Compulsion

Chapter 12: Dress to Impress

Midoriya Izuku bobbed his head to the beat in his ears as he pulled a white top onto a black mannequin. The top was a mimicry of Kaminari's Hero Costume but with adjustments. First, the sleeves were shortened, cut just below the elbow, and finished with a set of three diodes along the outside of the sleeve. Second, gold lines – protected wires decorated the top; shaped like lightning arcing across the body. Third, white carbon fiber was integrated as armor sparsely as, "Most Heroes don't really wear armor now that I think about it... Or, at least, outright armor... Almost seems traditional, to keep it all hidden..." He paused for a second – a memory of a wound: twisted and deep. A frown soured his face before he shook it away. "If Kaminari wants it gone, he can remove it himself."

Izuku slid back on his stool for a moment before pulling out a long coat from a nearby table. It was black with two lightning bolts decorating its surface. Both, in which, started at his shoulders and descended down the front and back of the coat. The ones in the front ended at the mid-torso while the other two nearly met the hem of the coat's tails. The inside was laced with insulated material as well as a small number of diodes and wirings. It was pulled onto the mannequin with extra focus placed on its cuffs as they lined up with the sleeves.

"It looks cool," commented Jirou.

Izuku nodded, "That's good. Hopefully, Kaminari will like it."

"It's definitely his style," affirmed Shinso.

A chuckle rolled out, "His style's pretty simplistic then."

"Have ya met the guy?" joked Jirou.

Izuku laughed at that, turning off to the side, before pausing. He turned, "When did you two get here?"

"Just now," said Shinso, shrugging.

He blinked, "Oh, okay..." He turned back to his work, "Thought you guys were supposed to come after lunch, why're you here so early?" He paused before tapping on his phone and turning to them, "Cause it's after lunch."

"Yep," said Shinso, tossing a melon pan at the inventor and smacking him in the face. "Oh, crap, sorry."

Izuku bounced the snack in his hand, "It's fine. Thanks."

"So, what's it all for?" asked Jirou.

"Focusing on Kaminari's electric burst. The top and coat are now connected and act as both containers and funnels." Izuku teetered his head, "Which are, or rather, will be connected to the..." His face contorted, "Frankenstein Gauntlets..."

"Frankenstein?"

Shinso tucked his hand into his pocket, "Like that horror story?"

"Eeh? Gross," shivered Jirou.

Shinso turned to Izuku, "American, right?"

"No, English."

"That – you, what?"

Izuku blinked before elaborating, "English as in British."

"Oh."

He then turned to Jirou, "And it's not that scary." He blinked, taking out his earbuds, "Well, maybe existentially... Actually, probably more for me than you."

Jirou's eyes unintentionally caught the movement, "What were you listening to?"

Izuku shrugged, pulling out his phone, "I don't know something I just came across: Ver... Ver-Zach? H... Hiccup?" read Izuku.

Jirou raised a brow, "American?"

"British?" squeaked Shinso.

Izuku pointed at Shinso, "Ha, ha." Overall, he shrugged, "No idea." He let out a breath, "What were we talking about?"