Camie was going about her regularly scheduled activities at Shiketsu. The prestigious Academy looked more like a military base than a high school. It wasn't much like UA outwardly.
Camie found the uniforms to be a bit bland and repetitive, not that school uniforms weren't standard-- but black long-coats? Really? So last season.
At least she could sport the new purse Nanna had bought her though.
That reminded her of Bakugo. It sure was fun to mess with him... and it was totes boring having to be all quiet and attentive in class.... UA sounded like more fun, tbh.
Plus they got to live at the dorms with their classmates. So exciting! So many cute guys. It just wasn't fair. There was no justice in life!
Camie sighed and tapped a pencil on her desk, not really listening to the lesson until the teacher, in a very weary voice, said, "Utsushimi."
Camie jumped. "S'up?"
"The answer...?" The teacher really wasn't surprised. Camie never knew the answer.
"Oh, I, uh, think anyone else's is as good as mine," Camie said.
Several of her classmates rolled their eyes or cast her annoyed looks.
"Sir, I can answer it." Shishikura put his hand up.
"Go ahead..."
It's not like any of this is going to be useful later in life, Camie thought to herself carelessly, When is a hero going to need to know any of this crap?
She thought no more about it, and lunch rolled around. She took the chance to look through some new memes and send them around to her friend group. One described Bakugo to a tee, so she sent it with the message, "This is u."
Bakugo replied with some angry explosion emojis😡🤬💥💥💢💢. Camie started snickering. That guy was so funny...
"Oh, gee, what is it now?" Moto looked over at her from the right hand side of the table.
"Oh, just some memes," Camie said nonchalantly.
"Oh, that's nice," one of her other classmates said politely, "You sure do like those a lot, huh?"
"It's, like, the future," Camie said.
"Actually, it would be the present," Moto said.
"Huh?" Camie said.
"Nevermind." Moto took a bite.
"Who've you been texting this whole time, Camie?" the other girl asked.
"Ah, you know that boy from remedial, the really cray cray one?" Camie said.
"The one who won the UA Sports festival?" The girl went wide eyed. "Wow... you're friends?"
"I guess, technically," Camie shrugged, "It's fun to rile him up."
"But wasn't he really scary?" a different girl said. She was the quieter student. "Didn't they... you know, tie him down?"
"Did they? I didn't remember that," Camie said.
"There's a surprise," Moto muttered.
"What's he like in person, then?" the first girl said, "Is he cute?"
"I guess if he's not scowling--- which he is 99% of the time," Camie waved smoothly. Since the school didn't allow dating, bragging rights on any hot guys were a rare commodity. "But, I guess he's got a pretty cute face."
"I'm a little jelly," her classmate pouted.
"I think I'd be scared of him, though," the other girl said.
"Didn't you say there was another hottie though?" the first said.
"Yeah, there is, but I'm pretty sure he's got a girlfriend," Camie said, "But, it's no big anyway, since no dating. It's just fun to think about."
"And you've been thinking about it?" Moto said, raising an eyebrow.
Camie shrugged. "Who doesn't?"
How often had she been thinking about that? She hadn't kept track... Must have been a few times a day at least. Lol. That was funny.
"I think we can think about it, you know, for the future," the first girl said, "But, I mean, the odds of it being someone from across the country is probably pretty slim. Too bad, a lot of the guys at that school are hot."
"Well, should we keep talking about it? What if someone hears us?" the second girl said.
That was always the way with them. Camie never had any fun with boy talk.
Her mind went to other things, and she'd forgotten the conversation, but after the other two had gone, she was still on her phone checking stuff, and Moto looked up at her.
"They're right, you know. It's not very likely," she said.
"It's just for fun, sis," Camie waved her off, "No one needs to get all bent out of shape about it."
"I'm glad that's how you feel." Moto gathered up her trash. "Because it wouldn't work out anyway-- with a guy like that."
Camie actually looked up. "Huh? Why would you say that? The distance thing?"
"No, but that's not good either. I mean, no guy is gonna commit to a girl who lives on the other side of Japan." Moto gestured dismissively. "But, even more importantly, that angry guy is definitely not in your league, wouldn't you say?"
"Yo, we were kidding around," Came said.
"Sure," Moto said, "I'd just hate for it to turn into anything serious, and you getting hurt, you know. Boys like that, they're really hard to please."
"Are they?" Camie looked back at her phone without much interest.
"Yes... they like a certain kind of girl. That student, you know, he's at the top. He's probably kind of smart, at least, from listening to him. Powerful, you know. Aiming to be the next All Might."
