#qualifications for it and probably wouldn’t really do a curriculum anyone is asking for but I

[palukoo]

i love watching a semi obscure and often not very good old movie bc uh. woman. and then walking away with niche and in depth queer interpretations of the film and like having a mental conspiracy board and being like do you see it? do you see the vision? but like no. you haven’t even seen the movie lol

[ruffsficstuffplace]

The Viridian Vanguard (Part 13)

Note: I’ve been rereading Keeper to get a handle of where I am in this story, and I realize that Winter spoke of the escape plans and doubting being able to escape the Valley twice, and she said it in this story like she hadn’t already been doubtful of it, and spoke it here like it was for the first time. God, I really need to keep a timeline of conversations and important beats, I think.

I probably won’t, but still. Anyway, here’s the next chapter, seeing as last week was the end of AWRD.

Bee came to visit later that evening, bearing news of the Terrace’s clean-up efforts so far. Most of the minutiae was downloaded straight to Penny’s databanks with a Fae version of a data storage crystal, while Bee told Weiss and Winter a summarized account.

“… So, with the Water Quadrant indefinitely closed until further notice, and Primal Aeilana also either completely occupied with the clean-up, and with her joining the expedition for supplies and components leaving this week, we’ll all be training under the other Primals at their Quadrants for the time being.

“Generally speaking, our class will be split up into small, 2-3 folk groups, scheduled on different days of the week, in different Quadrants at once. The actual training sessions will be supervised by the Primals, or their own chosen representatives, and we won’t be required to interact or join up with any of their original students, unless it’s specifically for cross-element training.”

Bee looked up from the holo with her notes. “So, any questions, concerns, or objections?”

“Nothing from me,” Weiss said, “I’m just happy I don’t need to meet a new group of folks I might accidentally kill with my magic...”

“Just one question on my part: if I’m already considered part of Primal Aeilana’s class as you and Weiss are, does this mean I’m exempted from the initiation rite, even after she returns and the Quadrant is reopened?” Winter asked through the can.

“Yes, you can skip it,” Bee replied. “The Evoking Altar is very low on the master list of repairs and replacements, and Primal Aeilana is not willing to wait for however long it takes for it to get the greenlight, more so fixed.”

“Oh, thank Piper...”

“I wouldn’t be too relaxed if I were you, though: Primal Aeilana will figure out an alternative rite, and she’s probably already asking around for ideas as we speak.”

“Trust me, my only concern is avoiding facing a realized representation of my fear of the Keepers.” Winter replied. “Otherwise, I am good for whatever ridiculously dangerous and/or ill-advised stunt she wants me to do.”

Bee smiled, and said, “Just a bit of friendly advice: never say that in front of Primal Aeilana.”

“Duly noted.”

“And with that out of the way, it’s time for the last item on my list,” Bee said as she turned to Weiss. “Weiss, seeing as your coat, mask, gauntlet, and focus have severely damaged, and Maker Abner has just informed us today that he has no definite time frame on when he can finish repairs and upgrades, you’ll be lent stock set in the meanwhile, the same standardized gear used in the Pits.

“However, since it’s not nearly as good at controlling your power as your original gear, you’ll also be wearing a magical inhibitor for a while.”

Weiss nodded. “What does it look like?”

“There are actually very many variations of the design, but what you will likely be wearing is this,” Penny said, before projecting a holo with a picture of the device alone, and being worn on by a model.

“… Are you seriously telling me I’m going to be wearing a cone of shame?!”

“The element-proof cone will likely be considered optional, so you will only really be wearing the main body of the collar, if with additional accessories,” Penny explained.

“And what will those look like?” Weiss asked, annoyed.

Penny showed her.

“Okay, now you have got to be fucking kidding me!” Weiss snapped. “That can’t be it! That can’t possibly be it!” she wavered for a moment, and turned to Bee. “Is it…?”

“It is,” she said gravely.

“Motherfuck...” Weiss growled.

“What does it look like?” Winter asked.

“I believe the closest objects you are familiar with would be mittens and socks, similar to those worn by infants, except larger.”

Winter paused for a moment, before she sniggered.

Weiss scowled at the can.

“Sorry.”

“I would like to clarify that it’s only about a 30-27% chance that the menders will decide you require such accessories!” Penny said.

“Thanks,” Weiss grumbled, before she turned to Bee. “Anything else?”

“The same deal applies to Penny’s new body, but she’s got a loaner, too,” Bee said. “It should be arriving by the time you wake up tomorrow morning, actually! So, any questions, concerns, or objections?”

No one had any, they bid Bee farewell, and she left.

“So, after all this time, looks like we’ll finally be able to go to school together, in the same classes, huh, Weiss?” Winter said.

“And we’ll both be much older than our peers, delayed by several years, and stick out like two sore thumbs, especially since neither of us can speak fluent Actaeon yet,” Weiss added flatly.

“Yes, that’s true, but I think we should really focus on the bright side of all this, Weiss: there’s no more having to worry about Father’s ideas and opinions about the path our education and lives are supposed to take; the curriculum, classes, and projects here are going to be infinitely more interesting than anything we’ve ever had; and the skills and qualifications we can get from the Terrace are going to go a long way to improving our lives here in the Valley.”

Weiss nodded, and paused for a moment. “Hey Winter? Can we at least try and go to the Terrace on the same days and at the same time, even if we’re in different groups and at different quadrants?” Weiss asked.

“Of course, Weiss!” Winter replied. “As much as I can help it, I’ll be there right by your side. Besides, you could use the extra help if you get the cone and the mittens.”

Weiss scowled. “Oh, fuck you, Winter...”

“I love you too, Weiss, goodnight.”

“Night.” Weiss said, before Penny pulled the can out of the barrier and “hung up.”

Weiss was quiet for a moment, before she turned to Penny, and asked, “Hey Penny? When we get back to training at the Weaver’s Terrace, do you think anyone’s going to hate and/or be afraid of me because of everything that’s happened…?”

“I will be frank: there is a very high possibility of them holding very negative opinions of you, but I sincerely doubt that many of them will go through the effort and the consequences of publicly airing said opinions, especially towards you personally. Aside from the fact that you are the Keeper’s mate, the weavers strongly encourage good relations among the members of their Order: if they cannot achieve harmonious cooperation, then they should at least strive for peaceful coexistence.”

“Heh,” Weiss smiled, “seems like Feroki hasn’t gotten that part yet, has he?”

“It certainly seems that way!” Penny chirped. “Though, to be fair, he still has yet to mature into an adult, nor advance to the Adept level.”

Weiss nodded. “Thanks for that, Penny, good night,” she said, before she closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

“You are welcome, Weiss, and good night also,” Penny said, before she went into standby mode.

The next morning, Weiss was woken up by a mender, informing her that Penny was to be taken away to be installed into her loaner body, and that Weiss was to start her special physical therapy that day.

“What exactly are they going to do to me?” Weiss asked as the barrier around her bed was taken down, and she was carefully loaded into a wheelchair.

“I have been given any exact details, nor do I have time to explain all the possibilities, but I can assure you it is most definitely going to be incredibly thorough considering your condition!” Penny said as she was taken away, before she was too far away for her voice to be heard.

“What exactly are they going to do to me?” Weiss said as she looked up at the menders accompanying her.

<Sorry, Nivian no speak,> said one as he pointed at himself and his companion. <Mender in charge can, tell you when you get there.>

<Thank you,> Weiss said, before she was wheeled out of the ward and down one of the hospital’s many halls, wondering what sort of fresh hell the Valley had in store for her now...

