[Same Day (Nighttime) - Tachikawa - Dragoir Agency - Metal's POV]
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Metal's right hand snapped out of the bedframe as the bouncy ball passed by it. Ignoring his roommate's protest, the robot applied pressure to the object until the rubber gave out and turned into nothing more than paste.
"HEY!" Nejire—whose pajamas consisted of a blue dragon onesie—peeked her head from her spot in the upper bunk, her hands gripping the edge of the frame as she hung upside down, her hood barely holding her hair in place. "That was mine! What gives you the right to destroy my property?!"
"MMPHH!"
Inflating her cheeks to their limit, Nejire glared at the robot as he retreated further into his own bed after throwing aside the remains of her toy, seeing no point in lying down, Metal sat with his back against the wall and his legs outstretched in front of him.
"Only two days together, and you're breaking my stuff! Aren't you getting too comfortable around me?"
"Again with that? Come on, Junior..." The girl's glare softened as she sighed. Then her voice gained a pitying edge. "Let it go and accept you're not my type, okay? It'll be hard to, but it's for the best..."
Letting out another sigh, Nejire closed her eyes and began shaking her head, all while trying to act as a responsible senpai and soften the rejection by giving words of encouragement. Done with his senior's shenanigans, Metal hit the mattress above him using the back of his hand.
"UWAH!"
THUMP!
"My back! Ugh..."
"I... wasn't ready for this level of betrayal...." Lying flat on her back on the tatami, Nejire shakily raised her arm, attempting to grasp something that was only visible to her. "...This world... shall know pain... ancient anime's aside, I could have hit my head, you know?!"
"R-Really?"
"Asshole."
Nejire sprang up to her feet in less than a second, the tail of her onesie jiggling with the sudden movement. Her hands went to her mouth as she stared at Metal wide-eyed. Not understanding her shocked expression, the robot simply stared back.
"I-I said a bad word..."
"No, you doofus! I had a clean record!" Faster than Metal could react, Nejire lunged into his bed and clutched his black shoulder pads. Then she began shaking him back and forth, causing his quills to smack against the wall. "You're corrupting me! It's all your fault!"
"This is serious! What are my fans going to say once they find out big sis-jire has been corrupted?! They'll start riots! Burn everything! Destroy society as we kno—"
Metal pressed an open palm against Nejire's face and pushed her off him, sending her back to the floor. Unfortunately, the robot's systems didn't inform him that the girl was made out of rubber, since she bounced back instantly, exactly like her toy before it was turned to mush.
"Okay, here's what's going to happen, Junior... this conversation? Did NOT happen! It's not canon, it was... a spin-off! 'Kay? 'Kay!"
"I won't until you promise!"
Happy that her darkest secret wasn't going to be public knowledge for the foreseeable future, Nejire hummed in satisfaction and used her Quirk to reach her bed. It wasn't long until she was out cold, and her snores filled the small room after the rustling of covers went quiet.
[Analyzing Collected Data...
Reviewing Possible Failure Scenarios...
Copying Possible Techniques...
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Error: Insufficient Battle Data Collected...
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Connecting To: The Great Mei Hatsume's Laptop!
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Successfully Connected...
Sending Stored Data...
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Data Sent Successfully
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New Notifications From: "NO DUMMIES ALLOWED - CLASS 1-A (yaomomo forced me to add the last thing :C)
---
🍇Juice: @🥰Tsundere-3000🤖 I hate you.
🥰Tsundere-3000🤖: Your tears lubricate my gears.
🕷️Spider-tape Sent: Regularshow_Ohh.gif
---
New Message From: Ryuko Tatsuma
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Ryuko Tatsuma: Hi, could you please come to my office? There's something I want to discuss with you regarding where we'll be going tomorrow.
Metal Hatsume: Write it here. I don't plan on moving until that thing is removed from the vicinity.
Ryuko Tatsuma: "Thing?"
Metal Hatsume: Nejire Hado.
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...
Ryuko Tatsuma: Did she fall asleep, and you don't wish to wake her up? Is that you being considerate?
Metal Hatsume: What do you want?
Ryuko Tatsuma: I've just got off a call with a member of the Hero Public Safety Commission. They've gotten recent reports about hikers that have gone missing in the mountains near Okutama. The Heroes they've sent haven't returned; same goes for the rescue parties, so I've been asked if I could take care of it.
Metal Hatsume: I believe a peer is operating close to that location.
Ryuko Tatsuma: Peer? You mean friend?
