Chapter VI: First Day
Izuku was still getting used to his new costume, especially considering the stark contrast with the previous one. Admittedly, as the Nine Tails, he did favor the new design and in his other tailed forms he didn't mind that much. The original design, as much as he might have liked it, was perhaps too heavily inspired in All Might. Izuku might have wanted that as some point, but as of late, he was still figuring out himself.
The fox boy finished adjusting his scarlet scarf and checked the emptied costume case. He stood right in front of his assigned locker, which looked no different to the one at U.A. during Fundamental to Heroics class. Across the aisle, Iida was finishing putting his own costume. Izuku spotted a glint of something in his case and, much to his surprise, found Yaoyorozu's gift.
The fox boy studied it for a bit, before shrugging and attaching the metal cylinder to his belt. Since he already had a whole lot of bandages, sutures, a few emergency pills and god-knows what else Recovery Girl had forced him to take, one extra thing wasn't really going to make a difference. Izuku did find it a bit out of place, but he wasn't about to be disrespectful about a gift.
"You finished?" Izuku asked Iida.
"Yes!" Iida said, turning around and smiling at Izuku. "I am fully prepared for this grand day! This might not be the most prestigious of hero agencies, but I am certain we will learn a lot!"
Izuku could only smile and nod at his friend's enthusiasm. The tall boy was clearly excited, perhaps as much as Izuku. Without another word, the two walked out the locker rooms, ready to face the challenges ahead.
Beneath the Agency proper, there were a network of corridors and rooms, all of which served Pro-Heroes one way or another.
"Well hello Fox Boy!" Rumi said.
Izuku smiled and turned to the voice, only to freeze. He wasn't sure how long he stood there, gaping like a fish, but he was sure it was more than just a few seconds. In the meantime, Rumi posed, smirking with smug satisfaction.
Not far from the entrance to the male changing room, and right outside the female changing room, Rumi stood with her white with purple trims leotard. There was a golden crescent moon on Rumi's chest, but at the moment Izuku's gaze was wandering off elsewhere. After all, Rumi's costume was perhaps a tad too tight and left perhaps too little for the imagination. At the moment, Izuku's mind couldn't even think straight.
"See something you like, Fox Boy?" purred Rumi.
"I- you… wow" was all Izuku could said. A little voice in his head couldn't deny he was a very lucky fox boy.
Rumi hopped over to him with a mischievous smirk. Her eyes wandered up and down, before leaning close to him.
"How sad! Here I wanted to see you with something more revealing, Fur Ball," she sultrily purred.
If the poor hormonal boy had it bad before, now he was an absolute wreck. Izuku's mind shut down right then and there. Yep, this internship was already proving to be amazing.
"Not all of us are exhibitionists" Tatsuma said.
Snapped out of his stupor, Izuku blinked and turned to the other girls standing outside the changing room. Very different from Rumi, Tatsuma's costume was modest by comparison, resembling a long crimson Chinese-style dress. It did suggestively part on her left leg, but even then it was nothing like Rumi's costume.
"Oy, I've got nothing to be ashamed of and, hey, it helps with mobility" Rumi said.
As if to make a point, she stretched, and Izuku's eyes started to get a mind of their own.
From the corner of his eyes, Izuku spotted a self-conscious (and flustered) Ochaco. She probably wasn't looking forward to walking in public with such skin-tight costume. It was, after all, a different matter than hanging around with peers of the same age also dressed in a similar fashion.
"I hate to say it, but such… preposterous… attires do appeal to the general population" muttered Iida with audible discontent.
"So, Fox Boy, how do I look?" Rumi asked Izuku with a smirk.
"I-well-you… ehm… good," stammered Izuku, staring straight at the ceiling. He could feel his face burning. "Really good."
"Good, huh?" Rumi said, smiling widening into a gleeful grin. She leaned closer to him, her warm breath making his fox ears twitch. "Careful with those instincts. Hold on until we are in private, fur ball…"
Needless to say, Izuku's mind went straight to a happy place, all while his tails wagged eagerly from side to side much like a cheerful dog. Yes, this internship was already up to an amazing start!
"Have you no shame?!" Iida exclaimed. "We are here to gain experience on the field, not to- to- to…" whatever he was going to say, it was lost in a storm of incoherent spluttering.
"Unbelievable" huffed Tatsuma, shaking her head. "Please, do try to keep your hormones under control."
Ochaco, on her part, was looking away, utterly embarrassed by what she was witnessing.
Rumi cackled, only to turn towards Izuku and give him a peck on the cheek.
"Sorry, Fox Boy, it is going to be only business," she said, nudging fox boy.
Izuku nodded. They had, after all, agreed not to push things further and he could understand why. This internships were too important to spend it any other way than training. His tails, on the other hand, wilted and dropped, showing his disappointment.
"Yeah, you are right… bunbun," Izuku replied.
Rabbit Girl scowled at the pet name, earning a grin from the Fox Boy.
"You do look great," said Izuku.
"Enough to steal your tongue, apparently," mused Rumi.
"Perhaps now you will understand what if feels to be under the influence of your despicable Four-Tailed form, Izuku" harrumphed Iida. "It is not such a pleasant experience, is it?"
"What? Was I drooling?" Izuku asked.
"I have never drooled when bewitched under your pheromone strike!" Iida immediately retorted.
"You sure about that, Iida?" Ochaco hummed, sending amused looks at her friend.
"I don't know, Robot Boy, you sure did look happy to see Fox Boy back during the Festival," Rumi teased.
Iida angrily karate-chopped the air at the reminder of that particular defeat, but said nothing.
"Oof, it sure is getting hot down here" Rumi laughed, nudging an embarrassed Izuku. "Come on, the real fun awaits!"
She hopped ahead, clearly excited. Unfortunately for Izuku, his eyes couldn't help but keep wandering down from Rumi's head, particularly to a certain cotton tail.
Great, I am acting just like Mineta now, Izuku mentally bemoaned.
However, before his imagination could actually emulate the resident horny midget, he spotted the sword on Rumi's back. Izuku blinked, baffled, before following after Rumi alongside his fellow interns.
Wait, since when does Rumi carry a katana? Izuku asked himself.
The small group didn't have to walk far. Their respective heroes were waiting just around the corner, looking ready for action.
"Ah, finally!" Ursai said as they walked over to them.
He looked rather amazing in black plated armor, if not outright scary. Dasher's costume seemed the halfway point between the two fellow pro-heroes, with silver plated arms and large shoulder-pads shaped as growling leopard heads. The rest of his attire consisted on a simple black skin-tight fabric with orange stripes. Much like Ursai, Dasher carried weapons. He had two swords behind him and a myriad of knifes, either poking out of his shoulder pads or on his belt and legs.
All in all, if Izuku had to describe the three heroes, he would have called them one thing: deadly. None of the three looked like the merciful kind, or like they dealt with smalltime purse-snatchers. In fact, they looked better prepared for war than petty crime.
"Alright everyone, let's get this show on the road!" Ursai proclaimed with a loud clap.
"Ah, what's first? Training rooms? Maybe the gym? Oh, I know, one of the obstacle courses?" Rumi eagerly wondered, jumping on her place.
"Wow, wow, wow, settle down, battle bunny," chortled Ursai. "First is first! We are going to-"
"-go one a grand tour!" Squeaked a certain Squirrel Lady.
All eyes turned to Haia, who had appeared from behind Ursai's shoulder, as if teleported out of thin air.
"What? You were taking too long! Come on! The creeps upstairs were all starting to stare!" Huffed a grumpy Haia. She broke into a frenzied grin. "So let's go, people!"
"A tour? Oh come on!" moaned Rumi.
"Sorry, but you kids came here to see a real Agency, and that's what we are going to do," Ursai chuckled.
"I think I will stay here and-" Arachne said, turning around.
"Oh no, not today Mai!" Haia said.
The interns blinked, surprised, when Haia (moving like a blur) jumped onto the spider woman's shoulders and started pulling the hero's hair.
