Hey hey! Long time no see!
Firstly, Happy late new year to everyone! I hope y'all have a wonderful year and that the project you planned or undertook will succeed!
Secondly, here's 10 979 words! Yep! That is one big one, I also had four other projects to work on so... Yeah hehe... I'm a busy writer... And a busy person...
Now, before we hop on the chapter, the reviews:
ALost Glitch: Glad you liked it! And don't worry, it's fine, no big deal, it's things that happen :)!
FusRoDahir: To be honest, I am honnestly very impatient too... Nervous a little too for plot reasons, but excited nonethless... Altough it won't happen that soon...
Chapter 21: Talent Show Preparation!
/
Present Mic stood on the stage Cementoss had set up, holding a microphone.
"ALRIGHT! THIS MIGHT JUST BE THE MOMENT OF THE DAY YOU'VE ALL BEEN EAGERLY WAITING FOR!"
The blond cockatoo paused a couple of times, eliciting some chuckles from the crowd, before continuing.
"THE TALENT SHOW! YEAAAAAAH!"
Some students bounced on the spot, brimming with excitement, while others sank into deep thought, searching for something original to showcase to their peers. Some found their ideas immediately and smiled. Others struggled… and then there were those who couldn't think of anything at all. Unfortunately, Lock was among them.
At the mention of a talent show, probably one of the only times in his life, he felt completely out of his depth. Worse.
He felt useless.
The captain lowered his gaze to his hands. He needed to come up with something original… but what? He had no idea.
In his mind, in his memory, in his brain, a loop of all his past experiences began to play. Unlike his younger brothers, Lock didn't know how to do anything else. Every memory he had was…
A weapon in hand.
A battlefield, whether artificial or real, left smoking and ravaged or hallways scarred by blaster fire.
An enemy in front of him, real or simulated.
The recoil of his weapon.
The opponent collapsing.
Shouted orders.
And during his downtime? The only thing he could recall was maintaining his equipment, checking on his vode to make sure they were alright, and reviewing battles with the general to identify strategic errors or things he could have done differently.
Eating, bathing, sleeping, then rinse and repeat.
Even here, he had spent most of his time learning about the culture, studying geography, and absorbing everything there was to know about this planet, all while ensuring his company's well-being and maintaining his physical fitness.
He'd never had time to explore any hobbies.
"Kriff," the captain muttered under his breath, clenching his fists. He hated the feeling of uselessness welling up in his chest. He wanted it gone. Out of him.
It reminded him of a few bad memories, too. Reflexively, Lock shoved those memories deep down, cutting himself off from them.
But the feeling still lingered.
The captain lifted his head and took a deep breath, closing his eyes to push the sensation aside. He'd find something. Or he'd improvise. Most likely, he'd improvise.
"I SEE THAT MOST OF YOU ALREADY HAVE SOME IDEAS! THAT'S PERFECT! WE'LL CALL YOU UP BY FAMILY NAME TO PRESENT YOUR TALENTS!"
Alright, he had time. But the question remained… how much?
"BUT FOR THAT, WE'LL GIVE YOU THREE HOURS TO PREPARE. YOU'LL HAVE ACCESS TO CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CAMPUS IF YOU NEED ANYTHING. HOWEVER, PLEASE BE CAREFUL NOT TO DISTURB YOUR CLASSMATES' LESSONS!"
Everyone looked at each other, surprised.
"We can… go wherever we want?" Kaminari asked for confirmation, and Jiro, standing beside him, rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh.
"That's what he just said…" the bluenette muttered.
"MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME!"
And just like that, it seemed like a signal had been given. Everyone stood up and rushed out of the gym.
In the end, only two students remained in the room: Lock and Todoroki. The clone was slightly surprised that Momo hadn't waited for him, but he figured she probably had a good idea in mind and didn't want to lose it.
And that she probably needed to prepare it.
…
He needed to come up with something. And as he glanced at his mediclones, he might have just gotten an idea.
/
Momo sprinted out of the gym, an idea already forming in her mind. She had a specific place she wanted to visit, particularly because it was rarely frequented.
UA's library was an almost-forgotten corner of the campus, rarely mentioned to the hero courses. However, for students in the general department aiming for literature degrees to become writers or Japanese teachers, it was the ideal spot. Splitting off from the crowd as soon as they reached the building, Momo turned right.
At this time of day, the students were all in class, so Momo slowed her pace to avoid sounding like an elephant in a porcelain shop. Unlike the blue-and-white hallways of the hero course, these halls were green and white, providing a refreshing change.
However, at the end of the hallway, she suddenly spotted two very recognizable figures. Two sets of armor.
"Psst! Viper! Shield!" Momo called, low enough not to disturb anyone but loud enough for the auditory sensors of the two to pick up her voice. As she'd hoped, they both turned their heads toward her.
Viper raised an arm in greeting, and the two approached her.
"Vod, good to see you," said the less muscular of the two clones. Shield stepped forward and gave her a big brotherly hug.
Momo returned the hug before Shield stepped back.
"What brings you here?" he asked.
Momo gave them her biggest, most excited smile.
"We have a talent show coming up as part of the group activities, so I decided to come to the library to think things through and find some ideas."
The two clones exchanged a glance before nodding.
"Got it," Viper said. "Well, we won't keep you any longer. Good luck."
Momo smiled at them and continued on her way. Right, left, and there she was. The raven-haired girl stopped in front of the massive double doors of solid oak. She took a deep breath and opened them.
The doors creaked, and Momo winced. As soon as she stepped inside, she found herself face-to-face with a woman. Draped in green robes, the woman had pale, white hair and steely eyes. Her expression was unreadable.
"Do you need something?" the UA librarian asked.
Upon closer inspection, Momo noticed metallic hands emerging from the robes and realized they were prosthetics.
"Um..." started the raven-haired girl, a bit intimidated by the woman. "Uh... Yes... Do you happen to have... um... a set of books describing the molecular composition of certain objects?"
The librarian stared at her for two seconds before closing her eyes to think.
"Yes, I should have that," the woman finally replied before turning away. "Take a seat; I'll bring it to you."
And with that, the woman left. Momo stayed frozen for a moment. Damn, that woman was enigmatic... Momo sat at a table, and a minute later, the woman returned with a thick book, which she placed on the table.
"Here's the book you asked for. Enjoy your reading."
The librarian turned away once more, and a faint mechanical whir came from her arms, causing a slight groan. In the silence, Momo caught the sound before the woman walked away.
/
To Jiro's great surprise, she wasn't alone in the music room of the school.
From the look on his face, Tokoyami hadn't expected her either.
The two stood silently, staring at each other for a while before going to pick an instrument that suited them. Once again, to their surprise, they both headed for the electric guitar rack.
They each grabbed one, and Jiro had to pick up a microphone as well. She wasn't really confident about that... It made her anxious.
Then, Tokoyami struck a dissonant guitar riff that was so atrocious it left her ears ringing for a good minute afterward.
