To The Viking Stranger, the issue with Telne is with [Ideal Conversion] she looks like a grade-schooler, so Takei told her to put her shirt down because she was a "Loli Dragon" archetype. Not like Kanna, Kanna is literally a "child" in Dragon terms, whereas Telne is Elma's grandma but likes cute things because a high school girl from Japan told her about it (I kid you not, that's Canon).
As for his tail, it isn't Prehensile; like a Lombax's, it'd be for greater Balance and Agility feats. I don't recall anything in Ratchet & Clank about them being used as an extra limb, and they're clearly feline-like.
To LoamyCoffee, Elma does have a history of eating food off the floor like a video game protagonist, but the only thing that really changed was she was able to ask for the medicine while Tohru had to actually fight for it.
As for him becoming slightly more Lombax-like, funny story is his transformation wasn't going to go that far in the original planning stages, but working out how to bring in Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid on Discord helped the story take on a life of its own~
To (Guest), "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" is where Takei's headspace will be when he lets his [Intuitive Mechanics] do its thing. He's got [Magic Programming], sure, but he can't raise too many waves or Elma will be repatriated back to the other world and put on probation for "interfering".
And yeah, Lombaxi are stupidly strong, but Ratchet was a Teenager/Young Adult, whereas Takei is "half Lombax" if I highball it. A lot of his feats will be a result of training, instead of "riding his Quirk".
To Harleking31, the Star Wars training would only be "overkill" if he mastered all the Forms before Yuuei, and without a Jedi's "Precog" abilities, he wouldn't really scale up to a legit Jedi/Sith, even with a master of just one Form.
To wolfpackx92, at the time I was actually thinking of the Roboscorpions from Falllout: New Vegas' "Big Mountain" DLC, not the Decepticon Scorpion from Transformers, but maybe that was in the back of my head as I was writing that scene~
There's only so-many robot scorpions in popular fiction, after all.
To Raidentensho, I'm sure Momo would gush over his tail, but also have the decency to ask before touching it. Takei's response would probably be a "Soft No" because she'd basically be wrapping her hand around part of his spine, and like Kid Goku, it'd mess with his sense of balance. Its why most animals in general aren't fond of their tails being touched.
As for meeting Melissa at "Run for the Money", that's a hard sell for two reasons. Reason 1: Why would she leave the safety of I-Island to compete in a Japanese gameshow that "Uncle Might" has nothing to do with? Reason B: The last time I "deigned" to give Melissa "a life" outside of knowing Izuku for the half-day we saw her in the Movie… Remember the "Ugly Sonic" fiasco? The reaction was pretty much like that.
To (Alter), I have plans for Miia, since I already name-dropped Kimihito in the "AN: Character Bios" chapter.
By the way, Chapter 46 has been updated with new characters and snippets, given the size of the supporting cast. With that being said, on with the show.
*AHA*
When word got out that Picar-sensei had definitively secured Damoto Chugakko's place in the upcoming "Rival Schools" episode of Run for the Money, a fresh wave of energy filled the student body at the chance to get on TV. Apart from the small popularity boost that could make one into a local celebrity, in the case of shows where minor Quirk usage was allowed, it was a chance to pad one's resume if one were on the Hero Track.
Of course, Picar wasn't going to let just anyone compete and represent his school, even on the trial basis. A stipulation for participation in the coming event was to get passing grades in the coming mid-terms. This in itself may've been a response to students doubling down on their physical education, at the cost of their mental education if a drop in quiz and test grades were any sort of indicator.
In this case, Takehiko Tokei was an excellent benchmark for students to emulate. Not only was he a health nut with a moniker like "Fitness-sama", showing a concern for his dietary wellbeing surpassing that of even most adults, but he was also diligent in his academics, arranging for after-school study sessions with his inner circle after (or before) escorting Tomei Shizuru to her domicile.
That extracurricular in of itself was also something Picar-sensei was proud to witness at this stage in the boy's life, because it showed a measure of altruism that escaped many Pro Heroes freshly graduated from Academia. And while a part of his motivation to become a Hero was so he could defend himself from Villain attacks with reduced reprisal, it didn't change the fact that he had a heroic spirit. That he'd even been able to make inroads with Neptunia was simply another reason that Hero Agencies would be chomping at the bit to train him once he graduated middle school.
And point in fact, he'd already penned his letter of recommendation for Yuuei so Takei could take the Recommendation Exam.
Walking the halls of his own educational institution, Picar looked out the window overlooking the track field to spy the first-years diligently training. The participating students in Run for the Money hadn't been hammered down quite yet, but there was a definite divide between those who wanted to qualify for the raffle so as to represent Damoto, and those who did not.
*AHA*
"Geez…! How can you even run in that thing?!" Tetsutetsu panted as Takei kept pace with all of them even in his cumbersome Ultra Training Mail; now with tail in mind.
"I'm quickly jogging. There's a difference," the cat-eared teen returned, making no secret of the fact that if he were to take the encumbering training aid off, he'd probably be calling- "On your left." -like a broken record.
And speaking of which...
"On your left!" Shiori whooped as she flew past, her flattened body courtesy of her [2D Girl] Quirk allowing her to literally cut through the air like the top Egyptian Hero, Salaam, whose [Papyrus] Quirk people immediately began comparing hers to after her [Flat Hands] had Awakened into "full-body flattening".
At least when a cross-breeze didn't catch her and send her fluttering through the air like a runaway kite. While Shiori's Quirk didn't make her susceptible to mold in places with high humidity, it was obvious she still had a long way to go if she wanted to make full mastery of her Quirk.
"Well… She'll certainly be hard to catch if she makes it onto that gameshow…" Itsuka admitted as she fell back to converse with Takei and Tetsutetsu.
"It'll make for good television, I admit," Takei hummed, thinking about the logistics for the coming event after Picar-sensei asked for his unbiased opinion.
Allegedly, in the pending "Rival Schools" episode, 20 first-years from Damoto and 20 first-years from Murakami would be competing head-to-head. If the format of middle schoolers using their Quirks for the big cash prize proved popular enough, the second and third-year students of the two rival schools would get their chance too, with an expansion into other "rival schools". Possibly even Hero Academies, in the not-too-distant future.
As for why they were using first-years first instead of third-years, though it was an unsubstantiated rumor, allegedly, the TV network wanted to add the people of Neptunia to their viewership after he had curried favor with the Neptunian Royal Family on international TV. Logically, it made a certain measure of sense, though it could be just-as-likely that they wanted him to draw viewership for his domestic coverage instead of on the international field.
Run for the Money often made use of small-time and occasionally mid-tier celebrities, so it wasn't entirely implausible that Damoto was chosen because their "Anti-Delinquent" had a certain measure of star power on his own so as to guarantee viewership in the area. His exposure on Gun Gale Online as well as his social media exposure of running around Asaka-shi with his "ojii-san" in a Yuuei-issued track suit, certainly gave him a diverse range of coverage as well.
"So, what're you gonna do with the prize money?"
"You act like me winning is a given," Takei hummed Tetsutetsu's way.
"What, you planning to lose?"
"Not particularly, but anything can happen in those wacky game shows."
