OmniBIBUltraInstinctGodzilla: Ahahahaha! The ending scene again.
The comedy gold with this chapter is epic.
Re: It wasn't the plan to have the previous chapter end on a comedic note, given the seriousness that came before, but with how I'm cultivating the "Izuko" pairing (or whatever the Fandom calls it), it seemed all too fitting for Izuku to think of her as his life flashed before his eyes. As such, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity~
And I got to sneak in another stealthy Red vs Blue reference~
Loamy Coffee: Yeah, I really need to rewatch that show. I love that they can have fun conversations about trips.
[Message has been truncated due to length.]
Re: Yeah, I'm fond of RvB, at least before things got too weird…
As for the mall scene, I've learned by example not to endlessly repeat content that hasn't changed any. I do a lot of that in my Chronicle of Zhu story; helped streamline it a bit. My biggest pet peeve is authors repeating scenes VERBATIM with nothing changing.
I mean… Izuku is pretty far up All Might's ass. His Canon self I find a little boring, because there's no nuance to him, contrary to what people say on the internet. Teen Gohan, Shirou Emiya, now THERE is some Nuance, which I try to write into all my OCs. It's also why I love My Hero Academia stories where possible nuance for Izuku gets explored; especially when he isn't a Doormat/Bully Worshipper. Yeah, we get it, "Kacchan" is incredibly skilled and ambitious, but he's also nine-tenths of a complete asshole who would only ever bring out the worst in those around him.
Okaze: HAHAHAHA! Genki giving some damn good advice and then throwing Izuku under the bus. I love it!
Harleking31: Ay Genki you swine
How dare you betray a friend like this
Shame on thee
Re: To be fair, the alternative is Genki letting Izuku turn into a "lonely bachelor" like All Might.
Hell, Captain Celebrity is a case study on how to be a better Hero than All Might. Sure, the guy had a messy divorce after many equally-messy scandals (both literallly and figuratively), but he repented in the end, reconciling with his wife and newborn child because Koichi and pals helped him become a better Hero, and a better man. Taht was just part of the polarizing difference between them.
*MHA*
"Your parents chartered an entire plane?!" Ochako gawped as they walked into a hangar at the airport closest to Yuuei, mind going numb as she imagined how-many zeroes this would've taken to do so.
"Our parents split it down the middle," Momo shrugged like it wasn't a big deal.
"ANM48 has a gig coming up on I-Island, and not everyone in 1-A got invites to the I-Expo, so our parents came up with the idea to outsource some of the labor in exchange for a ride," Genki shrugged as 1-A and many in 1-B chattered around the large plane that had been chartered, the Ares Idol Agency staff treating the whole affair as just another business trip with fresh meat. "Of course, it helps that Yuuei and I-Island are both providing subsidies to help with fare, room, and board."
"Oh good, 'cause there's no way half of us could've afforded to come if that weren't the case," Sero sighed as he shouldered his luggage.
"It must be nice being rich…" Mina hummed as everyone ascended the stairs into the plane by section.
"Why? It's my parents' money, not mine."
"Not exactly the point…" the pinkette deadpanned.
"Ano… Genki-kun…" Ochako said tugging on his sleeve. "Have you seen Izuku anywhere?"
"He uh… He already made arrangements," Genki answered with a pained expression.
It hurt to lie to this adorable cinnamon roll, it really did… but there was no way All Might could go to I-Island disguised as his own "secondary clerical office clerk" and then puff up like a blowfish upon arrival via the sum chartered flight ANM48 and and Yuuei's Hero Course were taking.
I-Island's immigration had security on par with Japan's Tartarus, China's Naraka, Russia's Siberian Outpost Zero, America's Hurtlocker, Canada's Vault, the European Union's Atlantic Abyss, and Africa's Mawall rolled up into one. The moment he made the switch, I-Island's security council would plug the breach and, in the process, discover Yagi Toshinori's/All Might's secret identity as All Might/Yagi Toshinori.
They'd contemplated a game of "Find the Lady" as the date of departure approached, but almost-immediately realized it was a lost cause even before Izuku went into a muttering fit for ten minutes.
"Oh… I see…" Ochako returned, downtrodden like her puppy'd been kicked.
"Ochako…" Genki said reaching over and giving her his best 'awkward sibling hug'. "Don't worry about it. If anything, this just means Izuku will be the one waiting for you."
"You really think so?"
"I know so."
"Awwww… You're the best not-brother a girl could ask for!" she said returning the hug, his feet leaving the ground. "Ah! Whoops! My bad!" she said pulling him down and pressing her pads together.
"Just don't use your Quirk on the plane by accident, and you'll be fine," Genki said handing over a pair of two-fingered artist's gloves. "Honestly, I'm surprised you don't have a pair of your own."
"I mean… good-quality gloves get expensive…" she said bashfully, tapping her fingers together.
"You keep making that face, and Izuku's going to spoil you rotten~" Genki cooed as he pinched Ochako's cheek, her blush deepening as she tried to slap his hand away. "Hey, Hitoshi, how's it going?!" he said disengaging as he spotted a head of messy lilac-colored hair in the crowd. "I was afraid you wouldn't make it!"
"Yeah, well, you didn't give me a lot of choice now did you?" the indigo-haired teen hummed.
"You can only blame yourself for being the only decent human being in the General Course~"
"You make it sound like not being racist to Heteromorphs is somehow amazing."
"It really is~" Genki grinned, waving his First Class ticket for emphasis.
"So, stupid question from the guy not dating anyone, but, why didn't you have her with you as your Plus-One?" he asked turning his attention toward a familiar frog-like girl, who at the moment was boarding into the rear-most section of the plane.
