Chapter 35: Streets of Rage: Side A
- PRESENT MIC'S STUDIO, SATURDAY -
"GOOOOOOoooooood morning listeners!" Present Mic cheerfully exclaimed into his microphone. The blonde Hero took a sip of his morning coffee, an action mirrored by Kyoka who sat across from him as she queued up the morning playlist.
Present Mic let out a satisfied sigh before shifting back into his DJ persona. "I hope everyone is ready for today because for us Heroes it's time to keep hitting the grind. I know today I plan on my intern and me making some noise, so if you see us out there on the streets, don't be afraid to say hi if we aren't too busy."
The Pro Hero gave the punkette an encouraging smile and a thumbs up. Kyoka started to twirl one of her jacks, doing her best not to look at her Hero mentor. She failed at stopping herself from giving him a shaky smile, however.
"We do have a few bits of news. Endeavor and his crew have been keeping up the hustle on their end of town, though not without a small issue with a park they were near." Present Mic leaned away from his microphone, using his hand to cover it to muffle any sound from him, "Not like that's surprising. Wonder how much in damages he has to pay this time..." The Pro Hero bit back a snort when he saw Kyoka hold up a sheet of paper filled with yen signs of different sizes.
After taking a second to reign in his laughter, the Voice Hero returned to the mic, "Coming to us straight from Shibuya, we had what looked to be an odd Villain attack. Now, I don't like to throw out a bunch of theories without something concrete to stand on, but even I can see something is going on in Shibuya. For all you listeners in that area, stay safe."
As the Pro Hero continued to fill the air with reports, small talk, and jokes, Kyoka couldn't help but be a little worried about Izuku and the rest of her friends. She had already heard from Present Mic, who spoke with Aizawa, that on their first night patrol, he and Shinso already had a hectic night.
'Knowing Greenie and Shoka, they'll probably get into just as much trouble as Indi did,' the punkette thought. 'Momo should be alright though. Shoto's a toss-up, but that's because of his dad.'
"For now," Present Mic's words broke Kyoka out of her thoughts as he focused on her, "It's time for another kickin' soundtrack made by our sound-savvy Hero student. Kick the beat, Impulse!"
Kyoka gave the Hero a lazy two-finger salute as she began to fill the air with music.
- HEIGHTS ALLIANCE 1-A, U.A. -
The morning sun rose over the horizon, its warm beams streaming lazily into the previously uninhabited dorm room. As the sunlight cast a blanket of warmth within the sparse room, its sole occupant began to stir, the golden rays shining on her face.
The occupant slowly rose from her slumber, the sheets and comforter that swaddled her throughout the night were carelessly dropped and pooled around her. Her long ash-blonde hair had turned into a messy nest, with her strands splayed at odd angles. She stretched to loosen her muscles as her limber body resembled a waking cat with her movements. The ash-blonde let out a satisfied moan, her lips forming into a wide grin that displayed her pronounced fangs. Even after this morning ritual, the young woman couldn't help but fall back into the bed as she stared at the ceiling.
It had been a long time since Himiko enjoyed a full night's sleep in a rather comfortable bed. A makeshift futon in the middle of an abandoned warehouse didn't always mean one would get the best night of sleep. Add on having to dodge Heroes and police while performing acts of vigilantism and that tends to compound things and make laying down even for an hour or two rather uncomfortable.
But Himiko pushed those thoughts aside. There were more important things for her to focus on at the moment.
Last night was a roller coaster of emotions for her. She had expected it to be a rather simple night. Go in, cause some panic, and make things harder for a Villain. Running into Shinso was unexpected, but not unwanted in all honesty. And getting the chance to work with a Hero instead of running from one of the more overzealous ones was a bonus. It made her job easier.
No, it was the surprising acceptance from that Hero that made last night a truly strange one. Add on the offer Aizawa had for her, with the rather uncomfortable questioning and promises made by the detective that showed up after they took Saizo, had her rather cautious about everything. It was only through Shinso's trust in his mentor that helped put the vigilante at ease.
Himiko continued to lay on the bed, unwilling to get up from the mattress one could call a cloud. Even if that meant she would have to ignore several of the appointments she agreed to go to. Unfortunately, for the ash-blonde, her cravings began to eat away at her psyche.
"Uuuuuuugh," Himiko groaned, tossing around in the bed, "Not now. Too early."
Her stomach roared, its growls stirring her to wake up fully.
"Shuuuuuuush," the ash-blonde argued with her body. Himiko tried to ignore the slight pain coming from her fangs, only for the constant sting emanating from them to require her attention. Running her tongue along her teeth, massaging her gums to alleviate some of the pressure she felt, Himiko sighed as the pain lessened.
Her stomach continued to fight against her. Himiko's body needed its sustenance. The blood Shinso offered had tithed her over but mixing it with that red-scaled Villain's blood and using it to fuel a transformation had burned through the bloody cocktail quickly.
As her mouth began to dry, Himiko did find the silver lining in it all. Shinso was here. And his blood always seemed to last longer in her system. And it always did a better job of keeping the cravings back. It was something for her to think about later.
Himiko began to rub a hand along her stomach as she thought about his blood. That seemed to calm her body down enough for her to think clearly.
And that's when her nose began to pick up the faint scent of coffee that wafted through the air.
The ash-blonde stirred, slowly leaving the bed, and walked to the door. Thankfully, it wasn't a far walk to the kitchen since she had been given one of the free rooms on the second floor. That and the dorm's layout was rather simple and easy to understand. As Himiko descended the stairs, she could hear what she would describe as a techno-funk beat playing quietly in the background, accompanied by Shinso muttering.
She watched as the indigoette messed around in the kitchen, doing his best to make a cup of coffee if his words were anything to go by. She noticed that he was wearing the U.A. gym uniform and assumed that he would be going out to train soon. Out of the corner of her eye, Himiko spotted two masses of black and gold fur lounging together as they also watched Shinso work the coffee maker.
"-and that should be the blend. Now I just have to wait for the water to boil… How the hell does Mr. H come up with the measurements for all this?" Shinso asked himself as he stared at the coffee tin in his hands.
Himiko recognized the lettering on it immediately. Sanguine Rising. A special blend that Mr. H had made for those who required blood in their diet. It was the first cup of coffee he made for the ash-blonde when she finally stopped by the coffee shop after Shinso talked about it so much.
Her heart had skipped a beat at the thought of him making her that special blend. It wasn't the same as getting blood from him, she doubted anything could match that, but this was a close second.
Feeling a little playful, Himiko began to stalk silently into the kitchen. As she passed LK and VK, she brought a finger to her lips, signaling the pair of cats not to give her away. VK seemed to play along, giving the ash-blonde a Cheshire grin while LK laid his head down, intent on just watching the show. As Himiko neared the unaware Shinso, she glomped onto him and wrapped her arms around his body.
