King of Monsters: It's possible
Hearing this long-awaited news from the principal, Nemuri felt a rush of joy. She didn't waste a second and hurried to Nezu's office, where all the necessary documents for Sonic's enrollment were waiting for her. Taking the huge stack of papers that could barely fit in her hands, Nemuri said goodbye to the principal and quickly headed for the exit, anticipating Sonic's reaction.
All the way home, a wide, beaming smile graced her face. She imagined Sonic's delight at the news and how his eyes would light up with enthusiasm. He'd been looking so depressed and bored lately that he even reminded her of the ever-sleepy Aizawa, especially when he was lying on the couch, staring at one point. Nemuri hoped that going to school would dispel his ennui and give him new and interesting things to do.
Carefully making her way up to her floor, Nemuri cautiously opened the door to her apartment. And what she saw made her freeze on the threshold, feeling a powerful volley of amazement and bewilderment.
Sonic, wearing huge, obviously not his size, glasses that comically slid down his little nose, and bright red shorts, was standing on top of the coffee table and reading rap music with great fervor. His little hands were gesticulating vigorously, as if he were giving a recital. Nemuri was taken aback for a moment. She had only been away for a couple hours, and this restless boy had already found something new to do, and by the looks of it, he was enjoying it very much. Nemuri couldn't hold back a smile as she watched this unusual performance... I wonder where he found the glasses?
Sonic, noticing Nemuri in the doorway, froze for a second, and then, losing his balance from the sudden embarrassment, awkwardly somersaulted and flopped off the table onto the floor. His glasses flew off his face, and for a moment there was silence, broken only by a slight groan from the unfortunate landing.
Nemuri couldn't hold back a quiet chuckle as she watched Sonic's clumsy landing. His posture and confused expression was simply comical.
"Yeah, you really are a fidgeter," she muttered with a slight smile.
Sonic, pouting, got up from the floor and muttered that it wasn't funny at all. Then, his attention turned to the huge bag Nemuri was holding. His eyes lit up with interest, and he used his astonishing speed to snatch the bag from Nemuri in lightning speed, without even giving her a second thought. As he began to greedily examine its contents, his face quickly changed from delight to obvious disappointment. He turned to Nemuri, preparing to voice his displeasure, but noticed her slightly angry face.
Nemuri's eyebrows were drawn together at the bridge of her nose and her arms were crossed over her chest. She shook her head sternly and reprimanded him for breaking one of the cardinal rules in their house: no use of fads indoors.
Finished with the admonishment, which she knew was unlikely to stop his impulses for long, Nemuri added sternly, looking directly into Sonic's eyes:
"Also, no hot dogs this week. None at all. Forget about them." She had long ago realized that traditional parenting methods, like banning sweets or cartoons, didn't work at all in the case of this little whirlwind.
So she had come to the conclusion that she had to be more radical and hit the target - to deprive him of the very thing he really adored more than anything else in the world, those mysterious, but so captivating hot dogs.
Sonic looked at her with a look that made Nemuri feel like the cruelest tyrant on earth for a moment.
The look on his face was as if she had just shot his favorite puppy right in front of his eyes, not even giving him a treat before he died. The world around him seemed to have lost all its colors and turned gray and bleak.
She decided not to procrastinate and immediately spit out all the good news she had been carrying in that bag for so long. Squatting down in front of Sonic so that her face was level with his, she smiled softly and said:
"Sonic, though you won't be seeing any hot dogs this week, I have something very interesting for you." She paused to increase the intrigue and get his full attention.
"Tomorrow," she continued, "you can go to UA school!"
Sonic's eyes widened in interest.
Nemuri realized she needed to make the news even more significant.
"And that's not all! - She exclaimed with a twinkle in her eye. - There's a sports festival coming up! That means that not only will you be able to legally use your quirk to its fullest potential, but you'll also be able to watch your other classmates. There will be so many fun things to see! Can you imagine how many characters and quirks there will be that you'll be able to observe?" She saw Sonic's eyes begin to shine with a new light and his lips stretch into a faint smile.
Nemuri looked at Sonic and her heart melted with tenderness. She knew that this news would be a real gift to him. She could see how eager he was to use his quirk, how his energy demanded an outlet, and the realization that he would soon be free to demonstrate his abilities filled him with genuine joy. And not only to use it, but to watch others - that interested him just as much.
However, the joy was followed by impatience. As soon as the emotions of the news subsided a bit, Sonic began to complain incessantly that time was flowing too slowly. Every minute seemed like an eternity to him, and he expressed his dissatisfaction with this fact in every possible way. He would start running around the room, or he would collapse on the couch with a sigh of discontent, or he would start asking Nemuri questions about when tomorrow would be. He was spinning like a wolf.
Nemuri, watching Sonic's restless tossing around the room and listening to his endless complaints about the slowness of time. Taking pity on the boy, she decided to let him rest and used her quirk to induce a light nap. Sonic instantly relaxed and his small body slumped down on the couch.
After making sure Sonic was sleeping peacefully, Nemuri looked at her watch. The evening was drawing to a close, and it was time to start preparing for tomorrow. She carefully began ironing Sonic's clothes that they had bought at the mall. Nemuri tried to iron every crease so that he would look flawless on his first day. After that, she got busy making bento, a Japanese lunch in a box. Nemuri tried to make it not only nutritious but also beautiful by adding colorful vegetables and shaped rice balls.
