Chapter Text
Four days, it has been four days since Peter... arrived in Japan. And if he was being honest, he was still getting used to it. Not just the language, even if that was a problem, it was the people. There was normal looking people of course... but so many of them looked like things out of a kid's sketchbook with animal or other odd stuff. He could have sworn he saw one kid's head be nothing but a... comic strip page!
Not that any of them were bad! Yu and Chief Fukuda had already done so much for him. Him, a kid from America, a kid from another universe! It was because of them that he had a roof over his head, food to eat, and a chance to be a normal teenager again.
At least, this world's version of normal.
"I'm heading out on patrol!"
Peter turned, catching Yu, in full costume as she made her way through the living room. He smiled and waved, taking care not to mess anything up in the kitchen as he was busy unloading the dishwasher from the night before.
"Good luck and have a good day Yu."
Yu smiled, but it couldn't stop the whine that came through. A small part of Peter laughed at Yu's situation. Back home, being Spider Man was the best part of the day. Finally, after hours of pretending to be something he wasn't he could cut loose and help people. What he loved doing the most. Even the little things like giving directions and helping little old ladies cross the street felt... more with the suit on. Spending all day like that, not having to worry about grades, bullies, hell school in general and be paid for doing the right thing sounded like a dream come true.
Apparently, Yu didn't feel the same way. At least, not this early in the morning, given how wide she yawned.
"I've only got morning patrols today so I'll be back around 3. We can get you some more clothes after that, okay?"
"Sounds good."
"Oh! And a phone, in case you needed to call while you're out and when you got to school eventually." Peter was thankful that this whole crazy world had some familiarity. Their phones were normal smartphones, albeit with new features. He'd adjust to that easily when he has the chance.
"Thanks, Yu."
"Also the chief should be coming by sometime to give you your visa," Yu called, grabbing a poptart to munch on while on the go.
"Already?" That was awful fast. Didn't that stuff take a while? The movies made it seem like it took a bit of time. All the paperwork, making a digital past, taking a mugshot and putting it on quality cards took a montage. Yu shrugged, looking just as surprised as Peter even through her mask.
"Botan called in a few favors. Good thing too, classes start tomorrow for high schoolers like ya. Given your height, Botan had to de-age you, making you fifteen so that you can enter U.A. and have the convenient excuse of being held back a year since, well, they do it in America a lot."
He has to retake freshman year? Balls. "Don't remind me," Peter mumbled getting back to unloading.
"Don't worry about it, you'll be fine and-hold on a second."
Yu tapped her ear and after a second rolled her eyes.
"私は私の道を進んでいます,Shinjiを意味しないでください.," she said to the earpiece.
Her pout grew with every passing second, she made a face and turned her hand into a yammering puppet. Peter giggled at the sight. Her eyes twinkled at the sound only for the call to rip the moment apart.
"うんうん私にちょっと. That was Kamui," she explained, "I'm late for pre patrol checkup apparently. The jerk is probably salty about 'Shamu'." A quick slap to the face forced her to brighten up. She beamed, hand on the door. "See you soon Peter," she waved on her way out.
"Bye." Peter waved back as best he could, but his heart wasn't in it. Cause now was the worst part of the day.
The waiting.
It just felt wrong sitting around for things to happen to him. Back before the Homecoming fiasco with Mr. Toombs, he could kill the time with his patrols as Spider Man. Here though, that was a big no no. He could walk around, but with no suit to translate he'd get lost pretty quickly and that would lead to a headache for Yu. If he had a phone, it would be easier... He can watch TV, try and pick up and speak phrases. He heard that NBA players back home in his own world, ones who came from Europe, were able to learn English through watching TV shows and listening to hip hop music. Once he gets his own phone, he will need to listen on the music here.
Aside from watching TV, the only other thing was tinkering around with Mr. Starks suit, which lasted all of two hours on the first day before he gave up. Peter thought he could get something out of it, he got that stupid baby monitor program out of the suit back before the ferry incident.
But the Iron Spider suit? Not a chance.
He tried to tinker with the Mr. Stark's other suit, the one he got for the Germany trip, and found a small USB-sized compartment that must have contained Karen and the necessary functions of the suit. It had the same blue glow of an Arc Reactor when he looked it from the inside of his suit, as if there was stitched in patch on the inside of someone's shirt, after all but...
