While I was aware that multiple Salty Banks students were taking the UA exam, seeing Intelli from across the city came as a surprise. Did I miss her arrival with the others? Since there were no additional buses to Battle Center F, I probably just didn't notice her.
As I sprinted toward her, the other participants hurriedly cleared the way. My speed was so intense that the road crumbled beneath me, reduced to rubble within only my first few steps.
Intelli looked over at me the moment I began sprinting, which wasn't surprising—someone my size violently charging toward you is hard to miss. Her intelligence quirk might have helped her understand the situation immediately, though it offered no physical advantage.
She must've realized instantly that running was pointless.
It didn't seem like she was ready to give up. She tried to move out of the way, but when my gaze remained fixed on her, it confirmed her suspicion that she was indeed the target.
Her face reflected a mix of annoyance and contemplation, as though she was frustrated by her inability to quickly deduce why Mt. Lady was targeting her.
I jumped upwards slightly, raising the massive foot I'd borrowed from the body of Mt. Lady to around the height of my stomach.
In the split second before I crushed her, Intelli's eyes widened with shock, her body instinctively leaping back in fear, but it was already too late.
With an almost cinematic crunch, my foot stomped down hard.
My borrowed body's full weight pressed into the earth, obliterating everything beneath it, the resounding impact split the ground open, a wave of dust and debris exploded everywhere.
"That's it, folks! The exam is officially over! All participants, stop what you're doing!"
Present Mic's announcement over the speaker system was the first sound to fill the air after the deafening silence that followed my earth shattering stomp.
There wasn't much reason to stay gigantified after the exam concluded. I waved off some of the smoke lingering around my feet, before shrinking back to my normal size.
'What the hell?!' Mt. Lady's voice yelled from the back on my mind in confusion. 'How—how i she alive?! You stomped on her! There was a big crunch sound and everything!'
She sounded stunned, clearly not expecting the girl she'd believed to be dead to be sitting on the floor, clearly shaken from the ordeal, and looking up at us with unease.
"don't be so gullible. did you really think i'd crush a student? i'm here to become a hero, not a villain, you know." I replied, pretending to be offended.
'Heroes don't act like that! You're not supposed to to go scaring people half to death, and destroy everything around you for a joke!' She retorted, practically fuming from the hypocrisy.
Ignoring her whining, I stepped away from Intelli as she laid sprawled on the ground, too stunned or perhaps scared to say anything.
The dust had fully settled around us now, revealing the ruined landscape caused my by short sprint. I took a few slow steps, moving towards the exit.
'The exam's over already, so give me back my body before you leave!'
"i don't particularly mind giving it back, though it would be best if we left the city first."
Mt. Lady's body was completely drained, forced to move far beyond it's capabilities, albeit only for a couple seconds. Even with control back in her hands, she'd likely struggle to move at all.
'Hurry up and give it back!' She said, her frustration evident.
In one brisk motion, I gave her back control, unmerging myself at a high speed from her body. My body seemed to reconstruct itself out of thin air during the separation—except for my clothing that was hidden inside.
She stumbled forward, her small frame collapsing to her knees, drained of all her energy.
"W-what?" She said weakly, not comprehending what had happened. "You—wait! Don't walk away yet!" She added, attempted to look up at me.
Before leaving I gave back one last look at her. "you're fine, there's no need to be worried about any injuries. though, you'll have to be carried back by some of your staff members. goodbye."
I turned my back and began walked toward the exit, while being given a few odd looks by a few participants that had witnessed me unmerging from Mt. Lady's body.
"Get back here, you bastard! I'm not done with you yet!" Mt. Lady shouted again, her body shaking as she once again tried to pull herself up and failing.
Without looking back, I left the area, leaving her and the accidental collateral damage I created behind. As I passed through the battle centers gates, I pulled my phone out. Tsu sent me a message informing that she wouldn't be able to go back home with me, so I opted to leave on my own instead of waiting for a ride back to the original building.
