[My Hero Academia] Rise of the New Generation!

The train finally came to a stop, the two girls getting off. They decided to walk together to the gates of the prestegious school, but after that, they were set to be rivals. They both wanted the exact same thing; a chance to become a pro hero. UA was their means of making that dream a reality.

Inori placed a set of cat-ear headphones over her ears and selected one of her playlists to psyche herself up for the exam. As her music played, she could feel the excitement welling up within... as well as anxiety. The entry exam is usually combat against some form of danger; usually robots, but sometimes lower tier pro heroes pretending to be villains. The upbeat noise all but faded from her hearing as she began to worry about her quirk. While she saw its uses, especially against robots, excessive use could potentially hurt her; permanently if it gets too intense.

The walk on Inori's end was rather silent, as she stared at her hand, watching small traces of lavender flow through her fingers. When she finally looked up, she saw familiar figures off in the distance, as well as plenty of new faces. As she got closer, she removed one side of her headphones and called out.

"Reiko? Daizo? That really you two?"

The techspeaker glanced at Paula, silently inviting her to meet the aquaintences she had made, and the rivals yet to be.

As the two girls approached the group assembled in front of the building, Paula took a few moments to examine each of the faces. There was still a decent amount of time before the actual exam, right? Yet, so many aspiring students had gathered in the area already - they must've been at the top percentages of their schools!! She'd wanted to get in a little bit of sightseeing before plunging ahead to the exams... but that'd have to wait. Her focus needed to be here, and on what lay ahead.

Most of the other kids were spread apart, keeping to themselves for the most part, though there was a small cluster of three or so others that seemed fairly chatty. And it seemed that Inori knew them? And while there was a part of Paula that wanted to meet new people and share memories and experiences with them... Not everyone would make the cut. To forge ahead as a Hero could mean trampling on the dreams of others so that she could succeed. And to try to make friends now if she might be forced to crush their aspirations tomorrow... Needless to say, Paula suddenly felt quite conflicted about trying to make new friends.

She looked over at Inori, who still seemed to be expecting her to join the apparent friend-group that Inori had made. The offer being extended towards her was unspoken, but not unseen. The maroon hair-tentacles that flowed from the jellyfish-bell atop her head drifted lazily in the breeze as Paula mulled over the invitation.

She sighed, knowing she was overthinking the situation.

The edges of a smile tugged at her face as she nodded towards Inori, accepting the offer to join the group. Paula wasn't sure if she would make friends or allies here -- she was always one to stand on her own two feet -- but surely no harm could come from at least getting to know who her rivals to Pro Hero-ship would be. She could feel her heart beat faster in anticipation as the spirit of competition pumped through her bloodstream.

As the two joined the larger group -- consisting of a girl of stone, a boy with jet engine on his arms, and a boy with the visage of a fox -- Paula bowed in greeting, letting the others reacquaint before joining their conversation.

The Geode girl spins around, hearing the sound of footsteps coming toward them.  She briefly makes eye contact with the boy with the skeletal arm, getting bad vibes off of him.  Judging a book by his cover, sure, he'd be welcome to any group of villains based on intimidation alone... but there must've been reason as to why he came to this academy for heroes!

The tension in the air slowly fades as her and her friend's names are called out by a familiar voice.  It was Inori Kyoto, and she was with a girl with jellyfish characteristics!  How cool!  Reiko had never seen a quirk like that before.

"Inori!!  I knew you'd pass that written test, super easy!!" the rocky teen grinned.  "That's great news!!"

She then flounces over to Paula Bloom, her 'eyes' bright with sincerity and interest.  "It's also super amazing to meet you!  My name is Reiko Yamashita!  I can't wait to find out what your Quirk is!!  I love your hair, by the way, it looks so smooth!"

More potential students were still on their way, biding their time and saving their strength for the practical.  However, two of them were watching the expanding group from afar, getting nervous as the crowd of kids became larger.

The shy boy held back an introduction, not wanting to get involved with a group that might not even make it into the class.  Instead, he chose to mind his own business and sit down against the wall, far from the group.  He always put up a bubble around himself, even if he didn't physically put one up.

The girl with the braided ponytail heard the snarky comment from the munching individual and scowled at him.  "Make another comment like that and your appetite won't be the only thing that's died," she hissed, turning her back to him and walking down the sidewalk.  She had time before the doors opened.  Besides, even brighter colors began to make their appearances--
except for one.

The girl with the green hair.

She was much more muted than the others.  Peculiar, she thought to herself.

Daizo watched the boy with the skeletal arm warily, but did not seem as intimidated as the others. He may not seem very friendly, but maybe that was just his appearance? Either way, he did give off the air that he didn't want to be bothered, and Daizo knew better than to press someone like that.

