"Given this year's circumstances, I hope you all can understand why it'd be inappropriate of me to show you your analytics from the U.A. Battle Royale!" A couple of days later, just after Aizawa had addressed his class and the students settled into their seats, he properly began going over the results and implementing his constructive criticisms as simply as possible so that each student could understand their mistakes.
"If it's any consolation, your previous experience both during training and on the field has given you a significant advantage in regards to placements, so be thankful most of you are with heroes you've already studied under. As for you four," Aizawa conveyed regarding the international students while walking between the second row of desks.
"Uh- y-yeah?" Arjan stuttered.
"Principal Nezu wants to see you."
"-Are we in trouble?" Innocently asked Javier.
"N-No, no, nothing like that!" Vlad fretted, "He just wants to see you to discuss your work training, that's all."
"-Shouldn't we've seen Principal Nezu before class, then?" Questioned Chelsea as she secured her braid to her head.
"I sincerely apologize. We teachers were only informed about the exchange earlier this morning." Reported Class 3-A's homeroom teacher.
"Ah, don't worry, we'll be back here before you know it! Yallah!" Bassam chimed.
As the four of them got up from their seats and exited the classroom, they were surprised to see the rest of the international students waiting for them outside their door.
"What took youse so long?" Chortled Mickey.
"Oh no, you weren't waiting long, were you?" Asked Fatima.
"Nah, they're just messing with you," Yemi responded, bumping against Mickey with her elbow, "we just got here ourselves."
"So, has anyone else had to see their principal for their internships or-"Estelle beckoned from Ximena's tail, sitting along Mickey and Javier as they began heading towards Principal Nezu's office.
"Under our circumstances, it's possible we may have to take more steps to receive our paperwork, or perhaps there was some sort of mix-up." Articulated Omar.
"Guess that makes sense." Commented Arjan.
"I hope it's not anything bad," Ximena muttered.
"Principal Nezu? We're here." Keali'i called out, knocking on the door before entering.
The twelve students entered his office and gathered in the middle of the room as he was nowhere to be seen, and his desk was empty.
"Hola?" Javier peeped.
"Ah, yes, hello!" Nezu shouted, sounding as though he was out of breath. The short creature climbed up onto his chair with a huff and then clasped his hands together, "Sorry about that. I was arranging some things. Now, I want to thank you for coming here on such short notice in regards to your internships."
"Is there a problem?" Asked Yemi.
"Well, how do I put this...You see, we had integrated tight systems before initiating The International Rising Heroes Championship to make sure no issues would come up during your abroad studies, including your internships. Apparently, after viewing your performances during the U.A. Battle Royale," Nezu leaned over in his chair, struggling to bring up overflowing folders and stacking them in front of the students, "the Pro Heroes of Japan were so impressed by your actions that nearly every hero in Tokyo applied for each of you."
After placing the last folder on top of the stack, the desk cracked in half under the weight and frightened the international students.
"As you can imagine, these so-called professionals have decided they were no longer going to follow set regulations and fight over you like bargain bin deals. So, to make things much easier for all of you-"Nezu grabbed a small stack of colorful folders much neater and shorter than the ones scattered everywhere, handing the stack to Shelby who took the initiative to hand them out to everyone.
"I've personally gone through and narrowed down lists of heroes and organized them according to those closest to each of your quirks and skill sets."
As everyone took their labeled folders, they flipped through the pages with concerned and confused expressions;
"Um, Principal Nezu," Fatima softly voiced, "while we're more than grateful for your efforts to make things easier-"
"'Ow the hell are we supposed to choose an agency when we don't even know who any of these bastards are?!" Groaned Mickey, twisting and turning the folder as pages folded down like a centerfold and then out like a map.
"Take this as a perfect opportunity to get more acquainted with your peers- use this time to talk with other students and get their insight on heroes you're most curious about, and I suppose if you're looking for some real dirt, you could persuade your teachers." Nezu nonchalantly suggested.
After meeting with Principal Nezu about their internships, the international students spent the entire day figuring out which hero agency they were going to go with and spend the week at, but some of them found themselves more frustrated than satisfied with their options.
Fatima sighed, "Why do I feel like I'm left choosing an agency by throwing a dart and going wherever it lands?" She leaned over her desk and rested her chin gently on the desktop.
"You'd think that by studying in another country, there'd be heroes with your same quirk," Chelsea remarked, twirling a strand of her hair with her index finger.
Outside, near the P.E. Grounds, "I never imagined there'd be so many reptile heroes here!" Ximena overwhelmingly noted out loud as she flipped through the pages of her folders.