Metal Hatsume: It's irrelevant. What path of action are we going to follow?
Ryuko Tatsuma: We're going to disguise ourselves as average hikers, go into the mountains, and lure out whoever is causing the disappearances. Even if they have been targeting Heroes, chances are that seeing me would scare them off, but that's not what I wanted to discuss with you. Basically, I wanted to ask if you are willing to go there or not.
Metal Hatsume: I fail to find the logic in that question. Why would I refuse?
Ryuko Tatsuma: I didn't believe you would. I only wanted to give you the choice. You're a first-year student. While I don't know what we're going to find out there, it has to be something serious. I felt like it would be unfair to not ask you first.
Metal Hatsume: Shouldn't your concern be aiming towards the loud human?
Ryuko Tatsuma: Nejire is a third-year with a provisional license. I do worry about her; however, she's going to be a fully independent Hero sooner rather than later. Overprotecting her would only slow her down and result in her being unprepared.
Ryuko Tatsuma: To be truthful, I'm still figuring out how to handle you. Had you been a normal intern, I would have turned down the request, but... my brain doesn't allow me to feel the same level of concern for you. Still, the last thing I want is for you to get the wrong idea and believe I see you as an object to be used, so I figured this was the best I could do.
Metal Hatsume: You're overcomplicating things. I came to your agency with the goal of gaining exposure and experience. As long as you provide those, I won't have a reason to refuse your requests.
Ryuko Tatsuma: Are you sure?
Metal Hatsume: Yes, stop asking. I cannot feel pain, so even if I were to be destroyed, it would not matter.
Ryuko Tatsuma: Don't say that. What about those who care about you? Have you taken their feelings into consideration?
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Ryuko Tatsuma: There are people waiting for you to come back, isn't that right?
---
"AHH! MY BABY!"
"I think I made a small mistake—"
THWACK!
Ego Integration: 32% -> 34%
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Ryuko Tatsuma: Wouldn't they be sad if something happened to you?
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"Stay away from him!"
"Let me go, you freak!"
CRACK
Ego Integration: 34% -> 40%
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Ryuko Tatsuma: Wouldn't they be happy if you were fine?
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"It's nice having someone that actually looks at me in the eyes."
"Thanks... Um, it's also good to see you in good health... state... sorry, I don't know."
"Sup, Metal! It's good to have you back, though I will miss having a plushie sitting beside me."
"I've spent my whole life working on you, and I can say without doubt that I don't regret it. I don't regret it at all."
"Can you do the thing?!"
"Yeah! The spinning thing!"
"Don't worry, Metal, I think your costume looks very cute!"
"Yeah! The white color really suits you, kid."
Ego Integration: 40% -> 45%
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Metal Hatsume: Why are you so insistent about this?
Ryuko Tatsuma: Because considering the feelings of others is the first step towards feeling empathy. Knowing that, I'm going to ask you once more: are you sure?
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---
"Listen carefully, you, are going to enter U.A. and become a Pro Hero."
Main Task: "Become a Pro Hero" In Progress...
I can't deny her dreams.
Own Directive: I want my family to be happy...
And even if I could, I wouldn't.
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Metal Hatsume: I am.
Ryuko Tatsuma: Then it's settled. We'll be leaving early in the morning, as Okutama is an hour and a half away, though I'm sure you already knew that.
Metal Hatsume: I still have one more question.
Ryuko Tatsuma: Yes?
Metal Hatsume: What's going to be my disguise? My structure is difficult to conceal, and my suitcase has the U.A. logo.
Ryuko Tatsuma: Don't worry, I got you covered.]
---
[Next Day (Mid-Day) - Okutama - Izumi's (Ryukyu) POV]
♪—She thought that lovin' me was cool! With you at work and the kids at school (She was lovin' me)♪
Nora (Nejire) bobbed her head in sync with the music as she followed the lyrics with the excuse of practicing her English. Izumi, of course, knew the girl was simply incapable of staying still, so she didn't interrupt her and focused on driving.
♪She said that it would never end, Tried to keep me any way she can (She was wantin' me)♪
Izumi had to swat one of Nora's hands out of her view as the white-haired girl began dancing in the passenger seat, though dancing wouldn't be the best way to describe it, as all the girl did was move her arms around in random patterns.
Fortunately, since Okutama was a small rural town, its traffic was basically nonexistent, so the worst accident Nora's... movements could cause would be a collision with a wooden light post, and considering the speed at which Izumi was driving, it would barely be a bump.
