Chapter 12
Pling!
The sound of a knife being parried away uncomfortably broke the silence of a seemingly peaceful home life. Tanya had just been standing at the stove, stirring a pot full of noodles when she had intuitively thrown the kitchen knife on the counter at the shadows behind her.
Any question as to who her assailant was went out the window as soon as a familiar pair of arms wrapped around her waist and Himiko's voice giggled into her ear: "Too slow..."
"In all fairness, the only person who knows the layout of my photoelectric barriers is you. I was more occupied with cooking than being alert."
"Aww... And here I thought the Eleventh Goddess was losing her touch."
"Stop that. You know how much I hate that pretentious nickname."
"It's fitting though! You look absolutely stunning when you go around saving people! Of course they are gonna give grand titles like that to you."
"Please... Gods and goddesses are useless concepts made to distract humans from the grim reality of their day to day lives. They do nothing besides looking pretty and wasting people's time with their worship."
"Isn't that what pro heroes do?"
"Actually... yeah. Since when did you get so smart, Himiko?" she asked with a bit of mirth in her voice.
"I learned from the best, Senpai!" cheered the smiling girl.
"So, do you have anything noteworthy to talk about?" inquired Tanya with a subtle squeeze of her partner`s hand to signify that she was talking about whatever classified mission Himiko had undergone in the last few days.
She had been meticulous to search her new apartment for bugs or hidden cameras, but it was impossible to tell if the HPSC might be listening in. Regardless of how many times the higher-ups had promised her that they respected her privacy, Tanya did not believe them. Politicians and government agents were all cut from the same slimy, rotten piece of cloth.
"Not particularly. Everything is as peaceful as ever."
Two squeezes back indicated that Himiko could not tell her the whole truth or risk punishment by the HPSC. Neither of them wanted that to happen even if most of their negative reinforcement techniques were milder than what Tanya had dished out in her previous life.
"Just infiltrating the League and all that stuff. Anything interesting going on at school?"
"I'm rapidly approaching the end of my contracted time as a teacher. Today, the one I was substituting for visited the school, so I guess he will be able to take over my class again soon."
"My class? You've grown attached to the brats already?"
"Don't call them brats. You are barely older than those students."
Himiko pouted: "I am a grown woman like you! I am not a kid!"
"Yeah, yeah… talk to me about that again when you are old enough to drink."
"Not fair, Senpai! Your own birthday is still a week away so technically you are barely of age yourself!"
"But I am not a teenager anymore."
"I don't want you to see me as a child. I want to be a woman for you."
An understandable desire. Himiko wanted to be respected by her superior. If she was in her kouhai's position Tanya would strive for the same. How else would she ever earn a promotion?
For someone who had killed dozens and was tortured on multiple occasions, mental maturity was a given. To be called a kid was an insult to Himiko's many achievements as a person.
"I am sorry. I did not intend to underplay your progress. You are my valued colleague and dare I say closest friend. Despite the negligent difference in physical age between you and my students, your mind has evolved far further than any of them."
Strangely, Himiko did not seem happy about that. Should she have emphasized her outstanding work ethic more? Or had she perhaps misunderstood and Himiko was also insecure about her body or something ridiculous like that?
"You are also exceedingly pretty if that is what you are concerned with. If you could show your face openly in public then you would be overrun with suitors, I bet."
Tanya had no idea what the more feminine members of her gender were concerned with, but romance always appeared to be an important topic for young adolescents. The few movies and novels she had consumed were her only source in that regard. Sadly, she had apparently missed the mark again if Himiko's sour expression was anything to go by.
"Why won't you notice, Senpai…"
Quickly changing the subject of the discussion before it could become too awkward she turned to Himiko before asking: "Mmh? Want some noodles?"
"Alright…" answered Himiko despondently.
What would cheer her up? More ice cream? No, that trick was getting old. A higher salary? Also no. The higher-ups kept a tight financial leash on both of them. Running out of options she chose the cheapest one. Hopefully it would be enough.
