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CHAPTER START---
---10 AM, Friday, November 15th, 2315...
Standing on the roof of a Hero Public Safety Commission building in Tokyo, Horizon leans on the short wall at the edge of the roof as he scrolls through his phone.
While he did this, he entirely ignored the masses swarming below.
The entire front of this building was entirely filled with civilians, and some Pro Heroes, called in to beef up security.
Today at noon the Annual Hero Billboard Ranking ceremony begins after all, the top 50 Pro Heroes in Japan will be presented for the nation to see.
Ranked by number of incidents resolved, public image, popularity, and a few other categories.
Naturally Horizon couldn't be ranked until he became a fully licensed Pro Hero, so right now he simply kept track of his projected ranking.This way he knows the predicted ranking he'll get during the first ceremony after he graduates, and since right now the projected ranking is #1 and he knows Endeavor is waiting to retire.
Exactly 3 years from today, he'll have all the cards needed to demand his parents be freed.
All of Japan will be depending heavily on him for safety and stability, and he'll be the #1 Hero in the official rankings as well.
He would have fulfilled his contract to the most extreme lengths, leaving no room for them to complain or refuse to honor the agreement.
Looking out over the city, he sees many of the buildings around them which are taller, and they already have camera crews setup on the rooves or upper floors.
The official lists of who would be added, removed, promoted, or demoted on the rankings were hidden, and all across Japan people were placing bets.
Media outlets catching a glimpse of Pro Heroes flying in or trying to quietly enter the building to later make their big reveals would get a lot of attention from the hungry masses.
And knowing this most Pro Heroes got here before the sun was even up or snuck in quietly at a side entrance, all for the sake of hiding their new costume designs or making the reveal of them being ranked this highly that much more special for their fans.
Horizon didn't have to bother with any of this so he came to the roof to relax, and show off that he's here so no villains try to attack.
'Although I doubt I even had to be here since Endeavor and the next 9 top pros are here,' he thinks to himself. 'Well I guess the public will just think I'm here to support Endeavor, and this'll make me look even better to the morons that think I don't get along with other Pro Heroes...'
Enjoying this time to himself Horizon hears the now familiar sound of large wings beating against the air behind him, but even as the roof shakes slightly he continues his scrolling, not bothering to turn around.
"You're supposed to sneak in to make a big entrance on stage," Horizon says.
"You know I don't care about this ranking nonsense," Ryukyu says as she walks up beside him, already in her human form, and leans on the edge to look down at the crowd. "And I certainly don't think I should be ranked this highly..."
Horizon chuckles, putting his phone away to face her, "see, knew you weren't a dragon, they aren't humble creatures."
"Ugh, I can't believe I missed you," she rolls her eyes.
"Awe, you missed me?"
"Why did I even say that, after all the warnings she gave me about giving you compliments," Ryukyu facepalms.
"Relax, its normal to miss your boyfriend..."
They both look at each other, sharing a silent moment, then they both erupt in laughter.
Over the past few weeks they'd sent each other a few interesting things they've seen on the internet. By now it felt like every day their fans thought of something new in their relationship that even they never would have considered.
Most of it was stupid and hilarious, but some of it was creepily accurate, especially the art on Ryukyu's side of things.
"But seriously Kyukyu, you should be proud, you're #7 now," Horizon says.
"Not because I deserve it," she frowns and hangs her head in shame. "I just got lucky that your popularity rubbed off on me."
'And Pantu insisted on the improvement in my rank,' Ryukyu thinks.
"Yeah, but I don't keep trash around me, and I certainly don't allow rumors about me dating it," Horizon says. "If you're good enough to be my pretend girlfriend you're good enough to be the #7 Pro Hero."
Ryukyu just shakes her head, but smiles softly, "I can't tell if you're complimenting yourself or me, or maybe both."
"Men are judged by what kind of woman they get, right? So both."
Ryukyu chuckles and breathes a sighs of relief, feeling much better, "you know, since those rumors about us started, a lot of the Pro Heroes that would try to bring me in on cases just to flirt with me have stopped trying, its such a relief."
"Well if it makes you feel any better, cameras all around us are catching ever minute of this, and I'm sure we'll be in some gossip articles later today."
Ryukyu takes a step closer to him, leaning against his side, making it look good for the cameras, "you think they're getting my good side?"
"You have a bad side?"
"Did that line work on Ryuko?" she asks.
"We didn't do that much talking at first."
"Forget I ever asked, I don't need those detail," she playfully pushes him away. "And for the record, its wonderful working with only the men and women who want my assistance in helping people, gives me one less thing to think about."
"Did you have any super persistent ones?"
"Hmm," she thinks about it for a moment. "Yeah, like three borderline stalkers...honestly made me question the whole Hero License process since those three creeps got it."
"Want me to go talk to them?" Horizon asks.
"Would you?"
"For you, sure, besides I don't like people touching what's mine."
