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tobiax
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The World Record 72 Hour, 100% No Sin, 100% Redemption Destruction of Death and Sin Speedrun- Jesus Christ, circa 33 AD.
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The World Record 72 Hour, 100% No Sin, 100% Redemption Destruction of Death and Sin Speedrun- Jesus Christ, circa 33 AD.
6 yrs ago
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7 yrs ago
@RumikoOhara That one's in like five months.
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8 yrs ago
I beg to differ. youtu.be/kO0amkJnARQ
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Most Recent Posts
Hello.
Gasp! It's that guy!
Sup? I'm starting a RWBY RP in casual if you're looking to join something still.
Welcome to the guild! Hopefully you find a bunch of nice people to write with.
Welcome to the guild! Hopefully you find a bunch of nice people to write with.
Not gonna lie- I'm not sure exactly what you mean. Capitalization and punctuation make a big difference. This isn't reflecting well on your writing quality, and thus your likelihood of getting in this RP, just saying.
I'm looking to start an RP based in Remnant, a.k.a. the RWBY setting. The general elements will be a relative narrative framework, with the specifics of the series not mattering much.
You will be playing as first years students of Shade Huntsman Academy.
Questions, comments, or concerns? Feel free to ask.
You will be playing as first years students of Shade Huntsman Academy.
Questions, comments, or concerns? Feel free to ask.
In
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5 yrs ago
Forum: Casual Roleplay
I'm sorry what
I second this.
In
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5 yrs ago
Forum: Casual Roleplay
The initial pause, short though it may have been, with Akeno's eyes being leveled at the shorter girl, made Koumori feel a bit nervous. What if she said no? What if she didn't think her Quirk was strong enough? Her head was swirling with worry and self doubt.
The muscular girl didn't even move until after she called for Azukina, when someone else called out Kudo's name. Koumori's heart sank, as she saw the blue boy, Hiroki, looking at her angrily. What did she do? Did he dislike her because she wasn't able to fly, and he apparently was? Did he think she was less than him? Did he want to take Akeno on his own team? Surely he did, because he had called out her name. She shuddered after that brief moment of eye contact, the boy vanishing in a rush of wind, leaving her and Kudo Akeno alone.
Koumori blushed shyly, looking more directly into Akeno's eyes with her own brown ones.
"Y-you... do you m-mean it, keekee?" asked the short girl timidly.
In truth, something sounded off about Akeno's voice. Was she lying about that? Did she secretly not want to team up with her? Had she had her own plans for a team, but felt it would be too rude to admonish her for ruining them? The small girl seemed to fold up, shoulders hunching, ears drooping, everything about her body language made her look even smaller, and incidentally, more obviously insecure.
The muscular girl didn't even move until after she called for Azukina, when someone else called out Kudo's name. Koumori's heart sank, as she saw the blue boy, Hiroki, looking at her angrily. What did she do? Did he dislike her because she wasn't able to fly, and he apparently was? Did he think she was less than him? Did he want to take Akeno on his own team? Surely he did, because he had called out her name. She shuddered after that brief moment of eye contact, the boy vanishing in a rush of wind, leaving her and Kudo Akeno alone.
âAh, Yakkaimori-san. Sure, Iâd be happy to work with you; I wanted to ask you to team up anyway.â
Koumori blushed shyly, looking more directly into Akeno's eyes with her own brown ones.
"Y-you... do you m-mean it, keekee?" asked the short girl timidly.
In truth, something sounded off about Akeno's voice. Was she lying about that? Did she secretly not want to team up with her? Had she had her own plans for a team, but felt it would be too rude to admonish her for ruining them? The small girl seemed to fold up, shoulders hunching, ears drooping, everything about her body language made her look even smaller, and incidentally, more obviously insecure.
In
đđđđ đđŚđŁđđđŚ đ¸đđđđđđđ | A 'My Hiroaki-demia' RP
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5 yrs ago
Forum: Casual Roleplay
A look of dread came to the face of the fence-bound Koumori. The girl did her best to cover her large ears, coating their holes with her palms. She probably looked weird for a moment, but she didn't have the time to grow self-conscious about it. Her hair and the tops of her ears, along with the baggy sleeves of her jacket, were blown about by the torrent of wind that hailed the arrival of a helicopter.
It took a moment for her to process what she was seeing, or realize what was being said, but with the helicopter's retreat, she uncovered her ears. Now it all made sense. This was a classic Oracle Thought style plan. Quickly familiarize the students with each other's abilities in the Quirk Demonstration, then emphasize team work with a group rescue activity. The simulation of lost people was likely meant to stir up empathy, but without real human targets, that empathy would be forced on to their teammates, thus bring the class closer as a whole. At least, that's what Koumori thought was the goal. She could definitely be wrong. Not that she'd admit it.
Her hand covered her mouth , the space between her thumb and index finger on her right hand just under her nose as she feel deep into thought, cursorily aware of her surroundings thanks to her hearing.
Okay, Rescue Mission: She was already a tracker, which meant... she needed some muscle, and a defender. An alternate configuration would be a powerhouse, a strategist, and a mobility expert, but Koumori's own mobility wasn't that shabby, and she was at least confident in her ability to think on the fly, no pun intended. (She never really liked that phrase anyway.) Now, the two things her Quirk didn't allow her was range and strength. There were going to be dangers, simulated or otherwise, out in the trees. She needed someone strong, but level headed. If one of the rescue standees were trapped under a tree, she'd need someone able to lift it. Two candidates came to mind immediately, but one already seemed linked with a strategist. However, a stronger fighter and her own small size highlighted the weakness of range. She needed someone who could defend from a distance. Perhaps Azukina would be a good partner?
Having already made conversation- tumultuous though it may have been- with the monochrome teen, Koumori began to approach her prospective 'powerhouse.' Oh geeze. She was so nervous. She felt her throat choke up, her mouth slowly disconnecting from the words in her brain as she approached. Despite this exercise being the best use of her own meager abilities, the required social interaction was a bit of a killer. Slowly, she cleared her throat- both to prepare herself, and get the attention of her potential team member.
"E-excuse me... Kudo Akeno? Keekee," she began, her voice perhaps too soft to hear, before she increased her volume a bit, "M-my name i-is Yakkaimori Koumori. A-and I w-was w-wondering... p-perhaps w-we could w-work tog-gether in the r-rescue mission? Keekee."
A thin layer of sweat started to form on the brown haired girl's brow. What if she said no? What if someone else had already agreed to team up with Akeno's physical prowess and Emission-style Quirk? To avoid further embarrassment, and the possibility of being outed, or on a team where her Quirk would be made redundant- a true nightmare- she raised her arm, and called out in an uncharacteristically loud tone.
"Azukina-kun!" her tone was clear, but her voice was still host to a nervous cracking, "O-over here! Let's be on a team!"
Normally she wouldn't yell out like that, but in this case, she panicked, and didn't want to waste any time. She had feared that, in the time between her answer from Akeno and her reaching Azukina, that both would have accepted offers to be on a team, and she would be left alone.
It took a moment for her to process what she was seeing, or realize what was being said, but with the helicopter's retreat, she uncovered her ears. Now it all made sense. This was a classic Oracle Thought style plan. Quickly familiarize the students with each other's abilities in the Quirk Demonstration, then emphasize team work with a group rescue activity. The simulation of lost people was likely meant to stir up empathy, but without real human targets, that empathy would be forced on to their teammates, thus bring the class closer as a whole. At least, that's what Koumori thought was the goal. She could definitely be wrong. Not that she'd admit it.
Her hand covered her mouth , the space between her thumb and index finger on her right hand just under her nose as she feel deep into thought, cursorily aware of her surroundings thanks to her hearing.
Okay, Rescue Mission: She was already a tracker, which meant... she needed some muscle, and a defender. An alternate configuration would be a powerhouse, a strategist, and a mobility expert, but Koumori's own mobility wasn't that shabby, and she was at least confident in her ability to think on the fly, no pun intended. (She never really liked that phrase anyway.) Now, the two things her Quirk didn't allow her was range and strength. There were going to be dangers, simulated or otherwise, out in the trees. She needed someone strong, but level headed. If one of the rescue standees were trapped under a tree, she'd need someone able to lift it. Two candidates came to mind immediately, but one already seemed linked with a strategist. However, a stronger fighter and her own small size highlighted the weakness of range. She needed someone who could defend from a distance. Perhaps Azukina would be a good partner?