"Nom!" The ash-blonde planted her lips against his bare neck. Shinso's body let out a shiver as her breath tickled his skin. Himiko giggled as she spoke to him, "Morning, Hitoshi."
"Morning, Himiko," Shinso greeted back warmly, albeit dryly.
That earned him a snort from the ash-blonde, the young woman obviously enjoying the bland reaction she got from him. Shinso felt her pull away from him and turned around to see her take a seat next to the Kats.
He took a moment to study her, seeing how calm and relaxed she was. Himiko always had a tenseness to her, always ready to move or fight if something startled her. Even when it was just the two of them, that tension only seemed to lighten. But now, it is almost entirely gone. Her eyes still seemed vigilant, as he could still see those golden globes darting around the room every so often, but all-in-all, this was the best he ever saw her.
"So, how are you?" He asked, taking a pot of Pick-Me-Up he had made earlier and drinking from it.
Himiko just watched, mesmerized by the action before gathering her wits to reply. "Good. Those beds are super comfy."
Shinso nodded. That was putting it mildly. He made a note to ask Nezu where he got them from. If they could make a sleeping bag version of those mattresses, he would be a very happy man.
"That they are," Shinso took another sip from his pot as he continued to look at Himiko. "Now, how are you really doing, Himiko?"
The ash-blonde didn't respond right away. Wanting to avoid Shinso's gaze, the young woman turned her attention to VK, petting the feline while occasionally glancing at Shinso. The indigoette was more than willing to play the waiting game. He learned from Aizawa after all.
His patience paid off when Himiko's resolve faltered for just a moment.
"I'm... Better," Himiko began to explain. Shinso noted that she tensed up slightly as she took a second to gather her thoughts. VK responded to her human counterpart's hesitance by nuzzling into her. And providing a few love nips as well. "Eraser Head and that detective seem to want to help me out but it feels like I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop."
"It just feels weird, you know. To have something go right for once." Himiko's lips formed a tired smile, one that Shinso hated to see her wear. That smile was soon replaced by a much more genuine and brighter one as the ash-blonde focused on Shinso. "But you trust them. And I trust you, Hitoshi. So, I wanna hope things will turn out alright this time."
Shinso returned her smile with a faint one of his own as he spoke, "It will, Himiko." He didn't need to say anything more after that. He saw a bit of life flicker within the ash-blonde's eyes, her smile widening ever so slightly.
The coffee maker had let out a sudden chime, signaling to Shinso that Himiko's coffee was ready. With some practiced ease, the indigoette quickly filled a cup and brought it to his friend. As he was about to step back and take the empty seat beside her, Himiko had brought her hands up, placed them on his shoulders, and leaned in.
Shinso braced himself, expecting Himiko to ask for a quick drink of his blood despite having her drink in front of her, only to feel her plant a quick kiss on the corner of his lips.
"Thanks, Hi~to~shi~." The indigoette blinked owlishly at her actions, bewildered and flatfooted by how quickly and unexpectedly it happened. Himiko let out a giggle as she took a sip from her cup. As the coppery caffeinated concoction flowed around her tongue, the ash-blonde couldn't help but let out a pleased moan. "Delish!"
Himiko smiled as she watched Shinso finally take the seat next to her at the kitchen island. LK had moved to the space between the two young adults, VK following after him and proceeding to lounge on top of the black cat. There was a relaxing silence in the air, one that neither Shinso nor Himiko wanted to break. The two simply enjoyed their coffee in the moment.
Still, Shinso knew Himiko had several things she needed to work on today, and he wanted to be sure she could handle them. Or at least have the support she needed. "So do you need to meet back up with Detective Tsukauchi later today?"
Himiko let out a hum as she took another sip of her coffee. "Yep. He also said I needed to talk with..." She paused as she ran through last night's discussion. "I think he said Hound Dog, to get a psyche profile but also to set up some therapy sessions. Him and Eraser Head said that I needed to work on how I see myself and my Quirk." That hesitancy and tension returned, but it was much more manageable than earlier.
The messy-haired indigoette nodded. "That's good. He knows what he's doing. I can show you to his office if you need me to."
"Thanks," Himiko replied happily.
Time began to pass by quickly from there. It was one of the few times the two had to themselves. They both knew it was a turning point. But one they accepted wholeheartedly. Even as the music shifted, that too faded into the background as they simply talked.
- SCRAMBLE CROSSING, SHIBUYA -
Izuku stood near the statue of Hachiko as the next song on Present Mic's radio show played. It was a steady rhythm that seemed haunting in a way. As the drums kicked in to add to the beat, overlayed by a smooth synth beat, he couldn't help but bob his head to the music.
He made a mental note to text Kyoka later for a copy of the playlists she had been making this week. He was surprised with how diverse the music she selected was.
Wasting no more time, Izuku activated the noise dampeners on his headset, allowing him to focus on their task today.
"Aight, so we gonna be goin' back to the park to take another look at that junk pile, yo. Pinky and Lollipop say we got point on this investigation," Beat recapped, making sure everyone was on the same page. Seeing Rhyme and Izuku give him a nod, Beat held out his fist, a gesture the other two returned, bumping their fists with his. "Then let's get to work, yo! Time to be Heroes!"
The trio started to make their way to Miyashita Park, dodging the heavy foot traffic of the busy city as they moved at a brisk pace. As they crossed the street, Rhyme spoke up, voicing several questions she had on her mind, "So, how should we handle this? Remember, that junk pile could mess with our heads."
Izuku turned to her to answer the younger Bito's question, "Well, I can easily move bits and pieces with Orbit as long as they are in my range. That will allow us to examine things without too much issue." The verdette couldn't help but feel slightly nostalgic at that. He was honestly curious if anything in that pile had come from Takoba.
"And if your range ain't in the safety zone?" Beat asked. It was a valid concern. He didn't want to see their intern suddenly turn on them.
"Well, I might have some resistance," The Hero siblings turned to look at him, "My friend has a mental Quirk that can control minds. When we trained for U.A., I got used to feeling the effects of a Quirk that affects the mind. As long as I'm aware that something is hitting my mind, I can block it to a degree." Izuku was still trying to figure out how that was possible. He knew Ego played a role in it. After all, it managed to completely block Monoma's Quirk on the day he met the Copycat.
And that particular aspect was still something he needed to investigate.
"Still, I won't know until something happens," Izuku stated.
"Aight. We can work with that," Beat nodded in understanding. "If we think for even a second that somethin' is off, back off as quick as you can, aight?" Seeing Izuku and Rhyme give him an affirmative nod he continued to lead them to their destination. "We're looking for anything that could amp or broadcast a Quirk, right?"