Ryukyu rolls her eyes, "maybe you're the dragon, since you don't like people touching your hoard."
"Well one of us has to be a real dragon, and sadly it can't be you."
"Hey! And no I don't want you to go talk to them, I already settled it, I am a Pro Hero after all. I'm not some helpless girl who always needs a man to fight for her."
"That isn't always a bad thing."
"I know, but I wouldn't be setting a very good example now would I," Ryukyu says. "I mean most of the women in the top 50 are either rescue heroes like 13 and Uwabami, or one date away from being a housewife, like Ryuko's trying to be...no offense to her."
"I get what you mean," Horizon says. "Young girls need someone they can look up to and see they can be anything they want to be, and honestly, you're kind of the only good one."
Ryukyu's eyes widen at that, "really? You mean that?"
"Of course, 13 only does recue work because she doesn't like fighting and her Quirk is too dangerous, but that's the cliché 'Girl in the group is a healer' deal. Mt. Lady isn't that bad but she's kind of a lazy airhead and causes a lot of collateral damage because of how clumsy she is, not to mention she'd never get this far if she wasn't so hot.
Uwabami just wants to be a celebrity and used the Pro Hero route to do it, the others aside from probably Midnight aren't famous enough, and she's basically a walking billboard for acting like a slut to get attention.
And then we have Mirko...ugh."
"Is it really that bad between you two?"
"She's just persistent and annoying, but she only messages me once a week now."
"I see, and what about me?" Ryukyu asks. "As a Pro Hero I mean, what do you see the Dragon Hero Ryukyu as?"
"A competent and humble woman that just happens to be rather beautiful and have a cool Quirk...even if she can't breathe fire. But there is one fundamental flaw in you."
"Oh, and what's that?"
"You lack the same hunger lots of other Pro Heroes have, you're content with just helping people as they need help, you aren't proactive enough. Best Jeanist is the same way which is why I didn't go intern with him. If you want to feel like you deserve your spot, do more work.
And if you want to show all the little girls out there they can be a top 10 Pro Hero just like you, then show them how much work you really do to get where you are. For the few things I don't like about Mirko, that's one thing I do love about her.
She works harder than everyone aside from Endeavor and Edgeshot in the top 10, if she were more organized and efficient she'd easily be the #3 or #4 instead of where she is now. And if you put in that much work, who knows, maybe we'd have our #2 Pro hero be a girl for the first time."
Ryukyu just stared at him for nearly a minute, mesmerized, brain fried as she tried to process how nice he was being.
Then she blinks, snapping back to reality, "I hope you really meant that and you're not just saying that to sleep with me."
"Why can't it be both?"
Ryukyu's cheek redden slightly as she looks away, down at the crowd who were taking pictures of them, "you aren't supposed to be so forward with a lady, don't you know anything?"
"I know that as Heroes we could die any day, so we don't have time to waste."
Ryukyu sighs, "yeah, you're right, but one sexy blonde Ryuko in your bed is quite enough, and just because she and I are friends doesn't mean she'll be ok with me joining..." she gestures to him, "whatever weird relationship thing you have with her."
Horizon playfully raises his hands in surrender, "hey you're the one that keeps bringing it up, clearly I'm on your mind a lot these days..."
As Ryukyu is about to respond they hear the sound of someone landing on the roof, accented by metal clashing against concrete.
Horizon sighs, and just turns so his back is to the new arrival.
But Ryukyu looks back to see Mirko standing on the roof with a toothy grim on her face, staring directly at Horizon.
"All those lies about you two not dating and this is the first thing I see at this event huh," Mirko says.
Ryukyu freezes up, trying to think of a logical response.
But before she can Horizon simply turns around, wraps an arm around her and grabs her by the ass, pulling her against his side.
Ryukyu's face goes bright red as her eyes widen, she freezes up.
Mirko stares with wide eyes as well, not sure where this is going.
Horizon grins beneath the visor, hoping this would get the rabbit to leave him along.
"This is the fate of all the women who challenge me and lose, can you accept these terms for our rematch?" Horizon asks.
Mirko's lips twitch as her eyes narrow, the vein on her forehead bulging as she scrunches up her face.
Then a moment later she deflates and her ears droop down to the sides of her head.
She frowns and slouches while walking toward the roof entrance of the building.
"No way am I doing that crap," she says while leaving them on the roof.
After he's sure she can't hear them Horizon can't help but laugh, "bye bye annoying fight manic, she won't be bothering me anymore."
"Looks like we both got rid of our unwanted admirers, although I don't know if she was an 'admirer' exactly."
"Either way, not my problem anymore."
"I'm happy to hear that, now, can you please let go of my butt?"
Horizon looks at Ryukyu to see her face bright red, eyes closed as she's breathing heavily.
"But it feels nice and toned, and surprisingly round," he gives it a gentle squeeze.
"How does she even put up with you..."
END CHAPTER---