Lamia Ex Machina 12: Training Montage

Right, so the Patreon chapter of Shape of Magic will be posted either tomorrow or Monday. The holidays have screwed with us a bit and we're a bit slower on writing than usual.

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Chapter 12: Training Montage!

<<<Monday>>>

“Uh… Monday? I don’t mean to question you but…” Izuku stopped, “No, I’m questioning you. Why am I watching this?” She asked gesturing to a cage fight between two MMA fighters.

Monday honestly almost beamed. It’d taken weeks but she had finally got Zuku to use sarcasm! She was so proud of the Green Bean! Still, she decided to answer her before she thought she drifted off… again. Though in her defense, she was getting better at not zoning out.

“To remind you that God gave you legs with which you can actually use your quirk through,” Monday said, “I think we’ve learned that using your quirk in one arm is a bad idea.”

Zuku just blushed at that and mumbled, [size=2]“But that’s how All Might uses it....”[/size] Thankfully Jiro had familial duties to attend to, cause Monday was pretty damn sure she wasn’t supposed to hear that.

Mulling this around in her head for a few minutes she paused the video before turning to the others, who were studying or making their own plans, “Ladies and gentlemen, excuse Zuku and I for a few minutes?” She asked before she grabbed Zuku and they blinked away to a place she knew they’d have complete privacy.

“Um… why are we in an abandoned parking lot?” Zuku asked, “And why is it night? Where are we?”

“America, but that isn’t important!” Monday dismissed, grabbing her friend by the shoulders, “What did you mean by ‘that’s how All Might uses it’?”

“Ah- um- w-well…” Zuku stammered.

Monday just waved it away, “Whatever. It’s your secret and I have no intention of prying despite being curious,” She said without hesitation, “But I want you to know that if you want to talk about it I’ll not tell another soul okay? I want to help you with this.”

“... I’m not sure you can keep that promise, honestly,” Zuku admitted, “I mean, you say some weird things when you space out.”

“Rude, but fair.” Monday admitted, she was self aware enough to acknowledge that, “But that still doesn’t change the fact that I want to help you. Zuku, I want you to give this some serious thought before answering. But if you go on as you are, do you think your body will be able to keep going? Even quirk-healing has its limits, and I don’t want to see you unable to realize your dreams.”

“... you’re right, but when I used it on my legs before they broke,” She replied, “During the admittance exam.”

Monday stopped to think and, for a brief moment, she saw Zuku (as a guy, which was still weird) but covered in green lightning and what looked like red glowing scars? Shaking her head to bring herself back, to focus on her current place. She could wander and explore later, her friend needed her… now what did that glimpse even mean? It wasn’t the first time she saw them…

“A coat…” She muttered to herself before shaking her head again and looked at a worried Zuku, did she zone out again?

How long was she out?

“A… coat?” Zuku asked, “What do you mean?” Ah, that was why they were looking at her weird.

“Maybe… spread your quirk? Like instead of explosively releasing it… just spread it over your body?” Monday shrugged, “I mean… you’d probably have to learn how to move normally before you could fight but… it’s an idea right?”

“I… maybe?" She replied, “Or I’ll just explode.” Zuku coughed into her hand, “Maybe… we should have someone that can heal me if that happens nearby?”

“Oh, that’s a good idea actually,” Monday said, “Well, we could check in and as Recovery Girl if she could watch over you. Or, you could take the plunge and ask Himmy.”

“Himari can heal too?” She asked in confusion, “But I’m going to be honest… I’m worried she’d make me a rabbit girl.”

“I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if she had something to do it,” Monday said, “OH! Maybe she has a Healing Pod like in Dragon Ball Z! Or maybe a Bacta tank from Star Wars!” She blinked, “I mean… I think she could, but only if you asked. And you would be a goddamn adorable rabbit girl, Zuku!~”

“... she said I’d look good with rabbit ears,” She muttered in reply.

“Zuku, hun you have so much bunny energy.” Monday said as she hugged the girl, “I wonder if your ears would be super fluffy as well?”

“Oh my god,” She whined, face buried in her hands as a blush exploded across it.

