My Hero Automata

Summary: Back to work studies for a bit...

-Warning!- Chapters 67 & 68 were posted back-to-back! Make sure you don't miss chapter 67!

Chapter 68: Work Studies Continue

Izumi had made her peace with the fact that Ryukyu was secretly evil. It had, of course, been a horrible disillusionment. But, after months of on and off forced exposure to numerous extroverts and the public, Izumi was at least getting used to it. A little. Which made it all the more surprising when the Dragon Heroine pulled her out of the patrol rotation to reveal that she was extra secretly only half evil. At least, that was Izumi's tentative relabeling as the subject matter revealed itself. She'd been asked to recount her experiences with the public in painful detail, only for Ryukyu to be surprisingly sympathetic and announce that it was now time to fix it.

"Alright, Resolution. When you first came to me, you admitted that a significant portion of your hope was to learn how I managed to become and stay a high-profile Heroine without the 'bombast' of most of the other Top 10. When you were just here for Internships, I threw you to the wolves, as it was the fastest way to help you adjust to reality. Now that I have you longer, however, I can cover this in more detail. Specifically, what we need to address is your Heroic Persona. As I believe it's the stumbling block you're running into."

Izumi blinked. She knew about Heroic Persona's, of course. Midnight's was a prime example and, now that she knew the man under the costume on a personal level, All Might's was even more obvious. But what did that have to do with her? She didn't have a…damn it. The realization of what Ryukyu was getting at smacked Izumi in the figurative face hard enough she was nearly compelled to physically replicate the action. Slumping, she spoke it aloud.

"The problem is that I don't have one, isn't it?"

"Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner." Ryukyu's voice was full of good humor as she drily used the gameshow catchphrase. "Yes, Miss Midoriya, that is precisely your issue. To be fair to you, it's not something most people need to worry about until they get considerably farther into their careers. But your introverted nature, combined with a powerful, attention-grabbing Quirk, means you need to get on top of it now if you want to take control of it."

Izumi sighed, nodding acknowledgement, even as she mulled over the idea. What even did she want out of a heroic persona? Thankfully, she got a bit of immediate help from her Work Study mentor a moment later.

"There are three things you need to consider while crafting the basics of your future persona. First is comfort. Attempting to replicate someone like Midnight's, Miruko, or All Might's personas would be a poor fit for you, as you've already self-admitted bombast isn't in your nature. Something I agree with after having worked with you for a bit now."

Ryukyu had been steeping tea for the both of them as she let Izumi think, and poured a cup for Izumi as she spoke. Izumi thanked her and hummed appreciatively as she took a sip. Very different from what Dean Nedzu preferred, but delicious and soothing.

"Second is marketability. As much as part of me dislikes emphasizing the importance of this, the truth is that crafting a marketable persona is important for more than just merchandise sales. If you don't cast yourself in a way that is marketable, the media will do it for you. And that's often a losing proposition. More than one Hero or Heroine have been stuck with reputations or monikers that were entirely of the media's making, not reflecting who they were or what they were about at all."

Izumi grimaced at that. If there was one thing that Momo had managed to teach her about the business world, it was that the media were jackals. They only cared about ratings and would slant everything in whatever light got them the most views. The days of honest journalism had died long before Quirks were born. Today's digital papers would be considered too gauche even to be tabloids in an earlier age. She suspected that was only more true of Heroics reporting over business, which was a disturbing thought.

"Lastly, but critically important to the other two, is creating something that declares who you are. My own persona is a much simpler, subtler thing than most. One that, to be completely honest, I'm amazed has carried me this far. I wasn't seeking a spot on the top ten billboard when I made it, and frankly care little about that spot now. I wanted a persona that was both soothing to the public and yet also defined me. It was, in truth, more luck than anything that it turned out my chosen persona fit so well with certain traits desirable for a traditional Japanese lady. I certainly did play up to it, when I recognized it, such as taking up tea service. Something which was completely beyond my interests when I was younger."

Ryukyu gestured at the tea set, with which she had seemingly-unconsciously performed a proper, if informal, service.

"I've grown to appreciate good tea over time. But I'll freely admit it was originally just a way to play up the image that I'd stumbled into. The way I dress is a similar story, with my younger self having favored more utilitarian costumes. There, at least, you've already got something going for you. Unintentionally or intentionally, your costume somewhat sets the theme of 'battle maid,' a common enough stereotype in certain media."

Izumi blinked, then blushed as she looked down at her gear. It had been intended as a way to honor 2B's contributions to her life. But, even if Izumi has stripped out a fair few of the frills and made it a bit more modest, it objectively did sort of project 'battle maid' now that she considered it from an outside perspective. Ryukyu laughed at her expression as Izumi sunk still farther into her seat.

