"Look at me!"
Everyone looked at Ashido. She started dancing and she was good.
I sighed and laid my chin down on my arms, watching. I don't want her dragging me into this.
"Dancing is her hobby, huh?"
"If you're gonna wear something under, then take your skirt off!"
I growled, stood up and kicked Mineta in the leg. Tooru took over, bashing his head. "Mineta, you can't talk like that!"
"Ashido must be able to fight well because of the dancing. It's like she uses her whole body in her movements."
"During our first combat training, I'll never forget how she burned through my cape. And at the sports festival...I'll never forget that either."
I tapped my chin. "That's right. Didn't she beat your ass, Sparkles."
"I'll never forget..."
"Maybe I'll try it too."
"Why don't you get her to teach you?"
I quickly stepped back near Kaminari. No way was I getting Ashido to attempt to teach me how to dance. I was a wreck when it came to that.
"Ok, boy, let's dance!"
"Oh, um, please teach me!"
"First the two-step." She demonstrated, but I wasn't really interested in dance.
I sighed and rubbed my arm.
"What's wrong? Can't dance, either?"
I glared. "Shut up, Electro-boy."
"Satou's baking is similar too-"
I closed my eyes. "Again, not a hobby, needs it know for his quirk..."
"It's nice to be able to apply your hobbies to hero work. Makes you strong!"
"Not wrong, I guess." I muttered.
"Speaking of hobbies."
"Hm?" I looked at Kaminari.
"Jiro. She has an amazing one, right?"
"Hey, stop that."
I nodded. "Oh, yea. All those instruments and stuff."
"Yea! Your room at the dorm; it was like a music store in there!"
I grabbed Kaminari's shoulders and nodded. "Yea. It's more than a hobby, right?"
"I said, stop!"
"It'd have to be past a hobby!"
I nodded again. "Uh huh."
"Can you just forget about my room?"
"Man, but that's a pros room!"
"Honestly, it was co-"
I hid my face behind Kaminari's shoulder as Jiro shot her earphone jack at us.
"Eep."
"Seriously." She walked back to her desk and sat down.
I let get of Kaminari slowly and scratched my head. "Well, that was intense..."
"Why...?"
I shrugged. "Be sure to ask her when she calms down..."
"We're going to have a school festival."
I stuck my fingers in my ears. I knew what was coming.
"Schooent!"
I shook my head. Where do they come up with this stuff?
"A school event!"
"It's a super normal school event!"
"Let's decide what we're gonna do!"
"Mr Aizawa, is this really ok? To be so carefree in these times?"
"Kirishima, you've changed."
"But it's true. Villains are flourishing right now!"
I shifted in my seat. Still no one knew about what I had done. Nobody except Tokoyami. If they did, what they say? I probably wouldn't even be sitting here. I'd probably be in Tartarus with Kurogiri and the Master, if not worse. I shuddered at the thought.
"You're right. It's a very reasonable opinion. However, UA isn't just about the hero course. If the sports festival is the big moment for the hero course, the school festival is for the others. The support course, general studies, and business course students. It doesn't get as much attention as the sports festival, but for them it's an event they look forward too. And there are those who are feeling stressed by the current conditions, which, starting with the dorming system, came about because of the hero course."
"Thinking about it that way, there's no excuse not to hold it."
"Yea. That's why we can't just say we won't have it. Unlike past years, this year, other than some of the people involved, the festival will just be for the school. Even if we aren't the focus, each class still needs to participate with something. You need to decide that today..."
I pouted as Mr Aizawa sat on the floor in his sleeping bag and went to sleep. I really needed one to keep in here...
"I, Tenya Iida, Class 1-A representative, will take things from here! I'll do my best to help things go smoothly! First, put out some options. If you have a suggestion, raise your hand."
Oh hell. I put my fingers in my ears again. Lucky I did.
"Me, me, me!"
Except everyone was shouting in unison. I glanced over at Mr Aizawa. How can he sleep through all this? I suppose, he'd be used to it by now.
"I will definitely consolidate everyone's ideas! Ok, Kaminari!"
"Let's do a maid cafe! This is what I imagine. This is what I imagine with more details. If I add my own desires, it's like this!"
A exclamation point appeared above my head. "Like hell, Kaminari! I ain't dressing up in a maid outfit, nor am I feeding you!"
"Come on! Let's do the maid cafe!"
"You're looking too pleased with yourself there..."
