling better. It doesn't hurt when I get like that, just feels like every muscle in my body's squeezing me real tight."

It's been a wild ride to see all these sides to Hatsu. Gosh, it seemed like we were screwed in 50 different ways before competing, and we somehow ended up winning anyway.  I wonder how the second-years are doing in the event... Wait, Katsuma is competing today, too!

"Hey, Hatsu! Do you wanna see our senpai in the second years' Combat event?"

"Our senpai? ...Sounds interesting. Maybe we can learn something."

"Yeah, c'mon!"

Hatsu and I hustle towards the stadium seats to watch Katsuma from the audience. The roaring and cheering grow louder and louder as we come closer.

"Agh, I'm still exhausted from competing..." I huff, "How about carrying me on your back like before?"

"Cardio's good for you," Hatsu huffs, "Anyway, what's this Katsuma guy like?"

"Honestly, he's nice, but a bit of a nervous disaster, so I hope he's holding up okayyyyyy..."

"HYAHHH!!!"

Having made it to the crowd watching the playing field below, something bewildering is happening. Katsuma is taking on three U.A. second-years at the same time!

"Heyyyyya dudes!" hollered a voice from the side. It was Tamashiro, beaming a sharp-toothed smile as he jogs towards Hatsu and I. "Since when were you two chummy? You came to see Katsuma-senpai, too?"

"Hatsu and I got to know each other better," I reply, "Now let's watch Katsuma!"

"Hatsu? Heh, sweet nickname! I like it!"

As Katsuma leaps from end to end of the playing field, his two other teammates are limped over and barely conscious. Dodging a flurry of attacks ranging from small meteors to rays of plasma, Katsuma grunts in constant frustration, unable to get close to his teammates to heal them with his Quirk. He's wheezing in exhaustion, his face and hair swamped with sweat.

Landing on his feet, Katsuma faces off against the U.A. team. "I don't like having to do this... but what I hate more is when I can't help my friends."

With an expression somewhere between determination and anger, Katsuma slowly places both hands on his chest...

"Cell Activation: 10 Percent!"

A brilliant green light radiates from Katsuma's body, and prismatic hexagons scatter around him. A power wave of energy glows throughout his veins, 

"COME AT ME!!" he roars! H-holy shit, this is Katsuma!?

A U.A. second year, who appears to have wings on his heels, zooms towards Katsuma with incredible speed and a fist ready to knock him out of the playing field!

"Not so fast!!" Katsuma zips behind the second-year at bullet-speed, then landing a kick in the back that flings the second-year out of bounds!

"Did you see that!?" Tamashiro shouts, "Senpai swatted that guy away instantly!"

"Cell Activation: 20 Percent!"

Once more, Katsuma places his hands on his chest to glow a brighter shade of green, his brown hair starting to flow from immense energy coursing through his body. The face fills with confidence as he glows like an emerald flame. 

Another U.A. second-year notices Katsuma's boost and generates a massive, boulder-like meteor in his hands and hurls it at Katsuma! It's gotta weigh several hundred pounds!

"NRGH!" Katsuma intercepts the meteor with the strength in his arms, his muscles tensing and face clenching as he endures the titanic mass of the meteor. "GRRRRR-AAAGGGHHH!!!" He puts all of his might to launch it back to the U.A. second-year!

BOOM!

The impact blows the second-year out of the playing area! Katsuma scores another knockout and the crowd goes wild!

"He's incredible..." Hatsu utters.

Finally, Katsuma stands face-to-face with the final second-year, who smiles wickedly while brandishing a blade of plasma. Clearly, Katsuma has to finish this quickly. Once more, he brings his hands up to his chest.

"CELL ACTIVATION: 30 PER-"

Katsuma's breath croaks from his throat... and then a loud thud as he collapses on the rough concrete. W-what the hell!?

"What's wrong with Katsuma-senpai!?" Tamashiro blurts out.

Hatsu lowers his head. "It seems like he's completely exhausted himself..."

"And that's all she wrote, ladies and gentlemen!" Earphone Jack booms across the stadium, "The heated battle between the Shiketsu and U.A. second-years concludes with a 3-2 victory for U.A. High!"

Katsuma's not moving... he's just laying face-flat on the concrete, a-and medics are picking him up...

"K-KATSUMAAAAA!!!"

After several frantic minutes of asking for directions, Tamashiro, Hatsu and I make it to the nurse's office inside the stadium.  Without caring to knock, we swing the door open to find Katsuma, mildly bandaged, sitting up on a resting bed.

"Katsuma!" I holler.

Katsuma looks up, relieved. "Kota-kun? A-and Tamashiro-kun? Wow, I'm so glad to see you two again..."

"Are you okay!? We were scared shitless for you!"

"Yeah, I'm okay," Katsuma spoke somberly, "I made the mistake of going overboard with my Quirk and overexerted myself during the fight. I was inspired by your win, Kota-kun, and I thought if I could just push through the exhaustion, I'd make you all proud, but I guess your senpai really let you guys down..."

"Don't say that!" Tamashiro shouted, "You were so badass when you used your Quirk on yourself!"

"Yeah, but those U.A. second-years were at a completely different level. It's almost scary..."

Katsuma's goes into deep thought, clearly still disappointed in himself. Damn, how do I cheer him up?... Ah! Hatsu's shying beside the doorway.

"Katsuma," I pat his shoulder, "I wanna introduce you to somebody. This is our friend, Hatsu."

"Oh?" From his bed, Katsuma glances at Hatsu. "...G- g-g-g-gi-gi-g-g-g...!"

Tamashiro raises an eyebrow. "Something wrong, senpai?"

"G-g-g-g-g- A GIAAAANT!!!" Katsuma panics and hides underneath the bedsheets shivering.

Hatsu's face goes sullen. "He's a complete 180 to how he acted when he fought.."

"Uh, don't take it personally," I reassure him, "Katsuma's just jumpy like that, hehe..."

Katsuma pokes his eyes under the sheets, noticing Hatsu's frown. "Oh, w-weren't you Kota-kun's teammate? I'm sorry, I hope I didn't offend you... It's very nice to meet you, Hatsu-kun!"

"Um, you're okay," Hatsu replies, "I'm used to it. It's nice to meet you too, senpai."

Tamashiro comes to rustle Katsuma's curly hair. "Looks like Katsumama now has a third son to look after!"

Katsuma's dismay fills his face. "Please don't tell me you three will be getting into trouble..."

"Is somebody there?" A feminine voice echoes from a back room in the nurse's office. A voice... that voice... her voice! She gasps. "Kota! And you have friends with you! Are any of you hurt?" 

"Eri! We were just here to visit our friend here. What are you doing here?"

"I often stop by the nurse's office to help," she giggles, "U.A.'s school nurse was called to be elsewhere, so I was put in charge of the minor injuries from the Festival events, since I'm trained in performing first aid, hehe..."

The heat inside me grows warmer and warmer. "Woahhh, you're awesome! You're already saving people!"

The roses on her cheeks bloom a deeper color. "Oh, stop, Kota, hahaha!!"

