Chapter Text
About a month passed before the entrance exam was starting, or well, started.
You see the thing is, Chuuya really would rather not have to sit through his memories of the entrance exam. It wasn't like he did bad at it, he's actually pretty sure that he managed to pass the practical.
His ability just made the whole thing go by so fast, that's all. He could barely tell how many points he even got. Chuuya sighed, there was something itching at him in the back of his mind that he couldn't figure out. Hearing the sound of someone running up behind him, Chuuya could easily figure out what. It seemed that the someone who happened to sign up and start studying late, just so happened to be late to this too.
Albatross slung his arm around Chuuya's neck and pants from trying to catch up to him because clearly the latter was trying to get away from him, “That written exam was the worst! Seriously, how'd ya even get through that?”
“Unlike you, I didn't use ChatGPT.”
He gasped, “What! How'd you know that? I was sure I kept it hidden from sight..”
“Tch, idiot,” Chuuya shoves his hands into his pockets, “So how'd your physical exam go?”
“Pretty good! I managed to control one of the robots and run it into another 1 pointer,” Chuuya looked at him like he was crazy.
“How'd you manage to pull that off? Last thing I knew was that those shitty robots didn't have any controls on them.”
Albatross grinned at him and started walking away, “A magician never reveals his secrets does he?”
Chuuya stomps in a puddle (likely made by a quirk) because of that response. Albatross gets soaked in the water and laughs.
“So, Chewy’, who do ya think was the strongest in your section?”
He scowls at the nickname, “Don't call me that. Besides me, I'd say the strongest person in my area had some sorta mutant type of quirk that made them have the abilities and appearance of a frog. Her speed was fast which was good at taking out any opponents.”
A tsk came from Albatross in response, “We don't really get those types in Yokohama, huh? I'd say the strongest person in my group was some guy with an explosion quirk. Although, even if he was strong he sure was a pain in the ass. Very egotistical, kinda reminds me of you Chuuya,” he said that last part with a smug grin on his face.
They walk up to the door of their apartment, Albatross still dripping with the water from earlier, and Chuuya slides the key in. Once he pushes the door open, a banner is shoved in front of both their faces that says ‘Hope You Did Well!’. Instead of the mostly more normal confetti guns, there were 4 finger guns pointed at the two and sad pieces of colorful paper falling to the floor.
“Uh, surprise!!”
Albatross elbows Chuuya's side repeatedly, “Woah, Chuuya look! You guys did all of this for us?”
“Why of course, after all it is a special occasion is it not?” Lippmann dropped his side of the banner, leaving Doc with half of it fallen to the floor, scrambling to pick it back up. He pulled Chuuya and Albatross to the couch in front of the TV where the others started to gather.
Piano Man leans over the back of the couch and flicks the back of Chuuya's head.
“Ow! What the hell?!”
“We decided that we should have a movie night to take your mind off of the results for later,” he then fully slouches on the couch instead of leaning anymore, “don't blame me if the movie's bad, I didn't pick it.”
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“Dude, you can't do that you know?” Albatross snickered and shot down Chuuya's character that was smashing its face into a wall, clearly attempting a wallclip.
“Shut up. I can see that just fine,” Chuuya spat back.
Right now they have been challenging each other in video games during the week after the entrance exam. In the middle of their most recent round, Doc strolled into the apartment holding mail. On the top of the pile were two envelopes with a red stamp of the UA emblem pressed into the wax. They were addressed to Chuuya and Albatross respectively.
“Hey, you guys finally got the results,” Doc stood in front of the two, holding what could possibly (but very unlikely) change the fate of the entire mission.
Albatross yanks the envelope out of Doc's hands, “Aw sweet! Come on Chuuya, let's look.”
A loud ‘GAME OVER’ sound came over from Albatross’ side of the TV, then a defeated groan. Chuuya looks over at him and flashes a triumphant smirk, taking the envelope from Doc without breaking eye contact.
While Albatross was still sulking from his game over, Chuuya rips open the letter only to have a gray, disc-like object fall out from the inside. A projection of All Might in a yellow suit emerges from the disc.
He winces, That is not a great color on him.
“I am here! As a projection!
Thank you for applying to UA, just so you know, I didn't come to this city just to fight villains. You're looking at the newest U.A. faculty member. So moving on, you managed to pass your written exam and had gotten first place in the practical. Congratulations! Welcome, Chuuya Nakahara, as part of the Hero Academia. Any additional information you need is listed in the letter added in the envelope. :-)”
79 villain points and 6 rescue points. That's how much he got in the practical exam. Chuuya had a blank look on his face, but his eyes glinted with something close to being proud. He looks over at Albatross and gives him a nod showing that he wants him to open his own envelope. It doesn't take more than that before the paper's shredded apart.
Albatross stills for a moment, no projecting disc fallen out onto the cushions, only a letter similar to Chuuya's. Picking it up softly, Albatross ignores his gaze and smooths out the paper before reading it.
‘Hello, ████ ████████, thank you for applying to U.A. You were able to pass the practical exam with a good amount of points. However, the barely passing score given on the written exam makes you unfortunately unfit for our hero course.
