Sooo. I was bored and managed to finish chapter 5 of my revamp of the Hero Will always be greedy. So I decided to post it now since I have a nice flow going and I think it's better than the original chapter 5.
NOW! I am still allowing PMing as long as it is RESPECTFUL! If you guys do anything like what those assholes did to me in the previous story, immediate block. No warning, nothing. Immediate block is what you get when you decide to be an asshole. Ahem, don't be afraid of lengthy comments, I tend to enjoy those the most and I do hope you all enjoy this story.
Now enjoy, and please...have fun with this new version.
A FEW DAYS LATER
"Who knew being a quirkless would result in this much drama," Ritsuka commented as he walked down the halls with Count, skimming through papers of Chaldea as he did so.
"Simple, the idea if they have no power then they are helpless babes," Count rolled his eyes as he glowered at the students. They entered the cafeteria where they went to the teacher line, grabbing premade food for them before moving to a table.
"Still don't see why that's such a big deal."
"I think it's the quirkless aspect," he responded, glaring at a few who tried to get closer. They jumped before rushing back to their seats, whispering amongst one another like they managed to complete something.
"Don't scare off our students," Ritsuka bopped him on the nose as the noise increased. "I'd do no good for our reputation."
'How can he be so casual with someone so much stronger?'
'Why does count follow orders from a quirkless?'
'You think the reason he was punished is because he doesn't want to guard someone who's gonna end up cutting the rope soon?'
'Quirkless don't belong here...they're useless.'
Ritsuka froze at that word and Edmond looked to his master in apprehension. That word was one he hated with such a passion that only his own hatred could be matched up with it.
Useless….Ritsuka mused as he got up. He was called useless many times by the Mages Association because of his lack of circuits despite what he'd done, what'd he'd sacrifice for them all.
Useless...he remember the staff and Olga thinking that the day he got kicked out of the first briefing.
Useless….what he thought of himself after Lostbelt...after Grand Order…
"Master," Dantes murmured but he was brushed off as he strode to one of his students. A second year who was laughing at what he had said.
"Mr. Fujimaru," he, Kanakawa, said as he looked up. "Is something the matter?"
"Quirkless don't belong here, their useless is what you said," he hummed as the other tensed slightly before shaking head.
"I'm a heroic student. I would never say anything about the people I am to protect in the future. It's un-"
"Do not lie to me," Ritsuka interrupted with a smile, the whole cafeteria silent as they watched. "I do not like lairs." He crossed his arms, eyes closing as he looked down on the student who swallowed at the oppressive atmosphere he found himself under.
"I'm not though," he insisted, smiling as his teacher opened his eyes to reveal sharp as dagger sapphires piercing and cold as they froze him in his seat.
"Keep lying and I will tear out that useless appendage of yours that tells no truth," he warned. "You have no idea what I am capable of. To me your nothing more than a undertrained child with the idea of glory and valor."
"Don't undermine me and my accomplishments! It took me a long time to get to this point in my life," Kanakawa growled out, not caring of the warning look his friends gave him.
"You called a quirkless adult useless...I wonder, do you feel threatened," Ritsuka leaned forward a bit. His grin unwavering as he stared deeply in his eyes.
"Wh...no, never! I have my accomplishments and you yours,' he spat, hands curling into a fist as the smug face of his teacher drew closer.
"I wouldn't call your...accomplishments that. I mean even a child would be able to do what your doing with little effort. Your too lazy to do a damn thing and think that because you made it to Aizawa's second year of the hero course you are invincible," he chuckled, getting up. "I don't have much hope for you if you can say and laugh at such a serious topic. Then again...maybe you'll find better solace on the other side," he brushed off.
"SE...SENSEI," a student cried out as Kanakawa burst up, hand reared back as he tried to punch him.
"Take that back," he roared before his punch was side stepped and neck grabbed.
He choked as a hand gripped his throat in such a binding grip he could only claw at it uselessly as he was ripped from his seat and raised up into the air. His feet dangled as he struggled in the quirkless teacher's grip, he let out pathetic whines in an attempt to speak as he looked into the dark eyes of his teacher.
"Attacking a teacher, vice director and certified hero. Though, the last isn't really well known, you should have realized,' Ritsuka tisked as he stared into his eyes. "A very naughty thing to do. I know you have problems with authority but damn, you really do hate me."
