(Kata POV – UA Support Course, Development Studio)
I open the door to Mei's development studio, and immediately, something explodes.
Metal fragments, springs, and half-assembled lenses rain toward me as a plume of thick black smoke erupts from the far end of the room. The smell of scorched wiring and overheated circuitry hits my nose a second later.
I stop just inside the doorway.
The debris and smoke freeze inches from my face.
With a thought, I draw the dust, smoke, and microscopic fragments into a sphere mid-air, compress it, and erase it from existence. I make the heavier objects and support items levitate aside, forming a narrow, floating corridor through the wreckage.
"It's quite messy." I mutter, but Mei doesn't respond.
She's standing over a workbench buried under tangled wires, dressed in her usual work gear: loose black pants stained with oil, plain white shoes barely recognizable under grime, a black vertically striped tank top, oversized gloves, goggles covering her eyes, and soot streaks her cheeks as she coughs.
And yet, she looks thrilled.
"What went wrong…?" She mutters, crouching low, peering at the remains of whatever just detonated. "Was there a power surge? So the failsafe must've failed to activate." She begins diagnosing the problem immediately.
She snatches a notebook, scribbling furiously, while sparks pop nearby, but she doesn't seem to care.
"So many things could've caused an explosion!" She laughs. "Don't worry, I'll fix you up and you'll work even better."
She hops around, already rummaging through drawers, pulling out parts with reckless enthusiasm, throwing parts to the floor and adding to the already chaotic mess.
"Earth to Mei." I call out.
No response.
"Mei."
Still nothing.
I take another step forward and tap her shoulder. "Mei."
She finally whirls around. "Huh?!" She squints, then pushes her goggles up. Her eyes narrow as she appraises me.
"Oh!" Recognition sparks. "You're that guy I tested my babies on! Kato, right?! I got so much data on my Electromagnetic Cuffs thanks to you!"
I'm not offended. Honestly, I'm impressed she remembers me at all.
"Kata." I correct.
"Right, right, Kata!" She grins broadly, clapping a grease-stained hand against my back. "Perfect timing! I just blew up Prototype 47!"
She grabs my arm and immediately tries to drag me deeper into the lab. "I've already made so much support gear for you since last time! If you use my babies, they'll get famous! Famous babies get sponsors! Sponsors mean more funding! More funding means—"
She yanks harder… but I don't move.
She keeps walking, and it takes her a while to realise she's been walking in place, her arm stretched awkwardly as she holds me.
"Huh?" She looks back, blinking. "Oh. You're heavy. I think I have some support gear that can help with that." She begins looking around, and I stop her before she gets distracted again.
"I'm not here for testing." I say calmly.
She stops and turns to look at me.
"…Then why are you here?" She asks, tilting her head while retaining her smile.
Her eyes begin to sparkle unnaturally. A manic grin spreads across her face.
"You wanna make babies with me?!"
I blink once.
"Yes…" I say slowly, after a moment of silence. "…But you need to work on the phrasing."
"Ohhh, a custom development!" She laughs, immediately releasing my arm and whipping out her notebook and pen. "What're the specs you need?! I'll need to figure out the limitations myself?! And details on your quirk? I need to make sure my babies can handle you! This is perfect! I'll get so much data, given how strong your quirk is!"
She starts pacing, muttering under her breath as she scribbles.
"If you're wearing my babies, that'll give them so much credibility and media coverage. Sponsor interest. Government contracts—maybe international! Then I can build bigger labs and better babies!"
She looks at my face, before nodding. "You don't look bad either." She gives a thumbs up. "They'll definitely be popular."
She stops abruptly in front of me, eyes blazing.
"So!" She declares. "What do you want built first?!"
Behind her, something starts smoking again.
I glance at it. "That's gonna catch fire."
She waves it off without looking. "That's a feature."
I let out a quiet sigh.
'If she's sure…' I think, deciding it's not my problem.
I then hand her a notebook filled with detailed schematics and annotations for my new hero costume. Midnight and I spent the days leading up to the exams refining it. Although, I mainly worried about it's practicality, while she focused on style. And eventually, we agreed on its current design.
Mei takes it, and begins reading through it silently.
She flips through the pages slowly. Her grin fades, turning focused as her eyes dart across measurements, notes, layered diagrams. She hums occasionally, tapping her pen against the paper, flipping back and forth between sections.