Behind me, I can hear Tamashiro chuckling, and Hatsu seems confused at what he finds funny.

"Ooooh, she knows you by name?" Tamashiro whispers, "Hehe, my sixth sense is telling me that this was the lucky lady you were with this morning."

A light bulb dings over Hatsu's head. "Ah, I get what's funny now. It's because Izumi and that girl clearly-"

I grab both of them by their shirt collars to whisper."I swear to god, if either of you make this awkward..."

"U-um Kota," Eri stutters, "I just want to say that you were incredible during your final match, along with your friend over there."

Her praise stamps a thrilled smile on my face. "Y-you're congratulating me even though your school lost to my team?"

"W-well, um..." She retreats her eyes from me, "Maybe I'm a little biased, but... it's just I think you're really cool, Kota."

"Aw, thanks Eri, but really we couldn't have done it if you didn't cheer me on back there."

"T-that was nothing, haha! As long as I got to see you in action!" She turns to Katsuma, who sits idly on his bed. "Shimano-san, you seem like you should be well enough to leave whenever you're comfortable."

Katsuma nods gratefully. "Thank you for your care, Aizawa-san!"

Then Eri faces me, eye-to-eye."I have to sort some medicine cabinets now. Text me later?"

My chest twists and constricts from the inside. "Ah! S-sure. See you, Eri!"

With a cute smile, she waves me goodbye as her sky blue hair flips behind her. When I turn around... Tamashiro has the most goddamn enormous grin on his stupid, punchable face. 

"Shut up," I deadpan.

"I didn't say anythiiiiing! Hey, the four of us bros should get some grub to celebrate how well you guys did at the Combat event!"

"You didn't even compete in the Combat event..." says Hatsu, "Is this just another excuse for festival food?"

Tamashiro playfully reaches his arm around Hatsu's neck. "You know me so well, big guy! What do you wanna eat? I'll treat you!"

"Oh, um... Takoyaki sounds nice."

Tamshiro and Hatsu leave for food, while I'm left here sitting by Katsuma.

"Katsuma," I utter,  "Um, I might need some... advice from you later..."

"Advice? On what?"

"Um, advice on... on, um... erl suff."

"Hm? I couldn't hear you."

"I need advice on... gerl sluff..."

"Gerbil fluff? Haha, gerbils are pretty cute! Though I don't know if I know enough abou-"

"No! Advice on... girl stuff, because... you know..."

A few silent moments, and Katsuma's freckled, light skin slowly goes from grapefruit... to tomato... to cherry red... and he collapes on his bed! AHH!! I KILLED KATSUMA!!! I frantically shake his body. Don't leave me, Katsuma, I can't survive without your guidance!!

"Ah, c-calm down," he wakes, "I'll try m-my best to help you."

Awesome! I jump up into a respectful bow. "Thank you so much, Katsuma-senpai!" 

Katsuma gasps. "Y-you just called me 'senpai'..." His face flushes into a light pink.

As Katsuma and I leave the office together, I take the chance to reflect on all the friends I've made in a little over a month of high school. Katsuma's been my first companion in this entire journey, supporting me as my senior. Tamashiro, although he can be annoying as all Hell, is always there to look out for me as my best friend. As of today, Kanashimu, now nicknamed "Hatsu", is here to make me stronger than my past trauma. And of course, there's Eri, the first girl I've met that's never failed to make me feel warm inside...

No doubt, my heart is a muscle that's trained by my friends around me.

Thank you for keeping up with the story! Stay tuned for Chapter 17: "The Blink of an Eye"!

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: chapter contains vivid descriptions of bleeding!

Three...

Through the television screen, the suspense on the U.A. raceway was enough to bring the blood in your veins to a crawl. Cheering from the stadium crowd has reached a hair-raising halt. It's the fourth day of the Grand Sports Festival, and the Speed & Agility Event is the final contest before deciding which two schools will be competing in the final event.

Two....

In the unfolding intensity, there's one guy that stood out: Homuran Yabusame, my classmate that's always had a face of laidback relaxation, gives a light chuckle as he touches the soles of his gym shoes, emitting a pale, blue light. His walnut brown hair sways in the gentle breeze with a calmness that matches his attitude.

One..!

Yabusame crouches, holding the stance of a professional sprinter, gripping a baton. Confidence curls his lips into a determined smirk that says he's ready to blow away the competition.

GO!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!!!

A vicious cyclone of wind rumbles across the racetrack as every racer shreds the starting line! ...everybody except Yabusame. He's just... casually sliding his feet in a light jog...

"...WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING!?" I shriek at the TV monitor, "He's just dragging his feet! His laidback attitude is biting us in the ass!"

"Chill out, Izumi," Nensho chuckles, "Yabusame's just patient; he's not a moron. Look."

While five of our competitors leave Yabusame in the dust, he's swaying his arms back and forth like a skater would, gradually picking up speed... That's right -- his quirk is Frictionless, so he's able to slide across surfaces like they were made of ice, so after he builds up speed, almost nothing can slow him down besides himself! He's likely removed the friction on his gym uniform in advance so he'd feel minimum air resistance as he sprints through the race track!

One by one, Yabusame zooms past each rep of the five opposing schools, blowing out the competition with a beyond impressive lead! But no one could guess what he does next. He puts his free hand inside of his gym shirt... and pulls out a manga.

"I cannot-- What is this?!" Earphone Jack echoes from the speakers, "He's pulled out a manga in the middle of the race!?"

Comfortably sitting criss-crossed while his momentum bullets through the wicked winds whirring around him, Yabusame keeps still as he casually reads Volume 8 of Three-Strike Baseball Star! He occasionally looks up to stear for a turn, extending his foot against the dirt to curve his path.

Damn, this is awesome! Yabusame's quirk seems super useful in a lot of cases. Actually, I knew he was a sports guy, and there was one time when I asked him what sports he played.

"I dunno..." he said, "Like, all of them."

Yabusame floats like a butterfly, and stings like a bee. Combining elements of skiing, snowboarding, cross country, and the sliding techniques of both baseball and soccer, Yabusame's Quirk, Frictionless, is the ultimate Quirk in sports!

Finally, Yabusame is nearing the end of his leg in the race, and he places his manga back inside his gym shirt while he readies to pass the baton with his other hand. He controls his pace as he approaches his teammate with the black and yellow mullet: Mejiki Kusari.

In his jet black shades, Kusari's face scrunches into a devilish smile as he tucks in his body. In one hand, he wields his compass rod that's been approved by the referees to compensate for his blindness, and on his feet are sleek, black boots that have metal plates on the bottom.

FFFWWWPT!!

Kusari grips onto the baton from Yabusame and unleashes pulses of magnetic waves from his body, summoning an electric charge seems to build up around his legs until an invisible force beneath his feet launches him forwards! Like how I propel myself uising my water jets, Kusari had invented his own version using his magnetism.

Kusari consistenly propels himself forwards, taking over Yabusame's phenomenal lead and extending it further. He starts going faster, and faster... We were all cheering since we had this in the bag. But then... my eyelids eclipsed my vision, drowning my line of sight into the blackest darkness; I blinked. I couldn't have missed anything just by blinking, so I wasn't excepting to hear the shocked, terrified gasps of my classmates.

