"Woah, didn't think you'd be an S, Midori…"

Midoriya Izuku blinked, leaning back from the mannequin, "S?" The mannequin was wrapped in a harness. The torso was wrapped in a common design similar to harness utilized in climbing and parachutes. However, this design continued to wrap around all limbs. A strapless black belt was integrated into the waist section with a familiar grappling system. The barrels of the grapple launchers were attached to the sides of the belt while their wires led into the inner workings of the belt. Lastly, on the back of the belt, there were a set of two pressurized gas canisters laid horizontally across the mannequin's lower back.

Kaminari coughed, "Y-Ya know… S…"

"Repeating it doesn't clarify," said Izuku.

"Uh…" Kaminari looked away, scratching the back of his head, "Man, where's Camie-Senpai?"

Utsushimi jogged up to Izuku's station, waving her hand, "Hi~! Sorry, I'm late!" She sighed as she set her bag on the ground, "I had to stay behind to talk to my homeroom teacher about my grades."

Kaminari blinked, "Ah… Midterms, huh?" He smiled, "I'm just happy I didn't rank last…" He then said, "15 is pretty good in my book."

"Oh! Ha, I got the same rank!" said Utsushimi.

A light seemed to engulf and surround the two, "Ah, kindred spirits." They turned to their inventor, "What about you, Midori?"

"Ah… So bright…" he thought. "I don't remember…" said the one who ranked 5.

"Aw…" said Senpai.

Kaminari chimed, "Anyway, what're we testing today?"

Izuku clapped his hands together, "I'm glad you asked, Mr. Kaminari!" He began to stand up, "Let's set it up… Ah… Someone's using the testing range." He paused half-way, moving to sit down, "Sorry, Kaminari, looks like you're gonna have to wait."

"Aw…"

Izuku dusted off his pants – jumpsuit thing, "Looks like we're starting with you, Senpai."

"Cool." She gestured to the mannequin, "What's this you've been working on?"

Izuku scratched his nose, "Uh, the grappling system collapsed with the wrist-based design. I can't think of a way to fix it without risking the same problem or turning the system into a hulking deadweight." He shrugged, "So, I adjusted because I don't really need it to fire from my wrists or two swing from them and logistically, it's a bit too complicated and the maintenance would be costly."

"Huh, I never really thought about the maintenance," admitted Kaminari.

"It's one of the most important aspects of Items. You don't want to make something so complicated that only you know who to fix or clean. It has to be at least learnable."

"But wouldn't that mean you get a lot more business?"

Izuku shrugged, "Commission-wise, I guess. Though, you're not always going to be available, or the Hero may be unreasonable or reckless, needing repairs every day instead every month. In the end, we're creating commercial products and the more complicated the product the less shelf life."

"You sounded like a Business Course student," said Utsushimi.

"We actually share a class – business is very important when it comes to acting as a manufacturer." He added, "They helped us write up contracts." He blinked before coughing, "Uh, anyway, the waist design is closer to a body's natural center of gravity should make balancing through the air a lot more manageable." He scratched his cheek, "Always a few more ideas, but that can wait."

Izuku clapped his hands together, "Right now, it's all about you Senpai." He slid open a drawer, passing out aprons, goggles, and respirators, "We'll need some things first…"

"Say my name, Jesse," graveled Kaminari as he tightened his apron.

"What?" replied Izuku, adjusting his goggles.

"Heisenberg."

Izuku deadpanned, "I'm missing something, aren't I?"

Kaminari pulled his goggles down and his respirator up, "You're goddamn right." Izuku reached up and pulled on the nosepiece of the goggles, rearing back – smacking the blond in the face. "AH!"

Utsushimi scowled, looking over the apron, "This stuff looks, like, kinda gaudy." It was in rough shape, obviously used once too many times before. Not to mention, a stain or two of some chemical reaction had turned the leather pale and sickly green. "Can't you customize these like your welding mask? Or you know, get new ones?"

"Mine, but you're borrowing," said Izuku, shrugging.

Kaminari put his hands on his hips, "So only guests get hand-me-downs?"

"Yeah. Let me rummage around some more. I'll probably find something a bit better."

