Chapter 9: First Day of HellRin Tohsaka rolled around a few gemstones between her fingers, admiring how they glinted in the sunlight. She then sighed before pocketing them in her red shorts. Rin lifted her arms with a deep breath, stretching her legs and tail out. Then she sat down and readjusted her black sleeveless sweater. She glanced side to side, looking for anyone coming down the hall. Her feline ears flicked to catch any sounds nearby. No one was approaching.
She was waiting outside the office of one of the most important directors of the Neo-Mage's Association. A director that would have only contacted her for a respectable job with a huge payout. Rin wanted, no, needed this payout. So she needed to make the best impression possible.
...But that was so hard when the sun was at just the right angle for a nap!
The last Tohsaka put her elbows on her knees, then her head into her hands. Her tail kept idly swishing behind her, a slow steady rhythm marking the passage of time. The sun continued to warm this particular spot in the hallway. The hallway clock gave a low hum, marking the new hour.
Rin's ears drooped a bit as she let out another sigh. It had been over half an hour since the designated meeting time. Was this really going to be a waste of her time? She hoped not, she was in desperate need of any job she could snag. If she wanted to make her family proud, she needed to fix her monetary problems.
Her eyes started to blink slowly. Maybe she could afford to rest her eyes a bit...
"Miss Tohsaka, I presume? I apologize for my delay."
Rin Tohsaka shot to her feet, trying to stifle the shriek that threatened to erupt from her mouth. No one, no one, was down this hallway just a second ago. She was certain of that, so for this guy to be able to sneak up on her like that was... creepy.
Even so, she needed this job, and she had worked with this director before. "It was no trouble at all, Director. I was able to catch my breath and enjoy the sunlight a bit," Rin politely responded, bowing her head and forcing her tail to relax. Rin needed to keep up an elegant appearance, "What can I do for you, Director Dioland?"
Faldeus Dioland, a slim man in his mid-twenties with long, navy blue hair, was dressed in a long blue coat with a basic suit underneath it. In his hands, he held a stack of folders as well as a package. Director Dioland gave a light chuckle, with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, "Let's go into my office, and we can discuss the task I would like you to do."
The director led Rin into his office, a grey room with a mahogany desk in the center. Director Dioland took his seat, while Rin sat in one of the two chairs across from him. She picked the right hand chair, just to be safe. Against the back wall, a long black credenza displayed a variety of mystic codes and artifacts. Everything was neatly arranged, almost staged to appear academic.
To her left, a white couch rested against the wall, with two monochromatic paintings hanging over it. Relativity and Drawing Hands, both by M. C. Escher, Rin noted. While not a magus himself, Escher's work had laid out key fundamentals for Spiritron Hacking that later magi like Twice H. Pieceman would use to establish the field.
Rin turned her attention back to Director Dioland, who pulled a folder from under his desk. He flicked it open, then nodded, "To begin, I would like your thoughts on this," the director slid the folder to Rin, who carefully opened it, checking it for any spells.
Other than some standard discretionary ones, nothing was out of place within the paper. On the paper, however, was another story. It was a report about the leylines within a classified land. The graphs and maps within the reports showed that the leylines were hemorrhaging mana. This mana was being pooled into key areas within the world, then vanishing without a trace. The cause had not been identified.
The last Tohsaka, however, caught on to another aspect. An aspect that took this report from clinical to personal, "This is happening in Japan, isn't it?" she asked, looking up to Director Dioland, who tilted his head in amusement. Rin struggled to keep her voice level, "I recognize these leylines."
"Ah yes, they were once your family's, isn't that right, Miss Tohsaka?" Director Dioland asked rhetorically with pure calm charisma. The director was trying to be polite. He wasn't trying to rub that fact into Rin's face, at least she didn't think he was.
It did nothing to stop the panging of Rin's heart. It did nothing to soothe the rage that she felt. It didn't change the fact that her family lost the rights to her home six years ago, after the Mount Enzo Disaster.
Rin pursed her lips, "Yes, it was. But those lands aren't ours anymore," but one day, they will be again. "Still, I have an interest in what is happening to these leylines. May I presume that's why you asked for me? Because I know the lay of the land?"
Director Dioland bowed his head, "Your presumption is correct. The fact that you recognized those leylines by sight is proof enough of your knowledge and competence," the director pulled out a lighter, flicking it open. He didn't pull out a cigarette, however, something Rin was grateful for. The director just stood staring at the fire for a second, "As for the damage to the leylines, tell me, what do you know of Caubac Alcatraz?"
