Written by Aduubo and Buckichamp
Edited by Aduubo, Buckichamp, and PKSpartan.
I OWN NOTHING. KILL LA KILL IS OWNED BY STUDIO TRIGGER AND KAZUKI NAKASHIMA. MHA IS OWNED BY TOHO ANIMATION AND KOHEI HORIKOSHI.
-Tokyo, Best Jeanist Agency: Internships Day 2-
For the second day of internships, Jeanist found it fit to go out on patrol. Katsuki and Ryuko followed behind him while properly fitted in their uniforms. Ryuko was synced up while Katsuki…
"Pfff."
She tried not to laugh at his appearance. The combover was bad enough, but he also had to wear jeans on the patrol. His pants being so ordinary clashed greatly with the wild look he sported on top. Katsuki looked ridiculous.
Said blonde could hear the Kamui wielder snickering in the background and felt some blood vessels pop in his head out of rage.
"I have a question for the both of you," Jeanist asked, grabbing his two interns' attention.
"Heroes mainly go on patrols to deter villains from committing any crimes. But there is a secondary purpose. What is it?"
"Huh…Secondary? What is it?" Ryuko tried to think.
"If we see any bad guys, we can THRASH 'em on the spot!" Katsuki blurted out.
"Incorrect," Jeanist sighed. "Matoi? Do you have an answer?"
Ryuko looked back to her discussion with Jeanist on what kind of hero she wanted to be. She could probably pull an answer from that. It was the most logical thing she could come up with.
"To show people who we are?"
"Yes. But to also remind them who we are. Very good, Matoi," Jeanist congratulated her.
Ryuko snickered while giving Katsuki a smug grin. Steam fumed out of his nose before he growled and looked away.
"Our presence gives the public peace of mind. This helps weave a tapestry of trust between the protectors and the protected."
"I think you just like getting the good press," Katsuki scoffed.
"Hey! It's that blonde guy from TV!" A kid shouted nearby as he recognized him.
'Tch, another fan from the Sports Festival,' Katsuki rolled his eyes and chose to ignore him. But seeing that he was recognized instead of Matoi, the blonde had a smile on his face.
Ryuko raised her eyebrow at Katsuki being immediately spotted by the crowd.
'What the hell? I was the one who won the Sports Festival! How is he the one that gets recognized?!'
"Yeah, some ooze monster got on him and he almost cried like a baby!" The kid followed up, which turned the blonde's smile into rage seething through his teeth.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Katsuki's hair exploded back into its spiky look as he stared them down with an iron fist.
The children's eyes began to well with tears, being frightened by Katsuki. What followed next was Ryuko's fist socking him in the back of the head. The blonde groaned in pain while rubbing the spot that was struck.
"Holy sh- er- are you serious, Katsuki?" Matoi berated her classmate. "They're freaking kids! Why did you have to go and blow up on them?! Huh?!"
"That hurt! Who do you think you're messing with?!" Katsuki shouted back.
"I'm glad that someone's been listening during my lectures," Jeanist commented.
"-sigh- Don't worry about him, guys. He's just a loser with a temper. You gonna be alright?" Ryuko asked as she kneeled down to meet the kids' level.
"Oooohh… hohohohohohoho."
The expression of fear on their faces had completely vanished, and were replaced with droopy eyes, dumbstruck smiles and drool hanging out of them.
"I remember her… it's the half naked chick from the Sports Festival," One kid slurred his words.
"Oh yeah, the crazy one that fights while dressed like a hooker," The second one said.
"Who cares? We get to see everything here!" The third one cheered.
Their train of thought stopped when what sounded like a steaming teapot could be heard. Ryuko's face was shrouded behind her bangs in darkness. Those kinds of comments reminded her of a particular little brunette boy back in Honnō city.
Ryuko's fingers could be heard cracking and snapping as she tightened her fist, which put the kids on high alert, but not in time to run.
"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?!"
"Oh no," Jeanist grimaced.
"Ryuko, calm down!" Senketsu pried.
The group of kids were thrown a few feet away, and into a crying fit from Ryuko's raging aura. It absolutely blew whatever Katsuki did out of the water. But this wasn't a competition on who could scream the loudest.
"Matoi. Bakugo. Enough. Did you both forget what we went over? Matoi, you get a little bit of leeway because of those tasteless comments. But, you need to address it calmly like a hero would. That applies to you too, Bakugo," the Denim hero addressed.
"Now, try again."
Ryuko took a deep breath, cooling herself off before she kneeled in front of the trio and looked them in the eyes.
"Sorry about losing my cool back there. But listen, don't go around talking like that about anyone. Nobody is going to like you if you're going to act like a creep. You guys probably think that this is some kind of compliment, but it's not. You'll understand when you're older. I know you guys can be good kids, so think about it. Alright?"
Finished with her statement, Ryuko stood up and walked back to Jeanist. The kids had rather melancholic looks on their faces. They didn't get what she said completely, but it still hit deep.
"Well said, Matoi," Jeanist consoled her.
"Your turn, Bakugo."
"Yeah, fine. Hmph, what a showoff," Katsuki muttered that last one under his breath. He marched on and bent forward to look down on the kids, which startled them.
"Listen up! I wasn't helpless. I was coming up with ways to beat that villain. Sometimes a hero has to pretend to be caught. You really think I would lose? You'll eat those words when I become the new number one hero!" Katsuki flared up.
"YOU DUMB KIDS'LL NEVER LAUGH AT ME EVER AGAIN IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU!"
And there he goes, making them cry again. Jeanist pulled his collar up to his eyes, hiding his embarrassment.
"I guess some things never change, huh?" Ryuko rolled her eyes.
Bakugo's eyes flew wide open. Why did that hit so hard? It was like a twenty-pound anvil struck him right in the chest.
"We're almost done with our patrol. We'll go over some minor basics and other duties when we get back to the office."
'Though Matoi knows I'll give her some extra training tonight, but I don't need Bakugo to be around for that,' Jeanist thought.
..~~~HLK~~~..
The evening hours were once again quiet around Best Jeanist's agency. But in a room below the main lobby, the student and mentor were found talking.
Matoi looked around at all the different fabric and training dummies that were there. It was a lot, but not like some palace. It was simplistic, yet serene.
"So, remind me again what you want to accomplish," the pro asked.
