Hoge stands apart from the crowd of students, trying to suppress resentment over their teacher's blunt criticism. They reach up and behind to unclasp the stylized helmet that acts as their heroic face and shake their hair free, eyes fixed in an unseeing stare at a bare patch of ground. The headache from the crash Hiro warned about breaches like a whale from the darkness below thought. The true bulk of it will be felt later.

There are times when you would know a villain's objective, but also times when you would suspect the wrong one and that can be used against you in battle.

They let out a long sigh and force a relaxed posture. Through habit, shoulders drop, knees bend, and hands dangle, about 10% into a controlled crouch. Their eyes float across the room and take in everything.

You perform how you rehearse. Simulations are to be understood, not won.

A frown flicks at the corners of their mouth and disappear beneath a blank expression. The other kids are excitedly passing out the last round of betting - everyone gets back exactly what they put in.

A tie. In a classroom, it's better than a loss. In the field, it means the criminals hurt what they meant to. Not good enough, Hoge. You can do better. And so you will.

Hoge slips closer to their class and draws no notice. It is to be expected, since the adrenaline rush has not worn off even now and their quirk is on full tilt. As Marumaru, Hoge could jump up and down right behind somebody and still might not get a glance in all the excitement of the moment. The landings would be too silent, and the leaping too blurred by the darkness creeping into Hoge's outline.

Sorry if I said something weird, Imai-kun. If you are still listening, please don't. And don't worry - I know the importance of secrets.

Hoge holds the heavy metal helmet with both hands behind and leans into a gap in the circle of kids. They're already talking about the next match and trying to figure the odds. The words blend together as they cajole and boast, and a dance of figures and estimations crowds Hoge's mind.

As class rep, they've had to take an interest in everyone. It has been more difficult in some cases than others, and there is obviously the influence of subjectivity. But this, too, is a valuable skill for the burgeoning professional. It is important to practice. It is there to be perfected.

Perform how you rehearse...

Maru stands up to full height and analyzes each face in the circle, then takes note of the ones still standing apart. Putting aside the spectators tired and beat up from their rounds in the contest for now, it only left nine relevant figures. Samson, Takeda, In-.. Myoga, and Owari on the defense, just like Team Maru had to achieve. Kang and Chang from the rich girl clique, working alongside Go and Sen on offense. Hoge's head snaps to the front of the room and eyes that deconstruct every moment to its constituent parts land on the reputable Laser Hero teaching this course.

These were not random selections, no matter the line being fed to the students. They test class 1-D too cleanly. What was he expecting with this match? What is his bigger plan here? An idle finger taps twice on the golden brown metal of the insectoid helmet of the Maru persona. Majestic-sensei is busy at the observation console that looms over everyone in the room. Hoge can't help but feel that he's making a point of not looking at the kids while they play in their betting circle.

Hoge's gaze locks onto Myoga again. He has a powerful ability and high synchronicity with the intelligent construct that embodies it. The biggest liability is that he can't control his libido. Hoge watches him mug theatrically while collecting bets and returning winks. The bob-haired class rep locks their shoulders high and wide. Myoga honestly might be capable of taking any of his opponents one-on-one, but he won't have the willpower to. Firstly because Hoge doubts he'll take a training exercise seriously enough to tap in to real battle instinct, but secondly because he's a chauvenist being sent against two of the most beautiful girls in their grade. He might even give ground in the contest just to try to gain ground in his flirting.

Hoge flicks their sight to Takeda, then, eyes narrowing to focus on the body language he's giving off. Ultimately, he's just too unfamiliar to be sure, but he definitely doesn't seem tired. If anything it's the opposite. But what has him keyed up? Is it this chance to push himself on his journey to be the best? Or is it anxiety over going up against the petty and emotionally volatile Hailey Chang? The two have been close. He'll have to choose from his two desires. Even the process of considering is going to be a distraction, and every distraction is an exploitable opening. (Maru is going to make a career on that truth.) Takeda's teleportation quirk is a good asset in this battleground, since there are plenty of blind spots and most straight lines of movement are blocked by construction. He'll have trouble with overcoming Sen's defenses and Kang's surveillance, too.

Hoge turns their gaze to Takeda's best friend next. Bobby Samson, boisterous American and hero legacy, is going to be leading their team. He'll take it as seriously as its meant to be. Although he's a flirt too, and a bit too thick-headed, Hoge has seen his steadfastness when the subject is heroing instead of, for example, differential equations. His pride won't let him offer anything less than his best. His quirk is straight-forward, which makes it a known quantity that can be freely redirected or compensated against. In that way, its powerful output is mostly irrelevant. Surprise brings victories and Samson does not seem to be hiding many.

