The new Jujutsu Alliance has formed in response to the Night Parade, and plans are underway to prepare new sorcerers for the task at hand. With the world filled with uncertainty about the curses and the missing Quirks, an opportunity presents itself in the form of a mandatory event.

Wizardwolf 1020: That could be an interesting avenue to explore, though I would still need to figure out how to go about that.

Arkslayer: Growth is necessary for any protagonist. If Uraraka wants to come unto her own, she has to earn it.

Guest: A lot of interesting ideas. Some are pretty close to what I had in mind. I'll be sure to keep note of them in the future.

Chapter 8: Foundation

What do you get when you have a society where almost everyone has a unique ability and a part of that population loses them? Confusion with a side of chaos. Uraraka was reminded of that fact after seeing a large mass of reporters outside the school that Tuesday morning. The class had started once again despite this chaos.

Apparently, the hero schools of Japan were given the option to reveal who among their students was affected by the Night Parade. UA was also given this option, which the administration ultimately declined. Uraraka thought this was a good idea. Gojo as well. They saw how rabid the reporters were outside the school. She knew she didn't want her classmates to be caught up in that.

At the moment, Class 1A is attending homeroom with Aizawa-sensei. Though this seems like a standard school, Uraraka truly knows the nature of this singular meeting.

"Now that I have everyone taken into account, I will now call out the names of those who will have to attend an important meeting with Principal Nezu in the teacher's lounge." Aizawa takes out his cards before he continues speaking. "Bakugo Katsuki. Iida Tenya. Jiro Kyoka. Kirishima Ejiro. Midoriya Izuku and Uraraka Ochako. I hope I don't need to repeat myself."

The mentioned students stood up before making their way out of the classroom.

Of course, having the three students go with one who hadn't had her Quirk taken would raise some suspicion in their class, so Midoriya and Bakugo had to tag along because they were the only others who knew the secret they shared.

But despite that, Yaoyorozu raises her hand in confusion, causing those in the know to freeze up.

"Yaoyorozu?" Aizawa raised an eyebrow.

"Aizawa-sensei, may I ask a question that has been on our minds as of late?" Yaoyorozu asked.

"Go ahead."

"Well, it's concerning the Night Parade. This new Demon Villain. Can you tell us what their existence means for us?" Yaoyorozu asked. "A villain's debut has never been this catastrophic. People were scared, had lost their Quirks, or had died. And the villain is still on the loose. I feel like I can speak for all of us that we're still worried about the possibility of something on that scale happening again."

"Yeah… I wasn't even there and I could tell it was scarier than the League of Villains." Kaminari scratched the back of his head.

"Can you tell us what is happening outside at least? I don't feel safe not knowing anything." Ashido slumped over her desk.

Hearing this, Uraraka felt a tinge of guilt inside her. Her other classmates are confused because they don't know anything that is going on, and she can't do anything about it lest revealing the existence of Jujutsu to them. But she knew that in itself would cause a whole lot of problems, one of which was the matter of the HPSC still looking for the white-haired vigilante, and in turn, her.

"I understand that the events of the Night Parade have shaken you. And I agree that it was an unprecedented incident we couldn't have prevented." Aizawa spoke up, catching everyone's attention in the room. "But I can assure you that now that this villain has made itself known, authorities are working hard to apprehend him. As of now, he's a high-priority target along with Tomura Shigaraki of the League of Villains, whose whereabouts are still unknown."

"But what are the chances that he teams up with that handyman?!" Mineta yelled out in a panic.

"An unlikely scenario, but one I believe deserves some merit. But I can assure you that we are working hard to make sure this Demon Villain will get justice for all the lives lost at the Night Parade." Aizawa stated. "That will be our promise as heroes."

"I gotta say, that ponytail girl was right in thinking that."

"I know. And I'm worried that I can't do anything about it."

"Hey, 'Chako. Remember, we can do something about this. The both of us will kick Kenjaku's ass back to the Heian Era and make sure the world is safe from curses." The sorcerer reassured the girl. "That is, after all, what you signed up for."