"Huh… Well, if I win, I'm gonna buy one off those ultra-robust punching bags like they have in Hero Academies!"
"What about you, Itsuka?"
"I suppose if I won any meaningful prize, I'd donate it to my jii-san's dojo," she returned to Takei's question. "What about you?"
"Savings for a rainy day. If I won anything meaningful," Takei answered. "Though I might also be a bit frivolous and just host a huge barbecue party for the first-years."
"I can get behind that~" Tabe hummed as she licked her beartrap-like chops.
"Surprising no-one," Itsuka hummed.
*AHA*
Later that day as I proceeded to escort Shizuru home, we found our path barred by a wall of students forming a semicircle in front of the school gates. For some reason, everyone had been stopped in their tracks like a bunch of spectators, reminding me of the times I watched people form entire crowds around "Hero v Villain" fights and standing around like turkeys staring at a rainy sky.
There were five of them, and something nagged at the back of my head for a few seconds until it finally dawned on me.
Damoto's departing students were being held up by a bunch of Teen Titans expys, but clad in middle schooler outfits!
The Beast Boy expy had brown skin and hair like the time Cyborg put red food dye in his shampoo; the Raven expy had a literal raven's head; the Starfire expy was a full-on orange-furred cat-girl with ultra-frizzy red hair atop her head; the Cyborg expy looked like a race-bent Cyborg with Cy-Clone coloring; and the Robin expy looked like Robin from Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo when he had to ditch his superhero costume after beating up a motorcycle delinquent and pulling a Schwarzenegger with all of his clothes, complete with black sunglasses.
Oh, and the uniforms were in shades of black and gray with much longer skirt lengths for the girls, but that was beside the point.
"So, this is our competition?" the Cyborg expy scoffed as he looked us over with his green optic. "I'm hardly impressed."
"Did you goofballs seriously play hooky to come all the way over and leer at us?" I deadpanned at blatant Teen Titans rip-offs.
"Bro, he's onto us!" the Beast Boy expy whispered into the Robin expy's ear, the spiky-haired pre-teen making an aggressive zipping motion with his hand.
"I told you this was a stupid idea," the Raven expy huffed, her dark beak filled with weirdly human-like teeth.
"We won't lose the domestic gameshow!" the Starfire expy quipped determinedly.
"Listen, 'Boy Wonder', whatever beef Picar-sensei has with yours, let's leave it to the adults. It has nothing to do with us," I said frankly with a hand-wave.
"Wrong. It has everything to do with you," the Robin expy sneered at me; clearly he was nothing like his DC Universe counterpart. "The TV company wanted 'Wild Tiger II' for their little show, like you're some big deal, but-"
*Yaaaaaaawn*
"Am…! Am I boring you?!" he gawped incredulously as I dropped a jaw-popper right in his face.
"Yes. Very much so," I said flatly causing the Beast Boy expy (and a few of my peers) to snicker before the Robin expy glowered at him. "Look, I don't have the bandwidth to care about what 'Rival Schools' nonsense the TV people are trying to peddle on us, but if you're trying to get a rise out of us so we'll be banned from competing…"
*Click*
"Well congratulations," I hummed drawing back the hammer on my Nambu M60. "You forced me to defend myself from a bunch of rogue ability-users picking a fight on the wrong side of town."
"Th-That isn't why we're here," the Robin expy said taking a shaky step back, proving conclusively he was almost nothing like the Robin I grew up watching on TV.
Even if he did look like a real-life Cameo.
"Why are we here?" the Raven expy asked, taking a book from her pocket and reading it in front of everyone, clearly as-bored with the proceedings as I was.
"What now, smart guy?" the Cyborg expy asked as he stepped in front of the Robin expy, opening his gray blazer to reveal armor plating covering most of his torso.
" . . . "
With a bored look on my face, I adjusted my aim to his flesh-and-blood eye, forcing him to stare down the barrel; or at least for a moment before he raised a metallic forearm over it, a confident smirk on his face.
His bravado swiftly evaporated when I adjusted my aim to his crotch.
"Do you feel smarter than a .38 caliber bullet?" I asked. "Well, do you, punk?"
"Oh! I get that reference!" the Beast Boy expy whooped.
*AHA*
Suffice it to say, Picar-sensei's contemporary, Bort-sensei, had to come on over and formally apologize for her students making such colossal assholes of themselves. Even though Picar-sensei himself passive-aggressively alluded to the fact that she was the one who put them up to it for the reasons I myself alluded to.
That and because the five of them all played hooky for this nonsense, but mostly for the asshole thing.
Bort-sensei for her part looked like a pasty-skinned bald woman with thick cables sprouting out of her head like really ugly dreadlocks, mechanical bits creeping up near her collarbones, and other cybernetic accoutrements. Though she was dressed in a fine suit, something about her whole vibe gave me the Willies. And though I wasn't a huge fan of Star Trek, I knew enough about the Borg to know that if this lady told me- "Resistance is futile." -while trying to assimilate me "into the collective", I was going to kill her, and the cyborg pre-teen she probably sunk her hooks into, before burning her school to the ground; either myself or getting one of my Dragon Aunties to do so.
Kami certainly knows Tohru would jump at the opportunity to commit arson...
And as it turned out, that would've been the correct approach to take because the entire reason she was forced into retirement from the Hero industry was some huge scandal where she used her Quirk, [Assimilation] , to turn the majority of her Agency into "chromed-up cyborgs" by forcefully suppressing their bodies' "Glial Tissue Response" or some bullshit. If they'd all been consenting, it'd have been quote/unquote "fine", but after a whistleblower revealed the fact that "Cyborg Queen" used peer pressure and gaslighting to make them think the only way to succeed was to join "The Collective"…
Suffice it to say, it took all of Picar's influence to see Bort disbarred from the Hero industry, and he had well exceeded the age most Heroes depart from the active-duty roster and get teaching licenses instead. It was either cruel fate or by design that the two just so happened to have the same idea of returning to their alma maters and becoming principals of their respective junior high schools.
More drama than I was in the mood for, but at the very least, it motivated me to show up this snobby fake-Robin-expy-looking motherfucker whose mere existence offended me on a deeply personal level. If he turned out to be a Quirkless guy with a chip on his shoulder, all the better.
Not that there was anything wrong with being a Quirkless person, one of my best friends was (legally) Quirkless, but the moment you turn it into a dick-waving contest between a Meta and a Non-Meta, it's basically racism.
Or maybe "vintage racism" since nowadays NEXT are in the majority instead of the other way around?
But I digress.
In the days leading up to our big gameshow debut, there was a bit of Slice of Life…
*Past*
"Hanako-chan! Good morning!" Takei greeted.
"Good morning to you too!" the bespectacled girl beamed, her and Shizuru shooting a momentary glare at one another when they thought Takei wasn't looking. "Oh, shoot!"
"What, what happened?" the Transparent Girl asked faux-worriedly as she held tighter to Takei's arm.
"My bento. I left it at home…" the closet Magical Girl wilted.
"Well, you can have some of mine, then," Takei offered.
"Thank you so much. You've always been so good to me," the Class Rep smiled prettily.
