Welcome to Drache Hero Academy

**Users Involved:** User:HoloArc, User:Blackdagger01
**Setting:** Munich, Germany
**Characters Involved**: Takanashi Kuromiya, Chidori Kuromiya, Dieter Gotye, Aria Vogel, Mia Fischer, Felix Lochmann, Lumi Stark, Andrew Nachbar, Ashley Garfield, Alfred Moto, Tali Shimamura, Atem Moto.

## Welcome to Drache Hero Academy

Takanashi's arms stretched up to the heavens, the early spring morning was acompanied by the chirping of birds and a soft sheets of sunlight streaming in through the blinds over the classroom windows. Bringing them back down to his desk, Takanashi let out a quiet yawn as the entire class awaited the arrival of their homeroom teacher, some more eager than others. The warmth of the heat that had yet to be turned off from the winter months left some of the class appearing sleepy.

Aria rested her head down upon the wooden top of her desk, her arms brought up to cover her face as she made not a peep. She wore an oversized creme colored sweater making the task of not falling asleep all the harder as she sat snug at her desk. In fact, to the rest of the class she may very well appear asleep already.

The bell had yet to ring, but time was closing in on the moment that it would. They only awaited the teacher who some began to fear may be late on the first day.

"Some pretigious school..." A dark haired girl spoke, resting her elbow on the desk and her chin in the palm of her hand. She wore the school's green and maroon uniform despite doing so being an option for first years, looking prim and preped in spite of her rather uncloth attitude. The name tag upon her breast read "Chidori Kuromiya", Asian in ethnicity and sharing that, the last name, and several features with Takanashi one would not be out of line to assume the two to be siblings.

"If he's not here fifteen minutes after the bell that means we get to leave, right?" A shorter girl spoke up, perhaps even the shortest in the class. Short white hair and deep blue eyes her feet did not even touch the ground as she sat in her desk. The smile on her face showed rows of sharp teeth and the blubbery tail swaying behind her gave her animal-like features few in the class had.

In one of the front tables sat a tall but slim girl with a long prehensile tail swaying behind her, pale-blue skin as if she had been left out in the freezing winter colds and this is the permanent effect of such a thing. Sitting at attention, not wanting to be caught slacking if the teacher was to walk in at any given moment. "I wouldn't bet on it, Mia. Better safe than sorry." Lumi said with a cheerful tone, trying to keep the optimism up in the classroom.

"Sure, but for all intents and purposes, they should already be here. Sets a bit of a bad precedent..." Andrew spoke up, kicking his legs back and forth in the air as he impatiently awaited their arrival, causing his black and yellow dress to billow a bit. In the meantime he had invited his unique pet fox to sit in his lap, scratching its chin. No need to mistreat her precious friend because of a teacher's tardiness. "Yes, yes, Chili. You little attention hog." He chuckled as Chili chirped happily.

Ashley had stared herself blind on the adorable fox, her wolf tail and ears perking and wagging with every sound, but had not the courage to approach and ask for permission to pet it, at the risk that it might not like it. She knew about these sorts of bred foxes, and how they picked one person to truly be attached to more than anything. They could be quite vicious still with others if approached incorrectly. That, and she didn't want to be seen away from her desk when the teacher well showed up. "Well, yes, but that is their right to do. Maybe it is some sort of test? See how long we can remain patient and 'disciplined'? Perhaps?"

Alfred groaned impatiently "Discipline or not, I haven't heard of a military camp where the officer is tardy and still considered fit for the task... I hope this doesn't take much longer. By the way! Where the hell is the bastard Atem?" He hissed as he found himself annoyed by the fact that his brother too hadn't seen himself due to show up on time. "Lazy bastard. Might as well just have dropped out if he wasn't gonna show up." He spoke as he let his head fall to the table, his forehead pressed firmly against it, his ashen hair laying flat against his head and amber eyes tired and barely open.

"Oh, shut up, Alf. You have been bemoaning his existence since the moment we got our rooms. Get over it." Tali retorted, her curly purple hair and really pale skin putting her as one of the more unique looking people out of the more "human" of the classmates. She had usually been happy and carefree, but it is clear that she has grown tired of Alfred's incessant annoyance over the most minute details. "Try and live with the fuck before telling me that." He groaned as he looked up enough for his chin to rest on the desk while waiting for any developments.

The second hand ticked toward the bell, the door to the classroom opening only a moment before the bell rang. As it did Aria's head shot up from her desk. Her long, green, unkempt hair sticking to her face as a small line of drool ran down her chin.

Walking into the classroom was a twig of a man who used a can to support himself. Tall and lanky as though he were not but skin and bone. The teacher limped to his desk in front of the class. Turned away from them he wrote his name on the border, though the nameplate on his desk had already given it to the more observant of the class.

"Ho, ho, Good morning students." He spoke with a high pitched voice, turning around to face them and as he did so did his large mustache seem to sway up and down and side to side as though it were some old fashioned scale. "My name is Gunther Krause but you may call me Mr. Krause. I'll be both your homeroom as well as your literacy teacher this year. I hope that we can get along well. I watched all of your performances in the entrance exams, I'm proud to say that we have a very promising group of freshmen this year. Ho ho ho!" Gunther laughed, limping his way in front of his desk before the class.

"Promise and potential are one thing though. There isn't a single student who walks through the doors of Drache Hero Academy that doesn't have something special about them. This academy is considered among the best of the best for a reason after all, and though schools such as UA are famous for large number of alumni that go on to be fantastic heroes Drache is a school that focuses on quality over quantity. Though many pass through the doors of Drache few make it through all four years before walking back out. Where all of you have promise, hard work will put you ahead." Mr. Krause explained before twirling his mustache.

"But I'm sure that you've heard plenty of that stuff at the entrance ceremony. I won't bore you with any more of what you already know." Krause nodded his head, "Let's introduce ourselves. Some of you are sure to know each other by now, either due to dorm assignments, former schools, or having met during the exams. But there are sure to be some of you that you don't know quite yet. So we'll start with introductions, yes. All of you move your desk into a circle."

As Mr. Krause asked of them they began to do just that, picking up or sliding their desks into position within a circle. As they did Mr. Krause moved back behind his desk, sitting down in his rolling office chair and picking up a small beach ball. Scooting his chair from behind his desk had them make room for him to slip into the middle of the circle. "This is the introduction ball, each of you will choose who to throw it to. That person will stand, introduce themselves and give the class one or two small facts about themselves they would like to share with the class. Now... who to start with..." He looked around the room at the children, spinning in his chair to face them.

"They're treating us like children, what a silly game..." Chidori complained under her breath, annoyed by the prospect of the whole thing.

"Miss Kuromiya, yes, why don't you start. You sound quite eager, ho ho ho." Mr. Krause laughed, tossing the ball to the grumbling girl and getting a laugh out of the glowing blue eyed boy beside her.

She caught the ball in her hand and let out a "Tch", hissing at the boy who had laughed at her, failing to make him change his tune. Standing up from her seat she looked around the class, seeing all eyes on her she let out a sigh.

"My name is Chidori Kuromiya and I'm from Japan." She gave the fact that told the least about her, immediately tossing the ball to the boy who had laughed at her and sitting back down in her seat.

Not expecting it, Dieter struggled to catch the ball but ultimately managed to grab hold of it. "Bitch..." He spat under his breath before he rose to his feet. "I'm Dieter Gotye, born and raised in the Fatherland, and I'm a helluva boxer." He winked at the ladies before he tossed the ball to the next person.

Catching the ball, Tali gave it some thought before speaking up. "My name is Tali Shimamura, I come from America, but my dad was Japanese. I have a little brother, and I can shoot lightbeams." She spoke with a rather chipper tone. "I also intend to be the greatest hero of our age." She continued with utmost confidence before looking around and throwing the ball to the next person in the ring.

Lumi was the next person to catch it, and she took a moment to figure out what she wanted to have said. "My name is Lumi Stark, I am from Finland and my power is to utilize cold. Not quite ice and snow as such, but rather... cold. I want to become a great hero and become an icon to be inspired by. The symbol of prosperity and hope! That is my goal." She proclaimed before throwing the ball to the next man. "I am also a helluva chef." she finished before the ball left her hands.

Alfred caught it and continued with a cheeky grin. "I am Alfred Moto, and yes, unfortunately I share name with the failure of a would-be-hero. My quirk is Bio-Mold. If you want to know what that means, just keep watching me. My goal? I will become the biologically perfect human. Impervious and unbeatable genetics." He said with a strange chuckle before throwing the ball to the next person.

Aria caught the ball, looking around expectedly as though unsure of what it was that she should do. Gunther motioned for her to stand up, and the green-haired girl did. Short and skinny she didn't appear to be much and yet she sat in the third seat of the class so it stood to reason that she had something going for her. "M-m-m-m" The girl stumbled over her own words, shaking like a little dog caught out in a storm. She looked as though she might be sick even.

