This is probably the most…wordy and debate-y chapter of Good Loser Kumagawa so far. Yes, I know it's a bit WEIRD to release this in the middle of the Camping Trip arc, but honestly? It'd be weirder if it was in between.
…like the next chapter is gonna be. :|
Anyways, there's gonna be another Good Loser Kumagawa chapter on Thursday. Apologies if you wanted to read more Summer Camp stuff.
Anyways, here's your chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5
There was a terrible tragedy at UA a few days ago. The League of Villains launched a surprise attack on the U.A. High School training facility, the USJ. Led by Tomura Shigaraki, the villains overpowered the students and pro heroes, endangering their lives. However, thanks to All Might and the students of Class 1-A, they were able to fend off the villains and even capture a bulk of them.
News spread like wildfire to other schools- it sounded like a wake up call. Villains were never this gutsy. Upon hearing the details of the incident, Shiketsu High School reacted with a mixture of concern, empathy, and a renewed sense of urgency. The news quickly spread among the students and staff, igniting discussions and a heightened sense of vigilance within the school.
So, today, there was a staff meeting.
"Thank you all for attending today," Hakama said, looking over the table filled with teachers. All the staff were here- among the most notable (and named) ones were Pyrrha, Jaune, Star and Stripe, Gasmask, Mrs. Cherry, Messhi, Sanagi, Shikiji and Richigi.
The author recognizes some of those names are unfamiliar, but we'll introduce them as we go along.
"As most of you know, UA High was attacked by Tomura Shigaraki. Thankfully, the students were able to defend themselves before All Might showed up." Hakama said. "The incident has served as a wake-up call for all of us. It reminds us that villains are becoming more daring and dangerous. We cannot afford to be complacent in our duty to protect and educate our students."
"Agreed," Pyrrha said. "I guess this meeting is to discuss changing the curriculum in someway to better prepare our students for potential threats and emergencies?"
Hakama nodded. "Exactly. We need to ensure that our students are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to handle such situations. Our priority is their safety and well-being."
Jaune raised his hand. "I think it would be beneficial to include specialized training modules focusing on combat and tactical strategies. We should teach them how to analyze their surroundings, identify potential threats, and respond effectively."
"When I was still at Marvel Grad, all my teachers emphasized the importance of teamwork and coordination during crises." Star said. "I believe incorporating elements of American curriculum, such as leadership training and team-building exercises, could be valuable for our students."
"Agreed." Gasmask frowned. "While teamwork is essential, we must also prepare our students for the harsh realities of combat. We could introduce more 'dirty' tactics, unconventional strategies that villains might employ. Teaching our students how to think outside the box and use their quirks creatively in dangerous situations could give them an edge."
"All very good suggestions…but I'm more concerned about something," Hakama said. "There's something the news has not yet addressed."
"Hm?" Mrs. Cherry, the kindly teacher to the second years, asked. "What? Did something happen to a student?"
"Well, yes- a student WAS injured, but that was due to his quirk. Not the bigger problem." Hakama explained.
A student who can't control their quirk? Star thought. That sounds like it could be that kid All Might told me about…his successor.
"The real big deal…comes from the 'weapon' the League brought with them." Hakama turned to Richigi, who was half paying attention to the meeting. "Richigi. Pull up the picture."
Richigi didn't look up from his tablet as he swiped a picture up, projecting it to a nearby TV. As the picture of the Nomu appeared on the TV screen, the room fell into an eerie silence. Each teacher's reaction varied, reflecting a mix of shock, concern, and realization.
"What the hell is that?" Jaune asked. "It looks like…"
"A Grimm." Pyrrha frowned. "But worse."
"That is something called a 'Nomu'." Hakama said. "Sources say Shigaraki bragged about it being a modified weapon, meant to take down All Might. It managed to seriously injure Eraserhead, and even land a few blows on All Might…a powerful beast."
Star and Stripe smirked. "Bet he found a way to dispose of it, though. Nothing beats him."
"Yes…A few students were able to subdue it before All Might arrived, but here's my question." Hakama said, as the picture faded away. "...could OUR first year students take it?"
Gasmask scoffed. "Taking on a creature like that would be suicide, especially considering the diverse nature of our students' quirks. Not all of them possess purely offensive abilities."
"I don't like the way you're phrasing the question, principal." Pyrrha said. "You make it sound like you're gearing our children up for war…"
Hakama nodded in understanding. "I apologize if my phrasing came across that way, Pyrrha. I don't mean to instill fear or promote an atmosphere of war. My intention is to gauge our students' current level." He turned to Jaune. "How would you say your class is doing right now, Mr. Arc? We're only a few weeks in…"
Jaune paused briefly to collect his thoughts before answering. "It's still early in the school year, and our students are getting to know themselves better and improving their skills. They're doing well, but they're not quite ready to take on the Nomu yet."
"Except for maybe Medaka Kurokami." Star added. "She took me head on…that girl's a firecracker."
"The girl is something…" Mrs. Cherry said. "It's good the students have someone so reliable on the seat."
"It's clear that our students have potential, but we must also remember that some are still in the early stages of their hero training." Hakama declared. "While we don't want to overwhelm them with the thought of facing a Nomu, we also cannot ignore the realities of the world they are stepping into. Therefore…we will gradually introduce them to more rigorous combat training and emergency response scenarios. We will focus on developing their individual strengths and addressing their weaknesses."
"I'll have to revise my schedule…" Jaune huffed. "My syllabus is pretty much useless. And I typed that up from scratch-"
"There, there. You did good." Pyrrha said, patting him on the back. "I like them…"
"It is an unfortunate wrench in the gears, I know," Hakama sighed, "But one that needs attention. If this League is organized enough to hit U.A...well..."
"You're worried they might aim for here next," Sanagi finished, "Yeah...not the best scenario if they're unprepared..."
"We'll also increase our security measures around the school, just in case." Hakama said. "Gasmask will be heading it."
Gasmask gave a two finger salute. "It's what I do...at least our kids are on campus full time. We have that over UA."
