OP 1 - Deal With The Devil by TiA
Interlude- Wonderland's Wild Whimsical Wrath
(Saturday, 1st May, 7:25 p.m. - Approximately one week prior to the Uchu Academy Entrance Exam. - Location: Unknown.)
"You know, if you're finally planning on trying to sleep with me, Genshi, I'm hurt that you would think some middle-of-nowhere forest is the place to do it. You try anything, and I promise you-" The airy voice of the tall girl was filled with annoyance and general suspicion as she swatted away mosquitoes lit by the pale moonlight.
However, her annoyance was equally matched by Genshi as he quickly turned around. "If I wanted to fuck an emo Ms. Joke impersonator, I'd find one that didn't dress like they found their clothes in a vintage sports movie." Continuing through the dense foliage, the boy's normally black hair began to cast an ambient sangria light as it began to glow in the darkness. "I wanted to see how good we're set to be doing for Uchu. I'm not going to fall behind everyone else, and I know you won't either, Rasayoro."
"Leave the roasts to me, Genshi, we both know you aren't shit compared to me there." Stopping in her tracks, Rasayoro ran her hands through her midnight hair that blended with the darkness, ruffling it lightly. "So you think we're gonna beat the shit out of each other in the middle of the forest? What, I bash you against a few trees, your pants do what they've been wanting to do for years and split, and we call it a night?"
Genshi let out a chuckle at her sly comment. "At least I can actually dress myself. And for your information, it won't be that simple, Okamora." The tone in his voice was almost menacing as the boy began to glow with a multicoloured glow. Placing his hand to the ground, rapturous tremors began to rumble and echo through the surrounding area as a massive ring of water suddenly replaced the ground around the area.
Following the sudden splashing that could be heard from all directions as the pair now stood in their own inland island, Genshi wretched his hands upwards as he unleashed torrents of white flames upon the surrounding trees, some immediately disintegrating to charcoal as others caught the tongues of the fire, simply setting them ablaze and providing light to the once inescapable darkness.
"As usual, the show-off came to play." Rasayoro rolled her darkened green eyes, clicking her tongue as she looked around. "I can promise you though, you'll be spitting out that crooked smile of yours when I rip your teeth from your mouth."
Letting out an audible groan, Genshi took several paces to distance himself from his childhood friend. "Just because your Quirk revolves around it doesn't mean I want to hear the bullshit you spew." Holding his hands out, he quickly formed a pair of bladed brass knuckles before throwing them across the clearing. "Here! Fair is fair after all!"
Grumbling to herself, Rasayoro harshly put the accessories on. "I'm going to enjoy it if I can at least get a broken nose in on you today." Muttering the words to herself, her eyes suddenly took on a malevolent undertone. Getting into position, light green mist began to wisp from her body like steam as veins began to press against her skin, her muscle definition becoming more prominent by the second. Sharp canines bit at the air as her eyes locked with Genshi's. "Let's do this already."
The wind was still as the clouds in the sky briefly passed overhead, blocking the caress of the lunar light. The crackling fire upon steadily burning treetops lit the clearing like a ceremonious ritual. This would be the stage for the combat of two superpowers.
And finally, as the sky gave way to the mystical moonlight, hearts pounded like thunderous wardrums. Pushing off with her left leg, Rasayoro shot through the air like a rocket, her right arm reared behind her. However, just as she reached his position, Genshi rolled out of the way just in time as the toned girl's strike demolished the tree she made contact with, as well as sending a shockwave forward that tore limbs and branches off.
"Pretty bold of you to call me the show off." Genshi smoothly said as his fingertips touched the ground, suddenly turning the ground to a small pool of lava, tendrils hardening into fluid obsidian, thirsting for the heat of Rasayoro's body as they lurched after her like deadly glass drills.
With the green mist intensifying around her torso, she outright slammed her side into the drills. Between the drills and her empowered figure, the obsidian crumbling and falling away like sand. "How about you shove your toys up your ass where they belong?" With a smirk, Rasayoro vaulted over the bubbling pool of molten earth before planting her fist deep into Genshi's location again, a massive crater forming on impact as the lava began to slowly flow and harden into the space.
Having anticipated the attack though, a product of the two having trained together for years now, Genshi had formed a graphene dome around himself. It may have experienced a severe blow that left it cracked, but it had kept him safe. Absorbing the dome back into himself, he had not, however, anticipated the right hook into his ribcage that sent him flying into the base of a burning tree.
"Block that, you Prince idolizing bitch!" Rasayoro spat as a manic smile split her face in half.
Spitting up a mixture of bile, blood, and saliva, Genshi wiped his face. 'Damn it, she sure loves to hit like a truck.' Hoarsely coughing for a moment, Genshi was spared little time as Rasayoro was immediately on him again, throwing punch after punch, with Genshi barely dodging most of them while anchoring himself for the ones that made a mark. "You know, you shouldn't hate on Prince because you were always too bone headed to understand his music!" Slamming his foot into the ground, a momentary glow flashed before a pillar of dense platinum flung Rasayoro through the air and allowed Genshi a moment to breathe.
Digging his fingernails into the ground, a thick ring of massive jagged spikes of pure platinum erupted, a forest in its own right as they towered far over the two. Holding both hands together before slowly pulling them apart, polychromatic lightning flashed in his hands before he unleashed it to the jungle of metal, creating a constant transference of electricity between the spikes and overall making an additional hazard.
