Ren arrived at Midnight's office right on time; it was a bit strange considering the "quality time" he'd just spent with Toru. He knocked on the door and waited.
"Come in," he heard Nemuri's voice from inside.
He opened the door and found Midnight sitting behind her desk, looking over some papers with a focused expression. She was wearing her full hero costume. When she looked up and saw him, she set the documents aside.
"You're on time," Nemuri commented. "That's good. Nejire should be here in a few minutes."
"Perfect." Ren closed the door behind him and stepped closer. "Is there anything I should know before we head to the Commission?"
Midnight stared at him for a few seconds. Then she sighed and leaned back in her chair.
"Actually, there is something," she said in a serious tone. "About what happened during the fight with the Trigger villain."
Ah, I see where this is going, Ren thought.
"When we're at the Commission," Nemuri continued, "I need you to avoid mentioning certain... specific details about how we combined our Quirks."
"Are you talking about the part where I stimulated your breasts to increase the production of your sleep agent...?"
"Yes, exactly that part," Midnight interrupted him quickly. "It's not that I'm ashamed of my teaching methods, but there's a certain professional image I have to maintain in front of the Commission. If they knew I allowed a first-year student to... well, you know."
"I understand," Ren nodded. "So I'll just explain that I used my telekinesis to manipulate and concentrate your Quirk, right?"
"Exactly." Nemuri seemed to relax. "That's technically true and doesn't require us to go into specific details."
"Makes sense." Ren crossed his arms. "Though I have to say, it was a pretty... direct method."
"It was," Midnight admitted with a mischievous smile. "I've never reached that level of concentration with my Quirk before. But let's keep that between us, okay?"
Before Ren could respond, the door swung open and Nejire floated into the room. Her eyes were glowing with a cheerful energy.
"Hi, Midnight-sensei! Hi, Ren-kun!" she greeted them happily, landing beside them. "I'm ready to go to the Commission. Did you guys already talk about the plan for what we're going to say?"
"We were just finishing up the discussion," Midnight replied, getting up from her seat. "The idea is to be direct and honest about what happened. There's nothing to hide."
"Well, there are some details we should probably leave out," Nejire commented with a playful grin. She looked directly at Ren and then at Midnight. "Like the part where Ren-kun was touching your breasts during the whole fight, Midnight-sensei."
Midnight visibly tensed up.
"Nejire..."
"What?" The blue-haired girl tilted her head curiously. "I'm trying to figure out if that was actually necessary for the strategy or if Ren-kun was just taking advantage of the situation. Because from my perspective as an outside observer, it looked like there was a lot more... enthusiasm than what was strictly professional."
Ren stayed quiet. I'm not getting involved in this. I'm definitely not getting involved in this.
"It was completely necessary," Midnight responded with a firm voice, regaining her composure. "Direct stimulation increases the hormonal production of my Quirk. Ren used that to create a concentrated version of my sleep agent. Without that physical manipulation, we wouldn't have been able to stop the villain."
"I see." Nejire nodded, though her smile didn't fade. "So you basically milked her like a cow to get your most potent Quirk out."
There was an awkward silence.
"That's an... incredibly blunt way to describe it," Midnight muttered, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "But it's accurate."
"Nejire," Midnight said in an authoritative tone, pointing a finger at her. "Listen very carefully. When we're at the Commission, you aren't going to mention absolutely anything about breasts, milking, stimulation, or any other word related to that. Got it?"
"But..."
"Nothing, Nejire," Midnight insisted. "I'm telling you this as your teacher and as the pro hero in charge. There are ways to explain what happened without going into unnecessary details that could be misinterpreted."
Nejire seemed to consider this for a moment. Then she nodded seriously.
"Okay, Midnight-sensei. I understand. I won't say anything embarrassing."
"Thank you." Midnight sighed in relief.
"Though I have to admit," Nejire added with a mischievous smile, "that it was a very creative combat technique. I've never seen anyone use their Quirk like that."
"Yeah, well, Ren has a very unique way of thinking," Midnight commented, glancing at her student. "Sometimes too unique."
Ren decided it was time to step in before the conversation got even more awkward.
