Switcheroo \BnHA Various x Reincarnated!OC\

40 - Debunk... Or Not

The following days saw Renka cycling through alleged qi masters. Nighteye compiled a list and made arrangements. While... educational, the experience gave her limited success in powering up.

Some of the masters were palpable quacks. The old martial artist broke his hand trying to break stacked bricks. The hundred and one theories of the scholar were hot air and had only imagination to back them up.

As for the true masters... they couldn't help someone who failed the very first step. She couldn't sense a speck of qi, how was she to absorb it, circulate it through her meridians and into the dantian?

Yeah, supernatural power-ups were reserved for main characters.

She just had to be content with mini upgrades. A practitioner of traditional medicine experimented with her: her petals alleviated illnesses better when they touched the relevant acupoints. The qi in them going to the right places and all.

If only there weren't 361 acupoints to remember.

An atlas of acupoints in hand, the bluenette's now on a merry search.

For a ninja.

Kidding you not.

The elusive master with a penchant for speed-chopping onions was last seen in Hosu city. Transformations, jumping from the treetops, funky eye powers, they had superhuman abilities that weren't Quirks. Was it the power of qi or was it a hoax? Watch the great detective Renka debunk the myth!

... Or not. An explosion is reason enough to change tracks.

"Mister, could you bring me closer to the ex..." Renka's words trail off with one look at the rear-view mirror. The pallor of the cab driver's face shows that he just wants to skedaddle out of the city. She almost forgot the kind of terror disasters bring to the general populace.

The unbroken blue sky of the once peaceful city is marred by gray fumes and there are screams from all over. The situation's declining too fast.

"Let me off here," Her words change, urgency in the tone now.

The car slows to a stop and the driver says good-naturedly, "You should give this place a wide berth, any business you have here can wait."

One foot out the open door, Renka turns and winks, "Don't worry, I'm a hero trainee!" Who doesn't have a permit to act here... but she isn't about to tell him. Beaming the winning smile she perfected with Izuku when they had an All Might documentary marathon, she wishes the man a safe escape and hands a business card.

"Charge the fees to Nighteye's agency. Don't forget it's double for peak hours!" Huzzah for company expenses! Interns are paid so little, she isn't going to make that cut smaller. She's totally not doing it out of petty revenge for being made to face aspects of her Quirks she didn't want to.

Her smile fades when a couple shoves her aside to get in the car.

"Go, now!"

The driver finds his calm in face of people more panicky than him. "Take it easy," he says to the couple and turns on the ignition, "The heroes are coming."

The couple regain some color in their complexion. The stockier man agrees, "The explosions were huge, they would have made their way here by now. Do you think All Might will come? Maybe we should stay and take some shots for Herogram."

There it is again.

The dependence. The blind trust.

She knows all too well how that ends up.

Just before the thinner passenger closes the door, Renka holds on to it and asks,"Do you really think so?"

"Come again?"

"..."

"What's your deal? Piss off, kiddo."

It takes the passenger an annoyed jerk of the door to remove Renka's clammy fingers. The driver throws her a look of concern but drives off without a word.

Renka holds her forehead. What is her deal? She's obsessed, she knows.

It's laughable.

Because she can't even remember the faces of the brother who hated her and the parents she let down.

"Kuh. Ha. Man, I didn't want to show up because I'm hurt but this is too hilarious!"

"!!" Renka whips her head up. Atop a short building is a lanky man dressed like he's out for a stroll. There's no mistaking that hand on his face and the dark, red eyes behind it. What's with obnoxious people and their love of making her crane her neck? She takes a deep breath. Now isn't the time to wallow in her past.

"Shigaraki! Is all this destruction your doing?"

The man-child claps his hands, "And if it is?"

Petals rise around Renka.

"Karma's here."