Bearticguy7: I like it, although I'm not sure Hawks would actually go through with it...and Diego certainly wouldn't let him get away with it if he did.
Euphoria: It's going to get kind of ugly, and I mean ugly.
Kosaku Valentine: Fritz is going to turn into a frienemy, he's still hyper competitive, but he won't be actively trying to kill them anymore.
Jpx0999: Setsuna is being antagonistic, yes. She has misinterpreted a few things and has formed a narrative about Kyoka, spawned by jealousy. She will be getting a wake up call eventually.
Dumpstertrashfire123: It's been fixed. Also, it has more so to do with Kyoka's Quirk and it's... changes. Not drastic changes...but changes.
Guest: Six chapters...maybe...also no, Bakugo won't be carrying the team, because he and Kyoka are going to be working together as a unit. Their friendship is gonna come in handy, I can tell you that.
Kasumi Kenshiro: Stroheimwon't be trying to kill them anymore, now they have UNO.
Finch Flying Ace: Oh, it will be spectacular! There may be a confrontation depending on what happens in the fight, if you have any ideas feel free to share!
delrosario. ivogmail. com: His mother knew, and she told him when he was old enough to understand what it meant. DIO was brutally honest with her.
Monster King: Thanks! I'm glad you like it so far!
Johnny grumbled as something poked him in the cheek, and he groggily swatted at it. "Knock it off..."
"Nope, you're getting up now."
Recognizing Kyoka's voice, Johnny peeled his eyes open to find her laying next to him in bed, clad in her yellow Deep Dope tank top. "Oh...morning."
"Morning, I trust you slept well?"
"Yes? I...I'm in your room," Johnny noticed upon seeing the familiar sight of band posters and instruments hanging from the wall.
Kyoka giggled as she placed a kiss on his cheek. "You came in here last night, remember? We were talking about the Tokage situation."
"Yeah...I'm sorry Kyoka, I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"Does it look like I care?"
"No...to be fair this isn't the first time I've slept here." Johnny said, lifting the cover. "You wouldn't happen to know if there is currently a chain between us, would you?"
"Ha!" Kyoka smirked. "Way to bring up one of the most awkward nights of my entire life, God...if only I had known back then."
"Hey, it was pretty awkward for me too. Sleeping in a girl's bed..."
"Which, in case you forgot, you just did again."
"Well...this time I'm comfortable with it...cause it's you," Johnny replied, staring up at the ceiling. "Plus...you have a really comfy bed, it's probably better than mine."
Kyoka shot Johnny a smirk. "Sure, the bed."
"..."
"Pervert."
Johnny gave her one of his signature unamused glares, and Kyoka began jokingly poking him in the cheek with one of her jacks.
"Perrrrveert."
The former jockey had to give in, smirking. "Okay...maybe a little bit. Still, it's kinda nice to look back at that little incident in hindsight...we were total goobers."
"Oh, humongous goobers," The purplette agreed, chuckling. "To think, we could've kissed right then and gotten all the hormone bullshit over with. If only that stupid Stand didn't trick us into thinking those feelings weren't real."
"I probably should've been clued in by the fact that you were spooning me."
Kyoka's cheeks turned pink. "I was asleep, I did that on accident."
"And all other subsequent times on purpose, right?"
"...maybe."
Johnny chuckled as he rolled off of the bed and stretched, glancing at his girlfriend as she used a jack to switch on her lamp. The scars left by Blood on the Dance Floor were fainter, but were always going to be visible...yet Kyoka didn't really seem to mind anymore.
They were simply a part of her.
"So...why did you wake me up?" Johnny asked. "I thought you would've liked to sleep in a little more."
"Well, for starters, most of our classmates still think our relationship is platonic...even if we have been giving them doubts by being more affectionate in public. You, having accidentally spent the night, would be leaving my room when everyone is awake if I didn't wake you up early."
"Ah, good point...that would basically be a dead giveaway."
"And...I thought if we got up early enough...I could treat my boyfriend to a hearty breakfast to build up some energy for our class with 1B today," Kyoka said with a grin, before poking Johnny in the chest. "The cafe we went to on our first date, I'm paying."
"No."
"Yes. You pulled that sneaky shit and bribed the waitress with a higher tip so she'd give you the check last time we went out, so that means it's my turn. Trick me out of spoiling you again, I'll let Tokage keep hitting on you." Kyoka replied.
"As if. You wouldn't be able to control yourself."
"True...seriously, what is her problem with me? Is it that I dress punk? Is it just an excuse to justify her jealousy? Or did I actually do something to make her suspicious?"
Johnny scratched his head. "I don't know...it might honestly be all three."
Kyoka frowned, deep in thought. "I think we can both agree that she's getting to be an issue. She has good intentions but...it really seems as though she misinterpreted something, maybe multiple things. She's being an asshole about it too."
