Chapter 9: The Thrill of the Hunt

"Let's see, water and weed the garden, check. Clean the forge, check. Tan the hide, check. Ready two hatchets for delivery, check. Forge one steel war axe, greataxe, sword, greatsword, dagger, mace, a warhammer, and a set of rings and necklaces for class, check. And make the lunch boxes, check! Alright, looks like my chores are done, and with just enough time for my exercise routine."

"Hey big brother!" Nikolas called out as he ran over to me.

"Oh, hey Nix, what's up?"

"I just came to check on you. You woke up so early today that I was worried you didn't get any sleep."

"Well when you have a lot of chores to do, it's just something you have to do. Besides, it's only once a month that I have to wake up this early. Plus, we still have an hour before school starts, so I can relax after I finish my morning workout."

"Then… can I join you?"

"Sure, we can start with some stretches. Now, get into your stance just like I showed you. Stand up straight, feet at shoulder length and facing forward."

Nikolas and I spent the next half hour doing my usual routine. He wasn't able to keep up since he was still too young and because he wasn't used to such an intense workout, but I helped out as much as I could. After that, we went for a nice run which really helped wake him up.

"So, how are you feeling, Nix?"

"I feel good. Sorry I kept having to stop and rest."

"It's ok Nikolas. I was the same way when I was just a pup too. I couldn't keep up with dad for the longest time, but as I kept up with my daily training, I eventually got strong enough to do the same stuff he did. Now, I can make up my own routine and do things that not even dad can do."

"Really?"

"That's right! Just like I know you'll be able to do things that I can't. So hold your head up and work hard and you'll be surprised by what you can do."

Nikolas looked to the side as his face turned red. He must have felt really hopeful and even proud by what I said because I was able to smell his courage. He only gave off this scent when he was feeling like he could take on the world. Which of course meant he was going to ask me to do that!"

"Um, Alexander, do you think you could-"

"Hehe, you really like that song, huh?" sigh "Why not?"

Jeg vet at du er opprørt, du tror i dag var en katastrofe
(I know that your upset, you think today was a disaster)
Men ikke gi opp ennå, du vil vokse deg sterkere og raskere
(But don't give up just yet, you'll grow stronger and faster)

Jeg var en gang omtrent din størrelse, en liten valp, hvem ville ha gjettet?
(I was once about your size, a little pup, who would have guessed?)
Her er jeg nå og overrasker, jeg er en av de beste
(Here I am now and surprise, I'm one of the best)

Ta det fra meg, du vil lære, du vil vokse
(Take it from me, you'll learn, you'll grow)
Hold på drømmene dine, slipp aldri taket
(Hold onto your dreams, never let go)

Bare se inni deg, helten inni deg
(Just look within you, the hero inside)
Ingen grunn til bekymring, hold hodet opp med stolthet
(No need to worry, hold your head up with pride)

Tro på deg selv, ingen grunn til å gjemme seg
(Believe in yourself, no need to hide)
Det er der inni deg, helten din inni deg
(It's there within you, your hero inside)

Så løft labben høyt, fortell verden bare vent og se
(So raise your paw up high, tell the world just wait and see)
Jeg er bare en liten fyr, men det er ikke alt jeg kommer til å være
(I'm just a little guy, but that's not all I'm gonna be)

Ta det fra meg, du vil lære, du vil vokse
(Take it from me, you'll learn, you'll grow)
Hold på drømmene dine, slipp aldri taket
(Hold onto your dreams, never let go)

Bare se inni deg, helten inni deg
(Just look within you, the hero inside)
Ingen grunn til bekymring, hold hodet opp med stolthet
(No need to worry, hold your head up with pride)

Tro på deg selv, ingen grunn til å gjemme seg
(Believe in yourself, no need to hide)
Det er der inni deg, helten DIN INNI DEG
(It's there within you, your HERO INSIDE)

I kept singing that song for a while. Nikolas loved it so much that he'd probably make it his theme song if he could. I still remember the first time I sang it for him. It was back in the village after he tried helping with my chores, which he had some trouble with.

I wasn't disappointed, obviously, but

"So, how was that?"

"It was great. You could be a skald if you wanted."

"Hehe, I don't know about that, but I'm glad you liked it."

"I did, but, um… why are all those weapons over there?" Nikolas asked as he pointed to my handiwork.

"I'm taking them with me to class today since everyone wants to see the kinds of things I forge. If they like it, I may have some new customers soon."

"But, aren't they heavy?"

"Oh come one Nix," I said as I flexed my arm. "When are you gonna quit doubting me? I'm more than strong enough to carry all these. Otherwise I'd be a pretty sorry excuse for a blacksmith. Besides, I have a duffle bag ready and I know how to distribute their weight so they feel less than they are."

