A/N: Hello everyone! First timer here, and I'm so excited to be posting my work. I don't really know what to expect, but I've had this idea rattling around in my head for a while now and I hope some of y'all find it entertaining!
"Here you are, Mistress."
Chaotic's jittering claws deposited the case in the middle of the coffee table. The polished leather gleamed in what little light the moon offered through the window, reflecting off of the pristine silver buckles locking the merchandise shut. Mirror sat forward slightly, watching it closely. It didn't seem to be a decoy or any sort of trick. Nonetheless, she remained apprehensive.
"You're sure this is all of them?" Mirror raised a dark eyebrow. Chaotic plopped down beside her on the bench, twitching with anticipation.
"Exactly as requested." Across from her, the blonde settled back into the plush green sofa, taking a cigarette drag. "Of course, these things take time to develop. Can't just throw them together willy nilly."
In the case, a bed of purple velvet housed three evenly sized, molded to fit pink tubes. Beside each one lay injectable pink glass bullets, tailored exactly to Mirror's customizations. She stared down at the bullets with a sharp toothed, menacing grin.
"This will do absolutely nicely." She held one of the glass tubes to her face, her charcoal eyes gleaming in astonishment. "Outstanding work, Miss Electra. How ever did you obtain such craftsmanship?"
"Not easily." Electra's eyes narrowed in a glare. "I hope you don't expect me to replicate this anytime soon. Nearly got dragged through the mud getting the boys to make these."
"Oh, don't you worry about that." Mirror waved her hand dismissively. "Once we succeed, we'll have no need for any of those meatheads at the lab."
"I should hope not." The annoyed expression remained hardened on Electra's otherwise pretty face.
"Come now." Mirror tossed her black braid over her shoulder. "I called you because I was told you're the best. Don't disappoint me. So far, I like you."
Electra kept her mouth shut, hiding behind another drag. In this business, if Mirror liked you, you zipped your lips and kept it that way.
Beside her, Chaotic giggled, practically foaming at the mouth. Her snake tongue poked out a bit, causing Electra to subtly sit back. From the deep green scales covering her body to the twitching and grunting, she couldn't help but be just a tad wary of Miss Chaotic.
"When do we get to test it, Mistress?" Chaotic half hissed, one of her eyes lulling closed.
"Soon, my darling." Mirror patted Chaotic's lime green hair affectionately. "We must be patient. If this is going to work, everything needs to be timed just right. Electra?"
"Hm?"
Closing the case, Mirror sat forward, crossing her ankles beneath her seat.
"This is impressive, but I'm not fully convinced." She clasps her hands together pensively. "Tell me, what are the chances you'd be willing to return to the field?"
Electra's red lips slowly cracked a wicked grin.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Hm?" Deku yawned for the fifth time that morning. "Oh, sorry, Ochako. Were you saying something?"
Giggling, Uraraka squeezed his hand. "No, just wanted to make sure you were awake. Can't have you falling asleep in class after last time."
A hundred extra pushups a day for an entire week seemed excessive for dozing off one time, but Deku didn't question Aizawa and his unconventional teaching methods. Rather, he shuddered at the prospect of enduring that once again and squeezed his girlfriend's hand back to thank her for reminding him.
"You're the best." He smiled contently. "Training last night wiped me out, I think."
"You also went back this morning, too, right?" Uraraka confirmed, sounding concerned.
Deku chuckled sheepishly. "Uh, yeah. All Might's got me on a new regiment starting this week, so I might be training in overtime."
"Is that…safe?" She tread slowly, hoping to get a real answer out of him and not some nonsense about how 'fine' he was.
Sensing her discontent, Deku pulled his hand from hers to drape his arm across her shoulders.
"I'll be fine." He pecked her temple. "Don't worry about me."
He didn't know he'd answered in the worst way possible. Breathing deeply, she forced herself to accept this. Granted, she didn't have much of a choice, seeing how there wasn't anything she could do about it either way. She'd always known how in depth training got for Deku, but it wasn't until they started dating that she saw the true ramifications of his rigorous schedule. Knowing he'd gotten worn out and actually seeing him stumble into bed half-broken were two entirely different things. Yet every time she voiced her concern, he met her with a sweet smile and reassurances that she had nothing to worry about. Maybe she didn't, to be fair. He always managed to get up everyday. She'd gladly overreact if it meant he didn't end up broken beyond repair, though.
"Do we have anything important going on today?" He shifted the subject gently.
"Hm." Uraraka's gaze shifted upwards in thought. "I don't think so. I know that tomorrow there's a test in Ectoplasm's–"
"OH MY GOD, YOU GUYS!"
Out of nowhere, Mina burst from the classroom door, waving her phone in their faces. Deku jumped back, horrified.
"Uh, hey Mina!" Uraraka waved awkwardly. "What–"
"Tell me you guys have heard!" The pink haired girl bounced on her toes giddily, allowing the couple to step into the classroom, which was abuzz with chatter.