"We can spend tomorrow together if that doesn't interfere with your orders. I am not on patrol this weekend."
It was remarkable just how fast her partner's mood could switch. In spite of experiencing the process of growing up three times, Tanya suspected that she would never comprehend how people of this age group actually functioned.
With a wide smile the young vampire exclaimed: "Yay! Let's go to the cinema! They are running this super cute rom-com at the moment that sounds perfect for us!"
"I guess our lives are like a comedy sometimes..." Tanya mused.
Why was Himiko looking at her like she had said something idiotic?
~[#҈#]~
The day of the sports festival was here. Powerloader had really earned himself an extra vacation with all the overtime he was putting into expanding the security. Nedzu was positive that an attack of some sort was coming and he would not be surprised by it this time!
He had shared some of his concerns with the faculty and the heroes stationed around the stadium, but he had kept the finer details to himself. It could tip the villains off if they noticed them acting differently or worse, giving away information through word of mouth.
There was also the dilemma with a potential spy being already planted inside his school. While he possessed no evidence and was generally against accusing anybody in particular, Degurechaff was the most likely candidate for that job. However, so far she showed exceptional commitment in educating her students and her affiliation with the HPSC ruled out a life of secret villainy.
If Nedzu had not visited Aizawa himself in the hospital then he would be at the top of his suspect list too. Thankfully the man had been honest when he described the awful migraine and mysterious memory loss he experienced yesterday. Judging by the bump on his head someone had knocked him out none too gently with a blunt object. Luckily it wasn't a concussion that would slow down his recovery process.
No, as loath as he was to admit it, if there was a traitor among them then it was probably a student. Another reason to carefully observe the festival and scour the footage later for the slightest hint of collaboration with the enemy that was certain to reveal itself.
No matter how the day went, it was sure to be memorable.
~[#҈#]~
Ochako was trembling in her boots for multiple reasons. First and foremost, because she was afraid to embarrass herself on national TV and in front of her family. But also, because she was so damn excited!
She had already felt like the happiest girl in Japan when her acceptance letter came in the mail. It was like a dream come true! Or a nightmare, some might argue. The entrance exam had been her first brush with death as the zero-pointer nearly flattened her and then she was attacked by real, actual, living and breathing villains too? Madness!
Both times she was scared. Afraid and helpless against obstacles threatening to utterly crush her. Despite how recent those situations were to her, those memories shaped her. Ochako did not want to be just some damsel in distress! She wanted to be strong like her friends and idols!
Subsequently she trained her butt off in the last weeks and was itching to see how much progress she had made. The sports festival was as much a test from the school to evaluate the students, as it was a test for herself to evaluate her own growth.
Suddenly the speakers in the corner of the waiting room blared to life.
"Heeeeello and welcome to the annual UA Sports Festival, dear listeners! I am your host for today, Present Mic and as a very special guest here in my studio I am thrilled to introduce to y'all… drumroll please... the number eleven heroine and temporary substitute teacher, Argent! Say something to your fans!"
"Greetings. It's a pleasure to be here on this fine morning. Thank you for having me, Present Mic. I am looking forward to what the kids are going to show the world today."
"Yup! Dear listeners, are you also as excited as us to see the up and coming hits of tomorrow make their big entrance today?"
Deafening cheering permeated even through the gate to the stadium.
"Wonderful! Wonderful! Then let the festival commence! First we have the shining star of our school, the class that has drawn everybody's attention after their run-in with some real villains two weeks ago. Give it up to Class 1-A!"
If possible the cheering got louder as they stepped out into the blinding light of the sun mixed with thousands of flashing cameras. It took everything she had not to duck and hide her face from the raving crowd.
"And next we have the other heroics class of UA! 1-B has much to prove and I wager that some of them are going to surprise us with how hard they're gonna fight for the spotlight!"