When she finishes, she closes the notebook with a sharp nod.
"I love a challenge!" She declares with a grin. "And making a baby like this would be amazing!"
Then, without missing a beat—
"But it's impossible, so I can't do it!" She says with the same enthusiasm, which somehow makes it hit harder.
I'm not surprised. I'd have been more doubtful if she said she could do it.
"Besides…" She continues, handing the notebook back. "A full hero costume isn't something a Support Course student like me is allowed to make." She shrugs. "I can design add-ons and enhancements, but not the core suit itself. That's against regulations. So you'll have to ask me for something else."
I take the notebook and pause.
"You're not offended I asked you to do something impossible, and illegal?" I ask, tilting my head slightly. "You're even asking if I need anything else." I muse.
She looks at me like I just asked whether fire is hot.
"Of course not!" She says instantly. "You're free publicity! If you use my babies, they'll get famous. Famous babies get funding. Funding gets me better equipment. Better equipment means better babies!"
That much, at least, is exactly what I expected.
"In that case…" I say calmly. "I still need you to make the costume."
She blinks.
"…What?"
"I've already spoken to Principal Nezu." I continue. "He approved it. And we got permission from the company that manufactures the standard hero suits. Since the entire costume is practically a support item being used as clothing, it can technically fall under your jurisdiction."
Her eyes widen.
"…You went over my head and solved that issue first?"
"I had a feeling you'd agree if I sorted the paperwork out first."
She stares at me in stunned silence.
Then she shakes her head violently. "Still impossible!" She declares, her arms forming an X shape. "Materials like this don't exist." She taps the notebook. "Almost all of these break material science. It's practically fantasy."
She sighs dramatically. "Otherwise, I'd already be making babies this cool."
"I know." I reply. "That's where my quirk comes in."
That gets her attention.
"I can transmute matter." I explain evenly. "More importantly, I can alter a materials atomic structure, as well as it's physical properties."
I explain in more detail, with the main limitation being that physics would still apply. So, raising the density of something, will affect its mass, and so on, unless I'm actively using Telekinesis to cancel out such effects.
'Which is what I need to avoid.'
She listens attentively, and when I finish, she gives me a long, evaluating look.
"Alright…" She says at last, crossing her arms. "Show me."
She begins jotting down different materials, theoretical composites, and structural alterations in a separate notebook. Even detailing instructions on how to tweak atomic arrangements to achieve very specific effects.
It's… disturbingly precise.
I strongly suspect she originally intends to use these in her projects.
Still—
'She's a genius.' I admit. 'And if anyone can help me design this properly, it's her.'
I follow her instructions.
I create the materials exactly as specified.
She snatches them the second I'm done and bolts back to the half-destroyed workstation where her earlier prototype detonated, and immediately begins working.
Minutes pass, and eventually, she powers her prototype on again, and…
"…It didn't explode." She whispers.
Then she throws her arms into the air.
"It didn't explode!" She laughs, spinning in place.
"I'm so proud of you!" She hugs the invention like it's a newborn child, then slowly turns toward me.
Her eyes are blazing.
She power-walks over, grabs my hands, and stares at me with terrifying sincerity. "Let's spend the rest of our lives making babies together."
"…You know…" I say dryly. "That sounds like a marriage confession."
"Is that all it'd take? Then let's do it!" She fires back instantly. "Guess we're married now, so make me these next." She commands, already scribbling another list of materials.
"No." I say flatly. "I'll have to refuse."
She freezes.
The air goes deathly still.
"…No?" She repeats slowly.
Her head snaps up, goggles sliding back down over her eyes as she stares at me like I've committed a grave sin.
"You're refusing?" She asks, her voice sharp. "We haven't even done anything, and you want to back out?"
I raise an eyebrow. "I think you're misunderstanding something—"
But she doesn't hear it.
Her hands slam onto the worktable as she leans forward, eyes blazing.
"Do you have any idea what you're asking me to give up?" She demands. "Do you know how amazing it'll feel?! We could make so many adorable babies, and you're just—just—"
She gestures wildly at me.
"—turning that away?!"
'Did she really misunderstand me?' I furrow my brows, wondering if she's actually talking about real babies, which is unlikely, but possible.
"Just to be sure… you think I don't want to help you make materials?" I ask.
"Yes!" She snaps immediately. "You come in here, show me the most ridiculous, beautiful schematics I've ever seen, prove you can literally bend material science—" She points at the still-intact prototype. "—and then you say no?!"