"I...hrrrgh…"
"I know that you do not like me for being quirkless, but you're even more pathetic than me,' he gave a wolfish smile. "So insecure," he crooned. "It's bordering on being pathetic really."
"Ritsuka," Edmond warned...or was he. He looked to be enjoying the show.
"You're like a baby, so unsure of himself," he squeezed a bit harder and grinned at the whine he received. "You hide all that insecurity behind a false bravado that's arrogant and prideful...but to your peers you're charismatic and on the way to be a good hero. That's what people see as a good hero...they don't see the ugliness of what you're doing," he mocked. "No, no...that's what gets people killed, your attitude." He tisked again before dropping the boy onto the ground, smiling as he coughed and looked up in fear, unsure of what the teacher would do next.
"What would happen," Edmond began, approaching with an equally dark look in his eye as the boy was dropped. "If a child, quirkless, was before you. Ready to fall to their death? Was bleeding from their wrists? Sounds like you would abandon them." He smirked when he scrambled back as Ritsuka took a step forward..
"Oh he would...he would claim he 'tried' to talk to them...to stem the bleeding...but he wouldn't..would you," Ritsuka cocked his head to the side.
"I...hrrgh…" He coughed, he was only in the air for less than a minute but it seemd like ages. He truly thought his teacher would have killed him in that moment.
"He was turning blue...any more pressure and that neck goes crack," Edmond mocked. "It wouldn't be hard for you, Vice Director. I distinctly remember a would-be assassin that tried to...end you and ended up being taken out by yourself."
"Hmm...indeed, indeed," Ritsuka nodded, observing the boy before he gave another wolfish grin. He screamed as a foot landed on his chest, sending him sprawling onto his back. He choked as the same foot landed on his abused throat, no pressure on it but the effect was there as he froze, being loomed over by his teacher.
"Now," Edmond approached, the boy looking at his boot in worry. "Would he be Chaldea's intern? We'd have let our teachers smoke him until nearly dead and then throw him to the streets," he chuckled. "Send him on patrol like that. That would teach him a lesson in respect and the like."
"Indeed...I rarely ever discipline one of our own...but when I do...hmmm...they tend to be out of commission for a while," he purred eyes boring into Kanakawa before he lifted his foot and stepped back. "You best get your attitude together. Or you'll find out what I am really capable of," he warned, leaving the cafeteria...or tried to.
Aizawa blocked his path, glowering at his fellow teacher; his eyes burned at the younger man whoregarded him as if he was a bug.
"Out of my way," Ritsuka sighed. "I am in no mood to socialize any more than needed. You saw what happened, he tried to attack me after stating discrimination against me for my conditon. Not only that, he attacked a person of high position in a heroics agency, a vice director no less, and a teacher. You doll out punishment like candy, but I cannot? It's be best if you don't lecture me. And I doubt you want my ire?"
"No. We are speaking-" He was cut off but Count's warning growl.
'Back off."
"I didn't leave any lasting damage, he won't be hurt and I abided by the teaching contract that comes with dealing with heroic students. He's not incapaciated for no reason and he will be able to continue his duties. I dolled out sufficient punishment," Ritsuka brushed off. "After all, being a hero student is about absolute discipline."
"I can't agree-"
"Let's leave," Count growled. "Now," he glared at Aizawa as Ritsuka pushed past him. He sauntered down the hall without ever looking back. Aizawa turned when an oppressive presence formed behind him, freezing in place as he locked eyes with the double iris of the Count. "Never," he snarled, contorting into something inhuman. "Stop us again."
The man moved past the teacher who felt as if his life was flashing before his eyes. When they left he clamed down, staring at his student who looked at him with both hope and fear.
"Kanakawa...explusion for attempting to attack a teacher and hero, along with discrimination against a quirkless person,' he sighed as Nezdu arrived to the scene, nodding as he locked eyes with Aizawa. "UA hero course doesn't tolerate such things."
He left just as the cafeteria burst out into whispers.
LATER THAT DAY
Izuku...was scared. But he was also upset.
That's all he could think about as he walked to Fujimaru's little station area where the buses would be to take them to the museum. It was silent between class A and B as they walked down the many steps in pure silence.
The scene in the cafeteria the day before...it was intense.