"M-m-m-my n-n-name is Aria... A-Aria V-v-v-Vogel. I p-p-p-play the p-p-piano." The girl finally got out before tossing the ball to the next person.

The next person to catch it was a boy who until this point had been silent. His skin was a fair white and his black hair was slicked back if not for a cowlick that stuck up. He wore a kind smile on his face as he rose, holding the ball between his hands. As he stood it was clear to see the man was tall, perhaps the tallest boy in the class though in spite of that he was thin. He chuckled nervously before clearing his throat.

"My name is Felix Lochmann, I was born in here in Germany. I don't think there's all that much interesting to say about me. But if I have to pick something I suppose I could say that I enjoy knitting as hobby." He spoke, but as he finished people began to whisper, Mia leaned over to Lumi.

"He's the one I told you about... You know, the son of that killer lady." Mia whispered, Dieter telling Chidori the same.

With that Felix's smile began to fade, his eyes averting from the class entirely as he tossed the ball and sit back down into his seat.

Gunther's cane tapped against the floor, getting everyone's attention. "Now, now. Give your classmates your full attention. It's rude to talk when others are introducing themselves. Manners is a part of being a hero too, you know?"

The next to catch the ball was the effeminate guy with the fox in his lap. "Hi, my name is Andrew Nachbar, and my quirk is "Elements". Not as cool as it sounds. I was born here in Germany's Berlin, and this is my partner, Chili. We are a fighting team and while she might look like a dumb fox, she is very intelligent." He said with a teasing tone to which Chili looked up at him with a look of disapproval before reaching up and smacking him across the face with a paw. "See?" He said before throwing the ball away to the next person.

Ashley was the one to catch it later, letting it hop between her hands. "My name is Ashley Garfield, and I am nothing spectacular. I am a mutant with wolf physiology. I am fast, strong, and very tough. But... I don't want to be limited with just that. My aim is to become the world's strongest mutant. I also like animals a lot." She spoke. "I... I also have some wolf traits beyond just powers. I like most of the things a wolf would like too. Having a 'pack' and so forth." She spoke as she threw the ball at the next in line.

Taking off from her seat the shark girl caught the ball mid-air where she too stayed, hovering just above her desk as she held the small ball between her hands. "Name's Mia Fischer!" The young woman said cheerfully, "My quirk lets me swim through the air like water. I love eating fish, it's my favorite food." She spoke before looking around the room and finding the only person who they'd yet to hear from.

"Think fast!" She spoke before lauching the ball toward Takanashi.

It came at him a bit faster than he'd expected, having to jump to his feet to keep it from going over his head. He let out a small sigh of relief when he'd felt the ball safe and secure in his hands. "My name is Takanashi Kuromiya." He started, a charming smile on his face as he looked over his classmates warmly. "My family comes from a long line of Samurai who once served the emperor before Japan's capital was moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. My quirk lets me transform into wind for a brief period of time. I hope that all of us can get along."

"Good, good. Ho ho ho! Good job all of you. Now, Takanashi, if you would be so kind as to pass me the ball please." He asked and Takanashi obliged, Gunther catching the ball. "Now as your homeroom teacher I'll tell you a little bit about myself. You see, like many of the teachers here at Drache I am an alumni though I spent every year except for my last in general studies. I'm married to my high school sweetheart and we have a child here who is in 3-A this year."

Mr. Krause's mustache moved from side to side again, "Now that we now a bit about each other we can move onto our next course of action. Tomorrow morning I'll be having all of you vote on your class reps. A president and Vice President. As of now, I would like those who wish to nominate themselves stand up. You won't be nominating yourself for a specific position, the one with the most votes will become president and the one with the second will be the vice president." Mr. Krause explained.

Ashley and Alfred were almost equally quick to stand up. It was clear that Ashley wanted to speak up, but Alfred cut to the chase quicker. "I think faster, I come with solutions quicker than even most scholars, I am ceaselessly confident and I will only get better and better and better with each passing day. I am the one you want for president. The almost perfect class needs the perfect leader, wouldn't you say?"

'The perfect jackass by the sounds of it.' Ashley thought to herself before continuing herself. "I am compassionate, maybe a bit rash sometimes, but in a school were every decision matters and there is no room for mistakes, maybe someone who will not let anyone fall behind could be ideal for leadership, or at least, so I believe. I will look after everyone in this classroom and ensure that all of those who fall behind will catch up. The alpha won't leave anyone to fail."

Takanashi stood up from his seat, throwing his hat into the ring. "I won't pretend that I have a great deal of leadership experience to fall back on. But I believe that given the opportunity I'm capable of rising to the occasion and if I am elected I'll give my all to the cause of representing Class 1-A." He spoke earnestly and to the point before taking his seat again.

The moment that Takanashi had stood up from his, Chidori jumped to her feet as though simply copying her cousins actions. Once Takanashi was done she spoke up. "Unlike the last guy, I do have leadership experience. I nominate myself to be one of our class representitives, I'll be sure to lead this class to greatness one way or the other." Chidori spoke, the boy sitting next to her rising out of his seat with a large grin on his face.

"I'll give this a go, what's the worst that could happen? I may not look like it one look at my records will tell you I'm a smart guy who knows what he's doing. These eyes see everything after all, I ain't gonna promise you anything about greatness or none of you being left behind. But I'm a guy who can get things done, who better to represent the class?" Dieter spoke up before plopping back down in his seat.

Gunther wrote down the names of everyone who nominated themselves with a nod of his head. "For those of you now in the running, you'll have until tomorrow morning to convince the others that you've got what it takes. And for those of you who will be choosing, do so wisely, you won't get to vote for a new rep until the start of your second year. Choose someone you think represents what you think others should see and think about when class 1-A crosses their minds. Now lets get this room cleaned back up, you'll be heading to your next class soon. Feel free to spend what time we have left getting acquainted with your fellow classmates, your time here at Drache will be a difficult one. Though all of you will be competeing to show your stuff throughout the year you must never forget that no one can do everything alone. Find friends and lean on them in your times of need. You might think I'm only trying to scare you but I assure you that I've never seen a student make it through their first year without one or two crying spells and a bit of vomiting after one of Mr. Kozlov's grueling periods."

Lumi was quite ready to believe Professor Gunther's warnings. But at the same time she was concerned if relying and getting too close with someone might be a detriment. After all, there was no telling who might be dropped out regardless. What if she relied on someone who gets the boot? What then? Snapping back to reality, she looked to Mia who was still close to her. "Think he will be as bad? I don't want to judge, and he can't be that way, can he? Doubt he could have made it through the psychological analyzis if so... right?"

Mia wasn't quite sure what she was talking about for a moment, but then her face lit up as it seemed to click with her. "Oh! Who knows? They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I heard his quirk was pretty similar to his moms too and besides, can't socialpaths or whatever they're called lie really good or something like that. He could've done that when they checked him out. I can't pretend I'm not the judgey type, where I come from you gotta be able to read people well or they'll stick ya right between the ribs."

"Sociopath." Chidori interupted, joining in on the girl's conversation. "It's sociopath. And it's true, they can even pass lie detector tests from what I've heard. Something about not feeling anything a normal person does when they lie."

"I mean..." Lumi trailed off. "Possibly, but surely they must have prepared for such things ahead of time, wouldn't they? There are ways to spot a sociopath without lie detectors and things like that. If he were one, they couldn't possibly have missed that, could they?" Lumi asked, trying to play a bit of devil's advocate for what might very well become a problem in the future, even if she didn't want it or hope for it. "Something seems off in that case."

Mia shrugged her shoulders, leaning back in her seat. "Who knows? I mean, no matter what no place or test, or anything like that is perfect. Besides, maybe the school took him in on purpose. I mean, imagine the press? 'prestigious hero academy rehabilitates son of crazed serial killer'. I mean, I'm sure that sorta thinking is the only reason someone like me is here too."

"You can hardly be on the same level of controversy, however. There is a difference between a rebelious pickpocket and being related to killers." Lumi replied, feeling uncertain how that was relevant to this particular instance. "How about other topics? I think we have dug deep enough with this. Chidori. What do you feel about the class so far? As a whole, since I don't know if you have any particular opinions on each and every individual."

Chidori crossed her arms, looking back over her shoulder at some of the other classmates. "I've got my fair share of opinions but most don't have more than first impressions to bank them on. I find it ridiculous that they really gave the first seat to some loser who can't even show up to class, much less pass his first year here. Seat should be yours rightfully, there's something fishy about that no doubt."

"The good kind of fishy?" Mia joked.