"Should we get going now?" he suggested. "We don't want to be late for the Commission."
"Good idea." Midnight grabbed her bag and headed for the door. "Let's go. I have a car waiting for us outside."
********
The trip to the Hero Public Safety Commission headquarters took about twenty minutes. Midnight sat in the passenger seat while Nejire took the back. During the ride, Nejire didn't stop talking for a single second. She asked about everything: how exactly the Commission worked, what kind of questions they'd ask, if there was a special protocol, if they'd be recorded, or if there would be snacks.
"Nejire," Midnight interrupted after the tenth consecutive question, "breathe. They just want our testimony on what happened with the Trigger villain."
"I know, I know," Nejire replied, leaning forward between the two front seats. "But I've never been to the Commission officially. It's exciting."
"Just try not to get overexcited when we're in there," Midnight advised. "Keep your answers clear and concise."
"How concise?" Nejire asked. "One sentence? A full paragraph?"
Midnight sighed.
"Whatever's necessary to answer the question without rambling."
Ren watched the cityscape through the window. The Commission headquarters was located in one of the city's most protected districts, surrounded by government buildings and with visible security on every corner. When they finally arrived, a uniformed guard let them through. The building itself was impressive: a modern glass and steel structure that rose several stories high. They entered through the main doors and were greeted by a receptionist who was already expecting them.
"Pro Hero Midnight and U.A. students," the woman greeted them professionally. "Mr. Yokumiru Mera is waiting for you in the third-floor meeting room. Please follow me."
She led them through clean, white hallways to an elevator. During the ride up, Nejire couldn't stop looking at everything with bright eyes. Ren could feel her contagious energy even without using telepathy. They finally reached a door with a plaque that read: "Meeting Room 3-B." The receptionist knocked softly before opening it.
"Come in," they heard a tired voice from inside.
They entered a medium-sized room with a conference table in the center. Sitting in one of the chairs was a man who looked completely exhausted. He had massive dark circles that practically covered half his face, and his posture was that of someone who hadn't slept in weeks. Yokumiru Mera looked up.
"Midnight," he greeted in a monotone voice. "On time as always."
"Mera-san," Midnight replied with a respectful nod. "Thanks for seeing us."
"It's not like I had a choice," Mera muttered, gesturing toward the chairs. "Sit down, please. The faster we finish this, the faster I can get back to my mountain of endless paperwork."
The three of them took a seat. Ren watched Mera closely. The man looked like he was on the verge of collapse, but he still maintained an air of exhausted professionalism.
"First of all," Mera began, picking up a folder, "I want to thank you for your intervention during the incident with the individual who consumed Trigger. If you hadn't been there, the damage would've been considerably worse."
"We just did our job," Midnight replied.
"Yes, well, your job prevented a man with superhuman strength from destroying half a street." Mera opened the folder. "The preliminary report indicates that you three were fundamental in neutralizing the threat. Is that correct?"
"Correct," Midnight confirmed. "We worked together to contain the subject."
Mera looked up at Ren.
"Hayashi Ren, first-year student. Your file indicates you have a telekinesis Quirk."
"That's right," Ren replied calmly.
"The medical report of the detained subject mentions severe cranial trauma caused by direct penetration to the brain," Mera continued without changing his tone. "Were you the one who caused that injury?"
"Yes." Ren kept eye contact. "I used my telekinesis to create a concentrated projectile that penetrated his drug-enhanced defenses."
"I see." Mera made a note. "And how exactly did you manage to create a projectile with enough force to pierce reinforced metallic skin?"
Here comes the tricky part, Ren thought.
"I combined my Quirk with Midnight-sensei's," Ren explained. "She produced her sleep agent, and I used my telekinesis to concentrate it into a compact, rotating form. The density of the agent combined with the rotation speed gave it the necessary penetrating force."
Mera stared at him for a moment. Then he nodded.
"Ingenious. And how did you decide that was the best strategy?"
"The villain had shown resistance to both Nejire's physical attacks and Midnight's dispersed sleep agent," Ren answered. "It was logical that we needed something more concentrated with a higher impact."
Mera turned to Nejire.
