BOOM!
Bet you didn't see this coming? Due to glorious happenstance, I came dangerously close to the end of writing this chapter the same week I posted my first round of updates. Seeing opportunity, I powered through the end parts so I could get this chapter out at the tail end of my Spring session.
That bit of personal back-patting out of the way, enjoy Chapter 7! I think this is the longest entry thus far...
The coach bus was privately owned, part of a small batch used exclusively for educational purposes. Izuku couldn't say how vital this trip was to their learning experience, but his teacher seemed confident enough. And at the end of the day, any "mishandling of school resources" was Mr. Senki's problem.
"And those blaster boots Star Child uses are top notch equipment! Did you know the pair she's wearing now are actually their seventh iteration? Designed to compact her 'boost' quirk and funnel the flow through tighter channels, giving an increase in performance whilst nearly halving the required energy of the initial design!"
Midoriya had his own problems to deal with. "Yeah, Star's rebranded herself a lot over the years but her blast boots have been a mainstay, even if they've gone through plenty of styles. I'm honestly surprised each new look wasn't also an updated model. We'd probably be on version twenty-eight if that were the case!"
Talking with Hatsume was an intense affair. The girl had a blatant tendency to babble on and on, her excitement for favored topics seemingly infinite.
For anyone but Midoriya, this may have been a task. But possessing his own unique talents in overly verbose conversation and with Mei's interests so closely intertwined with his own, Izuku proved himself a capable opponent. For the most part…
Midoriya's main problem now stemmed from Hatsume's own obsessive focus. The young inventor had vacated her seat across the aisle as soon as the dialogue got under way, a laptop wrenched open and set upon the boy's lap. Mei ended up crouched between Izuku's knees and the back of the seat in front of him, displaying a remarkable tolerance for being squeezed into tight quarters.
The unfortunate detail for Izuku was that Mei was still only wearing that tank top. The one with a very generous neckline. Being down on her knees right in front of him, Hatsume was giving the hero-hopeful a rather choice view of her cleavage. Midoriya was doing his best to stay focused on her face – which itself was too close for comfort – but that most stimulating of sights stayed teasingly on the bottom of his periphery.
From the seat next to him, Minetta was doing the opposite, outright straining for a shot down the front of Mei's top. The girl seemed utterly oblivious to the small boy's efforts, even with how blatant he was being.
Tooru though, the person actually occupying the seat and who had Minoru on her lap, took notice enough for the both of them. The invisible girl made no comment, one of her rolled up sleeves rising behind the tiny teen's back. Of course Minetta paid no attention to the shifting of fabric behind him, of course he couldn't see Hagakure's palm place itself just before his eyes.
Boy sure did notice the stunning flash of light that blared into his sight. That sudden, blinding second was enough to send Minetta scrambling backwards with a shrill cry. Tooru bounced out of her seat, dodging the boy who slammed into the firm cushion. When his pained rolling left Minoru on his front, the girl sat back down.
Right on top of the grape head, wedging him into the back corner of the seat.
The boy was caught, face down, his arms trapped against his chest, just enough space between his nose and the cushion to breathe. The part of Minoru that wanted to protest was harshly silenced by the part endlessly chanting in his mind, 'There's a girl's butt – it's so close, there's a girl's butt – it's so close, there's a girl's butt – it's so close!'
Midoriya sent a slightly concerned look towards the scene. Tooru pressed a palm against the boy's cheek and pushed his sight back towards Mei. More specifically, towards her boob window. Izuku went bright red once again, Mei continuing to exposit information, none the wiser to the goings on around her.
Ikaruga mimicked her position from the train ride earlier, her arachnid limbs stretched across the overhang racks, suspending her over the aisle. The game she was playing seemed to be much slower paced, allowing the girl a few glances down at Hatsume's constantly shifting laptop.
Kisuke was making up for his snooze session on the last transport by being extra lively. This translated to the spike haired boy bouncing up and down the aisle, jumping into unoccupied rows to gaze in awe at the passing cityscape. Osmund, taking up his new throne atop Kisuke's conical pompadour, only served to encourage this behavior, his wagging tail smacking the back of the boy's scalp with eager vitality.
Their teacher sat up at the front, largely ignoring their antics as he chatted up the bus driver. The heavily bearded man might have been happy to converse if Mr. Senki wasn't making such a sizable dent in the cookie stash he kept beside his seat. At least the instructor seemed to ward off the jumpy kid and the dog.
"All Might's really the hardest person to work with in the industry."
Izuku's focus shot onto Hatsume's face, the girl scanning over some diagrams on her monitor. With a slight tremble in his voice, the boy said, "W-What m-makes you say that?"
Not looking up, Mei clarified, "I mean, for us gadget makers, people like that are a nightmare. They're generally competent and have gotten by for a while on a strong quirk, so they tend to snub the idea of support equipment in general. On top of that, most of the time you do get them invested in some piece of tech, they have to be made to demanding specifications or the client's power itself will break it in the thick of things, further tarnishing their view of my field!"
Ikaruga glanced under her screen, "Well All Might's already ultra powerful, he really doesn't have much use for anything extra."
At that Mei tuned her literal crosshairs towards the spider girl. Her fingers were still sniping keys as she began, "But that's kind of the problem too: everybody compares themselves to All Might, they do so much to try to emulate him."
"Is that really a problem," Izuku interjected, a hint of heat behind his words, "Why shouldn't people be inspired by the number one hero?"
The reply came from an unexpected source, a frosty chill settling over the space as Naota turned away from the window, passed Hatsume's vacated seat and across the aisle to Izuku and company.
"The problem is 'everyone else' isn't All Might. Just because the world's strongest man can solve ninety percent of his worries by throwing a punch, jumping a building, or striking a pose doesn't make it viable for everybody. Hopeless folks are so preoccupied with what All Might does they never find their own way, figure out what they can do."
Midoriya felt every word – every syllable – like a knife stabbing into his body. Naota's cold gaze was spread evenly over their entire group but Izuku couldn't help but feel targeted. The other boy had no way of knowing that one of the people he was talking to was All Might's successor, the newest holder of One For All. Someday, Midoriya would take up the mantle of the Symbol of Peace, it was only a matter of time.
'Is that my path…'
"Is support gear really that big a deal," Minetta, having squirmed enough to get his mouth free, posed the question.
Again, with near mechanical precision, Hatsume snapped her sights on Tooru's tiny captive. The boy flinched but Mei's passive expression kept him mostly calm. If his tone hadn't been so inquisitive, the junior inventor might have thrown a little fire into her response.
She continued to type throughout.