"The Dead Apostle of the Millenium Lock? I've heard of him, but only in passing," Rin folded her arms, her tail swishing as she pondered what she remembered, "He's a powerful but clumsy Dead Apostle, and is friendly with the Wizard Marshall. I know his specification was labyrinths..." Rin bit her lip, "But hasn't he been missing for centuries now?"
"It's been many decades for sure, and I currently don't believe this is his reappearance," Director Dioland lectured, gesturing to the report Rin was still holding with his lighter, "That being said, the damage to the leylines is similar to when he would manufacture one of his experiments. I believe someone is either trying to replicate or recreate his methods, but I can't tell which."
Rin gave a slow nod, "I see, then have you sent anyone to investigate yourself? Maybe contact the Second Owner there to see what insights they have?" She bit back some vitriol she had. The current Second Owner was a mystery to Rin alongside the rest of the Neo-Mage's Association. They kept themselves hidden while they had bought the magical rights to the land after the fall of the Tohsaka name.
What had really irked her was that this mysterious buyer had also stipulated that the surviving Tohsaka, Rin herself, would be granted a scholarship and patronage at the Clock Tower. Rin had no idea why, but she refused to tap into that store of money, seeking to pay her own way.
Director Dioland shook his head, "I happened to have had a business meeting in Japan for some mundane matters, which was when I discovered the irregularity in the leylines. I contacted the Second Owner's Representative, Angelica Toyotomi, over the situation." He snapped the lighter closed, shaking his head wryly, "I would have had an easier time squeezing water from a rock than gaining any info from her. The report you are reading are measurements recorded from outside the area, but we couldn't investigate much more than that without entering."
Rin tilted her head, chewing on that thought for a second, "Have you considered that it's the Second Owner running these experiments? No one knows their true identity or motivations, since everything is run through Miss Toyotomi."
"It's possible," Director Dioland acknowledged with a shrug, "But it's also possible that Miss Toyotomi and the Second Owner are trying to hide their own incompetence. Either way, since they are being uncooperative, my mission for you is to investigate the leylines yourself. You'll be undercover, so be discreet."
The director pulled a small letter opener from another cabinet, slightly startling her, but he used it to open the package he had set on his desk. "If all else fails, I am giving this to you to try out," Director Dioland remarked as he opened the box and turned it to Rin, "It comes straight from Atlas, so please be careful with it."
"Atlas?" Rin asked, as she reached in and pulled out a black leather armguard. The black leather was etched with pulsing red lines, emitting from a circular pad that would rest on the wrist when worn. The circle was pearl white, and she felt like she would risk insanity if she tried to structurally analyze the mystic code before her, "What... is this?"
"That is a Shadow Guard. I paid for one following a hunch, but it was delayed. Hence why I was so late arriving to our meeting," Director Dioland tilted his head in a minor grimace over the financial cost, before shrugging, "You'll need it if you want to be able to Zero-Sail."
Rin blinked, praying that her ears were mishearing things because they had too much fur, "Zero-Sail?" Director Dioland nodded. Her eyes widened, as her pupils narrowed into slits, "You actually mean for me to travel through Imaginary Space?" Again, the director nodded. Every hair on her body stood on end, as she failed to restrain her voice from shrieking, "Why the hell would I need to be able to do that?"
"Because if this is anything similar to Alcatraz's work, you'll need a way to access the Texture that the labyrinths are on," the director replied, a cool tone underpinning his words, which did nothing for the tension Rin had at the thought, "Don't worry, the Shadow Guard is perfectly safe. I've used it before. Observe."
The director stood up and leaned over to lightly tap and swipe on the pearl circle section of the Shadow Guard. After entering a clove-like pattern in, a hologram emerged, displaying a curvy young woman with purple hair and matching dull eyes. She was dressed in white spandex that looked to be a cross between a Pro Hero costume and a wrestling singlet. Rin wasn't one to throw shade at how someone else dressed... but Atlas had to have better fashion standards than this.
"Hello, I am a Sakura-Type Garden Sentinel, Version 01," the young woman spoke in a monotone voice. Life suddenly breathed into her, and the Garden Sentinel shifted her arms up above her head, flexing her biceps as she animatedly said, "I prefer to be called White Blossom, though, okay Senpai?"
The last Tohsaka leveled an unamused stare at Director Dioland, who had the decency to look a bit sheepish, "...It seems that Rani XV had taken more liberties than I expected," Director Dioland coughed, "No matter. I can assure you that the Garden Sentinels are the top of the line in terms of Artificial Intelligences. Particularly ones specialized for magecraft purposes. White Blossom, as she prefers, can walk you through how to Zero-Sail yourself and your partner.
