Chapter 105
Ripples and Punishments: A New Challenger!
"Overall, the weights fulfilled their purpose," Amari explained to Power Loader. "But they didn't fit flush on my body, which made them somewhat awkward to wear. I had to readjust the wrist cuffs a few times. Other than that, there were no issues. They didn't chafe my skin or completely impede my ability to fight, beyond their purpose of slowing me down and draining my stamina. Given more time, I'm sure Mei Hatsume would've crafted them to perfectly fit my wrists and ankles."
"Mm. I see. Some of my other students have submitted their designs after watching your battle. So far, Hatsume's design is proving tough to beat. By the way…"
Amari abruptly hopped onto the main lab table, narrowly avoiding an extendable claw wielded by the genius mad inventor herself.
"Hehehe! Almost had it that time!" said Hatsume, retracting the claw.
"Do you want me to stop her?" the teacher asked, sighing in exasperation.
"No, it's fine," Amari waved him off, dropping back to the floor.
From the moment she entered the Development Studio, Mei Hatsume had relentlessly sought to steal her ninja pouch by any means necessary. Attempted pick-pocketing, rocket arm prosthetics, grappling equipment, tackling the kunoichi out of nowhere; she was determined to examine and test all of her equipment.
The kunoichi made a game out of evading her.
Taking a nap after reviewing Class 1-A's performance and before meeting with Mr. Power Loader has definitely turned out to be an even better decision than I imagined, thought Amari. My reflexes may have been too slow to evade her if I hadn't.
Beyond sharing the information on how the weights worked, her schedule was free for the rest of the day. No more tests. No need to train after the intensity of the Pop Quiz. Amari was keen to lie in the grass somewhere and read for a bit, or simply lounge around until the school day ended.
She wanted to visit Yukiko and the others, but their classes took priority. While this trip had become a sort of short-term vacation from her world, their lives had to continue normally for the sake of their future. Their education couldn't be halted over her.
Maybe I'll check in with them at lunch.
The roar of jet propulsion snapped her out of her meandering thoughts, her shinobi sense for danger springing onto high alert. Whirling around, she saw the mad inventor was hovering in the Development Studio. A jet-pack, which was partially on fire, was attached to her back. Her eyes gleamed behind her goggles, her lips spread wide in a triumphant grin.
"Now I've got you!"
"Hatsume, wait a minute!" Power Loader tried to coax.
"Tomorrows inventions wait for no one!"
Hatsume adjusted her trajectory straight for Amari. Flames and crackles of small explosions expelled from her jet-pack, but it did not blow up, nor did it drown out her maniacal laughter when she charged in.
"Oh man, this is such a pain!" Amari groaned.
Explosions, coughing, frustrated screams of a teacher pushed past his patience limitations and laughter was all anyone heard from the Development Studio for the remainder of the period.
When Amari emerged, she was covered in smoke and more disheveled than Aizawa. Her wild mane of blue hair had turned frizzy, pointing in all directions. Smoke billowed off of her. Oil stains smudged her purple tank top and flesh.
Frankly, she was happy to be alive. And concerned about what kind of insanity Mei Hatsume would create in the future. But she survived Mei Hatsume for a second time.
By all estimations, that was a grand victory for anyone who encountered her.
The cafeteria was larger and occupied by more students than Amari anticipated.
Students from all of the courses gathered inside the main dining hall, organized with several long tables, each with ten chairs—five on each side. The blanket of noise was regulated to general chatter, laughter or excited conversations throughout all the tables. There were still students gathering in line at the food court, where they purchased their first-rate cuisine from the Hero named Lunch Rush. From what she could see, he was the only chef in the whole cafeteria, and despite the odds he was pumping out meals without breaking a sweat or without lowering the quality.
Everyone looked to be enjoying themselves and their lunch.
Her entrance didn't go unnoticed. Without her disguise, she stood out in her purple, oil-smudged tank top, severed mesh long sleeve and shorts. Especially in a school where girls had no choice but to wear skirts. A quick shower returned her hair to its natural state and rid her of the smoke smell.
She ignored the stares as best she could. Intrigue, excitement, hints of resentment for her range of blessed abilities, the shades of emotion varied across the entire spectrum. Some of the students of the Business Course waved enthusiastically to her. She waved shyly and kept scanning for familiar faces.
Still, it wasn't like the whole cafeteria noticed her. Others were still busy. If she could find 1-A, who she assumed would sit together, then she could slip into their tables and talk to them without further incident. Preferably without another troublesome encounter with Mei Hatsume.
"Amari! Hey! Over here!"
Amari blanched at Mina Ashido's shout. The pink girl was standing up at her table and waving her arms around.
Well, so much for stealth, she thought dryly.
If she had escaped anyone's attention before, that shout shone a searchlight on her position so all could see her. Some observed her then returned to their conversations and lunch. Others watched her entire walk across the cafeteria floor to the grouping of tables Class 1-A occupied. She avoided eye contact.
Of the entire Class, a few of the students were missing, like Bakugo, Tokoyami and Koda. Amari wondered if they chose to eat somewhere quieter on campus.
Amari stopped at their tables, standing where she would be able to listen and speak to both groups.
"Hey," she greeted. "Mind if I join you guys? I have more time on my hands now than I know what to do with."
Quite frankly, after the incident with Mei Hatsume, she wanted some normal human interaction. Atsuko and Osamu were out studying the world, and she didn't want to bother All Might or Nemuri anymore than she already had. Aizawa was napping in his sleeping bag. That left the pool of people she could talk to limited to Class 1-A.
"Sure! We were all talking about the Pop Quiz anyway," Ashido said, settling back into her seat.
"And how frightening I was?" Amari asked, a smirk on her lips.
"Well…"
"You petrified our entire Class," Asui stated plainly. "I don't think Mineta will ever recover."
"Shu- shut up, Frog Boobs!" Mineta screeched. "You have no idea what she did to me!"
"She emasculated you in front of the whole school."
Asui was blunter than a wooden plank, and a hundred times more deadly. Present Mic, in Amari's humble opinion, missed out on calling her the verbal assassin. But Amari appreciated her blunt honesty. Especially when it made her giggle at the expense of the pervert.
Mineta stood up in his seat and jabbed his stubby finger at the giggling kunoichi, tears in his eyes. "You are pure evil! A demon masquerading as a pretty girl! Like a Siren, you reel in lost sailors with your fit body and flowing hair, smelling of cocoa butter lotion with hints of Miss Midnight's lilac scent!"
Amari was taken aback, and blushing. He…he smelled me! And Miss Nemuri!
How could he smell Nemuri's lilac scent on her? She had only seen the teacher for a brief moment, during which she shared a short hug before heading off to the cafeteria. Sure she could still smell it, but that was because the teacher had put her to sleep after the Pop Quiz.
What kind of perverted deviant was he? Was he seriously worse than Master Jiraiya?
"But as soon as the mist clears…" he continued, a dark and psychologically scarred expression overwhelming his features. He bit at his nails as his voice began to tremble. "That illusion fades and we come face to face with the terrible, scaly gorgon you really are. I can never forgive you for what you did! How am I ever going to convince girls to let me touch them now? I'll never be able to touch their boobs, or smell their—"
Asui slapped Mineta senseless with her tongue. "Quit it. Now you're just being a creep."
