Chapter Text
The great thing about having a face devoid of lips was that no one could accurately guess how you were feeling at the moment.
To the outside world, Honenuki Juzo was a perfect picture of inner calmness, as he rode the train surrounded by busybodies and sleepy salarymen to Musutafu on a cool Saturday in February.
Internally, he was panicking.
Today was the Recommendation Entrance Exam for those looking to seek early entrance to Yueei High, the top Hero School in Japan if not the entire world (though he was a little bias as Japanese native). He was wearing his best Gakuren for the occasion, neatly pressed and lint free. His school bag was packed with the necessary identifications, documents and writing utensils for the long-written portion of the exam. And his father had graciously packed his favorite fish curry for lunch to munch on during his break.
Overall, Juzo was set.
And yet, his overactive mind couldn’t help but entertain any of the potentially weird scenarios he might encounter during the examination.
Call it intuition, despite the fact that he wasn’t normally a religious person.
But, if there was anything he had learned during his summer internship under the superb leadership of the Wild Wild Pussycats, it was that trusting his intuition would more than likely save his life more than once. His mentor, Pixie-Bob, was very keen on teaching him that particular lesson. Utilizing her Earth Flow quirk to create formidable obstacles for him to navigate with only his wits and a meager supply of camping supplies. At least he had fared better than previous interns according to her overly eager reaction to his survival within a certain time limit.
He had learned a lot from that internship really. A bit too much, but he wasn’t complaining.
The train conductor announced the next stop as Musutafu, and Juzo prepared himself as he got off from his seat, adjusting his face mask as he did so. His most distinguish feature—his lack of lips—tended to attract all kinds of stares and reactions (and not all of them were positive ones) and with it on, Juzo felt comfortable enough to walk amongst the crowd without any major worries.
An old habit he had developed since he was little.
Years of therapy had helped ease his mind when dealing with crowds, and Juzo’s flexible mindset had allowed him to weather the good and bad with a halfhearted shrug and an easygoing smile.
Blending in seamlessly with the flow of passengers exiting out of the train cart, Juzo made his way up the stairs and out the station to the bustling vibe that was Musutafu’s downtown area. Tons of people were out today, either heading towards the direction to where Yueei High was located or enjoying the various street cart food provided by friendly vendors.
Juzo pulled out his phone. The group chat, The Dagobah Crew, was abuzz with messages and emojis as his friends chatted about the upcoming general Examination Exam that will take place next month. Currently, Awase was making a light joke about being constipated much to the apparent disgust and glee from Ojiro and Shihai respectively. Poor Yaoyorozu (bless her sweet, wonderful heart) was doing her best to send the headband loving teen links and homemade recipes to cure his imaginary gastro issues.
Snorting quietly at Kirishima’s comment on how “totally manly it was for Awase to admit he couldn’t poop well,” Juzo typed up a response.
Dagobah Crew
Me: Made it safely to Musutafu!
[Jpeg of an up close and personal look into Juzo’s sunken dark eyes]
Where should I meet you all @Yaoyorozu @Kendo????
His message was instantly hearted by Shihai and Ashido.
Dagobah Crew
Kendo Itsuka: Hey!
We’re at this pretty cute cafe Yaomomo wanted to check out!
I’ll send you the location!
Juzo’s phone binged again, this time with a screenshot of a GPS location. It was a short distance away at the bottom of the infamously long hill leading up to Yueei High. He liked Kendo’s message with a thumbs up emoji before making his way to their location.
The streets were buzzing with students, all wearing their best school uniforms as they headed up the hill. Only the very best of the best tried try their luck in the Recommendation Examination and it showed with the pompous airy vibes the students were giving out. A lot of them had quirks that had morphed their body in some unique sort of way, and Juzo could imagine Monoma enjoying rubbing shoulders against them to catch a glimpse of their quirks.
The café, a quaint little brick building that was squashed between a hardware store and a pet insurance office.
A large billboard announcing the opening of a new textile factory from Detnerat within Musutafu hung wide and high above the set of commercial buildings. The CEO of said company, Rikiya Yotsubashi, grinning smile took up nearly half of the space on the billboard.
While Juzo himself wasn’t a big fan of Detnerat (Shihai had convinced him that CEO Yotsubashi was a Quirkist), his family, especially his grandparents adored the idea of having their clothes customized to fit their skeletal mutations.
Opening the door to the café, Juzo was greeted with the rich heavenly scent of roasted coffee beans brewing inside expensive stainless machinery. It was easy to spot his friends, firstly, because of Yaoyorozu’s iconic height and ponytail and secondly, because of Kendo’s hair color. Orange was a surprisingly rare color for most people in Japan to have.
They were by the shelf containing pretty tin cans of flavorful coffee beans produced by the café itself, with Yaoyorozu weighing between two types of flavors while Kendo watched on in exasperation. Her teal green eyes brightened once she noticed Juzo and beckoned him over to join them.