"It'd… It would have been weird…" he said after a moment. "Using gifts as leverage in a relationship isn't healthy, and we've only been on a couple double-dates."
"Wow, not even a little 1-on-1 action? Yikes."
"Says the guy with no girlfriend at all."
"Girls aren't exactly enthused to date the guy with mind control powers."
"My superpower is being the thing that makes schoolgirls scream like, well, girls."
"Fair."
*MHA*
"Yaomomoooo…!" Tsuyu croaked deep in her throat as she leered up into first class from all the way back in economy.
"Wow, you've got some stiff competition, Tsu-chan," Habuko hummed from her own seat.
Even though Class 1-A was replacing ANM48's non-essential staff, there was still a pretty clear divide in accommodations. Apart from Momo and Genki whose parents had made the arrangements, and Shinso Hitoshi who was Genki's "Plus One", ANM48's most-popular members were placed in First Class, the idol agency's non-replaceable staff packed into Business, the remaining idols were set in Premium Economy, and far back in normal Economy was Class 1-A and the students of 1-B who had also received invites to the I-Expo.
"How'd that Ojou-sama-type get interested in him anyway?" Habuko wondered. "Not to typecast, but girls like her don't usually go for Mutants."
"He was empathetic toward her self-confidence issues…" Tsuyu sighed. "Gave her a bit of a kick in the pants so she could beat Aizawa-sensei in the finals."
"That sounds like the plotline of a Shoujou manga…"
"It really does…" Tsuyu nodded. Hero Academies, both real and fictitious, were the new staple of the slice-of-life/romantic comedy genre. "Hey, how come Todoroki didn't make you his Plus-One? You seemed to really like one another, last I checked."
"Shoto-kun is… well, he's a little hopeless when it comes to 'girls'," the Snake Heteromorph replied. "It isn't all bad. I get to gossip with my best friend the whole way there~"
"Thank Kami for small miracles, huh, Habuko-chan?"
"Mmhm," she nodded. "Still, if only there was someone willing to trade seats with you… Then you could get closer to Genki."
"Excuse me," Shoto said coming into the back. "Does anyone want to swap with me? All those idol girls fawning over me is making me uncomfortable."
Right as an uproar exploded across 1-A for who would get Shoto's seat, Tsuyu's tongue shot across the cabin and snagged the ticket from his hand.
"Here. Sit next to Habuko-chan, *kero*" Tsuyu said bulling past, leaving a stunned 1-A in her wake.
*MHA*
"I should've thought this through a bit more…" Tsuyu muttered, realizing that even though she'd traded seats with Shoto, there wasn't any guarantee she'd be seated next to Genki.
That honor belonged to Shinso Hitoshi and Yaoyorozu Momo. Shinso was reclined in his seat and napping to compensate for the jetlag to come, while Genki and Momo were chatting it up like childhood friends. Genki didn't look like it, but he did "come from money", just like Momo, so they actually had a few things in common. And Genki was too-considerate to just rebuff Momo's company; not after her family had helped get everyone to I-Island.
"So, you got a thing for Gen-chan?" Tsuyu's seat neighbor, a pretty frog-like girl with eye-shaped hair ornaments, greeted.
"I'm… I'm not entirely sure…" Tsuyu answered. "I mean, I kinda found out he liked me by accident when Kyoka-chan eavesdropped on the boy's locker room, and…" she trailed off awkwardly.
"Well, you'd better act fast, because it looks like that Ojou-sama-type's drawing him in," she said pointing toward Momo as she and Genki laughed over some anecdote. "Hell, even I'm starting to fall for tall, bubbly, and curvy."
"You wouldn't be the first…" Tsuyu sighed.
*MHA*
Elsewhile, closer to I-Island…
"All Might… Hey, All Might! Are you asleep?" Izuku called out, Toshinori snapping out of his remembered dream.
"Something the matter, young Midoriya?"
"Look, we can see it! Right there!" Izuku said pressing his face to the window, Toshinori leaning over to see the floating mega-structure in the distance. "The floating city that can move anywhere, home to over ten-thousand scientists; I-Island! I can't believe this is where I get to start summer vacation, it's so amazing!"
"I didn't realize you'd be this excited. I'm glad I invited you."
"Yeah… You're sure it's okay I came along with you? It's not going to be a problem?"
"Don't even think twice about it. The invitation was clear, and I'm welcome to bring whoever I want as my guest."
"But doesn't that usually mean a family member or-"
"I think that you're forgetting the two of us share something much thicker than blood, young Midoriya; we share the bond of [One for All]," Toshinori interrupted.
" . . . Right!" Izuku nodded, the PA pinging overhead.
"Attention, passengers. The plane will soon begin its descent to I-Island."
"Ugh, this is going to be monumentally exhausting…" Toshinori groaned as the pilot prattled on, the man stepping into the aisle and casting his street clothes aside as he swelled up to accommodate. "Once we've landed and go out in public, I must maintain my Muscle Form constantly."
"Yeah… Genki said that might be a problem…" Izuku muttered to himself. "You're sure you can handle it? Won't it hurt your time limit?"
"Not as long as I'm just 'sucking in my gut'," All Might answered. "The best part about I-Island is there's almost no crime at all, so it shouldn't be a problem to puff myself up until I'm in the rare blind spot with David."
*MHA*
"-aaand if you look to your right, you can see I-Island on approach," the pilot announced that same afternoon as the chartered flight of ANM48 and Yuuei students made its final approach, the right side of the plane erupting into amazed gasps as they approached the mega-structure.