"Hanako-chaaaaaan!"
"Oh sweet Kami…" aforementioned girl groaned as her name was called out on the wind.
"Hanako-chaaaaaan! You forgot your lunch!" Lucoa called out with a beaming smile on her face, though it wasn't her mouth that was being stared at.
*Boiyoing~Boiyoing~Boiyoing~*
"HANAKO YOU BITCH!" Hanyuu Daisuke cried suddenly coming in out of nowhere and shaking her by the shoulders. "HOW COULD YOU KEEP SUCH MAGNIFICENT BOOBS ALL TO YOURSELF?!"
*SMACK!*
An instant later the fake-tranny hit the ground with a red handprint on his face.
"That's 'Yukimura-san' to you, Hanyuu-kun," Hanako said with a glacial tone.
"And a good morning to you too, Lucoa-san," Takei greeted.
"And a good morning to you as well, Take-chan~" the former-deity beamed as she affectionately ruffled his hair, leaving the Transparent Girl goggling incredulously at the sight of the woman's body.
*Present*
…a little Battle Shounen…
*Past*
"THIS… IS THE GREATEST DAY OF MY LIIIIIFE!" Tetsutetsu roared at the top of his lungs as he watched Takei standing under a waterfall in a 'Kiai', his azure spirit energy pouring out of his body and splitting aforementioned waterfall.
"Why's it the greatest day of your life? You're not the one flexing his Reiki."
Not that Itsuka was any less transfixed by the sight.
"Because it means it is possible to release your Spirit Energy! Just like in all the old manga!"
"Well, that isn't technically un-true, I guess…" Itsuka replied, remembering the time she was shown one of her family's heirlooms; a complete set of the Yuyu Hakusho manga by Yoshihiro Togashi in paperback.
Her ancestor was a big fan of his work, and none of his descendants had the heart to sell.
"Hey, you think if I spend a week in a coma, I can fire a Reigan from my finger too?" he asked eagerly.
"I mean…" Itsuka said as she continued to stare at Takei as he split the waterfall with pure spiritual energy.
*Present*
…a little absurdist comedy with a splash of cosmic nihilism on the side…
*Past*
"OH GOD! WHY IS IT GREEN?!" the Snake Hero: Uwabami cried as she and her platonic girlfriend were chased down the street by an enormous green phallic-shaped tentacle monster riding a golden chariot with elaborate decorations.
"THAT'S YOUR TAKEAWAY?!" the Dragoon Hero: Ryukyu cried in turn as she also ran from the genital monstrosity.
"HAVE NO FEAR, FOR I AM HERE!"
"All Might!" the two cried in both relief and excitement as the Symbol of peace came down like a meteor.
"Ohkamithisisgoingtobesogross-TEXAS SMASH!" the Symbol of Peace cried out punching the thing in its literal nose with a loud *SQUELCH*, snapping its phallic body backwards and almost dislodging it from its mount. "Remind me to burn this hand later…" he shuddered in revulsion.
"Huh… Never thought I'd see All Might get squeamish about punching a diant gick, I mean a giant dick, in the face…" Ryukyu hummed aloud as All Might made a show of holding the offended hand well away from his body.
"I can never burn this image out of my mind, no matter how-much I want to…" Uwabami shuddered, her snakes curling in on themselves.
*Present*
…and even some Harem Comedy nonsense sprinkled about…
*Past*
*Snap*
"KYAAAA!"
"YOMI!" Takei cried as the Undying Girl's leg sutures broke and she was sent pinwheeling down the stairs above him, the Lombax-like pre-teen cushioning her fall and being awarded for his efforts with an up-close-and-personal look at her zombie-print panties.
" . . . You sure make me go to pieces, ne, Take-chan~?" the stitched-up girl grinned widely.
"Please get off. I think I have a concussion."
"It isn't a 'concussion' if you remember it~"
*(Also) Past*
"Thank kami no-one important saw that happen," Takei hummed as he climbed the stairs in reference to 'the other day'.
"Well I saw that happen," Hanyuu huffed.
"No-one important," Takei repeated.
At that comment, the fake tranny huffed, but couldn't muster up the nerve to backtalk further.
"MONKEY!" 'Gordy' called out the moment Takei and his classmate crested the landing.
The two looking to the left, saw the ferret-headed school janitor covered in set-off mousetraps and bungee cables running towards them with an electrified butterfly net in hand. What he was chasing appeared to be some kind of well-groomed but otherwise ordinary-looking rhesus monkey.
"Huh, so that's what the runaway lab monkey looks like."
-was what Takei said before he got shoulder-checked by aforementioned lab monkey and sent pinwheeling down the stairs-
"Takei-kun!"
-right towards Hitomi and Kaminaga-sensei.
*THUD!*
"Damn you, you lucky bastarrrrrd!" Hanyuu cried at the enviable position the cat-like pre-teen landed in.
Which, for the record, was the two women cushioning his fall, Hitomi red-faced up to her ears while Kaminaga chuckled amusedly at the fact that his face had become sandwiched between their neighboring bosoms while his hands had found themselves grasping their partners'.
Or "bosom".
Whichever is the proper plural-of.
*Past (Again)*
"Awareness, balance, clenched fists. Awareness, balance, clenched fists. Awareness, balance, clenched fists," Takei chanted like a mantra as he walked home from the supermarket.
"SOMEBODY CATCH MEEEEEE!"
"PAPI?!"
*THUMP!*
"If this is the universe's idea of a joke, I'm not laughing," the cat-like pre-teen said through the harpy-like girl's strangely-plush derriere.
On the upside, his open palms hadn't wound up anywhere they shouldn't.
On the downside, his groceries were ruined.
*Present*
…but in the blink of an eye, mid-terms came and went.
The people in my immediate friend-group were among the top of our year, with I myself placing in the lower end of the Top 10. In most cases, the panic people felt about middle-of-term testing was unwarranted as long as you actively took notes and paid attention; for a few, the panic of the pending middle-of-term testing was entirely warranted. But either way, the long-awaited school event had arrived; Damoto Chugakko's participation in the gameshow Run for the Money.
The gameshow was set to take place at the Huis Ten Bosch, a Netherlands-like theme park over in Nagasaki, around eight hours by train on the other side of the country, making the whole thing feel a bit like an end-of-term field trip. Something only further exacerbated by the fact that students not participating in the gameshow itself, but still taking the opportunity to go to the park with chaperones once filming had ended, had also opted to come along in a more unofficial capacity.
Those participating would be staying at a nearby hotel on the studio's dime and competing the following morning, likely so we could be properly oriented on the rules of conduct, how much "collateral" was allowed, etc. etc. The exacting details of the game weren't divulged beyond the more-generalized Run for the Money rules, wherein you try not to get "tagged" until either the end of the game, or you opt out by "surrendering" prematurely.
And really, I'd watched a couple "seasons" in preparation-for in the midst of studying for mid-terms so I wouldn't "burn out" and do snow angels in paperwork like Kobayashi-san, and I just really felt like if some of those people competing hadn't let their eyes get bigger than their stomach -or I guess wallets- they could've gotten a decent sum and then opted out. 5 million (or so) Yen times zero is still zero.