When she was done with her preparations, making sure Sonic's clothes were neatly folded on the chair and the bento was in the fridge, Nemuri turned off the light and quietly headed for her bedroom. It had been a busy and emotional day, and now she felt pleasantly tired. She lay in bed, closed her eyes, and almost immediately fell into a deep and peaceful sleep, full of anticipation for tomorrow and Sonic's first day at his new school.
time skip
Nemuri woke up to a deafening noise and snapped out of the sweet embrace of sleep.
The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Sonic standing right above her, looking at her with curiosity and impatience. His face was so close that it scared her beyond belief, and in utter confusion and panic she shrieked and tumbled off the bed and onto the floor.
"Ouch!" - she exclaimed, getting up off the floor and rubbing her bruised side.
"Sonic! - She said angrily. - Don't you ever scare me like that again! My heart almost jumped out!" She paused, catching her breath and trying to gather her thoughts. Then, slightly embarrassed and still stunned by the sudden awakening, she asked:
"What's wrong? Why are you already awake?"
Sonic, ignoring her indignation and remark about her sudden appearance, exclaimed:
"Nemuri, today is my first day Remember? !" He clapped his hands and jumped in place from the emotions overwhelming him.
Nemuri looked at the clock after coming to her senses and her eyes rounded in surprise. She had actually slept a little longer than usual.
"Oops," she muttered, "you're right Sonic, time to get ready." She quickly jumped up off the floor, and went into the bathroom to clean herself up.
While she was getting ready, Sonic was already diligently pulling on his new school uniform, fiddling a little funny with the buttons and tie. He looked really cute in it, and Nemuri couldn't hold back a smile.
"I wish he didn't wiggle all the time," she thought as she watched him show himself off in the mirror.
Finished dressing, Nemuri pulled out the bento she had prepared the day before from the fridge and ceremoniously handed it to Sonic. He accepted her gift with delight, peering inside and appreciating her efforts. Afterward, they both got into the car, and Nemuri started the engine. During the ride, Sonic couldn't sit still and kept looking out the window, watching the houses, trees, and people passing by, his eyes burning with anticipation and excitement.
After another thirty minutes, which Sonic spent nestled against the window, they finally reached the UA school.
Sonic looked at the huge gate with genuine wonder and awe, his eyes even bigger than usual and his mouth slightly open with delight. Nemuri watched this reaction with a smile on her face, enjoying herself.
She turned off the engine and they got out of the car.
"So, ready?" - She asked Sonic, looking at him with concern. He nodded enthusiastically, his eyes burning with anticipation of a new adventure.
"Look," Nemuri began, "you need to go down this path here, then turn right, and there you'll see your classroom - 1-A. There will be a sign on the door with a number on it. Got it?" Sonic nodded, listening to her intently.
"Okay," she continued, "if you need anything, I'll be in my office. Good luck to you!" She smiled warmly at him goodbye and watched as he headed confidently toward the school building, his little feet making quick work of the path. Then, satisfied that Sonic would be fine, Nemuri turned around and walked towards her office.
SONIC
After Numuri, or as she said "Teacher Midnight" during school, said goodbye to him, Sonic was left alone with the huge UA center. He paused for a second to digest the information and breathe in a full breath of the smell of new ones.
"Master Midnight..." - He whispered to himself, trying out the new word. It sounded mature. With a smile spreading across his face with excitement, he began his journey deep into the school.
Along the way, he met all sorts of people. Some had mutations - one had extra legs like a spider, another literally levitated above the ground, and a third had tree-like horns growing out of his head. Sonic couldn't take his eyes off such variety.
"Wow!" - he thought, twisting his head around. He was so engrossed in looking at them that he almost crashed into a tall guy with wings behind him.
Of course, Sonic wasn't the only one ogling the others. Some people couldn't take their eyes off of this half-knee-sized blue hedgehog who for some reason was sporting red sneakers and white gloves on his hands either. He noticed some people whispering and pointing fingers at him, but Sonic ignored them.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he reached the right door. It was labeled "1-A". Sonic took a breath, took a deep breath, and clenched his fists in anticipation. This was it, the beginning of his school life.
Before Sonic could even think about how he should enter the classroom, strange sounds came from behind the door. At first, they were light, almost toy-like... explosions? They were followed by a loud argument where someone's voices were breaking into shouting.
Sonic's curiosity instantly took over. He, full of enthusiasm, pushed open the door.
The first thing that caught his eye was... a mummy? Yes, yes, right next to the blackboard, where the teacher usually stood, stood a figure completely wrapped in bandages. Only the tips of his dark hair and a pair of tired eyes were visible from beneath the layers of cloth. Maybe his quirk had something to do with toilet paper? - A funny thought flashed through Sonic's mind. And if he's a teacher, he must be very powerful.
The second thing he noticed was the students themselves. The whole room was buzzing like a beehive. In one part of the room, a blond boy with a rather explosive temper was shouting and waving his arms around, and across from him, a guy was standing and arguing with him in a high-pitched tone.
