Chapter 35
"I'm glad you decided to talk with me," the Principal said. "I am hoping we can clear this up with no need for the hearing."
"How can we do that?" I asked. It was Sunday early afternoon. We were meeting in his office, just the two of us. The school was otherwise almost empty. Power Loader was working on something in his lab with Mei. Kamihara was typing up a report in his office. There were a few others, but no one nearby. Bearding the Thinker in his lair was stupid of me.
Last night Emily and I had argued back and forth about what we should do.
Since you arrived at UA, the Principal has had one important question for us. He knows we are not the same person that passed the entrance exam. He wants to know who we are. If you want to continue at UA, we should tell him the truth – the whole truth. He is a good person who cares about his students. We have to trust him. Emily argued this same basic point several times as I tried to come up with reasons not to agree.
I had resisted, plotting strategies that brought the media in, roused the students and parents against the administration, even leveraged Ando and the HPSC. I can bring this silly rabbit to his knees. I can tear the school down around his ears.
How will that get you what you say you want – to stay at UA at least until the provisional license exam? Will making an enemy of the Principal, the teachers, and who knows who else achieve that? Will that not still be an option if you tell the truth and he does not see reason? Please try my way this once. This is not your old world and he is not your old principal.
After many hours of discussion and debate, I'd decided to take a huge chance and made the appointment.
"I have been thinking about you," the Principal replied. "Researching you, studying your actions and words since the first day of term. I have one question I cannot answer. If you can answer it to my satisfaction, we can be done with all this bother. If not, you are too much a risk for me to leave in this school."
We stared at each other for several seconds. I suspected I knew his question. I didn't know if he would believe my answer.
"Who are you, really?" he asked simply.
"I am the spirit of an extra-dimensional parahuman with years of experience both as a villain and later as a hero sponsored by the American government. Weaver was one of my code names. I died in the year 2013 of my world's timeline, leading an army of heroes and villains to destroy a threat to a multitude of Earths. After we succeeded, my own side executed me. I was eighteen years old." He listened silently, without motion or expression.
"In the week after her receiving word she had been accepted to UA's hero course, Yanagi Reiko – a devout pacifist – decided she could not face the prospect of attending UA with all the connected violence. At the same time, as a dutiful daughter, she could not disappoint her family by refusing to attend. So, she found a third way. She used the spiritual knowledge and abilities of her family and her own quirk to summon me from the afterlife and forced me into control of her body. Her spirit is still in here, but only as a passenger. She advises me, translates for me, and explains the spiritual world to me. We believe the transfer is permanent. Her family knows of all this and is supporting us – and it really is us. Reiko now goes by the spirit name of Emily. My original name was Taylor."
"In short," I concluded, "this is Yanagi Reiko's body, including her quirk. Her consciousness is in here with me. But, I am in control. Whether I want it or not – I am now Yanagi Reiko."
Nezu continued to stare silently at me for several seconds. Then he jumped up onto his desk and started a full-fledged happy dance – his body bouncing, his hips swiveling, and his arms waving over his head. "Yes! It all fits. It makes so much sense now!" He squealed.
I goggled at him. This was not what I expected.
Sqee! He is soooo cuuute! Emily cooed.
What is this? What is he doing? I was very confused. I had prepared arguments and proofs. Emily and I had decided we would take this risk – try telling the whole truth. If it went bad, we would probably have to flee the country. We had already looked up ways to get to New Zealand. They took in asylum seekers, though most of them ended up in their Australian territories.
I think most people forget the Principal is not human, and his reactions may not fit within human norms. I think it likely we were a puzzle to him to which you have just provided the missing piece.
After a minute or more, the Principal stopped and straightened his tie. He leaned towards me and actually patted my head. Then he retook his seat.
"I'll need a bit more information to make sure you're getting the education you need. Even if you were a trained and experienced hero in your world, this is a different context and you'll still need legal, ethical, and social training to fit in better with the expectations of the human government." He said matter-of-factly. "Also, your academics show room for improvement. You were in high school in America? What year were you or did you graduate?"
"I was in my senior year, though I attended mostly online." I responded.
"I'll have to do some historical research to see what that would mean in our world. Or we could just run you through a series of diagnostics to better measure your current gestalt level of achievement. Is Emily able to speak for herself?"
