Yasu was pouting to himself as he took the backseat once more. He couldn't help but feel that Kikurage didn't like him and was messing with him somehow, but he hadn't put it all together yet. Meanwhile, Yume was wreaking havoc all over the test and dragging their poor teammate along. Although, maybe for the first time ever Yasu noticed that Yume was actually slowing down a bit and staying by Kiku's side. It was probably just because Yume was hyper competitive and wanted to earn 'EXP', but at least it was a nice change of pace.

''I knew it! Take that Yasu I have more friends than you. ~'' Yume giggled as she watched Kikurage use her quirk to shuffle the mushrooms on her body around and turning them into something that resembled ski sticks instead. Talk about a useful power! Kiku probably couldn't throw any fireballs from her hands, but as far as Yume was concerned, her Mushroomancer powers were the next best thing! ''Don't mention it! Where I'm from, saving people is my job! Eh, was my job!''

She looked at Kikurage when she asked her a question. ''I do! What's a bombastic finish? I'm the resident expert on those!'' Her eyes lit up at Kiku's suggestion. ''That's a positively brilliant idea Kiku-chan!! This way the Dark Lord's forces won't be able to catch up to us! This is why I bring you along on this quest, you're the smart one!'' She braced herself as she sped up a bit. She could go fast, real fast, so fast that Kiku would lose her mind! She was panting by the time she reached the top of the hill, but Kiku's plan sounded so fun that she was all-in and fully ready to commit to it. ''Here we go, hold onto me, Kiku-chan!'' Yume charged down the hill at the highest speed she could maintain without stumbling over herself, coming down on the bouncy mushroom like a cannonball before presumably, being launched into the sky towards the finish line. Whether they hit the center or not would be completely up to fate, as Yume was far too excited to actually aim their trajectory accurately.

Kikurage Shimeiji

''Really?! Talk about nifty!'' Yume could hardly contain her excitement and she was having to express the excitement for two since Yasu was indifferent or even silently dreading having to pick up this type of job to get some spending money. ''Oh, no offense, Jingjing! I didn't mean your head shape, I meant his.'' She pointed up at her own face, grinning mischievously. ''Oi.'' Yasu chimed in inside her head, giving her the reaction she had hoped for.

''You're too kind. ~'' She giggled, before striking a confident pose. ''But it really does, doesn't it?'' Upon seeing Jingjing confused Yume gave her a wink. ''I'm not exactly human, you see. Maybe I can show you what I look like sometime if we find a good artist. I'd ask Yasu to do it but he sucks at drawing.'' When time came for the briefing, Yume did a little salute and stood at attention. ''Got it! Read the person and improvise!'' She nodded her head intently. ''Got it, got it! Did you hear that Yasu? No fights!''

''Of the two of us, I've been in less fights than you.''

''Nuh uh.''

''Just go do your job.''

''Right then, here I go!'' Yume smiled back at Jingjing before taking center stage as she came into the cafe. ''Hello mister how can I help you today, nyan? ~'' Yume's whole performance was very convincingly cute and doting, but it made Yasu's skin crawl at the thought that it was happening through his body. ''...'Nyan?' It's a costume cafe not an otaku cafe, and stop doing that with your hands, you're going to make us both look stupid.''

Hopefully she would make a good impression on her big boss savior heroine.

Jingjing

''A trial run? Why absolutely! I'm also skilled as a customer servicer, everyone in the kingdom used to say that about me!'' Yume gloated confidently, pointing a thumb at her chest. ''Give me any customer, I'll give them the best service ever!'' When Jingjing grabbed her she did nothing to resist her and instead assumed she was bringing her to the customer in question. ''Costumes?'' Her eyes lit up, and that was impressive considering they were already a glowing neon green.

''This one, this one! ~'' She said excitedly, pointing to a cat maid outfit. With the cat ears fitted on her head she let out a little blissful sigh. ''This feels familiar. You humans have a weird head shape.'' She stated bluntly, prompting a response from Yasu. ''Don't be rude to humans, we weren't designed by game developers. Besides, I've never insulted your appearance.''

''Yeah because there's nothing to insult.'' She giggled to herself. ''How do I look?'' She beamed at Jingjing, doing a little twirl too. ''While I have never worked at an establishment such as this one, my original form resembles what you humans might call a cat in some ways, like having these types of ears for instance.'' She pointed up at the cat ear hairband. She blinked her eyes as Yasu said something to her before shrugging. ''I probably won't need it since I'm pretty amazing and all, but Yasu is asking if there's anything we should know before we go out there? Do you have any kind of company policy or a motto or something we should know about?''

Jingjing

''We really need this job!!'' Yume insisted, putting her hands together as she begged Jingjing. She had never held down a normal job, and adventuring wasn't a legit profession in this world so all she could do was pray that the store owner would have some mercy on them. Especially since that useless Yasu had no good skills either. Photography? How was that supposed to put food on the table and level them up? ''Eh?'' She blinked her eyes and looked up at Jingjing as she patted her head. ''Really? Thank youuuu!!'' She could cry happy tears then and there and she just might have if it wasn't for the fact that she was making a scene.

''An interview! Yes! Um, when? How does that work? I am a very experienced interviewing interviewer, but as you can see I hardly have any of my weapons with me today.'' Yume said as if she had been known to carry weapons, which she didn't. She was flat broke just like Yasu. ''In any case! I am ready!'' She jumped back up and straightened her back. ''I mean, we are ready!'' After a pause Yume lowered her voice to a whisper.