Yu's apartment wasn't exactly the best place to hack into a multi-million dollar superhero costume. And he didn't have the mask and it's HUD to help connect with Karen. He kicked himself mentally for tearing off the mask when he got on the Space Donut. If he hadn't... he could have had Karen through the fight, been able to get by a lot easier... have someone familiar to talk to. He had a feeling the Suit Mask would have connected well with the neural interface, but alas, he can only rely on the neural interface for now.
Nothing he could do for now. He would pat the spider symbol on the suit, and would look at it affectionately before going about his day.
So with all those options out of the running, the only thing left was helping out where he could. He set the cleaned dishes aside and made his way to the living room where he looked out at the battlefield before him.
The war between him, and the laundry being piled up in Yu's room.
Cleaning wasn't much to pay Yu back for all that she's doing for him. She told him as much, waving off his concerns like she'd gotten used to all this. He still remembered her surprise when she came back to a visible carpet, then a cleaned up bedroom. Just because she'd gotten used to it, didn't mean they both needed to live in a barn. Peter quickly picked up his supplies from the counter and set to work on the windows, dusting the TV and vacuuming the carpet. Simply chores to keep his hands busy.
Cause if he was busy he could focus on the sheen that he knew he could get out of the windows, or buff the color in the aging carpet, and not think about what happened.
It didn't always work, but Peter didn't let it stop him.
He was going to learn, he was going to be something great.
And that day his visa arrived in the mail. Turns out Fukuda sent it via mail instead of in person. Fair enough.
Step one was finished, now onto step two: School.
(X)
Turns out, Peter really shouldn't have worried about getting lost. His new phone was, fortunately, the newest model that Yu could get. It didn't have even a tenth of the bells and whistles that came with Mr Stark's suit. Not that it was a competition, nothing would even get close to his tech even in a world full of superpowers. Anyway, the map app had an english option and with it and a few directions from Yu, Peter made his way to his new classroom.
Musutafu Foreign Exchange Class at the local community college.
Yu had given him a quick rundown that schools worked a little differently here in Japan. Apparently, there were half-days in the schedule, only lasting from 8 to noon. Now that was awesome, less school was always a blessing.
What wasn't was the fact that Saturday's were a school day! Six school days a week. That's a crime.
Small upside, Sundays were still off.
Peter shook his head. It wasn't much of an upside when he had to walk to his class alone. Every step following the crowd and his map to the college in agonizing silence without Ned.
Without... any of his friends around.
It made the knot in his gut twist. He was going to school, but there was no Ned, no MJ, hell he would take Flash. Someone to make the college feel like somewhere he could fit in. It felt even weirder when he flashed his ID to the guard at the gate. Yu had insisted that everything had come through for them, but it didn't feel like it.
Because even looking at the other students as he arrived in his classroom, all the legal paper in the world didn't spot him from feeling like he stood out. He remembered that there was supposed eight percent of everyone born globally was supposed to have a power or a quirk but this was too much. He saw a guy who's entire body was covered in eyes. A girl who's tongue was wrapped around her neck like a scarf. There's even a guy that looked like his eyes were on fire.
He shook it off and went to the first seat that looked open next to a blonde girl with two massive horns sticking out of her head and had a unique nose. She shrank into her seat when Peter got closer. She had a mix of Asiatic and caucasian features. Looking around, he saw some other kids looking like him, or kids of darker skin tone talking with accented English.
"Ah, hi." he tried.
Bit of a longshot in hindsight. Sure it was a class for foreigners but not all of them would know english.
"Hi," she muttered back.
Huh, looks like he was wrong.
"I'm Peter," he said holding out a hand.
She looked at the hand and blanched.
"I'm Pony."
"... like the horse?"
"Y-yeah." she said.
"Well ah... nice to meet you?" he offered.
"N-nice to meet you too."
"So..." he said sitting down, "Why are you here?"
Pony perked up at the question, only to turn her gaze to her desk.
"I-I'm hoping that I can take the entrance exam to U.A. I just came here from Texas to live with my dad and I need to get adjusted to living life in Japan." Peter blinked and Pony shook her head. "I know it's a long shot. Me, a foreigner trying to get into the same school that All Might went to, even though he got his career jump started in America..." She gave him a timid laugh, rubbing the base of her horns. "It's really silly saying it outloud isn't it?"
"No it isn't. Not at all." Peter learned of this All Might. Think Captain America with the strength of the Hulk to boot. And far more charismatic from what clips he has seen of him.
