A Lesson on Two's
recommended music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_F1qZpNXNY
It was a chilly September day at Shiketsu High. Inigo yawns widely and leans back on his seat, before longingly staring at a smudge near the corner of the class. She had perfectly sunk into the background to the point that normal people would just see an empty desk.
His classmates laughed and chatted around him as they waited for class to start. Gigan was curled up on his lap, taking a nap before the lesson. Hero Lesson was next. Today was the fifth day in a row of having Hijack-sensei as their substitute homeroom teacher. Sure, Hijack was pretty cool. His chill style and weird activities actually made class interesting for him. But Inigo was getting worried about their regular homeroom teacher. Christopher was already here, but what was taking her so long? He thought about organizing a welcome-back party when she did come.
Rosethorn-senpai had been out all week. Inigo heard rumors that she was being discharged from the hospital by the end of the week. She'd probably stay and relax at home before returning. Who wants to rush back to school anyway? Not him. It was only the first week of September, but Inigo already missed summer break. No more lazy afternoons at the farm or days spent flying around Kyoto. Now he was back in the grind.
"Man, I can't wait for winter break," his friend Hiro sighed from the next seat over. "This school stuff is such a drag."
"Yeah, you bet," Inigo answered, "How far are you into studying for the qualifying tests?"
"Haven't started," Hiro said.
"Same. They should make us licensed heroes just from surviving this workload."
"It was a lot worse last year, we had a girl drop out before the exams. They say they got lost in secret tunnels under the school."
Inigo nodded along in the conversation. He looked around. Bobby and Hifumi were busy watching pro-hero clips on one of their phones. Maybe he could convince The Boys to go up to the roof again.
He was about to get their attention when his own phone buzzed with a message. Inigo glanced down and smiled.
〇〇: No sneaking out of class today. I'll be watching you.
Did she read his mind? Inigo quickly typed a reply.
IniGOAT: I would never! (ヅ) I'm totally focused thanks to you!
He looked up hopefully but Hoge didn't seem to move. After a moment, his phone buzzed again.
〇〇: Don't make me come back there. (Pay attention and take good notes.)
Inigo grinned. Even from across the room, she was looking out for him.
IniGOAT: As you wish! I'll take the best notes ever just for you! ╰(▔∀▔)╯
He leaned forward excitedly, waiting for her reply. Maybe class wouldn't be so boring this semester after all, not with his beloved there to keep him in line. Inigo sat up straight, ready to impress her with his diligence. He'd have to show her his notes at the end of class.
He looked up as Hijack-sensei strode to the front of the room. Well, it's too late to ditch now.
"Now that you’re all taking the exams and preparing to go into the real world of heroics," Kitamura began, dropping a stack of papers on his desk as he moved to the front of the room, the class falling silent around him, "We’re going to be doing something new. From now on, hero lessons will be a double-period class. Allowing us to better prepare you for what’s out there."
He looked to the back of the class at a raised hand.
"Yes, Nyoro-san, there will be homework," Kitamura said to a chorus of dismayed groans, he looked down at an electronic pad in his hand where he was setting up his presentation. "There will be an essay each week devoted to the topic due at the start of the following week's lesson. It’ll be an opinion piece, so there is no right or wrong answer, but I do expect it to be well-written and well-argued - you are not allowed to say you have an opinion 'just because'. Any further questions?"
He looked up and scanned the room, seeing a combination of distress, curiosity, and interest around the room. Nobody else raised their hand, so he nodded and tapped the screen of his pad, sending a hologram projection onto the wall behind him, where the words 'Hero Duos' were now displayed.
"In your internships, you’ll be expected to work as part of an agency and a hero team. We’ll be starting with the smallest measure of a hero team-up. Today's lesson is about what the hero world defines as Hero Duos," he stated plainly, moving to sit on the edge of his desk. "Does anyone want to try and define the term for me?"
"Yeah! It’s when two heroes team up to crush villains." Hifumi called out, hand hanging loosely in the air. Kitamura didn't bother reprimanding him for not waiting for an answer - in a discussion like this it was a waste of time unless people started talking over each other.
"Over-simplified, but not incorrect," he commented, causing the ex-delinquent to grin and get congratulatory backpats from his seatmates. "Why then do heroes team up? Can anyone elaborate on the term?"
This time there was silence as everyone glanced at each other or frowned in thought. That silence continued to the point where Kitamura nodded.
“Nyoro-san, can you help us out?”
