Chapter 8: Out of the Frying Pan... Part II
Inko managed to find the runaway girls rather quickly. They were out in the open, on one of the benches in a green area of the campus, not far away from where the battle trials were being held. As she approached, she began to overhear their conversation, and hesitated slightly to interfere.
"Mina, please, I'm just trying to understand. What happened back there, why did you run away?" Tooru rubbed her friend's back as the pink alien hyperventilated and sobbed, trying her best to get her to calm down.
Mina was shaking, her stomach felt like it had been twisted into a thousand knots, and the usually tolerable cold seemed to chill her to her core. "I… I can't… why, how?! I still see them. She knew… I can't stop seeing them." Her breathing was shallow, her eyes couldn't focus, and the world seemed to constantly fade away to the scene that had been burned into her mind. The conquest of Vestundra, the home of her people.
Suddenly, she felt a hand pressing down on her chest, and began to see the blue sky and sparse clouds. Her breathing slowed, and her eyes began to refocus. She was out of breath, but the hand continued to regulate her breathing. "Ashido-chan, breathe. Look at me." She recognised who it was after a brief moment.
'Mamadoriya?' She felt the panic briefly return to her, but the mother's soothing voice kept her from entering a panicked state once more.
"Breathe, Ashido, breathe, that's it. You're safe. I'm here, breathe. Look at me, just focus on me, listen to my voice. You're safe." Inko repeated, keeping the slight pressure on the girl's chest to even her breathing. It seemed to be working, as Mina was soon brought back from her desperate state. "I heard what happened, Ashido, and I'm sorry."
Mina and Tooru blinked. "I… I just… when I saw h-her, Mamadoriya... All I could think of… All I could see…"
Inko nodded, then looked at Tooru. "Hagakure, it would be best if you left." When the girl made no motion to leave, Inko furrowed her brow slightly.
"I'm not gonna leave my friend." She stated, and Mina looked at her briefly, on the verge of tears.
"S-she can stay, Midoriya-san. I-I was gonna tell them eventually." Tooru understood that she had stumbled upon something sensitive, but she remained firm.
Inko nodded slowly. "It's not something to be taken lightly, but it's clear you trust her." 'And Izumi trusts her.' She took a brief breath and locked eyes with Mina, a kind gaze on her face. "I can understand what you're going through, believe it or not, Ashido." Mina looked hurt at that comment, incredulous that someone could possibly understand. "I do. I've lost so many people to that monster. Friends, partners. And to know he could strike us at any time, kill the ones most precious to me… The fear can be overwhelming."
Mina nodded, wiping a few tears that had formed in her eyes. Tooru, completely lost but understanding the severity of the talk, decided to hold her questions. "I saw the aftermath." Mina whimpered. "My father's head on a pike." Her breath hitched, and she threatened to go back to her panic. "W-Why did she turn into him?" Inko saw the sheer pain in her eyes, the feeling of betrayal.
The mother placed a soft hand on the girl's shoulder. "Vilgax has sent drones and destroyers after my daughter, Ashido. That monster is out for her blood, and mine, and everyone that tries to stop him. I want nothing more than to kill him." Tooru's eyes widened at the declaration, and the answer that followed from her friend.
"I-I want him to die. To see his head on a pike as well. I… I shouldn't…" Mina shuddered. "But he… he took my father, my clansmen… my whole planet. He made them slaves, stripped our planet of resources to fuel his war machine. I…" Inko wrapped her in a hug.
"But I need you to understand something, Ashido-chan." She said tenderly as she let go. "You know what was the first planet he conquered? The first people he enslaved?" Mina shook her head. Vilgax's war far surpassed her lifespan. Ever since she could remember, he was a warlord and a monster. "It was a planet named Murray." Mina blinked, not even remotely recalling that name. "Homeworld of the Chimaera Sui Generis."
"What?" Mina whispered in disbelief.
Inko merely nodded. "It's been over two centuries, Mina, but there are those that remember what he did. He usurped the throne, killed the loyalists, rewrote their records, indoctrinated the young, and essentially enslaved his own people." Mina looked to be in disbelief. "I met one of those lucky enough to escape. A brave woman, who fought tooth and nail to prevent him from enslaving anyone else, and joined in an effort to help create a device that was meant for peace, but she was sure it would also bring about his downfall." Mina then began to understand. "Her name was Myaxx. In the old language of Murray, it meant Conviction, and she gave her DNA sample to the Omnitrix. Who Izumi turned into today wasn't him, it was her."
Mina couldn't hold her tears in anymore. "I-I had no idea! I just saw her… and I couldn't even think of anything else. I… I!" She began babbling incoherently on the mother's shoulder.
"You had a trauma response, Ashido. If you want, I can refer you to a trusted colleague of mine, with whom you can talk openly." Mina simply nodded. "Now, let's get you somewhere you can rest. You've had a harrowing experience."
"N-no! I… I want to go back." She protested.
"You don't have to, Ashido. I can very easily talk to All Might. He'll understand perfectly." Inko responded
"B-but… Can I go back?" The alien pleaded.
Inko hesitated. "You can, but only if you're sure." Ashido simply nodded, her mood improving somewhat.
Just then, they heard a voice in the distance. "MINAA!" The three looked towards the source of the shout, seeing Izumi, in her hero costume, lightning coming off her body as she raced towards them, a cascade of tears flowing out of her.
Izumi wrapped her friend in a hug. "I'M SO SORRY!" She cried, hiccuping as she continued to repeat the phrase. "I didn't mean to! I didn't think it through! I could have gone with anyone else! I'm so sorry!"
Mina returned the hug, slightly surprising Izumi. "Midori… when I saw you in that form… I could only think of him. But I get it now. You aren't him, and you never will be. What he did is unforgivable, but it's what he did. You had nothing to do with that. His species had nothing to do with that."
Izumi sobbed. "B-but still! I shouldn't have done it!"
Inko decided to interject. "What's done is done, Izumi." The girl flinched slightly. "Ashido had a trauma response, which is perfectly normal."
"W-what did you tell her?" Izumi asked, her eyes briefly turning to Hagakure.
"About Murray, and about Myaxx." the girl's eyes widened, looking back at her invisible friend.
"I guess you know, then." Izumi sighed. 'Yes, I wanted to tell them, but I didn't think it would be so soon.'
"Yeah, and I have literally no idea what the hell you're talking about. What the fuck is a Murray?" The first one to crack up was Mina, followed by Izumi, who began roaring in laughter, much to Tooru's irritation.
"S-Sorry, Tooru, I guess they didn't actually explain anything, then?" Izumi asked, getting a pouting nod in return. "Okay, where do I even start…" She looked at her watch and got her answer. "This… this isn't for my quirk." She stated, completely taking Tooru off guard. "Yeah, I understand that reaction. My quirk is an energy stockpiler that came in really late. The whole lightning thing, that's my actual quirk. This thing is the Omnitrix, a device that is bound to my DNA and contains samples of nearly every sentient species in the known universe, allowing me to transform into them."