“She’s trying to find something for Awase,” Kendo said in lieu of a greeting. “She’s worried that he might really be constipated.” She rolled her eyes at that, and Juzo stifled a laugh.
It was more than obvious that something was brewing between their elite socialite and bandana wearing friend. Even a blind person could see that.
Unfortunately for everyone else, those two were both oblivious to said feelings, even with Ashido’s intervention.
“Wouldn’t it make it worse if he drinks coffee though?” Juzo asked as he took off his face mask, and Kendo shrugged in response.
Yaoyorozu seemed to have made up her mind as she returned one of the tin cans back onto the shelf. She finally noticed Juzo and gave him a bright smile, revealing prefect white teeth.
“Oh, good morning, Honenuki! I hope your journey here wasn’t marred with any distractions.”
“It was a pretty smooth ride,” Juzo said. He gestured to the tin can of coffee in her hand. “Is that for Awase?”
“Oh, yes!” A faint red blush appeared on her cheeks. “I couldn’t help but be concerned for his wellbeing and figured a small gift might appease his sour mood.” She showed Juzo the name of coffee, Imperial Golden Tips. Sounded fancy. “Personally, I prefer the ones from Makaibari, but I was pleasantly surprised to see this brand here. It’s black tea and absolutely fantastic to have alongside a plate of egg benedict with avocado toast. But I am certain Awase-san might enjoy the dark taste regardless of his appetite.”
Knowing Awase, he would be willing to try anything Yaoyorozu might suggest. Even her bath water.
“We should get going,” Kendo chimed in, taping on her watch. “If we get there early, we could do a bit of studying before the written exam starts.”
Despite already having breakfast, Yaoyorozu insisted on buying Juzo a cup of coffee for the road, which he readily accepted. The flavor he ended up receiving was more floral than he had anticipated but made for a nice aroma to breathe in as he took small sips. His flat nose made it difficult for him to distinguish certain smells as a byproduct of his mutation.
They conversed about on what sort of subjects could be on the written exam as they traversed uphill to Yueei High, joined by other pretty elite looking students who were all eager to prove their place among the esteemed institute.
“I heard Endeavor’s youngest son might be taking the exam as well with us,” Kendo said.
“Todoroki Shoto?” Yaoyorozu asked. “I’m not surprised. His father seems keen on making him inherit his hero agency.”
Juzo had no say in the matter, only that he knew was of Endeavor’s contempt for being perpetually in second place to All Might of all people. He wondered if this ‘Todoroki Shoto’ guy had also inherited Endeavor’s fiery personality as well.
The twin towers of Yueei High shone like a beacon beneath the radiant morning sun, guiding all those who are lost to its sanctuary. Rows upon rows of golden head stones of famous long dead heroes and heroines stared Juzo and the others down as they made their way inside to the designated building.
A helpful Pro-Hero by the name of Jinx was manning the registration desk, where they were given a nametag and a number to attach to their uniform. Juzo was solely tempted to ask for a selfie, knowing that his best friend, Shihai, would freak out that one of his favorite heroes was teaching at Yueei High, but decided against it in the end.
Best to make a good first impression.
All the Recommendation Exam participants were shuffled into what seemed like a giant conference room complete with an array of snacks, drinks and all sorts of weird items like batteries catered for those in need of something to munch on or use for their quirks. An impressive 50-inch screen HD television hung front and center of the room, broadcasting highlights and reels from past Yueei students who had attended the hero course track over the decade or so.
Naturally, Yaoyorozu made a beeline to the snacks, no doubt fueling herself even more for the examination despite having much of a breakfast sandwich that she had brought from the cafe. Meanwhile, Juzo and Kendo found a spot near the back of the room, where there was plenty of sunlight and away from prying eyes and ears.
“Okay,” Kendo plopped down her bag onto the table and brought a notebook and pencil from within. “Why don’t we go over the three main components of the Recommendation Examination?”
“Sure.” Juzo held up a finger. “The first is the written exam, which can cover a series of subjects ranging from Mathematics to Japanese literature.” He raised a second finger. “Next is the competitive exam which could be anything like a battle royale to a multiteam matchup.”
Kendo nodded along, pleased by his answer.
“And the last one?” she asked.
Juzo raised a third finger.
“An interview by some of the board members of the hero course track.”
A recent addition, but one that Juzo felt he had no trouble in passing. He has always been considered well-spoken by his teachers.
“Correct as always, Honenuki,” Kendo said, flipping through some of the pages in the notebook. “We can start with least favorite subjects and work from there, but I personally want to go over some potential interview questions for practice.”
Yaoyorozu returned with two plates stacked high with food.
“You should both take a chance to check out the snack table,” she said, taking a seat beside Kendo. She took another bite of the muffin that rested at the very top of one of her plates. “They didn’t spare no expenses here at Yueei High for us.”
“Maybe later,” Kendo said, busy writing something down.