Matoi took a pause to choose her words before looking upward to meet Jeanist's gaze.
"Y'see, I want to figure out a way to alter Senketsu a bit," she started. "Not that I want it to be a permanent change, but… Since I'm going to be patrolling out in public, I need to wear something that'll be, uhh, safer. I've come to terms with my body, but I obviously can't look like this if I'm saving a kid or something."
"I honestly don't see a problem, but your concerns are valid. So what do you want to do?"
"Well…" Ryuko paused. "We've been trying to figure out new moves and what not because he can shapeshift, but that's what I'm wondering about more in relation to my appearance. Can you try to help us figure out a way for him to morph and cover up a little more of my skin while I'm on my patrols?"
The girl gestured slightly below her chest and up to around mid-thigh.
"Just these areas. Then when a fight breaks out, he can morph back to how he is now. Kinda like a conservation mode I guess."
The mentor mulled this over. It was interesting and well thought out. Maybe…
"I certainly believe it's plausible. Though if you've already accomplished so much on your own, why do you need me?" Jeanist inquired.
"Hate to admit it, we're stuck. And we're not sure how to change him without hurting him. If it's possible, I'd like to see if he can shapeshift into scarves and other things so I don't need to continually wear him 24/7 if I don't want to. No offense, Senketsu."
"None taken," The Kamui reassured her.
Jeanist pondered over the request. He had an idea brewing.
"My Fiber Master Quirk allows me to manipulate different fibers around me, as I've stated before. But Life Fibers is still a foreign concept to me. Would it be okay for you and your Kamui if I tried to alter a few threads ever so slightly?"
"What does he want to do?" Senketsu sounded unenthused.
"Depending on what happens, I think we might have a solution to your problem."
"Whaddya think, Senketsu?" Matoi asked.
"Tell him not to do too much."
"He said to be careful," Ryuko relayed as Jeanist got to work.
To give themselves space, Tsunagu and Ryuko moved from the furniture and sat on the floor. She sat with her knees on the ground, while Jeanist had his legs crossed.
"Are you ready?" The denim hero asked.
Ryuko inhaled deeply before breathing out, preparing herself.
"Yeah, I am."
She was about to see how Senketsu ticked first hand. Anything could happen. Matoi trusted Best Jeanist, but she was still scared of what the results could be.
The girl closed her eyes and calmed her mind so that this could go as smoothly as possible. Senketsu did the same.
Tsunagu reached his hand out and threads from his sleeves extended towards Ryuko. Once the strings attached themselves to Senketsu, it dug into his skin. The Kamui winced upon the entry, which Ryuko recognized right away.
"Easy, Senketsu," she said softly to calm him down.
The threads traveled through Senketsu's body and Tsunagu was amazed by all of the Life Fibers.
'Amazing. Never before would I have ever seen clothing with a cell structure.'
To test the waters, he attached his threads to a batch of Life Fibers and attempted to make some changes and alter its structure. Senketsu strained more, his body retaliated against the hero's tendrils and forced them back.
'Huh? That's strange. The Life Fibers pushed me back, as if there was some sort of defense mechanism.'
Jeanist could then sense a signal that emanated within the threads. His strings followed where it came from, as it piqued his curiosity. Upon further travel, he found the source of the signal. Whatever this was, it must be a very important component in the Kamui's structure. It housed within layers upon layers of Life Fibers.
'So this must be what's holding these Life Fibers together. The central thread. Alright, work with me here, Senketsu.'
His threads began digging into the outer shell. If he could just find a way to work with this, it may be able to speed up the process. Tsunagu approached this as delicately as he could. The lace started to dig into the central thread and attempted to manipulate the formation.
"GGNNH!" Senketsu's eye snapped wide open, the blood vessels in it became inflamed. His voice strained with prolonged grunts and gasps.
Suddenly, multiple threads like this one began to flare up inside. The alarming signals of each one were almost overwhelming for Jeanist to be in close proximity to. The man gasped as he was thrown off his concentration.
"Best Jeanist? What happened?" Ryuko asked before the Central Thread latched onto his.
Soon, the Life Fibers took control of Jeanist's string and wrapped it tightly around his hand before pulling hard, forcing him to move from his position. He strained in an attempt to pull away from the Kamui.
"What the?! Senketsu, what's going on?!" Ryuko's eyes widened as they darted from herself to Jeanist.
"I-I can't stop it!" Senketsu cried out.
"Jeanist!"
"Stay back, Matoi!" Tsunagu called out before using whatever thread that wasn't controlled to sever itself from the one that was being consumed. The rest of the thread left his hand, being swallowed by Senketsu.
"Jeanist, are you okay?" Ryuko quickly tended to her instructor.
"I'll be fine," he said between a few heavy breaths before settling down with a deep exhale.
"What happened?"
"While I was in there, I found what seemed to be the nucleus of his being. A central thread in simpler terms. It protected the outside Life Fibers from me when I attempted to alter anything. I then attempted to try and maybe communicate with that, and it rejected me. Soon, Senketsu's defenses kicked into full gear and, well, tried to eat me like raw material."
"Holy shit… Senketsu…" Ryuko cautiously looked at her Kamui.
"It's not his fault. Given what I was informed about the Life Fibers, this was bound to happen. A parasitic-like being definitely wouldn't like an invading outsider," Tsunagu intervened.
"I'm sorry. I-I don't know what happened. It was like I went into fight or flight mode," Senketsu said remorsefully.
"It's okay, Senketsu. Don't sweat it," Ryuko eased the tension in her Kamui before meeting her teacher's eyes.
"Does that mean that the plan is a bust?"
"For now, at least. But I wouldn't give up. We have plenty of time to try and figure this out. I'll work with you every step of the way," Jeanist responded.
"I can't thank you enough for doing this, Jeanist. Sorry this isn't exactly a cake walk," Ryuko apologized and bowed.
"Don't be. Being a hero is never about taking the easy way. I'm more than happy to help. It's my job to guide, nurture, and believe in upcoming heroes. And you have a bright future as one, Matoi."
Ryuko didn't see it at first, but the content in Jeanist's eyes showed that he was smiling underneath his collar. She smiled back and wiped her right eye, feeling something moist in it.
"Thank you."
"Get some rest for now. We'll try again later through the night," Jeanist nodded before standing up and walking back to his office.