Rhyme was the one to answer him. "Yep. It could be anything so that doesn't really help narrow things down. Especially with how many things make up that pile. I should be able to see if any tech in there is drawing power."
They soon turned the corner and climbed the stairs that led to the park. There was an unease in the air they felt as they reached the top, the towering junk pile looming over the park and its attendants.
"Right. Like a needle in a haystack or somethin'," Beat said resigningly.
"Something like that," Rhyme replied in a similar one.
Izuku nodded along with the two blonde's statements. His eyes scanned the junk pile, looking for anything that stood out. That was easier said than done. After all, it was a pile of junk.
The verdette did note that the pile itself was structurally sound. Each piece of junk added to the next layer, providing a sturdy base for the one above it. Even the pieces that stood out at odd angles seemed to stay in place or prevent something else from falling.
As the trio stopped in front of the small barrier set up by the police yesterday, Izuku and Rhyme gave the tower a quick glance before walking the perimeter while Beat stood next to several officers and checked in with them. The two looked at every angle, seeing what pieces of junk and broken machinery made up the tower's structure. Izuku made a mental note when he noticed several televisions and speakers were placed on each layer, with the televisions facing each direction.
As Izuku and Rhyme finished their inspections, they met back up with Beat after completing another lap around the junk pile. The older blonde began to get antsy as he waited for the two to speak.
"So? What's the word?" He asked.
Rhyme gave the junk pile one last look before flipping her visor up. "Nothing is active there. And there doesn't appear to be a generator hidden in there either, so I don't have a good idea as to what caused Mr. Hamada to act the way he did," she explained.
Izuku heard Beat click his tongue in annoyance. Rhyme wasn't finished though, "It's weird. There are some bits of tech in there that don't look busted."
"Like those TVs?" Izuku asked, earning him a nod from the younger blonde.
"You noticed it too, huh?" Rhyme responded. Beat shot the two a confused look, doing his best to follow along. The younger Bito turned to her brother and elaborated, "There are a couple of speakers and TVs in that pile. And each TV can be seen from any direction."
"Which means the person who made the junk pile wants others to look at it. You know, aside from the fact it is just a towering pile of junk. If the TVs were connected to a power source, they could display a message or image that could trigger to the mind-control," Izuku picked up from there. Rhyme gave an affirmative nod while Beat considered what the two told him.
Beat slammed a fist into an open palm as an epiphany struck him. "What if it's several dudes workin' together yo!?"
Izuku and Rhyme shared a look before thinking about Beat's point on the matter. That was something they didn't consider, but it was now.
"That is a possibility. Hopefully, we'll be able to figure things out after we're done here," Rhyme stated.
Beat looked back at the tower of junk. "Then let's bring down that tower, yo. Make sure it can't mess with people's heads." The older blonde stated with finality. "We can check and see what makes this thing tick. Link, time to step up, yo!"
Izuku gave the older Bito a determined nod and stepped closer to the police line. He began to send his energy into Orbit, feeling for the mass of objects that made up the pile. The verdette raised his hands into the air, and as his energy pooled into them and enveloped bits and pieces of junk in a green light, he felt something prod against his mind.
Izuku faltered for a moment. Concern flooded his mind as the mental intrusion seemed to test his mental fortitude before trying to overwhelm him. The verdette struggled to fight back when the thought of his Ego reinforced his will, his Quirk pushing back against the mental attack. The intrusion pressing against his mind soon faded, relief washing over the freckled Hero student as he tried to steady himself.
Static began to flare, filling the air with white noise as the speakers came to life. Izuku quickly stepped back and rejoined the Bito siblings as Rhyme lowered her visor. It was then that the TVs turned on. On the screen was a thirty-minute timer that remained still at the moment.
"Da hell is this?" Beat asked. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as a feeling of dread filled his core.
"Anything, CodeR?" Izuku asked the Technomancer Hero.
The young blonde shook her head. Behind her visor, her blue eyes darted around, looking for anything that would give her an idea of what was causing this. She couldn't find anything that made sense. The TVs and speakers weren't connecting to anything but Rhyme knew they had to draw energy from somewhere. It was a faint pulse, but it wasn't enough to determine anything outside of that.
Izuku focused on the TVs, seeing the same timer on each of them, each one waiting to begin its countdown. His focus intensified when the words, 'Solve for X' appeared under the timer. As soon as an equation appeared, the timer began to tick away.
X = 5^3 - (7+14)
The verdette mouthed the text on the screen, his green eyes narrowing as his brain began to work out the problem in front of him.
""One-hundred and four."" Izuku and Rhyme answered at the same time. The two shared a look for a second before bumping their fists together with proud smirks on their faces.
Beat deadpanned at the two as he spoke, "Yo, how the hell did you two figure that out so fast?"
Rhyme shrugged at her brother. "Honestly, it was rather simple." She replied, much to Beat's chagrin.
"I'm taking college-level calculus. This is below that level," Izuku explained.
The trio returned their attention to the TVs, noting that the equation remained on the screen as the countdown continued. They grew confused, not understanding what else they needed to do. There was no way to input their answer aside from vocalizing it, and Izuku and Rhyme didn't see any microphones in the pile. As the timer hit the twenty-eight-minute mark, Beat let his frustrations known.
"Yo! What else are we supposed to do?" He asked openly. He gestured to his sister and intern before angrily screaming at the junk pile, "We solved your stupid math question, so bring on the next one!"
Izuku kept his eyes on the screen while running the answer through his mind. "Maybe, there's something else to our answer?" He suggested to the Hero pair.
Rhyme brought a gloved hand to her chin as she considered the Hero intern's point. "Possibly." She hummed, tapping a finger against her cheek as she thought about it. "X equals one-hundred and four. X equals... Wait. Maybe it's like a map. And X marks the spot." The younger blonde stated.
"And if X marks the spot, then... YO! One-hundred and four. One-Oh-Four!" Beat fist pumped. "I bet we gotta get to One-Oh-Four before the timer runs out!"
Rhyme nodded grimly as she looked back at the screens. "That's the most likely solution." She raised her visor and looked at both Izuku and Beat. "You two go on ahead. I'll stay here in case something changes here." She looked back to the junk pile and frowned. "Something is obviously wrong here. I'll be sure to stay in contact with you two so make sure your radios are on."
At Rhyme's insistence, Izuku and Beat tapped several buttons on their headsets, giving a quick test to their mics, and a thumbs up as Rhyme's voice came out clear on their end. The younger Bito made her way over to the officers near them, asking them to send back-up 104 to meet up with Beat and Izuku.
"You ready, Link?" Beat asked his intern.
Izuku gave him a determined smile and put up his hood, the long rabbit ears flopping behind him from the movement. "Ready!"