"It's, um, an official partnership between two heroes," she stood and began, warming up to throw her voice properly, even though all eyes had turned to her. "They sign contracts as a duo and are always dispatched as a pair. Unlike a majority of heroes who work with whoever is nearby and do the best they can with whoever their assigned with, duos know each other's strengths and weaknesses already and have experience working together. There are other benefits as well."
"Very good," Kitamura acknowledges. He eyes the short-haired girl for a moment as she sat down hastily. "You must’ve done some research on the subject previously. Duos are rare, so there isn't a lot of common knowledge out there about them.”
He gestured towards the screen as he switched it to a different slide.
"Here is a list of requirements about what it takes to become a duo," he says, glancing at the class to make sure every student was paying attention. He shot a look at Faith, who quickly hid her phone away. Christopher's phone buzzed soon after, but Kitamura chose to ignore it. The image behind him shifts to a short list. "The first is obviously finding someone to duo with. From there, you have to undergo extensive amounts of training and counseling to ensure familiarity with each other's fighting style, and to make sure that your personalities match enough to get along and trust each other."
"Being a duo requires extra training?" Yui exclaims, looking a little surprised. "I just thought duos… teamed up and kept going."
"A common misconception," Kitamura assures her, unsurprised at the misinformation. "It's actually incredibly hard to be classified as an official duo. The level of compatibility needed is generally pretty uncommon, but combining that with the fact that most heroes want to go solo instead means that very few duos ever become fully official."
"What kind of stuff would be involved?"
The question came from Sandatsu at the front of the room, which was enough to take most of the class by surprise. Kitamura blinks at the black and blue-haired boy for a moment, a little surprised at the genuine curiosity and interest Sandatsu was showing in the topic when he's usually reserved.
"Well," he continued, "for the physical training, it's a lot of practice fighting with and against each other until you know each other's fighting inside and out. There are also a lot of trust and familiarity exercises too so that you get comfortable being around your partner. For the counseling, your compatibility and mental health are measured, and more trust exercises are done since the most effective duos trust each other implicitly. Each of those two steps needs to be signed off on by a qualified professional before you can even apply to become a duo with someone."
"That sounds like a lot of stuff to do, just to become a duo," Inigo comments, leaning back on his chair as he looked at the list being projected. "Why even bother, if it's so much work? I’d just partner up with my bros without all that."
Kitamura motions briefly to the screen, where he switches the slide to one labeled Benefits of Hero Duos. There are two parts, one labeled Heroes and the other labeled Society, splitting the screen into two columns of information.
"For heroes, it means a higher paycheck, for one," he says, gesturing at the bullet-point saying 15% pay increase before moving on. "It also means a lower injury and mortality rate, since they have practice working with the hero they're fighting with rather than fighting with a stranger and unfamiliar Quirk. Sometimes duos pair up because their Quirks complement each other, making them both more powerful and effective together than separately. Duos also tend to have a higher success rate in capturing their targets, meaning it's often worth the extra training for those who can complete it.”
He turned to another slide.
"For society though, the benefits are a little broader. As I said, there's a higher success rate in capture, so crimes are dealt with more efficiently. However, statistically, duos tend to cause less property damage as well and do a better job of protecting civilians nearby. As you are also probably aware, due to their rarity, duos tend to become something of a symbol to the general population. They are well-known and are significant faces of heroism while they are active."
"Does anyone know any Hero Duos that’s influenced you in your path to becoming a hero?" A hand from the back of the class shot up.
“Yes, Samson-san.”
Bobby rubs the back of his head for a moment, glancing down at his desk. A slight frown crosses his features for a second before he plasters on a weak smile over it and looks back up. “Sunman and Lifelight. They were pretty much together as a duo their whole career.”
“Correct. And they were very influential heroes in their time and would’ve inspired many to follow them.”
He spoke about his own parents, Kitamura realized. That explains why the topic was a little uncomfortable for the boy. Still, he showed initiative in mentioning them, and he should have insights into the wider world of heroics, which could only be a good thing.
"Anyone else?" he says, clearing his throat to dispel the awkward tension that had begun to permeate the room. “Atsushi-san.”
“Seiryu and Honoken,” Orochi piped up sheepishly. “They’ve gone on a lot of missions and you see them together all the time in Herograms."
"Not entirely correct," Kitamura said, causing Orochi to narrow her eyes at him. "While they work for the same agency. They’re not an officially licensed Hero Duo. Hoboken is a sidekick, which we’ll be going over in a separate discussion."
