Well, I think I know what I want to do about our living situation now.

Still, let's take care of one thing at a time. It's probably better for Himiko to be human when determining room assignments.

You turn to the two dogs, Rosie and Violet, before smirking, confident you know which one Himiko is.

"I gotta agree with Horie," you say, ignoring Melissa's lingering question and confession.

"Huh?" the future support gear.

"About Himiko being Rosie," you smile. "She might've tricked me early on, but there's no way I wouldn't be able to figure it out. After all, Himiko and Rosie exude the same energy, and Violet is too disoriented and apprehensive. If I know my Himiko as well as I should… when she said she'd jump into being a dog, she'd do it paws first. So… Himiko just has to be Rosie."

Melissa doesn't seem to have the energy to play contrarian with the person who knows Himiko the best, accepting your verdict. And Rosie… starts leaking gray sludge.

Rosie's entire body is absorbed in a few seconds, growing into a more human-sized blob; Himiko materializes from the goo, wearing only her red collar.

Getting off the floor, Himiko is wobbly on her feet. "Hi, Kazuha! Hi, Horie! Hi, Melissa!"

The dog-turned-human lunges at you, embracing you in a big hug and licking you on the cheek.

"Oops," Himiko giggles. "Sorry, it's a force of habit."

"It's fine," you smile and kiss her properly this time. "I'm so glad to have you back."

Horie looks like she's gonna hurl. "You do realize she hasn't brushed her teeth in like a week? And she's been a dog. Eating random things off the ground."

"Trying not to think about it," you counter, though you get a bit queasy.

"That was fun!" Himiko admits. "I wanna play with Violet again sometime. I loved being Rosie."

"How about we talk about that later?" you advise.

"And get you some clothes," Melissa adds.

"Why?" Himiko questions. "We're all girls. The cheerleading squad sees me naked when I'm changing, and that happens all the time."

"Just… please put some clothes on?" Melissa encourages. "And maybe get her some real food."

"I did have real food!" Himiko pouts. "I begged from Horie, and she always gave me something off her plate."

You and Melissa stare at Horie, disappointed in her.

"But she and Violet were just so cute!' Horie protests. "It's not fair to blame me when Himiko mastered the art of begging."

"That doesn't mean you should feed them from the table."

Himiko picks up Violet, before bowing. "Thank you for taking care of me and my sister."

"Sister?" Melissa questions.

"Yep," Himiko chirps. "I've decided that Violet is my sister. She agreed to it. Like Horie and Kazuha decided they're sisters."

"And how do you know that?"

"Simple. I asked Violet, and she said yes."

"That's…."

"It's not worth the effort to wrap your head around it," you advise Melissa. "Just accept it."

"I-if you say so," Melissa agrees, still absolutely boggled by Himiko's increasingly weird behavior. "Anyway, put some clothes on."

Himiko tilts her head. "Does my body make you uncomfortable? I can turn back into a dog if you'd prefer that."

"No!" Melissa says. "It's just… you're my guest. And it's pretty cold here in New York."

"Oh yeah," Himiko realizes. "I don't have a fur coat anymore. No wonder the temperature dropped."

Still, that leaves one crucial question that needs to be answered. "Where should I change?"

Melissa points to the bedroom at the end of the hall. "That's the second guest bedroom."

"Is that the one Kazuha and I will share?"

Your girlfriend, sister, and pen pal look at you as if expecting the answer to the room arrangements. With a sigh, you explain your reasoning.

"Himiko, I'm really sorry, but I just… Melissa sounds like she was really looking forward to spending time with me. It's not like we won't spend some nights together, but as Melissa is our gracious host, we should honor her wishes. You should stay in the guest bedroom."

Your girlfriend nods, accepting the result as if accepting an order. "Violet can stay with me, right?"

"If she wants to," you say. "I mean, she's your dog."

"Until I become a dog again," Himiko teases.

"We'll see."

I'm still not sure I will allow that, but that's for future me to figure out. Besides, it's not like I can stop Himiko if I tell her no. I just gotta hope Horie doesn't help her get the blood. And if Horie does help her? Then I'm gonna have to have a talk with them eventually about this.