"You have interns to teach!" Haia said.
"Ouch! Ow! Mai, please!" Pleaded Arachne. "Fine, I-I'll go! Get off me!"
The squirrel lady acquiesced, if only to jump onto Dasher's shoulders and hold onto his head. She looked proud of herself, all while Arachne pouted indignantly.
With that out of the way, the group toured around the Agency's lower levels. They visited the training areas, the combat rooms (massive halls covered in blue padding and with different combat robots), the gym, the cafeteria and many other places such as the offices. They came across many Pro-Heroes and, much to Izuku's surprise, support personnel.
As Izuku would later discover, the lower levels were filled with all sorts of people and quirks. From mutants to emitters, the technicians, janitors and plain secretaries came in all shapes and forms. They even came across the Agency's doctor, a crustaceous man that looked as more of an alien than a person who could allegedly fix a gunshot in an hour with his six tiny pincers.
Then, the group went upstairs, to the upper levels. Izuku couldn't help but notice many odd things once they made their way across different administrative floors of the Agency. Arachne grew shier and Haia the Squirrel Lady became rather subdued. After that, there were the stares and the murmurs that followed them.
The upper levels looked like a boring realm of cubicles and paper-pushers, from the human resources department to the accounting floors. The one thing Izuku and the others realized was how ill prepared the upper floors were for people like Ursai and Arachne. The corridors between cubicles were too narrow for them, and it was rather easy for someone like Ursai to accidently bump into things (although it did cause Rumi and Ursai to joke about his "fat ass").
They were greeted with smiles and everyone was rather welcoming. Whenever Arachne passed anywhere, they did look rather creeped out, but forced smiles towards them. Once they had their backs turned, Izuku could hear all manner of whispers behind them.
Most people talked about Izuku and his fellow interns, gossiping about the Sports Festival. After all, they could still remember many memorable things. Izuku was relieved to hear most people seemed to have a rather positive view of him. Sadly, there were always bad apples in the bunch, from a couple of women wondering if Izuku was the sort to go feral to a trio of creeps pondering if Rumi was the promiscuous type.
There was one pair of men whispering about Rumi's attire that nearly sent Izuku in a rage, hadn't Rumi nudged him and silently encourage him to keep quiet. Seriously, some people could be disgusting…
At the end of the tour, Izuku found himself a tad disappointed with the world of Heroes. He was well aware agencies worked as businesses, especially the bigger and older ones like the Iron Agency. However, there was a difference between knowing about it and actually seeing it. Witnessing so many floors dedicated to such corporate stuff as advertising was… well… not what Izuku expected for an agency.
That and the staring and whispers grated on Izuku's nerves. It fouled his mood. Only Bakugo could have made him so bitter.
After the grand tour, it came time to split up. Ursai had plans for Ochaco and Rumi down at the combat rooms and Dasher had declared he would be the first to patrol the outer wards. Before each went their own way, however, a certain rabbit girl needed to bid her farewells.
Rumi hopped towards Izuku and pecked his cheek.
"For luck, Fur Ball," whispered Rumi on his ear. "Don't go overthinking too much."
She turned around to leave, but Izuku wrapped one of his tails around her and pressed her against his body.
"Don't go recklessly jumping into action, Cotton Tail," he teased.
She scowled once again at the pet name, before rolling her eyes in annoyance.
"No promises, Fox Boy," snorted Rumi.
"No promises either, bunbun," replied Izuku.
She gave him a playful punch and, with Izuku's tails releasing her, went back to Ursai.
"Oh, isn't that adorable? Bunny Girl found love!" Ursai cooed, much to Rumi's chagrin.
"Don't you start, Fatso!" Growled an annoyed Rumi.
"Rabbit Girl and Fox Boy, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G" Ursai's voice echoed as they walked further away, accompanied by Ochaco's giggling and Rumi's groans of exasperation.
Iida and Dasher went their own way, with a simple wave and farewell. That left Arachne with her two interns.
"Kogitsunemaru and Ryukyu, I was thinking about starting with the Dark Rooms" Arachne proclaimed.
Izuku felt something at the mention of his hero name. At first, he had had his doubts about it. Now that someone else, an actual Pro-Hero, was saying it, he found himself finding a new liking to the name. However, Izuku did feel like his hero name was a bit of a mouthful. Cool, but perhaps too long.
Maybe I should consider alternatives, he pondered.
Before long, only Arachne and her interns remained. Tentatively, she offered a timid smile.
"From what I've been told by your homeroom teachers, only you have used a Dark Room." Arachne said, looking at Tatsuma.
"That's correct, during and before U.A." she admitted.
Izuku blinked. He had no idea people outside hero training could have access to such specialized facilities. As if seeing the question in his eyes, Tatsuma offered her trademarked polite smile and elaborated.
"My parents supported my career choice and managed to pay for a specialized training program," she confessed.
Izuku's eyebrows shot up his forehead. He wasn't the only one. Arachne's six eyes looked ready to pop out.
"I know," Tatsuma nodded at them, somewhat embarrassed. "They are expensive… and rare."
Izuku felt like he had to go over what he knew about Tatsuma from scratch. He didn't believe she came from a rich family and Tatsuma definitely did not give rich-girl vibes, like Yaoyorozu. In fact, Izuku thought she was more akin to a middle-class teenager.
"Well, the principles of the Dark Room are simple, Kogitsunemaru," Arache awkwardly said, trying to bring the conversation back on track. "You won't be able to tell what is in the room or how it looks inside. All you will be able to do is use your other senses, smell and hearing. However, the trick is that through technology above my understanding, it will feel as if there are other things inside."
"Things?" Izuku queried.
Arache gave him a playful smile.
"I can't say more than that," she said.
"Is it like playing on instinctive fear of the dark?" Izuku asked. "I understand that the dark room is meant to have me try to control my instincts but how does that work?"
"It is a competition between your reasoning human side and your quirk's animal instincts," Tatsuma added. "While you know that there is nothing in there, the room will use sounds, smells and even wind currents to trick your instincts into believing there is danger. It plays with your imagination."
"Then all I have to do is fight the urge to flee," Izuku summarized.
"Or fight," Arachne said. "I suspect you are of the predatory kind."
It was left unsaid that both Arachne and Tatsuma were well aware of Izuku's rather aggressive instincts in the nine-tailed form. The Sports Festival had made it rather clear.
"By monitoring your heart-beat, muscle twitching and even body temperature, the room will stop itself before you lose control of yourself. The room records the information per user, and even offer a multitude of settings to push you to the brink of Primal Fear," Arachne explained. "The room, of course, has other purposes."
"It can help train your senses, like your sense of smell, and it is a good way for anyone to test their courage and mental fortitude," said Tatsuma. "Many of the other agencies use them to fight their own fear."
"That's right," Arachne nodded. She nervously wrung her hands, looking at Izuku. "I will leave the choice to you. I do not wish to push you if you don't want to. There are other matters we could work on…"
Izuku bit his lip. As much as he wanted to control his instincts, he was still afraid of losing control. Just images of the state he had left Shinso made him worry. However, Izuku understood that this was a unique opportunity to control said impulses. A hand reached to his necklace, the one of the prancing fox Rumi had given him.
With a confident smile, he looked at Arachne.
"I will train my instincts," Izuku said.
Arachne grimaced and nodded with resignation, before turning to Tatsuma. The dragon girl was staring at Izuku, intrigued, before she pried her gaze from the fox boy.
"I wish to train my senses, particularly my sense of smell. I am afraid I have neglected some of the finer aspects of my dragon form," Tatsuma confessed.
"That's alright. Sadly, hero careers appear to put too much emphasis on fighting and physical strength," Arachne said. "So that's decided… let's get started."
There were many things Ochaco had expected in her first day as an intern for a Pro-Hero. She had expected going out in patrols, perhaps helping around the office cleaning this or that and maybe bringing coffee. She had even envisioned training under Ursai. What she did not expect, however, were tests.