This didn't deter Rasayoro, as she bounced from stake to stake, before shattering one with ease. "Think you can hide away?! Didn't realize my best friend was a coward like that!" Her taunts were obvious, but they were there to spar after all, and hiding away wouldn't accomplish that.
"I just wanted to get you where I could see you get electrocuted, just like you will be when you're washed up and robbing a grocery store by calling the clerk a bitch." Genshi casually spoke despite how sharp the words were. Such was how they always were. The two could say almost anything to each other and it would roll off their shoulders, because they had come to know each other that well.
Slugging her left hand around in a rounding punch, Genshi ducked underneath her arm and slammed her backwards, knocking her against the wall of a neighboring platinum stake, before slamming his elbow into her jaw. His punches weren't nearly as tough as her's, and wouldn't make nearly as much of an impact with her Quirk activated, but it was still something he needed to train.
Slamming his knee into her torso, she crossed her arms over each other in a guard as Genshi took the opportunity to plant several hits into her kidneys. As she prepared to slam him back, the neon-purple haired boy sidestepped as he extended the siding of the stake she was against. As she was shot forward, she caught herself and bounced back towards her opponent, slamming her foot into his face, sending him into the center of the ring of spikes.
Not bothering to bounce between the mountainous metal barbs, she simply shattered and broke through any that got in her way. Placing a hand to the ground with poise and unnatural tranquility, Genshi suddenly transformed the entire area around into saltwater, the spikes falling down and the electrical current between them suddenly turning the ringed lake into a death trap.
He wasn't scared about killing Rasayoro, as harsh as that sounded. The girl was like a cockroach. The only thing that was going to kill her would be herself. Preparing himself, the exposed section of his midriff began to glow in anticipation as he waited for the sight of Rasayoro.
As soon as the partially charred girl rose from the water, her green mist actually accompanied by steam and smoke now, Genshi unleashed a ring of flamboyant flames that pushed the girl away and to the other side of the charged watery grave.
Plunging his hands deep into the earth underneath him, it seemed like the entire forest quaked for miles as it shifted, morphing and convulsing erratically. Finally, massive walls of crystalline glory rose high into the air before completely boxing the two teens into its territory.
But all was not complete.
Without warning, the darkness within the box did little to mask the terror that presented itself as the very composition of the crystalline cage began to shift and shake. Gravity and direction became a very figment of one's imagination as the interior was a world of its own, turning Rasayoro around and causing her to fumble as Genshi anchored himself into the chaotic surface.
Panting heavily with slightly lidded eyes, it was clear that fatigue was beginning to set in for the boy, but the same could be said for the charred girl struggling to gain her composition. "I'm not done yet." Muttering to himself, Genshi laid his palm flat to the shifting surface underneath him, causing the crystal underneath it to suddenly turn to viscous lava that began to take the form of a spiral within the walls, constantly spinning and creating an additional hazard that Rasayoro struggled to avoid.
Finally dropping down as he was held upside down, Genshi narrowly avoided the uppercut that was aimed his way. "Like the new move? I figured if there was anyone who would appreciate it, it'd be you!"
Throwing a right hook, Genshi ducked to avoid the hit but was caught by Rasayoro's knee that knocked him upwards before she twirled around to slam the back of her left fist into his stomach, sending him backwards.
As his nails practically screeched to dig into the wavering crystalline terrain, Genshi caught himself before hopping out of the way of a wide band of lava spiralling on its way towards Rasayoro. "Come on, pretty boy, let me just break a few of your facial bones!" Her tone was spiked with venom as she taunted him to come closer. "We'll get to see a nice money shot of blood on your face."
Picking up speed, Genshi broke into a sprint as he came closer. Taking a sudden sharp turn, he jumped onto a wall and pushed off to slam a kick into Rasayoro's face, but was returned by a harsh fist to the temple followed by the girl slamming her own skull into his.
Dropping low to the ground, Genshi ignored the steady stream of blood that threatened to blind his right eye as he delivered a sweeping kick to his friend's legs. Manuevering herself in the air, Rasayoro grabbed a fistful of Genshi's hair and slammed his temple into the tough ground underneath them by force.
Quicker to her feet, Rasayoro slammed the boy into a wall by planting her foot deep into his jaw, immediately producing a purple bruise. "I don't need any fancy fucking moves to kick your ass, that's where we're a little different!"
Rolling out of the way, Genshi avoided the powerful punch that Rasayoro had launched herself into, hoping to end Genshi off there. "Sheesh, you fell out of it a lot faster than normal." Hoarsely swallowing, Genshi could taste nothing but the thick iron filling his mouth.
"How about you quit talking and actually fight?" Spittle launched from her mouth as Rasayoro's knuckleduster-clad fist slammed into Genshi's temple. Genshi may have had the advantage in most situations, but when it came down to pure physical fights, she had him beat. As he stumbled to regain composure, she began her onslaught.
Delivering a pair of strikes to his kidneys on either side, she gave a harsh, but swift, knee to his groin that the boy had to resist buckling over in pain from. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she forced him down to her waist where she slammed her kneecaps into his nose until she felt the satisfying crack of his nose breaking.
With a smile on her pale face, she took a fistful of his hair and yanked him up as to look him in the eyes. "No more tricks?" His eyes had been almost completely shut by the intense swelling that had turned his olive skin almost completely purple and blue with bruises, along with the thick blood that poured like a stream from several cuts and bashes.
There was no answer.
Clicking her tongue, she swung him upwards by his hair… before slamming him back into the ground, earning a spout of blood erupting from his mouth.
