Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The setting sun gave everything a warm, reddish orange hue as the little boy dashed through the streets with big, fat tears in his eyes. Or eye, as his left one was covered with a white bandage, nursing a big, one day old burn underneath.

The boy ran as fast as his little legs could carry him, away from the concerned voices of his older siblings calling out his name.

I’m never going back to that house ever again…! He thought as he forced his legs to sprint even faster.

As the calls and shouts faded into the distance, the boy slowed down a bit. He was still running, now in a bearable pace, and took a look around himself. He had strayed to the poorer part of the city, which was essentially unknown to the son of a rich family.

He stopped running and caught his breath before starting to walk around, looking around aimlessly, red and white strands of hair sticking on his sweaty forehead. He pushed them away.

Glancing around again, he saw couple of passed-out drunkards in one alleyway and snickered to the weird positions they had slumped in, empty bottles in their hands. Giggling quietly to himself, the boy was soon startled by two sets of footsteps from behind and snapped his head around quickly, out of reflex.

What he found was a couple of tall girls, a few years older than himself, one with shaggy, spiky, long red hair and the other with smoother and straight, black hair, and a set of wings folded on her back and a long, scaly tail loosely circled around her legs. The red-haired girl was holding onto the other one’s arm gently.

The black-haired girl noticed the boy and gasped softly.

“Hey, boy… what are you doing here so late? Are you lost?” she asked, approaching the boy with calming smile on her face. “What happened to your eye? I notice the bandages.”

The boy bit his lip, tucked his chin in, and glanced shyly at the taller and older female.

“I’m not lost… I came here on my free will. I’m never going home again,” he answered with a small pout.

The red-haired girl scoffed, having been left standing in the middle of the sidewalk with her eyes closed.

“Tough kid.”

The winged girl slashed her tail at the other’s legs.

“Don’t be rude, Nao-nee!”

She then turned back to the bandaged boy, looking at him with her somewhat familiar turquoise eyes. She smiled reassuringly at the shorter boy and extended her hand towards him.

“My name is Kozue, and that redhead over there is my older twin sister Nao. What’s your name?”

The boy hesitated for a moment before answering cautiously; “I-I’m Shoto.”

Kozue’s smile grew bigger. “Nice to meet you, Shoto!” she exclaimed.

“Hey.” the other girl’s, Nao’s, harsh voice interrupted their small moment.

“How old are you, Shoto? You sound younger than us.” she approached the other two with unsure and a bit unsteady steps, opening her eyes slowly.

Shoto flinched involuntarily as he saw the redhead's pale, almost completely white, and unfocused eyes. They were trained to his general direction.

“I-I…” he stuttered, “I’m five…?”

Nao huffed with a small smirk on her face. “So you’re a kid. Why are you lounging around a shithole like this, claiming to never return home again? Did your parents abuse you or something?”

Shoto gulped. The older redhead had been spot-on. He nodded shakily. “M-my dad… h-he hits m-me a lot…? A-and, my older siblings, too… a-and my mom? B-but mostly m-me. A-also M-mom p-poured water on m-me yesterday because my le-ft side lo-looks like my dad… s-so today dad said t-that he had put h-her in hospital?” he explained, fighting back the tears. Kozue reached out to him, slowly and reassuringly, pulling him into a gentle hug.

“You poor thing… do you want to come over to our place, at least for this night? You can sleep, and we can talk more about that sorry excuse of a father tomorrow morning, if you want?” she offered.

“Y-yeah… thanks…” the boy muttered.

“Shall we go, then? It’s dangerous for kids like us to stay out after dark in these parts, even though Nao-nee can duff up five grown men at once.” Kozue chuckled, ended the comforting hug, and offered her hand for Shoto to grab on. He did so, and watched the red-haired Nao slightly extend her own hand in Kozue’s general direction, and the winged girl grab the said hand with a chuckle.

Shoto looked at the two with a questioning look on his face partially hidden under the bandages. Kozue noticed this and chuckled again.

“Nao-nee is blind… she can’t see. She has a Quirk that helps her move around without bumping into things, but she prefers hanging onto me whenever we’re out together.”

Shoto muttered a small “I see” and let himself being guided down the street by the black-haired girl, whose tail swung around lazily on her every step.

The twins’ home was a small apartment in a run-down building. Judging from the fact that it was already dark outside but only one apartment had the lights on, Shoto figured out that no one else lived in the shabby building.

“Well, it’s kinda shabby and old, but it’s a home.” Kozue hummed and led the two others up the stairs to the second floor of the building.

“It’s shitty.” Nao scoffed.

Once inside, Nao pried her hand off from her sister’s and, after removing her sneakers at the entrance, wandered further into the apartment.

“We’re home, Mom.”

“Oh, there you little rascals are.” a female voice chuckled from somewhere Shoto couldn’t see from the entrance. Kozue let go of his hand, and the two took off their shoes before entering the apartment itself.

Stepping into the main room that served as the dining room, living room, and the bedroom, Shoto was met by the sight of a small and frail woman with bluish black hair and beautiful, frosty grey eyes sitting in a wheelchair that seemed to be way too large to a person her size.

The woman spotted a new face immediately and smiled.

“Oh? And who is this handsome young man you two have bought home with you?” her beautiful smile reached all the way to her melodic voice. Shoto bowed formally.

“I’m Shoto. Nice to meet you, Ma’am.”

The woman in the wheelchair chuckled.

“No need to be overly polite here, Shoto-kun. It’s nice to meet you too, my name is Miroki Sumire. I’m Nao and Kozue’s mother.” the woman introduced herself.

“Mom, can Shoto-kun stay over tonight? We found him idling on the streets.” Kozue asked.

“Apparently his dad is an abusive assrag, so he run away.” Nao piped in, unceremoniously sitting next to her mother’s wheelchair.

“Hmm? All right. Are you hungry, Shoto-kun? We might have something for you to nibble on.” Sumire offered, and Kozue sprinted few steps to the adjoined kitchenette to check the fridge and the cabinets. Shoto nodded bashfully and let his stomach grumble.

“Whoa there, kid, that was loud.” Nao huffed in amusement.

“I-I’m sorry… I haven’t eaten all day.” Shoto blushed.

Sumire froze at that.

“WHAT?!” she practically screeched, gripping the armrests of her wheelchair. “Kozue! Go to the nearby store to buy this poor kid something extra to eat!”

Kozue popped her head out of the kitchenette. “Are you sure, Mom? We’re kinda… s-short on money.”

Nao grinned from next to their mother. “It’s okay, Kozu. Just go. We’ll work it out, right, Mom?”

Sumire nodded and patted Nao’s wild and messy red mane. “That’s right.”

“Okay then… I’m going.” Kozue muttered and left.

Shoto didn’t actually know what to say, so he just sat there, blushing and bashful. He took quick glances around the room they sat in, noticing it to bee bare and empty beside all the necessary.

“So, Shoto-kun? We have some time until Kozue comes back. Would you feel comfortable to tell us about your father? Nao said he appeared to be abusive. Did he hurt your eye?” Sumire asked with smooth and soft, relaxing voice.

“No… it was my mom who did this. She, me, and all my siblings hate my dad because of how he treats us. Mommy… uh, I walked into the kitchen when she was about to make some tea, she was talking to someone in the phone… and, she, Mommy just got really angry at me and shouted at me and poured the hot water on my eye. S-she said… she said that my left side was unsightly, because it reminded her of my dad.” the boy explained.

“My dad… e-ever since I got my Quirk, he has b-been beating me up every day…” he hiccupped, swallowing back his tears. Nao scooted over to him and cradled him in her arms.

Upon feeling Nao’s skin on his own, Shoto froze, his face blank in fear.

“Is… is this no good, Shoto-kun?” Nao gasped, feeling the smaller child tense in her arms, and let him go. Shoto recovered in a minute and touched Nao’s now lowered arms with his small hands.

“S-sorry, Nao-san… I just… you’re s-super warm. I got scared for a bit, because your hands are hot and they reminded me of my dad, s-so…” he muttered. “I… panicked for a second.”

Nao hummed. “I see. I’m sorry about that… are these your hands on my arms? Because I’m feeling two drastically different temperatures.” The red-haired girl opened the pale, ghostly grey eyes she usually kept closed. “Actually nevermind, I already knew your right and left sides have different temperatures.”

Shoto jolted slightly.

“H-how? We didn’t touch…”

Their exchange was interrupted by Sumire’s tinkering, beautiful laughter.

“Oh, that’s one of Nao’s Quirks. It’s called Heat Camera, meaning that she can see different temperatures in her surroundings. But because of her blindness, that Quirk only detects the most noticeable temperature changes, like something that’s way colder than hotter compared to the things surrounding it.” the wheelchair-bound, petite woman explained.

“Yeah, that’s about it. So I saw your right side glowing slightly bluish back at the street. It’s colder than the other side of your body.” Nao softly poked Shoto’s right cheek. The boy basically lit up, though the red-haired girl was unable to see it.

“Really? That’s so cool!” Shoto chirped. He was happy that for once, someone had pointed out the half of his Quirk he had inherited from his mother, who he still loved even after the incident that had happened about a day prior.

“Wait, did Sumire-san say, “one of Nao-san’s Quirks”?” Shoto interrupted himself.

The two females nodded.

“Y-yeah…” Nao stuttered a bit, “I have multiple Quirks. Or, to be precise, I was born with two Quirks, a fire-based Quirk from… my dad, and Quirk Absorption from Mom.” the words “my dad” was said with scorn and disgust, sending shivers down Shoto’s spine. “I kind of… accidentally absorbed some kids’ Quirks when mine manifested.” Nao revealed bashfully. Shoto’s mind was a bit elsewhere, though.

She hates her dad, too…

“Accidentally absorbed Quirks? Can you use them like they’re your own?” Shoto was fascinated.

Nao nodded. “Yeah. I use one of the Quirks I accidentally absorbed to move around like normal person, without my white cane. It’s called “Echolocation”, and it makes me able to sense my surroundings by how the sounds reflect from the surfaces. As long as I speak or make any other kind of sound or noise, I can get around without bumping into things.”

“Sounds cool…”

The children’s conversation was interrupted by Sumire piping in.

“So, Shoto-kun, if your father’s abusiveness is apparent and your entire family suffers from it, why no one as contacted police? Surely they would’ve done something is they had been notified.” the woman dragged the subject back to Shoto’s father, making the kid snap out of his awestruck daze.

“Uh… the thing is that my dad is a Pro Hero.” a small mumble was all Shoto could muster out at that moment, but it was enough to stop everything that had moved in the room. For a moment, even the time itself seemed to be frozen, but the moment was quickly broken by Sumire’s deep sigh and Nao’s loud groan.

“Eh?” Shoto gasped.

“Fuuu…..” Nao exhaled, slumped onto the floor and rolled over to her back to stare at the ceiling with her unseeing eyes. “How many sickos are out there, calling themselves Pro Heroes?”

Sumire sighed again. “Too many.”

Shoto stole glances between the two females, perplexed. What was going on?

His mental question was soon pushed aside when Nao pointed out that they had only gotten Shoto’s first name. She also asked his father’s Hero name for “future ass-kicking reference”.

“I… My name is Todoroki Shoto. My dad’s name is Todoroki Enji, and his Hero name is Endeavor.” Shoto said and saw Sumire stiffen completely. “Eh? D-did I say something wrong? Sumire-san?”

Nao was quick to calm the boy who had been startled.

“I-it’s okay, Shoto-kun, you didn’t say anything wrong! It’s… it’s just that…” Nao sighed deeply before continuing, “I-it appears that me and Kozue are your older sisters.”

Chapter Text

Shoto stared in front of him with clouded, unfocused eyes. What did Nao-san mean?

“W-what do you… mean?” he choked, getting answer from Sumire instead of the red-haired girl his question was directed to.

“It might be hard for a child your age to understand, but to put it as simply as it can be put, Endeavor is Nao and Kozue’s father. But instead of his wife, your mother, the mother of Nao and Kozue is me.”

Shoto nodded in silence. So far, he had understood.

“But,” the black-haired woman continued, “I didn’t want to become a mother. I was too young, only thirteen back then. But Endeavor forced me and threatened to kill me and my parents if I told anyone what had happened.”

Shoto felt shudders run up his spine as his hate for his father grew by every word Sumire said.

“Do you want me to continue? You can stop me whenever you want, Shoto-kun, or interrupt if you don’t understand something.”

Shoto nodded. “Okay. You can continue…”

“Endeavor doesn’t know about my girls. He must have thought that I was too young to bear children, because if he had thought so, he would’ve searched for me, just in case to make sure I didn’t get pregnant with his child.”

“What’s pregnant?” Shoto asked.

“It’s… you’ll understand it better when you’re older, but basically when a woman is pregnant, there’s a small baby growing inside her belly. Sometimes, there happens to be two babies, and that’s what people call children like Nao and Kozue. Twins.” Sumire explained.

“So my dad made you pregnant, and Nao-san and Kozue-san came out of your belly?” Shoto asked, receiving a confirming nod from the woman.

“Yes. What he did was a crime, because I was underaged, too young, and also it happened against my will.”

“So my dad is a criminal. But he pretends to be a hero and save people.” Shoto’s eyes darkened as something switched in his heart.

“Heroes are trash.” he muttered darkly.

“H-hey now! Not all of them!” Nao bounced up from his laying position on the floor, snapping her head towards the young Todoroki.

“You know, not all of them are bad. All Might is awesome! He’s a true Hero!”

Sumire chuckled at her daughter’s enthusiasm about the Number 1 Hero as the said redhead began rattling about the legendary All Might. Nao’s fangirling lasted until Kozue came back with a small plastic bag of groceries in her hand.

“I got something for Nao-nee too, when I was there. You have work tonight, right?” the winged girl said, dropping a bread sealed in a plastic wrapped onto the other girl’s lap. Nao nodded and ripped the package open.

“Work? But Nao-san is still a kid. Children don’t work.” Shoto looked at the three females in the room as he gratefully munched the food he had been given.

“Uh-huh. We’re poor as hell, and because her legs don’t work, Mom can’t work. But there’s plenty of people who are willing to pay us for my abilities around these parts of the city, so I sometimes do… odd jobs for them.” Nao explained once she had finished her bread.

“Really?” Shoto asked. “Do you think I could do that, too?”

“Odd jobs?” Nao asked.

“To help you guys and your mom,” Shoto said, “You’re really nice.”

The boy had known the three females for an hour, tops, but he had been completely enchanted by their toughness and the mutual hate towards his father. The five-year-old had already decided that no matter what, he wanted to become like these three.

The look on the black-haired woman’s face was surprised, but somewhat approving. She nodded softly. “When you’re a bit older. For now, how about you finish your food and wish Nao good luck on her work?”

Shoto nodded and resumed eating, watching Kozue hand something to her red-haired sister.

The something revealed to be a black mask, similar to the ones people wore when they had a cold and didn’t want to infect others. Nao put it on like she was used to wearing it, and pulled up the hood of her dark red, over-sized hoodie she was wearing. Right then, a knock echoed from the door. Kozue sprinted to open it.

“Good evening, Tōjō-san. Nao-nee is ready in a second.” she greeted the man on the other side.

Tōjō was a 30-something brown-haired and brown-eyed man with a small beard and a bored look on his face. There was an old, thin white scar running from the outside corner of his left eye all the way to his chin, and he had a bad habit on scratching it all the time. He wore his usual attire, a pair of black slacks, a dark blue button-up shirt and a thin black coat.

“Evening, Kozue-chan. Are you about to go to sleep? I believe it’s a school day tomorrow.” Tōjō-san greeted the girl.

Kozue laughed lightly. “It is, but I’m not going to sleep just yet.”

Tōjō hissed in faked frustration and laughed alongside the black-haired girl. “Aw, aren’t you an adult now. Here, have a candy.” the man fished a couple of lollipops from his coat pocket and presented them to Kozue.

“Take one for your mom and sister, too. And whoever your little friend is.” he added, nodding towards Shoto’s shoes placed neatly next to each other at the entrance.

“Oh! Yeah, sure!” Kozue grinned and grabbed the lollipops. She retreated back inside, allowing Nao to pass her at the entrance.

“Good luck, Nao-nee!”

The girl behind the mask nodded and, after putting on her shoes, followed Tōjō-san out.

“Shoto-kun~!” Kozue chirped, handing the boy a lollipop. “Here’s a dessert for you.”

“So, what’s in for me this time?” Nao asked, walking alongside Tōjō-san with confidence in her steps.

“Hoo~? Aren’t you eager tonight, White-eye.” Tōjō-san snarled playfully, calling the girl with a name he knew she hated.

“Hey.” the said girl growled at him.

Tōjō laughed lightly, apologizing. “Sorry, sorry. Today is a bit special. A woman, an acquaintance of an acquaintance of mine was raped—” the man shivered at the pure rage oozing from the small girl walking beside him through the dark streets, “—and my acquaintance, who in fact had a crush for the raped lady, promised to pay me 30 000 yen cold, hard cash for erasing the son of a bitch who tainted his lady love. Do the dirty job for me and two thirds, 20 000 yen, of that money is presented directly to the hands of your mother. I know you can’t see, so you can’t be sure yourself whether I’m giving you the promised amount of money or not. Deal?”

Nao nodded. “Deal. Do you have the rapist bastard identified and located?”

“Yes. Right this way.” Tōjō-san hummed and led the way, stealing a wary glance towards the girl.

She’s so mature… and fearsome for an eight-year-old.

Sumire had gotten Kozue and Shoto asleep by the time Nao returned home. Tōjō-san generously counted the promised 20 000 yen to the wheelchair-bound woman’s hands and left after receiving a small “thank you” from her.

“What kind of job paid you this well, Nao?” Sumire asked her daughter as soon as the door had closed after the bearded man.

“…beating up a rapist.”

Sumire didn’t inquire more. She’d probably be able to catch the news next day from the ancient television that Kozue kept well-working sitting in the corner of their tiny apartment.

Kozue and Shoto woke up early, the older girl getting ready for school—only she attended, it was a lot cheaper that way, plus it would’ve been extremely hard for the blind Nao to keep up with everyone. Instead, Sumire had gotten an acquaintance of her deceased parents to teach the blind girl how to read braille and use a white cane to get around—using Echolocation for too long at one go made Nao’s head hurt like crazy.

Kozue and Sumire had persuaded Shoto to return home. They had promised to keep in touch with him, and the little boy was welcome to crash their place whenever he felt like he needed to get away from Endeavor for a while. Kozue escorted the red-and-white-haired boy back to his home before running top-speed to her school. She barely made it.

Shoto, in the other hand, braced himself for his father’s vicious telling-off and the harsh beating the Flame Hero called “training to surpass All Might”.

“I’m… home.” the little boy muttered with a small voice as he pushed open the front door, immediately coming face-to-face with his dad, whose facial hair was—as usual—on fire.

“Where have you been, Shoto?” the pro hero asked with a harsh and stone-cold voice, thick, muscular arms crossed across his broad chest. Shoto didn’t look at him as he removed his shoes, instead staring at the floor as he answered.

“…with a friend.” he attempted to walk past his father and disappear into his own bedroom, by the felt Endeavor’s large, heavy and hot hand on his left shoulder.

“I’ll let that obvious lie slide this time, boy. We’re starting this day’s training.”

Shoto flinched but had no means to fight back. Instead, he accepted his fate and followed his father to the dojo at the back of the large, traditional Japanese house.

Shoto quickly became a frequent visitor at the Miroki household. So frequent, in fact, that they used whatever the little money they had to purchase him his own futon and a pair of cheap, yet good-quality and cutely color-coded chopsticks.

Shoto found the chopsticks funny. His pair had two light blue stripes at the end, while Nao’s color was red, Kozue’s yellow and Sumire’s dark blue. It was a mundane thing, but it made him feel warm inside. Pleasantly warm, and happy. Loved as an equal part of the family. Sneaking out of the Todoroki house in the night and meeting his half-sisters in the nearby alleyway, coming to the small and shabby, but welcoming and loving atmosphere of Miroki household just so sleep the night with them and return to the Todoroki house early the next morning, before Endeavor or Shoto’s siblings woke up quickly became a habit.

One evening, when Nao and Kozue leisurely approached the alleyway they always picked Shoto up from, the two came across the sight of a small boy around Shoto’s age sobbing quietly as he wandered seemingly aimlessly at the streets. The clock had gone past eleven, way past the bed-time of a five-year-old (but also way past the bedtime of an eight-year-old), which alarmed the two girls. Kozue approached the sniffling boy while Nao stood back and made herself as unthreatening as possible.

“Are you all right?” Kozue asked from the boy whose somewhat cute mess of hair seemed black in the darkness of the night, but shone a dark shade of green as the light of the nearby streetlamp hit it. The boy flinched and looked up at the winged girl, his emerald green eyes welling up in tears.

“I… am…” he hiccupped and attempted to hide his freckled face.

“Well, I think you’re not. You’re outside a way after your bedtime, alone, and crying. Are you lost? Me and my big sis over there can take you back home if you want.” Kozue pointed out with gentle, calming voice. The boy sniffed and shook his head.

“I-I know where my home is. I… ran away,” he admitted, drying his tears with his softly balled fists.

“…another runaway kid? How do you even find these, Kozu?” Nao couldn’t help but ask. Kozue sighed.

“I wouldn’t know…” she turned back to the boy. “Anyways, my name is Kozue. That’s my older sister Nao. What’s your name?”

The boy, now calmer and no longer crying, nodded a small greeting towards the two girls before answering. “I’m… Izuku.”

Nao activated her Echolocation, and with a couple of small clicks of her tongue, she guided herself to next to her sister. “So, Izuku, why are you wandering around the town and crying in the middle of the night?” she asked.

Izuku flinched a bit. “I… u-um, Nao-san? C-could it be that… you can’t see?” he asked instead of answering the red-head’s question. Nao grinned.

“Nice way to evade the question. Yes, I am, in fact, unable to see, but how did you know? I’m pretty good at pretending being able to see.”

Izuku flinched again. “H-how, you ask… I, uh, it’s just that… y-your e-entire face is screaming ‘I can’t see’ to me, so…”

The twins hummed. “Is that your Quirk? I mean, normally even really observant adults have hard time noticing Nao-nee’s blindness.” Kozue was the first one to open their mouth, getting a surprised jolt and a confused tilt of head from Izuku.

“Q-Quirk? B-But w-we just went to the doctor today with M-mommy, and t-the d-doctor s-said that, that I-I’m Quirkless.” the greenette stuttered. “T-that’s why I was crying earlier… I can’t be a hero without a Quirk.”

“Oh.” the two girls muttered monotonously, in a perfect harmony.

“Um… are you two disappointed?” Izuku asked. Nao sighed, rubbing her hand across her face.

“No, not exactly disappointed. We… we just don’t trust heroes so much. There are so many of them who are heroes only for the money and fame, and some who are abusing their authority as a Pro Hero and doing pretty much whatever the hell they want. Because they have the power to keep people silent or get out of the problems because of their hero status.”

“A-ah, but it doesn’t mean that all the heroes are like that! All Might, for example, seems to be a genuine hero as far as we can tell! Even our mom, who has no trust towards Pro Heroes whatsoever, doesn’t instantly demand us to turn off the TV or chance channels when All Might shows in it.” Kozue piped in as she saw Izuku’s eyes darken.

“Yeah!” the boy brightened up in an instant. “All Might is the best! Do you guys like him, too?”

Kozue nodded, followed by Nao a second later.

“He’s cool.”

Nao cleared her throat. “So, Izuku. I think it would be the best for you to go back home, you wouldn’t want to make your parents worry, right? We should go soon as well, Kozu.”

Izuku shook his head before remembering that the older girl couldn’t see him. “I, uh, m-my dad isn’t around. Mommy works a lot, and she isn’t coming home tomorrow until after noon. Why are you guys out so late, by the way? Did you run away from home, as well?”

Now was Kozue’s turn to shake her head. “Nah, we’re picking up our little brother. We don’t live together, but he sneaks out of his home almost every night to come over to our house, and we escort him back home before his family wakes up. Wanna join?” Kozue explained.

“We can talk about All Might, if you want. And your Quirk, and how that stupid doctor said that you’re Quirkless.” Nao added. Izuku nodded excitedly.

“Yeah!”

Shoto was, as the twins had expected, confused as he met then at the alleyway. Who was this green-haired kid chatting animatedly, but in a moderately low voice with Nao-san?

“Oh, yeah, he’s Izuku. We wound him wandering around, so we asked him to come with us. It’s unsafe for kids to wander around in the middle of the night.” Kozue hummed in an amused manner.

“…but Kozue-san, you and Nao-san are also kids.” Shoto pointed out.

“We are, but we’re older than you two! Nao-nee is also strong, so in a situation where fighting is required, she counts as an adult!” Kozue protested with flushed cheeks.

“Hee~? Should we test that one out, the~n?” a new voice, a rough voice of an adult man, drawled. Three heads, one black, one green, and one red and white divided perfectly in the middle, snapped towards it.

The owner of the voice revealed to be a shabby, apparently drunk man with obnoxious grin plastered on his unshaved face and two octopus-like tentacles in places of his arms. He had companion, two other equally scruffy and intoxicated men, one with sharp-looking, potentially dangerous claws for fingers, and the other burping out something that seemed like dark-colored smoke.

“…we don’t socialize with drunkards, bye.” Nao said coolly and started walking away, further into the alleyway, but only after making sure that the three younger kids had went before her.

“Nnnnnnnnot so fast, little missy. You’re that “Nao-nee” that winged brat mentioned, rrright?” the tentacle-armed guy slurred, wrapping one of the said tentacles around Nao’s throat.

“Bitch, I might be. Do you have a death wish?” the girl growled back.

“Fight us. We’re bored as hell, you see—there’s no one else around to fuck around with tonight, it seems.” the tentacle-man tightened his grip on Nao’s throat.

“I can’t exactly see your point.” Nao shot back, placing her hands on the tentacle’s surface. “I’m blind, you see,” she mockingly mimicked the man’s words and heated herself up. The heat the man had felt on his tentacle-arm turned from surprisingly pleasant to uncomfortable to oppressive and blistering in a span of few seconds.

“Ow ow ow ow ow!” he hissed as he pulled his tentacle back.

“You little bitch!” another voice hollered out, and Nao sensed another man lunging towards her.

“Claw hands! Watch out!” Kozue called out, getting an amused huff from her sister.

“If that was directed for me, I don’t need it.”

Due her Echolocation Quirk, Nao’s hearing was top-notch. She was also intelligent, and due her family situation which had forced her and Kozue mature early, she had become an excellent fighter early on, despite her disability. Her fighting style was basically “hit it hard ‘n’ fast where it hurts the most”, but it was also potentially deadly.

Listening to the lunging man’s footsteps reflecting from the walls on their both sides, Nao was able to determine the location of the guy’s face. Quickly, it was connected to the sole of her sneaker with a heavy kick and a satisfying crack originating from the guy’s now broken nose.

“R-right…” Kozue muttered. “Y-you’re a monster. Sorry I forgot that, Nao-nee.” she sweat-dropped.

“This brat…!” the last two men standing grunted, getting ready to attack. Nao grinned.

“Hey… I just thought of something.”

Kozue and Shoto shuddered involuntarily. Knowing Nao, this wasn’t going to be good.

“Since we’re this close to Endeavor’s home, how about he beat the ever-loving shit out of you lot?” the red-haired girl continued to grin.

“I mean… he is a Pro Hero, as much I hate to admit it, after all.”

And the girl’s small fists lit up and enfolded into bright, orange flames.

“N-Nao-san, you have a fire-based Quirk? I-I thought it was somehow related to, uh… sensing your surroundings, since you walk around without problems even though you’re blind.” Izuku fanboyed after Nao was done with the three drunkards.

“Hn. I have multiple Quirks, to be honest.” the girl answered absentmindedly, now holding Shoto’s hand and allowing him to guide her through the alleyways after she had turned off her Echolocation. The red-and-white-haired boy joined the conversation, “Fire-based Quirk from… your father and Quirk-absorbing Quirk from Sumire-san, right?”

Nao nodded. “Yes. I also accidentally absorbed Echolocation, which I use to detect my surroundings, as well as Heat Camera and another, unnamed super strenght Quirk from my daycare classmates when my Quirks manifested.”

At that point, her story was cut by Kozue stifling a giggle. “Oh, yeah, that’s a funny story.” she giggled.

“What happened?” the two younger boys asked.

“Well, you guys know that I can’t see. I was born this way, and I’ve always been bullied because of it. When we were around three years old, one day at the daycare, when three of the biggest bullies were pushing me around like usual, my Quirks manifested. My body temperature rose like crazy, like how I got that tentacle away from my neck earlier, and it burned the bullies’ hands. No biggie at that time, teachers contacted their parents and they were taken to the hospital.” Nao shrugged. “But few days later, their parents realized that their kids had lost their newly manifested Quirks.”

“They contacted the daycare center, which in turn contacted our grandparents who we lived with during that time,” Kozue continued for Nao. “Grandpa and Grandma, as well as Mom, figured out pretty quickly that Nao-nee had inherited a mutation of Mom’s Quirk as well and tat she had absorbed the Quirks to herself.”

Nao nodded. “Yeah. Mom’s Quirk allows her to temporarily prevent other people from using Quirks, by the way. Her Quirk temporarily erases their Quirks. But it only works when she chokes them with both hands, so it isn’t exactly the most useful erasure Quirk around.”

“It sounds cool, still!” Izuku chirped. He was holding Kozue’s hand.

“Uh, are you sure you won’t accidentally take away my Quirk, then?” Shoto asked, eyeing the warm hand that held his own. Nao laughed.

“Don’t worry. It was the first Quirk Mom made me train to control, so that kind of situations won’t happen.” Nao huffed. “Also, it requires a shit ton of adrenaline running through me, so I won’t be able to erase your Quirk now even if I wanted to.”

“Oh.” Shoto muttered.

Chapter Text

Izuku joined the gang almost as quickly as Shoto had. The two boys continued living their lives with their respective families normally, but snuck out to meet with Nao and Kozue almost every night.

The girls waited for them around their houses every evening, Nao for Shoto in the alleyway near Todoroki household and the fledged Kozue on a rooftop near the apartment building where Izuku lived. The girl had instructed him to place some kind of landmark for her on their balcony so she could pick him up from there instead of him sneaking past his mom’s bedroom and out of the front door every time. Now Kozue had no problems navigating trough the dim evening to the balcony with a railing with colorful pieces of cloth tied all over it.

“Hey, Izu. Ready to fly?” the winged girl grinned, balancing herself on the railing. Izuku nodded and allowed himself to be lifted up.

Sumire eventually started calling the four children “Toughie Four” for their strong will to correct the corrupted world of Heroes, and their unwavering strength that only grew day by day as they trained their bodies and Quirks.

Shoto rebelled against his father by using only the half of his half-hot-half-cold Quirk he had inherited from his ice-using mother, so Nao trained the boy to use his fire half so he won’t be hit with major backlashes from only using his ice. During the “training sessions” with Endeavor, Shoto stubbornly continued refusing to use his Endeavor-inherited left side.

Kozue wasn’t a fighter. Her Quirk was the dragon-like wings and tail and the ability to sneeze and burp small clouds of smoke and ash, which she had inherited from her maternal grandfather, Sumire’s father. Instead, she devoted most of her time into her passion, inventing whatever gadgets would improve and support the fighting styles of her friends. For example, she made Izuku, whose Quirk revealed to be the ability to simply read the data of people he met eyes with like they were open books (they called it “Database”), a foldable bo staff that released a stunning shock wave when connected to the target with enough force. It wasn’t very flashy, but it was amazing when you noted that it had been created from random scraps Kozue collected from around the town, and from the parts of whatever broken-down devices Tōjō-san brought to her from time to time.

Training wasn’t, naturally, the only thing the four did. They talked a lot about different things, though everything drifted sooner or later to either Shoto’s or Izuku’s lives outside the Toughie Four, or occasionally to All Might.

Shoto had nothing new, though. School was indifferent, because he was smart, Endeavor continued being the violent and abusive bastard he had always been, and Shoto refused to use his flames at all costs while “training” with the Flame Hero.

Izuku had a… friend, Kacchan, who treated the green-haired boy like a punching bag. Kacchan called Izuku “Deku”, a guy who was useless and worthless, and “Quirkless” like how the greenette was still listed in the Quirk Registry. Kacchan’s Quirk was “Explosion”, an ability to produce nitroglycerin-containing sweat on his palms and make it explode. Ever since his Quirk had manifested, he had been more than eager to use it on the “Quirkless, worthless, useless Deku”.

At the age of eight, Shoto and Izuku joined Nao at her “work” on the nights when they had no school the next day so they were allowed to sleep in. Soon, the three started catching the attention of both the police forces and the media, the latter quickly naming the trio “The Cerberus” for their seamless teamwork and movements as if they were one body and one mind. The inspiration to name them after the three-headed watchdog of the entrance of Hades, came from the fire-usage of the two of the vigilantes.

The said three took a liking to the name, and honored it by wearing matching masks that had the pattern of sharp-toothed, angrily snarling mouths, and dark hoods with dog ears attached to the top of them. Shoto and Nao also wore ski goggles Tōjō-san had given them, as both of them had easily recognizable eyes—Nao’s almost white ones and Shoto’s mismatched, heterochromatic ones. Izuku would’ve wanted to fit in, but any eyewear appeared to block his Quirk, which he used to fight his enemies and maintain the fluid and connected movements with the two others.

-- --

“Yo, Deku!”

Izuku, now 12 years old, sighed. He had hoped to manage to slink back home without being caught by the bully and his lackeys, but guess the Lady Luck wasn’t on his side today. He adjusted the fake glasses (though no one besides his mom and the “Toughie Four”, which Sumire-san still called the kids, knew they were fake) sitting on the bridge of his nose and turned around to face the bully.

“What do you want, Kacchan?” he asked from the spiky blond boy, whose slanted red eyes glared at him with malicious intent.

“Running away, weren’t ya, Deku?” Kacchan, Bakugou Katsuki by his full name, growled.

Izuku shrugged. “Not really. Just hurrying home. Mom’s making katsudon, and I want to eat it while it’s still hot.”

And do my homework and take a nap before Kozue-san comes to pick me up.

“Ha? Okay, what’s this, then?” the blond boy snatched the notebook from Izuku’s hands.

“That’s—”

“Huh? Hero Analysis for future, vol. 8? What, are you Quirkless shit still trying to become a hero? Fucking nerd!” Bakugou laughed and threw the notebook at Izuku’s face.

“You won’t know until you try…” the green-haired boy muttered, reaching down to retrieve the dropped notebook.

A mistake.

Bakugou’s hand grabbed his messy, fluffy green locks, and a second later the blond boy’s knee connected to Izuku’s stomach.

“As if you would ever be able to do that, you shitty nerd!”

That was it for today, luckily. No explosions, and thereby no burns to be healed. Izuku thanked whatever the upper force had granted him the showing of mercy and headed home, the hero analysis notebook squeezed tightly against his chest.

Despite the fact that Izuku didn’t trust many of the current heroes, and he worked as a vigilante, he still wanted to become a real Pro Hero one day, Like All Might. And for that, he studied hard to get to the top hero high school, UA. The hero analysis he also worked on was for his vigilante work, to determine which of the corrupted bastards were to be punished for their un-hero-like actions. But, yes, it also helped him with his dream to get into UA hero course.

“I’m home!” the boy called out, closing the front door behind him. He heard his mom call out a “welcome home, Izuku” from the kitchen as he shuffled to his room, which was covered in All Might merchandise from top to bottom. He changed out of his school uniform, putting on a pair of ordinary blue jeans, a dumb while t-shirt with “polo shirt” printed on it's front, and his favorite All Might hoodie that imitated the Number 1 Hero’s most popular Hero costume. It also had a yellow hood, representing All Might’s blond hair, and even two attachments that formed the two iconic V-shaped tufts of hair that the Hero was recognized for (along with his unforgettable smile). The Hero's hair itself looked very cool, but the attachments on the hood, honestly, looked like bunny ears.

Removing the fake glasses and placing them in their case, Izuku padded to the kitchen right on time to sit down and enjoy the katsudon.

“How was your school day, Izuku?” Midoriya Inko smiled at her son, who chomped down on the food like a hungry wolf.

“Huh?” Izuku looked at his mother and swallowed the food. “School was good. Nothing new.” he continued eating, “Besides that Kacchan didn’t explode on me today.”

Inko sighed. “Why you’re still hanging on that boy? He’s clearly not the best possible companion, don’t you have any other friends, Izuku?”

To her pleasure, the boy nodded. “Yeah, but they go to different schools. We talk online, mostly.”

Lie. Shoto and Kozue owned cellphones, yes, but they communicated through them only when strictly necessary. All right, Izuku might chat with Shoto till the late of night whenever they don’t go to the Mirokis’, or to the town as the Cerberus.

“That’s good to hear… Have you at least met them before, though?” Inko asked, receiving a nod from her son.

“Of course. They’re really nice, we train together whenever we meet.”

“Train?”

“Work out. Muscle training, stamina, stuff like that. To become heroes.”

Not entirely a lie.

“Oh, that sounds healthy.”

Izuku chuckled. “Yeah. They might come over someday, is it okay?”

Inko smiled. “Of course! I’d love to meet them one day. They’re free to stop by whenever they’re free.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Izuku smiled and finished his food.

As the night fell and Inko was fast asleep, Izuku snuck to the balcony with his usual, yellow backpack on his back. He had stuffed some things he had promised to get his friends—an All Might hoodie, identical to his own, for Shoto (Endeavor would’ve never approved of such rubbish), their old toaster for Kozue, and some old books his mom had thrown away for Sumire-san to read. He also had found a super soft and fluffy sheep plushie when he had visited a shopping mall couple of days ago, and he had bought it for Nao. The blind girl used her hands a lot, after all, so the plushie could do something good for her, he thought.

Kozue was already on the balcony waiting when Izuku shuck there quietly.

“Ready to fly, Izu?” the girl grinned.

The two landed on a park nearby, where they met with Shoto and Nao. It was quite chilly night, yet Shoto had come without a hoodie. Nao, being a doting big sister, had given her own well-worn hoodie to the boy.

“Nao-nee, you can have your hoodie back. I got Shoto his own.” Izuku grinned as he set the backpack down. He pulled out the hoodie, and offered it to Shoto.

“We match now, Sho-chan!”

The boy with dual colored hair accepted the garment with small blush on his cheeks.

“T-thanks.” he smiled, and put the hoodie on. Nao was glad to get her own hoodie back, too, although her higher-than-normal body temperature was enough to keep her warm.

“Shall we go, then?” the redhead suggested, leading the lot to the alleyways that took them home.

They chatted idly about various topics as they expertly navigated through the alleys.

“I got Sumire-san some books my mom put on recycling, by the way,” Shoto grinned. “And our toaster busted up, so I brought it for you, Kozue-san.”

“Really? Thanks, Izu!” Kozue’s face lit up in excitement.

“Shh.” Nao suddenly hushed them, stopping on her tracks.

“What’s wrong, Nao-nee?” Shoto asked.

“SHH.” Nao hushed louder and focused on something she had heard—someone's pained and suffering groans.

“A man. Injured.” she answered Shoto’s question curtly.

“We can’t see anyone, Nao-nee.” Kozue pointed out.

“…okay, my bad. I forgot I had pushed my Radar’s range to the utmost limit while I was waiting for Shoto… I just switched it on.” Nao apologized. The “Radar” of hers was a side effect of her Echolocation, which she had discovered couple of years ago. She could turn it on and off like Echolocation, and she could use them separately or at the same time, though she had troubles concentrating to both the sounds from afar and the sound reflections around her. “The guy is pretty far away, and I assume he’s hurt, because he’s moving slowly and most likely leaning heavily on a wall. He must be big, like, tall as hell and either really muscular or fat.”

“Should we go take a look? If he’s wandering around here in the middle of the night while seriously injured, he most likely is going to need some help.” Izuku pointed out.

