Act 1: Into the Light
Chapter 12: Right Here, Right Now!
Volker could see his opponent's heart sink the moment, and he couldn't tell if it was rather pathetic or humorous to him. If he was being honest with himself, he felt like it'd be a bit of both. Heroes being scared was normal, but showing it? That expression alone was far outside the land of what he'd consider pro-hero material. Almost all of his classmates looked like they had been picked out of the bargain bin of hero students and were also in a two for the price of one deal. It honestly pissed him off that half of the class there is what Ivor chose, none of them knew about the sacrifices they'd have to make.
The German at least had trust in his instructors to guide them toward being heroes, but what wasn't so sure of was how quickly they'd get there. Everyone had limits even him, as hard as he worked to be a cut above the chaff. This Alivia was nothing but a pebble on his rocky road to what he needed to be. Nobody had stood in his way, not even the lack of his father, so why stop with someone as weak and small as her?
"Steinburg, Gray, you know what to do." Volker heard his instructor say, and yet it didn't even lay a dent in his thoughts. His opponent was weak, just from a mere glance, the German teen could see every vulnerability he needed. She was shorter than him, he being much more physically fit than her as well. Comparing her to him was like putting a toothpick and a treetrunk next to each other, and he knew he could snap that toothpick without even trying. What stuck in his mind, however, was that fucking smile. That stupid fucking smile that Mertain thought would be oh so cool to plaster on his damned face.
It reminded him of when his father would always listen to New World Symphony, and how it was burned into his mind after he listened to it once. Like a broken record for years, it'd play on repeat for no other reason than that it displayed who his father truly was to him. Mertain's little display did the same but screamed of his ineptitude. Was he like an ant? Following the little trails of pheromones other workers happened to leave so he'd have an easy time getting to Atlas? So many unknowns from one person made his mind run with more than confusion, but outright annoyance.
He ran a hand through his slicked-back hair, huffing as he frowned. If this opponent of his was going to be his next roadblock, then so be it.
"Three, two, one…"
The black-haired teen didn't even wait as he sprinted forward, pounding his feet into the ground as he closed in on his opponent. The girl didn't even try to react as she did so out of sheer instinct, another clear sign to Volker of the girl's ineptitude. Even her damn reaction time was slow when he was practically around half a meter away from her when she seemed to register his approach. Volker could stare into the whites of her eyes, and he didn't instead gaze for long. He wasn't an idiot, drawing this out would be a fool's endeavor when he already knew how easy this sort of deal would be.
The girl tried to throw her arms up in some vain attempt to stop him, but Volker wouldn't have it, he had come too far. He viciously grabbed her arms, throwing her to the side like she was a dumb top. Even under his gym uniform, his fit figure was more obvious than Alivia's lack of combat prowess. The German's cold green eyes stared at her, and he almost thought of just telling her to get off the arena himself. Lucky for him, that little tumble was more than what was needed to immobilize her.
The girl went tumbling, her body hitting the wooden floor, spinning once before she felt her skin skid against the ground. She coughed, mainly out of a combination as it made her lungs feel like she had no air. She had landed flat on her chest, and the girl's mind was halfway between forgetting she was in a fight and needed to get up and flight or fight. But it's not like she had a choice, as she felt pressure on her back. After what seemed like an initial slight push, she felt her entire body be slammed even further into the ground. Her constantly changing eyes looked up, meeting Volker's emotionless stare.
"W-what are yo-"
"Winning." He simply said, pressing down harder on her back with a frown, and he almost felt a form of pity for her. She looked squeamish, like a fish out of water struggling to breathe in air that would never sustain it. How quickly she went down… Surely she had some fight in her right? She had to have some form of spirit to push herself up, right?
Alivia's hands dug at the ground as she pushed herself upward. There was at least some pushback in her burning desire to get up, and the German was at least impressed the girl was still going. The effort she was putting in combined with Volker's foot on her back made it feel like she was stuck in a compressor, squishing her harder and harder n matter how hard she was pushing Although from her opponent's end, he could feel his foot being pushed up from the ground, and his green eyes narrowed at the display. Did she really have a fight in her as he had hoped for?