I could tell his mind was shifting gears quickly to cover a lot of ground. I'd seen it before in other Thinkers.
I want to try something I have been practicing while you were asleep. Emily declared. I wanted to surprise you. This might be an opportune moment for that revelation. Please put your phone on his desk.
Alright. I laid my phone down. But I'm not sure this is the best time for trying something new. Perhaps I could just give you control for a bit?
He might not believe my assertions of identity, as we would be speaking with the same voice coming from the same mouth. Emily argued. He is intelligent enough that he might be able to distinguish between the two of us, but I think this will be more convincing.
A surge of energy rushed through me and suddenly I felt half-empty.
"You were communicating naibu de just then, weren't you?" he asked.
"Yes, we were …" I stopped when an unexpected movement caught my eye.
A pen on the desk near the Principal's paw rolled over then started crawling like an inchworm towards the phone. Nezu raised an eyebrow at me. I shook my head in denial.
When the pen reached the phone, it straightened and lay still. The phone turned on and Emily's face – her hair braided on either side showing she still had two eyes. She waved then spoke. "Hello. I was not certain I could possess a device as complex as this. However, it worked. I am Emily. It is an honor to meet you."
I stared at her. "You've been practicing?" I asked.
"After the Hosu City incident I could no longer remain completely passive." Emily's voice was choked with emotion. That, combined with her not being available to translate meant I was having some trouble understanding what she was saying. "If I had been able to act independently, I might have been able to save some of those poor men. To practice while you have been sleeping I have possessed the blankets. I guess this makes me an ikiryo …"
Suddenly she faded from the screen and I felt her spirit reenter our body. "She's back inside me." I told the Principal.
So tired, Emily moaned then her consciousness shut down.
"Now she's asleep," I said in my intermediate Japanese. "Her new trick seems to have taken a lot out of her."
"Fascinating," he said, raising one furry eyebrow. "I had done some research in these sorts of spiritual genshō. But to see them in action is bekko." He picked up the pen and sniffed it, and then his stubby pink tongue shot out and tasted it. After a moment, he opened a box on his desk and put the writing implement inside.
Turning back to me, he said in English, "I am assuming you wish to remain a student and that the Yanagi will remain your legal guardians."
I nodded.
He got up and started pacing on his desk. "The next question is should I cancel the hearing on Tuesday?"
"You're willing to allow me to stay at UA?" I confirmed.
"I am. I just needed you to tell me the whole story. There have been hints that the school may be infiltrated by individuals loyal to either the League of Villains or the Nine Head Dragon, possibly both. While I did not truly suspect you of being a spy, I had to know who you were. You are powerful and dangerous – too much of a wildcard for me to allow you to stay if you continued to hide your true nature."
"So you wouldn't have expelled me?" I asked
"Have you ever heard of agnostic behavior and threat displays?"
This had come up in my reading about insects. "Threat displays are ways one animal may convince another animal to act in a certain way by threatening violence without delivering on it."
He looked at me while he licked his paw clean. "I am not human, therefore I approach dangers somewhat differently than a human would. Think of the expulsion notice as a bureaucratic threat display – to provoke a response. While you were an unknown, you were a danger. If you had not revealed yourself, I would have removed you. Now that I know who and what you are, I have no reason to do so. Therefore, we don't need the hearing."
His tail began to wag and he got a mischievous look on his face. "Unless you want to put on a show. I could contact Ando-san and we might plan a way to use the hearing to promulgate a deception of your being persecuted by the wicked UA Principal. While you would be exonerated and allowed to stay – against my better judgement, of course – you would be publicly branded a troublemaker, increasing your appeal to the criminal elements for whom Ando has already staked you out as a tethered goat."
I could see he was getting into the idea. Wicked might be a good description of this one. I considered his offer for a minute or two.
"Advantages," I began, thinking aloud. "It might make me more interesting to the bad guys. Counter argument is that according to the assassins' and Greedo's notes, I am already of interest. I don't know if I need the boost." I ticked off on my fingers. "Disadvantages – it screws me with the students and teachers here at UA for who knows how long. That would damage my father's plan for me to build positive public perception for the Burakumin – even if the persecution is not related to that status. And the reputation stain could be long lasting."