"Can you violently correct him now, Yūhi?" Jiro asked, nose scrunched at what she heard. "That little scumbag has it coming."
"You're just mad you are as flat chested as a thirteen year old," Mineta whispered.
Jiro flushed red in embarrassment and rage. Amari did the same.
The gall of this purple creep! Not only did he smell her and ogle her body, now he was insulting hers and Jiro's chest size!
United by their rage and spurred to violence by his perverted objectification of their bodies, the two blue-haired girls launched a combined assault in perfect synchronicity.
One of Jiro's Earphone Jacks extended over to his table, wrapping around his neck and tugging him flush against the backrest of his seat. Simultaneously, her second Earphone Jack pierced into his skull, reverberating her heartbeat mercilessly. Mineta pierced their ears with his wails of agony.
"I'll kill him!" Jiro growled. "I swear I'll kill him!"
No one, especially not Yukiko—who sat beside her—was trying to stop Jiro.
When her assault finished, she kept her choke-hold on him, leaving the nearly unconscious pervert at the mercy of Amari. The kunoichi, who had Body Flickered, was crouched on the table in front of him, red eye burning into his terrified soul.
"Allow me to show you what I'll do to you if you ever smell me, ogle me, try to touch a girl without their consent or insult their anatomy again."
None of Class 1-A saw what Mineta did. No one saw how her hair turned into snapping, vicious dragon heads, or how she grew into a giant that towered beyond the height of U.A. High School's highest point, or how her eyes became black, where all he could see was his smoldering corpse burning inside the red flames that burned beneath the surface.
No one saw him become tied to a chair, forced to watch as she crushed his puny body with her gigantic fists and feet, squashing him like a poor insect in gory fashion. No one saw the demonic dragon appear and tear his insides out over and over again.
No one saw it, except him. No one could hear him screaming, wailing or crying, pleading to the perverted gods to not let him die so he could one day touch a real girl.
When it was over, Amari returned to the floor and watched as Mineta trembled in fear.
"I- I- I- I-"
"Say anything like that again," Amari warned, "and I'll use a genjutsu powerful enough to break your mind, to the point that when it's over you'll truly believe you're a pretty girl. You'll even come to school wearing a skirt."
"Yo- you wouldn't!" he choked out.
Amari said nothing. She just stared at him with an unflinching, burning red eye.
Mineta shivered then stiffened. He chose the path of silence. A wise choice.
Jiro released his throat. Her blush remained as she stared at her tray of food and ate. A part of Amari wanted to say something encouraging, to point out that there were people who didn't care how big or small someone's chest was, and how love based on physical attributes was shallow and worthless. Or even provide the hope that she was still growing. However, to continue the discussion on such an intimate and personal subject in front of so many strangers and boys was too embarrassing.
"Why don't you sit down," Yukiko offered, gesturing to the empty seat across from her and beside Shoji.
"Now why would an intellectual like this girl do that?" a stranger asked.
Amari turned towards the voice, belonging to a student she had never encountered. He had slick blond hair, trimmed at ear length and parted left so his bangs hung over his right eye. His eyes, periwinkle purple, had white pupils, though she'd seen stranger appearances since arriving in this world. He wore a contemptuous smirk.
"Uh—"
"It was only a matter of time," Igarashi muttered beneath her breath, resting her elbow on the table and propping up her head with her hand.
"Sitting down among a cast of malcontents, perverts and uncoordinated morons," he continued to speak without bothering to listen to Amari, "would be detrimental to the status and prestige of such a prodigious talent. After all…" He tilted his head, his contemptuous smirk bordering on obsessive. "Class 1-A failed at the basic fundamental of teamwork, and aren't you supposed to be the superior Class?! Who could have imagined that?"
The Nara had a hunch he imagined that. Quite often.
"Maybe you should all spend more time training," he said with a haughty air. "We can't have you sullying U.A.'s reputation with perverted attempts to knock a young girl's clothes off or screaming 'die' at the top of your lungs so people the next continent over can hear you. Or is that all the superior class is capable of? If so, I believe she handled your punishments justly. Especially you." He pointed his finger and directed his maddening grin to Mineta. "Defeated by a poke to the anus. And your entire Class fell at the hands of a single girl. But what can you expect from Class 1-A! Hahahaha!"
"Do you see what you did?!" Mineta screeched at her with tears in his eyes.
Ah, Amari realized, he must be from Class 1-B. This is what Mr. Aizawa meant when he said they would never let them live it down.
"Um, who are you?" the kunoichi asked.
"Ah, I am Neito Monoma of Class 1-B." He placed a hand on his chest.
She examined his tray of food and noticed a wine glass. Is that grape juice? She bit the inside of her lip to prevent a smile from forming. How eccentric can you get?
"But just because we're the second letter in the alphabet doesn't mean we're second to Class 1-A in talent," he said haughtily.
"Oh. So your class is better?"
"Of course!" Monoma boasted, too obsessed with putting down Class 1-A to see the trap she was setting.
Two other strangers, one a teal eyed, ginger-haired girl and the other a dark, moss green haired and dusky green eyed girl, were striding quickly towards them. By the concerned expression on the former's face, she could hear and see the trap coming.
"Please, don't misunderstand Class 1-A's failings as a representation of what us first years are capable of. They're an arrogant lot who have gained their name because of unfortunate circumstances they find themselves in." He shrugged and shook his head as if it were all so helpless. "I keep trying to tell them to not get ahead of themselves. What if they drag us into these unfortunate messes they're always in? Then Class 1-B would be at risk and have no choice but to step up and save them from themselves."
"Huh. So, had I attacked your class instead the Pop Quiz would've ended differently?" she asked innocently. "Class 1-B sounds pretty strong. Perhaps I should test your class's strength. It sounds like I could learn a lot from all of you. I can ask your teacher after lunch if we can train, if that's okay with you and your Class?"
Monoma paused, still wearing a contemptuous smirk. But she noticed a bead of sweat form on his brow. He knew the reality of the situation. He knew, even with their greater skills of cooperation, she would in all likelihood crush them with Atsuko and Osamu the same way she crushed 1-A.
He was standing before the majority of Class 1-A, however. To admit such a truth would mean admitting weakness in front of them after everything he said. Of the gathered students, Igarashi was grinning devilishly, because she realized the same thing Amari had: Monoma would have to answer confidently, dooming all of his class to a beating.
Also recorded and shown to all of the school.
"Yes," he struggled to smile through his words, "I'm sure I speak for Class 1-B when I say we are more than ready to—"
The ginger-haired girl chopped the poor boy in the neck, knocking him unconscious with a single blow. She held him up by the collar of his shirt and caught his tray with her free hand. She handed it off to the other girl, who was grinning, revealing sharpened teeth.
"Speak for yourself, Monoma," the ginger-haired girl scolded. She offered Amari and Class 1-A an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry about him. Just ignore anything he said."
"No harm done," Amari smiled back.
"I'm Itsuka Kendo, and this is Setsuna Tokage," the ginger-haired girl introduced herself and her classmate.
"Hey there," Setsuna grinned.
"Amaririsu Yūhi," Amari dipped her head in greeting.
