On a Saturday morning, Ikumi was the first to arrive at Korusanto Mall. A couple of people gave her a wide berth as they hurried into the mall's gleaming white front, hurrying out of the slightly chilly spring air. She looked around, not seeing any of her friends there. Biting her lip, Ikumi sent a text message to her friends.
Ikumi: Where are you guys at? I'm just out the front of the mall by the tree.
She craned her neck, looking to see if she could spot any of them coming to meet her. By the looks of things, some other girls from a different school had had the same idea they had, laughing and pulling out their phones to take photos, but she still couldn't see her friends. For an instant Ikumi thought that this was just like Middle school again, her stomach sinking at the thought. Then she felt her phone ping in her pocket. Sighing with relief, Ikumi pulled it out and flicked through the messages, keeping half an eye out to see if they were coming.
Uraraka: almost here! Overslept and had to get a later bus :(
Yaoyorozu: Just on my way now after being dropped off.
Tsuyu: I think I can see you, Midoriya. I'll be there in a second.
Ikumi sighed in relief. "That's good…" It was a bit strange that Mina hadn't sent a message though - she would have expected the pink girl to have called or texted by now.
It's fine, Mina isn't like that, she thought to herself, craning her next one more time to see if she could spot one of her friends.
Earlier…
Ikumi was getting changed in the locker rooms and thinking about the speech she had to make at the Festival when she heard Mina come up behind her.
"You got anything planned this weekend, girl?" Mina cheerfully nudged Ikumi in the side, a grin on her face.
"Um…" Ikumi thought about it. "N-no, not really. I was just going to relax and study." She paused. "W-why do you ask?"
"Ah, no particular reason. I just thought, since we're all working really hard for the Sports Festival and I haven't done anything like this in ages… Why don't we have a gath at Korusanto Mall? Try and unwind like that?"
For a moment, Mina's smile slipped. "God knows we could use a break."
"R-really?" Ikumi hesitated, then nodded. "It's… been a while since I've really hung out with any of my friends outside of school," she admitted.
Nearby, Yaoyorozu perked up as she overheard them talking. "Oh, that's a wonderful idea, Ashido! If you wouldn't mind, I would like to join!" She turned to Jirou, beaming. "What do you think, Jirou?"
Next to her, Jirou shook her head. "Sorry, girls. Some friends from middle school already asked me to go to a concert that Saturday."
Yaoyorozu and the others nodded understandingly.
"My parents are working at home this week to keep an eye on me and my siblings," Tsuyu croaked. "I should be free to go out, kero."
"Going shopping sounds like a blast!" Uraraka beamed. "Plus there's a park nearby, so we could have a picnic!"
Mina grinned, snapping her fingers.
"I like the way you think, Uraraka!" She grinned, turning to Hagakure. "What about you, Hagakure? Wanna hit the mall with us?"
The invisible girl waved her hand. Not that anybody else could see it, they just had to assume it was there.
"Sorry Mina! Normally I'd be down, but I'm going to a friend's birthday on Saturday!"
"Guess we'll have to catch up another time," Mina grinned. "Hope they have a happy birthday!"
Ikumi nodded. "D-don't worry too much Hagakure - we can go out another time! Don't forget to take a break from training this weekend!"
"UGH," Mina groaned. "I am so tired! Seriously, my arms feel like they're about to fall off."
"My eyebags are so big, I feel like they're actually visible," Hagakure slumped down tiredly. The other girls nodded with the same weariness. When U.A said that their motto meant to go beyond, they really meant it.
"
"Hey, Midoriya!" Tsuyu's croaky voice was accompanied by her typical running water and water lily scent, and it caught Ikumi off guard. Ikumi jolted out of her thoughts and whipped around to stare at the much shorter girl, wearing a bright green tank top and dark blue jean shorts.
"T-tsuyu!" She squeaked. "Sorry, I was - I was just a bit distracted since I haven't heard from Mina and I don't see-"
"That's an unusual T-shirt, kero."
Tsuyu gave Ikumi's outfit an appraising look.
It-it is? Sorry, I just-" Ikumi blushed, adjusting her top that proudly displayed 'T-Shirt' over her chest. "
"I didn't mean it was bad, kero. Just a bit unusual, that's all. Sorry for making you think it was otherwise." Tsuyu gave her a deep look. "I should have been clearer."
"No, no - it's fine, I'm sorry for-"
Ikumi's train of thought derailed when her nose twitched, picking up a familiar smell as the wind changed. She smiled - only one person had that almost citrus tang to their scent.
"Hey! Class Prez!"
Ikumi whipped around, beaming. "Mina!"
The pink girl grinned, clad in a black and pink striped top and short black dress.
"Sorry to keep you waiting - I forgot to charge my phone before I went to bed and, well…"
"Ah, it's-it's not a problem!" Ikumi burbled.
Mina looked Ikumi over, and her grin widened. "You know, that's a really cute T-shirt you've got there!"
"It is?" Ikumi relaxed slightly. Aunt Mitsuki joked about her taste in shirts occasionally, but Ikumi knew that she didn't mean anything by it.
Mina giggled, then turned around as Uraraka came up to meet them (mochi and sweat, her nose noted). Wearing a plain white T-shirt and jean shorts with sandals, Uraraka just beamed before hugging Ikumi.
"I almost missed the place, sorry! Then I saw you and-" She paused. "Sorry, was that rude or-"
"No, it's fine!" Ikumi reassured her friend from the exam. "Don't worry about it too much, Uraraka."