While Rumi, clad with protective headgear and boxing gloves, went head on against a towering six-armed robot with one glaring red optic (or as Ursai called it the "Boxer OT-21"), Ochaco stood by a side, with Ursai, going over various strange tests. The Pro-Hero was apparently curious about the way Ochaco's quirk functioned.
Pro-Hero Ursai had brought with him a whole load of weights, dumbbells and bars, and he made Ochaco use her quirk on them. She was surprised at the various effects, but she failed to see the pattern. She used her quirk on a singular bar, or while holding onto the bar while it touched a weight or dumbbells to see what her quirk ended up affecting. At times, Ursai would ask Ochaco to use her quirk on a whole pile of weights or dumbbells, or a mixture of the two.
Every now and then, Ochaco glanced at Rumi.
The robot stomped forward and the rabbit girl hopped back on the tips of her feet, eager. Then, the android struck. Ochaco watched, gobsmacked, as the robot arms attacked one after another in a fearsome barrage. Rumi expertly tilted her head sideways to avoid the first punch, before moving and dodging the subsequent attacks. She ducked, spun and jumped, all while the robot pushed forward. Then, Rumi slipped under one of the arms and delivered her own punches. There were pads right beneath the arms, Ochaco noticed, which beeped whenever Rumi got a clean hit.
She is amazing, Ochaco thought.
The way Rumi moved, how she dodged with such ease and the way she countered… Ochaco felt a pang of shame.
She's in an entire other level, Ochaco realized.
"Papa Bear to Uravity. Do you copy me Uravity?"
Ochaco blinked, only to realize that Ursai had been trying to get her attention.
"Sorry," she chuckled with a sheepish smile. "Got distracted."
Ursai glanced at Rumi, and offered a kind smile to the girl.
"Ha, I know what you must be thinking: man, that rabbit is one hell of a fighter," mused Ursai.
Ochaco gave a faint nod. The big bear chuckled and patted Ochaco's head, much to her embarrassment.
"Don't compare yourself to that feisty bunny. Both of you are very different to each other, with different strengths," Ursai said.
And yet, Ochaco wished she could be like Rumi. Seeing her easily dodge and punch, all with a fearless and confident smile, clawed at her sense of self-worth.
"You are here to find your own strength, little cub," Ursai continued. "Trust me, when I am done with you here, you'll become a titan of your own. You are not my first student, after all. I actually teach at the local hero school and, I am telling you, I forged a good bulk of heroes."
One could only hope.
"Well, just a few extra tests and we'll be done," Ursai promised. "Now, try this…"
And on they went, with Ochaco using her quirk while Ursai intently watched. He reminded her of Izuku, whenever he stared at someone during Fundamental of Heroics, gears shifting at full speed. It was definitely a side of Ursai she hadn't expected to see.
Finally, Ochaco performed the apparent last test and Ursai remained there, stroking his snout. He pondered in silence for a few seconds, before he finally spoke.
"Density," mused Ursai. "Your quirk travels from solid bodies of higher density to those of lower one, but not the other way round… and within a certain density difference. It can, however, still cover heterogeneous bodies with varying density. Your quirk also appears to only work when it wraps entirely around a body, or else it fails… and yet, it can travel across the ground and jump onto bodies? Hmmmm…"
Ochaco slowly nodded, not sure what that meant. It was so strange to see a fully armored bear man, who she had seen fighting like battle beast, being so analytical and methodical.
Ursai grabbed a bar, one of the heavy ones, and offered it to Ochaco.
"Now, use your quirk on the bar," Ursai instructed. He didn't let go of the bar.
Ochaco guessed what they were trying to see. Her eyes widened, realizing something. If Ursai's hunch was correct, then that could only mean that… no, it couldn't be. Ochaco gulped and hesitantly did as told. The pink energy field of her quirk flashed across the bar. Ochaco stared in disbelief. The pink aura… it spread onto Ursai. In a second, both Ursai and the bar he was holding were floating upwards.
Ochaco's heart sunk. How had she never realized she could extend the reach of her quirk with a weapon? She frowned, studying bar. If what Ursai said was correct, did that mean she could only use as a weapon a high-density staff or bar?
"Huh, zero-g feels so weird," commented the amused Ursai. "If you wouldn't mind."
Ochaco offered a faint smile and released her quirk. Deep down, she felt like an idiot for having failed to notice such obvious things. How could she have failed to try to use her quirk on the ground? Why hadn't she tried using a staff before? On and on, her self-worth dropped by the second.
"Final test, I promise! Use your quirk on the bar," Ursai said. This time, he let go of the bar.
Raising an eyebrow, Ochaco did as told. Ursai grabbed the floating bar and offered it to a confused Ochaco.
"Now, use your quirk on it again, little cub," Ursai softly said.
Ochaco stared at the bar on Ursai's hand. She frowned, first at the bar and then at the hero.
"Why?" Ochaco asked. "I've already used my quirk on it."
"Just try it," Ursai slowly said.
Ochaco wasn't sure what Ursai expected to happen. She glanced at the bear man and the bar. Tentatively, she reached to it and grabbed it. Ochaco gave one last look at Ursai for confirmation. The bear man gave her an encouraging smile, and Ochaco used her quirk on the long heavy bar.
There was a flash of pink light and, just like that, the bar dropped straight to the ground. Ochaco stared, slack-jaw, as Ursai took a deep breath.
"As I suspected," Ursai said.
"Wha- it – that never happened before," Ochaco spluttered.
"Do you remember practicing using your quirk on things you've already applied your quirk?" Ursai asked.
Ochaco tried to remember, but she knew it would be futile. Just who could recall clearly their first moments with their quirks? Early childhood was always a blur for everyone. Thus, she could only shake her head.
"It's alright, little cub," gently said Ursai. He sat down, reminding Ochaco of an actual bear.
"Alright? How – how come I didn't know I could do that?" Ochaco asked, unable to contain her emotions.
She felt frustrated, annoyed, embarrassed, ashamed and, above all, disappointed in herself. In the span of two weeks, she discovered entire new aspects of her power she had never even considered! She felt like crying…
"I suspected that this would be the case when I saw you releasing your quirk," Ursai said. "The method of deactivation you are using - applying your own quirk to the focus of your emitter type quirk – is called Short-circuit Termination."
Ochaco studied her hands, scrutinizing the little round pads on the tip of her fingers. Were those the so called focus of her quirk?
"I don't know if you were told this, but when you fell unconscious during your match against the explosion kid, your quirk deactivated," said Ursai. "Do you know what that means?"
Ochaco shook her head. She felt a knot form in her gut. Just how much did she actually understand her own power? And why - why god-damn it - did everyone else appear to know more about it than her?
"I believe that your quirk can be deactivated at will," Ursai slowly explained. Ochaco opened her mouth, but Ursai held up a hand. "I know what you are about to say. Trust me, I've seen your type of quirk, and it all makes sense now. Unfortunately, you will require a good lot learning – and unlearning – so that you can use your quirk to its maximum potential."
Ochaco wasn't sure how she was meant to take the hero's words. Did that mean she had been failing at using her quirk properly? How? It was her quirk! An extension of herself as much as her hands! Ochaco couldn't have missed such glaring details.
"Little cub, I think we need to start from zero with you," Ursai sighed, shaking his head.
"You think I've been using my quirk wrong?" Ochaco whispered in disbelief.
"Not quite," Ursai said. "I am surprised you discovered that you could short-circuit your quirk like that."
"It was more of an accident," Ochaco sheepishly chuckled. She then looked down, shoulders slumped.
"What manner of counselling did you actually receive?" wondered Ursai.
"Not that much. I am more of a countryside kid and there weren't any available quirk counsellors where I lived at," admitted Ochaco. "And only those who could afford private counselling got anything better than the one at school… and she only focused on the more complex ones."
And the ones she thought could make it to a hero course, Ochaco bitterly thought.
"Worry not, little cub," Ursai proclaimed. "This week I will forge you into a fine warrior, and I believe I've found your weapon."