Tooru could feel her head spinning. "S-so all this time, you've been transforming into… Aliens? Like, from space? Aliens?!" She received only a nod as confirmation. "And Mina's also an Alien?! There's a planet of people like her… who have been enslaved?"
"Half alien, actually. My mom's human, and she's the reason I can produce acid. Other Kraaho just have enhanced strength, stretchiness, and heat resistance." Tooru blinked, deciding to just move on rather than ask a million other questions.
"And the… alien… that enslaved your people and killed your dad is the same species as the one Midori turned into, so you panicked." Another nod, this time from Mina. "And Mamadoriya is also somehow super knowledgeable about this whole thing… because reasons?"
"In due time." Inko simply stated, drawing a slightly dirty look from her daughter, due to her frequent use of the phrase.
"Okay… Okay… No, not okay!" Tooru shouted. "What the actual everloving FUCK?!"
Once again, Mina and Izumi couldn't help but laugh, drawing an angry invisible pout from the invisible girl. "Sorry, hah, sorry Tooru. It's just… Yeah, that's a fair reaction." Izumi caught her breath after calming down.
"Guys, we can talk a bit more after. I know you have, like, a thousand questions for us, but I want to go back to class." Izumi furrowed her brow at Mina out of concern.
"You sure, Mina? I can talk to All Might, well, I kinda already did, but I'm sure he'll understand." Izumi reassured her.
Mina giggled. "I'm sure. Your mom actually said the exact same thing." Izumi blushed slightly. "Thank you so much, Mamadoriya!" She wrapped Inko in a tight hug.
"Anytime, Ashido-chan." The mother patted her gently. "Anytime."
Just as they had begun to make their way back to their class, Hagakure suddenly stopped and looked at her friends in disbelief. "Wait, All Might knows about aliens?!"
—
The class was divided between watching the match in front of them and the thinking of the bizarre fallout of the last one. Mina's reaction had seemingly come from out of left field, so when they returned, the match was nearly completely forgotten.
"Ashido-san! Your sudden departure worried us! You mustn't simply leave class like that!" Iida was torn between wanting to adhere to protocol and the very human concern for his classmate's wellbeing.
"What happened? Are you okay?" Setsuna looked at the girl, her face showing pure concern. "Was it something we did on the trial?"
Mina shook her head. "I'm fine, everyone. It's just… Midori's transformation reminded me of the villain that killed my father." The class went completely silent. "But I had the opportunity to clear my head, and I'm feeling much better." She turned to All Might. "Would it be possible to do my battle trial with Iida, still?"
The class looked a bit surprised at that. "Are you certain, young Ashido?" All Might asked, having abandoned the pretence of maintaining his persona.
Nejire approached the pink alien, a sympathetic look in her eyes. "You don't need to force yourself, especially after what you experienced."
"Sensei, I'm here to be a hero, and I don't intend to fall behind!" She declared, her usual playful smirk finally returning to her face.
"I like your spirit, young Ashido. But remember that taking care of yourself, including your mental health, is very important." He agreed, though felt the need to add in some advice.
"Yes, sir!" She cheered.
"Now, if we may pay attention once again to the match in progress, we are nearing its conclusion." He indicated for them to take a seat. Izumi looked between the screens, and became rather intrigued. Jirou and Hitoshi were acting as the heroes. and were facing Tsu and Tsunotori. However, contrary to what she might have expected, the two were holding their own rather well against their opponents, especially against more combat oriented quirks like Frog and Horn Cannon.
Hitoshi's costume was a perfect mix of Eraserhead and Present Mic's, and he was showing himself rather proficient with his capture scarf already. What Izumi really wanted to see was what the speakers around his neck did, as she knew his quirk didn't work through electronic devices.
Something unexpected happened, however, when Tsunotori suddenly went still in the middle of an attack. She was nearly getting to Jiro, when she suddenly stopped, turned, and pinned a surprised Tsuyu to the wall with her horns. The Hero Team then casually walked to the bomb and touched it.
Upon returning to the observation room, they were once again met with cheers, and some sympathies for the villain team for their loss. Hitoshi clearly wanted to ask about Mina, but Izumi just shot him a look and made a small gesture, which he understood perfectly. They would talk about it later.
"Once again, I congratulate both teams for their valiant efforts. Now, if anyone has any nominations for MVP, I'll save my own comments for afterwards." All Might gave the students the floor. This time, instead of Momo, Setsuna raised her hand.
"Aizawa's clearly the MVP for me. Tsu and Tsunotori struggled with communication quite a bit, and Tsunotori ultimately fell for Aizawa's quirk, which I found a bit surprising. On the other hand, the heroes team was very effective in scouting, thanks to Jiro, and Shinso's ambush early on managed to disorient their opponents and fracture their original plan." She explained, earning several nods, though Shiozaki muttered something about scheming.
"I thought hear Tsu! Not know it Aizawa!" Pony defended herself.
Hitoshi took the opportunity to explain. "My support items were gifts from my guardians after I passed the exams. This is an analog speaker that allows me to alter the pitch and resonance of my voice, so I can impersonate another person. I can do it myself to an extent, but this makes it much easier." His voice was a deep monotone, but there was a clear fondness behind it.
Nejire was next to him in an instant. "Wooow, you really look like a mix of them now! You really sure you're not related or something?"
He blushed, embarrassed by the question. "Y-yeah… I checked." That led to a few coos and chuckles around the room
All Might clapped briefly. "Well done, all of you. Young Aizawa is our MVP for the match, but I have a few comments of my own. Young Jiro, you performed well, but I would recommend not relying too much on your support gear and getting some extra martial arts training." Jirou looked slightly downcast. "Do not take it as criticism, Young Jiro. You performed very well, these are just some ways of ensuring that you can cover all your bases. Gear, no matter how good, can break." Izumi nodded sagely at his assessment.
"As for the villain team, they indeed suffered in communication. Young Tsunotori, if you need help with Japanese, not only can I or Present Mic help you, I am sure your classmates would be eager to help you improve." He added.
"I said it back on Saturday, but we can totally help you!" Izumi confirmed, with Momo nodding alongside her.
All Might grinned at their display of comradery. "Very good, and be sure to also work on your english! Not only is it vital to eventual partnerships with international heroes and organisations, it is also a way to communicate with your classmate. You also need to make an effort to make her feel welcome!"
The class all nodded, though Mina dreaded having to study English, which was by far her worst subject. 'Though I could get Midori to tutor me.'
All Might smiled broadly. "Students, we now reach our penultimate battle! Team D as the heroes and Team I as the villains! Do your best, you four!" Mina looked at Iida and nodded as they left to prepare the bomb.
"Hell yeah, bro, let's have ourselves a manly fight!" Eiko fistbumped Kaminari, who grinned broadly.
The students, still rather worried about Mina, nonetheless settled to watch the match.