A girl with disheveled pink hair was watching them, and a scowling guy was sitting next to her. In another corner, a red-haired boy was sleeping on a desk, and at the next desk a girl who looked like a frog was trying to wake him up by poking him with her finger.
In the very center of the room stood a group of students, clearly discussing something very important, and in the foreground stood a guy with a serious face and fancy motor hands.
Finally, as if on cue, all the students in the classroom fell silent at once and turned their gazes to Sonic standing in the doorway.
The mummy man, who appeared to be the teacher, slowly turned his head toward Sonic. Through the gaps in his bandages, his tired but seemingly attentive gaze could be seen.
"You," he spoke in a steady and quiet voice, "come here."
Sonic, obeying, stepped confidently into the classroom and headed for the blackboard. As he walked, he had time to take another look around at all the students. They were all looking at him with obvious interest, which Sonic certainly liked. Finally reaching the teacher, he stopped, waiting for further instructions.
The mummy man coughed and muttered:
"I am Aizawa Shota, your class teacher." After that, he turned to the blackboard and started writing something on it.
"Aizawa... Shota..." - Sonic muttered to himself, a little embarrassed.
"Well," he thought to himself. - He should have a little fun."
Aizawa, ignoring Sonic's words turned to face the class, his tired eyes circling all the students as if trying to gauge their reaction to this news. Not a single muscle on his face trembled, but a well-hidden surprise still slipped into his voice, which he tried hard to keep even and unemotional.
"This is Sonic," he pronounced, "an exchange student. He'll be taking Minoru Mineta's place." He paused for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts, and then added:
"He's recommended by Principal Nezu and Midnight himself."
A recommendation from the headmaster himself was clearly something out of the ordinary. He had not expected such a turn of events.
"So," Aizawa continued, trying to keep his usual monotone tone, "try to get along with him. And he'll get along with you accordingly." There was hope in his voice that this little urchin wouldn't cause more trouble than Mineta.
There was complete silence in the classroom, with only occasional whispers. All the students looked at Sonic with interest and curiosity, trying to figure out who this new student was and why he had been given such a high recommendation.
"So that's why Mineta hasn't been seen in so long," the pink haired girl whispered, covering her mouth with her hand. Her eyes widened as if she had just realized something important.
"He must be cool if the headmaster himself recommended him," the red haired boy muttered, scrutinizing Sonic. There was respect and maybe a little envy in his voice.
"I wonder what his quirk is," the frog-faced girl muttered, tilting her head to the side. Her eyes looked at Sonic curiously, trying to discern something special about him.
All this whispering and discussion created an invisible aura around Sonic. He stood in the center of attention, feeling the stares of all these unusual students, and a mischievous smile played on his face.
Aizawa, after tolerating the whispers and discussions for a while, gave a command in an even voice:
"Sonic, take your seat." He didn't even bother to point out a specific spot.
Obediently, Sonic headed towards the vacant desks.
Walking down the aisle, he involuntarily noticed some details. The blond guy with spiky hair, whom he had noticed even as he entered, was smiling at him with an eerily wide smile.
And the dark-haired guy with the greenish tint to his hair was mumbling something indistinctly to himself, constantly glancing at Sonic. Sonic couldn't make out his words, but he could tell from the intonation that the muttering was referring to him. He must be thinking something about him. Or just a peculiar behavior.
He quickly found an empty seat and took a seat at the desk.
Sonic, as he settled in at his desk, quickly realized that the beginning of class promised to not be the most interesting.
Mr. A, as he mentally nicknamed Aizawa, was rolling out ultra tedious information with a monotone voice that was so boring it made his eyes water.
Sonic, though he tried to listen attentively, soon noticed that his thoughts were drifting off somewhere to distant galaxies and his whole body just craved movement.
Unable to bear the boredom, Sonic quietly opened his backpack and pulled out a padball. He began tapping it lightly and discreetly against the desk, keeping himself occupied with this harmless endeavor. The sound from the tapping was barely audible, but enough to get the attention of some of the students. Of course, not everyone was as engrossed in the lesson as Mr. A would have liked, and some of them began to watch what the new student was doing.
Among the stares directed at Sonic, there was one that particularly stood out. It was that of a boy with glasses, sitting somewhere in the middle of the class.
He was looking at Sonic with a disappointed look on his face, and there was a clear condemnation in his eyes. His eyebrows were slightly furrowed and his lips were tightly pressed together, as if he was extremely displeased with the new student's behavior.
He seemed to think Sonic was being frivolous and inappropriate in class. His disappointed look seemed to say:
"Is this really the one the principal recommended?"
It was a look of indignation and disappointment he couldn't hide.
Finally, to everyone's relief, the lesson came to an end. Mr. A, or Aizawa as he was called, finished his tedious lecture monotonously, and then, as if by accident, announced that the school was releasing the students for the next week so that they could train for the sports festival on their own.
With those words, he turned around and left the classroom, leaving the students alone with their thoughts and plans.
As soon as the door closed behind Aizawa, Sonic was immediately pounced upon by the students like a pack of hungry wolves on prey.
"What's your quirk?"
"Why are you so small?"