"What do you think support equipment is?"
Minoru looked perplexed, like he couldn't believe what he was being asked. "Well, stuff that helps a hero utilize their quirk."
"Wrong."
Everyone turned to Naota, the boy still holding his chin on his fist as he leaned against the window. When the yellow eyed teen offered nothing else, Hatsume snapped her laptop shut.
"Wallflower has a point," Naota groaned at the nickname, Hatsume continued, "while gadgets that enhance one's quirk are typical support gear, pretty much anything a hero incorporates into his daily equipment falls under that same umbrella. Something as simple as a kevlar vest is considered support gear."
Hagakure started clapping rapidly, chirping out, "Oooh! Oooh!" like an excited kindergartner. She was also bouncing in her seat, trapping Minetta in a mini hellscape of pain and pleasure. "That's why our costumes are labeled as support items!"
"Correct," Hatsume barked, riposting Tooru's eager student with her own energized educator, thrusting her finger at the invisible girl.
A certain sedentarily-challenged young man flew into the seat behind Mei, leaning over the back of it. "That disc thing you showed us earlier," Kisuke said, "that counts too, right? Seemed pretty all purpose." Izuku had to pull back to avoid that ridiculous spine of hair.
"Indeed, both our side project as well as the main intention of Citadel could be defined as such. Though they're both being developed with concerns of law enforcement and the military in mind as well."
Kisuke threw up a full smile at his accurate answer, Osmund yipping at his mount's triumph. And then boy and dog were off again, darting from window to window, seeking points of interest. "That restaurant over there is authentic Italian! I've only been there three times in my life and I swear they only get better!"
"Bark!"
At this point Naota slid into the aisle, standing smoothly to his full height. Midoriya couldn't help but flinch at the boy's proximity, a detail Hatsume noted curiously. Naota, catching the greenette's reaction, rolled his eyes before stepping forward.
Kisuke watched his classmate walk towards the front of the bus. "Where are you going?"
"The front door," Naota replied without looking, "we're almost at our destination."
"You know our next stop?"
Naota posted up behind Mr Senki's seat, leaning on the back of it. Their instructor regarded his silver haired ward with a small, thoughtful smile. The boy turned back to Kisuke, "Surprised you didn't figure it out, with you recognizing the area and all."
There was a near minute of pause as the spike haired teen squinted his eyes in thought. They slowly peeled open to comedic size as some degree of understanding lit up his being. At the same time Hagakure was gazing out the window at the passing neighborhood, her body seizing up with a sudden inhalation.
Hatsume, being the most technical, pulled up navigation on her laptop. What she found brought the slightest hint of deflation to her demeanor.
"We're stopping at UA."
Midoriya didn't know how to feel being back here. The glass building before them still glistened like a polished gem, every bit the monument it was when he first saw it. The number one hero school in the nation lay ahead, almost challenging them to approach.
As they came to the wide archway parting the school's perimeter wall, Mr. Senki slowed his pace at the front of the group. "Gather around and stay close. I have special permission to enter these grounds, but if any of you stray too far the defense gate will activate. We don't want to deal with that."
Osmund barked to punctuate his master's words. The white puppy was still perched on Kisuke's scalp, the pair positioned towards the back of the progression. Acting on the pup's behalf, Kisuke reached out to press a palm against the back of a nearby student, pushing them forward.
Ikaruga, not amused by the physical contact, sent an elbow into the boy's ribs. Displaying his sense of loyalty, Osmund quickly hopped from Kisuke's head to Ikaruga's shoulder. The spike haired teen pitched forward, the belly blow more shocking than painful. His classmate snatched him by the ear, proceeding to "escort" the boy closer to their instructor.
She was still playing on her phone, now inputting commands with one hand. Osmund yipped at the display.
The group strode under the massive steel arc clad in royal blue. Izuku continued forward, eyes locked on the main building as though it would lunge at him. Minetta, again riding on his shoulders, panned his sights across the gate and archway as they passed, clearly concerned with UA's famous defense measures.
Hagakure was close behind, Mei keeping in step next to her. Aside from the inventor tinkering with a multi-tool and some sort of scrap metal cube, they were both quite subdued from their normal selves. Hatsume in particular refused to lift her eyes from the ramshackle device in her grasp. The only person who seemed generally carefree in being here was Naota who marched forth with both hands in his pockets and an overall cool demeanor.
Though, curiously enough, the boy had shrugged his blazer properly on himself.
The band of teens in blue garnered some degree of interest from the UA students. The sheer volume of those departing the hallowed institution so early in the afternoon pointed to this being a half day for the school. Having a bunch of kids in foreign uniforms show up at this time must have been a little suspect.
Midoriya wondered just who they were going to see this time. Mr. Senki was authorized to just walk passed the main gate, so it stood to reason that someone important was expecting him. One of the pro hero teachers? Maybe the principal himself?
"I'm pretty sure I know exactly who'd be in charge of your class, we're… associates, of a sort."
All Might's words from before came back to him, Izuku's chest tightening with excitement.
Hokuto came to a halt right in front of the wide staircase leading into the main building. More specifically, he stopped before a gold plated podium a few meters in front of the steps. An intricate statue stood on top of this, depicting a dynamic sequence of UA's most renowned alumni. Front and center, of course, were the smiling visage of All Might and fiery glare of Endeavor.
"Boys and girls, gather up," their instructor called, standing beside the statue. Ikaruga lead her hostage to the front of the group, sending him forward with a quick flick of the ear. Hokuto reached over, taping his fingers against the rectangular base of the statue, "Uzuma, thank you for volunteering. If you would please-"
"Hey! Falling Boy! You're here!"
The class of Aozora teens turned to the voice in swift order. Osmund jumped from his spider girl perch, hopping off of Kisuke's spike and into his master's waiting arms. Hokuto himself released a puff of air before leaning his back against the pedestal, busying himself by pampering his pooch.
As soon as Izuku turned he felt his heart leap into his throat. The girl who saved him during the entrance exam was here, Falling Boy must have been a reference to himself. That meant she was talking to him! Midoriya could feel his cheeks flare up, a rush of clipped breaths spilling from his lips.
His ensuing panic was prematurely cut as an invisible hand chopped the top of his head. Minetta hopped off the boy's frame just in time to avoid Hagakure's precision strike, Izuku twisting to the headless uniform in utter surprise.
"Don't start mumbling now, a girl wants to talk to you!" Though excited, Tooru spoke to her friend in a conspiring whisper. Then she turned him back to the brown haired girl, the one who was now skipping to a stop in front of him. Hagakure nabbed Minoru and drew him back into her chest, effectively neutralizing his ability to interrupt.
