Tenya finished wiping his glasses with a microfiber cloth, before readjusting them on his face. They felt comfortable, unlike the sweaty P.E. uniform he was still in. He hadn't gotten a chance to change yet. Tenya was sitting in the waiting room of Recovery Girl's medical office, waiting for Midoriya's treatment to be finished.
After the test was over, Mister Aizawa had ordered Midoriya to go to Recovery Girl's office and get treatment for his broken fingers and toes. Both Tenya and Arturia had volunteered to take the green head, but the teacher had only allowed one person to go. So the two had glanced at Midoriya, who struggled to pick between his newfound friends.
So after sharing a brief look with the blonde lioness, Tenya went with Midoriya. Arturia went with the rest of Class 1-A to shower and get changed back into their school uniforms. The two boys would follow suit once the green head was healed up.
Tenya's thoughts were disturbed when the door to the exam room was opened, and out walked Midoriya, his busted shoes slapping against the carpet floor. He was flexing his fingers gingerly, but they weren't bruised and throbbing anymore. The glasses boy took that to be a good sign, "Ah, Midoriya, all healed up?"
The green head grimaced, but nodded, "Yeah, I think so. I'm... really tired though," he glanced down to the Youthful Heroine, who glanced back up at him with an unamused stare behind her purple visor. Midoriya continued with his comment, "It takes a lot more stamina than I thought to heal just a few fingers."
Recovery Girl shook her head, partly out of frustration, "Don't forget about your toes as well, Young Midoriya, not to mention your back," she let out a sigh, before going over to the refreshment area, "This is the first day of school, young man, how are you already a regular here?" she remarked, as she grabbed two granola bars, a protein shake, and an orange juice. The school nurse then passed each of the two boys a granola bar, as well as giving Midoriya the protein shake and Tenya the orange juice.
Tenya took the offered refreshments, opening the orange juice first to refuel. As he did so, he remembered what Recovery Girl had just said. She had to heal Midoriya's back. The glasses boy's mind flashed back to the entrance exam, when Recovery Girl had to heal Midoriya's back from... spinal burns. The school nurse hadn't elaborated on it, but it was clear what the implication was.
What is going on with your Quirk, Midoriya?
"I'm working on it, Recovery Girl," the green head replied to the nurse, pulling Tenya from his thoughts, "Besides, at least today I didn't break any limbs." He sounded far too chipper about that, at least to Tenya's ears. Was Midoriya really brushing off injuring himself just to use his own Quirk?
"That's good progress, but you were also just doing some physical tests," Recovery Girl responded, "If you were participating in a combat exercise, who knows if your strategy would work out." The school nurse tapped Midoriya's shoulder with her syringe-like cane, "My Quirk uses your stamina to heal you. If you get too hurt, then either I have to hold back on the healing or I risk you dying on my operating table."
Both Tenya's and Midoriya's eyes went wide at that comment, horrified at the concept. At least the green head seemed to take this warning far more seriously, as he nervously nodded. Good, Tenya could appreciate Midoriya taking the school nurse's warning far more seriously.
They quickly made their departure from the nurse's office back to the locker room to change, rushing away to get away from that dark thought. After a quick, warm rinse, Tenya's muscles felt more relaxed, especially as he stretched them out. Afterwards, he quickly dressed up, and put his glasses back on just as Midoriya was finishing with his tie.
...Why was his tie so short?
Tenya shook the thought off. U.A. allowed for a certain degree of customization within the school uniform. This wasn't Shinketsu, which demanded uniformity not just in the school uniform, but even their hero costumes. Midoriya's tie being short was far from the biggest concern to address.
As the two boys started to return to class, Tenya struggled to find the right words to speak to his classmate and friend. He wanted to offer some words of encouragement, but he also wanted to express his concerns. Nothing that came to mind, however, managed to balance the two sides of Tenya's mind.
The glasses boy ended up sighing, slightly out of frustration. Midoriya picked up on this, "Are you alright, Iida?" he asked, concern evident in his voice. Then the green head glanced down, "I'm... sorry if walking with me to Recovery Girl was a bother."
Tenya quickly responded to cut down that line of thinking, "Nonsense, if it was really a bother, I would have let Miss Arturia take you. I am more than happy to help a fellow student get the help they need," he readdressed his glasses before resuming, "...I just wish I knew what to say to you right now. I'm not as charismatic as my brother is."
Midoriya turned his head back to Tenya's, eyes glimmering in excitement, "Oh, right, your brother is Ingenium, right? The Turbo Hero who leads Team Idaten in the field!" Tenya gaped as the hero fanboy continued to speak, "He's the sixty-sixth ranked Pro Hero of Japan, working alongside top talents like Enigma and Watchbird! He's based out of Naruhata, but also works in areas like Genosha and..."
The green head's words came to a sudden stop, as he blushed and looked away, "Uh, sorry about that... I just... yeah..." Midoriya muttered, rubbing the back of his head.
Tenya took a deep breath before responding, "No, it's fine. I'm glad that you can appreciate my older brother's career. I just... hoped that no one would treat me differently once word of my connection to him spreads," he coughed into his fist, before asking, "What tipped you off?"