Deku frowned. "Heard what?"
"Oh my God, how long do we have? A month?" Hagakure stood beside Ojiro, dancing from one foot to the other. "That's crazy!"
"Holy crap, they're not gonna expect us to dance, are they?" Sato looked from Shoji to Koda. "I've got two left feet on a good day!"
Mineta stood on his chair, striking a dramatic pose. "Do you think the tux rental shop you found specializes in leather? I've got some sweet suit ideas."
Beside him, Sero blinked. "Uh, no idea."
"Mineta! No standing on your chair! Come down at once!" Iida ordered from across the room.
Deku and Uraraka exchanged concerned glances.
"Uh, what's going on?" Uraraka asked hesitantly.
"Check your student emails, dude!" Kaminari popped up next to Mina. "We're going to a freakin' gala!"
"A…what?" Uraraka glanced at Deku, who shrugged. One app check later, Uraraka's inbox blinked with a message that Deku craned over her shoulder to read.
Subject: Hero's Gala
Dear Students of Class 3-A and 3-B,
We are delighted to extend a formal invitation to all of you for the prestigious yearly Hero's Gala, a celebration of heroism, courage, and the unwavering spirit of our beloved heroes.
Event Details:
Date: Saturday, June 15th
Time: 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Venue: Hinata Grand Hotel, Main Ballroom
Dress Code: Formal Attire
This esteemed event is an opportunity for you to mingle with renowned heroes, prominent figures from various industries, and fellow students. It is a night dedicated to honoring the achievements and contributions of heroes while fostering a sense of unity and camaraderie within the hero community.
The evening will include:
A formal dinner with a gourmet menu
Keynote speeches from top heroes
Live entertainment
An awards ceremony recognizing outstanding heroism
Please RSVP by replying to this email by June 1st to confirm your attendance. If you have any dietary restrictions or special requests, kindly include them in your response.
We look forward to seeing you all at the gala and celebrating the incredible potential each of you holds as the next generation of heroes.
Best regards,
Nezu
Principal, U.A. High School
"Oh, wow, no way!" Deku perked up. "Is this real?"
"You bet it is!" Kirishima slung his arm around Deku's neck in an affectionate headlock. "One month from now, we'll be chatting it up with the big leagues!"
Hagakure squeezed Uraraka's arm and squealed. "Can you imagine all the pretty dresses?"
"Uh, yeah, but…" The brunette bit her lip awkwardly. "Why…how did we get this kind of invitation? We're barely about to graduate high school! Isn't the gala exclusive to the top pros of Japan?"
Historically, the event broadcast across their televisions every year screamed "elite." The attendees often scoped a small range of top pros (especially ones who had made significant contributions to society throughout the year,) seasoned sidekicks, agents and agency sponsors (people who possessed more money than they knew what to do with,) and maybe pros' spouses or families. Somehow, the ballrooms hosting the event always ended up jam packed despite the exclusivity, making Uraraka realize that rich people made up a bigger number of the population than she anticipated. Nonetheless, it didn't compute to her why a bunch of eighteen-year-olds who hadn't yet obtained professional hero licenses received the opportunity to attend something so prestigious.
Somehow, it made her…nervous.
"Who cares? Let's just enjoy it!" Mina pumped her fist in the air.
"That's the attitude!" Kirishima wrapped an arm around her waist with a huge smile.
The bell blared through the room, cutting off their conversation. Immediately, the students scrambled to their seats, fearful of Aizawa's wrath should he find them out of place. Two years of working under him had taught them that his rules were to be obeyed. Period.
"Right." As soon as the bell finished ringing, the door snapped open to reveal their teacher glaring them down. "Everyone in your–"
The entire room stared back at him, shoulders squared, eyes forward, not even blinking. Aizawa faltered, having no one to order back to their seat, and finished off with a grunt as he shuffled to his desk.
"Before we begin, let's get something out of the way." He paused, taking a deep breath. "By now, I'm sure you've all read your student emails. Does anybody have any questions?"
He'd never regretted opening the floor more.
"Mr. Aizawa, what exactly does 'formal' mean? Like floor length or can we take creative liberties?"
"Do we know the pro guest list yet?"
"Can we ask people if–"
"One at a time if you value your enrollment at this school." His eyes narrowed menacingly. Immediately, the room fell silent.
Timidly, Mina extended her hand.
"Miss Ashido, formal means formal. Think floor length dresses and black tuxedos. If I catch a single one of you in sneakers, you're in for a world of hurt. Understood?"
'That means I need to go shopping.' Uraraka gulped internally.
"The guest list is a secret until the event. I can promise there will be a wide range of heroes, sidekicks, and sponsors in attendance. Probably too many to count."
Sero sat back, his question answered before raising his hand even crossed his mind. Before someone else thought of another one, Deku's hand shot up.
