With training having ended for the day, I was left to bring my bags up to my room. The problem: I had no idea where that was. I guess I should have paid more attention during the tour, but from the looks of it, the Geo Agency only resembled an office building. I couldn't tell if anyone actually lived there.

Venus followed Huntsman out the door, which meant I had to figure this out on my own. I spotted two people in orange-tan terracotta armor standing by the door. They're get-up, paired with helmets and battle axes, made me think they were both Heroes with a knight theme. But as I stepped closer, I realized nothing was inside the armor. It was completely hollow except for sparks of green electricity.

More golems, I thought. These two didn't seem ready to kill me like the last ones. They stood at attention and paid me no mind, as if their jobs were to keep the doors secure at night.

Still, I chose to ask them for help, seeing as how no one else was around.

"Hey, uh...there," I called to them, waving my hand and silently hoping they wouldn't chop it off with their axes. "I'm the new intern, and I'm looking for my room."

The knights never moved or made any indication they were alive. When I waved my hand in front of their helmets again, the terracotta knight closest to me turned its head to meet me.

I tried again, "You wouldn't happen to know where I can find my room, huh?"

The knight paused and I anticipated a direction, a point, a cough, anything! Though, the knight just turned its head back around as if I didn't exist.

Ouch. There was no use in these two. I almost began to think it was all hopeless until a voice spoke up from behind me.

"You talk to rocks now?" The low yet feminine voice asked. I looked over to find Mika waiting near the door, having watched my whole interaction with the terracotta knights.

I shrugged but said nothing. Already having a rough time trying to navigate through the agency, the last thing I needed was Mika there to taunt my failed attempts.

What I didn't expect, though, was to see Mika sigh and close her eyes for a moment. When she glanced back to me, it was as if she had finally given in, "Fine. I'll show you."

Mika didn't wait for me before turning on her heel and began walking in the opposite direction. I didn't want to admit I had asked for her help, but I wasn't going to pass it up either. I followed Mika quietly as she passed through the first floor training grounds, the second floor office, and the third floor storage until making it to our destination.

The fourth floor. Smaller than the others and far less bright, the fourth floor held at max 3 to 4 rooms. I was convinced Huntsman offered Mika a chance to stay with him, but she was likely happier being alone on her own little floor.

Unlike the rest of the agency, the fourth floor had no stained glass or crystals lining the walls. My guess was Mika had decorated, and it was the bare minimum. The elevator took us up to a short hallway with one door across from it. That must have been our room.

Mika used a key to unlock the door and stepped in. I began to follow, about to put my foot through the threshold when the door slammed shut.

"Seriously?" I muttered, arms full of luggage and my head pounding with exhaustion.

The only answer I got was a shout from behind the door telling me, "Like I said, stay out of my way, and we'll be fine."

I waited on the other side for Mika to open the door, but I soon grew impatient. "'Stay out?'" I scoffed at the idea I would even consider it. "Yeah, right."

Unzipping the top pocket of my duffle bag, I grabbed a pair of bobby pins. It didn't take long to dismantle the simple lock; before long, I twisted the knob and smiled at the newly unlocked door creaking open.

The bedroom was twice the size of any room I had slept in. The room was separated into two levels, one being just a step up higher than the other. The area at the top was anything but your average teenager's bedroom. Two large beds were arranged on either side of a bay window. Each side of the area was divided so neatly it looked like an abstract decorating choice. The side on the left was completed with bedding, posters, filled shelves, and colorful rugs while the right side was completely bare, as if no one had ever visited that side, or it was newly installed.

My theory was Mika slept on the left, and the right side was set up for me. It certainly could have been worse. The queen sized bed had only one pillow, a white sheet, and a folded blanket, but I've dealt with worse. It wasn't far away from the left bed, and if Mika was upset, it was likely because she had to share the space.

