Mind Boggled

Chapter 2

Do any of the thoughts in this chapter make you feel needlessly uncomfortable? Read the trigger warnings and the note at the beginning of chapter one, which specifies that there will be no endgame BakuDeku in this book.

Third person pov

Just as Harper had assumed, her parents ended up being ecstatic. She'd never felt them so happy and proud. Sure, they hadn't believed her at first, but a simple glance at the uniform she'd dragged home was enough to turn that around. They signed the papers at the speed of fucking light. It was like they were afraid the opportunity would vanish if they didn't. Harper was just glad it wasn't going to cost her family anything. She knew they'd pay it, but they were roughing it as it was.

Her mom and dad, Akiara and Elijah Rye, were so happy they actually took the time to drive her right up to UA. Normally they were up and off the work before she was even up for school, but this time they'd notified their bosses that they'd be coming in late. It was almost embarrassing. That being said, her not having to take the train this time around was definitely a relief. She didn't fancy being stuck in a metal can that hurtled across Japan with whatever creeps crawled on. Some pretty weird individuals lurked around the terminals. 

Her parents were under the impression that Nezu had taken notice of her just because of her potential, and not because he needed something. That was the only reason the mammalian principal had picked her out of the vast crowd was because she had a quirk he needed. She felt a little guilty as her parents awed over her, their pride evident and radiating. 

UA seemed bigger than it had the day before. Her student ID felt heavy in her hands as she slid out of the car. Awkwardly enough, her parents didn't drive away. They sat there with bright, teary eyes as she tugged uncomfortably tugged at her skirt. She had leggings on under it, but it still made her reasonably uneasy. She should've just said fuck all and worn jeans under it, regardless of how much of a lunatic she'd look. She already looked like a dumpster; there was really no crawling out of the hole she was in.

Taking a deep breath, she strode further. Nobody gave her a second glance as she crossed the gate's threshold. Just like the last time she'd came, nothing happened. No metal gate snapped up at the speed of light to crush her, and nobody called her out for being a poser. That's what she felt like. UA was a prestigious school, and she was... uh, well, she was her. Harper Rye, anti-social fuckwad that nobody seemed to like all that much if their thoughts were anything to go off of. Glancing back one last time at her parent's car, she started forward. God, she regretted this. Why had she agreed?! Life had been shit, but tolerable shit. Of course she'd have to go fuck that up.

Principal Nezu was supposedly waiting for her. She kind of hated that. Not only would it draw attention, but it would draw thoughts as well. This school was far bigger than hers, and half the kids in her previous high school were too stoned to hold coherent thoughts. They mostly drifted in a pleasant fog that was all too easy to block out. Here, she was sure everyone was at least fairly lucid. Not to mention a majority were probably super geniuses, and they always had complex thoughts.

Sure enough, Nezu was waiting for her at the front door to the gargantuan institution. He lit up upon seeing her. Harper didn't react at all, trying not to let his thoughts squeeze through. Of course, they did anyway. How could someone so small have such strong thoughts? His quirk probably didn't help. Complex minds were harder to block out. 

"I believe Miss Rye might be my new favorite human." Nezu thought distantly. Harper was flattered, really. "This traitor will get what's coming to them in no time flat! I'm sure it's only a matter of days before she finds them. Of course, even if she doesn't, that's quite fine. This is UA! There's bound to be some shady things going on. Like that orgy some of the third year teachers held last year in the-"