Construction had begun on the American east coast once the initial chaos of Paranormality settled down, a hyper-fortified safe haven for scientists, geneticists, biologists, and even cryptozoologists to study Quirk-holders back when they were known as NEXT; "Noted Entities with eXtraordinary Talents". Capable of housing around ten-thousand scientists and supporting staff, once material sciences experienced significant forward-leaps due to new Quirk-created meta-materials and the study thereof, the walled city that would come to be known as I-Island was set adrift, travelling international waters for the following century so no one country could claim dominion. As a consequence of the work being done there, however, the residents were hardly allowed to leave due to the secrets they carried, so over the intervening decades, I-Island blossomed from merely a sterile research institution to a fully-functional city, people born and even dying on its artificial shores generation after generation, to the point that being from I-Island was widely considered its own nationality.
The floating mega-structure itself was so-vast that it possessed three radial airports, the chartered flight carrying ANM48 and its entourage of Yuuei tagalongs to I-Airport Alpha, the primary stopping point for tourists. I-Airport Beta was reserved for VIPs, scientists, politicians, and so-on, while I-Airport Gamma was reserved for the bringing-in of material goods. The limited number of marine ports in the mega-structure's underbelly were reserved solely for the most-unwieldy of product that couldn't practically be transferred from the mainland via air.
"We're almost there! Isn't it exciting?!" Momo asked eagerly, eyes large and glittering as she pulled Genki across her body and to the window, the Mutant teen flushing as she held him against her exquisite bosom.
*MHA*
"Ugh… That security check took ages…!" Mina groaned loudly as they all finally left the airport, ANM48 and its supporting crew going one way while the Yuuei tagalongs were given a brief respite before they were put to work.
"I mean, it is I-Island…" Kaminari hummed, adjusting his Hero Suit as he stepped out into the sunlight. "But man, this really is a floating city, isn't it?" he asked as everyone eyed the expanse of buildings, growing taller and more elaborate the farther into each quadrant you went, with roads filled with energy-efficient cars.
"The pictures don't do it justice," Hanta said as he vaulted up onto a lamp post with his [Tape], amazed that the stories of Free Quirk Usage told about I-Island were fact instead of hopeful rumor.
"So, where should we all go first?" Ochako asked eagerly.
"Let's drop our luggage off at the hotel. After that… I guess don't conduct breach of contract," Genki shrugged as he slanted his luggage. "I trust you all have your schedules?"
"Yes…!" everyone who hadn't been invited to I-Island directly sighed.
"Alright! Let's get to the shuttles then!"
*MHA*
"For the kid of rich parents, they sure did stick you in an ordinary room," Shinso hummed as he and Genki settled into their two-person, economy accommodations at the hotel ANM48 was using for the duration of their stay.
"I mean… The point of going to I-Island is to actually go to I-Island. This room is only meant to be where we sleep and put our stuff; it's not like we're vacationing here-here," Genki shrugged as he looked out at the city. The view was far from phenomenal, the only real landmark of note being the interior entrance of the I-Airport: Alpha terminal; if you wanted a view of the interior to I-Island, that cost extra, logically.
"Hmmm…" Shinso shrugged, running his fingers though his hair. "I guess you're right. I'm gonna grab something to eat. You wanna come with?"
*Knock*Knock*Knock*
"Genki-kun! It's me, Momo!"
"I'll take that as a 'no'," Shinso shrugged as Genki opened the door, revealing Momo, Kyoka, and Ochako all in their Hero Costumes.
"Genki, you wanna go to the Pavilion with us?" Ochako asked eagerly.
"If you're looking for Tsuyu, she isn't here," Kyoka hummed as Genki looked around.
"I see you're all dressed up," Genki nodded.
"Well, we can use our Quirks as long as we want here~" Ochako grinned, happy Aizawa wasn't around to be a downer about the whole thing.
"As long as we use them 'responsibly'," Kyoka cut in. "That orientation video was pretty up-your-ass about it."
"Well, some of the architecture looks really expensive, so I can understand the sentiment," Genki hummed. "Shinso, you wanna come with?"
"I think I'll take a walk. You can check in on me later," Shinso said as he sidled his way out, a sun hat on his head.
"Guess it's just the four of us," Genki shrugged. "Give me a minute to get changed."
*MHA*
"Sorry I had to derail us like this," Genki apologized as they headed in a direction away from the Pavilion where bleeding-edge Support Items both in and out of beta were being displayed.
"Hey, hey, don't apologize when it comes to your health!" Ochako said as they rode a monorail into I-Island's central district, towards the largest R&D and ICU facility on the entire megastructure.
"It's your folks' yen we're here on, so a detour's the least we owe you," Kyoka hummed as she idly used her Quirk to listen about. Something that would've warranted a Wire Tapping and Misdemeanor charge back home.
"Besides, the Caduceus Institute is one of the foremost medical researchers in the world, helping remedy countless Quirk-borne maladies. It's a little niche, but I too was curious what they had to offer," Momo nodded enthusiastically. "They're the people that invented Suppress, right?"
"And manufacture," Genki hummed. "Every Quirk is different, so each dosage has to be tailor-made to the recipient. There is the general-purpose stuff sent to prisons to reign Villains in, but for those not behind bars, you have to be more-frugal when it comes to acceptable side-effects."
"I still can't believe that Trigger you got roofied with as a kid is still giving you trouble…" Ochako pouted, her heart going out to him.
"Well, hopefully my doctor has something a little more long-term," Genki hummed as he looked down at his phone, the message he'd received from his personal physician during his brief stint on I-Island on display, and then to his forearm which was sporting dark-colored bandages so it wouldn't interfere with the lines of his suit.