“Or then he’s a villain and needs some directions to Hell.” Shoto deadpanned, making Nao snort.

“You little shit—”

“Let’s go already. Nao-nee, lead the way.”

“You guys must be truly desperate, asking for a bling girl to guide you.” the redheaded girl cracked a joke, earning three stifled giggles and three harsh slaps on her muscular back.

“Just shut up and move,” Kozue chuckled.

“Whoa, it’s really dark here… I can’t see anything,” Izuku mumbled.

“Welcome to my world, then,” Nao scoffed in amusement, receiving a harsh slash to her ankles from Kozue’s tail.

“Stop it, idiot.”

“Yea, yea…”

“Here’s light,” Shoto said, and judging from the warmth that suddenly erupted from his direction, Nao assumed that he had turned on his flames.

“Still no one…” Izuku mumbled.

“That way.” Nao pointed out to the direction where the all four could now hear a faint, gasping grunt echoing from a branching alley. They all sidled closer, suddenly a tall figure emerging from behind the corner.

“SO TALL—” Kozue gasped before her brain had fully registered what she was seeing.

Izuku’s Quirk had instantly started feeding him information of the tall figure. Skintight suit, familiar design, red cape, golden blond hair. The two long tufts of hair, doing their best to stay in the distinguish V shape. A smile the hero was known for twisted into a pained frown.

He was staring at All Might.

A pained, suffering, All Might who barely had strenght to stay upright with the support of the brick wall next to him.

“No…” Izuku’s whisper died in his throat.

“Is that… is that All Might?” Kozue asked, instinctively taking refugee behind her twin sister.

“I wouldn’t know even he was pole-dancing buck naked right in front of me, Kozue. But…” the redhead nodded towards Izuku’s general direction.

“Izu’s reaction tells me it is All Might.”

The said Pro Hero, barely conscious, lifted his gaze from the ground to the four figures before him.

“N-no…” he grunted, before starting to fall forward, and releasing steam from all over his body.

“All Might!” two voices cried out, and before he lost his consciousness, he felt four arms—three calmingly warm and reassuring, one soothingly cool—catch him before he hit the ground.

Shoto had extinguished the flames dancing on his left palm as the Number 1 Hero had started falling forward. Perfectly in sync with his flame-fielding sister, he had called out the Hero’s name and lunged forward to catch his oddly steaming body before he hit the ground. Izuku, shocked from the information his Quirk had fed him, stood paralyzed in a small distance, now in Kozue’s reassuring and comforting hug.

“Shoto…” Nao mumbled as the two supported All Might’s tall and limp body. “…is this guy emaciating?”

Now that Nao mentioned it, the Hero’s body had started to get rapidly scrawnier.

“He… he-he’s injured!” Izuku gasped, recovering from the biggest shock. “N-not r-recently, but an old injury is troubling him greatly. I’m… my Quirk is catching physical data unfit for a Hero with a physique and fighting style like All Might’s, but this guy is definitely the real thing, so the old injury must’ve decreased his fighting ability and general health significantly. He’s… It’s like he’s pushing himself, forcing himself to keep going in the same pace as before, but his body can no longer keep it up…” the greenette startled rambling, translating the data he received with his Quirk into a form that the others could understand.

“…he has fever.” Nao said, placing the back of her hand against the Pro Hero’s forehead. “Assuming that he has normal human body temperature.”

“Yeah. His fever is running high, we’d better get him to a hospital… n-no, that's too far. The best option for now is to get him to Mirokis’.” Izuku continued.

“Okay, you All Might otaku calm down. He’s not dying,” Kozue cut him off, but the look in Izuku’s eyes made her flinch big time.

“Is he… is he actually dying?”

“Slowly, yeah. We need to get him to a bed, or futon, or whatever so he can get some rest…”

The others nodded in agreement.

“Shoto, help the guy to my back. I’ll carry him.” Nao ordered.

Chapter Text

Yagi Toshinori drifted slowly back to consciousness, becoming aware of the two quietly conversing voices beside whatever the soft and warm was that he had been laid on.

No… I don’t want to wake up… he thought, trying to crawl back to the sweet numbness.

“He’s not waking up, is he?” one of the voices beside him asked.

“No,” another one replied, and something cool was placed on his forehead.

It felt quite nice, actually.

And so, so wrong.

He gasped loudly as he jolted up, remembering what had happened before he lost consciousness.

A fight with a villain.

Pain.

Losing the sight of the villain and the pain all over his body increasing.

Staggering through the alleyways, trying to reach… what, again?

Running into four children.

Two tall, teenaged girls and two a bit younger boys in matching All Might hoodies.

Shit .

Shit .

Kozue yelped as the gaunt man she and her mother had been nursing suddenly gasped loudly and sat up with a jolt. His sunken blue eyes stared unseeingly in front of him as he gaped, before snapping back to his senses and taking a quick look around him.

“Sir, you need to lie back down!” Sumire said, rolling her wheelchair a bit closer to the futons (three of them laid next to each other) the tall, feverish man had been laid down on. Kozue reached out to him and placed her hand on his right shoulder.

“Sir?” she asked with a timid voice.

“Where…” All Might’s question was interrupted by a coughing fit and him spluttering out blood.

“Sir! Are you all right?!” Kozue gasped. Sumire handed her a handkerchief which the girl lifted to the still lightly coughing man’s mouth, gently wiping off the blood.

“Where… am I?” he managed to ask.

“This is our home. My daughters and their friends found you collapsed in the alleyway.” Sumire informed him. “My name is Miroki Sumire.”

All Might nodded at her. “I’m…”

Wait. What was safe to say? He took a quick glance at himself. Surely, he was in his true form, and to his surprise, he wasn’t wearing his Hero costume anymore. Instead, he had been changed into a pair of loose pants and a over-sized, grey t-shirt.

They must've recognized my Hero costume, at least... when... changing me... this is embarrassing.

The winged teenager gave him a nervous, yet somewhat reassuring smile.

“We already know that you’re All Might, sir. You pretty much withered into your current form right in front of us.” her tail wriggled on floor uncomfortably. “Don’t worry, your secret won’t leak outside this room. We’re all your fans, here, even Mom.”

All Might nodded. “I’d certainly appreciate it.”

He felt the girl’s hand pushing him back down to the futon gently, but firmly.

“You have a high fever, sir, so you need to lay down and rest. It’s safe here.”

The hero complied.

“Alright, alright… uh, I didn’t catch your name, young miss?”

The girl smiled brightly.

“Miroki Kozue! But Mom’s a Miroki, too, and I have a twin sister, so you can call me by my first name.”

All Might gave the two a weak smile. “Thank you, Miroki-san, Young Kozue.”

He fell asleep again quite quickly.

The Cerberus was on a mission. The collapsed hero had muttered about a villain he had fought before losing the sight of them. The kids had, out of pure curiosity, asked the practically unconscious man to describe the said villain, and had gotten a vague description of one of the top guys on their kill list.

I mean, they despised most of the heroes, and had a long list of them who deserved to be stripped of their Hero status, but only the Flame Hero Endeavor had reached to their kill list, and even so, he was still positioned relatively low on that. It mostly consisted of Villains, most of them wanted and with numerous murders on their record.

The Cerberus, despite the fact that they crept around in the middle of the night, masked and unrecognizable, fighting Heroes and Villains alike, wanted to become real Pro Heroes. That was their way of correcting the corrupted society of Heroes.

The three found the Villain they had been searching for not too long before the sunrise, attempting to slink into his hideout.

“There you are.” the three grinned behind their masks. Their voices made the Villain jolt uncomfortably, which brought a satisfied smile on their—or, well, Shoto and Izuku’s—faces.

“We’ve been looking for you, Darkness,” Izuku hummed, reading the Villain’s data he had already memorized a long time ago.

“Quirk: Sense Removal, though limited to the senses of taste, smell, and sight. Quirk activation by touching the target’s forehead with full palm. The target experiences the removal of the three aforementioned senses for the span of fifteen minutes, which usually is more than enough for the trained killer to finish the job. You fought All Might earlier this night, no? Did you manage to touch his forehead?”

“You’re rambling,” Shoto pointed out, poking Izuku’s side.

“Right. My bad…”

The Villain laughed. “You guys are “The Cerberus” the media has been yapping about for years, right?”

“As the matter of fact,” Nao said coolly, her voice void of all unnecessary emotion, “Yes, yes we are.”

“What a joke!” Darkness howled. “You’re just a bunch of brats!”

He then proceeded to crack his knuckles and flash a maniac grin at the three masked vigilantes.

“I’ll beat you all up in a neat pile of flesh and gore.”

Nao sighed.

Izuku shivered in excitement.

“That’s what all the others had said, as well.” Shoto deadpanned.

“Who the fuck, “the others”? You’re all shittin’ me!” Darkness roared and charged towards the three.

Izuku dodged the lunging villain with great agility, laughing mockingly.

“Ohh, you wouldn’t know.”

Darkness kept lunging towards Nao, who let the man hit her forehead while pretending to fail to dodge. She even gasped in shock and surprise, giving Izuku and Shoto hard time not to laugh.

“One brat down.” Darkness grinned as Nao fell dramatically onto her feet, gaping at nothing while holding her trembling hands in front of her eyes.

“Uh-huh, sure.” Shoto was the Villain’s next target, narrowly avoiding his hand aimed for his forehead.

“She’s not gonna go down with a small tap on the forehead, y’know.” Izuku grinned behind his mask and pulled out his bo staff, extending it to it full length.

“She is already down, you fucking twerp!” Darkness managed to brush his hand against Izuku’s forehead, but still couldn’t avoid the metallic bo staff being swung at his left side with high velocity.

“Gotcha.”

The shock wave sent Darkness flying, unfortunately towards Shoto, who was too concerned about Izuku being caught by the Villain’s Quirk to dodge the flying man who came crashing down on him, accidentally managing to use his Quirk on the masked boy.

Shoto’s world went black in an instant, the last thing he saw being the rough hand pressing on his exposed forehead, pushing down the ski goggles on his eyes.

My nose hurts…

He heard Darkness laugh.

“You cocky brats thought you could beat me, the great Darkness-sama! Ahahaha!”

“Oh, the real fun if only about to begin.” The three heads of Cerberus weren’t in the mood to play, today. They were in the mood to kill.

“What do you think you can do without your eyesight, huh?” Darkness sneered at Shoto. “You damn brat!”

He balled his hand into a tight fist, connecting it forcefully with the masked boy’s face while holding the front of his dark blue hoodie with the other. Shoto grunted.

“I could burn you, or freeze you, but it’s Nao-nee’s turn today. So I’m not gonna do anything.” Shoto answered.

“Nao-nee? That stupid bitch on the ground there?” Darkness hit Shoto again. “She’s blinded as well! She can’t do anything!”

“Are you sure?” Shoto grinned.

“I mean, you know…” Izuku joined in, sitting on the ground with his legs crossed, mask removed, and a childish, cute smile adorning his freckled face. “Nao-nee was born blind, so your Quirk did nothing to her.”

Nao took that statement as her cue to charge. She was on her feet in a second, and another one later the Villain had his feet dangling in the air, the tall teenager holding him up against the brick wall behind Shoto from his throat.

S-she's a monster—

“Just like Izu said,” she stated flatly. “All I’ve ever been able to see has been nothingness. Dunno if you sighted motherfuckers call it with something else, but to me, it’s nothing.” she chuckled, albeit joylessly, and pulled her mask down with her free hand.

“You know, everyone always says that my eyes are intimidating because they’re almost completely white.” Nao pulled down the hood of her wine red hoodie and reached for the ski goggles, “What’s “white”, I do not understand, but—” she lifted the goggles to her forehead, aiming her ghostly white eyes to the direction of Darkness’ face, “—we gotta agree on that intimidating part, right?”

Darkness felt his soul freezing over and scattering into tiny pieces under the unseeing glare.

“I-it’s c-c-cold…” he managed to choke out. The female vigilante dropped him to the hard ground in an instant, adapting a mocking sneer on her face.

“Cold? Do you want me to warm you up, then?” she crouched down before the man collapsed against the brick wall, enfolding her right hand into crackling, scorching hot flames. She held the said hand only millimeters away from the Villain’s face.

“Oh, yeah, before I kill you, you probably want to know the reason, right?” she retreated her hand.

“W-w-why are you d-doing t-this to me…” the Villain sobbed. He was terrified, just as he needed to be.

People really are weak before Nao-nee's eyes... Shoto and Izuku thought, half-amused and half-awestruck.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Shoto muttered with a small sneer decorating his face—he had also shed off his hood, mask, and goggles.

“You attacked All Might earlier tonight.” Izuku joined him. “All Might is our idol, one of the few true Heroes left in this corrupted business. We can’t have any little shits attacking our idol, especially when he isn’t feeling well.” the green-haired boy’s words clashed heavily with the innocent smile he was wearing while playing with the semi-pricked dog ears on his hood.

“What the fuck—”

Darkness, who was instantly recovered from the freezing fear caused by Nao’s eyes and dead, unfocused stare upon the innocently smiling boy’s revelation about the Number 1 Hero’s condition, received a harsh blow onto his stomach by the aforementioned female vigilante.

“All right, there you have it. Say ‘Aah’—” Nao forcefully thrust her fist into the Villain’s gaping mouth.

“…this was so much easier when I was a kid. My fist’s too damn big for this shit, now.” she sighed, barely audible over the man’s panicked, muffled screeching.

“You’ve grown so big, now, you’re at least 180 cm tall.” Shoto answered her nonchalantly, increasing the man’s fear and struggling.

“I blame Endeavor and his stupid giant-ass genes.” Nao shrugged and ignited the right fist inside Darkness’ mouth.

It wasn’t a warm flame.

Nor a hot flame.

It wasn’t a scorching, blistering, aggressively red, orange and yellow flame, either.

It was the sun itself, an intense white flame that melted the criminal’s skull and evaporated all the brain matter in seconds.

“Urgh, the smell—” the boys groaned, hastily pulling their masks back on.

Nao retrieved her fist, still ablaze, and let the whatever organic matter that was still on it burn before extinguishing the flames.

“Let’s go home,” she said like nothing had happened, donning the disguise back on properly.

“I’ll guide you two until the effect of that guy’s Quirk wears off. Come on.” she grabbed the hands of her little brothers—one literal half-brother, and the other, almost-adopted one.

They entered the Miroki household quietly, not wanting to disturb the resting hero.

“There you are,” Sumire quietly greeted them from the corner she had positioned her wheelchair to, not wanting to be on Kozue’s way as the girl took expert care of the man sleeping on the futons.

“Has he been up?” Izuku asked, eyeing the Hero. The boy’s Quirk showed him much better, healthier data now than when they had first met him. Izuku sighed in relief.

“He looks much better now.” he said, tapping the corner on his right eye to indicate that he meant the Hero’s data only he could see. The sleeping man’s physical appearance, however, still looked horrible.

“He woke up for a bit earlier. Jolted up with a loud gasp, really gave me a scare.” Kozue informed the three. “He fell back asleep quite quickly, though.”

The three shed their Vigilante costumes, and Nao pulled on her original hoodie. Izuku yawned.

“…I’m sleepy.”

“…same.” Shoto yawned as well, rubbing his tired eyes.

“We still have one futon, and I know you guys cuddle up quite cutely when you sleep, so it might be enough for the two of you. You can sleep here, if you’re not needed home. There’s no school today, right?” Sumire smiled motherly at the two. They shook their heads.

“Mom’s also going to work early today, so she’ll go without trying to wake me up. She thinks I’m sleeping in my own bed,” Izuku said. “I can just text her later to inform her that I’m going to hang out with my friends, so I can stay here. What about you, Sho-chan?”

Shoto stared at Izuku with tired, blank eyes for few seconds.

“…they won’t need me.” he finally opened his mouth. “Old man isn’t home for couple of days, either.”

“Great!” Izuku smiled. “Let’s go to sleep, then!”

“Yeah.” Shoto nodded.

“Sweet dreams, boys.” Sumire smiled at them.

The boys were fast asleep, bundled up into a small ball on the fourth—Shoto’s—futon. Nao sat on the floor next to them and caressed their hair gently with her warm fingers.

“They’re… really unphased,” she muttered, mostly to herself, but Sumire replied to her.

“Unphased by what, Nao?”

The redhead huffed, her mouth circling into a dry smirk.

“By what we’re doing as The Cerberus.”

“That’s true,” Sumire sighed. “Where did you three run off to, by the way? You were out all night.”

“…we were looking for the Villain who fought with All Might. Found him…”

“What did you three do to him?”

Sumire didn’t get an answer. Nao had fallen asleep, sitting in the corner of the room with her left hand tangled in Shoto’s white and red locks.

“Guess I’ll hear it from the news later…” the mother huffed with a small smile on her face.

“Oh, Nao-nee fell asleep sitting? She’s cute.” Kozue giggled softly, placing a light blanket onto her sister’s sleeping form.

“Sweet dreams, Nao-nee.”

When Yagi Toshinori woke up again, the sun was already up, it's warm rays seeping through the closed curtains. He let out a small sigh and surveyed the room he was resting in. The number of people in it had increased, and he recognized the sitting, red-haired form in the furthest corner from his futon(s).

I guess she's Young Kozue's twin sister... he coughed slightly,four heads jolting up at the sudden noise.

The red-haired girl who had been nodding off in the corner.

A green-haired boy and the other one with white and red hair split evenly in the middle.

And Sumire-san, who had been nodding off in different corner, still sitting in her wheelchair.

"Welcome back, All Might-san." the lastly mentioned woman smiled at him. "Did you sleep well?"

Toshinori nodded.

"Yes, actually..." he sat up. "Thank you for taking care of me, Miroki-san."

"I-it's really A-All M-Might..." the green-haired boy muttered, laying on his stomach on the futon next to Young Kozue's sister.

"...he looks better now." the other boy, laying on the same futon with the green-haired one, joined in.

"...I would say 'good morning', but I doubt it's that time anymore." Young Kozue's red-haired sister flashed a small smile.

"It's eleven a.m., Nao-nee, so technically it still is morning." the red-and-white-haired boy chuckled.

"Oh."

The three shuffled closer to the Number 1 Hero.

"I, uh... I-it's an honor to meet you, sir!" the green-haired boy bowed at him.

Toshinori was taken aback.

"You... don't think that what you see now is pathetic?" he asked before he could control himself. "You don't think this form of mine is unfit to a Hero?"

The boys shook their heads.

"Heroes are all human." the answer, however, came from the girl—who for some reason kept her eyes closed.

“And there’s no such thing as a human without weaknesses.” the boy with two-colored hair—and heterochromatic eyes, Toshinori noted—joined in.

Sumire chuckled. “Shouldn’t you guys introduce yourselves?”

The three children jolted.

“I-I’m sorry!” the green-haired boy gasped. “M-my name is Midoriya Izuku.”

“Miroki Nao.”

“…Sh—Todoroki Shoto.”

The last name was a surprise. The boy was a son of Endeavor?

Toshinori nodded at all three at them.

“I am… my civilian name is Yagi Toshinori. It is very pleasant to meet all of you guys. And thank you for helping me back in the alleyway.”

“Yagi… Toshinori-san?” Young Nao muttered.

“That’s correct. By the way… where’s Young Kozue?”

“Oh,” Sumire hummed, “she went to the nearby convenience store to buy some food. She’ll be back shortly.”

Sumire turned on the old TV in the room as the four chatted idly about various topics, waiting for Kozue to come back.

“Another burnt—or melted, to be more precise—corpse was found early this morning from the outskirts of—”

Sumire sighed and turned at the three children.

“You three?” she asked.

Three nods, and confused, inquiring stare from Yagi-san. Sumire wordlessly gestured towards the television.

“The Cerberus, the vigilante group that has been quite active around Musutafu, has been named by the police as the prime suspect.”

“By what claims?” Sumire asked the television, lazily, as if she already knew the answer.

“Melted, Mom. Melted. That’s a major clue here.” Nao huffed—Toshinori squinted his sunken eyes at her—proudly?

“The body has been identified as Naoki Akira, better known as the Villain Darkness, a serial killer who has been terrifying people around Musutafu for quite a long time. While the Cerberus has committed yet another crime, their actions will surely be praised by many relieved citizens once again.”

The picture of the man—before Nao’s “heat treatment” as the Toughie Four it called—was shown beside the reporter lady on the screen.

“It’s the villain from last night…!” Yagi-san muttered.

“We know.”

The man’s eyes widened at the three children’s nonchalant response.

“…what?”

“Just continue watching, sir.” Izuku nodded towards the TV, where the picture changed to an interview of one of the police officers who had been investigating the scene.

“Judging from the police’s confidence while declaring the vigilante trio “The Cerberus” as the main suspect of this homicide, it must’ve been one of the three heads’ favorite methods of execution. Am I correct, Sir?” the lady interviewing the police officer asked.

“Yes, indeed,” the officer replied, “We cannot say for sure which one of the vigilantes, which you media refer as “the three heads on Cerberus”, prefers this cruel torture as their method of “execution”, as both the tallest girl in red hoodie and the other, shorter person in blue hoodie have been caught on security tapes controlling flames.”

The lady interviewer tilted her head in confusion. “Flames? Do you think these have been done by a flame Quirk? I would’ve thought it to be some kind of acid or a Quirk that simply turns bone into a liquid.”

The police officer nodded his head. “We considered those two as possibilities when the first victim like this was reported seven years ago, but upon many different bodies to examine, our forensic scientists have concluded that the bones have been melted by extremely intense heat.”

“H-how fearsome…”

“So, the blame falls automatically to either "Red" or "Blue", as I believe you media call the two.”

“Yes…” the interviewer nodded. “And the remaining one is called “Green”. He—I personally believe he’s a very short guy—seems to be the most innocent of them all, and isn’t his Quirk still currently unknown?”

The police officer nodded as well. “That’s correct. It might be a mental Quirk, or something that he doesn’t use for some reason, but we must never exclude the slim possibility of him being Quirkless, either.”

“Quirkless?...wow, that would be a rare phenomenon.”

Shoto frowned at the TV. “Those nicknames are ridiculous.”

“Right?” Izuku joined in. “They kind of ruin the coolness of the name “The Cerberus”. Green. Red. Blue. It’s stupid.” Toshinori could swear he heard the young green-haired boy add“and I ain’t Quirkless” under his breath.

Don’t tell me these kids are…

“Hey. Don’t get me started on how stupid they are.” Nao jabbed at the two, who began laughing.

“Right, Nao-nee’s blind as a goose…”

“I’m a BAT.”

“Yea, right.”

“Damn it, Izu, I’ll beat your scrawny ass!” Nao playfully charged towards the smaller boy.

“H-hey! It was Sho-chan who called you a goose!”

“I’ll beat you both!”

"Kids..." Sumire sighed, and watched Nao chase the two boys outside.

"Miroki-san..." Toshinori called out as soon as the door had slammed shut behind the three.

"Yes?"

"Are those three... Young Nao, Young Midoriya and Young Todoroki the vigilante group from the news just now? The Cerberus?"

"Yes." Sumire's answer came without missing a beat.

"They... at first, it was just Nao, going out to do dirty jobs for people in exchange of money. She has been doing that since she was six, and only because I am unable to work with this body of mine."

"How did the two boys join?" Toshinori couldn't help but ask.

That?" Sumire huffed. "Shoto ran away from home because of his abusive father. My girls asked him to come here for a night, and we managed to talk him into returning home the next morning. But, we did promise that our door would forever be open for him whenever he needs us. Izuku, he ran away from home too, apparently because a doctor had diagnosed him as Quirkless that day. Little Izuku had always wanted to become a Hero, and that had been a major hit to his gut."

After a moment of silence, she added; "Both boys were five, so it has been seven years since they started visiting us regularly and training with my girls. Nao and Kozue are now fifteen, by the way."

Toshinori nodded. "I see... uh, may I ask another question? I, um... I was wondering... how did you..."

"End up in wheelchair? All Might-san—”

“Yagi is fine.”

“—Yagi-san, have you seen me and my children? Nao and Kozue are both a bit over 180 centimeters tall, while I would barely reach 145 centimeters.”

“…oh.”

“Not only that, I’m also absolutely too young to be the mother of two fifteen-year-old girls. I’m only twenty-nine myself.”

“T-that’s—!” Toshinori gasped.

“…yes,” Sumire muttered, lowering her gaze to the floor. “I was raped when I was thirteen years old, and I gave birth to Nao and Kozue couple of weeks after turning fourteen. I had to tell my parents, of course, but we couldn’t report it any further, because my rapist is a well-known and powerful person, and he threatened to kill all the people dear to me if I tattled.”

“T-that’s awful… was he ever caught?”

Sumire shook her head. “Has Endeavor been arrested for a rape of a minor? No.”

...

...

“Yagi—”

“ENDEAVOR?”

The gaunt man’s sunken eyes darkened even more, and his whole body began trembling and steaming as he gripped the blanket on his lap, his face twisting into a furious frown.

“That man is—THAT sorry excuse of a human being is Young Kozue and Young Nao’s father?”

Chapter Text

Toshinori stayed with the Mirokis’ for couple of days, waiting for his fever to go down before leaving. During that time, be became close friends with the four children.

It was apparent that none of the children trusted heroes aside from the few they had decided to be “true Heroes”—All Might apparently monopolizing the number one spot on that list. The Hero also learned that most of the mistrust originated from Sumire’s immerse fear and disgust towards the Heroes, which in turn originated from what had happened with Endeavor.

As a Hero, but also as a human being, Toshinori didn’t like the idea of a fifteen-year-old girl and two twelve-year-old boys running around in the middle of the night, fighting—and occasionally killing—known murderers and other dangerous law offenders. But, even he had to admit that the three were skilled.

He learned a lot about the three vigilantes he was indebted to.

Midoriya Izuku was very intelligent for his age, and due his information-gathering Quirk, possessed superb memorization skills. He was very intrigued by Quirks, and liked observing both Heroes and Villains alike as a hobby and a form of his Quirk-training. He, however, was still lacking in physical strength, though his bo staff helped to balance that out a bit.

Todoroki Shoto was, like Young Midoriya, very intelligent for his age, and on the top of that, possessed a very powerful Quirk. He had learned to control the fire half of his Quirk under his older half-sister Nao’s training, but apparently refused to use it while training at home with his father, who even Toshinori now detested.

Both boys wanted to become real Pro Heroes, to show the world how the Heroes were supposed to be—which, in all honesty, clashed greatly with them running around killing Villains during nighttime—and wanted to apply UA, the best Hero Academy around. It was Toshinori’s alma mater.

Miroki Nao, who Toshinori had quickly learned to blind—thanks to the fight the two boys had picked with the red-haired girl—was quite intriguing. She had inherited Endeavor’s Quirk, Hellflame, but apparently could achieve even greater temperatures than the man calling himself the Flame Hero. She also had a body temperature a lot higher than normal people, which Toshinori assumed to help reducing the major backlash of Endeavor’s Quirk—using his flames too much would rise his body temperature, which in turn would impair his physical abilities.

Though, Hellflame wasn’t Nao’s only Quirk, Toshinori had learned. She also possessed a mutation of Sumire’s Quirk-cancelling Quirk, Quirk-absorption. With that, she had gained several other Quirks, like Echolocation, which she used to navigate around and gave her unequaled hearing abilities, an unnamed super strength Quirk that enchanted her physical performance greatly, and a Quirk called Heat Camera, which was almost useless due her blindness. She saw only noticeable changes in the temperatures around her, mostly Young Todoroki’s ice-controlling right sire and her own, abnormally hot hands. She had learned that “Shoto’s right side” was something the sighted people called light blue, while her own hands were “red”. Though, the little she saw with that Quirk seemed to be decreasing rapidly as she grew older.

Miroki Kozue, the younger twin bat-like wings and scaly lizard tail adorning her back, was a supporter of the three fighters. She was, if not intelligent like the other three, creative and inventive. She was social and talkative, too, like Young Midoriya, and unlike the other two who preferred to listen and observe. Toshinori thought that it was a shame that Young Kozue had dropped out of school after graduating from Elementary school—she would’ve been excellent addition to UA’s Support Department by now.

The twins, although possessing very different hair and eye colors, and Kozue sprouting the wings and tail from her back, still looked surprisingly similar. Both were tall for bot their age and as Japanese women, Sumire and Toshinori measuring both to be 183 centimeters tall with couple of millimeters on Nao’s favor. They didn’t look as poor as they revealed to be, both girls having healthy bodies and actually leaning a bit on the chubby side.

When the Hero left the shabby, but warm and welcoming house, he had shifted back to his Muscle form and bowed deeply to the people who had helped him.

“Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I owe my life to all five of you.”

“R-raise your head, Ya… All Might-san.” Sumire stuttered, “You’re overwhelming the children.”

All Might straightened his back and came to face three of the four said children gaping at him with their mouths wide open. Nao seemed surprised, as well, but had schooled her expression well. She smiled a bit wistfully.

“It’s kind of sad that you have to leave, All Might,” she said.

“Yeah…” the other three muttered in agreement.

“But please remember that if you ever need any help again, The Cerberus is on your side. We know the underworld quite well, so we can provide you with information. You know where to find us.”

“And don’t forget me! I might not be an active, known part of The Cerberus, but I also am on your side.” Kozue butted in once her sister had finished.

“I won’t forget.” All Might smiled at them. “And I owe you guys a favor. A big one.”

He bowed at the five once more before leaving the house.

He came back to Musutafu two years later.

Izuku’s day at school had been shitty. They had had a talk about their future career plans during homeroom, but as the teacher had stated back then, it was obvious that everyone wanted to become Heroes.

Izuku remembered fighting hard to keep his face as far from annoyed and disgusted frown as possible as his classmates cheered loudly.

“Sensei!” Kacchan’s voice had silenced the whole room. “Don’t lump us all in the same group. I’m not gonna be stuck at the bottom with the rest of these rejects!”

So cocky… so annoying… Izuku had gripped the mechanical pencil in his hand, nearly snapping it in half.

The class had started protesting, the explosive boy laughing “You all should shut up like the extras you are!” at them. The teacher had glanced at the clipboard in his hand before speaking up to the blond jerk.

“Oh, if I remember correctly, you want to go to UA High, right, Bakugou?”

The class had started muttering and gossiping this time, making Katsuki jump onto his desk and start boasting. He was quickly silenced by the teacher continuing,

“Oh yeah, Midoriya wanted to go to UA, too, right?”

Kacchan froze solid, and after a moment of silence, the whole class had started laughing at him, saying that it was impossible—everyone at school still believed him to be Quirkless to this day, after all.

Katsuki charged suddenly, blowing Izuku’s desk in two pieces with his Quirk.

“Hey, Deku!” he growled. “You’re below the rejects! You’re Quirkless!” he shouted at the boy who had fallen on the floor while dodging the blast from the other one’s palm.

“How can you stand in the same ring with me? You damn four-eye!” the blond flung his foot at Izuku, ready to kick the boy who was wearing his usual—fake—glasses.

Izuku blocked the kick with ease.

“Don’t tell me what to do or not to do, Kacchan. Studying at UA and becoming a Hero has been my dream since I was little, as you should very well know. We’re childhood friends, aren’t we, Kacchan?” there was something menacing about the way the green-haired boy stressed the nickname he had given to the other boy when they were little. He was gripping Katsuki’s ankle firmly, making the boy jittery.

“L-let go of me, fucking nerd!”

Katsuki had confronted Izuku again after school, this time with his two lackeys behind him. He grabbed the notebook Izuku had been putting into his yellow backpack, one of his lackeys asking what it was. Katsuki showed the cover to the lanky boy.

“Hero analysis for the future? Seriously? It’s volume 13, too!” the lanky boy laughed.

“No way?” the other one cackled beside him, “He should give up already!”

Izuku hadn’t paid any attention to them, or Kacchan rambling about how he wanted to be the only one from their mediocre Middle school to ever attend UA High. Izuku just wanted to have his notebook back, he had witnessed a Villain fight in the morning, and a debut of a new Hero called Mt. Lady. Kamui Woods, another rather new Hero, as well as Pro Heroes Death Arms and Backdraft had been on the scene, too.

“Give it back!” he demanded from the blond boy, who grinned, suddenly blowing the notebook with his Quirk. It didn’t catch fire, or fall into pieces, but it took enough damage for Izuku to worry about whether or not Shoto and Kozue would be able to read it.

“Aa—ah, now I have to re-write it. Thanks a bunch, Kacchan.” he sighed. “Give it back now.”

Katsuki had thrown it out of the open window instead.

“Anyway, as I was saying…” the blond had gripped Izuku’s shoulder firmly, heating his palms—not enough to set off another explosion—and burning the fabric of Izuku’s school uniform a bit.

“Don’t apply to UA, you shitty four-eyed nerd—”

Izuku had hit Katsuki in the face with his free left hand, making sure to hold back so he wouldn’t break any bones.

“Let go of me, Kacchan.”

“There’s only one way for you little shit to become a hero,” Katsuki had growled, pushing the green-haired kid away from himself and heading to the door. “You can always pray for a Quirk in next life and take a swan dive off the roof!”

Izuku finished packing his backpack and flung it onto his back.

“Is third floor okay?” he had asked, voice completely void of emotion.

“Huh?” Katsuki and his two lackeys turned back to the green-haired boy, only to see him approaching the open window.

“O-oi, Deku, what the hell—”

“Didn’t you just tell me to swan dive off the roof? I asked if the third floor window was satisfying enough for you, Kacchan.”

Let’s fuck with this shithead. Izuku had grinned.

“Deku, what the fuck—”

“I really hope I get a Quirk by doing this, Kacchan.” Izuku had mocked the explosive blond, and tossed himself out of the third floor window.

The landing had been harsh, Izuku had apparently injured his left ankle a bit, judging from the faint, throbbing pain he had been feeling for a while now, but he had survived well. When he glanced up to the classroom window while collecting his wrecked notebook from the koi bond it had fallen into, he had sawn three shocked, dumbfounded faces looking down at him. He had blown them a mocking kiss and skipped away.

So, the day had been shitty from pretty much from the start. And now this.

Walking through an underpass while checking the damage done to the notebook, Izuku heard a weird sloshing noise from behind.

Is there something in the sewers below…? he thought, turning around.

Finding himself facing a deformed pile of something smelly that looked like sewage.

“A Villain?”

The moving sludge grinned, apparently missing the excited undertone in the boy’s voice. “A medium-sized invisibility cloak…” it—he?—muttered. It bounced onto Izuku, who tried to dodge, but froze for a second when the throbbing pain in his ankle increased with a jolt.

How badly did I hurt it…?

The sludge Villain had wrapped itself around him by now, and was stuffing itself into Izuku’s mouth.

“Don’t worry. I’m just going to take over your body,” it drawled. “Calm down. It’ll only hurt for about 45 seconds.”

This son of a bitch doesn’t know who he’s dealing with—

But Izuku couldn’t do anything to fight against the sludge, not with his ankle hurting like hell. He did have his faithful bo staff with him, stashed away in the hidden compartment on the bottom of his backpack, but he couldn’t reach it while clawing the sewage around and over his mouth, desperately trying to free himself.

Shit shit shit shit shit— Izuku had learned the bad habit of cursing like a sailor from Nao and Katsuki, though he barely said any of it out loud.

His vision got blurry as he started losing consciousness, and the last thing he saw was a large figure emerging from the manhole the sludge Villain had come from, and a familiar voice calling out.

“It’s all right now, young man.”

A-All Might…?

“I am here!”

And Izuku’s world went black.

“Hey! Hey!” Izuku woke up to someone tapping his cheek repeatedly. “He—oh, good! You’re awake, Young Midoriya!” All Might’s signature grin was really close to his face.

“HOLY HELL ALL MIGHT, DON’T COME THAT CLOSE TO OTHER PEOPLE’S FACES!” he screeched in surprise, scooting back. He hissed as the pain in his left ankle made itself known.

“Are you injured, Young Midoriya?” All Might asked.

“Hurt left ankle back at school… moreover, you remembered me!” Izuku chirped, making All Might laugh.

“Of course!” he checked for passers-by and let his body dwindle away into its true form. “What kind of person doesn’t remember the people who possibly saved his life?”

Izuku chuckled. “Right…”

“Anyway, thanks to you, Young Midoriya, I caught the tricky Villain.” Toshinori showed the boy the plastic bottle he had stuffed the sludge Villain in. “Nice assistance!”

Izuku scoffed. “I didn’t help, this time. I almost drowned in talking sewage, sir.”

I’m surprised it fit into one bottle. The boy thought.

Toshinori let out a subdued snort. “I don’t know whether I should laugh or tell you to cut down the sass—”

“Do both.”

Toshinori laughed.

“Anyway, are you in a hurry to go home or your friends’ place? If not, I’d like you to accompany me to the nearest police station. I have to deliver this guy there.” he patted the bottle as the stashed it into the pocket of his army green cargo pants. “Or does your ankle hurt too much? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

Izuku shook his head. “I’ll be fine. It’s just sprained a bit. I’ll walk with you to the police station and then go home to apply something cold on it. It’ll be as good as new in couple of days.” Izuku had checked the condition of his ankle with his Quirk.

“All right then.” Toshinori helped the boy up. “Are those glasses real, by the way? I’m sorry, I just had to ask.”

Izuku laughed a bit. “They’re fake. I have perfect vision, but I use these to cancel my Quirk. I would get overwhelmed by all the data I would see, otherwise.” he took the glasses off and twirled them around in his hands. “Any eyewear blocks my Quirk, you see. That’s why Green doesn’t wear ski goggles like the two others.” he explained, dragging The Cerberus and his boring nickname as an individual vigilante into the conversation. He glanced at Toshinori, and froze.

“Whoa…” he breathed out.

“What? Is… is there something wrong with my physical data?” Toshinori asked.

Izuku shuddered.

This guy is dying!

Though, it wasn’t exactly any news.

“You’re… able to maintain that “Muscle form” of yours for only three hours per day, right? You need to rest for about twenty hours between every three hours of Muscle form.”

Toshinori nodded, not seeing any benefit in denying the obvious.

“About that, yes. Is it really that easy to say?”

“Yeah. I mean, I’ve trained this Quirk a lot, and I can see almost the whole life story of almost anyone. Also, I know you from before, which only makes my work easier,” Izuku said.

“…really?”

“…okay, that “almost the whole life story” was an exaggeration. But I really see a lot. I can, in most occasions, also see if the person is lying.”

Toshinori hummed. “That is… quite amazing, actually.”

“Right?” Izuku hummed. “I can also calculate most of the possible fighting patterns of my opponents after observing them for a bit. It’s really useful, since I’m right about their next move 98% of the time.”

The two walked down the street, catching up and chatting about this and that.

"So, thanks to the money we've been getting from our vigilante work—”

“Wait, you get paid for that?” Toshinori cut the boy’s sentence, unable to contain his surprise.

Izuku looked up to the nearly skeletal face of his childhood idol. “Yeah.”

“I see… sorry, continue.”

Izuku nodded. “So, as I was saying—”

This time the boy was interrupted by someone colliding with Toshinori, making the tall man collide with Izuku.

“Fucking watch your steps, asshole!” the man who had bumped into the Number 1 Hero hissed and strode off.

“If he only knew who he just cussed at…” Izuku growled under his breath.

“Now, now, my boy, don’t take it to yourself. I eventually have to get used to people bumping into me, since I doubt I can maintain my Muscle form for very long time… it’s already three hours per day, just as you said, but it’s still decreasing. In not-so-distant future, I’ll be completely unable to shift into that form anymore.”

“Toshinori-san…”

“That’s why I came back to Musutafu.” the gaunt man patted Izuku’s fluffy green locks. “I need to find a successor for my power.”

Izuku didn’t understand. “Successor for your power? What does it mean?”

“My Quirk, the power of All Might, isn’t mine originally. It’s a stockpile Quirk, something that can be passed from person to person. It’s called One for All.” Toshinori explained. “I’m the eighth holder of this power, and I soon need to find the ninth one.”

“And what does Musutafu have to do with it?”