"Aight then. Let's go!" Beat took off running immediately, skateboard in hand, and made his way out of the park and back to the Scramble. Izuku quickly followed after the energetic blonde as Rhyme smiled and shook her head at her brother's antics.
Beat, chased by Izuku, raced through the crowded streets of Shibuya, as busy civilians packed the Scramble Crossing. The two weaved through the masses as they hit the main area, passing by the road leading to the Shibu Department Store and Tower Records. Many citizens saw the pair and made room for them, obviously not wanting to get in the way of Heroes who were currently in a rush.
Some were more excited, taking out their phones to take pictures or record Izuku and Beat as they made it to the entrance of the street where the 104 Building resided. While not as busy as the Scramble, the street was filled with a mix of shoppers, teens, and adults who were making the most of their day. Most of the crowd stopped what they were doing when they saw the Hero and intern arrive in front of the 104 Building, and began to watch the pair in interest, expecting to see a fight between Heroes and Villains.
Beat ignored them, as the Hero was much more focused on the task at hand. Bringing a hand to his headset, the blonde spoke into his mic as he contacted his sister, "Yo, R. Link and me made it to One-Oh-Four. How we lookin'?"
"The timer just stopped at the twenty-four-minute mark. Someone is obviously keeping an eye on us for that to happen." The younger Bito reported over the radio.
"Has anything shown up on the screens?" Izuku asked as he activated his headset's mic.
"Not ye- Never mind. Something just popped up."Rhyme stated. Izuku and Beat shared a look before they scanned the crowd in order to find anyone that stood out to them as they waited for Rhyme to speak up again. After a moment, the Technomancer Hero returned, calling out to the pair on their radios, "Okay. It's a puzzle of sorts. I'm a beast that seeks a challenge. A high BPM plus loud dB is the call. Say it loud and proud, for you only have three hundred ticks of the clock to respond."
"Aight, I'ma kick the ass of the dickhead behind this when we find him," Beat began to grumble. "This is some bullshit, yo."
Izuku ignored the older Bito for the moment as he focused on the puzzle. The beast that seeks a challenge would be an animal he figured. The questions on his mind were what animal they should focus on and what they were supposed to do with that. It had something to do with sound and rhythm if beats and decibels were thrown into the mix.
'Seeking a challenge could mean we need to do something with those two things to start something. A lot of animals are territorial so it's possible we are going to get into a fight.' Izuku grimaced at that thought as he looked around. 'I hope not. There are too many people around us for my liking.'
'But what animal is loud and proud?' The verdette asked himself.
Lions came to mind. They are often considered proud and their groups are called prides and they do roar. But that only covered decibels, not beats. Izuku went through a short mental list of whatever animals he considered could fit the criteria he was looking for before coming to one conclusion.
"Gorillas!" Beat and several bystanders jumped at the sudden and loud declaration by Izuku, who sheepishly smiled at the blonde while scratching the back of his hood-covered head. "Sorry, Beat. But the beast in question has to be a Gorilla."
"How do you figure that?" Rhyme asked over the radio.
"Gorillas beat their chests at a fast pace and make a roar or yell when challenging another gorilla who might intrude on their territory or is trying to take over their pack," The verdette explained. Seeing Beat follow along, Izuku continued to speak, "That's both beats and noise. BPM and dB."
"So, we gotta act like a Gorilla to solve the puzzle?" Beat asked, his face scrunching up at the thought.
Izuku nodded. "Probably. Monkey see, monkey do. Or, er, a gorilla in this case."
Beat wasn't entirely sure about the verdette's answer. "How sure are you?" He asked the freckled Hero student.
The verdette shrugged. "Pretty sure, but there's still some doubt. We'll have to work with the information we have and our own conclusions."
"Aight then. That's what we'll do," Beat turned his head and saw several officers arrive, already making sure that the civilians were clear of the two. The blonde Hero gave his intern a nod, gestured to the area next to him, and spoke into his mic in order to get his sister's attention as Izuku took his place next to Beat, "Hey, R. Link thinks he has the solution. Anything on your end?"
"Yeah. Two meters appeared on the screens not too long ago. One is tracking BPMs while the other is tracking decibel levels." Rhyme replied. "Also, I sent a message to Kariya and Uzuki. They should be there soon."
"Got it. We're gonna do what we gotta do," Beat gave Izuku one more look, "Ready, Link?"
The bunny-hooded student looked around, blushing as he noted the curious looks on the surrounding crowds' faces, as well as the multitude of phones out in the open recording the two. Izuku let out a sigh and nodded, "Yeah. Let's do it."
Beat tapped Izuku's chest playfully with his hand before slowly taking in a deep breath.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The Thrasher Hero bellowed a roar while drumming his fists against his chest. While Izuku didn't join in the chorus, he did add his own beat to his supervisor's, the sound of their fists thumping loud enough for it to reverberate throughout the street.
After several seconds the two began to slow down their chest thumping, keeping an ear out for anything. Aside from the snickering or confused muttering from the crowd, Izuku heard nothing else.
"So, good news, bad news, and worse news," Rhyme's voice arose from their radios, "Good news, the BPMs hit the mark. Bad news, you guys weren't loud enough. Worse news, less than two minutes left on the countdown."
"Shit. This is fuckin' wack, yo." Beat grumbled as his shoulders slumped.
The blonde's attention shifted to Izuku when he noticed the Hero student dig through the large soft case on the back of his hip. The verdette pulled out Scratch Rhapsody, switching it out for his Buster Shot, and setting the pin in one of the slots in his utility belt.
"CodeR, I have an idea but I need you to call out when we hit the level the decibels need to max out." Izuku said to the younger Bito.
"Got it, Link," came her quick reply.
Izuku turned to look at Beat, giving him a shaky smile, his hands on a pair of newly formed energy disks. "Once more, with feeling?"
Beat gave him a cocky smirk as he puffed out his chest. "Bring the noise, Link!"
Izuku nodded and started to scratch the discs, feeling a rhythm build up within him. Once he was done, he shared a look with Beat and the two began to thump their chests once more, Izuku sending energy into Rhapsody as he did. Each beat began to boost each thump as if someone turned up the bass on a soundboard. Taking a deep breath and filling his lungs fully, Izuku pulled some inspiration from his limited exposure to one of Momo's classic Tarzan novels.
The verdette had a determined look that flashed in his eyes as he looked up and bellowed out a roar. "Aaahuaaahoooo-ah-raaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUHH!" The roar grew louder and louder with each second. Green sound waves shot out from his mouth, echoing throughout the city.
Rhyme cut off the audio to her headset and suddenly turned to look off where the 104 Building was, hearing Izuku's roar before noticing the decibel meter hitting its mark. She quickly recovered from her shock and called out to her team as the screens shifted again, showing a silhouette of a gorilla beating its chest.
