Arising from the Ashes

Chapter 2

Her first year went by quickly, much to Ichika's surprise. She got along perfectly fine with her classmates, even if the start was a bit rocky. Still her closest friend was Mirio Togata. His cheerful personality contagious and his optimistic personality admirable. And of course there was Nejire Hado and Tamaki Amajiki from class 1-A. Or class 2-A now. During their first year, the four of them were always seen together and she was eager to continue their friendship during their second year at U.A. As the teen walked through the gates, she heard her name being called.
‘Ichika! Hey!’ Her periwinkled haired friend ran up to her with a wide smile, pulling the taller girl into a hug once she was close by enough. ‘It’s been ages since I’ve seen you!’
‘It’s only been two weeks, Nejire,’ Ichika replied as she pulled back from the embrace with a smile. ‘Not that I haven’t missed you too,’ she then added as she noticed the other girl pouting at her reply.
Satisfied that she had been missed too, Nejire linked her arm with Ichika as the girls continued their way. Happily chatting as they walked towards their usual meet-up spot
‘This year will be my year, Chika,’ Nejire stated excitedly as she bumped her fist in the air. ‘I’m gonna work hard and study hard! I totally want to get my Provisional License and work at a Hero Agency!’
‘Yeah, that would be something, alright,’ Ichika agreed, slightly less excited, but still eager to learn from a pro. And with the said license, she could actually use her quick outside of school.
‘I bet you’ll be returning to Hawks Hero Agency, aren’t you. Hm? Hm? He’s so dreamy and close to our age too!’
Ichika laughed, agreeing with her friend. The man was defiantly hot and was fun to work with. Even if he mostly wanted to know about U.A. and had spent little time teaching.
‘I’ll let him know that you are interested,’ she joked while patting Nejire’s head. ‘Though I would advise you wait until you’re 18. You know, with legal issues and all.’
‘Oh, sush! Let a girl dream.’
The two of them laughed as they waited for Tamaki and Mirio to arrive as well. Wanting to know what they had been up to for the past two weeks. Especially Tamaki. While Mirio and Nejire had kept Ichika updated and vice versa, she had only received a handful of messages of the timid boy. Though he was clearly more at ease speaking through messages.
‘What would two ladies such as yourself be waiting here for, I wonder?’
The girls shrieked at the sudden voice behind them, before Nejire flailed behind her in reflex.
‘Ouch, Hado,’ came the pained voice from behind the pair. ‘That could have actually hurt.’
‘Be glad you didn’t get fried, Shimada,’ Ichika stated crossly as she turned to face the said boy. ‘Sneaking up on us like that. Where did you come from anyway?’
‘Ah, she cares,’ the brown haired boy mocked as he elegantly jumped over the two off them, turning mid-air so he would face them after landing. ‘I knew you secretly liked me.’
Ichika rolled her eyes as Nejire giggled girlishly at the boy. Takeshi Shimada sent her a wolfish grin, before his golden eyes found Ichika again.
‘You’re impossible, Shimada.’
‘And you love it.’
‘I’d love to roast that annoying ass of yours out of my way.’
Ichika crossed her arms in annoyance as the tall boy refused to leave. Instead his predatory wolf eyes remained focussed on Ichika. For a couple of weeks now, the boy had turned his attention towards the ginger haired girl. Apparently finding her fiery temper attractive, much to her annoyance. And she wasn’t even that hot-headed! Only when provoked enough. She could handle Tanaka’s friendly teasing. But Shimada wasn’t innocent nor friendly. He was just being annoying in his attempts to get her to go out on a date with him – which she profusely refused!
Not that he wasn’t attractive or anything. On contrary. Takashi Shimada was quite an attractive boy, probably the most handsome one in her class. With his shaggy brown hair and golden eyes that resembled that of a wolf. And if it wasn’t for his big ego, Ichika would have probably gone with him the first time he had asked her. After all, like the other girls, she too had a crush on him at first. But it turned out the boy knew he looked good and was an absolute flirt. And on a regular base he would set his eyes on a new victim he would try and concur. Which, at the moment, seemed to be Ichika. Something she did not find attractive, at all!
