As the hour for lunch drew to a close, more possibilities opened up with our afternoon classes. The schedule UA structured out gave students all the periods after lunch to be used for their assigned courses. While Hero students would be practicing to save the world and Business students did. . .taxes, or something, we Support kids would work on the first assignment Professor Q would give us.

    My peers and I moved back into the 1-H homeroom and sat behind our desks as the professor hurried into class. He fixed up his lab coat and ran a hand through the hair that ignored gravity, then positioned himself in front of his class.

    "I'm sure most of you are curious about your new class project, and I don't mean to cudgel your brains wondering what it could be, so I'll make this brisk." Q stepped behind his desk to grab a hold of a pull-down poster that explained everything he said in cartoon visuals.

    "The first assignment I have will be a collaboration exercise pairing you all with the Heroics class 1-A." Q pointed a ruler to the simple graphics, and I didn't know if I liked where this was going or not. Q's announcement continued, "Working alongside Pro Heros is something all of you scallywags will have to master in your near future. Class A's teacher and I both agree that a fun and educational project for you all will be the task to design and create functional hero costumes! If that's not zesty buoyancy, then I'm not sure what is!"

    While Q was over the moon about his 'buoyancy', most of the class wasn't so excited. It was no hidden secret that the kids in support weren't close with the kids in either of the hero classes. On the first day, a rumor went around that said one of my classmates even took a swing at a kid from 1-A after some choice words were said about us 'extras'. However, Professor Q had a point: if we wanted to make it in the Support Industry, we had to learn to work with people who knew they were better than us.

    Q explained a little bit more about our assignment before dismissing the class outside where we'll meet our designated Heros. Most of the class started heading down, and I almost followed behind until I realized I would need more than just my head to keep notes in. It was likely the person I would be assigned to would have some sort of complex hero Quirk, so I dug through my backpack for a pad of paper I didn't already write through. When I got a hold of it and my new whiteboard, I could start heading outside. That is if a certain someone didn't block my path.

    Just my luck that Siri Remata had nothing better to do with her time than make my life hell. The blue-haired girl stood at the end of my desk with her arms crossed and her bright eyes targeting me. A thought in the back of my head told me she wouldn't notice if I just inched towards the door a few feet away, but I was more sure there was something she had to tell me that I wouldn't get out of.

    I looked around either side of my shoulders in hopes of finding someone to share the wrath of this girl, only to come across empty desks and chairs. Unsure of what to tell her, I shrugged and waited for Siri to say something.
   
    "Don't get confident. This is the first test of the year, and it'll point out the strongest and the weakest kids in the class," she told me, sending a glare to emphasize she already knew who here was the stronger one.

    Not wanting to waste ink writing down some retort to her nonsense, I took another look to find anyone else to handle this. I was thankfully reassured I wouldn't have to fight this battle alone when I caught a glimpse of Double's dusty orange hair at the doorway. Snake and Dani followed him inside as I moved to stand closer to them and further from my bully.

    "What's going— What's going on?" Double asked. I could tell he was trying hard to get that short sentence out without breaking up.

    Remata looked more aggravated with my friends' arrival than before. However, she still kept the effort to try and trash talk us. "I'm just making sure Poltergeist here knows who's going to have the best design in the class project," she said confidently. "Hero costumes are normally equipped with gadgets, which I happen to advance in. So, watch your backs."

    "Don't hold your breath, Circuit Spasm," Dani snapped back. I looked up to see him stand behind Snake and Double and start to stick up for us. "Snake and I both got in on recommendations, and I'm willing to bet Rocket and Double could think of better designs than you in their sleep."

    From his left, Double was nervously fidgeting with his fingers. "Yeah—Yeah, but it's not a—a competition."

    "Because if it was, we'd kick your ass," Snake added.

    I didn't think to add anything to the dialogue other than pointing to Snake to agree with her. While I wasn't necessarily trying to find trouble, I refused to let Siri underestimate the rest of us.

    It didn't look like our self-assertive lines did much to phase Remata. She raised an eyebrow up at Dani and challenged, "Who said it can't be a competition?" I looked back, thinking to see someone on my side throw in a comeback of some sort, but I only found the three of them look just as lost as I was.

    We let Remata elaborate on her idea. "Everyone in the class will show the designs for their Hero student in two weeks, and whoever has the best one gets. . .to be class rep." If things weren't always silent for me, I'd guess that the room went quiet after this minor declaration of war. 

    Double being the one to keep a level head in the tense atmosphere spoke up. "Are you sure you want to—to stake that? We don't—don't even know our— know our partners yet." I tried to follow what he said as best as I could, but I knew that the more nervous he got, the worse his repetition showed.

    "Please. I could create a costume ten times better than anything you all come up with no matter who I get paired with." Siri was playing a dangerous game with that attitude, but I knew that she and the others were considering this idea.