Pony turned back, the edge of a smile coming to her.
"Really?"
"I mean, I'm trying to get there too."
"Really!?"
Peter jumped at the volume, with Pony leaning very closely and he had to duck his head a little to avoid her horns, she had an over-eager grin on her face. She shifted in her seat before holding out a hand.
"L-let's start this over. I'm Pony Tsunotori, from Austin, Texas."
Peter took the hand and gave it a firm squeeze.
"Peter . Peter Parker." He smiled. "I'm... from Queens."
"You have a New York accent too! I can tell." The girl beamed, and Peter allowed himself to smile. Well, he just made his first friend. He can see her horse-like tail swish more often.
And then the classes began, Pony was willing to look over Peter's starting kanji and help him improve, as she knew more Japanese than he did. In return, Peter noticed a problem in her algebra work.
By the end of the day, the thought of coming back to the class didn't seem so bad. Only downside was telling Yu about it and she was egging him about loving horses a bit too much, and on girls.
U.A. Entrance Exam is in ten months.
(X)
And so began Peter Parker's ten months of education and acclimation.
Days turned to weeks, and Peter was finally able to make out words and sentences while out eating in downtown. His Japanese calligraphy and penmanship needs work, but he can get a better grasp of the tongue, along with typing it on a keyboard. But... there was some embarrassing moments.
"I would like a number four with a shake please." Said a giraffe-man in front of him at Grab'n'Go, a nearby burger joint as Peter waited behind him. He picked up on the words, processing them in his head. When the cute twin-tailed cashier took his order he walked off.
"Welcome to Grab'n'Go! How may I take your order?" The young girl asked with pep, inputting the previous order in her pad. Peter remembered what the giraffe-man said, biting his lip.
"I like four number please shake." He said, grinning. There, he got-
It wrong, given how she laughed. "Oh? A number four witha ice creamu shayku?" The teen girl asked in heavy accented English.
"Japanese, still trying... to learn." Peter admitted, blushing as she blushed.
"You can do it!" She chirped in English. "Number four with a shake, coming right up." Peter paid with the debit card Yu loaned him and he walked to the table remembering his number. He ran a hand over his face.
"I like four number please shake... or is it Like number...four... I shake please-gah!" He broke out of his Japanese and groaned. "This is gonna take work."
(X)
The weeks began to fly. Peter writing the repetition of Japanese hiragana, katakana, and Kanji with Pony helping beside him. He had started bad at worst, averagely at best at first, but he was getting the hang of it. He handed his first hand drawn essay to his teacher...
Got a 70.
Not bad... got to improve. Pony would pat him on the back, even as she got in the 90s.
(X)
"A number four and shake please!" Peter exclaimed at the joint, beaming.
"You're getting the hang of it, keep it up!" The cashier giggled, inputting the order. Peter let out a light laugh.
(X)
"I would like apply for membership at U.A. Academy so that I become hero." Peter stated, sitting on the couch as Yu nodded. "Like that?"
"Closer... you're missing some words. Let me help ya... after we get some Italian!"
(X)
Peter would get restless many a time. Deciding to keep in shape, Yu managed to get him a gym membership that was near the beachfront that was open 24/7. Peter would sometimes jog to the gym early in the morning(and giving Yu her poptarts all warmed up for breakfast). Doing weights and exercises there... was so liberating as opposed to back in his... old home. He can just lift and breeze through weights or many kilometer-per-hour speeds on the treadmill before showering a little and jogging to class to catch up with Pony. It helps that it is on the way to the Foreign Exchange Class, given how the community college was only several blocks from the beach. The fastest route was along the beach road... but the sight of mountains of trash and pollution in one of its parks repulsed him, and he took to walking some streets within. Didn't need to walk by a landfill. How come no one has cleaned it up yet?
One day, while deciding to go on the fast route to lift some major weights(topping a thousand pounds each. The Gym was built for Quirk users). He was running by.. noticing that the landfill looked smaller, and he can hear yelling within. As he kept his eye on the noises, he can hear phrases of "Harder! Put your back into it!" and "You wanna be a hero, clench your butt and push that tire!".
Ooookay then.
Not paying much mind, he resumed his jog to the gym without incident.
(X)
"More weight!" Peter yelled at a supervisor, putting on more slabs of concrete on the bars. He strained and pushed up. One...two...three...four...five...