He could feel his foot being pushed up centimeter by centimeter. Despite her attempts and his returning effort, she was actually metaphorically making ground. But Volker was the opposite of impressed. Really, he was surprised that she was even able to push his foot up, and he could commend her for trying so hard. But years of training to the point of almost breaking against someone who was told they were special was asinine. One might as have pitted an ant against a tarantula, and like a tarantula, the German boy pounced as he picked his foot up and stomped it down. The teen's stomp smacked Alivia to the ground, and pinned her under his foot once again, erasing all of her progress
As his instructor started the countdown, the German's thoughts started to wander. What if his father was here to train them with Instructor Maalik? Or maybe his uncle? Having someone so experienced and encouraging with his teacher would have certainly helped. Volker's face portrayed his thoughts as his green eyes wandered to Ayisha, who was still counting down from three. Her words seemed to be blurred out from his senses as he just stared at her. Even the small squirms from the girl under his foot did nothing to break him out of the confines of his own thoughts.
"One"
And just like that, it was over? Just a simple toss and foot on the back and they were done?
Volker shook his head, huffing as he slowly took his foot off of Alivia's back. To say he was disappointed would be an understatement
Alivia was still squirming after Ayisha finished the countdown, and the boy's foot coming off of her back made her quickly rise to her feet. She looked at Volker, almost speechless as she looked like she so desperately wanted to say something to the older male. But his lifeless gaze and green eyes just staring at her… She quickly changed her mind as she frustratedly shook her head and started walking away. The German boy just watched, and he could not help but wonder if there was a point to all of this. Maybe this was just for nothing?
The German sighed, slowly walking toward his silent class with the other girl. He couldn't stop his mind from wandering ever more toward that damn question. What was the point? Why was he there? Why was anybody there anymore? What did it matter…
Volker's questions silently ran through his head like a broken record as his instructor watched him and Alivia come back to the crowd. The woman didn't know what much to say about that fight, but she could wager mostly everyone could have a good understanding of what level they'd need to match.
"As Steinburg displayed, you're all at differing levels of proficiency. Don't take that as a bad thing, but rather as inspiration to grow." She said out loud to the class. She quickly turned to her next two targets, specifically Seizou. "Now then, Seizou, Hautala, you two are next."
The demon teen quickly sped walk out from the crowd, smug as could be despite the harsh glares that he knew had was getting from how he fought that cat. He found it kinda funny that everyone seemed so angry, this was a tournament, and nothing was off the table. He fought like hell to win so why shouldn't everyone else? He could only hope his opponent, who slowly went onto the arena with him, would match that.
En found it amusing that he was even pitted against someone like him against Mariwhatever her name was. He smiled, his sharp teeth on full display to his opponent as he cracked his fingers under his gloves. His slitted red eyes gazed at Maria like a predator with prey, His hands were on his hips, his tail swaying behind him excitedly like a dog. En didn't look serious, nor terrified, but more like a guy who knew the outcome of a fight before it would even start. It didn't help he stood in the arena with his arms crossed like an impatient child. But in his mind, waiting for a stupid fight to begin was more annoying than he would care to admit. Truth be told, the one and only demon boy in the class was more impatient than people thought.
Maria was in the opposite boat as she stood across from the white-haired teen. Her arms were behind her back, her posture as rigid and straight as a beam of metal. Her cold blue eyes were closed as she slowly breathed in and out. The scar on her right jawbone that stopped just short under her eye only made her look even more like she was just bored. Although the Russian girl seemed to have only spoken through body language, some of the class were wondering if she could even talk at all. How she dealt with Blake was still on the other student's minds, and comparing it to how brutal En was gave them pause.
