Our Teacher is a Devil (Youjo Senki x BNHA)

[Morte_Perpetua]

It's only a matter of time before this useless lesbian is no longer useless… And when that day comes there will be a reckoning! With kisses and such!

Click to shrink...

Hopefully it won't take too long but I promise nothing

I didn't expect the tsundere to bake the cake, it proves how much he cares!

Click to shrink...

I wanted to show that he has a different (softer) side to his character even though he tries to hide it. He is neither stupid nor talentless, just very screwed up.

 

[Jetsmillion]

I'm guessing Bakugo just helped and didn't make the cake on his own. If anyone made a cake on their own, I'd expect it to be Sugerman.

 

[Morte_Perpetua]

I'm guessing Bakugo just helped and didn't make the cake on his own. If anyone made a cake on their own, I'd expect it to be Sugerman.

Click to shrink...

Yeah. But he is good at cooking! I think at least. Maybe I am remembering this wrong...

 

[Jetsmillion]

Yeah. But he is good at cooking! I think at least. Maybe I am remembering this wrong...

Click to shrink...

If he isn't good at most things, then he risks "losing" to someone else at that thing. If there is anything Bakugo doesn't like, it is losing.

 

[Morte_Perpetua]

Chapter 23

"Argent, what do you say to the allegations that you are dating a villain?"

Ugh, press conferences were a pain. M, the snivelling bastard insisted that she show up to the appointment he had scheduled, but he couldn't be bothered enough to just set up a fake event where the annoying reporters knew beforehand exactly what to say and how, if they didn't want to lose their careers.

Tanya kept her pleasant smile however, fixing the crowd with a calm gaze that made it clear that she was absolutely in control of the situation. No reason to throw bait in the water when so many hungry sharks were present.

"Firstly, I was not dating anybody. I am the eleventh ranked pro hero, I do not have time for romance. Secondly, the person who accompanied me wore a disguise. I admit that I should have noticed sooner, but who would expect their co-worker to turn into a completely different person?"

It was somewhat unpleasant to publicly deny her connection with Himiko when she knew that her friend would be reading a transcript of this conference at some point, but it was for the best.

"So you could have gotten ambushed later by this person if they completely blindsided you?"

She expertly faked a chuckle.

"Could I have gotten surprised? Of course! My quirk is not lie detection or illusion dispelling after all. But if this disguised person could have actually killed me is a whole other matter. After all," she lowered her voice to a darker tone, "the League tried their hardest as well."

A few murmurs broke out and instinctively knew that this quote would be clipped and posted on the net in some sill compilation.

"And what about your employment of potentially lethal force? It looked like you wanted to seriously harm this villain, Shigaraki I believe!"

Ahh, this was truly the most unpleasant question of them all. If she chose the wrong words here it could potentially ruin her career. In a way it was as laughable as it was reassuring that the modern people of Japan were so shocked by violence, despite being more exposed to it than ever.
There was not a single day that the news would not talk about superheroes, but real blood was seldom seen anywhere.

"I would not have killed them of course," she totally would have , "but I was fully prepared to take drastic measures to protect my own life and that of others in the face of the threat he represented."

The best lies contained a large amount of truth.

"Shigaraki's quirk lets him disintegrate anything he touches, so I planned to scare him with my shields and then take care of his hands. It looks far more menacing in the video then it was in reality, I assure you. Even with a slight concussion the control over my quirk remained impeccable. Next."

She pointed at a meek looking man in the front row.

"Are you afraid for your life now that the League has gone after you in private?"

"A very good question. Luckily, principal Nedzu was kind enough to house me on campus, so I have absolutely nothing to worry about."
Hopefully, soft-soaping his work would be useful for the genius's plans. A little flattery could grease a lot of doors...

"Despite their attempts, the fact that the League got dispelled twice even with the aid of their powerful bioengineered creatures is testament to UA's security. Furthermore, I will aid him in the future to improve the already considerable foundations of its protections. I am honoured to receive such a privilege. Truly, when I say it out loud, I feel a little guilty that I am one of the lucky few people in Japan who get to live rent-free in a nice room with the best security systems money can buy."

"Do you fear your ratings will plummet after spending so little time on the streets? Will you choose your teaching job over your hero career?"

Ha! Tanya did not even know herself how her future would play out! One of the few good things the HPSC had provided her was stability. She knew how her life would play out if she kept being useful. Bureaucrats were predictable like that.

But now...

"I am not worried. Ratings are just numbers after all. What matters should be my service record. Helping people is what being a hero is all about and I will continue to focus on that goal more than ever! I promise to the people of Musutafu that I won't let them down! I will never yield to evil!"

Her bandaged hand lay softly over her heart as she gave the world her most determined smile, already certain that this was going to be tomorrow's headline. The public wanted to believe in brave, unstoppable heroes who would stare unflinching into the face of certain doom and emerged victorious. It was a tale as old as storytelling itself. And the press was going to sell it to them, helpfully distracting from the less glamorous questions of today.

As the cameras flashed in a dizzying staccato Tanya discreetly waved at the guy standing behind the curtain to wrap things up.

"I believe that will be all for today. Thank you for coming and if you have any further question please talk to our-"
She tuned the rest out as she left the stage in a dignified and collected manner. All in all, she would count this as a success.

~[#҈#]~​

Tanya stood with all the poise she could muster as the middle-aged woman walked around her with a measuring tape.

"So, you need your uniform adjusted, is it? I'm surprised; I thought your last growth spurt was behind you."

Tanya clenched her jaw at that, but kept her tone even as she responded: "Actually, my physician thinks I'll grow another few centimetres yet."

"Oh? And is that the reason for your visit? The hems of your pants don't look too short..." the woman said with a teasing lilt which Tanya struggled not to rise to.

"... No, I need it let out in a few places."

"Growing a bit tight , eh? And where exactly should I focus my attention?"

Tanya really hated this woman. She was an exceptionally skilled tailor and costume designer employed by the HPSC, but she was utterly unprofessional in her demeanour towards her clients, always filling the air with idle and mundane chatter which – if Tanya tried to ignore it – would lead to an 'accidental' prick of a needle. It amazed the young heroine to this day that her uniform, a vague colour-swapped replica of the military uniform she wore from her days serving the Empire, was made by this woman. Something so sleek and respectable hardly resonated with the plump and talkative nuisance who created it.

Taking a deep breath, Tanya answered as plainly as possible, as if merely observing the weather or ordering a black coffee: "Around the waist is a little tight, as well as the midriff... and buttocks."

"Not the chest, though?" the woman asked, mirth clear in her voice.

Tanya grit out: " No , not there."

"Well, don't worry too much, dear. If the doctors say you'll grow a few centimetres more then perhaps another miracle will happen too."

"Can you just do your job already?" Tanya finally snapped, turning her head to glare at the smiling woman, who promptly released a hearty chuckle.

"Of course, of course... Though first, I'm just dying to know how you've managed to put on so much weight in only a few weeks. Just what have you been up to?"

She rolled her eyes and huffed.

"I've hardly put on that much weight. Only a few kilograms and the reason is simple. Since I've taken up teaching at UA, I go on far fewer patrols, which means burning fewer calories and less proper meals replaced with energy bars."

That, the fact that Lunch Rush was far too good a chef to be working in a high school cafeteria and that she's taken Himiko out to eat various sweets far more frequently than she used to, but the seamstress didn't need to know that.