Ignoring his tiny classmate's steady, dog-like whine, Midoriya faced the bright smile and perma-blushed cheeks of Ochako Uraraka. The name snapped to the front of his mind, he remembered it from All Might's test result video. He should probably say something, show some enthusiasm.
Uraraka, though, had energy to spare, "It's great to see you here! I thought maybe you didn't make it."
Izuku's nervous thoughts turned perplexed, "Wait, wha-"
"Uraraka!"
Once again, the Aozora students shot their sights towards the voice of a newcomer. Unlike with the girl, the tall boy in glasses marching towards them actually noticed their oddly synced, unnaturally fast movements. The full body flinch dispelled the young man's notion of lecturing his classmate, instead settling for a half-hearted, "You really shouldn't run like that."
Midoriya perked at the glasses wearing teen, recognizing him as the stern speedster from the exam. He picked up the name "Iida" when Ochako waved off his concerns.
"Anyway, remember the guy who took down the zero pointer in the entrance exam," the girl asked, gesturing at Midoriya with both hands. Iida's eyes widened at the sight of him, an expression mirrored by Tooru and Minoru. Curiously, Kisuke gave he most extreme reaction as he jumped back, his jaw hanging open,
Uraraka continued, "I was worried when he wasn't in our class, but here he is!" The perky girl turned her focus to the greenette, "Are you in Class B then? I haven't talked to anyone over there – who's your homeroom teacher?"
Izuku held up two fingers, the pointer on each hand, in an effort to get a word in. Naota scoffed off to the side and Hatsume stepped up beside Tooru and Minetta, the inventor looking somewhat invested now.
But Iida was the one to calm his classmate, his heavy palm falling on her shoulder. She turned to the taller boy, "T-Tenya?"
"Uraraka, their uniforms."
The girl blinked before turning to Midoriya and the group behind him. Their tops were royal blue, trimmed in silver, the boys in black slacks whilst the girls donned dark skirts. It was a far cry from her own grey blazer and green skirt. The boy and his classmates were certainly students, just not ones from UA.
Those watching could visibly observe the girl's heart twisting, a veil of sorrow slowly overtaking Ochako's features. The brief "oh" she breathed was on the edge of being a sob.
"Kisuke," started Mr. Senki, capturing everyone's attention, "read the inscription." He again tapped the base of the statue.
The cone haired boy gaped at his teacher for a moment, then began scratching the back of his scalp. "Ah, Mr. Senki, is this really-"
"You're here to learn something and we don't have infinite time, so lets get this underway." Hokuto turned his gaze away from his students and onto the two UA teens, "You two, if you're not busy, fall in with the rest. Free lesson."
The interruption peaked Uraraka out of her mounting guilt. Iida recovered faster and drew the girl into the blue clad crowd, standing her right beside Izuku.
Hokuto nodded, "Alright, let's-"
"Deku! What the hell are you doing here!?"
Midoriya jumped at he callout. He was far from the only one with a violent reaction, the shouter was simply that loud. Osmund was whimpering.
Katsuki Bakugo leaped down the last three steps of the front entrance, marching across the modest quad with fierce haste. Iida had started calling out a rambling reprimand towards his approaching classmate, Ochako shifting her sight rapidly between the wildly gesturing boy and the impending time bomb on legs.
She cast a long glance at the green haired boy beside her. She noted the sheer anxiety playing out on Midoriya's features. But then the boy with the line of giant grapes for hair issued this tiny, nervous squeak. The floating girl's uniform holding the small teen shifted her stance, drawing the child-like figure closer to her core as she turned to a more sidelong profile.
Izuku watched his new friends. He took a deep, shaky breath, holding it in with eyes slid shut. They opened with measured speed as the greenette emptied his lungs. Izuku stared Bakugo down, his air neutral but resolute. That just pissed the explosive teen off even more, only just holding back from breaking into a charge as he passed the gold statue.
Mr. Senki's palms crashed together.
The sound at this range was momentarily deafening, stunning the assembled youths but especially the passing Bakugo. As the volatile boy made to shout down this newest interruption, he met eyes with the instructor from Aozora.
A scarlet fog settled over the man's shoulders. It appeared and vanished with such haste that those who saw were openly questioning it. At least they would have if not for the choking pressure rolling off of Hokuto. A lot of the gathered students had stepped back at the sudden surge of terror they felt towards the man.
Bakugo did not move. Bakugo could not move. The force holding him in place was not unlike that of standing before a large predator. Hokuto's now vertically slit pupils added on to that, his topaz orbs radiating a hot glow.
"Be quiet," Mr. Senki growled. His arm extended, pointing towards a slightly trembling Kisuke, "Stand over there and pay attention."
To the shock of those who knew him, Katsuki complied. It took a moment, but the explosive blonde made his way into the throng of outside students.
Hokuto lowered his arm. The suffocating atmosphere receded in tandem, all present taking a collective breath. When the teacher next spoke, his words were calm, "Uzuma, if you would."
The boy was still waving off his nervousness and the mock salute he sent in reply was a bit too fast and jerky. "Y-Yeah, uh…" Kisuke leaned forward, scanning the blurb of inscribed text.
"An institution of origins: every great story has a beginning."
"What do you think of that?"
The sudden question after his reading jolted Kisuke. "Uh… what?"
"That declaration you just read," Hokuto once again tapped the pedestal, his white pup now eyeing the statue of UA graduates, "How does that make you feel?"
A dumbfounded silence permeated the group, Kisuke most of all since he was the one being asked. After a brief period of consulting his thoughts, the red head decided to just say it straight.
"I, well, I mean… it's UA? So… I guess it's accurate? I mean, they're the best school in the country so why wouldn't they boast?"
Katsuki grunted at the same time that Naota loosed a long, whispering tsk. Both sounded rather dismissive though they were aimed at different targets.
Mr. Senki picked up the conversation quickly, "So you think they're being boastful? Arrogant, maybe?"
The bullet haired teen actually raised his hands in jittery surrender. It may have had something to do with the scandalized spectacle playing across Iida's face, the boy looked very much like he was ready to read someone the riot act.
Ikaruga stepped forward. Midoriya blinked when he realized the girl was sans phone. "I wouldn't go so far as to say it's arrogant, no more so than hero society in general. And you can't say that UA hasn't earned the right to brag."
"Yeah, the right to toss people out too."
Though he'd spoken quietly, Minetta's off hand comment drew several eyes. The boy's face went flush as he made a valiant attempt to hide his embarrassment in Hagakure's bust. Tooru tightened her abnormally strong grasp, her hoisted classmate turning red to blue in short order.