"You can focus on her when you see her," The brunette said, deciding that Setsuna Tokage was the least of their worries. It wasn't like the greenette had any say in the way that things were, she wasn't there. He did, however, somewhat appreciate her honest desire to get to know him...
Yet, she wasn't the one who encouraged him after he was seemingly crippled for life. She wasn't the one who checked up on him daily, during the Steel Ball Run. She didn't enter his mind to banish his self-destructive thoughts.
Kyoka did that.
Did Setsuna free him from his own inner darkness? No.
Did she ever get into a fight to the death with his abusive mother for his sake? No.
Was she his first kiss? First date? First love? No.
That was all Kyoka. The purplette had made herself irreplaceable in his heart, and he knew that she valued him the exact same way. He knew her, and she knew him...and they both loved what they saw about each other.
Setsuna Tokage was the least of their concerns...because she just wasn't a threat.
As the couple exited Kyoka's dorm room, Johnny was forced to duck into his in order to change into something other than his pajamas.
"I think you should keep them on." The musician commented through the door.
"I get it, you like the star pajamas."
"They're one of the first things I've ever teased you about, I adore them." Kyoka replied with a smirk. "Plus, if it weren't for them, I wouldn't have gotten you the original blue and purple beanie to match them."
"It's been a while since I've worn the classic colors, huh?" Johnny said as he exited his dorm room in more accommodating attire. "Alright, I'm ready."
"I saw you put cash in your wallet just now. You tried to hide it when you were closing the door."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I'm paying!"
Johnny turned to her with a smirk. "Sure you are."
The purplette used a jack to snatch Johnny's wallet clean out of his hand. Thanks to Hamon amplifying her body, her jacks were almost too fast to spot. Kyoka transferred the wallet to her hand, and waved it at her boyfriend. "Yes, I am. You're not getting this back until I do."
"Okay...that's just cheating." Johnny said, pouting as they exited the Heights Alliance, walking hand in hand towards the diner.
"Oh, I know. Look what lengths you have forced me to go to, pulling all sorts of sneaky tricks so you can be some kind of...gentlemanly asshole. There...isn't actually money in this wallet, is there?" Kyoka realized, opening the wallet to find it empty. "You clever son of a bitch."
"You're learning."
"Johnny...I'm paying, it's only fair."
Johnny sighed, extending his hand, and Kyoka handed his wallet back to him. "I suppose...I'm ordering something cheap then."
"NO! You're gonna get a good meal in, we have a long day of hard work ahead of us. I'll order for you if I have to."
"God, it's like you're mothering me."
"Well, I certainly didn't have much competition in that regard."
"You can say that again, if it was a competition you killed it."
The couple laughed, and made their way towards the diner, just content to be around each other.
Izuku stared at his phone, deep in thought, when Ochako leaned over. "Hey Deku, is something wrong?"
They were in the meeting room inside Exodus, which was a massive upgrade from the simple wooden table and chairs that they had in the treehouse. Ulric's laboratory had tons of space for them to store things, and decorate as they pleased.
Of course, they kept Ulric's collection intact, Momo was even setting up a memorial for her mentor in his...her library, Margerite/Ulric's mask being preserved inside a glass case. In fact, the Musketeers were even considering setting up a small museum to store mementos from their exploits.
"I'm doing research on Quirks giving people dreams. While Quirks are tied to the supernatural, they are ultimately biological. They aren't tied to the soul like Stands...so either OFA is capable of storing biological data on it's previous users...or they're trying to contact me from the afterlife," Izuku explained. "Either way...it's a mystery that I feel the need to solve."
Ochako frowned. "Seems pretty complicated...did All Might ever have dreams like this?"
"He said he's had visions, but never that detailed, and they never spoke to him. They called me the Ninth...the first user spoke to me, directly."
"That's...pretty weird. I don't know if you're going to get information about that Deku...your Quirk is the only one of it's kind. The only person who can truly understand what is happening would be you."
"So...in other words I'm flying blind? I...suppose that's nothing new, I've spent most of my life not even having a Quirk. Still...that's actually a little scary, who knows what could happen to me?!" Izuku realized.
"You could die." Katsuki commented, dragging out his repaired hero costume, from the back. He and Momo had spent an hour not only repairing it, but also reworking it using one of Ulric's blueprints. It was now made of the special type of reinforced plastic that Ulric used for the cockpit of Exodus.
Well, the armored parts anyway. It had to be fabric around the joints in order for the explosive blond to move.
"Bakugo! No!" Ochako scolded.
"What? He could."
Izuku was staring at the wall. "I don't think OFA is dangerous except for the backlash it gives me...and even then I have Thriller to help me recover. Speaking of which...how is our new pet liking his cage?" The greenette asked, glancing towards a glass/silver container housing the doppelganger of his long dead enemy.