*MHA*
Genki's physician from his time on I-Island once he had been capable of being moved, went by the name of Anthony Cutter. He had numerous PhDs both from within and without I-Island, but what stood out most to Genki's three tagalongs was that the guy basically looked like a reindeer standing on his hindquarters, with a completely ordinary-looking human face atop his long deer-like neck. Other than short pants, a lab coat, and his corrective lensing, he wasn't wearing any other articles of clothing.
"Genki, it's so good to see you in such health," the man-deer greeted.
"How does he hold things with no thumbs?"
"Shh!" Kyoka hissed at Ochako's whispered comment.
"Oh, if only…" Genki said rubbing at his bicep.
"Yes, well, at the time Suppress was the best we could hope for."
"At the time?" Momo blinked.
"A great deal had happened since the fall of the Villain Factory in Naruhata. After the recent carcasses that were sent our way from Hosu, we've been able to prove and disprove numerous theories we've had since the bodies sent our way after the Tokyo Sky Egg Incident. Unfortunately, we've also been left with more questions. OH! But don't worry about your situation, we've definitely made progress since your initial… exposure," the good doctor replied after his tangent. "You're here for the whole of I-Expo, correct?"
"We are," Genki nodded.
"Well then, let me give you an updated dosage of Suppress, and I should have a more-permanent solution ready for you before you leave," he said going to a locked cabinet, taking out another tri-tipped syringe before going to another workstation. "I will of course need to take some blood samples. Maybe a little spinal fluid. And my stores of tissue sample could use a little freshening up too."
"ICK!" Ochako cried.
"Don't worry, I'll be sure to use a localized anesthetic."
"That isn't what she's distressed about," Momo flinched.
"Well, they never said mad science was going to be pretty," Kyoka shrugged.
"I'll have you know I take exception to that remark," the doctor chided, resting the ends of his cloven appendages on his hips.
"You girls… you might wanna step outside for this next part," Genki said as he undid his belt. " . . . Need I say why?" he asked when they made no rush to get up.
" . . . OH! Oh, okay, sure!" Ochako said after a moment.
"Do you need someone here to hold your hand?" Momo inquired stepping toward him.
"Okay, I think we need to hop by the vending machine."
"Why-"
"Because you are damn thirsty."
"I'll have you know my state of thirst is wholly ordinary," Momo said even as Kyoka led her out of the room by the arm.
"Now then, if you'll just lay down on that bench over there…" Dr. Cutter said as he assembled his tools.
"Ugh, the things I go through to advance medicine…" Genki grumbled as he set his belt to the side.
*MHA*
"Soooo… uh… you feeling okay there?" Kyoka asked awkwardly as they took a cab back to the Pavilion, she sitting in shotgun while Genki laid on his side across Ochako and Momo's laps, his head resting on the latter's thighs.
"Do I look okay to you?" he asked, ashen-faced.
"No, but it felt polite to ask," the punk rock girl hummed.
"There, there. Everything's going to be okay," Momo said soothingly as she brushed at his hair, mindful of the padded bandage on the back of his neck.
"So then he just… stuck the needle in there, huh?" Ochako asked awkwardly.
"Eeyup," Genki grumbled unenthusiastically.
"And where'd he get his, uh, tissue samples from?" Momo inquired.
"A rather tender area. Don't ask."
"Consider it dropped," Momo conceded. "Would you like an ice cream on the way back?"
"As long as I don't have to sit down…"
*MHA*
The "I-IPS" that the cab driver had on-hand was really quite amazing, because the moment they expressed a genuine interest in getting some ice-cream, they were swiftly and efficiently diverted from their original course to the nearest ice cream vendor in relation to their initial destination. What made it truly amazing was it wasn't even a store, but a gourmet ice cream truck that made the rounds, and had parked a bit away from the Pavilion itself. Apparently it was all interconnected to maximize efficiency; a must-have for such an insular, albeit-advanced, community.
Amazingly-enough, all of their favorite niche ice creams were available, so everyone left happy.
"Feeling better?" Momo asked eagerly.
"Mmhmm," Genki nodded as he finished off his Cookies & Cold Brew flavor. "Sorry my detour took so long."
"Hey, you're the one who had a cut-and-snip on his undercarriage; not us," Kyoka hummed.
"So… any word from Izuku?" Ochako asked.
"Not recently. Either his phone is off or he's geeking out over some support item," Genki said jabbing a thumb up at the pavilion across the street. "Wanna check it out?"
"I'm game," Kyoka nodded.
"I too am curious to see what will soon be out of beta," Momo added eagerly.
*MHA*
Suffice it to say, the Support Items on display at just the one pavilion were mind-boggling. Jet-capable submersible vehicles, ultra-depth diving suits, omni-directional viewing helmets, mobile rescue headquarters that looked like they doubled as lunar landers. The common trend among them was one or more key components were patented by David Shield, the Nobel Prize winner who was also most-known for being All Might's sidekick back when he operated in the US.
"Geez, that guy's name is on everything, isn't it?" Kyoka asked as she eyed another plaque.
"Well, he is the new Edison," Genki hummed as he looked at a mobile bomb shelter. That or some kind of containment unit for someone with a Radioactive Quirk.
"Hey, is that Midoriya?" Momo blinked as they saw a familiar green-and-black costume. Standing next to the teenager wearing it was a taller blond with a mature figure, giggling beautifically, her clothing hugging her womanly frame.
"Looks like you're having fun. Izuku…" Ochako said in a strained voice, making her presence known.
"Uwa! Huh? Ochako? What're you-"
"It looks like you're having fun…"
"Y-You said that already."
"Ahem," Momo chimed in politely. "You appear to be having a good time."
"Midoriya. I heard everything," Kyoka said waggling her earlobes.
"Jiro's [Earphone Jack]. The ultimate spy tech…!" Izuku shuddered.
