[One Day After The Birthday - U.A. Cafeteria - Kyoka Jiro POV]
Vrrroooom...
Honk, honk.
Jiro slowly turned her head before looking down.
'What the shit?'
The petite girl's eyes stared right at Metal, who was driving a miniature red Bugatti Mistral.
"Hi, Metal," Yaoyorozu said with a polite smile as she looked down at the plushie, "I'm glad you're making use of my gift."
"Wait, wait! I want one too!" Kaminari exclaimed from the seat beside Jiro.
"Aren't you a little too old to be playing with toy cars?"
Jiro asked as she twirled her right earphone jack around her finger.
"B-But...they're cool..."
'Facts.'
"Ahem, anyways, Metal, did you need something?"
Yaoyorozu tilted her head slightly to the left as she looked at the fluffy menace.
"If you're looking for Hagakure, she went to the bathroom."
Metal slowly shook his head.
"I can make a space on my schedule, yes, but I'm sure I gave Hatsume my number yesterday, there was no need for you to come all the way over here..."
<...>
"D-Did you just come here to show off your car?" Kaminari asked as he tried his hardest to not laugh.
Vrrroooom...
'I would have done the exact same thing.'
---
[A Day Later - U.A. P.E. Grounds - Metal's POV]
Currently, there were three students inside the building located on the P.E. Grounds.
"Uwaaaa!"
Metal stared up at the struggling gym outfit that hung from the pull-up bar.
"C-Can I get d-down now?!" Toru asked in a strained voice.
"W-Why else would I bring a p-plushie to the gym!?"
"Ugh..."
Toru held onto the bar for a few more seconds before dropping down on her feet. The small sleeves of her uniform shook slightly as the girl moved her arms up and down.
"So you were counting!"
"Then why did you act as if you weren't?"
"Grrr...why you!"
Toru walked towards Metal while preparing her right leg for a kick.
[Activating Flashbang...
Ready]
Toru instinctively put her hands in front of her face as Metal's screen started turning white.
THWOOM!
...
...
"SHIT!"
Metal's red circular eyes returned as he turned around to look at Shoji, who was rubbing his eyes.
"Uhh...what the hell just happened?" the floating uniform asked.
[Showing Recording]
Metal's small screen changed to showcase a video of what happened from his perspective.
Toru squinted her eyes and leaned down.
"I can't see anything."
[ANNOYING...
Slowing Down Recording]
"Ohhh!"
Toru stood straight again while jumping on the spot.
"Let's try it again!"
"Can someone please bring me some eye drops?..."
---
[U.A. Development Studio - Kyosuke POV]
"You said your Quirk needs the molecular structure of what you're making, right?"
The man tapped the notebook on the table.
"Is this enough?"
Yaoyorozu took a long look at the pages of the notebook before nodding slowly.
"I can start making the tungsten and titanium since I already have those memorized, but," Yaoyorozu dragged her index finger through the names of multiple materials, "graphene, ceramic matrix, and lithium metal oxide are things I'll have to memorize."
"Can't you make them on the fly while you read?" Kyosuke asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I could, but there's a high chance I mess something up if I don't truly understand what I'm creating."
'Can't have everything, I guess.'
Kyosuke thought while shrugging slightly.
"Okay, then just focus on learning those three since you're only going to be here a few times anyways. It'll be better if you produce the materials that are harder to obtain."
"I'm sorry, I would help more bu—"
"Don't worry about it," Yaoyorozu looked up at Kyosuke as the man gave her a small pat on the shoulder.
"You have your own things to do, we get it. I'm sure my tactless daughter hasn't said it, but we appreciate the help, truly, so thank you."
'Speaking of Mei...'
Kyosuke looked away from Yaoyorozu and turned his head to look around the workshop, only finding Power Loader working on a weird-shaped ball with five spikes attached to it.
'Where the hell is that girl?...Meh, she can handle herself. I have to work on Metal's new core anyways.'
---
[U.A. - Principal's Office - Mei's POV]
"You realize this request is quite expensive, right?"
Nezu said to the girl standing in front of his desk while he read through the list in his paws.
"You think Metal was cheap to make? He's the reason why my parents don't give me birthday presents anymore," Mei put her palms on the principal's desk while the crosses in her yellow eyes narrowed slightly, "I'm simply asking for U.A. to repair the damages."
"Forgive me, but I was under the assumption that you didn't like when others treated Metal as an object?"
Nezu put the list on his desk as his eyes focused on the pink-haired girl.
"That's different! My baby was injured in a way Recovery Girl can't cover, this is just health insurance but for Metal!" Mei leaned back and crossed her arms, "Plus, I'm sure that the materials I'm asking for are waay cheaper than the possible compensation U.A. would have to give to the families if their kids died in the U.S.J."
...
"You'll make a good businesswoman in the future, Hatsume," Nezu said with an amused glint in his small eyes.
"I'll get you the materials, though I must warn you some of them won't arrive by the time the festival starts."
"That's okay," a smug expression formed on Mei's face, "My son will win anyways."
---
[Four Days Later - Nighttime - U.A. P.E. Grounds - Metal's POV]
"Ngghh!"
