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CHAPTER START---
"Look I think it makes sense," Sero says. "But honestly, how do you even make a logo for that name?"
As the lunch rush began in UA's cafeteria, Sero was sitting beside Horizon, warped here before most students even got out of class.
He was eating his large lunch, happily now. His muscles were more apparent now since he began training with Horizon, which he certainly appreciates, and certain others do as well.
Horizon wasn't eating anything this time, just scrolling through his phone and listening to the conversation.
And across from Sero, "I know it's a good name, but I'm already used to Mindjack," Shinso says.
"Yeah but you don't have a public image yet so it'll be easy to change it now," Sero explains. "Plus, 'Simon says', is a pretty cool line."
"More like a gimmick," Horizon says. "But those sell very well.""Yeah, plus you don't really cause property damage so the people who pay us will like that."
"And I'm not working with anyone named Mindjack," Horizon says. "It sounds stupid."
Shinso just sighs and takes another bite of his lunch. "Simon it is then."
"Awesome, welcome to the team," Sero puts his hand out for a fist bump, but Shinso just looks at it, and ignores him. "Awe, gonna leave me hanging like that?"
"..." Shinso just continues eating.
Sero just drops his fist and continues eating, "great, now I've got two of them," he says as their usual lunch table is filled up.
Momo, Tokoyami, Jiro, and Shoji join them at their table, leaving one empty seat where Sato used to sit.
After a few more minutes of chatter, Sero notices Momo reading their new textbook at the table and winces.
"It's not a complicated book, right?" he asks. "I've already got enough trouble keeping up as it is right now!" he whines.
Most of the table looks over at her, and Momo suddenly feels a bit shy with all this attention. She looks up to see Horizon still playing with his phone and breathes a sigh of relief.
Then she perks up a bit, hoping to dazzle him with her initiative.
"Well," she shuts the book. "When Ms. Midnight announced this textbook would be moved from our second year to our first year I knew it would be a bit advanced.
But this is even more advanced than expected.
So I do recommend everyone starts reading ahead now before our first class on the subject next week. That way you won't be overwhelmed by any surprises during the class."
"Another demon to torment my soul before my dark nightly slumber," Tokoyami says, closing his eyes dramatically before biting into his apple.
"Yeah," Sero groans. "I already have to read crime reports, and the usual book, and my Quirk research...and now this too."
"What book is that?" Horizon asks.
"Oh, right," Momo frowns. "You spent this morning in Principal Nezu's office after that little issue with Ms. Midnight."
Everyone winces at that.
"Look, she's a horrendous bitch that doesn't know her place, and I'm always right, that's all, now get on with it."
Momo shakes her head in disapproval, "you know she warned me about getting close to you..."
"And yet you can't seem to keep away, strange how that works," he lifts his head to look at her, then turns slightly to see Jiro also staring at him, "I seem to have that effect on people."
"Let's focus on the book please," Momo says as he returns his attention to his phone. "The book is 'The lines and ethics of Quirks and Humanity,' it was meant to be studied during our second year but they decided to move it forward since some of us are already in the field."
"What's it about anyway?" Jiro asks.
"The lines between what is and what is not a person have been blurred since Quirks manifested, this book delves deeper into that issue."
"It's a good book," Shoji says. "I've read it a few times cover to cover..."
"Really?!" Momo lets a bit of her excitement show, "how co---" she cuts herself off as her eyes land on him. "Oh, right..."
"Yeah," Shoji raises his 6 arms. "I'm one of the people that blur the line between person and 'monster', so I had personal reasons to look into it."
"I see, has anyone else read it?"
"Yeah," Horizon says. "It's pretty much required reading globally for anyone in the medical field, but also I read all the textbooks we'd need for all the years at UA."
"Seriously," Jiro cringes at the thought of that. "What, did you have an entire summer to waste?"
"I was on a flight from Dubai to Italy actually, just read them all," Horizon shrugs. "Why else do you think I never take notes...or the fact that I don't even have a backpack. Only just the one book in my desk for classwork and exams."
Most of the table just share a look between each other, which Horizon notices.
"What?"
"Well," Jiro plays with her earlobes, "we all kind of assumed you had like...well, you know, in your head..."
"What, a brain?" Horizon asks. "I know not everyone in our class has one, but yes I do have a brain."
"A hard drive, dick," Jiro grits out, clearly annoyed by that last statement.
Sero immediately bursts out laughing, and the few people who weren't constantly glancing at their table to get a glimpse of Horizon join the others in looking at them.
"I hate that fucking rumor," Horizon mutters.
"Well that makes one of us, besides it not like it wouldn't make sense," Sero says as his laughter slowly stops.
"I underestimated how stupid people can be," Horizon says.
"Anyway, Yaomomo," Tokoyami speaks up. "Will you be hosting weekly study sessions this semester as well?"
"Well," Momo thinks about it for a moment. "I don't know what my schedule will be like, hopefully I get a Pro that hires me for the Work Studies program. If that's the case then I'll likely be spending two weekdays at their agency as well as weekends."
"But we'll be doing the same thing," Tokoyami says. "So we can all study together to keep up with the others."
"Oh man, this is gonna suck," Sero groans.
"Have you not been reading ahead already?" Shinso asks.
"I've been too busy swinging around Tokyo, then when I'm back at the tower it's just to sleep..."
"Oh yeah?" Jiro gives Horizon a sly look, "almost as if, say...you were trying to keep up with a robot?"
"I fucking hate it here," Horizon mutters as everyone has a laugh at his expense. "The study group sounds like a great idea, if you can peel his tape off of Yui..."
"I think I'll manage."
"OH!" Momo claps her hands together. "I should speak to Kendo about having her and some of her own classmates study with us!"
"Study group with Kirishima and Tetsutetsu... good luck with that," Horizon puts down his phone.
"I'll figure something out, but if you'd be so kind as to---"
"I'm not that kind of teacher," Horizon says. "Ask Juzo, he's good at teaching people that kind of thing. He's probably the most tolerable of the 1B people."
"Mud Man the teacher, strangely, it makes sense," Shoji says.
"He'll be working with Shinso for the Work Studies actually."
Shinso looks across at Horizon, clearly confused. "What are you talking about?"
Horizon raises his phone and shakes it a bit, "just got confirmation from Gang Orca, he'll send UA a request for you."
"Gang Orca?" Shinso's eyes widen. "You were just casually texting the #10 Pro Hero?"
"We've worked a few times since our first meeting."
"Since you beat him and Mirko up is what you mean," Jiro says. "He was actually who I'd hope to work with...but I didn't get my Provisional License so that'll have to wait."
"Makes sense, he's the top pro with sonic attacks," Tokoyami says. "That's a difficult Quirk to find a master for. But I suppose Present Mic is an alternative if needed."
"Ugh," Jiro rolls her eyes. "Don't put the cursed idea in my mind, he's soooo lame!"
"Sound quirk, likes music...birds of a feather the two of you," Tokoyami says.
"I'll pretend you didn't just assault my ears with that disgusting thought..."
As everyone is finishing up their lunch, Shinso zones out and just retreats into his own mind.
Thinking about what he just heard, that he'd be working with Gang Orca, the #10 Pro Hero.
'I've come a long way from my days in general studies, but I've still got a lifetime of work ahead of me,' he looks across at Horizon who was talking with Jiro about a concert nearby. 'Team Horizon...certainly has its uses.'
Shinso gives a soft smile.
And as if sensing some happiness in Shinso, Horizon swoops in to replace it with some pain.
"Simon," Horizon snaps him out of his daydream. "Let's go over your goals, and how much I need to increase your training, we start this evening..."
END CHAPTER---