Ochaco bit her lip, unsure. Did she even deserve to be a hero? She had been a failure at the Sports Festival and now she discovered she had been using her quirk wrong? Great, just what she needed.
The sound of beeping reminded Ochaco of ongoing onslaught not far from them. Rumi was still at it, and so was the robot. Neither seemed ready to give up. The difference was that the rabbit girl was enjoying herself, immersed in the thrill of the fight. The robot almost sounded exasperated.
"You know, I will let you on a secret," Ursai softly said, with a conspiratorial smirk. He leaned close to Ochaco, before whispering. "I think little bunny over there doesn't fully know her own quirk."
Ochaco blinked. No, there was no way. She could understand herself failing to fully master her quirk. Ochaco was coming to terms to how much of a failure she was… but Rumi? Battle-ready Rumi? No way.
Pro-Hero and intern stayed silent as Rumi cackled, only to be sent flying by a punch. The rabbit girl slammed flat against the wall only to drop to her knees on the ground. The boxing robot released a taunting monotonous laughter. Rumi growled and shook her head, before rushing at the robot. A series of beeps ensued.
"I believe there's more to her quirk than the rabbit aspect of it," Ursai said.
"What do you mean?" Wondered Ochaco.
"Oh, I think our bunny can reach entire new levels of strength, if only she followed my advice. As for how I know… when you've seen and taught as many quirks as I have, you start to notice stuff," Ursai said.
Like Izuku, Ochaco thought.
"That and I have access to her family tree," sheepishly chuckled Ursai. "So I can make a good guess to her full potential."
"Why don't you tell her?" Ochaco wondered.
"Oh, I did, but she didn't believe me," Ursai huffed. "Stubborn bunny."
Ochaco smiled at that. Yeah, Rumi could be stubborn.
"It's mostly a hunch, though," admitted Ursai. "Still, even people like Rumi can fail to learn about themselves."
Ochaco nodded, thankful for Ursai's words.
"What about you? Are you going to be as stubborn as battle bunny over there?" Ursai mused.
The two glanced at Rumi, who was kicking a downed boxing robot. The poor android was pleading for mercy. Pro-Hero and intern sweatdropped at Rumi's ruthlessness. Ochaco turned to Ursai, her face filled with determination.
"Where do we start?" She asked.
"That's the spirit, cub," Ursai proudly said. From behind him he reached into the bag he had brought and pulled a training weapon. Ochaco's eyes widened at his choice. "As for your training… let's start with the basics."
And with that, he offered a battle hammer for Ochaco to take. Ochaco hesitated. She? Using a Hammer? That was crazy! Ochaco glanced at Rumi and once again found the inspiration she needed.
I will not be a weak girl again, Ochaco said, a hand caressing her facial scars.
With some effort, she grabbed the hammer and lifted it. It was really heavy but Ochaco didn't complain.
"Let me show you how to actually carry this thing," Ursai said. He ruffled Ochaco's brown hair. "Wait and see, little cub. After this week, Uravity will be headed straight to the stars."
Ochaco grinned, hopeful.
Maybe I will finally be able to catch up with Tenya and Izuku… and maybe even Rumi!
Tenya Iida had long developed a certain view of hero-work. Given how he had been surrounded by heroes for most of his life, he had an insight on the industry that others lacked. He understood Pro-Heroes patrolled in order to react faster to crime and to give peace of mind to the citizens. There was also a matter of visibility. After all, a hero that wasn't seen, was a hero that couldn't hope to hold up in the hero rankings.
Pro-Hero Dasher, and the Iron Agency itself, broke Iida's expectations. It wasn't that hard to see why. The Iida Family Agency was rather small, a D class agency in fact, meaning it had jurisdiction over various neighborhoods which they shared with other D class agencies.
The Iron Agency, on the other hand, was a B class. That is to say, they held near provincial jurisdiction, reaching beyond Hiroshima. Of course, their sphere of influence was not absolute. Other smaller agencies worked along the Iron Agency and even shared jurisdictions. However, the fact remained the Iron Agency was massive. That and it was in a hive city.
Firstly, Iida did not expect to take the subway to an outer district. In fact, he had expected another manner of transportation. He didn't mind that much, but being the sole person in a costume surrounded by unassuming civilians didn't exactly suit him. Well, there was Dasher, but he couldn't care less about the opinion of the surrounding citizens.
Secondly, Iida had not expected the whispers and stares that followed him. Whenever Iida turned to look sideways, this or that person would avert their gaze. More than once he had caught someone pointing their cell phone towards him. There was an irritating group of young girls, clad in high school uniform, who would glance at him and giggle. At some point Iida managed to hear titbits of their chatter.
"-fox woman in bikini-" "-without much of a fight-" "-drooling all over the place."
Curse you Izuku! Why did you have to embarrass me on national TV?! Mentally cried Iida.
"Man, look at you, all stiff," a relaxed and leisurely Dasher chuckled. "Relax, Ingenium, I doubt someone will attack you here."
A whole lot of the Pro-Hero's demeanor reminded Iida of his brother. Tensei had been pretty much the same, laid back and carefree. It wasn't that he came off lazy. On the contrary, Tensei gave an air of confidence that was reassuring.
"Yes, sir!" Iida immediately said, trying to ignore the giggling behind him and the ache in his heart. "I am still getting adjusted to the real hero experience!"
Dasher leaned to a side, to the giggling girls, before giving Iida a knowing look and smile. The tall teenager pointedly ignored the Pro-Hero's expression.
"Oh, this is a far cry from the actual thing," said Dasher.
"What do you mean, sir?" Iida wondered.
"Those assigned to the outer districts don't travel there from central. The agency has warehouses and headquarters over there so we don't need to travel like this," Dasher explained. "Since you kids are staying at central, however, this is how it's going to be. Also, most of us don't do patrols like this."
"But that is part of hero work, is it not?" Iida wondered.
"In other cities, maybe, but the outer districts don't have that much rampart crime. The Villain Clans and other smaller agencies deal with that. We from the Iron Agency work alongside the police, be it on investigations or responding to emergencies. Y'know, we are the muscle around this place."
"I see," Iida nodded. He wasn't, however, entirely sure what Dasher meant.
The train started slowing down and a female voice announced they were reaching one of the stations. Dasher approached one of the doors, followed by Iida.
"Well, here we are, Asaminami ward," proclaimed Dasher.
The train stopped and, after a pause, the doors opened. The passengers that were departing all hurried out, shoving each other and engrossed on their phones. None, Iida noticed, dared come anywhere close to Dasher. More than one kept a wary eye to the Pro-Hero, who in turn appeared amused by their behavior.
At a first glance, the station looked no different to any other. However, as other passengers hurried away out of the platform and Dasher kept a slow pace, Iida started to find the place rather abandoned. Made of former white tiles, grime and dirt covered everything, and a few lights were either flickering or weren't working at all. Some of the tiles were broken or cracked, or were outright missing. Then there was the garbage, littered everywhere.
Iida followed Dasher and looked around with a frown. How could the place have been allowed to fall like into such disrepair? Once out of the platform, they passed by a series of benches and Iida froze on the spot. He was struck by the stench of urine and other undesirable smells. There were a good lot of people, and none appeared to be actual passengers.
There were vagrants and a few questionable women hanging around, against the walls and at the corners. Passengers went past them without sparing a single glance and ignored the vagabonds that tried to draw their attention. A few of those homeless individuals were asleep on the benches, while others sat over cardboards and covered themselves with dirty blankets. The women, barely wearing anything or wrapped loosely by revealing attire, hungrily looked at Iida, while the rest stared at them with suspicion.
Dasher didn't pay the residents of the station any mind and walked as if he owned the place, with Iida close behind. By the way the vagrants and questionable women appeared to part away from Dasher, the Pro-Hero might have as well acted as if he ruled the station. The intern, however, was not so fortunate. Iida was startled by one of the vagabonds, a being hidden beneath a blanket. Only two glowing orbs (his or her eyes, Iida guessed) could be seen beneath the cloth.