“Besides, I mean those two things on the mask of your costume look like rabbit ears sooooooo…” Monday just trailed off, “Oh! Isn’t there a Rabbit Hero? Mir-something?”

“Mirko, the top female hero,” Zuku replied instantly, “Current number five overall, her quirk is Rabbit. She’s known for her lone hunting style.”

“Nerd,~” She teased with a smile, “Okay, how about we test our theory? You know how it feels when you use your quirk?”

“Tingly,” She replied, “Before being very painful.”

“Okay now just grasp that tingle but instead of letting it gather in any single limb… spread it out.” Mondy said, “Don’t move, just get used to the feeling before dropping it. And any further testing will be done back in UA, deal?”

Instead of replying, she started concentrating, visibly struggling with just holding it in and not moving. Her breath was short, “It’s… too much…” She whispered, “It’s starting to hurt…”

“Release it,” Monday said, watching as green electricity started to spark and red patterns started appearing on her skin.

She did, slumping and panting, “I think… we should go back to UA.”

“Sure.” Monday said as she hugged the girl, “And I think you should probably start low as possible and work your way up. Like starting at one percent or lower and just gradually increasing it,” She added before they blinked away and reappeared in what she had deemed the Study Room at Momo’s.

“Welcome back guys!” Denki called out, “We were just going over the race and how far we’ll need to run. Momo wants to do some cardio, you wanna join us?”

“Sure! Just give me a sec, going to pop over to Recovery girl… and probably get smacked by a little old lady,” Monday said before she blinked away with Zuku.

She heard a “Goddamnit Monday…” but she wasn’t entirely sure who said it. She’d find out later, maybe.

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UA, it had to be said, had the best gym she’d ever been in. It didn’t just have regular weights either, but things Himari called ‘Magnetic Resistive Bars’ or something like that for superhuman strength quirks. And, in the privacy of her own mind, she could freely admit the eye candy wasn’t bad either.

Sure she preferred the female form, but she couldn’t deny that the guys in her class didn’t look impressive! Even Ida had that runner's physique that she could appreciate, despite him being a stick in the mud!

“How… much weight is that?” Eijiro asked. He was, at that moment, her spotter but he also looked completely floored by how easily she was lifting. Well, relatively easy, it still strained her muscles because obviously, there wouldn’t be much point in a workout otherwise.

Look, while yes she could easily perceive herself as lifting it without any trouble, that would defeat the point. Also it doubled as quirk training, after all she was perceiving herself as barely being strong enough to lift the weights without going overboard. It was a very delicate balancing act that she’d been slowly improving. In the beginning it was a struggle as it would go from light as a feather to barely being able to move it in the slightest.

“Cheating,” She grunted in reply, “It is not easy to cheat like this, so really it’s just… more work… does that count as cheating?”

“... I… think so?” Eijiro just scratched his head.

“She’s using the weights to both improve her strength while doubling as training her quirk,” Himari stated as she ran on a specialized treadmill for people with speed quirks, stress-testing some modifications she’d made if Monday recalled correctly.

“I think, therefore I am!” Monday quipped, “Though, I think I’m starting to improve…” Though just as she said that the weight vanished and she nearly threw it through the ceiling, “Damnit!”

“Your quirk is ridiculous,” Mina said from a bench, panting as her sweat made her short nearly see through. Her bra, however, was very much still opaque, saving her from much embarrassment.

“No one knows that better than me and Himmy.” Monday said with a snicker as she put the bar back on its rest and just relaxed, “God, this gym is so much better than Real Steel back in the states…”

“That sounds like a movie title,” Denki noted. If she remembered correctly, he was mostly there to watch… except that Himari was forcing him to at least do some squats.

“Yeah, the owner is a big fan of it,” Monday admitted, “But despite the name it caters to people with ‘fucking weird quirks’ like mine and mom’s,” She added with a chuckle.

“Oh, cool,” He replied with a nod, “I’m stuck. Himari, I will get my revenge.”

“You will try,” Himmy responded cooly as she glanced at him, “You should be training as well, Denki.”

“I would be if I could stand up!” He complained, “My legs are stuck!”

“Did you do as I advised and stand up every twenty seconds?” She asked in return, eyebrow quirking, “Reviewing the footage, you did not. That is why you are stuck. It’s like holding out a book or pales of water.”

