#(gonna tag in every chapter)

[egophiliac]

I know we're not on the Hearts chapter but, I have a feeling the SSR will be Cater? But also him having the tear animation, since I have a feeling his dream will be a bit like Ruggie's q-q

I'm leaning towards either Cater or Ace, personally! Trey and Deuce have kinda already had their character arcs -- though someone else did mention to me that they thought it might be Trey, because so far all the vices have gotten one. though that might just be coincidence. we'll find out I guess!

my red-string-on-corkboard theory is that Ace is gonna get his arc + UM during whatever goes down with Grim, so while I could be completely wrong, I think it'd be nice if it were Cater's time to shine! ...also I am VERY curious as to what his dream is gonna be. 👀 like, I don't think he's gonna be all angsty or anything, he's a pretty cheery guy even though he pretends to be more vapid than he is, but...what would he be like if he were less. y'know.

(also I kind of want him to get the focus just because I think it'd be a shame if all he got was a super-quick 'oh his dream is to have a billion followers or whatever, now let's go on to the next person'. c'mon Twst. give him some love.)

[chacolachao]

And now its 6:20

A slight tweak to Ombre's design WHO I APPARENTLY HAD NOT DRAWN SINCE 2019

[aussie-bookworm]

Going Through The Motions: Bonus Bits

Hi all! I'll keep this quick but we recently hit 4k hits on Going Through The Motions! I can't believe it! Thank you all for reading my silly little fic.

As thanks, I went through my cut content document and polished up these missing scenes from Chapter Four: Help. I originally wrote full scenes of Scout asking each merc for help but decided it was going to make an already long chapter too long and it was a bit repetitive so I cut it down to the basics.

These scenes take place between Scout asking Engie for help and asking Spy for help. Thank you to the lovely @gingerale13 for proofreading! Enjoy!

Demo finished his list of names on the blackboard and put a cross next to Engie’s name.

“Alright, next up is…”

***

“Heavy?” Scout asked, knocking on the man’s door. “Can we come in? I need your help.”

“Da. Just cleaning Sasha. Door is unlocked. Do not touch gun.”

Scout hesitantly opened the door to see Heavy sitting on the floor of his room, surrounded by gun parts, focused on cleaning the barrel. 

Scout shot a nervous look at Demo who nodded. 

Honestly, Scout doubted Heavy would be able to help him, but he had to make his way through the list.

“What is problem?” Heavy asked, not looking up from his task.

Scout slowly sat down, cross-legged across from him, making an effort not to touch Sasha.

How would he even explain this? Scout knew that with Heavy, you had to be blunt.

“I need your help. I’m stuck living in a loop of the same day.”

Heavy merely raised an eyebrow and continued cleaning.

“So you come to me for joke?”

Scout blinked, leaning away from Heavy.

“What? No! Nonono! Heavy it ain’t a joke! I'm actually in a time loop! Tell him Demo!”

Demo sat down next to Scout with a sigh.

“It’s all true, Heavy. Swear on my mum’s life.”

Heavy hummed to himself, as he gently placed the barrel down and started cleaning the rotor. 

“And you come to me because you have no other options.”

It was not a question, but a statement of fact.

“How did you…?”

“Little Scout would not willingly come to me for help with magic problem unless no options are available. So you come to Heavy.”

Scout bit his lip with a frown as he looked away.

Heavy was smarter than Scout gave him credit for. The team always saw him as a big gun-obsessed Russian. Maybe there was more to him than Scout originally thought.

“Yeah, but–”

“Heavy,” Demo interrupted, holding a hand out in front of Scout to shut him up. “Have you noticed anything off with Scout during the last couple of days or weeks? Or just… anything noteworthy that could change things?”

Heavy was silent as he slowly started reassembling his gun.

“Cannot think of anything. Little Scout is little Scout as always,” he eventually commented. “I have suggestions but do not think little Scout would listen.”

