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Chapter 38: Domain of Warriors and Actress’s
🕑 Added 2024-09-13 16:00:16 +0000 UTCChapter 38: Domain of Warriors and Actress’s
In the end, the 2-day window came and went for the students to hand in their choices for their internships. Midoriya and Kendo kept in contact through the process, as while he didn’t feel the need to look through the choices of his classmates, she did keep an eye on Iida, who from what he could tell during their lunch periods, was still avoiding her like the plague but she didn’t say anything about he did hand in his form a day after their fight, with the hero agency not being anywhere close to Hosu.
Still, it was pretty clear that the frost between them was there, as even Kodai picked up on it, but Kendo insisted that she could handle it, a notion which didn’t sit right with him as her smile looked strained when she said as such, but he would respect her wishes.
However, if internships ended and Iida was still in a mood about being denied the chance to die a pointless death, Midoriya was more than willing to sit him down with Ruby and Sapphire so he could see the error in his judgment.
The weekend came and went, with Midoriya spending his time training, mainly with his sage powers, or hanging out with his siblings or his girlfriend, when Monday arrived, Midoriya and his classmates came bearing more than just school supplies, but a bag or 2 of supplies like clothes, gear, toiletries and anything else they thought they'll need for their week-long internships as they'll be staying with whichever agency they picked.
With that in hand, once recall was finished, they were told to head for the main entrance, finding two buses already waiting for them, and class A.
“Morning, are you all prepared for internships?” Shishida greeted them, with it being Jiro who replied first, breaking from her conversation with Yaoyorozu.
“Just about.” She gestured towards her large backpack and school bag.
“Though I do wonder if the school is going to drop us off at each, perhaps as a security measure thanks to the League attack.” Tokoyami thought about it, to which Kaibara sighed.
“I hope not, that would take forever.” The drill quirk user replied as Tsuburaba leaned on him.
“They probably are just going to take us to the train station, though why we didn’t just meet there is anyone’s guess.” Kaibara nodded, as that made sense.
“I’m still super pumped about this! We get to work with real pros in the field!” Ashido was much more upbeat about this than the two were, and she wasn't alone as people in both classes seemed to have woken up fully charged and ready for the day.
“I’m going to leave my mark, and get the attention of the ladies.” Mineta gave Kaminari a thumbs up, as he had managed to land a place with a certain sexy heroine.
“All the wrong kinds you mean.” Kirishima countered, to which Mineta yelled that was uncalled for.
While that happened, Tokage approached their sister class as a whole. “We kinda met at the festival, but it’s nice to meet you, class A.” She flashed a sharp tooth smile at them and got one in return from Kirishima.
“Likewise. We don’t get many chances to interact during normal school hours.” Shoji nodded towards them, shaking her hand when she offered it.
"And now we'll be shattered across the country," Yanagi added, as she didn't know where everyone in the class was going, but the ones she did know would place them quite a distance from one another. As she, Tokage, and Shoji conversed, Mineta's eyes went from class-B girl to the next. Taking in all they had to offer.
“You’re thinking impure thoughts, or am I wrong, Mineta?” Kuroiro popped out of his shadow, scaring the hell out of the small teen.
“What the-where you come from?” Mineta pointed at him, his heart still in his throat, not helping when Kuroiro flashed him a lazy smile that gave nothing away.
"Where there are shadows, I exist," Mineta yelled his answer was as descriptive as calling a mountain big, but Kuroiro didn’t bother to add much and instead continued to spin a yawn, dragging Mineta along for the ride to keep him from leering at his class’s girls as Midoriya had asked of him.
Iida saw this but didn't move to act as he instead seemed to be off in his own world, a frown on his face which immediately got Midoriya's attention as Iida should have done something about Kuroiro if only to admonish him for his prank. Turning to another person in the crowd, he saw Kendo standing by herself, with Uraraka and Asui, the two she said were her friends standing between where she and Iida were.
“Anything happen?” Midoriya walked up to her and asked quietly, to which Kendo heaved a sigh, her shoulders dropping.
“No changes. Even in our group chat, he’s not responding to me, so I just didn’t use it so it wasn’t as awkward.” She had expected that he would pretend like she didn't exist and didn't regret her decision but when she signed into their group chat, she noted that Iida would just stop replying but when she sighed off, he would start up again.
