Chapter 164: CHAPTER 160(Career Planning)
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pat.reon: Keanu_Eugene (Unlimited chapters ahead)
CHAPTER START---
"What do you mean he paid for it?" Horizon asks.
Currently, he, Sero, and Tokoyami were sitting at the couches in his massive dorm room. Tokoyami was on the floor leaning on the coffee table, filling out some Villain Insurance paperwork.
Sero had some of his paperwork in hand, as both boys came to Horizon for advice on handling the logistics of Hero Work and some career planning.
"Check it," Sero hands Horizon a page which he quickly reads.
"Ok," Horizon shrugs and hands it back. "So the seemingly ungrateful billionaire asshole...wasn't that ungrateful."
"Doesn't matter to me," Sero says with a chuckle. "All I need to know is he paid my Villain Insurance for that helicopter rescue, makes sense since I saved him in that."
"And now you can get paid, correct?" Tokoyami asks. "Because otherwise the cost of the collateral damage would have been deducted from your payment?"
"Pretty much," Sero says.
"But that begs the question, when can we hold the Pro Hero responsible for the damage, and when do we blame the villain?"
Sero looks at Tokoyami, but can't come up with an answer, so he looks to Horizon who was sitting opposite him scrolling through his phone. "Uh, care to give us your idea of how that system works?"
"They rate it based on your history alongside some considerations based on the recordings or witness accounts, as well as the Quirks involved," Horizon says.
"Uh...wanna dumb that down for me?" Sero asks.
"Ok, think about it like this," Horizon says as he puts down his phone. "Mt. Lady has to stop a villain with a Tape Quirk, when the cops show up the entire street is torn up with massive craters, what do you think caused them?"
"Her stomping," Tokoyami says. "That's one of her Super-Moves..."
"Mhm, but the government has to pay to repair that, which is where Villain Insurance comes in. But since, in this case, it wasn't necessary, it gets detracted from her pay. If the villain was someone like Kirishima and she had to stomp him to crack his shell, then it would have been fine."
"And if the villain did the damage, it would have been fine, right?" Tokoyami asks. "Plus if it keeps happening they'll just stop investigating it and just continue charging her."
"Exactly, this is another reason Sero and I have cameras on our Hero Costumes. Most heroes don't bother with body cameras outside of America, that's one of their ancient regulations with Law Enforcement forces that just transferred over to the Pros after all."
"Plus most of them would just break it," Sero says. "Fragile things and fighting villains don't go together..."
"Exactly, plus more content means more popular in the Pro Hero world."
"Yeah, but I don't get why they had to cut my pay to zero after that helicopter rescue, I think I did pretty good with that," Sero says.
"You literally paid nothing compared to the full cost of fixing the damage you caused to that building, you're lucky they didn't put you in debt," Horizon says.
Sero chuckles nervously at that, "yeah, when you put it like that I did get off easy. Stills sucks thought."
"Mhm," Tokoyami stops writing and looks up to Horizon. "So for the section about my maximum damage output---"
"The higher the output the more eager they will be to charge you for Villain Insurance since the chances of the collateral being caused by you in higher."
"I see, so I should put my lower power output in order to preserve my payment, yes?"
"No," Horizon says. "I mean yeah that's an option, but you won't get many team-up requests or assignments from the Hero Public Safety Commission if they think you're weak. Just put the truth then do your best, get stronger, get popular, then you'll get more chances to help people."
"Or in my case," Sero says. "More sponsors and popularity!"
"I see," Tokoyami leans back against the foot of the couch and looks down at the papers. "I didn't realize such deceptively trivial paperwork had such dark meanings behind them----"
Sero gives Horizon a confused glance to which he just shrugs in return.
"---But I suppose paperwork shall be part of my life now. I have much of this to endure during my work studies with Hawks this semester."
"Well, that's a dramatic way of putting it," Horizon can't help but rolls his eyes beneath the visor at Tokoyami's usual persona. "Just don't break things and you'll be fine, and be sure to look good for the cameras."
"Mhm," Tokoyami just nods as he continues chewing through the paperwork.
"And save people," Sero adds.
"Right, that too," Horizon shakes his head, then the conversation continues.
A few moments later, another career-focused reveal surprises Tokoyami.
"You really don't plan to sign on with Edgeshot as a Sidekick?" He asks Sero. "But he's the number 4 Pro Hero."
"Yeah but he mostly does stealth stuff and detective work," Sero says. "Honestly Jeanist is a better fit for my Quirk but his style is way to reactive for my liking."
