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>"I… Well, I'd need to make a couple of calls first... but I'd love to join you!" Momo says, a bright cheerful smile returning to her face following a moment of concern, glancing at both of you. "Mother, Uchimura, and the staff all deserve to know my whereabouts, their plans should not be put on hold because of me."

"Speakin’ of, Ah should call mah momma as well. She worries 'nuff as is, disappearing the day of the exam would be no good." You mention, mirroring your friend and being wholesomely responsible. "The dojo too… Recovery Girl said to take it easy and nothin' we do over there counts as takin' it easy."

>"...I guess I should tell Fuyumi then." Shoto says, shrugging a little bit. You suspect he just wanted to participate. "She gets very worried when I leave without telling anyone."

>"Fuyumi?" Momo asks, once again glancing between the two of you.

"His sis. Older. Pretty nice gal!" You respond on Shoto’s behalf, pointing at him with your thumb. You don't really know her much, but she's the only other member of his family you've met and she's been there for Shoto… That makes her a cool sister in your book.

>"Oh, a sibling. You aren't going to notify your parents, Todoroki?" She says, first a bit surprised by the short explanation you gave, then by your reaction to the figurative wasp nest she just poked, watching you take a step back in surprise.

>"No." Shoto curtly cuts her curiosity off, leaving no room for response. If not his tone, his piercing glare makes it clear the topic just shouldn't be breached any further. It only lasts until he blinks and his expression returns to his normal neutral, but his slight smile he had been sporting is once again gone.

>"L-Let's reconvene at the school gates when we are ready then, shall we?" Momo proposes, clearly noticing the growing awkwardness and trying to give it time to blow over. "We still need to wash and change out of our costumes."

"You’re right, we should get movin', we don't wanna waste daylight." You approve, giving her a thumbs up like All-Might would and walking out along with her and Shoto, him heading to the boys locker room, you and Momo to the girls'.

However, you only make it about a dozen steps out the door before a nagging impulse has you backtracking into the workshop and towards the crate of discarded dolls, taking one before leaving the room again. "And you’re comin' with me."

>"Did you return for that?... Why?" Your friend asks as you catch up with her, doll in hand. Shoto apparently had gone on ahead while Momo stood waiting for you at the nearest junction. "I thought you didn't like its face."

"It could stand to smile a bit more, sure, but it's still pretty dang cute!" You tell her, enlarging the doll in your hand and tracing a soft smile over its face with your free hand. "Ah got a shelf or two that could use some more knick-kna- Oh? Oh-Uhm, sorry?"

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It's not an apology out of the blue, rather a quick reaction to try to keep your slip of the tongue from spiraling out of control. You saw her briefly knit her brow as you spoke, looking hurt before smiling again. You might have ignored something like it before, or just let it go. This time however, you chose to stop your chatter and apologize. Do better.

>"What fo- Oh. Well… ‘Could stand to smile more’… That does sound rather mean, does it not?" Momo asks, then shakes her head. "No, no matter. I know what you meant though, and that's what really counts. Still, could you return that one back to the workshop?"

"...Fine." You concede, rolling your eyes and returning to the workshop, carefully leaving the Momo on the Momo pile in the Momobox before hastily walking back to the real Momo.

>"H-Here." She says, covering her mouth with her right hand after giving your doll back to you with it. She coughs lightly before showing you what she holds in her left. "S-sorry about that. I had thought,... but do hope it's not too awkward to have my visage in your room, and since you were about to take one of those… Those dolls were made to be distractions and weapons. This one I made, instead, as a token of friendship. I hope it's a suitable decoration?"

The doll she hands to you is not much different from the one you just returned, and the new face it sports isn't too different in detail, The eyes are still lines, just vertical now. But that small change, along with a small open-mouth smile makes this doll look more than happy to be in your grasp, unlike the box of bored Momos you left behind.

"Cute!" You proclaim, smiling at the doll and its maker alike. "Thanks for takin' the time, Ah really appreciate it… You're quite the toymaker, ya know?"

>"Oh, not exactly! I've been practicing variations of that kind of doll for years. It's more mnemonics than actual skill in that field." She waves down your compliment, taking the lead as you continue your way to the locker room.

"<Shoot>. And here Ah was thinkin' you could help me with a small issue of mine..." You tell her, clearly getting her interested in your dilemma. "Ya know, Ah've been thinkin' 'bout usin' the lil' me as a decoy once or twice, but Ah've never gone through with it. Can't replace it if it gets hit, ya know?... Think you might be able to help me with that? You could keep this one for the trouble, like I said: first ever made!"

She briefly looks between the fun size Ushi in your hand and the regular you before answering, her confident smile back on her face showing you she found her best solution. You wish you could do that, project that kind of image: to look intelligent without condescension, confident without looking full of yourself or seemingly putting someone under your boot.

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>"I'd need to study the articulation points, as I’m not familiar with them but they don't seem particularly complicated. The patterns are the same as your costume..." She evaluates, then shakes her head. "But the body is simply too detailed for guesswork and on-the-fly replication. I'd be glad to help you… If you find the time to come back to the manor. Attempting anything nearing this level of quality will require precise measurements."

"Measurements." You repeat flatly, having a rocky relationship with both the word and concept. You try to cross your arms too, but that requires compression that your bruised body does not not agree to.

>"Measurements." She affirms with a nod that tells you that she's had a similar relationship with the term. "It could also be at your… place. You certainly would be more comfortable in your own room, right?"

You were about to correct her from habit, that your home is back in Texas. But she hadn’t actually called it ‘home’. Did you ever explain that to anyone and forgot or did she notice that you don't call any place this side of the Pacific home?

"Alright, Ah understand, Ah'll think' bout it." You reassure her, stretching to keep your cooling sweat from gluing you to your costume.

After that, the chance to take your costume off and take a quick shower was just what you needed, even if you had to make it as quick as possible to keep the pain at a minimum.

While you are usually way past the point of getting stared at while changing, everyone in the girl’s room is having a gander at the new and painful large dark bruises on your chest, visibly wincing. Even Toru.

Although the invisible girl was also clearly bursting with energy from her victory, barely waiting for all of you to get dressed before trying to wrangle all attendees to her get-together. All the while hugging an uncharacteristically sad looking Mina.

>"Missing a party is no reason to miss another! Come on, Come on, Come oooon!" Toru declares, her sleeve shaking and showing her pointing skywards. "Exams are over and we have tomorrow to recover, it's our sacred duty to go out and have fun, to celebrate passing and to cheer up those that didn't! Right, Ashido?"

>"You had to rub it in, didn't you?" Mina replies, pouting while being shook back and forth in Toru’s grasp.

>"So, you aren't going?" Toru asks, her playful tone making it clear she doesn't believe that.

>"Hey, I didn't say THAT!" The pink gal answers with an excited smile, her moping momentarily forgotten as she rubs her hands together and looks around, her expression looking more and more mischievous. "We are going to go to Shibuya! I know a club that lets minors in!~"

"Wait, you drink?" You blurt out the moment you hear her sing-song boasting, red flags and alarms blaring in your head. Looking around, you aren't the only one surprised, and judging by Momo's expression, not the most alarmed either.

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>"Eh? No!.. I mean, I've tried some stuff? Nevermind that, they don't sell alcohol there!" Mina explains, desperately waving her hands as she tries to clear things up. "It's a club for high schoolers!... It's, uh, why they'll let us in..."

There's an awkward silence at her admission.

>"...I just wanted it to sound cool." She admits, crossing her arms and huffing in your direction. "Whatever, you'll see!"

"Oh, Ah'm not goin'." You tell her as you make sure your costume is properly packed in its case, checking the belt just in case. Nope, Tin is in its snug pocket in your bag, sitting alongside your newly acquired mini-Momo.

