chapter 50

7 YEARS AGO
2nd Year of U.A. High

The tall wooden and metal buildings rushed by in the blink of an eye. The view beyond the clear windows were merely blurs of dull colors and the occasional silhouette of a person walking past the subway tracks. The afternoon sun beat down on the metal train and the roofs of the passing buildings. It was the beginning of the school year and it honestly couldn't be hotter on this day.

A pair of crystal blue eyes stared out the opposite window of the subway train. Her eyes flicked back and forth as her gaze locked on some quickly passing building or object before snapping to another moving object. It was making her dizzy. She sighed and closed her eyes, leaning her head back on the wall of the subway car. The train was mostly full but not overloaded with too many people since it was the middle of the day and everyone was at work or at school already. This was the late crowd if anything.

The screeching of the train tracks was annoying as hell but she didn't notice it much. It was more so just a slight inconvenience that only bothered her if she was really listening for it. A similar explanation for the people talking and playing on their phones and gadgets around her.

Current bipolar level: 8

An elbow nudged her arm. She peeked one eye open and glanced to the side.

Sitting next to her was her ash blond compatriot. His crimson eyes stared at her with slight wonder. Similar to her, he was dressed in his U.A. uniform but he had his jacket sitting across his lap rather than on his shoulders. The heat must've gotten to him.

"You alright?" he asked her.

She smiled and nodded. "Just a bit nervous."

Bakugou rolled his eyes and leaned his head back on the train wall, matching her. "Scared, more like it."

Shimamura scowled playfully. "You? Yes. I would be too if I were going to see Endeavor."

He shot her a glare before closing his eyes and sighing. "Whatever, Whitey."

Shimamura snickered and squeezed his finger.

In between them, they had their pinkies linked together rather than actually holding hands. They were still trying to keep their relationship on the downlow. Sure, practically all of U.A. knew, but they didn't need that information going out to the public or the media quite yet. If anyone happened to know who they were on the subway train, they didn't want to be too obvious about their relationship status. They should be sitting in opposite cars if they wanted to be really secretive about it...

But these two were basically attached at the hip. Knowing they could be next to each other and together, they wouldn't give that up. They shouldn't even be touching each other but here they were: linking fingers as a substitute for holding hands.

It was a serious debate in Class 1-A for who was the clingy one in their relationship. Half the class voted Shimamura, the other half (aka those who didn't fear the wrath of Bakugou) voted Bakugou. They still didn't have an answer though. These two decided it would remain a mystery. (But then again, not even they knew who was the clingy one... Maybe because it was both of them.)

"Are you actually though?" Bakugou asked out of the blue.

Shimamura hummed. "What?"

"Nervous. Are you actually nervous?" He elaborated.

"I mean... Yeah. Shouldn't I be?"

He shrugged.

Shimamura shook her head with a frown and stared forwards at the rapidly changing window view. The blur of building walls and silhouettes had changed into a landscape image of the entire city, moving past in inches since it was such a distance away. The sunlight glanced off the metallic roof of the tallest building and created a sort of sparkling arc over the rest of the city. The sun rose above the buildings and almost blinded her. She could feel the heat radiating off of the sun just seeing it so high in the sky.

For context as to why Shimamura was nervous, she and Bakugou were headed to their respective pro hero work studies. Bakugou was headed to Endeavor's agency while Shimamura was headed into the heart of the city to meet with her new mentor. Since these two both got their provisional licenses later than the rest of Class 1-A (now Class 2-A), they were also late in getting their work studies programs and agencies. Additionally, neither student got their first pick when it came to the heroes they wanted to do their work study with.

Shimamura was always going to go with Clockwork for her work study after receiving her provisional license. But after everything that happened... it was pretty obvious that was no longer a possibility.

Arima reached out to Aizawa to try to get him to convince Shimamura to still take the work study with Arima... but it was no use. Shimamura had already made up her mind.

Instead, she found a hero that was willing to take her under their wing and train her to their hearts content. In fact, they were ecstatic to accept her into their agency. The only concern was why. You see, this hero wasn't too keen on having any student as their intern or in a work study program with them. But once they saw Shimamura's resume and transcripts, they were more than willing to take her up.