Midoriya frowned as he felt a growl in the throat. “This is getting out of hand, how determined could he have been about this?”
“Iida’s one of the most determined people I know, but normally that’s for more heroic or studious pursuits. But he won’t be in Hosu, so I’m happy.” Kendo replied as she didn't like the fact she had to leave herself out of conversations just so Asui and Uraraka can at least pretend like things weren’t as cold in their group.
Midoriya placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it a little. “Well, I’m rooting for you, but I think it’s time we get on the bus, people. We have a schedule to keep!” He let go of her and turned to his classmates, Aizawa and Vlad approaching out of the main building.
With little prodding, his classmates followed his instructions as they turned towards their bus, Kuroiro leaving Mineta with a message that if he caught him eyeing up their girls again, he'd never be safe in the dark again. Kirishima didn't see any of them as he locked hands with Tetsutetsu. “You better come back from your internship super strong, Tetsutetsu!”
Tetsutetsu matched his energy, his sharp tooth smile bleeding with anticipation. “Right back at you, Kirishima.”
"Brothers from another mother, I swear," Tsunotori muttered, seeing the entire thing as Shoda and Fukidashi laughed at her comments as they boarded the bus, Midoriya being the last of them to enter, followed by Vlad who told them to buckle up and wait as he took a seat.
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"Remember, you're not allowed to wear your costumes for shits and giggles, they're your uniforms, treat them as such," Vlad told them as they stood in the terminal, people eyeing them but keeping their distance, though they still whispered about them and their recent Sports festival appearance. Though Vlad pretended to not hear them.
“Yes, sir!” The class replied, all holding their bags, as well as the cases that held their hero gear.
"Good. You're guests at your internships, there to aid them how they see fit and learn whatever they have to teach you, but try to have some fun. After all, no one wants pros that see this as some soul-sucking 9-5." Vlad cracked a smile, which got his students to lower their shoulders, at least a little.
“Oh, I already planned on that!” Komori laughed as he dismissed them, turning to return to the bus and get back to campus. As the students looked over the signs and messaging to see which train they'd be boarding, they also broke into smaller groups.
“Well, I’ll call you guys when I get there?” Midoriya wanted to do the same, but out of his group, it was just him and Kodai heading in a similar direction. Kuroiro, Shiozaki, and Monoma were all supposed to head to another part of the station if they wanted to catch their trains.
“You're heading for Niigata, right?" Monoma asked him, as he would have expected that Midoriya would go somewhere more…populated, but the guy did tell them he was less about the spotlight than most exceptional pros were.
"Yup, so it's going to be a lengthy train ride." Midoriya's shoulders drooped as he knew he was in for a 3-hour train ride, at least.
"I'm due to arrive at my destination first then, so I'll have a head start on improving," Kuroiro added, to which Midoriya chuckled, same as Monoma.
“Use every minute you get.” He told them all, as he wanted them to improve, to become better. Now, did that mean better than him? Well, if a certain cat spirit had their way, he would remain the best without contest, but he would like to have some serious competition, after all, what was the point of being the best if you didn’t fight through the best to get there?
“Be safe.” Kodai gave their friends hugs which they returned as she stepped back.
“You as well.” Shiozaki nodded before the three turned and walked off, leaving Midoriya and Kodai alone.
"So, shall we?" He offered an arm to her, to which she raised an eyebrow, but grasped it all the same in her free hand, people thought that they were a couple with how close they were, but Kodai's face was as passive as ever, and Midoriya's mind was on other things.
Line break
As he expected, it was a 4-hour-plus train ride, made longer when they had to stop for an extra 40 minutes because a villain attack damaged ahead of them. Midoriya didn't even have the luxury of a companion to sit with as while he and Kodai boarded the same train, she got off in Saitama with a simple 'Good luck'.
“We have arrived in Niigata, please remember to ensure that all personal belongings are accounted for and that you dispose of trash in one of the provided bins.” Midoriya thanked the heavens as he heard the announcement, having already put his phone away once they informed them, they were just a few minutes out. When the train finally came to a stop, he stepped off into the platform, in a city he had never seen before, not with his own eyes.