Nice and easy. This is a breeze! At least he's not some skinny wimp. At least, not the image he presented back home to hide his powers.
Benching a ton was a cinch. He finished, breathing out a sigh of relief.
"Going to be a hero kid?" Asked the trainer, a round brick-looking man. Literally, he was made of bricks.
"Yeah. Going to U.A., I am!" Peter grinned.
(X)
"Get down from there!" Yu chided, seeing Peter make a webbing-hammock and relaxing in his Iron Spider suit as he read some Japanese history, muttering the words as he read the characters and assigned the faces he sees through out Japan's history.
"What? My sheets are in the washer. I've been sleeping on a couch for the last several months after all." It is a one bedroom apartment after all. Yu promised that she'll hire movers and they get a two bedroom when she gets a salary increase.
"Can't you just sit and read like a normal person?"
"Nah. I'm out of the way anyway. It's your." Peter fired a web shot at the calendar beside Yu. It was Sunday. "turn to do cleaning."
The costumed Mt. Lady grumbled, hand taking the webbing and removing it. Peter made sure he went for a non-stick silk this time. Last month they had to deal with a web symbol over Sunday. "Fiiiiine... I miss my organized chaos."
Peter laughed. "Organized Chaos, that is not." He said in Japanese, not english.
The act made Yu, who was going to her room to change out of her costume come back with wide eyes. Peter grinned behind his mask, going back to his reading as the suit's scanning allowed him to translate the words for him to speak out and mutter. "Getting better, I am."
Yu could only smile. She thought this whole guardianship thing would be tough...
She never imagined it would be this...fulfilling!
"that's how long ago that was?! Jeez! Why aren't we in space by now!" Peter yelled in English. Yu slumped. Hopefully he'll speak Japanese more often, as much as she appreciates the English tuning up she gets from speaking to him.
(X)
Peter sat on his bed, his calligraphy essay complete as he looked at the Stark Suit in his hands, specially focusing on the chest area and his hands going over the spider-insignia, feeling the small patch within. The module that contained Karen. He took some scissors, biting his lip as he took it to his suit...
But it wouldn't cut. He snipped, and snipped, but couldn't make a tear.
Until the sharpness of the blade wore out and Peter sighed. So much for accessing the glowing blue compartment.
"Always thinking ahead Mr. Stark..." He was grateful for the suits protection but this... the one he wished for it not to be so... effective.
Better get to revising his essay.
(X)
Peter would jog toward the gym, and sometimes... he would see a boy passing by, panting and breathing hard.
Green hair... Then again, he's seen the U.A. Sports Festival on Television and saw this one super cute and curvy girl with navy blue hair that was all natural.
But that kid looks... familiar.
Nah, gotta get his spot at the treadmill. Time to sprint for a good forty miles. No way he will let that old-cheetah lady take it.
(X)
"I would like a surf-and-turf special with a side of fried rice, please." Peter said, reading the menu and handing it to the waiter.
"Your Japanese is very good boy!" The Octopus man said, using his many tentacles to write down the order.
Yu beamed as she sat next to him, sitting with at a Teppan as an Octopus man got to work. Man... this food is good, he would never barf it up!
(X)
Peter was doing study hall with Pony, finishing up his social studies as he looked at the monsoon outside. The landfill he passed by a few times was getting smaller, so he went by there early this morning on his jog. He's never been sick since the bite, so all he was at class was simply drenched.
But who would even clean up that place in this weather? Someone crazy no doubt.
(X)
Peter sighed as he relaxed under the sun on Sunday. Sun and Sunday... that felt so right. He took a dip in the ocean and was just cool to get some rays. This was California-esque sun right here, and he never went to California!
(X)
He continued his studies. He kept his always fit body in shape. Peter spoke more with others and was handling conversation easier.
One day, before the sight of a setting sun, he found a hillside in a park that overlook Musutafu. He took a knife and carved out names and initials on them, with a big heart in the middle.
Uncle B.
Mr. S.
Aunt M. Ned. MJ.
Peter Q. Drax. Mantis. Dr. S.
Never forget, love you always.
"Now... I can visit you guys, whenever I can." He said under his breath, standing back as he witnessed the little carving he made. He looked up, and Peter admired the tree. "Hope you like the tatoo tree. It was made with love." Peter patted it, and he turned around, collecting his backpack, walking as crisp as ever towards downtown and home.