"Yeah, Ikumi and I are used to standing out in a crowd," Mina joked, before craning her neck. "Though I'm wondering where Yaomomo is-"
"Good morning!" Yaoyorozu (black tea, really nice perfume) walked up, beaming brightly. Wearing a neat pink blouse and white skirt with leggings, the dark haired girl looked at the front of the mall eagerly before trying to compose herself. "Sorry it took me so long to get here - my chauffeur had to find a parking spot, and the only one was a few minutes away…"
Ikumi looked at her with wide eyes. A sidelong glance at the others showed she wasn't alone - Uraraka looked like somebody had just slapped her in the face, and Mina's own eyes looked like they had almost been swallowed by her black sclera. Even Tsuyu's stoic face had slipped, eyes widening further.
"Chauffeur…?"
Yaoyorozu didn't hear, just beaming at Mina widely. "So, where are we going first? What's our itinerary?"
"I'd like to hear about our plans as well - I've never gone to the mall as part of a large group, kero," Tsuyu admitted.
"Er…" Mina took a look at Yaoyorozu's enthusiastic face and grinned back. "I don't really know - I just thought we'd go through some shops, maybe buy a bento from some of these really cute shops, go and sing some karaoke… Just, you know, a casual day out."
"Oh, I see!" Yaoyorozu just beamed and waved a hand casually. "Sorry, me and my parents usually have a whole itinerary planned for a day out, so this is a bit different from what I'm used to."
Ikumi beamed, trying to keep things moving. "Not having strict plans sounds great. Mina, where are we going to start?"
—
Ochako stared at the pile of clothes Ashido and Yaoyorozu had dumped in front of her. Next to her, Midoriya was looking at a couple of interesting designs sized for her unique proportions - Ochako could have worn one of those shirts as a dress! Hesitantly, she held up a pink and white spotted T-shirt that looked like it would take up all her budget. "Uh-"
Yaoyorozu just beamed, "Do you like it? This is one of my favourite brands, and I think you'd look great in this!"
Ochako tried desperately to find words to express just how expensive this was and how there was no way she could afford it.
"This… this seems a bit… much-"
"Come on, try them on!" Ashido pressed. "We don't have all day to sit around and stare - we've got lunch and the arcades to go yet!"
Not wanting to have Ashido's attention focused on her for too long, Ochako went to the change rooms. Looking through the clothes she'd been handed she could see that Yaoyorozu had picked out a bunch of expensive brands - Uraraka saw a bunch of labels such as Prada, Gucci, and Issey Miyake, and her eyes instinctively avoided the price tags. Ashido's choices were, thankfully, more reasonable for her budget.
Standing in the change rooms, she looked at the top Yaoyorozu gave her, and forced herself to look at the price. Upon seeing it, her eyes widened and her stomach dropped... 'Holy - this T-shirt is 8000 yen! And that's when it's nearly entirely discounted! That's-that's almost all the money I brought with me!'
Ochako felt faint just seeing that price tag. If she hadn't known Yaoyorozu was loaded, then this would have confirmed it. She knew that she couldn't afford it, her parents were as generous as they could afford in how much pocket money she had to spend, but it was still somewhat unreasonably priced… And yet, damnit, it was damn cute. So damn cute, in fact, that it was hard to resist. It might have been easier if Yaoyorozu was obnoxious about her wealth, but rejecting her stylistic opinions, however expensive they were, would have felt like kicking a puppy. Or Midoriya.
Steeling her resolve, Ochako picked up the shirt. Okay, I'll just wear it with that skirt, and then I'll buy something else. I'll just say that I like something else more, that's all!
Taking a look at herself in the mirror with the white skirt Mina had chosen, though, Ochako's resolve crumpled. Trust Yaoyorozu to find a great shirt that fit her perfectly!
When she came out, Mina and Yaoyorozu cheered.
"Looking good, Uraraka!"
Tsuyu hummed neutrally. "It certainly suits you, Uraraka-chan."
"Oh, I knew you would look great in that top!" Yaoyorozu just beamed brightly. She clapped her hands delightedly and surveyed Ochako's outfit with an approving grin.
"It's really nice!" Ochako laughed awkwardly. "I mean, I don't know if it really suits me, but.."
Yaoyorozu's face dropped. She stared at Ochako anxiously. "O-oh dear, I-I'm sorry I-"
"But, seriously, this is way too cute! I love it!" Ochako went to reassure her. That mercifully seemed to cheer the other girl up a bit.
"I'm happy to hear that!"
Changing back into her regular clothes, Ochako was just watching the others look at clothes when Tsuyu came up behind her.
"She does have a way of finding very expensive stuff, kero." She mumbled quietly.
Ochako let out a short, surprised chuckle. She glanced anxiously at Yaoyorozu in the front of the shop as she animatedly chatted to Mina.
"It's not like she means it in a bad way! She's just…"
"...Like that?" Midoriya said softly. Ochako didn't ask how Midoriya could have overheard her, just sighing.
"Yeah, like that. I don't think she knows just how expensive this is," Ochako murmured. "Like I'm pretty sure the clothes she chose cost more than most households earn in a year."
Midoriya smiled softly. "Don't worry, she'll understand."
Ochako wanted to ask what she meant, but then Hurricane Mina zoomed over to Midoriya with a red shirt in hand.
"Hey, you've gotta try this on, Ikumi!"
Bemused, Ikumi unfolded it, looking at the words. She snorted and shook her head, a small smile on her face.
"That's… that's pretty bad, Mina."
"What is it?" Ochako asked, peering at the garment.
