The waiting process was the hardest. Sir's agency had already received my request by Friday –
"You're really nervous about this huh? Yeah, Sir told me you might be worried – you've never done this before right? Don't worry, the paperwork's all in place!"
– thank you Mirio for believing in promptness. But it was the wait over the weekend, even as I had fiddled with some of the figures, put new ones into position, browsed the net, and occasionally went into the Hero Debate Chat.
Len-Gal said: Nebula go slep.
HeroesOath said: Isn't it like, seven in the evening there? Seriously, dude, we can see you logged back on.
MightyAllMight said: Butwhatiftheydon'tlikemeordon'tthin
Blizzard of Heroes said: We're having a hard enough time with MAM losing his mind.
QuirkNebula said: … I think it's his way of coping with his own issues. Oi, MAM, you're muttering again.
MightyAllMight said: Oh, sorry… oh wow, I type like that? Yikes! But don't worry, just overthinking things
Len-Gal said: Explains the lack of spaces, but good to see you can chill. And besides Nebula, they screen well, and if they suck, have them call me!
000 said: Do not. She is preoccupied with other arrangements.
So, suffice to say while it was nice knowing I wasn't the only one with nerves, it wasn't really helping me ease my tension. But fortunately, I had more than just my online friends to go to.
Now, I could go into the ins and outs of a hero student chatroom, but aside from vague memories of whole fanfics having once been written about the concept, it was almost strictly school-related at Iida's insistence. No, it was phone calls that were the name of the game.
"Hey Andros. Lemme guess you're nervous too?" Mina asked, even as I added as many people to the call as I could. After all, the video chat group for study was still a thing.
"I mean I can't blame him!" Kaminari remarked. "I didn't even get many recommendations and yet I'm still nervous, this is hero work. But for you three…"
That being Mina, Neito and I. Jiiro, Sato and Hagakure hadn't gotten any recommendations after all, and Kendo was working with Mt Lady, who was on the main list.
"I'll be lucky if I last a day," I remarked dryly. "Mirio's reminded me that Nighteye is extremely strict about who he takes on – you have to impress him in some form, make a joke or the like."
"Just explain to him that Oh my-" Mina started
"No!" I insisted, waving my arms.
Neito raised an eyebrow… and then laughed. "Hahaha! Wait, are you telling me he's actually still using that Oh my Rider thing?" He managed to force out.
"Oh my Rider?" Hagakure remarked.
Before I even got a word in edgeways, Mei joined in the call… and her screen simply showed the damn panels from the manga I took it from! "'Even if there is no God of Buddha, there is always Kamen Rider!'" Mei declared dramatically.
And more laughter resulted as I tried to bury myself in my suit. Yep, DEFINITELY not focused on Internship worries anymore.
And then Monday came, along with time to collect our costumes and equipment and then head off. I had hoped to try and ask Iida again, but ever since his decent criticism of me back last week, he hasn't said a word. I… no, I don't think I'm going to leave it alone, but I need to talk to Sir. Still, as I get on the train, a few others do as well, including Bakugou. Makes sense, we need to go to different districts… surely nothing too far out of the way.
Meanwhile at the other side of the station.
"Locking on with these sparkling gazes!"
"We've come to lend a paw and help!"
"Wild Wild… Pussycats!" Mandalay and Ragdoll declared, posing in front of a car.
Neito blinked. "Wha- why are you here?" He asked curiously.
"The Pussycats train at a remote location." Vlad King noted. "Trying to get you there by train would be wasteful, not to mention require a car at some point."
"Plus, this way we can already get started on your internship! That's why the two of us came with!" Ragdoll noted. "C'mon little kitten, you've got your whole class staring at you!" She started giggling openly at that. Indeed, most were looking at him, Juzo was snickering while Manga's word balloon simply noted 'Showy…', Pony was asking Setsuna something - probably what the two had said - and Komori of all people was just waving.
Neito, with a little blush and a wave to the others, quickly dashed over to the car and got in, with Mandalay and Ragdoll getting into the driver's seat and passenger's seat respectively. It wasn't a bad car actually, it had the team logo on the outside and rather unusually it was a black four-wheel-drive car – fitting for a search and rescue team, but it also meant it had extra storage capacity.
