A Whimsical Complex
Chapter One
Someway, Somehow
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❝the puzzle moves closer and sheds the shadows afar❞
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U.A High ranked number one and excelled in many areas for a reason and keeping their prestigious name to a high standard during the most competitive entrance exam was one of them. This meant the Academy had a responsibility to make sure their acceptance rate was kept to a minimum of one in three hundred every year. Setting out a certain goal during these exams was to acquire the most skilled students to become pro-heroes for the nation.
There were only two ways into U.A. High hero course; one of which was passing the exams and the other was through an official recommendation by the Academy. An official recommendation meant that U.A. High saw some form of potential in both your quirk and ability in becoming a professional hero for the society.
Kohaku knew that from the two taking the exam was the only choice she had to consider. Despite her chances in passing the entrance exams to come within days were close to zero. If there was a written exam then she'd be able to get into the Academy's hero course with flying colours, but, because they had a physical exam she knew her chances were rather low. For the physical exam was a way to display physical strength and how well one could use their quirk in any given situation.
She scribbled circles around the edge of her book and internally sighed.
It's like Mom said, heroes were all about having combat-like quirks.
"What do you think, Kohaku? Does it suit her?"
The once placid classroom started to buzz with each corner of the room chattering amongst themselves as the teacher left them to use this time to wrap up their junior high life before the bell signalled the end of the day.
A yawn escaped her conscious and unknowingly she perked up from her sleepy position, dropping the mechanical pencil from her grip.
"Huh? I don't know,"
"What's with you recently Kohaku, you're acting weird? Did something happen?" Her friend noticed the small pout hovering over Kohaku's face and the distant gaze that was still clinging onto her deep golden orbs. She leaned back to Kohaku's table tapping her cheek, awaking Kohaku from her aloof mind. Tender palms crumbling into a tired cast.
Her friend had still kept her palm onto Kohaku's face, pressing her eyebrows together whilst her perplexed gaze bore deeper and deeper into Kohaku's.
"Is there something you're hiding?"
"Oh, it's nothing," Kohaku blurted reaching out to grab onto her friend's palm, sinking in the surprise touch.
"Really?"
"Really really...I'm just tired that's all!" Kohaku insisted waving her hands around, trying to convince her friend that didn't look too pleased with her fake enthusiasm. "And besides, there's the high school exams taking place soon and all. I've been revising far too long these days, that's all."
"Mmm, if you say so."
The moment her close friend had turned back around, Kohaku blew out a long slow sigh of relief deflecting her rather long bangs to flow away from her face. She didn't know if she could keep the secret any longer. And with her acting like some sort of remote cat, it was no wonder her friend had found her behaviour odd.
Her application form to U.A High was submitted and all that was left for her was to pass the entrance exam. No one knew from her small circle of friends (excluding her older sister, Hanako). Not even her parents were aware of her plan to go to the entrance exam and it all depended on how long she could keep it a secret and if she was able to pass the exam.
Kohaku pressed her fist into her chest feeling the odd drift of her quirk intaking all her anxieties and easing her from the stress that came with entrance exams. Her only concern was passing the exam to an extent where her parents wouldn't deny her of her freedom.
But, still, deep in her mind, she could feel the forceful tug of doubt pilling up with many odd questions and what-if situations. What was supposed to start as whim based on a wishful attempt, turned to something so much more complex than she wasn't sure if she had the confidence to change the set future.
Whilst her mind was racing with all sorts of thoughts and worries, her heart had kept its usual pace and with class ending soon, Kohaku took her time packing her books and stationery into her overly pinned bag.
"I'm only helping you this one time, Kohaku— "
Kohaku rolled her eyes and pushed her bangs back in retaliation to her overly uptight older sister. For someone that was supposed to be completely cool and full of courage, Hanako sometimes second-guessed herself and the situation she was going into without any preparation.
"I get it, okay. This one time I ask you for a favour and you don't even trust me," Kohaku complained, picking up her school bag from the table.
"If we get caught or worse you fail then pretend this entire ordeal never took—"
"And if the worse does happen then I'll do as you say from now on," Kohaku completed walking towards the door with a sigh, and a pleasant relief making its way into a smile.
This whole ordeal started on a whim and doing whatever her sister had wanted if things didn't take off for her would only serve this entire situation as an unruly joke on her part. If her fate was to follow and submit before her family's motives then there was no point in trying to break free.
"Good, we're finally on the same page. Let's get out of here before they wake up,"
Hanako grabbed onto her car keys and barged past Kohaku with a strut, "We need to get there well before the start time."
Just as there were many paths across the world, taking the first step out the grey caged door with hope was the starting point in truly becoming free.
8:30 AM
An early start to what was going to be a very long day for a lot of the students that were sort of anticipating the test, some hoping for some form of change and others wanting to experience the best hero course entrance exam just for the sake of it.
The slow murmurs from the junior high students making their way into the large brilliant blue Academy, all eager-eyed and laughs made Kohaku halt in her track. She was here, all prepared with her heavier than usual light pinned backpack and at the same time not mentally prepared for what was to come next.
Clenching her fist, Kohaku stood beside the entrance a minute longer, studying the Academy's architecture from afar and waiting for her mind to settle down. She was here — prepared to give it her all despite everything seeming so far away from her grasp. The Academy was right there, standing proudly a few miles from her. Out of reach and beyond her dreams.
