[Freja Helt]

For some reason getting up for training classes that day had been particularly difficult. She wasn't sure if it was just her usual morning slowness, or if her body was still sore from training the day before. It wasn't until she rolled out of bed and stretched her arms that she had it confirmed. Yup. Definitely still sore from the day before. She only took one glance at her alarm clock before she went about her morning routine, jogging out the door in athletic wear, wielding her trusty bat as she ran to the physical education grounds to make it to class on time.

She waved at a few other students she recognized, but soon turned her attention to the teacher as he started to brief them on today's class. ''Today is another quirk training class as usual. You will be practicing your powers, don't overthink it, just fine-tune your techniques. Those of you who feel comfortable to may work on your ultimate moves, but take it at your own pace.'' Most of the students were already beginning to scatter, but before they could get started he raised his voice again. ''One more thing! You're partnering up with another student. So no running off on your own! All right. Have fun.'' The teacher flipped through some pages on his clipboard, walking off to the side where he could observe as everyone paired up.

''Quirk training..'' She repeated, feeling her soul leave her body as she looked around for any familiar faces to- nope. Okay they were already forming groups. Right... Who would want to partner up with the quirkless student for a quirk exercise anyway. As she walked about dealing with her own frustrations, she didn't notice one of the smaller students that had shown up today. One who she was about to walk right into.

Skie Amano

[Skie Amano]

The alarm clock rang throughout Skie's cozy, human-sized room as he woke up with a burst of excitement. Today was his first day at the academy, and the anticipation bubbled within him like a fizzy drink. As he stretched his small wings and blinked his mischievous eyes open, the aroma of freshly baked treats filled the air. Skie had spent the entire night crafting an array of delicious goodies. The kitchen that he made use of in the dormitory, despite its miniature scale, bore the evidence of his culinary adventures as he forgot to clean up after he was done. Single bite sized pastries, delectable cookies, and savory snacks adorned the countertops like a magical spread. Skie carefully packed his creations into a specially designed backpack, ensuring each treat was nestled securely to prevent any accidental squishing during his journey. The aroma wafting from his backpack was irresistible to any sane person, or so he wagered, promising a day filled with delightful surprises for anyone lucky enough to cross paths with the tiny dragon. With his backpack secure, Skie trotted out of his room, his tail swaying with anticipation. The school tie, a mandatory accessory for him, felt a bit constricting, but he dismissed the discomfort, viewing it more as a quirky formality than a hindrance.

Navigating the halls with a bounce in his step, Skie made his way to his first class, his tiny wings fluttering with excitement. The smell of his baked creations wafted behind him like a sweet-scented trail. As he entered the classroom, Skie couldn't help but feel a mixture of nerves and exhilaration. His small size and unique appearance might set him apart, but he was determined to make a memorable entrance. The treats in his backpack were not just snacks; they were his way of extending a sweet welcome to his new classmates. After the instructor gave his talks to the class he noticed a young lady walking towards him. She must have chosen him as a partner he thought to himself...nope nope she's about to step on me! As she continued walking, Skie almost found himself being stepped on after an unintentional collision. He adjusted his tie, feeling a bit out of place in the school attire, and not being able to wear the uniform felt like a subtle reminder of his differences. Fixing his tie like a tiny, well-dressed dragon sprawled on the ground, he spoke up. "Watch out there, I may be small, but I'm not invisible," he said with a playful grin, his voice carrying a light, friendly tone. Adjusting his tie once more, he extended a tiny clawed hand toward the young woman. "Skie's the name. And you are?"


Freja Helt

[Freja Helt]

''Eh?'' When he spoke up her first instinct was to look to either side before she looked down. ''O-Oh! I didn't see you there!'' What a tiny dragon! Was he a new student? Wait... Had she almost stepped on him just now? ''I'm really sorry I wasn't looking where I was going!'' She bowed her head in shame, face red with embarrassment. She could only imagine if he hadn't been more alert, how embarrassing of a first impression would she have made? She looked at the clawed hand for a moment before taking it, delicately because she didn't know how strong Skie was. ''Freja Helt. I haven't seen you in class before.''

Her nose picked up something else. A pleasant smell seemed to come from Skie, but it was nothing like a perfume, and yet, it seemed so familiar... Almost like it reminded her of home. Wait. If he was a new student, then he probably didn't know she was quirkless, and might want to pair up! Assuming he didn't already have a partner of course.

''Wanna team up? I haven't found a partner yet.'' And his quirk probably wasn't scary either! Not unless he was deceptively strong, or could turn his tiny dragon body into a giant dragon body. Either way, Skie seemed so friendly that it felt like a waste not to ask. Who knew, maybe she would even make a new friend in the process?