The Necroturtle was watching The Walking Dead, and was cackling every time someone died.
"I'd say he's enjoying himself. At least he didn't possess something that could hurt us," Ochako commented, watching as the skeletal turtle rambled inside of the case, talking to no one in particular. "I'm also glad that the case is soundproof..."
"Of course it is, the last thing we want is to hear that bastard yapping about all day," Katsuki responded, tapping the glass. The Necroturtle turned around and stuck out a long, black tongue, blowing a raspberry at the blond.
"He's like a spoiled child," Izuku agreed. "But...he's useful. I made him a promise, that he would be used to save others, and I intend to keep it."
Katsuki flicked the glass again, and gave the Necroturtle the finger. "Can't do that back, can ya?! Ha ha! I have fingers and you don't motherfucker!"
"Maybe they're both like spoiled children," Ochako whispered to Izuku, who fought back a smile.
"Well, I suppose I should worry about the One For All stuff later, we have a class to get to," Izuku said, opening a locker located near Ulric/Momo's workbench, and pulling out his Thriller Suit. "Hopefully...we can wow Class 1-B into liking us."
"I'm gonna blow them all to hell," Katsuki stated firmly.
"Or...we...could not do that..."
Jotaro sat with his arms crossed, surveying 1-B as they filtered in with their costumes, glancing at a confident Vlad King. To be fair...the class looked prepared...
But simulation was no substitute for experience, Jotaro understood that well. He had a feeling that Class 1-A, specifically a certain group, would dominate the exercise.
That is...until he pulled his trap card.
Upon seeing his son in the crowd, Jotaro hummed. Sure enough, the Musketeers were walking together, and Kyoka was making a point of being very close to Johnny, their pinkies intertwined with one another.
It seems as though she's sending Tokage a message, good.
To be fair, Gyro was also pretty close.
Jotaro glanced at Aizawa. "Who's going up there? You? Me? Vlad King?"
"I think you should do it, I'm tired."
Jotaro sighed and tipped his hat over his eyes. "Yare yare daze..."
The elder Kujo made his way in between the two classes, taking note of the conversation that was taking place.
"The point is, don't mess with us Class A! Our show was more popular than your concert according to my research!" Neito Monoma said, waving a paper in Kyoka's face. "Look at that! Try to sing your way out of this one!"
"You're a real nutcase, aren't you?" The purplette responded.
"Alright everyone, shut up," Jotaro said calmly, catching 1-A's attention immediately. They knew when their co-homeroom teacher meant business. "You have the opportunity to show 1-B what you're made of, so don't disappoint. It doesn't matter whether you win or lose, but I expect all of you to give it your best."
"Yes sir!" The class responded.
"And don't be idiots...now, for our guest..."
Hitoshi Shinso entered the Ground Gamma, sporting a face mask and a capture cloth that mirrored Aizawa's. His eyes held a steely gaze despite their tiredness, he looked like a man on a mission.
Izuku hummed, remembering his confrontation with the General Studies student in the Sports Festival. That was the first time that something strange happened with OFA...when he broke free of Shinso's brainwashing...
Perhaps there was a connection, perhaps not.
Either way, he was intrigued to see how his old opponent had improved. Pulling out his notebook, he began sketching and theorizing about Shinso's new gear.
"Deku...where did you get that?" Ochako wondered, but she never really got an answer.
Katsuki grumbled as he picked from the box, glancing at the giant number four on the ball. He was secretly hoping for someone of use, someone who he didn't have to drag along.
"Well, waddaya know?"
The blond looked up to find that Kyoka had a four, and was smirking at him.
Katsuki grunted in confirmation. "You better not slow me down Ears."
"Come on! You know me!"
"That's why I expect us to win," Katsuki replied, smiling devilishly. Kyoka's eyes widened slightly, and she nodded, her smirk turning into a smile. Truthfully, Katsuki was actually kind of glad to have Kyoka on his team, perhaps more so than the others. She was reliable, powerful, and someone who he could actually get along with.
She was a friend he could count on.
Meanwhile, Setsuna Tokage, clad in her scaly purple bodysuit and domino mask, was glancing at the number four with a conflicted, but determined face.
I'm fighting Jiro. A fight is when someone's true colors show...I've seen it with Monoma, Kendo...this fight is when the real Jiro will undoubtedly come out. Perhaps I could trick her into admitting something about Kaminari...
I didn't like how close she was to JoJo. It was like she was...no she was definitely doing that on purpose. Also...it seems as though she's heavily geared up. She's carrying a sword on her back, probably a support weapon...