"I was hoping you would stop by for lunch," said Kendo. "Would it be too much to ask if you came to the practice fields and observed our training after lunch? Vlad King, our teacher, said your stay in Japan wouldn't be long, and we'd all like to learn what we can from you before you leave."
The kunoichi shook her head. "No trouble at all. I'll be there."
"Really? Thanks so much!" Kendo brightened.
"Asking for her help in front of Class 1-A…" Monoma started to come to. He struggled to lift his head. "Now those arrogant fools will know we had help to surpass them!"
Kendo promptly chopped him again, knocking him unconscious once more. "The only arrogant fool here is you. Let's go eat, Tokage. We need to be ready for training. See you later, Yūhi!"
The ginger-haired girl turned around and dragged Monoma's limp body across the floor without trouble. Setsuna offered a casual wave and farewell and followed after her.
It must be a culture difference that everyone here tends to call others by their surnames, Amari thought. It's strange. But they don't have entire masses of people who bear the names of Hyūga, Inuzuka, Nara, Aburame or any other Clan that has ever existed.
More constants and variables.
Still, at least I can get a feel for this other Class and their abilities. I might be able to help push them to become guardians and pillars in this society.
Class 1-A alone couldn't bear the burden, just as Team Seven alone couldn't combat the darkness of the shinobi world on their own. Team Eight, Team Ten, Team Guy and many, many other shinobi from her teacher and mother, to the countless shinobi she didn't know by name or appearance who combated foreign and domestic threats while she and her team were off-duty or out of the Leaf on a mission were all needed. Not to mention the Sand shinobi or Mist forces who sought to be allies and peaceful resolutions to ancient and recent blood feuds.
The world was bigger than her and her team. Bigger than these students.
"You should all consider cross-training with Class 1-B and forming a stronger bond with them," Amari said, drawing her attention back to the gathered Class 1-A. "Even if it's a rivalry, that'll only help both of your classes grow. Fighting against the same few people and few Quirks might cause you to gain bad habits; I'm sure Mr. Aizawa would agree. Besides, healthy rivalry and competition is good for growth. You can only learn from new experiences, and failures."
"I get the feeling Monoma doesn't want to train with us," Uraraka pointed out.
"He would if it meant a chance to show all of you up."
"Yūhi isn't wrong," Midoriya said. "I'm not sure when we would be able to, or if our teachers will allow it, but training against Class 1-B could be beneficial to all of us. Think of it like a smaller version of the Sports Festival. We would be pitted against Quirks we don't know nearly as well as our own classmates, which can only help us learn more about our weaknesses."
"You can just call me Amari or Amaririsu," the kunoichi said.
Midoriya blushed. "O- oh! Sorry, Amaririsu!"
"Midoriya is kind of terrible at informality, especially with girls," Asui stated bluntly, smiling at her friend.
Amari hid a giggle behind her hand at the embarrassed flush of Midoriya's face. He looked like he wanted someone to strike him down, or for All Might to burst through the door to save him.
"But on the topic of names, you can call me Tsu."
"Tsu it is, then. I've never been one for formalities unless absolutely necessary." Amari shrugged. "It's a drag, especially among friends and comrades."
"You know, you're pretty laid back for a soldier. I honestly didn't expect it," Kaminari noted out loud.
"Yeah," Rikido Sato agreed, nodding.
"I like it!" Mina Ashido declared. "Better than when you're all doom and gloom and ready to destroy the world."
Amari smiled and looked down at her scarred arm and hand. "I learned early that I wasn't capable of killing my heart. A life without feelings, without pain and sorrow is also a life without love, joy and warmth. These scars will always remind me of that lesson and what I sacrificed on that mist covered bridge."
"I'm sorry about ruining your undershirt," Mina apologized. "But you were trying to destroy us."
"No harm done," the kunoichi chuckled. "I've gone through a few shirts and undershirts due to intense battles."
"Oh, that reminds me," Momo Yaoyorozu spoke up. "After school is over, I can take your measurements and make you a new tank top and undershirt with my Quirk. Normally I would just ask to sew it for you." She squinted, scrutinizing her attire. "But I don't know if those oil stains will come out, or if you have any spare clothes to wear in the meantime."
"Not unless you count one of Miss Nemuri's big shirts," she replied offhandedly.
The tables went silent. The students stared at her strangely.
"…Why would you be wearing Miss Midnight's clothes?" Kirishima asked cautiously.
"I've been staying with her while I'm here."
Mineta scrambled out of his seat, rushed under the table and latched onto the kunoichi's leg. He was drooling waterfalls off his perverted smile.
"Please, you have to tell me everything!"
"You have three seconds to get off my leg," Amari warned. "And if you don't, they won't find your body."
He released her leg but nevertheless continued. "I need to know what is inside of her home. What sort of, hehe, decorations does she have? Is it everything I've ever dreamed of? Do you share the same bathroom? Have you seen her in a bathrobe or nightgown? Can you show me with your illusions?"
"Mineta, that is none of your business and highly inappropriate, not to mention immoral!" Iida chastised.
"Please, please, please!" the pervert ignored the Class Representative. "Tell me, is her lilac scent a perfume or her natural aroma? Have you seen the inside of her bedroom? Can you…" He leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Can you sneak into her room and steal me some of—"
Amari attacked without warning. She swung her leg back, channeling chakra to the limb, then kicked.
Mineta's eyes bulged out of his skull, his breath leaving his body and his soul departing with it.
She kicked the pint-sized pervert in his baby grapes. Hard. Just to make sure he never had another urge in her presence ever again, and to prevent any possible procreation. She was quite certain any future children of his in the time stream had vanished with that single kick.
All of the boys winced at the blow, stomachs turning in sympathy and empathy for the pain they understood. All of the girls stared in disgust at the crumpled purple pervert on the floor crying tears of blood, letting out a high pitch and wordless whine.
"Any other stupid or perverted questions, insinuations or requests about Miss Nemuri's privacy?" she dared the boys to ask.
Silent, rapid head shakes were the answers of most of the boys. Todoroki ate his food in peace, unbothered by the scene.
"He had that coming," he said between bites.
"Damn right he did," Igarashi spat.
"The dude can be such a little scumbag," Sero stated.
"Is- is he going to be all right?" Midoriya ventured to ask. He was pale and frightened. "He's crying blood!"
"He'll live," said Shoji.
"Did you see that everyone!" Monoma called out from across the cafeteria. "A member of Class 1-A, the superior class as they like to see themselves, once again was defeated by our special guest with a single kick to his precious genitals! What another sad display from the superior class! Maybe we should all take this time to toast to their fall from grace!"
"Or maybe she should kick you in the genitals!" Kendo chopped Monoma in the back of the neck again. She waved at the kunoichi with a sheepish smile. "Sorry about that! Sometimes he doesn't know when to quit."
"Nice kick! I like your style!" Setsuna laughed.
"Thank you!"
For the remainder of the lunch period, Amari sat beside Shoji and discussed a varying array of subjects with the students. She learned that Momo was going to tutor the likes of Ashido, Jiro, Sero, Kaminari and Ojiro for the academic portion of their finals, while Yukiko was welcoming anyone who wanted to train for the practical portion.
So far, Yaoyorozu, Uraraka, Ashido, Asui, Shoji, Jiro and Tokoyami were taking up her offer. Everyone was gearing up for their Finals, preparing weeks in advance rather than cramming at the last minute. Amari wasn't sure if that was her effect on them, or if they would've done it anyway, but she was glad to see it.
