numbertwohero | Prisma Overflow

[[from here]]

What do you--

[That's a really weird way to phrase it, isn't it? After all, he'd just seen her earlier that day...but then she goes on to clarify, and despite his best efforts, his eyes drop to her face, trying to decide if she's playing some kind of weird joke. It doesn't look like she's making fun of him, though, even if he is kind of a bad judge of that kind of thing.

Also, equally thankfully, he can see that there's fabric covering her shoulders, even if it is all tinged a faint, wary yellow from her aura, so whatever extra side effects his glowing eyes have don't seem to apply to her. Phew.

Offering her the card, Todoroki keeps staring at her with those glowing eyes, brows creased in thought.]

'Places like this...' You say that like you've been somewhere like this before.

[What's the deal, Jiro?]

[He's finally looking at her for real... her expression doesn't belie much aside from her eyes flicking to his for a second, with that aura of hers still stained a wary, anxious yellow.
But she takes that card from him, giving it a once over --

And with that question, her expression scrunches up just a bit - which is probably curiously small of a reaction, considering her aura more or less does a backflip with it.
Something about that question must have a lot more weight than he thinks.]

... Yeah. This isn't my first time dealing with a place like this.
Let's walk and talk, okay?

[She's mulling over if - and how - she should tell Todoroki about anything she's gone through.
Theoretically, he's someone who wouldn't freak out, right? Theoretically. She wouldn't have to worry too much, would she?
But then again, they're all learning he's a lot softer of a touch than he lets on...

She turns and starts walking, waving for him to follow.]

[That's kind of a strange reaction, isn't it? Her aura does this weird fluctuating thing, but her expression only changes a little...he doesn't know her well enough to know what that might mean, though, and he's definitely not good enough at reading people in general to even hazard a guess.

She does at least answer him, though, and the answer is enough for him to puzzle out just a little that it's probably a bigger deal than she lets on.]

--Ah, yeah.

[Standing there lost in thought is a good way to get left behind, and since she's willing to help him out, it's the least he can do to keep up. Todoroki easily catches up with his longer legs, matching her pace and keeping her in the corner of his eye so he can make sure he doesn't get lost--or accidentally see anyone else.

After a long moment, he speaks up again.]

I'd like to hear about the other place you were in. If you don't mind talking about it.

[That's...probably tactful, right?]

[There's a pause as she walks where she takes a moment to look at him from the corner of his eye - checking to see if he's actually able to look at her head on still, really, since she can tell it's something with his vision that's messing him up right now - and...
Considering he's gone back to looking at anything but the people around him? Her best guess is that whatever's fucking him up is back again.

So she reaches back with one of her jacks and wraps it around his wrist, just to make sure he stays close. Yep.
It's even a weirdly gentle hold, considering what it is.]

... I guess I wouldn't mind, but...
It won't be fun to hear about. The whole place was hell, and I didn't even get the worst of it.

Are you sure?

[He's just not gonna take any chances, okay? Seeing auras is interesting, and really pretty, but the rest...well, it's embarrassing, and also feels incredibly rude. It's just not very heroic.

That still doesn't mean he's expecting to feel the warmth of one of her jacks wrapping around his wrist, and he looks up to her face-on again, a surprised expression on his face. He doesn't flinch away, but...well, it's kind of weird. If only because he's not sure what he's supposed to do with his hand. Does he keep it at his side? Will it tug at her head if he lets his arm swing naturally? He settles for keeping that arm a little in front of him, roughly like he would if he were holding her hand. That's...probably fine.

He's definitely thinking about it less as she speaks, though, his expression sobering. When he answers, there's no hesitation in his voice, though it's quiet enough that they won't be overheard as they make their way down the pedestrian walkway. He knows what hell is. What it can be. There might be a suggestion of that fact in the way he sounds, too.]

It won't bother me. If it'll help, talking about it, I'll listen.

[He's safe with whatever he'd like to do. Honestly, even if he'd started swinging it, she likely would've just let it stretch to accommodate - but how he has it works just as well.
That said, as she starts mulling over her words, her aura turns a more... melancholy color.]

