Meeting

The midday sun beat down upon the campus of U.A. shining and reflecting off the windows of the glass-covered building. Reporters gathered outside the gates even before school started.

Standing outside the gates a man with light blue hair milled around the crowded entrance. The screaming of reporters was a dull hum in the air as he could hear the sound of his footsteps reverberating up his legs. Each step was like a hammer against his chest in beat with his slow-paced heart. The tension of what he was doing weighed on his mind yet his smile cracked his lips just a bit. He was excited. He was ready to bring down All Might.

Walking through the crowd he felt his shoulder brush against others but he never once bumped into someone despite the crowd, like a ghost. A trail of smoke coiling through the currents of the air. Getting to the gate his grey eyes wandered over the metallic surface. His hand brushed against it as like water his quirk flowed through the surface. With one goal… decay.

--- Before that, during the beginning of the day. ---

Sighing Nick looked out the window as he walked through the hall. The reporters were getting more and more eager to get a scoop of All Might becoming a teacher but no one was being given any time of day. He should just amuse them to make the problem go away, it was already enough of a pain to get to school.

Knowing what events occurred today Nick had thought about trying to stop them but realized that there wasn't much he could do. He had no idea what Tomura did when he got into the school and only knew that he had gotten in and stolen some file or something. Nothing more than that. Honestly, it seemed ridiculous that it had happened in the first place but he assumed that with the reporters making a ruckus he and Kurogiri had just warped in… it was the only way that it could have happened.

He had no idea where they wrapped to and only knew that it was sometime during the lunch break when the reporters were let in.

He had tried to think of a way to stop it but if the school hadn't caught them then how would he? He didn't know to be honest. The best he could do was hope that the U.S.J went as normal. He also wanted to get his hands on the Nomu so he wasn't that eager to try and stop what was happening in the first place.

Sighing he just tapped his finger against his desk desperate for homeroom to start.

"I hope you're rested from yesterday's battle trial. I took the liberty of looking at your marks and evaluations." Aizawa's voice sounded throughout the homeroom. His eyes cutting over the students as they all hurried back to their seats to start homeroom.

"Bakugo. Stop acting like a toddler. You're wasting your talent." Aizawa's tired drawl cut into Bakugo as the boy flinched and muttered something.

"And you Midoriya, are you always planning on destroying your arm? Hendrix won't always be there to heal you." His voice continued but Nick tuned out at that statement focusing on Midoriya… he wouldn't heal the boy anymore he decided. He needed to learn to use his power better…

Tuning back in as he heard his name he looked at Aizawa, "and Hendrix, just because you beat me does not make you exempt from anything or get any special treatment. Understood?" His voice focused with cold clarity as he glared across the room at Nick. Nodding his head Nick just waited for him to continue.

Nick wasn't happy with yesterday's fight. He needed experience… if he had been up against someone that had a combat quirk with the same experience as his teacher he knew he would have lost. He was strong, yes, but he lacked battle instinct, as much as he had an instinct for dodging and sensing danger it wasn't the same sense.

"Now let's get on with homeroom notices. We need to pick a class president." Aizawa said, springing the news on the class in the same tone he would have when talking about the weather.

As the class erupted into self-nomination Aizawa just pulled his sleeping bag up around his shoulders and started to get comfy in the corner. Honestly, Nick wished he could join him in ignoring the class. Who wanted more mundane responsibility?

As Ida started ranting he just lay his head on his desk. He would ignore it for now. Taking a page out of Aizawa's book he just ignored the class until he had to engage.

After a few moments of yelling something was passed around for votes to be put in. He just put in his own name not wanting to do anything different. As the votes made their way back to the front of the class the points were tallied. Hearing the president be announced he heard something. "So we have a tie for vice-president between Hendrix and Yaoyorozu-"

"I decline," Nick said as he looked up, only half tuning in. Who had voted for him? He barely talked to anyone. Seeing Eijiro hold his thumb up Nick let out a sigh. Damn it. Why did Eijiro vote for him? Probably something to do with manliness…

Hearing the shocked response of the class he looked at them and raised an eyebrow as he said. "What? I don't want any more work." His explanation was simple as he dismissed the shock.

Soon both Midoriya and Yaoyorozu were walking up to the front of the class but as she passed him she bowed lightly as she said, "Thank you for the opportunity, Hendrix, I promise I will not let this class down."

Just nodding his head he turned back to the point on the wall he had been staring at as he said, "yeah, don't mention it." His voice was as dismissive as his attitude. He should probably have been a bit nicer as she looked at him with a bit of conflict in her gaze before finishing the walk to the front of the class.

Seeing the homeroom start to finish up as Aizawa got out his sleeping bag Nick reached under his desk in order to grab his books for the first lesson they would be having.

---

With lunch happening, Nick stayed at the back of the hall. He was once again unable to find Mirio but he didn't want to be searching the grounds today because-

A loud blaring noise of sirens shattered the noise of conversation as a mechanical voice sounded, "Security level 3 has been breached. Students, please promptly evacuate."

That.

Sighing as the mad rush started Nick just took another bite of his lunch. That damn lunch rush was a great chef. Hearing yelling out in the hall he assumed canon was going as followed. He would have to sit through more ball shit when class started again… damn it.

---

When class started Nick didn't pay much attention to Midoriya's speech, the rest of the class was riled up though which was kind of amusing. Something about Ida being a better man for the job with how he proved himself able to unify people coolly or something like that.

Hearing Aizawa's, "whatever, just get on with it already… we're not getting any younger here." He couldn't help but crack an amused smirk. Only to see the teacher looking at him with narrowed eyes. Wondering what that was about he waited for homeroom to be over.