He always made sure to visit, every Saturday night when he could to tell the tree of his week, what he has planned. He would get some stares from onlookers, but he didn't cause a commotion. Even an officer who thought Peter was loitering understood when Peter gave him a good cover story of 'Friends and family in the USA who passed away'. And tree hasn't been touched by anyone else since.
And he continued to go there. Every Saturday.
(X)
"Happy birthday!" Yu exclaimed as she presented a...crudy made vanilla cake. Homemade no doubt. "I was so busy I-"
"You remembered?" Peter asked, jaw agape. It was August 10th.
"Of course! Come on, we're gonna have cake and, good news too~"
"What is it?" Peter asked, as the blonde woman offered a gift.
"We're going to Universal Studios Japan! I got some vacation days!"
(X)
Universal Studios Japan was a blast. He's never been a theme park, so they went early in the morning and took a bullet train to Osaka and hit on all the rides till closing time. It was Sunday, and it would usually be Yu's turn to clean. But she did so Saturday night before...
(X)
Summer turned to Fall. The grades continued to excel. The language and mannerisms easier to understand. His friendship with Pony going strong, as she was cute in her own way. Yu was improving in her hero career, bagging enough captures and popularity polls to justify and increase in salary.
Fall turned to winter. Christmas gifts were exchanged. He even gave Mr. Fukuda a gift in the form of a space heater to tackle to the winter, which the old man appreciated with a late gift in the form a five thousand yen gift card to Amazon(another familiar company in this world, thank god). The New Years came and went. Valentines Day and... White Day was unique. Turns out chocolate exchanges were used instead of cards. He and Pony swapped Chocolates, and he gave Mt. Lady the same.
The manga magazine Seinen Leap had a new manga too, called 'Arachnophobia' by the man who read his mind, Araki Hyu, which was... intriguing. A boy born from a spider aiming to become a hero with the help of a Tin Man and a Wizard in a ruined decaying wor-
Peter stopped after one issue. It felt a little...close to home.
And gym trip by gym trip, the landfill by the beach-park got smaller and smaller. In conjunction, Peter's acclimation became easier and easier. He passed the Foreign Exchange Class in December with Pony.
"I'll see you at U.A. Let's do our best, Peter!" The blonde girl exclaimed as she looked at her grades. As and Bs. Peter looked down at his own.
90s in all except Calligraphy, which was in the mid 80s.
"Yeah, let's kick ass when we get to U.A., Pony!"
It was time to apply to U.A. for the Winter term!
(X)
February 24th, a Saturday.
Peter came by the tree. "I'm going to do it everyone." He said after recounting the week. "I will... be a hero. A hero you all can be proud of." His eyes settled on the Mr. S. "I'll be that friendly neighborhood Spider Man." He smiled, resting his forehead on the aged carvings. "I love you, and... I'll come by again next week if I can. If I don't... well... Just blame school." Peter took a deep breath, looking away. He can see Yu waiting by the road n her car, looking up at him. He sniffed, wiping his eyes.
"I love you." He kissed the tree, resting his forehead, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He reopened them.
"I'll make you proud. I promise."
(X)
February 26th. The day of the U.A. Entrance Exam.
Peter couldn't sleep. It was time to become a hero! He couldn't contain himself, getting out of bed and still in his PJs, Peter went to the rooftop of his apartment complex and looked out over Musutafu. He didn't care that he can see that landfill is gone. Or the beautiful sunrise.
He was done. Done of the waiting, being confined to the gym and the apartment to use any semblance of his powers. He can finally spread his wings and free his cage.
He took a deep breath.
Done.
He was finally done.
Peter Parker had that thought in his head. As did another youth, one whose ten months was pure hell and nightmarish, all for his dream.
And whooped in pure and utter joy.
Miles away, the youth roared the top of his lungs until he couldn't breathe, exhausted to the core.
Peter Parker had tears of joy down his face, the crisp morning air waking him up as he danced and let more "Woohoo!
Midoriya Izuku was drenched in sweat, tears, snot, grime, and ached all over as he howled at the rising sun... but he was done.
They had aced the trials put before them, and passed in flying colors. The two had changed over the ten months.
But the real test for them both would begin today.
At the U.A. Entrance Exam.