>"I'd rest up too, I can't even imagine how much that stings." Kyoka nods, looking below your neck.

"Nah, it hurts <like hell> but Ah'm not goin' to collapse. Ah'm takin' the chance to go out with Momo and Shoto!" You tell them, scratching the back of your neck under your nest of hair.

>"But do feel free to celebrate without us!... Just don't get into trouble." Momo backs you up as she comes to stand next to you, nodding at Kyoka.

>"Yeah, yeah, I'll make sure no one does anything stupid." She responds, rolling her eyes. "Don't worry, most of the guys will be there too. I don't think Iida would let anyone do anything more troubling than jaywalking without waving down the police and Sero seems to have enough common sense to compensate for Kaminari's stupidity."

"How 'bout you, Tsu? Gotta take care of your siblings today?" You ask the green haired girl. She could easily be the most reliable person in the room, so having her there would guarantee everything goes smoothly.

>"No, I thought I'd need today to rest after the exams and made sure I wasn't needed back home. Ribbit." She shakes her head, then continues, tapping her chin as she often does. "Don't worry, I'll keep everything under control, I'm used to babysitting."

If she noticed Mina's glare at her comment, Tsuyu didn't show it.

>"We'll plan a bit more, but you two better get going if you don't want to leave Todoroki waiting." Mina says, putting her hands on both your and Momo's shoulders and pushing you towards the door. "Not sure who's watching and whose date it is, but I want the deetz on Friday!"

>"Wait…" Momo tries to argue, too surprised to react.

"...What?" You exclaim as the heels of your boots squeak against the floor, flustered and confused.

But in the end, you can only be glad that she waited until you were ready to push you out of the changing room.

>"Well, that's just rude!" Momo loudly states, as if expecting anyone still inside to care.

"We are just gonna have fun!" You try to explain, banging your fist against the door.

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>"I know, I'm just having fun." Mina’s eyebrows flutter suggestively while opening the door just enough to peek out, then sticks out her tongue and slides out your suitcases. "If I’m going to be stuck in remedial hell, I hope you all get some good stories during the break! That includes you too, class mom and class big-sis! So go out and do something interesting~!" She lets the door shut just as she finishes that last word, emphasizing it.

>"I wonder which…" Momo starts, then sighs before taking out her phone. "Nevermind, let's just... clear our parents' permissions, put our costumes away, and get to the gates."

Nodding, you take out your own phone, quickly unlocking it as you walk.

Knowing your momma will take longer, if only because she'll have things to say about your injuries, you decide to start by calling The Tigers' Den to let your instructor know you aren't flaking. First you try to text Spring Tiger, but the attempts at sending it fail. Calling her sends you to directly to a full voicemail box too. Without any better options, you look up the dojo's mainline and hope someone picks up.

>"Good afternoon. This is a busy day at The Tigers' Den dojo, what's your name and business?" An unknown, older male voice asks. It doesn't sound like he's being rude, more like he doesn't know how to answer the phone.

"Uhm… Ah'm Walker. Walker Ushi, Ah'm supposed to have practice today, but Ah can't make it. Ah… Uhm…" You try to get your point across with minimal detail, not knowing who you are talking to. "...Ah got shot a couple times. Wax rounds, but Ah can't go eat mat this week cuz of it. School nurse orders n’all. Can you tell Spring Tiger 'bout it for me, please?"

>"Hmm… Ten years ago I would have demanded you to attend your training regardless." The man muses, his humming sounding like an enervating growl. "Very well, I'll pass your message along to Harui."

"Thank ya kindly!" You tell him, and almost hang up. "Huh…Oh, who am Ah talkin' to?"

>"Tiger the Great, 13th to don the mask... Current owner of the dojo." He answers, sounding rather proud. "I do hope I get to see you in action in person soon, Walker."

With that, he hangs up, leaving you wondering if you had imagined the purring sound as he named himself. Big cats don't purr, after all.

Looking beside you and seeing Momo still on the phone as you secure your costume in its storage slot, you dial for your second call, this time to your Momma. Unlike the dojo, she makes you wait before picking up.

>"Heya, hun! Mighty sorry about that, dang thing fell into the couch and I couldn't look under it while liftin' it! Angus got it though." She greets you, panting a little. "How'd the exam go? Did you get another high score at scrappin' 'bots?"

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"Yeah, 'bout that… Turns out there were no robots this time?" You tell her, dragging the sentence as if it was a question, trying to find a way to tell her you got shot without her immediately reaching for sake. "We were assigned a teammate and a teacher played the villain for each team. Uraraka and Ah got to fight Snipe… Ever heard of him?"

>"Hmm… A little, I think. Nice hat, silly hair? Yeah…although I am having trouble recalling your teammate. Wait, they made you fight a cowboy? Did you complain 'bout the implications?" She asks, clearly amused.

“What? No! Snipe is a genuine gentleman… tries to be?” You end in a mutter as your mind lingers on the method of his defeat to Uravity’s... softness. "It ain't like he tried to lasso me or something like that. Uraraka's the pink one… Ah mean, black 'n' pink costume. Pink hair and skin's Pinky, Ah mean Ashido and… Ah couldn't have done this sillier…"

>"Right, right… But you still gored him, right?" She continues. This time you don't need to assume she's having fun, as she finishes her question with a chuckle.

"'yuup! Threw Uravity at him… It worked." You not-explaining, knowing that if it was you in Uraraka's place, you wouldn't want anyone else to know. "Ah also, kinda... got shot? Like three time-?... Hello?"

You hear a strangled squeal, a thud then nothing for a couple seconds. Then someone seemingly fiddling with the phone.

>"Uh… Hi, this is Angus. Auntie is... uhm... looking at the wall? Small eyes. She dropped the phone... Uhm, should I give it to dad? But, he went earlier...." You hear your little cousin think out loud. "Oh, she's moving again. I'll give her the phone back, ‘kay? Bye bye!"

Hearing the phone change hands and your mother's heavy breathing, you brace for impact.

>"Okay... you are calling, so it can't be that bad... right!?" Your mom asks, now sounding rather, weak? "Christ... Are you okay, do you need me to pick you up?"

"Ah'm okay, they were wax rounds, didn't get much more than some bruising. Ah'm fine." You reiterate, hearing her exhale loudly. "But now that Ah'm done with the exams and have tomorrow free, Ah was hopin' to go out with Momo 'n' Shoto? Please?"

>"Ah. Good company, those two… Sure, but I'm taking you to the doc tomorrow morning." She tells you. "Ah know we've got hard heads, but Ah wanna be sure you ain't rattling your brains or anything else too much. You put a hell of a show back on the tournament shrugging off blows, but that can't be healthy hun."

"Uhm… Ah dunno if Ah'll be able to wake up early tomorrow, maybe you could book that for the afternoon?" You ask her, thinking back to your previous rest days. You could take the blanket Shoto gave you for your birthday and stay rolled up till lunch, that sounds comfy.

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>"Oh, that wasn't a question hun. I don't know when you'll have the time again, and I want to make sure I'll get you an appointment. Mornings are just easier." She tells you, still sounding rather high strung and maybe a bit passive-aggressive.

It seems there's no burrito day in your near future.

"So Ah can go?" You ask again, keeping your excitement in check.

>"Sure can. Just mind your bedtime, you need rest, after all." She answers, finishing with a tired chuckle.

"Thanks!" You say, relieved that you didn't plan for nothing. "Love ya! See ya later!"

>"One more thing!" Your ma interjects before you can hang up. "Have fun hun, you've earned it. Love you, little calf!"