Utsushimi loosened her apron, "Yes, please. I don't even feel safe in this."

"You know, you didn't mention what we were testing," added Kaminari.

"Chemicals, hence the protection," said Izuku. "Specifically, we're spraying epoxy, a form of wood hardener, foam insulation, and a few others." He waved his hand, "They all are nontoxic, but we definitely shouldn't breathe this stuff in anyway. So, masks stay on the entire time." He moved away from the drawers, passing an apron.

"Shouldn't we wait for the testing range to empty up?" offered Kaminari as Utsushimi was given a new apron.

Izuku shrugged, "We can just use the Glove Box."

"Glove… box…?"

Izuku dusted off his legs, "It's on a dolly; I'll go get it." Kaminari and Utsushimi stood in place for a moment or two before the inventor returned. He brought a glass chamber upon a cart, and in one of the sides of the chamber, there were sealed rubber gloves pointed inward. And there was space set off to the side for a sealed transfer of foreign materials.

Kaminari shrugged, "Oh, cool." He blinked, "Wait, why are we wearing masks if we're doing everything in this little box?"

Izuku pulled over a stool, taking a seat before "Well, no offense to the school, but you saw the aprons… And well, I could drop one and then-" a mimicry of glass breaking escaped his lips, "Ah…! Glass in our faces – gas! You get it."

Kaminari meddled with his mask, barely hiding a chuckle, "Y-Yeah…"

"Senpai, do you think you can place an illusion there?" asked Izuku.

Utsushimi shrugged, adjusting her apron, "Yeah, it shouldn't be too difficult."

"Good."

"Wait, don't these spray stuff usually take a while to dry?" questioned Kaminari.

Izuku nodded, "They do. However, I theorize that we don't have to worry about that."

"Okay…?"

"First, Senpai, how much do you know about your Quirk?"

Utsushimi tapped her cheek; her mask was pulled underneath her chin, "Um, I can create illusions, visually and auditory. They start from a mist that comes from my mouth." She teetered her head, "I do remember that my Mom had it tested way back when… It was nontoxic with no gross stuff."

Kaminari echoed, "Gross stuff?"

"I think it meant chemicals and oils," said Utsushimi.

Izuku nodded, crossing his arms, "Yeah, it is entirely organic – comprised completely of your saliva." He clapped his hands, "But what's fascinating is how it becomes your illusions." He blinked before leaning back, "Of course, if you don't mind me sharing."

"Sure, no worries," said Utsushimi.

Izuku pointed, "Your saliva is loaded with what are basically water molecules. These, in response to you in… some… way, form together in order to refract light and create your illusions." He leaned forward, "But, here's the real kicker, they're not water molecules! They are fundamentally, but in actuality, they're organic cells!"

"What does that mean?" asked Kaminari.

"Scientifically? No idea!" said Izuku. "In the moment, these cells are unique and react to you," he said, pointing to Utsushimi. "Meaning you, Senpai, may be a key factor in how your Quirk interacts with my solutions."

"Ooh, cool," cooed the both of them. Though, the visible confusion on their faces put a damper on any shared excitement. Utsushimi seemed to understand more than Kaminari.

Izuku looked off to the side, "Shame… I was hoping that'd peak their interests or something… Maybe I shouldn't have used the word 'saliva'…" He scratched his cheek, "I was holding onto this for a bit longer, but… I don't want to lose them completely…" He raised his head, "And one final detail is how water molecules become a mist."

"What do you mean?" responded Kaminari.

Izuku held a restricted smile, offering, "How do liquid molecules reach a gaseous state? They are excited via heat."

Utsushimi blinked, "Wait, are you saying my… mouth evaporates my spit?"

"I theorize," said Izuku.

"Whoa… Wouldn't that hurt?" asked Kaminari.

Izuku posed, "Are you hurt when you absorb electricity?"

"Um, no… not really…"

"Just like you, Senpai's body is suited to her Quirk. Her… mouth, um…" He coughed into his hand – before pausing and realizing he was wearing a mask, "Can generate and handle the heat required which is why I'm not too concerned about the usual time it would take for solutions like epoxy resin to harden." He shrugged, "I think… Maybe… I'm not a biologist…"

"Can't we test it?" asked Utsushimi.

