Chapter 11: The Wonder Girls
Almost 2 hours. That was the amount of time that Class 1-A were trapped in the USJ by Villains. The amount of time the students spent fighting for their lives. All Might came in during the 2nd hour, and near the end of that second hour, help arrived.
It was honestly baffling how the Pro Heroes managed to clean up the mess so quickly. They helped out students still fighting Villains, gathered the students up to send to their class, and wiped out the rest of the Villains.
So, when Tomura made the call to retreat and left with multiple bullets put in him by the Pro Hero Snipe, taking Kurogiri and Mojo with him, that was when it was confirmed that the fight was over.
Once some Pro Heroes came over to the plaza, the first thing they did was go to All Might and Izuku, as both were injured. Without letting the group of students and the girls see the damage, the Pro Heroes sent them out to join their class.
As they joined their class outside, they were greeted by the police force, the chief investigator of which, Naomasa Tsukauchi, debriefed them. In other words, he told the class that All Might, Aizawa, Thirteen, and Izuku would all be sent to the infirmary, but that there was nothing to worry about since none of them were in life-threatening conditions.
Then, with everyone relieved and at ease, the police force sent them back to UA High to gather their stuff and go home.
The Villains, meanwhile… they had a more stressful aftermath.
Deep in the depths of Kamino City, inside what appeared to be an abandoned building, Tomura sat inside at a dusty bartop, crouching over the surface and groaning, partly because of his injuries but mostly because of their utter failure.
"Those… Hero wannabe bastards and their Symbol of Peace…" he grumbled before slamming a fist on the bartop, "managed to ruin our entire plan. What's more…" he paused to let out an empty scoff. "The information we got was wrong, Master. All Might wasn't weakened at all! He was still fighting Villains EXACTLY like he used to in his 'glory days'. I swear, if I get my hands on the idiot who gave us that info–"
On the wall to the left, a blank monitor sat, where a dark voice came out, interrupting Tomura.
"Ah, my dear Shigaraki. If only you would understand. I do believe our source was quite correct when saying that All Might had gotten weaker. By the way you described the fight to me, it seems as if it took almost everything out of the Hero to defeat Nomu. Your… unfortunate bad luck isn't because of that. Perhaps you were… overzealous."
Just then, a low chuckle sounded, prompting Tomura to turn around. Leaning on the wall to the right was Mojo Jojo, who had discarded the broken suit for his normal villain wear.
"Even your boss agrees, Crusty. You RUINED the mission." he taunted.
Tomura visibly tightened his fist. "YOU, of all people, have no RIGHT to talk! I mean, seriously! We take you in, and give you endless machinery and resources at your disposal! And three little girls manage to turn your armor into a bucket of bolts and screws!"
Tomura then sat up more, red eyes glinting evilly from behind his mask. "Matter of fact, let's TALK about those little girls. Namely, what kind of superhuman DRUGS they're on! You have told us nothing USEFUL about these wonder girls or WHY you want to kill them or WHY they're so powerful! They nearly killed my Nomu! And I'm SICK of the fact that you would go on about your endless 'feats' but would zip your lips before we even get a sliver of information about how you KNOW THOSE BRATS–"
"Tomura." Kurogiri said firmly from his place on the other side of the bar, yellow eyes narrowing, "That's enough. He is an ally. You should not be attacking him."
Mojo Jojo nodded, clearly smug. "Yes. Listen to your purple friend."
Before Tomura could reply, the dark voice spoke.
"Kurogiri is correct, Shigaraki. Arguing and deflecting the blame will get you nowhere."
Tomura turned to the monitor, almost flinching. "But, Master, I–"
"I don't see how Mojo's motives concern you." the dark voice interrupted, making Tomura silent, "He is quite a useful asset after all. He made us weapons, and helped dear Dr. Ujiko design Nomu. He had helped us a lot with this attack. I suggest you show him your respect. That includes his matters with… the wonder girls."
As Tomura seethed, Mojo Jojo smirked and bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you sir."
Just then, a second voice spoke through the monitor. "Speaking of Nomu, where is it? Did you lose him during the attack?"
Kurogiri bowed his head as well. "Regrettably, yes. We were not able to search for and recover the body due to arriving Heroes."
"Hm… that's a shame." the second voice sighed, clearly disappointed.
"Yes it is. As for the USJ attack…" the first voice said, "There is no reason to worry. You'll get your next chance soon enough. Give it time, Tomura. But, there is something you must do when waiting for that chance."
Tomura perked up, almost eager. "Yes? What is it, Master?"
"Gather the villainous elite. You had slightly failed with gathering low scale thugs. This time, recruit powerful Villains, Villains that are willing to put in the work. With the right resources, the right plans, and the right people, there is no doubt that you shall strike fear in the hearts of Heroes and citizens alike the next time you attack. Do I make myself clear?"
Tomura was quiet for a few seconds before nodding. "Crystal."
"Good. I look forward to our next chat."
And with that, the monitor went silent, the call ending and leaving the bar in loud silence.
Back at UA High, and at Recovery Girl's office…
Outside the door, the Powerpuff Girls stood in front of it, clearly nervous. After coming back to the school, they had changed back into their uniforms and were expected to go home for the day, along with the rest of their classmates.
But, the thought of walking back to their empty apartment and forgetting everything about today seemed incredibly impossible. Even for the girls' standards, where they can do anything impossible. The people resting in that office were people that saved their lives for the price of their wellbeing. They can't just leave without a "thank you"!
Each of the girls were clutching something: Bubbles was clutching Tako, Blossom was clutching flowers (Bubbles had rushed out of the school to the florist and back with a bouquet gift), and Buttercup was holding their bags. And they were all standing at the door and staring.