He waits to see if there are more answers, but when none are voiced he nods before speaking again.
"Take a moment to look around you. Do any of you already have someone that you would trust without hesitation to watch your back and fight alongside you, even in the most extreme situations? A partner that you know you could rely on no matter what?"
The students glance around at each other and murmurs spread across the room. Sally looks over at Noah and they exchange a knowing nod. Hifumi, Bobby, and Inigo threw smirking glances at each other. Ashleigh avoids eye contact with the rest of the class, shaking her head slightly. Sen furrows his brows, uncertainty clear on his face as he meets Kitamura's gaze. Hiro frowns contemplatively, while Edith clicks her tongue and looks away in annoyance.
Kitamura nods. "I want you all to think about that more as we go through this lesson. The trust and familiarity required for a successful duo does not come easily. When the time comes for you to choose teammates, whether for your internships or as pros, remember that you must be ready to fully commit to having each other's backs, come what may."
Kitamura looks around at the students. He gestures to the screen as he switches it to a different slide again. This time there are three photographs lined up side by side, each with a different pair of heroes.
"Here are some examples of influential hero duos," he begins, beginning by pointing to the heroes on the left. "This photo is of the very first official duo nicknamed the Shining Duo. The woman on the left is the American hero Lampbright, and the man on the right is Prism. They're a classic Silver Age example of duos becoming stronger together: Lampbright created light and heat, while Prism could bend light and change its intensity and color. Individually they were good heroes, but average at best - until they had a chance encounter with each other and realized they could be a powerhouse together."
Kitamura glances at his students, seeing interest on many of their faces, and a deeply contemplative look on Kaylee and Imai's faces. Chihiro, on the other hand, looked on with blank indifference.
"In the second photo we have a man and a woman who were good friends and decided to become a duo together: the Complete Duo. Not the most creative name," he smirks in response to a few huffs from his students. "But it suited them well. The woman was Waller, absorbing any force that struck her, only to be able to turn it back on them with pinpoint accuracy either in one small spot or dispersed, making her perfect for close-range combat. The man was Hailmaker, named after the weather phenomena he was able to create on a large and small scale, making him perfectly suited to long-range combat. They balanced each other out, making their fighting abilities much more rounded out and much more successful as a result."
Finally, he gestures to the last pair, a man and a person with no clear gender presentation.
"Here is our last set, the Connection Duo," he says, glancing at the class briefly. "The man is called Claydoh, and has an adaptation Quirk that changes his body to suit his needs, while the other hero is called Hypnodin, and their Quirk is a combination of low-level hypnosis, telekinesis, and telepathy. Between the two of them, they were able to combat both mental and physical Quirks pretty easily, and they are one of the highest-ranking duos in terms of success due to how well they worked together and were able to compensate for each other's weaknesses."
He was pleased to see most of the students looking thoughtful now, as well as a few of them looking more curious than anything. Kitamura suppresses a smile at the sight, glad they're seeing what makes hero duos so impressive. It takes time and hard work to happen, but he's been lucky enough to see one or two in his career that have blown dozens of solo heroes out of the water.
Kitamura paced at the front of the classroom. He stopped abruptly and turned to the side of the room where a large, covered object stood.
"In order to truly understand the concept of hero duos," Kitamura began, "we're going to do a little experiment."
The students leaned forward in anticipation as Kitamura dramatically unveiled the object, revealing an opened chest with an assortment of colorful wigs and quirky hats, each adorned with a hero-themed accessory.
"I present to you the 'Duo-lympics Hat Collection'!" Kitamura declared, gesturing cooly to the array of headgear.
Murmurs rippled through the classroom as the students exchanged amused glances. Kitamura-sensei’s teaching style and unexpected choice of props always caught them off guard.
"Today, we're going to explore the dynamics of hero duos in a rather unconventional way. You've all been working hard so see this is an opportunity to cut loose. Try to have fun with it, part of being a hero is reassuring the public after all," Kitamura explained. "Each of you will reach in and take a hat or wig from inside. Your hats should speak to you and your partner. You heard me right – you'll be forming impromptu duos for this activity.”
Many of the students looked around eagerly at the partners they hoped to get. Kitamura raised his voice to get their attention back.
"Your task is simple," Kitamura continued. "You’ll be given twenty minutes to put on your chosen headgear, adopt a duo name, and collaborate to create a brief hero introduction highlighting your combined strengths and quirks based on the hats. You’ll be graded on your creativity and understanding of hero duos. I’ve already chosen your partners randomly."