... Everyone was kept in one city. It was called "Duplicity". And when you first arrived, they did the same thing they did here, with the medical examinations and all that?
But if you were unlucky, like I was, you got marked. Those of us who did got long tattoos down our necks, and if we did, we were called "Submissives".
Everyone else was a "Dominant".
Submissives and Dominants had to stay in contracts with each other, and...

You can probably see where this is heading just off of that crap, I'm sure.

[At least she hopes. Please don't be too pure, Todoroki...]

[He notices the change in the color of her aura, yellow muddying and swirling, fading to a sickly green-tinged grey, with a touch of alarm. That can't be a good sign, a good color--and then she starts talking, and he sees why.

Just because he's still a virgin, because he's never even really had a crush let alone a kiss, doesn't make him ignorant. He's had sex ed, just like the rest, and he's a teenage boy with access to the internet. Curiosity is natural.

Maybe the way he reacts isn't. Maybe it's because it hits a little close to home, in some ways, someone being marked, being chosen, being forced into something they didn't want to be--]

Jiro--

[He isn't sure what to say, completely forgetting honorifics as he searches for words, a frown wrinkling his brow. There's recognition in his expression, understanding, horror and a sort of righteous fury.]

...That isn't going to happen here. I don't care what they try to pull, or why we're really here. No one is going to be forced into anything.

[Not if he has to fight this entire place. It didn't seem like it was that kind of place, nothing the Lunar Scientia or Moon Knights had said had implied it, but like hell he's gonna let it happen if it is. No one should end up in a situation like that without choosing it for themselves.]

[She snaps up to look at him on the lack of honorifics - it feels really weirdly... buddy-buddy from him, which by itself is weird considering it's Todoroki - but the look on his face gets her own to pop open with something like surprise, everything else changing to match. Aura shifts and wobbles, her one free jack raises in a little arc, the works.

But she ends up looking ahead of her as they walk again, almost like she's not sure what to even say to that.]

... Even if they tried it, I'm used to it now. It's no skin off my nose.
And besides - back there, I had all the guys to support me, you know?

It was... kinda nice getting to know them all better...

[Or maybe she's just telling herself that? Hard to say.]

It doesn't matter if you're used to it. You shouldn't have to be.

[But...okay, maybe he should tone it down a little. The color of her aura is a little surprised, and the way it wobbles...he's probably being a little too intense. But it's hard not to be, when all he can think about when he thinks about people being put in that kind of situation is his mom, and the years of hell she endured with his father. And even everything after...

He takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly, as he lifts a hand to rub at the back of his neck.]

...Sorry. Um, you said there were other people from home there, too?

[The intensity is a little much, yes... and honestly, for a moment, she wasn't exactly sure where it was coming from -
But it's just him caring, isn't it? It's Todoroki showing he cares.
And thinking of it that way... it's kinda sweet, actually. Her jack might've tightened around his wrist a little.
Just a little.]

... I never did anything I didn't wanna do. I did have to worry about the quota they put on us - three times a month - but everything I did, I sought out myself.

["So don't worry" is where she's going with that.]

But yeah, there were a lot of us.
Bakugou, Midoriya, Iida, Kaminari, Kirishima, and Shinsou were all there. As for the teachers, Aizawa-sensei, All Might, and Present Mic where there, too.

[Notice the lack of other girls in that list. Yep. Her time there was definitely a ride and a half.]

I'm glad you weren't alone. It's terrible you were in a place like that at all, but at least having some of the others there...

[He does care. They may not interact all that much back home, but she's still his classmate. He notices what she does, like he does all of them. At first it had been because they might be potential rivals, but that hadn't taken long to change, had it? They'd faced villains together, faced midterms, faced a frankly terrifying homeroom teacher...faced injury and loss. Maybe he wasn't as close to her as he was to Midoriya, or maybe Iida, but she still mattered.

The thought of a quota just...

He's not going to say anything about it, or he wasn't, except then she's mentioning that some of their teachers were there and everything about him stiffens again.]

...What did they do about it? The teachers.

