Chapter 21: New Practices
"Who could it be… at this time of night—" Sandra Tennyson muttered under her own breath as she reached for the door.
It had become 11 at night, most places had already shut down and she… *wasn't* about to go to bed… even though she would love to.
"When he gets home…" Like how could he do this to his own mother for two nights in a row now?! Just shooting one text and then not showing—
"Hey."
She opened the door and… it was her baby boy.
Happiness overtook all her senses. "Ben!"
Just when she was thinking about him, he'd finally shown up. Of course he was going to get a hug!
"Uhhhh—" An… embarrassed tone?
"We… I kind of got company here!"
She lifted up her head and saw three other kids standing behind him. One was Izuku…
"Oh, hi… I don't think we've met."
The other two she had no idea at all.
"Hi, Mrs Tennyson." Izuku spoke up, and thankfully the kind green haired boy could quickly introduce the group to her, in English as well.
But… he also was hiding his hands behind his back… for some reason. She should ask about—
"They're also my friends from school." Ben cut in, with his face still red. "We're all in the same class and… I guess we were a bit caught up with late night studying."
She raised an eyebrow. Is that so?..
Her son had his head lowered, hiding his eyes.
"Midoriya." She narrowed her eyes. The greenette almost jumped by the mention of his *family name*. "Is he telling the truth?"
"Uh…" Izuku hid one hand behind his neck.
Yep.
If she had learned anything from either of the two boys, it was that both were terrible liars when put on the spot.
"Ben, what were you doing out?" She quickly demanded. Were these kids a bad influence? Were they telling him that staying out this late was okay?
Unacceptable.
If they were a bad influence on her kid, it was best that she learn it, right this se—!
"Studying, Mrs Tennyson."
It was a soft spoken and gentle voice that interrupted her.
The girl from their group, who was called Yaoyorozu.
"We were staying at my residence. It was my responsibility to make sure our session ended at an earlier hour, however I let myself get lost in time." She bowed her head. "I apologize."
The girl, Yaoyorozu rather, was so proper, especially with her spotless English. And she actually seemed sorry.
"It's… It's okay." Sandra actually stumbled on her words.
"See, I told you." Ben, in the meantime, brushed it aside and walked on in. "Thanks for the pick me up back home as well, Yaomomo."
"You're welcome…"
Ben's mom… now sensed a bit of exhaustion in her tone.
She turned to the group. "I would invite all of you in, but it's pretty late..."
"Yeah, we better hit the road." Kirishima spoke up.
"Let me call you a taxi."
"No need." Yaoyorozu held up her hand. "We appreciate the offer , however—"
"Yaomomo here already has a crazy driver waiting for us." Kirishima cut in. "We're good."
Among the group, he was the one with the most energy, and a smile. "It was nice to meet you."
"Likewise." She replied with Ben standing by her side.
As the door closed though, little did she know, her "baby boy" was mouthing a word to his friends.
"Thanks." Kirishima repeated it in his head. "Well… you're welcome."
Ben disappeared from view, and Kirishima crossed his hands behind his head.
"That worked out way better than I thought."
Both Yaomomo and Midoriya saw fit to nod, with Midoriya very much stressed, and Yaomomo… disheartened.
Midoriya also brought forth his patched up fingers. "Our excuse was weak. Considering how perceptive she is, we could have easily been picked up if she decided topressusfurtherconsideringtennysons…"
And that was the point Kirishima lost the greenette in his muttering. But he could guess that everything he missed was about how the trio could be caught.
Yaomomo in the meantime… still had her eyes on the ground. When Tennyson's mom showed up, his focus was on giving a casual performance, but Kirishima knew that the vice class prez didn't raise her eyes once to meet anyone's gaze.
With their messed up attire, Kirishima could confidently say… that he didn't like seeing the team like this.
"Come on, you guys!" he nudged them. "We did what we came here to do, didn't we? We learned what troubled Tennyson so much!"
He averted his gaze. "... Granted maybe he had a *good* reason to hide it from us in the first place…"
His eyes sparked. "But he thanked us in the end!" His hands were clenched, excitement and relief was coursing through him. "He appreciates the help!"
Midoriya's expression softened. "That's… right, Kirishima."
The greenette tried looking at things from the sunny side up as well. "We… saved him in a way?"
The response to that came from Yaomomo. With one hand holding her shoulder, and her onyx-eyes still looking at the ground, she gave an equally deterred… "I suppose so."