Preparation was key, and the safety of the students was their top priority. Jaune and Pyrrha were especially keen on this idea. They'd been through a lot since they were teens...and they wished the adults back then were a bit more wary too.
Once the meeting had ended and the other faculty made their way back to their respective classes and offices, Pyrrha and Jaune stuck together as they walked down the halls of Shiketsu.
"So a bunch of no-name thugs get together under a powerful and mysterious leader, promising them power or whatever else they want, in exchange for help attacking school," Jaune said, looking over some of the police report for the arrested League members, "Sounds scarily familiar..."
"It does. We're just lucky this Shigaraki character didn't have as well a thought out plan as she did," Pyrrha said.
"Yeah...does make me worry though," Jaune sighed, remembering the none too pleasant experience of the last day of his first Vytal Festival. That black queen chess piece logo on all the screens and that sinister voice asking the public who they could really trust...
"I hope those kids are alright." Pyrrha sighed. "They must have been scared out of their minds- it's a miracle one of them didn't get..."
Pyrrha closed her eyes. "No. That's too dark."
"At least he didn't have a computer virus with him," Jaune sighed, "Small positives I guess. So, uh...how are you gonna handle this? The more...combat oriented stuff?"
"Incrementally bump up the training courses," Pyrrha said simply, "U.A. had training robots used both in the Sports Fest and their entrance exam this year. Supposedly, they're surplus models from the same company that provides the mechs to Tartarus. Maybe I can get some of the smaller models, retool them for practice. You?"
Jaune nodded thoughtfully. "Well, we do have access to the Atlas Academy training simulator, thanks to Winter. We could use that to practice different scenarios and tactics...of course, that'd be a bit overkill. It's only for third years..."
"We'll have Richigi program a few courses for the first years." Pyrrha said. "Won't be that hard.
"Hmmm...should we have him include low level Grimm as well? Or am I thinking too much like a Huntsman still?" Jaune joked.
"Considering the Nomu...I think it may be appropriate." Pyrrha said. "They need to learn how to face mindless creatures like that."
"What scares me most is that it was most likely...man made." Jaune frowned. "Remember the last manmade Grimm we went up against?"
Pyrrha shook her head. "Don't remind me." Pyrrha then looked over, to see Zenkichi looking through the bushes. What was he doing?
"Pyrrha? What's-?" Jaune noticed her gaze and followed it over to his student, "Zenkichi?"
Pyrrha walked over to Zenkichi, confused. "Good morning, Hitoyoshi."
"Oh," Zenkichi said, looking over his shoulder. "Morning, Mrs. Nikos."
Pyrrha took note of Zenkichi's new armband. "Oh! You joined the student council..."
"Was sort of...forced into it." Zenkichi said. "I'm just helping Medaka wth another request."
"What are you looking for?" Pyrrha asked, as Jaune walked over.
"Well, a third year student wanted help finding her dog that went missing on campus." Zenkichi explained. "Have any of you seen a borzoi around here?"
Pyrrha's eyes lit up. "Borzoi?"
"Can't say we have..." Jaune said.
Jaune and Pyrrha both suddenly got tapped on their shoulders. Someone had somehow snuck up on both of them. When they turned around, Jaune nearly jumped in the air by just the sheer and sudden surprise of seeing someone wearing what seemed to be a dog mascot outfit, complete with larger than average head and paw-themed gloves.
"What the he-?!" Zenkichi stopped and blinked a few times upon seeing the dog person. Pyrrha was just taking in the odd sight and trying to stop herself from laughing.
"Who the hell are you?!" Zenkichi asked.
The mascot opened the "mouth" of their head, probably where the eye holes would be on the mask, and a certain student council president popped her head out.
"Me, of course," Medaka said, as if it should be obvious.
"Oh god damn it!" Zenkichi groaned.
"Miss Kurokami...what are you wearing?" Pyrrha asked.
"Hm? Oh, this is meant to help lure the dog out. The tactic is meant to get the target to view me as one of its own." Medaka said. "I borrowed it from the drama club."
"...that's VERY obvious." Jaune frowned.
"When dealing with animals, it's important to make the first move!" Medaka declared.
Pyrrha and Jaune shared a look. She's so smart it passes back into stupid. They both thought.
Medaka's gaze wandered, trying to spot the dog in question.
"W-well, uh," Jaune cleared his throat, "I assume you have a picture of the dog? Otherwise you could mistake any borzoi for the right one."
"We haaaaaaave," Medaka said, pulling out a flyer that had the dog's likeness. "this!" It was a hand-made drawing of a dog, with only the most minimal details.
"How did you figure out this was a borzoi again?" Pyrrha asked.
"The owner told us," Zenkichi said.
"It's a cute looking fella..." Jaune said, gushing over it. "Look at him! Poor guy must be so scared."
"Well, we've got time to spare- we'll help you look." Pyrrha smiled.
"Any assistance would be very appreciated!" Medaka said.
"Shortens the search time, great," Zenkichi nodded.
The group split up, with each member searching around the area. After an few minutes of searching, Jaune was looking through the bushes when he found...something unexpected.
"Uh, guys?" Jaune called out, motioning for the others to come over.
"What's up?" Zenkichi asked.
"I found a dog." Jaune said, as the group walked over.
The trio all blinked when they saw the dog that Jaune had found. It was the right breed and it had the distinct fur pattern on its head, a diamond-shaped patch of brown fur in the middle of its mostly white head. This dog, though, was massive, even sporting a few scars across its body, two on its back, one on its back leg, and a few small ones on its snout.
"Why it matches the drawing perfectly!" Medaka beamed, "Such an adorable little guy!"
"We must not be seeing the same dog, cause that one is not little," Zenkichi deadpanned, "That's not even a dog. That's something protected under the Washington Convention."
"Well...borzoi's are also known as Russian wolf hounds," Pyrrha mused.
"See! A wolf! I'm right," Zenkichi crossed his arms, feeling justified.
