("Underlined text" is supposed to be read as Sign Language. "Italicized text" is used only for Misaki's Dad's quirk. "Bold Text" is used for messages Misaki types out.)

Chapter Fifteen

That's What You Get

"Are we going to have another tea party?"

"Actually. We're going out into the field today, Stella Nova."

Misaki stared at Hime with a surprised expression. She hadn't expected that to be what they were going to be doing. It had been days of learning how to hold a cup in her hand and hold a conversation damn near at the same time, also while being prepared to fend off an enemy attack out of the blue. She woke up that morning with the same pit in her gut that knew she would be pushing all her efforts onto this ridiculous training. But, then Hime changes direction and tells her something like this instead?

Finally, some action!

Not a bunch of being kicked around a room for not knowing the difference between a type of cutlery. Thank God for that. If she had to stare at a spoon or a fork any longer she thought her brain might explode into little pieces. Clearly, her excitement was written all over her face because Hime giggled at the sight of Misaki's flabbergasted look.

She raised an eyebrow, "What? Did you think that we were going to spend the entire week having fun over some green tea? We could very well do that if that's what you want to do!"

Misaki shook her head. "What? No, of course not!"

Hime nodded at that. She turned her attention back to the door for a moment. There was clearly something or some reason why she had decided to change her plans but Misaki wasn't about to complain or make a fuss. This was all that she wanted to do. She wanted to get out there and make a difference, be able to do something real, tangible. "Alright. You can't learn everything you need just by practicing here. You need to get a small taste of what it's like to be out there. Apply what we've learned together the past few days. I want all of your senses pealed on the scene."

She didn't need to hear anything else.

Misaki rolled down her sleeves and off they went to start the day. For the most part, nothing had happened as they walked around the city. They just took a walk through the streets and gave watch for anything that was out of the ordinary. Most of the time, Hime was on-call with the police department when they needed to take care of something that nobody would cooperative with, and special commissions. She didn't have a lot of time out in the open and handling her own district like that because people with her brand of quirk were crucial in other areas.

When she wasn't on call with cases, she would spend her time patrolling. It was a rarity to see her out and about and to be working with her in this regard was even cooler. She had a very welcome personality. She would smile and wave at anyone that crossed her path, and it was this brand of compassion that lead people to believe that she could never be anything but good.

It was how she handed her mind control quirk to the fullest and because of the way that she held herself, nobody, ever really thought that she would be the type to use her powers for wrong-doings. She had mentioned offhandedly to Misaki while they were training that she was no stranger to discrimination as well as rude people in general just mistreating her for things she couldn't help.

Her smile was wide, taking a cue from All Might's book, and she played up the theatrics just to add an extra little touch of sparkle. She had taken negativity and morphed it into something that was an asset, meaning:

Her weapon was her kindness.

At least, that's what she said it was.

Now, Misaki could understand that in theory, and in practice. She knew she and everyone else that put themselves out into the path of danger to protect the safety of others weren't just going to be treated or held to the same standard as anyone else. Heroes were put on another level, and they had to face scrutiny and other means while they kept doing their duties. She kept that in the back of her head when she was representing herself to the world but that didn't mean that she felt like she should have pushed everything into that.

People will think what they think.

Misaki's determination wasn't to try and change the minds of people who were set in their ways.

She was trying to show everyone young and impressionable that they could be the change that shifts the direction of this world. It was better to recognize differences and then do your best to understand everyone. To hell with those that doubted the ability of others, they could keep thinking what they were thinking until they were proven wrong and fell flat on their faces.

However, this small difference in feelings was what left Misaki and Hime at a tiny disagreement. All the bumps and bruises that Misaki had gotten from trying to follow Hime's lessons were worth of that one. She rubbed at one of those sore spots on her arm as Hime continued to greet passersby every now and again. She rand raised her hand, laughed, giggled, said things like, "Oh it's delightful to hear from the people we protect," or "I hope you're having a good day", and "It's a pleasure to see you again, stay safe".

How she handled all of the people was beyond Misaki.

Misaki didn't exactly click with a lot of people. She did her best and smile and be kind to others, always using her manners and courteous behavior, but it was tedious sometimes. It would sometimes dissolve into people poking fun at her, or doubting her ability. Now, she was getting better about keeping her cool in the face of that, but at the same time, that calm didn't reach her face.

