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CHAPTER START---
"Wait so they're dating now?" Horizon asks.
He was currently in UA uniform -his customized uniform with his logo at the back-, sitting at his desk in the 1A classroom with his feet up on the table.
To his right, Sero is sitting on Tokoyami's desk as his friend plays with Counter Shock, passing energy from one palm to the next as they speak.
They were thankfully alone at the moment.
"Yeah," Sero says. "Apparently it's been since Kamino or something, I didn't really get many details from him."
"Ok, but why'd he even tell you?"
"Uh... Well, when I was talking to him on the phone I recognized her voice in the background asking him to come to bed," Sero chuckles nervously.
Horizon can't help but laugh, "so thats how you cracked the case of Mt. Lady and Kamui Woods, congrats. But did you get the details of their team for the work-study?"
"Yeah, Edgeshot was on a case last night so he called me instead, helps that I did my internship with him."
"What team details?" Horizon asks. "And I assume Kamui doesn't want anyone to know he's dating Mt. Airhead."
"Pretty much, he says it's better if Heroes appear single, easier for young heroes to build a fanbase like that."
"True, that's what I'm doing."
"Yeah, and as for the team stuff. He was mostly giving me instructions for where I'll be meeting them this weekend. Apparently they're working a case up north."
"So you won't be in Tokyo at the Edgeshot Agency?"
"Not yet," Sero says. "He's tracking some weapon smugglers right now and it took him out of Tokyo. Mt. Lady and Kamui Woods will join us when it's time to kick some butt."
Playing with the electricity jumping from one palm to the next, Horizon closes his hands and the current cuts off.
"What's wrong?" Sero asks.
"Just got a notification from the Hero Network," he taps his visor. "Some morons are in a high-speed chasing, the cops are pushing them toward Musutafu."
"Toward you."
"Guessing that's why they gave me a heads up. They probably put together that I'm back at UA since it is the first day of school after summer."
"And it's the first time that you would have not been on the news for an entire day," Sero says. "You're a very well-known workaholic, and then you wonder why people think you're a cyborg."
"Ugh, so sick of those rumors..."
"Hey if I didn't know better, I'd think something similar. Maybe if your visor didn't cause your voice to come off a bit mechanical."
"It's part of the charm," Horizon says as he puts his hands back together.
He pulls them apart, forming a tether of blue electricity between them which he plays with, as one would play with a rubber band.
"Yeah yeah, clean and efficient," Sero mutters. "Anyway, are you gonna head back to Endeavor's Agency and actually spend some time learning from him this semester?"
"I might, but I don't see any reason to. I don't think I can really learn to be as efficient from watching him, I just need experience in knowing what to expect in my area," Horizon says.
"Or you need an entire office of people feeding you information."
"Not a Hero Agency, can't do that," Horizon says. "Also the Commission probably won't appreciate me suddenly leaving Minato Tokyo, Endeavor already has Saitama Tokyo under control so me going there won't do much in comparison."
"Oh right, you're the main hero for Minato...guess they can't just have you overlap with other big heroes for the sake of efficiency."
"National stability and all that bullshit, I really hate all this red tape and nonsense."
"Well it's unavoidable when your existence causes people to stay in line," Sero shrugs. "Besides, Heroes are just fancy cops, that's what you always say, right?"
"Something like that."
"Well, this is part of it, taking orders, which I know you just love."
Horizon groans, "just until I'm the #1 Pro Hero, then I can do whatever I want..."
"You know, maybe you shouldn't say that. I mean, it's one of those things that only work when people who can't literally do whatever they want with nobody able to stop them say it," Sero says. "If someone didn't know you they could get a bit worried by you saying that."
"Most people don't need to be worried..."
Sero chuckles nervously, and before he could say another word the door at the front of the room opens.
"Yo Shinso, what's up?" Sero waves to their classmate. Shinso no longer had the bags under his eyes, and clearly had a bit of muscle on his previously frail frame. "You weren't at the movie night last night, Mina was asking about you?"
"You weren't there either from what the gossip says," Shinso says as he approaches them.
"Uh, yeah well, I was a bit tired so---"
"Everyone knows you were with Yui," Shinso says.
"Well, I mean, yo---" Sero's eyes go dull as his body relaxes, falling under Shino's Brainwashing.