"Is it true that you were recommended by the headmaster himself?" - whispered the pink-haired girl, looking Sonic straight in the eyes.
Sonic, gathering his thoughts and preparing to answer the questions that interested everyone, was suddenly interrupted by the loud voice of a blond man with an explosive temper.
He stood in front of Sonic, glaring with his eyes and impatiently banging his fist on the desk.
"What are you all ranting about!" - he shouted, interrupting the general buzz.
"We've just been slipped another loser to take the place of the last one! His quirk is probably as shitty as his height." He spat out those words with undisguised contempt, and his face creased in a grimace of displeasure.
After those words, the classroom fell silent again, the tension literally hanging in the air.
Sonic frowned, an angry expression appearing on his face. He didn't like being underestimated.
It seemed this blond guy had just asked for trouble.
Sonic, not the least bit frightened by the blond's aggressive outburst, looked him straight in the eye without a shadow of fear. A mischievous smirk appeared on his face, which clearly didn't please the arrogant guy.
"Calm down, Vulcan," Sonic said calmly, as if he were talking about the weather. - Did you step on a cat today or something?"
He raised one eyebrow as if he didn't understand what the problem was and added a note of irony to his voice.
Without noticing some of the students took a few steps back, watching the situation unfold in horror.
They began to quietly pray for Sonic's well-being, realizing that he had just signed his own death warrant. It was very dangerous to make this blond man angry. They had already seen him tear things up when he was pissed off, and the little hedgehog who had just shown his disrespect was now in great danger.
The blond man, on the other hand, seemed to boil over with anger. Small explosions began to erupt from his hands, and his face twisted in a horrible grimace.
"What did you call me, shorty?" - he hissed, his voice shaking with rage. He took a step forward, preparing to lunge at Sonic and prove him right.
It was like he was playing with fire, realizing that it made him even angrier. But he was clearly enjoying it. At the moment when it seemed that the fight could not be avoided and the blond was about to lunge at him, the boy in glasses stood between them.
He, like a wall, separated the enraged blond and the grinning hedgehog. His face was stern and his voice sounded firm and confident.
"This is not the time or place to start a fight," he mouthed, looking at the blond with undisguised disapproval.
He then turned to the blond man he called Bakugo and continued:
"There's a sports festival for fighting. And if you start a fight here, we can all get a reprimand from the teachers, including you."
There was a sense of logic as well as severity in his words, which apparently caused Bakugo to temper his fervor a bit. He snorted unhappily, but stepped back, removing the blasts from his hands. However, his gaze was still filled with rage.
Before turning around and walking away from Sonic, Bakugo, still blazing with anger, threw one last, sizzling glare at him. His eyes glittered with rage, and his lips curved in a contemptuous grin.
"Stay out of the way, statistician," he spat out the words like poison.
"After all, I am future hero number one!" There was not an ounce of doubt in his voice, only an unshakable confidence in his own strength and superiority. He said these words so loudly that everyone in the class could hear his declaration. Then, turning on his heels, he left the center of the room with a quick and angry stride without waiting for a response, leaving Sonic surrounded by silence and a tense atmosphere. There was an ominous silence, broken only by quiet whispers, and all eyes turned to Sonic again, waiting for his reaction.
Sonic, as if completely oblivious to Bakugo's contemptuous words, turned to the boy in glasses who had apparently saved him from an imminent fight. He had a calm and even slightly amused smile on his face, and there wasn't an ounce of resentment or anger in his voice.
"Is Vulcan really like this all the time?" - He asked curiously, tilting his head to the side.
"Or is he just unlucky today?" There was genuine bewilderment in his words, and perhaps a slight disdain for Bakugo's furious outbursts. It was as if he didn't take his words seriously, and that probably irritated the proud blond even more.
The boy, hearing Sonic's question, adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, as if it helped him gather his thoughts. He straightened his back, giving himself an even more stern and collected look, and answered Sonic in an even, calm voice.
"Bakugo is quite explosive, yes," he said, not hiding his disapproval.
"He often lets his emotions take over, which is not at all befitting a future hero." He was silent for a moment, and then, as if remembering the rules of etiquette, added:
"My name is Tenya Iida. Nice to meet you." He bowed slightly, holding his hand to his chest.
Sonic, as if nothing had happened, nonchalantly took note of Iida's words about Bakugo's explosive temper. It didn't seem to hurt or impress him at all. His attention quickly turned to other things, as if the scene that had just occurred was already in the past for him.
Suddenly, several students jumped up to him, their faces shining with admiration and delight. They began to talk excitedly, interrupting each other, expressing their surprise and approval of Sonic's act.
"That was so cool!" - exclaimed the pink-skinned girl, her eyes glistening with admiration.
"You stood up to Bakugo so bravely!" - the guy with red hair added, clapping Sonic on the shoulder.
"I thought he was going to kill you now!"
It seemed that Sonic had instantly become the hero of the day.
Iida, watching the students pounce on Sonic with admiring comments, saw this as a display of bad behavior and decided to intervene. He quickly stepped between Sonic and the crowd of students, straightened up and spoke clearly:
"Wait! How can we pounce on him with questions when we haven't even introduced ourselves? It's extremely impolite!" There was disapproval in his voice, and he clearly wanted to rectify the situation by giving her the right course of action from his point of view.