Toshinori chuckled. “I’m going to be a teacher at UA. The principal offered me a teaching position in my old alma mater so I can pick out a successor amongst the students. They apparently already have someone in their mind.”

“…oh.” Izuku had been a bit hopeful for a second.

“Though, I’m not going to say anything until I’ve met the kid himself. Apparently a second-year, will start his final year in April.”

“…I see.”

They were nearing the police station, when Izuku remembered to ask;

“Hey, Toshinori-san… can I become a Hero? A real Pro Hero, despite from being a vigilante?”

The tall man pondered it for a moment. “I think you’ll make a fine Hero. Just… refrain from killing anyone if it’s not absolutely necessary.” he patted the short boy’s fluffy hair.

“I—I mean we are all already doing it. No more Nao-nee’s… heat treatments. There’s four people left on our kill list, but we barely know anything about one of them. We just know that they—he, I’m pretty sure—exist.” Izuku stuttered.

“Heat… that’s what you guys have been calling it? Seriously?” Toshinori snorted.

“D-don’t laugh!”

“Sorry, sorry…” the gaunt man chuckled. “May I ask who are the four people left on your list?”

Izuku nodded. “Endeavor, obviously. And our “kill list” nowadays means that they will be taken down, not necessarily killed, by the way. Anyway, we haven’t done anything about him yet because, no matter how much we hate to admit it, he is the Number 2 Hero.” he sighed. “A Villain named Shigaraki Tomura. We have very little information about him, but he is quite likely in alliance with the person we only know to exist—we literally know nothing about that one. Name, unknown. Age, unknown. Gender, unknown, though I’m guessing male for some reason. Quirk, unknown. Everything, unknown.”

“And the fourth one?” Toshinori asked.

“Hero Killer, Stain.” Izuku glanced up to the tall man’s face. “Real name is Akaguro Chizome. We’ve let him do his thing solely because he has been taking down only the disgusted fake heroes who were on our kill list too before we met you. Once he steps out of line, say, attacks a Hero Nao-nee, Kozu-san and especially Sumire-san sees as a real Hero, we’re out for his head.”

He glanced at the Pro Hero’s face again.

“Mostly Nao-nee, though. Me and Sho-chan are just going to assist her and keep the eyewitnesses away.” he gave the Hero a reassuring little grin and pushed—or at least attempted to—his dark green hair behind his ear. Toshinori noticed several pieces of metal glinting in the boys earlobe.

“…you have piercings?” he asked.

“Oh!” Izuku gasped. “Yeah, I have. I got them as a reward from one of our clients—did I tell you already that our acquaintance, Tōjō-san, occasionally gets us paid jobs from distressed citizens who need help with something they can’t approach legal sources of help? We usually receive cash as our rewards, but one tattoo artist we helped last year gave us these instead. Up to six piercings or tattoos per person, our support-gear specialist Kozu-san included. I got these four in my left ear, one in my right ear, and we all got matching tattoos to the inside of our left ankles.” Izuku explained, softly touching the simple silver pieces adorning his left earlobe.

“A tattoo…?” Toshinori muttered.

“Yeah. Moreover, we’re here.” Izuku pointed to the building next to them as he stopped. They had arrived to the police station.

“Great. Now I’ll just…” Toshinori reached for the plastic bottle in his pocket, coming to contact with nothing. “Huh?” he searched frantically.

“It’s gone…”

The two paled as the realization hit them. The bottle containing the sludge Villain was gone!

Not for long, though, as a loud explosion went off in the distance, and they both just knew that it was the pesky Villain somehow causing it.

“For the love of God…” they muttered, simultaneously, and dashed towards the scene.

Toshinori had run out of his three hours of heroism for that day, apparently, so he approached the scene in his true form. Izuku, young and healthy and in extremely good shape—though it was a bit hard to tell under the baggy and purposefully a bit too big uniform of his—was way faster than him, and arrived quicker than the older, sickly man.

And the person caught up to the midst of the disgusting, talking sewage this time was a familiar face to the green-haired young man.

Fucking Kacchan.

There was already Pro Heroes on the scene, but no one besides Backdraft was doing anything.

You useless pieces of shit—

Izuku let out a low growl as he watched Backdraft putting off the fire Bakugou had caused while fighting back the sludge.

No one’s doing anything… The green-haired boy reached for his bo staff in the hidden compartment in his backpack.

“Young Midoriya.” Toshinori’s voice called out quietly right beside him. The Pro Hero placed his hand on the boy’s right shoulder. “What are you trying to do? With sprained ankle on the top of it. Do you want it to worsen?”

Izuku took a step ahead, letting the man’s hand slide off. He had forgotten the pain in his ankle a while ago, adrenaline building up in his system.

“See that hostage in there? He’s Bakugou Katsuki, my childhood friend. Always goes about how useless and Quirkless and stupid piece of shit I am. How I can never become a hero.” the boy flashed a grin at the man behind him—a challenging, confident one.

“But you are—"

“I’m going to prove him wrong.” Izuku pushed his fake glasses into Toshinori's hands, leaving the man watching the boy dash through the crowd of spectators, past the watching Pro Heroes, towards the villainous sewage and the struggling, rampaging middle schooler trapped in it.

“—not Quirkless…”

Izuku barely registered the calls of the Pro Heroes telling him to stop and stand back as he dashed towards the Villain.

It noticed him, and so did the blond boy in the sludge’s tight embrace.

“Fucking Deku!” the blond had freed his mouth, and shouted. “How do you think you Quirkless shit can—mrgh!” the sludge covered his mouth again.

"Who's Quirkless, Kacchan?" Izuku glared into the other boy's only visible red eye.

“Take this!” he shouted at the sludge and threw his backpack at its eyes, making it wince back just enough for him to jump and dive into the small gab between Bakugou and the sludge.

“Out of here now, Kacchan.” he muttered and gave his classmate a powerful kick to the back, making the explosive boy fly out of the sludge’s grasp.

“Huh? You scrawny brat are actually that strong?” he heard the sludge ask.

Without any delay, he swung his right arm at the Villain behind him. In his right hand, he held the still-compressed bo staff, now only ten centimeters in length. It still released the stunning shockwave in that form, if Izuku managed to put enough force into his swing. And that, he did.

Only that the bo staff had gotten a new feature couple of weeks ago, an electric shock in addition to the usual shock wave. And it had been left to the electric shock mode instead of the usual shock wave.

Oh crap. He thought as the crackling and chirping ripped through the sewage and even gave him small shocks in places he was touching the Villain with.

Well, I can manage this much. Izuku thought and watched the lively-until-a-second-ago living sewage fall flat to the ground with a splash. He stepped away from it, just in case.

A moment of silence.

“Y-you fucking Quirkless shit—” Bakugou’s growl was drowned under the loud cheers from the spectators.

“Oooooooh! Did you see that green-haired kid just now?!”

“Amazing! Does he have some sort of electricity Quirk?”

“Waaaah! So cool!”

“He dashed to save his friend, even though the Pro Heroes just stood there and did nothing!”

“Holy hell this kid has some serious balls!”

Izuku chuckled sheepishly at the cheers and comments.

“Okay, now it’s just embarrassing…” he muttered, so quiet that only Bakugou, who was sitting flabbergasted on the ground, could hear him. The green-haired boy collected his backpack and sneakily switched the compressed bo staff to an old, inoperative taser he had forgotten in the hidden compartment.

“Fucking Deku—”

“You there, young man!” the Punching Hero, Death Arms shouted. He had been first Pro to recover from the surprise.

Both boys turned to the big man.

“Y-yes, sir?” Izuku stuttered.

“You.” the Pro placed his enormous hand on the green-haired boy’s shoulder. “You did good helping your friend like that, though I still have scold you for using your Quirk in public. Do you have an electricity Quirk?”

“OF COURSE HE DOESN’T, HE’S FUCKING QUIRKLESS!” Bakugou shouted from the ground.

“Is that true?” Death Arms was joined by the other heroes.

“Huh? Of course not. I wouldn’t done that if I didn’t have a Quirk backing me up.” Izuku answered Kamui Woods’ question.

“But my Quirk isn’t electricity either. I used this.” Izuku presented the unusable taser to Death Arms. “It’s fried now, though.”

“A taser? Why do you have it?” the Punching Hero asked.

“I… my parents got it to me for self-defense. My Quirk is mental, after all, so it’s not very usable if someone assaults me suddenly. I have bad vision, too, so I have to wear glasses… which I have lost now, apparently.” Izuku faked a bit unfocused look as he tried not to focus too much to the data he received from the Heroes.

“Seriously? Hey! Has anyone seen this kid’s glasses? Be careful when you move, they’re most likely on the ground!” one of the Heroes shouted, and the group began murmuring while staying as still as possible. Toshinori didn’t want to draw any attention to himself, so he slid the fake glasses in his hands to the midst of the spectators while pretending to be re-tying his shoe-laces—and praying that no one noticed that he was, in fact, wearing simple slip-ons.

“Deku, you fucking absolute shitrag—” Bakugou got of the ground, and leapt towards Izuku. Death Arms and Kamui Woods kept him away from the green-haired boy.

“Whoa there, kid! Why are you attacking your friend? He just literally saved your life!” Kamui Woods exclaimed.

“Shut up, you rotten twig! That shithead over there is the most useless, Quirkless fuckface anyone has ever met, and I don’t fucking know what fucking witchcraft he used to do that stunt—" the just-insulted Pro Hero draped his wooden…vine? Arm? Whatever around the shouting boy’s head, shutting his loud mouth.

“Aren’t you a bad-mouthed kid. Learn to say a sincere thank-you.”

 “Are you really friends?” Mt. Lady, now in her regular human size, asked from Izuku.

“Huh? No, now that you mention it… we used to be, though. When we were like, five. Now he’s just a bully.” the boy rubbed the back of his head. “Always calls me Deku and useless and Quirkless and stuff… and sets off explosions on my skin. Just today he blew up my Hero Analysis notebook I was going to show to my friends and told me to take swan dive off the roof.”

“SHUT UP YOU SHITTY NERD—” Bakugou struggled in Kamui Woods’ hold.

“Aw, crap!” someone from the spectators suddenly shouted. “Are these your glasses, kid? I’m sorry, someone pushed me, and I just… stepped on them.” A man un his mid- to late twenties exclaimed, holding up a pair of familiar, now-broken fake glasses.

“Uh… they’re mine. D-don’t worry, I have a spare pair at home. Thank you anyway, Mister.” Izuku smiled at the man and took the trashed glasses.

Now, where did I put the spare pair again…?

The Heroes scolded both the boys, cutting some slack to Izuku since the kid did good, and didn't use his Quirk in public area without a permission, which would've been a major violation of law. Bakugou, in the other hand, had went on a rampage, which earned him an earful after earful from the Heroes. Izuku had even gotten some compliments for his bravery and selflessness, after the revelation of the fact that the boy he had rushed to save was not a friend, but in fact someone who severely bullied him.

Izuku was freed from the Heroes’ lecture way before Bakugou, who were told to call his parents to pick him up from the nearest police station. The Heroes and the police figured that there was no need for Izuku to remain there after giving his and his legal guardian’s names, and his quick statement of the incident.

So, Bakugou growled angrily at his classmate’s back as the boy staggered away. He was surprised when the boy joined a ridiculously tall, sick-looking, gaunt man who was waiting for the boy a but away from the group.

Who’s that dude… his dad? He thought. Now that I think of it, I don’t even know what that shit’s dad looks like.

“You did a stupid, reckless stunt back there.” Toshinori sighed.

“…I’m aware. But I don’t regret it.” Izuku muttered back, flinching every time he stepped on his left foot wrong.

“But… You were very heroic back there. You’ll make a splendid hero one day.” the gaunt man gave the boy a proud smile and a pat to his back. “Though, you should’ve at least told the paramedics that you’ve hurt your ankle, my boy.”

“S-sorry… It slipped my mind. Adrenaline.”

“Figured.” Toshinori sighed. “Should I accompany you home? The Heroes on the scene took care of the electrocuted remnants of the Villain, so I don’t need to bother myself with it anymore.”

“I-if you’re okay with it… M-my mom’s probably home, and if she saw the news, really worried.”

The green-haired boy wasn’t wrong.

“I was so worried, Izuku—you did amazing job, like a real Hero—how can you do something so reckless?!” Midoriya Inko both scolded and praised her son.

“I’m sorry, Mom…” Izuku muttered.

“Oh, it’s all right now, you’re safe here. And, um, who’s your friend, again?”

Toshinori greeted the green-haired woman with a small, polite bow.

“I’m Yagi Toshinori, a staff member from UA High. I’m also acquainted with your son two years ago. He hand his three friends helped me in a pinch.”

“Oh, it’s nice to meet you, Yagi-san. I’m Izuku’s mother, Midoriya Inko.”

“Your son will make a great hero one day, Midoriya-san.” Toshinori smiled.

Chapter Text

The Mirokis—all three—and Shoto came to lunch the next day. Inko had come to accept her son’s delinquent-looking friends, as they had proven to be extremely well-behaved and very kind, which had clashed a bit with their appearances. She now saw the three other kids as her children, too, and Sumire-san had become her younger sister of sorts.

“Inko-san, do you need help with the cooking? It might be a bit high for me, but I could do something.” the wheelchair-bound, petite woman offered.

“Oh, there’s not much to do, actually. Could you watch that pot on the stove? I’m going to set the table.” the green-haired woman pointed to the stove’s direction before going back to work.

The four children/teens were In Izuku’s room.

“So, Toshi-san’s back in town? And going to teach at UA?” Nao asked. Izuku let out a small, affirmative hum as he nodded.

“Yeah. And he said yesterday that I could become a great hero one any. Thrice.” the boy, now with bandaged left ankle, grinned.

“Oh, man. You two are even more eager to go to UA High now, aren’t you?” Kozue hummed, softly fingering the silver earring in her left earlobe. Unlike the other three, who had used all their possible piercings/tattoos back when the tattoo artist offered them, she had only took one piercing per ear and the matching ankle tattoo with her more or less related family. She had managed to coax the tattoo artist to give her remaining three piercings to Nao, who had accepted them with a small grin on her face. She now had the matching ankle tattoo and a black, roaring dragon tattooed on right bicep—even though she couldn’t see it—as well as two silver piercings on her left ear and three on her right. She also had gotten a piercing on her left eyebrow and on her tongue. The last one she liked to click against her teeth to create sound for her Echolocation.

“Yeah,” Shoto answered, sprawled all over Izuku’s bed. He had picked up a habit to touch the piercings on his own ears, too, just like Kozue. Though, he had three of them on his left ear and two on right, together with the small tattoo on his left inner ankle.

“Though, you’re going to get in with Endeavor’s recommendation, aren’t you, Sho-chan?” Izuku, who had been sitting on the edge of his bed, flopped down backwards, placing his head onto Shoto’s stomach.

“…yeah.” the red-and-white boy mumbled.

“Aww, I want to go to UA, too.” Nao sighed, sitting on the floor while fiddling with one of Izuku’s many All Might plushies. Though, from the feel of it, it could’ve been a bunny as well.

“But you guys are already eighteen by the time the new school year starts.” Shoto pointed out, stifling a yawn.

“Shoto you shameless bastard.” Kozue growled, curling and stretching her tail. Shoto laughed softly.

Their chatter was interrupted by Izuku’s phone ringing.

“Uhh… who?” the green-haired boy groaned and groped around the bed for his phone. He finally found it and lifted it in front of his face.

“Huh? Toshinori-san?” he sat up quickly and answered the phone.

“Hello? Toshinori-san?”

The gaunt man’s laughter rang from the other end of the phone.

“It’s nice to hear you so energetic after what happened yesterday, Young Midoriya,” Toshinori said.

“Yea, well… Sho-chan… Shoto and the Mirokis are all here, so I’m having fun. We’re just chatting in my room while Mom and Sumire-san are cooking in the kitchen, though.” Izuku shrugged, though he knew the man over the phone couldn’t see it. “Why are you calling, by the way?”

“Oh, that. I was just going to ask if you were free. I have something to discuss with you.”

“Is that so? If you’re fine with the others hearing it, too, you can come over for lunch. Mom’s going to cook a little too much as always, anyway.” Izuku proposed.

“Would that be all right? I don’t want to impose.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine! I’ll just tell Mom if you’re coming.”

“…I’ll come, them. I haven’t eaten yet, anyway.”

“Awesome! I’ll go to tell Mom! See you soon, Toshinori-san!” Izuku grinned from ear-to-ear as he ended the call.

“Toshi-san’s coming over for lunch? Awesome!” Nao grinned.

In the end, the gaunt man joined the lunch, and the whole lot had a very pleasant conversation over the curry.

“So, you boys really want to go to UA?” Toshinori smiled, getting two confirming nods from the boys whose mouths were full of curry and rice. Izuku swallowed first.

“Though Kacchan—Bakugou’s trying to get in, as well. He has an amazing Quirk, and good combat skills, so he’s most likely going to pass the entrance exam even though his personality is crap.”

Nao snorted. “I wanted to go to UA, too. But I’m blind, and too old by now, and even if I weren’t, there is no way we could ever afford it.”

“Right… ever since Shoto-kun and Izuku-kun has been talking about their plans to go to UA High, I’ve been kind of wishing for you two to be able to go, as well.” Sumire sighed. Toshinori cleared his throat, getting everyone’s attention.

“Actually… I could pull some strings and make that happen. It’s the least I can do for you guys after helping me to years ago.”

“What…?” Nao and Kozue dropped their spoons.

“But, Toshinori-san, my girls have no middle school education at all, and Nao never went to the elementary school, either. Wouldn’t it be hard for them to… catch up? Not to mention that Nao is still blind,” Sumire gasped.

“It’ll be all right. Young Nao and Young Kozue are intelligent, so catching up with everyone would be a piece of cake. They’ll most likely be placed to the first year, so there’s a fairly good chance for Young Nao to be in same class with either Young Midoriya of Young Todoroki, if not both—I’m assuming that she will choose the Hero course.”

After lunch, Toshinori visited—to the green-haired boy’s dismay and embarrassment—Izuku’s room. The Hero was, to bee honest, a bit flabbergasted at the excessive amount of All Might merchandise the whole room was covered in—he was offered a seat on the bed while Izuku took the chair in front of the desk and the three others sat on the floor.

“Is it all right if we’re here?” Kozue asked.

“Yes,” Toshinori answered with a nod, “I figured Young Midoriya would want to ask you three’s opinion in the matter, as well.”

The youngsters tilted their heads in confusion.

“Meaning…what?” Izuku asked.

“Young Midoriya.” Toshinori leant his elbows against his knees and looked Izuku in the eyes. “I want you to become the ninth wielder of One for All.”

----

Izuku went back to school the next Monday, still favoring his left ankle. He was surprised to find Bakugou’s seat empty.

“Oh, there you are, Midoriya.” the teacher greeted him indifferently. “Did you hurt that ankle back then with the sludge Villain?”

Izuku let out a strained, awkward laughter. “Might have. It’s a bit blurry.” he took his seat. Everyone was watching him intently.

“So…” one boy dared to open his mouth. “You’re not Quirkless, Midoriya?”

Izuku shook his head. “Apparently not.”

“Whadd’ya mean, apparently? You freaking shocked that Villain out of commission! And you kicked Katsuki out of its grasp!”

“It must’ve been ridiculously strong, since even Death Arms couldn’t do anything!”

Izuku chuckled. “Guys… lesson…”

And with the teacher clearing his throat loudly, the class quieted down.

“Oh, and Katsuki’s temporarily expelled and currently under house arrest, too. Because you apparently told the Heroes how he bullied you.” one boy had to add.

“…oh.” Izuku muttered.

Serves him right.

Izuku hurried to a nearby Dagobah Beach after the school was over. He had been summoned there by Toshinori-san.

“Uwah!” the green-haired boy yelped as he arrived. The beach was covered in tall heaps of trash.

“I knew people illegally dumped their trash here, but I didn’t expect this much.” he muttered, bowing a greeting to the gaunt man sitting on a broken-down dishwasher.

“I know,” Toshinori sighed. “It used to be a quite beautiful place, back when I was your age.”

“…how old are you, anyway, Toshinori-san?” Izuku asked, making Toshinori flinch.

“I don’t talk about that.”

“Gee, you’re a grandpa then.”

“Not quite that old, yet!”

The two male’s bicker was interrupted by the rest of Toughie Four appearing to the scene, and Toshinori explained his plan to them. He was going to make them clean the beach, as community service and a form of rescue training for future reference. Kozue, who could join the three others even though she aimed for UA’s Support department instead of the Hero course, was ecstatic about all the unwanted trash and broken-down electronics she could collect from the beach for her inventions.

“Though I’m letting you start only after Young Midoriya’s ankle is better. I will also pass on One for All to him, so I’ll be here to teach him how to use it without breaking his limbs as well as supervising you lot.”

“Yes, sir!”

Once Izuku had been deemed healthy and uninjured by Toshinori, he was summoned back to the Dagobah beach—alone this time, and way before the sun was going to rise.

“Now that your ankle is all right, I can pass my Quirk to you.” Toshinori said and shifted into his Muscle form, starting to explain his Quirk and it’s origins once more to the green-haired boy, who listened eagerly.

The Number 1 Hero plucked out one of his golden blond hairs and offered it to his to-be successor.

“Now eat this.”

“Hrk!” Izuku jolted. “A… hair, All Might-san? Seriously?”

“I am serious, my boy.”

Izuku took the golden strand. “H-here we go…” he popped it into his mouth and forced himself to swallow.

“Urgh…!”

“I know swallowing hairs isn’t nice. Please bear with it.”

The others came at the sunrise, and they got to work. Three four hours after feeding his hair at Izuku, Toshinori called out to the boy.

“It should be about time to test your new Quirk, Young Midoriya. Carefully, as we wouldn’t want you to break any limbs.”

Izuku shivered. “…right. So… how do I do it?”

----

The day of UA entrance exam, February 26^th. Nao and Kozue had received a personal visit from UA High’s principal, Nezu, who revealed to be… not human. He was a mammalian animal of sorts, looking like some kind of crossbreed between a mouse, a dog, and a really small bear. But his physical appearance aside, the reason of his visit couple of weeks before the entrance exam was to inform the Miroki family that the girls had received his personal special permission to take a part to the entrance exam of their desired UA department.

“We really are here… UA High.” Kozue muttered with stars in her turquoise eyes, gazing at the tall building towering in front of the three—Izuku, Nao, and herself. Shoto, who was going to get in by official recommendations (from Endeavor), didn’t need to take the entrance exam, so he had slinked away from home to entertain Sumire-san while the others were away.

“Yeah… I can’t wait for the exam to start!” Izuku grinned.

“Then let’s go.” Nao sighed.

They ignored the murmurs of their fellow examinees around them.

“Whoa, look at those two girls, they’re really tall…”

“That redhead looks super strong! Like, she could bench press… well, not All Might, but maybe Endeavor.”

Okay, that was a comment the three snorted at.

Actually, Nao-nee has/I have bench pressed All Might. Also, he isn’t that heavy, only 255 kilos.

“Okay, tiny dude has some scary-ass friends there.”

Izuku gritted his teeth. Yeah, yeah, laugh while you can. I’m still growing!

“Wait, he looks kinda familiar…?”

“Oh! Isn’t that green-haired guy from the sludge Villain incident back then? The one who saved the blond kid who panicked and went on rampage, destroying half of the shopping district?”

“Oh, yeah! What’s his name again… Midoriya?”

Nao let out a low hum deep from her throat. “You’re a celebrity, Icchan.”

“Don’t call me that, Nao-nee.”

“A celebrity?”

“No. Icchan.”

“Fine.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…Icchan.”

“Stop it!” Izuku jabbed his fingers into Nao’s ribcage.

“Urgh! Hey beansprout, don’t injure me before the exam!”

Kozue laughed at the two’s playful quarrel.

“Okay, guys, we’re separating here. My Support department exam is this way. See you later! Good luck!” she chirped and dashed away.

“Good luck to you too,” the two sighed to her reducing back.

“Hey, hey!” a girl’s voice called out. Nao subdued a mischievous grin and leant down, whispering into the green-haired boy’s ear.

“Don’t freeze.”

Izuku glared at his pseudo-sister’s unseeing eyes hidden behind a pair of reflecting sports glasses.

“I never freeze.”

“Yea, sure.” Nao straightened her back. “I’m going to the toilet real quick.”

The other tall girl slinked away as well, and Izuku turned to face the new voice.

“Yes?”

The speaker was nowhere to be seen.

“Um…?” Izuku tilted his head.

“I’m here, here!” Izuku noticed a floating uniform.

“Urgh, sorry, I wasn’t expecting someone invisible.” he smiled. “Did you need something, Miss?”

The uniform’s sleeves lifted up, indicating that the invisible girl lifted her hands on her cheeks or in front of her mouth.

“I, uh, I wanted to ask whether you are that boy called Midoriya who saved the other, blond boy from the sludge Villain ten months ago.” the girl stuttered a bit.

“Ohh… yeah, that’s me. Midoriya Izuku, nice to meet you. What’s your name? Which department’s entrance exam you’re taking? I’m taking Heroics!”

The invisible girl seemed to smile brightly. “I’m Hagakure Tōru, and I’m taking Heroics, too! Is that scary tall girl your friend? Is she taking Heroics as well? She looks like a delinquent!”

Izuku nodded. “Yeah. Nao-san is… yeah you’re right, she does look that. But she's pretty natural at helping and leading others.”

“Does she have an eyebrow piercing? So cool! Anyway, you’re amazing, Midoriya-kun! Charging like that to save your friend from the Villain when even the Pro Heroes stood back! Oh, is your Quirk electricity? I saw the fight from the TV back then.”

“Oh… Kacchan—Bakugou isn’t my friend. And my Quirk is—”

“QUIRKLESS DEKU! WHAT THE SHIT ARE YOU DOING HERE, ASSRAG?!” an overly familiar voice cut the green-haired boy.

Izuku flinched.

“It’s been ten months since I heard that one…” he muttered, turning to face a furious Bakugou Katsuki.

“Good morning, Kacchan. I’m very surprised you’re allowed to take an exam here. Which department? General studies? Support?” Izuku faced the boy without fear. “Don’t tell me…you’re allowed to take Heroics? You, a bully? Wow… I’m actually a bit disappointed, here.”

He felt Hagakure’s questioning eyes on his back and Bakugou’s angry, burning red eyes drilling holes to his forehead.

“Fucking Deku! Don’t walk in front of me!” the explosive boy shoved the other one out of his way and stomped inside, accidentally bumping into the invisible Hagakure on his way. They both lost their balance.

Oh, fuck— the green-haired boy thought as the ground neared his freckled face quickly.

Izuku’s fall was stopped midway, however. Quite literally so, as the green-haired boy found himself floating above the ground.

“Sorry for using my Quirk without a warning.” another female voice apologized, and Izuku’s bright green eyes met with his savior’s brown ones. The girl smiled at him, correcting his position and releasing her Quirk.

“It would’ve been bad if you fell before the exam, right?”

Izuku’s glasses had been knocked off when Bakugou shoved him out of the way, so hid Database Quirk started running wild.

“Uh-oh, my glasses…!” he gasped, quickly turning his eyes to the ground.

“Oh, sorry! Do you have bad eyes?” the girl who had saved him asked, looking around for Izuku’s dropped glasses.

“Here they are. Are you all right, Midoriya-kun?” Hagakure presented the said object to the boy. He nodded and placed the spectacles back on their place.

“Uh… thank you, Hagakure-san… Uraraka-san.” he muttered. The brown-eyed- brown-haired girl who had stopped his fall flinched.

“H-how do you know my name?!”

Izuku flinched as well.

“I-it’s… my Quirk. It’s called “Database” and it allows me to se people’s data just by looking at them. I can’t turn it off, so I’ blocking them with these fake glasses. The only people other than my mom and life-long friends that know the truth about the glasses being fake are you two, though.” Izuku explained. “Our eyes met earlier without my glasses blocking my Quirk, so… I learned your name, blood type and birthday, among others. I’m sorry, Uraraka-san, I didn’t mean to.”

The brunette flashed him a smile. “I was just about to introduce myself, anyway! Uraraka Ochako, nice to meet you!” she then turned to Hagakure.

“I’m sorry I didn’t catch you with my Quirk. You’re invisible, so I didn’t notice you in a hurry.”

Hagakure waved her hand.

“It’s okay! The tumble wasn’t that bad. I’m Hagakure Tōru, by the way. And uh… we should go?”

Izuku and Uraraka gasped.

“Right!”

The written part of the exam was a breeze, and Izuku felt like he had aced the thing. He didn’t see Nao anywhere, assuming that the blind girl had been taken to a separate room to answer to the questions verbally with a teacher present. He did see Uraraka and Hagakure, though, and to his surprise, Bakugou.

He really is taking Heroics, huh? How, I wonder… better keep my distance to him, he was really aggressive earlier.

Though he decided to do that, Izuku still found himself sitting next to Bakugou and far from Nao during the exam orientation held in the auditorium by the Voice Hero, Present Mic. The green-haired boy barely contained his muttering while the loud and hyper Hero explained the proceedings of the practical part of the test.

After shouting out the school’s motto—Go beyond. Plus Ultra!—Present Mic gave the examinees a small smirk.

“Now everyone, good luck suffering!”

Nao and Izuku were assigned to different testing areas—Figured that they wouldn’t let friends to help each other here.

Nao observed her fellow examinees from a small distance. They wee all excited about the start of the exam, crowding in front of the gate to one of the faux city areas where the practical exam was held.

I doubt this is something as simple as destroying some faux Villain robots. Why in the hell would they add the zero pointers, then? The girl thought, prowling closer to the gate to be ready when it’s bust open as the start of the exam.

I’m betting my left eye that there’s some other way to score points too, like rescuing others from the robots that ambush them, or… yeah, I’m trying that. Hero, Hero, Hero. I’m a Hero. I fight Villains AND rescue others.

“START!” the teacher’s—she was pretty sure that was Present Mic—voice called out, and the gate flew open with a loud bang. The other examinees on Nao’s area stood still in surprise for few seconds, giving the tall girl a small head start. She soon heard the rushing crowd behind her.

The robots were weak enough for Nao to destroy without using her Quirks beside Echolocation to find them. She had no idea how many points she had scored, as she couldn’t see the numbers painted onto the slightly differently sized robots, but after listening to and observing the others, she learned that the smallest ones were worth of one point, while the biggest ones were three points.

Where’s the zero pointers, then? She turned on her Radar to search the faux city more thoroughly.

Anyway, my Villain points are… seventy-seven, if I counted correctly. I’m sure there’s the Rescue point thing as well, but I wouldn’t know the scoring system in that. She sighed.

Suddenly, the ground grumbled and shook as something enormous seemed to appear from the underground.

“Zero pointers…?” Nao gasped under her breath. The thing was HUGE!

“AAAAAAAH! Run!”

“Run! Run!”

“We can’t! We’re in a dead end!”

Nao inhaled sharply. The last shouter was right. They had wandered to a part of the fake city where tall apartment buildings surrounded the plaza from three sides, the only exit having been blocked by the giant robot.

Here we go, then. Nao stood still between the robot and the other examinees, who had huddled up as far from the scary thing as possible.

“EVERYONE TAKE COVER!!” Nao’s authoritative voice boomed through their scared shrieks, everyone quieting down in a second.

Nao lunged towards the threat, activating both her Hellflame and super strength—though it was more accurate to call it Strength Enhancement—Quirks. The flames began enfolding her, starting from her fists and feet, working their way up. Her footfalls were thundering, quaking the ground beneath her.

Once she was close enough and completely enclosed in the bright, hot flames, Nao launched herself into the air, towards the zero pointer’s midsection.

She let out a bestial roar as she made the contact with the metal. The robot never stood a chance, flying back and partially melting around the area of impact, other parts scattering around. Nao extinguished her flames and jogged towards the others.

“Is everyone all right?” she asked. There was a moment of silence, but a small click of her tongue told her that several people must've nodded.

Speak up, people, I'm blind so I can't see your nodding.

“Y-yeah…” someone stuttered. A boy.

“That’s good to hear.” Nao leaned her hands against her knees and exhaled deeply. “No one got his by flying scrap from the robot?”

“N-no, ma’am!” another boy answered.

“Holy shit, she’s so cool…” someone in the crowd muttered.

“She’s hot,” another one joined in.

“It’s hard to believe that she’s the same age as us! She seems so mature and… big-sister-y?”

I’m actually 18, guys. I’m three years older than you lot. Nao wanted to say it out loud, but instead straightened her back and stretched.

“Time’s up soon, guys. How are your points?”

“Oh shit we gotta hur—”

“TIME’S UP!” Present Mic’s voice and the sirens signaled the end of the ten-minute mock battle. The examinees sighed and/or moaned in disappointed and began dispersing. Nao tracked down Izuku and Kozue.

“Did you hurt yourself, Izu? You have an arm sling.” Kozue pointed out as the threesome exited the school gates.

Izuku nodded. “Yeah… I, uh, panicked a bit? Or got too excited? Anyway, I went and destroyed the giant zero pointer robot that was about to crush one girl who got stuck and couldn’t run away. I accidentally pulled out 100% of One for All and crushed pretty much every bone in my right arm. Recovery Girl patched me up as soon as possible, though, so I’ll be perfectly fine after good night’s rest.”

“So you attacked one of them, too? Did you realize that you’d most likely get rescue points out of it?” Nao asked.

Izuku flinched. “Seriously?”

“…I’ll take that as a no. I only have a hunch about that, though, don’t rely on my word as an absolute truth.”

Izuku yawned. “Nevermind that, I want to sleep. Recovery Girl’s Quirk used my stamina to speed up my healing process, so I’m ready to fall asleep on my feet.”

“We won’t let you fall.” the twins scooped Izuku’s arms into their own, walking on each side of the green-haired boy.

“Thanks, guys.” Izuku chuckled and yawned again.

“How do you think you did, otherwise?” Nao asked.

“Hmm? Oh, I totally aced the written part. I also got 54 Villain points from the practical part of the exam, so I think I did okay.”

“Fifty-four? How many did you score, Nao-nee?”

The redhead chuckled. “I can’t be completely sure, but I think it was seventy-seven.”

“Holy shit!”

The three got their acceptance letters about a week later. Kozue called Izuku as the boy was watching All Might on the hologram sent by UA High.

“Yeah? What is it, Kozu-san?”

“You son of a gun, Izuku!” the older girls voice rang in his ears. “’I think I did okay’, my ass! You were the second best with 114 points total! Nao-nee was the only one better, she got 152!”

Izuku laughed. “Yeah, so it seems… whoa.”

“What?”

“Uh… Bakugou. Kacchan. He got to third place with 71 Villain points alone.”

“Wait, that bully was allowed to take UA’s Heroics department’s entrance exam? Wasn’t he put under house arrest after what you told to the Heroes during the sludge Villain incident for couple of weeks and temporarily expulsed from school for two months?” Kozue asked.

Izuku sighed. “Exactly. That’s why I was really surprised when I met him at UA.”

“Do you know which class you’re in? It should be written onto the letter enclosed into the envelope together with the hologram thing.” Kozue asked. “I’m in class 1-G, Support Department. Nao-nee’s in Heroics Department’s class 1-A.”

Izuku checked him letter. “I’m in 1-A, too!”

----

April, start of the school. Izuku, Shoto, Nao and Kozue entered the UA High side by side, excited. They were all in their uniforms, Kozue’s slightly modified to accommodate her wings and tail. Nao was wearing a pair of black leggings under her skirt—as she didn’t like skirts—and had gotten rid of the red tie supposed to be around her neck. Izuku had had problems with his own tie, too, and it looked a bit funny now. Shoto’s uniform was perfect, though he was oddly jittery and kept loosening and tightening his tie and fiddling with his hair that had grown out, now long enough to cover his ears.

“Sho-chan? Everything okay?” Izuku asked.

Shoto nodded. “Yeah… I was just wondering if we should’ve taken the piercings off. I mean, they kinda make us look like delinquents, not Heroes?”

Nao laughed, tousling her half-brother’s two-colored hair. “It’ll be okay! I looked like this when I took the exam, and no one pointed out my eyebrow piercing. And I’m pretty sure several people noticed my ears and tongue, too, and almost all girls in the changing room saw my dragon.” Nao said, referring to the dragon tattoo decorating her right bicep.

“Oh. Okay…” Shoto muttered. “Remove your hand.”

“Nah.”

“What do you mean, ‘nah’?! Hands off my hair, you’re messing it up!” Shoto tried to sound angry, but failed and let out a laughter instead as he swatted the older girl’s hand away.

“Aww, that’s not very nice, Freezer Burn.”

“Shut up, Goose—”

“That’s it, I’m officially going to murder you, Todoroki.”

“How lovely, Miroki.”

Kozue and Izuku laughed at the two’s exchange.

“They’re insufferable…”

Kozue went to her own classroom, and the remaining three found their way to their own—they were, luckily, all in same class. By the time they arrived the enormous classroom door, Shoto and Nao had been giving each other silent treatment for a while.

“You guys really are insufferable…” Izuku sighed as he opened the door, freezing at the sight in front of him.

He had gotten told off by a tall, muscular boy with rectangular glasses and bluish hair during the entrance exam when he had been about to go to thank Uraraka-san for saving him before the exam. The same boy was now scolding someone unpleasantly familiar, who had lifted his feet onto the desk in front of him.

Bakugou Katsuki.

“Hrk.”

Izuku’s involuntarily noise drew the pair’s attention.

“You’re the rude kid from the exam,” the bespectacled boy said. Bluntly.

“Am not! I was just going to thank her for helping me before!” Izuku snapped back, earning an overly interested hum from Nao.

“So, Icchan, who’s this? A new friend?” the tall girl hummed, resting her arm on Izuku’s head.

“We met during the exam.”

“I’m Iida Tenya from Somei Private Academy. What is that appearance of yours? You look even more delinquent than that rude ruffian over there. As a Hero, you should—”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it. Iida Tenya-kun, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t judge people by their appearances,” Nao patted the boy’s shoulder—he was only couple of centimeters shorter than her—and headed towards the three empty seats at the back of the class. “They don’t mean rat’s ass, anyway. To me, at least.”

“What—”

“Iida-kun, it’s better not to get riled up by hat she says.” Izuku interrupted the tall boy. “Nao-nee is a bit rough, all right, but she isn’t a bad person.” Expect few murders. “She’s also older than we are, so let’s show some respect, okay?” Like she cares. “I’m Midoriya Izuku, by the way. Nice to meet you.” I don’t actually like you at the moment.

“What do you mean, she’s older than us? Isn’t she a first-year like us… unless, has she repeated a year before?” Iida muttered. Shoto was forgotten, so he slinked to the back of the class, sitting to the seat next to Nao, who had claimed the window seat.

“Ha! Useless Deku has even more useless friends, huh?” Bakugou laughed, standing up.

“Nao-nee is far from useless, Kacchan. And I’m not useless, either. Which one of us beat the sludge Villain again, hm? You, or me?”

“Shut up, bitch!”

Izuku shrugged. “Okay, that’s a first. It’s nice to see you vocabulary extending, Kacchan, although I think you need to learn the definition of that new fancy word you’ve learnt there. Now, if you excuse me, I’d like to take my seat and ignore you as well as I can manage.” Suddenly, Bakugou was air to Izuku as the boy, whose green, fluffy and curly locks had grown long enough to cover his ears and the silver piercings in them, joined his two friends at the back of the class and claimed the seat in front of Nao.

“Okay, beansprout, that was kinda mean. Don’t become a bully, you know how horrible it feels to be bullied,” Nao said.

“Yeah… my bad.”

“Aah! Midoriya-kun! And the scary thug girl!” a familiar voice called out. Izuku lifted his gaze to see nothing but a floating girls’ uniform and smiled.

“So you passed the exam, too, Hagakure-san? How nice!”

“Scary thug girl?” Nao questioned, making Izuku and Shoto laugh.