Fifteen minutes later…

Weiss lay naked and stomach-down on a blanket on top of a flat slab of rock, completely limp and relaxed as a therapy mender massaged her, while carefully working in a series of oils, balms, and lotions into her skin. Lines of ice blue magic and many other colours glowed all over her body, flowing and moving along with the mender’s hands or on invisible paths; rippling and spreading out over her skin; or pooled up and stagnant in some places, until something forced them to flow again or dispelled them entirely.

The lights were low and warm; a bowl of incense, herbs, and oils burned beside Weiss and produced a sweet, relaxing smoke; the wall of enchanted air gently swirling around them kept all the other scents and sounds around them out, the temperature at just the right range for Weiss’ comfort.

<How are you feeling, Weaver Schnee?> her mender asked.

Weiss gave an incoherent, burbling sound of pleasure and satisfaction.

The mender giggled. <I would take that as a ‘I am feeling quite well, thank you.’>

The rest of her treatment proceeded like a luxurious spa day: more specific treatments for her hands and feet that happened to include a manicure-pedicure; a facial with some mildly hallucinogenic (but incredibly pleasant) aromatherapy involved; a stroll through the hospital’s vibrant and expansive garden to get some sun, fresh air, and enjoy the greenery; until it ended with a special breakfast outdoors, along with some tonics and medication.

What parts of the menu and items on her prescription that were less than pleasant to take were vastly outnumbered by the ones Weiss happily took her sweet time savouring. She largely ignored the other patients around her and they did the same, until Jaune happened to be as set down on the free space beside her.

“Morning, Jaune!” Weiss chipred, figuratively and literally glowing from the leftover traces of mana dancing on her skin. “Fruit? I don’t know what it is yet, but it’s certainly fresh and delicious!” she said, extending her plate filled with bite-sized, artfully cut chunks.

“I’ll pass...” Jaune moaned, slouching over the table with his arms resting on it.

“Still reeling from your head injury?” Weiss asked sympathetically.

“No, well, kinda, but it’s not really—“ Jaune sighed, took a deep breath, then said, “I just got back from a really intense massage...”

“You did? I can’t imagine why you look so down right now, mine was incredible!” Weiss said, before she popped another bite into her mouth.

“Eh, I think it’s because we’re different, uh, what is it, ‘alignments’ or something?” Jaune replied. “They said that since I was earth, and because I apparently wasn’t massaged enough or properly for a few years, they said they needed to use a really firm hand.”

Weiss swallowed, and asked, “How firm are we talking about exactly...?”

Twenty minutes earlier...

Jaune screamed as an incredibly large and muscular therapy mender-weaver slowly ran his massive hands over Jaune’s body, magical ripples glowing on his skin, shaking him like a miniature, localized earthquake. “Ilias, so much tension! So many knots! So many disrupted flows!” his mender bellowed over Jaune’s whimpering. “No wonder your body is in such poor condition, Mr. Arc!”

Jaune burst into a fresh round of tears. “Please, make it stop!”

“We will, we will!” the mender said as he started to move into more powerful kneading, intenser pulses of earth magic. “Trust me, Mr. Arc: by the time you’re out of this hospital, you will feel like a new man!” he continued as he grabbed one of Jaune’s legs, and gently bent it.

“AAAGH!”

“You will find all your old pains and aches have disappeared, especially those you never knew were there!” he began to slowly stretch it out again.

“AAA-HAAAH-HAAAH…!”

“Then, then you will see the true peaks of your power, the true capabilities of your body!”

Jaune’s mender exploded into boisterous laughter as Jaune quietly sobbed and whimpered.

“… Yeah, that does sound a LOT more unpleasant than what I went through...” Weiss said quietly. “Did it work, at least?”

“Yeah...” Jaune falling forward and letting his head hit the table. “Still gonna be sore for a while, though...”

“There, there, Jaune: I predict a high chance that your condition will begin to rapidly improve in the near future, both physically and in general,” Penny said as she came up to them.

Weiss turned to her, and gasped, her eyes widening. “Penny! You’re back! And oh my gosh, you look so adorable!”

Penny giggled as she flew in front of them, her core was now housed in a human-style flying drone with part of her original ears and tail attached, the custom covering making her look like a round, soft, flying mouse plushie with brilliant green eyes. “Maker Abner thought it necessary that my loaner body look as aesthetically pleasing, nonthreatening, and friendly as possible.”

“Well I certainly approve,” Weiss said. “Can I touch you?”

“Go right ahead,” Penny said, “this body was designed for it.”

“Thanks!” Weiss said as she reached out and started touching Penny. “Oh, wow, did this cover come from the Plushie Palace?”

“Yes it did!” Penny repiled. “Almost 100% Viridian Valley Sheep Wool, with some necessary additives! And speaking of the Palace, a representative from them actually wishes to see you quite urgently.”

“Why the rush?” Weiss asked as she pulled her hand back.

“It’s about the terms of repayment for your loan to them, from their buying your debt from the Trader’s Guild and returning your collateral, Winter’s Eluna Plushie.” Penny replied.

“Oh, that, right!” Weiss said, nodding. “I completely forgot about it, so much has happened since then… anyway, can it really not wait? I’m really enjoying myself right now...” she said, gesturing to her breakfast.

“I can understand the sentiment, Weiss, and under other circumstances, I would have encouraged the Palace to please return on another, more convenient date for you, but it really would be prudent to assess this matter as soon as possible.”

“Is it really that serious?” Weiss asked, her body’s glow fading slightly.

“Well, I don’t mean to alarm you, Weiss, but if we don’t come up with a solid plan to make the first payment within the next two weeks, and all future payments after that, there is a very high chance we will default, and have to face legal and economic repercussions that will effectively render us bankrupt for the next five-ten years.”

Weiss blinked. “… I’m sorry, say what again…?”

[peachingboy]

notice from the school 学校からのお知らせ (Part 1)

t/n finally the todoroki chapter that many people were requesting from the first light novel, it’s a pretty long part 1 though lol 

with the completion of the work place experience, and the students beginning to prep for the end of term test that was soon to start too. The period between Spring and summer were calm and clear... and on that day.

“Next, Midoriya”

Along the destructed streets, an awfully lacklustre voice could be heard calling out from the ground, it was 1-A’s homeroom teacher; Aizawa. In between the long strand of hair, his tired eyes could be seen peeking through, watching his students on the third floor of a crumbling building.

“Yes” 

A plain looking student, with frizzy hair and adorable freckles could be seen standing up at the sound of Aizawa’s voice. Midoriya Izuku, with a slight nervous look to his face replied. 

“Deku-kun, do your best!”

Standing behind him in line, amongst the girls was a cheerful looking girl whose face could be seen peeking through, it was Uraraka Ochako.

Her lovely smiling face made Izuku blush unintentionally, with his cheeks painted red he replies “u--n!”

From the third floor to the ground, there was a connecting escape chute they were meant to get into, as he slid down, the weight of his body would crush the bag. Taking refuge,he would form tactical formulas alongside the escape chute that was there at hand.

This is Yuuei, right now the hero department class 1-A were in the midst of their fundamental hero studies. Yuuei’s school had large training grounds and in them had various facilities. The stadium could provide shelter to many or produce various accidents and conjure up natural disasters. The USJ dome was just one of them.

At USJ, the attack from the villain alliance was still a fresh memory, the wasted townscape was just one produce of that incident.