"What do you mean, Yaoyorozu! You told us yourself. You said you wanted to fight alongside him, and now you can! We're a team now!" Kirishima wanted to grab her by the shoulders and say these words to her face… but the night seemed to weigh heavily on her.
"I shouldn't push her."
Kirishima made a move towards the stairs. Midoriya followed after him, and so did Yaoyorozu.
Their steps echoed, as they made their way in silence. Midoriya's place was in the same building, so he too was gonna split off from them here.
"Uh…"
Speaking of which, the greenette stumbled, breaking the silence. "I-I… didn't thank you for the new uniforms you've created for us."
Kirishima picked up after him. "Oh yeah, the battle roughed them up quite a bit."
Midoriya nodded. Yaoyorozu and Kirishima could have passed along without arousing suspicion, but his as well as Tennyson's jackets and shirts were torn apart.
"There was no way for you and Tennyson to pass with those rags." Kirishima put on his persistent smile.
"I…" Yaoyorozu spoke, with her hand clenching. "...I am thankful that I got to be of assistance."
Her voice was still weak, like a whisper.
Midoriya felt bad but… his troubles were also hard-pressing on his own mind.
One for All…
His gaze changed from his friend, to his fingers.
Thanks to the extra training he had been doing, on rare occasions, he could manage to not suffer the side effects. Maybe he was getting a better handle on it like Tennyson said, by getting the flow under control, but…
Even that was like a coin flip.
He couldn't control when it happened.
Tonight, with the 100% flicks he fired off, he got lucky a couple of times.
But if aliens were upon their world…
If there really was an imminent takeover…
He had to learn why and become better, fast.
Midoriya's hand reached for his doorbell, but stopped short. "This sports festival is going to be really important for us."
"Yeah, two and a half weeks to train up, and then show Tennyson what else we got." Kirishima quickly responded, raising and clenching his fist.
Yaoyorozu however, turned away.
"I agree." she gave another half-hearted answer. "However, we should go to sleep now, like Mrs. Tennyson said."
She glanced at Midoriya. "Midoriya, are you sure about not going to the hospital instead?"
The greenette shook his head. "No… It will be hard to explain to mom, but I can say it was late night training. And then see Recovery Girl tomorrow in the morning at school."
Kirishima knocked on the door for him, and they gave a similar explanation to Mrs. Midoriya, just changing the studying to some late night training, before taking their leave…
The gates of Yaoyorozu Manor opened.
"Last stop!" Launchpad said and looked at the back seat from the rear-view window.
Little Miss was still just gazing outside the window, in silence.
He parked before the front door. It was absolutely pouring on the outside.
"Um…" he uttered, before his "responsibility" popped into his head!
He was the driver for crying out loud, he needed to make sure the Little Miss didn't even have a drop of water on her!
He quickly jumped outside with an umbrella in his hand. Rain was starting to soak him.
"Come on, open!"
He was pressing its button, but only the handle was expanding.
"Don't mind it, Launchpad."
She had a transparent raincoat appear on her as she got out of the car on her own.
Momo took the umbrella from his hands. "You have to take off the cover…"
She did it and the canopy opened. As Launchpad took it and raised it over her, Alfred opened the door.
"Greetings Mi—"
Momo's mom immediately tossed him aside. "Oh Momo, where were you?! Come inside!"
She did, as upon her orders.
"Where were you, young lady? It's twelve, the middle of the night."
She pressed her, but wasn't raising her voice. Momo could tell that it was worry… rather than anger.
"I apologize. I was… caught up… in my duties as the vice-president."
That was a lie as well.
"But I want you to know- all of you to know that I never came here, wanting to lie—"
She winced, and her father descended the stairs.
"I will fast-forward through the scolding pumpkin…" He put his hands on her shoulders. " ...You could have at least sent us a text, or even had Launchpad send something."
She had to reply honestly, just for once. "I… hadn't thought of it at the time."
Her mind… What was she thinking at the time anyway?
"But you?! I thought you would be better, Yaomomo!"
"I was…" she protested—!
"Was I?..."
She sighed internally. The situation… She didn't know what to make of it.
All the while, her father made a face…
One that she felt familiar with: Disappointed.
"You should have seen how your mother got…"
"I'm… glad I didn't. Everything was already hectic." Momo thought.
Her mother approached her. "You should have told us you were fine…"
It was like thunder had struck her.
"You told us that you were fine…"
Momo could feel herself shrinking where she stood.
"I… I didn't want to li—"
"She almost used the emergency hero phones."
Yaomomo lifted her head up. She could swear there was a laugh at the end of that and she was right, her father had a soothing smile.
