MHA OC - Rift Runner

Chapter 2: First Impressions Count!

I woke up to the sound of the wind rustling the leaves outside my window. The morning sun poured in, casting a golden glow across my room. My bedroom was decorated fairly minimally; you don't need to store much in your room when you can access a personal pocket dimension after all. Posters of heroes from both the UK and Japan lined the walls. There was my dad, Jump, one of the top heroes back home in the UK, and then, of course, the Japanese icons—All Might and Endeavor, standing tall beside him.

Over on my desk, a framed photo of Mum and Dad sat beside a model of a support item I'd been working on. The support gear was a little thing I had been working on to use in hero training, and the picture... well, it reminded me that even though we weren't all together anymore, they both played a huge part in getting me here.

Downstairs, Mum was already in full swing, moving around the kitchen like clockwork. She was always organized, always had things under control. Her quirk made her perfect for running her business, transporting goods in and out of her pocket dimension with ease. Sometimes I wondered how she balanced it all—her job, raising me, managing everything. It's not like I was difficult, but raising any kid takes work—but she always seemed to do it with this quiet grace. Today, though, she seemed different, almost like she was reflecting on something.

I made my way downstairs, and she glanced up from what she was doing. "Ready for your big day, kiddo? U.A. High School... it feels like just yesterday you were that little boy, making a mess with your portals."

I laughed, sliding into my usual spot at the kitchen table. "Yeah, no kidding. I still can't believe they let me in after that entrance exam. Guess I'm lucky they were grading with rescue points as well."

She smiled at that, but her eyes softened. "You've worked hard for this, Tyler. Really hard. And you'll keep working. It's not going to be easy, but I have no doubts you'll make an amazing hero one day."

I nodded as she handed me a packed lunch. Her words hung in the air, and I could tell she wasn't just talking about school. I felt the weight of everything she had done to support me, and I knew I couldn't let her down. "I'll make you proud, Mum. Promise."

"You already have," she said, giving me a quick kiss on the forehead. "Now go on, before you start portaling back just to show off."

Grinning, I opened a small portal right in front of the house and stepped through it. In an instant, I was standing outside the gates of U.A. High School, feeling the familiar rush of air as the portal closed behind me.

The gates of U.A. loomed ahead, way bigger and more intimidating than I'd imagined. Standing here in front of it, I felt the weight of everything this place represented. This wasn't just some school—this was where the greatest heroes were made, and I was going to be next.

I could feel the buzz in the air as students rushed past, everyone looking eager and hyped. My heart was racing too, but not because I was nervous—no, this was pure adrenaline. I'd worked so hard for this moment, and it was finally happening.

Walking through the gates, I tried to take it all in. The buildings were massive, towering over us like they were watching. There was so much history here, so many legendary heroes who had walked these halls before me. Groups of students stood together, some chatting nervously, others trying to play it cool. It looked like some already knew each other, and others seemed to have formed groups, probably meeting each other on the commute. Something that wasn't necessary for me while using portal. I imagine most had to move closer to the school in order to attend, but luckily I was able to continue living at home.

As I continued to walk up the path, I spotted two people ahead. A girl with pink skin and horns on her head was talking to a boy with spiky red hair. Sounded like the girl was teasing him about something, I couldn't tell what, but decided to introduce myself.