After the introduction ceremony, the school day began right on schedule, though not all were happy about the inevitable. Upon entering Homeroom, the room had been arranged differently to accommodate the guest students; four desks had been added, creating a row of five, making the space more compact.
Those of 1-A all sat in their original assigned seats; however, those in the back now sat in the fourth row, leaving the abroad students in the back—this did not bode well, either.
Yaoyorozu's spine felt stark, with Yemi's presence just over her shoulder.
Todoroki held his breath, suspicious that an abrupt action would cause Shelby to react in panic.
Sato didn't dare move, not when Keali'i was within arms' reach of him. And Uraraka, who felt queasy from anxiety, wished she could gravitate away from Arjan.
Unfortunately, they paid no mind to any of them and were preoccupied with meaningless distractions. This was how they proceeded to act when anyone attempted to interact with them.
The students enjoyed their downtime in the dormitories as they typically did. However, the topic of conversation still revolved around their new classmates, who were not seen leaving the primary building or entering the dormitory.
Mina sighed, "Are we doing something wrong? I thought we were doing exactly what Momo told us to do."
"Maybe it's not us. What if it's that culture shock thing that Yaoyorozu mentioned?" Remarked Kaminari.
"I don't think so," Yaoyoruzu said from the other side of the couch. Judging from how they look and act around us, they don't want anything to do with us."
"But why?" Kirishima interjected, "It's only been one day. We haven't met them yet!"
"Perhaps this is considered normal where they're from?" Inquired Tokoyami.
"I don't think this is normal anywhere!"
Hagakure blubbered as she fidgeted in her seat.
"She's right," Yaoyoruza pointed out, "I mean- I know not all heroes are supposed to be like All Might, but even Tokoyami . . ."
"I'm right here, you know?"
"T-That's not what she's implying!" Blurted Kaminari.
"You know what?" Mina declared as she stood up from the couch, elbows bent and fists clenched with determination, "No one should feel like they have to hide!"
"W-Where are you going, Mina?" Hagakure asked as she followed Mina to the elevator.
"Huh? That's weird," she noted as she pressed the six button on the elevator panel, "The button doesn't seem to do anything."
"Wha-? Are you sure?" Kirishima questioned as he and everyone else on the couch got up to inspect the issue.
"Yeah, I'm sure!"
"Oh hey, it isn't working."
"See?!"
"Here, Let me give it a shock-"
"Seriously?"
As Kaminari went to press the button, the small amount of concentrated electricity he sent out through his finger came back to him. "H-Hey! My electricity! It didn't go through!"
Amid the commotion, more students gathered to investigate.
"You know, we haven't learned what the abroad student's quirks are yet." Commented Midoriya.
"Could it be possible- that while we were on our field trip, they tampered with some things?" Todoroki propositioned.
"But why go through all the trouble of doing something like that?" Followed up Asui.
"T-That cannot be along the lines of residential policy!" Iida retorted, flailing about in his usual manner.
While everyone was articulating this peculiar situation, Jiro audited the elevator panel closely, but as she went to use her earphone jacks, she recoiled in surprise.
"Well, they must've done something- as soon as I went to plug in, there was this weird buzzing noise."
"That doesn't sound normal." Sero pointed out.
"Shoji, do you think you could look up on the sixth floor and see what's going on?" Uraraka appealed.
"I could, but I'm not sure how much good it would do." He faltered.
"So then Momo was right. They don't want anything to do with us." Mina lamented.
"Man, how dense can this many people be?"
"Kacchan."
"What are you getting at Bakugo?" Demanded Yaoyoruza.
"Haven't any of you idiots listened to anything anyone's been saying? Don't you get it?!" Bakugo had shifted the attention on himself, preaching from the center of the group, his annoyance pent up: "They aren't ignoring us because they don't like us; they're ignoring us because they think they're better than us!"
"Better than us?" Sato averred out loud.
"Don't you think you're exaggerating?" Todoroki criticized.
"Tch, that's rich coming from you, Half' n Half! Look, if people started treating you differently just because you won some stupid contest, then you'd act like them too; if you're going faun all over me, I'd expect you to be kissing my ass!"
"Bakugo!" Chided Iida.
"So what is that supposed to mean?" Jiro interjected.
"All I'm saying is- if they're going to look down on us thinking they're stronger, smarter, and faster than we are, then fine! That's the game they want to play? Then let's play!"
"W-We can't just treat them like our enemy-!"
"Shut up, Deku! You don't actually expect them to cooperate with us, do you? Those bastards are going to drag our entire class down because they see us as inferior, and if you don't believe me, then you're truly the dumbest people I've ever met!"
"They wouldn't do something like that . . . would they?" Asui contemplated.
"T-That's just not manly!"
"More importantly, it's outrageous!" Iida claimed vociferously, "If that were the case, their attitude would also cause them to fail- meaning they would be reprimanded firmly and receive harsh consequences for their actions!"
"Fine, don't listen, but when you're all on the brink of expulsion because you're putting your faith in some pompous nobodies, don't come crying to me asking for help!" With that final statement, Bakugo exited, bunting through his classmates to get to the elevator and make his way up to his room.
"H-He didn't mean all that, did he?" Yaoyoruza spoke, breaking the silence.
"We are talking about Bakugo here." Informed Tokoyami.
"Even so, Iida's right." Midoriya defended, "They're not going to risk being sent home over something like that after everything they've been through."
"I have to agree with Midoriya; even if they don't end up liking us, we still have to work together." Todoroki interceded.
"But Deku," Uraraka advised softly, "What if it turns out Bakugo is right?"
The room fell silent once more, concerned, hopeful eyes pinned on Midoriya, who was also at a loss, "I- . . . I don't know."
"They'll turn us into dog food yet." Shuddered a haunting voice from amongst the group, a cowering Mineta who took refuge between his classmates.
"Dude, you are not helping!" Sero lilted.