Dormient Potential - 1.

 

1.

How can one be so unlucky and lucky at the same time? Just after Mariko Okaido had been permanently dismissed from Ketsubutsu Academy, nearly a year after first dismissal from Seiai Academy, she managed to find a job offer in the UA that she applied for right away. And in just a few days she received a positive reply, inviting her for a second stage interview to speak with headmaster Nezu to decide if she was going to be hired or not. The job offer was for a kitchen assistant that would help in school cafeteria. Apparently, after recent concerning news about UA school dealing with villains’ attacks some of the regular non-hero people working at school decided to change their workplace to something safer.

Mariko didn’t really want to become kitchen assistant. Nothing to be ashamed of, of course, but the thing she wished the most was actually to speak with headmaster Nezu and ask him for help. She didn’t know if that was the right thing to do or if it would work out but she HAD TO try. If not the best school, then who on Earth would help her reach her goal? She was absolutely aware that UA had the best students and that also meant it was a lot harder there than at any other school she attended… but students improving at such a rapid rate also meant something else. And that was the best teachers.

When the day of second interview finally came, Mariko was stressed out. She was trying to look as professional as she could. If her scheme didn’t work out, then at least she had a chance to get a real job and support her aunt and uncle that have been raising her for more than 10 years already.

She looked at herself in the mirror, making sure that she looked very serious about the job offer and the conversation with Nezu. She applied contact lenses and then exited her small and simple room and entered the kitchen in which her aunt was. Older woman jumped at the sight of Mariko.

“You always sneak up on me!” she said. “You look like a secretary, not a kitchen assistant.”

“Auntie” whispered Mariko extremely embarrassed, red color featuring her pale cheeks.

“What? Nothing wrong about that” she cheerfully smiled showing her thumbs up.

That woman always resembled the young aspiring hero of All Might. Always finding a reason to smile, no matter how bad the situation was. Even after the second dismissal, she didn’t stop believing in Mariko. Actually, it seemed like she was the only person who never stopped supporting her. In fact, she herself stopped believing in success a long time ago. That might have been one of the reasons why she was failing everyone around her, including herself.

Mariko forced a small smile on her lips and waved goodbye to her auntie. If her uncle was here, not at work, then he would also wish her good luck. The young woman exited the flat and started the journey down the stairs. Normally she would use the elevator to get to the ground floor from the 7^th floor, however she was forcing herself to stay in good shape, even though she had a very hard time and didn’t really feel like working out.

After a few minutes she went outside, breathing deeply through her small tip-tilted nose.

“How do I start that conversation with headmaster Nezu?” she thought to herself. Not only was it her first job interview, but also the first time she had to plan that kind of scheme. She tried to remember every single interview tip for new employees she found online not to embarrass herself in front of Best-Hero-School-Headmaster. Still, the closer she was to school, the more fear crept in. She decided to travel most of the route by bus to make sure that she would not be late even by a second and she knew that she would make it on time without any problems but she still kept checking the time on her phone every minute.

Mariko tried breathing exercises there again that didn’t help much. When the bus finally stopped in the right spot, she jumped out of it feeling so overwhelmed by stress that she didn’t even notice an old lady that got scared because of her. The hero wannabe started climbing her way up the twisting road that lead straight to the front of UA Hero Academy. Mariko knew about the advanced technology surrounding hero school that did not allow strangers inside the building or the training grounds. However, the letter stated that someone will be waiting for Mariko to show up near the entrance gate with a huge “UA” logo mounted on top.

She was getting closer to the school with every step she made, trying to admire the beautifully green areas surrounding the huge modern building that towered above all the trees in the distance.

“I have to be honest, I seriously do not see any other way. He already knows that I don’t have a lot of previous working experience because of the CV I sent him so I cannot fake any other workplaces anymore and he is not stupid, he would instantly know that I am lying and that would make things even worse” she was murmuring, trying to calm her pounding heart.

After deciding to rely on her honesty, she looked down at her marching feet, forcing herself to inspect colorful pavement pattern.

More minutes passed and she finally turned right and started walking straight towards the big arch that was serving as the school’s gateway. She saw some figures jogging in the far distance, on the other side of the building, west from where she was standing. But the gate surroundings seemed to be deserted, there was no one waiting for her. She looked at her phone. Ah, 37 minutes earlier.