"Hm… I'm not sure how your tissue would react to heating up a foreign material," said Izuku.

"Why?"

Izuku offered, "It's foreign. Your body is used to reacting to things it itself produces. So, it is possible that it cannot react properly to something that it has not created." He finished, "It's dangerous to test something like that in a non-medical environment."

"Aren't you making me something that's going to help me shoot lightning?" posed Kaminari.

Izuku shook his head, "That is an Item, machinery that isn't vital to you as a person. It can be removed, repaired, and destroyed if necessary." He turned to Utsushimi, "This is your body. It is your main form of consumption and communication. It is leagues more important, and we shouldn't risk it in a non-medical environment." He paused for a moment before rubbing the back of his neck, "T-Though, I suppose you could get a laser-designated thermometer. We don't have one, I don't think. I could put in a Requisition Order."

Utsushimi put up her hand, "Nah, this is a bit too much. I'm just curious, but I don't really need to know."

"Wait, Requisition Order?" questioned Kaminari.

Izuku shrugged, "Hm? Yeah, we don't exactly have a stockpile of every material or tool we need."

"Oh, that kinda sucks."

"Eh, it's smart," argued Izuku. "I doubt we have an infinite budget. It's probably so they don't waste money on something that isn't used. We make the order, they buy, and whatever is left over is given back to make the difference."

"Wait, you don't keep what's left over?" asked Utsushimi.

"Nope," said Izuku.

"Budget's tight, I guess," said Kaminari.

"It's not really my place to say, but that makes sense." Izuku blinked before pushing out a chuckle, "We really drifted off topic, huh?" He shook his head, "We should just start testing…" With a pair of nods from his partners, the trio surrounded the glass box as Izuku pulled out his phone.

"Note Zero-One. Testing Prototype One of Glamour Support Item. Variation: Wood Hardener. Target: Minor illusion, a marble." He turned, gesturing to the airlock chamber of the box, "Senpai." A panel slid and a breath exhaled. A colorful cloud floated into the center of the chamber, meeting a spray of resin in its path. The cloud stalled before swirling and circling; it shifted before becoming an image of a marble. "Outwardly, no effect has been taken by the illusion."

"Illusion will now be referred to as Object Zero-One." His eyes narrowed, "I will flick the object." He ignored the held back laugh of Kaminari and thumped the marble. The marble rolled but its shape deformed, stretching like a glitched picture of a panorama function. "Illusion is maintained, but a warping effect is taking place. Effect of Quirk or weakness of solution?" The illusion floated around for a moment before it popped, becoming a dissipating cloud and fading. "Object Zero-One has collapsed. Marking Variation One: Wood Hardener as Fail."

"This is going to take a while, isn't it?" said Kaminari.

Izuku took a breath, "Yeah…"

"I'm gonna get us drinks," offered Kaminari. "You guys want snacks, too?"

Izuku requested, "Canned coffee, UCC and Pocky."

"Green tea and Melon Pan," said Utsushimi.

"Aye, aye. Be right back!"

-XXX-

Mina stepped out of the testing range, shaking her hands. There was the faint sting and heat from the touch of acid on them. It wasn't enough to bring her to tears or anything like that, but she wasn't going to be juggling anytime soon that was for sure. She looked up from her hands and spotted a certain, green haired inventor propped onto a stool, sipping a canned coffee. His attention was elsewhere which brought a smirk to her face. She cautiously moved from the range's entrance. She snuck out of his peripheral vision, sneaking towards his back. "BAH!" she cried, grabbing his shoulders.

Midori cried, "A-AH!" in response to her. And then, "AH!" in response to the coffee spilling onto his apron.

She brought her hands together, holding back her laughter, "O-Oh, sorry, sweetie…"

He meddled with his apron for a moment, "H-Hey, Ashido…"

"Oof, you seem low energy," said Mina.

Midori held a plain smile, "Yeah, well, that's why we're taking a break." He shrugged, "Not exactly in the most exciting stage. Lost them around the tenth test."

"Oh, where are they?"

"I'm pretty sure Utsushimi-Senpai is just catching up with her classmates."