However, when he hears Inori call his name, he turns around and smiles. Here was Inori, as well as someone new. From the look of her jellyfish-like features, she must have had an interesting Quirk, to be sure! "YO! Inori! Glad to see you made it!" He then smiles at the new girl, giving her a greeting by pounding his broad chest once, a grin on his face. "Nice to meet ya! I'm Daizo! Daizo Matsumoto! Lets get along and do our best in the practical! What's your name?~"

The thin boy sighs. "Well, somebody has a mean streak as long as her pony tail..." He then gets up, taking his tea and food in hand as he makes his way to join the others. He wasn't about to let some brooding chick rain on his parade. However, when he sees the five students all grouped together, he wrinkles his nose in slight disgust. "Those five look like a pocket full of sunshine...and my ass in nocturnal." He then notices the boy with the skeletal arm standing alone. The other students must have been intimidated by him...

With a sigh, he walks over and sits down on thw ground next to the boy, glancing up and offering a sandwich to him. "Oi...you look like someone who's here with a good mind for taking this shit seriously...probably why the pep squad over there is so keen on keeping away. Still, sunshine and rainbows aren't really my cup of tea. I'd rather take this seriously, and not look at it as some fun camp like these kids..." He gives the boy a slight smirk. "The name's Yuya. Monkichi Yuya. You got a name, or do people just call you 'the crypt keeper' on account of that arm?"

As the students all got acquainted, a taxi pulls up to the road. As the doors open, the cat-like boy who called himself Gaolang emerges from the back of the cab, his bag on his shoulder. As soon as he sees the gates, sparks seem to jump between his whiskers. "HNNNNNNNG OOOOOOOH YEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHH! I FINALLY MADE IT! UA! TIME TO FINALLY BECOME A HEEEEEEROOOOO, BAAAAAABY!"

Daizo couldn't help looking in the direction of the yelling boy, a smirk forming on his face as he reads the logo on his bag. "MMA? Another martial artist? And he seems like quite the spirited type!"

Monkichi, on the other hand, raises an eyebrow while shooting Gaolang an annoyed look. "Oh he's gonna be an absolute treat..." The sarcasm in his voice was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Chrono looks over at Monkichi, letting out a breath through his nose. It wasn’t often he was approached so openly. He reaches up and takes the sandwich with his skeletal hand and uses his other to pull his scarf down for him to eat. “Chrono.” He eats some of the sandwich, his face remaining straight as he does so.

Tirinus sees his group gravitating towards the new girl with the jellyfish head and smiles a little. Another person with an animalistic appearance at last! He walks over and nods to Inori before addressing the new girl. He puts a hand above his heart and bows to her slightly in polite greeting. “I am Tirinus Furasshu. It is a pleasure to meet you. Any friend of Inori’s is a friend of mine. But do tell me, is your quirk related to your appearance or unrelated like mine? I am curious.”

Chrono hears about the loud mouth that had just arrived and glances over at him, hearing Monkichi’s sarcastic comment about him. He says nothing, knowing not to judge a book by its cover. After all, he’s the living embodiment of that saying.

Inori simply nods, returning the greetings before replacing the headphones over her ear. She needed her full focus if she wanted to pass this exam and become one step closer to reaching her dream. The techspeaker leaned up against the wall of the school as she waited with her group of allies for the start of the exam, which wouldn't be for another bout of time. She gave a silent wave of greeting to Tirinus as he spoke his hellos, but her focus was broken as she heard the arguing and loud voices. She sighs, putting her headphones in her bag as her phone rang. Inori looked at the contact and stepped away from the group and plugging her other ear to hear better. She locked eyes with the girl with the long braid and smiled briefly, appreciating the fact she wasn't yelling like almost everyone else before turning her attention back to the call.

"...This is her. ....Tomorrow, right? ...P.Mic Studios, correct? Yes, of course. I'll be there bright and early. Thank you, sir. Yes, you too." she groans slightly at the next part. "Catch ya later, ya dig?"

She hung up and sighed deeply, hoping to be able to balance her life out soon. Between recording and possibly Yuuei Academy, her plate was going to be full!

-----00o*o00-----

Stepping out of a Taxi on the side of the road, was a short girl with light brown hair tied up in a bun. She wore a brown sweater thats missing the shoulders and covered the shorts she wore. The ends of her sleeves were covered in an incredibly soft fur, as were her ankles and the joints that connected her fuzzy wings to her back. From each belt loop of her hidden shorts were deep brown ribbons with little moth keychains on them. Mozi lifted her bangs from over her eyes and let her sleepy eyes gaze upon the glory of the prestigious academy. her voice was super quiet, and it matched the super gentle expression on her face.

"Finally... I'm here...!"

Not even a minute into the discussions, and Paula could already feel her head spinning from all of the introductions of the others around him. She swiveled about, trying to face each of the others at the same time, but ultimately failed to do so. She sighed as she tried to recompose herself -- she doubted she'd remember everyone's names, but she could at least try. She focused her gaze on each of the other three intensely as she repeated their names in her head. Reiko... Daizo... and Tirinus. Simple enough, right? Deep breaths, and act like a not-awkward human being for five minutes. Or however much longer it was until the doors would open.