Hoge waits a moment before they can force their eyes to turn to Owari. That kid's nothing but surprises, starting with why he's even here. Maybe it's part of the quirk he keeps hidden, but there's something about him that makes Hoge's hair stand on end. He has an intimidating aura that does not match the wet kitten look of him, and the contrast only makes the effect that much worse. It can't just be fear projection, probably. That wouldn't need to be so hushed up. Will it all get revealed just for this training exercise? Not likely. That makes him a liability. Almost a 3 v 4, then. Call it 3.5 v 4, since he's still a presence on the field and can presumably join a brawl. And there's also the chance, however slim it might be, that he wastes the trump card right here and today.

Hoge turns their head to look at the offense team leader, taking the moment to pop their neck. Both hands firmly grip the rim of their helmet and Hoge focuses a little more, becoming a bit sharper in thoughts and a bit vaguer in appearance. Someone very nearly slaps Hoge across the face when they bring their arms out wide as the betting argument heats up, but they don't, and Hoge's too dialed in to flinch.

Kang can turn anything into a working drone under her control. A botnet like that has versatility that's hard to beat, and it could easily sweep the entire field for the theft objective much more efficiently than anyone else in the class. Only a few could give more intel to their team, either, with as many cameras as she could pump out. How much offense she can bring to bare has more to do with how much weaponry she can stomach conjuring, though the three main boys on the defense team would have no issues breaking her bots individually. She doesn't have the same potential for distraction that the defense team suffers, either. Does she have any ability to lead? Team Maru proved the plan is everything.

I had great teammates, too. So maybe not everything. But it is primary.

Hoge puts the helmet back on now that their sweat is evaporated and their breathing is calmer. It feels safer behind the mask, and not because of the armor. Maru is simply a better version of Hoge, no more and no less, and the immobile insectile face gives less away. Marumaru takes a wider and more stable stance and turns their eyes without turning their head.

Chang. Now that's a walking liability. Her quirk, a true telekinesis, is powerful enough even if her body isn't. And she has the psychological edge on her opponents. But she's corrosive. She won't play nice. She spoils teamwork. And the way that she's controlling over her friends - including Kang - means that she'll be calling the shots even if Kang is taking the blame. She never struck Maru as particularly clever, and the opposite of clear-headed, so those calls will have hampered judgement. At best, that means the offense team is 2 and 2 versus the defense team 4. The teamwork between Kang and Chang will be high, and the teamwork between pair one and pair two will be low (if it even exists at all).

Glances are all Maru gives to Sen and Go. Go is still a mystery - his personality is made up of contradictions, and the mechanics of his ability are something Hoge will be trying to figure out from this exercise. But that might mean that he'll have surprises in store for everyone else, as well. Then there's the train-headed Sen. His quirk is broadly the same as Samson's (turning an environmental resource into enhanced strength and durability) but with a more punishing delay in ramp up and presumably a higher ceiling. They're both the scions of heroes bringing in family combat styles, but - and Maru would never say something this callous aloud but it doesn't make it less true - the users of Sen's martial art are all still alive. He also has more real combat experience from his distasteful middle school habit of brawling. They'll play nice in ways that the girls likely won't.

Maru takes a step back and moves around the outside of the betting circle, smoothly accessing a box on their utility belt en route. Placing a hand on Faith Kang's shoulder so she can notice Hoge through the camouflaging quirk, they wait to meet eyes through the visual filter of the Marumaru helm. "You can lead them to a win." Hopefully that's enough to keep Hailey out of the driver's seat without making her self-destruct things out of spite. Hoge tongues a button on the inside of the helmet, and it releases a calming aromatherapy mist of mint and spices that vents through the mask's fanged mouth moments later. Hoge feels their heart beat slower and the muscles around their eyes relax. The headache slaps its tail against the waters of the mind, but there are a few moments where Maru is sure that the quirk is suppressed.

They lean in and reach out to dump the entire contents of their wallet, including today's lunch money, into the betting pot. "Everything on a villain victory." Then Maru flips the wallet closed, steps away to the wall, and rides out the rest of the break.

Please wait for me strawberry corune.

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Pub: 23 Apr 2023 07:03 UTC
Edit: 23 Apr 2023 18:57 UTC
Views: 524