The bird boy swore on the darkness and started adjusting his guitar's strings.
This was exactly what Jiro feared, that when she played in front of everyone, her guitar would sound like that, or worse, her voice would crack.
The blue-haired girl clenched her teeth. She still had time to change her mind, but aside from singing and playing instruments, she wasn't sure what else she could do...
Tokoyami tried again, and this time, he managed something decent.
"Just a few more adjustments," she heard him mumble. She glanced at the bird-headed boy, and she couldn't help but admire the fact that he didn't seem bothered by her presence in the room.
Jiro tuned her guitar. For her, it was second nature; she didn't need to play notes to test it. Then, with hesitation, she plucked two strings, producing two notes. Tokoyami looked up at her curiously, and Jiro felt the familiar sensation of nervousness creeping through her body. She tensed slightly and felt the need to sit down, so she did on a nearby stool.
"Stage fright?" asked her bird-headed classmate.
"... Yeah..." Jiro admitted.
Tokoyami was silent for a moment, as if deep in thought.
"It's normal. It means you care about what you're playing," he finally said.
Jiro let out a small laugh.
"Do you always philosophize, or is this just a one-time thing?"
Tokoyami shrugged slowly.
"Probably both. From one musician to another, we help each other out, right?"
Jiro said nothing for a moment.
"Mhm... I guess so..."
"Like I said, stage fright just means you want to meet your own expectations. Your real enemy is yourself, your mind. It's a shadow that follows you everywhere, haunting you..."
At that moment, Dark Shadow appeared, hovering over Tokoyami's shoulder.
"When I was younger, I was part of my school's rock band. During our first rehearsal, I was so nervous that I played something absolutely terrible..."
Dark Shadow chuckled softly before murmuring, 'I remember that.'
"...And Dark Shadow made it worse by trying to help," Tokoyami sighed.
Jiro burst out laughing. The idea of the intimidating and threatening shadow causing chaos while trying to help felt oddly surreal.
"The point is, the only person you need to face is yourself..."
"Absolutely right!" exclaimed a voice that made Jiro jump, just as the sound of a door closing echoed through the room.
Tokoyami raised an eyebrow.
"How long have you been there, Kaminari?"
The electric blond shrugged, fiddling with a Rubik's Cube, an unusual sight, to say the least.
"Long enough to hear everything," he replied, sitting on another stool. "When it comes to this problem, I'm the living embodiment of it..."
He finished tinkering with the cube and placed it on his leg.
"My quirk..." He sighed deeply. "While useful, it's also a curse. I'm completely useless if I overuse it, and even when I don't, its effects still hit me hard..."
Denki closed his eyes and continued, his expression unusually grave.
"Originally, I wanted to be a rescuer. With my quirk, I could be a walking defibrillator or a generator for anything that needed power in an emergency..."
"What changed your mind?" Jiro asked, feeling a twinge of compassion for her friend.
Denki froze for a moment, a slight frown revealing his discomfort. Jiro immediately regretted the question.
"Fear," Denki finally said. "A deep, visceral fear of going off the rails and falling to the wrong side. A fear of losing control of my quirk and hurting those I care about."
The three of them sat in silence for a while.
"...At first... I wanted to be a singer," Jiro began, letting out a bitter laugh. "Man, when you think about it, future stars always seem to have tough lives, huh?"
Tokoyami and Denki exchanged glances.
"Because of my gender, people told me I wouldn't be a good rocker. But because of my appearance, they said I didn't belong in K-Pop groups either. I told every single one of them to shove it... I broke a lot of teeth because I've got a bad temper when I'm angry..." Jiro added with a smile. "Then I heard about heroes like Soundblast and Drum Zone... and I thought they were super cool. Saving people seemed awesome. I made up my mind that I'd become a rockstar hero, saving people with my sound..."
Suddenly, she had an idea, her nervousness was gone in an instant. Perhaps she only needed some weight off her mind.
"Oh yeah..." She grinned. "You guys ready for some music?"
Tokoyami and Denki exchanged surprised looks.
She began plucking the guitar strings, starting softly to get comfortable, then struck a powerful note. Satisfied, she launched into what she thought sounded pretty good, kicking off with an explosive intro.
"I grew up in the shadow of a hazy dream,
They told me, 'You're not enough for that, it's just a scheme.'
Cold stares, judgments on my form,
But my heart beat strong—I wanted them to hear me once more."
Jiro took a deep breath before continuing. Yeah, she loved what she was doing. It sounded good.
"They told me, 'You don't belong in this world,'
But I'll sing louder, I'll break the waves.
They want to silence me, extinguish my spark,
But I'm more than their lies; I'll blow it all apart."
To prepare for a chorus, she sped up the melody, imagining other instruments playing along with her somewhere in her mind. It brought a smile to her face. Then, finally, when the chorus hit...
She could... give it her all...
TEAR IT UP!
"I am the sound of rebellion,
Every note is an explosion.
I'll save the world with my voice,
Because I'm a rocker who makes noise, who sets things right.
Nothing and no one will stop me,
I am the sound, I am what they hate, but I'll do it."
Her voice softened as she resumed her melody, still smiling. She had completely forgotten her stage fright. She had even stood up from her stool and was tapping her foot on the floor while strumming her strings.
"I've seen heroes shine, I've seen dreams fade,
But my sound was born to destroy it all, to save it all.
Every scream, every chord, every shadowed note,
I hit hard, I take the stage, no matter what they demand of me."
The pre-chorus was softer than the rest of the song as she prepared for the chorus that followed...
"They want to reduce me to silence,
But I scream, I shout, with my own rhythm.
I am more than a stereotype; I am a force,
And with every song, I overturn every cause."
And back was the sound.
"I am the sound of rebellion,
Every note is an explosion.
I'll save the world with my voice,
Because I'm a rocker who makes noise, who sets things right.
Nothing and no one will stop me,
I am the sound, I am what they hate, but I'll do it."
Suddenly, she stopped. Her voice was the only thing filling the atmosphere, frozen by the sound she had just made. She lowered the volume of her voice, calmer, softer...
"And when the night collapses, I'll be there,
With my riffs hitting like shards.
They told me I wasn't made for this,
But I'm ready for anything; I have no regrets."
She picked up her guitar, played a few notes that soon escalated in intensity, and while stomping her foot with force, dove into a solo that lasted a solid forty seconds.
"I am the sound of rebellion,
Every note is an explosion.
I'll save the world with my voice,
Because I'm a rocker who makes noise, who sets things right.
Nothing and no one will stop me,
I am the sound, I am what they hate, but I'll do it."
It was the last explosive part of her song, and so, she lowered the volume one final time, slowed the melody for the outro, and finished.
"And in this chaos, I will stand tall,
A sound of rebellion, a dream of freedom.
I'm a rocker, I'm the future,
And this world, I'll shake it, with a single move."
Deciding it wasn't enough, Jiro chose to blow it all up with a powerful final riff, ending with two notes spaced two seconds apart.