---
Although the practical part was rather short, the written exam had taken a few hours, so it was around noon, and the strip mall was surprisingly quiet for a day like this. The mall right outside the battle center had loads of different stores open, most of which were for women's clothing, but I might as well take a look around before heading home.
Walking past the empty storefronts, I didn't bother going inside any of the numerous shops, content to glance at the displays through their windows. However, my stroll was abruptly stopped once I had spotted a bright poster outside a small ice cream shop, advertising an irresistible offer: "Three-scoop ice cream cones for only $5! Limited time deal!" it said, making it impossible to ignore.
I didn't waste any time and swiftly moved through the open entry doors.
The shop was compact and cozy, with the only seating being small stools tucked beneath a tabletop mounted to the walls by the front windows. Its limited size meant there weren't many flavors to choose from, so I went with cotton candy—the one I passed on during my previous ice cream tasting trip with Tsu, along with cherry, and for the final scoop—or the first one on the cone, vanilla.
I thought about sitting down to properly enjoy it, while perhaps making a bit of small talk with the clerk, but I shrugged off the idea, walking while eating it would be a better way to spend my time, and burn off all the calories I'd get from this.
Exiting the strip mall, I continued on my way home, and the ice cream had already began to lose it's shape from the warmth of my hand. The cotton candy scoop was expectedly far too sweet to be to my liking, while the cherry flavor was already one of my preferred options.
I was savoring the last few nibbles of the cherry ice cream scoop when I heard a weird noise coming from the alley to my right. It was a quiet little thumping noise, that repeated a few time with the sound of liquid being splattered at random intervals...
Is that what I think it is?
Whatever that was, it isn't my problem to deal with as a civilian.
Walking away would be the rational, or safe choice, but the sounds kept playing over and over in my mind. The more I though about it the harder it became to ignore.
Can I really call myself a hero... if I choose to ignore someone potentially in need of saving?
I hesitated for what felt like minutes, the last scoop of vanilla on my cone was melting over my fingers as I debated, leaving behind a sticky mess. My curiosity and integrity were pushing back against my better judgement, and I forced myself to move forward.
Taking slow steps towards the corner, each one more quiet than the last, and when I finally peeked around the corner, I felt a chill run down my spine.
A man was lying up, leaning against the wall, his heart wasn't beating.
I froze.
Blood painted the concrete behind him in a single violent splatter, almost as if he'd been stabbed and thrown from a rooftop to the wall, then fallen down to the ground judging from the way the blood was thrown around him.
Resting against the wall, his back was covered in stab wounds, with his neck showing deep punctures as well. The lack of significant blood leaking from his neck suggested those wounds were inflicted last. There was no doubt he had been dead for a while now.
This is bad...
My heart was pounding so loudly, that I felt it might beat out of my chest.
My mind was screaming at me that it was dangerous to stay here. Someone who could repeatedly stab a corpse like that wasn't just dangerous—they were a deranged lunatic. The recent sounds of stabbing made it clear they were likely still nearby.
Then again... A hero candidate wouldn't flee. They'd at least try to catch a glimpse of the criminal's face before the evacuated, would they not?
If I managed to see the murderer, it could provide valuable information for the case, and help bring closer to this poor man's family.
I had real intentions of sticking around or picking a fight with them, just a quick peak at them, fast enough that I could get an idea of what they looked like, then I'd be gone.
The plan seemed straightforward enough, but it came with one serious risk.
If the murderer noticed me trying to get a glimpse of their face, how would they react?
Someone this unhinged wouldn't think twice about tying up loose ends. Leaving behind a witness wouldn't be an option for them.
Prowling around the crime scene was a gamble I wasn't sure if I wanted to take.
Before I could fully weigh the pro's and cons, my body moved forward on its own, as if it was being compelled by some unseen force to do the right thing. I crept forward, careful to avoid stepping on anything that could give off a sound. Pressing myself against against the wall, I held in my breath for a moment and cautiously peered around the corner.