Ayisha herself knew the fight wouldn't go over like Steinburg ad Gray, that kind of fight had a result that could be seen miles away. What had the instructor even remotely concerned was how the two in front of her would react to what the other threw. En's temper against someone with a cold approach to a fight wasn't the best combination. However, she'd rather watch someone with a fighting chance go against the demon teen versus some poor girl who just so happened to make it to the next level in the bracket. Seizou versus Hautala was like pitting a spear against a chainsaw, one was overly brutal and destroyed whatever it touched, but the other was more strategic in nature.
The emerald-eyed woman shook her head as a small sigh escaped her lips. This wasn't going to end well in her mind.
"Three, two, one."
"Hey!" En yelled out on the snap of Ayisha's fingers, his sharp-toothed smile accompanying his words. Maria's blue eyes had snapped open and stared at En with an icy glaze from his words. "Let's make this quick yeah? I got a fight to win right? OR are you a little pussy huh?" He said, his hand tracing up and then behind his head with his demonic eyes hooded at her. He looked relaxed, too relaxed in the eyes of Ayisha, and she pursed her lips at his overconfidence. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but overconfidence got it mutilated on the streets.
The demon teen's words seemed to cut a cord with the Russian girl as she narrowed her eyes. She paced, walking to the side and then back to where she had been over and over again. Her stare didn't once break from En's figure, and she seemed to glaze over every detail. Even something as minute as the remains of dried blood or vomit from his fight with Noriaki. No detail even as small as that would escape her eyes. Not once did her face seem to shift in emotion besides the dead stare that she kept on the boy. Now and then, someone observant would be able to see a slight twitch of her eyes. Despite her rather still stiff posture, anyone could see the activity in her icy blue orbs.
What did it matter if a bit of blood was spilled right?
"OI, bitch, are yah gonna fight?" He said, his somewhat high and scratchy voice reverberating throughout the room. The sudden interjection of En's voice stopped Maria in her tracks. The Russian girl's lips slowly pursed, her face seemingly coming to life like a statue who had just been granted mortality. She tilted her head, once more looking En up and down before she met his demonic slits.
"You talk far too much." She said, pinching her fingers together as if to mimic a hand. "Try talking quieter, ad maybe I won't guess you're trying to compensate for a lack of skill," Her somewhat deep voice said, and some of the class just stood there dumbfounded. The Russian girl could only continue with a slight shrug as she spread her feet at least over half a meter apart and stared at her opponent. Even her own words didn't phase her focus or seemed to as she slightly fanned her arms out, ready for the taller boy's approach.
"Oh fuck you, I can talk and say whatever the hell I want." He said, his smile turning into that of a snarl as he clicked his tongue. "You're just a little shit, you really think that you can beat me?" He asked, pointing his clawed finger toward himself as he paused. He couldn't help but let out a slight snicker. "What a fu-"
En would have continued if he hadn't heard the sudden squeak of boots against the ground, and before he knew it, there was a fist already careening toward his face. His red eyes widened in surprise, and his adrenaline felt like it was shot into him faster than he could even process that he was about to be punched. It felt like time was slowed as it approached, and the boy immediately pulled his face back. The dodge was faster than what some of the class thought someone could even pull off without a quirk, but given his lean nature, it wasn't impossible he could do such a thing.
Maria didn't even seem to react to his sudden dodge, and in her calculative mind, it wouldn't matter if he could or not. Her ice blue eyes darted to his feet, noticing that his instincts had done the reacting for him. What that meant for her was that his feet were poorly placed, and unlike her, he didn't use his thoughts to process what had happened. Just like a dog, all bark, and no bite to back whatever he thought he could do to her. So pathetic.
The Russian's left girl's foot immediately swept to her right through En's legs. The sudden knock against his legs combined with his uneasy balance left the boy unable to recover quickly enough to catch himself. The sweep left En straight on his ass as he hit the ground with a thud, his back straight against the floor as he hissed in surprise. What made that little fall was that he landed right on his damn tail, squishing it against the wooden floor. That alone made the slam into the ground even worse as it felt like he quite literally felt like his nerves were being shot.