"It's still a cute pup for me!" Medaka said, walking towards the doggie. Zenkichi flinched.
"Uh, hold on. Let's maybe talk about this-" Zenkichi said.
Medaka looked back, and made a face. She looked very, very annoyed.
"What?" Zenkichi said. "You know how you are with animals."
"Just...hang back, for now," Medaka huffed and stormed off, "I'll show you I'm not a girl to be trapped by her past."
"Um...what does she mean by that?" Pyrrha asked.
"Does...Medaka not like animals or something?" Jaune asked.
"Oh, no no no." Zenkichi corrected. "Medaka loves animals, actually."
Medaka approached the borzoi carefully, and spread her arms. "Heeeeere, doggie!"
The borzoi slowly opened one eye and looked up at Medaka sleepily.
"It's ok! Don't be afraid!" Medaka reassured. But the dog was the opposite of reassured, it was terrified. From its perspective, Medaka just gave off this aura of pure fear and domination, even though she was trying to be calm and loving. The dog jumped up on all fours, fully awake now, and mentally weighing its options between fight or flight.
"Just lemme pat your head! Or give you a hug! Come oooon, let's play!" Medaka said.
And then the dog just bolted towards the other three, making a beeline for Pyrrha.
Pyrrha blinked, looking down at the tough looking dog. It was cowering like a child after a nightmare.
"What...just happened?" Pyrrha asked.
"Like I said," Zenkichi shook his head, kneeling down to pet the dog. "Medaka has nothing against animals. It's the animals that can't stand Medaka."
"What?" Jaune asked.
"It's sort of a side effect of 'The End'." Zenkichi explained.
"That...really?" Jaune asked, surprised a Quirk could even have a side effect like that.
"Yep. Back in primary school, we had a class pet rabbit. Whenever Medaka went to get the little guy from his pen, he'd refuse to come out. Whenever she went to feed fish out in the koi pond, all the koi just dove down into the water and never came back up. And don't get me started on the zoo trip," Zenkichi explained.
"I guess that checks out," Pyrrha said. "Most animals don't have a read on a personality, all they know is to cower in the presence of an overwhelming source. Humans, on the other hand, have developed the ability to read the emotions animals don't."
Medaka walked back over, defeated. "I couldn't get the doggie to love me..."
Zenkichi huffed. "There, there. Come on. Let's take the dog back to the owner...after you change."
"Okay," Medaka huffed. That was honestly the saddest any of the trio had seen the student council leader get...ever, really.
"Thank you for your help," Zenkichi said, nudging the dog. "See you in class tomorrow."
The duo watched Medaka and Zenkichi walk off with Borzoi. Pyrrha hummed. "Jaune...do you think Medaka could have taken the Nomu by herself?" She asked when they were out of ear shot.
"Hakama said that it was engineered to take down All Might himself," Jaune wondered, "The Quirks it had were meant to counter his raw strength...but given Medaka's ability to copy other abilities...I think it's just a matter of what powers she has available to her."
"What an odd power." Pyrrha said. "She's our best performing student so far."
"If only our lowest ranked students could learn from her. They need a serious wake up call with our restructuring." Jaune said.
"Please don't tell me the problem child is at the bottom," Pyrrha huffed.
"Shockingly not. He's more of a 'middle man'." Jaune explained. "Misogi's more of a B/C student."
"...then who is?"
"Gonna sound hard to believe but..." Jaune started.
As the morning light peered through the cracks of his blinds, Sato groaned and buried his head deeper into his pillow. The sound of his alarm buzzing relentlessly seemed like a distant nuisance. He could feel the weight of his heavy eyelids pulling him back to the sweet oblivion of sleep.
Despite his best efforts, however, Sato's brain slowly began to register the noise, and he grudgingly reached out to hit snooze. Yet, as he stretched his arm, his hand somehow missed the button, and the screeching sound continued.
Hiroshi Sato. Age 15. Member of Class 13, son of the Pro Hero: Freedom. Quirk: Still.
Sato can negate physical forces on themselves, others or objects. These forces include friction, pressure, gravity, deformation forces, torque, action-reaction forces, etc. They just have to touch it first.
...that was too much work for him.
With a heavy sigh, Sato resignedly dragged himself out of bed and stumbled towards the bathroom. He staggered through his morning routine, barely registering anything. It wasn't until he stepped out of the shower and saw his reflection in the mirror that he truly woke up. He saw his square head staring back, and groaned.
"Ugh..." Sato mumbled. "Monday already..."
(He slept through the weekend.)
"You're up late," Ryuji commented from outside the bathroom, already dressed in his uniform, Shiketsu's trademark hat in his hands.
"That a problem?" Sato sighed.
"I mean, not that late but still..."
Ryuji shrugged. "Just surprised to see you up on time for once."
Sato grumbled and finished getting dressed quickly, grabbing his school bag on his way out of the apartment. Ryuji followed close behind, determined not to let Sato be late for school.
As they walked, Sato rubbed at his eyes, trying to shake off the exhaustion. Sato never wanted to be a hero- he was forced into the field by his father, to uphold his 'legacy', since all of the other kids were heroes too. Some stupid tradition...
"Alright," Ryuji said, "What's up?"
"What do you mean?" Sato asked back, not even turning to look at his classmate.
"I mean this. Everyday, you act like you don't wanna be here."
"Because I don't." Sato frowned. "That's it. Now shut up about it."
"Come on. You shouldn't waste an opportunity like this- I had to fight tooth and nail for my position..." Ryuji frowned.
"Sure you did," Sato just shrugged, "Doesn't change anything."
"You must at least have some iota of sense to pry into some form of heroics," Ryuji insisted.
"Nah. Your emotions are valid, but they're yours. Not mine. Not back off," Sato huffed.
Ryuji sighed and fell silent, sensing Sato's clear irritation. They reached the school gates, and Sato's face fell as he saw the students already gathered outside. He loathed being around people, especially when they were all so hyperactive and energetic. He tried to keep his head down and avoid eye contact with anyone, but it was impossible for him to go unnoticed. Some of his classmates greeted him cheerfully, but he just grunted in response. Other students whispered and pointed at him, muttering about his lack of enthusiasm for heroism.
