Izuku paused, as if thinking about what he was going to choose.
"You're totally missing the point of the game, Sherlock," Mina said, rolling her eyes.
"To be fair, I don't think he can help it," Momo added with a soft chuckle. "Overthinking is pretty much Izuku's default setting, after all."
Mina was not going to have any of that.
"Ah, ah! No thinking this time Mr. Tactician; go with your gut! That's the rules!"
"That's right! Remind him what the rules are!" Mina cheered on her on-screen self. "Seriously, how hard can it be to just shut your brain off and answer a simple game of 'Truth or Dare'?"
"Unfortunately, Mina, not all of us are as naturally gifted in that department as you," Jiro teased with a smirk.
Mina shot her a glare before flipping her off, earning a round of laughter from the others.
Izuku made an adorable squeaking sound that really didn't fit his body. God, he was too cute for his hunky body. "D-dare I guess?"
"Why would you even say something like that, especially with two devils like Mina and Setsuna around..." Ochako sighed, rubbing her temple and shaking her head in exasperation.
"Hey, we are not devils!" Mina shot back with mock offense, clutching her chest dramatically.
"Exactly! We're the ones the devil himself would be afraid of!" Setsuna added, and she and Mina immediately burst into laughter, slapping each other's palms in a loud, victorious high-five.
"Hug Ibara!" Setsuna called out before Mina could utter out her own dare. The pink woman glared at the lizard, but smiled slightly seeing the fluster the dare had caused.
Sister in arms indeed.
"Set! What the hell was that?" Mina complained, frowning as she crossed her arms. "We could've come up with something way more exciting than that lame dare you threw out!"
"Lame!?" Setsuna shot back, incredulous. "Excuse me, but this is the very first dare of the night. What do you expect me to do, ask him to give us a full-on striptease?" she retorted, throwing her hands up just as a chorus of embarrassed coughs and awkward shuffles rippled through the room. "Besides, did you even notice who I picked? If I pushed it any further, Ibara's counterpart would've poked about a hundred holes in mine with those vines of hers."
"I'm tempted to do that right now," Ibara huffed, her cheeks burning bright red as she leveled a withering glare at Setsuna. With a startled squeak, Setsuna broke apart and quickly reassembled herself behind Itsuka, peeking out like a guilty child hiding behind an older sibling. "How shameless of your counterpart to drag mine into such indecency, especially using someone as respectable as Midoriya."
"I- ok," Izuku mumbled, reaching out with one arm gingerly, Ibara flinching at the motion.
But she didn't pull back. Instead, her vines guided his hand towards her shoulder, letting him half-hug her against his torso.
"Well, at least it didn't turn out nearly as scandalous as these two demons were clearly hoping for," Ibara muttered under her breath, her voice laced with both relief and lingering embarrassment, her cheeks still glowing red. "I suppose I should be grateful it was Midoriya and not some shameless pervert."
Mina cursed that none of them had cameras.
"Mina, be grateful you don't have some kind of camera or recording device to capture these moments," Tsu said flatly, giving Mina a long, pointed look. "Because if you did, it would've been in pieces before the end of the night, 'ribbit.'"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You guys are just super anti-fun," Mina grumbled, rolling her eyes with an exaggerated sigh.
"Nah, we're not 'anti-fun'..." Jiro shot back, lifting her hands to make sarcastic air quotes. "...we just don't feel like having scandalous pictures of us floating around out there for the world to see, whether on purpose or by accident."
"Yeah, it's already hard enough being girls in hero work, with all the creeps and trashy magazines trying to sneak weird angled shots of us," Itsuka added with a distasteful frown. "The last thing we need is to hand them more fuel, especially before we've even officially debuted."
"Alright, fine, I get it, my bad," Mina admitted with a sigh, her shoulders slumping. "I don't always think things through and... yeah, I end up making dumb decisions."
"It's alright, Mina. What matters is that you understand," Momo said gently with a kind smile, which made Mina's lips twitch into a small, sheepish smile of her own.
"Damn, you two look good together, huh?" Setsuna teased, her head floating next to Kyoka to get a good long look. The flustered expressions of Izuku and Ibara hugging side by side while sitting on the edge of a hot spring was something to behold.
"Well said, other me. They really do look adorable together," Setsuna remarked with a sly, teasing smile aimed squarely at Ibara, clearly trying to get back at her for the little threat she'd thrown her way earlier.
A faint blush bloomed across Ibara's cheeks, but instead of snapping back like Setsuna expected, she calmly flipped the game on her. "Indeed, Setsuna, we do look good together..." she said evenly, her tone deceptively serene as she met Setsuna's gaze with a smug smile. "...unfortunately, I can't say the same for you. I imagine Midoriya would prefer someone with a steady, calming presence like me over having to put up with an obnoxious woman like you."
"Hey, take that back! I am not obnoxious!" Setsuna fired back immediately, her voice rising in protest. What made it worse was Ibara's smug little smile only grew wider, making Setsuna even more irritated than before.
Izuku burned redder and he let go of Ibara instantly. "Asui! Truth or dare!"
"Call me Tsu. Truth"
"Eh?! That's no fair!" Tooru whined, "you already tell us everything!"
"Not my problem," Tsuyu shrugged, punctuating the whole thing with a ribbit.
"You know, playing this game with calm-headed people like Tsu is seriously no fun," Mina grumbled, slumping her shoulders in defeat. "I can never figure out a way to trip her up or catch her in a trap at all."
"It just sounds like a skill issue to me, ribbit," Tsu replied with a casual shrug, as a few chuckles escaped at Mina's sour frown.
"How much can taste with tongue?" Pony asked, poking out her own to emphasize her question.
The girls winced, remembering just how many surfaces Tsuyu had effectively licked during their years of hero training.
The frog-like woman poked her own chin. "That's harder to explain than you would think."
"Answer the question, Tsu!" Tooru pestered, paddling closer to Tsu in an attempt to tease the heroine.
"I'm getting to that. I have the feeling of taste when I eat, but not when I'm smacking my tongue around, I didn't really think about it that much." Tsuyu shrugged again. "Might be a mental thing."