"Pull the plug, Link. Both meters are maxed out."Izuku quickly cut off his Rhapsody, already feeling his throat becoming sore from the strain of his Psych. The verdette planted his hands on his knees as he took several ragged breaths. When he started coughing, Beat was quick to stand next to him and rubbed the verdette's back in an attempt to help.
"You think that-" The blonde Hero was cut off when an enraged roar erupted from the top of the 104 Building.
Izuku, Beat, and the crowd all looked up. Standing on the edge of the building was a man with the Heteromorphic Quirk of a gorilla. Even from street level, Izuku and Beat could see that the man was large, easily several feet taller than Beat, and ripped with muscles all along his upper body. Add to the roar that he made, the man had a rather intimidating presence.
The gorilla man leaped from the building and began plummeting down to the street, eliciting several loud gasps from the crowd from his actions. Their concerns were unwarranted, as when he landed, he did so with no injury. The only damage done was the small crater from his impact, with several large spider-web cracks splintering out from it.
Now that the man was closer, Izuku got a much better look at him. And what he saw was concerning. The man's entire body, even down to his clothes, was a muted grayscale, with hints of white noise static dancing along his fur. His oversized arms were covered in what looked to be a series of black tattoos that ran from his blackened fingers up to his shoulders.
What was worse was that Izuku could feel the same mental prod that he got from the junk pile coming from the gorilla man.
Beat took a tentative step back while shifting into a defensive stance, planting a foot on his skateboard as he called Rhyme over the radio. "Yo, R. We got a problem."
"I can see that. I just pulled up the cameras in the area to keep track of you two. I'm running through the HPSC's database for a match on a man with a Gorilla Quirk right now so give me a minute." She stopped speaking for a moment before coming back. "Guys. The screens changed again. 'Rumble in the Concrete Jungle.'" Izuku and Beat could hear the concern in her voice as she spoke, "It looks like you guys will have to defend yourselves."
The two didn't need to be told twice. They readied themselves as the Gorilla Villain began to beat his chest in a show of intimidation. The two held fast while all around them civilians grew worried, several of them voicing their concerns while officers on the scene attempted to keep them away from the danger.
"Bring it on, Donkey Kong!" Beat was the first one to act, kicking off the ground and skating towards the gorilla-man. The Villain roared, showing off his impressive maw and swinging a large arm at the blonde Hero. Beat ducked under the attack, using his momentum by planting a hand on the ground and pushing off of it, slamming his board against his target as a golden trail of energy flowed with his movement and dispersed on impact. While the Villain's bulk would provide a good defense against such an attack, and one the Thrasher Hero had accounted for, Beat felt like he didn't just hit a wall, it was like slamming into a mountain.
Acting quickly, Beat pushed off the gorilla-man's body before the Villain could retaliate, his large arms swiping at the blonde. "Aight, that didn't work out like I thought it would," Beat said as he slid back to Izuku. Beat turned to his intern, his lone visible eye still tracking the Villain, "Think you can get through his defense?"
"Excalibur should-" Izuku and Beat broke off from each other as the Gorilla Villain slammed both fists into the ground where they stood, sending small chunks of asphalt into the air, "-be able to!" The verdette said, finishing his statement.
Izuku rushed the Villain, channeling his energy into Excalibur. His right hand gripped the energy blade that formed and he performed a rising diagonal slash on the gorilla-man. The blade went through without issue, much like if he slashed at anything else without the intent to truly maim or kill his target.
The only real issue was the Gorilla Villain didn't even react to the attack.
"Crap baskets..." Izuku muttered as he Blinked away from a savage backhand that would have taken his head off.
The freckled young man popped back up next to Beat. Before they could even act, they were forced to dodge a tackle from the gorilla man as he attempted to grapple one of them.
"Well?" Beat asked as he ollied into the air and punched the Villain's head. "What's the word? 'Cause I ain't doin' much damage!"
As the blonde Hero avoided a charge, the Gorilla Villain roared in frustration and grabbed a compact sedan from the side of the road and held it up high. Beat's eyes widened at the sight but were given no time to do much else as the Villain threw it at the blonde. Beat moved forward and ducked under the vehicle, the metal carriage sailing over him when he realized his mistake.
"SHIT!" Beat cried out in alarm. He saw that a group of civilians fumbled over each other as they tried to get out of the vehicle's path. His concern grew when Izuku Blinked in front of them, his arms glowing with green energy that began to envelop the car's chassis.
Izuku felt his brain struggle to deal with the sudden backlash from going over his weight limit with Orbit, even by a hundred or so pounds. But his quick action and pushing his Psych worked in his favor as the momentum behind the sedan had fully stopped. The crowd behind the verdette let out relieved sighs and held breaths as the energy wrapped around the car disappeared, dropping the vehicle unceremoniously onto the ground.
Dropping to a knee, Izuku gasped for air as his brain felt like it was on fire. He looked down at his left hand, checking Orbit in its slot for any damage it might have sustained. Seeing none, Izuku checked his HUD, noting that Orbit was in its recharge state but that it hadn't started doing so.
'Probably from pushing it too hard with that stunt,'Izuku frowned as thought to himself. 'Resolute might have been a better choice.'
"Yo, Link! You alright? How are the civvies?" Beat asked as he dodged another attack from the Gorilla Villain.
"Everyone is safe!" Izuku replied, his breathing heavy as he rubbed his temples. "I need a second, though!"
Beat performed another handstand kick, the bottom of his board slamming into the Villain. "You got it! If you can, work on a plan. You dig?"
Izuku struggled to answer the blonde Hero but acknowledged the request. Slowly he stood up on shaky legs, making his way around the sedan, and watched Beat engage the large Villain. He was lost in the fight when his radio came to life as Rhyme's voice came through.
"Beat. Link. I got a hit on the database. There is one person with a Heteromorphic Gorilla Quirk in the Tokyo area. Yahara Goji, AKA the Villain Ozaru."Izuku winced as he watched Beat nearly take a tumble as he narrowly avoided an attack from the now-identified Ozaru. "He disappeared several weeks ago after a run-in with some Heroes."
"So we can take the kiddie gloves off, right?" Beat said as he slid under the Villain's legs.
"Yep. Got the all-clear from Uzuki too. Take Ozaru down so we can question him later." Rhyme said as their radios cut off.
"Easier said than done," Izuku muttered to himself. The verdette was worried. Facing a Villain that could easily shrug off any damage done to them made the Villain a dangerous one to themselves and others. But Izuku was more worried about his supervisor. The two of them had to figure out a way to win this fight before Ozaru went after the civilians.
He and Beat were in this together. That simple thought ran through his head and filled him with confidence as he began to plan out strategies to use against Ozaru. At that simple thought, Ego hummed as it made a connection.