Sato grimaced, feeling like an outsider amidst all of his peers. They had passion and drive, while he himself was just going through the motions. It wasn't that he wasn't good at using his quirk- he just didn't care much for it.
His father, while supportive, never really listened to his wishes. Who was his father, you might ask? His father was known as the Pro Hero: Freedom. Corny name, yeah, but people never really laughed when he started using his quirk. His father's power put him in the top 100 heroes- his quirk was a force field that grants him additional invulnerability to any physical attack when it is at its maximum. While his father wasn't all that strong, having a power that allowed him to run through a battle unscathed was very handy.
Then there was the rivalry with the Ingenium family...The rivalry between the Sato and Ingenium families stemmed from the first 'big' generation of heroes. Back then, both families had a strong presence in the hero community, and their contrasting abilities sparked comparisons and debates among hero enthusiasts and the media. The question of who was superior, speed or invulnerability, became a topic of discussion and fueled the rivalry. So, it just sort of...stuck.
The current Ingenium was a few spots ahead of his fathr, which didn't bother him- he was pretty old, in his late 40s. The current Ingenium, Tensei Iida, was late 20s. There'd be some discrepancies. And now, both Sato and the next child to (presumably) take on the mantle of Ingenium were starting out as heroes.
And honestly? Sato wanted no part in this. Unlike most of his classmates, who were driven by a fierce determination to prove themselves and secure their position as a hero, Sato lacked the same motivation. He felt forced into the field due to his family's expectations and tradition, rather than pursuing it out of genuine passion.
What did Sato really, really want, more than anything?
...Sato wanted to be a DJ.
As Sato entered the classroom, he found his usual seat in the back corner, away from the prying eyes and chattering voices of his classmates. He pulled out his headphones and started listening to his favorite mixtapes, drowning out the noise around him. The thumping beats and mesmerizing melodies transported him to a world of his own, where he could forget about heroics and responsibilities.
While most students eagerly discussed their heroic aspirations and exchanged quirk-related stories, Sato sat quietly, lost in his own thoughts. He often daydreamed about spinning tracks at packed clubs, creating an atmosphere that made people lose themselves in the music. Sure, there were music related heroes like the Violin Hero: Cecilio and the Shredding Hero: Fender, but Sato saw no real connection between a nice jam and heroics.
The thought of sharing his love for music with others, of being able to elicit emotions and energy through his sets, filled Sato with a sense of energy that he couldn't find in the world of heroics. The pulsating rhythms and infectious melodies spoke to him on a deeper level than any battle or heroic feat ever could.
Sato kept his passion for music hidden, afraid of being judged or ridiculed by his classmates. In a world where heroism was celebrated and expected, pursuing a career as a DJ seemed unconventional and perhaps even frivolous to others. The thought of his peers laughing at him for not conforming to their heroic ambitions made Sato hesitant to open up about his true aspirations.
And that lack of 'opening up' made him Kumagawa's next target.
Kumagawa had always considered himself an underdog, a "loser" who was constantly striving to improve despite his own shortcomings. He saw Sato's indifference and lack of effort as a personal insult to the entire concept of being a hero in training. Sato's apathy was a slap in the face to those who fought tooth and nail to become heroes.
「he's here today」Kumagawa hummed. 「on time, no less」
"Yeah," Saki frowned. "So, he your next 'pet project'?"
Kumagawa nodded「if you want to call it that」
Saki crossed her arms, clearly skeptical. "And you think you're the one to give him that wake-up call? What makes you so special?"
「sato may come from a famous hero family- normally a person would think they cruise by because of their parents」Kumagawa said. 「that's 'nurture' in action...but sato is a different case」
"So what are you in this scenario? Nature?" Saki said.
「in a way」Kumagawa said. 「there's no room for people who don't try at this school, saki」
"I've yet to see your methods in action." Saki said. "You're very questionable, you know that?"
「oh, don't worry, saki. i know exactly what i'm doing. even if it means being a thorn in their side. sato may see me as an annoyance now, but soon enough, he'll thank me」Kumagawa grinned.
"And where do I come into your little plan? I know you're gonna drag me in." Saki said.
「my little sidekick」
"...call me that again and I'll shove a card into your eye."
「would partner in crime be better then?」Kumagawa quipped.
"Yeah, sure." Saki said, rolling her eyes.
「excellent」Kumagawa grinned. 「during today's exercises...let's 'work' with him」
"The usual routine then?" Saki asked.
「tailored for him, of course. i'll tell you all the details before we get started.」
"Please do. You know I hate improv." Saki said.
「...you may hate one of my hobbies」
"Do I wanna know?" the card-user asked, crossing her arms.
「you already know it」
Kumagawa stared at Sato for another few seconds, and hummed.
While the underdog of the class was plotting his next little scheme, Ryuji was getting his own plan together. He hadn't really thought up a reason to try this until now, though he did hear stories about that lost borzoi Medaka helped recover. As farfetched as the whole thing sounded, no pun intended, the dog was returned to its owner in a timely manner. So maybe...
He still had some hesitation as he got out a pen and piece of paper. He quickly wrote down the request so that Sato wouldn't be any wiser. Maybe he could drop it off in the suggestion box as he walked between classes.
Ryuji took a deep breath. "Please...please do something to make him show some initiative." He muttered.
Medaka, having just finished the headcount and putting it on Jaune's desk already, got the strangest feeling. It was almost like a sixth sense now that alerted her that she'd be getting a request later.
Medaka's little cowlick wagged excitedly. "Hmmm. Something tells me this is going to be an interesting one..."
Class 13 was brought into one of the training facilities with a very simple but interesting goal in mind. Super moves. Unlike U.A., super move development started a bit earlier to provide students more time to fine tune the techniques and even form up variations on it. It was sort of a 'year-long assignment' sort of thing. If they didn't have any already, the students were meant to make up at least two. For those with planned moves already, they were to focus on refining them, easier for some than it was for others.
