Lena was strolling leisurely down the bustling street, a cheerful tune humming softly to herself, a pleasant melody reflecting her buoyant mood. A bright, optimistic expression adorned her face. She had finally, after considerable effort, managed to locate a suitable and spacious area where she and Jiro could commence their joint training sessions, just as she had earnestly promised her friend. The perfect spot had proven elusive, but her persistence had paid off.
Now, all that remained was the meticulous organization: establishing a consistent training schedule, defining a routine that suited both their needs, and perhaps, even planning a proper, balanced diet for Jiro. However, these details would, of course, necessitate a prior discussion with Jiro herself to ensure her agreement and commitment. Lena was excited by the prospect of structured training.
Her humming abruptly ceased as she approached the main gate of U.A. A colossal crowd of people had gathered, a dense, murmuring throng, pressing in on one another. They were relentlessly questioning every single student who passed through U.A.'s grand, imposing doors, their voices a cacophony of insistent inquiries.
'It appears they've finally uncovered the rather significant secret that All Might is now teaching at this school...' Lena thought, her expression hardening subtly. She quickened her pace, weaving deftly through the jostling crowd, fervently hoping not to be noticed or intercepted by the persistent press. The sheer volume of noise, the suffocating proximity of so many strangers, made her feel profoundly uncomfortable. 'Now I truly understand why Uncle David despises reporters with such intensity...'
"Hey, young lady! You're a U.A. student, aren't you? Can you tell us anything, anything at all, about All Might's presence here?" A man, wielding an exceptionally large microphone like a weapon, suddenly thrust it directly into Lena's personal space, his eyes gleaming with aggressive curiosity. In an instant, everyone in the vicinity noticed the confrontation and swiftly turned their microphones towards her, pointing them like menacing guns, trapping her in a circle of eager anticipation.
'Shit!' Lena thought, her mind racing in a sudden burst of panic. She nervously scanned her surroundings, desperately searching for any viable escape route, but the sheer density of the crowd had effectively surrounded her, leaving her no easy chance to slip away. Without her even realizing it, her breathing quickened, becoming shallow and rapid, as she felt the full weight of all those intrusive eyes directed solely at her. The pressure was immense. 'This is utter bullshit! I'm getting out of here, now!'
Shiz!
In a blur, Lena was gone, leaving behind only a faint, sky-blue trail that quickly dissipated. She had employed a swift 'Acceleration,' bypassing the human wall.
"I can hardly believe I had to use an 'Acceleration' just for that..." Lena muttered to herself, a hint of lingering frustration in her voice, as she swiftly ran towards the welcoming haven of the school entrance, her heart still thrumming from the unexpected encounter. As she effortlessly crossed the grand gate, she paused, turning back to face the still-clamoring crowd, and shouted defiantly, her voice echoing, "See ya, stalkers!"
... .. . "THAT GIRL!!!" The same man with the microphone roared, a prominent vein throbbing visibly on his forehead, his face contorted in a mask of fury and humiliation. He lunged forward, attempting to charge through the U.A. door, only to be met by a sudden, jarring obstacle: large, electrified security bars, shimmering with crackling energy, materialized from the ground, blocking his path entirely. He growled in profound frustration, his efforts thwarted.
Unbeknownst to anyone present, a man with disheveled light blue hair and ominous red eyes watched Lena's swift escape. A large, insidious, devious grin slowly spread across his face, a silent acknowledgment of her unusual abilities and potential. His eyes gleamed with a predatory interest.
Kyoka Jiro was seated comfortably at her desk, her phone clutched in her hand, idly scrolling through various social networks. Her objective was simple: to find something, anything, more intrinsically interesting than the monotonous and predictable reports on Heroes and Villains that incessantly clogged her feed. She craved something that truly resonated with her artistic soul.
(A fleeting headline caught her eye: "Hero Killer Stain has brutally killed a total of 31 heroes. This Monday—") (Another headline flashed by: "Melissa Shield, a prodigy, breaks all academic records by graduating from—") (Then, a particularly jarring one: "Leaked photo of All Might at U.A. A few days ago—")
'Nothing of any genuine interest...' Kyoka thought, her boredom palpable as she closed her eyes and let out a weary sigh. Her fingers paused, briefly ceasing their rhythmic scrolling. 'I honestly don't know who the idiot was that posted that picture of All Might being at U.A., but a freaking truck should literally fall on him for that level of stupidity and recklessness...'
"HEY!" Suddenly, a piercing scream, shockingly close, snapped her out of her deep thoughts, causing her to jump in alarm, her body stiffening at the unexpected shout.
"WAHHH!" Kyoka shrieked, a small, involuntary leap backward sending her reeling, almost causing her to fall off her chair from the sheer shock. Hearing a distinct giggle emanating from the seat directly beside her, she turned to see Lena, doubled over, laughing loudly, clutching her stomach. "What in the world is wrong with you, you absolute idiot?!" Jiro exclaimed, her voice laced with annoyance and lingering fright.
