Chapter 12: First Day, New Worlds
The morning of the first day of school arrived with a quiet, surreal stillness. Rock Lee stood in front of the mirror in his room, adjusting the knot of the dark green tie. The U.A. uniform felt foreign against his skin. The grey blazer was crisp and formal, the white shirt beneath it stiff and new. For years, his daily attire had been a simple, functional training gi. This uniform felt like a costume for a role he was still learning how to play, the role of a student at the most prestigious hero academy in the world.
He came downstairs to find his parents waiting in the kitchen. They didn't say much. His father was reading the newspaper with an uncharacteristic intensity, while his mother placed a perfectly prepared breakfast in front of him. But as he ate, he saw the look they shared. It was a look of quiet awe, of lingering fear, but also, for the first time, of genuine pride. When he was leaving, his mother stopped him at the door, her hands fluttering as she straightened his already-perfect tie.
"Do your best, Lee," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "Just… do your best."
He nodded, unable to speak, and walked out into the bright morning sun.
He took the public bus, wanting to be among people, to feel the normal rhythm of the city before stepping into the extraordinary world of U.A. He found a seat by the window and watched the world go by, his mind a quiet hum of anticipation.
A few stops later, the bus hissed to a halt and a new group of passengers boarded. Among them was a girl who seemed to radiate pure, unadulterated energy. Her skin was a vibrant, healthy shade of pink, and two small, pale yellow horns peeked out from her fluffy pink hair. Her eyes were the most striking feature; the sclera, the part that was white in most people, was a deep, glossy black, which made her golden irises pop with incredible intensity. She was laughing with a friend as she got on, her voice cheerful and bright. Lee noticed, with a small jolt of surprise, that she was wearing the same grey U.A. blazer as him.
The girl's eyes scanned the crowded bus for a seat. They landed on the empty spot next to Lee. She bounced down the aisle, her backpack slung casually over one shoulder.
"Is this seat taken?" she asked, her voice just as bubbly up close.
Lee shook his head. "No, it is free."
She plopped down next to him with a happy sigh. "Thanks! Man, this bus is packed today." She then did a double-take, her golden eyes widening as she properly registered his uniform. "Whoa! No way! You're a U.A. first-year too? That's awesome!"
Lee, unused to such immediate and open friendliness, felt a little flustered. "Ah, yes. I am."
"Cool! My name's Mina Ashido!" she said, sticking out a hand. "Nice to meet you!"
He took her hand. It was warm and soft. "I am Rock Lee. It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Ashido-san."
"Just Mina is fine!" she chirped. "So, what class are you in? I'm in 1-A! I was so nervous when I opened the letter, my hands were sweating so much I almost melted the projector thingy!"
"I am also in Class 1-A," Lee said, a genuine smile touching his lips. The coincidence was a pleasant one.
Their conversation made the rest of the bus ride fly by. Mina was a whirlwind of cheerful questions and funny stories, and Lee found himself relaxing, his own earnest replies seeming to amuse and delight her. When they finally got off at the U.A. stop, they walked together through the massive gates, two new students finding a small island of familiarity in a vast, intimidating ocean.
They navigated the sprawling, confusing hallways, their heads craned up at the signs, until they found it: a door far larger than any normal classroom door, with a giant red "1-A" emblazoned on it.
"Whoa, this door is huge," Mina commented. "I guess they have to account for all sorts of Quirks, huh?"
As they approached, they could hear an angry voice from inside. "—and take your feet off that desk! You are disrespecting the senior students and the master craftsmen who built it!"
"Like I care, you four-eyed extra," another voice, one Lee instantly recognized, snarled back.
They reached the doorway. The explosive boy from the exam, Katsuki Bakugo, was leaning back in a chair with his feet on the desk, arguing with a tall, well-built boy with glasses who was moving his arms with stiff, robotic gestures. Bakugo's crimson eyes happened to glance towards the door, and they widened slightly in recognition when they landed on Lee.
"Broad-brows!" he barked, his lip curling in a sneer. "You're here too? You damn nuisance."
Lee simply gave a polite, firm nod in acknowledgement, refusing to be drawn into a confrontation. He and Mina stepped inside. The classroom was filled with a vibrant collection of teenagers, each one more unique than the last. There was a boy with a bird's head, a girl who was completely invisible save for her floating uniform, and the boy with spiky red hair from the auditorium.
Lee found an empty seat near the back and sat down, placing his bag beside him. For a moment, he just looked around, truly absorbing the scene. He was here. He, Rock Lee, the Quirkless boy with the extra toe joint, was sitting in a classroom at U.A. High. He was surrounded by the gifted, the powerful, the elite. He had not been born into this world, but he had fought, bled, and endured until he had forged a place for himself within it. A wave of profound, quiet pride washed over him, warming him from the inside out. He was home.
Just as the bell rang, a figure appeared in the doorway. It was a man, but he was lying on the floor, zipped up to his chin in a yellow sleeping bag, looking like a giant, exhausted caterpillar. He took a long slurp from a juice pouch.
The class fell silent, staring at the bizarre sight.
The man wriggled out of the sleeping bag and stood up. He was the tired-looking teacher from the observation room, his black hair hanging limply around his face, his eyes bloodshot and bored.
"It took you all eight seconds to quiet down," he said, his voice a monotonous drone. "That's not going to work. Time is a precious resource." He scanned the room, his gaze lingering for a fraction of a second longer on Lee. "My name is Shota Aizawa. I'm your homeroom teacher."
The class stared in stunned silence. This was their teacher?
"Right," Aizawa continued, his expression unchanging. "No time for pleasantries. Put these on and meet me out on the athletic field." He held up a blue U.A. gym uniform. "We're having a Quirk Apprehension Test."
A collective gasp went through the room.
"A Quirk test on the first day?!"
"But what about the entrance ceremony? The orientation?"
Aizawa's eyes narrowed, a flash of intimidation in his weary gaze. "You're here to become heroes. We don't have time for pointless ceremonies. Now hurry up."
He turned and walked out, leaving behind a classroom of shocked and confused students. Lee, however, felt a familiar fire ignite in his stomach. A test. On the very first day. He couldn't have asked for anything better.
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