6 Graduating

"Congratulations to you all for graduating from elementary school. I hope you continue to reach for the stars." said the speaker before the students applauded.

"But before we end today's ceremony, please welcome this year's valedictorian, Fukushima Tobias." said the principal as Tobias walked up to the podium.

"Christ, those lights are bright." he mumbled, which the microphone still caught, causing stifled laughter among the crowd and a cough from the principal.

"Oops, didn't think the mic would pick that up. Anyways, first off I'd like to thank the principal, the staff, and all the teachers that helped us get here today. Let's get a round of applause going for them." he said before he and everyone else started clapping.

"A big thank you to Sato-sensei who put up with me for the past six years. I know it wasn't easy." he said before slightly bowing to her, who had a small tear in her eye.

"To my fellow classmates. I know we don't all know each other, I know some of you don't even know me. But we are now ready to start a new chapter in our lives. Some of us will go together, some of us will part here, but we will always remember the memories we made here. As innocent children with hopes and dreams.

That doesn't mean our hopes and dreams are now over. Rather it means that they are now easier to reach. Whether that dream is to be Japan's top hero, a celebrity, an actor, a policeman, or even just to be happy. We should all work harder to achieve our dreams. That's why I want everyone to shout out what their dream is right here, right now. To hold ourselves accountable. I'll go first." he said before pulling the mic out of the stand.

"My dream is to experience life in all its glory and have fun doing it, so I can die with a smile on my face!" he shouted, which stunned everyone before they started shouting.

"I want to be a hero!"

"I want to be rich!"

"I want to be an actor!"

"I want to make music!"

"Hey, hey, wait a minute. What's with the wants? Saying want means you're not sure you're going to achieve your dream. Everyone say that you're going to, not that you want to. Now one more time!" he said before everyone shouted again.

"I'm going to be the number one hero!"

"I'm going to be rich!"

"That's what I'm talking about. And now to greener pastures we go!" he shouted before he pulled out a deck of cards and threw it into the air. The cards then turned into doves that flew all around the hall before flying into the air and bursting into fireworks.

"Tobias!" yelled Sato-sensei going up to scold him before Tobias laughed, pulled out a card, and then stage-dived into the student section before he turned into cards and disappeared.

The students and parents watching all this were so awestruck by the display of magic that it took them a while before they erupted into applause. All except three people, one particular student who was shaking her head with a smile, as if she knew what was going to happen. The other two were parents, one who was laughing as hard as he could and the other who had a stone-cold face that shut down the former's laughter with one look.

After that little display by Tobias, everyone started leaving the hall to go take pictures and congratulate their children. Tobias on the other hand was already waiting outside. That final little trick was something he came up with after he remembered that one magic movie from his past life. The effect is much less stamina-draining because it's a mini-teleport, a blink if you will, or like a substitute ala Naruto.

One of the things that Tobias had actually practiced with his quirk the past few years was magic. The stamina needed for magic was very little because it was just visual and nothing else. Of course, it could be used for combat purposes, which he had also been using it for, but he mainly used it for entertainment. It was quite easy for him to pick up so he assumes it was because of a passive from God.

Back to Tobias, he was waiting for his only friend outside when he saw his parents approaching. Seeing his mother's visage, he was about to bolt but before he could he was wrapped up in chains.

"Mom! Why'd you do that? You're wasting it!" he said a little flabbergasted and angry that his mom used her quirk.

"Don't worry, I came prepared because I had a feeling you were going to do something funny. I used these ants for energy." she said showing him a container with dead ants.

"Still, you should be careful." he said.

"If I hadn't chained you up, would you have run away?" she asked.

"Uhh."

"Exactly. Now let's go. Pick him up, honey. I can give him an earful at home." she said to her husband before he walked over and lugged him over his shoulder.

"Sorry champ. You knew something like this would happen." he said.

"That's true but I didn't think I would be lugged away like this. If I had known this was going to happen I would've been prepared."

Sensing something wrong, Tobias' mother asked.

"How would you have been prepared?"

"Oh I don't know by doing something like this." he said with a smile before a card appeared in his hand and he turned into a flurry of origami cranes.

"Tobias. You are testing my patience. Don't make me get angrier." she said before Tobias reappeared behind her with a smile.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I promise I'll be good from now on. Let's go celebrate!" he said before turning around to see his only friend with a big smile and a phone in her hands.

"Hey, Tobias."

"Uhh, hey Kyoka. How long have you been standing there?" he said nervously looking at her phone.

"Long enough to take some pictures." she said before showing him a picture of him chained up on his father's shoulder.

"Damn." he said before his shoulder was gripped.

"What did you just say?" said his mother.

"Nothing, ma'am. It must've been a bird or the wind or something."