When she finally stopped, letting out a satisfied sigh, she looked up to see a completely stunned Tokoyami and a sprawled-out Denki on the floor, a blissful smile on his face, in his 'Yay' mode.
"Uh... what just happened?"
Tokoyami blinked several times before answering,
"He... he overloaded... the moment you started singing..."
…
"… I swear that dumbass… Hey, Jamming-Yay, wake up?"
/
There were three people in the kitchen.
Rikido Sato hadn't really expected to find someone else who loved cooking among his classmates... Then again, loving cooking didn't mean either of the other two cared much for their companions.
On the contrary, Bakugo was grumbling and cursing to himself as he chopped vegetables with terrifying precision and breathtaking speed while preparing a sauce so full of spices Sato didn't think it was possible.
The second person, however, didn't seem so skilled.
"Damn it..." muttered Kendo as she added too much yeast to a cookie dough she had her hands buried up to her elbows in.
Lunch Rush, who had volunteered to assist them, approached her and examined the dough. Noticing her trouble with the yeast, he advised,
"Add a bit more of the other ingredients to balance it out, and it'll work."
Following his instructions, the redhead added more ingredients and started mixing. The chef then moved to Bakugo, who hissed like a cat when the chef commented on the sheer amount of spices in his food.
Sato watched all this while spreading his own dough into a mold. He was really grateful that Lunch Rush had prepared some ready-made cake batter for him so he could refine his project. Making the batter from scratch would have taken too long, and he didn't have the time for that.
Suddenly, however, a pair of footsteps echoed.
Sato glanced toward the door.
Two clones stood there, weapons lowered in their hands. Lunch Rush looked up from Bakugo's station and spread his arms.
"Ah, there you are! Your reheated meals have been ready for a good fifty minutes now."
One of the clones chuckled lightly, rubbing the back of his head.
"Sorry about that. We were requisitioned for guard duty a bit longer than expected by our officers."
Lunch Rush nodded.
"Ah, I see."
"Good soldiers follow orders, don't they?" one of the clones remarked lightly. Lunch Rush shrugged.
"Never been in the army, but I suppose so. Come on kids, the crates are in the back of the kitchen, in the cold storage. Be careful, though, they're heavy and slippery."
The two clones placed their weapons against the wall, and the second one let out a sigh.
"We've handled worse; don't worry."
And with that, the trio disappeared into the back of the kitchen. Sato watched for a while, working efficiently on his dough, then turned his attention back to his workstation...
"I find it crazy," Kendo's voice suddenly rose.
Sato looked up again.
"Excuse me?"
The redhead turned her head toward him.
"Hmm? I was just saying, I think it's crazy. I never thought I'd see clones like this... They seem... so different. In the way they behave, express themselves. Even the tiniest actions."
Sato remained silent for a moment.
"Yeah... From the few times we've seen them outside of action... Yeah, they're different."
Bakugo let out a grunt from his corner.
"Different or not, it doesn't stop them from being annoying. That bunch of extras is just a nuisance. For everyone. Believe me, before the end of the year, they'll cause trouble. And not just a little."
"And you, a fight will most likely break out with one of us or one of your classmates with that shitty attitude of yours," remarked a filtered voice in an empty tone.
Everyone turned toward the door. The clone standing there had fundamentally different armor from the others, with additional equipment, likely one of the officers. A green-and-yellow kama, a visor with an antenna, and several pouches attached to his chest plate.
"What do you know about it?" Bakugo spat back.
"I know a thing or two about hotheads like you. You're not the first I've dealt with," the clone replied simply, putting his arms behind his back as he stepped into the kitchen.
"Why are you all here, by the way? I don't remember being informed about anything."
"It's... a bit unexpected for us, too," Kendo responded with a nervous laugh as she hesitated to put her roughly shaped cookies in the oven.
The clone tilted his head slightly as he looked at her.
"Really now..." The clone approached her and glanced at what she was doing. "Cooking? Cookies?"
Kendo nodded, letting out another nervous laugh.
"Yeah... You could call it that... I'm not very good at it."
The clone shrugged.
"Don't worry, I'm in no position to criticize. My job is to organize the company, so I'm completely incapable of cooking anything."
"That's what I said, useless, good for nothing but dying," Bakugo sneered.
The clone tensed slightly, lowering his head and clenching his fists. Kendo glanced at the ashen-blond.
"Shut up."
"Or what?" Bakugo fumed, glaring daggers at the redhead.
The situation was about to escalate when the clone finally raised his voice.
"It's fine. It's nothing. I'm used to it. It's not the first time I've heard that."
He was about to walk away toward the back of the kitchen, fists clenched, when Kendo suddenly offered.
"Maybe I could use a little help? It could even be a chance to learn how to bake, you know? Even if it's with someone who's completely terrible at it."
The clone froze mid-step and turned his head slightly.
"Really? You'd do that?"
Kendo let out another nervous laugh.
"Yeah... I could really use the help, honestly."
The clone hesitated for a moment, then turned around.
"I suppose I could help, yes."
Kendo gave him a grateful smile.
"Thank you."
Sato watched the scene for a moment, checked his dough to see if it was ready to go into the pan, and then offered.
"Hey, come over here. I might have a few tips for you both."
The duo looked at each other, then approached, Kendo carrying her tools with her enlarged hands while the clone removed his gloves to reveal calloused hands.
The three settled in just as the two clones who had accompanied Lunch Rush emerged, each carrying a large crate in their arms.
"Lieutenant Xyomm, are you coming?" one of them asked.
The lieutenant turned his head and shook it.
"No, go ahead. I'm going to stay a bit. I need to clear my head by learning something."
The two clones glanced at each other, shrugged, and the second one spoke.
"Roger that, LT."
With that, the two clones left, carrying their crates and leaving the three to their tasks.
/
Sergeant Hyro waited until they were some distance from the kitchen to speak.
"What do you think the lieutenant needed to clear his head about?"
Fog shrugged, or would have, if he didn't have a massive wooden crate in his arms. Attempting the motion made him groan in discomfort.
The AT Trooper had carried heavier loads during Venator resupply runs, but that was with an adult's body, not a teenager's. Maybe he'd forgotten that.
"Who knows what's going on with our officers? It's always been like that. I can't imagine what they go through daily... Running an army group can't be easy."
The two fell silent for a moment as they continued walking.
"Sithspit, break, my hands are starting to hurt," the sergeant announced, setting the crate down heavily to massage his hands. Hyro removed his gloves and examined his hands, now marked with red marks.
Fog also set his crate down, having silently endured the weight, and clenched his fists to get the blood flowing through his fingers.
"Kriff... Who would have thought food could weigh this much?" the trooper asked.
"As long as it feeds us, I'm fine with it," the sergeant replied. "Besides, we always have extra supplies with Uco experimenting in the kitchen."