"We'll be there!" Ryuko saw him off before tending to her Kamui.
"Senketsu, you okay?"
"I'm fine, Ryuko. Though, I'm not the one you should be worried about, since I put Jeanist in danger," he said, feeling shameful.
"You don't need to worry about that, Senketsu. Pros like Jeanist are always prepared for that kind of thing!" Ryuko patted Senketsu to put him at ease.
"You're right. But, I dread to think that one day I might actually hurt someone."
Ryuko didn't say anything, as she empathized with his worries. But, she still wanted to try and bring his spirits back up.
"Remember, Senketsu. We're in this together, so I'll be sure to keep an eye on you. That way that'll never happen!"
"Hmm. Thank you, Ryuko. I'll be sure to look out for you too," Senketsu said warmly.
"Welp, I have some time to kill. Maybe I'll go up and keep writing that paper," Ryuko said before she desynced and walked upstairs.
..~~~HLK~~~..
-A few hours later-
Matoi and Hakamada were back downstairs, seated in the same spots from before. Beads of sweat dripped down both of their faces, as they were going at this for a while. As exhausted as both of them were, the two were still determined to see this through.
"We're getting close, Matoi. I believe that this is the final shot that we're looking for. Are you ready?" Jeanist asked her.
"Ready as always. And you, Senketsu?" Ryuko spoke to her Kamui.
"Ready," he answered sincerely.
Ryuko smiled and nodded, giving Jeanist the go ahead before shutting her eyes. Senketsu soon followed suit.
With full affirmation, Jeanist started the process again. His tendrils dug deep and reached the central thread. He then tapped into the core and tried to link with it, meeting retaliation once more. Both he and Senketsu tensed up, feeling the backlash.
The Kamui tried to step in to put the defenses on hold so that Jeanist could pass through. Somehow, he found difficulty in trying to control his own body. It felt like he was completely frozen in fear. But, he needed to trust him.
If not, that meant he didn't even trust Ryuko. What would that mean for their synchronization? Would it all be for nothing? No. It couldn't. There was something there with Ryuko. And she believed in him.
Now, he needed to believe.
Suddenly a window of opportunity came up, thanks to Senketsu's intervention. Jeanist used this to bypass the flared Life Fibers and manipulate a few of them.
"I've got it!" Best Jeanist announced excitedly, which made Ryuko's highlight perk up.
"Try to alter Senketsu however you can!"
Jeanist had opened a pathway for the two. Now it was their turn to take over.
The duo concentrated, trying to bring what they could imagine to life. Jeanist slowly pulled back his threads in order to let the two do their magic. During this, Senketsu pulsed with energy and glowed in the room. Sparks emanated from him as the sleeves on Ryuko's arms slowly retracted, leaving them bare. Her wings also started to shrink down to a smaller size.
The material was transferring over and now started to cover up more of her chest. Ryuko tightened her knuckles until she was able to have it cover up to just above her midriff. Then with her legs, the material stretched down to cover up to her mid-thigh. Once that was done, she and Senketsu let loose and stopped before opening their eyes.
"Holy… We… We did it!" Ryuko exclaimed as she looked down at her body.
"You did it," Jeanist said in awe.
"We… actually… did it," Senketsu said in between breaths.
"Phew! I can't believe that worked!"
Ryuko de-synced, as she and Senketsu were completely worn out.
"I hope I didn't put him through too much pain, but I believe those were the results you wanted," the denim hero spoke.
"He wasn't screaming, so that's good. And yeah! We got the one thing down pat!" Matoi cheered.
"But the other goal is going to take a while to perfect," Senketsu gasped.
Jeanist couldn't help but feel satisfied. This girl had grown so much in only a few short days. She'd really have a bright future.
"That was quite the workout for the both of you. Go get some sleep. When we go on patrol tomorrow, make sure you're synced up, as you put it."
"Yes sir," Ryuko shakily stood as she and Jeanist entered the elevator.
'I can't wait to show Izuku and the others what we've accomplished so far!'
..~~~HLK~~~..
-Day 3 of internships: Best Jeanist agency-
The weather couldn't have been better. Sunny with only a couple of clouds, and not too hot either. A perfect day to patrol the Tokyo area.
"Is everyone ready to head out?" Jeanist asked the assembled group.
"Can we get going? Where's Matoi?"
Bakugo wore a disapproving frown, seeing no sight of the girl.
"She has a few more minutes. Ryuko was training late into the night under my supervision."
"So you're playing favorites, huh?" Bakugo's temper flared.
"Oh, put a sock in it, Katsuki! Can't you put away your ego for a day?"
The blonde turned around to find the Kamui wielder powered up. But something was different.
"What? Do I have something on my face or did you forget how to speak?"
Senketsu's form covered her body up to the amount that they worked to last night; chest, hips, pelvic areas, along with her upper thighs, glutes and upper hamstrings. The red lining from the whole length coverings was still lined on her legs, with her signature heels staying in place.
"Not much trouble this morning, I take it?" Jeanist posed the question, a slight smile hidden behind his collar.
"Yeah, not much. Senketsu got some rest and we got this on the first try!"
"Second try," Senketsu corrected her, but she wasn't going to admit it.
"What? Did the-"
Bakugo stopped when he heard the -Thwang- of fibers moving around. All he could do was growl and keep silent.
And with that, Jeanist led everyone out the door for patrol.
..~~~HLK~~~..
-Tokyo; Out on patrol-
"OH MY GOD! IT'S BEST JEANIST!"
"Oh no. Here we go again," Matoi sighed with dread.
Once again, their patrol was put on another complete halt so that Best Jeanist could cater to his adoring fans. Jeanist could be quite the glory hog, one of the few things they could agree on.
Though strangely, there was a large line of people in this area of town.
"My, my. Jeanist, is that you stealing my crowd there?" A voice called out.
"Hmm? Oh well, Hello Uwabami!" The denim hero greeted back.
"Great, another show boater," Bakugo scoffed and rolled his eyes.
Matoi raised a brow as she focused on the snake hero: Uwabami. Full name: Anastasia Yamane. She had never seen her before. Granted, she was out of the hero loop for a decade.
"I apologize for stepping in your spotlight. But, you know my responsibility is to give attention to the masses when I am spotted," Jeanist waved off.
