Chapter 39: Last year
Third year of middle school, the year when we have to worry about entrance exams and the likes and a lot of kids have decided to finally take school a bit more seriously. Good for them, good for them. It also means that Mina is at my house more often for tutoring sessions because she abhors the idea of having to take a makeup exam and would rather pass immediately rather than suffer a second time. So for the past hour or two, I have been helping with the typical subjects she sucks at while Eijiro is somewhere in the house, likely finding out that Alissa is far stronger than she looks and to fight her is to be constantly surprised. He'll return with more than a few bruises that's for sure.
Mina still struggles with math, quite understandable when you take a look at her teacher. Every new method that is inaugurated I must help her understand or she'll definitely fail whatever test she had coming up. At first, I thought that she just has a hard time understanding math in general when in reality it is her teacher who fails to explain the steps properly. Next to that, Mina seems to learn things a lot quicker when I constantly give her attention, stay away too long and she'll spiral away from the issue, which just prompts me to stay at the desk with her, watch and eat the snacks she got from the kitchen. Sometimes, out of nowhere, she worries she's taking up my time since I have exams as well and should be studying, and instead I have to help her understand the subjects.
As she is right now.
"Mina, you're not bothering me, really" I try to reassure for maybe the third time now, I don't know why she's so worried all of a sudden.
"Yeah, I know, sorry" biting the end of her pencil she stares at the next problem as if it had personally wronged her.
"Why would you think you're an inconvenience?"
"You have to study too but I'm here almost every day for lessons so you don't get a lot of time to study if you're worried about me" she explains, tapping her pencil almost anxiously.
"Mina, come on, that's no problem at all" it isn't. I've never struggled academically and I do make time to study should I need to. "I get more than enough time to study and helping you is a good way to get a refresher if anything"
"Yeah, I know, sorry again" it's odd for her to apologize so much. There must be something wrong.
"Okay, what prompt these concerns, have I ever made you feel like a bother?" Because if so then I have some groveling to do.
She doesn't answer me for a moment, because she doesn't need to. When she recalls a memory I'm already planning something dangerous when I realize who the hell made her feel this way.
"That damn fool" it's the same guy that called her raccoon eyes. Had he not learned his lesson? Had I not hit him hard enough? How does he get the balls to suggest that Mina's only using me for free tutoring sessions? The audacity of this idiot. He has the guts to suggest her academic struggles are a hindrance to me as if he knows anything. "You shouldn't listen to him, he knows nothing"
She smiles a bit, nodding in agreement. "I know, I don't know why I let him get to me"
"When I see hi-"
"Don't get yourself in trouble again, Zena"
I scoff. That one time I sent him to the nurse's office I was almost suspended for a few days. I was punished by staying after school and cleaning the class. Not much of a punishment if you ask me, the dirty classes had been bothering me for some time, and cleaning it only brought me relief.
"Mina"
"Zen"
"Mina, how can I let him continue to live without facing the consequences of his stupid actions? Must I not punish him for daring to upset you? That's a crime in itself, he deserves the worst. And this is the second time, apparently a simple broken nose wasn't enough for him" the next time I see him he's done, he won't even know what happened. I will not stand for this tomfoolery, no one shall insult my friends and go about their day as if they hadn't upset the balance of the world.
"You're overreacting," Mina says, sighing. "Yeah, I want to show him a thing or two, but better not risk getting into trouble over him"
"Fine"
~~~~~~~~~
"Zena, you said you wouldn't do anything," Mina says as her eyes flit from me to the boy who's throwing milk onto his head and rubbing food all over his clothes. I can only grin as I watch, thinking up the many things I could let him do to embarrass himself. I will not let him live this down, he'll be the talk of the school even after he no longer attends.
"I didn't do anything," I say shrugging, sipping on juice as the boy climbs onto the stack of tables in a corner and throws himself off it. "I haven't laid a single finger on him, haven't touched the hair on his head"
Now, I promised I wouldn't walk up to him and punch his lights out, I said nothing about a little mental manipulation, I never said I wouldn't get him back for the nonsense he has done. Hell, even Eijiro doesn't seem surprised that I did it since he hasn't batted an eye at the scene, simply accepting that there are certain things I won't let go unpunished. Even when Mina's scolding me, or trying to, that smile that's growing on her face tells a whole different story.