Then again, the promise of money wasn't the source of all evil; it just let people be themselves.
All that said, with how-long the train ride was going to be, it gave me a chance to meet some of Mitsumi's classmates.
*AHA*
Choosing to ignore Hanyuu Daisuke in his entirety, I began my "1-B Tour" with Torase Misao, a legitimate gender fluid pre-teen with a pretty face and dark hair whose gender, and identity, swapped seemingly at random. Sitting across from her was a blond delinquent-looking boy by the name of Kotake Takeshi, his Quirk giving him bamboo shoots growing out of his forehead like horns and bamboo-like blades on his forearms like gauntlets. Sitting next to him was Kino Nonoko, a pretty girl whose brown hair was shaped like a mushroom cap, topped with white spots, who could emit spores like dandruff.
"Torase-san, mind if I join you for a minute?" I asked holding up some spicy chips.
"Of course," Misao nodded, gesturing to the seat next to her, Takeshi looking like he wanted to tell me to fuck off while Nonoko was far more genial.
"So, are you excited?" I inquired, offering some to the others, who politely declined.
"Excited… Nervous," the now-girl admitted with a shaky smile.
"Trust me, unless there's a Villain attack during shooting, the worst you'll have to worry about is making a fool of yourself on national TV."
"Joy," Misao huffed with a flat expression.
"Hey, you knew what you were signing on for when you agreed to compete in a wacky Jap- game show," I amended. "Of course, anything that conflicts with the studio's moral values will probably be edited out in post, so at most you'll only have to worry about that on the outtakes."
"Did anyone ever tell you you really suck at this?" Takeshi grunted only for Nonoko to kick him in the shin.
"He's just being frank and upfront," the mushroom-haired girl huffed.
"So… If you don't mind me asking, who exactly will you room with?" I asked with a tilt of my head. "You know, in the event you swap genders overnight."
"Probably with your friend, the one with two heads since he's boy and girl," Misao replied.
"Naruki is still biologically a boy. Only Kaori self-identifies as a girl. Maybe that'll change if she grows herself an entire body of her own, but I guess I can understand your logic."
"What about you?" Nonoko asked with a knowing smile. "Tomei-san's been joined at the hip with you ever since… the incident," she said as her smile fell.
"I won't be in the same room as her, if that's what you're implying. If anything, I'll ask for a room across the hall, if not an adjacent room in case she has a fit of night terrors. It's almost a nightly ritual at this point, telling her 'I'm here' and soothing her back to sleep."
And hopefully that little detail stays private; at least as far as the TV crews are concerned.
"Still can't believe what those assholes tried to do to her," Takeshi huffed furiously scratching at his 'horns'. "And that excuse? What a fucking load."
Said excuse being that their "animal instincts" as well as her "provoking them" should absolve them of all guilt.
And thankfully, Japan had become slightly more gender-neutral in terms of legal rulings. Of course, when you've got super-powered Sukeban squads hunting down perverts who get off with a slap on the wrist (amongst other things) because of institutionalized nepotism…
"Takeshi-kun," Misao chastised cutely, the blush on the bamboo-headed pre-teen's face making me realize that maybe he wanted to be more than 'childhood friends'.
And given how Misao could swap genders, it was likely that Nonoko felt the same when she became a "he".
"I'll… leave you three to your own devices."
*AHA*
"Takei-kun, come sit with us!" Okutou Hasumi, a pretty purple-haired girl with flower ornaments in her hair waved. What made her visually distinctive, even in a school filled with Heteromorphs, were the four octopus tentacles she had in place of human legs, and the four spilling out the bottom of her shirt from her lumbar.
As for who she was sitting with, that would be the blond-haired Okubo Anna, a normal-looking girl if not for the yawning, transfinite abyss she had in place of her face, which actually made her look like some kind of Yokai.
Not that high a bar in Japan where there were Yokai for anything and everything, but still…
"Okutou and Okubo-san, right?"
"That's right!" the Octopus Girl beamed, her pupils turning bar-shaped.
"Hello," the void-faced girl greeted meekly. "What? Do I have something on my face?" Anna inquired brusquely. Like a person who'd been offended one too many times by the same insensitive joke.
"More like I'm 'academically curious'," I admitted with a tilt of my head and a hand on my chin as I stared into the void faced girl's, well… [Void] . "Like, is the space beyond that 'void' a tesseracted space, or does it only look like that and it leads into your stomach?"
"O-Oh?" she 'blinked', caught off-guard by my lack of repulsion. "W-Well, I never really thought of it that way… Honestly, I always saw it as a bit of an inconvenience. I used to be so cute before… well… all this happened."
"I know, it's so mysterious, isn't it~?" Hasumi grinned.
"Still, sometimes I wish I never had this Quirk…" the Void Faced Girl slumped in her seat. "Nobody can ever tell what I'm thinking, even if someone wanted to get close…"
"But aren't the two of you really close?" I asked with a tilt of my head, the two blushing a little, which in Anna's case happened around the edges of her yawning abyss than around her cheeks. "Also, you don't need a face to be expressive. Sci-Fi is filled with people whose faces we never see, yet they're still fan favorites."
"Name one," Anna huffed.
"Tali'Zorah vas Normandy," I blurted without thinking.
"O-Oh, that was fast," the Void Faced Girl hummed.
"Vas Normandy… Vas Normandy… Oh! She is cute!" the Octopus Girl smiled, showing her phone to her friend. "Man, you really are a fan of retro stuff, aren't you, Takei-kun?"
"So I keep getting told," I nodded. "Really, though, I'm surprised I-Island isn't all over this."
"Oh, they are," Anna waved off. "I actually spend every summer at I-Island as they lower probes and stuff into my… well… face."
"Well, I hope you're getting paid for your time," I hum. "Really, the ability to tesseract space and pick it up would literally change the world."
"Like PokéBalls, right~?" Hasumi grinned.
"Well, it's less 'tesseracted' and more 'digitized'," I corrected lightly. "Like Digimon, or Borderlands."
"If you weren't going to be a Hero, you'd make a great historian," Anna nodded, sounding a little more uplifted.
"So I keep getting told," I chuckled. "Hey, can I ask you something without you getting offended?"
"I'm sure I already know what you're going to ask, but ask anyway."
"What's the craziest thing you ever put in there?" I ask gesturing to her face without outright pointing. "Follow-up: What's the craziest thing you want to put in there?" I asked tenting my fingers.
When the two looked at one another and an intense blush spread across their faces, I decided to meditate for a moment before my thoughts went too far down the proverbial rabbit hole.
Fortunately, I was able to depart before the blush that came with picturing "tentacles" and "holes" could creep up on my face.
*AHA*
When meta-abilities began to induce fits of widespread gigantism with extra add-ons, fundamental changes to common infrastructure had to be made across all industries. As an incentivization to become more inclusive, government subsidies were introduced to foot the bill not only to hedge off accusations of discrimination for the "differently-sized", but also to prevent those with strength proportionate-to their size from becoming Villains due to lack of alternatives.
