"So then she finally took us out on patrol, but all it really felt like was a tour around town to give the paparazzi a chance to spot her."
Hitomi frowned sympathetically. "Geez, I woulda thought Uwabami would be a better teacher than ours was, but now Best Jeanist sounds like a seasoned master."
Momo sighed defeatedly, hanging her head. "At least you got to see some action."
Hitomi winced, absently steering Momo through the busy hallways as the ravenette was too caught up sulking. "Well, I told you how that ended though."
Momo gave a conceding nod, lifting her head. "I suppose so. I'm surprised though, that you weren't punished for using your Quirk."
Hitomi hesitated, the two coming to a stop in front of the 1-A door. "I didn't…" her ears went back, "but Bakugou did."
Oh no. Hitomi gripped her backpack straps tightly, a knot of guilt tying up her insides. She remembered smelling the sweetness and smoke, and seeing the light flickering across the floor, reflecting almost beautifully on the shattered glass littering the ground.
He used his Quirk, in the presence of Best Jeanist. Did he get in trouble? If he did, it would be Hitomi's fault.
Momo opened the door, ushering the pinkette in after her.
And Hitomi was surprised to see Sero and Kirishima saddled up next to Bakugou's desk.
The blonde's hands sparked with mini explosions, his face twisting into an enraged snarl, and his hair was still laying flat on his head.
Where's the— oh. Sero held up the white beanie, keeping it away while he and Kirishima cackled.
He must have a death wish, to just swipe it off of Bakugou's head. The danger was on par with when Kaminari grabbed his phone.
An elbow nudged Hitomi's side, and the slight static shock given told her exactly who it was before she even looked. Plus, his smell was unmistakable. It was like he bathed in Hatchet body spray.
"I'd say he's lookin' pretty feral, eh?" Kaminari's brows shot up, a large and hopeful smile splitting his face.
Hitomi shrugged lightly. "Sure?"
"I'd like to see you try, pretty boy!"
"What'd you call me!?" With a poof, Bakugou's hair sprang back up.
"There it goes!"
She slipped by, tucking her backpack away under her desk. She tried to subtly check if Bakugou would give any reaction to her arrival, fearing he might be mad about being punished because of her. But he was too busy bringing reckoning upon Sero and Kirishima to notice her. She wasn't sure if she was disappointed or relieved.
"What about you, Ochako?" Tsuyu questioned the brunette, a finger to her mouth. "How was your week?"
An aura permeated around Ochako, an intense expression on her face as she practiced a battle stance. "I'd say that it was very enlightening." She punctuated the end with a solid punch thrown at the air.
"I think she found her fighting spirit…"
"Yeah, that battle Hero must've been something else." Jirou shuddered.
Kaminari sat down atop a desk next to Mineta, watching her uneasily. "After one week she's like a totally different person."
"Different? Don't be fooled, Kaminari." Mineta wagged a chiding finger, before his eyes glazed over and he anxiously began chewing his nails. "All women are demons at heart. They just hide their true personalities behind pretty faces."
"What the heck did Mount Lady do to you?"
Hitomi bit back a smirk. She would have to meet the blonde Heroine again at some point, specifically to thank her.
"Everyone at my internship loved me. It was actually kinda great." Kaminari admitted, caught off guard by everyone's vastly different experiences.
To be honest, Hitomi wasn't surprised that he was well liked. Kaminari was very charismatic. When he wasn't tricking them into cheerleader uniforms, that is.
"Now, if you wanna talk about the ones who really changed, it was those three."
Todoroki sat at his desk, Midoriya and Iida standing on either side of him.
"Oh yeah, the Hero Killer!" Sero chimed in, grinning despite his predicament, held by the back of his collar by a smoking hand.
"Glad you guys made it back alive. Seriously." Kirishima shared sincerely, in the same position as Sero.
"I worried about you, too." Momo put a hand to her chest.
"I couldn't sleep until getting the text that you were okay." Hitomi sheepishly scratched the back of her head.
"You were lucky Endeavor showed up, and saved you guys." Sato said in a reprimand for their reckless actions.
After a second, Todoroki looked down at his desk, expression tight. "Yeah, that's right. He saved us."
Hitomi cocked her head, brows knitting together in confusion at the mixed signals she was getting from him, because his tone and smell were both giving clear signs that he was actually…
Midoriya noticed her look, gasping sharply as he realized what was about to happen.
"Huh? Why are you lyin—Mff!"
Midoriya cut off her low murmur with a hand hastily put over her mouth, his eyes wide and apologetic.
Hitomi blinked at him, staring until he removed his hand slowly, in case she tried finishing her sentence.
Well, that was weird.