Finally, Buttercup groaned. "Are we just gonna STAND here or what?!"
Blossom put on a face of determination. "No. We're going in."
Bubbles, meanwhile, looked uneasy. "Uh… I don't know. Are we even allowed to be here? Recovery Girl didn't really tell us she was allowing visitors."
Buttercup scoffed. "Bubs, they're just INJURED. It's not like they're prisoners of Alcatraz or something. We're not going to be scolded for visiting when the NURSE OFFICE doesn't have designated visitor hours!"
Bubbles thought about it for a second before saying, "I guess you have a point."
Blossom nodded as well. "Alright then, what the heck. What are we waiting for?"
With that, Blossom walked over to the door, shifted the bouquet to another arm, and knocked on the door. A chirpy voice immediately answered.
"Come in!"
Buttercup smirked at Bubbles, who rolled her eyes with a smile, and the two sisters came up behind Blossom, as she pushed the door open. Bright fluorescent lights filled their vision, a bright change from the electric light bulbs in the sunset-tinted hallway. The room smelled faintly of disinfectant and roses as the girls stepped inside.
Despite being a nurse's office, the room looked eerily similar to a hospital room. Beds were situated along the left side of the wall, with curtains separating them. A window took up most of the front facing wall, and to the upper right corner of the room, there was Recovery Girl's office space.
In beds of their own were every one of the injured: Thirteen, Aizawa, and All Might. Only, Izuku was strangely absent.
After they had entered, the girls were greeted by Recovery Girl, who was previously working at her desk.
"Ah, hello girls! You've come to visit, I gather?" she asked with a friendly smile.
Blossom offered up a sheepish smile, along with her sisters.
"Yeah! We just wanted to check up on everyone. If that's okay."
"Of course it is, honey! Although, I do have to inform you that All Might and Thirteen are not available to talk, as they're sleeping. And I'm afraid you have missed Midoriya. He just left with his injuries taken care of."
The girls looked over at the empty bed. That explained Izuku's absence.
"That's okay." Blossom confirmed with a nod. "We'll just say hello to Mr. Aizawa."
At those words, someone in the bed closest to the window shifted. With a glance to each other, the girls rushed over, past an unconscious Thirteen (Blossom stopped to leave a flower), past a bed surrounded and hidden by curtains (presumably where All Might was resting), and knelt at the side of the last bed, where Aizawa layed.
When they saw their teacher, the girls looked momentarily distressed. Aizawa was covered head to toe with bandages wrapped around his limbs. Even his face was covered with bandages.
Bubbles squeaked. "Oh no! Did Mr. Aizawa turn into a zombie?!"
Buttercup looked at Bubbles with bewilderment. "Don't ya mean 'mummy'?!"
"Neither of you are correct." Blossom snapped, "Mr. Aizawa's not dead, he's alive."
Just then, Aizawa began to stir, drawing the attention of the girls.
"... Huh? Who's there?" Aizawa's muffled voice asked from behind the shell of bandages.
Blossom touched Aizawa's hand, eyes growing sincere. "It's us. Um…" she stole a quick glance at Recovery Girl before saying, "Momoko, Miyako, and Kaoru."
Aizawa was quiet before saying, "Don't you mean Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup?"
Immediately, the girls tensed at the mention of their real names. Their teacher had JUST revealed their true identities?! With people around? People who had no idea–
"Don't freak out, girls. I know your 'secret'." Recovery Girl said, noticing the tense appearances of the girls.
Completely forgetting about Aizawa, the girls whirled around, shocked.
"You KNOW?!" Blossom asked, bewildered.
"HOW?! I thought we were secretive with it!" Buttercup gasped.
Recovery Girl chuckled at the sight of the shocked girls. "Don't worry your little heads. You were. Nezu just happened to mention it to me. And either way, even then I would know. If I was clueless, I'd still think something's off when three girls manage to survive a full scale Villain attack, or all of the other scary things UA throws at you, without a scratch."
The girls looked at each other. Now that she mentioned it, it did seem reasonable that Recovery Girl knew. Especially as she continued speaking.
"As a matter of fact, I am the medical researcher on the research team developing a way to send you girls home. Which reminds me to tell you to come in tomorrow. I should check your medical compositions and see if they're similar to the body compositions of our universe."
The girls blinked. Clearly they were not expecting this.
"Um… okay." Bubbles finally replied.
Recovery Girl smiled before heading towards the door. "Now, don't mind me. I'm heading off to handle some things. When you leave, be sure to close the door behind you."
"Er… we will!" Buttercup exclaimed.
And with that, Recovery Girl left the room, leaving the girls to stare at each other once again.
"Well, she seems nice!" Bubbles chirped.
"Yeah, I guess it's fine that she knows. I mean, she's a little old lady who heals people. How can she harm us?" Buttercup dismissed with a shrug.
Blossom nodded. But now, her mind wasn't on Recovery Girl. It was on Aizawa, who had moved to sit up.
"I'm glad you're okay, Mr. Aizawa. We've been worried ever since help arrived."
Buttercup grew serious. "Yeah. And, we never got to thank you, you know. For everything."
Aizawa sighed. "You don't have to. I'm just doing my job. It's my priority to keep you girls and your class safe. By the way, how's your wrist, Bubbles?"
Bubbles, having forgotten the fact that Tomura attempted to destroy her wrist, frowned before letting out an "oh!" of realization and lifting up her hand. By now, the tiny scar she had received that went down to her finger was nothing more than a faint pink mark, and the discoloration of her skin was gone.
"It's fine. I'm all healed now!" Bubbles remarked.