"Oh, that's fascinating. Maybe your brain automatically dulls your sense of taste when you're using your tongue as a tool," Momo suggested thoughtfully, her curiosity piqued as she glanced at her frog-quirked friend. "Or perhaps your quirk subconsciously separates the experience of eating from using your tongue as part of your ability. What do you think?"
"Maybe, but like my counterpart said, I don't really put much thought into it," Tsu replied with a casual shrug. "It's not the kind of thing that helps me actually improve my quirk, so why worry about it, ribbit."
"Ah... I see..." Momo murmured, a faint trace of disappointment coloring her voice. With a quirk as intricate as her own, she loved exploring theories and possibilities, and it always stung a little when others seemed content to view their quirks only on the surface, with no real curiosity to dig deeper. That was one of the reasons she valued Izuku's company so much, since he shared her passion for analyzing quirks. In fact, she was certain his passion for quirks far eclipsed even her own.
"Kyoka, truth or dare?"
"Dare." Kyoka blinked, realizing the folly of her mistake. "Why the fuck did I say that..."
"Exactly, other me... why would you make such a dumbass decision?" Jiro groaned, dragging a hand down her face as if the weight of regret had already settled on her shoulders. She could already feel the headache forming just from imagining the kind of ridiculous, embarrassingly scandalous tasks the two resident troublemakers were bound to come up with for her.
"Sing a song."
The girls paused, everyone slowly locking onto just who had uttered that order.
"Huh?!" Jiro blurted out, her eyes going wide as she jerked back in surprise, caught off guard not just by the sudden request but by the fact that it came from that person in particular.
"Oh, this is going to be good," Momo chuckled softly, far more amused than surprised. She knew her best friend all too well, especially how flustered Jiro got when it came to compliments or being put on the spot about singing, something she usually only did in the privacy of her own space.
Izuku gulped, feeling the eyes of everyone on him even through the bright pink sleep mask and scooted slightly closer to Momo as if she would protect him.
"S-sorry, I just couldn't get your voice out of my head ever since you sang at the Culture Festival. Class B didn't get to hear it, did you?"
"Stupid Green! Did he really have to blurt all that out in front of everyone?" Jiro muttered under her breath, her cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment. Yet despite her grumbling, a faint, reluctant smile tugged at the corner of her lips, betraying the fact that she didn't entirely mind.
"I don't think we have, no," Itsuka shrugged. "Did hear some talk about it though, you guys did that great concert, didn't you?"
"Mhm! And it was aaaaaaalllll our cute lil' rocker here," Mina cheered, sloshing her way towards a now flustered and blushing Kyoka. "Now, you heard the dare~"
The more praise Jiro heard from her friends' counterparts on-screen, the deeper the crimson spread across her face and the redder she became, the more her friends' amused smiles grew.
"Momo, you might want to whip up a fire extinguisher. Jiro looks like she's about to burst into flames," tsuka teased with a chuckle, which set off a round of laughter from the other girls. Jiro, meanwhile, shot her a sour glare that only made them laugh harder.
"W-way to put me in the spot, Green..." she hissed and rubbed her temples, wracking her brain for something she wouldn't regret TOO much. "What song, what song..."
When Kyoka's hands returned to her lap, she took a deep breath, and sang . A sad, passionate song blossomed throughout the hot spring, entrancing every person within.
"She really has the voice of an angel," Ibara mumbled, cupping her hands together in a praying motion. She began to hum along melodically, adding to the choir of the song, making it even more appealing to listen to.
A round of applause filled the room as all the girls cheered for the brilliant musical performance they had just witnessed.
"I agree with my counterpart's words," Ibara said warmly, clasping her hands in front of her chest. "Having the chance to hear such a melodious voice truly feels like a blessing."
"Yeah, hearing Jiro sing on the screen really makes me regret missing her performance at the First-Year Culture Festival," Pony added with a nod, her tone tinged with genuine regret as she agreed with Ibara.
"Yeah... such a shame," Yu murmured softly, her quiet voice echoing her classmates' sentiments.
"Yes, it's unfortunate you didn't get to experience Kyoka's voice live," Momo said, her lips curving into a knowing smile as she cast a meaningful glance toward her purple-haired friend, "but I'm sure that will change in the future."
"Shut up, Momo! I'm not singing," Jiro muttered, her cheeks burning red as she ducked her head, trying to hide from the flood of praise surrounding her.
"Fine, I won't push you for now, but don't think I'm giving up on pulling you out of your shell," Momo whispered to Jiro, reminding her that she had no intention of giving up on making her sing again.
By the end of it, the group was mesmerised, not one of them noticing the end of the little song Kyoka had graced them with. "Yaomomo, truth or dare?"
"Huh? What?" the taller woman blinked, clearly unprepared for being dragged back from the land of music. "Uh- truth?"
"Well done, my counterpart, well done," Momo said with a small, satisfied smile, nodding appreciatively at her on-screen self for managing to keep her composure and not accidentally blurt out 'dare' even when taken by surprise.
With almost everyone still coming back to reality slowly thanks to her song, Kyoka had the chance to follow up with her own question. "You and Todoroki, is something going on?"
"No?" Momo blinked owlishly at the rocker. "Is there supposed to be?"
"I- I mean, you two hang out quite a bit, we all think he's handsome and smart, so I thought..." The tips of Kyoka's jacks poked each other tenderly like they always did when she was embarrassed.
"Oh, well... he's really not my type I suppose, I didn't even think of him that way." Momo mumbled, tapping the side of her chin in an elegant thinking pose. "Huh..."
Izuku let go of a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
"Kyoka, why would you waste your question on something so obvious?" Momo said, glancing at her best friend with mock, exaggerated disappointment as she shook her head. "You're my best friend, you're supposed to know these things."
"Hey! Don't look at me like that!" Jiro shot back, defending herself and her counterpart on the screen. "Everyone in our class thought you and Todoroki were going to end up together by the time we graduated.
"Why? Just because he and I both come from rich, influential families?" Momo retorted, rolling her eyes with uncharacteristic sass. "If we're going by that logic, then Toru and Mineta should be a thing, since no one can see her and no one wants to see him."
"Momo! Ewww~ how could you violate me like that!?" Toru cried out with a shudder, while Momo muttered a sympathetic apology to the invisible girl.