Niigata station was quite different from Shizuoka’s, as the place had a much more rustic look to it, which made sense as the city it served was far from the largest. Glancing around, Midoriya saw that it was a functional, but not simplistic design to the station, with plenty of space lined with glass, giving an open feel. Its location and status also didn't seem to hamper efforts to keep the place clean and organized, while he could spot shops, cafes, and restaurants.
It was frankly, a place he liked more than the more urban feel of other stations, though that could just be because he liked the fact there were plants all over the place. Looking at his phone, he read through the details that the school had sent him about the agency he had selected, which included directions.
“I’m here, time to-!” His plans to track down a taxi were halted when he heard a commotion coming from the ground floor. Curious, he turned and walked towards the stairs to check it out, as he walked, he saw others ahead of him, much more excited as they rushed on ahead.
“It’s him!” An excited couple gushed.
“Oh, I need to get an autograph!” A girl his age dragged her friends with her.
“At the station, oh this is sweet, we gotta meet him before we leave!” An older man, who also had a group said as they an ahead of him. Midoriya wasn’t shocked by it, if anything, he would have thought more would be running as he reached the bottom and saw the cause of it.
Surrounded by fans was an above-average man with an exceptionally muscular frame, muscles that weren't big like a bodybuilder's, but lean and compact, the perfect fusion born from both extensive physical labor, but also strict exercise. He looked young, as expected for a man that was in his mid-30s, though one could be forgiven for thinking he was holder thanks to the streak of greyish hair running down the center of his black hairline.
He had a hand on a fan's shoulders, flashing how the back of it was covered with a layer of crust. In terms of clothing, the man didn't dress as extravagantly as some pros did, as his black mask covered his eyes, while his body was covered in Spartan-inspired armor with a green hooded cape and a black shirt that was stitched down the middle in a red pattern.
The hero Crust, the one who held the number 6th spot on the Japanese hero charts, and the person who Midoriya had chosen for his internship.
“One at a time, citizens, I don’t have 20 arms, you know.” Crust was as outgoing and friendly as he had thought, as he navigated the mass of people around him with an ease that Midoriya couldn't help but be impressed by. Though he didn't remain unnoticed for long, a glance was all it took for the man to see him, with his smile growing even larger as he gently nudged his way through the crowd.
“Hahaha, welcome to my home and stomping grounds, Midoriya Izuku!” He pat the boy on the shoulder, a heavy-handed pat at that but Midoriya was able to take it without much effort. The man was strong though if this was just being friendly.
“I thank you for the offer to learn under your guidance, Crust-sir.” Midoriya bowed to him, people around them snapping pictures and talking about the scene as Crust let out a hearty laugh.
"None of that sir, business. Crust is fine. And if we become friends, you can even call me Crustie!" He pulled Midoriya close, Midoriya catching the man’s scent, an earthy and simple smell. Was that his natural body odor, or whatever deodorant he used, or perhaps a mix of the two, he didn’t know but he couldn’t say he didn’t like it.
"I think I'll stick with just Crust if that's all the same to you," Midoriya told the man as he let him go.
“Well, it’s a start. Now let’s get back to the Agency so you can change and we can start.” Crust turned and started walking off, the people giving way for him as while some still wanted to talk, one learned not to interfere with a hero when they had somewhere to be.
“Already?” Midoriya asked as he jogged a little to catch up with the man.
“Why not? One learns lessons faster when they’re practically applied.” Crust replied, to which Midoriya smiled as he had hoped he picked wisely, and it seemed like he did.
‘Oh, I’m going to like it here.’ Midoriya thought to himself as the two left the station where they walked away from where the taxis were, and when he asked if they were using his car, the pro laughed and said that they'd jog the 2km to his agency, Midoriya liking the man even more when he found out that what Crust called a 'jog' was what most people called running in style.
For Crust, he kept an eye on Midoriya and was impressed with him as it seemed like the physical capability he had during the festival was the real deal, but Midoriya wasn't just in shape, he was trained as the way he ran had no wasted movement to it, his steps were steady and uniform with his breath controlled and constant.
When they reached his agency, he turned to see Midoriya, smiling. “Well, I was impressed before but you’re certainly living up to that performance, Midoriya! Most students I take on complain about the jog or are a little sweaty come the end, but you look like you can go for another.”
