"And Floor 10 is the cafeteria."
"How's the food here?" I ask with a smile, sight already set on the different options on the screen at one end of the cafeteria.
"If you want it, we can get it." Yoshida explains, guiding me to the kiosk. "You can get any dish you'd like, of course."
"Sweet." I pick out a few Korean dishes and the screen instructs me to sit anywhere I'd like and that it will provide my food within 10 minutes. Yoshida quickly orders after me after I insist that he should eat too.
After finding an empty table, I glance around at the others on the 10th floor. A lot of the people here are much older than me. If I were to guess, most of the scientists were in their 30s with many outliers ranging above and below. Yet, I still see a few younger folk wearing pristine badges on their chests signifying their intern status.
My scans are interrupted as the old man sitting across from me coughs into his fist to gather my attention.
"Orientation began yesterday but I can relay most of what happened." Yoshida explains, tapping his fingers together. "Your schedule is roughly the same as the other interns here, with a few more sessions on hero equipment than usual, since you are the only hero student on the island."
"Sounds like a plan," I reply, eyes lighting up as I see my food arriving.
A small block on wheels drives towards us, expertly navigating through the aisles and the passersby. Rather than a humanoid form, the engineers opted for a small cart like robot with multiple layers and compartments, ensuring each dish is at the right temperature.
The robot stops next to our table and sets itself down with a soft whirl before two arms extend out from its sides, placing our food carefully on our table.
"Very smooth," I mutter. My Quirk activates at full throttle, allowing me to pick apart the robot without anyone knowing. There's not much to see and there isn't much complexity to its wiring, but I still spend some time checking it out. Wouldn't want a hidden bomb blowing up in my face.
Our meal commences with Yoshida telling me that I'd be working closely with David Shield. Apparently, he was the one who had heavily recommended me toward the others, despite me being a hero student.
He continues talking about the various floors that are available to me and how there's a very fancy botanical garden on the 80th floor which we could check out later.
After the lobby and 2nd floor consisting of the Reception Hall, the next couple floors are meant for event spaces and the residential floors begin on the 5th. Well, at least the basic residential spaces are located there. The more well known individuals are granted more privileges, one of which is having better accomadations. Something like a high level residence pass.
Luckily for me, I wouldn't have to worry about those things since I'd be staying at the Golden Globe.
'Golden Globe,' how pretentious. Albeit, their hotel is quite luxurious.
Anyways, following the residential floors is the Cafeteria on the 10th, which was where we're sitting right now. Recreational floors are next with the first being a floor for chatting and grabbing a quick bite, whereas the next few were fully decked out with gyms, simulators, and leisure spaces that felt more like a resort than anything. Yoshida listed them off between small bites, clearly used to the layout by now.
"There's a full training floor with adjustable gravity," he adds casually. "Most Pro Heroes check it out at least once with many including joint exercises."
My chopsticks pause midair. "Adjustable gravity?"
He gives a small nod. "Among other things."
"Above that are the primary research levels. Support labs, prototype testing, R&D for hero equipment. Access depends on clearance, but David tends to pull string when needed."
I hum in acknowledgement, mouth full of food. The bulgogi is dangerously good.
"Any higher and you get onto the more restricted floors." Yoshida explains calmly. "Some scientists even get an entire floor to themselves."
Ah. The beauty of power and influence in full display.
"Now that I think about it, at the end of the week when you have to leave, there'll be a direct passage to Japan. It'll be easy for you to get home that way." The old man continues, taking a sip from his drink. "We need to stop by for some special supplies."
He continues talking about the Central Tower, sometimes branching out to some of the other districts on the island, but I tune most of it out.
My gaze is still on the Guide sitting across from me to make it seem I'm paying attention, but my focus is elsewhere.
Ever since I arrived on the island, a strange feeling has been permeating my body, like some sort of spy. At first, I thought it was because of those twins I saw earlier from my room, but the feeling had yet to fade despite watching them walk away from the window. If anything, the feeling is only getting stronger the longer I'm here.
Could it be a virus? Some sort of pathogen designed to keep visitors in check?
All my attempts at breaching the higher floors turn out unfruitful. They aren't messing around with the security here, which only makes me more curious as to what is causing this eerie feeling.
Whoever or whatever it is, is careful, patient.
Yoshida's voice drifts on, discussing transport routes and access schedules. Each scan using my Quirk on the first ten floors shows nothing.
My gaze drifts to the roof. It's up there. Higher than the recreational floors… higher than the labs?
"Something wrong?" Yoshida asks suddenly, his gaze sharpening a bit.
I blink and force my focus back to him. "Not at all, just… a lot to take in."
He studies me for a second longer than necessary, then nods. "I-Island tends to have that effect on first-timers."
When we finally stand to leave, I glance once more around the cafeteria. All I hear is laughter, quiet arguments, and the clinking of utensils.
Whatever it is, it isn't on Floor 10.
—
[Floor 72, Central Tower]
Yoshida guides me to the 72nd Floor, telling me that Mr. Shield wants to see me.
At first, he asks how I'm feeling since it hasn't been that long since I got off the plane, but I dismiss his concern quickly. The miniscule amount of rest I need can wait.
David Shield is a peculiar individual. Having worked closely with All Might, there's an unmistakeable gravity to this situation.
'Squirmy Fingers.' Despite the odd name, David had used it to great effect when creating costumes and other equipment for All Might all those years ago. Even now, I've heard news of a few heroes with connections to I-Island requesting a costume from the man.
Then there's his daughter. A image from one of the previous Expos flash by my mind from when I was researching David's background. While she didn't inherit her father's Quirk, she's extremely intelligent and is following her dad's footsteps in creating support items for Pros and students alike.
