[13] Ice Breaker

We burst through the doors of Heights Alliance, Camie trailing behind me and panting heavily. The common area was starting to fill with other students, most looking groggy and half-asleep.

"You... are... evil," Camie gasped, collapsing onto the nearest couch.

I smirked, barely out of breath. "Consider it extra training."

She glared at me, but there was no real heat behind it. "I'm gonna get you back for this, Aki-boy. Just you wait."

I lounged on the couch, one arm draped lazily over the back, as Camie chattered away beside me. The common room buzzed with activity, new faces milling about, voices rising and falling in a cacophony of introductions and laughter. I'd caught snippets of names—Pony, Setsuna, Tetsutetsu—but they blurred together in a haze of unfamiliarity.

"Yo, Aki-boy, you even listening?" Camie poked my cheek, her lip gloss shimmering as she grinned.

I swatted her hand away, rolling my eyes. "Course I am. You were saying something about... uh... illusions?"

She huffed, crossing her arms. "Nah, fam. I was asking if you've met everyone yet. You've been glued to this couch since we got here."

"Why bother?" I shrugged, gesturing vaguely at the room. "They'll introduce themselves if they want to."

Camie's brow furrowed, a rare moment of seriousness crossing her features. "Don't be like that, Aki. We're gonna be a team, yeah? Gotta know who's got your back."

I opened my mouth to retort, but movement caught my eye. A girl with vine-like hair was approaching, her steps measured and graceful. She stopped before us, hands clasped in front of her, and bowed slightly.

"Excuse me," she said, her voice soft but clear. "I hope I'm not interrupting, but I wanted to express my gratitude."

I blinked, caught off guard. "Uh... for what?"

She straightened, meeting my gaze with earnest green eyes. "For your assistance during the entrance exam. I wanted to thank you for your assistance during the entrance exam. Your actions were truly heroic."

It took me a moment to place her. Then it clicked - the girl trapped under the rubble. "Oh, right. No need to thank me. Anyone would've done the same."

Camie elbowed me, grinning. "Aw, look at you, Aki-boy. A real hero already."

I turned back to the vine-haired girl. "It's fine. Really. I was just looking out for myself. If that robot had taken you out, it might've come for me next."

The girl's expression faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered, offering a gentle smile. "Regardless of your intentions, your actions were heroic. I pray that we can work together to become true heroes worthy of our calling."

I raised an eyebrow at her formal speech. "Uh, sure. Whatever you say."

Camie jumped in, her enthusiasm palpable. "Yo, girl! I'm Camie, and this grumpy dude is Akira. What's your name?"

"Ibara Shiozaki," she replied with another slight bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you both."

As Camie and Ibara fell into conversation, I found my attention drifting. The common room was still a hive of activity, but now I noticed details I'd overlooked before. A guy with metallic skin was arm-wrestling with someone whose arms seemed to be spinning like drills. A blonde girl with horns was chatting animatedly with a green-haired girl whose body seemed to be... separating?

"Hey, Earth to Aki-boy!" Camie's voice snapped me back to reality. She was waving a hand in front of my face, grinning. "You zoned out again. Ibara was asking you something."

I blinked, turning to the vine-haired girl. "Sorry, what?"

Ibara smiled patiently. "I was curious about your quirk. During the exam, I saw you absorb energy from the robots. It's quite fascinating."

"It's called Kinetic Assimilation. I can absorb and redirect energy."

"That's so cool!" Camie exclaimed. "So like, you could take a punch and throw it right back?"

"Something like that. It's more complex, but yeah, that's the gist."

Ibara nodded thoughtfully. "A truly remarkable gift. I can see how it would be invaluable in hero work."

"What about you?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. "What can you do?"

Ibara gestured to her hair. "I can control and extend these vines. They're quite versatile for both offense and defense."

Our conversation was interrupted by a loud crash from across the room. The metal-skinned guy had apparently won his arm-wrestling match, slamming his opponent's hand through the table.

"Aw yeah!" he shouted, pumping his fists in the air. "That's how we do it in Class 1-B! Who's next?"

I winced at the volume, but Camie laughed. "Yo, that dude's wild! We should go say hi."