What I saw on the monitor was night and day from what we were seeing seconds ago. Kusari had faceplanted, smashing his face right into the dirt racetrack... 

Nensho's mouth gapes open. "H-He overdid it and lost his coordination!"

By some miracle, Kusari had not lost grip onto the baton, but his compass rod, which served as his pair of eyes, had been flung away from him by his impact to the ground.

 Faltering to pick himself off the dirt, Kusari possessed the face of a rabid animal -- crimson cuts that scrape all over his forehead and rivers of blood gushing from his nostrils onto his chest. Invasive shards of black plastic from Kusari's fractured sunglasses pricked his face and neck. His gray, soulless eyes display his panic as he scrambles across the dirt in a desperate attempt to search for his compass, causing him to smear his uniform in filth and his own blood. His shortness of breath, his fingernails frantically digging into the soil, his pained tears washing the drying bloodstains on his cheeks: a living nightmare.

I run up to the monitor. "C-can he really not see anything at all!?"

Shiozaki shudders. "Most blind people are still able to perceive light, but apparently, Kusari has an extreme case; all he ever sees is complete darkness." 

"...Hey Izumi, you ever been afraid of the dark?"

Crawling down my neck was that question Kusari asked me during the simulation training, the question he asked me as I stared into his drab, soulless eyes. What does it mean...?

A ray of hope shines on the raceway: a swan-like, white-feathered girl dressed in U.A.'s gym uniform dashes from behind Kusari like a guardian angel. The look of concern on her face brings her to pick up Kusari's compass rod and bring it to him in an act of absolute sportsmanship.

"That's so sweet of her," marvels Marie, "She's beautiful, too."

"Screw off!" Kusari mouths in the live footage, forcefully shoving the U.A. girl away when she tries to help him up. She nearly trips, spooked by Kusari's sudden aggression, and silently moves onward with the race at first place.

"Hey, Kusari!" Tamashiro shouts, "Not cool, dude!"

One by one -- Ketsubutsu, Seiai, Seijin, Asamu -- reps from each of the other schools don't hesitate to leave Kusari in the dust as he shakily brings himself on two feet. "Grrr... AGGGHHHHHHH!!!!" Long after Kusari had bitten the dust of last place, he unleashes an unhinged roar and forces himself to gallop as fast as he can to finish his leg of the race. 

He draws nearer and nearer to Shiketsu's final rep, Satsuki Asui, the younger sister of the Rainy Season Hero: Froppy. Asui's ghost leaves from her mouth as she witnesses the horror of Kusari's filthy, bloodied face and uniform. Kusari weakly passes her the baton.

Like an overflowing faucet, tears stream from fragile Asui's eyes as the pressure of being in last place crushes her will to even try. Her salamander tail stiffens like a frail twig and the movement of her feet slows to a crawl.

"ASUI-CHAAAAAN!!" Nensho hollers, "You're better than this! You're our only hope!"

Asui seems to be in her own headspace, unable to move as gives short, panicked breaths. She squeezes her eyes shut... and her lips mutter something faintly readable.

"Tsu-chan..."

WAAAPOW!!

Ripping through the air was the tip of Asui's ultra-extendable tongue, causing wind to blow violently from the sides!

"Holy shit!" I blurt out startled. "How did she stretch out her tongue that crazy fast!?"

"The salamander has the most explosive tongue in the Animal Kingdom," Shiozaki explains, "Zoologists say that the muscles inside of a salamander's tongue are structured exactly like a crossbow, storing potential energy until the tongue is spring-launched faster than a fired bullet."

W-wha? I need to process that. "...Are you telling me that Asui has a gun for a tongue?"

"More like a rocket launcher."

Woah... a petite girl like Asui with a mutation Quirk that hardcore? She could outshine her big sister, Froppy with that tongue... that sounded really weird. Please forget you just read that.

Asui wraps her tongue around a distant tree branch to pull herself towards it, then she flings herself over to the next tree or ledge or grabble onto that one. The sheer launching power of Asui's tongue brings her closer and closer to our competitors.

She passes the Seijin rep, then Asamu... Come on, come on, come on!! It might already be too late to win first place, if we can just finish strong... She passes Ketsubutsu, Seiai... Nearing the finish line--!!

Earphone Jack announces from the speakers: "Satsuki Asui finishes for Shiketsu High at 2nd Place, trailing just behind U.A. at 1st Place!"

"She did it!" I yell, "She gave us a crazy comeback!"

Sighs of relief and thrilled cheers fill our hotel lobby. After all, our team hit last place two separate times in the same event.

Tamashiro rubs the sweat off his face. "Ughhh, thank god..."

Nensho wipes a proud tear. "Atta girl..."

"This marks the conclusion of the Speed & Agility Event! Please stay tuned to find out which two schools will be competing in the Final Event!"

"ASUI-CHAAAAAAAN," Nensho wails as she embraces her small, amphibian friend in a forceful hug, "I'M SO PROOOOUD OF YOUUUU!!"

Asui smiles. "T-thank you Nensho, but you're c-crushing me..."

Asui and Yabusame had returned to the hotel lobby shortly after the event, and we immediately jumped on them to talk about everything that had happened.

"Yabusame, you were wild to read in the middle of the race!" I tell him, "What about Kusari? Why didn't he come with you?"

"Kusari's not too far behind," Yabusame explains, "He had to stay a bit longer to get checked for a concussion or anything serious. Seems like it's just a broken nose though."

"Hiya, kids!" Behind us approaches Tai, former BMI Hero Fat Gum and another chaperone on the class's trip to the east. "Great job out there! Made Shiketsu proud!"

"Hey, Tai!" I reply, "Great to see you. Where are the teachers?"

Tai gives a sunny bright smile. "Ms. Camie texted saying she and Gale Force were dragging Shishikura to lunch with them, those party animals, haha!" Tai glances over at the TV monitor. "Ah, they're 'bout to announce the schools competiting in the Final Event. Sighhh, it's going to be the same thing this year, won't it? First Earphone Jack's gonna say something like 'Each of those events kept us on the edge of our seats.'"

"Each of those events kept us on the edge of our seats!"

"Then maybe something like 'And now for the moment you've all been waiting for.'"

"And now for the moment you've all been waiting for!"

"There's gonna be a big drum roll and she'll say 'And the two schools competing in the exciting Final of the Grand Sports Festival will be...'"

"Drum roll please! And the two schools competing in the exciting Final of the Grand Sports Festival will be..."

"And then there'll be a huge projection of U.A. vs Shiketsu with flames in the background and confetti flying everywhere."

"Tadaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

The Final Event: U.A. vs Shiketsu!!!"

"Sighhhh... what a suprise, woohoo." Tai slouches on the sofa looking very depressed... and we all just stare at him. He just sucked out the thrill of us making into the Final... "Ah, don't get me wrong, kids, I'm really happy for y'all making it to the Final. It's just... this matchup happens every single year, and U.A. keeps on winninng. It feels like Shiketsu's been stuck stagnant for years while U.A. presses onward. We're falling behind, way behind..."