"No, not just because of your backgrounds... okay, fine, part of it was because of that," Jiro admitted, giving a sheepish smile as her face warmed with embarrassment. "But mostly it was how well you and Todoroki seemed to click after our First-Year Final Exam. I mean, you even went along with that crazy Bakugo rescue mission with them, back when you weren't even that close with Green, and definitely not with Bakugo."
"Haha~ so that's why you thought there might be something between Todoroki and me?" Momo asked, covering her mouth with her hand as she giggled elegantly at her best friend's reasoning. "No, Kyoka, I didn't go with them because of any special bond with Todoroki. I went because I felt ashamed, seeing Izuku so determined to go and rescue Bakugo without hesitation despite having sustained heavy injuries to his hands just a few hours prior. So, as an aspiring hero, how could I just sit by and let those three hot-headed boys throw themselves into such a suicidal mission alone?"
"Fair enough, I guess. But Kyo isn't wrong, you know. All of us were convinced there was something budding between you two, our class's very own high-society prince and princess," Mina chimed in with a dreamy sigh, her eyes practically sparkling. "You were supposed to be the first big romance of our batch!"
"Haha~ sorry to disappoint you, Mina," Momo replied with a gentle laugh, shaking her head. "Todoroki and I may be very good friends, but that's all there is between us. That said, I do have a clear goal... and someone I've already set my heart on. And after what we just saw on the screen, I feel more certain than ever that I'm on the right path."
"So!" Mina cut right in, "Who is your type then, Momo?"
"t-tHAT- I already answered my question!" Momo avoided answering, but her eye stole a glance towards Izuku, before shooting a look somewhere else.
"Hmm, now that I think about it, it's really not that hard to figure out who Momo's got her eye on," Itsuka said with a playful grin, sliding her gaze toward the raven-haired girl.
"It isn't difficult at all," Momo replied with a serene smile, completely unfazed by the teasing. "But then, I've never been the type to hide my affection for the people I truly care about." With that, she delicately lifted her second cup of hot chocolate, freshly made by Ochako and Tsu, before taking a slow, appreciative sip.
"Itsuka! Truth or dare?"
Without a moment of hesitation, Itsuka shot back, "Dare."
"Oh, Prez, you've sure got some guts, huh?" Setsuna drawled, flashing her sharp-toothed grin at Itsuka.
"Oh, please, try me," Itsuka shot back without missing a beat, her smug smile matching Setsuna's as she proudly flexed her toned arms.
"Armwrestle with Midoriya!" Momo winced, noticing that she had thrown his name out in her panic. At least the others didn't seem to take note of it.
"Oh, nice, now that's what I call a dare," Itsuka said with an approving nod. "Set, Ashido, you two could seriously take a lesson or two from her," she added, shooting the pair a pointed look. Her satisfaction quickly deflated into a sigh, though, when the two only responded with exaggerated mocking gestures in her direction.
Itsuka shrugged. "A'ight." Without any protest, she rolled her left shoulder and strode towards Izuku. The man looked around as if he was lost, then facing the sound of the sloshing water.
Part of her removed the sleeping mask in her head, imagining his green eyes staring right back at her. A slight blush blossoming on her cheeks at the mental image.
"Damn it, sister, you just had to expose us in the most embarrassing way possible, didn't you?" Itsuka groaned, cursing her on-screen counterpart before shooting a weary glance at Setsuna, who was grinning shamelessly from ear to ear. "Alright, go on, get it out of your system."
"Nah, not yet," Setsuna said with a lazy wave of her hand. "I'll save it for now, 'cause I'm sure there'll be even better, more interesting, and definitely more embarrassing moments later, and I'd rather have fresh, slightly scandalous material to tease you with."
"No quirks?" He offered, reaching out with his right hand.
"I don't wanna deal with All Might class strength, so sure. But use your other hand." She didn't miss the chance to push his hand away, feeling the scars littering across its skin. "I know your right never healed right from a fight the last time we were in the summer camp."
"Ah, right." He reached out with his left, taking her own left hand in his grasp. "Let's not go too far, I read that armwrestling can break someone's arm if the contestants don't watch out."
"...You would know that, wouldn't you?" Itsuka chuckled, grasping his hand, leading the two to an outcrop of stones where both could comfortably place their elbows on. Getting into position, they both took a steadying breath.
"You know, even though I don't think Midoriya's scars look ugly or anything, it still makes my stomach twist when I think about how he got them," Komori said with a shudder, her voice tinged with unease. "Winters must be especially rough for him. I can only imagine how the cold makes those old wounds ache, probably feels like they're shrooming with pain all over again."
"Indeed. It's heartbreaking that someone as kind as Midoriya had to suffer through such terrible trials," Ibara said softly, her eyes lowering with sympathy. "But honestly, it isn't just him. Each of us has faced our own share of painful experiences, some of them far too heavy for people our age. Still, I'm thankful we've managed to endure, to heal, and to keep moving forward together."
"Ready when you are, Greeny."
"Okay. Kodai, could you count us down?"
The usually silent girl pointed to herself as if Izuku could see that reaction, but then sighed. "On one. Three... two... one."
Itsuka pushed with all her might at the moment the countdown had ended, trying to get the win in through speed and surprise. Only, while her arm started to shudder with exertion, Izuku's arm remained ramrod straight like a steel beam embedded into the stone itself.
God, this was a mistake , her mind echoed as she took note of Izuku's bulging bicep, his arm not even shaking a little bit to keep its orientation. "Damn, what the hell did you eat as a kid, Greeny, you're like metal over here."
"Damn it! That arm-wrestling match shouldn't have been that one-sided!" Itsuka said, frustration edging her voice. "And what makes it worse is that he wasn't even using his dominant hand! He doesn't even look like he is trying!"
"I mean, come on," Setsuna said, tilting her head as she tapped a finger against her chin. "Broccoli Hair can flick a building into dust like it's a toy. So is it really that shocking he can crush an arm-wrestling match with his weaker hand?"
"I get that, but it still stings watching my counterpart get completely shut down without even budging him an inch," Itsuka muttered, puffing out her cheeks in a pout. "I've still got my pride as a martial artist, you know?" she added, her voice softening as she slumped back in her chair. Setsuna couldn't help but laugh, reaching over to ruffle her friend's hair before giving her a playful pat on the head.
