Chapter Text
Final year of middle school
The former telepathy club and body improvement club friend group met up at a restaurant afterschool. It was difficult to schedule gatherings with some friends now in highschool but they managed.
“Tome-sempai, Goda-sempai, it’s been too long.” Greetings all around as they found a table in the back of the restaurant.
“How’s high school?”
“I’ve joined the Track and Field team. Unfortunately, the president refuses to recognize that we need more variety in training.”
“More homework but other than that, not very exciting,” Tome shrugged.
“It’s almost time for us to start thinking about that.”
“Yeah, what are you guys planning to do for work?”
“Not you, Midoriya, we all know what you want.” Tome interrupted. Izuku blushed.
“I’m just going to go into business like my father,” Inukawa said.
“I’m going to be a physical therapist!” Goda said next. They went in a circle, everyone talking about their ambitions and then being praised for what a good fit that would be for him.
“Doctor.” Takenaka
“Ichthyologist.” Kumagawa
“Veterinarian” Sagawa
“Firefighter.” Shimura
“Athlete.” Yamamura
“I’m still thinking about it, engineering maybe,” Saruta was only in his second year of middle school so he still had some time.
“I haven’t thought about it much,” Mob admitted.
“As expected, Kageyama,” Tome sighed at him.
17%
“Hanazawa-kun have you thought about high school?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh.” Mob tried not to be disappointed. “Do you know where you’re applying?”
“I’m still narrowing it down. I could go a couple different routes for my career.”
“How do you decide that kind of thing?”
“Just choose something you like doing now. That’s what I did. Training the other kids to fight Claw has been really rewarding. So, I’m going to be a teacher.”
“A teacher?”
“Yeah, or maybe a personal trainer or a social worker. They need specialists for kids with dangerous quirks.” He shrugged. “And I then I can get a work permit for my quirk and still have fun learning new things with it.”
“You don’t want to be a hero?”
“Nah, I thought about it once but I’m too lazy. It sounds like way too much work for my tastes. And dangerous. It seems like the kind of over-achieving selfless thing you’d love, though.”
“You think I can be a hero?”
“Of course. You practically are already.”
“Oh…”
“What are you thinking about?”
“Midoriya, he thinks everyone can be a hero.”
Hanazawa chuckled. “Well he’s right in your case. You obviously have the power and attitude. If anything you’re too nice.” Mob didn’t say anything so he kept talking. “I still need to decide on a school. There are some places that would be good to get into teaching college or if I want to be more quirk focused there is always UA general studies.”
“Midoriya is going there.”
“Don’t pick it just because we might be going. Decide for yourself, okay?”
18%
Reigen had to notice and then prompt Mob into talking about his thoughtful attitude before Mob would admit what was on his mind.
“I figured you would want to be a hero.” Reigen said with some surprise.
“You did?”
“Sure. You have been my sidekick for years except for, you know, the legal part of it. You’ve been helping me save people and catch villains for years. I just kinda assumed you would want to keep doing that. But hey, if you want to do something else, write this off as a youthful adventure, that’s up to you.” Then as an afterthought. “I’ll still support you whatever.”
Mob mulled that over. “I don’t like to fight.”
“Not all heroes are like Endeavor, Mob. Rescue heroes work in disaster areas. They still have to deal with looters and stuff but their main job is getting civilians evacuated. And then there are support heroes, they’re kinda rare, usually just healing quirks, but they work exclusively in teams or to rescue other heroes that get in trouble.” He waved his hands about, ranting partially to himself at this point. “And don’t worry, you don’t have to be famous like me. Underground heroes make a career out of dodging the media.”
“Really?”
“Not everyone is meant for the spotlight. Just think about it. You’re still young, you have plenty of time.”
20%
“Ritsu, can I talk to you?”
“Of course.”
“Do you still want to be a hero?”
“Hah, no not really.” Ritsu chuckled. “That was just a kid thing. Heroes looked really cool when I was little. But no, quirk or no quirk, that’s not for me.”
“Oh.”
Ritsu waited for him to continue. When he didn’t he prompted him. “Is that all you wanted to talk about?”
“Everyone has things they want to do with their futures. I don’t feel like I have any of that.”
“You have things you like, you’ve stuck with the Body Improvement Club all this time.” Despite Tsubomi rejecting you, he didn’t say.
“I guess I like…feeling better about myself.”
“And you help Reigen because you like to, right? Not just because you feel obligated.” He wasn’t entirely sure on this point himself. Shigeo didn’t pick up on his uncertainty though, he nodded.
He didn’t like violence but rescuing people, helping them lead lives they could be proud of. Saving Minori Asagiri and helping her become a better person was probably one of the most difficult and rewarding things he’d ever done. And he promised to live the best life he could, to be thankful for everyone who had helped him.
He knew he wasn’t afraid of hard work or dangerous situations. If Master was right and he could avoid the media than that wasn’t a concern. There was only one big thing left on his mind. Could his dangerous power actually be used for good?
“Do you think I could use my quirk?” he didn’t have to elaborate. Ritsu knew what he meant.
“Honestly, a heroics school would probably be the safest place to learn to use it.” Ritsu was still secretly terrified of Shigeo’s potential but he also realized his brother couldn’t live stifling his abilities forever. Shigeo was getting better at being able to express himself and simultaneously keep a lid on his power. But if he could learn to use all the power he had day to day with no side effects. Well, no villain would stand a chance. “I think you’ll be a great hero.”