[🆁🅴🅼]

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i really need to fix this bat.

no, like, forreal. i used it against a metal guy once, not even on purpose really… i didn’t know he could turn metal when i used it on him and even then i thought i was strong enough to make it hurt. but nope. only strong enough to break the bat against him. and then, it’s so crazy… i taped it up even!! but when i taped it wasn’t the same. it keeps breaking in much softer things than it used to break. makes me kinda sad bc i’ve had this bat for like two, maybe three days before i broke it and i haven’t found a new one since.

well, there was that one bat i found but it’s not really good for hitting people because it’s a soft fuzzy animal that uses echolocation. like, i’d just break that bat, too and i figured if i was gonna do that might as well treat myself to dinner or somethin’.

anyway there was like, this festival happening for hero students. i had watched a fight and it was crazy so i decided to go see if they had any seats in person. all taken. well, unless you had money. then you could like grab a ticket or somethin in exchange. but i’m dirt broke so i’m just walkin’ around until i see a weapons shop being advertised.

hmmmmmm. i know it’s more of a sport thing but maybe i tell them i need to break some skulls with it they’ll treat it as a weapon and help me out?

“hello earthlings,” i just enter the area and i’m kinda talkin to the air. iono who is in charge or anything, so. best to just give it a shot. “i have a broken bat.”

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Masao Ando enma

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[enma]

With the Sports Festival ongoing and the bond between Masao and Enma growing, he figured that he would show her the equipment stand rented by his father. It seems as if his father was using the festival to gauge if he should expand at all again, either opening a larger location or a second one. His last attempt didn't go well, with consistent success coming from having just the one in Tokyo. He knew that it would just be one of the clerks working together, so there wouldn't be an awkward meeting between his father and Masao.

If he was caught with someone he clearly had a thing for, his father would not be calm. Especially if he found out it was one of the Ando line, it might make him encourage some sort of political marriage. They didn't need that, so Enma decided it was best if she did NOT meet his family any time soon. Bringing her in, he would give Masao a tour of the place and point out some of their key products. That's when someone entered and exclaimed they had a broken bat.

If he was his father, he'd fix it with his quirk. At the moment, it seemed as if that perk only worked for things special to him. Deciding to let the clerk deal with it, they explained how there wasn't any repair services and offered to help them browse the bats and see which one was a good fit. The unnerving detail was how the bat was mangled, but Enma didn't think much of it. "So, yeah, that's the stall. I'll be working it a few times, my father will be running the store in Tokyo."

Hands at his waist, he looked at Masao to gauge her reaction. "What do you think?" He also had a surprise for her waiting for when the clerk was done with the customer. He learned that he could give Masao a lot of surprises that pleased her, so he would keep doing it. As long as he avoided bad surprises.

🆁🅴🅼 Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

When he first brought up the idea of showing her the equipment stand his father had rented out, alarm bells went off inside Masao. She wasn't ready to meet his dad yet! What if she said something embarrassing? What if he disproved of her and Enma growing close? What if he drew his sword and challenged her to a duel then and there? She was terrified at the thought, but ultimately her want to spend time around Enma was greater than the prospective fear of his father. Although she had to admit when they visited the stall and his father was nowhere in sight she did breathe a small sigh of relief.

The last thing she needed was for her family to know that she was interested in someone they hadn't picked out for her.

She was lost in thought taking in the details until Enma spoke to her again. ''It's immaculate, from the display to the choice of location, what days will you be working here?'' She smiled at him, smiling was something Masao pretty much never did, only in his company. ''Maybe I would be able to stop by. I'm only in some of the arena fights and the support centered challenge. Besides, I might be able to get inspired by some of the equipment here in my own forging endeavors.'' Which was only half right. The whole truth was she mostly wanted to see him.

