Chapter 13: Outsider

"Alexander? Alexander… are you alright?"

"Hmm, hva skjer? Hvem plager meg nå? Oh, Tokoyami, yeah, I'm ok. Jammen, jeg føler meg så stiv. I just have a lot on my mind."

That wasn't a lie. After what I learned yesterday and then finding out about the kind of place dad took Nikolas to, I couldn't help it. My mind's been running a mile a minute and I didn't get enough sleep because of it. Then there's the new classmate we're supposed to be getting today, which I really don't feel like dealing with.

"I see. I didn't mean to disturb you, but your silence was a bit concerning and you seemed to be elsewhere entirely. What's more, you seem rather tired, which is also unusual. Also, do you mind translating what you said before and why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

"Sorry, I sometimes fall back to my native tongue when I'm still groggy. I just said that I felt stiff which is why I'm stretching."

I pulled my arms over my head until I heard my shoulders crack.

"And I'm not wearing a shirt because I don't like how constricting the academy uniform is. Obviously, I got permission from Nezu, so it's fine.

"Interesting. I assumed the morning workout you told me about would get rid of any kinks before you come to school. Though I must admit, I'm surprised with how lenient the dress code is."

"Det ville det gjort hvis jeg faktisk gjorde dem i dag."

"I'm sorry?"

"Never mind. Listen, I don't mean to be rude, but is there something you wanted?"

Tokoyami shook his head, but I could tell he had more to say. He's like Seteth, he doesn't really talk unless it's important. Gotta love those stoic types.

"I'm just checking on you. You've been acting strange all morning and I get the feeling it has something to do with our new classmate. What's more, your ears are folded back, and your tail is bristled, which signifies turmoil."

sigh "No matter how much I try to keep my feelings to myself, my body betrays me. I swear, it's gonna get me killed one day. Anway, yes, I'm worried about the new guy along with some other things."

"I won't pry about whatever else is bothering you, but I would like to know why someone you have yet to meet has you so concerned. I don't mean to assume, but you never struck me as someone who worries about the unknown."

"I don't, not usually. After all, worrying about the unknown is a waste of time and energy. But this is different. I don't like strangers or meeting new people all that much."

"I guess you can call it a quirk of my quirk. As a wolf, I feel on edge when someone new comes into my 'territory'. I've only been in class for a short time, but it's become my territory. As such, I see this person as an outsider and even as a potential threat."

"It wasn't so bad the first day since I had no territory to call my own. I also made sure I was able to keep my composure while surrounded by so many new people.

"I see. Does that mean you see us as members of your pack?"

"No, it takes a lot of trust for me to see someone as a member of my pack. I see you all as individuals who share the same environment. The best way to compare it is to think of this place as a forest and we are all the different animals living in it."

Tokoyami nodded at my explanation, but he had this slight furrowing of the brows that told me he was confused about something. It looked kind of funny on a raven's face.

"I appreciate the analogy, but it needs a bit more explanation. Is the school the forest and is this specific classroom your territory, or is the classroom the forest?"

"This classroom is my territory and you guys are the animals that enter it, but mean no harm. Kind of like a squirrel or a bird or a fox that's just passing through."

"Alright, I believe I understand. You have become accustomed to us, so your instincts are relaxed. However, the person is a possible intruder, and it has you on high alert."

I nodded to Tokoyami, confirming his theory.

"Still, I've heard and read that wolf's are social animals by nature, so why are you so apprehensive?"

"Heh, I was wondering when you were going to ask that. It's true that wolves are very social by nature, but that only extends to those we are used to, or we can tell means no harm. After all, there's a reason why people say you should never approach a wolf in the wild."

"You see, unlike dogs who can make friends and approach strangers easily, wolves don't appreciate unknown entities anywhere near them. If you were to ever get close to a wolf, you'd better make sure you've given it enough time to get used to your presence. Otherwise, it would attack you."

"Sure, we're also curious by nature and will even approach others, but wolves only do that with people who they can tell don't mean any harm. It's why I was able to make friends with Wynn. I could tell he was a good guy, and I didn't like how he was being picked on, so I stepped in."

"The fact of the matter is, I have a lot of different instincts as well as my own personal feelings. These tend to clash a lot and can sometimes overwrite each other. With Wynn, my instincts were telling me to just move on since it didn't concern me or my pack, but I personally can't stand bullies and watching those guys mess with him made me sick."