She stayed on the level of the room that was a step down from the bedding area. That half of the room had been converted into a game room that any kid would be amazed by. The giant flat screen hung above a C-shaped couch; a foosball, ping pong, and pool table lined the walls near a shelf stacked with a collection of movies, video games, and comic books. If Mika really was irritated with my being there, I couldn't see how anyone our age could be mad in a room like that.

I stood behind the couch and looked at her as she took a seat. "Hey, I know being cold and cynical is kind of your thing and all, but I'm stuck here for two weeks. It'll be a lot more tolerable without you and your dad hating my guts."

Mika briefly glanced my way, responding with a tired sigh, "You talk a lot, you know that."

I left her deadpanned comment alone, figuring it wouldn't help me to make things worse. Neither of us could leave until we learned how to get along, a task that seemed to get more difficult with time.

"So, Huntsman wants us to work as a team. Maybe try some training? You sure have the room for it up here," I suggested.

Mika didn't move from her spot on the couch until leaning over to grab a video game controller off the coffee table. Turning on the TV and the gaming set, Mika started a new game.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" She answered. I wasn't sure if she was joking or not. She always seemed so serious about Hero work, but she would rather play a video game. I shouldn't complain, though. It was far better than letting her kick my ass in sparring.

I sat down on the plush couch and watched Mika as she navigated through the game. The studio logos faded in and out until the game title flashed. The bolded words zoomed in to dramatic music, reading "Hero Mania" across the screen.

I wasn't too familiar with the game. Of course, I had heard of the popular series of games. It was similar to the ancient Mortal Kombat that pinned powerful characters in a one-on-one battle, but in this game, the characters were famous Pro Heroes.

As Mika logged in, I watched her scroll through the list of characters. Overpowered Pros like All Might, Endeavor, and Solace were all locked until the gamer could reach a higher level. Many other heroes were free to use, but Mika scrolled past most of them to pick one at the bottom.

"Snipe?" I asked, seeing her select him as her Hero.

"He has more power-ups," she explained. "The level I'm on, I need his far-range attacks."

As the game started, a villain wearing a cliche black and white striped shirt and beanie began to attack Mika's character. She was swift and decisive in her attacks, going through the controls and upgrades like it was a second language to her. I could tell she spent so long playing that she basically mastered the first few levels.

"Damn," I commented. Five seconds in and Mika had already used digital Snipe to beat two thugs in her game.

"You've played?" She asked, eyes still glued to the screen as she prepared for another level, using the Pro Hero Wisteria against digital assassins.

I shook my head, not that Mika would look over. "Not really. I've never been into these kinds of games."

Mika stayed silent for a few more seconds as Wisteria effortlessly beat the level, celebrating with her signature wink and kiss to the camera after. Mika exited the game's main screen, and she grabbed another controller off the table and handed it to me.

"Well, I'd rather not spend the evening sparring, so it's a better time than ever for you to learn to play."

Again, I wasn't a gamer, but there were only so many rounds of Scrabble with Q I could stand. I figured why not, and I took the controller. Mika set the game to two players and selected her character, Maestro, a ginger lady who could generate sound waves.

Maestro was crazy powerful, so I had to be careful with who I picked. Crimson Riot seemed buff enough to break Maestro in half, but she could easily attack from a distance. Wisteria's attacks were too complicated for a beginner, and I wasn't sure Aries had much to offer other than dropkicks.

Low on the list was a Pro who could shoot out light, Laserlight. I was made of light, so I knew how powerful it could get. Surely he won't let me down.

I selected Laserlight for my Hero, and Mika began our battle. Immediately, Maestro used her Quirk to send waves of guitar strumming that knocked down my character. Maestro celebrated the power move with a graceful bow, the game saying in her voice, "That was too easy!"

Come on, Glowstick, I criticized my Hero as he got up and shot finger guns at the camera. I tried using the controls to run towards Maestro, but Mika quickly saw right through my plans and used her special moves to knock the orange-haired Hero down.