"Alright," Melissa said. "It's been a pretty long day for most of us, so how about we get settled in for the night and get some rest?"

"Sounds good to me," you agree, though you notice Horie raising an eyebrow. "Is something wrong?"

"Naw, sis. Uh, everything's fine."

"Okay then," you accept, knowing this isn't the time to pry even if she isn't okay.

Melissa smiles at you as Himiko and Horie excuse themselves to begin unpacking. "Welcome home," she teases.

"Yeah," you chuckle. "I guess it is home."

Grabbing your suitcases, you enter the bedroom, ready to spend the summer with your new roommate.


The following week goes by in a blur. The same sights you saw on the first day through a car window, you now explore in greater detail, visiting every tourist spot New York offers. And when you aren't sightseeing, you spend your nights going out to dinner with Melissa, Horie, and Himiko, living in the lap of luxury. But the real highlight is the independence. Not only do you sneak away to get some alone time with Himiko, but you also get closer to Melissa than time has ever afforded you prior, especially considering you've been her roommate all but one night. Part of you almost regrets not letting the Sheilds adopt you… almost.

Sure, Mom, Dad, and I left off on a sour note, but they're still my family. And this entire time, I've only seen David once… and he's still in the city. He isn't leaving for I-Island until a week from now!

Unfortunately, the night before school, the doorbell rings with one final surprise.

"Akia?" you question, wholly stunned to see her here. "What are you doing here?"

Akia's smile is something between a smirk and a grimace. "Well, you were right about one thing, Kazuha. Nezu and Chiyo couldn't take you out of school. But she could send you a chaperone."

Your face deflates. "Seriously?"

"Kazuha," Akia puts a hand on your shoulder. "I'm only here because your parents are worried about you."

"They're worried too much," you protest. "I'm almost an adult! I know what I'm doing!"

"I agree with one of those sentiments," Akia soothes.

"We don't need a babysitter."

"And I'm not here to do that," Akia insists. "You can do whatever you want while here in America. As long as you don't get into serious trouble, I'll stay out of your way."

"You mean it?"

"Yeah," Akia nods. "It'll be our little secret."

"Are you Himiko in disguise trying to prank me? Cause if you are Himiko, it's not funny."

"Did you say my name?" Himiko asks, grabbing you from behind in a sudden hug before peering at the new arrival. "Ms. Kuzunoha?"

"Does that answer your question, Kazuha?" Akia teases.

"But… why?" you plead. "You'd let us get away with… anything?"

"I mean no offense to Chiyoko, but Mother knows best, and I'm more of a mother to you than she is."

Out of the corner of your eye, you notice Horie flinch. It seems like she wants to say something but holds her tongue.

"At the very least," Akia clarifies, not failing to notice a reaction. "I'm more of a mother to you in particular. Maybe Horie would prefer seeing me as an older sister or aunt. The point is, I'm here because of you, not Horie. And we all know that half the reason Nezu struggles with this is because he still sees you as his little girl, not the young woman you've grown into. I encouraged him to give you your independence; hence you and Horie have your own apartment, and now you two know how to care for yourselves with no issue. Maybe not everyone can have such a hands-off approach, but it's because you haven't violated my trust. I mean, teenage girls will be teenage girls. "

"His problem is with Himiko," Horie grumbles. "It's her body; if she wants to be a dog, I say let her."

Akia bites her lip. "He's just worried about Himiko. He knows things have been tough for Himiko. He just wants to ensure she doesn't falsely use her quirk for escapism."

"What would I be escaping from?" Himiko tilts her head, confused. "I like sleeping doggy style. Violet is really soft and cuddly."

You groan. "Himiko, firstly, have I said about sleeping as a dog? And secondly, think before you speak?"

"Why would I need to think? Sayaka told me that's what I should call it when I shift forms into being Rosie. What else does doggy style mean?"

"Do-don't worry about it!"

"But you sound worried about it."

"Please, Himiko? Not in front of Mom."

"So I am your Mom?" Akia smiles brighter than you've ever seen her.

"I-it's complicated," you blush. "But seriously, can we not talk about this right now?"