"Well, when I found out that Arturia's dad was Saber Shine, I realized that you must be connected to a hero family as well. With your family name being the root for Team Idaten, everything clicked into place," Midoriya shrugged, "You don't need to worry about me spreading anything, though. You want to be a hero for your own merits, right? Just like Arturia and her dad."
Tenya couldn't help but smile at that, "Yes, that's right. I appreciate your discretion," the two boys walked for a few more steps before Tenya turned back to Midoriya, "I should still introduce you to Tensei. I think you'll get along with him."
The green head gasped, "Wait, what? Really?" The glasses boy couldn't help but smile as the hero fanboy kept talking, "I mean, I would love to, but I wouldn't want to waste any of his time, or be a bother, or..."
"Nonsense, Tensei is someone who upholds the hero code without parallel," Tenya remarked, thinking back to his brother's exploits, "I think it would do you some good meeting him. He would know how to help, I think. He's done a lot of scouting for talent, so maybe he would have some advice that could..."
Midoriya shook his head, "I... would love to meet your brother, don't get me wrong. But, my power... Surge, it's... Something I have to figure out," the glasses boy blinked, but the green head continued on, "I think I'm on the right track now. I just need to practice until I can lower the output of power, then I'll be fine."
Tenya pursed his lips. Practice. It's a term that should inspire confidence. Every aspiring Pro Hero should practice with their Quirks. To master the fundamentals and learn the intricacies of their meta abilities. That was the point of the Quirk Apprehension Test that Mister Aizawa had run. Harsh as the consequences would be, for whoever scored last.
...Would Midoriya be able to pass? Mister Aizawa had made it a point that everyone should try to use their Quirks. Regardless of whether it made a difference or not. Midoriya failed to use Surge until the high jump, where he broke his fingers. Then he continued to break his toes and another finger in the side steps and ball toss.
The green head, who had taken down an Executor in a selfless attempt at saving a fellow candidate, might be going home. Tenya had thought that U.A. had been testing for something more than raw firepower at the entrance exam. Midoriya being accepted seemed to prove that, even after getting zero Villain Points.
But now, Mister Aizawa may be revoking that privilege. His heart hurt at the prospect, but Tenya had to understand the reasoning. Throwing yourself into the field without the proper ability to serve the public would only lead to tragedy. If Miss Uraraka weren't there, Tenya and Miss Arturia wouldn't have been able to get Midoriya to Recovery Girl.
Being willing to sacrifice yourself as a hero was noble. Looking to sacrifice yourself as a hero was foolhardy.
...Perhaps Mister Aizawa would have a point, if Midoriya was the one to go home. The green head could still be a hero, it would just take longer, going through a provisional license exam at a university. That time would be better spent by the hero fanboy working on his own Quirk so he stopped hurting himself.
Why did I give him another chance? Same reason as I always do. I think he could surprise me.
Tenya shook his brother's words out of his mind, just as he and Midoriya arrived at the gigantic doors that led to Class 1-A. They walked in, finding the class silently reading over printed out copies of the syllabus. Mister Aizawa barely glanced up from his podium, tapping away on his tablet. The two boys quickly got the message, and returned to their seats, where their copies sat waiting to be examined.
Tenya slid into his seat, taking out a pen and notebook to jot down notes and highlights of the syllabus that he would want to follow up on later. Before he could get properly started, Emiya turned around in his seat, lightly tapping the glasses boy's desk with his pen. The redhead spoke in a hushed tone, one that had Tenya reading his lips more than hearing the words themselves, "How is he?"
The glasses boy sighed, shaking his head, before glancing back to respond in a similar tone of voice, "Physically? He'll be fine. Mentally, however..." At that, Emiya just scoffed and shook his head in amusement.
"He's being a reckless idiot who is trying to find the most efficient way to break his body to save others?" Emiya asked, a sarcastic smirk dancing on his lips. Tenya blinked, nodding slowly. The redhead nodded back, "I know the type."
With that ominous statement, the redhead turned back to his syllabus. Tenya decided it would be wise to follow suit. However, just as he did so, Mister Aizawa finally spoke up, "Alright, class, I finally finished putting everything together." Every gaze in the class snapped to the teacher, who continued in a mild tone, "It's time to show the rankings."
Mister Aizawa tapped an icon on his tablet, and two holographic displays appeared over the top of the blackboard. Each had two columns with five boxes within it, numbers marking each of the ranks. The names and points, however, were still hidden.
"I will remind you all one more time, these points are not purely from your physical performances. How you used your Quirk played a factor into your final scores," Mister Aizawa lectured, putting on the airs of a tired homeroom teacher. As opposed to the sadistic taskmaster he had been outside at Ground Alpha.
The teacher continued, "I wanted to see where all of you are right now, at least in regards to the physical stress of being a Pro Hero. Now I know, and so do you." With that phrase, Mister Aizawa clicked a button on his remote, and the names and points flashed onto the display, attached to the rankings.
1st Place: Gila Toyotomi - Sixty-nine points.
2nd Place: Ayako Mitsuzuri - Sixty-six points.
3rd Place: Arturia Pendragon - Sixty-four points.
Tenya took a small moment to grimace in sympathy. Across the classroom, he noted that Arturia was rubbing her forehead, clear frustration in her posture. He returned his attention to the rankings.