“Well, she’s not wrong—”

“Hey.” Nao let out a low growl. “If you thing this is scary, you’re badly mistaken.”

The two boys familiar with the girl flinched.

“Nonononononono—”

“Whatever the hell you do, don’t take off those glasses and scare the ever-loving shit out of everyone—”

Nao cackled.

“Chill, I’m not going to do that.”

“…is her Quirk related to her eyes or something?” Uraraka Ochako’s voice piped in as the girl joined them at the back of the class.

“Uraraka-san! You’re in 1-A, too?” Izuku asked.

“Yep!” the brunette grinned.

“Care to introduce us to your new friends, Izu?” Shoto asked.

Izuku nodded. “Hagakure Tōru and Uraraka Ochako. We met before the exam. Hagakure-san, Uraraka-san, these are my childhood friends Miroki Nao-san and Todoroki Shoto.”

“Nice to meet you!” the two girls chirped at them.

“Nice to meet you two, too. It’s great to see that our beansprout had made more friends beside us.” Nao hummed. Shoto snorted. He was just about to say something when he was interrupted by Nao’s deep growl.

“Shut it, Freezer Burn.”

“Not my name.”

“Brat.”

“Still not my name.”

“Todoroki.”

“Ouch. You’re cold, Nao-nee.”

“Um…” Uraraka interrupted them. “Can I ask why Todoroki-kun is calling Miroki-san his big sister?”

The two nodded.

“I’m actually older than you guys, but because of my family circumstances, I’ve never attended school. I, however, have always dreamed of studying at UA, so… a Pro Hero we three and my younger twin sister helped about three years ago managed to persuade the principal into giving me and my sister a change to take the entrance exam and enroll UA together with these two little rascals.” Nao explained.

“I and Izu call Nao-nee our big sister essentially because that’s pretty much what she is to us.” Shot added. And she’s literally my older half-sister, so I think I’m allowed.

“Moreover, the teacher seems to be here, so you two better sit to your seats, too.” Nao said to the two still-standing girls, who looked at the older one in puzzlement.

“How did you—”

“You who are still standing, sit your asses down.” a gruffy, tired voice carried from the door, alerting everyone. Uraraka, Hagakure, and couple of other students still not in their seats scrambled to the free seats in a hurry. The owner of the voice revealed to be just as scruffy and tired as his voice has hinted, a slender, pale man around Nao’s height, shaggy shoulder-length black hair partially falling over his eyes. He was clad in black from head to toe with a long, grey scarf wrapped around his neck and shoulders, carrying a bright yellow sleeping bag under his arm. “I’m your homeroom teacher, Aizawa Shōta. Nice to meet you.”

Nao felt like she recognized the voice.

Where have I heard his voice before… She thought, absentmindedly tapping her lower lip with her left index finger as she leant her chin against her hand and elbow against the desk.

Considering that he’s a teacher at UA, he must be a Pro Hero… but which one of them sounded like he wants and-slash-or needs to sleep for two days?

“…roki Nao.”

Nao realized that the teacher had called out to her.

“Yes, sir?”

“You. Don’t expect any special treatment because of your oh-so-sad backstory and the fact that you’re here only because the principal’s kindness and the debt my fellow teacher and Pro Hero owed to you.”

Nao smiled.

“No, sir, I’m not expecting any special treatment. I’m only asking for a small hint of consideration because of my disability.” she absentmindedly brought her right hand in front of her face.

“Then it’s good. Now, all of you, take there gym uniforms, go change, and meet me at the field.”

What Aizawa-sensei made them to do was a simple physical fitness tests everyone had done in middle school. What was different now was that the students were all allowed to use their Quirks.

“The top of the practical exam was Miroki, right? Have you tried throwing soft ball without your Quirk? I know you’ve been homeschooled.”

Nao nodded. “Around the same time Izu and Shoto had their physical fitness tests in their middle schools. My record is 81 meters.”

“Then, try it with your Quirk. As long as you stay within that circle, you’re free to do whatever you want.” Aizawa pointed towards a slightly elevate circle few meters away from him. Nao nodded, and stepped into the circle after receiving the soft ball from the teacher.

Let’s see… Strength Enhancement alone would be enough to propel this thing to God knows where, but if the purpose of these tests is to know our limits, then I guess I have to go all out.

She gripped the ball in her right hand and heated up the small patch of air between the ball and her palm.

This little explosion might add a few more meters to the score. She readied herself to throw the ball, and allowed her strength-enhancing  Quirk to hurl the ball into the distance. The heated air between the ball and her hand exploded right as she let go, giving the flying object and extra boost.

Everyone was silent for a while until a small device in Aizawa-sensei’s hand beeped and he sighed.

“All right, to be perfectly honest, I wasn’t expecting you to hurl the ball as far as one kilometer. What a monster.”

“One thousand meters?” Nao asked.

“Nine hundred and ninety-eight point six, to be exact.” the teacher replied showing the numbers on the device—that looked like a touch-screen phone—to the other students. The record “998.6 m” was clearly displayed on it.

“That’s amazing! Just how strong is she?!” the guys roared.

“Ohh… she did it again!” one of the boys gasped.

“…again?” someone else, a girl, questioned him.

The boy laughed. “We were in the same area during the practical exam. She literally destroyed the Zero pointer that had cornered us all into a dead end! She asked us if we were okay, but I was too star-struck to answer!”

Nao frowned slightly.

“But you were all right, still?”

The boy probably nodded his head vigorously. “Yes! Oh, I’m Kaminari Denki, by the way!”

Nao nodded at him. “Miroki Nao. We can talk later after this, Kaminari-kun. I doubt Sensei would appreciate us doing it now. Right?”

Kaminari probably nodded again. Aizawa sighed, agreeing with the tall girl.

“We’re starting with 50-meter dash. Whoever comes last in all eight tests will be judged to have no potential and will be punished with expulsion.” the teacher’s voice was challenging, and Nao, alongside with Izuku and Shoto, was quite sure she heard a tone of amusement in it.

Izuku shuddered. At the moment, he only could use 5% od One for All without breaking his limps, but he was sure he could do all right in the tests. The 50-meter dash had two running lanes side-by-side, meaning that two students would run at the same time.

I hope I’m with Nao-nee or Sho-chan…

But no, he found himself on the start line with Bakugou.

“I’m going to destroy you, Deku.” the explosive boy grunted. Izuku sighed.

“It’s not easy.”

“—On your marks—” the speed camera-robot-thing announced. Izuku and Bakugou got onto their starting blocks.

“—ready—”

Izuku called for One for All, letting it spread all over his body—he had figured that concentrating the power only to the part of the body he was using, like fist, arm or leg, would only lead to pain and broken bones. Small, green sparks of electricity glowed around his body.

The opening shot gave the two boys permission to sprint. Bakugou tossed his arms back, boosting himself with small explosions, but he still met Izuku waiting at the finish line.

“WHAT THE FUCK?! HOW ARE YOU HERE BEFORE ME?!” the blond was pissed, to say at least.

Izuku tilted his head innocently. “How, you ask? I was faster than you.”

“MY TIME WAS 4.13 SECONDS, YOU FUCKING NERD! THERE’S NO WAY YOU—”

“My time was 1.23 seconds, Kacchan.”

“YOU CHEATER!”

“Let’s get out of the way. Nao-nee’s turn.”

Nao was already on her marks, waiting for the robot’s opening shot.

Her time was 3.07 seconds.

Next test was grip strength. Again, Izuku cleared the table with One for All, but a boy named Mezo Shoji was a close second with his 540 kilograms. The boy was odd-looking one indeed, with six arms instead of two. His face, too, was a bit weird-shaped, and covered with a light blue mask and his white hair.

He looks like an octopus… Both Izuku and Shoto found themselves thinking.

Does he really have six arms, or is my Echolocation acting up? I gotta ask Izu and Sho later. Nao showed her result to Aizawa-sensei standing next to her.

“395 kilograms. You’re third.”

“Figured.”

“Well, you’re only using one arm. Mezo is using three.” Aizawa sighed. As a teacher, he had, of course, been informed about Nao’s blindness, and her desire to stay quiet about it unless she herself told someone, so he added with a low murmur;

“He has six arms in total.”

“Cool. So I wasn’t imagining things.”

Standing long jump. Izuku used One for All again and cleared the table.

Repeated side-steps. Izuku, Nao and Shoto did their best, but the record went to Mineta Minoru, a short, quite annoying purple-haired boy who had been ogling all of the girls’ breasts all morning. His favorite seemed to be Nao, who was very mature, both physically and mentally.

“Should I impale him?” Shoto grunted under his breath.

“Huh? Who?” Nao asked.

“Mineta. He has been shamelessly ogling your chest since we were in the classroom.”

“Leave him be, I can’t really blame him for looking.” Nao teased and bounced on her heels.

“Please don’t encourage him, Nao-nee.” Izuku muttered from the girl’s other side.

“Fine.”

Soft ball throw. It was showtime.

Well, the absolute champion ended up being Uraraka, whose gravity-altering Quirk left the ball floating in the air, weightless. Her score was set as “infinity”.

Nao didn’t throw again, as her score was already set during the demonstration.

Shoto’s score wasn’t bad, but it was pretty much nothing compared to Nao.

Bakugou was the last one before Izuku. He extended the ball’s trajectory with his explosive Quirk, the poor thing landing 705.2 meters away.

Izuku catapulted his ball as far as 1205 meters with One for All.

“Another monster…” Aizawa commented under his breath.

“Aww, man, was I beat?” Nao hissed in faked frustration. Izuku beamed.

“Yeah, sorry ‘bout that.”

“Aww, our little beansprout is growing up!” Nao laughed and ruffled Izuku’s hair.

“DEKU YOU FILTHY QUIRKLESS, CHEATING BASTARD!” Bakugou roared, finally snapping and lunging towards Izuku.

Izuku dodged, now without One for All.

Nao and Shoto defended their friend, Nao stopping Bakugou’s big right swing only with the back of her left hand. The nitroglycerin sweat on the spiky blond boy’s palm exploded, doing no damage to the girl’s skin. He found himself surrounded by Shoto’s ice spikes all pointing at him.

“You’ve bullied our Izu for long enough, Bakugou Katsuki.” Nao said with deep, authoritative voice.

“Leave him alone. He hasn’t done anything to you.” Shoto growled, joining his sister.

“Shut up, extras! Out of my way, I’m gonna kill that Quirkless fucking bastard!”

Nao slapped Bakugou before she could contain herself. Her hand left a bright red, slightly burned imprint onto the boy’s left cheek.

“It should be painfully obvious by now that Izu, in fact, is not Quirkless. I apologize for slapping you, but you clearly deserved it.”

“Die, bitch!” Bakugou attacked Nao, instead.

“A big mistake!” Shoto and Izuku yelped, lifting their arms in front of their faces.

Everyone was too late to react. Aizawa activated his Quirk, erasing both Bakugou and Nao’s Quirks, but it didn’t stop the tall girl from delivering a heavy butterfly kick to the side of Bakugou’s head. She landed effortlessly and exhaled deeply.

“I’ve been training myself in martial arts since I was four years old, Bakugou. Do you really think that an obvious attack like that one would be enough against me? Especially when Eraserhead-sensei took away our Quirks?”

Izuku gasped. “So that’s why he seemed so familiar! The underground Erasure Hero, Eraserhead!”

“Oh!” Shoto gasped as well as he caught a sight of unmistakable yellow goggles hanging around their teacher’s neck, visible now that his long, light grey scarf—the capture weapon made from steel wire alloy woven with carbon nanofibers—was ominously floating around the man. His hair, too, was seemingly floating above his head, and his black eyes had turned bright red.

Well I sure as hell hope he doesn’t recognize us… The boys thought.

Bakugou growled on the ground and charged for another attack, getting caught in Eraserhead’s capture scarf.

“Don’t attack your fellow students, Bakugou. You were repulsed from taking the UA entrance exam once already, but the higher-ups got soft and decided to give you another chance. You got in, all right. But if you get three warnings from your teachers, no matter who, you get expelled on the spot. This is your first warning. Try to make it your last one. Normally you’d be moved to General studies after those three warnings, so you're a bit special case.”

The rest of the tests, long-distance run, sit-ups, and seated toe-touch were uneventful, expect Iida Tenya—Quirk: Engine—and Nao’s competition during the long-distance run. The winner was Izuku, dashing through the test with unbelievable speed, so the two fought for the second place. In the end, Iida’s Quirk was better-suited for long distances and Nao had to settle for the third place.

In the overall score, Izuku placed first, Nao second, and Shoto third. That was all that mattered. Aizawa sighed and told Mineta, who had placed 21^st that the threat of expulsion had been a logical ruse to bring out the best of everyone. He then ordered everyone to change clothes and go back to the classroom to look over some handouts with the curriculum and such.

“The real thing starts tomorrow.”

Chapter Text

The next day started… boringly. In the morning, they had normal school classes, like English, Math, or such. The teachers were kind enough to read out whatever they wrote to the blackboard so Nao could keep up, and no one seemed to notice anything odd about it. Nao kept up surprisingly well, as Izuku and Shoto had shared everything they learned from their middle schools with the twins.

The lunch time was fun. Our favorite vigilantes were joined by Uraraka, Iida, Hagakure and Kaminari on their lunch table, so the conversation was lively.

“Miroki-san was super cool! Like, she had flames all over her, and she just launched herself at the zero pointer! I swear she melted a hole into its stomach, I swear!” Kaminari was animatedly explaining the happenings during the entrance exam to the others.

The others, save Izuku and Shoto, were awe-stuck.

“So Miroki-san’s Quirk is fire?” Iida asked. “But you were quite fast and strong during the Quirk apprehension test yesterday, so…”

Nao chuckled.

“I have several Quirks. I inherited a mutation of my Mom’s Quirk which allows me to absorb other people’s Quirks. It’s basically stealing, though, so I haven’t done it since my Quirks first manifested. I was being bullied and pushed around, so I accidentally took my bullies’ Quirks. Strength Enhancement and Echolocation. My fire- and heat-based powers are from… my paternal parent.”

“Paternal parent? Isn’t that just your dad?” Hagakure asked.

“He isn’t my father. He never was, and he never will,” Nao hissed around the mouthfuls of the Cook Hero, Lunch-Rush’s delicious meal.

“He raped our mom when she was thirteen. Doesn’t even know we exist.” a new voice joined in from behind Nao.

“…Kozue. You found us.” the red-haired girl leaned back, face half-directed to Kozue’s direction.

“Yup. Can I sit with you guys?” the dragon girl grinned. Izuku changed his seat from next to Nao to the empty seat on Shoto’s right side.

“You like to sit next to Nao-nee, right?”

Kozue thanked him and took the cleared seat.

“Hi everyone~! I’m Miroki Kozue, Nao’s younger twin sister. Though, we look nothing alike.” she introduced herself.

“Nice to meet you, Miroki-san… uh, it’s really weird now when we have two Miroki-sans,” Uraraka said. “Anyway, I’m Uraraka Ochako.”

Kozue gasped. “Oh my god! Your name is so cute! Can I call you Ochako-chan? You guys can call me Kozue, by the way, so the Mirokis won’t get mixed up.”

Uraraka beamed at the new girl, equally tall to her older sister. “Sure!”

“Oh, so we can call you Kozue-san, too?” Kaminari grinned. “I’m Kaminari Denki. Nice to meet you, Kozue-san!”

“I’m Iida Tenya. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miroki-san.”

“Hey, hey, Iida-kun, I already told you to call me Kozue.” the winged girl flashed a teasing smirk at the boy.

“Hey guys, don’t forget me just because I’m invisible! Hagakure Tōru, nice to meet you!” the last person around the table chirped in.

“Nice to meet you, Tōru-chan.” Kozue greeted her.

“I, um, excuse me, but… did you just say that you two were a result of a rape?” Iida asked. The twins nodded in unison.

“Yes. We’re okay with talking about it, as long as we don’t mention the name of the man who fathered us. He swore that if the truth was ever leaked to the media, he’d come and kill our mom and every person she holds dear.” Kozue nodded. “Though I doubt he would stand a chance against Nao-nee, Shoto, and Izuku. They’re fearsome.”

“Why all three of them?” Uraraka asked.

“We’re basically family.” Shoto butted in. “I ran away from home when I was five, and Nao-nee and Kozu-san picked me up from the streets. They let me sleep at their home that night, and we’ve been together since. Izu joined some time later.”

Izuku chuckled. “Nao-nee taught us how to fight, among other things. Nao-nee and Kozu-san were also the ones who helped me realize that I’m not actually Quirkless. Just a late bloomer.” he stuffed a piece of katsudon into his mouth.

“So what’s your Quirk, anyway, Midoriya?” Kaminari asked. “Pretty much everyone has seen the sludge Villain incident from the TV, but they never revealed your Quirk. Though, you did electrocute the Villain, so… I’m confused. Electricity?”

Izuku shook his head. “I gave the electric shock with the stun gun I had with me. My parents bought it for me for self-defense. Anyways, my Quirk is called Database. It’s an information-slash-analyzation Quirk, which allows me to pretty much read people’s data like they’re open books. My Quirk is impossible to turn off, but it’s blocked by any kind of eyewear… hence the fake glasses.” he pointed to the spectacled resting on the bridge of his nose. “Though I discovered some time ago that I have a super strong strength and speed enhancement element as well. As you saw yesterday.”

The others gasped in awe. “That’s so cool…!”

“What’s Kozue-san’s Quirk? Dragon mutation?” Hagakure asked.

“Pretty much that. I have wings, tail, and the ability to sneeze ridiculous amounts of ash. No fire-breathing, which is a shame.”

“She also lets out small clouds of smoke whenever she burps.” Izuku snickered.

“Silence, half-pint!” Kozue hissed.

“Not you too!”

The excitement within class 1-A rose when the afternoon classes started. Hero Basic training!

“I am…” an all-familiar voice shouted from the hallway and the classroom door was slammed open. Izuku’s breath hitched involuntarily as All Might appeared at the doorway, wearing his Silver Age Hero costume. “…coming through the door like a normal person!”

The class gasped.

“It’s All Might!” Kaminari fanboyed with a small blush dusting his cheeks.

“Wow! He really is a teacher!” the boy with red hair, red eyes and small scar next to his right eye exclaimed.

“That’s a costume from the Silver Age, isn’t it?” the cute, frog-like girl sitting next to him pondered out loud.

…she has pretty damn cute voice. Nao thought at the back of the class.

“I teach Hero Basic Training. It’s a subject where train in different ways to learn the basics of being a Hero. You’ll take the most units of this subject!” the Number 1 Hero explained. “Let’s get right into it! This is what we’ll do today…” he pulled out a white card with orange “BATTLE” written onto it, “…combat training!”

Bakugou seemed a tad too excited about the theme of the lesson.

“And to go with that are these!” All Might revealed 21 suitcases with everyone’s student numbers on them. “Costumed made based on your Quirk registrations and requests you sent in before school started. After you change, gather in Ground Beta!”

“Yes, sir!” the class answered from one mouth.

In the changing room, Nao examined the costume in her hands.

I hope it looks like what Kozue said I should request… I might not see it myself, but I don’t want to look like a complete idiot.

She pulled on a pair of pants that felt like leather but if the material was what she had requested, it should be completely fire-proof and have lines of different material that allowed her flames to seep through running along the outside of the legs. The pants had many pockets, too, though she had mostly requested them because Kozue said they would look cool.

“So, Miroki-san…” Uraraka’s voice called out from behind.

“You can call me Nao. What is it, Ochako-chan?” the red-haired girl had adopted her sister’s way of addressing the gravity-altering girl.

“Are we going to talk about the tattoo?”

Nao snorted. “This one? I thought it would be cool.” she touched her bare right arm, which was decorated by the black ink.

“I’m pretty sure you’re still under twenty, Nao-san.”

The redhead laughed again, still with her back towards the others.

“So what? I got it from a penniless tattoo artist as a gift of gratitude after I helped him with something important. Don’t ask the details.”

“You really are like a thug…” Hagakure muttered.

“Hmm? Is that so? Thanks, I guess.”

“Tattooing a minor is a crime. That tattoo artist would be punished if this was found out, you know.” another girl piped in—she had calm and naturally authoritative voice, but Nao couldn’t recall hearing her name.

“Yeah, I’m aware… uh, I haven’t caught your name, yet?”

“I’m Yaoyorozu Momo.”

“Right. Miroki Nao, as you already knew.” Nao nodded, still not turning around to face the girls.

She’s quite tall, compared to the others… still shorter than me.

Nao put on the jacket made of the same material as her tight-fitting pants. The jacket had the stripes of cloth that allowed the flames through it, too, on the outer side of her long sleeves, traveling all the way to her shoulders and the jacket’s high collar, and forming an x-shape on the back, the stripes traveling down from each shoulder to her waist on the opposite side and connecting below he belly button. She also had knee-high boots made of the same material as the flame-allowing lines on her other clothes with thick metal-reinforced soles and a utility belt with four pouches around her waist.

Well, in the end, I might have requested a gangster knock-off of Endeavor’s Hero costume… out of spite. She thought as the put on black fingerless biker’s gloves and her headgear, which consisted of a pair of sports sunglasses, supposedly mirrored and red in color, a small earpiece onto her right ear that supported and enhanced her Echolocation, and a sturdy muzzle-like mask that completely covered everything below her eyes and also worked as a respirator.

“Is everyone ready?” Yaoyorozu asked, others humming confirmatively or giving her a simple “yes” as a response.

“Then let’s go.”

They met the boys outside the changing room and arrived the Ground Beta together.

“We’ll aren’t you two charming.” Nao teased Izuku and Shoto as they walked towards the training area side by side.

“As if you’d know.” Shoto huffed.

“But you look quite great yourself, Nao-nee.” Izuku drove his fingers into Shoto’s side while complimenting the older girl. Everything the girl was wearing was black, aside from the thick red soles of her boots, the sports glasses covering her eyes, and the utility belt around her waist.

“Thank you, Izu. But seriously… a cape?” Nao tugged at the loose piece of cloth hanging from the green-haired boy’s shoulders.

“Leave me be. I’m trying to imitate All Might a bit, all right? At least I’m not wearing a hood with some weird attachments trying to resemble his haircut. Like half of my hoodies at home.”

Nao snorted. “But you love them—"

“Shut up!”

Izuku’s costume consisted of a forest green jumpsuit, black knee and elbow pads, knee-high red boots, red utility belt with four red pouches on either side of his waist, identical to the one Nao was wearing, a pair of white, almost elbow-length cloves and a mid-calf length, red cape donned on his shoulders with black shoulder guards. He also had a metallic grey respirator hanging around his neck, waiting to be secured onto it’s place on his mouth and nose, and a darkly tinted visor that could be easily lifted from his eyes to use his Quirk.

Shoto, in the other hand, just wore a simple dark blue overalls, knee-high white boots, and a respirator similar to Izuku’s.

“We… ended up wearing same colors as The Cerberus.” Shoto muttered.

All Might complimented everyone as they walked to the training area, telling them that they looked very cool, before landing his eyes to Nao and chuckled.

“Well, Young N… Miroki looks like a gangster there. Is that intentional?”

Nao nodded. “More or less.”

“Meaning totally intentional.” Izuku interpreted.

“Oh, Midoriya-kun!” Uraraka chirped. ”Your costume looks so cool!”

The brunette herself was wearing a skintight suit with light pink, knee-high boots, a belt in same color scheme, a helmet with a clear visor covering and protecting her face, a pink collar, and thick, round bracers with handles attached to them.

“I should’ve written what I wanted… Mine ended up being a skintight bodysuit. It’s embarrassing…”

“Hero course is the best.” Mineta muttered on the side, mostly to himself, and gave thumbs-up while openly ogling Uraraka’s body.

“Should I freeze that grape?” Shoto muttered under his breath.

“Sho.” Nao touched the boy’s back gently.

“…fine, not going to do anything.” Shoto rolled his eyes. “Yet.”

The training for today revealed to be 2-on-2 indoor battles, one team as the Heroes and the other as Villains.

Nao raised her hand.

“Yes, Young Miroki?” All Might gave her a permission to speak up.

“There’s twenty-one of us, which means that one group is going to have three members. Please, no matter how randomly you pick up the pairings, put me and whoever my partner is against that three-man team.”

All Might hummed as he gave the girl a nod.

“I’ve rigged the teams just enough for your name to not show up in the three-man team. I figured that as you’re a bit older and more experienced, it’d be unfair if you got two teammates while your opponent only got one.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Also it would’ve been hazardous to anyone if we three were all placed in the same team…” Izuku pointed out to Shoto, who gave the comment a dry chuckle.

“Yeah.”

The teams ended up being the following:

Team A: Midoriya Izuku and Uraraka Ochako.
Team B: Todoroki Shoto and Shoji Mezo, the boy with six arms and mask covering his face.
Team C: Yaoyorozu Momo, a polite and intelligent, lawful girl with a wild ponytail, Mineta Minoru, the official class 1-A pervert, and Tokoyami Fumikage, a quiet and brooding boy with bird-shaped head.
Team D: Bakugou Katsuki and Iida Tenya.
Team E: Ashido Mina, a peppy, pink-skinned and pink-haired girl with small yellow horns and yellow eyes with black sclerae, and Aoyama Yuuga, a boy who occasionally spoke in French and just couldn’t stop posing and sparkling.
Team F: Kōda Kōji, a quiet boy whose head looked like a rock, and Satō Rikidō, a tall boy with rather full lips and spiky, brown hair.
Team G: Kaminari Denki and Jirou Kyouka, a rock girl with plug-like earlobes.
Team H: Miroki Nao and Asui Tsuyu, the frog-like girl whose voice the blind girl thought to be “pretty damn cute”.
Team I: Ojiro Mashirao, a boy with thick, sturdy tail and notable skills in Martial Arts, and Hagakure Tōru.
Team J: Kirishima Eijirou, the boy with red hair and matching eyes, and the small scar on the corner of his right eye, and Sero Hanta, a boy with wide, toothy grin, plain black hair, and weird-shaped elbows where he revealed to be able to shoot a tape-like material from.

“Let’s start! The first teams to fight are these guys!” All Might exclaimed, hands in two boxes. One said “Villains” and the other “Heroes” on the side. The teacher pulled out a ball with letter D on it from the Villain box, and a ball with letter A from the Hero box.

“Team D will be the villains, and Team A will be the Heroes. Everyone else, head towards the monitor room.”

Nao followed the rest of the class while All Might gave instructions to the fighting teams.

I should use this time to get to know my partner a bit better. Asui Tsuyu, huh… her name is so fucking cute, too.

“Nao-nee, is Izu going to be all right?” Shoto tugged to his sister’s sleeve.

“Huh, why? Of course. Izu’s clever, and strong. He can probably win this one without using his Quirk.” Nao petted her brother’s two-colored locks. “You’re such a worrywart when it comes to Izu.”

“Stop it…”

“Anyways, I’m going to see if I can catch a word with Asui-san before it’s our turn.” the girl hummed and wandered off. She removed the mask from her face as she went.

The frog-girl had had same intentions, calling out to Nao as soon as she found the tall redhead alone.

“Miroki-san, can we talk?”

Nao gasped softly. “Of course, uh… Asui-san.”

“Call me Tsuyu-chan.”

“Okay, Tsuyu-chan. You can call me Nao, as well. Are you here to get to know me a bit better before our turn?”

Tsuyu nodded. “And tell a bit about myself, as well. Mostly about how my Quirk works.”

“Your Quirk is… frog, right?”

“Yes. I can do basically whatever a frog can do, like extending my tongue up to 20 meters, jumping high and far, and scaling buildings and such. I’m also very sensitive to heat and fire.” the short girl explained.

“…which is my Quirk. I’ll try to keep the heat low on the side where you are.” Nao sighed, and fiddled with the piercings on her left ear.

“Can you describe our opponents to me? I know we’re against the three-man team.” the two had arrived to the dimly lit monitor room, a bit before everyone else. “Like, what their Quirks are or appear to be. Don’t bother with their appearances, they don’t mean anything to me anyway.”

“Why would I describe their appearances—no way.” Tsuyu gasped as a realization hit her. “Your disability you mentioned to Aizawa-sensei yesterday… you’re blind, Nao-san?”

The tall girl nodded. “Since birth. Only Izu, Shoto and the teachers know about it. Please don’t spread it around if not absolutely necessary.”

“All right,” Tsuyu agreed. “Hmm… I still have to say that Tokoyami-chan has a head of a bird.”

Nao snorted. “Really? I get the general idea of the shapes of my surroundings with my Echolocation, but just like with Shoji yesterday, I thought that was some sort of glitch.” she kept her voice down as the other students started strolling in, chuckling deep from her throat. “But Shoji really has six arms, right?”

“Yes.” Tsuyu nodded, even though she knew that the other couldn’t see it. “Tokoyami-chan’s Quirk is called “Dark Shadow”, apparently. I’m not sure how it works, but it has most definitely something to do with shadows.”

Nao hummed. “So, do you think that light is a possible weakness of his?”

Tsuyu gaped at the older girl for a second. “…yes. Now that you mention it, yes.”

Nao nodded. “All right, next.”

“Yaoyorozu-chan. I have no idea what her Quirk is, as she never used it during yesterday’s Quirk apprehension test. Mineta-chan’s hair is ball-shaped and sticky. He can pluck the hairballs from his head and make them to stick to almost everything, I believe.”

Nao nodded again. “Thanks. Do you mind if I go to Shoto now?”

“I don’t.”

Izuku and Uraraka went through the layout of the building Bakugou and Iida had hid the fake nuclear bomb in during the five minutes they had been given.

“I got a rough plan, Uraraka-san. Care to hear me out?”

Five minutes later, All Might’s voice announced the start of the battle. Izuku lifted his respirator on place.

“I’m trying to do as much as I can without my Quirk. The strength enhancement is a new discovery, so I can’t control it perfectly yet. If I go overboard, I’m going to break my limbs like during the entrance exam.”

Uraraka nodded in understanding. “What about the original analyzing part?”

“I’ll only use it against Iida-kun. I already have memorized everything about Kacchan.”

The two snuck into the building through a window.

“Why are you calling him that? Isn’t he your bully? You speak about him like he’s your friend.” Uraraka asked out of curiosity. Izuku sighed.

“We used to be friends… he started bullying me after his Quirk manifested. It got more severe when the doctor my Mom took me to told us I was Quirkless.” Izuku shrugged. “Be careful, the place is full of blind spots.”

After couple of turns in the maze-like building, they were ambushed by angry Bakugou. The explosive boy attacked with his usual big right swing, easy for Izuku to dodge and pull Uraraka down to the floor with him, away from the blast. The green-haired boy was back onto his feet in a second.

“Are you all right, Uraraka-san?” he asked.

“Y-yeah…” the girl stuttered, getting up.

“Fucking Deku! Don’t dodge, you shit!”

Izuku fell into a defensive stance. “Stick to the plan, Uraraka-san. I’ll be right behind you.”

The girl scrambled away.

Bakugou attacked Izuku again, but the boy dodged the right swing easily, grabbing Bakugou’s arm above the big grenade-like gauntlet the boy was wearing.

“You always start a fight with a big right swing, Kacchan. I’ve seen you fight so many times, I don’t even need my Quirk to tell that.” Izuku sent the other boy to the floor, giving Uraraka enough time to take a good head start.

“Fucking Deku! What did you do?” the blond growled, getting up.

“I threw you.”

“DON’T FUCKING DODGE AND TAKE A PUNCH LIKE A MAN YOU THINK YOU ARE!!” Bakugou threw a vicious explosion towards Izuku’s face.

“I didn’t dodge,” Izuku said calmly, now knocking Bakugou’s hand away while making sure to come to a contact with his palm. He delivered a harsh wheel kick to Bakugou’s shoulder, sending the boy flying against the wall. “I just threw you.”

“You… fucking shit…” Bakugou was up once more. “I’m glad I charged these things in advance!”

He aimed one of the grenade-shaped gauntlets right into Izuku’s face and pulled the grenade pin, releasing a large-scale explosion right in front of Izuku.

“Young Bakugou, what are you—” All Might’s concerned voice boomed to deaf ears. “Young Midoriya!”

The explosion had blown up a giant hole to the side of the building. As the smoke and dust cleared, Izuku was nowhere to found.

“Where did that fucking nerd go?! I still have another blast coming!” Bakugou raged.

Everyone in the monitor room was stunned, both by Bakugou’s brutal, un-hero-like attack and Izuku’s disappearance.

“Both teams, stop the trial at—” All Might boomed through the loudspeakers, getting interrupted by Izuku’s voice through the earpiece he was wearing.

“Don’t stop us, All Might-san.”

“Are you all right, Young Midoriya?” the Hero asked, turning off the loudspeaker and talking directly into Izuku’s earpiece.

“Yeah, just broke my visor. Nothing else.”

“Where are you?”

“Snuck past Kacc—Bakugou during the blast. Heading towards Uraraka-san and Iida-kun.”

“…you know what? I have to admit that you have the nerves of steel, my boy.” All Might chuckled and turned on the loudspeaker once more.

“Both teams, continue.”

Izuku sighed in relief and hurried to the direction of the staircase.

“Midoriya-kun, I found Iida-kun and the weapon.” Uraraka’s voice whispered into his earpiece.

“Where?”

“Fifth floor, the middle room on the street’s side of the building.”

“Oh. I’ll come there—"

“FUCKING DEKU!! THERE YOU ARE!” Bakugou’s angry roar cut the boy off. He glanced at the angry teen, who was aiming another one of his gauntlets at him.

“Oh, fuck! I’m screwed…”

“Whoa, Midoriya-kun! I didn’t know you used that kind of language! …crap! Iida-kun noticed me!”

“Don’t get captured! I’ll come to help as soon as I can!” Izuku called for One for All and used it to dodge the giant blast that now destroyed the staircase and ripped another hole to the side of the building.

“Are you seriously trying to kill me, Bakugou?” Izuku asked.

“Yeah, but you slimy little shit are too good at dodging!”

“Well, here’s the thing… I don’t want to die.” Izuku turned off the earpiece in his ear so Uraraka (or All Might, to that matter) couldn’t hear what he said next.

“But I’m not dodging because I’m scared. I’m dodging because if I really fought against you, I most likely would end up killing you. You look and act so much like a real Villain now, after all, and it’s not the first, second, or even third time I’m being assaulted by an overconfident bastard who thinks he can kill me.” Izuku blinked his eyes, reading the data in front of him. “Your gauntlets will be charged again in five minutes. That’s shorter than I expected, but it’s enough time for me to get the fuck out of here and help Uraraka recover the weapon. See you.” he jumped off of the second floor of the building, dashing around the corner to the street. He turned the earpiece back on.

“Sorry about that, Uraraka-san. I had a private chat with Bakugou. Are you still in the same room? What’s the weapon’s location from the windows?” he spoke into the small device.

“Yeah, we’re still here. The weapon is on the farthest end of the room from the windows. Why?” Uraraka responded.

“I’m coming through.”

“Eh?!”

Izuku used One for All to leap straight to the fifth floor window, shattering it and rolling through smoothly.

“Sorry about that. Bakugou destroyed the stairs.” he smiled.

Iida was standing protectively next to the weapon.

“Two versus one, huh? What happened to Bakugou-kun?”

Izuku shrugged. “He’s probably blowing things up in the second floor. Or trying to find a way up here. Trying to kill me. Again.” he squatted, oddly leisurely to the other two.

“Now let’s continue to the plan, Uraraka-san.”

“Yeah!” the girl nodded.

As Izuku had anticipated, Iida had thoroughly cleaned the room of anything that Uraraka could make float. His original plan had been to blear the door in several pieces while entering, but as Bakugou had destroyed the stairs, Izuku had been forced to improvise.

Uraraka tapped the largest pieces of broken glass on the floor, making them float rather threateningly.

“Make sure not to hurt Iida-kun too much.” the girl muttered.

“Of course.” Izuku stretched his arm out towards the armor-wearing boy, hand readied for flicking his fingers.

“This should be enough.”

A One for All-included flick of his fingers indeed was enough to create an air current that sent Iida flying to the wall behind him. The air current also pulled the shards of glass in, impaling them into the boy’s suit. Only few of them made it to his skin, and only in his arms and legs.

“Aargh!” Iida yelled, more in shock and surprise than pain.

“You’ll live.” Izuku said as he dashed to the boy and wrapped the capture tape they had been given around Iida’s helmet. Uraraka sprinted to the weapon and hugged it as a signal of recovery.

“And the Hero team WINS!” All Might exclaimed through the loudspeakers.

“Yay! We did it, Midoriya-kun!” Uraraka cheered.

“Yeah!” Izuku grinned before crouching down next to Iida and removing the boy’s helmet.

“I’m sorry I stabbed you, Iida-kun. You doing all right? Recovery Girl will patch you up in no time.”

The glasses-wearing boy shook his head.

“I’m fine, the shards aren’t in that deep. You two were amazing.”

Izuku grinned and straightened hid back.

“That’s good to hear!”

And he was hit by another one of Bakugou’s gauntlet explosions that tore through the wall, barely missing Iida, and seared the green-haired boy’s right side completely.

“FUCKING DEKU! HOW DARE YOU TO RUN AWAY FROM ME, YOU SHITRAG!”

Needless to say, All Might was extremely pissed at the blond boy. So was Shoto and Nao, too, even more than the Hero responsible for the students’ lives. The class was suspended, and the teacher dragged Bakugou off after seeing that Izuku and Iida were taken care of by Recovery Girl.

Izuku’s whole right side was burnt, the damage ranging from second or fourth degree. His hair had partially burnt off, too, and the piercing on his right earlobe had melted onto a shapeless blob and practically welded into his ear. All Might had ordered Shoto to enclose the burnt areas in ice to decrease and prevent further damage, telling him to make the ice easy for Recovery Girl to remove. Shoto had complied wordlessly.

“That’s awful… Bakugou’s actions.” Sero muttered once after a while. The remaining class had just been standing in silence in the monitor room after Iida and Izuku had been carried to the infirmary by some robots and All Might had dragged Bakugou to the principal’s office.

“And he still wanted to become a hero?! He almost Killed Midoriya!” Kaminari exclaimed.

“It’s too bad the class was cancelled, but I’m more worried about Midoriya-kun!” Hagakure joined in.

“The class probably isn’t cancelled yet,” Nao said, earning everyone’s attention. “There’s someone coming. Most likely another teacher.”

“Can you tell who it is?” Shoto asked, but the monitor room’s door was opened before the girl could answer, revealing a tall, gaunt man with sunken eyes and an unruly blond mane of hair. He looked at everyone for a few seconds, probably counting the students in the room. He sighed.

“Good afternoon, everyone. I’m All Might’s substitute teacher, Yagi Toshinori. He asked me to supervise the rest of your class.” the man said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. Nao and Shoto fought the urge to laugh and throw sarcastic remarks at the man.

The battle trials continued. Next up was Team B, Shoto and Shoji Mezo as the Heroes, and Team I, Hagakure and Ojiro Mashirao as Villains. It was over in a flash as Shoto froze the whole building—a new one as Bakugou had demolished the previous one—and recovered the weapon all by himself.

Hero teams were always the ones to win.

And last one was the battle between Team H as the Heroes and Team C as the Villains. Yaoyorozu, Mineta and Tokoyami disappeared into the building while Tsuyu and Nao got five minutes to memorize the building’s layout and discuss their plan of action.

“You memorize the layout as well as you can, Tsuyu-chan.” Nao said, scratching the back of her head. “Do you need silence, or am I allowed to speak?”

“You can speak, Nao-san.” Tsuyu looked down onto the paper in her hand. Nao smiled.

“Okay. So… I thought that it might be best for us to climb to the roof, first. From there, I can use my Echolocation to find out where the three has hidden the weapon. Then we’ll go in. And, well… from what I’ve gathered, it should be most possible that the one to confront us first is Tokoyami-kun. We’ll test the theory that his weakness is light with my flames. If it works… can you knock him out?”

“Yes, I’ll try.”

“Great. With the other two, lets just say that they won’t stand a chance.”