Ozaru was relentless in his assault on the Thrasher Hero. Despite the difficulty the blonde faced in order to hurt the Villain, Beat made it just as difficult for the Villain to land a hit on him. Izuku was entranced as Beat performed stunts that flowed seamlessly into his attacks. The blonde had managed to land several hits in a row, leading to an unbroken combo chain.
It was when he landed his sixth hit that something happened. Firstly, the Gorilla Villain felt the hit. Secondly, a green ball of energy burst from Beat and rocketed to Izuku as Ego began to hum loudly within him.
The verdette felt a small surge of power rushing through his body. His mind began to work through this new information. He knew this feeling, he only now realized what it was. Ego had connected him to Beat.
It had happened with Shoka when they fought Ayano. And it happened when he fought the Nomu at the USJ with Shoto and Bakugo.
He just never thought of it during those times due to him fighting for his life at those moments. Going with the flow of battle
But now that he had a second to himself, he was allowed to focus on it.
And much to his annoyance, that meant it was time to stress test this new revelation in the only way he knew how.
"Beat!" The Thrasher Hero jumped back from Ozaru as it lunged for him. He glanced over his shoulder to look at Izuku as the verdette called out to him, "Tag out!"
Beat raised a brow at the request but pulled back nonetheless. Izuku quickly moved to take the blonde's spot in the battle. He charged the Gorilla Villain, gaining Ozaru's attention. The Villain let out a monstrous roar at the verdette and lashed out at him. Izuku ducked under a punch and retaliated with a slash from Excalibur, followed by another as he spun on his heel.
The Villain wasn't idle and lashed out at the verdette with a quick punch. Not wanting to lose his momentum and reacting on instinct and a subtle suggestion from Ego, Izuku sent half of his energy into Resolute. He brought up his left arm as energy formed along it, taking the shape of a thick kite shield, and blocked the punch. Ozaru froze, suffering under Resolute's counter effect, providing Izuku the freedom to attack. The bunny-hooded Hero student pushed on with another slash, bringing Excalibur down in a vertical slash, followed by two more and a shield bash for good measure.
As the final slash connected with Ozaru, the puck of green light shot out from Izuku and straight at Beat. The blonde Hero was surprised by the sudden surge of energy that filled his body and nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Beat! You're up!" It took a second for it to register in the blonde's head, but as soon as it clicked, he couldn't help but grin.
"AIGHT! I can work with this!" Beat sped towards the Villain as Izuku leaped back.
The Thrasher Hero started to circle the Gorilla Villain as he tried to keep track of the blonde, though as the Hero built up speed, the Villain only managed to follow after a contrail of gold and green light that the blonde emitted. Beat acted quickly, lashing out with a jump kick. Ozaru spun around, his arms extended as he performed a spinning lariat in order to hit Beat, only to miss the blonde as the Hero pushed off of the Villain's shoulders.
Using the boost, Beat began to rotate, angling his skateboard upward and drilling the bottom against the Gorilla Villain's back. Feeling frustration boil over into rage, Ozaru slammed his hands into the ground, breaking apart the asphalt road and ripping out two large chunks that he hurled at the blonde. Before the first piece of rubble even got close to the Hero, Izuku appeared in a flash of green light and cut clean through it with Excalibur.
As the two split pieces clattered onto the ground, Izuku lashed out the last bit of debris with his energy blade, cutting it apart with a five-slash combo. He was about to pull back again when Beat called out to him.
"Link! Give me a boost!" The Thrasher Hero said as he skated towards the verdette.
Izuku understood the blonde's plan and used Resolute to create a flat ramp that Beat used to launch himself into the air and directly at the Villain.
Beat used his Quirk to perform another show of impressive skill and physics-defying stunts as he dashed through the air and slammed his board into the Villain, only to kick off and perform the same stunt several times. Ozaru let out a roar as Beat's energy built up and mixed with the puck of light. The blonde Hero flipped in midair and performed an axe kick that smashed the Villain directly on the head.
"BOOYAKA!" The Thrasher Hero cried out victoriously as he landed. He felt the puck of energy grow in strength before passing from him to Izuku. The blonde couldn't help but smile as he realized how close they were to winning.
The last hit managed to disorient the Villain as he tried to stand on shaky legs, his knuckles dragging across the road. He let out a defiant roar, his fists slamming against his chest like a drum. Ozaru was about to rush Beat when Izuku appeared in front of him in another flash of light, a pair of green energy disks at his side.
Izuku acted quickly, feeling the puck amplify Rhapsody as he clapped his hands together. A deafening boom rang out as waves of green energy shot out from the source. The verdette was nearly blown away from the force, only to be saved by Beat as the Thrasher Hero managed to catch him in time while battling the resounding aftershocks to keep stable. The Villain felt the full force of the attack as he was knocked into the ground below him with a mighty crash, his body digging into the asphalt as it cracked from the impact.
Izuku and Beat's ears were ringing slightly, their saving grace being the headphones they wore that mitigated the explosive sound from Rhapsody. Their attention, however, was entirely on the Villain, their eyes widening as Ozaru slowly pushed himself back up, albeit rather sluggishly. The pair could see that Ozaru's eyes weren't as focused as he looked all around him, swiping at the air randomly.
"I think your Psych did more than damage him," Beat stated.
"I guess whatever has affected him doesn't account for everything," Izuku replied.
Beat turned his head to his intern, giving the verdette a confident smirk. "How's 'bout we finish this?"
Izuku returned the smirk with one of his own. He turned to face the Gorilla Villain, his green eyes flashing with determination, "I'm right behind you."
At that declaration, Izuku felt Ego roar within him, his energy surging like it had never before. The link between the Hero and student solidified, flowing evenly between them as they rushed the disoriented Villain.
Beat was the first to land a strike as he ollied in the air, extending his legs and spinning, sending out a wave of gold and green energy as he hit Ozaru. Izuku was quick to Blink in, performing a horizontal slash with Excalibur, the blade sending out more power as it was amplified by the shared puck. Wasting no time, the Thrasher Hero cut off his momentum by planting a hand onto the ground, lifting his body into a handstand, and slamming his board down on the Villain, followed up by the bunny-hooded Hero student who Blinking in front of Ozaru and released an uppercutting slash.
The surrounding crowd of civilians was mesmerized by the display of skill and coordination showcased by Izuku and Beat. Each attack was powerful enough that even the crowd winced from the hits, and left no room for the Villain to retaliate.
"Time for the beat drop!" Izuku and Beat declared together as they appeared in the air before Ozaru. The two performed a mid-air flip in unison, the puck fueling this final attack as the Thrasher Hero brought down his board with a powerful kick while the bunny-themed Hero student dropped a heavy slash with Excalibur.
