Otaku-sama

As Ren made his way back to the bus, he could not help but notice the conspicuous lack of litter and garbage. Anemonesan had managed to clear large paths on the beach in an instant for the students to travel on, neatly piling it away from the bus. Such a display of power and finesse made him wonder whether he and his classmates were even needed at all. “Well, clearly this trip was not to actually clean a beach,” Ren thought as he boarded the bus, looking back as he saw his classmates making their way back to the bus. As each student boarded the bus, he scanned each one, trying to figure out who caused the sudden emergency. However, after seeing most of his classmates just as confused as he was, he resigned himself to ignorance. “I hope everyone is ok…” --- The next morning did not bring any answers. As Ren walked to his class, he heard hushed rumors of the emergency that happened at the beach and how Principal Glory had to intervene to stop whatever happened. Who caused, or was victim to, the emergency was up to wild speculation, with almost every one of his classmates being named at least once. He too had his own theories. Although he was cleaning an isolated part of the beach, an emergency serious enough to evacuate a whole class of Quirked students had to be dramatic enough to be seen across the beach, especially with the flashy nature of Principal Glory’s abilities. By process of elimination, the culprit or victim had to be Yasha or Rei, who were cleaning in a spot not visible from the beach. Confident in his analysis, he ignored the idle gossip, ready to see whether he was correct as he entered classroom 1-A. Upon entering, two things immediately became obvious: their normal teacher was missing, and so was another student. Notably, the missing student was neither Yasha nor Rei, who sat at their usual desks. As he unpacked his bag for the day, he began to reevaluate his theory about the beach incident until the substitute teacher began to speak. "So uh… I'm not Epicenter. You guys know that. I'm aaah… I'm the Destructive Hero - Dreadbolt. I'm a friend of Glory's, he asked me to sub for a bit while some of the staff is investigating some shi- errr, while the staff is investigating some bad stuff that happened yesterday…Fuck, why did I agree to this… Tomoaki you son of a bitch…" Ren could not help but be taken aback by his teacher’s incredibly casual speech, making him wonder if he really was a teacher and not a delinquent playing an elaborate prank. "A-anyway, I'm sorry to inform you all that uhhh…Kikuchi Emi has dropped out of UA, for personal reasons. But there is good news, too! She will be replaced by the next runner-up in the entrance exam! Hoshinoooooo Rika!" While Ren politely clapped and put on the impression that he was paying attention, his focus laid on Dreadbolt’s face, trying to detect hints of uneasiness or deception. The story that a student suddenly dropped out for personal reasons the day after some kind of incident that ended the field trip early seemed far too convenient to not be some kind of cover up. The idea that the school was possibly covering up their incompetence and the grim fate of a student did not sit well with him. How could he trust the school’s lessons on justice if they were lacking it themselves? Despite his best efforts, Ren was unable to glean anything useful from Dreadbolt’s face. It was a fearsome and inscrutable thing, much like a samurai’s men-yoroi or the eerily neutral masks of Noh. Letting out a quiet sigh, he resigned himself to the fact that he may never learn the truth about what really happened on that polluted beach. Returning to earth, he saw that the new student had taken Emi’s former seat. Her downcast expression and her hands tucked into her sleeves seemed to suggest she was trying to hide in plain sight. Taking the opportunity to greet the newcomer and break the ice, he made his way over to her with a gentle smile. “Hoshino-san, was it?” Ren said gently, “Congratulations on making it in! I am Sanada Ren, I hope we can learn a lot together. If you’re interested, I lead a yoga club on the roof during lunch hour. Well it’s just Omuro-san and I, but please feel free to join if you’re looking for something to do!”

"Ugh...yeah be glad they can't..." Ren gave a sheepish smile from behind his mask as he also returned to the grim task of dismantling the miasmic mountain. Shoving piles of slime covered trash into bags only unearthed the more moist interior, renewing the stench with every bag until Ren was overwhelmed. Stepping away from the heap to take a series of frantic breaths, he saw a fellow classmate hauling...something. "Hello, I am Sun! And this is my truck! It can fit so much garbage into itself. Do you wanna put the trash in the back, and I can drag it away?" Ren was taken aback by Sun’s strange offering and the brute strength it took to drag it across the beach without functional wheels. Peeking behind the wreck, he marveled at the deep wane in the sand carved in the truck’s wake, unearthing yet more buried. Equally confusing was the fact that someone had abandoned an entire truck on a beach. However, any able pair of hands was a welcome relief in the conquest of Trash Mountain, no matter what they came bearing. "Ren, we may be able to use this to our advantage. Let's get what we can in Sun's truck here and work to lug it back out of h-..." “Definitely,” Ren replied with a sigh of relief, ‘Thank you for the help Sun-san. Here, let’s load the bags.” For a good few minutes, things seemed to return to something resembling normal, with Ren and Sun hefting the damp bags of trash into the bed of the truck, then the empty cab of the truck once the bed had already been piled high. While picking up trash would not have been the first thing he thought he would be doing at a beach, the rhythmic movement was oddly relaxing to the mind. This physical meditation was interrupted by three tremors. At first, he thought it might have been a real earthquake, but the vibrations were too regular and rhythmic to be natural "Everyone!!! Please make your way to the bus this instant! This is an emergency!" "Don't worry, everyone! We will make sure you all stay safe! Please be careful as you make your way back up to the bus!" At first, Ren thought this may be yet another test, much like the one in the simulated city, but something in the urgency in their voices suggested a true emergency. “Well, looks like we won’t be bringing this back,” Ren said to Sun, gesturing to the truck that was now bursting at the seams with trash, “Hopefully whoever finds it next can finish what we started.” Picking up his equipment, Ren then turned to address Ben and Ayane who were busy fussing over a broken TV instead of picking up more trash. “We should probably get out of here. It looks like this might be a real emergency this time.”

Ren leaned on his broom as he wiped the sweat from his brow, starting to breath a little heavier from behind his mask. He had greatly underestimated how much garbage his little maneuver would unearth, revealing several months worth of trash buried under layers of sand and algae. Nature had done her best to reclaim the filth, causing the heap to stink like an open grave. He had already filled most of his garbage bags, but the mountain still towered as high as it did when it was created. “Damn, having a Quirk powered by breath does not suit picking up garbage at all,” Ren thought as he tried not to gag as the smell crept through his mask. Mouldering soda dregs and leftover sandwiches had mingled with the tainted sea foam, creating a miasma that he swore he could see rise from the ground like spirits of the underworld. As he leaned on his broom as he regained his composure, he heard the voice of a fellow classmate from behind him. "Hey! Figured you could use a bit of help here with Mt. Garbage." Ren turned to see that Benjamin had already begun filling a garbage bag, with his writhing army of spiders carrying away spent batteries and empty lighters into another spider silk basket. “O’Hara-san, thanks for the help!” Ren replied with a sheepish smile from behind his mask, “I may have taken more than I can handle. I wasn’t expecting the stench to be so bad.” At first, Benjamin did not notice the smell of the dreg heap, but the moment a sudden shift of the wind delivered the scent to him, he immediately started coughing. “J-Jeez...okay...the saying is one man’s trash is another man’s treasure...but I don’t think any treasure can be found with that scent...ugh…” Ren made his way to Ben, tiptoeing around old food wrappers, handing him his extra mask. “Here, it helps with the smell a bit. Hopefully your spiders don’t mind the smell.”