Ochako tuned the rest of the introductions out, in favour of subtly warming her muscles up and stretching her arms and legs to be in top condition for whatever the teachers were going to throw at them. At the end of the festival nobody was going to say that she didn't give her absolute best! Nobody would-
She was ripped out of her personal motivation speech by Bakugou tapping the microphone on stage. Wait. Why was he speaking at the microphone again?
"If you wanna compete here I have one thing to say to you…"
Oh no. Ochako had a bad feeling about this...
"I'm gonna win. But you extras better give it your damn best, scrambling for second place. 'Cause it's more fun that way." he grinned darkly.
Angry booing erupted among her fellow students and she was inclined to chime in. What a rude thing to say! Did he have no shame to mock the whole school like that?
On the other hand though, she could admire his drive, his will to stand at the very top and his confidence in achieving that goal. Had she not tried to think about herself similarly less than a minute ago? Although Bakugou's way of saying it was more than questionable, he had successfully inspired everybody who wanted to prove him wrong. They all would be giving it their best just to stick it to the arrogant kid who was now leaving the stage.
Ms. Midnight was hyping up the crowd again: "What a fiery speech from our student representative! Things are only going to get more stimulating when we see which game will get chosen for the first round of this girthy festival! Gird your loins contestants, for you will be participating in..."
The R-rated Heroine dramatically waved her whip at the spinning wheel which was supposed to randomly determine the next event. Ochako wondered in passing if it wouldn't get tiring to constantly come up with different innuendos.
"The obstacle course!"
Fantastic. Over and over her teacher had hammered into them that mobility was key, and she had a quirk perfectly suited for that. If only she could use her new support gear then it would be even better.
~[#҈#]~
Izuku gulped, feeling his heart pounding in his chest as they stood in front of the large tunnel, mere seconds away from charging into the fray. He tried to concentrate on his breathing exercises like Hound Dog had told him, but it turned into a hiccup as he heard Bakugou's palms pop and fizzle somewhere nearby. He could not see the other boy, but he had been threatened by these particular fireworks too many times not to recognize either the sound or sweet smelling smoke instantly at this point.
Kacchan was not threatening him though, just bleeding off the nervous energy they were all feeling as they awaited the crack of Midnight's whip and the declaration to start. Trying again, he closed his eyes and breathed deep, focusing his attention inwards, starting from his toes and working his way up. Like a system's check, he went over each joint and muscle, tapping thumb to finger one at a time and rolling his neck. He needed to be limber. Ms. Degurechaff made clear that remaining loose was always important in avoiding injuries, and that went doubly for him.
"If you're going to toss yourself around like that with your quirk, you'd do well to make sure you know how to take a fall without getting hurt." he remembered her saying, as well as the hours of internet videos he watched after about how gymnast tumblers hit the ground safely.
Shaking out his wrists and rolling his neck, he opened his eyes just in time for Midnight to give them the signal, and then they were off. Or, more accurately, many of his competitors were, yet he remained still, crouching low and observing the screaming and pushing crowd ahead.
"It's admirable, running into the fire without hesitation. Very heroic. I am sure you've all heard such notions romanticized before. I, for one, find it the height of foolishness. Are there times when a moment cannot be spared and action is needed immediately? Certainly, though it is less common than you might believe. Not every incident is a crisis. It takes years of experience before your instincts are honed well enough to rely on impulsive speed and until then, rushing in will rarely result in the best possible outcome. Recognize when there is time to think, and utilize it accordingly. Analyse, plan, and competently execute, and you will find success always within reach."
The crowd that had rushed ahead of him were now jammed at the entrance of the tunnel, wedged in and preventing each other from passing through the narrow opening. Ochako, having been one of the other students who held back, no doubt recalling their teacher's words as well, got a running start and jumped before bringing her fingers together to send herself soaring over the crowd. Sero also had the same idea to go up and over, along with Bakugou propelling himself above their fellow students. With a firm grasp of the situation, Izuku prepared to do the same, green lightning dancing across his body as-
Ice engulfed everything in an instant.