Slamming her foot into the side of his stomach, she proceeded to hold the boy down to the ground by placing her shoe to his throat, slowly pressing it down harder with an almost unhinged glint in her eyes.
With a manic cackle, she slowly bent closer to him. "Go on, Joutai, all you gotta say is that I win and we'll be done."
Blood stained teeth began to shine through thick lips as a smirk appeared on Genshi's face. "In your fucking dreams." The words flew from his mouth like the bloody spittle that landed on Rasayoro's face.
The area underneath his back began to glow as the box around them began to melt into lava and acid, corroding and dissolving everything that came into contact. Taking her foot away from Genshi's throat, Rasayoro narrowly escaped a thick glob of powerful acid that fell on her position.
Escaping the dissolving prison, Rasayoro huffed in air, feeling herself lose steam as her Quirk's energy was being depleted. 'Is he trying to kill both of us?!'
Erupting from the steaming and sizzling heap of destruction, Genshi gave Rasayoro little room to breath as he summoned up every bit of energy he had within him. The two rarely got this heated when sparring, but when they did, they put each other in the hospital.
Obsidian drills tore through the supple soil they had been spawned from, twirling towards the frantic beating of Rasayoro's heart, forcing the girl into a defensive nature. Jumping and twirling out of the way, none of the tendrils made their exact mark, but several ripped through her arms and the tough muscles on her legs, breaking off pieces of volcanic glass into her body.
Suddenly, the remainder of the drills changed, falling flat on the ground as they became snaking mounds of deep grey powder. "I always like to go out with a boom, Rasa-chan!" Sending out a small burst of flames to the mounds, massive explosions immediately rocked the area, sending stone and trees flying, debris filling the air as smoke was the only thing one could see.
But as it finally settled, the damage that had been done to Rasayoro was easily visible. While Genshi had quickly shielded himself in his signature black crystalline graphene dome, the unfortunate girl had taken the harshness of the blast. Her skin was blistered and smeared in blood as the gaping holes on her limbs continued to gush crimson ichor. The green mist that had been emanating from her entire body now only drifting like thin lines from select portions of her skin.
Her entire body heaved with every breath as if they were her last. The blast continued to echo in her mind as ringing occupied every inch of her consciousness. Blood dripped down her earlobes, and she let loose dry coughs to rid the smoke from her lungs.
Across the clearing, Genshi stumbled from his dome where he barely made enough of a hole as to exit from. His swollen, bleeding eyes threatened to close every second as the after-effect of his Quirk began to affect him more by the minute. He could barely see, but he could make out Rasayoro's figure, and her battered form.
Turning his head to the side, he spit out a thick stream of blood onto the bare ground, the grass having been stripped by the explosion. "Alright then, Rasayoro, let's finish this up. No Quirks, no bullshit."
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Blood leaked from her gums, leaving scarlet streaks down her teeth as her lips grew darker from the ichor staining them. Breaking into a sprint, she slammed the inside of her elbow into Genshi's throat, dragging him with her and knocking the wind from his throat, but received a number of guttural punches from the battered boy.
Without her quirk active, she winced greatly at the pain that coursed through her, but especially at the force of his punches. As she attempted to shove him off by slugging her elbow forward, he snaked his hands around her bicep and sank his teeth into her forearms, causing her to gasp in pain. It was amazing how different biting could be, ranging from easy nibbles to feral mauling, and what Genshi did could easily be described as the latter.
Like a starved vampire getting their first meal in years, his teeth began to sink past her skin and fill his mouth with blood as she clawed at his face, attempting to pry him off. But it didn't work, only leaving thin bleeding scratches and cuts on his face. As he released though, he quickly aimed at the horrified girl and spat the contents of his mouth into her face, soaking her face in her own blood.
Taking advantage of the initial shock, Genshi slammed his elbow into her face, effectively making her match his own broken nose and causing her to stumble back.
Cradling her tear and blood soaked face, Rasayoro gritted her teeth until it felt like they would break. Snapping her head back up, she tackled him with all of her force, and what had previously been a gruesome battle began to steadily dissolve into a schoolyard tussle.
They slammed their fists into each other's sides, and pulled hair with no care in the world, ripping handfuls out and leaving bloody patches on their scalps. Rolling around on the ground, it became evident that, at their core, these two were still friends, even if it had seemed as though they were trying to kill each other a few moments ago.
Pinning Genshi to the ground by his arms, Rasayoro sat on top of him. "I'll pay you back for spitting my own blood in my face!" Gargling something in her throat for a moment, she began to slowly spit a loogie down, causing Genshi to thrash about, wildly tossing his head to either side trying to avoid his inevitable fate.
"That's disgusting, stop it!" Laughter began to erupt from the boy as he continued trying to avoid the mixture of phlegm and spit. "This doesn't mean you win! I'm not saying it!" As the terrible threat slowly lurched closer to his face, he performed a last minute maneuver and spat a loogie of his own into Rasayoro's left eye. However, as the girl recoiled in despair, her spit finally landed on Genshi's cheek.
The two were quick to throw themselves away from each other, Rasayoro frantically rubbed at her face with her shirt, trying to rid her eye of any trace of mucus, while Genshi created a small puddle of freshwater that he splashed his face with before being roughly shoved away by his friend who did the same thing.
"Sooooo...I think we can agree that I won." Genshi slowly, but smugly, stated.
Turning around in shock, Rasayoro splashed him with water. "In your dreams, I had you pinned down first!"
"I spit on you first though!"
"Oh, you know it is a god damn pleasure to be spit on by me!"