The two chuckled lightly. Uco was their cook, and surprisingly, he was excellent at it. Even if he spent entire days in their base's kitchen, shirtless, in heat comparable to the armor forges on Kamino, dripping with sweat, he managed to hold his own and whip up some incredible dishes.
Flametroopers were certainly built differently than their brothers.
Their helmet radios chirped, and the two clones listened closely.
"This is Captain Lock. I need Voc to meet me at my position. Over."
"Received loud and clear, Captain. We'll relay the message if we find him."
"Send him to Sector Xesh-Onith-3, near Gym Gamma. Out."
"Affirmative. Copy. Out."
"This is CT-12-4012, understood. En route to your position, Captain. ETA eight minutes. Out."
Hyro and Fog exchanged quick glances. Nothing too interesting, apparently. No big deal.
"All right, let's move. We should be there soon," the sergeant said, bending down to grab his crate and lift it. Damn, it felt even heavier, or was that just him?
"Heave-ho," Fog muttered behind the sergeant, hoisting his crate. Another long trek, and they'd finally be free of these weights.
/
The support workshop wasn't done with surprises for the day, apparently…
Hypno was fiddling with a mess of cables at his station, the only one still in the workshop. His brothers had gone to rest, and the support students had had enough of their day and left for class…
He'd have the whole workshop to himself for a while. The silence was comfortable, allowing him to focus. A cable crackled and sent him a small electric shock.
"Sithspit!" the engineer growled, recoiling and shaking his hand, which trembled from the sudden jolt. Third time that day it had happened.
"You okay?" a whisper asked him. Or rather, a voice so low it was almost like a murmur. Right behind him.
Hypno felt his soul leave his body as he jumped so hard the person backed away because of his sudden movements. The engineer, however, quickly regained his composure and analyzed the person in front of him.
A very pretty girl with shoulder-length black hair, fair skin, and cerulean eyes. He hadn't seen her here before.
"Affirmative, I'm fine. You just startled me."
He truly had been startled. His audio systems hadn't picked up anything. The girl's neutral expression didn't change at all, and Hypno continued.
"Are you a new student in the support course? If so, I'm sorry to inform you that the workshop is closed to students."
The girl shook her head slightly.
"Hero course… came here for a joint activity between the two classes."
Hypno had a lot of trouble hearing her; he even had to crank his audio systems to the max to catch some of her words.
So, the girl was from the hero course. Hmm. Class 1-B, then. However, he had no information about an event, nor any authorization to allow access to the workshop.
He raised a hand to his helmet and activated his radio with a press, looking at the girl.
"Wait a moment…" The comm beeped, and he was able to speak. "This is Hypno. Is there an event happening between vod's class and 1-B? If so, are students authorized to enter the workshop? Over."
The radio crackled for a while, and just as the engineer was about to repeat his question, a response came from Lockdown.
"Affirmative. They're authorized to enter."
"Copy that," the clone acknowledged before turning off the radio and addressing the girl again. "It's all good. I just needed to confirm you were authorized to be here."
The girl nodded silently, murmuring something so low even his maxed-out audio sensors couldn't pick it up.
Thus, Hypno remained confused as she walked past him to rummage through a pile of half-broken metal. Before his astonished eyes, she began shrinking the larger pieces and, after a while, had a pile of scrap in her hands. She set herself up at a station and started tinkering with something. Hypno occasionally glanced at her, his curiosity piqued. Was it a figurine she was making, or was it just him imagining things?
/
-WHIRRRRR!-
A drilling sound filled the air as Sen Kaibara spun his arms at high speed and thrusted them at the tree trunk he'd found.
His arms hit the wood, and the boy immediately felt a spike of heat in his arms from the friction. He kept drilling for a while before stopping and shaking his arms.
Holy crap… His hands were red, and it felt like he'd dipped them in hot water.
The brunette shook them slightly. Well, it was his fault for choosing to do this anyway; he knew it'd hurt his hands. Too late to stop working now. The trunk was already shaped into the rough form of what he wanted.
His idol was Master Driller, who had a quirk similar to his own, which is why he was carving a wooden sculpture of the hero!
"What are you doing out here, Kaibara?"
The brunette turned to see Yosetsu Awase emerge from the trees with a handful of rocks.
"Working on my idea. You?"
The boy with the headband placed the rocks on the ground and pulled more out of his pockets, arranging them on the ground.
"Same. Damn it, where'd I put that… Ah, here it is." He pulled a particularly large rock out from under his T-shirt and added it to the pile. "I ran into Komori, Shiozaki, and that guy from 1-A who can talk to animals. What they're doing looks pretty cool. Oh yeah, Bug Boy was with them too."
Kaibara raised an eyebrow as he returned his focus to his sculpture, spinning his arms at high speed again.
"I'm not surprised about the two girls and the guy from 1-A, but Kamakiri? What's he doing with them?"
Awase shrugged as he adjusted the headband on his head and started working on his own project, fusing the rocks together.
"No idea… He wouldn't say."
"Not surprising… Well, I bet he's come up with something amazing, don't you think?"
Awase didn't respond immediately, focused and precise as he fused two small rocks. Finally, he spoke.
"Maybe. We'll see."
/
Togaru "Bug Boy" Kamakiri was someone deeply committed once he had an idea in mind.
Probably even more so than anyone else. That's why he sometimes had to completely isolate himself to concentrate. Now, he had his idea, and he wasn't letting go of it.
He was pretty lucky. A thin, flexible, and athletic build was just what he needed to complement his quirk, Razor Sharp, which he used with expert skill.
The boy closed his eyes, inhaled, exhaled, and activated his quirk. The skin on his forearms split slightly, and two curved blades emerged.
He then imagined fake enemies surrounding him and got to work.
He leaped, the blades glinting in the sunlight filtering through the trees.
A quick spin on his left foot, and he sliced the air in front of him, the first blade tracing a clean, precise line. The rotation brought him face-to-face with a new imaginary enemy on his left. He pivoted on the ground, almost crouched, and with a fluid motion, a blade shot out from his right shin, springing forth like a deadly claw, slicing through the air at knee height toward the fake opponent.
The momentum of his movement allowed him to place one arm on the ground, supporting himself on it, and perform a full spin before having to get back on his feet, which he did by pushing off with his arm.
While mid-air, he bent his knees, and this time, two new blades emerged from his shoulders, thin and sharp, like the talons of a bird of prey. He used them to simulate an aerial attack, crossing his arms in front of him and slicing through the air in a perfect double diagonal before landing lightly on his feet.
He continued, maintaining his momentum, spinning like a top on his heel, his sharp blades whistling through the air, vindictive, dangerous, and deadly. Gradually, he bent the leg he was balancing on, lowering the blade closer and closer to the ground until he had to shift his weight.
A blade sprang from his left elbow as he executed a forward roll, using it as a pivot point for a circular slash close to the ground. The sound it produced was both terrifying and mesmerizing in its lightness.
