Hey sorry about the rough previous chapter I posted that while half awake and forgot to edit it my bad. here's the next one hop you enjoy
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Chapter 5: Commons Chaos
An hour later, the parents had all trickled out—hugs, last-minute advice, and teary goodbyes echoing down the halls until the dorm fell into a more relaxed hum. Cid's room was already settled, but his stomach wasn't. He headed downstairs to the shared commons area on the first floor, figuring he could grab something quick from the kitchen and head back up before anyone noticed him.
The commons was a large open space—couches, tables, a big TV, and a kitchenette stocked with basics for the combined 1-A and 1-B students. It was already buzzing with people mingling: laughter from one corner where a pink-skinned girl was telling a story, quiet chats at the tables, a few guys playing cards. Everyone getting to know each other like it was the easiest thing in the world.
Cid paused at the doorway, visible eye scanning the room lazily. Too many people. Too much energy. He wasn't exactly the social type; social stuff always felt like more effort than it was worth. *Okay, game plan: slip in, make a sandwich from the stuff in the fridge, retreat to my room. Simple.*
He started across the room, hands in his hoodie pockets, head down.
Then he bumped right into someone.
"Watch it!" The voice was sharp, dramatic, and way too loud. Cid looked up to see a blonde-haired boy with sharp features and a smug grin, rubbing his shoulder like he'd been attacked. Neito Monoma—Cid didn't know his name yet, but the vibe screamed superiority complex.
Monoma's eyes narrowed, sizing Cid up in half a second—the eyepatch, the lazy posture, the quiet demeanor. Easy target, or so he thought.
"Oh? One of those 1-A elites, I assume? Thinking you can just stroll through here like you own the place? Typical. You 1-A types always act so superior, strutting around with your flashy Quirks and savior complexes, as if the rest of us in 1-B aren't just as capable—no, superior in every way! We all know 1-A's nothing but a bunch of overrated—"
The spiel kept going, Monoma's voice rising with each word, arms gesturing wildly like he was on stage. Heads turned. Conversations paused. The whole room was watching now, a mix of amusement, annoyance, and second-hand embarrassment rippling through the crowd.
Cid just stood there, half-lidded eye staring blankly. The noise was starting to annoy him like a mosquito buzzing in his ear. He wasn't mad. Just… done. *Enough of this.*
Without a word, Cid decided he was done with this—and all of a sudden—
Monoma shrank.
One second he was normal height, mid-rant. The next, he was two inches tall, voice now a tiny squeak that carried maybe a foot. He wobbled on the floor, looking up in shock as his clothes shrank with him.
The room went dead silent.
Cid bent down, picked Monoma up gently between thumb and forefinger, and set him on the kitchen counter like a misplaced action figure.
"You're in time out," Cid said in his usual flat, "I'm so done with this" tone. "Go sit in the corner and think about what you've done."
Monoma squeaked indignantly, tiny arms waving, but no one could hear the words anymore. He stomped over to the corner of the counter, still gesturing wildly, but the effect was more cute than threatening.
The room erupted—laughs, gasps, a few claps. The pink-skinned girl (Mina, Cid would learn later) burst out cackling. "Oh man, that was gold! That loudmouth just got put in time out!"
Cid didn't stick around for the fallout. He grabbed his sandwich from the fridge, gave the room one last lazy glance, and headed back toward the stairs like nothing had happened.
Cid had just turned toward the stairs, sandwich in hand, when a calm, polite voice cut through the lingering laughter.
"Um… excuse me, Kageno-kun?"
Momo Yaoyorozu stepped forward from the edge of the crowd, hands clasped neatly in front of her, expression gentle and apologetic. She looked every bit the peacemaker—poised, sweet, and clearly trying to keep the new dorm from exploding on day one.
"I'm sorry about… that," she said softly, glancing at the still-red-faced Monoma on the counter. "He was a bit out of line. But shrinking him might have been a bit much for a first impression." Her voice stayed kind, almost coaxing, like she was diffusing a situation she'd just witnessed. "Could you please return him to normal size? I'd really appreciate it."
Cid stopped. He stared at her for a second, visible eye half-lidded, sandwich halfway to his mouth. A low grumble escaped him—the sound of someone who just wanted to eat in peace.
"…Fine."
He didn't even look at the counter. Just a lazy mental flick.