"Mhmmm. At least save some for me too, Jeanist. You've taken enough from me as is," Uwabami cooed as she sauntered her way towards Jeanist and pressed against him.
"Take anymore and I might have to retaliate."
The denim hero's cheeks flushed a mild red, but he managed to keep himself composed to not be too noticeable.
"A-Ahem. Now, now. We are in the presence of my interning students. I must set an example for them. Plus, I don't think your audience looks all that eager to watch this."
The snake hero turned to find a mass of seething frowns behind her, mostly coming from teenage girls and a few boys.
"All I see is a bunch of jealous eyes, and an opportunity for some good press," Uwabami giggled.
"Is she really pulling this crap just to get more attention?" Ryuko wondered.
"The amount of shame she doesn't have could very well rival that of Ōgure," Senketsu added.
"Anyway! What brings you out here, Uwabami?" Tsunagu asked.
"Same as you. I'm on patrol with my interns as well. Come on out, girls. Let's say hi!"
After hearing the cue from Uwabami, two girls approached from the sidelines, revealing to be Yaoyorozu and Itsuka Kendo.
"Whoa, Matoi? Holy cow! Hey!" The orangette waved to Ryuko.
"Matoi? Oh."
"Hey! Oh."
Both Ryuko and Momo turned away awkwardly, refraining from making eye contact. This left the two pros very confused until they remembered what happened.
"Oh yeah, those two in particular had it out for each other in the Festival," Uwabami noted discreetly.
"Which isn't good because I also have Bakugo here in the same internship. It hasn't been easy keeping them both from attacking each other," Jeanist added.
Itsuka looked back and forth between the two girls and scoffed before grabbing Momo's hand. She dragged her along as she approached Ryuko and Katsuki
"C'mon! You're in the same class! You can't be like this towards each other!" The ginger cheered.
Yamane watched Kendo very closely, seeing an opportunity open up.
"Hmm. Right then. We can work this out. Why don't we go on patrol together? -gasp- you should join us for a late night talk show! The network would LOVE to have you on board!" Uwabami beamed with life.
"That actually might be a great idea! I've been trying to teach these two about maintaining their public image. Not just on patrol, but on television appearances too," Jeanist contemplated while placing his palm into his chin.
"Exactly! Though, we do need to film a commercial for UNERI hairspray first. Oh! You should come to that, too! I think Matoi over there would look dazzling with a little makeover. This'll be a great boost for her reputation. I can already see you did some fine work on Bakugo over there."
"Why, thank you. At least with this look, he'll look presentable to the public. I felt that tidying up Matoi wasn't necessary since she's very well mannered. But now that you mention it, I'm intrigued to see how she'll look."
Yaoyorozu, who happened to be eavesdropping on the two heroes at the time, grew perplexed. Matoi? Well-mannered? More and more, Matoi continued to surprise Yaomomo. First, the new, safer look, and now hearing from the number four hero himself how she conducted herself?
The front banged student glanced at Matoi as she was casually talking with Kendo on the side. Her guilt continued to take form in her being.
"I did put in a recommendation for her. But it seems you went and took that from me too, hmm?" Yamanae giggled lowly.
"A-Ah-Ahahaha! Bakugo, Matoi. W-We're going to be taking a new lesson today," Hakamada hastily shifted his position away from her.
"And that being?" Bakugo asked.
"Television appearances," The denim hero responded.
"Huh?" The two wildcard interns of his responded unanimously.
"I-I don't mean to be a stick in the mud. But isn't there something else we can do that circles around umm, action?" Matoi asked.
"Ah, hope you're ready for what's coming next. I asked the same thing on day one," Kendo chuckled sheepishly.
"What?"
"Don't worry, Matoi. There is a lesson that can be learned here too. Since you have quite the reputation from the Sports Festival, you'll see firsthand one of the many ways a pro will maintain their status in the eyes of the public," Jeanist assured.
"H-Huh?" Ryuko muttered again.
..~~~HLK~~~..
-Tokyo, Phoenix Films Studio-
The lights above the mirrors flickered on, and the styling chairs were set up. The three girls stared at their reflections as the coiffeurs got to work. They started with spraying the girls' hair with water so that its form would loosen. The stylists then started combing the locks to straighten it out.
"Your hair is so silky! It's very beautiful," the stylist complimented as she worked on Ryuko's hair.
"H-Hey! Enough of that talk! I'm starting to wonder why I even agreed to this," Ryuko murmured with a blush, which made the woman giggle.
"Remember, Matoi. Strength and skill is not the only thing that defines a hero. Public relations plays a big part in that too," Jeanist reminded.
"Yeah, but can't I do that while being the uhh, hero defined by their actions? Not words? Something kind of below the radar. Kinda like Eraser Head!"
"Now with that attitude, how will you keep your status as the first hero in a romantic duo?" Uwabami asked.
"OGHOUEH- WHAT?" Ryuko shouted, nearly ruining her curls.
"Haven't you seen the media? You and that green haired boy made a name for yourselves during the festival. The chemistry between you two!"
"Oh, you mean Midoriya? He looks like a good kid. I can see him balancing Matoi's wild side very well," Jeanist added.
"NOW HOLD ON! We're just friends! You can't just make up relationships based off of a few interactions between people!"
"Yeah, a lot of people like to do that for some reason. It's really weird," Itsuka spoke up.
"I agree. It's illogical," Momo added.
"You guys are crazy," even Katsuki agreed.
"When you put it like that, you all do have a point. As much as I like to humor it, it does seem a bit far fetched to make assumptions like that without sufficient evidence," Jeanist folded.
"Hmph! No fun! Clearly none of you see the thrills of romance and drama!" Uwabami pouted, crossing her arms and looking away from everyone.
"If you're all done trying to make raunchy fanfiction out of these teenagers' lives, we've finished up their hair," One of the stylists spoke up.
"Is that so? Let's see our girls!" Uwabami chirped.
The stylists turned the girls' chairs a full 180 before opening the curtains for the pros to see. Itsuka and Momo only had work done on the parts of their hair that were long enough. So Matoi was the only one with the most notable changes.
"From what I saw on TV, your hairstyles had bangs. So, I thought of trying something a little bit different," the stylist commented.
Ryuko's front bangs had been combed into a side part, leaving room for her forehead. Her usual straight hair were now wavy locks, which made it look even more soft and elegant.