"Izuku, are these your friends?" the pretty blond inquired.
"You're having fun…"
Izuku, looking like he was on the verge of having a heart attack as Ochako went in for a third volley, was saved by Genki walking up to the pretty blond.
"Ah, you must be David Shield's daughter, correct? Were you able to get that consultation in for Izuku's Support Items?"
"Consultation?" Ochako blinked, coming out of her daze.
"Oh, yeah, her dad made All Might's early Support Items, as well as his costumes, so he took Izuku along to get the two of them acquainted since their Quirks are so similar. That's why he made his own way to I-Island," Genki deflected as he turned back to Melissa, winking an eye in signal.
"Ah, well, we haven't gotten to that part of the tour quite yet," Melissa replied, playing along for the time being.
She wasn't any stranger to confidentiality and/or NDAs.
"Izuku, you could've told me you needed special help. I wouldn't have thought less of you," Ochako said taking his hand, while also wedging herself between him and Melissa.
"How about we chat over some tea?" Melissa offered, hoping to clear the air.
*MHA*
"So you're here with that big Idol group that came in?" Melissa inquired as they all sat at a nearby café.
"Only those of us without our own invites," Kyoka hummed. "Ochako and I won Momo's Plus-Ones in a game of chance."
Meanwhile, as the girls made small talk about what life was like on the artificial island for Melissa, and their own goings-on back in Japan for their Hero Internships…
I: Genki, thanks for covering for me like that.
G: No problem.
G: Lying isn't exactly your strong suit. -Genki texted back.
With someone like Kyoka around, it was the only way to have any sort of privacy.
I: Really, though, thanks for that.
I: Ochako was really scary back then.
G: Well, what do you expect hanging around a tall, curvy American blond?
G: Hell, normies like her aren't my type and even I'm finding it hard not to stare.
G: And really, I'm surprised you and All Might didn't come up with a cover story on the way here.
I: Well, she doesn't know about you-know-what, so…
I: How'd you know who she was?
G: Total guess.
G: Though it helped I saw a picture of her and her dad together in a magazine in the doctor's waiting room and put 2+2 together.
G: I figured but didn't want to assume All Might was here to see David.
G: Glad that really was Melissa, otherwise you'd be pretty fucking screwed.
I: Tell me about it…
G: Make some one-on-one time for your girl, and I'm sure this'll smooth over.
I: MY
I: MYMY
I: MYMYMYMY
I: MY GIRL?!
"You should probably stay out of the sun. You're turning all kinds of red," Genki said aloud as Izuku's thumbs drum-rolled on his screen.
*Thoooom!*
"What was that noise?" Izuku blinked as he turned his attention to a small arena in the distance, styled like a natural stone fortress.
"Felt like the aftershock of an explosion…" Genki said, translating the familiar tingle across his skin. "Wanna check it out?"
*MHA*
"Robots. Why'd it have to be robots?" Genki groaned as they watched Tetsutetsu take out what looked like a bunch of light infantry-class military-grade combat platforms with a medium- thrown in for good measure. It wasn't anything flashy or dynamic, but he got the job done.
Eventually.
Maybe he could spokesperson for chrome polish?
"With a clearance time of 33 seconds, he ties for 8th place!" the course's MC announced.
"Dammit! The same?!" the [Steel] user cried as his score tied next to Kirishima's for everyone to see.
"Please welcome our next challenger!"
"K-Kacchan!" Izuku squawked as Bakugou, clad in full Hero (-in-training) regalia strode onto the field.
"The Villain Attack Course has been reset! Readyyyyyy…? GO!"
*BOOM!*
*BLAM... BLAM... BLAM... BLAM... BLAM... BLAM!*
"Look at that time! Only 15 seconds! First place!" the MC, a pretty brunette thing in white and pink, called out, Bakugou landing in a crouch and swaggering for the crowd, only for his mood to sour when he saw-
"Dammit, what're you doing here, DEKUUUUUU!" the explosive blond raged as he leapt up on to the railing.
"What's with him?" Melissa asked.
"Guy's got a big ego," Genki and Kyoka said at the same time, eliciting a melodic chuckle from Momo.
"It's a battle between fated rivals," Ochako nodded seriously.
*MHA*
Izuku's showing was second-only to Bakugou's ranking in at 16 seconds.
"Wow, Izu-kun! You were so-close to winning!" Ochako beamed happily.
"Good on ya!" Genki grinned with a pat on the back.
"WHAT?! NO WAY! I'LL GO AGAIN AND BLAST YOUR SCORE TO HELLLLLL!"
Three guesses who that was, first two didn't count.
"Geez, could you be any louder? I don't think they heard you back home," Kyoka huffed holding her ears.
Bakugou fuming irritably, was cut off by an excited squeal from the announcer as a sheet of ice swept up the faux-mountain.
"Eeeeek! This is insane! Fourteen seconds! This gentleman has jumped to the top of the pack!"
*BOOM!*
"OUT OF THE WAY, ICY-HOT BASTARD!" Bakugou raged as he flew down to the staging area.
"Bakugou."
"YOU CAN'T JUST APPEAR OUT OF NOWHERE AND SHOW ME UP!"
"Looks like Genki and the others are here too."
"DON'T IGNORE MEEEE! What're you even doing on the island anyway?"
"You might want to get those memory lapses looked at. We only took the exact same flight," Todoroki said letting out a tiny smirk.
"Um, the next person is waiting…"
"SHUT UP! I'M DOING IT AGAIN!" Bakugou raged making a complete ass of himself, only to be literally overshadowed by a muscular form with a fluttering cape.