Tamashiro slowly walks up to Tai looking crushed, one of his favorite Shiketsu heroes. "Tai, Fat Gum would never talk like that. W-what's happened?"

"I dunno... After my heart condition forced me to retire, I've felt like a shell of my old self. My bad if I bring the mood down, kids. I want things to change, but... like Shishikura said before, I'm just a Quirkless loser without my fat."

"Help meeeeeee!!!"

Interrupted by a sudden cry from the TV screen, live footage from the stadium shows-- Hey! It's Red Riot and Real Steel! They're playing catch... and ball is Suneater.

"P-p-please put me dooown!" Suneater cries, "I just want to go home!"

Real Steel lets out a huge cackle. "Dang, your throwing strength's been off the charts, bro!"

Red Riot smirks back. "Thanks, bro! Been doing those tricep exercises you showed me, bro!"

"Had to show 'em to you after you gave that rad brotein shake recipe, bro!"

"Hell yeah, I better make those after the gym tonight, bro!"

"Brooooo!"

"Brooooo!"

"Nooooo! Pleeeeease let me go hooooome!!"

Nearly teary-eyed, Tai stares at the TV with an air of nostalgia. "I raised those boys into some incredible men, haven't I?"

He raised them? Tai was a former pro hero... wait. "Are you saying you mentored Suneater, Real Steal, AND the Number 6 Pro Hero: Red Riot!?"

"Sure did, hehe. Or more like Fat Gum did. They'd barely recognize me if they saw me as a stringbean like this."

"That's craaaaaazy!!" Tamashiro shouts, "You need to teach us everything you taught them!"

"Oh, geez, bud, I'm not sure about that, hehe..."

*creeeeeeak*

Slicing into the lobby's atmosphere was the moan of the hotel entrance; it's Kusari, face covered in bandages. His gray eyes are naked without his sunglasses and his purple nose is held in place by a splint. He steps into the lobby with a noticeable limp.

Doraikawa, the extravagant artist, rushes towards him. "Kusari-san! Thank goodness, we were all so wor-"

"Leave me alone," Kusari groans, limping past Doraikawa... Faces of silent concern wave across the class as Kusari ignores each of them, and I'm reminded of what Kusari had barked at my face during the simulation training:"I want people to stop doubting that I can put up a fight. I want people to give me the respect that I command when I enter a room."

He may have been an asshole to me before, but... I hope he's alright.

"I have something to say."

A chorus of "Huh?" echoes across the lobby as all attention is directed towards Hatsu, who stands upright with a serious, determined look in his eyes. Hatsu has never spoken to the entire class on his own before; in fact, he's been acting differently since he told me who is father is...

He puffs up his built chest. "Ah, um... I want-- want to say... that, um..."

Hatsu's shutting down. Is he having another sore attack? No, he's still standing, but he has this face of complete terror, like a ferocious gorilla about to demolish every wall in the building, and he's starting to freak everybody out a little...

Wait a minute, he's said something before... "I'm not a people person." What did that mean? ...Oh crap! I forgot he's terrible at communicating! No, from the looks of it, he's beyond antisocial!

"We have to... erg, shit... have to, um..." Hatsu squirms for words to say, paralyzed by every pair of eyes in the room. His blonde, bushy eyebrows twitch as a drop of agitated sweat trickles down from the side, where an increasingly agitated vein pulses with building frustration. "Have t-to--!!"

"I think what my big buddy Hatsu is trying to say," Tamashiro gleefully interjects,  "is that he knows we can do better, and he has a way for the class to improve. Let's hear him out." He puts an arm around Hatsu's shoulders and gives a reassuring wink.

"R-right, thanks Tamashiro." Hatsu starts to relax. "I know I haven't talked much with any of you, mostly because I don't think I would have anything in common with any of you, but... after watching you all do incredible things with your diverse Quirks, I think there's still untapped potential in each of us. We should all train together and get stronger together as Shiketsu classmates, and for that, I think we need the coaching of a strong mentor..."

When Hatsu finishes speaking, each pair of eyes in the room quietly peers at the sunshine-blonde counselor, Tai.

"W-w-what!?" he stammers, "D-don't look at me, kids! I'm wayyyyy past my prime as a pro hero. I-I can teach you how to make a t-tasty, healthy quinoa salad instead, hehe..."

 Tamashiro leaps in front of Tai. "Pleeeeeease, Tai! No wait, you're more than just Tai to us. Pleeeeeease, coach us, Fat Gum!" 

Tamashiro, Nensho, and weirdly even Hatsu get on their knees in front of Tai, who's bewildered as they plead all puppy-eyed and innocent. Pfft, it's hilarious to see Hatsu try it, hehe. 

Through enough pleading, Tai seems to think about Hatsu's words. "You know, kids, this Kanashimu fella is right. If you all are gonna up your games, then the same's gotta go for me as your councilor! We'll meet tomorrow morning, and you better bring a good attitude with you!"

A thrilled cheer from the class!"We're gonna be top-tier heroes! Thank you, Fat Gum!"

I step up to the glass to give my own thoughts. "This is awesome, but I think something else is missing. Uh, it's not like I look up to U.A. or anything, but I think it's kind of cool that they've got a school motto. PLUS ULTRA!! Y'know? Doesn't Shiketsu have anything like that?"

"Afraid not, Water Devil," Tai says reluctantly, "During my time at Shiketsu, school spirit was pretty difficult without the cap and uniform... How 'bout you kids come up with one? It'll be our rally during the Final Event!"

"Wow, a motto would be fun!" Marie celebrates.

"A motto sounds like a cool idea," Yabusame grins, "Only if it's not cringe."

"Yes, a beautiful motto!" Doraikawa hollers.

As lively as a birthday party, the class starts joyfully clamoring at the thought of a school motto, thinking of weird rhymes and silly knockoffs of U.A.'s motto that will... hopefully not become our actual motto.

"You've got the class in high spirits, Izumi!" Tamashiro cheers. "Hey, since there's no competition tomorrow, we've got the entire afternoon off after Fat Gum coaches us, and we can do whatever we want! What're your plans tomorrow, Hatsu?"

"I've been thinking about exploring the city here," Hatsu sheepishly puts up a smile, "I never get the chance to travel, so touring the City of Music sounds like an adventure."

"Sweet! I think I'll practice firing my Binging Balls, then grab some good grub. What about you, Izumi?"

That question hits me like a bucket of ice water. "Oh, n-nothing. Might just go to a nearby park, b-by myself, not with anybody specific, you know?"

Tamashiro's silvery eyebrows lift up. "Mmmmhm, cool story bro."

"I actually have to go right now."

"Huh, where are you going, dude?"

"Ah, um... Katsuma offered to tutor me."

"Right now, while school's on the other side of the country?"

"Yeah... shut up."

Tip... toe... tip... toe. I made it to the hotel floor where the second years are staying; how come they each get their own rooms? I creep around corners and ninja stealth across laundry baskets, I can't let anybody spot me. My private meeting with Katsuma... will be where I learn what separates boys from men.

