Ishtar was skilled; Sora could tell that from her reaction to everything happening around her. Barriers went up, courtesy of her Quirk. One to sever the chain Gleipnir wrapped around her, one to defend her from the drone hurtling towards her, and one to shield her from the wind. It was an impressive defensive effort; one that was as imposing and impressive as it was informative. He now knew another function of her powers.

And as Ishtar spoke, showing that she knew who he was, he could tell she was going to use the first aspect of her power that he had seen on him; the way she pointed at him instantly called to mind the police officer she had murdered just minutes ago. He couldn’t let himself be hit by that; suffice to say it wouldn’t be pretty. Fortunately, the officer’s demise had given him valuable information. His own movement likely wouldn’t be fast enough to avoid the shot on his own at this distance, but a powerful gust of wind he summoned, seemingly with just a thrust of his hand, sent him off to the side and out of the way; her use of such a narrow beam made it easier to avoid, though from what he’d seen of its effects he still didn’t want to risk getting too close to it. As he dodged he also swung a hand down in the direction of Gleipnir and Sonya; a powerful gust of wind came down from above, between the heroine and villainess in an effort to help Gleipnir avoid Ishtar’s attempted shield bash.

Still, it was clear that she was enjoying the attention as she gave another grandiose declaration, acting as though she were some sort of inevitable force. Sora’s eyes narrowed behind his goggles at her display of arrogance; treating this whole thing like a performance or game. An acrid smell danced on the wind, though from where he wasn’t sure. Dericho considered what he knew of their opponent and the current situation. The drones that had been filming Ishtar flew away farther; perhaps to avoid being used as projectiles again?

It was still a dangerous situation. Their target had hardly moved save for her wild gesticulating. Already he had a couple of ideas he could do to turn things in their favor, but it would be too risky with the other hero so close. For now he needed to get Ishtar more separated. If they could manage that…

He stood back up, and the wind around Sora began to whip and twist as he held his hands up, forming a swirling circle around him. Loose debris scattered across the rooftop was picked up by the fearsome wind, from random dirt and trash, to pieces of scrap from the destroyed drone that had smashed into the woman’s shield. It was his own barrier, of sorts, but protecting himself was not the actual intent. She knew who he was, or at least had an idea of what his Quirk could do. But that didn’t mean that she knew everything. ”Don’t be so quick to celebrate.” Sora warned Ishtar, speaking for the first time since his arrival with his eyes trained on the woman. His tone was serious and matter-of-fact, but burning with determination.

Sadako Gotoh Amano Ito Miroru Sonya Chernovna

Sora nodded to May’s assessment of her potential garden; while he was no gardener, he did enjoy flowers. If Spring were a bit cooler it might even be his favorite season just from how beautiful it could be when everything was in bloom. He chuckled in agreement as she noted dorks were endearing, and hummed quietly when she mentioned his “payment”. ”Well, I’m happy to share if you’re interested. Though I don’t know how good of a storyteller I am.” Sora told her as he glanced away, a bit embarrassed by the admission. He was tempted to ask her for some stories of her own, especially once she revealed that she was also attending UAU, but maybe that could wait until he done his part first.

The sight of her awe as the petals danced around her brought a joyful smile to the young hero’s face; Sora didn’t necessarily like to show off, but ever since he started to gain more confidence he enjoyed demonstrating his Quirk to people. And a reaction like hers was just icing on the cake. May even complimented the display as she sat down, Sora sitting down beside her and holding his own cup of tea in his lap. She asked about his Quirk, and he nodded. ”Air control is pretty on the mark; my Quirk is called Wind Dragon. And yeah, as the name implied I can manipulate the wind. And I can do a lot more than just make the petals dance, heh. And I’ve been a pro hero for about three years now, though I only just recently returned to Japan. As for school, it was… quite the experience. Never a dull moment, that’s for sure! Though I wasn’t much of a troublemaker, if you can believe it.” He chuckled a bit at that; it was probably pretty obvious.

He was pausing to take a sip of his tea when May suddenly said to hold on, and he watched curiously as she dug through her bag until she found… a camera? She pointed it towards them and held up her tea, urging him to join in. Sora was nervous at the prospect, not considering himself particularly photogenic. “A-a picture? I’m not so… sure…” he trailed off in in a worried tone. Still, it was just a picture, right? And her bright smile and excitement made it really hard for him to refuse.

Sora took a breath to calm himself down, then nodded and looked at the camera. He glanced to his side at May to see how she was holding her tea, and he scooted just a touch closer to her to make sure he was properly in the frame. He held up his tea in such a way that he mirrored May’s own pose, managing a smile through his nerves. ”Is this okay?” He asked through his teeth, not wanting to break the pose until she either took the picture or told him to stop, though his blush had returned a bit once he noticed their relative proximity.

