Chapter 16: Post-Production Puddles and the "Ara Ara" Ambush
[Sunny Midoriya POV]
The aftermath of a Toon-Force-infused music session looks less like a rehearsal space and more like a glitter bomb went off inside a candy factory.
The stage had retreated back into the floorboards, leaving behind a fine layer of neon-pink dust and several dozen very confused, tiny cartoon rabbits that were currently trying to eat Bakugo's homework.
"Okay, crew! That's a wrap on the debut!" I chirped, my body snapping back into its normal, non-bunny shape with a loud [POP!]. I grabbed a vacuum cleaner out of the air that looked suspiciously like it had a face and a hungry appetite. "Now, before Kacchan's head actually detaches from his neck and flies away like a balloon, we need to return this sanctuary to its original state of 'Repressed Anger Chic'."
"I will never be clean again," Jirou muttered, vigorously rubbing her ears to get the glitter out. "I can still hear the synth... and I can still feel the lace."
"Oh, come on, Earbuds! It was for the fans!" Kaminari laughed, picking a stray bunny off his shoulder. "We're legends! I saw a comment from a guy in America who said Bakugo's fishnets are 'slaying.' I don't know what that means, but it sounds high-tier!"
"I WILL SLAY YOUR ENTIRE BLOODLINE!" Bakugo roared, though he was currently busy using a broom to aggressively sweep rabbits out the window.
We all burst into laughter. Even Tokoyami, standing in the shadows with Dark Shadow (who was still wearing a tiny bow), let out a dignified chuckle.
"The chaos... was strangely therapeutic," the bird-boy whispered.
"It was divine!" Aqua announced, lounging on Bakugo's bed as if it were a throne. "I expect my share of the ad revenue to be paid in high-quality nectar and perhaps a small shrine. Sunny, make it happen."
"Clean the floor, you useless puddle," I said, handing her a sponge.
[Izuku Midoriya POV]
Cleaning Kacchan's room was surprisingly fun. With Sunny around, the chores turned into a game. The vacuum cleaner started singing jazz, and the sponges began to dance. Within twenty minutes, the room was spotless—aside from the faint, lingering scent of strawberry lip gloss and ozone.
Just as we were finishing, the door creaked open.
Mitsuki Bakugo stood there, looking at the assembled 'Chaos Crew' with a grin that was way too similar to Sunny's for Kacchan's comfort.
"Dinner's ready, you little monsters!" she yelled. "I made enough spicy curry to feed an army, though looking at the blue one, I might need to boil some more water!"
"I am a guest of honor, woman!" Aqua huffed, but she was the first one out the door.
The dinner table was a war zone of a different kind.
"So," Mitsuki said, leaning on her elbows and looking at Jirou and Kaminari, who happened to be sitting right next to each other. "I saw the video. You two looked pretty... synchronized during that Rabbit song. Is there something the 'Explosion Brat' isn't telling me about his classmates?"
Jirou's face went from pale to a deep, bruised purple in a split second. She nearly choked on her curry. "We—it was the Quirk! Sunny's Toon Force makes everyone move together! It's not—we aren't—"
"Yeah! Total professional teamwork!" Kaminari added, his face glowing a bright, embarrassed yellow. He accidentally sent a tiny spark into his spoon, making it hum. "Just a duo! A musical duo! Nothing else!"
"They're blushing, Sunny-kun," Toga whispered loudly, leaning over her bowl. "It's the 'Sparkly-Dark' kind of red. It's cute!"
"It's a romantic subplot, Toga-chan," Sunny winked, his fork turning into a tiny conductor's baton. "Very good for the ratings."
"SHUT UP AND EAT!" Bakugo screamed, his face also red, mostly from the spice of the curry.
[Sunny Midoriya POV]
The night air was cool as we finally piled out of the Bakugo residence.
"Thanks for the food, Ms. Bakugo!" I cheered, waving a gloved hand. "Tell the neighbors the autotune will wear off their voices by tomorrow morning!"
"Get out of here, you brat!" she laughed, waving back.
As the group started to split up, I looked at Mina. She lived the furthest away, and with the "Chaos Crew" being world-famous as of an hour ago, I didn't want her walking through the dark alone.
"Hey, Pinky!" I called out. "I'll walk you home. I've got some 'Fast-Travel' points unlocked in your neighborhood anyway."
Immediately, I felt two distinct glares burning into the back of my head.
Aqua and Toga were standing there, their lips pouted out so far they were practically touching the ground. [SQUISH-STRETCH].
"And why does the Alien Girl get a private escort?!" Aqua wailed. "I am a Goddess! I am fragile! I could be kidnapped by a rival cult or a very large seagull!"
"Sunny-kun is being biased," Toga mumbled, her eyes going wide and watery. "I want to walk with Sunny-kun too..."
I laughed and reached out, giving them both a rhythmic, perfectly timed head-pat. [SQUEAK-SQUEAK].
"Easy now, fans! Izu-chan and Tokoyami are walking your way. Plus, if I walk with you two, we'll end up accidentally starting a flash mob and we'll never get home." I leaned in and whispered, "I'll bring you both some giant chocolate bars tomorrow. The kind that requires a forklift."
The pouts vanished instantly.
"Five pounds of chocolate," Aqua negotiated.
"And a red ribbon," Toga added.