"Don't-!" You blurt out, but she has already hung up. Instead you turn to look at Momo, observing you. "Got foreshadowing, permission and a doctor appointment. How did your call go?"

>"Just permission... and some money." She says, rubbing the side of her arm, looking a bit nervous. "Mother sounded quite excited at the prospect of me going out and exploring, overwhelmingly so. I'm not sure what she thought we would be doing, but I don't think we can match her expectations."

“Not if we can help it!” You let your excitement bloom in full, taking your friend by the hand and rush to the school gate, trying to keep any bobbing and bouncing to a minimum while dragging your friend behind you.

Being decently tall, your stride covers a lot of ground with little effort and Momo, being taller than you, has little trouble keeping up after her surprise wears offt.

"We can go find a booth and grab somethin' to eat! Or catch a movie! Or Ah can wipe the floor with y'all at an arcade! Or we can go shoppin'! Or or or… Whatever you want!" You tell her as you look for Shoto. "This ain't Nowhere, Texas! We can go and do anythin', everythin's close here in Japan! And there's trains for what you can't walk to! Ah'm sure we'll find sumthin' to impress Yaomama."

>"I assume you are both going then." Shoto comments as you quickly approach him, leaning against the arch way. "Did you get to ask permission before she started dragging you?"

You feel Momo try to slow down, but you don't let her, instead, you pass next to Shoto and grab his hand too, dragging both of them out of school grounds, not stopping until you reach the street corner outside of school, forced to decide which direction to take despite having no idea yet of where you are heading.

>"Is she always like this?" Momo asks your other companion, flushed and nursing her wrist after you let go of her hand.

>"Yes." Shoto simply answers before looking at both Momo and you. "Now, where are we going?"

"Ah'm… not sure." You answer meanderingly, shrugging. "Ah didn't wanna drag y'all into sumthin' without asking whatcha wanna do first..."

>"I have no strong preferences, only that we get something to eat." Shoto comments first.

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>"I'm not sure myself. I would suggest shopping, pampering and the like…" Momo follows up, obviously recollecting your day out at the mall. "But I'm not sure if Todoroki would be comfortable with that… Or allowed at all, in the case of a parlor. What do you think, W- Ushi?"

>[What do you do?]

>[You have this one afternoon with your pals to do anything… And everything. Time to get social… PLUS ULTRA! "Ah say we go to a mall. Ah have one in mind… And hit the arcade! And the strength pull machine! And they have a wall to climb and race… And then there's the food court! And some stores with electronics and <doodads> to try! There's just so much to do! Oh, and regular shops too if we feel like slowin' down!" [Anything extra to add?]]
>[You know what Shoto likes by now, and you are pretty sure Momo would like it as well. "Ah heard there's this little cafe near school, sorta hidin’ in what looks like a house… Sounds like a nice little place to relax, chat 'n' grab a bite to start, don'tcha think?" [Anything extra to add?]]
>[You are sure Momo would prefer something more relaxing to do, but you have some trouble figuring out what. Looking for things that boys and girls can do only shows mixed baths, after all. "Well, we could go to a teppanyaki! It'd be nice to lay back after the exams and just eat, watch 'n' chat!" [Anything extra to add?]]
>[Write in.]

---

And we are back at it again!

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Much appreciated tip-jar: Ko-fi.com/thedevilpm

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>>4545243
>[You know what Shoto likes by now, and you are pretty sure Momo would like it as well. "Ah heard there's this little cafe near school, sorta hidin’ in what looks like a house… Sounds like a nice little place to relax, chat 'n' grab a bite to start, don'tcha think?" [Anything extra to add?]]
Do you think we'll ever hear about that one time the mask got stolen?

>>4545243
>>[Write in.]
Kitty cafe.
It's relaxing, but also quaint and low pressure and has kittens

>>4545243
>>[You know what Shoto likes by now, and you are pretty sure Momo would like it as well. "Ah heard there's this little cafe near school, sorta hidin’ in what looks like a house… Sounds like a nice little place to relax, chat 'n' grab a bite to start, don'tcha think?" [Anything extra to add?]]

>>4545243
>[You know what Shoto likes by now, and you are pretty sure Momo would like it as well. "Ah heard there's this little cafe near school, sorta hidin’ in what looks like a house… Sounds like a nice little place to relax, chat 'n' grab a bite to start, don'tcha think?"

>>4545243
>>[You know what Shoto likes by now, and you are pretty sure Momo would like it as well. "Ah heard there's this little cafe near school, sorta hidin’ in what looks like a house… Sounds like a nice little place to relax, chat 'n' grab a bite to start, don'tcha think?" [Anything extra to add?]]

>>4545243
>[Write in.]
Tanuki Cafe, it has food and raccoons, what more could you want

Woo! We back!
Ushi-Chan wants to hang out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3JVomxH8X
>>4545274
This guy gets it.

With that said,
>[Write in.]
>[Shoto and Momo come from a similar demographic... use that to your advantage! Cross-reference locales they've both enjoyed to find one that's worth celebrating within "Theres bound to be a place you both liked!"]
Follow up with
>[VR Mecha Arcade! Those ones in the full diegetic booths. Do versus as well as team-matches together.]
Finish with
>Kitty Cafe

The last two permitting they are within reasonable distance to the first.

Huh, I realize I am kinda doing a hybrid of all 3, One classy momo restaraunt, high-pace fun activity, chase with a relaxing cute environment.

Also make sure to bring Tin out where you can! He's good company.

>>4545327
SHIT the link was a letter short
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3JVomxH8Xo

>>4545327
>>4545243

And I forgot the ref too. smdh.

>>4545243
>[You know what Shoto likes by now, and you are pretty sure Momo would like it as well. "Ah heard there's this little cafe near school, sorta hidin’ in what looks like a house… Sounds like a nice little place to relax, chat 'n' grab a bite to start, don'tcha think?"

>Got to a Kitty Cafe

>>4545243
>[You know what Shoto likes by now, and you are pretty sure Momo would like it as well. "Ah heard there's this little cafe near school, sorta hidin’ in what looks like a house… Sounds like a nice little place to relax, chat 'n' grab a bite to start, don'tcha think?" [Anything extra to add?]]

>>4545327
As much as I desperately want to chill with Tin too, I don’t think we can have it out much of anywhere public. Not with those guns, at least until we get our provisional license.

I guess we could ask Tin whether the guns come off?

>>4545482
Would be good to know for the potential hot-swap potential for Tin for some long-range armaments.

>>4545488
The guns are already long-range, we’d be looking to add a high-precision alternative.

Or a sword, if you’re a sucker for robots with swords like I am.

>>4545243
>>[You know what Shoto likes by now, and you are pretty sure Momo would like it as well. "Ah heard there's this little cafe near school, sorta hidin’ in what looks like a house… Sounds like a nice little place to relax, chat 'n' grab a bite to start, don'tcha think?" [Anything extra to add?]]
If it's a cat cafe I will be very happy.

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>>4545496
>Swords
Weak shit, we can go further

>>4545243
>[You know what Shoto likes by now, and you are pretty sure Momo would like it as well. "Ah heard there's this little cafe near school, sorta hidin’ in what looks like a house… Sounds like a nice little place to relax, chat 'n' grab a bite to start, don'tcha think?" [Anything extra to add?]]

>>4545243
>[You know what Shoto likes by now, and you are pretty sure Momo would like it as well. "Ah heard there's this little cafe near school, sorta hidin’ in what looks like a house… Sounds like a nice little place to relax, chat 'n' grab a bite to start, don'tcha think?" [Anything extra to add?]]
Let's order a nice cup of Golden Tips Imperial. Momo will love it.

