The sky was turning orange when Reiji reached the old communications tower, one of the few structures still standing on a vacant lot at the edge of Musutafu. He climbed silently, his steps steady, until he found Hawks's silhouette resting on a rusty beam, swinging his feet as if he hadn't a care in the world.
"How punctual. I thought teenagers slept until noon," Hawks said, hopping down, his wings slowly folding.
"You're the one who's always late," Reiji replied.
"Point for you." Hawks stretched his arms as if waking up from a nap. "Did you bring what we talked about?"
Reiji pulled a small folded piece of paper from his jacket. Hawks snatched it up, unfolding it without losing his smile. His eyes scanned it quickly as he whistled softly.
"Wow, you gave me advance work. So these are the standouts in your class?"
Reiji nodded, saying nothing.
The list was extensive, handwritten in precise calligraphy:
Katsuki Bakugo. Shoto Todoroki. Momo Yaoyorozu. Mina Ashido. Denki Kaminari. Eijiro Kirishima. Ochaco Uraraka. Camie Utsushimi. Melissa Shield. Fumikage Tokoyami. Those were some of the names on the list.
"Melissa Shield, huh? Dr. Shield's daughter? What a surprise she's in your class."
"Yes. She's incredibly technically talented, and her Quirk is quite strong, but she can't control it, and it takes away too many points."
Hawks turned the paper over as if evaluating a restaurant menu.
"Interesting mix: geniuses, impulsive people, dreamers, and..." He raised an eyebrow. "A lot of girls."
Reiji looked at him without reacting.
"Anything that moves you? Come on, don't tell me you haven't thought of anything with all those tight uniforms. You're old enough, aren't you?"
"I'm not here for that."
"Yeah, yeah, of course... 'I'm a weapon,' 'I have a mission,' 'the fate of the world,' blah blah." Hawks gestured with his hands as if imitating a puppet. "But if you ever get shot by an arrow, let me know, I want to see you stutter."
Reiji just looked at him with that dry expression that was now common between them.
"And how's the atmosphere with the teachers?" Hawks asked, changing his tone, more serious. "Any that are too attentive?"
"Aizawa watches me. Nezu too. Midnight avoids me more than she talks to me. But no one has said anything outright."
"Good. Keep it up. Aizawa is hard to fool, but as long as you don't give them a reason, they won't cross the line."
"And the Commission?"
"Happy. Your visibility has increased, but not enough to become a problem. The Bakugo case is now behind the public, and as long as you act like a model student, they'll continue to give you leeway."
Reiji didn't respond. He just looked at the horizon, where the city was beginning to turn on its lights.
Hawks smiled.
"You're getting good at this. So good, you even seem like a normal kid."
"That was the point, wasn't it?"
"More or less. Just don't forget who you really are, Reiji. And don't let your guard down with anyone, not even your own teammates. Masks don't last long when people start to trust you."
Reiji was silent for a few more seconds.
"Anything else?" Hawks asked with a smile, as if he were pressuring Reiji to spill something.
"Yes," the boy said after a moment of silence. "On my last mission, there was a person... Rather special, his name is Shigaraki Tomura... If you can gather information from him, I'd appreciate it."
"It's totally an anomaly that you're asking me something off the record..." Hawks mentioned, trying to figure out what was so interesting about this person.
"Do you remember when they were watching me? That I had a sixth sense or something? This guy gave me the same feeling... But a thousand times worse. I want to find out why." He lied convincingly. He hadn't used the commission before since he didn't have the rank and status they needed.
But now?
That's changed...
"Okay. I'll move carefully. If that name comes up again... you'll know."
Reiji looked down, then turned around.
"I'll be at the academy. You know where to find me."
And without waiting any longer, he left, leaving Hawks alone in the tower.
The hero remained silent for a moment before taking out the paper again. He looked at the list of names... then at the horizon.
"This gives me a bad feeling," he muttered, frowning.
***
"Are they there again?" Reiji muttered, seeing the cameras crowded in front of the U.A. gates.
"Apparently they can't get enough of yelling at a metal gate," Himiko replied, adjusting her scarf over her mouth and pulling her cap down until it almost covered her eyes.
From the opposite sidewalk, they could see the swarm of reporters. Microphones, flashes, drones. Even though they didn't have direct access to the campus, the media had settled in like vultures, waiting for a reaction from the students. The news that All Might was part of the staff had leaked…
"We could go around and enter through the internship area. Technical access is still available for advanced courses," Reiji said, without missing a single detail of the camera angle. His voice was calm, but his eyes were scanning as if he were on a mission.
They turned down a side street. Reiji had already memorized the blind spot between two adjacent buildings. They climbed through a low gate, passed through the trees in an unused garden, and crossed into an emergency exit that connected to the west wing of the building.