"Why don't you turn your head a few times?" the stylist asked.
Ryuko did as she was told and gave the others a view of her makeover from different angles. Since she had rather thick hair, the locks bounced along with her movements like clouds.
Ryuko curled up a bit, feeling embarrassed about her look. This was the first time she ever had her hair done by a stylist. Both Jeanist and Uwabami's eyes glowed with joy as they were enthralled by a job well done. Both Itsuka and Momo stared in awe at what almost looked like a completely different girl!
Katsuki however, had no care for any of this and stuck to intensely reading the 'Pro Heroes' news magazines.
"She looks so refined! More civilized than I would have ever imagined!" Jeanist exclaimed.
"A tomboy with a nervous look and wavy hair? So adorable! That. Looks. Amazing," Uwabami almost couldn't find the words.
"Alright, you two can stop butterin' me up now," Ryuko muttered.
"Though, it clashes really badly with her rugged attire," Jeanist brought up.
"Who cares about that? This will help show the product can work for all kinds of women!" Uwabami had dollar signs appear in her eyes.
"DO YOU EVEN HEAR YOURSELF RIGHT NOW?!" Ryuko roared at Uwabami.
"Wait, what. Did you say commercial?"
Minutes later, the shooting for the commercial began. Ryuko wore a poker face during the entire thing alongside Momo and Itsuka.
..~~~HLK~~~..
Within a few hours, the very first edited cut of the commercial was shown to everyone that participated.
"They sure put that together fast. This is just the first cut, so it'll be a month before it airs. Lots of CGI will need to be applied," Uwabami said.
"So weird. We're going to be on TV," Itsuka commented.
"We're heroes. This is just what it takes to be a pro," Momo mumbled to herself, maintaining her state of denial that there was a practical reason for this.
"Where are you going, Matoi?"
Ryuko stopped dead in her tracks as her head slowly creaked back to see Best Jeanist staring her down. His right eyebrow arched upward, seeing she was up to something.
"Oh, hey! This isn't the way to the bathroom, is it?" Ryuko meekly offered
'Shit! That was a bad cover up!'
"You want to destroy that tape, don't you?" Jeanist chuckled a little. For as much as Matoi had manners, she could still act like a wild child.
"OH COME ON! I can't let people see me like that!"
Senketsu and Jeanist both started laughing. Being the only one she could harass, she tugged at Senketsu's eye to shut him up while Tsunagu slowly shook his head with a hidden smile.
..~~~HLK~~~..
While the internships continued inside of the studio, two vans that were a few blocks down the road approached the fence that covered the back of it. The vehicle doors opened up with two groups of six masked individuals making way for the entrance. After cutting the lock, they stormed the perimeter. Both groups split up to cover more ground.
A nearby watchguard heard the commotion and attempted to arrest the goons, but was blindsided by some of the other ones. Now that he was unconscious, they used his keycard to enter the building without triggering any alarms. Once they were inside, the two groups diverted to travel through various levels of the building. They had their explosives equipped, and a job to do.
"This society is fucked in the head," one of the thugs grumbled.
"Damn right. It's time to liberate people and show the world that heroes aren't necessary," another said.
"Heh, cool it, hot shots. There's only a few worthy heroes in this world," the ring leader said, cool as a cucumber.
"When we're done today, we'll see who the real heroes are."
The thugs all ran through the halls without even bothering to keep their presence unknown. The cameras were no threat to them, and any unfortunate bystander would be taken care of by any means necessary.
They targeted specific levels of the building that were mapped out prior; Areas with support beams, generator rooms, boiler rooms, ANYTHING. Whatever could cause the most damage to make the building collapse, it was viable.
Whoever planted the first sticky bomb activated it to detonate right away. There was no plan for a synchronized explosion. They couldn't take any risks.
..~~~HLK~~~..
"Today's been quite the busy day! Wouldn't you all agree?" Yamane stretched her arms.
"All we did today was watch you sign autographs and film for a commercial," Kendo reminded her.
"I think we should all head to the cafeteria to unwind. Let's go, everyone," Yamane led everyone out of the room.
"But there's a table of food back there," Jeanist spoke up.
"Eh, I always preferred the cafeteria. It feels a lot more pleasant down there. Plus we won't have any staff member interrupting while I talk to you," The snake hero cooed.
'Is she really trying to get into Jeanist's jeans here?' the four students wondered together.
Ryuko rolled her eyes and looked out the giant window as they were all going down an escalator.
"Something on your mind, Ryuko?" Senketsu asked.
"Well, look who decided to finally start talking," Ryuko jested.
"Hmm? Was I supposed to talk more?" The Kamui asked.
"Nah, I'm just kidding. Ever since we've been at UA, you've talked a whole lot more than before. I guess I wasn't used to you being so silent."
"I suppose it's because Izuku has always been engaged to know what I say. I didn't ever think I'd be this sociable."
"Yeah, that's Izuku for ya. He'll always put in the time for others. Including me. Even when I don't deserve it," Ryuko grimaced and slumped on the railing.
"You're still shaken up about what happened," Senketsu acknowledged.
"Can you blame me? I know he doesn't hold it against me that I was shipped off, but nobody should ever go through what he did all alone."
"But he did make a promise that he'll confront the past. That he'll confront it with you."
Ryuko's eyes lit up upon hearing that. Senketsu was right. Izuku did promise that. Her heart began to flutter, knowing that he made a commitment to her. She didn't know why, but it really made her happy.
"I look forward to it."
-BOOM!-
An explosion shook up the building, nearly throwing many of the inhabitants off balance.
"What was that?!" Yaoyorozu shouted.
Another one detonated, which forced the heroes and interns to hold on the railing for dear life.
"There must be an attack happening inside the building!" Jeanist answered before more and more explosions could be heard. The skyscraper shook more and more, causing glass to shatter and fall down to nearby bystanders on the streets. It didn't take long for the gang to jump off to land on more solid ground.
"Everyone! This way!" Anastasia shouted as she pointed out a door to another room.
Everyone acted accordingly and followed the snake hero, with Tsunagu covering the students from behind.
"AAAH!" A staff member screamed as a piece of the ceiling was about to collapse on top of him.
Jeanist used his sleeve to tether the man with his threads and quickly reeled him in before the lights and glass fell.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Y-Yeah! Yeah. I'll be fine. Thank you, Best Jeanist!" the man answered.