"I see. It seems wolf behavior is more complex than I gave it credit for," Tokoyami said with a thoughtful look on his face. "Thank you Alexander for your explanation. It was very enlightening."

I felt my tail relax and my ears move upward. I smiled realizing the interaction had helped me become a little less tense.

"Flink, I'm glad I could help. Although, you should probably go back to your desk considering class is starting soon."

Tokoyami nodded to me and headed back to his desk, giving me a small wave as he turned around.

That's when I caught Seteth's scent. From where it was coming from, I could tell he was flying to class today, so I went ahead and opened the window for him. As soon as I did, he blurred past me and landed perfectly in his seat.

When I turned to him, he was staring at me. I stared back at him, but I unintentionally did it more intensely and I could hear the fur on my tail bristle again. I didn't mean to, but that's what happens when I lock eyes with someone, almost like a reflex.

The thing about carnivores is that when someone makes eye contact with us, our first instinct is to stare back at them. If I had to guess, it's probably because it's a sign of a challenge. To look into another's eyes was to see their strength of will. At least, that's what it always felt like for me. I'm not sure, but it was the best explanation I could come up with.

Funnily enough, I learned that it's the opposite with herbivores. I've made eye contact with people who had rabbit, deer, or small bird quirks and they always looked away immediately.

Of course, since I'm a carnivore, I just kept staring at Seteth who stared back. We stayed like that for a bit until the bat turned his head, breaking out gaze.

Sigh "Alexander, I know that we both have much to talk about, but I believe we can save that for later."

"What do you mean Seteth?"

"Simply put, I hold no grudge against you, and I trust that you will keep my secret. I know that you still have many questions and that I owe you a proper explanation. However, you must understand that this is a sensitive topic for me. As such, it's not something I can discuss so openly."

"Forget about it," I said with a dismissive wave. "We all have our secrets and if it's something you don't want to talk about, then you don't need to. I'm not forcing you to tell me, and I only know because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Honestly, I would have liked it if you told me on your own, but what are you gonna do? Let's just forget it happened and you can tell me when you're ready."

Seteth tilted his head in thought before nodding to me, never once losing his usual stoic look. After a quick wave, he sat down at his desk and started getting ready for class. That's when it happened.

Sniff Sniff "Someone's coming."

"Who's coming?" Kirishima asked, having taken his seat.

"I don't know, but they smell like the ocean and have an earthy scent to them too."

"How does that work?" Izuku asked next.

"Well, since there's a strong scent of soil and minerals, there's a chance they spend a lot of time either digging or underground. Combine that with the smell of the ocean, it's possible they spend a lot of time either near it or in it. Maybe they're a deep-sea diver that explores underwater caves?"

"I could see that," Tsu chimed in. "There are a lot of pro heroes who work in the sea, so maybe this guy trained to be that kind of hero."

I was about to respond to her, but that's when a certain yellow cocoon stood up from behind the desk.

"How has our teacher not turned into a butterfly?" I, and most likely everyone else thought.

"Alright problem children, sit down and at least try to seem interested," Mr. Aizawa said as he shed his sleeping bag. "As you know, we have a new student joining our class, so be nice to him alright."

At that moment, the door slid open and in came a guy who looked like a humanoid shark.

His skin was a dark blue with a silver underside. He had a long tail that ended into a fin and an additional fin on the back of his neck. Finally, he had a muscular physique and from the calluses he had on his hands, I could tell he specialized in using weapons.

His academy uniform was made into a sleeveless jacket that he kept open, revealing his chest and abs. He was giving us a large grin, showing off his rows of razor-sharp teeth. His eyes had an uncomfortable glint in them that reminded me of a predator, but not the same kind I am. No, he wasn't eyeing us in search of his next meal, he was in search of his next mate.

Yes, I could instantly tell that this shark guy was a charmer. From how he carried himself to how he openly showed off his body, even to how he would raise and lower his brows, it was obvious he was a playboy.

Unlike Mineta, who I quickly learned was a pervert, this guy was charismatic and had the air of a smooth talker. In other words, he was very dangerous as guys like him knew what to say and which buttons to press. He could make people do things that they normally wouldn't and make it seem like it was their idea.

Needless to say, I didn't like him. Guys like him tended to be swindlers and the last thing I needed in my territory was someone who could make our classmates turn on each other.

