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“Is that… Principal Nezu?”
All Might looked up from putting Eri down on his shoulders. Present Mic pointed across the schoolyard, passed the students running and throwing snowballs at each other. The principal was staring straight up at the school, hands in his pockets. The only thing that moved, or indicated that he was at least breathing, was the cloud of air that came out with every exhale.
As Eri reached up to the sky for the few snowflakes falling, Aizawa stared at his old classmate. “Unless you knew another person at UA who is an animal,” he said.
Mic stuck out his tongue at his best friend and then pointed at the principal again. “Well he’s been standing there just staring at the school for a good ten minutes now,” he said, and Aizawa, All Might, Midnight and Vlad King followed his gaze again. “Like, I wasn’t sure if it was him or if it was one of the kids making a really good-looking Snow-zu.”
“Snow-zu?” Eri said meekly, peeking over All Might’s tuff of hair. “What’s that?”
“Oh, it’s like a Snow-zawa, or a Snow-might. Only two times smaller.”
Aizawa facepalmed.
All Might hoisted up the girl on his shoulders. “Want to go see what he’s looking at, Little Eri?” he said.
Eri pointed ahead. “Full speed!” she exclaimed, and all the teachers followed in tow as All Might cleared a path for them through the snow.
Nezu was indeed staring up at the school. As he neared his boss, All Might noticed that his brow was furrowed, and now and then Nezu’s head did move, tilting curiously, just ever so slightly that one would only noticed if they were up close. The animal flicked an ear when enough snow had fallen on it, and then shook out a shudder, sinking into the red turtleneck he had on under his coat. But his eyes never strayed away from the school’s pillars.
“Good afternoon, Sir,” All Might said, finally tearing the animal’s eyes away from the building. “How’s your Sunday been so far?”
Nezu flicked an ear again and smiled temporarily at Eri as she waved at him, but then turned his eyes back onto the school. “Oh, it’s been pleasant,” he said, his smile gone again. “A nice warm bath this morning, some tea with Recovery Girl and then a walk around the school grounds…”
His voice drifted off as the other teachers came to a stop near All Might. Mic furrowed his brow.
“I do enjoy watching students… loosen up…”
Midnight cleared her throat, but Nezu only twitched an ear. “Principal Nezu, I hope you don’t mind me asking this, but—!”
“Is there some new addition to the school windows or are you just staring at them because they’re shiny?” Aizawa interrupted, slapping a hand over Present Mic’s mouth before something more insulting came out.
All Might stared at him with wide eyes.
Nezu’s ears perked up but he did not look at his teacher. “I’m not a bird; shiny things don’t interest me nearly as much as reading does,” he said, with a very slight chuckle in his voice. “However, if you consider an ice-covered javelin stuck in one of the school’s columns as a new addition, then I guess this qualifies.”
The teachers looked at each other before turning their heads upwards and following the principal’s gaze.
Sure enough, just high enough that no one would really be able to tell it was there unless they craned their necks back, a giant ice-shard was sticking out of one of the columns holding up the school. The ice was just clear enough that one could see a long javelin inside of it.
“What the heck is that doing there?” Mic said as he winced to see better.
“Funny how it was the shortest one of us who noticed it,” Vlad King muttered. He looked at Aizawa. “One of yours, I bet,” he added, making the man glare as All Might chuckled.
“There’s more than one Ice Quirk at this school,” Aizawa said.
They were interrupted by a chirp-like hum that Nezu made whenever he was amused by something. “Oh, it’s definitely one of yours, Aizawa,” the principal said, pointing up at the javelin. “Do you see that dangling from the end of it?”
The teachers strained their eyes to see again. “Huh, there is something there,” All Might said.
“Looks like a bean,” Midnight added.
Aizawa looked at the principal. “What about a dangling bean says it was one of my students who did this?” he said, almost insulted by the thought even though he knew it was very possible.
Nezu winced and leaned forward, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “That’s no bean,” he mumbled. “And it’s most likely two of yours, not just one.”
“I continue to fail to see how you suspect that.”
Nezu was silent for a moment before revelation spread over his face. He pointed. “Look a little closer, my good man,” he said, and Aizawa did as he was told.
“Sir, whatever eyesight you have, I clearly don’t since the incident at USJ.”
All Might was already looking around the schoolyard for a certain student who could help. Most of the ones out playing were first years, at least nearby. The others were no doubt playing games indoors or else out in the hills sliding.
He eventually found her, the pink-haired inventor, building a snow fort with some other first year students in her department. As per the norm, she was eagerly describing another one of her inventions as her friends patiently listened.
All Might whistled, catching the student’s attention. He beckoned her to come over.
The teenager pointed at herself, to make sure there was no mistake. When the teacher nodded, she rushed over.
“Hello, All Might,” Mei said with a salute, winking at Eri. She then turned to Nezu and bowed. “Hello, Principal Nezu. What may I be of assistance with?”
All Might nodded his head upwards. “Do you see that up against the school, Young Hatsume?”
Mei turned her head as he spoke, but she had hardly noticed the ice when her grin widened and her eyes twinkled. “You mean the iced javelin?” she said.
“There’s something dangling on it. Mind taking a closer look for us with your Quirk?”
“Oh, there’s no need for that, Sir,” the girl said with a wave of her arm. “I saw it happen. Though I’d assume you’ll probably want to get him down by now; since it’s probably getting a little chilly.”
The teachers recoiled and looked up at the javelin again. “You mean that bean is a person?” Midnight said.
“Person, I’d have some serious considerations at times. Bean, not likely. More like a grape.” Before the teachers could say anything more, the girl leaned down and whispered something into Nezu’s ear.
The principal’s eyes widened and his ears stood as high as they could before he slapped a hand over his mouth and silenced what All Might guessed to be a laugh.
Mei bowed again. “Have a good afternoon, Teachers!” And then she was off.
Nezu kept his paw over his mouth as the teachers looked from Mei to the javelin again.
“A grape,” Mic muttered, but Aizawa had already buried his face in his hands. “She didn’t mean Minorou Mineta, did she?”
Aizawa pulled his hood over his head as Vlad King burst into laughter and patted his friend’s back.
Eri leaned over as All Might tried to hide his smile. “Are you cold, Mister Aizawa?” she said. “Would you like my toque?”
Aizawa stared at her in silence until Nezu finally released his laugh and grinned. “I’ll give Miss Yaoyarozu some credit,” the rodent said, catching everyone’s attention. “She’s got good aim. Although I’m sure Todoroki helped in that department, considering he’s a little bolder when it comes to being rash.”
Nezu cast a sideways glance at the homeroom teacher, and his eyes twinkled. “Send the two of them to my office after they’ve had their fun,” he said. “As much as I am aware of Mineta’s… boldness, I still have rules.” He began walking off, but not without letting out another giggle. “How lucky you ended up being the homeroom teacher of a group of creative heroes-to-be, Aizawa!”
Aizawa groaned as Midnight and Mic joined Vlad King in teasing him. “Why me,” he said. “Of all the kids who wanted to be heroes, why did I get stuck with the twenty that think outside the box?”
All Might rolled his eyes with a smile as Eri leaned over and patted her guardian on the head, muttering “there-there.”
“Just means you have a class full of promising heroes,” the tall man replied.
“Or a room of lunatics,” Aizawa said with a glare.
“Come on, Aizawa; think outside the box for once.”
Aizawa’s eye twitched before he turned with a groan and stormed off in search of his students. All Might watched him depart and let out a chuckle.
This year’s Class 1-A certainly was a bundle of curiosities.