"Ah, yes, teaching, and how have you been enjoying that so far?" the woman asked as she at long last began to take measurements.
"Well enough," she shrugged, eyes forward, hoping it would be enough of an answer.

Of course it wasn't.

"Any favourites?"

"Choosing favourites would be grossly unprofessional. I treat all of my students equally."

"Come now, you can tell me. How about this, my niece is fifteen, why don't you help me set her up with a strapping young lad? She has a thing for heroes, you know."

"As does the majority of teenage girls in the country." Tanya said with a roll of her eyes. "And besides, I'm hardly the one to ask about that. I don't have time for romance."

The seamstress's hands stalled, and Tanya could tell that she was getting an incredulous look for some reason.

"You don't have time for romance?" the woman repeated.

"That's correct." Tanya confirmed. "Haven't you seen my interview? I'm far too busy with teaching and heroics."

"Riiight... and how's Himiko doing? She's still following you around like a lost puppy?"

How this woman could jump from topic to topic so randomly was beyond Tanya's understanding, but she still dutifully answered. Technically she wasn't supposed to know anything about her whereabouts as far as the Commission was concerned, so she was extra careful to avoid saying anything that could indicate the opposite.

"She's doing well I hope, and she doesn't follow me everywhere . More often than not, she waited at the apartment for me."

"The way you say that makes it sound like she's living with you..." the woman noted.

"She doesn't." Tanya corrected. "She's only been staying the night four or five days a week recently, and that's not including how often she's out doing the jobs the higher-ups assign to her. Really, she's barely there more than half the time."

The hands halted in their work once more, much to Tanya's annoyance, and the woman asked: "And you say you don't have time for romance?"

"Must I repeat myself? Yes, that's correct, now can you please finish the adjustments? I promised somebody we'd go out for ice cream later today, and I shan't be late."

"Aha... You know, it's kind of surprising you gained any volume at all when you put on weight. I'd more expect for you to simply grow in density instead."

Tanya chose to ignore the older woman's inane ramblings and instead enjoyed a moment of silence as she went back to measure her without talking. With some luck the silence would last and she was going to arrive early to pick up her kohai.

Himiko could be a very impatient girl at times.

~[#҈#]~​

Tanya left the salon of her tailor with a newly adjusted uniform and a slightly sour disposition. That woman was so infuriating with her nonsensical ways of inane questioning! Nonetheless, she was more than trained in brushing off those irrational feelings and smiling them away. After all, her day was going rather satisfactory so far. No need to ruin it with pointless sulking.

Her small apartment was situated on the ground floor of the new dormitory building, both to let her keep track of the students living there and to be able to access the basement inconspicuously. An unassuming maintenance door downstairs led directly to Nedzu's secret labyrinth below the campus, for which she was immensely grateful. Being able to calculate the future by simply using raw logic was an enviable quirk.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door to her accomodations and stepped inside, making her way to her bedroom to set the bag with her uniform in the closet. The entire time, she made no sign of noticing Himiko, who was silently stalking up behind her.

With a little growl the younger girl pounced, only to careen headfirst into the closet as Tanya easily stepped aside, hands behind her back as she stared down at her upside down companion.

"Nice try..." she complimented cheekily. "Though I heard the hinges of the bathroom door squeak. I removed the oil there yesterday."

Himiko pouted rather adorably from her position on the floor before easily going over into a handstand and flipping back onto her feet.

"Okay, okay, I get it. I have to work on my stealth 'cause I'm getting rusty..." she whined, holding her arms out. "Now can I glomp you or not?"

Tanya chuckled and fondly shook her head.

"Fine, commence the glomping, but do be quick about it, will you? It's getting late, and-"

"Yay! " squealed her friend as she lunged forward to wrap Tanya in a hug, lifting the smaller girl off her feet so that she could rub her cheek against her senpai's.

Bearing the treatment like a limp doll, eventually Tanya cleared her throat. Her friend had gone through much in the past weeks, but there was a limit to how much she could ignore their professional relationship.

"Are we finished? Remember, we're supposed to be heading to the park and getting ice cream from that cart."

"Oh yeah, ice cream!" Himiko chirped as she suddenly let go of Tanya. Luckily she landed with all the grace of a professional hero and reflexively straightened out her clothing.

"I'm going to get cherry sorbet this time!"

"Of course you will, now go get your blood so you won't be recognized, and let's go."

"Yes, Senpai!"

With that cheerful declaration, Himiko skipped out of the room to prepare as Tanya went to a drawer and grabbed a face mask, sunglasses and a wig. If she didn't wear them, then Himiko would have to put makeup on top of the disguise so as to not risk the poor owner of the real face getting targeted for being close to Argent. Although she was confident in Nedzu's ability to procure blood from people that would not be recognized, possibly from foreigners or other faces that the HPSC couldn't easily check. Nonetheless, the more questions she avoided, the better.

Twenty-five minutes later they met up at an unsuspicious location outside UA and began walking towards the nearest park. Himiko was strangely worried that they would get separated or something, as she always insisted on holding hands while out and about, their fingers laced to ensure a strong grip. It was Tanya's job to put her kohai's mind at ease, so she didn't fight it, even when the younger girl swung their held hands in an exaggerated fashion as if to draw their fellow pedestrians' attention to the fact.

'How childish...'

Eventually, the two made it to their destination and quickly located the target of their little mission:

A small purple ice cream cart which boasted to sell some exotic flavours.

It had been her friend's idea to get their frozen desserts here so they could eat it as they walked the leaf-shaded trails through the park. In Tanya's opinion, it was a pretty enticing chance to pretend to be living an ordinary, peaceful life. Himiko was unexpectedly thoughtful like that sometimes.
Meanwhile the girl in question was bouncing on the balls of her feet as they waited in line, humming a pleasant song that Tanya enjoyed with closed eyes.

"So, what three scoops are you going to get this time?" Himiko asked suddenly. "Triple chocolate again?"
Tanya opened her eyes just in time to see the line move forward, and answered as they took a step: "Perhaps coffee, chocolate, and... dulce de leche."

Himiko giggled, poking Tanya in the side.

"You're such a little piggy, you know that, Senpai?"

She went to respond, but her mind drifted back to the tailor earlier that day – and her newly let out uniform – and her lips formed a thin line.

"Perhaps only one scoop will do, instead."

Himiko's smile dropped instantly and she looked worried.

"You know I was just kidding, right?… I'd never actually think of you as a pig."

"It's fine, you merely reminded me that I have been putting on weight lately and that I should cut back on the sweets..." Tanya tried to placate her, mumbling after the fact: "I'd rather not have to see that woman again anytime soon."

Her expression suddenly grave, Himiko leaned in to whisper: "Did someone call you fat, Tanya? Is that it? Who was it, and I swear I'll take care of them."

As entertaining as it was to imagine her subordinate berating that woman about proper conduct with clients, she shook her head and merely said:

"It's completely alright, Himiko. I just don't want to have to get my uniform adjusted again. Besides, it's merely a fact that I have gotten a little fatter in certain areas, and I should seek to rectify that."

"No! Your body is perfect! " Himiko insisted, getting some eyes to glance their way and Tanya's cheek to redden slightly. "No one should make you think otherwise! You're the most beautiful girl in the world, Senpai!"