"I can't even be mad" she huffs, watching the show with her smile growing until she's trying not to laugh.
"Shinta, what is the meaning of this?!" A teacher storms into the cafeteria, glaring at the boy and the mess he made all over himself and the floor, and immediately everyone looks away. I go back to eating, watching them out the corner of my eyes and making sure Shinta doesn't let her know he's being controlled. Even he's not sure what's happening safe for the fact that he has no control of his body.
He struggles to speak, my mental hold taking his words until he's a blubbering mess.
"Oh, he's in trouble"
There's silence as the boy is yelled at, scolded for his behavior, and dragged off to the office where he'll withstand his punishment. He'll have to clean the cafeteria for sure.
"Wow" Mina whistles as the boy is carried off. "How much control can you have over a person?"
I shrug, not sure how to answer that. I can control them to the smallest detail, control what they think as well as what they do and say and since I've learned to be incredibly subtle with it, they don't know that they're being compelled to do something unless I want them to.
"A lot?" I finally reply, figuring it's as good an answer as any. " I mean, Eijiro's suddenly craving some energy drink right now and he hates energy drinks"
Said boy pauses whatever he was doing to look at me in absolute shock.
"That's you?"
"Oh yeah, I've been practicing a lot over the years and now I can make people do almost anything without them even knowing" I can't help but be proud about it. "Don't worry though, I never used my quirk on you guys, well, until just now"
"You're too powerful"
"Oh, I know"
~~~~~~~~~
Fear is an emotion everyone feels and how one reacts to this can say a lot about them. Zena, on the other hand, she never seems to be scared, it's something both Mina and Eijuro have noticed and something she has explained to them on multiple occurrences. It's not like she couldn't feel it, she has experienced fear in her life, it's just not an emotion that enters her being unless it belongs to someone else. It matters not the situation, Zena will remain somewhat calm, neutral even, when faced with anything that would rightfully induce fear. Even when a gigantic creature of a man is towering over the streets, fingers deep into the building above the poor girls he had cornered, causing pieces of the concrete to crumble. He had appeared suddenly, unexpectedly despite his size, asking for directions to the springer agency. A polite request, but his appearance and size frightened many and they could barely get out two words. The lack of answers had him acting more and more aggravated as he moved from person to person, finally coming to two schoolgirls who were visibly trembling.
Mina and Eijiro's first instincts were to act, despite the rapid beating of their hearts and the sudden weakness that overtook them when watching this man. His aura exudes something that strikes fear into their very being, an emotion that battles with their natural want to protect, an inner conflict that has them paralyzed for a moment.
Zena, however, wasn't affected in the slightest. She had been staring at the man since he appeared, eyes not once leaving him and expression unbearable. She still watches when Mina manages to shake her fear, sprinting to stand between the giant and the girls, shouting the directions in a rush. There's a moment of pin-drop silence where the man takes his fingers out the building and wordlessly turns away. The ground rumbles with his step, each footfall sending tremors through the ground. All the while Zena watches him go, a brow quirking in sudden curiosity.
Why was he in search of the Springer agency?
A question to ponder some other time, she thinks, when Mina collapses to the ground, her legs having lost strength.
"Oh man, I was terrified" her voice wavers, her hands shake and her eyes shine as the fear completely takes her strength and the relief compels tears to her eyes. Eijiro is quickly at her side, apologizing furiously for not helping her, he wanted to move too. He was about to, but Mina beat him to it and something told him it was best not to do the same as he didn't know how the giant would react to it.
"Don't cry" are the simple words of Zena as she crouches, carefully wiping away tears that barely make it down her cheeks.
"Easier said than done" the reply is broken with a slight hiccup, one that has Mina laughing breathlessly. "I'm shaking"
"You were really scared," Zena says, remembering the feeling that seeped into her. It was all around her, soaking in and trying to disguise itself as her own, try to persuade her that she truly is capable of experiencing fear in this life. "But you acted none the less"
"Truly reckless behavior of a hero," Eijiro says with a grin, trying and managing to pull a laugh from the distressed Mina who's struggling to still her shaking.