… storage capacity that was being taken up by an extra occupant.
"Oh, Kota, say hello!" Mandalay called out.
Kota looked up at that… and huffed, turning his head away from Neito, causing both pussycats to look at each other in what Neito guessed was worry. "Hello there Kota, I'm Monoma Nei-" Neito started.
"I know who you are." Kota interrupted. "I don't care. I have no intention of becoming associated with someone so stupid to try and show off, to be a hero."
Mandalay turned her head back at that with an apologetic look… but Neito could already feel a familiar smile on his face as he placed his case on his lap and shut the door, putting his belt on.
"Ahrerere?" Neito commented. "You don't plan on being associated with me? That's weird, isn't it? You're related to one of these two, right? Mandalay, I'd guess, given how she's looking back at us." Kota blinked in shock at that, but Neito wasn't done. "You said to show off, because you're thinking I just want to show off with my Quirk, right?"
"You're training to be a hero. You're just going to show off what damage you can do with it." Kota responded.
Mandalay frowned. "Kota, we've had this-" She started, before Ragdoll held up a gloved finger, pointing at Neito, Given he'd started to run a hand through his hair, it was easy to see why she probably wanted to know where he was going with this.
"Well, that's weird, right? Heroes just showing off… I agree they're the worst kind of people." Neito remarked, Kota glaring at him. "But you couldn't say that about my Quirk… I copy Quirks. By myself, I'm nothing. I have no reason to show off." At that, his lighter, more mocking tone dropped away. "So, with that made clear… can we get along at least?" At that, he offered out a hand.
Kota slapped it away, huffed, and then looked away from him. As the car started, Neito sighed… clearly, that was a bit more complicated. Which was annoying, he thought he was good with kids.
And one by one, others switch to different trains or get off at different stops, and eventually, I split off from the group too. Soon enough I'm walking down the station ste-
"Oi, Gas Suit. You sure this is your stop?"
I nearly stumbled down the last few steps at that as I looked back in shock. "Oh… um, no, my hero is near here. Maybe there's a couple of agencies around here?" I half-suggested. I… don't think there were any, but the small details have been wrong before.
Bakugou grunted and made it down the rest of the steps, and we both just… started to walk. It was an uneasy silence that's for sure, the tension thick enough you could cut it with a knife.
"So, um… how's counselling?" I asked.
Bakugou's sour expression only got moreso. "I'm only going to them because the hag told me to. Fucking talking about feelings, I thought they were supposed to talk about other shit. It makes me look weak." He growled.
Right, THAT attitude. "Speaking from a western view… getting counselling isn't weak. It's accepting you can be-" I started.
"He's a dog person who woofs when he gets too angry," Bakugou muttered darkly.
And yet we both continued to walk… and continued… and we weren't splitting up as my stomach started to sink. "Wait… did you get-" I said.
I was cut off by us arriving outside the agency itself. The Nighteye Agency, on a corner position, not big or gaudy enough to stand out unless you knew what to look for. And both Bakugou and I had stopped right in front of it.
Bakugou looked at the agency, then looked at me and frankly voiced the exact thing I was thinking.
"Fuck."
Any hopes we had that there was some kind of mistake was soon crushed as none other than Togata Mirio emerged from the doors, complete in his Lemillion outfit. "You two managed to make it!" He called out.
"Eh? Who's this-" Bakugou started.
"Togata Mirio, third year at U.A.," I commented as I cut off. "And someone who could take on our entire class single handily."
Bakugou stopped and looked at Mirio in disbelief… before his eyes narrowed. "So, he's an intern here?" Bakugou asked.
"Yep!" Mirio noted. "I'm glad both of you decided to come. Sir's waiting for you two." He waved us in, a smile on his face, and we simply started to walk through the hallways. "Oh, by the way, Sir likes for people to have a certain kind of attitude. Make a joke, helps people smile."
"What? What's the point of that?" Bakugou… growled. Huh, more controlled than I expected.
"Making people smile," I muttered back. "Like All Might manages to."
Bakugou didn't respond to that… and it's kinda hard to get a read as to why. Mirio was still smiling so I doubt there's any issue he noticed…
Still, it's mostly quiet on the walk up… before Mirio stopped before the door to the office… and grinned. "Ah, I see Sir's prepared something special for both of you." He noted… before walking THROUGH the door! Isn't that - wait, there's a paper on the door. I glance at Bakugou, and we both look at the piece of paper, neither reading out the impossible task it was asking of us.