"And Kaminari?"

Midori gestured with his can, "Oh, he's trying to flirt with her." The blond stood across a table from a fair-skinned girl with vine-like hair. He held an occasionally faltering smile, saying something out of earshot. While the girl acknowledged his presence, she didn't seem too receptive to his words.

Mina gasped, "Oh my gosh, the first item of the Hero Course!"

"Isn't dating disallowed?" questioned Midori.

"There's no way rules in a handbook could stand in the way of true love!" she cried, bawling her hand into a fist.

Midori's face contorted, "I dunno I feel like suspension might get in the way." "But, uh, what about you? Taking a break, yourself?"

"Yeah, I don't have infinite durability when it comes to my Quirk," said Mina.

"Are you okay?"

She shrugged, "Yeah, it just stings a little – we didn't go too far."

"What is your Quirk? I never asked before."

Her brow cocked before her shoulder nudged his, "Eeh? Trying to dirt on the competition, eh? I didn't think you had it in you. For shame, Mr. Midoriya. For shame."

He blinked, "W-What? No, I'm just… Sorry for asking I-"

Her fist knocked into his shoulder as she giggled, "Oof, calm down, man. I'm just yanking your chain. My Quirk's Acid. I can make acid anywhere! I can mess with the acidity and uh… vis… cos…"

"Viscosity?" finished Midori as he rubbed his now aching shoulder.

"Yeah!" said Mina as she snapped her fingers.

"That's cool," he noted.

"Thanks."

Mina's eyes focused on the long strands of his curly hair, "You ever think about getting your haircut?"

Midori blinked, taking a lock of his hair, "Hm…?" He shrugged, "Uh, I haven't really thought about it…"

"You know, you could probably pull into a ponytail."

"I guess. Ponytail is just a simple thing, right? Hairband, pull through, and wrap?"

"Yep!"

A pair of stomping feet came closer and closer to the two. "Hi," he grumbled as he tossed a gas mask onto the dolly and hopping onto a stool himself.

Midori and Mina blinked, "Hey, Shinso…"

"Hey…" he replied.

"Everything okay?" asked Midori.

Shinso spat, "My partner is an asshole."

"Ah, Mister Grumpy-Senpai," she said, frowning and pulling at her eyes.

"Mr. Stick-Up-His-Ass more like."

"Ouch, Shinso, tell how ya really feel."

Shinso growled, pulling out a pamphlet and shoving it into Midori's hands, "He gave me this! Look!"

"So, Your Quirk is Dangerous? What to Do and Not to Do in Today's Society," was read aloud.

Mina's face contorted, "That's something they handout to kids in Primary School. I got that when I developed my Acid Quirk."

"Primary School!" echoed Shinso.

Midori nodded, "Yeah, I knew someone who'd get these, every week. He collected them and burned them."

"Yeah, well, unlike that guy, I took this seriously," said Shinso. "I told Paisen about my Quirk yesterday and today he hands me this and then lectures me about my own Quirk! How dangerous it is – like I don't already know…" He shook his head, "He knew about the fight, Midoriya. The examples he used in his little sermon were too specific." He sighed, "You guys should avoid him. He'll probably talk your ears off too."

"But, Midoriya doesn't have a Quirk," she said. She blinked when she caught something washing over Midori's face, but it was gone by the time she focused on it.

"He got into a fight in a Shiketsu uniform. Says things," explained Shinso.

"I haven't heard anyone else talking about it," said Mina.

Shinso shrugged, "Well, the news has bigger stories… You know? The Hero Killer?"

"Hero Killer?"

"Yeah, guy's specifically targeting Heroes."

"And…?"

"Yeah…"

Mina shivered.

Midori coughed, changing the subject, "Well, if Mr. Stick-Up-There is the way he is, then is it okay for you to be talking to us?"

"If he were paying attention? No. He's taking this gladiatorial thing way too seriously. Don't share secrets with the enemy and ya-da, ya-da," waved off Shinso.

"Paying attention?"

A thumb was jerked into the distance, "Yeah, Utsushimi-Senpai's chatting his ear off right now. Pretty sure she's teasing him on that stick of his."

"Senpai to the rescue, huh?" said Midori as he peered around Shinso.