Case in point, an entire train car filled with park bench-sized seats for those who actually needed the whole park bench to comfortably sit, with leg room to match. The ceilings directly adjacent to the windows were also higher, allowing people like Kyouko, Oga, and Hitome to sit comfortably, though people significantly larger than ten feet were still a little bit cramped.
Just because the world was more-inclusive, didn't mean you could include everyone; hence, why the Detnerat Lifestyle Support Company was a juggernaut within the industry.
"Kyouko, Chisa, how are you two doing?" I asked.
"We're doing fine," the Giant Girl nodded as she held the Tiny Girl, and Gible in her arms like plush toys.
"I'm still not sure why I made the final cut to compete," aforementioned Tiny Girl hummed.
"The optics?" I offered. "That, and, with how small you are, you'll be able to hide from the hunters way easier than the rest of us. Definitely easier than her," I hum as I gesture at the plus-sized girl.
"I-I always wanted to compete!" Kyouko whined. "We've been dreaming about this since we were kids!"
"Nothing wrong with that," I returned.
I myself always wanted to compete in shows like Ninja Warrior (lit. "Sasuke") or Wipeout because of how wacky and fun-looking the obstacle courses were, but obviously, the opportunity never presented itself. So at the very least, I could understand my friends' childish enthusiasm, even if their respective meta-abilities were a mixed bag between help and hinder.
"Hey, Oga, Hitome?"
"Yes?" Tio's mama returned.
"Where's Elma? I thought she of all people would jump at the chance to chaperone."
"Oh, we sent her off to spend the weekend with her lady friend because she got to look after you while you were sick," Oga hummed.
"Ah, well…"
*Elsewhile…*
…in another time and place, Kobayashi Tohru of the Chaos Faction and Joui Elma of the Harmony Faction were duking it out in a way that was very reminiscent of Toriyama Akira's Dragonball Z, their epic clash threatening to sink the island they were standing upon as they worked out more than one form of frustration on one another.
*Present*
"At least she's probably having a good time," I hummed, hoping I wouldn't walk in on them post-coitus like I did with Kuroko and Nemuri. "So, what's your strategy?"
"For the game?" Kyouko blinked. "Um, run and hide behind the largest props I can find?"
"Well, no way I can out-run them, so for me it's less 'run' more 'hide'," Chisa stated. "What about you?"
"Same thing as whenever some Villain or some monster wants to take a bite out of me; run like hell."
"Oh, so you're well-practiced, then~"
"Yes. Yes, I am," I nodded proudly in the face of her snark.
"Well, don't you worry about a thing. If some Villain or some monster tries to take a bit out of you for real, you've got two kickass mamas waiting in the wings," Oga grinned patting Hitome's shoulder.
"I'd hate to be the other guy~" I grinned as I headed off to join my friends.
*AHA*
"So, Shiori, your meta-knowledge giving you anything juicy to work with?" I hummed back in my section.
"Everything will work out in the end, and that's aaaall that matters~" the 2D Girl grinned after a momentary glance down.
"And that isn't infuriatingly cryptic," Kuromi hummed.
"Well since you didn't wet your beak, what's your plan?"
"Wait out the clock for the first million, and then bail," the Shadow Girl hummed.
"That's… not a bad plan, actually," I hummed.
"And what's your plan?"
"Oh, I'm aiming for the five-plus million or nothin'," I grinned. "Not necessarily for the money, but just because I want to try and say I tried, and that I got really close-to."
"Even if it means going home with nothing?" Kuromi asked raising a brow behind her bangs.
"I'm going to have an awesome time with my best friends in the whole world. I wouldn't call that 'nothing'."
"Awwwwww. That's so sweet~" Shiori smiled as she reached out to hug me.
"Barf," Kuromi hummed. " . . . But also sweet," she added as she pat my shoulder.
"Which is going to make the next part all the better."
"Wait, what next part?" I blinked.
*AHA*
"LOOK AT ME, TAKEI-KUN! I'M IN AN ENTOURAGE!"
"M-Mei-chan?!" I gawped incredulously at who I found waiting for me (read: us) at the hotel.
"That's my name, don't wear it out!" the manic salmon-haired girl grinned, Momo waving awkwardly off to the side alongside Meroune who was surrounded by Mako and a bunch of killer whale heteromorphs that made Gang Orca look "tiny"; like Jackie Chan Adventures' Tohru in that Enter the Dragon-style episode.
"I will… leave you to converse with the royalty," Picar-sensei hummed as he waved everyone else from Damoto over to the front desk.
" . . . Ohimesama," I said dropping into a formal bow.
"Please, rise, this is not the royal court," Mero smiled prettily. "How have you been?"
"Oh, you know… Took my mid-terms. Getting ready for a gameshow."
"Yes, I heard," Mero nodded. "I wish you the best of luck."
"And you're here becauuuuse…?"
"The princess wanted to see her 'beloved'~" Mako grinned, the mermaid princess going as pink as her hair while the rest of her bodyguard stifled their chuckles.
"Well, at least you aren't unguarded," I say looking up at the massive black-and-white walls of muscle surrounding us. "What, was Gang Orca the runt of the litter?"
"Yes. Actually," one of them nodded.
Okay, I was being sarcastic, but… good to know?
"And you're sure it's safe for you to be up here?"
"Spending the rest of my life in hiding would be a sign of weakness. Especially when there are certain things on the surface that I wish to… pursue~" she said prettily steepling her fingers.
"GIGGIDY!" Shiori whooped.
I'm probably the only one here who gets that reference.
*AHA*
Once everyone's overnight bags had been stashed, all of the competing students from Damoto and Murakami reconvened in the hotel's ballroom, one school on the left, one on the right, the "Tween Titans" sitting prominently at the front of their own section. While everyone from Damoto were wearing their own casual clothing, those from Murakami were all clad in school uniforms, sitting with the same posture in a display of uniformity that was only a little unsettling.
"Welcome, one and all, to your mandatory pre-gameshow seminar!"
The host of aforementioned seminar was a skinny man in a black hooded cloak wearing a steampunk-style plague mask, with a voice modulator that was half-synthetic, half-squeaky. Possibly because of the bird mask, or his voice just always sounded like that.
"The rules are simple. For every second you avoid the Hunters, 100 Yen is added to the pot; the maximum potential prize is 5.04 million. At times of our choosing, we will throw Missions your way."
As he said this, the lighting dimmed and a projector began to show clips for those slow on the uptake.
"You get caught by the Hunters, you go home with nothing. Quirk usage is tolerated, but cause too much collateral, inflict permanent injury on the Hunters or your fellow competitors, you go home with nothing. If you leave the bounds of the park, touch the water, or exceed a certain altitude, you go home with nothing."
Excited murmurs spread through the crowd as clips of previous competitors using their Quirks began to play behind him, acceptable Quirk usage highlighted in green frames and check-marks while unacceptable was highlighted in red frames with diagonal slashes across.
"Of course, before we can get into the minutiae of the games, one final culling must take place. The first 'obstacle' you must overcome, if you will."
With a little sleight-of-hand, possibly mixed in with his Quirk, the man summoned two ballot boxes, one marked Damoto, the other marked with Murakami (in Kanji).
