02.10.2023
It is I, the Absolute Madman and with no comments to answer we can dive straight into your weekly dose of Evil Within!
Enjoy!:
Izuku was unsure as to how it actually happened, but he might've accidentally created an inkling of a bridge between the two classes. He was kind of curious as to why their homeroom teachers weren't interested in at least introducing the two classes since they'd inevitably end up working together in the future, but they probably had their reasons. The complete freedom that the teachers were given in regards to their teaching methods were quite innovative and obviously working quite well, but a major pain to wrap your head around.
Still, Izuku may have done their homeroom teacher's job for them. What started as a random meeting in the cafeteria was quickly turned into a custom of sorts, where Izuku would snag a large table in one of the more secluded parts of the cafeteria and then proceed to be swarmed by a whole slew of people.
He was already used to Ashido and Kirishima shadowing him during every lunch break. It was mostly because they were nigh inseparable and Kirishima thought that Izuku was really manly so he wanted to hang out with him constantly. Shiozaki was a very welcome, albeit an episodic, addition as she had her entire class to spend lunch with. Still, as time went on Izuku noticed her opt to join them for lunch rather than seeking out her classmates. Warmed his heart it did, mostly because school was slowly but steadily ramping up as of late and they got less and less time to hang out after classes.
Now, that trio was the basic lineup that Izuku thought to be in its final form already. It wasn't.
Along with Shiozaki came Kendo, who liked to swing by and mention a thing or two about their planned study sessions before engaging in some small talk over a meal. She wasn't always alone however. That's how Izuku got to meet two more people from Shiozaki's class - a really energetic guy called Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu and a carefree girl named Setsuna Tokage.
Miraculously enough, Kirishima and Ashido befriended Tetsutetsu and Tokage almost on the spot, the boys quickly bonding over their shared passion for working out and eerily similar powers while the girls immediately recognized their matching personalities.
"God damn it, now there are two of them…" Izuku heard Kendo whisper, but he wasn't sure which pair she had in mind at the moment.
Asking about it could be seen as rude and so Izuku contained his curiosity for now.
Izuku also got to 'meet' a couple of people due to Kendo, Tokage and Tetsutetsu mentioning some names every now and again. One of the more prominent names that Izuku caught time and time again was Monoma. Apparently he was kind of like their Bakugo, only with more bark and less of a bite. He also had something called a 'murder boner' as Tetsutetsu brilliantly put it - earning himself one hell of a vine-smack from Shiozaki and a really disappointed look from Kendo - for class A as a whole, hyping up the class on class rivalry way too much and constantly blabbering about how their class was better in every way.
Thankfully he was mostly an outlier and his sermons never really got traction with the majority of their class. They were all about sportsmanship, rivalry and pushing past their limits, but they weren't at all interested in verbal abuse and dick measuring contests. They'd eventually become professional heroes and protect the little guys, so they might as well get along with each other, right?
Izuku was very happy to hear a stance similar to his own voiced with such belief and it only assured him that helping Kendo's classmates during their study sessions was the correct choice. He couldn't wait to meet all the people that he'd heard about already. Fortunately Monoma withdrew the moment he heard that some '1-A losers' would be joining them, so Izuku didn't have to worry about the blonde disrupting their gathering.
With everything going exactly like how Izuku would have wanted it to, there was nothing left to do but wait for a message from Shiozaki.
Izuku was waiting for the message, although it was quite clear that it was unnecessary at this point since Kendo joined them every day for lunch and they could just talk about things face to face. Once the weekend ended and Monday rolled around, Kendo was ready to set up a trial session.
As was already stated before, they wouldn't have their entire class for this one since most of them could actually hold their own quite well in terms of academics and were merely looking for a chance to go over the material right before the exams. Smaller group, chance to build interclass relations and create cohesive methods that would allow them to coordinate once the group grew in size.
Wednesday was chosen as the day of their first study session, since only two people needed to adjust their schedules to attend and they had mostly physical-oriented classes that day, so their brains wouldn't be overloaded in the afternoon. Once everything was set, small-talk ensued, though most people were still thinking about the study session to come.
