Shikigami Dance: Naruto/BNHA Crossover - Chapter 52

(A/N) Twisting the timeline by just an episode

***

(UA, the day after finals…)

Yet another peaceful morning at UA. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, a gentle breeze promising a free summer, students laughing now that their exams are over, parents at home dreading the approaching vacation. Absolutely everything was perf–

Correction, there were quite a few blotches of despair mixed in, Class 1A being no exception.

Ashido was on the verge of tears as she held back dramatic sobs of despair.

“E-everyone… I’m looking forward to h-hearing a–,” she hiccupped, “All your stories about h-how camp was.”

Izuku tried to comfort her while also keeping a safe distance from her acidic tears, “Maybe they’ll let you go. There might be a last-minute twist or something.”

Sero placed a restraining hand on the mossy-haired boy’s shoulder, “Stop, Midoriya. By saying that out loud, you’re just jinxing them.”

Kaminari looked just as devastated as Ashido, “Whoever failed the exams would skip training camp and live in summer school hell. We didn’t pass the practical, so we’re doomed!” his voice rose to a shrill note of desperation, “Don’t you get it, Midoriya?” he raised a hand and jabbed a finger into Izuku’s eye, “I’ll knock all the brains out of you!”

Sero deadpanned, “Ease up, Kaminari. I’m not sure I’ll be able to go either. Our team only passed thanks to Mineta. I got knocked out. Since we don’t know how their scoring stuff, I might have flunked out.”

Kaminari was beyond reasoning, “Just please bring us back some souvenirs, I beg you!”

A question mark appeared over Haru’s tilted head, “I heard it was in the woods somewhere, so would that be a rock or a stick?”

Kaminari tore at his hair in anguish, “They won’t even have good souvenirs available!”

The door to the classroom slammed open, causing everyone to scramble to their seats and clam up.

Aizawa, as sleep-deprived as ever, entered the room, “Once the bell rings, you should be at your seats,” he stood behind his desk and went straight to business, “There are a few of you who did not pass your final exams. So when it comes to the training camp in the woods…” he suddenly gave them a horrifically creepy grin, “Everyone is going!”

‘IT’S A LAST-MINUTE TWIST!’

Haru slammed his desk, “HA!”

Kaminari was almost crying, “We really get to go to camp?”

Ashido actually was crying, “Seriously?”

Aizawa dropped the grin, returning to his usual gloomy demeanor, “Yeah. The good news is that no one bombed the written exam. Three failed the practical; badly. One team, of course, and Sero as well.”

The dark-haired boy ġrȯȧnėd and slumped in his seat, “Crap, I knew it! Mineta made it to the gate, but I didn’t do enough to pass.”

“You got to sleep in Midnight’s ŀȧp,” Haru pointed out unhelpfully, “Not many people can say that.”

Mineta stood up in his seat, “Why do you have to rub it in, Class Rep?”

Aizawa glowered at them and made them all shut up, “Quiet down and let me finish. For the practical battles, the teachers made sure to leave a way for the students to win. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have stood a chance. We were interested in how you worked together and how you approached the task at hand.”

“But didn’t you promise that the teachers wouldn’t be holding back?” Ojiro asked.

Erasure shrugged, “That was just to get you on edge. Besides, the training camp will focus on strength. Those who failed, need it the most. We were never going to separate you,” he gave them another eerie grin, “That was just a logical deception we used.”

‘LOGICAL DECEPTION?’

Iida clenched his fist, his body trembling with restraint, “He tricked us all! I should have expected this!” the class secretary stood up in his seat, “Mr. Aizawa, this is the second time you’ve lied to us since we started here! Aren’t you afraid we’ll lose faith in you?”

Uraraka tilted her head, a blank smile on her face, “Uh… a little blunt there, Tenya.”

Haru counted on his fingers, “Wait… When was the first time?”

“You have a good point,” Aizawa interrupted before the matter got out of hand, “But I wasn’t lying to you about everything,” his eyes hardened on the celebrating three students who failed, “Failure is failure. We’ve prepared extra lessons for the three of you. Frankly, they’ll be far tougher than at summer school.”

Kaminari, Ashido, and Sero all became a little gloomy at the prospect.

***

(End of the day…)

“This is going to be great! I’m so glad we’re all going together,” Ojiro smiled.

Iida was reading one of the handouts pamphlets their teacher had given them about the camp, “Looks like we’ll be staying at the camp a full week!”

Izuku peered at the pamphlet from over the bespectacled teen’s shoulder, “I’ve got to find a bigger suitcase.”

Kaminari spoke up, “Yeah, I don’t even have a bathing suit. Guess I should pick some stuff up.

“Maybe some night vision goggles!” Mineta suggested.

Hagakure suddenly had an idea, “Guy’s since we’ll all be on vacation, I’ve got an idea! Why doesn’t Class 1A do some shopping together?”

Kaminari lit up, “Hey, yeah! We’ve never hung out as a class before!”

Kirishima looked at Katsuki, “Bakugo! See you there?”

“Can’t think of anything more annoying.”

Izuku approached Todoroki, “Will you come Todoroki?”

“I visit my mom on days off.”

“You party poopers,” Mineta scolded, “Don’t you ever get tired of being so serious?”

Haru clapped his hands together, using his chakra to make a loud smacking noise to grab their attention, “Okay! Once summer vacation begins, we’ll set up a class shopping trip the weekend before the training camp. Be sure to make up a list of what you need by then.”

“Why are we leaving the trip so last minute?” Sero questioned.

Knowing the reason why, Yaoyorozu answered, “The I-Expo is during the final week of July. This way, those of us who are going are able to make plans for the trip beforehand and still have some time to enjoy our breaks before the camp.”

***

After they all split up, Haru motioned to Kaminari as everyone else left the room.

“Hey, Kami. Come here!” he whispered.

The electric blonde glanced around secretly and sidled up to him, also speaking in a hushed voice, “What’s up?”

“You have plans this summer?”