    "So, is it a deal?" Siri asked. I looked back at my friends who felt the same way: it was a big risk to take on someone we barely know, but this was our shot to show her and anyone else what we were made of. I flipped over my whiteboard and quickly wrote my message before leaving.

    "Bring it on."

■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■

    "This really doesn't seem like—like a good idea," Double warned as our group left the 1-H classroom out to the Hero Course training field.

    I did what I could to write on my board as Dani and Snake led the way for us to meet up with the rest of our class.

    "It was time someone told her off. Besides that, if we didn't agree to this, then the title of class rep would go to one of the volunteers. And I'm not so sure Mei Hatsume would make the best leader." I'd admit, I might be a little harsh on the girl I barely met, but the class should probably be run by someone who wouldn't start a fire on a daily.

    Don't get me wrong though, I was not interested in claiming the title myself. Being class rep was a big responsibility and too exposed for my liking. I was only in this contest with the hope that someone in the class would have a better idea than Siri and take her down a peg. I had confidence in my class to do it.

    The Support class of 1-H waited on the field where Q took attendance as we waited. I stayed by Dani, Snake, and Double as our assigned Hero class made their way down to the field. The cluster of twenty Hero students showed up in the make-shift costumes they designed themselves that we were instructed to improve and modify. Some were simple like a T-shirt with their hero names on the front, and others were a lot more complicated than they needed to be. Whatever it was, they weren't impressing my class.

    "Wow," Snake said. "They really should leave the costume designs to the pros."

    I saw Dani watch the 1-A class and hold his hand against his head. "I don't think I have ever seen so many walking fashion disasters at once." Though his expression stayed blank and monotoned beneath his bandages, I could imagine he hated every second of gazing at the kids in their homemade outfits. Thankfully, they were all asked to bring sketches of their costumes, and we didn't have to go off what they had on alone.

    "I'm more worried about—about the dangers of them building their– o-own gadgets," Double said. It was hard to tell which design he was referring to, but my guess was he meant the blond and theatrical kid with a giant belt-like laser strapped to his torso.

    Before we could make any more assumptions about this class, Q and the man who was likely the homeroom teacher for 1-A crowded us around. I stood in the front, knowing I couldn't see any other way. Q waved his hands over and pulled us in, saying, "Gather round, children! We're short of time to spare, so let's hurry this along."

    Next to him, a younger yet more tired teacher with long, black hair took out a clipboard before he started. "Class meet the eccentric minds of 1-H Support. They will be working with you to design your Hero costumes for the upcoming trip to the Unexpected Simulation Joint." While Q was buzzing with joyous energy, the 1-A teacher looked like he was on the edge of passing out. His eyes were exhausted, but the way they looked at his class made all of them straighten up and listen carefully.

    "Let's go on and pair you all off," the 1-A teacher said. He held his clipboard next to a matching one in Q's hands before pointing to kids from his class and ours.

    "Suki Zuka, you're paired with Tenya Iida." I looked over to see who either of those were, and I noticed Snake pushing her way through to the front of our class and over to the 1-A side.

    Although, she stopped halfway and looked over her shoulder at Dani, Double, and me. "Even if we've got an alliance going, remember this is still a competition between everyone. So bring your a-game, guys, because I won't be holding back on you." Our friend turned back and threw up a peace sign as if she didn't just threaten to take us out a second ago.

    Before we could react or say anything back, more names were readout. "Shoto Todoroki, you sir are with Dainichi Dako," Professor Q instructed. I looked up to see Dani take one glance at the Heroics student with multi-colored hair and differing eyes, and I watched as Dani quietly complained about how he had his work cut out for himself.

    More names were read out as the colorful main characters of 1-A were assigned to the duller, background faces of my class. I watched as the group of unpaired Hero students lessened, and I tried to guess which one I'd have to work with. Doing so, I saw Siri doing the same, standing on her toes behind some of our classmates. When she caught me looking at her, her eyes narrowed and she held a thumb over her neck at me.

   I honestly didn't know what it was that I did to piss her off so much.

    Not having anything to say to that, I turned back to Q and the 1-A teacher as the next two names were readout. "Siri Remata," Q said. "You'll be with miss Toru Hagakure." Curious to know the student matched with my nemesis, I watched as the kids from the opposite side moved around to let someone through. . . But there was only empty space left out.

    I grabbed my whiteboard and drew on a question mark, showing it up to Double next to me. He looked as if he was listening to the thin air and scratched his head. "She's invisible?" He asked. If she was, then I was relieved to know she wasn't my partner as it'd be more than difficult to read what she said or see her sign language.

    After figuring out why none of us could see Toru Hagakure, Double's face lit up with another realization. "Wait—wait. If she's invisible, then that means— that means that there isn't anything Remata can put on her that won't—won't cancel out her Quirk." I could tell Double was trying his hardest not to laugh at Siri's demise, and if I had it in me to audibly laugh, I'd be doing the same.