It dawned on Camie slowly that Moto might be suggesting something rather negative about her.
"Sis, it's almost sounds like you're saying I'm not in his league."
"I literally just said that, Camie." Moto looked down at her. "I'm saying this as your classmate. You're a nice girl-- No one has any problems with you. I'm sure many guys would be happy if you liked them, but those type A's, they just aren't like other guys. They want a smart girl who can keep up with them. And we both know, Camie, you're just not that fast on the uptake."
"I know that, but I really don't see why it matters," Camie said, "It's fun. Like, girl, I think you might be thinking about this a little too hard."
"Am I?" Moto said, "Or are you just not thinking, period?" She shrugged. "Well, sorry if I overstepped. Just my opinion." She walked away.
B---, was Camie's first thought. Then she shook herself. No, Moto wasn't that bad. She was just saying what everyone else thought.... Well... who cared? It wasn't like it was a necessary warning. She was just messing around.
***
In order to lighten the mood around the dorms a bit, Shine asked Camie if she'd like to pay another visit, not knowing anything about how things at Shiketsu were currently going. Camie agreed to come. But... she didn't make any jokes about it like she usually did.
Bakugo was very grudgingly trying to leave Shine alone after their little talk. He had accepted what she said-- but liking it was out of the question.
Momo was giving the matter as much thought as she could... and feeling pretty bad about it. Things seemed likely to continue in this uncomfortable limbo for some time.
Shine honestly liked Camie being there. At least she wasn't part of this drama (if she only knew Camie was in on it too).
Camie never acted like she was, though. The other UA girls were surprised to see her, but Mina was glad enough of a visitor who also like to talk about girly stuff.
Bakugo finally came downstairs about dinnertime, looking cross from studying so hard.
"Hey, man. Look who's here," Kirishima said.
"What's so weird about all of you being here, you moron?" Bakugo said.
"Just how spaced out are you from grinding at it, man?" Kirishima said, "You didn't even notice."
"Eh, I kind of blend in," Camie said, barely looking up.
Bakugo jumped at least two inches. "The frick?!"
"I invited her." Shine looked up. "I wanted company."
"Which is so lit, btw, Likstar-san." Camie gave her an a-ok sign. "Who ever wants people at their house? Not my parents."
"I love guests," Shine shrugged.
"I wish our class had a supervisor," Camie pouted.
"Why would you want one?" Kaminari said, "Uh, no offense, but they're just here to boss us around even more."
Shine made a face at him. "I guess I won't make you any cookies today, then."
"Sato could make cookies," Mina said.
"He doesn't know the same recipe though." Shine had some gall not to be put off by that.
"He won't do it anyway" Kaminari sighed, "He only makes extra treats for the girls. The pig."
"I do like being a woman sometimes." Mina leaned back.
"Girl, that's such a Queen statement," Camie said.
"Want to see Koda's bunny?" Tohru offered.
"Uh... sure." Camie thought they meant some kind of fashion item or tech, not a irl bunny.... Her squeal of happy surprise could be heard through two floors.
"She's adorable," Shine said. Bakugo said nothing.
"Really, why is Todoroki so terrified of her?" Shine mused.
"Maybe it's the spaced out look in her eye," Bakugo muttered.
"Why aren't you hanging? Isn't she your friend?" Shine said, "Oh, you're not going to let that date nonsense stop you, are you? A real tough person isn't daunted by people poking a bit of fun at them."
"That's not it. Shut up!" Bakugo said.
Actually, Camie had barely said a word to him, weirdly enough. Usually she was quite annoying about demanding attention. Maybe because there were other people around.
Not that he cared.
"You two didn't fight again, did you?" Shine asked.
"No!" Bakugo snapped.
"Sorry," Shine said. She turned a page. "Free advice with girls: Better to err on the side of caution. Ask if something's bothering her."
"Do I look like I give a d---?" Bakugo said.
Shine looked up at him. "Yes," she said, before looking back down.
Silence.
"Frick..." Bakugo didn't have the energy to fight her over it.
"Guess I better get started on those cookies," Shine said, getting up.
"I thought you weren't going to do it," Kirishima said.
"Kaminari will regret saying that later and apologize, and I better have his 'brain food' ready, as he calls it," Shine said. She winked. "I put caffeine in them."
"Is that even okay?" Kirishima said.
"Well, it beats convenience store food," Sero said.
***
"Real talk, Camie," Mina said, pointing an accusing finger at her, "You like Bakugo, right? We heard all about your not date from the boys."
Camie almost dropped the bunny. "Yo, that came out of nowhere."