In fact, she's a support hero, so chances are she'll be waiting in the background so she can use her Quirk to locate me and my teammates..she won't be doing much of the actual fighting with those jacks of hers.
I can't let my personal feelings get in the way, though...this isn't about JoJo. This is about getting my team to victory!
Setsuna narrowed her eyes as she took in Kyoka's attire. The purplette was wearing a purple jacket laden with pins in the shape of music notes, gold shoulder pads, and a yellow tank top underneath. It was clear that the jacket was made with durability in mind, a thick type of leather...possibly with the intent of preventing a bullet from piercing through it.
Why would she be wearing a jacket like that? As if...she's expecting to be shot at? I mean, she's a hero-in-training...but she actually put thought into it.
The style she wears the jacket in...the pins...it's reminiscent of the way a member of the Joestar family typically dresses...especially...
Setsuna glanced at the teacher's catwalk, where a group had formed. A handsome man sporting a, in Setsuna's opinion, sick ass pompadour was wearing a white jacket with a similar design.
That's...Crazy Diamond, Morioh's protector...and JoJo's uncle. Damn...why is his whole family gorgeous?! I'm getting off topic...she and JoJo both intern under him...
Does she look up to Mr. Higashikata? If so...why would she be leading on his nephew?
Unless jealousy had led her towards assuming something about Kyoka...but there was no way she didn't see what the purplette was up to. It started with jealousy, but it turned into watching the purplette become violent with those that annoyed her, using Setsuna's crush as a means to become popular while seeing Kaminari on the side...
Violent outbursts and problematic behavior, not to mention her punkish rebel attire...it was clear that this girl was a troublemaker.
I even caught her tagging a grave when I went on my morning jog...I think she needs help, and I'm going to show everyone how much of a problem this girl actually is so she can get it. A therapist or something...
Then, she could finally break through the walls Kyoka put up around Johnny, and form a connection between 1-A and 1-B, and the animosity between the two classes would cease.
Damn...she'll be piggybacking off of Bakugo though...and what if I'm wrong about her?! What if all the evidence I've gathered has been circumstantial?! She clearly modeled her costume off of the Joestars...
Is she a bully or not?! Why is it whenever I'm convinced she isn't good for him, something makes me doubt it?!
"So...I have to say, I'm loving the new suit," Itsuka Kendo commented to Momo, who was adjusting her goggles. "You kind of look like an engineer of some sort, why the change?"
"Let's just say I was inspired by someone," Momo responded, adjusting a pair of metal cuffs around her wrists. "It's a tribute to him, as well as a...marking of sorts, I'm beginning a new chapter in my life."
"Ah, cool."
Kendo was a little put off by how...vague Momo's explanation was, and the slightest change in the ravenette's demeanour. There was something different about 1-A's vice president, that was for sure. Not necessarily a big change...but...
"Are...you okay, Yaoyorozu?"
"Yes...I've had some experiences recently that have caused me a bit of grief, so I'm still a little under the weather."
Momo shuddered, and Kendo's eyebrows came together in concern. Something definitely happened to her friend, something that could've changed her. It looked as though she was...
Planning, she couldn't be thinking this far ahead of our fight, right?!
"So...you ready? We're going against each other."
"I am. I'm sure you're going to give me a pretty hard fight."
Kendo smiled. "Truth be told...I've always wanted to fight you. No offense of course, I think you're pretty cool, but people keep comparing us...and you're just a little bit stronger than I am, smarter too. So...I want to prove that I can stand apart from you."
"I didn't know those comparisons were being made. I apologize...I hope they didn't-"
"Relax. It just means that we're rivals...but, the healthy kind, you know? You're a friend I want to beat," the redhead assured her. "I'm not gonna go all Monoma and start cussing you out because you're doing better than me."
Momo nodded, offering a hand. "Then may the best woman win."
The two shook hands, respectfully challenging one another.
Round One: Team Asui v. Team Shiozaki.
Well...Tsuyu was leading a team.
In all honesty, she was a bit nervous. Her team consisted of Kaminari, Kirishima, Koda, and Shinso. With two members of the B team by her side, she felt just a tiny bit safer.
"So...your Quirk activates when someone responds to you, and you have this mask that allows you to mimic someone's voice?" Kaminari asked, poking at Shinso's face. "How are you not part of the hero course?!"
"Don't ask me, my Quirk is considered villainous." Shinso answered.
"I dunno man, seems pretty cool to me." Kirishima affirmed, giving the purple-haired student a thumbs up.
"Shouldn't we be coming up with a plan?" Tsuyu said, concerned. "The round is about to start soon. *ribbit*"
The horn blared, and Shinso gave his teammates an unamused look. "Great, no plan. Guess we're winging it. I'm not here to socialize and make friends...so you people better get your head in the game."