His breathing quickened, but he maintained his focus. He could acutely feel the tension in his muscles, the weight of each blade created from his body, and the heat of his quirk pulsating in his veins like a controlled fire. It drew iron from his body to forge new blades whenever he needed them.
Sliding forward on one knee, he slashed the air at chest height with a blade extending from his right wrist before springing back to his feet in a half-moon flip, landing on his legs as he brought his blades down in a descending V.
His movements flowed, rapid and seamless, a lethal dance in which every imaginary foe fell under his blows. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, but he didn't falter.
A blade dance wasn't just a display of strength but a testament to discipline and creativity. One had to put their whole soul into it to make it meaningful, pour their will and determination into every motion. That's what his parents had taught him. That's what his ancestors had passed down through the generations.
If dance was an art, then dancing lethally was an art as well. But Kamakiri had been trained since he was a child. His parents ran a small dojo where they preserved an artifact of the past—a shinobi manual, a relic thought to be lost. Only they were allowed to touch it.
The boy performed one final spin before stopping, knees bent, the palms of his hands pressed together, balancing perfectly on the tips of his toes as his blades retracted into his limbs. He had to keep practicing, it had to be perfect. Fortunately, he still had time.
/
The small clearing where the three students had gathered was relatively quiet, with the rustling of plants, the soft popping of budding mushrooms, and the flapping of birds' wings.
"Such harmony in nature is a divine gift..." murmured Ibara Shiozaki as she busied herself creating a scene from the Bible using her vines.
"You said it! Sometimes it feels unreal! Shroom!" Kinoko Komori exclaimed, glancing at her companion while spraying a wooden surface to grow colorful mushrooms, creating a sort of natural painting while making sure not to disturb her friends. "Especially when you look at our classmate..."
The vine-haired girl turned slightly to observe their 1-A classmate, who was almost inaudibly whistling as dozens of sparrows flitted around him in a majestic ballet, performing various intricate formations that seemed almost impossible to follow with just two eyes.
Yet somehow, two eyes were enough. It was indeed something that seemed supernatural.
The boy seemed to notice the attention he was receiving because he turned his head and looked at them. The two girls from 1-B noticed his embarrassment as he stopped whistling and shrank in on himself.
Apparently, he didn't like being the center of attention—even though what he was doing was remarkable. The sparrows, left without commands, perched near him—on his head, his shoulders, and even his hands.
Komori gave him two thumbs up in encouragement.
The boy gave a timid smile before his embarrassment overwhelmed him, causing him to look away and shrink even further into himself.
/
Unsurprisingly, several girls, and one boy, had gathered in a different gymnasium.
If one were to name these people, they would be Mina Ashido, Toru Hagakure, Setsuna Tokage, Pony Tsunotori, and a certain Yuga Aoyama. All were very interested in seeing what each could do. For now, they were just talking about their abilities.
"Classical dance?" Mina repeated, a finger on her chin as she thought about what Aoyama, the half-French resident of 1-A, had just said. He nodded dramatically, wearing one of his signature smiles as he struck a theatrical pose.
"Oui! Classical dance. I've taken lessons, there's nothing like shining under the light of a thousand spotlights focused on you. Elegance is key!"
"Isn't that a bit old-fashioned? Not many people dance at grand balls anymore. It's only in a few society circles, and even then, they're very exclusive…" Hagakure pointed out. "Breakdancing would be more current…"
The word 'breakdance' snapped Mina out of her thoughts, making her turn to look at the invisible girl with wide, golden eyes sparkling with excitement.
"You breakdance?"
Hagakure looked at her and nodded (probably) before confirming aloud.
"Yeah?" Then, she too widened her eyes and asked, just as excited, raising her arms near her face, "YOU TOO?!"
Mina nodded, a huge grin spreading across her face, and the two grabbed hands, jumping around and squealing with joy, which made Aoyama and Setsuna laugh.
Pony, meanwhile, was a bit confused by the sudden excitement and hesitantly asked in English.
"What's happening?"
Setsuna turned to answer her with a smile, also in English.
"They're talking about breakdancing."
Mina and Hagakure stood back-to-back, arms crossed over their chests, Hagakure raising one hand to her head as if adjusting a cap, while Mina wore an eager grin.
"Oh yeah, bros! Who wants to dance?"
"Let's go!" Hagakure exclaimed in response.
Mina dove to the floor with fluidity, her palms hitting the ground. She immediately executed a baby freeze, her body perfectly balanced on her hands, her legs bent at right angles in the air. The pink-haired girl was practically trembling with excitement and joy. She held the position for a moment before suddenly pivoting into a windmill, her legs sweeping gracefully through the air as she spun faster and faster.
Hagakure, on the other hand, started with an energetic toprock, rolling her shoulders and swaying her hips rhythmically, distributing her weight to avoid losing balance. She jumped, landed with bent knees, and transitioned into a six-step.
Mina, meanwhile, followed up with a flare that made the three spectators audibly gasp in astonishment. Her extended legs opened and closed in wide arcs through the air as she shifted her weight between her hands and shoulders.
She finished the move with a freeze, one hand on the ground and the other extended toward the ceiling, like a marble statue you'd find in a museum.
Hagakure didn't stay behind.
She went for a chair freeze, which also received strong appreciation, with Pony even whistling through her fingers before raising a fist in the air. The invisible girl folded an arm under her and rested on it while folding her legs, then tipped forward headfirst.
The invisible girl almost burst out laughing when she saw Setsuna detach her hands with an expression of horror to catch her… But the movement was intentional. As soon as her head touched the ground, she locked into a headspin so fast it looked like a human tornado.
Then, the two girls managed to synchronize to finish together. Mina flipped backward into a backflip, landing on her feet with the lightness of a feather and the grace of a cat, while Hagakure landed with a kip-up, seemingly springing up from the ground like an invisible coil.
Both were panting, breathing heavily and sweating a bit. But their faces (invisible for Hagakure) were painted with wide smiles.
The room filled with applause as the two girls exchanged a fist bump and struck another pose.
"That was awesome!" Pony exclaimed, completely forgetting her Japanese in the moment. Mina offered her a thumbs-up with a wide grin.
Setsuna suddenly stepped forward, her hands reattached to her body, stretching her limbs with a big smile that reminded Mina of Kirishima due to her sharp teeth.
"Well, I can't say I'll match your performance… But I'm taking this as a competition…"
She gave everyone a friendly wink before stepping into the center of the room, hands on her hips, and began tapping her foot rhythmically… then snapping her fingers…
Before collapsing into a shapeless pile… only to reform into a whirlwind of body parts flying around seemingly incoherently.
The green-haired girl showed a wide mischievous grin, one hand raised as her fingers reconfigured themselves. She resumed tapping her foot to reestablish a rhythm before beginning.
She started slowly, swaying her hips left, then right, before spinning around, her hips detaching and reassembling slightly to allow the movement.
Then her hands suddenly detached and floated around her, orbiting above her head like satellites while clapping, letting Setsuna stop tapping her foot as her upper extremities took over.