Mariko was glad her aunt and uncle’s house was so close to UA but the first time she was trying to join a Hero school she knew that this school was too far away from her reach. They did not accept everyone. ONLY the best. And she was not one of them. However, under those circumstances she was willing to try everything that could help her make her dreams come true. After all it was something that she promised to her parents the day she lost them. She will do everything to learn how to use her Quirk.

She stood near the gate, beside an effuse oak tree that provided her with comfortable shadow – a nice escape from unexpectedly hot September weather. She didn’t have to wait long for someone to notice her presence. It wasn’t someone she was expecting to see, though. There was a tall, fit boy with plain endways hair and entirely blue eyes. At first he looked quite odd in her opinion, but after second, third and fourth glance she couldn’t imagine him with any other eye color or shape.

“Hey!” he yelled at her, waving his hand. Mariko was glad that he did that, as she started to feel awkward.

“Hello! I’m Mariko Okaido. I am supposed to wait for someone by the gate to let me through. Is that person you by any chance?” she asked politely.

“Yes, that is indeed me.” he answered, standing in the shadow of the oak tree. “I have a guest badge for you that will allow you to safely go through. But don’t try anything suspicious, as our school has eyes on unknown visitors.” he warned.

“That’s very good then. It’s hard to believe that with this kind of security villains are still trying to storm the building from time to time” Mariko murmured, more to herself than her companion.

“I agree. But we all know they are quite insane.” he sighed and she nodded. “So, let me introduce myself. I am Togata Mirio and I am from 3^rd class”.

“Oh? 3^rd class? So you must be 18 or 19 then?” she asked, lips slightly parted.

“18, yes.” he answered.

“That makes two of us then.” Mariko smiled faintly.

They were approaching the school building and with every step the young woman thought to herself that the building was even more marvelous than what you could see on TV.

“So what exactly brings you here? I was just informed that you have some kind of interview with our principal” he asked, starting a new conversation.

“I wanted to pick up a job and kitchen assistant at UA might be a very good start if I will be able to pass the second stage of the interview” Mariko answered, unable to hide her worried voice.

“Oh staph, I am sure you will do fine!” he encouraged, showing her his thumbs up with a wild arm swing and a grin.

“I am not sure, the past hasn’t been easy on me, to be honest”

“Sorry to hear that” he led her to an elevator and they both entered it. Mirio pressed the button with number “6” on it and the elevator door has soon closed. “But you know what? Someone once told me, that no matter how bad the situation is, it will change eventually. Unfortunately it works both ways, the good situation will change after some time, too. But because right now you are having a rough time, you will surely experience something that’s gonna lift you up!” he winked with another arm-swing-thumbs-up.

“I think you are right” she agreed.

“Ha, see?” he grinned again, striking some proud pose.

They heard a “ding!” sound informing that they reached the correct destination.

“I wish you good luck. The headmaster’s office is right at the end of the corridor that starts in front of the elevator.”

“Thank you so much, Mirio.”

“Not a problem” he said and vanished behind the elevator door.

Mariko stood in the empty corridor feeling stressed out once again. Conversation with Mirio lifted her up, but once he was gone her heart started to race, increasing negative emotions. She clenched her fists and marched straightened up to the headmaster’s office. She gently knocked on the birch door and stood there until she heard kind principal’s voice that invited her inside. Mariko slipped to the office and graciously bowed before the headmaster. Nezu greeted her the same way and they both sat on the simple, yet comfortable chairs in front of each other.

“So, Okaido Mariko, how can I help you?” asked Nezu.

Hero-wannabe sat in silence, completely taken aback by his question. How could he help her? What did he mean by that?

“S-sorry, sir. But what was that again, please?”

“I think I already know why you came here, so there is no need for you to play games with me.”

“Mr. Nezu I apologise if you felt like that. I was not trying to play any games.”

“HAHAHA” he laughed out loud out of a sudden, scaring Mariko “The look on your face was hilarious. I just can’t help it sometimes, you know. In the past humans experimented on me and from time to time I just have to make a joke like that” he explained, wiping small tears from his mouse-like eyes. “However this time I am not entirely joking”

“Oh” she shifted in her chair, feeling insecure. “Principal Nezu, truth is I came here because I wanted to talk to you about something, that is not necessary a job here at your high school. I did not know where and how to start, but if I may say so, you already figured that out for me”

“Yes, I did” he smiled kindly. “I am all ears then”.