"Yeah, yeah. I just don't feel right when others are worried and scared." Uraraka sighed.

"Well, at least know this. That feeling of looking out for others is exactly why you deserve to be in this school." The sorcerer stated. "You have a big heart, 'Chako. As your totally awesome teacher, I should tell you that that is not a bad thing to have."

"Right." Uraraka took a breather.

The girl continues to walk alongside her five classmates as they enter the Principal's Office. As they enter, they find Principal Nezu and All Might already there.

"Ah, everyone. Thank you for coming here." Principal Nezu smiled at the sight.

"I'm glad to see you all okay." Toshinori smiled. "How are your ears, Jiro?"

"They're healing well. Obviously, I don't expect them to heal completely, but hey." Jiro stated.

"Hey, glad you're taking it well, Jiro." Kirishima brought his fist up for a fist bump.

"Indeed. It is commendable that you have not been brought down by your affliction." Iida nodded as well.

However, Uraraka noticed that the class president's demeanor was slightly down. The Six Eyes made it easier for her to see such microexpressions on him so she instantly realizes what her friend feels at the moment.

"So, any idea why the heck we were called here?" Bakugo asked.

"Kacchan!" Midoriya yelped at the sudden bluntness of his friend.

"Well, as you two also know about our secret alliance, we feel as if to include you in our itinerary for the week." Toshinori stated.

"And considering your actions in the past, you both would've found a way to get involved anyway." Nezu mentioned, remembering a few events like Hosu and the Kamino Ward.

Midoriya yelped silently at the implications while Bakugo gritted his teeth a bit.

"You really don't need to mention that." Toshinori sweatdropped at what he said before turning to the students. "As for our itinerary, we have scheduled a bus to Tokyo, where Gojo's old school resides."

"Tokyo?" Jiro brightened at the mention of the city. "I've always wanted to return there."

"I hear they have good food." Uraraka smiled.

"Oh, remind me to take you to a place I know." Jiro stated. "You guys can come as well."

"You were a teacher, Gojo?" Kirishima asked in confusion.

"Yep!" Gojo's mouth appears once again. "I'll tell you about my students; one is like you."

"Oh, really?" Kirishima perked up.

"So what are we doing at Gojo's old school, Principal Nezu?" Midoriya asked.

"Well, in order to grow our numbers against this threat of curses, we will need the resources to learn the trade as fast as possible." Nezu stated. "And the school is the best place for us to start looking."

"So we're going to an old decrepit school so these fuckers can learn magic?" Bakugo asked.

"Not just that. There is also a vault in the school housing what Gojo calls Cursed Tools." Toshinori stated.

"Cursed Tools?" Midoriya perked up at the mention.

"Weapons or support items imbued with cursed energy." Nezu clarified. "Tools like these have enough cursed energy to exorcise cursed spirits, meaning non-sorcerers like us can use them without the need for cursed energy."

"It will certainly help us to acquire these cursed tools to jumpstart our progress against these curses." Toshinori stated. "It means even if we only have you four as our only sorcerers right now, others will still be able to play their part."

"Wait, that means we can fight curses as well! We can help, Kacchan!" Midoriya excitedly turns to the blonde.

"As if I need weapons!" Bakugo yelled out.

"Actually, you do need weapons since your totally awesome explosions won't mean shit, weakling." Gojo's mouth appears once again for this sole purpose.

"Who you calling weakling, huh?! I should drag your soul out of Round Cheeks here and beat your ass myself!" Bakugo, of course, had to respond with anger.

"Hmph, as if." Gojo metaphorically waved that response off. "Can you exorcise curses with those explosions?"

"Shut it! Die!"

"Okay, okay. Calm down." Toshinori puts out both hands.

"But unfortunately, we cannot go to Tokyo for this trip without raising an uncomfortable amount of suspicion." Nezu stated. "I have found a way around this, as UA will be attending the conference that will be happening in Shinjuku this coming weekend."