The two days flew by like it was nothing - 'cause in the grand scheme of things it really was nothing - and Izuku and his clique were already walking back to their dorms.
"I'm so glad Ectoplasm-sensei decided to spare us today!" Ashido cheered as she stretched, banishing all the stress from her body with a deep exhale.
"Me too!" Kirishima seconded her opinion. "I was scared that I might be too exhausted for more studying, but I'm pumped and ready to give it everything I have!" He exclaimed, crashing his hardened fists together to express his excitement.
"You will be exhausted if you continue using your quirk like that." Izuku, ever the sage, pointed out with a smile, amused by his friends' antics. "I know that we've improved our stamina a lot today, but you shouldn't tip-toe the line of collapse. Knowing your limits is crucial in our line of work." He added, a stray ray of sun bursting through the clouds and illuminating his form.
"That was so manly!" Kirishima exclaimed as he banged his hardened fists together. Again. Completely disregarding what Izuku just said.
"I doubt they'll ever learn…" Izuku thought as he shook his head, though he wasn't by any means annoyed by their actions.
Neither Ashido nor Kirishima liked to pretend and so they simply acted exactly the same no matter what happened. They'd voice their disappointment, be very verbal about the stuff they are passionate about and still have the energy to give everything they do that overly energetic treatment. It was honestly quite surprising how much energy those two had, but Izuku wouldn't have them any other way.
They still had some time before they needed to head over to class B's dorm, so they split up in the common room and went to do their own thing, which included - but was not limited to - taking a shower, grabbing something to eat to replenish their energy reserves ahead of time and changing into something more comfortable of course. They were going to study, yes, but who says you can't study in a pair of slacks and a hoodie?
Assembling at the front door did bring some attention to them and so the trio couldn't avoid answering a couple of questions before they were free to go. Thankfully it was simple curiosity and not a surprise pop quiz, so they breezed through the answers like it was nobody's business.
Needless to say, quite a lot of people were surprised to hear that they were going to study with people from class B and some even wanted to tag along, but the call wasn't Izuku's to make. He did however promise to ask Kendo if they could bring a couple more people with them next time. They'd probably need to contribute in the snacks and drinks department a bit more, but it was a price worth paying. Who knew, maybe even more interclass friendships would form to follow in the footsteps of Tetsutetsu/Kirishima and Tokage/Ashido? A wild thing to dream about BEFORE they had their first actual study session, but a man can dream about a better tomorrow, right?
Leaving their classmates behind and heading towards the dorms next door, Izuku watched his two companions struggle to contain their excitement. Seeing them so pumped just to go and study was definitely a first, but Izuku wasn't about to complain about it. Even though he was already used to studying on his own, he realized that others might have different preferences. Ashido and Kirishima being the social butterflies that they were, could actually benefit immensely from having people to talk to while studying. And by that he meant actual talking and not asking questions about the subject they were reviewing or anything like that. He trained hard and studied hard, but was also conscious enough to take rest every now and again. Burnout was a real thing and it really sucked. As with most things in life, proper balance was the correct approach.
Kendo was the one who greeted them upon their arrival in the 1-B dorm. They expected to see a lot of people mingling about in the common room like how their classmates were doing when they left, but were surprised to see nobody but Kendo. Their surprise must've shown cause Kendo decided to explain the state of things without being asked to.
"The guys are laser-focused on training before the Finals so they went to one of the gyms. The rest are either in their rooms or preparing for the study session." Kendo explained, a small smile on her face. "And since most people are out we can just hang out in the common room instead of going up to one of our rooms." She stated, visibly relieved by the fact.
"That's fine with us. We'll probably need to use the common room in the future anyways." Izuku pointed out, already accounting for the eventual expansion of their group. "Speaking of, we've had a couple of guys asking to tag along, but I wanted to ask for your permission first." Izuku said, fulfilling the promise he made just a minute or so ago.
"Asking a girl for consent, huh?" Kendo responded with a grin. "He really is something else!" She yelled in the direction of their kitchen.
