Episode12. Part III.

"They say clothes make the man, young ladies and gentlemen," boomed All Might's voice as we entered the Battle Center. "Get ready... from this moment on, you are Heroes!"

We spread out at the entrance, waiting for the stragglers, and I started observing everyone. Being one of the first to arrive, I couldn't help but feel like a shepherd watching over my flock.

Though, most of these "sheep" would probably try to punch me in the face for calling them that…

I smirked.

... and if they managed to, I'd only be happier. Any motivation is good, as long as it makes you stronger!

With interest, I eyed Iida's armor. He hadn't tried lecturing anyone in the past few days—no one was listening to him anyway. His armor looked impressive, a fusion of knight armor and race car design. Was it functional? Probably not; more like cheap Transformer cosplay.

Still, I'd be curious to see how tough it is. At the very least, it was aerodynamic.

I chuckled while looking at Kiyotaka's outfit. It was similar to mine but made of fabric—cloth half-mask on his face, sleeveless arms, fingerless gloves, and a vest with multiple pockets on his chest. Everything was either black or dark blue. We ended up looking quite alike, though he was a head shorter and narrower in the shoulders.

Honestly, with his silver hair, someone might confuse us… if it weren't for the ridiculous electric lights strung across my suit! Definitely electric: I found the switch to turn them off!

I spotted Izuku, blushing and stammering in response to Ochako, who was also blushing in her tight spandex suit.

Am I the only one who thinks her outfit looks like a big pink... well, personal massager?

I tried not to laugh and shifted my attention to Midoriya's green costume, which made him look like a grinning, scrawny pickled green rabbit.

Or… someone very familiar—oh, how convenient, our teacher for today…

All Might noticed the resemblance too and chuckled. He tried covering his face, but I'm tall enough to see everything!

It took even more effort not to burst out laughing at Bakugo's ridiculous outfit. Dude, I get that your grenade-shaped gauntlets probably serve some purpose, but what's with the black... hair clip? Bow? Pom-pom? Oh my god… does your nickname have something to do with this?

Speaking of which…

Here's the funny thing: Midoriya, being Bakugo's one-sided childhood friend, always calls him "Kacchan." It's a nickname that comes from blending his first name—Katsuki—with the honorific "-chan" that's often used for small children, regardless of gender. Hence, Kacchan.

Now, remember that in Japanese, "mom" is pronounced "Haha" (母 or はは). Funny, right? Hahaha.

But the more respectful way to address a mother is "Okaa-san" (お母さん or おかあさん). You'd use this at a formal dinner or when addressing someone else's mother. Especially when you totally blank on her last name, lol.

But little kids don't grasp such nuances and often just shorten words and add the honorific "-chan." So what do you get?

Kaa-chan. "Mommy."

Now picture this: Midoriya calling out to a growling, explosive Katsuki with a nickname that sounds suspiciously close to "Mommy."

I couldn't help but grin wider, and quickly turned away before Katsuki learned how to make people explode with just a look.

Sure, the words "Kaachan" and "Kacchan" sound a bit different and are written differently in Roman letters, but…

But to an outsider—like me, for example—it's really easy to confuse the two. And that's hilarious.

Noted. I'll definitely use that mix-up one day.

Anyway, "Mommy" here probably needs a good reality check soon. It'd be better if he sorted things out with Izuku sooner rather than a year from now. Sure, respect isn't earned in a day, but maybe with my help, he'll figure it out quicker—and finally let go of one of those heavy anchors dragging him down.

As far as I remember, their slow-burning, occasionally explosive conflict lasted until… well, until that part of the canon I managed to watch. And it only cooled down when they went on some practice mission… uh, where did they go again? And with whom?..

I sighed and glanced up at the blue sky.

Sometimes I felt like my blue hair wasn't just a coincidence. Like it was a hint… that my Quirk was meant for something more than just running or fighting.