"Slanderous," the bi-speckled Tenya burst, no longer able to contain himself, "such scathing remarks against this institution is a step too far!"
Uraraka was doing her best to halt the incoming rant, Iida utterly ignoring the almost violent way she was shaking his arm. When Hokuto stepped forward with a hand raised, that seemed to diffuse things. The notion of speaking out directly to an "authority figure" seemed to give the tall boy pause.
With Iida sufficiently pacified, Mr. Senki turned to a gasping Minoru, Hagakure having loosened her hold. "Minetta," the teacher began in a soft voice, "let's talk about your frustration. You originally applied for this school, right?"
The miniature teen's face was truly running the width of the spectrum, his features going deathly pale. Tooru clenched his form more tightly, this time in a show of reassurance. Uraraka's stare cut across Midoriya and onto the grape head and invisible girl, her expression darkly pensive.
Izuku levied narrowed eyes at their instructor. "Not just him," the hero hopeful stated. Bakugo watched his childhood friend, unable to decide whether he should laugh at how pathetic he was or rage at his silent determination. The indecision was infuriating.
Hokuto settled stoic eyes on his green haired student. "No," he agreed, his gaze sliding to the boy's left, onto his pair of friends, "I suppose you three aren't." The trio in question were perplexed as Mr. Senki's stare continued to the left of Hagakure and Minetta.
Osmund took his chance and launched from his human throne. The pup landed amongst the numerous figures depicted in the statue, his every effort relegated to scaling up Endeavor's front. A passing UA student with hair parted red on the left and white on the right stopped to observe. Tenya was visibly quaking.
At the same time Hatsume came forward, hands on her hips and chest thrust out. She also had her goggles down over her eyes, taking a deep breath before she spoke, "I took the support course exam for UA. Its not quite as big a deal as the hero class, but its up there with the top programs in the country. Moreso, UA's just plain out a big name; being a graduate here in any capacity is enough to garner attention! I wanted to make real good use of that when companies started scouting!"
Their teacher hummed at the inventor's returning enthusiasm, a smile on his lips. "Heard from Tomo you 'brought the test dummy to life'?"
Mei waved off the disclosure, her grin oddly pleased. "Nothing that sophisticated: it was just wearing an armor suit, I didn't install an AI into the mannequin or anything. That said, the defense parameters of the exoskeleton may have gone into overdrive when they asked Cementoss to test the suit. Fairly certain he's out of the hospital by now – he teaches here, right? Have you guy's seen him around?"
Both Tenya and Ochako seemed put out by Mei's rambling as well as being put on the spot. Uraraka choked out a short, "Yeah, he's around."
The pink haired inventor grinned, giving a thumbs up with one hand and a peace sign with the other. Without changing her stance she turned back to Mr. Senki, "See? No harm, no foul. But, apparently, collateral is a factor in the exam and between sending a teacher to the emergency room and collapsing the west annex of the school, I apparently set a new record."
Everyone was regarding Hatsume with a fair degree of awe, the spectrum of specific feelings ranging from horrified to begrudging respect. Iida was by far the most extreme display, his glasses shining with reflected light and his slackened jaw opened to a cartoonish extent, a frosty haze billowing from his gaping maw.
"Are you," Mr. Senki began, his tone shooting up an octave after the pause, "proud of that?"
Osmund, having conquered Mt. Endeavor, rested happily atop the flame hero's shoulders. Then the puppy began glancing at the other figures in the sculpture, pondering his next destination. The half red, half white haired boy, though having filed in with the assembled group, kept an eye on the dog's next move.
Mei shrugged, "If you spin it well, bad publicity can be good publicity."
Hokuto nodded, not content to allow either the students or himself a chance to respond. "Do you have any hard feelings towards this school?"
Hatsume opened her mouth. She left it like that, not a sound escaping her. The girl had paused mid thought, best as those watching could say, her frozen state persisting for a bit.
"Nah."
Mr. Senki turned sharply to Kisuke. The cone haired teen wore a quiet grin, "I came, I did what I could, it wasn't enough. Now I can work on being better."
Hokuto quirked a brow, speaking after a short pause, "You know, I actually forgot that you were also a UA hopeful."
Uzuma slapped a palm over his heart, feigning grievous injury, "You cut me – you're cuttin' me real deep there, boss." Bakugo rolled his eyes at the display. A UA student with similarly spiky hair – though a shade of red that matched Kisuke's own – placed a hand on the blue clad boy's left shoulder. Hokuto perked at the sight, just realizing that his audience had grown some.
Nearby, an unshaven man with a scraggly dark mane, dressed mostly in black, watched the proceedings with tired scrutiny. Higher on UA's main building, sitting on the sill of his office window with a cup of tea in hand, the school's non-human principal observed from afar, easily able to hear from this distance.
Osmund had abandoned Mt. Endeavor and now sat nestled atop All Might's head, perched between his antennae-like hair fronds.
Naota, who had been staring at Kisuke for a while now, cocked a smile and gave a little hum of approval, "I think I might actually respect you now, just a bit." His piece said, the silver haired boy turned back to his teacher, clearly done with pleasantries.
"What the hell is this?" Bakugo had reached the end of his limited tolerance, "Are you rejects and second rates here to throw some pity party because you couldn't hack it with the best of the best!?"
Between his classmate's outburst, the puppy "defacing" school property, and the general subject matter of the discussion, Iida looked ready to combust. Somewhat of a surprise was Naota who had pulled his hands out of his pockets, the barest trace of aggression in his stance.
Hokuto interjected calmly, "The lesson, I suppose, isn't too obvious, so how about this… Midoriya." The hero hopeful tightened his features, still rather miffed by the man calling out Minoru. Mr. Senki went on, "Would you help a UA student?"
The question was an odd one, enough that Izuku could offer only a puzzled look in return. The remainder of the crowd stayed silent.
Their instructor scratched his head. Above, Osmund supplied the canine equivalent of a sigh, prompting his master, "Yeah, yeah, still too broad a question. Alright, let's say you all make it to being pros and you end up called to the same conflict. Would you help the UA graduates?"
More teens in grey blazers had arrived. A very mature girl stood beside half red, half white, her dark mane drawn into an "explosive" high ponytail. Another girl with pink skin, hair, and little yellow horns draped herself over the spiky haired red head, accompanied by a blonde with shoulder length lockes, a black lightning bolt marking both sides of his mane. One final addition was the young lady with the blank expression and that veritable river of forest green hair, the thigh length end tied into a large bow.