"You think she'll like me?" Shimamura mumbled to him, worry creeping into her voice.

He glanced at her and let out a hot breath, as if he was annoyed by the question. "Of course she will, dumbass." He paused for effect. "And even if she doesn't, she's stuck with you so it doesn't matter."

She frowned and smacked him in the arm. "Kats, I'm serious."

"Oi! So am I!"

Shimamura couldn't help but smile at her boyfriend as she rolled her eyes. He clicked his tongue and shook his head, knowing he won that argument.

"I'm the next stop," she said to him. "Don't get burnt up too much with Endeavor today."

"You should be telling me not to burn him too much."

"Yeah, that too."

He scoffed and took her hand, still linked pinkies, and pressed a soft kiss to the back of her hand. The subway train slowed to a stop and the doors opened.

"Bye."

"Get off the train, Whitey," he said.

She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek before getting up with her hero costume case and stepping off the train. A slight blush crept onto Bakugou's cheeks as he watched her leave. The doors slowly closed behind her slender figure. He fought a lighthearted smile and leaned his head back against the subway train again, closing his eyes.

God, he hated seeing her go.

"Sensima!"

A feminine voice shouted to Shimamura. Shimamura glanced around, trying to find the owner of the voice among the crowd. The student was now dressed in her hero costume, partially blinded by the mesh purple ribbon that she had across her eyes as a sort of mask. She could see through the fabric while any onlooker couldn't.

The student weaved her way through the sea of people until she saw the pro hero waving extravagantly to Shimamura from across the sidewalk.

She was a tall figure of dark complexion with long white hair, similar to Shimamura's naturally white locks. She had on a spandex suit and white ears and a fluffy tail protruding from her behind. She grinned almost maniacally at Shimamura from afar. This was Shimamura's new work study:

The Rabbit Hero: Mirko.

Shimamura jogged across the street, avoiding cars and a cluster of people, to reach Mirko. Shimamura donned a slight smile to be polite and waved to Mirko. It felt awkward. This was their first time meeting, after all. One couldn't help but wonder how Shimamura got this work study if she never met Mirko beforehand.

"There you are!" Mirko nearly shouted at Shimamura even though she was standing a foot in front of her. "I was beginning to wonder if you got cold feet and just decided to ditch me!"

"Sorry. I got the directions a bit mixed up," Shimamura's tone was significantly quieter than Mirko's.

Mirko raised a bushy brow at the smaller student. "Well don't beat yourself up about it."

"Sorry..." Shimamura mumbled, blushing.

Mirko cocked her head at her and stepped back a bit, giving the girl a proper scan. Shimamura half expected her to just shake her head and walk away without another word, ignoring her. She knew she didn't look like all that much. Hell, even with her hero suit on she hardly looked like a proper hero.

"So you're a Taekwondo artist?" Mirko asked.

Shimamura nodded once. "Yes ma'am."

Mirko's mouth twitched. "Ooh no, no ma'am. How old do you think I am? Ancient?"

"Sorry." Shimamura apologized yet again.

The hero shook her head and let out a boastful laugh, trying to get the girl to relax a bit. But Shimamura hardly loosened from her tense state.

Mirko was one of the few heroes that was completely unwilling to take on a student protege for the work studies program. She didn't even consider it. She was too independent and at the top of her game right now to even think about teaching a child her techniques. That was until she read Shimamura's file. It was passed to her by Hawkes and she only just happened to open it up when she was bored one day.

Shimamura was definitely an interesting student and person as a whole. Daughter of a deceased pro hero, niece of an equally famous pro hero. Transferred into the Hero Course from the Support Course through the Transfer Program offered at U.A. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has an emotion-based quirk that can debilitate even the strongest willed heroes. Kidnapped by the League of Villains in her first year at U.A. High.

But there was one thing that stood out to Mirko the most besides everything else on that file...

Taekwondo.

Taekwondo, at its base form, is a core and leg based martial art. Anyone who can master any sort of martial art is extremely talented, sure, but taekwondo? Taekwondo involves kicking. A lot of kicking. Mirko couldn't take her mind off it as soon as she read it.