Juzo, on the other hand, reached over to grab a strawberry off from Yaoyorozu’s plate much to her surprise.
“Why, thank you very much, Ms. Yaoyorozu,” he said, stuffing it into his mouth with a grin.
While Kendo and Yaoyorozu buried themselves with either their food or notes, Juzo took this as an opportunity to scope out his competitors. There were a lot of people with visible strong mutations or quirks, either chatting amongst themselves or sitting alone.
One guy in particular, as big as an elephant, took up an entire table with his boisterous voice and personality, attracting a lot of attention as a crowd of students surrounded him. Juzo pegged him for a meathead, though he knew from his own experiences that looks could be deceiving.
Something red and white caught his eye, and he found himself staring at a boy sitting all on his lonesome at a table far from them. He had his head bent down, eyes glued to the table as he sat with his arms crossed with a sharp frown. He looked completely miserable and something within Juzo wanted to get up and introduce himself to the guy.
He looks like he could use a friend.
Before Juzo could make up his mind, though, the strange teenager abruptly shifted his gaze away from the table and squarely onto Juzo’s face, pure malice radiating out from the teen in waves. For a moment, Juzo thought it was the teen’s quirk but realized quickly that it was just their demeanor—an icy coldness that struck Juzo straight to core. Still, he couldn’t help but be entranced by how strikingly pretty the teenager was, with his sharp chin and long lashes framing a pair of blue and gray eyes. Even the burn mark etched on the right side of the teenager’s face did little to dull his beauty.
The teenager stared him down as if daring Juzo to say something.
Instead of taking the bait like most people would, Juzo simply grinned, and mouthed a “good luck,” to the guy.
The teenager stared at him some more before scoffing, reverting his attention back to the table but Juzo did a little victory dance within his head.
You win some, you lose some…
If he was lucky, he might get to meet this mysterious fellow during the examination.
A blank screen appeared on the television before switching to another channel, this time to a strange creature that Juzo couldn’t tell was either a bear or mouse in a fancy black suit.
“My, my,” the voice said pleasantly, capturing everyone’s attention all at once. “It pleases me to see we have attracted such an incredible array of students from all over Japan and beyond for our Recommendation Examination. Allow me to introduce myself: I am Nedzu, the Principal of this fine institution known as Yueei High.”
Behind Juzo, someone whispered, “Is that a mouse?”
“I am indeed a mouse,” Nedzu said as if he had heard the person perfectly enough despite not being in the room with them. “But I am also a bear! Quite the conundrum I suppose,” ending it with a squeaky sort of laugh. “But enough of the semantics, I’m sure you are all here for one and only one reason alone—to get an early spot into the Hero course track, of course!”
“Hell yeah!” The meathead rose up from his seat, raising his arm high in the air. “I’m super pumped to get started!”
“That is what I like to see,” Nedzu said with another squeaky chuckle. “The Examination will begin shortly. I wish to encourage you all to do your very best. Or as we like to say here in Yueei High— “Plus Ultra!”
Several voices echoed out the same thing, and even Juzo felt the positive energy coursing within the room.
“Excellent. We will be dividing you all into alphabetical order. Please make your way out of the conference room and into your assigned rooms to begin the first portion of the examination. Do note that there will be several Pro-Heroes who will be patrolling the rooms, and hallways so do not be afraid to ask them for any help. Remember, if you are caught cheating, that will be an automatic disqualification. You might think you might get away with it via your quirk but just know that I have eyes and ears in the most unlikely of places.” Juzo wondered if that included the bathrooms. “Now, best of luck everyone!”
With that, the television turned off as people all around Juzo began to stand and gather their belongings.
“Well, this is it, guys.” Kendo put her fist out in front of her. “We got this!”
“Most definitely.” Yaoyorozu said, dapping the corner of lips, having just finished her two plates in record time. “I am most certain we shall succeed in this endeavor.”
“Agreed.” Juzo brought his fist out too, and after showing Yaoyorozu what they intended to do with this gesture, the three of them did a fist bump much to Yaoyorozu’s delight.
He had absolute faith he would ace this exam.
The question was though; would it be enough to secure a spot within Yueei High?
Juzo…had mixed feelings after completing the Recommendation Examination.
He was confident enough that he had done stellar on the written portion, and based on his interview with Ectoplasm (a personal favorite hero of his), he knew he had won the man’s heart with his backstory and honest answers when it came to discussing why he wanted to be a hero or why he thought he was the best fit for Yueei High.
It was the second portion of the exam that had Juzo worried.
This year, it seemed the competitive part involved an obstacle course complete with zappy human sized robots and an array of hardy terrains that the participants had to cross using their quirks. Juzo was in dire need of a shower to get rid of all the dirt he had accumulated from the trial.
The main goal of that examination was to destroy as many robots as they possibly can while reaching the finish line. He ended up in third place, not bad all things considered given that there were over 50 people participating in the race. But it was who he had lost too, that had Juzo concerned.
