Earworm

Ch. 2: Friends

This chapter involves some skipping around from flashbacks and the present, just in case you get confused.

"Maybe you shouldn't apply," Rokku said, shrugging nonchalantly. "It's not like you're really made for hero work."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"It's just you, you know. Your... strength? Your arms are twigs, Yoru. And your quirk?" She wrinkled her nose bridge. "You should look for a job in the entertainment business, and not just because you're a clown."

Takai giggled, elbowing Rokku. "Hey! Harsh much?"

"Yoru needs to learn the truth." She folded her arms, her black hair gracing the top of her shoulders. Her brown eyes held that sort of fierceness that made people hesitate.

"Hey... I've been practicing with my quirk, and I think I have a shot!" Yoru replied, false confidence in their voice.

"Oh really? And how does acting like a living jukebox defeat villains?" Rokku snapped, arching an eyebrow. "Lull them to sleep?"

"I can do more than just make music..." They mumbled back, feeling their hands start to squeeze together. A nervous habit.

"Your vibrations are useless as well," Rokku hissed, her eyes narrowing behind her rectangular glasses. "And if you use your quirk to a high extent, you hurt your own ears."

Yoru went quiet. She was right. They shoved the application form back into their pocket.

"Rokku, maybe you're being a bit too... direct? Yoru could still have a place in a hero career." Yoru lightened up slightly at hearing Takai speak again, but immediately sobered again at her next response. "They could always use someone to entertain kids during rescues, right? A... morale-raiser?"

"I guess," Yoru sighed, looking down at the sidewalk.

"You're applying to a hero school, right, Takai?" Rokku asked, a very subtle hint of mischief in her eyes.

"Uh, yeah, why?" Takai suddenly seemed a bit on edge by being put at the center of attention. A hint of red creeped under her multitude of freckles.

"Shiketsu, am I right? And... you're getting in by a recommendation?" Rokku slowly added on, a strange smile on her face.

"Y-yeah, but... it's not certain, but I'm probably going to get in..." Takai murmured, embarrassed. She rubbed the back of her neck, her curls rippling with the movement.

"What are you going to choose for your hero name?" Rokku kept pressing on, as if she was messing with Yoru even though she was asking Takai.

"I don't know yet... it's still not for sure that I'm even going to get in..."

Yoru stepped away, dislodging themself from the conversation.

Rokku made them feel so useless and forgettable sometimes, whether it was intentional or not.

---

"Dammit!" Yoru groaned, clamping their hands over their ears, feeling their legs shake momentarily under them.

For months, they had trained their quirk. Their quirk was sort of complex, but in simple terms, they could manipulate sound waves. If they spoke, they could change their voice to sound like other things, which was a very intricate action to perform.

After experimenting, they found that they could make small vibrations in the airs to launch objects away from themself, although it was rather weak.

Maybe if they trained more they could be relevant.

"Honey, are you okay?" Their mother's voice asked from the other side of the door.

"Yeah! I'm fine!" Yoru responded quickly, leaning against the wall for support. Fortunately, she didn't enter their room and left after being reassured.