"Thank you for that, but can you keep it down?" Tanya whispered, looking around to see a few people giggling at them. They probably thought that they were some romantic couple on a date right now!

"Fine..." Himiko conceded with a huff, glaring at the onlookers and making them quickly move on. Leaning down to whisper directly in Tanya's ear she however added: "But it's the truth. You're adorable and cute, always, Tanya... As a matter of fact, I think you look even better after filling out some."

Glad that the face mask hid her radiant blush, Tanya merely grunted as it was finally their turn to order.

Himiko chose the cherry sorbet, while Tanya got a scoop of chocolate ice cream, and, with a fleeting glance towards her friend, added an extra scoop of nougat too.

~[#҈#]~​

"Mmmmm... How interesting... So you are certain about the cutting ability of her shields?"

"Absolutely. I've never seen a cleaner cut than on young Shigaraki's fingers."

"Mmmmmmm... You may leave me alone, doctor."

"Of course, master."

Through his electromagnetic vision he could see the old man closing the steel door behind him. The suffocating silence was only interrupted by the rhythmic sounds of his life support equipment, pumping various fluids in and out of him and measuring every conceivable variable of his condition.

"How surprising... How... wasted ." All for One thoughtfully mused to himself.

To think that such a useful quirk was squandered on a hero. Of course he had known of her abilities as he kept informed on all the top heroes, but the entire extent of her quirk was unknown to him until not too long ago. That was as tantalizing as it was frustrating. Argent must have been extraordinarily restrained to never publicly injure anyone with her impossibly sharp energy fields which only further reinforced his opinion of her. Such skill was perhaps even more desirable than her magnificent quirk, because it was the one thing he could not take from her.

Oh, he certainly could copy some of her knowledge, but it would never be the same. Being the owner of hundreds of different quirks left him with few opportunities to train all of them, not to mention polish them to perfection like Argent had. And now her abilities had evolved even further when his disciple pushed her so clumsily to the breaking point...

Yes, he would watch her with great interest. If the Hero Commission wanted to play dirty by inserting spies into his operation then why shouldn't he do the same? One way or another he would find out more about this excellent resource before he harvested her.

It was time to call in some old favours.

 

[Jetsmillion]

I get the feeling that a certain French student is going to be paying far more attention in class going forward.

 

[Morte_Perpetua]

I get the feeling that a certain French student is going to be paying far more attention in class going forward.

Click to shrink...

I feel a bit stupid right now. Care to explain?

 

[Gamma115]

I feel a bit stupid right now. Care to explain?

Click to shrink...

SPOILERS! DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED!

Spoiler

Aoyama (Frenchie Laser Fuck) is the AFO spy.

He is responsible for ALL the leaks that UA suffer, and recieved his quirk from AFO after being quirkless in his youth... so his parents descided it was a good idea to move to japan and make a deal with literal Quirk SATAN for some reason... which lead to him being in 1A as a spy...-_-

 

[Lucidum]

I feel a bit stupid right now. Care to explain?

Click to shrink...

Technically spoilers for the later part of the canon MHA series.

Spoiler: Spoilers

Aoyama Yuga was/is the spy within UA due to him being quirkless and receiving his quirk from All For One

Edit: Ninja'd

 

[Morte_Perpetua]

Ahh yes I knew that and I was conflicted about if I should write the story around that. In the end I decided to drop the plot point because the MHA author did so as well. He literally admitted to forgetting about it in an interview and I am not terribly interested in exploring it either.
Maybe I work it in if it fits else...
Don't get your hopes up. Sorry I guess.

 

[ArKFallen]

I feel a bit stupid right now. Care to explain?

Click to shrink...

Spoiler: Plot Spoiler

Belly button lazer boy got his quirk from AfO so he could be a hero. This put his parents in AfO's debt and had the kid leak details of the UA hero trainees' quirks.

Edit: ninjas, phone typing is tuff

 

[guisniperman]

So basically all of Tanya's Shield were in fact the flat of a Mageblade. Then she used the edge. Now AfO want that Quirk for himself. He'll never get it but it'll be fun to see the attempts being made.

 

[DarwenGwein]

In the end I decided to drop the plot point because the MHA author did so as well.

Click to shrink...

Laughs in Naruto and Harry Potter fanfiction

I forget, does Tanya look like an emaciated child in this universe as well? On one hand, there's no reason for the commission to starve her, but on the other, she is essentially a child soldier again.

Tanya: "I have spent every moment I can remember forging my body into a finely-tuned combat machine."
Himiko: "Squish-eee~ Squish-eee~" giggle
Tanya: "... Except those rare moments that involve cake."

 

[Guardian Box]

*press conference*
Tanya: I do not have a lover. The relationships I have are purely professional. Next question.
*at the tailor*
Tanya: I do not have time for romance. Adjust my clothes already.
*at the park*
Himiko-as-Tanya: Te~he~ I love you so much my masked and disguised lover~! I love you so mu~uch! Let's hold hands and get some ice cream on our date~! No! Don't ever doubt yourself! You are beautiful just the way you are, and even if you change, you will always be the most perfect and beautiful person to me! I love you so~o much~!

*at every gossip rag in the country*
Reporter: I smell blood~
*at a secret government blacksite*
Technician: Sir! Our Tsunde-ray detectors are going off the charts! Doki-Doki Core meltdown imminent!

 

[DaginaVestroyer69]

Himiko was strangely worried that they would get separated or something, as she always insisted on holding hands while out and about, their fingers laced to ensure a strong grip. It was Tanya's job to put her kohai's mind at ease, so she didn't fight it, even when the younger girl swung their held hands in an exaggerated fashion as if to draw their fellow pedestrians' attention to the fact.

'How childish...'

Click to shrink...

They probably thought that they were some romantic couple on a date right now!

Click to shrink...

I am genuinely surprised that an event horizon has not formed around her head.


please continue, I eagerly await more.

 

[TroubleFait]

The density field forming around her is what fuels her powers. That's why she's such a powerful hero.

 

[Morte_Perpetua]

Chapter 24

'Let's play a game' their teacher had said.

'It was going to be fun' Mina had laughed.

'How bad could it really be?' Hagakure had cautiously reasoned after Momo reminded them of the past.

It turned out that, bring the traumatised civilians to safety while being hunted by a flying sniper, was a lot less pleasant in reality.

Really, Ochako should have expected nothing less from this school. Anyone who worked here appeared to be either moderately insane or just plain sadistic. Although she understood on an intellectual level that this was probably an effective teaching method, her lizard brain did not respond well to getting nailed in the head by bullets that looked like they could kill if used incorrectly.

"Uraraka out! Don't forget to look ahead! Back to the starting position!" yelled their diminutive blond torturer from the rooftop across the street while she was still busy rubbing her aching chest.

Idly Ochako picked up the plastic ball that had sent her sprawling on the asphalt and once again wondered how the hell their teacher had learned to shoot a gun so well. That didn't even have anything to do with her quirk! This was such bullshit.

Yes, she said it…

Still, she stood up without complaint and hobbled back to the starting line. If this was how she could grow stronger, braver, better, then she would take it! She was not going to get saved again! Instead one day she was the one who was going to save everybody!

Well, she wouldn't mind getting saved by Deku... but that was a thought for later, she blushingly thought.