"Dis-tri-bute… weight?"

"You'll learn about it in class when you're older. For now though, we need to get ready for school, alright."

"Ok."

After saying goodbye to my family, I headed to school as quickly as I could. I wasn't running late or anything, but I really didn't want to run into Bakugou, especially after what happened yesterday. Luckily, it was dad's turn to take Nikolas to school, so I was able to leave home a little early.

As I walked up to the gate however, I realized that I might have been earlier than I expected. That's because, even though the gate was open, there wasn't anyone there, not even the school guards.

With that in mind, I decided to sniff the air to see if I could pick up any scents. I picked up the smell of cherry blossoms, several flowers, and the scent of the cedar wood and metal I used for the weapons.

"Hmm, no one's here?" I thought. " No, there has to be someone, otherwise the gate wouldn't be open."

It was a hard choice, but I decided to let go of some of my control over my nose. I would probably be overwhelmed if there were any strong scents in the area, but it was the only way to increase my range.

I took a deep breath before giving the air another whiff. As expected, I picked up a lot more than before, but most of the smells I got were natural smells, such as the scents of flowers, trees, and birds, which I was ok with.

That's when I caught the scent of something strange. It was the oddest thing I've ever smelled. Whatever I was smelling, it had the scent of a mouse, a dog, and bear. At first, I thought it was just some animals hanging out in the same general area, but no, the mixed scent was coming from the same spot. What's more, it was coming from behind the school.

Curious, I took back my control over my nose and honed in on the strange scent. I followed it for a bit and ended up at one of the school's training fields. When I got close enough to the source, I hid behind some of the trees and went into 'hunter' mode. It wasn't like I was planning on doing anything, but whenever I treated something like I was hunting it, it made it easier to find.

I continued to 'hunt' for another minute before I finally found what I was looking for. Right in the middle of the field, was the strangest creature I'd ever seen admiring the cherry blossoms.

It was small, about the size of an elementary schooler. Though, Nikolas might be a little bit taller. It stood upright like a human, even though it was the furthest thing from. It was also well dressed in what looked like a custom suit and tan colored boots.

As for its body, it had white fur covering it like me, but its fur was a lot shorter than mine. The creature also had the small ears and eyes of a bear with a large scar going over its left eye. Its face was a mix between that of a mouse and a dog and its hands, or rather, paws, were mouse-like and it had a mouse's tail too.

As I watched the strange being, I felt this strange urge to chase it. Not to hurt it of course, just chase it. Like… play with it, which I thought was weird. Still, the fact that I felt that way meant that I didn't sense any danger from it, so I decided to approach it.

"Hey! Who are you and what are you doing here?"

The creature turned its head when it heard my call. I partially expected it to be taken aback at the sight of me since that tends to be the normal reaction. What I didn't expect however, was for it to smile as it waved to me.

"Ahh, hello there. I must say, I wasn't expecting a student to be here so early," the creature said with a very friendly voice.

"And I wasn't expecting to run into um… who are you exactly? Also, what are you? I don't mean to offend, but you have a very strange scent. It's like a mix of different animal scents."

"Hehehe, No worries, I get that all the time. Not the thing about the different scents, the question about what I am. Truth be told, I think you're the first one to ever tell me what my scent is like."

"Well, you know what they say, there's a first time for everything. That said, I'd still like to know who you are."

"Ah, forgive me. Despite the fact that I know a great deal about you Alexander, I had completely forgotten that we've never met in person."

"You… know a lot about me?"

"Of course, it is my job to know about all the students given that I am the school principal."

"You're the school principal?"

"Yes! Principal Nezu at your service! I run this fine institution and while I haven't been keeping up with all your activities, I was present during the entrance exam."

"You were?"

"Of course, what kind of principle would I be if I didn't? What's more, I've heard a great deal about you from Mr. Aizawa. I must admit, it was surprising to hear him say good things about you."

"Mr. Aizawa… had good things to say… about me? Are you sure you're talking about the right teacher?"

"Hahaha! Yes, I'm sure. Though, your skepticism is understandable given how he is. Of course, even if he didn't, I knew you were right for this school. Truth be told, I've had my eye on you for a while now. During the exam, you showed a great deal of promise and have continued to do so."

"Thank you sir. I'm glad I'm able to keep up with your expectations."

"That's all we ask of you. Now, while I have you, I was hoping we could chat for a bit. You may not realize this, but you are the only foreigner in this school. On top of that, you managed to take the top spot and have continued to maintain it, which is no small feat. Then there's the fact that you have two quirks, both of which are very versatile. So to say you caught my attention is an understatement."

"Th-Thank you sir. That's very kind of you to say."