"So then, why are a bunch of hero course students attending?"
At that, Aizawa sighed.
"That would be the core of this entire discussion." He settled into his desk chair. "With pros stepping down left and right, the public's faith in heroes is wavering. Frankly, I don't blame them. No symbol of peace, crime running rampant, barely anyone left to counter the crisis. It's grim out there, even if not outrightly so. The citizens are looking for even a glimmer of hope in all this struggle. That's where you and class B come in."
The class sat forward, all paying close attention.
"One of the newest segments added to this gala is the introduction of the top graduating hero course students into society. Faces to names, formal instatement of new sidekicks, if you've been offered such a position, and a small demonstration of your abilities. Think of this as your debut, in a way."
Gasps and beams of excitement swept through the room.
"No way, demonstrating our powers in front of all those agencies?" Kirishima held up his clenched fist. "That sounds so badass!"
"It's an incredible opportunity for you young heroes." Aizawa's expression darkened. "And every one of you deserves it, so don't you dare screw this up. If a single one of you acts out of line over the next month, this invitation will be revoked without a second thought. Have I made myself clear?"
His death stare pierced each and every one of their souls. A resounding "yes" echoed from their mouths almost involuntarily.
"Now then." He settled back. "If there aren't anymore questions, let's begin with–"
"Ooh! Wait, I have one!"
Kaminari practically jumped from his chair waving his fully extended arm around. Groaning internally, Aizawa nodded at him.
"What is it?"
An excited smile broke across Kaminari's face. "Can we bring dates?"
Aizawa frowned. "Can you bring whom?"
"You know!" Kaminari's grin broadened. "Can we, like, ask people to match colors and dance with us and–"
"And accompany us back to our dorms once the evening has ended?" Mineta wiggled his eyebrows. From the desks next to him, Sero and Tokoyami side-eyed him.
Aizawa's eyes narrowed. "This isn't prom, gentlemen. You're expected to step into hero society at this event. If you treat this like some kind of school dance, what kind of statement does that make?"
Kaminari's shoulders slumped, and though no one outright said it, an air of slight disappointment fell over the students.
"But," Aizawa sighed. "As far as matching and dancing and…whatever else, there's technically nothing stopping you from doing so, if that's what you're asking."
His gaze turned on Mineta, who snickered devilishly amongst the further excited chatter.
"Dorms are indisputably off limits, however. Do I make myself clear?"
Once again, fear struck the room, though this time only Mineta was targeted. Shrinking back, he stuttered a terrified 'yes.'
"Alright." Their teacher exhaled. "Let's start for today, then."
"Oh, my gosh, okay, we only have a month so we need to decide colors now!" Mina clapped her hands together purposefully.
Yaoyorozu sat on the edge of the couch beside Mina and Kirishima, laptop open in planning mode. She'd already picked out a dress shopping day for just the girls, a tie shopping day for boys and girls (in case anyone wanted to match,) and pinned several hair and makeup tutorial links to the class A group chat. Considering they'd found out about the gala only eight hours before, she'd done some impressive work. Tokoyami briefly wondered how she'd acquired such sharp planning skills. Perhaps it evolved from her pristine organizational habits?
"I've got a spreadsheet set up to list out everyone's color choices so no one clashes." She explained diplomatically. "This way, if there needs to be a change, the right person can be consulted."
"Wow, Yaomomo, that took you no time to create." Tokoyami's eyes widened.
"Well, creation is her specialty." Ojiro pointed out with a smile. "But this is such a great idea! What's everyone planning on wearing?"
"Red for us! Right, babe?" Kirishima looked to Mina. Her jaw dropped.
"What? No way, red looks awful on me!" She shook her head vigorously. "How about something teal? Or light blue?"
"The right shade of teal would look good with your red, Kirishima." Uraraka volunteered, sending Mina a wink.
The gears spun in Kirishima's head for a moment before his face lit up. "Hey, yeah! You're right! Okay, Yaoyorozu, we're doing teal, then!"
Deku raised his eyebrows. "He really never needs much convincing."
"Woo-hoo!" Mina mouthed a quick 'thank you' to Uraraka as she cuddled Kirishima's arm.
"Mina and Kirishima…teal…" Yaoyorozu murmured as she typed. "Okay, great, teal is off limits! Anyone else?"
"I want to go in something shimmery, like a silver or gold!" Hagakure squealed from behind the opposite couch.
Mina gasped. "Oh, my God, that sounds gorgeous!"
"Right?" Hagakure dropped onto the couch next to Ojiro with a dreamy sigh. "Ooh, and if I get to use my quirk right, I could reflect like a disco ball or something!"
Yaoyorozu stroked her chin, staring at her laptop. "I suppose I could put you down as a kaleidoscope color?"
"That works!" Hagakure chirped.
"Wait, how am I supposed to match you, then?" Ojiro raised an eyebrow.