Having already made conversation- tumultuous though it may have been- with the monochrome teen, Koumori began to approach her prospective 'powerhouse.' Oh geeze. She was so nervous. She felt her throat choke up, her mouth slowly disconnecting from the words in her brain as she approached. Despite this exercise being the best use of her own meager abilities, the required social interaction was a bit of a killer. Slowly, she cleared her throat- both to prepare herself, and get the attention of her potential team member.
"E-excuse me... Kudo Akeno? Keekee," she began, her voice perhaps too soft to hear, before she increased her volume a bit, "M-my name i-is Yakkaimori Koumori. A-and I w-was w-wondering... p-perhaps w-we could w-work tog-gether in the r-rescue mission? Keekee."
A thin layer of sweat started to form on the brown haired girl's brow. What if she said no? What if someone else had already agreed to team up with Akeno's physical prowess and Emission-style Quirk? To avoid further embarrassment, and the possibility of being outed, or on a team where her Quirk would be made redundant- a true nightmare- she raised her arm, and called out in an uncharacteristically loud tone.
"Azukina-kun!" her tone was clear, but her voice was still host to a nervous cracking, "O-over here! Let's be on a team!"
Normally she wouldn't yell out like that, but in this case, she panicked, and didn't want to waste any time. She had feared that, in the time between her answer from Akeno and her reaching Azukina, that both would have accepted offers to be on a team, and she would be left alone.
In
đđđđ đđŚđŁđđđŚ đ¸đđđđđđđ | A 'My Hiroaki-demia' RP
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5 yrs ago
Forum: Casual Roleplay
The Mutant Girl, upon taking her seat, was surprised to be addressed by he dragon-like boy, Yutsuko Soga.
âShe was good, wasnât she?â Suzaku grinned widely, pleased that someone else had agreed with his assessment of Koumoriâs abilities. He turned to address the bat girl. âThe echolocation alone would be impressive enough- combined with your natural agility and mobility, thereâs much youâll be capable of, Yakkaimori-san,â
This remark caused the bat-girl to blush, her shoulders sloping in even more than they had already been, âI-it wasnât that impressive, Takeda-kun, keekee,â the girl replied with a dismissive wave of her hand, âP-plus⌠th-the way h-he said it⌠i-it sounded like he d-didn;e mean it,â Koumori added even more quietly than her usually low tone, directed so Suzaku could hear it exclusively.
Koumori watched intently, leaning close, elbows on her knees with hands supporting her chin. As small as she was, she didnât realize exactly how close her head was to the shoulders of the black-and-white girl, nor how easily she could be heard. The next demonstration after her own blew her out of the water, or so she thought. Kenji Ito, with his Beetle Quirk, and Mari Haruishi, with her Born to Run Quirk, struck a particular chord with the girl, and the boy Kaito Haruto seemed a natural leader. He would probably make a good candidate for Class Representative, as would Akeno Kudo, with her competence, and Haruka Fujimori, with her cooperation and elegance.The Bat-like girl would be sure to pay attention to their names, if they were to nominate themselves.
âHm, those Quirks⌠were they not so specific⌠Acceleration and Durability⌠theyâre like All Mightâs Quirk...â the bat-girl mused, âActually...â
âIâm more intrigued by the Emitter Quirk- the music-based one. Depending on its limitations, he could easily be a top contender amongst support heroes. Any kind of empowerment Quirk is usually highly prized in the community.â Suzakuâs eyes locked on the musician, mind whirling with the possibilities.If it amplifies stamina, would it help Emitters use their powers for longer? Also, is it strictly physical parameters, or has he not used his Quirk enough to tell? Could he amplify Black Wings so I could achieve flight? Learning oneâs limitations is the key to expanding oneâs horizons, after all. He supposed heâd just have to go and ask him. After the demonstration, of course.
Though her eyes were facing forward, the single ear that was swiveled in Suzakuâs direction, along with her thoughtful nods, signaled that she was listening to him. Koumori had never seen any Quirks like her own before in the little village of Jionoshisu where she grew up, and now, in one day, that number had more than quadrupled. It made her feel a bit on edge, actually- the fact that she was so out of her depth in Quirk knowledge, it seemed. But, as fate would have it, she happened to be sitting next to an expert.
Though still mid-conversation with her biggest source of anxiety, Yomodachi had an ear for things at the weirdest of times, Koumoriâs mental note finding its way to her, the bat girl just a tad louder than she may have anticipated. Eyes of amber turned from the dragon on her left to the bat behind her and to the her right, then in front of her towards the current demonstration. Though she didnât say anything just yet, it was something she could bring up later, if she needed a conversation starter.
Lightly biting her inner lip in frustration, Koumori mentally berated herself for being so foolish, all while an old familiar worry ate at her gut. On top of that, she couldnât help but find herself feeling a bit jealous of the competence of some of the other students, especially a particular Mutant whose Quirk seemed to be a pure upgrade of hers. All at once she felt rather redundant- like her inclusion in the school was soon to come to a close, once the staff realized that everything her simple Quirk could do, other students seemed to be able to do better with theirs.
As it would so happen, the demonstrations werenât to test whether one would be kicked out of Jigokuraku or not, seeing as the group of students assembled had already âPlus Ultra!ââd their way through the entrance exams, some more competently than others. But to show off each personâs individual Quirk did little to show off their skill, as would be found out during the next test. Koumori knew this, but still, her doubts gnawed at her mind.
Azukina, up until the final demonstration or two, had been speaking with Soga about hero philosophy - a topic the two of them found great interest in. However, they ended things on a somewhat sour note, with the checkered girl completely silent for the remainder of the demonstrations. She gave some of the students around another look; they all seemed far more competent with their Quirks than she. It made her feel a little inadequate, however she reminded herself: âThis is hero school. I am here to learn.â Her somewhat depressing self-assertion came just as their homeroom teacher, Ohto Goudo, informed them the class would be going for a walk. Without much else to say, Azuki joined the loose line of students and kept pace, not wanting to be tardy.
As she oftâ did in, well, most of her academic life, Koumori simply followed the group quietly, not paying much attention to exactly how the students flowed. She was more intent on not being in the way, her arms held before her and clasped in front of her thighs. Even as she made sure to retrieve her bag and jacket, the Mutant girl didnât notice how close she had stayed to those by which she had been sitting- namely Azukina and Suzaku.
The former of the two seemed more into the sights than the students, it would seem, looking up at the trees, getting caught under the drip of residual winter more than a few times. She was half-tempted to blast the things frozen again, but felt using her Quirk to hurt harmless trees might be a bit⌠excessive. It was only when Azukina was finished with the sightseeing that she noticed she had an extra shadow, a mutant with cute ears taking the form of a... bat? Her quiet and, dare she say, shy demeanour caught the bipolar girlâs attention. It was hard to ignore someone so capable, even when keeping as quiet as possible. Not that Koumori was trying or anything.
Given she had nobody else to speak with right now, and that the only person she actually sort of knew had made a ruckus at the beginning of the day, Azukina felt confident enough to at least try speaking with her. The demonstrations were a good conversation starter, but trying to word it - now that was the tricky part.
âHey, uhh⌠Y-Yakkaimori, was it?â
Pace slowing to fall in line with the batgirl, Checkers did her best to be somewhat friendly without being overly obtrusive. âI noticed your demonstration. You looked like you have such an impressive understanding of your Quirk! HeheâŚâ
âOh?â the small girlâs somewhat blind following and doubtful train of thought were broken by being so suddenly addressed, âYe- um ye- um- yes⌠I-Iâm Y-Yakkaimori Koumori, keekee,â the myotisoid girl chittered.
An audible gulp sounded from Koumori as the next remark was spoken. Suddenly her face flushed, eyes darting down to the ground.
âIt uh⌠w-wasnât anything s-special really⌠keekee. I th-thought your Quirk was s-spectacular! Keekee!â she remarked, her excitement getting ahead of her, âD-do you m-mean it?â
For a moment, Koumoriâs heart seemed to skip a beat. What was this about, she wondered for half an instant, barely able to process the feeling before the conversation continued.