Skie Amano

[Skie Amano]

Skie, with his claw hand extended, replied, "Skie's the name. Nice to meet you, Freja Helt. You can also call me Augury. It's my Hero name...I hope! I came up with it myself. Sounds cool right?" With a gleam in his eye, Skie suggested, "No harm done. But I'll forgive you completely if you try one of my pastries." He pulled one out a delight, sweet, and a bit spicy. "Go ahead, take a bite! It's a special pastry. Sweet and a bit spicy, just like an adventure! It's a Fudgy, Spicy Cinnamon Chile Brownie. I call them Blazing Cocoa Pepper Delights" After extending it to Freja he'd continue. "Yep, yep, yep! Let's be official partners! This is my first day, first class, and we're in this together. But, uh, I don't really know where or how to start. This is all new to me!" Skie bounced a bit, his voice bubbly.

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Skie's enthusiasm remained high, but a furrow appeared on his tiny brow. "Teamwork! Let's show 'em what we're made of!" he chimed, still bouncing. However, as they faced the practicality of quirk training, Skie couldn't help but appear a bit puzzled. "Hmm, I'm a bit confused, Freja," Skie admitted, scratching his scaled head with a tiny claw. "We're supposed to train our quirks, right? But I am my quirk. I'm the mutant type. All I can do is fly and have super senses."

Skie decided to showcase his aerial prowess. "Watch this, Freja!" he exclaimed, his small wings beating with quick precision as he gracefully lifted off the ground. Taking flight, he soared above the training area, the wind rustling through his silver scales. As he hovered in the air, Skie initiated his skill, Wyrm's Evasion. Inspired by acrobatics, he executed a series of nimble flips and spins, his movements reminiscent of a skilled gymnast. Skie contorted and maneuvered with agility, making it seem like a playful dance in the sky.

[Freja Helt]

''Augury.'' She mused, ''that's such a cool choice for your hero name! I went with 'Retry', b-but it's not final! It won't really be finalized until we graduate anyway, right?'' She was lucky there, she really wasn't all that good at coming up with names. ''Huh? Pastries? So they're yours. I thought I smelled something nice.'' She took the pastry she was offered and looked it over. ''That's one heck of a name. You made these?'' She almost couldn't believe it. Wasn't he studying to become a hero student? Was Skie talented enough to do that AND be a pro chef on the side too? ''I'll do my best to show you the ropes!'' She exclaimed enthusiastically, before taking a bite out of the pastry. It reminded her of home and yet it was unlike anything she had ever tasted. ''Th-This is amazing!'' She might have said that a little too loudly, causing some of their classmates to turn their heads, but she honestly didn't care. Treats this divine deserved all the praise in the world. ''It tastes just like it was professionally made! I especially love that little kick of spice it has! Can I... Can I buy another one?'' She was dead serious too.

''Oh, that's only natural. For starters, we're not even on the PE grounds yet. Once you're ready, follow me.'' Their other classmates were starting to leave the classroom too and head outside. The normally empty training field had been filled with all kinds of obstacles. Big boulders for students with strength related quirks, target dummies and obstacle courses for any students to run or fly through. She looked up as he instructed her to, and aerial prowess could absolutely describe it. She clapped her hands together. ''You make that look so easy. You said flying and super senses are your thing? What kind of super senses? Like super eyesight?''

Once they were outside Freja looked around at the various obstacles they could tackle. ''Since you told me about your power, I'll tell you what mine is. I'm quirkless.'' Seeing as Skie was such a happy individual she couldn't imagine he would be judgmental if she told him. ''But I'm pretty good with this bat.'' She referred to the metal bat resting over her shoulder. An idea struck as she looked over at the nearby tree line where a bunch of wooden plates with targets painted on them had been hung up. ''How about you show me your flying again, but try tagging those plates as you dodge the branches.'' She pointed at the tree line with her bat. ''Think you can do it?'' She smiled encouragingly.

Skie Amano

[Skie Amano]

Skie looked momentarily confused about buying another. He made them for the class. Pulling out another one, he gave it to her, stating they are free. He used the kitchen resources to make them anyway. A sudden realization struck him. ''Oh, by the way, I never actually cleaned the huge mess I made in the kitchen.'' He chuckled, realizing that the excitement must have made him forget. Following Freja outside, Skie's eyes sparkled with her praise. ''Yep, yep, Augury has a nice ring to it, right? Oh, I have super sight and hearing and I can see really well in the dark. They're heightened to the point that it's like having a bunch of different senses at once!'' Skie explained, his excitement evident. ''But, uh, I've never heard of a hero named Retry before! It's pretty unique, I like it!'' As they stood on the training field, Freja revealed her quirkless status, mentioning her proficiency with the bat. Skie smiled warmly. ''No quirk? That's totally fine! You've got a lot of natural talent, and your raw ability must be high. Maybe there's a quirk factor you're unaware of, just laying dormant. How else would you have made it into the school or be allowed to stay here?'' Skie's optimism radiated as he genuinely believed in the potential within every individual.

''How about you show me your flying again, but try tagging those plates as you dodge the branches?'' Freja pointed at the tree line with her bat. ''Think you can do it?'' She smiled encouragingly.

''Yep, yep! Watch this!'' Skie took off, his small wings propelling him with speed. He gracefully maneuvered through the branches, tagging each target with precision. Wyrm's Evasion allowed him to dodge effortlessly, but he had a feeling Freja was about to challenge him further. He needed to push himself to improve, after all.