"I, uh, got a lot of exercise in, and my muscles are kinda used to locking my limbs in place."
He wasn't about to admit it was mostly because he carried large truck tires and entire cars across Dagobah Beach all that time ago.
"It still blows my mind that Deku managed to clean up the entire garbage dump that used to be Takoba Beach all on his own," Ochako said, her voice filled with a mix of awe and disbelief. "And now it's this huge tourist attraction, all thanks to one of his post-war interviews going viral. He just casually mentioned that he'd trained there by clearing the beach, and suddenly everyone wanted to see the place where it all started for him."
"Yeah, it was hilarious seeing how flustered and embarrassed Midoriya got when he found out about that," Mina added with a laugh. "The nice thing, though, is that the beach's sudden popularity means people keep visiting, and that means they keep taking care of the beach. Instead of sliding back into a junkyard, it's actually thriving now."
"You can't win if you don't fight back, though!" Itsuka exclaimed, trying to push him harder at the end of the statement.
Izuku didn't even budge. The jerk even smiled at her.
"It's starting to get frustrating watching my counterpart struggle like she's trying to shove an immovable wall," Itsuka said with a pout, crossing her arms in irritation. Still, she couldn't stop the thought that slipped in unbidden. 'But that smug smile of his... damn it, it really does look kind of hot on him,' she admitted to herself, cheeks warming despite her annoyance.
"Go, Itsuka!" Pony cheered from behind her, not to much effect, as she couldn't even make Izuku's wrist strain.
"Let me help!" Setsuna butted in, a flying hand pushing against the back of Itsuka's hand, adding to the pressure against Izuku's seemingly immovable arm.
Soon, half of the girls from class B were trying to push Izuku's arm back, each one rewarded with the man starting to strain with effort.
"Hahaha! Come on, sisters, go for it! Show that green bean muscle machine the true girl power of our class!" Setsuna hollered, pumping her fist in the air as she egged on her and her friends' counterparts on the screen.
"As if that's going to do anything," Jiro replied flatly, raising an eyebrow. "It's like trying to move a mountain. You could bring an entire army with you, and you'd still get nowhere unless you rolled up with some kind of heavy artillery and tear the mountain apart."
"Oh, is that so?" Setsuna said with a mischievous gleam in her eye as she leaned back with a sharp grin. "Well then, I'm pretty sure these..." she added, pushing her chest up with her arms, "...weapons of mass destruction would be enough to topple our green mountain."
"Setsuna! Must you always be so shameless?!" Ibara scolded, glaring at her class's resident gremlin, while Jiro and a few of the other girls nearly choked on their hot chocolate, their faces turning pink as they quickly brought their mugs up to hide their flustered expressions, while Setsuna just cackled at their reactions.
"Plus..." Finally, Izuku started to push, and Itsuka and her entourage started to lose ground against the assault. " Ultra—!"
Itsuka's hand hit the stone they were arm-wrestling on, all the women hissing at the loss.
"Oh, what a shame. I really thought we might have a chance with all of us working together," Pony said, pouting with a trace of disappointment in her voice.
"Do not let your spirits sink, my friend," Reiko replied softly, placing a comforting hand on the American girl's shoulder. "Take solace in knowing that we ladies tend to lean more toward brains than raw brawn."
"But... isn't Midoriya, like, in the top five of the class?" Yui asked in her usual calm tone, tilting her head just slightly as if genuinely puzzled.
"Yui, you are quite undermining the very essence of my argument," Reiko sighed, her shoulders drooping in exasperation as Pony's slumped right along with hers.
Itsuka shook her hand, trying to get the feeling back on it. "Damn, you're stronger than you look. And that's saying something, considering..." Instead of finishing her sentence, Itsuka allowed her eyes to wander his bare chest for a moment.
Izuku blushed and mumbled out a thanks, hiding his head behind his arms.
"Careful there, Prez, or you might start drooling," Setsuna snickered with a wide grin as she caught the way Itsuka's on-screen counterpart reacted. "You wouldn't want Greenie thinking you're openly thirsting after his body, now would you?" she teased, throwing a wink at her class president.
"Shut up, Set! I am not drooling!" Itsuka shot back, her cheeks dusted with pink. But as her eyes flicked back to the screen, she muttered under her breath, "Still... that body really is worth drooling over." The words slipped out before she realized it, and the sudden silence in the room made her freeze. When she saw everyone staring, she groaned and buried her burning face in her hands. "I said that out loud, didn't I?" she mumbled, as laughter erupted around her.
"Okay, Greeny, truth or dare?"
"I, ah, well..." Izuku thought for a second before mentally kicking himself. He wasn't allowed to think, after all. "Dare."
"Again? Ballsy. How about you show us how much you can lift quirkless?"
"Nice one, Kendo! Great dare!" Mina said with a grin, flashing a big thumbs-up in the tangerine-haired girl's direction... not that Itsuka could see it with her face still buried in her hands. "Honestly, even I'm curious about the answer to that one."
******
When her teammate had informed her that he had punted Midoriya into another country, Ryuko couldn't help but laugh. Between Tiger and Midoriya, there was enough passion and Plus Ultra Energy to fill up an entire convention expecting All Might as a guest appearance, so it really shouldn't have been a surprise when something like THAT happened.
"There's nothing funny about this!" Ochako snapped, her glare fixed on the on-screen counterpart of Pixie-Bob. "If anything, you should be furious that one of your fellow heroes thought it was okay to send a student flying like that!"
"To be fair, Izuku's been through worse," Toru said carefully, lifting her hands in a placating gesture, trying to calm her brunette friend. "He's taken way harder hits in the past, and honestly, going a little overboard during sparring isn't exactly going to leave a mark on him."
"That's not the point!" Ochako shot back, making the invisible girl flinch. "They're seasoned pros! They're supposed to be more careful than that!"
"Okay, okay, you're right, geez," Toru said quickly, flailing her hands in front of her. "Next time we see Pixie-Bob, we'll just call her an old hag or something to get back at her."