I shook my head. "You go ahead. I'm good here."

Camie pouted, tugging at my arm. "Come on, Aki-boy! You can't just sit here all day. Let's mingle!"

I opened my mouth to refuse, but Ibara chimed in. "I agree. It would be beneficial for us all to get to know our classmates better."

I looked between them and sighed. "Fine. But just for a bit."

As we made our way across the room, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was stepping into something I couldn't control. These people, with their quirks and personalities, were unknowns. Potential allies, sure, but also potential threats.

The metal guy noticed us approaching and grinned, his teeth glinting in the light. "Hey, new challengers! Any of you want to test your strength against the mighty Tetsutetsu?"

Camie laughed, holding up her hands. "Nah, fam, I like my arms unbroken. But maybe Aki-boy here would give it a shot?"

I shot her a look, but Tetsutetsu was already focused on me. "Oh yeah? You think you can take me on, pretty boy?"

The rational part of my brain screamed at me to walk away. This was pointless, a needless risk. But something else, something I couldn't quite name, made me step forward.

"Sure," I said, rolling up my sleeve. "Let's see what you've got."

As I took my place at the table, facing Tetsutetsu's eager grin, I caught Camie's eye. She winked, giving me a thumbs up. Ibara watched with a mix of concern and curiosity.

Tetsutetsu's arm transformed, becoming solid steel. "Ready when you are, man. Don't hold back!"

I placed my elbow on the table, clasping his hand. It was cold and unyielding, but I could feel the energy thrumming beneath the surface. I took a deep breath, focusing on that energy, preparing to absorb it.

"Alright!" someone shouted. "Three, two, one... go!"

Tetsutetsu's arm came down like a freight train, but I was ready. As soon as it began, I started absorbing the kinetic energy of his movement. His momentum slowed, confusion flashing across his face.

"What the—" he grunted, pushing harder.

I grinned, feeling the power building inside me. Just as our hands neared the table, I released the stored energy in one explosive burst. Tetsutetsu's arm flew back, slamming into the table on his side with a resounding crack.

The room fell silent for a moment, then erupted in cheers and exclamations.

Tetsutetsu stared at me, eyes wide. Then, to my surprise, he burst out laughing. "Holy crap, dude! That was awesome! What kind of quirk was that?"

I stood, flexing my fingers. "Kinetic Assimilation. I absorbed your energy and used it against you."

"Man, that's so manly!" Tetsutetsu exclaimed, jumping up to clap me on the shoulder. "We gotta spar sometime. I bet we could learn a lot from each other!"

I stumbled slightly under his enthusiastic pat, caught off guard by his reaction. "Uh, sure. Maybe."

Camie appeared at my side, practically bouncing with excitement. "Aki-boy, that was so sick! You totally owned him!"

"Indeed," Ibara added, a small smile on her face. "It seems your quirk has even more applications than I imagined."

As the crowd around us grew, people asking questions and wanting to introduce themselves, I felt that strange feeling in my gut again. But this time, it wasn't envy or longing. It was something warmer, something I hadn't felt in a long time.

A guy with dark hair and intense eyes stepped forward, holding out his hand. "Sen Kaibara. That was an impressive display of quirk control."

I shook his hand, noting the firm grip. "Thanks. Akira Sakamoto."

"Hey, don't forget about me!" A voice called out. A guy with spiky black hair and a white headband pushed through the crowd. "Yosetsu Awase. Man, I gotta say, that quirk of yours is something else. How does it work exactly?"

"It's... complicated. Basically, I can absorb different types of energy and use them how I want."

Awase's eyes lit up. "That's wild! I bet there are tons of applications for that in hero work. Have you ever tried combining it with other quirks?"

I shrugged, running a hand through my hair. "Never saw the need to, honestly. My quirk's pretty self-sufficient."

Awase's eyebrows shot up. "For real? Man, you're missing out! Combining quirks can lead to some crazy powerful moves."

"Maybe," I said, noncommittal. "But I haven't found anyone my age who could keep up with me yet. My fighting style works best when I don't have to worry about someone else."

Tetsutetsu laughed, slapping me on the back. "Confident, aren't you? I like that!"