Tsuyu hummed. “Against you? Do you even need my help, here?”

Nao laughed. “Frankly? No. But it’s more fun with a friend, and it shows our teamworking skills to Yagi-san…sensei, so let’s stick together.”

“Okay!” Nao couldn’t see it, but she knew Tsuyu had an adorable smile on her face.

As they got their order to enter the building, Tsuyu took a big leap and landed onto the wall.

“Do you have a way to come up on your own, or am I going to help you?” she asked from the tall girl who just melted her handprint to the concrete wall.

“I can manage.” Nao started melting herself hand- and footholds into the thick concrete. Tsuyu gaped at her with awe-struck expression.

“That is… amazing, Nao-san.”

They were on the roof in no time.

“Okay, we’re up here…” Nao muttered as she knelt down, concentrating her Radar to the movements of their three opponents below them.

“The middle room in the third floor. As I predicted, Tokoyami-kun is outside the said room, waiting, while Yaoyorozu-san and Mineta-kun are inside, apparently blocking the door with something.”

Tsuyu nodded. “Then, how are we going in?”

Nao grinned. “How about we just melt our way through?”

She placed her fingers on the ground and drew a circle big enough for the two to go through. The piece of the roof inside the circle fell down to the corridor below.

“Don’t touch the edges, they’re hot.” Nao warned the frog-girl and dropped down. Tsuyu hummed and followed her.

“I memorized the placements of the stairs. Should we go there, or…” Tsuyu asked.

“Go though that window over there and go to the middle window of the floor the others are in. You’ll get to Tokoyami-kun’s rear. I’ll take the stairs and distract him.” Nao instructed her, instead. The younger girl nodded.

“I trust you, Nao-san.”

“Thank you, Tsuyu-chan.”

Nao made more noise than it was necessarily on purpose as she entered the third floor in order to attract Tokoyami’s attention. She rounded around the corner and came face-to-face with the bird-headed boy.

“Oh… hello, there. Tokoyami-kun, right?” She grinned.

“You’re not getting any closer.” Something moved under the long cloak the boy had draped around himself.

“Hmm? That so? I’d like to think otherwise.”

A solid, vaguely bird-shaped thing with big hands shot out from under the boy’s cloak, towards Nao. She created a tall, bright pillar of fire onto her left palm, and the thing immediately shrunk and retreated back to Tokoyami.

“H-how…?! How did you know about Dark Shadow’s weakness?!” he gasped.

Nao grinned.

“It was a hunch me and Tsuyu-chan had. Thanks for confirming it.” before the boy could react, Tsuyu, who had re-entered the building from the window behind him, wrapped her long and strong tongue around the boy and slammed him into the wall with force.

“I’m sorry about that, Tokoyami-chan.” she apologized and wrapped the capture tape around the boy’s legs before he could recover. “Now you are out of commission.”

Tokoyami grunted angrily and accepted his fate, watching Nao touch the door leading to the room where the other two “Villains” were hiding.

“Good luck opening that.” He huffed.

“Thanks. I don’t need it.” Nao hummed back and released intense heat to the said metal door, making it melt.

“Watch out, Tsuyu-chan, it’s hot.” She stepped inside.

“HAAAAAAAH!” Yaoyorozu attacked her from the side, swinging a metal rod at her. Nao caught it with one hand.

“Nice try. So naïve.” the rod was soon melted into two pieces, and Yaoyorozu retreated back with caution.

“That Heat Quirk is troublesome…” she muttered.

“Oh, don’t worry, I won’t use it anymore.” Nao stretched her arms in front of her. “Using my Fire Quirk heats up the air around me, and if I let it rise too much in enclosed space like this, Tsuyu-chan will suffer.”

The redhead fell into her fighting stance. “So we have to settle this with hand-to-hand combat.”

“ORAAAAAAAH!” Mineta bounced from his hiding spot with two of his sticky hairballs in his hands.

“Son of a—WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, SHRIMP??!” Nao shouted as the boy stuck himself to her torso, nuzzling his face against her breasts.

“So soft…”

“Mineta-san?!” Yaoyorozu gasped.

“Mineta-chan, that’s a no-go.” Tsuyu warned the boy from the side. “Don’t worry about me and the heat, Nao-san.” she said and ribbited quietly.

Ahh… she ribbits like a frog, too… fuck that’s cute.

Nao cracked her neck and exhaled deeply.

“You have three seconds to let go of me before you end up in even worse state than Izu, Mineta.” she warned the boy, grabbing his head from both sides with her heated-up hands.

“Three.”

The boy only pushed his face harder against her breasts.

“Two.”

Nao raised the temperature of her hands, making the short boy sweat.

“You know what? I’ll let it slide this one time. You can’t stop me from recovering the weapon.”

Mineta’s head was let go, and Nao strode towards the papier-mâché nuclear bomb.

“I won’t let you—!” Yaoyorozu attempted to attack, but was promptly stopped by Tsuyu.

“And I won’t let you.” she ribbited and leapt towards the ponytail-haired girl.

Nao tapped the weapon with her fingers. “Weapon recovered. Mineta, you have your three seconds to remove yourself now before I burn my handprints onto your head.” she grabbed the boy’s head again and heated her hands enough to make him sweat buckets. Yagi-sensei announced the Hero team’s win and ordered Mineta to let go before he gives the boy a warning. Mineta plopped off in a second, together with the sticky balls he had suspended himself to Nao’s body with.

The five returned to the monitor room.

“Now that Nao-nee is back, can we go to visit Izu, Yagi-sensei?” Nao heard Shoto ask from the gaunt man.

“Hmm…” Toshinori hummed. “I can’t come up with anything to stop you two. You’re dismissed. We’ll review the results without the two of you, then.”

“Thank you, Yagi-sensei!” the two bowed to the man and dashed out.

Chapter Text

Izuku was already awake when Shoto and Nao arrived the infirmary, and Kozue was sitting on a stool beside his bed. The green-haired boy also had his fake glasses back on his eyes.

“Oh… hey, guys.” the boy muttered quietly. He must’ve been tired from Recovery Girl’s healing.

“You okay, kid?” Nao was the first one to answer, navigating her way to Izuku’s bedside with Shoto in tow.

“Yeah… I’m okay. A bit scarred here and there, but otherwise okay. Tired.”

Nao sighed in relief. “That’s good…”

“A bit scarred, my ass. Recovery Girl concentrated on healing his damaged right eye and ear, as well as the damage to his bones and internal organs, so his skin is scarred as hell.” Kozue explained, standing up and gesturing Shoto to take the stool instead. The girl herself moved next to her sister.

“We’ll leave you two alone.” Kozue said and dragged her sister out of the room.

"Ow, Kozu, I can walk by myself...!" the redhead hissed.

Shoto looked at the green-haired boy propped up into a half-sitting position with a pile of pillows. There was a big scar on the right side of his head, around and on his right eye and ear. The hair was also burnt from area around it.

It’s… similar to the one I have… the taller boy thought and absentmindedly touched his own scar around his left eye. He was right, though Izuku’s scar reached all the way to his ear and down his neck. There was another one on his right bicep, around the same area where Nao had her dragon tattoo.

“The one on your face is pretty bad, but… are those all?”

Izuku shook his head at the other boy’s question. “Here.” he  lifted the thin blanket on him, revealing a big scar on his side. It seemed to reach all the way to his navel.

Shoto hissed.

“Izu…”

“It reaches my shoulder blade in the back, Kozu-san said. See?” Izuku rotated his torso so Shoto could see his back.

“…that bastard…!”

The green-haired boy returned to the comfortable position on the bed and reached his hand towards Shoto.

“I’m okay now, Sho-chan. I don’t even have bandages, see? The scars are like they’re years old. It doesn’t hurt or anything.”

“But he hurt you, Izu! He almost killed you!” Shoto grabbed Izuku’s extended hand and pressed his forehead against it. “I can’t forgive him.” he whispered.

“I… I don’t ask you to forgive him. I don’t forgive him, either, and so doesn’t Nao-nee or Kozu-san. I’m just asking not to kill him, because you’d be kicked out of the school. We’re bad people, but we still want to become Heroes, right?” Izuku snuck his hand into Shoto’s hair.

“Come here for a second, Sho-chan.”

The rest of the class and Toshinori arrived some time later, the students back in their school uniforms.

“How’s Midoriya?” Kirishima, the other redhead, asked.

“Tired from Recovery Girl’s healing, and scarred here and there, but he’ll live.” Kozue shrugged.

“Oh, that’s good… by the way, who are you?” the boy asked.

“Me? Oh, I’m Nao’s younger twin sister, Miroki Kozue. I’m in class 1-G, Support department. All Might apparently asked one of the free teachers to fetch me from my class to Izuku’s side until Nao-nee and Shoto came.”

“Kirishima Eijirou, from class 1-A. Nice to meet you!” the boy grinned, revealing a set of shark-like sharp teeth in his mouth.

“Whoa.” Kozue muttered.

“Uh, what is it, Miroki-san?” Kirishima asked, tilting his head.

“Your teeth. They’re awesome.”

“Really?”

Most of the class was soon chatting with the sociable girl. Uraraka and Tsuyu approached Nao, who was casually leaning against the wall.

“Is Todoroki-chan in the infirmary with Midoriya-chan?” Tsuyu asked, receiving a small nod from the tall girl.

“I’m not sure if it’s clever to open the door now, they’re—” Uraraka didn’t hear Nao, and opened the door with lively grin on her face.

“Midoriya-kun~! Are you feeling—KYAAH!” she screeched and slammed the door shut.

“—probably in middle of one of those make-out sessions of theirs.” Nao finished her sentence.

“What? They’re on it again?” Kozue piped in, having heard Uraraka’s high-pitched voice.

“Ochako-chan?” Tsuyu asked.

“The-the-they w-were…” Uraraka stuttered.

“What is it, Uraraka?” Kaminari asked. He and most of 1-A apparently hadn’t heard the last of Nao’s sentence over Uraraka’s loud shriek.

“Is everything all right?” Iida joined in. Nao chuckled.

“Those two bastards.”

“What were they doing, Uraraka-san?” Kirishima asked.

“They…” Uraraka gulped. “The-they… Oh my god…” she buried her face in her hands.

“What the hell, guys…?” Kirishima and Kaminari muttered, pushing the door open enough for them to peek in. “OH MY GOD GUYS, WHAT THE HELL?! HAVE SOME DECENCY! THIS IS AN INFIRMARY!” the door was slammed shut again.

“THOSE SHAMELESS BASTARDS!” the two boys chuffed, their faces about as red as Kirishima or Nao's hair. Everyone looked at them in puzzlement while Nao tried to contain herself, but broke into an uncontrollable cackling. She slid down to the floor, holding her stomach.

“Ahahaha… I can’t believe it…! Three people walked in on them and they didn’t stop? This is the best!” the redhead banged the back of her head against the wall while cackling like a hyena. But what intrigued the younger students more was the new discovery they made.

She has a tongue piercing…

“You go stop them! I’m sure everyone wants to check on Izu themselves.” Kozue lashed her tail at her sister’s face.

“Yea, yea…” Nao was still chuckling and snorting as she stood up and went to open the door.

“Oh my god, guys, you’re terrible.” Nao’s voice snarled at the two door, directed to the two boys inside. They shot a cursory glance towards, her, continuing on their business.

They were in really compromising position, Izuku laying in his half-sitting position on the bed and Shoto hovering over him, kneeling on all fours, with their lips locked tightly together.

“Guys, now that’s just plain rude. You’re ignoring me. Hey, what if All Might came in to check on his injured student?”

The boys finally pulled apart, just enough for Shoto to answer. He was still caressing the green-haired boy’s cheeks with his thumbs, his heterochromatic eyes never leaving Izuku’s green ones.

“Then he would’ve seen two of his most promising students making out in the infirmary.” he hummed nonchalantly, licking his lips.

“What if Yagi-sensei walked in?” Nao raised an eyebrow, placing her hands on her hips.

“Yagi…sensei?” Izuku muttered, confused, eyes darting towards the open door behind Nao.

“He’s right outside, you know. And whole 1-A now knows what you were doing.”

“Holy fuck—” Izuku gasped and pushed Shoto off, sending the boy crashing to the floor.

“Ow! What the hell, Izu?” Shoto hissed.

“Mission accomplished. I’m outta here.” Nao shrugged and strode off, letting the entirety of class 1-A, minus Bakugou who was most likely still in the principal’s office, in.

“How are you feeling, Midori—OH MY GOD!” Uraraka screeched, seeing the scar on the green-haired boy’s face now that Shoto wasn’t blocking the view.

“That’s… awful.” their classmates murmured.

Izuku sighed and gave them a tired grin. “Hey, at least both of my eyes and ears still work. Also, now I match Sho-chan!”

“You’re mad.” Shoto grumbled, standing up from the floor.

“Hmm? Possibly.”

“You know what?” the hot-n-cold boy patted Izuku’s hair. “We’ll skip the afternoon classes and walk you home. It’s all right, just this one time, right, Yagi-sensei?” Shoto turned to the tall, gaunt man who had followed the students in. Toshinori, to their surprise, shook his head.

“The school has contacted both Midoriya-kun and Bakugou-kun’s parents. Principal is waiting for them in his office with Bakugou-kun.” the man explained, making sure to say “-kun” instead of All Might’s usual way of addressing his students. He wouldn’t have wanted any of them to suspect that Yagi Toshinori and All Might were, in fact, the same person.

“Oh, too bad.” Shoto sighed.

“You should go to change into your school uniform, Todoroki-kun. Midoriya-kun’s mother was instructed to bring him something loose and comfortable to wear, apparently to not to irritate his wounds. Are you feeling all right, young man?”

Izuku nodded. “Yeah. The injuries are either healed or scarred, so I’m not particularly feeling any discomfort or pain, either. I’m just tired.” he emphasized his saying with a yawn. “I want to go home and take a long nap.”

Toshinori patter the boy’s remaining hair gently. “I’m afraid it has to wait until after the meeting with the principal.”

“Izuku…?” a worried female voice gasped at the door alerting everyone inside.

“And it seems that your mother has arrived.”

Everyone turned to the voice to see a short, green-haired woman standing at the door with tears in her worried, green eyes.

D-definitely Midoriya’s mom…

“Mom…” Izuku muttered, unconsciously picking on the scar on his eye. “I-I’m fine now, I swear. I…”

“W-what happened to you, Izuku? It’s only the second day of school! Second!” Midoriya Inko gasped, hurrying toward her son.

“Yagi-san! What happened to my son?!”

Toshinori flinched. “I, um… the principal will be able to fill you in better than me, but let’s say that there were some miscalculated happenings during the afternoon lesson. Hero Basics training.”

“We had two-on-two mock fights under All Might’s surveillance. My opponent… was serious about killing me, and attacked me even after me and my partner, Uraraka-san, had already won.” Izuku explained, making his mother gasp.

“No… y-your scars are clearly burn marks, does that mean—”

“It wasn’t Nao-nee, y’know? She would never really hurt me.” Izuku cut his mother off. Physically. And emotionally only by dying herself.

“Then who?”

“…Kacchan.”

“Katsuki-kun?” Inko’s eyes first widened in surprise, then hardened as her expression faded into anger.

“That boy—”

“Uh… can you guys leave so I can change? And Mom, Yagi-sensei said the principal is waiting for us, so let’s get this over with quickly so I can go home to take a nap.”

Inko sighed, and nodded.

“I brought you clothes. Maybe I did a mistake with the hoodie, though…?” she placed a tote bag onto Izuku’s bed. The boy peeked in and chuckled.

“I’ll live.”

Most of the class had already dispersed by the time Izuku exited the nurse’s office. The only people to wait for the boy were Inko, Toshinori, Kozue, Iida, and Uraraka. The brown-haired girl failed to keep in her laughter as she saw what the green-haired boy was wearing.

Izuku frowned at her. “Is there something wrong with my clothes, Uraraka-san?”

“N-no…” the girl giggled. “It’s just, your hoodie… i-it’s All Might merchandise… a-aren’t you going to see the man himself in the principal’s office? You have guts!”

Izuku chuckled along, stealing a quick glance at Toshinori and feeling proud upon seeing the flabbergasted surprise in the man’s sunken eyes.

“I don’t know if All Might is there. Why would he?”

“Because—” Uraraka calmed herself a bit, “he dragged Bakugou-kun there after seeing that you and Iida-kun were in safe hands, and didn’t show up to the rest of the lesson. He must’ve been there then, right?”

“You were injured, too, Iida-kun?” Inko asked from the bluish-haired boy.

“Ah, just a few scratches, ma’am. I was teamed up with Bakugou-kun against Midoriya-kun and Uraraka-kun. I was completely overpowered by them.” Iida explained before turning to the brunette girl next to him. “Uraraka-kun, we should go.”

“Eh? Huh? Y-yeah! See you tomorrow, Midoriya-kun! See you again, too, Kozue-san, Midoriya-san, Yagi-sensei!”

Toshinori led the Midoriyas to the principal’s office, letting Kozue to tag along for emotional support. Bakugou, together with his parents and the small mammalian principal, was waiting inside.

“Ahh… there you are.” the principal greeted him.

“Midoriya Inko-san, I presume? It would’ve been a pleasure to meet you if the circumstances were different.”

Inko bowed at him politely. “Yes… so, what is going on, exactly?” she shot a cursory glance towards the three Bakugous, the angry, growling and scowling son forcibly seated between his parents on the sofa.

“I already heard a brief explanation from Izuku, but I’d like to hear the full version, as well.” Inko said as she took a seat on the sofa opposite from the Bakugous, pulling Izuku gently next to herself. Kozue took  a seat on the now cautious boy’s other, burnt right side, gently and reassuringly touching his trembling fingers.

“I, uh… excuse me, but who is she?” Bakugou’s father asked.

“I’m Miroki Kozue, Izuku’s childhood friend. I’m here as his emotional support. He’s scared to face your son after what he did to him, sir.” Kozue took Izuku’s hand onto her lap.

“I see… what did Katsuki do, exactly? Principal Nezu?” the brown-haired, bespectacled man asked from the principal. So Bakugou had gotten his looks from his mother.

“Yes, what he did, indeed… I am yet to see the damage myself, as well. Midoriya-kun? Would you be comfortable with taking off you hood?”

Izuku nodded shakily. He pretended to be more scared than he actually was, but it was true that he was being cautious around the blond-haired boy. The vigilantism had molded him into a manipulative person, cold towards the people he disliked. He lifted the hood he had pulled on earlier, revealing the ugly scar on the right side of his face. Bakugou’s parents gasped.

“Our little—brat did that to you, Izuku-kun?!” the mother grabbed his son’s wrist in anger.

“M-Mitsuki, don’t break his wrist…” Bakugou’s father stuttered with a low voice.

Izuku nodded at the woman. “Recovery Girl healed me as well as she could, so the skin is the only permanently damaged thing, but Bakugou did a considerable damage to my right eye and ear, ribs, and internal organs, as well.”

“Ohh, boy, you’re so grounded, the gravity is getting jealous…!” Bakugou Mitsuki growled at her son.

“Shut up, old hag!”

“is that how you speak to your own mother, you little shit? Behave for once in your life!” Mitsuki slapped her son’s head.

The principal gathered the people’s attention by clearing his throat.

“What I called you here for is, of course to collect your ruffian son, Bakugou-san-tachi, but also to discuss his punishment. He did try to kill one of his fellow students, after all. That is unacceptable.”

“Of course… what are you planning to do to him, sir?” Bakugou’s father asked.

“Firstly, he had already gained two warnings within his two days in UA High. In our rules, it says that a Hero course student with three warnings is to be moved to General Studies, and their place will be filled by the most promising student from the class they’re transferred into. But, as you two already know, considering Bakugou’s past as a bully, his three warnings lead to immediate expulsion.” the principal poured himself a cup of tea. “Honestly, I think that trying to kill a fellow student is worth three warnings alone, but I’ll give him a one last chance to correct his behavior. He will be suspended, and moved to General Studies after his return.”

“What the fuck, man? That ain’t cool!” Bakugou shouted at him.

“You! This is why we’re here in the first place, Katsuki!” Mitsuki slapped her son’s head again. “You gotta learn how to treat people well, you little shit! Take a bit after your dad, will ya?!” she then calmed herself a bit and turned to the principal.

“How long he’ll be suspended for?”

“For the first semester. He’ll return school after the summer vacation.”

“…NO FUCKING WAY, YOU FURBALL—”

“SILENCE, KATSUKI!” both of the boy’s parents snapped at him.

Izuku flinched at Bakugou’s shout and pressed his face against Kozue’s shoulder. He girl circled her tail and wings protectively around the boy.

“Uhh… principal? Could Izuku and Inko-san leave? Or at least Izuku? He is really tired after Recovery Girl’s treatment, and honestly, he’s scared of Bakugou right now.”

“Could you walk him home with your sister and Todoroki-kun? I’ll write them permission slips to leave early. The last lesson has just started.”

“Yes, sir.” Kozue nodded and stood up, taking the two paper slips from the principal to deliver to the teacher of 1-A. “Come on, Izu, we’ll walk you home.”

She offered her hand to the boy, who took it and let himself being led out of the room.

After collecting the remaining two of their group, the four left the school building. Izuku pulled his hood back on, not wanting to scare the passers-by with the large scar. He yawned.

“Are you sure you stay awake until we’re at your place, Izu?” Nao asked. Izuku mumbled an incoherent reply.

“I doubt that. Izu, do you want a piggy-back ride?” Shoto offered, supporting the now slightly wobbly boy by the elbow.

“Mmh… yeah.”

“Then, let me…” Shoto was interrupted by Izuku reaching out to Nao.

“Nao-nee. Warm.”

The girl in question chuckled. “Fine.” she handed her schoolbag to Kozue and knelt down in front of Izuku, letting him to climb on her back. She stood up, faking a strained grunt.

“Damn you’re heavy, Izu.”

“Am not… you can lift All Might. He’s heavy as fuck.”

“Yo, you watch your fucking language up there, kiddo.”

“Hrrrngh.”

Izuku was fast asleep by the time they arrived to his home. Shoto fished out the green-haired boy’s home key from the pocket of the yellow backpack he had brought with him from the classroom and opened the door. Nao carried Izuku to his room.

“Someone should stay here until Inko-san comes back. Shoto?” Kozue suggested as the redheaded girl returned from Izuku’s room. Shoto shook his head with an apathetic expression.

“I can’t. Old man is home today, and I’ll get my ass beaten twice if I get home late.”

Nao sighed.

“Kid. We left school early. If you go home now, you’d get your ass beaten for skipping school.”

Shoto was silent for a moment.

“…right. I’ll wait for Inko-san here, then.”

“Good.” Kozue nodded at him and began pushing Nao towards the door. “I’ll drag this one home and make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid.”

“But Nao-nee isn’t—”

Kozue lifted Nao’s glasses a bit. Shoto saw the redhead’s eye twitching.

“It’s amazing how well she can hide the fact that she’s ready to murder someone random right out of pure anger.” the black-haired girl chuckled as she put her sister’s glasses back in place and circled her tail around herself. “Anyways, you keep your eye on your boyfriend, and I keep mine on our murder sister. Okay?”

“Yes!”

Izuku stirred awake. He had to spend few moments trying to figure out where he was until he recognized his own room.

Oh yeah, I fell asleep when Nao-nee was carrying me… he sat up and rubbed his eyes, jolting when he felt the scarred skin around his right eye.

And I was almost killed by Kacchan… he scratched the scar. It’s itchy.

Izuku got up and padded to the kitchen, where he found his mom making dinner.

“What time is it, Mom?”

“Almost eight in the evening. You slept a lot.” Inko answered as she continued on the cooking. “How are you feeling, Izuku? I’m making katsudon.”

Izuku smiled and took a seat at the dinner table, watching his mother work. “I’m feeling good, after all the sleep I got. Good, but hungry. How did your meeting with the principal and Bakugous go after we left with Kozu-san, by the way?” a loud growl of his stomach followed the sentence, making Inko chuckle.

“Wait just a bit longer, Izuku. The meeting went… all right. A police officer arrived after you two had left. Katsuki-kun is under house arrest again until the start of the summer vacation, but I’m guessing Mitsuki is grounding her son for the rest of his life. Oh, and Shoto-kun was here until I came. He had to hurry home, but he asked me to tell you to give him a call when you wake up. How about you do that now? The food will be ready by the time you finish the call.”

Izuku nodded and shuffled back into his room.

Shoto had just finished his bath and was patting his hair dry with a towel when his phone vibrated. He picked it up, seeing Izuku’s name flashing on the screen.

He’s finally awake, huh… he picked up the call.

“Did you sleep well, Izu?”

He heard a small laugher at the other end.

“Yeah, I slept like a log.”

Shoto chuckled and sat onto his bed.

“That’s good to hear. So you’re all right now?”

“Yeah,” Izuku replied. “But the scars are kinda itchy and I’m hungry as hell, but otherwise I’m okay.”

“That’s good. You should inform Nao-nee and Kozu-san, too. Nao-nee was really pissed earlier. Her eye was twitching.”

Izuku gasped. “She’s going to murder Kacchan…”

“Or some random civilian if Kozu-san and Sumire-san can’t keep her in check,” Shoto sighed. “She has issues with that murderous intent of hers, after all.”

What Shoto had mentioned was Nao’s almost uncontrollable desire, almost a need to kill. It had raised its ugly head three years ago, after The Cerberus had made their promise to Toshinori to refrain from all killing they could. Nao pretended to be all right, and a much nicer person than she actually was, bottling the bloodlust deep inside her heart. But, every once in a while, she lost her control over it and went berserk. It was a secret between the three Mirokis, Izuku, and Shoto, and even Toshinori or anyone else from UA knew about it.

“I hope she doesn’t do anything… I’d hate to see her getting arrested and expelled. She seems to like being at UA.” Izuku muttered.

Shoto had to agree. He had found a loving family ten years ago, when he ran away from home and into the twins, and he didn’t want anything bad to any of them.

“Yeah.” he hummed.

“Should we tell Toshinori-san about her bloodlust? He and the principal might come up with something to help her.”

“I… I don’t think that’s a good idea. What if she gets mad at us?”

“Right… A-anyway, I’m going to text Kozu-san now. Goodnight, see you in school tomorrow.”

“Wait, Izu, you’re coming to school tomorrow? What about Bakugou?”

Izuku gave Shoto a nervous chuckle. “It’s okay. He’s suspended and moved to General Studies after summer vacation.”

“Should’ve gotten expelled on the spot, that bastard.”

“I know… but the principal is soft. Remember? He let The Cerberus to the Hero course. Three murderers.”

“Says the only head of Cerberus who has never killed anyone. Goodnight, Izu.”

“But I tortured them and left them die on their own.”

“I went back to stab them.”

“I know. The only cases you’ve used your ice as Blue.”

“I’m hanging up now, Izu. Have a good night, doing whatever you’re going to do the whole night after that nap of yours.”

“Good night, Sho-chan.”

The call ended and Shoto flopped down onto his bed. He closed his eyes and listened to the faint voices of the everyday life of the Todoroki household.

I’m hungry…

After eating his mom’s delicious katsudon, cleaning the dishes and wishing his mother a good night, Izuku snuck out to the balcony. Kozue landed next to him a moment later.

“Thanks for agreeing to help me.” the girl sighed, twisting her tail and wings in discomfort.

Izuku nodded. “Do you have any ideas where Nao-nee could’ve went?”

When Izuku had texted the black-haired girl earlier, he had gotten a frantic reply about Nao having left the house a while ago. Kozue had said that the redheaded twin had seemed to be rational and calm enough not to set anyone on fire, but the two decided to look for her just in case.

“I don’t know for sure, but my gut says the port. Maybe, just maybe, she can stay rational enough not to kill anyone tonight, and we find her there blowing up inanimate objects instead.” Kozue and Izuku wrapped their arms around each other, the girl lifting the boy up and taking off successfully, albeit a bit wobbly.

“Heck, Izu, you’re gotten heavy.” she grunted.

“Mmh. Nao-nee and Toshinori-san has trained me well. Sho-chan, too, but mainly Nao-nee and Toshinori-san.”

Kozue landed to the dockyard, placing Izuku back onto his feet. They started walking towards the waterfront with wary, quiet steps.

“Where are you, Nao-nee…?” the winged girl muttered.

They found Nao surprisingly easily.

An unaware, possibly suicidal drunkard had picked a fight with the pissed-off redhead, wobbling slightly on his feet few meters in front of her. He had a stupidly overconfident grin on his flushed face as he looked the girl up and down.

“Nao-nee!” the winged girl shouted, taking few hurried steps towards the other girl.

Nao exhaled, a cloud of thin smoke surrounding her. Kozue gaped at her sister.

“What the—”

Nao turned her face towards her sister’s voice, taking the cigarette from between her lips.

“Don’t interrupt me, Kozue.” she lifted a glass bottle to her mouth instead. Kozue’s eyes widened as she recognized the liquid her sister was chugging down.

“Smoking and drinking are bad for your health, Nao-nee.” she approached Nao slowly. “And you, old drunk mister, picking a fight with my big sister is extremely bad to your health.”

“Haah?” the drunkard slurred. “Whadd’ya know, little missy? I’m pretty s-strong, actually…hic!”

Nao snorted. “I could beat you with my left pinky alone, ‘strong guy’.” she placed the cigarette back to her lips and inhaled deeply, a ferocious grin spreading over her facial features. “Shall we test it out?” she crouched down and placed the whiskey bottle onto the concrete.

“I’m pretty damn strong myself.”

Kozue and Izuku’s anger flared, and they both readied themselves to scold the redhead.

“MIROKI NAO! DON’T DRINK, SMOKE OR FIGHT WHEN YOU HAVE SCHOOL TOMORROW!”

“Where did you get those, anyway?” Kozue added.

Nao scowled. “Someone owned me a favor, all right? I’ll be fine by the morning, just leave me be. Neither one of you is my mom.” she stubbed out her cigarette and straightened herself.

“I promise I won’t grill anyone, is that okay? Let me have my fun.”

The grin on her face grew wider, making Kozue shudder. Izuku grabbed a hold of her arm.

“There’s… still a shred or rationality and calmness in her sayings, Kozu-san. Let’s… let’s leave her.” He tugged on the arm he was holding. “I mean… she said she’s not going to grill anyone, meaning that you’re not going to want to see what she’s gonna do to that drunkard. Let’s go.”

Kozue gulped.

“Fine… let’s make this the last time you do this this year, Nao-nee.”

“Just scram already!”

Chapter Text

Next day, the class was swarming around Izuku’s desk to see the scar on his face. Some pointed out the oddly burnt earlobe, which Izuku reacted to with an awkward chuckle. “I… had a piercing? It kind of melted to my ear, so the earlobe looks a bit funny now.”

Aizawa entered the classroom, making everyone quiet down and return to their seats. He had finally remembered to have his students to choose the class representative, and the classroom soon broke out into a loud riot again, as everyone wanted to become the class president, a kind of a leader of the group. Everyone but Nao, Izuku pointed out to himself as the class continued to shout over one another. Shoto sighed and pressed his forehead to his desk.

“So noisy…”

Eventually Iida got the class to calm down by suggesting an election to decide the class representative. It was fine by everyone, but Nao stood up and got everyone’s attention.

“Is something wrong, Nao-san?” Tsuyu ribbited softly.

“Nah… just don’t vote for me, guys. I’m not interested,” the tall girl answered in perfectly monotone voice and sat back down.

“All right…”

In the end, the one to get most votes was Izuku, much to the green-haired boy’s surprise. He had gotten four votes, and Iida and Yaoyorozu was tied behind him with 2 votes each. Most of the students had each gotten one vote—most likely their own—and obviously there were some with no votes at all.

Four, huh… Who exactly voted for me? I bet Sho-chan is one of them. Would Nao-nee be other? Who else? Izuku thought as he counted the votes together. He got 19.

That’s odd? With Kacchan suspended, there’s 20 of us in the class. Who didn’t vote?

“Uhh… guys? Who hasn’t voted yet?” he asked. Nao raised her hand slowly.

“I need some time to think. I’ll vote for either Iida-kun or Yaoyorozu-san a bit later. Whichever I choose will get the vice-president position, right?”

“Y-yeah… is that alright, Aizawa-sensei?” the green-haired boy turned to the tired man napping in his bright yellow sleeping bag in the corner.

“Yeah, whatever. As long as she has done her decision by the end of the lunch.”

Izuku nodded.

With her emotions shut down, she’s going to make the most logical and rational decision between all of us. He thought and stole a quick glance to Iida, who he had voted for. I kind of hope she picks Iida-kun.

Nao had been quiet and pretty much emotionless after the night Izuku and Kozue had seen her at the dockyard. It wasn’t the first time she was like this, and honestly, the other three kind of preferred this over having to be afraid of the girl suddenly lashing out and killing someone.

The drunkard Nao had brawled with had been found floating in the blood-dyed water, his body ripped in pieces from almost every joint possible.

She had done that only once before, when Izuku and Shoto had been around nine years of age. A Villain with a Quirk that made her body immune to all temperatures had managed to corner the three young vigilantes to a dead end, and had intended—like many others before and after her—to take their lives. Something, most likely Nao’s bloodlust, had snapped in the girl’s head and she had charged towards the female Villain. And ripped her apart. Joint by joint, starting from the fingers and toes.

She had been quiet, emotionless doll for a month after that, just like now.

“Well, the good thing is that she can’t get an adrenaline rush even in a do-or-die situation, which means that she can’t accidentally absorb anyone’s Quirk…” Izuku muttered under his breath as the two dragged their sister towards Lunch-Rush’s eatery.

“Yeah, but she literally feels nothing. It’s kinda alarming?” Shoto muttered back.

“You guys do know that I’m still here? Feeling nothing doesn’t mean catatonic, you little fucks,” Nao pointed out.

“Yeeeeeah.”

That day, a panic occurred during the lunch, when the alarms suddenly blared and an electronic voice announced a Level 3 security breach, meaning intruders on school grounds, and ordered all students evacuate outdoors. Everyone began rushing towards the exits, though Nao would’ve stayed behind and finished her lunch if Izuku, Shoto, Uraraka and Iida didn’t drag her with them.

Iida found out pretty quickly that the intruders were only the mass media, and had found out a way to calm everyone down. It had been pretty ridiculous, as he had flown through the air—Uraraka had made him float with her Quirk—and almost face-planted against the wall above the emergency exit. He had—accidentally or in purpose—posed like the emergency exit sign below his feet and informed everyone about the intruders’ identity. His classmates had helped him down, and someone returned his dropped glasses—it was a miracle that no one had stepped onto them.

Nao announced her vote after the lunch.

“I’m giving my vote to Iida Tenya. He did good at the cafeteria earlier.”

Aizawa sighed. “That makes him the class vice president. Continue.” he grunted and fell back to the floor in his sleeping bag.

Izuku, the class president, stepped to the teacher’s desk, Iida standing tall and straight next to him.

“T-then, let us decide the o-other class officers…” the green-haired boy stuttered. He glanced at Iida, and then Yaoyorozu at her desk. “Uh… can I say something, first?”

Iida let out a small “Eh?”, and Izuku continued;

“I think… I think that Iida-kun should be the class rep, after all. I… I get too nervous. And as Nao-nee said, h-he did really well calming down the crowd at the cafeteria earlier. He’s better-suited at this than I am. And… since I’m stepping down, making Iida-kun the class rep in my place, his position as class vice president should be obviously filled in by Yaoyorozu-san.”

No one had anything to say at the matter, and Iida took the reins.

Some of the boys—Kirishima and Kaminari, mostly—cheered out to him and called him “Emergency Exit”.

Couple of days later, after lunch, Aizawa announced that the day’s Hero Basics training had turned into a collaboration between himself, All Might, and another teacher.

“Here!” Sero Hanta called out, raising his hand to get a permission to speak. “What’ll we be doing?”

Aizawa held out a small card, similar to the one All Might had showed to them before their first Hero Basics lesson, only that this one had light blue “RESCUE” printed onto it.

“Disasters, shipwrecks, and everything in-between. it’s rescue training.”

Today’s training took a place in a location a small bus ride away from the main campus. The students were also allowed to choose whether or not to wear their Hero costumes, since some of them might limit their abilities. Most of them still put theirs on, however.

“Huh? Midoriya-kun, you’re not wearing your costume?” Uraraka called out to Izuku as the boy tugged his gloves onto their place. Izuku chuckled. He was wearing his gym uniform with the boots, gloves, utility belt and headgear—visor and respirator—from his hero costume.

“Yeah, it got pretty destroyed, after all, and I requested some changes to the material, and such. And some elbow and knee support.”

“Oh, I see. But will the design remain the same? I kind of liked it…” the girl asked, wandering towards the bus.

“As much as possible. I kind of liked it.”

Izuku ended up being seated between Satō and Tsuyu in the front of the bus, while Shoto and Nao sat at the back, next to each other.

The frog-like girl turned towards the green-haired boy next to him.

“I say whatever comes to my mind. Midoriya-chan,” she said, making Izuku squirm a bit.

“Yes, Asui-san?”

“Call me Tsuyu-chan.”

“Y-yes…”

Tsuyu’s frog-likely wide mouth curved into a smile. “Your Quirk is like All Might’s.”

Izuku squirmed more. “You… think so?”

Damn, what do I say, what do I say, what do I say…!? We haven’t talked about this with Toshinori-san, yet!

He took a deep breath. “M-maybe the strength enhancement part, a little bit? He doesn’t seem to have the data-reading ability, which is my Quirk’s main point, Asui… Tsuyu-chan.”

“But, Tsuyu-chan!” Kirishima laughed at the other side of the girl. “All Might doesn’t break his limbs when he get’s too excited! Midoriya broke his arm during the entrance exam, right, Uraraka?”

“U-unh…” the brunette nodded timidly.

Their conversation then drifted to the flashiness of their Quirks, their final decision being that the strongest and flashiest Quirks belonged to Shoto and Nao.

“Bakugou had pretty flashy Quirk, too,” Kaminari pointed out at some point during the conversation, “but his personality is crap steeped in sewage, so I doubt he’d ever be popular as a hero. If he’s even allowed to continue at the Hero course after his suspension.”

The class hadn’t been informed about the explosive blonde’s transfer to the General Studies yet.

“Oh, he won’t. He’s continuing at UA, but principal Nezu moved him to the General Studies.” Izuku hummed. “He had been a special case already when he enrolled, so there won’t be anyone coming to his place from his new class.”

“Really?” Kirishima asked.

“Yeah.” Izuku nodded. “I mean, during our last year of middle school, on the day of the sludge Villain incident actually, he told me to pray for a Quirk in next life and take a swan dive off the roof. I told that to the Heroes at the scene later, and Kacchan was suspended from school and put under a house arrest. Now, again, but for a longer time.”

“Whoa…” the class muttered. “He’s such a trash.”

“Speaking of Bakugou, he did a number of your face, Midoriya.” Kirishima said. “Are you sire your eye and ear are working fine?”

Izuku nodded. “Thanks to Recovery Girl.”

The bus arrived to the large, dome shaped building, and Aizawa ushered the students inside. They met with the third teacher who was supposed to be teaching them today, the Space Hero, Thirteen. Uraraka quietly fangirled over the rescue-specializing Hero, and Izuku had to agree with the chubby-cheeked girl.

“Thirteen, where’s All Might? He was supposed to meet us here.” Aizawa asked from the shorter person in white space-suit.

“About that… it seems that he did too much Hero work on his way to work and ran out of time…” Thirteen explained with a bit quieter voice, holding up three fingers. “…he’s resting in the lounge.”

I know what that means…! Izuku inwardly gasped as he saw the gesture.

This place is amazing… Shoto thought, looking at the scenery behind the Space Hero instead of listening to them. The place was ideal for rescue training, having been divided into different disaster zones, including but not limited to a landslide, some ruins, mountains, and a body of water Shoto assumed to be a flood and/or shipwreck zone. They were all connected to the central plaza in the middle of the all. The entrance they were currently standing at was connected to the said plaza with long stack of stairs. What are those two smaller domes? That one has flames painted all over it… Fire zone? That’d be Nao-nee’s territory.