Kaminari shrugged, “Not really. I was going to hang around at home and avoid the heat.”

At that, Haru grinned and held up an invitation.

Kaminari’s yellow eyes grew wider than saucers as he snatched the paper like it was gold, “No way! Is this an invitation to the preview to I-Expo?” he was so excited his body was buzzing with static.

Haru chuckled as ruffled his friend’s hair, settling the electric surge, “Yup, and this one’s yours! The both of us are going on a trip!”

Kaminari blinked, his brain trying to process the information for a moment before he tackled Haru in a bear hug.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Oh my gosh! This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me!” he pulled away, trying to remain calm but still grinning like an idiot, “Where did you get this?”

Haru held up four fingers, “I actually ended up with four. My first invitation from winning the Sports Festival came with a plus one while my third was given to me by Best Jeanist since he’s unable to attend this time. He kind of wanted me to stand in for him. Just last week, I got this one from Recovery Girl. She didn’t feel up to traveling and ended up giving it to me if I said hello to a friend of hers at the reception party held after the preview.”

Kaminari shook his head in wonder, “Only you, man. Only you. Are you inviting any of the others?”

“Actually, no,” Haru admitted, “Since rooms are limited, I could only get two rooms with two beds each. Shinso is training this summer, Monoma is visiting his grandparents, Shiozaki is going to be on a retreat, Raku already has plans, and I can’t ask Jiro to room with a guy.”

Kaminari gave him a hard stare, “Why not?”

“She’d never forgive me.”

“Fair. So, who’s coming?”

Haru scratched the back of his head, “Yeah, about that. Well, I already planned to go with Katsuki from the beginning and it only seemed right he should bring a friend, so he’s bringing Kirishima.”

Kaminari pumped the air, “Sweet! Who’s rooming with who?”

Haru motioned between the both of them, “We’re in one room, they’re in the other,” he smiled, “I’ve never had a sleepover before, so this can be my first!”

Kaminari shot him finger guns, “Hell yeah, man! We’re going to make the best! Doing it in style on I-Island!”

***

(Narita National Airport, Tokyo… Early morning…)

“Gosh, I’m so nervous!” Kaminari said for the hundredth time as he fidgeted with the straps of his backpack.

“I know,” Haru answered patiently.

Haru, Katsuki, Kaminari, and Kirishima were all standing outside the airport, waiting to board their private plane, a perk of Best Jeanist’s invitation. I-Island spared no expense and didn’t have prehistoric creatures to maul their special guests, so it looked like a bright trip ahead.

“I’ve never flown before.”

“I know.”

“Gosh, I’m so nervous!”

“Will you zip it, Dunce Face?” Katsuki popped a vein, yelling at the poor blonde who cringed at his screams.

“So-rry~” Kaminari whɨnėd, “But what if I sneeze and take down the plan?”

Haru looked up from the bag of chips he had bought from a vending machine, “That’s why they had us wear these Quirk canceling bracelets before we entered the airport. Not that they would work on me,” he muttered that last under his breath.

Kaminari looked down at the black bracelet on his wrist, “What if we need to use our Quirks in an accident?”

Kirishima patted his back reassuringly, “That’s what the emergency code’s for. If the AI in the bracelet sensed you were in danger, it would unlock.”

Haru nodded, “And no one has hacked them because they were designed by the one and only Edna Mode.”

The younger Bakugo promptly opened the small bag in his hands and pulled out a chip. They were apparently limited-edition potato chips and the last ones on the machine he found so he was interested to see what made them different.

He crunched down on it, letting out a pleased sound of approval at the flavor when he realized he was being watched.

A lone seagull was perched nearby, its beady eyes fixated on the bag in his hand. Its dėsɨrė was very clear.

Haru only blinked at the seagull, giving it a deadpan expression, “And what? You’re going to suddenly talk and claim this as yours?”

The seagull ċȯċked its head at him, “Mine…”

Haru’s eyebrows shot up while Kaminari looked around in confusion.

“Did someone say anything?”

Haru nudged Kaminari’s arm, “Just this… seagull…” he trailed off as he motioned at the lone bird to find it had magically multiplied.

Kirishima scratched his head, “That looks a lot more than just one seagull, Haru.”

The seagulls all stared at the bag of chips in Haru’s hand and began screeching their demand.

“MinemineminemineminemineminemineMINEminemineminemineMINEmineminemineminemineMINEmineMINE!”

Kaminari sweatdropped at the birds calmly sitting there, passive-aggressively demanding the food, “What the hell?”

Haru pulled his precious snack closer and deliberately ate another chip, causing the birds to raise their voices even louder.

“MinemineminemineminemineminemineMINEminemineminemineMINEmineminemineminemineMINEmineMINE!

Katsuki finally had enough, “Will you just… SHUT UP!” he screamed at the birds at the top of his lungs, “You rats with wings!”

A flight attendant approached them, “Excuse me. We are ready for your flight. Would you please board your plane in an orderly manner?” she stopped, seeing the predicament they were in, “Oh yes, them.”

Haru looked at her in minor exasperation, “Does this happen often?”

She nodded, sharing a similar expression, “We had an upset passenger get angry at us a few months back and they gifted the local birds with speech. Unfortunately, they only seem to say one thing.”

Haru sweatdropped, looking at the seagull flock, “You don’t say.”

The attendant watched as Katsuki threatened the birds with death to no avail, “They must have seen your snack and are tiring to make you give it to them.”

Haru looked over at the ‘don’t feed the birds’ sign and shook his head, “Yeah, no.”

His decision apparently didn’t matter as Katsuki snatched the limited-edition bag of chips and hurled it over the seagull’s heads

“Here take it, you scavengers!”

The flock instantly hopped after the bag.

“MINE! MINE! MINE!”

Haru stood frozen, stunned at losing his food, “Those were one of a kind, limited edition Spicy BBQ Potato Chips.”

For a moment Katsuki actually looked repentant, “Damn! Spicy BBQ?”