May Twenty-First

Sora turned his head towards the distinct crack he heard in the distance, arching an eyebrow curiously. The young hero was out for a bit of training; back in his time at UAU he would often head into the woods to practice with his Quirk in private. He had hated people watching him, always worried he would mess up and make a fool out of himself. Since he had decided to train today, he figured that he could pay a visit to his old little hideaway in the forest. Nowadays he still tended to train on his own, but rather than because of embarrassment or shyness it was more because the upper reaches of his Quirk had increased by leaps and bounds since his time as a student; if he wanted to push himself, it was best to do so where other people couldn’t get caught up in it.

But from the sounds of things, he wasn’t alone out here like he had expected. Curiosity overtaking him, he decided to follow the sound to its source. On this day Sora was dressed more lightly than he usually would on a normal day; a plain black tanktop with a white and green jacket tied around his waist, a pair of comfortable jeans with obvious wear, and some rough but reliable tennis shoes.

It wasn’t long before he found the source of all the noise (the search made easier by the sight of a tree splitting and falling over in the distance). Crossing the final gap he reached the spot, where he saw a young woman with long, sandy blonde hair tied in a side ponytail, training. Maybe a few years younger than him, breathing hard from the exertion she was putting into some training of her own. He could see her muttering something but was too far to hear. ”Hey there!” Sora called out, not wanting to just stand there watching her silently. If she turned to him he would give a small wave, smiling a bit. ”Sorry if I’m interrupting you. I was out here looking for a spot where I used to train and I heard some noise so I came to check it out.” He made his way over to the girl and the tree she had felled, taking a moment to look over the damage. He whistled, impressed by her strength (or at least he assumed it was strength; he hadn’t seen anything from his distant perspective that led him to believe she had done something more.

At that moment he stood up, realizing that he had explained why he was there but hadn’t bothered to introduce himself. Sora rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed by his intrusion on her training. lAh, sorry. Forgot to introduce myself; I’m Sora Nakoma. Just Sora is fine.” He held out a hand, offering a handshake as he gave his name.

Emilia Hall

So people showing interest in her eyes was a common thing, was it? Sora wondered if perhaps their unique appearance had to do with her Quirk, but figured it didn’t really matter. At the very least it seemed like she hadn’t been offended by his staring, which was a definite plus.

May went on to note the current state of her garden, wondering about the possibility of making one at her school. So she was a university student! Bits and pieces slowly fall into place. ”I recall some of my classmates doing that sort of thing when I attended University, so I’d say it’s at least worth asking. Worst they can say is no, right?” He noticed the way her tattoo seemed to move, and that almost certainly was related to her power. Still, he’d stared at her one time too many already so he didn’t focus too much on it as she teased him. Sora laughed quietly, though the red of his cheeks did deepen a bit at her question. ”I try to approach everyone in such a way, if I can help it. Though I will admit, your so-called dorkiness does make it a bit easier to do so.”

She commented about his remark of knightly behavior, and he shrugged. ”Eh, fair enough. Though I always feel there’s a thin line between chivalry and stubbornness, don’t you think? And thank you, by the way, for paying. I only hope my stories suffice as compensation.”

She asked about the tea he ordered, admitting her distaste for super sweet beverages. He chuckled at her expression. ”It’s a bit sweeter than most, yes. Shincha tea is just a name for sencha tea made with the first leaves of a harvest; the freshest and most flavorful. It’s also savory and tart, so I think it balances out well. And the scent is nice and soothing; I’m told it’s like a rainforest, but I’ve never been to one so I can only guess if that’s true, heh.”

Their tea was given to them, and Sora thanked both the lady at the counter, and May when she handed him his. She commented on the site he chose and he laughed. ”Oh, don’t worry about the foliage.” He assured her as they started on their way over. As they reached the tree Sora held up a hand, signaling her to stop. ”Actually, I’m a professional hero. Graduated from UAU about three years ago, but I spent my first couple of years after graduating in America working with my sister’s agency in New York.”

Sora then took a break from speaking, turning his attention to the mess covering their would-be spot. As he stared at the foliage a pair of small blue horns emerged from the rough black sea that was his hair, and in the moment they surfaced May would feel the wind stir as it fell under Sora’s control, only to still immediately after.

The grass beneath them began to rustle and sway as a targeted breeze swept under the leaves, sticks, dew, and petals on the ground. And after a moment, the objects were slowly lifted into the air, grouping together save for the petals.

Sora smiled at May and took a sip of his tea, and then the petals drifted towards the girl as the wind carried them, first towards her feet. They circled her several times in a line as they slowly rose further up her body, but despite their close proximity May wouldn’t be able to feel the breeze, nor would even her lightest clothes so much as flutter; clearly Sora’s control over the wind was quite precise.

After a moment of the petals circling in the air, he ended the little show by directing the sticks and leaves into a trash can over by the paved path, while the petals were scattered over the surface of the pond in front of them.

Satisfied with his work Sora nodded, the horns on his head ducking down beneath his hair once again. He stepped over to the now clear spot and turned to face May, offering her an upturned hand to help her sit down without spilling her tea. ”I hope that this is more to your liking.” He said with a smile and a slight bow.