"A conference?" Kirishima asked.

"The effects of what happened during the Night Parade are widespread. Tokyo and the surrounding area were hit the most. As it is the most populated place in Japan, it is obvious that this mass Quirk disappearance would affect it the most." Nezu stated. "As of now, members of the government and the Hero Public Safety Commission intend to discuss the situation of the missing Quirks publicly. Hero agencies and schools are bringing representatives and those afflicted to rally their opinions."

"So UA is going to be attending this conference?"

"Of course. As the number one hero school in Japan, it was bound to happen, Jujutsu alliance or not. Our attendance at this conference will be our way to get to the old Jujutsu highschool." Nezu stated. "Along with everyone in this room, we will bring along the other students in this school who had their Quirks taken."

"I see. We can use this conference as an opportunity to get to Tokyo and to Gojo's old school?"

"Precisely. Any more questions?" Nezu asks, before turning to Uraraka who raises her hand. "Yes, Uraraka?"

"How many days are we gonna stay in Tokyo?" Uraraka asked. "I don't think I've been there at all."

"Around 3 days and two nights. We can secure the cursed tools the day we arrive." Nezu explained.

"So as long as a curse attack doesn't happen during our stay, you are free to do what you want before and after the conference." Toshinori added.

"Sounds nice." Uraraka smiled at the thought. She has never been able to travel much, so aside from their goal to set up a foundation for the Alliance, this was a nice change of pace.

"Nice, enough time to take you to some of my favorite spots, Uraraka." Jiro turned to the girl.

"That's great, Jiro-san." Uraraka smiled at the thoughtful gesture.

A sudden knock at the door was heard. The people in the lounge turned to the sound, to which Principal Nezu smiled.

"Ah, that concludes our meeting. Uraraka, you and Gojo should stay here for a bit more. The rest of you, you can return to your class." Nezu stated. "Let the visitors in, mind you."

"Oh, okay then. Bye Uraraka-san." Midoriya smiled as the group began to leave.

"Bye guys. Bye, Deku-kun." Uraraka waved back.

"Aw, my heart can't take it~" Gojo playfully teased internally, prompting Uraraka to tap her head.

As the students left the room, the visitors Nezu were expecting walked in their place. It was the heroes they saw back during the Night Parade incident, currently in casual clothing in order to not draw suspicion from the students of UA.

"Ah, sir Nezu. We have arrived." Kamui Woods down respectfully to the principal.

"Why do we have to be here again?" Mt. Lady asked, clearly not wanting to be here.

"Because we are among those who know of cursed spirits and Jujutsu. You should know this by now." Death Arms merely stated, causing the heroine to sigh.

"It's good to see you guys." Hawks smiled at the UA staff and student.

"Take a seat, everyone." Toshinori ushered.

"Yeah. This will be important." Gojo stated.

"So, the students know their roles. To retrieve the cursed tools and resources from the Tokyo Jujutsu Tech." Nezu stated. "Now its time for your role as Pro Heroes. You can take the lead, Gojo-san."

Nezu turns to Uraraka as she switches control to Gojo, preparing to teach the Pro Heroes of the role they will play in this alliance. "Alright, sit tight everyone. This won't be short."

"Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue."

Uraraka conjures a blue singularity in between her hands. The swirling orb of Blue begins to suck in everything around it. The girl struggles, but she keeps the technique

"Try and hold it for as long as you can. If you can increase your endurance when using the technique for long periods of time, you'll be able to use the technique without strain." Gojo's mouth appears from under her eye.

The end of class that day finds Uraraka back inside Gym Gamma, the reason for which was to train her control over the Limitless cursed technique. Midoriya and Iida tagged along, as well as Bakugo for reasons she does not know.

"Thirteen… fourteen… fifteen… sixteen…" Midoriya silently mutters as Uraraka continues to keep Blue conjured.

The seconds tick by, and as the time hits twenty seconds, blood begins to drip down Uraraka's nose. Realizing this, the girl finally drops the technique to wipe her nose.