Kaibara nodded thoughtfully. "There's merit to solo combat, but teamwork can amplify our strengths exponentially."

I opened my mouth to argue, but Awase cut in. "Hey, let's continue this over there." He pointed to a cluster of couches in the corner. "More comfortable than standing around, yeah?"

We settled onto the couches, and I found myself wedged between Tetsutetsu and a guy with shaggy brown hair and fangs. Monoma perched on the arm of a nearby chair, his ever-present smirk firmly in place.

"So, Sakamoto," Monoma drawled, "you think you're too good for teamwork?"

I rolled my eyes. "It's not about being 'too good.' I just work better alone. Fighting as a team would slow me down."

The guy next to me - Jurota, I learned - spoke up, his voice surprisingly gentle for someone so large. "That's a dangerous mindset in our line of work. Even the top heroes rely on support."

"Yeah, man," Tetsutetsu chimed in. "What if you're facing multiple villains? Or need to rescue civilians while fighting?"

I shrugged, uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. "I've handled tough situations before. It's not arrogance, it's experience."

The words slipped out before I could stop them, and I saw Monoma's eyes narrow. "Oh? And where exactly did you get this 'experience,' Sakamoto?"

Shit. I scrambled for a cover. "Uh, you know, training. Simulations. That kind of thing."

Thankfully, Todo chose that moment to interject. "Enough about quirks and fighting! We should be discussing more important matters."

Kosei, a guy with messy light brown hair, leaned forward. "Like what?"

Todo's eyes gleamed. "Like... what's your type?"

A chorus of groans and laughs erupted from the group.

"Seriously, man?" Awase said, shaking his head. "That's what you want to talk about?"

Todo nodded solemnly. "A man's type says a lot about him. It's crucial information for building camaraderie!"

Tetsutetsu chuckled. "Alright, I'll bite. What's your type, Todo?"

He grinned, puffing out his chest. "A tall woman with a nice big ass!"

Tetsutetsu nodded approvingly. "Nice! For me, it's gotta be someone tough. A girl who can hold her own in a fight, you know?"

"What about you, Sakamoto?" Kosei asked, a mischievous glint in his eye. "If we're talking types... what's going on with you and Camie?"

I felt heat rise to my cheeks. "Nothing's 'going on.' We're just friends."

"Uh-huh," Kosei said, unconvinced. "And I'm All Might's secret love child."

The guys laughed, and I found myself joining in despite my embarrassment.

"Alright, alright," I said, holding up my hands in surrender. "If you must know, my type is... a woman who could kick my ass."

Tetsutetsu whooped. "Hell yeah! That's what I'm talking about!"

Monoma smirked. "Well, that certainly narrows it down. Given your quirk and arrogance, I'd say your options are quite limited."

"Quality over quantity, Monoma."

As the conversation devolved into playful banter and increasingly ridiculous "types," I felt myself relaxing. These guys weren't so bad, really. Different from what I was used to, but not in a bad way.

"Hey," Awase said suddenly, "anyone up for some video games? I brought my console."

A chorus of agreement went up, and soon we were huddled around a hastily set-up TV, controllers in hand.

"Hope you're ready to get your asses kicked," I said, selecting my character.

Tetsutetsu grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Bring it on, pretty boy!"

As we played, trash-talking and laughing, I realized something. This... wasn't terrible. I'd spent so long keeping people at arm's length, convinced that connections would only slow me down. But here, playing games and joking around with these guys, I felt something I hadn't in a long time.

"Ha! Take that!" Kosei crowed as his character landed a devastating combo on mine.

I groaned dramatically, flopping back on the couch. "I've been destriyed! Defeated! How will I ever recover?"

Jurota chuckled, his deep voice rumbling. "Perhaps this will teach you the value of teamwork, Sakamoto."

I stuck my tongue out at him, but there was no real heat behind it. "Yeah, yeah. I'll consider it."

As the night wore on and the games continued, I found myself genuinely enjoying the company. These guys were loud, competitive, and kind of ridiculous - but in a good way. They pushed each other, challenged each other, but there was an underlying current of support that I hadn't expected.

And honestly? It felt pretty damn good.