"Twenty students from each school have heeded the call. Here and now, five from each shall be… eliminated."
At this, cries of protest went out from members of both Damoto and Murakami's representatives, though in the latter's case, the gray-clad students had far more composure.
"The ten competitors who will be eliminated this night shall either be decided by raffle, or by volunteering-"
"I volunteer!"/"I volunteer!"/ "I volunteer!"/ "I volunteer!"/ "I volunteer!" -five students from Murakami suddenly called out, Damoto's students looking to the other side of the room to find that five grey-clad students had excused themselves without an ounce of hesitation.
Almost like they had planned as such in advance, based on who were the weakest out of the lot.
"Are you certain?"
At this, the five students nodded in synch, their contemporaries a little weirded out by the display of almost unnatural unity.
"Very well, then."
The host made one of the raffle boxes disappear before turning his gaze to the other side of the room.
"Now then, if there are no volunteers, everyone from Damoto please step up, and may the odds be ever in your favor."
Takei thought it might've been a Hunger Games reference right then, but it was also possible that line by itself had been referenced over and over so-many times, it had simply become "one of those things" that everyone knows about but not where it came from.
Everyone from Damoto stepping up in a disorderly line, those from Murakami making no secret how they thought of the unruly sight, one by one, everyone drew red plastic eggs with black and white "all-seeing eye" insignias slapped on the front.
Well, all but one; Kyouko couldn't reach two fingers into the hole, so Chisa had to reach in for another, a few of Murakami's reps making snide remarks about how she looked like a grade schooler.
With that small bit of humiliation out of the way, one by one, everyone popped their lots open; Kyouko once again needed help before she crushed the darned thing.
"Now then, if all of you could present the content of your lots. And remember, no trades allowed~"
Moments later, and fifteen red plastic rings with "all-seeing eye" insignias were raised up or otherwise presented; Kyouko obviously held it up with her palm. Those who came to the party empty-handed were…
"I-It's fine. Not like I needed the money anyway."
Kiryuuin Karen, the snobby ojou-sama type who was practically joined with Mitsumi at the hip and probably had 5-mil in her couch cushions at home.
"B-But I was going to be a local celebrity!"
Hanyuu Daisuke, the fake tranny who, if he had gotten on the air, probably would've offended all the legit transgender persons watching once it got out he only dressed in drag for what was basically "laughs".
"And I had my strategy all planned out…"
Saidzuka Mamezou, who in all likelihood could've used his Quirk to go to ground and probably win the whole pot.
"A-Awww. And I was looking forward to running with you, Takei-kun."
Tomei Shizuru, who even if she had been allowed to compete might've been forced to wear another ankle tracker or have some other limitation imposed on her invisibility Quirk.
"DANGIIIIT!"
Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu, who while having the sheer grit and willpower to "power through" his exhaustion, maybe even using his Quirk to "reset" the buildup of fatigue toxins in his body (if his body worked like that), was toward the slower end of the students who tried out for the games.
"And like that, Damoto Chugakko's representatives in this showdown have been decided."
The next moment, two lists of names appeared on the projector, Murakami on the left, Damoto on the right. Taking stock of who my fellow competing peers were…
Hikage Kuromi
Kendo Itsuka
Kotake Takeshi
Manaka Mitsumi
Okubo Anna
Okuto Hasumi
Oogi Kyouko
Osanai Chisa
Takehiko Tokei
Tobita Haruna
Torase Misao
Toura Hiroyoshi
Ueto Naname
Usui Shiori
Yukimura Hanako
For those that hadn't gotten the boot by pure chance, those chosen to represent my school had Quirks that could be useful in this format, but since it was "a marathon, not a sprint", the deciding factor had been some measure of physical excellence. As a result, it was mostly girls in the running; literally.
As for Murakami's representatives, since the list didn't come with pictures, I couldn't exactly put names to faces, but I was able to see that it wasn't only the Teen Titans who were being… ripped off…
There was a pink-furred cat-girl with blond hair next to a lanky tarantula-headed teen in a leather jacket, giving me Kitten & Fang vibes. A giant hairy kid with the head of an elephant, a black-furred cat girl with pink accessories in her hair, and a midget with a sophisticated-looking backpack giving me Mammoth, Jinx, and Gizmo vibes. A pretty sand-colored golem-like girl with sapphires for eyes made me think of Terra. A blue-scaled fish-boy with long black hair made me think of Aqualad. A giant panther-like girl with golden Lucna Libre mask-like markings on her face made me think of Pantha. A giant kid with wildebeest-like features made me think of double-e Wildebeest. And then there was a skinny red-headed kid who… could've been any red-head from the DC Comics universe, though if the universe were even now fucking with me, he might've been a Kid Flash expy.
Well, at least there were more "hero expies" than "villain expies"; though in a world like this which was basically a Reverse-Isekai with all the power discrimination and institutionalized racism, that wasn't exactly saying much.
*AHA*
Once the mind-numbing orientation period had come to an end, the ballroom was emptied out and converted into a massive dinner hall with buffet-style lines.
At first, it seemed like the Murakami kids were all going to be shepherded back to their rooms because of Bort-sensei's looming presence, probably to stem off any sort of "fraternizing with the enemy" nonsense. But Picar-sensei either had some kind of dirt on her, or issued some kind of personal challenge, because minutes after the last place settings had been put down, both school principals had vacated.
I wasn't entirely sure what the atmosphere at Murakami Chugakko was like, but I imagined it was a lot more rigid than Damoto. Totalitarian, perhaps? Either way, Shiketsu would either round them out, or just double down, but as someone who was going to Yuuei in the future, that hardly mattered to me.
Of course, that didn't stop the Robin expy from whipping up antagonism between our two schools, but thankfully, no-one from my school seemed all that interested in making friends with our "rival school" anyway.
And of course, it wasn't only the competing pre-teens that were in the ballroom. There were also producers and executives from the TV company, as well as sponsors; one of which was possibly Neptunia if Mero's presence meant anything. Though then again, it could've just as easily been the Yaoyorozu Conglomerate and Mero was simply a part of Momo's "entourage".
I'd have to look into that later.
So, there we were at the circular tables having picked and chosen the foods that caught our fancy; nothing too high-brow, but Elma would've definitely had a field day were she here. Shizuru may've been ousted from competing, but she and the rest of the 10 vetted pre-teens had still been allowed to join in the festivities since they were still a part of the process. At the moment, she and Hanako were flanking my sides, something almost worrying in their eyes as they traded passive aggressive barbs with one another. Nothing that'd stop them from being friends once the weekend was over, though as someone with more emotional complexity than an open-bracket {Insert Harem Protagonist} close-bracket, it was plain to see that both were "interested" in me and trying to stake some sort of claim.
Right as the two of them looked expectantly at me, two massive black hands came down around the chair I was sitting in and I myself besides.
"Pardon the intrusion."
The next moment I and my chair both were lifted away from the table, carried across the ballroom by one of the massive Killer Whale Heteromorphs before being brought over to sit with Mero on one side and Momo on the other, with Mako and Mei sitting across the round table.
Huh. That's a lot of Ms. Probably a coincidence.
