MHA: A Cat's Way

Ch 54 Declawrations of War

Since the crowd and probably-Aizawa's-son-or-nephew seem interesting, I get up so that I can be a part of whatever happens. I'm just in time to hear Bakugou explaining to everyone about how the rest of the first year students are here to 'scope out the competition' since we survived a villain attack. Well, most of us, anyways.

Really though, is this short fused blonde serious? Does he really think not dying is an assurance of him becoming a pro in the future...? Or is he just trying to rile them up?

"Move it extras."

...Probably the second one.

"I'd heard that 1-A was impressive, but you just sound like an ass." The purple haired guy comments, which is a pretty accurate assessment so far. "Is everyone in the hero course delusional? Or is it just you?"

*Twitch*

"I'm sad to come here and find a bunch of egomaniacs."

*Twitch*

He continues on to give a speech about how he wanted to be in the hero course, failed, but will get a second chance at the sports festival. "If any of us do well in the Sports Festival, the teachers can decide to transfer us to the hero course. Which means-"

It's now that I interrupt him, a smile on my face showing just how sharp my teeth are. "Which means that they can find nya replacement for our dead classmate."

He freezes, the few in the crowd behind him that were making noise following suit. Everyone I can see in the crowd has shocked looks on their faces.

Did... they not know? It can't be that UA has kept quiet about his death even if they kept a lid on my 'kidnapping'. His parents at least should have caused a commotion about it!

He takes a deep breath, looking uncomfortable but determined. "One spot might not be enough. There are some students from the gen-ed course who have pretty impressive quirks."

Seeming to take that as their cue, one of the girls in the crowd steps forward, and my eyes narrow as my tail puffs slightly. Her face is framed by straight, shoulder length hair a dirty shade of red, though her eyes are a more pure dark red. But what has my lips pulling back in a snarl are the two ears on top of her head that match the tail coming out from behind her.

"As you can see," the unimportant person says, "you're nothing special." The girl glares at me, her own tail puffing up. "Menko could replace you pretty easily." We both step forward, our gazes roaming over the other. I'm a couple inches taller, so I look down at her with narrowed eyes.

"For some, sure, this is sizing you guys up. But for me, this is a declaration of war." Her lips pull back in a snarl, finally taking a stand. To the others, I'm sure that this must seem like the two of us are having our own declarations. But that couldn't be more wrong.

For there to be a challenge, someone has to think they can win. She might have thought she could win when she first walked up, but if she did there's no trace of it now. That's not the snarl of a predator, it's the snarl of desperate, cornered prey.

This kitten isn't challenging me.

She's terrified of me.

She lacks the will to be above me.

"Mrow." I say one word, and just like that her tail curls around her waist and she hunches down, tilting her head to expose the side of her neck to me. My dominance has been established.

I reach out my hand, watching as she tenses further. But she doesn't have to worry anymore. I place a hand on her head, lightly scratching in front of one of her ears. Immediately, she relaxes, pushing her head a bit into my hand as her tail unwraps itself.