Aizawa nodded, struggling slightly with the effort. "Good. That was a risky move, you pushing that Villain out of the way. But, I'm glad you did. Otherwise your friend would end up in a worse spot."
Bubbles frowned slightly. "But, I'm confused. How come Tomura's Decay didn't work on me?"
Buttercup grinned. "Because we're awesome?"
"Or…" Blossom said, giving Buttercup a stern look, "because we're not like the people in this universe, and our genetic makeup is different from theirs?"
"Yeah, that's what I said." Buttercup protested, "Because we're awesome!"
Aizawa was quiet for a moment before saying, "I'm more than relieved that the Quirk didn't work on you guys. But, this isn't a matter to be entirely happy about. This is another display of unachievable power that you guys have. This will attract more attention towards you, I'm afraid."
Buttercup put her head on her hands and sunk into Aizawa's bed.
"Man, it's like everything about us is gonna attract attention. I bet if one of us dares to sneeze, it's gonna land us on the national news."
Blossom sighed. "While that is an exaggeration… Buttercup has a point. It seems like no matter what we do, we're going to be noticeable. Especially since we're the youngest students ever at UA, and known across Japan, and possibly the world, as the 'wonder girls'."
Aizawa thought about it before saying, "Yes, I suppose you're right. But, I do believe that you girls should still stay under the radar. We don't want that attention to grow, and have the Villains focus on you more. It's a miracle they didn't seem to come for you when they had attacked the USJ, which is what I initially assumed."
The girls gave each other glances, conveying a worried expression, before Blossom spoke again.
"Actually… that's another reason we came here. We wanted to tell you that… a guy from our world came here and joined the Villain side."
Aizawa appeared shocked by this, and if he didn't have the bandages on, the girls assumed that his eyebrows would be furrowed and his mouth parted slightly.
"Wait… what?" he exclaimed, confused now.
Blossom took a deep breath before saying, "You remember Mojo Jojo, right? We told you and Mr. Nezu about him back when we first met."
Aizawa was quiet, thinking. "The green monkey with the large brain? That one?"
Blossom nodded. "Yes, that one. What we… didn't tell you about the time we were sucked into your world was that Mojo was there too. He came into this universe with us, but we got separated. We had no idea where he was, or even if he was alive. That is, until he showed up during the USJ attack."
"We had to fight him in the Ruins Zone. He was more powerful than he was when we first fought him." Bubbles added.
"And he was bragging a lot about his new buddies. He got friendly with the Villains, and now he's working for them. Or, in his words, 'manipulating them in his plan for world domination'." Buttercup butted in.
"In the end, we were able to defeat him." Blossom continued before looking guilty, "But… we left him. We thought the Pro Heroes would come and retrieve him. But THEN, he escaped and got to the central plaza, and he was able to leave with Kurogiri and Tomura, and now we don't know where he is, and–"
Aizawa put up a hand, silencing Blossom.
"That's all. This needs to sink in for me."
Blossom deflated a little. "Sorry."
Aizawa shook his head. "None of you girls have any reason to be sorry. But, this would have been good to know ahead of time."
Blossom groaned and let her head face-plant into the mattress. "I know… we should've told you."
Aizawa still looked grave as he thought some more, silence filling the room for a few seconds. Then, he looked up.
"Tomorrow, I'll let Nezu know about Mojo. Other than that, there's not much we can do. We can ask Pro Heroes to keep an eye out for him on patrols, but as of right now, he's a free man, along with Tomura and Kurogiri."
The girls looked worried as a foreboding tone filled the air.
"So, you're gonna capture Mojo?" Bubbles asked.
Aizawa nodded with no hesitation. "We have to. Getting your monkey friend will take us another step closer to finding out what happened that brought you here and sending you girls home."
"But, do you know if the Villains are going to strike again?" Buttercup asked.
Aizawa took longer to answer this question before replying with, "I don't know. But, when they do… UA will be prepared. Count on it."
2 days later…
After having that talk, the girls didn't feel as reassured when they had left for the night. While they were put at ease about everyone doing well after the USJ Incident, a brand new worry replaced it. Or rather, an old worry was growing.
What originally seemed like a harmless enemy was now one of their biggest threats. Not at all because of his power, as the girls could easily wipe the floor with him. No, Mojo Jojo was a threat because of the secrets he could expose.
It was clear that the villains that he was hanging around were not a friendly crowd. That especially became clear after their attempt to kill All Might. But, due to that talk with Aizawa, the girls did realize that things could've been worse for them, had the villains known about the girls' true nature.
But, it wasn't. Which meant that Mojo hadn't told them anything yet.
The girls had no idea why. A possibility was that Mojo was trying to protect them, which was immediately discarded after they realized that Mojo was mainly there to kill them. A better one however was that Mojo was trying to stop the villains from exploiting the girls to keep the glory for himself. That one seemed more logical and especially in character for someone like Mojo.
Either way, the point was that Mojo didn't reveal the secret to the villains. But it was only a matter of time before he did, whether it would be of his accord or the Villains'. And that could spell out very bad news for the girls.
The girls weren't new with the idea of evil people exploiting them or tracking them down for their power. Many Villains had tried to do it. They had gotten used to it. But, these Villains were new and never before seen. That made them more dangerous, which was why the girls were so worried.
Because if they got ahold of their powers somehow and used it for their selfish goals without mercy… this reality would be doomed. And that wasn't an exaggeration.
So, when UA announced that school would be out for the next day, that despaired the girls. Because without a distraction such as hectic school schedules or friends, the thought consumed their thoughts and waking moments. During that whole day, the girls were in some sort of funk. And the fact that Aizawa didn't come to visit, due to his injuries, made things even worse somehow.
The girls never thought it would happen in a million years. But, they were starting to miss school.