Well, it was just another one of those things, you know?

Her train of thought was broken when someone roughly brushed past the both of them with a bag in tow. It was a classic theft that could be found on the streets of any city in the country, and even despite that simple notion, Hime's lips quirked into a frown as she watched the man take a few steps ahead of them without even a single glance back at who he just knocked into. It was obvious what had happened.

She cracked her knuckles and let out a little laugh. "Oh, I do detest purse-snatchers. They are the worst of the worst lows you can find in the city, but even so, I have to teach them a lesson time and time again."

Misaki looked between Hime and the distance that was growing between them and the thief, she was wondering why Hime wasn't jumping into action yet and was about to give chase herself when Hime lifted her hand to stop Misaki from dashing forwards. "You aren't allowed to use your quirk in public yet, my dear Stellar Nova. Stay calm and watch a pro handle this firsthand."

She was graceful as she walked forward with her hands on her hips. The passing civilians knew who she was already and parted the way as the petty villain stumbled on his feet and scrambled into an alley to try and getaway.

Hime never lost her composure, nor did she run to give chase. She let the thief walk himself into a corner as he panicked, and she only laughed.

The villain had met a dead end and was looking for a way out of there but it was too late. She didn't even have to lift up her harp from her costume for this one, normally she would harmonize a melody with her quirk but for people that were far too easy to pin down, she didn't waste her time. She only leaned forward and her voice echoes throughout the alleyway in some kind of command.

Misaki watched as the villain's eyes shifted from aware to dull in a matter of seconds at the tune of whatever her hero was saying. Hime diffused the situation in seconds. Everyone around was allured by the sound of her voice, and the fact that the villain was surprisingly cooperating with her orders as he dropped the purse from his clutches with darkened eyes and vacant expression.

Hime had mentioned time and time again if she wasn't specific and careful with her words she could infect anyone within earshot.

It had been an issue in her younger days but now she could use her quirk against anyone who could hear her and she did her best to vocalize herself in the right area so that it wouldn't affect every person in the area. People who couldn't hear her voice were the exception to her rule and quirk. Which meant Misaki would never fall victim to her quirk as she had with that kid from general studies who only need a verbal response from someone to get their attention.

When the foe stood there bleary-eyed; That was her opportunity to subdue the man in a flash as he now sits against the sidewalk with his hands in cuffs. She retrieved the stolen object with a thumbs up to the student in training.

"Wow," was all that Misaki could manage.

It hadn't taken a few minutes. It was finished in under sixty seconds and that was that. That had to be some kind of record. She had defused everything without even breaking a sweat. She was a lot stronger then she let people believe she was. It was just hidden underneath that smile and those ruffles. She returned the object to its waiting owner with a smile on her face as the police took care of the petty thief and carted him away.

"All safe and sound, ma'am!" Hime bowed her head.

"Thank you very much, Hime. You're a blessing to our city." The older woman bowed her head gratefully. "I was fortunate you were passing by at this hour otherwise that man might have gotten away."

Hime let out a little laugh. "It's nothing, ma'am. I can't let petty thieves think they're safe from heroes. Now, you take care of the rest of your evening, alright?"

"I will, thank you very much for your dedication. Oh, wait a moment! Is this a new sidekick?" The woman inquired, eyeing Misaki down with speculation. "She looks familiar, oh, could she be from U.A.?"

Hime gave her a polite push from the side. It was a sign to put up a nice and friendly face for the public without kicking around the bush and taking what she learned and applying it to the real deal. "I hope she might consider me as her first choice when she becomes a real pro! However, she's actually an intern for me this week all the way from U.A. Stella Nova, on your feet."

Misaki bowed her head.

A look of recognition crossed the woman's face as she realized who she was. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, she wasn't sure. "Oh, you're that little deaf girl that made to the finals of the sports festival, aren't you? I should have known when I heard your voice. You can't even tell you're deaf at all."

Misaki felt a pit in her stomach and opened her mouth but then closed it when Hime sent her a warning look.

"Thank you," She said instead of what she wanted to say. Normally she was a lot better at watching her mouth and being a perfect student, but lately, she just had been pushed to the edge. She couldn't exactly blame that on Bakugou, but really, she had only been reaching out to others in such ill mirth ever since she had come into contact with him.