She looped her arms around his neck with a giggle.
"With a glitter tie, silly!"
Ojiro, the muted martial arts guy sporting something adorned with glitter sounded nothing short of absurd to Tokoyami. However, the loving grin lighting up Ojiro's face as he settled his arm around Hagakure communicated everything: for her, he'd wear an entire suit made of glitter. Their bond truly was something to behold, he pondered. Lighthearted, good-natured, and oh so adoring of each other. They were, as one of the girls would say, a cute couple.
"What are we talking about?" Tsuyu returned to the discussion from the bathroom, curiosity piqued.
"Dress colors for the gala!" Uraraka filled her in enthusiastically. "Yaomomo's listing them out so nobody ends up clashing or wearing the same color or something."
"Oh, I see!" Tsuyu settled down beside Uraraka's legs. "I'll take green, if nobody else wants it."
"Wait! You can't call a color before someone asks you to be their date!" Mina held up a disapproving finger.
Tsuyu tilted her head. "Why?"
"Because what if the color you pick doesn't match them?" Uraraka put in.
"Yeah." Mineta, who likely had been listening to this entire discussion from the shadows, emerged from behind the couch and ran a hand over his head, striking a pose. "Green's definitely not gonna look good with my balls."
Good grief. Tokoyami withheld a cringe.
"Who said you have to wear it?" Tsuyu didn't miss a beat.
Smirking, Mineta held out his hand, prompting her to take it (which she didn't.) Tokoyami raised his eyebrows; while he didn't expect much from his purple-headed classmate, this move was bold even for him.
"Tsuyu Asui, would you do me the honor of–"
"I'm gonna go make some tea."
Without sparing him a second glance, Tsuyu sprang and bounded into the kitchen on all fours.
"Bad time?" Mineta called after her, then let out a nervous laugh. "Okay, this was a bad time, I'll ask later!"
'Or not at all.' Tokoyami withheld a glare.
Over the years, Mineta's inability to process the word 'no' somehow worsened, wearing down most people's patience for him, Tokoyami especially. The constant lamenting about being a third year who'd never gotten laid in the dorms grew practically unbearable by the time they'd reached this third month of school, so much so that even Dark Shadow contemplated strangling their vertically challenged classmate. Tokoyami never engaged in Dark Shadow's antics, but also didn't discourage him from these thoughts.
"Ugh, Mineta, don't bother." Mina echoed Tokoyami's thoughts.
"Yeah, your horoscope totally says you should focus on yourself this season." Hagakure scrolled through Instagram, holding out her screen to show Mineta.
"What?!" Mineta squinted at the page she'd pulled up, skimming the post before scoffing. "No way! That's just some dumb girl magic you made up to make guys feel like shit!"
Magic? Tokoyami rolled his eyes.
"Hey, man, astrology's actually fairly reliable." Ojiro pulled Hagakure closer to him. "After all, Toru asked me out once she learned our signs were a perfect match. And now, look at us."
Yaoyorozu raised an eyebrow. "I thought you guys were the same sign?"
"Geminis belong with other Geminis." Hagakure clarified. "Our internal energies match each other to the point that we balance out!"
Uraraka and Mina frowned at one another.
"Hagakure, I don't think that's right." Mina looked back at her and Ojiro.
"In fact, you might be…scary wrong." Uraraka agreed.
"What do you mean?" Hagakure's grip on Ojiro's arm seemed to tighten.
"The energy between two Geminis can often be chaotic at best and destructive more often than not." Yaoyorozu typed as she spoke. "Have you gotten your moon and risings matched? That might shed some more light on your compatibility."
Kirishima furled his brow in confusion. "Wait, how do you guys know all that?"
"Yeah, that was a fast deduction." Deku's eyes widened a bit.
"Because it's spooky girl nonsense, Midoriya!" Mineta jumped to his feet, his fists balled. "When are you gonna learn that all girls are secretly witches casting weird TikTok spells on us guys to get what they want? How else do you think Ojiro and Hagakure's zodiac bullshit works so well, huh? It's because Hagakure's got him hexed or something! Open your eyes!"
"Or." Tokoyami cut in dryly. "Their hearts could feel drawn to each other with no explanation. No magical bounds can withstand the weight of a genuine soul connection. Try contemplating that instead of calling young women witches."
The room fell silent.
"So, Tokoyami." Mina shifted slightly. "Do me a favor and pick a girl, go use a line like that on her, and thank me after you fuck. Okay?"
Tokoyami frowned incredulously. "Refrain from such graphics, please."
"Yeah, the last thing I need is the bird getting laid before me." Mineta mumbled, plopping back down on the couch. "But seriously, I'm stealing that line."
It wasn't even a 'line.' Tokoyami did not care less.
"Hey, guys." Tsuyu reappeared carrying a large tray. "Tea's ready, if anyone wants it."