"Partner?" Rin asked, as White Blossom chose to vanish out of existence. On the one hand, the idea of having a partner was a good one, as that meant Director Dioland had stakes in whether this Zero-Sailing business would work. On the other hand, "I don't particularly like working with others. Especially if they are meant to be getting a cut of the reward money."
"Oh, no worries on the money front. I'll be sending you with one of my agents. They are on salary and loyal to me, so you will still receive the full payment," Director Dioland replied, plastering a pleasant smile on his face, "The main reason I want to send you with a partner is to provide you with cover, along with having another point of view on-site. You have a better grasp of the lay of the land, but I want a perspective that has a more neutral view to the situation."
Rin slowly nodded. It helped to see that Director Dioland was choosing to put skin in the game. However, the fact that the director saw her familiarity with the land in terms of the benefits and disadvantages it offered him... It was sickening, but yet another reminder of how vulnerable the Tohsaka name was.
She shifted in her seat, "I understand that your offer comes from a place of concern and a desire to help this mission succeed. However, I'm still uncomfortable with the idea of having someone watching my every move," Rin took a deep breath, trying to leverage the Tohsaka elegance in these negotiations, "If I am going to accept a partner, I would need assurances that they would be able to pull their own weight. Who is it that you want to send with me?"
At that, Director Dioland smiled, and picked up the other folders that he had carried in, passing them to Rin, "I can empathize with the frustration caused by being partnered with so-called allies that leave you to do all of the work," Rin turned the folders around to exam their contents, while the director continued, "To ensure that you do not experience this frustration, I am not only going to cover all of the expenses involved with this mission, but I am also leaving the final choice of partner to you."
The director flicked open his lighter again, and as he spoke he fiddled with his lighter, shifting the colors between white, blue, then back to red. "Would you kindly read over the materials I have given you, and make a decision by next week? If you need, I can also schedule interviews with the selected agents for you to get a better feel for their characters."
The last Tohsaka tore her eyes off of the lighter to look back at the stack of folders she held in her hands. She understood what the director meant by that particular phrase, "Sure, I guess that's better than you choosing for me," Rin responded as politely as she could, "A lady does like her opinions being heard."
"Of course, if I didn't value your insight, I wouldn't have chosen you," Director Dioland nodded his head, "Now, my delay has had ramifications on my schedule, so if you wouldn't mind examining those dossiers elsewhere, I have some virtual meetings to attend to." He swiped across the mahogany desk, which activated a holographic display for him to use. "Farewell, Miss Tohsaka."
Understanding that she was being dismissed, Rin stood up and bowed, "Farewell, Director Dioland. Thank you again for choosing me for this mission." The pleasantries observed, she stalked out of the office. As she strolled down the hallway back to her small apartment, she adjusted her grip on the folders. Rin started to flick through the files, pouring over them as she kept her ears out to mind her surroundings.
Gakuto Hisau, codenamed Sigma. He specialized in covert ops and weaponry.
Sieg Musik, codenamed Theta. His skills lay with his encyclopedic knowledge and large magic circuit abilities.
Laeticia Beaumont, codenamed Lambda. She was a former Executor, which provided powerful exorcism and healing abilities.
Each of these had a variety of skills and abilities that would help Rin with her investigation into the disturbances of the leylines. The question was not who was the most qualified, nor who she got along the best with.
The question was, who was the best for this situation? Who should Rin choose to bring to her former homeland? If she really, really, had to endure an attempt at Zero-Sailing, who would be the best choice to have her back? And if the Zero-Sailing was even successful... What was Rin going to find in Japan?
Miyu scooped the scrambled eggs off of the frying pan onto a plate just as the toast popped. She turned, setting the plate in front of the toaster, as she pulled out each slice of bread, buttered it, then set it next to the eggs. Miyu returned to the stove, grabbing a few of the sausages that Shirou was tending to, alongside the rice and soup. Miyu placed the sausages next to the eggs, then poured a cup of coffee. She took it right out of the kitchen just as Mister Gawain walked by, "Here you go."
"Oh, thank you, Miyu," Mister Gawain remarked, placing his tablet under his arm as he took the plate and mug, "Are you excited to start school today?" he inquired as he took a sip of his beverage.