"You're very welcome. Oh, look at the time," the woman glanced at her phone that she recovered from her purse. "I need to get going but you two dearies stay safe on your patrol!"

After that little encounter was over and they finished the rest of their patrol, they returned to headquarters yawning at the sight of the street lights and the moon up above just beginning to reach its highest point. It wasn't as exciting and nothing really happened. It was to be expected since the other half of this district was covered by Best Jeanist, and he was one of the reasons the streets were as damn clean as they were. He was as meticulous as he was... erm, polite. He was spending more time working on rowdy boys than anything these days.

That's what Bakugou had said.

All and all, everything had gone very well for their first night.

Hime looked squarely in her eyes once they were behind closed doors with a smile. "You almost said the wrong thing back there. But I'm glad you didn't. You kept your composure and that's exactly what I've been trying to teach you to do." She said.

Her shoulders were slumped forward as she looked over at the woman.

"How do you do it? How do you manage to keep smiling in spite of comments that sting?" Misaki asked.

Hime glanced out of the window for a brief moment and then back at Misaki. It was a somber and sad look that was reflected in Misaki's grey eyes. She very well knew what she meant, and although it wasn't much to say it, she empathized with it. "Because I have people that look up to me and need to know that they can be a hero too, no matter what stands in their way. Is that not what you dream of doing as well? You have to be strong when they try to break you down. When people see someone like you being strong without any help? It scares them. So the first reaction is to break you down. So, you have to make them respect you in the right way by showing them differently. I have confidence in your abilities, Stella Nova. I understand your frustration but there is a way to handle things properly. Just trust me, and I'll show you the way."

It was another long day of patrol and they finished around the same time that they had the day prior.

Hime had offered some tea and Misaki was far too tired to drag herself back to her hotel just yet, so she agreed. The two of them had just sat down and gotten comfortable when there was a knock at the door. Hime immediately turned her head in the direction of the door, and when the boy walked in, Hime got excited.

She literally hopped to her feet like a rabbit and glided across the room.

"Oh look, my baby cousin came to visit!" Hime dropped what she was doing and went over to embrace the boy that was standing in the doorway of her office with outstretched arms. She didn't even look back at Misaki to mention who it was beyond what she had exclaimed wildly, and leave Misaki to try and piece together two and two. She followed Hime's gaze and raised an eyebrow.

Something about the boy in the doorway felt familiar for some reason.

It didn't click at first, though. He was a boy with indigo hair and bags underneath his eyes, strikingly different than the woman hugging with brown hair and pink cheeks underneath her makeup. The one feature that they seemed to have in common was their purple eyes. Hime beamed. "I didn't know you would be dropping by. How are you, Hitoshi? I have missed you around here and you know better than to leave me on edge! Why haven't you messaged me since the sports festival?!"

His expression was of disdain but he appreciated the affection none the less.

Shinso.

That was when it clicked who this boy was. This was the boy that Mari had become friends with during her time in general studies, the one that she had teamed up with to get into the finals. He was the one with the mind control quirk that had been able to take over her body during the second round of the games. His quirk was mind control... and Hime's quirk was mind control. Oh, that was why she thought something hadn't clicked this entire time. She had recognized Hime's surname from somewhere and that was because she knew Shinso.

They were related.

"Oh," his eyes darted in the direction of Misaki. "It's you."

"You two are already acquainted?" Hime mused as she glanced between the two of them for a moment, flickering her gaze to the left and the right. Her eyes began to light up as she pressed her hands together, a very knowing grin growing on her face as if she were implying something a little more closely than friends. "Does that mean you two are, you know?"

Shinso let out a sigh. He shook his head and pressed a hand to her shoulder to get her attention back. "It's not like that, Kotone, I just know her through a friend of mine. Don't get any ideas."

"Oh, fine, that's just like you to kill the fun. One of these days I'm going to figure out who it is you're spending all your time with. Mark my words." Her expression sank but it sprang back up without hesitation. " Anyway, that's good that the introductions are out of the way because I would hate to get tangled up in that right now. You came at a busy time, but there's always room for more here. Misaki and I were just about to enjoy the rest of our tea. Would you like me to pour you some?"