(X)
The car ride to the U.A. testing center flew by for Peter. He double and triple checked that the Iron Spider module and his suit was in his bag along with whatever pens that he would need for the written exam. He had tested months ago that the Iron Spider module could only work with the Spider Man Suit since without Karen, Peter would have to rely on the neural interface to utilize his webshooters and nanite-legs on his back. By the time that he was finished running a hand over the symbol on the chest of his suit, the ride was over and before he knew it, he was walking towards navy blue archway emblazoned with the symbol of the best Hero Academy in all of Japan. Yu said she was going to go back to work with a wink as she drove off. She had given him a good luck, but she also told him to give it his all. U.A. Academy had the best course for a reason: it's standards were as high as one would expect from a school with it's reputation. Three percent was the average acceptance rate each year. If Peter wanted to get in, he'd have to go beyond, like Yu. Like All Might, the worldwide Symbol of Peace.
And he would.
He wasn't just some kid from America like his papers said. He could read the signs directing him towards the testing centers. He could understand the mutterings of the crowd as they gushed about being here.
He was Spider Man.
He was an Avenger!
And he was going to make everyone that got him here proud.
Taking his assigned seat, he saw a card in front of him. Exam cards, oh right, Yu talked about those didn't she? Something about splitting people up into different centers for the practical. But before that, there was the written test. Signs directed Peter's every turn until he arrived at a door labeled 'Standard Orientation'.
However there was another door with a recommendation sign going over it. One student got a little close, and the sign above them flashed red, screeching a small alarm. The student jumped back and quickly made his way to the standard Orientation door. Peter followed him in, only to stop as someone else walked by, heading to the Recommendation door.
She was… oh god Peter didn't have the words. She filled out her school uniform in all the right ways, maybe as statuesque as that blue hair girl from the Sports Festival on TV he saw. Stunning, no not even close. She made Liz look like a six out of ten. Long black hair tied in a cute ponytail, a little taller than him. Sharp eyes, elegant posture, she had it all.
He should probably stop staring before it got awkward.
...where was he supposed to be going again?
"Out of the way extra!"
Peter flinched out of the way as a sandy-blond boy tried to shove Peter to the side with his pocketed arm. He sneered when he couldn't get a hand on Peter, Peter noticing those sharp red eyes of his, huffing and stomping his way into the auditorium.
What's his deal?
He turned and the pretty girl was gone. So with slumped shoulders, he trudged his way in. Second he got in Peter saw the hundreds of already filled seats, making his jaw drop. Was this like, how college kids did classes, with hundreds of people? A message directing students to sit at their assigned seats and not to touch the exam in front of them was displayed on the wall. Peter reached into his pocket, double checking his exam card that had come in the day before.
Exam Ticket: Examinee No.: 6110
Test Location: Battle Center B
Okay that put Peter around the middle of the auditorium. He descended down the stairs, passing a student that had a hawk for a head and… is that a floating set of clothes? Must be an invisibility quirk. He noticed some stares his directions, probably due to the fact he didn't, well, look Japanese. Either way, he dropped his things at the seat behind some Private-school looking student with black-blue hair and thick glasses. He was rimrod straight, with unblinking eyes laser focused on the projection in front of him.
A bit high strung though Peter had gotten lucky with Pony. Couldn't hurt to try.
"Hello." Peter held out a hand. "I'm Pe-"
"I appreciate your attempt at socializing," The boy said, his voice terse and clipped. "But if you wouldn't mind I need to focus on the exam. As should you!" His face settled on Peter's for a moment. "A foreigner? Anyways, we are being given the chance to earn our place at the most prestigious academy in all of Japan. if I were you, show some respect!" Peter blanched.
"Jeez, sorry." He muttered in English. Glasses narrowed his eyes and turned back towards the screen. Peter slumped in his chair, doing his best to ignore the snickers and mutters around him. He can hear mutterings of "Stupid Gaijin" and "He American or British? Or maybe Australian" or "Bet he's so wild and insane like those American heroes they couldn't even accept him at Manton or Xavier". He scanned the crowd again, and caught sight of Pony, smiling a few rows down. She must have noticed him She waved, and Peter waved back cracking a small grin. She tried to send one back, but a shiver made it wavy. Looks like she's nervous. It's all right, at least they both had one friend here. Beside her, some sun-kissed blond kid, not the angry one from before but one as well dressed as Glasses gave a lazy smirk his direction.
A very smug and lazy one at that.