--x--

When quirks had first appeared in humanity, it was still something quite far off yet so close. One by one unique abilities began to appear, initially many people thought of it as a supernatural phenomenon, causing a ruckus by calling it a miracle. And so, from then, already about 8% of earths population had transcended quirks from their daily lives. However, at the same time groups of people who used their ability for evil deeds were also on a rise, with the explosive increase in crime rate but with the wreaking havoc and wanting to see the collapse of society, it sparked the birth of people who wanted to also protect others, to enforce justice. The heroes. Protect those who needed protection, crush those who had to much strength for their own good, they are they allies of justice. Before, this could only be achieved within a dream, but now the chance of taking up the tasks of heroes as an actual job had become a reality. 

Hero was now an addition to citizenships, as it has now become a proper job title, many of the public pushed for it to be shaped by the law. However, not just anyone could be become a hero, for a hero to be deemed a hero, qualifications were necessary. The general rule also was to prohibit the use of quirk in public spaces to protect the peace of everyday life. 

With approval from the rest of the country, qualifications were to be achieved, and so, for the sake of using quirks for hero-ing the hero department were implemented into the schools curriculum for them to be able to achieved these qualifications. Of course, it was natural for it to be very hard to get into.

Yuuei was the most difficult to get into, Izuku being quirkless was very rare for his generation.. To become a hero, a quirk was needed. At the age of 4, that was when quirks would usually manifest, however at the age of 4, Izuku realised the cruel reality of life. Izuku’s dream was to be like the number 1 hero; All might, but that dream.. it had only drifted further and further away. Even so, Izuku did not give up on his dream, thought anyone would tell him it was impossible, laugh and look down on him.

And then, for Izuku his wish was granted, as he crossed path with the All might he looked up. His attributes gained approval, and the gruelling training he endured was an act of encouragement, Izuku being the successor and the transfer of one for all to him from All might was kept a secret.

At first, his control of the quirk led to him getting hurt all the time, his class lessons, and All Might’s teacher Gran Torino were good guidance to him, which led to him being able to gain better control of his quirk one step at a time. 

“...oh”

After the slight feeling of floating in the air, Izuku let off his escape chute and safely landed.

“Yoshi, all the boys have finished, next the girls. Yaoyorozu”

“Yes” replied the class’ vice president as she descends downwards.

“Fuu”

With Yaoyorozu Momo safely landing, there was someone of a short stature waiting for her, it was Mineta Minoru. Why was he breathing so heavily?

“What’s wrong Mineta kun?” asked Izuku, Mineta begins to further his heavy breathing.

“Midoriya, the girls on the slide deck, if they slid down their skirts would turn up, but why with the gym clothes?! I get it but.. it’s not fun at all, there’s not one merciful person!”

“Too bad, Mineta chan”

After Yaoyorozu, the next to descend downwards was a student with a frog like face, it was Asui Tsuyu.

“That’s right Mineta kun, if each skirt turned up one by one it won’t be a lesson anymore, it make moving easier for the disaster drill it’s natural for them to want to be in their gym clothes.. actually wait. This is a realistic drill right, we should assume that majority of the women would be in skirts right? I get it.. to increase a more realistic setting there should be skirts!”

 Taken back by the strange agreement by a diligently dressed Iida Tenya, Izuku could only smile as he replies.

“No, I think you’re probably wrong there”

When they met for the first time at the entrance exam, he thought Iida was a scary person but now they’ve become really good friends.

“Stop with your smiling shitty Deku!”

Izuku was hit with a foul voice. 

“Kacchan..”

Glaring over at Izuku with piercing eyes was Izuku’s childhood friend; Bakugou Katsuki. The reckless and foul remarks made to Izuku were an everyday occurence, but even so, if we were to compare it to the times in middle school, the reckless behaviour towards him seems to have decreased. However in the end, Kacchan was still Kacchan.

“So it’s just a shitty disaster drill huh?”

“What are you saying? when you become a hero, saving lives will be the utmost priority! That life you will save with the rescue equipments, it should be studied and practice with the utmost effort! This is a meaningful lesson!”

“Don’t you get it? you people aren’t cut out for this, I’ll just blast the villains if it comes to it, don’t you other bastards finally think that’s a good idea?”

“Hey... do you really intend of becoming a hero?”

More than anyone, Iida had a strong sense of justice, and more than anyone Bakugou had a strong sense of pride, they were an incompatible duo.  As Bakugou begins to draw in closer, Izuku quickly taps Iida.

“Iida kun, calm down”

“Right, that would certainly be an undesirable act”

Close by was a cool and composed looking student, who had a burned mark on his face, he could be heard murmuring it was none other than Todoroki Shouto.

“Todoroki kun?”

“I can’t imagine Bakugou saving lives”

“What did you say bastard?!”

“Ah, I get you.. on the flip side you seem a little hurt” said Kaminari Denki who agrees.

“You bastard, what did you just say? You want to get hurt?” Bakugou’s palm was lit with explosions. The palm of his hands produces a nitro like sweat which leads to it exploding, this was Bakugou’s quirk.

After having lowered the escape chute, the girls could only blankly stare, despite all the ruckus and noise the boys were making they became obedient and meek as they momentarily stop and squirm their way in, strangely immersed by how under control everything was, it was truly amazing. 

“...You lot, do you know what time it is now?” a voice could be heard.

Aizawa’s looming voice had the 1-A students stop right in their tracks, straightening out their postures. His ways of teaching has been ingrained into the students over the last several months. The looks in Aizawa’s eyes could be seen, slightly opened, there was a slight red light in his pupil. Aizawa was able to erase quirks until he blinks. He was the erasing hero, eraser head, that was Aizawa’s hero name. However to avoid hindrance to his work, as well as hating media exposure, he tended to keep himself on the low.

With students in a quiet state, the tiredness returns back to Aizawa’s eyes, he proceeds to open his mouth.

“If it’s over there or not other there, didn’t I say earlier that the mentioned station was rarely in use, wouldn’t it have been better do what you had to do there? aren’t you pros?!” He glances at all the students.

“The rescue team or police, there may be situations where they won’t make it on time, it is your duty to guide evacuations”

“Wouldn’t it be quicker to rescue instead of guiding?” Asked Hagakure Tooru, with the sleeves of her gym clothes wrinkled as she waves her arm. Hagakure’s quirk was invisibility, even so, with one glimpse you couldn’t help but feel like you’re just looking at floating clothes.

“What if you were evacuating a large crowd? What then?” Asked Yaoyorozu Momo also, Aizawa gave a slight nod.

“Right, if it’s one person or two people, rescuing them shouldn’t be a problem, however if it’s a large number of people rescue equipments would be much more suited. Now, if that time actually comes, how you’d act, you wouldn’t truly know, there wouldn’t be time for idle chat like this, so for the general purpose of this curriculum the use of rescue equipment is taught... you got that Bakugou?”

“...usu” Bakugou who was called out, gave a slight nod. Your greatest ability was to be able to compromise. 

Next to Bakugou was Izuku who was clearly taken back, he begins to mutter to himself.

“I see, even though you can evacuate a large amount of people with the rescue equipment, also the quirks as a combination! But how? for example, Uraraka san who can make anything float... Sero kun’s tape... Mineta kun’s sticky balls can all be used. If it was a pro hero... hyyoo.. the varying combinations we can create are endless”

Wanting to become a hero, Izuku often researches heroes with much passion, Izuku was a splendid hero otaku, which also made him a research otaku. When he’s in his own world he tends to go off, speaking rapidly, muttering to himself, in the beginning everyone used to get startled by it but now he was on the receiving end of burning eyes. (Minus Bakugou)

“Alright, next..”

At that exact moment, a crunching like sound was heard interrupting Aizawa’s voice. Surprised, the students all looked up at the sky where a helicopter could be seen descending. And then, from the same helicopter a large body blocking bits of the sky suddenly came flying downards.