Curious questions about her world, their culture beyond shinobi society and her personal life came up as well. Ashido and Hagakure were keen to learn about one subject in particular.
"What are boys like?" Amari repeated the odd question. "I'm…not sure what you mean. I can't paint them all with a broad brush. Everyone is their own individual. Their personalities vary depending on who we're talking about. For instance, my cousin Shikamaru is more laid back than I am. If he could, he would lay in the grass and watch clouds all day or play shogi against my uncle, me or Asuma-sensei. The lazy bones. All the girls at the Academy thought Sasuke was handsome, cool and calm, to the point of being fangirls."
She glanced to Todoroki. "I'm amazed you haven't amassed a following of fangirls who follow you around everywhere. You're even calmer and cooler than Sasuke acts. But maybe it was that way with Sasuke because they weren't teenagers."
"I hope you're right. It sounds annoying."
"Trust me, it was."
"Oh, there's someone like Todoroki in your world? Is he really handsome, too?" Hagakure asked
"I…guess? I think the fangirls blew it out of proportion, but he's my clan-brother. I don't think of him that way," she said with a shrug.
"Is there any boy you do think of that way?" Mina asked, grinning.
"I- is that really important?"
"Ah-ha!" Ashido nearly jumped out of her seat to point her finger at the Nara. "You have a boyfriend?"
Amari blushed and leaned away from the pointing finger. "I- I don't have a boyfriend!"
"Girlfriend, then?"
"N- no! I'm not in a relationship with anyone! I'm thirteen! I don't know how to court or how to even be courted!"
"Ah-ha!" Ashido declared again. "You're a romantic! And you have a crush, or multiple crushes! Ah, ah, ah! Don't try to deny it. My intuition is never wrong! Your mouth may deny it, but your flushing cheeks tell me all I need to know." She was grinning widely. "Hmm. I'd say you've even had your first kiss."
Amari was pinker than the girl interrogating her. "I haven't!" she refuted.
"Yes you have!" Mina sang.
"It was on the cheek, and that doesn't count as a first kiss!"
"Ah-ha!" The Nara wanted to slap herself. Of all the stupid things to say… "Tell us all the details," Ashido demanded. "Was it a moonlit night? Were you on a romantic walk through a forest? Oh, oh, or maybe he was a shinobi and it was right after an intense battle, where you two narrowly survived?"
"Come on, you have to spill it now," Jiro said, smirking.
"Yeah! Tell us all the details, Amaririsu!" Hagakure cheered, pumping an invisible fist.
Amari looked to Shoji for support. He smiled beneath his mask and shrugged. Then she looked to Yukiko, who was grinning at her misfortune.
What a cruel world this was.
"…Do I have to?"
The resounding yes made her groan.
So, at knife point, she recollected the mission to the Land of Snow from start to finish as briefly as possible, never indicating who the kiss came from until the very end.
"Princess Koyuki then kissed me on the cheek," she finished. "Twice. And thanked me for everything I had done… After I stupidly said she'd have to marry me if I were to stay in the Land of Snow."
Stunned silence filled the space of her voice. Amari was blushing madly. Everyone at the table was staring at her in open awe. Then it was broken by a squeal of delight.
"That is…so cool!" Hagakure squealed.
"Aw, I'm totally jealous now!" Ashido sat back in her seat, crossing her arms and puffing her cheeks out. "Her first kiss was with a movie star and a princess!"
"That's pretty punk rock, Amaririsu," Jiro complimented.
"Dude, forget all that stuff. That story was so manly!" Kirishima declared. "Her team took down a tyrant and saved all of the people suffering under that Dotō's regime."
Amari considered reminding him of Sandayū and the samurai's deaths, or of the reality that she and her teammates killed to achieve that result. But she chose to stay silent, not wanting to kill the mood.
In the end, what we accomplished did change the lives of an entire country. Dotō can't make the inhabitants of the Land of Snow suffer anymore, or keep the land in a frozen hell. One day, it will be the Land of Spring under Princess Koyuki's leadership. But…
The kunoichi dipped her chin down and grabbed the pendent of her necklace.
I wish…
"Please, don't allow his spirit to be another burden you carry. Remember him with joy."
Inhaling and exhaling a calm breath, she thought of the little time she shared with Sandayū, moments where he showed his joy and shared smiles with her team.
It made her yearn for home.
One day, I hope I can return and see you and the Land of Spring again, Princess Koyuki.
"I can't believe you asked a princess to marry you," Yukiko teased.
Flustered, she buried her face into her hands and groaned. "Me and my stupid mouth. It's always so embarrassing."
"It's happened more than once?"
"Haku, a boy I met in battle, once thanked me for my kind words. I told him that he could consider them on the house since he was cute."
Yukiko was merciless in her laughter. Jiro snickered at her. Ashido and Hagakure giggled and cooed at her as she groaned and slammed her forehead against the table.
No matter the world, girls were troublesome.
When the final bell of the school day rang, Midoriya sensed the relieved sighs from his classmates. Like the U.S.J. Incident, the Pop Quiz was physically taxing and emotionally exhausting, and everyone wanted to go home to stability, to crash or flop or dive into their beds and truly rest after their struggle against Amaririsu Yūhi.
As the day went on, the energy Recovery Girl used to heal their injuries slowly caught up to each and every one of them. He didn't need to look around to see their exhausted expressions, or hear their stifled or blatant yawns. Midoriya covered his own mouth as he, too, yawned.
Although we learned it was all just a Pop Quiz, thought Midoriya, the feelings we experienced, the strain on our bodies and injuries we incurred were all pretty intense. For the majority of my class, this was the most intense situation they've experienced since the U.S.J. Incident; not everyone was exhausted or injured in the Sports Festival. And only a few of us encountered Stain in Hosu.
Compared to the League of Villains and Stain, though, Amaririsu has been…an anomaly, to be honest. I'm not sure any of us knew what to expect from her after the Pop Quiz. She has seen and experienced so much more than we have of real darkness, of evil and cruelty.
Midoriya packed up his backpack, but retrieved his Hero sketchbook and flipped through the pages to his newest entry. On the left page, an incomplete sketch of Amaririsu from her head to her waist took up half the page. He retrieved his pencil and began to sketch her lower half, hoping his next addition to this side of the page would be notes on her gear. The expression he'd sketch on her face was neutral and detailed as best he could to signify the activated dōjutsu, as she called it.
But, despite her experiences, she's still a normal girl, Midoriya thought as he sketched. She can be very serious without pulling punches, but Amaririsu isn't heartless or cold. No. She's the exact opposite of heartless and cold. At least with us. I wonder how training went for Class 1-B.
On the right page, Midoriya had written down all she explained of chakra, of ninjutsu and genjutsu and how she applied it in battle in shorthand notes. If he had a chance, he wanted to ask her if there were any mistakes in his notes, and also if there was anything more she could explain about her powers.
Chakra, as far as he recalled, was a concept believed to exist in early Hinduism and beyond. At least in their world. He wasn't an expert on it, but he was pretty sure there was seven chakras or chakra centers or something that sounded close to Amaririsu's Chakra Network. Maybe there was a correlation? Maybe it was one of the constants or variables?