Tsuyu glanced at her teammates, more specifically Koda, and put a finger to her chin. "Can you find any animals nearby?"
Koda nodded, and began calling out using his mask, until a bunch of crows landed on his shoulders.
"Good."
"We didn't have much time to plan things out, so we should probably stick together!" Kirishima added. "We overwhelm them with our numbers, take 'em head on!"
"That...isn't a strategy." Shinso said, but sighed. "I suppose we don't have a choice though, they're already looking for us...let's get this over with."
"Not a good start, too much small talk. Dammit Kami!" Kyoka said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You knew better than that you friendly bastard, talking up Shinso."
"Kaminari and Kirishima...reliable when it counts, but they're a couple of pinheads." Johnny replied. "Hopefully they can recover from that and formulate a strategy, otherwise they're sitting ducks."
"You see that 1-A! We've already got the advantage because your class is full of idiots! Oh I can't wait to see them fail! Finally, 1-B will be recognized as superior! HAHAHAHAHAHA-"
"Your fly is down." Kyoka said, pointing at Monoma's crotch, and that shut their rival student up.
"Kaminari seems a bit...careless, don't you think?" Setsuna suddenly chimed in, her voice coming out as though she was implying something. "Seems like the type to let things slip, once and a while."
"Hey, he's our friend. We can count on him." Kyoka replied, internally cussing her rival out for passive-aggressively shit talking her friend. She's on Kaminari's case now?! Fuck you Tokage!
"Hey, I meant no disrespect...just making an observation. It's something he should probably work on, though. You never know when he might accidentally spill a secret or something."
Johnny raised an eyebrow, noting at the way Setsuna was crafting her words. A classic interrogation tactic, using words related to the crime in order to make the target sweat. However, Johnny really couldn't imagine Kyoka keeping a secret from him, at least a big one.
"I find that he's someone I can trust." Johnny chimed in. "He hasn't let me down before, so he won't now. Just watch...once he's under pressure he's good as gold."
"...I...never said anything about trust JoJo. I'm sure he's a good friend, I was just commentating on the fight." Setsuna assured him, although she underestimated the observance of a Joestar. She was good at masking her body posture, but her eyes made it clear that what he said just bothered her.
Kaminari was on her radar too.
"Well, I think he's gonna win." Kyoka said, stepping closer to Johnny and resting her elbow on his shoulder, taking enjoyment at the brief look of frustration in her rival's eyes. "Kaminari may be a bonehead, and he may have made a mistake, but he's the type that tries his absolute hardest to make up for his complete lack of brains. He'll pull through, I have faith in him."
"He's the embodiment of dumb luck." Gyro agreed. "So Johnny...ready for our round?"
"You mean the bonus sixth round that anyone from either class could volunteer for? No."
"Come on Johnny."Gyro whispered. "You know damn well we are near unstoppable when fighting together. Even more so when it's more than just the two of us."
"You'd need a handicap JoJo." Kyoka agreed. "Don't worry, as long as Tokage doesn't try to murder me in a jealous yandere rage, I'll sign up. Then I can step back and let you two do your thing."
Johnny chuckled. It was his father's idea, since Class 1-A had two extra students, to create a sixth round for volunteers...and Jotaro had stopped time once Johnny and Gyro put their hands in the box, handing them each a six.
Clearly, he was testing the dynamic duo's limits by making sure that anyone from either class would be able to join. For all they knew, 1-B's strongest could want a shot at them.
"I don't think she'd go that far, Kyoka."
Setsuna's fists were clenched pretty tight, Kyoka's face was very close to his own since she was whispering in his ear, and it was causing her rival a lot of tension. He could hear Kyoka's grin as she whispered:
"Are you sure about that?"
"My crows just told me that Shiozaki is hunting for us with her vines." Koda informed the others.
"He talks?" Shinso asked.
"Y-yeah..."
"Last time I fought her, she overwhelmed me with her Quirk. My electricity didn't have any effect on her. Who here would be better for fighting her?" Kaminari asked.
"None of you!"
Suddenly, a giant furry man sporting sunglasses jumped over a set of pipes, slamming into Tsuyu and Kirishima, tossing them both aside. This was Jurota Shishida, using his Quirk: Beast.
Kaminari squeaked as the beast-like student angrily turned his head towards the others. "Shiozaki was acting as bait! We lured you right into a trap!"
Tsuyu narrowed her eyes as she tried to process what was happening. Okay, we started off unorganized and without a plan, how can we come back from this? The guy on Shishida's back is Kosei Tsuburaba, and he can-
Shinso gave his team an unenthusiastic look as he became imprisoned within a cube full of air. It was clear that Aizawa's prodigy was far from impressed with his team, but Tsuyu couldn't blame him.