"Take your seat and wait for class to begin," Shinso commands a he walks up to Horizon's desk, and Sero mindlessly obeys.
"How long does it last now?"
"Almost ten minutes," Shino says as he leans against Tokoyami's desk, facing Horizon.
"And I assume you want to talk about something," Shinso nods. "I'm done training you, you're Eraser's problem now."
"That's the problem."
"Huh," Horizon looks toward Shinso. "I figured Eraser Head is a great teacher for you..."
"He is, for the practical aspects, but I realize that saving people isn't enough for me."
"What?"
Shinso sighs. "I thought that becoming a Pro Hero, proving all those people who said I have a villainous Quirk wrong, I thought that'd be enough."
"But it's not?"
Shinso nods, "it's not."
"Oh my fucking god," Horizon groans. "Are you gonna give me a whole life story?"
"I want to be a top Pro Hero," Shinso keeps it short, not in the mood to be warped to the other side of the campus and have to walk 14km to class. "I need the entire world to know that there are no such things as villainous Quirks, and to do that, I need a lot of eyes on me."
"More eyes than being an underground hero would allow?"
"Mhm."
Horizon sighs, takes his feet off the desk, and turns to Shinso, "so you're going for gold instead of a participation trophy?"
"I never thought I'd really be here," Shino gestures to the classroom. "But since I'm here, why not prove to more than myself there are no villainous Quirks, but prove it to the world."
"And you want me to help by?"
"Doing what you did for this one," Shinso gestures to Sero. "He went from a nobody to 'Cellophane' after some training and a week in Tokyo with you. Now he's got hundreds of agencies sending him offers and news outlets begging him for interviews. He has eyes on him, and I need that if I'm to get my message out."
"Ok, so now I know what you want, and what's in it for me?" Horizon asks.
"A perfect example of why you're right," Shinso says. "That's what matters to you, right? Proving that you're right?"
"Mmm, about?"
"You made a grand speech during your interview, about how there are no villainous Quirks, about how society making those labels only breeds more villains. Having me by your side proves that you truly believe that, and would get a lot more people supporting you."
"Hmm," Horizon leans back for a moment. "Well, you aren't annoying like most of our classmates, useful Quirk, I've already spent some time training with you at the Summer Camp. But we'll have to do some real combat training now. You got your Provisional License right?"
"Yeah," Shinso says.
"What's the name?"
"Mindjack."
Horizon groans in response, "we'll have to change that. Try 'Simon', that'll work."
"Simon?"
"Simon says..." he sees Shinso's eyes widen in realization. "And if you're going to be a public hero, we need to spread misinformation about your Quirk. We can start a rumor about it being a telepathy Quirk that just needs you to make eye contact to work, that'll make villains cocky."
"That...actually makes a lot of sense."
"You also won't be competing in the next Sports Festival," Horizon says.
"Because of the loudmouth announcers?"
"Mhm, problem?"
"Nope, working anywhere near you will get me enough attention, so I won't need it."
"Alright, and do you have any requests for a work-study agency, or do you need to wait and apply this week with the others?"
"No I don't have any direct requests, and I probably won't get a good agency since I'm not well known, thanks to you..."
"Just bad luck you got matched against me," Horizon shrugs. "Have you talked this over with Eraser?"
"He recommended I speak to you about it," Shinso says. "He's still training me in his own combat techniques, but you're the person to talk to about popularity and branding."
"Well, I can't attach my reputation to a loser, so lets see how you do in a practical setting."
"What do you mean?" Shinso asks.
In response Horizon just snaps his fingers.
SHAMBLES!
Shiso is suddenly wearing his Hero Costume.
A most black costume with purple accents, sticking to Eraser Heads' ninja theme but clearly armored along the chest, back, and the back of his hands.
And on his face was a mask covering the bottom of his head, jet black and made of dozens of moving parts with two dials at the sides to adjust them.
Artificial Vocal Cords, Hero Support Equipment which allows him to use the dials for adjusting the pitch and depth of his voice to mimic almost any voice perfectly.
Made completely analog since his Quirk doesn't work through electronic speakers.
"Did you just change my clothes?" Shinso asks, mostly amazed and creeped out. "Can you please never do that again?"
"You'll get over it, besides, we don't have time to waste."
Horizon raises his hand once more, and reaches out, barely touching Shinso.
"Wai---"
"Shambles..."
END CHAPTER---