Laserlight got up, dusted himself off and cheesily said, "I guess I'm a little rusty!"

My loss was set up the second I chose his character, so I didn't take it personally when Maestro beat the crap out of him. When the game was over, Maestro had another bow and signed as the game said, "Congratulations!"

I looked at Mika who didn't break a sweat as she finished me, "Two out of three?" She nodded, and we started up another game.

A few games in, and it ended up going from 2 out of 3 to 3 out of 5, 5 out of 7, and here we were. I was losing badly, but I ended up getting a few wins here and there. Aries proved to be my best bet, but Mika picked a buff Latino Pro that just barely beat her.

We each leveled up and continued our game. Going against each other for most of the rounds but occasionally teaming up against villains in other levels. Soon it was Fat Gum and Atlas against a gang of robbers.

Mika and I played in comfortable silence for most of the time. Other than her subtle cursing and my own, much louder curses, we were only left with the pre-recorded catchphrases in the game.

Eventually though, Mika broke the silence and spoke up, "You weren't completely right when you said I. . .hated your guts. I don't dislike you."

"Really?" I responded, trying to focus on her and the game at the same time. "I find that just a little hard to believe."

"I don't see why- on your left," she said, advising my Fat Gum character to duck.

I finished the game until our characters were at a safe point, and I could break focus again. "Don't take this harshly, but you kind of give off the impression you want to beat up anyone you look at."

My comment earned me a side eyed glare from Mika, and a swift kick to Fat Gum from her character.

"I'm just saying," I defended. "You know, if you really want to change that, it might help to open up a bit."

"You're serious?"

I nodded, "Your dad wants us to be bonded by tomorrow, so go ahead, start telling me all the reasons you're so bitter about everything."

Mika oddly didn't seem offended. She simply continued the game and talked simultaneously.

"Why am I so bitter? Let's see, I am the daughter of the number nine hero and the target of his aggression when anything fractures his massive, yet delicate ego." As she explained it, her Hero quickly finished off more simulated villains while Fat Gum stood by.

It was quiet again. We stayed in uncomfortable silence this time, and I felt partially responsible for asking her to open up. I guess I should have asked for some happy childhood memories than whatever this was, but all I could do was be a good friend and offer comfort.

"That's rough, buddy."

Mika didn't have to look at me for me to know that wasn't exactly what she needed to hear. Still, on her own she decided to keep sharing.

"He's just so competitive," she told me. "I spent my whole life being his ticket to climbing the ranks. First, it was discovering my Quirk; then, it was training me to fight like a pro since I was five. I've been taking on his golems since I could walk."

"You must not get a lot of free time," I told her. When I was in middle school, I trained a lot for UA, but I couldn't imagine that being my mindset since elementary school.

Mika gave me a dry laugh as she stayed focused on the game ahead. I had long given up, trying to listen more to her than the fictional villains.

"You don't know the half of it. But, believe me, this is not as bad as it could have been." I gave her a look that challenged that theory, and Mika explained.

"Are you familiar with Quirk marriages?" She asked me. The term felt new to me, so I shook my head no.

"They're essentially arrangements where two families will pay to have their children create the next bloodline, one that's more powerful than both lines combined," as she talked, Mika's movements on her controls began to slow down. I wasn't sure if she ever explained this to someone, but I paused the game and gave her my attention.

"When I was seven and had mastered my power, Dad thought it would benefit him to sign me off to someone high in the ranks. He was so desperate to be in the top ten that he begged one of the highest ranking Pros for a meeting. It was so easy for him to go through with it, despite the monster he was making the deal with."

"Who was it?" I asked after a short pause. Mika never verbally answered, just giving me a pained look that said it was the last person anyone would want to deal with. I thought about the top list of Pros and narrowed it down to the ones with children until there was one man that stood out.

"Endeavor?" I asked in a tone just barely above a whisper. Mika nodded at my guess, and it was hard to hold back the sharp inhale. "Is that even legal?"

