Ch 36 - Sounds Like the Provisional Licensing Exams II

"Ah! It's UA! You guys have made it! Congratulations!"

Neon winced at the fur-caped loudmouth that didn't even give her, Tokoyami, and Mineta time to walk into the waiting area. "Back it up, Yoarashi. You're way too loud."

"Ah! Sorry about that!" he said as he bowed and stepped away so that they could enter, "You must be sensitive to sound. Ah! How is it being around the pro hero, Present Mic then?"

"I keep conversation to a minimum," Neon shrugged as her eyes glazed over the room.

Like now…

The waiting area was completely covered in beige tiles with wooden planks on the ceiling. It was stark and bare with a few green booth seats along the walls, some plastic cafeteria tables and benches, and an area for refreshments and snacks. Her eyes caught the differing colored ones of Todoroki, who was seated at the back. She gave a mocking salute to him and grinned. She was relieved but not surprised to see he had already passed.

"Ha! That shows fortitude! As expected of a UA student," Yoarashi interrupted, drawing her attention back to him, "Ah! The off button on your targets is on the back. We've been told to put them on the shelf with the ball bags."

"Thanks," Tokoyami said as the three of them started to take off their equipment.

"Hey! How are the girls at your school?" Mineta asked bluntly.

"And...that's my cue to leave this conversation," Neon sighed, "Here Mineta. Give me your stuff. I'll put it back for you."

"Ah...Neon has asked to hold my balls," Mineta grinned.

Neon lunged for Mineta. Yoarashi quickly moved behind her and locked his arms under hers to pull her back.

"Whoa! I'm pretty sure we're not allowed to fight outside of the exams...You don't want to fail like this, do you?" Yoarashi asked.

Neon stopped struggling and raised her hands up in the air. "I'm fine...I'm fine. Just...keep this guy away from me."

"Here...Mineta and I will put our stuff away," Tokoyami offered.

"Thanks," Neon said as she handed her gear to Tokoyami and Mineta.

"What high energy UA students have," Yoarashi said.

"Yeah..," Neon said, "Thanks for stopping me. I'll hit him when the exam is done."

"Ha! But you're still going to hit him?" Yoarashi laughed, "I freakin' love your spirit! Actually, I've liked it ever since the sports festival. I saw you during the press conference too! You have a fiery personality."

"Actually," Neon said slowly, "You just happened to witness the rare moments where I lose my cool."

"Then I hope those moments come more frequently. I believe heroes need passion! They should be hot blooded! And you were brilliant at the sports festival when you gave such a passionate speech, declaring your values and standing up for what you believe. Now that is the action of a hero! And then what you said at the press conference...Man! Made me almost wish I actually stuck with UA."

Almost... Neon frowned but she could feel her face get slightly heated from the unexpected praise. "You're too loud again."

Yoarashi's arms clamped to his sides once more and he bowed at the waist. "Ah! My deepest apologies!"

The door swished open behind them. Momo, Jiro, Tsu, Tokoyami, and Shoji came into the building and they smiled when they saw Neon. They went over to her and unfortunately, that meant Mineta joined along with Tokoyami.

"I'm actually going to go get something to eat," Neon said as her greeting and then nodded over to the refreshment area, "Anybody want anything?"

Everyone shook their head except Jiro, who gave a shrug. "I'll come with you," she said.

They went over to the refreshments area and Neon went to the table filled with bowls of fruit and some yogurt.

"How'd you guys do?" Neon asked as she picked up an apple.

Jiro winced. "We ended up in the urban area and took out a bunch of second years from an all girls high school. It was a close one. If Momo wasn't there, I don't know if we'd be able to pass."

"Yeah. She's really smart," Neon said softly, "And a natural leader."

"How about you?" Jiro asked.

Neon shrugged. "We just took advantage of Mineta's Quirk to lay a trap."

"Nice," Jiro said.

"Ah! You two!"

"Why is he always here?" Neon moaned just loud enough for Jiro to hear, who raised an eyebrow at Yoarashi, hurrying over to her.