"Takehiko-san, so glad you could join us~" Mero smiled prettily, steepling her webbed fingers like she hadn't had me abducted in front of Kami and everyone.
"Hm. Quite," I replied with the least politically offensive return I could think of. "So, are you sponsoring this season of Run for the Money?"
"Momo and I both, actually," she replied. "Think of it as… supporting future diplomatic endeavors," she nodded to her ring of guards, who even now were fending off those who wanted to ingratiate themselves into the good graces of Neptunia.
"I see…" I nodded as I moved to eat, only to realize my food had been abandoned. "Oh."
"Takei-kuuuuuun!"
"Chitose?" I blinked at the familiar blue-skinned woman waving my way, my 'abandoned' food in one hand and her own in another as she stood outside the protective ring of guards.
"Oh, a member of your entourage?" Mero inquired, my awkward nod prompting the princess to wave her through, one of the guards plucking a chair from one of the other tables with two fingers before planting it across from me and beside Mako. "Kizuki Chitose, right? I've kept up with your work since your articles with Takei-kun."
"You honor me, Meroune-ohimesama," the Shoowaysha reporter bowed on one knee.
"Chitose…-neechan," I amended when the woman shot me a look. "I didn't know you took a personal interest in domestic gameshows."
"Only as long as you're involved!" the woman smiled prettily as she set her own food down.
"Well, don't hold your breath or anything. I can go a few days without anything out-of-the-ordinary going on."
"And that just makes the days where it doesn't all the more spectacular!" she smiled that winning smile of hers.
If this body were a decade over, I'd have probably swooned at that smile…
"A-Anyway… are you here for business, or pleasure?"
"A little bit of both," she said before pointing over to another part of the ballroom. "You see that gentleman over there, with the other sponsors?"
I turned to follow her finger and almost spat out my water at the sight of a real-life Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz from Phineas & Ferb. His posture wasn't slouched, his shoulders broad, and the hairstyle was a bit different, but put side-by side with that long beak-like nose and comparisons could easily be made. Heck, for an instant I entertained the notion that one of Dr. Doofenshmirtz's iconic "-inators" had backfired on him horribly and he'd been Isekai'd sometime in the past like I had.
Until I saw a greenish-teal bipedal platypus with a brown fedora on his head doing karate, I'd just assume the resemblance between the long-nosed gentleman and Heinz was purely coincidental.
"Yotsubashi Rikiya, President and CEO of the Detnerat Company," Chitose clarified. "Rumor has it he's thinking about moving into the Hero Support Industry, and he's certainly got enough infrastructure to make it so, but I guess he's trying to work out if he can balance catering to the Professional Hero industry and the common people that Detnerat has been making lifestyle support items for all this time."
"Well, just because he can do something like that doesn't mean he 'should'," I reply, causing Chitose to tilt her head inquisitively. "His work has always been for the 'civilian sector', but Pro Heroes need to trust their very lives to the Support Items they use. It's possible that most Heroes will still choose to get their wares from dedicated Support Item companies with longer histories. Though I'm sure if his wares are affordable, that he might be able to cater to up-and-coming Heroes when they're starting out, maybe earn lifelong customers that way."
"Hm. I hadn't thought of it that way, but it makes sense," Chitose nodded thoughtfully. "Ohimesama, if at all possible, could I maybe ask a few questions of you?"
"Perhaps," she said daintily lifting a cup of tea to her lips. "But anything you want to put to print, would of course need to be vetted first."
"I would never think of trying to put something to print behind your back," the reporter said bowing her head. "After all, why would I sour a relationship that could be quite… fruitful in the future~" she hummed girlishly as she looked at Mero and I.
"Speaking of relationships…" I said tracing a square inside my jacket before reaching into my [Item Box] . "Mero, can I please get a straight answer about… this?"
The mermaid princess' face went a beet red as I drew the rose-decorated half-scallop necklace seemingly from my breast pocket, Momo's cheeks dusting a light pink while Mako chuckled mirthfully. Mei on the other hand had no outward reaction, while Chitose's eyes lit up with stars like she'd seen something newsworthy.
"Well… you see…" she said tenting her fingers before her face, lovely ocean-colored eyes refusing to meet mine. "In Neptunian culture, a necklace like that…"
And her voice continued to grow quieter to the point even I couldn't pick up what she was saying.
Perhaps I was over-stepping a bound, but it may be time to go on the offensive.
"Does this actually mean anything, or was it only given as a fit of pique?"
"O-Of course it meant something!" the princess stammered, a pair of bodyguards standing shoulder to shoulder behind Mero and I, prompting any would-be eavesdroppers to divest their attention elsewhere. "It's just… I didn't want to impose upon you… but at the same time…"
Without even thinking my hand fell upon hers, Mako and the other guards twitching into readiness at the intimate gesture before realizing there was nothing farther to it.
"I only want to be made aware of the gesture's significance. It would behoove me to misrepresent you."
Behoove? Where the hell did that come from?
Mero in response gestured me closer, allowing her to cup a webbed hand between her lips and my ear.
"The giving of a rose-accented half-scallop means… I wish to court you in the future," she eventually replied, my cheeks heating up at what was basically an outright confession. "You need not reply to me now. I simply ask that you think it over."
" . . . Wouldn't any sort of… reciprocation on my part, cause political tensions in Neptunia?" I replied eventually. And while it might've looked like I was meekly tracing a circle on the tablecloth, I was actually casting a bit of [Perception Dampening] so that only those sitting directly adjacent to me would hear; any outsiders would simply hear a muted murmuring.
At least if I'd gotten the formula right…
"The Du Neptune family isn't in the sort of straits where I would have to marry politically to secure our position," she answered. "As it stands, I'm free to court whomever I wish thanks to my parents' hard work."
" . . . Why me?"
It warranted asking.
"Why not?" she inquired in turn, smiling prettily.
" . . . What would living arrangements be like if we were to get… serious?" I groused.
Not that I was wholly unaware of the girls in my life prior to meeting Mero, but I wanted to get all my ducks in a row so I wouldn't "lead them on" for five seasons.
"Ah, actually, I would still be living down in the Capital, something that might be a bit… difficult… for you," she said tapping her fingers together. "B-But don't worry! I wouldn't dream of asking you to cast your life on the surface aside a-and treating you like some sort of pet!" she amended. "Fact is, even if you did become my suitor, you wouldn't actually be in contention for the throne. You'd only be a 'Consort of the Crown Princess', which has… benefits of its own, I'm willing to admit," she blushed.
"Um… Could I get that in English? Er, Japanese, please?"
"Sh-She means that while you are living apart, you may be able to have… suitors, of your own," Momo answered meekly.
. . . . . .
. . .
"Heh?"
*AHA*
As it turned out, while my [Perception Dampening] had been successful in blocking out eavesdroppers of the auditory variety, it hadn't stopped Mako who was sitting across from reading Mero's lips and susing out what was being discussed; especially after that necklace had come into play.
Chitose on the other hand was quite amenable to letting out private discussion stay private, despite the fact that what was being discussed was a tabloid reporter's wet dream.