4th Place: Tsuyu Asui - Sixty-two points.
5th Place: Ochako Uraraka - Fifty-eight points.
6th Place: Mezu Shoji - Fifty-eight points.
7th Place: Shirou Emiya - Fifty-six points.
8th Place: Katsuki Bakugo - Fifty-six points.
It was interesting that Mister Aizawa chose to enumerate which rank Emiya and Bakugo got, even though they were tied at fifty-six points. The conventional method would be to label them both as seventh, but it seems Aizawa wanted to make a point.
9th Place: Shoto Todoroki - Fifty-five points.
10th Place: Fumikage Tokoyami - Fifty points.
11th Place: Tenya Iida - Forty-one points.
...Tenya had to wince. Arturia had simply gone down two ranks from the entrance exam. To suffer a drop of seven ranks, from fourth to eleventh... He would need to talk with his brother about improving his training regime.
12th Place: Mashirao Ojiro - Forty points.
13th Place: Mina Ashido - Forty points.
14th Place: Shinji Mineta - Forty points.
15th Place: Hanta Sero - Twenty-seven points.
16th Place: Koji Koda - Twenty-one points.
17th Place: Kyoka Jiro - Twenty points.
18th Place: Ejiro Kirishima - Eighteen points.
19th Place: Denki Kaminari - Sixteen points.
20th Place: Izuku Midoriya - Fourteen points.
Tenya took a deep breath. So, that was it, then. Even after limiting the damage he took to his own body, Midoriya would be departing the hero course. Ultimately, that had to be the best.
The green boy could spend time focusing on mastering his Quirk. If he stayed, he'd just get himself hurt every day they had hero exercises. Tenya was sure that between his family and Arturia's, they could get Midoriya in to train and...
"Whelp, better luck next time," Mineta patted Midoriya on his back, the green head just looking despondently at the screen, "If you manage to get a provisional license in college, let me know and I'll get you on as a sidekick. It'll look good for the ladies."
Tenya narrowed his eyes, peering at the seaweed boy. This guy was already planning on using sidekicks to pick up chicks? The nerve! Arturia also took offense to this sentiment, whipping around to glare at the smug prick, but Mister Aizawa beat them to the punch.
"Oh, right, I should probably tell you all that I'm not expelling anyone today," the teacher raised a thermos to his lips, taking a sip as the whole class gawked at him. As the Erasure Hero lowered his beverage, he had a deranged grin, which Tenya was beginning to tell was a signature of their teacher's, "It was just a Rational Deception (TM) meant to ensure everyone went Plus Ultra."
The class just stared gobsmacked at their teacher. Mister Aizawa took another sip, before the deranged grin melted back into his resting... stern face. "That's going to be all for today. I'll let you off early to cool off and explore campus if you would like. If you want to leave early, that's fine as well. Just make sure you know both the syllabus and campus like the back of your hand by tomorrow. Have a good day." And with that, without waiting for the ritsurei ritual, the teacher walked right out of the door.
The class held their breaths for a moment, then as if a pin dropped, everyone exploded into activity, moving around to chat with new and old friends about the situation. Chairs were scraped across the floor and desks groaned as various teenagers sat on their surfaces. A cheerful din grew over the class, as nearly everyone celebrated making it through the first day of school under Expel... Mister Aizawa.
Tenya knew that he should remind his fellow classmates that this was the school's property that they were disrespecting in their celebrations. But at this point, it probably didn't matter to the school. Apparently, U.A. was more than fine with their teachers lying to them. It was one thing to be harsh in setting a higher standard for their class. It was another thing entirely to do so with underhanded manipulation and deceit.
This was a school that had produced some of the greatest Pro Heroes both Japan and the world had ever seen. All-Might, Endeavor, and Ryukyu. Let alone his own brother, Tensei, the Speed Hero Ingenium. All great examples of the hero code, who strived to be model citizens in addition to their hero duties.
Did that just mean nothing to Aizawa? How could his students trust him, if he was willing to rationalize lying to the class as the Erasure Hero saw fit? Tenya knew this was just the first day, yet this was the crucial first impression that the homeroom teacher had deliberately chosen. One that went against any code of ethics that a hero and a teacher should have.
...What kind of hero prioritizes the ends over the means?
Gila Toyotomi watched the crowd of students intermingle and chat with each other, expressing relief that no one was getting kicked out of the hero course today. She allowed a small smile, taking a deep breath of the air. The noise of the crowd was almost nostalgic for her, it reminded her of the desert heat and musty bricks. Signing edicts and sipping honeyed beer from a ceramic cup...
A chirp from her phone reminded the golden heroine that she still had a message to address. The notification sound indicated that it was from her adopted sister about mundane matters. So she had waited until the end of the day to check on it, as a good student ought to do. Gila opened the display, and read the message.
Angelica: You didn't tell me that Archer would be so close to us.
...Gila frowned. Angelica knew better than to discuss these matters via the mundane channels. Had she been trying to be considerate by sending her message in this way? No, perhaps the former Ainsworth doll was lost in her anger. Gila merely disapproved of the Faker copying her treasures. Angelica hated him far more personally.
Still, at least Angelica had remembered to keep things short and vague, befitting her position as Gila's representative. The golden heroine typed a message back quickly, sending this one with Spiritron Hacking.
