Bakugo stands with his hands pushed far into his pants pockets, looking down a path and watching the patrons shift. The sun has set, and even though the sky is still bright along the horizon, tiki torches have been lit inside the iron fence. Kirishima, Midoriya, Todoroki, Ochaco, and Mina are watching a man who claims to have unpierceable skin. He lets people take turns trying to puncture him with needles and knives. Nothing draws blood. The man's body wiggles like impenetrable jello.
His classmates seem completely entranced by this place, but Bakugo doesn't get the hype. There isn't a single person in the whole circus who could kill a villain with their quirk, so what's the point? He is less than unimpressed.
The impenetrable jello-man bows and theatrically accepts the applause, then disappears between tents. The group moves its way down the path, stopping for candy and cider along the way. A man emerges from a tent nearby while they finish their treats. He begins shouting into the crowd, arms outstretched in cringey, over-theatrical movements.
"Come one, come all! Gather in this tent, a portal to another world, and prepare to be amazed! Direct your eyes to the center ring, for we have a treat that will send shivers down your spine and leave you on the edge of your seat. Tonight, we present the one, the only, the magnificent Dare Devil Dove! Watch in awe as she defies gravity with her death-defying acrobatic routine, soaring through the air with the grace of a swan and the courage of a lion. Hold your breath as she twists, turns, and tumbles, pushing the limits of human possibility. Prepare to be dazzled, prepare to be thrilled, as the Dare Devil Dove takes flight! Let the show begin!"
"Come on, guys! Let's go see!" Kirishima followed the flood of patrons towards the opening to the tent.
As the crowd settled into their seats, anticipation buzzed through the air. The spotlight beamed down on the center ring, casting a brilliant glow that illuminated the entire circus tent. All eyes were drawn to the slender figure standing poised and confident in the middle of the ring—a young girl with fiery red hair cascading in waves down her back. Her sparkly outfit glittered under the lights, every sequin catching and reflecting the brightness like a thousand tiny stars.
"It's the gypsy from before!" Whisper-yelled Mina from her side of the bench. Although her costume was different, there was no denying it. But seeing her from the grandstand seats was different. She looked like a doll, small and delicate and beaming. You couldn't catch flashes in her eyes from up here.
The ringmaster's booming voice introduced her, and she responded with a graceful bow, her movements fluid and practiced. She was the Dare Devil Dove, and now they would see just how fitting the name really is. The audience held their collective breath as she ascended the platform, her every step light and deliberate.
The music began, and without a moment's hesitation, she launched into the air, her body twisting and spinning in a breathtaking display of acrobatic prowess. She seemed to hang in the air for an impossible moment, suspended in a perfect arc, before spiraling downwards with the precision of an arrow. Gasps and murmurs of amazement rippled through the crowd as she executed a flawless triple somersault, landing with the grace of a cat.
Her routine was a symphony of movement, each stunt more daring than the last. She swung from trapeze to trapeze with effortless ease, her red hair streaming behind her like a comet's tail. The audience could hardly keep up with her, their eyes darting from one dazzling feat to the next.
With each leap and flip, it became clear that this young girl was more than just a performer; she was a master of her craft. Her talent was undeniable. She made the impossible look easy, her confidence shining as brightly as the sequins on her costume. And when she took her final bow, the tent erupted in thunderous applause.
The crowd pours toward the exit, chattering excitedly about The Dare Devil Dove as they filter back into the night. Even Bakugo realized his own thoughts of praise for her, and quickly tried to shake them off. But someone behind him says, "I heard that she doesn't use her quirk for her shows! She can just… do that with her body!"
The comment is followed by oohs and ahhs. Bakugo wondered what kind of quirk a girl like her would have. With a glance at Midoriya he wondered if she even had one.