"Hardly." Chidori responded, "The no show's brother seems to be a right piece of work too. Arrogant to a fault, I doubt he'll last long. That Dieter fellow rubs me the wrong way as well. Seems pretty full of himself too but he seems to get along with Tali, I heard about her quirk. She's a powerful ally." Chidori shook her head, seeming satisfied with her analysis so far.

"I don't know what the crossdressers deal is. I thought animals werent allowed in the dorms though... Either way, last and certainly least is that no good cousin of mine. I can't believe he can go smiling and getting along when his family is the reason we had to move to Germany to begin with. The shame should be unbearable and yet there he is." Malice began to become clear in her voice near the end there, as though her words began to become bitter and sour in her mouth.

"Takanashi, right? I heard he was like a vegan or something. Would probably have scored better in the exams if he ate right." Mia chimed in with her own thoughts.

Lumi would not pretend that she understood the idea of the honor they value and the disgrace that have torn them apart, but she was not about to talk about it and cause a rough debate. "Yeah, that has rubbed me the wrong way as well. But who knows, maybe he has something that the school sees as valuable? But... that wouldn't make much sense. They have thrown out a lot of potential heroes for lesser reasons than flunking a year. Alfred is a bit much for me too. All high and mighty without much to justify it as far as I've seen and heard. And from what I understand, the fox is for Andrew to be able to use his quirk. I don't know how that works, but if it is permitted, then I guess I shouldn't complain. I can't say a lot about the rest. I hope to change that over time though."

Andrew walked up to Ashley and struck up a conversation about what is driving her to work towards heroism, especially such an ambitious goal within the field. Chili cam up to her and began to show affection, to which Ashley began to cuddle with the little fox while explaining herself to this feminine man, and voicing some inquiries of her own about why he is dressed as a woman, even in the school uniform.

"Hey there, Ash. I knew it was only a matter of time before you asked to pet the fox. Oh, sorry, I meant Chili." Takanashi was about to bow but he seemed to remember that wasn't how he was supposed to greet people in this country and so instead he extended his hand to Andrew. "I'm Takanashi Kuromiya, it's nice to meet you. Seems you've found a quick friend in Ashley. She's a sweet girl if not a bit hard headed at times but who am I to talk." He smiled at both of them warmly.

"Who are you calling hard headed?" She replied with a cocky smile. "At least I know when it is time to do what it takes. I remember how you almost starved to exhaustion once because you couldn't find enough edible fruits and plants. Oh BOY did you make me work extra." She joked with the man as Chili looked at Taka with a cheeky look.

Andrew chuckled a bit, his voice deeper than one might expect from someone with his appearance. "Did your mom not teach you manners, Takanashi? It is rude to make a woman work harder than she needs to. Now you are putting your weights on her shoulders? Not very gentlemanly of you, do you think?" He said with a teasing grin, letting Takanashi know that it was all in good fun.

Ashley laughed softly. "As if I am some damsel. I've done the heavy lifting in all relationships before. I don't mind it. I just wasn't ready to do double duty of fishing, hunting, foraging, getting the fire ready, keeping him warm and steady and scouring the area for water." She spoke, continuing her teasing. "But once he was back on his feet again, he managed to do quite well for himself. Clearly. There was just some unfortunate matters of where we got dropped off."

Takanashi bowed his head to Ashley in respect, "And I'll always be grateful for the help and kindness you showed me." He spoke sincerely before raising his head, "Your knack for survival is unmatched but you have to admit that exam didn't do much to test our aptitude for heroics. Though, I suppose Drache is just as much a military school as a hero academy."

"Either way, while I didn't do the best of jobs in showing off my gentlemanly charm in the exams, now that we're in a setting more suited to my skillset I'll be sure to sweep you both off your feet. Damsel or not." He playfully winked to the both of them.

Andrew let out a hearty laugh at that while Chili threw him the stink eye. Ash chuckled along with him. "As fun as that sounds, I need to let you down and know that I don't swing that way. Though you can always try. Who knows?" He said as he got closer, leaning forward a bit so they were more at even heights before taking his index, thumb and middle finger to take a hold of his chin and all but forced him to look at him. He was nothing short of beautiful in this attire and make-up, easily mistaken for a flat-justice woman. It wasn't as much a grip as it was an aversion of his attention. "Maybe you can convince me." He chuckled wickedly.

Then he felt a chomp on his heel, causing him to exclaim in surprise as Chili had ran up to him and bit his ankle. "Chili! You know you can't do that. You know damn well how strong your mouth is!"

Meanwhile Ashley chuckled a bit louder now with the unfolding events. "Serves you right. I think she got a bit jealous. It isn't nice to be teasing people like that. That was borderline assault." She teased.

"How do you know it was jealousy?" Andrew asked, curious now of how she judged that.

"Narrowed eyes, both ears cocked back but not flat on the head, fur shuffling and her sounds to boot? Yeah, I am pretty convinced she got jealous." She replied with a cocky grin.

"...You sure did your studies about Ophelia Foxes. Looked at getting one yourself?" He asked her as he backed off a bit from Takanashi. She nodded but made the money-rubbing motion to show that she didn't exactly have the funds for such a pet.

A red tint had found its way onto Takanashi's cheeks, flush from Andrew's teasing he cleared his throat to try and recompose himself. "I learned early on in the exams that Ashley is quite the encyclopedia when it comes to animals and the like. I'm curious though, Andrew. When they sent us the school rules one of the big ones was not having pets in the dorm. Drache doesn't seem the place to turn a blind eye without good reason. So I can only assume Chili is vital to you in some way beyond companionship, am I close in that assumption?"

Andrew shook his leg until Chili let go of him. "Quite right. My quirk is a bit useless without her as a partner. I put in a very special request to make it happen. Took some arguments and convincing, but I managed it."

"How is she helping? Any particular sort of combination to it?" Ash asked.

"Well, you see, Chili also has a quirk. 'Chomp'. She can chew and digest any material that she can swallow and eat. My quirk allows me to create little orbs, or 'pills', of the components that exist in my body. Keratin, bones, iron from my blood, and so forth. I can also create small pieces from the periodic table. Not very impressive in and of itself, but if you eat them, you get special abilities. But it requires them being able to be digested. Most humans can't do that. But she can. Some things can make her a bit sick if she eats too much of it though. Nothing serious, but mostly tummy aches and indigestion if overdone."

Takanashi seemed impressed with the idea, having never heard of a quirk like that before. "That's pretty neat. Sounds like she's quite the little helper then. We'll all need to work hard, as they keep reminding us, it's good to have a loyal companion by your side."

Alfred walked up to Felix, saluting the man with three fingers as he got close. "Salutations, friend. I hope the shark didn't get you down. Ignorant fools can't be allowed to get ya down. If that happens, you should just shrug it off and prove your value in the one way they can understand." He said confidently, leaning against a nearby desk for support, arms crossed. "So, Felix, right? What was your quirk again? Something cool?"

Felix smiled softly when Alfred approached him, the first and seemingly only to do so after the whispers began to spread around. Though the two had worked together during the entrance exams, he was glad that the man hadn't let what other said dampen what little bond they'd formed during the exams. He shook his head, "No, I've grown quite used to the rumors and the whispers by now. They always seem to pop up eventually wherever I go." He responded, though he felt a bit offended that Alfred had to reconfirm his name. "As for my quirk, it's not something I like to talk about too much. It's nothing special, just some power of suggestion. Any half baked magician could do it."

"Well, half baked or not, it is quite telling of its potential if it managed to get you through to class A, wouldn't you say?" he spoke, trying to encourage the man. "I'd even dare say it is more impressive than me as it stands. Which is not small praise, let me tell you." He chuckled. "My parents were not quite so encouraging of my choice to go here. They always gave praise and support to 'dear ole bro' instead... Take confidence, friend. We are here to prove everyone wrong. And one day it may just be your quirk that saves lifes out there. Then no one will ever dare to talk behind your back again." He said with nod as if to confirm his own words to himself.

Felix's smile began to reach his eyes, and he nodded his head. "I guess our parents both had different expectations for us. I suppose you're right, all the same I wish people would stop judging me before they even get to know me." His smile faltered and he shook his head.

"Oh, your brother. He's the one who didn't show up today, right?"

"Atem, yeah. God damn slacker is what he is. Why they gave him a second chance is beyond me. I thought you got kicked out if you flunked. But he gets to stay? Something isn't right. But maybe I should be grateful! It gives me a chance to prove my value against the one who was said to have the superior quirk. 'Perfected Hero, Pharaoh' indeed." He spoke as he both bemoaned it all while also bolstering his confidence with the same knowledge. "I haven't done all this effort to just be 'second best' all my life. So mark my words: I will surpass him." He said, straightening his back before nudging Felix's shoulder with his fist. "And all the while, let's bring the best out of ourselves. You might not be so confident about it now, but on my word, we'll have all of them regretting ever talking any kind of shit about either of us."