He knew that Fujimaru-Sensei was going to be mocked and bullied, that he was going to be scrutinized and have horrible things said about him. For the first few days he took it in stride, he still taught them about Angra and his life with a smile, with banter with Count. Nothing changed...until Kanakawa spoke.
He saw something inhuman in Fujimaru-Sensei...something evil and broken inside that smiling professor. It was...it...was not what he expected.
He looked so much like a villain in that moment that the boy didn't know what to do, and all he could do was watch as the boy was choked by the mere presence of their teacher who was barely a decade older than them. The man actually choking him for less than a minute before inflicting mental torture on the older student.
He was a good teacher, he taught them that the duality of Good and Evil was not merely in heroics that it was in everyday life and the things they took for normal had many reasons as to why they were done. He was a good teacher, he answered questions, helped them with their confusions and he took time to speak to them.
He helped Denki and Mina, both of whom had problems retaining information and got them specialized books for them to read and take notes in. He was a good teacher, he cared for them all, gave them time to do extra homework assigned to them that they would be too tired to do after training, offered up post exercise advice and anything else they needed.
He didn't hurt a fly, he was always promoting that you should not go and hurt people without a reason. Even though Chaldea was one of the high kill rate agencies, the people they went after were truly vile and they always gave petty crooks a second chance, wether it be in half ways houses or specialized programs; they always gave those deserving a second chance.
Fujimaru-Sensei was kind and didn't seem like he could hurt anyone without words...until that day.
That day in the cafeteria.
He looked to be enjoying the pain he inflicted on that student as he brought out his insecurities about himself to the people in the cafeteria and mocked him for it. Logically he was teaching him a lesson...but he was so...so…
He didn't think Fujimaru-Sensei was so strong. It was almost like he was trained to be that strong but it made no sense. He was a vice director that wasn't a hero, why did he need to train? No...that was wrong.
He himself said he was certified to be a hero, but that wasn't possible. Japan didn't allow quirkless heroes, only America and Europe did that, but he was only a Japanese citizen. Did the HC allow a special exception? Why thought?
Why did he have skills that he tried to get but was unable to when he was quirkless, what made him so special when he was only 10 years older than Izuku himself?
How did he manage to get so far in a hero society that shunned their very existence. It didn't make any sense to the green haired boy.
Izuku shook his head as they approached the station, where Fujimaru was reading on an iPad as Count smoked beside him on a bench; leg on his knee as he turned to greet them.
He best not dwell on the thoughts, as intrusive as they were.
He failed to notice the inquisitive eye of Count on him as he boarded his bus, along with the hum that he let out.
"How do you two feel about leaving the class alone with him for the day," Mic turned to Aizawa and Vlad as they watched Fujimaru greet the children from the teachers lounge.
"I'm worried, not going to lie," Vlad sighed, scratching the back of his head as he turned away. "Fujimaru was stronger than I thought he was and he's a lot crueler than I originally pegged him to be."
"Still, Kanakawa was in the wrong. He tried to attack a teacher, hero and vice director despite knowing the consequences of his actions," Power Loader sighed. "Not to mention that he spouted quirkless discrimination that Fujimaru heard himself. We're lucky he dealt with it himself instead of sending that Count."
"He...he wouldb't have actually killed him would he," Midnight swallowed as she crossed her arms, shivering at the thought of Count's unnatural gaze.
Usually she'd be all about that, but the gaze of Chaldean heroes always sent her on edge that she couldn't help but stay away from.
"Still though...he's more sadistic than I thought he was...he mentally tore that kid apart," Vlad hummed.
"It makes sense though," Aizawa spoke up, making all the teachers look at him. "After all, Chaldea is forcing Heroes to kill."
"What," Midnight gasped as Mic got up to place a hand on Aizawa's shoulder. "Shou...what the hell are you talking about!?"
"You can't just accuse them of something like that," Hizashi hissed, squeezing his friends shoulder tightly. "You know what happens to people who do such a thing!"
"He left the school with his iPad in an unlocked drawer. He was confident for sure that no one oudl touch," Aizawa began. "I had to look...and I saw reports of internal problems of them acting out of them and punishments that looked like torture...and I saw files of children...children who are making debuts soon."
"It's too convenient...Shou you have to know he did that one purpose," Midnight swallowed, looking back to the buss station only to freeze as Fujimaru locked eyes with her.
He gave a small smile before putting a single finger over his lips in a 'shh' movement.