Toru tried to concentrate as she kept trying to force her body into reflecting the light from the floodlights.
"You got meaner since you've became a plushie!" Toru paused her attempts before her gym uniform turned around, indicating she was looking at Metal, "Is that the so-called 'Short guy syndrome'?"
"That's true...then that just means you're being a jerk for the sake of it!"
A shrieking sound came from the invisible girl's mouth as she apparently grinded her teeth in frustration.
"I brought you here to help me, not to make fun of me!" The short sleeves of the floating uniform indicated that the girl was crossing her arms, "Hmph!"
"Think, Metal, think! You're supposed to be smart, right?"
["Then it doesn't matter to me that you're a machine!"
SHE IS NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY.
"Let's keep being friends, okay?"
IT IS FOOLISH TO HELP THE COMPETITION...
...
---
Reviewing Footage Of: Toru Hagakure...
Analyzing...
More Data Needed]
"WHAT?!" Toru took three steps back away from Metal, "Are all short guys perverts?!"
Metal said as his small body remained seated on the ground beside his little red car.
"W-Well yeah, but...you could have a bit more tact, you know?..." Metal assumed Toru was pressing the tips of her index fingers against each other due to the way the floating uniform moved, "You can't just say that to a girl..."
"I don't know what, but something is telling me I should be offended."
Toru let out a sigh before the edges of her shirt started rising.
"Turn off your eyes, I mean cameras or whatever!"
"JUST DO IT!"
Metal's entire vision turned black as the sounds of clothes being dropped echoed through the empty grounds.
[Sending Following Message To Grandpa: Forgive Me For Everything.
Message Sent Successfully]
"A-Alright, you can open your eyes."
Metal's red circular eyes returned as the robot was faced with an empty training ground aside from the uniform on the floor.
"Yeah."
Metal said as he turned his head slightly towards the spot he was referring to.
"Okay, now what?"
[Activating Flashbang...
Ready]
THWOOM!
"Kyaa!"
The blinding light clung to Toru's body for a second before being sent back towards Metal, who simply stood still.
"Warn me next time!"
[Reviewing Footage Of: Toru Hagakure...
Analyzing...
Theory Found]
"And that means?..."
"Metal! Japanese, do you speak it?"
<...How did it feel when the light reached you?>
"Hmm...like brrtzz and then pssft!"
[END ME.]
...
"Uhh, I don't feel anything."
"You sound like a Wikipedia..."
...
...
...
"I...think I notice something, it's like a weird itch but not exactly..."
"Well, how do I describe this to someone who doesn't even feel their own body?!" Toru said in an annoyed tone that came from the center of the light.
Metal's lens flickered for a moment.
...
...
...
"Ugh! I don't know! it's like uhh...a constant buzz! you know? like I'm wearing clothes that constantly vibrate!" Toru followed her words with a small sigh.
"And my explanations are bad?"
"You provide a fair point."
With that said, Toru took a deep breath before going quiet again.
...
...
...
[Theory: Confirmed]
---
[Six Days Later - U.A. - Class 1A Homeroom - Metal's POV]
"Remember the sports festival is this Sunday, if you've been training I recommend you take these last two days to rest." With the advice given, Cementoss stepped out of the classroom.
"Man, I'm so ready for the festival!" Kirishima said as he stood up from his desk and pumped his right fist.
"Me too!" Then the horned girl moved to the front of the class, "I've been practicing a lot of moves, Metal, put on some music!"
Ashido gave Metal the alien puppy eyes, which made Bakugo scoff as the ash-blonde made his way out of the classroom.
"You have to be stupid if you think that will work on a toaster."
[Playing: GIGI D'AGOSTINO - BLA BLA BLA]
"That's what I'm talking about!" Ashido said before showing her dance moves to her classmates, who started cheering her on.
"I didn't know Ashido practiced breakdance, ribbit."
Sero nodded while looking at Ashido, who started spinning on her head despite her horns.
"You should have done this on Metal's birthday!"
"I wanted to, but I was too afraid of breaking anything!"
"I can clearly see everything, hehehe....."
Thwack!
[Message From Mom Received: itsalmostready!! getoverherequick!]
---
[U.A. Development Studio - Mei's POV]
"Core Housing?"
"Check."
"Power Regulator?"
"Check."
"Energy Conduits?"
"Check."
"Liquid Cooling System?"
"Check."
"What about the Power Distribution Unit? Auxiliary Capacitors? Should we double-check the Voltage Converters?"
Mei started chewing on the nails of her left hand while her eyes flew through all the notes on the table.
"Is the Power Regulator really okay? D-did rich girl actually make enough Ceramic Matrix for the Core Housing? What about the other materials? I think we should remake ever—"
"Mei."
The girl stopped her rambling and turned around to look at her father.
"Take a deep breath, okay?" Mei nodded before following Kyosuke's advice, "Chill out, we've already triple-checked everything, all that is left is transferring Metal to the new AI Core and then we can finally attach everything together."
The pink-haired girl lifted her right hand to look at Metal's oddly shaped AI Core.
