Your Hero* Macadamia - A BNHA/MHA Quest

A few hours later, you've worked through a great deal of 'low level' math and are mostly done with fractions. Mirio's chimed in on the occasion with a few 'tricks' and tips that weren't in the text or workbook.

And then she walks in. A girl with hair that can only be described as 'loud'. And also green, and flaming.

"HARD AT WORK, I SEE!" She booms out, and you wince.

Mirio grins, "Absolutely! If we shirk our responsibility as students, it reflects badly on how we'd act as heroes!"

You nod, "The exhibitionist is right."

Mirio gasps and clutches his chest, "My kohai betrays me! When I've done nothing but help him! Oh, what a sad day!"

"If you want respect, maybe you shouldn't go around losin' your clothes all the time!" The girl's hair certainly looks better than Endeavor's attempt at a flame beard.

Mirio blinks, "Not you too, sempai? Ah, my heart can't take this!" And then he phases through the floor.

The older girl snorts, "He'll be back, don't worry 'bout it." She drops a stack of books and papers on a desk next to yours, "I'm Kamiji Moe, but call me Burnin'! I'm basically a self-study student right now because of my work with Endeavor, so it doesn't really matter where I study." Her smile somehow widens, "And I could use some extra credit, too! So if you need help, don't hesitate to ask for it!"

You nod, "I won't."

She pauses for a moment, then laughs. "Alright!"

Anything she was planning to say is stymied by Mirio's reappearance, this time wearing a poncho and a large sombrero for some reason.

"Ah, sorry about that!" He rubs the back of his head, "I ended up dropping in on the drama club and things got a little… dramatic!"

Burnin' starts laughing, and laughing, and laughing…

"Maybe you should breathe," you say mildly.

"Don't," Burnin' chokes out, "don't count on it!"

Mirio, rather than being embarrassed, just grins. "If I can put a smile on someone's face, I don't care what happens to me!"

"This isn't convincing me that you're not an exhibitionist, by the way." You say as casually as possible.

Burnin' laughs harder, somehow.

"Is she going to be okay?"

Mirio nods, "Oh yeah, absolutely. I saw worse during my internship."

You blink, "Worse?"

Mirio pauses, then shrugs. "Sir… believes that a Hero isn't really a Hero if they can't laugh, or make other people laugh. I think it's a good philosophy! But uh… he has standards that his sidekicks have to follow." He coughs, "Or else."

You nod slowly. Alright then, you'll be careful about any internship offers from Heroes called 'sir'.

---

Present Mic beams at you, "Knew you'd come around eventually!" He ushers you through the lobby of his agency, and you briefly see a secretary wearing a massive pair of noise-canceling headphones.

"So we've got a proper broadcast studio in here," Mic says, "and a radio transmitter up top! Cost a lot, but Nedzu paid off around…" He pauses, "a quarter, I think!"

You mull it over, "Because it contributes to Yuuei's security?"

Mic nods enthusiastically, "YEAH! It's kind-of an early warning outpost, an emergency SOS, and a place to rally if there's a siege." He pauses, "Not that anyone thinks there's going to be a siege, but Heroes have to be prepared." Then he laughs nervously, "I really hope there's never a siege…"

When you get to the studio, Mic's excitement returns tenfold. "YEAH! You see that INSULATION? Support-rated!" The sound insulation on the walls is blindingly yellow. "You see those MICROPHONES?" There are five microphones in the room, as well as a lot of extra sound-shielding. "Support-rated! You see that PIANO?" You see a large yellow piano inexplicably in the room with you, "Support-rated!"

You blink, "Why is the piano a support item?"

Mic laughs, "BECAUSE MY SHOUTS ARE TOO LOUD!"

You nod slowly, hoping you don't get tinnitus. "Alright…"

Mic sits down in front of the biggest and most robust microphone, "Sit wherever you'd like. My regular show starts in around half an hour. First 15 minutes are chatter between me and some regular guests, the rest tends to be whatever the special guest wants it to be. Usually there's a bit where we answer questions from listeners, but when I had Gang Orca on last month he spent the entire 45 minutes ranting about low-quality seafood."

"I thought Gang Orca had a reputation as a no-nonsense, serious Hero?"

"YEAH! But with how society tends to react towards people who look scary," he rolls his eyes, "it's sometimes important to show that you're 'normal', and a rant about bad sashimi doesn't exactly scream 'this guy's a dangerous monster'."

"People are stupid."