"What," Nezdu demanded, getting up and rushing over to Aizawa. "Explain."
"I...I could only piece together so much before I had to stop and clean the thing. I couldn't risk being caught," he sighed, crossing his arms. "Solitary in a blackout room, training to meet an impossible quota, drinking poison laced drinks as punishment…"
"Did you manage to get the evidence on your flash drive," Nezdu pressed him.
"Too risky with their tech...but if we can manage to get him to speak…"
"Very well," Nezdu grumbled. "But it won't be easy, Chaldea is getting a lot of love at the moment with their humanitarian efforts and they have many heroes so it's easy to rotate out, punish, heal and then debut again."
"Think about it. If he really punishes heroes as harshly as he says he is then what's to say that its not true and that their constant rotations is due to him torturing them," Midnight shook.
"And none of them have any real lasting mental effects," Hound Dog added. "At least at surface level."
"We'll save them," Vlad nodded, turning to Aizawa. "We'll save those heroes and those kids."
"Yeah," Mic smiled.
"Hopefully."
"And how is Watanabe's punishment going," Ritsuka asked Edmond as he looked through the file.
"Solitary confinement after attempting to provoke Shuten into a fight for Ibaraki's hand is nearing its end. Ibarki has visited every day to speak to him before leaving. So it really wasn't much of a punishment," Edmond shrugged, he really didn't care about the punishments. Everyone was borderline insane in Chaldea so the punishments weren't much in reality.
"Achilles?"
"He's managed to reach Chiron's quota for the defacement of the modern greek heroes statue."
"What did he do again?"
"He pissed on it."
"Right," Ritsuka shook his head. "Van Gogh?"
"They seemed to enjoy drinking poison...I think Van Gogh hoped it would kill him with the other loon inside that body seemed to hate it."
"Well I wasn't punishing Van Gogh so it worked," he shrugged as he placed the iPad down as they approached the Museum. "And now...time for some history no?"
"Heh...and where will you start?"
"They'll go exploring," Ritsuka winked, as he crossed his legs giving a cheeky grin to his Servant who rolled his eyes. "I want them to become interested...besides...they fear me."
"They ought to learn that the nicest people are the ones to fear," Edmond leaned forward, eyes on the students of Class B who rode with them. They were all tense. "Just as people fear me."
"They fear you because you are violent."
``And you're not?"
"Heh…" Ritsuka smiled as the bus stopped.
'Alright here we go," Kintoki nodded as the other bus stopped behind them, Odysseus giving a thumbs up as he placed the bus in park.
"Now," Ritsuka called to the class. "Please go to the steps of the building and wait for instructions! I will be with you in a moment after I speak to our drivers," he smiled as the children nodded, moving to head off the bus as they looked to the Chaldean staff that had come that day.
"Honestly, you would think we're leading them to their deaths," Kintoki chuckled as the last girl, one who looked like a Mushroom rushed off the bus and to her classmates.
"Indeed, though my outburst didn't help things," Ritsuka shook his head as they exited the bus.
"That child deserves the punishment you doled out to him and more," Odysseus grunted as he walked forward giving a curt nod to the other servants who did the same.
"Your opinion of Class A," Ritsuka demanded as he took out his iPad once more.
"They have...some promise," he acknowledged. "That boy...Bakugou? He seems like he would be the easiest with how much he talks...but he doesn't have the conviction to kill and hurt. He's resourceful in all the wrong ways. He spoke of the ways to takedown a villain...but it was often without too much injury to the other party."
"Sometimes a mortal wound is what you need. If they can't even do that," Ritsuka shook his head. "Knocking them out is all well and good, but you never know when they will get up."
"Who will be here in the museum again," Kintoki asked as he looked to the entrance. "I wasn't paying attention to the roster."
"Hmm oh," Ritsuka hummed. "Murasaki is the receptionist today and we gave Cas Gil, Paracelsus and Avicebron here today for the wards. They should be fine. They are making sure that exhibits are complete as well," Ritsuka shrugged. "You two rest up some and get something to eat yeah?"
"Thanks. Two hours right," Kintoki asked as his fellow rider went to his phone, no doubt to speak to his fellow greeks about his arrival time back.
"Yes, until then." He waved them off with a smile as they did the same, walking to the cafe across the street.
The duos separated with the Riders heading off for some free time and the Master servant duo heading to the students who looked to the building in awe.