"Nothing, nothing at all! Just—" Lena managed to articulate between gasps of laughter, slowly sitting down in the seat next to Kyoka, still chuckling lightly, wiping a tear from her eye. "Uff, you truly should have seen your face, Kyoka... haha... it was priceless..."
"Grrr, I swear to God, don't ever do that again..." Kyoka muttered, a low growl escaping her, her voice thick with annoyance and a hint of genuine lingering fear. "It's not remotely funny, Lena."
"I can't honestly promise that, Kyoka. You let out a really cute scream, you know that?" Lena said, giving Kyoka an amused, playful smile. Kyoka responded by pointing her earphone Jacks directly at Lena, though they didn't seem to deter or scare Lena in the slightest. "And you have a particularly cute face when you're upset, too."
Kyoka blushed slightly, a faint crimson spreading across her cheeks, embarrassed at having shrieked loudly in the middle of the classroom. She let out a resigned sigh, accustomed to Lena's playful antics, knowing arguments were often futile. "Thanks, I guess. So, how's the training progressing? Did you manage to find a suitable spot, after all that effort?"
"That's right, I finally located a pretty good place that's more or less conveniently near a bus stop, so we won't have to worry so much about the time constraints for getting there or leaving," Lena replied, her eyes sparkling with an excited smile as she looked at Kyoka. 'I've never had a dedicated training partner before; I wonder how this new dynamic will unfold...' The prospect was genuinely thrilling to her.
Before Kyoka could offer any further comment or question, the imposing figure of their teacher, Aizawa, entered the classroom. In less than a few seconds, an almost supernatural silence descended upon the room, and every student was instantly in their respective seats, paying rapt attention to their homeroom instructor.
"Well, it appears you all seem to be improving in your ability to follow instructions, but you can always be better... now, I've thoroughly reviewed the notes and the recordings from yesterday's examination, and there are some specific points I must address with certain individuals," Aizawa said, his tired eyes scanning the room, making direct eye contact with various students. With each passing moment, the tension in the air began to visibly increase, thickening considerably as students wondered if they were about to be singled out. "Bakugo, cease acting like a volatile seven-year-old; you are utterly wasting your immense talent with that childish aggression. Midoriya, I observe that you managed to break your arm again, and I emphatically do not want to hear the 'I can't adjust my Quirk' excuse; if you persist in this manner, you will never achieve anything significant. Todoroki, do not rely so exclusively on your Quirk, and do not stubbornly refuse the invaluable assistance of your teammates; such an attitude may cost you dearly in the future, perhaps even your life."
Each of the aforementioned students reacted differently to Aizawa's direct criticisms. Bakugo simply snorted in annoyance, a defiant glint in his eye. Midoriya lowered his head in shame, his face a mask of regret. Todoroki, meanwhile, maintained a facade of indifference, his expression unchanging despite the pointed remarks.
Aizawa sighed, his gaze sweeping wearily over all his students. "Now, to avoid prolonging this unnecessarily..."
Suddenly, the entire class stiffened, becoming as rigid as trees. Almost everyone was bracing themselves, expecting a new, grueling exam with an accompanying threat of expulsion, or perhaps another punishing test designed to push them to their absolute limits. The tension was palpable.
"We have to elect the class president."
"""SO NORMAL!""" The collective sigh of relief, combined with surprise at the mundane announcement, was almost comical.
After that surprising declaration, Eraser Head promptly returned to his sleeping bag, curling up for a nap, leaving the students to decide among themselves. Ultimately, the 'robot boy,' Tenya Iida, took charge, deciding the election should be conducted through a democratic voting process, as befitting a good country founded on the principles of freedom of speech and popular will.
After a few minutes of collecting the votes, the results board looked like this:
...
-Class President Vote- Momo Yaoyorozu - 4 votes Izuku Midoriya - 3 votes Lena Oxton - 3 votes Bakugo Katsuki - 1 vote Aoyama Yuuga - 1 vote ...
...
Lena just stared at the board with deadpan eyes, a flicker of disbelief. 'I didn't even vote for myself... who the hell—' The unexpected tie for second place, and the sheer randomness of the votes, baffled her.
The 'robot boy,' Iida, appeared visibly depressed by the outcome, muttering to himself. "I had such high hopes of winning, but..." His ambition was clear, even in defeat.
"So, I'm the class president!" Momo exclaimed, raising her arms high in a triumphant pose, a radiant smile on her face. She looked like an overjoyed little girl, with literal stars twinkling in her eyes, despite the relatively small margin of victory.
Ochako pointed to the board, a slight frown on her face, as she bowed her head respectfully. "But Lena and Midoriya were tied for votes, Momo..."
"Mnnn, how convenient, that they both shall serve as vice presidents," Eraser Head mumbled, suddenly stirring from his nap, effectively ending any lingering doubt or discussion. His pronouncement was absolute.
'What a bummer...' Lena thought, slumping back in her seat, a faint sense of disappointment washing over her. She could have sworn she heard Kyoka's quiet, vengeful laughter from nearby, a subtle taunt for her unexpected role, but she dismissed it as her imagination... right? The thought of additional responsibility wasn't thrilling.