She couldn't help but notice the other customer by the stand, the one who was holding a conspicuously broken bat. A student who had broken it during one of the challenges, perhaps? After he was done talking to the clerks, she spoke up. ''Is everything all right?'' She directed her question at Rem. ''Your weapon appears to be in less-than-working condition.''

enma, 🆁🅴🅼

[🆁🅴🅼]

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“what no… it works plenty…” yeah my bat’s broken but it’s not like lazy or anythin. “it’s trying it’s best and gives 100% every time i swing but it’s just not what it used to be anymore y’know..?” i hope my bat doesn’t think poorly of it. we all need help gettin to our tip top shape sometimes. i was a mess before yams trained me up a bit. strong sure but weak compared to where i was now.

“i was told some people over here could help me out maybe? maybe fix it up and reinforce it a bit or somethin’ so it doesn’t break as easily next time.” yeah, change is scary. but i’m sure it can take it. i’d rather it stay with me than replace it altogether. i’ve had to bat for a short amount of time but that doesn’t make it any less important.

“im rem btw, nice to meet you.” i look at them both. they seem to be having a good time. and wow what an uncanny facial features… they’re blurry in all the same ways. “are you two siblings btw?”

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Masao Ando enma

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[enma]

In his time working for his father, Enma has seen some battered equipment. A lot of it came from people who didn't know how to regulate their strength from quirks or they didn't buy the proper equipment. He wasn't on the clock, so he wouldn't crush the person's hopes that the bat was still functional, but he knew that it was...it wasn't in great condition. He respected the appreciation shown by its owner, but it was done.

The problem was that baseballs shouldn't so easily sunder the bat, so what were they hitting? Enma didn't try to know all the heroes out there, but considering they were at the festival, they must've just been one of the many dozens. "Your bat isn't up to code for baseball regardless, even if it gives it its all." That was his way of breaking the news to the poor boy carrying the mangled bat.

Was it even for baseball? This had to be hero's weapon. "My father's stand here has plenty of bats, but she might also be able to help. I'm Arashi Enma." Giving a nod out of respect, he looked to Masao to see if she was game for a little repair. It might not be done quick, but she would have in better condition than it was before. At the idea of them being siblings, Enma cringed.

"She's...not my sister. Actually, she's a very prestigious daughter of the Ando family. You can trust her work, nobody compares. I, on the other hand, am simply a student hero." Enma gave a humble explanation, almost cracking a smile but his crushing social anxiety keeping that stoic face constant.

🆁🅴🅼 Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

''Certainly not, anyone would be able to tell at a glance that your weapon is worn and battered.'' He seemed strangely attached to it, was it perhaps a family heirloom of some kind, or a gift from a dear friend? Why was he even in here in the first place, just looking for help with his baseball bat like Enma mentioned? She looked at Enma and then back at Rem. ''A bat like that? I could have it fixed and better than brand new in less than an hour.'' Was she up to the challenge? It was hardly a challenge, but she was always willing to help a fellow student.

Although when he asked whether they were siblings she grimaced a bit. ''No, no..'' She let out a small laugh and waved her hand dismissively. ''We're not related. We're...'' She looked over at Enma. Friends? Partners? She felt a slight blush coming on but quickly brushed past it as she looked back at Rem. ''-That's right. I'm Ando Masao. I come from a family of weaponsmiths, which just so happens to be my profession as well.'' The more she thought about it, wasn't Rem a really simple name? No family name or anything? ''Rem-san, what class do you attend? I do not recognize you, so I doubt you're in the support department.''

enma, 🆁🅴🅼

[🆁🅴🅼]

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“oh i’ve never played baseball actually i just think it’s a really cool sport. i’ve always wanted to be part of a team. i just found this in a dumpster a few weeks ago and i’m like wow… i’ve never had a bat of my own so i started using it. then this guy made of metal is tryna beat me up and i break the bat on him and it’s like dang… if i knew that’d happen i’d just use my fist or somethin’. fortunately i had a friend to help me deal with him, but she can’t turn into a bat for me forever.” that should clear things up.

“wow hero school… support department…" i didn't really get the nuances or anything but it sure sounded fancy. a swell place to be."nah i’ve never been but i think that stuff is super neat. it’s kind of like baseball but for people with quirks. but i don’t think i’m smart enough to pass the tests. deffo not smart enough to fix my bat in an hour… you really think you can?” aw man i forgot there’s the whole money thing.