Ozaru stood stock still as the attacks landed, green and gold energy trailing down his body before fading away. The Villain let out a groan as the strange static faded. Seconds later, he fell to his knees before his body collapsed to the ground, his back hitting the asphalt with a resounding thud and shake.
The duo kept their eyes on the downed Villain, ready to react to any movement. As the seconds ticked away, the two began to relax, the tension leaving their bodies as they made their way over to Ozaru. The crowd around them watched with bated breath, their curiosity growing as they wanted to know if the pair were victorious.
Beat leaned over to check on the Villain, noting that he was breathing rather haggardly with his eyes rolling to the back of his head. The blonde shared a look with Izuku, giving the young man a smirk as he held out his fist. The verdette bumped his fist against Beat's, returning the smirk with a relieved smile.
The crowd began to cheer wildly for the two. As Beat waved over a pair of officers, Izuku returned his attention to Ozaru. He felt one last mental prod as the color began to return to the Villain. As the tattoos receded on his arms, Izuku noticed that a blue wisp of energy left Ozaru as soon as the black ink faded. His eyes quickly tracked where the blue wisp of energy flew to, his head raising as he followed it to the top of the 104 Building.
"Beat! Up there!" Izuku called out as he pointed to the roof of 104. The Thrasher Hero heeded his intern's words and looked up. His eyes narrowed at the sight of a man standing on the edge of the building.
"HEY!" Beat cried out as he rushed to the building. He looked over his shoulder at Izuku, "Link! Stay there and keep an eye on King Kong!"
"Beat, hold on!" Izuku tried to reason with his Hero supervisor but Beat had already entered the building. Letting out a huff, the verdette shifted his focus, tapping the side of his headset as he called the younger Bito over the radio, "CodeR. Beat went after a potential suspect. They're on the roof of the 104 Building. Can you see anything on the cameras in the area?"
"I can look. I'll keep you posted," Rhyme replied.
Feeling something off with the situation, Izuku turned his eyes back up, only to find that the man was gone. The verdette's eyes scanned the city skyline, wondering how the man could have disappeared without anyone noticing. Izuku ran up and down the split road, hoping to find anything out of the ordinary, only to find absolutely nothing.
As soon as the Thrasher Hero appeared on the roof of the 104 building, his head peeking out over the edge, Izuku heard his radio crackle to life. "I don't like this. The guy just up and ghosted on us, yo." Beat said over the radio, his anger rising at the sudden disappearance of the man. "He's gotta be the one responsible for this and we lost him! R, you see anything?"
"No. The only shot I got was of him on the roof. He even turned to the camera and smiled at it before walking out of its range." Rhyme was just as frustrated as her brother if her tone was anything to go by. "I'm sending you both a screen cap now."
Izuku's phone buzzed immediately and he reached into one of his hard cases and pulled it out. Tapping the screen and pulling up the message he received from Rhyme, the bunny-hooded Hero student focused on the image.
Smirking at the camera was a man dressed in black clothing with tanned skin, notable whisker marks on his cheeks, and a pair of bright amber eyes visible in the shadow formed by the black cap covering his long, messy gray-brown hair. Adding to the insult of his evasion, the man even tipped his hat, showing off the odd, black tattoo that covered his left hand and forearm.
Izuku couldn't take his eyes off the screen. He couldn't help but shiver at the confidence behind that smirk. At how the eyes seemed to be challenging him through the screen. The verdette remembered the look in Shigaraki's eyes, how manic and full of malice they were. The leader of the League of Villains eyes showed that he was willing to hurt anyone to further his goals.
This pair of amber eyes, looking straight into Izuku's emerald ones were the same. Only instead of rage and madness, there was intelligence and cold calculation, and at the same time, an air of superiority mixed in as well.
- TOKYO, CITY STREETS -
Across the way and in the major center of Tokyo, through the bustling city streets, a woman was rushing through the crowds, her arms clutching a bag close to her chest. She ignored the indignant cries from those she crashed into as she ducked into a side alley and hugged the wall.
Her Quirk flared, camouflaging and blending her into the environment around her. The woman fought to steady her breathing, keeping an eye on the road, and looking for any signs of her pursuers. Her gang might have gotten caught by the Rabbit Hero and her new protégé, but she could still escape with some of their ill-gotten loot.
As a minute passed and nothing moved past the alleyway warranting her concern, the woman let out a held breath and almost started to chuckle when she heard a voice above her.
"You know, hiding works better when you aren't holding something that sticks out like a sore thumb." The woman looked up slowly, taking in the sight of Shoka propping herself against the wall, her sharp claws digging into the structure, anchoring her to its facade. The ravenette couldn't help but smirk at the look of disbelief the woman gave her. "That and while camouflage does its job hiding your body, it doesn't hide your breathing. Which is loud, by the way. Maybe you should work on that."
Shoka slid down the wall, landing gracefully on her feet as she stalked up to the woman, her tail playfully bouncing as she did. "I think it's best if you give up now. Mirko probably already took care of your friends and while I'm not a battle-hungry bunny," The ravenette held up her hand, flashing her claws and flexing them for the woman to see, "you don't want to push your luck with me."
The cat-hooded Hero student watched as the woman mentally debated with herself. There was a sense of panic in her eyes, obviously not wanting to risk aggravating the Bunny Hero if she was nearby.
She didn't like the thought of being punted to the moon.
"... Fuck," the woman grumbled out. "Fine. You win..."
"Good call," Shoka said as she took out a pair of Quirk-suppressing handcuffs, "Lay the bag on the ground, slowly, and turn around."
The woman complied, following Shoka's instructions to the letter. As the masked ravenette put her Hero Course lessons to use on apprehending criminals, Mirko bounded around the corner.
"I see you caught our runner," The Rabbit Hero stated plainly.
Shoka gave her mentor a nod while guiding the caught woman outside the alley and into the custody of officers who arrived shortly after Mirko. "Yep. Her Camouflage Quirk could have thrown anyone for a loop." She gestured to her Quirked ears and Mirko's, "Lucky for us, we have good hearing."
Mirko nodded and smirked, reminiscing about the time she caught someone who opted to hide themselves from her, "They always forget their breathing." The whitette nudged her head and began walking away from the officers while giving him a quick two-fingered salute, "Come on. Time for a break."
"Sounds good to me," Shoka replied, following closely behind the Rabbit Hero as the two left the criminal in the hands of the police.
They traveled down the streets of Tokyo for a small while as Mirko led Shoka to a drink shop nearby. Shoka watched Mirko interact with several fans and civilians while she enjoyed her beverage and took the time to check in Izuku, Momo, and the others.
She even shot Melissa a friendly hello to see how the blonde engineer was doing.
Chuckling to herself as she read over Momo's message in the group chat, Shoka enjoyed seeing how ecstatic her brainy girlfriend was interning under Edgeshot.
Materia: Edgeshot says he is proud of my training progress regarding my action and reaction times.
Materia: He said tomorrow will be our first patrol around the city. I'm honestly so excited for it!
Materia: How is everyone else faring with their internship?
Impulse: Good. Our side of Musutafu has been pretty chill for now.
Impulse: Other than that, Mic-sensei said that my playlists have gotten pretty popular, so that's a thing.
"That's underselling it, Kyoka," Shoka said out loud as she joined the chat.
ShoKat: Yeah, no. Theyre a freaking hit.
ShoKat: You gave me a kickass soundtrack yesterday during my spar with Mirko.
Materia: I have seen Edgeshot bobbing along to many of your selections when he thought no one was paying attention.
Whisper: Makes my punishment with Aizawa easier to deal with.
Impulse: Yeah, I heard from Mic-sensei that you got in trouble.
Impulse: He didn't say what happened though.
Materia: Is everything alright?
Whisper: Yeah.
Whisper: You all will learn more about it after the internships, but long story short, I ran into my friend while we were on our first night patrol and she's staying at the dorm for a bit.
Shoka quirked a brow at that. Shinso was the least problematic of the Problem Trio, so for him to do something to get on Aizawa's bad side was rare. Throw in the secret friend she and Izuku had been wanting to meet for a while and it paints an interesting picture.
ShoKat: Sounds like one helluva night.
Whisper: That it was.
Materia: As long as you and your friend are all right, that's all that matters.
Impulse: Speaking of friends. Has anyone heard from Greenie or Shoto?
ShoKat: Yeah. Izzy told me and Momo yesterday that he is a part of an investigation in Shibuya.
ShoKat: Said he was even working with the Commission.
ShoKat: Haven't heard from him today though. How bout you Momo?
Materia: Unfortunately, I have not. I don't wish to be overly concerned but...
Impulse: He gets into trouble like it's going out of style.
Materia: More like he tends to be in the middle of it or he can't but help those who find themselves in trouble.
Shoka nodded at that statement.
Impulse: I mean, first day out and he's already a part of something big going on over there.
Again, Shoka nodded at the statement. 'Only Izuku,'She thought to herself with a fond smile.
Whisper: And it just got bigger. The Tarzan impression was kinda spot on at least.
The ravenette tapped the link Shinso shared with the group. Her gray eyes widened at the view count of the video compared to its posting. Just near a million in just an hour, and climbing. And seeing Izuku and one of his mentors as the subject material, those fond feelings were now mixed with concern and some pride as Shoka already had an idea of what the video was about.
She snorted in amusement which turned into a full laugh as she watched him pull off his Tarzan act.
Shoka let out a low whistle as the fight kicked off, catching Mirko's attention. Looking over the ravenette's shoulder, the Rabbit Hero studied the 2v1 happening, feeling impressed with how the two fought the Villain, and wondering how she would fare in the fight.
The Rabbit Hero determined she would have some issues based on what she saw. A Villain tanking even her strongest kicks was something to be worried about. For her, it would just be a battle of attrition.
"This happened today?" Mirko asked, not taking her eyes off the screen as she saw the blonde Hero switch out for the verdette as he unleashed his soundwave clap against the Gorilla Villain.
"Yep," Shoka said, popping the P, "right over in Shibuya. That would be my boyfriend in the green bunny-hoodie."
Mirko hummed thoughtfully when recognition flickered in her red eyes, "That's the winner from the sports festival. Midoriya, right?"
Shoka nodded. There was a feeling of pride swelling with her at the mention of her boyfriend's accomplishment. She often felt that for both her dorks. While Izuku and Momo were certainly humble and would try to downplay their accomplishments, that didn't mean Shoka couldn't hype them up when she could or feel happy for them in those cases.
There was also how adorable their blushing was when they got overwhelmed with praise. Shoka definitely enjoyed those moments and the ones after when the three of them were alone.
The ravenette returned her attention to the video, replaying it when she was interrupted by a new message coming in.
Shoto: It seems like something Izuku would get involved in.
Impulse: Welcome to the party, Shoto.
Impulse: How is interning with the old man going for you?
Shoto: We've been in Hosu the whole day searching for the Hero Killer.
Shoka's eyes widened at the matter-of-fact response from Shoto. She didn't realize that her mentor had accidentally read the text over her shoulder, triggering the Rabbit Hero into a rant. While she didn't see Mirko's reaction, she did hear mentor's not-so-friendly words about Endeavor.
Materia: Shoto, that is rather sensitive information to share with us. Operational security and such.
Shoto: I figured that you all would like to know what was happening. Everyone in Hosu already does.
The ravenette would laugh at the socially stunted answer from Todoroki if the situation wasn't as dire as it was. She knew Iida was in Hosu from Izuku and now Shoto was there as well. Her boyfriend had assured the group that Iida was doing better but was still concerned about what exactly the speedster was planning regarding the Hero Killer. And now Shoto was also going to be in the same area with a Pro Hero that was no doubt on the top of the Hero Killer's shit list.
Shoka began to debate with herself on what to do. As her mind couldn't form a concrete consensus, those thoughts drifted to what Izuku would do in this case. And it was something that the group had just talked about. If Izuku wasn't already in the middle of trouble, he would somehow get involved with it to help someone out.
That was who he was. And it was that heroic side of him that Shoka had subconsciously used as a mold for her own persona to some degree.
With all this in mind, Shoka came to a decision. She just hoped Mirko would be willing to listen.
Then again, it was Mirko. The promise of a potential fight with the Hero Killer might be enough to drawn the whitette in.
"Hey, Mirko," Shoka turned to the still-raging Rabbit Hero.
"You don't even need to ask, Shokat." Mirko's leg began to thumb against the ground as he vented out her anger. "Fucking hell. Of course that asshat would try a stunt like this. Why not have a giant neon sign attached to yourself saying, Hey Villain I'm hunting, stay the fuck away from me."
The whitette turned to the Shoka, a determined look on her face as she addressed her intern, "Time to catch the Hero Killer before he disappears again and keep the dumbasses from getting themselves killed. Of all the ego-stroking stunts he could have-"
As Mirko began to stomp off, continuing her small tirade, Shoka got up and chased after her. Mirko turned her head, giving the ravenette a stern look, "Listen. Since we're about to jump into the middle of this, I don't need you getting killed out there. So, just in case, once we're in Hosu, you have full permission to act as you see fit. If we get separated and you need to fight, you better win."
Shoka nodded, feeling a little relieved at the level of trust Mirko gave her with that order. As she followed Rabbit Hero, the ravenette returned her attention to her phone, saving the video for later, and sending one last message to Shoto.
ShoKat: Get ready for an assist Shoto.