As the bus made its way to the beach, Ren did what he could to start his warmup stretches from the confines of his seat. A day of swimming at the beach was a welcome change of pace from a chlorinated pool, he would not let a simple thing like a cramp ruin his day at the beach. However, he soon discovered it was more than a simple thing that would keep him from his swim in the sea. Upon arriving, the class was greeted by Anemonesan, yet another hero turned teacher. Initially, Ren was a little confused why the class needed yet another chaperone for a simple trip to the beach. "Welcome, everyone! I'm so glad to be able to help teach you all about what it's like to have a career in heroics! While I'm sure you all are eager to fight off some villains, there is actually a lot more to the job!" As the class was led over the grassy hill, Ren was shocked by the vast swathes of sandy paradise defiled by heaps of trash, junk and filth. Abandoned bottles, soda cans and last week’s newspapers were tossed and soaked by the sickly brown surf, coating the mass in a foul smelling sea foam. Clearly the whole coastline was no condition for lounging, let alone swimming. "All this garbage here on the beach is poisoning the ocean, and harming the wildlife… But that's where we come in! The job of a hero is to make the world a better place, so today you all get to be heroes to this little ecosystem! Remember, this all can be quite toxic, so put on some of the gloves we have provided here if your quirk won't protect you from these things! Have fun everyone~!!!” Ren’s confusion and indignation soon gave way to righteous anger and disgust. How could his fellow countrymen have so little care for their own natural treasures? His feelings only grew as some of his classmates rose to the sudden challenge with a champion's enthusiasm. "Let's get this done quick and thorough, everyone, so we have time to play afterwards! GO!" "I'll make it my mission to pick up one-thousand pieces of garbage before the day is through! I won't be outdone!" “I won’t let my country be turned into a landfill! I won’t stop until I pick up ten thousand pieces of trash!” Ren proclaimed as he took several trashbags, a pair of gloves, a mask, and a broom. Slipping out of his casual clothes revealing his swimsuit, he charged into the beach with his equipment in hand. Stepping onto the sand, Ren took a deep breath of the fouled air as he surveyed the situation. Benjamin had woven a basket from spider silk to hold electronics, Ayane and Kio had begun picking up garbage manually with gusto, while Yumi took a more careful approach. If he was not to be outdone, he would need to employ some of his unique talents. “Time to live up to my hero name!” Ren thought as he brandished the broom like a monk’s staff. Moving down the surf into an unpopulated part of the beach, he began spinning the broom above his head, channelling his qi through his upper body as he built up momentum. At the right moment, Ren transferred his qi into the broom in the form of kinetic energy, then swept the broom into the ground with a shout, sending a blast of wind along the shore. As the wind shot down the beach, it kicked up a massive cloud of dust, carrying the litter with it. Once the dust settled, the trash had heaped itself in a pile, leaving only clean sand in the cloud’s wake. Confronting the mountain of trash he had created, he put on his gloves and opened a garbage bag. “Ok, let’s do this!”

"Alright fine! Just this once, I'll listen to you. But don't think you've gotten off the ropes scott free, you hear me!? You're just gonna have to hold twice as many bags than I was gonna make you this time, got it?! Come on...school's not that far away." Yu sighed in relief as Miyu acquiesced, even if she threatened to exact her revenge later. Even as his arms ached from carrying the office supplies, the promise of being able to return to his sanctuary was enough motivation to push through sore arms. Sighing as he gently placed the heavy boxes on the floor, he started to make his way back to his dorm. However, as he passed the rec room, he heard the sound of a commotion and the sound of...splashing water? After a moment of inner conflict, his curiosity won out, leading him to open the sliding door. The sight of Miyu aggressively groping Nanami in an inflatable pool made while several of his male classmates ogled them made Yu strongly reconsider going back to his room. However, as he tried to avert his gaze, he noticed a friendly, and thankfully more normal face as Toshiko waved at him while playing an old video game. Raising his hand to block the salacious view, Yu made his way across the room to the TV, taking a seat and letting Theodore sit next to him. “What kind of game is that? I’ve never seen that one before.”

"[Excuse me!] I'm sorry for yelling, but I wanted to get everyone's attention... I really don't know if this was right, wrong, or whatever, but I CAN say that my actions come from a life-threatening situation. I've been in one before... [Oh God, here goes nothing…]" Ren looked up from his notebook, roused from his brooding by his rival’s shouting. His first instinct was to angrily dismiss whatever she was about to do as the boisterous antics of a typical American, but when she revealed a large scar across her right eye, he felt compelled to look and listen. "In... a life or death situation, you have to [make a move]. Er, just do what has to be done. It's not the time for thinking it through, it's the time for action. Thinking can just make things worse. It probably is a little too far to have us think a glitch like that would happen, but I think it was good practice. And I am [humbled] to receive praise for just letting my limbs carry me." Ren’s indignation was quickly replaced with begrudging respect for his rival. Not only was her Quirk powerful, but she had experience using it in a situation with real danger, perhaps multiple times. Even if his Quirk was similar, he would need to work harder to make up the difference. Unclenching his fists, Ren took a deep breath, clearing his thoughts of his future redemption and focusing on the next class. --- While their first day at the academy was perilous, at the end of the day, hero school was still school, complete with classes, tests and classmates to contend with. Ren applied himself wholeheartedly to his studies, working feverishly on his assigned readings so that there was time in the evening to prepare for the sports festival. The only time he paused during the day was during lunch time, using the rare gap in his schedule to calm his busy mind and practice his breathing techniques with some yoga practice. It was during these rooftop meditations where he made a friend. Omuro Yumi, the student who had ultimately finished off the Thunderjaw, had been spending her lunch time on the roof as well. While at first she had been a silent observer at first, content to simply share the space, Ren was pleasantly surprised when she asked him if she could join for a session. For as long as he had started practicing, yoga had been a solitary activity for him, learning the movements off of the Internet. However, despite only leading her in practice once, he found himself looking forward to the next time she would join him. As Friday drew to a close, he was surprised to find that there was a field trip the following Monday. It was rather unusual to have a trip so soon after classes had started, but learning about the history of heroics from one of the top 10 heroes was just as unusual. However, in Ren’s mind, even a day at the beach could have opportunities to improve himself and even see how his fellow classmates were outside of the classroom. Arriving home late at night after spending the evening at the school pool, he saw his mother sitting at the dining room table from across the foyer, tapping away at her phone. Clutching the permission slip in his hand, Ren slowly approached her with a token attempt at a smile. “Tadaima!” Hearing no response from his mother, he walked into the dining room, seeing that two set meals had been prepared at the table. Feeling his stomach grumbling, Ren put down his bags and took a seat at the table. “Thank you for dinner mom! Itadakimasu!” As he started to eat, he noticed that the meal had gone quite cold, with even the miso soup cooling to room temperature. As he ate the cold rice and fish, he noticed that his mom had stopped whatever she was doing on her phone and was silently staring at the empty space on her side of the table. Swallowing nervously, Ren hazarded to speak again. “Dad is working late tonight?” “Of course he is...Last minute calls with a European client, so he says.” Unsure how to respond to his mother’s icy remarks, he simply returned to his meal, trying to finish it off as quickly as he could. “Ren...You’re coming home late now as well…” “Sorry mom, I have to get ready for the sports festival and I forgot to call you after class.” His reply was met with an icy silence. Hoping to change the subject, Ren took the permission slip and handed it to her. “The class is going on a field trip and I would like to go. Would you be able to sign it?” Ren recoiled as his mother suddenly burst out of her seat, sending her chair crashing into the marble floor. “Go ask your father, since the both of you are doing things on your own anyways.” Without another word, his mother stormed out and up the grand staircase. Letting out the breath that was frozen in his lungs with a sign, Ren finished the rest of his meal in silence. “Gouchisou sama deshita.” --- Monday had arrived in what felt like a blink of an eye. Handing the digitally signed copy of the permission slip, Ren entered the bus, where several of his classmates had already taken seats. While he was relieved that his father was able to sign the slip, the simple response of “Approved” in the return email implied that he had signed it like any other work document. Did he consider his son’s life just another project? As Ren looked for an empty seat, he spotted Yumi sitting near the back, reading a book and surrounded by unoccupied seats. As he passed by Yasha, he could not help but feel that the boy was avoiding his gaze in a quiet desperation, the complete opposite to his buzzing excitement just a moment ago that shook the entire bus. Unsure how to really react to this strange reaction, he just gave a polite wave to him and Ben as he made his way to the back of the bus. Reaching his seat, Ren gave a friendly wave to Yumi as he placed his bag onto the seat. “Good morning Omuro-san! Will you be swimming today? "I'm afraid not," Yumi replied, holding up a hand and charging up electricity around it, "If my body gets wet, I can have trouble using my Quirk." Before she built up too much charge to release it safely, she opened the window next to her, stuck her hand out, and fired the little bolt onto the ground next to the bus. “Ah, I can see how that can be a problem,” Ren replied as he looked the smoking pockmark in the concrete where the bolt had landed with . "I was hoping to bask in the sunlight or something, but it looks like that won't happen either. What about you?" “I was planning on swimming, but if the weather gets any worse, I might join everyone else on the shore. It’s a shame, I was looking forward to swimming in water without chlorine.” "It doesn't seem like a cloudy day will stop some of the other students in this class." Even if it was only brief, Yumi cast a glance over in the direction of Ayane. Ren followed Yumi's glance to Ayane, who was busy talking Hakaro's ear off. She probably wasn't the best example to learn from for making good choices, though. "Either way, it shouldn't end up raining while we're out. I took a look at the forecast this morning before leaving home. This should be about as bad as it gets today." “Well, I hope they're right. It'd be a shame for everyone to make a fuss about going to the beach, only to have something like rain ruin the whole thing. Here's hoping for a normal day at the beach.” "Here's hoping for a normal day where we can kick back and relax some."