"I guess," Miyu responded, shrugging her shoulders. She didn't really have a frame of reference for school. Sure, she had read about it in the books her brother had brought her. She had talked with Arturia about attending Somei specifically. Shirou, Lance, and Kay had all talked to her about going to school in general. Miyu still felt as if she was missing something. The difference between reading about an event, and truly living it.
Mister Gawain took Miyu's shrug as simple nerves, "Oh, don't worry about it, school can be fun," Mister Gawain gave a nod, then headed to the round table in the living room, "Just pay attention and do what you are supposed to do. You'll make friends in no time."
"Friends..." Miyu murmured under her breath, rolling the word around. Then she went back into the kitchen to help Shirou make the rest of breakfast, as well as prepare lunch for everyone to take.
Before long, Kay arrived, sitting next to his father and asking about the news. They chatted for a bit, as Arturia and Lance filtered in. Lance walked over to the kitchen, pulling an Ignition energy drink out of the fridge. Arturia followed into the kitchen as well, but to help the Emiya siblings bring the breakfast platters out to the round table. Before long, everything was set up, and everyone began to dig in.
As always, the Pendragon table was lively at breakfast. Lance was showing Shirou some pictures on his phone. They were of the best spots on U.A.'s campus to spar and train, and Shirou was taking an interest in the virtual tour. Arturia was busy speaking to her father about getting a motorcycle now that she was in U.A., however Mister Gawain responded with simple questions to poke and prod her arguments.
Kay was bouncing back and forth between the two conversations. He would chime in with motorcycle statistics to Arturia, then turn around and point out which vending machines had better pricing at U.A. The table was loud and boisterous, but it was also warm and friendly.
Miyu still struggled to process that warmth. In smaller groups, she had a much easier time. When she was with Shirou alone, Miyu could talk and vent about almost anything she wanted to, like about cooking, magecraft, or how this world was so different.
On the other hand, Arturia had taken to being Miyu's sister with gusto, always finding excuses to offer Miyu inclusion to whatever the blond lioness was doing, whether that was shopping or playing a game. It was Arturia, not Shirou, who was teaching Miyu how to swing a shinai. Arturia had declared herself Miyu's sword teacher, and neither Emiya sibling had chosen to deny her. It kept them from raising their swords against each other.
It was obvious to anyone who observed the Pendragon household that Miyu was closest to Shirou and Arturia, but that didn't mean she lacked a connection to Mister Gawain or his two sons. Mister Gawain often found small ways to dote on Miyu, checking in on her and taking a deliberate interest in whatever she was studying. If she ever needed a snack or a new textbook or notepad, Mister Gawain would often get it as fast as Arturia or Shirou.
Speaking of studying, Miyu had ended up striking up an agreement with Lance to read aloud his textbooks while he worked out, and if he had questions on the material, he knew he could ask Miyu about the subject. On the other hand, Kay's enjoyment of game shows often had Miyu competing with him on matters of trivia or hypothetical bets. Interestingly, the Holy Grail's exposition would often be silent during these games. Perhaps it believed in the premise of fair play, but regardless it allowed Miyu to learn of this world on her own terms.
What she really was learning was the comfort of a proper family. Shirou had tried his best in the last world, but Kiritsugu's training had tainted him in different ways. Some of it had merit; the Ainsworths had only succeeded because the Emiyas had left the sanctity of their home. Kiritsugu had been right to warn against that.
But at the same time, Kiritsugu ultimately had the same goal as the Ainsworths when it came to saving the world. Miyu was meant to be sacrificed, so why spend the effort on frivolous things that don't matter in the end? That was the difference between the Emiya household and the Pendragons. They cared about the small things. The incidental occurrences that gave life the warmth worth living.
{So why leave this warmth to go be lectured by strangers about things you already know?}
"Miyu?" Arturia called, putting her hand on Miyu's shoulder. She turned to face the blonde, "You need to finish eating, we have to leave soon."
Miyu turned back to her food, which only had a few bites eaten out of it, "Oh, right," Miyu focused on finishing her food, then put the dishes away. She then returned to her room to change out of her casual clothes and apron and into her school uniform. It was a blue sailor fuku style with a red ribbon. Miyu wore hers with black leggings and matching shoes.
Miyu grabbed her bag, and slung it over her shoulder, going to the front entrance where her brother and the Pendragons were putting on their outside shoes. They were all dressed in the gray and green U.A. uniforms. Once everyone was ready, they bid Mister Gawain farewell and headed out.