The green-haired girl leaned her torso forward with a wide grin, her legs bending slightly as she performed a quick series of steps.
Everyone watched her, captivated, almost hypnotized by her movements.
Setsuna then raised a leg above her head, or rather, detached her leg and spun it like a propeller while reattaching her arms, allowing her to perform a wave-like motion with them.
She also detached her head, which floated beside her, coordinating everything.
Then, with a dramatic movement, she detached her torso from the lower half of her body, which continued to perform rapid steps, spinning everything like a top before reassembling and leaping into the air to land on her knees in a dramatic pose.
She stood up, dusting off her knees.
Mina and Hagakure exchanged glances, impressed, while Pony jumped up and down clapping and babbling a mix of Japanese and English so quickly that no one could understand her. Aoyama simply applauded before stepping forward with a smile.
"That was good dancing… However, behold the performance of the shining star of our two classes!"
Mina chuckled slightly at the nickname, while Setsuna returned to their side, a hand over her mouth.
However, everyone fell silent when Aoyama began, out of respect.
And they honestly weren't disappointed. Aoyama didn't seem like it at first glance, but he was incredibly flexible. He spun around like a top, his torso almost at a 180 angle to the side.
He moved gracefully, vaulting, jumping to land lightly on the tips of his toes, and spinning again like a top. It was, to say the least… impressive. No one expected it.
The Franco-Japanese resident of Class 1-A combined his dance steps with theatrical gestures, using his belt expertly to almost sparkle with every movement thanks to the light reflecting off it.
The radiant blonde finished his routine by crossing his legs and bowing deeply, like a magician at the end of a performance.
There was applause… and finally, all eyes turned to Pony, who met each gaze before nervously tapping her fingers together.
"Do… Do I have to?"
"If you don't want to, we won't force you…" Mina reassured her. Pony looked at Setsuna, who gave her a nod to confirm.
Pony rubbed her foot on the ground, still nervous.
"Yeah, I'd like to, but… You all seem so strong… I'm afraid I won't do well…"
Everyone exchanged glances before Hagakure spoke up.
"Listen, don't worry about us. If you compare yourself to others, that's how you fail. That's why celebrity kids suffer so much. They're criticized instead of supported. They're pressured, and for an artist, pressure is not a good thing. We're here to help. We still have plenty of time to perfect what you do if, and I mean if, there are any mistakes."
Pony looked at her, hesitant for a moment, before clenching her fists, closing her eyes, and taking deep breaths.
She opened them with a determined glow that shone like embers, her expression serious, before stepping forward.
Her routine mainly consisted of popping, with waving, Fresno, and twisto-flex styles as her focus, and a bit of gliding. It was decent; there were a few things to correct, but they had plenty of time for that.
Mina clapped her hands.
"Alright, Pony, overall it's good. There are just a few things to fix, and that's what we're going to do! We'll turn you into a professional popping dancer in no time!"
/
Unsurprisingly, most of the boys went to the area where they could work out and show off their strength.
Shoji was pressing down on a hand-press machine with all his might, under the watchful eyes of Bondo and Shishida, who stood nearby, calmly observing the numbers climb into triple digits.
Ojiro was doing bench presses, pushing himself to the limit by lifting a solid hundred kilos in sets of ten, with Shoda spotting him.
Manga… seemed to be mimicking sounds?
Rin was performing incredibly well with his scale shots, lining up the targets he'd set up and hitting them with his scales from a great distance.
And finally, in one corner…
"Add ten kilos to each side, please," Kirishima asked Sero with a friendly smile.
The tape boy looked at the squat bar, which must've already had a total of 60kg, 70kg if you included the bar. It made him a little nervous to see that the two boys in front of him didn't seem to want to stop…
"Wow, ten kilos more?" Tetsutetsu said, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. "Easy!"
Sero went to fetch two new weights, carrying two 10kg plates from the heavy rack to the bar. He unlocked the bar, placed one plate on one side, the other on the opposite side, and then secured it again.
Kirishima rubbed his hands, warming them up, rolled his shoulders, and stepped forward to position himself under the bar.
Once his neck was comfortably in place, Kirishima lifted the bar and took two steps forward…
Inhale, exhale. It was heavy, but manageable.
"1!" exclaimed the red-haired boy as he completed the first squat of his set.
"2!" Sero nodded as he watched his friend do another one… It seemed so easy for him. Yet, out of curiosity, Sero had tried squatting 50kg before. Man, it had been tough.
Kirishima completed ten reps before stepping back and re-racking the bar.
"YEAH! HAHAHA!" Kirishima exclaimed, rolling his head to ease his neck, sore from the bar. Even with a protective pad, it always felt uncomfortable.
Tetsutetsu looked on with a feigned expression of disinterest.
"Meh," he grunted before stepping up to the bar. "Not bad, but I can do better."
He grabbed the bar, positioned himself, and began his squats. Sero didn't understand why. From the moment they'd seen each other in the locker room, it had turned into a competition. So far, they were evenly matched in everything, but they still aimed to prove which of them was stronger…
Suddenly, Kirishima's hand rested on Sero's shoulder.
"By the way, I haven't asked, how are you holding up?"
How was he holding up? Not well…
The USJ incident had been traumatizing for him… He had almost died several times at the hands of criminals… And he still had nightmares sometimes… Even during the day. He would blink or close his eyes for a few seconds, and flashes would appear.
Sometimes, even phantom images layered over the real world. But the worst part wasn't those images…
It was the scenarios his brain invented, which felt real. He would see himself dying, or a close friend or ally dying in front of him. And it filled him with despair because it seemed so genuine.
"We're just kids… and we were exposed to that. Becoming a hero, we all knew we'd face it one day, right?" Kirishima nodded slowly, his expression grave. Sero continued, running a hand over his neck.
"But I didn't expect to face it so soon… I wasn't mentally ready to see that…"
Sero felt Kirishima's grip tighten on his arm.
"No one was," the red-haired boy said. "No one could've known what was coming." Kirishima sighed and added, "Look, if you need to talk about it, talk about it. Bottling it up won't help."
The tape boy thought about it for a moment before sighing.
"Yeah… I'll try."
At that moment, Tetsutetsu finished his set.
"Ha! Easy!" declared the gray-haired boy.
The two boys refocused on the bar.
"Add 10kg," Kirishima instructed, cracking his fingers with a wide grin. The mention of weight helped Sero shift his attention away from his dark thoughts for a little.
10kg was added.
/
"What are you doing in this dark place?"
Kuroiro asked, appearing from under a desk in Class 1-B's classroom, upside down. Juzo Honenuki turned his head, slightly surprised, then relaxed upon seeing his classmate, who must have been there for quite some time.
The boy had needed to think, and so he hadn't turned on the lights when he entered.
"I'm looking for something to do… And you?"
Shihai fully emerged, dusting himself off calmly as he stood, and shrugged.