“From the sky... I have come!”

“All might?!”

With a large thud, he shooked the ground with his landing, the muscular body of his flexed his muscles in a majestic form, it was the number 1 hero All might. The front hair of his branced off into two, as he came down from the helicopter, the winds would subtly have them blow about, All might bares his white teeth and grins.

“Yaaaa, sorry for being late ladies and gentlement, as I left, I got caught up and ended up catching villains”

“Goodness, it was originally meant to be you who was in charge for today!” Amazed by Aizawa who was laying into All might, Izuku’s eyes began to sparkle.

“it’s already made it onto the internet news! I had checked during lunch time! You caught some bank robbers right?!”

“Oh yaaa... there was actually one more who barricaded himself in, but it looks like that hasn’t made it onto the news yet!”

“A-as expected, All might!”

He was the hero he had always longed to become, Izuku couldn’t help but swell up with uncontainable excitement. Amongst all the heroes, All might was a special exception, with his overwhelming strength and the existence of his being a deterrent to crime itself, in both name and reality, he was the symbol of peace.

That has now been passed on from All might to Izuku, who both share the master/student relationship . Minus several people, the connection between the two was kept a secret. All might’s original form was a very dejected looking body made of just skins and bones, however to continue with his hero activities he had to transform but the amount of time he had to hold that form had decreased. 

“Young Midoriya, thank you for your kind words which has filled my belly (t/n he makes a dad pun here arigatai mou onaka ippai , the translation to english makes no sense but it cute af) but I don’t think the helicopter can wait much longer”

“Helipcopter? Is this for you to...”

“It’s an emergency right? Did you think I’ll only use it for my entrance?! Alright, from now onwards, we’ll use the helicopter for the evacuation training! Are you ready?!”

“As expected from the heroes department!”

Moved and amazed, Izuku began to mutter to himsel again, for the sake of becoming heroes of course much thought and effort would be put into providing lessons, this is afterall... Yuuei’s hero department.

--x--

The students finished their evacuation training via helicopter and had stopped off by the watery side of the snowy mountain, they all make their way back to the class room.

“For me, if I drowned in the sea, the artificial life guard could give me CPR, I’ll probably unintentionally stop breathing...”

“Hey before you go off, can you stop?”

Close by to where Mineta and Kaminari were having their conversation sat Tokoyami Fumikage muttering about the embodiment of sinful desires. Tokoyami’s bird face was part of his quirk, Dark Shadow. It was an extendable shadow, somewhat of a living creature which lived inside his body.

At the same time, Aizawa enters the classroom and in an instance everyone returned to their seats, with their straightened posture.

“Alright, good job, however without further delay, next week there’s going to be a parent’s day”

“Parent’s day?” Everyone voiced out in unification at Aizawa’s words.

“Even though it’s the hero department, they still do that?” said the spikey head Kirishima Eijirou, he was a student whose quirk allowed him to harden specific parts of his body accompanied by his strong aura of manliness.

The students began to talk amongst themselves as they distributed the parents day print out that Aizawa handed them, to one another. 

“These print outs have to be handed over to your guardian, also, the purpose of these printouts are letters of gratitude to your guardians... which you have to write”

The class pauses in an instance... then a sudden outburst of laughter erupts.

“No way, this isn’t an elementary school right?” said Kaminari Denki, whom everyone seemingly agrees with but Aizawa cuts them off.

“Do you think this is a joke?”

Aizawa’s threatening tone had them silenced.

“You have to write a letter of gratitude to your guardians who has always looked after you and then you’ll have to read it aloud for the rest of us”

The students were unable to comprehend how real this was, unable to hide the bewilderment on their faces.

“Seriously?! This has to be a joke!”

“This is definitely, very embarassing”

Amongst all the chattering and disbelief, Iida shot up out of his seat and began yelling, flinging his arms around, this a usual habit of his.

“Silence! Everyone! Silence!.... Silence!”

“But Iida chan’s voice is the loudest of them all” In front of Iida sat Asui Tsuyu who had pointed it out, which Iida apologises for but proceeds to continue.

“However sensei, everyone is currently in a erratic state, let’s say for this parents day we could show them what we usually do during our classes? Also, for the letter of gratitude we have to read out loud, there has been no consent given to this! Wouldn’t it be more hero department like if we were able to show our guardians the fruits of our labour? Wouldn’t it be better to show them our initial motive?” Iida was heavily breathing out of his nose as he spoke.

“Well, this is the hero department...” replied Aizawa.

“So, what do you think?”

Aizawa glanced around the class.

“If your future goal is to become a hero, you’d be receiving alot of gratitude from the people you’ll save. However, you also have to retain that feeling of being thankful to someone, but since I’m unsure of whether you all would become pros or not.. that’s something I don’t know yet”

“I understand now! For the purpose of being a hero we should reconfirm our hearts! Only then will we be worthy enough to become heroes, the initial feeling of gratitude, our humble being, we shall not forget! To think of such a lesson plan like this... you have my consent!”

“Consent?” Ochako who was sat behind Iida could only sigh. Iida’s quick change of heart was met with bitter smiles as the class’ mood dampens and them all acknowledging their fate.

Anything could happen in the hero department, one by one each in their nervous state, they were unable to control their trembling.

“Maaaa, but before any of that, the schools issued an announcement for some light training to be organised”

“Either way we don’t win!” At the sound fo Aizawa’s words, Kaminari was ended up representing the voice of his classmates as he speaks their feelings.

--x--

“Parents day? What are we going to do about the letter of gratitude?”

“I can probably only write a thanks”

Izuku who was a little troubled muttered, as Todoroki who was walking beside him replies, with them also was Iida.

“At first I had my doubts, but now I think it’s an amazing proposal. Normally we’d already have feelings of gratitude for our family but this would be a great opportunity to reinforce these feelings, but for the letter, what is the limit of pages we can write? If it’s a few that would be troublesome, I probably wouldn’t be able to express everything.

On the street going home, in their school uniform the three of them walked together in a line, at first glance they just looked like any other high school students, but these three had actually shaken up society when they faced the hero killer Stain, which was kept a secret to protect them. These boys weren’t pro heroes, but to take down their opponent they had to use their quirks to inflict damage, which in addition breached the law of the public. Even if that opponent had previously purged numerous people who called themselves heroes.

Not wanting to expose the fact that these hero chick-lings were caught up in the hero killer fiasco, no public announcement were made. The respect Iida had for his older brother who was a victim of Stain drove him to seek revenge but ended up with Izuku and Todoroki coming to his rescue. Together, in the end it resulted in them forming a strong bond with one another.

“That’s amazing Iida kun, for you to be able to write that much... I, what could I write? Nothing comes ti mind, for the heroes they often send letters using their HP but there won’t even be much HP left for me to use for this letter”

“Is that really? I occasionally write letters of thanks”

“Letters of thanks?!”

“Once in a while, the old ladies who help me on the streets, I would send them gifts of thanks, at those times, we should show signs of acknowledgement and so, our parents should experience it too” said Iida casually.

“As expected from you” Izuku taken back and could only look on in admiration.

“I see, it’s a normal thing for you” Iida seemed embarrassed by Izuku’s reaction, whilst Todoroki agreed.

“Ah no, I can only do the minimal that I can” Iida answers disappointingly. 

“I see that’s how it is” Izuku answers, the mood dampens a little.

“B-but, it’s still a good thing! This time you’d be able to a lot more!”

“... You’re right! I can write a letter of from the heart, that’s right, this time...”