"Yes. Let's both do our best. If you brother can't even bother to show up then I'm sure you'll have an easy time surpassing him. All the same though, I agree its weird that he's still here. Does someone in your family have connections in the school? Nepotism is on the rise everywhere from what I hear."

Alfred laughed and gave Felix a nod. "It's as if you can read my mind AND control things. If that is the case, then things might get spooky for a lot of people really quick." he joked. "You got this, dude. Play it careful and make the most out of your opportunities, and they won't be daring to mess with you or talk smack. And if they still do, well, just hit me up and we can probably convince them otherwise."

Dieter walked over to Tali, leaning against the desk beside hers. "Good to see you got in, not that I doubted you would or anything. Not with a nifty quirk like that but still, you never know with a place like this. I meant to stop by and say congrats sooner but freshmen week was busy as hell for me. Forgot to turn in some important papers to the school and had to get that sorted out. How's it feel to be in the "best of the best" of schools, huh?"

Tali giggled at his approach. "Feels great. I could hardly be happier. Though I am concerned of what will come next for us, I think I am ready for it. Then again, I bet there are many people who've said the same thing and haven't managed to come through to the other side. But what of you? What papers did you not hand in that got you into such trouble?"

"Some vaccination papers and school records from my middle school that Drache didn't manage to get sent over. I don't know why they waited until Freshman week to tell me about it. But geez, I wouldn't have been allowed to come today if I hadn't scrambled to get'em. Could you imagine that? Passing the exams just to be told you couldn't go to school because of some misplaced paperwork." Dieter shook his head in playful annoyance at the thought.

An amused exhale escaped his nose, "I didn't take you for the type to worry all that much. I know I wouldn't if I could be all 'pew pew pew!'." Dieter pointed his hands around as though he were firing off lasers before chuckling and opening up his eyes wide. "Though I suppose these things have their uses too. If not for my right eye I'd have fallen into the put trap and let's face it, if not for my left I wouldn't have remembered half of the stuff they told us before we were dropped in."

"All the same, we made a good team out there. My eyes sensed the danger, your light show kept'em away. And having a pretty face around wasn't a half bad deal neither, for either of us." He teased, stroking his chin as though he were some devilish casanova.

Giggling, Tali leaned on her knuckle as she looked up at him. "I suppose you aren't entirely wrong in that. Classic smoothtalker, are you? I am not saying that it is working. But I am not saying that it is not working either." She teased. "I think you did pretty decent in the dome. Handled yourself a lot better than even some of the more experienced survivalists in there. Clearly counts for something."

"Definitely counts for something. And I'll win you over eventually." Dieter winked at her, though he appeared uncomfortable in doing so. "And getting your vote for class president will be my first victory in that battle." The boy stated confidently.

"Gotta say though, I'm surprised we didn't rank higher. I don't know anything about the guy who got held back but where does it make sense for him to get first seat? More than that though, third seat is a surprise to me too. She could barely get out a word during introductions, whatever her quirk is must be something else to be that mousey and timid but still be in the top three. Almost scary, huh?"

She nodded. "A bit concerning. 'It's always the quiet ones' is the expression right? If she can do something that impressive, then it has got to be special and perhaps quite intimidating. That Lumi girl seems to be quite the powerhouse too if she managed the second seat. 'An Icon', huh? Seems I might have myself a rival in this classroom already. Can't wait to face her down some day."

Aria chose to remain at her desk, not making any point of trying to interact with the others.

The conversations never seemed to die down, those who chose to get to know their classmates had seemed to find their cliques, mostly composed of those they'd worked with during the examsn. Though that didn't surprise Gunther, it tended to be like that at first. The teacher's eyes turned toward the clock just a moment before the bell rang out, signalling the end of their period.

As the students began to gather their things, Mr. Krause spoke up. "Now that you all have gotten to know each other a bit better I hope that during your time here that you will all grow closer and help one another become the best students and heroes that you can be. Though not all of you will make it to graduation here at Drache that's no reason not to make friends and memories with your classmates. Have a great rest of your first day." He waved them off as they left.

## Art & Class

The class began to file into the art room, a smaller room from a regular class that smelt of paint and chemicals. Like before the teacher was nowhere to be seen even after the class had filed in. As the bell rang with no teacher to be seen the only sound in the class for a moment was but a faucet dripping down into a nearly overfilled sink.

"Fourteen minutes left." Mia commented on how much time the teacher had before she would get up and leave.

However, before anyone could say anything else the water in the sink began to stir as though the plug had come loose and the water was beginning to drain. But it quickly became clear that wasn't the case. The water spun and rose from the sink as though draining outward into the air than inward down the drain.

"The hell?" Dieter commented before the water spilled out onto the floor in a massive puddle only to then rise again to take the shape of a transparent person. Then as though forming right before their eyes did that person become more solid looking, colors began to bleed through until the water standing before them was unmistakeably a person. The class was stunned silent as the woman stood with hands proudly on her hips. Golden eyes and long, light blue hair.

"Hey there, Class. My name is Indigo Fontaine but all of you are free to call me Miss. Indigo if you would like. I'm Drache Academy's fine arts teacher, welcome to my class." She spoke in a cheerful tone, walking down the aisle between the desks. "That was a neat trick wasn't it? That was my quirk, Ebb and Flow. A muntant quirk that sees that my entire body is made of water. Basically, I'm living water more or less. No need to eat or sleep or any of those things." She introduced herself to the class.

"Now, I'm sure all of you are wondering what the point of an art class is here at a hero school? It's fine, it's fine. I get the same question every year, it's nothing to be ashamed of feeling. But let me explain, art is to heroism what peanut butter is to jelly. Our current understanding of heroes can be traced back to art created centuries ago. The pottery of the ancient Greeks telling the stories of their heroes from Hercules to Achilles, the battle of Troy and the Odyssey. Art and heroism are as intertwined as they come and I hope by the time you all set out to become heroes of your own that you will come to appreaciate that connection."

Indigo pulled out supplies from the cabniet in the back of the class, her arms buldging with paint, brushes, and many canvas' that she brought back with her to the front of the class. "I'm sure your homeroom teacher had all of you introduce yourselves, tell the class a fact or two about you. But while that serves its purpose well enough there's a saying that says 'a picture is worth a thousand words.' and I believe it. So today I'll be having each of you paint me a piece. It doesnt have to be anything complicated. Just something you want to paint, anything so long as it is appropriate for a classroom setting. Each of you feel free to go ahead and come get your supplies."

Ashley took some of the better quality brushes and a good selection of acrylics and oil paints. She had some experience and training with the arts and crafts since her youth, her parents having wanted her to pick up a hobby so she could forget about heroism. Didn't work, but she sure got good at painting. She began to paint a intricate and vibrant painting of herself on top of a hill looking over the setting sun above a vague outline of a city. She did a lot of wetblending to get the right colors and apply her skills to make the most of her time. She doubted that she had time to finish it, but she was doing good progress. And beside her stood a giant wolf in her own color scheme.

Tali was not the best artist, but she had a decent grasp of painting within the lines. So she applied a bit of a cheat method. Using her Photon quirk, she shaped up an image that she favored and from there did she begin to paint up the lineart and later the deeper colorations. She painted herself shooting a rainbow beam from her hands.

Alfred found himself utterly uncaring for this class so far, but he was not gonna just leave it a blank canvas. WOuldn't look good on his grades. So he began to make rough sketches of his fellow classmates and putting them in seat order, but now putting himself at the fore of the group, as if leading the vanguard towards victory against all odds.

Andrew simply drew the one thing he had always drawn and worked to near perfection: Chili being held by a young woman no one in the class would recognize. Brown and pink hair, amber eyes, star embelishments woven into her hair, a bright smile with the slightest bit of a gap between her front teeth. She looked really cute, and Andrew smiled as he looked upon it.

Lumi's drawing was the least impressive between her and the aforementioned. A simple snowflake with what appeared to be a form of steam coming from it. A bit of a rough sketch, but she was satisfied with being efficient enough this time around for it to be clear what the main motif was.

Dieter was by no means an artist, not when it came to painting. But he didn't need his future sight to tell him it wouldn't look good if he had decided to paint nothing at all. So, figuring he understood a thing or two about art, took some blacks and greys and made a large spiral that took up the majority of the canvas. It was short work and so he was done before most of the others. Deciding to play on his phone until the teacher told them whatever they were gonna do next.

Felix spent a great deal of time deciding what it was that he would paint, he had many ideas but none of them appealed to him. Finally picking out his colors he chose muted whites and greys, starting on a painting of a large snowy field.

Chidori got to work rather quickly, something seemingly having popped into her mind the moment the assignment was given to them. She grabbed a brush and a myriad of colors ranging from black to red, to yellow, silver, and gold. Soon she had something on her canvas resembling an explosion having gone off in a cartoonish manner. She seemed quite satisfied with her work as well, even signing it at the bottom.