"Maids...So we'd be serving others! That's not bad!"
I resisted the urge to face palm. Can't believe Iida is considering this!
"That's too tame, Kaminari!"
"Mineta!"
"A boo-"
Tsu managed to string him up before he finished the sentence.
"Do you have a weight?"
I nodded, creating a solid shield ball. It was kind of like a weight.
"A mochi shop!"
"I see, something Japanese!"
"Arm-wrestling tournament!"
"That's intense!"
"A fun-house!"
"I don't know what that is, but I'm sure it's interesting!"
"A crepe shop!"
"It's great for eating on the go!"
"A dance!"
"Sounds dazzling!"
"A hero quiz!"
"That's so like you, Midoriya!"
I smirked. "No one else would stand a chance. You'd have an unfair advantage!"
He scratched the back of his neck, grinning. Yea, you can't argue with that, huh? I laughed.
"Let's sing 'Frog Song' in a round."
"How charming!"
"A petting zoo."
"Hand-made soba."
"It's your favourite!"
"A death match!" I rolled my eyes. Three guesses who's idea that was...
"Bakugo's unexpected fight to the death!"
I raised an eyebrow. "'Unexpected'? Yea. Right."
"A feast of the students of darkness."
"Oh!"
"My twinkling show!"
"Huh?!"
"A skit or something?"
"I see!"
"Now, any others?"
"An Asian cafe!"
"A dance performance!"
I shifted and lay my head down on the desk, so I was facing Aizawa. I had been thinking and worrying about telling my...condition. How would I tell him? What would he say? How would he react? Would he hate me after I told him? Would he kick me out school?
The thought put fear into my heart. I had unintentionally become close with everyone in here. The teachers. Some of the pros. And, something that still surprised me even now, All Might. I didn't want to leave. Not now.
"Kitia?"
I blinked and looked up. "Uh, yea?"
Iida gave me a small smile. "Do you have an idea?"
"Oh, uh..." I looked around at everyone. When I first arrived at this school, even the thought of everyone staring at me put a cold shiver down my spine. Now, as I looked at everyone in turn, all I felt was amusement and warmth.
I grinned and looked at Iida. "That's it. A safe space."
Iida frowned. "Safe space?"
"Remember when I first came here, and I was always on my own. Well, that was before you guys decided to get all up in my face." I tried to keep my face straight, but when I looked at Ashido and Tokoyami, I smiled. "I'm grateful for it. It helped me. Maybe...Maybe it might help someone else, too."
They all stared at me until I felt myself go red. "Or not...I mean, it's just an idea. Right?"
"No! It's a good suggestion!" Iida smiled again. "You've really grown, huh?"
I just looked down at the desk, smiling shyly.
"Well, I think we have something from everyone now."
"I'll eliminate that ones that are inappropriate, impossible or confusing."
Momo got rid of a lot. I was surprised mine was still up though.
"Merciless!"
"Don't ask us in the first place then."
"The local history presentation sounds kinda boring."
"That's true."
"It's fine, but the others seem more fun."
"I cannot go against the consensus!"
"We do study sessions all the time."
"I thought it would be of help..."
"Can't we combine all the food ideas into one?"
"Don't you think crepes and soba would clash?"
I shook my head. "All food is good."
"You can't have crepes at an Oriental place."
"Quiet down!"
"We should do the fun-house!"
I laughed when nobody listened to Iida. I just put my chin in my hand and watched everyone.
"Quiet down! Quiet down!"
Then the bell rang. Uh oh...
Mr Aizawa walked towards the door, out of his sleeping bag. "That was a very illogical meeting. Decide what you'll do by tomorrow morning. If you don't...I'll make it a public lecture."
"That's just studying."
"He's joking, right?"
"Everyone, let's decide what we'll do by tonight!"
"Yea!"
"Huh? Where are the interns?"
I waved my hand. "Extra classes with Mr Aizawa."
"Why aren't you there, then?"
I hesitated.
"You're ahead of both Iida and Momo. You have been from the start." Mr Aizawa looked at me over my work. "Why don't you want them to know how smart you are?"
"I, uh...I just don't want to be anymore of a freak than I already am..."
Mr Aizawa put my work away in a draw. "You're not a freak, Kitia. You're just you. And you need to stop keeping secrets."
"I...It's just because I've been studying a lot. Up in my room. I don't need the extras classes." I rubbed my neck. "Yea. That's it. That's all."