Sato, meanwhile, just could not care less.
"Super moves are an extension of who YOU are as a person. You need to find that balance." Jaune explained. "Something that declares 'I am a hero' and 'this is who I am'!"
"'I am a hero' and 'this is who I am,'" Mogana repeated, thinking over what she could do to strike that balance. Yuna, given her Quirk, was already going through so many different ideas, all the builds she could make with her power made her absolutely giddy.
"Oh that should be easy!" Hana beamed.
"May be a bit harder for some of us..." Zenkichi said, making sure he had some eye drops.
「imma bout to pull out SO many screw puns you have no idea」Kumagawa grinned.
"Eh, card puns are a good fallback in case I can't think up anything else," Saki shrugged.
Medaka hummed. "...I have ideas."
Assuming she doesn't just 'steal' someone else's super move. Zenkichi thought. "The End" was a double edged sword like that.
With Jaune's permission, the students all spread out in the rocky terrain of the training facility and began to practice on their moves, either individually or in pairs. Hana and Yuna partnered up with the former giving the later some ideas of her own. Yuna, in exchange, offered to rate some of the move names Hana came up with. Mogana moved off on her own to try and figure out ways that she could manipulate her sonic assaults to be more versatile. As it stood, they were more just a "point and shoot" type of move.
And Kumagawa and Saki...followed Sato to the back of the training facility. Sato didn't really notice, nor did he care to look behind him. He was doing the bare minimum today. He was just gonna listen to some of his music, and relax. Arclight was 'too light' on his authority, so he probably wouldn't go looking for him.
So really, it was perfect for the two of them to do some undermining. Sato didn't even notice them approach, already too lost in his music to really care. Saki looked to her partner in crime and mouthed the words "Kid looks ready to give up on his own. We sure we don't wanna save our energy for someone else?"
「ready to give up doesn't mean he will. all we're doing his nudging him in the right direction. give him a friendly push」Kumagawa silently said back. His card using friend simply shrugged and conceded the point, letting her contradictory classmate take the lead. The plan started out as friendly as possible, with Kumagawa just tapping the slow-mo student on the shoulder. Sato just sighed and pressed pause on the music, looking up at the duo with an annoyed expression.
"If you want me to help you develop 'super moves' then forget it," Sato answered the question he thought was coming.
"Actually, that's not what we were here for at all," Saki corrected.
「but if you find us so annoying, we'll leave. and to think i actually had some advice to give on music」Kumagawa sighed dramatically, not over the top but enough to sell it.
"How did you-?"
「i'd say a little bird told me, but that'd just sound cliche. i'm a lot more perceptive than people think, sato. unless your name is Medaka, anyway. so, how about we talk music eh? and how much you hate being a hero」
"More I hate the fact it was forced on me. Legacy to live up to and all that..."
"Nothing worse than a dash of parental expectations that you feel forced to meet," Saki sympathized.
「indeed. music's your real passion, isn't it? so why not just...do what you want to? hm?」Kumagawa asked.
"You say it like its easy," Sato scoffed.
"Well, what's stopping you?" Saki asked.
"Expectations, pressure, the fear of disappointing my family," Sato answered honestly. "I'm just doing it to placate them."
Kumagawa blinked. 「wow you just ADMITTED it」
"Yeah. I'll say it a million more times if I have to." Sato said.
"But without that..." Saki prompted.
"I'd drop it in a moment, yeah."
"Huh. Well...what if you could drop it? Drop for a day, just to see how it works out for you?"
「consider it a...free trial i guess. obviously you'll pick it, but on the off chance you decided to go back to being a would-be hero」Kumagawa smirked.
"Would be? Please. There's nothing really in this game for me." Sato said. "What are more people gonna care about- some random hero upholding a legacy, or some music that could connect with them? The Ingenium family isn't even in the news nowadays- why are we carrying on this stupid tradition?"
「some people are just like that. everyone wants to feel important, don't they? so, sometimes, people will find something and latch onto it so tightly that eventually it...just becomes their whole world. from the sounds of it, your family has done that but with a rivalry. not healthy, even by the standards of turning something into your entire identity.」
"So what we're saying here is-" Saki began, before she was cut off.
"Ah, Sato! There you are!" the chipper voice of Medaka called out as she parkoured off of some of the stone pillars with ease. She landed before the trio with a confident smirk, but Saki just seemed annoyed now.
"Oh heyyyyy," Saki deadpanned, "Shouldn't you be practicing?"
"Already did."
"...huh?"
"Already practiced. I figured super move development was happening soon so I came up with the names and general ideas beforehand."
"Supposed," Zenkichi added in, appearing next to Medaka, "She spent a few hours getting the names down."
「that must be the longest you've ever struggled with something」Kumagawa smirked.
"I wouldn't call it a struggle, more just indecision on something small," Medaka countered.
「riiiiiight」
"Oh, hey. The spirit of optimism herself," Sato rolled his eyes.
"That's a new one," Medaka admitted, "Now, am I right in assuming that Kumagawa was trying to convince you of something?"
「eavesdropping? or just trying to spoil my fun?」
"Not hard to guess your plans," Zenkichi spoke up.
"Are we getting predictable?" Saki turned to her partner.
「seems so. ah well, another loss for me, I suppose」Kumagawa gave a nonchalant shrug at the implication.
"So...lemme guess, you're the other side of the coin. Kumagawa's convincing me to drop being a hero, might do anyway...and you wanna convince me to stay." Sato summarized.
"Correct! You catch on quick." Medaka smiled.
"Cool. Go away." Sato said, pulling out his headphones from his bag.
"Come now, Sato! I'm sure there's SOME way you can juggle both the dream of being a musician and a possible peek into heroics. An intersection, maybe?" Medaka suggested.
"Nah." Sato said, putting on his music to tune out everything else. The strumming of the guitar immediately sent him to a much better place than here.