‘I admire your bravery, Shimada,’ a new voice joined in with a hint of humour. ‘Even I would feel humiliated after getting rejected that often. But Ichika has rejected you, what? Four times now? And you keep on trying.’
Ichika smiled at the two familiar faces as they stood still next to the teen. One on each side. Tamaki stood slouched over as always, while Mirio stood tall, his hand resting on Shimada’s shoulder. Though his facial expression was friendly as ever, there was something about the way that he held the slightly shorter boy that was intimidating.
‘Ah, well you know what they say, don’t you, Togata? Fifty times no and one yes, means yes.’
‘Or perhaps you could should stop humiliating yourself any further,’ came the annoyed yet timid voice of Tamaki. ‘She’s clearly not interested.’
But Shimada brushed Mirio’s hand off. Not feeling threatened by the two teens who stood amongst the lower ranked students of the hero course. So why would he feel threatened?
‘You clearly have a thing or two to learn if that’s what you think.’ His golden gaze held a challenge as he looked at Mirio as he spoke. ‘Chicks like Midoriya like to play hard to get-‘ Ichika scoffed at this, ‘- so you need to be persistant.’
‘I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for the advice, Shimada.’ Mirio gave him a smile and a thumbs up, before walking towards the two girls to greet them.
Tamaki did the same, minus the friendly reply or acknowledgement. Instead he simply shuffled after Mirio. His moment of bravery already gone.
‘Thanks you guys,’ Ichika mumbled in exasperation. ‘He just can’t seem to take no for an answer.’
Closing her eyes to calm herself down, she took a deep breath, before letting it out. When she opened her eyes again after calming down, she greeted the boys properly. Pulling Tamaki in for a friendly hug, which in turn turned the teen red-faced. With a giggle, Ichika released him and turned to Mirio for a hug. 
It was when she pulled back, that she noticed something was different about him. His shoulders were broad, but he had trained real hard during their first year, so nothing different about that. He hadn't grown either. No, it was something entirely different, that caught her eye.
'What did you do to your hair?'
The blond usually had his bangs covering his brows, yet now he sported some kind of cow-lick hairstyle. Though the biggest change was the fact that he had cut his long hair. When they had met over a year ago, he wore a low ponytail which he kept growing throughout the year. But now he had chopped it all off! But why?
'Oh, I had it cut,' Mirio answered her as he rubbed the back of his head. 'For my hero costume.'
'Oh! Oh! That's right,' Nejire cut in as she too noticed the teen his new haircut. 'Your current one keeps falling off, right? Right? So won't that, like, keep happening?'
'Haha, yeah,' Mirio laughed. 'That's usually the case, isn't it? But Power Loader said he could make something more fit for my quirk if the material actually contained my DNA.'
'Oh, I see! Your permeation only works on you.' Mirio nodded in confirmation. 'Your quirk is a transformation-type, right? So only your body can phase through things, seeing as nothing else can do so. So if your hero outfit is made from fibers of your own hair, you think you can phase through physical matter without getting… Well, you know, naked?'
As soon as the words left her lips, her thoughts drifted to the exposed - and exceptionally fit - body of the teen. The thought bringing a blush to her cheeks.
'Yeah! That's the idea!' The blond smiled excitedly, pumping his fists in the air. 'Wouldn't it be great if I could actually use my quirk without embarrassing myself?'
'It makes sparring against you so much easier,' Ichika mused as she linked her arm with Mirio and Nejire, with Tamaki shuffling next to the latter. 'But don't think you can test it out on me.'
'She's right,' Tamaki mumbled in agreement. His face not even once looking up from the ground. 'Her virgin eyes probably won't be able to handle seeing your naked body for much longer.'
The three others stared at the usual quiet boy. Tamaki Amajiki was, as Nejire often called him, a shy kitten. He didn't do well in crowds and even with just the four of them he liked to keep to himself. Only speaking when he thought it to be necessary. So the roast he had just fired at his female friend had come out of nowhere.
Then Ichika's face flushed red as her other two friends broke down in laughter. Flustered, though amused at his comment, Ichika hid her face as she shouted out.
'Tamaki!'