'If the two of you want to show you're worth my time, you will come in with a team effort of a joke.'
Bakugou's face twisted into one of absolute fury at that, and I gulped a little. The only person who Bakugou is more annoyed with than me right now is Izuku! How are-
Bakugou grabbed at my shoulder and pulled me back a bit. "Oi, stop panicking Gas Suit." He growled as he walked us further back in the hall – presumably so Mirio couldn't overhear? "You're starting to tap the ground with your leg, and it pisses me off."
I turned around at that. "What do you suggest then? If it was one-on-one, I have a few cheesy jokes, use the 'Oh my Rider' thing and maybe could whip up a one-man routine out of nowhere, but what should we do for two?" I blubbered.
"I said pull yourself together!" Bakugou yelled before letting out a huff. "It's not like this is my area either. I mountain climb, I don't follow comedy skits and I don't know what this asshole likes as comedy!"
I hummed and nodded at that. "But the way you're acting… you've got something in mind?" I asked, even as his point… it got me thinking. "What was your plan if we went solo? We… might be able to make this work."
Bakugou raised an eyebrow… and then started to explain.
Of all the things Yayorozu Momo had expected to see at the station, it wasn't Fatgum himself standing there and grinning. "Hey, Yayorozu right?" The BMI Hero asked as she walked up to him, the portly hero clearly dressed in his costume that… well, there was actually a reason that Momo often didn't go too big on her food. She wasn't exactly on a diet – she couldn't do so and still be an effective hero. But a hero has to care about appearance as well. And yet… before her eyes was someone who made it work. He towered over most people there but given how he stood he wasn't lacking for muscle and didn't need to just waddle wherever he went. Plus, his costume made him look… good. Cute even.
"Um, yes sir. I thought I was going to meet you at your office?" Momo asked.
Fatgum went to speak… before smiling a little. Silence reigned, and he cleared his throat. A nearby pile of rags quivered before moving and revealing itself… to be a very nervous looking costumed dark-haired boy. "F-Fatgum thought it would b-b-be a good idea to do a look around the neighborhood on the way h-here." The costumed boy muttered. With a slight gesture from Fatgum, the boy swallowed. "Amajiki Tamaki. Hero name Suneater. Intern."
Fatgum sighed. "We really need ta work on your nerves, Tamaki. But he's right! I thought it would be best ta show ya just where I work, and we work with tha locals." Fatgum noted with an open smile. "We can fill out the papers once we get ta the office." At that he indicated to her, Amajiki seemed to hide in the nearest shadow, and Momo followed behind the senior hero.
"Oi Fat, you need a snack on the go?" The railway delicatessen called out. "You can pay me next time you swing round!"
"Maybe next time!" Fatgum called out. "I'm all full right now." At that Amajiki seemed to flash the hero a shocked look, but Fatgum instead turned his head towards Momo. "So, I wanted ta double-check something. Yer Quirk uses lipids, right?"
Momo's eyes widened. "Um, yes sir, but how do you know that? I didn't get far in the sports festival." Momo remarked.
Fatgum grinned at that. "Well, I kinda figured if a were making all sortsa items from yer body, it had ta work kinda similarly ta how mine does – I absorb kinetic energy, which burns up fat before I release it," Fatgum explained.
"…wasn't it because of that conversation you had with Kaniyashiki-san after the festival?" Amajiki questioned.
Fatgum let out a belly laugh at that, causing Amajiki to shrink back a bit. "Ah man, never thought I'd manage ta get yer to point out me leaving a fact out Tamaki," Fatgum admitted with a big fat grin on his face. "But uh… yeah, that's PART of tha reason, but I couldn't know fer sure. But I got a friend who made friends with a certain… gassy fella at your school after she helped him out. I got her ta check."
"And… that's why you sent in the recommendation?" Momo questioned weakly. "My Quirk?"