Midoriya was probably okay, so it was only a matter of finding the poor hero in training. Unfortunately, that proved to be much more difficult than the three of them, Mandalay included, expected. Their initial sweep of the forest had come up empty, although Yawara hadn't given up on that just yet, and the kid hadn't so much as made a sound when Shino attempted to Call to him using her quirk.
"I guess teenage hormones are strong enough to drown out even a literal Telepathy quirk," Mina snickered with a wink.
"I mean, come on, if I were a guy, I'd probably ignore someone trying to drag me out of a hot spring packed with gorgeous and hot babes as well," Setsuna said with a low wolf whistle. "Especially if they were fine with me sticking around. Honestly, I don't think even shy, gentlemanly Greenie could resist the temptation of staying in a paradise like that."
They could enlist the students, or even Shouta, to aid in the search and rescue, but Shino had made it clear that if there was a second incident that, again, involved a student going missing in their forest, there could be problems, both for UA and for themselves. So instead, they just had to keep looking and praying the only thing that went wrong was a unfortunately timed uppercut. Granted, the search would be a snap if Tomoko hadn't lost her—
No, don't think about that, Pixie Bob admonished herself. She had greater concerns than old wounds.
"You know, it's really such a shame we never found a way to give back the quirks that bastard All For One stole," Ochako said, her brows knitting into a deep frown. "I can't even begin to imagine how awful it must've felt to have a piece of yourself just sucked out of your body like that."
"Ignoring the... rather unfortunate innuendo," Momo said, pinching the bridge of her nose as several girls snickered while Ochako blinked in confusion, clearly not getting the joke. "The government and the Hero Commission did look into a way to restore stolen quirks, especially after All For One was captured the first time following his battle with All Might at Kamino Ward. But... well, we all know how that ended," she added with a weary sigh.
"Yeah... at least that monster's gone for good now," Jiro said softly, her voice carrying both relief and bitterness as her hand brushed against her prosthetic left ear. "Still... it sucks knowing there are people out there who'll never get back what he stole from them."
Like Midoriya. And soft, fluffy kittens. And big, burly men. Like Midoriya!
Speaking of which, Ryuko had decided to check the hot springs for one green haired student. It might have been a stretch, but it was possible that the naughty little kitten had decided to skip the rest of his training, including the chores afterwards, and enjoy a hot bath all by himself. It could happen, if he landed in the general vicinity! Maybe. No further questions.
As she approached the door leading on top of the wooden divider, Pixie Bob lowered herself down to all fours and crept forward without making a single sound. These oversized gloves weren't just for show, after all! She thanked whatever god was listening when the door itself didn't squeak and peeked over the edge of the divider into the men's bath. Empty. Not even a sneaky kitten shirking cleaning duty. So much for an easy rescue.
"Ugh, what is wrong with this woman?" Jiro winced as she rubbed the back of her neck. "Calling Green a 'naughty little kitten' and then slipping into the boys' hot spring like it's something she's done a hundred times before... honestly, it's less playful and more straight-up creepy."
"You know... I really think we should keep Midoriya a safe distance away from that woman," Itsuka said with a wry smile, earning a round of nods from the other girls who clearly shared her unease.
"Yeah, you're right, Itsuka," Ibara agreed, her frown deepening with concern. "I know it's not really our place to accuse anyone... especially, a pro hero of something so serious, but... I honestly pray Pixie-Bob's animal-themed persona is just for her agency's branding... and hasn't developed any predator-like habits of her own."
A wolf whistle drew her attention towards the women's baths. Since it wasn't immediately followed up by screaming, it had to have come from one of the women. And if that was the case, something interesting just happened. With a cat's curiosity burning within her chest, Ryuko leaned over the opposite side to check out what was going on with the heroines.
"Oh no! Is Izuku going to get caught and punished for ending up on the girls' side of the hot spring?!" Pony exclaimed in wide-eyed worry.
"I doubt it," Tsu said dryly. "After working with Pixie-Bob for a few months, I can confidently say she's the type who enjoys stirring up harmless chaos and playing matchmaker like Cupid, ribbit. And since none of us girls are offended, upset, or even remotely bothered by Izuku being here, I really don't think she's going to make a big deal out of it."
"Oh, thank goodness," Pony said with a sigh of relief. "I was honestly scared Izuku might get punished just because we decided it was fine for him to be on the girls' side of the hot spring and then he'd end up unfairly labeled a pervert and shamed for something that wasn't even his fault."
"Yes, that would've been bad and honestly pretty shameful on our part, ribbit," Tsu agreed with a firm nod. "But luckily, it's Pixie-Bob who discovered him, and the worst she'll do is make sure he gets endlessly teased about this for the rest of his life."
The commotion seemed to be centered around a rather nice wooden sofa with plush cushions and four women sitting on it comfortably. If Pixie Bob could remember correctly, they were Komori, Shiozaki, Asui, and Jirou. What drew Ryuko's attention, however, was one Izuku Midoriya, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist, on his back underneath the sofa. Thanks to him, the sofa was suspended in the air a couple of feet, each of the occupants clinging to the cushions or each other, several heroines whooping and hollering as the out-of-place man bench pressed their friends.
"What the hell is my counterpart even thinking? And how did she agree to something so dangerous and downright stupid?" Jiro groaned, rubbing her temples as she watched her counterpart on-screen taking part in something her middle-school self wouldn't have even imagined going along with. "I swear, common sense just flies straight out the window the second you're in a group."
"But that looks so fun!" Komori laughed brightly. "I'd totally be down for helping Midoriya show off his strength, and hey, there's so mush-room for me to enjoy a free ride too!"
"I suppose it does look a little fun," Ibara admitted, though her brows knitted with clear disapproval. "Still, like Jiro said, I can't quite understand how or why my counterpart agreed to sit on top of a couch being carried on someone else's shoulders. It feels... needlessly reckless."
"I don't really mind, ribbit," Tsu said calmly, tilting her head ever so slightly. "I trust Izuku not to drop us unless he has absolutely no choice. And even if it did come to that, he's the type who'd throw himself in harm's way before letting any of us get hurt."
"Well, can't say you're wrong," Jiro admitted with a small sigh, her irritation softening as she glanced at the screen again while Ibara gave a quiet nod of agreement, wearing a soft smile.