"My name's Paula. Paula Bloom. I'm originally from America." She nods to each of them in turn, in the order that they'd introduced themselves. The competitive whispers in Paula's mind grew louder as she spoke, giving her a bit of confidence.  Perhaps too much, as she couldn't stop herself from what she said next. "And I'm aiming for the top of Pro Heroes."

She immediately clamped her mouth shut with both hands, surprised at her words. There was a part of her that had instantly regretted revealing her dreams, but even so... they were her truth. In her declaration, Paula had been referring to the Hero Billboard Chart that had been popularized in Japan and spread to the rest of the globe. Professional Heroes were officially ranked by taking into account factors such as number of cases solved, general popularity among the public, and level of social contribution. Having a higher rank came with a certain level of prestige for a Hero, which served as an efficient motivator for many. The actual rankings were listed twice a year during a special presentation event, with one coinciding with one of the school semesters. For a long time, All Might had held the spot of number 1, but a disastrous battle against the apparent ringleader of the League of Villains had forced him into retirement. There hadn't been too many who'd been able to inspire like All Might could...

And Paula wanted, more than anything, to reach her far-flung dream.

The shy boy hiding in the corner turned around at the sound of the slammed taxi door.  It was another young girl, her physique so very unique!  Her height and brown hair/fur reminded him of his younger sister; in this same series of thoughts, he only felt the urge to protect her and keep her safe from everything.  And yet, he was too shy to get up and introduce himself.

Meanwhile, Reiko beamed at Paula’s response, eager to know someone from another country and have them compete to be a great pro hero!  “That’s so great!  We are, too!!  Mmm, it’s gonna be hard to be at the top, so let’s do everything we can to get there!”  Even though Reiko was nervous about this practical, she was feeling better that most of her fellow participants were nervous too.  It created a strong sense of togetherness, and that was important to her.

The girl with the braided hair ducked behind a streetlight’s post and leaned up against it, hiding her blush.  She did not expect a smile in acknowledgement!!!

The roller blading boy was several blocks away, and the taxi bringing the studious girl was further yet, still.

Daizo could not help but give a warm hearted, hardy laugh. "So many of us aiming for the top! Lets all make sure to become Pros! I know I'd feel a hell of a lot better knowing I got other hero friends out there. I might be strong, but I tend to rush in on things, so having someone level headed around would be a big help! By the way, Paula-chan, what are heroes like in America?"

As everybody kept milling about, Gaolang spots the shy boy in the corner and smiles. Somebody who seemed a bit in the awkward side? Maybe if he introduced himself, it would help ease the kid's nerves? With a smile, Gaolang walks right up to the shy boy and gives him a big, toothy smile. "Howdy! I'm Gaolang! Gaolang Paingsawat! I've come all the way from Bangkok, Thailand to learn about being a real hero! What's your name?!~"

As Monkichi and Chrono watch the group of hero hopefuls, he begins eating yet another sandwich, despite having eaten multiple already in the short span of time. "So..." He speaks as he eats. "What made you want to become a hero? I'm here because I've got a complex quirk, and its got a lot of really convenient uses. So, if I'm gonna use it, it might as well be to help others...even if most of the human race are pretty freaking dumb." He then looks up to Chrono, his expression unchanged. "Gonna warn you now, I've got a big mouth and a bit of an attitude. But...you seem okay. So I'm not really feeling being a dick to you. Ya know what I mean?" He tosses his wrappers into his bag before producing another sandwich. "I guess I'm saying, its nice to make your acquaintance, or whatever."

Chrono is quiet for a few moments as he finishes the sandwich he was offered, looking down at his skeletal arm. “I want....All of them to see me....the real me....That’s all.” The bones in his hand scrape together as he clenches it into a fist, flexing it as if it were a real hand. “Not here to make friends....But I don’t mind them. Most people aren’t very....fond of me.”

Tirinus laughs as well. “Everyone wants to be a Pro Hero! I actually have a different aspiration in mind. I come from a family of musician’s you see. I want to be a famous musician and a pro hero too. I don’t really care about being on top though. I just want to play my part. My quirk is extraordinary after all!”

Inori turns to the group after hanging up the phone and chexking the time. They still had about 45 minutes or so until the exam, so perhaps they could reconnect over some early morning coffee? They sold more than ice cream at that little shop, after all.

"Daizo, Reiko, Tirinus. Would you like to grab something to drink before the exam? Calm our nerves?" She adjusts her headphones slightly as she turned to Paula. "Allow us to welcome you to Japan, Paula. Will you join us for a coffee or something?"

-----00oo*oo00-----

Mozi flits her wings and takes a seat on a bench outside the school gates, pulling out a notebook and a pencil. She turns several pages in and continues writing in a very neat handwriting as she hums a soft, sweet tune. Her antennae twitch about to her music as she writes. She peeks up over her notebook at everyone around her, her compound eyes wide with wonder and interest for all the interesting quirks in her vincity.