"FUCK!" He yelled, his lips open with his sharp teeth clenched together. "You bitch…" He whispered to her, but it wasn't like his words seemed to matter to his opponent. The Russian girl put a foot on his stomach, stomping down on it quickly. It held the same veracity that the demon boy himself had used against the resident cat mutant of the class, who also just so happened to still be asleep in the corner of the room. The kick sent a wave of heat from En's stomach that spread throughout his entire body from the strike. The white-haired teen's pupils seemed to dilate from the strike before he quickly grabbed Maria's foot and tugged on it. "You're gonna regret that you fucking bitch."
The demon teen pulled hard on the girl's foot, sending a jolt through her body as she felt herself almost fall right on top of her opponent. However, unlike Seizou, she wasn't a slouch when it came to planning for a fight. Using the sudden tug from the boy, she planted her foot firmly on his stomach. After her boot was squarely on top of her opponent, she pushed down, stepping over him in an instant before she landed with her left foot to the right of En's leg, Her hands quickly landed firmly on his black horns, grasping them with an iron grip.
En had been stunned by the sudden move, but he didn't dare let her think she would have the upper hand. His left leg quickly bent and raised, and with a slight huff sent a kick square in her stomach from where she was standing over him. He could hear the wind get knocked out of her as she gasped for air for just the slightest of moments. The demon teen didn't stop to even think of wasting the opening his hit gave him as his clawed hands tightly grabbed Maria's wrists. With a devilish smile, he pulled her toward him, and in combination with being staggered from his kick, she came directly toward him. Maria's icy blue eyes had widened from the surprise, seemingly not expecting the boy to recover so quickly.
The white-haired boy bent his leg, angling his knee as Maria fell and landed straight on it. The demon mutant could see the reflection of pain cross her face as her eyes shut. En found it amusing as he left out a slight sigh of satisfaction as he felt her stomach flex inward from his strike. He knew it couldn't end there as he put his hands on her shoulders, grabbing them as he hardly threw her to his side toward the ground. The way her head flung with his hit made it look like she was about to get whiplash as she slightly tumbled. Although Maria didn't let herself stay down for long as she outstretched and slammed her hands and feet into the wooden floor.
Both of the teens rose to their feet quickly, back to where they started almost at the same time. Both were back to where they had been in more ways than one, Maria once against had a straight face while En held his snarky smile, neither of which seemed broken in their situation. En could only shrug with his arms, letting out a slight laugh at his opponent.
"Really? Is that all you got? How fucking dashing" En clicked his tongue as Maria looked like would snarl in response. Every inch of her face screamed like she was pissed, but everything else about her seemed as cool and collected as it had been at the start. The girl put her hands up like a boxer, but a bit below her chin with open her finger outstretched and bent. En's glare didn't once break from its piercing nature toward the Russian girl, and yet there seemed to be no end to his confidence. The blue-eyed girl exhaled out from her nose at the situation, she found it rather ridiculous that someone so snarky would even be standing after she would approach him
As much as she hated to say it, whatever school the demon boy happened to be from must have at least been competent. Connor, Ho, Seizou, and Steinburg, all of them seemed to have some form of fighting experience behind them, even if some weren't as… proficient as the others. Seizou's strikes may have hit hard when he had a clear advantage, but something crossed her mind. How he stood… It seemed like he was leaving himself out in the open, wasn't he? What a fool's errand it was to fight someone like Seizou, a skittish brat who could only spout nonsense. Maybe her little theory could put the boy in his place.
She rushed forward toward En, not even putting her fists up as she pumped her arms with her sprint. En, just as she predicted didn't make any move to strike yet, and that's when the gears in her mind started to click. En was but a moment prior to slaughter and he didn't even know it yet. Maybe he was dumber than he looked, and he thought that everyone around him was too stupid to see through his little game. Well if it was a game he wanted, she'd play along just enough to get him to place his king into a checkmate.
As Maria grew closer from her sprint, En's red eyes seemed to dilate, his smile starting to fade the closer she got to him. She could tell his mind was still churning as she got closer to him, and she for the first time could confidently smile at the fact she had him. The Russian for all intense and purposes felt like she had the demon entirely figured out, and she'd capitalize on it.