Midoriya's expression snapped into focus, an almost insulted look painting his features. "Of course I would."
"Why?"
Izuku stopped, honestly a little shaken by his instructor's question. "Wha-" was all he could manage before Mr. Senki went again.
"The pro track lives and dies on competition, your popularity is a huge factor in the opportunities you're presented. Showing up your contemporaries is obvious enough, but its not unheard of for people to… 'allow' their coworkers to make mistakes."
This was probably the fastest way to flare some genuine anger in Izuku. But he wasn't the one already boiling over, aching for an outlet. Iida actually stomped forward a single step, the back of his calf bursting with a swift jet of heat which shredded his pants.
"Disgraceful," thundered from the bi-speckled teen, "the very notion that our illustrious protectors could be so consumed with fame-"
"Its far from unheard of," interjected Naota, his tone blasé, "if you bother to pay any kind of attention, those attitudes are pretty blatant. Watch any hero footage from the last year, I'll bet at least half the time you'll find something suspect."
The boy with the half and half hair who'd been so drawn in by Osmund's excursion now seemed to be studying the floor. His voice came out low and gravely, more commenting to himself than addressing the group, "I could believe that. Heroes are just people at the end of the day. And people have faults… some more than others."
Close by, the dark haired girl with the high ponytail gave the boy a worried look. "Todoroki," she said, barely more than a whisper.
Ikaruga had her phone in hand once more, though she was casually scrolling rather than mashing the touchscreen. "Pros are civil servants," she stated, "but they're also celebrities. You can't expect people in the business of fame not to do what they can to gain more."
Todoroki's vision snapped to the spider girl, his stoic demeanor attaining a dark chill. "So that's their excuse for walking over others? Because its 'part of the business?' You just accept that?"
The dark haired girl looked as nonchalant as ever, not looking up from her scrolling. "Don't get personal. I never said I agree with these things, I'm just saying how it is." She took a breath, lowering her phone and turning to the irate Todoroki, "People have gotten used to symbols, their presence is the surest form of security. They 'need' their pillars to be flawless, so much so they'll blind themselves to controversy."
Osmund whimpered. Hokuto stepped off the pedestal, moving to stand in front of the statue, the shining likeness of All Might towering above him.
"What I say next," the teacher intoned, "is for all of you, though you UA kids will probably have it tougher. The public is gonna hold you to the highest standards. If you're competent, flashy, and have some personality, you'll get nothing but praise. Until you fuck up…"
Izuku thought he saw Mr. Senki flinch as he said that last bit. There was a small pause, but the man continued.
"If you're not in the spotlight, you'll have some support. But most people will look at you like some layabout, only useful when there's some immediate danger. 'If you're a serious pro hero, why have I never heard of you,' they'll say."
Shouta Aizawa, teacher for class 1A, grumbled at Hokuto's assessment. While he tried not to concern himself with the system, he'd lived the accuracy of the man's words.
"There's problems on both ends, but there's one common theme across the entire profession. You're a problem solver. When you're on the scene, people expect you to be the solution. They stand back and know you have things under control. If you're really up in the rankings, even the parties meant to back you up, law enforcement and other heroes, will step back and leave it to you."
Hokuto pivoted, raising an arm to slap his hand on the calf of All Might's statue. "Just look at the man himself, our resident 'Symbol of Peace.' Can you even fathom a scenario where All Might needs help?"
The crowd of students could only stare.
"Heroes are meant to be saviors. Rarely do they get saviors of their own."
"I'd help."
Mr. Senki was oddly quick in staring Izuku down again. But then, Midoriya was oddly quick to interrupt the man.
"Help what?"
"You asked if I'd help any of these UA guys once we graduated and got into the field. This is my answer."
The instructor crossed his arms, "Even if they don't want your help?"
"If they need it, then they're getting it."
Something there hit Bakugo the wrong way. His normally bubbling rage turned to outright loathing as he glared towards his childhood friend. Only Kirishima's solid palm upon his shoulder kept the blonde in check, the red head quite concerned over his classmate's change in mood.
"You'd be derided for it. People would call you a glory hog, say that you're stepping in where you're not needed."
Midoriya then did something that left the few who knew him instantly stunned. Midoriya snorted.
"With all due respect to others, sir, I thought meddling where you shouldn't was a big part of being a hero."
There was a long beat of silence as the gathered digested that last statement. Mr. Senki couldn't even begin to hold back his grin as it gradually spread across his face. Osmund was panting, his tail wagging rapidly.
Uraraka was speechless. Seeing this boy, the guy who saved her during the exam, standing so strong and resolute…
"How? How do you make the corny stuff you say sound cool?"
Hagakure glanced down at Minetta, his comment drawing several eyes. The boy hardly noticed the attention, he even seemed to have forgotten how thoroughly smooshed his head was against her bust. Minoru just stared at Izuku, his expression utterly befuddled.
Several things happened all at one. Kisuke started applauding, fast and loud right out the gate. Kirishima, Ochako, and the pink girl readily joined in. Midoriya, realizing he was the center of attention after Minetta's statement, went red as a tomato. The overt applause had him attempting to hide his face in his hands which only encouraged his audience to clap harder.
Tooru contributed with a whistle, her arms still occupied. Minetta happily clapped enough for the both of them after realizing the opportunity to mess with his new friend.
Osmund's super bark shattered the air, only Hokuto immune to its effects. The red clad teacher continued a soft round of clapping, showing some actual teeth in his smile.
"Not gonna say that's the 'right' answer," he rolled his eyes in an exaggerated fashion, "but I do appreciate your attitude."
At this point the girl with the long green hair and the large eyes stepped forward. "Are you sure you should be encouraging that kind of thinking? Especially with a bunch of teenagers."
Hokuto stared back at the blank faced girl in bemusement. He hadn't expected such a sharp remark from her. Before Mr. Senki – or Naota, who seemed almost resigned to speak up on this – could respond, a new actor took center stage.
Shouta Aizawa clutched Hokuto's shoulder, pulling passed the man as he regarded Asui with an equally stoic expression. "It's a little advanced for first years, but I suppose it's a lesson you'll have to learn eventually."
The scraggly man made a show of rolling his neck, groaning as though readying for some arduous task. Hokuto gave a short huff of laughter, head down and shaking slowly as Osmund descended onto his owner's skull.
"The short lesson is this: your decisions have weight. There are gonna be times where you feel something must be done and people will tell you it's not your place. There are gonna be times where certain things are demanded of you that you feel are pointless or even harmful."