"I can see that wasn't your intention. Which I admit surprises me, as I don't understand how you could have done that by accident. It also means I might have done you more of a disservice than I realized by throwing you into the deep end, as you clearly haven't considered your persona at all. That's certainly not what I expected from someone with a costume that seemed to suggest so much."

Izumi facepalmed. She couldn't help it. The level of 'I'm an idiot' she was feeling just required some sort of physical expression. Thankfully, her mentor took pity on her again a moment later, setting down her tea with a click and offering a place to start.

"Alright, Resolution. Clearly, we need to rough some basics out for you. Let's start with your name. Why did you choose 'Resolution' as your Hero name?"

Izumi straightened. This she could actually answer!

"The name is a promise. That no matter what comes, no matter how dark the days get or how tempting it is to quit, I will remain Resolute. To always do the right thing, rather than the easy thing. Even if that ends up costing me personally. My name is literally my Resolution. My decision to be a Hero."

Izumi stated it so firmly that Ryukyu's eyebrows climbed.

"Well, now that's certainly a strong place to start. And one could almost call it prophetic, given what has happened of late. Yes, that's an excellent starting point. Now, let's talk about how to craft a persona that says that loudly, while keeping a no-nonsense air that I think will go well with your costume. Hmmm, unless we want to make some changes there, to…"

Izumi's spine stiffened and a tiny bit of eagerness flowed into her as she began to theory craft ideas for her Persona with Ryukyu…

... ...

Jirou tried really hard not to blush as she watched Momo smack a bitch. Specifically, a Villainous bitch that had tried to make off with an entire ATM only to encounter Fist of Momo. Even Gang Orca had looked a bit taken aback by the casual way Fist of Momo had been applied to Smack a Villainous Bitch. But he certainly didn't look like he was complaining. His agency did sort of lean into the half-villainous-badass-monster look on purpose. And watching Momo appear in front of Villainous Bitch and cold cock her into unconsciousness, plant her boot on her 'victim's' downed ass, and pose…

Yeah, that was probably going to make a headline for his agency.

Mostly because Momo looked hot as fuck during the entire thing.

Something that was really not helping Jirou forget her little act of voyeurism back on Momo's birthday. She still wasn't sure if she should feel guilty about that or not. Izumi and Momo hadn't exactly been discreet after all. And she was pretty sure Izumi at least had noticed her and not said anything. One way or another, though, she certainly wasn't getting it out of her head anytime soon. If ever. And watching Momo being a complete badass was not helping.

Jirou was pretty sure she was in trouble. She was a lot less sure if she was concerned about that fact or not…

... ...

Fat Gum looked a bit funny with half a hotdog raised halfway to his mouth and gaping at them. Uraraka's giggling at his expression finally broke him out of it, even as Kirishima unsuccessfully tried to hide his own amusement. Even Sun Eater looked caught between his own surprise at the audacity of these kids and humor at their mutual mentor's expression. Which, given how reserved the older student was, probably said a lot. What it said, exactly, was up for debate. Uraraka was just sure it said something.

"So, wait…you're seriously going to just give rides to space as part of the Cultural Festival?!"

Ah, there, Fat Gum had properly snapped out of it.

"Yep! Please keep it to yourself, though! We've done preliminary tests to prove the concept, but there's only so many people we'll be able to take up at a time. And we're not actually sure how many trips we can manage in a single day. So we're not really advertising it, per se. I just wanted to mention it since you seemed to think some of my rambling about space stuff was interesting!"

Fat Gum, seemingly operating on automatic, finished his hotdog even as he nodded.

"Well, yeah…who doesn't think space is cool? I'm absolutely going to have to make sure I take that day off so I can try to get a ticket. I mean, I never thought actually going to space would be something I could do. Even just for a few minutes!"

Uraraka's smile was blinding as she immediately began a ramble storm about how cool it really was…

... ...

Katsuki had to admit, when he'd been pulled aside by Midnight and recommended to seek a Work Study with Majestic, he'd almost dismissed the suggestion. It was only the fact his sensei had legitimately earned his respect since she'd taken over the class that had made him seriously consider it. Now, as he used his explosions to dart and weave through Majestic's personal training course, he had to admit that she'd been right to make the suggestion.