The girl prepped her right fist, closing it as she prepared her fist to go toward the demon boy. En, of course, started his dodge preemptively, sliding to his left before she could even get within arm's reach. Maria, however, had other plans for the boy she was fighting as she pulled her other fist up. It looked stupid from an outside perspective, but the moment En saw the other fist, his red eyes seemed to jump between both fists. He tried to adjust his dodge, moving his other shoulder and instead moving straight back. The move left the demon boy at an impasse as Maria huffed.
Before the Japanese teen could throw his fists forward to block the Russian girl, Maria turned her right fist, her fingers facing up in her clenched fist.
With a large huff, she pushed her fist forward right toward the demon boy's chin. With a large thunk and crack, En's head jolted back as her knuckles made direct contact with his chin. The boy growled in pain as he staggered back. The demon mutant had closed his eyes without even thinking as the pain that came from that hit alone felt like someone had drilled a nail into his chin. He felt like he was about to get whiplash from just that hit alone. His sudden jolt made him vulnerable to another strike. Maria knew the fight was idiotic to drag out, and her moves started to reflect that as she kicked her left foot at his shin. The strike, whilst painful, didn't matter as he fell to his knees.
Maria raced toward him, bending her arm and placing En's neck in the bend of it. She flexed her arm, running behind him and pulling it toward him. The hand from her other arm quickly wrapped around her arm, pulling on her elbow, which made the now locked chokehold even harder to get out of. En seemed to start thrashing at the sudden move, and Maria could only huff as she put her knee on his back and pressed it forward on his kneeled position.
"For someone so confident, you're such an open book," Maria said plainly into En's pointed ear. "You're pathetic, no wonder you look like a street rat. Just what kinda secrets are you hiding?"
Despite how hard it was to move his head, En's head slowly turned, and his face was in view for Maria to see. His sharp teeth were on full display, snarling as his red slits almost looked like that of a literal demon. They danced with energy as they focused on the Russian's icy blue eyes with a more murderous intent that even Maria thought was possible. En's thrashing gre erratic as her grip faltered just enough for him to… Open his mouth of giant teeth and clamp down on her arm.
The sharp teeth pierced through the fabric like butter as they sunk into Maria's flesh, and it sent a wave of heat up her arm as she felt the blood start to drip out of her wound. En's teeth quickly made her lose her grip, which led to the demon boy's jaw leaving her arm. But his right hand quickly reached toward her left shoulder, and the claws of his fingers quickly sank into the sleeve as they ripped apart the fabric and her fletch like scissors gliding through paper. The heat in her arms only grew as she felt the blood start to ooze from her wounds. It was so sudden that Maria's brain almost failed to process what the hell was going on before En leaned his head forward and suddenly jolted it back.
The back of the demon boy's head made direct contact with Maria's nose, and a crack echoed through the room as blood started to spurt from the Russian girl's nostrils. En had no trouble pushing her back as he roughly elbowed her in the side, forcing her to let out another yelp of pain. The boy quickly turned around, putting his hand right where he had elbowed as his claws dug into the vest, ripping back as four clear cuts found their way on the fabric.
"I'LL KILL YOU YOU FUCKING BITCH!"
En screamed, literally screamed as he roughly wrapped his hands around the collar of her vest. He pulled back another fist, thrusting it forward into her face as his hand became doused in the blood from her nose. The demon teen's other hand let go of Maria's collar which let the Russian girl thrust her hand toward En's face with a clenched fist, landing square on the right side of his jaw. While the hit sent her opponent's head to the side, a kick to his chest from her boot made him stumble back. Maria stepped back as well, feeling and grabbing her arm as the blood ran down her uniform and covered her hand.
Her ice blue eyes stared at the wounds as her other hand traced up and gently touched the blood flowing down from her nose. En seemed to immediately charge back forward as she was trying to assess the situation, and Maria pursed her now blood-covered lips. The pain was all over her arms and now face, but she didn't have time to think about the pain no matter how hard it hurt.