—
Iida didn't quite know what to say to his teammate. He was half tempted to simply pretend she had said nothing and move on, but it didn't sit quite right with his consciousness. "So, Iida-kun, how do you think we should handle them? Kiri always goes for a straightforward approach, and none of them have much mobility, so we have an edge there."
He paused. Indeed, he needed to focus on the assignment. "Much as it pains me to act as a villain, I believe we should indeed play to our strengths. I would suggest not engaging them for too long, perhaps trying hit and run tactics would be a good idea."
Mina nodded. "I'm down for that. I prefer to use my acid for defence, so maybe if I create a more viscous version, we can block off some of the pathways."
"That is a great plan, Ashido-san! We will endeavour to achieve a flawless win!" Iida shouted, causing Mina to laugh.
"Man, Iida, you're so serious about everything!" She giggled, and he sputtered slightly.
Iida paused, unsure of what to say to her. "Ashido… we should get on with the preparations." She looked at him quizzically, raising an eyebrow.
"You're not very subtle, you know that, right?" Iida choked.
"I-I'm sorry. I couldn't find the words to say." He apologised, bowing stiffly.
Mina sighed. "Look, it's fine. Sure, I thought I had gotten past it. It's been over a decade… But that monster is still out there… and I can't forget or forgive what he did. But I can't let him govern my life forever. That would mean he's won." She whispered the last part.
Iida hesitated. "It's not the same… but my grandfather was killed by a villain before I was born. My father, who had just become a hero himself, went after him. He managed to defeat him, but in his anger, he nearly killed the man. I remember him telling my older brother one day… It brought him only a momentary peace, but the fact that the man had nearly made him a killer shook him to his core."
Mina nodded. "Thank you, Iida. I'm sorry for your loss."
"As I am for yours, Ashido-san. Now, shall we prepare?" He asked, causing Mina to smile slightly.
"Let's win this thing, Iida-kun!"
—
"So, Midori, who do you think will win?" Setsuna had decided to sit next to Izumi and her friends after the battle.
Izumi hummed. "I would say it's a rather even matchup. Kirishima can probably resist most of Iida's attacks with her quirk, and Ashido's acid is likely conductive to electricity, as is her body itself, since it's tungsten-based. Ashido would also be very hesitant to use her acid on another person, at least any of the stronger variations. However, she could very effectively bind Kirishima and Iida could quickly take out Kaminari. I think this round will go down to strategy." She then smiled. "But my money's on the villains."
—
Iida quickly spotted them as they entered the building through the front door, beelining for the stairs without even checking any of the rooms. "Come and face me like a man, villains!" Eiko shouted, giving away her position. For a moment he thought it was almost too easy.
His attempt at intimidation, however, left much to be desired. "Mwahaha, uh, foolish heroes! You've, er, walked right into our villainous lair! Mwahaha! Mine is an extremely evil laugh!" However, instead of being intimidated, the two heroes began clutching their stomachs in laughter.
"Duude, what the heck! How can you even say that with a straight face?" Kaminari wheezed.
Iida felt a vein popping in his head at the mockery. "Have at you!" His engines roared to life as he went straight for Kaminari. However, his attack was blocked by a hardened arm, and he looked in shock to see that Eiko had blocked his kick perfectly.
"If you wanna take us down, you'll have to get through me first! Kaminari, get out of here! Look for the bomb!" The blonde did as she commanded, and began running up the stairs, only to find the stairs slick with acid, which also covered the walls. Atop the stairs, Mina chuckled.
"Hey there, Hero! Don't worry, this is just a bit of sulphuric acid. Come on up!" She taunted, knowing that he at least had to be aware of the danger.
"Sulphuric acid? Well, that's a shocking turn of events." She struggled to fight the urge to roll her eyes as she saw him spark up, just then remembering that her acid and skin were very conducive to electricity. She stretched her arms and dug into the ceiling to avoid the shock that was coming for her. "What, afraid of a little electricity?" Kaminari returned the taunt, making Mina clench her teeth as she hung off the ceiling.
"Iida! Kaminari turned our trap against me. My acid is conducting his electricity, and it's gonna start breaking down any moment now. I need you to take him out!" Mina pleaded, hearing his grunts of exertion.
Iida was also locked into a stalemate. His kicks, even if they managed to push Eiko back, weren't actually doing any perceivable damage. 'I'm getting nowhere with this!' "Ashido-san! Kirishima's just too tough, my kicks aren't doing anything to her."
Mina paused for a moment. "Don't fight her, Iida!" He blinked as she said that. "You can't damage her if she's on the defensive! You need to run. Take out Kaminari, and I'll be able to take on Kiri."
"Understood!" He said, surprising Eiko as he turned his back to her and dashed out. It took her a moment to begin running after him, shouting about him not being manly by running away. "Apologies, hero, but my comrade needs me!"
Kaminari thought he was just hearing the sounds of fighting, but he was suddenly hit with a kick that sent him tumbling into the wall. He coughed as he got up, clutching his side. He dodged the follow up by a hair, ducking under it. "You won't beat me, Iida! Take this!" He began sparking up, and Iida took the opportunity to get as far away from the blonde as possible. "Indiscriminate Shock, 1.7 Million volts!" His body exploded with lightning, completely taking over the room as lightning formed a sphere around him.
Iida gulped as he stood, just outside the area of effect. 'How can I even get close to him now? Was he hiding such a move this whole time?' Just then, he saw the electricity die down. "Wait, what?" He looked incredulously at the scene in front of him.
Standing in the middle of the room, with a blank stare and a dopey grin on his face, shuffling without direction as he gave a thumbs up, Kaminari was absolutely neutralised. "Yaay! Yay!"
He immediately ran in and wrapped Kaminari in capture tape, setting him down on the corner of the room. "Uh, Ashido? He's down."
"Kaminari has been eliminated. 11 minutes remain." All Might announced their capture just as he did.
—
Most students just looked at the scene in complete disbelief. "Did he just McFucking fry his own brain?" Jirou clutched her sides as Setsuna commented, astounded.
"That can't be healthy." Itsuka muttered.
"Well, the match is over." Izumi sighed. The other students looked at her, confused. "Without the threat of electrocution, Ashido's gonna trap Kirishima in a second." They looked at the screen, where the exact scene she had described happened. "Yes, Kirishima is strong against strikes, but hardness won't matter if she can't move at all. And you might not have noticed, but Mina's super strong. Like, she's just a bit weaker than Tetra." Once again, the class stared slack jawed at the declaration.
"Kirishima has been captured. The villains win!" Mina immediately let Eiko go, and they grabbed Kaminari to bring him back to the observation room for the after battle report.
"Ribbit, the villains really have an advantage on this exercise, don't they?" Asui questioned, a sour look on her face, being part of the only villain team so far to lose.
All Might nodded. "Indeed. Much like in real life, Villains have the upper hand. They do not have the same scruples and care for collateral damage that we do. In addition, you will find that defending an objective is usually easier than capturing it, especially under a time limit. As Heroes, you must strive to overcome the odds. That's why our motto is:"
"Plus Ultra!" The class cheered.
The two teams arrived at the observation room, with Kaminari still being completely out of it. "Someone, take him to Recovery Girl, I'll give him the report at a later time." All Might declared. Without much prompting, Izumi pressed down on her watch and transformed into a sleek reptile alien, one which had Setsuna widening her eyes in amazement. She blurred out of the room, returning a moment later.
"I placed him on a bed, Recovery Girl's probably gonna ruin his shins." Kinesis' faceplate opened, revealing a blue face with green eyes and a grin. She then pressed the symbol on her chest and transformed back into a human.
"You can turn into a dinosaur! And you were super fast!" Setsuna appeared in front of her, drawing much too close for comfort.
"Uh, y-yeah, Kinesis is similar to a dinosaur, I guess. And yeah, she's my fastest land-based form." Iida felt himself deflate slightly. "Though it's also less durable than my other forms." She tacked on.
All Might coughed into his fist, returning the teens' attention to him. "Very well, Congratulations are in order. Young Ashido and young Iida, you two worked well together, and made up for each other's weaknesses. Young Kirishima, you did your best to divide the opposing team into unfavourable matchups. Good strategy."
"Yeah, Manly!" Eiko shouted, smiling from ear to ear, even after defeat.
"Now, any suggestions for MVP?" Kendo raised her arm and All Might gave her the floor.
"Ashido-san was especially effective during the exercise. She managed to create an effective trap that wouldn't allow her opponents to progress, even if it was used against her. She also alerted Iida to avoid fighting Kirishima directly, and focus on Kaminari instead. She effectively turned the tables on the disadvantageous matchups they were facing." Kendo explained, earning nods from Momo and Izumi.
All Might gave her a thumbs up. "Very good, young Kendo! When working together, Heroes must strive to compensate for each other's weaknesses. This is the whole basis for hero teams. When one faces an unfavourable situation, another can provide their aid. Well done, you two." Mina cheered and hugged her friends. "As for Kaminari, it's a lesson for you all as well: No matter how powerful an attack, if it will ultimately cost you the objective, then it shouldn't be used." He said. "Many times I hold back on using my full strength, as it would cause much more harm than good in the end." the class nodded, though Todoroki continued to look at him coldly.
"Now, for our final match, we will have: Team G as heroes and team E as villains!" Nejire cheered, announcing the last fight of the day. The screen showed their faces across from each other. Izumi looked at Todoroki briefly. It was a match she certainly wanted to watch.
—
Tokoyami looked at Yaoyorozu, already beginning to plot out a strategy. "Yaoyorozu-san, if I may. Dark shadow thrives in darkness. Perhaps we could block off some of the windows? It would also restrict their access to the building."
Momo hummed. "A good plan, Tokoyami, though I'm afraid of your matchup with Todoroki. I believe you should focus on Shiozaki first. Also, we can create some blockades, both to delay them and to guide them away from the bomb."
"A most devious stratagem. What a mad banquet of darkness." Tokoyami mused.
Sadi popped out of him, waving at Yaoyorozu. "He means it's a good plan, and that this will be fun!"
Momo gave the shadow being an awkward smile as they began their preparations.
—
"Todoroki-san? Our preparation time is nearly gone. How shall we proceed? You haven't said anything about my plans." Shiozaki pleaded with her silent partner, whose face was constantly in between apathy and spite.
He turned back to her, his cold eyes sending a shiver down her spine. "Just stay back. This won't take long." She felt the urge to lash at him, five minutes of trying to strategise, only for him to completely blow her off.
'How utterly vexing. God give me patience.' She silently prayed.
—
"Well, this is gonna be a disaster." Izumi mumbled, something that was caught only by a few of her classmates.
"Why, Midori?" Tooru asked, scooching closer to her.
"Look at the hero team, in contrast with the villains. The latter are completely altering their environment to suit their quirks and hinder the heroes." They looked at Tokoyami and Momo blocking off the windows with blackout fabric created by Momo's quirk. "Meanwhile, while Shiozaki-san was constantly suggesting things for them to do, Todoroki didn't even respond. Seems the apple doesn't fall far from the tree…"
Kendo looked at her quizzically. "What do you have against Endeavour? He is the number 2 hero."
Izumi took a deep breath. "I know, he is a competent hero, but the way he treats people, the way he deals with the victims he's supposed to save just doesn't sit right with me. He doesn't make people feel safe. Plus, I have some personal reasons." The class didn't pry, but the curiosity remained.
"All right, prep time is over, the Heroes may enter the building!" All Might's announcement took the student's focus away from the previous topic.
The class watched in a mix of shock, awe, and in a few cases disappointment as Todoroki casually approached the building and froze it completely. "He can do that?! That's so busted!"
"Shit, I can feel the cold from here!" Mina grunted.
"Ribbit… I don't feel so good…" Tsu began to droop as the lowered temperature sent her into torpor.
"Someone get a blanket from Recovery Girl! I can heat the room up in the meantime." Izumi stood, letting Nejire run out in search of a blanket. Izumi once again resorted to the Omnitrix. She pressed the dial and the entire room felt some relief as heat began filling the room. "Better?"
Tsuyu nodded. "Much better, Midoriya, ribbit. Thanks, ribbit." She smiled slightly as her torpor subsided.
Mina's reaction, however, was much more excited. "Midori, why didn't you tell me you had a fire form!" She latched onto her side, nearly mewling as she felt the heat radiating from her.
"M-Mina! Y-your costume!" Pele stammered. Even with the heightened confidence, such closeness with a girl made her uneasy.
"It's fireproof. Ooh, I haven't felt this warm in so long!" Izumi noticed that the whole class was looking at them as Mina nuzzled into her. She sighed, defeated.
"Settle down, everyone, let's watch the match… Oh dear."All Might and Izumi were stunned by the scene in front of them.
At the same moment, both Izumi and Hitoshi said the same thing. "What a fucking idiot…"
—
Todoroki Shouto looked back at his shivering partner after freezing up the whole five storey building. "Stay back, for your own safety. The match is already over." He didn't even think about the fact that All Might hadn't actually called the match as he casually walked into the building. In his mind, he had won.
Meanwhile, on the fourth floor, Momo and Tokoyami were immediately freed from the ice by Dark Shadow. Momo shiverred, whispering into her mouthpiece and bringing out a pair of boots and a cloak, removing the heels that were starting to really bother her.
"Such overwhelming power." Tokoyami's feathers still had a bit of ice on them, which the boy was trying to shake off. When no more ice came, Momo had a bit of a realisation.
"He thinks we're still frozen in place… We have the element of surprise." She smiled slightly. "Tokoyami, here's what we're going to do."
Todoroki grunted as he was faced with yet another iced up barrier. His enemy was defeated. 'Did they really think these glorified hurdles would stop me?'
