Ace sat in his dorm, poring over the notes that Itsuka had carefully prepared for him. He appreciated her effort and didn't want it to go to waste, but studying was not his strong suit. Ace knew that he was far better working with his hands, having adventures and doing things than sitting down. He had some vague idea that he had been that way his whole life. However he couldn't exactly place the details. He had this idea that to him the best way to learn was hands on.

However, he knew that in this world to be a hero, he had to adapt and improve on this book work. As such he was working hard at figuring out the local laws. He sat there quietly as he tapped his pencil against the top of his desk, his cat, Spade, moved to sit by his foot, pressing its head against his shoe. Spade was a comfort in this trying moment for Ace.

Thinking about the state of things currently. It had been about a week sense school at UA had started. He had been doing a lot of work, both book work, and also practical lessons that were often outside of the classroom. He was far better at the latter as they fit his skill set and mentality more. He was also very grateful for Itsuka who had been his partner in most every single bit of work and helped him so much with notes. Doing her best to make sure he did well in class.

While he thought of her, he heard the door and walked over and opened it. Ace blinked in surprise that it was the girl he was thinking he looked at her quickly he noticed that under one arm was a folder with notes, and in her other hand was a tray with coffee and bagels. "I was just thinking about you Itsuka, good morning I see that you came bringing a gift with you this morning."

"I thought you might need a little help this morning," she said with a smile, as she slipepd by and put the tray on the desk.

"Thanks, Itsuka. This is great, I really was needing your help, and your company is always welcome,"Ace replied as he closed the door.

Itsuka pulled up a second chair so she could sit with Ace. He had a feeling she already knew but she had to ask the basic questions first. "So, how are you finding the material?"

Ace scratched his head. "Honestly, it's tough. I'm more of a hands-on guy. But I'm trying."

"I have been able to see that personally a few times," Itsuka said, glancing at his messy notes. "But you're doing fine. Let's go over it together. I brought coffee and bagels to enjoy and to help us stay focused."

"Thanks, I owe you for this," Ace said as he pulled over a seat and then sat down with her.

"Well, we are classmates and friends, and friends help each other," Itsuka said, feeling a desire to help out the dark-haired classmate of hers.

The pair of them got to work, with Itsuka doing a good job of explaining everything in terms that Ace could easily understand. After an hour or so, Spade came out and moved quickly as it smelled Itsuka, trying to get a read on the orange-haired heroine in training.

After a second, it started to press its head against her leg, purring and swishing its tail back and forth.

"Looks like Spade likes you," Ace said with a chuckle.

Itsuka smiled, reaching down to pet the cat. "Well, I guess I have a new friend too. Now, let's get back to these notes. We'll make sure you're ready for the next class."

As the two returned to work, they worked through the whole of the morning as Ace slowly but surely was able to get a good grasp of the materials that were covered. He knew that he owed Itsuka a great deal as she had been such a positive help for him and she had taken a Saturday of her own time to come out and help him with his studies.

As they came to a stopping point, Ace went and put some water and food out for Spade. He looked out the window and noticed that it was already the middle of the afternoon. Turning back to Itsuka, he asked, "Itsuka, want to go with me to get something to eat together?" He figured it would be a good way to pay Itsuka back for her kindness.

Itsuka smiled warmly, appreciating the gesture. "Sure, Ace. I could use a break and some good food. Any place in particular you have in mind?"

Ace scratched his head, thinking. "I've heard there's a good ramen place nearby. How about that?"

"Sounds perfect," Itsuka agreed. "Let's go."

Ace figured it was worth a shot. He also knew that he could get a good bit of food for a rather low cost at the ramen spot. He was pretty hungry since it had been a while since he had the bagel with Itsuka. Plus, it was a chance to walk with her and enjoy time with her. He was really liking the time he had spent with the talented classmate.

He walked shoulder to shoulder with Itsuka as they made their way to the nice, simple ramen place. They had other items on the menu, but apparently, the ramen was what they were best known for. As they got to the place, they were shown to a table. The whole place felt warm and wholesome, with a cozy, personal decor.

"What do you think? I think this place looks really nice," Ace said as he looked at the menu. He saw the number of things on the menu and noticed a spicy ramen. Looking at it really called out to him to try.

Itsuka nodded, scanning the menu as well. "Yeah, it's got a good vibe. I think I'll go for the miso ramen. How about you?"

Ace grinned, his eyes lighting up. "I'm going for the spicy ramen. I like a bit of a challenge."

"Of course you do," Itsuka said with a laugh. "You seem to thrive on challenges."

Ace chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Guess that's just how I'm wired. Thanks again for helping me with the notes. I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem, Ace. We're a team, right?" Itsuka replied warmly.

"Yeah, a team," Ace agreed, feeling a sense of warmth and affection in his tone.. He was starting to feel more at home in this new world, thanks to friends like Itsuka.

Soon the two bowls of ramen arrived. Ace could smell the spicy ramen he ordered and the much more tame Miso Ramen that Itsuka ordered for herself. He took in the smell of both and smiled. "I think this is going to be an amazing meal," he declared as he picked up his chopsticks.

Itsuka also soon picked up her own as she smiled. "Let's dig in," Itsuka said, mirroring his enthusiasm.

Ace nodded as he took a bite, feeling the kick and spice of the ramen. It was amazing, and he loved the flavors. He took a second and third bite, relishing the challenge of eating such spicy food. He looked up at Itsuka, who had gotten a simple bowl of miso ramen.