"Twenty seconds. Now we know her limits." Iida pondered.

"H-Here, a handkerchief." Midoriya nervously hands the cloth to the girl.

"Thanks…" Uraraka uses the handkerchief to stop the blood from dripping. "My head hurts…"

"Yeah, that's something you need to get used to." Gojo stated. "Especially since two of my techniques stem from this one."

"Right. Just give me a minute, and I'll try again."

"Hey specs, think you can do what she did?" Bakugo asked Iida, who slightly jumped at the sudden question.

"Hmm? I am unsure. Maybe if-"

"No, he can't." Gojo suddenly intervened, taking the attention of everyone in the gym.

"Why not, Gojo-sensei?" Uraraka asked.

"Simply put, he has a different cursed technique to yours." Gojo explained. "Think of cursed energy as electricity. It has a lot of different uses, from reinforcing your body for defense, strengthening your attacks for offense, or even using it to heal yourself. But the real bread n' butter would be the cursed techniques that can be found in the brain."

"Oh! So essentially, you can use cursed energy to activate techniques like what electricity does to appliances?" Midoriya asked.

"Yup. And cursed techniques are wildly different from person to person." Gojo stated. "Uraraka here has inherited my Limitless technique, and it is different from the cursed technique you possess."

"So it is similar to Quirks in a way." Midoriya thought for a bit.

"Close, actually. But Quirks and the energy they are powered by are one and the same, cursed energy and cursed techniques can exist separately." Gojo continues to explain. "For example, somewhere out there, there is a person with a cursed technique but too little cursed energy to make use of it. The inverse is also true, where someone has the cursed energy to exorcise curses, but no cursed technique to power."

"Like Aizawa-sensei?" Uraraka asked.

"Yup. But that isn't the case for you and your friend here. Both of you have cursed techniques and the cursed energy to wield them." Gojo stated.

"Then… what exactly is my cursed technique?" Iida asked.

"Well, that is for you to find out, my speckled friend. But as your friend's new sensei, I can assure you that whatever it is, it will be good." Gojo reassured.

"I see… I trust your judgment, Gojo Satoru." Iida stated, before looking down to mutter to himself. "But I don't believe it will replace my family Quirk."

Uraraka turns to Iida, having been able to perceive his sentence from his mouth movements alone. While she wasn't a fan of having to cover her eyes, she had to admit that the Six Eyes was useful in its ability to perceive the minute details.

But she was getting ahead of herself. Iida was starting to doubt himself again. She wasn't sure back when the first internships started out, but she was sure now.

"So, gonna do something about it?"

Gojo had the right idea. So, after bolstering her resolve, she turns around and grips the shoulders of the taller boy.

"Huh?" Iida gasps at the sudden impact.

"Iida, come on man." Uraraka gave a sympathetic look to the boy. "Haven't we been through this before?"

"I-I am unsure of what you mean there." Iida stated.

"Come on, dude. You already forgot what the Six Eyes can do?" Gojo asked the boy. "Thought you were smarter than that."

"What do you mean?" Midoriya asked.

"Look, Iida. Look here." Uraraka takes off her blindfold before staring at the taller boy with the Six Eyes. "I know you're feeling insecure about the loss of your Quirk, and I get it. But you shouldn't keep it to yourself, remember?"

"I guess…" Iida looked down. "I'm sorry, but I still feel torn on whether or not I should join this. It feels like I'm disrespecting my family name."

Hearing this, Midoriya turns to put a hand on Iida's shoulder as well.

"Iida-kun. Don't worry. We may have been set back due to the Night Parade, but we now know that a cursed spirit is the reason everyone's Quirks were stolen." Midoriya stated. "And with this new Jujutsu alliance we're forming, it's a great start! Greater than we expected!"

"Deku-kun's right. If I keep training my Jujutsu, I will make sure to track down Sento and force him to give you back your Quirk." Uraraka smiled brightly at the taller boy. "Don't fret about whether or not you join us, okay? As long as I'm a sorcerer, I'll keep that promise, kay?"