Mia made clear her one track mind as she painted a single cartoonish looking fish on her canvas, dark blue in color it appeared as though it were jumping based on the pose.

Aria, appearing to be going for a simple painting as well painted a green bird sitting in a cage. Its feathers were vibrant and beautiful but the dull metallic colors of the cage in sat in made seeing the bird itself difficult.

Takanashi thought about what he wanted to paint. He wasn't an artist by any means but he had a steady hand and had practiced calligraphy since he was a young child. He had plenty of thoughts, a shrine, the lights at night in Kyoto, the deer in Nara. But he knew they had a time limit and with his unpracticed hand he wouldnt get much done in such a short time. And so he settled for something more within his range. A simple Sakura tree, its pink petals flowing threw the wind.

He'd only just finished the final touches when Miss Indigo clapped her hands. "Alright, let's see what you've got so far!" She cheered as she began to walk toward them.

"Alfred, a very ambitious piece. Very good. Im surpised you were able to paint your classmates so accurately without stealing glaces at the very least" She complimented his piece before moving to Ashley who wasn't quite finished but had made a great deal of progress in her work. "I sense a theme, arising, yes. Very good. Your city scape is beautiful. A wonderful sense of scale."

"Magnifique!" Indigo praised Andrew with her hand on his shoulder. "A beautiful portrait of a beautiful woman so well as your cute little Renarde. She has a soft expression. The detail is too great for me not to believe she is meant to be a generalization of any sort of concept or type of person. She must be special to you. I am sure she would be proud to see it." She patted the man on the shoulder before petting Chili briefly and moving on to the next person.

"Like a shining beacon of hope. Very fitting, Tali. I will keep that little trick you pulled between us, yes? A secret between girls." She chuckled, playfully winking before moving on.

She placed a hand on Lumi's shoulder, but quickly pulled away as she felt to cold of Lumi's skin. "Sorry about that, las Mademoiselle. I am afraid I am a bit sensitive to the cold." She chuckled, trying not to make Lumi feel bad about her reaction to her.

"Your painting, I think I understand why you chose it. It is very fitting. Good job, Lumi." She continued before moving on to the others.

Once she'd finished she made her way back to the front of the class. "Yes, yes, a thousand words indeed. After seeing all of your paintings I think I have gotten a deeper understanding of the sorts of people that I am dealing with. Wonderful minds of wonderful children, even those who do not have much in the way of experience with art I can see potential in all of you. Which is why I would like to give each of you the opportunity to allow me to display your pieces in the hallway outside of my classroom. Those of you not yet finished will be allowed to of course, those who allow me will have their paintings hanging on the wall outside my class for all to see. So that the others may come to understand all of you as I have. Should you so choose of course."

Andrew hesitated with the praise. Not because he felt it was undeserved, but because of what Miss Fontaine had ended it with. It only caused him sorrow to think about it. 'One day' he thought to himself. But all the same, he, Lumi, Tali, Alfred, and Ashley permitted their artwork to be displayed. Ashley just asked for the permission to have it finished first. The guys and girls felt content with their work so far and proceeded to hand over their canvases to Indigo. Lumi wanted to apologise to Indigo for having caused her reaction, but she knew there was no need and it would probably be dismissed. Nodding, they prepared for what was next, wheter that be them being dismissed or allowed to proceed with some other task.

Indigo checked the time, they still had a bit before this period ended but not enough for her to assign them any sort of task. "I was thinking of having all of you try to work on a group project but by the time I laid out everything you all would need and need to know it would be time for all of you to head off to your lunch period. So I'll be the cool teacher today and let you all have the rest of the class as a free period. You can use the equipment, paper, markers, paint, all of that if you want. Or you can talk and play on your phones as you do." She gave them permission to goof off while she got to work taking the paintings that had been given to her outside to place up on the wall.

Takanashi pulled out his phone, checking his notifications before putting it away back into his pockets and looking around to who he might like to try talking to. Sure, it would help with the voting for Class President but more than that he knew following Mr. Krause's advice was a good idea. He wanted to get to know his classmates.

He noticed Lumi sitting not far, realizing he hadn't talk to her he got up and began to head toward her. But before he could get within distance to speak to her Chidori seemed to appear at Lumi's side. Her gaze told him everything he needed to know, he wasn't welcome over there. He looked away, feeling the malice that his cousin felt toward him. He knew he wouldn't be able to speak with her or Lumi at the moment. So he turned and noticed Tali sitting in her seat and he felt reinvigorated to chat.

"Good morning, Tali. I don't believe we've officially met just yet. I'm Takanashi Kuromiya." He introduced himself, offering his hand to shake. "I liked your painting. Did it have to do with your quirk or was there something else you were trying to convey with it?" He tried to start a conversation with her.

"Hey, Takanashi." Tali returned cheerfully. Shaking his hand gingerly, trying to act lady-like, she turned in her seat towards him. "We haven't, no, so it is about time. My painting was about my quirk, yes. I hope to be able to make light that has colors in the future. Put on a show while kicking some ass. It requires a finesse, if it is even possible, that I don't currently have access to."

"Don't worry, you will." Came the confident voice of Alfred as he stepped up to the two of them. "Colors exist thanks to light being reflected in different frequencies. I don't doubt that you will find the means to do it freely. Nice to meet you, Tali. Takanashi. So, Taka, you intend to try and take the seat as class president? You got some stiff competition. Lots of top-tier contenders." He said with an undertone of 'I'm gonna win though.' "Aside from dreams of colorations, what sort of things do you want to make with your quirks? Any ideas of how to apply them for those sweet supermoves?"

"A bit early to start thinking about super moves don't you think? I doubt they'll start going over those in class until next semester at the earliest." Takanashi responded to Alfred, seeming to not catch onto his tone or if he had, he didn't let it bother him.

"I don't know, Takanashi, he might have a point. Doesn't hurt to theorycraft at least, does it?" Tali answered on her own, feeling that it sounded pretty reasonable to consider such things even if the teacher hadn't asked them to yet. "I have actually been speculating on a light bombardment move. Firing off a orb into the sky that explodes into a rain of light."

"I like the way you think!" Alfred exclaimed with encouraging glee. "If faced with a multitude of foes, it could be quite beneficial to have an area of effect attack. And with the way you make the quirk sound, it could be quite a devastating effect on both their bodies and their morale." He said with a thumbs up.

Takanashi didn't feel that he had much to contribute to this highjacked conversation, fully aware of the destructive abilities of his own quirk and having no intention of trying to push that any further than it could already be taken. Frankly, toning down his quirk was what he wanted more than anything. But alas, he was the only one who seemed to hold such an opinion.

Tali took note of Takanashi's reservations and decided to press the matter. "Takanashi? Something the matter? You seem a bit distant right now. Did we say something wrong?" Tali asked, concerned that they had said something that might have put him in a bad mood.

Alfred tapped him on the shoulder before speaking up. "Come on, bud. We both know that the supermoves are the way to go in this society. If you don't have a brand, you don't have a career." he said, trying to cheer him up in his own way. "Doesn't have to be spectacular, though that helps, but it needs to be effective and recognizable... Are you perhaps one of those pacifist people?"

"I didn't know there were so many that they might referred to as 'one of those'. But in that case, yes, I am." He stated, not meaning to sound as offended as he did. "And nothing is the matter, I've just never given it much thought so I'm afraid I don't have much in the way to add to the conversation. I don't mean to come off as distant."

"Admirable! How-" Tali began to speak up before Alfred let out a chuckle.

"How did you expect to become a hero as a pacifist?" He interrupted with what he expected would be the question Tali was going to pose. "This is heroism and there are some real violent whack jobs out there. How are you going to handle those problems? Ask them to please stop being mean?" He chuckled.

Tali looked legitimately upset at that, getting up from her seat to give Alfred a stern look. "Don't mock him, Alfred. It is unbecoming of any rising hero to make fun of a comrade." She reprimanded while pointing at him. "I don't take lightly to bullies."

Alfred smirked and raised both his hands in a half-hearted surrender. "Calm down, Tali. I didn't mean any harm. It is a legitimate question. The villains are not gonna lie down and just let you arrest them. Many of them will be violent, several of them might try some lethal force on us. Do you really think we are gonna be able to reason with a homocidal maniac?"

Takanashi smiled and shook his head, "You shouldn't mistake reluctance with inability. From my earliest memories I was trained in both Kenjutsu and martial arts, I simply believe violence should be saved as the last possible option. We're training to be heroes after all, our job is to save people. Villians are people too, no one wakes up one morning and simply decides to be evil. I just think we should be trying to save them too."