"A little help, mister," said the glowing eyes. The being's voice was unnatural, like it came from a drowning person. "Can't find a job you see…"
The vagabond leaned forward, under the light, and Iida had to do a double take. The man – if you could call it that – was made entirely of a sizzling and boiling pitch black substance. Whatever it was, it reeked of hazardous. Iida had a strong suspicion the creature's touch alone could prove to be poisonous.
"Don't fall behind, Iida," said Dasher.
The intern turned to apologize to the liquid man (or was it a woman?), only to see that it had retreated in fear at Dasher's voice. Iida frowned, confused, before he hurried after the pro-Hero, only for one of the women to block their path and speak to him.
Her moderately attractive body was marred by a massive jaw and jutting sharp teeth. She was more terrifying than anything, especially with that sultry tone of hers. Iida did not miss the webbed hands or few scales on her neck and back, nor the drowsy look on her eyes. Someone wasn't completely lucid. Then there was the stench of fish…
"Hello hon," slurred the woman. "Feeling lonely?"
Iida blushed, heavily reminded of Izuku's four tails. He shook his head and followed Dasher's example, ignoring the lady and rushing out of that place. Iida could feel the eyes of more than one person on his back.
"Wh-who are these people?" Whispered Iida as the duo walked up a flight of stairs.
"Who do you think? The abandoned, the forgotten, the misplaced…" Dasher trailed off before giving a dismissive shrug. "People with nowhere to go."
"But why isn't anyone doing anything?" Iida wondered.
"And what exactly do you think should be done?" Dasher asked.
"I do not know, perhaps some government support or assistance," Iida suggested.
"Kid, that's what has put the city in our current state in the first place," mused Dasher. "Trust me, kid, there isn't much we can do for them."
"But- but heroes are supposed to assist such individuals! Not ignore them," Iida said, unsure.
Admittedly, he didn't recall an instance his family had to deal with anything near as bad as what he had just witnessed.
Dasher stopped walking, not far from the bright sunny entrance to the subway station. He looked at Iida with pitying eyes and placed a reassuring hand over the teenager's shoulder.
"Look, I understand. Every rookie goes through the same, the naivety of inexperience. Sadly for all of us, it is not so simple," Dasher softly said. "As heroes we can do only so much… unfortunately, if the rest of the world won't help, there is little anyone can actually do. We are not social workers, kid."
Iida stood there. It wasn't right. They couldn't just ignore people in need. However, he couldn't imagine any way of helping those people.
Dasher patted him on the shoulder and kept walking. Iida followed, trying to think on a proper response. He couldn't bring himself to just let such abundant poverty be forgotten. Before Iida could insist further that action was needed for that people, they made it outside the station. Coming out of the dark and damp place, Iida was monetarily blinded by the sunlight. He blinked a couple of times, until finally, he started to understand his surroundings.
Iida looked around, trying not to look surprised. However, no matter how much he understood it would be disrespectful to stare, he did so anyway, and with his eyes bulging in shock. If the central district looked no different to any other metropolitan area, this district looked another city entirely. Heck, it looked like part of a world of its own.
"Welcome kid to the Zoo," mused Dasher.
The term zoo didn't do the place justice. After all, there weren't just a handful of animal mutant quirk users: the entire street seemed packed with them. A third were much akin to Ursai, being full-animal mutant types, while another third appeared to be your average human, if not for some subtle mutation. There rest were caught in between the full mutation and no mutation, much like Usagiyama and Midoriya. In all shapes and colors, some resembled real animals, while others looked like out of someone's imagination.
The buildings were all old-looking, three-story high and painted in a dismal grey. There was a lot of color added onto them, however, from advertisements to just random paintings and graffiti. Shops lined up all across the streets, from tiny food vendors to small shops. At the moment, the whole place was alive with people, with very few cars driving down the street.
Iida was about to give a step forward, only for Dasher to stop him. The Pro-Hero chuckled and looked downwards.
"Sorry, ma'am," apologized Dasher.
Iida could only blink at the dwarf of a woman she had nearly walked over. As tall as Principal Nezu, she had leathery wings for arms and two massive bat ears. She glared at Iida before she carried on with an annoyed huff.
"How- how do you manage to keep the order?" Iida stammered.
His eyes followed a bright green furred dog woman who was walking in all fours.
"Who says we do?" mused Dasher. "Come on, Ingenium, wait until you see the rest of this place, and the other areas."
"I – other areas?" Iida spluttered. "There's more streets like this?"
"More streets like this? Entire neighborhoods, kid!" Guffawed the Pro-Hero. "To the North is the Junkyard, on the East there's the Hive, and to the West is the Circus. To the South is Giant Hall, but we don't patrol there. That's Red Behemoth and Rhodes exclusive territory. Well, them and Ferrus Magnus, but the Boss has more than enough on his plate at Central."
"G-Giant Hall?" Squawked Iida.
"Yeah. That's where everyone with gigantification quirks live at," Dasher said as if it was the most normal thing in the world to have giants running around. "You think this place is impressive, wait until we patrol the Dream Land, Danger Zone and the Maelstrom over at the Asakita ward."
"Maelstrom? Dream Land?" Iida wondered. "Excuse me, sir, I must have misheard. Did you just call a place the Danger Zone?"
"The Maelstrom is this small neighborhood with elemental mutant quirks. You know, made of water, slime, mud, rock… y'know, elementals. The dream land… well… I don't know how to describe it but I think it is self-explanatory," said Dasher, entertained by Iida's shocked face.
The two stopped walking down the walkway as a massive man, with a pair of twisted horns, slowly trudged in front of them. All around, Iida didn't fail to notice how most mutant quirks were animal types, and mostly bird and mammal animals at that.
"The Danger Zone has a lot of dangerous quirks, most of which aren't mutant quirks. For instance, there's this guy who sweats mercury, who is toxic to be near around, while there is this guy I've heard off that emits gamma radiation."
To be dangerous to the people around you… that's appalling, thought a perplexed Iida.
"I must apologize, sir, but why - why haven't I heard about such places before?" Iida spluttered, only to mentally add. Why haven't I even heard there were people cursed with dangerous quirks?
A part of him knew, deep down, that he had been well aware that there were rather nasty quirks out there, some of which were terrible curses more than beneficial powers. However, such realization had always been pushed to the background of his mind, perhaps unconsciously.
"They don't have official names," Dasher huffed with a roll of his eyes. "The names are what we locals call those neighborhoods and areas. The Zoo, the Junkyard and the Hive are, by far, the largest, but they all require constant attention."
Iida remained quiet. He had known Hiroshima was known for its… diversity… but it was impossible to reconcile what he had read with the truth. A part of him no doubt thought that what he had discovered on the internet had been exaggerated. And yet, there he was, hearing all about this areas filled with people based on their quirks. It felt so wrong…
"The Asakita ward, the ward north of this one, is technically the largest ward of Hiroshima, but it has the least people and is the most peaceful by far. The Greenhouse people up there are all pretty nice… well, except the ruling villain clan, the Black Thorns, who are as close to eco-terrorists as they can come. Of course, there is also the Saeki ward to west that is almost as big, with the Jurassic Park," explained Dasher.
"And people live in each region based on their quirk?" Iida skeptically wondered.
"Yeah," Dasher said.
"Why? Are they forced to do so?" Wondered Iida. "Regardless the reason, it sounds like quirk discrimination."
"There are many reasons, be it the politicians being corrupt assholes or just people wanting to group up with fellow mutant types," Dasher shrugged. "Don't get me wrong. Was there discrimination? Oh hell yeah there was. However, back during the Dark Age of Heroes and the rise of quirks, it was just one complicated mess after another. There were Meta Supremacists, purists, a lot of gene cults trying to get to the bottom of quirks…"
The Pro-Hero shrugged.