He's trying his absolute hardest to get into the hero course...and our disorganization is making him look bad. No wonder he's frustrated...we need to turn this around!
"Kaminari! *ribbit*"
Tsuyu rolled under one of Shishida's fists and shot out her tongue, wrapping it around Kaminari's leg, but this was as intended. It was something the two of them worked on, after all...now that they were forming their own splinter group of the Musketeers, it was important to make sure they worked well together.
Kaminari's expression became determined once he noticed the tongue. "Got it!"
Tsuyu lifted Kaminari with her tongue and swung him directly at Shishida, catching the beast off guard. She released as soon as Kaminari made contact, and Kaminari unleashed a burst of electricity.
"ELECTRIC FLAIL!"
Shishida cried out as Kaminari made his body jolt from the shock, and Tsuburaba was forced to jump off to avoid being caught in the blond's attack...which lead to Kirishima closing the distance, pinning him to the ground.
"While it's true we didn't have much of a plan, we're pretty good at improvising!" The faux redhead declared, grinning.
Ibara Shiozaki's vines suddenly entered the battlefield, latching onto Koda and dragging the frightened animal lover off. Meanwhile, in his little box, Shinso was adjusting his mask...reevaluating his team.
I see...they may not be the brightest when it comes to planning, but they are experienced when they're in a pinch. More skilled with fighting than thinking, with the exception of Asui and Koda. I mistook their haphazardness with stupidity.
Shishida ripped Kaminari off of him, just as Tsuyu took Tsuburaba from Kirishima. "We lost Koda!"
"Then let's even the odds." Shinso replied, adjusting a dial on his mask.
"So...that thing mimics people's voices." Izuku observed as he watched Shinso brainwash the beast. "Suddenly, his Quirk got ten times scarier."
"Imagine, I'm fighting with Gyro and someone else starts singing the Cheese Song...that's creepy, but in an effective way." Johnny responded.
"Kyoka starts scolding you but it isn't actually Kyoka." Gyro said with a grin.
"No one can scold me like she does."
Kyoka snorted, elbowing her boyfriend. "You're too...scoldable."
"That's not a word."
"It is when it comes to you, Johnny Kujo."
"It seems as though 1-B still has the advantage, but Kyoka's assessment of our friends was quite correct, they work better under pressure." Momo confirmed, and held out a hand, at which point Izuku handed her his notebook.
"Huh...didn't think the nerd ever parted with that thing..." Katsuki muttered.
"I value YaoMomo's insight." Izuku replied as Momo began writing down ideas and concepts. "Besides, if we're going with the whole hero agency idea, it's best to know how certain members work in combat situations. So...my notebook will be used to record stuff like this."
"Remember what I told you about Tokage?" Gyro whispered to Kyoka.
"That she can split herself into a maximum of 50 pieces, yup."
"She told me that when fighting Stroheim...I don't think she expected me to use that against her. Consider this another lesson...do what you want with that information."
Kyoka patted her friend on the back, appreciating the tip. The Italian could've easily kept Tokage's Quirk to himself to make it a fair fight, but his loyalty to his friends came first. With the lizard girl assuming that Kyoka was some sort of punk gang leader that was going to hurt Johnny...
The fight may very well get personal.
She may have to defeat Setsuna on her own terms, if the greenette decided to target her. She had built up the strength and durability of her jacks, turning them into devastating whips capable of shredding through muscle with Hamon attached...so if Setsuna was going off of the Sports Festival she would be in for a shock...
Hamon...
"Hey Gyro, I want to take up knitting."
Gyro, and most of both classes, turned to look at Kyoka with a confused expression, until the Italian's eyes widened in understanding. "Knitting, huh? Didn't take you for the type."
"Is this really something we should be discussing?" Iida asked. "Our friends are struggling right now!"
"Shush Iida."
"Wha...? Oh...oh, I see..." Iida realized what was happening. After the Nabu Island incident, most of, if not the whole class knew that Gyro was teaching Kyoka Hamon. This was something 1-B wasn't aware of, however, as Kyoka had yet to demonstrate it in class.
"Yeah, knitting. It's just, looking at Shiozaki's vines...it just makes me want to knit a sweater." Kyoka said. "A nice, warm snuggly sweater, made by my own hand...could make a great gift for someone special."
I see what you're doing Kyoka! You're asking me for string so you can use it in your battle...and riling up Tokage so her head isn't in the game. Nyo ho! Good work! Gyro thought to himself as he tossed her a ball of string. "You're lucky I have some string on me."
"I highly doubt this is enough for a sweater." The purplette replied with a smirk.
"Well, you're not gonna make one on the first try...I'd try sewing a few things together, as a start."
Momo glanced up at her boyfriend with a knowing look, and Gyro shot back a grin as her best friend pocketed the string. You're always looking out for us, aren't you Gyro? Thank you...for all the effort you put into helping her with her Hamon training...you really are one of a kind.