Edited 2019-07-02 10:19 (UTC)

They took us in where they could.
Those contracts I mentioned, they didn't have to be more than... "business", I guess. Some of the locals even used them for family members, so it worked that way for us, too.
Present Mic did that for me. So I lived with him.

It was better than living in the slums the rest of the Submissives got crammed in, that's for sure.

[Said with a frankly too blase shrug. It was honestly comforting being taken care of by one of their teachers while stuck in a place like that; she honestly has no idea how Bakugou's entire caravan of idiots lived without any of the pros with them.

But, that said...]

... There wasn't much they could do about the situation, though. The people who kept us there - they were called LIEs. They had the power to keep everyone oppressed and the technology to take Quirks away on a whim.
Even Aizawa-sensei's.

All they could do was keep us safe. And they did that, at least.

[Okay, good, he doesn't have to go track down the two of them he's seen so far and try to fight them. There's a moment of tension more, before Todoroki finally takes a deep breath and blows it out slowly. His voice is a little softer when he continues, at least, and the tension that was there is reduced.]

Good.

[He doesn't say that safe is an illusion, that even the most well-meaning adults can only do so much. They did what they could, and it was enough. But if so many of his classmates were there...]

... I'm sorry I wasn't there to help. Maybe they could take away quirks, but still...it feels--wrong. Knowing so many of you were stuck in a place like that, and I couldn't help.

...

[Something about what he's said seems to have gotten to her again, and for a moment, she worries her lip a bit in her teeth...

Before ending up letting out a pretty heavy, resigned-sounding sigh.]

You were there.

At least - a Todoroki was there, I guess, with the whole multidimensional nonsense going on.
From everything I've heard, you were marked, too. But you'd disappeared before I showed up...

[Hence why she left him out of the list. ... That, and she's sure "there was a dimensional copy of you back in the other world I was stuck in" is like, way too weird.]

[Well that's a surprise. Enough of a surprise that he looks dead at her again, almost missing a step. He was there? But he doesn't remember...]

...A version of me...

[Honestly, it's not as hard to believe as some people might think. He tries to keep an open mind about a lot of things. The more you close your mind to possibilities, the more likely you are to miss the answer to a problem.]

That makes sense. It'd also explain why I wouldn't notice any of you going missing...I wonder how many different versions of us are out there? And if we'll ever see any of them here...

[It's actually kind of interesting to think about, honestly. Though quantum physics might have something to say about it. He honestly looks pretty serious about the whole thing.]

Honestly? That's something I've been wondering about ever since I showed up here. There's a lot to think about it, you know?
How many worlds are out there, stealing people like this. How many worlds there are to steal from.
What's happening in all of them.

But what I keep thinking about most is... how different I probably am compared to the Jiro everyone remembers.

[It's all very existential and she's not fond of it. That kind of deep stuff's better left to music... not real life.]

Yeah...there are a few different multiverse theories out there, but most of them say there could be millions of versions of us. Like every time we make a choice, there's a version of us who takes the other option.

[It is a lot to think about. It could get pretty overwhelming, if you let it...but then she says the rest, and he doesn't just want to let that go, even if he doesn't exactly know what he's doing here.]

Jiro-san...

I wouldn't really know. The world I'm from, you and me--we aren't really friends. I mean, we don't interact much. So I can't tell you how different you are. Sorry, that's probably not reassuring...I just mean--I'm not going to try and compare you to someone you might not be. That's all.

[Hey, at least something he says gets her to smile. Just a little bit, but it's there.]

Don't worry - that's how it was for me, too. Back home, I always figured you wouldn't like hanging out with me too much, but...

[She gives a lazy half-shrug.]

I thought the same about some of the guys back there, too. Yet they kept looking for me to hang out with...

[It's surprised her, really, just who she ended up close with out of all of them.
And thinking on it now, it's actually kinda getting her to miss a couple of them already... even though she hasn't been gone longer than a week.]

... At any rate, if you don't know me well enough to say, then there's no time like the present.
May as well start hanging out more while we're here, right?

