Monoma stretches the long-awaited moment, basking under the rapt attention of four pairs of eyes. Not too long, of course; his good class rep's punches hurt.
Blue petals materialise on his palm and he rubs the velvety pieces. It's one thing to know and another to explain but Monoma is a boy with a mouth as acute as his brain. Where shall he start? His finger sweeps the air like a magician's wand and his coattails ripple. Translucent petals link up above the tabletop, petal by petal forming a large lotus that spins in place.
"They're lotus petals."
The bluenette hums. That, she knew. Quirks are passed on through genes and this came from her mother's side. Funnily enough, her mother in the past life had similar blue petals.
"The 'Ren' in your name meant lotus!" Itsuka pokes the blue lotus. She couldn't help trying to lighten the mood; it felt like she was sitting on pins and needles. The adults and Renka were unnerving, particularly Nighteye. He stared at Monoma like he was going to come after his life.
Renka nods at Itsuka, "Dad was positive I'd get mum's Quirk."
"Spot on," comments Monoma, the lotus spinning from Itsuka's grubby paws to Renka. The bluenette is a little jelly that his control comes with such ease when he's had her Quirk for a grand total of a minute.
The lotus falls apart and petals rain on Renka. The culprit's periwinkle eyes held Renka's in captivity. "They infuse a living target with a form of energy—"
"Life," Nighteye cuts in, elation getting the better of him.
"But my mum's Quirk puts the living in an active state!" This was another reason she was positive her Quirk wasn't life-giving.
Monoma shakes his head, "That's a byproduct of energy infusion. The target's energised and their motor function improves."
"Doping in a nutshell," Aizawa rubs his temples.
"..." Renka rests her forehead on the table.
"Here's the thing," Monoma plucks a petal off Renka's hair, flinching when his fingers brush her soft hair. "Ehem. Doping works with substances but these," the petal in his hand does a jerky moonwalk, "are made of energy. Where does this energy come from?"
Realisation dawns on Aizawa. "The user."
"Yes, I heard the penalty for her overuse was falling asleep. Her body can't support the upkeep." Monoma stifles a timely yawn and tugs a lock of hair behind Renka's ear. "Maybe your Quirk's the reason you're a shortie." He doesn't know it but his tease hit the nail on the head.
"And the reason you pig out all the time." Aizawa adds.
"... Keep that up and I'll hold a grudge." Renka grumbles. Never underestimate a woman's grudge.
Nighteye shifts in the chair uncomfortably. It's too short for his long legs. The drumming of his fingers on the table reaches a crescendo: "If the energy reserve is overdrawn... odds are the user will die."
"So don't overdraw it." The click of Monoma's pocket watch sounds harsh in the quiet room. Lunchtime's running out. Should he not have agreed to help out, albeit reluctantly (Kendou threatened him)? The bluenette looks like she ate shit and the adults are freaky. There's more to this and he's not sure he wants in. He throws the pickles in his sandwich on a striped handkerchief.
Yes, he carries a handkerchief around.
"That's what the drawback is for," Monoma finishes. Blacking out is her body's safety measure. A signal from her body: you're nearing your limit. A warning from her body: there are consequences to be faced for overdoing things.
"Is this energy you speak of," Itsuka blinks, "qi?" Her name's Kendou but she dabbles in Chinese martial arts and qi is a concept espoused in many martial practices.
"Qi?"
Nighteye explains, "You know it better as ki. The concept's pseudoscience but it could very well be it." He's almost certain, because he knows something they don't. Her Quirk could extend All Might's life. The thermal, kinetic, chemical and other energies in a human body aren't capable of that.
Aizawa launches into a discussion with Nighteye. "Her Quirk can is closer to recharging batteries than on-off switches. Performance rises when the charge is full..."
"Qi cannons, emissions, body strengthening...!" Itsuka's blood boils. "Boy is that a handy Quirk!" Excited, she shakes Renka like a ragdoll.
"You watched one too many martial arts dramas," Monoma stops her before the short girl barfs.
Said girl inches away from Itsuka. Overenergetic puppies are too much to deal with.
"Thanks, Monoma." Exhaustion laces her voice, "And I'll have these if you aren't." She pops into her mouth a pickle he picked out.
The boy gags, "Can you not?"
"Oh... did you not wash your hands in the washroom?"
The very idea is insulting. "I'll have you know that my hygiene has never been any less than impeccable!"
"Did you wipe your snot with the handkerchief?"
Monoma's affronted look is telling.
"So there's no problem," Renka shrugs and eats another pickle.
Fools can't be argued against. Monoma sighs, dropping half his fish patty onto the handkerchief. He isn't all that hungry anyway. "You can't escape forever."
The pickles are dwindling.
"I know. Why else did I call you?"
A suspicious red cakes Monoma's cheeks for a split second.
He clears his throat. "I appreciate the vote of confidence but get them out of here already."
YOU ARE READING
Switcheroo \BnHA Various x Reincarnated!OC\
同人小说Friends. Family. Life. Having lost them all it should have been the end but she woke up to a world years later as a newborn baby! A happy home outwardly. One too many pesky childhood friends. Heroes and villains alike eying her Quirk. With the past...