"Both of them too. Direct lines for Gazerbeam and… Fironic, was it?"
Alfred put on his usual deadpan tone. "I could barely stop her, miss."
But there was sarcasm under that. He was going with the flow.
"It's to Shishido and Edgeshot." Her mom said. "And I didn't get that up in arms!"
All the people in the room, except Momo, chose that moment to look away. The tension in the air had dispersed a bit.
"In any case, it was your responsibility to bring her home!" She turned to Launchpad.
"Mine, uh…"
"You could have called her while she was in school. I mean, were you just waiting in your car?!"
"No." A burrito appeared in Launchpad's hands.
"Ugh!.." She exclaimed, annoyed.
"Okay okay." Yaomomo's dad raised his hands, trying to establish order, before he looked at his daughter.
"Pumpkin, you know I kid when the situation gets like this. The last thing I really want is to play on your heartstrings, however…"
He was serious.
"Call us… next time."
"I will, father." she responded, trying and half-succeeding in putting some strength back into her tone.
"Then… we're in agreement." he said, but he could also hear her deflate… right before Alfred appeared by her side.
"Little Miss' bed has been prepared."
"Perfect timing."His father exclaimed. "You look like you're tired as well, so—"
"Thank you Alfred for the trouble." Momo interjected, before he could get a word in.
It was almost instinctive on her part and… it was all because of one restless feeling.
"However, could I ask for the training room to be prepared, instead?"
A brief silence struck across the household… just like the thunder outside.
"At this time of night?" Her mom spoke first.
"Aren't you exhausted, miss?" Launchpad followed up, and her mom took the reins back.
"Absolutely not." She stated. "Tomorrow is a school day…"
"Oh come on, missus." Launchpad was on her defense. "What's wrong with letting her stay up—"
A deadly glare firmly shut down Launchpad.
Momo… desperately looked up.
"Make sure to show a bit of that determination in the festival. Consider it a test for this new team."
"A test… that I need to pass."
Her father met her gaze. It almost felt like he was searching her soul but—
"One hour." His tone cut through. "Then, she goes right to bed, would you say that is a fair compromise?"
Momo answered him first. "It is."
Whatever she could get…
Whatever that they would let her get away with… she needed it now.
Her mother then turned to her, and nodded as well.
"Then—"
Momo immediately bolted out of the room.
"You will slip Momo, watch it!" Her mom followed close behind her.
Alfred and Launchpad were still in the room… and the man of the house was there, arms crossed, and one hand covering his mouth.
Launchpad also took the chance to leave, and so he lowered them and walked over to a grandfather clock, positioned in the living room.
He opened the cover of it. There was a hole at the side… but he chose to lift up his head to look at Alfred instead.
"I… better go and make sure the training room is prepared." the butler said in his deadpan tone, but as he turned around to leave… Mr. Yaoyorozu felt the lingering gaze.
He looked at the clock again, and grasped the right part of it… before letting it go.
He closed its cover.
Momo walked into the training hall, a giant chamber with a bench, weights, machines, dumbbells, gym rings… just about anything that you could expect.
She stood with a staff in one hand and her messed up hair from the night tied back fully, staring down the dummy with an armor of cushions before her.
"Remember Momo, you've got an hour." Her father's voice echoed from the intercom. "I will be watching and keeping time from here."
"Right…" she muttered under her breath, as she slowly walked up and circled the dummy.
Her staff started to spin between her fingers, slowly.
"Oh yeah?"
The speed picks up. Her eyes close as her breath steadies.
"This sports festival is going to be really important for us."
"HA!" She struck.
Both hands grabbed hold of the staff in an instant, her eyes didn't open, as a direct hit with the staff's tip landed on the dummy's chest!
"Don't let up! Focus!"
The image of a villain from the USJ appeared before her, off balance, so she went for several slams to the side, mixing brief spins in between!
She went for a stab towards the legs, and then followed it up with a hit to the face from the back of the staff!
Momo then backed off.
The force, even with the cushions, was rattling the mannequin.
She opened her eyes, and took in a breath. "I could have attempted to be more preci—"
She saw the Highbreed general flash by.
"Filthy specimen…"
Chills went down her spine. But, she didn't hesitate.
She struck again.
With several spins, she landed the side of the staff to the cushioned head.
Then her feet left the ground, using her jump's momentum as a strike as well.
Her movements were getting faster.
"Insolent vermin…" Words rang in her ears, but she continued to swing. "How much patience—"
She slammed the staff to the mannequin's ribs!
Her grip traveled freely, flowing over the staff.