True to his assessment of him, Midoriya had hardly broken a sweat as he smiled back at the man. “My master made sure that I follow a rigorous training regiment, Crust. You can’t be the best hero if you’re not in the best shape.”
“That’s the spirit, my boy,” He gestured towards the building they stood in front of. It was nothing like the skyscrapers that All Might and Endeavour called their agencies, but it wasn’t anything to scoff at either, being 8 floors tall. Like the man that founded the agency, it looked nothing like the modern buildings that were to its sides as its front alone featured a grand of towering 36m tall ancient Greek style columns, though Izuku wasn't sure about the style.
Those columns supported a massive marble entablature. Unlike the pictures he had seen in textbooks, in documentaries, and on the internet, the façade was richly decorated with colorful sculptures, but not of ancient Greek gods, but of more Japanese mythical stories and local folklore. Just to enter the agency, there was a wide staircase, giving it an open and friendly appearance.
When he was led inside, he found that the interior followed that exterior design motif, but with color all over the place, with many more massive columns holding up both the roof, and the other floors as Midoriya could see elevators to the sides, and a large staircase to their front.
The space was far from empty as office staff went through their days while sidekicks came, went, or conversed with one another, most hardly batting Crust and him an eye. Even people who seemed to be just ordinary folk coming to report things only smiled their way and offered hand waves but none approached.
"I'll show you around, then you can change into your costume so that we can have our first task of the day," Crust told them, before he gave him a grand tour of the place, pointing out the signs that lead to the more mundane places like the cafeteria and restrooms, but also the office space set aside for his 15 sidekicks, an in-house medical station, gym and training room.
Crust naturally had the largest office but not to the extent that it would stroke his ego even if it was built on the top floor, giving him a commanding view of the Shinano River, one of two that cut through the city.
When all was said and done, Midoriya could conclude that everything about the agency reflected the pro, as it was built to look like an ancient temple, designed to be as sturdy as a fortress but still warm, spacious, and welcoming. With all that said and done, the last place he was shown was the accommodations area.
“Sometimes people need a place to stay, they could be tourists that didn’t make plans, people whose homes could have been damaged or destroyed in incidents, or just can’t get home for the night. So I had these rooms built for them, though I find some sidekicks using them to be able to start their shifts early!” Crust laughed at the end as he opened a door for Midoriya.
Stepping inside, the room was, unsurprisingly spartan. Little in the way of furniture outside a futon with a couple of extra blankets, a desk with a lamp and chair, a closet, and a small bathroom to the side, but one that lacked a shower or bathtub. Midoriya thanked the man nevertheless, as his time with Shizune made him appreciate even the simpler things all the more as he placed his things away and changed into his gear, returning to the lobby in a few minutes where Crust was speaking with one of his sidekicks.
Giving him the lookover, the man gave him a big thumbs up. “Looking good, Midoriya, but I suppose I can’t be calling you that while on the clock, so what’s your hero name? It’s something passionate, isn’t it?”
‘Well, he’s a passionate man.’ Midoriya thought to himself, as he loved how energetic the pro was before he playfully saluted. “Right, I’m the Senju Hero: Challenger.”
“Haha, I like that! It has real strength to it, an open challenge to evil-doers and even the world itself." Crust laughed as he led him outside onto the streets. "Well, normally, I have a smaller patrol that I normally do with newbies like you, but seeing how you managed not just to keep up with me, but looked fresh afterward, we're going to a patrol over half my regular route," Crust told him.
“I understand.” To which Midoriya nodded, a smile on his face as the two went off. Unlike with their arrival, they didn't jog or run, but instead, it was a calm walk, with people going about their days, traffic going past, light as it wasn't rush hour yet, but still present.
“First lesson, can you tell me why pros conduct patrols like this?” Crust asked as they waved at some school girls across the street.
“So, we can get to incidents faster?" Midoriya quickly answered.
"Correct! Well, one-third correct. It's true that we heroes patrol the streets, day or night, rain or shine to be able to jump to any incident that needs us, but it also has 2 other reasons." Crust added, holding up his hand with a finger raised.
"The first, and the one I prefer, would be that it makes us visible. We're part of law enforcement, yes, but we heroes embody so much more than law, we embody dedication, manliness, charity, and hope. When people see us, they feel safe, know that we're watching over them and doing our absolute best to protect and serve." He explained, with Midoriya nodding as he absorbed the pro’s words, agreeing with him wholeheartedly, especially because he understood where a man like Crust could be seen.
