“She says he’d frequent a few bars here and there, and that all he ever did was brag about being a big shot while harassing some of the girls.

  “Eventually, he ended up here, but the manager had enough of him, so she kicked him out. She then told her to warn the other hostess bars nearby because he was being such a nuisance.” The honey-haired bartender shook her head as she translated her wolf-like colleague’s version of events into English. “But after he left, she also heard that he went to Musutafu and bothered the girls over there. Sorry, but that’s all she knows, so I don’t know what else to tell you.”

  Juno nodded, while Leya thanked them for their time, before they both turned to leave. As they exited the doors, the younger sister let out a curse. This was their third hostess bar, and their late night excursion to gather more information was slowly proving to be unsuccessful. But at least they could confirm what kind of person the bald man was. It was a shame they couldn’t do more with this information.

  The two stepped aside, as a pretty woman with jet-black hair, and simple dark winter clothes, walked past them to enter the building they had just left. Whether it was because of her Keen Senses, her jetlag, or perhaps a mixture of the two, Leya winced as the streetlights flickered in the woman’s eyes. The light reflecting and refracting in the molten glass that filled her eye sockets was so harsh that Leya couldn’t help but turn away.

  She rubbed her eyes, cursing again once the lady was out of earshot. The last thing she wanted was to be reminded of her fatigue on top of tonight’s failure. She clenched her teeth as she thought about the next step forward. But her mind was blank. What were they going to do now?

  Juno placed her hand on Leya’s shoulder. “It’s alright,” she signed. “We knew this wasn’t going to be easy. But at least we can confirm he was in Musutafu. Maybe we’ll find something there.” She offered a reassuring smile, encouraging a sense of calm to wash over Leya. She was right. It wasn’t over yet.

  The two made their way back to the bed-and-breakfast, only to arrive at the same time as Zero, who held bags of takeout in her hands. She shared a smile as the two came into view.

  “Oh, you’re back already?” said Zero as she pushed open the front door. They all exchanged quick greetings before filing into the kitchen-living room area. Zero placed her bags down on the kitchen counter, before turning to continue. “How was it?”

  Leya groaned in frustration, while Juno filled her in.

  Zero nodded, humming with acknowledgement as she took the information in. “Well, it could be worse. But at least there’s another source telling us he was in Musutafu,” said Zero, recollecting the nightlife pictures from social media that Archie had scavenged. “I’ll see if I can push us to move there ASAP.”

  The two agreed, shedding their coats as Zero updated them with a quick rundown of projects her label wanted her to complete now that she had arrived in Japan. While it wasn’t ideal to direct her attention elsewhere, she couldn’t neglect her work as a musician if she didn’t want to rouse any suspicion. But all of that could be tackled another day.

  The three sisters settled down, preparing the small dining table for their first meal in Japan—a warm bowl of gyudon. The idea of stuffing their bellies with hot, steaming rice and thin slices of sweet and salty beef hastened their footsteps. But as they gathered around, the empty chair next to them left an unsavoury taste in their mouths.

  Zero reached for her phone, while the other two filled her in on Scarlett’s pursuit for snacks. As she listened, their words couldn’t quell the small tug of unease pulling at her. Scarlett hadn’t gotten lost, had she?

  She quickly typed a message, asking Scarlett if she needed to be picked up. But as her fingers clicked send, the front door opened, revealing a haggard dark-haired girl carrying a white carrier bag.

  “You’re finally back, then,” Leya called from the dining table. “We were about to send a search party ‘cause you took too long.”

  “Sorry, I got held up.” Scarlett yawned, placing the bag down near the dining table, before gazing at the food in front of her, her mouth salivating at the sight. “What takeout did you guys get?”

  Hurrying to remove her coat, Scarlett took her seat, while Zero began explaining the dish, going into great detail about the history of gyudon and why she added it to the list of things to try while they stayed in Japan. But being no stranger to Zero’s long-winded expositions, Leya ignored her, tucking in before the rice beef bowl had gotten cold.

  Juno shook her head, silently chuckling to herself, before a pink box inside the bag Scarlett was carrying caught her eye. She shifted her attention to the cute bunny character on the box, before noting the other colourful packaging that filled the snack bag. A small frown settled on her face as she assessed the contents a little more. Most of the chocolates and crisps had been opened and eaten.

  Juno grabbed an empty wrapper and placed it near Scarlett. “I thought I said not to spoil your appetite.”

  “I didn’t.” Scarlett spoke midway through chewing a spoonful of rice.