Aizawa paused as he finished fishing out his eye drops, tilting his head back as he administered them. Blinking rapidly, he concluded, "Your careers, for those of you who get that far, are going to full of choices like these. The most important thing is that you own the outcomes, good or bad. That's the standard you'll be held to."
Tsuyu blinked. Only once. Then she stepped back into the throng of students, seemingly satisfied. A chorus of murmurs rose amongst the teens following Aizawa's "instruction."
Hokuto stepped off his rest and approached his fellow teacher. Throwing an arm over the man's shoulder, Hokuto chided, "Always the life of the party, eh Eraser?"
Aizawa shrugged the younger man off in a hurry. Not before Osmund managed to transfer mounts, hopping onto the UA teacher's scalp. Shouta returned a long sigh as Hokuto eyed the two with a winning grin, his pup spinning in circles on top of Aizawa's head.
"Support each other."
The gathered turned to Mr. Senki as he let that linger. The man continued, "We've been talking all this time now about how stressful and trying this job can be – will be. It doesn't matter where you graduate, where you're stationed, or what kind of hero you want to be, there are pressures at every level of this career.
"The essence of being a hero is helping people. Help each other. I know that sounds obvious, but there's more division in our ranks than you think. As the next generation, try to keep these thoughts in the front of your mind. Unity is one of our greatest strengths."
Iida's mounting frustration over the course of the discussion had evaporated. The young speedster now looked quite pensive, his chin cupped within his hand. Uraraka swapped her sights between her homeroom teacher and the outside instructor. She had never assumed an overly ideal perspective on being a hero, but hearing Mr. Aizawa and someone she figured was another pro speak so frankly at the harsher side of the profession…
Todoroki had turned away from everyone, his features schooled into a nearly blank expression. His eyes held a silent intensity as they focused on the nearby statue, mostly on the blazing visage of the Flame Hero. His old acquaintance, Yaoyorozu, watched him carefully, still unsure how to approach him.
Katsuki was mad. Katsuki was not afraid to voice it.
"What is this garbage!? Either you're strong enough to hold your own or you're too weak to fight your own battles! If you're useless by yourself then you're not a pro, simple as that."
The explosive teen's receding volume faded nicely into the pause that followed. Any swift replies were tempered by the calm resolve shown by Bakugo at the end. Most of the students looked oddly contemplative.
"Can't say I disagree," Naota spoke, maintaining his habit of sudden interjections. Hands in his pockets, the silver haired youth glanced up and to the side, "but there's something…"
Naota's comment fell off with a mockingly musical drone, the barest speck of emotion in his stoic inflection. A visible tick mark popped on Katsuki's brow and Aizawa looked ready to intervene.
"More," Mr. Senki supplied, diverting the attention back onto him, "that's what you were implying, right Mr. Kimi?"
The teacher didn't wait for a reply to such an obvious question, Naota wouldn't dignify him with one anyway. Pinching his single strand of blonde hair, Hokuto ran his digits down its length, smoothing it out to a point.
His eyes met Bakugo's, "You're young. You're allowed to feel like you're on top of the world. We," he thumbed between Aizawa and himself, "are gonna take whatever time we can to hammer into you lot all the knowledge and experience we can. As far as your temperament, that's something you only learn with time. And I can't promises those 'lessons' will be kind."
A little chip tune jingled out. Midoriya, Hagakure, Minetta, and Kisuke instantly locked their sights on Ikaruga. The established gamer turned to meet them head on, the unspoken "Really?" readily apparent in her expression. She turned her phone screen towards her classmates, the dense wording of a news article glaring back at them.
Mr. Senki drew his own cell, giving the screen a quick swipe to dismiss the alarm.
"Alright class, that's more than enough time at this stop. Sadly I can't keep you forever, so we have to be moving on."
A collection of nods answered their teacher's declaration. The throng of students parted as the man walked through their ranks. Strangely, Aizawa followed less than a step behind him.
"What's this," Hokuto grinned at the development, "an escort by a veteran hero? How flattering."
The UA teacher groaned internally, fixing Hokuto with a flat stare. "I happen to be on my way home. Ensuring that one of my problem peers makes his way off school grounds is just a happy coincidence."
Hokuto pressed a finger to the tip of his nose as he stuck out his tongue. In defense of his latest mount, Osmund pawed down the bottom of his right, black-patched eyelid before returning the tongue display. His rapidly wagging tail slapped the back of Aizawa's head without mercy.
"Come on Midoriya," Minetta called, pausing Hagakure mid stride. The green haired boy had his gaze held upon the mural of graduates. His eyes were intensely focused on the shining frame of All Might. The boy didn't move for a good while, prompting Tooru to take a step in his direction.
Izuku tore himself away, turning on a dime with a contented smile in place. With an encouraging, "Let's go," the hero hopeful stepped passed his new friends. Hagakure watched him with a steady gaze, Minetta comically miffed from all the jostling around.
The Aozora students were not the only ones concerned with Midoriya. Ochako stood with her arm outstretched, missing Izuku's shoulder as the boy spun to follow his class. He didn't even seem to notice her as he passed. She pulled her clenched fist back to her chest as the greenette strode away, Hagakure giving the girl an unseen glance.
As Iida was making to rouse his friend from her sudden melancholy, a flash of strength appeared in her eyes. Uraraka was off at a brisk pace in pursuit of the boy who had saved her, Iida stumbling into step alongside her.
Tooru paused a moment longer, in turn stalling Izuku and drawing perplexed looks from him and Minoru. She got the band moving just as the UA pair caught up.
"Hey, um, Deku?"
Midoriya flinched. Though it was more subdued, both Tooru and Minetta couldn't help but compare his reaction to Bakugo's arrival. The blonde had referred to him with the same moniker.
"H-Huh? W-What d-d-did you call me?"
Uraraka looked completely gobsmacked by Izuku's response. Though he kept a small distance, Iida seemed more receptive to the nature of the boy's dilemma.
Ochako clarified, "Deku? It's what Bakugo called you. Your teacher said your name was Midoriya too."
Izuku's features brightened just a touch. Not quite meeting the girl's eyes, Midoriya explained through animated gestures, "Y-Yeah, Midoriya is my surname but my first name is actually Izuku. Deku is something Kacchan made up to make fun of me."
That caught Iida's attention, the teen taking a long, audible breath that lasted several seconds. Minoru likewise showed displeasure in his painfully squinted expression; he had his own memories of bullies, even if a lot of it had been somewhat deserved.
Tooru could not have been more grateful for her invisibility in that moment. The look of blank, unblinking fury she wore may have warranted several concerned calls to authorities.