Rather than answer, Midoriya unfolded it, and Ochako barely suppressed a guffaw when she saw 'BIG AND TALL' written in English across the front. Midoriya heaved a sigh, shaking her head.
Meanwhile, Mina still wasn't done suggesting chaotic outfit combinations. "Right? Oh, and I think you'd look good in this, too!" She beamed, holding up a short skirt. Ochako saw Midoriya's eyes widen.
"Um… No, I-I don't think that'd work…" she mumbled, looking away. Were it not for the thick coat of fur on her face, there would be an impressive red blush covering three quarters of her face.
"You sure? I made sure it's your size and everything!" Mina pressed a bit more. "Cause it'd really go well with-"
It dawned on Mina and Ochako at the same time. Mina looked awkwardly up at Midoriya and winced.
"Oh, right."
Midoriya sighed, but nodded.
"I mean, they look really cute and all but… I don't want to worry about a kid or somebody like Mineta being able to s-see m-my..." She trailed off, the final words out of her mouth barely audible, but the implication remained. Ochako and the others all winced at the thought.
"He's gotten better about being a pervert but I wouldn't risk it, kero," Tsuyu said.
"That sucks, girl. I just didn't think about it." Mina shook her head sadly.
Then the hurricane enthusiasm returned and she brightened up. "At least I know now rather than finding out on your birthday or something. But wow, I never even considered what it must be like having to coordinate outfits based on your height! I always thought your biggest problem would be finding things that fit and didn't sit weirdly against your fur."
Midoriya nodded wordlessly, before holding out a dress to Ochako. "Uraraka, how about this one?"
Mina's smile somehow widened. "Nice one, Ikumi!"
The next hour went in much the same way, outfits being chosen and discarded, until the checkout. Everybody had managed to find at least a couple of things they'd liked,
That was fine - she had found some other skirts and shirts that were more reasonably priced for her budget. Ochako choked, however, when Yaoyorozu held up that ridiculously expensive T-shirt and bought it like it was an afterthought.
Yaoyorozu beamed, pressing the newly bagged shirt into her hands. "This is for you, Uraraka!"
W-what?" Ochako stammered, not sure what was going on. That was way too much for her. Normally rosy cheeks flushing even brighter, Ochako waved her hands frantically, trying to get Yaoyorozu to realise what a mistake she was making. It was bad enough that the girl looked like a supermodel even in her casual clothes.
"W-wait, This is - this is way too much! I-I can't pay you back for this-"
The taller girl blinked, puzzled. "It's okay, Uraraka! You don't have to - it's a gift - I just like doing nice things for people - and today's meant to be a fun day out for all of us. If you don't want me to buy it, I can always get a refund and we can get you something else…"
Ochako wanted to cry at just how nice Yaoyorozu was.
"S-sure, thank you!"
She was totally going to have to pay back Yaoyorozu later. Maybe with a really, really nice present on her birthday! If she could afford it.
—
Going out with friends after a hard week of studying and training for the Sports Festival was nice, Tsuyu had to admit. She had never really had the time for it - her parents' work often dragged them out of the house early in the morning and kept them away from home until late at night, so she had grown up used to looking after her siblings from an early age. That and her Frog Quirk affecting her facial expressions meant that most of her classmates in middle school had seen her as weird and aloof.
Tsuyu didn't mind. She enjoyed looking after Samidere and Satsuki, and despite their frequent work-related absences, she knew that her parents loved them all. Habuko was a good friend as well, and Tsuyu was already planning to organise a meeting between her and the other members of her class. She had to admit though, having free time to hang out with friends was a rare and much appreciated treat.
What was weird about it was just how easily she seemed to have slotted in - hanging out with friends and shopping with them, it seemed as though they were all just normal teenage girls. Not heroes or mutants or anything out of the ordinary- just students having a break from school. Though she had to admit, Midoriya's own heteromorph appearance certainly helped in that regard.
Mina's attitude was infectiously cheerful, and Tsuyu found her own smile picking up. She also appreciated that Yaoyorozu and Uraraka were as friendly and enthusiastic as Mina, picking up the slack when Midoriya hesitated. And she did, as anyone in the habit of ducking just to get through the shopfront would.
Here in the open space, however, it was easier to move. Easier to breathe, even. Tsuyu didn't mind crowds, but she found herself casting a wary eye over the group's surroundings, especially with regards to Midoriya. Years of looking after her younger tadpole siblings had honed her instincts so that even the smallest of disasters could be spotted before they happened.
Speaking of; Seeing a small child about to walk into Midoriya's path, she quickly held out a hand to stop him. As he stared up at her, and then further up at Midoriya with huge eyes, she carefully shook her head.
"Be careful, kero." She croaked softly. Nodding, the little boy went back to his parents. They gave Tsuyu a mouthed 'thank you' and a stiff, informal bow, while the little boy enthusiastically went on about nearly running into somebody 'reeeeally tall!'
Midoriya winced, carefully ducking under a dangling shop sign.
"T-thanks, Tsuyu."
"No problem, Midoriya," Tsuyu nodded. "You can't look everywhere."
Mina gave her a thumbs up, grinning. "Yeah, it's not like it's your fault if someone not watching where he's going runs into you."
"T-that doesn't stop some people from acting like it is," Midoriya mumbled, carefully sidestepping a very distracted man on his phone.
"There's too many jerks out there, kero." Tsuyu sighed. Uraraka winced in sympathy.
"That really sucks, Midoriya."
"It's fine, just -" Midoriya flushed bright red under her fur when her stomach audibly grumbled.
"Whelp! Sounds like a vote to get lunch to me!" Mina announced, smoothly changing the subject.