Thankfully, when the next day came, UA opened once more. The mood was immediately brightened up in the temporary Powerpuff Household as the girls zoomed around, getting ready and pulling on uniforms.
As they ate a quick breakfast of eggs, sausage, and toast (courtesy of Bubbles), Blossom turned on the TV. They had been checking the news for any mention of the USJ attack. And today's report on the MNB Network did not disappoint.
"This is Keomi Himari, coming to you with breaking news!" the news lady exclaimed, "Recently, there had been an unprecedented attack against Japan's very own UA High. During a school field trip, the students of Class 1-A received a sudden surprise, when Villains attacked their location: the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, otherwise known as the USJ."
The girls perked up. Immediately, they wolfed down the rest of their food and bounded over to the couch, which they squeezed onto.
"Ow! Buttercup, you're elbowing me!" Bubbles yelped.
"Then, back off! You're invading my personal space!" Buttercup grunted, leaning against the armrest of the couch.
"Will you two be quiet?!" Blossom hissed as she looked at the TV, which showed a sight of the USJ.
"Our sources confirm that the attack was premeditated, as the Villains in question were plotting to kill All Might, who was rumored to be on the school trip. They had kept the students of Class 1-A, which also happens to be the class of the famous 'wonder girls', hostage, but the students were able to fight them off until help arrived."
Bubbles gasped. "The wonder girls! That's us! That's us!"
Buttercup huffed. "Jeez, they're STILL calling us that? Would it kill them to say 'Powerpuff Girls'?!"
"Shhh!" Blossom shushed her sisters.
"As of right now, 72 criminals have been apprehended, as released in a statement from Musutafu's police department. However, the ringleader of the Villains had escaped with a few others, and their whereabouts remain unknown. Casualties of the overall incident remain minor, with three Pro Heroes and a student nursing less severe injuries. But in the end, nobody was hurt. I'm Keomi Himari, and this is your MNB news report."
As the news moved on to other topics, Blossom turned off the TV.
"Seventy two criminals…" she whispered.
"Man! That's like a good quarter of Townsville!" Buttercup remarked.
"That's good, though. Right?" Bubbles asked hopefully.
Blossom nodded, seemingly at ease. "Yes… Yes! That's good. That's almost all of the Villains' workforce."
Bubbles sighed. "Phew."
Just then, Blossom's UA-provided cell phone buzzed, prompting her to pick it up, look at it, and scream, making her sisters jump.
"DAMN! WHAT IS IT?!" Buttercup shouted.
Blossom jumped up, panicking, grabbing her stuff. "Oh, we're late! The train's leaving in ten minutes. Come on, girls! We're gonna have to book it!"
Bubbles and Buttercup looked at each other before scrambling for their things and running with Blossom out of their apartment.
After a few minutes, they were able to catch the train (if it weren't for their super speed, they would have never made it), and ride it all the way to UA High. After getting off, they made their way into the school and towards their classroom.
As they passed some students, they heard whispering, to their confusion. Suddenly, a random student pointed and hollered, a fake and weirdly childish accent.
"HUHH! WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT! IT'S THE WONDER GIRLS!"
This prompted some people to laugh, and caused the girls to react in different ways: Blossom's face turned red with embarrassment, Bubbles looked confused and hurt, and Buttercup looked furious.
"HEY! DO WE HAVE A PROBLEM? BECAUSE IF WE GOTTA PROBLEM, TELL IT TO MY FACE SO THAT I CAN PUNCH IT!" Buttercup shouted angrily.
That was enough for the student to scurry away without another word. As students walked away, Bubbles looked around, holding Tako tighter. Soon, they started walking again.
"Why's everybody so mean all of a sudden?" she asked.
Blossom sighed, the red in her face turning back to its normal blush. "I knew this would happen soon enough. People probably don't think we belong here. After all, we are 'the wonder girls', the youngest students ever to go to a superpowered high school. And we have been getting a lot of attention in the media."
Buttercup stuck her hands in her pockets, giving withered glares to anyone who passed by and looked at them longer than two seconds.
"I don't give a single fuck if people hate us for being here. If they wanna act all tough and mock us, I'll GLADLY kick their faces in, no problem!" she grumbled.
So, when the girls reached their classroom, their moods were a little soured from the experience. But, as soon as the door opened, they were instantly swarmed by their classmates.
"Momoko! Hey! Come talk to us!"
"Hi, Miyako~! We got something to show you!"
"YO, KAORU! You're here just in time to see this!"
The girls looked at the crowd before turning to each other with small smiles.
It sure was a good thing they didn't have to kick Class 1-A's faces in.
From that point on, the girls' morning was back to happy again. Students left and right raved about being on the news, congratulated the girls for helping defeat Nomu, and simply talked about normal things.
It was glorious.
So, when it was time for class to start, the girls sat in their desks up front, perky and eager. When Aizawa walked in, everyone went completely silent, before bursting out into murmurs.
"Um… did a mummy replace our teacher?"
"Omg… what happened to your face?"
"Are those BANDAGES?!"
The girls looked around, confused at the confusion before realizing something. Since they had seen Aizawa more recently than the class, the girls knew about Aizawa's "face cast" (which, he mentioned, was supposed to be kept on for the time being). Class 1-A however didn't know any of that.
Aizawa quieted the murmurs with a simple raise of his hand.
"As much as I know you guys would LOVE to ask about my face," Aizawa sighed, clearly over it even before he started talking, "That will be none of your concern. My injuries are irrelevant, and there are more imperative topics to go over. Understood?"
The class was quiet before saying in unison, "Understood."
"Good. Now, to the important matter. I would like to tell you that UA's annual sports festival is coming up very soon."