"Young man, such conduct is most-unbecoming of an aspiring hero," the descending man said, flashing a winning smile toward the terrified announcer.
"Oh my gosh! It's Christopher Skyline aka Captain Celebrity! One of America's top Heroes!" Izuku squealed excitedly. "Autograph! I have to get an autograph!" he cried patting himself down.
"EH! WHO THE HELL'RE YOU?!" Bakugou growled.
"He's a friend of mine, and I'd prefer if you stop making Yuuei look bad."
"Haimawari-sensei," Todoroki nodded as their newest instructor came up to them.
"YOU SAY OUT OF THIS, COSPLAY BASTARD!" Bakugou raged, only for Koichi to slap a hand on his back and begin sliding off the stage, Bakugou's own feet losing their friction as well as Koichi extended his "Repulsor Field" over him.
"You must be one of Koichi's students, I take it," Captain Celebrity beamed looking down at Todoroki.
"I am. I believe he's mentioned you once or twice."
"Only good things, I hope," the all-American man beamed with his winning smile, the announcer and many in the crowd swooning. "Remember, young man, that while that was an impressive time you got there, it's important you look good as you work too," Captain Celebrity said striking a few poses that played pretty well off of his skin-tight attire. "Young miss, if you'd be so kind~"
"A-A-Ah, right! Of course!" the young woman blushed as she comported herself. "Readyyyyyy…? GO!"
"AWAY AND UPWARD!" Captain Celebrity whooped, deep from his chest, as he shot up at the farthest robot instead of the first, his [Flight] carrying him up in less than a second before he struck it with a powerful blow, the man pausing to pose post-strike before shooting toward the robot on the opposite end of the course, repeating the same act of posing dynamically at each point, ending at the heart of the course, posing with his broad muscular shoulders as the last robot exploded violently behind him.
"A-Amazing! Captain Celebrity cleared the course at 13 seconds! A new record!" the announcer awed with sparkling eyes, the crowd whipped into a frenzy behind the others.
"That's some brand recognition…" Genki hummed, equally impressed.
"Genki-kun?"
"Tsu-chan?" Genki blinked as she and Habuko came up to them, clad in their casual clothing. "What've you two been up to?"
"Just getting some 'work hours' out of the way early on," the [Frog Form] girl answered. "What about you?"
"Had to get a checkup from my doctor. After that we bumped into Izuku and a kid of All Might's friend," the Heteromorph replied while Habuko cheered over the railing, catching Todoroki's attention and getting a smile for her efforts. "After that we just followed the noise."
"I see," Tsuyu nodded as the course was re-set; essentially, large sheets of rock would fold back revealing loading bays, the ruined robots would be taken away, and fresh units would step out onto the course. "Are you going to give this course a try?"
"Ahhh… No, I don't see the point," Genki sighed dejectedly. "Bug-type versus Steel-type is a pretty bad matchup, you know…?"
At this, Tsuyu cursed herself for forgetting something so-critical. The entire reason he'd had to claw his way up during the Sports Festival was exactingly because he didn't have the raw stopping power to use against robots. That the Pokémon analogy was so accurate was almost painful to consider.
"Heh. At least the bug knows his place~" Bakugou smirked, Koichi sending him an admonishing look.
"Genki-kun!" Momo said suddenly stepping forward, a bundle in her arms. "I believe in you. So you can believe in yourself a little more too. Okay?"
"What's this?" Genki asked looking at the bundle.
"Victory," Momo answered with a confident nod, drawing confused looks from the others, she and Genki's eyes locked to one another for several long moments before he nodded his head.
" . . . Alright," he returned, accepting the bundle from her with a grateful smile on his face. "Wish me luck?"
"You don't need 'luck'," she said with a shake of her head. "A very wise Hero-in-training once told me, 'Life doesn't always go the way we want it to. There are bumps, and twists, and turns, and things can get messy from time to time, but the most important thing is to keep moving forward. As long as you give it your best, you'll do great.' Those words helped me when I needed them most, and I only hope I can pay that kindness forward."
"Ah, geez, you're embarrassing me…" Genki said hiding his face. "Alright, you cheer me on, because I'm going to give it my all."
"Hey, Tsu-chan!" Habuko hissed as she pulled her bestie to the side. "Are you just going stand there and take that? That mammal's making googly-eyes at your man!"
"He isn't 'my man'," Tsuyu cut back. "I was never meant to find out he liked me that day, and now we're in a weird place because I found out too early and its out in the open."
"Well, if you know he likes you, and you like him back, what's the holdup?" Habuko asked as Todoroki strode up to them, the snake-girl holding up a finger before turning back to her bestie.
"The 'holdup', is that I don't know if I like him for a reason other than him 'liking me'," Tsuyu huffed back. "I don't want to lead him on just because it's convenient. It wouldn't be fair. To either of us."
"Well you'd better act fast, otherwise you'll lose the war before it even started," Habuko hummed before stepping over to Todoroki. "Shoto-kun, that was so cool! I had chills!"
"Well, there was ice, so… yeah."
"Awww, you're so adorable~" she cooed hugging the half-and-half to her chest.
*MHA*
Meanwhile, down on the stage by the MC, Genki finished adjusting his belt and fresh pouches before getting down in a running stance, wings fluttering to loosen up.
"Readyyyyyy…? GO!"
Genki shooting off at the nearest robot, the parkour skills he learned at the Edgeshot Agency carrying him across the uneven terrain, after an oil-assisted baseball-style slide under his legs, he vaulted up on top of it from behind with a hand on its skidplate before he wrapped his legs around its "neck", an item from his newest tool pouch raised high.