  “You didn’t?” Zero got up and looked inside the carrier bag, taking out some more empty snack packets, before sharing a curious look at Scarlett.

  “Oi, there better be something left for me to try.”

  “There is. I left some for all of you,” Scarlett avoided eye contact, shovelling more food into her mouth. The older sisters eyed their youngest; their gaze wearing down Scarlett’s resolve.

  “What?” Scarlett said through another mouthful of rice. “It was an emergency.” She internally recoiled as soon as the words left her lips. The look on her sisters’ faces twisting into a concerned expression tightened her chest.

  “Emergency?” Zero tensed up. “What do you mean? What emergency?”

  Scarlett grimaced. As much as she hated worrying them, it wasn’t like she was going to hide what had happened this evening from them. The consequences of doing so would only result in increasing their problems, and they already had so much on their plates.

  But Scarlett had hoped to let them know after they had eaten and gotten over their jetlag a little more. At least then their emotions wouldn’t be as heightened and they would be less likely to overreact. But considering everything that had transpired tonight, Scarlett had probably used up all her luck today.

  She sighed a little before asking everyone to settle down, beckoning them to continue eating as she recounted the events that unfolded during her little outing. As the words left her lips, a small part of her wasn’t sure if they would believe her as she almost didn’t believe it herself. But they all nodded their heads and asked questions when they needed further elaboration.

  And when they pressed her about why she ate all the snacks, Scarlett justified her actions explaining she had used her Quirk too much and needed to replenish her lost calories; otherwise, she would have repeated what happened during Halloween a few years ago and passed out on the streets. It seemed to have appeased Leya’s discontent about the missing treats, while the other two looked like they still needed convincing.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  “And you think this…Principal Nezu will keep everything a secret?” Zero frowned, not noticing Leya reaching across the table to grab her phone.

  “I mean, he did help when the police were questioning me,” answered Scarlett.

  “And he definitely asked you to join his school—U.A. was it?” prodded Leya, unlocking Zero’s phone. Scarlett simply nodded in response.

  But that only caused Zero’s frown to deepen. There was something too good to be true about this. Or was she simply being paranoid? She had met her fair share of eccentric figures throughout her work as a Pro Hero, and maybe he was one of them. But in this instance, the person in question wasn’t even a person. Was it fair to judge him the same as everyone else? Zero rubbed her forehead. What animal was he supposed to be again?

  “Whoa, this looks legit!” Leya exclaimed, as Zero finally registered her phone in Leya’s hand. She took the device, causing the feline teen to call out. “Hey!”

  “You have your own phone.”

  “Yeah, but I don’t wanna go to my room and get it.”

  Zero refused to glare at her, instead focusing her attention to the webpage Leya had opened. Her eyes widened as a large headline filled half the phone screen.

  ‘Top of the Class: U.A.’s Heroics Department Tops Japan’s School Rankings Again.’

  It was an article published a few months ago, with a picture of the principal that matched the description Scarlett had given. Zero furrowed her brows as she continued to read.

  ‘As the annual rankings for schools are released in Japan, it appears that no other institute is able to match the excellence of U.A. High School with regards to its Hero Course. Renowned for producing multiple Pro Heroes who rank in the top 10 of the Hero Billboard Chart JP, U.A. High School has carved its name as one of the most prestigious schools in the country.

  ‘But how have they managed to achieve such consistent success?

  ‘The school principal comments that their rigorous training and their innovative curriculum, as well as the dedication and talent of their students, are the sole reasons behind this…’

  She stared at her phone, silently mouthing the words to help process the information in front of her. She had heard of acclaimed schools all over the world, but never paid much attention to them. And why would she? It wasn’t like she, or anyone else she knew, were going to study abroad. And with her and her sisters being homeschooled their entire lives, it wasn’t something she ever considered looking into either.

  She scrolled back to search for more information about the school. But everything she could find seemed to measure up with the article’s claims. Zero bit her lip as the situation sunk in.

  U.A. High School, one of the best academies for training Pro Heroes, had scouted her baby sister after she got caught up with helping the principal with his Hero duties. She gently shook her head. This was not part of her itinerary for their stay in Japan.

  She handed the phone to Juno, who was patiently waiting to read what all the fuss was about. With one sister on each side, Scarlett and Leya leaned over Juno’s shoulders to also examine the details on the phone screen. But as the three of them absorbed the information, Zero took a moment to chew on her thoughts.