At this, the class went into an excited uproar.
"Wait… SPORTS FESTIVAL?!"
"No WAY!"
"It's here? RIGHT NOW?!"
Once again, though, the girls were completely perplexed.
"Sports festival? What the hell is that?" Buttercup asked, clueless.
"Is this some sort of school thing that homeschools can't do? If so then I wish that the Professor enrolled us in actual school." Bubbles sighed.
Soon, the clamor quieted down, allowing Aizawa to explain.
"For those of you who do not know what that is, the UA Sports Festival is an annual event held by U.A. High School, where students from all grades and courses have the opportunity to showcase their abilities in different competitions. All students at UA are eligible to participate, as it is a great way to be scouted by Pro Hero Agencies looking for interns."
Bubbles tilted her head. "Hero Agencies?"
But Blossom looked ecstatic. "Hero Agencies! I know those! Those are companies that Pro Heroes run!"
"Huh?!" Buttercup asked, completely bemused, "I thought that Pro Heroes were… Heroes! Not business entrepreneurs!"
Blossom rolled her eyes. "Not THOSE kinds of companies. In this world, Hero Agencies are owned by Heroes and run by hires called Sidekicks. They don't sell anything– they're just a group of Heroes available to call on! They specialize in one of, or all, three saving categories: rescue, evacuation, and battle. Whenever a job needs a Hero, police will contact Agencies in that area, so that a Hero can come and help. It's how the business works!"
Buttercup and Bubbles stared at their sister, dumbfounded.
"We REALLY need to get you off the computer…" Buttercup sighed.
After that, they focused back on Aizawa's talk with the class. And, Iida had just raised his hand with a question, which he almost always does.
"Yes, Iida?" Aizawa asked, even though his face was covered and he had no way of seeing him.
"I just wanted to know, sir!" Iida replied, doing his stiff hand motions, "Isn't it too soon for a sports festival? The USJ attack had just happened, and with the sports festival in the coming weeks, it seems like a lot! Couldn't we reschedule?"
At that, the class murmured, with a few others voicing their worries. Iida had a smart point. It DID seem like too much, especially since the sports festival sounded huge.
"I do acknowledge all of your concern, truly." Aizawa answered, "But, I'm afraid that's not possible. The competition is far too important to cancel. It is one of the most-viewed events in the world and a major opportunity for UA students to get scouted by professional Hero Agencies. Canceling such an event is not easy."
The class looked nervous, as a new tone of anticipation hung heavy in the air. The girls especially looked nervous.
They had initially believed that the USJ attack would be the thing that gained them the most attention possible. But, this sports festival, the most WATCHED event of all time, easily took the cake. By participating in the sports festival, the girls would not just be watched by Japan, but the entire WORLD. They would definitely draw a lot of attention.
And with their feats on top of that: "Youngest UA students", "Youngest superhero high school students", "Child prodigies", "The Wonder Girls"... Heck, everyone, no matter big or small, Hero or civilian, good or evil, EVERYONE would know who the three pint sized supergirls were.
And that thought was a little nerve-wracking. Oh, who were they kidding, VERY nerve-wracking. It was all the girls could think about as they went on with their day, and went from class to class.
And it didn't help matters when the bell rang and class let out for the end of the day. Because as soon as the door opened, the doorway was nearly flooded with students from other classes.
"What the hell?!" Buttercup exclaimed as she jumped back.
"EEK! There's so many people!" Bubbles squeaked.
Much like Bubbles and Buttercup, the class was equally shocked and spooked. But, the other students didn't seem to care, still swarming the door and staring at them.
"What are they doing…?" Blossom asked, mostly to herself.
Surprisingly, out of all of the people, Bakugou answered.
"Isn't it obvious?!" he snapped, glaring at the nearby students, "They came here to scope out the competition. And who better to check out than the famous class who fought Villains?"
If Blossom was planning on saying anything about that, Bakugou clearly didn't care to listen as he pushed to the front of the Class 1-A crowd, and shouted at the students gathered around.
"IF NONE OF YOU BACK AWAY RIGHT NOW, I WILL MAKE SURE YOU GET AN EXPLOSION IN YOUR FACE!" he screamed at them.
This, shockingly, did nothing to scare the students away. If anything, they seemed to be growing bolder, as looks of skepticism and dubiousness crossed most people's faces. Which was weird considering that a simple scowl from Bakugou would send them running, let alone a whole yelling threat.
"So… this is the famed Class 1-A?" one student asked, raising an eyebrow before chuckling, "I have to say… I'm a bit underwhelmed."
Bakugou growled. "Know your place, LOSER. Be as underwhelmed as you want, but remember that I'M the one with better skills!"
"Are you?!" another student remarked, only the remark sounded more like mockery, "Well, pardon us for thinking that any of us LOWLIVES could compare? But wait… what about the clear rule that UA has? The one that states…" his fake clueless look dissolved into a glare, "that anyone from the General Department can be transferred to the Hero Department if they prove so. And, unfortunately for you, with the 'better skills', the opposite can happen to you!"
The guy stepped forward, prompting some other students to move out of the way so that he faced the entirety of Class 1-A.
"So, Class 1-A… that glorious fame you have isn't here to stay. Consider my warnings as a declaration… of WAR!"
Class 1-A looked clearly shocked at this, and so did the girls.
"Um… war's a very strong word, buddy. Sure you want to use it?" Buttercup mumbled.
"I guess we're not the only ones taking this seriously…" Blossom mused.
But, the crowd wasn't done yet, as the boy who called meeting Class 1-A "underwhelming" stepped up too, his eyes flashing with barely contained anger.
"And don't you DARE take these warnings lightly! We've seen how you act, and we've seen your arrogance. I can only pray that you all don't EMBARRASS us and tarnish UA's image!"