"Well, what about Bakugo?"
"Sleeping."
I sighed and stood up.
"Where are you going?"
"To bed. Sleeping doesn't sound like a half bad idea."
"Yea, alright. You ok with doing whatever?"
I nodded as I walked away. "Yea, sure. Just don't make me dance."
"Awww!"
I laughed and kept walking up to my room, leaving the chatter behind me.
Once I was out of sight, I pulled out the bit of paper Dox gave me.
Date, time and location. He hopes to see you there!
The date was today's date, in a location I had been before. The time...
I scrunched the paper up again and shoved it in my pocket as I walked around the corner to my room and stopped.
"It's about time."
"I thought you were sleeping."
Bakugo shook his head. "Can't sleep. Something's been bothering me."
I walked up to my door and unlocked it. "Oh yea? And what's that?"
He followed me into my room and straight to the fridge.
"Something's been off with you lately. I mean, you were fucking weird before, but now..."
I sat on my bed, not looking at him. I took the beer he offered. "I'm more weird?"
"No."
I blinked. "Huh?"
"It's not that you're more weird. The opposite. You're less weird. And that's what's weird. And it's fucking irritating! What happened that's so bad you can't be yourself?"
I grunted. "Look, as much as I would love to have this conversation with you, I can't right now."
"Why? You got some place to be?"
I glared at him. Actually, yes smartass! "I just...I gotta tell someone else first."
"What, that feather head?"
I punched Bakugo's shoulder. "Don't insult Tokoyami to me. He's been my friend from the start!" I took my arm away and looked down. "Besides, he already knows. He and Recovery Girl are the only ones who know the details." I took a breath. "Recovery Girl wants me to tell Mr Aizawa, but I'm terrified."
"Since you won't tell me the details then, how bad is it?"
I fiddled with the stubby. "Bad. Really, bad."
Bakugo nodded. "So you need to tell Aizawa."
I nodded.
"He should be back soon. I suggest you talk to him tonight. And take bird brain with you. He needs to own up to his responsibilities."
I frowned and looked at him. "What do you-" I widened my eyes and hit him a few times on the back. "You seriously think it's like that?!"
He put his arms over his head, laughing. "No, but it's about time you started acting like your weird ass self."
I stopped hitting him and sat back. I shook my head and started laughing too. "You're an asshole, you know that?"
He tilted his stubby towards me. "You can talk."
I shook my head again and drank my own.
After Bakugo finally left, I got ready to meet Boss. I made sure to lock my door, in case he decided to come back.
I looked at the paper again and took a deep breath.
I appeared behind the hiding place in those caves, where Snake-Arms found me. I poked my head around and saw Boss standing beside the table I had been strapped too.
I scrunched up the paper and dropped it on the ground, before walking up to him.
He turn when he heard my footsteps.
"Ah! You're here! And not in your hero costume! This is good!"
"What do you want?"
He gave me a toothy grin. "Oh, of course you're going to feel apprehensive. Silly me. After all the fun we had..."
He was trying to bait me. I wanted to smack him, but I knew I couldn't. Not right now. I stayed silent.
"Oh, alright!" He sighed. "No time for small talk, huh? Alright. You want to know who-" He gestured to my stomach. "-Did this?"
I nodded, slowly.
"Oh, so you don't remember?"
I sighed. "No. I don't. I don't remember anything, and I don't know if that's a good thing or not."
"Hm, I see." Boss pressed a finger to his chin, studying me. He seemed serious now. After a minute, he nodded. "I believe you. I thought you might lie to me, but it seems you are being truthful. You don't know exactly you did this to you, but you have an idea. Yes?"
I hesitated, then nodded.
"Do you want to know for certain?"
I looked away and thought for a moment. I looked back up at Boss. "No. I don't want to know. I don't think I even need to know. What I want...No...What I need to know is; Can you fix this?"
Boss stared at me. "I can't fix what has happened."
I felt tears well up in my eyes and my heart squeeze.
"But I can help guide what will happen."
I frowned. "What will happen?"
Boss grinned his toothy grin. "Well now. I thought you would never ask."
"Eri!"
I was with Midoriya, Mirio and Mr Aizawa, visiting Eri in hospital. Mr Aizawa had explained who Eri was. That Midoriya and Mirio had rescued her from Overhaul. I had to pretend I didn't know who he was talking about.