"You have such a funny family," Melissa snarks, coming into the room, dressed for bed and her bag for tomorrow's first day of school. "Well, shouldn't you be getting ready too? It's gonna be a long day tomorrow."

"But… where will Akia sleep?" Horie questions.

"She can have my room!" Himiko volunteers. "Violet and I can move the dog bed in here."

"No," Akia insists. "I'm fine on the couch. I'm the freeloader."

"You're not a freeloader," Melissa says. "You're keeping us from hiring a dogsitter."

"Dogsitter?"

Violet sniffs at Akia's ankles, not very familiar with the woman.

"Huh. Guess I'm a dogsitter now… not that I wasn't before."

You laugh, hearing Akia's mumbling and roasting of your father.

Akia blinks as if realizing something. "Wait. Himiko and Kauzha don't share a room?"

"Nope," Horie shrugs. "Well, unless you count Friday."

"Horie!" you sneer.

Akia narrows her eyes. "Okay, you don't have to lie to me."

"We're not," Melissa insists. "Kazuha's suitcase is in my room. We've been staying together.

Akia rolls her eyes. "You're teenagers. And a couple."

"Yeah," Horie reiterated. "Again, citing to Friday night."

"Can you please stop that?" you beg Horie.

"Maybe."

You sigh.

Horie's been acting weird since we got here. I gotta get to the bottom of this.

You yawn.

But that's for another day.

"Look," you interrupt. "Make yourself at home, Akia. We need to get to bed."

"You and Himiko?"

"No," you press, getting annoyed with Horie's attitude. "Melissa and I."

You grab your blonde roommate by the arm. "Good night, everyone."

"But I'm the host," Melissa says. "Shouldn't I be the one to… woah!"

She doesn't have any time to protest as you pull her into the bedroom, hoping you'll actually get some sleep tonight. Unfortunately, you doubt it will come easy.


The next day, you find yourself, alongside Horie and Himiko, standing at the front of the classroom.

"Good morning, students," your new homeroom teacher greets your new peers. "Today, we have three new students joining us all the way from Japan. I hope you give them all a warm American welcome."

Nobody is saying anything. The crickets are making more noise, and they should all be asleep at this hour!

Your new teacher coughs into her fist. "Anyway, why don't you three introduce yourselves?"

"Sure," you agree, turning the haughtiness down a tad to set an okay first impression. "My name is Kazuha Chiba-Shuzenji, eldest daughter of Mr. Principal and Recovery Girl. I'm sure you've heard of them. Obviously, like most of us here, I have ambitions to become a pro hero like my parents. My quirk is Dragoon, not Lizard. Don't forget it. Otherwise, I hope we can all have a very productive semester together."

You can hear the students murmur amongst themselves, but you pay no attention to them, knowing that it will likely be murmurs about your quirk or, in your professional opinion, very hot bod.

"Horie Koume-Shuzenji is the name, and medicine is my game," your sister greets, trying to act cool. Instead, most of the class laughs at her awkward first impression, making her grow meek. "I, uh, I… I-I'm Kazuha's sister. And I want to be a doctor."

Unfortunately for Horie, most seem more interested in the last member of your trio than her.

Rude.

Himiko tackles you in a hug. "My name is Himiko Toga! I like cheerleading, theatre, and dogs. I'm also Kazuha's girlfriend."

You can barely stop yourself from snickering as many boys in the class, including one with a turtle mutation quirk, sink in their seats.

Technically I play for both teams, but there's no way I'd trade Himiko for any of these losers, so they don't need to know that.

"Why don't you take a seat?" your professor encouraged.

Peering around the room, you realize that while three seats are reserved for you, none are near one another. Knowing there isn't anything you can do about it, you take the seat closest to the window on the far side of the room, near the back of the class.

As you do, the blonde girl in front of you turns around in her seat. Her most noticeable traits are her big Prussian blue eyes and the two giant horns atop her head.

"Konnichiwa!"

You grimace at your literally metaphorical bleeding eardrums.

"Uh, hello?" you greet back.

"So you're really from Japan, Kazuha-chan?" the girl questions, sparkles in her eyes.

"That's what I said," you reiterate. "And what's your name?"

The horse-girl blinks before bowing. "Gomen'nasai, Kazuha-chan. My name is Pony Tsunotori."