But I guess… he found himself thinking, does she need one to be amazing? Clearly not…
Bakugo turns at the sound of bells, and there she is. The Dove is grinning, arm-in-arm with some older men who are red-nosed with liquor. Her eyes rest on Bakugo, and her smile falters. For a moment she looks away, embarrassed, but then she apologizes to the men and tries to leave them. Bakugo can't make out any of their conversation over the music and chatter around him, but it seems like the men are whining for her to stay. One of the men gets agitated and lunges at her, but the girl twirls and steps away so effortlessly that he stumbles and falls flat on the pathway. Bakugo loses sight of the girl for a moment.
"Hi, again," she's beside him. Up close, he can see she has mix-matched eyes. One green and one blue. Her hair is pulled up into a ponytail, and a new pair of gloves are covering her hands and elbows, matching this new white and red sequin costume.
"Whoa, you are totally amazing!" Kirishima gushed once the others noticed the Dove amongst their group. Bakugo eyed her face, trying to look beyond the playful, mischievous glint in her eyes. Why had she looked so… serious before? He tried to ignore the alarm bells ringing. Maybe getting caught by the League had….
No. He was strong. He was too strong to admit that.
A more friendly, genuine smile graces the Dove's lips. "You can call me Mia."
"I'm Ejiro Kirishima, and this is Katsuki Bakugo, and Ochaco, and Mina, and Midoriya. We're from-"
"UA, yeah I know." Mia says.
"You're the Dare Devil Dove, you were so cool!" Ochaco and Mina fuss, "Is it true you don't use a quirk?"
Mia blushes a bit, "I'm a lot of things for the Circus. My quirk doesn't help with the acrobatics, but I am the fortune teller. My quirk helps with that."
Kirishima gasps, "IS THAT HOW YOU KNEW WE WERE FROM UA?"
"You're such an idiot," Bakugo grumbles, "We said it earlier."
"Oh, yeah..."
Mia laughs. Her voice is high and clear and sweet like the ringing of her bells. She glances around them, then leans in and whispers, "How would you like to see something special? Something most people don't get to experience?"
The teenagers exchange curious glances, their interest piqued.
"What kind of something?" Bakugo asked, a hint of skepticism in his voice.
"Follow me, and you'll find out," Mia replied, eyeing him up and down.
Intrigued, the group followed her to the small, unassuming tent. Mia held the flap open, gesturing for them to enter. Inside, the atmosphere was cozy and mysterious, lit by soft lanterns that cast a warm, inviting glow. At the far end of the tent, a large, brightly colored slide beckoned, its polished surface glinting in the lantern light. The slide descended into shadows, nothing visible from the top. Just a dark tunnel that looked like it went on forever. The UA group glanced nervously at one another.
"Go ahead," Mia encouraged, her smile widening. "The real fun starts at the bottom."
The teenagers hesitated for only a moment before one by one, they climbed the ladder and slid down, laughter and shouts of delight echoing through the tent. As they reached the bottom, they found themselves in a dimly lit chamber, the walls adorned with murals of fantastical creatures and landscapes. Mia was the last to slide down, landing gracefully and leading them to a heavy curtain at the far end of the chamber.
With a dramatic flourish, she pulled the curtain aside to reveal a hidden obstacle course, sprawling and intricate. The course was a marvel of design, filled with ropes to swing on, nets to climb, tunnels to crawl through, and platforms to leap across. Twinkling fairy lights wound around the structures, casting a magical glow over the entire scene. There were a few other performers and carnies down there, all looking back at them in surprise.
"Not like you to bring visitors," a thick, burly man covered in scars said to her, "'Specially heroes."
"I think these ones are a special case," Mia said, "They're the ones from UA we heard about."
"You heard about… us?" Midoriya asked bashfully.
"Well, yeah. There was news everywhere about the fall of All Might."
That sentence felt like a dagger in Bakugo's stomach.
It's all my fault….
"Welcome to the secret course," Mia announced, her voice like the circus announcer. "Here, you'll test your skills and have more fun than you can imagine. Are you ready?"
The teenagers' eyes widened. They nodded eagerly, barely able to contain their enthusiasm, their initial hesitation quickly giving way to exhilaration.