Azukina nodded, her eyes full of excitement now, as though properly able to voice her thoughts. âO-oh, definitely! I wish I had half the skill you have with my Quirk! H-honestly, all I did was freeze a bunch of dummies.â She scratched the back of her head nervously. âRight, real impressive, you and her are the same. Youâre both loser students for a loser school so-â
The negative thoughts were hard to drive away, unfortunately. They hadnât managed to show themselves all morning, but even if that was the case, she could only hope it wouldnât impact their conversation. âYou had⌠such intricate abilities, they really looked useful! I truly mean it.â
âSkill? Intricate? All I did was walk and hear. Iâve been doing that since I was two. Big deal.â Though there was no way of knowing, Koumoriâs thoughts seemed to mirror the tone of those of the black-and-white haired girl as well. Still, there was a strange- almost uncomfortable, prickly warmth in her chest when Azukina spoke to her that way.
âTh-thank you so much, Yomodachi-kun keekee.â she replied with a slight bow, âI really thought your Quirk was⌠amazing! P-powerful! Dramatic! Keekee. Th-the class has some really powerful and heroic Quirks in it,â marked the smaller girl.
âWell, I thought you were both spectacular.â Suzaku turned toward the monochrome girl. âYomodachi-san, was it? Iâm Takeda Suzaku. Forgive me for interrupting. But your Quirk would have cleaned house at the Exam I attempted at UA. And Yakkaimori here has one of the most versatile Quirks Iâve ever seen- youâre both going to be spectacular once we graduate. Moreso than me, at this rate; flapping really hard is all well and good, but some people can actually fly. Not that Iâm not working on that, mind youâŚâ
âPowerful and dramatic, huhâŚ? Mmmh, yeah, I bet. Plenty powerful, just stupid and uncoordinated.â
âWhat are you doing, chattering like an idiot? Why canât I just stop that...â Again she mentally berated herself, but soon softly cleared her throat, as if in an attempt to silence her inner voice and continue the conversation.
Azukina nodded in response. âO-oh yeah, definitely, some of the people in this class look really incredible. It makes me wonder how they all wound up hereâŚâ Her body leaned forwards, head tilted to the side, examining Koumori with furrowed brows. âMmmh⌠So youâre a bat, correct? Does that mean you see with your earsâŚ?â
Her former train of thought mixed with the current topic of conversation caused Koumori to cast her gaze even farther down.She almost didnât want to answer, It made her feel almost⌠dirty.
âI, um⌠y-yes. Um, well, B-bat, yes⌠I um, I mean⌠I h-have echolocation⌠keeke-â Koumori answered, cutting herself off.
She was nervous but warm, comfortable but shivering all at once. This didnât make a lick of sense. Her ears dropped back, almost hidden behind her fluffy hair now.
âSo I um⌠I can still see, b-but⌠I have r-really good hearing,â she mumbled in addition.
Koumori was now feeling self conscious not only about her physically weak build, unimpressive Quirk, and her nervous tic of making bat like sounds, but now her eyesight as well, which wasnât the best, especially in bright lights.
Seeing her respond so poorly, Azukina decided it best to back off. She knew a look of self-doubt when she saw one, and honestly wasnât trying to force her into talking about herself. A minor setback, she hoped.
âWell, now I canât help but feel jealous. My sightâs going, so knowing you will have two senses greater than mine, Iâll have to rely on your superior natural ability.â She gave her next question a bit of thought, looking up at the sky as they were approaching the steps, instead of looking where she was going.
âR-really?â Koumori replied, a deep sympathy in her tone, like someone looking at another on the same wearying, rugged road, âM-my eyes arenât th-that good either⌠I-I w-wouldnât call m-my abilities superior, keekee, b-but I do have a s-sensitive nose...â
âAnd a sensitive nose. You are more impressive than you let on, Yakkaimori. Apologies, Iâve been very rude today, it seems. I havenât even talked about my own Quirk!â
Azukinaâs remark made her blush, âN-no! You werenât rude at all, Yomodachi-kun!â the girl rapidly interjected, âI got a pretty good idea about it from the demonstration, b-but I wouldnât mind hearing about it,â despite her sensitive hearing, it was like only Azukinaâs voice could be heard, and at a comfortable level- for the most part. This was weird. Koumori had no idea what to think of this. Was she zoning out this bad at school? That was so unlike her.
Her arm stretched out in front of her, palm looking back at the two of them. Azuki points to the center of her palm with her free hand, âRight in the middle there, I can create a glow, a light. As it would happen, I can emit a cold wind from it. Unfortunately Iâm prone to hurting myself when I use my Quirk, so I have that to deal with. That, and it actually hinders my ability to move.â
âI see,â she remarked, her voice low, almost reverent, âTh-that is a lot like how I read Frostbiteâs Quirk worked, keekee⌠Iâve um⌠read a little bit about him.â her gaze shifted about for a moment, âAnd⌠s-speaking of Pro-Quirks,â her hands raised to her temples, with her two index fingers pointed up, curling slightly, âDid any of the demonstrations today re-remind you of anyone? Keekee.â
Hearing her fatherâs name, it made Azukina avert her gaze. Right, of course someone would know her family name, it wasnât like she just announced it in front of everyone like some kind of moron. âAs far as I know, itâs exactly like how it worked. Except in his case, his body could handle the cold, and he was a lot cooler, able to use both his hands.â
She did her best to lighten up, even though talking about her dad made her noticeably nervous. âR-right, well, I canât say Iâve heard of too many names, but Sakimoto rings a bell⌠Admittedly, Iâm a pretty recent fan of heroism, so I might be a bit slow.â
âI-Iâm sorry! I⌠I didnât mean to upset you, I just⌠keekeekeeâ she apologized manically.âB-but y-you did a-an-an-announce it d-during your d-demonstration...â she added sheepishly, âIâm s-sorry keekee...â
Azukinaâs phrasing, mixed with her own previous gesture and question, gave Koumori pause, and she pursed her lips a bit, tilting her head.
âYou⌠donât know All Might? B-but⌠you s-said you wanted t-to be the Symbol of Peace?â she punctuated her query by once again making the hand-gesture that mimicked All Mightâs hair.
âOh, no, I know All Might! I'm certain everyone knows of him!â Her response was quick, as though to correct her mistake as soon as possible and prevent further misunderstanding. âI just thought you were referring to our classmates and whether they had hero backgrounds or not. In that sense, I wouldn't be the person to ask, however in the case of comparing our classmates to heroes I know of⌠MmhâŚâ
The Mutant girlâs heart fluttered for half a moment, then sank like a stone. Her expression was suddenly quite sheepish. She looked about at her fellow students pensively, taking in all their expressions. The girlâs gaze hesitated on Suzaku for a bit longer than a moment, before shooting down. A blush took her face as she didn, before her eyes flickered to Azukina.
She thinks for a moment, âI believe his name was Ito⌠he seemed really strong. A bit like All Might.â
Koumori nods, âI was thinking the same thing!â she blurted âA-although I h-have my own p-personal th-theory about what All M-Mightâs Quirk was⌠keekee,â she added, sheepish once more.
Hearing this elicited a curious look from Azukina.She thought his Quirk was relatively simple and well-known.
âWas his Quirk not to have superhuman strength?â she quizzed, raising a brow.
Seeing the smaller girl smile made her feel relaxed, though. Something about her felt familiar, filling her with a warm sensation she couldn't quite place.
âThat's⌠what I always thought it to be, at least.â
âW-well⌠he n-never talked a-about it.. A-and⌠All Might w-was always able to get p-places s-so fast, s-so I was thinking⌠wh-what if he had an Acceleration Quirk? Keekee? I-it would h-have all the s-same results, b-but b-but, it w-would e-explain everything in a m-much neater way, keekee,â the girl explained.
To her, it was quite simple, really. Force was simply mass times acceleration. All Might had a strong frame, to be sure, but in order to perform the feats for which he was known- well, he clearly wasnât altering his mass, as the ground never shattered under him or anything, so the only logical solution was he was somehow able to manipulate his own acceleration with his Quirk.
Unfortunately, Azukina wasn't quite smart enough to get it, but nodded all the same. âBut⌠what about his slower punches?â She tilted her head.
âIt could have been kinetic boosting,â said Suzaku, shrugging. âIt would account for both strength amplification and acceleration. Maybe some kinetic absorption, for good measure- he was a lot more durable than just a simple amplification Quirk would have allowed for.â
Koumori simply nodded. That made sense too.She looked to Azukina, to see if she had any input- she couldnât help but overhear her talking about the Symbol of Peace earlier. It was sort of disappointing that that dragon boy didnât know the difference between a simple number one Hero, and a bonafide Symbol of Peace. Oh well, maybe he wasnât as smart as he claimed to be. He did give off a duplicitous air- almost villainous, in some ways.