(Edit)
In the dim light, a girl in a sailor school uniform stood in a puddle of, her back to me, blood spattered across her figure as she casually adjusted her clothing.
The way it was splattered unevenly across her clothes suggested she wasn't a coincidental witness. If she'd been trying to help the man, the blood should have been smeared or messily concentrated around her hands and forearms, or possibly streaked onto her clothes as she tried to stop the bleeding.
It only solidified what I'd already suspected.
She definitely wasn't a terrified bystander who accidentally stumbled upon the crime scene and got covered in blood while desperately performing first aid on the victim.
No, this girl was the one who had killed him.
But why? Why would someone so young do something so cruel? What could drive someone my age to stab another person that many times, then laugh about it?
Self-defense was immediately taken out the equation, there isn't any justifiable or reasonable way to explain the amount of stab wounds she'd inflicted on him.
Was it an emotional outburst, triggered by some sudden, overwhelming event? Or she could be under the influence of drugs, her seemingly erratic behavior could be fueled by some uncontrollable substance that to led up to this?
Maybe she had some sort of grudge that escalated out of control ? If she knew the guy, and it was a personal vendetta, that could explain the excessive brutality. From what I've seen in crime documentaries, it's more common for murderers to be extremely violent to someone they know personally instead of a stranger.
Perhaps this was because of a villainous quirk? Born with an ability that stripped her of the chance to live normally, her path to crime might've been set from the start. It's a tragic, common story for children with 'evil' quirks.
The possibility of that being the truth made my stomach churn.
I could feel the small tremble in my hands as my grasp on both the situation and my own thoughts unraveled. The more I tried to piece it together, the less sense it made, and in frustration, I bit down on my index fingernail.
Whatever the reason is doesn't matter right now, I should leave.
She wasn't facing me, but I'd caught a glimpse of her soul, and through that, I could reverse construct what I remembered of her face for my witn—
*Splat*
My heart skipped at the sudden noise, and my eyes instantly shot back to the blonde-haired school girl covered in blood.
I cursed the dead man under my breath for making a sound at such a stupid time.
Then, I glanced down, and It took me a second to realize that I had dropped the cone in my hand, it's remains laying ice-cream side down onto the ground by my feet.
(edit)
Woops.
Sorry dead guy, I guess that had actually been my fault.
I hadn't intended to make any sound, yet here I was, making such a stupid and rookie mistake.
The girl instantly snapped her head in my direction as she heard my slip up, her small demented yellow-eyes locked on mine, with a malicious smile etched onto her face. The awkward silence that followed was so suffocating that I couldn't breath, no matter how hard I tried to.
"Oh, a witness? And you're totally my type too~!" She said, pulling out a faintly bloody knife that was strapped to a holster on her thigh, clearly being the murder weapon. "That's no good. I don't like it when people watch me while I'm having fun."
"i wasn't... spying." I stammered, struggling to come up with the right words to get out of this situation. "i was looking for a different alleyway... then i came cross him, and then you... if you don't mind, i'll be going on my way now. thank you."
Really? That was the best excuse I could come up with?
She giggled again, a laugh so cheerful, yet creepy it made my skin crawl.
"Unfortunately, I do mind. You see, you saw my real face, I can't let you walk away now, can I?" She replied, sadistically twirling the knife held in her hand around, her eyes shrunk as her smile stretched wider. "Wouldn't it be so much more fun if we got to know each other a little better first~?"
As scary as she and her words were, I wasn't actually worried about dying here.
The wounds that man sustained were mostly on his back, meaning that she likely sneak attacked him, killing him with low to no difficulty. She didn't seem to be a very big threat.
But, that wasn't the problem here.
If I fought back, it wouldn't count as self-defense—it would be vigilantism, which I absolutely did not endorse. I should have called the police the moment I found the body. Even if the murderer got away, there was still a chance they'd be caught on a nearby camera.
My curiosity has trapped me in a dangerous situation, with consequences both in the eyes of the law legally and in the case of my personal safety.