"Deal."
[Mina Ashido POV]
The walk started out normal. It was me, Sunny, Jirou, and Kaminari walking down the main street. Jirou and Kaminari were walking about three feet apart, both looking at their shoes and occasionally glancing at each other before looking away. It was so much tension I could practically feel the static in the air.
I leaned over and whispered into Sunny's ear. "Hey, Sunny. Look at them. They're never going to say anything if we're here acting as chaperones."
Sunny looked at the two of them, then back at me. A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes—the kind that usually meant someone was about to get dropped into a canyon.
"You're right, Mina-chan. The narrative demands some 'Alone Time' for the side-characters."
Suddenly, Sunny grabbed my hand.
"Hey, guys!" he shouted to the blushing duo. "I just remembered! I left my... uh... my sense of physics in a different alleyway! Catch you later!"
[BAMF!]
In a cloud of yellow smoke and the smell of popcorn, the world twisted. One second I was on the sidewalk, the next, Sunny and I were three blocks away in a secluded alley lit by a flickering neon sign.
"Operation: Wingman is a success," Sunny grinned, checking a pocket watch that had a picture of Kaminari and Jirou on it. "They're currently standing in awkward silence. It's perfect."
"You're a menace, Sunny," I laughed, poking his shoulder. It felt like poking a marshmallow.
We started walking toward my house, but as we passed a bright, noisy corner, I stopped. The "Game-Game-Gala" Arcade was humming with life.
"Wait! Sunny!" I pointed at the window. "They have the new 'Dance-Off Revolution: Ultra Edition'! We just did a viral video, but I bet I can still beat you in a fair fight!"
"A challenge?" Sunny's eyes turned into giant flaming 'VS' symbols. "In my own genre? Mina-chan, you're playing with fire! Or, well, acid!"
We burst into the arcade. Nobody even noticed we were 'famous' yet; they were too busy with their own games. We hopped onto the dual dance pads, the neon lights reflecting off Sunny's white gloves.
The music started—a high-tempo, bass-heavy track.
It was magic. We weren't just dancing; we were moving. I was doing flips and spins, my acid-proof sneakers sparking against the pads. Sunny was doing things that shouldn't be possible—his legs were stretching to hit two arrows at once, and at one point he literally turned into a spinning top.
We hit a 'Perfect' combo of 500. The entire arcade stopped to watch. By the time the song ended, we were both breathing hard, laughing so loud it drowned out the game sounds.
"Okay... okay... you win this round," I panted, leaning on his shoulder.
"It was a draw, Mina-chan! The machine literally couldn't count our score!"
[Sunny Midoriya POV]
We finally reached Mina's front door. It was a nice house, quiet and tucked away.
"Thanks for walking me, Sunny," Mina said, her pink cheeks glowing in the porch light. "And thanks for the dance. That was... actually really fun."
"Anytime, Pinky! The Chaos Crew always looks after its own—"
The front door swung open with a violent [CREAK].
A woman who looked exactly like Mina, but taller and with even more "extra" energy, stood there. She was wearing a silk robe and holding a glass of juice, her eyes widening as she saw us.
"Oh?" she said, her voice dropping into a teasing, melodic tone. "Ara, ara~ What do we have here?"
Mina froze. "Mom! It's not what it looks like!"
"My little Mina, bringing a boy home this late?" Mrs. Ashido stepped out, circling us like a predator who had found a very interesting snack. She looked at my white gloves, my yellow bag, and then back at Mina. "And such a... unique boy. He looks like he's made of sugar and mischief."
"I'm Sunny Midoriya, ma'am!" I chirped, giving a polite bow that caused my spine to make a [ZRRRRRP] sound. "Just ensuring your daughter arrived without being intercepted by any boring reality!"
"A boyfriend!" Mrs. Ashido squealed, clapping her hands. "Mina, you didn't tell me you were dating the boy from the 'Bunny Video'! I recognize those gloves anywhere!"
"MOM! WE AREN'T DATING!" Mina's face went a shade of hot pink that surpassed her skin tone. "He's just my bandmate! And my friend! And... and... Sunny, say something!"
I looked at the mom, then at the vibrating, embarrassed Mina.
"Well," I grinned, pulling a single pink rose out of the air and handing it to Mrs. Ashido. "I can't confirm or deny the 'dating' rumors, ma'am. It depends on what the editors decide for the Season 2 finale! But I will say your daughter has the best acid-slides in the business."
Mrs. Ashido giggled, tucking the rose behind her ear. "Oh, he's a charmer. Mina, keep this one. He's much better than those 'beige' boys at school."
"GOODNIGHT SUNNY!" Mina screamed, grabbing me by the shoulders and literally spinning me around toward the street. "SEE YOU TOMORROW!"
"Goodnight, Mina-chan! Goodnight, Mrs. Ashido!"
As I walked away, I could hear Mina's mom teasing her through the closed door.
I leaned against a lamppost and sighed, my body melting into a puddle of contentment for a second before snapping back. I looked up at the moon.
"Well, Author," I whispered to the sky. "The band is formed. The ships are sailing. And I think I'm about to get murdered by Bakugo tomorrow morning. All in all? A five-star chapter."
I snapped my fingers, turning into a paper airplane and catching a breeze toward the Midoriya home.
[WHOOSH!]