>>4545502
I think it's the cafe Gentle was coming out of when Deku ran into him in the Culture Festival arc. I guess there could be a cat, though, we didn't see inside it.

When are we gonna have Mei turn Tin into a Transformer?

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>>4545981
Better question, when is she going to create more robots that can use nanodevices to fuse with Tin to form an even bigger robot?

>>4545243
>[You know what Shoto likes by now, and you are pretty sure Momo would like it as well. "Ah heard there's this little cafe near school, sorta hidin’ in what looks like a house… Sounds like a nice little place to relax, chat 'n' grab a bite to start, don'tcha think?"
>"Maybe swing by the mall, afterwards?"

>>4545243
>>[You are sure Momo would prefer something more relaxing to do, but you have some trouble figuring out what. Looking for things that boys and girls can do only shows mixed baths, after all. "Well, we could go to a teppanyaki! It'd be nice to lay back after the exams and just eat, watch 'n' chat!" [Anything extra to add?]]

>>4545243
>>4545327

>>4545243
>>[You know what Shoto likes by now, and you are pretty sure Momo would like it as well. "Ah heard there's this little cafe near school, sorta hidin’ in what looks like a house… Sounds like a nice little place to relax, chat 'n' grab a bite to start, don'tcha think?"

>>4545243
>>[You know what Shoto likes by now, and you are pretty sure Momo would like it as well. "Ah heard there's this little cafe near school, sorta hidin’ in what looks like a house… Sounds like a nice little place to relax, chat 'n' grab a bite to start, don'tcha think?"

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While you knew your friends would be, especially compared to you, indecisive or aloof, you expected more input from them than that. After all, they seemed just as excited to hang out. You aren't mad for having to figure it out yourself though, you know them well enough to have a few ideas at the ready that both Momo and Shoto will enjoy.

"Ah heard there's this little café near school, sorta hidin’ in what looks like a house. Sounds like a nice little place to relax, chat, n' grab a bite to start, don'tcha think?" You ask, looking around for the tall sign of the nearby hardware store for a second, then pointing towards it.

>"Oh? Yes, that does sound pleasant. The herbal infusions at the infirmary were refreshing, and the biscuits were… serviceable. But a proper tea time would be more than welcome." Momo approves, with a smile and a nod.

>"It did not take us long to defeat Mr. Aizawa, but it did take a lot of out of you, didn't it?" Shoto asks her, his subtle facial expressions indicating concern. He then glances at you, too. "I recall now that both of your quirks take a heavy toll on your bodies, you must be famished."

>"It's not nearly as serious as you make it sound, and is fairly simple to deal with." Momo waves his concerns off. "It’s true, quirks can have all sorts of drawbacks. Some much more severe than others. Burning thousands of calories, by comparison, is barely a issue, right Ushi?...I may call you that, right?"

"Gettin' to eat half mah height in pancakes is half the fun of trainin'." You confirm. "Oh, and <absolutely>. Ah'm not your upperclassman and Shoto does it too, so it'd be kinda silly to keep up the formal speech." You nod while you continue to look around.

>"You are amongst friends." Shoto states, with the same kind of simple certainty you'd use to speak of the blue of the sky or the green of the grass. Her warm smile at hearing that rouses one on your own face. You maintain it as you lead your friends towards warm drinks and pastries.

Knowing what you were looking for, you quickly find the café in all it's ivy covered glory. From across the street, the building looks like an aged neglected house, the kind that demolishing would cost more than the land it sits on. But that's how you know it is the right place. That and the smell.

>"I don't mean to doubt your sense of direction, ...Ushi." Momo comments, glancing towards Shoto as she tries out your name. "But are you sure that's a café? It looks… Derelict."

>"It could be a local business, it wouldn't need to be eye catching to do well if it already has regular customers." Shoto points out, but he doesn't sound too convinced either.

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"Looks almost abandoned, right?" You ask, waiting for their nods before telling your tale. "The class B kids were talkin' 'bout this place at lunch the other day! Apparently, Yanagi read on her forum that it was a haunted house, but when she entered, there was just a lone really old guy there to greet her and offer her tea! Tetsutetsu joked that it was simply not haunted yet, but Pony didn't find any of it funny at all!"

They share a silent look before looking back at you. Shoto hides it easily as usual, but Momo makes no attempt to obscure the fact that she’s puzzled about how to react to that.

>"...I'm inclined to agree with Tsunotori." Momo replies after a pause, taking it all too seriously. "An old man dying alone is hardly funny. It's rather sad, actually."

Seeing as your funny anecdote didn't have the effect you desired, you choose to drop it.

"...Let's just head in?" You offer, taking point and crossing the trafficless street.

Neither of your friends hesitate to follow, although neither looks convinced until you finally push the door open. The soft smell you had picked up from across the street wafts out in force making you scrunch your nose for a moment. Strong aromas of chocolate and vanilla, coffee and tea, sugar and cream bring to mind memories of your break at the Yaoyorozu manor, to the blissful taste of the fluffiest cake and a tea you could begrudgingly admit you liked. With all of that promising a fantastically sweet evening, it takes you a moment to realize just how different the café is to the manor. Whereas at Momo's home you could gorge yourself on a single massive cake, all the sweetson display here don't look larger than a couple slices each. While the quantity is seemingly missing, your nose continues to insist that the quality is there.

>"Oh? You are early today! Slow day at the-" A dry voice says from behind the bar and a second later the expected old man appears, walking out from what you suspect to be a kitchen. With hair nearly stark white apart from some wisps of brown, the wrinkly old man briefly peers at you, then adjusts his thick round glasses. "Ah. Does this old shop have new customers? I always wondered when you U.A. kids stopped coming… No, of course you've never been here, you'd have graduated about five times over if you were in school at that time…"

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As the old man rambles, you look at the wall he breifly motions towards, taking in the many framed pictures there, several of them depicting people in U.A.'s uniform. One in particular catches your eye, showing three teenagers, a cake and a cat. Despite the genuine smile on his face, you still can recognize your homeroom teacher, and your English teacher next to him looks almost the same as he does today. Somehow Present Mic is loud even in picture form, if less mustachioed. The third smiling boy in the picture you just can't place. A friend of theirs perhaps? As far as you know, there's no light-blue haired teachers at U.A. but he could simply be a hero you've not heard of.

You quickly lose track of what the man's saying, looking at the homely mostly-wooden interior of the café. The small round tables and chairs are set up for parties of one, two, or three at most, while the small glass displays show off various beautifully decorated small cakes. Engraved boxes of what your nose tells you are teas you've never tried, sit next to metal containers emitting the fading smell of old roasted coffee. It all looks nice and smells just as well, something way harder to fake… But then again, the place is a few boarded windows away from looking condemned, and you just don't understand why.

The sound of Shoto clearing his throat snaps you out of your investigation, making you notice the shopkeeper is still talking and that both of your friends are desperately yet politely waiting for their elder to finish.

"Right ...time for the American thing." You grumble under your breath before speaking up. "Howdy! We heard there was a café 'round here, 's this the place?"

>"...I knew that courtesy tea would get the word of mouth going." The old man continues for a couple seconds before seemingly realizing he's rambling. "...Oh, right, sorry, sorry. Old Inuzo gets carried away sometimes. Yes, yes what can I bring you, kids?"

>"The menu, please." Shoto asks, raising his hand as he pulls back a chair, but you grab his wrist and point towards another, cleaner table.

"This one." You say as you pull back the chairs on one of the more robust tables, putting your weight on them to be sure before letting your friends sit.

>"Of course… I have it around here, somewhere…" The old man says, before ducking under the bar and loudly shuffling papers for a minute or two, emerging with a small laminated booklet and handing it over to Momo. "Ah, here it is. It's not much, but that lets me keep a good eye on the ingredients' stock! Keeps preparation times from ballooning, too."