"A poem about darkness. There's nothing better than feeling the obscure clarity of inspiration slipping through the shadows of our minds…"
"We're a philosopher and poet now?" Juzo replied, amused.
"You discover many things about yourself during deep meditations far from the light…" murmured the other in a shadowy voice that sent shivers down Juzo's spine. "But you still haven't answered why you came here."
The lipless boy sighed and sat on the edge of a desk, closing his eyes.
"To be honest… I don't really know what to do… Or what to present… All my interests are pretty ordinary… I feel embarrassed to share them…"
Shihai remained silent, arms crossed, looking grave, like a shadowy specter.
"As a friend and classmate, maybe you can tell me?"
Juzo raised his head to look at him, opening his eyes as well.
"Uh… Are you sure? I don't want you to make fun of me or anything… You know I hate being embarrassed."
The shadow boy nodded.
"Yes, I'm sure," he said, raising a hand. "I swear on the honor of the abyss, on the darkest darkness, that I won't make fun of you."
The lipless boy smiled, reassured.
"Thanks." Kuroiro simply nodded, letting his classmate continue, which Honenuki did. "What I really like to do is… write messages."
Kuroiro couldn't help but be surprised. It seemed like a difficult hobby to showcase… Unless…
"What kind of messages?" he suddenly asked.
"Philosophical ones, or stuff like that… Why?"
Kuroiro snapped his fingers, remaining perfectly calm.
"Then I have an idea…"
Juzo raised an eyebrow at him. Kuroiro stepped down from his perch and began pacing around the table.
"You could take several pieces of paper, tear them into bits, and write on them? Little messages full of meaning, or something like that. What do you think?"
Juzo thought for a moment…
Before snapping his fingers too.
"Kuroiro, you're a genius."
/
Neito Monoma might have been the only person to choose to go to the theater room.
And there he was, standing on stage, holding a script he had politely asked to be printed in the teacher's lounge, reciting a classic fable by a very old author, Jean de La Fontaine.
French culture had always fascinated Neito. It had been one of the greatest empires in the world, alongside England, Spain… and even older ones like Rome or Macedonia.
There were many others, but these were among the ones the world remembered the most… Alongside Germany and Japan, although it had been very different…
The culture there was unique, a great blend of so many nationalities… And their own culture.
The text he held in his hands came from an extremely famous book, though few people had had the chance to read it.
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. It was a reading material for rather refined individuals in this era, yet Monoma had been taught it from a very young age, thanks to his parents.
"He had no shelter, no bread, no fire, no love; but he was happy because he was free," the blond recited in a solemn tone.
Hmm. No, that tone didn't fit. Perhaps add a touch of hope? No, not hope… Convey freedom in his voice…
Ah, that's it. Start by reading in a solemn and dark tone, then end with a sense of relief. Hmm. That felt better. At least, it seemed so.
He did as he thought and reread the sentence aloud with perfect French.
It sounded really good.
Monoma let out a sigh of relief. Usually, with this kind of reading, it took longer to find the right intonation… This time, he had thought it through well.
Using his brain…
A concept Class 1-A probably didn't know.
/
"Break," Hyro announced, setting down the heavy crates once again.
The two clones had finally left the school and were on the path leading to their barracks, which seemed so close yet so far away.
And carrying the crates was getting harder and harder. Fog rolled his shoulders to relax his stiff and aching muscles. Kriff… It hurt so much!
Hyro did the same, stretching his arms and cracking his fingers…
But as he lowered his arms, a ghostly face appeared.
"KRIFFING HELL—?!" the sergeant exclaimed, jumping in surprise as his heart leaped in his chest.
Fog, who had bent down to stretch his back, straightened up abruptly, making his spine crack, and almost pounced like a predator to neutralize the threat…
Which wasn't a threat.
"Sorry," said the young girl who resembled a ghost due to the position of her hands and her cold, empty voice.
She was wearing the school's sports uniform, so she must have been part of Class 1-B, probably preparing for a performance…
"No problem…" Hyro replied, placing a hand on his chest, over his heart, as if to calm its frantic beating, while Fog relaxed. "Just try to avoid that kind of stunt in the future… Our reactions can be violent…"
The girl remained rooted to the spot, studying the two soldiers with a gaze that made them both uncomfortable… Damn, she was creepy even without trying…
"Understood."
The sergeant glanced at his vod, who returned the look. Did the girl only speak in one-word sentences?
No idea. Or maybe she was just shy.
That was also possible.
But for now, they needed to deliver these crates, and they weren't too far away.
The two clones turned around… And lifted the crates with surprising ease.
"What…?" Fog said, his voice filled with surprise, before noticing a faint pinkish glow around the crate… And seeing the girl with her hands raised.
For a moment, the trooper thought he was dealing with the Force, then remembered that some quirks could do that.
Hyro let go of the crate for a few seconds, now floating, and looked at the girl.
"Help?" she asked timidly.
The sergeant seemed to consider it for a moment before looking at his hands… They did need it…
After a few seconds of thought, he sighed.
"If you want…"
The girl simply nodded, her facial expression remaining blank.
/
Four people had settled in a forgotten corner of the cafeteria. And all four were silent.
Izuku Midoriya.
Tenya Iida.
Ochako Uraraka.
Tsuyu Asui.
Honestly, the frog girl had joined them for no particular reason, just to stay close to some people, and since no one had objected, in fact, everyone at the table had welcomed her with open arms—she had stayed.
Some introductions had been made, of course, and were ongoing, with Izuku asking lots of questions.
"So your dad's Quirk lets him secrete different toxins through his skin?" Izuku asked for confirmation, holding a pencil in one hand and a notebook in the other.
Tsuyu nodded.
"That's exactly it. ribbit. My mom, on the other hand, has the classic abilities of a frog. Nothing too surprising. ribbit."
Izuku began muttering to himself, summarizing what he had just said, the pencil scratching the paper relentlessly.
Ochako looked up from what she was doing, sewing several patchwork pieces together with some stray thread and a rusty needle, and gave the green-haired boy a friendly nudge with her foot, pulling him out of his spiral.
Izuku raised his head, wide-eyed, taking a few seconds to adjust his vision and recognize where he was…
"Huh? What?"
"You got lost in your mumbling spiral," the brunette pointed out.
The green-haired boy stared at her for a moment… Before silently mouthing an 'ah.' He raised a hand and scratched the back of his neck nervously.
"Uh… Yeah… Sorry…"
He then had to blink his right eye multiple times to adjust his contact lens, reminding everyone of his injuries…
To be honest, Izuku was distantly reminded of them every day. His burns were still visible on his face, red marks, rough patches, and some reddish areas. Completed by the white scars on his arms.
The green-haired boy removed the lens, revealing his much-too-pale green eye underneath, before putting it back in place.
No one really understood how Bakugo had come out so well after causing so much damage.
Iida adjusted his glasses on his nose, betraying his discomfort, and buried himself back in his car magazine, analyzing engine technologies and more.