Don't try engaging me
The vaguest of shrugs, the prescription drugs
You'll never find, a person inside
My face is mogadon
Curiosity, has given up on me
I'm tuning out desires, the pills are on the rise
"...lyrics are unfortunately fitting," Zenkichi added.
"I can tell..." Medaka hummed in thought.
「more proof he doesn't really 'belong' here」Kumagawa said, giving a half hearted shrug. 「most heroes are so passionate! even if they're not the smartest. but him? he doesn't exhibit ANY of that. so why should you give him a chance?」
Zenkichi scoffed. "Rich coming from the guy who's just as apathetic as him."
「apathetic? drop the a」
"Have some self confidence, for ONCE." Saki begged.
「that happens on the day we lose all might, which, let's be honest, isn't happening any time soon.」Kumagawa scoffed.
"I thought you'd remembered how open minded I can be," Medaka said, taking charge and...just sitting next to Sato for now. No talking, no convincing, just listening to the music with him. Saki and Kumagawa shared a look of "Do you know what she's doing?" but neither of them could really answer the question. Medaka just sat there and listened for a while, and while Sato blocked out everything those around him were saying, he still could feel someone with him.
"What part of 'go away' didn't click?" Sato groaned, taken out of the peace he found in the song.
"I think you have some real potential," Medaka said. "You're so...at peace when you listen to music. What are you listening to?"
"Fear of a Blank Planet, by Porcupine Tree." Sato said. "What, you want me to listen to music while I work? Not gonna motivate me."
「medaka, he doesn't WANT to be helped」Kumagawa sighed. 「if he gets on the field, he will remain in place regardless of orders. people will get hurt because he isn't doing his job. better to cut him out before he ends up in that situation」
"As he is, yes. But I doubt he's truly callous as you seem to believe," Medaka countered, "Its often said that heroes, pro or not, simply have their bodies move on their own to save others. No complicated plans, no analytical paralysis, just action."
"And that applies to me? Really think so?" Sato scoffed.
"It applied to some kid last year. Middle schooler. Didn't even flinch when he ran to save his friend from a sludge villain." Zenkichi said.
"Oh yeah...that story. That was a day or two before Kumagawa came to my school." Saki said.
「kid who was saved was a dick」
"Personal behavior of the one saved aside, that boy just dove right into the action and did his best to save someone!" Medaka said.
"Annnnd that's supposed to inspire me?" Sato asked.
"Start to, at least."
"Hmmmmm, nah."
「again, wasting your time. cut your losses and let the kid flunk out」Kumagawa said. 「i don't even know his quirk that's how little involved he is」
"Velocity manipulation," Medaka nodded confidently.
「...of course you know it」
"Yeah. Let's me stop stuff because I force it down. Only goes down. There. Happy? Go." Sato said, shooing them away.
Zenkichi raised an eyebrow. "Powerful quirk...I assume you're worried about people valuing you more for power rather than what you ARE."
"...that's how it feels with my family. Some of the Pros care more for the power than the person."
"I see..." Medaka hummed, thinking about to handle this, before she suddenly got an idea, "What's your favorite genre?"
"Come again?" Sato asked.
「huh?」Kumagawa blinked.
"Your favorite genre of music. What is it?" Medaka repeated.
"...rock. Why?" Sato inquired.
「are you...agreeing with me here?」Kumawaga jumped to conclusions.
"Rock, ok. Well, think about your favorite rock song. Whatever it may be. Musicians have troubles as well. For those who write their own songs, creating lyrics can be a massive struggle. Writer's block hits just as hard as it would for writers, but, in the end it always works out. And you wanna know why?" Medaka inquired, competely ignoring Kumagawa's implication.
"...wh-?" Sato asked, but he didn't even get to finish the three letter word before the blue haired girl answered.
"Inspiration! All musicians have had that moment of sheer inspiration striking them! I'm thinking that's all you need. Something to inspire you! And I don't mean about this rivalry. It's like you said, your family's rivalry isn't your rivalry. You've heard stories about Ingenium, about the speed hero, about this rivalry fromy your family, but let me ask you this. Have they ever said why?"
"Something about...opposite ends of the spectrum. Ingenium's fast, we're slow. For every action and all that. It's stupid," Sato sighed.
"Then ignore it. Don't just be the hero they want you to be, be the hero you want to be. Nothing's stopping you from enjoying music as well! I bet Present Mic would love to have you for an internship!"
That actually struck a chord with Sato. See, Present Mic was actually his favorite hero and one of his favorite musicians. On occasion, when Present Mic needed to take a step back from the hero life, he'd often simply use his normal name and record some songs, plenty of which are quite high on a lot of official top ten lists. He was just so set on tossing this whole hero thing to the side that Present Mic never even came to mind before now and, honestly, he kind of felt stupid for that.
「wait, damn it all! i forgot all about mic's little sde job!」 Kumagawa mentally worried.
"Ok but...just because Mic can balance that, doesn't mean I can," Sato countered.
Medaka allowed herself a bit of a triumphant smirk. She was getting to him. Maybe not as much as she had hoped but it was a start and a start was all she needed. She knew it, Zenkichi knew it, but most importantly, Kumagawa knew it. Even the smallest of starts meant that Medaka had already done.
「but what do people recognize mic for more; his hero career, or his music career」Kumagawa countered.
Medaka paused.
「and what do people know lady gaga for- her music or her acting」
"...does...does she act? Or are you just throwing that out as a comparison?" Saki whispered.
「she won some award for acting, i wouldn't know」Kumagawa shrugged. 「but what are people gonna talk about more; poker face or some random gig she had in some movie」
Sato blinked. "...I assume the first."
「exactly. don't try juggling. screw the other thing, focus on the first」
"I mean...yeah some people have a hard time balancing it and you might too at first," Zenkichi admitted, "But that's kind of how it always starts out. It's never gonna be perfectly balanced out the gate."