"You're doing it with less effort each time," Himiko commented, following him.
"I've had practice…"
They both entered the building, walking naturally through the empty hallways on the lower level. From there, they could take the elevator directly to the academic sector without going through the main entrance.
"Do you think this will last?" Himiko asked, her tone more serious as they waited for the elevator to arrive.
"The journalists? A little longer. All Might doesn't go unnoticed throughout Japan, so until something or someone does something significant, we'll have to endure…" Reiji spoke tiredly.
"This is supposed to end with Shigaraki's presence, but… will it really be like that this time?"
"Are you going to spend all day thinking, or are you going to tell me what's behind that funeral face?"
"I only think about what's coming," he replied without looking at her.
"'What's coming' always comes, Reiji. But now you're with me. Could you stay here at least until the bell rings?"
He slowly turned his head toward her. For a second, his expression softened slightly, like a wrinkle being stretched.
"I'll try."
The ding of the elevator broke the moment. The doors opened onto one of the building's main hallways. A couple of students were crossing the corridor at a brisk pace. Some turned to see Reiji, others simply ignored him. His presence, unwittingly, was already more noticeable than he wished.
As they walked toward their respective classrooms, Himiko moved a little closer.
"I won't let you eat lunch alone today, okay?"
"I wasn't planning on doing it," he said, almost as if it had been his idea all along.
She smiled, satisfied.
***
It was just after eight in the morning when Aizawa entered the classroom with his typical knocked-out zombie look. He paused for a second by the doorframe, looked around the still-buzzing class, and let out a long sigh.
"Silence. We need to decide on the class representatives."
The voices died away almost instantly.
"Representatives?" Uraraka asked, sitting up straight in front of Aizawa.
"Are we going to elect a leader? That sounds fun!" Mina added, smiling excitedly.
"Yes," Aizawa confirmed, dragging his sleeping bag to his desk. "President and Vice President. They lead events, maintain order, and coordinate in case of an emergency. It's not a decorative role. They have to take it seriously."
Bakugo grunted from his seat.
"Tsk. Why don't we just elect the strongest?"
"Because this isn't a gladiator's cage," Momo replied calmly, crossing her arms. "It takes leadership, not just strength. Even if Reiji has both..." Bakugo bridled at the mention that he wasn't the strongest, but before he could say anything else, someone else spoke up.
"I agree!" Iida added, raising his hand formally. "I think we can establish a democratic vote. That's how the Japanese school system works!"
"Exactly," Aizawa nodded, wrapping his jacket around himself. "You have the whole class. Vote for whoever you think should lead. Don't vote for yourselves. You know how it goes."
Immediately, Yaoyorozu, Melissa, and Mina began handing out makeshift papers made from recycled sheets of paper, and a small box literally appeared, thanks to Momo's Quirk, so the votes would be anonymous.
"This feels like a real election!" Camie said with her characteristic cheerfulness.
"I just hope it's not a popularity race," Mineta muttered, glancing sideways at Reiji, who didn't seem too motivated.
"I already know who to vote for," Melissa whispered to Uraraka with a knowing smile.
"For Reiji?"
"Of course."
Meanwhile, Reiji simply watched in silence. He didn't write anything. When the sheet was passed to him, he just looked down, his head bowed, and lost himself in thought.
Five minutes later, Mina dramatically stood in front of the class, waving the ballots.
"Time for the results! In third place: Momo. In second place: Melissa. And the winner by a landslide is... Reiji!"
A spontaneous cheer went through the room.
"Yeah, that makes sense!" Kirishima laughed. "He always stays cool, analyzes everything... and doesn't let himself get upset!"
"And his mysterious style makes him look like a natural leader!" Mina added.
"Plus, he looks handsome even when he's upset!" Camie blurted out, prompting a few laughs.
Everyone turned to Reiji, waiting for a reaction. He, as always, just blinked once, rubbed his forehead... and shook his head.
"Thanks, but no."
"What?" Several people said in unison.
"I'm not accepting the position," he repeated, completely calm. "I'd rather not be the president. Give the role to someone who actually wants to carry it."
"Come on, man!" "You were elected!" Denki protested.
"And I appreciate it, but it's too much responsibility for me, and I'm not good at that kind of thing," he replied, and although his voice was gentle, it had that tone that brooked no argument. He truly thought he wasn't the right fit, and besides, he didn't need such a responsibility when his mind was occupied with so many other things.
"Then," Mina said after a pause, "second place went to Melissa!"
"Well, if that's how it is!" Melissa said, rising from her seat with a smile. "I promise to take care of this as best I can."
"And the vice president?" Uraraka asked.
"That goes to Momo, right?" Melissa suggested. "She received the third most votes."
"I can take the position," Momo agreed with a slight bow. "I'll work with Melissa to keep the class running smoothly."
===
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