Confused under Iida's stern gaze, the students immediately fell silent and realized their blunder. They lowered their eyes, as if they felt guilty for their rude behavior.
"I'm Uraraka Ochako," the girl with pink hair said embarrassedly, rubbing the back of her head.
"My name is Asui Tsuyu, but you can call me Tsuyu," the frog-faced girl said, looking at Sonic calmly.
"I'm Kirishima Eijiro!" - cheerfully exclaimed the guy with red spiky hair, smiling full-mouth.
"I'm Midoriya Izuku," the green-haired guy muttered, nervously rubbing his notebook.
"Kaminari Denki," the yellow-haired guy said cheerfully, winking at Sonic.
And so one by one, each student introduced themselves.
After hearing all the students and their names, Kaminari, with his characteristic enthusiasm, turned his attention back to Sonic.
"Well, since you're so calm, you must have a very strong quirk, right?" - he merrily muttered, waiting for an answer with burning eyes. But then, it was as if something clicked in his head and he abruptly shrank back, his eyes rounded with bewilderment.
"Stop," he muttered, slowing his speech.
"How can you be so calm when your quirk is a hedgehog?" He looked questioningly at Sonic, waiting for an explanation. His question clearly reflected the general bewilderment that was in the air. The boys seemed to have even more questions than they had before.
Sonic felt a shadow of disappointment flicker across the students' faces as they realized that his quirk was probably "only" that he was a hedgehog.
He didn't like that. He didn't want them to underestimate him. He decided to quickly remedy the situation by adding mystery and intrigue.
"My quirk isn't just that I'm a hedgehog," he said, his voice sounding more confident and even a little mysterious now. The words worked like magic. The boys' eyes lit up with interest again, and their disappointment vanished. They had obviously expected more than just a hedgehog.
But Sonic decided not to reveal all the cards at once.
"But I won't show her now," he continued, raising one eyebrow and smiling mischievously.
"Let it be a surprise to you ... before the sports festival begins." He added a note of mystery to his voice and winked at the students, causing them to speculate on his quirk.
Midoriya, as if snapping out of his thoughts, was once again immersed in a stream of mumbling, his eyes dashing around frantically. As usual, he started going over every possible scenario in his head, trying to solve the mystery of Sonic's hidden quirk.
"Hidden quirk... That's so interesting..." - he muttered, his voice was quiet, but he could hear the genuine excitement in it.
"The possibilities... ..." He began to quickly jot something down in his notebook, adding more and more theories. His fingers flickered across the pages as if he was trying to keep up with his thoughts. Midoriya was in his element, immersed in thoughts of power.
Iida, noticing that his classmate was once again engrossed in his mutterings and seemed to have forgotten the rules of etiquette, adjusted his glasses again as if to call for order. He straightened up, giving his voice a great sternness.
"It will be fair," he declared, "since Sonic doesn't know about our quirks. Thus, it will create a level playing field for all participants at the sports festival." His words sounded like a call for fairness and open competition, and he hoped that such a state of affairs would suit everyone.
After Iida's words about fairness and a level playing field, the students seemed to finally calm down and began to go about their business.
Some of them took out their textbooks and started repeating the material, some of them started discussing the upcoming sports festival, and some of them were just idly waiting for the next lesson.
Midoriya kept muttering to himself as he wrote down his thoughts in his notebook, while Kaminari amused himself by throwing paper balls at his classmates.
Sonic, taking advantage of the lull, quietly sat down at his desk and began to study his new classmates.
The classroom door creaked open, and Mr. A appeared on the doorstep, with his usual tired and nonchalant look.
The class instantly fell silent, and each student, as if on command, took their seat. The class continued, and Sonic felt dejection take over him.
His first day at UA was proving to be frankly frustrating. The lessons dragged on endlessly, and the material Aizawa was presenting was so tedious and monotonous that Sonic fought sleep with all his might.
Sleep came upon him with such force that he had already fallen asleep four times, and each time he was awakened, as if on cue, by Mr. Aizawa. His voice, quiet and monotonous, had no invigorating effect at all; on the contrary, it only made him sleepier.
Sonic, though he tried to focus and not succumb to sleepiness, still felt his eyes closing in on themselves. He realized that these classes were absolutely not for him and that he needed to find a way to deal with them. Otherwise, he risked sleeping through all of his study days at UA.
The week of freedom that UA gave students before the sports festival was a breath of fresh air for Sonic. It was the most welcome gift he could have imagined.
After long days spent within the walls of the apartment and the limitations of his powers, he was eager to let his energy flow. He watched his classmates, in groups and singly, head out to the various training grounds, and his heart burned with anticipation.
But Sonic didn't just want to go for a run or a little jumping around, he was eager to use his abilities to their fullest potential. That was why he had asked Nemuri to take him to a separate training ground where no one could see him or interfere with him. He wanted to truly prove himself.
Nemuri, seeing Sonic's genuine eagerness and understanding his need for freedom, did not hesitate to ask Director Neza for special permission
. Nezu, as always, was curious about the unusual student and his request and gave his consent. He provided Sonic with a separate training ground where he could train at his own pleasure without fear of being seen by others.