Mic snorts, "YEAH! But that doesn't mean they don't deserve to be safe, so we've gotta deal with them." He leans back in his chair and rests his feet on a footstool. "So, do you want to be 'silent but present' where we mention there's a 'hero brat' in the room but you stay silent, completely uninvolved, or do you want to be the 'audience mouth-piece' where you read the letters we've gotten?"

You furrow your brow, "Can I ask my own questions?"

"OH ABSOLUTELY! That's part of 'audience mouth-piece', though it does depend on how Stabilizer feels about it. He's said that he's fine with write-in questions and a few call-ins, so he'll probably be fine with you."

"Stabilizer's the special guest?"

Mic nods, "YEAH! He was a diligent student, though English wasn't his strongest subject. Didn't make class president, and he never ranked in the Sports Festival, but he also never failed an assessment. He had a knack for choosing good internships, and from what I hear he's got a good thing going at Leatherhead's agency over in Kagoshima prefecture." He pauses, "I think he played a big role in his class's second-year Cultural Festival exhibit. That was one of the really memorable ones!"

---

I wasn't going to have a vote here, actually, but it came up naturally. So:

Mic's show? (You'll be able to ask Stabilizer questions no matter what.)

[] Completely Uninvolved – you're just here to observe
[] Silent but present – Not the first time Mic's had a 'hero brat' in the background
[] Audience Mouth-piece – as a few questions on-air

And, Stabilizer. Meta-knowledge that'll be covered in-character next update: Stabilizer's Quirk is the same as his Hero-name. It's a touch-based Quirk, everything and everyone he touches becomes 'stable', they can't fall over, they can't be knocked over, they can't even trip. He can use it on himself, and he's figured out a couple very interesting applications and tricks. He graduated from Yuuei three years ago. Leatherhead is a cameo from TMNT, he's basically a bipedal crocodile.

[] Write-in Question(s) for Stabilizer: All questions will be counted, so if you've got one, write it in. Some will be asked by Saki, others will be call-ins from listeners or questions that were sent-in physically or electronically.

"HELLO, LISTENERS!" Mic booms, and you wince. "IT'S BEEN A LONG WEEK, BUT AT LEAST IT'S NEARLY OVER!" He pauses, "And I say that as a Hero, a radio host, and a teacher! There was a stupidly persistent gang that we finally wrangled on Tuesday, Death Arms had a really passionate argument with a caller last night, and over at Yuuei we entered a bit of a 'CRUNCH'' with our seniors, making sure they're prepared for what's to come. It's always hard letting students go, and I have to go through it EVERY YEAR! You'd think I'd get used to it, but NO! I ALWAYS CRY at the graduation ceremonies."

"At least you're there every year," says Cementoss, one of Mic's 'regular guests'. "I keep having to miss it."

"DON'T BE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF! Besides, it's not like you've ever skipped out on ACTUALLY TEACHING."

Ingenium, calling in over long-distance, laughs. "I've heard rumors about that! Nedzu's really firing Light Flash?"

"Yeah, it SUCKS, but if he can't find the time to actually do his JOB, what's the point of keeping him on? We all have a responsibility to our students," Mic pauses, "and speaking of those students, we've got a Hero hopeful sitting in with us tonight. Don't expect the kid to say anything, but keep the call-ins appropriate."

"I keep trying to convince my brother to sit in," Ingenium says, "but he doesn't think it's 'proper'. He can be a bit stuffy."

"High school will either cure that or reinforce it," Cementoss chuckles, "and you can never tell which one it'll be until they're done."

"YEAH, it's always great to see kids grow into themselves!" Mic laughs, "And in a few minutes we'll get an opportunity to see how a student's grown since GRADUATING! Stabilizer's not on the charts yet, but I know he's been doing SOLID WORK!"

"Leatherhead's agency, right? I've worked with them a few times, they're pretty reliable."

"YEAH, but save it for when he joins us!"

"Oh, he's not there in-person?" Ingenium asks.

"NOPE, he was going to come in physically, but apparently there were a couple 'Incidents', so he's staying in Kagoshima."

Cementoss hums, "I've noticed an increase in these 'incidents', and I doubt they're all unrelated. Something's stirring."

Mic shakes his head and puts a finger on his lips, "Yeah, maybe!" He pushes a button, "Do you WANT the Hero Public Safety Commission to try to take me off the air again?"

Cementoss shakes his head and raises his hands, "Sorry, sorry."

Mic releases the button, "YEAH, things can get a bit crazy sometimes! Personally I think it's the city air! I'd take a trip out to the mountains, but I HATE BUGS!" He shudders, "I HATE THEM SO MUCH!"

"Still?" Ingenium snorts, "Mic, it's been years since highschool! Seriously?"