>"Thank you. Hmm..." She says as she takes it, briefly eyeing the pastries on display before reading the menu. "If those are the sizes, then I don't see why not buy the entire cake. These two, please, to share."

She then places the menu on the middle of the table, where Shoto quickly picks it up, looks at it, then immediately puts it down.

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>"I'll just have a bowl of mochi ice cream. Vanilla if possible." He says, getting a confirming nod from the old man.

"And Ah have no idea!" You joke, reaching for the menu. "Lemme have a look…"

>"I thought we could share." Momo comments, pointing at one of the cakes on display, one of ones she ordered. Can't be bigger than a couple slices, but that only makes it look better, like a little meringue and cream cloud with strawberries on top. You can't deny it looks mouthwatering. "You just enjoy yourself and let me take care of these things, Ushi."

Huh.

>What do you do?

>[Ask Shoto about his costume/name. You aren't above playing dress up. "Hey, mister no name kid! What's up with the first name alias? And the… Utilitarian costume? Where did that Mr. Freeze one go anyways? This is the one profession you wanna stick out as much as ya can, ya know?!"]
>[Take the menu and order some sandwiches for yourself. "Nah, Ah can take care of mahself… Ah'll still mooch a little from your cake though."]
>[Ask the old man about the photos on the wall. "So, what happun' here? Kinda looks like some of our… upperclassmen used to come here, back in the day…."]
>[... "Say, do ya happen to keep any cats 'round here still?"]
>[Write in.]

>>4549333
>>[Ask Shoto about his costume/name. You aren't above playing dress up. "Hey, mister no name kid! What's up with the first name alias? And the… Utilitarian costume? Where did that Mr. Freeze one go anyways? This is the one profession you wanna stick out as much as ya can, ya know?!"]

>>4549333
>>[Take the menu and order some sandwiches for yourself. "Nah, Ah can take care of mahself… Ah'll still mooch a little from your cake though."]
>>[Ask the old man about the photos on the wall. "So, what happun' here? Kinda looks like some of our… upperclassmen used to come here, back in the day…."]

>>4549333
>[Write in]
>"Howzabout I get us some sandwiches, and we can split?"

>>4549333
>>[... "Say, do ya happen to keep any cats 'round here still?"]
get treated to cake, aquire cat!

>>4549333
>[Ask Shoto about his costume/name. You aren't above playing dress up. "Hey, mister no name kid! What's up with the first name alias? And the… Utilitarian costume? Where did that Mr. Freeze one go anyways? This is the one profession you wanna stick out as much as ya can, ya know?!"]

>>4549333

>[Ask the old man about the photos on the wall. "So, what happun' here? Kinda looks like some of our… upperclassmen used to come here, back in the day…."]
>[... "Say, do ya happen to keep any cats 'round here still?"]

>>4549333
also add
>[... "Say, do ya happen to keep any cats 'round here still?"] to >>4549336
Get lap kitty

>>4549333
>>[... "Say, do ya happen to keep any cats 'round here still?"]

>>4549333
>[Take the menu and order some sandwiches for yourself. "Nah, Ah can take care of mahself… Ah'll still mooch a little from your cake though."]
>[Ask the old man about the photos on the wall. "So, what happun' here? Kinda looks like some of our… upperclassmen used to come here, back in the day…."]

If i recall Momo commented something about people thinking she should be the one paying for stuff. So i say we eat some sandwiches AND share the cake.

>>4549333
>[Ask Shoto about his costume/name. You aren't above playing dress up. "Hey, mister no name kid! What's up with the first name alias? And the… Utilitarian costume? Where did that Mr. Freeze one go anyways? This is the one profession you wanna stick out as much as ya can, ya know?!"]
>[Ask the old man about the photos on the wall. "So, what happun' here? Kinda looks like some of our… upperclassmen used to come here, back in the day…."]

>>4549333
>[... "Say, do ya happen to keep any cats 'round here still?"]

>>4549333
>>[Take the menu and order some sandwiches for yourself. "Nah, Ah can take care of mahself… Ah'll still mooch a little from your cake though."]
>>[Ask the old man about the photos on the wall. "So, what happun' here? Kinda looks like some of our… upperclassmen used to come here, back in the day…."]

>>4549333
>[Ask Shoto about his costume/name. You aren't above playing dress up. "Hey, mister no name kid! What's up with the first name alias? And the… Utilitarian costume? Where did that Mr. Freeze one go anyways? This is the one profession you wanna stick out as much as ya can, ya know?!"]

>>4549333
>"Howzabout I get us some sandwiches, and we can split both? We're hungry gals after all"
>"... Say, do ya happen to keep any cats 'round here still?
After acquiring lap cat.
>">[Ask Shoto about his costume/name. You aren't above playing dress up. "Hey, mister no name kid! What's up with the first name alias? And the… Utilitarian costume? Where did that Mr. Freeze one go anyways? This is the one profession you wanna stick out as much as ya can, ya know?!"]

>>4549333
>[Take the menu and order some sandwiches for yourself. "Nah, Ah can take care of mahself… Ah'll still mooch a little from your cake though."]
>[Ask the old man about the photos on the wall. "So, what happun' here? Kinda looks like some of our… upperclassmen used to come here, back in the day…."]
>[... "Say, do ya happen to keep any cats 'round here still?"]

>>4549333
>[Ask Shoto about his costume/name. You aren't above playing dress up. "Hey, mister no name kid! What's up with the first name alias? And the… Utilitarian costume? Where did that Mr. Freeze one go anyways? This is the one profession you wanna stick out as much as ya can, ya know?!"]
Even if you're looking to succeed based solely on your skills, marketing is a skill, just not the kind you'd expect.

>>4549333
>[Ask the old man about the photos on the wall. "So, what happun' here? Kinda looks like some of our… upperclassmen used to come here, back in the day…."]

>>4549333
>[Ask the old man about the photos on the wall. "So, what happun' here? Kinda looks like some of our… upperclassmen used to come here, back in the day…."]

Let's accept Momo offer to share. She is trying to be friendly and might feel she accidently offended Ushi or something if we rebuke her.

>>4549780
I get this and thought the offer to split on it+sandwiches would seem like a nice way to reciprocate.

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WHICH ONE OF YOU FUCKS DID IT?! WHICH ONE OF YOU HAD THE FUCKING IDEA TO LINK THIS THREAD TO THE DEGENERATE INFESTED CESSPOOL OF THE /a/ MHA THREADS?!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?! DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NOT JUST TO THESE THREADS BUT ALL OF /qst/ IF YOU KEEP DOING THIS SHIT?!!!

>people coming to qst
Unthinkable

>>4550022
When and where was this done?

>>4550442

An old BNHA thread on /a/. It’s nothing. One guy linked to it, and one person replied with “Cringe”, and that’s it.

>>4550472

This is me on the phone. Lets see if my laptop has the same ID.

>>4550472
>/a/
>getting to call anything cringe
But seriously, that board calling anything cringe displays a tremendous lack of self-awareness.

>>4551621

I agree

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You eye Momo suspiciously for a second, thinking briefly it might be a test of sorts.

"Ya sure?" You ask, picking up and pointing at the sandwiches on the menu, well aware that she doesn't like people counting on her dime. "Ah mean, Ah have mah eye on these, ya don't have to share if ya don't wanna…"

>"I wouldn't have made the offer if I didn't want to do it, wouldn't I?" She retorts, covering her mouth for a very dainty giggle while raising a very good point.