The flight attendant cleared her throat, hating to interrupt the solemn moment, “Um… sir.”

In the end, Kaminari grabbed Haru while Kirishima got a hold of Katsuki and led them to the plane, leaving the crispy snack of spicy goodness to its demise amidst the screams of seabirds.

***

(One flight later…)

“Haru! Quit meditating and look!”

Kaminari shook Haru’s shoulder to wake his seatmate up and smooshed his face into the plan window.

Haru opened his eyes, blinking to clear his vision, “Are we there?”

The electric blonde nodded, his cheek pressed hard against the glass, “Yeah, we can see it! The floating city that can move anywhere and the home to over ten thousand scientists! I-Island!”

Kirishima jumped up from his seat and moved to their side, excitedly peering out the window, “I can’t believe this is how we get to start summer vacation! How manly!”

The pilot’s voice sounded over the intercom, [Attention, passengers! The plane will soon begin its descent to I-Island.]

Katsuki clicked his tongue, grabbing his costume case and heading to the lavatory, “Tch, what’s so great about a bunch of nerds building junk?”

Haru smirked at his older sibling, “Those nerds invented the tec that made your gauntlets. Those same nerds will make better ones in the future,” he waved his hands dramatically, “Imagine: Bigger Explosions.”

Katsuki scoffed and slammed to door to the lavatory.

Haru chuckled, “Katsuki’s been looking forward to this trip for weeks.”

“I wasn’t the one who used to piss his pants on his birthday,” Katsuki’s voice was muffled but clearly audible.

Haru went livid, heat rising up his neck, “Have not!”

“Have so!”

“Have not!”

“Have so!”

“Have so! When you turned six!”

“Have not! Slander and calumny!”

Haru saw the looks on his Kirishima and Kaminari’s faces, “I’M SERIOUS!”

***

[We will now begin the immigration process.]

The four boys were sent through multiple checkpoints including a hallway with multiple identity scanners.

Kirishima flexed his arms as he got comfortable in his hero costume, “This is so cool!”

Kaminari squinted as the scanner beams hit his eyes, “Pretty tight security, though.”

“That’s because this island was built to house the world’s top scientists on Quirks and technological advancement and protect their research from villains,” Haru explained, “The security is on par with Tartarus Prison, so basically, no one has committed a crime here.”

[Immigration complete,] the doors at the end of the hallway slid open to the airport, [The island is holding the pre-opening of I-Expo, an event that showcases research and development projects as well as cultural revival from the past millennia. Only those with invitations can attend the preview.]

They all exited the building to be greeted by a dazzling kaleidoscope of colors. Rides, attractions, and performances while a multitude of people from nationalities, Quirks, and all walks of life participated in the joining of old and new.

Haru grabbed his sugegasa in one hand and his robe in the other. He pulled them off, scattering them in a stream of paper that fused into his body, leaving him in only his black, skin-tight top, his loose-fitting pants, arm warmers, and tabi boots.

A bright smile covered his face as he unfurled a pair of perfectly detailed origami wings. He swung them upward, channeling chakra to his feet before shooting straight up into the air. Katsuki, Kirishima, and Kaminari squinted as the air blew in their faces as they watched Haru streak into the sky.

Haru flew to a greater height and spread his wings, hovering in place as he looked out over the exposition. The feeling of freedom sent a thrill through his veins at the nonrestrictive feeling he had for being able to fly when he wanted to.

Unlike Japan, or most other countries for that matter, I-Island allowed people to use their Quirks however they wished. Their security was so advanced, it could deal with any problems they could end up having. Accidents and attacks rarely happened.

Haru felt tempted to expand his sensory over the city and drink in the thriving feeling of life but instead reeled it in. The deliberate intrusion of privacy for no reason was still against his principles no how free the environment was. Also, the island was too big for even his sensory to cover everything anyway.

On the ground, an Expo guide approached the three other students on the ground, “Welcome to I-Expo! How can I help you?”

Katsuki turned an intimidating glare at her, “Huh? Are you saying that we can’t take care of ourselves?”

Kirishima placed an arm between the ash-blonde and the guide, trying to defuse the situation with a sharky smile, “Hi! We were just about to find our hotel!”

Kaminari pointed at the sky knowingly, “One of us got excited and took a flight to get a better view. He’ll be down in a minute.”

The guide’s gaze followed the direction of the boy’s fingers and saw something plummeting to the ground.

There was a whoosh as Haru landed in a crouch, his wings draped around him like a feathery cloak.

The guide’s expression lit up, suddenly recognizing the group after seeing Haru’s signature move, “Oh! You’re the students from UA’s Sports Festival! I’m such a big fan!”

Haru looked up, giving the girl a closed-eyed smile from under his mask, and pulled a Hawks, “Always nice to meet our fans!”

Kirishima and Kaminari gave her thousand-watt grins and a thumbs up.

Katsuki just glowered.

***

After dropping their bags, or in Haru’s case, scrolls at their hotel rooms, the four wandered around the festival being held throughout the artificial island.

“Remember, we also received invitations to the reception tonight,” Haru reminded everyone as they walked, “We can wander around until evening, but we need to get back to our hotel to clean up and get ready after that.”

Katsuki scoffed in annoyance but didn’t reply.

Kirishima clenched his fist excitedly, “Right! What should we do first?”

Haru lifted a hand, revealing a ŀȧpis-lazuli bracelet worn over the arm warmer glove on his arm, “Let me see,” the kanji for book appeared on one of the beads, and a small cloud of smoke puffed to life, releasing a small booklet in Haru’s hand. He leafed through it for a moment, “There are two parts to the Expo, the technological research and the cultural revival. The technological research is held in several spots separated by categories of support gear, everyday tech, robotics, etc. The cultural revival is the exposition of entertainment that existed before Quirks and has slowly been rediscovered and reintroduced.”

Kaminari looked at Haru questioningly, “What do they have?”