"It's tha decider. " Fatgum insisted. "Thing is with my agency, I don't have any sidekicks, so I knew if I took on an intern, I'd be playin' double duty with ya and Suneater. I wasn't sure if that was fair on ya. But lookin' over your performance in the race and tha fights… and I realized that while you're doin' well already, ya could be even better. And I plan ta help ya get there."
I gulped a bit… but the plan was the plan. I wish I could say either Bakugou or I alone had come up with it, but the fact was neither of us had come up with the perfect plan… so we planned something else. I cleared my throat nervously as I pushed into the room… where Sir Nighteye, Centipeder, Bubble Girl and Mirio all stood, Mirio smiling expectantly while the others were more measured or, in Sir's case, piercing.
"Um… Bakugou wanted to clear his head, so I thought I could give the joke we made a try." I admitted nervously… before pulling out a card. "'What did the Englishman learning Japanese say when he wanted to get rid of a gold statue?" I let the silence hang for a bit, long enough to make it clear that nobody was answering.
In fact, Bubble Girl was looking a bit nervous and even Centipeder was occasionally glancing at Sir. I swallowed again and tried to pronounce this as over the top as I could. "SHI-NE!" I declared… before looking up. There was a clear sign of held in laughter almost escaping from Mirio but nothing else. "Um, Shine-nae. You know, as in, Shine, and die?" I waited a moment, before growling out, and tossing down the card. "Damnit, I thought it would do well! I wanted you all to laugh, I didn't expect some sort of hero Inquisition!"
On cue, an explosive force slammed the door open, a musical sting suddenly playing loudly as Bakugou stomped into the room with a shit-eating grin on his face. "Nobody expects the Hero Inquisition!" Bakugou bellowed.
For a moment, silence engulfed the room again as Sir covered his mouth. Then a little tell-tale sign of air… before he let his hand fall to the side and let out a burst of laughter at that. At that, the tension in the room seemed to all disperse at once as Mirio burst out laughing as well, Centipeder and Bubble Girl both smiling at the least.
I let out a sigh and relaxed my shoulders at that. "Oh good. I was hoping that punchline would work."
"Told ya you were worrying too much," Bakugou stated. "Plus, you do awkward way better than I do."
Sir let a few dying chuckles escape him, and then… it was back to business, his face changing in an instant. "And here I was to think you two aren't… fond of each other." Sir noted.
Bakugou snorted at that. "What, of Gas Suit? Sure, I might be pissed off with him 'cause of the stuff at the festival, but I gave as good as I got." Bakugou pointed out.
"… are you sure therapy isn't benefiting you?" I questioned before I shook my head. "Um, but yeah, I might be a bit… annoyed with him, but I can work with Bakugou."
"Good." Sir remarked. "It will not be the focus of your week with me though." At that, he nodded to the three, Centipeder and Mirio moving off to the side while Bubble Girl moved next to Sir and clicked a… well, a clicker I suppose. At that, the lights went off in the room and a projector lowered from the roof, and it showed… a video. No, a clip. A specifically recorded section of the sports festival. "To be blunt, I was considering offering my internship depending on what Centipeder saw at the Festival – Mirio's matches took priority for my watching experience."
Mirio's only response was to blush and rub the back of his head.
"But when the fights got as intense as they did in the second round, Centipeder saw fit to insist it was recorded." Sir remarked… before turning to look at me briefly. "Regardless of my thoughts on the first match-" Ah, so… was it about Izuku he was considering talking about? "The match between the two of you made me realize I would need to insist on two offers this year. I do not give out offers often, nor do I plan to waste either of our times. What I just insisted on you doing was to test your potential, and to see if you could improve, otherwise, it would have been mostly practical work."
At that, Sir slammed his hand down on the desk, the playback pausing… on the moment that my Nebula Gas had given out. "Neither of you is fit to be a hero. Not yet." Sir remarked coldly. "Bakugou. For someone who's clearly a fan of All Might – I noticed you focused on the poster." Bakugou's question died in his throat at that. "You've clearly failed to see what it means to be a Hero. You're violent, rude, crass, and only seem to be smiling when someone faces you head-on in a fight with all they've got. We will be focusing on making sure you can be a hero worthy of All Might." At that, Sir turned and looked at me with that… oof, piercing glare.