[Is that a smile? It might be. Good. He's relieved she took his words the way he meant them. After all, they weren't exactly the most eloquent. He's never been that kind of person. Although he looks a little puzzled at what she says...maybe a touch sheepish, too.]

Why would you think that?

[Aside from his entire general aura of untouchability, which honestly comes from not knowing how to just talk to people. It's easy with Midoriya, now. He's usually the one popping up, or talking to himself; it makes it easy for Todoroki to just add himself to the conversation. Even Iida has an easy manner; all he has to do is sit at the lunch table, and Iida ropes him into whatever they're discussing. Other people, though...other people are hard.

Doesn't mean he doesn't want to try, though, and despite his visible surprise at her suggestion, it's followed by a small smile of his own.]

I think I'd like that. I mean, I'm kind of boring, but it'd be nice.

You just seem like the kinda guy who doesn't wanna talk to people much.
I always felt it was better to just leave you alone, you know? If you wanted to talk to me, you would, like you do with Midoriya and Yaomomo.

[... She's just gonna come right out and say it, huh. Girl's got no qualms with being harsh.
But her face doesn't shift nor does her aura - assuming he can still see it - so at least it's clear she doesn't mean anything bad by it.

In fact, when her aura does shift, it's to a much brighter, warmer color. Because, well -]

I'm down to change that with you, though. I doubt you're as boring as you think.

It's not that I don't want to. I guess I'm just...fine listening more than I talk. And I'm never really sure what to say. I don't really play a lot of games, or watch a lot of TV, like some of the others, and it's hard to start a conversation with someone you don't know.

[Honestly, he finds her bluntness reassuring. He's not really good at interpreting peoples' meanings from context clues, maybe because he doesn't really have much context with which to interpret them. He's smart, and he's picking up a lot, but it's not like he's ever really spent a lot of time with people his own age.

So, maybe this won't be so terrible, after all. Her aura shifts again, and it's a pleasant shade that makes him feel a little warmer inside, too.]

Who knows? Maybe you'll find something interesting I missed.

You know... if you're worried about not having anything to talk about with everyone, I could probably get you into some of the music they like.
Not all of them are big on modern music, though... like with Yaomomo, you'd have better luck talking about orchestra pieces and the people who write'em.
But I could probably get you into stuff that most of the guys like, at least.

[Suggesting, yes, that she thinks she could get him to like it all, himself. Because talking about something someone else likes without liking it yourself can be kinda flat, you know?
She knows that. And she's got musical chops, obviously. Nothing to worry about, here.]

... Plus, that'd give us more to talk about, too.

You'd do that?

[It's still kind of surprising to him, that anyone would want to spend time with him. Especially after the way he was to the entire class for the first half of the year...but he's not going to say no. After all, they should stick together, right? And if she's willing to help him find things they might have in common, it'd be rude to turn her down.]

I don't really listen to much music, either. But if there are things you think I should listen to, I'd be interested. Maybe you could show me the kinds of music you like.

[After all, aren't they going to do this friends thing, too?]

Yeah. I mean, why not? I like listening to music, so it's not like I'd hate sharing it or something.
It'd be good for you to start getting some interests in pop culture anyway, right?
Since you said you don't watch TV and stuff, either.

[Said with a surprisingly blase half-shrug. Which is probably a good thing, from her.]

As for the music I like... how much rock have you listened to?
Doesn't matter what kind of rock, any's fine. I just wanna know what to start with.

[Bold of her to assume he's listened to ANY rock, of course -]

You're probably right. I feel like I'm kind of behind on everything...sometimes when the class gets going, it's like they're speaking an entirely different language.

[A really confusing language. As if socialization wasn't hard enough.]

Ah, none, really. Just whatever I've overheard when someone has the radio on in the common room. So I guess...wherever you want to start?

[He does like taiko...does that count for anything...]

[[from here:]]

[Well, he is rather tall, isn't he? Maybe around the same height as his dad, though not nearly as bulky. But neither the fact that he's nearly a full head taller than Todoroki nor the giant sword seem to bother the teen much as he stares at the card in his hand, flipping it back and forth.]

I'm not really sure. A lot of stuff in this place seems to be pretty colorful. Maybe it's just what art's like here, or something to do with the moons?