"Don't you?" Mina pressed.
"Maybe we shouldn't push her, huh?" Tsuyu said.
"Tsuyu, stop squashing all my attempts at shipping!" Mina said.
[Me to the haters😉😜🙂🙂]
"Come on, you can tell us. We won't say anything," Tohru nudged her.
"Uh..." Camie hesitated. "That's cool of you, but I don't really think we're on the same wave length, sis. I'm not looking to have a relationship right now."
"Well, who is? But you could still like him," Mina said.
Camie shrugged. "He's pretty cool, if you ignored the screaming and blowing stuff up."
"That's, like, 90% of his personality," Tohru said, "Although, lately he's been a bit more calm. Huh. You think maybe he's growing up?"
"Is it weird that I might kind of miss him yelling a lot though?" Mina said, "Sure it was stupid and annoying, but if Bakugo sobers up, it kind of feels like the rest of us may not be taking things seriously enough, you know? I mean... what's he got going that we don't?"
"He was always talented," Tsuyu said, "The rest of us just have to work harder to catch up."
"If you did like him though," Mina put hand on Camie's shoulder, "You don't have to worry about any competition from us. We all like other people. Plus, Angry Tsundere is not really my type."
"Oh, that's lit," Camie said, "What is your type?"
"Cute," Mina said.
"Did you say we all like other people?" Tsuyu said.
"Yeah, who do you like, Mina?" Tohru said.
"Her? Who am I supposed to like?" Tsuyu balked, "Ribbit."
"You know who it is," Mina said.
Tsuyu gave her a odd look.
"Well, anyway you wouldn't like Bakugo," Tohru dismissed it.
Camie snickered. "You girls are fun. Gee, this is nice. No one at school wants to discuss crushes. Which one do you like?"
"Oh... well... we haven't really gone into it," Mina hedged suddenly changing her tune, "But Jiro-- that's the super serious girl-- she's into Kaminari."
"Baby Pikachu?" Camie said.
"She is?" Tsuyu said.
"Uh, duh," Mina said, "but don't mention it to her. She's really touchy about it."
"Gotcha, fahm," Camie winked, "What's the other hot tea?"
***
"What's got you so mopey?" Jiro asked Momo. They were trying to study.
Momo sighed. "I... have to make a decision... I'm not ready."
Jiro narrowed her eyes. "This has something to do with Likstar, doesn't it?"
Momo shook her head. "It doesn't matter," she said, "Whoever it is, I don't think I'd know what to do."
"What kind of decision?" Jiro pressed.
"I can't explain," Momo said.
Jiro sighed. "Always riddles with them."
"It's not their fault, Jiro," Momo surprised herself by saying, "They walk a different path than we do, as heroes. It's not the same for them. Haven't you ever thought what it must feel like to be in a strange world, with people you don't know? It would make anyone guarded."
Jiro choked back a bitter retort.
After a moment, she said, "Even if that's true, no one made them come."
"And they came anyway," Momo said, "And what good does it do them? Perhaps if I could see that, I would understand... but, what do they gain by it? And who would subject themselves to this experience if it didn't benefit them?"
"You make it sound like we've been terrible," Jiro said.
"We accused them of spying, being villains, and being troublemakers," Momo said, "And villains have threatened their lives... Do you really think they enjoy that?"
"Maybe they're masochists?" Jiro said.
Momo gave her the closest thing to a salty look she'd ever used.
"Okay, fine. I guess they've had some crap to deal with," Jiro said grudgingly, "But look at what they put us through. We've had nothing but trouble from them."
Momo looked at her oddly. "But I and Todoroki might not even be here without them."
Silence.
Jiro sighed.
"I just can't like them because of that, but fine... we owe them just a little. What do you want me to do about it?"
"Nothing, but I have to do something," Momo sighed, "I can't just repay the people who saved Todoroki with... you know... betraying them or treating them badly... but all of you are going to hate me if I were to side with them." She sniffled miserably. "I'm pathetic..."
Jiro watched. Perhaps a few weeks ago, she would have capitalized on a chance like this... but, even then, it would have made her uncomfortable to do so. She might be a bit resentful... but she wasn't, as Shine had said, petty.
"All right, stop blubbering," she said impatiently, "If it'll put your mind at ease, then you don't have to be sorry about me."
"What do you mean?" Momo said.
"I might not like it, but it's your choice to make, not mine," Jiro said with great difficulty, "I won't... hate you. Just don't expect me to be happy about it."
"I don't want to make you unhappy," Momo said, "You're my best friend, after all."