"Well you'll be working with Kamui Woods again," Horizon says. "Just like your internship since you spent it with him."
"Mhm, since he, Edgeshot, and Mt. Lady formed a team they've been spending a lot of time together, so I basically get 3 Pro Heroes to teach me stuff at once," Sero chuckles deviously. "No way I could pass up on this offer. But they really should have come up with something better than 'Lurkers' for a team name..."
"I see, but that begs the question, who do you intend to work for?" Tokoyami asks. "Atleast after we become Fully Licensed Pro Heroes."
"Well, I'm planning to go solo once that happens, skip the Sidekick stage all together."
"That's risky, but you're already quite popular with Horizon's help, if you follow his lead it shouldn't be impossible. I don't envy the amount of work that will take."
"Yeah its a real pain in the butt," Sero admits. "But it gets me ahead of the competition."
"So you intend to be like Mirko? Running about Japan without an established agency anywhere?"
"Kinda," Sero says. Then he glances at Horizon who wasn't paying them much attention, still on his phone, then back down to Tokoyami. "But its more likely I'll be working with someone, but not like a Sidekick."
"Ahh, a Hero Team," Tokoyami pauses for a moment as he considers it. "A wise choice, operating alone has become more dangerous lately."
Both Sero and Tokoyami discuss the positive and negative aspects of being solo vs being in a Hero Agency or Team.
But Sero leaves Tokoyami mostly oblivious to the fact that he'd just sign on to work out of Horizon Tower when they receive full licenses, skipping the cost of setting up his own agency and forcing himself to operate in an environment where he cannot slack off.
But Tokoyami isn't an idiot by any means, and everyone knows they've both been operating out of Horizon Tower this past week.
It was a simple issue to reason that they would continue operating as they are.
As a moment of comfortable silence passes Sero begins laughing quietly, "I can't believe this is a real conversation I'm having, back when I was little I'd dream about even meeting a Pro Hero. Now I'm so close to becoming one, and I talk to them every day..."
"I understand what you mean," Tokoyami says. "I've never been a 'fanboy' like some of our classmates. But I've always admired the control and precision Pro Heroes have, and here I am, actively learning from them and being mentored directly. Sometimes I still find it hard to believe."
"Mhm, never thought I'd be here either," Horizon says, surprising them. Atleast before he clarifies, "not because I believed my skills aren't enough, obviously. I just never saw myself playing hero, but here we are..."
A few minutes later and while they were enjoying the silence Horizon warps one of his metal calling cards into his hand, then tosses it forward.
It hovers in the air between both couches for a moment.
"Shambles," Kyoka Jiro suddenly appears in his room, standing frozen with a hand reaching up.
Warped inside just before she could knock on his door.
It takes her a moment to realize what just happened, then she just puts her hand down and huffs, giving Horizon an annoyed look.
"I thought Principal Nezu told you to stop doing that!"
"He did, but you literally can't stop it," he shrugs. "Now, why were you about to knock on my door?"
Jiro just rolls her eyes, "why didn't any of you respond to the messages we sent in the class chat?"
"Uh, my phone is in my room, the battery died," Sero says.
"Same here," Tokoyami says.
Then Jiro looks to Horizon who still had his phone in his hand, "why would I ever have the class chat notification settings turned on, I don't care what you people usually have to say..."
"Whatever, just...they're planning to watch a movie downstairs," she looks at Sero. "Your girlfriend and Juzo are here for it and helping set up. If you guys want to vote for a movie then get down there before they start it, I've already cast my vote."
"Uh, who's winning?" Sero asks, with clear concern. "Mina and Toru started an alliance."
"Oh crap!" he hops off the couch, and Tokoyami immediately stands up with him. Before they rush off he looks back at Horizon who still hasn't moved. "Uh, you coming?"
"Jiro and I will be down in a second, I'll watch whatever you all vote for," Horizon says, surprising them that he'll actually be attending.
"Uh, right," Sero glances between them but doesn't ask any questions, quickly leaving the room with Tokoyami.
Leaving the awkward Jiro standing before Horizon, who was looking her up and down in her shorts and an oversized t-shirt.
"Do you wanna sit down to say whatever it is you've prepared?" Horizon asks.
"Uh...what?" Jiro tried to play dumb, failing miserably.
"Stupid doesn't look good on you," Horizon says. "And I saw you practicing some speech in front of my door for five minutes, well, spit it out already, we've got a movie to watch."