"Ooh, thank you, Tsu!" Hagakure dropped in front of the coffee table, where Tsuyu placed the tray. "Any sugar for you, babe?"
"Tsu!" While everyone descended on the tea, Mineta bounded over and snatched her hand, making her jump. "Our heart connection isn't drawn…no, wait, the magical bounds of a soul connection–"
"Asui." Carefully, Tokoyami pulled her hand from Mineta's, replacing it with the pastel green teacup he'd already poured for her. "For you."
"Oh?" She looked from the teacup to him, a little confused. "Thank you, but I can wait until everyone else is done."
"Generous." He pressed his hand over hers on the cup. "You should enjoy the fruits of your labor before others sometimes, though. One cannot pour from an empty cup."
Tsuyu's fingers relaxed as she gratefully accepted the cup, ignoring Mineta's sputtering protests.
"Thank you, Tokoyami." Her eyes sparkled up at him. "How did you know this cup was my favorite?"
"Lucky guess." He offered a half shrug.
Because it reminded him of her. Delicate, muted, and the undisputed prettiest among the cups.
…Dark Shadow added that last part. Not him.
"Yaomomo?" Uraraka poked her head out from Yaoyorozu's closet. "I, uh, I don't think this dress is gonna fit."
Everyone's attention shifted to the pale yellow satin gown draped across Uraraka's chest. Right now, it hung down extremely loosely on her chest to the point that she needed to manually hold it up. On top of that, the length of the dress fell far too long on her petite frame, causing the fabric to pool around her ankles on the floor.
"Ooh, it's a little big but that's really pretty!" Hagakure gushed.
"I don't know about the color." Tsuyu countered thoughtfully. "It kind of washes you out, Ochako."
"I agree." Yaoyorozu looked Uraraka up and down. "That's not a bad style for you, though. The sweetheart neckline would be quite flattering if it were tailored to your body. Here, I can make some dress clips, hang on!"
Within seconds, four large, metal clips descended from her shoulder to the floor.
"Whoa." Uraraka raised her eyebrows. "You've gotten a lot faster at creation. I didn't even blink and you had those ready!"
"It comes with training." Yaoyorozu reached down to pick up the clips. "I've got a lot more stamina now than I did our first year. Here, Mina, can you take over Jiro's nails?"
"Oh, I've got the dress, Yaomomo!" Tsuyu stooped to gather up the clips. "I'm closer to Ochako's height, anyway."
"Thank you, Tsu!" Yaoyorozu handed the clip she'd already picked up over and returned to Jiro's nails.
"Ochako, hold your arms out." Tsuyu pulled the fabric tight around Uraraka's waist, eliciting a grunt from the brunette.
"Ohp! That's a little tight." Uraraka winced.
"That's good, though." Mina eyed them from across the room. "It shows off your figure!"
Jiro craned around Yaoyorozu's head to take a better look. "Yeah, actually, something tight would work really well for you, Uraraka. A different color, too, of course."
"So wait, what are everyone's colors gonna be again?" Hagakure asked excitedly.
"Eijiro and I agreed on teal, I just need to figure out what shade." Mina held her chin in thought. "What do you guys think, darker or lighter?"
"Something darker would match both of you!" Uraraka rested her hands on top of her head while Tsuyu kept working on her dress. "Anything too light would clash with Kirishima's hair."
"Hm." Mina chewed her lip. "Yeah, that makes sense."
"My family's signature colors are red and gold, so I'll likely be choosing between those two depending on what everyone else goes with." Yaoyorozu put in, not looking up from Jiro's nails. "Of course, stylistically, I think red would make more sense. It matches my skin tone and my hero costume."
"Your…family has colors?" Uraraka blinked in disbelief.
"For me, it's not so much about the colors as it is the style." Jiro bounced off of what Yaoyorozu said. "Aizawa made it pretty clear this isn't a school dance. I don't know, that makes me feel like our dresses should look…more adult. Does that make sense?"
"Adult as in…" Hagakure pulled her tank top straps down. "Scandalous?"
"What?" Jiro jumped. "Hagakure, no! Jesus, no."
"She just means maturity." Tsuyu supplied from behind Uraraka. "Dressing like adults versus dressing like a bunch of teenagers going to prom."
Pulling her straps back up, Hagakure shrugged. "The more you use nudity, the less you start to care."
"Oh, I'll bet you and Ojiro are spending a lot of time using nudity these days." Mina plopped onto her back and wiggled her eyebrows.
Hagakure gave her a small shove. "Don't be a creep, Pinky!"
"This dress isn't working." Tsuyu stepped back in defeat. "There's just no end to this fabric."
"It's alright, Tsu." Uraraka rested a hand on her friend's shoulder with a smile. "It's sweet that you tried! I appreciate it."
"What's the try on for, anyway?" Mina sat back up.
"To see if Yaomomo had any options that might work for me." Uraraka appeared a second later, donning her pink pajamas. "The only nice dress I own is from my eighth grade graduation."