He nodded, crossing his arms, "Yeah, I owe her one."

"H-Hey, guys…" muttered Kaminari as he shuffled into the group.

"Aw, what's wrong?" asked Ashido.

"Ah, don't worry about it…" said Kaminari, shaking his head.

Mina patted his shoulder, "Don't feel too bad, Kaminari." She took a cautiously looked about the room before leaning forward to whisper, "You know I've actually heard Ibara's…" Kaminari turned, turning more and more enraptured with the longer the pause, "Religious."

"Oh, ha-ha," he said, pushing her hand off. "You're hilarious."

Shinso chuckled, "Yeah, knock it off, Ashido. She's just not into blondes."

"I can't control that…" gasped Kaminari, dramatically grasping his chest.

Midori's face contorted, "I mean… you can…" His eye seemed to catch something in the distance before he reached out and grasped Shinso's collar.

Shinso blinked, "Midoriya…?" and despite his obvious confusion, followed the pulling force that made him bow just below the dolly.

Mina looked up, spotting Shishikura raising his head, "Shinso! Where is he?"

"I think he went to the restroom!" called out Midori.

Shishikura scowled, "When?"

Midori shrugged in response.

There was a huff from Shishikura before he stomped off towards the metal doors.

When the doors swung and closed, Midori released Shinso, "Sneak back towards the far wall and snake your way back through the computers."

Shinso rubbed the back of his head, "Heh, thanks, Midoriya."

"No problem." He explained, "You still have to deal with him."

Kaminari rubbed his chin, "Mr. Slick, here… Lying so easily… Dr. Yaritezawa was right…" He chuckled, "You really are a heartbreaker~."

"What?" said Mina, her face contorting.

Shinso blinked, "Huh?"

Midori took a deep breath and sighed as his eyes narrowed, "I'm gonna kick your shins."

-XXX-

Kaminari Denki picked up one end of the device while Midori took up the other side. It was a strange contraption. The base seemed to be a gauntlet like design before it was lost to metal, wirings, and a long rod. It looked like a car's engine block slapped together with a locomotive's. Overall, compact yet not small – there was no way anyone with a normal spine could wear the thing. Though, the fact that it was bolted onto a metal stand hinted that Midori knew that. They walked the machine into the range, setting onto a pre-raised platform.

Denki patted the machine, "Pretty heavy…" He leveled his gaze, "Be easier without a bruised ankle."

Midori returned a flat look, "I didn't kick you that hard."

A smirk took the blond's lips as Midori walked to the room's terminal, "It's emotionally bruised."

"Senpai, sorry, do you mind waiting outside with Mr. Abraham?" said Midori, turning to Camie-Senpai.

She blinked, "Why?"

Midori typed on the terminal, causing a wall of plexiglass to rise in front of it, "This is going to be a pretty dangerous experiment. The fewer bodies in here – the better." He offered a smile, "Mr. Abraham is outside on the observation terminal; you shouldn't miss him."

Camie-Senpai frowned for a moment before nodding with a smile, "Okay… If either of you get hurt, I'd totes freak, so be careful."

Denki's heart nearly skipped a beat as he threw up a thumbs-up, "Don't worry, Camie-Senpai! We'll be fine!" Another nod before she exited the room with the door sealing after her. His arm fell before he turned to Midori, "We'll be fine, right?"

"So long as we're careful." He tapped on the terminal, "Mr. Abraham, are you reading us?"

"Yes, and Ms. Utsushimi is here as well," crackled the teacher's voice.

Midori nodded, "Alright, you don't mind, sir, if you could start the recording?"

"Beginning…"

"Note One-One. Testing Prototype One of 'Lightning Gauntlet' Item, referred to as LG. Testing perimeters: the LG is not yet suitable for on-user testing and must be tested remotely. The goal is to determine the limitations of capacitors and dispersion." After meddling with the terminal, walls of plexiglass surrounded him and the terminal before an arm from the ceiling sealed the top, "I, Midoriya Izuku, am operating the range's terminal – sealed in a plexiglass chamber." Denki picked up a set of cables from the device's base, stepping back onto a marked tile. "Kaminari Denki, for his own safety, is surrounded behind a set of three walls of rubber-framed plexiglass."