“ummmm how much is that btw…”

man, maybe they’ll think i’m super cool and be willing to do it for free. i get it though if they don’t. i’m glad they’re at least nice enough to talk to me. the last time i went to a shop askin’ for help they tried using some experimental gear on me and i just got lucky it was a dud.

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Masao Ando enma

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[enma]

The way this person spoke was very strange to Enma. He sounded out text-speech that he'd seen others use? Maybe they were one of those youngsters that spent too much time on the internet. At least Rem wouldn't say anything about phantom taxes or sigma toilets or whatever city kids yap on about. Was he an old man or just country-raised? Still, it was sad that Rem had to defend himself and appreciated his respect for the bat.

But...he used someone else as a bat? It eerily seemed like illegal quirk usage, though he wasn't going to question it too hard. He wasn't on-duty and the Sports Festival was a time for fun. If Rem wasn't a villain, then it wasn't their problem. "I'm really sorry, that sounds traumatic. Well, if you're not a hero then of course don't be afraid to call one. Situations call for self-defense sometimes and a hero isn't always nearby."

Shrugging as a way of empathizing, Enma felt like there were so many unfortunate circumstances where a hero wasn't close at all. That's why vigilantes existed and when they weren't present, what was the average civilian to do? Looking at Masao, he wondered if she had some magic trick for fixing a bat like that within the hour. It was...mangled. His quirk wouldn't work, so he looked around and went over to purchase a bat.

"Not to speak for you Masao, but it might take some time. Why don't I get you a new one? On the house. Masao, do you think you can fix that?" "That" was a severely crippled bat with horrible structural damage. How could that be remedied without the power of a quirk? The soul of that bat was just as broken as it was physically.

🆁🅴🅼 Masao Ando

[Masao Ando]

Rem's entire story was certainly suspicious and had she been alone, she might have suspected the worst, that he was some kind of vigilante. However, she realized she was maybe a tad too quick to judge when Enma spoke up first, bringing up the fact that it could have been life or death self-defense. Besides, this guy didn't exactly seem like the type to go all criminal on society. ''I see...'' Was all she could say to Rem's story as she processed it bit by bit. A friend that turns into a bat? A guy made of metal? Whoever Rem really was, he was certainly an enigmatic character.

''You have no way to know unless you try. Rem-san, have you taken the hero entrance exam before?'' She looked at both him and Enma. She could fix the bat, and she could make it tougher too, however, Enma also had a point. The soul of the bat wasn't going to just come back when it was already in such disrepair. ''I can. It may not be a blade, but a bat like this would be a simple matter. However, structurally this bat will never be the same again.'' She indicated the bat Rem was holding. ''I can restore it to a usable state, but it would be inferior to a brand new bat, and more suited for decoration than actual use.'' She held up a hand when he asked how much it would cost him. ''Do not worry about the price, I will cover your costs.'' She looked over at Enma, trying to get ahead of him on paying for the new bat. ''Whether that is buying a new bat, or repairing this one. All I need is to take it to my workshop.''

enma, 🆁🅴🅼

[🆁🅴🅼]

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“yeah a hero wouldve been great but i dont carry a phone or anythin on me and i didnt really have time to yell. they prolly woulda hurt the commotion if they were around tho… so i’ll take it that they were just far this time although yknow i dunno if i’ve ever run into a hero before…” eyes poppin wide, lettin me see that extra red, blood sky in the back. “ya think i could meet a real hero here? that’d be crazy.”

i shouldnt get my hopes up.

“nope. never taken any tests before. but it’s okay i dont think i’d make a good hero anyway i just kinda wanna do my own thing, eat my own trash food, and have a peaceful life.” that’d be so nice. i’m sure that’s what yams wanted too before he got stuck with me.

“man…” deep sigh. they were really pushy about this bat thing. “sucks that its broken but like who isnt yknow? doesnt mean im gonna give up on it cos i’d be pretty bummed if it gave up on me.”

anyway.

“but yeah workshop sounds great. this way?” i didnt know where i was going. why was i taking lead here? no idea but it felt right!

(rem accidentally is going in the right direction)

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enma Masao Ando

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