♪Tried to keep me any way she can (She was wantin' me)♪
♫She'd lied to you! Lied to me! 'Cause she got a family, family, yeah!♫
'...At least her English isn't terrible. Neither is her voice, so that's something. Ah, there's the hotel.'
Izumi slowed down, turned on the corresponding signal, and made a right turn to pull into the parking lot in front of the hotel.
The place stood nestled among the lush greenery of Okutama, its white exterior contrasting with the gray tiles covering its sloping roofs. The entrance consisted of a wide glass door with trimmed shrubs at the sides, while a bamboo fence partially concealed a smaller, detached structure beside it.
The disguised Hero focused on the rearview mirror once the car had stopped. Using her left hand, she adjusted the long bang of white hair that covered that side of her face alongside her ear. Then she double-checked the extension she had attached to her hair to make sure they were properly secured.
Finding everything in place, she smoothed out her dark gray nylon jacket, switched off the car, took the keys, and tapped Nora on the shoulder. Finally realizing that the vehicle and music had stopped, the younger girl tightened the red bands holding her long pigtails in place.
"Remember, act as my younger sister."
"Yes, oneee-chaaan~!"
With an eyeroll, Izumi took two earpieces from the glovebox and gave one to Nora. Both of them secured the small devices in their ears and better organized their hair so it would remain hidden. Then they stepped out of the car.
"Do we really need to wear these jackets?" Nora whined as she followed her "big sister" to the back of the car. "They're so thick, and it's warm out here."
"We're supposed to be on a hike slash camping trip. We don't want to look out of place." Not paying that much attention to her little sister's grumbles, Izumi pulled open the trunk of the car to reveal two big camping bags. "You take the blue one, it's lighter."
"Got it!"
Following the instructions she was given, Nora swung the backpack over her shoulder instead of wearing it properly. This resulted in her almost losing her balance and falling, but she managed to regain her balance at the last moment.
"You said it was light!"
"I said lighter, not light." The biceps on Izumi's arms flexed beneath her long sleeves as she gripped the straps of her own bag, took it out of the trunk, and wore it on her back. "Let's go inside. I'm getting the feeling someone is not very happy right now."
"Why? It's so lovely out here!"
*
"Hmm? You heard that too, big sis? A loud bee flew by, kinda tickled my ear."
'Are these two ever going to get along?'
Fighting back the urge to drag a hand down her face, Izumi decided to take the lead and make her way into the small establishment. The sight that greeted both sisters upon entering was that of a modest, rustic reception area, with a robust wooden desk in the middle where an elderly woman was busy reading a newspaper.
Before going further inside, Nora and Izumi took off their hiking shoes, leaving them in cube organizers at the side of the entrance, and switched them for bamboo sandals that wouldn't hurt the pale yellow tatami beneath them.
"Excuse me, ma'am?" Izumi slid her ID across the desk as the elderly woman put aside her newspaper. "I made a reservation for two last night?"
"Ah! You must be Izumi Yoshikage! Yes, yes, I remember your voice." To Izumi's confusion, the receptionist didn't even glance at her ID and simply handed her the keys to one of the rooms. "It warms my heart to see some new blood around here. This town is filled with nothing but bitter old men! Though the views from the mountains are astonishing!"
"The mountains?" Nora peeked her head over her sister's shoulder from behind. "Is there a route you recommend? We want to make the most out of our trip!"
"Oh, you definitely have to pass through Kawanori-yama! The start of the trail is fifteen minutes away. There's a bus near the train station that can take you there." Rummaging through her desk, the older woman offered a bulletin to Izumi, which she accepted alongside her ID. "If you want to take a look around town, then follow that paper. It'll take you to some interesting spots!"
After thanking the receptionist with a slight bow, the white-haired duo walked to the hallway at their left. Quickly locating their room, they went in, with Nora closing the fusuma behind her. Just like the rest of the place, the room was as traditional as it could get: a small tea table at floor level in the middle, two futons rolled up against the wall, and an old TV inside a built-in cabinet.
Nora breathed in relief as she put her bag down at one corner of the room before closing the curtains. Now that the risk was minimal, Izumi let down her own bag, kneeled down, and unzipped it. Not even a fraction of a second later, a spiky sphere emerged from it, not caring about the clothes in his way.
*
"There's something up with that woman," Izumi said quietly as she sat cross-legged at the low table, placing the pamphlet she'd been given on it. "Why would she recommend a trip to the mountains when she was reading about the disappearances?"