They navigated the course together, their laughter and shouts of joy filling the air. Bakugo syed behind, toiling with the comment about All Might. Mia moved through the obstacles with effortless ease, guiding and encouraging the group at every turn. She watched with pride as they grew bolder and more confident, tackling each challenge with determination and delight.
By the time they reached the end of the course, the teenagers were breathless and beaming, their faces flushed with excitement. Mia gathered them together, her own smile wide and genuine.
"Remember," she said, her voice soft but firm, "the circus is full of hidden wonders, just like this. Sometimes, you just have to take a leap and trust that the magic will catch you."
"Speaking of magic," Mina links arms with Mia like they've been long friends, "You said you are the fortune teller, can you tell me my future?"
Mia twirls and dances past them, and puts a gloved hand out, "Follow me."
"Come on, man!" Kirishima urges when Bakugo hesitates.
"How old are you, Mia?" Kirishima starts the small talk, "You don't look like you could be any older than us."
"My sixteenth birthday is next week, actually," she says. Bakugo notices a little sadness in her voice. "So, I'm probably not far off from you all."
"You don't go to school?"
"Nah, but everyone sort of helps tutor the younger ones. I can even speak English and Russian, too." She flips her hair proudly as she says this.
Finally, Bakugo is too curious to not ask, "How long have you been in this Freak Show?"
Mia glared at him and matched his snippy tone, "Ten years."
"Are your parents in the Circus, too?" Midoriya asks, obviously easing the sudden tension.
She shakes her head and holds a curtain open for a small tent that was made of deep purples and bright magentas, all trimmed with shimmering black lace. "I was in an orphanage before I joined the Circus. Come, sit down."
The UA students each take a seat in the lavish floor cushions before a circular wooden table. There's no crystal ball, no tarot cards, only a golden chandelier hanging inches above their heads. Mia walks to the other side and sits on a velvet stool. She props her elbows on the table and holds her chin.
"So?" She looks back and forth between them, "Everyone put your hands over the table, palms up."
They all oblige. Except Bakugo. She ungloves one hand and runs a single finger lightly over their wrists.
"You first," She says, smirking at Bakugo. He sneers.
"I don't even believe in any of this shit. Don't waste your time on me."
Mia just rolls her eyes, she uses her gloved hand to snatch his wrist. At first, she hovers her bare hand over his, looking at him with a mischievous little smile. Then she grazes her fingers across his palm so lightly it tickles. Her eyes close and they wait. She keeps her eyes shut, and tilts her head to one side, twirling her fingers in figure eight on his hand. The grin fades and her eyebrows furrow.
She lets out a little gasp, her eyes flicker open again. Her eyes are wide in alarm. "Y-You... shouldn't be here."
"What?"
"Shit," she flinches away from him, panic rising in her voice. She reaches for something and they see a small pocket watch. Mia puts a hand to her forehead, her fingers grabbing her hair, "SHIT," she repeats, more stressed.
"W-What the hell did you see!?" Bakugo demands.
"I can't tell you! I've wasted too much time… shit, shit shit…"
"It's MY future!" He barks.
She rolls her eyes again, "I can't see the future! It's all part of the act! I see your past!"
"What was in Bakugo's past that's making you freak out like this?" Midoriya questions.
Mia looks at them with desperation in her face, "I... I can't tell you. You all need to leave. Please-"
"And why the hell should we do anything you say?" A small explosion bursts in Bakugo's palm. A challenge.
BOOM!
The ground rumbles with the sound of a larger explosion somewhere within the gates of the Circus. Startled screams fill the air. Bakugo and Kirishima run out of the tent and into the pathways. Black smoke rises on the other side of the Circus. People freeze and watch it rise into a dark cloud above them.
"H-Hey..." one of the carnies passing out balloon animals says, "Is that coming from the menagerie?"
Bakugo charges back into the tent. Mia is halfway under the table, throwing a backpack over her shoulder.
"What the hell did you do?" Bakugo growls.