"wait." I raised my hands slightly, instinctively showing I wasn't a threat as she moved toward me. "i don't know what's going on here, and i don't particularly care. i'm not trying to fight or stop you. can i just leave, and we pretend this never happened?" I added, sweating bullets.
Of course, that was a lie. I absolutely was going to report this as soon as I leave.
She halted an arm's length away, lowering her weapon down to her waist. Her grip remained firm on it, though it was no longer being pointed at me in threatening manner. I was certain she'd ignore my words and strike, yet she'd chosen to stop right in front of me.
I tilted my head, confused by her behavior, and before I could even react, her arm sprung out, lightly gripping onto my neck. "what—" Was all I could utter before she choke slammed me.
(short toga choking kiyo animation)
The camera followed up her arm's to her face as she climbed on top of me, sitting firmly between my waist and hip with her knife still in hand, not yet plunged into any part of my body. Her smile persisted, but it was noticeably less...serial killer-ly.
She titled her head in the opposite direction I had done, her twisted yellow eyes glinting with amusement as she slowly raised her knife, preparing to stab me. Despite her small frame, she was surprisingly strong, tightening the grip she had on my throat.
"You're already pretty cute, but I'd think you would look a lot cuter when you're bleeding~." She said, lifting her the knife up just above her head.
"are you really sure you want to do that?" I asked, hiding the fear and concern in my body, sounding more like I was insinuating a threat, rather than a pleading her to stop.
Her arm holding the knife hovered in mid air, the blade reflecting a little sunlight off it into my eye. Her smile had gotten a bit smaller, she gazed from the dead body, back to me, removing her hand from my throat and placing that a finger on her chin, as if weighing her options.
"i can scream pretty loud, you know." I added while she was thinking it over. My voice, while still monotone, was gradually increasing in volume. "if you really don't want to get caught this quickly, then are you sure this is the right choice your making?"
She lowered her arm a few inches as she studied my face, sitting on top me silently for an uncomfortably long amount of time before she spoke.
"You're saying you won't snitch? Even though I killed that mister, and assaulted you right after?"
"I won't" I replied, attempting to gauge her reaction. "I promise."
Her eyes narrowed, searching into my mine for any sign of a lie. Slowly, the corners of her mouth curled back into a saccharine smile. She placed both of her hands on my chest, the knife held to the side as to not stab me, before leaning back, and moving off me. The pressure on my waist lifted as she stood up. spinning the knife once more in her hand before placing it back into the holster on her thigh.
She brushed off her skirt casually, as though the whole encounter had been nothing more than a playful scuffle for her. Her demeanor changed slightly, still eerie but much less hostile.
"By the way, I'm Himiko Toga. I really hope we meet again." She said, beginning to walk away, and when she was about to pass the corner, she turned back barely look at me and whispered "Don't make me regret letting you go okay?" It sounded as if her words were meant for herself rather than for me.
Toga skipped away from the crime scene, humming a cheerful sounding melody that did not fit with the scenario. I remained seated, waiting around a minute before I got up to confirm that she really left.
It seemed like he had no plans of hiding the body leaving the brutal corpse for someone else to find. However, leaving it for someone else to deal with didn't sit right with me, so I pulled my phone out of my wrist, my fingers trembling as I dialed the police.
---
I heard the sound of my metal mail-box shuttered from behind the front door as I was sipping on my morning coffee. Mail didn't usually come at this time in my area, which only made me more certain of what it was.
My suspicion was confirmed when I opened the mailbox and pulled out an envelope marked with U.A.'s distinctive logo. It was the U.A. entrance exam results.
Resting the envelope beside my breakfast of rolled omelet, grilled fish, and miso soup, I took a few bites before turning my attention back to it. The seal came off easily, revealing a small circular device inside—a miniature hologram projector.
The device turned on without any input of my own, projected a hologram screen recording.