The two stood in silence for a moment, before erupting into bouts of laughter, followed by clutching their sides in pain. Sitting down beside Rasayoro, Genshi made the two comfortable cushions to rest their backs on. He slowly set his head on her shoulder, and was asleep within seconds.
Such was the way the two friends worked. They beat each other into the ground until they were in unimaginable pain during sparring matches, insulted each other with little fear of actually hurting the other's feelings, but at the end of the day, the two were best friends, and always would be.
Resting her own head against Genshi's, Rasayoro sighed to herself.
"I suppose this is the closest you'll get to sleeping with me, you sparkly bastard."
Name: Joutai Genshi
Quirk: Atomic-
Atomic allows Genshi to manipulate the atomic structure of existing things as well as being able to create almost anything by absorbing atoms and rearranging their electrons, neutrons, and protons.
However: Due to the off-set of energy from atomic separation that takes place within his body, his Quirk currently causes him to grow fatigued much faster with larger uses of it.
(Monday, 3rd May, 10:04 a.m.- Five days before the Uchu Entrance Academy Exam- Location: Tokyo, Japan)
Despite never having been on one, Bokujou couldn't help but feel bad for those in planes who were unable to see the absolute glory that he got to see every time he and Taihyou made their way over Japan. Wind battered his face, causing him to shield himself behind the feathered serpent's massive head as he pulled out the crumpled paper in his hand. It was a flyer for the International Hero School Convention, where the top Hero Institutes of the world would meet to simply boast their newly accepted students, or to establish new connections and grounds with each other. It was held annually, but this year, it was held in Japan.
It was a convention for the entirety of the aspiring Hero world, but surprisingly, not many went if they were not in a Hero school already. They often felt out of place, and it wasn't uncommon for them to be poked at and picked on by some of the students from the two harsher institutions of the five leading schools. Just as the leaders of the Hero schools were boasting their newly accepted students to each other, the students were doing the same, giving small displays of power and attempting to psyche the others out.
But Bokujou wouldn't have any of it. He was going to attend the convention, and he would learn even more about what it took to be in some of the top schools for heroes in the world.
An oddity to him, however, was the fact that the school he wished to attend, Uchu Academy, wasn't on the list. Not only had it been deemed the 'Most Beautiful School in Japan' for ten years in a row from what he had looked into, but it was acclaimed as one of the greatest Hero schools in the world.
"Taihyou, you don't think they would exclude Uchu just because they make heroes that kill?" Bokujou tilted his head back, his thick mane of hair providing a soft cushion for him.
She didn't reply for a moment, but then a resonating 'hmm' sounded, vibrating Bokujou. "I don't think it is entirely out of question. You've seen it yourself, the media seems to talk ill of the school for what they do, it's not impossible that the other academies wouldn't want to be associated with those kinds of heroes."
Grumbling to himself, Bokujou's face scrunched up in disgust. "Well, that's just rude. Uchu is probably a better school than any of them!"
"Let's remember, we aren't here for a fight or to pick at their wrongdoings. You're going to just learn more about what it takes to be a hero. You have five days before the entrance exam, you still have time to opt out if you want." Taihyou chimed, causing Bokujou to groan.
"I've wanted to do this for three years now, I would have stopped by now if I didn't want to. Besides…" Bokujou's amber eye suddenly grew nostalgic. "I have to do this for him."
Taihyou grew silent. What a wonder Haishisareta Bokujou was. He and his family, creators of life that had been long extinct and life that had never existed. He had every reason to see himself superior to the organisms he created such as herself, but instead, he preached family to them. He may have been their creator, but they were all equal with each other and with him.
And then, the incident last year occurred...and for a while, it seemed like the original Bokujou would have never come back. But one day, there he was again. He was damaged, and broken, but that meant one thing. It was their place as a family to help and care for him just as they had done for him.
And when the time came? All of his children pledged their hearts to him, making it clear that they would die for him. She had to wonder...how badly things would go if that ever truly happened…
"Hey, Taihyou, does anyone else ever smack talk me when I'm not around?" Bokujou broke her from her thoughts. "I don't think you all would do that to me, but I remember the teenage phases for some of you."
As the boy turned himself over and laid on his stomach atop of her head, a smile stretched from her scaly mouth, revealing several gargantuan teeth. "No, you still have glowing reviews across the board from everybody." She paused for a moment, before continuing. "Although, Kinu and Ginjou say that they should be getting more food if they are providing you with materials for your costume."
Pushing himself upwards, Bokujou gasped loudly. "I didn't know! I'm so sorry, you two, I promise you that I'll give you an extra heavy meal tonight!" He quickly made a mental note before settling back down. As he looked down, he was immediately in awe at the sight of Tokyo.
For twelve years he had never seen what actual modern cities looked like, only knowing the subterranean labs on the reserve and the unkempt nature of the islands. So when he finally began going to public school with other people, he was amazed by everything. To the surprise of many, he was still finding himself excited by even the smallest things of the modern world.
The bustling nature of Tokyo underneath him, the massive buildings, the cars filling the streets, and the people lining the sidewalks. It was amazing, and captured every ounce of his attention.
"Bokujou, where do you want to go down at? You're going to have to walk there considering-"
"I don't actually know where it's at, I know, I should've thought that through a little more." Bokujou sighed. "I say just go for the little park there! It looks pretty calm!"
Taihyou hesitated for a moment. "That's a dog park, are you sure?"
"Of course! Dogs love me!"