"I need a minute"
Nodding, Zena hands Eijiro her bag which he takes without thought, slinging it over his other shoulder and reaching for Mina's as well. Casually Zena starts to remove her jacket, tackling each button rather carefully as she had already ruined a jacket a few days ago.
"Up" she swiftly lifts Mina onto her feet and lets her lean on the wall while she ties her jacket around her waist, earning looks of confusion.
"What are you doing?"
A valid question, one Zena answers by getting down slightly.
"Up," she says once more, one word enough to convey her message. There is not a moment of hesitation as Mina takes the offer, leaning into her and huffing when Zena easily lifts her.
"Oh okay" shrugging, Eijiro accepts that he's stuck with carrying the bags today. "Can I get a piggyback ride next time?"
"Yeah sure, only if you promise me one too"
"Fair enough"
Mina all the while ignores the jokes the two exchange in favor of simply enjoying her situation. She's not sure why she's enjoying herself, but she is and she won't question it any further, at least not at the moment. She worries for a moment that Zena might have sore arms by the time they reach her house, a concern that is quickly pushed aside when Zena bluntly says that she'll be perfectly fine. Mina remain quiet for the most part, simply listening to the idle conversation between Eijiro and Zena, both of them suddenly on the topic of muscle cars and which ones they would like. Eijiro refers to his favorites with "manly" while Zena addresses her favorite cars with "sexy". She makes it very clear that some cars are meant to be called sexy, that sexy is the only word to describe some of these automobiles.
"Sexy, really?" That's something else and Eijiro doesn't think he's heard anyone say that about a car
"Yes, sexy, some cars can only be described in that manner. I will die on this hill, so don't even bother questioning me" a rather stubborn reply from Zena who obviously won't have her opinion questioned or swayed by anyone else.
"Fine, I guess cars are sexy" Eijiro has learned a long time ago to simply accept certain terms if he wishes to avoid a debate. Besides, everyone has a right to their own opinions.
"Thank you for your understanding," says Zena. "Now, I have a request"
"Is it a dangerous one?"
"Not this time, no"
"Oh ok, what is it then?"
"She wants you to get an undercut with her" Mina pipes in with clear excitement. "She's always talking about how amazingly hot you'd look with an undercut and that she would make it happen one way or another. Then I said that she should get one too because she'll look divine, even better than she already looks and Zena is already a looker, you know? Then she agreed after I practically begged her, so now you two have to get undercuts"
The talk about their hair has been a topic between Zena and Mina for a rather long time, the two having constant back and forths about Eijiro and what style would suit him best. Zena almost had a whole presentation about Eijiro being adorable and hot no matter what style he rocks, unexpectedly passionate about Eijiro with an undercut and man bun combo.
If Mina remembers correctly her exact words were; "I would die for Eijiro with an undercut man bun combo"
"You guys talk about my hair?" That's - huh - it's not that unexpected when Eijiro thinks about it.
"Not important right now" Zena only had one thing on her mind. "Will you get the cut?"
Eijiro didn't see why not, shrugging he replies; "Yeah, sounds fun"
Mina almost snorts when Zena releases this near villainous chuckle at Eijiro's compliance as if it had all been a part of her evil plan or something.
"We'll be powerful my friend, unstoppable!" Zena says rather dramatically. "And if Mina gets the cut too we can take over the world"
"You're exaggerating"
"I'm not"
"You are"
"I'm not"
"You kinda are"
"Am I the only one who appreciates our good looks?" Exasperated Zena groans. "Eijiro is freaking adorable, the sweetest thing ever with a body that would surprise anyone. And Mina, you're gorgeous, pretty, beautiful and you damn well know how to show off your looks"
"Well, I wouldn't say that I show off," says Mina in her attempt to be humble.
"Oh, so I guess you dress the way you do for no reason" Zena's sarcasm has Mina grinning. "You definitely didn't wear that black crop top to show off yesterday, definitely not, it's not like you knew how good you looked"
"I don't see your point"
"Does she show off or do you just like the things she wears?" Eijiro questions.
"Both" Mina and Zena say without thought.
"Uhuh, okay"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone