Daughter of the Hero: The Lost Hero

Dress Shoes And Ballrooms... And Projectile Ice Javelins

Astrid shoved a hand through her raven black hair as she paced the common room of the dorms. "Banquet. There's going to be a banquet. I have to dress up — Momo, are you sure I can't wear like... something comfortable-"

"Nonsense, Astrid!" Momo laughed, "you will look absolutely stunning in a dress!" She tried to shoot Astrid a conspiratorial look, as if Momo knew something Astrid should know, but didn't. "If... if this is a money issue, I am more than happy to-"

"It's not that," Astrid said quickly. "It's just... I can't fight in a dress. What if there's an attack? The boys will be the only ones who can really move in their clothes. I won't be able to help. I worked so hard to get my license so I could protect people who can't protect themselves, but I can't do that in a dress!"

Momo sighed, but her expression went soft, "some of the kids in the lab are working on something that might help. You should go take a look when you have a chance. And I think I have the perfect dress for you."

---

"Absolutely not, Momo. You're crazy if you think I'm going to wear this tomorrow night." Astrid stared at herself in the mirror in her room. Eri, who was sitting on Astrid's bed, giggled.

"I think you look amazing!" Momo said.

"It's a very pretty dress, Astrid." Eri added, "I'm sure Shoto would agree!"

"What- no! That's not important-" Astrid stumbled over her words, only making the other two girls laugh. "Ugh! I don't really mind what Shoto thinks about my dress. It's just... this one is a little too revealing." She glanced over her shoulder at Momo, "and it's not like I fill it out all the way either."

Momo winked. "That can be fixed... but if you're really not comfortable wearing it-"

"I'm not," Astrid finished. "And besides, my father wouldn't exactly be too happy about this either."

"Hmm..." Yaoyorozu thought for a few quiet moments, then her face lit up, "I have just the dress!"

---

"Mr. Aizawa, are you sure it's smart to have a training session right before the banquet tomorrow?" Izuku asked as Class 1-A walked with Eraserhead into one of the training halls. "What if someone gets hurt?"

"It's only target practice, Izuku. And we're not even using our quirks today. It's a simple weapons training session – just make sure you've got the paint gun pointed in the correct direction and everyone will be fine." Aizawa responded, handing out small handguns filled with paintballs to the class.

"Everyone, pick a target. You're using the same technique I taught you all a couple months ago. You're aiming for the bullseye, of course. And don't shoot anyone else... Bakugo, I'm looking at you."

"OKAY THAT WAS ONE TIME!" Bakugo growled somewhere off to Astrid's left.

"You're such a problem child," Aizawa murmured so quietly only a couple people – Namely, Shoto, Izuku, and Astrid – could hear him. The three snickered, causing Bakugo to explode again.

Everyone broke off to choose their targets. Astrid raised her own paint gun and fired. Her first couple shots hit the target, but not the mark she was going for. The third time she fired the paint gun, her shot hit the bullseye dead center.

"Very good, Astrid." Aizawa said from behind her, "Try shooting with your non-dominant hand now."

Astrid adjusted her grip, biting the inside of her cheek. She raised her gun again and fired. Her paint bullet hit the target, close enough to the middle, but her hand wasn't stable enough and  her gun slipped out of her hand.