"We have had a pretty busy morning, kero," Tsuyu pointed out. "I've heard that there's a good bento place near here. They have good noodles too."
Uraraka grinned. "I think I can find us a spot - I bought my own lunch from home so I don't have to wait in line!"
Tsuyu looked at the others. "Want us to buy you a drink or something, Uraraka-chan?"
The pink cheeked girl looked like she was debating whether to accept it or not, before reluctantly nodding. "If you're offering… Maybe strawberry boba tea?"
"Pretty sure we can manage that. Find us a good picnic spot Uraraka-chan!" Mina grinned, shooting her a thumbs up.
—
It was a nice day in the park, especially since Uraraka had managed to find a really good spot under some trees for shade. It was less chilly now, as the sun had come out, shining through the trees and casting shadows around. Even though they weren't under the sakura blooms, they still had a good view of the beautiful petals when they ate.
Mina grinned up at Ikumi as the large girl pulled out an Ikumi-sized picnic blanket that looked more like an enormous carpet and spread it out on the grass. Uraraka and Tsuyu helped flatten it out with their purchases still in shop bags. A couple of passers-by stared at Midoriya, but Mina just beamed back at them with polite, sunny aggression and they took the hint.
As they pulled out their bentos and enjoyed the spring sunshine, Mina heaved a mighty sigh. "Man, I really needed a break from training for the Sports Festival!" She punctuated her statement by stabbing a straw through the plastic cover of her boba.
She wasn't kidding. Ever since the USJ, Mina was taking her training even more seriously than she had in building up the muscle needed to use All Might's Quirk. Seeing somebody come close to finishing All Might off had hammered home just how real All Might's need for a successor was.
Tsuyu nodded seriously. "U.A and All Might are really putting us through the wringer, aren't they?"
"Between preparing for the Sports Festival and regular classes, I'm beat!" Uraraka groaned.
Ikumi paused her one-woman assault on her giant bento. "I'd be happier if I only had to worry about my performance in the Festival…" Sighing, she took a sip of her drink, an anxious look on her face.
Mina frowned. "What's bugging you, Ikumi?"
Making people happy and helping them solve their problems were the main reasons why Mina wanted to be a Hero, so seeing the figurative and literal big sister of the class so down during a happy day made her feel like she hadn't done enough to help her friends. She scooted forward from her spot on the blanket closer to Midoriya in a gesture of solidarity. Upon seeing her friends concern, Ikumi slumped.
"I-I have to do the opening speech for the first years' at the Sports Festival."
Mina blinked, then a wide grin split her face. "Hey, congrats girl! Not everyday you get to do something like that!"
—
Ikumi nodded, still feeling a bit overwhelmed. That had been a surprising announcement, one that the Principal had sprung on her only a day or so after classes had resumed. For the first year students it was the responsibility for the person who had scored the overall highest in the written and Heroics exams, and giving an opening speech for the Sports Festival was meant to inspire the other classes to do their best, strive to surpass their limits, and inspire others to acts of athleticism and showmanship.
No pressure.
"I know, I know. It's-it's not like I don't want to make a speech like this!" She shook her head miserably. "But I - I have no idea what I would say for it, and I'm really freaking out about it!"
Ikumi's breathing hitched."-And if I mess it up, then Aizawa Sensei might expel me and I'll never be a Hero and All Might will be disappointed-"
"That's a bit irrational," Tsuyu pointed out bluntly. "I understand that it's stressful-"
"Yes it is incredibly stressful-" Ikumi resumed, sounding less like a teeanger and more like a kettle whistling with the boil.
"But I don't think that Nedzu would have wanted you to do this presentation if you weren't ready for it, kero!" Tsuyu interrupted, smiling what she hoped was an encouraging smile.
"Besides, you threatened a bunch of Villains on that boat and stood up against Shigaraki!" Uraraka pointed out.
"T-that was different!" Ikumi half whimpered. "I-I can deal with Villains, not all of Japan judging me!"
Yaoyorozu paused. "That's a good point," she admitted. "Even so, we are learning to be Heroes. Having to make a presentation in front of a crowd and dealing with the media is part of the role."
That didn't reassure Ikumi very much. "I-I guess… It's just hard to know what to say at something like this."
"Why don't you call on your Hero nerd knowledge?" Mina asked.
Ikumi blushed, rubbing the back of her head. "Most of my knowledge is about Hero statistics and Quirks… And I-I don't think that would be a very good speech."
"Fair enough," Uraraka said. She paused. "Though I'm surprised you're asking us and not Bakugou. I mean, aren't you guys best friends?"
At that, Ikumi groaned again. "Y-yeah, Kacchan and I are best friends, and I already did." She shook her head in a mixture of exasperation and fondness. "His advice was, well…"
"Just say 'we all want first, and I'm gonna take it,' and then challenge them to beat you," Kacchan said bluntly, a huge smirk on his face. "That's what I'd say if I was giving that speech."
She gawked at him, mortified. "Kacchan, no."
He just grinned back. "Kacchan, yes."
Ikumi fought for words, settling on, "...Not the best."
The others stared at her, then nodded.
"Yeah, somehow I'm not surprised," Mina said sagely. "No offence to him, but he acts like he can solve all of his problems with violence. Which is great for dealing with villains, but kind of bad advice for dealing with anything else."
Ikumi nodded glumly. "I-it's part of the reason why I've decided to give the speech. Otherwise it'd be Kacchan and I-I don't think I could live down a speech like that."