She begins placing, while continuing her rant.
"Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable. I thought you understood the value of innovation!"
I watch her for a moment longer than necessary.
'It's a relief she doesn't want to force a marriage.' I sigh.
"Mei." I interrupt evenly.
"What?!" She asks, looking almost on the verge of a panic attack.
"I'm refusing the marriage proposal." I say plainly. "Not… making materials."
She finally stops.
"…Oh." The tension evaporates instantly.
Her posture relaxes as her scowl fades.
"…Ohhh." She repeats, slower this time. "That part."
"Yes."
She stares at me for a second.
Then waves a hand dismissively.
"Oh, that's fine." She immediately smiles again.
I narrow my eyes slightly. "That was a quick turnaround."
"Well, yeah." She shrugs. "Marriage is just paperwork. Babies are the real commitment."
"That's not—" I start, then stop myself. "…Never mind."
I begin doubting whether she does it on purpose.
She narrows her eyes, suddenly thoughtful.
"…You know." She says slowly, circling me. "Most guys would panic, blush, or try to at least let me down gently."
"That'd be wasted effort on you." I reply dryly.
"Hmm." She hums approvingly. "Efficient. I like that. Still rude though." She laughs.
She stops in front of me, eyes gleaming again. This time they carry a calculating glint.
"So…" She says brightly. "You'll still help me make babies, right?"
"Yeah." I confirm. "You're helping me with my costume, so it's only fair I do something in return."
Her grin spreads dangerously, showing her delight.
"Oh, you're definitely helping me." She says. "You just don't realize how much yet."
I raise an eyebrow. "I don't like the way you're putting it."
"It's simply logical." She hums cheerfully. "Think about it! You creating impossible materials, allows me to make impossible inventions. Are they even impossible now?" She details herself for a moment before jumping back on point. "Either way, together, we make babies so advanced the Support Course curriculum will have to be rewritten!"
She leans closer.
"And eventually…" She adds. "You're gonna want to keep making them with me. I'll make sure of it."
I meet her gaze calmly. "That sounds like manipulation."
She beams. "It is!"
Then she spins back to her workstation, already grabbing tools.
"Don't worry." She calls over her shoulder. "I'll make sure you fall in love with the process first. Humans are way easier to convince once they're emotionally invested."
I exhale, a silent sigh escaping me.
This partnership is going to be difficult in ways I didn't expect.
********
A/N: Hello Everyone! How are you all? If you've enjoyed the chapter and book thus far, please consider leaving me some comments, reviews, or power stones. It really helps the book out.
So... Ngl, I wanted to push the plot along, but somehow Mei drags it out. She hasn't had much screen time, so a lot was needed, but plot moves forward starting tomorrow. And I'll create a completely unrelated poll regarding that👀.
So, Mei's personality is really hard to get right. Beyond her intensity, there's seldom her showing other emotions in canon, except her being serious when working, so it inherently feels a bit weird for me to write her like this, but I tried to keep her logic. And yeah, I 100% believe she'd go through with a marriage for those materials🤣. As for sex... Nah. Actually, I don't know. But I'd prefer to think not. She'd find another way.
Anyway, before I digress, transmutation and property manipulation are abilities Kata hasn't used much. Mainly because back when he got them, he still thought his quirk was bound by physics. To clarify, he can't do something impossible, like make glass indestructible out of nowhere. Hence why it said it has to follow physics, unless he's using his quirk to counteract that. So, invincibility for example, would be increasing the density so much, it's be hard to damage, but the mass could cause a black hole. Stuff like that.
And the reason he wants it not to need his quirk (as well as him getting help from Mei) are two fold. 1) In the event his quirk doesn't work, it's not related. So, AFO wouldn't be able to cancel out whatever changes he's made to the material. And 2) He needs Mei since she's the genius in stuff like this and is quite creative. He could study all material science and figure out what needs to be done relatively quickly, but she's got unique ideas, and he won't have to waste as much time on it. Besides, studying and understanding as well as gaining insights are all different. The other reason being, he needs a support course student to make the costume (support item) [it'll be explained why I'm combining support item and the costume into 1 when the costume is finished].
You can also read 10 chapters ahead and support me at [email protected]/AMV_WEAKLY
So feel free to vote as you desire. And I hope you enjoy the rest of your day/night 😁