Haru flipped through the book, “The Royal Shakespeare Company’s: Hamlet, Broadway’s: The Lion King, Riverdance, the Mariinsky Ballet’s: Swan Lake, Teatro Real’s: Marriage of Figaro, Shen Yun, the Vienna Philharmonic’s: Beethoven’s 3rd Symphony, the Monteverdi Choir’s: Handel’s Messiah… I’m not listing all of this.”

Kaminari caught the booklet that Haru tossed to him and perused it, “That’s way too many things to see and I don’t even know what half of these things are?”

Katsuki scoffed, “That’s because you aren’t cultured, Pikachu.”

Haru retrieved the book in resignation and snapped it shut, “The Expo will continue for several days so we’ll have a chance to see them in person or recorded on the hotel’s tv. Let’s just wander today.”

Kirishima pounded his fists together, “Sounds good to me!”

***

(Later… In a different group…)

At one of the many coffee shops in the city, a bespectacled girl with wavy blonde hair was holding an animated conversation with three girls in hero costumes as they all sat around one of the many tables outside the cafe.

“Wow! You really got to work with pro heroes out on the field?”

Uraraka waved her hands modestly, “Just some training and a few patrols.”

“I helped out with a hostage crisis, but only the evacuation part,” Jiro admitted.

“That’s still amazing, though!” the blonde insisted.

Yaoyorozu placed a hand to her cheek dismally, “Somehow I ended up in a commercial for a hair product.”

The other girl smiled comfortingly, “But it sounds like quite an experience.”

At a table near them, Izuku gave a sigh of relief. ‘I’m saved. Thank you, Melissa, they’re not questioning me. I don’t know if I could have kept silent about coming here with All Might without causing a misunderstanding.’

Someone placed a drink at his table, “Thanks for waiting!”

Izuku looked up to see a teenage boy with dirty blonde hair and circular frame glasses. He looked familiar, but the green-haired boy couldn’t quite seem to remember.

It suddenly struck him, remembering everything at once.

“Shu?”

Shu smirked, sticking out his tongue and giving the victory sign, “Ha! Got it right the first time! Long time since middle school, huh, Midoriya?”

Jiro stood up from her seat, “Wait, Shu?” she looked at a shorter boy standing nearby, “Mineta? What are you two doing here?” the question wasn’t said in a pleased tone.

Shu waved at her, “They needed extra waiting staff, and since it meant a free trip to the island, we applied to work. It was today that one man of culture met another man of culture and now we’re the Dynamic Duo!”

Mineta nodded sagely, “We get to explore the expo on our breaks and make money. Plus there’s a chance we’ll have passionate encounters with some of the cute–” his eyes fell on Melissa, “Oh my gosh! I think I’m in love!”

Shu also gave the girl a quick scan, his glasses gleaming, “Oho! And who might you be, miss?”

Melissa held a hand to her ċhėst as she politely introduced herself, “My name’s Melissa Shield. My father is a researcher here! So, are you students at UA?”

Shu waved his hand, signaling no, “Oh no, I’m a friend of their class rep. Speaking of, where is he?”

Their conversation was brought to a halt when they heard the roar of engines speeding in their direction.

“Why are you slacking off? You wanted to make more money, didn’t you? Are you not willing to work hard?”

Mineta yelped as Iida stopped and loomed over him and Shu, causing them to fall back on their bottoms. Shu only adjusted his glasses, cleaning off the dust that fell on the lenses.

Uraraka blinked as she saw their class secretary berating the two boys, “Iida? You’re here too?”

“I come from a long line of heroes,” Iida stopped his scolding to explain, his arms moving robotically, “It’s expected that we’d receive an invitation to the Expo. However, my family was busy, so it’s just me today. My brother is coming tomorrow.”

Yaoyorozu clasped her hands happily, “I’m so happy he is doing well! I wondered if you’d be here. My father’s a shareholder in some of the Expo’s sponsor companies. It’s so fun to get to the preview.”

Jiro nodded, “Yeah, she had a bunch of extra plus ones so we basically gambled for them. After an impartial game of chance (Rock-Paper-Scissors), Uraraka and I ended up joining along as her guests.”

“The other girls are here, but they just can’t see the preview,” Uraraka added, showing a little pity for the other three girls who were absent.

Izuku looked at her, “Oh, are they really?”

Yaoyorozu nodded, “Uh-huh! We’re all planning on looking around together once the Expo opens up to the public tomorrow.”

Melissa leaned forward, “Here’s a thought! Why don’t I show you girls the sights?”

Uraraka’s eyes lit up hopefully, “You’re sure you have the time?”

Melissa nodded, “Yes, it’s a school holiday during the event!”

Shu and Mineta slid up to the table, posing like knights-errant, “Please take us with you!”

Nearby a speaker announcement spoke up.

[Ladies and gentlemen, our open mic competition will open in a few minutes. The prize for this contest is a framed, autographed poster of the 21st century’s Marvel Saga cast of the Avenger’s film, Endgame. An antique item of extreme rarity and in perfect condition.]

“Hey, beansprout, hurry up! I want to go there!” a short-tempered female’s voice sounded out.

“Yeah, yeah, your wish is my command… honey…” a male’s voice answered sarcastically.

Jiro blanched, her skin turning a shade of white, “Oh no.”

Shu also perked up, waving at a couple walking by, “Yo! Raku! Look who I found!”

The dark-haired yakuza heir looked in their direction, an exhausted expression on his face, “…Shu…?”

Shu laughed, patting a hand on Izuku’s shoulder, “It’s, Midoriya from middle school! He’s brought some classmates from UA?”

Raku looked like he had been struck by lightning for a moment before running over like a berserker, “WHAT?” he skidded to a stop in front of Izuku, leaning back as he realized too late he had stopped too close, “Since when did you get into UA? I thought you were Quirkless?”

Izuku sweatdropped at the other boy’s reaction, “It’s a long story…”

Honestly, he had never been good friends with Raku and Shu, just brief acquaintances through Haru in middle school. Izuku had been in the habit of sneaking off by himself by that point.