-----00oo*oo00-----

Tired eyes blinked slowly as Moon approached the gated where many others have gathered. From aura alone, these people waiting for the exam were no joke. He looked down at his hand, sighing. He hoped this quirk wpuld be enough to at least get into the support class.

All he wanted was to just attend Yuuei Academy. If he were to make it into the hero course, then that would just be swell. Moon ran a hand through his windswept orange hair and rubbed his eyes, taking a seat on the ground outside the gate.

"A-ah, sure!" She stuttered a bit over her words as she nodded in response to the invitation. She thought for a moment before she replied to Daizo. "Heroes are more prominent in Japan, I think? And American Heroes... are a bit more focused on domestic affairs and tend to work along with law enforcement as another branch. Things seem a bit more separated here, I think."

After she spoke, she took a moment to actually look at all of the other students assembled. Some had begun to form groups of their own, though there were still some loners lounging about. Some of them would pass the exam, but it was unlikely for everyone to. So many interesting characters... And Paula was excited to square off against them all.

Reiko claps her hands in agreement, grinning with approval to Inori’s suggestion.  Even if her new allies didn’t make the practical, she would still like to keep the few friendships she’d made.   Maybe she could learn more about them and therefore know what to watch out for, during this event?

The boy with the long hair jumped in his seat in surprise, as he had been watching the Moth-girl carefully.  Quickly, he got to his feet, inhaling deeply to force himself into conversation.  “Ah, it’s nice to meet you, Paingsawat-san!  My name Hana Kioshi!  Welcome to Japan!” he smiles, refusing to give him a polite handshake.  He would very much regret hurting this person if his Quirk spazzed out on him.  It had happened before...

It was a short while later when a second taxi took the place of the first.  A thin girl with dull, cerulean, short hair stepped out.  She looked prim and proper, like she was straight out of a prep school.  Her deep, round purple eyes darted around the area.  A few seconds went by and the man in the taxi suddenly had her payment in his hands.  He drove off, confused, but things were taken care of either way.

The girl zeroed in on the Moth-like person, sitting and humming and approached her within a blink of an eye.  “Do you mind if I sit here and read, too?” Atsumi Tatako asked Mozi in the most deadpan, robotic voice she could make.  “I couldn’t finish my book on the way in.”

Daizo nodded in agreement. He had to admit, he didn't have much money left...maybe a couple hundred yen to his name, if he was lucky. He really couldn't afford to spend frivilously, but he figured a morning coffee with his friends from earlier wouldn't hurt his funds too badly. He kept his smile, still slightly conscious of his scruffy appearance, but happy that at least he didn't seem to bother anybody. "I'm definitely up for that. I could use a coffee about now!" He slaps his forearm proudly. "Gotta keep the engines fueled up! How about it, Tanuki? You in, too?~" He grins at Tirinus as he teases the fox-humanoid.

×××××××

Monkichi raises an eyebrow, looking Chrono up and down before replying straightforwardly. "Can't see why. You might look intimidating at first glance or something, but yoy definitely don't give off bad guy vibes." He then looks down and begins searching the ground for a rock. After finding one roughly the size of a baseball, he holds it up and inspects it before glancing to Chrono. "Here, let me show you a trick..." He takes a deep breath before placing a hand on the side of the rock. His palm suddenly begins to glow with a hot pink light that suddenly expands from his hand, forming what appears to be a wall of hard light. "This is my Quirk...I call it 'Man In the Box', and it has a nifty little effect..." He moves his hand to each side of the rock until he has encased it fully in a box of hard light. "See, I can make a box of Hard Light. Depending on the size, it has one of three effects. This is the first...if it is no bigger than a microwave oven, I can change the atomic structure and molecular makeup of whatever is inside it. In other words...this rock..." The box glows, flashing with a glow of pink light before disappearing. In Monkichi's hand, instead of a rock, was a complete Rubix cube. "Is now a puzzle block." He tosses it to Chrono with a nonchalant attitude. "Here. I made it have a prize inside if you solve it. I think its either a chocolate egg or a jolly rancher. Either way, knock yourself out, Bones." His stomach suddenly starts growling furiously as he sighs, digging into his bag and scarfing down another sandwich. "The downside...my metabolism is off the charts. Literally, I have to keep eating at almost all times. I even have a doctor's note for All Might's sake that says I gotta keep eating, or I will be at risk. The only time my Quirk isn't eating my boney ass alive is when I'm asleep." He then looks up to Chrono, his expression unchanged. "So, what can you do?"

×××××××

Gaolang doesn't even seem to notice the lack of a handshake as his tail starts to wag rapidly. "Ki-Yo-Shi...WOW! THATS A COOL NAME! Hey, do you like Martial Arts?! I love fighting! Especially if its against strong opponents! My Muay Thai is pretty top-notch! Wanna spar a bit?! Huh?! Huh?!~" He seemed to be unaware of how straightforward and loud he was being. After all, where he was raised in Bangkok, he had to be assertive and intense if he wanted to get anywhere. Still, he hoped 'Kioshi' could tell that he was trying to be friendly. After all, it would suck if he scared off the first person he talked to.