I felt really embarrassed by Principle Nezu's compliments. Normally I'd be fine, but I was taken off guard when I found out who he was. There was also the fact that I was currently fighting my instincts to chase him, which only made things even more difficult.

"Are you alright Alexander? You seem rather tense.

"Oh, well…" Sigh "I'm sorry sir. It's just that ever since I saw you, I've had the urge to chase you. I'm sorry, it's just my instincts at work."

"Chase me?" The small creature said with a smile as he tilted his head. "Are you saying you want to eat me?"

"No! Not at all sir! I just want to, you know, play with you."

"Oh, you mean you want to 'play' chase. Well, why not? We still have some time before first period and I could use the exercise."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course! The track field is right over there and it's a good way to get the blood pumping first thing in the morning. Though, I should warn you that despite the fact that my quirk is one of intelligence, I'm very light on my feet."

"Is that right? Well, I hate to break it to you, but when it comes to chase, I always win!

"Hahaha, is that so? Well then, how about we make it interesting. I will give you fifteen laps to catch me. If you are able to do so, then I will give you a recommendation for any hero agency of your choosing."

"Are you serious?"

"Of course! That said however, if I manage to evade you, then you will work under me for the remainder of the month. I will have you do anything and everything that needs to be done around the school from paperwork to janitorial cleanup. So, do we have a deal."

"Hmm, quite the consequences for losing, but alright, I'll take your challenge!"

"Hahahaha! That's the spirit! I must say, it's quite refreshing to see a student with such confidence. Usually when I mention anything that has to do with janitor work, the students back down immediately."

"Well, I'm so stranger to cleaning. Besides, with a reward like that on the line, I'd be a fool not to pass up such an opportunity."

"Very good. So then, let us begin."

I followed Principle Nezu to the track and after giving him a ten second head start, the hunt was on. After not being able to catch him after five laps, I realized he really was a lot faster than he looked, but I wasn't about to give up.

With each lap, I got faster and faster as the thrill got my heart racing. My senses became focused and sharpened, and I could feel the blood in my veins burning with excitement. Mentally, I knew this was just a game, but my body and my instincts treated it like a hunt and I loved every moment of it.

We were on the tenth lap when I was right on top of my principle and ready to end our game. Before I could though, Principle Nezu got down on all fours and rushed forward with a huge burst of speed. I was surprised by this, but I still had no intention of losing. This was 'Chase' after all, which meant this game was mine to win!

I got down on all fours myself and ran at a speed that would make both Seteth and Iida jealous. By the twelfth lap, I was gaining on Principle Nezu. He was only a few feet away from me and I could feel the anticipation within every fiber of my being.

My fangs and claws sharpened as they shook with excitement. So much so that if I hadn't been in control, I might've actually eaten the small creature. Luckily, I was suppressing the desire to eat him far better than I thought I would. Instead, I mentally changed the desire from eating him to just capturing him, which still had the same effect on my body.

It was now the final lap and I could tell Principle Nezu was truly giving it his all. I started thinking of him as a worthy rival, which awakened my competitive side. As an Alpha, I had to constantly show my strength and prove I was a worthy leader. So when I saw my teacher as a rival, the desire to beat him mixed with my other desires, causing my body to flow with power.

It was now the home stretch, meaning it was my last chance to prove myself, and I wasn't going to waste it! I smashed my foot on the ground and launched myself into the air with all my might.

Principle Nezu must have been surprised by this maneuver, because when he looked up at me, his eyes widened. As I stared down at him, our eyes locked and I could tell we both knew what this meant. I WON!

I ended up falling on top of the small creature, Although, thanks to the momentum, it was more like a full body tackle. As we crashed to the ground, I wrapped my arms around Principle Nezu and held him as tightly as possible. This helped cushion his fall, but I was more focused on actually capturing him to notice.

huff "I…" huff "did it."

I CAUGHT PRINCIPLE NEZU!"

"AWWRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

I let out the biggest howl I could muster as I held the school principal over my head in triumph. I was breathing so heavily, but I didn't care. This was my moment of victory! I was so happy that I continued to run around while my tail wagged with absolute joy.

"Hahaha! If that doesn't wake the city up, I don't think anything will!" Principle Nezu said with a cheer as he enjoyed the free ride I was giving him.

The two of us kept laughing for a bit before we heard a familiar voice addressing us.

"Um… what am I looking at here exactly?"

We turned our heads and saw Mr. Aizawa giving us a strange look.

"Alexander, why are you carrying around Principle Nezu like that? Also, what are you doing out here and why did you howl like that? You realize class starts in five minutes, right?"

I looked up and Principle Nezu who in turn looked down at me. Our eyes locked for a moment before we both let out a big hearty laugh, much to Mr. Aizawa's confusion.

The day hadn't even started yet, and it was already the funnest day we'd ever had.