At this point, some students of Class 1-A started to get riled up out of indignation. And one of these students was Bubbles, who suddenly passed Tako to Buttercup and pushed to the front of the crowd, despite her sisters' shouts to not go. She then stood in between the crowd and Class 1-A.
"Come on, guys! What's the problem?" she exclaimed, widening her eyes, "I know that we're all gonna be competing against each other soon, but that doesn't mean we can't get along! Why can't we acknowledge each other as friendly rivals and not enemies?"
The crowd had quieted for a few seconds, leaving her sisters and Class 1-A to wonder if the speech really did work. But, that ended quickly as the crowd bursted out into raucous laughter.
"Hear THAT, everyone?! She wants us all to be happy and nice with each other, like in the fairy princess movies she watches!" another student cackled, using a childish voice to mock her.
This made people laugh even harder. Bubbles slowly glared with a slight scowl, even though it was clear that she was holding back tears.
"That's not what I'm saying!" she snapped.
"Look here, little girl," a fourth student piped up as she walked up to stand in front of Bubbles, "This may look like a paradise compared to the middle school you should STILL be in. But, believe it when I say that UA isn't the type of school where everyone hugs and sings 'Kumbaya'. We're here to win, not make friends. And you and your sisters? DEFINITELY not a challenge in my book. So, do yourselves a favor and back out, okay? You're clearly not prepared for it, considering you're what? 10?"
After hearing the infuriating speech, Class 1-A started to go into an uproar, ready to defend Bubbles. But, she already beat them to the punch, as she levitated off the ground to be level to the laughing girl, who promptly stopped laughing as Bubbles seized her blazer and pulled her close.
"Alright, you BULLY! Listen here and listen GOOD!" Bubbles yelled as she leaned in, "You want to keep on calling me little?! You want to keep on teasing me and my sisters, calling us too young and calling us toddlers? Well, I've HAD IT!" she gripped the blazer tighter, while narrowing her eyes. "You won't be laughing when these little girls end up winning the sports festival! We'll show you and all the people who've laughed at your terrible jokes. We can be Heroes, no matter what you say! So keep on laughing and pretending that the little girls are so cute and tiny. Just remember that we got into UA for a REASON and I'll make sure that we crush your dreams of winning the sports festival."
With that, Bubbles finally let go and landed on the ground. The girl stared at her in disbelief before glaring back in anger and turning on her heels to briskly walk away. This prompted some of the crowd to disperse with reproachful glares at the class. And before long, everyone left.
It was after that when Class 1-A started to leave, each and every one of them thinking about the sports festival. Finally, Blossom and Buttercup came up to Bubbles, who looked a bit regretful.
"That was AWESOME, Bubbles! I'm impressed that you told them off!" Buttercup complimented as she gave Bubbles her stuffie, before slowly smirking, "I bet you learned from the best, huh? Me!"
But Blossom didn't look as happy, as she looked at Bubbles with concern.
"Hey, are you alright? That girl was saying some harsh things to you back there." she asked.
Bubbles took a deep breath before nodding. "I'm fine. But, I do think she's right."
Buttercup and Blossom were shocked to hear this. "WHAT?!"
Bubbles quickly waved her hands, beckoning for her sisters to calm down. "Not about everything, obviously! Most of her insults were stupid! But… she was right about the fact that UA isn't a place to make peace. People may be here to learn about being Heroes, but they also want to show everyone that they have the guts to do so. If we want the teasing to stop, we need to put in work. We have to prove that we have what it takes! Especially when the sports festival comes along."
Blossom and Buttercup shared a glance, knowing that Bubbles was right. Slowly, Blossom put a hand on Bubbles's shoulder.
"You're right. We do. And I promise you… when the sports festival comes, we're going to prove to everyone that we're in UA's top class for a reason, like you said. I'll make sure that everyone RESPECTS the Powerpuff Girls long after the sports festival ends."
Bubbles sniffed, on the verge of tears. "Really?"
Blossom nodded. "Really."
After being quiet for a while, Bubbles offered up a smile. "Okay. Yeah!"
Buttercup looped an arm over Bubbles's shoulders. "Now that's the spirit!"
And so, the girls finally set off to UA's exit. As they left the school, each girl had resolution and determination inside of them. From now on, there will be no worries about Mojo and the Villains. Their minds were now on the sports festival looming ever closer.
And no matter what… one of them had to win.
Chapter 12: The Lady in Silk
They were right in believing that the sports festival would lead to people hyperfocusing their expectations onto them. The festival starts in 2 weeks, and people were already talking about the Powerpuff Girls participating.
Tides of reporters seemed to have pinpointed where the girls live and started to swarm their apartment complex with cameras and shouting. Eventually, UA had to step in and ban any trespasser within 10 feet of the establishment. That solved it happening at home but that didn't stop reporters from stalking the route the girls take to school every morning, and catching them there. Eventually, the girls, tired of the news, resorted to flying to school.
Every time they encountered a news reporter or a crowd of paparazzi, they were asked the same series of questions.
"Girls! How does it feel to be the most influential students in UA history?!"
"Are you prepared for what the sports festival might throw at you?"
"Have you had an idea of what Hero Agency you want to intern for?"
"Are you sure you can handle this renowned event at your young age?!"
The questions and the cameras had gotten to a point where the girls were nervous to just go home, due to the fear of being bombarded. But, staying at school was also dreadful. Because school life wasn't much better.
They were very well-liked in Class 1-A. That was a fact. But, for students outside of Class 1-A? They were a different story. Jealousy of the girls getting a lot of attention seemed to be getting to some of them.
