Chapter 15: The USJ: Part 1
"Ugg…"
"Is something wrong Alexander? That's the third time you groaned since we got on the bus."
"I'm sorry Tokoyami, I'm just so frustrated. We're about to learn more about rescue missions, and I hate it."
Tokoyami raised an eyebrow at me.
"Why would you be upset about that? I thought you of all people would be excited about this."
"Normally I would, but I just haven't been able to get this technique I've been trying down and it's making it hard to get excited about anything. What's more, today's lesson is reminding me of the stupid thing since it would have been perfect for whatever rescue mission they're having us do."
"Really?" Tokoyami asked what I assumed was interest, but couldn't tell because of his stoic demeanor. "May I ask what this technique of yours is?"
"Sure. It's a way to heal people using water. My mom said that since I have the ability to purify water, I have what's necessary to learn how to heal."
"That's rather impressive considering how rare healers are," a voice said across from me and Tokoyami.
I turned my head and saw Seteth, Izuku, Kamanari and Tsu staring at me. Izuku had stars in his eyes.
I knew it was Seteth who spoke, so I gave him a nod with a forced smile.
"I guess so, but what would be more impressive was if I could actually do it. Right now, I can't even fix a simple cut or bruise. At most, I can cure people of poisons and remove foreign substances from their bodies, which even has mom confused since that's supposed to be harder to do."
Everyone's eyes went wide at that.
"The only other good thing that came out of my studies was that I know as much about the human body as a certified nurse. I also know how to use medicinal plants to make medicine and can get the most out of a standard medical kit. I could probably qualify as a field medic if I wanted to, but I honestly just want to get this damnable technique down."
I really couldn't stand feeling this way. I knew that it took a lot of time and practice to get something right. Hell, it took me months before I could use most of my go to water abilities, but this felt so different.
It was so much more frustrating than normal, and I honestly wanted to rip my fur out in aggravation. Of course, my body just had to mimic my mood and with my fur fizzling and my tail standing up, I probably looked like I was ready to kill someone.
After letting out a sigh and taking a second to regain my composure, I looked at my friends. Their jaws were on the floor. I looked around and to my surprise, all of class 1-A were staring at me with more or less the same expression. Even Mr. Aizawa was looking at me with slightly widened eyes, but from interest, shock, or disbelief, I couldn't say. That man was still an enigma.
I ended up awkwardly fiddling with my right ear from the situation I was in and my tail started twitching. I really didn't understand why they were looking at me like that. Wasn't it normal for someone in our chosen profession to have, at the very least, first-aid training?
"Um… is what I said really that surprising? I told all of you before that my mom makes medicine and that she works in a hospital. I also told you that I came from a war-torn country and that I learned how to survive in the wild."
"Y-Yea you did," Kaminari said with a shaky voice. "But you never told us you were practically a nurse."
"I never said I was one. I said that I knew as much as one when it comes to the human body. I don't have their training or experience. Sure, I could identify poisons and cure them, but I wouldn't know how to properly treat things like jungle fever or parasitic infections. You'd be way better off with an actual nurse than me. That's why I said I could be a field medic and not a nurse."
"What's the difference?" Yaoyorozu asked as she raised her hand, like we were in class.
"A field medic is someone who treats people on the site of an emergency and stabilizes you until they can get you to a hospital. A nurse typically works in hospitals and has more medical knowledge than a field medic. They can give you a more detailed examination and give you the proper treatment and medicine by using the information they got from the field medic."
"Basically, a field medic keeps you alive and does the groundwork needed for proper treatment and a nurse takes it from there. So, I guess you could say my job would be to make sure you don't die until you get to a hospital. If I wanted to go down that route I mean."
"Th-That's incredible!" Izuku practically shouted as he jotted something down in his notebook. "You're definitely right about a mission like this being the perfect test run for your healing technique. Between the possibility of natural disasters and collapsing buildings, an ability like that would be more valuable than having ten heroes on the scene!"
"Maybe, but like I said, I still can't do it. Honestly, it would have been better if Wynn was joining us."
"Mmm, Wynn is that lemur kid from the support class, right?" Tsu asked.
"Yea, you should know him since you've joined us for lunch a couple of times already."
"Oh I know, I'm just wondering why you'd want Wynn here."
"Wynn may be in the support class, but he's also studying to be a doctor. He can already heal deep cuts and fractured bones thanks to his gadgets. He can create barriers and has tools that can enhance our quirks. He even told me that he's working on more advanced prosthetics and artificial organs. I'm dead serious when I say that he'd be the star of today's lesson, if he had joined us."
Everyone's eyes practically jumped out of their skulls when I told them this. Everyone except Mr. Aizawa who looked like he was in deep thought about something.
