A sigh escaped my lips as I torn down another canvas. It was such a failure of a piece that I threw it out the balcony and beamed it into nothing.
I'm still bothered about what happened at the bus, and clearly, so too were the everyone else in class, mostly.
Manga was definitely wasn't as off-putted by it and is simply giving some space. As for the others? I wouldn't know exactly. I mostly kept to myself for a while now, jumping out the hallway window after class, retreating to my room after school or eating lunch at higher altitudes. I made sure to avoid anyone using my expanded senses.
But it wasn't too lonely either..
Granny had cookies in her office when she found out and she didn't ask when I wasn't comfortable telling any extra details from what I've already told. Though she did also suggest therapy and trauma processing, something that I've unknowingly avoided.
Thirteen-sensei is fond of other alumni, and she was already acquainted with Kuroko since class 1-A had rescue training first, so naturally my girlfriend was informed. Which led to her call and text frequency going up. And since Kuroko is friends with Nejire-senpai, hers went up too. --Not to mention Kuroko actually snuck in my room for 'cuddle therapy' as she calls it--
It wouldn't seem like much to a lot of people, but it was enough for me. As evident from the cracks that have mostly faded.
I put my gloves back on along with the rest of my uniform for today's class. Didn't really feel like getting a big breakfast so I just a had a banana from the table I was painting earlier.
~~~~~
Watching as Red be the first to leave for class as usual, a groan escaped me as I thought about my next course of action. I've been agonizing about whether this is the right thing to do or not but my conscience ultimately won out.
I went over to the room next door, knocked and waited.
And waited.
"Great. She's out." I clicked my tongue at the terrible coincidence.
"Set? Need anything?" Or not.
I turned to look and saw walking out the elevator with a small basket in her arms. It looked like she just finished taking a bath.
"Yeah, got a minute, Itsuka? This is important."
She paused. It isn't everyday that I'm this serious after all. "Sure. Come on in." She opened the door and gestured inside.
~~~~~
"-The sports festival is near!"
"Heck yeah!" "Finally!" "Time to bust out some moves!" "Can't wait for the crowd to go wild!" "They'll never know what hit 'em!"
"Settle down, class." Kan-sensei calmed them down. "I know that all of you are excited to show off but what you should really be thinking about is how big of a chance the academy's sports festival would present for all of you." His expression turned serious, the class paying at top attention at his next words. "Our sports festival is one of Japan's biggest events! The Olympics were once the world's sports festival. The whole country would be whipped into a frenzy over them. But as you know, that tradition has shrunk in scale to a shell of its former self... As far as Japan is concerned, what's taken the place of the Olympics is the U.A. sports festival!"
"Dude, that's gonna be sick." Awase commented. "I watch those every year on TV with my parents and now I'm gonna participate in one? Awesome."
"Not to mention tons of people are gonna be watching." Added Honenuki. "Some of them are going to be heroes that might be interested in us."
Kan-sensei nodded at that the exchange. "That is correct. And naturally, you'll also gain valuable experience and popularity of you were picked by a big-name hero. But your time is limited, show the pros what you're made of here, and you'll make a future for yourselves. This event only happens once a year, so you all got three chances. If you're going to become a hero, this is an event you cannot miss and I hope that you don't not squander this opportunity."
""""""""""Yes, Sensei!""""""""""
~~~~~
I was walking along down the stairs, minding my own business as I head for the cafeteria, when I saw a large figure was peeking over the corner and beckoning me to come closer.
I sighed as I did. "This better not be about therapy, All Might." I said as he led me to a nearby empty classroom.
"What? No!" He denied expressively. "I wanted to asked for a favour."
He at least had the decency to wither under the stare I was giving him. "Depends on the favour."
"Uh, well, you see..." He's touching the tips of his index fingers together. What is he, a heroine in a shojou manga? "The sports festival is coming up and I was hoping..." His voice dropped to low whisper. "Hoping that you can supervise a certain student's training..."
"Sorry, could you repeat that last bit?"
"I was, *cough*, hoping that you can supervise a certain student's training."
'Definitely about Midoriya.' "And why should I?"
"Well, the boy has a tendency to go beyond the current limits of body." He raised both hands as I opened my mouth. "Now I know that 'Plus Ultra!' is the school motto but this boy would repeatedly break his bones just by using his quirk to the fullest. I wanted you to be there and help him get a better hold of his power."
"Shouldn't you be asking for granny's help instead of mine, then?"
"While that is true, her quirk would still leave the patient tired, yours doesn't. So I figured that the boy could have a faster rate of learning if you would be the one to supervise instead."
I stared at him.
He met my gaze.
I raised an eyebrow.
.
..
...
A moment passed in silence, neither of us breaking eye contact.
"Alright, fine! It's because Chiyo scares me!" I grinned as he cracked first.
"And I don't?" I teased him.
"Of course not! I know you have a heart of gold in there!"
"And granny doesn't?"
"No! I mean yes! Gah, you know what I mean!" He huffed. "So, will you do it?"
"I don't know~ it kinda sounds like special treatment to me..." I averted my eyes. "I wonder how people would react if they found out that All Might is playing favourites." That sounded like a threat but I couldn't resist.
"Guhack!" Nice reaction! "What? No! Of course not! It's just that young Midoriya has a similar quirk to mine and he reminds me of my younger self, that's all!"
"So his name's Midoriya, huh? He's the one you chose for your legacy?"