The class groaned at the idea of pre-assigned partners. One by one, each student approached the Duo-lympics Hat Collection and got their assigned partners.
The classroom buzzed with activity as other students donned their hats and wigs, and each pair got together to come up with inventive duo names and introductions. After the allotted time, each pair of students went up to the front of the class and introduced their duos.
Maxine + Minerva
Maxine and Minerva sauntered up to the front of the class, it was clear they spent most of the time chatting about something else, Maxine adjusting a firefighter's helmet on her head and Minerva wearing a hard hat. Maxine had her phone out, tapping away distractedly.
"Ugh, let's just get this over with," Maxine sighed, not looking up from her phone as she held out what she typed in the notes app.
"I'm Hard Hat Girl, my hat is indestructible, nothing can penetrate it," Minerva half deadpanned, rapping her knuckles on the hardhat."
"And I'm FireChief, I like, put out fires or something and we rescue people," Maxine added with an exaggerated eye roll.
"We're a duo called the Helping Hat Heroes," Minerva said.
"Our hats may seem silly, but they represent our strengths. I am sturdy and steadfast, ready to withstand any blow," Maxine stated.
“And I bring the heat to handle any criminal or crisis!" Maxine finished, placing her hands on her hips heroically.
"Yay teamwork!" They said in unison.
"Oh and like, my hat and outfit are red, hers is yellow, we complete each other, in fashion and being heroes." Minerva quickly added.
They both struck cute poses which got some cheers from the boys in the class.
{"Can we go now? This is painful for me."} Maxine whispered in Korean.
{"Omigosh same,"} Minerva replied. The two girls shared a smile and then broke into giggles as they headed back to their seats.
Imai + Inigo
Inigo grinned and bounced up to the front of the class wearing a Dracula-style cape and plastic vampire fangs. Imai trailed behind him reluctantly, wearing an oversized cowboy hat that drooped down over his eyes.
"Greetings, mortals! I am Count Jokula, the funniest vampire to ever stalk the night and spread fear and cheer!" Inigo proclaimed grandly. He let out an exaggerated vampire cackle.
Imai peeked out from under the brim of the huge cowboy hat. "Um, and I'm...Dead-Eyes..." he mumbled.
"Yes, while I bring the funny fangs, the sheriff here provides the straight-laced law and order! We make a good team by balancing each other out," Inigo declared. He mimed turning into a bat and flapping around the room.
"My vampiric abilities allow me to suck the energy from my enemies, leaving them as helpless targets for my partner’s wicked aim," Inigo continued with a flourish of his cape.
"My hat represents my quick draw skills," Imai added quietly. He mimed shooting finger guns from his holster awkwardly. Inigo looked on proudly.
"Look out villains, you're no match for our vampire cowboy duo!" Inigo cheered, wiggling his fingers threateningly.
Imai gave a small smile beneath the hat. "We make a great team, we’re the Dastardly Duo."
Inigo grinned and threw an arm around the other boy's shoulders. “And together, we make sure your ride into the Sunset is safe, pardner!”
Gigan transformed into a curtain depicting a sunset behind them and they both slowly walked away disappearing into the curtains.
The class laughed and cheered at their oddball yet entertaining duo.
Orochi + Sandatsu
Orochi and Sandatsu moved to the front of the class, Orochi adjusting bunny ears on her head and Sandatsu wearing a plastic football helmet.
"Hello hello, we are the Order and Chaos Crew!" Orochi declared cheerfully as she bunny-hopped and twirled, getting loud cheers and claps from the class.
Sandatsu blinked. "We are?"
("Yes! Weren’t you listening?”) She muttered before turning back to the class.
“I'm Easter Cascade, uncovering villains and their plans wherever I go! With my fantastical easter egg bombs." Orochi proclaimed, miming throwing explosives from her hands. Her hydra-heads pretending like they were just struck by a bomb.
"Okay then," Sandatsu said, going along with it. "And I'm…” He looked up at his helmet as if noticing it for the first time. “Helmet...Head...Guy." He adjusted the football helmet. "I have a really hard head...for protection."
"Together we sow the seeds of hope and disrupt tyranny!" Orochi cackled maniacally. “I’m fast and wily! And he’s hard-headed and tough. I make all kinds of complicated traps with my easter egg bombs!”
"Yeah...I just sort of stand around being useless though," Sandatsu deadpanned.
Orochi deflated. ("Aw c’mon.")
Sandatsu shrugged. ("Hey, you picked the characters, not me.")