Outside, Shiozaki felt her vines shrivelling from the cold. 'But why hasn't All Might called the match. He said a team would be eliminated if they were captured or unable to move or fight.' Her eyes widened. "No… It can't be." Despite her vines' protests, she rushed into the building.
Todoroki had made it to the second floor, where more barriers stood. He felt his fire threatening to burst out, but suppressed it, sneering at himself. 'He won't win. I will not use his fire.'
He didn't see the shadowy being creeping behind him before it was too late. He felt the pain on his back as he was launched into a wall. 'H-how?!' He barely believed the sight in front of him. Slamming a foot down, he summoned a wall of ice, which was immediately crushed by Dark Shadow.
"Tell me, Hero. Was it arrogance that caused you to wander in alone, or pure stupidity." Tokoyami's voice echoed through the building as Todoroki struggled against the sentient quirk. "How foolish. You should really have brought someone to watch your back."
'What?' He then felt a force hit his back and send him tumbling forwards, only to find himself pinned by dark shadow. He was trembling, not having expected a prolonged fight. He looked up to see Momo standing over him, a shotgun in her hand. She wasted no time wrapping him in tape, leaving him defeated on the ground.
"Todoroki has been captured. 9 Minutes remain." All Might announced into their earpieces.
Just then, Momo was wrapped up in vines. Ibara had just arrived after running along the path of the destroyed barriers. She was shivering, and her vines were shrivelled from the cold, but she managed to at least get one of the villains. "Y-you won't get away with this, v-villains!" She stuttered, her scalp itching from the cold damaging her vines.
Momo chuckled, having embraced her role. "Ah, such naivete. Perhaps if you had worked together with your partner, you might have even stood a chance." Shiozaki recoiled as her vines began to hiss and melt for no apparent reason. She looked in horror at Momo, whose hidden face still managed to show a gloating smirk. "What's the matter, Hero? Afraid of a little weed killer?" Momo took a step forward, the toxic substance dripping from her body. "Give up, and you may leave with your life."
Ibara felt her temper crack for a moment, the sin of wrath threatening to take hold of her, before the bitter feeling of defeat set in as she surrendered of her own volition. "Shiozaki has surrendered. The Villains win."
Todoroki stomped off from the building without another word, while Tokoyami and Momo helped Shiozaki return, hoping she didn't have any hypothermia.
—
"What a shitshow." Hitoshi muttered as the match was called. The rest of the class couldn't help but agree. Even the first match's near instant loss didn't compare to this last one's farce.
All Might sighed. "While I might not put it in those exact terms, I have to agree." A tragedy of errors, that could in real life end with a terrible loss of life. Eraserhead would be pissed when he saw the tape.
"A complete disaster, is what it was! I've never even seen such poor teamwork before!" Nejire huffed, thinking that not even Kevin, the complete lone wolf that he was, refused to work with others to such a degree when on a mission.
The four arrived, the villains receiving cheers for their work, with Shiozaki receiving a few sympathetic looks from the class. Upon seeing Todoroki, clearly shivering from the cold, they couldn't help but frown.
"Shiozaki-san? Are your vines going to be okay?" Izumi asked, amplifying the heat she was giving off slightly as she attempted to warm them up. The glare she received from Todoroki was impossible to ignore, so she returned him one of her own.
All Might called their attention once more, and the class noticed the pouting Nejire, an image they found adorable, despite the circumstances. "Before we talk about the glaring mistakes in the last match, let us focus on the positives. Any opinions on who should be MVP?"
Izumi immediately raised her arm. "Yaoyorozu-san performed the best of all of them. Not only was her quirk integral to their strategy, she was quick to capitalise on her opponent's ridiculous mistake to swiftly bring him down. Her quick thinking when faced with Shiozaki was also commendable." Momo stuttered in an attempt to deflect the compliments, her face beet red. "While Tokoyami and Dark shadow also played an important part in their victory, I feel that Yaoyorozu was the main reason for their success."
Before she could tear down into Todoroki, she was interrupted by Setsuna, who looked more amused than anything. "So, we're deadass not going to talk about the fact that she pulled out a shotgun?"
All Might's smile returned. "Indeed. And regarding the use of firearms, since they were only beanbag rounds, I will allow it for now. However, I would insist that you seek out Snipe for firearms certification, young Yaoyorozu. Am I understood?" She nodded. His smile fell once more. "Now, for the more glaring issue." The atmosphere in the room darkened.
"Young Todoroki, what you did today was not only incredibly foolish and unnecessary, it could have cost many lives on the battlefield. After every exercise, I drew attention to how each team worked together and the impact that had on their success. What lesson did you take from that?" Todoroki remained silent, causing Toshinori to sigh. "I aim to be an understanding teacher. However, your actions today not only hurt your own teammate, in the real world, they would have compromised the structural integrity of the building itself. You were lucky the match ended quickly enough that the building didn't collapse on your heads. Now, I will cut myself short because surely Aizawa will give you an earful during tomorrow's homeroom." The class collectively shivered at the knowledge that Aizawa would be watching their performance. "However, I expect better from you moving forward, understood?"
Todoroki simply nodded his head, the coldness in his eyes never once subsiding. "Yes, sir."
Pele allowed herself to glare at him. 'Like a petulant child.' She saw in Todoroki the same arrogance and ego that Katsuki had, though manifested in cold apathy instead of burning rage. "Is everyone warmed up?" She received nods from her classmates. At their confirmation, she turned back into a human.
All Might once again smiled. "Well, aside from a few incidents, I consider today a complete win! You might not all have the same foundations, but today has been very informative for me, and the recordings will also allow Aizawa to better guide you. All in all, I am pleased with the results." The class, save for a few sulking people, notably Todoroki, cheered. "Now, go get some rest! And watch as a hero EXITS!" He said, disappearing down the hall in a puff of smoke. In his own office, he huffed as he shrunk, unable to hold his form for longer. "Almost ran out of time today as well… Perhaps I should talk to Nezu about his offer of teacher housing."
—
As they got to the changing rooms, Izumi was approached by Momo, who had just removed her helmet, and had a smile on her face. "I must once again thank you, Izumi-san. This helmet you have created is quite a marvel."
Izumi blushed slightly. "Ah, it's nothing much. I could add more features to it if you want."
Momo shook her head. "Please, do not sell yourself short, I was able to create many different items today because of it. So, once again, thank you. Though, you did say something about costume revisions, yes?"
"Ah, yes, I noticed you took off your heels. Were they as uncomfortable as I had expected?" Izumi chuckled.
Momo returned the laugh. "Perhaps more. Y-you do not need to do it today, I can wait until you have more free time."
Izumi shook her head. "I was already planning to go by the support studios to visit a senpai of mine. Please, I insist. Perhaps we can have a working costume soon, like Tooru's."
Tooru looked at her from the other side of the locker room. "Yeah, too bad I had to give up so much of my hair for it!"
Momo combed her own mane of dark hair protectively. "Will I also need to cut my hair?"
Izumi shook her head. "If we're going to be revamping your costume by our next class, we'll need to go for something simpler. We were only able to complete Tooru's so quickly because it only took one try to get her hair to integrate into the fibre, but I feel that your costume will be much more finicky." She explained. "So I'll recommend a simpler costume for now: zippers." Momo blinked at the simplicity. "You'll get the same effect without sacrificing your protection. And we can get it done rather quickly."
"If you believe that will be best, I am willing to try it." Izumi smiled, nodding.
The green haired girl then turned to Shiozaki. "Hey, Shiozaki-san, will your hair be alright? The combat trials did quite a number on them."
The devout girl nodded. "My vines will return with sunlight, water and earth. They will be completely recovered by next week at the latest." Izumi frowned slightly.
"Hmm, I do have a form that can speed up the growth of plants. If you want any help with the whole process, I am more than willing to help." She smiled.
Shiozaki wanted to refuse, but paused before she did. They had another class in two days, and it would be foolish of her to not even consider it. "I will think on it, Midoriya. Thank you for your kindness."
Izumi shook her head. "Ah, it's no big deal, Shiozaki-san, it's the least I could do." Ibara nodded, turning away to finish changing.
Izumi changed as subtly as she could. She understood now that hiding would just draw more attention to herself. Wearing underclothes would have to be enough for now. Shiozaki's constant references to her faith made her acutely aware of her previous schoolmates' reactions to her coming out as a woman.
When they were done, she turned to Yaoyorozu. "I'm headed for the support studios right now. Whenever you're ready, you can hop on down. I'll tell Power Loader."
Momo nodded. "Thank you again for your offer to help, Izumi-san."
Izumi just smiled softly. "Again, don't mention it, Yaomomo." As she exited the locker rooms, she passed by Hagakure and Mina. "My room, after dinner, then we can talk, okay." She whispered. The two nodded subtly, and Izumi was gone.
Before truly heading to the support studio, she passed by the Dean's office. Before she could even knock, his chipper voice came through. "Come in, Midoriya-chan!" She hesitated. That habit of his still creeped her out slightly. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" He asked as she came in, the glint in his eyes showing that he already knew the answer.
"Sir. Hagakure knows. I'm sure you don't need the full details about how that came to be." She stated, already falling into her practised stance as a Plumber addressing her superior, not simply a student addressing the dean.
"At ease, Midoriya." Nezu chuckled. "Indeed, quite an unfortunate thing, what happened to Ashido-kun today. Though, I must agree that it is not your fault, even I had not predicted such an extreme reaction, though in hindsight it should have been more obvious, if only for the simple fact that she is half Kraaho. Quite a strong sense of community among them." He noticed Izumi was awaiting her turn to speak. "But I suppose there is more you want to talk about?"
"Sir… I want to tell the others as well. Hitoshi and Ochako, I mean." She admitted, lowering her gaze slightly.
"Hmm, an understandable wish. You were correct in consulting me before. In my experience, bringing the right people in can prove a great boon." Izumi lifted her head, a smile beginning to form. "I fear it might be a bit hasty, but they are indeed promising students. Eventually, all the secrecy could fray your bonds." He combed through his own soft fur. "This is not something to be taken lightly. I have always believed that all things must come in their due time. Then again, perhaps the time is indeed now. Do not be hasty. Think about it, but I will not forbid you from telling them."
Izumi bowed, tears beginning to form on her eyes. "Thank you, sir!"
"However." Izumi froze. "I would ask that you refrain from explaining too much about the plumbers and our members. Aside from that, I have no objections." She nodded, thankful for his permission. "If that is all, you are dismissed. I believe you have a costume to remake." He cackled as he began sipping his tea.
'How does he do that?! Does he literally have cameras everywhere?' She shook her head, deciding that some questions were better left unanswered. In a few minutes she found herself at Maijima's office, who thankfully only told her to come in after she had knocked.
"Oh, Midoriya-san! What brings you here? Any problems with that invisible girl's costume?" He asked, sorting through blueprints on his desk.
"Oh, it worked perfectly, sir. Thanks again for helping us with the project at the last minute. It was kind of a miracle, really. I'm actually here to talk about another classmate's costume." Izumi fidgeted.
Maijima sighed. 'I know first years have a lot of costume alterations, but two complaints already?' He shook his head. "Well, what's the issue?"
"Her name is Yaoyorozu Momo. The issue should become evident if you open her file." He did as instructed, and nodded as he read.
"Well, less ridiculous than the last case, but I still wonder who could have thought this was a good idea." He sighed. "Usually, we leave the first versions of the costumes up to the company, but it seems I'll have to look them over for mistakes now. We usually don't have these sorts of problems right out the gate."
Izumi bowed. "I understand, sensei. She should be here in a bit. I was thinking of going with something simpler, that can be completed quickly. Self healing fabric might be too expensive, so how about some zippers?"
He nodded. "Well, if we're going for a quick alteration, then yes. Also, please tell me she took off that ridiculous bookshelf."
Izumi chuckled for a moment. "I insisted on it. Besides, the gear I made for her more than made up for it." He nodded. "Anyway, I was looking for Levin-senpai. Is he around?"
Maijima blinked for a moment. "Ah, yes, he's always in that workshop of his, working on his 'masterpiece'. I swear, he might just get married to his car one day. Workshop Pi." She nodded, turning to leave the office.
—
Kevin Levin was grinning from ear to ear as he looked upon his newest acquisition. 'This… This is just what I needed to finish my car!' He stared at his pride and joy. An old model of muscle car that had been upgraded into a nearly indestructible armoured vehicle, filled to the brim with nearly any type of weaponry, earth based and alien, that he could get his hands on. He grunted as he heard a knock at the door, rolling his eyes at the interruption. "Ugh, It's unlocked."
Izumi took a few steps into the workshop before locking onto the engine Kevin was focused on. "Is that a Khoros V engine? How the hell did you get that?"
He seemed to snap from a trance as he looked back at her. "Newbie? The hell are you doing here? Oh, yeah, you got into the support course too, right? Already causing some chaos?"
Izumi nodded. "Yeah, but my classmate Mei's probably responsible for most of it." He snorted. "Still, how'd you get that? I didn't think you could even buy one of those."
Kevinn smirked. "Well, I didn't. We just got back from a mission to Khoros. The Red Winds were fighting the Shifting Sands clan over a quarry, and we managed to get them to sign an agreement. I also managed to finesse an engine out of it, is all." He shrugged.
Izumi furrowed her brow. "Khoros V engines are practically indestructible, and can outperform even some high tier sub-FTL engines. Tetramands wouldn't simply give them out, especially to outsiders. Did you steal it?"
"Sheesh, what are you, some kind of cop?" He chuckled. "Don't worry, miss goody two-shoes. I didn't steal it. I just, you know… got engaged to the Red Wind princess, is all."
Izumi paused, her jaw hanging open. "You did what?! How did you even? You fought a Tetramand, a princess, nonetheless, and you fucking won?! How?!"
The osmosian shrugged. "Eh, I dunno. She didn't put up much of a fight. But I couldn't pass up on a Khoros V engine, you know? Think of the performance I could get out of this baby!"
Izumi facepalmed hard. "And you didn't think that was suspicious? There's a reason the House of Red Wind clan has such a large territory, you know? You think Warlord Gar's daughter wouldn't be an insanely competent fighter? I doubt even Tetra could outmatch her!" She groaned. "Gar Red Wind beat back fucking Vilgax, and only lost an arm in the process! She would be stronger than him in his prime!"
Kevin once again shrugged. "Hey, I did what I had to do. I doubt I'll even see her again."
"Kevin, that's not how it works. Tetramands take tradition very seriously." She widened her eyes. "Fuck, they'll come here for the wedding. Oh, no, we'll be facing a fucking Khorosi wedding fleet! They'll conquer Earth as a wedding gift, Kevin!"
"You don't know that… They could just conquer Japan." He hung his head, not really having an argument to back it up. "But it could be years before they decide to hold the ceremony! Tetramand engagements last a long time."
"They last until the parties come of age, Kevin!" Izumi shouted. "Which, need I remind you, you are!"
"Hey, I turn twenty in the summer!" He rebutted.
Izumi pinched the bridge of her nose. "Then we have three months, maybe four. Kevin, we need to tell Nezu."
He waved his hands desperately. "H-hey, no need to be hasty, newbie! Plus, he already knows that I have a Khoros V engine."
"And he let you keep it?" Izumi's mind was reeling. "Why the hell did he let you keep it? He should know what it entails."
Kevin stood up, a slightly panicked look still on his face. "Look, if they come to Earth to hold the wedding, I'll talk my way out of it, like I always do. We'll hold the wedding somewhere else. Princess Looma will probably get tired of me in a few years, and I'll be home free." Izumi felt the urge to slap him in the face, but they were interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Hello? Midoriya-san? Power Loader-sensei told me you would be here. I have come to discuss my costume." Izumi held in a groan of frustration as she eyed the door and Kevin.
"This conversation is not over." She whispered, scowling as he rolled his eyes. She turned to the door and exited the workshop, finding Momo waiting for her outside. "Sorry for the wait, Yaomomo-san!"
"It is no issue, Izumi-san, really. Sensei also told us to meet him at Workshop Delta. However, I do not know the way there." Momo admitted, slightly flustered.
"Oh, I know where it is." Izumi waved her hand dismissively. "Not that far at all. Let's go get your costume improved!" Momo nodded, and followed as Izumi guided her through the halls of the support building.
As they moved through the corridors, Momo turned to Izumi. "When I arrived, it seemed that you were arguing with someone. Is everything alright?"
Izumi widened her eyes a bit, but shook her head as she regained composure. "Ah, yeah. I was meeting up with a senpai of mine, from 2-H. He's built himself a car with a lot of support equipment, and just recently got himself an engine through a really stupid deal."
Momo furrowed her brow. "Oh dear, I hope it's nothing dangerous or illegal."
Izumi shook her head. "Not illegal, probably dangerous, but mostly to himself." She sighed. "I might have lost my temper a bit. Still, what he did was pretty stupid."
"Forgive me, but you do not seem one to lose her temper." Momo commented, from her admittedly limited interaction with the girl.
Izumi shrugged. "I don't get angry often, but it does happen. What happened earlier in the locker room, when I first saw your costume… yeah, that was me losing my temper, though not too much. Sorry about that." Momo just nodded, following her silently the rest of the way.
'Hmm, maybe I should call Mei over. I'm sure she wouldn't want to be left out of this… and I could use some of her input.' She pulled her phone out of her pocket, opening her messaging app.
GreenMight: You free? Working on a costume @ WS Delta.
Mechanist: I AM NOW!
Mechanist: Where even were you all day? Classes were booooring.
GreenMight: I'll have afternoon workshop with 1-H tomorrow. My basic curriculum is still mostly within heroics.
Mechanist: That's bullshit.
GreenMight: ╮(￣ω￣;)╭
Mechanist: Whatever, OMW!
They arrived roughly at the same time, though it was clear that Mei had been running. "Okay! I'm here!" She looked at Momo for a second. "Wait, Yaoyorozu? Oh, you're here for materials! Yes!" She pumped her fist in apparent victory before Izumi stepped in.
"Mei, we are not pressuring her for materials, okay?" The pink haired girl sulked. "We're here to fix her costume."
Mei looked rather confused by that. "What? Why? Yaoyorozu enterprises are one of the top producers of support gear."
Izumi blinked for a moment. "Wait, that's a valid point." Izumi turned to Momo. "Why did they give you such a design? I've seen their hero costumes, and none of them had the same issues as yours has."
Momo blushed slightly. "W-well, my parents suggested I let another company handle my costume, as a way to foster good relations." Izumi and Mei sighed at her admission.
"And who ended up making it, then?" Izumi asked. 'Please don't say it was fucking…'
"Detnerat, why?" Momo replied immediately.
Izumi let out a choked scream of rage, unconsciously pulling on the power of one for all as her eyes glowed and lightning arced along her body. Instead of answering, she just stormed into the room, leaving Mei and a very confused Momo outside. "She really doesn't like Detnerat." The pink haired girl commented. "Their original design for Hagakure was just a pair of gloves and boots."
Momo blinked. 'Surely, that must be an exaggeration, right?'
They entered the workshop to find Izumi grinding her teeth as she muttered, her hands already sifting through fabrics for the costume. "Detnerat. It's always Detnerat. I swear to fucking God. If I find another costume made by them that has some sort of glaring issue…" She paused, looking to the side and dashing towards the files that Power Loader had brought to analyse himself. She once again groaned after reading through one in specific.
"Unbelievable!" She slammed her fist onto the desk. "Skintight, no protection to speak of, and fucking heels! Thank God I made her those boots. UGH!" She stomped back to the fabrics. "Piece of shit incompetent quirkist perverts!"
"Midoriya, calm down. You'll mess something up at this rate." Power loader pleaded as the girl tore through the workshop.
Izumi blinked and froze in place, taking deep breaths. "Okay. Okay. Fuck…" She looked at Momo, the heiress looking shocked at the outburst. "Sorry you had to see that. It's just… ugh." She groaned. Before she could fall back into her rant, she decided to get to work. "So, here's what I thought of." She pulled out a set of blueprints that showed the current costume and a pen, setting it down on a table so she could scribble on it. "We cover up the most glaringly vulnerable spots, vital areas and limbs. We'll need to keep it lightweight, so it won't compromise mobility." She turned to Power Loader. "What do we have in terms of armour?"
"Kevlar, ballistic gel, what were you thinking?" He answered, earning a sigh.