[There's still way too many questions left unanswered about all of this. It's enough to give you a headache, really.]

Everything in this isla-- world looks way too colourful, but if they gave you that as a reward, then it means something.

[Or so he wants to think.]

If it has to do with the moons then it'll be helpful.

[Then something occurs to Law.]

Is it destructible?

Yeah, you're not wrong. It feels kind of like I've stepped into some sort of video game. Maybe this is like a quest item...

[Totally not relevant though. He'll let his thoughts wander that way, later. Instead, he looks a little surprised at the stranger's question, looking down at the card in his hand.]

I don't know. It feels just like a regular card, so I guess it probably is. But like you said, it might be helpful or important, so I didn't want to damage it. Why?

[[from here:]]

[Food allergies is probably a good way to look at it. Just food allergies, things to get through, and definitely an object lesson to learn for the next time. After all, this is a strange place. He's definitely got to learn to keep a cooler head, and really consider his actions.

Not that that's stopping him from following a stranger onto a magic sword. But then, is this really the weirdest thing he's ever done, or seen? Not in the slightest. Honestly the weirder part is how nice holding that hand feels, how natural and easy it feels to wrap his arm around the waist of the stranger when his hand is placed there. He doesn't really do things like this, has never done something like this, and while he feels a little awkward about it--what's the polite distance to keep, after all, where does his other hand go--it still feels nice enough to keep doing.

And then they take off, and Shoto forgets all about awkwardness in favor of the view. The city looks amazing from up here, and he holds tightly to Shen Qingqiu's waist, easily keeping his balance as he looks below them. The wind should be much stronger than this up here--maybe there's something else he's doing to keep it from being too much. Either way, Shoto's definitely not regretting this, and he's not missing a second.]

It looks amazing from up here, doesn't it?

[He doesn't sound afraid in the slightest. More like exhilarated.]

[ Shen Qingqiu's conclusions go along the lines of something like the following:

1. Chroma is not all about skin contact, and in fact, doesn't need to hold any licentious intent. He's already suspected as much, but when his feedback right now is hyperaware of contact, it's comfortable, nothing else. The kind of pleasant buzz one might have for stepping out under warm spring sunshine on a crisp, clear day.

2. He's a good kid, which was already something he was inclined to believe due to how polite he was being over the vision gaffe. Fruit, what the fuck?

3. He's enjoying this way more than Shen Qingqiu did the first time he had to fly his own sword, but that might be key: he had to fly his own damn sword. This is part of why he went into seclusion! Must! Increase! Cultivation! Must not end up getting himself killed due to a lack of proper awareness! That includes falling out of the sky!

Which leads to point 4. His qi, entangled as it may be with what he senses as chroma now, is flowing without obstruction. Shen Qingqiu is keeping a close watch on his own meridians, because it's not just his life if the poison decides to flare up for no damn reason right now. The chances are very low, but they aren't zero, and he'll have enough time to get them down safely in one form or another should that come to pass. He's not that kind of irresponsible. Just the "arrange your death, transfer your soul, and live your life without the threat of death by protagonist" kind of irresponsible.

See, this is also why they're higher than any of the flying vehicle lanes. Responsible flying. ]

I imagine at night the view would be all the more compelling.

[ Which is true: he does imagine seeing all those neon lights at night from above would be lovely indeed. One has to take into consideration the heights of each city level, and the dome? The shield? Whatever protected the city in a kind of bubble both similar and different to what an array might do.

Still, that tone of Shoto's voice prompts Shen Qingqiu to smile, small, and look over his shoulder at the teen. These are the kinds of moments kids should have. Ones where new experiences are fun and harmless and enriching. Not getting transmigrated to a world and having heavy demands laid across their shoulders.

Ah, life. Never fair. ]

Enjoying yourself?

[Honestly, his conclusions aren't far off, at least as far as Shoto goes. He does his best to be polite and follow the lead of whoever's helping him, even if he's a little stiff and awkward about accepting it. It helps that Shen Qingqiu is older; he can at least transfer some of the manners he'd aim at an upperclassman or teacher to their interactions, even if the physical contact feels much more...well, friendly than that.