"Actually! He makes the perfect bait 'cause he’s unharmed by my bombs." Orochi grinned, stepping in front of Sandatsu and bopping his helmet.
Sandatsu rubbed his helmet. “Yeah. It’s true.”
Seemingly pleased with herself for salvaging the presentation, Orochi struck a cute pose and departed with Sandatsu following quietly behind her. They were met with cheers and chuckles from the class.
Sandatsu spoke as they got to their seats (“Nice save.")
Orochi blinked. ("Really? I could’ve planned that one better.")
(“I wouldn’t worry about it.") Sandatsu leaned back and took a look at Orochi’s bunny ears. (“Hey, can we switch?”)
(“You want the bunny ears?”)
(“Yeah. They make me hoppy..”) Sandatsu said blankly. Orochi laughed out at the unexpected pun, which got her a sharp look from their teacher.
Jugo + Sora
Jugo and Sora stepped up to the front, Jugo wearing a pinwheel cap and Sora with a Boulder helmet.
"Greetings citizens, I'm Hexrock!" Jugo declared.
"And I'm Windstorm!" Sora said simultaneously.
(“Wait we got switched..”) Jugo muttered.
They blinked and chuckled awkwardly.
"Let's try that again," Jugo grinned and punched the air. "I'm Hexrock, blasting villains with my air cannon hat!" He mimed blasting gusts of wind.
"Right.. and I'm Windstorm, manipulating gravity and...wait no, you're Windstorm!" Sora corrected, fumbling the lines.
Jugo scratched his head. ("Oh yeah, oops. Okay, take three.)
Sora groaned and cleared his throat. "I'm Hexrock, crushing villains with my gravity powers!" He struck a dramatic pose.
"And I'm Bruise, packing a pinch! D'oh, I mean Windstorm!" Jugo announced, frowning.
"Our combined wind and gravity manipulation makes us an unstoppable duo!" Sora declared.
"Yeah! The...Gravity...Gust Duo!" Jugo added enthusiastically.
“I thought we agreed on Rock Wheel Duo?” Sora asked, Jugo shrugged.
They stood there for a minute arguing with each other before heading back to their seats, their fumbled presentation bringing plenty of laughs.
Chihiro + Ashleigh
Chihiro and Ashleigh were next, with Chihiro adjusting a green laurel crown atop her head and Ashleigh wearing a sparkling tiara. For twenty seconds, they stood in front of the class unmoving, quietly throwing glances at each other. The class sighed in relief as they stepped forward at the same time.
"Greetings, we are the Pixie Duo." Ashleigh announced in a soft voice. "I am Princess Glitterbeam, and I can fire glittery beams of energy that immobilize evildoers." She mimed shooting glitter beams from her hands.
"And I am Puck, a forest guardian," Chihiro added quietly. "With my hat's good luck, I ensure that nature's beauty endures." She gently touched a finger to a feather-like leaf sticking out of the crown.
"Together we spread hope and light, vanquishing darkness wherever it lurks. We’re compatible because we’re good at guarding shrines and forests," Ashleigh said, mustering her courage.
"My quirk protects the weak and small by letting me strengthen animals that do me favors," Chihiro said, growing more confident
"And my glitter makes criminals fall asleep in their tracks!" Ashleigh added.
The two girls shared a shy smile as their odd yet endearing duo came together. The class grinned and cheered at the unlikely pair.
Faith + Kaylee
Faith and Kaylee shuffled awkwardly up to the front, Faith wearing an astronomer’s cap and Kaylee with a viking helmet perched atop her head.
Faith glanced up nervously at the much taller Kaylee and leaned away slightly. "S-so, uh, you can like start..."
Kaylee crossed her arms. "No way. You do it."
"But you're better at this sort of thing!" Faith protested. "You know, with the yelling and the muscles and stuff..." She shrank back further from the intimidating girl.
Kaylee growled in frustration, causing Faith to step back. "Ugh, fine! I'm Steel Fist, punching out villains with my super strength!" She punched the air aggressively causing Faith to flinch.
Faith gulped. "O-okay, umm...I'm Professor Pi, and I use astronomy with math and programming to outsmart villains!"
She mimed typing rapidly on an invisible keyboard. "My expert star-based algorithms can predict the villain's next move by calculating trajectory, velocity, and accounting for environmental factors like wind resistance and gravity!"