Jiro could feel herself getting emotional, and that made her more brusque. "Yeah, I mean whatever, that's not the point. I'll get over it, I guess. The point is, are you going to be okay with doing something just to please all of us?"
Momo looked at her quizzically. "Well, there's the teachers too."
Jiro looked around cautiously, then lowered her voice. "Between you and me... I don't really think that's worth factoring in."
Momo was shocked. "Jiro!"
"What? They never talk to us about what we want anyway, so why should they care?" Jiro defended herself, "They stuck those two here to watch us, or... for us to watch them. Whichever it was. The staff can't be that worried about it."
"That always seemed a little odd to me." Momo for the first time had to wonder what the Staff's motives had been for doing that.
[If you didn't read the previous parts, it was expressly so the students could watch and spy on them, letting the students do the dirty work, effectively.]
"What about the world though?" Momo said.
"I can't believe you're making me lay this out..." Jiro made a face. "Do you think they are here to help the world or not? Ugh... it sounds so pretentious when I say it like that."
"I... think they are trying to help," Momo said, "but their help is not like what we'd ask for, you know? We have our way of doing things."
"Does that bother you, then?" Jiro almost hoped it did.
"I... it should." Momo said.
"That's not a real answer. I asked if it did," Jiro pressed, a little annoyed now.
Momo had a sort of distant look on her face, like she was deep in thought.
"I should be bothered..." she said again.
"Momo!" Jiro groaned, "Can you just answer that question? No one cares about what you should or shouldn't do. I mean, why do you feel like you need to mind it if you don't?"
"You mind, " Momo said.
"I have issues, okay!" Jiro finally lost patience. "Maybe I'm just bitter. Maybe I was jealous! I don't know. You're a much better person than I am, though."
"That's not true," Momo began.
"And it's really annoying sometimes," Jiro cut her off, "I wish you'd just pick what you want, even if it's the wrong thing, and be a little selfish for once."
Momo was amazed. "But this can't be the heroic thing to do."
"Can't a hero be a little selfish every now and then...?" Jiro said, "I mean... I still plan to play music even once I'm a hero... Didn't you all talk me in to that? I mean, you can't be a hero 24/7, Yao-Momo. What are you going to do the rest of the time?"
"Isn't... isn't that what they've been telling us, though?" Momo was surprised. "You mean you've been listening?"
Jiro looked at the floor. "It's hard to ignore someone if you can't stand them, okay? But I don't think we mean the same thing by it. They look down on heroes, but I just meant it's okay to do something now and then that's not because of being a hero but...'cause you want to. I guess that doesn't have much to do with it though. It's hard when I don't know what you're talking about."
And there was no way Momo could tell her. She'd freak out for sure. She was glad no one with a mind reading quirk was in the hero course at UA.
But perhaps Jiro had a point anyway. She was looking at this as what a hero would do... but was this a situation a hero would normally be in? It didn't quite seem like it. Still, heroic qualities were universal... Loyalty was one of them-- but so was honesty. Technically she didn't have to lie, just to stay silent.
"Jiro," she said, "If you could hurt someone by telling a secret, you shouldn't, right?"
Jiro frowned. "Depends on the secret. What if it needs to be told?"
"But that may not be obvious. It might not be best to tell it." Momo tugged her hair. "And, what if, you're terribly afraid if you did tell, you'd set off a chain reaction of events that would spell certain doom?"
Jiro raised her eyebrows. "That's a bit far fetched, isn't it?"
"I'm not so sure it is..." Momo hugged her sides. "Have you ever wondered... if they leave, and whatever the reason they are here, they don't accomplish it... what happens to our world?"
"So you really believe their story, huh?" Jiro said.
"I do..." Momo had no doubt of it. "I've seen things that just don't make sense, Jiro.... I'm sorry, I'm sure it sounds crazy."
"No, if you think that, you have a good reason," Jiro said begrudgingly, "I guess they let you in on this because you think about it so hard..." That was hard to say too.
"It's not because I'm better than anyone. I think it depends on who they think will accept it," Momo said.
"You might just as well say you're better than us. It's fine, Momo... We're used to it." Jiro rolled her eyes. "About what you just said... What happens here if they don't succeed-- wouldn't it just be what would have happened anyway? How does this stuff work?"
"I think that's correct. It's what would have happened anyway," Momo said. She shivered. "But, Jiro, that is just what I'm afraid of."
There was a long silence.
"It could be that bad?" Jiro said.