"Nebulos. Among other things, your problem is similar to Mirio's. You've got a Quirk that you've used in only one way before, and you're having problems harnessing it in an effective manner. Yes, I'm aware that it can transform others, but the training I have planned is to focus on making you a better hero as well." Sir remarked… before nodding to Bubble Girl, who… puffed up her cheeks? Oh right, comedy.
"The two of you will be alternating with who you work with." Bubble Girl noted. "One of you will be working with Mirio or Sir, the other of you will be getting practical experience out in the field with any one of us."
"This," the squeaky voice of Centipeder cut in. "Is to ensure that you get the most out of your experience here. It would be one thing to just insist you train your minds, but you need practical experience too."
"And Sir wants to be able to show you how things work in the office as well," Mirio added, ever-smiling. "To show you how we plan out our routes and so on. We all want to make sure you get the most out of your experience here."
"Don't expect it to be easy either." Sir pointed out. "While you are here you are, like Mirio, my Interns - and I plan to treat you as such."
I gulped a bit at that, but nodded, Bakugou letting out a slightly dismissive sound before doing the same. Despite the efforts of his sidekicks and Mirio, Sir can be… intense.
"Good. Now, Bakugou, Mirio can show you where the two of you will be staying for the next few days – less time is wasted if you stay at the agency." Sir noted. "Centipeder, Bubble Girl, I'd like for you two to sort out the final touches on the paperwork, please. I wish to speak to Nebulos for a moment."
Centipeder and Bubble Girl looked at each other, seemingly confused? Huh… this isn't something he had planned? Well, that's… kinda worrying, but it's Sir Nighteye. Still, Mirio leads Bakugou out with a smile, and both Bubble Girl and Centipeder follow behind them afterwards. Sir waits for a moment or two… and then…
"Monty Python. The Spanish Inquisition sketch. An old comedic sketch from the west, and not one that others your age would have seen." Sir Nighteye deconstructed. "This, along with the retrospective style of your battle form would be clear signs of you being from further back in time than now, if someone knew where to look and could understand the references."
I took a step back in shock… but I wasn't entirely surprised. Sir Nighteye isn't a big-name hero, but he was one of the names I had noted in the book and with good reason. I'm not sure if it's my research or help from Izuku informing my old opinions, but I've seen his reputation for being strict, as well as fiercely intelligent. "Is that good or bad?" I asked carefully.
Sir Nighteye looked right into my eyes for a moment… and moved back, the light obscuring his own eyes as it reflected off the glass. "A smart response. I was a little worried you were being too cavalier with it – given how easily your teacher informed me about it." Sir said, leaning against his own desk. "But at the same time, I only figured it out due to an obscure reference, and from what I can tell, Mirio has no idea. Speaking from experience, knowing the future is a heavy burden." His harsher standard expression seemed to soften, a small, sad smile on his face.
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding at that. "Uh… yeah. But… why did you need to talk to me about it?" I asked.
Sir's head tilted slightly, showing his eyes again. "Eraserhead told me that you've recently had a crisis of confidence regarding your knowledge. I wanted to let you know two things." Sir noted bluntly. "The first is that you have someone you can talk with about it. I might not know as much as you do, but I know what the burden of forgetting the details can be like – from my earlier days especially. A hero can be a better hero if they smile on the inside as well as on the outside. And the second was that I need to know if there are any important events due to happen. You already have the knowledge, it's best to put it to use."
I swallowed slightly… but nodded. If there's one person I can trust… "It's actually related to the whole… confidence thing." I remarked, stepping closer. "Have you been keeping up to date with the Hero Killer?"
"Stain?" Sir questioned. "I see… I've been keeping an eye out, but despite his activities, I've more pressing cases to keep my attention focused on. I take it there's going to be another attack then?"
I swallowed and nodded. "Within the next few days – I can't be sure of when – he'll attack a hero named Native in … um… I think it's called Hoku?"
"Hosu." Sir corrected. "And I take it there's a reason heroes don't stop him despite being on high alert?"
"The League of Villains deploys Nomu – the artificial villains - to distract people," I explained. "But the important part is that one of my classmates… he's going to end up fighting Stain. Not to save Native, but as revenge."
"… that would be Iida Tenya then." Sir noted. "A single student couldn't survive."