“I got you, Denki,” Monday said as she floated over and helped the foolish teen up, “Denki listen to your body, when it tells you it's tired take a break,” She added with a chuckle, “Don’t work yourself to exhaustion, that’ll do more harm than good.”

“But do keep working through pain,” Himari noted, “You’ll know when it’s enough when you actually just physically can’t keep going! According to the internet, anyway. And that never lies, does it?” The robot’s grin was rather viscous.

Not that Monday disagreed.

“Denki go get yourself some water and cool down,” Monday said.

The boy half waddled to the benches with a water bottle and… tried to sit down. It ended up as more of a laydown though. She didn’t blame him, but it was kinda funny.

“And done,” Himari announced, “In spite of likely not using this body for the race, I have completed its distance in ten minutes. The obstacles would, however, result in a slower time and so I would not get the spot such speed would result normally in.”

“Still better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it,” Monday said.

“An accurate assessment,” She agreed, “I shall go and teach Izuku how to fight properly now. The exercise routine I gave them should be about done now. It’s specifically for late bloomers.”

“She still forgetting to use her legs?” Monday asked.

“She will not be after I’m done with her,” She replied with a serene smile.

“Ominous,” Monday said with a faint giggle, “Just don’t run her ragged.”

She then turned and… ran right into Toru… who had worked up quite a sweat… and goddamn Monday didn’t realize she was that stacked? Granted she couldn’t really eyeball cup sizes but… they were significantly more than hers.

“Sorry, didn’t see you there!” Toru yelped, apologizing profusely, “One second I was opening my water bottle and then poof, there you were!”

“It’s alright cutie,” Monday said, “It’s entirely possible I blinked without noticing, really thought I outgrew that habit…” She added thoughtfully.

“You didn’t,” Momo said with a grin, “She was just distracted.” The even bustier girl didn’t seem winded at all, but then she had mostly been helping Toru and Mina with their workouts.

Running them ragged, really.

Monday blinked, “Distracted?” She asked.

“She was talking my ear off about a ‘grand study plan’ and ‘workout routine’,” Toru replied flatly, “I think I heard something about getting Himmy to make weighted training clothes at one point.”

“Huh, that’s not a bad idea,” Monday said, “Besides, I mean who doesn’t like muscular ladies?”

“I know there was a reason I liked you!” Denki called out, “Muscled women are hot!”

“Honestly? Mirko could crush my head with her thighs and… well I wouldn’t die but I’d be happy,” Monday said without a bit of shame.

“Hell yeah sister,” He replied, “Preach it!”

“Let’s not and say we didn’t!” Momo exclaimed before Monday could escalate further, earning a pout for her efforts, “Did you see where Zuku went? Ochako was worried cause she hasn’t seen her all day.”

“Oh, she’s just being tortured by Himmy right now,” Monday replied with a wave, “She’ll be fine. Probably. Eventually.”

Oddly enough, that didn’t seem to reassure Momo, and Monday didn’t know why? Really, she didn’t. Okay that was a lie, but she found it amusing regardless.

“I can promise by the time Himmy is done she'll probably be able to bench the whole class,” Monday said, “Her quirk’s kinda bullshit like that.”

“Oh hun, you did not just say that.” Mina snarked, “Miss ‘I Think Therefore I Am,’ you do not get to talk about bullshit!”

“Help!” Zuku cried out, “She’s evil! She’s become what we all feared!”

Himari’s hand landed on the girl’s shoulder a moment later, “Nuh-uh-uh,~ not until I see twenty more sets.~” And dragged her back into the other half of the gym.

Monday just looked oddly perplexed, “On one hand… I found that vaguely concerning… and yet on the other I found that hot for some reason… huh…” She muttered to herself.

Pity the entire gym was dead silent and everyone heard.

Her phone rang soon after, a text message. ‘Don’t worry, that was entirely her idea. It was a joke. Mostly. She is kinda scared of the workout I have planned for her but not that scared.’

Looking at her cell, “... Yep. Still kinda hot for some reason. Not concerned anymore though.”

“Oh thank goodness,” Momo started, “I thought we were going to have to stage an intervention for her. No more horror movies or something. Or movies with evil AI.”