"Ahaha! I am quite proud of this and so is the Director," he said to them all as he took point. "Now today is a day for you all to explore and find some people, legends, myths or artifacts you find interesting! I want you all to at least find 5 things in the two hours we were here," he winked to them. "You all have access to the floors 1-5. Floor 6 is the offices of the curators," he explained. "Now to get your badges."
The students swallowed as they entered the rather expensive looking building with their teacher. They were sure to treat this place like a library or hero museum with the utmost care and delicate hand…
Until they got the reception.
"I SAID YOU GOT IT ALL WRONG! IRAKALLA WAS NOT UNDER URUK UNTIL THE LATER AGES OF BABYLON," a Chaldean hero, it had to be, roared to another who wiped spit off his face.
"Pardon me," he was soft spoken for sure but he looked ready to murder. "I am not from Uruk and I don't study it! I am an Alchemist! I care not for the Age of Gods outside of my study!"
"YOU INSOLENT MONGREL!"
"Please stop! You'll disrupt the peace," a woman looked to the point of tears. She looked lost as she tried to decide who to calm down first but they where too caught up their argument as static began to form around them like crazy.
"You want to fight me you lowly mage," the blonde man hissed. "You think you can go against me?!"
"I am Paracelsus Von Hohenheim! I will not stand for slander against my contributions to this world," the man seethed, five glowing orbs began to circle around him as the other man took out a stone table that glowed a golden hue.
"You fight in here and I will have you on Beast duty for the next century," Ritsuka's voice was chillingly cold as he approached the two, his face pulled into a tight smile. "Paracelsus.. .Gilgamesh? What in the hell is going on here?"
"This buffoon put me in charge of Babylon's history despite him nagging me over every little thing when it was he and the other middle eastern operative that would have been better suited for the job," Paracelsus stomped his foot in rage as Gil scoffed.
"Consider it an honor to handle those items you mongrel," he sneered, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms. "I would not entrust the care of such items to anyone lesser."
"Is that supposed to be a compliment? Because I never asked too! I would be in my lab right at this moment after making sure the renaissance exhibit is up to standards," the man shot back, face pulled into a sneer as he called back the orbs to himself. "And if your trying to sleep with me by offering me this 'opportunity', I wouldn't dare accept it even if you threatened me."
"You dare assume," Gil growled out, his eyes twitching violently as gold began to form behind him.
"Please you're disturbing the peace," Murasaki pleaded as the two continued to yell back and forth.
"ENOUGH," Ritsuka roared, making the very foundations shake at his anger. "I don't care what happened, I don't care if things are wrong I will fix them in class. Both of you leave and where is Avicebron?"
"Here," a new voice spoke as a man with four arms, horns, faceless mask and glowing gem in the middle of his chest approached. "I have concluded that my area is all up to date and I will be in my office for the time being."
"Very good," Ritsuka sighed, shaking his head as he waved his hand to them. "I have a class today so no fighting today alright?"
"Tch. I'll be in my exhibit to make sure he didn't do anything," Gilgamesh shook his head and pushed past the renaissance man who growled in response.
"I will be in my exhibit as well, since I know that," he mocked as he walked away, head held high as he did so.
"You two," Ritsuka felt a headache forming as he looked to them all. "Just go to your areas. Avicebron I will speak with you in a moment."
"Very well," he nodded before heading to the elevator, passing by a star struck Mezo who never thought he'd ever meet the Four Handed Earth Shifter: Avicebron.
"Now," Ritsuka smiled, turning to the starstruck and confused students. "You have free reign, get your keycards that you'll keep with you until the end of your schooling," he clapped his hands. "Enjoy yourselves and keep away from Gil. He's in a bad mood," he sighed, moving to speak to Edmond who was laughing off to the side with Murasaki who looked ready to faint.
"Please, state your name and class so I can give you your badges," she spoke to them all who nodded. "Single file please, and no dwadling. Much to get through!"
"There are seeds of discord within Class A-1," Ritsuka murmured as he placed a hand on Edmond's arm. "Izuku Midoriya and Bakugou Katsuki." He jerked his head to the duo that where standing as far apart as socially acceptable.
"Izuku was said to have been quirkless before the day of the exam," Edmond nodded to him. "Bakugou...he has some opinions from what the Hassan tells me. But he's smart enough not sto speak them...especially now," he gave a cheeky smile to Ritsuka who rolled his eyes.