Maybe one day I could fly…

What is flight, after all? Denying the lowly dependence on the ground, the need for a foothold, moving in any direction…

Flight is, above all, freedom.

Maybe if I want to be free, it's time to let go of the self-imposed rules and restrictions?

I lowered my gaze back to my classmates—people I knew from old, faded notes… yet were complete strangers, new faces.

Perhaps it's time to stop worrying about following the canon. And stop trying to adhere to it. At best, I could use what little knowledge remains, the knowledge that brought me to U.A. in the first place. After all, in a few months, after the USJ incident, everything will change anyway… one way or another.

Sure, it was comforting to feel like the story was on rails, but… elaborate plans and strategies tend to crumble at the smallest changes. And I'm not even good at them. I wasn't even one hundred percent sure if this world was exactly like the one I saw in, Kami-sama forgive me, a kids' cartoon.

And how many changes had I personally introduced, with my own hands, feet, and other body parts? Too many to count! I brought Yui here, Setsuna too, Mashirao is in a different class, Toga's here and not a villain, at least not yet… I'm here, there's Kiyotaka… Oh right, and four people didn't make it into Class A. One of them—Mineta—didn't even become a hero.

For all I know, maybe Mineta was supposed to save Midoriya's life in a month or two when the villains attack. And without him, everyone's doomed? I don't know. I don't remember.

If I try to follow every thread of this tangled web of events and lives, I'll lose my mind. Or rather… I'll go crazy sooner than expected.

I guess, I just need to let it go. And relax.

If you think about it, I've already accomplished most of the goals I set for myself: I've been in a fight and tested my powers, I got first place in the entrance exam and made it into Class A, I've connected with Midoriya, and I've brought the girls to U.A., increasing their chances of survival. Oh, and I buried my "treasure."

Maybe I should celebrate somehow, throw a student party or something? Get drunk for the first time in this new life? Maybe even… go on a date?

I chuckled at my own thoughts. With whom? Toga, who'd probably eat me?

Or rather, eat me up.

Speaking of 'minette'… or rather, Mineta. I found out after the fact that despite scoring twenty villain points and making clever use of his Quirk—both to immobilize robots by sticking them to walls and to block their guns—Mineta failed the practical exam. Not because of his score. He wasn't allowed into the Hero Course due to ungentlemanly behavior.

In other words, when everything was calm, he distracted others with his Quirk, tossing his sticky balls around carelessly, and a few times tried to cling to other applicants like a stoned baby koala.

And when the giant robot appeared, the grape-colored midget bolted in the opposite direction, panicking like a cornered animal, screeching all the while. He didn't even notice his bubbles sticking to other students, preventing them from running away.

Yeah, he pushed Yui in the back, the jerk.

Still, he was allowed to enroll in either the General Studies or Management faculties. He chose the latter. More girls there.

Lately, my thoughts always seem to drift back to girls.

Speaking of which… it's like a fashion show in here!

I raised an eyebrow, taking in Yaoyorozu's revealing swimsuit-like costume with something like an inflatable ring around her waist. I get that she needs open skin to use her Quirk… and lots of it… but what's the point of that neckline?

Don't get me wrong, if she were someone else, Momo could probably distract opponents with her figure and womanly assets, like Midnight does. At least, that's what I would do if I were a woman.

But she's… a delicate flower. And the costume's impractical. Maybe the design wasn't hers, but recommended by the same people who recommended her as well? It'd be better to leave her stomach exposed; that way, she'd have more access, and it'd be more modest.

Who's next?

I nodded approvingly at Setsuna, giving her a thumbs-up, and she blushed. Taking her organic, scale-like costume that complemented her Quirk, she added a mask similar to Kiyotaka's respirator, along with a hood, long wide sleeves, and a flaring skirt.

Smart!

Why? Because the sleeves and especially the skirt would hide the exact number of body parts she had at any given moment. If a few were missing, the enemy wouldn't even notice… until it's too late and she knocks them out.

I shifted my gaze to Yui's costume and… wow.