"Exactly! And while Kumagawa may say that Present Mic is known more for his hero career, it's actually both. True, the hero is the immediate image but in a way, his music career is also a part of his hero career and vice versa," Medaka explained.
"So, don't think of it as trying to balance two things. Think of it as one whole package. You can be an amazing hero and an amazing musician," she finished with a smile.
"Again. DON'T want to be a hero." Sato repeated.
「see? he'd much rather just drop it」Kumagawa nodded in triumph.
"So you're telling me you wouldn't save someone if their life was on the line?" Zenkichi asked.
Sato paused at this, unsure of what to say. "I mean...it depends."
"It depends?" Saki asked.
"Yeah. On what the situation was."
"So what kind of situation would make you go in to save someone?" Medaka questioned.
Sato took a deep breath, thinking about it. "I guess...if I saw someone in immediate danger, like if they were about to be hit by a car or something, I wouldn't hesitate to act. But...I don't know if I could do it as a career, you know? I'm not gonna be needed for ME. Just for my powers."
"Then make them see you for you. Your powers are just a part of you, aren't they?" Medaka asked.
"I mean yeah but in this society, that's pretty much all people see anyway."
"Some might, but not everyone," Zenkichi said.
"Exactly," Medaka agreed. "You have the power to show people that there's more to you than just your quirk. You just need...a push."
"And you're gonna-?" Sato asked.
"Gently, of course, but yes!"
「come on now」Kumagawa frowned. 「let him do music. please. heroes who don't care have no place here-」
"Hey. Can I have the talking stick?" Saki asked. "Y'know...I'm a musician. Idol. Whatever. Maybe hear MY perspective?"
"Question is...you gonna give him legit advice or are you just gonna run with Kumagawa's viewpoint here?" Zenkichi asked.
「well, why don't you just let her talk? who knows she might surprise us both」the screw-user shrugged.
"Screw all your viewpoints. The music industry is gonna tear you apart MORE than the hero society ever will."
"Wait what?" Sato asked.
「and cue my shock at this sudden seeming betrayal」Kumawgawa said.
Saki sighed, shaking her head. "Look, I know it's hard to hear. But the truth is, the entertainment industry can be just as cutthroat and unforgiving as the hero society. Maybe even more so, because you don't have a flashy power to fall back on. You only have your talent and your image, and both of those can be taken away from you in an instant."
"What and that doesn't happen in-" Sato started.
"Actually, not really. With heroes, it takes more than just one screw up for the public to really turn against you. With heroes, you're not alone. In the music industry, yeah, good luck finding a real friend there."
Saki's words hit Sato hard...and he responded with the only valid reaction. "S-so, what. Am I supposed to just give up?! Do nothing? I sure as hell don't wanna be a hero, and I don't appreciate being told I'm kind of screwed with my dream by some people I've NEVER even spoken to!"
「we've spoken before-」Kumawgawa said.
"Shut. Up."
"Look, I know its kinda harsh to hear, and you're right. Someone who's never spoken to you before isn't exactly the best person to advice from. So how about someone who's seen this 'music industry cutthroat behavior' first hand?" Saki asked.
Sato looked at Saki with a mix of emotions. On one hand, he was frustrated and upset with her initial words. But on the other, he appreciated her honesty and willingness to hear him out.
"Okay...go on," he said, gesturing for her to continue.
"Yeah. The job's gonna suck. But if you don't do it, it will haunt you for not doing anything." Saki said. "You will forever sit back and hate yourself even worse for everything that happened."
"So then...what am I supposed to do?" Sato asked, taking in all her words.
"I don't know. No one does. Either way, you're gonna feel trapped in either field. One side is gonna see you JUST for your powers, and the other side is just gonna tear you apart until there's nothing left and you're trapped." Saki said.
Sato just sat there in silence now, not really sure how to respond now. If she was right about the harsh industry for music, then he really was trapped. A career he loved but would rip him apart and a career he hated that deconstructed him down to his Quirk. How was that even a choice?!
「well done, saki」Kumagawa whispered.
"That wasn't just for you. That was legit advice," Saki pointed out.
Sato couldn't take it anymore. He slammed his hand on the ground, frustration clear on his face. "I don't know what to do! Being a hero isn't for me, but giving up on music isn't an option either. NONE of you are helping!"
"Now, hold on-" Zenkichi said.
"SHUT UP!" Sato yelled, thrusting his hand forward to push Zenkichi back. "Who are YOU guys to tell me how to fuckin' live?"
The tension in the room escalated as Sato's frustration reached its peak. Zenkichi, taken aback by the outburst, raised his hands defensively.
Medaka frowned. "That's the first time you've truly...been emotive in a while, hasn't it?"
"Medaka, are you sure you wanna-?" Zenkichi asked.
"I'm right, though. Aren't I?"
"And what if you are? Huh?! What then?! You just gonna add it as another 'win' for you, just like how Kumagawa's add it as another loss for him?!" Sato ranted.
Saki looked at her partner in crime with a raised brow as if to ask, "He's right, isn't he?"
「just because he's right, doesn't mean i like being called out on it so...vocaly」Kumagawa defended himself, only getting another eyeroll from his classmate.
"Kumagawa might. But I won't. Because this isn't a win yet. This rivalry your family has with the Ingeniums...Kumagawa got it right, didn't he? They effectively made that relationship their entire identity...but not you. So you've had to keep your actual feelings hidden by this mask. Am I right?" Medaka explained, but each word, despite her intent, was only pushing Sato further to the breaking point. Him exploding like that wasn't reaching that point, but rather his attempt at trying to just stop this whole thing.
The room fell silent as Medaka's words hung in the air, their impact sinking in. Sato clenched his fists, his jaw tense with suppressed emotions. His voice trembled with a mixture of anger and pain as he responded.
"You think you know everything about me, huh? Just because you're so perfect..." Sato's voice cracked, his frustration now directed at Medaka. "Well, guess what? You don't know shit about me!"
"I don't." Medaka nodded. "But that doesn't mean I can't try."
"Well sto-!" Sato started.