"For the most part, the local government back in the day tried to make the outer wards more mutant friendly. Of course, the morons didn't expect the quirked population to shoot up or for mutants of all over the country to be lured in. Trust me, that caused its own issues," retold Dasher. "Then people started to group up for various reasons. The uglies banded together and formed the Circus, giants got tired of trashing everything and made their own place, the reptiles threw a hissy fit and went to another ward and the animals and insect started a quirk war."
Iida started at Dasher. Just what manner of chaos and mayhem had ruled over the city? No wonder it was a hive city, mass producing villain minions.
"Like I said… a mess," chuckled Dasher.
Iida walked next to Dasher, his eyes going over the different people they came across. The variety was hard to get used to. Just when he thought he saw a weird mutant type, another one would cross his path. The contrast between people was just as baffling. Iida could see average looking people right next to a blindingly yellow werewolf
The young man pondered whether he should ask for more details. So much of what he had heard felt so wrong, yet it also felt as if there was more that had been left unsaid.
"Do the people at central discriminate against mutant-type quirks?" Tentatively asked Iida.
Dasher raised an eyebrow at him.
"Depends on who you ask. If you ask anyone at central, then no. They'll all tell you they would welcome any mutant-type user. If you ask anyone out here, they will call the normies a bunch of Meta Supremacists and then some," Dasher replied, scratching his neck. "The truth is no doubt somewhere in the middle…"
Iida and Dasher kept walking for a while, before the Pro-Hero smiled, nudged Iida and continued talking.
"So yeah, this is the mess we have to deal with," Dasher said. "Come on, kid! There's more to see!"
Iida wasn't sure he wanted to see more of Hiroshima. Just what did he sign himself into?
The young man shook his head and scrunched his face in determination. His eyes wandered off to Dasher's swords and knives.
No, no matter what, I must keep my attention on my goals here, Iida told himself. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. I will not allow the situation in this city to distract me.
"By the way, sir, are we going to use the training facilities of your agency?" asked Iida.
"Call me Dasher," sighed the Pro-Hero, before he smiled. "Eager for training?"
"Absolutely," Iida replied.
"Well, I do have plans to teach you a thing or two about fighting," said Dasher.
Iida purposely glanced at his swords, something the Pro-Hero didn't miss.
"And yeah, they involve these babies," Dasher chuckled, pointing at his blades. "I hope you don't mind."
"Oh no, not at all," stated Iida with a firm serious face. "I do have some reservations, however. My family has always been against armed heroes."
Dasher looked ahead, rolling his eyes.
"Well, this is Hiroshima kid. We do things differently here," Dasher said.
Unbeknownst to the Pro-Hero, Iida smirked with satisfaction.
"I know," Iida said, only to mentally add, and I am counting on it.
Izuku had never felt as shaken as he did after his time in the Dark Rooms. He might have as well have spent the previous hour watching horror films and witnessed a dozen jump scares. Truly, those Dark Rooms were terrifying. Completely dark, with only one single faint light at the center, Izuku had been immersed in a scary world of noises: from steps and clicking of what sounded like massive insects, to the raspy breath of… something.
Needless to say, Izuku hadn't made that much progress controlling with Primal Fear.
A leisurely walk around the offices had been a welcomed change for Izuku. He really needed to stretch his legs. Tatsuma, on the other hand, remained calm and collected, if perhaps a bit bored.
"And this is my office," said Arachne.
Izuku and Tatsuma walked past the rather massive door with the words "Night Crew" and looked around, intrigued. At a first glance, it didn't look like a place for paperwork. There were various desks with computers at the center, but chairs were missing and the room was rather spacious. The fact the walls were covered in posters and pictures removed any semblance of professionalism.
"Or rather, the office of my crew," Arachne explained, walking into the room and going over to one of the desks. "We rarely work alone in the Iron Agency. Under normal circumstances, we would work with fellow Pro-Heroes with similar quirks. In my case, Dark Infinity, Goliath, Nightshade and I make up the Night Crew."
Izuku studied one of the posters. It showed Dark Infinity menacingly posing, looking more of a villain than a hero. With a Lovecraftian appearance closely resembling that of the fabled Cthulhu, he probably had a rather specific niche of hero fans. Perhaps that was the case with most of the heroes of the Night Crew.
"Believe it or not, hero work implies a lot of paperwork," Arachne said. "There are reports to be filled, mostly regarding any action we've seen or documents submitted for any given case, such as evidence or progress."
"Just how much paperwork are we talking about?" Wondered Izuku.
"Depends on the local legislation," Arachne said with a strained smile. "In our case, Hiroshima demands quite a few extra reports than any other places. You need to understand, these reports are the only means overseeing organizations such as the Hero Commission can review the behavior and actions of each individual hero and the crew."
"Why the name? Night Crew, I mean," Tatsuma inquired with her ever present polite smile.
"Most villain activities take place in dark or secluded areas, and more often than not at night. Darkness is also our best cover. I don't know if you've noticed, but I am a bit visible, especially during daylight," awkwardly said Arachne.
And so are the rest of the crew, Izuku thought.
"Generally, were I not with you, Ferrus Magnus would have assigned my crew an area to patrol and work at, probably in the outer wards, for a couple of days. We would settle over at the headquarters at assigned place and perform our duties from there, be it simple reconnaissance or working alongside the police in a case or two," explained the spider woman. "Our most frequent assignment involve investigating the actions of the local villain clan, stalking them and acting if needed. Monthly secret rotations help to keep the villain clans on edge and guessing."
As Izuku kept looking across the walls, before turning to what he guessed was Arachne's desk. There was a lamp, a stack of papers, a screen and keyboard… a black spider plushy… and framed pictures. It was as he examined the picture frames that he froze and stared at a certain image. He blinked at it and did a double take.
"So your crew works as a smaller agency of its own?" Tatsuma summarized.
"In a way, yes," Arachne nodded. "However, you must understand that this way my crew can specialize solely in stealth and capture. Had we been an agency, we would be expected a whole lot of other responsibilities."
Izuku turned around and tapped on the picture he had been staring at.
"Is this Aizawa?" Izuku asked, amazed. "I didn't know you did a Cross-Over with him."
It wasn't just Izuku's homeroom teacher. He saw a whole lot of other heroes, most of which Izuku recognized as Underground heroes, standing in a tight group for the picture. A bit separate from the others was Aizawa in all of his sleep-deprived glory. A female hero, Ms. Joke, was also there, all smile and joy next to the grumpy and annoyed-looking Aizawa. The contrast between the two was a tad perplexing. To a side, somewhat isolated from the rest and behind Aizawa, was a timid looking Arachne.
"It was not a Cross-Over," Arachne said, approaching the fox boy. There was a fond smile on her face. "My crew frequently works with underground heroes due to our specialization. Because we are hunters in the dark, my crew tends to work against traffickers."
Is that how Arachne managed to get a place in the Sports Festival? Through Aizawa? Wondered Izuku. No, it probably involved money…
"So you mostly deal with smugglers," guessed Tatusma.
A pained expression crossed Arachne's face, before it was replaced by bitter anger.
"No, Ryukyu, traffickers," Arachne bluntly stated. She walked away from the picture and the interns. "I will explain more tomorrow when we patrol the Asaminami ward. There's… somewhere I have to visit and…" she sighed, once again nervously wringing her hands "…and maybe you'll learn a bit about the situation here in Hiroshima."
Izuku and Tatsuma traded weary faces at that. They were both taken aback by Arachne's tone and cryptic words.
"Ehm…" Izuku cleared his throat. "We aren't going on patrol today?"
"First there is lunch," Arache said, pointing at the clock hanging over the door. "After that, I was thinking about trying one of the fighting rooms."
She nervously wrung her hands, looking ashamed and guilty. Izuku got the feeling Arachne wasn't looking forward to hanging out in public, especially during daytime.
"I am sorry I won't be showing a lot of hero work," Arachne sighed. "Unfortunately, as I said, I tend to deal with rather obscure stuff, and in the outer districts. The Iron Agency can't allow for information on our activities and tactics to leak out so…"
"It is understandable," stated Tatsuma. "I am actually appreciate your focus on our training."