“That’s the second reason?” Midoriya asked as Crust and he stopped to help an old lady cross the street, Midoriya gently grasping her hand while Crust easily picked up the luggage she had been wheeling with her.
Once she thanked them and Crust gave her one of his smiles in return, he explained the second reason. “Well, it comes with how we’re paid. We’re still government workers at our core, when a crime or some other incident like an accident occurs, we heroes lend our strength to assist in resolving it.”
That made enough sense as people often forgot that heroes weren't like celebrities, at least, not fully like them as they didn't just make cash from say, being an influential internet personality, or being in movies and TV shows. Pros spent most of their time doing stuff like this.
“Once we’re done for the day, we return to our agencies and file the reports of our services. That report is then examined and compared to what the police and first responder reports say to confirm that that the first wasn’t fraudulent or missing details.” Crust frowned there, the idea that someone would dare file a false report must be greatly offensive to such an honest man, but he moved on.
"Once that is done, the people doing all these reviews, a department in the Hero Public Safety Commission, comes up with the pay that we'll receive for the work." He finished as they came across some kids, worried as they looked into a tree and saw a cat stuck near the top.
Crust gave him a look, one Midoriya understood immediately as he approached the kids, and kneeling to their level, informed them with a smile and some cat noise mixed into his speech that he would get his fellow kitty out of the tree no sweat. An easy thing for him as he had dealt with tigers and spent so much time around other felines that he might as well be a cat whisperer.
Once he got down from the tree with the little black and red furball safe in his arms, he handed her to one of the kids who beamed him a smile as they turned and ran off, waving at the student and pro as they did.
“What does that have to do with why we patrol? It sounds like police; firefighters or other first responders could just call us." With that settled, Midoriya got back to the conversation at hand.
Crust nodded, but they reached a crossing, and he pointed to the other corner, where a pro was jogging along, also greeting people as they went.
"They can, and often too, but with so many pros on streets, while that helps ensure that they're more hands in any situation which I'll never not be pleased with, it does mean there is competition for work, so patrols are a means for pros to get to incidents faster to be the ones that make money," Crust said, as being a pro was not easy work, but he liked to think to himself that him missing out on an incident just meant that it was resolved faster, which could have saved lives.
"Sounds dangerous," Midoriya noted, seeing it from another angle as people fighting over work could lead to in-fighting and mistrust among agencies. Though he recalled their first hero class, there they didn't have many stacks, as they were both being graded on their performance, it was a controlled environment and they shared the same goal.
"Not at all! Pros might need to work to earn their cheques, but it also helps keep us on our toes. It means that any pro that lasts is an exceptionally hard worker, someone that doesn't throw in the towel and finds a way, which is enough to bring me to tears!” Crust did break out into tears of joy, which Midoriya didn’t interrupt as they continued with their patrol, which seemed to just be minor things.
'Maybe it's just a slow day for crime today, though you'll need to be desperate to commit something in an area where you know a top ten pro patrols daily.' Midoriya thought as Crust stopped to speak with a local store owner he seemed to know, the old man talking about 'how he recalled when he was just a little lad helping him move stuff from the delivery vans.'
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As Midoriya and Crust continued with their patrol, Kendo sat next to Yaoyorozu inside a limo. Both students were in their costumes as they listened to the woman across from them speak.
"Heroes are also allowed to have side jobs. There was a time when it was a controversial thing, but the argument that it was in the public's interest won out. It also helps pros with getting the people to know them better, and see them as more a part of society rather than just those that rush in when things go wrong."
The woman's words were spoken with a casual air of authority, like she didn't demand that they listen, but knew that they would because they must. Such calm and assertiveness matched up with her appearance as her long blonde hair shined in its curly locks, her eyes the same shade of gold and slit, giving her a playful predatory look as she smiled.
Her eyes fitting as peaking from her hair were three snakes which watched them, the driver, and even out the window at the passing countryside and other cars. Her curvy body was covered by her hero gear, though one would sooner think she was a famous actress or model as her costume was a maroon dress with scale-like details. Her long legs had a matching pair of high heels, her neck fitted with a chocker, and her wrists and ankles had snake-like bracelets.