"Hado Nejire, third-year student. Your role in the incident was primarily distraction and long-range attacks, correct?"
"Yes!" Nejire replied enthusiastically. "I used my Quirk to keep the villain busy while Ren-kun and Midnight-sensei prepared their combined attack. It was so exciting to see how they worked together to create that technique. I've never seen anyone use Quirks that way and..."
"Nejire," Midnight interrupted softly.
"Oh, sorry," Nejire stopped, smiling shyly. "I get really excited when I talk about Quirks."
Mera let out a tired sigh.
"I understand. Believe me, after eighteen straight hours of work, I'd get excited about something too. Anything. Even a five-minute nap."
There was an awkward pause.
"Eighteen hours?" Nejire asked with genuine concern. "Shouldn't you rest, Mera-san?"
"I should do a lot of things," Mera replied, rubbing his eyes. "Sleep, eat something that isn't coffee, remember what sunlight feels like. But there's a potential Trigger crisis in Musutafu, and the Commission needs all the information possible before this turns into something worse."
He leaned back in his chair and looked at the three of them.
"That's why I need you to tell me everything you remember about the incident. Every detail matters. How the subject acted, what he said, how he reacted to the drug; anything that can help us understand where this Trigger is coming from and who's distributing it."
Midnight took the lead. For the next fifteen minutes, she methodically narrated every aspect of the encounter: the explosion, the state of the store, the consumption of the Trigger, and the villain's physical changes.
"His skin became harder almost instantaneously," Nemuri explained. "And his strength increased exponentially."
"Did he show any signs of control over his enhanced Quirk?" Mera asked.
"At first, he seemed surprised by his own strength," Ren stepped in. "But he quickly became aggressive. It was as if the drug had removed all inhibitions."
"That matches historical reports." Mera made more notes. "The drug doesn't just enhance the Quirk; it also affects behavior. Is there anything else you can add?"
Midnight shook her head.
"You've already done more than enough. This questioning isn't even mandatory under these circumstances; however, it's part of the Hero Commission's action protocol. You stopped the subject before he caused any fatalities. That gave us time to analyze the drug."
He closed his folder and looked at them with exhausted sincerity.
"On behalf of the Hero Public Safety Commission, I thank you for your quick intervention. We'll be conducting a thorough investigation. If we need more information, we'll get in touch."
"Understood," Midnight replied, standing up. Ren and Nejire followed her lead.
"One more thing," Mera added before they left. "Keep your eyes open. If this incident is indicative of a trend, we might see more Trigger cases soon. Report any suspicious activity."
They left the room and walked in silence to the elevator. Only when the doors closed did Nejire speak.
"That man desperately needs a vacation," she commented. "Or at least a decent pillow."
"He works for the government," Midnight replied with an ironic smile. "Vacations are a theoretical concept for him."
Ren said nothing, processing everything in his mind. The Commission was taking it seriously, which was good, but it also meant the situation was grave. As they left the building, the sun was already going down. Midnight stopped in the parking lot.
"Well, we're officially done with our civic duty for the day," she declared. "Do you guys need the driver to take you anywhere?"
"I can fly home," Nejire replied cheerfully. "But thanks for the offer, Midnight-sensei!"
"Ren?"
"I can take the train," he replied. "No problem."
"Perfect." Midnight smiled. "Then I'll see you later. And remember: nothing we talked about today leaves this group. Especially you, Nejire."
"My lips are sealed," the blue-haired girl promised, making a zipping motion over her mouth.
Midnight nodded, satisfied. Nejire walked up to Ren with a radiant smile.
"Thanks for letting me come along, Ren-kun," she said with genuine joy. "It was really interesting to see how official hero work functions."
"No problem," Ren replied. "You were a big help."
"Well, tomorrow will be even more fun!" Nejire floated a few inches, excited. "Remember we talked about going to the amusement park?"
Oh, crap. I completely forgot about that.
"Sure," Ren said, trying to sound enthusiastic. "It'll be fun."
"Great!" Nejire did a spin in the air. "See you tomorrow then! Get some rest, Ren-kun!"
She soared into the sky, leaving a trail of blue energy behind.
