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'Inner thoughts'

"Outside Chatter"

LEVEL START!

'Deep breaths, Konami. You've been grinding this quest for months now. UA is a school of prestige, and you'll be competing with several other players for a spot on the leaderboards. Don't misinput and trip; that'd be a horrible start. Trust in the rolls.'

Konami fidgets with the railing as another passenger bumps into him from behind. Packed spaces like these were a pain for itching nerves but a small price to pay for a cheap commute. Where was he? Deep breaths and hope he doesn't end up getting a bad roll, which leaves him flunked out and without any hope-

"Are you okay?" A soft voice beside him caused Konami to stiffen up, biting his tongue to keep a surprised cry from coming out. Confused, he turned to spot a familiar pair of worried eyes. Pink pots on her cheeks? Short? Right, he knew this stranger somewhat.

A stranger who just caught him out on the edge of a panic attack. Time to gaslight.

"No, I'm Konami, Konami Coleson. You're a neighbor, I'm pretty sure." He was confident he had nailed the subtle topic change, stretching the permanent smile fixed on his face. His face typically creeped people out, so why wasn't she cringing? She's supposed to cringe and back up, not pout.

"I know you're my neighbor; I'm asking if you're okay, seeing as you panicked." Jeez, right for the jugular. This girl had no chill- "I take it you're a foreigner and not used to the train?" Did she crit the Insight Check?!

"How-?"

"I'm Uraraka Ochako, and I knew because you introduced yourself by your given name."

Touché.

There was a beat of silence, a drop of sweat falling down the back of his neck from her watchful gaze. How many stops were they missing? One? Amazing. Now, to distract her with something else! Taunt probably wouldn't work, and she clearly can't be easily Confused…

"I was rehearsing, you know, for a play. I'm an actor in training. I have to grind the skill to convey all the emotions." Dig deeper till one hits bedrock. Konami wasn't a coward who won't commit.

"Uh huh… what's the play?"

Good question.

"Last of Us is a tragic apocalyptic story. A grizzled father and teen daughter travel across the states to find a cure for a fungal infection. There are serious feelings all around."

Aha! She's caught off guard! There, that should be enough to-

"Wait, what role are you playing then? You don't seem…" She trailed off, realizing relatively quickly she was treading dangerous territory.

….

"... I wear a fake beard to seem grizzled."

His answer got an unladylike snort out of her, followed by a horrified and frantic apology. Funnily, he found himself relieved to get that sort of reaction out of her. He grew up knowing his face was weird compared to other kids. Who else had a permanent, wide smile showing all of their teeth, with buttons on their cheeks? Nobody and his eyes were unnaturally wide, given the nature of how his quirk manifested. This led to plenty of adults fumbling over nonexistent eggshells around him and some kids being needlessly cruel or awkward about mentioning it.

Konami honestly could care less. He thought his face was funny and wanted to joke about it with someone.

So, with a hand held up to silence her stammered apology, he then brought it to his smooth chin to trace the imaginary beard. "I think it's solid equipment to buff my charisma. Everyone digs a well-groomed beard, after all." There, he even added a wink to show that all was good. It seemed to have worked, given she stopped freaking out and offered a small smile in return.

"… I guess it'd bring out your smile more?" Ochako, there is no hope. The Friend Request has been automatically accepted! He snickered, finally easing any lingering tension, just in time for the train to stop to announce their arrival.

Main Story quest one, step one, success, with a surprise bonus objective fulfilled.

"Alright, I'm getting out now, so good luck with whatever you're doing." Konami wondered if she was into any video games. Or maybe comics? She didn't seem dorky… in fact, she was getting off the train alongside him. He attempted to shrug it off as a coincidence, but they both slowed when realization kicked in. Both stopped once they were away from the station and on the path leading to UA, turning to face each other with accusatory fingers pointed.

"You're following me?"

"What, no, you are!"

This was ridiculous. Konami squinted suspiciously at Ochako, who returned the favor before they turned rigidly back in the direction of UA. Maybe it was because of his neverending grin, but as they both gradually sped up their walk, Ochako began to sport her grin. It sucks for her; he had the longer legs! 5'9" squad for the win!

He cackled as he heard her puff of annoyance, and soon, they were on a dead sprint off towards the gates. They both ran by some poor green-haired guy standing by the gate entrance, who got startled at almost getting run over. Konami and Ochako shouted apologies over their shoulders, which was the best Greenie would get. Konami was positive he was okay, though, and it was not like they tripped him.

"Hey! We're already here! Slow down, you jerk!" Her pitiful attempts to persuade him failed to pass the check. He wasn't one to take losing a clear challenge like some simp.

"Skill issue!"

Konami won in the end. His reward was a sucker punch to the arm by a breathless Ochako. Oh well, he could tell she wasn't too mad by her smile.

One mind-numbing written test later…

Sure, that could have gone better, but Konami was confident he didn't fail. He had never been a straight-A student but understood better than to draw his mother's wrath by getting an F. Japan proved to live up to their high standards, even if his parents were on the forgiving side since they were from the States. Konami was born and raised in Japan, but that didn't mean he didn't have his American heritage influence him. It's why he didn't bother correcting people about being a foreigner, since it was easier than explaining his parents were dorks who moved to Japan in hopes of living the dream.