“That sounds lovely! And it smells lovely, to- Oooh… This makes me think actually, I know this isn’t the right kind of tea, but I wonder if you have what we would need to make some kinda half and half, sometime…?” Abdul smiled as the young girl eagerly for one of the cups as her companion simply nodded and moved to the princess to deliver urgent news. “Don’t send Gunther to this man’s manor. I will be staying there myself. There’s…A Knight guards with his presence as much as his skill. They scare away smallfolk who see their armor and size and back away. I… I do not mean to say that Gunther isn’t strong. But the type of people who may try to harm Pri--to harm Catriona, Gunther has no experience with them. They are trained assassins. Please allow me to handle guarding Catriona, and keep Gunther close enough to protect you should anything happen.” The strange way the warrior referred to the elder princess without a title gave Abdul pause. Perhaps his instinct to adhere to proper titles was unwise. After all, they all could be in the belly of an unknown beast, and drawing this kind of attention would only encourage those who wish to bring harm to act sooner. The watchful eye of what appeared to be a more seasoned and practical mercenary also brought Abdul a sense of security. After all, the cloaked dagger fears not the sleeping knight. “Wait-- Wait, actually, before I drink of this-- As a fellow merchant, I have to ask... Is this from your stock? And if so, you aren’t-- You aren’t offering this to me, in hopes that I’ll drink it, and then try to charge me an exorbitant amount after the fact, right?! I-I’ll have you know, I had someone do that to me in one of the towns I stayed in already! I don’t have hardly any money to give you!” Abdul’s train of thought was interrupted by the girl. Now that he was focusing on her rather than the hushed conversation, it became clear that this girl was a fellow Isaurian, demonstrating their characteristic canniness. “Ah, you are certainly familiar with our trade then!” Abdul replied with a chuckle, “I am currently acting in my capacity as a traveling scholar, so I swear on the heavens that this cup of tea is free of charge!” Abdul gestured towards the cup with an open hand before returning his attention to the mercenary and the princess. "Change of plans. Link here will be going with you to the manor. Once the others return we can send them to this abandoned house that the mayor prepared for us." “As you wish, your highness. I have confidence that he is as worthy a warrior as your knight. Let us hope that neither of their martial skills will be needed tonight.” "Come on guys, I can- I can guard you like this. Really! Is this even close to the worst I've been hurt since I started traveling with you? And hey, I didn't need to be carried anywhere this time! So really, I can help keep this place secure, right, Link? I'll just... guard this bed!" As the injured boy tottered about the room, Abdul could not help but feel frustrated at his patient destroying his poultice in this show of bravado, or perhaps deluded ramblings. “The princess is right! You must rest, or I may need to reapply your dressing. Considering our experience the first time, I doubt we would enjoy having to doing that again.”

"I didn't account for you three standing up to defend this man. Aspiring heroes or something? Lucky for you, I'm about to be late to an important meeting if I don't start moving, and fast. Ciao, children... and try not to pick fights with the grown-ups anymore, would you?" Yu was almost relieved that the woman decided to escape rather than continue the fight, whether or not she actually heeded his warning. However, her hasty retreat did nothing to calm Theodore, who slammed its arms into the linoleum floor instead of its intended target, bursting its fists and covering the floor in black toner. As its plastic body twisted and contorted to face the escaping demon woman, it was knocked off balance before it could charge after her as Miyu tumbled into it. Its quarry now out of sight, the golem slowly turned towards Miyu, selecting her as its new target for its rage. Seeing the immediate threat, Yu let out a desperate cry as he made a last ditch dive at Theodore. To his relief, instead of feeling the cold floor on his face, he felt the familiar fluff of the rogue teddy bear, which immediately caused the golem to collapse into a pile of warped plastic and ink. Opening his eyes a crack, he saw that while the shop was destroyed, the few bystanders who stayed for the fight were flustered, but uninjured. The sight of the chaos he had created and the adrenaline draining away caused all of his emotions to start bubbling to the surface. "Let's just... go back to school, shall we? At least it doesn't seem like any customer got hurt. " Yu looked teary-eyed at Midome, taking his hand while keeping his left arms firmly around the inert teddy bear, nodding silently in agreement. "Man...I couldn't get paired up with bigger losers if I tried! I guess we can do one good thing today. You boys, get to cleaning! I'll be your beautiful cheerleader! Now let's GO! GO! GO!" With little spirit left to do much talking, Yu turned towards the pile of destroyed printers and started pulling the debris apart. --- Yu let out an exhausted sigh as he mopped up the last puddle of ink from the floor, his mind more tired than his body despite the laborious task of cleaning up the store with just one mop. As he finally left the store, with Miyu enthusiastically leading them to the mall, he couldn’t help but notice the judging glares of the police officers and paramedics who had come to assess the situation that was caused. Doing his very best to avoid eye contact and not think what they thought of him, Yu simply followed Miyu with his eyes fixed forward. "Look, I know I said that if there had been time we could've gone for it, but I think we should get back to the dorms. Before we find another villain crashing the shop we're in, and we have to buy everything again." “I think we should go home Miyu-san,” Yu muttered sheepishly in agreement, hoping that Miyu would not hear him and not give them another scolding on top of the one they were certainly going to get when they returned to school.