If this became a physics lesson the two toneâs mind would explode. This was clear from her expression. As a result, Koumori became visibly frustrated. The bridge of her nose wrinkled, and her hands clenched, but didnât form fists. She found herself shaking a bit as she forced the frustration down, and eventually the warmth in her chest eased it away. Her expression then changed. She looked sad, unsure. The girl then looked down, her visage extremely apologetic, but she had no idea what to say or do. There was a time when she would have. There was a time when she probably wouldnât have gotten so mad. But things had changed. She wanted to resolve to help Azukina learn, but something nagged in the back of her mind. âWould there even be a point? No- donât think that way! But⌠would I even be able to help?â
âJust give it up, baaaaaaaka. Look, she doesnât even look interested - she hates you! Youâre just some directionless loser who canât read people right. What are you, some kind of idiot? Unable to do this one, simple thing without screwing up? Unable to be a good person, huh? Unable to understand? Huh? Moron? Idiot.â
Azukina suffered in silence with her thoughts, unable to continue speaking. If she did, it would only give away her insecurity, her fear. Control had to be exercised, she had to get her emotion under control. They were the worst things. Emotions. She wished they would just go away.
âIâm⌠sorry.â She whispers, her voice barely audible to anyone else, though Koumoriâs ears were strong enough to hear the muttering under her breath. âIdiot⌠what was I thinkingâŚ? Great, now she hates me, tooâŚâ Azukina had forgotten all about Koumoriâs sensitive hearing, despite just being told about it, apparently.
The Mutant girl swallowed, then looked up into the two-toned girlâs eyes.
âD-donât be sorry! I-I donât hate you! Keekee- I⌠I was⌠d-disappointed in m-myself for⌠being f-frustrated⌠I-itâs all my fault, r-really, keekee.â Before she could continue, Suzaku walked in, quickly interjecting before things got worse.
âHey now, no need for anyone to get so down. Weâre here to learn, are we not? They donât expect us to have all the answers right off the bat. No oneâs mad or upset at each other, right? Just asking questions. Learning. Letâs all step back and take a breath, okay?â
Suzaku didnât know why the girls were getting so flustered with one another. What was so stressful about asking these kinds of questions? It was perfectly normal and natural, given the circumstances. Girls confuse me, he thought, scratching the back of his head.
As they walked through the woods, the terrain started to become more and more uneven. âGreat. Now sheâs mad at me. Sheâll probably never want to talk to me again. Why would she ever want to be friends with a frail girl like me?â It was then that Koumori heard something. A snap- a crumbling sound. Azukinaâs foot being put down, only to slip on a protruding root before some crude stone steps. The reaction was almost instant, Koumori shot her arm out, stopping Azukina from continuing, as she attempted to catch the much taller girl from a potential fall.
Azukina wasnât exactly a light girl, coming in at 128lbs, but the inhuman reaction time of her Mutant-type classmate gave her the precious time needed to prevent her from colliding face-first into the steps. It wouldâve been a dumb way to go - she was stressing herself out way too muchâŚ
Thankful that nobody else really caught on to her blunder, the two-toned girl brings herself back to her feet, looking a little out of it. Her breathing is unsteady, but doesnât appear overly erratic, slowly calming herself down. Koumori receives an unfocused stare, blinking twice, before seemingly coming back to herself.
âI, uh⌠Is that what they call it when a person has their life flash before themâŚ?â
Due to their difference in size, Koumoriâs hand was placed about midway across the other girlâs body, very near the base of her sternum. She didnât exactly notice where she had her hand as she looked up at the taller girl.
âA-are you okay Y-Yomodachi-kun?â Koumori blurted in concern, âD-did you get scared? I-Iâm s-so glad you d-d-didnât f-fall, keekee,â the short girl added.
It was a good thing her voice was so naturally quiet, otherwise someone else might have heard her, and brought attention to Azukinaâs near blunder. Not to mention Koumoriâs handâŚ
âYouâre, umm⌠y-youâre grabbing myâŚâ
Now steady on her feet, Azukina pulled away from the smaller girlâs grasp, which had touched someplace she never thought another person would touch so soon. Either she was cursed, the school was cursed, or every single one of her classmates were perverts in some respectâŚ
Koumori instantly removes her hand at that remark; she didnât even notice, âI-Iâm s-sorry Y-Yomodachi-kun!â
With a sigh, her expression softens, but still shows a level of annoyance. âYou will pay for that, along with Haruto. Your debt to me is less, but only because you saved me from a fall.â She then chooses to finally acknowledge Suzaku, glaring at him as though about to bring down the axe. âYou did not see anything, do I make myself clear?â She folds her arms across her chest. âA-and⌠th-thank you, Yakkaimori. For s-saving me from my fallâŚâ She turns, headed up the stairs, feeling like she did during the entrance examâŚ
âI, uh⌠what.â Suzaku blinked, shaking his head, utterly confused at the emotional whiplash heâd just experienced. Theyâd gone from a civil conversation, to Yomodachi tripping and falling⌠and suddenly Yakkaimori owed some sort of debt? For saving her, orâ
...Oh. A faint trace of color dusted Suzakuâs cheeks. Thatâs unfortunate. He shook his head again. Still, one would think sheâd be more grateful. Would she rather break her neck on the stairs? I donât get it.
â...Thereâs probably a story behind that âalong with Harutoâ comment, but right now Iâm being distracted by all of the âwhat the fuckâ Iâm feeling,â he commented quietly.
Koumori blushed- her forehead starting to leak a cold sweat. Debt? Koumori definitely didnât have any kind of money to pay off a debt, but for some reason, thatâs not what she thought Azukina meant. However, as she was thanked, her face went warm, as did the strange flutter in her chest.
Still, demanding recompense for accidents was hardly fair. Maybe she didnât want to hang out with her after all. The more she thought about it, the more confused her feelings were, until her eyes broke from their lock on the ground and sheepishly glanced at Azukina. She had no idea what to say, but somehow felt less conflicted about staying around the monochrome haired girl. Strange.
Suzaku shuffled as he glanced between Yomodachi and Yakkaimori, feeling a bit uncomfortable. âTo be fair, I donât think sheâs serious about you owing her anything. That kind of⌠doesnât make sense. At all.â
The only response Koumori gave was to collapse her shoulders even more, and clasp her hands, nervously brushing her thumbs against each other.
She was awhirl with feelings, âI-itâs fine Takeda-kun⌠I sh-should have paid m-more attention to my height, and where I put my m-my hand, keekee,â she admitted, before muttering to herself, âEven i-if it doesnât seem v-very heroic⌠What kind of Symbol of Peace counts debts?â she mused aloud, lost in thoughts a bit more bitter than she might have liked, âSimplicity: keep your accounts on your thumb nail. â
Suzaku shrugged. âShe did say âfutureâ Symbol of Peace. Weâre still learning. Including her. Sheâll grow out of it. Eventually. Hopefully.â
âThatâs not the point,â the girl replied through gritted teeth, giving Suzaku a rather sharp glare, her voice so low that it was practically a hiss- there was a possibility that even Suzaku wouldnât hear it clearly, but it was assured that no one outside of the three would be able to make it out.
âI can hear you.â Azukina commented off-handedly, looking somewhat⌠smug? It was a little hard to read her, but she didnât seem particularly annoyed; perhaps she wasnât as upset as she had first let on? âApologies, but my⌠outburst just now wasnât directed at you, but at someone else. Kind of. It is⌠hard to explain.â
It would seem she hadnât quite heard much else other than the fact she was being talked about.
Koumoriâs eyes widened a bit. She was sort of just thinking out loud and didnât realize who was where for the moment.
âOh- s-sorry⌠Wh-who w-were you ou- um.. directing it towards? Keekee.â
The Monochrome Emitter gave a soft, nervous chuckle, the kind youâd hear from someone who was guilty but didnât know how to respond. They were almost at The Field by this point, the path opening to a wider expanse, a great open area flanked by stands of trees and some fencing.
âWell⌠itâs a long story. If we have time to do so in the future, I may tell you about it.â
Given how she spoke it seemed like Azukina wasnât interested in talking about it. But she offered a friendly smile as an apology - a small kindness for all her rudeness. The Mutant girl was extremely confused by this. She just gave a bewildered expression. Did Azukina want to be friends with Koumori? Or was she simply being coy and cryptic?