And just like that Jiro felt her heart hammering in her chest, as if it would soon try to break her ribcage...
END CHAPTER---
Chapter 165: CHAPTER 161(Movie Night)
Discord: https://discord.gg/t7bHrdRY7Y
pat.reon: Keanu_Eugene (Unlimited chapters ahead)
CHAPTER START---
Sitting across from Jiro, Horizon could see her twitching anxiously. Tapping her foot, playing with her earphone jacks, biting her lips.
Beneath his visor, he rolls his eyes, then picks up his phone once more. Scrolling through it he casually asks her, "you ever plan to talk?"
As Jiro is holding her breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She looks up at Horizon to see him sitting comfortably on the couch, scrolling through his phone and paying her little mind.
And the longer she stares the more overwhelming he seemed, and his presence just continues to fill the room, suffocating her.
So her eyes dropped back down to stare at her lap.
Meanwhile, Horizon was checking his messages and the Hero Network, not so patiently waiting for his leads to come in. Hoping to finally clear out some of the cases he's working on simultaneously.
'Great, now all I can do is sit on my hands and wait,' Horizon sighs and puts down his phone.
"I just wanted you to know," Jiro finally speaks up, causing him to look across toward her.
"To know what?"
"That I don't have a crush on you anymore," Jiro says, a quiver of uneasiness in her voice. "I just want you to know that. So we don't have any attraction between us now..."
"Uh-huh...right," Horizon raises a brow beneath his visor, not sure what the fuck was going on anymore. "Is that what you came here to tell me?"
"Y-yes!" Jiro nods a few times. "That's what."
"Well, um, alright," Horizon awkwardly nods. "Well if you're done convincing yourself, movie time?"
"Excuse me?" Jiro couldn't tell if she was more embarrassed, insulted, or annoyed. "What do you mean?"
"Well it's pretty obvious, right?" Horizon asks. "If you really didn't care you'd just move on, like a normal person. But you're here, going out of your way to say it to me, to hopefully burn whatever bridge you think you have, to remove the option. Because you know, for some idiotic reason that I can't understand, you still have an interest in me."
"N-No!" Jiro's voice cracks, but she continues as if nothing happened. "I just figured I should make things clear so there isn't anything weird between us. Especially after Momo told me what you said to her, the night before the summer camp got attacked."
"Mhm, and that's all still true. I've got too much bullshit on my plate to deal with relationship stuff on top of that."
"Good," Jiro agrees. "Me too, between training for the Provisional License Exams next year, studying, and anything else UA will throw at us, I can't---" and she rambles out a long list of nonsense Horizon couldn't care any less about.
But while that was going on that he was looking her up and down, ' she's cute, very cute. And talking to her isn't boring...could be fun. Oh, what the hell, fuck it, what's the worse that can happen...'
Seeing her caught up in her own ramblings Horizon interrupts, "this is a good look for you, you do know that, right?"
Jiro freezes, staring wide-eyed before blinking a few times. "What?"
"You zoned out, started rambling. Talking as if nobody was watching you, I think that fits you, that's when you're at your best... too bad most people will never see it, but I'm glad I did."
Jiro feels her face heating up, heart racing once again, but before her lips can part to give a response her mind couldn't properly consider---
"And for the record, never said I wasn't attracted to you, in some way atleast," Horizon shrugs.
Her eyes open wide as a strong pink blush breaks out on her cheeks, her breath hitches and her face contorts with a mix of emotions.
"Anyway," he once again stops her response. "Enough of this, let's get downstairs, they're almost done setting up."
Jiro's mouth was moving but no words could be formed, and before she knew it Horizon got up and gestured toward the door.
And now she's walking down the hallway beside the boy she couldn't make any sense of.
By every metric she thought governed her life he was... repulsive, to say the very least.
But then seeing him in action completely flips that on its head, the way he operates in the field was admirable to her eyes.
Atleast to what she's seen thus far.
When she and Momo had this discussion after the summer camp they both agreed that these were the reasons they were interested in him. But she'll admit her best friend is much more enraptured by him than Jiro herself is.
For better or worse, her friend is a Horizon fangirl.
"So what kind of movies do you watch?" Jiro asks, and mentally berates herself for only being able to say that.
"I don't really watch movies," Horizon says. "My life is so exciting that they're rather boring now. What about you?"
"I prefer music."
"The rocker girl with earphone jacks for ears and musician parents is all about music...very on-brand of you."
"Yeah, what about it?" Jiro grits out, getting defensive as they approach the elevator.