She stabbed it in the chest!
Spins rapidly picked back up.
"Now… The gloves are off."
She landed another strike to the right arm.
Spirals… started appearing in her eyes. Her arms tensed.
"Time to make you take a time out!"
Another onto the left. Momo then raised her staff, and pulled it back.
Her hands felt like they were burning.
She muttered under her breath.
"DETROIT…"
Pupils flaring up, she brought it down with no hesitation!
"...SMASH!"
Landing a direct hit to the dummy's chest, her movements… came to a close.
"Ha… ha…" She panted in place.
That… that took the wind out of her. She could barely lift up her head to look at the mannequin's situation.
It looked to be tilting, about to fall to the left.
But… it didn't.
The dummy tilted back, stumbled a bit, before standing upright.
Her hands, the ones that were currently on her knees, shook.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
She gritted her teeth.
Her eyes were wide and rageful. They were no longer spiraling inwards, but rather exploding forth. There was a wildfire in her eyes… heart…
Almost like something broke—!
"TAKE THIS!"
Momo held the staff like a scythe and slammed it with all she got, right on the side of the head!
Her staff shook like a pendulum and rang in response to the strike.
But the dummy refused to fall.
She placed the end of the staff on the ground and leaned on it. "I—"
"Wasn't that cute…"
Goosebumps ran over her body.
She straightened up, eyes frantically darting around.
"Heard that kid?"
That growling deep tone…
Noises of clinking crystal.
Mixed in with a roasting warm magma.
And a repugnant kind of smell… with slime dripping down.
The hulking figure stood before her as the world around the two of them faded to black.
"You… aren't here…"
Her breathing was sporadic.
It finally opened his mouth.
"Because of what he did… I became someone who could enroll to U.A. through recommendations."
Her own words… echoed back to her.
The villain sneered. He looked away into the void, like the words didn't come from him.
His mouth though opened yet again.
"You had what you wanted?"
Her heart was pounding. "I…"
"You thought he would be dead?"
"No…" Her yell came out like a whimper. "I… I would never wish for such—"
You believed you would get to fill his place… You?!"
Shivers ran down to her arms. The claws on his underarms extended.
"What a sad thought… MOMO!—"
The world went dark. She heard the rushing sound, before moving…
"Momo!" It was her father, from the intercom. "Momo!"
She had fallen to the ground, on the back of her head, tripping over her staff. The light from the overhead lights were dazzling her eyes.
She was back… in the real world.
"Momo! Are you alright?!"
She could barely raise her upper body from the ground… The world felt like it was spinning.
"Y… Yes." She managed to reply, rubbing her eyes. "I've… just tripped. That's all."
Her hands… They were slow, shaking and cold. They almost felt numb.
Some strands of her hair had become untied, and the intercom had gone silent.
Her father was probably on his way, but Yaoyorozu… wasn't thinking about that.
She got back up from where she fell. Feeling slowly returned to her hands.
She grabbed the staff in hand and… stared down the dummy.
Her breathing was still jagged. Heart felt like it was about to pop off from her chest. Cold sweat was appearing all over…
It… wasn't good.
With her twitching, adjusting eyes, she looked up at the towering mannequin and in her exhausted, and… melancholic tone, muttered.
"Anyone else and… it would have toppled."
The prominent veins on her hand settled down, she let herself sit on the ground and watched as her father ran to her side.
Though a feeling continued to fizz inside.
Her father was starting to rain down questions to her… but none broke through.
"Was I… right?"
Ben 10 Hero Force
Chapter 21
New Practices
It had become the next day. Another morning in school…
Yaoyorozu rubbed her eye, as she was one of the last people to arrive, lamenting going to bed at such a late hour. It would surely affect her performance in class, and in every single subject.
However, those thoughts going by… weren't from the heart.
A distraction…
It was a means of distracting herself… from how small the world felt, considering what she knew.
She looked up to the door of the class… the bold and crimson letters of 1-A.
As no one familiar was around with her in the corridor, she was holding a tired, empty expression, like every thought was really being evaluated in her head, but just being said to distract from her inner silence.
"I… should be more presentable."
She rubbed her eyebrows, straightened her back, and made sure to wear both straps of the backpack. "I'm still the 1-A class vice president."
Momo entered the class and found her desk, quickly settling down. There was still 10 minutes until the homeroom. Still an acceptable time to arrive.
"Acceptable…"
Though that word ran once in her mind.
She shook her head though. Doesn't matter. She just wanted to watch the people coming through the door, into their classroom…
Todoroki…