"We need to get whoever we can find out of here!" Uwabami called out.
"Agreed! Yaoyorozu, Kendo! Try to search for a fire escape! Matoi, Bakugo! Go search and rescue other civilians and bring them here! If you cross paths with whoever did this; If you can, run. But if the worst happens, you have my permission to protect yourselves," Jeanist instructed.
"Kendo, Yaoyorozu, you have my permission too," Uwabami said.
The four teens took a moment to take everything in.
'This is it,' Ryuko thought.
'This is where our training starts,' Kendo gulped.
Each of them nodded in affirmation before splitting off into their assigned teams of two. Uwabami and Jeanist worked together to find other civilians on their own.
"Best Jeanist! Uwabami! This fire escape is still intact!" Itsuka shouted to the heroes.
"We found some people too!" Ryuko called as she and Katsuki were escorting a few citizens.
"Good! We'll go through each level and see if there's anyone else we can save. Hopefully, reinforcements will come to help anyone we didn't find!" Jeanist instructed and took everyone down the stairway. The citizens that were able to walk helped others to lighten the load for the heroes.
It was a slog to go down so many flights of stairs, but they made significant progress. They were just a few floors from reaching the bottom. Upon entering another room to find more survivors, Momo spotted a pair of misfits stopping dead in their tracks as they did not expect to find heroes inside or still alive.
"Shit! Pros!" One of the goons gasped before the two made a break for it.
Best Jeanist shot his tendrils towards the men, grabbing their legs to make them fall off balance. Before he could fully lace them, one man pulled out a bomb and armed it.
"TAKE THIS, YOU HERO BASTARDS!"
The grenade was thrown, landing near jeanist.
"JEANIST!" Ryuko cried out and charged ahead.
-BOOM!-
The entire room was shaken up by the explosion, throwing everyone off of their feet. The ground beneath them cracked and started to give away.
"Shit!" Katsuki shouted as he and others started to fall through.
"BAKUGO!/KATSUKI!" both Ryuko and Momo shouted before they too fell through the collapsing floor.
..~~~HLK~~~..
…
"Ryuko! Ryuko!"
The girl gasped and opened her eyes to find that she was face down in a pile of rubble. She immediately sat up to spit out any dust or concrete in her mouth.
"PblblbblBleh! Dammit! Nasty!"
"Are you okay?" Senketsu asked.
"Yeah, I'm alright. What about the others? Are they okay?" Ryuko stood up and began searching. There were a lot of pipes and fences around her. This must have been the boiler room.
"I'm not sure. But I hope so," Senketsu responded. "What was that anyway?"
"I don't know for sure. He called us 'bastards' though. Let's just assume it's some crazy guy."
"And he definitely wasn't alone if the attack has already made this building unstable to stay in," Senketsu followed up.
"Right," Ryuko responded. She journeyed for a bit longer before something caught her eye.
"Katsuki!"
The girl ran over to the unconscious blonde and kneeled down to try and wake him up.
"Katsuki? Hey! Katsuki!"
She shouted a few more times before Bakugo's eyes started to flutter open. He gasped once he had fully woken up.
"Hey, easy now. Are you okay?" Ryuko asked and lent her hand out to him.
The blonde's breath hitched as he flashed back to the damning day that a certain greenette asked him the exact same question.
Katsuki growled aggressively before swatting her hand away.
"Wow, you're welcome," she scoffed.
"What happened to Jeanist and that snake lady?"
"Not sure. Either they're down here somewhere, or they're still up there trying to catch the guys that did this," Ryuko responded. "Come on. Let's go find the others."
"Don't tell me what to do," Katsuki demanded.
"Shut the hell up!" Ryuko snarled back.
Bakugo reluctantly agreed to follow Matoi around the bottom floor in search of anyone that fell through the cracks. Ryuko stopped in her tracks the moment she heard footsteps in the distance. Using her quick thinking, she shoved Katsuki against the wall around the corner.
"What the hell are you doing? Get out of my way!" the blonde snarled.
"Haven't you learned a damn thing from class? It could be one of those guys that was blowing this place up," Ryuko whispered urgently.
"They're just quirkless nobodies. I'll roast 'em!" Katsuki attempted to push past Ryuko, but she held him back.
"Those "nobodies" are the reason we're down here. Don't be fucking stupid. Or is beating the Quirkless for the last eleven years not enough for you?" Ryuko urged.
"What?" Katsuki's eyes widened.
What Matoi said really bothered him, but he wasn't in the mood for a lecture.
In a swift motion, she had the wind knocked out of her as Katsuki delivered a sucker punch right to her gut. Her hold on Katsuki loosened as she held her stomach in pain.
"Don't make me tell you twice," the blonde ordered coldly before walking forward.
"Ryuko!" Senketsu cried out.
"Stupid bastard…" the Kamui wielder grimaced.
A grin made its way across Katsuki's face as he charged ahead. He saw two figures in the smoke and leaped in the air to get the jump on them. Both of his palms sparked, ready to fire.
"YOU'RE DEAD!"
"KATSUKI STOP!" Ryuko screamed at him.
Within seconds, what sounded like a cannon fired in Bakugo's direction. He was suddenly ensnared in very tight bindings that locked around his torso, rendering his arms useless.
"Agh!" he cried out as the force of the shot knocked the blonde down on the floor.
"Huh? Bakugo?" A familiar voice called out.
Ryuko perked up when she recognized who said that. Yaoyorozu emerged from the fog with a makeshift launcher on her shoulder, with Kendo following from her six.
"Yaoyorozu? Oh thank god!" Ryuko took a sigh of relief.
"Matoi? Oh man. Good to see that you both are okay," Itsuka took a breath.
"I'm so sorry, Bakugo. Here, let me," Momo created a knife to cut the capture tape.
"Whatever," Katsuki rolled his eyes and scoffed.
"Do any of you two know where Jeanist and Uwabami are? We haven't seen them," Ryuko asked.
"No. We haven't found either of them down here when we searched," Momo answered.
"Okay, good. I think it's safe to assume that they're both up above trying to catch these douches. We should probably find a way out of here and pick up anyone that needs help," said Ryuko.
"Sounds like a plan," Itsuka agreed as she and Momo nodded.