Horizon hits the button, "no need for the attitude, I never said it was bad."
"Sorry, I've just heard a lot of jokes about it in middle school. Part of being a Pro Hero is to not just be part of the 'family business' or whatever."
"So a rebellious phase," Horizon chuckles as they step into the elevator. "But sometimes being like your parents isn't bad, like me, I'm a perfect combination of mine after all."
"Doctor and soldier, right?" Jiro asks as they begin descending to the ground floor.
"Yes my father was a doctor, but my mother was a polymath, and fighting was just one thing she studied."
"Polymath?"
"Means you know a lot, about a lot of different things," he says as they exit the elevator, stepping onto the ground floor.
As they step into the main common area the entire room goes silent as they stare at Horizon.
He looks around, seeing the furniture pushed aside. Blankets and cushions on the floor with students spread out on them.
Most of students of classes 1A and 1B were gathered here, with a projector displaying the movie onto a large wall. And some speakers set up for the audio, courtesy of Momo.
'I guess more than just Yui and Juzo came over...' Horizon thinks as he sees the crowd staring at him. "What?"
They all immediately go back to their chatter and gathering their snacks.
"I need to go check on Mina," Jiro says. "She was supposed to make some snacks for me too."
"Have fun," Horizon says as she rushes off.
Watching her walk away Horizon takes in the view, "so this is what I do when I'm bored...maybe I need another hobby."
"A hobby?" Momo asks from beside him, causing him to turn toward her.
"I was just thinking aloud, nothing to worry about."
"Oh, alright, I saved you a spot with us if you want," Momo gestures to a blanket where her, Jiro, Tokoyami, and Juzo would be sitting.
"Sure," Horizon follows her over to his seat, but does a quick Scan. Finding Sero and Yui up in Sero's room. Just talking, for now, hopefully.
As they're waiting for the last group of people to finish making their snacks, Horizon looks to his side at Momo.
She was to his right with Juzo to his left. Since they were much shorter Jiro was sitting in front of him, with Tokoyami beside her.
"So was this your idea?" Horizon asks Momo.
"No actually," She says, then gestures to Mina and Toru, who they'd gotten used to seeing visible by now. "They actually thought of this, I had planned to spend the night studying."
"How'd they come up with this?"
"It's the last day of summer," Juzo says. "Well more like the last day of our vacation, the next semester starts tomorrow after all. Too late for us to go out and do normal teenager things, so they wanted to bring some normal into UA."
"Mhm," Momo collects a massive bowl of popcorn from Uraraka. "This is a good way to help everyone relax, atleast for one night. After all the experiences of this past summer, all the training and studying. I admit my brain needed this relief."
"Everyone did," Jiro says from her stop in front of Horizon.
"I'm more surprised this workaholic took a night off," Juzo says, gesturing to Horizon.
Everyone knew Horizon spent most if not all of his time working, so he earned some nods of agreement.
"It's not that rare for me to have fun and relax."
"Yes, it is," Jiro says. "Dude you talk about how uptight other people are, but you almost never stop working."
"Mmm, well, honestly I'm only here because I'm waiting for some info from my sources."
"Exactly our point," Momo says. "That can't be healthy. As much as I admire your desire to help as many people as possible, you also have to take care of yourself."
"I'm fine Momo. Besides, if life gets too stressful I'll figure out a way to relax, it's not like I don't know how to have fun. But these next 4 years are all about me being the best I can be, I've already considered them dead years in terms of my life."
Jiro spins around in her seat to face him, "so you just plan to only work for the next 3 years, nothing else?"
"I might have space for one or two things, but I have a schedule to keep, any suggestions?" he sees her blush slightly, and senses Momo looking at him from the corner of her eyes, a gentle smile on her lips.
"I barely have the next month planned," Tokoyami says bitterly. "Quite commendable that you have your life planned that far ahead."
"A goal without a plan is a dream, and dreams are for losers. You have to plan ahead and do the work to get the life you want."
Momo nods in agreement, but Jiro rolls her eyes, "and there it is, we almost went through one conversation without you calling someone a loser...almost."
"Most people are losers Jiro, there is a reason most people can't be a top Pro Hero, right?"
"Just because it's true doesn't mean you can't be nice about it," Jiro says. "You're already perfect at most things, if you learned to be a bit sweeter with people it would make it complete."
"The movie is starting," Momo interrupts them, prompting Jiro to turn back around as Toru dims the lights slightly.
And Momo scoots just a bit closer than necessary to Horizon...
END CHAPTER---
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