Mina winced. "The one with the lace trim?"
"The one you thought was a Little Bo Peep costume." Uraraka clarified grimly.
A moment of shuddering silence fell over the room.
"Hey, my closet isn't exactly chock full of options either." Jiro chimed in, hoping to make Uraraka feel better. "I own, like, two skirts. Forget about dresses."
"I'm happy to take you all shopping, if need be!" Yaoyorozu turned to give her friends an encouraging smile. "After all, we've got to look out for each other and ensure we present ourselves with as much dignity as possible."
Tsuyu's eyebrows raised. "Yaomomo, there's no way we could ask that of you."
"Who's asking? I'm offering!" Yaoyorozu held her hand out. "I'll even create dresses if you're worried about money!"
Somehow, that felt even worse to Uraraka. Guilt washed through her as she glanced over the mirror reflection of her SHEIN pajama set; her parents splurged on it for Christmas and she wore it every night to thank them. Accepting something as extravagant as a gala dress–much less one that her friend had the ability to construct with her quirk–made her feel thrust into a whole new level of unworthiness.
Heroes came from all walks of life. True, some were brought up in well off, established families like Todoroki or Iida. Hawks never had a penny to his name until he'd been recruited by the Public Safety Commission, though, and nobody looked down on him. Why? Because his power and skill spoke for itself. At the end of the day, the pros are on the hunt for successors, not students. Not handicaps.
Not tiny, poor, levitating girls in Little Bo Peep dresses.
"Something wrong, Ochako?" Tsuyu's hand rested on Uraraka's arm.
"Hm?" Uraraka shook herself. "Oh, no, not at all! I'm just…thinking."
Mina sat forward, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Ooh, about Midoriya?"
At that, Uraraka chuckled. "I wish."
"What's on your mind?" Tsuyu pressed.
"Oh, just…" She almost bit her tongue, but the words fell out before she stopped them. "I'm still impressed with Yaomomo's creation speed. I guess I didn't realize how hard we'd all been working. It's kind of silly, but I almost can't stop thinking of myself as an amateur. I don't know, does anyone else feel…not ready for this?"
The girls took a moment to digest what she said. Admittedly, things did feel like they moved at warped speed between the gala email and right now. A month wasn't a long time in the grand scheme of things. If they weren't ready now, they didn't have much room to change that.
"Maybe a little." Tsuyu conceded after a moment. "I mean, I'm excited, but it does feel a tad soon to be putting us out there like this."
"To me, it doesn't feel too soon so much as it feels unexpected." Jiro flexed her still-drying nails. "We knew we were gonna be faced with our debut in the next year or two, but actually having a time and place is throwing me off a bit."
"It's been such a long road." Mina leaned back and hugged her knees. "I don't even know how to feel, honestly."
"Grateful is one word." Yaoyorozu swept her feet back, leaning on her elbow. "Remember, we've been given an opportunity every hero student this side of the country would die for. It's best we don't squander what we've been given and make the most of this."
'Even if we don't deserve it?' Uraraka let the words die on her lips. She'd brought the mood down enough already.
"Okay, enough seriousness!" Seemingly reading Uraraka's mind, Hagakure reached out and snatched Yaoyorozu's phone. "Come on, get in here! We're taking a class 3-A girl power selfie!"
At this point, Yaoyorozu didn't question Hagakure's use of her phone for the high-quality front camera. She only asked for it when she wanted amazing pictures, and Yaoyorozu was happy to oblige.
Jiro cocked an eyebrow. "Hagakure, we do this at least once a week."
"No discussions!" The invisible girl scooted towards the middle of their little circle. "Warp refraction, say cheese!"
And though their spirits carried some nerve-wracking weights, every one of the girls sat up with bright, enthusiastic expressions on their faces.
Having a light quirk gave Hagakure an amazing eye for pictures. Angles, shading, and filters played a huge role in everyone's selfies thanks to her. And her camera work was no joke; in another life, she'd have made a fantastic photographer.
"Just us GALA-vanting!" She giggled as she captioned the photo. "If you know, you know!"
"Is that a little too on the nose?" Jiro's expression shifted from cheerful to worried.
"Who cares, we look HOT!" Mina squealed.
"It's only on Yaomomo's close friends story, don't worry." Hagakure assured Jiro. "Long enough for the boys to see how cute we look and chuckle at the reference."
"Ooh, can you send that to me, too?" Mina squeezed Hagakure's arm. "I forgot, this pajama set is one of Eijiro's favorites!"
"Ugh." Jiro rolled her eyes. "We're never gonna pass the Bechdel test with you two around."
"Aw, look!" Kirishima, who lay sprawled out on the floor beside the coffee table, held his phone up to Ojiro. "Our girls being cute."
Ojiro craned his neck to see, his face brightening once he registered the picture. "Hagakure's handiwork, no doubt."