"It probably wouldn't have been, if it ever went through," she answered. "But old Enji rejected me the second he knew I only had one Quirk. Dad was furious, quickly making enemies with that family. I never saw him or his son again until UA, and Dad did not take it well when Shoto was put in 1-A and I was left with 1-B, said it was embarrassing for him. And now that even a Quirkless Support student made it into the better class, he's more on edge than ever. . . No offense."

"None taken," I assured her. I could barely believe half of what she was telling me, but knowing Leo Quartz, it seemed to explain a lot. Everything seemed to be a competition with him, and he was not a good sport. The more I thought about it, the more guilt I felt for Mika.

"Do you ever feel like. . . I don't know, like maybe you missed out? On a childhood or just the dumb teenager things?" I asked. Strangely, it didn't feel like prying. With every answer she gave, Mika let out a soft breath as if something small was lifted off her shoulders. Even if it was a small help, she seemed like she needed it.

Mika shifted in her seat, setting the control down but still glancing at the TV while she talked. "Of course. I know it's silly, but I have always been working for tomorrow. Nothing was ever about the present. I was always kept on a pedestal as the future number-one. There was never time to be a kid."

"Well. . . You're a kid now." I barely thought about the words as I said them, but something told me to follow my gut on this one.

"What do you mean?" Mika asked.

"You're what, fifteen? You haven't been robbed of your entire childhood. If you want to make some memories with dumb teenage things, then we still have time."

Before I took time to think about it, I stood up and turned off my controller. No plan was in mind, but something in me wanted to break my new friend out of there and have at least a little fun.

"I can't," she hesitated. "What if-?"

"Look," I stopped her before she could argue about her father. "All we're doing is taking you out once in fifteen years. He already hates me, so I have nothing to lose, and I promise I'll get you back tonight. . . Unless you don't want the typical teenage rebellion."

Mika faced me then to the ground, debating on both scenarios. I badly wanted to see her stand up with me. This was a kid who hadn't lived a day in her life, and for reasons I didn't know, that killed me. Nervous or not, she deserved this.

I held out my hand to her and smiled, silently telling her a night out would be worth the wait. I stayed with my arm to her, and gladly pulled her along when she stood up.

Mika led me to the bay window where a fire escape would guide us down to the first floor patio. From there, it was to the garage for transportation. Neither of us could drive, but Mika has a skateboard for herself and lended me a bike.

It had been years since I was last on a bicycle, but my first thought was I would be much faster than Mika who only rode a skateboard. But her video skills didn't seem to be the only secret with her. She zoomed through the driveway as I retaught myself to ride and followed along.

Knowing the city well enough to navigate, I cycled in front of Mika as she took in the sight of the buildings and sidewalks at night. There was just something about being out at night rather than the daytime. The cool hair flew through my hair and hit my face with a refreshing wake-up. As I got the hang of it, I picked up speed on the main road where traffic was basically obsolete.

Mika saw my challenge and pushed her foot against the pavement to keep up with me. She was either really good, or I was very rusty on the bike because she beat me to the end of the block.

I leaned against the handlebars as we both stopped. The pain in my side told me to take it easy, so I looked around us for anything nearby.

As the view of a glowing yellow sign flashed, my eyes recognizing the golden arches, I asked Mika, "You hungry?"

≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾

The restaurant was a ghost town, which was to be expected at this hour. The good side was we didn't have to wait long before getting our to-go food and leaving. Even with Mika offering to pay, I only bought myself a soft-serve cone and a basket of fries. We ate outside the restaurant on the curb, me sitting on the pavement with the bike laid down next to me and Mika standing against a light post.

She dug through her boxed meal and unwrapped her dinner. While she originally wanted a grown-up meal, I convinced her to order from the kids section, explaining that this trip was supposed to give her a classic childhood. Mika was a little disappointed with the baby fries and tiny pack of apple slices, but the race car toy was nothing to sneeze at.

