?At the city’s central plaza, the air buzzed with color and sound. Balloons and banners swayed in the wind.
“Citizen Safety Day — A Hero Show for Laughter and Peace.”
?Four heroes stood side by side on the stage:
Sero Hanta (Cellophane), Kojirō Bondō (Plamo), Tsuburaba Kōsei (Solid Air)—
and today’s special guest, the Rabbit Hero, Mirko.
?Sero raised the mic high.
“Alright, everyone! Today, we’re not the heroes who fight—”
He paused, letting the crowd hang for a beat, then smiled.
“We’re the heroes who make you smile!”
?Applause rippled through the audience.
Bondō stepped up beside him, holding a huge heart-shaped frame crafted from tape and glue.
“Let’s show you the unbreakable bond of our duo—Bond & Tape!”
?Laughter broke out across the stands at the clumsy but cute pun.
Then Mirko strode to the center of the stage.
?“I might not be funny—”
She spread her arms wide with a grin, her fluffy cotton-tail twitching playfully behind her.
“—but I am good at surprises!”
?At her cue, Tsuburaba activated his Quirk.
The air solidified into clear, reflective walls, scattering sunlight in every direction.
?Inside that mirrored space, Mirko leapt.
Her white ears cut through the wind as she spun once in midair. Sunlight caught at the tips, tracing a bright arc behind her.
The crowd gasped all at once.
?When she landed, the air walls burst apart like glass, scattering light and dust into a giant heart-shaped ring.
Children cheered, their voices rising in one bright, unified “Waaah!”
?Sero waved to the crowd with a bright grin.
“Now that’s the power of teamwork, folks!”
?Bondō called out as he tidied up the debris.
“A hero’s job isn’t just about fighting—clean-up counts too!”
?Mirko turned toward the audience, waving.
“Everyone—try making someone smile today, right where you stand. That’s how a true hero begins.”
?White spotlights bloomed over the stage. Balloons burst, and confetti spiraled through the air.
Above them, a flock of pigeons circled gracefully. Under that calm sky, Mirko’s laughter was the first to shine.
?[Late Afternoon — A Quiet Street Corner]
?Golden dusk filtered between the brick buildings, warming the air of the small plaza.
Children’s laughter and applause mingled softly—an acoustic guitar humming through the air.
?Eri finished her street performance. Her fingertips trembled slightly, but her smile was sure.
As the final note drifted away, gentle applause rose around her.
?“Nice job, Eri.”
Jiro Kyoka approached, slipping one headphone off.
“You’ve really improved.”
?“Thanks, Jiro-nee.”
Eri smiled shyly.
?Jiro sat down beside the guitar case.
“Oh, by the way—Deku said he wants to see you play again. He’s coming in person next time.”
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?Eri’s eyes widened.
“Really?”
“Yep. So you’d better get your next song ready.”
?Jiro winked and brushed her fingers over the strings—the soft rhythm drifting into the evening air.
The two of them stayed there, talking and laughing as the evening light faded.
?When the crowd had thinned and people drifted away, Eri quietly began packing up her guitar.
Just as she was about to close the case, she spotted a small note tucked into the corner.
?A familiar memo, marked with a drawing of a pair of little rabbit ears.
The handwriting was neat and steady.
?Great performance!
?Eri froze for a moment.
The edge of the note fluttered faintly in the sunlight. Her fingers trembled until finally, a quiet smile spread across her face.
?She held the note close and whispered to herself. That simple line echoed softly in her heart.
“…Mirko-san.”
?The street noise faded away, and the last note drifting into the sunset lingered for a long, long time.
?[Night — Residential District Patrol]
?The residential district was dead quiet. No villains, no people. Just the humming streetlights and the chirping crickets.
?Walking down the empty street, Mirko let out a long, loud groan.
?“Tch… seriously? Do we really need to patrol this specific spot?”
?She kicked a pebble, watching it bounce harmlessly into the dark.
“This district is famous for having zero crime. It’s safer than a nursery school around here.”
?She stretched her arms behind her head, yawning heavily.
?“I know this is an 'adaptation run' to get me back in the groove... but come on. This is boring. Way too boring.”
?After finishing her lap, she headed toward the park bench where the team leader for this area was stationed.
?There sat Koda Koji (Anima).
?The kid had changed since the war.
His skin was rough like pure bedrock, his jawline square, and two jagged, sharp horns now jutted from his head.
Visually, he looked like a walking fortress. A final boss.
?But right now, that “final boss” was sitting on the bench, chin resting in his massive hand, his head bobbing rhythmically.
He was fast asleep.
?Mirko stopped and smirked, placing a hand on her hip.