Freja Helt

[Freja Helt]

Her eyes lit up when he generously handed her another, quickly eating that one too. Now she was fueled and ready to give it her all on the training field! ''Huh? No way, in the common kitchen? I'll help you clean it later as thanks.'' She reassured him. How bad of a mess could it really be anyway? ''All that on top of flying too, that sounds really convenient, so you never really have to turn the lights on to be able to see at night?'' She chuckled when he complimented her hero name of choice. ''Really? I'm glad you think so, personally it's still growing on me.''

''I-I wouldn't say I have natural talent or anything, but I'm not weak just because I'm quirkless.'' She felt a bit embarrassed being praised so much, she wasn't anywhere near the top of their class. Compared to most of their quirked peers she felt like she was just hanging in there and trying not to drown in mountains of homework and long training days. ''That's a nice thought, maybe I'll develop a quirk one day.'' She smiled, even though she didn't believe it she couldn't fully write it off either, not considering the crazy world they both lived in.

Standing back for a moment, her jaw almost hit the ground when he started weaving in-between the trees. So what he showed her earlier wasn't just a party trick, he really was insanely good at flying. ''Looking great, Skie! Come out here for a moment, I wanna see if you can dodge this too!'' She pointed to her bat. It may look like an ordinary metal bat, but in addition to being insanely durable, it also harbored a hidden weapon. ''I want to see if you can dodge my attacks. A-As long as you're up for it!''

Pointing the bat at him, she aimed the tip like it was the muzzle of a rifle, the tip of the bat opening up to allow for a grappling hook attached to a steel wire to fly forward, aiming it straight at Skie. Knowing he was fast, she quickly yanked on her bat, manipulating the wire almost like a makeshift whip, as she wanted to get into a rhythm where she could practice her swings, but also go fast enough that Skie felt like he was getting something out of dodging her attacks too.

Skie Amano

[Skie Amano]

Skie, intrigued by the challenge, gracefully glided over to Freja. His eyes sparkled with excitement, eager to see what new heights their training could reach. "Sure thing, Freja! Let's make this training session a blast!" As Freja aimed her bat like a makeshift rifle, the grappling hook shot forward with surprising speed. Skie's keen super senses kicked in, allowing him to track the trajectory of the wire with precision. He bobbed and weaved effortlessly, his tiny dragon form displaying a remarkable blend of speed and agility. It wasn't lost on him that Freja might not be entirely accustomed to the whip aspect of the bat just yet. In the midst of his acrobatic dodges, Skie couldn't help but shout encouraging advice to Freja. "You're doing great, Freja! Remember to keep a steady rhythm in your swings! Anticipate where I'll be, not where I am!" His voice carried a mix of enthusiasm and genuine encouragement, his eyes gleaming with the joy of the challenge. The wire crackled through the air, and Skie responded with twists and turns that seemed almost choreographed. His instincts guided him through the intricate dance, a small dragon navigating the intricate patterns of the wire with finesse.

As the training session unfolded, Skie's playful banter continued. "You've got this, Freja! Maybe mix in some unpredictable patterns. Keep me on my claws!" He chuckled, the sheer delight in his voice infectious. "Try aiming ahead, Freja!" Skie called out, offering more advice. "If you aim where you think I'll go next, you'll have a better chance. If you aim where I am, I'll likely have moved by the time the weapon reaches!" The small dragon's guidance aimed to enhance the effectiveness of Freja's attacks, turning the training into a dynamic exchange of skill and teamwork.

Freja Helt

[Freja Helt]

''You got it!'' She was glad he was onboard with his idea, especially since this kind of training would be beneficial to the both of them. She expected him to dodge the first attack as easily as he did, but the way he dodged and weaved her wire almost made her think that maybe this was more training for her and just play for him. ''Y-Yeah?'' She panted, was he giving her advice WHILE dodging the whip attacks? Skie was seriously impressive! Were they really in the same class? Maybe she had stumbled into a natural born genius and she just didn't know it.

Anticipate where he will be... She squinted her eyes, trying to predict his movement all the while keeping up her attacks, but it was easier said than done. At this range it felt like she was trying to swat a fly, but her hits were ever so slightly delayed and the fly was insanely fast. Why was he a small dragon, why couldn't Skie have been like, a car-sized dragon?! She could feel her eyes getting tired. Unpredictable? How could she outsmart super keen dragon senses? It was funny, even though he was a lot faster than her, his advice felt helpful and didn't feel like he was taunting her or anything like that. If anything, he was only enthusiastic and encouraging. ''How about this then!'' She smiled, yanking the wire upwards, most likely unsuccessful in her prediction, but she was starting to understand what he meant by aiming ahead. Rather than aim directly for him, she continued along this line of thinking, her eyes honing in on Skie as she really focused on finding a pattern in his movement too. Maybe she could land a hit before she needed to call for a break? ''Y-You're so fast! How did you get so fast?'' She was frustrated, but she was having fun too, maybe his cheery disposition was just that infectious.

Skie Amano