Chitoge skipped up behind her ‘boyfriend’ giving the entire group a bright smile, “Who is this, darling?”

Jiro shook her head, “Relax. You can tone it down,” she glanced around, “Unless you were followed.”

Chitoge tuned her thousand-watt smile to an average five hundred-watt one, “No, we were shipped off here alone, but just in case people we know are here, we still have to be careful,” her eyes narrowed as she noticed Mineta staring at her like eye candy, “Got something to say, bub?”

The smaller boy wilted under her stare, mutely pretending he lost interest.

Uraraka looked at Jiro in confusion, “Who are they?”

Jiro sighed, “A story for later. It’s pretty complicated.”

Chitoge impatiently grabbed Raku’s arm, “Sorry, but we have to run or we’ll miss the contest,” she frowned, “Too bad I can’t sing, I loved Marvel.”

Raku sighed, rubbing the back of his head, “Fine. I’ll see what I can do.”

Chitoge gave him an incredulous look before scoffing, “You? What, you plan on singing?” she laughed out loud before stopping, seeing her fake boyfriend’s face, “Oh wait, you’re serious.”

Raku popped a vein, “If it would keep you from dragging me around like a personal servant, then yeah, fine!”

Shu’s eyes glinted, “This I got to see.”

Iida stared the other boy down, ignoring the fact he did not know this boy at all, “Are you planning on shirking work?”

Jiro stood up, “Whatever. Let’s check it out.”

Melissa stood up with her, “We may get some good singers this year. It’ll be fun to check it out.”

***

(A few minutes later…)

Uraraka danced on her toes, trying to get a better view of the outdoor stage, “Wow, there’s a lot of people around!”

Chitoge nodded knowingly, “It’s a pretty amazing prize. A signed poster of the biggest superhero franchises before the rise of Quirks. Quite a few people would want to get their hands on it.”

“Yeah, but I heard from my dad that the qualifications just to get on the stage are pretty stiff,” Melissa stated, “Apparently the judge uses his Quirk to check a person’s capabilities before they can even sign up.”

Jiro twirled her earphone jack thoughtfully, feeling just a little tempted to participate, “Hmm… Interesting.”

The lights on the stage turned on, signaling the start of the contest.

[Ladies and gentlemen. Please welcome our first contestants. Please note that visual displays are welcome but do contribute to the judge’s decision. Have fun!]

Two figures walked onto the stage, causing the whole group (minus Melissa) to stare.

“EH?”

Kaminari had removed the jacket and support items of his hero costume. Now he was just the black boots, pants, and white t-shirt

Haru had removed his sugegasa and robe, wearing only his base costume.

For a final touch, the two teenagers had both tied back their hair, showing they meant business.

The audience cheered at their appearance, ready for the show.

Kaminari smirked as he picked up his microphone, waving at a group of girls, [Hey, ladies!]

Haru caught the mic the electric blonde tossed to him, [Let’s do this!]

The music began to play as Kaminari began rapping.

***

Play: bnha happy moments – Mmm Mmm Yeah Yeah: youtu.be/4m9FKgysPhc

***

♪ Austin M, keep doing your thing ♪

♪ Let these boys keep slippin’, man ♪

♪ I’m not into gymnastics ♪

♪ But I’m into flippin’ things ♪

Haru held up his mic, following up.

♪ I tell these women that it’s all about a team ♪

♪ Jordan and Pippen, man ♪

♪ So do you want join the team? ♪

♪ Now tell me, Little Miss Thang, Dalé ♪

The two boys both joined into the chorus, striding together side-by-side in sync with the music.

♪ When I saw her~ ♪

♪ Walking down the street~ ♪

♪ She looked so fine~ ♪

♪ I just had to speak~ ♪

♪ I asked her name~ ♪

♪ But she turned away~ ♪

♪ As she walked ♪

♪ All that I could say was ♪

They changed places, clapping their hands together. As their skin made contact, a burst of blue and yellow electricity shot across their bodies, combining into a brilliant green. With each move they made, the green lighting would flair, making them like a pair of plasma balls on the stage.

♪ Mmm mmm~ yeah yeah~ ♪

♪ Mmm mmm~ yeah yeah~ ♪

♪ Mmm mmm~ yeah yeah~ ♪

♪ All that I could say was ♪

♪ Mmm mmm~ yeah yeah~ ♪

♪ Mmm mmm~ yeah yeah~ ♪

♪ Mmm mmm~ yeah yeah~ ♪

♪ All that I could say was ♪

Haru took the lead as Kaminari moved behind him, synchronizing at the appropriate times.

♪ Rock and roll one time, we’ll make it up as we go ♪

♪ I know you feel it ’cause I mean what I say, say, say, say ♪

♪ We can do whatever, do whatever we want ♪

♪ When she walks past me I say “hey, hey, hey” ♪

In a flash of green, he had vanished, revealing Kaminari in his place, tilting his chin flirtatiously.

♪ So tell me where you’re from, where you wanna go ♪

♪ But she walked past me like ain’t said a word ♪

♪ Stood there like man ♪

♪ Girl, I don’t usually feel some type of way ♪

♪ But this one hit me hard in some kind of place, like, man ♪

Haru appeared from behind him, a dozen of buŧŧerflies fluttered around him as he winked at the audience.

♪ When I saw her~ ♪

♪ Walking down the street~ ♪

♪ She looked so fine~ ♪

♪ I just had to speak~ ♪

♪ I asked her name~ ♪

♪ But she turned away~ ♪

♪ As she walked ♪

♪ All that I could say was ♪

A wall of origami buŧŧerflies and flowers erupted around them, scattering in a series of complicated pattered around the stage and its audience.

♪ Mmm mmm~ yeah yeah~ ♪

♪ Mmm mmm~ yeah yeah~ ♪

♪ Mmm mmm~ yeah yeah~ ♪

♪ All that I could say was ♪

♪ Mmm mmm~ yeah yeah~ ♪

♪ Mmm mmm~ yeah yeah~ ♪

♪ Mmm mmm~ yeah yeah~ ♪

♪ All that I could say was ♪

They continue until the end of the song, using a mixture of green electricity and origami alongside their simplistic dance movements.