After a bit of thought, Iida nodded in understanding.

"I understand. I will help you in your endeavor, Uraraka-san. But until I can decide to take up the mantle of a sorcerer, that is all I can contribute." Iida declared. "I understand I can do more to help, but I do not think I should decide so hastily considering my situation."

"Don't worry, I promise. You don't have to fight if you don't want to. Just leave it to us." Uraraka smiled.

"Thank you."

Early morning was a silent time in Tokyo. Most people were sound asleep, and the rest had their minds muted during the night shift. Kenjaku happily admired the silence of the night, void of the cars, heroes and commotion that would fill the streets below them. They took a deep breath through their stolen body before continuing to admire the scene below.

"Isn't it nice to go out once in a while?" Kenjaku remarked.

Sento slowly went to their side, with his heterochromatic eyes bearing witness to the Tokyo skyline.

"I'm sure after a few days of recovering your cursed energy, you longed to be outside again.

The cursed spirit was still silent, taking in the sight before him. Kenjaku merely chuckles before turning to him.

"Sento, see something you like?"

Sento merely stretched out his hand into the air, reaching for something that seemed to be in front of him.

"I can see so much of it. All this energy." Sento spoke out, causing Kenjaku to chuckle once again.

"It's because of your gift, you see. Almost everyone in this world has an innate Quirk inside them, and that is the energy you can see." Kenjaku turns to the cursed spirit. "And you have the ability to take that energy for yourself."

"How invigorating." Sento turns to the sorcerer with an excited grin on his face. "What else can I do with this ability of mine?"

"I honestly don't know. You have a very unique cursed technique, Sento." Kenjaku stated. "And in this day and age, where Quirks have the potential to grow to unimaginable heights, who knows what your Quirk Extraction will grow into?"

"So I have to find out my potential myself?" Sento asked curiously.

"If you insist. And fortunately for you, I'm not one to decide." Kenjaku turns back towards the skyline. "You want to explore your potential, right?"

"Heh, is that even a question?" Sento quickly stepped forward to throw a cursed energy-infused punch at the sorcerer.

The sorcerer merely blocks the strike with their hand without looking, causing the cursed spirit to gasp at the reaction time.

"Well then. I shall grant you the freedom to roam. I'm sure a week will be good enough?" Kenjaku merely chuckles. "Take the time to explore the city. Maybe do some sightseeing, get familiar with the local area, and explore the possibilities of your technique to your heart's content. I only bid you not to draw too much attention to yourself."

Sento retracts his arm from the sorcerer's hand, shaking his arm after such an impact before smirking.

"I guess I should thank you. A week to explore? Hope I can have some fun during that." Sento turns to the sorcerer once again. "And what about you? What will you be doing?"

"I have some business to attend to. Though I doubt you're that into bureaucracy to care, am I wrong?" Kenjaku asked.

"Yeah, sorry. My fault for asking." Sento sits down on the floor. "So are we gonna stay here until morning?"

"Just waiting for you to head out. No need to worry about me." Kenjaku smiles.

"Then just leave. After the night we had, I still need a bit of a breather before I head out." Sento threw his arm up dismissively.

"Alright then, I'll be on my way." Kenjaku turns around and starts heading to the ladder "Meet back here next week?"

"Whatever."

"Hmph." With that, the ancient sorcerer heads down the building, leaving the new cursed spirit alone on the rooftop with his thoughts.

With the time given to him by the sorcerer, Sento recalls the events that took place during the Night Parade, and what he felt during all that chaos. He found himself remembering the rush he felt as he took that man's energy, his Quirk. How he felt it coursing through his being, it was invigorating. Even now, he craves to find the nearest person and take their Quirk, to add it to his being, to make him stronger.

But he finds his mind looping back to another moment that night. The moment where he faced off against two fighters who managed to put him on the ropes. Ever since that night, that moment of him being beaten by those two had replayed in his mind multiple times over.