The loud *CRACK!* of glass and electronic components breaking as something long and sharp was stabbed into it with a powerful coiling of abdominal muscles, as the first robot began flailing about, Genki zipped over to the next-nearest robot, the fluttering of wings and air-bursts from his feet granting him the verticality he needed to rapidly traverse the upward terrain.
To the confusion of those in the audience, Genki's attacks weren't actually destroying the villain-bots, only crippling their ability to target him.
That sentiment quickly changed when, one by one, a series of *BAM-CRACK!* sounds issued from each spike, the jet-black implements launched through the robots' heads, sometimes into the walls behind them or stopping short of full penetration, the robots dropping to the ground with the destruction of their most-delicate components.
The last of the machines flopping over, the timer buzzed loudly.
"Amazing! Twelve seconds, another new record!" the MC announced as Genki landed in a crouch, flipping up his visor and breathing heavily. "It just goes to show, the right Hero, with the right Support Item, can move mountains! Let's give a big cheer to 'Genkiburi' and his faithful pit crew!"
"Holy freaking super-crap!" Melissa gawped, eyes wide behind her spectacles. "What were those?"
"Tungsten composite stakes, with a C4 kicker slaved to a pressure-activated time-delay," Momo answered as though it were no big deal.
" . . . You scare me…" Kyoka hummed after a few moments.
*MHA*
"Momo."
"Genki?" the heiress nodded, her eyes going wide as the Heteromorph suddenly bowed deeply at the waist.
"Thank you so much! I hadn't known I'd needed that win so-badly until I got it! So thank you! Thank you so much!"
"P-Please, raise your head. What are friends for?" Momo said with raised hands. "Still, you did look quite dashing out there. You'll make for a great Hero someday; with the right… team, hopefully~?" she groused a little bashfully.
"Hah hah! Yeah, well, hopefully I'll be able to afford your going rate! Celebrity heroines bank top dollar, you know?" Genki chuckled, Momo giggling cutely in response.
"Damn. She's good. Real good…" Habuko muttered, tongue flicking out, practically tasting the hormones in the air.
"Daaaamniiiiit…!" Bakugou growled through grit teeth, Kirishima and Tetsutetsu frantically holding him back so he wouldn't make an ass of himself; and Yuuei by extension.
"Hey look! Crawler-sensei's up next!" Ochako pointed out.
"Come on, Koichi! Give 'em hell!" Kazuho, who at the moment was sitting next to Captain Celebrity's wife and years-old baby, shouted out.
"Tch, what's that poser going to do?" Bakugou huffed.
"You'd be surprised~" Captain Celebrity chuckled with arms crossed over a broad chest. "Remember, this is a guy who can catch airplanes. If this were One Piece, his would be a 'Junk Power' that turns into one of the most OP in the franchise."
"Fascinating, I'd never thought of it that way…" Izuku said as he began to mutter, scribbling frantically in his notebook with new observations for Captain Celebrity, Genki in tandem with Momo, and the pending observations for one of the dark horse Heroes of his age.
"Aaaaand… begin!"
*KA-PEW*KA-PEW*KA-PEW*KA-PEW*KA-PEW*KA-PEW!*
"I… I don't believe it…!" the MC gawped as Koichi lowered his braced-up arm from its firing position. "SIX SECONDS! A NEW ALL-TIME RECORD!"
"Hah! That's my bro!" Captain Celebrity whooped with a proud smile on his face. "Just makes me wanna work all the harder!"
"Holy crap…!" Kyoka gawped as she blinked unbelievingly. "Is this really our same sleepy-eyed Crawler-sensei?" she asked eyeing the dead robots up on the course. He'd done the same thing as Genki, only faster and from long-range, some of the gaping holes visible as a complete through-and-through.
"Don't get too used to it. Koichi can only really go all-out against 'non-people-shaped' targets," Kazuho hummed contemplatively. "Though I suppose you should be thankful he's one of the good guys. If he were on the other side of things…"
"It makes one wonder… How-strong would he be by now if he'd made it into a Hero Academy at our age?" Shoto mused aloud. "That he was able to slip by the likes of Endeavor, Best Jeanist, Edgeshot, and so-many others as a Vigilante… Clearly, there's a lot we can learn from him."
"Tch! The poser just got lucky!" Bakugou growled as he stormed off.
He, at the very least, knew what his limits were, and that he'd never be able to beat that single-digit time.
Not that he'd be able to bow out gracefully in front of so many of his peers.
*MHA*
While Bakugou fumed at having his top spot taken over and over again, the others who didn't have their egos hurt by being up-staged by years-long veterans of the industry, chatted up in the nosebleed section where a modicum of privacy was waiting for them.
"Chris, how have things been going on the home-front?" Koichi asked, in English.
"Oh, you know. Just making due with what we have. Agency just hasn't been the same since you went back home," the cleft-chinned Hero hummed. "By the way, did you get those baby pics I sent you?"
"Oh, I got them all right…" Koichi replied awkwardly, Pamela sending him a silent apology.
"God, I hope I'm never that hammy with a kid…" Kazuho hummed, a hand held to her stomach.
" . . . Oh my god, are you two boning?" Kyoka gawped.
"Wh-WHAT!?" Kazuho squawked.
"Geez, Mina's gonna have a field day with this…" Ochako muttered.
"Wh-Whatever Koichi and I do behind closed doors is none of your business!"
"And at school too? How scandalous~" Momo tittered, a flush on her own face as she sent discrete looks toward Genki, Tsuyu fuming off to the side.
"I don't see what the big deal is," Todoroki hummed. "They're both consenting adults with a long-standing history, after all."
"Aw, sweetie, it's cute how you're so oblivious~" Habuko hummed as she pat her arm candy atop the head.