Monoma popped back to full size with a startled yelp, landing on his feet and immediately smoothing his uniform like nothing had happened. His face was bright red.
Momo gave Cid a warm, grateful smile. "Thank you so much. That was very understanding of you."
Before he could mumble "whatever" and escape, Momo reached out, gently but firmly took his wrist, and started guiding him toward the big couch area where a cluster of girls from both classes had gathered.
"Come, I'd like you to meet everyone properly," she said sweetly, not giving him room to argue. "It's important we all get along from the start, don't you think?"
Cid let himself be pulled along, too socially drained to fight it. His sandwich dangled forgotten in his free hand.
The group was already watching—most of the girls from 1-A and 1-B had drifted together: Mina Ashido bouncing excitedly, Kyoka Jiro with her earjacks twitching in amusement, Tsuyu Asui tilting her head, Itsuka Kendo standing with her arms crossed and a small grin, and a few others like Yui Kodai and Shiozaki Ibara chatting quietly.
Momo released his wrist only when they reached the group, turning to everyone with a bright, hostess-like smile.
"Everyone, this is Cid Kageno from 1-A. He was the top scorer on the entrance exam, and he just helped me with my piano earlier. Cid-kun, these are—"
Mina immediately jumped in, pink skin practically glowing. "Hi hi hi! That was hilarious!"
Jiro smirked. "Yeah, nice one. That guy's been running his mouth since we got here."
Kendo chuckled. "Welcome to the chaos. We 1-B kids aren't all like him, promise."
Cid gave the group a single lazy nod. His visible eye flicked over them once, taking in the faces without lingering.
"…Hey."
That was all he managed before Mina started rapid-fire questions and the circle closed in a little tighter around him.
Cid sighed through his nose, sandwich still in hand, and resigned himself to at least five more minutes of socializing.
Mina leaned in closer, her acid-pink eyes sparkling with mischief. "So, you're the top scorer, huh? Spill the deets—you seem super chill for someone who just owned Monoma like that. What's your story? You always this laid-back, or is it a hero thing?"
Cid blinked slowly, his free hand still holding the uneaten sandwich. He wasn't used to this much attention all at once. "Uh… always, I guess. Naps are my thing."
Mina laughed, leaning back with a grin. "Naps? I love it! I'm Mina Ashido, by the way. We're gonna need someone like you to balance out all the high-energy types here."
Jiro nodded from the side, earjacks dangling as she gave a small smirk. "Yeah, I'm Kyoka Jiro. The eyepatch is cool—is it for style or for a reason?"
The group relaxed a bit, the questions coming one or two at a time now, like a casual chat rather than an interview. Tsuyu tilted her head. "Ribbit. You seem nice."
Kendo added with a chuckle. "Totally. I'm Itsuka Kendo from 1-B. Again, sorry about Monoma."
Toru bounced up from the side, her floating gloves clapping. "Cid's the best! Super calm under pressure—you should have seen him at the entrance exam. Kinda reminds me of Yui over there; she's quiet and collected with her size stuff too."
Cid shifted his weight, visible eye darting toward the stairs. Too many questions. Too much energy. They kept asking about his hobbies, what he liked to do. He wasn't shy, exactly—just… not built for this. At the mention of Yui, he glanced briefly around the group, spotting a quiet girl among them who hadn't spoken yet. She just gave a soft "Hmm…" and nodded once, her expression neutral, before turning back to her conversation with Shiozaki. He guessed that was the Yui Toru mentioned.
"Uh… reading's fine. Video games sometimes," Cid mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Eyepatch is… Quirk thing. Headache otherwise."
Mina snapped her fingers. "Ooh, mysterious! We gotta hang out more later."
Cid took that as his cue. He stepped back a fraction, sandwich in hand, and gave a lazy nod to the group. "Sounds good. But I'm tired. Gonna sleep. Sorry."
The girls paused, but Momo was the first to recover with a warm smile. "Of course! It's been a long day for everyone. Rest well, Kageno-kun."
Mina waved enthusiastically. "Night! Don't be a stranger tomorrow!"
Jiro gave a thumbs up. "Yeah, good night."
Tsuyu added softly. "Ribbit. Sleep tight."
Kendo chuckled. "Catch you later."
Toru's gloves clapped. "Sweet dreams! Text me if you can't sleep!"
Cid turned with a small wave over his shoulder, already heading for the stairs as the group's chatter picked up again behind him.