"That's not- Okay, we'll see how this goes." Taihyou gave a slight sigh as she slowly descended. Sure enough, the chorus of barks and howls, whimpers and growls erupted below them as Taihyou coiled up as to allow Bokujou an easy way to step off, and gave him a loving glance as he patted his pants down. "Remember, you're just there to ask some questions, and to learn some new things about being a hero."
Bokujou nodded, giving a slight roll of his eyes. "I've got it, don't worry, there won't be any trouble on my part." Opening the portal, Taihyou was gone from the small park, and Bokujou was greeted with dogs of all breeds and sizes.
"Oh my god, dogs! Look at you all, you're so tiny!" After years of only having interactions with dire wolves, dogs like these were adorable. Dropping to his knees, he ignored the bewildered stares and questions that came from onlookers as he was swallowed in the mass of dogs, giggling like a mad man as they nipped and licked at him.
But eventually, with the crumbled convention flyer in his hand, he removed himself from the swarm of canines, and began walking down the street. However, it wasn't long before he encountered another distraction.
"Come on, Neko-san! Don't run away! I just wanted to pet you!" A soft, yet husky voice called for a munchkin cat that ran directly to the tall boy, hiding behind his legs. "Neko-san, where did y-S-SORRY, IS THAT YOUR CAT?!" Coming into view, a chocolate haired girl was suddenly red in the face as she avoided meeting eyes with Bokujou.
As Bokujou looked her over, he was actually...really intrigued. It was normal to see people with oddities for traits, always being something out there and unique, but with her, on the surface...it didn't seem that way. Her chocolate brown hair and hazel eyes may have been overlooked by most others, but to him, it was just as he felt when he had seen the modern world for the first time.
Kneeling down, Bokujou easily picked up the cat and began to scratch behind its ears. "No, but they seem very nice." The cat purred in response, clearly happy to be in his presence. As the fair skinned girl grew even redder. "Is something wrong? Are you running a fever?"
"N-no! It's just…" She shielded her eyes. "Why are you not wearing a shirt?"
For a moment, Bokujou deadpanned. "Oh, that."
"Does this come up often for you?!" The girl was shocked as she stared him dead in the eye.
"Yeah, actually. I just don't like wearing shirts. My dad never really wore them, and I never felt a need for them. It makes me feel a lot more free without one." Bokujou shrugged as he continued petting the cat as it practically vibrated in his arms. "It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Haishisareta Bokujou!" He held out a hand enthusiastically, met by a much smaller hand.
"Fuugawarina Heiya, it's nice to meet you too." Perhaps even more interesting than her appearance to Bokujou were her clothes. A loose earthy red dress that flowed to her shins was accompanied by a more form fitting olive green coat. A large, golden lined sunhat was held in her hands, and a faded purple scarf coiled around her neck elegantly. Everything about her seemed to cause Bokujou to stare. "Is something wrong, Haishisareta-san?"
Bokujou frantically shook his head. "Would you like to pet him, he probably just got a little spooked by you!" As Heiya looked over the scarred boy with half of his face covered, she couldn't help but doubt what he said.
"I can give it a try.." Slowly placing her hand out, the cat immediately hissed and attempted to scratch her. "Neko-chan! That's mean!"
Clicking his tongue, Bokujou shook his head. "You're not going about it right, this boy needs you to be confident." Instead of slowly placing his hand towards the cat, he quickly began to scratch behind his ears before moving to scratch his chin. "See! Just be confident in yourself!"
Gulping, Heiya did just as he did, and this time...the cat let her pet him! "Wow, you seem to have a way with animals." She pouted for a second. "If only you were around to tell me what every cat liked…" Pulling out her pocketwatch, she gasped. "Oh my god, Yura is gonna fudging kill me for being late!"
Bokujou's ears perked up. "If you don't mind me asking, are you going to the International Hero School Convention too?"
"Yes, but I'm going to be late again and Yura is going to chew my head off for it!" Heiya said as she shoved her sunhat on her head and began jogging.
Running beside her, Bokujou's face held a huge smile. "Do you mind if I follow you, I have no clue where it is!" Without saying a word, Bokujou could only assume that she was nodding as she ran.
The center for the convention wasn't far, admittedly, but Heiya quickly began to fall behind Bokujou. As he reached the doors, he waited for Heiya to catch up.
When she finally did though, it took her a few minutes to catch her breath, buckled over as she gasped for air.
"Hey, Fuugawarina-chan, are you from UA?" Bokujou asked, completely oblivious to the overly friendly honorific he was already using. After all, he considered most people he met to be a friend to him.
Surprised by the question, and the fact that the boy had actually waited for and continued talking to her, Heiya placed her finger to her lip. "Oh, no. You see, I actually-"
"Heiya, there you are, you were almost late!" A loud voice broke over the crowd of students incoming, causing the pair to look in the direction of it. Jumping into the air, a very athletically dressed girl seemed to walk through the air with the grace of a trained ballerina, stepping back down right in front of the two. "Who's this?" She looked over Bokujou, slightly glaring. "You trying to hit on her because you think she's some little shy girl who will fall to her knees and su-"
Bokujou immediately shot his hands up, cheeks matching the crimson covering on the left side of his face. "No nonononono! You see, I was trying to find where the convention was, and then she chased a cat away from her until it ran into me," Getting the sense that the girl, who he could presume was Yura, was getting tired of the long winded explanation, he immediately sped it up.
"SothenIshowedherhowtoactuallypetthecatbutthensherealizedhowlateitwasandwehadtoruntogethereandIfollowedherbecauseIdidn'tknowwhereitwas!"