You offer a handshake. "Nice to meet you."

Pony smiles, accepting it. "It's so incredible to meet you too, Kazuha-chan."

"Why do you talk like that?" you ask her bluntly.

"Huh?"

"It's obnoxious. We're in America; talk like it."

Pony seems crestfallen at your words. "I-I didn't mean to offend you."

"You didn't, but… seriously? Honorifics? I mean, that's so last century. Heck, English has become the world's main language since the language barrier got Detroit Smashed by the dawn of quirks."

I'm spending too much time with Melissa if I'm making All Might puns.

Pony shies away. "I-I'm just a massive fan of anime and manga."

"Really?" you raise your eyebrows. "Are you…."

"Yes," Pony confirms, completely obvious to your sarcasm. "I'm talking about the Golden Age."

"Yeah, I figured. I mean, anime and manga are still a thing but never reached the same peak of popularity. The only successful anime and manga nowadays are hero biographies."

"It's so frustrating," Pony complains. "There are so many incredible artists with wonderful stories to tell, and they just can't."

"It's basically the same for all types of media. Though we very rarely get one that breaks the mold. Especially shoujo manga and doujinshi."

Pony blushes. "Yeah, I guess those always would be popular."

The horse-girl seems a bit awkward. "I-I don't have many people I can discuss this stuff with."

You don't even hesitate. "Wanna be friends?"

Pony's smile brightens. "Yes! Very much so!"

Pony seems harmless enough for an otaku. And it's probably better to have someone in class as my guide. If I wanna navigate these social circles, I need someone who is actually familiar with them to paint a picture.

Glancing around the room, you check in on your other two friends.

Himiko seems a bit overwhelmed by the attention she's getting, despite the reveal of being into women. Luckily, her sociability from her club activities is carrying her through the new meetings. It seems as though she's getting grilled.

As for Horie, despite her initial nervousness, she appears to handle it better, making friends with the turtle quirk boy from before and a blue-haired girl with a ladybug quirk.

Good for them. Maybe this school year won't be a disaster after all.


By the time lunch comes around, Pony and Himiko have fallen in line behind you.

Himiko, I expected, but Pony? She must not have any friends or be just that desperate to talk anime and manga with someone. Or both… probably both.

As you enter the cafeteria and get your food, you keep your eye open for Horie and Melissa. Your sister got separated from you during the lunch rush, dragged out by her new deskmates. And Melissa, a grade above you, has her classes on the opposite side of the school.

Finding them doesn't take long, leaving you a bit puzzled.

I assumed Horie and Melissa would eat together, but they aren't. They're at two different tables.

You start by eyeing Horie's group, most of whom you recognize from class as the same people who talked with Horie and Himiko when you first talked with Pony.

Besides Horie, there's only one girl in the group. It's the blue-haired girl with the ladybug quirk from class. From what you can tell, she seems pretty outgoing, but from her body language, you notice an abundance of self-esteem issues.

The other person you recognize is the boy with the turtle quirk. He seems like a wildcard; you can't quite nail down his personality from afar. He gives you the vibes of a party dude, yet he also seems like a nerd who keeps quiet under that shell of his. Yet that is contrasted by the hints of muscle you see.

Who is he, really?

The next member of the group is as pale as a ghost, such that part of you is almost convinced he is one, especially with his silver hair. He appears to be a jokester, overhearing him making some puns. And yet you see him watching some brutes from the corner of his eyes.

Seems like he likes bullies even less than I do… not that he seems to have done anything about it, unlike me. The dude looks to be a bit too nice for that.

His reaction makes you second-guess the ghostly boy, considering the guy beside him. Tall, broad-shouldered, and with a perpetual scowl on his face, the dark-haired bad boy is the definition of a delinquent.

How'd he end up in a group like this? He looks like the type to pick on these people rather than hang out with them. Especially the guy on his left.

The boy in question is a brunette, and frankly, he has a very punchable face. He screams nerdy, and how he's fanboying about heroes comes off less as endearing and more as a snotty-nosed brat.

He's nothing like Izuku. I might not have known the green-haired boy long, but his love of heroes was genuine. This kid seems pretentious about his knowledge of heroes. He just robs me the wrong way.