The UA students all watched in surprise, never having seen this side of the two boys before.

Except for Jiro for obvious reasons.

As the song ended, Haru and Kaminari bowed to everyone’s applause.

Iida had a funny look on his face, “I still can’t believe my eyes.”

Uraraka nodded in agreement, “Yeah. Normally Class Rep is more reserved. I never would have guessed.”

Izuku looked a little stunned, “Me neither.”

Melissa chuckled, “He looks like a fun guy.”

Jiro ducked her head slightly, fingering something on her wrist, “Yeah, he is…”

“Really?”

They all jumped as Haru appeared beside her, still dressed the same as he had been on stage.

Jiro stiffened and jerked away from the redhead’s close proximity, trying not to look at the lean muscle definition hiding under his skin-tight top and the exposed skin of his shoulders.

Haru blinked at her in confusion, a little pink dusting his cheeks at her expression.

‘Cute.’

Kaminari ran up, once again fully dressed in his costume, “Wow! You guys are here too?”

“Kaminari! Haru-chan! I had no idea you’d be here!” Izuku exclaimed.

Kaminari flung an arm around Haru’s shoulder, “Our friendly neighborhood Class Rep got an invitation from winning the Sports Festival and a plus one. Since I’m his best friend and all, I got to come.”

Haru smiled mischievously, “More the like the only guy friend available, but we can forget about that.”

Kaminari popped a vein, poking a finger into his friend’s cheek a little too hard, “Don’t forget I now know your little secret. What me to share?”

Haru gripped the other boy’s wrist, giving him a closed-eyed smile, “Oh? What secret is that?”

Kaminari winced, motioning with his head as he whispered, “Not that. We’ve been followed!”

Haru looked where Kaminari had motioned and saw a lone seagull stalking around aimlessly.

“Mine…”

In a blur of movement that no one could track, a paper kunai flew from Haru’s hand, landing an inch away from the bird.

“MINE! MINE! MINE!”

The seagull flew off, unseen by the others.

Iida chopped an arm in the redhead’s direction, “Why aren’t you wearing your full costume, Class Rep? Was it damaged?”

Haru shook his head, “No, it’s just too hot and the robe is too recognizable after Hosu. I’m not here to cause a fuss.”

Iida adjusted his glasses, “I see. Quite thoughtful of you.”

They all stopped talking when the judge announced the next contestant and Raku walked out on stage.

Haru looked at Chitoge, seeing her neutral expression, “You think he’s going to fail, don’t you?”

The blonde shrugged, “That guy? Sing? I’ll grow old first.”

The opening strains of the music began to play, causing them all to stop.

***

Play: Dame Da Ne (Full Song): youtu.be/qFWAngziGKo

***

♪ Baka mitai kodomo na no ne ♪

♪ Yume wo otte kidzutsuite ♪

♪ Uso ga heta na kuse ni waraenai egao wo miseta ♪

♪ I love you mo roku ni iwanai ♪

♪ Kuchibeta de honma ni bukiyou ♪

♪ Na no ni na no ni doushite sayonara wa ieta no ♪

Chitoge was gobsmacked, “This guy can sing?”

Haru raised a finger, “Strictly enka genre,” he corrected.

Raku spotted them in the crowd, giving his girlfriend a look that screamed, ‘Who’s the sucker now?’

Haru hooked his arms under Chitoge’s shoulders before she could plunge through the crowd and pound her boyfriend.

Raku gave Haru a nod of acknowledgment, singing his song to the finish. On the final chorus, he raised his voice, drowning everyone in the soft music of his song.

♪ Dame da ne dame yo dame na no yo ♪

♪ Anta ga sukide sukisugite ♪

♪ Dore dake tsuyoi osake demo ♪

♪ Yugamanai omoide ga baka mitai ♪

♪ Honma ni roku na otoko ya nai ♪

♪ Soroi no yubiwa hazushimasu ♪

♪ Zamaa miro seisei suru wa ♪

♪ Nan nano yo kono namida baka mitai ♪

The audience applauded as Haru released a fuming Chitoge.

“So, how did you like his singing, oh aged one?”

There was the sound of a home run hit as he was slammed by an uppercut into the atmosphere.

The Class 1A students all screamed in response, “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” they all jumped, realizing Haru was still standing beside them, “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Haru winced, cricking his neck with a loud pop, “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

“Calm down. It was a clone,” Haru complained.

They all breathed a sigh of relief.

Haru checked his hand, activating the Fuinjutsu clock on his palm, “Not that this isn’t fun, but Kaminari and I have to be somewhere right about now,” he waved at a still fuming Chitoge, “See you guys later.”

Izuku looked at him, “Where are we going?”

***

[A clearance time of thirty-three seconds!] the announcer cried, using her Quirk to project her voice around the arena, [He’s in eighth place!]

The giant screens around the massive rock formation in the cent displayed a spiky-haired redhead with hardened skin standing over a destroyed robot.

Izuku leaned against the rail of the audience level in disbelief, “Kirishima?”

“So, I’m guessing he’s from UA as well?” Melissa asked.

Izuku turned to her, “Yeah, he’s in the same class as us?”

[Please welcome our next challenger!]

Izuku gasped as a familiar ash-blonde walked out to the course, “Kacchan?”

Haru crossed his arms over his ċhėst, “I brought the both of them along too.”

[The villain attack course has been reset. Ready? Go!]

Katsuki blasted towards the mountain. Quickly he demolished a robot with its explosion and used the force of his attack to aim towards another target, continuing this process until he reached the final enemy.

“DIE!”

Izuku blinked. ‘Die?’

The announcer sounded excited, [Look at that time! Only fifteen seconds! FIRST PLACE!]

Katsuki landed back at his starting point, his face betraying a small hint of self-satisfaction.