At Shimamura's center, she was extremely similar to Mirko. Although their quirks and personalities weren't at all the same, their fighting styles matched perfectly. Mirko could land a flying kick that could knock any villain out—and honestly, so could Shimamura if she properly shifted her balance.

How could Mirko say no to a work study with someone like Shimamura? This was Mirko's chance to groom a mini Mirko into tip top shape before Mirko's popularity as the No.5 hero died out. Even seeing Shimamura in person, Mirko could tell she was the perfect specimen to groom. Shimamura was a small girl but her legs were where she was most prominently built and muscled.

"How many pounds of pressure do you think a single one of your kicks could muster?" Mirko asked, excitedly.

Shimamura blinked, confused. "I-I don't know. I never measured it...?"

Mirko nodded and hummed in response, thinking. "Fascinating."

Shimamura frowned and glanced to the side. She was being analyzed like a lab specimen. This felt weird.

Current bipolar level: 4. She used her new cover settings that Hatsume had made for her to shift herself into a lower bipolar state. One click of a button and after a few minutes, bam, she was in a depressive state. She wanted to be in a lower mentality in case of any villain activity. She had to be at her best. And unfortunately, her quirk was at its best when she was in a lower bipolar state.

She couldn't deny that her aunt was right about some things. But the ways in which her aunt tried to do things were always wrong. Always.

"I expected you to have black hair."

Shimamura's eyes snapped back to Mirko's. The pro hero stared up at her white hairstyle, surveying it.

"S-sorry?"

"You know, like your mom." Mirko responded bluntly.

If there was one thing to note about Mirko it was that she was always very forward about everything, regardless how the other person felt. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind no matter the cost.

That was definitely something Shimamura could learn from her.

That single comment felt like a bullet piercing Shimamura's heart. She fumbled with her words. "You knew my mom?"

Bringing up that sort of memory was even worse in her current mindset. It just brought out emotions she didn't want to feel. But she refused to be some sort of sob story in front of Mirko... especially since it's the first day she's met the hero.

Mirko shrugged. "Sensori was one of my idols as a kid. I never met her but I knew enough about her to know her."

Shimamura pursed her lips into a flat line and nodded slowly. A thought crossed her mind that this was the reason why Mirko took her under her wing for the work studies. She probably expected Shimamura to match her mother's power and talent. But in truth... Shimamura could never live up to the greatness that was Sensori. She could try. But she wasn't there yet.

Wow. I'm already disappointing Mirko, Shimamura thought to herself.

"Buck up, kiddo." Mirko roughly shoved Shimamura's shoulder, but she meant to do it lightly.

The student stumbled a bit and glanced up at the Rabbit Hero. Mirko grinned down at her.

"You've got the kicks but there's still more to figure out with you! Number one being that self confidence of yours! Do you even realize how many times you've said sorry to me since you got here? Too many!"

"Sor—" Shimamura started, but caught herself. She zipped her mouth shut and stopped abruptly.

Mirko laughed and shook her head. "We'll work on it."

The hero pressed her hands to her hips and stood up straight. She was just tall enough to where the sun above them was framed around her head, like a halo in Shimamura's perspective. The sun was blinding, but framed as if Mirko and her sense of self worth and self confidence was what was really blinding. She was as bright as the sun and forever shining.

Mirko grinned and watched the heads of people before her. "Sensori or Sensima, it doesn't matter! We'll groom you to be the best hero you can possibly be! You hear me? I won't accept anything less!"

Shimamura stared up at Mirko with a gaping mouth. She sucked in a breath and closed her mouth, containing her shock.

Never... never has any hero spoken to Shimamura like that.

Standing here, beneath the glorious Mirko, Shimamura couldn't imagine herself under any work study besides Mirko. Her aunt would have proved miniscule compared to the energy that Mirko radiated. Her aunt would've probably flat out ignored Shimamura and just let her out into the world with her pills and depression. But Mirko... Mirko didn't care about all that. She just wanted Shimamura to perform her best.

"Kapeesh?!" Mirko shouted.

"Uh—Yeah!" Shimamura responded, trying to sound as enthusiastic as possible in her lower state.

Mirko would be a strange change for Shimamura... but it would be a good change.

She'll definitely get used to this.