"You also have a sound base Quirk, yes? Do they not work well together? Is that why you two decided to work separately?"

"...No. We just haven't had the opportunity to partner up yet," Jiro said slowly and then she decided to cut to the chase, "Why are you here?"

"Ah! I just wanted to get to know UA students a little more," Yoarashi said, "As I've mentioned before, I have a deep respect for UA and-"

"Then why aren't you attending UA?" Neon asked, "You passed the entrance exam with flying colors."

"Ah…" Yoarashi lost his smile and he straightened up a little. "That...that is true. I will admit there was an incident that made me not want to attend but it wasn't due to the school itself...It was more of a personality difference. I couldn't see myself being part of a class and reach a level of camaraderie with certain individuals."

"Do you mean Todoroki? Because there's no way you'd mean Momo," Jiro asked.

Yoarashi's lips pressed together grimly, as if trying to hold the words back for a second but then he nodded. "Yes. I will admit that the character of Endeavor's son was too off putting for me."

"Ah...I see your point," Neon said and both Jiro and Yoarashi looked at her in surprise.

"So you agree with me?" Yoarashi exclaimed.

"Seriously?!" Jiro gasped, "I thought Todoroki is one of your best friends!"

Yoarashi blinked. "He is?"

"There's a definite personality difference between Todoroki and you," Neon said, ignoring Jiro's blab, "You two would not get along...and our class is already loud enough with Bakugo getting riled up by Midoriya. Adding you into that factor would be horrible for our class dynamic. You were right to go to another school."

Yoarashi sighed with disappointment. "You...You are sticking up for Endeavor's son?"

"Just stating facts," Neon said as she moved her way out of the dining area. "We're done here. Come on, Jiro."

"Sorry, dude," Jiro said with a nonchalant shrug as she followed Neon through the crowd.

"I saw you at the sports festival," Yoarashi interrupted as he quickly went after them.

"So you said," Neon muttered without changing her pace or direction.

"Please wait…" Yoarashi said as he grabbed her by the arm to get her to stop. It wasn't a painful grab but it was firm enough for her to take him seriously.

Thwack!

From the other side of the room, Todoroki leapt up from his seat, accidentally knocking over the table, with a startled Momo, Tokoyami, and Shoji sitting around him but Neon didn't react to that. Instead, she just calmly looked back at the agitated Yoarashi.

"What?" Neon asked.

"Like I said… I remember you from the sports festival...and...I don't understand how someone like yourself...who disliked competition because of how it pitted friends against friends...could stick up for someone as cold and selfish as Endeavor's son...He-"

"I'll stop you right there," Neon said and pulled her arm away from his hold, "I don't know what the hell happened at the entrance exam and what you're judging Todoroki on but...that's between you and him. Your business with him is your business, just like my business with him is mine so butt out. Do not talk to me like you know me."

Yoarashi hesitated for a minute but then he stepped back and bowed at the waist. "I'm sorry if I've offended you in anyway...I admit I do get carried away at times but that is because I was very eager to meet you."

"All because of the sports festival?" Jiro asked.

"Not just that," Yoarashi nodded, "I wanted to meet you, Nagano-san, even more when I realized who your mother was."

Neon felt like the bottom of the floor dropped out of her but she kept her face expressionless.

"Your mother?" Jiro asked.

"Nagano Aine was your mother, yes?" Yoarashi said with an eager grin to Neon, "The concert pianist? My parents were a huge fan and have a bunch of her records. Even the live recording of her Christmas concert at the Tokyo Dome! That one is my favorite!"

Neon's jaw clenched. Watching the recording of her mother performing that Christmas concert used to be one of her favorite things to do with her mother around the holidays...And it would always end with a live performance in the piano room. She, the staff, and sometimes even Koushi, would share a big plate of cookies while her mother played Beethoven's Ode to Joy.

She hadn't thought of that memory in years. "I…" Her throat constricted and she couldn't say anymore.

Yoarashi's smile grew. "We have it on vinyl! Would you like to come over and listen to it sometime? My real home is actually close to UA. I live at the dorms usually during the school year."