Somewhere in the concrete jungle behind her, she faintly heard another shout:
"Kaminari out! What were you thinking? When I allowed you to attack me, I meant without huge collateral damage! This technique could have seriously hurt anyone in the building! I am not the only one touching that metal! Nonetheless, good creative thinking. I want to see more of that in the future! Just think about the consequences more often. Back to the starting position!"

Honestly she was kind of glad for the progress that the ditzy electro quirk user made in the last few weeks. He still fried his higher cognitive functions on occasion, but he was overall a lot more mindful of his power output as a result of his training with Snipe. Despite not being allowed to bring his weird mini railgun to the exercise – because nobody trusted him enough with the thing yet to not accidentally shoot someone – he had done well so far.

Her invisible friend Hagakure was unsurprisingly in the lead as she could simply check every street before carrying the doll that represented a civilian over to the next hideout. If Ochako remembered the callouts correctly then her easily hideable classmate had already saved four disaster victims!

She needed to do better! There was no way she was not going to get at least in the top five!

"Attention class! You have fifteen minutes left! Thirty three civilians remain unsecured!" droned Argent's announcement from the speakers around the training facility.

Something in that sentence gave Ochako pause, but she couldn't put her finger on why it was so strange. There was an underlying message here, she was sure of it...

As she looked at the waiting crowd of white mannequins sitting at the starting area, it struck her. A child-sized puppet seemed to clutch what could be seen as its mother, either due to random chance or careful positioning. Of course these were mere objects, but they represented living, breathing humans and had to be treated as such. Ultimately this game was designed to demonstrate necessary skills for their actual hero careers!

This was just like the entrance exam! Everyone had been too focused on defeating the robots back then to notice the hidden rescue point system. In a way, this test was the opposite of that, because now everybody was only attempting rescue without much fighting and most importantly without working together!

Teamwork was a core tenant of hero work, wasn't it?

And the rules never said that they couldn't help each other...

So why shouldn't they do it?

If she treated this situation like she would in reality, then every single person that got left behind was a tragedy; a stain on her conscience that she could never forgive herself. By letting these people 'die', the whole class would lose!

Frantically Ochako looked around for any other participants that could share her plan with. Spotting three of her classmates who were catching their breath or picking up more mannequins, she gathered her resolve and hastily approached them.

'What would Deku do?' she asked herself.

The answer was obvious:

Find a way their individual strengths synergized together!

~[#҈#]~​

Tanya walked with purposeful slowness across the flat roof, averting her eyes from the darkened side-streets to give her students some modicum of opportunity. Destroying all their hopes instantly might be weirdly entertaining and filter out the truly great among them, but her goal was to give every one of these children the chance to prove themselves. This wasn't war and despite their demanding training she was never cruel to them.
At least she hoped so.

Maybe she was slightly overestimating them.

"Mineta, stop crying! You are not wounded! Mineta!"

As the small crumpled form of the boy didn't stop shaking and writhing on the floor, she sighed and floated to the ground. Hopefully his pain tolerance was just really low and he wasn't actually injured. She had been careful to adjust the air pressure in her gun to only hurt moderately, but perhaps she had gotten unlucky and messed up her aim last second.

"Mineta? Can you hear me? If you can't say me what's wrong I will-"

"Argh!" screamed the purple-haired child and threw himself at her.

Instinctively she wanted to push him away, but her concern for his wellbeing stayed her hand. Too late did she notice the characteristic fuzzy balls in his grip.

Silence reigned over the training ground.

"I- I did it!" Mineta cheered, unaware of her icy glare. Smiling, he looked up and immediately froze as he met her contemptuous gaze.

"What I said to Kaminari applies to you as well, Mineta. I value your creativity, but if you just stopped a moment to think about the unbelievable level of idiocy you just committed then we wouldn't be here."

"Uh-uhm..." he stuttered, unable to move under the pressure of Tanya's irritation.

Four of his quirk-produced sticky balls were glueing her feet to the pavement, but with a casual flicker of her power two golden energy barriers cut
into the street around them and simply lifted the whole chunk thirty centimetres into the air.

It had taken some experimentation on her part to find out what Being X did to her quirk, but it seemed that with some willpower her force fields cut turn 'static' for lack of a better term. They were distant and fuzzy in her awareness, but she also had not to expend any conscious effort to keep them up. Even travelling nearly a kilometre away from their location had not been able to dispel them so far. These golden barriers could exist without energy supply from her quirk apparently and paradoxically were much stronger for it.

From her casual test they behaved around twice as resistant to physical trauma as her standard silver fields. Their biggest downside however was that it took far longer for them to be created or modified. As such, flying with them would be somewhat unwieldy, preventing her from making sharp movements and sometimes painfully limiting her mobility. Nonetheless, moulding them to her will was a technique she was keen on training in the future. The permanent shields' natural golden colour appeared to be the only constant that she could not change.

"Your tactic to delay me was completely ineffective and if this wasn't a training exercise you would be dead. While I can appreciate you standing up for your colleagues and trying to immobilize a dangerous villain, suicidal bravery is not a virtue."

And with these scathing words she shot him again from point blank range, just to hammer her point home. Of course she aimed at where his costume was thickest, but it still had to hurt.

"Back to the sta-"

Unimpressed she dodged the second attack as well as she was able to with her feet stuck to her floating platform. Asui's inhumanly long tongue harmlessly passed by her face, but curled up in the last moment to wrap around Tanya's left arm which she had stretched out to keep her equilibrium. If not for the reflection in a nearby window front, she would have missed it.

Not wanting to hurt her student, she resolved herself to merely pulling at the fleshy organ with regular strength. The froglike girl had obviously planned for this though as her powerful legs catapulted her towards Argent's position, taking advantage of her off balance state.

Summoning a standard silver shield to stop the flying girl from kicking her skull in, Tanya was once again surprised by another student trying to nail her from a blind spot. Two large boulders were hurtling at her torso, temporarily suspended from gravity which was undoubtedly Uraraka's work.
Secretly Tanya was quite pleased by the creative teamwork of A-1. To fool her twice in the span of a minute and defy her previous expectations by hunting for her directly was commendable. After smacking Bakugou out of the sky so spectacularly at the start of the lesson she had not anticipated such a brazen assault.

Shattering these giant projectiles was easy, but the fact that she needed to split her attention between two sides gave the whole thing some challenge. Compared to getting swarmed by hundreds of Keigo's razor sharp feathers however it was nothing.
Asui attempted to fling herself around the barrier using her tongue only to crash into a third one that instantly winked out of existence to prevent the girl from cutting her flesh on its edge. Nevertheless her momentum got completely arrested and she unceremoniously fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

To her credit, she managed to roll with it and get to her feet quickly, doing the smart thing and backing off to a more sensible distance in order to collect her bearings and find a new strategy. Tanya approved.

Mineta cried out unintelligibly and threw himself off her platform, drawing the hero's awareness to the point above her head that he had been fearfully staring at. Trusting her intuition, she put up two barriers in the general space over her. In the next moment she was very glad that she did.
The highest shield strained and shattered a mere second afterwards which left her to stare incredulously at the dumpster resting on top of her second energy field. Uraraka's quirk could be extremely troublesome with the right applications for even a small object would flatten her if it got dropped from low orbit. Maybe it would also inconvenience All Might.

