Orion walked down the hallway calmly, unheeding to the various whispers around him.
He was…unused to the popularity.
He much preferred the quiet anonymity of the Mindscape, or the peaceful moments of the Library.
Though fortunately for his…new admirers, they seemed to have enough respect for the quiet atmosphere of the library.
"Orion," his brother called.
He turned to face his brother, looking up from his newest.
"Yes, Magnus?"
His brother smiled apologetically at him, Orion had always been the studious sort and he hated to remove him from his self-studies.
"A reporter is here to gain a bit more perspective on the Vod'e…she's asked for you specifically."
Orion blinked before nodding.
"Very well then…if she has asked for me, why should I not go?"
Orion placed a bookmark in his current read, a nice little book on astronomy discoveries for the last 200 years, including those which had been rediscovered, and set it down on the table before getting up.
He took his helmet off of the table and hung it on his back before walking forward and following Magnus.
They walked mostly in silence, though whispers still trailed after him.
Orion found it…unfair to be honest. His brothers had fought just as hard as he did, if not harder, yet he'd gained popularity all because it had been broadcasted.
He wonders if this was how Izuku felt after his fight with Stain.
Magnus opened the door to a conference room and Orion blinked in surprise.
"It's you…" he whispered before smiling. "I am glad to see you both are safe and sound." he said with a smile which was returned by the two women in front of him.
"Only thanks to you. If you hadn't arrived, who knows where I would have been right about now."One said, rubbing her arm slightly, the same woman that had run afoul of Fox.
Orion smiled gently at her again and she shyly smiled, her partner nudging her.
"Why have you come here?"
"Well…you may not know this, but your actions at Camino have garnered a lot of attention. Everyone's eyes are already on Mand'alor, but a lot more people are wanting to know about some of the specific members of the Vod'e due to how…unique you all are," she began to explain. "You all might be the first instance of such an advanced sentient quirk."
Orion blinked before nodding and sitting down.
"Very well then, let us begin."
"Thank you very much! To start, do you mind if I make this a live interview?"
"Live?"
"My quirk…it's called Streamer , I can record things with my eyes and either save them for later or upload directly to the internet."
Orion slowly nodded.
"I…would not be opposed."
"Thank you!"
Her eyes flashed blue and she unfocused them.
"Hello everyone, thank you for joining us today. I'm your host, Aratame Kyo along with Shiyashin Sakura and today we've got a very special guest to introduce," Sakura said as she then gestured to Orion, nodding for him to introduce himself.
"Greetings, my name is Orion of the Vod'e. I am honored to have this interview."
"The honor is ours, Orion."
"To start off, we'll ask a few questions, and then we'll let our viewers ask a few, alright?"
Orion nodded his assent and they began.
"First of all, how are your lives in school? We would very much love it if you could show us around a bit," she asked Orion who nodded and gestured his head for them to follow him.
"We should start at our dormitory then. Although for a lot of other people, they might look more like fancy barracks," he said as they walked towards the Heights Alliance Dorm.
The dormitory for the students itself was impressive by its own, but the absolute massive complex attached to it even more so.
Entering the building the two were awed by the sheer amount of clones that were inside. The building itself was lined up as a large central hallway with tables, seats, and just about every imaginable item for recreation.
Lining the walls were rows upon rows of circular doors that served as the beds for each member of the Vod'e as well as their own personal space.
Orion explained their purpose and even shared some insight.
"Although many would say that the tight space is inhumane, I would beg to differ. Our sleeping arrangements are actually quite comfortable, and come with their own storage for any personal items we may wish and serve as an excellent respite from the day to day events," he said, pointing towards a brother who was yawning before he pressed a button, the capsule extending.
The two reporter's faces fell flat as he flopped into bed, pressed another button and promptly went to sleep.
"He certainly seems to be easygoing…" Shiyashin deadpanned, looking at the capsule for a bit longer before sighing and moving on with the group.
They walked down the hallway until Aratame noticed something.
"Hold on, aren't those students from outside the hero course?" She asked their guide to which he nodded.
"We allow anyone who wants somewhere to hang out after school to come here after their classes are over. It's good company and a good way to make new friends."
Walking over to one of the tables, they saw a clone and one of the support course students in the middle of arm wrestling.
"Come on, Wringer! That everything you got?!" The student smirked, seemingly being on the winning side of the competition.
At another table, a small group were playing a game of cards while a third were in the middle of what looked like a session of DnD.
"Holy moly! Is that a bar !?" Aratame exclaimed at the glowing neon sign above a counter, with said sign saying 'Afterlife'.
"Not an actual bar," Orion interceded. "But some of the Vod'e were…inspired to create a similar establishment. I can assure you that none of the beverages are alcoholic in nature."
"What do you serve then?"
