Bang
"Girl, that test was so hard." A green-haired girl with yellow snake eyes standing in line, feigned falling. Leaning against her friend as she dramatically pressed her wrist to her forehead.
Her friend rolled her eyes as she playfully pushed her off.
"I know, I barely finished in time."
Bang
A big kid standing in line watched dreamily as Lunch Rush made their food. "Man, I'm so hungry."
Next to him, another kid nervously rubbed the back of his head, blinking his eyes closed vertically.
"Yeah, thank God I'm not taking the Practical. I don't know if I would have been able to even think about eating."
Bang
Bang
Bang
Alex heard all of this and more as people milled around the cafeteria with their friends. Their constant chatter filled his ears like sand. Most of it sounded like babble to him. His ears only making out a few conversations closet to him.
But none of that mattered right now.
Bang
Sitting by himself at one of the front tables, Alex slammed his head down again.
Bang
Underneath his forehead, the hard metal table, made by U.A.'s very own Support Course and highly praised for its durability, started denting under repeated blows from his skull.
Across from him, a group of kids stared at him with wide eyes. They had pulled some chairs out thinking about sitting with Alex, but now they weren't so sure. Slowly pushing their chairs back, they quickly fled to another table.
Alex, not even noticing them, just groaned.
His head was killing him.
He'd had this headache since the test began, and it hadn't gone away since. In fact, it's gotten worse.
This wasn't like those sinus or allergy headaches; no, this was one of those pounding, kill-me-now headaches. He could feel his temples throbbing like there were massive war drums beating inside his skull.
Taking a second, Alex rested against the cool metal. It didn't help, of course, but it sure felt nice. Though, slightly lifting his head, Alex glared out across the cafeteria; it wasn't the only thing not helping
Testing had finished a little while ago. After collecting all their test booklets, the administrator reminded everyone that the cafeteria was now open and free to anyone wanting it. So naturally, everyone went.
Free food prepared by a Pro Hero- who could refuse that? Even if none of them passed, just getting to say that you ate food personally made by Lunch Rush would make anyone's day.
So here they all were. Talking, laughing, eating with their friends. Making his headache all that much worse.
And it's not like he can leave; he wants food too goddamit. He- He just has to gather his thoughts first. His mind was stuck on something, something bigger than this pain in his head.
The last thing the administrator said to them before he let them go. He thanked them for taking the Business and General Course Exam.
Bang
Alex slammed his head on the table again, denting it even further.
The Business and General Course Exam!
Oh, why? Why didn't he do more research before applying? The written exam was only for Business or General Studies courses. Not the Hero course.
The Hero course doesn't even have a written portion.
You can just send in your scores from middle school, and that's good enough. People applying for the Hero course only apply for the written exam as a fallback. Just in case they don't pass the practical.
Stupid Japan and their stupid education system. What kind of country doesn't have a hero portion to their written exam? America has a written portion; Russia has a written portion.
For years, Alex studied procedures, laws, medical care. Poured over hundreds of recommended books, took every recommended class given by the school. All for the American Hero Entrance Exams.
The hero portion of the written exam is supposed to be the most integral part of the entire exam. The supporting pillar on which your entire academic journey is based. The Mt. Everest of the exam, blocking all who wish to traverse it.
Testing not only your academic knowledge but also acting as a sort of psych eval, one that cuts out a decent portion of candidates before they even put a single toe in class. Otherwise you'd get a whole lot of loons and jackasses in the Hero Course.
Like that lovely gentleman that he met out front.
Nothing like that in Japan. Nope, from what he could pick up on his phone, they'll accept just about anyone as long as they get a decent score on this mysterious practical.
Man, their middle schools don't even teach Rescue and Revocery. No basic first aid, nothing on what to do when there's a fire, or a collapsed building. Nothing on natural disasters or how to save someone that's drowning.
Hell, apparently it's not even a required subject here. In America, first responder classes are offered as early as 5th grade and become one of the core subjects in high school alongside math and science.
Here they treat it almost like an entirely separate career path. With only a few lectures scheduled throughout the year and maybe one or two practical lessons.