Either way, he had more work to do with his notes and sketch of Amaririsu Yūhi. There was a lot Midoriya believed he could learn from this recent experience. He studied her fighting style, her movements, her adaptability and tactics even while being battered.
When he used Full Cowling to jump across a battlefield, he imagined Bakugo's movements—copied them as closely as he could. He'd watched Bakugo so closely through the years. No matter how much they clashed, or much he was bullied, there was no denying how amazing his bully's abilities and coordination with his Quirk was.
For most of his time with One for All, he treated it as a special move, calling out Smashes like All Might, and breaking his bones in the process. Lately he tried to improve his combat prowess through Full Cowling by studying hand to hand fighters in his class, like Kirishima, Yukiko and Ojiro.
He hadn't had enough time to really improve it, to be honest. But that was why he had to train harder. And now, after studying Amaririsu's style, he had another set of tricks he hoped to incorporate into his fighting style.
Switching from sketching to his note page, he gripped his chin and began to write in synchronicity with his muttering.
"I've built up my muscles to gain physical strength, to improve my stamina to fight for extended periods and agility to attack quickly. With Full Cowling, I'm able to amplify my strength and agility. But even with that amplification, Amaririsu predicted and avoided everything I threw at her. True, her dōjutsu power grants her enhanced visual prowess, enough to fight Yukiko's High Voltage and maintain awareness of everyone's position on the battlefield, but her eyes weren't what countered our attacks or evaded them. It's her physical ability.
"She battled us while carrying a quarter of her own weight. Then continued to fight despite fatigue to victory. Her stamina, agility and physical fitness are far above mine. I may have more muscle mass than her, but that doesn't really matter if I can't touch my enemy. I need to ask her what kind of physical training she practices. Maybe I can replicate it, that way I can increase my speed, agility and stamina. What if I ever encounter a Villain at her level and the fight is drawn out? I can't save people if I get exhausted after a short stint of combat.
"Also, I need to find a way increase my flexibility." He tapped his eraser to his chin quickly, thinking as he examined his notes. Unaware of the entire class watching him in amusement, annoyance or bemusement. Or the shadow sneaking up silently. "I'm too stiff in my movements. Maybe on weight training days I should also work in some stretches? Or would it be better on cardio? I should ask her what kind of stretches she does to improve her mobility.
"There's also the adaptability she showed. I need to be able to think and fight at the same time like she does. To coordinate strategy and maintain complete awareness of an entire battlefield. If a fight suddenly breaks out, I won't have time to prepare a meticulous strategy, especially if civilians are around. And if I'm working with other Pro's, I have to communicate and articulate my plans better in the heat of the moment, without cluing in our enemies to what I'm planning.
"On another note, she was right: when I'm under pressure, I can't draw upon Full Cowling at will. That's an immediate problem I need to work on. Maybe training with Yukiko or Iida could help me overcome that? I have to find a way to keep the switch turned on steadily without thinking about it or going over my current limits. And I can't let my emotions get in my way."
He put pen to paper again. "Her spatial awareness was amazing, too. I can learn from that and her movements. But where do I start?"
"For spatial awareness or all the other stuff, Mister Hero?"
Midoriya screamed.
Amaririsu, who was leaning over his shoulder, giggled in his ear. It was a sweet sound, yet to have a girl so close in his personal space after nearly dying of fright made his cheeks burn. I can hear her breathing, and…she really does smell like cocoa butter and lilac!
"You sketched me pretty well," the girl said. "And these notes are pretty thorough, even in shorthand. Here, let me draw something for you."
She stole his pencil without effort, hand brushing against his and making him all the more nervous and awkward. Most people found his note-taking to be strange, nerdy or invasive. It didn't seem to bother Amaririsu in the slightest. He watched her out of the corner of his eye.
And finally noticed how pretty Amaririsu was.
"Chakra is made up of two components: physical energy and spiritual energy. Like Yin and Yang, see?
"By increasing our physical energy through training and exercise, and spiritual energy through studying and meditation, as well as experience, we're able to increase the power of our chakra and total supply," she explained. "Though it isn't something that happens overnight or within a few weeks or months. Like building muscle, or gaining flexibility, it takes hard work and dedication to your training to improve. No shortcuts."
Amaririsu set his pencil down in his notebook and took a step back, wrapping her right arm behind her back to grab her left bicep. She closed her eyes and smiled. The smile was kind and warm. Pretty.
"If you have any questions, you can always ask me directly. I don't want to hold Momo up, though; she has after school activities and she's waiting to take my measurements. Can you wait until after I get changed? Will you be on campus long?"
"Oh, uh, ye- yeah," he replied awkwardly.
"Okay, I'll see you later then."
The girl sauntered off to the back of the room, where Momo was waiting for her with a cloth measuring tape in hand already. Midoriya glanced back at his notebook, at the circular symbol she'd drawn to portray physical and spiritual energy. It really did resemble the classical Yin and Yang symbol, except lying on its side.
And, in a strange way, Amaririsu struck him as a living embodiment of Yin and Yang, of light and darkness and duality being interconnected.
In their encounters since the end of the Pop Quiz, she was generally bright and warmhearted, welcoming and sincere. Reserved at times, Amaririsu was a kind girl, pure like All Might said. Yet he felt there was a tangible realness to the feelings she expressed as the Last Shinobi. Darkness, pain, anguish and anger; she had lost more than he ever had, and suffered daily because of it.
Midoriya looked back to Amaririsu and Yaoyorozu, the latter measuring her sleeve length for her undershirt. Yukiko and Jiro were close by, standing as limited privacy shields and deterrents to anyone with nefarious intentions. Mineta, specifically.
The shinobi sported a light blush on her face. By the smirk on Jiro's face, and the mischievous, throaty hum from Yukiko, he had missed the High Voltage wielders tease or jest.
Yet, despite the innocent blush on her face, Midoriya felt an overwhelming sense of…sadness when he looked at her.
Conflict. She was always in conflict. Against those who threatened peace and her home. Against the darkness within herself. Against a heritage and legacy he didn't know and she had yet to learn of.
"Strip away the glamour and dazzling light your society paints Pro Hero life out to be and what is left? Hardships. Stress. Conflict. Death. Grief."
Before meeting All Might, before learning of Todoroki's past and the life Yukiko endured after she vanished, before Stain he had only seen the glamour of his dream. The dazzling lights their society painted Pro Hero life to be. He'd only seen All Might's heroics, his brave smile, not the pain and fear underneath it.
He was beginning to see, though. And when he looked at Amaririsu, he saw both her light and darkness, and the endless conflict between them. How much more would she have to endure? How much more could she endure?
She's experienced so much tragedy and grief. It's like a comic book hero, struggling to overcome her tragic past and change her destiny, but…this is real. A real person fighting in real wars. She has seen death, has taken a life and seen her home destroyed.
He pursed his lips, gaze falling to the floor.
"You have a kind heart, Izuku Midoriya. But although I've suffered, I've also been very fortunate to meet loving, kind, warm and wise people who have made my life brighter. And I always have my Mama, Papa, Shisui and Ryu with me, in spirit and in my heart. I appreciate where your heart is, Mister Hero. But you don't need to apologize or pity me. I'm tougher than I look."