The hero, for all that he wasn't ranked all that highly, was a genuine master of three-dimensional movement. Not to mention a master of using his Quirk in creative ways. Both of which were areas that Katsuki had needed to work on. He'd only gained the ability to fly with his explosions at sixteen, and it hadn't exactly been the sort of thing he could practice much without risking Public Quirk Use charges. It wasn't exactly subtle, after all. Likewise, Katsuki was ready to admit, at least after the last few weeks, that he'd mostly focused on 'bigger booms' rather than 'diverse booms.'

His Stun Grenade move was the closest he'd ever come to making a utility move before meeting Majestic. Now, he was working on a half dozen concepts that he'd never even considered before. The most blatant of which he wanted to kick his own ass for. He'd known he could detonate sweat he wasn't connected directly too. His gauntlets wouldn't work if he couldn't. But he'd never made the connection to the fact that he could lay traps. Let alone create reactive armor. The latter of which was part of his current exercise, as he inevitably got pinned by the turrets he wasn't quite maneuverable enough to avoid. Countering the incoming fire with ablative explosions to bleed their momentum took the sting out of them…if he could keep it up and time it right.

Grinning fiercely, he threw himself into the training, knowing it would make him stronger…

... ...

Tsuyu made a disgusted expression, again, and she ended up with the taste of soap in her mouth…again. She had to admit that she really hadn't thought that part out when she sought out a Work Study with Wash. Still, she was learning a lot. Even if it now felt like she spent half her day being punished for cursing by Grandma Asui.

Perhaps she shouldn't have been surprised, but Wash was extremely good at unorthodox combat. He'd already pointed her to several uses for what she'd thought was one of her most worthless abilities. Previously, she'd dismissed her ability to give her mucus differing effects. But Wash had bonked her over the head the first day and forced her to walk through a dozen uses for it. Such as the one they'd used today by having her use it to scent-mark a number of high-end medical parts they'd expected to be stolen. They had been, and now they were cleaning house of the gang that had stolen them. A gang which had checked for any technology based trackers. But hadn't had any way to anticipate something like a scent marker.

Now, if only her tongue didn't come into contact with so much of Wash's soapy water! It made it super hard to be adorable for all the kids that stopped them for autographs when she was constantly fighting the taste of soap in her mouth! She wondered if maybe this was a puzzle she should put before Izumi and Momo? For all she knew, those two mad scientists knew how to make soap taste like bubblegum. Or even jelly! Jelly tasting soap would be fantastic. Yes, she should definitely ask them if that was a thing they could do! Or that Mad scientist friend of Momo's, even. Though that would be a last resort. She didn't want her tongue to explode, after all. That wouldn't be any better than the soap…

... ...

"EAT HOT LEAD MOTHER****ERS!"

Airjet just stared as one of his work studies students terrorized the Chinese Triad members that had tried to set up shop in his city after fleeing a dispute in Hong Kong. At least three of them had broken down and were crying, begging the Heroes to 'make it stop.' Looking over at Chargebolt, his other UA apprentice, Airjet noted he looked sheepish.

"So…want to explain why your teammate appears to be going on a rampage? Also, how is she making us hear asterisks?"

Chargebolt rubbed the back of his neck and looked even more sheepish.

"Well, I think one of them may have accidently kink shamed her? And I have no idea on the asterisks thing. I assume Momo or Mei is to blame for that part."

…

…

"Kink shamed? …What?"

Kaminari let out a little laugh, half-hysterical, and pointed to where Pony was rampaging all over the warehouse with a gatling gun and stun baton.

"Apparently, the saddle is because she's into 'Ponygirls.' I'm just glad I'm not the one that said it…"

Airjet stared in disbelief. This was the sort of degenerate nonsense that happened when you let Midnight teach at a school, right? Except he was pretty sure the adorable monster out there barely interacted with Midnight. Maybe Dean Nedzu secretly hid a personality test in his entrance exams and only passed the Crazy Ones? Chargebolt wasn't exactly normal either, after all. And a few of his classmates had seemed just a bit unhinged too, from what he'd seen of the Heroics Tournament. Like that one that had worn a broken turret topper as a cap and skipped her way through an obstacle course while giggling.

Yeah. The 'UA only accepts crazy people' theory was starting to seem like a sound one. Enough so that Airjet began to worry he might have caught some of their crazy by accepting two work studies students from them. Well…at least they were effective in their insanity. If the whimpering Triad members begging him to spare them from the 'Psycho Ponygirl' was anything to go by…

... ... ... ... ...

Author's Note: This is the one-per-release that I mention this and my other works have a Patreon Page. Currently, chapters 69-73 (roughly 16,500 additional words) are already up in Early Access! Not to mention there are early access chapters of my other stories amounting to roughly another 30-40k words at any given time. If you're enjoying this story, please consider tossing a bit of support my way?