"Faa..." Renko sighed as she drank on some coffee. The brunette was currently holed up at Horikoshi High School cafeteria, with there being a few days before she'd get to present at the conference. "It feels so nice that I'm done writing all of that theoretical stuff. I like doing it, but it becomes a little jarring after a while. Especially the thinking. You guys really helped"
A classmate next to her, a girl with glasses and odd grass-like hair, commented. "It's no biggie. Even physicists like Einstein took criticism and made his things better." To which Renko nodded and gave her a smile.
"I haven't really looked at research involving quirks before, but it was pretty fascinating to try and get a grip of. You'd think quirks would stick the subject of biology." A black-haired male student on the other side of the table noted, he looked mostly normal aside from a slight mutation to his eyes and forehead. Giving him a few strange markings and odd, red snake-like eyes.
"Well, quirks are almost like magic, Osamu." The girl sitting beside Renko said. "Sometimes evidence in regard to physics can be found in animal-produced things."
"I know, I know, Ichika."
"Just know that I really appreciate the help I've gotten." Renko butted in again, holding out a hand between the two to get their attention through a little body language.
Smiling, Osamu gave her a satisfying reply. "You're welcome."
There was a ringing in Renko's pocket which she was quick to react to. The phone came to her ear quicker than the ringing could start again. "Hello, Renko Usami here!"
The two other students sat silent as they watched her conversation. "Hi, Usami-san." Came the sound from the phone. "It's Suzuku-san speaking. Everything's just about ready, but we're still a little short on security. We're going to receive the number four hero and his intern, we don't think that's good enough on its own."
"I see, I see. Well, enough heroes should probably gather by themselves. Everyone's so suspicious after that attack on U.A."
"Indeed. Just be ready for the presentation in two days."
"Are the professors doing well, by the way?"
"For the most part, yes. They don't seem as quick as you to prepare, however."
"That's a given, they've got confidence in experience..." Renko paused, putting a finger on her lip. "About the heroes... You know about Meae... The sports festival victor, right?" The student stopped herself from messing up. He doesn't know the nickname, so she had to be quick to make a save.
"Yes, what about her?"
"I'm her best friend! She's part of the reason why I managed to get here to begin with, basing my studies on that odd quirk of hers." The brunette paused again. "I asked her if she wanted to see my presentation, so I thought this would be a golden opportunity. Want me to give you her number?"
"Well, I'll have to run some risk analysis and so forth. But it shouldn't be that much of an issue, I think... That is all I wanted to tell you. Be well."
"Bye!" Renko happily ended the call. Swiftly moving to send him Maribel's contact info.
Osamu, interested, leaned forward. "We'll get to see her in person?"
Quick to answer, the brunette shrugged. "If Norio-san doesn't find any issue, yeah I guess."
"Sweet." He said, leaning back.
The girl next to Renko seemed interested in jabbing at him. "You're saying it like that just because she's pretty, right?"
He looked over at the grass-haired girl, keeping his composure for the most part. Given that he was sitting with that girl's friend, it was a little odd to speak about it. "W-well, it's no secret that she's got loads of admirers after those amazing fights."
Careless of what the boys thought of her friend, Renko was just glad that Maribel was getting success. Although, Merry's problems were starting to worry her given how she described them to her. "Well, you're not wrong." She said, taking another sip of her coffee.
After having landed close to the mountain's foot, the duo of Kasen and Maribel had made their way toward the town center. This town was well-developed all things said and done, but the aging infrastructure was still apparent the further out you went.
From what she's read, countryside towns were calm and silent. The children were at the local school, adults traveled into the city to work, and those who remained worked their countryside livelyhoods. Finally, there were the villains. At this time of day, they weren't afraid of loitering. Hanging about, participating in small gang scuffles, and so forth. Consequentely, they'd be the day-time customers of restaurants, bars and the like. To an extent enriching it all, but it was often offset from the demands and deals they'd make, turning their relationship into a parasitic one.
Side-by-side, the two slowly made their way to the town square. Step by step, the town slowly came to realize their presence. Maribel felt herself being eyed from both sides of the street she waltzed and a proceeding air of surprise and even stress. Whether it was pleasant or disturbing, her mind couldn't decide. Being feared had its benefits, she could almost think. By the time they entered the town square and neared the largest convenience store, the streets felt eerily silent, as if their mere presence had made the villains evacuate.
Taking the lead in entering, Kasen quickly came upon a public exchange between three individuals. Two persons that looked quite ordinary, and the guy who seemed to own the shop. They were hanging around close by the entrance. They all went to look at her, the pair of ordinary persons' ire being drawn in particular. The horned hermit did not seem so bemused, so all she did was look at them.
"Just as clean as the ones in the city..." Maribel commented as she strolled up next to Kasen. Her parasol held calmly. Her mystical eyes ran over the two, and they looked at her. Instant recognition.