Arachne offered a small grateful smile.
"Shall we head over to the cafeteria?" Arachne wondered.
All it took was the echoes of two grumbling stomachs, and two blushing interns, for the group to file out of the office and towards the cafeteria. The corridor outside consisted mostly of concrete walls and doors that led to different offices.
"Are all heroes part of a group or crew?" Izuku wondered, eyeing a door titled "Shadow Crew".
"For the most part, yes," Arachne nodded. "There are exceptions, like our leader, Ferrus Magnus."
"Have you ever considered starting your own agency?" Tatsuma asked. "I do not understand the purpose of amassing so many heroes under one agency when they could all work apart far more efficiently."
"That's not quite true. Our numbers allow us to be a united force against the many villain clans out there. Moreover, like I said before, our size allows us to specialize without requiring all of us to dedicate our time to keep our agency up in the rankings. For example, my crew gets financing even if we do not have modelling contracts or have to partake in PR stunts or photo-ops. That's something more of Dasher's area of expertise," chuckled Arachne. "The agency's size also allows for an entire administrative branch to help us with the paper-load."
Izuku still couldn't reconcile the idea of Pro-Heroes filling down paper work. Just imagining heroes like Endeavor or All Might writing down a simple report seemed so alien and weird. Heck, Izuku couldn't begin to picture the likes of Aizawa bothering with bureaucracy.
The trio walked down the corridor, passing down many offices. The number of crews named across the hallway was evidence to the size of the agency. To think there were agencies bigger than the Iron Agency, such as Endeavor's or All Might's. A Class agencies, however, were nearly as rare as B class, and for good reason. Few heroes or organizations could hope to offer assistance or aid across entire provinces or, in the case of All Might, the entire country. Only exceptional heroes got that far, and for the most part the agency lasted as long as said hero did.
"What training shall we do after lunch?" Tatsuma asked, breaking Izuku out of his thoughts. "I was interested in paying a visit to the gym if possible."
"I was considering sparing. I wish to personally test your fighting ability," Arachne said.
Izuku frowned at the Pro-Hero. She didn't look like the fighting sort. In fact, Izuku wasn't sure if Arachne even fought directly. She was a lot like Aizawa in that regards, as far as he knew, employing swift and surprise attacks for efficient takedowns.
"I – ehm – would it be possible to train my… eh… animalistic side of my quirk?" Izuku wondered.
Pro-Hero and interns stopped walking. Tatsuma, Izuku found, stared at him with a very strange look in her eyes. She appeared… intrigued? Confused? Interested? Izuku wasn't sure if it was an improvement from her ever-present polite smile.
"Of course," Arachne said with a kind smile. "I want to help you this week as much as you need."
"Well, thing is that Hound Dog told me that he knew someone who could help me train my… ehm… ferocity," Izuku tentatively said.
Arachne raised three eyebrows at him. Izuku, in turn, looked at Tatsuma.
"Me?" The dragon girl realized.
Tatsuma lit up at that, her smile acquiring a genuine radiance. Truly, she didn't look that much different from before, but Izuku could almost feel the happiness rolling out of her in spades, as if she had longed for such an opportunity with someone else. It left him curious about her classmates. Didn't she have any friends?
"It would be a pleasure," Tatsuma immediately said with barely contained giddiness. She was good at keeping her composure, though.
"Are you certain you wish to train that?" Arachne wondered with a grimace. "It is neither easy nor pleasant."
"Nor is the hero career, but I won't change paths," Izuku rebutted.
"I guess that's only fair," said Arachne with a faint smile. "Alright, we'll see if there is an available battle room. We'll need to get you protective gear. I will not have you two clawing at each other."
"Right," nodded Izuku. "Ehm… speaking of which… how does one train their ferocity?"
"Well, as much as you expect to train anything else: through repetition," Arachne said. "You will need induce yourself into a raging frenzy and control yourself from there…" she gave a strained smile "…or maybe get beaten back into rationality if you fail."
"Don't worry. I will help you," assured Tatsuma.
"You don't have to, you know?" Izuku told the dragon girl. "You could do something else if you want, like train at the gym. I rather not take your time and this sounds risky."
Tatsuma appeared to consider it, if only for a mere instant. She then smiled and shook her head.
"No, it is fine. I do wish to assist," Tatsuma said.
Izuku grimaced and stroked his chin. He felt bad for asking help like that without giving anything in return.
"I guess we could help each other out. Is there anything I could do for you?" Izuku wondered, only to frown. How could he even try to help an upper classman?
Tatsuma, on her part, was a bit taken aback by the suggestion.
"Oh no, there really isn't any need…" she started saying. Izuku didn't really believe her.
"I suppose mock fights is all I can offer you," Izuku decided. "I bet that like Rabbit Girl, you have yet to face a fighter like me."
Tatsuma looked ready to refuse, but Arachne decided to step in. The spider hero had a smile on her face, as if enjoying the interaction of her two interns.
"I think it would be an excellent idea. You could spar against each other, and perhaps even try your luck against me together," Arachne proposed.
Izuku and Tatsuma exchanged looks at that before studying the Pro-Hero. Arachne was by no means a weakling, but she didn't strike them at the same level as Ursai to take on the likes of Izuku and Tatsuma at the same time. However, looks could be deceiving in a world of superpowers, couldn't they? Izuku knew that a bit too well, after all.
"Good!" Arachne said, surprisingly cheerful. "Then we have a plan. For now, lunch!"
"Before that," Tatsuma said, clearing her throat. She pulled that practice polite smile of hers. "Would it be much of a problem to inquire about the Cross-Over later this week?"
Izuku blinked. How could he have forgotten about it?
"Oh, that," Arache awkwardly said. "Yes, Ferrus Magnus is still ironing the details but as far as it has been decided, the Cross-Over will take place this Thursday evening."
"Can we know the hero in question?" Tatsuma pressed on.
"Are you sure you don't wish for the surprise?" Arache wondered.
Tatsuma and Izuku exchanged looked before turning to the hero. By their looks alone, it was clear they wished to know as soon as possible.
"I guess it is only fair," Arache shyly chuckled, nervously wringing her hands. "The hero I am doing a Cross-Over with-"
Tatsuma and Izuku leaned forward, expectant.
"-is none other than Sir Nighteye," Arache announced.
Tatsuma looked amazed, no doubt impressed she would get a chance to actually get to know All Might's former sidekick. Izuku, on the other hand, frowned and his mind went into overdrive.
This is no coincidence, he thought, squinting at the floor.
Could Nighteye have wanted the Cross-Over because of Izuku? A Cross-Over with Arachne would mean being able to meet and influence not one, but rather two U.A. students that made it to the finals. However, Izuku remembered Mirio Togata's the previous week. The weird blond had said Nighteye had been interested on the fox boy, hadn't he?
Whatever the reason, Izuku didn't like it one bit.
What a day! It was rather surprising just how quickly time could fly when having fun, and Rumi had tons of fun that Monday. Training against the fighting robot, sparring with Ursai… it all made it worth it, even the boring and dull patrols in the outer districts. Of course, the patrols couldn't be spared, as much as Rumi hated them. It served Infinity Girl and her to understand the current situation of Hiroshima.
Rumi and Infinity Girl made it back to the hotel at six o'clock, with the rabbit girl a bit sore while the brunette was trudging behind her, exhausted. Clad in civilian clothes, it felt weird to have baggy clothes instead of a skintight suit. After all, Rumi wasn't used to spending time in her costume for most of her day.
"Urgh…" groaned Infinity Girl.
"What's with that? Oy, come on, today was fun!" Rumi laughed.
Infinity Girl merely grumbled.
