Chapter 3
"Guys, did you hear about the whole Hammerhead situation?" Kaminari started.
"Yeah, yeah. It was messed up." Kirishima leaned back into the couch. "Don't know how that guy's a hero."
"He killed the villain." Ashido said. "I heard it was real gruesome– ehh~ made me feel squeamish when I heard the details."
"What happened?" Kaminari leaned towards her.
"I can't say it! It was horrible!"
"You brought it up!"
"I saw the villain's brains get sprayed across the street and hit some civies." Mineta clutched the ball on his head.
"You saw it?!" The other three chorused.
"It went viral alright? I didn't know what it was! Could barely sleep last night…"
"It really does make you think about what we can do with our quirks." Midoriya interjected. His eyes steadied on his hands. "Just one punch of mine collapsed floors of an apartment. What would it do to an innocent bystander at the wrong place at the wrong time?"
I have to be vigilant. I can't let my quirk get to my head.
The images of a burned city ran through his head, the paraded corpses of children and limbs. Given enough power… who knows what some would do to those without it.
"Midoriya."
"Eh?"
"You alright? You like, spaced out there for a second after you said that." Ashido placed a hand on her hip.
"Yeah, that was real intense." Kirishima added.
"N-no I'm alright! I was just thinking–"
"Jirou!" Kaminari cheered. "My saviour! Never fail to lighten up the mood."
The girl in question glared at him for bringing all the attention to her as she walked to the couches. "Bakanari." She greeted.
She had her headphones on as she scrolled through her phone, no doubt looking at music.
"What's up?"
"Eh. My dad's showing me some old musician he found."
"It any good?" Kaminari switched couches to sit next to her. "Nay or yay?"
"Haven't heard anything just yet."
"You know what kinda music it is? Maybe it's something I can dance too!" Ashido bounced from one foot to another.
"Apparently he's like– from the twenty first century."
"Woah. That's like real old."
"I've never heard music that old." Kirishima piped up.
"Y-yeah me neither."
Jirou sighed, "You guys want me to play it out loud?"
"Yeah! Go right ahead!" Him and the others nodded as Kaminari vocalized their decision.
"Alright." Jirou connected to the speaker. "Just letting you guys know that my dad's music taste is really hit or miss."
"It's no biggie."
"Wh-what's the artists' name?" Izuku asked.
"Susumu Hirasawa."
"Can't say I've ever heard of him." Ashido plopped down onto the couch next to Kirishima.
"Well he is like a hundred or something years old isn't he?"
"Even older. Late twentieth century is when he started. Or so my dad says." The speaker chimed with confirmation. "Here we go."
"Wait what's the song called?!–"
Too late was Kaminari, as synths filled their part of the common room, followed by a deep and bassy string. The drums that sounded like they were fit to be in a marching band vibrated his being.
A chorus of singers sang in an unknown tongue. They sounded airy and mystical – but also grand.
.
Michi no sunga ga kiku
Mugon no hoshi no uta
Yume wa tashika to sajin wo maiage
(The sands of the road listen,
To the songs of long silent stars
The words "the dream is certain" whirl up a cloud of dust)
.
Kaze ni nami wa tachi
Sadame no moto ni kie
Nani wo miseru ka hitotoki no inochi ni
(Waves rise up in the winds
And vanish as is their fate
What do they show this transient life?)
.
The verse had finished and the chorus of singers followed. The classmates looked between each other, in wonder and in curiosity. Izuku quite liked the song so far. It felt uplifting, and the lyrics sounded like a trial the artist had to go through.
.
Tsuki mo minu yoru no
Mayoi yo kesu you ni
Tooku kotaeru kigi yo nani wo shiru
(in order to eliminate,
The uncertainty of a moonless night,
Far away they answer me.
Oh trees, what is it that you know?)
.
Kaze yo sasoe yo sono kuni e!
Kigi yo mamore yo kono yume wo!
Nami yo area yo yuku michi wo!
Suna yo egake yo sono wake wo!
(Oh wind, invite me to that land!
Oh trees, protect my dream!
Oh waves, cleanse the path I take!
Oh sands, illustrate the reason why!)
.
"Jirou…"
"Yeah?"
"Your dad's got cool taste." Kaminari declared.
"Mhm." She smiled.
"It– it almost feels like." Four heads had turned their gaze to Izuku. "He just poured liquid gold on my heart."
"That's so manly dude!"
"Yeah… That is what it feels like. I didn't know you were so good with words Midoriya!" Ashido clapped his shoulder, leaving him mumbling and stuttering like a fool.
"It j-just came out of me." He finally replied. "What was the artist called again, Jirou?"
"Susumu Hirasawa. Seems like he's just gotten a new fan."
Izuku laughed, rubbing his head. "Maybe."
.
.
After digging through some of Susumu Hirasawa's songs, Izuku found something he never would have expected.
Berserk?!
It has an anime?!
His fingers moved at an amazing speed as he typed the words down.
Of course there would be one. It has so many volumes!
Though… I do prefer reading over watching. Izuku felt that as if manga had less commitment, that he could put it off whenever, whereas in anime he kind of just got soaked into a binge. One he usually came to regret later. I'll be checking out the music for sure!
"Forces…"
Well, it was Susumu Hirasawa. Can't say no to that.
He had no idea what he was getting himself into.
.
.
"Izuku!" Uraraka waved at him. "Izuku!"
He pulled the headphones out of his ears. "Yeah?!" He was panting like a dog running after tires. Sweat stained his shirt, and the moonlight made him look like he was out of it. "O-oh. Uraraka. What's up?"
"It's almost twelve-pm… You've been running for–" She checked her watch. "Almost three hours now. Everyone's quite worried y'know?"
"Really?! I– I didn't know!"
"What's wrong?" Izuku didn't want to worry her.
"No, it's n-nothing. I just thought it would be a good time for a run."
"Yeah…"
"I'll come back right now! I'll just run another lap." Before she could get another word in, Izuku put the headphones back on and she could do nothing but watch as he sprinted off.
"What am I supposed to tell everyone now?..." She muttered.
The first song played is Hoshi wa Shirumono by Susumu Hirasawa.