"I don't know what kind of advice I would give beyond 'try not to stress out about it," Uraraka pointed out. "I mean, you'd know more about what other students say at the Sports Festival."
"N-not much… a lot of people tune out - and I usually watched the second and third years over the first, since they have more interesting uses for their Quirks. First year students usually just say something along the lines of 'do your best everybody'," Ikumi mumbled.
Another thought hit her and she winced. "Or they say some corny line praising their middle school for helping them get to that point."
That was probably what Aldera was hoping Kacchan would say on the podium. She snorted - like Aldera had had anything to do with Kacchan's drive to be the best he could be. And there was no way she was going to talk up Aldera beyond the briefest mention in a future biography.
"Well, what's the real problem? I mean, you said it yourself, people tune out. You could say anything and no one would notice!" Mina said. Uraraka shook her head in response.
"Not quite, it's still a good way to get the rest of the classes energised," Uraraka said. "Besides, this is a good opportunity for Midoriya!"
Ikumi nodded. "B-but it's not the most interesting thing about the Sports Festival… I usually like the second and third year speeches because they sometimes go into detail about why they want to be Heroes."
A smile spread across her face as her eyes lit up, her love for heroism coming through as she spoke. "I-I mean, some people only go to U.A for the quality of the other courses but… I love hearing about how Heroes inspire people to be better, or want to be Heroes themselves!"
Uraraka pumped a fist, the same determined expression she'd worn back when the Sports Festival had been announced on her face. "Oh! Like that guy a couple of years ago, who wanted to be a Hero when one saved him from a burning building!"
"Exactly!" Ikumi almost yelled in excitement.
Her enthusiasm was ruined when some passers-by gave her a dirty look. Though they moved on, mostly because of Mina's cold stare, she subsided.
"I mean… Gang Orca and All Might are my biggest inspirations for being a Hero." A small smile crossed Ikumi's face as she spoke in quieter tones."I want to save people with a smile like All Might - and Gang Orca showed me that somebody who looks like me could-could be a Hero."
Mina grinned. "That's a really cool reason, Ikumi. You're gonna be an amazing Hero, you know that?"
"Thank you Mina!" Ikumi squeaked. "But what about you, Mina? Why do you want to be a Hero? If-if that's not a rude question, or too personal-"
"Nah, don't worry about it!" Mina waved her concerns away. The pink girl put a finger to her chin, brow furrowed in thought. "Well, I just like making people happy, and I've never liked bullies or jerks who hurt people for fun."
Mina paused her explanation to stretch in a catlike manner.
"And being a Hero's the best way I can do both those things!" She finished.
"It's a really fun question to ask," Ikumi said, beaming widely at her friends. "I thought about asking it in class but it didn't feel right."
She turned to the others. "How about you, Yaoyorozu?"
"Why do I want to be a Hero?" Yaoyorozu tapped her chin. "Well, one of my parents' businesses manufactures Support items. I guess I wanted to see what it was like on the other side of the curtain!"
"One of their businesses?" Uraraka muttered, looking dazed. Ikumi hastily turned to Tsuyu to change the topic back to what they were originally talking about to distract Uraraka.
"I suppose I want to be a Hero because I enjoy helping others, kero." Tsuyu tapped her chin. "Though I did think about being a police officer or going into medicine as well."
"I could totally see you being a doctor!" Yaoyorozu laughed. "You'd be so good at it, I could see you being nicknamed "Doctor Froggy! KIds' love you!"
While Tsuyu flushed under Yaoyorozu's enthusiastic praise, Ikumi turned to Uraraka, who looked a bit nervous. "What about you, Uraraka?"
Her friend squirmed a bit, flushing brighter. "I, uh, well…"
—
Seeing all the expectant faces of her friends, Ochako sighed. Telling the girls felt a bit different than telling it to Iida, but it still felt awkward doing so. "It sounds really horrible when I say it, but… I want to become a Hero for the money."
Even after telling Iida and having him support her with the full force of his enthusiasm, it still felt awkward to say when she'd heard everybody else with such good reasons to want to be Heroes. Especially to Yaoyorozu, who had an unfair combination of being adorable, nice and loaded. She knew that they wouldn't judge her, but nevertheless, she braced for judgement.
"You know… There's no shame in wanting money for what you do." Tsuyu said bluntly. "Heroes need to eat too."
Midoriya nodded. "Exactly! All heroes earn money based on a combination of their arrest record and merchandising deals - even All Might subsidises his income with the merchandise rights! If All Might can do it, there's no reason why you shouldn't!"
Yaoyorozu looked worried. "Is that why - oh no! I-I'm so sorry for making you feel awkward with my choices, Uraraka-"
Snapping out of her spiralling thoughts, Ochako waved her hands. "No, no, Yaoyorozu, it's fine! I know you didn't mean to, just…"
Ochako sighed, biting the bullet. "My parents have a construction business in Mie, and, well… we have a lot of competition. Villain attacks do a lot of damage, and we don't have a lot of people with work licences to use their Quirks to help in construction…"
"I-I can see that being a problem…" Ikumi muttered. Then, her ears pricked up in excitement. "Your Quirk would be amazing for construction work - selectively nullifying the gravity of materials would be a massive help!"
"That's what I told my parents, but…" Ochako shook her head. "They-they told me that I should do something that makes me happy, and not just to help them."
Midoriya looked a bit down but she snapped out of whatever internal monologue was plaguing her and beamed at Ochako.
"Y-you're thinking about the practical side more than Kacchan and I did when we decided on being Heroes."
"So I guess I'm going to be a Hero to make my parents' lives easier." A mischievous grin spread over her chubby cheeks as She looked the group in the eye. "And as part of that, I'm going to win the Sports Festival!"