Second place ended up being claimed by the meathead of all people, who, surprisingly, was a speed demon in disguise. Whatever his quirk was, it had allowed him to transverse the entire obstacle course easily through the air while being strong enough to pick up well over several dozen robots and crushed them in an instant.
Juzo was glad that his Quirk, Softening, had allowed him to remain underground for much of the duration of the trial. Several of the participants were getting sent back to the starting line just from that meathead’s quirk alone. Juzo could not determine whether it was an accident or not, but he recognized that he was outmatched by sheer strength.
Todoroki Shoto, or Endeavor’s son, won first place. The guy Juzo had shamelessly stared across the room had ended up being the very person to win the second portion of the examination. And not without showing his quirk, which appeared to be massive waves of ice that froze most of the robots in place.
Even though the guy looked all the more ready to bite off somebody’s head who dared come close to him, Juzo did send Todoroki a thumbs up for winning first place which got him a harsh glance in response. At least it was better than what the meathead tried to do.
Never had Juzo seen someone look so despondent trying to congratulate another person.
Still, it left Juzo nervously grinding his teeth together as he waited by the main entrance for Kendo and Yaoyorozu to return from their interviews (a bad habit he had developed in elementary school). There were only two spots available per hero class, each for a male and female student, which meant that unless Todoroki or the meathead did abysmal in the other portions of the examination, Juzo might have to consider taking the general examination a month later if he still wanted a place within the hero course track.
Lost in his thoughts, Juzo hadn’t even noticed he had company, till a large muscular arm wrapped around his shoulder like a bear hug.
“Yo!” It was the meathead, “You were so awesome back there!
It seemed he had no concept of an inner voice as Juzo winced slightly from the volume. He smelt like cheap body wash and pepper, which irritated Juzo’s flat nose.
“Thanks. So, were you. Juzo reached his hand out. “I don’t think we have properly met. My name is Honenuki Juzo.”
The meathead gladly took it, shaking Juzo’s hand up and down with such vigor that Juzo was worried it might rip off from the sheer force alone.
“Yoarashi Inasa!” the meathead proclaimed with a wide cheery smile that made him look slightly manic combined with his narrow dark eyes. “What did you think of the exam? I thought it was pretty good.”
“Not bad.” Juzo didn’t mean to be purposely vague, but he was unsure if the guy was just trying to be friendly or simply wanting to weed out his competition.
“Yeah…” Yoarashi paused then lowered his voice enough to surprise Juzo that he could even manage such a thing. “But that Todoroki guy seriously pissed me off, you know. Thinking he’s all that cuz he’s Endeavor’s son.”
The amount of vitriol he had for the Flame Hero was a little concerning…
“Really?”
Juzo was intrigued. Endeavor did have his fair share of haters, probably more than most heroes typically did, but Juzo had never met one up close and personal.
“For real! I tried congratulating him, and he just brushed me off like I was nothing! If he’s planning on being in Yueei High then count me out. I don’t want any part of it.”
Wait…Juzo blinked a few times. Was this guy actually considering throwing away his chance of a lifetime of going to one of the top schools in the world just because of one person?!
Juzo pulled himself away from Yoarashi’s grip to stare him down, which was no easy task given that the guy had a massive difference in height over him.
“I understand your dislike for Endeavor, but you shouldn’t blame his son for that. I can imagine it’s not easy having to live up to your father’s reputation. Especially if your father happens to be the number two hero in Japan.”
Yoarashi didn’t seem convinced. He shrugged, casually tossing his heavy duffel bag behind his shoulder like it was a pillow.
“Whatever you say, Honenuki. Just know people don’t change. Ever. They make you think they can, but I know better. That Todoroki guy is bad news. He’s going to be nothing but trouble just like his father.”
And with that, Yoarashi waved him goodbye and headed out the door.
Juzo could only stare at him in exasperation, not sure what else he could say.
What he didn’t expect was the very person of their conversation to appear from behind a few seconds later. The two made eye contact, and Juzo wasn’t sure if he was imaging the hint of sorrow lurking deep within those pair of pretty heterochromia eyes full of rage.
The moment passed though, and Todoroki Shoto was gone, leaving Juzo feeling oddly off balance for the rest of the day.
When Tony opened the front door, he had expected to see the mailman with his letter stating whether or not he had been accepted into Yueei High.
What he wasn’t expecting was to see some homeless looking bum all dressed in black to be knocking at 6am on a Saturday morning.
“Can I help you with something?”
In the background, Goomba could be heard cleaning the living room with a whirling hum. Inko was still asleep in her room.
The hobo man grunted out a question. He looked like he would rather do anything else but be here. He also needed a good shave and some cologne.
“Are you Midoriya Izuku?”
Tony raised one of his brows as he took a sip off his coffee he had brewed an hour ago.
“The one and only. Who’s asking?”