“Hey, isn’t that Midoriya in the stands?” Kirishima pointed out as he caught sight of Izuku.

Katsuki’s expression darkened as he blasted himself to the rail, grabbing it like a feral animal, “Damn it! What are you doing here, Deku?”

Izuku held up his hands defensively, “Oh uh, hey Kacchan. Maybe calm down a little…?” he gave a nervous laugh.

“Don’t you dare tell me what to do!”

The elder Bakugo’s pupils shrank as Haru appeared in his vision and felt two fingers pressed to his forehead, “Behave.”

With a small burst of wind chakra to the face, Katsuki’s lost his grip on the rail and he fell backward, plummeting to the ground below.

Melissa flinched, “Ow… Will he be okay?”

“I’d be more surprised if that actually hurt him,” Jiro admitted, quietly keeping herself from Haru’s direct line of sight, “They do this all the time.”

“Friends?”

“Brothers.”

“Really?”

“Adopted from birth but wouldn’t know the difference.”

“How sweet.”

“Deku and Bakugo are fated rivals,” Uraraka stated seriously.

Kaminari ran to the rail, waving at Kirishima, “Hey, Kirishima!”

Kirishima waved back, “You guys finally caught up with us. I see you ran into the others!” he jerked his thumb at the obstacle course, “You should try out this villain challenge!”

Kaminari rubbed his neck, “Nah, I’m good. Maybe Midoriya would go!”

Katsuki glared up at Izuku from where he was still lying on the ground, “Don’t even try it. There’s no way you’d get a better score than I did!”

Izuku had his face scrunched up passively, “Yeah, you’re probably right. Yup!”

Uraraka held her chin thoughtfully, purposefully speaking her thoughts out loud, “Huh… I’m not so sure. Only one way to find out, I guess.”

Izuku responded automatically, “Yeah, you’re probably right. Wait? What?”

Katsuki popped a vein, pushing himself to his feet, “Just get your pathetic attempt over with, nerd,” he raised his voice into a yell, “Then get out of here!”

***

[We’ve got a new challenger coming in at the last minute! Will he end up on top or fail in front of the entire Expo!]

Izuku sank down into a ready stance, green electricity streaming over his body as he activated his Quirk.

‘One for All: Full Cowling!’

The announcer shielded her face from the wind swirling caused by the power surge, [The attack course is set! Ready? Go!]

Izuku vanished in a stream of lighting, moving from robot to robot, destroying them all with a powerful punch.

[An incredible run! He’s in second place at sixteen seconds!]

The announcement was applauded by the watching spectators.

Izuku grinned happily as he rejoined his classmates.

“Wow!” Uraraka exclaimed happily, nearly dancing in joy.

“That was a good showing, Midoriya,” Iida praised.

Izuku chuckled, “I didn’t think I’d get so close to Kacchan’s time!”

Katsuki raged on hearing that, “WHAT? I’ll go again and burn your score to ash!”

They all were forced to steady themselves as a rumbled shook the stadium and the announcer cried in shock.

[AHHHHH! This is insane! Fourteen seconds! This gentleman has jumped to the front of the pack!]

A familiar bicolored-haired teen straightened up, letting out a cloud of icy breath as he surveyed the glacier-covered mountain.

Izuku recognized him instantly, “Todoroki’s here too?”

Melissa looked at Yaoyorozu, “So he’s a classmate too?”

Yaoyorozu smiled proudly, “Yup!”

“Your class is so amazing!” Melissa gave them all a look of respect, “I’m sure you’ll be great heroes.”

The other girls looked a little embarrassed at the praise but were shocked out of their reverie by Katsuki blasting himself directly at his rival, “You icy-hot bastard!”

Haru appeared above him, slamming both feet into his back, “Language!”

Todoroki impassively watched the two slam into the ground in front of him, “Bakugo. Haru.”

Katsuki raised his face from the ground, still angry, “You can’t just appear out of nowhere and just show me up!”

Haru sent him a salute, “Yo, bestie!”

Todoroki looked past them at their classmates, “I see the others are here too!”

Katsuki got even more pissed, “Don’t ignore me!”

Haru stepped on his head, slamming it back into the ground, “Did you come to represent your dad?”

Todoroki nodded, “Yes. Best Jeanist?”

“Unofficially.”

The announcer stood near them, awkwardly unsure of how to deal with the situation.

[Um… It’s the next person’s turn.]

Haru stepped off Katsuki’s body, “That’ll be me.”

A flurry of paper swirled around the trio and shifted the entrance of the arena where Todoroki and Katsuki were deposited. Haru had once again adjusted his appearance so his mask was back in place and his hair pulled back with a hair tie.

Kagura Shingen: The Mind’s Eye!

In a second, he had a complete vision of the entire field, pinpointing every enemy.

The announcer raised her arm, [The course is set! Ready? Go!]

Haru held a hand towards the rock formation, “Shikigami Dance: Punishment!”

There was a fluttering of hundreds of sheets of paper appearing from the surrounding landscape as multiple paper spears appeared in the air above each of the robots.

Haru lowered his hand, “HAH!”

A loud crash of destroyed metal filled the air as the targets were destroyed simultaneously

[W-what! We’ve got a new top scorer at eight seconds!]

Haru let out a breath, smirking in satisfaction from under the mask.

Katsuki fist passed through his ċhėst, scattering paper everywhere, “Bullshit! I’m doing it again!”

The announcer gave a small squeal of fear at the angry blonde’s violent attitude.

Iida charged in, “Everyone, please stop! You’re going to make everybody think UA’s full of degenerates!”

Haru’s body shifted until he had appeared behind Katsuki and was holding his arm, “Sorry, Iida! A little help!”

Katsuki continued to struggle violently, screaming profanities at them as Izuku, Kirishima, and Kaminari all jumped down from the spectator’s level to help.

Melissa giggled at their antics but stopped when she noticed Yaoyorozu, Uraraka, and Jiro’s downturned expressions, “Oh, sorry to laugh,” she subsided to a whimsical smile, “I was just thinking you look like you have a whole lot of fun at your school.”