“Suggestions?” Scout’s ears perked up. “What do you have for me, big guy?”

Heavy sighed as he continued to skillfully put Sasha back together.

“Understand that team is looking out for little Scout and is not babying him. Understanding others’s motives is good thing for strong team, da?”

Scout sighed.

“Yeah, I know,” he responded dejectedly. “Been through enough loops of you telling me that to get it through my thick skull.”

Heavy was unperturbed.

“Team is only as strong as weakest link. When one succeeds, all succeed.”

That made sense, Scout guessed. No ‘i’ in team and all that. 

But Scout already knew this from his baseball days! How was this supposed to help?!

“Anythin’ else?”

Heavy was silent again as he finished up his assembly. Sasha stood proud in front of Scout, ready for action.

As Scout stared at the gun, Heavy finally turned his gaze over to Scout and assessed him.

“Teamwork requires communication. Speak to Sniper.”

“What?!” 

“You have been avoiding Sniper. I have seen it. Speak to Sniper.”

Scout spluttered, trying to come up with a response.

“He’s right lad,” Demo spoke up. “Even I have noticed you’re avoiding him and I’m drunk half the time!”

Was that why Engie had suggested it yesterday? Had he also noticed and decided not to be as blunt as Heavy?

No! He couldn’t risk it! He barely got through that awkward conversation when he tried to give Sniper a compliment! Why would he decide to do that again?!

“I… I’ll do it, tomorrow,” Scout lied.

Heavy nodded.

“Very good. Is there anything else Heavy can do to help?”

“Don’t think so. Thanks, big guy.”

Heavy smiled and nodded. He stood up and picked up Sasha. Scout took that as his cue to leave. 

Quietly, Scout stood up and Demo went to follow. He opened the door as Demo slipped through.

Scout threw a look over his shoulder to see Heavy starting to clean his supplies, before shutting the door behind him.

Scout turned to see Demo looking at him. Silently, they both turned and started to walk down the hallway.

“So, tomorrow you’ll talk to Sniper, right?” Demo asked, breaking the silence.

Scout quickly wiped the scowl off his face before Demo could notice.

“Yep!” Scout lied.

***

“So we’ve talked to Engie and Heavy? We’re making good time,” Demo commented.

“I guess,” Scout responded. “So who’s next?”

***

“Hey Medic, got a minute?”

Medic’s head snapped up from the corpse he was experimenting on and looked at Scout as he and Demo pushed the doors to the infirmary open.

“Herr Scout, you know where the plasters are. You do not need my help to put one on.”

“No, it’s not that.”

Medic sighed. 

“What is it then? Herr Demo might need my help and you are wasting my valuable time.”

Demo shook his head.

“No doc, I’m fine,” he responded. “Scout needs your help, though.”

“Verdammt. What is it?”

Demo gave Scout an encouraging nod as Medic continued to operate on the corpse. Scout let out a nervous breath.

Of course, he was nervous about this! He knew what Medic did last time Scout told him about the loop!

“I need you to promise me you won’t try to give me meds this time, okay?”

“…This time?”

“Just promise, okay?”

Medic shot Scout a confused look but slowly nodded.

“Ja, okay, I promise.”

Scout sighed. 

Good enough, he guessed.

“I’m in a time loop,” Scout blurted out. “If you can help me that’d be great. Have you noticed anything off with me in the last couple of days?” 

Medic blinked, processing the stream of speech that was directed at him. 

His scalpel slipped out of his hand and into the corpse’s rib cage as he turned his head to look at Demo who had a serious expression on his face. Medic turned back to Scout.

“O…kay?” Medic eventually answered, picking up the scalpel. “Am I to understand you have been experiencing the same day on repeat?”

Scout nodded.

“Yeah. Demo suggested I talk to everyone and see if they can help.”

“Really, we just want to see if there’s something Scout can change that I haven’t already noticed,” Demo helpfully added.