"Maybe she's a witch and wants to feed us candy 'till we're round and chubby so she can eat us!"
*
'Yep, not happy, not happy in the slightest.'
"MMMM!" Biting back her tongue so as not to shoot out a retort at the insult, Nora plopped down on the tatami at her sister's side to inspect the pamphlet with her. "So, what we gonna do, big sis? Are we going on a tour?"
"Obviously, what would be the point of coming here and not exploring?"
---
[Early Afternoon - Okutama - Hikawa Kobashi - Izumi's (Ryukyu) POV]
"Pose for the QuirkyGram!"
Snap!
"One more!"
Snap!
"Last one!"
Snap!
Now free of her chains, AKA her bag, Nora had no problem changing poses in quick succession, even while holding her phone above her at an angle that would capture her, the wooden bridge, the river beneath it, and the vast nature around her. Being the only ones in that spot, the younger girl had ample space for her selfies. While her little sister did that, Izumi instead surveyed the surroundings with a critical gaze.
Unfazed by the flashes coming from Nora's device (and making a mental note to scold her for disturbing the local wildlife), Izumi leaned against the rope that acted as the bridge's safety rail. Her own reflection stared back at her thanks to the river's crystalline water, but other than that, there wasn't much else to see.
zzzrk...
Izumi's hand went to the device on her left ear as it emitted a static noise. Nora's own earpiece did the same, though she seemed more concerned about her phone as its screen went haywire. Before either of them could speak to each other, the sound faded away as fast as it came, returning the devices to their normal state.
"Metallix? Are you there?"
*
"Did you hear that?"
*
'Could have been an error, but for all three devices to malfunction at the same time...'
---
[Mid-Afternoon - Okutama - Okutama Visitor Center - Nora's (Nejire-Chan) POV]
While Izumi was busy analyzing a map of the region, Nora wandered toward a pair of taxidermied animals displayed behind glass near the wall, stopping in front of the black bear. A nearby panel explained the species' habits and its presence in Okutama's mountain forests.
'Cute! And creepy. Reminds me of a tsundere I know.'
Seeing they were alone once again, the younger sister didn't waste the opportunity and prepared herself for another selfie, leaning her body to the right, making a peace sign, closing one eyelid, and sticking out her tongue towards the camera. Just as her finger tapped the screen, flecks of black and white spread across it.
zzzzrk....
This time, neither of the two sisters reacted and continued their business, brushing off the strange event.
'I seriously hope we don't come across pages stuck on trees.'
---
[Late Afternoon - Okutama - Gaia's Respite - Nora's (Nejire-Chan) POV]
After walking around the town and having an unsuccessful investigation, the sister duo got hungry, so they decided to stop at a small restaurant. It had a rustic charm, with dark wooden tables, simple chairs, and wide windows overlooking the surrounding forests. The sounds of the nearby kitchen and the old TV on top of the main counter filled the room.
A handwritten menu hung beside their table, while the quiet murmur of conversation mingled with the clatter of dishes coming from the kitchen. Not much time passed until a waitress approached their table with a notepad in her wrinkled hands.
"Oh? Tourists? It's been weeks since we saw any of you around here!" Nora's gaze caught the name 'Takashi' on the tag of the waitress's uniform as the elder bowed respectfully. "So? Are you ready to order?"
"I would like some anmitsu with jasmine tea, please!"
"As for me, I'll take one grilled yamame with a cup of green tea, please."
"Good choices," Takashi said with approval as she wrote down the orders. Before leaving, though, her gaze drifted to the girls' outfits. "Excuse me, but are the two of you visiting the mountains? It's none of my business, but... you really shouldn't."
"Hmm?" Izumi raised one of her white eyebrows and tilted her head slightly, acting clueless. "Why not? We heard the mountains around here are a must-go-to."
"That's right. However, people have been going missing up there for months." The elderly woman toned down her voice so as not to disturb the other patrons, who were mostly people of her age. "Our town has always been small and peaceful, so the few Heroes we had went there but didn't return... Mayor Lewis sent a report to the Hero Commission. Sadly, we don't know when they'll answer."
'Months? But didn't they tell Ryukyu the reports were recent?'
"Then why don't they close the route to the mountains?"
"The Mayor tried, but he lacks the authority for that. Until he convinces the board, all we can do is warn the tourists who pass through here."