Nao wasn’t exactly listening to the Space Hero, either. I’ve always wondered… Is Thirteen a man or a woman? Nao scratched her neck as she heard the said Hero call the faculty they were in Unforeseen Simulation Joint—USJ.

Ridiculous.

“Then,” Aizawa joined the younger—judging from Thirteen calling the scruffy underground Hero “senpai”—Hero/teacher after they had explained their own Quirk, Black Hole, to the students and reminded them that the students, and Heroes in general, didn’t have Quirks to hurt people, but to help them.  “Let’s start with—”

The teacher interrupted himself as the lights illuminating the area under the dome blew out with electric crackling.

“Please tell me that was you getting too excited, Kaminari.” he almost pleaded. Kaminari shook his head, looking both surprised and a bit insulted.

“I did nothing, Sensei.”

Thirteen looked up to the busted lights. “And I’m positive there’s no chance for all of the lights malfunctioning at once…”

“Then we might be under an attack.” Izuku and Nao stated with way too calm voices and expressions, stepping couple of steps forward. Shoto nodded along and followed them.

“Look here, you three, this is UA—”

“What’s that?” Kirishima’s mumble cut the man’s sentence off. Aizawa snapped his head around, coming to face the sight of some black and purple, void-like thing spiraling at the edge of the water fountain in the middle of the plaza down below. He squinted his eyes and lowered his stance.

A hand emerged from the void, followed by a head and the whole body—covered in severed human hands—of a young man. Many other people followed the first one.

“Is this like the entrance exam where the lesson’s already started?” Kirishima asked and took a step ahead, only to be stopped by Aizawa’s harsh command.

“Don’t move!” Everyone looked at the underground Hero, seeing the man put on the yellow goggles of his.

“Those are Villains.”

“See, sensei? We’re under an attack. It’s a bit funny though that the alarms hasn’t went off… right, Aizawa-sensei, Thirteen-sensei?” the Izuku drawled… almost mockingly at the two Heroes.

“Izuku, stop being a little shit.” Nao grabbed the boy’s shoulder.

“Everyone, get back to the bus! Thirteen, protect the students!” Aizawa ordered.

“Shh!” Nao hushed harshly, concentrating her Radar to hear the Villains’ conversation.

“Thirteen and Eraserhead, huh?” the Villain responsible for the void-like gate commented to the young man covered in hands. “The teachers’ schedule we received the other day was also supposed to be here.”

“Where is he? I went through all the trouble of bringing this whole crowd, too…” the hand-man complained. “All Might… Symbol of Peace… I can’t believe he’s not here. I wonder if he’ll come if we kill some kids?”

Nao growled. “Those bastards really are doing this…”

“What did you hear, Nao-nee? I can see one or two… actually all of the faces except that big, bulky bird-guy are familiar.” Izuku asked, hesitating between removing and not removing his visor.

“What…?” Aizawa gasped at his green-haired student’s words.

“They’re after All Might, but because he’s not here, they’re pissed. Shigaraki—”

“Who’s Shigaraki?” Aizawa interrupted Nao.

“The guy with severed hands all over himself.” Shoto answered to their teacher’s question. “Continue, Nao-nee.”

Nao nodded. “He wonder’s if All Might will come here if they kill some kids.”

“That little handyman fucker…” everyone heard Izuku growl quietly.

So vulgar! Has Midoriya always been like this?!

“T-those are real Villains? Why are Midoriya, Todoroki and Nao-san so calm, then?!” Kirishima half-panicked. The students huddled up together.

“Because we’ve been dealing with them since we were eight.” Izuku hummed, too cheerfully considering the situation.

“Nao-nee started when she was six.” Shoto shrugged.

“What the hell, guys?!”

Aizawa growled. “I don’t have time to care about that, now. Here, you’re students, and you evacuate the place with the others. Go.”

Izuku sneered. Shoto shoved his left hand to the green-haired boy’s face, but the latter quickly swatted the hand away.

“And you’re going to fight all of them alone, Eraserhead? You, whose fighting style is essentially quickly ambushing the enemy after erasing their Quirks? Please, oh please tell me how you’re going to fight twenty-something Villains when you can’t even beat the three heads of The Cerberus on your own.”

Aizawa snapped his head at the green-haired boy’s taunt.

“How do you know about that?”

The class started muttering.

“The Cerberus? Have I heard about that?” Satō asked.

“They’re that vigilante group of three! The ones who…” Hagakure exclaimed.

“Oh, yeah! They’ve been less active lately, but about four-five years ago, they took out like, hundred pretty well-known Villains!” Kaminari gasped, cutting off the invisible girl.

“Oh, I know them, ribbit.” Asui joined in. “They wear hoodies with dog ears attached to them, it’s kind of cute.”

“Midoriya.” Aizawa’s voice was angry… or embarrassed? “How. Do you. Know. About. That.” the teacher growled.

Ahh… he’s embarrassed. Izuku thought, managing to fight back the grin, adopting a very serious expression onto his face, instead.

“Sensei… my Quirk is called Database. I know a lot.”

“No way you could see that, you little—”

A void-like warp gate opened below Nao’s feet, succumbing the girl into the abyss. “What the fuck—” she yelped as she went.

“Nao-nee!” Izuku and Shoto tried to grab her hands, but the void disappeared before they reached it or the girl in it.

“Miroki!” Aizawa gasped, too late.

Izuku removed his visor and handed it to Shoto, who put it on with a small, amused smirk.

“Do I look cool?”

“Shut up, Sho-chan.” the green-haired boy focused to the black thing resembling a mix of void and mist at the plaza, squinting his eyes.

“Sensei, the Villain who looks like he’s made of black mist is Kurogiri! His Quirk is Warp Gate, allowing him to create these void-like gates! He’s the most troublesome of them all, so erase his Quirk! It’s highly possible that he’ll scatter us around USJ… I mean, I doubt they know our Quirks, so they most likely are trying to overpower us with numbers.” Izuku explained.

“And what might that Quirk of yours be, boy? It seems be something very troublesome.” Kurogiri’s deep voice suddenly spoke from behind Izuku and Shoto, as the Villain in question had warped himself to them. The two bounced into action, Shoto creating a trail of ice spikes towards the mist while Izuku whipped out his compressed bo staff—Thank god I remembered to take it with me this time, Izuku thought—and extended it into its full length, swinging it towards whatever the metallic thing was around Kurogiri’s (supposed) neck. His and Shoto’s attacks were meaningless, though, as the mist Villain warped himself out of the way.

“Bastard…” Izuku growled.

“Oh, my, how dangerous.” Kurogiri muttered, straightening(?) himself. “Nice to meet you. We are the League of Villains. It might be presumptuous of us, but we have invited ourselves in to the home of Heroes, UA High School, in order to have the Symbol of Peace, All Might, take his last breath.”

“What a…” the rest of Izuku’s whispered sentence was drowned under Shoto’s roar.

“Give my sister back!” the half-n-half boy showed unusually lot of emotion, ice rapidly growing over his right fist.

“I believe All Might should have been here… Hm? Your sister, you say? Actual, blood-related sister?” Kurogiri’s eyes—everyone assumed they were his eyes, a pair of creepy, yellow slits in the place where his eyes should be—narrowed as he questioned the boy.

“I didn’t go that far.” Shoto growled. But you’re not wrong.

“Give our Nao-nee back, you fuckass void bastard.” Izuku growled.

“Izuku, you’re reverting into Bakugou.”

“Ew, that’s disgusting—”

Kurogiri took advantage of the moment when the two boys who had attacked him just a moment ago drew their attention away from him and enfolded everyone into his misty void.

Eraserhead was thrown out first, right into the middle of the waiting Villains at the plaza. Most of the students he scattered around the training facility, not caring where they ended as long as neither the green-haired boy wielding the metallic bo staff and the other one with red and white hair and heterochromatic eyes ended up in the same area as either each other or the redheaded girl he had warped away earlier.

He wasn’t able to disperse all of them, so he remained with the rest, standing between them and the entrance. The Space Hero Thirteen pointed their finger at him.

“Everyone, stand back!”

And they activated their Quirk, sucking Kurogiri’s mist-like body into their Black Hole.

Izuku yelled in surprise as the Villain’s warp gate sucked him in, and spitting him out at the shipwreck zone. He fell face-first straight to the water.

What kind of idiots those guys are, actually thinking they can kill All Might? Moreover, at UA?

The boy quickly got something else to think about, though, as he saw a Villain approaching him underwater with great speed.

Oh, they must’ve scattered around USJ, too. He calculated the best way to counter the Villain’s attack, though it revealed to be unnecessary as Tsuyu appeared out of nowhere, carrying Minera under her arm, and kicked the bad guys face before wrapping her long tongue around the green-haired boy’s torso and helping both of her classmates to the ship nearby.

“Thank you, As—Tsuyu-chan.” Izuku sighed, sitting on the deck of the ship.

“This has turned into a bad situation, hasn’t it?” the frog girl sighed.

“Yeah.” Izuku nodded. “What the Villain, Kurogiri said earlier… they knew UA’s curriculum. I’m positive they obtained it during the commotion when the mass media trespassed the school grounds few days ago. They’ve been… waiting for a chance.”

“But, but—” Mineta butted in. “It’s not like they can kill All Might! Once All Might comes, he’ll pound those guys!”

Izuku and Tsuyu shook their heads.

“Mineta.”

“Don’t you think they’re trying so hard because they have a way to kill him?” both Izuku and Tsuyu’s voices were perfectly calm.

“A—Tsuyu-chan’s right, Mineta. I focused on Kurogiri earlier, so I didn’t see much of the others, but that big, black guy… the one with bird-like mouth, he seemed… unnaturally strong. I don’t mean his Quirk, but his physical strength. How strong he’ll be if Aizawa-sensei erased his Quirk. it was abnormal. He was… stronger than current All Might.”

“What… What do you mean, Midoriya-chan?” Tsuyu asked.

“I… shit, I shouldn’t have said that.” Izuku clamped his hand over his mouth.

I’m sorry, Toshinori-san…

“Uh… he’s... Come on guys, All Might is only a human like the rest of us. Maybe it’s his age, maybe he’s sick, or something… I respect him, so I haven’t used my Quirk that far. I only know that he’s getting a bit slower, and he’s losing power from his punches. His endurance, too, is decreasing. Slowly, and steadily, like aging person's functions are supposed to.” the green-haired boy admitted. “But, he’s still strong. He might be able to defeat the black guy. Or, I could try to defeat it. I’m nearly as strong as All Might, so if I break an arm or two, I might be able to defeat it.”

"How old is All Might, anyway?" Mineta asked.

"Eh? W-way older than the rest of the teachers her, but I don't know the e-exact age... l-like I said, I respect him, so I haven't used my Quirk on him much. But now that I think of it... how old is he?" Izuku's voice got lower by every word he spoke, quickly becoming incoherent muttering.

“You’re babbling, Midoriya-chan.” Tsuyu placed her hand on the taller boy’s shoulder. “Calm down.”

Izuku jerked his head up. “Eh? But I am perfectly calm. Moreover, we should come up with a plan to defeat those guys…” the three glanced down to the water, finding themselves surrounded by Villains.

"Ah, scratch that, I already have one."

Chapter Text

“Midoriya!” Mineta wailed. “Are you nuts? There’s no way we can fight those guys! They’ve completely surrounded us!”

“Oh, I will fight them. It’s up to the two of you whether or not to join me.” the green-haired boy shrugged. “I mean, we’ll get out of here either way, but if we work together, we can get back to the others unscathed. Otherwise, I’m most likely going to get stabbed, bitten, and slashed.”

Tsuyu, standing behind the green-haired boy, placed her hand onto his shoulder. “I’ll work with you. Just tell me what to do.”

Izuku nodded and moved so that he could see both of his classmates.

“I’m gonna need the both of you to make this plan work.”

---

Shoto was angry. The mist Villain—Kurogiri—had tossed him to the landslide zone, alone, where he had encountered more than a dozen of Villains.

“Come on. I’m going to fight you punks all alone?” he grunted.

“Aww, don’t cry, you little brat! We’ll kill you quickly!” three Villains attacked him, but Shoto froze them with one swipe of his right arm. He sighed again.

“Don’t get me wrong, guys. I’m not complaining because I’m feeling like I’m the underdog here. I’m complaining because I feel sorry for you guys.”

He activated his Quirk’s fire-half with a crack of his knuckles.

“I mean, sixteen weak-ass Villains versus Blue, one of the heads of The Cerberus? You guys are lucky I promised All Might three years ago not to kill any worthless little shits like you lot.”

Defeating sixteen grown-up men didn’t take him long.

Nao, in the other hand, was having trouble. She landed weird onto her upper back and neck when the mist-like Villain warped her away from the others, hearing an ugly crack when she got up.

“Here she is. Onwards, boys!” one of the Villains waiting cackled. The blind girl quickly counted twenty or so people forming a tight ring around her.

“Red! This is for murdering my brother three years ago!” someone else exclaimed. A lone person charged towards her, and Nao attempted to block the fist coming swinging at her face, but as she lifted her arms, a sudden jolt of pain in her shoulders made her freeze. The Villain’s fist connected solidly to her face, knocking away the muzzle covering it.

When Nao recovered from the surprise, she found her surroundings completely silent. Not only that, she couldn’t hear her own breathing, either.

A-am I deaf? Fuck! I can’t fight like this! I have to get back to Shoto and Izu…!

She never saw the next punch coming.

Meanwhile, Izuku’s plan had worked great. He had pulled out a very convincing imitation of Bakugou and jumped towards the Villains waiting in the water. Pulling out his current maximum percentage of One for All—increased to 6% since the UA entrance exam—Izuku managed to create a strong whirlpool that such the swimming Villains inside itself. Tsuyu propelled herself and Mineta in her arms into the air with her extraordinary jumping power, and Mineta, albeit wailing, whining and screaming the whole time, plucked out as many balls of his hair as he managed, hurling them onto the huddled-up Villains, sticking them into a one massive ball of small-time evilness. Tsuyu grabbed Izuku by his waist with her tongue and helped him out of the danger zone.

The three waded in the shallow water as they heard sounds of fighting from two separate directions.

“The other’s are fighting, too…” Izuku muttered, the two others nodding along.

Should we go to check one of the fights?” Tsuyu asked.

Izuku nodded. “The ones fighting at the central plaza most likely have Aizawa-sensei and Thirteen-sensei with them. The other fight… it’s probably somewhere between that mountain zone and that dome over there—I think it’s safe to assume that it’s a fire zone.” he pointed towards the red dome with orange and yellow flames all over it.

“Who do you think is fighting there?” Mineta asked.

“No idea. Let’s go.” Izuku sighed and led the two to the fight.

The Villains at the central plaza indeed faced Eraserhead, but the man fought alone. Thirteen and the few students who hadn’t been dispersed around the faculty by Kurogiri had faced the mist Villain in front of the entrance, managing to help Iida slip by and out of the building, his mission being alerting the teachers of the Villain attack. Thirteen had been injured severely by their own Quirk when Kurogiri had created warp gates in front of and behind them, making the Space Hero suck part of their own costume and back into their Black Hole.

The remaining Hero wasn’t having it easy, either. Just as Izuku had implied, facing a large group all alone was as far from Eraserhead’s fighting style and comfort zone as possible, making him an underdog fairly quickly. Uraraka, one of the remaining students, stood back and took care of injured Thirteen while the four others—Sero, Ashido, Shoji and Satō—decided to provide him some unwanted, but greatly needed backup.

The hand-man—Shigaraki, Aizawa remembered Midoriya and Todoroki mentioning—charged towards the Hero, open hand ready for attack.

Touch-requiring Quirk activation. Erase, dodge, strike. Eraserhead instructed himself. He erased the lunging Villain’s Quirk, dodged the hand apparently aimed for his face, and drove his elbow into the Villain’s abdomen. Or, attempted to, but it was caught by Shigaraki’s other hand.

“It’s hard to see because you keep moving around, but there’s an instant when your hair falls. That’s when you’ve finished the action,” the Villain drawled. Eraserhead blinked, and the sleeve covering his elbow started to turn into a stone and crumble under the Villain’s fingers. Next was the elbow itself, the skin hardening, drying, and crumbling away. It hurt, but the Hero didn’t let it show. Instead, he activated his Quirk again and kicked the Villain away.

What Izuku, Tsuyu and Mineta found at the other fight scene was not a foreign sight to Izuku, but made the other two feel sick in the stomach.

“She broke our promise to All Might…” the green-haired boy mumbled as he watched his pseudo-sister pull her flaming fist out of the melted remains of her opponent’s head. Around fifteen or so more bodies were scattered around, all of them having met a similar end to the newest one.

Nao was bleeding, her glasses had been broken and shards of the red, mirrored lenses were impaled onto her face, puncturing her right eye. Her muzzle was dropped to the ground, and her posture was slouched in exhaustion. She was having problems breathing, and from the looks of it, she had been stabbed several times.

But, even still, the flames enfolding her beaten body were alive, seeping through the special fabric of her costume, guarding her from most of the physical attacks.

“She… looks like Endeavor…” Tsuyu couldn’t help but note, keeping her voice low in order to not alert the remaining Villains around the redheaded monster.

“Of course she looks like Endeavor, she requested her costume to be a gangster imitation of his. Moreover…” Izuku started rambling in a low tone, trying not to panic. Without his visor, he had been forced to read Nao’s physical data, which gave the boy devastating news.

“She’s dying…” he fought back his tears. “Punctured lungs, severe internal organ damage, severe blood loss… s-she’s lucky if she has more than thirty minutes…”

Tsuyu froze. Mineta did, too, his reaction was nothing compared to the frog-like girl’s.

Tsuyu didn’t cry, but Izuku could see her heart being ripped into small pieces. It was like her soul left her body as she went stiff and completely motionless. Her eyes glassed over, but the boy could see dolor in her big, round eyes.

He looked down, focusing into his own trembling hands. He didn’t see any more.

“You… love her.”

Tsuyu let out a small, choked-out croak.

“She’s lucky.” Izuku mumbled. “She has never had anyone liking her like you do.”

A sudden, suppressed yelp of pain snapped the three out of their little conversation, their heads snapping back towards the fight.

Nao’s stomach had been impaled by a long blade—which appeared to be one of the Villains’ mutated arm. She grabbed the man’s shoulder, growling.

“And here I thought I’d get to stop killing once I hit the bastard who obstructed my hearing…” she set the Villain on fire, severing the arm impaled onto her stomach from the shoulder. “How many of you are here, anyway? How did you know who I was?” she coughed up blood.

“Nao-san!” Tsuyu couldn’t keep her voice down anymore, standing up from their hiding spot. Izuku grabbed the girl’s arm.

“Don’t. I’ll help her.”

Nao turned her head towards the new voices. “Tsuyu-chan? Izu?” she choked, and small tear escaped from the corner of her only intact eye.

“I’m so sorry…”

“Don’t apologize, Nao-nee!” Izuku bolted to her side. “I’m… we’re here.”

Shigaraki was furious. Not only All Might hadn’t been where he had been scheduled to be at, Eraserhead and the few remaining students had proved to be way more powerful than anticipated, even with the Hero’s right arm out of commission.

“Noumu.” he ordered the tall, pitch-black Villain beside him.

Eraserhead heard Shigaraki utter what he assumed to be the giant’s name, Noumu, and braced himself for an attack.

An attack that came way faster and stronger than he had assumed. He found himself face-first from the concrete, feeling his nose crunch uncomfortably and warm liquid starting to flow from it.

Bastard… is he as fast and strong as All Might?!

Nao placed her bloody hand onto Izuku’s soft locks. She also subdued the fire on her body, leaving only her boots ablaze.

“Thanks, but… It’s too late already. One of them had a Quirk that blocked my hearing…” she wobbled on her feet, and Izuku hurried to support her weight. “I think he was Darkness’ brother or something.”

“Darkness? I mean, one of the Villains who The Cerberus took out about three years ago?” Izuku glanced at the said Villains, and at Nao’s face. The tall girl shook her head, grimacing in pain.

“The one we took out almost three years ago, Izu. These guys knows I’m Red.”

Izuku gasped. “They know?” he turned to the remaining six Villains—Wow, Nao-nee fought twenty-two of them alone while unable to detect their movements and positions at all…—and asked them a question.

“So, do you guys know who I am, then? Since you know Nao-nee.”

The Villains laughed and shook their heads.

“Some stupid gremlin suicidal enough to pick a fight with us!”

Nao chuckled. “Oh, how badly mistaken they are.” she forced herself to stand straighter and turned her face towards the Villains.

“Now that I have my hearing back and Green covering for me, how about we have a rematch?” she grinned.

“What… w-wait, y-you’re saying that the small dude is Green?! N-no thanks, we choose to live!” the Villains’ attitude made a complete one-eighty, and they frantically scrambled away, towards the central plaza. Nao coughed, more blood tricking from the corner of her mouth.

“Say… why are they scared of you, when… I-I’m the most dangerous one of us?”

“Dunno.” Izuku muttered, supporting Nao’s body. “They’re idiots.”

He glanced at their two shocked classmates.

“Also, Tsuyu-chan and Mineta just heard our little secret.”

Nao sighed. “Well, fuck me…”

The students at the central plaza watched hopelessly as their teacher was flung around like a ragdoll by the black monstrosity of a Villain. Some of the weaker Villains, who were already knocked down earlier, got up and managed to subdue the students.

“Let go!” Ashido hissed, trying to throw handful of her acid to the Villain pinning her down to the concrete. She missed hugely, making the Villain laugh.

“Nice try, sweetheart.”

Suddenly, the temperature around the plaza dropped. The Villains were startled by the sudden change in the temperature, but the students felt hope.

“Todoroki…!”

After freezing the Villains at the Mountain zone, Shoto hurried back to the central plaza, only to find the two teachers gravely injured and his classmates captured. His anger flared, and he purposefully chilled the air around himself, enjoying the wince he got out of the Villains. The students pinned down or otherwise subdued by them turned their heads to his direction, tears of relief oozing from the corners of their eyes.

“Todoroki…!” Ashido, the girl with pink skin, hair and black sclerae gasped as she recognized the coldness.

The dual-toned boy nodded at her.

“A good thing I came here instead of running off to find Izu and Nao-nee.”

The nearest Villain, a guy with black bandages covering his face, stepped closer to the boy.

“A good thing? Boy you don’t know who you’re messing with—”

Shoto summoned flames to his left palm and shot them to the ground between the Villain and himself.

“No, you don’t know who you’re messing with.”

The Villain stood back, cautious.

“No? Then enlighten me.” his mocking, degrading smirk was audible in his voice.

Shoto sighed. He did that a lot today.

“I could give you my actual name, too, but I’m more widely known amongst the lowlife like you as Blue.” Shoto pushed back his hair, creating an icy hairband to keep it from falling back onto his heterochromatic eyes. This action also revealed the piercings on his ears. “You know, the head of The Cerberus who wears a blue hoodie and used to burn people to crisp.”

“Y-you’re bullshitting me.” the Villain stuttered.

“No, not at all. Joking really isn’t my thing, after all.” the vigilante drew his hand back and shook off the flames. “Green and Red are here as well—”

“Shigaraki-san! You told us that only Red would be here! What the fuck is this bullshit, then?!” the Villain screeched, running towards the Villain boss.

Shoto arched his eyebrow.

“So that’s why Kurogiri took Nao-nee away, first.” he lowered his stance and readied himself to charge towards the boss, a feral grin slowly making its way to his face. “You knew who she was, and you perceived her as a threat…!”

With new fire in his left hand and a gauntlet of ice covering his right, Shoto lunged towards Shigaraki, who pushed the small fry between them away and flung his hand towards the boy.

Shoto dodged with ease and rammed his right fist into Shigaraki’s stomach, making ice spread over the impact area. He aimed his left fist to the Villain’s face, but it was Shigaraki’s turn to dodge and land a hit. Shoto felt the unpleasant, rough hand on his left bicep through the quickly decaying and crumbling fabric.

“Son of a bitch—” the boy grunted, ripped his arm from the man’s grip and hit him hard to the back of his head with his ice gauntlet. He stood back and took a glance to his arm. The sleeve was gone, and the skin under the instant area of contact and crumbled away, but the muscle underneath seemed unharmed. It hurt, even more so than the boiling water his mother had poured over his left eye a long time ago, but Shoto didn’t give it any mind. Instead, the spread ice over the damaged area, fully knowing that it probably wasn’t the best possible idea.

Shigaraki charged, having removed the ice on his stomach with his Quirk. Shoto countered with a wheel kick, but Shigaraki read it and grabbed the left foot that came flying towards his face.

Shoto tried to shook the man off, but Shigaraki managed to pull him off-balance while continuing to hold the boy’s leg tightly. The boot, pant leg and the sock crumbled away, and Shoto felt the dry fingers on his heel.

Fuck…! He blasted flames at the Villain’s face and scrambled away, barely subduing the yelp of surprise and pain as he stepped on his injured foot. He let himself fall to the ground.

“Todoroki!” Satō called out from behind.

“S-sorry guys… I messed up.” Shoto placed his right hand onto the ground next to him, bracing himself for an attack. The fight was interrupted by a loud boom from the entrance.

“N-Nao-san!” Tsuyu gasped, leaping to the older female and supporting her from the other side. “You’re… injured…”

The tall girl let out a pained chuckle.

“Tsuyu-chan, I’m quite aware of that.”

“How can you be so calm about it?!” the amphibian girl was uncharacteristically agitated and frantic.

“I don’t know. Guess I’m so close giving up the ghost that I can only joke about it now.”

“You’ve lost so much blood that you’ve lost your mind alongside it, Nao-nee.” Izuku grunted. The four slowly headed towards the central plaza, the severed blade-arm still stuck through Nao’s abdomen.

“You’re going to die in our arms in less than half an hour, Nao-nee, so if you have anything so say to either me or Tsuyu-chan, please do it now.”

Nao sighed. “Yes, sir…” her voice was rattling and croaky, lacking its usual energy and natural authority. Weak.

“Hey! I’m here, too!” Mineta exclaimed.

“Yes, unfortunately. No one really cares about you here, you filthy, perverted little gremlin.”

Izuku couldn’t help but snort in amusement.

“Oh my God, Nao-nee, please don’t make those your last words.”

“I won’t. Tsuyu-chan…” Nao took some of her weight away from Tsuyu’s shoulders, leaning heavily onto Izuku. The boy didn’t complain.

Uraraka was the first one to recognize the cause of the loud sound, and as she did, her facial features were quickly taken over by relief.

“All Might…!”

“It’s all right now.” The tall figure stepped forward, wearing an angry frown in place of his usual, reassuring smile. “I am here.”

“Ah…” Shigaraki grinned behind the pale hand covering his face, stepping away from the boy he was fighting. “He’s here…!”

“I heard you and Izu earlier,” Nao confessed, feeling Tsuyu’s neck heat up under her arm as the foursome made their way towards the central plaza, where from a loud bang had just been heard.

Is she embarrassed?

“I...” Tsuyu couldn’t keep her voice from cracking. “Midoriya-chan isn’t wrong… I do have feelings for you.”

Nao sighed and coughed up more blood. “Thank goodness…”

“Eh?” the younger three gasped.

“You feel the same as me.” Nao stopped, forcing the two supporting her body to stop as well. “Thank you, Tsuyu-chan. For falling in love with someone like me.”

Nao forcibly bent down, pressing her bloody lips against Tsuyu’s soft hair. “And I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Tsuyu’s voice was a whisper at this point. Nao smiled tiredly into the short girl’s pleasant-scented hair.

“For not being able to stay here and keep loving you. And for bleeding all over you and your costume.”

Izuku glared Mineta silent as they listened to the two girls. He sighed.

“Nao-nee, I know you’re planning something, and I’m going to stop you if it’s not dragging one of the enemies to the depths of Hell with you.”

Nao straightened herself with a groan. “Well, I’m aiming for Shigaraki, but… Anyone of those bastards would do.”

Tsuyu and Mineta shivered at her growl.

Izuku just hummed. “I suggest you take the big guy. The one who’s even bigger than All Might. He might be their weapon against him.”

The foursome reached the central plaza a while later, just in time to found out that Eraserhead and Thirteen had been taken down, the Erasure Hero’s limp body being carried up the long staircase by Shoji. They found out that Shoto had been injured and rendered unable to stand on his own, presumably by Shigaraki, since he was still conscious and seemingly missing a shoe as Satō was giving him a piggy-bag ride up the stairs. They also found out that All Might had arrived.

And that the League of Villains had had a working plan against the Symbol of Peace, after all.

The Hero was currently trapped into a pair of Kurogiri’s warp gates with the big, black-skinned Villain, both half-way in one portal and out of the other. The Villain’s hand had been dug wrist-deep into All Might’s left side—right into the spot Izuku knew his spiderweb-like scar to be. The green-haired boy knew immediately, even without his Quirk feeding the data to his brain, how big damage the Villain was causing to the Hero’s insides.

“Nao-nee, can you move?”

“Yes… is my Echolocation messed up because of the blood loss, or is the big guy’s hand inside All Might’s abdomen?”

“Yeah… oh shit, we won’t be able to get him out safely if we just charge.” Izuku was silent for few seconds after that. “Big guy is actually a modified human. They call it Noumu. Its Quirks are regeneration and shock absorption.”

“Is that his—its—brain, Midoriya-chan?” Tsuyu asked. Mineta gagged somewhere behind them.

“Yeah.”

Nao coughed, wiping the fresh blood with the back of her hand. She stood upright, abandoning the support she had leaned on.

“I have a plan. Izu, cut Noumu’s hand off.”

“I don’t have a blade, Nao-nee—”

“I have.”

Izuku glanced at the severed arm sticking out of the girl’s stomach.

“We’re not taking that out. You’ll bleed to death much faster—”

He was too late, though, as Nao ripped the thing off and tossed it to Izuku, lunging towards her target.

“I’m aiming for the head.” Nao enfolded her body into the blazing flames again and pounced to the monstrosity’s head. Izuku activated One for All and dashed after her, managing to cut off the Noumu’s hand and pull the injured Hero into a safe distance.

“Y-young Midoriya?!” All Might gasped.

“Don’t you dare to focus on me,” Izuku replied, gritting his teeth and turning around to see his pseudo-sister’s final moments.

All Might was flabbergasted by the scene in front of him.

“What is going on, Young Midoriya…?”

The boy flinched. All Might grabbed his arm and pulled him onto a one-armed hug, making sure not to make the boy touch the severed black hand dug into his abdomen.

“W-we found Nao-nee badly injured…” Izuku sobbed against All Might’s chest.

The Hero shot a concerned glance towards the girl in question.

Badly injured? That girl should’ve been dead by now!

It was hard to see all the damage done to her, but what was easily detected were red shards impaled into her right eye, presumably from her sports glasses. It also looked like her black clothes were soaked in dark red blood. When the Noumu whose head she was dangling at trashed around, All Might noticed a hole in her back—she had been stabbed with a fairly wide blade. Like, for example, the one laying on the ground between them and the Noumu, the one Izuku had used to cut off Noumu's hand.

“…what is she doing?! She should stand down and get immediate treatment—" All Might attempted to rise onto his feet and hurry to aid Nao out of the danger, but he was stopped by both the excruciating pain on his side and the crying boy concentrating all of his power to hold the Hero down.

“N-Nao-nee is already beyond saving.” All Might felt the boy press his face against his chest and sob.

“So, please, let her take one of the enemies with her.”

All Might patted Izuku’s trembling back gently.

“I’m against it... but I cannot do otherwise. Aizawa-kun and Thirteen are both out of commission, and the other Heroes are yet to arrive. I cannot risk revealing my true form here, in front of the Villains.” he murmured as quietly as possible into the boy’s hair. “And, as you can see, I’m injured. I bet your Quirk has already told you that I can barely move…”

The two were joined by seemingly uninjured, but upset and crying Mineta and Asui, whose left side was suspiciously bloodied. She had clumps of blood in her long, dark green hair, as well.

“Are you all right, Young Asui? Have you been injured somewhere?” the Hero asked, getting a headshake as a reply.

“This is all Nao-san’s.”

All Might felt his insides churn at the ghastly, weak voice the girl gave her reply with. She might have been  uninjured herself, but she was far from alright.

Shoto took a sharp inhale as he saw the condition his sister was in.

“N-no… I-Izu, you can’t let her fight like that…!”

He glanced at the green-haired boy and noticed that he was forcibly keeping All Might from interfering Nao’s fight.

That means… Shoto felt a tear rolling down his right cheek. Nao-nee isn’t going to see tomorrow. The boy fought back the sobs, but his classmates knew how he was feeling. Uraraka was the first one to wrap her arms around the boy, careful not to add pressure onto the boy’s injured bicep.

“I… I’m sorry… she must be really close friend of yours. But no one can do anything…” the gravity-altering girl mumbled. She and the others were shocked when the boy shook his head. Ashido joined Uraraka in hugging and comforting Shoto, and Shoji participated by wrapping all three of them onto his six strong arms. Satō and Sero placed their hand on Shoto’s shoulders, patting them gently. Shoto drew in a shaky breath.

“T-that’s not it. Nao-nee is… t-the only family who have ever really welcomed me in. S-she, Kozu-san, and their mother. And Izu… so…”

His classmates squeezed him tighter.

The flaming, red-haired , obviously injured girl catapulted herself to the Noumu’s head while a bolt of green lightning—which appeared to be a green-haired boy—stole the Number 1 Hero from the monster’s grasp. Noumu let out a small screech and lifted its left hand—Shigaraki found out that whatever the green-haired brat had done, it had severed the monster’s hand that had been thrusted inside All Might’s left side.

The hand grew back quickly, though, and Shigaraki grinned as he looked at the girl struggling with Noumu.

“My, my, you seem to be… injured, Red-sama.” he mocked. I took Blue out of commission earlier, so that kid must be Green.

Nao snarled at him. “Shigaraki.”

The Villain chuckled.

“That’s me. Hey, tell me, Red, why are you still fighting? You’re severely injured. Why are you protecting All Might? Why are you, a vigilante, even in UA in the first place?”

Noumu grabbed the girl into a tight choke-hold. Red growled and grabbed the black creature’s arms with her hands, but didn’t struggle out of its hold.

“So many questions, so little time left.” she rasped. Noumu’s skin started to smoke under her palms and other areas it touched her blazing body.

Shigaraki walked around them, facing the girl head-on.

“Do tell me.”

The female vigilante spit onto the hand covering his face. The bitch. Spit. Her blood. On Father.

“How dare you!” the Villain shrieked, frantically rubbing the severed hand onto his clothes.

The girl gave him a mocking, croaky laugh.

“I, together with my little brothers, swore to God three years ago that we will do anything for All Might. That, includes protecting him from the scum like you and your master. That’s why I’m still fighting, and the bottom reason of me being a student at UA altogether.”

“What are you, All Might protection squad?” the Villain growled, getting annoyed by the vigilante’s mocking smirk.

“We prefer to be called The Cerberus, but bitch, we just might be.”

“So annoying… STOP SMIRKING! CAN’T YOU SEE I’M ANGRY AT YOU?!”

The vigilante hummed nonchalantly.

“No. I’m blind. I thought you knew that already, Shigaraki.” she changed her expression from mocking to predatory, licking her bloody lips with her pierced tongue.

“But I’ll see you in Hell one day. I’ll take this one with me today.” she increased the temperature of her flames. The air around them heated up in the progress, too.

Noumu let out a noise that could only be interpreted as a shriek of pain.

“Kurogiri! The gates!” Shigaraki ordered the mist Villain, who complies and dropped Noumu and the vigilante in its embrace into his void-like portal. the lower parts of their bodies appeared from its counterpart few meters away.

The vigilante didn’t react, which annoyed Shigaraki.

“Why aren’t you panicking, you little bitch?” he growled.

“All Might.” the girl addressed the kneeling Hero holding the sobbing, green-haired boy in his arms instead.

All Might lifted his head when he heard Nao addressing himself.

“Right here.”

Asui had started tearing up as well, so he invited the frog-like girl into his hug, as well. Mineta was already hiding behind his back, from both the heat and the sight in front of them.

“Keep…” the redhead in Noumu’s choke-hold coughed up more blood than All Might had ever coughed himself. “K-keep them safe.” Nao’s voice started to falter.

“Them?” All Might fought internally to keep his voice steady.

“Kurogiri, close the damn portals already!” the Villain covered in hands—Shigaraki—hissed. The warp gate around Nao and Noumu’s waists began to shrink.

Nao gulped, probably swallowing more blood.

She aimed her unseeing gaze at the Hero and let tears fall from her only intact eye.

“Everyone.”

With that, she surrounded both herself and the black monstrosity holding her down into a ball of bright, white flames. The creature shrieked, but it wasn’t the only one feeling the searing, bone-melting heat.

The mist Villain called Kurogiri groaned in agony, his main body doubling over in intense pain.

Noumu shrieked and struggled, but Nao’s grip kept it from ascending from the warp gate.

“Are you trying to burn my Noumu alive? Idiot! He has a Regeneration Quirk!” Shigaraki laughed.

Nao did, too.

“Charred cells do not regenerate, my friend.”

Shigaraki growled, not at the vigilante but his misty comrade.

“Kurogiri! Just close the damn gates already!”

The warp gate around the two tightened, squeezing against the gaping wound on the girl’s abdomen. Nao managed to utter a few more last words in before the gated closed completely.

“Come on, just kill me already so Tsuyu-chan doesn’t need to suffer in my heat.”

Chapter Text

Kozue dropped onto her knees as a mix of dread and emptiness hit her with the force of thousand Texas Smashes.

What is this?! she clutched her chest and gasped for air. She and her younger classmates, alongside all other students, had been instructed to evacuate the building soon after their teacher, Power Loader, had been summoned over by the principal for some kind of urgent business, which had proved to be providing back-up to class 1-A and their teachers at an off-campus training location, where a large group of Villains calling themselves “the League of Villains” had bypassed all security and invaded UA. The students were now at a designated safe zone designed for students’ safety during a Villain invasion, supervised by some of the teachers.

“Miroki-san! What happened? Are you all right?” Kozue recognized the concerned female voice calling out to her, but couldn’t connect it to the face or name.

“I…” the winged girl’s voice trembled and cracked. “I-I… felt like my soul was t-torn in half…”

Someone rubbed her back between the folded wings, reassuringly, in small, continuous circle. It calmed her down a bit.

“A panic attack…?” someone muttered a bit farther away.

“Has this happened before, Miroki-san?” Kozue now recognized the concerned female speaker as her classmate, a nice girl named Tahara Mika. She was the one rubbing her back. Kozue gulped and tried to stabilize her breathing, shaking her head.

“N-never…”

“Sensei! Someone collapsed here!” someone from different class called out to the teachers. A teacher, a kind-looking woman with brown hair tied to an elegant bun and ageing lines on the corners of her eyes, knelt next to Kozue.

“What happened? Are you all right? Can you tell me your name and class?”

Kozue nodded head and looked into the woman’s warm, brown eyes.

“Class 1-G, Miroki Kozue… I, uh, I’m sorry, sensei… I’m all right now. I just got dizzy for a second…” Mika and couple of others helped the wobbly girl onto her feet.

“I don’t buy that, Miroki-san, but…” Mika muttered.

Kozue looked at her own, trembling hands, suddenly getting flashbacks of her twin’s smiling face.

“N-Nao…?!” she gasped, threatening to topple over again. Mika and one of the boys from their class—Kozue remembered his name to be Ueno Kazuhiro—put their supportive hands on her back while the teacher gently held her upright from her shoulders.

“Who’s Nao?” the older woman arched her eyebrow.

“Isn’t that your twin sister’s name? The one who’s in 1-A?” Kazuhiro asked, stepping out of the way as Kozue wrapped her tail around herself.