"I HATE YOU!" En screamed as he ran back toward her, his blood-soaked claws at his side as he ran toward her. HE pulled his left arm back as he was just about two steps in front of her, and she pulled up her right hand as it swept toward her. Lucky for her, it caught En's wrist and not his hand, blocking the claws, but the demon boy's other hand quickly found its way toward her cheek. The Russian girl tried to block that as well, but En brute forced through her block, with the pain from the earlier injuries making it harder to stop his attack. The attempt at the block made the boy's claws go right in front of her face, the tip of his ring finger snagging her forehead as it drew a solid line across her flesh.
Maria kicked En back again, huffing in pain as her hand reached toward her forehead. When she pulled it back and saw the blood, her eyes widened. She looked to En, his teeth still snarling with rage as she felt the blood running down her forehead. How had she failed to account for his claws?! Weren't they supposed to not use their quirks? Wait… quirks… That was just a part of his mutations, no wonder she had assumed that there wouldn't be any use for that. What worried her was the continuous blood that started to drip down her forehead and into her eye.
The demon teen's feet once again started to race toward Maria, and she started to fall back, quickly moving back as she could see his outstretched fingers once again reaching toward her. Right as he was about half a meter away from her, she found herself right on the boundary of the arena. En seemed to notice as he stopped, backing up a bit, he snarled as he stared at her, just a meter or so out of reach. The demon boy watched her, slowly smiling as his slitted eyes looked as if they belonged to a crazed convict from a high-security prison her mother would always tell her about.
"So I'm some fucking street rat? You're fucking NOTHING!"
En raised his hand, pointing two fingers at her like a gun, that snarl never breaking from his face as his soft features made his eyes seem even more crazed. "FUCK, YOU!" He screamed as his two fingers started to hiss, the air around them waving like a hot road in the middle of summer. Maria's eyes seemed to widen at the heat, and she immediately knew that she had to move, she was in no position to take any sort of hit as her instincts started to go wild.
He didn't care what the FUCK happened to her, he didn't care WHY he was doing this. SHE HAD NO FUCKING CLUE WHO HE WAS, HE DIDN'T CARE WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY. SHE'D FUCKING PAY FOR WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY. SHE, WOULD, PAY, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WHO FUCKING DOUBTED HIM!
The noise of the room seemed to be silenced as En's senses were dulled, a red mist engulfed his entire being as he did not once look or break his vision from the Russian girl. Not a single part of his soul cared in his mind, she was a threat that needed to be eliminated like the trash she was. She'd be taken out like the damn idiot who attacked his school before the task force showed their damn faces. En had no other thought as he felt his fingers heat up more and more, with the Russian girl's eyes widening. He could hear those screams and pleading for him to stop, but it wasn't like he would be stopped. He had a threat in front of him, and an easy way to take care of it in just a second. Not even the hiss of the hydraulic door would catch his attention.
Time seemed to stop in his mind as he felt every single inch of his fingers heat up like they were a tub of warm water. Nothing seemed to break the trance he had, even as Ayisha's screams and sprints toward him sounded throughout the room. Nothing could, or would stop him, he wanted and needed to show everyone just why he was better. He needed to show them why HE was the strongest, and why he could take any villain he wanted out in the flick of his wrist. En's mind was nothing but a cascade of destruction and a red mist, but the entrance of two figures from the hydraulic doors of the simulation chamber seemed to be rather important…
"SEIZOU!" En's grin and snarl seemed to fade at the sound of his last name, and he knew immediately who it was. He felt his body freeze up, his tail that had been swaying with his anger suddenly still as he felt his body start to shake. His red-slitted eyes snapped so wide that it looked like somebody was pulling his eyelids up. He didn't even realize that he had started shaking, and the sudden pause allowed Maria just enough time to dodge out of the way to her right. What came after almost sounded like a bass drop in reverse sounded, a sudden explosion of sound before a shake in the simulation chamber floor was felt.