"Alright boys and girls, this is your school DJ coming to you live from the monitoring room!" came a voice from the loudspeakers, "This is your official message to get rockin on those tests in front of you! But no cheating, this is a hero course so I'll be keeping a groovy eye on everyone here! You've got two hours to complete the written before we get to the main course! Your time begins… RIGHT NOW!"
The monitor switched from the symbol to a digital countdown clock, and the auditorium was filled with the sounds of tapping pencils.
Peter flipped his test over and all but slammed the tip of his pencil onto the answer.
(X)
"TIME'S UP! PENCILS DOWN!" Said the voice in thick English.
Peter let out a breath he didn't remember holding. In front of him his test lay completely, down to the last period. Compared to the tests had gotten back home at his school, this was easy. It almost gave Peter the impression that the school was taking it easy on them.
Or maybe, the written test didn't matter as much as the practical. As if to answer him, the the lights cut out, drawing everyone attention to a blond man with deep shades and a boombox strapped around his neck standing. Present Mic, the voice hero. Peter listened to a few of his podcasts, since he tends to combine English with his speech.
He should thank him in private for helping him get acclimated to Japan at some point, should he pass.
"WELCOME TO TODAY'S LIVE PERFORMANCE! EVERYONE SAY HEY!"
Dead silence met his ears. Peter gave a light "Hey..?" and waved. He got a sideways glare from Glasses again, and a few chuckles.
Talk about awkward, though Mic thrived on it, smiling a megawatt grin.
"HEY LEAST I GOT A CROWD! WELL THAT'S COOL MY EXAMINEE LISTENERS! I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE GUIDELINES OF YOUR PRACTICAL EXAM! ARE YOU READY!? YEAH!"
Again, silence met his hype outcry. Not total silence, Peter could hear someone muttering nonstop a few rows down. He narrowed his eyes... wait, that's the angry blond kid from before and... green hair again?
"NOW LIKE YOUR APPLICATIONS SAID, YOU'RE NOW GOING TO BE THROWING DOWN IN OUR SUPER HIP URBAN SETTINGS! THAT'S RIGHT BOYS AND GIRLS, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ROCKIN OUT IN THIS TEN MINUTE MOCK BATTLE!"
The monitor behind him changed, showing a pseudo map of the auditorium and seven testing centers.
"Gird your loins my friends, after I drop the mic here you'll be going to your specified battle centers sound good? OKAY!?"
When silence met him for a third time, the hero laughed it off. Snapping his fingers, the monitor changed again.
"Alright, do me a solid and check out your targets. There are three types of foe villains in each center. You'll earn points based their level of difficulty so don't chose wisely and put on your buffs. Your goal is to use your quirks to shred these villains and earn points to raise your level all the way up! But check it," he warned, "Make sure you're keeping things heroic, attacking other examinee's is the biggest no no that we can have!" That made sense, no point in being a hero if you're going to hurt people. Though, why did Peter hear someone groan behind him? Whatever it was, in front of him, Glasses raised his hand.
"Excuse me sir, I have a question!"
Mic's grin widened at the attention.
"Hit me!" he said, and Glasses was suddenly spotlighted for everyone to see.
"On the printout, there are four types of villains, yet you say that there are three? With all respect, if this is an error then it is a great disservice to us and the reputation of U.A.! We are exemplary students, so we expect the best from Japan's most notable school!"
Continuing on his tirade, Glasses threw an accusative finger at some kid with green hair. Wait, didn't Peter see him before? He looked familiar.
"You've been muttering this entire time, stop it. If you can't bother to take things seriously, just leave. You're distracting the rest of us." He glowered. Green hair hung his head in shame and Peter heard more than one student giggle. Peter only frowned. So what if he was muttering? This was U.A., everyone's allowed to be nervous.
"Take a chill pill man." Peter muttered under his breath in English.
"And you be quiet, American." Glasses whispered back with English, thick but legible, with another sideways glare. "Speak our language or leave."
Okay now he was just becoming a fucker at this point. "Foreigner." Glasses muttered under his own breath in his tongue. At least Flash had the stones, however small they were, to openly throw insults. Not like he can back them up. But Glasses did look tall and strong, so Peter rolled his eyes. Yu did tell him that foreign exchange students could face some discrimination due to how Japan wasn't exactly a melting pot of other cultures like Europe or America is. He'll just have to roll with it.
"Alright alright," Mic said, silencing the hall, "Examinee No.: 7111. Thanks for calling in with your request," he said, giving him a thumbs up. "The fourth villain type is worth zero points!"