The four teens jogged down the hallway together to find an exit. Momo was able to spot the signs amongst the fog, which helped the group a lot in finding the stairs back up to the first floors. During their journey, they stopped to escort a few survivors they found on the way.
All of that time, Ryuko worried for her teacher and Uwabami's well being. But they were pros, Best Jeanist being the No. 4 in particular. They knew what they were doing. At least the group was on the right floor and could get the citizens out safely. Maybe the gang could try to go back in and join the pros.
"Hey! Stop spacing out and get with the program! We've got villains to fight and I don't need you lagging behind!" Bakugo shouted at Matoi, snapping her out of her trance.
"Tch! Don't tell me what to do!" Ryuko said to the yelling blond, not realizing the irony.
Now that they escorted all of the innocents out, they marched back in to find their instructors. Bakugo spotted a pair of the villains in the corner of his eye and immediately sprung into action.
"I FOUND YOU!" he screamed menacingly.
"BAKUGO, NO!" Kendo tried to catch him with her hand, but he was too fast for her.
As the fledgling hero got closer to the villainous group, one of the thugs had a trick up their sleeve to get the hell out of Dodge.
"Maybe this'll put them down."
Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out what appeared to be a C-4.
"HEY BRATS, HERE'S A TASTE OF THE BIG LEAGUES!" The villain shouted, chucking the C-4 at the group.
"Did that psycho just toss a block of C-4?!" Kendo exclaimed as the explosive flew towards Bakugo.
Thinking fast, Itsuka used her Quirk to enlarge her hands to smack both her classmate and the bomb away from each other.
"Agh! You idiot!" Bakugo yelled out.
"What?!" Itsuka turned to see why he yelled at her. The reason: her deflection was hit towards the direction of Yaoyarozu and Matoi!
"Oh shit, LOOK OUT!"
'It's coming straight for us! W-What do I do?!' Yaoyorozu gasped before rambling in her thoughts. She was completely paralyzed by fear.
'D-Do I jump out of the way? O-O-Or should I make a shield?! I-I-'
"MOMO!" Ryuko jumped in to push her away before a huge explosion erupted.
The entire floor was shaken up by the massive blast. Concrete fell from the walls, and metal beams collapsed from the ceiling. Yaoyorozu groaned as she re-awakened from blacking out just a moment ago. Her senses were coming back to her, but with it came immense pressure on her chest.
A large block of concrete rested on Momo, which was connected to an even bigger piece that stood nearly ten feet tall. The front banged girl attempted to push the object off, but it wouldn't budge. She was trapped. The debris was heavier than she could lift, yet she was surprised by how her body wasn't completely crushed by it. It wasn't until the dust cleared up to reveal the one who unconsciously took most of the weight; Matoi.
'Oh no. Oh nononononono-' Momo started to panic again. Was Matoi dead? Momo wanted to call for help, but she choked on her words. Either it was the dust getting in her lungs, or being frozen by her anxiety.
"Mnnh…"
Yaoyorozu gasped when she heard that. She turned her head to find that it came from Matoi, who was regaining consciousness.
"M-Matoi! You're alive!" Momo expressed her relief.
"Huh? Oh, hey Yaoyorozu. Ow-fuck," Ryuko tried to push herself off the ground, but was kept facing the floor from the weight of the chunks of debris.
"Ryuko! Thank goodness you're okay!" Senketsu rejoiced.
"Ungh! Well I'm not exactly okay, Senketsu. I'm… Rrgh! Shit. I'm stuck."
"I'm so sorry. I-I should have done something to suppress the explosion," Momo apologized.
"H-Hey, don't worry about that right now. We should probably try to get this crap off of us first," Ryuko stopped her, but with a gentle tone. "On the count of three, we lift. Okay?"
Momo took a moment to collect herself and inhaled deeply through her nose. Once that was settled, she nodded, a new fervent expression appearing.
"Good. Let's power through this," Ryuko smiled before she inhaled too. "Okay. One, two, three!"
Both girls tried to push the rubble off of them, straining to even get an inch up. But once again, it wouldn't move. They were still stuck.
"Agh! Damn it!" Ryuko grunted out of frustration.
She needed to come up with a plan, and fast. She wasn't sure how the others were doing, but Ryuko knew for sure that they needed to get out of here.
"I-It's my fault," Momo muttered.
Ryuko paused her train of thought and looked at her.
"I could have maybe created a bomb containment vessel, deflected the bomb in another direction, or even just dodge it myself. But I froze and let my emotions get to me. I messed up. And I brought you down here with me."
Tears welled up in Momo's eyes before running down her face. She felt truly guilty for the predicament that she and Matoi were now stuck in. Whether the pros would find them eventually, or the others would come help them, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that it was her fault.
"Yaoyorozu," Ryuko spoke softly, bringing back Momo's attention.
"Listen to me. Don't blame yourself for freezing up. Things happen. Trust me when I say that emotions have gotten to me, too. Especially during the Sports Festival. Out here, we're always trying to be better than ourselves and improve. Whether you want to do that on your own, or with your friends, you have the power to make those choices."
Momo gasped, looking back at everything that had happened. Everything she did, from the Battle Trial, the attack on the USJ, and the Sports Festival. Everything she was able to accomplish was not only due to her quick thinking, but also the teamwork with her peers. Ryuko was right.
"Just believe in yourself. And know that you can do it," Ryuko concluded with a reassuring gaze.
Momo's tears started running down her face again as that speech got her all emotional again.
"I-I'm sorry," Momo quickly said as she hastily wiped her eyes, which made Ryuko giggle.
"Dude, we're stuck under a rock during a terrorist attack. I would have been more worried if you weren't crying."
"How come you aren't crying then, Ryuko?" Senketsu asked.
"Ah, shut up, Senketsu. C'mon, Yaoyorozu. Let's try this again."
"Right," Momo nodded with a new sense of invigoration.
Ryuko planted her hands on the ground while Momo grabbed the edge of the rubble above her in preparation.
"Ready?" Ryuko asked before receiving another nod.
"One."
"Two."
"Three."
Both girls counted together before they put all of their might into lifting the debris. Through their strength and sheer willpower, they actually started to move the object! The joints in their arms ached, and their muscles were tightening. Their bodies were screaming for them to stop, but they didn't relent.