I let out a sigh at that. "He's saved by the arrival of a friend nearby who realized what was going on when he saw Iida was missing. Midoriya Izuku." I noted Sir's focus became a bit more intense at that. So, he's gathering info even now hm? "Izuku both stops the Hero Killer and… I don't know how he survives. I didn't write it down."
"I have some theories there, but this isn't the time for that." Sir pointed out.
I nodded. "Thanks to Izuku and the timely arrival of Todoroki Shoto – Endeavour is in the area too – they stop him… but because they weren't authorized, barely avoid being punished for stopping him because of the law." I explained. "… but that's not why I'm telling you all these details. Sir, I'd… I'd like to ask that if not you, at least one of your sidekicks, possibly with Bakugou or myself, goes with you to Hosu! You could help stop Stain and there'd be less of a risk of people getting hurt or dying! I've already let someone lose their career because I didn't remember things… I want to make it right! And someone saving other people's lives without causing more people to get injured shouldn't be punished for it!"
For a moment, there was silence as I realized I'd… raised my voice without intending to. An old habit of an old life I'd mostly managed since getting into the suit. And… not something I expected to show up. Sir looked for a moment… and walked towards me.
"You understand what you're asking of me, don't you?" Sir questioned. "If what you say is true, then it would be negligent to let either you or Bakugou get into the line of combat." And once more… he looked me dead in the eyes. "Nebulos. Are you aware of what my Quirk is?"
Eh? "Foresight?" I half-asked. "Only cause I kept it in the book… you hide information on it well."
"On purpose." Sir remarked. "… if it became common knowledge, people would want me to use it to tell their future all the time. Except every time I've looked at the future, nothing I've done has seemed to change it. And what you're asking of me now would require I use it now, to understand when the Hero Killer strikes."
I stopped at that… and then looked at Sir dead on, trying to be the one to have the more piercing gaze this time. "Sir. I refuse to believe that the future can't be changed… and I know what happened the last time you used it to go further. But as a hero…" I trailed off and clenched my fists.
"It's fine." Sir noted. "Besides… I think I might have a way to make it work without risking too much." And with that, he reached out and touched my shoulder.
Mt. Lady yawned a little as she searched through her phone. She was in costume, but she was mostly bored, waiting for a brat… why had she volunteered again? Ah, right, it looked good. Well, ok, not really, she actually did have some desire to help out students, but she was one of the 'standard' types, she couldn't even pick who she got. It sucked. She-
And then there was a knock at the door. Finally. "It's open!" She was working out of her apartment after all due to the costs she always incurred meaning that she couldn't really afford an agency.
What she didn't expect was the door to be flung open, and a red-haired girl with two enlarged hands to practically stomp her way in. "Right, Mt Lady? I've heard from some of my friends how you like to treat people." The redhead said, a sense of anger and authority in her voice. "So, I'm going to make things clear. I'm not going to be used to simply work as your servant. I'm here knowing what I know because I think you can do better. And I'm here because we both have the same kind of Quirk." At that, she shrank her hands down to normal. "Is that clear?"
For a moment Takeyama Yu blinked, forgetting that this was a student talking to an established hero like this. She should be pissed off right now, that someone figured out what her plan was for some brainless fan of hers. But this girl wasn't that. She had a gigantification Quirk, she had energy, she had the drive to help others… and she had spunk!
Mt. Lady grinned widely. "And here I was worried I'd get some pervert. I hate to say it… but it looks like I'll be working hard this week." Mt. Lady admitted, pulling herself up to her full height. "I recognize you from the festival. Kendo-chan, right?"
Kendo seemed taken aback by the sudden interest from the heroine, but quickly recovered. "Kendo Itsuka. But as a hero, my name is Battle Fist." She insisted.
"Oh, I like it! Straight and to the point."
Bakugou eyed the costume-bound blond-haired happy upperclassman. He wasn't a genius… in how people reacted anyway, he had long since recognized even if he didn't call himself one most tended to – something that got on his nerves more recently, but that was beside the point. But given how Gas Suit, who usually didn't interrupt him, had been so quick to insist on respectfulness and shit. The asshole barely showed respect to their homeroom teacher, what made this guy so special?