Chrono catches the cube in his human hand, staring at it for a few moments before hearing his question about his quirk. He holds up his bone arm as more bone sprouts seemingly from nowhere and quickly begins to spiral around his hand, forming a drill at his fingertips. He stares at it, the pure white bone feeling like a shield rather than a weapon. “It’s called ‘Lord of Bones’....I can change my own bones....Density, shape....Everything.” He lets the extra bone crumble and fall away from his arm, leaving his normal arm once more. “I got into UA on recommendation....They were....impressed with me....”


Tirinus sighs from the nickname, knowing he wasn’t getting out of it anytime soon. “Hot drinks are not my favorite thing in the world. I would rather have something cold. My body burns hot enough as it is.” He pauses as he realizes the new person in their midst had no idea about their quirks. “Actually....Why don’t we share our quirks with Miss Paula here? I could start. My quirk is called ‘Foxfire’. It makes my body burn abnormally hot and I can use this heat to generate fire and control it freely. For example....” He holds up a hand, palm to the sky. His entire hand and his forearm suddenly burst into flames as he concentrates, the flames gathering together until he makes a miniature of Paula’s bodily shape into his hand. It then promptly vanishes, a proud smile on his face. “The downside is that I burn through my body’s water supply quickly and hot environments don’t like me much.”

"While I've demonstrated my quirk on the train ride, allow me to explain it. It's called Techspeak. I'm able to push my will into technology, and do what I want with it. I can cause features to activate that pieces don't normally have; for instance forcing your phone to project the stream if the Villain attack."

Inori pointed to the coffee shop a couple buildings away, heading in that direction. She wasn't in this area all that often, usually just passing through on her way to the studio. However, she was in here enough to have a 'usual.'

---***00***---

Mozi looked up and smiled sweetly, her compound eyes glittering in the early afternoon sun.

"Of course!" She responded, scooting over and making some room. "What are you reading?"

The moth girl's voice was very soft and sweet, reflecting in her actions.

"I'm reading 'Quantum Leap. It's really good!"

---***000***---

Moon silently took a seat away from everyone, as he closed his eyes and took several deep breaths.

Reiko bounced happily after the green-haired girl.  "I'm coming too!  I really could go for a bagel or something!"

Once she caught up with Inori, she turned to her and smiled brightly, "Techspeak sounds so cool!  My Quirk is Geode!  I'm basically a heat rock with extra durability.  It's kinda lame sounding compared to yours!  Heehee!" she blushed, scratching her stoney head.

-

Kioshi gasped at Gaolang's enthusiastic personality.  He became so startled that his hands instinctively flipped out in front of him, and a shining purple light blasted out from his palms.  A glittering bubble blew up and surrounded the Thai Tiger, containing him entirely within its bounds.  The glittery orb blocked Gaolang from going any further near Kioshi, who blushed brightly in absolute embarrassment.

"Oh my gosh, no no no no!  I'm so sorry!!" the shy teen blubbered, touching the bubble with his palms and popping it.  A shimmering rain of glitter fizzled out around the boys, the sparkles disappearing before they hit the ground.  "Sorry, please forgive me!  It's my Quirk, Glittering Limits - think forcefield!  A-Anyway, I'm really sorry I bubbled you!  I didn't mean it!  I just got a little nervous!"

-

Tatako looked over at the book and then back into the eyes of the cute moth girl.  She took a seat, swiftly withdrawing a book of her own and nodded.

"It's on my reading list.  I'm working on this, 'Strategy: Make the Universe Work For You.'  The author seems to drag on his points.  I might try reading something a little less... obnoxious, next time," she flatly told her, thumbing through the pages she'd already finished.  She seemed so bored with it.  "Any particular genres you're a fan of?"

-

A blonde haired young man sharply turned down the street of the massive school, the rush of the wind whipping his jacket and wind pants around like he was flying.  He jumped onto the curb, hoping to skid to a halt and blow dust in all his competition's face (the other students standing around the entrance).  Instead, he miscalculated and spun towards Moon.  His Quirk, Wheel Joints, retracted back into his body and he tripped, stumbling into the student!  He landed awkwardly next to him, nearly knocking both of the kids off the bench.  Even though he majorly botched up his first impression, he ran with it and began laughing.

"Hahahahaha!  Whew!  I made it!  Hey, thanks for the cushion, pal!" he scrambled over the kid to try and get up, finally hopping onto his feet.  He spun around and with a big thumbs up and grin, saying loudly, "Urase Shouma!  Future UA prodigy and Pro Hero of Japan!  Nice to meet ya!"

Daizo walked with the group, keeping a light air about himself as he listened to everybody talk about their quirks. With a chuckle, he rolls up his sleeves to reveal the jets growing out from the ends of his elbows. "Mine's nothing too special. I call it 'Jet Arms', and its just what it sounds like; I got these jets that grow out from my arms! They let me get around pretty quickly. Hell, I can even hover and fly over short distances, though nothing too high or for too long."