Maybe it's also the feeling that comes with moonlacing that contributes to the pleasant tones of his voice, and also makes returning that smile with a small, almost furtive smile of his own a little easier. Life isn't fair, he's always known that, but some experiences make all the rest worthwhile.]

Ah--yeah, thanks. I've never flown like this before, it's amazing. You're right though, it would probably be even better at night. Is this how you get around normally?

[ Reception is in intent! He tells himself this firmly! Also because as much as he's admired growing young women's forms before, he doesn't find them attractive; he's too old! Not happening, not happening. Ergo the positive feedback loop here is shoved unceremoniously into the category of familial affection.

Still weird, but much more palatable. Perhaps this is how he'd feel if he had his younger sister around, or if he'd ever had a younger brother! ]

No, no, too conspicuous. Perhaps less so here.

[ He adds, gesturing with a closed fan toward the moving vehicles flying through the air below. ]

We go by foot, by horse, or by carriage. Flying like this is a matter of speed.

[ Implying it's a matter of using sword flight when speed is necessary. He's moving far faster than the vehicles below, and it's not hard for that to be extended into believing great distances can be managed in shorter periods of time moving like this.

No, it's not equivalent to airplane flight, but who the hell wants to fly that fast! The ground below would be sickening to see if not flying high enough to prevent it from becoming a blur, and imagine running into migrating birds? No explosions of blood and guts and feathers! He doesn't have a technique for cleaning his robes like high magic cultivation worlds otherwise seem to have!

The apartment block where Shoto's address indicated he lived approaches quickly, and Shen Qingqiu circles around before decreasing altitude with a sort of floating elegance that keeps the stomach from dropping too fast in the decline. Offhand, he wonders if people might be able to arrange sky diving from swords in a weird hybrid of modern and ancient. He promptly dismisses the idea as exceedingly silly. ]

[Honestly, if he'd had a healthier relationship with his family, or been closer to his siblings, maybe it would be easier to lump this kind of contact into that category. But he'd spent so much of his childhood isolated from his siblings, and affection from a parental figure had stopped dead after age 6, so as it stands, it's just...maybe it's like his teacher putting a hand on his shoulder after he's done well in an exam. Or like Midoriya, dozing off on the school bus against his shoulder on a long trip. It's still weird, but it's not bad, at least. And the view? Definitely helps to keep his mind from focusing on it and overanalyzing.]

Ah--so you must be from a world with less advanced technology. We haven't used carriages in most cities in over a hundred years, where I'm from.

[Tact. Maybe that's something he should focus on learning here, too. Hopefully Shen Qingqiu doesn't feel overly offended.

As they circle in for a landing, Shoto shifts his balance easily enough to accommodate the decline. Unfortunately, though, as they start to sink lower, he's gotta do something about his eyes, just in case--which means closing them, and holding just a little tighter to his waist to make up for it.]

I appreciate you choosing the fastest option to get me back. Hopefully it didn't put you too far out of your way?

[ Shen Qingqiu benefits from a first life with an affectionate, if not overly demonstrative, family, especially with his siblings, and then the fondness between himself and his disciples, and himself and his fellow Peak Lords. When you ask your martial junior brother to give you a sword lift often enough, you get used to certain kinds of casual contact.

Meanwhile he doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. Yes, surely! Carriages are very out of date! Now only good for taking on a date! Except they're the top form of luxurious travel in his most recent world! And his preference, but here, he's...

... wow, he can ride in car-like vehicles again! Truly luxurious! What amazing potential!

(Like he's not flying right now.) ]

What form of transportation has taken over?

[ Cars. He bets anything it's trains and cars. Betting chroma on it! Ten chroma!

The sword stops a few centimeters above the ground, a light gust of wind sending dust and small stones skittering away as Shen Qingqiu brings them to a stop. He'd registered the tightened arms, guessing at the cause. Once he's brought them to a stop, he glances back and—yes, he's closed his eyes again. ]

This one has been idly walking around to understand the ways of this new city.

