Era

40

"Uh... what just happened?"

Shouta glanced over at Hizashi, eyes darting down to make sure that the microphone was actually muted before responding.

"Suzuki just used her quirk." He narrowed his eyes at the cameras, cursing the low visibility caused by the steam and the lingering smoke of Suzuki's grenades. "It's... hard to tell, but she must have. Todoroki didn't look like he was holding back."

"Great. Cool." Hizashi had long since beaten the habit of tugging at his hair, but his fingers were drumming insistently against the soundboard. "I don't know how to announce this."

"You're the expert here." Shouta groaned, laying his head across his arms. "Shuzenji is going to murder me. Again."

"Okay, okay I got this, I'll just..." Hizashi unmuted the microphone, and Shouta didn't have to look up to know that he had slipped into the persona of Present Mic, complete with dopey grin and exaggerated movements. He always did that, even when he wasn't on camera. Probably helped him get into character or something.

The very idea of it sounded exhausting, especially after that last match.

"Hey there, listeners! What an amazing, intense, nerve-wracking match! I'm still on the edge of my seat, and I bet you are too because we still need to crown a winner of this year's Sports Festival! But just hold your horses, because—and I know you already know what I'm about to say—that's all gonna have to wait after a quick break from our fantabulous sponsors!"

The door burst open and Shouta started, bolting upright and at the ready before he realized it was just Nemuri... then tensing again when he saw her murderous expression. She marched over to Hizashi, knocked him aside, and slammed on the mute button.

"Is this thing off?" Her voice was cold, carrying with it some of the swagger of her hero persona, the kind of tone she used to subdue villains.

Shouta wasn't a villain, and he wasn't one to be easily cowed by a harsh tone and an icy glare. That didn't mean he wasn't nervous.

"Uh, yes?" answered Hizashi, readjusting his glass after almost falling over. "What the heck Nemuri, why'd you—"

"What the fuck is going on with that kid?"

Shouta let his head fall onto the table once more, voice muffled against his arms. "I've already done Shuzenji and Nedzu. This one's on you."

"What?" Hizashi spluttered. "No, no you don't pin this on me, you're the one who's training her for the hero track—"

"She's in your homeroom—"

"She's asleep half the time anyway—"

"Not my fault what she does in your class—"

"You interact with her one-on-one way more than—"

"I had to track her down across half the city, it's your turn to—"

"Boys." Nemuri's voice turned dangerously low, and both Shouta and Hizashi winced. "One at a time."

Shouta glared at Hizashi, who matched his gaze for a moment before throwing his arms up with a dramatic sigh. "Fine. Fine. What... what did you see?"

There was the faintest twitch of her eye. "I asked you a question. I'm not getting an answer tailored to 'what I saw'. Tell me what the fuck is going on."

"Look—"

Shouta took pity. "It's better to have a starting point, so we know what gaps we need to fill in."