Ren steps began to get unsteady as he made his way back to the fight. The pain in his arms did not fade, but instead surged until he was forced to his knees. Through squinted eyes, he saw that the blow had also managed to put a deep gash in his right arm, from where a small stream of crimson flowed onto the pavement. Grunting and clenching his teeth, he attempted to stabilize his staggered breathing as he looked towards the great mechanical beast. His contribution had not gone unnoticed, as the sign was driven deeper and other students driving more stakes into gaps in its armor. However, his vision started fading and the sounds of battle grew distant. Ren looked back to his impact site, the puddle of blood clearly indicated that he had lost a lot more blood than he expected. “Damn, I won’t last much longer like this,” Ren thought, fighting off the clutching shadows at the edges of his vision, “I need to maintain my Qi!” Pushing down his feelings of dread and fear of the abyss, Ren sat in the lotus position on the pavement and closed his eyes, focusing on the rhythm of his breaths, slowly returning to normal as his chest slowly expanded and contracted. Feeling his Qi returning, he focused on his bleeding arms, using his Qi to stem the flow of blood. Even as the temptation of sleep grew, he allowed those thoughts to come and pass, focusing his mind’s eye on his wounds. The rumble of an explosion and the shrill sound of an announcement over speakers indicated that the battle was over, but any words that were said were unintelligible. His focus was at its limit. “Mom...Dad...I’m sorry…You were right...I was too weak…” Ren thought before slipping into darkness. --- Ren could only feel the cloud of shame that hung over his head as Orikami showed his fellow students dealing the final blows to the Thunderjaw on the screens. The wrappings around his arms felt more like a pillory than gauze. The fact that class 1-B had destroyed the Thunderjaw with ease only added to his shame, while the fact that the class had been able to work together was a cold comfort, considering his contribution was singular. He almost felt that the person who had found him unconscious would have been better served to leave him to his fate. However, as if the heavens had twisted a blade in his ego, Diana had been considered a standout in the fight. It was this last indignity that lit the spark that turned his self-pity into determination. “I was beaten this time, but I cannot let this failure stop me! I will become a hero, even if it means that I fail a hundred times! All that matters is that I stand at the end of the journey!” "Now, does anyone have any questions?" Rei started to protest to the teacher, but Ren ignored her impotent complaining and the ensuing crosstalk, silently waiting for his opportunity, hiding his disgust with the girl’s lack of shame. At least Yasha recognized his failure. Once Yumi was satisfied with the answer to her question, Ren raised his hand. “Orikami-sensei. I am ashamed of my poor performance in this test and I would like the chance to redeem myself. When will be the next test?” "You did better than you seem to think, but here at U.A. you will be provided with plenty of opportunities to prove yourself, though," With a quiet smirk, Orikami addressed the entire class, "if I were you, I would focus on training yourself for the sports festival in a month. That is when you will truly have eyes on you." The sports festival. His pride and honor were bound to this day. Ren clenched his fists in determination, feeling the stitches in his arm stretch painfully. That day would be his triumph, or his downfall. “Thank you sensei. I will do my best.”

"If they haven't done anything yet I don't imagine that they would later. If anything I'd feel they would be afraid to try especially after they already had to deal with one curse. But, if you're that concerned, I do intend to have Gunther stay at Pylauses's manor. I can just tell him to make sure nothing happens. They wouldn't be able to get past him." Abdul breathed a sigh of relief with the knowledge that he would be under the protection of a stalwart knight, at least ostensibly. “Aah, thank your highness,” Abdul replied with a gracious bow, “Your generosity is much appreciated. I pray that you are indeed correct and that his services will not be necessary.” "Oh, hello there! Here to join your friends? They're all just inside that house over there." Upon hearing of the arrival of new guests, Abdul opened the top of his teapot, seeing that there would only be enough of the dark brew for three more cups. As he finished pouring out its contents, two of her retinue walked in with uneasy expressions on their face. "Ah, hello friends," Abdul said as he rose from his seat, gesturing towards the filled cups of tea, "You've come at the right time, the tea is still warm! Please, have a taste."

Abdul eyed Mene and the mayor from behind his cup as they made a hasty exit to talk in private. Their secrecy was not comforting to him in the slightest, even if he did not suspect the village was a nexus of nefarious cult activities. Sudden secrecy always preceded persecution of the outsider, and he was not keen in getting caught up in the village’s xenophobic fervor. However, if he would be able to stay close to at least one of the royal retinue, surely the villagers would think twice before attacking. "Oh, no, not at all. After all I've not been sleeping on silk for quite some time. I think the three of us shall stay here. Someone has to make sure Edrick doesn't try and fight any more statues, right?" The cold edge in the princess’ voice clearly showed she had no interest in staying near him for the night. Adbul silently cursing his earlier misstep. If her mistrust was so great, he may have to escape the village at night to avoid being beset by angry villagers. “My apologies for my presumptuousness, your highness,” Abdul said with an apologetic tone, “I did not mean any offense.” Abdul looked to the door, making sure the two villagers were out of earshot before continuing. “I am worried by the mayor’s sudden secrecy. While I do not think the village would dare attack royalty, I fear that I may not be so lucky, especially if they have witnessed the magic I wield. If I were to be alone, the villagers would surely overpower me if they were to descend upon outsiders. If this is the case, I may have to flee at nightfall. I hope you can have sympathy for this common merchant.”