"Did you guys hear the news about the Hero Killer?" Ojirou asked. "Everyone's been saying that he was somehow connected to the League of Villains." He scratched his temple with a nervous frown, looking to Sato and Shoji. "Can you imagine how frightening it would've been if that creep had been there when they attacked the USJ?"
"He's scary, yeah. But did you see him in that weird video? It's all over the internet." Kaminari pitched in.
Hitomi migrated back to her seat once Midoriya seemed confident she wouldn't say anything, casting a tense look to Bakugou over the back of her chair. One he shockingly returned with one of his own.
They hadn't really spoken about their views on the whole thing, their disagreement for the Hero Killer's ideology going mutually unsaid, as neither one thought it necessary to bother voicing it.
(Also, when did he plan on letting Sero and Kirishima go?)
"I didn't even know there was a video of him." Ojirou said unsurely.
"Yeah. Stain's a pretty evil Villain, but, like, super tenacious. He's almost kinda cool, don'tcha guys think?"
Hitomi sucked in a sharp breath, fretfully looking at Iida.
"Kaminari!" Midoriya scolded anxiously.
It took a second, then Kaminari gasped quietly, covering his mouth with a remorseful grimace. "Uh— Oh, dude!"
Before he could apologize, Iida easily brushed it off.
"No, it's okay. You're fine." He spoke lowly, studying his bandaged left arm. "It is true that he's quite a tenacious Villain. I understand why people might think he was cool. But instead of helping the world, his beliefs led him to cold-blooded murder. No matter his motives, killing cannot be condoned."
Kaminari lowered his hand, face contrite with guilt over his thoughtless words.
"To keep everyone else from suffering like me, well, I promise—" in true Iida fashion, he chopped the air, raising his voice sternly. "I will strive to be the perfect Hero!"
"Yeah! Let's do it!" Midoriya raised a scarred fist.
"It's time for class to begin! Everyone please take your seats!"
Hitomi sighed, smiling slightly as he continued on, waving his straight arms around.
Good, he really seemed okay.
…
"I am here!"
Hitomi grinned, happy to be in her costume for once, now that she didn't have to pair it with Best Jeanist's add-ons. Though, she supposed the tennis shoes hadn't been too bad.
"I hope you're ready to return to our lessons." All Might crowed, his scent proving he himself was eager to begin (that's adorable) "Today is Hero Basic Training. Feels like I haven't seen you in a while. Welcome back."
Warm fuzzies swelled in Hitomi's chest. He was truly happy to see them.
"Now then, listen carefully for what's in store. We're going to be conducting a little race. Take everything you've learned from your internships and apply it to this rescue training."
Yeah, that wasn't much. But thankfully you didn't need strategy to win a race. Just speed.
Hitomi smirked.
Iida's hand shot up. "If it's rescue training, shouldn't we be at the USJ instead?"
"Ah, that facility specializes in disasters. As I said earlier, this is a race. So prepare!" All Might's ever-present smile turned sharper. "You're about to step into Field Gamma! Inside, is an area full of factories that form an intricate labyrinth, so good luck finding your way around."
It just kept getting better. Hitomi glanced to her right, locking eyes with Momo. She discreetly rubbed her nose, then gave a wink.
Momo rolled her eyes goodnaturedly.
"You'll be competing in groups of five. Each person starts from a different location on the outskirts of the model city. I'll send a distress signal, and you do what you must to rescue me. Whoever finds me first wins! But try to keep the property damage to a bare minimum, please." All Might blatantly aimed a finger at one specific student.
"Why're you pointing at me?" Bakugou growled, glaring to the side.
The teams— or rather, groups of opponents, were split up randomly. Group A was Midoriya, Mina, Sero, Ojirou, and Iida. Group B was Hitomi, Aoyama, Koda, Kaminari, and Mineta. Group C was Momo, Bakugou, Sato, Jirou, and Ochako. And Group D was Todoroki, Tsuyu, Tokoyami, Kirishima, and Shoji.
"Alright, first group, get to your places!"
"Iida hasn't completely recovered yet, right? He should sit this out." Kaminari spoke up worriedly.
"Man, everyone in this group has really good mobility." Kirishima pointed out.
Momo sat on the ground next to Jirou. "Huh, I'd say Midoriya is at a heavy disadvantage against those four."
"That's what I think. Moving around quickly isn't really one of his strong suits, that's for sure." Jirou tacked on.
"He could, like, give a huge punch and propel himself through the air? Sure, it'd break his arm, but he'd win." Hitomi suggested, watching the large screen in front of them, seeing Midoriya stretching with a confident smile.
A really confident smile. Did he have a plan?
Oh, right, it was Midoriya. Of course he had a plan. That reminded her, though, she still wanted to see her page in his Hero notebook.
Jirou stuck her tongue out, clearly ill at the thought of Midoriya shattering his bones again.
"Who's your pick? I'm bettin' on Sero." Kirishima grinned over at Kaminari.