"I only understood half of that." Yura said in a deadpan voice before turning to Heiya. "Come on, I want you right up there at the front with me to see everything the headmasters do!"
Without a moment to say goodbye, Heiya and Yura were off in a pair, leaving Bokujou alone. Sighing to himself, he plunged his hands into his mane of hair before nonchalantly walking into the building. Unsurprisingly, there were far less stares in the convention considering a shirtless boy was far less eye-catching when there were people with the bodies of wolves and heads of birds.
As he looked around though, his amber eye scanned every person he came across like a child trying to pick their favorite piece of candy from the store. The loose fitting white and gold lined uniforms of the Institute of Amun-Ra immediately stood out to him.
Ah, the Institute of Amun-Ra. The center of knowledge and history of the modern world, with what some called as the 'Resurgence of the Library of Alexandria.' It was one of the first Hero schools to ever emerge, being around since the era of vigilantes, and still standing as one of the greatest Hero schools in the world. Aside from their historical and intellectual expertise and superiority, the only thing that was more recognizable…
"Hello, it is so nice to see the faces of new heroes, may I ask you what school you are attending?" A deep, yet tranquil voice sounded from above him. Standing near the entrance, and personally greeting every student that would let him, was the current headmaster of Egypt's top Hero school. Ramesses Hasan. The man truly was a giant. He easily stood at a height of twelve feet, but everything about him made him seem like a gentle, approachable giant…
Except for the massive golden sarcophagus that was currently strapped to his back by ornate golden chains.
Feeling the breath hitch in his throats, Bokujou grew rigid as he slowly, and shakily, took Ramesses' hand and shook it. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hasan, my name is Haishisareta Bokujou. I mean, really, when I was looking at the top Hero academies in the world, and I saw everything about you, I almost considered asking my family to move to Egypt." Clearing his throat, he regained his composure. "I am not a student yet, but I am confident that I will be accepted into Uchu Academy."
There was a tense silence as neither of the two said anything. Finally, though, a smile split Ramesses' face. "That's amazing to hear, Uchu's headmaster is an extremely close friend of mine. If it comes down to it, I can't wait to see what you're capable of." Giving his hand one final shake, the towering man turned to greet more incoming students.
As Bokujou continued to look through, the harsh militaristic uniforms of Strakh University, Russia's top Hero school, began to fill his vision. They seemed to move with purpose, living their lives as if they were on a mission. And their headmaster on the stage, Anja Yahontov, seemed to share that same feeling to her as she continued signing paperwork and decisively stamping pages, paying little attention to the steadily filling convention center.
The Primordial Conservatoire was nowhere to be seen, but perhaps the Australian school had simply been a little busy with admission processes. Considering that the Hero school was the center of animal heroes in the world, it made sense that their admissions would take longer.
UA's students practically blended into the crowds due to Bokujou being so used to hearing and seeing things about them, but the one that truly stood out were the students at the Hero school from the United States, the School of Destiny. Differing from everyone else, they possessed no uniform. Some were dressed exceedingly casual, while others were as formal as possible. But their headmaster...was strangely absent.
As everyone quickly began to congregate around the stage, Bokujou quickly became sandwiched between several other students, and was shoved and pushed in different directions.
The headmasters began to talk, but Bokujou's mind was getting drowned out by the noise to his right side. He wanted to tell people to shut up, but instead, just settled for straining himself to hear.
Then the tapping on his shoulder began. He figured it was just someone being obnoxious, so he chose not to respond. But then came the whispering. "Hey, shirtless, I'm trying to talk to you." Slowly turning, he was greeted by a pasty blond boy. "I was going to ask you to move so I can get beside her-" He gestured to the sunkissed student from the Institute of Amun-Ra beside him. "She's a friend of mine." Given his baggy, distressed outfit, he was clearly American.
Bokujou said nothing to the boy, turning to the girl. "Hey, that guy back there says he knows you, is that true?" She turned to look back before shaking her head. "Yeah, that's what I thought."
Turning around, he shook his head. "No, don't try lying to me again."
"Come on, man, I'm not here trying to find something serious or anything, I just want to get a little taste of something exotic! So just fucking move!" The boy strained his voice to stop himself from yelling.
Bokujou's eyes narrowed. "What did you just say?"
"I told you to move!" The boy finally lost his cool, unfamiliar with not getting his way. But, this clearly got the attention of everyone, including the headmasters.
On the stage, Ramesses currently held the microphone. "I'm sorry, gentlemen, is there something wrong?"
Scoffing, the boy attempted to lie. "Yes, sir! This weird shirtless guy came in here and started threatening to fight me for no reason, and I was just trying to get to my friends!"
Ramesses sucked air through his teeth, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You're the Haishisareta boy, correct? The one who will be attempting for Uchu?" He gestured to Bokujou, who sheepishly nodded as everyone's attention was focused on him. "Is that true?"
Before Bokujou could answer, a dishevelled man that looked as though he had emerged from a dumpster staggered on stage, a bottle of tequila in one hand. Immediately, the headmasters began muttering and barking under their breaths for him to get back, but he didn't listen. Bokujou recognized who he was immediately though. Laurence Inporo, the headmaster of the School of Destiny. Stumbling up to Ramesses, the clearly inebriated man wrestled the mic away from the taller man.
"Whether it's true or not, I want something exciting to happen, don't you all?" There were a number of hesitant agreements. Laurence squinted his eyes to look at Bokujou and the boy before nodding. "You-uh...You're that Flynn Finnigan kid, right? Newly accepted first year?"