And so, his long-awaited training began. Sonic ran around the training ground every day, not knowing how tired he was. He ran and ran, not stopping for a second, as if his feet were glued to the ground, and speed was his second nature.
He'd been imprisoned for so long, so long unable to use his powers, that now he couldn't get enough of running. He accelerated, time after time.
He seemed to bathe in that freedom, in the feel of the wind on his face and the unhindered movement. Only when it started to get dark would Nemuri come to pick him up and tell him that it was time to call it a day and go home.
Sonic could hardly stop, feeling a sweet fatigue and satisfaction splashing in his chest.
Naturally, Sonic wasn't running at full speed like he could have.
He realized that his true speed and strength could be devastating, and he didn't want to accidentally turn the training ground into ruins.
He feared that if he let his abilities loose, he might destroy everything around him, and cause a few minor cataclysms at the same time. So, he limited himself, carefully controlling his speed and strength.
He ran at the limit of his limited abilities, always making sure that he did not exceed the limit he had set for himself. He could feel his energy rushing out, but he gritted his teeth and held it back, realizing that the full display of his strength would have to happen at a more opportune moment.
He had to save his strength and save it for the sports festival, where he would be able to show it off in all its glory.
Time flew by in a series of intense training sessions, and now the long-awaited morning of the sports festival had arrived.
He quickly got ready, put on his sports uniform and headed for the exit, already imagining a triumphant performance. But then he was stopped by Nemuri, her voice, as always, sounding soft but insistent, like a caring mother:
"Now, now, now, where are you going in such a hurry? Think carefully, haven't you forgotten anything?"
"No, everything is ready!" he answered, and his voice sounded with a slight confidence mingled with impatience.
With these words, they left the house and headed towards the festival venue.
Upon reaching the UA gate, Sonic was amazed. He didn't expect to see such pandemonium here.
There was a huge line of people waiting to see the sports festival, and it seemed like there was no end in sight. People were making noise, pushing, and excitement was in the air.
Sonic watched in amazement when suddenly several reporters with microphones literally pounced on him. They hustled around him, trying to ask questions and snatch any interview they could. Sonic was blinded by the camera flashes, and he felt a little uneasy.
Fortunately, Nemuri, showing marvels of agility and speed, quickly pulled him away from the prying reporters. She showed her pass, and they were allowed inside the gate without further ado.
Nemuri, deftly dragging Sonic through the crowd, escorted him all the way to the sports festival arena. The path to it was surrounded by many stalls, each offering something different.
Some stalls exuded appetizing aromas, selling all sorts of food and drinks, from traditional Japanese dishes to fast food.
Others offered masks depicting the All Might, the number one hero, and Blazing Man, the second ranked hero. There were also stalls selling all sorts of toys, from small hero figures to large plush animals.
The air was filled with the noise, the hum of the crowd, and a variety of smells, creating an atmosphere of celebration and anticipation. Sonic looked around with interest, looking at all this variety, but Nemuri, pushing him along, continued to lead him towards the arena.
The multitude of brightly colored signs and enticing aromas wafting from the many stalls seemed to hypnotize him. He couldn't resist the urge to look around and perhaps purchase something interesting.
"I'd like to walk around these stalls for a while," he said, his voice full of genuine childlike delight that Nemuri couldn't help but notice.
Nemuri snickered for a moment. She wanted Sonic to get to the venue as quickly as possible and prepare for the performance.
However, she realized that denying him such a small pleasure would be cruel.
She sighed, but then smiled nonetheless, her stern exterior softening. She pulled a small but rather weighty wad of money out of her purse and held it out to him.
"Here you go, some pocket money. But don't forget you have to make it to the student field, time's running out!" - she said, her voice sounding softer than usual, but there was still a slight note of sternness in it, reminding him of the need for discipline.
She explained to him the route to the special entrance for participants, detailing the way among the maze of stalls so that he wouldn't get lost in this noisy and crowded place.
She gave him landmarks and even drew a schematic map on a piece of paper so that Sonic would definitely not get lost in the crowd. It was important to her that he felt comfortable and confident since this was his first UA sports festival.
Sonic, with a light heart and a pocket full of money, began his exciting journey through the booths.
His eyes were dazzled by the variety of goods and appetizing dishes. He curiously looked at every counter, stopping now and then to smell or touch something interesting.
It seemed to him that he had entered a gourmet paradise. He bought some never-before-seen treats like juicy caramel apples, crispy nachos, and steaming ramen that he was absolutely delighted with. He wandered from stall to stall, enjoying the party atmosphere and the anticipation of the upcoming competition.
However, the longer he wandered through the crowd, the more a strange feeling began to bother him.
He began to notice that there were too many Heroes in the crowd, as if they had flown here from all over Japan. Some of them were in their civilian outfits, while others were flaunting full suits. Sonic realized that a sports festival was indeed a loud and important event, but he was still confused by such a cluster of professional heroes.
Vague doubts began to plague him. Couldn't the villains take advantage of such an opportune moment when most of the heroes were gathered in one place? Couldn't they launch a daring attack? That thought began to ring alarm bells in his mind, and his cheerful mood gradually began to fade away.