As the group walked down the road, Lance and Arturia took the lead, lightly teasing each other as Arturia was sure she would soon surpass her older brother. Kay hung back, having his headphones in while he listened to his morning podcasts. Shirou was chuckling at Arturia's and Lance's conversation, while Miyu held his hand, just taking in the atmosphere.
She felt protected, like she was a V.I.P. being protected by her security detail. Miyu could appreciate it for a bit, even as she felt like she stuck out like a sore thumb among the older teenagers.
As they approached the train station, the amount of people grew and grew. Miyu practiced relaxing breathing, trying to maintain her calm. The noise level wasn't unmanageable, and the warmth of Shirou's hand helped to ground her. He had fought for an opportunity for her to be able to have a normal life. She could do this.
"Alright, we need to catch the train soon to U.A.," Kay spoke up, having taken out his earbuds, "Except you, Miyu. Somei is about another block down. Do you think you can walk down on your own?"
Right... this is where she would need to walk alone now, "Yeah, I can do that," Miyu replied, squeezing her brother's hand for a moment. Shirou turned to look at her, eyes full of concern.
"Are you sure, Miyu?" he asked, tilting his head, "I can walk you down then run back up to catch the next train." Miyu shook her head, pulling her hand away.
"No, I can do it," Miyu forced her voice to be steady, and it mostly worked, "You shouldn't risk being late for your first day of school."
Kay gave a sly smile, "Come on, Shirou, I know you just want to be a good big brother," he slung an arm around Arturia, who glared at him, "But at least Miyu is being polite before she strikes out on her own. Artie here just ditched us the second she could on her first day."
Arturia slammed her heel into Kay's foot, causing him to curse and hop away. She then turned to Shirou and Miyu, "I know you are worried, Shirou, but Miyu has this, right?" Miyu nodded, just as the P.A. system announced that the train would be arriving in two minutes. "It's time for us to go, Shirou. I hope you have a good day at school, Miyu," Arturia said, bowing her head to Miyu.
Miyu bowed her head back, "Same to all of you. I want to hear all about U.A. tonight." With the farewells said, Miyu watched as her brother and the Pendragons got on the train, and headed off. She stayed for a moment, drowning in the murmur of the crowd, before she took a deep breath, and walked away from the train station and headed towards Somei.
The shorter walk to Somei felt longer than the walk to the train station. Miyu's limbs felt like they were filled with mud instead of blood as she walked. She thought that the noise of the train station would have faded away by now. Instead, it was replaced with the swarm of students, chatting and gossiping about the start of the new school year.
I hope we get Miss Tachibana this year. Oh, I prefer your phone to mine. Isn't her hair clip just adorable? I need to get a new bag, this one has a hole in it. I would hate it if we got into the same class as Akaza, I want us to be in different classes.
I want...
I need...
I want...
I need...
All of the chatter faded into a dull, electric hum, as Miyu just focused on taking one step and putting it in front of the other. Right foot. Left foot. Right foot. Left foot. Right foot. Left foot. Just keep walking, the noise would be over soon. Shirou and the others said that the classes would be quieter while the teacher taught. Miyu could make it to then.
As she walked, she noticed various groups of students. Some were only boys or girls, others were more mixed. Most of them were chatting, or goofing around before classes would formally start. All in different friend groups, just like what Shirou had wanted for her.
...Hadn't she found that already? Miyu had already found friends in the Pendragons, like Arturia, Lance, and Kay. She even met with Midoriya again at the beach, and she considered him a friend. So why was she even here, with this cacophony of students overwhelming her senses? It wasn't like she could learn anything here, she probably knew the subjects better than the teachers. What could she possibly find here at this...
A student ran past Miyu, causing a draft of wind to brush over her. Miyu glanced at the student, her attention caught up for a moment. The other student was an albino young girl about Miyu's age, with snow-white hair and scarlet red eyes. What had Miyu's attention was that she wore a headband similar to Shirou's Archer Install costume.
"I pray that you meet kind people. I pray you find friends you can laugh with. I pray you find a warm, small share of happiness." Shirou's prayer to the Holy Grail came right to Miyu's mind, holding her in place as she observed the other girl.
The albino young girl went up to another girl, who had short black hair cut into a bob with steel gray eyes. "Hey, Hana, how was the zoo?" the albino girl asked, and the two girls walked away, chattering. Happy to be in each other's presence.
The moment passed, and the electric hum of the students started flooding back into Miyu's ears. She took a deep breath, then forced herself to continue to walk, each step heavy as she moved forward. Miyu told herself that school would surprise her, but she couldn't find the heart to believe in herself.
I want...
I need...
I want...
I need...