She was tougher, certainly tougher than him. But…if her fate was this seemingly never-ending conflict between light and darkness, could she ever find peace? Was someone supposed to save her? Had she been saved yet? Or could she only save herself and change destiny with her own hands?
I'm not the one who can save her, I know that. There isn't enough time for me to find a way to help her. But still…I wish there was something more I could do. Some way I could repay her for taking the time to teach us all.
The sound of a body collapsing to the floor snapped his head up and to the back of the classroom. Amaririsu was supine on the floor, eyes dazed and face red.
"Whoa!" Midoriya stood up in concern. "What happened? Is she all right?"
Yukiko appeared to be biting the inside of her cheek, stifling laughter while kneeling at her side, fanning her hand in front of the fainted girl's face.
Iida was shielding his eyes, Uraraka was blushing and Mina was giggling at Amaririsu's expense. Most of the boys in the classroom were blushing and did their best to direct their attention anywhere besides the back of the room. Mineta, he noticed, was somewhere between a wail of jealousy and shuddering breaths of arousal.
Innocent and still failing to realize the situation, Midoriya checked Jiro and Yaoyorozu next. The rocker girl was sporting a slight flush to her cheeks, standing in front of the Creation Quirk wielder who couldn't look more confused.
When his eyes met Jiro's, the girl ground her teeth together and aimed her Earphone Jacks at him threateningly. "Midoriya, don't you dare look!"
"Look at what? What happened to—"
Then the boy caught a glimpse of the problem. Snapped his mouth shut and froze like he stumbled upon a snake at his front door.
Jiro wasn't nearly as tall as she was trying to make herself, and just behind her was Yaoyorozu—easily six inches taller than her. Had Igarashi and Jiro thought it through, they would've swapped positions, that way Igarashi—who stood around the same height as Yaoyorozu—could've played the role of a proper shield and Jiro could've fanned Amaririsu awake.
Instead, Midoriya caught a side glimpse of Yaoyorozu's current state of mild undress. Her white button-up shirt was distinctly unbuttoned and hanging loosely off her shoulders and untucked, exhibiting her flat stomach and…
Bo- bo- boobs! He shrieked within his own mind.
Midoriya felt his eyes roll back into his skull as his face flushed. He collapsed back into his seat and tried not to die of shame, embarrassment and adolescent hormonal heart-racing exhilaration.
Of course he had seen Yaoyorozu in her revealing Hero costume and understood the practicality of it all. Her Creation Quirk worked by transforming the molecular structure of her lipids to create any non-living material or object, all of which came from exposed areas of skin. So, had she tried to create Amaririsu's new clothes while still fully dressed, it would've ripped her outfit.
But a Hero costume didn't have a general effect on him. He saw it through the lens of Hero work, and he was usually focused on their training and how to improve himself. Unlike Mineta, who couldn't keep his mind out of the gutter, Midoriya never ogled his female classmates, the majority of whom wore skin tight outfits, with an exception of Jiro, Hagakure and Yukiko.
Seeing a glimpse of Yaoyorozu's flat stomach and chest in this environment, however, out of the context of training was an entirely different matter.
I…I saw her bra!
Midoriya was pretty sure he was dying.
"Jiro, here." Todoroki, without looking over, offered his uniform jacket. "Use it as a privacy curtain or something."
"Is she okay, Igarashi?" Yaoyorozu asked, innocent in her confusion.
"Oh, she's excellent, trust me," Igarashi chuckled.
"I don't understand. Was it because of my Quirk? Did she find it strange?"
"You unbuttoned your shirt," Jiro scolded, lifting up Todoroki's jacket in front of her upper body while averting her eyes out of courtesy.
"Of course I unbuttoned my shirt. I needed exposed skin to create her new clothes. I'm almost finished with her undershirt."
"Yaomomo, I know that's how your Quirk works and it's clinical and academic to you. But you pretty much flashed a thirteen year old girl."
Yaoyorozu's cheeks flushed. "I- I most certainly did not!" she sputtered.
"You totally did, Yaomomo!" Mina teased.
"Thi- this was the only way to make her clothes!"
"You did kind of spring it on her without warning," Tsuyu pointed out.
"Toru, did Deku faint, too?" Uraraka asked.
"Nope! I think he's paralyzed, though. And I'm not sure if he's breathing. Hello! Yoohoo! Midoriya! Are you still with us?"
"I saw his eyes roll back into his skull. He's toast," Jiro said. "And if any of you boys try to sneak a peek, I'll make sure all of you are toast next! Especially you, Mineta and Kaminari!"
"Hey! Why am I getting dragged into this?" Kaminari demanded.
"I haven't forgotten what you and that little perv tricked us into doing at the Sports Festival. In fact, I never actually paid you two back for that."
Midoriya blinked awake to the sound of Kaminari and Mineta screeching in agony.
He didn't bother to ask why.
I think I'm going to finish my sketching, he decided nervously.
It seemed like the safest option.
After Amari came to, and after many awkward apologies from Yaoyorozu, the kunoichi departed the classroom with her fresh purple tank top and new black mesh undershirt to the girl's locker room to change in privacy. And to recompose herself after her near death experience.
The new clothes fit perfectly. She still intended to try to wash her stained tank top either at Nemuri's or back home, as well as maybe salvage her mesh undershirt into a short-sleeved shirt after she cleaned it up. Until then, she sealed them away into her storage scroll, tucked the scroll back into her pouch and made to exit the deserted locker room.
Upon exiting, she was greeted by Bakugo leaning against a nearby wall. He wore his backpack slung over one shoulder and his pants so they sagged loosely. He kept his hands in his pockets. His sharp red eyes stared directly at her.
Amari paused, neither afraid nor annoyed by his appearance. Mostly curious by what he could possibly want from her. Luckily, he didn't keep her curiosity waiting.
"I want a rematch," he demanded. "One on one."
Of course he did. She could've assumed as much, if she put the effort in. Just as he could've done more during the Pop Quiz to help his classmates if he had put in the effort. Yet they hadn't. So here they were. Him in search of redemption for his defeat and bruised ego, her neither interested nor in the mood to entertain his fantasy of victory.
"No." The denial didn't come out harshly or with a vile sneer. She stated it plainly, academically. Regardless, Bakugo clenched his jaw, and his hands inside his pockets. "Even if we waited until tomorrow to fight again, when we're both at full capacity, it wouldn't change the end result. Your mind isn't in the right place to fight me seriously."
"Spare me your lectures. Just fight me."
"No." Amari shrugged at his souring mood. "My decision won't change no matter what you say or do. It's only been a few hours since the Pop Quiz. Even if you understand my powers better, you're still at the same level as before. Actually, your bruised ego is holding you back. You'll be weaker than before. Neither of us will gain anything new from another fight while you're like this."
She turned to walk away. She made it only three steps before a hand wrapped tightly around her wrist. It took conscious control to breathe in deeply and restrain herself from breaking his hand and arm. Slowly, Amari turned around to glare back at the boy.
"Your victory means nothing," Bakugo ground out.
"Is that so? Then you've truly learned nothing."