A flicker of annoyance flashed through the man’s eyes, but it was quickly suppressed beneath a mask of indifference. The man rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a white letter with the Yueei High emblem stamped on the center.
“My name is Eraser Head, one of the hero teachers at Yueei High. I have been tasked with escorting you to the school for a private meeting with the Principal.”
That was…not on Tony’s bingo’s card of potential scenarios.
“And why so?” Tony had not yet taken the letter and instead crossed his arms. “Am I going to be to be told that I shouldn’t have applied to the hero course despite there being no mention in your rulebook that those without quirks are not allowed to participate in the Entrance Exam?”
He would have much preferred a letter to being publicly humiliated by the head leader of one of the most prestigious schools in the world. Not to mention this could be grounds for a future lawsuit.
A low frustrated grunt came out from Eraser Head, and he shoved the letter back into his pockets once it was clear Tony wasn’t going to accept it.
“That is not for me to answer. This is something the Principal has insisted he wanted, and he is not the type of person who requests such a meeting out of the blue. I would seriously recommend you think about this reasonably.”
He was very tempted to reject the offer as he had other back-up plans in the event that he had been rejected from Yueei High. But the fact that a teacher, one from the hero course no less, was here at his front door, meant that whatever the Principal wanted to discuss with him was important enough to warrant such a dramatic response.
Tony grinded his teeth. Either way, he might as well see this through.
“Fine. At least let me get dressed, okay?”
Turned out Eraser Head had driven here, and the tiny white sedan he brought with him was surprisingly clean for someone with such a grungy attitude. A pair of air fresheners dangled from the rearview mirror while a golden fortune cat waved its paw from the dashboard.
Eraser Head was silent as he drove Tony to Yueei High, not even turning on the radio to add a bit of ambience to lighten the tense mood inside the car. Tony busied himself with scrolling through the group chat, extremely pleased that everyone from the Dagobah Clean Up Crew who had applied to Yueei High had all gotten their acceptance letters. Mashiro, his best friend, was especially ecstatic, having phoned Tony yesterday to tell him the good news the moment it came into his mailbox.
Of course, his best friend wanted to know if Tony had also gotten an acceptance, and all Tony could do was give his friend a smiley emoji along with a “we shall see.”
Obviously, it did not impress Mashiro.
Thankfully the drive to the school was not too long, and they entered through a side entrance that Tony presumed was only known by the staff members. Once they arrived, a security guard took his details before giving him a nametag that was placed over his chest, and then the two of them stepped inside an elevator that led them all the way up to the 12th floor of the building.
The doors opened with a soft ping, revealing a long hallway decorated with rows of memorabilia and prestigious awards won by students from the hero course track throughout the years since the school’s inception. Tony noted the severe lack of any sort of mention of anything won from the other courses that were offered by the Yueei High, such as the Support track course.
The Principal’s office was located at the very end of the hallway, and Tony mentally prepared himself for a battle. It had been a long time since he had been called into the Principal office, besides the one time he had punched Porcupine, and he wasn’t quite sure what he should expect from the Principal. What little information there was certainly was not enough to give him much insight into their mindset.
Tony opened the door.
Inside, the office was spacious with an amazing view of Mustafa and smelt of roasted caramel and high brand cologne. Two people were sitting on a pair of couches that were set opposite one another. The first person was a short topless man sporting a metal crane helmet. It was comically large for the man to have on his head in Tony’s opinion, but it also somehow made him look slightly intimidating. Of course, Tony instantly recognized him as Power Loader, one of the Pro Heroes who was at the forefront of encouraging Pro Heroes to use and develop support items for themselves in their field of work.
The second person…Well, Tony wasn’t sure whether it was a person at all.
What he could only describe as a white mouse/bear chimera sitting primly on the couch, dressed in luxurious black and white suit tailored to its small statute. The moment Tony opened the door, the chimera turned its gaze onto him, beady black eyes glowing bright with excitement.
“My, my, welcome!” the chimera said in a deep voice that was surprising to hear from such a small creature. “Please, come in. Have a seat.”
Eraser Head brushed past Tony, taking a seat next to the Principal, which left Tony to sit beside Power Loader. He noticed the tray of goodies and refreshments on the desk in front of them.
“Do feel free to have a bite,” the chimera continued, noticing Tony’s gaze. “I just brewed a lovely pot of green tea given to me from an old friend if you are thirsty too.”
“Maybe later.” Tony said as he leaned back with his arms crossed. “You’re the Principal or something?”
Better not to confuse the guy for a Build-A-Bear plushie like he did with Rocket the racoon.
The chimera smiled, while Eraser Head shot him an irritated glare for the supposed disrespect.
“Why, yes, I am indeed the Principal of this fine academic institute, though it is not uncommon for people to mistaken me for a teddy bear. My name is Nedzu, and it is a pleasure to meet you, Midoriya Izuku.”
“And I’m Power Loader,” the other man said with a distinct Oskanian accent.