As Miyu walked into Somei Academy, her nerves only grew and grew.
As Izuku walked into U.A. Academy, his excitement only grew and grew. That was a weird feeling for him, but he relished it. Before, school was just a social battleground. His own inadequacies and powerlessness added to the pressure of the coursework and study. Even after meeting All-Might and starting the All-American Dream Plan, school simply continued to be a drain on Izuku's mental resources.
Here, however, at U.A., Izuku was finally on the right track to be a hero. He had a Quirk, an ability to train and nurture, entrusted to him by All-Might. Izuku would finally be studying more about Pro-Heroes, and learning something that he was actually interested in. But the best thing about coming to U.A. wasn't just the hero course. It was actually much simpler than that...
"Oh, hi Midoriya!" Uraraka called out, also having arrived on campus. Izuku paused for a moment in front of his locker, and turned to greet the gravity girl with a smile and a wave. Then he finished switching to his inside shoes. Uraraka got to her locker, and followed up with, "So, ready to start our first day of class?"
Izuku had friends here at U.A. For the first time since he was diagnosed as Quirkless, people wanted to be around him. Izuku often wasn't the one to start a conversation, usually Uraraka or Pendragon, wait, Arturia, would start the conversation. The blonde Englishwoman preferred going by her first name with her friends. Izuku was still getting used to the fact that a girl even wanted to be friends with him, let alone three.
...Yes, Dark Shadow counted, even if she was Tokoyami's Quirk.
Izuku shook his head, stopping his thoughts from rambling too much, and responded to Uraraka's inquiry, "Yeah, I am. I've been so jittery since we got our results back that I've hardly slept. My mom was worried that I was going to pack my action figures instead of my books this morning."
Uraraka laughed, "Yeah, my parents have been nervous too. Though that's more because I'm living on my own now," the two started to walk down the hall to their classroom, as Uraraka released an exasperated breath, "It took so long to get them on the road back to Yabin. They kept finding things they wanted to fix up, regardless if it actually mattered or not."
Izuku shrugged, "I'm sure they're just worried about you. They probably wanted to make sure that you can focus on achieving your dreams here, instead of dealing with apartment issues."
Uraraka hummed, "Yeah, no I get that... But I'll be fine," she turned to Izuku, pumping her fist, "I'm going to take full advantage of this opportunity. I... no, we all are going to do our best, right Midoriya?"
Izuku nodded, pumping his fist in return, "Of course! I'm glad we will all be in the same class together." Their group had all ended up in Class 1-A, which the two new students had just arrived at.
Izuku and Uraraka took a second to gawk at the giant door, before Izuku set that detail aside to grab the doorknob, "I don't think anything can stand in our way..." Izuku trailed off as the two saw the chaos that was brewing inside the classroom.
"Huh?!" Katsuki Bakugo growled, a feral smirk plastered on his lips, one foot resting on top of his desk, "Want to repeat that, Four Eyes?" The explosive bully tilted his head back as Iida flailed his arms around, trying to restore order.
"I said for you to take your feet off of this desk. This is the first day and you are already disrespecting this academy!" Iida's lecture didn't have any effect on Bakugo, yet he persisted, "You are scuffing school property!"
Bakugo scoffed in response, "You're kidding, right? What, did your last school put a stick up your ass? Or were you born with it?" The vulgar response caught Iida off guard, before the speedster took a deep breath to center himself.
"Let's start over, I'm Tenya Iida. I'm from the Somei Private Academy along with..." Before he could finish, Bakugo leaned forward, eyes narrowed in disgust.
"Oh, you're from Somei, huh? You must think you are better than me!" Bakugo cracked his neck, "I'm going to have fun tearing you a new one."
Tenya gasped, leaning back, "You would threaten me? Your own classmate? Are you sure you belong to a hero course of this caliber?" Bakugo gave another scoff at this, but before he could respond, Arturia sat down in her seat behind him.
"That's just how he is, Tenya," Arturia remarked, a sharp edge to her voice, "He's the guy I told you about, the one who shoved me before the entrance exam, then told me he would set me on fire."
Bakugo whipped his head around so fast he missed Izuku and Uraraka standing in the doorway, a blessing Izuku was grateful for, "What the hell are you talking about, lady? The only person I was threatening was Deku! I don't even remember running into you."
Arturia raised an eyebrow, "So we can add a lack of situational awareness to your list of qualities," she glanced over to Tenya, "I think Midoriya scored higher than this guy, don't you?" Izuku winced, but had to give a small laugh. It was a low blow, but he knew Arturia didn't mean anything by it.