Ren did not have to travel far to find a new target as sirens began to blare from hidden speakers, followed by an distant, bellowing roar. <ALERT! ALERT! TOTAL OF 16 VILLAINS DETECTED IN TRAINING COURSE ZETA! ALERT! ALERT! LOCKDOWN PROCEDURES COMMENCING! MUST EXTERMINATE!> “Villains? Attacking a school full of ranked heroes?” Ren thought as the sirens continued to blare, “Surely this must be some kind of test!” Before he could think of the reason for the sudden change of pace, the sound of mechanical legs crushing pavement alerted him to the fact that he had been surrounded by a battalion of robots, aiming cruel grappling hooks at him. Feeling their cold, red eyes upon him, Ren took a deep breath before leaping into action. The robots that had formed a ring around him all shot their hooks at him at once. Ren leapt into the air with great force, causing the hooks to fly through the center. The robots behind the ring began to fire their hooks at him in the air in a flurry of steel cable. Ren focused his qi into his hands as he twisted his body into a spin, creating a brief whirlwind that narrowly knocked the hooks off target. As he started to fall to the ground, Ren focused his qi into his legs, slamming the fallen hooks in the center into the ground, immobilizing the robots they were attached to. With a huff, Ren then threw a flying kick where the ring of robots was thinnest, knocking the robots there onto their backs. Seizing the opportunity, Ren dashed away and up a nearby tree to catch his breath. “I have to be more careful! I must not let my guard down like that again!” Ren said as he slowed his breathing down, watching the robots attempt to right themselves. Ren heart the sounds of crumbling buildings and rhythmic earthquakes rose in the distance, giving him a sense of impending doom. Perhaps a villain had come, and it was headed straight for him. However, as he dropped from the canopy to see what was approaching, he only saw a fellow classmate, Ocelot. "Heeeey! Hey so, you're probably gonna want to run. Unless you have the strength to fight a giant robot. If you do, that's pretty awesome and I am all about kicking its ass. If you don't then well- " Suddenly, a hulking mass that towered over the robot he had killed burst through a building, sending concrete and glass in all directions, wildly firing its weapon into the air as it issued a familiar roar. "Well that." One look of the mechanical monster spoke volumes of its clear invulnerability to what fists could muster, even backed with Quirks. “There’s no way to attack that thing directly, but nothing can be without weaknesses! We’ll have to find a joint or gap in its armor!” Ren swallowed the lump in his throat as he took a low stance, ready to react to the machine’s next move. However, the sounds of electric guitars echoed through the park, closely followed by a flurry of energy projectiles flew into the machine’s thick armor, drawing its attention away from them. The metal hulk roared in a faithful imitation of bestial rage, its counterattack only narrowly blocked by a massive barrier summoned by booming bass notes. Before it could deliver its finishing blow, a flock of flaming birds managed to draw its attention away from its quarry. "What the H E double FUCK are you all doing just standing around, aren't you supposed to be heroes in training? If you chucklefucks need a team meeting, I'd say now is your chance while this giant ass bitch is distracted. I think it will figure things out pretty quick though, so either get the fuck in there, or get the fuck out of the way." Ren resisted the urge to give the fire-breathing punk a piece of his mind. He was right, hesitation would be the end of him in a fight with an intelligent foe. He would have to think quickly. Surveying his surroundings, Ren spotted a pair of street signs that marked a road crossing. Running over to them, he kicked them off their bases with a quick exhale. Another kick flattened their ends into crude spear points. He handed one of the street signs to Ocelot. “We will need to use our speed to surround it and find its weakness. Take this and drive it into any joint in its armor. I’ll head to the other side. Good luck.” Without another word, Ren charged towards the robot off, his makeshift spear over his shoulder. The machine was still distracted, but in its uncontrolled flailing, its tail managed to sweep into Ren’s path, forcing him to slide onto his back to avoid being struck. Leaping back to his feet, he used his spear to vault over the next tail swipe, managing to get within striking distance of the machine. Circling it, Ren’s eyes darted over its twisting chaos of moving parts, trying to find its most vital components. Despite his best efforts, the machine’s body was devoid of glowing lights that usually marked important data cores and processing units, with most of them being concentrated on its head, which was attached to its undulating neck. “Too difficult a target. I’ll need to immobilize it!” Ren looked towards its legs, seeing a large gap in its armor where its legs met the rest of its body. “There!’ Ren stopped circling, closing the distance and getting beneath its legs, narrowly rolling out of the way of its stomps as he closed in on its right hip. A pause in the machine’s movement gave Ren the opening he needed. Breathing in, he adjusted his grip on his weapon, readying it to be thrown at the joint. As he threw the street sign like a javelin, he breathed out intensely, transferring his qi into the crude javelin, the energy accelerating it dramatically. The sign found its mark, embedding into the machine’s joint. However, Ren’s joy was short-lived as the Thunderjaw tried to move its leg. The sign’s metal shaft held its leg in place for a moment, but not for very long. The leg then came straight towards Ren, who had to put his arms to his face to block the incoming blow. The force of the impact sent Ren flying backwards down a street, causing him to slide on his back. He had managed to fortify his arms with qi, but painful bruises appeared on his arms as he clambered back to his feet. “Damn! Not deep enough!” Ren cursed as he breathed through his clenched teeth, trying to shrug off the throbbing pain in his arms.

Abdul smiled as the mayor’s expression relaxed as he drained the last few drops of tea from his cup. No matter where he travelled, a cup of warm tea was an easy way to win favor with almost anyone. However, an uneasy glance from Penelope reminded him to continue being tactful and to not get too comfortable. After all, he was a practitioner of dark magic, something that many people do not understand. Those who witnessed him using it may be right to be suspicious. "Actually, Pylauses is actually part of the reason I came here. You see, I wasn't just figuring out the details of the fete these past hours. I was also trying to make housing arrangements for you all. I know Alois has his own, but I highly doubt Goodwife Mene has room enough in her house. Er, no offense, Mene." "No worries. I knows meself that there's not much space 'ere.” "Anyway, I've cleared out that old house down the road. You know, the one that's been empty for a while now. However, it's rather small, so it might not comfortably fit all of you. And, err, Pylauses has offered to let you all stay at his...manor. He says he has more than enough room." Abdul stroked his beard as he considered his options. Although Pylauses may be a charlatan and possibly a missionary of a malign cult, staying at his manor accompanied by one of the capable warriors of the princesses’ retinue would be an excellent opportunity to see if his suspicions were correct. After all, after several nights of roughing it, a proper bed would be a welcome comfort for his aching back. "Well, I don't truly mind where I end up as long as there is a roof over my head. But what of you all? I'm sure Alois doesn't want to share his bed with all of us." "I think he likes you so why don't you go over to his place? Oh, right. Whatever happens, we can't let Cat stay at Pylauses place. With how she is and how he is I can only imagine that would be...bad." “Indeed, it is expected for one who considers himself cultured to welcome guests from a distant land such as myself,” Abdul replied, “Although he may be...eccentric... I would not mind spending a night at his manor. My back will appreciate a proper bed after many nights of travelling!” Abdul then turned towards Penelope, whose expression suggested she was considering her options. “Will your highness be staying with Pylauses as well? Surely a bed of feathers and silk would be more befitting of someone of your station.”