"No idea what the fuck 'Kenjutsu' is, but if you say that you are capable, then I won't doubt that. I just believe that, sure, they can be helped. Though preferably after they have been beaten to submission and are unable to harm anyone. We are supposed to save people, yes, but isn't the actual innocents supposed to be our main charge? Like, you wouldn't risk talking to them if that could mean that they could take the opportunity and hurt innocents, would you?"

"Swordsmanship." Takanashi informed him. "And yes, innocent people will always take priority. But that doesn't mean alternatives should be shut out entirely. Violence should never be the first option, there is just as much strength to be found in a kind word as a clenched fist. It may very well be the harder path, and I may very well regret it someday. But I think its rather clear that what we do now isn't working either." He spoke, the bell ringing before Alfred could respond.

"Oh! Time flies." Takanashi was surprised to see time having gone by so fast. "I'm sorry we didn't get to speak much, Tali. Would you like to make up for it over lunch? I made a second bento, or well, a second lunch if you'd like it. I'd planned on inviting someone today, never a better time to get to know someone than over a meal."

He then turned to Alfred and bowed his head, "I apologize, Alfred. I only made the one extra, I can make it up to you another time though if you're interested?"

Alfred waved him off with a smile on his face, not feeling down for not being invited to lunch, but rather giving him the sign that all is good. Tali called back to him that she would love to join him for lunch.

Meanwhile, Chidori held up her hand to Lumi. Holding in it was an origami snowflake similar in appearance to the that Lumi had painted. "Snowflake was a bit on the nose, huh?" She teased the girl as she offered the little paper snowflake to the girl. "Seemed to give the teacher quite a fright too."

Lumi chuckled a bit awkwardly even as she beamed happily at the origami flake. "Yes, I suppose it was. I just was at a loss of what to paint that was still feasible for me to put to the canvas. And I didn't mean to scare her. I am just cold by nature... sort of." Lumi explained as she took the little artwork from her, holding it in her hand and admiring the craftmanship. "You are really good at this." She praised.

Chidori had a satisfied look on her face, "Thanks, it's sorta in my blood after all, just like your cold nature. It's part of my quirk. " She explained, closing her hand again before opening it to reveal a paper crane this time. "It was sort of unfair for her to spring something like that on us all of a sudden. It's the first day of school after all. Last thing on anyone mind was what they were going to paint in art class. Everyone's looking to show their stuff in Hero class, especially those of us who're running for class reps. People might say otherwise, but they prefer to be led by the strong over other qualities." She explained.

Lumi nodded. "I can see that. But maybe that is beneficial to our training too? ...Somehow?" Lumi suggested hesitantly as if she couldn't quite justify it herself despite arguing it. "Maybe it has something to do with thinking quick on your feet? Taken by surprise about a task and then make the most of it? I don't really know, but surely there has to be some sort of reason for this kind of work?"

"Is it so bad that it might just be a fun excercise?" They would hear from behind. Walking up to them was Andrew, Chili trotting beside him, with a soft smile on his face. "I get that we are supposed to be hard at work to become great heroes, but we can't only be training, can we? Even the military has shore leave." He suggested. "Though I will agree that I would rather have hero class than this right now."

"I've never heard of shore leave being given on the first day of basic. Besides, everyone here has shed varying levels of blood, sweat, and tears to get here to begin with. If what we wanted was finger painting we could have just gone to any basic high school in our neighborhood." Chidori crossed her arms, "All I'm saying is that so far the school isn't living up to the reputation or the hype."

"Or perhaps I'm the only one who remembers that every guidence counsler, middle school teacher, and their mother made us make sure we knew what we were doing when we applied. Or how when we arrived for the exams how the headmasters gave that long speech about all of us being slaves and having to slay some dragon. I've yet to see a dragon about besides that statue out front." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, the dragon is a typical German metaphor. Not some dragon. *Your* dragon. And I would dare say that the week we had to suffer through to just get in was a helluva 'basics' experience. If that is what it takes to get in, I can't begin to imagine what will be asked of us to stay." He said, wanting to respect Chidori's intellect and not assume that she didn't understand the idea of 'slaying your dragon'. It would be very demeaning if he were to explain it if she was already well aware.

"Don't go lumping me in with the ones who lost track of the message, Chichi." Lumi said with a humorous and affectionate tone. "I have risked a lot just to get to do the entrance exam. That is why I am still on edge. If even half of the rumors are true, then this could very well just be a distraction before they kick our asses to the curb."

Chidori's cheeks turned a bit red at the nickname that Lumi had given her, something she was still getting used to. She turned to Andrew all the same though, "Your dragon, my dragon. We're supposed to kill some dragon is all I really understood from it. Call it lost in translation if you like, German is something I'm still getting the hang of either way." She shrugged her shoulders, "We'll just have to see when hero class comes around. Maybe they'll put us all up against a teacher or one of those third years. That first seat boy who spoke on stage during the entrance ceremony looked quite strong."

"You're... Andrew, right. The one with the fox. You've certainly got a flashy style about you. Like someone who would spend a lot of time in Shinjuku. I suppose you've the quirk to match?" She asked him curiously.

"The one and only." He chuckled a bit before turning a bit awkward. "Though I can't say that I know what Shinjuku is, I want to hope that it isn't an underhanded comment." He joked. "As for flashy, uhm..." he trailed off as he snapped his fingers and in between the index and thumb was a little orb of what seemed to be some sort of yellow and purple substance. "I just produce small things from the element table or the building blocks of the human body. Maybe I can do more with it in the future, but... this is what I do." He said awkwardly as Chili began to jump at his leg.

"This part is where it actually gets good." he said, trying to sound more confident as he tossed the little pill to Chili who ate it immediately. With a crunch did she begin to digest the pill before her body began to change. Her fur turning pale with purple spots, bright red eyes, and a purple haze eminating from her neck where all fluffy fur used to be. "Our quirks work best together. My 'pills' causes changes when eaten. Seeing how she can actually eat and digest the things I make, she is the best choice to cooperate with. I could theoretically do it as well, but I would probably need to go to the doctor shortly after having done so."

Chidori watched on, finding the quirk interesting and somewhat amusing. Though she had to admit it seemed more like a party trick than something that might be all that useful. All the same, he'd made it here so she knew she shouldn't discredit his abilities just yet. "Shinjuku is a district in Tokyo, they've a lively night scene. The sorta place everyone goes to escape the rather strict social aspects of our culture." She explained, not wanting the man to get the wrong idea of what she'd meant by her comment.

"All the same, your quirk is rather interesting. Though requiring a partner to make use of it must certainly be frustrating, especially given just how specific the abilities of that patner must be." Chidori commented before turning to Lumi, "And here I thought you quirk was restrictive. I guess there are plenty out there with more rules to work around."

"I see! I could imagine me having been there then, yeah. And restrictive? I've seen some snippets of what you can do, it seems really strong. What is holding it back?" he asked with genuine curiosity. "Mine is quite clear, but I can't gauge it just from sights and descriptions that you have given. Control the essence of cold and the like? I can already see you getting top tier from that." He praised.

"T-Thanks. I can use cold for all manner of things, but... it kind of requires me to be cold myself. Staying out in the sun dampens my powers, and I have gotten so used to keeping myself cold that I almost feel uncomfortable with being warm."

"So how do you build up that cold?"

"I got a freezer in our room. It is custom made so I can sleep in it over night." She said with a bright smile.

Andrew looked surprised and maybe a bit unnerved. "Holy- that sounds like something you could hear about in a horror movie. The friend or lover being stuffed in the freezer, you know?" He said, not hiding his surprise from them in any form.

"Chidori had a similar response at first. Though a bit more composed. It happens to everyone who gets to know me. Haven't had any real boyfriends either for that reason. I spook them with the chill." She joked, though it is clear that something was behind that joke that she wasn't quite happy with.

"It certainly does take up a lot room..." Chidori spoke about Lumi's cold room but didn't go any further with it. "All the same, while I can understand why it might be off putting, you'd think you'd at least be popular during the summer time. It can get sweltering in Japan and Germany isn't much better. It's certainly a perk of our friendship I'm looking forward to." Chidori teased before the bell rang signalling the end of class.

Chidori looked toward the speakers the bell tone was playing from. "Lunch then. Lumi, shall we go?" She asked, seeming to forget about Andrew entirely the moment the bell rang.

Andrew wouldn't have had the time to take offense to Chidori completely ignoring his existence as he had already done a goodbye wave as he headed out the door the moment the bell rang. Chili jumped up on one of the desks and then up to his shoulders where she rested as they headed for the lunch hall.

"Please, yes, I am famished." Lumi exclaimed, getting up from her seat, snowflake still in hand as the two friends made their way towards the lunch hall. Lumi's tail bumped Chidori's shoulder gently to get her attention. "By the way, don't think I failed to note that you intend to cuddle up during summertime. I would be willing to trade snuggles for pie cupcakes." she teased.

