Ace got up and headed to meet with Nezu once again. He was going to be given more details about where he would end up as a student in the academy. He knew that there were a few classes, and which one he would end up in was a bit of a mystery for him. He pushed himself out of bed and headed to meet with the principal, wearing the proper uniform as he walked into the office.
Nezu, the small yet incredibly intelligent principal of U.A. Academy, greeted him with a warm smile. "Welcome back, Ace. Please, have a seat."
Ace sat down and looked at the folder in front of him. It seemed the spot that the police of the city had secured for him was in Class 1-B of the academy. He had no clue what that meant as he looked up at Nezu.
"Sir, um, this is the information on my class, correct?" Ace asked, looking at the number and letter on the folder before him.
Nezu nodded, his eyes twinkling with wisdom. "Yes, that's correct, Ace. You have been placed in Class 1-B. It's one of our two first-year hero classes."
Ace frowned slightly, still unsure. "What does that mean exactly? Is there a difference between the classes?"
"At UA, there are two classes, there is Class 1-A and 1-B. Now, both of them are very important classes, they are here to train the next generation of heroes," Nezu explained as he leaned back in his chair, pressing his paws together. "While 1-A often gets more attention, that doesn't mean they are better. 1-B is just as important and has its own unique strengths. You'll be in excellent hands with your homeroom teacher, Vlad King."
Ace nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. "Alright, I understand. Thank you, sir."
Nezu's smile widened. "I have no doubt you will thrive in Class 1-B, Ace. Your abilities are remarkable, and your experience, though fragmented, will serve you well here. Do you have any other questions or concerns?"
Ace shook his head. "No, I think that's it for now. I just want to do my best and learn as much as I can."
"Good, I am glad to hear that," Nezu responded as he gave Ace an encouraging smile. "At the same time, plaese remember, that if you ever need help or have questions, my door is always open, and I am here to help."
For Ace, this was nice to hear the supportive tone told him that he was in the right place. "Thank you, Principal Nezu. I won't let you down."
Ace walked out of the academy and went for a walk. As he walked, he saw some information on his fellow students but wasn't sure what to make of it. The rating system was unknown to him, so there wasn't anything he could wrap his mind around. He did read a few notes about the first day and what to expect, but it was rather light reading. Returning to his dorm, he put his folder away before heading out again. Ace wasn't the type to sit and wait the last couple of days till the exam. That would be rather boring, and he wanted to learn more about this new home and see more things.
Ace headed out in a different direction that day, curious about what he would find. He wanted to see more of this world than he had so far. He figured the more he knew of it, the more he would understand his place in it and how to be a hero. It still wasn't a term he felt comfortable saying about himself, but his free spirit loved the idea of exploring the city around the academy. This day, he walked up on a construction yard where they were working on a home.
"Hey, need some help?" Ace called out, wanting to get some work in. He figured that helping with construction would be a good way to do physical training while also being productive. It would make his work more meaningful than just basic stuff around the campus.
A burly construction worker looked up from his work, wiping sweat from his brow. "You offering to help, kid? We could always use an extra pair of hands. You got any experience?"
Ace shook his head. "Not really, but I'm a quick learner and strong. Just tell me what to do."
The worker chuckled and nodded. "Alright, we could use some muscle. Grab those bricks over there and start stacking them over here."
Ace went right to work, helping stocking bricks when needed, using his fire power to help in whatever ways you could. He learned a lot about how the building he was helping with as he helped put it together. His information was based on what he was being told by the people he worked with. He was having fun, working his hands was good. He felt productive and the burn of his muscles while working was something he wanted to feel and was glad to be experiencing.
As he worked, he made a good impression on the workers, not only because of his stamina, and strength, but also his determination and politeness as he worked. Ace spent the whole day working with them allowing them to get far more done than they would normally. Ace was given some money by the burly foreman at the end of the day.
"Thanks for the help, kid," the foreman said, clapping Ace on the back. "You're welcome to come back anytime. We could always use someone with your work ethic."
Ace smiled, feeling a warmth that had nothing to do with his powers. "Thanks, I might just do that. It was good work. Plus it is a good way to make sure I keep in shape too," he reasoned. Though he figured when school started the odds were he wouldn't have time to do this type of thing because he would have more school to focus on.