'I'm still not sure if this is his heart or his brain...maybe both...or neither.'
Mei slumped forward while releasing a sigh.
"You're really worried about him, eh?"
Mei straightened her back before looking up at her father.
"Of course I am! What if it doesn't work? Or what if something goes wrong during the transfer? What if Metal resets and stops being Me—OW!"
The girl rubbed her forehead with her free hand after her father's finger flick.
"I got you a better 'what if'," Kyosuke ruffled Mei's dreadlocks, "what if instead of focusing on the worst scenarios you focus on the best ones, hm?"
Mei moved her free hand to grab Kyosuke's wrist so his hand would stop moving.
"I'm trying, but...it's only been two weeks, it took much longer to make Metal's previous body and it was less advanced than this one..."
Kyosuke rolled his eyes as he removed his hand from Mei's head.
"You do realize you were like five back then, right? Sometimes I think you're intentionally fishing for praise or something..."
"I'm not!" Mei said with a pout, "I just feel like we may be rushing it..."
"The great Mei Hatsume rushing something?" Kyosuke let out a small chuckle, "I thought that was Hatsume's Industries trademark."
"You're terrible, dad."
"And you worry too much," the man moved around his daughter as he made his way to where all the parts of Metal's new body were suspended in the air by all sorts of cables,
"Everything will be fine, we had some good help this time, right? Plus we still have two days left."
Kyosuke glanced at Mei over his shoulder.
"I don't know about you, but I'm in the mood for pulling two all-nighters in a row, and I'm sure I can bribe my new friend to join us."
"That can't be good at your age, dad."
Mei said as she walked towards her father.
"My age? I'll let you know I only have 38 years, little Ms."
"Yeah, in each finger."
"I will ground you."
Mei let out a giggle before looking at Metal's AI Core again.
'When you wake up everyone will see you as you are.'
Mei's yellow eyes focused on the head with five spikes resembling quills.
'We won't be afraid of anything ever again, I promise.'
---
[Bar Twilight - Kurogiri's POV]
The suit-wearing mist stood behind the bar, cleaning a glass with a white cloth.
'Tomura has been unusually quiet since he woke up three days ago...'
Kurogiri's bright eyes slightly moved towards Tomura, who was sitting in the booth in the other corner of the bar. The villain was completely encased in bandages from the waist up except for his fingertips and the small holes on his eyes and nose.
'He should be asleep, but he keeps refusing to rest for some reason.'
ZZZRRRK...
Both villains turned their heads to look at the small TV as the words: Audio Only, appeared.
"Tomura, I recall the doctor giving you clear instructions to remain in bed."
The bandaged villain stared at the TV for a moment before slowly getting out of the booth seat.
'He didn't say anything to Master?...'
"Kurogiri, could you confirm again Tomura's last words before leaving the U.S.J?"
"'Kill everyone, Nomu.'"
"And yet no one died that day, what do you make of that, Kurogiri?"
"All Might arrived just a few seconds after we left. It is the only possible explanation, Master"
Kurogiri left the spotless glass at the counter before grabbing another one.
"That is the most logical explanation, but not the only one possible."
Kurogiri's hands stopped wiping the glass as he fully focused on the TV.
"What do you mean, Master?"
"I won't reveal much, but if my source is telling the truth, then it seems U.A. has a weapon of their own, one strong enough to eliminate the Nomu."
'What?!'
"But, Master, Nomu was made to specifically kill All Might, wouldn't that mean..."
"U.A. also possesses a weapon capable of eliminating the Symbol of Peace, yes...regardless, I have a feeling that this 'weapon' will show itself to us very soon, keep a good eye on Tomura, Kurogiri."
ZZZRRRK...
Kurogiri stared at the small TV for a few seconds after it turned off before returning to his previous task.
'The Master is as cryptic as ever, but it doesn't matter. My duty is not to question what he chooses to reveal.'
---
[Tomura Shigaraki POV]
'That piece of shit...' Tomura stared down at his bandaged torso while gritting his teeth, 'I regret ordering Nomu to destroy it. Now I won't have the chance to turn it into dust..'
The image of a pink-haired girl standing protectively in front of the support character appeared in Tomura's mind.
"Stay away from him!"
'That girl seemed quite attached to that thing,' a smile formed beneath the bandages covering Tomura's face, 'maybe I should pay her a visit...yes, I'll need someone to turn into du—'
Tomura's eyes widened as a small metallic palm appeared in front of his face, a single red light staring right at him.
Slam, thud, thud!
Tomura's back slammed against the desk on the other side of the room, making all sorts of items fall.
'It's not real...' the villain breathed heavily, staring at the empty bed.
'Nomu destroyed it, I'm sure of it.'
Tomura clenched his eyes shut as a burning sensation emerged from the center of his chest.
'Shut up.'
'Shut up!'
"SHUT UP!"
The desk behind Tomura crumbled into dust as the villain put his hands on it.
"That thing doesn't exist anymore...it's out of the way..."
"It has to..."
...
...
---
tried to make it a bit longer than the previous ones since i'm going to the doctor tomorrow.
I'll try to release another chapter tomorrow too but we'll see.