Medic looked up at Demo through his eyelashes.

“And what have you noticed, Herr Demo?”

Demo said nothing, staring at the doctor. Medic frowned and tilted his head. 

As the two seemingly had a silent conversation among themselves, only nodding and pulling faces, Scout bit his lip.

“Uh… I can go if you want,” Scout spoke up.

“No need, Herr Scout,” Medic replied with a bloody wave. “I was just making sure Herr Demo and I are on the same page.”

“Okay then. Can you help me? You’re smart – surely you can think of something!”

Medic put a hand to his chin in thought.

“Unfortunately, I can’t think of anything major that could break this loop you speak of,” he mused as he placed the scalpel he was using down and reached towards Scout. “Unless you let me look at your brain and the observable effects under the loop–”

“Nuh-uh! No way!” Scout interrupted, slapping one of Medic���s hands away. “Besides, you wouldn’t even fuckin’ remember it!”

“Ja, but how often do I get to observe the synapses of a brain undergoing extreme stress and magic? Oh! I wonder if brain activity would remain the same as the previous loop! Or would it change as you are experiencing a different flow of time?”

“You’re scarin’ the lad, doc,” Demo piped up.

Medic laughed as Scout staggered backwards.

“Just imagine…” Medic said to himself.

Scout frowned slightly. He wasn’t going to get much more out of Medic which was somehow both a blessing and a curse.

“I… I’m gonna go. If you can think of anything that can get me out, let me know before midnight.”

That conversation seemed pretty quick and painless. Scout wondered if the conversations with the rest of the team would be the same.

As Scout turned to leave, Medic perked up. 

“Ah, Herr Scout?” Medic spoke up.

Goddamn it.

Scout silently begged for this conversation not to go where he thought it was going to go.

“Yeah?”

“Have you spoken to Herr Sniper about this?”

Fuck.

What was everyone's obsession with him speaking with Sniper?! Scout avoiding Sniper wasn’t that bad, was it? 

“Oh um… he’s later down on our list. I-I’ll talk to him then.”

Medic nodded approvingly

“Good, good. I recommend you speak to him earlier. He might have seen something similar to this during his career.”

Scout frowned.

“Why don’t I speak to Spy then? He’s way older and has probably seen more shit.”

“The man is… Scheiße, what’s the word in English?”

“A prick?” Scout suggested.

“Secretive,” Demo offered.

“Ja! Secretive! He does not like to share details of his past. Although…”

Demo cleared his throat.

“One problem at a time, doc,” Demo interrupted. 

“But it might–”

“Doc, not our place to say, remember?”

Scout blinked.

“Are youse hiding something from me?”

Demo and Medic made an obvious effort to look away from Scout, who was starting to feel very left out.

“Okay… You don’t gotta tell me anything. Just figured it might help break this loop quicker,” Scout muttered.

Demo sighed.

“Sorry lad. If we told you, he’d probably kill us.”

What?

“Even if you won’t remember tomorrow?”

“Herr Scout, drop it,” Medic snapped.

Scout recoiled and stared at the two men.

“Alright, alright! I’ll go! I’ll leave you two to your secrets, assholes.”

With a scoff, Scout sulked off to his room. 

Quietly Demo shook his head at Medic.

“Plan B,” he whispered.

“Ah, I see. Good luck getting him to speak to Herr Sniper. He’s stubborn as a mule.”

Demo groaned.

“It’s gotta happen sooner or later. Either way, are we still good for drinks tomorrow?”

“Ja. Heavy found a new bar that’s opened in town that we haven’t been banned from yet!”

***

“This would be more effective if I could remember these previous conversations,” Demo muttered, drawing crosses next to Engie, Heavy and Medic’s names.

“Yeah, well, they’re not very helpful,” Scout said, trying to decipher the names on the blackboard. “Are you sure about this one?”