I looked at him. He was watching – interested in my thought process, I imagined. "I don't think the benefits outweigh the costs in this case. I would rather you issue a retraction of the Expulsion with an explanation saying that our discussion satisfied your concerns and reference my letters of apology, perhaps. That clears this up in school as much as possible and keeps me eligible as a mole for the bad guys here at UA. If I was an outcast I would be ineffective in that potential role."
"Never did like the use of 'mole' for spy, but I see your point." He sighed. "Ah well, it would have been fun. I do so enjoy – what is that delightful English idiom – chewing the scenery." His expression changed again.
"From your statements on heroism and your push for the formation of a Defense Association, I imagine you are not satisfied with the current state of quirk laws."
"I'm not certain they are workable long-term. Not with the increasing prevalence of quirks in the population. I suspect most of the people chafe at not being able to engage in safe uses of their quirks in public. But I'm no lawyer or politician." I replied. I wondered what his thoughts on the topic were.
"With your current public profile, you may want to consider pursuing a political career, or at least becoming politically active while pursuing whatever career you do choose." He offered me a cup of tea. "Do you know what that might be?"
"You don't think I should be a pro hero?"
"I think you are basically one already, licensing aside. Is that what you want to do long-term?"
"Not really. I have spent too much time fighting, lost too many people. I was thinking I might like to be a teacher."
"Ah! And thus the formation of the DA. I see. I would still rather not have a first year leading a multi-year club. Instead, you might take on the role of a coach – leaving the paperwork and administrivia to someone more suited? At least for the first year."
I nodded while sipping. That made sense, though I didn't hate paperwork as much as some people. It was easy for me. Nezu scurried to a bookshelf against the wall and returned with a slim volume. He handed it to me.
"You may want to read this and look up its impact on Japan thirty to forty years ago." The book was The Meta Liberation War by Yotsubashi Chikara. "When you discuss sensible quirk regulation and allowing people to use their quirks more freely, you'll want to avoid comparisons with Destro's philosophy."
He resumed his seat and sipped his tea. "I would also recommend you spend some time in discussion with Kamihara-sensei. While I doubt you'll agree on everything – he is probably too pacifistic for you – he does have good insight into human politics and prodigious contacts within the current government and the progressive wing of the ruling party. Despite the fact that Kamihara-sensei is himself quirkless, his older brother is the number four hero, Edgeshot. This gives him a unique perspective on quirks and their place in society. I'd imagine if you'd wish to work for change from within the system, he would be a valuable asset and ally."
"I'm not sure I want to work for change at all." I protested.
"Yes, I have noticed your exceptional propensity for leaving problems you come across alone. Of maintaining a professional distance from injustices and staying wholly uninvolved." His nose twitched and his tail whipped back and forth.
"Exactly," I agreed. Who knew the rodent king could wield sarcasm like a scalpel?
"Very well," he said. "But if you ever have any questions, please feel free to come to me. We outsiders have to stick together. Oh! You had mentioned perhaps writing up information from your time. I would very much like to see anything you are willing to share. Social, technical or tactical information is all of interest to me."
"I have started to jot down some notes. I'll send it to you when I am further along."
"Very good. You have finals starting a week from tomorrow. There are no classes this week, so you have time to prepare. I would suggest working with your classmates. You need the help on Japanese subjects and can offer them help on others."
"Thank you." I was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed. His mind bouncing from one subject to another combined with his energy was almost exhausting to watch. I needed to get out of there before he planned my whole life. "If there is nothing else, I should start studying."
"You do that. I'll inform Kan-sensei of your reinstatement."
"And my parents?"
"I was going to inform them of the hearing after our meeting. I had hoped we might come to a satisfactory resolution and spare them the anxiety." The Principal nodded, clearly a dismissal.
"Thank you." I bowed and left the office.
I had been hopeful he would accept the true story of our union, but his excitement was unnerving. His opinion of me seems to have changed completely. Was an unsolved mystery enough to drive him to hound me, even expel me? Now that it was solved, was he on my side? It was either that or he was plotting a deeper long-term plan against me. I couldn't know unless and until he acted. His supposed support was too useful to pass up, but I would have to have contingencies and an escape plan ready – just in case.