"Very good!" Tanya called out to where she thought the gravity manipulator was hiding. "Just be mindful that this trick could kill villains if you miscalculate the mass or altitude!"

No answer returned which was sensible. They were still training after all.

"You know what, Sensei? You have no chance of beating us, ribbit."

Humouring Asui, she raised an eyebrow and pointedly checked over the drum of her air gun.

"And why is that?"

"Because we are too many, ribbit."

"That hasn't stopped me before."

To illustrate her superiority in this engagement she raised her faux weapon and lazily aimed at the greenette, giving off a shot that sent the froggy girl hopping for cover. It was important to instil a distinct respect for firearms in these children before their arrogant overreliance on natural mutations got them killed.

"Ribbit. We will win, Miss Degurechaff!"

Mmmhh... Why was the normally stoic Asui so insistent on carrying on a useless conversation?

"Are you trying to distract me again?" Tanya asked amusedly.

"Yes, Miss Argent! So far it's working, ribbit!"

"Very well."

Of course foiling their plan now would be child's play, but it was both her duty and her pleasure to see what her students came up with. Giving them the opportunity to work together and grow beyond their previous limitations was what this was all about after all. Denying them here would not meaningfully teach them anything besides the obvious: Announcing a secret made it not secret anymore.

However that did not mean that she would sit still and take it.

"And why are you wasting time then? Shouldn't you attack me? Else I might just fly off..."

"We are waiting for reinforcements, ribbit. You told us to always have someone watching our backs, ribbit!" called Asui from behind a car she was using to hide.

"Right..."

To incite more urgency in her students she slowly willed her power to move her platform up, keeping an eye out for more of Uraraka's projectiles in the meantime. That was how she spotted a green blur rocketing towards her, although the accompanying scream of "Austin Smash!" made missing it all but impossible.

While forming three layers of golden shields at the last second, strangely all Tanya could wonder was:
'Isn't that trademarked?'

Brutally, Midoriya's fist crushed into her protections, demolishing two and finally stopping at the last one. Tanya grinned appreciatively. It was flattering that they came at her with everything they got, testing their super moves against her experience and not holding back in the slightest, just as it should be. Her class was treating this seriously, proving their dedication to the training.

In honour of their commitment she squashed her smirk and adopted her instructor voice once more:

"I hope you did not break your bones for that one!"

The boy stopped mid movement and uncertainly glanced over his arm.

"We'll have to check it later."

Promptly a small rock hit her back.

'What a dirty trick.'

But she knew very well how winning sometimes took every advantage one could get. Life was never fair. Flipping the switch on her gun to full auto, she sprayed in Asui's direction. Her goggles would ensure that she would not be majorly injured.

Unwilling to take her eyes off the boy who could punch through her shields and then her ribcage if they both weren't careful, Tanya thought about the immediate future with excitement. Relying on only strengthened, multilayered energy fields or golden ones would marginally slow her down which in turn was going to make her more vulnerable for however many students showed up.

Perhaps she herself would even have to take this fight seriously?

Wonderful.

~[#҈#]~​

As the timer ran out Toru was panting in exhaustion, an invisible smile stretching her lips.

They did it!

They got them all!

During Ochako's distraction of their teacher, Sato had managed to carry most remaining dolls on a large piece of reinforced sheet metal that he somehow ripped from a roof. How he accomplished that – even while overdosing on sugar to fuel his quirk – remained a mystery to her. Hanta's tape might have helped. That stunt likely cost them a few points for urban destruction, but the result was undeniably worth it.

When he inevitably collapsed under the strain of carrying what looked like half a house hundreds of meters, they collectively shared his cargo amongst themselves. Transporting the unwieldy, realistically weighed mannequins to the finish line was a hard job, especially for her who specialized in agility and stealth, but they did the seemingly impossible.

Thanks to a third of their class diverting Argent's attention the rest could simply haul the 'civilians' undamaged through the open streets. Without having to hide and check every corner the trip to the safe zone was a lot faster than before.

Koda's birds made reconnaissance relatively easy when the battle moved to a different part of the city and Jirou's support item – directional microphones – saved their collective skins more than once. She could transmit warnings over long distances with them which were direly needed.

Bakgou apparently still needed to work some issues from the interrupted sports festival out, because he opened in a childish competition with Todoroki over who could pummel their teacher the best. Or at least try to… His explosions spread so much dust over the area that navigation could get genuinely tricky at times, worsened by the temperature fluctuations of his 'rival' in the air which created very weird winds.
In the end though, their teamwork ensured their success.

Toru was proud.

She was proud to be part of such an amazing team.

It hadn't been easy, but she felt like with her friends in tow... she could do it. She wasn't strong or smart or tough, yet if she could simply trust in others to not forget about her...

Then together they would be able to take on the world!

~[#҈#]~​

Nedzu closed the video feed and took another sip of his earl grey. Paying only half of his attention to the screen ,which was still more than enough, he first sent an email to Cementoss to repair the Urban Training Grounds Six again and then filed a couple legal forms which unfortunately tended to accumulate on his desk despite his best efforts. Being able to write algorithms that could relieve him already of most of that tedious bureaucracy was indeed a comfort the principal couldn't imagine living without.

From time to time his eyes wandered over to the window, looking out over his beautiful school and envisioning how much grander it still could be.

With time, he reminded himself unnecessarily.

As long as All for One and the HPSC were breathing down his neck he needed to focus on the bigger threats. Nedzu was already spreading his resources thin by simultaneously trying to wrestle Japan's politics away from destruction and hunting down the assets of the most notorious super-villain in history in addition to his usual worldwide operations to secure the fragile peace humanity was dependent on.

Although his work might accelerate soon if the two talented newcomers in his home became able to lend him their support. Despite the hard battle he fought behind the scenes of society, the principal held strictly to his own moral code, knowing full well that it was what differentiated him most from the beasts in human skin that he had sworn to fight. He never wanted to devolve into one such being, because he was unsure if the world would be able to stop him should he one day fully lose himself to the slippery decline of self-righteous corruption.

Naturally he had to bend these rules over the years quite a bit, but the wellbeing of children was always a top priority for the humanoid rodent. Subsequently, employing young Himiko's aptitude as a spy was distasteful to him. Many of his plans would only be possible with a person on the inside cooperating and her shapeshifting was a perfect tool for that...

Was a person with a double digit kill count even a child anymore?

'Yes' Nedzu decided as he remembered how innocently she held hands with her mentor or delighted in observing cute animals. There was still a certain purity to her that even murder could not taint.

Degurechaff in comparison held quite the pragmatic outlook on life. Some would even call it cynical. Yet she was neither jaded nor nihilistic, from what he could tell. Simply unaware of where she saw her place in this cruel, magnificent world.

The principal glanced down at his empty cup and mirthfully questioned if the caffeine combined with a mild case of sleep deprivation was making him overly emotional.

Maybe he should check up on those two potential troublemakers...

A click of a button took Nedzu to an overview of every security feed on his premises. Toga Himiko appeared to be training still which was unsurprising and Degurechaff Tanya was just in the process of locking the door of her apartment behind her.

He would have ended his invasion into their private lives there if the small package Argent was carrying had not caught his eye. The formless, brown bundle stood out especially due to its non-descriptiveness.

It was a bit hard to make out from the angle of the camera, but he thought he saw her lips tighten as she stared down at the wrapped object in her hands.

