Era

9

UA was huge. It loomed above and around Era, made her feel small and open and vulnerable, grand walls and sweeping hallways wrapping her up in don’t belongs and not for yous. It was the kind of place she’d be sent to steal from, to murder in, to tear brick from brick until her hands were raw and bloodied by the effort of it all. She’d thought that coming here would make her feel excited, happy, anxious… something. Staring up the steps to the main entrance, Era just felt empty.

She’d been sleeping less, if such a thing was possible, and that couldn’t be helping matters. The unfamiliar uniform made her skin itch, and her backpack was heavy across her shoulders, laden down with everything she could possibly need on a first day of high school.

The problem was, Era had absolutely no frame of reference for what such a thing could entail. She’d at least had the presence of mind to hide her blades in little pockets of fabric, both in her bag and on her person. If they were found it could mean a world of trouble, but honestly Era was on the brink of a panic attack as it was and the feeling of cool, sharp metal tucked against her skin was enough to stave it off, if only for the moment.

Students milled all around her, and she let the mass of bodies carry her along through the doors, down the halls, eventually dispersing enough to deposit her in the middle of an intersection much like the last three she had passed.

Christ, it was really going to be one of those days. Era squinted at the walls, unable to find any markers that could lead her in the right direction. There were the other students, of course, but she didn’t really want to draw so much attention to herself so soon, and she didn’t know them besides. Was that normal, to go up to a stranger and ask for directions? Was that something people her age did? Or would that be rude, weird, some violation of whatever social order had been established in her absence from normal society?

Holy shit, this isn’t a fucking stakeout, just ask for some god damn directions.

Era sighed, just as a flash of green caught her eye. That kid from the entrance exam, the nervous one, she’d only talked to him for maybe ten seconds, did she even remember his name…?

“Midoriya?” Era repressed a wince at how her voice echoed along the now near empty hallway. The boy turned, as did the short, brown haired girl he was walking with. He makes friends fast.

“Oh, hi!” God, he was so obnoxiously endearing. Midoriya gave her a little wave, and the two stopped so that Era could catch up with them. “It was Suzuki, right?”

“Just call me Era,” she said without really thinking about it, glancing past them to see if any signs outside of the classrooms might give them a clue as to where they were. Midoriya seemed to get flustered, blushing and waving his hands frantically.

“Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly—”

“Hi, I’m Uraraka Ochako! It’s nice to meet you, do you and Midoriya know each other?” Fuck she was so blinding, all bright smiles and sparkling eyes and bouncing on the balls of her feet as if she could barely contain her excitement.

They would have died—Era managed to push the thought away, this time.

“Not really, we just talked a little during the entrance exam,” said Era as the three of them set out along the hallway once more. “I’m looking for my class, but this place is a maze. Where are you two going?”

“1-A!” said Uraraka cheerfully. Midoriya, it seemed, had regained his composure and was nodding along enthusiastically. “How about you?”

Hero course. That tracked. Era didn’t let any bitterness show in her own smile; both because she was well-trained enough that she could keep such unimportant emotions from infecting her face, and more importantly because she most certainly was not bitter in the first place.