Gila: I knew he was going to be attending U.A., ever since the Pendragons took him and Sakatsuki in. I did not arrange for us to be in the same class, but it is fortunate. Our hunt is now easier, with Archer and Saber within easy observation.
Angelica: Saber? So that wasn't a coincidence then. Has she awakened yet?
Gila: No, it was not, and no, she has not awakened. She may be stirring, but even now I doubt the dream cycle has started. I can only barely tell that it's her, even with the obvious clues.
Angelica: That's good. The hunt for Assassin has been exhausting. I would hate to have to add dealing with the Black-Tainted Tyrant to the list.
The texts paused there for a moment, as the golden heroine watched as her adopted sister continued to type. Knowing her, Gila could infer that Angelica was trying to figure out how to ask her next question, so she decided to be blunt.
Gila: As for Archer, do not worry. I promised, didn't I? You will have your time with him. Begin the preparations immediately.
The golden heroine ignored her sister's response as she overheard Tsu ask a question out loud, "So, what are you all planning on doing now? Want to walk around campus? Show those of us without older siblings the sights?" The golden heroine looked over, and noticed that the frog girl was asking it to a group of students that included Miss Corgi, Midoriya, and the Faker.
That wouldn't do, there were carefully laid plans to enact, "I believe a proper celebration is in order. We all passed Mister Aizawa's little tests, after all, and managed to keep the entire class together," Gila interjected, calling out to the entire room, "It would do well for all of us to come together for a meal and talk things out."
As she glanced around, she made direct eye contact with Emiya, who narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Gila just smiled, "It would help us all get on the same page."
The Faker just scoffed, just as Uraraka spoke up, "Um... Is the cafeteria even open right now? I mean, I'm sure some of us have our lunches we packed, but..."
"Oh, do you really think I would settle for simple school food?" Gila retorted, her head tilted in amusement as she stood from her desk, "No, I am offering to treat the entire class to the Might's Cafe down the road. Lunch Rush may be a miracle worker, but one can only get so far with such cheap ingredients. Might's Cafe is leagues better."
At this, Ashido, the pink girl with the Acid Quirk, jumped and clapped her hands together, "Oh, that sounds awesome! I've heard their okra is really good!" Her bright smile turned most of the class to be agreeable to the suggestion.
Most of the class, but not all, as another member of the class piped up, "Yeah, their food is pretty good, but expensive," Kaminari commented, "Are you really sure that you want to spend that kind of cash on us?"
In response, Gila held out her hand, as one of her Treasure Portals opened up. A flood of gold coins and jewels came shooting into the air like a fountain, "Money is of no concern," the golden heroine replied, as she caught the spilled treasure with a few smaller portals "Besides, students here at U.A. get a discount," she leaned forward, catching everyone's eyes as she made her final statement, "I believe the talks we will all have will be worth the investment."
At this provocative display, Kaminari and Mineta immediately flocked to her sides, worshiping every positive trait that Gila Toyotomi had. The golden heroine simply laughed, enjoying the lavish attention as she stood up straight again. Good, that's at least two that will be coming along.
However, the explosive pomeranian simply stood up with a grunt, "You guys have fun wasting your time on a tea party. I'm going to the training grounds to train my Quirk."
Kirishima, the one with dyed red hair, tried to call him back, "Oh, come on, Bakugo, it'll be fun to..." the words trailed off, as the explosive boy blew them off and left the classroom. Kirshima hung his head, "Ah man, I was hoping some social time could help him chill out."
Before anyone else could react, Todoroki also stood up, "I believe he has the right idea, so I'll be going as well." The son of Endeavor strolled out of the room, and they were down another classmate.
Gained two, lost two. Gila found it unfortunate, especially since she wanted to learn how Bakugo and Todoroki ticked, but she was playing the role of the rich popular school girl. She would let them off the leash for now, there would be opportunities later. Neither of them were the primary target for this meeting.
The class began to buzz as everyone chatted about whether they wanted to go. Mina's endorsement seemed to help, as Kirishima decided to go ahead and attend as well. The pink girl's enthusiasm seemed to rub off on Tsu as well, which in turn caused Mitsuzuri to be willing to join as well.
Mezo Shoji, who sat in the desk to Gila's right, raised one of his dupli-arms to catch her attention, a mouth resting on the end of the limb, "I believe that Might's Cafe has a no mask policy. I don't really want to go if that's the case."
Gila simply tilted her head, "The no mask policy is just a preventative measure against villains. Of course, criminals will still violate that rule, but that standing rule allows the cafe to call the police as soon as the villains step in," she shrugged, "I also know the franchise owner, so I can let them know ahead of time that you have a condition. We'll have a private room, so no one should bother you."
Shoji paused, glancing at Koda and Tokoyami, but then slightly nodded, "...I'd appreciate that. I'm not used to such generosity." Gila just smirked, but kept her thoughts to herself. Everyone was below her, so why not share a bit from the top from time to time.
She turned her focus to the raven-like student, as Tokoyami was asking the Faker a crucial question, "I was hoping to spend time with you, Emiya, since you mentioned you would be willing to spar and show off your sword collection." At this comment, Miss Corgi glanced down at the redhead.
