MHA Shorts

Re: A Special Interest of Subject 13 (Experiments AU: pt. 6)

[MHA Characters are test subjects in a secret, underground lab (part six) Ashido discovers dancing and through it she gains a kind of freedom that none of the children know.]

It was the end of their fifth year in the lab when Subject 13, who did not yet know that her name was Mina Ashido, started to dance. There was no music, and she did not even know at the time what dancing was, for she had never heard the word before. She slid barefoot across the concrete floor of the training center, twisting and twirling.

She went faster, shifting her balance, moving smoothly with the acid secreting from her feet. Leaning left, she placed a hand to the ground and kicked her feet up, swinging them around, splashing sticky acid a few feet away in all directions. When her feet touched the ground again, her body sprung up and followed their momentum. She kicked a foot out behind her to speed up, then turned and spun on one foot. She was smiling. It was fun.

"13! This is combat training, not dance class!" Mister Enji barked at her, and she slowed to a stop, staring at him.

"What's dance class?" She frowned. "Is that another subject we're gonna hafta learn when Miss Inko finds a good enough instructor, like with math?" She hated math.

"Dance is artistic expression though physical movement," Mister Shota explained. "And I think it certainly has its place in combat training. A lot of dance moves share similarities with martial arts."

"Be that as it may, dance it too wild and uncontrolled to be useful in a fight," Mister Enji argued.

"I disagree. Dance is among the most disciplined professions, and dancers have to command complete control over their entire bodies."

"Dance is not a sport, it's an art. You don't fight battles with dancing in the same way you wouldn't body slam a dance floor."

"If art has no place in combat, then I suppose that as a martial artist, I have no reason to be here."

"Martial arts isn't a real art in the same way dance isn't a real sport," Mister Enji scoffed.

"Exactly," Mister Shota said dully, "because they both absolutely are."

"Excuse me!" the girl piped up, squirming uncomfortably. She'd been watching the back and forth of their argument, but still wasn't sure what they were talking about. "So is dance a martial art then? Like karate, or jiu jitsu or something?"

"Dance isn't a martial art, it's an actual art."

"Martial arts are actual arts," Mister Shota grumbled. "Why don't you check on the others, 17 looks like he could use some pointers, I'll deal with 13 now."

Mister Enji left with a scowl, and Mister Shota crouched down in front of Ashido.

"I still don't understand," she whispered to him sheepishly, hoping that admitting it wouldn't get her in trouble. They were supposed to understand things right away, but she was always a lot slower at it than some of the others, like 04 or 20.

"That's alright. You kids haven't had much exposure to the arts."

"What exactly is 'the arts'?"

"The arts are various forms of expressing yourself. Mister Hizashi has showed you poems, hasn't he?" She nodded. "Poetry is a form of art. You've seen pictures in some of your textbooks? Paintings maybe?" Again, she nodded. "Photography can be a form of art, and painting is the most well known form of art. Remember all the martial arts I've taught you? Have you noticed how they feel smoother and more natural than just regular punching and kicking and doing push-ups and all those things Mister Enji shows you?"