Switcheroo \BnHA Various x Reincarnated!OC\

37 - Noble... Or Not

Silence falls on the room, a blanket weighty and smothering. Count on Nighteye to dump a building when she was expecting bricks.

Making coffee is the most innocuous of lousy internship experiences. Toilet-cleaning, running errands, unjustified harassment... but shelling out existential crisis has got to top the list!

Eyes wide and neck craning, Renka laughs shakily, "Was the shoo-in your doing too? Sir. Have some faith! Did you think I couldn't pass the recommendation exam and get into U.A.?"

"An exceptionally poor attempt at changing the topic but I'll humour you so that we're on the same page. I've no jurisdiction over the school. Ask the principal, Nezu. Knowing him, he'll be delighted to answer your questions and ask some of his own."

Shadows hug the planes of his face when the man looks down at his open palms. Rough and calloused, they're the hands he was born with, the hands that grew and changed with him. In the art of palmistry, lines of the palm represent different parts of life. Marriage, career, health... everything's written in the stars.

"I got my Quirk at 4 and I'm 38 this year. Time after time, I used Foresight extensively. Paper cuts, bad falls, deaths, the course Foreseen didn't deviate, with or without my intervention. So I despaired when I saw All Might's future."

Renka flinches.

Nighteye's palm folds and opens. The lines on the palm don't stay the same from birth to death. With age, with wear and tear, they change. Take this hypothesis. The future is changeable, he just hadn't found the change factor. And this little girl whose head barely reaches his chest is the Singularity. The sui generis change factor.

"I didn't think the future was changeable but Nezu had a different stance. Why not give it a shot when there was nothing to lose? I wanted you in a controlled environment—"

"Glad to be a prized commodity," She smiles insincerely.

"—and Nezu reasoned that a person who risked breaking into a highly-secured facility for a stranger would go to further lengths for a teacher."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"We need your cooperation. What's your Quirk? What's it capable of? We need to be sure."

"So you think 1 year isn't the limit," The dark blue of Renka's eyes turn stormy. "Here's what I think. Your starting point is wrong; the only 'healing' I know is first aid I learned as a relief worker and this life-giving Quirk you want isn't mine. My blue petals are only capable of a temporary buff. That other person in the room? That's your guy. Find them. And before you ask me, no, I don't know who can disable armed security teams without tripping the alarms."

"You're entitled to freedom of thought but today made me sure."

He read her future? What are the conditions for his Quirk? Was it that touch when he strapped her to the machine?

"I Saw it, it's you." There's a manic look to Nighteye, like he finally found an oasis after years of wandering the desert.

But many a time hope is a mirage and nothing more. "You said I was the exception so what you Saw may not come to pass." Renka rifles through her pack, fishing out her phone. "No, I'll turn that possibility into a pipe dream."

*Rrring. Rrrrring. Rrring.*

"Momo-chan? Off to a rocky start? You and me both. Are you working with Itsuka from 1-B? Can you put her on the line? Yeah, things are going swimmingly. Just need to ask a quick question. Hi Itsuka-san, this is Senshiro Renka ... we met at the Sports Fest. Do you know where Monoma-san's interning at? Thanks, I owe you one."

※※※

"Is the sun rising from the west? Mighty Ms. 1-A seeks a favour from me!" The coat-tails of Monoma Neito's black tux flaps from his theatrics.

Renka deadpans: "You heard me the first time."

"My services don't come cheap." The smugness on the blond boy's face is so thick, it can coat the Pacific Ocean. He can get used to this. The requestee always has power over the requestor... Sucks to be her.

"I'll do anything reasonable."

"Oh? But how can we go about this? I don't need anything from you." Anyone with eyes can tell that Monoma's tangled look is fake.

"Monoma." Aizawa warns. He didn't want to meddle in the kids' conflict but his tolerance ran dry.

Renka rolls her eyes inwardly. Monoma's nastiness can give Katsuki a run for his money. No matter, pride means nothing. Monoma can have what he wants. Palms together and forehead touching her fingertips, she yells: "O NOBLE PHANTOM THIEF, TAKE PITY ON THIS INCAPABLE GIRL!"

"It isn't gentlemanly to refuse when you go so far." He claps like a brilliant idea just hit him, "Be my slave for a month. How's that sound?"

"In what world is that reasonable!" Big fists knock into Monoma.

"Keuk!" Monoma rubs his head. His classmate didn't hit him hard but pain is pain. "I didn't ask earlier but why are you here, Kendo! Shouldn't you be with Uwabami-san?" Snake Hero: Uwabami is the pretty celeb hero Momo and Itsuka have an internship under.

"How can I leave you with my cutie pie! Yaoyorozu will cover me. Uwabami-san's got nothing but photoshoots today. And tomorrow. And tomorrow tomorrow..."

Aizawa's eyebrows shoot up.

Whoops. There's a teacher here. "Don't look so glum, Aizawa-sensei! Uwabami-san gave her permission." Itsuka waves a slip. She wasn't chosen as 1-B's rep for nothing; she's got all bases covered!

The ginger shakes Renka's hands, her long ponytail shaking along, "Ren-chan, you owe me one, so you won't make me leave, right? Right?"

The smaller girl ignores Nighteye's penetrating stare. It's irrational but she's feeling rebellious. It's her Quirk, the decision should lie with her. "Stay."

"Aw yey, love you!"

"And the noble and magnificent Phantom Thief..." Dark blue orbs meet dull blue orbs. "We have a deal."

Monoma reacts promptly like he's been waiting for an answer: "Taught you not to talk big—wait, deal?"

"Nuhuh. Do your worst."

Monoma reins in his contemptuous look. Nighteye and Aizawa are going to strangle him if he pulls more stunts. The ticking of Monoma's clocks seem to louden as his fingers hover over Renka's hand.

Monoma Neito, 1-B of U.A.'s Hero Course.

His Quirk is Copy.