“Well, who do you go to for a fantastical scenario? That’s right, you go to…”

***

“Pyro! Hey buddy, are you free right now?”

“Mmph! Mm-Mmph! Mm!”

Scout and Demo walked inside and sat down at Pyro’s tea party table.

Now, this conversation should be nice and quick, right?

“Pyro, I need some help from you.”

“Mph mm?”

“Yeah. You see, Merasmus cursed me to live the same day over and over again.”

“Mm-mmph!”

“I know, buddy. He said that I can only break it when I make a huge change to myself, but I don’t know what else to change. Have you noticed anything I need to change?”

Pyro was silent before they jumped up from their seat and ran over to their bed where Balloonicorn was resting. 

They thrust Balloonicorn into Scout’s arms for a hug, bouncing slightly. 

Honestly, Scout couldn’t say no to Pyro. He awkwardly wrapped his arms around the plush toy and squeezed. Demo snorted from next to him.

“Does Balloonicorn know how to break the curse?” Scout hesitantly asked from his hug. 

Pyro shook their head.

“Mph mmphmm mph mph mmph mmphmm!”

“He wanted me to feel better?”

Pyro nodded.

“But you and Balloonicorn don’t know what else I could change?”

Pyro deflated slightly and shook their head. 

“Mmph.”

“No, it’s okay. We haven’t had much luck with the others either.”

Pyro looked away and started tapping their foot.

“Mmph mph mmph mmphmph?”

Not this again.

“What’d they say, lad?” Demo asked.

Was this coordinated?! How much did the team talk about Scout and Sniper behind their backs?

“They asked if I had spoken to Sniper yet. We’re doin’ that tomorrow.”

Pyro cheered and clapped their hands before going in to give Scout a bone-crushing hug. Scout gave a small smile and pat Pyro on the back. 

As he turned to walk back into the hallway, Scout’s smile slipped off his face and was replaced with a scowl.

He was running out of time and excuses.

***

“Okay, so we’ve talked to Engie, Heavy, Medic and Pyro. Now we’re onto the S’s. Are you ready to speak to…”

“Actually Demo? I fucked up. We spoke to Sniper yesterday. I just forgot to tell you,” Scout lied.

He didn’t want to risk anything. 

The way things currently were with Sniper was fine, Scout told himself.

He didn’t want to scare Sniper away thanks to some dumb feelings he had.

“…Why did you…?”

“I just forgot,” Scout responded. “All these talks with everyone are kinda blending into one. Sniper didn’t know shit and it was so similar to our convo with Heavy that I kinda just… forgot one. Sorry.”

Demo was silent, drumming his fingers on the table.

“Sniper didn’t say anything helpful?”

“Nah. It sucks but he didn’t know anything to help.”

One little white lie couldn’t hurt, right? 

Demo sighed and turned back to the blackboard, drawing a cross next to Sniper’s name. He muttered something under his breath Scout didn’t catch.

“Alright then. Today we’ll be speaking to…”

***

“Soldier?” Scout called, knocking on the door

“Atten…tion!”

Demo leaned into Scout space.

“…Do we salute or…?” Demo asked.

Scout shrugged as he knocked again.

“Solly, can we come in? I need your help.”

“Affirmative, Private Second-Class! You may enter!”

Scout pushed the door open to reveal Soldier doing push-ups in the centre of the room. 

Scout blinked at the sight in front of him. Did the guy ever rest?!

“At ease, Soldiers!” Soldier ordered, getting to his feet. “You requested aid?!”

Scout shot a hesitant look at Demo before turning back to Soldier.

“Uh… yeah, I did, Solly. I need your help. I’m stuck in a time loop and can’t get out. Is there anything you think I need to change about myself that could break the loop?”

Solider hummed as he put a finger to his chin and tapped his foot.

“Have you spoken to Merasmus about this?”