"Okay then. Guess Ah won't be orderin' nothin'... yet." You concede with a shrug, letting the laminated paper fall back on the table. "Ah'll be sure to thank you though!"

>"Well, two cakes for two girls… I'll be the first to say our pastries aren't the largest there are, but I don't think you'll have any more room if you finish them!" The old man quips, taking the menu off the table.

While Momo seems to just wait for him to leave, you don't waste the opportunity to smugly smile at the remark, prepared to comment-

>"I would not be so sure." Shoto interjects before you can. "Both Walker and Yaoyorozu gave a great performance at the exams today. Between mere recovery and celebration, two cakes might not be enough."

The old man stops a second at that, his eyes opening wide as he scrutinizes your dark haired friend, then you, and finally peering back at Shoto.

>"Right, right… Anything to drink, master Todoroki?" He asks, his tone changing from a casual grandfatherly one to being tense and respectful.

Just like that, it gets awkward for at least Shoto and you, shrinking back a bit in your seats. Momo doesn't seem to mind it at all, but it makes you wonder how often this kind of stuff happens to your friends.

>"Please, do not do that, we just want to wind down." Shoto asks with a sigh and looking away before answering the question. He thinks on it more than anyone should for just a cup of joe. "And I will have an ice- Actually, just a coffee."

>"Do bring a tea set with your best tea for us, please." Momo adds, apparently in charge of your drinks as well. You don't mind though, currently more interested in Shoto's order.

>"Very well. It shouldn't take long to get everything ready." The old man says, bowing before retreating back behind the bar. "I'll make sure you enjoy your time here!"

As soon as you are sure the old man can't see you, you lean in towards Shoto.

"Iced coffee AND ice cream? Do ya hate your teeth?" You joke, leaving the 'too' out from the end of it. It’s not your place to unveil or hint towards his familial grudges in front of Momo. "Good call on the switch there, sugah!"

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>"I've been thinking a lot lately, and some things I used to be so sure of seem rather silly now. I'll try to give some things a chance." He answers while nodding, much to Momo's visible confusion. Sometimes his loathing for his father seemed to manifest as a rejection for basically everything over 150° F, but you are pleased to see that is slowly changing for your friend, even if it’s, literally, by degrees.

Acting on your usual instincts, you reach for him and just pat his head this time. Trying to lean over the table for the typical hug would bump the napkin holder off the table as well as hit your bruise. Encouraging him to do things besides hating Endeavor is one of the main points you have tried to uphold as his friend, and despite your recent absence, you haven’t given up on that at all.

Momo’s confusion turns curious at both of you, but she holds back from prying. You can only be thankful for that.

"So… Great performance? Did ya watch or ya just assumin’?" You ask Shoto as you pull back your hand. "Glad to know you liked workin' with Momo that much, but Ah got shot and was carried out. It wasn't all that good for me."

>"Several of our classmates struggled against the clock as much as against the teachers. A quick victory by any measure qualifies." He explains, shrugging. Despite the conviction with which he says it, you are still sure he made that up on the fly.

As the old man had said, it didn't take him long to return with a tray holding a bowl of colorful mochi and two small, yet whole cakes… But they are for you two alone. Focused on the food, you barely notice that the shop owner takes a second trip for the drinks. Following some reflexive words of gratitude, you take the chance to ask a few questions once you snap out of the spell of the tempting visage of the creamy heaven awaiting you. You speak up once more when he’s finally placed the steaming coffee and teapot down.

"So, what happun' here? Kinda looks like some of our… upperclassmen used to come here back in the day..." You trail off, leaving your curiosity hanging in the air for his answer as you point towards the wall with your thumb.

>"I… I don't truly know." He answers, putting down the empty tray with a slouch. "The shop was never popular in particular, but some kids from your school used to frequently bring their friends here for birthdays, to study in peace for a test, or to celebrate passing them with some dessert. They just kind of stopped after... that incident. I guess they didn't feel like celebrating around here anymore. And I figure if the upperclassmen don't bring their underclassmen around, then I can only assume everyone forgot about old Inuzo's shop."

"...Incident?" You ask for clarification as a bubbly Momo prepares the teacups.

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>"You know… The death of the UA student, 13 years ago, I believe." He says after a pause, clearly not wanting to spell it out any further than that. "I heard it happened during an internship, but the school still bolstered their security after. I assume similar precautions happened again this year after that nasty attack… I'm glad no one died this time."

>"Even the best school has some dark stains in its records." Shoto contemplates.

>"Let's be thankful we aren't among said stains." Momo adds with a solemn nod while you recall the events of your third day at UA. The stress of being separated from your classmates, the dread of being targeted by that villainous scum, the fire...you don’t take the notion of being merely a blemish on UA’s reputation so lightly.

"<Damn> thanking any of them! If there's anythin' we've proven today, is that we can beat fully grown heros off!" You defiantly declare, slamming your fist against your palm, repeatedly for emphasis. "If somebody thinks they can "stain" me, they are in for a poundin'!"

>"...Do remind me, did any of Snipe’s shots connect with your head?" Momo asks after a brief pause, slowly tilting her head to the side.

"'yuup. Right on the horn... the other horn Ah mean, rattled me timbers 'n' everythin' within." You boast, still riled up from thinking about the USJ incident. You point at your still sore horn and the thin line of crystallized sap on it. "Nothin' serious this time though, Ah think. They are kinda made for trauma 'n' stuff, and it's already healin' nicely! The wood Ah’ve got is just as strong as what yer used to handlin at home!" Oddly, your reassurance only makes Momo tilt her head further, with her brow furrowed.

>"Fire makes a mess of all things." Shoto asserts with a grim nod of his own, not looking at the cracked one but the shorter of the two, earning himself your glare. Not that you think he's wrong, but you are not going to let him dwell on that, especially after he just professed to opening up a bit more.

>"<Hey,> there was none of it this time!" You loudly remark, bringing your hands to your head and stealing Pony's signature pose for a second by making finger-horns next to your real set, trying to raise his spirits and not fall into another funk. "Don'tcha worry sugah, Ah'll be fine for headbutts, gorin' and all head givin' activities in no time!"

While you get the small smile you were hoping for from the boy, the sigh and nose pinching from Momo was peculiar, as is the repressed drawn-out snort from the old man.

>"I hope you enjoy it. Don't hesitate to call if you need anything else or the bill, please." The old man sputters out as he retreats behind the bar once more, letting himself laugh freely once there while seemingly thinking you can't hear it along with the comment, "Lucky boy."

"What an odd fella." You remark, looking towards the bar for a second before returning to the small feast on the table in front of you.

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With the tantalizing cake now mere inches away from your face, you have to remind yourself to not start openly sniffing it, or worse, just dive in face first with company present. It just smells as good as it looks, or so your quirk-given hunger makes it feel like. The yellow tea set out for you by your dear friend is not far behind the cake with its own alluring scent. It shares the same nice base as the green teas your mother brews for a calm afternoon, but lacking the grassy note that usually overpowers the tea's own flavor. To your senses, it makes them taste like second rate dandelion juice.

This tea is not like those, instead smelling more like some pure and sweet flower than common grass. It’s a somewhat familiar yet unidentifiable aroma that you can't help but keep trying to compare to every relaxing scent in your memory, trying to find anything closer than simply the concept of tea...

>"Appreciating the Golden Tips Imperial Tea's aroma, I see?" Momo asks, snapping you out of your sensory dive into the teacup, making you realize that at some point you had closed your eyes to focus on your nose.

"Heh… Yeah. Ah just can't figure it out." You sheepishly say, sitting upright. "...Now wait a cotton pickin' minute, how do you know what's it called?"