Izuku blinked at the tundra in front of him, but quickly shook his head, regaining focus and thanking his teacher's advice for preventing him from getting caught up in Todoroki's... enthusiasm. Instead, he leapt with the barest minimum of One for All circulating through his muscles, catapulting his body over the majority of the group whose feet were still frozen to the ground.
"Sorry!" he yelled back as he used the head of a hapless student as a stepping stone.
He didn't look back when he hit the ground, instead converting his momentum into a roll that disoriented him briefly, but conserved his speed. The fewer times he would have to use his quirk the smaller was the risk of him injuring himself, so he needed to make the most out of his super-powered jump. Even if he was confident that he would not completely shatter his bones anymore, Izuku instinctively knew that he hadn't mastered One for All enough to use while running, so instead he relied on old fashion sprinting to quickly surpass the Gen Ed students who were ahead of him.
He really did need to talk with All Might about how he managed to stay stuck to the ground when running at high velocity without accidentally launching himself into the stratosphere.
Izuku was proud to see that he was already pulling ahead of the mob. He could even spot Kacchan's explosions in front of him. Eyes narrowed in focus, the green-haired boy decided that the risk was worth it and began to occasionally incorporate more three or five percent powered leaps into his run, making the distance between him and the frontrunners shrink rapidly.
That was until the giant zero-pointers rear their blocky heads and he nearly sprained an ankle by messing up one of his landings. They expected them to fight those things during a race?! The memory of the entrance exam caused phantom pain to bloom in his arm and legs, and he clenched his jaw.
No. He doesn't need to fight, just get past them.
"Discretion is the better part of valour. Perhaps it seems strange to you here in the heroics class, but it's something to keep in mind. Sometimes, if a fight can be avoided, you should do so..."
Stomping with a flicker of his quirk to embed his shoe into the dirt, he formed a rudimentary starting block to brace his foot against and bent his knee to let himself fall forward. Izuku felt his side chilled as he throttled All for One and kicked off, sending up an explosion of dirt and causing someone behind him to enter a coughing fit and passing Todoroki just as he readied some large ice attack.
However, while the zero-pointers and everyone else was focused on them, Izuku had already gotten past the cyclopean robots and was well on his way to the next obstacle.
He would do it. He was going to show everyone, All Might and even Ms. Degurechaff that He! Was! Here!
~[#҈#]~
Toru was shivering badly. Her thin school uniform was doing nothing to alleviate the searing coldness spreading throughout her body. The pain would have been manageable if she had not already been hurting all over from the countless bruises she earned while fighting her way out of the crowd at the start. Nervous, competitive people tended to be brutal when clawing for a position at the top. A fact she was made even more keenly aware of due to being invisible and eating more than one stray elbow to the face.
Nonetheless, she did make it out of the flailing pile of screaming and shoving students. Somehow. She might have to become religious for miracles like that to happen more frequently to her.
Toru knew that without a physical quirk her chances of doing well in this event were relatively low, but the true reality of how hopelessly outmatched she was presented itself when she found her way blocked by frozen and destroyed zero-pointers.
How.
Sometimes life was simply unfair. Oh well. It also wouldn't be fun if it was too easy. So she bit back a curse as she climbed with her bare hands over the icy and sharp-edged barricade and slid down the other side. Most of the smaller robots that had been spared were confused by her seemingly empty school uniform and she remembered the spots where each of their different kill switches were located from the entrance exam, which made dispatching any she could not avoid child's play.
Just as Toru came into viewing distance of the next obstacle, a pit with ropes over it, Present Mic announced that the front runners were reaching the one after that. At least she now knew that a minefield of some kind was waiting for her.
"Class 1-A seems to be in the lead. With powerhouses like Todoroki, Bakugou and Midoriya, will the others even stand a chance to win this race?" commented the Voice Hero from his studio.
"Normally I would say yes, but attacking other students was explicitly prohibited so I am not too sure."
"Oh? Who would you have picked as a promising candidate if that was the case, Argent?"
