Author's Notes: Chapter edited and corrected by Scott Fellman.
Izumi Pov .
I was having a wonderful time with Visha. I was really enjoying the date. We hadn't done anything special yet; we just chatted. Visha was actually friendly and quite optimistic.
Visha had planned the date with Tanya's help, and she'd been brutally honest about that. She didn't try to hide it in any way; in fact, every time she spoke, she'd mention Tanya every four or five sentences.
Somehow, they had found some kind of cultural dessert festival. There were desserts from all over the world. There was tiramisu at the Italian stand, Black Forest gateau at the German stand, and chocolate truffles at the Belgian stand. There was a vast variety of chocolate desserts at every stand.
Visha and I were both drooling as soon as we arrived and looked around. We quickly started hopping from one stall to another while buying a little bit of basically everything. We'd passed at least a dozen stalls and bought a lot of things between the two of us, and not one of us showed any signs of being done or feeling sick as we continued eating.
"Oh goddess, this chocolate coulant tastes divine." Visha moaned as she tasted her share. I moaned back.
"You're absolutely right. I said it, and I'll keep saying it. Chocolate is the food of the gods," I said with pleasure. Visha nodded repeatedly. "It really was a good idea to come here," I said happily.
"I know! Tanya helped me find this place! She said you liked the desserts! " Visha said happily.
"Oh? She helped you prepare for the date? " I asked curiously. Visha nodded with a smile, not feeling embarrassed in the least.
"Yes, Tanya is the most organized and the best planner between the two of us! She helped me! " Visha said with a smile.
"I see you really like Tanya." I said playfully. Visha looked at me in confusion.
"Of course I like her. She's my sister," Visha said easily. I laughed lightly.
"And you do everything together? Or is this thing about you going out with me an exception? " I asked curiously. Visha hummed.
"I mean, a little? We each have our hobbies. Tanya likes to read thick books on law and politics, which I'm not good at. I like to cook and make coffee… and play games! Video games and cards! " Visha chirped. I snorted.
"Of course, Tanya would do that as a hobby. But about you, I didn't know you cooked." I said, intrigued. Visha nodded happily.
"Yes! Tanya liked my coffee! She even said she can't afford to live without it. So I started making her coffee regularly, then learned how to make other varieties of hot drinks, and finally ended up in the kitchen. It's something I like to do. There's also the fact that I have quite a voracious appetite, so it's a win-win!" Visha said happily. I laughed lightly.
"I'm glad at least one of my girlfriends knows how to cook. So far, they've all been terrible in the kitchen," I said mockingly.
"Have you been taking care of the cooking in the dorm?" Visha asked curiously.
"Something like that? I only make food for the four of us most of the time. Yes, if I'm feeling generous, I'll cook something for the others, but it doesn't happen very often. I can move quickly in a kitchen, but cooking for 20 people is still a pain. My mom is a pastry chef who passed down her cooking talent to me, so learning how to cook was almost mandatory." I said simply. Visha looked at me curiously.
"Is your mother a pastry chef?! I remember! It was that quirk you used at the festival during our lunch! It was the best thing I've ever tasted! " Visha moaned excitedly.
"Yes, cooking quirk, I can enrich prepared food. It doesn't matter who prepares it, so I can make almost any dish taste more delicious." I said simply before smiling. "Do you want to try it with the Coulant?" I asked playfully. Visha's eyes widened, and she handed me her disposable plate with half of her Coulant on it.
"Please!" Visha begged. I just laughed lightly. I brought my fingers closer to the chocolate cake and touched it lightly, letting my quirk flow. Once I finished, I did the same with mine. Visha ate a bite almost impatiently before moaning loudly as the flavor flooded her taste buds. "This- this is wonderful. It's the best quirk in the whole world." Visha said while looking at me seriously. There was not a hint of lying or mockery on her face. I burst out laughing.
"You have a good quirk yourself, yes." I admitted playfully as I sampled the enriched coulant. My quirk was almost cheating for gourmet food. "And we were talking about my mother. You might have heard the name of her shop if you've explored Musutafu. Cake Shop Iori."
"Your mother owns Iori's!?" Visha exclaimed, deeply surprised. "I've tried her cakes and was lucky enough to win one of her chocolate cakes. It was the best thing I've ever tasted! It compares to this... Coulant ... the one you used your Quirk on..." Visha's eyes widened slightly. I smirked.
"Yeah, that's what happens when we have the same quirk," I said playfully. "Though hers only works with cakes and sweets, mine mutated slightly. Same effect, but it affects anything I consider food," I said simply. Visha stared at her dessert briefly before looking at me completely serious.
"Marry me," Visha said immediately. I paused for a second, before bursting out laughing.
"You're the third woman to propose to me for my cooking and quirk," I laughed. Visha just pouted.
"A woman's heart is through her stomach, Izumi! Having a Quirk that can make all food delicious is like a trap to seduce women! " Visha said seriously. I burst out laughing again.
"Yeah, I guess so," I chirped.
"By the way? The third one? Who were the first two? " Visha asked curiously.