"Sodas, energy drinks, coffee and tea. You wouldn't believe how much energy drink the support department consumes…" Orion muttered, seemingly disturbed over how much caffeine those students ingested.
"We do also have healthier options, including a variety of sports drinks and juices; popular choices for those either in or who wish to pursue the hero course."
The three would spend a few minutes at the 'bar' and enjoy a taste of the juices, idly interacting with the various clones and students there.
"I keep telling you! Lady Nagant was done dirty by the commission!" A clone said, slamming down his can of soda on the counter with some other clones and students seeming mildly interested.
The bartender cleaned a glass and put it on the counter.
"Alright, Slick. You've had enough for one day…"
"You'll have to forgive us, some of our brothers have more…obvious eccentricities," Orion gently commented as they saw the caffeinated kid being carried off while rambling about his conspiracies.
Continuing their way, they reached a seemingly barren part of the building.
"What are we doing here? And what's with all of this empty space? There could be at least three dozen more people in here." Shiyashin asked, with Orion holding up his hand before rapping his knuckle on a hidden panel in the wall.
The action caused parts of the walls to let out hisses of decompressed air, before several racks shot out, each of them being full with different kinds of equipment.
"Storage room. It is much easier and safer to keep our equipment in the walls in case of emergencies and so they can't be stolen that easily either," Orion explained.
"Are you sure you should be showing us this?"
"Everything we have is transparently demonstrated to students, faculty and even parents to ensure the safety of everyone." Orion said before turning to the camera and gave it a cold look. "And if anyone should try and steal it, we have… methods to make sure they won't be misused…"
The two women gulped.
"Moving on!" Orion continued with a smile, as if the sudden personality shift hadn't just occurred.
They then went to the training area where the women were treated to a spectacle as two of the Vod'e sparred.
"Come on, Hevy! Take him out!"
"Do it! Hardcase! Show him who is really the master of heavy weapons!"
The small crowd of students and clones cheered on the two burly clones who were in a deadlock with each other and had been for a while if the sweat running down their brows were any indication.
As the two seemingly were getting nowhere, a presence filled the room with everyone turning their heads towards where the feeling of imminent dread was originating from.
"Since you two seem to be evenly matched…" Sentinel, the master and trainer of nearly everything close quarters combat related snarled. "Why don't you two dopes go up against me?" He grunted out the last part as he flexed, shedding his armor and tearing his undersuit.
The two shuddered in unison with cold sweat running down their entire beings like twin waterfalls.
"Perhaps…it is best that we move on."
The two women nodded and shivered as they heard the screams of pain from behind them.
They continued to tour U.A., with Orion showing them a more…natural look of the school.
After some time, they grabbed some food from the cafeteria before deciding to sit outside at one of the many tables.
On the way they did pass what looked like an eating contest between a heavily scarred clone and Yaoyorozu Momo, if the literal piles of plates and bowls were anything to go by. Scratch was the name of the clone if the two reporters heard correctly.
"Orion, if you don't mind me asking…if you weren't a hero, what would you like to be?"
Orion blinked, surprised by the question but smiled in gratitude.
"Allow me to show you something."
After finishing their meal, they walked over to Orion's favorite location in the school.
Opening the large doors, the two women were awed by the size of the library, the sheer amount of knowledge that was contained there.
"U.A.'s library remains one of the largest in the world, and is currently the largest in Japan after the National Diet Library was burned down during the Quirk Wars," Orion began as he led them down the aisles.
"In fact, it is actually the repository for much of the knowledge that had been thought lost with the library and was fortunately recovered, though due to lack of interest, much of it remains uncatalogued."
He led them towards another room, practically a warehouse really, full of artifacts, books, and other forms of media.
"Here is the archive…and here is my own personal passion," Orion softly said as he picked up a book from a shelf.
"I enjoy learning new things, discovering knowledge and," he slightly cut off as he gently opened the cover of the centuries old book. "Helping it find a proper home in the library."
"Incredible…not what I expected though," Shiyashin commented. "Nor would our viewers, I suppose."
"Perhaps not…" Orion chuckled. "But we Vod'e have found that we can be unique in our personal desires and dreams. It is my hope that once our war with villainy is finished, that I am still alive to fulfill my passion, the same hope that I desire for the rest of my brothers."
"A humble life then?"
Orion chuckled.
"Humble. But hopefully, it will be fulfilling." he smiled at them, nearly radiating light with how kind it was, causing the two to blush slightly over how adorable he looked despite being a grizzled veteran who had seen several fights and battles at this point, despite his almost baby-like face.
Then again, that's how most of the clones looked.
But his presence was comforting.
For a moment, Sakura could see it clearly in her mind too.
An older man, handsome and kind, yet reserved and calm.
A benevolent leader and a humble archivist.