A sign of uncertainty? Grim determination?

Peculiar...

Nodding determinedly she placed the package in her pocket and made her way over to the direction of the main building and indirectly him. When she took the stairs on the right his assumptions were proven correct:

She was definitely coming to his office.

Argent was most likely preparing to hand something of immense importance over to him. Probably information stored in digital form on a hard drive or a similar device. Tanya was paranoid enough to believe that he had bugged her phones – even though he did not need to drastically violate her privacy like that to know what was going on – so it would not be anything that could be straightforwardly inferred from reading their memory data.

Judging by the fact that she had not announced this meeting prior, it was most likely that the intel in question was going to be of a sensitive nature for her personally. Obviously she had been ringing with the decision making process to potentially further incriminate herself, but Nedzu was honestly happy that she trusted him enough to pull through with it in the end. Her life was not an easy one, yet her courage to do the right thing was admirable. God only knew that he was never going to fully reveal what those scientists had done to him in their sick experiments.

He would have to reward her for her efforts somehow...

But first...

A tiny amount of tomfoolery…

His paw reached for the button underneath his desk that automatically opened the doors exactly before she could knock herself.

"Welcome! What can I do for you today, my valued employee?"

Her tiny facial expression was positively hilarious to him.

"Good evening to you too, headmaster. I am fine, thank you for asking."

'Uses sarcasm to hide her nervousness.'

"Did you have fun during your lesson?"

"Whether I have fun or not is unimportant to the progress of my students. But it was nonetheless excellent training for the newly developed aspects of my quirk. I am still testing my limits."

'So she did have fun. A sign of her deepening connection with class 1-A.'

"Mmh. That's good to hear. Quirk science is a fascinating field of study."

It really was. Neither their origin nor actual functionally had been discovered despite centuries of dedicated research. The greatest puzzle in the history of intelligent life was a conundrum he could not wrap his head around.

"Quite. Anyways, I have come here for the purpose of cooperation."

'Wants to keep this conversation brief. Body language is stiff and formal. Likely habitual response to stress. Trained to suppress emotions from childhood?'

Nedzu felt a spark of pity flicker inside him, so he sent her his most relaxed smile.

"Ahhh... Do you have something for me then?"

"Yes... I have something you will certainly find interesting, Mister Principal. On patrol this morning I retrieved it from my old apartment and in the name of our... business agreement thought it prudent to share."

'Long hidden secret. Reluctant to give trump card away. Thinks that she will ultimately harm their relationship by withholding information. Feels pressured by him? Feels dependent on his good will.'

While that may be useful in the short term, any true partnership was built on trust not fear. Else resentment and anxiety would spiral out of control and lead to betrayal or division as many tyrants throughout history could attest to.

Blunt honesty was an underrated tool that seemed to be particularly effective on her in the past.

"Thank you, but please know that I am perfectly happy to wait for your help until whenever you are comfortable to provide it. No extremely time sensitive issue has popped up that would require your assistance. I believe you are a great person, Tanya. You don't have to prove that to me."

Her shining blue eyes flickered hesitantly over his office while Nedzu patiently kept his smile affixed to his furry face.

"I appreciate your concern, Nedzu."

The wind from the open window blew Argent's short blond hair around, temporarily obscuring her expression. As it settled however her gaze had softened remarkably and he noticed the tiniest twitch of her lips.

"You do like to mess with people, don't you."

It wasn't a question, but he cheerily nodded anyway.

If it weren't for his sharp ears he wouldn't have heard her grumbling:
"My life seems destined to be ruled by madmen."

Only decades of experience prevented Nedzu from laughing out loud.

With deliberate slowness she produced the package from her pocket and slid it over the table.

"Password is 'Salamander 95'. Have a good night, headmaster."

"Good night!" he grinned back, pleased with her reaction.

What great fun!

 

[KinKrow]

Interesting.

 

[SixthRanger]

Did she give Nezu the T-95?

Oh boy, never let Himiko see her while in a trance or she will become her high priest or something...

 

[Morte_Perpetua]

Did she give Nezu the T-95?

Oh boy, never let Himiko see her while in a trance or she will become her high priest or something...

Click to shrink...

Nope. (Although a nice idea it wouldn't make much sense) It's the hard drive from chapter 22. Sorry for being too cryptic.

 

[Crimson Grave]

Tanya being best teacher and giving her students proper life lessons and help as always.

 

[Sit322]

I feel sorry for Toga.. Just give her her waifu already.

 

[Lost1]

I feel sorry for Toga.. Just give her her waifu already.

Click to shrink...

I concur we're 24 chapters deep and Toga is years deep can she just win her Waifu already because this is starting to get kinda annoying.

 

[Morte_Perpetua]

I concur we're 24 chapters deep and Toga is years deep can she just win her Waifu already because this is starting to get kinda annoying.

Click to shrink...

Romance was never the focus of this fic I am sorry to say. While it might be nice to read about the two of them getting together, narratively it would not make much sense or actually support the story. We have barely been with Tanya for a few weeks and only last week did she come (somewhat) to terms with her feelings. To rush the process of her opening up further would ruin her arc and the specific emotion I am trying to convey.

I understand your desire for closure, but the path towards it sadly has to be earned.

 

[Morte_Perpetua]

Chapter 25

"Thank you for coming. I am glad that you could be released early from the hospital." she smiled.

Tanya found great irony in the fact that she was still wearing bandages underneath her uniform. Hopefully the rest of 1-A wouldn't also find their way to the hospital over the course of the remaining school year.

"Good morning, Miss Argent. Thank you for having me." the boy on the chair across her answered stiffly.

"So Iida... I wanted to speak to you in private today. Do you know why?"

"I imagine this is about my deplorable behaviour during the internship week. If so I assume full responsibility and-"

Before he could launch into the tirade he had probably rehearsed to himself over and over on the way to her office Tanya interrupted him.

"Alright, alright. Not so hasty there. The principal told me that you already met with Mr. Tsuragamae, the chief of police, and you probably discussed that point with him, correct?"

Iida silently nodded, obviously put off balance.

"Good. You know what you did, I know what you did. There is no need to discuss it further at the moment. Technically I was responsible for you during the time you got hurt, even if only indirectly as Mr. Aizawa had not been reinstated at that time. That is why I want to apologize to you for not being there for you when you clearly needed help in your life."

"No! No, that was completely my fault! You don't have to apologize for anything." he sputtered.

"Indeed… But I want to. I likely couldn't have helped you much to find your way back to rationality so soon after your brother got injured and
following the attack on my life I was in a rather sorry state as well. Nonetheless, I should have known that humans prefer emotions over logic."

What greater foolishness was there but war? A few empty words could wipe cities off the map; destroy what a dozen generations painstakingly built up and for what? If the Great War brought the world anything worthwhile then she had certainly missed it.

"It's in our nature to act stupid at the worst of times. The sports festival distracted me so much that I lost sight of the lives of my students and I did not think of the consequences that could result from that. I let my own problems blind me when I should have at least asked you if you wanted to talk with me about your brother. And for that I am sorry."

Being an ideal hero went beyond clocking in during patrol hour and generally uplifting the public spirit. It was a full time commitment to protect those under one's care. Not an easy job, but then again, a worker who never attempted to surpass expectations was not a good investment in the first place.