Uwabami checked her make-up as she told them of their destination, as she had been rather vague when she informed them that they were leaving Tokyo and doing so in style. “We’re heading to Niigata for a fashion show a friend of mine is planning, so we’ll be quite booked the entire time we’re there.”
"Maybe I made a mistake, I wanted a hero that was more…not this," Kendo whispered to herself, as she and Midoriya had tried to pick pros that would be close to each other, and Uwabami seemed like a good choice both for her record, and the fact that she traveled to Niigata quite often, but maybe she should have picked someone that didn’t seem more concerned with their looks then hero work.
“I get that a lot,” Uwabami smiled as Kendo looked a little flushed at being caught so easily, odd how people forget that her snakes could hear with their other sensory abilities. She snapped her portable mirror shut. “Don’t worry your pretty little head, Kendo. I’m not going to have you girls just run around posing for the cameras. This is just a part of the gig you’ll have to get used to.”
Yaoyorozu, who had been largely silent since the two got on the same train together, was quick to agree with the pro. "She's right, pros are often in the spotlight, so we must learn how to handle ourselves and assure the people that things are under control!"
She then deflated somewhat. "Besides, she was one of the few heroes who could see past my pathetic performance at the festival and still offer me a spot with her. So, I'll work extra hard to live up to those expectations."
Oh sure, she got over 100 offers, but she wouldn't have been surprised if that was more for a family name than her potential, a few being pros her parents sponsored and while she had the entire weekend, she didn't have the heart to ask them if they used that sway to get those heroes to send it offers, she couldn’t stand the idea that even her parents didn’t think she could get offers otherwise.
‘She’s going all out.’ Kendo thought to herself so that Uwabami wouldn’t catch on, but there was something she wanted to know. “But, how much can we learn from you if we’re just following you while you film?”
Uwabami raised an eyebrow. “Who said anything about following me? You two will be on camera right along with me.” She said like it was such a minor thing, which had both stunned as they were sure this was hero work, wasn’t it?
Uwabami could have wondered if they looked over the entire form, as she was sure it was in there that they were to follow pros in their regular capacity as heroes, which could include media appearances. She could have thought about it, or even asked, but she thought it best to ask another question. “Here is a question, do you know why I sent offers to you two?”
"Because you recognized our potential as heroes?" Yaoyorozu was quick to volunteer an answer, a tad too quick if Uwabami was honest with herself. She could recognize that look in Yaoyorozu's eyes, that desperation, the uncertainly.
'It's worse than I thought.' She frowned but smiled like nothing before she answered their question. “That was a reason, but another was because you’re cute.”
“What?” Kendo and Yaoyorozu asked, their mouths falling wide open, their eyes showing disbelief which Uwabami found to be immensely amusing, but she couldn’t openly laugh now could she? That was Ms. Joke’s thing.
She rather continued to smile, but it shifted, not by much, but a notable change as both saw her eyes take on more of a predatory light. "You're cute, but that's not enough. For heroines, just like actresses or supermodels, looks can only get you so far. Your skills in the field are important, that goes without saying, but you need to be able to maximize that physical appeal."
She was as blunt as a hammer and hit just as hard as the two started to sweat a little under her gaze, which felt like she was seeing through them, finding every flaw, every boon and carefully looking over it.
Rising her hands to her sides, the pro continued as she had their undivided attention. “Take Mt. Lady and Mirko for example, wouldn’t say they’re both cute?”
“Well, I wouldn’t call Mirko cute…not to her face anyway but…yes, she’s pretty.” Kendo was slow with a response, as she wanted to be honest, but it also didn't feel right to use the word 'cute' to describe the Rabbit heroine. Attractive, sexy, beautiful of course, but cute? Well, maybe behind closed doors where the fight-loving pro couldn't hear you.
Yaoyorozu was also having a similarly hard time acknowledging that the word cute could be used for the other hero in question, it sounded far too innocent to the kind of person that Mt. Lady projected to the world as a hero. Her classmate Tsu was cute, kids were cute but Mt. Lady…well, the word could be used, but it felt like a poorly sized nut, no matter how tight you made it, it would always wobble.
“And so is Mt. Lady, though she often leans more onto the more…perverse side of appeal.” She wasn't blind to such behaviors, her upper-crust upbringing didn't mean she didn't know about trends, it was why she wasn't surprised that Mineta chose her, no doubt to be closer to her as she 'flaunted her bakery' to the cameras.