Uraraka missed only a single beat before saying, "Oh, I'm sorry! I guess I should have figured that but… I thought it was kind of neat. Short, has a bit of punch, and I think it's sort of cute."
The blush lighting up Izuku's face was outmatched only by the brilliant shine overtaking his eyes. The hero hopeful needed a second or two to recover himself before making a response.
"Y-You can call me Deku."
"H-Huh?"
Hagakure bit down on her bottom lip to avoid laughing. Ochako may have been a little air headed, but she definitely picked up on the implication in that last statement. The flush on her cheeks was squee worthy.
Izuku's efforts to clarify were… oddly composed. He was looking at the floor and twiddling his fingers together, but he didn't stutter even once.
"I mean, I think I like the idea. It's not just the things you said, it's the thought of taking something painful and… making it my own, I suppose. Is that weird?"
Uraraka's perma-blush was fading into the scarlet glow building on her cheeks. Tooru could no longer contain herself and instead tilted her face down into Minetta's mane of orbs. Again, against all odds, the tiny teen brushed off having a girl literally burying her face into him. Watching Midoriya unintentionally charm this girl was just that much of a spectacle.
The traveling party reached their destination faster than expected. Tooru stopped as soon as her feet met the public sidewalk, by extension halting Minetta. This was in spite of the girl not watching where she was going, joining her tiny passenger in the fine art of Midoriya watching. Tenya likewise ceased forward progress, stomping to a ramrod straight halt that would make any drill instructor proud.
This left Izuku and Ochako striding onwards, lost in their embarrassment and utterly unawares. The duo stepped across the sidewalk, over the curb, and into the side of the bus with a unified thunk.
Hagakure and Minetta shared a snort of laughter. Iida merely shook his head as he mumbled something about the necessity of paying attention.
But off to the side, looking on with absolute focus, the pink haired/skinned girl, Mina Ashido, opened her mouth in a silent gasp. Oh yes, she would definitely commit this scene to memory. For Uraraka's sake, of course.
"Alright then children," Mr. Senki announced, his voice unusually deep at first, "one more stop for this field trip. File in, get on the bus."
The blue clad teens began marching up into the coach, Hokuto standing by the open doors and tapping heads as they passed to keep count. Aizawa stood next to him, Osmund still in place atop his skull. It seemed his master's flagrant violation of human headspace was infuriating the pup, his growls growing louder.
Iida reached for Izuku and Uraraka, checked to make sure they were alright, and then tapped the girl's shoulder as he walked away. Looking after him, Ochako saw a collection of her classmates, those who'd stayed for the "free lesson," standing in a loose group facing the coach bus. Her mood sobered at the realization: Deku and his class were leaving.
Minetta, still being carried by Hagakure, bopped Midoriya on the head. After a short exchange, Izuku came to the same conclusion, turning to meet eyes with the girl he'd saved. The pair stared at each other in absolute silence, neither attempting to move.
"… what do I do now?"
"Yo Shouta, we got room if you and your kids want to join us."
Aizawa's eyes widened, then became dull as his entire being seemed to slump in on itself. The man looked oddly resigned even as he protested, "The school day's over, what makes you think I don't have my own business to attend to?"
"You're Shouta…" Hokuto's eyes shifted left and right in the ensuing silence, as though expecting something. No one within earshot offered any rebuttal, though Mina and Kaminari stifled their laughter.
His trademark groaning sigh escaped Aizawa's lips, "You really have enough room?"
Hokuto perked, his features pleasantly surprised. "Yeah, sure, we don't even take up half the seating in this thing," the Aozora instructor knocked his knuckles against the coach's frame.
With a quick nod, Shouta turned to his class, "Mr. Senki here is offering to take us on a short 'educational venture.' While it's by no means mandatory, I do recommend that whoever has the time take part in this field trip. It's a… another important aspect of being a pro, the kind of thing a classroom doesn't properly convey."
Mr. Senki's surprise faded. Seemed Shouta had figured out he last stop of the day, no wonder it took so little to convince him.
"Splendid! I approve of this!"
Aizawa's dour resignation, if possible, worsened at the sudden exclamation. Hokuto shifted sight quickly in the direction of the speaker. He caught the entire row of UA students mid jump, each adorned with various levels of shock, fear, and confusion at the small, mammalian creature standing right in front of them. How he'd gotten into the teens' line of sight without their notice was just another oddity of UA's principal.
Nedzu marched ahead with his arm raised high, looking every bit the part of the enthused mascot. The tailored suit added to the image, his pants and vest comprised of fine, dark fabrics, accented by the pale sleeves of his undershirt and his own white pelt. Nedzu's pitch eyes shined like gems, the straight scar through his right orb doing little to diminish the effect.
"As an added incentive," the rodent/dog/bear continued, "I shall also partake in the venture!"
Now Shouta turned to the side of the bus and rammed his forehead into it with a solid thunk! Hokuto held back any amusing comments, less an attempt to spare his fellow teacher and more trying not to acquire Nedzu's attention. He did note that all of the UA students had shifted from surprised at their principal's presence to somewhat wary.
Mr. Senki mused on how obvious they were as first years; seasoned students would know to be scared of Nedzu.
"Toshinori, you come along as well," Nedzu called as he reached the top of the coach's steps.
The skeletal figure with a wild mane of blonde hair was startled at the callout. His form went more rigid still when all assembled turned their gaze in his direction. Todoroki actually cocked his head to the side as he wondered why this malnourished man was wearing a suit over three times his size.
"Get out of the way, extra."
Toshinori had no time to collect himself when Bakugo, who had lagged behind the rest of the group, shouldered passed him. Despite looking like a kid wearing his father's work clothes, the living skeleton regained his balance quickly. Iida launched into his usual spiel about respecting one's elders, though this time Kirishima punctuated his efforts, reaching out to reprimand his newfound bro for "crossing lines."
Bakugo shrugged off his "friend's" grasp, Tenya's ranting tuned out in its entirety, though the former seemed to have some affect on the hot head.
As the explosive blonde made to walk around the front of the bus, an oppressive force worked him to a reluctant halt. With a good degree of ire in his gaze, Katsuki turned to the offending parties. Aizawa fixed his student with his flattest glare, betrayed only by the slight, scarlet glow overtaking his eyes. In addition, Nedzu was leaning out from the door, his doll-like expression locked on the walking bomb.
With a tired growl, Bakugo adjusted course and marched himself onto the bus. He did particularly well in not exploding the principal as the mouse/dog/bear ruffled his hair as the boy passed by.
Mr. Senki tallied that as a win in Nedzu's column, even he wasn't bold enough to mess with that volatile little shit.