"Same with mineral heroes. I thought this was supposed to be easier?" Replied Estelle.
"At least youse got heroes like you!" Ranted Mickey, throwing their folder up in the air in frustration.
"Weren't there a few you decided on after talking to those third years?"
"I guess? 'Thinkin' I might fossick some more good oil- no way I wanna come a guster 'ere."
"Aw man, I can't wait to dive into the Pacific! Just thinking about all the new creatures I'll find and the snacks I'll get to munch on- I can hardly wait!" Bassam excitedly broadcasted as his side head fins wiggled gleefully, walking along the landscape island wall with his arms held out to his side for balance.
"Seems like a happy coincidence that we're studying abroad on an island." Beamed Omar behind his mask.
"Too bad you couldn't pair with, what was his name again, Best Jeanist? You two practically have the same quirks!"
"It's unfortunate, but if his injuries were as severe as they said they were, then his recovery is far more important."
"That's true, and Javi-"Both Bassam and Omar turned their attention behind them, where Javier was lingering a few feet away from them, a pessimistic aura surrounding his person.
"Don't tell me you're still worried- you're going to be fine!"
"It's one thing to be picked by Japan's number one hero. It's another to find out he's known for being conceded, intimidating, and even rude! He's gonna make a pichanga out of me!"
"While that may be true, you've also heard testimonies that he's improving himself as a hero; although you have every right to be nervous, perhaps you are overthinking things."
"Omar's right, and besides, you don't have to go with him if you don't want to! I'm sure there's plenty of other fiery heroes to choose from!"
Javier stood there in silence for a moment before emitting a high-pitched whine that devolved into muffled cries once his face made contact with Omar's chest. Omar and Bassam looked at each other- confused about what he had said that made Javier react like that.
"Hey Shelby," Keali'i whispered from behind his book, ducking down in his desk to hide himself, "you decide who you're going to go with yet?"
"I think so- I mean, there was only Mirko and one other hero I was going to go with-"As Shelby peeked over the top of her book, Present Mic had written 'Please pick me!' on the board in English for the students to repeat out loud, shooting out double finger guns while looking in her direction, "and I don't have it in me to break his heart."
"Speaking of making inevitable choices, are you going with you-know-who?" Arjan whispered to Keali'i.
"Don't even mention him." He sighed, "As much as I don't want to, I feel I don't have much of a choice. Besides, I'll never hear the end of it if I don't."
"You don't know how it's gonna go," Yemi followed up in a hushed tone of voice, "maybe things are different now."
Keali'i groaned as he let his head slump forward, slamming his forehead against his desk top before the open book fell against his head and slid off and back onto the desk.
Within the past few days, discomfort inside 1-A's living quarters had relaxed as the energy once housed before the international students' arrival slowly restored itself; students were no longer on edge at the sight or mere thought of running into their classmates in their shared living space. In the common room, both the abroad and Japan students were mingling together trying to establish an acquaintanceship with anyone willing to open up after the group's redundant scheme.
"Shelby, Shelby, Shelby! There's something I gotta tell you!" Announced Mina as she rushed to the other side of the room.
"Hm? What is it?" She responded sincerely, sitting across from Yemi while they buffed each other's manicured nails.
"There's something I've been meaning to tell you for a long time now, but I think now's the perfect opportunity to say this...Shelby, you're- so jacked!"
Shelby curiously looked down at her biceps and abs which were exposed by her spandex cropped tank top, recognizing her bulk from her shoulders down to her calves.
"Mina's right, I'd do anything for muscles like that, well, maybe not anything." Hagakure cheekily added.
"I don't think there's any other girl that goes here with muscles like yours! I'm so jealous!" Uraraka beamed.
"Aw, thank you! You guys are sweet!" Shelby giggled, flexing her arms for her admirers; as the girls awed, Kirishima could be heard astonished at the sight of her biceps from afar.
"Look at this, you're built like a damn fortress!" Mina exclaimed while playfully punching at her solid abdomen, "Shelby, arm wrestle me!"
The girls moved over to one of the tables where the students ate their meals and sat perpendicular to each other before Mina and Shelby rested their elbows on the tabletop and locked hands.
Yemi placed her hands on top of theirs, "Ready? Go!" and then let go of her call. Mina struggled to push down Shelby's arm but without much effort, Shelby pulled down Mina's arm and knocked it lightly against the table.
"Man, I didn't have a fighting chance." She whimpered.
"My turn, my turn!" Uraraka chimed, switching positions with Mina. Again, Yemi's hands met Shelby's and Uraraka's, then pushed them away after her signal, but just like Mina, she too lost to Shelby's strength.