So that's what she's been working on… I couldn't judge the practicality, but in terms of style, her costume outclassed all of ours—even mine.

Staying true to the ideals from her favorite books on medieval Japan, as well as her image over the last few years, Yui based her design on a samurai's armor. Silver rectangular protective plates on her shoulders and skirt beautifully complemented the white and frosty blue accents. The chest plate, which looked quite sturdy, accentuated her slim waist. The pattern of… I smiled… snowflakes repeated across the surface. Completing the look was a helmet that, with its large, wide "hat" and several upward-curving horns, looked more like a crown.

Now that was a "Snow Queen."

She leaned casually on an ornate metal staff, locking eyes with me and giving a small smile and wink.

She must've been waiting for me to notice, probably chose the perfect angle… I smirked wider. Women—they're terrifying.

Alright, where's my troublemaker? I looked around, but there was no sign of Himiko. Hmm...

Before I could panic and start searching for bodies, Toga appeared from the darkness of the changing room, which, by the way, had another entrance directly into the Center.

And when I saw her outfit… I was genuinely taken aback.

"Hi… Himiko," I stammered indignantly, "what is that?"

"Do you like it?!" She pressed her hands to her chest, spun around, and the short skirt flared up even higher. Somewhere nearby, Midoriya audibly sucked in his breath. "I love it! Isn't it kawai?"

"Kawai, sure, not the word I'd use… but why do you look like a magical girl?.."

"Hey, hey, hey! I'm not a magical girl; I'm just a cute schoolgirl!"

"So… a normal school uniform is your costume?"

"Not normal! I shortened the skirt, see?" … I refused to look. She pouted and continued, "And I wanted them to give me a knife… but they didn't give me a knife… and I wanted some syringes—y'know, to draw blood—but they didn't give me those either… Niren, can I bite you? I'm hungry."

In response, I silently activated my helmet, sealing myself inside my armor from head to toe.

Himiko started tapping on my armored shoulder with her fists.

"Just a little… come on… Niren-kun…"

"Ahem," All Might finally snapped out of it, though everyone present had been listening in silence. "Almost everyone… I mean, this is amazing! You all look fantastic!"

"Niren, do you heeear..?" ... she tugged at my sleeve.

"... if you look at the statistics, most villain confrontations happen indoors, not…"

"I want some blood, Niren… let me have a little bite…"

"… the truly smart villains hide in the shadows!"

"I just want a quick nibble… just one, maybe two…"

"… for this exercise, you'll split into teams of two, heroes and villains, and…"

"A little, I swear… just give me some, Niren…"

Tsuyu asked, "Without basic training?"

"This is real combat for understanding those basics!" All Might declared dramatically, striking a pose as if he were about to kiss his own bicep. "But there's a twist this time—there are no robots you can just…"

"Just a bit… I promise I'll behave…"

"And yet, Aizawa-kun did warn me about her..." the Symbol of Peace muttered. But this was All Might, used to speaking loudly to instill confidence in everyone… so, naturally, everyone heard.

Toga didn't even blink, continuing to peck at me like a woodpecker with the persistence of a jackhammer.

"Ni-i-ren… plee-ase…"

A few people, like Momo and Iida, tried to glare disapprovingly, but then seemed to remember that the troublemaker wasn't timid, mumbling Midoriya, who could easily be silenced. It was Himiko Toga—and maybe me, too—so they kept quiet and minded their own business. Hypocrites.

Meanwhile, All Might got flooded with questions, and, seemingly nervous, pulled out a thin pamphlet with the practice's plan. He started droning on about the conditions for the "scenario" we'd be simulating.

"… the villains have hidden a nuclear weapon in their hideout, and the heroes…"

I just smiled. The idea that this confident mountain of a man who had saved countless lives and given thousands of interviews could get nervous about teaching hero wannabes was hilarious to me. If anything, he was just playing the part of an insecure teacher.

Well, we all have our ways of dealing with superhuman stress.