This wasn't the most uncomfortable that she had ever been in her life but it was definitely going to be up there on the list of things.

Misaki hadn't exactly talked to Shinso before, no, she had barely gotten much of a word in edge-wise with him because of the majority of that time she had been under his quirk. She didn't know him. Mari did. So, she didn't exactly know how to read him or gauge what she should say or do. He did apologize for using her, and she wasn't angry about it. She was just... awkward. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and offered a polite smile and wave as that was all she could think to do.

Hime sat down with a cup of tea in her hands, it was the right way to hold something because she glanced at Misaki for a half-second to point that out. Well, if she didn't get it sooner or later, Hime was going to give her another firm wallop to the back of the head. She took a sip and returned the glass to the table in front of herself. She turned her attention to Shinso, adjusting his curly mop of hair, to which he grumbled about underneath his breath in annoyance.

Misaki had hastily pulled her phone from her pocket as she already knew that Shinso didn't have an idea about how to talk with her yet. She typed out something simple at first: I didn't realize you two were related, I guess I should have noticed the resemblance before.

"Sometimes I don't want to believe it either," Shinso muttered.

"Oh, don't kid around, you know I'm your favorite cousin," Hime taunted him with a smile.

Shinso returned this with a snarky quip right back, "You're my only cousin, Kotone."

"Our mothers happen to be sisters," Hime supplied the crucial information as she looked back over at Misaki with a smile. "Of course, I'm sure you noticed that we have a lot in common. Everybody in the family has these tired purple eyes. I am ever thankful for the makeup industry."

Misaki could have put two and two together just by knowing that they had the same family name. But now that she had pointed it out and Misaki knew what to look for, she was right. They both had the same shade of lilac eyes. She merely nodded her head at that. Hime and Shinso spent a couple of minutes talking and catching up while Misaki turned her attention back to her phone. She scoured through her messages and found that there wasn't much to catch up on. Not that she was surprised to see that.

Everybody was busy and caught up in their own work.

That didn't mean that she didn't worry about everyone that had been in or around Hosu. She knew that Iida was there on the count of his hero assignment, she knew that Midoriya was there because of his location pinging there, and Todoroki had been there because he was interning with his father and Endeavor was on the front page as far as fighting those Nomu went. None of those guys had even gotten back to her texts though. She had tried, but hey, she wasn't even sure that any of them had been involved directly.

It would have been nice to hear from them though.

Speak of the devil, just as she went to stash her phone away, it buzzed in her hands.

Misaki opened the message.

Todoroki: I got caught up in something. Sorry for not responding sooner.

Misaki: Thank goodness, I was worried you got hurt or something when you didn't respond.

Misaki: I couldn't get a hold of Midoriya and then you wouldn't pick up...

Misaki: You are alright... aren't you?

Todoroki: Yeah. I'm fine.

Misaki: What about the others; Iida and Midoriya, I know they were in Hosu. Have you heard from them?

Todoroki: They're alright as well, Hisakawa. As far as I know.

Todoroki: You should focus on your internship instead of us. Aren't you busy right now?

Misaki: I'm on a break! Hime isn't breathing down my neck or anything. Trust me, you won't believe the week I've had.

Misaki: And hey, we're all friends, of course, I'm going to be worried about you guys for giving us such a damn scare!

Todoroki: ...Sorry about that.

Misaki: It's okay. I'm just glad to hear everything's alright.

Misaki: I expect you guys to be in one piece when classes start again.

When she pocketed her phone, Hime had left the room to take a call from someone and that left her alone with Shinso. She didn't know what to do; Mari had told her that he was a great guy, a little rough around the edges for what it was worth, but he was a good person. Anyone that had the patience to be friends with her best friend had to be a great person, Misaki knew. She just wasn't sure that she was going to be able to click with this guy as much as Mari had.

Misaki decided to break the ice, as casually as she could: Mari said that you were doing well lately.

He looked at her briefly, then back at the glass in his hands. Mari had told him numerous times that Hisakawa Misaki was a nice girl who couldn't be upset at someone who meant well. He assumed it made sense that Mari befriended someone like that, who didn't mind how she was. "Yeah, you could say that. I'm alright and she said the same for you."

The uncomfortable tension had arisen once again.