Mika took a bite out of her cheeseburger and said to me, "You know, I've never had take-out."

"Shut up," I quickly denied. A crappy family and an almost arranged marriage I could buy, but fast food chains like this had been everyone for forever.

Mika shrugged, telling me it was true. "I'm well aware that it's quite ridiculous, but once my mom left a long time ago, I taught myself to cook. Other than my poor excuses of home meals, it's always been fancy dinners at big restaurants with other Hero families. You wouldn't catch Leo Quartz dead at a Burger King, and I wasn't much of an exception."

"That's awful," I sympathized.

Mika folded her sandwich wrapper up before responding, "Not really. This junk is a bit overrated to be honest."

I laughed with her, and that was probably the first time we did that. She was always so tense around me and everyone, but I was glad to learn that there was more to Mika than I knew.

Figuring it was my turn for a silly confession, I admitted, "If it makes you feel better, I barely knew how to ride this bike. I don't think I've ever touched a skateboard."

Mika eyed me with a raised brow as if I was lying. She even tested me with, "Are you joking?"

When I shook my head, Mika set down her meal box and her apple slices inside. She kicked the end of her skateboard up and handed it to me.

"So, I guess I've got to teach you now." I almost said no to her offer, but Mika didn't seem like she was asking.

I finished off the melting parts of my ice cream and set my fry basket down. If I was going to drag her out of her house, then I figured why not let her teach me something. Mika waited for me at the edge of the street. I checked to make sure it was still deserted and hopped on the board. Immediately, I felt it roll slightly forward, and I held my free arm out for balance.

Mika helped me by holding onto my fake arm while my other hand tried to avoid dropping my ice cream. Eventually, I could stand without wobbling, and Mika decided I was ready to move.

"Wait, wait, wait," I told her as she held onto my arm and tugged me forward.

"Don't be so dramatic. You're fine," she insisted. I started moving with her still next to me. I made sure she wouldn't leave me hanging, and soon, she instructed me to push off with my left leg for momentum.

"I think I'm good," I told her, feeling a bit confident after not falling. Mika seemed unsure, but she let go of my bionic and I rolled through the street on my own. It was different, but fun. For as shaky and hesitant as I was skating, I had a good time. Soon, I got a little more cocky and tried taking a bigger push off the ground.

One rock led to another, and I began to see why Mika thought I still needed practice. I felt the small bumps beneath my feet before the board started to give way. I had the opportunity to catch myself from falling, but the moment would at the same time cost me my ice cream cone. It was a very tough decision, but I sacrificed my frozen treat to avoid kissing the pavement.

"Oh, fuck me," I cursed, kicking the gravel that messed me up. I was feeling down until I heard a voice behind me gradually start laughing. I looked over, and Mika had been so amused with the moment that she held her forehead in her hands.

I chuckled with her, missing my dessert but glad it at least made her laugh. Kicking the board back to Mika, I took a seat on the curb next to her.

"I can check that off the bucket list," I joked. "What do you want to do now?"

Mika checked her phone, and I saw the time. It wasn't too late, but I would take her back if she had had enough. But Mika decided to stay, setting what was left of her dinner in front of her while fidgeting with the kid's racecar in her hands.

"We're good on time, so it looks like your turn to share," she quietly suggested. I gave her a look from the corner of my eye and didn't respond right away.

"Is it?" I eventually asked.

"I mean, I basically gave you my biography already."

I thought about it, and she had a point there. Maybe it was fair, and it wasn't like we would talk much later. I leaned back on the sidewalk, propped up by my metal arm and taking a turn to roll the race car around.

"Not to disappoint you, but there isn't much. I'm an only child, and I did decently on the entrance exams. These days, I'm staying with Q."

She guessed, "The chemistry nut-job?"

"Yeah, that's the one." I took a minute to think about what else to say. I wasn't exactly lying when I said there was not much to say. Most of the interesting parts of my life just weren't easy for me to talk about. I couldn't tell if Mika had caught onto that, but she was engaged enough so far.