"Taylor and Ruby." I said simply, Visha's eyes widening slightly.
"Ruby, I get it. She's got that vibe and everything. But Taylor? She seems so much more cool and serious than Tanya! And that's saying something! " Visha said in surprise. I laughed lightly.
"She uses her quirk to do that. If you spend time with us, you'll soon realize the truth." I said simply. Visha just nodded slowly.
"Still… I swear I saw her drink black coffee the other time. Really black! It looked like tar! Not even Tanya drinks it that dark! I don't really see her as someone who enjoys food." Visha said. I snorted in amusement.
"A quad," I said simply with a smile. Visha's eyes widened slightly.
"4 shots of espresso?! Just that, or do you mix it with something!? " Visha asked incredulously.
"Just that, sometimes with ice," I said amusedly. Visha's face wrinkled in disgust.
"Heathen." She said simply, and I burst out laughing.
"Yes, I know! She's weird! " I said playfully.
"Honestly, I know the taste doesn't change between 1 or 4 shots, just the quantity, but just thinking about 4 shots of bitter espresso makes me shudder." Visha said, actually shuddering. I laughed lightly.
"Me too, but let's put that aside. We still have more shops to visit," I said excitedly. Visha's eyes lit up slightly. She quickly finished what little was left of her Coulant, I did the same, and we threw the small disposable plate into your nearby trash can.
"What are we waiting for?!" Visha asked excitedly. She extended her arm to me, and I tangled it with hers. We quickly went to the next store to buy more desserts.
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After continuing to hop from stall to stall, the festival was finally coming to an end, just in time because it was getting dark enough for us to head back. Once we arrived at UA, we strolled toward the dorms.
"I had fun today. It was a real pleasure meeting you properly." I said with a smile.
"I think I talked too much about myself," Visha said, laughing nervously. "I'm sorry if I bored you at some point. I'm sure you read that report Tanya wrote. She asked me at least 50 questions while she was writing it," Visha said, grimacing. I shook my head.
"Some parts, the bio, really. I skipped that part almost entirely. I'd rather get to know you while we chat. It's… a good way to connect with someone rather than just reading it in a file." I said honestly.
"I know! I told Tanya the same thing! But she said it was going to be the same! Something about the presentation and delivery being too important not to do! " Visha said exasperatedly. I laughed lightly.
"Tell me, did she do some kind of psychological profile on me when we got back from our date?" I asked playfully. Visha perked up.
"She did it! At least 20 pages! " Visha laughed. I burst out laughing.
"I guess you didn't read them." I said amusedly. Visha shrugged.
"Some parts. I mean. I love my sister, but how she writes is so… cold and emotionless, it's boring to read sometimes." Visha said with a fond sigh before freezing. "Don't tell her I said that. She loves doing those reports. She lives for her paperwork," Visha said seriously, and I burst out laughing.
"I know!" I laughed lightly. Visha looked at me mischievously.
"And don't say I told you, but 5 of those pages were just from the kiss you had." Visha murmured as if it were a secret while looking at me mischievously. My eyes widened slightly before I smirked.
"Really?" I asked mockingly. Visha laughed lightly.
"Oh yeah, I don't think she even realized it when she wrote it. It's the first time I've seen one of her less-than-analytical reports. She actually got lost in her sentences, repeating bits and pieces, and describing everything in precise detail. It was kind of exciting to read that part, actually," Visha said amusedly.
"You only read that part, right? " I asked playfully. Visha laughed and nodded.
"Of course! Like I said, I love her. And I can usually keep up when she starts monologuing or complaining about something, but sometimes I just… get lost." Visha said with a nervous smile.
"I know, it was just something I realized. She gave me her retirement plan for 20 years in the future," I said playfully. Visha groaned.
"Really, that girl," Visha moaned, exasperated. Though there was still a hint of affection in her voice. "Honestly, I have no idea why she chose a career as a Hero or a Hunter if she wanted to do paperwork and have a bureaucratic career. I see her more as an office worker who works 12 hours a day with a disturbing smile on her face rather than working as a Hero any day." Visha said mockingly. I hummed.
"Well, she concluded that since your parents adopted her immediately after her 'aptitude test,' your parents want an A-rank Hunter in the family." I said simply. Visha stood still, unnaturally still. She turned her head slowly, and a look of horror crossed her face as she paled terribly.
"T-tell me you're joking," Visha pleaded. I grimaced as I shook my head.
"No, I've only met her a couple of times, and even I've noticed that she's more... rational. She sees everything, and everyone, as resources, even herself. So... your parents wanting to use her is what makes the most sense to her." I said honestly. Visha lost all expression before her face morphed into a grimace of fury.
"That- that idiot! That's not what happened at all! It was pure chance that my parents wanted to adopt her at that age! They wanted to have another daughter but couldn't conceive again after me! They never thought of using her as a hunter in any way!" Visha exclaimed angrily. I smiled slightly.
"That's really good," I said with a smile. Visha glared at me indignantly. I shrugged. "That means your parents really love Tanya," I said simply. Visha froze slightly and took a deep breath before visibly calming down.