That conversation raised more issues he'd prefer not to air to the public.

There was no real chance to try to catch Uraraka before reaching the auditorium, so Konami settled on grabbing his assigned seat and psyching himself up. It was time for the infamous Practical Exam, which, according to forums online, was insane every year. Good thing he brought his insanity to the mix.

Unfortunately, he couldn't justify bringing his headphones to help with his quirk. Playing his shuffled soundtrack didn't benefit him beyond helping him tune everything out… which, now that he thinks about it, probably wouldn't help his situational awareness. Maybe a speaker on his belt could work?

Wait, Konami, focus. Present Mic was explaining the game.

…

Holy shit, this test was a game! Honestly, UA had some hard stones if they were willing to use Mario's silhouette like that. He'd be doing something similar, after all.

Points system? Check. Robot mobs to remove concerns of mortality rate? Check. Room for random possibilities, with the main hazard being the Zero Pointer? Aka, scripted loss if you were idiotic enough to run towards it?

Oh, hell yes. This was his element! It was easy for Konami to tune out any other students' questions, analyzing the sheet of paper passed about for hints about the enemy types. The text was deceptively plain to ward off people who could easily skim to find the bold text stating their weaknesses. Clever, but he was a gamer who read all the text!

There! Buttons to deactivate the robots? They didn't say where for obvious reasons, but learning it once for each model was all it took. So he wouldn't be useless if he didn't get lucky with his rolls.

Konami knew he had to be cautious either way. This was UA, after all, and he'd be competing against dozens of other students. He wouldn't go out of his way to harm another… but kill-stealing was a valid strategy. It's not his problem if others don't realize that fighting dirty is necessary sometimes.

Present Mic finished talking with some guy with glasses and directed us to our testing grounds. Deep breath and trust in the rolls, Konami. Renewed confidence allowed him to push forward and make a bee-line towards the changing rooms. He didn't have much in sportswear, but given his quirk, he didn't exactly care that… classic jogger pants and a jacket worked.

No familiar faces popped up in his group as they made their way to a massive gate, which showed off what looked like an actual city. Given how many groups they split up the students, multiple of these were made. Is this where all those taxpayers' money was going? Konami didn't stare in awe for long, knowing this was a timed game. Ten minutes to show off and hopefully rack up enough points…

As Present Mic hyped everyone up for the start of their test from his tall tower, Konami reached up to tap both buttons on his cheek. His eyes flashed brightly before cycling through several images: strange bells, several odd hats, and different-colored flowers. Finally, he landed on the one with a metallic cap.

Despite his form taking on the qualities of durable metal, Konami felt energy rush through his body, a familiar warmth he had grown up with since his quirk manifested. A chuckle began to bubble up from his chest, turning into a full cackle as the name of this particular power-up popped into his head.

METAL CAP!

"Okay, start!"

There was no further need to think. Konami rushed through the dumbfounded crowd into the fray.

Given how recently he unlocked this new category, this might be a new power-up he was not as familiar with, but it was expected. Konami didn't think insistently pressing his buttons and calling it training for UA would work. Maybe it was the sudden pressure to push his quirk to the limits. Maybe it was at the cusp of developing, and all it required was a shift in priorities in life.

In the end? Who knows.

All that mattered now was using his Quirk: Power Up to wreck this exam!

The crowd behind caught up just as he barrelled his way right through the poor One Pointer who crossed his path. Metal Cap was an impressive power-up taken from Mario games, amusingly enough. Konami knew he was a heavy tank, so using weight was critical to take advantage of his five minutes.

Pings of rubber bullets striking his skin caused his focus to be brought onto another Villain bot. Another One Pointer, rolling over with menacing energy and turrets aimed at his exposed side. Before Konami could make another charge, some guy with a large tail came in to crush the bot's head. He stared in stunned silence before righteous rage fueled his being.

That bastard stole his kill!

"You're welcome!"

And he thought he was grateful?! Only HE could kill and steal without any guilt or remorse!

Main Quest Update: Destroy Tail-Bastard's chances of winning.

Adrenaline rushed through his veins as he charged with renewed focus. His plan was simple: destroy any bot in his path that Tails was fighting. However, this plan had plenty of holes, such as this metal form not being equipped for chases. Gamer rage didn't make things easier for his patience whenever he lost his target and had to deviate.

Konami could keep at least a rough track of the robots he crushed. Barreling in full force, akin to a wrecking ball, was simple but effective.

Current Score: 20 Villain Points

It was impressive, given that this was his first test run in combat, but it didn't feel like enough. Others were faster than him, thanks to how much weight was in each of his steps, and turning on the run was brutal. Momentum was an absolute bitch.

Before he knew it, the metal coating his body suddenly disappeared. The difference in weight caused him to stumble outright to a stop, nearly eating the pavement.

That's a good indicator that he was halfway through the test.