Ace appreciated one nice thing about being back at the academy: he could eat as much as he wanted, and the food was free. Plus, it was so good. He filled up and went to bed early, planning for the next couple of days. He figured he had one more day to work before school started, then one day to relax and maybe spend the money he earned on things for his dorm room.
The next day, Ace found the construction crew again and got to work. Feeling more confident, he accomplished a lot more than he had the first day. He got a good payment for his work and a great workout from lifting and moving items, building, and even doing some welding with his own fire powers. He worked with the same group again and promised that if he had a chance in the future, he would help them out.
That night, after a meal, Ace put his money in a safe place in his dorm, setting aside some for shopping the next day. He planned to get more casual clothes, items to personalize his dorm, and food for late-night cravings.
Ace woke up the next day, ready to go. He took half the money he had made and put it in his pocket, heading out into town. His first stop was to find some more casual clothes for when he wasn't at school, as he only had a few school uniforms at the moment. Next, he wanted to find items to personalize his dorm, making it feel more like home. Lastly, he needed some food for late-night cravings so he could eat without having to go to the cafeteria at some ungodly hour of the night.
The streets were very busy that day as people were out and about, shopping some deals for the week. Walking into the clothing store, Ace was confronted with the sheer amount of options before him. There were so many styles and colors to pick from. He moved from area to area looking at clothes and picking out a few shirts, shorts, and pants that he best felt fit his style. He also found an extra pair of boots at a good deal too. He purchased them and left the store.
Next, he headed to get some items for his dorm. As he walked, he noticed something—or rather, someone—was following him. He waved it off and slipped into the decor store to get a few things that would fit his room. He didn't end up getting much: a poster, a blanket, and an extra pillow. Nothing too expensive, as he figured he could look harder for better items later on.
As he walked out, he felt the presence again and headed to the grocery store. He stopped and turned to find what had been following him the whole time. It turned out to be a simple stray cat: an orange kitten with darker orange stripes. The little guy rubbed against his leg.
Ace paused, looking around and wondering if he should do anything with the cat. He moved it away from the street and went into the grocery store, buying some light snacks and a bit of cat treat. He expected the cat to be gone by the time he exited the building, but it wasn't. The cat was sitting there, waiting for him. He gave the cat the treat, and it let out a meow before rubbing against his hand. Ace felt a bit defeated, realizing this cat was going to follow him everywhere. He picked it up in one hand and carried it along with his other goods.
Ace put down his items in his dorm before taking the little orange kitten to the only person he knew he could talk to: Principal Nezu. Walking into the office, he addressed Nezu. "Sir, it seems I have to make a small request. I found this cat during my travels, and it seems to want to stay with me. I guess I should ask what I can do in this situation. Of course, I will take care of it if allowed."
Nezu looked at the kitten in Ace's hands and then back at Ace. "A cat, you say?" Nezu tilted his head, considering. "We don't typically allow pets in the dorms, but this is a unique situation. If you take full responsibility for it and ensure it doesn't become a distraction, I think we can make an exception. Just be sure to keep it well-behaved and out of trouble."
Ace nodded, relieved. "Thank you, sir. I'll make sure to take good care of it."
Ace dropped off the cat before heading back into town to buy supplies for it. It wasn't hard to find the necessary items, but as he shopped, he wondered why the cat had decided to follow him around. He returned home a bit later, setting out the food and water bowls, as well as the litter box. Taking care of the cat would require extra work, but it gave him someone to be around—another heartbeat in his room. That wasn't a bad thing at all.
Ace looked at the cat and thought through some names, letting each one sit on his tongue for a moment. Each name came and went, and he couldn't think of a definitive one that was just right until the name "Spade" came to mind. He felt that somehow this name was connected to a moment in his past, but he wasn't sure. "Spade," he said as he looked at the cat. It wasn't a normal name, but it worked well enough. He tapped the bed, and the cat jumped up, climbing onto him as if Ace were part of its property. Ace just petted the cat as he relaxed for a moment. He then remembered he had forgotten dinner, so he heated up one of the instant cups of ramen and ate quickly.
After finishing his meal, he set aside his stuff for the first day of school the following day. He knew it was going to be a big day, where he would have to meet new people and find his place in the academy. As he finished up, he got into bed to get a good night's sleep. Spade found his way to sleep right by Ace's feet, curled up on the bed and claiming its spot for the night.