"Yes, they do. And when I get back to the dorm, I'll yell at her for it. How could she even think of such a thing?" Visha grunted angrily. I gave her an apologetic smile.
"Sorry for mentioning that." I apologized to her. Visha sighed once more to calm herself completely and then shook her head.
"Don't apologize. In fact, I should be thanking you. I don't want that kind of misunderstanding to exist between us. Tanya is part of our family. She's as much our parents' daughter as I am; she's my older sister, and there shouldn't be any doubt or anything in between that would interfere with that." Visha said, completely serious. "She'll listen to whatever I have to say." She clenched her fists, determined.
"Just remember, she doesn't do it on purpose. Not really." I tried to appeal for Tanya. Visha frowned before sighing and nodding.
"I know, but... it's just a lot," Visha said sadly. I turned to her and pulled her into a hug. Visha looked surprised but hugged me tightly, almost seeking comfort. She didn't really cry, but the sadness was present in her body. "Thank you, I needed that," Visha said after a few minutes as she pulled away from me slightly.
"Don't worry, I'm happy to help, even if it's just a hug." I smiled softly. Visha smiled back.
"It was more than enough," Visha said before looking back at the road. We were practically right next to the Class 1A dormitory.
"Well, I guess this ends the date." I said simply. Visha nodded ruefully. I turned to look at her. "I really enjoyed the date. We have to do it again," I said with a smile. Visha looked surprised before smiling slightly.
"Yes, we do." Visha said excitedly.
"We could cook. I'm curious about German recipes and food." I said simply, and Visha became excited once again.
"And I don't just know how to make German recipes! Our parents were from Russia, so Dad knew a ton of foods from there too. I learned them all! " Visha boasted proudly. I nodded.
"Then we should cook sometime." I smiled at her. Visha nodded vigorously. Then she looked at me intently and bit her lip lightly.
"I... we... could we kiss?" Visha asked shyly. I laughed lightly. We were still close to each other, so I didn't have to get any closer. I just leaned slightly towards her as I approached.
Visha flinched slightly but quickly braced herself. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips against mine awkwardly, a little more forcefully than necessary. She seemed about to pull away, but I grabbed the back of her neck and held her in place.
I began to move my lips over hers, making Visha shudder slightly. She tried to mimic my movements, but it was apparent she was terribly inexperienced, but I didn't care in the least. There was no reason for me not to enjoy Visha's first kiss. If I guessed correctly.
We pulled away slightly, and Visha took a deep breath. I took advantage of her daze and kissed her again. Visha moaned slightly, and this time, she was even more assertive, learning quickly and becoming more and more comfortable as we kissed.
She tried to pull away again, but I captured her lower lip between my lips. I could feel her tremble as she pushed her lips back against mine. Finally, I decided to push the tip of my tongue between her lips. Visha was slightly surprised but opened her mouth and welcomed my tongue almost eagerly with her own.
We kissed heavily for several long minutes until we finally broke away. Visha looked dazed, her cheeks flushed, and she was trying to catch her breath.
"That... that was amazing." Visha murmured as she looked at me in wonder. I looked at her suggestively.
"It certainly was. I really enjoyed it." I said in a lower octave. Visha bit her lower lip as she looked at me. "This was a good date," I finally said before chastely kissing her lips and pulling away. Visha sighed in disappointment but quickly recovered.
"Yes, it was a splendid date!" Visha smiled happily.
"It was, thanks for that, but I have to go. I felt Taylor's bugs a while ago. So they must be waiting for me." I said simply; Visha just nodded.
"Thank you!" Visha said with a huge smile. I looked at her one last time.
"By the way, don't be so hard on Tanya," I said. Visha finally remembered her anger with Tanya, and her gaze hardened. She nodded in my direction.
"I won't be, but I have to go. I have a lot of things to tell my sister," Visha said seriously. She looked at me once more and nodded in my direction before turning and walking briskly toward Dorm 1B.
With a final prayer of apology in Tanya's direction, I entered the bedroom of 1A.
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It was after several hours that I received a message on my scroll.
Tanya: [I hate you.]
I read Tanya's message and snorted in amusement.
Tanya: [But… thank you.]
I smiled slightly. We'll have to see if they continue training as heroes and hunters. But in any case, it was good that Tanya got that over with. Without Being X to screw her up over and over again, she had the right to enjoy her life.
Yes, she was a bitch in her past life with no empathy, but… she was a fucking salaryman in the HR department, her job basically consisting of firing people. She never broke the rules, in either life; for better or worse, she always followed the rules in every way possible. She never did anything 'truly' wrong.
Being X was just a bitch who liked to cry and take it out on a mere human who couldn't really do anything to him. Tanya was perfectly entitled to her own opinion on gods and devils, regardless of what Being X said or believed humans must feel. But hey, gods were never the most rational people, all in all.
I really hoped I was right that Being X didn't exist here. Otherwise, I'd have to find a way to kill him. I already considered Tanya and Visha mine, enough so that if this pseudo-creator deity got in the way, it would really piss me off.