Seeing as his friend-turned-tormentor was officially joining their trip, Midoriya couldn't help his apprehension. The majority of the UA students had already climbed aboard by the time he was snapped back to reality.
"H-Hey, Deku?"
Izuku spun around on Uraraka. The sight of her rekindled that awkward air from earlier, his face painted with a luminescent blush. This, in turn, reddened her features. Seeking aid, Midoriya turned to his nearby classmates.
Minetta may have had something to say, but the translucent palm slapped over his mouth denied him the chance. Hagakure, still lugging the boy like a carnival prize, was walking to the front door of the bus. Her back was turned on the awkward duo, her steps deliberately small, her pace miniscule. She started whistling out the theme tune to some sentai show.
Decidedly on his own, Izuku returned to Ochako, "Umm, yeah – hi?"
The girl bit off a snort, her face flaring red for an instance. Putting on her biggest smile, she asked, "Mind if I sit with you?"
Still taking those tiny steps which basically carried her nowhere, Tooru unleashed what would have been a dazzling grin at the promises of this exchange. The crushing grip resulting from the girl's inner squeeing would probably leave Minetta with a lot of bruises come evening. But, being pressed so deeply against the female form… who was he to complain?
Whoo-boy! We got a lot to go over here...
Okay, let me start with some behind the scenes details. See, I like paper. I like writing on paper, the feel of flicking through pages of text. A tangible sense of progression, if you will. So, I tend to write most of my works (certainly all my long-form stories that I've been posting for the past year) on paper. I want to congratulate this story on being the first to fill up an entire seventy page notebook (college ruled, so you know it's legitimate.) At least half of chapter seven is written in what is now Book 2 of Secondary Options. A round of applause for this milestone!
...
... okay, that's about enough of that.
Man, there are so many characters I'm juggling right now! I hope everyone has enough of a voice that they stand out when they take the stage. How about some stand outs, starting from the bottom...
Mina retains her "enthusiasm" for romance and her general surplus of energy. Kirishima is already acting as Bakugo's handler; I imagine without Izuku to set the boy off quite so sharply, this is the first time the hardening hero has seen his new bro quite so aggravated. Tsu's observation is obviously drawn from her perspective during the Bakugo Rescue Arc. She had the unfortunate luck, in terms of my personal viewership, of me having seen Civil War before getting to that arc in the manga/anime, Sharon Carter's speech at Peggy's funeral immediately coming to mind as a counterpoint to Asui's thoughts. It's basically this moment that Aizawa paraphrases in response to her calling Hokuto out on "dangerous teachings." Not that I'm unsympathetic or ignorant to the points Tsuyu makes in her dialogue, I just personally fall more on Sharon's side of the argument.
Speaking of Aizawa, I wanted to convey the dual nature of him being a thoughtful instructor whilst also lacking the energy for foolishness. He makes for both good funnies as well as interesting insight. Nedzu is the sleeping giant, waiting for the right tremor to awaken him from slumber. Until then, we all walk on eggshells, careful not to rouse his attention.
I wasn't going to include Toshinori originally. But as I thought more about the class' next and final destination... I realized it would be a golden chance to utilize him. Here's hoping it comes out well in the next update.
People often pair Todoroki and Yaoyorozu, not just as a couple but as characters who know each other in the backstory. I'm pretty sure that's not actually lore accurate - at least it's never been outright confirmed, I think - but it's so prevalent in the fandom that I just sort of threw it in. Why not? Plus, it gives them some personal stakes in the narrative and in each other. Not sure if I'll actually pair them or not, but it's largely irrelevant to the story at large. The main takeaway here is that Shouto is still angsty and Momo is worried/doesn't know how to proceed with this.
Oh, and Denki is there. Because he's kind of part of the Baku-squad, I imagine moreso without Minetta around to influence him. These, for the most part, are the major players from the "secondary list" of Class 1A characters.
Now, the heavy hitters...
Iida has a time this chapter. So obviously, the major theme Mr. Senki hopes to get across with this visit is the hardship and less glamorous side of hero society. Iida, being as morally rigid as he is at this point, takes obvious offense to the subject matter being discussed. Having him on the verge of mental/emotional collapse throughout was a small exercise in sadism for me. I may have enjoyed it.
Ochako... Well, as stated way back at the start of all this, my tastes in pairings are quite vanilla. I'd have to say my favorite part in this was certainly her introduction, the joy and relief she feels in seeing her one time hero make it into UA despite Present Mike's somewhat ominous words, swiftly tanked when Iida makes an observation about Izuku's uniform that Uraraka really should have noted from the moment she saw him. I like to think that, in that moment of first seeing Midoriya again, she went hard into denile and just focused on the fact that the boy she'd been thinking about was on campus, thus he must have made it into UA! Her sad bit at the end of that sequence gave me a second of pause when writing...
Bakugo returns! ... yeah, that's really all I've got to add. I feel like he sort of speaks for himself in this entry. He's still torn on his feelings towards Izuku: the nerd is still "below him" as far as Katsuki is concerned, but Deku just refuses to stay down!
Before I forget her: Mei! So we have a short "tale" of her "rejection" from UA. This being Mei, she takes it in stride, even if the collateral was rather extreme. Hey, Cementoss did survive, after all! The small bit where she puts on her goggles before speaking I liken to reaching for a comfort source, drawing confidence before doing something harrowing. Hatsume is human too, she has her insecurities... I feel like she got lost in the shuffle towards the end though, she basically just disappears. Again though, I'm already working with a lot of personalities and she'd pretty much served her purpose by then. Still...
And let's give a little love to our OC cast. Kisuke's origins revealed! He is actually based on the applicant with the conical spine of hair amongst those deriding Midoriya as a "lost cause" at the start of the entrance exam. We never see the guy's quirk, but I like to come up with powers before anything when I make characters for this story. Since I wanted someone with Bari's power, and using an existing design, I feel, is a cool nod to canon, things just fat together that way.
Naota get's some personality here. Again, he's somewhere between Todoroki and Bakugo in terms of temperament. He's stoic and cold, but he snipes back with these little spikes of attitude and insight when the moment suits him. I'm eager to flesh him out more as we continue this literary venture.
Hokuto's quirk gets another teasing. Won't be giving that away for quite a while...
Okay, that's more than enough commentary! Shit, that added at least another thousand words to the chapter count! But hey, more to read, more to talk about. For those of you who made it through that wall of ramblings, thank you for entertaining my thoughts. I hope they were... insightful? Entertaining?
Alright then people, time for me to take my leave. See you for the next batch of updates, the Summer Solstice.