Now she has insurance if Tokage tries anything. It's better to plan ahead, after all.
From the corner of her eye, she saw that Kyoka and Katsuki were passing things between each other, concealed by Izuku and Johnny. Katsuki handed her a small grenade, and she handed him a few of her speaker projectiles. They were coming up with a plan without speaking a word to each other.
"HA HAA! CLASS 1-B TAKES THE LEAD! KIRISHIMA IS CAPTURED!" VladKing proudly commentated, grinning.
"Talk about biased..." Johnny muttered.
"Damn, Shiozaki is the MVP right now." Gyro commented. "Those vines of hers are seriously no joke...of course, a well-positioned steel ball could make an excellent substitute for curlers..."
"You wish Zeppeli! Shiozaki's vines are too much for you!" Monoma declared.
"Monoma...shut up, Zeppeli is obviously right." Kendo was quick to shut the blond down. "We don't even know what his steel balls can do, he could easily put her at a disadvantage. It's why he and JoJo are in the extra round... they're the most unpredictable opponents from Class 1-A."
"What can I say? Being unpredictable is in my blood." Johnny responded, remembering how often his great-grandfather tended to pull the rug out from under his opponents, often in the flashiest way possible.
Speaking of Joseph...
"GET 'EM KAMINARI! ELECTROCUTE HIS ASS, SHOW THEM WHY YOUR CLASS IS THE BEST!" The young/old man was shouting at the top of his lungs from the catwalk, waving his arms around in some vain attempt at encouragement.
Looks like Vlad King wasn't the only one who had picked a side.
Shinso grunted as Tsuyu freed him from the collapsed pipes. "Thank you...I'm sorry I messed up back there. I'm not as experienced as you..."
"We should've had a plan, it's my fault, I was supposed to lead this team." Tsuyu replied, and Shinso was struck by how humble the frog girl truly was. Perhaps it was because she had a habit of being brutally honest, but he had always had the notion that most students in the hero program would look down on him.
"Yeah man, we may have made a few mistakes, but it happens! Don't blame yourself just because you're new!" Kaminari encouraged. "We can still win this if we regroup and work together."
Shinso stared at the electric blond for a moment, and then smirked. "Thanks...in that case, let's go."
Tsuyu put a finger to her chin. "An all out attack clearly doesn't work...they have us beat when it comes to power, so we need to outsmart them instead."
Kaminari snapped his fingers. "We provoke them, Jiro does that all the time!"
"She usually has a plan, Kaminari. Ribbit."
"Well...maybe we have one." Kaminari responded. "After all...only the beast guy is aware of Shinso's Quirk..."
"If I hurl insults as their own teammates, they would feel compelled to respond." Shinso said, nodding. "Not bad...I could create an atmosphere of uncertainty by switching between voices."
"I could be bait." The class dummy added, and the three put their head together to craft the plan further. This time there would be no reckless charge, no improvisation...
This time, it would be 1-B that would be overwhelmed.
"There we go...that's brilliant you three!" Momo said, putting her hands together and grinning as her classmates came up with a solid plan.
"Kaminari is finally using his braincell." Kyoka said with a smirk as Tsuyu began covering the other two with her mucus. "Although Tsu and Shinso are doing most of the thinking."
Momo glanced at Kyoka, who was absentmindedly fiddling with one of her amplifiers with a screwdriver she procured from the ravenette. She had opened it up, revealing the rotating gun barrel that wrapped around her wrist whenever she wanted to use her speaker bullets.
"Tightening them up?"
"They've been loose since Nine, when I fired an Overdrive from the speaker. I managed to repair it...but it hasn't been the same. I think the metal is corroded thanks to the blast."
"You might need new ones that can actually withstand your Sound Hamon."
"What even is Sound Hamon? Is the force generated by the sound attack shooting the Hamon from my jacks? Or am I really combining Hamon with sound? Is it because of my Quirk? Both Gyro and Mr. Joestar say that they haven't seen anything like it." Kyoka said, looking at her loose amplifier as if it would give her the answer.
"Well...Hamon amplifies Quirks since they are biological components. Perhaps...something about your Quirk changed? Like an evolution of sorts?" Momo offered, patting her best friend on the shoulder. "You are creating something entirely new, Kyoka...so all we can do is guess, similar to how Izuku is currently having dreams about his predecessors...we just don't have enough information to know for sure."
Something about my Quirk...changed?
Kyoka took a jack in her hands and examined it, but it didn't look any different. It was still the normal earphone jack she grew up with, no physical changes in the slightest.
At least, where things met the eye. Perhaps there was something going on inside of them.
That's fucking terrifying...my body changing...my jacks could be mutating or something...