There's Katsuma's door over there... Ninja Dive! Ninja Roll! Phew, I made it. *Knock* *Knock*

Katsuma slooooowly opens the door looking very flustered and flush red in the face. "S-so... Are you ready?"

I bite my lip. "Yeah. This is really... embarrassing, so you better not tell anybody about this."

"Put y-yourself in my shoes-- I get all f-flustered about doing things like this..."

"Well, if you get too uncomfortable, you can let me know and we can stop... It's just that this is my first time..."

He allows me entry. "I h-haven't even gotten ready yet."

"What do you need to get ready for? Let's just do this quick."

Katsuma's tiny hotel apartment was mildly cluttered with clothes... Is that a Deku onesie? So jealous... Katsuma and I each find a seat on either end of the bouncy sofa, and we awkwardly look at each other in silence.

It's time that we get started. I gulp. "So um, uh... girls."

"Y-yeah...?"

"...How do they work?"

"Th-They're not machines, Kota-kun! Girls are m-more than that!"

"Hell, I don't know! That's why I'm asking you for advice, because... I don't want to screw myself up in front of..."

Katsuma beams a smile of determination. "I'm aware. I'm not very good at gossip, b-but I'm going to try to be an amazing senpai to you, Kota-kun!"

"Thanks for agreeing to this..."

Katsuma sits up criss-crossed on the sofa to face me directly. "Okay, soooo... From what you described to me before, you're meeting with this girl at a park tomorrow afternoon, right?"

"Yeah, she invited me to a café for our first meet up, so I thought it'd be my turn to invite her to Sanaruko Park nearby, but I'm just so nervous since this will probably be the last time we get to hang out before I have to go back to Shiketsu..."

"I understand, you did good inviting her. How about you start by telling me what this girl is like?"

Looking away, I rub my neck in embarrasment. "Honestly, I've only really known her since the start of the week..."

"Th-that soon!?"

"But we've already talked a lot, both in-person and through text. If I had to describe her, I guess... she's really considerate of others, and she tries her best to impress people she looks up to. I also know she's brave, because she's been open to me about her problems. Tch, some assholes at her school see her as some freak, but... she's not a freak. There's so many things about her past she couldn't control, and even though she had to go through all of that, she's still being strong."

"If she's told you that much about herself, it means she really trusts you, Kota-kun. People in general -- not just girls -- always love when there's someone there to hear them out. If she wants to share anything personal with you, you should be her rock."

"O-okay, I can try to do that. I might not know what to say to her, though..."

"Well, let me ask this. Why exactly has she caught your attention?"

My mouth gaps open, and the words that pour out seem completely automatic, directly from the heart. "Because... I don't think about my regrets when I'm with her. She... She keeps me from thinking about all times I've screwed up in the past. I feel like living in the moment when she's around, because her smile is something precious and I would fight to protect it."

Katsuma gives a warm chuckle. "Kota-kun, if you're able to say things like that so proudly, then you'll be fine. Your senpai doesn't think there's anything he can tell you that you don't already know. As long as you're both having fun and learning about each other, I don't see your time with her being any more valuable than that."

"You really think I can do this? That calms my nerves a bit... Thanks, Katsuma-senpai. I'll buy you ramen sometime."

As typical, Katsuma blushes when I call him senpai. "Let me know how it goes with her! And good luck on the Final Event in two days; I'll do my best too!"

My eyes peer around the apartment at the scattered clothes. "Do you need help picking up your clothes?"

"Oh, no it's okay. Sorry, I just w-wasn't expecting you to come so early..."

"It's all good. I'll text you."

"Bye, Kota-kuWOAH!" Katsuma slips on a pair of socks as I close the front door behind me. Meh, he'll be fine.

Hm, well that wasn't so bad for my first time... getting advice about girls, that is. But damn, I wish I had that Deku onesie.

Thank you for reading! School is finally over for me, which means more chapters! Look out for Chapter 18: "Always By Your Side"!

Chapter Text

Shit, shit, shit, I'm late!

How come the one time I invite a girl to something, I'm sprinting across a city for the slim chance to show up on time!? Gah, if only Tai's training of us didn't take so long! I need a shortcut; I hope nobody catches me doing this.

I sprint into a deserted alley, and immediately fling my hands downwards to unleash water jets to propel myself upwards towards the side of a building! Pushing off the building with my feet, I wall jump to the other building back and forth until make it to the rooftops. I jump from rooftop to rooftop, reinforcing my speed with my water pushing me like I'm a speed boat. I feel like Deku, patrolling the city from the tops of skyscrapers in search for villains. I've done a bit of parkour in the Beast's Forest back home, but never in the city before! This is fun as hell! Without even thinking about how much of I dumbass I have to be to do this, I jump right off the roof of the final building -- several stories of deadly descent below me, but I've got this! Shooting water directly at the ground, I slowly make it down unharmed.

I made it! But ughhh, I'm soooo exhausted... I let out a few tiny sprays of water to cool my face. Good thing Tamashiro had picked out the right outfit for me in this weather: a white tank top with a blue ocean wave design on it, paired with black shorts and my favorite red cap and sneakers.

I hurry to the Sanaruko Park benches, where the giant lake glistens against the sunlight, and the brilliant flowers were in full bloom in the shades of red and pink. But there was one flower that stood out from all the rest, and she was waiting for me as he delicate, pale blue hair gently drifted in the light breeze. She was wearing a denim button-up with a comfortable white skirt. We almost match...

"Hey Eri!" I call, jogging towards her, "I'm really sorry I made you wait."

"Oh, hi Kota!" Eri replies with her precious grin. "I just got here, no worries! It makes me so happy to see you in person again. Are you ready for the Final Event against U.A.?"

I flashed my most confident smirk. "Heck yeah, I am. I'm gonna kick your school's butt tomorrow."

"Exciting!" Eri thrills, "Well, then let's waste no time! Fight me."

...For a split second, my heart stops. "W-what?"

"You heard what I said, silly! Fight me. It'll be fun!"

"That's... That's kind of out of the blue, don't you think? I don't want to hit you..."

A sparkle glitters in Eri's ruby red eyes, like she's asking Santa for a present. "C'mon, just throw a one little punch so I really know you're ready! Don't hold back; I want to see if you can punch like Deku!"

Well, I can't back out of that one! I'll just stand far enough away so my fist can't reach her, but this'll be a Detroit Smash that Deku can be proud of! Here I go...

Detroit SMAAAAAAAA-- huh!?

As I rip a fleeting fist through the air, Eri steps forward into my range! N-No, I'm gonna hit her!!... until Eri quickly jumps to right beside my extended arm. She uses her left hand to grab my arm and her right hand to push right into my chest!

"W-woah, shit!" The entire world flips upside-down, and the next thing I know is the warm May air whirling around my body until I thud right onto the grass. Damn, my back hurts... "W-what... the hell happened?"

As I twitch my eyes open, Eri's face meets right above mine, and she gives a small giggle. "Nice punch! I forgot to mention this, but I'm a black belt in both aikido and krav maga! Also a tiny bit of jujutsu if I'm up against a knife fighter, heehee!"