Koumoriâs reaction made Checkers uncomfortable somewhat, though not because of the batgirlâs bewilderment, but because she just felt so bad at all this. Even though the girl before her felt so familiar, there was undoubtedly something that made the conversation⌠difficult. Unlike the mutant bat, Azukina had her own feeling deep within her chest, a tightness that squeezed at her heart like it wanted to choke her. Cruel and ghostly, it was in direct opposition to Koumoriâs butterflies, which only made her feel increasingly awkward the more that time had passed.
With thoughts bubbling in her mind, and emotions in her chest, Koumori decided to speak her mind a bit.
âIf you want to be the Symbol of Peace,â her voice was low,but clearly directed at Azukina, despite not looking directly at her, and the nervous stammer was all but gone somehow, âYou have to start now. Look at the person you are and if thatâs not who a Symbol of Peace would be, work harder on yourself,â there was a reverence to her as she spoke, as if both the topic and method of which she spoke were deeply important to her.
The amber eyes which once looked to her with kindness now looked away, although the emotion they expressed couldnât be seen. At least, not until her thoughts had recollected, her confidence reaffirmed, her mind decided and set.
âIn that case, Iâll work twice as hard, if not that then thrice as tough! I can not promise I could ever be as great as All Might, however I promise,â hands entwined with Koumoriâs own, âthat I wonât ever stop trying to achieve great things and giving people who need it a reason to smileâŚ!â
Her face brimmed with kindness and confidence, her smile wide and beaming, yet behind the facade her mind teased and taunted, her thoughts scattered and disjointed. A Symbol of Peace? How would someone go about achieving that? She wasnât even sure of her own dream - it wasnât even her dream. How could she be so serious about something so far-fetched? âYou donât even know what youâre doing.â Her mind said. âJust a stupid little girl with a stupid little dream, huhâŚ?â Her confidence was a lie. That smile was a lie. Her dream was a lie. This friendship would be a lie. Nothing could ever be truthful, nothing could ever be honest, nor real.
Just a lost little girl who didnât know what she was doing. Koumori, however, seeing this display, clutched the hand offered her tightly. She felt herself being consumed by a feeling she never thought sheâd feel again. And yet, there it was. She couldnât help but smile in return. Not the wry, shy, or nervous smile that she may have given before, nor the guarded smile she used to tell people she was okay- No, this was a real smile. The girlâs brown eyes squinted, lips peeling back to reveal⌠white, pointed teeth, most of them coming to an almost needle like point. Being that she was looking directly at it, the reason Koumori kept her teeth hidden was probably pretty obvious to Azukina. The Bat Mutantâs smile was very jagged in the front, with sharply pointed cusps on her incisors and canine teeth, with prominent points on her molars as well. The contrast between the front and back teeth in shape and interaction, coupled with a relatively narrow jaw, gave the smile a rather inhuman quality. But right now, Koumori didnât care. Unable to know how uncomfortable the other girl was, she was happy.
The return smile she got from Koumori was⌠different. It made her feel different. Unbeknownst to her, the black and white girl had added a shade of pink to her features, making her feel a bit of that warm fuzziness completely out of the blue. Thankfully for Azukina, Goudo-sensei began instructing the students to stay put, something the lost one felt she needed, given how her mind was in turmoil; âI guess we wait now?â She didnât exactly wait for Koumoriâs response, taking an open spot by a fence.
As their hands slipped from each other, Azukina took steps towards the fence, while Koumori simply stood there, feeling lost for a moment. However, she soon takes a place besides Azukina, having been unsure about where to go. Better to stick so someone familiar than try and talk to someone new. The short girl shuddered at the thought. Checkers raised an eyebrow at her approach, but said nothing.
âW-we both have a lot to learn if we want to be Pro Heroes,â Koumori interjected before the proceedings began, looking down for a moment in disappointment at her scrawny arm, back pressed against the fence, speaking in a low tone, âM-maybe me more than you⌠But.... but I canât make it without you⌠s-so you have my support, keekee.â
Though still unsure in how she felt about the batgirl, the duo had gotten closer than most in Yomodachiâs life, and that warranted at least some kind of attention. Plus, her echolocation would come in handy to navigate the woods, or at the bare minimum her ears would pick up audio well before anyone else. If the dummies made sounds as they had during the entrance exam, then Koumori would be beyond valuable.
âGladly,â she replied with a nod, âand I hope I can support you as you will I.â
So long as she didnât screw this up somehow, they would be fine. Azuki could only hope that wouldnât come to pass.
Being time to line up and wait, Suzaku took the opportunity to find someone else- another student whose Quirk had caught his interest. The masked boy from earlier, the one with the empowerment Quirk. He was impressive. He walked over, with a wave and a smile to get his attention.
âHello!â he called cheerfully. âHaruko-san, yes? Iâm Takeda Suzaku. I just wanted to say, your Quirk is quite impressive. Do you maybe have time or the inclination to talk about it for a while? While weâre waiting for this to start.â
"Good job, Yakkaimori-san, that was very impressive! You will truly become a great hero, I can guarantee it!"Something about the boyâs choice of words seemed to set something off in her mind. Something about it seemed disingenuine- and the fact that she wasnât prone to taking or receiving compliments didnât help his case. As a result, she gave the boy a somewhat sceptical glance.
âShe was good, wasnât she?â Suzaku grinned widely, pleased that someone else had agreed with his assessment of Koumoriâs abilities. He turned to address the bat girl. âThe echolocation alone would be impressive enough- combined with your natural agility and mobility, thereâs much youâll be capable of, Yakkaimori-san,â
This remark caused the bat-girl to blush, her shoulders sloping in even more than they had already been, âI-it wasnât that impressive, Takeda-kun, keekee,â the girl replied with a dismissive wave of her hand, âP-plus⌠th-the way h-he said it⌠i-it sounded like he d-didn;e mean it,â Koumori added even more quietly than her usually low tone, directed so Suzaku could hear it exclusively.
Koumori watched intently, leaning close, elbows on her knees with hands supporting her chin. As small as she was, she didnât realize exactly how close her head was to the shoulders of the black-and-white girl, nor how easily she could be heard. The next demonstration after her own blew her out of the water, or so she thought. Kenji Ito, with his Beetle Quirk, and Mari Haruishi, with her Born to Run Quirk, struck a particular chord with the girl, and the boy Kaito Haruto seemed a natural leader. He would probably make a good candidate for Class Representative, as would Akeno Kudo, with her competence, and Haruka Fujimori, with her cooperation and elegance.The Bat-like girl would be sure to pay attention to their names, if they were to nominate themselves.
âHm, those Quirks⌠were they not so specific⌠Acceleration and Durability⌠theyâre like All Mightâs Quirk...â the bat-girl mused, âActually...â
âIâm more intrigued by the Emitter Quirk- the music-based one. Depending on its limitations, he could easily be a top contender amongst support heroes. Any kind of empowerment Quirk is usually highly prized in the community.â Suzakuâs eyes locked on the musician, mind whirling with the possibilities.If it amplifies stamina, would it help Emitters use their powers for longer? Also, is it strictly physical parameters, or has he not used his Quirk enough to tell? Could he amplify Black Wings so I could achieve flight? Learning oneâs limitations is the key to expanding oneâs horizons, after all. He supposed heâd just have to go and ask him. After the demonstration, of course.
Though her eyes were facing forward, the single ear that was swiveled in Suzakuâs direction, along with her thoughtful nods, signaled that she was listening to him. Koumori had never seen any Quirks like her own before in the little village of Jionoshisu where she grew up, and now, in one day, that number had more than quadrupled. It made her feel a bit on edge, actually- the fact that she was so out of her depth in Quirk knowledge, it seemed. But, as fate would have it, she happened to be sitting next to an expert.
Though still mid-conversation with her biggest source of anxiety, Yomodachi had an ear for things at the weirdest of times, Koumoriâs mental note finding its way to her, the bat girl just a tad louder than she may have anticipated. Eyes of amber turned from the dragon on her left to the bat behind her and to the her right, then in front of her towards the current demonstration. Though she didnât say anything just yet, it was something she could bring up later, if she needed a conversation starter.
Lightly biting her inner lip in frustration, Koumori mentally berated herself for being so foolish, all while an old familiar worry ate at her gut. On top of that, she couldnât help but find herself feeling a bit jealous of the competence of some of the other students, especially a particular Mutant whose Quirk seemed to be a pure upgrade of hers. All at once she felt rather redundant- like her inclusion in the school was soon to come to a close, once the staff realized that everything her simple Quirk could do, other students seemed to be able to do better with theirs.