Tony nodded his head in greeting.
A long moment passed where nobody spoke first. Both Power Loader and the principal were staring at Tony like he was a fascinating piece of specimen to dissect while Eraser Head casually sipped a cup of tea that he had poured for himself. When the staring got a little too intense, Tony finally decided to cut to the chase.
“So…why am I here?”
Principal Nedzu’s furry nose twitched.
“I am certain you have come to your own conclusions as to why I have requested for your presence. But, firstly, I want to ask you a simple question, Mr. Midoriya. Why do you wish to become a hero?”
Tony narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
It was an easy enough question to answer, especially if he gave a generic response such as “I want to help people!” or “For the money and fame!” But Tony had a strange feeling that wasn’t what the chimera wanted to hear.
He bit the corner of his lips, thinking through this carefully.
Eventually, he said: “Because people like me aren’t allowed to become one.”
The tip of Principal Nedzu’s nose twitched again.
“And when you mean by people such as yourself…You mean?”
Pinching his own nose, Tony suppressed a sigh. This was going to take a while.
“Look, I’m pretty sure its on my application, but I’m Quirkless. I don’t have a quirk, and before you ask, yes, I have been tested by a reputable doctor. I have no second joint on my pinky toes.”
Eraser Head shifted uncomfortably in his seat, while Power Loader remained silent.
Principal leaned in with interest, clasping his giant white paws together.
“Ah, but of course, I have read your application, Mr. Midoriya. Multiple times in fact, from front to back.” A hairless tail uncurled behind the chimera’s back. “But you still haven’t answered my question. Why do you want to become a hero. I know of a great number of people who are Quirkless who have pursued lofty careers in the Academics, Legislature, or Medical fields. And there is no shortage of Quirkless police officers or emergency responders. So why a hero, specifically, is what I am asking you.”
Okay. Tony furrowed his brows. This was getting somewhere.
“I can you tell why I’m a hero,” Power Loader said, speaking up for the first time. “Got caught in a landslide during a school trip back when I was a youngling, and my Quirk, Iron Claws, was one of the few that could properly excavate everyone safely without causing a collapse.” The man raised one of his hands, each finger covered in a shiny coat of pointy metal guards. “Figured these big meaty claws of mine could be of some good use, after all.”
“Thank you, Power Loader,” Nedzu said with a soft smile. “And as for me, besides a personal vendetta against the scientists that created me, I wanted to ensure no one else suffered a similar fate under my watchful gaze.” He turned his attention to Eraser Head. “Anything you would like to contribute, Aizawa?”
Eraser Head grunted, averting his gaze to the table.
“Beats having a regular 9 to 5 job.”
A squeaky laugh came out of Nedzu’s mouth. He returned his attention back to Tony.
“As you can see, Mr. Midoriya, we all have our reasonings on wanting to become heroes. Reasonings that no other professions could satisfy us despite the clear danger that comes with risking our lives everyday to save others. So, I’ll ask you one more time. Why, be a hero?”
Tony stayed silent for several minutes, debating whether or not to be truthful in his answer. This could be the decisive factor in determining his acceptance into the hero course.
“I promised someone,” he began in a low voice. Nedzu’s ears perked up, while Power Loader and even Eraser Head gave him their full undivided attention. “Someone just like me who had dreamt all their life on becoming a hero despite being Quirkless. But the world is cruel and unjust, and this special someone felt that their dream might as well be as impossible as reaching for the stars.” Tony shook his head. “But I am not like that. Once I set my mind on something, I refuse to let it go.” He made direct eye contact with the Principal who did not falter from the intensity of Tony’s stare. “Whether or not you accept me into your school will not deter me one bit from my goal. I will become a hero. Or die trying.”
A heavy silence followed quickly after he finished, leaving everyone speechless.
Soon, Nedzu clapped his paws in delight.
“My, how marvelous! Such passion! I haven’t seen such heated desire from a potential applicant since taking my position as Principal. I must admit, I felt quite the chill from your words alone.”
Power Loader let out a grainy chuckle.
“Can’t say I haven’t heard that before in my interviews.”
Only Eraser Head looked slightly displeased at Tony’s response and stared resolutely at him with a sharp frown on his face.
“Are you certain of this?” the Pro Hero questioned. “This isn’t something you can declare without having the will power to follow it through the end. Being a hero is a dangerous job, no matter how powerful one’s quirk can be. People die from this profession all the time. And no matter how much you try, you can’t save everyone,” Eraser Head insisted with a frustrated growl that seemed unlike himself. "What makes you certain you are no different?”
Tony bit his tongue hard from snapping at the man.
Images of Peter, of Rhodey, of Pepper, of all the despair and destruction he had witnessed in his time as Iron Man all flashed in Tony’s head. He recalled all the press conferences, crowded with upset protestors and stern reporters that followed Ultron’s devastation of Sokovia as officials attempted to calm the public and assure them that the danger was over. Still, Tony had dreams of that one mother he had met who blamed him for the death of her son.