“Affirmativ- I mean, yeah, but he wasn’t able to crack it! He suggested I find something I needed to change, but I can’t find anything else! I’ve won so many matches, I’ve been to your boot camp so many times, I don’t fuckin’ know what else to do!”

Soldier frowned.

“Then, I have got nothing to offer.”

Scout deflated. He was starting to get sick and tired of this song and dance.

“Alright, thanks, Solly.”

As they turned to leave, Scout could see out of the corner of his eye, Soldier perk up.

“Private second class!” 

Oh no. If this was about–

“Have you informed the Sniper?”

Scout blinked, saying nothing, and just glaring at the corner of the room.

“P-private second class?” Soldier asked, sounding hesitant for the first time since Scout had met him.

Scout ignored him, robotically turning and leaving without saying a word, leaving both Soldier and Demo dumbfounded.

“What is wrong with Private second-class?” Soldier turned to Demo.

Demo sighed.

“Janey, he’s been doing this for fifty-nine days. All things considered, I’m surprised he hasn’t plumb given up.”

“Hm… His determination is admirable! When he fixes this, I think I will give him a rank-up! And a medal!”

“You do that, Janey.”

[ineed-to-sleep]

I'm still working on this btw. Chipping away at it one little panel at a time 🥲

[comradekarin]

the sukuna-choso-yuuji are related au tag on archive HATE to see me coming (I need more fic recs oomfs! I accept self promo. i have become too deprived of this specific content. gotta remedy this expeditiously)

[ninja-knox-ur-sox-off]

Only two chapters left of Wobbly Hearts and then I’m DONE. 21 is pretty much finished I just got to edit it and look over it and all that, and 22 needs some tweaking but its almost done too and I’m AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA longest I’ve ever worked on anything like this and it’s almost done!!!!

[the-ninja-legacy-whip]

help

[javierduffy]

ohh javieran … javieran post kieran’s death .., javier is a poor lonesome cowboy in america a long way from home with no more sweetheart to sit and talk with him ooohhh can anyone hear me ….

[some-pers0n]

Every once in a while I think about the ship I've been obsessed over for close to two years now and feel like I'm ascending to another plane of reality. Like sometimes you just encounter a ship that hits every single mark and is perfect in every regard and you're left stunned how something like that can even exist

[wizardofvamp]

Last Line Written

Tyty to @porcelainseashore for tagging me!!

Here goes--

Thirsting roots of poppy blossoms crumbled each individual hour down into depleted days; Eliza’s inbox cracked triple digits as the weight of expectation rolled off her back with the shower water.

Snagged this from the Limits chapter seven forever-draft. I'm finally starting to feel pretty good about it and am hoping to get it posted by the end of the week assuming I don't fall off any more bikes T-T

gonna no-pressure tag @genderqueering @hlozt (idk if there's a choice Micah pbp line you wanted to share) and @fiendmother !!

[averagepsychouser]

You Vulpes fans are starving. I’m glad.

Anyway, I think that he sometimes tries to offer better strategies for larger battles but Caesar ignores him because he (Inculta) is a loser beta male

Actually because Caesar is incapable of thinking that someone might know MORE than him and Inculta is totally stepping out of his lane. Silly fox man, planning is for Caesar

[uhohbestie]

Will there be a TAMN playlist?

There will, yeah! Once the fic is finished Key and I are going to compile our many (many, many) TAMN-related/inspiration songs and make an "official" playlist! We don't want to spoil anything, though, so we're going to hang on to it until the fic is completely posted! - 🔒

[hollywoodsargeant]

boyish - chapter 8 14.1k words | 75.7k words total | loscar

“Good,” Logan muses. He picks their hands up, lifting his head just so, enough to press a kiss to Oscar’s knuckles. “You’re mine first, baby.” Oscar laughs again, inching a bit closer as Logan drops their hands. “Obviously.”