"Oh, right, I remember that. Guess we should skip out on this, then, and head over the training grounds," Pendragon's voice carried a beat of regret, but also of relief. It was clear to Gila that the blonde corgi's pride had waged against her hunger, and the pride was about to win.
The golden heroine kept her face pleasant as she glanced around the classroom. If this play didn't work out, so be it. It would be obnoxious, but Gila should be able to manage creating another opportunity in the future. Though, it would be a pain to continue holding her sister back from...
"Actually, I should apologize, Tokoyami," the Faker responded, catching his friends off guard, "But I would like to go to Might's Cafe as well. It'll be a good opportunity to get some new recipes to try out," Emiya glanced over at Gila, "I'd like to take some pages out of their books."
Hook, line, and sinker. Now she fought to keep her face just slightly pleasant, keeping back the vicious smirk she felt inside. Gila continued to eavesdrop on this conversation, as Miss Corgi looked at him in confusion, "Really? You want to go to Toyotomi's get together?"
The Faker nodded, before standing up himself, "Yeah. If nothing else, we can grab Miyu a treat from the cafe as well," his gaze glanced over at Gila's, looking for a flash of recognition. The golden heroine didn't give it to him. Emiya turned his gaze to Tokoyami, "We can all train on Saturday, since we only have classes till noon then. Does that work?"
"You better! We've been waiting to see these blades of yours!" Dark Shadow, Tokoyami's Quirk, emerged from his shoulder to chew out the Faker. The redhead raised his hands in surrender, his friends around him chuckling, as they got ready to go.
Shirou Emiya's chuckles, however, were as fake as his swords. He couldn't keep his gaze off of Gila, who finally indulged in a smirk back at him. Good, it seems that the Faker had an inkling of who she really was. Now, it was time to see what he would do with that information.
The pieces were set. The cards had been dealt. It was time for Gila to see how this Faker really ticked. Then she would decide what the future would bring. If it was worth working out a truce... or if she would need to put this mongrel down.
Arturia looked up at the menu, frowning at the variety of options. Sandwiches, pastas, salads, wraps... That was just the snacks and meals. She hadn't even been able to look at the drinks and desert sections.
She really should just pick a drink and maybe a small snack. However, she remembered Toyotomi's smug face, after the golden diva had pre-emptively put everyone's orders on her tab. That face really got on her nerves. Arturia was really tempted to make an attempt at maxing out that tab, but that would be a terrible look for her.
With the sole exceptions of Todoroki and Bakugo, the rest of Class 1-A had been convinced to join the golden diva's little party. Arturia didn't want to be seen as a prideful glutton. Her parents had raised her better than that.
But that left her with a new problem. Trying to decide if she wanted the Turkey Avocado Bacon sandwich paired with some crisps and tea. Or perhaps she should go American like All-Might and go for the Texas Smash Burger with a large cola and chips. Or maybe she should cut back and just do the Caesar Chicken Wrap and some coffee. Or maybe...
Arturia turned as Shirou just arrived, the redhead having taken a detour, "Oh, hey, everything okay?" He nodded, straightening his jacket, his back a little straighter than normal.
"Yeah, just needed to use the restroom," Shirou remarked, glancing around the cafe, before looking back at her, "Do you know what you want?" Arturia shook her head, even as she watched their classmates quickly make their orders with the cashier.
"Not really. There's just... so many good options, it's hard to pick," Arturia muttered, frowning back at the menu. While she couldn't deny being a glutton, she was still particular about what food she ate. She didn't care for trashy fast food, after all, or her father's potato salad.
Shirou gave an amused snort, one that Arturia was almost offended by, "Well, I only really want some tea. How about you pick what food I get and you can snack on both?"
My hero, Arturia definitely did not think inside her own head. Instead, she turned her focus back to the menu for one last time, finally making a decision, "Get the Texas Smash Burger. It comes with chips, so you can still snack on something with your tea. I'll get the Caesar Chicken Wrap."
Shirou nodded, so they got into the line and placed their orders. Afterwards, they went over to the private room that Toyotomi had managed to secure with her connections. How, Arturia had no idea. She thought she knew rich people, thanks to her uncle and aunt. Toyotomi was on another level, though. She flaunted it like the world was going to end tomorrow.
The room was a section tucked away into a small corner of the cafe, with screen doors that could slide open and closed. It had two tables, each side seating five people, which were set parallel from each other. Shirou immediately took a seat on the closer table, right next to the door, so Arturia took her seat across from him.
They happened to be sitting next to Tokoyami to Shirou's left, while the earphone jack girl, Kyoko Jiro, sat to Arturia's right. On Tokoyami's other side, Midoriya was pouring over the syllabus. Ochako sat next to him, but was talking with Shoji, the duplicating arm heteromorph. He was sitting across from here alongside Koda, who had the Anivoice Quirk.
Arturia sighed as she noticed that Shirou hadn't greeted the table. Instead, he had shifted into more of a vigilant role, scanning the room and keeping an eye on the entrance. She had seen him do this a few other times, especially in public. While she had been taught to be mindful of her surroundings, Arturia had the distinct feeling that Shirou's own training was a bit more harsh than hers. He didn't even feel safe in a group of hero students at a cafe down the street from the hero school.