“—His name was Charlie Spencer,” her eyes glistened bright with unshed tears, “and you murdered him in Sokovia…”
Tony closed his eyes.
He could see the anger and hate in her dark eyes. He might have saved countless people that day, but he had failed to save this woman’s son and that had hurt Tony straight to his very core.
“Because…” Tony opened his eyes. Nedzu had been ready to open his mouth but wisely kept it shut once Tony started to speak. “Because, I have been through this before.” Eraser Head’s eyes widened in surprise. “I know that I can’t save everyone, even if I want to.” Tony felt something wet drip onto his cheeks. “But God-damn it! That won’t stop me from trying. I can’t, and I refuse to!”
He would sacrifice himself again if he has too.
No one said anything for a long, long heartbeat.
Nedzu cleared his throat.
“Would you mind giving us a couple of minutes to discuss our next steps, Mr. Midoriya?”
Tony stood outside the door with his fists bawled up, before furiously wiping his eyes.
Damn…
He pulled out his phone and dialed the first number he had on his contact list.
After several rings, a gentle voice answered.
“Izuku?” Inko asked, “Is everything alright?”
“Yeah,” Tony wasn’t sure if he was imagining how scratchy his voice sounded on the mic as he stared out the window, “Just wanted to hear your voice…”
After ten or so minutes, he was called back inside again.
This time, all three of them: Nedzu, Eraser Head and Power Loader, sat together on one couch, while Tony took the opposite one.
“I sincerely hope we did not keep you waiting for so long, Mr. Midoriya,” Principal Nedzu began with a cheery smile. “It is not often that we come across an applicant so unique like yourself that requires such an intense discussion amongst our board members.”
Tony shrugged.
“It’s cool.”
“Excellent!” Nedzu clasped his paws together, obviously excited to continue to procced with his speech. “We have come to a decision. One that we have spent a great deal discussing at length. But before we got to that, I wanted to know. How much access would you need to the Development Studio? Based on the gadgets you have used during the Entrance Exam, I could imagine you plan to develop your own support items to help you on the field, correct?”
Most heroes relied on the Hero Support technicians to do all the heavy lifting for them, but Tony had little trust that these developers could recreate the sort of suits he has envision for his costume.
“As much as possible.”
Nedzu nodded, while Power Loader chuckled beneath his helmet.
“Of course,” the man said to no one in particular. “Guess I’m gonna have a lot on my plate this year…”
“Wonderful. But you see…” Here, Principal Nedzu’s cheerful demeanor dampened momentarily, and Tony mentally prepared himself for the inevitable rejection. “Such a thing is quite unheard in our institute. Those who are in the Hero track strictly focus on hero work and their academics. Very few, if ever, venture into the Development Studio without a purpose on seeking help from our Support track students.”
Figures…
Tony wondered briefly how he would even balance managing his heavy coursework and finding time to build his suits. Sure, he could stay up late, but that might mean risking burn-out eventually. He could only drink so much coffee in one sitting.
“But that does not mean all hope is lost,” Principal Nedzu proclaimed brightly. “We at Yueei High are known for our rather…unorthodox teaching measures. We allow ourselves the opportunity to think creatively when it comes to solving a most difficult problem here.” The chimera paused, giving Tony a minute to digest the information.
“Wait. Are you suggesting…”
“Why of course, Mr. Midoriya. What better way to achieve your goal than to be in both the Hero and Support track?”
Tony’s jaw hung open.
“Like a dual-major of some sorts?”
A sparkle of delight flashed within Principal Nedzu’s eyes.
“Indeed. A hybrid of two of our most esteemed departments joined together as one.”
“Something, I’ve been trying to get the damn higher ups to approve for years,” Power Loader chimed in with a heavy sigh. “But those people at HPSC are as stubborn as a mule and refused to grant us permission.”
Tony raised a brow.
“Won’t this be illegal then?”
Here, Nedzu smiled, but in a way that revealed his absurdly sharp pointy canines. Tony repressed a shiver.
“Personally, I don’t give much thought to what the HPSC thinks or say,” the chimera said in a dry tone, “as long Yueei High considers providing the best of the best in terms of our heroes, they are willing to turn a blind eye for most of my experiments. This would be no exception.” His whiskers twitched ever so slightly. “So long as you, Mr. Midoriya, prove that you are more than capable of handling the coursework and succeed in your dream.”
“Think carefully,” Eraser Head finally said. “Once you accept, I won’t treat you no differently than anyone of my students. I expect you to keep up from Day one.”
Tony did think about it carefully through for some time before making his decision. It might not be what he had originally envisioned for his plan, but this might very well be the next best thing.
Don’t worry, Izuku. I promise we’re going to become heroes.
“Where do I sign?”
Principal Nedzu’s softened his sharp smile in an instant.
“Excellent choice, Mr. Midoriya. Welcome…to Yueei High!”