As it would so happen, the demonstrations werenât to test whether one would be kicked out of Jigokuraku or not, seeing as the group of students assembled had already âPlus Ultra!ââd their way through the entrance exams, some more competently than others. But to show off each personâs individual Quirk did little to show off their skill, as would be found out during the next test. Koumori knew this, but still, her doubts gnawed at her mind.
Azukina, up until the final demonstration or two, had been speaking with Soga about hero philosophy - a topic the two of them found great interest in. However, they ended things on a somewhat sour note, with the checkered girl completely silent for the remainder of the demonstrations. She gave some of the students around another look; they all seemed far more competent with their Quirks than she. It made her feel a little inadequate, however she reminded herself: âThis is hero school. I am here to learn.â Her somewhat depressing self-assertion came just as their homeroom teacher, Ohto Goudo, informed them the class would be going for a walk. Without much else to say, Azuki joined the loose line of students and kept pace, not wanting to be tardy.
As she oftâ did in, well, most of her academic life, Koumori simply followed the group quietly, not paying much attention to exactly how the students flowed. She was more intent on not being in the way, her arms held before her and clasped in front of her thighs. Even as she made sure to retrieve her bag and jacket, the Mutant girl didnât notice how close she had stayed to those by which she had been sitting- namely Azukina and Suzaku.
The former of the two seemed more into the sights than the students, it would seem, looking up at the trees, getting caught under the drip of residual winter more than a few times. She was half-tempted to blast the things frozen again, but felt using her Quirk to hurt harmless trees might be a bit⌠excessive. It was only when Azukina was finished with the sightseeing that she noticed she had an extra shadow, a mutant with cute ears taking the form of a... bat? Her quiet and, dare she say, shy demeanour caught the bipolar girlâs attention. It was hard to ignore someone so capable, even when keeping as quiet as possible. Not that Koumori was trying or anything.
Given she had nobody else to speak with right now, and that the only person she actually sort of knew had made a ruckus at the beginning of the day, Azukina felt confident enough to at least try speaking with her. The demonstrations were a good conversation starter, but trying to word it - now that was the tricky part.
âHey, uhh⌠Y-Yakkaimori, was it?â
Pace slowing to fall in line with the batgirl, Checkers did her best to be somewhat friendly without being overly obtrusive. âI noticed your demonstration. You looked like you have such an impressive understanding of your Quirk! HeheâŚâ
âOh?â the small girlâs somewhat blind following and doubtful train of thought were broken by being so suddenly addressed, âYe- um ye- um- yes⌠I-Iâm Y-Yakkaimori Koumori, keekee,â the myotisoid girl chittered.
An audible gulp sounded from Koumori as the next remark was spoken. Suddenly her face flushed, eyes darting down to the ground.
âIt uh⌠w-wasnât anything s-special really⌠keekee. I th-thought your Quirk was s-spectacular! Keekee!â she remarked, her excitement getting ahead of her, âD-do you m-mean it?â
For a moment, Koumoriâs heart seemed to skip a beat. What was this about, she wondered for half an instant, barely able to process the feeling before the conversation continued.
Azukina nodded, her eyes full of excitement now, as though properly able to voice her thoughts. âO-oh, definitely! I wish I had half the skill you have with my Quirk! H-honestly, all I did was freeze a bunch of dummies.â She scratched the back of her head nervously. âRight, real impressive, you and her are the same. Youâre both loser students for a loser school so-â
The negative thoughts were hard to drive away, unfortunately. They hadnât managed to show themselves all morning, but even if that was the case, she could only hope it wouldnât impact their conversation. âYou had⌠such intricate abilities, they really looked useful! I truly mean it.â
âSkill? Intricate? All I did was walk and hear. Iâve been doing that since I was two. Big deal.â Though there was no way of knowing, Koumoriâs thoughts seemed to mirror the tone of those of the black-and-white haired girl as well. Still, there was a strange- almost uncomfortable, prickly warmth in her chest when Azukina spoke to her that way.
âTh-thank you so much, Yomodachi-kun keekee.â she replied with a slight bow, âI really thought your Quirk was⌠amazing! P-powerful! Dramatic! Keekee. Th-the class has some really powerful and heroic Quirks in it,â marked the smaller girl.
âWell, I thought you were both spectacular.â Suzaku turned toward the monochrome girl. âYomodachi-san, was it? Iâm Takeda Suzaku. Forgive me for interrupting. But your Quirk would have cleaned house at the Exam I attempted at UA. And Yakkaimori here has one of the most versatile Quirks Iâve ever seen- youâre both going to be spectacular once we graduate. Moreso than me, at this rate; flapping really hard is all well and good, but some people can actually fly. Not that Iâm not working on that, mind youâŚâ
âPowerful and dramatic, huhâŚ? Mmmh, yeah, I bet. Plenty powerful, just stupid and uncoordinated.â
âWhat are you doing, chattering like an idiot? Why canât I just stop that...â Again she mentally berated herself, but soon softly cleared her throat, as if in an attempt to silence her inner voice and continue the conversation.
Azukina nodded in response. âO-oh yeah, definitely, some of the people in this class look really incredible. It makes me wonder how they all wound up hereâŚâ Her body leaned forwards, head tilted to the side, examining Koumori with furrowed brows. âMmmh⌠So youâre a bat, correct? Does that mean you see with your earsâŚ?â
Her former train of thought mixed with the current topic of conversation caused Koumori to cast her gaze even farther down.She almost didnât want to answer, It made her feel almost⌠dirty.
âI, um⌠y-yes. Um, well, B-bat, yes⌠I um, I mean⌠I h-have echolocation⌠keeke-â Koumori answered, cutting herself off.
She was nervous but warm, comfortable but shivering all at once. This didnât make a lick of sense. Her ears dropped back, almost hidden behind her fluffy hair now.
âSo I um⌠I can still see, b-but⌠I have r-really good hearing,â she mumbled in addition.
Koumori was now feeling self conscious not only about her physically weak build, unimpressive Quirk, and her nervous tic of making bat like sounds, but now her eyesight as well, which wasnât the best, especially in bright lights.
Seeing her respond so poorly, Azukina decided it best to back off. She knew a look of self-doubt when she saw one, and honestly wasnât trying to force her into talking about herself. A minor setback, she hoped.
âWell, now I canât help but feel jealous. My sightâs going, so knowing you will have two senses greater than mine, Iâll have to rely on your superior natural ability.â She gave her next question a bit of thought, looking up at the sky as they were approaching the steps, instead of looking where she was going.
âR-really?â Koumori replied, a deep sympathy in her tone, like someone looking at another on the same wearying, rugged road, âM-my eyes arenât th-that good either⌠I-I w-wouldnât call m-my abilities superior, keekee, b-but I do have a s-sensitive nose...â
âAnd a sensitive nose. You are more impressive than you let on, Yakkaimori. Apologies, Iâve been very rude today, it seems. I havenât even talked about my own Quirk!â
Azukinaâs remark made her blush, âN-no! You werenât rude at all, Yomodachi-kun!â the girl rapidly interjected, âI got a pretty good idea about it from the demonstration, b-but I wouldnât mind hearing about it,â despite her sensitive hearing, it was like only Azukinaâs voice could be heard, and at a comfortable level- for the most part. This was weird. Koumori had no idea what to think of this. Was she zoning out this bad at school? That was so unlike her.
Her arm stretched out in front of her, palm looking back at the two of them. Azuki points to the center of her palm with her free hand, âRight in the middle there, I can create a glow, a light. As it would happen, I can emit a cold wind from it. Unfortunately Iâm prone to hurting myself when I use my Quirk, so I have that to deal with. That, and it actually hinders my ability to move.â
âI see,â she remarked, her voice low, almost reverent, âTh-that is a lot like how I read Frostbiteâs Quirk worked, keekee⌠Iâve um⌠read a little bit about him.â her gaze shifted about for a moment, âAnd⌠s-speaking of Pro-Quirks,â her hands raised to her temples, with her two index fingers pointed up, curling slightly, âDid any of the demonstrations today re-remind you of anyone? Keekee.â
Hearing her fatherâs name, it made Azukina avert her gaze. Right, of course someone would know her family name, it wasnât like she just announced it in front of everyone like some kind of moron. âAs far as I know, itâs exactly like how it worked. Except in his case, his body could handle the cold, and he was a lot cooler, able to use both his hands.â
She did her best to lighten up, even though talking about her dad made her noticeably nervous. âR-right, well, I canât say Iâve heard of too many names, but Sakimoto rings a bell⌠Admittedly, Iâm a pretty recent fan of heroism, so I might be a bit slow.â
âI-Iâm sorry! I⌠I didnât mean to upset you, I just⌠keekeekeeâ she apologized manically.âB-but y-you did a-an-an-announce it d-during your d-demonstration...â she added sheepishly, âIâm s-sorry keekee...â
Azukinaâs phrasing, mixed with her own previous gesture and question, gave Koumori pause, and she pursed her lips a bit, tilting her head.