"What are they like?" you point the table out to Pony.

"Oh," Pony notes. "They're nice. I usually sit with them."

"Then why aren't you doing so now."

Pony shrugs. "You're interesting. And, to be honest, I've been… considering applying to U.A. after I graduate. So I'd like to learn more about it… no offense. I don't wanna sound like I'm using you."

"You're not," you insist. "Anyway, who are those people? Besides being our classmates, of course."

"Of the ones you don't know? Devin, Manny, Marianne, Ralphie, and Lee. Again, they're good people if you give them a chance. They're all a bit… quirky in the traditional sense, but they've been nice to me. Even Devin is a nice guy when you get to know him, even if he might not seem like it at first. And the rest are delightful."

You then peek at Melissa's table.

The first person to catch your attention is a lanky boy, tall yet so thin you're almost convinced he's starving himself. And yet looking at his face, you swear he's a prince out of a storybook. He has the vibe of royalty, snobbish but reserved, with all the courtly graces needed to survive in a pit of snakes.

The next boy is similarly exhausted. He reminds you of the turtle, minus the party boy traits. He seems more of a traditional nerd; you wouldn't be surprised if he was part of the support course. And yet he seems to be wearing quite baggy clothing like he's hiding something underneath. But what catches your eye the most is this air of responsibility that radiates from him.

Compared to the other two boys, the next is, without question, a trained martial artist. He seems like a bit of a hothead to you and yet seems like the leader of the trope despite that, carrying an air that even you can't help but respect as a pro hero to be.

Surprisingly, the only other girl in that group besides Melissa is a goth. Her head is buried in a book, trying to ignore those around her. To you, it seems she's only there because the others insisted. Yet, despite her brooding, you can't help but be drawn in by her mysterious nature.

And the last person….

Gary Markus.

I might not know a lot of students here, but it's hard not to take notice of the son of the United States #2 hero, Omniscient. Frankly, he's a lot like me, having a background that all but forces him to become a hero; it's his destiny. And yet I sense a competitive edge from him to be the best.

From your experience living in U.A., you've become accustomed to discerning the difference between heroes and ordinary people. And everyone at both tables has that heroic spirit, or at least a drive that rises them above the masses.

"What do you know about those guys?" you question Pony.

"I don't know them very well personally, but they're all seniors," Pony reveals. "A lot of them are at the top of the class and/or have fascinating quirks. For example, Julius is the Student Council President."

"Which one?"

"The one with purple eyes? His dad is a politician and successful businessman, I think. And his mother was Titania."

"You mean that American heroine who was assassinated a few years ago?"

Pony nods, and you decide to take note of it. "Who are the others?"

"Miles Parker is in the support course. I heard something about him being in the running for valedictorian until his uncle died. Melissa's there too."

"Yeah," you add. "I'm friends with her already."

"Oh, uh, cool," Pony states. "Jason is the head of the school's martial arts club. From what I understand, he's also probably the most popular kid in his grade. Though… Rae scares me."

"And then there's Gary," you acknowledge. "I've heard of him since our parents run in similar circles."

"That makes sense," Pony reasons. "Do you know Gary personally?"

"No," you admit. "Though I did meet Gary's father. He was a guest speaker at U.A. a few years ago."

"U.A. is amazing, isn't it?" Pony says with a bit of envy.

"You get used to it. Trust me, the press makes it out to be way more glamorous than it really is."

Pony smiles.

"Anyways," Himiko interrupts. "Where are we sitting? Our food is getting cold!"

Getting in with both groups could be good, but which one? Do I pick Horie and my classmates or bond with Melissa and the seniors? Both Horie and Melissa will want me to sit with them. And Himiko and Pony will likely follow me wherever. Which group am I more interested in? And between Horie and Melissa, whose relationship do I want to prioritize?

Both Melissa and Horie notice your presence and wave you over expectantly, both hoping you'll come to their tables, gathering the attention of both groups.

Guess I gotta make a decision, and fast.


DECISION POINT: Which Table Will You Sit At?

A - Horie's Table (The Juniors)

B - Melissa's Table (The Seniors)