"The only reason I can think of for other-worldly people to be sent here, is that something dreadful would happen if they weren't," Momo said grimly, "And, if that is not true, perhaps there is something good that won't happen if they aren't here.. Either way, what do we stand to lose if they don't do as they are supposed to do? If I messed that up for them, I could never forgive myself."
"Well, they wouldn't have entrusted you with it if they thought you wouldn't do the right thing." Jiro retreated on to what was perhaps the best point so far.
"I guess... maybe..." Momo wasn't sure. "It was more chance this time around."
She sighed. "But even so... I wonder if I've been put in this position.... Maybe it's for a reason.... I don't know why it'd be me.... I wouldn't want it, but, if I'm here, by accident, I still have a responsibility to take that seriously.... I just don't think I can betray their trust, Jiro.... I... think I knew that already... but the consequences..." She bit her lip to keep it from trembling.
"What's so bad? What could happen that hasn't already happened?" Jiro said.
Momo whimpered. "If someone finds out, and they... they don't like it... I'm afraid I could be expelled."
"Is it that bad?" Jiro was shocked.
"I... have a feeling it wouldn't matter either way..." Momo said. That wasn't quite true. Compared to their previous secret missions, this one was probably far worse in the eyes of UA. But she felt the same about it.
Jiro didn't know if she should encourage Momo in this anymore. Maybe she'd made a mistake.
"If it's... that serious, maybe you shouldn't. You know... you don't have to protect them. They aren't our classmates," Jiro said.
Saying that surprisingly had the exact opposite effect from what she intended. Momo was so sweet tempered, any insult or rebuke to herself, she would have accepted without question, but devaluing protecting people on the basis of them not being in the hero course, that was a point that angered her.
"I don't see why that makes any difference! Friends are friends," she said hotly, "And friends don't betray friends!"
"Uh... I didn't mean..." Jiro said.
"Yes, what have I been thinking?" Momo scolded herself, "I can't do that to them.... Even if I got expelled, I'd feel far worse if I got them in trouble. I'll just have to accept those consequences."
Jiro was almost scared by that complete 180. What had she done? She should have kept her mouth shut!
"I think this was helpful." Momo was a different person altogether from before. "Thank you... Although I am a little surprised you said that. Was it just to shock me?"
Jiro was afraid to say it had been a serious suggestion. "I... was just trying to help."
"I think it did." Momo nodded. "I think I know what to do."
***
"You asked me which side I would pick," Momo spoke to the DJs later that evening, "and... I don't understand it, but, I think there must be a reason for all of this. It's too much of a risk to throw that away... and you are my friends, strange as it is... so, I can't recklessly expose you... not just to the Pros, but I'm afraid of what the LOV would try to do to you."
They stared at her.
"Uh... are you the same girl we talked to yesterday?" Wally said, "Because you seem a little different...."
"I spoke to Jiro, and she helped me figure it out," Momo said, "I mean, I didn't tell her what it was about, but she had some good points... Perhaps I just needed a friend to help me..."
"Wow... I'm starting to like Jiro after all," Shine said.
"Maybe I misjudged her." Wally rubbed his head. "I liked her at first, but then she was so... grumpy."
"Jiro is uncomfortable with new people..." Momo knew it wasn't a great excuse, but she felt she should make one.
"Momo, we joke, but you've no idea how much we appreciate this," Shine said seriously, "And it takes an immense amount of maturity to decide something like that in so short a time."
"I... think I was deciding all along," Momo said slowly, "I just didn't know it... And there's something else I wanted to ask," she drew a deep breath, "I... want to know all about it. Why you're here I mean, the details... the mission... If I'm going to stake my reputation on it, I want to know why you're willing to take such huge risks to do this.... I know there is so much more to explain."
They blinked at her.
"Wow..." Wally said, "This is so surreal."
"What he means is, that's something we really wanted to hear," Shine said. She tugged her hair. "You've been a good student, Momo. You're right, it's time to take things up a notch... and I think that may be true for the others also.... We'll have to discuss how to do that, but we will... but you know, this means we're a team now, for better or worse. There's no going back."
Momo swallowed. Though outwardly she seemed composed, in reality, she felt a little sick, and like she might throw up or pass out at the slightest provocation. She was sure Shine was right. She was going to be committed to this one for good if she didn't turn back now.
But there was no turning back-- that much was clear.
So she nodded. "I understand... but this is the only thing I can do."
"Very well then," Shine smiled, "It's settled. Welcome aboard, Momo."
Wally gave her a thumbs up. "We don't make t-shirts, but there are great benefits."
Momo was too nervous to laugh at that. Shine gave him a pity "haha".