The Vod'e truly were unique, each and every one of them.
Either standing proud as defenders of the innocent and upholders of justice or being productive and helpful members of society.
"I have another place I want to show you. This way." He gestured as he began to walk again.
As the trio walked, they soon noticed clones standing guard down the hallway they were traversing before they reached a pair of doors in a separate section from the main building where two rows of clones standing ready were stationed with two of the so called 'Purge Troopers' standing as the last two guards at the end of a huge door, their electro staffs crossed.
With a simple nod, they uncrossed their staffs and let them pass.
The cold gazes they sent the two reporters way didn't go unnoticed however.
They entered into a hallway, lined with walls of marble, names written across.
Above them was a larger sign.
"Never just clones. Heroes."
As they walked by the walls, the two women were struck by a sudden sense of solemnity, keeping quiet under the new atmosphere.
Orion whispered something under his breath, which neither heard but did not dare ask.
Sakura observed a few of the names on the walls.
Noble - "A fight for others is a noble fight."
Quickfix - "To heal others is to heal yourself."
Barb - "I fight to ensure the future."
Name by name, quote by quote, they observed.
The last name seemed to have been etched in a bit differently than the others…as if someone else had taken the honor.
Thorn - "I fight for those I love."
"I am here and you are not, I remember you, so you are eternal…the words for those who have been lost," Orion solemnly began as they reached the end of the hallway to where a familiar memorial had been lovingly and painstakingly moved.
"To be Vod'e means almost certain death, we fight with nothing but our arms, our minds and our bodies. But better for us to fall than for us to lose our comrades, the bright stars of the future."
They could see the sudden weight that was on Orion's shoulders.
"At the end of the day…we are soldiers…we are the product of a quirk. But we have come to discover that we are more…we can be more."
He then turned and guided them out of the memorial.
"Come, it's time to show you the last event for the day."
A few minutes later, they found themselves in an open courtyard near the famed U.A. Barrier.
Clones were moving about, fighting against…holograms?
"What's going on?"
"In order to keep our skills sharp, we've been conducting multiple drills against simulated opponents."
The two women observed quietly as the clones implemented tactics, utilizing cover and returning fire against their opponents.
"They're…not as aggressive as I thought it would be."
"Ah, this particular simulation is more in case of another invasion like the USJ. Our priority here is to last as long as possible to give students the time needed to evacuate, the longer we stand, the less risk of harm coming to our charges."
"But surely the students would fight?"
"Perhaps," Orion conceded. "But out of the thousands of students at U.A., very few have fighting capability, let alone combat training. We fight for the entirety of U.A. Not only a single course." Orion said to them, before he looked down at his wrist where a watch was built into his vambrace. "Looks like it's just about time." He said, causing the two women to tilt their heads.
"Time? Time for what?" Sakura asked, just as the lights turned red along with an alarm blaring.
"Time for the student's attack drill." He replied calmly as the ground rumbled slightly as he walked over to a panel with some screens and pressed a few buttons, the monitors flaring to life to see students coming out of their classrooms and into the hallways with several sections of the walls and floors beginning to lift out of their respective places.
The moving parts were revealed to be more racks holding armor, but this looked different from the ones the clones were wearing and seemed to be in more shapes and sizes but still had the same base colors and design.
Gray chest plates with colored pauldrons, most likely to differentiate between the courses, and helmets with clear visors that enclosed the entire head.
The armor also had a smoother and slicker design than the more common white one, but was still clearly inspired by it.
In mere minutes, several students had managed to put on the two pieces of gear, before beginning to help the others who were slower or just less routined in it.
"What is this?"
"Although the majority of students are combat incapable, they also need to understand the necessity of protection. The armor you see is light, not suited for conventional combat, but can take a few good hits before failing, a precautionary measure should students be endangered here at the school."
They then observed the students head down hallways to different directions.
"They are currently on their way to special bunkers created for their protection, should evacuation not be possible or recommended."
"It's quite a bit isn't it?"
"Perhaps, but we are nothing if not prepared for the most dire of situations. As the old saying goes; better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. We have extended offers to other schools to help with security measures and shelters in case of emergencies, but so far we haven't heard anything from any of them."
Sakura and Kyo pondered that…U.A was supposed to be the most secure of the schools even before the Vod'e came into the picture and they were still attacked.
If other schools refused the help of the Vod'e.
What risks would that hold for them?
At the end of the day, Aratame's stream had amassed hundreds of thousands of views, and the interview had come to an end.
"Thank you for your time, Orion…and thank you again for saving our lives."
"You need not thank me. I was just doing my duty as a soldier, and as a person."
"Before we leave, do you have any last words for those watching?" Sakura asked.
Orion contemplated for a moment before smiling at the two of them.
"Only to keep fighting the noblest of fights."