After realizing that the teacher was not hot on his heels like he thought, Ren made his way to the front of the class to get one of the monaka, hoping to get a sweet start to the first day. Instead, he found only bitter disappointment at the bottom of the box, with crumbs and a smudge of red bean paste the only remnants of the sweets that once filled it. His classmate covered in fur and crumbs was the most likely culprit. Ren had the thought of admonishing him for his gluttony, but allowed the thought to pass with another long breath. As he breathed, a dim, yellow glow flashed across his skin for a moment, after which Ren returned to his desk, his physical needs satisfied. Now hoping to meet his spiritual needs, Ren opened his travel mug of tea, basking in its earthy aroma before taking his first sip. The reflective surface of the tea began to shimmer and shiver as Ren lifted the mug to his lips, giving him pause. He was not the only ones to notice the growing vibrations as a few of his classmates reacted with the same confusion. Was this an earthquake? On the first day of school? Before he could consider the implications of such an omen on the success of his class, its source revealed itself in the form of his homeroom teacher, who burst through the door in a flurry of stray papers. "U-Uhm...Good Morning everyone! Please...uhm...Please take your seats. G-good morning..again! My name is Ms. Todoya, b-but while in the c-class please call me Epicenter. I'll be your homeroom teacher, starting from today! I hope to get along well with all of you." “Epicentre? Another ranked hero as a teacher?” Ren thought as he sipped his tea, “Amazing! With teachers like these, I’ll be able to become a hero in no time!” "N-now what were we going to do today, again...let's see....ah! T-today will be introductions! And a little exercise to boot! Now let's put on our gym clothes and head to training ground zeta, okay! Ready? GO!!!" --- Ren smiled as he did some light warmup stretches as Epicentre addressed the class in front of the gates to the training grounds. "This is where we'll be introducing ourselves, our quirks, AND our hero names to each other! Please state your name to the class, and head on inside! There are tons of training robots running around here, kinda like your practical exams! Don't be afraid to go all out against them either. And don't take it too easy, because they won't do the same for you. You won't be aiming for points this time around, but everyone has to destroy at least one robot before exiting, is that c-c-clear?! If you have any questions, I'll be all ears. I'm excited to meet you all today!" The mention of the practical exams brought back his memory of his breakneck finish with a blonde-haired girl, who ended up beating him by a fraction of a second. Was it because her Quirk favored speed like his, or was it because it was much more powerful? Or maybe he was simply inadequate? He did not need to wait very long for his questions to be answered as a familiar girl walked to the front of the class. "[Yo ro shii coo! Wadashi no Diana Seigi!] Sorry if my Japanese is a little messed up, but I'm sure I got this next part right! I'm gonna be the [Seigi no Hiiro - Artemis Justice! Ganbare miinah!]" So it was an American that beat him by the slightest margin. Ren could not help but feel a twinge of shame that must have come from his ancestors frowning upon his failure. However, as the girl deftly destroyed a training robot using a stop sign as a makeshift spear, his shame was mixed with the admiration of her skill and prowess. She was more than just a bearer of a Quirk, but a true martial artist like him, and he could not simply dismiss such a worthy rival. “Seigi Diana; Artemis Justice! You may have outdone me at first, but I will show you the perseverance of the Japanese people!” Ren thought as he tightened the knot on his headband, “I will rise to meet your challenge!” Ren continued to meditate on this thought as he walked to the front of the class. “Good morning everyone. I am Sanada Ren, and my hero name is Qi Hero: Vayu. My Quirk is Qi, just like the warrior monks and immortal sages.” “I will do my very best to overcome my weaknesses and live up to that legacy!” Taking a deep breath, Ren then dashed through the open gate using his qi, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake as the air billowed behind him. As he dashed down the main street, he passed the destroyed remains of the robots already destroyed by his classmates, but was unable to locate an active target. Swiftly jumping between two buildings and onto the roofs, it did not take much longer until he found a target: a hulking mass of metal and electronics nearly a story high patrolling the southern corner of the main square. Channelling his qi, Ren jumped from rooftop to rooftop until he was directly above the robot. His heart pounding, Ren then dove from the roof, slamming into the robot’s head with a resounding crash that suggested a much harder blow than his weight could provide. Leaping off the robot onto the pavement, he noticed that his plunging attack had not completely disabled the robot, which rotated his torso towards Ren, brandishing its machine gun at him and shining an ominous green laser at him. “TARGET ACQUIRED” Ren rolled gracefully to his right as the robot showered the pavement behind him in a hail of gunfire. Finding cover behind a dumpster, Ren put on a calm expression as he breathed again, his skin glowing briefly as power surged through his body. Hearing the robot pause its gunfire and approach the dumpster, Ren leapt to his feet, kicking the dumpster at the robot. The impact sent the robot reeling, stumbling as it regained its footing. Ren then leapt over the dumpster, causing the robot swung its other arm downwards in an attempt to crush him. “This is the moment!” Channeling his energy into his left arm, he swung it sideways at the incoming arm, deflecting it and causing it to embed itself into the pavement mere inches away from him. Immobilized, the robot laid helplessly as Ren threw a haymaker its electronic eye, crushing its core and rendering it immobile forever. Both out of habit and for dramatic flair, Ren put his hands together and bowed to his mechanical opponent before leaping away, looking for a new target.

"Though...I do wonder about that man, Pylauses I believe? And his companion. They don't seem to, ah, match the charm of this town much." "Yeah. He seems to hate pretty much everyone and every house in this town that isn't his, so why did he even come here in the first place?" "Oh, him. He came here a while back, claiming this land as his fief or some such nonsense. Despite all that, he hasn't actually done anything harmful, so I decided to let him stay. And I've regretted it ever since." Abdul chuckled politely under his breath. The tale explained much of why a noble of such a countenance would be found in humble surroundings, and why he lacked the etiquette and refinement of a more traditional noble. However, if the town was indeed under the sway of a hidden cult, perhaps it was too much of a coincidence for an outsider not to be involved in someway. "Wait, what else is in this part of Histia? Where would someone be going if they passed this village by?" Mene’s cagey response to an otherwise innocuous question gave Abdul pause once again. Was it simply a ruse to come off as bumbling or good natured, or was there something truly sinister lurking beneath the veneer of a humble forest hamlet? "Is that tea? And masala chai, if I'm not mistaken." "Oh, ye know it, mayor?" "Know it?! Course. Tea is a fine drink indeed, and I consider myself an expert of sorts in those.” “Ah, I had a good feeling you were a man of culture and good taste lord mayor!” Abdul replied enthusiastically as he retrieved another cup from his tea set, “Perhaps if you are not too occupied with your duties, you may stay a little while and enjoy a cup? I still have a few cups of tea left, if you do not mind it a little strong.” "Sir mayor. Do you ever think this Pylauses is attempting to pull a ruse over you? After all, you live quite...well for a village such as this. I wouldn't doubt you have the occasional con-man attempting to take advantage." “I agree. My brief interaction with Sir Pylauses did not inspire confidence in his character, nor his competency with language. Has he done much for the village, beyond constructing his manor of...questionable...taste?”

Ren let out a long, gentle breath after double checking that his schoolbag had everything he would need for the day. A quick look in the mirror confirmed that his uniform was properly fitted and without any wrinkling at all. It would not leave a good impression on his fellow classmates if he forgot anything on his first day, nor if his uniform was anything less than perfect. Satisfied by his last check, he left his room and walked down the stairs, which lazily spiraled downwards in an extravagant way. At the bottom of the stairs, a neatly uniformed middle aged man greeted him with a deep bow. “Good morning, young master Ren. I will be your driver for today. The car is ready for you.” “Ah, good morning. Thank you, I will be leaving soon. Please wait in the car for me.” “As you wish,” the driver said, giving one last bow before making an exit through the wooden double doors, leaving Ren alone in the empty foyer. With a nervous gulp, Ren made his way to the kitchen, where his mother stood tapping away at her phone, her back turned to him. Behind her, a mug full of oolong tea sat on the counter, a plume of steam indicating it was fresh. “Good morning mom. Thank you for the tea.” The only sound that came in response was the soft clacking of his mother’s phone. Frowning a bit, Ren took the mug of tea. The only warmth he felt in the room came for the mug’s ceramic sides. “I’ll make you proud at school mom!” After waiting a moment hoping to hear some kind of response, Ren left the kitchen dejected, his footsteps echoing in the great void of the main hall. After putting on his shoes, he turned towards the kitchen one last time. “Itte-kimasu.” More silence was the only response. Letting out another long, gentle breath, Ren walked out the door. --- Ren stepped out of the car and into the bright spring sun, warming him as the cool air nipped at his face. As he approached the gates of the school, he saw that the headmaster was standing in front of them, taking attendance of his fellow students coming in for their first day. He had read that the pro hero Glory was the headmaster, but actually seeing the luminous man in person made his stomach drop a little. His journey in self-improvement would start as soon as he crossed the threshold and despite knowing he was prepared, he could not entirely shake his nerves. Mustering his courage, he approached Glory, clutching his bag tightly. “Good morning headmaster. I am Sanada Ren, first year,” Ren said, trying to hide his nervousness behind a deep bow, “Thank you for this opportunity!” "Well, I guess I don’t need to find your name. You performed well in the entrance exam, has this been your dream for long?" Ren felt a wave of relief after hearing that he was not an underachiever in the entrance exam. Rising, he responded with a smile. “Yes sir, ever since I saw heroes on the news, I wanted to use my Quirk to protect Japan from those who would hurt it. I hope that I will be able to live up to the legacy that all of you have made!” "I have high hopes for this whole class. So, Sanada, why do you want to be a hero?" Ren paused for a moment before replying. For a moment, a pang of guilt shot through him as he remembered how upset his mother was when his father agreed to allow him to come to this school. He allowed the thought to come and pass before he responded, speaking with conviction. “I believe that everyone in society has a role to play in society. People born with Quirks have a duty to develop them to their full potential and use them to help everyone as much as they can. I think that the only way for me to develop my Quirk to its full potential is to become a hero. I would be failing everyone if I did not try.” "So, you feel that with a quirk such as yours, it is your responsibility to use it to become a hero?" “Yes sir. I am lucky to have a Quirk like mine, and I would be squandering this gift if I did not push it to its limits.” "I know how you feel. I first wanted to be a hero for similar reasons. I learned more in my time here, but that start was the same. I think you are going to grow quite a lot, at U.A." “I hope I can meet your expectations headmaster!” "As do I. Go on and head in, you have a lot ahead of you." Ren gave one last bow to Glory before walking past the gates and into the campus proper. His walk quickly grew to a run as a smile grew on his face. His new life as a hero had officially begun, and he could not wait to begin! Upon reaching the classroom, he noticed that most of his classmates had already claimed most of the available seats, leaving the front and back rows completely occupied. Making a mental note to walk to school in the future, Ren quickly made his way to the last available seat in the second row, passing on the open box of monaka hoping that the teacher would not come in before he could introduce himself. After hastily unpacking his supplies, he turned to address his classmates. “Good morning everyone. I am Sanada Ren. I hope that I can learn a lot from you all!”