"Excuse us." They said and quickly moved past them, leaving the shop.
The hermit looked at Hearn, smiling as she crossed her arms. "I don't even need to say anything, huh? Anyway..." She looked at the remaining guy. "I'm the hero, the Horned Hermit. And this is my intern, ahh..."
Maribel took a little charge. "Call me Yukari Yakumo... Were those two forcing you to pay for protection?"
"Oh- You... Thank you." He looked at the hermit, and then at Maribel. She was recognizable, but Maribel could tell he didn't want to appear like he was wasting her time. "More like a tax. Well, you see, the gangs lock down their territory by financing their actions through places like mine. One year it's one gang, and the next it's another, lead by a villain rooted out from the city." The storekeeper explained.
"So they'll be back if we don't make ourselves known here..." Kasen remarked.
Hearn spoke in succession. "We came here because we heard of food being stolen. It's been a repeated incident for quite a while. You wouldn't happen to be able to tell us about it?"
"Well, they've been escaping even the gangs that attempt to protect their holdings. All the footage we've got have them running around swiftly and in shadows. They've got rabbit tails, but that's the only real description we've got of them. I assume they're all some sort of family hiding out in the region. Been stealing a lot of vegetables from everyone and for a while."
"Rabbit tails, you say...?" The hermit put a balled up fist to her face.
The student was quick to think about it. Rabbits and vegetables? A diet preference. Perhaps their quirks just make them that dependent, or there's something far more sinister going on here.
"In any case. I have heard there was a hero who made their home around here. She didn't appear commonly though, is that you?" The shopkeeper asked, he was upbeat so it wasn't to be demeaning. "Are you on a countryside vacation?" He continued, humorous in demeanor.
"Ah- I don't get ou-" Slightly flustered, Kasen immediately tried to excuse herself. Waving both of her arms at waist-height, side to side.
The blonde stepped in. "How widespread is this theft you speak of? Is it only around Yatsugatake?"
"I read that theft even goes on at farms many kilometers away from this place. One of the gangs, before they were taken over, tried to discern their location. The oldest incidents seem to linger to the south."
The girl nodded. "Then we'll go there."
Kasen gave her an eye, and then lapsed into thinking. Then she responded. "Yes. Thank you for your time, Shopkeeper-san." The hermit bowed casually. Maribel waved a little girlishly, although she did it out of courtesy.
As they stepped out, Kasen leapt into the air and Maribel followed behind. Albeit, it felt like the hermit was taking it easy on her.
In Maribel's mind, they had moved swiftly. But it still took almost an hour to get where Kasen was taking them. They had moved away from Yatsugatake to a strangely familiar forest of bamboo. Maribel had never seen it before, but it reminded her of her dreams.
Landing, Maribel felt herself fatigued, but the hermit walked around just fine. There was a huge distance between the two as far as their abilities went. Like Midoriya couldn't handle All Might's power, Maribel's grasp of her power was like a calculator next to a computer in the face of Kasen.
Looking around, she remembered that there were a few bamboo forests still around in Japan. Well, not exactly a few, but less than there used to be. The changing climate had its side effects. This place in particular seemed to have remained for long, however. She could tell, as it didn't appear to be very freshly grown.
"There used to be rumors of people who got lost and never left this place. But I don't think many believe in that anymore." The hermit said. "This is where the culprits should be. You should be able to make it out if you get lost, right?"
"Ah..." Maribel breathed. Still tired from the constant flight, or more appropriately, gliding that she was so unused to. "Yeah... It shouldn't be a problem..."
The hermit gestured to the forest. "Back when this place was part of Gensokyo, this was the refuge of some people from the moon, and their rabbit servants. A few native youkai rabbits decided to stick with them, so if they are anywhere, it's probably here."
"Moon people...?" Maribel took another breath and straightened out. Toying with the idea in her head, it wasn't all that odd. Back when she was in the dream world, she remembered seeing all of space. More than just the earth. Maybe that place leads further than one would believe... for a good reason... She thought. After all the occurrences she'd been through, lunarians weren't the oddest thing she'd have to accept.
"Let's move. We'll split up." The pink-haired master took her steps toward the forest, before turning to Maribel. Giving her a friendly thumbs up. "If you find anyone, I'll get to you immediately!" She continued. Before disappearing into the woods. It was like a blink before she was gone. The mysterious presence of the forest washed over her. Nostalgic. Any fear she might've had was dispelled by the bright sun and daylight. Replacing it with a light irritation.
The girl began her trek through, giving her a view of an ever-expanding forest of bamboo. It would almost be disorientating, if she hadn't been like she was. Sending her rolling at a hundred miles an hour would barely yield surprise from her at this point, especially after the battle with Bakugo. The time where she walked with that person from ages past in her dreams came back to haunt her memory. This may have been the place. In a few short minutes, where her thoughts came and went as she could not feel any particular presence but that of the forest, she ended up face to face with a group of rabbits. All of them were short. But there was something familiar to them. The eyes in particular. It's almost like that mouse-thing...