[ Meant to imply it doesn't put him out of his way to have explored it also from the air. He's not quite so motivated to have tested out his rental sword inside the city limits otherwise, but with no alarms raised, and nothing that felt like an array to notice, he guesses the things to worry about would be the Moon Knights. Does he need a license to fly in the city? Can he just get away with it because he's Moonblessed? Mysterious thoughts he can answer later on. ]

Seeing it from above brings another level of appreciation.

Cars, mostly, and trains for longer distances. And airplanes, for even longer ones. Nothing like this, though.

[Right in one, SQQ. At least he doesn't seem to mean anything by it! It's just gonna take some getting used to, is all. Learning how to speak to different cultures, and to not make assumptions based on his own world.

He does seem a little relieved that he didn't put the other man too far out of his way. If he was already walking around exploring, then maybe it's not too bad. Still, thanks are in order. His manners aren't that bad. Which means once he's off the sword, Todoroki's bowing to him, a polite gesture.]

That's a good idea. I think after this wears off, I'm going to go try the same, again.

Thank you again. I appreciate your help.

May it be before too much longer.

[ He says with a nod of his head once Todoroki straightens out of his bow. ]

You're welcome. Until our paths cross again...

[ ............................ did he really forget introductions, did this teenager really just jump on a sword with a guy who didn't even introduce himself, IS THIS A FAILURE OF HIS PROPRIETY ]

... Ah. I am called Shen Qingqiu.

[If it is, it's a failure on both counts, honestly. Todoroki just kind of...doesn't really think about things like introductions?? Maybe he should be better about this, it's kind of rude to just impose on a stranger like this without even asking their name. He seems to realize this all at once, bicolored eyes opening wide for once, then shifting off to one side as he nods, looking somewhat chagrined.]

Ah--Todoroki Shoto. Sorry, I should have said, earlier. Thank you, Shen-san.

[ Somehow the whole "I see through clothes" and "teenager distressed about seeing through clothes" things weighed heavier than an exchange of names. He'll have to forgive himself, considering he's not holding Todoroki Shoto responsible for the same lapse.

With a small upturn of his lips, and a moment of pause over the Japanese honorific that he doesn't actually know the nuances of himself, let alone as the man he appears to be. ]

It is equally this one's fault, Todoroki Shoto. You're welcome, and may your symptoms pass soon.

[ With a tip of his head forward, Shen Qingqiu takes his leave... feeling some pity for the poor teenager. He's respectful, but he can imagine how that same ability would be misused by more than a few disciples he can think of offhand. Thank goodness he doesn't have to worry about wrangling them all here. ]

[[from here:]]

You're right. I'll have to keep it somewhere safe until we figure it out.

[Even if it is suuuper creepy. Those red eyes are staring right through him, man.

Sliding the card into his pocket mirroring Mic's move, Todoroki offers his teacher a faintly chagrined look, lifting his other hand to his hair in a futile effort to brush the sparkles from his bangs.]

...Five. They swarmed me, and I reacted without thinking about what might happen. I'm probably going to be washing glitter off for months...this stuff doesn't want to come off.

[It's the wooooorst. He's going to be sparkling forever. Bakugou's going to come up with so many stupid names...]

[[from here:]]

[Yeah, 'you don't need to worry about it' ain't gonna cut it, Enji, you should know that by now. Shoto doesn't accept that as an answer, narrowing his eyes slightly as he looks up at his father, just as deliberately not crossing his arms. He can wait all day for an actual answer. Whatever it is can't be any worse than he's imagining. After all, he may hate his father, but he also recognizes his strength. Anything that could get that close...it must be pretty bad.

His answer, though...it might somehow be worse than Shoto expected. His eyes widen again slightly in surprise, before he drops his face, studying the ground between them.]

So, All for One...the League...they aren't done. It's not over.

[How many more attacks is his class going to have to make it through before they graduate? He really can't afford to take time off from training, even here.]

Edited 2019-08-23 01:10 (UTC)

[He frowns, wishing he had better news than that for him, but it is what it is.]

No. It’s not over.