Continuing his wandering through the rows of stalls, Sonic suddenly stopped, his gaze locked on one of the counters. Standing beside it were... the very heroes he had met on his first day after escaping from the police station!
He recognized them immediately.
There was the Tree Man, with his characteristic bark instead of skin and his always calm expression. There's the giant blonde woman. And here was the man with the huge hands.
Sonic couldn't believe his eyes. What an incredible coincidence!
Should he go up to them and say hello, or pretend he didn't recognize them and continue on his way, trying to remain unnoticed?
Sonic smirked, suddenly making a decision. He cast aside all doubts and walked up to the heroes with easy nonchalance, exclaiming:
"Yo!" The three heroes immediately turned to him, and their eyes widened in surprise as if they had seen a ghost.
The blonde girl, as if under an electric shock, pointed her finger at him and shouted with her eyes wide open:
"You?!" Sonic, without changing his smirk and with a slight irony in his voice, pointed his thumb at himself and confirmed:
"Я!" He savored the moment, watching their confusion and trying to guess their next moves.
The tree-man, frowning his wooden eyebrows, looked at Sonic with slight bewilderment and asked, his voice sounding calm but with some wariness:
"What are you doing here?" Sonic shrugged and replied with a chuckle, as if it was a matter of course:
"It would be strange if I wasn't here. I mean, I'm a student here. And actually, I'm performing tonight." He didn't go into details, but it was clear from his tone that he wasn't going to explain anything.
The tree-man merely nodded his head, as if everything suddenly fell into place.
His calm, unperturbed look showed that he, at least, was no longer surprised. But the blonde didn't seem to share his serenity. She squinted and looked at him and then shifted her gaze back to Sonic.
"Why are you so calm?" - She asked with doubt in her voice and then, as if it had dawned on her, blurted out: She then shifted her gaze to Sonic again and, poking him with her finger, stated:
"You were a bully!" Her tone was clearly accusatory.
Sonic, hearing the blonde's accusation, only shrugged, a slight chuckle touching his lips. He wasn't going to defend himself or argue, but decided to lighten the mood with a joke.
"A bully? Come on, it was just a bad day at the police station," he mouthed, pretending not to be embarrassed in the slightest.
The blonde frowned at Sonic's joke and opened her mouth to object, but Woods intervened.
He looked at Sonic with a strange expression that read respect as well.
"Glad you and your amazing quirk are on the right track," he said calmly and sincerely, his voice sounding without any irony. Woods' words confused the blonde slightly, and she blinked perplexedly and fell silent, shifting her gaze from Woods to Sonic and back again.
The blonde, snorted, expressing her displeasure. She then turned around abruptly, throwing Sonic over her shoulder
"And don't you dare lose! Otherwise you'll make me look bad!" Her tone was harsh and assertive, but there was a sliver of jocularity in her voice that suggested she wasn't so angry with him after all.
Sonic, with a satisfied smile on his face, saluted the blonde as if giving her a military honor. His manner was slightly mocking, but there wasn't an ounce of resentment in it.
He realized it was time to end this short but interesting dialogue, time was running out and the sports festival was waiting for him. He nodded goodbye to Woods and the man with the large hands as if to say:
"See you later!" and without wasting a moment, he turned around and walked towards the room for class 1-A. His step was light and his mood elevated.
Sonic was about to reach for the doorknob, intending to enter the Class 1-A room, when suddenly a solemn and loud voice came from the loudspeakers announcing the start of the sports festival.
Sonic instinctively froze, his heart skipped a beat for a moment and a chill of panic ran down his back.
" am I too late?!" - a thought flashed through his mind, and he mentally began to reprimand himself for getting carried away with strolling through the stalls. But, as if by magic, the doors swung open in front of him, and he saw his classmates huddled in the room. All their gazes were immediately fixed on him.
"Finally, we thought you weren't coming at all!" - shouted someone from the crowd, and it was clear from his voice that he wasn't joking.
"Almost late!" - confirmed another, shaking his head with a slight reproach. "
Sonic took a closer look and noticed that the faces of his classmates read a mixture of confidence, determination, and even some seriousness. They were as focused as they were on the battlefield, and one could sense that the excitement for the upcoming event, despite their battle-ready attitude, had not gone away. They were clearly nervous, and it was noticeable, even though they tried to hide it.
All the students of Class 1-A gathered together, their faces full of anticipation and nervous excitement. They lined up and headed towards the exit leading to the huge stadium, waiting for the announcer to announce their exit.
Sonic's heart beat in unison with the excitement of everyone around him, but at the same time, anticipation ripened within him. Finally, their moment arrived and, to loud fanfare and the enthusiastic shouts of thousands of spectators, Class 1-A stepped into the stadium lights.
The blinding lights and the huge crowd of people gathered to watch the sports festival struck Sonic's imagination. He saw his classmates, finding themselves in the center of everyone's attention, start to become visibly nervous.
Some of them clenched their fists frantically, some tried to hide the trembling in their knees, some lowered their gaze to the ground, unable to bear the stares.
But suddenly Bakugo, as if to counterbalance their excitement, stuck out his chest, raised his head proudly, and, with a smug grin on his face, declared, as if challenging those around him:
"I'm getting into it!" His words echoed through the crowd, and Sonic nodded involuntarily, agreeing with him. He could feel his own excitement receding, giving way to the excitement and anticipation of the competition.