"Argh!" Alex lifted his head and screamed. Scaring a few people in the cafeteria as he pulled on his ears.
He couldn't believe he'd just wasted two hours of his life taking a test he didn't even need to take. If he knew that he only needed to turn in his old test scores, he wouldn't have even bothered with the written portion.
How did this even happen? He knew that he wasn't the best at checking things over, but that's why he asked Ryuko for help-
Alec's eyes widened. Inside his head, it was like a lightbulb shattered in a blast of electricity.
Ryuko!
She was the one to overlook his admission application. She was the one who helped him fill out everything online. She told him the times to be here. She did this. She tricked him. This…was all part of her punishment.
Bang
Alex slammed his head back onto the table. His face sinking into the metal with ease.
Goddammit. He can't even be mad about it. She got him good.
"Hey man, you ok?"
Lazily lifting his head, Alex looked over the rim of his glasses. Wondering just who was interrupting his well-deserved wallowing.
There, standing right across the table, was a punk rock girl with long earlobes, her eyebrow raised as she looked him over. With that leather choker around her neck and a mess of spiked leather and chains around her wrist, she looked like your everyday stereotypical rocker chick.
Holding a tray of food in both hands, both of her eyebrows shot up when she saw the indentation of his face on the table.
"Whoa." Her earlobes rose a bit, showing jack-like studs at the end. "You good guy?"
Rolling his eyes, Alex slammed his head back onto the table. He wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone right now.
"Ok, whatever. Look, can you keep it down? We're all nervous about our scores, but some people have sensitive hearing. And stop slamming your head on the table like a crazy person; you're gonna hurt yourself."
Keeping his head down, Alex lifted his hand, giving her the finger. Only to feel a sharp pain coming from his head.
"Ack!" Alex shot up.
The girl glared down at him. One of her earjacks had extended and jammed itself into the top of his head. It felt like one of those prank gum tasers that you'd shock your friends with.
"Jerk." Before he could do anything, she was already walking away. Flipping him off over her shoulder as she went.
Alex grumbled, rubbing the top of his head as he watched her leave. What the hell was her problem? What kind of crazy person just attacks someone for no reason?
Whatever, he's probably never gonna see her again anyway.
Anyway, what was he doing? Oh yeah, that's right. Ryuko.
Alex sighed. Normally, if someone did something like that to him, he'd be trying to get them back. Maybe with a prank, maybe by punching them in the face. Either way, he'd get even.
But he can't do that this time. For one, he's living at her place. Rumi might share the rent with her, but that didn't mean she'd stand up for him if Ryuko ever decided to kick him out. Hell, she'd kick him to the curb herself if she could.
And second- well, he kind of deserved it. And if nothing else, Alex wasn't the kind of person who couldn't take their licks when they earned them.
…Oh, well. Nothing he can do about it. It's already done; nothing else to do but move on.
And maybe get some free food while he's at it.
Alex looked at the clock above the main door. 11:40. He's got about twenty minutes before lunch ends, might as well make the most of it.
Getting up, Alex cracked his neck, going over the numbers; he quickly did the math in his head.
Ok, let's see, it's been ten minutes since testing finished. And seeing how it takes less than ten minutes to get from the classrooms to here, it's fair to say that this is everyone staying for lunch. That also means that the lunch line is currently at max capacity, with what looks like 50-75 kids still waiting for their food.
Typical wait time for a line this long would be about… another ten to fifteen minutes, give or take. Depending on how fast everyone in line moves, gets their food, and pays for it.
Normally, that would mean anyone at the end of the line would only have like five to ten minutes to eat, change if they needed to, and get to the auditorium for the practical.
Luckily, Lunch Rush is not only a Pro Hero, but also a Pro Chef able to knock out twenty orders in less than a minute. That gives him something like 16.30 minutes to eat and get to the auditorium before the doors close and admission for the Practical ends.
Man, that's barely long enough for eight plates of food. Not nearly enough for a full meal. He'll have to get something afterward to tide him over till dinner.
Welp, better get started.