Itsuka was also having fun but started to feel a bit nervous. This felt kind of like a date with the handsome, charismatic dark-haired teen. She wasn't sure how she felt about that, but she didn't dislike the idea of being in such a relationship. It was all new to her.

The meal came and went pretty quickly as they each enjoyed their food in a quiet, comfortable silence. "Ace, um, question—does this kind of count as a date?" Itsuka asked, unsure of herself for a moment.

"Not really, it's just a friend taking another friend out for a meal," Ace replied, pausing as he looked at her. "Not to say I would be against the idea of going on a date with you, but no, this isn't that."

"Good, I just felt like I needed to clarify that. This is a first for me," she admitted nervously, blushing a tiny bit at her own admission.

"Oh, I see. Well, it's fine. Let's just have as much fun and keep helping each other. We're kind of partners already, and I promise to help you out as much as you've helped me, Itsuka," Ace replied with his natural charisma shining through.

Itsuka smiled, feeling reassured. "Thanks, Ace. I'm glad we're on the same page. Let's finish up and head back."

"Yeah, let's get back. Wait, you're in the dorms too, Itsuka?" Ace asked, surprised by the fact.

"Yeah, I do. It's easier to stay in the dorm than to travel back and forth to school. I know not many students do, but it seems we both do," she replied, realizing now that he could come to study in her room as long as it was approved ahead of time.

As the pair left, there was an underlying tension between them as Ace had left the money for the meal. They walked until they came to a stop and heard two people talking about something. Ace looked over at Itsuka and moved closer, curious about the situation and what the issue was.

The two men were older gentlemen dressed up for the night, both seniors in age, and they didn't look happy at all.

"Kenta, did you hear that old Yubara's body went missing last night? They say someone stole his body right from the ground and disappeared with it," the taller slender man said to the shorter, stout man.

"Yeah, it's worrisome. They said a total of ten bodies were stolen from graves or went missing in the last week. The graves were disturbed," Kenta replied, annoyed and frustrated. "Who in their right mind would mess with the bodies of the dead, much less dig them up and steal them? How messed up do you have to be to do something like that? Bota, I think something is really wrong here."

Bota nodded, clearly disgusted by the fact. "I hope the cops take this seriously and get to the bottom of the case. I hate the idea that these people might try to steal some old friend of mine who has passed on and disturb their sleep."

"No kidding," Kenta commented with a sigh. "Well, let's get going, old friend. It's getting late."

A moment later, the two of them walked away in the opposite direction, leaving Itsuka and Ace standing there with the bit of information they had overheard. Ace blinked, looking at Itsuka. "I think this is something we should look into. Think you can help me find more information about this mystery, Itsuka?"

Itsuka nodded, her face determined. "Definitely. This sounds serious, and if it involves disturbing the dead, it's something we should investigate. Let's head back to the dorms and start looking into it."

Ace smiled, feeling a sense of purpose. "Great. Thanks, Itsuka. I knew I could count on you."

The two of them walked back with a sense of determination. The next morning, Itsuka looked up the news articles. The information was there: a number of bodies were stolen from graves. That by itself was really troublesome. As the old people noted, it was wrong.

However, as she looked at the various articles, she noticed something even more troubling. They weren't just stealing anybody; they were stealing the bodies of former heroes and heroines from their graves. There were a dozen that had been reported missing, with a few more that might qualify as stolen but had not been reported yet.

Itsuka started to make notes, writing down the names of the cemeteries and the times the bodies went missing. She found that most of the graves were stolen from two different graveyards. She noticed that two graveyards were next to each other, giving them a good area to watch. The limited notes she found also gave her an idea of the time: the bodies all seemed to go missing overnight when the security for both was very light. Unfortunately, there were no security cameras in the area to provide footage.

With the information in hand, Itsuka went to find Ace, hoping to talk to him about what she had found and figure out who was responsible. She hoped they would go out that night and scout the area. They had a rare day off the next day, a Monday, and could sleep in. It wasn't what the school would want, but she felt it was something that needed to be done.

Itsuka found Ace training himself as he practiced using his powers. Ace was pointing his fingers and firing bullets of fire at various targets in front of him. Watching his attack, Itsuka was as impressed as ever by Ace.

"Ace, I think this situation we overheard last night is serious. I think we should look into it and see if we can find out more," Itsuka said, wanting to make a difference and prevent the theft of the bodies. Her passion for this mission was obvious in both her face and tone.

"Really, that isn't good," Ace said as he stopped firing his fire bullets before he turned towards Itsuka. He wanted to help her and help prevent the issue that was coming forward. "Let's check it out. Do you have a plan?"

"The bodies are taken from two connecting cemeteries at night when it is easiest, so like midnight to three am, I am thinking," Itsuka replied with a serious tone to her voice. "We go and we scout it out and see if we can find anything. If we do, we take down the information so we can give it to the authorities. Then we can do our bit to help out."

"Sounds good. We can go and keep an eye out for them," Ace replied, thinking about how they could stop this rather vile crime. "We have to see this one through together. I guess we are going to need some sleep, or at least a nap to be alert at that hour."

"Sounds good, Ace. I will see you at 8. Have a quick dinner down here and then sneak out so we can find the best place to keep tabs on the cemetery?" Itsuka reasoned, giving more of her plan out to Ace.

"Yeah, works for me. See you then," Ace replied, confident they would figure this problem out.