Shangri La Pt. 1

39: Introduce

"Um, Great Pisces, it's me, Izumi. May I come in?"

The 6 of them froze up from hearing the greenette's voice outside the temple, leading them all to look at each other in panic unsure of what to do. 

"Your servant's here?!?" 

"We can't let them see us!" 

"What do we do?" 

"Hide!" 

"Oh no you two, Uma, stop them!" Zeri demanded as the large man grabbed both the Vice Captain and the dark blue haired boy from trying to escape.

"Hey hey, put us down!" 

"Yeah, we don't wanna get caught!" 

"Too late, she will have to know eventually." 

"That's right. Izumi, you may enter." Shiro spoke as the boys didn't know how to get out of this situation now that they were being held back. 

The door slid open to reveal Izumi entering the room with her back to them as she was carrying a try with a kettle full of warm tea not paying any attention to what was going on behind her.

"Apologies for coming here so late, Zeri was helping me learn medicine this morning and then there was an arrival that came to the palace today. I do not know who it was, but Zeri did say she was expecting some–" 

Before she could even finish her sentence, Izumi turned to face the Great Pisces only to stop and see some familiar–and also unfamiliar–faces standing before her. 

"Ah– O-Oh–.... Please excuse me, it seems I came at the wrong time as you have guests." Izumi blurted as she turned back to the door and was ready to leave. 

"No no no, Izumi, there is no need to leave, as I'd like to introduce you to these guests." Shiro answered. 

That instantly stopped her from moving anymore towards the door as she glanced over in the corner of her eye to pay more attention to what the guests looked like. She noticed 3 new faces, as well as Zeri and the Vice Captain of the Todoroki Knights in the room.

"Oh, Zeri... and the Vice Captain are here? And... are these the friends that you mentioned, Zeri?" Izumi questioned. 

"Hah~ Yes, they are, and they aren't just old friends of mine. They are friends of Shiro's as well." Zeri sighed. 

"I-I see..." 

"Izumi, would you kindly do me a favor?" Shiro asked. 

"O-Of course." 

"Could you take your charm off for my friends to see?" 

"Ah– D-Do I have to?" 

"Don't worry, Izumi, we're good at hiding secrets." Zeri assured her. Izumi glanced at these new faces around the room and felt her heart beating out of her chest with anxiety and uncertainty on if this would be okay. 

"A-Alright..." she mumbled as she carefully set the tray with the tea set down and then rested her hands around her neck to undo the latch holding the necklace together.

The second the latch was undone, Izumi's shining silver hair vanished and turned dark green like forest trees. Seeing her hair change color was something they didn't expect, but once they saw her open her eyes and look at them, they were a bit stunned. 

"Ah– She's an Emerald." Ayame noted. 

"Yes she is. This is my one and only servant, Izumi Midoriya, and she's a cousin to the Emerald Dragon." Shiro announced, making Izumi clench up to know that these new faces could easily recognize her by her hair and eye color.