Peter blinked and looked down the row, Pony shot him a confused glance. Peter shrugged, what's the point of a villain not worth anything?
"You kids ever play Super Mario Bros? That guy is the thawmp to your chances, he'll be there to get in your way. There's one in every battle center, it's not impossible to beat it, but you're on the clock and there's really no point. I recommend that my listeners ignore it and focus on the ones topping the charts!" His question answered, Glasses gave a polite bow and sat back down. A few students whispered how it's like a video game. The points, the boss, everything was set up like one. Strange but what hasn't been?
"That's all for today listeners! Head to your battle centers with a little gift. A sample of our school motto. As general Napoleon Bonaparte laid down, 'a true hero is one who overcomes life's misfortunes'. Mhm, now that's one tasty sound bite." He quirked an eyebrow, eyeing everyone expectantly, "So you ready to go beyond? Let me hear a PLUS ULTRA!"
"..."
"Okay! GOOD LUCK!"
(X)
The trip to the battlegrounds was a quick bus ride. Once everyone was there, the busses were used as individual changing rooms for anyone that needed it. He put on the Suit first... and slapped the Iron Spider Module on the nap of his neck, feeling the nanites slide over him and his HUD come to life. When Peter stepped out, he felt like everyone's eyes were on him.
"Whoa look at that costume!"
"Someone's overcompensating."
"Who does he think he is, he's not even a hero yet!"
"That looks so cool!"
"Talk about manly... but sleek, like a sports car."
His mask hid the flush overtaking him. Maybe putting on Mr Starks suit was a bit much.
But he had no choice! He had to do his best! He wasn't nothing without it but he had a promise to keep.
He checked the crowd and thankfully, found a set of horns sticking out of the crowd. Like a true hero, the crowd parted in awe as Peter made his way through, all muttering as Pony was talking with the smug blond kid from before, and some red haired girl with green eyes.
"Hey Pony." He waved. Pony noticed her name being called and her jaw dropped at his voice.
"Whoa! Peter, is that you!?" She said in English, utterly surprised.
"Yeah, you like the suit?"
"Like?" Pony beamed, "I love it! That's an actual superhero costume! Who made it for you?!"
"Whoa. That looks... unique. Very pro-style" The red haired girl muttered in Japanese. The blond shrugged.
"He's just showing off is all. Why else would he hide his face so much?"
Peter rolled his eyes and nodded, "Yeah, my ah, idol... made this for me."
Pony's jaw dropped even further. "You got a hero to make that? Who is it?"
"Unfair." someone said from the sidelines. "Some cutsey idol made that for him!" Peter slapped his head.
"Yeah wish I could have my own suit."
"Very stylish."
"I meant more my... role model." Peter spoke in Japanese. "Sorry for slipping into English. Familiarity and all that."
"It's okay! I just made some friends during the written test." Pony beamed, her eyes bright as she almost bounced. "Let's do our best!"
"Right." Peter nodded.
"Best of luck to you, foreigner." The blond kid stated. "You'll need it to get into Japan's best hero institution." He got a glare from the red haired girl as he walked off, her following.
"ALRIGHT LET'S START!"
Everyone stopped and saw Present Mic atop what looked to be a guard tower.
"GET MOVING! THERE ARE NO COUNTDOWNS IN REAL BATTLES! RUN RUN RUN LISTENERS YOU'RE WASTING AIRTIME!"
Like a gunshot everyone took off. Pony went off like a racehorse and Peter felt his heart bang in his chest. He wiped his hand out, and a line of webbing grabbed the nearest building. With a might heave he launched himself over the gasping crowd.
"What the-!"
"Look at him go!"
"Is that some sling shot?!"
He hoped he didn't distract them too much. He could see some green haired kid at the very back lagg-
What is it with him seeing green haired kids!?
Never mind that, focus on the exam.
Because this was it, the start line. He flipped in the air, arms wide as he spotted the first set of green-tank looking combat robots. Peter smirked under his mask as he fired some web to the ground, and pulled himself to the ground like the bullet and crashed into the robot feet first, his nanite legs sprouting to break his fall as he saw the gallery of robots swerving from the urban street blocks. The robot behind him was split in two.
Time to spread his wings, and Peter grinned behind his mask.
'Look out U.A., here comes your friendly neighborhood Spider Man!'