Not long after the class president election, the group of students headed towards the dining hall for lunch, their stomachs rumbling. Lena and Momo, both possessing high metabolisms due to their Quirks, immediately ordered exceptionally large quantities of food, which they soon began to devour with an almost animalistic fervor – very polite, of course, but undeniably voracious animals.
Kyoka simply observed them with a blank, unreadable stare, her mind preoccupied with silent contemplation of her two new friends and their undeniable strangeness. They were definitely good people, she conceded, possessing kind hearts and commendable intentions. Yet, she simply couldn't shake a subtle sense of distrust that lingered within her.
She had learned the hard way, through painful personal experiences in high school, that the only person who can truly betray you is a friend. Her earlier school years had not been particularly kind to her, leaving deep emotional scars.
Although she would never openly display it, Kyoka harbored a multitude of deep-seated insecurities about herself, something that had affected her self-esteem far more profoundly than she had originally realized.
And it was all directly attributable to one specific person, a past trauma that still haunted her.
'You're not in high school anymore, Kyo...' Kyoka took a deep, shaky breath, attempting to ground herself, as she averted her gaze from her friends to the ceiling, seeking a distraction. 'Then... why can't I still shake this persistent feeling of rejection, this lingering doubt?'
Fortunately for her, music had always been a profound and effective outlet, a cathartic way to release pent-up steam and emotional turmoil. Playing her guitar until her fingers ached, pounding on the drums until her arms gave out, and singing until her voice was completely gone – it felt profoundly liberating, a pure expression of her inner world.
Suddenly, a cold, robotic voice, devoid of emotion, abruptly interrupted her contemplative thoughts, shattering the relative peace of the dining hall.
"ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS! SCHOOL SECURITY LEVEL 3 HAS BEEN BREACHED! PLEASE EVACUATE THE BUILDING IN AN ORDERLY FASHION!" The automated announcement blared, its urgency jarring.
... .. . A tense, disbelieving silence descended upon the vast dining hall, the sounds of chewing and chatter abruptly ceasing.
Before a sudden, overwhelming pandemonium erupted.
Screams, shouts, the thud of bodies colliding, the raw sound of fear, even the muffled cries of tears – all this could be seen and heard in every corner of the school's bustling dining room. Students, gripped by panic, were trying desperately to flee, but the sheer volume of people created a chaotic bottleneck at the doors, obstructing the passage of others and making escape agonizingly slow and difficult.
Momo, reacting with her characteristic swiftness, immediately rose to her feet and grabbed the wrists of a dazed Kyoka and a momentarily confused Lena. She was about to charge forward, attempting to force her way through the surging crowd, when an unexpected force pulled sharply on her arm, compelling her to sit down abruptly once more. It was Lena, who had instinctively pulled her back to her seat, her eyes fixed on Momo.
"Lena, what in the world is wrong with you?! We have to get out of here, now!" Momo shouted, her voice laced with genuine panic and urgency, as she struggled against Lena's grip. "We have to evacuate! Didn't you hear the automated voice?! It said 'Security Level 3 has been breached'!"
Lena fixed Momo with a piercing glare, as if she were articulating something incredibly foolish. "Momo, you do realize we are currently inside a building with a level of security that rigorously rivals Tartarus Prison itself, don't you? It's one of the most secure facilities in the world."
"..." Momo fell silent, her mind racing, slowly processing the profound implications of Lena's words. The logic, however chilling, was irrefutable.
"Besides, All Might is currently present within the school, along with several other top-ranking Pro Heroes. This isn't a small-time operation," Lena continued, her voice calm, as she leaned back languidly in her chair, seemingly ignoring all the shouting and chaos erupting around her. "I highly doubt anyone, no matter how foolish or audacious, would be stupid enough to attempt to infiltrate U.A. directly." Her confidence was almost unnerving amidst the panic.
Momo was about to argue, to voice her lingering doubts, when, unexpectedly, the blaring alarm ceased as abruptly as it had begun. Simultaneously, someone, perhaps a teacher or a senior student, shouted, "It's just the reporters, everyone! False alarm!" Momo finally sank back into her seat, but this time, she was far more anxious and unsettled than before, the brief moment of terror leaving a lingering unease. Kyoka, meanwhile, merely looked towards a nearby window, her face noticeably paler than usual, her earlier anxieties briefly reignited.
'They should seriously sue those reporters for trespassing, given the level of panic they caused...' Lena thought, her eyes narrowed in annoyance as she consciously worked to calm her own pounding heart, which still thrummed from the sudden fright. 'God, that gave me a genuine scare... but something still doesn't feel right about all of this... How did those seemingly simple reporters manage to get through the formidable gates of U.A. in the first place? It makes no logical sense.'
In the end, Lena simply shrugged off the lingering feeling, chalking it up to residual stress. But even after they returned to class, the unsettling sensation persisted, a low hum of unease that she couldn't entirely shake.
She had a very bad feeling, a chilling premonition, squeezing her heart tightly. Unconsciously, she tapped her Slipstream device, a small, reassuring gesture, making sure it was still securely in place and functioning. She felt a profound sense of foreboding, an internal warning.
This will not end well...