"Both named subjects have left all electronic devices outside the range," he added. "A set of jumping cables, a positive and ground, are in his control as the battery of the LG." He swallowed, "An on-and-off switch has been provided to both I and Mr. Abraham. A remote diagnostic monitor has also been provided to both for safety and analytic purposes." After another button press, an arm slid from the other side of the room, holding a piece of metal, "The target is a fifty-centimeter by fifty-centimeter sheet of a silver alloy. It is placed a meter from the device."

"Kaminari, are you reading me?"

"Yep!" said Denki, feeling his heart quicken and his skin turn to static.

Midori nodded, "Short discharge: thirty seconds."

"Got it!" called Denki.

Midori counted down, "3… 2… 1…!" Denki couldn't describe what it took to generate his lightning. The closest analogy was a water pistol. A moment of tension was placed on the trigger and then you watched the fireworks.

Light sprouted from his skin, ricocheting off the rubber and leather apron. "Five seconds!" It escaped from his back, legs, and arms; it sparked off the plexiglass. "Ten!" His hair straightened and struck out, carving across the distant wall. "Fifteen!" He could feel the heat and crackle of plasma surrounding him. "Twenty!" The lightning that left from his arms surged forward – absorbed into the cables. "Twenty-five!"

"Thirty, Kaminari!" called Midori.

Denki grinned, dropping the cables, "Done!" He stepped out of his chamber, "Well, how'd we do?"

Midori's frown turned his smile sour, "Capacitors were able to take the discharge, but not redistribute…" He rubbed the back of his neck as his chamber lost one of its walls, "There are a few variables to reexamine…"

"Damn…" sighed Denki.

Midori shook his head, "It's the process…"

"I know… but it would've been nice to get it on the first try," said Denki.

Midori frowned, "Yeah… Note One-One end, mark failure." He muttered something underneath his breath before taking a deep breath and holding a smile. "There's always tomorrow." He seemed to hold back a sigh, "Let's… put a pin in this and I'll figure something out…"

Denki pushed a smile himself, waving it off, "Yeah, no problem." He posed, "Just don't lose any sleep over it, alright?"

He seemed to take it under consideration before he simply nodded, "Yeah…"

"I mean how long have you been doing this, anyway?" asked Denki.

Midori thought for a moment before he shrugged, "Not very long."

"Then you shouldn't be too hard on yourself, dude." His arm wrapped around his friend's shoulders, "I mean look on the bright side!" Under Midori's curious yet incredulous look, he shrugged, "At least, it didn't blow up."

A chuckle escaped his lips, "That's a pretty low bar."

"Hey, low bars are hard to beat when you're playing limbo," said Denki.

Midori shook his head, "Yeah, well, too bad we're all pole-vaulting."

"Hey, pole-vaulting is just limbo but gravity's reversed," countered Denki.

"What?" laughed Midori. "That doesn't make any sense."

Denki turned his voice, gravelly, "This crazy world never does, man… This crazy world… never… does…"

Midori escaped the blond's arm, "Alright, alright, that's enough of that." He waved his hand, "Come on, we need to discharge those capacitors before they burn out."

"You know more than me."

Midori commented, "Which isn't saying much."

"Oi," cried Denki.

-\ XXX /-

AN: Hello, hello! Chapter 11, everybody! New grappling gear, Glamour Support Item, Tensions between purple-haired folk, and the Lightning Gauntlets - er... Gauntlet. With jokes sprinkled in between. Now, forgive the less than amateur science/engineering/chemistry wording here. I'm running on comic and Hollywood logic.

There's nothing to really get into at this point on this side of the screen. I guess I should call out the obvious AoT inspiration for the grappling system. While a grappling system in real life, overall is unlikely, I find that the waist-based system more likely to exist than wrist-based one. Mostly because people have made those types and no offense to their hard work - I just don't see it as a workable design. As workable as swinging, flipping and dipping between buildings is in real life.

Beyond that, there's not much else to go on about so...

Update Window: July 20th - 30th

Intended Due Date: July 20th - 25th

With that, thank you for reading and criticize away!