"Joy...I love pompous cocks who have nothing but peacocks to strut," Ritsuka smirked as Edmond chuckled at his own words, taking off his hat before his coat followed. "I will be on the European floor for the time being. You?"
"I will be in Solomon's exhibit," Ritsuka nodded, waving off Edmond's concern with a smile. "It has been a long time since I have seen his ring."
"Very well." He gave him a look but Ritsuka merely waved him off once more. "But Master," Ritsuka stopped before he headed to the elevator. "Longing for a man you have loved deeply, but can no longer have...it's souls destroying."
'Are you speaking as The Count of Monte Cristo? Or as Edmond Dantes?"
"You know who I speak as."
"And I thank you."
Izuku couldn't help but feel...in awe, as simple as that. This place was amazing, the artifacts and the stories that go along with it.
It was so colorful and a lot less….war oriented than he expected, not to mention the place was not only beautiful but full of fun interactive attractions to get immersed in the experience.
"OMG! Sigurd and Brynhildr's romance is so tragic," Mina gushed as the girls rushed to the Norse exhibit. "Come on! You need to see it!"
"What about Odysseus and his struggle to get back to wife," Hakagure shot back as she rushed to the girls. "It was just as tragic!"
"It's all so sad," Momo sighed as they vanished from sight.
"Yo! Beowulf is so manly," Kirishima looked so animated as he looked over the Celtic heroes when Izuku made his way to the second floor. "That fight with Grendel is crazy!"
"Dude, I read that Gilgamesh and his bud Enkidu ripped off a holy bulls leg and mocked the goddess who owned it by waving it in the air," Sero chuckled. "That takes some guts! They really must have hated her!"
"I read that the twin goddess Ereshikgal and Ishtar had some sort of understanding with one another, though what it was I can't figure it out," a girl from Class B, Izuku thought her name was Setsuna, told her friends.
"Apparently the basis of Hell Hath no Fury like a woman scorned came from Ereshikagal and her husband who really wasn't too great…" Yui murmured, another Class B.
The legends were so colorful.
Izuku hummed to himself as he looked at his paper and scrunched his nose. He only had 3 things of the required five.
The History of the Hassans and the Old Men of the Mountain
What was the purpose of the Hassan?
Why did they die off so quickly?
Why were there so many restrictions on how to join?
Why did they fight to be leaders?
Hercules, Ascliepus, Dioscuri, humans meant to be Gods
Why was Hercules made a god after everything that happened to him?
Ascelipus was punished for bringing humans back to life and then granted godhood, why?
Castor was a human demigod, Pollux was a god, but they were twins?
What does it mean to surpass love and hate?
Attend et Espère?
?
With a sigh Izuku went up another floor and froze.
What the hell was that?
Before him was a giant mosaic depicting a life and death battle, the people who were shown in life rushed on the ground to the being cloaked in darkness that came from above. Their features were not real...they weren't distinguishable at all. It wasn't so much gorey as it was highly unnerving.
Shaking his head he turned to his right where another mosaic met him, 9 people stood beside one another, smirking or blank faced as red and black swirled around them. Izuku reached the only thing in the chamber and read.
The 7 Beasts of Humanity.
Humanities Sins.
Beast I of Pity
Beast II of Regression
Beast III/L of Pleasure/Depravity
Beast/R of Pleasure/Lust
Beast IV of Comparison
Beast V of?
Beast VI/? Of ?
Beast VI/? Of ?
Beast VII of ?
What?
Izuku looked at the mass of people on the mosaic and took note of their highly demonic look. And he had his fourth thing.
4. What are the Beasts of Humanity?
If they are sins of humanity should they not be one of the Seven Deadly Sins seen in Christian mythology?
Pride, Lust, Wrath, Sloth, Gluttony, Greed, Envy?
Izuku sniffed as he turned to head to the only other room in this entire floor before he froze.
Fujimaru-Sensei was there in the room where only a single mosaic stood.
He was an intimidating man even though it was nothing more than glass and grout. Long white hair contrasted by tanned skin with black tattoos all over his body.
"If only you could see this world," Fujumaru sighed, placing a hand on the small glass cube that held the man's artifact. "You'd weep at how much this world has fallen, not after devouring all the sweets it has to offer," the man giggled. "And I….Izuku," Fujimaru Senseui turned to where he was hiding, his face shadowed by his hair. "It's rude to stare."