Maybe Miyu does have a point of hating Kiritsugu. The Emiyas didn't talk a lot about their father, but what Miyu had confided to Arturia didn't paint the best picture of the guy. He seemed... paranoid, and had passed that trait on to his son. Then again, that paranoia seemed to have been warranted...
Either way, Arturia decided to be the one to conform to social norms, "Hello, everyone, hope you don't mind us joining this table," she nodded her head to everyone, who all returned her nod. This caused Shirou to remember his own manners, so he also greeted the table a moment later.
Kyoka Jiro, the earphone jack girl, was the first to respond, "Oh, uh, sure. That's fine," she replied, twirling her left jack around her finger. As Arturia adjusted her bag at her seat, the indigo hair girl chimed in with another thought, "By the way, congratulations on getting such a high score. You blew everyone out of the water."
"Almost everyone," Arturia tried not to grumble, finishing with her bag, "Toyotomi beat me out by five points, and Mitsuzuri by two points," she sat up straight, frowning, "I want to know what the scoring system was for that test, I need to figure out how to improve."
Jiro blinked, "Whoa, you are pretty hardcore about this, huh?" she stopped twirling her jack, "I'm just glad I wasn't low enough to get cut," Midoriya flinched at that comment, causing Jiro to wince, "Oh, uh, sorry."
"It's fine, I'm the one who can't control my power," the green boy sheepishly replied, "I'll work on fixing that, since Mister Aizawa probably won't give me many more passes."
Arturia nodded, "I have heard of his Rational Deceptions (TM), but never to pull his punches on expelling anyone. You must have really impressed him," Midoriya blushed, rubbing the back of his head, while Jiro just flashed him rock-on horns. The blonde lioness continued, "As for taming your Quirk, I have some ideas for when we can train after class on Saturday. With any luck, you'll be in full control by the Sports Festival."
Tokoyami took this moment to interject, "I hope you can spare a moment to spar with Emiya and myself, Miss Arturia. I was told you would like another sparring partner in that field."
Arturia smirked, "That's right, Shirou did mention that you had expressed interest in swordplay. It'll be fun to spar with someone with your unique abilities," she glanced at Shirou, expecting him to chime in. Instead, he just kept surveying the room.
She kicked the redhead under the table, snapping Shirou out of his trance with a flinch, "Ah, yes. It'll be fun to work with everyone on their Quirks on Saturday." Arturia frowned at the stilted response. What was bothering him?"
Jiro chuckled, "Dang, kinda wish I didn't have to go to music practice," she sighed, stretching out her arms above her head, "It would be interesting to join the fun."
"Ah, I didn't want to presume, but I had a guess you had some musical inclination," the blonde lioness nodded her head, "What do you like to play?" She wasn't the only one interested in her answer, and Tokoyami leaned in to hear her answer as well. Dark Shadow even made an appearance on his shoulder, eyes wide in interest.
...Shirou was still not engaged, still focused on the surrounding environment.
The apparent musician tapped her earphones jacks together, slightly blushing, "Oh, um, a little bit of everything. My parents are musicians, so I've been playing piano and guitar since I can remember," she glanced back at Tokoyami and Dark Shadow, "Back at the entrance exam, you mentioned heavy metal. Do you just listen, or do you like playing?"
Tokoyami shrugged, "I dabble a bit, though not just in heavy metal. I play some nu metal and industrial core," he started to stroke his spectral companion's head, who preened at the attention, "It can help keep her calm, but I wouldn't say I'm a professional or anything."
Arturia nodded, "I'm the same way, though I tend to stick to more classical pop music. I really like Crow's Claw, though," she glanced over at her redhead friend, looking to bring him into the conversation, "How about you, Shirou?"
He tapped his fingers against the table, sitting straighter than he normally did, "I don't know, nothing's ever really stuck. Music doesn't really fit me," this caused Jiro to wince, and Arturia kicked his shin again. This time he caught his faux pas, as he hastily added, "Not that there's anything wrong with music! It's just not my thing like it is with Arturia," he paused, his mind trailing off, and his next words were clearly unfiltered, "You should hear her sing sometime."
Arturia's face heated up, even as Tokoyami, Dark Shadow, and Jiro turned to face the blonde, "Oh?" the musician wondered aloud, her eyes gleaming, "I got to hear this some time. What was she singing, Emiya?"
The redhead caught his slip up, and he glanced sheepishly at Arturia, who was glaring in embarrassment at him, "Uh... I think that's... classified?" he asked more than answered, clearly trying to avoid Arturia's wrath.
"Wow, she really has you in her grip, huh, Emiya?" Dark Shadow chirped in, causing their side of the table to burst into laughter. Eventually, even Arturia had to give a chuckle, glancing over to Shirou. He seemed to be playing along, but his eyes kept flickering around. It was starting to concern her.
It was at this point that the food finally arrived. It was wheeled in on a cart by a young woman a few years older than the group. She was dressed in the Might's Cafe polo with matching pants, a green apron over the top. Her reddish brown hair was pulled back, with two red hair clips keeping it out of her face. Arturia also noticed the two moles under her left eye, along with another two on each side of her mouth.