"Look, about the whole... using my quirk on you back then and all," Shinso rubbed the back of his head. He had never really apologized for that whole mess properly just kind of said something small and left it be. It was in the back of his mind, obviously, since he was the one bringing it up. "I guess what I'm trying to say is... no hard feelings about the festival, right?"

Misaki blinked. She let out a sigh of relief.

She shook her head: Water under the bridge. I wasn't angry at you for doing that. Hey, you gotta do what you have to do. If it came down to making it or not, you go with making it. It was smart, actually, if a bit out there. You guys could have just asked me to help and I would have done it in a heartbeat but I get it. My only issue was with Mari lying to me but we've worked that out.

"Yeah, Shimizu mentioned something like that. That girl doesn't shut up about you, you know that?" Hitoshi said.

Misaki couldn't help but to smile. She began to type out her response: Well, we've been friends since we were little kids. We're always just kind of around each other like that! I don't shut up about her either when somebody gets me started. You have to lift up your friends and boost them up when they need it!

Shinso had this look on his face like he had connected some dots. Be it a good reason or a bad one, his lips were set into a line. "Don't tell me you're always smiling and thinking on the bright side?"

To which Misaki told him: Somebody has to do it.

Hime returned to the room a couple of minutes later, looking a bit more cheery than she did than she she left. That must have been some kind of phone call, Misaki noted. She pressed her hands together and smiled a devious smile. It was like she had been cooking up some kind of plan and now she was going to finally unleash this monster. "It's time for some real training, Stella Nova. It's actually a great thing that Hitoshi came by because now I have an crank up your training to eleven, no thirteen."

"I didn't drop by to be a guinea pig, Kotone." Shinso interjected.

Hime completely disregarded Shinso's complaints with a shrug of her shoulders. "Oh, you're just going to being the ref for me, Hitoshi. All I need you to do is sit there and call it when it looks done."

Misaki cocked an eyebrow, "Ref?"

"I think it is high time you and I have a go around without tea." she said.

She really didn't have to say anything else. Misaki saw the words fight and without a silly tea lesson and immediately sprang into action like nobody's business. The teenagers followed behind the woman to her sparing room where the setup had been refreshed and pieced back together into one after the countless crashes that Misaki had managed to make on the ground. When she and Misaki were facing off, she glanced between the two and then settled her attention onto Misaki. She gestured for Misaki to try and attack.

So, she made a move for it. She sprang forward and tried to land a hit

Misaki was knocked flat on her butt in one swoop.

"Did you think I was all mouth and no grit? You don't get to be a hero by being a one trick pony. I was going easy on you before," Hime told her, a sudden sadistic grin growing on her once innocent face. This was something that she had never seen before, and this glint in her expression meant real business. No wonder people didn't want to mess with her.

She looked at Hime, her eyes wide and her mouth parted into an O shape.

"Get up and let's try to see you land a hit." Hime commanded.

Misaki sprang to her feet and ran forward, activating her quirk with one flick of her flick and diving forward into a spring, she released the time delay and reached out to strike the hero but was caught with one hand. Misaki grunted as Hime let her free and her bottom collided with the floor, hard. Sure, she had done this numerous times at the start of the week but she was moving even faster than had when she was giving Misaki tea lessons. Had she really been holding back her strength? She was some kind of secret beast like Aizawa, wasn't she?

She lifted her head up to look at her instructor again.

Hime wasn't even breezed or winded.

She was totally composed.

Misaki pushed herself off the ground. If that was the way they were going to play then she wasn't going to go easy either; She wasn't about to be beaten down after she spent all this time trying to get faster. Hime approved of that determination.

"Let's do that again." Misaki said.

One thing was for certain, it was going to be a long night.

REVIEWER RESPONSE.

Ravimar: Hime is Shinso's cousin as stated in the chapter. She's the same age as Hawks. :)

akagami hime chan: To be honest with you, I think that Bakugou could actually do really well like that. Well, the Bakugou in the current chapters of the manga would be more capable and willing to go along with that notion but it is hilarious just to think that he cannot stand seeing somebody being so mopey that he just blurts out, "What the fuck is wrong with you? Get over it!" He's a little rough around the edges but hey, at least the intention there is kind of good.

Next chapter is going be huge in terms of Bakugou and Misaki interaction.