hello. as promised... boyish chapter eight <3 for some reason it ended up being fucking. fourteen thousand words. which is a whole the red parts this time!! spiraling out of control welcome to hell ANYWAYS look at me posting before midnight my time?? that is crazy?? when it comes to me and this fic?? idk man enjoy several more thousand words of the idiots being idiots <3

+ here is a link to chapter one if you would prefer :)

[alcettogo]

A Clustered Garage is at 8888 hits and I'm feeling emotional about it because I'm about to get Quite vulnerable with my fanfiction so here's two songs with no context (linking the genius lyrics because I love you) song 1 is Big Ol' Miyazaki Tears by Haley Heynderickx and song 2 is Dust and Ashes from Natasha Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812. I will not be elaborating.

[thefandomenchantress]

Me: Wow I like Yasuhiro and his brand of humor!

Yasuhiro: *Convinces Makoto to initiate a fanservice scene for the DR1 girls in chapter two*

Me: :(

———

Me: Wow I like Kazuichi, his design is really fun!

Kazuichi: *is weird and pervy towards Sonia*

Me: :(

———

Me: Wow Haruhiko is so dumb and funny I really like him!

Haruhiko: *Convinces Yuki to spy on the girls and initiates a fanservice scene in chapter two*

Me: :(

———

Me: Wow Nikei is really fun, and his design is cool, too!

Nikei: *Makes pervy jokes is his FTE’s for no reason*

Me: :(

———

Me: Wow I really like Ace…*eyes him warily*

Ace: *Treats everyone with an equal amount of disrespect with no pervy-towards-women side in sight*

Me: YES!!! FINALLY!!!! :D

Ace: *is revealed to be gay*

Me: Oh wow we really went far in the other direction this time—

[aparticularbandit]

Wild (I)

Summary: Three days into her stay at Hope's Peak, Ultimate Fashionista Junko Enoshima is called directly to the headmaster's office.

Somebody needs a little bit of help breaking a wildwolf.

How unfortunate.

Inspired by @carbonatedjem's Werewolf AU.

Chapter Rating: T. Fic Rating: T until further notice.

AO3

previous fic

They say there’s a wildwolf at Hope’s Peak Academy.

That’s really not nearly as big of a deal as it sounds.

Many middle and high schools throughout the world are full of wildwolves. In most cases, this doesn’t matter, since students are given the day before and after each full moon off, so as to not reveal anything and to protect the school from potential liabilities; the latter of these is the most important when it comes to a boarding school like Hope’s Peak – can’t force students to live on campus where they’re likely to be attacked by a wildwolf classmate, after all, if you want your school to actually survive.

Point of fact, most boarding schools allow for their wolven students to leave together in packs to surrounding open territory during the full moon.  It lets those with control get their zoomies out, and it keeps the wildwolves away from their much more vulnerable human residents.  (Wolves can take care of wolves, after all, and most of them know to stay away from the wildwolves, even if wildwolves don’t have the control to stay away from them.)

So all in all, the idea that Hope’s Peak Academy has a wildwolf enrolled and living on its premises honestly isn’t nearly as scandalous as it sounds.

It’s just the assumption that someone – anyone – who has the sheer talent to be an Ultimate at anything should naturally have the ability to control their wolf.

As if being good in one area automatically makes you good at every other area in your life.

Despicable is what it is.

But no one calls it that.

~

Three days into her stay at Hope’s Peak – barely enough time to get her apartment set up to her liking – Ultimate Fashionista Junko Enoshima is called directly to the headmaster’s office.

Junko’s never met Jin Kirigiri, although she’s heard a lot of stories about him.  Just like there are a lot of stories of Hope’s Peak and its students, there’s a lot of talk about its headmasters.  There are even rumors that the first headmaster, the found of Hope’s Peak itself, Izuru Kamukura, might still be alive somewhere hidden within the school.  That one’s mostly been disproved by various Ultimate Hide-and-Seek students throughout the years, seeing how none of them have ever found him, but the rumor persists.  Probably because people love adding to legend around an already legendary school.