And that smile… it hadn't stopped. The only time he'd seen a smile this persistent was on All Might himself, and even then, that was only because he wasn't entirely sure that his favorite hero was capable of any other expression. It made him awesome, no doubt about that, but at the same time… well, what was this guy's reason?
As they neared a door, Mirio stopped and turned a bit, gesturing. "This is going to be where you'll be staying while you're here – it's one of the guest rooms, just in case an important person needs to be under guard or, more likely, another hero needs to stay here during cooperative work. Andros' room will be one door further down." Mirio noted, turning slightly to indicate to the door, but never turning his head away.
"Oi. Why's Gas Suit so scared of you?" Bakugou asked bluntly.
Mirio rubbed the back of his head. "Ah, that. See… he and a few others in your year went chasing after me, because one of them thought I was some sort of comic character. And I decided to give them a challenge with my Quirk." Mirio admitted. "I think he was the only one who realized just what I was doing in time. And if he has… well, two of the people with them were sensory specialists."
Bakugou blinked at that… and tried to hide his own shock. "So, you managed to avoid them fast enough… or with enough skill that you got past Tentacle Limbs and some other side character?" Bakugou questioned.
"I'll leave that up to you to figure out," Mirio remarked… before stopping. "Hey… don't take this wrong, but are you a bit… hard of hearing?"
"What?"
"I mean… you always seem very spirited and loud. I was just thinking with your explosions…" Mirio trailed off.
"… not really. Don't ask me how the fuck it works, but my body apparently adjusted to my explosions after a bit. I can't hear people when they're whispering, big fucking whoop. Doesn't change anything, and I ain't bringing it up to be some stupid charity case." Bakugou growled out. He hated to say it but if it meant less whispering.
"You've done better than most then," Mirio noted with that damned ever-present smile!
Ninja. Should not. Be this. Annoying.
Such was the mental grumbling of the dusty, but thankfully uninjured Mina Ashido. The train had dropped her not into a forest trail like she might have expected, but a deeply urban area. She hadn't been given an address, but rather a starting point leading through alleyways…. And those alleyways had soon led into traps. Collapsing cardboard box traps she only avoided with some quick breakdance kicks, a pitfall trap she'd acid burned holds into, and even a section that seemed to have a wild animal there… and it had been shadows when she had pushed forward anyway.
Still… she'd been going through this a long time despite the map saying she was almost there. She'd looked for fake walls, for ninja mook attacks and everything, but nothing. And while she loved Edgeshot for, despite being very obvious in his look, sticking to his guns as a ninja (she even gave him props for muted navy blue with some red – the night's sky IS blue after all. But this took the Urban Ninja theme to a whole… new…
Wait a second. She looked behind her… and noticed a side alley. A side alley… with a set of items designed to set up a shadow. She'd been led in a big circle… so the map was meant to mislead her? Or maybe she was nearby, but there was another direction to it! Mina glanced up… and grinned as she spotted Edgeshot looking down at her. As he spotted her gaze, he nodded, even as he dropped down a metallic ladder for her.
"It only took you your second go-around to notice you had been led in a circle," Edgeshot noted. "I'm quite impressed actually. You might have what it takes to be a ninja… or at least one in training. And that was your first lesson."
"Wait really?" Mina panted, as she climbed her way to the top. "What ninja technique did I learn?"
Edgeshot sighed. "Do not expect it to be the showy magic tricks you see dramatized in shows and movies." He pointed out.
Mina shook her head and hands. "Oh, nonono, I didn't mean that! But like… what DID I learn?" She queried.
Edgeshot hummed. "Tanuki-Gakure no Jutsu. Or in other words, the fact that your average human, hero or villain only looks at an angle of forty-five degrees unless they have a reason to look otherwise." He remarked with what was definitely a smug tone, Mina swore.
"… and do you have everyone who wants to contact you use the map and your traps?" Mina questioned.
"Hm?" Edgeshot hummed. "Oh no. This is the rear of my agency and the rooftop entrance. The front entrance is much easier to get to."
At the front of the standard looking agency, with only Edgeshot's name on it showing any sign of it being any different from the others, the receptionist swore he heard a scream. Clearly, sensei has just told the new girl about the rear entrance.
(To those who need the joke Andros was trying to make more explained... it's double language word play. Bakugou's favorite deceleration is actually written as Shine)