Kaylee tapped her foot impatiently. Faith cleared her throat and continued. "Using astronomy, I can hack into security systems and disrupt the villain's technology using recursive SAT3-ES scripts and asymmetric encryption!" The class laughed at their antics.
Kaylee growled at the class’ cheers, causing Faith to let out a small shriek. "That's enough! We're the Smarts and Strength Duo. Let's go." Kaylee stomped back to her seat with a somewhat relieved Faith scurrying after.
Hailey + Hoge
Next were Hailey and Hoge, with Hailey wearing a baseball cap and Hoge antennae headband.
"Let's make this quick," Hailey said with an exaggerated sigh. "I'm Sporty Spice, she's Alien Whatever, something about teamwork and hats. Are we done?"
Hoge pursed her lips but spoke up. "Apologies, but I had prepared an idea. If I may?"
Hailey rolled her eyes but gestured for her to continue.
Hoge stood straight, adopting a gentle tone. "Greetings, I am Starlily, spreading hope from the stars. And this is my partner Sporty Spice, bringing justice down to earth."
"Though we seem different, our hearts are united in helping all people, both near and far. Her remarkable mastery of all sports endears her to the common men. My advanced perception of all wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum makes me valuable to scientific study. Together we’re able to contribute to the whole of society and give each understanding we would otherwise lack. This is why the Sports Star Duo was created."
Hoge stepped back with a small proud smile. Hailey looked mildly impressed before adding "Yeah...what she said. And for our hero gear, I'm all about the hottest sports tracksuits, and she's slaying in a spacesuit that's outta this world. Our coordination is flawless, making other hero duos look like amateurs.’ She said confidently with her hands on her hips.
They headed back to applause from the class.
("Not bad, nerd,") Hailey admitted as they sat. ("You really took this seriously.")
("Any task assigned by a teacher should be given proper focus.") Hoge replied.
Hailey shrugged. ("I just don't buy into these gimmicky teaching styles. But...I guess it shows you're reliable or whatever.")
Takara + Bobby
Takara skipped up to the front of the class, adjusting a glittery diver helmet on her head. Bobby sauntered up beside her wearing a flowery mermaid crown and spinning a football on his finger.
"We're the Sirens Duo." Takara said cheerfully, flipping her hair. "I'm Starfish, breathing underwater and luring the bad guys in with my song!"
She mimed singing dramatically. Bobby laughed and posed flexing his muscles.
"And I'm AquaDude! I'm super strong and handsome," he joked, winking at the class. Some of the girls giggled.
"We're a total dream team!" Takara said, latching onto Bobby's arm. At their seats, Minnie narrowed her eyes.
"Uh, yeah!" Bobby chuckled, gently removing Takara's grip. "With my muscles and your swimming skills, we'll be unstoppable!"
"We should practice our synchronized swimming routine after school sometime," Takara suggested to Bobby.
“Ha, maybe some other time (you know this isn’t real right?)," Bobby demurred, rubbing his neck awkwardly.
“It doesn’t mean we can’t still hang out.”
“Maybe? AquaDude has a lot of ocean to patrol.”
“You promise?” Tanaka brightened up.
Minnie glared daggers at Takara as the android girl continued invading Bobby's personal space as they finished their presentation. Finally, Bobby guided Takara back to their seats by the shoulders.
"Great job partner, but let's not get too close, hey?" Bobby said tactfully, giving her a friendly pat on the back before returning to his seat beside the fuming Minnie.
Yui + Edith
Yui sauntered up front, scratching beneath her giant mushroom cap. Edith primly followed, adjusting her sailor's cap.
"Yo, I'm Shroomhead, poisoning punks with my fungal fumes!" Yui declared with a growl.
Edith crinkled her nose. "I'm Anchor. My nautical skills guide our voyage."
"We're the Poison Pirates! I wreak mushroom mayhem while you steer the ship, capiche?" Yui jabbed a thumb at Edith.
"I told you - I’d prefer to avoid piracy," Edith replied tersely. "We're the Explorer Duo."
"Hell no, we're pirates!" Yui scowled. "Got a problem with that, sailor girl?"
Edith bristled at the intimidating delinquent. A shouting match seemed imminent before Yui suddenly grinned.
"Yarrr! Alright, we’re the Explorer Pirates, the scourge of the seven seas and all land!" She playfully elbowed the bewildered Edith.
Edith composed herself. "Yes, well...our unique abilities make us capable on land and sea."
"Darn right! Those loser villains won't know what hit 'em!" Yui cheered.
Despite their rocky start, the misfits managed to work together to a nod of approval from their teacher.