The girls face merciless taunts and mocking in the hallways that get bolder even when Buttercup threatens to beat them up. Some rumors were starting to spread among the school. A popular one was that the girls had cheated to get into UA. How they did was still a particularly well-known topic students loved to get into.
"I heard that they come from a rich family," a student had said one time, "And that they were put into this fancy classified program that gave them Quirks galore! That's how they got the highest scores in the practical!"
"Someone told me just yesterday that they were top notch robots. That makes a lotta sense! Have you SEEN these girls flying?!" another one said another time.
Those "theories", along with way more, made one thing clear for the girls. People really do have trouble believing that three 12 year old girls could get into UA using just their wits and powers that were beyond their control and understanding.
It wasn't like these girls were FREAKS. Well, they didn't start out as freaks. They were normal girls, born like normal girls, and up until the age of 5, lived like normal girls. How they got their powers was a mystery that even the Professor, who researched the properties of them, didn't know, so it wasn't like the girls could debunk the theories with the truth.
But these rumors? They were ridiculous. And honestly? Downright insulting.
It had gotten to a point where Class 1-A themselves would hear the rumors. But instead of joining in, they defended the girls. The girls were immensely relieved and grateful when they heard that from their classmates. After all, it was very encouraging whenever a classmate would stop to give them advice.
"Don't listen to those dummies! They have NO idea what they're talking about!" Hagakure exclaimed.
"You shouldn't pay attention to them. Their insults will only keep you down." Tokoyami told them.
"What matters is that you keep on moving! It's what Heroes do all the time!" Kirishima encouraged.
And so, that was exactly what the girls did. People REALLY think that they don't belong? Then, they'll prove them wrong. They'll work hard, train hard, and make it all worth it when one of them gets first place in the festival.
Every time they got the chance, the girls were training. Due to publicity issues and invasion of privacy, UA had allowed them to train in Gym Gamma once again, just like they did all the way back when the entrance exam was coming up. While they did not know what the festival would throw at them, the girls set out to be prepared in all aspects: offense, defense, stamina, endurance, just to name a few. They lifted weights, fought mock battles with each other, and took down fake targets made with balloons they bought.
Additionally, the girls put their time into researching Hero Agencies. There were a lot of things they had to think about. Which aspect of Hero Work did they want to do? Which Hero Agencies are the most well regarded? Which ones were obscure? Which Hero Agencies would be willing to take them in? Which ones wouldn't?
But, at the end of each research session, their result was more or less the same. The girls had no idea what Hero Agency they wanted or which ones were more likely to accept them. There were so many choices. Would the girls be better off picking a random one?
And that was considering the possibility that at least one of these Hero Agencies recommended them. What if NONE of them did? What if they're adamant on letting 12 year old kids work for them? Taking the Powerpuff Girls in meant basically inviting news reporters and paparazzi to the Hero Agency. Would they be fine with the publicity? Or even worse, would they like it? Because if they did, that would mean that the Hero Agency only chose the girls for attention and nothing more.
All these worries about the sports festival took up so many days and nights. It took up every waking moment. It was an important event after all. The whole thing was on par with the actual Olympics. So many eyes would be watching. There was a lot on the line.
But, on one fateful day, the girls decided to forget it all for a day of fun. Little did they know that their decision to leave the house would set off a chain of events that would lead them down a very familiar path, with very familiar faces.
It was 5 days before the sports festival officially began. And of course, being a highly anticipated event, people left and right were buzzing about it. After all, UA's sports festival was the most well-regarded festival out of the other Hero Schools' sports festivals.
That day, Musutafu was hosting an open air market/fair in celebration of the approaching sports festival. Vendors everywhere were selling various kinds of things: special merch, street food, handmade goods, and many other things. It was a busy place, with a lot of people coming to check it out.
And some of those people were the Powerpuff Girls.
They originally weren't going to go. But Bubbles was insisting on it.
"Come on, guys! This may be the only time we'll ever get to see something like this when we're in this world! We gotta go! Please!" she had whined.
The reason against going was pretty clear: the attention. But, Bubbles had a fair point. This was a once in a lifetime experience. It wasn't every day that you got sucked into another world. And as UA's research division still works on a way for the girls to be sent home, they might as well enjoy the sights when they can.
So, Buttercup agreed and finally, after the two girls begged some more, Blossom reluctantly agreed. But, Blossom had one condition.
"Don't show your face! The last thing we want is another spontaneous Q with Musutafu News Broadcast!"
Fast forward to the girls walking into the plaza. As per Blossom's condition, the three had worn casual clothes (with neutral tones this time; apparently a big trigger for attention was the colors pink, blue, and green), with the addition of hats and sunglasses (Blossom had to ditch her bow and Bubbles had to ditch the pigtails, to their dismay). And given the fact that summer was around the corner and that it was pleasantly hot, the girls didn't stand out in the slightest.
As soon as they got inside, Bubbles raced straight for the tents, browsing in awe at the products. One particular tent she stopped by had custom made jewelry.
"Hello, little girl! Interested in buying a UA charm bracelet?" the vendor chirped, "We have a special deal! Buy one, get two more at the additional price of one!"
Bubbles squealed before taking out her kitty themed purse, and taking out a handful of cash.
"I'll take them!" she exclaimed.
After taking the money, the lady gave her a round mahogany box with the bracelets inside.
"Thank you for the business! Come again!" she said happily.
Bubbles then ran towards her sisters, who were browsing another tent.
"Look, look, look! I got us some UA themed charm bracelets! Aren't they cool?" Bubbles remarked as she opened the box.
Blossom looked at her with her arms crossed, before glancing around and lowering her voice.
"Bubbles! You can't be throwing money at the first thing you see. Don't take the money that UA gives you for granted!" she chided.