The boy was loud but he was also sincere and Neon had to give him that. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"I...I don't think I know you well enough to go to your house...But thanks for not yelling…" she managed to say as she continued on her way. She stopped and then turned to look at him, "And...that Christmas concert is my favorite too."

Yoarashi's face looked like it was about to split in half by his smile and he bowed to her. "Thank you for your time, Nagano-san! It was great to have finally chatted with you!"

She and Jiro rejoined her classmates near the center of the room while Todoroki uprighted his table with a blank poker face.

"Now we had another incident where three people passed in succession, which brings the total to 82...18 spots left!" Mera announced.

"Shit...82?" Neon muttered between chews of her apple. She glanced around the room and saw that no other Class 1A members had come in since Momo's group.

"Whoa! Does this mean Bakugo might not pass while I did?!" Mineta shouted, "Ha! The hierarchy of the class is now in dan-"

Thwack!

Tsuyu slapped him hard across the face with her tongue. "That's enough out of you."

Fwoomp!

The door to the entrance opened and Neon smirked at the arrival of not just Bakugo but Kirishima, Denki, Midoriya, Ochaco, and Sero. "Hierarchy still stands strong."

"Oh man…" Mineta groaned.

"All right! You guys passed too! Amazing!" Kirishima cheered as he and Denki ran to their group.

"Geez, Mineta. That was some statement you made back there. Now your skeevy behavior is known nationwide," Sero chuckled, "I can't believe you broadcasted that, Neon."

"I stand by what I said!" Mineta shouted adamantly.

"Of course you would," Neon sighed.

"Broadcasted what?" Jiro asked.

"Yeah, what are you guys talking about?" Denki asked.

"Oh yeah...You guys weren't in the mountain area so you didn't hear…" Neon said.

"It's nothing. It was just Mineta being Mineta," Sero laughed, "Although...if you want to talk about scandal, I know something goooood."

"What's the rating?" Mineta asked.

"R-18," Sero said and his smile turned lascivious.

"Yeah. We don't need to hear this. Come on, girls," Jiro said as she stepped away from the group and motioned for Ochaco, Tsuyu, and Neon to follow her.

From the back of the room, Todoroki sat back down next to Momo, Shoji, and Tokoyami and he rested his head in his hands. He felt like he was going crazy. His heart and his mind were going in opposite directions. Rationally, there was nothing for him to feel so upset about.

There was a guy here, who seemed to dislike him.

That's all there was to it and yet it unsettled Todoroki...And the fact that it had any emotional effect on him made Todoroki that much more troubled. That guy, Yoarashi, was not the first guy who did not think kindly of him nor would he be the last.

So...why was Todoroki so bothered by it?

He couldn't look up from the table. He did not want to look at that guy any more. Just the sight of that guy talking to Neon had made his blood boil. The whole time Todoroki was in the room, that guy had done nothing but glare at him but when the other UA students entered, his expression was completely different...Especially with Neon. Talking to her as if they were friends…

She was not the type to let emotions hold sway over her actions. She was careful...Especially about who she lets into her life.

Just thinking about it made Todoroki's fingers dig into his scalp. He had lost his cool that day and he was close to losing it again just now when that cocky guy grabbed Neon by the arm.

He had no right to touch her.

"Todoroki-kun? Are you not feeling well?" he heard Momo whisper next to him and Todoroki gritted his teeth.

She was a reminder of reality and the situation at hand. He did not want this to affect their exam performance. He could not.

"Sorry, Yaoyorozu.." he sighed, "I...I don't know what's gotten into me."

"It's okay," Momo said softly, "You don't need to figure it out right now...Just focus on the exams. Don't let this affect your performance."

Todoroki finally sat back up but he kept his eyes on his hands, which he folded in front of him on top of the table. Yeah...He was okay...At least, enough for him to take this exam. He needed to swallow his feelings for now and sort through all this confusion and frustration later.

After all, he was not like Yoarashi. He did not believe that a hero needed passion. A hero just needed to complete the task at hand….

And right now, the task is to pass the next exam. Whatever it may be...