How curious... I remember that in the canon, using Quirks like that was illegal. Is there some difference with the provisional license, or is it because Nejire is a third-year?
Ren stayed in the parking lot watching her. Then he heard footsteps and turned to find Midnight leaning against the car, looking at him with amusement.
"You forgot you had plans with her, didn't you?" Nemuri asked.
"Completely," Ren admitted sheepishly.
Midnight laughed softly.
"You're a disaster with dates, did you know that?"
"It's not a date," Ren corrected. "It's... a friendly outing."
"Sure, sure." Midnight crossed her arms. "Definitely not a date."
Ren decided to change the subject before she kept teasing him.
"Speaking of completely different things," he said, stepping toward her, "now that we're 'best friends'... What's the origin of your obsession with cats?"
Midnight blinked, bewildered. What on earth is this boy talking about? she thought, arching an eyebrow.
"Best friends?"
"Well... you know, after what happened with that villain... How many guys can say they've helped you the way I did?"
Midnight shook her head with a playful smile. Then, in a casual tone, she replied:
"Actually, you're the first guy who's ever touched my breasts."
Ren's brain came to a complete halt.
WHAT? WHAAAAAT?
Nemuri Kayama. The R-Rated Hero. The teacher who wears a costume that's basically lingerie. The woman who exhales sensuality is...
"But don't let it go to your head," Midnight added quickly, though a slight smile played on her lips.
Ren opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
"What?" she asked mockingly. "Are you in shock?"
"I... you... but..." Ren failed miserably at trying to form a sentence.
Midnight laughed openly.
"You didn't expect that, did you?"
"Not at all," Ren finally admitted, regaining his composure. "I mean... you're the R-Rated Hero. I thought..."
"That because my public image is sensual, I must automatically be sexually active?" Midnight finished for him. "It's a common assumption. And a wrong one."
Ren looked at her from a new perspective.
"So, your whole seductress persona..." Ren began.
"It's exactly that: a persona," Midnight replied. "My job requires me to project a certain image. That doesn't mean I live my personal life the same way."
"Makes sense," Ren nodded. "But then, why are you telling me?"
Midnight shrugged.
"Because you were direct enough to ask about my cats. And because, frankly, your reaction is hilarious."
Ren smiled.
"I'm an open book, apparently."
"Completely transparent," Midnight confirmed. "Which, I have to admit, is refreshing."
There was a moment of comfortable silence. Midnight opened the car door.
"You should get home, Ren," she said softly. "And get ready for your 'not-a-date' with Nejire tomorrow."
"I will."
Ren started walking toward the exit as he heard the engine start. His mind was processing everything. The information still felt surreal, but it made sense. Midnight had built such a solid facade that nobody had ever bothered to ask for the truth.
Except him. Well, technically he'd asked about cats, but the result was the same.
Ren smiled while he waited at the station. Tomorrow he'd have to deal with Nejire and the amusement park, but that was a concern for future Ren. The current Ren just wanted to sink in the fact that he'd just discovered one of the best-kept secrets of the most famous hero in Japan.
And all because of asking about cats.
Life's strange sometimes.
*******
Author's Note:
Hey everyone! First of all, I've always wanted to write a scene with this kind of trope. Do I love Gap Moe? You bet. Why else do you think a refined and composed girl like Momo Yaoyorozu is such a closet pervert in this fic?
For this version of Midnight, I'm going for a more "vanilla" approach. I want a slow burn that fits the sweet and protective personality she keeps hidden inside. Meanwhile, Mitsuki is staying true to her explosive desires. I'm trying my best to make sure every character feels unique and has their own distinct personality. That's the goal, at least! Whether I'll actually pull it off is anyone's guess, since keeping characters in-character in fanfiction is a huge challenge.
I don't want Nemuri to just be about mindless lust. I'd rather use that Gap Moe charm with her and Momo when they finally embrace their hidden sides. In Momo's case, that means sexy cosplays in the future... I know, sounds great, right? Anyway, remember that the best way to let me know you want more is by hitting that like button. Don't forget to leave a heart, and I'll see you in the next chapter!
Author's Note: Clicking the Power Stone button is the easiest way to tell me you want more.
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