Carnivore

xii) Subfocatio

THE WORDS WERE GIVEN WITH CONVICTION, a declaration that didn't fail to change the cornerstones of Zinnia's life. She knew it would as soon as those words were uttered, knew it would change so much in her immediate life that the most she could do was remain silent, staring at the bandaged, crippled man as she waited for him to elaborate.

'W-wait..? But my daughter tried to apply, and Yuuei actually failed her.' Kali had spoken through the disbelieving hisses of words her siblings weren't bothering to muffle from outside the room. 'How can you have her transfer in when... when the academy didn't want her before?'

'It's not a case of not wanting your daughter to attend Yuuei, it's simply that given the particular entrance exam contents, she didn't make the mark.' Aizawa explained, sounding rather tired with just that fact alone. 'I myself don't agree with the means that acceptances are awarded. There are students who should be accepted but aren't, and those who are that shouldn't. Clearly, your daughter is in the former.'

Kirishima actually seemed to wince at the remark, and Zinnia found herself wondering if there had been an incident that the boy had suddenly thought of.

'So, then... why now?' Kali couldn't help but ask. 'Why are you only looking at her now, when she's been put here after a--'

'Because there's a cause for it now.' Zinnia chose to cut in over her mother, silencing the building throws of a fit before it could take root. 'Am I wrong, Eraserhead-san?'

'...No.' The mummified man responded. 'In lieu of certain incidents just yesterday, the principal has decided that many security measures will be implemented to protect the students. However, having you join the Hero Course as a student is one of my own suggestion.'

'As a safety-net, I take it?' The bedridden girl surmised. 'You'll have a medically-trained student among your students in case another incident occurs, right?'

'That would be correct.'

'Incidents?!' Kali practically gasped out, struggling with the urge to step closer to voice her confusion more directly. 'What kind of incidents do you want to drag my daughter into?!'

It was that moment that Aizawa turned his attention back to Kali, who looked more than just a little affronted with the turn of the conversation.

'In actuality, there shouldn't be any further incidents beyond the few that have taken place at Yuuei this year.' Aizawa countered, though he didn't deny anything in the least. 'Beyond yesterday's villain attack, most of the incidents are student-caused. Particularly with the group of students I currently have.'

'But there have been villain attacks?' Kali clarified.

'Yes, that's correct--'

'I'm not giving my permission to transfer my daughter into that school if villains are targeting it!' The woman rebuked. 'If it were just a matter of cost, I'd find a way to arrange it, but under no circumstances will I put her in a place where villains will attack her!'

'There would be no fees or costs, considering that we are requesting your daughter attend Yuuei.' Aizawa remarked. 'The principal has already given authorisation that we would wear every cost of sending her to Yuuei. It's a security measure we'd like to implement.'

'It's not a matter of money!' Kali complained.

Aizawa's remark however, caught Zinnia's attention.

Her parents wouldn't be paying school fees for her anymore if she went? Every cost? Uniforms, administration, books and all?

'As I said before, this is simply a just-in-case scenario, Kennedy-san.' Aizawa continued with remarkably more patience than Zinnia had expected, though that might be attributed to the fact that he was horribly injured and just didn't have the energy to raise his voice even the slightest. 'There should be no more villain attacks on our students.'