>"The color and the aroma are strong hints." She answers, poking you in the nose with the tip of her finger. It doesn't hurt, but you do go cross eyed trying to follow. "Yellow teas are rare by themselves, so that narrows it down by quite a bit. But even among yellow tea providers, the Imperial Teas brand is unique in its British approach to what was Chinese tradition. Trust me Ushi, you will recognize this smell anywhere after you taste it."

>"The label was at the top of the drinks section on the menu, too." Shoto chips in, taking some wind out of Momo's sails while stirring his black coffee. "It all does look and smell great though, there's no taking away from that."

Seeing him stab a mochi with his fork, causing it to bleed melted ice cream from all four wounds along with Momo taking a knife to her chocolate cake, you pick up your tea cup.

"Before we dig in, Ah wanna make a toast!" You say, raising your cup and looking at your friends, really, really hoping you aren't about to fuck up. "To passin' the exams and to Creati, leadin' the charge with the first team to win!"

While Momo blushes and gently raises her teacup, Shoto only stares at you for a second, clearly noticing you are going somewhere with this.

>"Well… I believe you are giving me too much credit, but thank you!" Momo says, gently bringing her cup next to yours. After a second, Shoto's cup silently joins you both for the toast before you all dig in.

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"Yeah, sorry Shoto, but she’s got her brand in order." You admit to him, taking a fork to your cake without bothering to cut it into slices and then pointing at him with a strawberry as he bites into a mochi, tearing it in half. You try to keep up your encouraging tone as you start laying into his current style. "Like… Hey, mister no name kid! What's up with the first name alias? And the… utilitarian costume? Where did that Mr. Freeze lookin’ one go anyways? This is the one profession you wanna stick out as much as ya can, ya know?!"

>"Names represent things. Loanstar carries a theme, Creati indicates what Yaoyorozu can do… And that's a surface level reading." Shoto explains, looking strangely mature as he sips his coffee. "I have nothing to share currently... nothing to show. My costume can heat me up or cool me down as needed, and my name is my name, and will remain so until I come up with something better. As for that first one you saw during the battle trial, it seems rather obvious that it would be counter-productive to keep those parts of the design after I started to use that side of my quirk more frequently… And the infra-red lens just turned out to be a bad idea."

"...Ah wasn't actually expecting an explanation." You mutter, thinking it over before saying anything else. "What about the color change? It's better than pure white now but just swapping flat colors ends up looking… still flat."

>"...I don't actually know." Shoto answers after a few seconds of thought. "I thought that changing the snow white color would be a good start, but I didn't put much thought in to what to change it to… Probably a subconscious reference to melting snow and nival waters if anything."

>"It merits deeper thought, though. All of it. Your costume seems to cover your necessities and weaknesses as well as any, but it's not exactly marketable or visually remarkable. It doesn't lend itself to merchandizing nor public recognition, besides figures and posters, but that’s… more attributable to your good looks." Momo muses before quickly turning to you and raising her teacup. "Anyway, come on now Ushi, you have to try it before it gets cold."

>"My…" The boy mutters, surprise briefly breaking through his normally aloof facade before dismissing the notion with a shake of his head. You take a mental note of his reaction to being complimented. "Your costume is just a red bodysuit."

>"You can do a lot with simple lines and geometric patterns" Momo points out, then sighs. "And the, still suboptimal I'd like to point out, amount of exposed skin my quirk requires from my costume does lend itself to marketing. Alas, part of the job is to sell oneself, looks included. But that’s all besides the point, it is your costume that’s in question here." As she addresses Shoto’s retort, you take the time to try the tea, first with a quick sip, then draining half of the first cup in one gulp.

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>“...I'm surprised that both of you have such strong opinions on it." The boy comments, taking it very well despite that surprise. "Is there any part to it that is particularly bad?”


You shake your head. You can't quite describe the sensation, as it simply is the tea-st tea you've ever tasted, the warmth within it quickly spreading throughout your body and making you audibly sigh in relief. You know it didn't actually heal anything, but just helping your pecs to relax makes your chest hurt less while Momo speaks for you.


>“It's not that we find it distasteful, it's that it stands out in how... spartan it is, especially compared to other top performers of our class.”

You nod emphatically. Emboldened, you finally try the cake which doesn't disappoint either. The cream is fluffy, in that way you have come to find most expensive cakes to be like here in Japan, and superbly sweet, the meringue keeping that sweetness from being overbearing, while the strawberries give it a strong complimentary flavor you can latch on to.

>“In that case wouldn’t it be best to keep it that way? The contrast would set me apart." Shoto suggests, but Momo immediately rebukes it with a slow, classy shake of her head.

>“Not exactly. What about the likely scenario in which you are acting alone as a hero? And as certain as Ushi and I are that we will be selling merchandise versions of our items and ...selves, that’s not what solidifies our images as heros. If there was an actual lesson to be learnt during my time with Uwabami, it would be that the public must know at first sight that you are there to help, that they can turn to you and rely on you in an instant. Surely your fa-”

-And that's your cue to step back into the conversation to keep this sweet afternoon from turning sour. You place your fork back down and interrupt Momo before she makes this tea party split up quicker than a bunch of teens in a slasher movie.

“Ah think what Momo's getting at is that the costume lacks… a heroic identity. Ah know that current geddup means ‘Shoto’ and that your name, Shoto, means…'Shoto'." You explain, briefly pausing to try to understand yourself. "But not everyone that catches a glimpse of ya will know how you are or what ya do… So the costume ain't that bad for me, cuz Ah already know how caring 'n' cute you are, but to someone else you kinda look like a very professional fridge repairman.” You admit, nodding ever slower as your brain starts catching up with what came out of your mouth-Wait, what did you just say?

>”...What do you mean?” Shoto squints at you, very apparently no longer aware where you were going with this. To be fair, neither did you. Soothed as you are by the meal thus far, the words just keep tumbling out of your mouth.

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“While Ah wish the rest of the world could know about you and how truly awesome you are, in our line of work, people will often have just met ya. One way or another, we have’ta convince them to trust us so that we can help them out of any number of pickles. That’s what the costume can do. Yer right, the name and costume represent things. Above it all, it should represent you.” You finish as you place your hand on his shoulder...Damn, that is some good tea. "It's the crux of Midnight's lesson plan, ya know?"


>“...Identity…” Shoto finally mutters, looking away from you and picking at something at the nape of his neck while Momo tilts her head at you in the opposite direction from before. As you bring your hand back from Shoto’s side, you notice he's fiddling with the string for the wood-bone pendant you gave him… your hair.

Some people really, really, think that was a weird or gross gift, and unlike when you did it, you understand that now… But you would do it again. No point in wasting good wood, right? But you don’t get more time to ponder on it as Shoto breaks the building silence by coming out of his own thoughts.

>“What... parts of yours costumes do you feel expresses yours? I might not do the same things, and probably not soon, but there can be no harm in learning some common things I could look to improve.” He shares with you while looking down into his coffee before quickly snapping his head up to look between you two, as if realizing something. "Just... Don’t expect me to wear a massive neckguard or anything like that…”

Excited by his request for insight, both you and Momo spend the rest of the meal taking turns between taking bites of your cakes, sipping on the Golden Tips Imperial and describing why you chose the details that you have for your costumes. All the while Shoto tends to his coffee and ice cream, absorbing what you both say like a sponge.

Sometime later, the elderly man appears and starts to collect the many empty plates present as you finish mentioning the personal insights you got from Midnight on design, along with your own experiences in changing your costume with the help from Hatsume. The owner pauses his work and arches his eyebrows at you lauding your idol, but a rare leering look from Momo sends him scurrying back to the kitchen with the tray while leaving the bill waiting on the table.