[Not while Tomura is still evading capture and his idiot henchmen still up to no good. Although it’s difficult to see what exactly they’re planning, it’s clearly not over.]

But you’re here, and as strange as this place is, it’s safe. So you don’t need to worry about any of it. You can be free to train. [Or not train! That’s just where his mind goes automatically. Unfortunately assuming might make him out to be a jackass.]

When we figure out a way back you can still be on track for the top spot.

[No, it is what it is, and Shoto's always been a practical kid. He's not gonna let this do anything but inform his actions going forward. He can't do anything about home while he's here, except train--

--and then Enji says that and Shoto's face whips back up, eyes narrowed and jaw clenched all over again.]

All those months later and that's still all you care about, isn't it? Your life's work finally making it to number one. Is it worth it, getting there?? Tell me, was it worth everything you sacrificed for it???

[Never mind that this place isn't actually all that safe. He could argue that, too, but every bit of that is forgotten in his wave of anger. Making a noise of disgust, he shrugs, clearly trying to dismiss everything.]

I should have known better than to expect anything else.

[Enji's mouth hangs open as Shoto's words cut him like a knife. He definitely said the wrong thing just then. He should have kept his mouth shut.]

Shoto, that's not what I meant! I assumed that was what you'd want, I don't mean to..push you to do something you don't want to be. You said you wanted to be a hero, and that's enough for me. I just.. I can't help thinking about how much potential you have. With my quirk, and your mothers? There's nothing that could hold you back!

[He's mentally telling himself to calm down, but can't really help how it comes out when he gets all fired up. This is exactly the opposite of what he wants to show Shoto about how he's change, and it's all going to shit because he can't say the right thing. Enji clenches his fists at his sides in frustration with himself when Shoto makes that sound. In the moment it feels his son will never see him as anything more than an annoyance. Well, so be it.

He's at a loss of what to say now, and doesn't know that opening his mouth again will result in anything better. It's like the last time he spoke to his children to make amends and one of his sons stormed out on him.]

I'm sorry. I should leave. [To go punch someone or something. Maybe set fire to something. A controlled fire.]

You've always pushed! Always, and I never mattered as much as that potential--

[It's not that it's something he doesn't want. He wants to be a hero. He's always wanted to be a hero, but that feeling is separate from the tangled jumble of emotions he feels about Enji. There's always been that pressure, that sense of helplessness. Like if he's a successful hero, Enji will think it's because of him, and not because of Shoto. He's always pushed. He's always

Most people would be glad to have a parent who supported them. Shoto...Shoto's not sure what he feels, only that his chest is tight and there's a burning feeling deep in his core, one he instinctively combats with ice. Wall after wall around his heart, and he's not looking at Enji anymore.]

...It's my potential. Not yours. My quirk. And I'm going to use it my way. That's all.

[It's fine, if he goes. It's probably better if he goes. After all, Shoto doesn't need this. It doesn't matter if his heart feels like it's being squeezed. He doesn't need Enji, and Enji won't die in a place like this. It's fine if they don't see each other. Right?]

[Shoto isn't wrong. He does have a track record of doing exactly what he just tried to say he wasn't trying to do. Obviously he needs serious work on that. More than the work he's already put in.

Enji won't push him this time. Not anymore. He's trying to learn how to let his son go so he can do his own thing in his own ways. Of course he's concerned and worried about what might happen if he gets out of practice, but he has to force himself to leave it to his son to concern himself with those things.

So he just nods, keeping his jaw clenched so he doesn't feel the temptation to speak. He takes a breath and walks past his son to leave. As he passes he looks over to Shoto and means to tell him that he agrees and wants him to do things in his own way, but doesn't get anything out. It's for the best. Maybe they'll cross paths again. For now he just walks away, back towards where he came from.]

Prisma Overflow

@eardrums, June TDM

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why are you awake!!!

sadly work requires consciousness at dumb hours...

well it needs to stop that, that's silly

I agree!!

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@doctorheartstealer, June TDM

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@peerlesscucumber, June TDM

❤

feel free to let go if you want!

<3!

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@vociferates, June TDM

@fireface, August TDM

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