“…”

“Well, it’s… never boring…I can say that much at least,” Yaoyorozu finally admitted.

Uraraka and Jiro hung their heads in admittance, “True.”

***

(Elsewhere on the Island…)

A tall, bulky man with dark red hair and a scar on his left cheek held a phone to his ear.

“I picked up the goods as planned,” he listened to the voice on the other end, “What? All Might’s here now? It doesn’t matter. We can handle him no problem.”

He hung up, ignoring the struggling guards tied up behind him. He watched several men unloading large crates full of weapons.

“Of course he had to show up,” he grumbled under his breath.

“But as you said, it’s of no consequence,” a dark figure appeared from the shadows behind him, “Don’t tell me you’re losing your edge… Wolfram.”

The villain glanced over his shoulder, noting that the bound guards had all been knocked unconscious, “What are you doing here?”

“Just checking in on you,” the figure’s deep voice betrayed no emotion, “Our masters want this mission to succeed.”

“Are you joining us then?” Wolfram narrowed his eyes, already guessing the answer.

“No,” the mysterious man turned away, “This time… It’s too risky. I cannot risk being detected yet. You have your orders. Follow them.”

He vanished into the shadows, leaving Wolfram alone.

“That guy really doesn’t sit well with me,” the villain muttered to himself.

***

(Later that day…)

[The I-Expo Preview will be closing at 6:00 PM. Thank you for coming. Enjoy your night.]

Shu and Mineta sighed in exhaustion and despair.

“The Expo isn’t even open to the public yet,” Mineta lamented, “If we’re this slammed now, will we ever get to rest?”

Shu scowled dismally as he whɨnėd, “Shut up! I don’t want to think about it.”

“Hey, Mineta! Shu!” Izuku called out to them as he returned with the rest of the class, “How did your shift go?”

“You should be proud of the work you’ve done today,” Iida told them, holding out a couple of slips of paper.

Mineta peered at them, “What are these things?”

“Invitations to the big Expo reception later tonight,” Yaoyorozu explained.

“There’s a party?”

Chitoge and Raku walked up to them, Chitoge clutching a poster tube to her ċhėst. It wasn’t the winning poster, but she was still happy. A cast-signed poster of Avatar (2009) was still great. Whoever donated the prizes this year was really amazing.

Haru handed them a pair of slips as well, “Melissa said she had a few extras and wanted to invite everyone who didn’t have one.

Shu and Mineta’s eyes welled up with tears.

“…Shu…”

“…Mineta…”

They hugged each other, bawling their eyes out, “A beautiful angel has rewarded us for our hard work!”

Iida turned towards the others, “I heard that many pro heroes and notable figures will be attending tonight’s party as well. It’s imperative we don’t tarnish UA’s reputation. We’ll change into our formal clothes and go as a group. Everybody meet in lobby seven in the central tower at six pm sharp.”

Haru raised a hand, “Sorry, I have to get there early. Recovery Girl wanted me to greet an acquaintance of hers.”

Jiro, who had avoided staring at the redhead’s body under the skin-tight suit all day, finally looked at him, “So we’ll meet you at the party?”

To everyone’s shock, Haru gently grabbed her hand and raised it to his lips, “I will await your arrival, milady.”

In that brief moment, the light of the sunset flashed on the matching pair of ŀȧpis lazuli bracelets the two were wearing. Haru gave Jiro’s hand a chaste peck before he vanished in a cloud of buŧŧerflies, leaving his friends shellshocked and his crush a beet red.

Chitoge blinked several times, “Whoa…”

Uraraka stifled a squeal, shaking Yaoyorozu’s arm.

Unseen by everyone, Kaminari revealed a sad smile.

Iida stopped himself from commenting, realizing that scolding the air for being bold wasn’t going to help, and clearing his throat, “Well then. We’ll meet at six o’clock. Don’t you dare be late? I’ll contact Todoroki and Bakugo and share this information. Thank you, you’re dismissed.”

The class secretary activated his Quirk and ran off at high speeds.

Izuku sent a thumbs up in Iida’s direction, “There he goes; always at full throttle!”

***

(Meanwhile…)

Katsuki, now washed up and in casual clothes, lay stretched out on his bed.

“C’mon, Bakubro, you need to get ready,” Kirishima goaded his roommate.

Katsuki snorted, “Why the hell would I want to go to a party? It’ll just be a bunch of old geezers I don’t know giving speeches. Sounds like a pretty lame night to me.”

“But we can eat as much gourmet food as we want!” Kirishima persisted.

“And it would be rude to our hosts if we didn’t show up,” Haru, also washed up and in casual clothes, added from where he sat at the other end of the room, petting the origami arctic fox in his arms.

“Well it’s not as if I brought any fancy clothes with me anyway,” Katsuki excused.

Haru held a hand in a ‘well that was obvious’ gesture, “Good thing we thought of that.”

Kirishima pulled out a pair of suits from his suitcase, “I brought some stuff for you!”

“I did the same for Kaminari,” Haru appended, “His dressing skills needed a little work.”

Katsuki shot up, glaring at them, “You’ve got to be kidding me, you idiots!”

Haru stood up, letting the fox drop gracefully from his arms, “I’ve got to go,” a swirl of paper surrounded him and he was revealed to be dressed in a black suit, “Man, this makes things easier. Kiri, what should I do with my hair?”

The spiky-haired teen looked at him, “Just go simple and tie it back. Looks sharp on you.”

Haru pulled out a black hair tie and pulled back his hair, “Seems like I’m using this look a lot in this chapter…” he headed to the door, “Be sure Kaminari is with you when you leave. Chise, stay with them. Keep my brother in line.

The white fox barked and jumped on the bed.

A second later Katsuki was yelling in anger.

“Oi! Come back and get your damn fox, you crazy ȧss bastard!”

Haru leaned his head back into the room, “She doesn’t bite!”

“Yes, she does!”