Noah + Sen
Noah adjusted his cat-eared headband and approached the front happilly. Beside the smaller boy, towered Sen, barely contained excitement on his face beneath a red luchador mask.
Noah cleared his throat. "Meowy meow. For our presentation, my partner Sen has prepared a...unique poetic interpretation of our duo."
Sen nodded eagerly. Noah smiled and read from the paper Sen had provided:
"Ahem...Angel Kitty and El Lucha Choo Choo, the duo of Mighty Grace.
We the glowing hands and the sleek masked wrestler, we winning the race."
Noah glanced and smiled awkwardly at Sen who was all smiles.
"Angel Kitty flies on wings of faith, soaring over tracks of life. While El Lucha Choo Choo rides the rails, evildoers filled with strife."
"Together coal in hand, beating villains near and far. Cinders and ashes, cinders and ashes, no evil can touch their traveling car."
"Delayers beware, El Lucha's piledriver of justice! You're no match for Angel Kitty's rend."
"Choo choo! Our duo is always on time, makes baddies flee from sight! The end."
He turned to Sen who gave an enthusiastic double thumbs up. Noah managed a smile in return.
The class applauded politely, though most looked baffled by the offbeat poem.
Christopher + Hiro
Christopher and Hiro stepped to the front, Christopher adjusting a white baker's hat and Hiro sporting a steampunk top hat. Neither of them seemed too excited to be up there.
"Hello, I'm Bakerman," Christopher began, looking down at his notebook instead of the class, "My hat represents providing sustenance to the hungry."
"And I am Lord Cogsworth, purveyor of futuristic innovations," Hiro added. “We don’t just fight, we mainly rescue people from hunger.”
"According to statistics, up to 10% of the population experiences food insecurity," Christopher read. "My carbohydrate generation abilities provides the solution."
Hiro remarked, "However, logistical limitations make widespread distribution unfeasible. Utilizing automated steampunk delivery bots gets the food where it needs to be… Let’s take Africa for example."
Christopher paused and looked at him boldly, “Why do you want to start there?’
Hiro shrugged, “Trust me, it’s the best launching point.”
Christopher shook his head, slightly irritated. “No.”
Hiro picked up a chalk and started writing on the board. “I’ll show you..”
The two students delved into an impromptu debate about optimizing baked goods dispersal and the hypothetical costs of steampunk engine maintenance. The class started tuning out.
"Furthermore, your proposed pasta dispersal fails to account for inflation rates," Christopher countered, adjusting his hat. "The price of durum wheat has risen 17.6% this decade."
"Good point.." Hiro muttered. "But we have to factor in fluctuating commodity prices..."
The two scribbled equations on the blackboard faster, debating economic algorithms while the class slouched in boredom.
"Your idea for a fleet of steam-powered food zeppelins does show promise..." Christopher conceded.
“You’ve made your point, I’ll consider South America…” Hiro relinquished.
"The Upper Crust Duo will take society to new heights." They both said in unison. They shook hands, pleased with having solved the hypothetical famine before realizing they had completely lost track of their actual assignment.
"Er, anyway, thus concludes our presentation. We apologize for the tangential discourse," Hiro concluded awkwardly, turning back to the dozing class.
The intellectual duo sheepishly returned to their seats amidst scattered polite applause for the densest presentation yet.
Hifumi + Sally
Hifumi bounced up front, sporting a frilly pink bonnet. Beside him trudged Sally, an ornate Japanese helmet sitting awkwardly atop her head.
"Greetings civilians! I'm the super tough Powderkeg Bonnet!" Hifumi bellowed.
Sally blinked, adjusting the unfamiliar headwear. "I'm uh...Hat Girl? (W-what is this thing again? I can’t see anything.)"
"Together we're the Explosive Duo, demolishing evil with our power!" Hifumi shouted excitedly.
"Right, my hat. Well, I’m a soldier." Sally faltered, having no idea what the hat was meant to represent.
Hifumi flexed his muscles. "My dainty bonnet hides my raging strength! One explosive-emitting punch from me - BLAM! No more villains!"
Sally shifted awkwardly. "My hat is...from Japan- {Ugh- this is stupid}" she muttered, changing to English halfway through.
Hifumi saw Sally was struggling. (“It's a jingasa.”) Hifumi whispered. ("It's a type of helmet-hat that samurai and ashigaru wore in battle..The crescent crest and expensive lacquer indicated high status and honor.")