"… you either catch the villains or find the nuclear weapon within the allotted time…"

"Ni-i-ren, just give me some blood…"

I started shaking with laughter, silently.

Damn it, I really need to get these laughing fits under control—they're happening at the worst times.

What if I get one during the Simulation Joint fight?

That sobering thought instantly killed my laughter.

"… the villains must either protect the weapon or capture the heroes. Teams will be decided by drawing lots."

As everyone began drawing slips of paper, I leaned down to whisper in the blonde's ear, retracting my helmet. The tousled "donut" of her hair tickled.

I whispered quietly to the little bunny-like pieces of mind, hiding somewhere deep in Himiko's head:

"Not now. Later. Right now, you're being very rude. This boulder of muscles over there is a legendary hero, an icon for all of us. He's given us a few hours of his life to teach us how to become like him. Listen carefully and don't make noise."

My words didn't leave a huge impact on Himiko, but she did let go of me, sulking and trying to act more appropriately for the valuable moment.

And just like that, the moment passed, and off we went somewhere.

Typical.

***

So, the lottery—it's great!

Finally, things are heating up!

There was logic behind this random pairing, plenty of it. Pro-heroes are often forced to form spontaneous alliances with whatever colleague happens to be around—there are lots of districts in cities, chases often go through the whole city, and different agencies compete for territory. Not to mention different people patrol on different days and shifts… The logic was the same as when we students were assigned to different classes—maximum variety in situations for each of us.

Out of the twenty of us, ten teams were formed based on the first letters of the English alphabet.

Team "A"—Midoriya and, surprisingly, Kyoka Jiro, the cute girl with the earphone jacks. However, in this past week, I realized she was only quiet and sweet with a select few, including me and a couple of others. With most of our classmates, she was confident, direct, aggressive, and even a bit rough. In fact, she wasn't shy about using violence—Denki, who made a couple of borderline comments, got a solid hit from those "cords" growing out of her ears. "Earjacks"?

Honestly, I like that kind of character; I'd prefer people talked to me that way. But alas.

I wonder how she and Izuku will get along?

Team "B"—Todoroki and Kirishima. Well… someone's going to have a bad time. If the first one doesn't settle things immediately, the second will have no problem covering the rear.

Team "C"—Momo and Iida. Oh, the team of buzzkills!

Team "D"—Bakugo. Frankly, if I'm assessing his abilities correctly, he could take on everyone except me and Todoroki. But he's also paired with Uraraka, who's a formidable opponent in her own right.

Again—someone's in for a rough time.

Team "E"—Mina and Yui. They'll be strong defenders, but as attackers… eh, not so much.

Team "F"—Niren Shoda and Himiko Toga. Press "F," as they say.

From what I gathered, my slip and Toga's simply stuck together when they were tossed into the box one after the other. Oh-ho-ho...

Team "G"—Denki and Aoyama. Long-range attacks for the win?

Team "H"—Tokoyami and Asui. Bird-man and Frog-girl. Natural enemies, heh.

Team "I"—Setsuna and Hanta, a.k.a. Sero. Lego-woman and Tape-man. A highly mobile duo, dangerous especially if they're the "hero" invaders.

Team "J"—Kiyotaka and the invisible girl, I always forget her name.

Next, All Might, not wasting any time, pulled out two boxes and drew a smooth wooden ball from each. Like bingo, but with letters instead of numbers.

"First up are them!"

"E" and "H."

The "villains," who turned out to be Kodai and Ashido, were sent to take positions in a building that didn't stand out from the others. Was it chosen randomly too?

The "heroes" were left outside to wait. Both sides were given blueprints of the building and ten minutes to prepare. All Might recommended not holding back or fearing injuries, promising to step in if things got too heated.

Meanwhile, we observers headed to the observation point, which turned out to be hidden among the mock buildings on the training grounds.

I had an intense urge to bet with someone.

Of course, I'd bet on Yui.