May Twenty-First

The line was fortunately moving along at a decent pace, so it wouldn't be too long before he had his tea. But as he prepared to step forward as the next person got their order, he heard the sound of a little girl crying. Sora turned around, spotting the girl with her crushed flower on the ground being comforted by her mother and the girl who had been in line behind him. He watched with fascination as the young woman performed her little magic trick, presenting her with a new flower and cheering her up quickly. At this Sora smiled; it was a kind gesture. It would have been awful for the poor thing's day to be ruined so early into the festivities.

As the mother and daughter left the girl stood back up and turned to get back in line, only to bump into Sora's back since she was distracted. She quickly gave an apology, and he turned to look at her as they moved on in the line. "No harm done, don't worry about it." He assured her with an easy smile, now taking a moment to get a good look at the kind girl.

Her hair and eyes drew his attention the most; the brilliant pink of her head and how her eyes reminded him a bit of pearls or jewels with how they seemed to have multiple colors. Certainly she was more colorful than him. And taller too, he could see now that she was standing up again. Very pretty and cute.

For his own clothes, Sora had gone with something a bit outside his usual choices. A simple black v-neck worn beneath a loose, lightweight green jacket. He wore a comfortable pair of boot-cut jeans and a pair of well-worn white sneakers. He hadn't put any more effort into his hair than usual, the black locks as messy and wild as ever, though he at least had gotten it out of his eyes so their pale green wasn't just peeking through like they normally did. His silver charm necklace, as always, finished off his outfit, hanging loosely around his neck.

Sora realized after a moment that he had been staring at her eyes and lightly shook his head, refocusing. God, he wasn't that bad at socializing, was he? The young man glanced back at the retreating family, then back to the stranger before him as she asked if he was in line for tea as well. He nodded. "Ah, yeah. I was out of the country, over in America last year on Golden Week, so I figured I'd do something a little different this time around. Make up for lost time, you know?" He explained with a small chuckle. "Figured it'd be a nice way to start things off. Was trying to decide what to do next, actually. If I should find a spot to relax or just roam around."

He took a short breath in, the scent of the tea growing stronger as they neared the front of the line. "I saw what you did for that little girl, by the way. It was very sweet of you. Would you mind if I paid for your tea?" He asked, approval for her actions clearly evident in his voice; he was the sort who thought good deeds should be rewarded, even if it was in such a small way. He held his hand out, offering to shake as his smile grew a touch wider. "My name is Sora, by the way. Sora Nakoma. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms...?" He trailed off, hoping she would fill in the blank for him.

May Twenty-First

Sora nodded as Yasashi explained a little about the fighting style he practiced; particularly about how it was something his family used, and how he believed he had a long way to go. "I see. My fighting style is based on one my father came up with, though I've had to make adjustments as I developed my Quirk since ours aren't the same."

Taka wasn't offering any more information about his style's origin, but thankfully Sora wasn't nosy enough to ask; it wasn't that uncommon for hero students to have hero parents, after all. He himself was one such case, so he just chalked it up to that and was content to leave the matter alone.

It was then that the large youth admitted he was trying to put his own spin on the style, noting how he disliked hurting others. At this Sora put on a gentle smile. "A good quality for a hero to have;" He assured the student. "Being able to fight is one thing, but a hero doesn't go around trying to hurt others for no reason or disproportionately. We're meant to be peacekeepers, after all; and seeing the ones you trust go out of their way to brutalize criminals only create distance between civilians and heroes. At least, that's how I see it."

So he was a first year? It was a bit surprising, given his size and build, but such physically gifted individuals weren't too rare at a place as prestigious as UAU. "I see." Sora said simply, scratching his chin thoughtfully. An idea occurred to him. "You say you wish to adjust your fighting style, yes? To be less harmful?"

Sora stepped a few feet away and held his arms open, as if welcoming the boy. "If you would be interested, I think I could show you a thing or two. My style incorporates my Quirk, so you probably won't be able to incorporate a lot of how I do things. But my style is focused on restraint over actual combat; submissions, holds, trying to immobilize and neutralize without causing more harm than necessary."

Taka Yasashi

Sora couldn’t help the small smile that took hold of his face when Yasashi jumped at his greeting, the sight of such a physically impressive person reacting so viscerally to a simple hello pretty amusing to the young hero. The boy returned his greeting once he got a sense of what was going on, introducing himself and accepting his handshake offer. Sora nodded and shook back. “The pleasure is mine.” He assured the hero in-training as they released each other’s hand. The name Taka was familiar to him, but he couldn’t quite place a face to the name at the moment.

Yasashi said it wasn’t an issue for Sora to watch, and he crossed his arms as he thought. The blue horns hidden beneath his unruly hair emerged; it was something that happened often when he was thinking or concentrating. “Your form is interesting. Clearly practiced, but not any formal martial arts I’m familiar with. I assume it’s something of your own make, like my own? Or perhaps you were instructed in?” He asked, voicing his earlier observations.

Dericho chuckled a bit. ”Sorry, just always interested in learning more when I see something unfamiliar or that catches my interest.”

He paused for a moment. It was tempting to offer to spar with the young hero, but given how he was already interrupting his training Sora didn’t want to impose any more than he already was. ”How long have you been at UAU?” He decided to ask instead.

Taka Yasashi