The group stared at her for a few seconds. Then they all nodded in solidarity, Tsuyu patting her enthusiastically on the shoulder.
"To me, it sounds like you just want to help people who are important to you. That's a really good reason for wanting to be a Hero."
Ochako blushed an even brighter shade of red at that.
"Guys…"
Ashido nudged Midriya in the side. "Think you're up to giving that speech after all, Ikumi?"
—
Mina grinned when she saw Ikumi straighten up, a more determined look on her face. "T-thanks for that, guys," she smiled. "I-I feel a bit more confident about what I'm going to say at the Festival."
"Yeah, don't worry about it! Besides, as you said, it's a dream opportunity for all of us!"
Mina watched with a huge smile as Ikumi went into full enthusiasm. "Th-that's right! Ever since I saw my first Sports U.A Sports Festival, I've dreamed about taking part in it, and now it's a dream come true!"
Yaoyorozu (though she should really call her something cuter - a name would come to mind, Mina thought) nodded.
"It is, isn't it? I think we've all wanted to stand on the final podium."She gave the rest of them a huge smile. "Still, as long as we all do our best…"
Ikumi nodded. "Yes, you're right! If we all do our best, we can't be upset - especially since we've got two more years at U.A to make an impression."
"Yeah!" Mina and Uraraka cheered, smiling hugely. Tsuyu didn't cheer like that, but she gave a small smile that Mina could tell was heartfelt.
But as they sat back, Mina couldn't help but worry about what All Might would think if she didn't do well at the Festival. Sure, Mina knew that All Might would say the same thing about trying your hardest. It didn't stop her from worrying about it.
Even though All Might was the kindest and best mentor you could ask for for moral support, she still felt the weight of the legacy she had been handed. After all, he was the Symbol of Peace, the strongest Hero in the world - and he'd chosen her over anybody else. Just because she had run out and confronted a Villain without thinking.
Sometimes she felt that he'd made the wrong choice. That he could have done a lot better than some dumb goofball of a girl from Chiba, who he only found because she had stupidly charged in against a giant Villain without thinking.
But she could worry about that later. Right now was time to rest from her harsh training for the Sports Festival and not worry about the crazy Villains who tried to kill them and All Might. Just for today, they weren't students at the most prestigious Hero school in the country, but were just ordinary high school girls doing ordinary things.
And now that they had had a chance to get to know each other and the other guys in class… Mina giggled to herself. Casually, Mina grinned at Ikumi, seeing a chance for some harmless gossip.
"Say, Midoriya, I've got a question for you."
Unaware of what Mina was planning, Ikumi turned to Mina with a bright smile.
"What is it, Mina?" She asked, bringing the straw of her boba up to her mouth.
Mina waited for Ikumi to start drinking before she 'innocently' popped the question. "Are you into any of the guys in class?"
—
Mortified, Ikumi spat out most of her drink. She sounded like a wolf that had mistakenly eaten a bar of soap. Sticky and spluttering from shock, she flailed for a napkin to clean herself up.
"I - uh - w-what?!"
Next to her, Yaoyorozu sighed.
"This isn't exactly the most Bechdel-friendly conversation we could have."
Mina waved a hand dismissively. "Bechdel, Schmechdel! Now, I just wanna know, do you think any of the guys are attractive? Or are you into girls? No judgement from me since, well, my door swings both ways-"
Ikumi let out a whine like a boiling kettle, still trying to clean her muzzle of sticky tea. Yaoyorozu had flushed tomato red as well, spluttering awkwardly.
"That's a bit of a personal question, Mina-chan," Tsuyu said bluntly, voicing Ikumi's thoughts. "And I think Midoriya-chan's a bit too embarrassed to answer, kero."
"Sorry, sorry," Mina apologised. "You don't have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable."
Then she grinned slyly. "But what about you, Tsuyu?"
Tsuyu paused, before looking away. "Iida-kun. I like how straightforward and enthusiastic he is. I can't really see myself with an immature guy."
"Iida?" Mina hummed, before grinning. "Guess I could see it happening - that is, if he ever pulls that stick out of his butt."
In spite of herself, Ikumi snorted a little - and looking at Uraraka, she had much the same expression. Much as she liked Iida, he was a bit overbearing at times.
"I'm glad you noticed he has a nice butt, kero," Tsuyu said with a face that seemed even straighter than normal.
For the second time, Ikumi had to spit out her drink. Unfortunately, this time Uraraka was caught in the crossfire.
Mina howled with laughter while Ikumi scrambled to find a spare napkin to help Uraraka clean. The others flushed bright red, their brains in the same station along the trains of thought.
"He really does!" Mina wheezed, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. She turned to Uraraka with a grin on her face like a shark. "What about you, Uraraka? What's your type?"
Uraraka hummed nervously, sponging her shirt with a paper napkin.
"W-well, it's a bit awkward, and you absolutely cannot say anything to him, but Todoroki's just… Really, really handsome you know? Like, his face has a nice shape, and he has really intense eyes…" She trailed off at that, not that Ikumi could blame her.
"True, true. Guy's got that ice prince charm going for him," Mina nodded sagely.
Yaoyorozu hummed. "Todoroki is quite pretty," she said neutrally.
"But… I don't know, he's…" Ikumi struggled to find words for what she found a bit odd about Todoroki. "Kind of aloof? I mean, I haven't seen him talk to anybody when it wasn't part of a class exercise."