Ochako dove into her sewing like it was an escape, remaining silent, feeling a bit guilty for causing the discomfort.
Izuku got lost in his thoughts, put down his pencil, and began flipping through the pages.
Tsuyu stayed silent, her wide eyes scanning her three classmates. Her expression remained impassive; unfortunately, her quirk didn't allow her to have very human-like facial expressions, making her emotions hard to read.
The table sank into a heavy silence, a stark contrast to the earlier, relatively cheerful, focused quiet.
Izuku started tapping his foot, at first once in a while, then twice, then three times, then four, then five, until he didn't stop at all.
Then his hand went to his face, nervously tapping at his left hearing aid.
Finally, he let out a sigh, closed his notebook, and leaned back in his chair.
"We need to stop having silences like this. It's getting unsettling."
A few laughs filled the air, easing the atmosphere slightly.
"Tell me, Midoriya, why are you so interested in other people's quirks? ribbit" asked Tsuyu, placing a finger in front of her mouth, a tic of hers.
"Why am I so interested in other people's quirks?" Izuku repeated, weighing the question. There was a very simple explanation.
"I had… a condition when I was little. My quirk developed extremely late. Actually…" The green-haired boy nervously tapped his hearing aid twice. "To be honest… it only appeared a little while before the entrance exam."
Almost everyone let out a small exclamation of surprise, which turned into an 'ouch' when Ochako pricked herself with her needle.
Tsuyu didn't make a sound, tilting her head in a way that unsettled Izuku. It was almost creepy.
"That explains why you break your bones every time you use it. Your body isn't used to it. ribbit" noted the frog girl.
Izuku nodded.
"For most of my life, I was considered quirkless, so I spent a long time trying to understand how quirks work. It became a hobby I'll probably always keep," the boy chuckled lightly. "Plus, I enjoy it."
"I think it's impressive you managed to pass the exam with so little training with your quirk…"
Izuku crossed his arms.
"Actually, I might have had a little help with that…" he said.
"What do you mean by that, Midoriya-san?" asked Iida, narrowing his eyes slightly as he adjusted his glasses. Izuku shrank a little under the bespectacled boy's inquisitive gaze.
I don't mean I cheated! Actually, I met Yaoyorozu-san a few months before the exam… and I got along well with two of her clones…"
"Which one of the two? ribbit" asked Tsuyu.
"Momo. She was out with some of her brother's clones…"
"And it's thanks to them you managed to pass? Better understanding of the terrain, tactics… Am I missing anything?" Iida concluded thoughtfully.
"Handling weaponry and keep calm in dangerous situations, think rationally and calmly. A bit of sign language too, but I don't think I'll need that…" Izuku added nervously. "And… there was also a bit of luck…"
"Tut tut tut! No luck involved," Ochako interrupted, pulling the finger she pricked out of her mouth.
"No, it's more than that, Midoriya. It wasn't luck that made you jump to my rescue when I was trapped under the debris. It wasn't luck that destroyed the zero-pointer's head right before it crushed me. And it wasn't determination either. It was your courage that made you move. It's your courage that let me go home that night."
Izuku felt his cheeks heat up and turned his head, blushing slightly, he wasn't used to be complimented… By girls…
"Th-Thank you, Uraraka… but—"
"No buts," the brunette insisted. "It wasn't luck. It was your courage. Don't pretend otherwise."
Tsuyu remained silent, calm, and composed. She didn't know them well, but from what she could see, this group was very close.
Izuku lowered his eyes, a shy smile spreading across his face despite himself.
"It's true you have a lot of courage. The USJ showed that. ribbit But…" She tilted her head slightly to the side. "…you shouldn't push yourself too far. Your body has limits. ribbit"
The green-haired boy raised his head to meet her gaze. Tsuyu was right; he shouldn't push himself… But…
"I know…" he murmured, nervously playing with his fingers. "I know I still need to learn to use my quirk better. But…" He looked up, a determined glint in his eyes. "…if I have to push myself to my limits, I will."
Ochako gave him another light kick.
"Ow!" Izuku laughed at his friend's disapproving look.
"No more injuries. I've already told you."
Everyone laughed for a moment. Once the laughter subsided, Iida spoke up.
"In any case, your determination, Midoriya-san, is something one could call inspiring. I don't regret voting for you in the class representative election for a second."
"It's not just me who deserves credit," Izuku replied. "Everyone in our class is incredible… in a good way… but some in a bad way too… unfortunately."
The last part of the sentence wasn't discussed further, and the good mood returned. Tsuyu couldn't help but feel admiration. These three were so united… And it was only the start of the year. Yet they already managed to support each other.
And here she was, someone they barely knew. To be honest, the only two times she'd interacted with Midoriya were on the bus to the USJ and during the attack. Yet here she was, chatting with his group of friends.
Maybe she could make good friends here? She really needed them… Her social circle had taken quite a hit after her only best friend, Mongoose, transferred to another school.
The frog girl was pulled from her thoughts when Ochako let out another groan, pricking herself straight in the pads of her fingers.
"Uraraka-san, it would be more prudent to change your needle. It's not a good idea to use a rusty one if you get injured."
And the blue-haired boy launched into a full explanation of safety guidelines and what to do in case of such injuries…
/
A 'Talent Show'?
Todoroki didn't see what it would achieve. In any case, it was just a waste of time. And now, he had three hours to do nothing because of it.
A pure and simple waste of time for the simpletons his classmates were. Both from 1-A and 1-B.
Instead of doing anything, he silently returned to the classroom, sat down in his chair, and rested his elbows on his desk. He drifted into his thoughts, a statue of ice in this lifeless place.
How ironic... They hadn't been this involved during the USJ attack. The clones hadn't been any better, doing more to hinder him than to help, dead weights dragging him down.
That scum...
Anyway.
If it were up to him, he would have already left the school and gone home instead of wasting his energy on something so childish and pointless.
He fixed his gaze on a spot on the worn wood of his desk...
Really, what was the point of it all? Nothing.
Slowly, though, his thoughts drifted to more recent events… and soon, he found himself replaying that interrogation Midoriya had put him through.
His fists clenched slightly as he thought about the exchange… His green haired classmate had assessed him.
He was seen as a threat. That slip-up he had betrayed that.
Hmpf. He could have believed the greenette tried to assess him as a rival, or if he could be helped in whatever way.
He didn't help, nor he cared if he was assessed as a rival.
The greenette was an irrelevant person. Let him believe he was a threat, he didn't care, he was here for results. And results he would get. Proove his father wrong was his objective. Go to the top was his objective.
He didn't need to lose any time for some petty assessments by those insects.
Well, that's it for this chapter! Chapter 22 will be the end of the Joint Activities part... And then... Let's switch up POVs a little shall we? I won't reveal much, but expect the 22nd chapter to be a little long... I got two major fanfics to work on, and a big big project on AO3 I might mention when the first chapter comes out?
Who knows?
Once again, happy late new year, and have a good day!