I didn't know it at the time, but would later find out that what I said struck a chord with him. However, that's a story for another day. Right now, my classmates were starting to look at the support class in a different light, which is something I was hoping for.
We spent the rest of the bus ride talking about various topics, from our own training regimens to everyone asking me more about the weapons I've forged. Time went by so fast that we didn't notice that we made it to our destination. Thankfully, Mr. Aizawa did, and he ushered us out of the bus.
After getting off, I couldn't help but stare at the huge building in front of me. It looked like one of those giant sports arenas that's used for the Olympics.
"Hello everyone! Glad to see you all made it!"
I turned my head towards a feminine voice I had not heard before and saw someone dressed like an astronaut. I wasted no time in remembering their scent despite being somewhat far away and it was interesting to say the least.
Her scent told me she was a female, and it was similar to Uraraka's in a way. Like my classmate, she smelled like stardust, but instead of the hint of peaches, she smelled like minerals. Granite, pyrite, iron, nickel, limestone, and several geodes were all present in her scent. I couldn't help but think that she was either a geologist or she worked underground, which was strange given her costume.
I was about to ask her, but before I could get a word out, Izuku rushed past me so fast that I thought he was Iida.
"Y-You're Thirteen, the space hero! I've read all about you and followed your career for a while now. You're one of the most famous rescue heroes in all of Japan!"
My ears perked up at this and I felt my tail jump. I didn't actually know of her. Maybe it's because I'm not from here, but it was still exciting to meet such a famous pro hero. Still, Izuku called her the 'space hero' which didn't line up with her scent at all. Although, it did explain her outfit. My best guess was that it had something to do with her quirk.
I would've asked her, from the way she was waving her hand in embarrassment, I decided not to.
"Now, now, there is no need to exaggerate. It's true that I am well known, but calling me one of the most famous heroes is pushing it a bit. Anyway, welcome students. This building is known as the Unforeseen Simulation Joint or USJ for short."
"That's just like Universal Studios Japan," Kirishima whispered to me.
"What's Universal Studios Japan?"
"Are you kidding me dude? Have you never been to Universal Studios Japan?"
"Kirishima, I've only been in Japan for a few months and I spent those months either here in school or getting ready for it. There's a lot of things I haven't done yet."
"Oh… right. Sorry man, I keep forgetting you're a foreigner. But I guess you just fit in with us so well that it's not even noticeable."
"Um… thanks?"
"Alexander, Kirishima, are you two listening?"
"Sorry Mr. Aizawa, Kirishima was just explaining something to me."
Mr. Aizawa just looked at us with his tired eyes and I'd be lying if I said it didn't creep me out a little. It wasn't intimidating, to me anyway, but his eyes were just so tired looking that he honestly looked like he hadn't slept a day in his life. Of course, considering he naps in class while we do our work, I highly doubt that. He's always sleeping.
That's when Thirteen cleared her throat, getting our attention.
"As I was saying. The USJ is a facility that simulates every kind of natural disaster in all of recorded human history. From tsunamis, to blizzards, to earthquakes, any kind of disaster you can think of we can create. We will be using this facility to train you in the proper procedures in what to do during such times."
We all nodded our heads before following Thirteen inside.
To say I was amazed would've been an understatement. The second I saw what the USJ was like, I was absolutely gobsmacked. Not only was it huge, it made everything else in Japan look rustic by comparison. I've honestly never seen anything so technologically advanced.
The entire building was made up of a single room that was divided into sections, with each one having an ongoing disaster. The walls looked so sturdy that I doubt an actual earthquake could break them and there were panels and cameras everywhere.
Then of course there were the machines that created the disasters. I've never been that good with technology, but even I could tell each one had a super computer running it. Honestly, the people working here could've been working for NASA if they wanted to.
That said, I'm ashamed to admit that my canine instincts got the better of me. Instead of listening to Thirteen's speech about how this place worked, I found myself just staring and sniffing at everything.
It was like looking at a flag or a moving neon sign. Just as their repetitive moments capture my attention, this place had me practically hypnotized. It wasn't until Thirteen finished her speech that I finally regained enough of my senses to realize something was wrong.
Sniff sniff
"Mr. Aizawa, Thirteen, there are a lot of scents coming from the middle of the facility. Scents that weren't there before."
"What do you mean?" Thirteen asked me with what I could only assume was confusion since her helmet hid her face.
"He means we have intruders," Mr. Aizawa answered. "Everyone, get ready to run.
"You believe me?"
"Of course I do. You've already proven yourself reliable with those senses of yours. Plus, unlike a certain idiot I know, you aren't one to make a giant scene just to get some attention. So yea, I think I'll take your word for it."