Ikumi didn't mention that she'd caught Todoroki watching her a couple of times. Not in a creepy way like Mineta sometimes did, but more like he was watching out for her. Ikumi wasn't sure if she should talk to him in private or in a more public way to see if he was alright. If she didn't know better, he seemed to be constantly searching for danger.
"I don't think he's a very social person naturally," Tsuyu pointed out. "It's also probably because he's the son of the Number Two Hero - he may have been told he has to avoid getting into scandals."
"I've seen him at a couple of fundraisers I attended with my parents," Yaoyorozu helpfully said. "He was quiet during those as well."
Mina took another bite out of her sandwich.
"Sounds like somebody needs to break him out of his shell." She gave Yaoyorozu a searching look. "Are you interested in him, Yaomomo?"
The dark haired girl was flustered. "W-well, I - uh - Wait, Y-Yaomomo?"
"Eh, I like cute nicknames for my friends. I just thought of it! Do you like it?"
Yaoyorozu smiled. "Yes, I-I love it, Ashido! I'm sorry I haven't come up with one for you-"
The pink girl just waved a hand dismissively, "Don't sweat it too much. Now, back to my question! Todoroki- would you smooch?"
That flustered Yaoyorozu all over again. "...Well…"
She looked at them, then sighed.
"He's certainly really pretty, and I-I do like his hair and broody nature… It's a bit like Jirou-chan, honestly. He'd be even prettier if he would smile a bit more, though."
Tsuyu shook her head. "He's a bit too cold for me - Iida's way nicer than him."
Mina tilted her head, looking at Yaoyorozu. Whatever she was looking for, she found it, and she leaned back with a cheeky grin on her face.
"Well Yaomomo, if you want a hand getting with a guy or girl, let Auntie Mina know, alright?"
Yaoyorozu flushed as red as her costume. "...Okay?" She squeaked, apparently not noticing the girl appended to the end of that statement.
Not letting up, Ikumi winced when Mina returned her focus onto her.
"What about you, Ikumi? Do you have a type of guy you're interested in, or are girls more your style?"
Ikumi managed to make eye contact with Mina. "N-no, I'm definitely into boys - I mean, the first time I saw the limited edition shirtless Hawks cover for his debut I… may have tried to buy a hundred." Her face turned bright red at the memory.
"Oh, that shirtless Hawks pic?" Mina grinned widely. "Yeah, Hawks is absolutely cut! I mean, sure, almost every Hero out there has abs you could grate cheese on-"
"Yes I know about his abs, stop talking about them," Ikumi whined, face and ears burning bright red.
"-But he's the kind of guy you're into, right?" Mina grinned.
Ikumi sighed awkwardly. "W-well, yeah. I guess I like guys who are fit, have blonde spiky hair-"
"Like Kaminari?" Yaoyorozu suggested.
She just shook her head.
"N-no, Kaminari… I mean, he is cute, but not my type. Someone who's smart, kind, confident, determined to be the best at whatever they set their mind to, and has a c-cute smile…"
"Apart from the kind and cute smile parts, it sounds like you're describing Bakugou," Tsuyu flatly pointed out.
Ikumi stared at Tsuyu with wide eyes, reminiscent of a deer caught in headlights, then shook her head.
"H-haha, there's-there's no way I'd be interested in Kacchan. T-that's ridiculous!"
Well, you could say that your friends were attractive, right? And Kacchan definitely was - despite not having a lot of time for other people, a couple of their classmates had admired him from afar, even giving him honmei-choco several times. Though it was a bit weird that he only seemed to care about the giri-choco she got for him…
Nope, not going there, not possible. Ikumi crossed her arms defensively, taking a long sigh as she tried to put it into words.
"J-just because we're childhood friends, it doesn't mean that we're interested in each other like that! We-we practically grew up together!"
"Yeah, that's true!" Uraraka said. "Iida's one of my best friends at U.A, and he's not really interested in something like that." She shrugged. "He's a bit too serious and strict for me anyway."
"Fair enough, kero."
Mina remained unconvinced, but didn't say anything, instead opting to smirk a smirk that said it all.
"Besides, I'm pretty sure Kacchan's, well… not interested in girls like that." Ikumi huffed.
That got Mina's attention.
"Really?" Her smile widened, eyes glimmering almost menacingly. Ikumi suddenly got a feeling Kacchan's life was about to get much more interesting.
"What makes you say that, Ikumi-chan?"
"I mean, I've never seen K-Kacchan so much as look at another girl. Not to mention how close he is with Kirishima and Kamakiri." She laughed awkwardly.
Mina hummed, looking off into the middle distance.
"Well, I have heard Kirishima gush on and on about how manly Bakugou is… And you're right that I've never seen Bakugou really look at another girl like he's interested in them…"
—
Up on the Sekoto Peak trail, in the dappled clear sunshine under the new leaf growth, Katsuki felt a shiver go down his back. Next to him, Shitty Hair shook in the same way.
"...I feel like somebody just walked over my grave." Shitty Hair mumbled.
Stabby just laughed. "Wow, you both flinched at the same time. What, did somebody cast a spell on you or something?"
Katsuki glared at his rival/friend.
"Shut up, Stabby," he growled, stomping up the well worn path up the mountain. He had been starting to regret this particular decision. Normally he liked hiking, but for whatever reason he had decided to ask Shitty Hair and Stabby if they wanted to come with him for training.
Mostly because Midori was off shopping or some shit with the other girls on her rest day. Midori had been pretty excited to go off on this girl's day with the other girls in class, and he'd taken one look at her face and changed his plans for a friendly hike.