âYou⌠donât know All Might? B-but⌠you s-said you wanted t-to be the Symbol of Peace?â she punctuated her query by once again making the hand-gesture that mimicked All Mightâs hair.
âOh, no, I know All Might! I'm certain everyone knows of him!â Her response was quick, as though to correct her mistake as soon as possible and prevent further misunderstanding. âI just thought you were referring to our classmates and whether they had hero backgrounds or not. In that sense, I wouldn't be the person to ask, however in the case of comparing our classmates to heroes I know of⌠MmhâŚâ
The Mutant girlâs heart fluttered for half a moment, then sank like a stone. Her expression was suddenly quite sheepish. She looked about at her fellow students pensively, taking in all their expressions. The girlâs gaze hesitated on Suzaku for a bit longer than a moment, before shooting down. A blush took her face as she didn, before her eyes flickered to Azukina.
She thinks for a moment, âI believe his name was Ito⌠he seemed really strong. A bit like All Might.â
Koumori nods, âI was thinking the same thing!â she blurted âA-although I h-have my own p-personal th-theory about what All M-Mightâs Quirk was⌠keekee,â she added, sheepish once more.
Hearing this elicited a curious look from Azukina.She thought his Quirk was relatively simple and well-known.
âWas his Quirk not to have superhuman strength?â she quizzed, raising a brow.
Seeing the smaller girl smile made her feel relaxed, though. Something about her felt familiar, filling her with a warm sensation she couldn't quite place.
âThat's⌠what I always thought it to be, at least.â
âW-well⌠he n-never talked a-about it.. A-and⌠All Might w-was always able to get p-places s-so fast, s-so I was thinking⌠wh-what if he had an Acceleration Quirk? Keekee? I-it would h-have all the s-same results, b-but b-but, it w-would e-explain everything in a m-much neater way, keekee,â the girl explained.
To her, it was quite simple, really. Force was simply mass times acceleration. All Might had a strong frame, to be sure, but in order to perform the feats for which he was known- well, he clearly wasnât altering his mass, as the ground never shattered under him or anything, so the only logical solution was he was somehow able to manipulate his own acceleration with his Quirk.
Unfortunately, Azukina wasn't quite smart enough to get it, but nodded all the same. âBut⌠what about his slower punches?â She tilted her head.
âIt could have been kinetic boosting,â said Suzaku, shrugging. âIt would account for both strength amplification and acceleration. Maybe some kinetic absorption, for good measure- he was a lot more durable than just a simple amplification Quirk would have allowed for.â
Koumori simply nodded. That made sense too.She looked to Azukina, to see if she had any input- she couldnât help but overhear her talking about the Symbol of Peace earlier. It was sort of disappointing that that dragon boy didnât know the difference between a simple number one Hero, and a bonafide Symbol of Peace. Oh well, maybe he wasnât as smart as he claimed to be. He did give off a duplicitous air- almost villainous, in some ways.
If this became a physics lesson the two toneâs mind would explode. This was clear from her expression. As a result, Koumori became visibly frustrated. The bridge of her nose wrinkled, and her hands clenched, but didnât form fists. She found herself shaking a bit as she forced the frustration down, and eventually the warmth in her chest eased it away. Her expression then changed. She looked sad, unsure. The girl then looked down, her visage extremely apologetic, but she had no idea what to say or do. There was a time when she would have. There was a time when she probably wouldnât have gotten so mad. But things had changed. She wanted to resolve to help Azukina learn, but something nagged in the back of her mind. âWould there even be a point? No- donât think that way! But⌠would I even be able to help?â
âJust give it up, baaaaaaaka. Look, she doesnât even look interested - she hates you! Youâre just some directionless loser who canât read people right. What are you, some kind of idiot? Unable to do this one, simple thing without screwing up? Unable to be a good person, huh? Unable to understand? Huh? Moron? Idiot.â
Azukina suffered in silence with her thoughts, unable to continue speaking. If she did, it would only give away her insecurity, her fear. Control had to be exercised, she had to get her emotion under control. They were the worst things. Emotions. She wished they would just go away.
âIâm⌠sorry.â She whispers, her voice barely audible to anyone else, though Koumoriâs ears were strong enough to hear the muttering under her breath. âIdiot⌠what was I thinkingâŚ? Great, now she hates me, tooâŚâ Azukina had forgotten all about Koumoriâs sensitive hearing, despite just being told about it, apparently.
The Mutant girl swallowed, then looked up into the two-toned girlâs eyes.
âD-donât be sorry! I-I donât hate you! Keekee- I⌠I was⌠d-disappointed in m-myself for⌠being f-frustrated⌠I-itâs all my fault, r-really, keekee.â Before she could continue, Suzaku walked in, quickly interjecting before things got worse.
âHey now, no need for anyone to get so down. Weâre here to learn, are we not? They donât expect us to have all the answers right off the bat. No oneâs mad or upset at each other, right? Just asking questions. Learning. Letâs all step back and take a breath, okay?â
Suzaku didnât know why the girls were getting so flustered with one another. What was so stressful about asking these kinds of questions? It was perfectly normal and natural, given the circumstances. Girls confuse me, he thought, scratching the back of his head.
As they walked through the woods, the terrain started to become more and more uneven. âGreat. Now sheâs mad at me. Sheâll probably never want to talk to me again. Why would she ever want to be friends with a frail girl like me?â It was then that Koumori heard something. A snap- a crumbling sound. Azukinaâs foot being put down, only to slip on a protruding root before some crude stone steps. The reaction was almost instant, Koumori shot her arm out, stopping Azukina from continuing, as she attempted to catch the much taller girl from a potential fall.
Azukina wasnât exactly a light girl, coming in at 128lbs, but the inhuman reaction time of her Mutant-type classmate gave her the precious time needed to prevent her from colliding face-first into the steps. It wouldâve been a dumb way to go - she was stressing herself out way too muchâŚ
Thankful that nobody else really caught on to her blunder, the two-toned girl brings herself back to her feet, looking a little out of it. Her breathing is unsteady, but doesnât appear overly erratic, slowly calming herself down. Koumori receives an unfocused stare, blinking twice, before seemingly coming back to herself.
âI, uh⌠Is that what they call it when a person has their life flash before themâŚ?â
Due to their difference in size, Koumoriâs hand was placed about midway across the other girlâs body, very near the base of her sternum. She didnât exactly notice where she had her hand as she looked up at the taller girl.
âA-are you okay Y-Yomodachi-kun?â Koumori blurted in concern, âD-did you get scared? I-Iâm s-so glad you d-d-didnât f-fall, keekee,â the short girl added.
It was a good thing her voice was so naturally quiet, otherwise someone else might have heard her, and brought attention to Azukinaâs near blunder. Not to mention Koumoriâs handâŚ
âYouâre, umm⌠y-youâre grabbing myâŚâ
Now steady on her feet, Azukina pulled away from the smaller girlâs grasp, which had touched someplace she never thought another person would touch so soon. Either she was cursed, the school was cursed, or every single one of her classmates were perverts in some respectâŚ
Koumori instantly removes her hand at that remark; she didnât even notice, âI-Iâm s-sorry Y-Yomodachi-kun!â
With a sigh, her expression softens, but still shows a level of annoyance. âYou will pay for that, along with Haruto. Your debt to me is less, but only because you saved me from a fall.â She then chooses to finally acknowledge Suzaku, glaring at him as though about to bring down the axe. âYou did not see anything, do I make myself clear?â She folds her arms across her chest. âA-and⌠th-thank you, Yakkaimori. For s-saving me from my fallâŚâ She turns, headed up the stairs, feeling like she did during the entrance examâŚ
âI, uh⌠what.â Suzaku blinked, shaking his head, utterly confused at the emotional whiplash heâd just experienced. Theyâd gone from a civil conversation, to Yomodachi tripping and falling⌠and suddenly Yakkaimori owed some sort of debt? For saving her, orâ
...Oh. A faint trace of color dusted Suzakuâs cheeks. Thatâs unfortunate. He shook his head again. Still, one would think sheâd be more grateful. Would she rather break her neck on the stairs? I donât get it.