"Oh… um… that's good."
"Hey Alexander, your tail's wagging," Kirishima said with a laugh.
"Kirishima, they will never find your body!"
Before I could do my god given duty of brutally and viciously putting my red-haired classmate into the ground with extreme prejudice, a huge portal opened in the center of the building. Within seconds, the whole area was flooded with what I would later find out were low tier villains.
"Well, look at what we have here," a new voice said from the back of the mob.
We turned towards the voice and saw a kid with teal hair who looked to be about the same age as us walking out of the portal.
The kid was wearing a black shirt, black baggy pants, and a black cloak on. He had what I could only assume were wand props gripping his shoulders, upper arms, forearms, and the top of his head. He was also wearing a mask in the shape of a hand as well.
"Looks like we have some wannabe heroes."
His voice was high pitched and gravelly. It was the voice of someone who hadn't talked in a long time. Just hearing it made me want to clear my throat or drink some water.
"Kurogiri, it looks like you were right about a bunch of UA students being here. But I don't see Almight anywhere."
Kurogiri wasn't a name I recognized. What's more, I couldn't tell who the kid was talking to because of all the villains standing around him. It wasn't until the portal closed and took a humanoid form that I realized who he was talking to.
The being had somehow manifested a set of clothes that showed him to be a man. A man made entirely out of a strange purple vapor, but a man nonetheless.
He wore a white, long sleeved dress shirt under a dark green sleeveless button up vest, black dress pants, black dress shoes, and a dark green tie. He also had a large metal brace around his neck. He honestly looked like a high-class butler or one of those guys that runs the bar at a high-end restaurant.
"Indeed. It seems our quarry hasn't arrived yet. It's possible he's made a few stops on the way here. No rest for the weary as they say… Still, we would do well to stay vigilant master Shigaraki. After all, we are in the presence of some very powerful pro heroes."
The man's voice was the opposite of the boys. It was deep and smooth and carried an air of sophistication. Of course, it did little to hide the fact that he was the real threat. The fact that his quirk was strong enough to create a portal that allowed an army of villains to get in here pretty much proved it.
"This isn't good," Mr. Aizawa said in a quiet, serious voice. "Thirteen, take the students and go for help. I'll stay here and deal with these guys."
"By yourself? Are you insane?! I know you're strong, but your quirk isn't made for dealing with large groups."
"That's true, but I have more than just my quirk to work with. Besides, between the two of us, I have much more experience dealing with villains."
"Even so, I've dealt with my fair share of villains. My quirk could at the very least thin the herd."
"Yes, along with damaging most of the building. Your quirk is too dangerous to try and use on a large group like this."
While the teachers were arguing, I kept an eye on the villains to make sure they didn't get too close to us. It was while I was watching them that I felt something behind me and immediately jumped forward. I turned around and saw the yellow glowing eyes of Kurogiri.
"It's a shame that these two pro heroes have absolutely no manners between them. We graciously came to visit, and you choose to ignore us? My, my, what is this world coming to?"
"How'd he get behind us?" Todoroki asked in shock before taking a ready stance.
"Doesn't matter! He made a mistake coming after us alone!" Kirishima yelled before charging at the portal user along with Kaminari and Sero.
"Idiots!"
I all but howled at the morons who actually thought it was a good idea to attack an unknown enemy head on.
That's when the vapor man opened another portal in front of them. They ran inside the portal only to be dropped on top of us. That seemed to be the signal because as soon as we all went down, the villains attacked.
I managed to regain my senses just in time to see Mr. Aizawa jump straight at the oncoming mob. He then proceeded to take out one enemy after the other with extreme efficiency. I watched in awe as he used a combination of his scarf, quirk, and martial arts to decimate the opposition.
After getting up, we readied ourselves to join the fight only to see Korogiri getting ready to open up another portal. Before he could, a hatch that was at the end of Thirteen's right index finger opened and started sucking the man in like a vacuum cleaner.
"What's that?"
"That's Thirteen's quirk, 'Black Hole'!" Izuku cheered with stars in his eyes.
"Izuku, now's not the time to be star struck!"
I was about to bring the green-haired boy back to reality when Thirteen suddenly let out a scream. When I turned to see what was wrong, my eyes grew wide in horror. The space hero was being torn apart by her own quirk thanks to a portal opening behind her.
My blood froze at the gruesome sight. My tail began to fizzle, my ears started to jerk, and my fur stood on end. Memories of what I had gone through back home raced through my mind as I watched the pro hero fall down in a heap. As another portal formed under us and a new fight began, I remembered something that would stay with me forever.
I remembered what it was like to fight for my life.