"Oh yeah?" Kaminari hummed thoughtfully. "I got odds on Ojirou."
"I choose Ashido! 'Cause she's got a super athletic butt!" Mineta predictably said.
"I know Deku will be last." Bakugou said flatly.
"Even if he's still recovering, I think Iida's got this one." Ochako murmured, and Tsuyu nodded beside her.
"Is everyone ready? Begin!"
A horn blared once, and the group wasted no time hurrying to follow it. Sero used his tape to swing from pipe to pipe, resembling an old American Hero who's powers mimicked that of an arachnid's. Mina slid fearlessly around, her acid acting as a slick slide for her feet to glide easily across. Ojirou's muscular tail slammed into the ground, pushing his body up and forwards. Iida stayed on the ground, running by the screen in a blur.
Sero quickly took 1st place, traversing the area like it was a breeze.
"Look at him go! In a maze like this, it makes sense to be above everything else!" Kirishima was obviously excited that his pick was the one winning.
"So that means Sero's at an advantage because he can take to the sky." Shoji spoke through his hand.
Hitomi eagerly bumped herself against Bakugou's side. "Hey, I guess you've got your race in the bag—"
Green sparks filled the screen.
"Whoa, Midoriya!" Both Kirishima and Mineta gawked.
The green haired boy almost seemed to glow, bright sparks crackling around him as he leapt over the pipes and buildings, speeding through and leaving Sero in the dust.
"Since when can he do that?!"
Hitomi's lips parted, staring at the movements that were strongly familiar.
Ochako marveled at her friend. "Crazy. Those jumps… he looks just like—"
Bakugou shook, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek. He glared at the monitor, so furious that Hitomi was afraid he may chip a tooth from clenching his jaw so hard.
She watched him with concern, smelling the shame and the disappointment for himself underneath all the rage trying to mask it.
Of course. If she wasn't satisfied with what she learned during their internships, then there was no way Bakugou would be either.
Absentmindedly, she started to reach a hand out, coming so close to landing on his bicep in some show of comfort. But… Hitomi looked down dejectedly, letting it drop to her side. Bakugou wasn't the type to take someone's attempts at reassurance for what it was, and she figured that after getting him in trouble with Best Jeanist, there was definitely no way he would accept it.
On the screen, Midoriya's rush to All Might was cut short, his shoe slipping off of a pipe. In his panic, he couldn't catch himself in time, and fell to the ground with a painful sounding thump.
Sero passed right by him, using his mistake to beat him and make it to their teacher first. Cold blooded.
…
"I felt kinda bad…" Hitomi admitted, slipping off her sash. The words "thanks for saving me" were scrawled across, and there was something funny about All Might presenting it to her as if she actually saved him.
Her, save All Might? Hah.
"Why?" Jirou was still rubbing her ears. Bakugou set off explosions during their race when she was trying to listen and figure out what exactly All Might's position was.
Hitomi pouted, pausing with her thumbs hooked in her waistband. "Did you see Koda's face?! Poor thing tripped and fell while chasing after us, he got a split lip!"
"But Recovery Girl already healed him." Ochako pointed out, buttoning up her under-shirt.
"I'm sure it still hurt, though!" Hitomi went to continue, but fell silent, her ears flicking around.
The rest of the girls stopped, recognizing the movement as her listening intently to something.
Her eyes narrowed, her ears aiming at the wall to the left. She wordlessly pointed at it, and they all quietly crept over.
"...'Cause you can't stop me!" Mineta's nasally voice was audible from the other side.
Jirou— the only other one who had hearing strong enough, listened in by putting one of her jacks in the wall.
"I wanna see Yaoyorozu's curves, Ashido's slender waist—"
"It's Mineta." Jirou snarled, scanning around to find whatever opening the boy made or came across.
"—Uraraka's super-fine body, Asui's unexpectedly nice boobs—"
"Found it." Mina scowled, tearing down and crumpling up a poster, revealing a small quarter-sized hole in the wall.
Jirou leaned down, carefully extending a jack, and shooting it through.
"—Saito's dangerously chubby thighs—"
Hitomi hugged her middle, face burning with humiliation. Mercifully, Jirou must have hit home, as Mineta was cut off by a pained shriek.
Faintly, almost overridden by Mineta's screaming, Hitomi thought she could hear cracks and pops. But when the screams were suddenly muffled (likely by tape) there was only silence.
She must've imagined it.
…
Katsuki clenched his fists, stifling the explosions trying to set off.
It was just because he was pissed about shitty Deku, and his waste of an internship. That's it.
Tape-arms wrapped up most of Grape-head's face, silencing his annoying as hell voice.
The sparks died, and a fraction of the tension in his shoulders eased.
He slammed his locker door shut.
Ridiculous.