"You never answered the question though. All of that was a guess, just based off of everything I've heard."
"Bullshit. How could you just guess that off of-"
"Sato," Zenkichi started, "As someone who's had his entire life story guessed by her...she's being serious there."
Sato got angrier. "Fine! Fine. Fine. I don't like being a hero because I live in a world where people value heroes for their quirks. You see it every goddamn day. Everyone talks about Endeavor's super moves but NEVER All Might's good deeds. They'll fawn about some eye candy but they won't even bat an eye at something like...GOD!" Sato was very angry right now, starting to pace the room.
"I want to be recognized for my music, for my talent, not just because of some damn quirk!" he shouted, his voice filled with bitterness and resentment. "But no, in this world, it's all about the flashy quirks, the big explosions, and the powerful punches. Nobody cares about the little stuff. And that's what drives me crazy."
That outburst actually stunned all four of the students into silence. Sato just stood there, having gotten those thoughts out into the open and he'd be lying if he said it didn't feel good. All those personal feelings that he'd bottled up for god knows how long now. Kumagawa, while just as stunned as the others, couldn't help but smirk a bit. Maybe that was actually loud enough to get Arclight's attention and, if he heard that, then maybe Sato'd get his wish anyway.
Well, if the words weren't drowned out by all the noise from the students' training.
"I want...out of this goddamn school. I want to be more than someone just seen for his powers. I don't wanna end up like my dad- I can see it. He's trapped, just like me. He just can't say no. But I sure as fuck can."
"And you're sure about that?" Medaka asked.
"Stop asking me. My answer won't change in the next few seconds. Ok? I know you think you can't lose for...for some goddamn reason! But guess what? This is real life. You can lose. So consider this your first one..."
"...then why are you still here?" Zenkichi asked.
Sato looked ready to snap. "What?"
"If you hate it...and I know you can just drop this place like a bad habit...why haven't you left?"
「...ya know he does have a point」Kumagawa nodded.
"I thought you were all for it, though," Saki said.
「i am...but despite all his obvious hate, he hasn't actually made a move to leave. i mean, aside from his grades slipping intentionally. not a quick process...」
Sato's anger began to waver, his face showing signs of confusion and contemplation. He paused, his pacing slowing down as he looked at each of them.
"I... I don't know," Sato admitted, his voice quieter now. "Maybe... maybe I'm scared."
"Scared of what? Your family's reaction?" Medaka guessed.
"Maybe? I...I don't know. There's not much of a life for me outside either heroics or music. So...I feel trapped. As much as I'd love to be out of this place...I dunno where I'd go."
"Trapped if you stay, unsure where to go if you leave," Saki sighed.
Medaka didn't say anything yet, rubbing her chin in thought about what she could say next. Encouraging him stay or leave seemed to get a negative reaction out of him either way, so what could she do.
「fuck it」Kumagawa said. 「do whatever」
Medaka blinked. "...hm."
"Oh, god. Don't agree with him." Zenkichi groaned.
Saki looked to Medaka, wondering what the blue haired girl would say. She'd never agree with Kumagawa, so then what was her plan.
"...don't think of this as a hero course." Medaka said. "Think of this as...a trial."
"At what?"
"What you want to do. This place is akin to a college. Therefore...there's plenty of opportunities for you to grow."
"Really think so, huh?" Sato scoffed, not entirely convinced yet.
"There's no penalties for you missing a class. Or an exam. There's kids that are third years that were just as disillusioned as you...and they still remained here." Medaka said. "Your ego is in control at this school. What do you want?"
"I..." Sato started, before falling silent again. Medaka knew what he'd say though if he finished, it wasn't hard to guess. He didn't know. His ego guided him here and he still wasn't sure now.
"...fine." Sato said, walking out. "If I don't show up to class tomorrow, you're to thank."
"So...we're just gonna let chance make the call here?" Zenkichi asked once Sato was gone.
"Yes...but I have a feeling he'll show. Giving him some leeway to be late, but not as late as he would be. About a minute. Three tops," Medaka answered.
「he didn't sound that convinced to me」Kumagawa countered.
"That's just because you're a bad judge of character."
「clearly」Kumagawa frowned. 「but at least he's not interested in being a hero right now. he was going to be a hazard if he was ever in the field」
Saki rubbed her chin. "...maybe we should tell some of the medical staff on board that...he may have depression?"
"Might be a good idea, yeah," Zenkichi agreed.
Medaka turned to Kumagawa. "Well...you did something. Good work."
「ahahaha...still lost though! cause its not a certainty anymore. small chance he sticks with the hero thing」Kumagawa laughed.
"He prefers 100% victories or nothing at all," Saki sighed, shaking her head.
"…listen. Obviously you and I have a very different approach to these things. And I think…that could be useful." Medaka said.
「i'm sorry?」Kumagawa blinked, 「are...you actually saying you want my help?」
Zenkichi looked appalled. "You're not."
"I'm considering it," Medaka said. "We have a unique dynamic within this group. You and I approach situations from completely opposite ends of the spectrum. You thrive on uncertainty and chaos, while I seek order and perfection. And as much as I hate to admit it, there's a certain value in your perspective."
Kumagawa's eyebrows furrowed as he processed her words. 「so, you're saying my messed-up way of thinking could actually be useful to you」
"Exactly," Medaka affirmed. "While I may not agree with your methods or your outlook on life, I can't ignore the fact that they've led to unexpected results at times. There have been instances when your unorthodox approach has caught opponents off guard, and it might just be the wildcard we need in certain situations with student council."
「...its something」Kumagawa hummed. 「sleep on it」
"I will be." Medaka said,.
As Medaka turned to leave, Zenkichi added, "And just so you know, if you do decide to join us in this capacity, your role would involve handling student affairs and concerns."
「fun」
"Yeah. Sure. Whatever." Zenkichi rolled his eyes, before following Medaka out.
「in the original series I'M the vice president over him」
"What?" Saki asked with a furrowed brow.
「ignore me」