"Alright kid, go ahead and introduce yourself."

"Yes, Mr. Aizawa."

The shark boy had a smooth and velvety voice, which instantly put me on guard.

"It is an honor to meet all of you. My name is Onyx and I hope we get along-" he stopped for a moment when he looked at me, "Very well."

I narrowed my eyes. It was obvious what his intentions were, and I was having none of it. It was good to know that he played for my team, but I would not be with a lecher. If he tried anything, he would learn first-hand what happens why you crossed an alpha or better yet, an apex!

"Alright, that's enough of that," Mr. Aizawa said, bringing me out of my thoughts. "Go ahead and grab Bakugou's old seat so we can begin."

Onyx nodded and started walking towards me. I mentally cursed the fact that Bakugou's seat was in the row next to mine, three seats down. This meant that he had the advantage of being behind me, something no carnivore wants when facing an outsider. What's more, I could tell he was the kind of person who would stare at his target and let them know he was doing it in order to get a reaction.

I, however, had no interest in playing his little game. The second he tried something funny; he'd go out the window. Hopefully we'll have sparring today and I can show this guy that I won't tolerate anyone causing trouble for myself or my classmates.

As the shark guy walked closer to me, I let out a very minor amount of killing intent. I didn't want to intimidate him too much since we would most likely be partnered up at some point, but I did want him to keep his distance. However, he stopped right next to me and gave me a smile, meaning he didn't get the message.

"Hey there," he said with a grin that instantly put me on high alert. "I gotta say, it's good to know I'm not the only one who isn't a fan of shirts. Of course, with muscles like yours, it's only right to show them off. Especially when they're bigger than mine. Think you can give me some tips?"

I answered with a growl.

"Nice growl, definitely the kind that can get any mate going. Hell, it's working on me already."

I narrowed my eyes before releasing more killing intent. I made sure to hide it behind a glare so that no one would catch on. Sure, it's possible that I'd be affecting everyone else, but I didn't care, this guy needed to back off.

"Whoa, that's quite the glare! Bet you've scared plenty of people with that. That angry stare, those cold eyes, and the look of murder on your face. If I was anyone else, I'd probably be running for my life right now."

I didn't respond. It was obvious he was trying to get a rise out of me, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Come on now, why the cold shoulder? You can at least say hi right? What about a handshake, can you shake, roll over, play dead?"

The room went cold and you could bet it was because everyone was waiting to see how I would react. This guy was asking me if I could do tricks, like some kind of pet! I could feel every last strand of my fur stand up, my tail raise even higher, and my blood boil. My face wrinkled and I couldn't hold back my growls or stop myself from showing my fangs.

"That's quite enough of that," I heard Iida say, but just barely. "I know you are new here, but you should have the common sense to know that what you are doing is highly inappropriate. Our friend is clearly upset by your antics and that is why I ask that you go to your desk and leave him be."

"Friend? Since when was I his friend? I'm pretty sure I told him he could go fuck himself. Well… at least he's standing up for me."

"Hey now, I'm just trying to make conversation," the shark guy said with a smile. "Isn't that right… doggy?"

BAM

Crash

I'll be honest, I didn't know what happened exactly, but as soon as he uttered that word, I blacked out. When I got a hold of myself, I noticed that I was standing up, my breathing was heavy, my arm was outstretched upward and my hand was balled up into a fist. Somehow, I threw an uppercut and from the stinging in my knuckles, it was clear that it was a strong one.

"Um… hey, Alexander… are you ok?" Ashido asked in a concerned tone.

Pant pant "I… yea, I'm ok. I just… saw red. What happened?"

Sigh "Alexander, I understand that you were in a less than ideal situation, but could you please refrain from punching your fellow students through the ceiling?" Mr. Aizawa said as he pointed upward.

I followed his finger to where he was pointing and sure enough, there was a giant hole in the ceiling, and I could see Onyx getting some truly impressive air. At least, I could for a moment before he blinked away.

"Um… sorry sir."

The rest of the class time went by more or less like normal. It wasn't until second period when Onyx showed up. He was with a man who looked like he was made of living cement, completely soaking wet. It turns out the shark landed in the river on the other side of town. I felt a little bad, but… NO ONE calls me a dog!