Mei didn't offer much commentary, socially inept as she was, but there was something hungry in her gaze as well that made me a pinch worried. Not that Shiori and Kuromi's knowing looks from the other table made me feel any better, nor did the looks that Shizuru and Hanko were shooting as well. And was that Yomi I saw peeking in through the doorway?
Anywho, once I learned in no uncertain terms what Mero was offering, I told her I would give it all due consideration, and that she should expect me to lean into a favorable response, though not with any sort of guarantee.
Sure, the "Harem Route" was a hallmark of most Isekai stories, good and bad, and agreeing to become Mero's official "Consort" would certainly solve many of the interpersonal issues I possibly had brewing on my own end. But I had to be absolutely certain I was being fair to Mero as well, or it'd feel like I were simply using her for my own ends like the Isekai Protagonist in one of the many BAD Isekai stories.
That Mero didn't seem to have any sort of problem with me courting girls on the side when she wasn't around, and in fact seemed to outright encourage, made me a pinch worried that she might've had voyeuristic tendencies. Almost like she wanted me to court other girls on the side so she could learn about it second-hand. Mero of course denied such allegations, though rather weakly and without making any sort of eye contact, and Mako tittering off to the side didn't help either.
Of course, those apart from Mero in my life would also need to be brought in on the same page now that I'd been given somewhat exacting terms, though that could wait until after the gameshow. No need to add more drama to the mix.
So suffice it to say, I had a great deal to ruminate on as I stepped back to the buffet line. Since Run for the Money was closer to a marathon than a sprint, while I did need long-chain carbohydrates to get me through it, I was also a pre-teen presented with a buffet of fancy food, and I felt like I'd be a bad adoptive child to a certain Harmony Dragon I knew if I didn't indulge myself at least a little. And I was sure I wasn't the only one thinking about smuggling some desserts back to my hotel room.
As I grabbed myself some sushi rolls and tempura, I caught the sound of footfalls right behind me before a familiar gray-haired girl materialized.
"So, how was the nobility?" Shizuru asked attempting to hide her terse tone.
"It was… interesting," I returned as I faced her, noticing that she was standing a smidge closer than she normally did when we conversed. "I'm sorry you couldn't compete."
"It's fine," the Vanishing Girl replied. "If it were you that got ousted, I wouldn't be all that motivated to compete anyway," she admitted with a blush, "so that just means you'll have to compete for the both of us, ne?"
"I can only promise to do my best," I nodded. " . . . How are you holding up?"
" . . . I'm sorry I keep waking you up at night…" she said turning her eyes down, shoulders slumping.
"Shizuru, you're my friend," I said taking her hand. "Friends are there for one another, and they don't keep tabs of favors owed. Friends help one another because they're friends."
" . . . Thank you," she returned with a tearful smile as she took my hand with both of her own. "Thank you so much."
"You're welcome," I replied with a nod.
"If you don't mind me asking, what do Shiori and Kuromi know that the rest of us don't?" she asked getting her own goodies from the buffet line.
"That… might have to be discussed with Mero."
"The Mermaid Princess?" she blinked, glancing in her direction.
"She… is willing to entertain conversation with my friends once shooting is done," I admitted.
"Still, though, you must have this in the bag, huh?" she beamed.
"There are no guarantees in life," I said discretely drawing a brochure from my [Item Box] and opening it up. "Huis Ten Bosch is divided into five areas totaling 26 hecatares; about nineteen soccer fields. Even if there's just 30 of us competing, until we start seeing eliminations, we're going to be breathing down one anothers necks the entire time, and it isn't uncommon for one player to kite a Hunter towards their slower rivals."
Of course, if there was one "Skill" of mine from my previous Incarnation I could be proud of, it was the fact that I could memorize the ins and outs of amusement park topographies and my relation to visible landmarks. Every competitor would be loaned a reinforced smartphone for the dissemination of pertinent announcements, either of missions or players eliminated, but another essential piece of paraphernalia apart from safety gear were the analogue maps we were given. And something I seemed to notice in previous seasons of RFTM was that those who lost track of where they were in the venues, were usually the first to corner themselves and get caught. Huis Ten Bosch was fairly open, but it was still possible to find yourself surrounded; especially on the bridges running over the park's waterways.
If you got sandwiched between two Hunters on one of those, unless you could fly or just leap really far, you were basically done for.
"So… Where will you be staying tonight?" Shizuru asked as we refreshed our drinks. "Did you… get invited to the presidential suite again…?"
"The offer was made, but no, it's only fair that I stay with the rest of the competitors," I replied, her expression seeming to brighten at that. "I'll be in the room right next to yours, and if your roommate doesn't mind…"
"I'll unlock the door in the event there are any… issues," she replied, mindful of our audience. "I'm… I'm sorry for the inconvenience."
"Think nothing of it," I replied.
"Takei-kun?"
"Hai?"
"Ganbatte."
My heart fluttered, just a bit, and not even Shiori and Kuromi's knowing smirks could ruin the moment for me.
*AN*
Yes, this chapter and the sub-plot between Picar and Bort-sensei was inspired by the Netflix incarnation of Run for the Money. While a great deal of that was probably scripted, as is most quote/unquote "reality TV", in-universe, these Quirk-assisted gameshows are closer to the Yuuei Sports Festival (akin to Candid Camera), wherein contestants can use their Quirks to do stuff.
In a way, it's little different than a Pro Athlete using their borderline-superhuman physique in an obstacle course gameshow, compared to some office guy who gets let in for the Optics because he's a low-key internet celebrity.
At one point I contemplated having a Ninja Warrior/"Sasuke" chapter, but with the intensity of Takei's training, it'd ethically feel like cheating since, with his Reiki/Spirit Energy and Lombax-like physique, he'd be heads and shoulders above most Quirk users. Not to mention, most mid-tier Pro Heroes who chose to compete would make mundane obstacle courses like in the real-life Ninja Warrior/"Sasuke" seem woefully inadequate to pose a remarkable challenge.
Hell, Aizawa/Eraser Head alone is low-key Spider-Man on top of being a real-life ninja in-universe; check out My Hero Academia's Aizawa is a NINJA!? - Which Ninja by Gaijin Goombah if you wanna see why I think this.
But yeah, with mid-terms and this out of the way, we're closer to Summer Break where I can have some wackier adventures before the next part of the semester.
For those of you not following on the Discord, I'm fishing for ideas on interesting Digimon cameos, since from a bystander's perspective, it'd basically be like a "Reverse Isekai" with fantastical monsters coming to the Human World. I've already begun chewing on an idea for Machinedramon, who has stuck with me even after I fell off watching Digimon following Digimon: Data Squad; the 5th out of 9 series.
Here's a Discord Invite Code for those that are interested. Remove the Hyphens.
ht-tp-s:-/-/ discord . gg / smS3kjNN
ALL THIS SAID! By the time I finished up Takei & Mero's loaded conversation in the ballroom, the chapter had already eclipsed 11K words, so the actual beginning of "Run for the Money" will start next-chapter, though it may also mean I can put the whole of the gameshow runtime in one chapter instead of splitting it up again.
SO! I hope to hear from you all in the Review section or on other works of mine, and until then…
GOTTA BLAST!