Iida’s mood had lifted at Izuku’s knowing he’d be able to do more, but suddenly he begins waving his hands towards the heaven.

“ah!”

“What’s up Iida Kun?!”

“I can not believe I just careless forgot... this!” Iida pulls a sealed envelope from his bag.

“What is it?”

“They’re amusement park tickets I had received from Native san, they’re for us”

“Who’s that?”

“The hero that was there during the stain attack, why do you ask?”

“I want to be able to thank them!”

They open the envelope and pull out 4 amusement park tickets. 

“Why are there 4 tickets?”

“The rides at amusement parks usually comes in two’s, I guess it’s consideration to that?”

“I see” answered Izuku, Todoroki nods in agreement.

“With much problem, we must decide on one more person we should bring” said Iida.

“That’s great!” replied Izuku with much interest.

“Maa, I don’t really mind” said Todoroki who didn’t seem to bothered.

“However, these tickets will expire by next week, how about next week Sunday? would you both be free then?”

“umm.... ah! Sorry! I can’t then!”

“Do you have something planned already?” at the ask of Iida’s question, Izuku’s large eyes began to sparkle.

“There’s going to be a hero exhibition at the culture hall! They’ll be covering the dawn of heroes, this isn’t an event you can miss! This is the chance for you to be able to see all the dawn of heroes data! Also for visitors they’ll get a special detailed photobook of the dawn of heroes!” Izuku tries to suppress his excitement.

“Goodness, Midoriya kun you really like heroes...”

“Sorry!”

“Sunday is also bad for me, I’ll be visiting my mother, sorry” Both Izuku and Todoroki could only apologise, but the slight sound of disappointment could be heard in Iida’s voice.

“Ah, I see” Iida with his usual stiff face.

“It’s a disappointing , but there’s nothing we can do about it, but it’d be such a shame to have these tickets go to waste, you should probably invite other people”

“I was planning it as just just three... ah, it’s okay if I don’t go”

“What?! suddenly Izuku was taken back  a little, Todoroki and Iida looked on, confused.

“Even if the two of us won’t be able to attend, I’d personally would still go on my own...”

It was a little embarrassing for Izuku to say, both Todoroki and Iida turned their heads towards eachother.

“Midoriya kun, you have amazing knowledge and power but you’re a pretty normal person” Iida said surprised.

“That’s right” Todoroki nods in agreement.

At the surprise  of the two, Izuku could only give off an awkward smile.

“...ah, Iida kun, who are you going to bring out on parents day?” Izuku asked in an attempt to change the subject, nontheless Iida still answers earnestly.

“My mother, my father has work. Midoriya kun who shall you bring from your household?”

“Probably my mother too, Todoroki kun what about you?”

“For me.. probably no one” Todoroki says casually, but in that moment Izuku realises and goes pale.

“ah!” 

Considering the complex circumstance of Todoroki’s family, how could Izuku ask so casually without realising, he was filled with guilt. 

If all might is the number 1 hero, the number 2 hero was flaming Endeavour, Todoroki’s father. Obsessed with his desire to become strong and over take All might he was unable to do it himself, so he set out to create the ultimate being by strengthening quirks for them to be inherited, he set out to create the ultimate combination through something known as quirk marriages. His father’s quirk was heat, his mothers quirk was ice, they were both outstanding attributes, amongst his siblings, Todoroki inherited the strongest balance from both side. From a young age, to become a hero that would surpass All might, his father had put him through strict training, with his mother trying to protecting to him even though his father would hurt her.

And so, mentally and emotionally having been drove into a corner, Todoroki’s mother poured boiling water over his face which resulted in having his mother being placed in the hospital, and from then onwards, Todoroki carried nothing but hatred for his father.

“Listen, I’m sorry”

“I see, your mother is in hospital.. I’m sorry” Both Izuku and Iida felt bad and could only apologise.

“No problem, don’t worry about it, it’s nothing you should apologise for” replied Todoroki with his usual curt self.

“However, to not have been able to experience a bright childhood, it’s such a shame” says Iida.

“.........”

Todoroki gently puts his hand into the pockets of his trousers and fumbles about with the printout that was in it.

“No big deal... also, seeing that guy just irks me”

“That guy?... you mean Endeavour san? for you to call your father that guy, you must have no admiration for him at all it seems. Why don’t you atleast try to call him father?”

“Calling that guy a shitty dad is plenty enough”

“If you don’t want to say father, what about “papa”?”

“...pa......”

“Or “daddy”?”

“....da...”

The thought of calling Endeavour other than the usual had Todoroki distorting his face, with Izuku noticing this he tries to settle the conversation.

“Uh.. h--hey! hey! There seems to be households where they call their parents by a nickname”

“However, doesn’t it seem like a thing that is done in mutual relations between friends? The level of respect somehow decreases...”

“That guy and a nickname?.. impossible”

“It’s your freedom to call him whatever you want right?!” Izuku followed on as the general belief of parental/children norm diminishes.

As they reached the bend of the street, Todoroki suddenly comes to a halt.

“Todoroki kun?”

“... I just remembered I had something to do” Izuku watching Todoroki as he loiters about, the expression of witnessing a miracle was plastered onto Izuku’s face, it may have been his imaginations but he raises his hand up...

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow”

“Get home safe!”

“yup”

[siva3155]