However.

Current Headmaster Jin Kirigiri is something special.  A former Ultimate, like most of the staff, but one who discarded his talent almost immediately on graduating – if not some time before.  The former Ultimate Detective who isn’t involved in any detective work, and who almost seems completely divorced from his entire family.  Some people say that he was just bad at his talent, despite his being an Ultimate – that he was grandfathered in by being a legacy admission instead of earning his spot based on his talent (the same way that someone from the Kuzuryu or Togami clans are often assumed to be enrolled).  Others say that he simply decided he wanted to spend his life doing something else – that despite the fame and fortune that comes with being a former Ultimate, he’d set his sights on what he thought was better or more entertaining or more fulfilling.  But still others say that he’s deep undercover, investigating a case deep within Hope’s Peak itself.

Of course, that last group often tends to be the one that believes Izuru is still alive somewhere.

Junko’s read most of the major theories.  In her latest interviews, she’s talked about some of them, because when the fashion magazines get tired of asking about her dating life or her beauty regime, they ask about her new school and the validation that must come with being scouted by Hope’s Peak.  (She hadn’t needed that, but she doesn’t say it.  Arrogance sells, sure, but she hasn’t built her brand on that.  She’s built her brand on being honest and approachable – someone you want to get a sake with, once she’s old enough to drink.  But that means she can’t be honest about knowing Hope’s Peak would scout her.  Not without wording it very carefully (particularly in terms of personal self-worth; she doesn’t need a school to tell her that she’s valuable, that sort of thing).  Arrogance on her doesn’t sell.)

But when it comes to theories?  Junko doesn’t really put much stock in any of them.  Bullshit until proven true, you know?

(Except the wildwolf.  But that’s just personal interest.)

Junko knocks on the headmaster’s door with one knuckle before chirping in the energetic voice she maintains in public (not just public appearances, but always), “Enoshima Junko here to see you, sir!”

Odd that there’s no secretary or personal assistant to lead her back to the room, no one to make sure that their esteemed headmaster isn’t busy doing something wildly more important than whatever he’s called Junko to his office for, but Junko doesn’t hold that against him.  This likely isn’t even his primary office, just a room set aside for moments like this, when he needs to talk to a student but can’t have her joining him where he and the other staff have their places set up for interactions with each other. It’s a bit of a waste of space, but with all the Reserve Course student money funneling in and the new building and everything—

Well.

“Come in.”

Jin’s voice isn’t nearly as deep as Junko imagined.  He never gives interviews, and Hope’s Peak rarely has press conferences with the headmaster himself.  All of their announcements come through underlings who are given a script to stand by, even the one opening the school up to those less talented to buy their way in.  (The Reserve Course classes aren’t the same as those for someone in the Main Course.  Junko didn’t have to go here to know that.)

Point being that there are very little recordings of the headmaster’s voice.

Junko imagined it lower than it is.  Booming.  Impressive.  But it’s neither of those things.  Just an average, ordinary voice from what must be an extraordinary man.

No one ordinary or less than that would be headmaster of Hope’s Peak Academy.

Junko slips through the door.  “You wanted to see me,” she says, folding her hands behind her back and leaning not so subtly forward, twirling here and there in her short skirt, “right, headmaster, sir?”

“Shut the door.”

“Ooooohhhhh.”  Junko’s eyes grow wide, and she raises a hand to fluff one of her twintails.  “That fast, huh?”  She turns and places a hand on the door.  “You’re just naughty.  Wait ‘til the others hear about this.”

The door shuts.

“Are you done now, Ultimate Breaker?”

Junko pauses.  A smile curls about her lips.  Then she turns to him, adjusts the black-and-white wolf ears headband atop her head, and then props a hand on her hip.  “Appearances are everything, headmaster.  I’m sure you understand that.”

He doesn’t seem bothered by the shift in her demeanor.