Flynn stood proud and nodded. "Yes, I am sir, my fam-"
"I didn't ask for any fucking stories, kid, just your name." The harshness in his tone made everyone recoil. Motioning to Bokujou, his finger took a moment before it actually pointed to his position. "Uchu Academy, now that's a place right there. I bet most of you little bitches wouldn't last a month in there." Waving his arms out wide to address the entire convention, a splash of tequila spilled out of the glass bottle. "So, let's have us a nice fucking show!"
The other headmasters groaned, but considering the general excitement that was now filling the center as Laurence almost fell down the stairs as he was leaving into the backroom, it would be hard to deny them. Ramesses, however, would try his best to regain control. "Everyone, please, settle down." No help, chattering was still erupting in bouts. Sighing, the man slowly undid the chains to the sarcophagus before slamming it down, causing everyone to quickly grow silent as splinters of wood flew from the point of impact.
"Now, I see no reason in there being any fighting today, even if it is just for the sake of entertainment." Ramesses said, but the dull voice of Anja piped up from behind him.
"I beg to differ, I believe that kids would benefit from it." She never looked up from her paperwork, but she still continued. "It gets out tension, and will make them more likely to communicate."
Nezu was...shockingly silent during the matter, mainly sticking to sipping on his tea and waiting for the decision to come about.
Letting out a loud groan, Ramesses looked at Flynn and Bokujou. "Do both of you want to do that?"
Flynn held up his hands innocently. "He was the one who wanted to fight in the first pla-"
"We didn't ask that, Flynn." Ramesses shut him down just as Laurence had done. Slowly, the pale boy nodded. "And you, Haishisareta-san?"
Bokujou nodded. "It would be my pleasure to provide entertainment and help to you all!" Turning to the greasy-haired boy who stood a few heads shorter than him, he lightly raised his eyebrows. "Lying is something that gets one in trouble eventually. So, prepare to run away with your tail tucked between your legs."
He wasn't normally one for unnecessary fights like this. At his school, he had often seen fights break out between people who had little else to do with their time and little provocation, and he never quite understood it. With all of the time in the world, he sometimes wondered if he would ever understand humans like he understood creatures.
But there was one important thing that he knew, and it was preached to him by his mother daily. Haishisareta Sasakusei, a woman who had once been sexualized and unfairly treated within her field for her appearance, was now the leading mind of biology within the world. So from birth she taught Bokujou the importance of fighting for equality and never being a bystander to adversity, and he had kept it close to his heart. Seeing this boy think he could get a girl obsessing for him with no problem, trying to hook up, as some of the kids in his homeroom called it, it struck something in him.
So, it was easy to decide that he would make a fool of Flynn with ease.
"Very well...It looks as though you will all be getting a nice sparring match to watch. Let me encourage socialization during this time. Building potential partnerships and connections is one of the greatest things a hero can do, especially considering you never know when you'll be in another area outside of your typical operations." Ramesses explained before setting the microphone back into its stand, descending from the stage to lead the aspiring Heroes to the stadium-like section of the convention center.
Sunlight poured from the open roof, illuminating the multi-terrain possessing pitch and clearly showing where the two would be fighting. Everyone who wouldn't be fighting, however, eagerly took their seats at the very front rows. Third years mostly fell to the further rows, having seen enough fighting to be generally unenthused by it at this point, but the new first years bounced with energy as some hung on the railing to get a closer look.
"Heiya, come on, I won't let you fall!" Standing perfectly on the railing, she slowly held the uniquely dressed girl close by her waist, Yura's own balance allowing her to hold Heiya with ease. "I really want to see what that guy you were talking to can do! He'll be going to Uchu just like you, so it's good to see your potential classmates in action."
Heiya watched as the two boys separated themselves from each other, Bokujou in the dense jungle-like terrain while Flynn stood in the harsh stone section. She didn't see the wild-haired boy as being the type to simply waltz into a place and start threatening people, especially considering just how gentle he had seemed to be with the cat she had ran into him.
The boy with crooked teeth, though, he seemed the type on pure looks. Rat-like was the best way to describe him. As the gigantic Egyptian headmaster walked past the two girls, Heiya almost lost her footing, causing Yura to hold on to her tighter. She had to admit, she had never thought a person could become so...massive without a quirk. But the sarcophagus-toting man was clearly a testament against that, being a miracle of human biology.
Clearing his throat, Ramesses stood at the speakers for the stadium. "Alright, Finnigan, Haishisareta-san, if I see anything going beyond what would normally be allowed within my own Institute, I will intervene and stop the match. There are no rewards," Pausing for a moment, he gave a slight shrug. "Other than pride, that is. With that, I allow this match…"
"To begin."
Rushing forward, a thick coating of shimmering oil shot from Flynn's hands, allowing him to slide on the oil-slide he was currently making. Momentum quickly began to pick up as his hair clumped and whipped behind his hair.
Bokujou, however, watched the boy as he began to open two portals. The first opened in a matter of seconds, revealing what appeared to be nothing more than a standard orchid mantis. "Chisai, you'll finally get that fight you've been wanting for so long!" Holding his hand out, the pink and white mantis flew from his palm and immediately moved to attack Flynn.
"Did you just try and fight me with a stupid praying mantis?" Flynn scoffed, picking up his worn military boots to step on the bug.
As his foot intercepted, though, he suddenly found the entirety of his boot, as well as his left pant leg, sliced to shreds as blood began to leak in thick lines down his leg.