"Shut up and listen to me, small fry. I don't care about that ridiculous Pop Quiz. I want a one on one fight, no extras and none of those annoying birds to back you up. That's the only way it'll mean anything. I don't want you to hold anything back. Losing to you when you're fighting half-assed pisses me off. Next time, use those pinwheels on me. "
The kunoichi narrowed her eyes. "No."
His hand squeezed her arm tighter. His palm was warm and sweaty, his eyes growing darker.
"Is this because you have a thing for Spark Plug?"
"Let go of my arm right now."
He grinned darkly. "No. Not until you answer me."
"Let go, Bakugo. Or I'll break your arm. Again."
"Make me, small fry."
The sudden burning sensation at her wrist snapped what restraint she had for his ego. With a quick movement, Amari had the point of a kunai placed at his throat, Sharingan blazing and Byakugan hardening. Bakugo had the sense to lean his head back.
"Burn me with your Quirk again, I dare you," she warned.
His vile grin didn't fall. "Or what? You gonna kill me, small fry? Gonna become a Villain after everything All Might and Eraser Head have done for you? Heh! Don't make a bluff you can't bring your soft heart to follow through with."
"There are worse fates than death, Katsuki Bakugo. Would you like me to show you?"
There was too much conviction in her threat for him to deny. He didn't test her. But he didn't relinquish his grip on her wrist, either.
"I admit, I lost control of my emotions when we first fought. I'm irritated at myself for letting someone like you get under my skin, but I was channeling too much of my darkness and pain to make The Last Shinobi believable. That's on me, and it's a mistake I won't make again. You'll never see the Mangekyō Sharingan again."
"Is it because you're looking down on me?"
"Annoying boy," she hissed. "Its power isn't meant for you! Not everything has to do with you and your fragile ego!"
Bakugo squinted at her. "Not meant for me? What the hell does that mean?"
Amari scrunched her nose in annoyance. "The Mangekyō Sharingan is a special evolution with unique powers. It grants great power at a price. If I use it too much, I'll go blind. Permanently. And you're not worth it."
Bakugo snorted. "Sounds like a faulty power, like Spark Plugs."
"Think of it however you want. You'll never see it again, so it doesn't matter."
"Whatever. I still want my rematch, with or without that power."
"And I don't care. There's more practical ways to spend your time and prepare for your finals than becoming my personal punching bag."
"Heh, you're pretty arrogant for a shrimp. Do you really think you could beat me again so easily?"
"Yes. Because I've already won."
Bakugo narrowed his eyes. "What the hell does that mean?"
"Take a look at yourself more closely, Bakugo."
At that moment, the world around Bakugo vibrated and thrummed. The wrist in his grasp became air. He awoke to find himself kneeling on one knee without a single trace of the kunoichi in front of him. But he felt her presence through the cold blade placed against the nape of his neck, and couldn't move a single muscle beneath her paralysis.
He inhaled sharply, eyes wide as he stared at the floor wondering how and when it happened.
Amari's eyes burned into the back of his skull. She found a distinct pleasure in crushing his ego. "In war, no one tells you when the battle begins or ends. You instigated this by attempting to bully me and burning my arm; I've humbled you in return. Let this be the end of it. Focus on your training and your finals. You still have plenty of room to grow before you can become a Pro Hero."
Amari relinquished her Shadow and sheathed her kunai in her tool box. As her dōjutsu faded, Bakugo stood up slowly, fingers opening and closing. He was growling violently.
"I found her, Mirio! Aw, she's even cuter and smaller in person!" a girl's voice called out from somewhere further down the hall behind the kunoichi.
Amari didn't take her eyes of Bakugo.
"Perfect! I was worried I would have to run across the whole campus again to find her," a boy cheered.
"Come on, Tamaki, let's go, let's go, let's go!" the girl with more energy than Lee and Naruto pressed.
"Please don't drag me into this, Nejire. Can't you see she's busy talking to someone? We should wait until they're finished. And besides, it's Mirio who wants to talk to her. I doubt she has much to say to me."
If Bakugo planned to retaliate before, the sudden arrival of newcomers derailed it completely. He stuffed his hands into his pockets.
"We're not finished, small fry," he said as he stomped away.
Amari rolled her eyes but said nothing. I still stand by what I said: You're nothing like All Might.
A stranger's arms wrapped around her small frame, pinning her arms to her sides as the individual lifted her off the floor in one sweeping move. The kunoichi squeaked as the stranger swung her back and forth slightly.
"So small and cute! Hehehe!"
Whoever was hugging her against their chest knew less about personal boundaries than Hatsume, clearly. Amari may have normally been annoyed, her mood souring further after her interaction with Bakugo, but this stranger's presence was so warm, it melted away annoyance for awkward and embarrassed comfort.
Small and cute. Cute was a compliment. Small…she decided to just take as a compliment this time.
"Nejire, you shouldn't just hug people without permission. She doesn't even know us, and we don't know her. What if she doesn't like hugs? She may not even want to acknowledge we're even here now."
"Oh, don't be so pessimistic, Tamaki! Who doesn't like hugs? Look at her!" The girl, Nejire, spun around with Amari still in her arms and nuzzled her cheek against the top of the kunoichi's head. "She's a kitten, just like you! She's eating this up!"
…That's not entirely inaccurate, Amari admitted to herself, blushing lightly.
In front of her stood two different young men. Both were tall, and older than Class 1-A. Upperclassmen, she presumed. At the sudden spin to face them, one of the boys inhaled sharply and averted his tired eyes shyly. He had his hands in his pockets, pointy elf-like ears and messy indigo hair stylized in a similar fashion to Sasuke's. He stood with hunched shoulders and his uniform wasn't prim and proper; his tie was loose, his shirt wasn't completely tucked and his pants were noticeably wrinkled.
By appearance, he was likely Tamaki.
"She looks embarrassed to me," the boy murmured shyly. "Maybe you should put her down."
"Can we keep her and become The Big Four?" Nejire asked, still holding her. Amari couldn't see the girl, but she was fairly certain the girl hadn't stopped smiling for a moment.
"She's not a real kitten, Nejire. Keeping her would be like holding someone hostage."
"Aw," the girl pouted. "But Tamaki!" Amari found herself thrusted towards both young men. Tamaki was almost terrified by the sudden invasion of his personal space, the other boy was grinning widely at the interaction. "Look at her!"
"No."
"Look!"
"No."
"Don't hide from the cuteness! She's a harmless kitten who wants to snuggle with you." Nejire thrusted her closer.
"Snu- snuggle?!" Amari squeaked, red in the face.
Tamaki promptly turned his back on her, refusing to look at her completely.
"Mirio, help me. This is getting awkward and I don't know what to do or how to respond. My mouth is getting dry. It's hard to think. She's…she's too cute. I don't want to hurt her feelings. I just want to go home. Can I please go home?"
Sheesh, he's even shyer than Hinata, the kunoichi thought through her embarrassment. I didn't even think that was possible. This world is full of strangeness.
Directing her efforts to the second boy, Nejire thrusted Amari towards him.
"Mirio, can we keep her? Look at how adorable she is!"
Mirio was another young man, with a far more muscular build than his shyer counterpart. Immediately Amari noticed the light scarring on both his forearms, combat wounds to her discerning eye. His blue eyes, while considerably different in shape and shade, reminded her of All Might and all he stood for. His blond hair was almost all swept back expect for the top portion, stylized in a cowlick.
