This Time

Chapter 3

I couldn't help but grin when I stepped out of the restroom and saw All Might's face. He'd gotten up while I was in the other room and appeared to have been looking out the floor length window when I emerged. The tall, thin man turned, and with one look at his expression, I knew I could do this. "Do I look more convincing now?" I smirked.

It took a second for the shock to wear off, but then he barked out a laugh. "Yes, I'd say you do," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. "This isn't part of your quirk, is it?" he asked.

I shook my head, my bangs falling in my face without my hair pinned back. The bindings around my chest were a little uncomfortable, but not unmanageable, and I remembered now why I disliked school uniforms so much as a kid as I smoothed the front of my skirt. "No, this is a talent I can boast all on my own." The mirror in All Might's office bathroom had been small, but I knew what I looked like. Disguise had been my specialty in my past life, and I knew it took more than just an outfit and hair style to look the way I wanted. I carried myself different - shoulders tight and knees closer together in the stance of an awkward teenager - and make up applied to look like I wasn't wearing any at all hid the bags under my eyes and the scar I'd earned years ago. The bindings flattened my chest, and luckily, given I needed to pass as an aspiring hero, my toned muscles wouldn't be an issue. I naturally had an ambiguous face, and I worked it to my advantage. With the right application of cosmetics, I could look almost any age I wanted. Right now, I could fool just about anyone into believing I really was a young teenage girl.

"To answer your question from before, I'm twenty-four by the way," I told him slyly.

All Might nodded, and came forward, inspecting my disguise closer. I felt my checks heat a little from such close scrutiny but didn't say a word. "This is pretty good," he finally admitted, satisfied, "but could you still pull this off in gym clothes or with your hair up?"

"Yes, half of a disguise is the way you act, not just how you look," I told him.

Again he nodded, and he stepped back, folding his arms across his chest. "I'm still not convinced that deceiving the school's staff is the only way to go here. The principal is highly intelligent, I'm sure if this information was brought to him, we could find a better solution."

"I still don't know who can be trusted," I replied with a shrug. "I don't know for certain, but there's a very high chance there's a traitor at Yūei."

The Symbol of Peace frowned. "Do you have any evidence on that?"

"No," I said, shaking my head, "but it would make sense given that I know Shigaraki has placed spies in other areas already. He's immature, but he's not an idiot. He won't attempt anything he's not prepared for."

"How do you know you can trust me then?" All Might asked quietly, and I looked at him in surprise. "You don't know me, after all. You've even learned that I've been lying to the world about who I really am. Why trust me if you claim you can't trust anyone else?" He quirked his eyebrow, his blue eyes piercing as he awaited my answer.

"Because you're... All Might," I said slowly. "The Symbol of Peace; Pillar of Justice. You saved my life five years ago, and I know that if there's one person in this world who will do whatever it takes for the good of others, it's you."

The hero turned away, facing the window again, and I couldn't see his face to judge what he might be thinking. After a few moments he said, "It will take more than a disguise to get into Yūei. There's test scores and registration requirements too, plus background checks. And then there's the actual entrance exam."

I went along with the subject change and reached into my bag for a manila envelope. I stepped up beside him at the window, the top of my head barely reached his armpit, even in his 'smaller' form. When he looked down at me, raising his brow in question again, I passed him the folder. He opened it and began scanning the documents. "I'm trying very hard not to be concerned by how convincing you've managed to falsify documents like this," he said finally.