He then chuckles, clearly getting fired up from everyone talking about their abilities. "Everyone has such amazing quirks! The field is gonna be really intense this year! I'm looking forward to it! By the way, Paula-Chan, what can your quirk do?~"


xxxxxxxxxx


Monkichi's eyes widen slightly when he hears that Chrono was brought in on a recommendation. "Good stuff. Well, if I'm getting overwhelmed in there, I know who to run to! There are a few others that seem pretty good..." He looks first to the group headed towards the cafe down the street. "Those five, for example...each of them gives off a vibe like they're gonna be ones to watch out for." He then looks to the girl from earlier with the long braid. "Her, too. You don't brood like that unless you got something to prove..." He then looks to the two girls sitting on a bench, one being a small, moth-like girl and the other being a rather stoic-looking girl with short, cerulean hair. "Those two don't give off much of a presence, but that's also something to look out for. Its usually the quiet ones with the most up their sleeves..." Lastly, he watches as the boy with the long hair traps the cat-like boy in a bubble. "...Aaaand then we have those guys. Looks like the loud, outcast types. I doubt we'll be seeing them after today...."


xxxxxxx


Instead of being scared, Gaolang's eyes fill with wonder as the bubble suddenly encompasses him. It was shining so brightly, and the glittering lights made Gaolang think of his "mother" back home and her ability, which let her create illusions from light particles. He couldn't help but let out a laugh filled with child-like glee as the bubble bursts and the light sparks gently float down around him. "WOOOOOAH! That was spectacular!~ You said you can make force fields?! THAT'S SOOOO COOL! I can contain electrical charges in my fur and use it to enhance my Muay Thai! You've got an amazing quirk there, Kioshi! Lets both give it our all and get into UA together! PLUUUUUUS ULTRAAAA!~" His face bore a slight bit of blush. After all, he enjoyed talking to the boy in front of him. Hopefully, they could both get into the school together and become fast friends!

"It's... really nothing as interesting as all of yours." Paula said simply as the group moved to the cafe. It struck her as being a bit... odd that they'd all been so willing and open to discuss their quirks. Depending on what the practical consisted of, wouldn't such talk compromise their respective elements of surprise? Then again, the other four were already seemingly friends, so maybe they didn't mind as much as Paula expected that they should? And in comparison to throwing fire or interfacing with technology as easily as breathing, having an animal-based Quirk like Paula's felt... inadequate -- that much had been stated genuinely. In terms of visual spectacle and flair, a Jellyfish Quirk wouldn't offer much in terms of appeal. Sure, there were Heroes like Froppy or Gang Orca that'd managed to make names for themselves regardless of their Quirk types, but Paula dared not to compare herself to them.

Even so... she had to admit there was something appealing about going up against the others with an even playing field. They'd shown some of the cards in their hands -- at the least, she could do the same. "My Quirk's Jellyfish. So, I can do anything that a jellyfish can do."

Chrono stares at the group of five as he watches them walk away. Something about the fox....Rubbed him the wrong way. “I fight for myself....I’m more than strong enough to handle them....No need to worry....”


Tirinus grins at Paula. “Anything a jellyfish can do huh? That sounds like a wonderful quirk. Perhaps not as useful in rescue work but perhaps with normal hero work it would be very useful. Me, I don’t have a preference for what kind of hero work I would want to do. I’m sure I’ll wind up doing a little of both at some point though.” He follows Inori towards the coffee shop, hoping to get a cold drink rather than a hot one. Then a thought occurs to him. He turns his gaze back to the others. “What if it is something new this year rather than robots for the practicals? Granted robots can judge combat capability just fine. But perhaps they’ve prepared something unusual for us this year? What are your guys’ plans if that happens? I’m sure I can handle whatever is thrown at me. I just hope they don’t put me somewhere hot.” He shivers visibly at the thought.


Meanwhile back at the school, a last taxi arrives. From out of it steps a young man with messy brown hair, green eyes and freckles on his face. He was wearing a dark green shirt with ‘Deku Rules!’ printed on it and a messenger bag strapped around his torso over his shoulders. He wore tan cargo shorts and black and white tennis shoes, his belt also having a small pouch hanging off of it on either side that was the perfect size to hold a full deck of fifty cards each. He looks around, adjusting his messenger bag’s strap as he sees all of the students gathering around. Was he early? Or late? He shrugs, unsure of what to make of the thought. Then he spots two girls chatting about books; one of them bearing striking similarities to a moth. He grins and strides over to them, waving. “Sorry to interrupt you ladies, but am I early? I had hoped to be just on time. Of course if I am, I could always read some of my tarot cards to see what the future holds for everyone here!” He says calmly, his smile peaceful.

Inori threw open the door to the coffee shop, stepping inside. The baristas waved a greeting and one immediately set to work on a cup of coffee. The green haired female took a seat at one of the larger round tables and inclined everyone to sit with her.