"Too heavy. Ballistic gel could work, but it's not enough. Do we have kinetic gel or carbon nanotube plating?" Power Loader shook his head.
"They only have that stuff over at I-Island. Too expensive and rare for us to just have lying about." Izumi clicked her tongue.
"Well, dang." She pursed her lips for a moment, then looked at Mei.
"A sheet of carbon nanotubes layered with kinetic gel would be our best option… kevlar would be too bulky… I'm as lost as you are, Muscles. What's your armour made of?"
Izumi shook her head. "My costume isn't really… ordinary. It shouldn't be used as a model at all." She sighed.
Momo then chimed in. "I… I can make the materials, if necessary." Mei widened her eyes, smiling madly at the possibility.
Izumi refused outright. "You don't have to do that, Yaomomo-san. I can't ask that of you."
Momo, nevertheless, stood her ground. "I avoid creating such things on a whim due to the impact it could have on the economy. However, if this is the best way to protect myself, I believe a small amount could be arranged."
Mei jumped, cheering. "Heck yeah! I can't believe I'm gonna work with actual carbon nanotubes! Hell, I think that if you can create exotic material, we could even make a fucking gravity engine."
Izumi chopped the top of the manic girl's head. "You aren't gonna pressure her to create stuff just to sate your curiosity, Mei. No matter how much it could advance science as we know it." That careless remark, however, had the inverse effect, as Momo was suddenly slightly more convinced to follow along with Mei's pleading.
"You two…" Maijima sighed. "Yaoyorozu-san, if you are indeed willing to provide these materials, we'll likely be able to create you a much better suit than the one you were supplied with."
With that, they got to work as Momo analysed the schematics given to her and the two support students, supervised by Power Loader, started crafting her new and improved hero costume.
—
"What a foolish child, abusing the power of the Omnitrix at her leisure." A dark clad figure remarked, hiding in an alley near UA's entrance. They had been tracking the device's energy signature upon transformation. It had been shockingly easy to locate.
The purple bounty hunter next to him rambled in his unintelligible language. "The reason we don't just jump her is that this damn building is a fortress, and it's packed to the brim with mutated apes and red spots." The crab-like cyborg muttered in annoyance.
"We'll need to find a way to flush her out." The dark figure grunted, his visor glowing ominously. "Until then, we work together." He turned to his two tentative companions. "After that, it's every man for himself."
The crab spat. "Don't need to tell me twice, meatbag." The dark figure chuckled amusedly.
"For now, we look for information. This planet is unaware of alien activity, but the underworld should at least lead us to a way to infiltrate this damn place." The two others nodded. Their plan was afoot. One way or another, they would get to the Omnitrix.
—
Izumi finally made it to her room. Dinner had been average, and she took advantage that most girls had already bathed to go in alone once again. She was still drying out in her room when she heard a distinct knock. "Midori? I'm with Tooru. Can we come in?"
'Shit, they're here already?!' She scrambled to put on some clothes, not even bothering to put on a bra, though she did take a moment to tuck, not wanting there to be an accident. Her hair was still damp and frazzled as she opened the door, panting slightly from the rush. "Hey, hi, uh, come on in?"
"You just got out of the baths? Why didn't you shower earlier?" Tooru asked, coming in along with Mina.
"Well, I uh, I was busy with Yaomomo's costume…" She explained. "Surprise, surprise, another Detnerat fiasco." Tooru nodded her invisible head. "But, uh, before we talk about… the thing… I got permission to tell the others… so I'm gonna call them here too."
Tooru raised an eyebrow. "Permission? From whom?" Izumi shook her head and kept her mouth shut, instead opening her messaging app.
— Robot Elimination Squad —
GreenMight: Guys, can you come to my room for a sec?
GreenMight: Tooru and Mina are here.
InsomniCat: There'd better be a good reason to interrupt my nap.
PlanetMochi: Sure? What's this about?
GreenMight: Eh, kinda important. I'll say more when you get here.
InsomniCat: Fine.
PlanetMochi: On my way!
Izumi looked at her two friends. "Well, they're coming. Ugh, this is gonna suuck." She drags her hands down her face.
"Wow, Midori, your room is full of hero stuff! You're really a huge fangirl." Mina giggled as she looked around.
Izumi blushed slightly, thankful she left most of her All Might merch at home. "Uh, yeah, I guess? I've just always really liked heroes."
"Like is an understatement, sis." Tooru also chuckled at her embarrassment.
Before Izumi could get any more embarrassed, there was another knock at the door. "Coming!" Izumi rushed to open the door. "Hey, guys, that was…" Instead of the people she was expecting, Jirou stood in front of her. Izumi's sweat was cold. "Jiro-san? W-what can I help you with?"
The punk girl fidgeted with her jacks, unsure what to say. "I… I'm sorry, Green. Back in class… I overheard you talking to All Might-sensei." Izumi felt her heart stop for a beat. "I… I overhear a lot of things, so I do my best to forget anything I happen to overhear and keep it to myself… but I just couldn't."
Izumi sighed, defeated. 'How can it be this fucking hard to keep a secret?' "Jiro-san… It's not your fault. I didn't realise your hearing was that good." Jirou tapped her jacks together, flushed with embarrassment. "Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag. Come in… I'll explain as soon as the others arrive."
Ochako and Hitoshi got there just a few moments later, looking at those present with slight confusion, especially at Jiro. "So, why'd you call us here? I was just getting comfy." Hitoshi droned, sighing as he thought of his fluffy bed.
Izumi held up a hand, telling him to wait. "Just a moment. I can't have someone overhearing." Jirou flinched at her remark. Izumi took out a strange cube and placed it on her desk. It began to humm and glow slightly as it activated. "Okay, now we can talk in peace."
"What the heck is that?" Ochako pointed to the device.
Izumi looked between her friend and the cube. "That is a Dissonance Cube. Anyone outside of my room, even if they could listen in, would just hear gibberish." Her guests just stared in awe.
"I've never even heard of such a thing. Why do you have it?" Hitoshi questioned.
Izumi hesitated, before sighing. "Because what I'm about to say cannot leave this room." Ochako gulped. "Ugh, where do I start? Mina?" The girl just shook her head, equally unwilling to be the one to speak. "Fine. It's just… Have you ever looked up at the sky and wondered what's out there?"
"Uh, yeah? But what's that got to do with anything?" Ochako wondered, feeling a bit awkward.
"Well. I need to talk to you about my quirk, and Mina's." Izumi said. "Truth is, my quirk isn't a transformation type. It's an energy stockpile that I manifest as a strength increase. Mina's actual quirk is just the ability to produce acid." The others looked at them suspiciously.
"What the hell are you talking about, Izumi? You told us you needed that watch of yours to access your quirk. And what else would all those insane transformations be? And how could Mina's quirk not also include the stretching?" Hitoshi seemed completely incredulous.
"Well… That's because… IhaveanincrediblypowerfulaliendeviceandMina'sanalien." Izumi blurted out.
"... What?"