“Y-yeah… I, I… I fear something happened to her… I’ve ne-never felt anything like this. Nao-nee’s strong. S-she… t-this isn’t the first time she had fought with a Villain. Why should she be in trouble? She’s strong.” the trebling girl started to ramble and mutter, mostly to calm herself down.

I can’t feel my twin’s light anymore…

Kozue wasn’t the only one who felt the sudden wave of helplessness.

Sumire, who had spent the last couple of days at Midoriyas, dropped the mug she had been drinking coffee from when the wave hit. Inko, on her day-off from her work, immediately began wiping the hot liquid from the wheelchair-bound young woman’s lap.

“Are you all right, Sumire-san? Did your hand slip? Did you burn yourself, dear?”

Sumire shook her head.

“I-Inko-san… is there a possibility that something has happened at UA?”

Inko shook her head. “It’s hard to believe… why do you ask?”

Sumire grabbed Inko’s hands tightly. “Because… I suddenly felt like half of my world collapsed like a house of cards…” the younger woman’s voice was merely a wavering whisper as she fought back her tears.

Inko returned the grip.

“I can call to UA, if you want.”

“P-please… please do.”

The temperature at the central plaza dropped like a rock as Nao's flames died out. All Might shielded the sobbing teens in his arms from the sight of the girl's disoriented remains, hearing the third one gag and throw up behind him. All Might took in the sight of his dead student in front of him, kicking himself mentally. What a teacher he was, letting his student sacrifice her life for him. It should've been the other way around.

"A-All Might..." Young Izuku choked.

"What is it, my boy?" The Hero patted the boy's hair.

"I-I didn't catch what Nao-nee mumbled b-before she..."

All Might sighed.

"If I heard her right, she said "Come on, just kill me already so Tsuyu-chan doesn't need to suffer in my heat." or something…?"

Young Asui winced at that.

"W-what... she, Nao-san...” the girl croaked. “…even when she was dying, she thought about me?"

Young Izuku sniffled and struggled out of the Hero's embrace.

"She was in love with you. It's natural."

The boy's voice drained out of emotion as he spoke. That worried All Might.

"Y-Young Midoriya?"

"I'm fine. I'm going to check Sho-chan. He’s injured, too."

"But the Villains are—"

"Them?" The boy scoffed and turned to the remaining two villains. Shigaraki charged towards the boy, hand aimed for his face.

"Shigaraki and Kurogiri. If you warp your sorry asses back to your masters' now, you might live to see the next day. One step closer to either All Might or the stairs, and I'm going to tear you apart." Izuku whipped out the bo staff he had compressed and stashed back into one of the pouches on his belt. He swung it low towards the Villain’s ribcage.

As on the cue, a loud gunshot carried from the top of the stairs, a bullet piercing Shigaraki's extended hand. The Heroes had arrived.

Izuku’s staff connected to Shigaraki’s body below his arm, the shockwave cracking his ribs and sending him flying towards Kurogiri. The mist Villain, obviously in pain, managed to warp the two away.

As the Villains disappeared, Izuku fell on his knees and sobbed. One of the arrived Heroes—Cementoss—created a tall wall of cement around Nao and the Noumu’s remains and came to comfort the sobbing boy.

“It’s all right now, Midoriya-kun. The Villains—”

Izuku swatted the reassuring hand away from his back.

“I’m not crying because I was scared. I’m crying because my childhood friend fucking died, you brainless cement block bastard!”

“Young Midoriya!” All Might called out. His expression was stern, but he didn’t move from the spot he was kneeling on.

No, it wasn’t like he didn’t—he couldn’t. Izuku’s eyes widened as he realized the damage on the Hero’s upper abdomen.

“Block everyone’s view from All Might, Cementoss. He’s going to lose that form of his within twenty seconds.” he muttered his order to the Hero beside him before calling out to the two other teens clinging onto the pained and struggling All Might.

“Tsuyu-chan, Mineta, let’s go to the others. All Might is injured, let’s leave him to the professionals.”

Asui grabbed Mineta from his cape and dragged the boy behind her. She handed the nasty grape boy to Izuku, who kept him as far away from the girl’s body as possible—he had witnessed Mineta groping Asui three times during that day alone, not to mention all the times the grape had either ogled disrespectfully or groped other female students in their class during the short time they had been in UA.

Aizawa-sensei should’ve just expelled him on the first day…

The police and paramedics arrived shortly after the Heroes, who had dispersed around USJ to defeat the last Villains still fighting with the students. Wounded people, save Villains who clearly deserved it, were taken to the temporary medical tent, while the two more seriously injured people, All Might and Shoto, had been taken straight to Recovery Girl’s office. The Youthful Heroine was giving them a strict lecture.

“And you, young man! What is this?” Recovery Girl asked, tapping the small black figure inked onto the dual-haired boy’s inner ankle, barely above the scarred remains of the wound Shigaraki’s Quirk has caused.

Shoto stared at the canine paw print in tired stupor.

“It’s a… tattoo, ma’am. A dog’s paw print.”

Recovery Girl huffed.

“I’m very aware of that, but what is it doing on your ankle? You’re still a minor, and tattooing one is a crime here in Japan.”

Shoto chuckled.

“I know… but The Cerberus doesn’t exactly abide the rules.”

“The Cerberus?”

Toshinori sighed from the neighboring bed. “The vigilante group. Young Todoroki is one of them.”

Shoto nodded. “Nao-nee is… was, too, and the remaining one is Izu.”

Recovery Girl squinted her eyes at the boy, who was slightly nodding off. She pulled the blanket at the foot of the bed over the boy’s legs and lap.

“And does the school know the truth?”

She didn’t expect the answer from the dozing boy, and raised her eyebrow at Toshinori, who sighed and shook his head a bit.

“Only me and you. And… whoever heard Shigaraki during the fight, I suppose. He was calling Young Nao by her vigilante name, after all.”

The nurse scrunched her face this time.

“The principal at least should know. I’m giving you three a chance to inform him yourselves before I stomp into his office.”

Toshinori nodded.

“Let’s give Young Todoroki a chance to rest first…”

The infirmary’s door was opened with a loud bang.

“WHAT BULLCRAP IS THIS LITTLE MOTHERFUCKER SPOUTING TO ME?! SAYING NAO-NEE IS DEAD?!” livid and distressed Miroki Kozue screeched as she stomped in. Recovery Girl and Toshinori hushed at her, and Shoto jolted awake.

The said “little motherfucker”, revealing to be a police detective clad in tan, long overcoat and a matching hat over what most likely was a simple black suit, hurried into the room behind the girl.

“Miroki-san, I understand that you are in denial about the fate of your sister, but please don’t barge into the infirmary like that—!”

Kozue didn’t give the man half a mind and turned her blazing, turquoise eyes to the gaunt man sitting in the bed farthest away from the door.

“Explain yourself, All Might.”

The police officer behind her started in surprise.

“She knows?”

Toshinori nodded with a deep sigh.

“Yes, Tsukauchi-kun, she knows. She’s one of the four kids I mentioned three years ago. The four that helped me out when I stupidly tried to be a Hero when my body wasn’t ready to return back to work yet.”

He gestured towards Shoto in the neighboring bed.

“Young Todoroki, too.”

The police detective nodded at the boy and introduced himself as Detective Tsukauchi Naomasa. He asked if it would be all right to ask few questions about what had happened. Toshinori and Shoto, both tired from Recovery Girl’s healing, nodded. Kozue claimed a seat at the edge of Shoto’s bed and calmly listened what the two had to tell about the events at USJ to the policeman.

Detective Tsukauchi also asked Kozue about her sister’s Quirk.

“She has multiple, but she was originally born with two. A mutation of out mother’s Quirk-cancelling Quirk, Quirk Absorption. And fire-based Quirk from…”

“Your father?” Tsukauchi ended the sentence for the girl.

“You can say so, but we prefer referring him as the bastard who raped a small, defenseless 13-year-old girl.”

Tsukauchi, as well as Recovery Girl, who was listening to the debriefing from her desk, took a sharp inhale.

“Your mother…” the Detective muttered.

Kozue nodded. “…was raped when she was only thirteen years old and was forced to have me and my elder twin sister Nao, who lost her life earlier today. I know his name and face, and I’m sure you do as well, but please don’t make me tell you. He made it quite clear to my mother back then that if the truth ever came to the police’s knowledge, he’ll hunt her down and kill her and everyone she holds dear.”

Tsukauchi sighed.

“You do know that you’re protecting a criminal here?”

The girl scowled at him.

“I’m protecting my mother, Shoto, Izuku, and Izu’s mother. And Toshinori-san, as well as my own damn self.”

“It’s unusual for you to curse to your elders, Kozu-san.” the red-and-white-haired boy pointed out. Kozue huffed.

“Well excuse me if I’m on edge. Shoto, if you haven’t realized it yet, I lost my twin sister, like, half an hour ago!”

Shoto’s anger flared.

“I know, Kozue! I know! I watched her being snapped in half! And I couldn’t do anything to help her!”

The winged girl flinched.

“S-snapped… in half? Detective Tsukauchi didn’t tell me that…”

The man in question cleared his throat.

“I didn’t get to that part yet when you stormed out and barged in here.”

Kozue looked down, embarrassed.

“I’m sorry…”

She didn’t see it, as her gaze was directed to her trembling hands and nervously twitching tip of the tail, but Tsukauchi gave her a small headshake and a reassuring smile.

“It’s all right. I’m sorry about dragging the conversation away from the current matter but… could you consider giving me your father’s… that man’s name if I promise police protection to your mother and the people close to her?”

Kozue shot a skeptical glance at the man.

“You wouldn’t be able to do anything.”

Tsukauchi sighed.

“How about Pro Hero protection?”

Kozue snorted.

“Even worse, if it’s not All Might or Ingenium.” she gave the policeman a hollow, joyless sneer. “The only people Mom trusts slightly less than Pro Heroes are Villains. On a good day.”

Toshinori joined in.

“Tsukauchi-kun. Do you think that you will be able to provide a barrier-free house for the Mirokis to move in?”

Izuku was annoyed. He was being debriefed about the Villain attack by a police officer with a head of an orange tabby cat—he had introduced himself as Officer Tamakawa Sansa—outside of USJ, and bolting off and dashing to the main campus to see Shoto and Toshinori seemed like a really good idea now. He grit his teeth.

“I’ve already told you everything I know. Can I go to check on my friend and teacher at the Recovery Girl’s office, now?” he pulled up his brightest and friendliest fake smile at the officer, who just sighed.

“I don’t see why not… I will escort you.”

Izuku was about to decline, saying that he was going to be just fine by himself, but decided against it in the last second and just nodded.

“Okay.”

By the time the green-haired boy and the cat-headed officer arrived to the infirmary, Shoto was dead asleep and Toshinori was on the verge of nodding off. The other police officer—Detective Tsukauchi Naomasa, Izuku’s Quirk informed him—inside was quietly going over some things with the tired Hero.

“If we only had more information about the League of Villains…” the detective grumbled, scratching the back of his head. Izuku made his presence known with a small cough.

“Toshinori-san? Are you okay?” the boy completely ignored the police.

The skeletal figure occupying the bed gave him a dry chuckle.

“You if anyone should know how far from the definition of “okay” I am, Young Midoriya.”

Izuku returned the chuckle with equally dry one.

“You pushed yourself over your limits today, and you got badly injured on the top of that. The time you can maintain your Muscle form has decreased again.”

Toshinori hissed.

“I’d like it if I still had at least an hour.”

Izuku shrugged. “Hero work, about fifty minutes. Just maintaining the Muscle form, one and half an hour.”

Tsukauchi glanced between the two with perplexed expression.

“Someone explain…”

“Anyway,” Izuku cut off the man, addressing Toshinori again, “regarding the information about Villains—sorry, I overheard—Toshinori-san knows someone who might be able to provide it, right?”

The green-haired boy stole a Quick glance at Tsukauchi while everyone else was looking at the Pro Hero.

Human Lie Detector, huh… Okay, this guy’s Quirk is troublesome. I have to refrain from speaking, I blabber a lot.

Toshinori coughed into his balled fist, getting some red smeared onto it.

“Indeed, I may know just the people…”

Tsukauchi, the Human Lie Detector, hummed.

“You know someone who knows about the League of Villains.”

Toshinori nodded.

“Do you think they will give that information to the police?”

Toshinori shook his head lightly. “Not without some conditions, I’m afraid. They are protective of their identities, so do you mind if I ask them about it first by myself, and then rely their conditions to you?”

Tsukauchi nodded.

“All right… I’ll leave for today. Toshinori, I’m waiting for your call.”

Toshinori chuckled. “Right…”

The two police officers left with that, and Izuku moved to next to Kozue.

“Kozu-san… we should go. Toshinori-san and Sho-chan need to rest, and we… w-we need to go to Mom and Sumire-san…”

Kozue didn’t reply.

She let out a heart-wrenching wail as she pulled Izuku into a hug, soaking the front of his bloodied costume with her big, fat, salty tears.

“K-Kozu-san, the dried blood is rubbing off onto your face…!”

The girl didn’t listen.

Izuku sighed.

“It’s… Nao-nee’s…”

The students from other classes had already been picked up by their parents, but the concerned mothers and fathers of class 1-A were still waiting for the police’s permission to take their kids home. Kozue was still at the school, too, as her mother wasn’t in a condition to collect her child.

“Mom doesn’t have a car… does that mean I have to go home by myself?” Izuku, now back to his school uniform, muttered, adjusting the fake glasses over his eyes. He had used Database a lot today, which now lashed back as an enormous headache, making his feet wobbly and unstable. Kozue, who had collected herself after crying onto Izuku’s chest at the infirmary, squeezed the boy into a one-armed side-hug, wrapping her wing protectively around the boy.

“Your mother contacted the school earlier, Midoriya-kun,” a familiar voice said from somewhere on the two’s left, and they turned to meet their small mammalian principal.

“Meaning…?” the green-haired boy tilted his head in puzzlement.

“Her old friend is coming to pick up both you and Miroki-san, as well as Yagi-kun, who she seems to know for some reason. I assume you know and remember Bakugou Masaru-san?”

Izuku nodded. “Bakugou’s dad. Why him, though? Mom’s better friends with Mitsuki-san than Masaru-san…” the boy went on with his usual mumbling for a while, before shutting up and shooting a confused glance at the principal.

“Toshinori-san, too?”

The animal nodded.

“Yes. I wonder why…”

Okay, Izuku had to snort in amusement, now.

“Really subtle, Mom, really subtle…”

“Ooh?” Kozue hummed, catching the boy’s drift.

Toshinori, still tired and only barely stifling his yawns, joined the two right before Bakugou Masaru arrived, stepping out of the car with worried expression on his face.

“Izuku-kun…? Are you all right?” he asked from the green-haired boy.

Izuku shook his head.

“It hurts more than the last time we saw each other.”

The gentle, brown-haired man gasped. “Were you that badly injured?!”

Izuku shook his head again.

“I wasn’t even scratched.”

“Then, why—”

“I watched someone I thought to be invincible, someone I looked up to as a mentor, a friend, and as a sister, die today, Masaru-san. Please don’t talk to me. I want to go home.”

The bespectacled brunet nodded in understanding and motioned the boy to get into the car. He then glanced at the other two people waiting with the boy.

“And, I believe the two of you are coming as well? Miroki Kozue-san, we’ve met before, and… uh, I’m sorry. I believe I haven’t caught your name yet, sir?”

Toshinori chuckled.

“Yagi Toshinori. I’m a teacher here, and because of my more or less poos health, Midoriya Inko-san has apparently taken me under her wing and practically ordered me to come to her house with Young Midoriya.”

“Mm-mmh,” Izuku hummed loudly from the backseat of Bakugou-san’s car. “Keep telling yourself that, Toshinori-san.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“As if you don’t know, Toshinori-san.” Kozue joined the teasing and climbed into the car next to Izuku, leaving the shotgun to the long-limbed blond.

Chapter Text

The school was suspended for a while, and even after that, Shoto, Izuku and Tsuyu didn’t show up for couple of days.

“Todoroki and Midoriya I understand, but why Tsuyu-chan?” Kirishima muttered, looking around the class one morning to find five seats empty—the aforementioned three’s, Nao’s and Bakugou’s—and a large, white chrysanthemum placed onto the red-haired girl’s desk.

“About that…” Uraraka muttered. “I got into touch with Midoriya-kun last night. Apparently Tsuyu-chan and Nao-san confessed to each other before Nao-san… ugh I can’t say it out loud.”

“They confessed? They had feelings towards each other?” Ashido gasped.

“That’s so cute!” Hagakure swooned. “But at the same time, it’s so sad it’s ripping my heart into tiny pieces!”

“Poor Asui-san…” Yaoyorozu muttered.

The door was slid open, and Present Mic stepped in.

“Let’s start the class, listeners.”

The Voice Hero lacked his usual loud peppiness, indicating that the teachers were also torn about the death of their student and the injury of three of their co-workers.

And, I mean, sure they were worried about the fact that the school security had been breached, but the death of a student had been ever bigger blow to the gut.

Meanwhile, Blue and Green had been sought out by a lone amphibian girl they knew very well.

“Midoriya-chan, Todoroki-chan, I have a favor to ask from you.” Tsuyu said determinedly, looking into the covered eyes of the two boys clad in their Vigilante gears.

Green—no, Izuku—nodded and lowered the fabric mask in front of his mouth.

“All right, but please refrain from calling us by our actual names when we’re wearing these outfits. I mean, sure we revealed our identities back at USJ, but only to the people who heard us. The police and media, or the public in general, doesn’t know about it yet.”

Tsuyu nodded.

“Should I call you Green-chan and Blue-chan, then?”

Izuku gasped.

“Omg, that’s actually cute.”

Shoto nodded along.

“So, what did you want to ask from us?”

Tsuyu took a deep breath.

“I want to get the same dragon tattoo as Nao-san onto my arm.”

Izuku simply nodded.

“You never stroke me as a rebellious delinquent type, but… considering that you fell for Miroki Nao, I should’ve known better. Come with us, we were just about to visit the man ourselves.”

He gestured the girl to follow them.

“Also, try covering your hair and head. And, if you can, keep your hand on your sides. Your hairstyle and body posture are unique and easily recognizable.”

Tsuyu nodded, pulled up the hood of the light jacket she was wearing, and straightened her back.

“Ribbit. Good enough?”

The two boys nodded and led the way.

The tattoo artist greeted the two boys like they were the most powerful mafia in the country, and shot an intrigued, questioning glance towards the girl who came in with them.

“Umm… a new member?” he asked.

Izuku chuckled and removed the ski goggled he had put on, even though he usually didn’t wear such a thing as Green.

“She’s Red’s girlfriend. Wants the same dragon tattoo as her.” the tattoo artist flinched at the sight of the burn scar around the boy’s right eye. Izuku paid the action no mind and continued;

“Don’t worry, we’ll properly pay you this time.”

The tattoo artist nodded.

“Would that be everything, or are the young masters getting something, as well?”

Izuku nodded and removed his hood, showing the man his right ear.

“Old one was melted off.”

Shoto removed his hood and goggles, as well, and surprised Tsuyu by revealing that his hair had been—hopefully temporally—dyed black, and he wore warm brown contact lenses. The scar around his left eye was still there, of course, but he looked nothing like the usual Todoroki Shoto. And, taking another look at Izuku, Tsuyu realized that the boy’s hair was black as well.

In the end, Izuku got two new piercings to his burnt ear—the skin had proved to be more sensitive after Bakugou’s loving care, so the procedure had been very uncomfortable—and a small frog silhouette next to the dog paw print on his inner ankle. Shoto had taken the same little frog, as well as a large and colorful—mostly black, green and various shades of red—tattoo depicting a traditional Japanese dragon and several chrysanthemums onto his left shoulder, reaching all the way to his elbow.

“To… Blue-chan sure looks like a Yakuza member now, huh…” Tsuyu muttered as the tattoo artist prepared to start the work on her right arm. A black frog silhouette, similar to the one the boys had taken, had already been inked onto the girl’s left ankle. She was now officially a part of the Cerberus.

The man chuckled.

“I’ve heard rumors, Cerberus.” he glanced at the two boys. “That you kiddos haven’t been killing since, what, three years ago, because you aim to become real Heroes.”

The two nodded.

“That’s right. I mean, we probably end up ending couple of bastards, but mostly, we’re refraining from the fun.” Izuku, back in his full Vigilante gear, shrugged.

“Oi. Your psychopath is showing.” Shoto, also fully clothed and covered, jabbed his foot at the shorter male’s calf.

“Ow.”

The three returned to school two days later, Izuku and Shoto immediately getting ambushed by their classmates.

“Midoriya, Todoroki, dudes!” Kirishima exclaimed loudly. “You two, plus Nao-san, are the Cerberus?!”

The flabbergasted boys nodded in unison.

“That’s like, so cool! Guys, can you teach me some hand-to-hand combat? Or, whatever you use to fight Villains!” Kaminari joined his friend, and several others nodded along them.

“O-okay…? This isn’t the response I was prepared for.” Izuku muttered. “I thought you guys would resent us. I mean, we’re vigilantes. Only one step away from fucking Villains.”

“Okay, Midori, that’s bullshit.” Ashido pushed her way to the green-haired boy’s desk. “I mean, you guys only fought Villains and corrupted Pro Heroes who were just as bad as the people they supposedly fought? You’re more like underground Heroes!”

“Like Aizawa-sensei!” Uraraka and Hagakure chirped.

“Oh, yeah!” Kirishima gasped as he seemed to remember something. “Do you guys have this new messaging app? It’s totally free, and you can choose your own username and…” the boy went off ranting about the app he mentioned. Shoto and Izuku nodded.

“Yeah, we have that.”

“Then let’s make a class group chat!” Kirishima grinned. “And Iida! We’re downloading the app to your phone as well!”

The teacher hadn’t arrived yet, so the whole class decided to try out the chat, which Kirishima had boringly named “1-A class chat”.

RedRI0T: Eyyy guys how’s it going

can’tCmenowhuh: Is that you Kirishima-kun

RedRI0T: yeah
RedRI0T: and I bet that’s u hagakure

can’tCmenowhuh: Yep
can’tCmenowhuh: I almost asked how did you know but
can’tCmenowhuh: Invisibility

Actually_Satan: oh hey Kirishima is that username based on the pro hero Crimson Riot?
Actually_Satan: it’s so cool

RedRI0T: w HO ARE YOU
RedRI0T: I JUST ADDED EVERYONE’S PHONE NUMBERS I DON’T KNOW YOUR USERNAMES

Actually_Satan: take a guess
Actually_Satan: I’m Satan, duh

Burnt_Popsicle: It’s Izu

Actually_Satan: Sho-cHAN don’t tattle on me!

RedRI0T: hOLy fuck todoroki YOUR USERNAME

Burnt_Popsicle: Nao-nee came up with it
Burnt_Popsicle: And had Izu to change it
Burnt_Popsicle: It was originally freezinurheart~

defyingravity: And who came up with that one

Actually_Satan: Kozu-san
Actually_Satan: and I bet my right eye that’s you Uraraka

defyingravity: Obviously

CreatE: I don’t understand Midoriya-san’s username.
CreatE: Why would he be Satan? Aside from the vigilantism, he seems to be a sweet boy.

Burnt_Popsicle: You don’t know him
Burnt_Popsicle: Nao-nee might have been the leading head of the Cerberus, but the mastermind behind everything was definitely Izu
Burnt_Popsicle: I’m dating an actual demon

chidori: which reminds me
chidori: the ability to make out in perfect silence is cool and all, but pls learn to make some noise
chidori: the school hasn’t been in session for long and I’ve already walked in on you two eating each other’s faces more times than I’m comfortable with
chidori: why did u guys learn to make no sounds while making out anyway

Actually_Satan: u learn to appreciate completely silenced actions when ur big sis is blind as a bat but can hear a mouse fart within 5 km radius
Actually_Satan: so sorry ‘bout that
Actually_Satan:  also are you Kaminari and is that a Naruto reference

chidori: I’VE BEEN FOUND OUT

tail: Kaminari watches Naruto?

Kakashi: at least I’m not the only one
Kakashi: wait since Midoriya got the reference he must have watched it, too

Actually_Satan: if that’s u Shoji I’m jumping out of the window

Kakashi: yes I’m Shoji and please don’t jump out of the window

Actually_Satan: wouldn’t be the first time

IidaTenya: That concerns me, Midoriya-kun.

meltY: SOMEONE TAKE IIDA’S PHONE AND CHANGE HIS NAME TO EMERGENCY EXIT
meltY: OR CLASSREP I DON’T CARE

Frroppy: onw

Iida’s phone was snatched away from his hand by Tsuyu’s long tongue, making everyone snicker.

“Do it, Tsuyu-chan!” Izuku covered his mouth with the back of his hand.

                      IidaTenya changed their username

EMERGEncyexIT: is this better

meltY: ah, this is glorious
meltY: thank you Tsuyu-chan

suGARRRRRRRR: I can’t believe this

ducttapinmylife#together: bless Tsuyu-chan

Frroppy: no problem
Frroppy: but the teacher sure is late

defyingravity: Yeah
defyingravity: Are we allowed to leave if no one comes

Uraraka’s question worked like magic, and the classroom door was pushed open. Everyone either gasped or yelped in surprise as the vaguely Aizawa-resembling mummy made a beeline to the teacher’s desk.

“Put your phones away, everyone. The lesson is starting.”

“Yes, sir…” everyone shuffled their phones into their pockets.

Aizawa, his face hidden behind the bandages, started the homeroom by announcing the nearing UA Sports Festival. The class got wild again, excited over the famous big event.

As the lunchtime arrived and the class dispersed, most of them towards the cafeteria, Izuku and Shoto were called out by a familiar, buff Pro Hero.

“There you are, Young Midoriya, Young Todoroki. Mind accompanying me for a lunch?” All Might, clad in black suit and dark red tie, proposed as he walked towards the two and Iida, Uraraka and Tsuyu, who accompanied the two.

Shoto nodded.

“I don’t see why not… sir.”

“See you three after lunch, then!” Izuku grinned at their friends, and followed All Might to the teacher’s lounge with Shoto. The Hero let his form deflate as soon as the door closed behind the three.

“So… you wanted to talk, Toshi-san?” Izuku asked.

The tall man nodded and took a seat at the sofa, gesturing the two teenagers to sit on the other one across the table.

“Yes…” Toshinori offered the two some green tea, which they accepted politely. “I relayed your, The Cerberus’, terms and conditions of cooperation to Tsukauchi. The Police has accepted all of them.”

Izuku choked on his tea. “That was easier and faster than I thought? Are they really that desperate?” he wheezed between his coughs.

Toshinori nodded. “They are. Though, I’m a bit amazed you two had balls to set those conditions…

---

Toshinori coughed up a mix of green tea and his own blood as the two young vigilantes finished listing the conditions they wanted the police to agree to before they could expect any kind of collaboration from them.

“Complete immunity from law? You mean, you want the police’s, no, the government’s approval of whatever you do as The Cerberus?” the man choked. The boys nodded in unison.

“Yeah. We want full rights to do whatever we want, and whenever we want, including fighting and even killing Villains. During or outside school.” Shoto nodded.

“We will obey the teachers at school, of course, but if the League attacks, we want to be excluded from the “students” who are primally to be kept away from fights.” Izuku continued for his boyfriend. “Also, we want All Might’s personal protection to our families, excluding Endeavor. He doesn’t need protection from the Villains, he needs protection from us. But, of course, “our families mean my mom, Shoto’s mom and siblings, Sumire-san, and Kozu-san.”

Toshinori nodded in understanding. “You can count me on that “us”. Hearing Sumire-san’s story… well, you know what I think of that man. Is there anything else you two want to add?”

The boys nodded again.

“We define the heads of the Cerberus.”

Toshinori looked into Izuku’s eyes in puzzlement.

“What does that mean, my boy?”

---

“What does the thing about you defining the heads of the Cerberus mean, again? You didn’t give me the answer last time.”

Izuku and Shoto nodded at each other and removed the footwear from their left feet, lifting them for the tall man to see.

“Nao-nee’s girlfriend is one of us.”

Toshinori sighed at the sight of the small frog next to the paw print. “Young Asui? Please don’t tell me you made her to take a tattoo onto her ankle, too.”

The boys put their socks and shoes back on and shook their heads.

“We didn’t make her to take any tattoos, Toshi-san.”

“She hunted us out and made us to take her to the guy who tattooed us before.”

Toshinori groaned.

“She has a tattoo, as well?”

Izuku shook his head. “She has two, but you don’t have to know that. She’s our new shadow member, but she can do whatever she wants, too, as long as she’s with either one of us.”

“Well, I can’t say no at this point, anymore… so, have it your way.”

Izuku beamed at the man. “Of course! Oh, and I have a little something to the police.” the green-haired boy pulled out two notebooks, similar to the ones he used for his Hero Analysis, but these two were titled “League of Villains – Green’s observations”. Toshinori accepted them and opened the volume one.

The amount of information cramped onto the first page left him taken aback. He flipped through the pages, admiring the neat handwriting, easily understandable diagrams of each Villain’s strengths, and the long and detailed descriptions of their Quirks. Izuku had even drawn a detailed picture of every Villain he introduced in the notes. Toshinori returned back to Shigaraki after briefly going through all the material he had been handed.

“Shigaraki Tomura is merely his Villain name?” he questioned. “Why does “Shimura Tenko” sound somewhat familiar…?”

Izuku shrugged. “Shimura is pretty common surname, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you knew someone else with that name. But, if you want, I can gather his family tree for you, if you want.”

Toshinori shook his head. “That would be too dangerous. You’d need to find him and take a look at him with your Quirk, right? I can’t ask you to do that… not as your teacher, but as a…”

The green-haired wonder scoffed.

“Hey, do you seriously think that I wouldn’t know that you’re dating my mom, Toshi-san. We saw you two on a date a while back. Like… seven months, was it, Sho-chan? Or eight?”

The dual-haired boy hummed absentmindedly.

“Huh, did you say something, Izu? I, uh, got distracted. There was a pretty bird outside. It reminded me of you.”

Izuku slapped the back of Shoto’s head.

“S-stop it…!” the green-haired boy was blushing an impressive shade of red.

Toshinori chuckled.

The three changed topics after that, wandering from one to another until Izuku and Shoto’s phones went off. Their classmates had started another conversation in the new group chat.

chidori: yo midoriya todoroki
chidori: so I heard from uraraka iida and tsuyu-chan that you two were snatched away by All Might
chidori: anyway what did he want

Actually_Satan: stuff
Actually_Satan: y’know, we kinda had some stuff to sort out with him
Actually_Satan: or should I say that he’s acting as a middle man between the Cerberus and the police
Actually_Satan: we actually have a permission to do whatever the fuck we want, I mean if the fucking handyman Shigaraki waltzed in right now I could stab the bitch and no one could do anything about it

Burnt_Popsicle: What Izu means is that the police won’t arrest us
Burnt_Popsicle: We’re kinda like underground Heroes now
Burnt_Popsicle: That rule extends to all the heads of the Cerberus, so if we accepted a new member, they would be allowed to legally commit murder, as well

RockUxoxo: that’s kinda unsettling y’know
RockUxoxo: better not mess with you guys, then
RockUxoxo: did you hear that Kaminari

chidori: wouldn’t’ve fucked with those two anyway
chidori: they’re the top of the class
chidori: also
chidori: h AVE YOU GUYS SEEN MIDORIYA
chidori: he look like a cute smol bean with his uniform on but that little shit is rIPPED AF
chidori: like how even

Actually_Satan: well I’ve been training with Nao-nee and Sho-chan since I was 5
Actually_Satan: and I’ve always thought that my Quirk was purely mental
Actually_Satan: so
Actually_Satan: it’s only natural
Actually_Satan: anyhow HOW COULD YOU CALL ME RIPPED WHEN I LOOK LIKE A POPSICLE STICK NEXT TO ALL MIGHT
Actually_Satan: and, let’s be real, Endewhore has better muscles than me too
Actually_Satan: his only good point

RedRI0T: Ende what now

defyingravity: Is that Endeavor

meltY: isn’t that todoroki’s dad

Burnt_Popsicle: Let’s be real, he’s a piece of shit
Burnt_Popsicle: Why do you think I have a 10 years old scar around my left eye

can’tCmenowhuh: Your dad did that?!

Burnt_Popsicle: Actually my mom did but it was because my left side reminded her of Endewhore
Burnt_Popsicle: I mean he abused not only me (though he calls it training), but my siblings (one in the house, one ran away and the third one is living at university dorms) and mom too
Burnt_Popsicle: So everyone in that fucked-up household hates him
Burnt_Popsicle: And Mom kinda snapped finally and poured hot water onto my eye

Actually_Satan: and then Sho-chan, 5 years old, ran away from home and ran into Nao-nee and Kozu-san

Burnt_Popsicle: Should’ve stayed with them though

“Who are you two chatting with?” Toshinori asked fatherly. Izuku showed his phone’s screen at him.

“The class.”

Toshinori nodded. “Tell them All Might said hi.”

“Right away.”

Actually_Satan: anyways All Might said hi, we’re putting our phones away now and enjoying our lunch in the presence of this blessing of mankind

Burnt_Popsicle: For a such a giant, All Might sure eats little
Burnt_Popsicle: I mean I’m pretty sure it’s because the Noumu made a mess out of his digestive system but
Burnt_Popsicle: How hasn’t he collapsed from malnutrition yet
Burnt_Popsicle: This is ridiculous

Actually_Satan: np sHO-CHAN it’s magic

Burnt_Popsicle: Whatever you say
Burnt_Popsicle: All Might fanboy

Actually_Satan: hey Sho, I have a cool piece of advice for u

Burnt_Popsicle: Oh no this isn’t good
Burnt_Popsicle: “Cool advice” is never good

Actually_Satan: take a swan dive off the roof

Burnt_Popsicle: Izu I thought you loved me

Actually_Satan: I heard it originally from Bakugou

Burnt_Popsicle: I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME IZU WHY DID YOU QUOTE THAT BASTARD AT ME

meltY: GAYYYYY

Frroppy: Mina-chan
Frroppy: eat

ducttapinmylife#together: but asui—Tsuyu-chan u gotta agree that those two are pretty gay

Actually_Satan: like you’re one to say, Sero
Actually_Satan: I know you have a crush for Kaminari
Actually_Satan: but I also know that stun gun boi has a thing for Jirou

chidori: what the fUCK MIDORIYA I DO NOT

ducttapinmylife#together: whoa midoriya what the fuck
ducttapinmylife#together: I'm not crushing on Kami

Actually_Satan: yea keep telling yourself that Sero

RockUxoxo: whoa what
RockUxoxo: Kaminari?

chidori: I absolutely do not

meltY: try not to blush a shade redder than Kirishima’s hair next time you say that

                      RedRI0T added 3 new contacts

RedRI0T: sorry ‘bout that
RedRI0T: I didn’t have Kouda, Aoyama, or mineta’s numbers
RedRI0T: I just got them

GRABe: so this is where all the girls chat

tail: the whole class actually
tail: Mineta you aren’t the only guy in our class

Frroppy: Kirishima-chan why
Frroppy: I don’t like Mineta

CreatE: He is a part of our class, Asui-san

Frroppy: call me Tsuyu-chan

GRABe: Tsuyu-chan!

Frroppy: not you
Frroppy: no one really cares about you here, you filthy, perverted little gremlin

defyingravity: Whoa who are you
defyingravity: And what did you do to our Tsuyu-chan

Actually_Satan: whoa there Tsuyu-chan
Actually_Satan: did you just quote Nao-nee

Frroppy: from memory

Actually_Satan: well you remembered it right from word to word

defyingravity: Some context please

can’tCmenowhuh: when did our adopted and brilliant and missed big sister Nao-san say such a glorious thing

meltY: and why wasn’t I hearing it

Frroppy: USJ

Actually_Satan: they almost became her last words

chidori: that would’ve been glorious

RedRI0T: you say that, Kaminari
RedRI0T: what were her last words then

Actually_Satan: Tsuyu-chan
Actually_Satan: u tell them
Actually_Satan: or don’t if it makes u cry

Frroppy: I won’t cry
Frroppy: Nao-chan’s last words were “come on, just kill me already so Tsuyu-chan doesn’t need to suffer in my heat”
Frroppy: and I think I should inform you people that Nao-chan was my girlfriend
Frroppy: anyway the lunch is ending soon
Frroppy: see you in the class, Midoriya-chan, Todoroki-chan

meltY: aren’t we going to discuss the fact that Nao-san’s death just got 100 times sadder
meltY: guys

The class 1-A was met with an enormous crowd having gathered in the front of their classroom as the lunch ended. Mineta started yelling at them, demanding them to let them pass through, but no one moved. Izuku sighed and stepped forward.

“Excuse the gremlin’s spouting, everyone.” he pushed the short boy away from one foot. “Anyways, I believe you people are here to… scout us out? Examining the enemy? I mean, the Heroics department is going to be in the spotlight during the Sports Festival, right? And, I guess our class is pretty famous, having been attacked by Villains at school grounds and all…”

Some of the girls in the group gasped.

“No one told me there was someone that delinquent-looking in Class 1-A!”

“He’s… kinda… cute, though?”

“You’re right! How?!”

Izuku chuckled.

“Oh. Thanks, whoever called me cute. I guess?”

He flashed a bright, innocent smile at the crowd, making the girls squeal.

“Oh my GOD!”

“I want to hug him~!”

Izuku flinched.

“Whoa! Calm down, I’m not for just anyone to cuddle!”

Several of the boys, both from class 1-A and others, silently scowled at the green-haired cutie.

Damn you, burned broccoli boy…!

A tall, tired-looking boy with purple hair and amazing bags under his eyes stepped from the group, standing tall in front of Izuku. Izuku looked straight into the boy’s light purple eyes over the rim of his glasses.

Shinsou Hitoshi… Quirk, Brainwashing? That’s kinda amazing. He looks like he’s intending to use it on me, though…

“You’re… annoying. Shorty.”

Izuku shrugged Shinsou’s comment off.

“I guess I came off a bit too charming, did I, Sho-chan? I bet the guys are pretty annoyed at me now.” he addressed his ice and fire-using boyfriend instead. His bright, green eyes never left Shinsou’s tired purple ones, though.

“Yes, and cocky as well, just now. Answer to the guy who speaks to you, Izuku.”

The green-haired boy chuckled lightly, making the girls from other classes swoon again.

“I would, but if he see’s me as an enemy, I can’t really do that. His Quirk that allows him to control people activates when the person he’s trying to control answers directly to anything he says to them.”

Shoto hummed. “That’s pretty cool, though.”

“Right?” Izuku grinned. “Just imagine how useful his Quirk would be in Hero work. Calming panicking people, ordering Villains to simply turn themselves in or to not resist capture… I bet I could come up with more if I had time to think.”

“You’re right.”

“Too bad he’s not in Heroics department… General Education class 1-C, Shinsou Hitoshi. You better remember him, Sho-chan, he’s amazing.”

Shinsou growled, getting impatient and jittery under Izuku’s observing, unwavering eyes.

“I won’t control you, Broccoli, so tell me how the fuck are you doing that. How do you know my name and my Quirk?”

Izuku nodded. “That’s… my Quirk. Also, my name is Midoriya Izuku, not broccoli. It was really nice to meet you, Shinsou-kun, I’d like to become friends with you. But, we really need to get back into our classroom now, so… can you move? Please?”

The tall boy stumbled out of the green-haired boy’s way, and the people behind him did the same. Until, another tall—this time beefier—boy stepped onto his path.

“Oy oy oy oy! Don’t go forgetting your neighboring class, Broccoli boy!” the boy, who had longish, silvery gray hair and thick and pale… eyelashes? around his black eyes. Izuku locked his eyes with the boy’s, again over the rim of his glasses.

“Oh my God. No offense, but what were your parents on when they named you?”

“Rude!” the boy barked.

“Whoa, Midoriya? Is the class B guy’s name that ridiculous?” Kirishima, having followed the boy now dubbed as Broccoli through the narrow path that had been created in the midst of the other students.

