44 In Medias Res.

At lunch as I slurped down Tonkotsu Ramen, Deku tried dragging me into his stupid small talk.

"I wonder why there are so many students here?" He asked.

"That's because all the courses have the same lunchtime and everyone eats here. The food is delicious, nutricious and affordable. It is merely the obvious choice." Iida said.

Uraraka looked at Iida curiously and muttered, "Merely?"

Deku noticed it too.

"I have been wondering for some time now, but are you a rich kid Iida?" She asked with shining eyes.

Like actual shining eyes? Again wha- no how the fuck?

"N-no...." Iida said, as Deku joined in staring at him intensely.

"I guess it's not a secret anymore. Not that it ever was. Do you know the pro hero Ingenium?" He asked.

"The pro hero with 65 sidekicks at his Tokyo office?!" Deku said excitedly.

"Yes. He's my brother. My family has a history of producing pro heroes. I'm just the next obvious choice." He said.

"That must be so cool, to have an older brother to look up to, like.." Uraraka said, when suddenly an alarm started blaring.

"What is that?" Iida asked.

"It's the level 3 warning alarm. Someone has broken into UA!" A nearby student cried, panicking.

I wasn't focusing on it though, as my trance jacks slithered across the hallways and offices of the administrative building, looking for Shigaraki.

Within moments I found him skulking about by the academics section.

Just as he reached for the schedule for tomorrow, my trance jacks reached him.

I planted within him one single message.

"Leave the portals open till Himiko makes it back to the bar."

I lined it into the section that dealt with life or death situations, turning it into an instinct more than a suggestion.

Can't be losing Himiko this early in the game now can I? Not before the Hero Public Safety Commission goes down.

That done, I refocused into the cafeteria. The students were beginning to stampede like the dumb, panicky masses they were, as Iida struggled to get them to stop.

I immediately projected my eyes all across the room sprouting from every surface there was, freezing the entire student body in place.

I walked into the air, above their heads, heading between the two door into the cafeteria, and glared them down.

"It's just the media." I said, "Calm the fuck down! You're students of the best hero school in the country. Maybe it's time you began acting like it!" They muttered amongst themselves, some glaring back at me, some looking down embarrassed, yet others just confused at the situation.

"Now, " I said, "I'll release the bindings for you people one by one. And all I ask is that you behave in a civil manner and evacuate calmly in two lines. Is that understood?" I said.

They all nodded as I began the proces of selectively letting them pass through.

Once they had all evacuated, I stepped down to the ground again and acted tired and sleepy, shaking and clutching my head, as I sat on a nearby table and fell asleep, leaning against a window.

"Are you alright Haru-chan?" Deku asked.

"Just a bit tired and dizzy. Ill be fine in a couple of minutes. Wake me up when it's time for class again." I said, closing my eyes.

Minutes later, Deku shook me awake.

"Lunch is over, Haru-chan. Let's go." He said.

I knew of course. I wasn't actually sleeping or even tired for that matter.

But it's best to show some effort and sacrifice to inspire others.

As if to say that even at great cost, it must be done.

'He does what he preaches!' is what I want them to think, after all.

And that's how a reputation is built.

But it had another benefit.

I was let out early due to my condition and thus could visit Himiko and prep her for the USJ attack.

I commuted over to Yokohama and rushed to her apartment, while Shigaraki was still away at UA.

I rang the doorbell and waited.

"One minute!" Came Himiko's voice from within as Haruto ran over to open the door, having smelled me.

"Papa!" He cried happily.

"Haruto!" I reciprocated, scooping him up in my arms.

"What's with the sudden visit? Not that I'm not happy about it?" Himiko asked, exitong the kitchen in an apron.

Man she looked so cute in that oversized apron.

I leaned over and deep kissed her.

"Hua..what brought that on?" She asked.

"You just look so cute in that apron, I couldn't resist." I said.

"Hehehehe!" She giggled coyly.

"Well, lunch is almost ready. You want to some?" She asked.

"No. I already ate. But that's not why I came here. Kurogiri's job, it's tomorrow isn't it?"

"Yeah. How did you know?" She asked.

"It doesn't matter. Just remember, wear a full face mask, no scratch that, make it a helmet. Bring a sword. And don't say anything. Not a word out your mouth the whole job okay?"

"Why?" She asked, confused.

"Just trust me on this. It's the best for both of us. Now, I've made sure that you can escape. But that still means you can dilly dally. That'll raise suspicions. Make sure to escape as soon as Shigaraki does. Lay low during the job and don't attack anyone seriously. And finally, if you have to say anything, say something about how hero society is fake or some such. Keep it short and sweet. And remember, if you see me or Deku, pretend to not know us, okay?"

"We're attacking UA aren't we?" She said.

I sighed. Damn she's sharp.

"How did you figure that out?" I asked.

"Well, Shigaraki has been moaning about some Nomu thing and UA high and what not for nearly a week now. It's pretty easy to connect the dots from there." She said.

"Well then. That's great. Remember, your safety matters more than the job." I said.

"Yup." She said, nodding, "I get that. Wouldn't lose what we have for anything in the world." She said nuzzling up to me, caressing my cheeks.

Damn that's cute! Dangerously cute!

I put Haruto to sleep using trance, laying him down on the couch and carried Himiko to the bedroom for some emergency funtimes.