“Mo, Himmy has direct access to the internet. It’s not like we could stop her,” Monday said, “Besides you will not deny me my cuddles from Mina and Toru when we watch scary movies!”

“We could put parental locks on her router…” Mina pointed out, “That might cause her to go genocidal though, so we probably shouldn’t. She clearly needs some form of outlet or she, you know, starts going mad scientist on people.”

“I dunno, I like her mad science…” Monday said with a playful pout as her fluffy ears and tail flicked and twitched.

“It can be cute, but it’s also slightly worrying! I mean, when we were working with her on those robots she was muttering things about using Toru’s quirk to fire lasers from the sun!” Mina quickly clarified, “I don’t think she has a sense of proportional response is all!”

“... Fair,” Monday said, “But my mom’s practically adopted her so she’ll be fine.”

“... Monday,” Momo started, “That makes us more worried. Your dad is more reasonable, and even that’s a low bar.”

Monday did the mature thing… she just stuck her tongue out before returning to her workout.

It wouldn’t be until two hours later that Zuku would reappear and… she looked dead on her feet. “Everything. Hurts. Muscles I didn’t know I had… hurt,” She said before falling on her face, though into a beanbag at least.

“... Yeah I’m taking you to Recovery girl,” Monday said before she helped her up and blinked away.

Himari was on the screen already, talking to the nurse. “Oh, hi Monday! Zuku, you should be drinking water. And eat the steak dinner I’m sending to your house!”

“Well, I’ll take her home after Recovery Girl looks her over,” Monday said before she glanced at Zuku, “... The hell did you put her through, Himmy?”

“I’m glad you asked! So have you seen Dragon Ball?” The AI asked, “Because it was a bit like that, only even more weight lifting. And then, when she couldn’t lift things anymore with any muscle group I had her run with me for a while and then when she couldn’t run anymore I had her lift more weights.” Himari smiled. “And then I had her spar with me.”

“... You went full Shonen on her… heh,” Monday said with a giggle.

“Indeed,” She replied, “I also gave her a nanite injection that should improve recovery speed as long as she has the protein to spare, which is why I gave her a protein shake before the workout started. The steak is added insurance.”

Monday just shook her head, “I guess I should just take her back home then?” 

Recovery girl shrugged, “She seems fine, just tired and thirsty. I could give her an IV, but it wouldn’t do more than just a bottle of water would. Now, my question is why she didn’t use her quirk…”

“Her body can not yet handle the full power of it,” Himari replied, “Monday has plans for that, but this was to give her as much of a margin for error as possible. The stronger her body is, the more able she is to withstand its energy. I do not know why her quirk is so self destructive, mind, I just work with the materials I have available to me.”

Monday considered sharing what she’d accidentally heard, but decided against it, it was Zuku’s secret to share after all.

“Okay, I just thought I should bring her here.” Monday said, “I’ll see you all tomorrow then!” And with that she blinked away once more.

It was good that she’d blinked to Zuku’s bedroom, for the girl just flopped face down into it. “She said we’d be doing the same thing every day until the festival,” her muffled voice said, “Save me.”

Monday winced at that, “Himmy is trying to help you. Rationally the stronger your body is, the more you can handle your quirk, and unless she knows all the details she’s working with what she knows,” She said, “But remember you can ask her to slow things down, she’s not remorseless after all.”

“She offered to give me a surgery to strengthen everything, but she’d be adding a new quirk to me and she doesn’t know how that would interact with what I already have,” Zuku replied, rolling over with a grunt, “And… it’s fine, I know this is good for me. It just hurts.”

“Honestly, Zuku, if I could, I’d make that pain go away,” Monday said as she sat on the edge of her bed, “If it helps I could join your training one day? You know misery loves company.”

“Sounds fun,” She replied with a grin, “For Himari, anyway. She threw me across the room… twice. I really need to get my quirk working…”

“So, how about I get your steak and some water,” Monday started, “And you tell me about your training? So at least I won’t go in blind.”

“Sure,” She replied with a smile before sniffing herself, “I need a shower too…”

“I could help with that too,~” Monday teased, earning a pillow to the face.

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