Abdul returned to his seat as the mayor started to bicker with Alois and Mene over some ‘borrowed’ books. The mayor appeared to be a bit of a busybody who refused to tolerate such a slight, but the sly, smug grin on the boy’s face suggested a long history of mischief. The scene reminded him of something that might have happened during his halcyon days of youth, when the worst thing he had to worry about was being caught stealing oranges from the bazaar. Before he could reminisce on his childhood, Edrick had managed to muster the strength to talk. Abdul reached the bottom of his cup as Mene recounted a prosey tale of a hooded rider. The build up to the great reveal of the hooded rider made Abdul half expect for the rider to be brandishing a scythe and proclaiming prophecies of doom. Such tales sounded very much like the tall tales conjured by the vivid imaginations of shepherds during dull moments in the fields, and Mene was merely repeating it as the truth. However, the brief, accusatory glance from the mayor suggested that he also believed such a wild tale and immediately pointed out the outsider. Preferring not to make a scene, Abdul pretended not to notice, topping off any unattended cups with fresh tea, and waited until he was addressed.

When Yu caught up to Theodore, he was horrified to see that the woman had turned her attention to them, now covered in paper and ink. To make things worse, Midome had made a dash for the exit, dragging Miyu along and leaving Yu to fight the woman by himself. “This is the end! This is the end! This is where I’m meeting the end! I'm going to die! Everyone is going to die!” Yu thought as he flattened himself against the shelves, hoping to hide behind Theodore. Sensing its master’s distress, Theodore started flailing its arms around in a rage, destroying more printers and ink cartridges on the shelf and adding the debris into its hulking mass, causing its arms to grow unnaturally long and multijointed. Yu jerked his head towards the sound of metallic crashing, hyperventilating in a vain attempt to calm himself down, only to see that the demon woman had cut off the exit in front of Midome. "I can't say I approve of attacking out of nowhere like that. Now then, I'd prefer to make this quick. If you're going to fight me, then let's hurry up. If not, the door's right behind me, and I would advise using it right now. But, is this really a fight worth picking?" “Y-y-you don’t understand ma’am! I-I can’t control my Quirk! You need to get out of here too!” Yu shouted back at the woman, trembling in his shoes as Theodore lumbered towards her, “All of you need to get out of here before he hurts you too!” As Miyu lashed out again with her chains, Theodore followed suit, charging into the fray before Yu could attempt to seize its core, its plastic body snapping and crackling as it left a dark trail of black, cyan, magenta and yellow in its wake. After gaining some speed, it leapt into the air and swung its arms in a wild downwards arc, trying to slam the woman into the floor in a single fell swoop.

Oh, yer too kind. They're just a little old thing I whip up every now and then. I'm just glad they go with yer tea and all." Abdul sipped his tea with a grin as Mene’s bashful reaction yielded the desired reaction. Unlike the royalty, a few honeyed words can easily win over the humble folk not used to admiration. He took another bite of the pasteli as the secrets slowly slipped from her lips. "It's the mayor's famous wine. The Dragon's Breath wine, nobody knows what's in it, though some can hazard a guess from the name. Which would make sense, after all, since we're the Dragon--Oh, but I've said too much. Listen to me, gossipin' away like an old biddy, pay no mind to me. I can really get to natterin' away if I gets the mind fer it. Abdul stroked his beard thoughtfully as the woman busied herself caring to the boy on the bed. She had cut herself off suddenly upon speaking of dragons, but what would associate or idolize the ancient creatures? A dragon cult? Quite possibly. It is quite common for a charlatan or a false prophet to travel through a town, winning the hearts of its inhabitants for their cause with a grand show of magnanimity, leaving their mark on the village ethos for several generations. However, the grand cathedral and its stone guardian with the face of a dragon, suggested something more recent and powerful, and very possibly sinister, running in the village. Whatever religious movement that had taken root here was much larger and influential than just this village. "Yes, yes, I know. Regardless, I thought it best to drop by and let you all know that you're welcome to stay the night here at the village. We'll also be holding a fete tomorrow around lunchtime, which you'll be invited to. I was planning for tonight, but there was more to get done than I thought.” The arrival of the mayor interrupted Abdul’s rumination. As if summoned by name, the priest had presented himself, arms held open to visitors, or perhaps potential recruits...or victims. With the village potentially under the sway of a malignant cult, their warm offers of hospitality now had a dark undertone, a shadow lurking just beneath the surface of the river. He made a mental note to examine the villagers’ offerings more carefully in the future as he watched Penelope address the mayor. “I thank you for the hospitality. I surely will be there tomorrow. I wonder...will there be anything special served? I've heard that villages often have some sort of specialty that you can't get elsewhere and I would be ever so curious what sort of unique dish a place as impressively ran as this town could have." “I also thank you for your village’s warm hospitality, lord mayor,” Abdul said as he rose from his seat, making sure to respectfully position himself behind Penelope, “Indeed, it would be a delight to be able to sample the local delicacies, if I am not being too presumptuous."