"That's what I thought. Now introduce me to this nice young lady here." she said releasing the grip on him before he started rubbing the area.

"Mom, this is my friend Kyoka Jiro. Kyoka, this is my mom. Dad, Kyoka. Kyoka, dad."

"Ah, nice to meet you Fukushima-san." repeated Kyoka for both Tobias' father and mother while slightly bowing.

"So you're my son's only friend. Please call us auntie and uncle." she said with a smile while Tobias looked like he had an arrow pierce his heart.

"Okay, auntie, uncle. Please just call me Kyoka." she said a little surprised at Tobias' mom's casualness.

"So are you my son's girlfriend or just his friend?"

"Mom! We're just friends." he said.

"Yes, we're just friends." said Kyoka trying to keep a straight face.

"Oh alright. Doesn't hurt to ask. Stop overreacting. Anyways, where are your parents, Kyoka-chan?"

"They're waiting for me at the gate. I wanted to see where Tobias went after his performance." she responded.

"Oh, goodie! Let's go introduce ourselves, honey. You two can talk amongst each other, we'll be over by the gate." she said before dragging away her husband before suddenly stopping.

"Um, I just realized that I don't know what they look like."

"My dad has shoulder-length blonde hair while my mother has the same ears as me as well as the same hair color, auntie." said Kyoka.

"Thank you, Kyoka-chan." she said before continuing to drag her husband who put up a thumbs up for Tobias.

"Your mom is very casual." said Kyoka turning to look at Tobias.

"What do you expect from someone who didn't grow up with Japanese customs? One thing I hate about Japan." he said.

"Not like you follow it that much anyways."

"True, but because of that I'm seen as a troublemaker while in America I would be a normal kid." he said sighing.

"With a quirk like that, you're not a normal kid."

"Well, what can I say? It's hard being this awesome." he said with a sigh.

"Right." she said rolling her eyes.

"So, what're you doing after this?"

"Celebrating with my parents." she responded.

"Doubt it. If I know my mom, and I think I do, she's going to invite your parents to celebrate with us. And she won't take no for answer."

"I thought you said your mom was a gentle, soft-spoken lady?" she asked confused.

"She is most of the time, but for some reason, when it comes to me she changes into that typical-American mom you saw earlier. I think that's her real personality but she tries to hide it with her gentle persona." said Tobias having pieced some information over the years.

Tobias figures his mom is hiding her personality because she is too similar to her sister. But that doesn't make much sense either, so Tobias has pretty much chalked it up to a weird personality trait his mom has.

"Sounds exhausting. Pretending to be someone you're not." she said looking down.

"Talking about yourself?" said Tobias playing around with some cards. As someone with card-related powers, it's obvious that Tobias had learned any and all tricks related to cards. Whether that be shuffling or sleight-of-hand.

"What?! Why do you say that?" said Kyoka, head whipping up to look at Tobias.

"Well you looked down as you said it, so I'm assuming you have some experience hiding your true self. But I'm kind of hurt, you're hiding your true self from me. I thought we were friends." he said clutching his heart.

"It's not like I'm hiding anything big or important."

"Then tell me what it is. I promise I won't laugh at you." he said putting on a serious face.

"Fine. But if you laugh, I will hurt you." she said moving her headphone jacks aggressively.

"Cross my heart and hope to die." he said making a cross over his heart and then pointing upwards with his right hand.

"What's that?"

"The cross my heart and hope to die? It just means I'm serious."

"Okay. Weird." she mumbled.

"Hey, who's judging who now? Come on."

"Fine. I l-like to play i-instruments. And I want to make my own music one day." she said before looking down at the ground.

"Awesome!" said Tobias.

"Really?" she said looking at him.

"Of course. I'm friends with a future rockstar how awesome is that?" he said.

"I-I don't know about r-rockstar."

"Oh come on. You're smart, pretty, talented, and hardworking when you want to. And if you're as good at playing instruments as I think you are, then you'll be a rockstar in no time."

"Thanks." she mumbled before turning around and walking away.

"Hey, wait for me." said Tobias before catching up to her, "Maybe I should learn an instrument too. So, I can play with you."

"You don't have to do that."

"I know. I want to, besides I've always wanted to learn an instrument so why not? What do you play primarily?"

"Bass and guitar. And a little singing."

"Holy. And you can sing too? Kyoka, you're a multi-threat. I mean come on, leave some for the rest of us."

"What do you want to play?" she said steering the conversation away from her.

"The drums. Any good band needs a drummer. So, I'll learn the drums. Besides, I think the drummer gets the most fan girls." he said before Kyoka used her headphone jacks to touch Tobias' neck before vibrating them, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Idiot."