"I told you!" Shiozaki's raised voice sounded from the next room.
"It's fine with me, as long as they behave that is." Kendo said. "The more the merrier, right?" She added quickly.
"I'll make sure to drill that into them." Izuku chuckled. "I'll give you more details tomorrow at lunch, deal?"
"Deal."
With that matter sorted and out of the way, they were ready to sit down and have their first joint study session, first of many of course. All they needed to do was wait for a few more people to join them.
Shiozaki arrived first, carrying snacks from the kitchen before going back to grab some drinks as well. Tokage and Tetsutetsu came down next, the girl looking to offer some much appreciated help and the boy looking for the aforementioned help. A very well-built, but also very kind gentleman - whom Izuku quickly recognized to be Shishida - was up next. Izuku already heard many great things about the Vice Rep of class B from both Shiozaki and Kendo, but meeting the man in person further cemented his image as the gentle beast of class B. He was both a gentleman and a scholar and he was also looking to lend his expertise to those less fortunate
Shihai Kuroiro - a boy with black skin and white hair that made Izuku think of Tokoyami the moment he spotted him - and Yosetsu Awase - a plain looking guy with dark hair and a bandana covering his forehead - were the next two additions to the group. The two weren't exactly struggling at school, but were definitely looking for some extra help before something as important as their Finals. Right behind them was a short blonde - Tsunotori Pony - a transfer student from the States. She on the other hand was definitely struggling, mostly due to the language barrier, but had more than enough energy to overcome that obstacle with hard work and dedication - something that Izuku could definitely respect.
Kosei Tsuburaba was the penultimate addition to the group - he two was doing alright, but had nothing else to busy himself with at the time so he decided to join them mostly out of boredom.
As they waited for the last person to come down so that they could start, they began laying out the topics they wanted to cover today. Making a short list of things to do would ensure that they wouldn't forget or miss anything of importance that they'd need to revisit in the future. Kendo surely was thorough when it came to preparations.
What happened next was… curious. Very much so. The daemon stayed quite for a day or two at this point, but Izuku could never forget the tell-tale sign of an incoming message from his mental tenant.
"Something's coming." The daemon stated ominously, nudging Izuku in the direction of the staircase.
He focused his eyes on the corner, waiting for the reveal. If the daemon took the time of its busy schedule just to warn him then it wouldn't hurt to be on guard, right? Izuku wasn't expecting to find himself in danger of course, they were on UA grounds after all and Nezu invested ludicrous amounts of money into polishing the perimeter defenses - transferring at least six digits of US dollars to Militor Defense Solutions
As the object of the daemon's interest rounded the corner, Izuku's vivid green eyes met the dull gray of the new arrival. Except, as soon as they locked eyes, he saw the dullness fade away and be replaced by a more colorful hue. The change wasn't drastic, but it was noticeable. They remained frozen in time, their surroundings forgotten and their focus directed at each other.
"She sees us!" The daemon suddenly exclaimed, its voice showing hints of surprise.
"Well, I'm built like a brick house - whatever that's supposed to mean - and I'm one of the bigger guys in the room. I'm not exactly hiding either." Izuku responded mentally, completely misinterpreting the daemon's words.
"Not like that you idiot!" The daemon berated Izuku ferociously. "She sees US! You AND me! She knows I'm in your head!" The daemon explained, its alarmed state infecting Izuku like the plague.
"How is that even possible?" Izuku questioned, his gaze much more scrutinizing now as he inspected the girl thoroughly.
"I can sense some affinity for the Warp within her." The daemon revealed after a few moments. "It's what tipped me off in the first place. She's nowhere near your level of course, but it was still enough for her to notice my presence…"
"Yanagi, don't just stand there!" Kendo yelled to grab Yanagi's attention, snapping both her and Izuku out of their silent staring contest.
To her credit, Yanagi didn't show signs of acknowledging that she sensed the daemon within Izuku. She calmly took the only remaining empty spot around the coffee table with that emotionless expression still occupying her face, looking completely unphased. This prompted both the daemon and Izuku to start speculating.