Kurogiri could not remember much of his past life.
What little he remembered came to him in sporadic flashes, fading away quickly before he could fully grasp it completely. He knew he had once had a girlfriend. He couldn’t recall her name, but he remembered her scent; light and sensual that enveloped her entire body whenever he was with her. He could tell you the color of her hair—ebony like the night sky, and her favorite lipstick color—a sexy bright red, but everything else was a blur.
What was her name?
Kurogiri also had friends once in his life before. A pair that was the complete opposite of one another in terms of personality. One was quiet and only spoke a few words at a time while the other was extremely loud and obnoxious with his speech. But they were the best friends Kurogiri had ever had.
So…what were their names again?
He couldn’t remember.
“Oi.”
The raspy voice pulled Kurogiri away from his thoughts. His Master, a tall, malnourished young man with albino hair and deep scarlet eyes stared at him from a few seats over at the bar counter. In one hand, he held his PSP with the pinky and index finger delicately raised as to not destroy the gaming device, while in the other hand, also held in a similar manner, was an empty shot glass.
“Another one,” his Master demanded.
Kurogiri bowed his head respectfully.
“Of course, Sir.”
He used his quirk, Warp Gate, to teleport a bottle of finely aged scotch into his grasp and poured a shot for the young man. Still, Kurogiri couldn’t resist informing his Master of some better…healthier options to drink.
“Might I suggest a mocktail, Sir?” Kurogiri asked as he slid the glass over to his Master. “I have been reading a guidebook recently on how to make some splendid, tasty ones.”
His Master said nothing as he drowned the dark liquid in one go. He placed all five fingers onto the glass, and it decayed into dust within an instant.
“Don’t care. Get me another. This time I want whiskey.”
Kurogiri knew when to admit defeat and summoned another bottle. He would have to clean up the mess his Master left on the bar counter once he was finished. His Master’s Quirk often led to many such messes that Kurogiri had to clean up…
The door of their dingy bar opened with a flourish, and Giran, their info Broker, waltzed in with a sleazy grin on his face.
“My, this place has seen better days,” he said with a slight whistle due to missing a front tooth. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it up with a lighter he kept hidden within his jacket. “Still smells like shit and misery.”
Kurogiri took offense to that. It might not be much, but this dingy bar was all he had. Besides his Master, of course.
Giran took a seat one stool apart from Kurogiri’s Master who paid him little attention, eyes glued to his PSP.
“Get me a beer, Darling?” Giran’s sleazy smile grew even larger as he addressed Kurogiri. “It’s been a long journey.”
If Kurogiri had any facial features he would have given the man a stank eye, so he had to settle for teleporting a bottle of lukewarm beer a few inches away from Giran’s awaiting hand. The Broker heaved out a sigh but still reached for the drink.
After a few tentative sips, Giran spoke again.
“My informants had confirmed me that All Might will actually be teaching at Yueei High this year.” That finally got Master’s attention as he raised his sharp gaze away from his gaming device. “Not sure exactly on the schedule given that this is All Might that we’re talking about, but I’m sure you could all figure something out. The spies have also been accepted into the Hero department as well, so we have a way to get any additional information on their whereabouts at all times.”
Nervously, Kurogiri began to wipe down an already spotless glass with a clean rag.
He wasn’t exactly keen on hurting any children despite it being a part of his Master’s grand plan to destroy the hero society. Something about it didn’t sit right with him…
“That’s it?”
His Master’s raspy voice came out in an irritated tone. He scratched his neck with one of his hands, nearly tearing at the skin layer.
“We need more than just info, Giran. What about my minions?”
Giran chuckled, blowing a puff of white smoke into the air.
“Don’t you worry about that, Shigaraki. I’ve been gathering quite the team. It wasn’t easy though, so the pay better be good.”
Master—or Shigaraki—grunted his displeasure.
“That’s for Him to decide.”
“Indeed,” another voice chimed in.
Way at the back of the bar was an old television set from the Pre-Quirk era. Originally it had been turned off, but now the screen glowed with an almost eerily glow.
“I am quite pleased with the news, Giran,” the unknown voice continued, “this would give us an opportunity to test out one of our recent…projects.”
The last word sent a trace of shiver down Kurogiri’s spine. Those projects were anything but good.
“Whatever.” Shigaraki finally stood up from his stool where he had been sitting for hours. “I’m going to bed. Wake me up when something new happens.”
“Have a Good Night, Sir,” Kurogiri said as his Master retreated down a hallway.
The unknown voice let out a deep chuckle that rattled Kurogiri deep to the core.
“It is best for Shigaraki to have his beauty sleep. Till then, we shall prepare for our next steps. I am for one excited to see what happens when the “Symbol of Peace” gets his comeuppance. It would certainly be quite the fall from grace I could only presume.”
The strange voice chuckled some more.
Kurogiri could only pray that this doesn’t end up in tragedy.