The pair walked across the glass doors and to the main lobby. There, they were greeted by Haia the Squirrel Lady, Robot Boy and Fox Boy. Rumi initially lit up, ready to bounce towards her fox boy, only to pause. The Princess was also there. Worse, however, was the fact Fox Boy and the Princess were engaged in quite a talk, chatting and laughing… almost like friends. It rubbed the rabbit girl the wrong way to see the two of them like that, not to mention it was so strange to witness the Princess without all that politeness and formality in her demeanor.
"Hey guys!" called Infinity Girl. "What's up?"
"Oh, not much," replied Fox Boy. He gave a sheepish smile. "A bit sore after getting our butts handed to us by Arachne."
"It could have been worse, I suppose," mused the Princess. She too offered a weird sheepish smile. "But she pretty much trounced us."
"She's far stronger than she looks," said Fox Boy.
"And fast," the Princess added with wide eyes. "I did not expect someone so big to move so quickly."
"That bad, huh?" Rumi said, trying to pull a confident grin. She was NOT jealous of seeing the Princess hanging out with Fox Boy.
"Ursai is really fast too," said Infinity Girl, suddenly energized and lively. "You should have seen him!"
"It goes to show we have yet to reach our own peak," stated the Princess.
"So what did you guys do?" Rumi asked, definitely without a jealous voice (or at least she hoped so).
"Training mostly," said Fox Boy. "The Dark room in the morning and then I tried to get a grip on my ferocity."
"You did fine. You might have failed to tone it down, but at least you have some grip over your feral anger," chuckled the Princess.
Rumi felt a nasty pang in her gut. Why was it so annoying to picture the Princess sparring with Fox Boy?
"What about you?" Fox Boy asked, smiling at Rumi.
Before the rabbit girl could utter a word, Infinity Girl started happily to recount that day's events.
"Ursai helped me figure out a few more things about my quirk while Rumi trained with a boxing robot. Then, after lunch, we went on patrol to the outer districts," said Infinity Girl. "Have you been to the Junkyard? That place is crazy!
"I've never seen so many people with mechanical parts before. It was so weird and right out of a sci-fi! There was this guy who had this massive satellite dish on the top of his head… and a woman with a microwave for a stomach! Oh, and then there was this dude with a motorcycle for legs, like a motor-centaur or- or a mototaur… or is centacycle?"
The group sweatdropped at the brunette as she kept trying to figure a name for the person she saw.
"We didn't go on any patrols today, but Arachne promised one for tomorrow" said Fox Boy.
"What are going to do now, though?" Infinity Girl wondered.
That appeared to be Haia's cue to step in, almost materializing at the center of the teenagers.
"For today, nothing! Tomorrow, however, we'll go sightseeing!" exclaimed the squirrel lady. "So, for now relax, take it easy… watch a movie maybe…"
"Oh yes, let's watch a movie!" Infinity Girl excitedly pleaded.
"I don't know," said Princess. "Perhaps we should call it a night."
"Come on, it won't hurt to relax," said Fox Boy. "We had quite a long day."
"Yes, it is going to be fun! Please?" Begged Infinity Girl.
"Ehm… eh… a-alright?" said an uncertain Princess.
Rumi kept smiling, yet she started grinding her teeth.
"What do you say, Tenya?" Ochaco asked Iida.
"Hmmm? Excuse me?" Iida said, broken from his thoughts.
"A movie, tonight, after dinner," excitedly summarized Ochaco.
"Eh… alright?" Iida said.
Rumi noticed Fox Boy raising an eyebrow at that, perhaps wondering why someone as stiff as Robot Boy wasn't acting more like the Princess. That or maybe the Robot Boy wasn't doing his usual antics and appeared lost in thought. Rumi didn't put much thought into it.
"Yay! Then it is decided! Tonight, we are going to watch Zombitron Apocalypse!" Decided Ochaco.
"Watch what now?" Chorused everyone else.
Unfortunately, it seemed their fate was sealed.
The group had a nice lunch at the hotel's restaurant (courtesy of the Iron Agency) and had a lot of fun. Rumi did not like the inclusion of the Princess, who remained rather subdued for most of the meal. However, Fox Boy seemed insistent to include the dragon girl, something that appeared to please the Princess. Rumi really tried to behave, if not for her for the others. Fox Boy didn't deserve her petty jealousy…
After the meal, the teenagers hanged out in the girls' room, where four dumbfounded teenagers were made to sit through the weirdest and goriest movie they had seen about robotic zombies, the end of the world at the hand of aliens and a bad love triangle (where did Infinity Girl even find such a movie?!). Admittedly, Rumi enjoyed having a One-Tailed Fox Boy curled on her lap and enjoying her ministrations. That fox boy sure loved being rubbed under his ears.
At some point during the movie, Fox Boy turned to the Two Tails and the two toddlers fell asleep, their heads nuzzled against Rumi. It was definitely adorable… and worth all the embarrassing pictures Robot Boy and Infinity Girl took. Blackmail material came in all forms and from all sources. They managed to wake up Fox Boy after that, and he turned to the Three Tails in an attempt to stay awake.
As it so happened, Fox Girl failed miserably, and was deep in slumber by the end of the ridiculous movie. Differently from the other forms, however, the Three Tails insisted on sleeping hugging Rumi. She even seemed to fight against getting her arms pried off the rabbit girl. The Three Tails also took the longest to wake up.
With their friend unable to stay awake much longer, it was decided to call it a night. Robot Boy and Fox Boy went to their room, and Rumi was left with the other girls. Infinity girl and the Princess were drowsy and didn't take long to be found fast asleep on their beds. Rumi, on the other hand, remained restless.
She did try to fall asleep, but rest wasn't coming to her. Thoughts of Fox Boy, the presence of the Princess and even Infinity Girl's snoring, all kept her staring at the ceiling. With nothing better to do, she hopped off her bed and quietly went to the hotel's roof. She was thankful the way wasn't shut and, thus, managed to get a nice view of the city.
Rumi wasn't sure how long she remained there, leaning against the railing and staring down at Hiroshima. The city, just like her, was as lively as ever. There were dozens of people down below, enjoying the young night, while cars came and went unperturbed. Central District sure looked different from the other wards, especially the outer ones with all the villain clans.
Her thoughts, sadly, moved away from the world below and to a certain Fox Boy. Or rather, the Fox Boy and the dragon girl and Rumi's so-called rival. Rumi sighed, annoyed with herself.
"I won't be a jealous idiot," she muttered to herself.
Rumi refused to act like a child because Fox Boy was being himself. She knew he was a nice guy, and he had no issues with the Princess. In fact, Rumi should have known that Fox Boy would want to befriend the Princess. It was one of those nice qualities of the Fox boy, and Rumi admittedly liked him for it.
However, she couldn't bring herself to try and be nice to the Princess herself. Was she being petty? Definitively.
"Maybe I should try to be nice to her," grunted an annoyed Rumi.
She wanted to be better, not just for herself but also for Fox Boy. Her red eyes fell on her wrist, where she carried the bracelet showing the moon phases. It brought a fond smile to her face.
"I wonder how he figured out I have a thing for the moon," she pondered with amusement.
Unbeknownst to her, as she casually smiled at the Fox Boy's gift, she failed to notice the way her white hair glowed under the faint light of the moon above.
Author Notes: Hello once again! Sorry for the delay. Work seems to be piling up and I really don't want to rush the chapters. Can't make any promises about the next chapters, sadly. In any case, I hope you like this chapter. With any luck it will be smooth sailing from here onwards.
I have decided to take a few liberties with some characters' quirks, such as Ochaco's and a few others you'll see in later chapters... and yeah, Rumi is between them.
So, what are your thoughts? What do you want to see? What do you think about the changes about Ochaco's quirk? Any thoughts regarding Rumi? Do you have any predictions? Any comments are welcomed (and I do read and appreciate them even if I do not respond to them)!
Worry not, my lovely readers, for there will be a lot more RumiXIzuku moments in the following chapters (including dates).
I apologize for any mistakes when writing this. Please, do write them in the reviews if you spot anything so if I ever manage to find time to do the re-write I've been considering, I will take them into account.
Cheers,
The Emerald Commander