The server was also shaking as she read each order out and delivered it to each of her classmates. Arturia couldn't help but be concerned, even as her wrap arrived in front of her. Alongside the burger that Shirou pushed over to her side of the table.
Before Arturia could thank the server, Toyotomi beat her to the punch. Because of course she did, "Thank you for bringing our food, Kobeni, you have done well as always." The server, whose nametag only read Higashiyama, bowed quickly to the golden diva.
Toyotomi took a small sip of her tea, "Though, you seem more shaken than usual. What matter is troubling you?" Miss Higashiyami tried to make some small excuses, but Toyotomi stood up and walked the brunette over by the door. They spoke in low tones, but Arturia could still vaguely hear them. Between that and reading their lips from where they were, she could follow the conversation.
"Um, well, it's the dishwasher. We have two of them just to keep up, but one of them started leaking like crazy in the middle of the lunch rush. So we're behind on dishes, which means we get behind on orders, and, uh... yeah."
Toyotomi gave an understanding nod, "I see. Have you called for a technician to come fix it?" Miss Higashiyama simply shook her head.
"I mean, yeah, my manager did that the second it happened. But they're busy too, so they won't be in till tomorrow. Until then... we're stuck handwashing the extra loads," the server released a big sigh, holding back any comments she clearly wanted to make.
"I see. That's quite the predicament," Toyotomi glanced over the group of classmates, who were all eating, "It's a shame that no one else could fix it to take the pressure off."
Arturia tilted her head. Shirou probably could fix it. In the few months he and Miyu had stayed at the Pendragons, he had fixed a few different appliances, like the oven or helped change the battery on her father's car. His Quirk had some sort of psychometric analysis component that helped with stuff like this. She glanced across the table, wondering if he had heard anything of the conversation.
...Shirou's ember eyes were blank. For a solid moment, Arturia couldn't read anything off of the redhead's expression. His face was so still that for a moment Arturia thought he lacked pupils. It was completely unnerving.
The moment lingered in her mind, but reality moved forward. Shirou released a sigh of relief, before turning in his seat, looking over at the server, "I apologize, I couldn't help but overhear that you have a dishwasher that needed repairs?" When the server gave a shaky nod, he returned it in a far more steady manner as he stood up, "Well then, I can help. My Quirk lets me scan and make reproductions of items I touch, so I can identify the problem and address it."
"Wait, you can?" Miss Higashiyama asked, getting another nod back. The server glanced over at the golden diva, who simply shrugged, and walked back to her table, right past Shirou. The two didn't even look at each other, yet an electric sensation shot up her spine. Just like when Toyotomi first stepped into the classroom.
What is going on?
Arturia glanced back at the golden diva, but she just returned to her table and resumed her conversation. Meanwhile, Shirou continued to talk with the server, "If you need to ask your manager, by all means do so. I just wouldn't be a good U.A. student if I didn't offer to help."
Miss Higashiyama hemmed and hawed, pulling out her phone, "Okay, um, sure, let me just..." she punched in a text on her phone, sending it before putting it back into her pocket. She shouldn't have bothered, because it immediately dinged with a reply, "Oh, um, he said that it's okay. Couldn't hurt it anymore than how it is," the brunette released a shaky sigh of release.
"Alright then, lead the way," the redhead nodded, getting ready to walk with the server out to the dishwasher. Before he got too far, Arturia stood up, calling out to him.
"Wait, do you want me to go with you? Be an extra pair of hands?" Arturia asked, trying to sound casual. After all, Shirou was just offering a favor for the local cafe. A bit odd, but that's just how he was. It was nothing more than that.
The tension just had to be in her own head, that's all. But it would help her to feel better if she came with him.
Shirou shook his head, "No thanks, Arturia. I do better alone on these kinds of things," he gave a small nod, "I can handle things over there. Just stick with everyone here, and... pick out a nice dessert for everyone at home tonight."
Taken aback by the blunt dismissal, Arturia simply sat down, "Oh, um, okay, sure, I can do that." Shirou nodded, bid the table farewell, and walked after Miss Higashiyama out of the private room.
Jiro glanced over at the blonde, "What was that all about?" her voice was full of concern, which matched the gut feeling that Arturia was feeling deep down.
However, she decided to focus on what she could do, "Shirou just likes some peace and quiet when he works. He'll be back quickly," with that, Arturia opened the menu, looking over the desert options that they could take home.
She tried to keep in mind Miyu's and her family's preferences, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she had failed to connect the dots. She had missed whatever it was that had caused Shirou's weird behavior since they stepped into the cafe. Something that would explain why she felt like Shirou wasn't walking to repair something, but headed for a villain raid.
Shirou followed after the server as they walked around the corner of the cafe's hallway, going through and past the kitchen. Servers and cooks glanced at the U.A. student with raised eyebrows, but simply focused on whatever task was before them. It was easy for the redhead to brush off their gazes. They weren't dangerous, not like Toyotomi's meddling.
Once they passed the kitchen area, they reached the dishwashing station in the back. As Miss Higashiyama mentioned before, there was only one dishwashing unit, with a cart situated right next to it. That cart was brimming with dirty dishes, which made the need for the second unit all the more apparent.