After that, the rest of the morning was peaceful, and Onyx seemed to have gotten the message. He didn't try to talk or flirt with me and while I sensed him glancing at me from time to time, it wasn't anything I couldn't ignore. That is, until it was time for lunch.

"Hey! Alexander! Over here!"

"Hey Mei, good to see you," I said as I sat down across from her, Seteth joining in next to me. "How's Wynn been doing? I haven't talked to him in a few days, and I was hoping to get his advice on something."

"He's fine, just working hard. The professor has him working on a big project, so he hasn't had a lot of free time to hang out. Lucky for you though, he agreed to have lunch with me today."

"Great, I've wanted to talk to him some more. We haven't been able to hang out since that day when we first met."

"Yea, he told me the same thing. I'm glad you guys got along and became friends. Wynn is a pretty outgoing person, but because he is differently abled, not many people go near him. They either try to be nice to him out of pity or they think he's forcing himself to smile. It really does amaze me how stupid people can be."

"Tell me about it. I can't tell you how annoying it was to deal with the neighbors when my family first moved here. They kept looking at us like we were some kind of weirdos."

"Yea, that's what happens whenever someone or something new shows up. Anyway, who's your friend there? I haven't met him before and he hasn't said anything."

"Oh right, I forgot you couldn't hang out with us on that day. This is Seteth. He's my friend and classmate. He doesn't really talk unless it's important, but he's a really good guy."

Seteth looked up and nodded at Mei in acknowledgement before going back to his book.

"Wow, another 1-A student! Please tell me everything about your quirk, its strengths, abilities, weaknesses, everything! Also, are you interested in getting some new gear?"

Seteth didn't respond. He just tilted his head towards me and continued reading.

"Guess I'm answering for him. Seteth is an animal folk like me. He's a vampire bat and as such, has the abilities of one. He can fly, has superhuman speed and dexterity, above average strength, can fight with the claws on his feet and suck up a person's blood. He can also fight by manipulating the wind which is similar to my water ability."

"Seriously!" Mei practically yelled with stars in her eyes. "That's amazing!"

Seteth didn't respond. In fact, he didn't even react. He just gave Mei an uninterested look and returned to his book.

She looked like she was about to try again, and I was getting ready to ask her not to, but she stopped when she looked over my shoulder. She waved her hand and when I looked to see who she was waving too, I saw Wynn walking towards us. I waved to him and invited him over as my tail started to wag.

Wynn nodded to me and gave me a smile before sitting down across from me and next to Mei.

Hello Alexander, how is your day going so far?

I smiled at him and knew it was time to see if those sign language lessons paid off.

Hello Wynn. It's going ok so far. We got a new classmate today, but I'd rather not talk about him.

Did something happen?

It's kind of a long story.

Do you not wanna talk about it?

It's not that. My sign language still isn't that great and I'm not sure I can explain it properly. Seteth might be able to though since he's better at it than I am.

Wynn nodded to me before smiling at Seteth. When he saw how the bat was still reading his book, the lemur tapped the table, getting Seteth's attention.

Hello Seteth. I'm sorry to take you away from your reading, but I'd like to know more about this new student that joined your class. Alexander said you could explain it since you're better at sign language.

Seteth eyed Wynn for a second before he turned to me with a neutral look on his face. I nodded to him, and he explained how Onyx introduced himself, how he flirted with me, and how he called me 'doggy' before I sent him flying to the other side of the city.

Mei started laughing so hard that everyone sitting near us heard her while Wynn made the hand gesture for laughter. It was a little embarrassing for me, but it was nice that I could make them laugh, even if it was at my own expense.

After the two of them calmed down, we started eating our lunch while we chatted. My lunch consisted of a bowl of hearty Viking stew, flatbread, and for dessert, skyr with honey, nuts, and mixed berries. This is one of my favorite meals since it's both delicious and gives me all my nutritional needs.

I was about to take a sip of the soup when I sensed someone with malicious intent coming towards us. Without thinking, I moved my head forward and heard someone falling to the floor. I looked back to see who it was, only to see some kid with blond hair, his face covered in what looked like apple pie.

Everyone in the cafeteria laughed at the downed boy, but Seteth and I just shook our heads since we knew what came next.

"Hey! That was a cheap trick!" the boy yelled as he stood up while pointing a finger at me.

"The only cheap thing here is your attempt to elbow me in the back of the head. I have done nothing to warrant such hostility, but should you try to attack me again, I will not hesitate to put you down."