That’s fine.

Jin gestures to the chair across from him.  “I have a proposition for you.”

“Oh?”  Junko raises one brow as though she’s surprised.  She steps forward and lounges in the high-backed chair, crossing one long leg over the other and then clasping her hands on her knee, her fingers interlaced, red fingernails ever brighter under the light.  “This doesn’t have anything to do with that wildwolf rumor, does it?  I figured the academy would have ways around that sort of thing.”

“We do.” Jin’s expression never changes.  Probably he believes he’s dealt with unwieldy Ultimates like her before.  (He has no idea.)  “But you’re here for a reason—”

“To expand my status as the Ultimate Fashionista, of course.”

“—and if you do not prove any growth in your talent by the exam, then you will be expelled.”  Jin doesn’t falter.  He glances up just enough to meet Junko’s eyes, as though to prove just how serious he is.

Junko snorts.  “How can a judge test what I do for growth?  Fashion’s one thing, but breaking a wildwolf?  It’s not nearly as complicated as people think.”  She raises a hand so that she can stare at her nails.  “Just because I can do the impossible.”  Her glance returns to Jin.  “How do you measure growth in that?  You can’t.”

Jin’s gaze lifts to the fake wolf ears atop Junko’s head, one ear just in front of each twintail.  Then his gaze drops to her left shoulder, where the scars her sister left behind show thick and dark against her porcelain skin.  “You aren’t a wolf yourself.”

If she was, her scars wouldn’t have—

“Neither are you,” Junko admits.  Then her gaze grows dark, and she bites out, “What’s your point?  You need me to break one of your special students?”  She nods to his window.  “Just point to them.  It’s that—”

“Find them on your own,” Jin interrupts.  He places his hands on his desk.

“What?”

“Consider that your avenue for growth.”  Jin looks at her cooly.  “Find the wildwolf.  Break them.  Then we’ll see where to go from there.”

Junko feigns annoyance.  “You expect me to find your wildwolf with no heightened scent of my own?  Poor form, headmaster.���  She leans back in her chair.  It might be poor form, but it’s not a problem.  He might think she’ll call on her own werewolf sister to help her out – wildwolves have a slightly different scent from your average werewolf, so that someone like Mukie knows to stand on edge, if she’s paying attention (and Mukie is always paying attention, even if it’s just to protect her) – but that isn’t necessary.  Wildwolves carry themselves differently from everyone else.  Ashamed, mostly.  It’s not hard to tell.

The question is—

“Poor form or not—”

“Don’t worry about it.”  Junko smirks.  “Give me the year, and I’ll find your precious wildwolf, break them, and hand them to you on a….”  She snorts.  “Not a silver platter, of course.  Maybe an iron one.”  She pushes herself up from the chair.  “Need anything else, headmaster?  Or are we done here?”

Jin’s expression still never changes.  “One more thing—”

“Don’t tell anyone?”  Junko gives him a wink.

Jin meets her eyes again and then nods once.

~

Junko’s demeanor changes again as she leaves the headmaster’s office.  She pulls her skirt down just the slightest bit before skipping along the hallway.  There aren’t a lot of people here, so mostly she’s maintaining this character for herself, but she’d rather have it up and not have to worry about it than stalk along the hallway brainstorming and have someone notice that something about her is off.

The nondisclosure isn’t an issue; she doesn’t have to tell Mukie for her sister to find out.  Besides, the other werewolves could figure it out, too, if they paid attention, but most of them will be too focused on all the other smells you can find around campus to catch the faintest whiff that something might be off with one of their classmates.  Not more than the stench of athletics or….

Besides, a wildwolf has ways of hiding their scent, if they want.

Mukie’s just better at picking them out.  Has been ever since she broke.  It’s what set her apart when she joined Fenrir, after all.

Not the point.

This is a challenge, direct from the headmaster to Junko personally.

And she’s going to have fun with it.