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video; UN: TripleJ

[The hair. Oh dear god, the hair. Kyle's recognizable mass of curls has been gelled within an inch of its life and sculpted into a wavy helmet. And where are his sleeves?!]

Yo Trench, what up what up, it's ya boy Kyley-B!

So's I need a little help here - anybody know a place in town where you can get some dope-ass ink? Because, you know, if you look up 'too much swag' in the dictionary, there'll be a great big picture of my face, and attitude like that deserves the best, you know what I'm sayin'?

Help a guy out here.

PEACE!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah, of course. Why?

[ Kyle, whyyyyy ]

That's really bad! For so many reasons!

[ He read them on the internet. ]

It dulls your pain and reactions and does stuff to your circulation... not to mention your judgment... They probably wouldn't even let you in for a tattoo...

[ He catches a public open-top carriage and switches to text so he won't bother the person next to him. ]

We're just going to get some tea or something. Please don't drink anything before I get to the Lamp!!

[He is not thinking properly at the moment. The Garden State is strong.]

Oh. That's all bad?

Okay, okay, fine. But if you ain't here in fifteen I'm gettin a beer.

C=C=┌( >_<)┘

[ He doesn't know Kyle well. Kyle seems in possession of all his faculties, but he hadn't struck Midoriya as the kind of guy to get alcohol and an impulse tattoo. Well, he'd have a better idea of what shenanigans are afoot when he arrives. Probably.

It's barely a few minutes' ride to the Lamp Location closest to his apartment. A short young man in a hoodie jacket and red sneakers teleports from there into existence at the Lumenarium. He knows the tattoo parlour is in this neighborhood. ]

Kyle-san? It's me, Deku.

[ Deku, from the internet. He realizes he hasn't given Kyle his real name, but Deku's his nickname anyway. And his hero name. It's Complicated. Half the people in Trench only know him by Deku. Midoriya doesn't have a strong preference what people call him. ]

EY, Deku! Wassup?

[Kyle is... different. Louder. Oranger. More aggressive, as evidenced by the slap on the back he gives by way of greeting.]

Yo, nice kicks.

Guh--!

[ He makes a dying sort of noise, not because his muscles can't take a friendly smack, he's very solid, but because he's an introvert being swept along in a whirlwind. That's just how it is. He falls ass-first into stuff with exuberant people. This is his life now. ]

Th-Thanks... Uh, this way I think...

[ He points. It's not far. Putting a cafe close to a hospital was a smart move on the part of the owners. ]

You, uh, seem to be having a really good day, Kyle-san...

[Kyle follows along, a swagger in his step.]

Every day is a good day when you're me.

You ain't havin a good day?

[ Definitely something weird going on. This is the first time Midoriya is meeting Kyle face to face, but he had struck him as being more quick-tempered than whoever this cheery guy is. Midoriya is bad at English, but some of the different way Kyle is speaking comes through anyway. He doesn't seem to be on anything, though some time and fluids should tell. ]

Every day, huh? My day's going fine. Didn't do much, just working out and organizing my notes...

[ The A-frame chalkboard outside the cafe advertises things such as seasonal hot chocolate, mulled cider... and beer. Typical of Trench's lack of things like drinking ages and licenses, it's a cafe that also serves alcohol, like some they have in Europe. ]

Either alcohol or a tattoo, but not both. [ he reminds him. ]

[Later, Kyle will be pretty hideously embarrassed by this entire exchange.]

Notes on what?

[Kyle sighs dramatically.] Yeah, yeah, Mom. C'mon, I'm buying.

You don't have to pay!

[ It's polite to protest. He shucks off his jacket when he gets inside. He's got a plain black v-neck, comfortable and boring like the rest of his clothes (except the shoes). ]

Uh, you know, like fighting techniques and stuff...

[ he says evasively. He's pretty sure original flavor Kyle, top of his class, wouldn't make fun of his nerdy hobby, but he's not so sure about this Kyle. ]

Don't sweat it, I got lots of shit to trade.

And 'stuff'? Dude, c'mon.

[At the counter he orders himself Trench's version of chai tea. No beer.]

If you say so... In that case, thank you.

