the copycat hero: Deku

Chapter 19

"This is the place!" Ms. Joke said happily as they arrived outside the seedy-looking dive bar, "Come on! Let's go in!"

"Am I even allowed in there?" Izuku asked, glancing down at his phone and the numerous messages he'd received since earlier, mostly from when his classmates had finished for the day. He on the other hand, was only just starting, "I mean, it is a bar, right?"

"Aw, where's that adventurous spirit you had earlier?!" Ms. Joke chuckled, "Don't worry, we're here on official business, so you won't get in trouble. As long as you don't try to drink anything."

"Right," Izuku muttered as he followed her in, his eyes having to adjust to the gloomy interior, the smell of stale alcohol and sweat hitting his nose like a punch, "Oh, gross."

"You'll have to learn to deal with this and worse, kiddo," the woman hummed quietly, "Now, watch a Pro at work."

Izuku watched as Ms. Joke walked confidently over to the bar, pulling out his notepad and scribbling down a few things as he followed close behind her.

"Hey, handsome," she said to the bartender, a man with a mutation quirk that made his head look like a tin can, "What's on the specials board tonight?"

"Ms. Joke," the man spoke in a deep voice, nodding to her, "Always a pleasure. Though I have to ask, what's with the kid?"

"He's my intern for the week," Emi laughed, drawing the attention of a few of the patrons, all looking at Izuku as the teen tried to ignore them, "Good kid. Won the UA Sports Festival."

"Huh," the bartender hummed, before sliding a glass over the counter, "There's not much tonight, but what there is could be pretty big."

"Good to know," Ms. Joke said as she picked up the piece of paper that was in the glass, slipping it into her pocket before she turned to leave.

"You a Pro?" the voice slurred as the two of them moved to leave.

"Yep, Ms. Joke, at your service!" Emi said with a friendly smile, though Izuku could see the steel in her eyes as she turned to face the massive man that loomed over them, his breath stinking of cheap alcohol.

"Why the fuck are you hic you in a place like this?" the man asked, swaying on his feet, "Your type should jus' hic fuck off!"

"Hey, big guy!" Ms. Joke said happily, "Let's not go overboard here! Let's all be friends!"

"Friends?" the man laughed, leaning down close to Emi's face, Izuku watching as she smiled through the foul-smelling torrent that was his breath, "Yeah, we can be friends. My dick with your cu-."

The fist slammed into his jaw, throwing the man up so his head slammed into the ceiling, going straight through the thin wood. A moment later, he toppled over, falling flat on his back as he left a gaping hole in the roof. Ms. Joke just spun on her heel and walked out, Izuku following close behind.

"You see," the Pro said suddenly, "Sometimes you get folks like that. Unfortunately, the only way you can get through to them most of the time is through the common language. Violence."

Izuku just nodded as Ms. Joke turned and gave him a winning smile, looking down at the thick gloves on her hands. He knew full well that they had extra padding and built in brass knuckles to help enhance the force of her punches while protecting her hands. But he hadn't realized just how effective they could be.

Maybe I should add some knuckledusters to my equipment, he thought, Just in case.

"You like him, don't you?"