"Kohaku!"
She looked back and saw her sister waving at her to return to the car. Why was Hanako yelling her name so loudly, in front of everyone...seriously, Hanako always has to be so... Doing this on purpose to get me out of my mode.
Did she forget her ID registration card and other letters in the car? Or did her parents found out? Or maybe Hanako wanted to give her a piece of advice before the exam started.
Kohaku ignored the curious glances from the students that walked past her and paced back to the car, biting on to her lips in slight embarrassment.
"Your ponytail is loose. You can't be looking hideous, it only makes you seem nervous," Hanako huffed, shaking her head.
Kohaku blinked back in surprise.
"And why are you walking like you're being forced to take this exam? You wanted this so do it with pride!"
Oh. The same Hanako-like pinched expression taking over her soft features was glaring at her. Was she that sluggish and completely out of it? Kohaku nodded slowly and took out the black ribbon bubble from her long blonde hair, feeling lighter than ever.
"And good luck..."
Before she could say her thanks, Hanako had already pulled the window back up not wanting to face her hopeless little sister.
Kohaku pouted, making a mental note to buy Hanako a small thank-you gift and bowed her head with a loose grin. She took one quick glance back at the car and then at the Academy that seemed so much closer than before, and exhaled.
"Hey, isn't that Bakugou?"
Kohaku perked up at the familiar name being whispered around her, each student looking out to catch a glimpse of him.
"You know, the one with the sludge villain?"
"Oh it is, its the real hero in making!"
Kohaku wasn't surprised to see his indifference masking his aura, the same deep scowl painted across his face like some sort of a wild beast, wanting to be left alone. If he is here then...
"If someone like him is here, then what does that mean for us?"
"Well, who knows."
A lot of the students were already nervous knowing that they'd have to fight amongst themselves to get chosen to be part of a prestigious course. But, with so many outstanding people amongst them, a lot of them were starting to doubt their place in the coming exam.
From the corner of her eyes, Kohaku scanned the number of examinees making their way into the extravagant building and gulped.
We have to do better, and not give up.
Kohaku might slightly have been intrigued seeing someone her age that was already crowned to become one of the leading heroes of her generation. The way he had ignored the prying eyes, and strutted past them all with an air of confidence not hindering his sight. But, watching her peers meeking away from someone that was just as a beginner, as they were, was...humiliating.
She didn't, no, wouldn't allow such a person to overwhelm her just when her older sister had given her the courage to stand tall. Kohaku pushed back her blonde hair over her shoulder and lifted her chin, ignoring the idle babbles.
An overbearing silence hovered over the hall that was filled with anxious teenagers, and the most boisterous hero, Present Mic presenting the official notifications of the practical exam. While most of his notice went through the application requirements for the exam, Kohaku closed her eyes thinking back to her notes and then the strict tone of her father's rejection protruded into memory.
"You're quirk is not suited for a hero."
And yet she was here, without him knowing ready to take the exam.
The exam was only a ten-minute mock urban battle occurring in seven different specified battle centres, which meant that there weren't many complexities of the exam. It was simple. All she had to was use her quirk within that time frame and think back to the strategies written in her diary. She was prepared to use her quirk in a style that would hopefully work in her favour.
Her rigid thoughts to herself were interrupted as one of the students stood up with a stern question stretching out into the silent hall.
"On the printout, there are four types of villains. If that is a misprint, then U.A., the most prominent school in Japan, should be ashamed of such a foolish mistake."
His voice was strict, precise and was laced with honour which reminded Kohaku of her father. He has a point, she thought looking down at the print sheet on her lap with her exam ticket placed on top of the other sheets. They're missing an extra target.
"We examinees are here in this place because we wish to be moulded into exemplary heroes."
Kohaku stiffened in her seat. Her slender fingers lightly tightened their grip on the papers on her lap as the student then apologised for his disruption. Wish to be heroes? She bit onto her lips and felt the guilt rushing to her cheeks.
She wasn't here to become an exemplary hero, nor did she ever think so far ahead into the future about really becoming a hero. A shudder of a distant cold went by causing the papers on her lap to slip off unknowingly.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Teal eyes stared at her with a trace of worry, "Here you go, uh...Hiiragi Kohaku-san?"
The girl smiled at her, waiting for Kohaku to take it back. It was almost as if she noticed the abrupt chilled stir in the air beside her. The girl tilted sidewards facing Kohaku with straight sincerity and nodded at Kohaku, letting her ginger hair flopped over her shoulder, "Let's both do our best."
Kohaku flinched at the unexpected situation. "T-thanks,"
While the girl had already turned her attention back to the presenter, Kohaku peeked down at the exam ticket. Her name, birthdate, the examination number written in bold numbers of 7781 and the battle centre D.
The hero Napoleon Bonaparte once said: A true hero is someone who overcomes life's misfortunes.
Overcoming such misfortunes meant most times, it was all about the awareness and understanding in trying to change that often led most heroes into displaying their heroicness. Whether it was through saving others, saving themselves and even saving the misfortune that came their way as long as they remembered the motto of —
"Going Beyond.
Plus Ultra."
A/N: Beginning with a slow start, but we'll see how this fic goes.