>”I think I understand now, I appreciate you both being frank with me on the personal elements and going beyond the academic.” Shoto states as you all take a moment to stretch while rising from the table, the bill having been paid and your compliments given to the elderly man for the treats and drinks. “I will have to consider this. What parts of the costume, if any, to adjust, to better ...identify? Brand myself?” He finishes by mulling over the words, as if trying to solve the paper's crossword.

It seems like he could still use a lead on that front.

>What do you do?

>[Just relax and spend the rest of the evening in the company of your friends. No need to undertake some new escapade… You have everything you need right here. “Ah’m sure you’ll think of something that suits ya.”]
>[He’s got a vest, just like you, you know that's a lot of real estate to express yourself without changing function! “Ah know you don’t even have half the flags Ah do to work with, but maybe there's some other symbols or sumthin’ you like that can be worked into it.”]
>[Shoto is not completely without accessories, sporting bracers, a belt, and the like. They can all be personalized to help him stand out. “Ah know you requested those items cuz they worked, now you gotta make them YOURS!... Somehow!”]
>[Some new items could better define his image. Might also be useful in a pinch. “Ah reckon it's time to start experimenting with getting some items that can take advantage of your quirk! Fire makes a mess, but it and ice can be damn useful, and all of it's flashy!”]
>[Thinking back on your old costume, while it had much of the same utility, you were able to completely change your look… perhaps the same thing could work for Shoto... “Ya know, Ah know a gal in the costume and support biz, we could all help get you a fully new one once UA starts back up… All the same features, mind ya, but a whole new style! It could be fun~...” [Charm, Face (2d10)]]
>[Comment on Momo's costume. "Ah bet ya got snagged by the Hero Costume Skin Exposure Limitation Act. You still pull it off as is, though."]
>[Write in.]

>>4555606
>>[Shoto is not completely without accessories, sporting bracers, a belt, and the like. They can all be personalized to help him stand out. “Ah know you requested those items cuz they worked, now you gotta make them YOURS!... Somehow!”]
He's a spartan sort of guy so lets not push for a full makeover. but adding some flair and substance would be nice

>>4555606
>>[Shoto is not completely without accessories, sporting bracers, a belt, and the like. They can all be personalized to help him stand out. “Ah know you requested those items cuz they worked, now you gotta make them YOURS!... Somehow!”]

>>4555606
>[Just relax and spend the rest of the evening in the company of your friends. No need to undertake some new escapade… You have everything you need right here. “Ah’m sure you’ll think of something that suits ya.”]

>>4555594
>If there's anythin' we've proven today, is that we can beat fully grown heros off!
>all head givin' activities in no time
Man, I hope Ushi doesn't remember this moment some day in the future when she has a higher Face score.

>>4555606
>[He’s got a vest, just like you, you know that's a lot of real estate to express yourself without changing function! “Ah know you don’t even have half the flags Ah do to work with, but maybe there's some other symbols or sumthin’ you like that can be worked into it.”]
I think a symbol would be good for him. Adding new support gear now would just give him more to learn when he's already learning a new skill set with his fire. Personalizing his existing support gear might lean his costume a little too close to his dad's, which puts a big emphasis on the bracers and vest. So a symbol seems the way to go, if he wants to be more distinct.

>>4555606
Awesome fucking update, ty PM! I wonder if Shoto is panicking internally as much as Ushi was in the hospital.

Supporting these in this order. Thats taken into account on the vote priority right? From which is listed first?

>>[Shoto is not completely without accessories, sporting bracers, a belt, and the like. They can all be personalized to help him stand out. “Ah know you requested those items cuz they worked, now you gotta make them YOURS!... Somehow!”]
>>[He’s got a vest, just like you, you know that's a lot of real estate to express yourself without changing function! “Ah know you don’t even have half the flags Ah do to work with, but maybe there's some other symbols or sumthin’ you like that can be worked into it.”]

>>4555606
>>[He’s got a vest, just like you, you know that's a lot of real estate to express yourself without changing function! “Ah know you don’t even have half the flags Ah do to work with, but maybe there's some other symbols or sumthin’ you like that can be worked into it.”]

He doesn't need to be something over the top, take hawks for example, who turns up to work in streetwear with a visor on it

>>4555672
Tbf he has fucking self-guided feathers and wings. That does a lot for your brand imaging. That along with a cheery disposition.

>>4555606
>[Shoto is not completely without accessories, sporting bracers, a belt, and the like. They can all be personalized to help him stand out. “Ah know you requested those items cuz they worked, now you gotta make them YOURS!... Somehow!”]

>>4555672
>take hawks for example, who turns up to work in streetwear with a visor on it
Huh? No he doesn't. Hawks wears a patterned gold and black singlet under a bomber jacket and matching pants.

>>4555606
>>[Some new items could better define his image. Might also be useful in a pinch. “Ah reckon it's time to start experimenting with getting some items that can take advantage of your quirk! Fire makes a mess, but it and ice can be damn useful, and all of it's flashy!”]

>>4555606
>[Just relax and spend the rest of the evening in the company of your friends. No need to undertake some new escapade… You have everything you need right here. “Ah’m sure you’ll think of something that suits ya.”]

>>4555606
>[Shoto is not completely without accessories, sporting bracers, a belt, and the like. They can all be personalized to help him stand out. “Ah know you requested those items cuz they worked, now you gotta make them YOURS!... Somehow!”]

>>4555606
>[Some new items could better define his image. Might also be useful in a pinch. “Ah reckon it's time to start experimenting with getting some items that can take advantage of your quirk! Fire makes a mess, but it and ice can be damn useful, and all of it's flashy!”]

>>4555606
>[Shoto is not completely without accessories, sporting bracers, a belt, and the like. They can all be personalized to help him stand out. “Ah know you requested those items cuz they worked, now you gotta make them YOURS!... Somehow!”]
>[Some new items could better define his image. Might also be useful in a pinch. “Ah reckon it's time to start experimenting with getting some items that can take advantage of your quirk! Fire makes a mess, but it and ice can be damn useful, and all of it's flashy!”]

>>4555606
> [Write-in] "You know what? I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, this tea must be great"

>>4555606
>[He’s got a vest, just like you, you know that's a lot of real estate to express yourself without changing function! “Ah know you don’t even have half the flags Ah do to work with, but maybe there's some other symbols or sumthin’ you like that can be worked into it.”]

>>4555606
>>[Comment on Momo's costume. "Ah bet ya got snagged by the Hero Costume Skin Exposure Limitation Act. You still pull it off as is, though."]

>>4555640
Backing this up

>>4545221
Have we bedded Shoto with Momo yet? And have we shared him with our Aussie cousins yet?

>>4562873
Down boy! Someone get the hose!

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So I made the grave mistake of making a thread in the time of the year I can only work-sleep-work.
I'm not dead and the next update is halfway done, but I'm not finishing tonight...
I'll try to sneak it in as soon as possible, but it's hard to do.

Sorry.

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Have an apology Ushi

>>4564837
>>4564839
It's okay Mic take care of yourself

>>4564837
>>4564839

I hope you rise above and get your career under some semblance of control or at least stability. Wish I could do more than that for you, coz you are a champion QM.

>>4564837
Mic I don't even read your quest but every time I click on one of your threads I'm wowed by how pleasant they, you and your community members are. Rest well king. God bless.

>>4570335
Well, thank you.

>>4563417
>"Up boy! Ushi! Get the hoes!"
Ushi's Aussie aunt @ icyhot when she and the girls get horny in the middle of the night.

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>>4570970
Present Mic, we understand you’ve been busy with life and work. But, Image related.

>>4564837
I'm finally caught up after trawling the archive!
Love your quest, PM!