"HEY DON'T JUDGE ME, ROBOT ARMS!"

The chatter and small talk continues until Stabilizer calls in.

"Sorry if I'm a bit late, there was a bank robbery!" Stabilizer sounds tired, but happy.

"NO PROBLEM! I'm just glad you were able to join us!"

"Yeah, when you're a Hero you can't always make appointments, we all get it." Ingenium says.

Cementoss laughs, "Being a little late to a radio show is nothing, I almost missed my brother's wedding!"

"Yeah, Hero work can take a lot out of you. But so far I'm finding it really rewarding," Stabilizer says, "Every time I save a life, I feel like a little fire's been lit in my heart, urging me onwards."

"Careful," Mic says, "if you go any further with that metaphor Endeavor might SUE for COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT!"

"Would he really?" Stabilizer asks, "I've heard all kinds of rumors, but I didn't think he was that… uh…"

"Litigious?" Ingenium snorts, "No, not unless he's directly slandered. We all like to poke fun at him sometimes, but he usually doesn't care, or even pay attention."

"He's very focused on being a Hero," Cementoss says carefully, "and if it's not directly related to Heroics, it tends to be… beneath his notice."

There's a pause, "Well, I can respect that!" Stabilizer eventually says.

"YEAH! Dedication to your job is REALLY ADMIRABLE, for sure!" Mic says quickly, "SO, there was a BANK ROBBERY?"

"Yeah, a handful of villains with ground-moving Quirks thought they could run in, shift everything around, grab the money, and get away before Heroes got there," Stabilizer recites, "but Leatherhead and I were grabbing lunch around the corner. Leatherhead distracted them and I disabled them."

You narrow your eyes, then write a question on the notepad Mic gave you and hand it to Cementoss.

Cementoss nods to you, "Our 'little listener' wants to know how you got the drop on them?"

You can hear a smile in Stabilizer's voice, "Even in the age of Quirks, most people don't look up. By the time they saw me walking down the wall, it was too late for them."

You blink. He could use his Quirk to walk up, and down, walls?

Mic laughs, "OH YEAH, I remember when you got the jump on me with that trick! I never asked, how'd you come up with it?"

"Honestly, I was kind of disappointed at my performance in my first year Sports Festival," Stabilizer admits, "and a few of my friends sat down and started spitballing ways that I could 'grow' my Quirk. Eventually Hideo – Star Blaster – asked, since I always had perfect balance no matter what I was standing on, how steep could I go?" He pauses, "Using my Quirk on myself always makes me dizzy and disoriented after I turn it off; the first time I went vertical I fainted afterwards!" He laughs, and Mic and Cementoss laugh with him. "But I realized how useful walking up walls could be, so I kept working on it!"

There's a pause, then "I never got an opportunity to use it at a Sports Festival, but it was absolutely worth learning."

"YEAH, I'LL SAY!" Mic laughs, "Quirks that let you move in unexpected ways are GREAT!"

"Now that you mention it, after you used your Quirk on me I did feel a bit clumsy," Ingenium says.

Stabilizer laughs sheepishly, "Sorry, it must've slipped my mind! But small doses of my Quirk are usually pretty harmless, it's when I have it active over large periods of time that things start to get bad."

"Bad how?" Cementoss asks.

"Depending on how long I have it on? Pretty bad. It wrecks my balance, and I'm dreading the day I have to have it on for more than an hour at a time," Stabilizer confides, "I'm afraid that one day I'll have to relearn how to walk."

Mic lets out a harsh breath through his nose, "YEAH, Quirk backlash can SUCK. A friend of mine has AWFUL dry-eye, and when I was just starting out I had a PERMANENT sore throat!"

"That's why training your Quirk is so important, even if you don't find new ways to leverage it, mitigating backlash and finding your limits is essential." Cementoss half-lectures, and you notice that his eyes are on you.

You nod at him, and he smiles.

"RIGHT!" Mic screams, "SO, unless you've got anything you want to say, let's take a call?"

"Fine with me."

"OKAY!" After a signal from the producer in the incredibly sound proofed room next door, Mic continues, "HELLO LISTENER, YOU'RE ON THE AIR!"

"Do you think that Yuuei discriminates against people with non-physical, 'weak', or 'villainous' Quirks?" Asks a voice that sounds around your age and at least a little confrontational.