"S...Sorry!"
"It's nothing to worry about. Our time is nearly up. Have you found some things to ask in class next we meet," his teacher sighed, moving away from the artifact...a single golden ring?
"Y..yeah...I only got four though," he murmured as his teacher took the paper.
"These are good," the man smiled before it fell as it read the last part. "I would ask you not to dwell on the beasts too much. And not to ask it in class."
"Huh? Why," Izuku asked. "I'm really confused on this and I would-"
"It's not a finished exhibit and it won't be for a long time I'm afraid," his teacher gave a tired sigh. "It's a taxing thing to figure out and most of our researchers quit after one is discovered."
"But-"
"Izuku," his voice took the same tone as it did with Kanakawa. "Leave it be. You'll get full points for all you have now. So head back down. I need to finish things up here."
"R...right," Izuku nodded as he took the offered notebook back and rushed to the elevator. His eyes caught the name plate of the exhibit.
King Solomon, King of Magic.
Magic?
How strange.
"Monoma? Why are you the only one here," Fujimaru sensei's voice drew the blonde out of his revere as he sat on a bench in the artists hall.
"Oh...nothing," he said, looking away as he stared down at his paper.
"Ah, one of my favorites...second to the Witch's Sabbath," Fujimaru commented as he leaned against the back of the bech to stare at the picture. "Thought I am surprised to find you here. People usually hate looking at Saturn eating his Son."
Monoma had to admit the painting disturbing as he looked at the man holding a decapitated baby corspe, part of it inside his mouth.
"I...I find your art collection interesting."
"I have many favorite artists. Houksai, Van Gogh, Da Vinci...Goya...I don't know why I am drawn to him exactly," he breathed. "He has some beautiful paintings of course," he smiled, looking down to the blonde. "But I find myself drawn to the darker ones, though the reason tends to escape me."
"Really," Monoma turned. "You don't know why you like something...so horrific?"
"I will let you in one a secret that I want you to let B 1 know okay," he smiled to the boy who nodded. "Heroism...taints the mind. Sometimes you think the best outcome will be what happens...the next your faced with the absolute worst thing you can imagine and more. That crushes the soul," he placed a heand over Monoma's heart. "B1 has been pushed to the side because A1 is the star studded class with the two boys involved in the sludge incident."
"Tch," Monoma growled, he felt his eyes twitch at the mention of the two sludge incident boys.
"Because of that, they will always be in the limelight and rise higher than anyone. But that also means they will fall harder when an mistake occurs," his teacher reminded him. 'Sometimes it's okay to not be in the limelight, because like with best and worst case scenarios it might be seeming to being going one way, but it ends up the other," he murmured.
"Ri..right," he nodded.
"Don't be saddened," his teacher slapped him on the back. "Come, we must head back."
'Right," the boy nodded, he moved to get up before stopping, turning back to the horrific painting ans found himself asking a simple question. "Though I have to ask...why is this your favorite," he pointied the gory painting.
His teacher stopped, turning back to the painting that the boy pointed to before a sad look came across his face. "I see it as a metaphor for myself, in the end," his teacher replied. "I am...devouring the baby that was once my innocence in the madness that is the darkness of my life. The person devouring the baby is me, surrounded by the darkness of my madness and life, myself being reduced to a being without innocence."
"Sorry..I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."
"You have to learn to live with it Monoma...or you won't make it," his teacher warned him, eyes sharp as they locked with his grey ones. "I say this to all those that ask me what it means to be a hero. It is not glamorous and you will suffer. But this world does not show such thing. So you must be prepared."
"Understood."
"The let us leave this conversation and be done with it."
Silence reigned over the duo as they returned to the mass of Students, Monoma being drawn into conversation by his classmates as Ritsuka crossed his arms, looking out over the mass of students with a fond look.
A twinge was felt inside his heart, and soon all of them where overlapped with faceless people that he had a feeling he knew.
'Ah,' he thought, looking away and locking eyes with a knowing Edmond. 'These are old memories...of a time I can barely remember…'
It was a strange thing, Ritsuka mused as the students began to come back to the lobby. To remember and see what you experienced but not having any real idea what happened that day because it all truly was forgotten.
He...He had forgotten what it meant to be a happy child.
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