Uwabami snapped her perfectly manicured fingers, the motion sounding like a gunshot in the cabin they were in. Her eyes intense as she looked at them. “And that right there, is what I want to itch into your bones.”
Uwabami could see that neither understood what she was talking about, but lucky for them, that was why they were there, so she could explain such things.
Leaning back into her seat, she did just that. "These two women, these heroines are both exceptionally beautiful and capable at what they do as Mirko's on track to break into the top ten, while Mt. Lady's only been a solo hero for around a year now already, she was in the top 100 in the last at the last JP Hero Billboard Chart.”
“But they’ve also done an exceptional job with their image as pros. As you both just experienced, the word ‘cute’ doesn’t apply to them, perhaps if you didn’t know them as pros, it would but with their hero personas? Not a chance.” Uwabami laughed, picturing the two dressed like high school girls, only for the image to shatter nearly immediately, those two would be the type to always be in trouble.
As she spoke, both girls soaked up her words like sponges would water. “That’s intentional as Mirko is someone you want in a fight, pure and simple she’s a combat specialist that will go wherever she pleases whenever. There is a reason she doesn’t have an agency as that would tie her down, even just on paper.”
"Meanwhile Mt. Lady is someone who leans into her sex appeal, not as much as someone like Midnight, but enough that most guys and a few girls blush. Add to that the fact that her ass is quite literally the biggest in Japan if not the world and you see why ‘cute’ would not be the right word.”
"That's what I want to get the two of you started with, her hero personas." She finished as she looked first at Kendo.
"Kendo, your performance at the festival made 2 things clear to the public, the fact that you're the strongest in your grade, and also your leadership skills, but that's it. People don't know if you're friendly, aggressive, dismissive, short-tempered tempered, or anything. As far as they're concerned, you could be like All Might, Endeavour, or Hawks in terms of personality."
Kendo winced at that, as she had met Endeavour. Even if she hadn't heard about his other failings as a father and husband from Todoroki, she would have still said she didn't wish for people to see her as they do him. Hawks was also something she wasn't sure about as while effective, easygoing, and easy to approach, he also seemed…off to her, she couldn't describe it any other way.
Uwabami turned to Yaoyorozu, who wilted under her intense gaze. "Yaoyorozu, your issue is even worse. While the people can understand that you just had the bad match-up, the fact is you were still defeated with ease and didn't have much in the way of feats before this in the first or second events."
The heiress flinched with each piece of her statement, as it hurt, but it wasn't false, certainly not things she hadn't already thought about constantly since the festival, since she saw what someone with actual skill, potential, and power took to the field. Her eye shifted to Kendo but went back to Uwabami before her class rep noticed.
This didn’t escape the gaze of Uwabami but she didn't comment on it. Rather, she reached forward and placed a comforting hand on Yaoyorozu's knee, offering a smile. "So, we're going to work on rehabilitating that image, showing the world that you might be young and in training, but you can be effective, confident, and if I have my way, popular with the boys." Her smile turned a little cheeky at the end as the dark-haired girl’s cheeks flushed a little. Imaging herself acting like Uwabami: Confident, powerful, assertive. She liked that.
“I…see.” She managed to calm her emotions as she smiled at the pro. “Thank you for that, Uwabami. I had no idea about any of them, but I’ll work hard to take the lessons you have and improve myself.”
Retracting her hand, she laughed at the show of gratitude. “Don’t thank you just yet, this won’t be a walk in the park for women of action like I assume the two of you to be.”
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I have good news! I've got my first commission. A year into this and it's finally happened which makes me super pumped to start working on it. However, I want this to be worth the price, you know? So I'm going to be spending next week working on that which means there'll be no updates.
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Okay, there was some stuff with the others that I wanted to add, but the chapter was long enough as is. With Crust, I had to basically come up with a lot for him, from where he's based as I want to have it that not all top heroes work in Tokyo or even Kanto, Hawks is a prime example of this as he's in Kyushu. With Uwabami, I know that it was a joke, but media proficiency is a good skill for heroes, which seemed to come in handy for Kendo during the culture festival, as she had fans who once they heard she was in, were more than willing to attend.