Bakugo, however, did not appreciate the comparison. "Lower than Deku?" he hissed out, his face turning red. Arturia and Tenya blinked in surprise, not realizing how much that had set off the explosive bully, "Like hell I did! I was ranked second in the entrance exam! Where were you, tenth?"
Arturia leaned back, folding her arms, "First, thank you very much," that response stopped Bakugo's ranting in its tracks. Arturia clearly enjoyed putting a stop to that, "That's right, I'm Arturia Pendragon. You must be Katsuki Bakugo then, if you really did get second. How in the world did you outscore Shirou?"
Bakugo let loose a low growl, "Oh, so it's you that I have to beat to get the top seat? Bring it on." They continued to growl back and forth, but Izuku and Uraraka decided to move on. In the third seat back from the column closest to the door was where Shirou Emiya sat. He was pinching the bridge of his nose, while Fumikage Tokoyami was leaning against the redhead's desk, shaking his head.
Izuku and Uraraka moved over to stand by their friends, with Uraraka being the first to speak, "Hey, Emiya, Tokoyami. Arturia is a bit... riled up today, huh?" Tokoyami stoically nodded, while Emiya sighed and leaned back.
"Yeah... we may have lucked out by being in the same class all together..." Shirou started his reply, before glancing at two students on the other side of the classroom, "That luck had to be balanced somehow."
The two students were young men, the first one had his hair split down the middle, neatly parted with red on the left and white on the right. Izuku winced as he saw the young man had a nasty scar over his left eye. It didn't seem to bother the half and half guy, however, as he continued to study his textbook.
The other one had purple hair that looked to have the texture of seaweed. It had a natural shine to it, and as this guy slicked it back he looked into a portable mirror on his desk. He seemed to be speaking positive affirmations to himself under his breath as he did so. Izuku didn't like to judge, but he could tell just how vain the purple-haired guy was just by looking at him.
Izuku and Uraraka looked back to Emiya, who was resting his chin in his palm, his mood similar to a dog annoyed by the noise around him. Izuku tilted his head, as he ventured a question, "So... who are they?"
Emiya released another sigh, before commenting, "Red and White there is Shoto Todoroki. He's the son of Endeavor," Izuku's eyes widened, and Emiya nodded, "Yeah... Arturia kind of has a grudge against him and his father, but Todoroki, well..." Emiya trailed off, struggling to put it into words.
Dark Shadow manifested out of Tokoyami's shoulder to chime in her two cents, "Yeah, Mister Todoroki there just completely blew off all of Arturia's attempts to declare war. It was hilarious," Dark Shadow chortled, as Tokoyami gave a side eye to his spectral companion. The shadowy personage continued, "I can't believe he was able to shut her down with little more than some looks and a scoff."
Tokoyami had a different thought process, "I think it was mature of Todoroki to not focus on useless rivalries. We're here to become paragons for the public, not servants of our own satisfaction."
Izuku had to agree with that. So did Emiya, as he nodded with a shrug, "I agree, but Arturia always does better when she has a clear rival. She's been improving more and more with her swordplay since sparring with me, and I know she enjoyed competing against you, Uraraka, in the entrance exam."
At the sudden acknowledgement, Uraraka shyly tilted her head, "I was barely able to keep up with her... but I won't let that deter me. If she wants a competition, I'll bring it." She finished her statement pumping both of her fists, as if she was squaring up to fistfight Arturia right there. Izuku and Dark Shadow gave her a thumbs up, while Shirou and Tokoyami just simply nodded.
Izuku looked back over to the other new student, the one with seaweed hair. He was currently checking his nails, still continuing his self-affirmation. However, he was also trying to be subtle in checking out Arturia. She had risen from her desk, Bakugo rising to meet her. Izuku frowned, "So... who is the other guy, then?"
Emiya's eyes flashed over to him, then back over to Izuku with a small shrug, "I have no earthly idea," he replied, his voice carrying the smallest twinge of emotion. Emiya glanced down at his desk, tapping it rapidly before he responded, "He... just reminds me of someone from my past."
"What's with you and bringing up the past?" a voice spoke up beside Izuku, who turned along with Uraraka and Tokoyami. Two new students arrived, a young woman with long, violet hair and some tinted glasses, with the frog girl Izuku recognized from the entrance exam. The violet-hair woman raised an eyebrow, "Do you need to go to therapy?"