"Okay... thanks for the heads-up, Mrs... Ms...?" The older woman nodded her head and pointed over her shoulder at the open kitchen, where a man was cooking. "Mrs. Takashi, we will take that into account for our plans."
"That's a relief. The town always gets a bit gloomier when folks disappea—"
zzzzrk...
"OI, HARO! YOUR DAMN PIECE OF JUNK IS ACTING UP AGAIN!"
"DON'T SCREAM AT ME, YOU SENILE SHIT! IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, THEN TAKE YOUR WRINKLED ASS HOME! BETTER YET, DIE ALREADY, YOU QUIRKLESS SHIT!"
"QUIRKLESS, AND I STILL CAN BEAT YOUR ASS, YOU RETARD!"
"AT LEAST I HAVE A QUIRK!"
"AT LEAST MY DICK CAN GET HARD!"
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...
"Low blow, sorry..."
"All is fine. We've said worse."
Hearing that exchange between her husband and a customer, Takashi could only mutter an apology before excusing herself. Izumi turned her head towards her sister, who shrugged her shoulders.
'With that character, I doubt any of them passes away soon, hehe.'
---
[After Dark - Mikawaya Ryokan - Izumi's (Ryukyu) POV]
Metallix listened as Izumi went through the day's events (skipping the things the robot had already heard via the earpiece). Meanwhile, Nora rested against the tatami with her feet kicked up against the wall. Between sentences, the younger sister asked a question or made a dumb remark to pretend her sister was talking to her and not to the closet, just to be safe.
*
"How brief exactly?"
*<0.40 seconds.>*
'So whatever is causing the strange anomalies doesn't affect Metallix as much...'
"I don't know, sis! I shower pretty fast."
"That's good. The water bill is expensive as it is."
Izumi grabbed her bag and approached the closet, sliding the door open just enough to reach inside with both arms and the backpack while blocking the opening from view with her body. A few seconds of silence passed until finally she felt the bag getting heavier.
'I have to thank Rumi for her training, 'cause damn is he heavy...'
Holding back a groan, Izumi adjusted the straps of her bag and looked at her sister.
"Get up and grab your things, Nora. Time to go on a hike."
"Ehhh?! Reallyyy?!" The girl jumped to her feet in an instant with an eager expression on her face. "I thought that woman at the restaurant had scared you! I knew you weren't a buzzkill!"
"Well, duh! I'm the cool older sister."
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[Bar Twilight - Kurogiri's POV]
ZZZKR...
"Kurogiri." The living mist stopped cleaning the already clean glass as the TV turned on, displaying an audio-only message. "Did you keep track of Stain as I told you to?"
"Of course, Master. The Hero Killer remains in Hosu; he has been especially interested in the routes of a Hero going by 'Native.' I wouldn't be surprised if he attacked him tonight, even with Endeavor announcing his involvement in the case."
"There are few people who can make a man with such strong conviction waver. Endeavor is not one of them." Kurogiri's head moved in what could be interpreted as a nod. "Putting that aside, I want you and Tomura to be ready to warp towards Hosu at any given moment."
"May I ask why? I mean no disrespect, but Tomura remains shaken, even if your words have indeed soothed him."
"The Hero Killer has been gaining a following in the underworld, especially after that girl pointed out the truth everyone ignores. I plan on releasing a few unimportant Nomu to create chaos. If we can be seen operating alongside Stain, we can make use of him, so ensure you and Tomura are caught on camera."
"I understand. I'll be ready."
"One last thing: the Doctor and an associate have something ready for a test field run. I'll let you know the coordinates you need to do your job."
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WAIIT I'VE COME TO MAKE AN ANNOUCEMENT!
first: i've been going through the notes and plots i already have for the story and i want to come out and say METAL WON'T BE HAVING A GIRLFRIEND, why? There's just no space for it on my plans, if i wrote it in it would feel like its there to be there, now there's a CHANCE some of the other characters have romance but i wouldn't count on that, plus the story already works well enough without romance, don't worry Metal's relations will keep evolving and new ones will be added, like Nejire being his annoying senpai for example.
second: I got two new covers for the book, I'll put them here as comments, let me know which one you like the most, depending on that I'll use one or the other.
third: do you rather I split the next chapter in two parts or do I release it when its fully complete? I don't know if its going to be like super long but it will take a tiny bit longer as it will set the bases for some VERY important plots in the future so i have to be careful and don't screw anything up.
That would be it, have a good day/night/orwhateveridkbruh.