Undaunted by the forced intrusion to his personal bubble, Mirio lifted his hand up and poked her right on the tip of her nose. "Boop! Hi there!" Amari scrunched her nose. "Hehe, you look like a kitten when you do that."
"Careful. This kitten has dragon claws," she warned.
He poked her nose again, still smiling. "I saw that!"
Clearly, she wasn't very threatening or frightening. Then again, she was currently held hostage by a cuddly stranger. I'm as threatening as a declawed kitten right now. At least no one is here to see this. I'd never live it down.
"Oh! That reminds me!"
The floor was suddenly beneath her feet again. The cuddly stranger grabbed her shoulders and spun Amari around to face her. Not only was Nejire taller than her, as everyone seemed to be in this world with an exception of Mineta, her periwinkle hair was even longer than Amari's wild mane, reaching down to her knees and curving inwards around her legs. Her royal blue eyes gleamed beneath long eyelashes with excitement and curiosity.
Her eyes are really pretty, Amari thought, blushing. Scratch that, this girl is really pretty as a whole.
"How do you transform like that? Is it like The Dragoon Hero: Ryukyu? Oh! When you breathe fire, does it burn your esophagus and lungs or do you have a natural immunity to it? Are you secretly a dragon? And when you multiply yourself, do you ever wonder what your clones are thinking about or if they dream like you do?"
"That's a pretty philosophical question, now that you mention it—"
"Oh!" Nejire tilted her head to the side and bent down to her height, running a gentle finger along the bottom of her scar. "How did you get this? Are your eyes different colors genetically or does it look that way because of some sort of trauma? You're not blind in this eye, are you? Do you wear purple because it's your favorite color, or does it symbolize something? Oh, what does this pendent symbolize? Is this engraved swirly symbol important?"
"Uh, what question do you want me to—"
Nejire hopped around her like a curious bunny. "Where do you store that harness and sword? Is the harness flexible? How do you set your sword on fire? Is their oil on it? Did you have spare clothes or did you wash and resew your clothes back together? Do you do anything to make your hair this wild or is that natural?"
"It's natural, but—"
Nejire gathered together her hair and lifted it off her back. Then she pressed one of her palms against Amari's back, massaging the muscles in her shoulders, upper back and arms. Embarrassingly, it felt really good.
"You're really fit. Is that a personal choice for health or because you're a combat specialist? I love how soft your hair is!" She hopped back in front of the Nara and took her hands into her own to examine them. "Your hands are soft, too. Hey, how did you get these scars by your wrist?"
"Nejire, you're overwhelming her with questions. She doesn't know what to answer or when," Tamaki swept in tiredly to save her, without actually turning around to face them. "Besides, some of those are really personal questions. It might be rude or insensitive to ask. And we haven't even introduced ourselves."
"Oh, right!" Nejire stepped back and placed a hand on her chest. "I'm Nejire Hado! That kitten back there is Tamaki Amajiki. Say hi, Tamaki."
"Hi," he greeted shyly.
The curious girl wrapped an arm around Amari's shoulders and turned her to face the two young men. "And this is Mirio Togata!"
"I'm Amaririsu Yūhi. It's…nice to meet you all." I think, she thought, mildly confused and overwhelmed.
"He has a special question to ask you? Can I tell her, Mirio?" Nejire leaned closer to her without waiting for an answer. "He wants to challenge you to a fight!"
"A fight?" she repeated.
"That's right!" Mirio clutched his hands into fists in excitement. "After watching you battle all of those first years, I can't help but feel totally pumped up! I know this is sort of sudden but I want to test myself against you. What do you say? Will you fight me, Amaririsu Yūhi?"
By physical appearance alone, Amari could tell this young man was on an entirely different level than the whole of Class 1-A. His muscles wielded power she lacked, his scars told stories of real battles he experienced beyond these walls, he was at least four to six years her senior and it showed in his eyes.
Nothing about his demeanor, or that of his friends, would strike any novice as a threat; Amari wasn't a novice or a fool to take their strange personalities at face value.
She looked at Mirio and his everlasting smile. Then flicked her eye to Tamaki and caught him glancing back at her with a serious and nervous expression. She glanced up to Nejire, who beamed with the warmth of the sun and twinkled like a canvas of stars.
Nejire called them The Big Three. The name means nothing to me; I'll have to ask Mr. Aizawa, Miss Nemuri or Mr. All Might when I get the chance. But I can tell these three are Pro level just by being in their presence. It's in Tamaki's eyes, in Mirio's posture, in Nejire's smile. They're not rookies. No. Not even close.
In her time as a shinobi, Amari had learned to see through foolish perverted attitudes and aloof personalities to the warrior beneath. Master Jiraiya was a perfect example of a man no one in their right mind would take seriously if they only witnessed him in the midst of being a pervert. But in reality, Master Jiraiya was an incredibly powerful shinobi—Hokage level without a doubt.
The same applied here. She could sense their wealth of experience, their power. No, she couldn't crush any one of these three in one on one battle or three on one. The only one crushed in three on one combat would be her. Easily.
Still, this was not only a chance for him to test himself against her, but also a chance for Amari to test herself against someone stronger than her with a skill set unique to him and this world. Winning or losing didn't matter so much as experiencing something new.
"Would tomorrow work out for you?" she asked. "I'm pretty worn out after today."
"I was hoping you would agree," Mirio beamed. "I'll be sure to schedule it with Mr. Aizawa. So don't be a straynger."
Amari frowned. "Stray. Kitten. Ha. Funny."
"Oh no!" Mirio slapped his hand to his forehead and recoiled back dramatically, still smiling. "My pun totally failed! You're a tough crowd, Amaririsu. I'd even say you are as tough as—"
"Dragon scales?" she deadpanned.
The young man laughed boisterously while rubbing the back of his head bashfully. "You're quick, too!" He placed his hands on his hips and smiled down at her. The smile was real, but serious. A warrior's smile. "Tomorrow can't come soon enough. I can't wait to feel your strength for myself, Amaririsu. I can tell you'll be a tough nut to crack."
She smiled in return. "Likewise, Mirio Togata."
He smiled and nodded. "Well, I have to go hunt down Eraser Head now. I'll be seeing you tomorrow!"
Mirio turned to leave. Nejire squeezed the life in and out of Amari one last time and nuzzled her cheek against her head. "Me and Tamaki will be there, too! See you tomorrow!"
Skipping after her two friends, the last thing Amari heard was Tamaki's quiet and nervous murmur.
"She reminds me of you, Mirio."
Whether that was a good or bad thing, Amari wasn't sure.
Well, at least I have an excuse to stick around for one more day, she thought. That'll give me time to hang out with 1-A and time to figure out a way to repay everyone for their kindness.
With that thought in mind, the kunoichi strolled through the halls, intent on lying down in the grass to read until after school activities finished.
I have a feeling fighting Mirio is going to be a drag.
Review Response to ChillinInKonoha: Well, Monoma definitely had his chance to shine and nearly doomed his classmates to destruction in the process. We'll have to wait and see what other sort of situations Amari will get into during the remainder of her stay in the My Hero world. I do have some surprises up my sleeve, so I hope you and everyone else enjoyed this latest update and look forward to the upcoming surprises.
Thank you for the review!