â...Thereâs probably a story behind that âalong with Harutoâ comment, but right now Iâm being distracted by all of the âwhat the fuckâ Iâm feeling,â he commented quietly.
Koumori blushed- her forehead starting to leak a cold sweat. Debt? Koumori definitely didnât have any kind of money to pay off a debt, but for some reason, thatâs not what she thought Azukina meant. However, as she was thanked, her face went warm, as did the strange flutter in her chest.
Still, demanding recompense for accidents was hardly fair. Maybe she didnât want to hang out with her after all. The more she thought about it, the more confused her feelings were, until her eyes broke from their lock on the ground and sheepishly glanced at Azukina. She had no idea what to say, but somehow felt less conflicted about staying around the monochrome haired girl. Strange.
Suzaku shuffled as he glanced between Yomodachi and Yakkaimori, feeling a bit uncomfortable. âTo be fair, I donât think sheâs serious about you owing her anything. That kind of⌠doesnât make sense. At all.â
The only response Koumori gave was to collapse her shoulders even more, and clasp her hands, nervously brushing her thumbs against each other.
She was awhirl with feelings, âI-itâs fine Takeda-kun⌠I sh-should have paid m-more attention to my height, and where I put my m-my hand, keekee,â she admitted, before muttering to herself, âEven i-if it doesnât seem v-very heroic⌠What kind of Symbol of Peace counts debts?â she mused aloud, lost in thoughts a bit more bitter than she might have liked, âSimplicity: keep your accounts on your thumb nail. â
Suzaku shrugged. âShe did say âfutureâ Symbol of Peace. Weâre still learning. Including her. Sheâll grow out of it. Eventually. Hopefully.â
âThatâs not the point,â the girl replied through gritted teeth, giving Suzaku a rather sharp glare, her voice so low that it was practically a hiss- there was a possibility that even Suzaku wouldnât hear it clearly, but it was assured that no one outside of the three would be able to make it out.
âI can hear you.â Azukina commented off-handedly, looking somewhat⌠smug? It was a little hard to read her, but she didnât seem particularly annoyed; perhaps she wasnât as upset as she had first let on? âApologies, but my⌠outburst just now wasnât directed at you, but at someone else. Kind of. It is⌠hard to explain.â
It would seem she hadnât quite heard much else other than the fact she was being talked about.
Koumoriâs eyes widened a bit. She was sort of just thinking out loud and didnât realize who was where for the moment.
âOh- s-sorry⌠Wh-who w-were you ou- um.. directing it towards? Keekee.â
The Monochrome Emitter gave a soft, nervous chuckle, the kind youâd hear from someone who was guilty but didnât know how to respond. They were almost at The Field by this point, the path opening to a wider expanse, a great open area flanked by stands of trees and some fencing.
âWell⌠itâs a long story. If we have time to do so in the future, I may tell you about it.â
Given how she spoke it seemed like Azukina wasnât interested in talking about it. But she offered a friendly smile as an apology - a small kindness for all her rudeness. The Mutant girl was extremely confused by this. She just gave a bewildered expression. Did Azukina want to be friends with Koumori? Or was she simply being coy and cryptic?
Koumoriâs reaction made Checkers uncomfortable somewhat, though not because of the batgirlâs bewilderment, but because she just felt so bad at all this. Even though the girl before her felt so familiar, there was undoubtedly something that made the conversation⌠difficult. Unlike the mutant bat, Azukina had her own feeling deep within her chest, a tightness that squeezed at her heart like it wanted to choke her. Cruel and ghostly, it was in direct opposition to Koumoriâs butterflies, which only made her feel increasingly awkward the more that time had passed.
With thoughts bubbling in her mind, and emotions in her chest, Koumori decided to speak her mind a bit.
âIf you want to be the Symbol of Peace,â her voice was low,but clearly directed at Azukina, despite not looking directly at her, and the nervous stammer was all but gone somehow, âYou have to start now. Look at the person you are and if thatâs not who a Symbol of Peace would be, work harder on yourself,â there was a reverence to her as she spoke, as if both the topic and method of which she spoke were deeply important to her.
The amber eyes which once looked to her with kindness now looked away, although the emotion they expressed couldnât be seen. At least, not until her thoughts had recollected, her confidence reaffirmed, her mind decided and set.
âIn that case, Iâll work twice as hard, if not that then thrice as tough! I can not promise I could ever be as great as All Might, however I promise,â hands entwined with Koumoriâs own, âthat I wonât ever stop trying to achieve great things and giving people who need it a reason to smileâŚ!â
Her face brimmed with kindness and confidence, her smile wide and beaming, yet behind the facade her mind teased and taunted, her thoughts scattered and disjointed. A Symbol of Peace? How would someone go about achieving that? She wasnât even sure of her own dream - it wasnât even her dream. How could she be so serious about something so far-fetched? âYou donât even know what youâre doing.â Her mind said. âJust a stupid little girl with a stupid little dream, huhâŚ?â Her confidence was a lie. That smile was a lie. Her dream was a lie. This friendship would be a lie. Nothing could ever be truthful, nothing could ever be honest, nor real.
Just a lost little girl who didnât know what she was doing. Koumori, however, seeing this display, clutched the hand offered her tightly. She felt herself being consumed by a feeling she never thought sheâd feel again. And yet, there it was. She couldnât help but smile in return. Not the wry, shy, or nervous smile that she may have given before, nor the guarded smile she used to tell people she was okay- No, this was a real smile. The girlâs brown eyes squinted, lips peeling back to reveal⌠white, pointed teeth, most of them coming to an almost needle like point. Being that she was looking directly at it, the reason Koumori kept her teeth hidden was probably pretty obvious to Azukina. The Bat Mutantâs smile was very jagged in the front, with sharply pointed cusps on her incisors and canine teeth, with prominent points on her molars as well. The contrast between the front and back teeth in shape and interaction, coupled with a relatively narrow jaw, gave the smile a rather inhuman quality. But right now, Koumori didnât care. Unable to know how uncomfortable the other girl was, she was happy.
The return smile she got from Koumori was⌠different. It made her feel different. Unbeknownst to her, the black and white girl had added a shade of pink to her features, making her feel a bit of that warm fuzziness completely out of the blue. Thankfully for Azukina, Goudo-sensei began instructing the students to stay put, something the lost one felt she needed, given how her mind was in turmoil; âI guess we wait now?â She didnât exactly wait for Koumoriâs response, taking an open spot by a fence.
As their hands slipped from each other, Azukina took steps towards the fence, while Koumori simply stood there, feeling lost for a moment. However, she soon takes a place besides Azukina, having been unsure about where to go. Better to stick so someone familiar than try and talk to someone new. The short girl shuddered at the thought. Checkers raised an eyebrow at her approach, but said nothing.
âW-we both have a lot to learn if we want to be Pro Heroes,â Koumori interjected before the proceedings began, looking down for a moment in disappointment at her scrawny arm, back pressed against the fence, speaking in a low tone, âM-maybe me more than you⌠But.... but I canât make it without you⌠s-so you have my support, keekee.â
Though still unsure in how she felt about the batgirl, the duo had gotten closer than most in Yomodachiâs life, and that warranted at least some kind of attention. Plus, her echolocation would come in handy to navigate the woods, or at the bare minimum her ears would pick up audio well before anyone else. If the dummies made sounds as they had during the entrance exam, then Koumori would be beyond valuable.
âGladly,â she replied with a nod, âand I hope I can support you as you will I.â
So long as she didnât screw this up somehow, they would be fine. Azuki could only hope that wouldnât come to pass.
Being time to line up and wait, Suzaku took the opportunity to find someone else- another student whose Quirk had caught his interest. The masked boy from earlier, the one with the empowerment Quirk. He was impressive. He walked over, with a wave and a smile to get his attention.
âHello!â he called cheerfully. âHaruko-san, yes? Iâm Takeda Suzaku. I just wanted to say, your Quirk is quite impressive. Do you maybe have time or the inclination to talk about it for a while? While weâre waiting for this to start.â
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