Plus, if any of the other girls hurt Midori, well… It wasn't Aldera, but if he had to hit a bitch, he absolutely would. The Hammers of Justice were unisex, after all.
Shitty Hair pushed ahead, grinning. "Well, whatever that was, I'm not stopping now! I mean, hiking up a mountain for Leg Day… So manly."
Stabby gave him an odd look.
"...And you're sure you don't have any cousins or something?"
Pausing, Shitty Hair returned the stare. "Yeah, pretty sure. Why?"
The annoying jerk opened his mouth, then shook his head.
"Nevermind."
"Shut up about stupid shit and get back to hiking!" Katsuki half roared at them. "We're almost at the top, so quit yapping!"
"Hey, I've got to talk!" Stabby grinned. "Otherwise, I'd beat you like I beat your score at the gym."
That hit Katsuki's last nerve. He whirled around, glaring at the jerk.
"Go fuck yourself, Stabby! It was one fucking point!"
Stabby just laughed, before wincing.
"You hike like this all the time?" He asked, taking a long drink from his water bottle.
"Yeah," Katsuki grinned malevolently. "What's the matter, can't keep up?"
Not waiting for a response, he pushed ahead. He knew that Stabby would be able to keep up eventually, but that wasn't going to stop him from finishing his hike.
After all, Katsuki and Midori were going to be the two greatest Heroes in the world. They'd promised each other that they would.
—
Ikumi shook her head with finality. "Well, I'm not really interested in any of the guys in class, I guess."
"So if Bakugou asked you out, you'd say no?" Mina suggested with a slightly too innocent look on her face.
Ikumi spluttered awkwardly. "Y-yes? I-I-I mean, I'd say no-"
"What about Sero? He's pretty cool, and that's coming from me," Mina nudged Ikumi in the ribs.
"Sero's… not really my type." Ikumi shrugged. Then a thought hit her.
"B-besides, Mina!" Ikumi turned to her friend, grinning. "We haven't heard if you're interested in somebody from class!"
Mina gave her a stunned look.
"Wait, what?"
Yaoyorozu and Uraraka nodded.
"Yeah, we've all said who we have a crush on," Uraraka grinned at Mina.
"It is only fair, after all," Yaoyorozu added.
Mina blinked, then she grinned wider. "Fair enough! In the spirit of things, I've… got a bit of a crush on Sero."
Ikumi wondered how the hell Mina could be so open and casual about her relationships. First she had proudly announced how she liked girls as well as guys, then she had proudly announced her crush. Ikumi felt a small pang of envy at her confidence.
Tsuyu tapped her chin. "That's a surprise - I personally bet on Kaminari."
"Kaminari?" Mina shook her head. "Nah, Sero's got the right mix of serious and fun that I need - Kaminari's just all goof."
Her leer widened. "Plus, can you imagine the things Sero could do with that tape-"
Feeling like her face and ears were on fire, Ikumi smacked Mina on the shoulder. "You're awful, you know that?"
"I'm just saying-"
"NO MORE THANK YOU PLEASE STOP TALKING NOW" Ikumi shrieked, placing a meaty paw over Mina's face to gag her. Not that she could stop the rest of them from joking about it.
"He could fix so much stuff around the house?" Uraraka giggled while Mina wrestled with Ikumi's formidable hand. Finally, the pink girl broke free and pouted.
"Do you think he would hang upside down like those old Spiderman movies?" Tsuyu sniggered. Mina feigned an offended look, while Yaoyorozu just shook her head primly.
Ikumi sat back for a bit, watching the rest of her friends tease each other with a smile. Mina was right - she had needed a day off where she wasn't worried about Villains or the Festival.
Ikumi knew that a quiet moment like this wasn't going to last forever. Next week, they were going to return to training for the Sports Festival, and preparing to be the best Heroes they could be. She had to write the speech for the opening ceremony too, and after that, who knew what adventures and challenges would await them?
But right now, sitting here with her friends, Ikumi was confident that her friends could deal with anything that came their way.
AN: Here it is, the Mall Chapter! This whole experience with writing this story, especially for the Slice of Life bits, can be summed up in two sentences.
1. I don't know what I'm doing.
2. Do it anyway.
Pushing past my self deprecation, here is some fun slice of life! Honestly it's a different style of writing than what I'm normally used to, and I feel like I'm really improving. Hopefully you can tell.
I may do other bits about what was happening during this time, but the Sports Festival is where things are going to, maybe, start heating up. There was so much that I couldn't fit in this chapter for one reason or another.
As for certain shipping hints, I have planned it from the beginning. It may upset some people. I apologise.
A warm thank you to you all for sticking with me and my rather erratic update schedule. This one took so long because I was trying to make it perfect.
I have a as well, which I am not going to link directly. Look my name on the site to try and support me if you want. I can't offer much in the way of rewards other than the satisfaction of knowing that you are supporting this work and my other ones. Thank you to my one patron W. C. Purdy for bankrolling my various fics - you're a real good guy. Someday, I shall add additional incentives to my to justify your money being thrown into me.
Big thank you to Banchoking of Spacebattles, who goes over my work and makes sure it is of the highest quality before you get it. Also thank my IRL friend Monster Kohai, who has ensured that girls interacting with each other regarding clothes and crushes is as realistic as possible.
Monster Kohai Note: I made the interactions 15% more chaotic because no one could stop me. Plus what's the point of having friends if you can't gently roast the shit out of each other? Also I love writing Mina as being the chaotic bisexual of the group. Mean and Turf asked that I refrain from having her bite someone though :(
Next time… as promised, the Sports Festival!