My aching back howls agony throughout my body. Owww, that's... so awesome!! I thought jujutsu was only for fighting curses!"

"My stepdad had me start training in self defense when I was nine. I'm not a very physically strong girl, so anything that lets me use my opponent's movements against them is a better strategy for me. Plus, it's really fun to throw people!"

As Eri is talking, the May heat somehow feels even hotter than it did before. Then... I realize I'm being... pinned down by Eri... She's still on top of me with her hand on my chest, and I'm completely at her mercy. I bet she can feel my heart pounding. This feels...

"O-oh, I'm sorry!" Eri jumps off me all rosey and flustered. "I guess I got a liiiiitle too excited, haha... Did you get hurt?"

"I- I'm good," I grunt, hiding my face and brushing grass off my shorts, "I'm tougher than that. But it's amazing to see with you so much more confidence!"

"I can thank one really cool guy for that, haha!"

"Hey, did you learn self-defense and first-aid so you wouldn't need to use your Quirk during hero work? You've never told me your Quirk, so I'm just guessing it has something to do with you learning those skills."

"Yeah... I realized really young that my Quirk can lead to terrible consequences. If I'm not in an emergency, it becomes way too scary for me to use my Quirk on someone and cause a disaster... So I just practiced really hard to help myself and help others my own way! Speaking of which, was that your classmate who showed up to the nurse's office after the Speed Event?"

"You mean Kusari? Woah, are you the one who fixed him up?"

"Yeah, it looked he took quite a tumble... Good thing yours truly patched him up to 110 percent!"

"He still seemed really pissed off about what happened. Our class was gonna come up with a motto for Shiketsu, but he wasn't around for that at all--"

"A motto?" Eri jumped, "A motto for Shiketsu? How exciting! I love U.A's motto! Go Beyond: PLUS ULTRA!!! I think I can help you come up with a really cool motto for Shiketsu!" Pfft, I can't help it, after Eri's sudden enthusiasm startled me, I start to chuckle under my breath. Seeing this, Eri pouts. "Hey, what are you laughing at, Kota?"

"It's nothing; it's just that you've been at U.A. for most of your life, and yet you're always rooting for me and Shiketsu during this Sports Festival. It's just... cute, that's all, haha. Thank you, Eri. I mean it, from the bottom of my heart."

"Um, uh, d-don't mention it! You're embarrasing me, hehe..."

"Ah, um, a-anyway... You wanna go for a nice walk, then we can stop someplace to eat while we think of a motto?"

"YES! Come on, let's do it!"

Eri grabs my wrist, pulling me towards the flowerbeds as we start to wander throughout the park. Walking around places like this, I remember Hatsu telling me he had similar plans today.

I wonder how he's doing...

[Let's see Hatsu's point of view!]

What a big city... There's commotion in every street corner. Families are smiling, friends are laughing -- it's very different from the city life where I grew up in Airinchiku, where murderers like my father dominated.

There's a man sitting on a bench, and he has a small, white, fluffy puppy resting on his lap. Whenever I see a dog, I've always want to... pat its head, because it always seemed fun, but the only dogs I would come across back home are the vicious strays that I could never approach...

Luckily, last night Tamashiro gave me some tips on how to interract with people in public. *Gulp* I hope I don't mess up. "Excuse me, sir, could I...?"

The man almost seems startled when he sees me. "Oh, err, absolutely! She loves being pet by all folk."

W-wow, a chance to pet a dog!

Grrrrrr... BWARK BWARK!! BWARK!!

The man secures the puppy in his arms."Oh my! I'm sorry, young man, I'm not sure why she's suddenly in a bad mood."

As soon as the puppy saw me, she barked at me like I was a threat... It's because I look big and scary, isn't it? "I-It's alright, sir. Sorry to bother you..."

I turn away, realizing I need to start leaving people alone. Having the same face as Muscular, all I do is terrify people. First I had Izumi relive the trauma of his murdered parents, now I'm pestering people just to pet a dog...

"Awoo, wooo..."

After a few steps, I suddenly hear the weak cry of something beneath me... It's that small dog who barked at me? She's wimpering and rubbing her head against my foot. Her short, pointy ears were limp with guilt, and her beady, black eyes were begging for love.

"Do you... Do you feel sorry for me?" I kneel down to the fluffly snowball trying to crawl up my leg. "Don't feel bad, girl. I can't be upset at a little pup like you."

My hand is shaky as I move it above the puppy's head. What if I scare her off? What if I'm too rough and I hurt her? My hand touches the plush white fur, and I gently circle around the puppy's head.

"Woof, bark bwark!"

"Hahaha, you like that? Do you like belly rubs?"

"Bwork, bark!!"

So surreal... After what felt like forever, this is my first time getting to pet a dog ever since my father was arrested. Being able to play with a dog and not have it be scared of me... I feel like a boy again.

"I have to go now, little pup. It was fun playing with you." I look up to her owner, and we wave at each other before I leave. "Thank you, sir! You have a very playful dog. Have a nice afternoon."

"...What a decent young man."

There's a lot of shops along this street. It's a bit overwhelming to decide which one to visit first. Oh, this one seems to have a lot of kids my age walking in and out of it. "Jump Shop." Hmmm... Do they sell jumpropes here or something?

Walking inside... it's anything put jumpropes. All sorts of random plushes, DVDs, posters, and plenty of other items covered the store, and walking through the aisles feels like navigating the most colorful maze ever. Snatching my eye was the big, bold sign labeled "Manga!"

Woahhh, there's so many shelves filled with manga. The vibrant covers line up neatly against the tall, tall shelves. I don't think I've ever touched a manga in my life. Picking up a manga one by one; the covers are smooth and firm, and the pages fan against my fingertips, and there's this oddly pleasant smell from the paper, like when Shishikura-sensei grabs papers fresh from the copy machine.

Oh, this one is called Ghost Fighter. I think I saw Yabusame reading this once at our dorms. Is it popular?

"A rowdy, teenage delinquent is killed after an act of herosim by pushing a little boy away from a speeding car. Miraculously, he is resurrected by the son of the Underworld ruler to investigate supernatural activity in the human world. With a new quest in life, the young delinquent uses his arsenal of martial arts and snappy comebacks to fight off the demons and apparations that terrorize Japan."

That sounds interesting, I'll try reading this one...

Woah, was this all hand drawn?...

...The main character looks cool.

He punches like crazy...

But nobody likes him...

H-he's jumping in front of that car!!

...would I do the same?

Wow, he has a second chance at life.

He's going to take down that demon on his own!?

Spirit Gun!!!

He's a hero...

[Disclaimer: This section of the chapter contains descriptions of violence]

My first ever manga... something about it hypnotized me, and I wasted no time in purchasing it. A world made entirely out of paper in the palms of my hands, and I was using my eyes to live through the main character. I wish I had this kind of escape when I lived in the slums, so I could take my mind off of a world of horrible violence and crime.

As I scroll through the souvenir stands of the city, A red t-shirt grabs my attention; it had black music notes strewn across it for Hamamatsu, the City of Music. Come to think of it, I've never helped myself to buying cool clothes, I'll buy this as well!