"I'll buy a cup for everyone." She smiles. "As a good luck token for today." Inori pulled out her tablet and began typing away on it.

---***---

"Oh yes!" Mozi chirped. "I absolutely love fantasy and science fiction books. This ones about a man with two souls fighting for control. One belonged to a girl who was pure of heart, and the other was a boy from a separate universe where he was an evil king. I won't give anything else away because of spoilers, but it's definitely worth the read! If you'd like, you can borrow my copy!" She smiled brightly and sweetly, her compound eyes glittering with excitement. They transitioned from the girl to the boy as he approached.

"The exam doesn't start for another 20 minutes or so. So you're on time..." She raises an eyebrow, her antennae wiggling about. "You read the future?"

---***---

"...Moonsong Alabastis." He bows formally, introducing himself. "My quirk is Manu- psycokinesis. It's not too impressive, but it gets the job done. ...You can just call me moon, everyone else does." Moon gives him a weak chuckle. "It's nice to meet you."

---***---

Approaching the growing mass of students was a pale female with with opal hair, yellow and grey eyes, and purple/blue/teal scales scattered through her face, neck and arms. The horns that grew from her head were a deep brown, some blue and white splotches. Her dress was a pale blue and white, and the long tail that trailed behind her matched the scales on her face. She stopped at the mass of students, making a loud announcement, a couple other students following her.

"Anyone who has a recommendation is to come with me!" She shouts, her voice powerful, almost intimidating. "There is a separate testing facility and we are to report there immediately. That is all." She waits for a bit to make sure there aren't any stragglers for the recommendation test.

Chrono hears the announcement from the scaled girl, glancing over in her direction to listen to it. He then gets up and glances down at Monkichi. “Luck to you....Better than mine I hope....” He strides past his new, gluttonous friend and over to the dragon-like girl. He looks her up and down before reaching up with his bone arm and pulling the scarf up over the lower half of his face, not wanting to be anymore social than was necessary.


Tirinus smiles nervously. “As long as it isn’t anything hot I’m perfectly fine with your offering to buy us drinks. Thank you Inori.” He sits down across from the tech girl, his huge tail curling around his body and laying into his lap. An observant person would spot the split ends of several tails within the singular tail, the tails seemingly bundled tightly together.


The freckled boy laughs awkwardly. “Yeah kinda! I mostly use them for my Quirk but I did train myself to tell the future with them too. But I’m glad I’m on time. I couldn’t find a taxi for the life of me when I got off the plane!” He reaches into the card pocket on his left and pulls out the deck there. He begins shuffling it a little before offering it to one of the two girls. “If you want me to try telling your future’s specifically, just take the deck, shuffle it and then cut it in half before handing it back to me. The first three cards I draw after that will be what I’m using for your fortune. Oh! And don’t look at any of them either. It’s bad luck~” He says smiling pleasantly. “I have a second deck in case both of you want to give it a try too so don’t be shy.”

Reiko gently tapped Paula's shoulder, smiling at her directly.  "Not as interesting?  You can't be serious.  All Quirks are interesting - at least, what the user can do with them!  That's why we have the competition that we do when trying to become heroes!  Paula, you're just fine!"

When she and the others entered the shop, she inhaled the amazing smells of the brews and pastries being made behind the counter.  Going out to get coffee with some friends?  Was this really the day of the practical?!

She went to counter and ordered a hot latte with extra cream and sugar.  She got the same size as Inori, since she offered to buy.  While she waited for the drink, she scooted into a seat to the right of Inori and remembered what Tirinus speculated.

"Tirinus, you make a good point about the test.  What if we go up against real pros or other real students?  Like some third years?!" Reiko thought aloud, putting her thumb to her upper lip.

-

"Y-You really think it's that amazing, Piangsawat-san?!" Kioshi gushed, getting excited someone other than his siblings praised him for his Quirk.  "Thank you!  I think your Quirk sounds really cool!  I know I'm going to give it my all, yeah!
You, you must really like combat, huh?" Kioshi asked him.

He looked over at Monkichi and Chrono.  They appeared to be discussing some things.  Kioshi stopped acting giddy and recoiled in embarrassment.  He didn't want to make any enemies by just being himself.

-

Tatako's large eyes widened further.  This girl was so eager to share a treasure of hers with someone she just met.  She could feel the happiness glowing from Mozi.  Was this her Quirk?  Or was it just... her?

"Science and Fiction, it's strange how the two fit so well, yet are so completely different... My name is Atsumi Tatako," she replied, looking at the books they held in their hands.  "What can I call you?"

Tatako's 'friendliness' reverted to skepticism.  She was always a skeptic, as her brother was a doctor and she was a bookworm, so cards like this made her lift a thin eyebrow at the newcomer.

"I will volunteer," Tatako bravely accepted the cards, shuffled the deck and cut it, just like he told them to do.  She handed them back to the boy, and awaited his reading.  "I must say, my curiosity has been piqued."