300+ TOP POLICE Interview Questions and Answers

POLICE Interview Questions for freshers and experienced :-

1. Why do you want to work in this industry? Bad answer: "I like law enforcement. I think it's really cool." Don't just say you like it. Anyone can "like" law enforcement. Focus instead on your history with the industry, and if you can, tell a story. Good answer: "I have always appreciated and admired those who put their lives on the line to protect our comminutues. My interest really piqued in law enforcement however, after I witnessed a domestic dispute and watched the responding officers diffuse the situation. I heard the calling as I saw the officers control the situation and remove one of the parties from harm's way. It was then I knew that this is what I was meant to do." 2. Tell us about yourself. Bad answer: "I graduated four years ago from the University of Michigan, with a Bachelor's degree in Biology – but I decided that wasn't the right path for me. I switched gears and started volunteering with a local police department as an admin. Then I went on to work in another department and started watching the training courses. After that, I took a few months off to travel. Finally, I came back to start working again. And now, here I am, looking for a more challenging law enforcement role." Instead of giving a chronological work history, focus on your strengths and how they pertain to the role. If possible, illustrate with examples. Good answer: "I'm a very energetic and well-rounded person who can follow instructions well. I am a good communicator and quite a team player. At the last department I was with I initiated advanced medic classes for the officers who were interested in learning new first-aid techniques. It had such a positive impact that they are offering the same course again this year." 3. What do you think of your previous chief? Bad answer: "He was completely incompetent, and a nightmare to work with, which is why I've moved on" Remember: if you get the job, the person interviewing you will some day be your previous boss. The last thing they want is to hire someone who they know is going to badmouth them some day. Instead of trashing your former employer, stay positive, and focus on what you learned from them (no matter how awful they might have been). Good answer: "My last chief taught me the importance of time management – he didn't pull any punches, and was extremely driven. His no-nonsense attitude pushed me to work harder, and to meet goals I never even thought were possible." 4. Why are you leaving your current job? Bad answer: "I can't stand my boss, or the work they have me doing." Again, stay away from bad-mouthing your department or fellow officers. Focus on the positive. Good answer: "I've learned a lot from my current role, but now I'm looking for a new challenge, to broaden my horizons and to gain new skill-sets – all of which, I see the potential for in this department." 5. Where do you see yourself in five years? Bad answer: "Relaxing on a beach in Maui," or "Doing your job." There's really no right answer to this question, but the interviewer wants to know that you're ambitious, career-oriented, and committed to a future with the station. So, instead of sharing your dream for early retirement, or trying to be funny, give them an answer that illustrates your drive and commitment. Good answer: "In five years I'd like to have an even better understanding of what it takes to be a good officer. Also, I really enjoy being the first to a scene, and I work very well under pressure. Ultimately, I'd like to be in a commander-type position, where I can use my organizational skills and industry knowledge to benefit the people working with me, and those we are there to help." 6. What's your greatest weakness? Bad answer: "I work too hard," or for the comedian, "Blondes." This question is a great opportunity to put a positive spin on something negative, but you don't want your answer to be cliche – joking or not. Instead, try to use a real example of a weakness you have learned to overcome. Good answer: "I've never been very comfortable with public speaking – which as you know, can be a hindrance in this field. Realizing this was a problem, I asked my previous department if I could enroll in a speech workshop. I took the class, and was able to overcome my lifelong fear. Since then, I've given several safety presentations to school children across the county. I still don't love it, but no one else can tell!" 7. What salary are you looking for? Bad answer: "In my last job I earned $45,000 – so, now I'm looking for $55,000" If you can avoid it, don't give an exact number. The first person to name a price in a salary negotiation loses. Instead, re-iterate your commitment to the job itself. If you have to, give a broad range based on research you've conducted on that particular role, in your particular city. Good answer: "I'm more interested in the role itself than the pay. That said, I'd expect to be paid the appropriate range for this job, based on my five years of experience. I also think a fair salary would bear in mind the high cost of living here in New York City." 8. Why should I hire you? Bad answer: "I'm the best candidate for the job." A good answer will reiterate your qualifications, and will highlight what makes you unique. Good answer: "I've been a law enforcement officer for the past five years – my chief has said time and time again that without me, the department wouldn't function as well as it currently does. I've also taken the time to educate myself on some of the non-standard techniques that may come in handy while on duty. I can react quickly in hectic situations, and can handle the responsibilities of a leadership role. What's good enough for most people is never really good enough for me." 9. What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it? Bad answer: I never finished law school – and everything that has happened since then has taught me that giving up, just because the going gets tough, is a huge mistake." You don't want to actually highlight a major regret – especially one that exposes an overall dissatisfaction with your life. Instead, focus on a smaller, but significant, mishap, and how it has made you a better professional. Good answer: "When I was in college, I took an art class to supplement my curriculum. I didn't take it very seriously, and assumed that, compared to my Engineering classes, it would be a walk in the park. My failing grades at midterm showed me otherwise. I'd even jeopardized my scholarship status. I knew I had to get my act together. I spent the rest of the semester making up for it, ended up getting a decent grade in the class. I learned that no matter what I'm doing, I should strive to do it to the best of my ability. Otherwise, it's not worth doing at all." 10. How do you explain your gap in employment? Bad answer: "I was tired of the job and I needed a break," or "I just couldn't find a job." Employment gaps are always tough to explain. You don't want to come across as lazy or unhireable. Find a way to make your extended unemployment seem like a choice you made, based on the right reasons. Good answer: "My work is important to me, so I won't be satisfied with any old job. Instead of rushing to accept the first thing that comes my way, I'm taking my time and being selective to make sure my next position is the right one."

POLICE Interview Questions 11. When were you most satisfied in your job? Bad answer: "I was most satisfied when I did well, and got praised for my work." Don't give vague answers. Instead, think about something you did well —and enjoyed— that will be relevant at this new job. This is an opportunity for you to share your interests, prove that you're a great fit for the department and showcase your enthusiasm. Good answer: "I'm a people person. I was always happiest — and most satisfied — when I was interacting with community residents, making sure I was able to meet their needs and giving them the best possible comfort in a tough situation. It was my favorite part of the job, and it showed. Part of the reason I'm interested in this job is that I know I'd have even more interaction with the public, on an even more critical level." 12. What did you like least about your job? Bad answer: "A lack of stability. I felt like the place could collapse around me at any time." Try and stay away from anything that draws on the politics, culture or financial health of your previous employer. No matter how true it might be, comments like these will be construed as too negative. Also, you don't want to focus on a function that might be your responsibility in the next role. So think of something you disliked in your last job, but that you know for sure won't be part of this new role. Good answer: "There was nothing about my last job that I hated, but I guess there were some things I liked less than others. My previous role involved traveling at least twice a month. While I do love to travel, twice a month was a little exhausting – I didn't like spending quite so much time out of the department. I'm happy to see that this role involves a lot less travel." 13. Describe a time when you did not get along with a co-worker. Bad answer: "I'm easy to get along with, so I've never had any kind of discord with another officer or department staff member." Interviewers don't like these types of "easy out" answers. And besides, they know you are probably not telling the truth. Think of a relatively benign (but significant) instance, and show how it became a positive learning experience. Good answer: "I used to lock heads with a fellow officer. We disagreed over a lot of things – from civilian interaction to who got what shifts to how to speak with a victim's family. Our personalities just didn't mesh. After three months of arguing, I pulled her aside and asked her to lunch. At lunch, we talked about our differences and why we weren't getting along. It turns out, it was all about communication. We communicated differently and once we knew that, we began to work well together. I really believe that talking a problem through with someone can help solve any issue." 14. What motivates you? Bad answer: "Doing a good job and being rewarded for it." It's not that this answer is wrong — it's just that it wastes an opportunity. This question is practically begging you to highlight your positive attributes. So don't give a vague, generic response — it tells them very little about you. Instead, try and use this question as an opportunity to give the interviewer some insight into your character, and use examples where possible. Good answer: "I've always been motivated by the challenge – in my last role, I was responsible for training our new recruits in firearm care, and wouldn't stop teaching until each recruit passed the course. I know that this job is very fast-paced and I'm more than up for the challenge. In fact, I thrive on it." 15. How would your friends describe you? Bad answer: "I'm a really good listener." While being a good listener is a great personality trait, your employer probably doesn't care all that much. It's unlikely that they're hiring you to be a shoulder to cry on. You'll want to keep your answer relevant to the job you're interviewing for, and as specific as possible. If you can, insert an example. Good answer: "My friends would probably say that I'm extremely persistent – I've never been afraid to keep going back until I get what I want. In college I worked as a program developer, recruiting keynote speakers for major conferences. I usually got one rejection after another – this was just the nature of the job. But I really wanted the big players – so I wouldn't take no for an answer. I kept going back to them every time there was a new company on board, or some new value proposition. Eventually, many of them actually said "yes" – the program turned out to be so great that we doubled our attendees from the year before. A lot of people might have given up after the first rejection, but it's just not in my nature. If I know something is possible, I have to keep trying until I get it." 16. Do you think you are overqualified for Police? 17. Responsibility is an important component of being a police officer. Have you ever taken out a student loan, mortgage, or car loan? Did you repay it on time? 18. As a police officer, you may be required to use lethal force if the situation requires it. Are you prepared to use lethal force if required? Are you prepared to discharge your firearm with lethal intent? 19. Give me an example of a situation when you had to deal with someone who was irate and being hostile with you? 20. Policing can be a physically demanding job. What do you do to keep health and in shape? 21. Is there any thing that would prevent you from meeting the physical requirements of law enforcement? 22. Police officers are often the subject of public scrutiny. Do you have anything in your background that would concern us? 23. Why do you want to serve as a police officer for this particular region or municipality? 24. Who are the mayor, the premier, and the police chief for this region? 25. What made you choose to apply to Police? 26. What have you learned from your past jobs? 27. Tells us about your military experience (if applicable). 28. Are you participating in any kind of personal fitness program? 29. Do you drink alcohol? 30. Have you used any kind of illicit drugs? 31. Do you have any kind of medical condition that we should know about? 32. Have you been involved in any car accidents? How many driving infractions have you received? 33. Why are you seeking a career as a police officer/deputy sheriff? 34. What education and experience do you possess that has prepared you for this career? 35. Police officers need to be able to handle conflict. Tell me about a time when you had to resolve conflict with someone? 36. Tell me about your last position and what you did? 37. What do you know about the position of Police? 38. What are key tasks for Police? 39. What are top 3 knowledge/top 3 skills for Police? 40. Did you choose this profession/field? 41. What tertiary qualifications have you attained that related to Police? 42. What is the most recent skill you have learned that related to Police? 43. Why do you want a career in law enforcement? 44. What makes you a suitable candidate as a police officer? 45. Have you applied to other law enforcement agencies? 46. What are some of your best qualities? 47. Do you work well with other people? 48. Describe the worst situation you have encountered in a work place. How did you deal with it? 49. How do you feel about carrying a gun and possibly having to take someone’s life in the line of duty? 50. What are the sources of stress in your personal and professional life? How do you manage this stress? 51. What is your pattern of alcohol use? 52. What type of interpersonal conflict have you experienced in your professional life? 53. What steps did you take to resolve the issue? 54. What personal qualities and traits do you possess that would make you well suited for a law enforcement career? 55. Which type of situations cause you to feel discouraged? Anxious? Irritated? 56. When have you had to take charge of a situation to quickly resolve a problem or crisis? 57. As a police officer you catch hold of your friend doing something illegal. How would you handle the situation? 58. Tell me about a suggestion you have made? 59. What irritates you about co-workers? 60. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure? 61. What have you learned from mistakes on the job? 62. How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience? 63. Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute between others. 64. Do you prefer to work independently or on a team? 65. When was the last time you were angry? What happened? 66. How do you handle stress/pressure? 67. How would you describe your work style? 68. Describe a typical work week? 69. How will your greatest strength help you perform? 70. What challenges are you looking for? 71. What will you do if you don’t get this position? 72. What do you expect from a supervisor? 73. What have you learned from your mistakes? 74. How did you handle challenges? 75. Give me an example of a time when you had to think out of the box? 76. Tell me about a time when you failed? 77. How would your past experience translate into success in this job? 78. Tell me about an assignment that was too difficult for you. How did you resolve the issue? 79. Tell me about a time when you faced a major obstacle at work? 80. What can you do for us that other candidates can’t? POLICE Questions with answers pdf Download :: Read the full article