Buttercup rolled her eyes as she stuck her hands into her overall pockets.
"Well, what else are we supposed to do here? Just stand around?" Buttercup pointed out.
Before Blossom could respond, Bubbles chose that moment to squeal, as she spotted a booth with plushie versions of Pro Heroes.
"OMG! OMG! I'M DEFINITELY LOOKING AT THAT!"
With that, she grabbed Buttercup's wrist and pulled her along to the tent, while Blossom followed with a roll of her eyes and a smile. It was hard to be mad for long with Bubbles acting excited.
As the day went on, the girls got multiple things. That included, but wasn't limited to: an All Might plushie, a Midnight themed choker, some Sports Festival themed shirts, a Thirteen puffer jacket, a limited edition artbook of Heroes, and many MANY sticks of dango.
For the first time in a while, the girls were having fun. And what's better was the fact that nobody recognized them. So, they were able to be carefree and joyful as they bought stuff from tents, played some games, and danced to live music.
Soon, the girls had to leave for the day, as it was starting to become late evening and more people were coming for the nightly festivities. But as they left towards the exit, Bubbles spent too long gazing at tents as she walked.
Which caused her to bump into someone and fall to the ground.
As soon as it happened, Blossom and Buttercup froze, as they watched Bubbles fall with wide eyes. The impact of her landing on the ground knocked off her sunglasses, revealing her very noticeable bright blue eyes. As Bubbles rubbed her head, she blinked up at the person, who had looked down with curious and surprised eyes.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" Bubbles instantly apologized, "I hadn't watched where I was going and—"
Suddenly, Bubbles shut up, as she realized that no disguise was hiding her face anymore. And even without her distinctive pigtails, anyone who's been watching the news could immediately recognize her.
But, the woman she ran into didn't seem to know her, or at least didn't show it. She lowered the purple and gold fan she held near her face, before giving a sweet smile.
"Don't worry, darling," she replied in a strange light and airy accent, "Happens to the best of us."
At this point, all three girls were speechless. They had expected the woman to scream with delight and recognition. Or, at the very least, cast a reproachful look, if she was one of the skeptical people that didn't like the girls. But, that smile she gave, along with the seemingly clueless look in her eerily deep purple eyes, clearly showed that she had no knowledge of the girls.
Just then, the woman extended a hand decorated with colorful gems and rings towards Bubbles, who simply stared with wide eyes.
"Now, let's get you up from there." she said in that same calming tone.
Bubbles hesitated before slowly reaching a hand towards the woman, and taking it. As she stood up, she started to take in the nice stranger.
The woman was captivatingly beautiful. She was rather tall, with soft brown hair that fell to her shoulders. Markings that looked faintly like makeup decorated her bronze face, accentuating her purple eyes. She was dressed in silky robes that resembled that of a genie, in shades of purple and gold. Tattoos that resemble henna stretched down her arms, before ending at her wrist.
At the sight of her, it was like the girls forgot how to speak. That, along with the urge to leave as soon as possible.
"There we are. I do apologize for not moving out of the way. I need to pay more attention to things. Sometimes, I live inside my own head too much," the woman said with a soft chuckle.
Bubbles couldn't find a proper response, instead settling on a weirdly awkward smile.
"Erm… I, uh…" she stammered, at a loss of words.
The woman then let go of Bubbles's hands before picking up her fallen sunglasses.
"I believe these are yours?" she asked, handing the glasses to Bubbles.
Bubbles looked at the sunglasses, staring at them longer than she should have, before jumping slightly.
"Oh! Um… yeah, they're mine." she quickly answered.
As she took them, her fingertips met the woman's fingertips for a second. And in that split moment, a jolt of something raced through Bubbles. But after blinking, the feeling went away as if nothing was there.
The woman didn't linger at all, as she let go of the glasses. But Bubbles still stared, completely puzzled.
I could've sworn I felt something…
But before Bubbles could say a word, the woman chose that moment to walk away. As soon as she left, Blossom and Buttercup came up beside Bubbles, all of them staring at the woman leaving.
"Well then…" the lady said, "You girls can go on with your evening. I wish you a good night. And also…"
She then turned her head to look behind her at the girls, before holding up and flashing open her fan.
"Good luck with the sports festival." she finished.
At that, the girls' mouths dropped open. But before either of them could say anything, the woman turned around and disappeared into the bustling crowd.
Once she fully left, Blossom was the first one to snap out of it, as she dragged her sisters away, viscerally annoyed.
"I can't believe this. There goes our cover! Can't go ONE day without being recognized!" Blossom groaned before glancing at Bubbles, "And Bubbles! Put on those glasses unless you want more people to look at you!"
Slowly, Bubbles slid on the glasses before looking back. No sign of the woman was visible in the crowd.
"What a strange lady…" she whispered.
"I know right!" Buttercup sighed, "Did you see all of the rings and tattoos on her? I bet she was a hippie or something."
"That doesn't matter." Blossom snapped, "You guys should NOT be gawking at somebody like they're animals in a zoo. In fact, we should be grateful that she simply had the courtesy to not point us out for the whole fair to see."
Bubbles frowned. "I… I don't think that was courtesy. She seemed genuinely nice! And she wished us luck for the sports festival."
Buttercup crossed her arms. "Yeah, well… I appreciate that. But, too bad we won't see her again. Now stop yapping, I can hear the mint chocolate chip mochi calling my name."
At those words, Bubbles briefly thought of telling her sisters about the zap she felt. But, the enticing smell of the sweet treat tent snapped her out of her puzzled state.
She shouldn't be thinking about some random lady, anyhow. Cookies and cream mochis were way more important.