"Oh, yeah!" Sally latched onto that. "I’m a sword-wielding hero with a noble warrior spirit!" She struck a dramatic pose, mimicking Hifumi's energy.
"Our team specializes in melee combat! So it makes sense to team up, sword and fist can take on anyone in the battlefield." Hifumi cheered.
An idea struck Hifumi. ("Sally, take a warrior stance! Like this.”)
He planted his feet shoulder-width apart and held his arms out in front of him, palms open and fingers curled as if grasping a sword.
"Oh, uh, okay!" Sally mimicked his pose, feeling silly but going with it.
"Excellent! Now you look like a true samurai!" Hifumi declared.
Sally found herself getting into the role. She adjusted her posture, holding the dramatic stance with new confidence.
"My warrior spirit will cut down evil with honor!" Sally proclaimed, mimicking slashing motions with her arms.
"And my raging strength will crush villainy to dust!" Hifumi added, striking his own martial arts pose.
Together they did a mock duel in front of the class. Their infectious enthusiasm built as they struck poses and shouted about defeating evil. Sally had embraced the role, feeling a rush as she and Hifumi fed off each other's energy.
The class broke into cheers as the demonstration ended. Sally shot Hifumi a grin, glad he had pushed her to fully commit. Their unlikely duo was a hit.
After every pair had gone in front, the students broke into chatting about their favorite duos and presentations, and Kitamura decided to allow it, glancing at the clock. After a few minutes, he broke into the quiet conversation, causing the students to immediately fall silent again.
"Alright, well done all of you! We don't have much more time today, so for this week's essay please write two pages - no more than two, Cain-san, I will dock points - on a hero duo and talk about them; why did they make the decision to team up, why did it work for them, and how successful were they?"
"Is there a specific region you want us to use?" Minerva asked, half-raising her hand as she spoke.
"No, you are free to choose a region, and if you're having trouble picking a hero duo, let me know and I can direct you to one," he replied, standing up and stepping away from his desk. "Any more questions?" There was a series of headshakes, and Kitamura nodded firmly.
There was a quiet grumble from the students at the assigned homework, but a little less than usual. Likely, that was because they were fascinated by the topic - he'd be surprised if they weren't. Duos are uncommon, and they are still hero students. The sound of hurried writing filled the air as the class wrote down the assignment. After giving them a moment to finish, Kitamura narrowed his eyes at them in his usual fashion.
"Good. I'll expect those essays next week then." A bell quietly sounded, signaling the end of the homeroom."Now you should go change into your hero costumes for our next activity. You have ten minutes to be at the usual training grounds." Chairs screeched as the students scrambled to get to the changing rooms, not wanting to face their teacher's wrath if they were late.
Inigo's heart raced as he dashed through the bustling halls in his hero costume. His footsteps echoed against the wooden floors, harmonizing with the distant chatter of students.
"Sensei, wait up!" Inigo called out. His gaze was fixed on the tall and enigmatic teacher known as Hijack-sensei. The teacher's quirk preceded him; his ability to manipulate other quirks had given Inigo an idea.
Hijack-sensei turned, his brows arching in mild surprise as Inigo caught up to him. "Myoga-san, what is it? You alright?"
Inigo briefly caught his breath. "Yeah, but I got a favor to ask," he began, his words rushed yet earnest. He hesitated for a moment, feeling the weight of his request. "Can you use your quirk to turn off my connection to my construct?"
Hijack-sensei's eyes narrowed slightly. "Your connection to your construct? You mean Gigan?" His quirk manipulation had allowed him to learn about his students' abilities and talents, and Gigan was no secret within the school – Inigo's loyal dragon-like construct that accompanied him almost everywhere.
Inigo nodded. The dragon, perched on his shoulder, mewed softly in a worried manner. Inigo's fingers gently brushed against its head, an unspoken reassurance passing between them.
"Yeah," Inigo confirmed. "I wanna know what the world looks like without Gigan." He paused, his eyes meeting Hijack-sensei's with a mixture of sincerity and apprehension. "Sorry, buddy," he whispered to Gigan, his tone apologetic, "I have to do this."
Hijack-sensei's lips curved into a thoughtful smile. "An odd request, Myoga-san," he remarked. "But I'll humor you. Come see me after school, and we'll take a closer look at this." Hijack-sensei started walking again.
"Thanks, sensei!"
"No problem!" He waved his hand. "You got 5 minutes! Get to the training grounds, Myoga."
"You got it!" Inigo grinned and ran off to join the others.