?“See? It’s so boring even the guy in charge is knocking out.”
?She crept closer, her footsteps silent as a rabbit’s.
She leaned her upper body down, bringing her face inches away from his, and whispered low and sharp.
?“Oi.”
?Koda’s eyelids fluttered open, heavy with sleep.
His vision was blurry for a split second. Then, it focused.
?Right in front of his nose were two glowing crimson eyes and a toothy, feral grin filling his entire field of view.
?“H-HIIIEEEK!!”
?He screamed at the top of his lungs, leaping off the bench and snapping into a rigid salute in mid-air.
?“I-I wasn’t sleeping!! My animal friends said it’s clear!! Please don’t eat m— I mean!! No anomalies found, ma’am!!”
?Silence.
A stray cat on a nearby wall froze, staring at them.
?Mirko stood upright, blinking at his reaction with genuine confusion.
?(Huh? I thought he liked rabbits...)
?She let out a short huff and slapped his rock-hard arm.
?“Geez. You look like a villain boss with those horns now, but you still spook easy, huh?”
?Koda let out a whimpering breath, clutching his chest as his soul slowly returned to his body.
“I… I thought my heart stopped…”
?Mirko chuckled, turning back to the road.
“Relax, big guy. I only bite bad guys. Come on, wake up properly. Let’s finish this shift.”
?As they walked away, Koda kept a safe distance of exactly three steps, mentally hugging his fluffy Yuwai-chan for comfort.
?(I love rabbits... Yuwai-chan is cute and fluffy...)
(But Mirko-san is scary!!)
?(…From now on, I’m definitely sticking to day shifts.)
?[Midnight — Inside the Subway]
?The subway car rattled through the rain.
Mirko ended the call with Hawks. “Understood. No issues.”
?Silence returned. She leaned against the glass door, watching the city blur past.
Suddenly, a massive billboard lit up the dark.
?On the screen, Bakugo Katsuki was blasting a villain, moving with explosive freedom.
Mirko’s eyes tracked his movement without blinking.
?"Right arm... looks like it healed well.”
?A small relief, but it stung.
In the window, her reflection stared back—illuminated by the orange glow of his fire.
Envy and longing mixed in those red eyes.
?She pressed her forehead against the cold glass, closing her eyes.
?“...I didn't become a hero just to fight.”
?The train rushed on, plunging into a tunnel, instantly swallowing her reflection in darkness.
[The Same Time — HPSC Director’s Office]
?Hawks ended the call and leaned back in his chair.
Stacks of reports covered his desk, and the pale moonlight stretched long through the window.
?“Report’s complete,” he said with a short sigh.
?Best Jeanist straightened his collar.
“No issues with Mirko?”
?“None,” Hawks replied.
“We’ve seen no signs of hallucinations or trauma responses over the past month. The doctors have cleared her—physically and mentally, she’s fully recovered.”
?There was a faint relief in his voice.
Jeanist nodded slowly.
“I’m glad. We were all a bit worried.”
?By the window, Aizawa spoke with his arms crossed.
“Even so, we should be cautious with field deployments. She’ll be facing villains head-on again.”
?“I know.” Hawks nodded.
“That’s why I’m planning a team-up mission.”
?“Team-up?” Jeanist raised a brow.
?Hawks tapped his fingers against the armrest, smiling faintly in the dim light.
“Already got a few candidates in mind.”
?Aizawa’s tone shifted with quiet curiosity.
“Who?”
?Hawks pulled out a file and set it on the desk.
Silence lingered for a moment. Jeanist looked at the cover and smiled.
“Reliable choices.”
?Aizawa nodded.
“Yeah. If it’s them… they’ll have her back.”
?Cold moonlight leaned across the glass, tracing a faint, silver glow along the window’s edge.
[The Next Day — HPSC Director’s Office]
?Soft sunlight streamed through the window.
Papers fluttered faintly in the breeze, and the scent of coffee filled the room.
?Hawks closed a file and looked up.
“You’ve been looking a little different lately, Mirko.”
?Mirko tilted her head, arms crossed.
“Different?”
?“It’s like your combat instincts are itching again.”
Hawks grinned, one brow arched in playful mischief.
?Mirko chuckled and turned her head aside.
“…Sharp as ever. Yeah, you’re right.”
?Her voice stayed calm, but her eyes flickered with a long-buried thrill.
?“Knew it.”
Hawks snapped his fingers.
“That’s why I lined up for you. Some old friends you’ll be happy to see.”
?He turned toward the door.
“Come in.”
?The door clicked open.
Mirko turned toward the sound, her crimson eyes widening faintly in surprise.