"Oh, man, can you believe our luck here?" Kaminari interrupted their side conversation, lounging against the back of the couch.
Ojiro nodded. "It's a pretty huge honor to debut at an event like this."
"Not to mention the job opportunities! With that many agencies around, we could get signed by the end of the night!" Sero pumped his fists excitedly.
Kaminari huffed. "Yeah, yeah, but guys! Didn't you hear what Aizawa said? This is our chance to finally ask a girl out!"
Every other week, the class A girls held an exclusive "no boys allowed" sleepover in Yaoyorozu's room. This created a space for the guys to get together and chill in the common area until the wee hours of the morning, usually playing video games, sometimes doing stupid challenges or dares, whatever struck their fancy. Tonight they'd opted for a laidback night, with TV playing in the background of them just sitting and talking. And since the girls weren't around, they had the liberty to talk freely.
"Is that really your most pressing concern?" Shinso raised an eyebrow, not looking up from his phone.
"Heck yeah!" Kaminari practically screamed. "How is it not yours?"
Shinso shrugged apathetically. "It just doesn't feel like the most important part of all this, ultimately."
"Not the most important part? There's only three single girls in our class." Mineta, who sat beside Kaminari, rubbed his hands together. "That's a slim pool to pick from, guys. We should stake our claims now before this gets ugly."
Stake their claims? What did that even mean? Shinso looked down at his hands, unsure how to respond. It's not like he had much to contribute to the subject of securing a date, anyway.
"Mina's mine!" Kirishima popped into a sitting position.
"I don't think calling your own girlfriend counts as staking your claim, dude." Mineta sneered. "You already claimed her when you started dating her."
"Oh." Kirishima mulled this over. "So she's just, like, automatically mine without me even saying anything?"
Mineta rolled his eyes. "I mean, obviously. You can't call the girls who have boyfriends. We're talking specifically about Tsuyu and Yaoyorozu."
"And Jiro!" Kaminari added quickly. "Don't, uh, don't forget Jiro."
"Huh? Oh, yeah, Jiro." Mineta added absentmindedly.
"Are those our only options?" Sero sat back, a tad disappointed. "I think I'd rather go solo, to be honest."
Mineta snorted. "You'd rather be alone than take the one chance you have to call Yaoyorozu's knockers for yourself?"
"Hey, now." Shoji straightened up a bit. Between the "claims" and Mineta's obscenities, he felt more than ready to put a stop to this conversation.
Before he could, Iida, who sat with his shoulders squared in the arm chair, held up a robotic arm. "Now, gentlemen, I implore you to speak about our female classmates with more respect. They're living human beings, not objects you can lay imaginary claims to."
"Well, the claims aren't imaginary. I mean, if you actually land the date, then it's like, super real. Right?" Kaminari looked back and forth amongst his peers, hoping someone would corroborate…whatever he'd just said.
"Wait, I'm confused. Why would the date be imaginary?" Kirishima frowned.
"I think he means the claim is imaginary because it isn't something you can physically see, but the date is still real outside of that." Sero tapped his temple with his finger as if he'd just had a "big brain" moment.
"So do the claims even mean anything, then?" Sato looked to the ceiling contemplatively.
"Dude, asking someone out sounds too complicated now." Kaminari flattened himself into the couch.
"Well, it's not a requirement." Shoji reminded them. "And with everything else that's going to be happening at the gala, I'd wager it's probably less hassle to worry about a date on top of it all."
"Ugh." Mineta grumbled. "You guys seriously don't get it, do you?"
"Don't get what?" Todoroki tilted his head.
"That this is the best chance we have all school year!" Mineta finally exploded. "Those girls are getting hyped up on pretty dresses and makeovers, it's taking over their brains. Underneath that perfume reeks the scent of desperation to drag some guy along with them who'll tell them how beautiful they are all night. The more they hear it, the more they'll want to take their clothes off at the end of the party! You can't tell me none of you guys are thinking about this?!"
Nobody wanted to admit it, but they weren't not thinking about it, at least to some degree. Call it status, or loneliness, or some teenage mixture of the two, it didn't matter. Since the moment they'd established that dates were on the table, every guy without a girlfriend felt a spark of hope. Asking a girl out on a date meant easy, crushing, humiliating rejection. Inviting her to dance at a gala that all of them were already attending, however, took a lot of pressure off the inherent confession that came with such an invitation. It could lead to the possible setup that this was, in fact, a date, or could be something easily played off as "just as friends" if she didn't turn out to be interested. A significantly game-changing safety net that none of them ever thought would get thrown their way.
Obviously, the process remained intimidating, but the overwhelming embarrassment subsided in scenarios like this, especially when all the other guys rose up and made the same gamble. Chances like this didn't come often for the hero course students. Mineta may have a few screws loose, but he nailed the hammer on the head here. Taking that chance appealed to every single guy in the room.