-

"Moon," Shouma grins, stretching his limbs as he listens to him explain his Quirk.  "That's really awesome, actually!  I can see a ton of uses for that.  For me, I can make any major joints in my body into wheels!  That's why I don't take a bus!  I've got my own transportation!"

He stops stretching to plop down next to Moon.  "So, you dig combat, rescue, a little bit of both... maybe just the fame and fortune~?" he nudged, playfully.

Daizo follows the group into the coffee shop, taking in the smells as he smiles, remembering the first time they had all been here. He orders a black coffee, extra sugar, and finds a seat next to Tirinus. As he listens to Tirinus' question about the Practical, Daizo can't help but scratch his head. "Hmmmmm....Guess just do what I was gonna do anyway."

He gives Tirinus a Smirk before punching his own palm. "Hit hard, hit often."

He then looks to Paula, smiling confidently at her. "Reiko is right, Paula-chan. You've got an awesome quirk! You don't have anything to worry about." He knew they were going to be his competition today, but he couldn't help feeling happy that he was here. Tirinus, Inori, Reiko, even the new girl, Paula, he considered them his friends. Or at least, good acquaintances. "Hey...Lets all make a promise? If we all get into U-A, and we all end up in the same class...Lets all stay friends, and work together! What do you guys think?"


xxxxxxxxx


Monkichi sighs, nodding as Chrono walked off. Well, at least he knew Chrono would probably be alright. Guys like him don't usually boast unless they can back it up, after all. He then looks around. He DEFINITELY didn't want to talk to the walking carpet and his glittery cohort...Moth Girl and her friend seemed cute, but Tarrot Boy was already all over that scene like ugly on an ape. Finally, his eyes fall on the one person he hoped wouldn't be a loner as well...the girl with the long braid from earlier. He lets out a long, drawn-out sigh. He knew that if he didn't at least have SOMEONE to talk to, he would go stir-crazy just sitting around....

With a groan, he stands up and walks up to the girl, taking a seat on the ground next to her. He realized how bad this looked, so he swallowed his pride and spoke. "Yo....sorry about being rude earlier. I'm not really a people person, so...yeah...anyway, I'm Yuya. Monkichi Yuya. And you are?..."


xxxxxxxxx


Gaolang smiles wide, taking a Muay Thai fighting stance and bouncing lightly on his feet. "Yep! I LOVE COMBAT!" He lets out a flurry of kicks into the air, his leg becoming a blur as he then returns to his fighting stance. "The stronger, the better! My dad runs a studio back in Bangkok, and he actually helps to train Sidekicks and Junior Heroes on the side! That's how I got recommended to come here!"

He then hears the dragon girl's announcement, looking over to the group that was forming with her. "Well, I guess that's where I gotta go!" He smiles back to Kioshi and gives him a thumbs up, a small bit of red still near his cheeks from his joy of making a new friend. "Take care, Kioshi! Make sure you pass, so we can meet up again at UA! I'll be looking for you! PLUUUUUUS ULTRAAA!"

And with that, Gaolang runs up to the group of Recommended Applicants, prepared to begin his exam!


xxxxxxxxxxxx


Among the group of students already with the Dragon girl was a tall, lanky, pale young man with bony features, stringy, long, wet, black hair, and a full black trench coat, black rain boots, and black, deep patches under his eyes. The man's facial structure and skin tone definitely marked him out as Caucasian, and his pale green eyes shone like pale moss. He stays silent, keeping to the back of the group, as if he didn't want to be noticed. To everyone else, it was a peaceful, quiet day. To him, he could hear the voices whispering in his head.

Run.....
Slink Away....
They will fear you...
They will reject you...
Solomon....
....Strike first....

The man reaches up and rubs his temple with his palm, speaking in a deep, British accent. "Easy, Wilk...Steady on, old sport..." He takes a deep breath, the voices slowly growing quieter. Finally, he could concentrate. With that, he slowly began going over his Japanese in his head. He knew he still had a long way to go, but he could at least hold a conversation...slowly.

Paula took a moment to take in the various smells and sights of the coffee shop, taking a deep breath of the scent of ground coffee beans. The wafting fragrances lulled her into a sense of familiarity and comfort, and Paula could feel herself smile faintly in response. After she ordered an apple cider caramel macchiato, she yoinked a few packets of salt from a nearby counter and seated herself at the table, with particular interest placed on her space in relation to everyone else. Didn't want to accidentally sting them, after all.

As the others spoke about the practical, Paula placed a finger to her lips in pondering thought. Realistically, they had no way of knowing what the exam would consist of, so Paula had tried to avoid spending too much time thinking about what would be required of them. But such thoughts couldn't really be held back for much longer. "There's no use in worrying over it -- being concerned won't change the contents of what we'll be up against, right?"

Listening to Daizo's request, she could feel her faint smile return. Paula hadn't been in Japan long, but... she felt pretty comfortable around this small group of people that she'd only just met. "If we all make it the other side, I think I'd like that."