1.35 – Superhero defense wants YOU in its ranks!

Three weeks had passed. Three weeks during which nothing of interest happened. He just attended school, met with Aiko, Alicia, and Minato whenever possible, and attended all of his classes, progressing further and further in power. He also managed to finally roll out his new application, and he began distributing it throughout the city.

Some of the shop owners that he met seemed to be interested, at least somewhat, but he had yet to meet any heroes that he could recruit into working for him. He was set to do it two weeks ago, but he simply wasn’t in the correct head space to approach anyone right now.

Why? Well, it was exactly because nothing was happening. Alicia had kissed him. It wasn’t a long kiss; it lasted maybe a few seconds, even less, but to him it meant a big change.

But Alicia… acted as if nothing happened. Even now she sat on a chair right next to his, writing something in her notebook as Mrs. Gurehi wrote what would be on their spring term exam. Nathan could barely pay attention. The exam would be important, but it was just an appetizer before the big tournament a few months after. Honestly, all of this stuff was so fun to learn that he found no difficulty in doing so. Hell, most of what he looked up he already remembered from classes.

And as for Alicia, he never brought it up. He kind of thought that she would, but after weeks of silence, now it felt weird to do so. Maybe she just wanted to thank him for what he did, or maybe she was waiting for him to make a move.

What he feared most was that she possibly didn’t even remember kissing him. She was so exhausted. He remembered how he felt at that time and the soreness of his muscles that followed for a week after. He was barely standing, and she exerted herself even more than he did.

He had his fair share of experiences where he apparently woke up and said something but didn’t remember it the following morning. And so, he just let it go. Maybe he would ask her one day. Maybe she would bring it up again, if she actually meant it, but for now he had to focus on school and on getting stronger.

“That will be all, students. Now, Mr. Deadlock told me that he required only some of you to attend his class today, and the rest will find instructions on what to do in your email. Dismissed.” She nodded, as if the silence of the students was her answer, and then picked up her stack of papers and quickly walked out of the room.

Nathan knew what this meant. Deadlock was already dissatisfied with some of his classmates who lost one duel after another. Nathan had actually lost one for the first time, against an E-class hero that would probably go into D-class after the tournament. He would have liked to say that it wasn’t a fair fight and that he got pushed out of the boundaries because of a skill advantage, but those felt like excuses. He wouldn’t lose next time.

The email from Deadlock could come later, though.

He stood up, and Alicia glanced at him. “Where are you going, Nate? Are you gonna join me and Aiko at that new karaoke?”

“No, thanks, I actually have somewhere to be.”

“Oh, do you now? Where to?”

He scratched the back of his head. “I need to talk to some of our classmates. Well, not our classmates, but the second and third years. I’ve started the app, but I have nobody to offer help with. Except Yukiko, but she’s busy most of the time. Most of the shop-owners that I came to talk to were concerned about that part and if I want to make…” He almost said to make money. ”If I want to make them feel safe, then I need some heroes, some powerful ones that I will show off.”

“Oh, that. Okay, you need any help? I could cancel my plans. I miiight know a cute girl that could maybe convince some of the upperclassmen to lend you a hand.” She smiled confidently as she leaned on her hands, showing off her face.

He chuckled nervously. “Cute girl, indeed. No thanks, I already got Vermillion Strike to introduce me, and you apparently already have plans. See you at home?”

Her smile tugged downwards for a moment before she picked it back up and nodded. “Fair enough. Let me know if something changes and you decide you need my help after all. I reckon it will take three refusals.”

“Nah, give it five.” He laughed and then picked up his bag and went out of the classroom. The second years would be, predictably, on the second floor.

Vermillion Strike was already waiting for him next to the stairs, waving at him from a distance. “Good morning, Nathan.”

“Good morning, Mrs. Vermillion Strike,” he made a slight nod. His tongue automatically slipped to calling her by her name, but now, here in the school, it wasn’t the time. She made it clear that she didn’t mind, but it felt really strange, and he felt as if it would raise unnecessary looks and questions.

“So where are we going first?”

As I said, first off is 2S. The girl you saved should be there, amongst a few other students that I thought you should talk to.”

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“You think Aoi will actually agree?”

“Not everyone in S class is a super rich kid that doesn’t need money, and even from those few that are rich, some of them surely need more action in their life. Practice against your classmates in a training hall only gets you so far; you need real experience.” She shrugged in a gesture. “Although the situation now is a bit… rocky, there still isn’t enough for all of the academies to test all of their students. Usually, most of our graduates don’t get in on their first real action until after the academy. Honestly, you might have made a record.”

Nathan dodged around the students that walked down the stairs and then thought about what she had just said. “Really, they don’t get experience? But what about the S class? Don’t they get sent on missions as well after they get their license?”

“Not usually, no. And if they do, they need someone to act as their protector, as I told you. They usually don’t have enough friends in actual superhero circles, and that means they don’t get taken on many missions.”

“That’s fair, I guess. Well, let’s meet the girl I saved I guess.”

“She’s a student named Aoi. Superhero name is Moonlight Princess.”

“Moonlight Princess? Sounds like a name taken straight out of Sailor Moon.”

“It does sound magical, girlish, yeah, but that is seriously NOT a Sailor Moon name. Don’t disrespect my favorite show like that! Her powers reflect the name somewhat. Well, you’ll see. I think she would be down; she owes you a favor, at any rate. A huge one.”