"Wow, no 'hi Stabilizer'? I'm really feeling the love tonight!" Stabilizer laughs, "But that's a very serious question, so I'll do my best to give it a serious answer." It sounds like he shuffles around for a moment, "So. Does Yuuei discriminate against people with non-physical Quirks?" He pauses, "...I don't want to give a wishy-washy reply that doesn't really answer your question, so I'll say 'yes', but only to a certain extent. Without revealing anything, the entrance exams don't tend to be kind to students with 'non-offensive' Quirks. But."

You lean forward in your seat as he continues, "Quirks aren't everything. By my reckoning, someone with the right mindset, right attitude, and right skills could get into Yuuei and thrive, even if they never used their Quirk. If you get into Yuuei and don't give it your all, it doesn't matter what Quirk you have. There's no 'curve' in a Heroics program, if the teachers don't think you can cut it as a pro, they drop you. So yeah, it's harder to get in if your Quirk isn't 'offensive' or 'strong', but I'd say that once you are in, it doesn't matter what your Quirk is."

Mic clears his throat, "I'd like to add that 'non-traditional' and 'non-offensive' Quirks are what the recommendation exam is meant to allow for, and that even if someone doesn't cut it there, if they go Gen Ed and show their potential during the SPORTS FESTIVAL, or even during the course of 'regular' schooling, it's definitely possible to get TRANSFERRED!"

"We had three 'transfer' students in my graduating class," Stabilizer says, "And I think there were seven in 3-A?"

"Yes, one of our first year teachers is absolutely adamant that those 'lacking potential' should be excised from the Heroics track as soon as possible," Cementoss says evenly.

You'd heard about that; specifically you'd heard that the current class 1-A was doing very poorly, to the point that the exhibitionist said there was a betting pool on which of them wouldn't get expelled. And then Flamin' started ranting about 'burning passion needing to be ignited', Mirio phased through the floor to escape, and then came back wearing a large paper bag.

"I just realized I didn't address the 'villainous' Quirk part," Stabilizer says, "There's a lot of different Quirks that get pigeonholed as 'villainous', but my homeroom teacher for my first year could control blood, so don't be too worried about that."

"The only villainous Quirk is one used by a villain," Cementoss says, "Don't let idiots discourage you."

"That was a LITTLE BIT HEAVY! But that's OKAY! Let's take another call," Mic says, "HELLO LISTENER!"

"Hi Mic, hi Stabilizer," the caller says, and she also sounds around your age, "Stabilizer, you mentioned disorientation and dizziness? Do you have any strategies for dealing with Quirk-induced nausea?"

Stabilizer hums, "When I first started seriously training my Quirk on myself I'd end up nauseous after around two hours. Generally, I'd sit on the floor, put my head between my knees, wait until it passed, then go for it again. I don't know the specifics about your Quirk, but if the nausea's balance-related like mine was then there's no 'easy' answer. You have to keep going at it until you 'get used to it'."

"...Thank you," she says. "It's not the answer I was hoping for, but I guess it's the one I should have expected."

"No problem! Always happy to help Hero hopefuls!" Stabilizer chirps, "I can handle two more questions, I think."

Mic glances at you, and you think for a moment, then quickly write down your question and hand it over.

"OKAY! ANOTHER QUIRK QUESTION!" Mic laughs, "Next crop of Heroes are REALLY into SELF-IMPROVEMENT!" He clears his throat, "SO, Stabilizer, what strategies did you use to take 'full advantage' of your Quirk before entering Yuuei, and which ended up being the most effective?"

Stabilizer pauses, "...Hm, well, as I mentioned, one of the best 'strategies' was discussing it with other people. Usually my peers, occasionally with my parents or a Quirk counselor. I could go into specifics, but unless your Quirk is balance-based, I don't know how effective that would be. Don't be afraid to think out of the box, don't be afraid to ask others for advice, foster your creativity and try anything. I mean anything, when I was five I tried making my cat able to walk on water!"

"Did it work?" Ingenium asks.

"NOPE!" Stabilizer imitates Present Mic, then starts laughing. "And my mom was angry, but not as much as the cat! But I don't regret it, aside from a scar I still have on my arm there was no permanent harm, and what if it had worked? I'd probably be sidekicking with Selkie!"

"YEAH! When I was in Yuuei, one of my friends asked if I'd ever tried flying using my SHOUTS as PROPULSION!" Mic laughs, "BOY was that an EMBARRASSING trip to the infirmary!"

"So it worked?"

"I FLEW!" Mic laughs, "FOR TWO SECONDS! The human body isn't exactly built for STABLE FLIGHT, especially not when the propulsion's coming from your FACE! Alright, so one more caller…" He pauses, "Hello LISTENER! You're ON THE AIR!"