  As grateful as she was, there had to be another reason behind this Nezu figure helping to hide the full extent of Scarlett’s involvement. Why else would a principal of an esteemed Hero Academy not adhere to the law? Was it because he thought he was above them after all U.A. had achieved over the years?

  Or perhaps he was more interested in Scarlett’s Quirk and wanted her to apply to U.A. without any issues? I mean, it is quite a versatile Quirk and seeing what the school has accomplished with their students, he must have figured out that much, right?

  But from how Scarlett spoke about the situation, it didn’t seem like he held himself in extremely high regard, nor was he pressuring her to join. He just didn’t want her punishment to be too severe. And from the look of things, he got his way.

  So, if it wasn’t for these reasons, then why would he do such a thing?

  Zero pressed her lips together. She was thinking in circles. And ignoring an important aspect of the situation—Scarlett.

  She glanced up, noting the subtle frown on Scarlett’s face as she finished skimming the information in front of her. “So, what do you think, Scarlett? Do you want to go to U.A.?”

  She knew the answer, but she still had to ask. She could spend the whole evening ‘umming’ and ‘ahhing’ about Nezu’s hidden agenda, but none of that would be much help to them. But if she could confirm what Scarlett wanted, that could push them towards a goal. But only until she could figure out the truth.

  Scarlett crossed her arms, casting her gaze towards the floor. “I’d rather not.” Her voice was quiet. “I mean, I don’t want to be a Hero, so it wouldn’t make any sense for me to apply.”

  Zero shared a supportive smile. “Alright, that’s one thing settled—”

  “—Hang on,” signed Juno, after handing the phone to Leya who was still reading. “What about their General Education Course?”

  Zero raised an eyebrow. “General Education?”

  Juno nodded. “Yeah, there are other school departments, but those are still centred around different aspects of heroics. But the General Education Department might be something worth looking into.”

  Zero held a pensive expression. That was an option. And a good one too. In fact, having Scarlett go to any school would be nice. Everyone would be able to direct their full attention to the investigation. And as long as the schoolwork wasn’t too overwhelming, it could keep Scarlett preoccupied instead of involving herself when she shouldn’t have to. Maybe, she’ll make some new friends too.

  Zero relaxed her posture. “What about going to General Education, then?”

  Scarlett furrowed her brows, twirling one end of the frayed bandages between her fingers as Zero’s question weighed on her. But the corners of her mouth turned down as she found her answer. “It’s still a Hero School,” she said. “I’m sure the General Department will still teach some Hero stuff.”

  “That could be true,” replied Juno. “But let’s not make a decision based on an assumption.” She turned to Leya. “Leya, if you could—”

  “—Already on it,” she answered, taking a moment or two before presenting the phone screen to everyone. “It’s their online prospectus and from the looks of it, the department is all about getting students into good unis. They even claim they’re one of the best in the country to do so.”

  “Well, if that’s the case, I definitely shouldn’t apply.”

  “Why?” challenged Juno. “Dr. Snapdragon said you stayed on top of all your schoolwork during your time at the hospital. And I remember some of the staff telling me you were excelling in your studies too.”

  Scarlett’s cheeks matched her name. She thought back to her time at the hospital and how she didn’t want her sisters to worry too much about her, so she put all her effort into her studies. It was a taxing process, demanding so much of her while she recovered. But the look of pride on their faces made it worthwhile. However, keeping up with her schoolwork was nothing compared to meeting the standards to get into an academy like U.A.

  Scarlett’s gaze returned to the ground. “But that doesn’t mean my grades are enough to get in.”

  “You don’t know that until you try.” Juno shared a warm smile, melting the frown on Scarlett’s face. “I mean, yeah, from the quick look online, it’s clear their education is top-notch, so their expectations for students are going to be high. But if you live a life with no ambition, you’ll miss so many cool opportunities. Just imagine what you could do if you went.”

  Scarlett continued to look at the floor. If she was completely honest, it wasn’t appealing in the slightest. Joining an esteemed school sounded stressful. And with the added pressure to meet everyone’s expectations, she couldn’t help but want to avoid it.

  But Juno’s words pulled at something inside her.

  She thought back to her conversation with Leya at the park near their house in London. She told her she had no plans. And it was true. She had no idea what she was going to do after being released from the hospital. And tonight, she was confronted with the frustration of being purposeless when Nezu left her alone at the clock tower.

  But maybe it didn’t have to be like that anymore.

  A weight that persistently pressed down on her chest began to loosen its grip.

  “Alright.” Scarlett looked up. “I’ll go to school. But no Hero Schools. I don’t want to go to U.A.”