We navigate through a few corridors before ultimately ending up in front of a large reinforced door with Shield's name plastered over it.
With a quick retinal scan, the door swishes open to reveal a wonderfully furnished workshop with gadgets, machinery, and fabrics layered all over the place. Rather than a standardized office, the man of the hour had chosen to transform his part of this floor into a giant working space.
The mess surrounding David Shield—who's glancing intently at some schematics and screens—screams of his intelligence. I can see he's a firm believer in the idea that the messier the room, the greater the creativity. Although, that might just be pertaining to this floor in general, if the peeks into the other open rooms had any influence.
The man standing at a whopping 185cm snaps out of his intense focus upon Yoshida's subtle cough and guides it towards us, at which point his aquatic blue eyes shone with a brightness begetting his age.
"Ah!" He exclaimed, setting down his tools and marching forward with a gentle smile. "If it isn't the boy wonder!"
He extended a large palm to which I quickly obliged, offering him a smile in return. "Apologies for arriving so late, Mr. Shield."
After giving me a firm handshake, he let go and shook his head with a chuckle. "No need to be hung up on tardiness. And call me David, I'm looking to work with a colleague, not a student."
That prompts a subtle smirk to spread across my face as I adjust the mental image I had of him prior to this meeting. Seems like he's a reasonable guy.
"Then call me, Renji, in return." I replied with a short nod.
"Renji, it is."
David suddenly turned to face Yoshida and offered him an apologetic look. "Sorry for forcing you out of retirement, Yoshida."
Yoshida simply replied with shrug, not seemingly too bothered. "Renji's been a delight."
"Speaking of which," David snapped back to me with a curious look. "when did you have the time to learn English?"
"My mother taught me," I explained, keeping my facial expressions calm, "but I've spent the past few years studying languages every now and then."
"Neat, you'll find it easier than most talking to some of the oldheads."
Sensing my unspoken question, Yoshida began, "I'm sure you've noticed that there are a multitude of cultures on the island."
He watched as I nodded in confirmation before continuing. "Well, despite the desperate need for communication in a place like this, some of the older scientists refuse to deviate from their native language. It doesn't help that they've established their own factions over the years too."
I grunted, not really bothered by the information. "That won't be a problem. When I said I'd spent a few years studying, I meant to say that I've learned many more than the average person."
"Exactly how many?" David asked curiously, as was becoming increasingly more familiar as we talked.
"Pretty much all the recognized languages in every recognized nation."
David whistled at my bold words and clapped his hands, prompting the blinds on the far side of the room to slide apart revealing the brilliant sun.
"Yeah, you'll fit right in."
Yoshida's mouth contorted as he seemed unable to grasp the amount of time needed to achieve such a task, even despite his wizened nature.
Eventually his reason caught up and he decided to leave it at that. "Very impressive, Mr. Kanzaki. If that'll be all, I'll be taking my leave."
"Thank you again, Yoshida." David waved goodbye with a warm smile.
"I'll be around if you need me." Yoshida said my way before turning around and exiting the workshop once I nodded back at him.
The door closed with a soft hisk which prompts David to settle into a comfortable looking chair and gestures for me to sit down in another, which was gliding across the room at breakneck speeds to reach me.
After I take a seat, Mr. Shield turns to look at me with his arms crossed over his chest. The brightness in his eyes dim just slightly, more in a display of focus rather than unclarity.
"Before we get any further," he says, voice lowering a notch, "there's something we need to be very clear about."
I subtly shift in my seat to straighten.
"I worked very hard to get you here, Renji." He uncrosses his arms, one hand gesturing vaguely around the workshop, to the island beyond it. "Harder than I've worked for an intern in years."
"You're not a support course student. You're not a researcher with a decade of published paper. You're a hero student." He let the words sit. "And that made your invitation… contentious."
I stay silent, letting him continue.
"There were committees. Votes. Factions concerned about liability, public optics, regulations." A humorless chuckle slipped out. "More than a few people thought bringing a hero-in-training onto I-Island was asking for trouble."
His gaze sharpens, clasping his hands calmly in his lap.
"And because my name is on your access file, because I vouched for you personally, anything you do here reflects on me."
The air feels heavier, like the gravity floor mentioned earlier decided to test me.
"Every restricted door you pass, every prototype you touch, every conversation you're overheard having." He taps a finger at his temple. "People will be watching. Not just you, but me as well."
I nod sharply, already understanding what he meant.
"We'll be working together for most of your stay," he continues in a firm, but not unkind tone. "Which means if you step out of line, it won't be 'that hero kid caused a problem.' It'll be 'David Shield exercised poor judgement.'"
The silence weighed heavy as I analyzed his features, perfectly aware of what was coming next.
"Now," he adds, eyes softening a fraction, "that doesn't mean I regret bringing you here."
"I wouldn't have gone through the trouble if I didn't believe you could handle it." A faint smile returns. "But I need you to understand the weight of this place. I-Island doesn't forgive mistakes easily."
I meet his gaze steadily.
"I didn't come here to play hero, even if that's what my future is shaping up to be," I say calmly. "Or to cause trouble."
At least not any trouble that you'll notice.
"Good," David replies. "Because while I want to treat you like a colleague…"
He leans back in his chair, the metal creaking softly.
"…you're going to have to earn that every single day you're on this island."
The silence settles between us again, almost thick enough that you could taste it. But at the same time, it didn't feel majorly uncomfortable.
It's not in his nature to be this serious.
Suddenly, David rises, claps his hands, and flashes a brilliant smile befitting a scientist.
"Now that the serious part's out of the way," he says, eyes gleaming again, "let's talk about what you can do. Because if I went to bat for you this hard, I fully expect you to make it worth the headache."
I feel a familiar smirk line my face before I can stifle it. Now we're talking.