"Do you not have parents?" She followed up. My hand stopped moving the tiny car as I heard the words. It was a sudden dropped feeling in my chest that occurred whenever someone mentioned them. My eyes began to feel heavy, but I quickly pulled myself together.

"No, no, you see, I have parents. Yeah, no, they just don't want to see me just yet." I tried moving the car along the pavement again, feeling the denial bring an unsettling comfort that I learned to live with.

Mika didn't say much for a second except, "Interesting."

I looked back to her, curious about what was 'interesting'. "What?"

She responded, "You used the phrase 'just yet' to describe your situation. Grammatically, you mean you plan for a day where they will want you back."

I knew grammar was never on my side. "I-I guess. It would be kind of pathetic to not try to go back, right?"

"You also strive for the Hero Course no matter what you're told. Is it that they won't take you back unless you're a Hero, or you at least believe that?"

This time, I lost my hold on the race car entirely. My real hand was subtly beginning to shake, so I leaned my weight on it and took a breath. I knew she was only trying to understand what had happened, but at that point, I barely understood it myself. It just hit me that Mika was the first person I talked about this to other than Q. It should have benefitted me to get this off my chest, but it was enough for one night.

"Wow! Would you look at the time," I exaggerated, standing and picking up my trash.

Mika checked her phone again, "It's eight-thirty."

"Right? Yeah, that night sure flew by," I faked a yawn before dumping our garbage and grabbing the bike. "Let's get you home."

Mika didn't fight me on it. Even if I had to cut us short, I surprisingly had a good time with Mika. When we met at the Sports Festival, if someone told me we would eventually get along, I would not have believed them for a second. I didn't like admitting Huntsman was right, but it was good for us to put some differences aside and just talk. Of course, our training was a bust, but I think we both preferred that much more.

After getting back home and climbing the fire escape, we both settled in for the night. I made my bed on the empty side of the room, and as I was tying my hair up, Mika said to me.

"Rose, you're irresponsible, arrogant, and a reckless maniac with little regard to collateral damage, not to mention a stubborn pain in the neck," she ever so gently pointed out.

"Is that the end of your sentence?"

Mika sighed, as if it killed her to admit this, "But you're strong, and despite how impulsive you can be, you're actually pretty smart. So, I'll make you a deal: while we work together, you stop being so careless, and I will try to be more. . .sympathetic."

"You're really going to be nicer?"

"If you can keep us from getting killed."

I smiled and shrugged, holding my closed fist out to her. "I'll do my best."

Mika punched her fist against mine. It hurt my hand quite a bit, but I didn't mind. I still ended my first night at the internships feeling good about how things were.

So we get to learn a bit about Mika here today! There is SO much I wanted to include in this chapter as it's my favorite in the arc, and Mika is a character I've been planning since book one. There's still a ton that I want to mention about her and her father, but that will have to wait for another day.

For now, there were some fun scenes in this chapter. The game Hero Mania was one I created inspired after Mortal Kombat to showcase some Pro Heroes and give the girls a bonding moment. This won't be the last you'll see of this game, so keep an eye out for it!

You may find some familiar names within the characters, and that's because alongside the cannon MHA Pros, I hinted to some original heroes from the UA Storytellers! So thank you to the following for your characters!

sd1229 for Solace and Aries!

sun_jin for Atlas!

FoxyPuff for Maestro!

And JunieWeathers for Wisteria and Laserlight!

If there are any I missed, please let me know, and also be sure to check out all these amazing authors!

We also mentioned Q's favorite game, Scrabble, here, so I wonder readers, what's your favorite board game or card game?

For me, I love poker and other card games, but Monopoly is very nostalgic and definitely my favorite!

Character Spotlight: Mika Quartz
(Original)
Quirk: Chains
Likes: video games

Until next time, readers!

Dedicated to Juni_Penguin_