Midoriya wasn't even remotely close to finished with his stunt, however. When the sofa was at the high point, he paused. And began to sit up. Ryuko watched his abdomen constrict powerfully as he shifted his position using nothing but his core muscles.
The women on the sofa could feel it, and Jirou started to panic. "GREEN, WHAT THE HELL'RE YOU DOING?!"
"Nope! I take it back!" Jiro shouted as she shot a glare in Tsu's direction. "That boy has completely lost his mind! And my counterpart must've sacrificed half her brain cells just to agree to this! I regret everything on her behalf!" She threw her hands up in exasperation, practically ranting at the screen.
"Hey, Momo... does Jiro usually react this aggressively?" Itsuka whispered, leaning toward the raven-haired girl with a strained smile as she watched Jiro continue her tirade against no one in particular.
"Unfortunately, you're not wrong," Momo said with a weary sigh. "Kyoka does have a tendency to go a little overboard with her words whenever she's in or even just watching certain situations. Most of the time, though, it's really just her way of calming her own nerves."
Each of the women on the ground had a wide variety of reactions as well, from Ashido's gleeful laughter to Kendo's stunned silence.
"Haha! This is amazing, I wanna be up there too!" Mina cheered, clapping her hands together with a wide grin. "Seriously, I just want to shake my counterpart and ask why she's not jumping in on the fun already!"
Now in a proper sitting position, the sofa still held aloft over his head, Pixie Bob had a wonderful view of Class A's pride and joy. His emerald eyes, often shining with intelligence, joy, or tears, were hidden by a bright pink sleep mask Ryuko had sworn she'd seen before. That also meant he was lifting up four women and a couch completely blind . And he wasn't even sweating. In fact, he was smiling . "I've been taught by a great man to never leave anything half done." With that declaration, Midoriya's arms shifted, each one sliding closer and closer to the other, until they met in the middle. "Hang on to something."
This did nothing to alleviate Jirou's panic. " IZUKU, DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE! "
Midoriya let go of the sofa with his right hand. The sofa didn't so much as wobble, even as its passengers screamed with delight and fright, the onlookers much the same. With his right arm supporting him, Midoriya slowly lifted himself to his feet and stood at his full height. To his credit, the hero student did return his right hand to the sofa the moment he was able to and fixed his grip for a more steady ride upwards.
"Come on, Green, quit being stupid... you're dropping fast on my list of 'responsible people I could trust without a second thought,'" Jiro groaned, her shoulders slumping as she let out a heavy sigh of defeat.
"Indeed. It's unsettling to see my counterpart putting herself in such a reckless position, especially of her own poor choice," Ibara said with a disapproving frown, her hands clasped neatly in front of her. "Don't misunderstand, I am glad Midoriya is believing in himself and showing off a little, but honestly... couldn't he have chosen a more appropriate time to prove his strength? Preferably one that doesn't involve literally balancing four girls on his shoulders like a carnival act?"
"Can both of you just shut up already?" Setsuna cut in, snapping her head toward them. "Your counterparts are getting the rides of their lives up there, and all you two can do is gripe about safety like old ladies! Try relaxing for once instead of raining on their fun," she added, brushing off the twin glares aimed her way.
Ashido and Tokage immediately started clapping and whistling like they had just seen the greatest show on Earth. Ryuko had to agree with them, seeing such a feat of strength was something she would never forget. She was even more impressed when she realized she hadn't seen a single spark coming off of the man. He had lifted four of his classmates completely quirkless.
"Now that is a feat of strength I can respect," Itsuka said with an approving nod as she watched Izuku's on-screen counterpart. Her gaze lingered a little too long on his wet abs and toned muscles, though she quickly forced herself to look away. That part, she decided, was definitely something for only her to know.
"I mean, like we said earlier, Deku's been lifting and hauling way heavier stuff back when he was still a complete stick," Ochako chimed in with a grin. "And trust me, I've seen the pictures, when I say scrawny, I mean scrawny. In fact, he once told me he managed to drag an entire fridge... with All Might sitting on it in his full buff form!"
"What the hell! Was All Might trying to kill him or something!" Toru asked, imagining skinny Izuku almost dying trying to pull a wall of muscle that was Buff Might.
"I actually asked All Might about that once," Ochako admitted, her tone shifting into one of long-held irritation. "And he said something along the lines of, 'helping young Midoriya build character.'" Her eye twitched at the memory. "I came this close to decking him right then and there, but I knew Deku would feel guilty if I hit his idol... so instead, I bought the greasiest fast food I could find and ate it all in front of him." A wicked grin spread across her face at the recollection, making several of the girls shudder at just how vindictive she could be when it came to Izuku.
Pixie Bob would have kept staring at the marble sculpture that was Midoriya, but a croaked voice interrupted everyone's daydreams. "Before I say how hot that was, I have a question." Asui looked largely unbothered by the entire affair, save for a blush that adorned her cheeks. "How are we going to get down?"
A blank look washed over Midoriya's face. "Er..." Ryuko almost laughed. So much for leaving nothing half finished.
"It's fine. I'm sure Midoriya's and our counterparts will figure out a way down," Komori said with an easy smile, lounging back against the couch without a trace of worry for her counterpart's safety. "No reason to stress about it, I'm not about to spore any panic over something so small."
"Indeed, ribbit," Tsu agreed, matching the mushroom girl's laid-back tone. "It wouldn't be the first time one of us dove headfirst into something without thinking it through, and it usually works out in the end... well, most of the time, at least."
Before Jirou could scream any further obscenities, Uraraka sighed and approached Midoriya, no doubt with a fond smile on her lips. "What would you do without me, Deku?" She stood on the tips of her toes and reached up, tapping everything Midoriya was holding up with the pads on her fingers. The pro watching didn't miss how the gravity heroine grabbed the green-haired man's shoulder for support.
Midoriya chuckled and returned the smile he was given. "I don't know, honestly. I probably would've failed the Entrance Exam. You're why I'm here at all."
Uraraka hesitated, no doubt several thoughts flickering through her head at the claim. She almost forgot to release her quirk, finally allowing the sofa crew onto the ground.
"Oh... well... you always say that, but you never bring up how I wouldn't have even made it into U.A. if I hadn't gotten those rescue points for saving you from falling," Ochako mumbled under her breath, a shy smile tugging at her lips as a soft blush spread across her cheeks.