The tall, bespectacled boy stared at her weirdly. No matter.

Leaning forward over her folded hands she asked him seriously: "With that out of the way, let me ask you a simple question: What kind of hero do you want to be?"

His confusion at her sudden shift in demeanour was surprisingly entertaining. Was this how Nedzu always felt?

"Someone who can carry the Iida name and legacy proudly. A true defender of justice."

"That's a good answer for PR, however is that really your true motivation? The approval of your family?"

At his incensed look she elaborated.

"It might seem obvious, but it is anything but. Just like any other job there are countless reasons for becoming a pro hero and all of them are equally valid. To the person saved it matters little if their saviour did it for money, fame or out of genuine empathy. Results are the only thing that is relevant for success, regardless of your or my own personal preferences. In that aspect Stain was wrong."

At the mention of the criminal who nearly killed him Iida's face scrunched up in disgust or perhaps phantom pain. Argent continued with her lesson unperturbed.

"From what little I know about him, he values resolve more than anything, yet how could society function if its protectors were only allowed to be the bravest and most caring, most amazing people in existence? I'd wager such a force would be far too small to accomplish anything of note. Even two or three All Might's are not enough to be there for everyone."

"Are you saying... that it doesn't matter why we do this so long as we are successful?" he asked sceptically.

"No, but also yes. Look at it this way... We all can theoretically be 'pro heroes', but we can't all be actual heroes like in the storybooks or the adverts."

"B-but how can you even call yourself a hero if you are not even willing to try to be a real one! Uh, no offence, Miss Argent."

"Exactly."

She let heavy silence descend over the room as she fixed him intently with her gaze. This was his moment of self reflection. Strictly speaking, it was unnecessary for her to lay the groundwork for Hound Dog's therapy today, but the studious and serious teen required a bit of help to get back on track. He had already heard harsh words from the chief of police and undoubtedly his parents therefore she tried a more 'carrot like' approach in contrast to their 'stick'.

"It depends on what you believe in. To what standard do you hold others and to what yourself? It's all on you." Tanya finally spoke.
Breathing deeply, she let her eyes sweep over the mostly empty office to give him some space to relax.

"You are not suspended and aside from a weekly visit to the school counsellor you will not receive any additional punishment. Not like you should see these sessions as punishments anyway. Multiple of your classmates go to them as well. Alas, I want you to really think about what a true hero represents in your free time. Neither I nor Mr. Aizawa will grade you on that, but it is still an important task."

"Understood, Miss Argent! I am going to do so with the utmost care! I am most thankful for your mercy. To be allowed into UA after my grievous failure is very generous of you! I will not disappoint you again!"

As she wasn't class 1-A's official homeroom teacher Tanya had no actual say over expulsions, but she did not correct him. A bit of fear in her students was important to properly motivate them.

"Remember, our failures shape us as much as our victories. I am no different in that regard. We all have something we aspire to become and something we eagerly leave behind and I believe that is what separates the good people from the bad ones. They try to get better. They don't languish in their mistakes; they work on their problems and attempt to overcome them!"

Once again she was paraphrasing from an interview she had given earlier that year. Inspirational quotes were basically unprinted money, pushing clout and merchandise in droves when delivered just right to an audience desperate for hope. Nonetheless, despite their commercial use it wasn't as if she did not believe what she said in principle. Tanya's own change across multiple lives was undeniable.

"Of course, Miss Argent! I thank you for your uplifting words!"

Standing up from her cushy chair she glanced at her clock and opened the door for him.

"Come then, let me show you to your new room and then you can go to Recovery Girl and let her check up on you just in case. You can join the next English lesson afterwards."

Maybe they all could learn from their past together.

~[#҈#]~​

Tsutsumi Kaina sat at the small desk in her cell, a luxury the administrators of Tartarus thought she should be infinitely grateful for. Why, they even allowed her a pen and papers, despite how the former could potentially be used as a weapon. Because she could definitely attempt a prison break with a flimsy, plastic, ballpoint pen, so it showed just how much they appreciated her good behaviour. She could be restrained in a straight jacket and a chair after all, not even allowed to move like so many other inmates.

What assholes.

She shook her head, refocusing on the task at hand. To her side sat a newspaper one of the guards had given her, the contents of which being what sparked her most recent attempt at what she had tried to do countless times before. Just thinking about what she had read and the panic that gripped her as she looked at those black and white photos, made a lump form in her throat.

Did it make her a terrible person because upon finding out that the girl had almost died, her fear went first to how she almost lost her chance to tell her? Of course it did. Degurechaff had fought for her life, nearly died, and all Kaina had worried about was her own guilty conscience. She squeezed her eyes shut and breathed deep through her nose, then looked back down at the page, blank save for the recipient's name written in the corner.

She put the pen to paper once more and tried to think of how she should start…

'Hey, I know we barely spoke when we were both still employed by the Commission, but I killed-'

'Liking the hero life? The Commission treating you well? Of course not, and it's my fault because-'

'It was quick, if that makes it better. Your dad didn't know what was coming, and your mom-'

Kain clenched her jaw, the pen flexing under her grip as she remembered that day. The car driving down the deserted road, her vantage point from atop a hill so far away she could barely make out the headlights as they twisted and turned down the winding path until she turned on her scouter's night vision…

Then she could see their faces, the two immigrants who ran a front, claiming to be a repair shop while laundering money for lowlifes. The Commission had told her it was more than that, though. That when a low ranking hero had come to them to save money on repairs for his support equipment, that they purposely sabotaged the work and got the man killed. That they were also creating and maintaining equipment for villains to use and getting innocent people killed as a result.

All the things a young, naive heroine needed to be told to fill her with enough righteous fury to not ask questions until long after the deed was done. Like the fact that the hero in question had been stabbed in the back and bled out in a gutter without even getting a chance to fight back, his support equipment never coming into play. Or how those immigrants had never wanted to be made the tools of a criminal's enterprise, their desire to create a better life for their daughter being used to lure them in, and how they had been trying to get out ever since.

She wouldn't have even bothered to discover any of this if not for the fact that she recognized the little blonde girl being ruthlessly trained by Commissions harshest minders as the spitting image of the woman she had seen through the windshield that night right before her face was obscured by spider web cracks and blood.

Unbidden, her mind wondered, in those seconds between her husband's death and the car driving headlong into sturdy oak tree, the gas floored by a leaden foot and ensuring the woman's demise in the high speed crash, if the mother had thought of her little girl and worried of what would become of her. Considering that it was their refusal to allow little Tanya to be trained in the first place that signed their death warrants, Kaina doubted the couple would find solace in the fact that their daughter was now one of the highest ranking heroes in Japan.

Kaina shook her head and tried to centre her scattered thoughts back to the letter, but upon looking down at her hands, all she could see was the blood dripping off of them. A gasp escaped her lips as the pen clattered to the floor, and she heard the faint beep of vital sensors as they picked up on her accelerated heart rate and breathing. Almost by instinct, Kaina began her long practised exercises, the skills of a sniper to slow their heart and breathing so as to steady their aim. It's all that kept the guards from coming to check in on her, and yet, even as her body's response calmed, the source of her stress remained.

The red on her hands; the blood of all her victims. For years, she lied to herself, convincing her frayed conscience that it was for the greater good. That they were criminals, terrorists, false heroes. That the Commission was right and that the people needed to believe in the veneer of peace and order her actions helped paint and maintain. Society would collapse if civilians knew just how fragile it all was.