"Hello Mic, Stabilizer, Cementoss, Ingenium, and nameless hero kid number 47."

Mic snorts, "HEY THERE MS. JOKE! DON'T TELL ME YOU HAVE A PUN PREPARED FOR THIS OCCASION?"

'Ms. Joke' laughs, "Why, do you think I'd de-stabilize the conversation?"

Stabilizer groans, "This is why my cousin told me not to go for Ketsubutsu as a second choice."

"Hey, all my students graduate with a great sense of humor!"

"I think it's a coping mechanism," Cementoss gripes.

"And your former students' habit of carrying around sledgehammers isn't?" Joke throws back, and Cementoss laughs. "So, Stabilizer, I do actually have a serious question."

"I'd say I'm all ears, but I don't want to give you material."

"That's the spirit! So, have you come across any situations where you don't have an applicable 'trick' and where your Quirk wouldn't be able to help the situation?"

"I see you tuned in to Death Arms' interview last night." Cementoss says.

"Oh, oh yeah I heard about that," Stabilizer says, "Yeah, I've come across a few situations like that. If a villain is cocky enough – or stupid enough – they'll fight in a wide, open area." He snorts, "For me? That's tough. If I'm with Leatherhead or someone just as strong, they could throw something big enough to stand on. But if I don't have the right synergies around, the villain isn't big enough to 'climb', or there are too many of them?"

There's a pause,

"I throw something." Stabilizer admits, "I have some specialized support items. My Quirk can help with throwing things, lets me get a good momentum build-up, but I think most people could figure out something like that if they had to. I sympathize with the Heroes in that situation, but someone should have figured something out. A middle-schooler figured out that slime villain's weakness. And exploited it using his backpack..."

"Thank you for the answer," Ms. Joke says, "I mostly agree with you, but I'd add that there are situations where your Quirk isn't applicable, and where pre-prepared contingencies aren't applicable. The issue is thinking on your feet, and not falling victim to the Heroic version of the bystander effect."

"I completely agree," Ingenium says, "Luckily, I'm so good at thinking on my feet that that's all the thinking I ever do!"

There's a pause, then Stabilizer coughs. "I guess there's a reason you're not called 'Mr. Joke'."

"Not the only reason!" Joke declares, "My heart's set on someone who could be described as eye-candy."

"...No," Mic says, "NOPE! WHEN THE GUY WHO DOESN'T KNOW WHAT SHAMPOO IS GETS DESCRIBED AS EYE-CANDY, EVEN IF IT'S A JOKE! NOPE! GOOD-NIGHT EVERYBODY!"

---

So – Stabilizer, whose Quirk is 'just' perfect balance can: walk on walls (and suitably large people, apparently), stay stationary on thrown objects, and generally use his 'full' strength and run at his 'full' speed without having to worry about over-balancing. And his advice amounted to 'think outside the box' 'don't give up' and 'ask for suggestions'.

(Wis roll, DC variable: 18+2 = 20, See? The dice aren't cursed)

So. The best way to 'grow' your Quirk is to think 'outside of the box'. First explore what your Quirk is actually capable of, then figure out what's useful and what isn't, build on your knowledge, build strategies and contingencies…

Strategies and contingencies, you have a suspicion that that's where your Quirk can really shine. Stabilizer, while he can act as a 'frontline' Hero, does best as 'support' Hero and 'sidekick'. You could probably end up in a similar role, calling out attacks, pointing out weak areas, analyzing situations from the 'back', or even from a remote location.

Snipe's offered to teach you how to shoot – and he's definitely interested in helping you train your Quirk. There's a few issues there, though – namely that you haven't fully described your Quirk to him. You trust him… to a certain extent, at least.
[] Tell him everything you know about your Quirk.
[] Trust goes both ways – offer details on your Quirk for details on his Quirk
[] Keep it vague.
[] Write-in:

And Quirk training

[] Accuracy and targeting weak-points. Also, basic gun literacy. And crossbow literacy.
[] Hand-to-hand. You've got training in this already, but now you have access to something you never did before: Mirio's sneak attacks. He'll absolutely beat your ass, but you've noticed that the lines get a little funky when he phases through the ground. Also, Burnin' will definitely want to help 'stoke your passion', so you'll get practice dealing with fire at the same time.
[] Meditation and people-watching. You can see lines on people, but you mostly use them as guides to weak-points. Maybe you should see if you can refine that?
[] Write-in:

---

AN: It doesn't matter if the Heroes are actually in control, the Hero Public Safety Commission's focus is making sure they look like they're in control. SMH Cementoss, don't get Mic censored.