“So, the truth is I wanted to seek help. I know that UA is the best hero school and you have the best students and your level is very, very high. But I figured out that the best students come here and stay here because you also have a team of amazing teachers”

“That is true. Go on”

“And I… I have been dismissed from two schools already. They say that my Quirk is absolutely useless.”

“Did they really say that?” he asked sounding curious.

“Well, not exactly this… They said that it’s not suitable for a hero”

“Uh-huh” he tapped the corner of his small mouth with a furry finger. “What is your Quirk, then?”

“Mr. Nezu I would love to tell you everything I know about it, but the thing is I know very little. I only managed to find out that when I dislike or hate someone I am decreasing their combat abilities and Quirk controlling skills. I call that debuffing, like in video games.”

“That is a pretty name. And it sounds like a very powerful Quirk”

“I don’t think it is. I cannot control it and I do not understand it. And when I am on the right path to doing so, someone loses hope in my improvement and I end up having to find another school where I would like to finally understand stuff… myself especially” she said, being totally honest.

Nezu was looking at her with his shiny little eyes, toying with a pen he was holding between his furry fingers.

“And when I do like someone, it does the opposite. But I don’t know more details as I didn’t have many friends back at my previous schools.” She confessed.

“And why was that?” Nezu asked.

“I don’t know, there must be something wrong with me… But they always seemed to form groups, none of which was trying to accept me.”

They sat in silence for a little bit, Nezu contemplating on what he's just heard. Mariko felt like a complete loser. Her plan was discovered before she managed to start the conversation herself. How did he do that? She heard that his Quirk has something to do with intelligence but she was not expecting him to be THAT smart. He was like the sharpest tool in the shed even though UA had the shed full of other extremely sharp tools.

“I heard that you lost your parents” he sounded serious, so she looked straight into his eyes. “I am sorry. It was a very unfortunate accident.”

“It was” she agreed “I know that shouldn’t concern you, Mr. Nezu, but I promised my parents that I would do my best to get to know my Quirk a bit more. It’s just I don’t know who could help me get on the right path… And… and if you will not want to accept me, then please at least let me help UA by feeding the students.”

Nezu smiled slightly.

“Do you have the provisional hero license?” he asked.

Mariko shaked her head, pure shame starting to show on her pale skin. She dropped eye contact, glaring at the floor.

“There is nothing to be ashamed of. Provisional hero license exams are very hard. You will have other opportunities. I have an idea, but please wait outside my office” he asked and Mariko jumped off the chair and left the room, shivering in anticipation.

She had no idea how much time passed but when Nezu invited her back to his office. He told her that this whole job offer was actually added by accident. He didn’t look like he was lying, but she had a hard time believing that. Why would that be a fake job offer? He was extremely intelligent so surely it wasn’t him who added it. Either way Nezu asked Mariko to wait for Mirio, who would come back for her and lead her to the school gym, which wasn’t occupied at the moment, so one of the school teachers could test her out and investigate on what kind of skill and experience level she currently was.

After a few more minutes she was already in the elevator with the tall plain-haired guy.

“You were right, Mirio! Something better finally happened. But I shouldn’t bring my hopes so high up. I will most likely fail at this point” she said.

“You have a wrong attitude, I am telling you” he smiled, showing his nice teeth. He looked as if he was trying to say something else, but stopped himself in the last second.

They exited the elevator, turned right and walked straight for a while. Then they turned right once again, walking down the longest corridor in the school. Mirio was greeting some students who were passing by with a happy face. Mariko also tried to look friendly, but had no idea if she pulled that off. They paced some more distance until Mariko spotted a tall man, dressed in dark clothes with a light grey scarf circling his neck. He had long hair, black as raven’s feathers that were carelessly falling onto his forehead. She was sure it was covering some areas of his field of view. When they moved closer, she also noticed his uneven beard that was actually closer to a few days' growth than an actual beard. But the thing that caught her attention the most were his extremely tired eyes. That man looked a bit like a zombie that, instead of eating your brain, would fall asleep while standing.

“Oh my lord, your school caretaker looks tired. Do they really have so much work to do here?” Mariko asked, trying not to be heard by that man.

Mirio’s eyes went wide the second she finished her sentence. She was looking at him for some time, but then she looked a bit to the side noticing a sign with the letters “Gym” written on it. She turned her head towards someone she carelessly called “caretaker” going hot and cold every second. The man was looking straight at her, with a reddish flash in his eyes, a devilish smirk curving his lips, which she was never to forget.

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