I hadn't told anyone except Jin about the expulsion, so I didn't have to tell anyone the results of this meeting. I could just continue as normal, with no one but Nezu, Kan-sensei, Jin, and me knowing there was ever an issue.
When I got back to my apartment, I edited the video of the encounter leaving an obvious blank where my explanation had been, but preserving his reaction and his revoking the expulsion. I then – reluctantly – erased the original. I did not want my confession available. While it was possible, likely even, the Nezu had recorded the conversation himself, I had to assume his data storage was more secure than that of my low-end phone or computer.
At this point, I always kept a sensor cloud of spirits surrounding me. While in my apartment, that meant that I had spirits scouting all around the building and the streets outside. Therefore, I was not surprised when Jin knocked on my window. Opening it, I welcomed him inside.
"How did it go?" he asked. He was in his Zerox costume, though he removed his mask once inside. We neither had a true secret identity, but he kept up the charade better than I did.
Smiling at him, I floated a tea set into the room. He nodded and I poured. "I can't decide if he is crazy or simply inhuman."
"The little Principal? Quite possible both, I'd imagine. I mean what sane person would want to be in charge of six hundred super-powered teenagers? And he's not human. Why would anyone expect him to act as if he was? He has to fit in to function, but that's not the same thing."
"I suppose," I replied. I showed him the edited clip. Rather than comment, he joined in with the Principal's happy dance.
"That shit's fun. I bet I could get it to go viral – the newest dance craze." Jin somehow put the dance portion only on a loop. "Have to find the right music though. Maybe something classical – like the Spice Girls or Nogizaka46. Something really old school."
I shrugged. "I'm not sure I want him to know I was recording."
"Super-intelligent capybara, remember? He already knows."
I just shrugged. "Just keep me out of it."
"So you're staying at UA?"
"At least until the provisional license exam. I would recommend you and Spinner take that too. Don't count on Ando to stay nice."
"You do realize he works for the licensing agency? Even if you pass the test, he can yank your license if he wants. Given or earned, it's all the same to him." Jin looked at me like I was being naïve.
"I know, but he'd need some sort of due process if it's earned. That gives a chance to try to leverage public opinion." I realized I was being a bit naïve. Maybe I wanted the system at large to be less corrupt or broken in this world. I might not trust an individual – like Ando – but maybe the government or society was better here. Or maybe a suicidal spirit girl was infecting me with optimism.
"If you say so." He shrugged and sipped his tea.
Friday I had gotten a text inviting me to a semi-formal study group at Yaoyorozu's house starting Monday. The group, made up of both 1-A and 1-B students, was meeting every morning during the week. Kendo and Iida had arranged for the two classes to study together after another incident last week where Monoma had embarrassed himself and the class by confronting Iida, Izuku, and Todoroki in the lunchroom about being attacked by Stain.
The absence of 1-B from the campus for the last few days had let the hard feelings from the incident fade, but the two class reps had decided to try to actively build bridges between the classes – building on the foundations laid in the USJ fight against All Might. I was specifically requested to help tutor some of the students in English and Hero Tactics.
I had separate messages from Shoda, Kodai, Bondo, and Juzo asking me if I was planning on attending. I let everyone know that I would attend. I needed help with History, Literature, and Japanese. Given his new knowledge of my nature, I half expected the Principal to somehow require me to test without Emily's input. There are people with the ability to interfere with my connection to other spirits out there. He might choose to bring one in to ensure a 'fair' exam.
While organizing my desk for studying, I came across Endeavor's card. I had forgotten it last week. I needed to decide what to do with his "invitation" to call. It might be too late, but I still needed to make a decision, rather than just blowing him off through inaction.
He was the number two hero and had been present in Hosu City. I had no reason not to contact him, other than his son's embarrassment. Our group therapy sessions with Hound Dog had hinted at a serious breach in the Todoroki family, but I had no particular loyalty to the two-toned boy. I sent the Hero a message apologizing for not contacting him previously and indicating my availability during the coming week. Endeavor let me know he would be in Tokyo on Thursday and arranged to meet with me for lunch. I almost suggested the Cutlet House I had met Inoue at. I never did get to try the food.