"So jealous." She cried.
"Sorry-"
"Hey Shelby, how about you take a crack at some real muscle?!" Interjected Kaminari from the center of the room.
Jiro snickered, "You think your arms are bigger than hers?" She teased.
"H-Hey! What are you laughing about?!"
After switching places with Uraraka and getting comfortably into position, Kaminari ended up proving he was more bark than bite as he contended to outmatch Shelby and lost. His devastation led him to the corner of the room, where he sulked. Even Sero's comfort wasn't cheering him up.
"I think you're due for a real challenge, wouldn't ya' say?" Kirishima grinned as he cracked his knuckles.
"You're on!" Beamed Shelby.
Without using his quirk, Kirishima delivered when he'd promised to give Shelby a worthy one-on-one; their determination was truly unmatched, but in an unexpected turn of events, Shelby managed to get the upper hand and conquer her competitor effectively.
He supplicated himself, "Please, please teach me the ways of your gains."
"No." She responded while giving his forehead a light bop.
Kaminari and Kirishima weren't the only boys who decided to test their might against their American classmate. Others put their hands into makeshift competition and found her strength something to behold, win after win; only when Sato got his chance was she faced with a difficult feat; this was a battle of muscle, and quirk use was dishonorable and unmanly, according to Kirishima. After lots of leveraging and bubble gum-snapping, Shelby reigned victoriously as the girls of 1-A prided in their newfound brawn.
"Aren't you guys going to give it a shot?"
Ojiro asked Arjan and Keali'i, who had been minding their own business while nestled together on one of the couches.
"Someone as grand as you have a much better chance than any of us, Keali'i." Glittered Aoyama.
"We'd prefer not to get our arms snapped in half," Arjan responded.
"Mhm." Followed up Keali'i.
Just when things looked bleak for the boys, Shoji made a surprise entry as he suddenly sat in the empty seat across from Shelby.
"T-This isn't fair! Shoji has more than two arms!" She cried out, but he had already prepared for her rebuttal and extended out one arm from his extremities. With a shaky hand, she took hold of his appendage, and as Yemi made her final call for the evening, Shelby let her hand be pushed effortlessly down against the table in seconds," I humbly accept my loss." She grieved.
"I-I wasn't going to go too hard on you, Shelby-"Faltered Shoji.
"You big baby." Yemi sighed, tugging on Shelby's bangs.
As the night came to an end and everyone began going to their rooms for bed, Tokoyami became nervous as he noticed he was being followed in the direction of his room.
"Hey Tokoyami-"Keali'i solicited from behind him. He stopped dead in his tracks, even his voice was intimidating, making turning around to face him uneasy; he didn't think Keali'i even knew his name.
Cautiously, Tokoyami shifted around and looked up to meet him eye to eye, his body stiffening up at the sight of his indistinguishable body. Compared to him, Keali'i was an acropolis.
"Hey, sorry about bothering you so late. I know I should've said something earlier, but this felt like the best time to ask."
Ask him? Ask him what?What could he possibly want to know from someone like him? No, that wasn't fair to either of them. He was better than that and needed to give Keali'i the benefit of the doubt.
"W-What did you want to ask me . . . ?"
"Sooo this might be a lost cause, but do you have an agency you regularly go to for your internships or work studies? I'm only asking because the hero I'm studying under has been wanting you too as well."
There was a hero other than Hawks who wanted him? This was news of him. He never recalled any hero in the past expressing desire to have him at their agency, but if this was a hero Keali'i was picked from, the chances of studying under someone great were immense, even if he had no idea who the hero could possibly be. This feeling, the appeal to his character that made others want to partner and team up with him, was exhilarating. Although he felt he was loyal to Hawk's agency, given the current circumstances that don't allow him to study or work under him, perhaps this could be an opportunity of a lifetime.
"There is an agency . . . b-but, I want to go where you're going! Please, Keali'i!" Once he heard his answer Keali'i had no idea Tokoyami would grab onto his arm and plead to him with the rest of his answer. He tried not to make a big deal out of this, because in his head it wasn't, but he couldn't stand to be uncomfortable, not when Tokoyami was like this.
Keali'i sighed, rubbing the back of his neck under his thick hair, "Alright, I'll let 'em know when I get the chance."
"Before you go, though, could you tell me which hero it is?"
"I will, but uh, you're gonna need a lot of context. I think it'll make more sense when I show you."
"I don't- I don't understand-?"
What has Tokoyami possibly gotten himself into . . . ?