"IIIIIIIII AAM HERE AS A PROJECTION!" All Might's annoyingly loud voice played through the device's speakers, and a close up of his face was all you could see on the square screen.. "I would to say that I am here as well, Kiyotaka-kun." Nezu added, while sitting on top of the yellow haired giants shoulder.
All Might moved his face back from the camera, and struck a pose as Nezu started speaking.
"Originally, this was supposed to be All Might's job alone, but I just couldn't help myself from jumping in." he admitted with a self-amused laugh. "Let's start with your actions while you were in Mt. Lady's body first. As if I leave this for the end, you'll probably ignore it."
Well. He's probably right about that.
The screen next to all might began playing footage of the exam, specifically showing me melting into Mt. Lady's hand. The camera zoomed in on me assuming control of her body, the video was clear at first, but once I shrank back to her normal size, it became pixelated due to the excessive zoom they put to look at the apathetic face she, or I, wore.
(edit)
Nezu sure has a habit of throwing money away—first with the giant robots, now with all these extremely unnecessary devices just to show something that could have been easily been an email.
So... why can't he afford some better cameras?
"I have to admit, that was a real surprise. I didn't know you had the ability to do something like that, and it makes me wonder what other skills are you hiding?" He paused for a few seconds, blankly staring at the camera. "You're probably thinking something like 'i wasn't hiding it. i just didn't have any reason to use it.' Right?"
Once again he accurately guesses what I would of replied with.
"Regardless. Please refrain from pulling mean-spirited pranks like that, no matter how much you may dislike a classmate. You may have technically done nothing, but scaring people that badly isn't very hero-like." He said, scolding me in a very serious tone, then quickly moving onto the next topic. "Next, let's go over the written exam. Yooooouuuuu... Passed with flying colors!" *Clap* *Clap* *Clap* "Easily making it into the top 1% of students who applied this year. As for the practical exam... You scored 89 villains points, the highest amount of villain points scored by anyone this year, but... that's not all, we also included a secret point system called rescue points! When you add those to your final score, you get a grand total of 95 points!"
The screen changed to display the scores of all first year students, showing the ranking, the name, then the villain and rescue points earned. My name was listed at the very top of the placements, with an amazing rescue point total of 5.
Excluding the second-place student, Bakugo Katsuki, who earned 0 rescue points, the remaining 8 students all scored higher than me in that category. Nezu probably chose not to mention mine, given that I hadn't made any attempt to help the other exam participants.
Instead, I was shamelessly taking their work and, by complete coincidence, saved one of them.
"You scored first place, young Ayanokouji! GE—"
Turning off the device before All Might had finished talking, I cut off his loud congratulation short. It wasn't that I disliked All Might or anything. I just didn't particularly like him either, and I'd already heard everything I wanted to know, continuing to listen would be pointless.
I leaned back in my chair, picking up another piece of my rolled omelet and dipping it in my room temperature coffee, letting the unusual combination of the two linger in my mouth as I thought about what was going to come next.
---
Ch 12 End
Incase your wondering, the kiyo getting choked by himeko animation wasn't planned, I just had part of an old fighting animation on my tablet, so I redrew and added stuff to match the scenario on my pc, then added the rest of the details, which took a while. i didn't animate anything in a while either, so im suprised it turned out well for how little effort i put into it.
yall want more animations later on or nah? i'll probably add them regardless but much more rarely than the art, unless i can think of something short that i wanna animate.
Intelli not dying wasn't a retcon, if u think about it kiyo wouldn't do something like that openly in the first the place. it was bait lol.
Toga isn't known yet as a murderer (excluding the middle-school classmate non-fatal stabbing, though that isn't really explained in canon, not that I found at least.) which is why she cared about kiyo seeing her face. and being that she's at the start of her career, i think her letting him leave isn't out of character, considering from her perspective he didn't seem to be saying all that from being scared or repulsed by her, he could be a future friend material. (she also doesn't know that he's a hero candidate yet obviously)
changed the title name like 12 times and I still don't like it.
working on my reaction fic after this chapter.