Mina, who caught the reaction, clicked her tongue. "Not in love, my ass," she muttered with a disgusted groan.
Expectedly, Jirou slipped back into the water on shaky legs, a string of curses slipping through her lips as she did so.
Setsuna and Mina exchanged a quick glance, identical devilish grins spreading across their faces. They were just about to let a comment fly when whump! Two pillows came sailing across the room and smacked them square in the face.
"I know exactly what you two imps are thinking, and I dare you to say even one word of whatever's running through those filthy little minds," Jiro warned, her earjack aimed threateningly in their direction.
Pixie Bob's eyes flickered across Midoriya and noticed his even breathing. Her own breath caught in her throat when she realized what that meant. He wasn't even winded, not even a little bit, even after lifting far more than Tiger could. Ryuko wasn't even sure if all three of them could pull off the same stunt Midoriya had done so casually.
"Honestly, I bet Tiger could pull it off if he actually tried," Ochako said, waving off Pixie-Bob's claim. "I mean, come on, how heavy could four teenage girls really be?"
The four girls whose counterparts were currently part of Izuku's little stunt fell into an awkward silence, none of them daring to respond. The last thing they wanted was to keep the conversation going, especially when it was now circling dangerously close to their weight.
"Alright , you wanna talk tough?" Pixie Bob's eyes snapped onto Jirou, her face bright red and her jacks pointing threateningly at Yaoyorozu. The taller woman was crouched next to her friend and had a smirk on her face that almost looked out of place on the normally dignified woman. "You get on that damn couch, see how it feels for yourself!"
"Exactly! Tell them, my counterpart!" Jiro exclaimed, her energy surging back with full force. "You all love to clown on me and my counterpart for being the cautious one, always worrying about safety. But the second it's your turn to do something reckless, you chicken out! And now, suddenly, it looks like I'm the brave one, huh?!" she finished, jabbing a finger toward the others in triumph.
Yaoyorozu merely brushed a stray hair out of her face, her half smile unmoved by the challenge. "Perhaps another time. Midoriya has already completed his dare, and you know how much I weigh. I wouldn't want him to injure—"
"I can lift more, actually." Yaoyorozu clearly wasn't expecting to be cut off by the strongest hero in the bath and whipped around to face him. "I wasn't even close to my limit with those four. If you'd like, Yaoyorozu, I could lift you up and a couple others."
"Izuku... now really wasn't the time to start showing off," Momo said with a weary sigh. "He still needs to work on reading between the lines, understanding the unspoken things, and learning how to support his partner without her having to spell it all out."
"His partner?" Ochako cut in sharply, her eye twitching in irritation. "And since when did you decide you get to claim that role?"
"Ah... silly slip of the tongue. I meant to say 'his friend,' of course," Momo replied smoothly, her expression calm but her smile just smug enough to make her intentions clear. She met Ochako's glare head-on, refusing to back down in the slightest.
This kitten was getting bold . Perhaps what he really needed all this time was to be surrounded by all of his female classmates for who knows how long.
"True, true. Maybe we should've dragged Mop Head into the girls' locker room ages ago," Setsuna snickered, her grin mischievous enough that none of her friends could quite tell if she was joking or halfway serious.
"Yeah, and then you'd both get expelled for indecency. Wow, what a brilliant outcome," Itsuka shot back dryly, rolling her eyes at her lizard-quirked friend.
"I wouldn't worry too much about that, ribbit," Tsu said, her tone flat but tinged with mild disgust. "If Mineta's still here and set to graduate with us next year, then the teachers and principal clearly have a pretty high tolerance... in such matters, and compared to him, I'm sure they'd find a way to forgive Setsuna and Midoriya. After all, they're both solid students in the top half of their classes, not to mention Midoriya's status as All Might's protégé before the war, and now his recognition as a war hero."
"I—" At first, Yaoyorozu struggled to reply, her face brightening gradually. "Surely you must be mistaken. I must admit, because of my quirk, I'm significantly more dense than other women."
"Exactly!" Momo said, inwardly commending her counterpart's quick thinking. "See, Kyoka? My counterpart's decision not to join in was purely logical and had nothing to do with the lack of courage you so boldly accused her of earlier."
"Yeah, sure, keep telling yourself that… coward," Jiro shot back smugly, not buying the raven-haired girl's excuse for a second.
Midoriya smiled at her softly. I'm not jealous, not at all, Ryuko mentally hissed before barely catching the rest of the conversation.
"What's she even jealous about? It's not like an older woman like her ever had a chance with Midoriya in the first place," Yui said in her usual deadpan tone, sending the rest of the girls into a fit of laughter.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the city, Pixie-Bob's mood suddenly darkened, as if she'd been struck by the inexplicable sense that someone was mocking her age. Not knowing who or where only made her irritation fester, and a gloomy, stormy aura rolled off her in waves, unknowingly scaring off a man who had just been about to work up the courage to ask her out, sending him hurrying in the opposite direction.
"I'm aware. And I'm still saying I can handle it, no quirks or injuries necessary." Midoriya has got to be the only student Pixie Bob has ever handled that would consider any injuries necessary, and she hoped he would be the only one.
"I mean, honestly, after everything we went through during our first year, a couple of broken bones or pulled muscles barely even register anymore," Mina said with a casual shrug. "And with the kind of punishment Midori's body has taken these last two years, I don't think he even considers anything less than a full-on fracture a real 'injury'."
"And that's exactly the problem," Jiro cut in, shaking her head with a sharp, disapproving frown that wasn't aimed at Mina, but at Izuku's counterpart on the screen. "That's not something to take pride in, and it's definitely not something we should be encouraging, especially when it comes to this reckless idiot."
Before Yaoyorozu could protest, Tsunotori and what appeared to be Hagakure pulled her towards the sofa. "Come ON, Yaomomo!~" Hagakure urged. "You REALLY don't wanna miss this!" The two practically threw her onto the sofa and sat on either side of her to prevent any form of escape.
"Haha! Got you, Yaomomo!" Toru cheered as she high-fived Pony before the two of them broke into cheerful laughter.