Except, apparently, one of them.
"You're all a bunch of idiots!" From the floor beside Kirishima, Bakugo growled, shooting a menacing glare around the entire room.
"Hey, chill out, man." Kirishima hesitantly patted his shoulder.
"You're all doing way too much chilling, shitty hair!" Bakugo snapped hard enough to scare Kirishima into retracting his hand.
Deku turned to him, confused. "What do you mean, Kacchan?"
"Look at yourselves!" The blonde leapt to his feet. "Sitting around whining about girls or whatever when the chance to show off our powers is right in front of us! We should be training our asses off, day and night for this! Not moping around talking about which girl is the prettiest!"
"Ah, Kacchan, that's just the 'lonely' talking, dude!" Kaminari waved him off. "Lighten up, take this chance and do some normal teenage stuff for once."
"Well." Todoroki adjusted himself in his seat by Iida's chair. "Bakugo does have a bit of a point. Dates are fun and all, but we really should take this more seriously as our debut."
"Yeah, who knows, this could even end up televised or something!" Deku agreed.
"I don't need you agreeing with me, nerd!" Bakugo whirled on Deku, who reflexively flinched.
"Indeed, for once, Bakugo makes the most compelling argument!" Iida's terse tone cut through the intensity. "The most important part of all of this is focusing on our launch into hero society!"
Bakugo eyed Iida glaringly. "What do you mean, 'for once?!'"
"You make a good point, but I think Kaminari and Mineta might be onto something here, too." Sato ignored Bakugo. "We should try our best and keep training, harder even, but if we get lost in the seriousness of it all, we'll miss out on the fun."
"Exactly!" Kaminari slung an arm around Bakugo's neck. "Come on, think of the girls, the dancing, the champagne! Oh man, can you imagine drinking out of those fancy little tube glasses–"
"There will be no underage drinking at this event, Kaminari!" Iida declared in the background.
"Agh!" Bakugo shrugged Kaminari off. "What happened to personal space, you moron?!"
"Geez, Iida, who made you the fun police?" Sato crossed his arms.
"It's my job as class rep to ensure that all students of class A uphold UA's image to the fullest!" Iida sat straighter, as if making an announcement (which he sort of was.) "Our inclusion in this event is a once in a lifetime chance to make an impression. We can't ruin this for ourselves or future generations of heroes."
Todoroki watched Iida's smile falter ever so slightly. Enforcing the rules wasn't out of character for him, but he knew his friend well enough to notice he'd been wound tighter than usual throughout this conversation. He exchanged a glance with Deku, who met his eye with a small nod, indicating he saw it, too.
"Hey, Iida–"
BZZT. BZZT.
Frowning, Todoroki cut himself off to check his phone. A scowl crossed his face as he switched it to 'silent', slipping it back in his pocket.
"Everything alright, Todoroki?" Iida softened a bit.
"My old man." Todoroki explained, staring straight ahead.
Other conversations popped up around the room, giving them a bit of freedom to talk amongst themselves. Todoroki's disdain for his father was no secret by any means, but he also didn't like to be open about their strained relationship.
"What do you think he wants?" Deku asked quietly.
"Don't care." Todoroki took a sip from his soda. "Maybe he knows about the gala."
Sensing that he didn't want to talk about it, Deku shifted his gaze to Iida, who still sat stiffly.
"How about you, Iida? Are you okay?"
Almost robotically, Iida tilted down to look at him and smiled. "Of course! Never better!"
Great, so both of them weren't talking. Deku didn't concern himself too much, though. Clearly, they needed time to process whatever was bothering them. Once they did, they'd likely come around and discuss it with him.
Exhaling, Deku returned his attention to the conversation between Bakugo and Kaminari, who tried his best to convince Bakugo to loosen up and practice his dance moves for the gala. Deku winced; if Kaminari didn't watch himself, he'd find himself exploded into next Tuesday.
"GET OFF ME BEFORE I BLAST YOUR ASS TO PIECES, PIKACHU!"
Yeah, that sounds about right.
Looking around, Deku took in the sight of his fellow classmates buzzing with chatter. Some of them talked about girls, some about their powers, all of them centered around one constant: the hero gala. Their debut. They'd made quite the name for themselves as UA students, but this? This was the real deal. All the work they'd put in over the past two and a half years, about to pay off in a single night. Nervousness and excitement swirled through his chest, mixed with a dash of pride in himself and his friends. They'd made it. They were on their way to becoming pros and now, they'd practically reached the finish line.
After the gala, they'd cross it. That feeling was nothing short of indescribable.
Scaly hands gripped the smartphone hard enough to shake. Long claws fumbled with the touch screen, barely managing to dial out on the harshly cracked glass.
"Oh, mistress!" A sly, devilish voice cut through the warehouse, interspersed with maniacal giggling. "I have some intel. Our next move is going to be very interesting!"