Even if she had low odds, I'd still bet on her, just like I would for Setsuna's team. And on myself.

The observation room was impressive. The unremarkable concrete box housed a massive screen, like in a movie theater, where we could watch this reality show from five different angles. The entire building was lined with armored plates on the inside.

All Might leaned toward the microphone on the control panel, which, next to his huge hands, looked like a toothpick, and announced:

"Let's start the indoor battle training between teams 'E' and 'H'!"

The match had a time limit of fifteen minutes.

The defenders (I think this name fit their role better) immediately sprang into action, while the attackers quickly infiltrated the building.

It turned out that Tsuyu could jump high and far, stick to walls like a clone of Peter Parker, and use her tongue as a grappling hook to latch onto railings or window frames. Tokoyami hadn't shown anything impressive yet, relying on the girl's help.

Meanwhile, on another screen, Yui's army was making grand preparations for defense, and as expected from my first student, the plan was multilayered. I grinned throughout the entire fifteen minutes.

First, Yui convinced Mina to pour acid all over the stairs leading to their floor, literally melting them. Of course, this wouldn't stop Tsuyu the frog, but it would slow down the bird who couldn't fly.

Second, Ashido had to keep running from window to window—those they left open—and regularly coat the windowsills with slippery acid, protecting them from the French escapee.

Third, Yui enlarged various concrete blocks, barrels, railings, and even construction debris, which were abundant in the building, creating makeshift barricades blocking access to their floor.

Fourth, the two of them set up several traps. Mina's mines, so to speak.

In short, the girls dug in.

However, their tactic had one major flaw. They had to constantly renew their defenses—whether it was fresh acid or maintaining enlarged objects, their strength was quickly depleting, and they wouldn't last long.

But they could hold out for fifteen minutes.

And they almost did…

When the "heroes" finally reached the barricades, they hesitated at first, but then Tsuyu tried sneaking around the building's exterior—and unexpectedly easy broke through to their floor, where she was promptly chased around by Mina.

As it turned out, the frog-girl could cover herself in a slime-like substance similar to what Ashido produced. So, the acid didn't harm her, and she was just a step away from the room where the nuclear bomb prop was hidden. But the pink alien girl had shockingly fast reflexes—maybe even better than mine and Bakugo's.

Ultimately, Tsuyu was driven back—her long, slimy tongue didn't help, as the villain girls were anything but squeamish.

That's when Tokoyami made his move.

It turned out the guy could summon something like a dark copy of himself, a shadowy demon. And this demon was quite powerful—seemingly stronger in darkness and weaker in sunlight. Outside the building, it wasn't very impressive. But inside, where Yui's barricades had created dim lighting, this Dark Shadow (the bird-boy wasn't very creative with names) began brute-forcing its way to their floor.

And it succeeded. Honestly, I'm not sure I could have done it faster… although the raven-boy still doesn't seem like a strong opponent. Despite the shadow's power, Tokoyami himself is just an ordinary student, and since the Shadow is connected to him by something like an umbilical cord, his body remains their weak point. If you could bypass the Shadow and knock out Tokoyami, it'd be over in seconds.

Long story short, just a few minutes before the timer ran out, the attacking team broke through to the floor, avoided a few traps with melted-through floors, and…

I grinned even wider.

They couldn't find the bomb.

Because Yui's second line of defense was as simple as it was brilliant. She shrunk the bomb. And hid it.

She didn't even plan on holding the defense for the full fifteen minutes.

Considering the only rule was that the bomb had to stay in the building, and Yui could easily carry it around in her pocket, the raven-frog duo didn't stand a chance from the start.

In short, a clean win for team "E."

All Might rightly declared Yui the MVP of the match.

When Yui and Mina returned to the observation center, I was one of the few who earned the honor of a high-five from them. I'll consider it a sign of good luck—like how pretty girls blow on dice at the casino…

All Might once again pulled out his black and white boxes and announced the next match:

"A" versus "D."

Oh.