I Am Not Number Seven (TUA/MHA Crossover)

9. Vanya: Ease

February

It was hard for Vanya to believe that had been in a new country for nearly a month now. It was even harder to believe she had done two of the three entrance exams she had been planning to do and by her calculations, she was likely to get into them. All that was left now was the UA entrance exam.

If things were to stay on track, she'd have her pick of UA, Shiketsu High School, and Ketsubutsu Academy- arguably the top hero schools in Japan.

Laying on her bed in her tiny micro-apartment, Vanya recalled her experiences while on a video call with her siblings, their eyes wide as they listened with rapt attention.

"You wouldn't believe the way another student yelled at me just because I passed him during the race part of the Ketsubutsu exam. It was like I personally killed his mom or something," she said in English to them, eyebrows comically high with disbelief as she recalled the memory, "Then he insulted me and I wanted to knock his lights out."

Diego whistled, "Shit. Did you?" he asked eagerly, his eyes practically sparkling. Allison's square on Vanya's phone screen lit up as she shushed her brother then she glanced at her sister, "But did you?"

Vanya flicked a piece of hair out of her face and glared at the screen, "No. I like to think I have more control of my anger issues now than when I was a kid, thank you very much. Plus, it would have probably gotten me pulled from consideration."

Klaus let out a bark of laughter, phone propped up against something and leaving his hands free so he could paint his nails, "Your anger issues! I almost forgot about them! Remember when you used to get so pissed at Dad that you'd punch holes in the walls?"

Five's phone was placed flat on his bed so he could read his book comfortably, leaving them only with the view from his eyes up. His square lit up when he spoke, "You were so little but had so much rage. Evidently, not much has changed."

"You're one to talk, shorty." Vanya snapped back with a sickeningly sweet smile, basking in the praise of her other siblings all going ooooooh! in unison.

Five snatched his phone, his red face filling the screen and yelled, "Hey, I'm a growing man!"

Ben, in the middle of brushing his teeth because it was early in the morning in Johannesburg, South Africa, spat out his toothpaste in the sink before speaking, "At least Five has about another year before he stops growing. You might be as tall as you're going to get, Van."

All five feet and one inch of Vanya bristled at the comment as Five stuck his tongue out at her and placed his phone back in its original position. She lifted her hand, exaggeratedly cradling her head, "Et tu, Ben?" she cried, "I've been betrayed by my own brother!"

Luther snickered before yawning as it was nighttime in Los Angeles, "It's not so bad, Vanya. A lot of people are travel sized."

Before Vanya could be offended, Diego dived into the conversation, "Oh no, the guy that towers over all of us is giving advice now. And don't think I didn't see you laughing when we were talking about Vanya punching holes in walls- at least she did it years ago, you were the one that did it just last month!"

As Luther sputtered and tried to defend himself with excuses of being drunk and emotional while the rest of her siblings teased him, Vanya smiled fondly at the screen. It had only been a month since they all went their separate ways but it was slowly getting easier to deal with her solitude. She was doing way better than her first days in Japan when she'd silently cry and stare numbly at the ceiling before going to sleep every night. The girl's day mostly consisted of eating, training, and living alone. The occasional human contact she had when going grocery shopping, to the gym, at the entrance exams, or when she went on walks around the neighborhood was welcomed but it did not measure up to what she was used to. After all, Vanya spent 15 years surrounded by people. It was hard to go from all that support to nothing overnight.