Before coming to Hamamatsu, I had saved up a bit of money from my afterschool part-time job at a local grocery story, doing things like unloading delivery trucks and other manual labor like cleaning. It feels great to help a community, especially after I work so hard to balance it with my hero training. Moments like right now -- excitedly throwing on my red souvenir t-shirt -- reminds me that it's all worth it.

So this is what it's like... to have a day where I don't have to regret what I am or where I come from -- to have a day where I can feel like everybody else. Today I got to play with a dog, read my first manga, pick clothes I thought were cool -- things that are probably normal for everybody else, but for me, it all felt so surreal. I hope Izumi, Tamashiro, Katsuma-senpai and I can all find time to have fun like this.

"Been a while,  Hatsu. "

...My fingers twitch, my lungs go breathless. Fight or flight: the instinct that's screaming throughout my body as soon as I passed a dark alleyway. That muffled voice ... It's rude awakening of the sleeping demons that have been infesting my mind since I home. I-- I don't want to look at him... Why did he track me down?

But I can't just ignore him; he'd keep harrassing me, so I dare to meet his eyes in this dark alley. He looks just like how he did when I left home: Black hoodie, black pants, black messy hair, all covered in accents and splatters of all different neon colors. The gas mask that covered half his face made clear who he was: he's the one called Neo.

Neo gives a friendly wave. "Hatsu! How've you been? Wait... ahhhh right, you've been going by 'Kanashimu' lately, haven't you? Now that's cute."

"You're one to talk after you've been going by that shitty name 'Neo', you bastard," I shout at him, "Why the hell are you here? You're stalking me?"

"Hatsu, that's no way to speak to an old friend! I saw you on TV, you know, competing against UA. Now that was a shocker to everybody back home. Everybody said 'Ooooh, Hatsu wants to be a hero, does he?' Hahaha... But I have a much better idea in mind. Listen, a few buddies and I are up to something dastardly. What'd be real awesome for us if we had somebody inside of Shiketsu High to keep them outta our way, so I came to bring you in and welcome you back into our little family! It'll be just like old times!"

"You can take your plan and shove it up you-know-where. Tch, your 'buddies'? Toga, Dabi, Spinner... All of you can rot in hell for all I give a shit! I belong with my friends in Shiketsu now!"

"Huh, Toga? Dabi? What are you talking about? I haven't seen anybody from that sorry bunch in years. I've got a newer crew that I roll with, and they don't abandon me as easily." Neo starts to step forwards. "Lemme ask you something, Hatsu--"

"You don't get to call me by that nickname anymore, asshole."

Neo mockingly throws his hands up. "Woah, now! Just a simple question. I just want to hear it form my buddy: What exactly convinced you to become a pro hero?"

"Figures that you wouldn't get it. I want to be a hero to save more people than my father has ever murdered, more people than you ever murdered. That's why I abandoned scum like you so I can fulfill my duty."

"Mhmm, but what if, say, word got out about our little 'activities' got out to Shiketsu, or the public? You're just as much of a criminal as I am, Hatsu."

Every nerve in my body is screaming to go after him. "If you don't piss off right now, I'm going to shatter every bone in your body..."

"Yeah, yeah!" Neo applauds, "That's the old Hatsu I knew! Cold, violent, didn't take shit from anybody. How are you feelin' now, Hatsu? You getting that rush you feel right before you break somebody?"

He's trying... t-to get in my head... "Gah! S-stop! That's not who I am anymore!"

"Hey, you remember what it's like to have somebody's blood running down your fists? You remember how a bone sounds when it snaps? All felt gooood, didn't it? I bet you chased after those cravings. That's how you became one of our best brawlers in the underground fight clubs."

T-the fight clubs... "I-- I only fought b-because... if I didn't do what you said, you would've killed me... like you did with the others."

"Ohhh, it was just survival, huh? If I remember right, you definitely won a bit of cash from every fight, yeah?"

"I don't need your blood money anymore... I only ever used it for food, but now I-"

"You had such a talent for gang fights, though! Started out as a little pipsqueak who'd get his teeth punched in all the damn time. You always had tears running down your black and blue cheeks and blood pouring out of your mouth every time you tried to fight. Years later, all of a sudden, this middle schooler started beating the shit outta grown-ass men in the street, putting up quite the show for all of the underground goons!"

"S-stop... That's- that's not me... anymore..."

"Hmph, then you just ditched as soon as you were ready for high school. Now you've gotten soft, what a damn shame. Your sleeves cover most of them, but I remember how you got each and every scar along your arms and shoulders. It was a shame to lose a veteran of the underground from our ranks... Hey! Remember when you comepletely beat the shit out of that one guy? You just kept beating him and beating him even though you clearly already won and his face was scattering blood everywhere! I literally had to jump in and pull you away from him, and when I did, I remember that you had the biggest grin on your bloodstained face."

N-No... I'm n-not... like my father. M-my legs can't stop shaking, and the trembling all over my body forces me on my knees, laying on the asphalt on all fours.

Directly in front of me, Neo presses the sole of his filthy sneaker onto the back of my souvenir t-shirt, sullying it with dirt. I want to fight back, but... I'd probably end up killing him.

Neo fondles with the inside of his hoodie, sliding out his trademark that he never stopped gushing over back home: a German M1897 Reichsrevolver from World War I. He spins the revolver in his finger like it's a toy, humming a tune he always hummed since I was little. Neo pushes his foot harder and harder against my back until I'm lying with my stomach against the filthy asphault. Then... Neo crouches down, and points the gun the directly between my eyes.

"Haha," Neo laughs, "It was always fun to tease you this way. Never gets old. Hey, do you smell the gunpowder, Hatsu? You should be grateful. This is the scent of an over 100-year-old relic tied to mankind's history of slaughter. You could be part of that history too, you know, but all you've gotta do is quit playing pretend hero and realize you were born to be a monster like your daddy. It's just much easier than rebelling against what's written in your DNA, you know?"

"Shut up... shut up..."

"And even though we might not be related by blood, I'll be the best big brother you could ever hope for."

"SH-SHUT UP!!"

His words are choking me... Anxiety is flooding my head. I can't take it anymore, I'm seriously gonna--

Neo whispers into my ear. "Besides, you still owe me for you-know-what, remember?"

That... N-no, t-that wasn't my fault, I- I- THAT WASN'T MY FAULT I-- I...

Neo raises his eyebrows. "Oh right, before I leave, there's another reason why I came by to visit you." He pulls the gun away from my face, takes his foot off my back, and lowers his face down to mine. "May 7th. It's your 16th birthday today, isn't it, Hatsu?"

...Birthday.

Today... was supposed to be...  my  birthday.

Neo winks. "Ha! Did you really think that I would forget? Well, I guess you've never liked telling anybody about your birthday anyway. Lucky for you, Muscular mentioned it exactly once allll those years ago -- what a damn shame he never bothered to celebrate your birthday for you, some father he is." In his other pocket, Neo gently pulls out a tiny white box with a red ribbon tied on it. "Here, it's a cupcake. Bought it just for you at a real popular bakery 'round here. I think I even saw a familiar face there. "

Why... why are you obsessed with me? Why is my past chasing me?