"What were their names again?" Sento looked upwards to ponder. He remembers Kenjaku mentioning their names in his battered state, so he tries his best to recall. "Uraraka… and Midoriya… yeah, those are their names. I remember now."

Sento took a moment to shift his position, lying his body on the floor while staring at the stars above him.

"How interesting those two are…" Sento was well aware of the abilities the two of them possessed. One had a Quirk with a very unique and beautiful energy, and one possessed a particularly powerful Jujutsu to go along with her own Quirk. "How very very interesting."

The cursed spirit then stretched his right arm above him, reaching for the stars longingly, with a curious look on his face.

"I really want to fight them again. If I truly want to be strong, I have to fight them and beat them."

The purple gemstone on the cursed spirit's chest glows for a split second, emitting a gong-like sound effect.

"Just you wait. I will find the true potential of my cursed technique, and I'll reach heights you both cannot imagine."

Sento focuses his energy on his right arm and smiles to see it morph itself in such a way that its surface turns rocky. From his recovery time with Kenjaku, the cursed spirit has learned the kinds of Quirks in his arsenal. He is ready to take on the young sorcerer in combat.

Uraraka stands in front of UA as a lot of the high school alumni wait for the buses that will take them to Shinjuku for the conference. It was early in the morning, 6:00 AM in fact. The conference was on Sunday, and seeing as it was currently Saturday as they would leave Musutafu, it would give her and her group enough time to check out the old Tokyo Jujutsu High for its resources.

The girl was excited, to both get the things needed to boost her Jujutsu training and to experience the heart of Japan. As long as Hawks doesn't assign a job during this trip, she'd be able to have some fun with her classmates during this rather unfortunate period of time.

And speaking of jobs, Uraraka hadn't realized the amount of students who had lost their Quirks until they were all gathered in one place. Aside from herself and her three classmates, there were a total of nine other students from the school who were affected by the Night Parade. Five from the first years, three from the second years and four from the third years.

Those afflicted can be accompanied by a few of their fellow classmates, a measure put in place so that the other Alliance members are able to go to Tokyo as well.

"Wow, isn't this a treat?"

Somehow, someway, Neito Monoma was among them.

"Quite the draw, I'd say. Three of 1-A and only one of 1-B? Oh how the mighty have fallen." The yellow haired boy stepped ahead to taunt them.

Currently, Uraraka and the other students who were part of the Jujutsu Alliance had gathered away from the crowd. All of them were in one place, but that also means that 1-B's signature instigator had an easier time taunting them.

"How are you doing Monoma?" Midoriya sighed before asking him softly.

"Oh, I was bummed, for sure. But it did make my day better to see the three of you afflicted. How tragic."

"Ok, where the fuck is Big Hands to handle him?" You can already see the tick marks forming on Bakugo's head.

"On it."

A finger tapped onto Monoma's shoulder from the left. As he turns around in response, a hand appears to chop the exposed right side of the boy's neck.

"Whoa." Kirishima commented.

As the 1-B student's body goes limp, Hitoshi Shinso appears from behind, having been the one who chopped his neck.

"I feel bad for you guys having to deal with him." Shinso commented as he put his hands to the side.

"Oh, Shinso-san." Midoriya smiled at the save, before frowning at the implications. "O-Oh, that means…"

"Yup. Was affected by the Night Parade as well." Shinso deadpanned before looking down at the unconscious boy. "Had to deal with him the old-fashioned way."

"Wait, yeah. Why isn't Kendo here to keep him in check?" Jiro asked.

"Sorry, sorry." Kendo sheepishly entered the scene while rubbing the back of her head. "I really should keep him under control. He's been acting up ever since we found out that he was afflicted."

"Mnnn…" Monoma muttered in his sleep as Kendo grabbed the back of his collar.

"I'll have to make sure he doesn't get into any trouble during our trip." Kendo stated. "Speaking of which, I'm sorry for you who had their Quirks taken."