[presumenothing]

past time

aka I have too many AUs, and also the Kaito & Shiho tag now has one (1) work on AO3 now, yay

People never think to look up, do they? (Or: two conversations, years apart.)

(AO3) (FFN)

.

The rustle of leaves catches Shiho by surprise.

That in itself is unusual - she’s always alert to her surroundings, and perhaps it might’ve been excessive for anyone else, but in her case it really isn’t.

So when an unfamiliar figure swings up onto the tree branch opposite to the one she’s sitting on, it takes her a moment to register that he’d said something. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t know there was someone up here, I’ll just – ”

The boy (a year younger than her, probably Japanese descent, Shiho estimates automatically, trying to calm her racing heartbeat) is about to jump back off the branch before she speaks, startling both of them. “No, it’s fine, you can stay.”

“Really?” He gives her a blinding grin when she nods, and settles in - with enviable ease, Shiho can’t help but think. The trees lining the grounds have made a passable sanctuary for her thus far (people never think to look up, not even in a school ostensibly for gifted children), but even then she’s always wary of falling.

She almost regrets the decision not half a minute later, though, when he speaks again. “Enjoying the afternoon sun?"

“Not particularly,” Shiho answers anyway, leaning against the tree trunk. “You?”

“Nah, I’m definitely a night person. Just needed some fresh air after all those classes, you know?” He tugs at the collar of the school uniform with a faint grimace.

Shiho doesn’t, actually – her schedule is far from the usual even here, most of it taken up by research and graduate lessons with the professors.

“Right, I forgot to introduce myself! I’m Kuroba K – sorry, Kaito Kuroba, I should say?” he continues with a sheepish grin, apparently unoffended by her silence. “Still getting used to that, my name sounds really weird in that order.”

“It’s an adjustment period,” she says noncommittally, because - well, it’s not as if she has much experience in the matter. Codenames don’t exactly differ across the world, after all. “I’m Shiho Miyano.”

“I know,” comes Kuroba’s answer, and that’s unexpected. “We’re in the same class for organic chemistry, right?”

Shiho pages through her memories quickly - she isn’t taking the class herself, of course, only helping her supervisor with it as part of her PhD qualifications. “You transferred in recently?”

“Yeah, a month ago. My mum wanted me to come to the States with her, and this school was recommended by a good friend of hers.” He pauses briefly. “Also, I’m quite sure my old school was just about ready to kick me out after I blew up the chemistry lab twice.”

Shiho does look up at that one. “Twice,” she repeats, half in disbelief – she remembers seeing Kuroba’s work in class now, and it had consistently been above average if one ignored the haphazard doodling in the margins and occasional creative answers. Certainly well above catastrophic-lab-incident standards, if she were to judge.

“On purpose,” he clarifies unhelpfully, a glint of mischief clear in his eyes. “Well, mostly on purpose. I was bored, and it wasn’t anything permanent at any rate... well, except for the glitter. I’m not sure Komoe-sensei ever completely got that out of her hair.”

Glitter? she thinks, but silently this time, because she’s not quite sure she wants to know the story behind that particular statement. “Well, I don’t think boredom will be an issue for you here, given the flexibility of the curriculum.”

The sudden excited grin on Kuroba’s face suggests that he does, in fact, agree. “Yeah, I definitely haven’t been bored so far - I mean, some of the teachers are boring, but I guess that’s the same everywhere. Though I could use some help with linear algebra, if you’re taking that class?”

“No, I’m biochem,” Shiho answers shortly – she knows the subject well enough, of course, but the last thing she needs is someone poking around in curiosity. “You’re engineering, I assume?”

Fortunately, he takes the hint to change the topic. “No, I want to be a magician! I’m working on a card gun for design class now, actually, although the mechanism keeps refusing to work out right.”

“Card gun?” she asks, interested despite herself.

“Yeah, you’re supposed to be able to shoot cards with it, but – ” there’s a crinkle of paper as he takes a sheaf of paper from a book she could’ve sworn he hadn’t been holding earlier, “ – here, I have the drafts if you want to take a look?”

“I wouldn’t be much help with that, I’m afraid,” she says before he can hand over the blueprints, and nods at the book instead. “What’re you reading?”

He holds out the book to her, and it takes her several seconds to make the mental switch to Japanese. “Lupin versus Holmes?” she reads from the cover, raising an eyebrow.

“Arsène Lupin versus Herlock Sholmes, actually, but Holmes is overrated anyway,” he quips with a grin. “Do you want to borrow my copy? It’s worth the read, I promise.”

Shiho hesitates – it’d be good practice for her Japanese, which she’s rarely had the chance to use for the past few years since coming here, but on the other hand –

Three things happen almost simultaneously in the next moment: the bell rings, Kuroba visibly startles, and the book reappears on her lap with a puff of smoke.

“Right, that’s my cue,” he says with a glance at his watch, while she’s still mute with surprise. “The professor’s gonna kill me if I’m late for physics again, I think.”