"Oh, um, it looks like they took it outside to the dock already," Miss Higashiyama told Shirou. How convienant, but Shirou didn't say anything. Miss Higashiyama just sighed,"I'll just... go ahead and check the dock." The server opened the door and looked outside, then looked back at the U.A. student, "Um, yeah, it's out here."
Shirou nodded, and followed her out to the dock area. Now that they were outside, the redhead could see the dishwasher unit. It was resting next to the wall, as if it had been newly delivered from the factory, rather than flooding the entire floor of the kitchen.
"This is it, huh?" Shirou asked, palming the unit. Miss Higashiyama nodded, as she struggled to prop the door open. However, the function to keep the door open failed to do its task. She then glanced around, looking for something to prop open the door, but the entire area was clear of the day's deliveries and leftover debris. An annoyance for Miss Higashiyama. A warning sign for Shirou Emiya.
Miss Higashiyama released a big sigh, "It's just... one thing after another today. I want to go home and eat ice cream and watch rom-coms and..." she trailed off as she saw Shirou's concerned gaze, "Oh, uh, I'm really, sorry. I don't want to lock you out, but I can't keep this door open. I don't know what to do..."
Shirou just tilted his head, "I actually have a small dagger in my Arsenal. We can use that to block the door latch. That way you can close the door and not overwork the AC," the brunette's eyes lit up as Shirou kept talking, "While I can still enter back in once I'm done. Should be a piece of cake."
They quickly tested the theory just to be sure. After Altering the blade to become thinner and magnetic, it stuck perfectly over the strike plate. The door swung open and closed, but didn't lock. Shirou turned back to the stressed server, "There you go, Miss Higashiyama. If I forget, you can just break the knife and it'll fade away."
The server released a heavy sigh of relief, "Oh my gosh, thank you so much. Oh, and thank you for, uh, being willing to fix this..." Miss Higashiyama glanced at the machine, her body language shrinking, "Do you, um, need any tools, or do you have them in that... Arsenal, thing?"
The Faker frowned, as he considered his current inventory of weapons, "...I could make do with some of the gear I have, but if you wanted to get me a toolbox, that would probably be more helpful," the server nodded vigorously, up and down, "Alright then. While you do that, I'll see if I can diagnose the problem. Sounds good?"
"Yup, that should work. I'll go get those tools. Thank you again," the server stammered out, before sprinting back into the cafe. Shirou had to give a small chuckle. She probably needed a break. Or a vacation.
Meanwhile, he needed to get to work. Rolling up the sleeves on his uniform jacket, Shirou placed a full palm onto the dishwasher, "Trace... On," he intoned, firing off his magic circuits to Structurally Analyze and identify the problem with the machine.
He found it fairly quickly, and it only caused him to frown more. He Projected another small dagger, this time reinforced to be more of a flathead screwdriver shape. Shirou gripped the edge of the frame, as he unscrewed the backplate of the appliance. Slow and steady, the redhead worked, even Reinforcing the screws so that they didn't strip. Before long, the fake janitor had the backplate off.
With the backplate off on this model, he could identify where the hose took in water and sent it to the top and bottom sprayers. Shirou reached over and unscrewed the bottom sprayer, freeing the hose to be pulled out. As he did so, he moved carefully, keeping his fingers along the tubing. Checking for any debris that might explain the damage he found.
There was none. Yet the hose still had damage that would have caused the earlier leaks. It wasn't a tear, however, from either age or misuse. It was a deliberate cut that formed the shape of a circle, with a vertical line down the center. Two other lines on each side at a forty-five degree angle completed the image.
It was a peace sign, the kind that American hippies would have used in the 1960s. Shirou's lips curved slightly in dry amusement, before his face straightened. He pulled off his jacket, setting it to the side. Then he pulled out a prismatic dagger from the back of his waist, and stabbed it into the peace sign.
Rule Breaker did its job, and the bounded fields surrounding Might's Cafe fell. It wouldn't stay down. Shirou had secretly scoped out the cafe with Structural Analysis while he was Projecting Rule Breaker in the restroom. According to his analysis, there were a few other sigils that would activate in a few minutes, once they found out that this one had gone down.
The door opened suddenly, and Shirou felt a familiar chill run down his spine. He didn't run from it, however, instead turning around with a predatory smirk, "Well now, I was wondering if we would ever run into each other," he taunted, spinning Rule Breaker around in his right hand, before projecting Kanshou in his left. He figured that she would be here, after seeing Gila's reaction.
Pulling the dagger from the lock so that it would shut, a blonde woman with blonde twin tails turned back to face her enemy. Her blue eyes burned with fury, as she tilted her head up, the box of tools she was holding bouncing against her leg. To Shirou's displeasure, she was also dressed in the U.A. hero course uniform, with lapel pins indicating that she was a third year. How curious.
That mystery would have to wait, however. Shirou could feel Angelica activate her magic circuits, so he matched in kind. He didn't know what kind of Quirk she would have, so he would have to be ready to match her with anything.
That was fine. His father had taught him how to take down mages before. He had defeated her in the Holy Grail War. He would do so again, to protect his sister from any threat.
The blonde woman shifted her posture, just as ready for a fight as he was. A silent staredown commenced, before Angelica Ainsworth growled out her next words, spitting his name out like it was a slur.
"So, we meet again... Emiya."