Looking to his shoulder, he reacted in terror at the menacing mantis perched on him. Throwing a glob of oil on the bug, she was successfully removed from his shoulder, causing him to smile. "That was a neat little trick, but a little bug ain't gonna do shit."
"Hey, Finnigan-san, I realized something earlier." Bokujou deadpanned said as the American approached faster. When no response came, he gave a shrug. "You seem like the kind of guy who is scared of women that are smarter than you."
Without warning, a massive avian emerged from beside Bokujou, their body coated in chromatic flames that shifted along the colour gradient. "Allow me to introduce you to Saisei! She's really sweet~" The phoenix gave a cry in response before delivering a series of searing slashes to the arms of the boy, whose oil only served as fuel for the flames.
Sitting down, Bokujou crossed his legs as he watched his children delight themselves and release their pent up energy. When Chisai cut off majority of the boy's hair, he erupted into laughter.
"That's it! I'm not fighting you! This was some kind of trick or something, wasn't it?!" Flynn snapped, jumping back as Bokujou called for Chisai and Saisei to come back to him. "It's not fair that you just come in here and pull some shit like that!"
Bokujou chuckled, taking several steps forward, but stopping short of being within the (now) short-haired boy. "As a word of advice, just because you got into some fancy school doesn't mean a thing. If you're shit to begin with, you'll continue on that path unless you actually work for something in your life."
The boy's face contorted in disgust as he left the stadium, and presumably, the convention as a whole.
"As expected of someone aiming to be in Uchu." Anja said, albeit the disappointment at the short nature of the match was evident in her voice.
Ramesses nodded, standing from his seat and moving to the speakers. "Well, Haishisareta-san definitely made quick work of his opponent, so give it up for your winner! Haishisareta Bokujou!"
From the center of the stadium, Bokujou pumped his fist into the air as Chisai crawled to the top of his arm and Saisei cried a song of victory as she elegantly twirled within the air.
And from the railing, Heiya felt a smile tug at her lips as she looked at her potential classmate, a fire burning within both of them.
"I'm going to do this for you…
...Zannin."
...Nazuna."
"Eternal and Ripple sitting in a tree~ K-I-S-S-I-N-G~" Despite the deep voice, the sing-song tune seemed to make it endearing. Dressed in a loose cloak that seemed to cover their entire body, the only thing that could be distinguished was the light embers that seemed to spit from their mouth as they spoke.
One of the people they spoke of, a raven haired woman, slowly stood from her lounging position. Her black leather pants gleamed against the ambient red light of the room as she pulled her reaper-esque scythe from its resting position before angling behind the mysterious figure, the blade pressed close to their throat as she whispered into their ear. "Imbue's body dangling from a tree~ Head cut from his shoulders all by me~"
The immediate gulp from the man was more than enough to signal his willingness to shut up. Emerging from her position rummaging in the liquor cabinets, a snake-haired woman rolled her eyes. "Really, Eternal, must you terrify him so much?"
"Speak for yourself, I find it really funny." The trench-coat clad man, presumably Ripple, spoke from the coach Eternal had gotten up from. "Don't worry though, we're never actually going to hurt you. Well, that's a lie." He clicked his tongue for a moment. "But we're going to hope it doesn't come to that."
Lightly humming to herself, Eternal set her scythe against the counter in the room, hopping up to sit directly in front of the snake haired woman. "Say, Medusa, how about you pour every drink we have into my mouth and see what it does to me?~"
Looking at the total of seven bottles haphazardly in her grip, Medusa genuinely considered it for a moment. "I was thinking more along the lines of shots while we wait for the boss to get out of her meeting."
And as the small glasses quickly lined the counter, drawing in Ripple and Imbue as the serpentine woman poured the drinks with expertise, more important matters were being discussed behind closed doors.
"Tiaoju-san, thank you for meeting with me." Thin streams of smoke wafted upwards from a cigarette that was quickly snuffed out. "Apologies, quitting has been...harder than I expected."
A kind smile on olive skin screamed understanding to the smoking man. "You may call me Tasufuku, if it is more comfortable for you."
"Yes, well, Tasufuku, I must say that I admire what you and your organization are doing." The man said, lacing his fingers together as he leaned forward on his knees. "However, there is something that I believe you can help me with thanks to your unique past experience."
Tasufuku's eyebrows furrowed as she grew suspicious. "What exactly do you mean, Senku-san?"
"Decay, Rewind, Overhaul, and the infamous All For One. Can you tell me what they have in common?" When no response came, Senku continued. "They were random mutations in their user's genetic codes, and granted unrivalled power in the form of Quirks. However, I have come to understand…
...that they were the glimpse to the second age of Quirks."
ED 1- Shiawase no Shanana by BRADIO
Hello everyone~ I would like to present to you the interlude chapter of Spirit Assembly, to keep y'all satisfied and free of hunger for the remaining fourteen/fifteen days of the deadline. Three things! One, if you need an extension, don't be afraid to ask! I am willing to give an extension if you give me a bit of information on the character to see if it works in the first place!
Second, just because this is an interlude chapter, don't discount it! There are several extremely important points within this chapter that are invaluable!
And finally, give it up for Okamora Rasayoro, the sadistic roaster from the original cast sent in by a close friend of mine, The Bear That Never Roared! As well as the endearing, adorable Fuugawarina Heiya, sent in by another close friend, KawaiiPinky! Look forward to seeing plenty more of these two in the story as they are of course characters in the cast!
With that said, I believe that is all! I hope you all have a wonderful day/night wherever you are, and good luck to those finishing or just starting school!
Ciao~
Lu~