"This really must be the destiny of my counterpart," Momo remarked with a soft, elegant smile, though the gentle sigh that followed did carry a quite note of resignation. "Even so, I believe in Izuku's ability to protect her. The question now is whether that faith of mine will truly be justified."
As soon as Midoriya heard the women plop on the sofa, he turned towards it and used the back to guide himself to the center, just behind Yaoyorozu herself. "Haga— sorry, Tooru, how many are on the sofa?"
"Three! Me, Pony, and Momo!"
Midoriya hummed. "I think I can handle one more. Anyone else?" He didn't bother looking around and clearly didn't notice Yaoyorozu's nerves spiking higher and higher.
"A-Are you sure?" The rich heroine bit her thumbnail, no doubt playing through all sorts of horror scenarios in her head.
"Positive." Midoriya's assurance washed over the entire hot spring. The women sitting out looked increasingly excited as Kodai silently walked up to the sofa, while Yaoyorozu at least stopped biting her nails, instead performing what looked to be breathing exercises.
"So much for being courageous," Jiro teased, a sly grin tugging at the corners of her mouth as she looked at her best friend. Momo, for her part, simply turned her head away, silently admitting that she didn't have a clever comeback at the moment.
"Yui, I confess I did not anticipate your willing participation in such an endeavor," Yanagi said, glancing curiously at the usually quiet girl.
"I actually enjoy activities that get my heart racing," Yui explained in her usual calm voice, but this time it carried a spark of excitement. "There's something about that feeling of having my nerves on edge that gives me a rush and makes me feel alive."
"Oh, good to know, Yui. I'll definitely keep that in mind the next time I plan an outing for us," Setsuna said, a mix of surprise and mild self-reproach in her voice as she realized she hadn't picked up on this side of her friend and dormmate, even after two years together.
The moment Kodai sat down next to Tsunotori, the American called out to Midoriya. "Yui on couch now. Go, Izuku, go!" She bounced lightly, unable to contain her excitement.
"I just hope they don't move around too much when Deku lifts that couch," Ochako said, her lips pulling into a slight grimace. "I trust his strength to lift that couch with four girls on top, but balance… that's another story," she added, recalling the entrance exam when she'd saved Izuku from falling face-first.
With the final woman in place, Midoriya crouched down and snaked his way underneath the couch, assuming his position once more. Ryuko barely heard him counting down from the top of the wooden divider, but she definitely heard the loud shriek that emanated from Yaoyorozu the moment the sofa lifted.
Jirou immediately started laughing when the rich heroine clung to Hagakure in an attempt to calm herself. "F-Forgive me, I was unprepared!"
Meanwhile, in the real world, Momo's cheeks turned a bright shade of red, mirroring her counterpart on the screen as the girls around her burst into laughter. "Go ahead, laugh at me… I'm sure my turn to laugh at all of you will come," she muttered to herself, a small pout tugging at her lips.
Midoriya's chuckle was almost lost to the fervor that gripped the crowd of women, and he continued to bench press the sofa, spurned on by the excitement everyone was feeling. Unlike before, he did not stand up with the couch, instead cycling through five reps before gently setting the women on the ground again. "Hoo... Okay, so my estimate may have been a little off." He chuckled, bending his arms at the elbow repeatedly and rolling his shoulders at the same time.
It was good to know he at least had the piece of mind to stretch after pushing his muscles like that.
"Tsk, that was so tame," Jiro muttered with a sharp click of her tongue, leaning back with clear dissatisfaction at the way Izuku's counterpart had handled the stunt with Momo's group. Compared to the scare her own group had gotten, this just didn't measure up.
"Kyoka! What the hell do you want him to do?! Fly over a volcano while carrying all of us?" Momo snapped at her best friend. From the other side of the couch, however, Yui's eyes brightened with curiosity at the suggestion. She didn't think it sounded reckless at all. On the contrary, the idea of doing something that extreme with Izuku someday sent a spark of excitement through her.
It didn't take long for everyone to disperse throughout the bath once more, now that the fun was over. Yaoyorozu retreated to a spot next to a very smug looking Jirou, while Kodai helped Midoriya to his feet. She even ushered him towards the bath, mindful of his current blind status. For her troubles, Midoriya addressed her once more. "So, Kodai. Truth or dare?"
"If I had to guess, my counterpart definitely picked dare," Yui remarked as she took a bite of her slice of pizza, freshly delivered just a few minutes ago.
"Of course she did, since you're more of a girl of action than words," Itsuka teased, grinning as her comment earned a round of chuckles from the others. Everyone knew Yui rarely spoke unless she had something worth saying, or unless someone else took the first step to draw her into the conversation.
Ryuko missed Kodai's response, but she could only imagine what shenanigans the fourteen of them were going to get up to. They're just lucky Pixie Bob was banned from all future Truth or Dare tournaments. (Cowards, the lot of them. At least she knows how to have fun.)
"Do we even want to know why someone would get banned from a silly game like Truth or Dare?" Ochako asked, tilting her head with a mix of curiosity and caution.
"Some things are better left unknown, ribbit," Tsu replied in a calm, almost sage-like tone, nodding her head gravely. "And trust me, my friend, there's nothing simple about that devilish game. Truth or Dare has the power to destroy years of friendship, even tear apart families. Never underestimate it."
"Uh… okay," Ochako said slowly, giving the frog-quirked girl a strange, bewildered look. "That was way more dramatic than I was expecting, but… thanks for the warning, I guess?"
Having seen enough and more, Ryuko crept back through the door leading into the facility, ensuring the door closed silently. Without needing to worry about being silent anymore, she stood up, fished her phone out of her uniform, and shot a quick text to both of her active duty comrades.
[found Midoriya. he's in great hands ;P]
"Yep, Miss-Whose-Age-Shall-Not-Be-Mentioned! I'd even go as far as to say he is in the best hands," Setsuna said with a toothy grin, eagerly waiting to see what kind of dare the resident quiet girl would receive.
To be continued...
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[AN: Before anyone comments that 'I'm back', I appreciate it, but please don't. Just remember that none of my fanfics are abandoned. They're in a perpetual state of being written, depending on my time and interest. and inspiration. And lastly, thank you so much for sticking around and still being here, even after such a long gap between updates.]