Perhaps she wasn't all that susceptible to the Warp? Maybe she simply sensed something about Izuku that caught her attention and she tried to discern the feeling with no results? Maybe she had trouble identifying the cause of her interest? Izuku was tall, well-built and quite handsome, so maybe that combination could've caused her to freeze on the spot? A bit self-centered, maybe, but not out of the realm of possibilities.
As time went on however, and Izuku noticed Yanagi glance at him every now and again, his doubts slowly dissipated and were replaced by a singular thought - she knew, but chose to ignore it for now. Calling him out on what she probably assumed to be a gut feeling wasn't the smartest thing to do, but she couldn't help her growing curiosity.
Izuku was of course fascinated by this whole situation, but he made sure to remember why he was here in the first place. And so he focused on helping with the tutoring to the best of his ability, occasionally matching Yanagi's glances when he had a second to spare. Shiozaki may have caught their silent exchanges a couple of times, but even if she did she decided to remain quiet. Excellent, neither of them wanted things to get out thankfully.
The study session went smoothly and they managed to go over everything they had planned to rather quickly. It won't always be like that - especially with more people thrown into the mix in the future - but it was a good start. A great one even!
Izuku - being the Izuku he was - offered to help out with the cleanup since most people were mentally drained from studying and opted to hit the hay early today. Apparently they also had a not-so-surprise pop quiz first thing in the morning, so additional rest would surely go a long way. Once everything was cleaned up, Izuku decided it was time for them to depart.
Kirishima and Ashido stayed behind and waited for him, though they busied themselves by talking with some new friends that they made today instead of helping clean up. Izuku wasn't mad of course. He knew that they'd both worked hard today and really gave it their all. Just as he expected, they actually made more progress when in a group as opposed to on their lonesome and Izuku was really proud of their achievement. He'd have to thank Kendo for letting them join in one day.
Just as Izuku was about to join his two friends and go back to their dorms, he was stopped in his tracks by none other than Yanagi herself.
"May I have but a moment of your time?" She asked, her voice monotone but her dull eyes lighting up as she spoke. "I wish to converse with you about a certain matter."
Izuku almost managed to escape this situation, but procrastinating wasn't his thing anyways so he might as well come clean right away. Well, not like clean clean, but revealing harmless tidbits of information won't hurt anyone, right?
"Ashido, Kirishima, you can go ahead!" He said as he approached his friends. "There's something I gotta deal with first."
"Alright then." Ashido responded with a grin as she noticed the white girl by his side. Her usual grin turned into a teasing smirk as she went to speak again. "Don't go around breaking hearts though!" And with that cryptic warning she left, all but dragging Kirishima along.
Izuku had to blink a couple of times, trying to understand what Ashido had in mind, but failing to do so. Ultimately shrugging the confusion away, Izuku opened the front door of the dorm before gesturing to the outside.
"Shall we take a walk then?" Izuku offered with a smile. "I have a feeling that the topic you have in mind warrants at least some privacy." He added, hoping to convey that they were on the same page.
"Splendid idea." Yanagi agreed right away. "Let me exchange my current footwear for something more suited to the outdoors and I'll be right with you."
Izuku then stepped out of the dorm, intending to wait outside so as not to drag more attention to himself by remaining inside. He had only good things to say about the folks from class B, but he'd rather avoid sharing his secrets with them for now. Shiozaki knew, but they were a lot closer. And Yanagi was an exception, one that he'd never make if it was up to him.
It didn't take even three minutes for Yanagi to step out of the dorm and join him outside.
"I'm ready. Let us find refuge among the shadows."
And with that they left, intending to find a secluded place that would provide them the necessary privacy, unaware - more or less - that they were being followed by someone mostly curious and most definitely not jealous.
They're gonna walk the walk and have a talk. I hope I'm doing good on the Yanagi front, trying to capture her unique way of phrasing things and stuff. Also, who the stalker might be? It's not really a question, since I've made it way too easy to guess, but kudos to you if you guessed it anyways!
Come back next week to see how things turn out, but for now have a great day and I'll catch y'all in the next update!