En, and everyone's eyes were cast to a wall, now sporting a small crater and debris from the use of what could only be assumed to be the demon boy's quirk screw across the ground. He slowly turned, his arm slowly going to his side. His red eyes were meant with his class who some were close, frozen mid-rush. His instructor, who was about two meters away from him, her emerald eyes staring at him shocked. And then… Ivor, who was accompanied by that damned Irish boy whose arm was in a cast. He stared, his breathing hitching in his throat. He didn't know what to say, hell he didn't even know what to do. He could feel every inch of his body shake, and his jaw quiver. He didn't need Ivor to tell him what he had about done.
"Dorms… NOW." He didn't just say, but COMMANDED his students. All of them, even Noriaki, who had been woken up by the sudden use of En's quirk, scurried out. Every single student was silent, some even paused, still processing what had just happened. The chocolate-skinned man's eyes quickly changed their stillness as they rushed out. David was the only one left, who had rushed over to Maria. The girl, while dripping blood put her hand out, silent as she stopped him from approaching. She seemed to huff as she slowly walked to the door, which En could only assume would be the medbay.
"Seizou, go, now."
En didn't need to be told twice as he slowly walked, with Ayisha firmly putting her hand on the demon boy's shoulder. The instructor sped up his walking, gently yet firmly pushing him out of the hydraulic door. Once everyone was out, the instructor looked at the man. She grit her teeth before her eyes narrowed and focused on Ivor's face.
"WHY Ivor, WHY are they in my class?" Ayisha asked, her voice raising for the first time she had been in the facility. She pointed her finger at the door, stomping her boot to emphasize her words. Her emerald eyes seemed to dance around his face for some form of an answer. "With how destructive she's acting who the hell knows if she's a mole?"
Ivor seemed to huff with her words, putting his hand up to stop her after she finished her sentence. "With all due respect Ayisha, she isn't a can't be a mole." The man responded, slowly leaning against the wall next to the hydraulic door. "She has no family, and no connections to speak of. We monitored her for well over four months before we approached her, a-"
"IVOR, look at what she almost did to Hautala. This recklessness could get us compromised, or KILL one of them." She said, not yelling, but slightly raising her tone of voice. Her words made Ivor pause, pursing his lips as he tried to think. For someone so intelligent, the man seemed at a loss for words.
"There was another attack. Xtremis Academy this time." He said out of the blue, making Ayisha's emerald eyes quickly widen. The woman went silent, gulping as she crossed her arms and looked at the principal with a concerned glaze. "I allowed people like her in to give them a second chance, and produce the best possible heroes the world needs right now." He continued, looking his employee in the eye. "She has the potential to be one of the greatest heroes out there, but she has more than a few issues. Wright has appointments lined up with her. I will not excuse what she about did," The Russian-American sighed, "But she will be held accountable, and I'm sure you're aware of what I'm talking about. Force her to interact, and make her build trust with her classmates, that's an order."
Ivor stepped back toward the door, "I apologize that it took me so long to get here, me and Connor had a discussion in the hallway and I had paperwork." The woman could only shake her head and sigh at her superior's words, making her question only one thing.
"But why her? Out of all the people you could have picked in Japan?"
"Because," Ivor said, looking toward the ceiling of the simulated room. "I was once told that to be stronger, you have to destroy everything that you once loved. When you've been on the street scrounging for food, it's hard to trust people. She has no past to destroy, and everyone else needs to give her a reason to push herself. I'm sure you of all people know that with your brother." He said, making the emerald eye instructor look away for a moment as her mind started to whirl. "Sometimes the thing we need to be better, is just a person lending a hand. Let's not let her squander this chance, understood?"
Ayisha seemed to be thinking hard to herself, lightly tapped the sole of her boot into the ground. She exhaled after she seemed to have reached her conclusion. Her green eyes darted to Ivor, defiant as she faced him fully.
"Understood, but if she does that one more time, I'm kicking her out myself."
"I wouldn't expect anything else Ayisha."
A bit longer than I had thought it would take me, with a third fight completely cut but there's my first arc done… UGHHHHH. Took a while, but I hope this was a good wait for the end, thanks for reading, and stay safe.
Till next time.