Once they got the concrete up high enough, an idea sprouted in Momo's head. She kept pushing with Ryuko until there was enough room between the object and her chest. She then created a hydraulic lifter and placed it next to her. And sure enough, it was lightening the load. She figured this would be useful since they still needed stamina to get the hell out of this place.
As the large slab tilted more and more, Ryuko was able to quickly get back on her feet and stand. The girl roared with power before completely pushing the entire debris off of herself and Momo. They did it! They were free!
"Holy shit. I can't believe we just did that," Ryuko exhaled quickly before helping Momo up.
"Man, that lift thingy really helped. Good thinking, Yaoyorozu."
"Thank you, Matoi," she responded with a smile.
"Is anyone down here?"
"Is that?" Momo wondered.
"Uwabami? Best Jeanist?" Ryuko called out. The two girls could see a flash light coming through at the end of the tunnel, with the two pros turning the corner and finally in view.
"There you are! We were so worried about you both," Uwabama said as she hugged the girls.
"I'm glad you're safe as well," Jeanist added. "We found Kendo and Bakugo a little while ago. They're the ones who told us you got separated by a bomb."
Ryuko let out a sigh, almost forgetting about the rescue they managed to pull off earlier.
"How long ago did that happen? The last explosion, I mean," Matoi inquired.
"Roughly twenty minutes ago. Jeanist and I were only searching for about ten minutes before we found you," Yamane answered.
"We've evacuated everyone else and caught the rest of the thugs. Let's get you two above ground and treat both of your injuries," Tsunagu motioned for them to follow.
The two classmates smiled, happy to get out of this mess. And maybe learn something about each other as well.
..~~~HLK~~~..
After a hellish night, the four teens could rest easy as they got to sit back and watch the firefighters do their work at taming the flames inside the building. Ryuko was desynced and taking this in stride.
"As exciting as that was, I'm glad it's all over," the Kamui wielder commented.
"Right, I think I got that "action-y" feeling I was looking for," Itsuka jested, which made Ryuko laugh.
"I bet you're eager to get back to that essay now, huh?" Senketsu added, but was completely ignored.
While Matoi and Kendo chatted with each other, Yaoyorozu remained quiet since this day was severely draining. Bakugo stayed silent as he didn't care. But something also troubled him.
'What Shank said… Why did she say that?'
Everything was all well and good until a few phones rang in the teen's pockets. Ryuko, Momo, and Katsuki opened their devices to find that each of them received something from Izuku. However, it wasn't a text message. It was a ping that specified his location.
"Huh? That's weird. Why is Izuku sending me his location?" Ryuko wondered.
"You got it too? It is strange that he would send this. What could it mean? Was it accidental?" Momo asked.
Ryuko opened the map app and took a closer look at what Izuku sent.
'Looks like Izuku's hanging out in an alleyway. Kind of a weird place to be doing his training. And at this time? Wait.'
Ryuko's eyes widened. Something just came to her mind.
'What happened to Iida's brother! The Hero Killer. It happened in that city… and in an alleyway too.'
The Kamui wielder's phone slipped out of her hands, falling to the ground.
"No… No no no no!" Ryuko started to panic.
"Matoi? A-Are you okay?" Momo asked.
"Yeah, you're looking a little pale there," Kendo also noticed.
"JEANIST! W-We need to get to Hosu City!" Ryuko cried out.
"What? Absolutely not. I know you're eager to continue patrolling, but you all just got out of a crisis. You're better off staying here to recover from your injuries," Jeanist immediately denied her request.
"Please! M-My friend! Izuku! He's in danger!" Ryuko frantically picked up her phone and showed Jeanist the message sent by Izuku. It didn't take long for him to piece together what this meant.
"There are pros in Hosu City already. I'm sure they or his supervisor will take care of it."
"But what if he's all alone? He wouldn't have sent this if that was the case!"
"I'm sorry, Matoi. But the answer is no, and that's final. I'm not letting you put yourself in any further danger," Jeanist put his foot down.
Ryuko gritted her teeth as her eyes welled up a bit. That sinking feeling in her chest all the way back from the Sports Festival came shooting right back. She tightened her fists before hopping off the gurney and tried to make a run for it.
"Matoi! What are you doing?!" Jeanist called out.
"If you won't help me, then I'll go there myself!" Ryuko declared out of desperation.
Before Jeanist tried anything, Ryuko collapsed on the ground. Her injuries were still fresh with the toll it took on her. She attempted to sync, but found that her Kamui didn't change.
"Ryuko, stop! You lost a lot of blood during that skirmish! There's no way you can get there without passing out!" Senketsu warned.
Jeanist refrained from using his threads to restrain Ryuko, as he didn't want to hurt her. He took a step forward to tend to her, but someone else walked past him to do it.
'Dammit Izuku,' Matoi's tears began to flow and splish onto the ground. 'Please body! Move!'
"Do you trust him?"
Matoi let out a light gasp, turning her head back to Yaoyorozu, who kneeled behind her classmate.
"Do you trust Midoriya?"
"What?" Ryuko asked. "O-Of course I do."
"Then he'll be fine. You know firsthand how he can adapt in a fight. He'll make it out of this."
"B-But, how can you be sure?"
"Because I know he won't stop until he can see you again."
Ryuko blinked twice in order to process what Momo said to her. She was right. Izuku's strongest feature was his willpower. The girl looked off into the distance while her heart was beating in her chest.
'Please be okay, Izuku.'
To Be Continued…
Aduubo A/N: Kendo is best girl because she has orange hair. Non-negotiable
Buckichamp A/N: Yes, we know you love the color orange. This chapter was 30 pages on Google Docs and that's your author's note? LOL!
In all seriousness, it's hard to believe Aduubo and I started writing this chapter in late June and basically finished it in mid-July. Now you're reading it in December! Where does the time go?!
We packed a ton in here, so lemme say this one thing: Ryuko's new 'Conservation mode' allows her and Senketsu to revert to the canon sync mode (aka OG look) when fighting or whenever she wants. Not gonna answer that question 100 million times. Aduubo probably has the art posted on his place where you can pay him money that's like a pat-ron-age (finding ways around censorship of one of the things Fanfiction hates!) or on the YouTube channel.
Oh and the commentary! Golden!
Aduubo A/N: Also check the YT channel for a returning Preview Image of Ryuko's new looks!