Mr Aizawa had asked me to come along because of my Immunity quirk. It could negate peoples quirks, kinda like his, but in a different way. It meant that I could probably be in the same room with her if she was to lose control of her quirk, which was some kind of reversal quirk.
"Sorry I couldn't come to see you sooner."
"Here's a fruit basket!"
"You should go and introduce yourself."
I looked at the boys talking and laughing with Eri, and shook my head. "No. Let them have their time. They've been looking forward to seeing her. I'll let them be."
"I see." He shifted his eyes to look at me. "You have something to tell me?"
I stiffened. Had Recovery Girl told him already? I looked behind me as Eri's doctor and nurse spoke quietly together. I looked at my feet. "Perhaps now is not the time."
"Hm..."
I looked back into the room, watching and listening to the Eri girl.
"...That man wearing glasses...All of you were badly injured because of me."
I frowned and looked up at Aizawa. "I thought..."
He shook his head, and pressed a finger to his lips. "She doesn't need to know right now." He said quietly.
"It was my fault that you lost your power, Lemillion..."
Hearing the girl speak, and her voice...
I turned, walked a few metres down the hallway and leaned against the wall.
The girl...Eri. She reminded me of myself when I was a child. I always felt hopeless. Useless. Especially in the shadow of my older brother. The beatings and abuse I would get, but I never remembered my brother dealing with the same harshness.
It's my fault. They hate me.
Yes. It's your fault. You did this. Did it to yourself. How could you?
But...
*SLAP*
Don't talk back! In fact, don't bother speaking!
I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and bend over, holding it.
"Are you alright?"
I took a few breaths and stood up straight, still holding my stomach. "Yea. I'm fine. Just a cramp..."
The nurse studied me for a second, then nodded and hurried off to do her job. What was that pain just now?
I shook my head, and rejoined Mr Aizawa.
"Are you alright?"
I nodded. "Yea. I'm fine, Mr Aizawa."
He opened his mouth, but Midoriya jumped up.
"Mr Aizawa! Could Eri leave the hospital for just one day?"
"It's not impossible, but anyway, she's going to be-"
"Then, can Eri come, too?"
I smiled. She might not be able to handle the amount of people, but still...
"I see..."
"The school festival. Can Eri come, too?"
"School festival?"
"Eri, this is a great idea! A school festival is a festival that takes place at our school!"
I had to grin at how Mirio explained that. I looked at Mr Aizawa. "It wouldn't that bad with both us keeping an eye on her, right?"
He sighed. "Alright. I'll talk it over with the principal."
"If you need me to talk him into it, I'm all for it." I grinned as Mr Aizawa shook his head and called Principal Nezu.
"...How I wanted to know more about everyone."
"I'll tell you more than you want to know!"
I sighed and stepped up behind Mirio. I gently tapped his head. "You'll do no such thing. Some things you shouldn't tell a girl, Mirio."
Mirio rubbed his head, grinning. "I guess I didn't think before I spoke, huh?"
"You think?"
Eri was staring at me, so I smiled and waved.
"Oh, sorry! Eri, this is Kitia. She's in my class at school."
Mirio frowned. "How come you're here?"
Midoriya and I looked at each other. "Uh..."
You can't hide forever.
I sighed. "I'm here to help in case..." I looked at Eri and pointed to her horn.
"How can you help with that? I thought your quirk was Reveal?"
I nodded and lowered my arm. I moved past the boys and sat beside Eri. "You want to know about everyone?"
She nodded.
"Well..." I leaned in a little closer. "Want to know a secret? Not even Mirio here knows it."
Eri widened her eyes, but obviously intrigued, she nodded again.
"I can stop people using their quirks, if I need too."
"Wait, what?!"
I grinned as Eri looked at Mirio. "Told you he didn't know."
"You have multiple quirks?!"
"Secret, Mirio. It's a secret!"
"Right!" He saluted. "Sorry! I won't say a word!"
I rolled my eyes and got up. "I'll make sure the principal agrees. There's no reason why he shouldn't."
"Thanks, Kitia."
I squeezed Midoriya's shoulder as I walked past him.
"I'm on a break from school right now, so I can stay with you the whole time on our date!"
I stopped halfway to the door and turned.
"Date?"
"An outing taken by a man and a woman who are intimate!"
"An outing taken by a man and a woman..."
"Togata, what are you saying...?"
I walked back to Mirio and hit him a little harder than last time.
"Ouch!"
"You really gotta learn to think before you speak, mate..."