I'll get, uh, genmaicha please. [ he tells the person at the counter. Due to something being lost in translation, there's a brief awkward moment where he has to clarify, reading off the menu with concentration, ] 'Brown rice green tea.'

[ He rubs the back of his head self-consciously while he waits to the side for his tea. ]

It's true though. I can learn a lot from the people around me. That's why I became a Hunter too.

[Kyle orders himself the most caffeinated drink available, then stands to the side as well, leaning against the counter.]

No shit? How is that? I should do that, that Hunting thing. Lots of action, right?

Uh... Well, in this world...

[ Kyle sounds like every little kid who grew up in Midoriya's neighborhood who wanted to be a Pro Hero without thinking about the realistic dangers of the job. Midoriya was one of them. He thinks of his mentor, who gave him his first dose of reality by showing him his huge scar. He thinks of how different this world is from home.

Without really thinking about it, Midoriya tugs the right sleeve of his shirt up. There are numerous faint scars, then several ragged ones on his hand, wrist, and elbow. But the largest by far is an ugly dark red swath of skin on the side of his arm from his elbow to his deltoid. ]

Hunters look like this, and well, that's a lot of pain to go through.

[ He doesn't wince from the memory of it, nor does he look sad or lower his voice melodramatically. He just looks a little guilty. ]

Duuuuuude. That shit is hardcore!

[Yeah, he's just impressed.]

How did you get the big one? Must have damn near ripped your arm off!

[ He judiciously decides not to tell Kyle that if someone who has not gotten in shape like him tried to use his superpower, their shrimp arm really would come off. When their drinks are ready, he picks up his tea and starts heading to a table. ]

OK... Kyle-san... What's going on? I don't know you that well, but this doesn't sound like you.

[Of course Kyle has something caffeinated. Gotta have those stimulants!]

Huh? Oh, you mean the new hotness? [He gestures to himself, grinning.]

I shed. Dude, before this, for a while? I was OLD. Like fifty. It sucked.

That's not... that old... [ he says in a conciliatory way, rolling down his sleeve. ]

[ Old and busted... New hotness. But Midoriya is a little young to know that movie. ]

'Shed'? Is that like a power of yours?

[ He settles at a table near a window and curls his hands around the warmth of his cup. ]

Dude, it's practically dead!

Nah, man. It's a thing going on around town. Your skin gets dry and then falls off and BAM! New you.

[Kyle sits like a bro - slouching, legs open.]

Could happen to anybody.

[ Midoriya sits like his mom. Straight, legs forward, not taking up much space. ]

W-what?!

[ His jaw falls open in horror. Gross!! He shudders. He, the hero who rescued people from a slaughterhouse while covered in blood, allows himself small luxuries like freaking out like a normal person at weird stuff. It's this lack of stoicism that so often causes people to underestimate him. ]

So that's how that happens? I guess it's lucky I always put stuff on my skin for the scars then...

Yeah, bro. Although sometimes it's an upgrade!

[Clearly he considers this to be.]

[ He's not sure if this is an upgrade. Kyle kind of looks like the disguise Midoriya once cobbled together from a cheap store so he wouldn't be spotted by villains: hair combed from his face weirdly, gold necklace, clashing colors. There was even a stupid fake goatee. A "tough guy" that couldn't appear tough at all. He was never great at acting. ]

But you remember everything, right? So, you'll probably remember everything about today too.

[ Hint, don't do anything you'll regret, Kyle. ]

And as for the big scar, it was from overusing my super strength. It broke my arm. Being a Hunter is dangerous, Kyle-san.

[ So is being a hero, though he wasn't even provisionally licensed at the time of the injury. ]

Yeah, I do this time. I didn't when I was old.

Duuuude. That's badass! [God, he's the worst.]

You're way tougher than you look.

...You didn't have your memories of Trench? You were just an elderly man from your world?

[ Gods, Kyle. Luckily, Midoriya is pretty chill. Midoriya takes a drink of his tea because he needs a moment to contemplate the fact that Kyle might get into a scrap he shouldn't. ]

Yeah, no memory. Just a sad old dude.

Good tea?

video; UN: TripleJ

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