As it was over Ida became the class president and the day ended. As Nick was packing his bags to leave he heard Aizawa call out to him. "Hendrix, you're wanted at the principles office. Don't keep him waiting." His voice tired as he hopped back to presumably the teacher's lounge in his sleeping bag. It was hard to imagine how that man had moved so deftly yesterday…

Wondering why he was called he made his way through the halls going to floors higher than he had been before as he made his way towards the principles office. Both curious and cautious as to why he had been called upon.

Knocking on the door he heard the squeaky voice come out from behind the door. "Come in!" The voice was cheerful.

Opening the door Nick walked into the office, it was a bland room, in the middle were two couches facing a table and at the end of it just in front of the large window was a single desk and chair. Spinning around in the leather chair Nezu called out happily. "am I a dog, or a mouse! Or perhaps a bear? I am Nezu! The principle of U.A. How do you do Hendrix!" His voice was as upbeat as his smile as he held out a small paw to shake.

"I am well, and you, principal?" Nick responded with politeness as he shook the offered hand and instantly felt the structure of Nezu and honestly it baffled him as he froze for a moment. "You're all of them are you not?"

Nick had never felt such a confusing mix of genetics crammed into a body. He could tell that Nezu's 'core' was that of a bear. Although a small albino one. But the rest was crammed into his body as if someone had tried to change him.

Watching the eyes of the principal grow dark for a second Nick pulled his hand back as he quickly said, "Sorry, I just didn't expect that kind of feedback…" He shouldn't have said anything.

The darkness was all but a flash. Nezu being back to his normal polite appearance responded in a sombre tone. "Well yes I am… a sad existence really… but alas I did not call you here to talk about that. But your quirk." The subject quickly changed.

Feeling some panic well up inside his chest he wondered if Nezu had figured him out, he was smart after all had managed to find pieces and put them together and was just calling Nick here to-

"I believe that it could help us in our investigation." Nezu's words cut off Nick's panicked train of thought. Feeling his heart settle he tried to calm his mind as he just nodded. Of course, it wasn't… how had he catastrophized so quickly?

Taking out a piece of what seemed to be metal he put it on the table in front of the boy. His mood had clearly been dampened as he mentioned. "Your ability to feel the structure of something might help us. So if you could please tell us all you can feel from this piece of the wall."

Nodding his head eager to get out of there he picked up the metal, three sides were smooth as they had been cut away from surrounding material but one side was jagged and flaky. About to speak up Nick's thoughts were interrupted as he looked up at the smiling principal.

Speaking cheerfully Nezu said, "oh how rude of me. Would you like some tea? After all, I called you all the way up here on such short notice. I do apologise for my rudeness I was just not expecting your comment, it brings back… less than positive memories. But that information feedback is precisely why I have called for you, as I have stated." His paws already pouring two cups without even waiting for Nick to respond.

Thinking that tea would help him calm down he figured that Nezu was probably thinking the same thing. As his eyes met the principles he saw that he was right, the rodent was shaking a little, almost as much as Nick was. Picking up their cups respectively Nick took a sip before settling it down and saying what he was going to before.

"Thank you for the tea. There is nothing to apologise for… It was rude of me to make a statement so blunt about something so sensitive." Putting the cup down the faint click of the cup against the saucer was only met by Nezu nodding his head slightly. Eyes watching Nick's movement as he continued.

"As for the metal here. The structure is broken down as if decayed rapidly on the jagged edge. The rest of it seems fine. An impressive alloy indeed." He would have to take notes on the structure. It was simply genius. "Some parts of it are caught in the process of breaking down, however, paused as whatever I assume quirk did this was stopped…"

Nodding his head Nezu responded. "Ah! Of course, thank you, Hendrix, it is as I expected but of course, I wanted to make sure. Do you think the effect could be defended against?" His voice was curious as he started a conversation.

"I don't think so. Whatever factor is responsible for the deterioration of the structure didn't seem to be hindered by anything, there isn't any resistance towards it present in any of the metals used in the alloy. I would need substantially more data to come to any conclusive results."

Nodding his head once more Nezu said, "well thank you, Hendrix, do take care, I won't hold you up any longer."

Being dismissed Nick stood up and finished the cup of tea that he was given as he made his way out of the office with final goodbyes being exchanged. Aware of the curious eyes that pierced into the back of his head as he left. He would have to be more careful of the principle, the man was dangerous… anyone who had been through a lot was.

---

With the day over Nick made his way home. Walking through the broken gate as he laid his hand on the crumbling edges. The feedback was the same as the block he was given. So the information had been stolen… good, it was one step closer to him getting to the Nomu. He was confident he could beat it. After all, all he had to do was touch it and he would win. The beast didn't have any intelligence and super regeneration wouldn't work if the entire body was destroyed in an instant.

Questioning his confidence he made his way towards the station. A small sigh left his lips. He was glad things were progressing, he was ready to start. Tomorrow would be the U.S.J incident. He was looking forward to it. The next step in his growth hopefully. The next step in having an impact greater than just his one life… to be something. Mean something.

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Thank you once again for reading! As always feedback and ideas are more than welcome!

Leave a review or comment letting me know what you think or want to see next!

Sorry the chapter is shorter today I just didn't want to cram to much in there. I think the next chapter will have the long awaited awakening of Nick so look forward to that!

Let me know what you think of how I worked through canon events in this, I think I want to try make them more interesting with the perspective of Nick so they are not so bland. With the story progressing however more and more time will be less filler and more interesting events so hopefully more interesting chapters!