No, this is for the better. It might seem scary, but Hamon is a power meant to be used for good, it wouldn't turn you into an abomination or anything. What it is doing is making me stronger, allowing me to fight alongside my friends even better than before. Gyro gave me all those lessons...I shouldn't be afraid of this.
Whatever Sound Hamon actually is, it's going to make me stronger.
"I guess so. Hey...Shinso brainwashed Shiozaki into capturing her own teammates!" Kyoka pointed at the screen. "Damn...he's a clever one, huh?"
"Using her mucus to mask her teammates from Shishida was brilliant on Tsu's end too." Momo complimented. "Kaminari played the bait quite well...I feel as though we really shouldn't underestimate his intelligence. Sure he struggles academically, but in a fight he can be surprisingly perceptive."
"I'm still making fun of him."
"Well that's because you're you Kyoka."
"CLASS 1-A WINS...by a hair..."
"Shut up...fucking Dracula-lookin-"
"Kyoka, don't be rude."
"He can't hear me. I wouldn't have casually discussed my Hamon with you if we were in earshot." Kyoka pointed out. "I want to save that as a surprise for 1-B."
"Not to mention the 'sweater' you could end up knitting. Do you really think she'll prioritize you over the others? She has a good head on her shoulders from what I've seen."
"...She could. She really seems to think she's protecting JoJo from me, no...she wants him for herself. Deep down, that's her true motive...I think all the stuff about me being bad for him, even if she genuinely believes it, is a way of justifying her jealousy."
"Perhaps...this could be fixed if you just tell her the truth?" Momo offered. "You and JoJo are both private people, you know I understand that...but you have been making progress towards your relationship being public knowledge."
"She's one crafty bitch YaoMomo...and what if it makes things worse? What if she starts spreading rumors about me and other stereotypical high school teenaged jealousy bullshit?"
"If it came down to it, and she tries to ruin your reputation...would that stop you and JoJo?"
"Of course not, I'm not worried about him leaving me in the slightest. It's just..." Kyoka fell silent, and closed her eyes. Momo, sensing that this was a touchy subject, sat beside her best friend and rubbed her back.
"It's okay Kyoka."
"...people like me here. I've come a long way from letting mean comments destroy my already low self-esteem, ironically thanks to Cummings...but what if everyone hates me? I know that other opinions shouldn't matter, but if a lot of people end up hating me...it'll hurt, a lot...and I guess I'm just terrified of being hurt again."
Momo nodded. "I won't let that happen, none of us would. Especially JoJo, you know that he can't take his eyes off you, right?"
"You're just saying that..."
"He's literally looking at you right now."
Kyoka turned her head over to where the two classes were gathered to find Johnny staring directly at her. He appeared to clear his throat, and went back into conversation.
"I stand corrected..."
"We stick together, all of us." Momo said, placing her hands on Kyoka's shoulders. "The moment she does something to you...we will defend you without hesitation. We might honestly have to restrain JoJo if she does something...so he doesn't get in trouble for harming a fellow student."
"You can restrain him, I'll be helping him."
"I can hear my little brothers voice..." All For One muttered, a grin forming on his face. "Curious...something is happening with One For All."
"Is that so?" A ragged man replied from the corner of the prisoner's cell. The Stranger adjusted his mask, his glowing red pupils gleaming with curiosity. "These two Quirks of yours...quite interesting."
"Not as interesting as you. Somehow you got into the most secure prison in the country, into my cell, and declared your loyalty. I do admit your visits have been therapeutic, I love our talks."
"I was inspired, the King of Villainy who once held Japan under his thumb, how could I resist?" The Stranger responded, cracking his neck. "So...your little brother's Quirk is evolving in some way, is this...inconvenient? Should we be worried?"
"Not at all. It means that everything is going according to plan. My little brother's renewed presence...it means that there is a storm coming, and we're going to be the cause of it. Remember the plan?"
"If Tomura Shigaraki cannot free you, I will." The Stranger replied, and his masked face perked up. "Someone is coming, this is where I leave you. Until next time...Master."
All For One raised what was supposed to be an eyebrow. The Stranger had this authoritative way of speaking...yet seemed completely devoted to him. Sometimes...however...it seemed as though the Stranger was actually mocking him.
"Curiouser and curiouser..."
So...I'm not sure I'm going to be covering all the fights in this arc, but rather the commentary and insights that members of the Musketeers have on them.
The highlights are, of course, Izuku getting Blackwhip, and Kyoka shoving a boot up Setsuna's ass.
If any of you have suggestions for fights and how they could be molded and changed, perhaps ways in which certain characters can interact. For instance...I have a general idea of how Katsuki and Kyoka could win their fight...but if you have any ideas on dialogue or badass moments, feel free to share!