"That's on the weekends, but thank you for your consideration, Mitsuzuri," Emiya retorted, but his tone carried a bit of amusement. He didn't move his face from his palm, but continued with responding, "Izuku Midoriya and Ochako Uraraka, this is Ayako Mitsuzuri. Tokoyami and I worked with her near the end of the entrance exam."
"Oh, it's nice to meet you," Uraraka bowed her head to Mitsuzuri and her friend. Izuku quickly followed suit. Uraraka then continued with, "If you worked with Emiya and Tokoyami, why didn't you join us for lunch?"
Mitsuzuri shrugged, "I wasn't invited, so why would I have come along?" Izuku and Uraraka shot a look at Emiya and Tokoyami, wondering why they would have been so rude. Their gazes back were unamused, causing Mitsuzuri to laugh, "Of course, that would have been my fault. I left before any such invitation could have been extended to meet up with my own friend," she gestured to the frog girl beside her.
"I'm Tsuyu Asui, but you can just call me Tsu," the frog girl responded, "I kind of wish we did join your group for lunch, though. You did help me out there at the end, Midoriya." Izuku felt his face heat up as everyone turned to look at him with questioning eyes.
"I mean, all I actually ever did was parry some debris that was falling with a shield, Asu-, I mean, Tsu," Izuku replied, trying to keep his stutter to a minimum, "I doubt it would have done much damage."
"No, but it's the thought that counts, so take the compliment," Mitsuzuri ordered, causing a round of chuckles at Izuku's blushing. The violet-haired woman then turned back to Emiya, "Going back to the other topic, who reminded you of someone from your past?"
Emiya tilted his head to his left, still not moving his head from his hand, "Seaweed Slickback over there. Just... reminds me of someone I met once. Do you know him?" Mitsuzuri and Tsu looked over to him, then groaned. Izuku blinked at the reaction.
"It's Shinji Mineta," Mitsuzuri sighed, "He went to school with us. I ended up having to have him as my vice captain of the Archery Club to keep him busy."
Tsu nodded, "He's a total perv, but he knows how to talk real smooth and butter up anyone he wants," she glanced over to Uraraka, "You fall into his type of girl, so be careful around him."
Uraraka nodded, "Noted. Do I need to worry any more about him?" At the implication of this question, Mitsuzuri and Tsu both shook their heads. Izuku released a silent sigh of relief he didn't know he was holding.
"No, he's a womanizer, but outside of staring too long, he's manageable," Tsu replied, "If he ever makes you uncomfortable, let us know and we'll handle him." Mitsuzuri nodded, and Uraraka bowed her head in gratitude.
Tokoyami took this moment to chime in, "This Mineta character seems to be staring at Miss Arturia." Indeed, Mineta had finished his self-affirmations and was trying to appear as if he was just watching Arturia's and Bakugo's argument that was raging. Iida was trying to referee this argument to little success.
In reality, the seaweed guy wasn't as subtle as he thought he was in checking out Arturia's figure. "Should we do anything now about it?" Izuku asked, glancing down at the redhead.
Emiya shook his head, even as he cracked his knuckles clenching his fist, "We don't need to worry. Arturia has good situational awareness; she knows he's staring," Izuku glanced at the blonde lioness, noting that while her attention was on Bakugo, she did seem to have awareness of Mineta's gazing, and shifted her bag to block his gaze. Emiya cracked his neck, "Besides, she's incredibly strong. She can handle Mineta easily."
Mitsuzuri nodded, "I see, that's good to hear," she paused, then asked, "Can I ask why your girlfriend is picking a fight with Spiky over there?"
Emiya snapped his gaze to Mitsuzuri, "She's not my girlfriend," the group burst into chuckles, while Emiya put his chin back into his palm, "My sister and I are just staying with her family for private reasons. As for why she's arguing with this guy, well..." Emiya gave a small chuckle, "She's hyper competitive."
"Yeah, so is Kacchan," Izuku added, causing the group to turn to him, startling the green head for a second, before he followed up, "Um, I used to be childhood friends with Katsuki Bakugo, so I call him Kacchan. He had been working really hard to enter U.A., but Arturia beat him in the entrance exam, so... his pride hasn't been doing the best."
Mitsuzuri blinked at, "...I'm not sure if a bruised ego or a puffed up one would be more aggravating to deal with," she turned to look at Izuku, "Have you ever seen him like this?"
Izuku shook his head, "Not... really? Like, yeah occasionally he'll get slighted," like that time with the Sludge Villain,"...But honestly, this is the first time since elementary school that anyone has been able to soundly defeat him like this."