Chidori side-eyed her as they walked before a satisfied smile appeared on her face, "A trade then? Very practical, Lumi. Alright then, it's a deal. Though in that case you won't be seeing a single one from me until the heat begins to take affect. Such is the nature of a deal, yes?" She winked playfully at the girl.

## Lunchtime

When the clock rung for lunch, the hall filled with students from all classes and years, most of which were segregated from each other. Not for any purpose of forbidding mingling between the classes, but more so to ensure that everyone knew they had their space so they didn't get bullied off tables that are theirs. Lumi and Chidori held their plates, chatting as they went towards a suitable seat. That was when they heard a voice call to them from behind.

"Hey, ladies!" came the sound of a somewhat excitable but still composed Alfred. Only having a selection of organic items on his plate, he took a couple of steps up to them. His intentions were clear despite how he tried to put enough distance so he didn't seem like he was going to impose, despite clearly wanting to. It all seemed so calculated. As if he had picked the exact amount of inches to still be curtious. "I was going to ask if you would like to share a table? I want to get to know my classmates and get to see for myself who my comrades and rivals are."

"I mean..." Lumi trailed off as she looked to Chidori. "I suppose I wouldn't mind it, but while I understand the comrades bit, how are we already rivals?" She questioned, confounded as to how he had already made that leap.

"What can I say? We were informed that only a few of us are likely to make it to the end of the course, if any of us. Sounds to me like we are running the risk of needing to step over a classmate or two to get what we want. It wouldn't be preferable, and I'd rather not have it so, but I see it as better to be ready for the worst than play with an open hand and maybe suffer the consequences for it."

Chidori looked the man up and down, understanding his game well before he'd even called to them as she'd seem him talking with Tali before, having butted into her conversation with her cousin to do so. For that she'd cracked a smile, but she knew the man all too well to be a snake. "So you plan to try and get in good with those of the upperseats then? Form some sort of alliance through which to barricade the lower seats from usurping the uppers and thus protecting yourself as well? It isn't a bad plan nor a bad idea at all. I only wish you weren't so obvious about it. The greatest advantage of a snake is surprise, you're more like... a rampaging Rhino."

She turned her head to Lumi, "I think that fits quite well, dont you?"

Before Lumi had the chance to give her answer, Alfred was already on the go. While he hadn't quite thought of it in such a fashion, she was right, it did sound like a good plan. Not that he was going to admit in any way that she had thought of it before him. "Alright, I'm caught, though it isn't the whole story." He said with a smirk as he nodded for a table where they could sit down. Lumi followed him, gesturing for Chidori to 'Please come with. I am scared to be alone with him'.

Once all of them were seated, he continued. "See, if I wanted a secure spot, I'd just claim the top seats and never let them go by my own might and skills. But I want a bit of extra ensurance that the positions will not be threatened. For me and my rivals. As for obvious? Ya, I am. I don't think it will do me any good to be dubious or secretive about it to those who I want to ally with. What good would that give me? What benefits? Besides, you can't tell me that you are pleased with the fact that my bro being seat one despite being a drop-out by all measures."

Lumi nodded half-heartedly. "A rhino indeed. You don't lack for honesty if nothing else. And, yes, while it is a bit of a bother that someone who won't even show up gets to be first seat, I don't know if that makes it fair to impede our classmates progress. And you keep on talking about how it benefits you. How would that help us?"

"Isn't it clear? The further we stay from the bottom, the better the odds of us getting out of this school with a career. That's what we are here for in the end, isn't it?"

"And so the ends justify the means then?" Chidori asked though she was plenty sure she already knew the answer and thus continued anyhow, sitting down at their table and beginning to stir the soup on her tray to cool it down. "I won't say that you're wrong, everyone has their own reasons to be here even if the end goal of becoming a hero is the same. Though some might argue the means by which we achieve that goal is equally as important as reaching it to begin with. Theoretically, a low ranking hero could become the number one hero simply by killing everyone above them, no? Of course not, because it goes against everything that being a hero is about. Would the same not apply to the idea of purposely keeping others down for your own benefit?"

"Have you ever heard of the phrase 'crabs in a bucket', Alfred? I believe that was your name."

He beamed throughout the conversation. "Ah yes, the crab who will drag the stray back to the bottom again. And that is a bit of my point. The attatchments are nice to have and all, good ways to keep yourself grounded, I wouldn't compare securing your position the same as tearing apart a rival for the sake of it. But that is the bit i take issue with. The 'grounded' part. It is good to not be arrogant about it, but there must be a limit. And if the bonds won't respect that limit, then they are dangerous to our career. You can't jump to the stars if you are chained to the earth. While I want everyone here to prosper, it cannot take away from our own progress." He said confidently. "So I wouldn't compare us or a pact like crabs in the bucket. I would rather compare us to lions. Proud to be at the top and won't agree to being unseated."

"You make it sound so simple." Lumi retorted. "To dismiss others and distance yourself from the people around you to not get 'dragged down'. You talk about us as prideful lions, but it sounds more to me like a scared dog, barking its throat sore just to keep up a dangerous and strong appearance for its own safety." She said, taking a bite out of the sandwich she has prepared for herself, comparing it to the school's. She felt hers was better. "I'm sorry, but I don't buy it. Seems like a flawed reasoning for a cruel scheme. Give me one good reason to trust this."

Never once did he hestiate. He felt he couldn't afford it as it would make him seem weak or ill prepared. "'Slay the dragon'." He simply stated. "We are here to overcome our weaknesses and become unstoppable. Our weaknesses. Not someone elses. That is what we signed up for the moment we desided to enroll. To do anything necessary to become heroes and slay the dragon. To not give it our all is the equivalent of wasting this school's time, and one's own. And can you really give it your all if you allow yourself to be weighed down by those who are not aspiring in the same way you are?"

"Ah, so that's what that whole dragon thing was supposed to be about then, hm?" Chidori stired her soup, truly seeming to have only got it just now. She nodded her head, "It isn't as though I don't understand what you're saying. I've very well seen the downside of a bleeding heart. My cousin is the last seat for a reason. The issue is you are the exact opposite, an equally reprehensible extreme. While his heart bleeds until he's none left for himself yours is frozen enough to give Lumi's a chill. All the while speaking so highly of yourself. Germany is majority Christian, yes? They have a saying... 'Pride before the fall'? I think that's right, Lumi?"

She didn't wait for Lumi to answer her. "Perhaps it would do you well to save such speechs and delusions of grandeur for when you're first seat, or even second, I might even settle for third." She shrugged, going back to eating her soup before it got cold.

Lumi giggled a bit before sipping on her apple juice. "You really need to stop asking me questions you don't even want me to answer." She said playfully in response to Chidori's remarks, since it seemed to have started to become a habit to go on after asking her a question without waiting for her reply. "But she has a point. I think you are far too distant from all others to be even remotely considerate of everyone else, despite what you are trying to tell us. You don't even sit in a position that proves that you have what it takes for your plan to begin with. It just comes across as you wanting to secure a spot you can't take by yourself. I'm out." Lumi finished, a clear tone of, 'this debate is over'.

Yet Alfred didn't seem perturbed. Shrugging, he continued. "Well, its unfortunate that you feel that way. But I think I see a point for me to show off my stuff soon enough. In heroics, as of a fact." He said as he took a bite of his chicken.

"I am gonna regret asking, but what about it? What has you so sure that you can prove anything?" Lumi retorted.

"From what I've heard, we will be fighting a most particular student. A very important one for our class. And if the birdie is correct, I will have a golden position to prove the point. I will rise through the ranks. I will claim the top three. And once it is all said and done?" He trailed off as he took his final bites. "You are gonna regret not climbing out of the crab bucket." He said, casually talking as if it was just the natural conclussion. Getting up from his seat, he took his tray with him with a final parting word: "Thank you for the company. I have a few things to prepare now."

Chidori waved goodbye as he left, only when he was out of earshot did she turn to Lumi and speak, "Aye, you're right. I'm sorry about that. It's rude to ask and not wait for an answer. My tongue just tends to move faster than my head. Especially when I'm frustrated." Chidori's harsh tongue seemed to deflate as she offered a genuine apology to Lumi for not waiting for her answers.

"That said, what do you think about this little 'birdie' thing he's talking about? Think he's talking out his ass?" She asked, awaiting her answer respectfully before giving her thoughts.

Lumi thought about it for a second. "I think he may well be full of it, but I wouldn't rule out the possibility that he might have stolen some information about what is ahead. He kind of seems like the guy who will do anything to get ahead. Whether he can live up to it is another matter entirely." Lumi replied. "And don't worry about it, Chichi, it was just me teasing. You phrased the matter better than I would have been able to anyway." She winked at her friend.