"Greetings, I am Yukari Yakumo. Who are you?" She asked them. Out of the group stepped one that walked with more finesse than the rest. An almost elderly-like quality to her despite her short and young stature. A carrot strew on a necklace around her neck.
"Hello, Yukari-san." The rabbit began speaking. Using her first name out of the gate was not something she expected. These people- creatures, gave off an odd presence. It wouldn't be wise to expect them to be exactly consistent with how a person acted. She could tell, these were not quirk-users, these were actual youkai. Like Doremy. When their eyes met, her eyes narrowed as she saw surprising familiarity "Why're you here and how'd you find us?"
Pulling aside a bamboo stalk, the hermit walked past. The rabbit looked over at her, in instant recognition. "Been a while."
"Looks like there aren't any cages this time." The hermit observed.
Shrugging, Tewi had to admit. "The humans do a much better job than we'd ever do at that kind of stuff nowadays."
"So instead you rob stores and fields of food?" Ibara questions. Maribel took a stand next to her and hefted her parasol on her shoulder, calm, but her eyes peering at both of them.
Putting her hands behind her back. The rabbit youkai shed a tear of sweat and excused herself. "We're just doing this to survive, you know? It's not such a simple issue, and it's less harmful than you'd think it is."
Maribel interjected calmly, the mere act of them talking made her yearn for more insight. The youkai was of particular interest to her. "Everyone needs food to survive, but that doesn't mean we can become thieves. Can we? If everything is free for the taking, how would any system be able to stand?"
Kasen looked at Maribel, and Tewi did as well. "You don't know?" The rabbit's red eyes blinked in confusion, her ears shifting about a little as she raised her head. "If it were just food, we could just go and forage it ourselves. What it actually is about is belief. Those "villains" as they call them are always on peoples minds, it's only logical that we insert ourselves in their position."
The implications suddenly dawned on Maribel. Youkai need belief to survive?
Kasen snapped her eyes back to Tewi, the rabbit had an unintentional look of being full of herself. The hermit proceeded to raise a finger, her presence becoming quite commanding even to Maribel. "Tame your greed."
"Well, uh..." Tewi muttered, almost as if she was struck by a strange force. The intense vibe of the hermit was still on display for Maribel, to the point where she backed a little to the side.
Kasen raised her hand. "If this were Gensokyo, such theft would be enough to keep an illusion of your presence easily... However, you are in the outside world, and I understand that the fear and intrigue you raise is miniscule in comparison. This doesn't mean you have to take up the role of thieves. Where does all that food go?"
The white hare backed a little. "Uhm... Well, we eat it for parties and..."
The hermit interrupted her, nagging her finger. Kasen's presence became more of a calming force. It was like... guidance. "You don't need to have it. This society is not as fearless as you think it is. Knowing what you are, there are ways to achieve your goal without theft."
The rabbit looked away from Kasen to think for a bit. After a short while, they exchanged glances again, warm smiles creping up both of their faces.
Coming to a close with her short guidance, the hermit explained. "So in the now, people are more reactionary to suspicious activities. A few eerie rabbits stalking people in the cities or close to them would be enough for you."
"Fine, fine, I get it!" The white hare announced to the hermit, putting herself in a position of submission. "We did it like this because it just felt more natural to do. Besides, they have so much food here compared to Gensokyo. You can't blame us for sticking about like usual. We'll do better."
Smiling, Kasen nodded before looking about. "Where did those Lunarians who settled here go?" She said, a question out of curiosity.
"Left decades ago. That one girl that skuled around here left a little later, didn't tell anyone why. And that's really all there is to it." The rabbit shrugged again.
Out of the blue, the blonde replied. "Did this girl wear white and red?"
"Yes, how so?" Tewi gave her an inquisitive look.
The girl was frozen in thought for a bit. "It is somewhat personal." She replied, the hero in her midst gave her a prying eye. But the student gave it no heed for the moment. That was when Maribel's phone began to ring. "Hold on." She said, picking it out of a pocket on her hero costume. She didn't see any familiar contact for the number, so she just answered. "Yes, this is Maribel."
The odd change in name confused the rabbit youkai.
From the other end. "Hello, my name is Norio Hattori. I was given your information by Usami-san. We need more heroes to guard the science conference, so if you're interested, could you get me in contact with your hero's agency? She said you were an intern right now, after all."
Maribel brought the phone away from her ear and looked at Kasen. The rabbits in the meanwhile looked on, unsure whether to move on or not.
For the next chapter, I think that I'll take us back to town and see what's happening. And try and move onto the main bit of this arc. Given that it's supposed to take place in the lead-up to Stain, where Midoriya trains in the original story. That said, I said I wanted to make it slightly... HxH-like, focused on a few characters, kind of like the Yorknew arc. I do have most of my players in mind already, however.