Then the announcer, with no less enthusiasm, introduced Class 1-B. To the enthusiastic applause and shouts of the crowd, they entered the stadium, showing their readiness for the competition.
Sonic eyed them with interest, trying to gauge their potential.
Then, the announcer announced the exit of the general education courses - grades C, D, and E.
"And now, let's welcome those who may not be fighting on the front lines, but play an incredibly important role in supporting our heroes! These are classes F, G, and H"-our talented future developers and engineers! These guys are the ones who create the equipment and gadgets that help the heroes in their daily fight against crime!"
To loud applause and shouts of encouragement, the F, G and H classes entered the stadium.
Their exit was greeted with a special warmth, and the audience realized that it was because of their hard work that many heroes are able to do their jobs safely and efficiently.
"Now, let's welcome those who not only see heroes on the battlefield, but also understand the complexity of the heroic business! All hail! The faculty of management! These are the future leaders and strategists who will guide and support the heroes in their hard work! Classes J, I and K!" - proclaimed the presenter excitedly.
To the loud applause of the crowd, the representatives of Classes J, I, and K entered the stadium. Unlike the athletes and inventors, they looked more reserved and businesslike.
They have studied the ins and outs of heroic endeavors, from marketing and financing to legal aspects and public relations.
They are the brains of the heroic world, the ones who ensure its smooth operation and success.
Having finished with the introduction of all the faculties, the sports festival participants lined up in even rows in the stadium, each class taking its place.
The silence in the air was filled with anticipation. And then, at the sound of solemn music, Nemuri came on stage... Nemuri!
Sonic, seeing her, rounded his eyes in surprise. Nemuri, aka "Midnight Girl", a professional heroine, would be one of the judges?!
There was no way he expected to see her here, especially in this role. While he was digesting the information, he involuntarily caught Nemuri's gaze.
A slight smile touched her lips, and she winked at Sonic as if to say, "Good luck, kid."
At that moment, as Nemuri settled into her seat as a judge, the announcer, as if anticipating a sensation, raised his voice and solemnly announced:
"Now, hold on tight! For the first time in the history of sports festivals, our freshmen will be personally watched by... the Principal of Yuei Academy himself, the legendary and universally respected... Principal Nezu!"
A roar of amazement swept through the stadium.
The heroes seated in the stands instantly began to whisper, exchanging bewildered glances. This was an extraordinary event.
Principal Nezu was usually known to only watch the performances of third-year students, those who were on the cusp of their professional careers. So why did he decide to personally attend the freshman festival? What's behind it? All sorts of speculations began to spread through the stands.
Some whispered that there were special talents among this year's freshmen, while others believed that this was some kind of special experiment.
Suddenly, Midnight abruptly whipped the air with her whip, creating a deafening snap that instantly silenced the entire crowd in the stadium.
"Silence!" - Her commanding voice rang out, piercing the hanging silence.
"Okay, the time has come! Freshman representative, please step forward!" She paused, looking around at all the participants, and then solemnly announced: "The first-year representative for this sports festival is... Katsuki Bakugo!"
Sonic couldn't hide his surprise.
"Bakugo?!" - It flashed through his mind, and he stared at the flashy blond involuntarily. It seems the explosive Blastmaster wasn't as simple as he might have seemed at first glance.
Sonic heard surprised whispers among his classmates, who also seemed not to have expected such a choice. But then it came to them, and one of them said:
"Wait, so he scored the highest in the entrance exam!" Indeed, everything fell into place now. Bakugo wasn't just a loud and cocky guy.
Bakugo, with his characteristic cocky gait, walked onto the stage. He didn't waste a second and, as if challenging the world, he loudly declared:
"I am beating everyone at this festival! Don't doubt that I will be the best!"
His words sounded like thunder and immediately caused a strong reaction.
The students from the other classes who were still trying to keep their cool up to this point instantly erupted in indignation.
"What insolence!" - Someone from Class 1-B shouted, clenching his fists.
"What an arrogant upstart! Class 1-A has lost all sense of reality!" - another indignantly supported him. Angry shouts and insults began to erupt from all sides against Bakugo and the entire Class 1-A.
Sonic, watching the heated argument, grinned involuntarily. "Bakugo," he thought, realizing that he was, as usual, not missing an opportunity to add fuel to the fire and provoke the others.
After the angry rumble caused by Bakugo's bold statement subsided, Midnight, with an enigmatic smile on her lips, once again intercepted the audience's attention.
"So, enough talking!" - her seductive voice sounded, and a wave of silence swept through the stadium once again.
"It's time to show what you can do! The first test of our sports festival... The obstacle course! You will have to overcome the course that encircles the entire stadium!"
Hearing those words, Sonic involuntarily smirked.
An obstacle course? Around the stadium? This was just made for him! He felt adrenaline boiling in his veins and excitement in his chest.
He could already see himself overcoming all the obstacles with ease, leaving his rivals far behind.
"This is going to be fun," he thought, looking with anticipation at his classmates, who, like him, were already preparing for the start.
what do you think of this chapter?