"Hmp, typical class 1-A scum. You think you're better than everyone here just because you got into the hero course."

I raised an eyebrow at the guy before shaking my head in disbelief. First, he attacks me, then he has the audacity to think I'm some pompous asshole, the very kind of person I hate. I swear, it's idiots like him that cause trouble for everyone around them.

"I don't know what you mean, nor do I care. I in no way believe that I am better than others simply because I got into the hero course. Besides, if that were the case then you would be in the same boat, considering you are also in the hero course."

The boy's eyes widened as if his biggest secret had been revealed.

"Your name is Neito Monoma if I remember correctly. You have the ability to temporarily copy other quirks and are a member of class 1-B. I made it a point to learn the names and quirks of everyone in the hero course in case we ever worked together. That said, I want to get back to having lunch with my friends, so please leave."

Monoma was about to say something, but he stopped when a hand grabbed his shoulder. I moved to see who it was and to my displeasure, I spotted Onyx.

"That's enough Monoma. I was hoping you'd change after we got in, but it looks like I got my hopes up for nothing."

"Oh, hey Onyx. Way to go getting into class 1-A. You really put those pieces of trash in their place."

"The only piece of trash I see around here is you! You always do this. You look down on those you think are weaker than you while calling people who are better than you scum who don't deserve what they have. That's exactly why no one in our class liked you."

"Why are you getting so mad? You know what I say is true."

"No it isn't," a new voice said.

We turned our heads and saw a girl a little taller than Seteth walking towards us. She had dark orange hair done in a side ponytail and was wearing the standard academy uniform. Her scent was a mixture of peaches, mangos, and morning glory.

"It's because of you that our class has such a bad reputation. What's worse is that your attitude reflects on me since I'm the class representative."

"Come now Itsuka, don't you think you're exaggerating a bit. All I did was try to introduce myself and explain how things work around here."

I growled! No way in Niflheim was I letting this guy get away with that stupid stunt of his.

"You blatantly tried to attack me without provocation, which is grounds for suspension. What's more, I was within my rights to knock your teeth out, which I will do if you don't leave."

"Now see here ugh-"

"I'm sorry about my classmate, he's a bit of an idiot," the girl said after punching the guy in the stomach, knocking him out.

"Um… sure. Listen, not to be rude, but could you please just take him and leave. I just want to go back to having lunch with my friends."

"Yea sure, no problem. My name is Itsuka Kendo by the way. It was nice meeting you."

Just like that, the girl left with the heimskr over her shoulder as fast as she had showed up. I glanced at Onyx, still irritated at him from earlier but I had some questions.

"So, you know him Onyx?"

"Yea, ever since middle school. I was hoping to get away from him when I applied to UA, but I guess that was too much to ask for."

"What's his deal anyway?" Mei asked.

"Honestly, I don't know. He has a superiority and inferiority complex if you can believe that. Plus, he is a real asshole. He thinks he's hot shit just because he can copy quirks. It's disgusting really. He mooches off the hard work of others and doesn't train at all. I managed to shut him up by beating him in sparring and grades, but he still thinks he's above all that."

"By the Allfather, that's exactly what I need at this school. Let me guess, when he saw that he was in 1-B instead of 1-A, he got pissed."

"Yea, it was a huge blow to his ego. He can't stand it when people prove to be better than him at anything and he shows it by pulling cheap tricks like earlier. He's especially mad at you because you got the highest score on the entrance exam."

"Lucky me..."

"But hey, let's forget about him. He's just a jerk who's not worth thinking about. Mind if I join you for lunch?"

"Well actually, I-"

Before I could finish Onyx sat down next to me and threw an arm around my shoulders.

"Great! Thanks for letting me join. So, what are you having for lunch?"

"Just something from home. Now, can you please get off me?"

"Aww come on. I know we got off on the wrong foot earlier, but there's no reason we can't be friends. I get that I came on strong, but I really do want to get to know you better. So what do you say, will you give me a chance, doggy?"

Bam

"DON'T CALL ME A DOG DAMN IT!"

Crash

"Wow, he really can send people through the roof," Mei said in a shocked tone.

Panting, I turned around to see everyone looking at me. Then I heard a book closing with a loud snap. I looked at Seteth since he was the only one with a book and watched as he put his book away and spoke.

Sigh "This is going to be a long year."