My Hero Academia Symbol of Hope (DC x MHA)

New place, New friends

As the class made its way toward the dorms, Kara found herself instinctively gravitating toward Izuku. Even though they had only known each other for a few days, there was something about him that made her feel safe and at ease. She stood close to him, her gaze flickering nervously as she tried to navigate the maze of new faces and unfamiliar surroundings. Izuku, ever the considerate and kind soul, offered her a small smile, noticing how much more relaxed she seemed when she was by his side.

This didn't go unnoticed by the others. Mineta and Kaminari, who had been gossiping and joking among themselves earlier, immediately shot Izuku a glare as they noticed Kara standing so close to him. Kaminari leaned toward Mineta, a slight pout on his face.

"Man, Izuku's taking all the new girl's attention," Kaminari grumbled, crossing his arms. "First day, and he's already got a partner in crime."

Mineta, ever the opportunist, snickered and nudged Kaminari in the ribs. "Guess Izuku's got a thing for blondes now, huh?"

Izuku, who had been quietly listening, turned bright red, the teasing catching him completely off guard. He stammered, trying to find the right words, but his usual shyness made him falter. "W-What? No, it's not like that!"

The teasing grew louder, and that's when Mina, always eager to join in on a good-natured ribbing, stepped forward with a mischievous grin. "Ooh, Izuku's got a thing for blondes, huh?" she teased, winking at him playfully.

Kara, still unaware of the implications behind their words, blinked in confusion. "What do you mean, 'blondes'?" she asked innocently, her voice tinged with genuine curiosity.

The room fell silent, and the girls—Mina, Toru, Momo, Ochako, and Tsuyu—all froze, their eyes widening in sudden realization. The same thought flashed through their minds simultaneously: *"MUST PROTECT."*

Kara had spent so much of her life without friends that she had no experience with the teasing and subtle dynamics that often formed between classmates. To her, it was all just noise, but the girls suddenly understood the significance of her innocence. She hadn't grown up in a world where teasing like this was normal. She didn't know what they meant, and that, in itself, made the protective instincts in each of them surge.

Mina was the first to recover, her smile softening into something more protective as she placed a hand on Kara's shoulder. "Oh, don't worry about it, Kara," she said, her voice turning reassuring. "We're just joking around." Mina quickly turned to Momo and Ochako, her tone suddenly very serious. "Okay, after we unpack, we're having a girls' meeting. I'll explain everything, but we need to stick together. Got it?"

Momo nodded firmly, her expression one of determination. "Absolutely."

Ochako smiled brightly, showing her support. "Count me in."

Izuku, meanwhile, was still standing there, unsure of what just happened. He was thankful that Kara didn't seem bothered by the teasing, but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. He chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "S-Sorry about that," he mumbled to Kara, his face still flushed.

Kara gave him a small smile, grateful for his kindness. "It's okay," she said, her voice gentle. "I'm just... not used to things like this."

Soon all the students went to unpack their things, Kara carefully unpacked her belongings in her new room. It was simple and neat, with a desk by the window, a bed with plain sheets, and shelves that had plenty of space for items she might gather in the future. For now, she only had a few possessions, each chosen with care. Among them was a framed photo she handled with great delicacy.

The picture showed her new family. Toshinori, Gran Torino, Kai, and Melissa—all smiling together. It had been taken just days before She had to move to the dorms, a gift to remind her she wasn't alone. Though she would still see Kai, Melissa, and Toshinori daily at the school, and Gran Torino had promised to visit often, this picture meant the world to her.