It's time for another roll and hope for the best. Konami sucked in a sharp breath when he saw a Three Pointer turn its eyes toward him. He tapped his cheeks and tensed when the unmistakable sound of the robot locking on rang out. Come on, come on, come on…

Rockets were fired from its shoulders just as his eyes landed on the image of pale wings. This time, the urge to shout the name couldn't be kept internal, and panic seeped in as the rockets zoomed closer.

"Monarch Wings!"

Shimmering wings of ethereal light burst from his back, ready to flap at his mental command to launch him high in the air. Konami's heart lept up to his throat, watching the rockets blast a crater at the spot he once stood. Without a durable sheet of metal protecting his body, the dangers were a sudden highlighting feature he couldn't ignore in the focus of petty revenge.

His landing was rough, but it didn't slow him down, so he rushed to the side to avoid the second volley of missiles that shot his way. He pushed frayed nerves down as he boldly approached the Villain bot. Button, he just needed to find the button- DODGE!

Konami cursed as he flapped his wings again to launch himself forward, barely avoiding the blast he hoped wasn't lethal. Okay, he was closer. Step one was complete. Now what? Frantic eyes attempted to continue the dangerous dance of being close enough to the metallic beast to try and search for the elusive button.

Fun fact: trying to investigate a robot as it tried to swipe at you was hazardous to one's health.

Monarch Wings only helped so much, given that trying to go up was dangerous since those are where the missiles were. As fun as it was to double jump, he needed something else. So, knowing he was well past the cooldown of a minute with triggering his quirk, Konami dismissed the power up and tapped his buttons again.

It was the longest cycle of his life. He was losing steam from a deadly tango with this metallic beast.

What he landed got a relieved, near-hysteric laugh. There was no hesitation in declaring his pull, confidently resurging once more as a welcoming shaggy cloak sprouted from his shoulders.

"Mothwing Cloak!"

Konami spotted his goal once he managed a well-timed dash, and he could finally circle this villain and spot the goal. A single jump and push was all he needed before he dashed away from the collapsing bot. Three more points! His grin widened as he dashed down the roads on a vigorous hunt for Villains, determined to make up for lost time.

Time blurred alongside his sight on everything around him. Tunnel vision was part of the grind, and he blurred past other participants to snag a few more points for himself. There were some indignant shouts from some catching sight of him in the two seconds it took for his dash to recharge, but Konami tuned out the haters.

One thing he couldn't tune out was the blaring alarm and heavy footsteps causing the ground to shake. Everyone's eyes turned to spot the hazard Present Mic warned them about-

Oh fuck, that's where our taxpayer's money went. Hah, no.

It's safe to say Konami didn't blame people for bolting. He was one of them, taking advantage of his cloak to dash in a full sprint in the opposite direction. The only thing that slowed him down was the clusterfuck of everyone else running away with their quirks.

Konami needed to full stop when some asshat managed to shove a dude out of the way. A blonde with an impressively dopey face, and this was coming from the guy with a knockoff Sans look. Whatever was going on with him had the dude unphased by the push or being helped up. Did the fall give him brain damage? Okay, he was giving a thumbs-up…

Shit, UA doesn't fuck around.

"You're about to go on a fast ride, so I'm taking your dumb smile and thumbs up as consent to drag you."

Ever tried to dash at enhanced speeds carrying a body? Konami did, once, and he accidentally yanked the kid's socket out of his arm, which is why Blondie was grabbed around the waist and… well, good thing the poor guy was already out of it. Pretty sure he would have gotten sick from the whiplash.

When he reached the gates, Blondie was placed on the floor after spotting a nurse tending to some injured. There, his good deed for the day, and nobody was left behind to deal with the Plot Device. Konami released his power up without a second thought and wondered if his parents would be free to get a call. Further plans for today fell off as the sudden wave of fatigue crashed into him. He stumbled a few steps, blinking rapidly as the edges of his vision swam.

"Dearie, are you alright? Don't tell me you're hiding any injuries to seem strong," Konami blinked warily as his gaze refocused. When did he sit down? Instead of responding, his body swayed, and he could barely stay upright. "Oh dear… boy? Can you hear me? I need a gurney over here!"

The alarmed voice barely registered as Konami found his head tipping backward. Someone caught him before the back of his head hit the concrete, but Konami couldn't tell who it was. Pleasant darkness had already embraced him by that point.

A/N: Yo, Dimensional Reader here, or TDRed, bringing you an impulse project I decided to start for fun. Instead of forever fermenting in the dead zone of my muse, I decided to say, 'Fuck it, we ball' and see how this idea is perceived. So! Important things to note: A friend and I worked on a charted sheet table with several power-ups, where I roll an online dice for Konami whenever he uses his quirk. He's off to a strong start, but I plan to commit to his dice roll with some consequences, such as poor matchups with his adversaries.

This is my first fic, really, beyond several bouts of RPs and Tabletop as my fallback for experience. I want to make this a hobby, so feel free to leave your critiques in the Reviews or DM me. Chapter 2 is in the works, and I plan to post it soon. I will aim for weekly updates, so stay tuned for what bullshit this handsome bastard can pull off.