Candy Haired Crusader

"Mm. Yes, they could. In fact they do. I've read said bookshelf as it happens." Abdul nearly choked on his own tongue as the princess’ remark and refusal of the tea struck him like an icy dagger in the back. He had been careless with his words in his enthusiasm, falling into old merchant habits of not challenging the customer. He should have known better than to blindly go along with what she says. He was still an outsider, and she would be wary of potential charlatans. Resisting the urge to grovel and correct his rash speech, he gave the princess a polite bow, turning his attention to Mene who was taking her first sips of the tea. "Why, this reminds me of that wine o' the mayor's! Though it's got a certain difference to it. It's...It's got a certain earthiness to it the wine lacks. And the flavor is different, but it still has a way of stingin' yer tongue like nettles do. Thankee much for this, young man. I would love to hear what all goes into this. That is, if'n ye'll allow it, I understand if'n ye want t'keep a gem like this secret. The mayor never lets any o' us know what goes into his wine, after all." “There are no secrets for me to hold!” Abdul replied, giving the princess a quick glance, “I am one who greatly appreciates tea, but unfortunately not one who grows it.” Abdul paused to take a sip from his cup before continuing. “The earthiness comes from the fermentation of the tea leaves before they are dried, giving it a very distinct flavor from different preparations which are not fermented, which have a more herbal and floral flavor. The distinct warmth on the tongue comes from the ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper that are mixed with the tea, as well as some herbs that the tea master decided to keep to himself. This preparation is called masala chai, or mixed spice tea.” Abdul then took a generous bite from the bar, smiling as the sweet and nutty flavors danced across his palate. “Your pasteli is delicious as well madam! You are definitely correct in your assessment of the pairing! A little sweetness complements the tea. A wonderful pairing!” "Excuse me, ma'am, but what's this wine you mean? What makes it so unusual that the mayor needs a secret recipe for it?" The talk of secret recipes perked Abdul’s interest, especially from that knight. As he silently listened to hear what Mene had to say about the village wine, he gently picked up an unclaimed cup of tea and carried it over the ailing boy, placing it on the bedside table before returning to his seat.

Room for two? Bloody Mess

"Tea? What's that? It smells...like herbs? Spices?" Abdul was initially shocked that Mene had never heard of the heavenly drink, but smiled after realising that such an isolated village would be deprived of such an essential part of life. “Indeed, tea is truly the most sublime king of the herbs!” Abdul said gleefully as he retrieved the bag labelled ‘chai masala’ from the box as Mene inspected the bag labeled ‘orange’, “It is an honor to be the one who would first introduce you to it!” "Oh, that's far too expensive to waste on the likes o'me." “Nonsense! One has not truly lived until they have experienced tea, not to mention that we are in the presence of royalty,” Abdul exclaimed while gently gesturing towards the curious Penelope, “I would be remiss if I did not share some of my finest!” "Did you know that in the past there was a tree that tea leaves grew from? But no one knew what they were for until it caught fire and landed into a river. Turning the entire river to tea along with it?" Upon hearing the old tale of the tea river, Abdul smiled as he placed his kettle over the fire. “Ah, it is no surprise that you also know the old tales as well your Highness!” he replied as he added a pinch of the contents of the silk bag to the kettle, “The many legends of its origin could fill many tomes, enough to fill an entire bookshelf. I believe it befits such a noble beverage!” Laying out small cups onto the table, Abdul filled each one, filling the room with its exotic, spicy aroma as columns of wispy steam rose from the amber liquid. Gently picking up one of the cups, he raised it, gesturing everyone to partake.

Abdul let out a quiet sigh as he followed the princess’ entourage, wringing his hands within his sleeves. He hated having to burn a bridge so soon after meeting, but the chance to ingratiate oneself to crown royalty came only once in a lifetime, if at all, not to mention that the kindly matron would certainly offer more enriching conversation. “What the heck is that thing?” Abdul turned his head to see that a small group of villagers were following his camel, which had escaped the hastily tied knot and was now grazing on the weeds that grew in between the huts. One of the younger villagers gave it a poke with a stick, provoking the camel to spit in his direction, showering the group in spittle. Hoping to stop his surly steed from causing a scene, Abdul broke away from the group, grabbing the camel’s reins and leading it away. “My apologies! It must have escaped!” “Y’all should try to keep your...horse-thing in check! We don’t appreciate no roaming animals in this village, especially a traveller’s animals!” Abdul gave a sheepish smile as he tugged at the reins of his camel, which groaned and grunted as it stubbornly refused to end its meal. After a short contest of wills, the camel eventually complied, chewing noisily as Abdul led it towards Mene’s hut, tying it more securely to a nearby hitching post. With a command, the camel folded its legs under itself, lowering its burden so that Abdul could retrieve a wooden box from one of the bags. "An' we're here. Sorry fer the walk, As ye see, we live on the edge o' the village, 'gainst the back wall. I heard it was cuz me great-something grandda herded sheep, so he wanted to live out in the fields, but me great-something grandma put her foot down. She refused to live outside the village. So they settled on this location as a compromise. All righ', now, come in, come in. Sorry fer the mess." “A fine compromise to complement a fine abode!” Abdul replied with a polite smile as he entered the house, clutching a carved wooden box in his arms. Upon entering the house, Abdul immediately identified the smell of baked goods coming from the stone oven, reminding him of the public bakeries that flanked the great bazaars of his home. Despite the simple construction, he found this house to be more tasteful than Pylauses’ gaudy affair. Laying the box down on the ground next to the door, he then returned to Edrick’s side, helping Gunther and Mene lay the boy down on the bed. Once settled, he gently moved the boy’s arm from his side to check the dressing. Luckily, the dressing had only been moved slightly during his transit. With a slight adjustment to the bindings, the wound stopped bleeding. “The boy will need to rest for a while here, at least until the wound closes,” Abdul said to Mene, “Many thanks for your help and hospitality. Please, allow me to repay this kindness.” Abdul returned to the box he had left by the door, opening it to reveal the silk-lined interior, with several small silk bags and a large teapot in the centre “I believe some tea to end the day is in order!”

The sickening sound of bones snapping reverberated through the store, followed by the store manager’s agonized screaming like an echo from the abyss. The demon woman, who was pressing her foot into the hapless man’s thigh had pushed all the way through, making Yu recoil in horror and disgust. As he slowly turned to look at the scene, the hair on his back stood on end as he felt the icy gaze of the woman fall onto him. "Shameful. Truly shameful. I'm starting to think it would be better if I just took the entire store. Wouldn't you say so, children?" Yu, paralyzed by fear, could only quiver in place. That woman’s expression, cold and unfeeling, was the most shocking thing. It would have made her more human for her face to be twisted and wrinkled by rage, but her disregard for human life made her inhuman. “M-mm-Miyu-s-san…” Yu stuttered as he approached the counter to her side, hoping to get her attention. As he finally came to her side, her darkened expression showed that she did not share any of his fear. Light clinking and crackling drew Yu’s attention downwards towards the end of Miyu’s infernal chains. "Why don't you take this instead!" Yu yelped as he dove out of the arc of Miyu’s swing, landing roughly on the cheap linoleum. He could now feel his whole body shaking with adrenaline. Instinctively, he looked towards the child seat of the shopping cart, and his stomach dropped when Theodore was nowhere to be seen. “No no no no no no no no!” Yu said as he sprung to his feet and clambered down the nearest aisle. It only took a moment to find a pile of discount printers and half-filled ink cartridges in the middle of the aisle, quivering with potent energy. Yu approached it cautiously, only to be flung back as the shaking mass of plastic burst to life in a humanoid form. “No! Stop! Theodore stop! You’re going to make things worse!” Yu shouted as he moved to stop the newly birthed golem. The golem deftly leapt over Yu, landing behind him before sprinting down the aisle after the threat. Before reckoning what it was fighting, it seized a handful of ink off a nearby shelf and flung the ball of crushed plastic and ink towards the service counter.