"The pink-haired girl from the support course-"
"Hatsume Mei."
"Yes, Hatsume. I guarantee you that some of her equipment could be used for long distance capture. Like that grapple hook she used earlier. Quirks are powerful on their own, but technology can be just as versatile."
"Well, folks, you heard it here first. The number eleven is a support item enthusiast! What might be her hidden gadget that she kept a secret for so long?"
"I never said-"
"Oh look! Midoriya is digging up the mines! What could he want with them? Genius or madman? We will soon find out!"
Ignoring their banter Toru feverishly checked the other participants to figure out the fastest way over the ropes. Tsu caught her eye as she was speedily crawling along the ropes hanging over the chasm thanks to her extraordinary grip strength. Maybe Toru could replicate that.
She tried to not look into the abyss below her as she hung herself on the nearest rope upside down. Her legs were crossed over each other as she bobbed along the swinging cable towards the other side. Left unoccupied by the exhausting, but repetitive task, Toru started to listen to the broadcasted commentary again.
"Oooooh! Dear listeners, can you believe it? Midoriya just used the mines as a cushion to soften his fall after jumping nearly fifty meters into the air, securing him the first place by a split second! What a maneuver!"
"Indeed. It was impressive that he was able to think of his own safety instead of just jumping without planning for the impact. Although I would urge everybody who is watching right now to never attempt a similar trick. The margin for error is so small that you would risk life threatening injuries without a shock absorption quirk. Midoriya is lucky to have multiple capable pro heroes on standby who could have surely intervened if his borderline suicidal plan went wrong."
"Eh… Yes! Stay safe kiddos! We're pros and we know what we're doing! Anyways, Todoroki has used his ice to skate over the field and Bakugou flew over it entirely! Directly behind them we have Shiozaki from 1-B coming in unexpectedly and Iida…"
As Present Mic droned on and on about who was making it to the finish line Toru grew increasingly nervous. Time was running out if she wanted to make it to the next round. Her palms were raw from all the abuse she was putting them through, but she nonetheless continued to climb until she reached the other side of the pit, instantly falling into a sprint despite her aching lungs.
Due to the minefield being largely cleared of actual obstacles by now, she skidded into the 30th place without much trouble. Too bad that no one would pay attention to her on TV when she reached the finish line. Once again Toru wished that her quirk could be turned off at will. She was not a vain person, but she wanted people to at least know that she existed! Or if that was too much to ask, even remembering her own eye colour would be nice.
Getting forgotten by everyone around you sometimes sounded worse than death to her. Wiping an invisible tear from her cheek she approached her classmates to feel a little bit more "real" again.
~[#҈#]~
Shigaraki was rubbing his hands in anticipation of the upcoming raid, disintegrating the smartphone between his fingers in the process. His Rogue had collected valuable info about the dungeon and now he held the key to defeating the boss in his hands. He could almost feel it! Victory was in reach!
He would need to buy her some cosmetics later to keep her morale up. Useful NPCs like her were hard to come by and didn't want to reroll for a new character with possibly shitty stats again. Even with Sensei's vast resources such pay-to-win tactics could get too expensive really quick.
Shigaraki had planned the whole mission out meticulously, so nothing would go wrong if his team members could follow his instructions properly. Else Kurogiri was going to teleport a few hundred kilos more dust into the ocean...
The seasonal "UA sports festival" event always consisted of three phases. All three challenges were designed to keep the trash mobs busy while the guards patrolled around the arena periodically. His clever plan intended to strike them when their attention would be lowest to cause as much chaos and confusion as possible. Therefore the period after the start of the second phase would be most ideal moment of attack, because even the "heroes", bored from the uneventfulness of the first, were going to watch what the stupid NPCs were doing.
Then he, Destroyer of Peace and Provider of Truth, would destroy the fragile thing that they called "safety". Nobody in this world was safe, because the "heroes" could not protect them! He would show them! Shigaraki would show them all!
"Hahahaha! I'll tear this rotten society down! Starting… now!"