''Hey Yasu, help me out here!''

''Why should I? This was your idea.''

''Yeah but it's also your body and your life.''

''Oh, NOW you care about how I feel?''

''I always have!''

''Have not.''

''Have!''

''Have not.''

Yume chuckled and gave Jingjing a dismissive wave. ''Oh that.. jokester! He's just as excited as I am!''

Jingjing

''Eh? Are you sure? I mean, she can be a bit intense.'' Yasu was clearly hesitant, but if it came down to it he could let Yume out and her and Ikki could duke it out. ''Is that so? I'm a fan of that saying too, but I don't know the first thing about fighting in the conventional ways. I thought I wanted to be a wildlife photographer before I ended up here.'' He let out a small sigh. What a pivot, from introverted photographer to hero hopeful.

''Your quirk looks impressive.'' He dared a smirk, this guy was a lot more chill than he had initially expected. ''Does it ever get... Bothersome? Sorry if that's a weird question to ask. I didn't have a quirk until very recently and even then I have nothing like a mutation power so it doesn't get in the way of my day to day life.'' The quiet hum caught him off guard but it really shouldn't have considering Ikki's quirk. Even as he took off at a relatively moderate pace, Yasu quickly found himself trying to play catch up and keep up with him. ''That's fast!'' He took a moment to work on his breathing before responding again. ''Is something wrong with my form? Assume I know nothing.'' Because he basically did. So far his quirk had hard carried him into UAU and he hadn't the first clue about what kind of hero he was going to be.

ikki mizuno

''We're gonna be great friends, I can already tell.'' Yume smiled confidently, having just decided that on her own. Or maybe that was just how it seemed. In actuality, once Kikurage saw how fast she was friendship was the only way! With Kikurage recruited to the party, that's one more person who could fight the Dark Lord and his forces.

Yume was laughing at the top of her lungs as Kiku screamed. ''This way Kiku-chan, quick! If we get first place we're going to get the most experience!'' The path ahead of them was fraught with obstacles, and what had started as basically just an open field was turning into a sprawling forest. Trees, underbrush, logs, boulders, there was plenty of stuff they would need to navigate slowly. Yume was trying to identify the fastest way through, her head looking this way and that like a hyperactive dog. This moment of pause gave her time to look back at Kiku who had changed a whole lot since they took off. Had she covered herself in mushrooms? Wait no- more importantly, what was she doing to the ground behind them?

Yume grimaced at the thought of stepping in the hazardous spores. ''I don't know what you're doing, but it's gross and it's useful!'' She smiled, offering Kiku a hand if she wasn't already standing up. ''Say, have you ever considered saving the world? The hero's party could use a Mushroomancer!'' She kept moving, but jogged a little slower this time as they got up to the edge of the tree line and started working their way past all the obstacles. ''Think about it! There will be lots of treasure and adventures to be had!''

''Wait, what's that? Hey- watch where you're going!!'' Another pair shouted out from the spore field as they got caught in Kiku's trap.

''By the way...'' Yume was unbothered by the other students, looking down at her feet as they walked around a thorny bush. ''Why are you wearing a pajamas?'' She was referring to Kiku's makeshift armor, asking directly, if not somewhat insensitively.

Kikurage Shimeiji

Oh, oh no. Had me misread their conversation? Wasn't she the totally lazy type who didn't want to do anything either? He thought she hated being here, so by indulging in their shared pain of having to do this exercise they could have gotten along. Granted, that was incredibly presumptuous of him, and he couldn't just explain his position either. 'Oh hey sorry I thought you looked like a lazy student who doesn't like doing physical exercise'- how exactly would that go over?! ''Uh...'' Was all he managed, realizing how fast he had messed up.

''That's... That's not...'' He was desperately trying to save face, all the while taking in the information she gave him about her quirk. Mushrooms, huh... He couldn't help but feel a little jealous. He would have taken a nature-themed quirk over the one he got stuck with any day of the week. Speaking of which, Yume was laughing her ass off inside his head at Kikurage's response. ''I like her! She's funny! Let me talk to her!'' He could feel Yume's voice practically bouncing with energy, overwriting his own inner voice.

''Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I'll help however I can, but I've only had my quirk for a week. We don't understand how it works yet, I can switch when my life is in danger, but I doubt that'll happen here.'' He gave a casual shrug. ''In any case, my quirk is called Sleepwalk-'' Just as Yasu said the name of his quirk he slumped over and would almost appear to faint and fall over if he hadn't caught himself.

Or rather, if Yume hadn't.

''Mighty Magical Fire Warrior Princess Hero!!'' Yume danced before posing dramatically. ''Sparking Girl, Yume is heeeere! ~'' Yasu looked just the same as always, but somehow his mannerisms and way of speaking had completely changed. Not to mention, a very noticeable girl's voice was coming out of his mouth when he spoke. Oh, and the telltale sign that his quirk was active, her bright, neon green eyes. ''You're my hero, Kikurage!'' She pointed back at Kiku, offering her a handshake. ''You insulted Yasu and I needed that! I haven't laughed like that in a long time.'' Just as the three-legged run was about to begin Yume looked over at Kiku. ''Hey Kiku-chan, do you want to go first?'' Without giving her much of a chance to protest, Yume would try to take off, presumably dragging Kiku with her if she couldn't stop her or keep up.

Kikurage Shimeiji