Freeze Frame

Chapter 68

More on the contest at the bottom.

Third person pov

Lillian had noticed a glaring problem that was presenting in herself. As a hero, she'd inevitably have to deal with the press at times. She didn't have the right power to be an underground hero. Sure, she could be. But her power was better used during the day when she could see better, and to stop large fights, collapsing buildings, and such of the like. There wasn't a chance for her to duck into the shadows, and while she'd realized that... she hadn't quite realized how much of an issue that was going to be. Or rather, her anxiety was going to be.

She was the second place winner of UA's national Sports Festival. As in, the press was going to want to talk to her and her friends. Of the two of them, her quirk was outwardly the strongest. Hitoshi's was powerful too and Neito's of course had the potential to be depending on the circumstances, but she'd frozen two-hundred plus people in their tracks. Stuff like that drew attention, and attention drew questions, and questions drew cameras.

Her face was going to be plastered across every magazine cover, newspaper, and news station for at least the next two weeks. The same could be said for Hitoshi and Neito. They needed to be prepared to be stopped on the street. When they were out and about, people were going to recognize them, and that... well, Lillian wasn't too sure how she'd deal with that. She had little to no confidence when it came to dealing with people she didn't know. She struggled even to communicate with her own classmates and teachers at times.

It had smacked her in the face when she'd finally escaped to the girl's locker room, having gotten separated from Mr. Aizawa and her two fellow memers. As she was swiftly changing out of her gym pans and into some more comfortable ones she'd brought along for after, it dawned on her that she couldn't deal with the press. Like, at all. 

She clammed up, simple as that. Hitoshi and Neito had been forced to take on most of the questions booted her way. Even Mr. Aizawa had stepped forward to answer a few that he knew the answers to. More about her quirk, though they kept it vague, and some details about her personality, the status of the relationships in the ground, and so on and so forth. Lillian had somehow gotten driven away from her friends. A rift of reporters and cameramen had formed between them, so she'd done what anyone might do in that situation.

She'd turned tail and ran for the nearest exit.

Not her brightest moment, but it was better than crying on live television. It still stood that she hadn't managed to answer any questions, however. One look at the microphone and she froze. She went totally pale and started to sputter like a dying engine! It was nothing short of absolutely, completely pathetic. She needed to get a handle on her fear of speaking. Not only in public, but in general as well. It could be a one-on-one interview and she still didn't doubt she'd be sweating buckets. Even one over the phone would probably do her in.

If she couldn't even interview, how could she fight or protect the citizens of Japan? Eyes would be on her all the time. There wasn't a way she could become a hero with a fear of speaking to people. She'd have to ask if people were okay, and get details about incidents. Heroes naturally had fans. Even if she really wasn't the coolest person out there or anything of that sort, she was bound to have at least one. What if someone asked for an autograph? What would she do then? Cry?

Now she just wanted to get back to Hitoshi's house. She supposed she could worry about it later. Maybe Hound Dog could help some. Hell, she still wasn't even over the whole USJ incident. She couldn't be a hero if she was hearing things. What if the League sent another Nomu, or that man with the blue hair showed up once again? Freezing in her tracks and breaking down wasn't an option. She would have to stand up and fight like everyone else.