Despite this though, you are able to join in with the General Studies class. While you should be proud of managing to make it into a school like this, we implore you to go Plus Ultra!™️ and continue with your journey into hero society.’
Albatross hummed softly as he finished the letter, something akin to a smile started spreading across his face, “This is great, Chuuya, we’re gonna be in the same school!”
He rolls his eyes, “Yeah, yeah, I'm surprised you actually managed to get in. Their standards must suck.”
“Shush! I must have done great to be able to get in. It does suck that we can't be in the same class though.”
Doc leans over in between them, “Woah, you guys both actually managed to get in. I feel like I should be surprised but I'm not. Except for the written exam part of course, heh heh..”
“Aw come on Doc! Why do you gotta be so mean to me?” Albatross slouched forward and continued his sulking from before.
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After the rest of the Flags heard the news, they figured it was such a nice day out. Therefore, Lippmann decided that they should all go shopping.
Which brings us to where we are now.
With unnecessary items being bought by Lippmann, Albatross complaining, Chuuya arguing with said complainer.
Piano Man and Doc were the ones actually buying needed items and then Ice Man, trailing behind the group holding all of the bags. The limp posture he was sporting was horrid, but at least he didn't lose nearly as much height than when Chuuya slouches.
Before they went, obviously they had to disguise Lippmann so he wouldn't get recognized. He was wearing a light blue hoodie and a pair of dark sunglasses covering his face. Sometimes the basic stuff works out well. Even if it gets rid of all your drip.
Chuuya really didn't want to have to deal with this right now. It was already bad enough that orientation was tomorrow, but then after that he would have to start on his first day at school. Never mind the fact that he's never been to one before, but this one just so happens to be a hero school of all things.
Is he serious, what the actual hell is that shit.
Lippmann holds up a bright, neon green t-shirt with one of the pro heroes’ (Chuuya thinks he remembers them as Kamui Woods) face on the front. In bold text across the front it said, ‘MAKE LIKE A TREE, AND LEAF THE CRIME TO ME!’
“Hey Chuuya,” Lippmann chuckles, “this would be perfect for you to wear.” Now, Lippmann's not stupid. After all he is an actor, wearing good clothes is one of the important things on the job, but it would still be funny to see Chuuya in something like this.
“You're fucking crazy if you think I'm ever gonna wear that!”
He smiles, “It could be perfect practice for when you join me on the silver screen though, Chuuya.”
“I already told you that idea’s stupid. I would rather do anything else.”
Ice Man looked up from behind the bundle of bags, “Well you know Chuuya, you do technically have to put up an act when you start going to-” a piercing squeal came from behind him,
“Oh my God, is that you Lippmann?!”
Some teenage girl was behind them, literally vibrating with excitement, “I knew it was you when I heard that voice, I'm such a huge fan of your works!!!”
The shouting caused a small commotion with the other people around them, soon realising that the famous actor Lippmann was in the exact same mall as them.
Ice Man steps in front of the two youngest Flags, using the advantage of the giant bags he was carrying to cover them up.
“Fuck, we gotta go. Come on Chuuya, ‘Tross.”
They scamper away while the girl alerts people towards Lippmann's location. He deflated slightly while Ice Man skedaddles with the other two, but he puts on his classic charming Lippmann branded smile.
While in the middle of an autograph he glances back at where the others are, once spotted he gets a thumbs up, an excited wave, and a nod.
Albatross leans back and stretches, “Man, good thing we got away from the Lipplings, eh Chuuya?”
He cringes at the name Albatross came up with for the Lippmann fans. Currently, the three were standing in front of the escalators, watching as Lippmann was being crowded by a bunch of people, signing autographs left and right.
Chuuya looks back at Ice Man, who's on his phone and seems to be texting someone. Likely Piano Man or Doc, reporting about the tiny situation they're in right now.
Ice Man looks up from his phone, “We're gonna get going, Piano Man and Doc will pick him up later. It's too risky to have people draw their attention to you for hanging out with Lippmann when you're already going to UA.”
Chuuya sighs dramatically as the three of them trudged out of the mall. Taking the train while Ice Man divided the bags he was carrying amongst Albatross and Chuuya.
Once they were heading into their apartment, Chuuya used his ability to lift up the bags he was holding, watching as Albatross suffered next to him.
His eyes felt heavy and bones weak, he felt tired.
Chuuya drops the bags onto the counter and goes to his room, ignoring any interactions that either Ice Man or Albatross would want to have. He shuts the door and starts falling deeply into the plush softness of his good bed.
He wonders how the Sheep are doing, if any of the others managed to get an education after he was gone.
He just wanted to get this mission over with already. He had things to do back at Yokohama. People who respected him.
Staring up at the ceiling, he watched as his vision slowly blurred. Chuuya blinked. It will be fine later anyways, when he wakes up. This whole hero school thing is just a blip for now, something to brag over Dazai's head when he gets back.
This won't change anything.
Darkness was enveloping him like thick mud.
Nothing close to a dream filled his mind that night.