Then she had seen that little girl with hollow, exhausted eyes, being subjected to training far beyond what any child her age should have had to endure, and it all crumbled away. The Hero Public Safety Commission was a criminal organization in all but name, and she had been their top hit woman, ending lives and tearing apart families just to protect the assets of those higher up.

Sometimes she wondered if – had she never taken that job over a decade ago and never killed the Degurechaffs – she would have kept on doing it? Endlessly trapped in a circle of violence?

She could justify most of what she had done under orders as the right action for the greater good, but not that. Never that… Maybe that sin merely accelerated what was inevitable. Maybe she'd have killed that bastard chairman regardless. She'd like to believe that she would have, but perhaps it was merely wishful thinking.

With a sigh, she let her hands fall to her side and out of view, staring at the page with a blank expression.
Scrawled with unreadable gibberish and half finished sentences scratched out, it was yet another attempt destined for the waste bin. Gritting her teeth, she set about tearing it to pieces before retreating to her cot.

Another failure to her name and proof of how much of a terrible coward she was. As much as she hated this damned prison, she couldn't deny that she belonged here. It was the perfect place for a villain like her.

~[#҈#]~​

Yes, this was the perfect spot, Himiko thought happily. It had been a bit hard to cram herself into the air duct, but her slender physique made it possible. She was sure to pay extra close attention to her figure on top of her usual full body training in order to please her senpai after all. Hopefully her love found slim, slightly muscular girls attractive...

Technically she was supposed to clean some dreary corridors, but honestly that was far too boring. The white mouse-thingy said it was more of a cover up anyway. Why would she waste time listening to that stupid janitor when she could watch her beloved during work instead?!

Himiko had specifically waited until the room was empty before positioning herself. In a disguise of course, because she wasn't stupid. Tanya would be angry with her if by some miracle she got discovered and she needed to kill the bystanders. Not to mention that she also really didn't want to fight the fluffy principal. His beady little eyes made the hair on her neck raise in an instinctive fear response. She did not know why, but there was more to him than met the eye.

At first only a few students trickled into the room until the rest seemed to push through the door all at once. They were annoying, but a few of them were also rather cute so it balanced out in her opinion. For example there was the blonde with large horns and extremely big, blue eyes. Or another one who looked like an adorable human mushroom!

Finally however, her love stepped into the room, instantly alleviating the anticipation of her wait. Seeing her senpai quiet down the classroom without a single spoken word was as exciting as it was expected. No one could be as awesome as Tanya!

"Hello, I am the stand-in for Mr. Kan today as he was unavailable."

Yep! A full dose of laxatives in his coffee would do that to any man without a digestion quirk. Admittedly her plan had been a gamble, but it paid off!

"Please call me Miss Degurechaff or Miss Argent if you cannot pronounce that. I hope we will see each other more in the future. On the topic of today's lesson your teacher has left me with this note that-"

Himiko droned out the pleasant sounds of her beloved's voice in favour of angling her dulled viewing mirror so that she could see her on the podium. From the awkward angle of the ventilation shaft it was hard to see anything.

"- To understand this better please open your textbooks and go to the appropriate chapter."

Damn, her senpai went out of view again to write something on the blackboard!

Okay maybe she hadn't really thought this through. This was not an ideal situation. Perhaps she should have simply impersonated a student and observed from somewhere else but a dusty hole in the wall. She pouted in frustration.

As the lesson progressed Himiko got mollified by Tanya's nearby presence to some extent, yet she couldn't shake the underlying disappointment that she only got glimpses of her to see. Lying flat on her tummy in this claustrophobic environment was also rather uncomfortable.

Suddenly a cool gust of wind licked at her ankles and sent shivers down her lower back. Air started to blow through the vent, driving under her skirt and surprising her through the weird sensation it provided. Crossing her legs Himiko tried to let the breeze pass over her, but that distracted her from the obvious:

Carried by the air currents, tiny dust particles streamed through the ventilation tunnel and directly into her nose.

A tiny twitch quickly developed into a mild urge to sneeze and from there spiralled out of control into an overwhelming itch that seemed to drill into her skull! By stifling her mouth and nose with her hands she managed to suppress most of the sound, but the tiniest squeak escaped her nonetheless.

Did they hear her?

Panicked she checked the students faces for signs of trouble, finding all but one otherwise occupied. The only one looking into her direction was an entirely black-coloured boy whose grey irises moved away from her and up to the ceiling as soon as she focused on him.

Puh! She was in luck. Nobody had discovered her.

Nothing similarly exciting happened for a while aside from the extremely light-absorbing boy excusing himself to go to the toilet and walking dangerously close to her vent.

Himiko was just absentmindedly drawing hearts on her palm with a finger when abruptly her whole world went dark. Muffled sounds were the only sensation reaching her, for neither sight nor touch existed in this terrifying void. She struggled for the briefest moment before everything was bright again and she found herself on the floor of 1-B's classroom, the shadow boy looming over her.

Reflexively she kicked him in his unprotected weak point – right between his legs – and sprung to her knees.

He slumped against the wall with a whimper and she found herself owlishly staring at a crowd of flabbergasted students and one very irritated senpai.

"Uh, hi? I..." Himiko was at a loss for words until a brilliant idea sprung up in her mind like a hungry goldfish out of a bowl.

Pointing at Tanya, she confidently declared: "I'm her assistant!"

 

[blakekeane]

Another failure to her name and proof of how much of a terrible coward she was. As much as she hated this damned prison, she couldn't deny that she belonged here. It was the perfect place for a villain like her.

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Someone get this poor girl a hug, stat.

Pointing at Tanya, she confidently declared: "I'm her assistant!"

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Based Himiko.

What a rollercoaster of a chapter.

 

[Crimson Grave]

Lady Nagant was one of the characters that Canon most fucked over. Which says a LOT considering how many people got a dildo full of nails up their ass in Canon.

Also Himiko creating such an enjoyable show for Nezu.

 

[LuridThrone]

Oh hey i had no idea this continued here. Nice!

 

[averagejoe32]

That is why I want to apologize to you for not being there for you when you clearly needed help in your life."

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Being an ideal hero went beyond clocking in during patrol hour and generally uplifting the public spirit. It was a full time commitment to protect those under one's care. Not an easy job, but then again, a worker who never attempted to surpass expectations was not a good investment in the first place.

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As cynical as Tanya can be seeing her interact with her students and come up with reasons for why she should be attached to them is distinctly heartwarming.

Maybe they all could learn from their past together.

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And seeing Tanya determined to get some character development is also fun.

 

[Morte_Perpetua]

As cynical as Tanya can be seeing her interact with her students and come up with reasons for why she should be attached to them is distinctly heartwarming.

And seeing Tanya determined to get some character development is also fun.

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Yeah. This is very much a wholesome!Tanya story lol
But I think it is indeed a logical evolution of her character as we can see it in the manga/LNs/anime. She learns to value her comrades more and becomes more relaxed about the state of the world the more she notices how shit everything is. Here she already has seen the very worst of humanity which has forced her to confront her worldview and mellow out a bit.
(sorry this has nothing to do with your comment anymore but I wanted to share)

Have a nice day! Update hopefully coming soon