Takanashi and Tali had found a nice spot near the fountain out near the front of the school, sitting down he pulled out the small wooden boxes the contained the meals he'd prepared and passed one to her. "I hope you enjoy it. Though I won't take horribly to criticism if you've got complaints. I'm always looking to improve my craft." He chuckled softly, opening up his bento box to reveal its contents. Completely vegetarian in style, he hoped she wouldn't mind it too much. He never meant to impose his way of thinking onto others but if he were to cook he'd prefer not to cook meats.

"I'm sorry about earlier. That Alfred is quite the exciteable fellow, isn't he?"

Tali giggled. "Quite so. He has an honest heart if nothing else. He is earnest in his words and his actions. I just wish he would have a bit more tact with it. I hope you didn't take too much offense though. That was not really our intent." She said as she opened the box and marveled at the intricate and exquisite looking food inside. Taking the chopsticks, she began to try and eat. She began with the more firm bits, not quite having the know how to pick up rice with them. "SO. BLOODY. GOOD!" She exclaimed as she continued eating.

Takanashi rubbed the back of his neck, quite pleased with Tali's exclaimation regarding his cooking, marking the moment as a highlight of day so far. "No, no. I took no offense. I'm used to my way of thinking coming off as odd to others, Ashley didn't agree with it either, I'm sure most have their issues with it and not all of them are unfounded." He explained before popping a piece of tofu into his mouth.

He chewed quietly for a moment before swallowing. "I don't expect all the worlds problems to be solved with a hug and a handshake. But I believe that life is a precious thing and people shouldn't be so quick to wish harm upon others just because they think differently than you or I." Takanashi explained before realizing he might be coming off as too preachy.

"S-sorry about that. I didn't invite you to lunch to lecture you." He apologized, "I don't know how much you know about the culture and all since you're from America but it's nice to have another Japanese person around. Not a whole lot since I moved here to Germany. That and you also said you had a younger sibling, I can relate, I've got six younger siblings myself."

"*Six*!" She whisper-yelled as she looked towards him. Two kids had offed her mother due to the strain and effort of the births. To have given birth to seven kids just seemed inconcievable to her. "Don't worry about lectures, it is interesting to hear different opinions! And, well, to be honest? In a way, he has always felt like a premature son to me. When mom passed away and father grew distant, I had to step up to the plate to take care of him. After the... incident, Keiji got very sick. Fevers day in and day out. Pops couldn't take care of him, and no one knew the extent of his illness, so it was up to me."

"Lil' bro couldn't do anything for months. And I mean, *anything*. So I had to deal with it all." She sighed. "Sorry, didn't mean to complain or compare burdens." She said, rubbing the back of her head. "Maybe you are on to something. The whole 'Nice having another Japanese around' thing." She joked, trying to play off what she had just said.

Takanashi smiled warmly, an empathetic look in his eyes before nodded, "I think I understand what you're going through..." He seemed to hesitate to continue, his eyes moving away from hers as though shying away from the topic. "I, or well, we lost our father about two years ago. We moved here from Japan to be closer to my mother's family. Things were hard on everyone, my younger siblings, my mother. I did all I could to help them in the wake of the loss, cleaning, cooking, taking care of the little ones, doing odd jobs to help the money situation. I've always wished I could do more, have done more. My father always valued life, no matter how bad things got he always smiled and beared through it. I want to be like him, a kind and gentle person, a stronger person." Takanashi spoke, a pain that reflected in his eyes in nothing else, as though the words he spoke struck at his heart like dark whips.

But as soon as it began to show in his eyes it seemed to disappear, replaced with the warm light in his chocolate pools he called eyes and he nodded to Tali, "Let's both do our best then. For the people we care about, I'll help you in any way I can. There can be no ill will against those who share the same pain, right?"

"To us, to our families, and to becoming great heroes!" She cheered with a raised drink as if toasting before downing it. "Things are gonna turn exciting these four years, I think. I look forward to seeing it through. And hey, if you got my back, I got yours. Sound fair?"

He raised his bottle of water to cheers with her, "Perfectly fair." He nodded happily.

...
Ashley stood around pondered about what to pick for lunch. There was a couple of things she was interested in, but she couldn't risk buying it now and be a bit slim on cash later. So she was about to satisfy herself with picking some sandwiches and a peach juice box. But as she was about to reach for them, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching, causing her ear to twitch. Turning to face the approaching figure, she saw Felix approach her, causing her to tense for just a second before relaxing. If he were to ever try something, she was sure it wouldn't be in the middle of the cafeteria. Besides, she would not judge him based on rumors. That would be no different from how others have judged her for her abilities.

Felix's face wore a smile that did not quite reach his eyes, not for lack of trying, he'd seen her tense up when theirs eyes met. He didn't blame her, of course, but all the same the reaction got tiring after awhile. "Ashley, right? You're running for class representative alongside a few of the others. You certainly gave a heartfelt speech when you volunteered." The smile he shone was one of caring warmth, his voice calm and charming despite the naturally rough tone of the German language.

He noticed her empty tray and motioned his head toward the array of foods and the like lined up along the cafeteria wall. "Would you like to have lunch together? If you haven't eaten yet anyhow, my treat?" He made the tempting offer, "I understand if you'd rather not though..." Felix's smile slipped a bit, though he did understand if she didn't want to be around him.

Looking at her tray, she realized that she hadn't picked a single item. Looking back to Felix, she offered a small smile. She felt slightly uncertain about his motivations, but she felt the safety of numbers right now and confident that she would not be meddled with when there was so many around to be her witnesses. "Well, if you are certain then who am I to refuse a generous treat?" She spoke, allowing her smile to widen a bit. "How about you pick my items then for me? I can't decide on my own today it seems."

Felix let out a small chuckle, "Asking someone you just met to pick out your lunch? It almost feels like you're testing me somehow." He tried to joke with her before turning to the array of choices. Ashley seemed physically strong and her speech had been quite passionate, in his mind that lead him to believe she might enjoy more filling and interesting foods. So he immediately disregarded the sandwiches and other mundane foods and instead looked to the more interesting items. He picked out a traditional German dish of saurkruat and sausage with a side of a loaded baked potato as well as grilled asparagus and having noticed her rather shapely rear as he'd approached his eyes had been drawn to a peach cobbler to round out the meal.

Picking out the same meal for himself they made it up to the lunch lady and he paid for their meals. Handing her the tray with her own he looked to her to see if he'd made good choices. Normally he could read people like books, so he was confident he'd picked something she would enjoy.

"Huh. Pretty good picks." She said, nodding at him with gratitude. Some of the items was a bit less appealing, but far from inedible."And what? We are classmates. Where is the harm in asking for tips and advice?" She teased. "Come on." She told him as she moved to sit herself down at one of the free tables. "Thank you for the lunch! But if you don't mind me asking: Why come to me with this kind offer? There are prettier people and more interesting quirks than my own." She inquired as she took a bite out of the baked potato, looking to Felix with a curious expression. "Why do I deserve this charity?"

Felix shook his head, as though she'd misunderstood something. "I think you've got the wrong idea, I'm not trying to make you out to be a charity case or anything. It's just..." The pale man seemed to turtle up, lowering his head and raising his shoulders. It was hard to talk about but he didn't want Ashley to think he was pitying her or anything like that.

"Well, It's just that I saw the way you tensed up when I walked up to you. I get that alot, I know why and I know you do too. I didn't think you'd give me the time of day unless you got something out of it. I guess that makes it sound like I was trying to buy your friendship but I promise I didn't mean it like that either. It was your speech in class this morning, when you volunteered yourself for class president, it was really passionate and I found it inspiring. Did you mean what you said? You know? About not leaving anyone behind? You'll really be that kind of leader?" He asked her though he didn't meet her gaze as though the man was ashamed at what he'd done to get her to even speak to him.

"A flinch reaction based on all the rumors. Don't think too much about it. I want to judge people based on what *they* say do and not what is said about them." She dismissed, not wanting him to feel bad. "That is the sort of leader I'd be, yes. I believe that everyone in here has a right to the chance to become the hero they dream to be. I don't want to imagine that you are any different." She spoke with a smile. "If I become alph- I mean, class president, everyone would be part of the pack, and i don't abandon anyone. That is a promise!" She said, raising the potato before taking another bite out of it.

Felix seemed to ease up a bit, his posture straightening up a bit and a small smile coming over his face. He could tell she meant what she said, but the words coming out of her mouth confirmed it for him. The man was a human lie detector for better or for worse and Ashley seemed like an honest girl.

He nodded his head, "That's great, I really admire that. In that case you have my vote," Felix promised her his vote in the class election, given the way things had been going for him he thought the only friend he would find would be in Alfred and the others would leave him behind. But with a leader like Ashley leading the class he could see a brighter future for his social life. If only more people would give him a chance he was sure that he might find common ground with some of them.

"If you don't mind me asking, what makes you want to be a leader?"