The Last Curse
21% Delirious
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"I made it."
They said it couldn't have been done. They said he'd flop, then end up as an average nobody working a dead-end job, or fall even further and grow up like those loathsome zombies prowling Kensington. But they weren't here. They were back in Phillie, barely scraping by in roach-infested apartments, snacking on government-issued crackers and cheese. But him? He was here. Standing in front of the world's greatest high school. And all because of his hard work.
Of course, it wasn't easy. Well, Isiah knew that was a lie. It was a fucking breeze. The written exam was no more challenging than filling up a permission slip. He could've done it with his eyes closed. And those essays? The ones with those "hard-hitting" questions about why you want to become a hero? or "How do you think you can make a change?" Easy. He wrote the generic, "To inspire others into following my path!" and "To make others feel more comfortable with themselves!"
Even thinking about it now made him chuckle. As if anyone wanted to become a hero because of that starry-eyed bullshit?
On the other hand, the practical exam, he had to admit, was challenging. Not in the "Test your skill!" kind of way he was used to. It was the "Everyone is against you." type of challenge. The ones he hated the most.
Isiah could still remember the day of the exam now. He was off by himself, stretching his limbs, keeping himself limber, and making sure his quirk was still functioning before he noticed them. Applicants, hundreds of them, all standing around, chatting, laughing, judging... staring. Staring at him, he knew. Because he was the "butter boy." Because they knew his quirk was horrible. But that didn't last. They weren't staring when he sent that robot into orbit. They weren't gossiping when he slipped past them, claiming their points before their "better" quirks could even get a dent in.
And they certainly weren't laughing now; when they were sent home crying, distraught at their incompetence. While he was here. Stronger. Faster. Better.
His parents would be so proud.
He should send them a picture. A nice little selfie in front of the gates just to prove it all wasn't a waste. That all that work did pay off. "Yeah..." Isiah thought, sliding his phone out of his pocket and angling the camera at his grinning face. As he saw himself on the screen, he thought about adding a caption. Maybe a simple "thank you"? Or something like, "First day in U.A! Love you, Mom & Dad!"
It all sounded great until he really thought about it. Why would he send something so childish like that? He was sixteen years old - he couldn't send them that middle-schooler type shit! And besides, it must've been late back in Philadephia; they were probably at work. So they wouldn't see it. And if they did, they probably would be too tired to care. And now that he got a good look at himself, his hair didn't look that great. And his smile was crooked. And he'd look like a total ass just standing here, smiling. And he had to get to class.
His grin twisting into a frown, Isiah slid the phone back into his pocket and hurried through the gates. He shouldn't be wasting his time.
- - - - - - - -
On the way to class, Isiah was already thinking of his game plan for the school year. High school was a nightmare, so he heard, so he had to keep a good strategy.
First, he had to befriend the quiet kids. They were always the easiest to get close to and the most loyal. They wouldn't care if he messed up, not unlike the popular kids. That's where he needed to be perfect. They'd chew him up and spit him out if he hadn't made it clear he was equal. He had to prove himself to them.
But that wouldn't be hard. All he had to do was say the right words, give the right smile, show the right moves, repeat for three years, and he'd be out of here a hero—a popular, fantastic superhero.
The thought sounded so great; Isiah hadn't noticed he'd walked right into the middle of class. The wide, proud grin fell from his face as he saw he was the only one unseated. And everyone was already talking. And his teacher was the Maestro Hero!
Shit.
He felt absolutely mortified. He could feel their eyes bore into him. Studying him. Making assumptions. Making correct assumptions. How could he have been so stupid? First impressions were everything in school - even more so in Japan - and he'd already tarnished his! He had to find a way to salvage this. Put away the "lesser" thoughts where they belonged. Bring out the better Isiah.
Taking a deep breath, Isiah regarded Junji with a slight bow of his head, "Sorry about that, Teach. I just got a little lost, is all." He shrugged apologetically and managed a small smile, "Won't happen again, I promise."
"Easy!" He thought triumphantly as he strolled to a free seat and plopped down his bag, taking a moment to survey his classmates. They were wild. First of all, there was the giant rat - of which he was sure he'd seen crawling down in the New York subways -some sheep-goat-whatever girl, another girl that brought her witch cosplay to school, and another dressed as an android, two guys over by the windows clearly interested in each other, one in the back trying to hide in their phone while another guy loomed over him, a guy literally made of metal, another with bands of water around his arms, and then one girl who looked like she liked karate a bit too much, and the guy in the back who looked like he wanted to die, and then the girl who looked way too much like a vampire, and then the other one who looked the most normal in the class, and then the...
Isiah could feel his brain frying. He'd meet and greet them later. He should start small and strike up a quick little chat with someone nearby. Someone like the girl next to him.
"Sup," He greeted Chiyo, flashing her the faintest smile. She looked exactly like the type of kid he needed to befriend. Quiet, miserable, and probably just as terrified as he was. "Me too, Quiet kid. Me too," Isiah thought, reclining in his seat. "Are you tired?" He asked cheekily, "Or is that a bit of 'existential-dread', I see?"