    Snake, on the other hand, wasn't so subtle about rubbing it in as she stayed on the opposite side of the field. "That's karma for ya," she taunted.

    "Shut it," was all Remata said back before taking her partner by her invisible arm and breaking away from the rest of us.

    I was feeling better about my odds at winning against her when the teachers announced the next pair of names. "Denki Kaminari with Washiro Yuu," the 1-A teacher said.

    "Good luck," Double wished me, and I pointed to him to silently tell him the same.

    There was only a handful of Heros and others left. I and a few more 1-H kids stood by as we were named off. It wasn't too long until my name was next and I could find out who would be stuck with me.

    Q pointed his pencil at me with one hand on the other clipboard. "Mordecai Rockefeller with. . . " His hand slid down until picking one person from the other class. "Katsuki Bakugo."

    I stepped up with my whiteboard and notebooks in hand. A kid with ash-blond hair that spiked out almost comically stepped out of the 1-A crowd. His expression was a combination of disgust and irritation that reminded me a lot of Siri, which wasn't a good sign right off the bat. When he stepped up to me, I noticed he was also at least five inches taller than me, and that didn't ease my nerves at all.

   Instead of spending time in cynical thinking, I chose to get to work and start writing down a greeting. I turned up my whiteboard to show Bakugo, but I didn't exactly get the reaction I hoped for. He squinted at my writing and held a confused yet annoyed look. "What the hell is this?" He asked. "You expect me to read everything you say?"

    Realistic thinking be damned, I hoped this was his way of telling me maybe he knew sign language. As wishful thinking seemed reasonable, I held up my hands and started to twist my wrist and bend my fingers to sign my greeting instead.

     Bakugo stopped me. He pushed his hand over mine and shoved my arm down, telling me, "I don't know that either! Just get to my costume already, would you?" At this point, I didn't see any help arguing with him. I had a job to design a costume for him and that's what I would do.

    I took the notes from Bakugo's hand that he was given by his homeroom teacher. It described his Quirk briefly with an attached sketch of his hero costume. It would help to get an idea of what he wanted as unlike most of his classmates, he stayed in his school uniform for the assignment.

    His Quirk was one that involved a lot of pyro and explosives. My first instinct was to create a padded suit that would protect his skin from the fires of his Quirk and also any falling debris he might cause. I started to sketch the design out, covering my face the best I could as the afternoon sun was harsh on my eyes. When I had a decent enough version of the plain back armor drafted out, I showed Bakugo my notebook.

    The Hero student probably took three seconds to look at my design before he pushed my notebook down. "I hate that," he said. I knew I wasn't the best artist, but I thought the protective suit was at least practical for such a dangerous Quirk.

    I couldn't write or use signs without making this guy more difficult to work with. All I could do was try and gesture out, asking him what he had in mind.

    "I don't know. That's your job! Just make me something better than that lame design you didn't even try on."  Bakugo threw his hands up and rolled his eyes. There was a point that I was actually a little relieved I was deaf to his raged argument.

    The sun beat down on my eyes, and I couldn't avoid it if I wanted to look up at Bakugo to see what he was saying. Being irritated with both my arrogant partner and the bright outdoors was more than enough to strain my tics. My eyes tried to blink away the light as I felt my neck jerk away from my partner. I kept a tight hold on my notebook to try and avoid the flinching in my hands. I knew if I couldn't keep a steady hand, then I wouldn't get anything done.

    "Would you stop twitching and just do your job‽" If I wasn't already flinching back, I would have again at (what I guessed was) his jarring tone. My tics were involuntary, so as much as I wanted to chill out, it wasn't like I could help it. Regardless, I didn't understand why he had to be so brutal about criticizing me when he wasn't doing anything to help me get this project over with.

    I pointed to the first draft of his costume to ask what about it he didn't like, but I didn't get far in my guessing game before Bakugo shut it down.

    "I told you I don't like that!" He pushed the notebook down until it was just a one-sided, heated conversation with him yelling at me and me not being able to hear it.

    Bakugo clenched his fists and glared down at me with red eyes vibrant with his temper. "I had a feeling you people would suck at this. This is my hero costume and I don't need help from some twitchy extras!" It took all I had not to just stop him there and ask what the hell that even meant.

    Before I could though, Bakugo turned around, saying, "I can do this on my own!" I couldn't tell what else he said after that. My tics pushed inside my brain until I was flinching my head to the side and my eyes could barely stay open.

    I was frustrated and annoyed with the start of this project, and my tics perfectly reflected that. Thinking about the soon-to-come due date for this assignment and my partner who didn't want to talk to me made my bothersome tics act out more. I felt the pinching nerve twitches in my arm, and before I knew it, my notebook was on the ground after my wrist told me it was time to give up.

    And I was so in over my head that I almost agreed.