He’s already jumped down from the branch in one nimble movement that would’ve easily sprained Shiho’s ankle (or worse) before she finally manages to respond. “Wait, your book – ”

“Don’t worry about it, you can return it next time we meet! I’ve practically memorised it by this point anyway.” He waves at her with a cheeky grin. “See you around, Miyano!”

Kuroba dashes off around the corner of a building before she can figure out a reply, but - well, Shiho has never been one to say no to a good book, much as she hasn’t made time to read for longer than she can care to remember.

Then again, she’s free for the next two hours while the maintenance crew deals with the spill in an adjacent lab that’d sent her out here in the first place, so she opens the book and begins to read.

On the eighth day of last December, Mon. Gerbois, professor of mathematics at the College of Versailles, while rummaging in an old curiosity-shop, unearthed a small mahogany writing-desk which pleased him very much on account of the multiplicity of its drawers…

. 

(He’d been overly optimistic, of course - she finishes the book quickly enough, but doesn’t get the chance to return it when she’s called back to Japan that very weekend.)

–––

Two muted voices echo faintly as Ai heads down the corridor, snatches of conversation from beyond the slightly ajar doors of the Kudo library.

“ – already told you to be careful – ”

“ – like to see you try piloting a hang glider in this weather, tantei-kun – ”

Both fall suddenly silent when she pushes the door open. (Honestly. She’d already deduced what was going on several heists ago, did they need to look so surprised?)

She walks in anyway, shaking her head with a sigh. “Here, I brought some extra medical supplies for – ”

Ai’s thoughts are abruptly derailed as she gets a proper look at the third person in the room, and the name slips out without her realising it. “Kuroba?”

And the Kaitou Kid, face unobscured by the shadow of a hat brim for once, blinks. “…Miyano?”

(…so, okay, Ai had known that Edogawa was helping Kid, but she clearly hadn’t figured out the whole truth. Though, judging from the look of shock mirrored on the thief’s face, she hadn’t been the only one.)

Edogawa freezes mid-movement, and Ai has the rare privilege of witnessing his complete, utter confusion. “You two… know each other?”

“I thought you looked familiar, but I figured that it must’ve been some weird coincidence. I mean, what were the chances?” Kuroba - who happens to be the Kaitou Kid, apparently, she cannot even believe her life right now - gives her the same blinding grin she remembers from a lifetime ago. “Guess I should’ve known better, huh?”

“Well, I wouldn’t have taken kindly to you asking, at any rate.” Ai takes a page from his book, and doesn’t bother answering Edogawa either - the detective can afford to stew for a while longer. “Still a Lupin fan, I see?”

The familiar top hat appears in Kuroba’s hand in a small puff of smoke, and he tips it at her theatrically, still with that look of amusement on his face. “I always wondered how that book ended up back in my room afterwards.”

“There was a reason I was sent to that school specifically.” Ai shrugs as she strides forward, placing the box she’d been carrying on the table between the pair. “I returned to the labs nearby several times, it was more a matter of finding an opportunity to slip away. Though I suppose I owe you one for taking that long to return it.”

Kuroba appears to think over that for a moment, before glancing to where his sleeve has been cut neatly away to reveal a gash across his upper arm. “Patch me up, and we call it even?”

Ai considers the wound - bullet graze, relatively large caliber, probably matched the deleted reports of snipers that she’d helped to track down previously - before nodding. “Get me a basin of warm water, would you, Edogawa-kun?” she asks, finally glancing over to where the detective is still opening and closing his mouth like a fish.

(Unbeknownst to her, a certain magician thief shudders for reasons he is not completely sure of.)

“Don’t worry, tantei-kun, the answer probably isn’t half as sinister as what you’re probably imagining,” Kuroba adds airily, just as Edogawa looks like he’s about to protest. “Though I’ll leave it up to the ojou-san here to decide whether to tell you.”

Edogawa gives them both a vaguely disgruntled look as he leaves, and Ai gets to work, picking up the tweezers she’d brought over.

“So I take it that you - ” Kuroba hisses sharply as she removes a piece of debris lodged in the wound, “ - are the scientist that tantei-kun mentions every now and then?”

“I would assume so, yes,” Ai quips dryly. “Better than ‘great white flying target’, if you ask me.”

“Hey, I volunteered for this job before I even met tantei-kun,” Kid objects, sounding mildly offended.

“Which is a testament to your soundness of mind, I’m sure,” Ai mutters under her breath.

Kuroba has the temerity to chuckle at that. “Seriously, I even told you about the card gun, I can’t believe it took you this long to put the pieces together. Though I got carried away with the customisations and ended up submitting my modified smoke bombs for class in the end.”

“Even if I’d realised the connection, I would’ve just assumed that both you and Kid had taken inspiration from a common source.” Ai reaches over to tilt the table lamp so she can see better. “And you’re certainly one to talk, given that you already know who Edogawa-kun is.”

“True,” Kuroba says with a wince - whatever painkillers he’d taken earlier were probably wearing off, Ai thinks.

They both fall into silence after that, until Ai straightens, satisfied that she’d removed all the debris. “Besides, if you’d actually gotten as far as showing me the prints, I’d probably have told you to patent the design, and then where would Kaitou Kid be?”

Kuroba is still laughing at that when Edogawa returns with the basin of water and two clean towels, a confused expression on his face.

.

(“I was lying, you know,” Kuroba tells her as his gaze flicks over the wall of screens in the surveillance van, showing various exits of the hideout they’re planning to raid. “Before.”

“Oh, for…” Shiho shakes her head as she checks the barrel of the Glock that Agent Jodie had lent her. “Do we really have to discuss this now, Kid?”

They all use the moniker when he helps on these missions, but it’s very much Kuroba that grins back up at her - there’s a distinct difference. “I’ve never had problems with linear algebra, although I don’t like it much.”

“So what, you were planning to play dumb if I’d agreed to help you?” A glance at Kuroba’s expression confirms her hypothesis - or possibly that he just hadn’t thought that far. “And you already knew I was up that tree, I assume.”

“Guilty as charged,” he answers in a singsong tone, card gun appearing in one hand with a quick movement. “Shall we go, then?”

“Thought you’d never ask,” Shiho says, deadpan, as she ducks out of the van’s door ahead of him. “And I wasn’t actually taking that org chem class, if you must know.”

She hears him pause briefly at that one, and there’s a note of realisation in his voice when he replies. “Don’t tell me you were the one who deducted five marks for handwriting on my assignments?”

“No, that was one of the other grad students.” Shiho heads over to where Kudo is talking to several FBI agents, though she does wait for Kuroba to catch up before continuing. “I would’ve deducted ten, at least.”

Beside her, Kuroba splutters in indignation.)

.

.

as far as I can tell, the Japanese translation does actually have the title as ルパン対ホームズ, literally “Lupin vs Holmes”, unlike both English and the original French.

not terribly alternate as far as AUs go, though I leave the details up to your imagination – Mystery Train goes somewhat differently in this universe, of course, but otherwise the DC timeline thus far remains mostly similar. on the MK side of things, Kaito presumably returned to Japan for high school when he learned about Toichi being Kid, and while he did keep in contact with Aoko while overseas, their relationship would likely (and unfortunately) not be as close as in canon, leaving him freer to act as Kid. (if it wasn't obvious, the school was recommended by Vermouth – ostensibly to keep Chikage and Kaito safe from Snake and co., but who knows when it comes to her, honestly...)

and allow me to yet again link two stunning pieces of relevant art from aoi/aonosubete, because this artist owns my soul by this point, seriously