"Mr. Skyline!" Melissa spoke up. "I was wondering how your latest costume was handling. Any OEE or ergonomic amendments you need making?"
"Not at all, Melissa. Your father did good work on my costume's latest iteration," Christopher replied. "The new liner has helped a ton with the chill, and I only really need to protect my most-important of features nowadays~" he said with a winning smile, those dental hygiene sponsorships showing. "And honestly, what was I thinking with those old shoulder pads?"
"David made your costume too, Mr. Skyline?" Izuku asked, hoping he wasn't butchering the English. Something he was quick to notice was that his shoulder pads were far more aerodynamic than during the Tokyo Sky Egg Incident. Slimmed down as well. The rest of his costume was more or less the same, maybe with additional reflective colors so he wouldn't blindside other flying Heroes.
"Of course. Shield-quality costumes are like the Ferraris of the Hero World," Christopher nodded. "If I had one of those at the Tokyo Sky Egg, things would've gone way differently."
"Wow, your old man really gets around," Kyoka hummed, far more confident in her English because she'd been singing English lyrics all of her life.
"My dad's work is always in high demand," Melissa admitted bashfully. "That's why I want to become a world-famous Supporter as quickly as I can; so I can take some of the workload off his shoulders."
"That's a good ambition to have, but take it from someone who knows; don't let your work get in the way of… interpersonal, relationships," Kazuho replied, glancing significantly at Koichi as he regaled Christopher with stories of his time at Yuuei.
"Ah, well, even though my dad's a Nobel Prize winner, I'm not exactly a hot market item," Melissa replied awkwardly.
"Why not?" Izuku blinked, only to feel a chill go up his back.
"It looks like you're having fun…"
"O-Ochako-chan, I didn't mean anything by it!"
"Is it because you're Quirkless?" Genki asked, a few of the Yuuei students clamping up. "Honestly, I never understood why that was such a bad thing. I mean, how is being Quirkless functionally 'worse' than some of the 'Junk Quirks' I've seen? And you're definitely way smarter than most people with intelligence-boosting Quirks."
"Thank you for the compliments, but I've made peace with that," Melissa waved off, Izuku looking pensive at this factoid. He'd been so-used to being surrounded by people with Quirks, as well as having one of his own now, that he hadn't really thought about the plight of the demographic he'd once occupied. "But enough about me, who here is going to the Expo Reception, tonight?"
"My brother from another mother and I are both taking our special ladies with us~" Christopher said putting an arm around Koichi and Pamela's shoulders.
"My father is an I-Expo sponsor, so I received a few invites myself," Momo replied.
"Same here," Genki replied. "Some of the more-popular idols got invites too, but they're getting some last-minute rehearsals in before tomorrow's opening show before an international audience, so they sent me their E-Invites," he said holding up his phone.
"Well, if you want, you can have some of my extras," Melissa said pulling some creased tickets from her form-fitting vest. "I won't have a lot of use for them."
"I can't believe people can be so petty," Kyoka huffed. "I saw you in a magazine while Genki went under the knife. You're some kind of big-shot with international trophies, aren't you?"
"Y-Yes, well, I was actually doing pretty poorly not that long ago," Melissa admitted. "But that's why I've been trying so hard."
"Melissa," Momo spoke up. "If you ever need any specialized components you can't get from any other vendor, just send me the CAD files and I'll endeavor to help you out as much as possible."
"You'd really do that?" she blinked.
"Of course, what are friends for?" Momo inquired. "If you could make a Costume that works with my Quirk, I'd actually be quite grateful. Winter will be coming up in Japan before we know it, so I've actually been racking my brain on a design that'd adequately stave off the risk of exposure."
"I'd love the opportunity," Melissa said with a smile, her heart filling with warmth at all the new friends she'd made today.
"You should probably coordinate with Iida, see who else is available to go and who would need a pass," Todoroki nodded. "Habuko-chan, would you like to go with me as my Plus One?"
"Of course!" the red-haired snake-girl beamed. "You're such a charmer~"
"I don't know about that…" Todoroki said scratching at his cheek.
"Genki-kun, who will be your Plus One?" Ochako asked.
"Shinso, of course. We were friends long before I got into 1-A, so it'd only be fair," Genki admitted, his phone buzzing urgently in his pocket. "Weird. I don't remember getting the international plan?"
"It's possible someone on the island is brute-forcing their way into your line, but only if you were someone's on-island emergency contact-"
"OH GOD DAMMIT!" Genki swore cutting Melissa off. "Sorry, sorry, but I've really got to go!"
"Why? What happened?" Izuku asked worriedly.
"I'll tell you all later!" Genki said as he ran off for parts unknown.
To Be Continued…
*MHA*
AN:
I didn't originally plan on bringing Captain Celebrity into this story, but when I stopped to consider that the I-Expo was an international affair, it only made sense that long-time friends from overseas, aside from All Might and David Shield, could meet up again. Having Koichi show up everyone at the "Villain Attack Course", was just the extra icing on the cake, and I'm really bummed he didn't appear in the MHA canon (at least as far as I've read)…
Anywho, until next time, see you on the start of Teen Titans: Elements Clash!
Is what I would be saying if I weren't putting my Teen Titans work on Hiatus. Not indefinitely, but I need to refresh myself with Seasons 4 & 5, take into account what can't happen the same way, what I will change. I have the broad strokes of the "Trigon Arc" sorted out, but not so much the "Brotherhood of Evil Arc".
So reflecting the change in Story Rotation, I look forward to seeing you next time on Young Justice: The Hunter!
P.S.
For those of you not in-the-know, my Justice League Unlimited story, An Argoan's Arc is out, but more as a side-project that I'm updating free-form.
Anywho, see you all later!