He sputtered. This guy is seriously fun to tease.
"I don't know what your talking about." His eyes are shaking left and right.
"Don't lie." I crossed my legs slowly. "Back during the beginning of the Catastrophic Descent, you mentioned something about All for One clashing with your legacy." I shrugged. "Granted you never did explain what it was but it doesn't take a genius to put two and two together."
All Might's expression turned half-serious and half-pleading. "Alright. What do you want?"
Naturally, I acted in kind. "Extended curfew for me and one other person, plus you owe one." Kuroko would be happy with the first one.
"Best I can do is an extra two hours and a favour that wouldn't compromise my morals or the law while still being reasonable."
"Then I guess that means we can discuss that future favour when the time comes, then?" He nodded.
"Alright, Deal." We reached out and shook each others hands as the negotiation came to a close.
~~~~~
"-And that's why we're here."
"I understand! I'll do my best!"
I blinked at his enthusiasm.
I waited for him after class, ambushed the guy and practically kidnapped him and yet he's taking the situation calmly.
That's not fun at all...
"Yeah... Go get changed." I wasn't pouting.
"Right!" And off he goes. I took this chance to message granny that I wouldn't be able to make today and threw out a random excuse. Then I messaged Kuroko telling her about the extra privilege I got us by doing a teacher a favour. And that's pretty much it.
My relationship with class 1-B is weird.
Manga's still cool with me, so is with Yanagi and Kuroiro and Kodai for some reason. Pony's tried to cheer me up and I appreciate that. Kendo is giving me space just as much as she's keeping an eye on me. Tokage seemed conflicted about something and the rest of everyone ranges from 'neutral' like Bondo to 'complicated' like Monoma.
Speaking of which, I owe that guy an apology... Even if he does take his supremacy fixation too far.
"I'm ready to start, er-!" Midoriya came running. "I forgot we having introduced ourselves! I'm Midoriya Izuku, pleasure to have you today! And thanks for what you did to me a few days ago, and thanks again for that time during the entrance exams."
"Shuzenji Kizuki, likewise, and I'm just doing my job." I nodded. "Now go... Do your thing. Or something."
"Oh, uh, sure!" He replied. A paused in the conversation. "...Um, are you going to...?"
Guess we're both bad this. "No. Just here to supervise. And heal." I explained. "Yell if you break a bone."
I patted his shoulder before walking away. 'A pat would make me look more friendly, right?... Right?'
~~~
This isn't working.
This is the third time I had to come and fix him and it hasn't even been an hour since we started! So much for his intelligence, this guy looks up to All Might so much that his common sense must've dropped to match his too!
"If this was an elaborate prank, then I'm at awe at your commitment to your role. Either that, or you're a masochist."
"Huh?" Why are you blushing? Are you that innocent? "Wh-what do you mean? What prank?"
"Seriously? Why else would you overload a limb like that. Repeatedly, I might add."
"I wasn't doing it on purpose! I was trying to control it!"
"And pray tell, explain to me how breaking your arms constitutes as 'control'?"
He pulls out a notebook. A notebook I was sure he didn't have on him earlier. "Well, I was picturing an image of an egg in a microwave and that-"
"Stop." I interrupted him. "What kind of analogy is that? Let me guess, you were imagining your body as the egg and are careful about it exploding?" He nodded. "Like this?"
To demonstrate, I made a head filled to bursting with my energy. It was glowing dangerously red and had it fly away from before letting it explode. I watched as his slack-jawed expression morph into fascination as metaphorical stars light up in his eyes. "That was so cool!was that your quirk? How does it work exactly? Aretheysentient?ormaybeitsaformofhive-mind?Isitsomehowtiedtoyourstaminaorsomekindofotheralternateenergysourcebutthen-"
"Stop!" So that was the infamous Midoriya mumble storm. I understood everything he said and it honestly wasn't as bad as I was expecting. "I was only making a comparison. We're not here to talk about my quirk but rather yours."
"Right! Sorry!"
"No harm done." I waved. "So anyway, as I was saying. If you couldn't contain all that power in a single head, why contain it in a single head in the first place?" This time, I made a dozen or so heads. "The amount of energy in the previous head is now inside these ones before you. See how none of them are unstable?"
The twinkle in his eyes are definitely sparkling now. His smile grew across his face as he snapped his notebook shut. "I get it now!" And immediately his body began to spark and light up in a green glow. "Hold the image... Of carrying it uniformly...!" Red lines of energy ran across his body. "Across my whole body...!" It seemed like he truly understood the principle now until the light show sputtered out and he was breathing heavily. "Five percent... That's my current limit!"
"Congrats. No broken bones this time." He looked so triumphant. "Now do it again. Longer."
He did as I asked. Midoriya is latching on his power and holding it as long as he can.
I walked in front of Midoriya to face him directly.
'A shounen protagonist, with the potential to match...' I stared intently. 'It was already too late to attempt fixing All Might's habit of brute forcing things, but now I have a chance to alter that. I bet Shinomori-san would like to see a shadow of his style in the current user...'
So, without warning, I threw a right hook at him which he dodged narrowly. But not too well as he stumbled back a few steps and the telltale signs of quirk use disappearing. "Wha-"
"Again." I interrupted him. "Try and hold on to your quirk while I go at you."
"But-!"
"Ready or not,-"
"Wait!"
I crouched. "-Here-"
"One moment!"
I braced. "-I-"
He lit up again.
And I launched myself. "-Go!"