"Consider my offer, Hatsu. We can build a wonderful empire together as brothers." He steps into the dark alley, facing me with kind, twisted eyes. Brightly colors gases emerge from his body: red, blue, purple, they all come out with this painfully bright light that pierces my eyes, forcing me to wince. His Quirk...

**********************

A-Rank Villain: Neo (formerly known as Mustard )

Evolved Quirk: Neon Gas - Able to produce brightly colored fluorenscent gas that glows with blinding intensity. Can be used to slowly suffocate the oxygen out of a victim, among other uses.

Birthday: July 28th

Likes: Little bro Hatsu

**************************

As the intensely glowing gas swirls around Neo's body, he turns around to face me one final time. "Happy sweet sixteen, Hatsu. See you around, I'm sure. 'Cause whether you like it or not, I'm always by your side." The neon gas swallows his entire body... and Neo vanishes from the dark alley as the gas fades away.

[You may now turn off the audio]

It's quiet. The sun has begun to set, and I've been left alone in this alley...

WOOOOSH! *SPLAT!!*

My fist smashes the tiny white box into oblivion, cracking the cement below it and obliterating the cake into a wide splatter of frosting, and... a-and the tears come pouring out. From my tired eyes, to my cheeks polluted with gunpowder, to my paralyzed throat choking for air, my tears are pumped out by the terror.

Being a part of those illegal fight clubs... All those people I destroyed with violence... Am I-- Am I really a monster like my father?

It's no use... No matter how far I run from home, no matter how much I try to reinvent myself, I will always have my father's blood coursing through my veins. Do all roads lead to me simply destroying people?

Ngh, there's no use staying here on his dark alley. My class needs me for the Final Event, but after the Grand Sports Festival is over tomorrow... I don't deserve to continue my hero training.

[Back to Kota's point of view...]

"Kotaaa, you don't have to trouble yourself to walk with me! I can safely arrive home on my own, you know."

"I know you can," I reply to Eri as we walk side-by-side through the dark night, "You pinned me to the ground so I don't doubt that it all, haha. It's just... I'll have peace of mind if I see you get in a cab safely in a dark city like this, or else I won't be able to sleep. We never know what kind of villains are out there."

The moonlight glitters on Eri's blushing face. "Awww, you're sweet, Kota. It'll be so sad to watch you go back to Shiketsu after tomorrow. I don't want you to leave..."

"...I don't want to either." We both stop walking, and slowly turn to face each other.

Our faces... are so close. Should I...?

...

Vrrrrr...

With supernova intensity, both of us are blinded by the headlights of an approaching taxi cab. Her ride is here...

Dazed, I scramble for words. "W-well, um, have a g-good night, Eri. It was fun!"

"R-right! I'll text you when I'm at the dorms! Good luck tomorrow!"

We awkwardly wave as Eri fumbles into the cab with two left feet, and the cab drives far way into the night...

...Gah, stupid, I'm so stupid! Was that my only chance? Sighhh... Forget it, I can't think about that right now, because in my never-ending parade of showing up late, I have to run back to the hotel before Shishikura notices I'm not back by nightfall!

I hurry up the hotel floors to meet with the guys in our shared room. Opening the door, all six of my roommates are scattered, doing their own thing.

"Yo dude," Tamashiro sas flipping a peace sign, lying on his bed and scrolling his phone. "Soooo, did you have fun today? Hehehe..."

"I sure did," I tell him, "but what'd be really fun is if Shishikura doesn't kick my ass later for coming back here a bit late, haha."

Nearby Tamashiro was Hatsu, sitting on a chair facing the window and viewing Hamamatsu's glorious city lights. He's holding a red t-shirt, but it looks soiled with dirt.

"Sup Hatsu," I holler, "How was your afternoon?"

"Hey," he replies, still looking out through the window, "It was okay. I went out to the city, but I tripped and fell, so my shirt got all dirty."

He... tripped? I thought only Katsuma was that clumsy.

"That sucks, dude," I tell him, "But if it'll make you feel any better, I've got something to give you."

Hatsu raises his head, and he gently turns to face me with the awe of a curious puppy. "You have something for--?"

"Kanashimu-saaaan!"

Doraikawa interrupts, jumping between us with all the same flamboyance as Best Jeanist. "I have awoken from my beauty rest at the mention of a lovely garment gone filthy! A chaotic contradiction! This paradoxical blend of beauty and ugly quakes the heart of this artist!"

Confused, Hatsu simply stares. "It's fine, Doraikawa... I'll just find some time to wash it."

"Nonsense, my friend! I'll have my Quirk remove that dirt for you." Doraikawa raises his finger and collects all the dust and filth from Hatsu's t-shirt to his fingertip.

"...That's nice of you, Doraikawa." With a sparkle in his eye, Hatsu throws on the red t-shirt and the pattern of black music notes across Hatsu's chest adds new life to his look. "I really like this shirt, so it means a lot."

Moving his bronze-colored bangs from his eyes, Doraikawa gasps. "Why, it looks marvelous on you!"

"Hehe... thanks." Hatsu fiddles his fingers against the soft cotton of his shirt.

From the top bunks, a curious Yabusame takes a peek at the commotion and points near Hatsu. "Oi, that a volume of Ghost Fighter you got there? I didn't know you read manga."

Hatsu's embarrasment fills his face with a pink hue. "Oh, yeah... I started reading it today and I thought it was cool."

Yabusame gives a smirk of approval. "Heh, you've got good taste. That series is super retro and it's underappreciated. Once we're back at Shiketsu, lemme know if you wanna borrow some of my manga collection, bud."

Hatsu's eyes light up like a rising sunrise. "...Really? You'd let me do that?"

Doraikawa and Yabusame have completely lightened up Hatsu, and the three of them fill the room with light laughter and positive vibes. Though, there's still the one thing I want to give him in this white box...

"Hey, Hatsu," I call, catching Hatsu's attention. "So, I-- uh, I ran into a friend by coincidence, and we stopped by this popular bake shop in town. I don't know if you like sweets, but I have one extra cupcake neither of us touched. They were really good and apparently they're all the rage in this city. Could I give this one to you?"

Hatsu's face fills with hesitation. Something about the cupcake seemed to startle him... He ponders into deep thought. What could there be to think about for a measly cupcake?

Hatsu turns to Tamashiro. "Don't you want to eat it?"

"Nah, man, I'm good!" Tamashiro insists, "Gotta stay lean for all the girls that'll see me on national TV tomorrow! Help yourself, buddy."

Slowly facing me agin, Hatsu gently takes the box like he's holding a small baby. He opens the box and marvels at the finely decorated cupcake, brining him to a tender smile. Finally, he tastes a big, generous bite of the cake, leaving a mustache of blue frosting on his lip. It was oddly wholesome to watch him quietly chew such a delicate treat.

He's leaving me almost anxious. "Do you like it?"

"Izumi," Hatsu says, his eyes slightly watery, "This is the best present I've ever had..."

The Grand Sports Festival arc nears its conclusion! Look out for Chapter 19: "Ad Infinitum"!