"I thank you for your consideration, Kendo-san." Iida bowed down.

"Yeah, it means a lot." Jiro smiled.

"So you're accompanying Monoma?" Midoriya asked.

"Yup. Can't let him go on his own without him bothering you." Kendo chuckled. "I just hope he doesn't cause trouble during the trip."

"I actually don't know what would be worse." Kirishima whispered to Uraraka. "A Quirkless Monoma or a sorcerer Monoma."

Uraraka had to stifle a laugh at that, before reminding herself that Monoma has been bestowed the ability to use Jujutsu. All who had their Quirks taken were. And it is the responsibility of her and the Alliance to find the cursed spirit Sento, the cause of all the missing Quirks in Japan, and make him return the Quirks before exorcising him with extreme prejudice.

But first, they need a foundation and framework to establish their Jujutsu Alliance's operations. To that end, they will need the resources at Gojo's old school.

It's the reason why they were here, after all. Their attendance at the conference is a way for them to reach the school, start a foundation for their Alliance, and save the lives endangered by this coming age of curses and sorcery.

Taking a deep breath, the girl focuses on the present. She will enjoy this trip despite the circumstances. It's a trip to Tokyo. There is no way she'll take it for granted.

A rumbling sound was heard in the distance, causing the students to turn to the gates of UA. Three buses drive into the campus before all are parked in a single file line in front of the students.

Aizawa exits the front of the bus as the other buses also have their teachers exit, and approaches the first years, consisting of the student members of the Alliance, Monoma, Kendo and Shinso.

"We should leave as soon as possible. It's better to beat the paparazzi before they pile up." Aizawa stated. "Do you have your bags ready?"

"Yup! Three days and two nights' worth of clothes." Kirishima exclaimed with excitement.

"Good, let's get on with this trip then." Aizawa stated. "I'll talk with Nezu for a bit, so go sit where you want."

"Okay. Let's hop in, everyone." Iida took the initiative to no one's surprise.

The first years all begin to pile in the first bus in the line. There are three buses for the groups separated by years, meaning all the first years are in the front, so on and so forth. Uraraka steps into the bus after stowing her bags before finding a place to sit.

"Uraraka-san! I saved you a seat here!" Midoriya called out from where he was sitting.

"Thanks, Deku." Uraraka beamed as she walked to where he was.

"I saved you the window seat. I thought you would like to look outside on our trip there." Midoriya stated, gesturing to the empty bus seat next to him.

"Aw, how thoughtful." Gojo squealed from inside the girl's head. "Hey, did I tell you how cute you two are?"

And with that, the girl freezes in place as she feels steam build up within her. Noticing this, Midoriya also looked down with a slight blush on his embarrassed face.

"I-I mean, if you want the aisle seat, then you can-"

"N-No, no! You don't have to insist!" Uraraka stammered before slightly calming down. "I-I just appreciate you doing that for me, that's all."

"O-Oh… well, go ahead." Midoriya scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

Uraraka scoots over to her seat before sitting down. After that strange interaction, a moment of awkward silence followed.

"Come on, what was that? You had a good start back there." Gojo stated.

"Yeah, and I wonder why that failed." Uraraka silently scoffed. "But I agree, that was such a good start. How am I supposed to get that back?"

"Just talk. Anything. Let the words flow confidently and eventually, you'll be chatting up a storm." Gojo suggested.

"Hmm, okay I'll talk." Uraraka then turns back. "Hey, Deku-kun?"

"Y-Yes, Uraraka-san?" Midoriya didn't turn around but replied nonetheless.

"Does your notebook have anything on martial arts? I want to learn how to fight with cursed energy, like how you fight with your Quirk."

Hearing this, Midoriya suddenly takes out a notebook and pencil from nowhere. Gojo took a mental note of that since the boy had left his notebook in the bus' storage compartment and couldn't have gotten it in just a second.

"So." Midoriya turned to the girl with a soft smile. "What will it be?"