“It’s…” Izuku spluttered as he tried not to laugh. “N-not that bad…”

“Don’t laugh at me, shrimp!”

Izuku fell silent and serious in a split second. “The name’s Midoriya Izuku. A bit boring, I admit…”

He pushed the beefy and heavy boy gently away from his path and walked past.

“…but at least it’s better than Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu.”

Half of class 1-A, alongside with most of the other students, broke into a heartfelt laughter.

“A what, now?!” Kirishima, Kaminari, and Sero wheezed, the first two patting Tetsutetsu’s shoulders. “S-sorry bro, we know it’s not nice to laugh, but…”

The silver-haired boy growled.

“I know! My name’s ridiculous!”

Shoto snuck out of the Todoroki household that night, leaving a note that he went over to a friend’s, and appeared at the doorstep of the big, barrier-free house where Kozue and Sumire had moved into with Izuku, Inko, and Toshinori only couple of days earlier, around eleven thirty in the evening. Inko, who opened the door, welcomed the boy with a bright smile.

“It’s quite late, Shoto-kun. Did you sneak out again?” the green-haired woman asked, steering the boy towards Izuku’s room. Kozue ambushed her half-brother with a dash-and-launch hug as the two were walking through the spacious living room.

“Sho!”

“Ow! Don’t tackle me, Kozu-san!”

Izuku peeked from the door of his room.

“Did I hear Sho-chan?!”

Izuku and Shoto both stayed up until the wee hours of the night. Shoto lazed on Izuku’s bed, while Izuku was sitting at his desk, working on something on the computer. Their phones vibrated as someone sent new messages to the group chat.

MadBanquetOfDarkness: so, Midoriya

Izuku snickered as he read the username. “I bet a bag of chips that this is Tokoyami.”

“What?” Shoto mumbled, tired, and pulled out his own phone as well.

MadBanquetOfDarkness: I understand that you probably didn’t mean it literally
MadBanquetOfDarkness: but when you mentioned stabbing Shigaraki earlier
MadBanquetOfDarkness: I couldn’t help but think that you carry a knife around at school
MadBanquetOfDarkness: you don’t, right?

Actually_Satan: uh, about that
Actually_Satan: I do, actually
Actually_Satan: ever since USJ

meltY: what the heck guys it’s 3:26

Actually_Satan: yet you’re alive too, Ashido
Actually_Satan: shit I mean awake

meltY: yES I AM ALIVE

Burnt_Popsicle: Izu put your phone down
Burnt_Popsicle: And come to sleep
Burnt_Popsicle: Or is this one of those insomniac phases of yours

Actually_Satan: yes
Actually_Satan: I’ll come to cuddle u until u fall asleep tho

meltY: gayyyyyyyyyy

chidori: what is this?
chidori: midoriya and todoroki are sharing a bed?
chidori: where are you guys anyway

Actually_Satan: at my place.
Actually_Satan: I live at a big house with my mom, Kozu-san and her mom, and
Actually_Satan: oh shit
Actually_Satan: uh
Actually_Satan: a pro hero?

meltY: no shit who

Actually_Satan: not telling but a lot nicer person than Endead

chidori: who

Burnt_Popsicle: Endewhore
Burnt_Popsicle: Since he’s dead to us

chidori: can I come over some time

Actually_Satan: absolutely not

chidori: fuck
chidori: anyways
chidori: can I ask
chidori: which one of you tops

Actually_Satan: whAT THE FUCK KAMINARI

chidori: curious

meltY: me too

MadBanquetOfDarkness: me too actually

meltY: whoa are you Tokoyami

MadBanquetOfDarkness: yes

Burnt_Popsicle: so which one of us is top?
Burnt_Popsicle: this is Izu btw my phone’s battery died
Burnt_Popsicle: to answer the question it depends
Burnt_Popsicle: it varies from time to time

meltY: who did last time

Burnt_Popsicle: last time? I did

chidori: which one of you is speaking

Burnt_Popsicle: Who knows
Burnt_Popsicle: clearly not Kaminari

chidori: fuck u guys

Burnt_Popsicle: alluring offer but no thnx
Burnt_Popsicle: We’re satisfied with each other thank you
Burnt_Popsicle: speaking of which
Burnt_Popsicle: bye we have stuff to do

meltY: at 3 am? oh my god no
meltY: Midori isn’t ur mom sleeping in the same house
meltY: you two are terrible

Chapter Text

The remaining two weeks before the Sports Festival passed in a blink of an eye, and the morning of the big day arrived. Izuku and Kozue, who had finally gotten used to the new house, got themselves ready for the day.

“Remember, Izu, that just for today, we’re enemies.” the girl grinned challengingly as the two stuffed the breakfast down their throats.

“We don’t have to be. We can work together, too?” Izuku downed a class of orange juice. Kozue scoffed.

“Are you, Sho, and Tsuyu-chan going to do that?”

“To some point, at least.”

Kozue grinned, flailing her tail around and almost tripping Toshinori over with it.

“OH MY GOD TOSHINORI-SAN!” she gasped. “I’m so sorry!”

The gaunt man waved her apology off and gave her a small, reassuring smile. “No worries, Young Kozue. No harm done.”

Kozue retrieved her tail and curled it around the leg of the chair she was sitting on. Toshinori sat next to Izuku and patted his fluffy green hair. The man was sitting on Izuku’s right side, so the large burn scar was clearly visible to him. Izuku shot a questioning glance at him.

“Are you done with my hair, Toshi-san? You gotta start eating before my mom comes. She’s gonna get mad otherwise.”

Toshinori gave the green, unruly mob one last ruffle and started assembling a nutritional breakfast like his girlfriend—it felt weird calling a 41-year-old woman that, but Toshinori liked the sound of it—had taught him to do. Izuku and Kozue’s eyes trailed his movements intently while both of them continued eating the mountains of food in front of them.

“Oh? I see the all three of you are already started the day.” Inko’s cheerful voice carried from the entrance of the kitchen, and all three heads at the table turned to her, Toshinori coughing awkwardly and almost choking onto his food as he saw his lover’s get-up.

Inko had significantly lost weight and gained some healthy muscle since the start of the school year, making her appear younger than her actual age. Due this, her wardrobe had become loose and ill-fitting, so in order to get clothes that actually fit them, she had borrowed one of her son’s t-shirts—a piece of All Might merchandise, an orange shirt with red, white-outlined “Texas Smash!” printed onto the front—and pulled it on with a pair of ordinary blue jeans. She had also snatched a red, checkered flannel shirt out of her lover’s closet and tied it around her waist.

“Whoa! Inko-san, you look so young!” Kozue complimented the older woman.

“Why, thank you, Kozue-chan.” Inko took a seat at the chair next to the girl and picked out a balanced breakfast for herself. “Your mom should be coming shortly, too.”

That served as the clue for Sumire to roll her wheelchair into the kitchen. Ever since moving into the barrier-free house, the petite woman had become livelier and more independent. Today, too, she greeted her friends and family with a big, bright smile.

She and Inko were going to tag along with Toshinori to come to watch the Sports Festival in person. Principal Nezu had arranged the two women seats from the teachers’ seats, an area a bit separated from the rest of the stand.

“Good morning, Mom.” Kozue greeted her mother and finished the food in front of her. “Are you excited for today?”

Sumire nodded. “Yes.”

The big event itself was starting. Students had been divided into three stages by their grade level, like every year, and while usually the audience and Pro Heroes, who watched the Sports Festival either from television or in person, were more focused onto the third year stage, this year the main attraction was the first year stage.

Especially class 1-A, who, like everyone else, were waiting in their pointed waiting room for the event to start.

“Haah, I really would’ve wanted to wear my costume,” Ashido complained, tugging the sleeve of her gym uniform.

“To keep it fair, we can’t.” Ojiro explained with gentle voice, stretching his arms.

Everyone is nervous. Izuku noted. He sat in the corner of the room, twirling his compressed cane in his hand—he had received the official permission to use the support item, though he would’ve taken the thing with him anyway—and observed his classmates. He was currently trailing Kirishima with his eyes, and the spiky boy noticed the stare.

“Everything okay, Midoriya … whoa! Dude! Your eyes!” he gasped as his brain registered the unholy bags under the other boy’s green eyes, though it was more prominent against the undamaged skin on the left side of his face.

Izuku chuckled absentmindedly.

“I’m doing great.” the boy’s voice was nearly monotone, making Kirishima a bit uncomfortable. Shoto butted in, having been concentrating in the next corner by himself.

“Izu gets like that when he relapses into one of those insomnia cycles of his.”

Elsewhere in the room, the girls had been gathered around Tsuyu to admire her changed hairstyle as a way to distract themselves from the nervousness.

“It’s so pretty, Tsuyu-chan! How did you do it?” Ashido cooed, touching the long, thick fishtail braid with her pink fingertips.

“Isn’t that kind of hard to do? Or is it just me?” Uraraka tilted her head.

“It’s different from your normal style,” Yaoyorozu noted, “but since you’ve still managed to add the bow to the base of it, it’s still very you.”

Tsuyu grinned cutely at the compliments. “Thank you. I thought that a braid wouldn’t be on the way as much.”

Hagakure poked the frog girl’s head with her finger. “You didn’t answer Ashido’s question, Tsuyu-chan! How did you do it?”

Tsuyu turned her smile towards the invisible girl, and with a small tilt of her head, said, “It’s a secret, Tōru-chan.”

“Aww, come on!”

“Like… what?” Kirishima asked, his red eyes darting between the two vigilantes. Scary? Intimidating? Uhh…

“Like… that. Quiet, dead eyes, could be planning someone’s murder as far as I know. He’s rude, quick to anger, and his mouth is uncontrollable.” Shoto shrugged and closed his eyes again, leaning his head against the wall behind him. “Some sort of mix between Nao-nee and Bakugou. Has zero tolerance of any kind of bullshit.”

“Fuck you, Icyhot.” Izuku threw the folded staff at Shoto, hitting the boy’s head.

“Mmh, maybe later.”

Izuku was about to shoot something back at the dual-Quirk using boy, but was interrupted by Iida opening the door and announcing that they’d be entering the stage soon.

Inko and Sumire sat at secluded booth a bit nervously, surrounded by Pro Heroes teaching their children in daily basis. Toshinori, in his true form, sat next to the jittery ladies, chuckling softly.

“No one’s going to bite you, you know.”

Inko flushed red. “I-I know that! I’m just… nervous… to meet so many famous Heroes.”

Sumire nodded along, but eyes the said people suspiciously.

She accidentally made eye contact with Power Loader, and flinched violently before looking down onto her trembling hands clutching the fabric of her skirt.

“Could it be that you’re not fond of Heroes… Miroki-san?” the aforementioned Hero blurted out before he could control his mouth. All eyes in the booth turned to the petite woman in wheelchair.

“Y-yes…” Sumire admitted. “But, h-how do you know my name? I haven’t introduced myself yet.”

Power Loader cleared his throat. “Aside from the height and eye color, you have the same looks as Miroki Kozue, one of my most gifted students in the Support department. She has also mentioned it before that her mother is bound to a wheelchair, so I made assumptions.”

“Oh, I see… well, you’re right. Both about me being Kozue’s mother, and the fact that I am not fond of you Heroes.”

Their conversation was cut off as Present Mic, who had secluded himself and class 1-A’s homeroom teacher to the commentator’s booth, announced the students to the field.

“The miraculous new stars who overcame the enemy with their hearts of steel! Hero course, class 1-A!”

Inko barely suppressed a delighted squeal as she saw a familiar mob of unruly green hair lead the class to the field below. Izuku looked tired, because of the insomnia that came and went in irregular cycles, but he also seemed to be excited. The boy scratched the side buzz cut he had made Inko to cut above the scar on his face and yawned.

“Is he going to be okay…?” Sumire muttered. “Izuku-kun looks so tired…”

Inko chuckled. “My boy is strong, he’s going to be just fine!”

The women were too preoccupied with watching the students flow to the field and chatting with each other to notice Toshinori’s goofy, lovestruck grin as he looked at the green-haired woman next to him. His fellow teachers did their very best trying to hold down their snickers.

They’re totally a couple! She’s even wearing All Might merch shirt…!

A sharp sound of a whip slashing silenced the muttering students as Midnight, the R-rated Hero, stepped onto the podium in her scandalous Hero costume and called for the player pledge.

“What is Midnight-sensei even wearing?” Kirishima muttered, blushing slightly in embarrassment. Kaminari nodded, blushing as well, but in excitement more than in embarrassment.

“As expected for the R-rated Hero.”

“Is it okay for her to be teaching in a high school even though she’s R-rated?” Tokoyami questioned.

“Yes!” Mineta gave an enthusiastic, perverted thumbs-up while blushing and having a small nosebleed. Izuku glared at his short classmate with scorn and disgust and clicked his tongue.

“Damn you pervert…”

Shoto hissed quietly. “Try to tone it down, Mineta. You don’t want to make an enemy out of sleep-deprived Izuku.”

“Quiet down!” Midnight’s command, accompanied with another sharp lash from her leather whip, effectively silenced the students.

“Representing the students is Midoriya Izuku from class 1-A!”

Izuku yawned. “…me…?”

Sero shrugged somewhere behind him and gave him a light push to the back. “Well, you did finish second in the entrance exam.”

A caramel-haired girl from the General Education department sighed and glared at the heroes-in-training.

“In Hero course entrance exam. Moreover, Second? Shouldn’t it be the first?”

Izuku gave the girl a murderous glare. “She died at USJ attack.” He then dragged his feet to the stage set up in the middle of the field. Midnight stepped away from the mic to make room for the student. The student crowd—mainly the girls from other classes—began murmuring about the cure, scarred 1-A boy.”

“Please don’t be rude, Izu…” Shoto heard a faint, familiar grunt from the midst of the quiet muttering. He recognized Kozue’s voice.

Izuku cast a tired look over the students waiting for him to open his mouth before turning around to face the teachers’ booth and speaking into the microphone.

“I pledge to do my best to become the number one.”

The boys behind him weren’t pleased with his attitude, cursing about the damn broccoli boy again. Girls, though, were more accepting.

Izuku stumbled away from the stage and Midnight announced the first game.

“Every year, many drink their tears here! Now, here’s the fateful first game!”

A large hologram screen appeared behind the heroine, and the first game was soon displayed on it.

An obstacle course race.

“Oh, this should be easy.” Izuku muttered as the students gathered to the starting gate.

“Really? Then complete it without using your Quirks, Izu.” Shoto challenged his freckled boyfriend, who gave him a grin.

A grin that was nothing like his usual, blindingly bright and cute little grins that cured cancers and ended wars, famine and world poverty.

It was more like something Aizawa-sensei could do, and it frightened Shoto.

The race started, and everyone dashed to the large, but narrow once everyone forced themselves though corridor that led to the outside of the stadium where the event was held. The obstacle course had been built around the stadium, and Midnight had mentioned it to be four kilometers in length.

Kozue grinned as the other students tried to stuff themselves into the tunnel ahead. She was, like everyone else, wearing the UA gym uniform, but unlike the other departments, the students from Support department were allowed to wear and use whatever support items they had designed by themselves. Kozue had heat camera goggles, special boots, some gadgets on her forearms, and a utility belt full of small support items and weapons.

Uwah, Sho looks ready to freeze everyone. The girl whistled as she leisurely stood back and stretched her wings wide. I wouldn’t want to be caught in that.

Her tall height gave her bit of an advance as she charged towards the students stuck to the entrance of the corridor and used some of the shorter ones as a stepladder to soar over everyone in the tunnel.

“Sorry ‘bout that, whoever I stepped on!” she called out, maneuvering through the high-roofed tunnel.

“Kozu-san?!” she heard Izuku gasp in the midst of the angrily yelling students.

“Bye, shorty! We’re enemies today!” Kozue flapped her wings, almost hitting one of them to the wall, and finally emerged from the stuffy corridor.

“And the first one to emerge from the tunnel is… Support department student? Wait a second, I’m remembering who she is… yes! Class 1-G, Miroki Kozue! Oh, yeah, isn’t she the twin of the girl who died at USJ not too long ago, Mummy man?” Present Mic gave running commentary on the events, glancing towards the bandaged-up man sitting beside himself. Aizawa grunted angrily.

“Yes she is, but I’d appreciate if you didn’t mention that too much. You’re just rubbing salt to the wounds of everyone who was there that day. Including myself.” he kicked his high school classmate’s shin and growled again. “Also, don’t call me Mummy man.”

“Anyway!” Mic turned his attention back to the events on the obstacle course. “Miroki Kozue has been followed by 1-A’s Todoroki Shoto, who froze almost everyone to the ground! Following him are most of his classmates, who managed to avoid his ice! As expected from 1-A!”

Kozue didn’t fly the whole time, but instead landed shortly after exiting the tunnel and ran towards the first—actual—obstacle. She was quickly joined by Shoto, and the other 1-A students behind him.

“Are you going to freeze me, Sho?” the winged girl taunted.

“Only if you’re on my way.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet of you.”

Shoto glanced behind him, and Kozue automatically did the same.

“Aww, Izu’s struggling. Why isn’t he using his Quirk?” Kozue huffed in amusement.

“I dared him not to…fuck, that’s Mineta.” the two saw the short nasty grape approaching, creating a safe path for himself by tossing the sticky balls his hair formed onto the ground and hopping from one of them to another.

“The nasty grape boy you, Izu and Nao-nee have been bitching about?” Kozue sped up a bit, and so did Shoto. The boy nodded.

“Ew.” was Kozue’s reply.

“Todoroki!” Minera exclaimed in frustration as he got closer. “Why do you have hot chicks hanging around you all the time? It’s not like you’re going to do anything with them, you’re gay!”

Shoto growled.

“If he’s talking about me now, I’m going to slash him.” Kozue muttered under his breath.

“I’m going to end you, Todoroki! Take this! My special attack!” the small boy flying through the air shouted. He grabbed one of the balls on his head.

“Gra—” Mineta was smacked down by a green robot, and the impact made a loud metallic sound oddly satisfying to both Shoto and Kozue, but also pretty much anyone else from 1-A close enough to hear it.

Izuku stopped next his boyfriend.

“The faux villains from the entrance exam…” the green-haired boy muttered.

This is what they fought against? the other two thought.

Izuku placed his hand onto Shoto’s shoulder.

“Come on, Sho-chan. Kozu-san has declared us to be enemies just for today, but you promised to work with me.”

The other students screamed as more robots appeared, including the giant zero-pointers. Izuku whispered instructions into Shoto’s ear while most of the others behind them whined about not being able to defeat the monstrous robots and advance.

Present Mic announced the name of the first obstacle, Robo Inferno, proudly, and added that the robots were, in fact, the same thing the students who had taken the Hero course entrance exam in February had fought. He paused for a moment, grinning mischievously to his fellow teacher next to him, and added;

“Oh, that’s right, Eraserhead… two kids from your class went and destroyed those zero-point monstrosities during the exam, right? Let’s see… Miroki Nao, for one—sorry, I had to mention her again—and Midoriya Izuku, correct?”

Aizawa sighed. “Yes, those two. And look at that, Midoriya as clearly planning something with Todoroki.”

The “something” revealed to be Shoto freezing one of the zero-pointers into an unstable position and the two dashing through between its leg before it collapsed. Some others had tried to follow them, but Shoto’s warning voice had halted them just before the robot had come crashing down. Kirishima, as well as Tetsutetsu from class 1-B, had unfortunately been caught under it.

Though, thanks to Kirishima’s Hardening Quirk, the boy had sustained no injuries, and dug his way through the robot parts with angry roar. Tetsutetsu came up few seconds later, his entire being having transferred into shining, silvery steel.

“Our Quirks are pretty much the same?! I have hard enough time standing out as it is!” Kirishima wailed as he dashed after his classmates.

“Wait, you little—” Tetsutetsu roared, also lunging after Shoto and Izuku’s shrinking forms.

Kozue huffed and followed them, allowing her wings to rest for a moment while running with great speed. She quickly became aware of some extra weight clinging onto her tail.

“What—you’re the grape bastard from Shoto and Izu’s class!” she gasped as she saw Mineta hanging onto her tail with two of the sticky purple balls of his. The kid grinned.

“You’re going to help me get through this, right? Since you’re so good friends with my best buddies Todoroki and Midoriya?”

Kozue growled and swung her tail around violently. “Get off of my tail! You’re throwing me off-balance!”

She finally shook the kid off when they arrived to the second obstacle, but the purple things remained stuck onto her tail.

“Disgusting…”

“Hey, you!” the boy was persistent. “You have wings! Take me to the other side with you, I promise to keep still pressed against your boobs!”

Kozue was ready to whack Mineta with her tail, but she was beat by her friend and classmate, Tahara Mika, who jumped out of nowhere and landed onto Mineta.

“How dare you talk to Miroki-san like that, you nasty little asshole!” the blonde ball of condensed anger hissed at the hero-in-training.

Kozue sighed in relief. “Mika-chan…”

“You okay there, Miroki-san? He didn’t hurt you in any way?” Ueno Kazuhiro asked, placing his hand onto Kozue’s shoulder. “Isn’t he from 1-A? Some nasty perverts they let in there.”

Kozue nodded. “I’m fine. Moreover, I know Mika-chan has a way to get over this obstacle, but what about you, Kazu-kun?” she asked, looking at her classmate.

Kazuhiro was only barely as tall as Izuku, and his body was way thinner than the green-haired boy’s. Kazuhiro’s hair was short and dark shade of orange, and his eyes were canary yellow, which he squinted a lot. Not because he had bad eyesight or anything, he just had a funny habit.

Now, though, the bright-colored orbs widened in surprise before the boy coughed a bit awkwardly. “No… gotta crawl, I guess.” he admitted, looking at the ropes connecting the large stone pillars sticking out of the pit below together.

“If only I wasn’t afraid of heights…” he muttered.

“I can carry you, if you want. My flight is stable, and I bet you weight about half of Izuku, who I have been carrying around for years. You can keep your eyes closed if it gets too scary.” Kozue ruffled the boy’s orange hair.

“R-really?”

“Yes. Grab on.” the dragon-like girl opened her arms, and the orange-haired boy wrapped his arms around her neck, allowing the girl light him into the air. Mika grinned at them from under her messy, blonde bangs and stepped away from Mineta who she had stomped onto the ground.

“See you at the other side, then?” she grinned and activated the small but powerful jet back strapped onto her back.

“That’s so cool, Tahara-san,” Kazuhiro mumbled with awestruck eyes. “See you on the other side.”

Kozue nodded along, and rose above the ground with couple of strong flaps of her wings. Kazuhiro squeezed his eyes shut.

Kozue and Kazuhiro’s flight came to an abrupt end in the middle of the obstacle.

“You fly surprisingly stably, Miroki-san.” Kazuhiro mumbled while the girl expertly carried him over the pit. He kept his eyes tightly closed, but felt safe in the girl’s hold.

Kozue chuckled.

“Well, Izuku used to complain about my wobbly flying when we were kids, so I practiced a lot.” the older girl explained, and she tightened her hold around the boy’s torso.

She felt something touch the back of her large wings, and when she attempted to flap them again, her body jerked violently.

“Kyah!” she yelped. Her wings were stuck together behind her back.

“Damn you stupid bitch! If I can’t hitch a ride, why should that Support department loser get one?!” she heard Mineta’s annoying, angry voice wail somewhere behind her.

And she fell.

“M-Miroki-san?!” Kazuhiro tightened his hold on the girl’s neck, and Kozue tightened her own hold even more.

“I’m sorry, Kazu-kun…!” she flicked her tail as strongly as she could, managing to flip them over mid-air so she was shielding Kazuhiro’s body from the worst impact.

Which didn’t come when she thought it would, and the stone pillar she had hoped to land on missed them. They were falling to the pit.

“Mineta stuck my wings together and we fell into the pit…!” she explained to the boy in her arms with strained voice, clenching her teeth together.

And made contact to the bottom with many loud, sickening crunches and snaps, letting out a strained, pained yelp that partly died into her throat.

And everything went black.

Present Mic yelped in surprise as the winged girl from the Support department, carrying her classmate over the obstacle, got her wings stuck together by class 1-A’s Mineta’s Quirk. The girl flipped herself around in the air, shielding the much smaller student in her arms from the worst impact she clearly hoped to be with one od the pillars not too far below them.

But she missed, and the two continued their fall to the bottom of the pit where the cameras didn’t reach. The blonde girl, also from Support department, who had been chatting with the two before they started crossing the obstacle halted and, after the camera caught her horrified and worried expression, descended into the shadows after her friends.

“Whoa, there! Mineta from Class 1-A commits the most unheroic action I’ve ever seen in the history of UA Sports Festival! That should get him disqualified, but what am I to say? I’m only a commentator! The decision is Midnight’s!”

The picture on the large screens the spectators followed the race from momentarily switched to the R-rated Hero’s angry scowl.

“That looks like disqualification, doesn’t it, Eraserhead?” Mic asked, glanced at his friend, and screeched.

The underground Hero’s face might have been covered in bandages, but he was emitting so furious aura that his thoughts were made perfectly clear.

“And… your face looks like it’s screaming “immediate expulsion” at me, Eraserhead.”

“Damn right it is! I teach those kids to become people who saves others, not people who sends others falling into their possible deaths out of anger and frustration!” Aizawa growled, forgetting that the microphone in front of him caught everything, making the whose stadium hear his thoughts.

“Kozue!!” Sumire gasped in distress and gripped the armrests of her wheelchair as she watched her remaining daughter falling into the seemingly bottomless pit. Inko hurried to wrap her arms around the panicking woman.

“It’s all right, Sumire-san, it’s all right! There are good Heroes present to help her, and that blonde girl already went ahead! She’ll be all right!”

Sumire sobbed. “W-wa… w-what i-if she en… ends li-like me?”

Inko hugged the younger woman close. “She won’t. And even if she does, she’ll have many people on her side, supporting her. But I’m sure she won’t.” she continued calming and shushing Sumire as Toshinori stood up from his seat next to her and buffed up into his Muscle form.

“I’m going there with Cementoss and Recovery Girl. Young Kozue, and the boy who fell with her will both be all right.” he jumped down from the booth and over the seats in front of it, landing onto the arena near Midnight and Cementoss, who was already hurrying towards the obstacle course.

The screens were still showing Midnight’s angry expression, and All Might was caught on the camera for a short moment behind her.

The Symbol of Peace wasn’t smiling.

Chapter Text

Izuku and Shoto had been the first ones to clear the second obstacle as well, as Shoto froze icy paths for them to take and made them crumble as soon as they had crossed them. Several others had tried to use them as well, but as the ice crumbled away as soon as they cautiously touched it with the tips of their shoes, they had quickly decided against it.

Due their quick advance, the two were already at the third obstacle when Kozue and Kazuhiko went crashing down because of Mineta’s pettiness.

“Empty field…” Shoto muttered and looked around cautiously. Izuku huffed in tired amusement—the best laugh he could give when he hadn’t slept for 5 days straight.

“Yea, sure. Look at the ground, and if you can’t already take the hint from that, check those ginormous signs behind us.” the green-haired boy drawled, pointing his thumb over his shoulder. Shoto glanced behind them and snorted.

“Mine field—got it.”

“The others aren’t coming yet. Shall we race this? Both without Quirks?” Izuku proposed, whipping out his bo staff. Shoto flashed him a grin as the gesture of the acceptance of the challenge and squatted down to stretch.

“You’re on. I assume the mines aren’t dangerous, since this is only a game, but should we test how powerful they are before we go?”

Izuku yawned.

“Nah. Fucking floor it.” he left the dual-haired boy behind and hauled himself through the field. He used his staff to get over areas where the clearly marked mines were more densely placed, and avoided the others with great agility. Shoto followed close behind, doing occasional flips and hand-stands while he advanced. Both had trained gymnastics and parkouring for their vigilante work, so flipping through the minefield was a breeze.

The two cleared the thing exactly at the same time, and raced the rest of the way to the goal. The winner was ultimately Izuku, who was both faster than his boyfriend and vile enough to play it dirty, jabbing the staff at Shoto’s feet to trip him over just after they entered the tunnel leading back to the arena.

“Midoriya Izuku and Todoroki Shoto clears the last obstacle with astonishing agility!” Present Mic announced as he and all the spectators saw the two practically dance through the minefield without even setting off a single explosion. “And neither of them even used their Quirks! Eraserhead, your top two students are way too good at this! What are you teaching to them?!”

Aizawa scoffed next to the loud Hero.

“I didn’t do anything. Those two has been training on their own for years—Also notice how Midoriya didn’t use is Quirk even once during the race? He’s basically screaming “This is like a walk in a park! I don’t need something like a Quirk to do such a thing!” at us. Cocky little bastard.”

Present Mic grinned as his friend.

“Aww, look at who’s warming up to his top two students!”

“Shut up. Which one of the little shits is going to finish first is what you should’ve be focusing on.”

Mic agreed and turned his attention to the arena, where Midnight was waiting for the first student arriving.

“And here he comes… the first one to arrive back to the stadium id Midoriya Izuku! We have a WINNER!”

Death Arms, who had been positioned on security duty alongside with Kamui Woods and Mt. Lady, had stopped to watch the tournament from a big screen outside the stadium with Kamui while some reporters—or fans, the two males weren’t so sure anymore—started taking pictures of Mt. Lady, who posed for them with pleasure.

The winner of the first event was announced, and Death Arms almost didn’t recognize the green-haired boy from last year’s sludge Villain incident.

“Hey… is that the kid from the sludge Villain incident? Uhh… Midoriya-kun?” he asked from the shorter Hero, who squinted his eyes at the screen.

“The glasses and green hair says yes, but what happened to his face?! The Villains during the USJ incident not too long ago?” Kamui asked.

Izuku halted as soon as he heard Present Mic screech out his name. Shoto, arriving to the arena a bit later than him, whacked the back of his head with his hand while the audience cheered them both on loudly.

“Izu you dirty little bastard tripped me over.”

Izuku pushed his hand at the other boy’s face, giving him the nightmare of a lazy, tired grin.

“You should know by now that I usually play dirty.”

“Hand off my face.”

Midnight smoothed her angry, disappointed scowl and approached the two boys.

“Congratulations, both of you. I have never seen anyone clear the obstacle race as fast as you.” she then turned her blue, unwavering gaze to the green-haired winner. “Especially without using their Quirk even once. Like Aizawa said just now, you’re quite cocky little brat.” she smirked.

Izuku shrugged. “I’ve been told that a lot.” he then glanced behind him.

“I thought Kozu-san would be right behind us. Did something happen at the second obstacle?”

Midnight’s smile fell, and she turned her apologetic eyes to the ground.

“Miroki Kozue from Support department’s class 1-G?” she asked. Both Izuku and Shot nodded.

Midnight breathed in slowly and deeply.

“Your classmate, Mineta, stuck her wings together and made her, alongside with another Support department student she was carrying, to fall into the pit. I’m currently unaware of their injuries, but one of their friends seemed to voluntarily go down to check on them, and Cementoss, Recovery Girl, and All Might rushed there as soon as they saw what happened.”

As on the cue, Cementoss walked back to the stage. Midnight nodded at him.

“How are the students?”

Cementoss nodded back. “Both of them alive. Uhh… Miroki-san sustained most of the injuries, and is currently unconscious at Recovery Girl’s office, but it’s nothing Recovery Girl can’t heal with her Quirk.” the other teacher explained. His eyes then trailed to Izuku and Shoto.

“Two students already passed the race?!”

Izuku threw a lazy peace sign at the male teacher while Shoto’s concentration wandered elsewhere.

To be exact, to the bright flames barely visible in one of the passages behind the spectators’ seats.

He glared at his father, whose cold, turquoise eyes contrasted the bright, hot flames he kept alike on his face like a mask, seemed to drill a hole into the boy’s skull.

I came second, for fuck’s sake. Isn’t that enough for that asshole?! Shoto wanted to flip the man off, but subdued the urge and turned his attention to the tunnel, where the third student to pass the race arrived to the arena. Class B’s Shiozaki Ibara was a gentle and serene-looking girl with green, thorny vined growing out of her head in place of her hair. Following her was another class B student, whose mouth looked like the one of a bare skull and his hair was spiky and ash blonde. Iida was fifth, and before the sixth one exited the tunnel, Shoto returned his attention to Izuku.

“I wonder what’s the next event.”

Izuku shrugged. “You could try asking from Midnight, but I’m sure she won’t tell you.”

“Huh? When did you two arrive, Midoriya-kun, Todoroki-kun?” Iida asked from behind the two, who turned around and gave him a pair of smug—more (Shoto) or less (Izuku)—grins.

“Way before you guys,” Izuku drawled. Shoto nodded along and ruffled Izuku’s hair.

“Izu won by tripping me over with his bo staff.”

“I would’ve won anyway, Icyhot. I’m faster than you, Quirk or not.”

“Don’t go Bakugou on me, Izu!”

“Ew.”

Midnight announced the next game. Human cavalry battle, the students being given points according to their ranking in the first event. Izuku, who ranked first, was worth 10,000,000 points.

Ten. Fucking. Million.

“Well, fuck me. Now no one wants to team up with me.” the said green-haired boy grunted and scratched the back of his head.

“I want.” Shoto, worth 205 points, pointed out next to him. Izuku sighed.

“We’d need at least one other to be a balanced team, while I’m aiming for a four-man team… oh. I think I can collect a team I want if we do it fast.”

Shoto nodded. “Do tell me.”

Izuku just waved his hand at Shoto’s face. “Go convince Yaoyorozu to join. I’m fetching Shinsou.”

The hot-n-cold boy arced his eyebrow. “Shinsou? The Gen Ed kid?”

Izuku nodded. “He’s perfect.”

---

Hitoshi skimmed through the students who had advanced to the second event, looking for potential students to brainwash into being his teammates, when a tired, forcibly cheerful voice drawled out behind him.

“Shin—sou—ku—n!”

Hitoshi groaned and turned around.

“Wipe out that… thing off your face. What happened to the bright sunshine of a smile of yours?”

The broccoli boy—Midoriya—from class 1-A thankfully dropped the nightmare of a grin from his scarred face.

“I haven’t slept for five days is what happened.”

Hitoshi chuckled. “Now that’s a mood. What do you want?”

Midoriya scratched the back of his head. “Join my team. Me, Shoto, and Yaoyorozu from our class. You can ride.”

Hitoshi scrunched his face. “You’re worth ten million points alone. Why would I want to deliberately paint a huge target onto my back by teaming up with you?”

He watched Midoriya’s mouth twitch, not exactly a smile, but Hitoshi knew what the gesture was meant to be.

“You want to move to the Hero course, right?”

The purple-haired boy nodded to the other one’s question. Of course he wanted to the Hero course, that was the reason he had enrolled into UA in the first place. To become a Hero.

“That small grape bastard you might remember from our last encounter is surely going to be expelled after the stunt he pulled during the first event, so there’s a sure spot for you in our class. By teaming up with the top two—top three if you look at the academic studies—of class 1-A, you’ll display great teamwork and cooperation with us. The teachers will like that. Plus, me and Shoto in same team are an unstoppable force, so our team is surely going to finish first.”

Hitoshi hummed. “Interesting offer, to be honest…”

The green kid wasn’t done yet.

“I have a waterproof plan for winning, no matter how the ret of the competitors team up. As long as you and Yaoyorozu team up with us.”

Hitoshi nodded. Sounds fun, actually…

“Almost convinced,” he informed the shorter boy.

Midoriya sighed. “As I said, you can ride. Use your Quirk on our opponents, or if they’re smart enough not to answer, swing this at the rider’s torso. Avoid faces, it makes nasty work.” he pulled out something that looked like a 10-cm metal stick, and extended it into a nearly 2-meter staff. How the two meters compressed into ten centimeters was a mystery, but the staff looked cool.

“Allowed support item?” Hitoshi asked.

“I mean, I would’ve taken it with me either way, since the teachers really can’t say no to me… anyways, it’s my weapon. Depending on the setting you choose, it can give the target either an electric shock or a shock wave, kind of a pulse, which in turn are weaker or stronger depending on the force you put behind the swing.”

Hitoshi’s eyes gleamed as he hid a grin. “You got me. I’m in.”

“Brilliant. Let’s go.”

Shoto and Yaoyorozu met the two soon, and the new kids were introduced to each other. Izuku explained his plan to his teammates, and both Shinsou and Yaoyorozu were impressed by the greatness of Izuku’s brainwork. Shoto smiled a bit, proudly.

As the cavalry battle itself was about to start, Shinsou tied the white headband with their total points—10,000,430—printed onto it. The other three lifted him onto their shoulders—Shoto in the front, Izuku on the left and Yaoyorozu on the right—but not before all the carriers had changed their shoes to the roller skates Izuku had asked Yaoyorozu to create.

“So your Quirk is Creation? Can you create whatever you want?” Shinsou asked from the girl. Yaoyorozu nodded.

“Any non-living things, yes. Organic materials are fine, as long as they aren’t alive.”

“Cool. I can just make people do my bidding, it’s nothing glorious.”

The conversation was unfortunately ended as Midnight started the event, and the four were immediately attacked by the two teams nearest to them.

Just like Izuku had anticipated.

They dodged by Izuku using a small percentage of One for All to push them out of the other teams’ way. Shinsou swayed on the top a bit, but got the hang of it pretty quickly.

“Whoa there, short one, you’re strong.”

For a while, they just dodged, getting their movements in sync. When they did, it was the time—quoting Izuku—to choose their opponents for the final event.

“Team Asui looks like a fun fight. Should we spare them?” Izuku asked, trailing the said team with his eyes.

“Asui?” Shinsou asked, searching for the team the other boy mentioned, before Yaoyorozu pointed it out.

“Asui-san—Tsuyu-chan—is that frog-like girl. Her teammates are Tokoyami-san in the front, Ashido-san in the right wing and Sero-san in the left.”

“Oh. Tokoyami’s Quirk is pretty cool…”

“Shinsou, on the right!” Izuku warned the boy on the top as a team consisting of three class B members—one of which was Tetsutetsu as the front horse, while a blond-haired boy rode. They recognized Shiozaki, who had become third in the first event—and a pink-haired girl Support Department, who was covered in gadgets and such.

“You class A bastards are so pathetic—wait, you aren’t from Heroics.” the blonde boy forgot what he was saying as he noticed Shinsou. The Gen Ed student flashed him a lazy grin.

“I’ll be soon enough. Better get used to calling me one of those “Class A bastards”.”

Instead of going for the rider like with the other teams, Izuku had instructed Shinsou to aim for Tetsutetsu regardless of his position in the team. The large boy saw the bo staff coming down to his head and turned into steel.

Which was quickly proved to be a mistake, as the staff released an electric shock upon contact with the boy’s neck. Because steel, like every other metal, conducts electricity, Tetsutetsu’s teammates got their own fair shares of the shock. Shinsou grabbed the headband around the blonde kid’s forehead as they passed the momentarily stunned team and tied it around his neck like Midnight had instructed them to.

“Should I have taken their other points, too?” he asked from Izuku. The green-haired boy shook his head as he pushed their team forward.

“Nah, I kind of want to fight some of them in the final event. Also, it’s not a good thing for the whole thing to be filled with Class A kids and one dude from General Education.”

Next team to try to steal their points was Kaminari’s. The electricity-user was carried by Iida, Uraraka and Kirishima.

“Electric shock ahead. Yaoyorozu.” Izuku’s voice was still monotone, but he spoke rapidly in order to get his instructions delivered in time.

The girl took the clue and created an insulator sheet just in time to protect them from Kaminari’s attack. They heard the boy’s teammates complaining about the small shocks they received as well.

“Well, sorry I can’t control my electricity that well—shit!” the insulator sheet was thrown at the boy’s face, and he felt a small tug as Shinsou took his headband.

“Dirty playing!”

Team Shinsou was already hurrying away, and Yaoyorozu turned back to shout at them.

“Keep that as a thanks for the points!”

“Hey hey, what’s this?! Now it’s Todoroki who isn’t using his Quirk?!” Mic commented as he pushed his hands to the class in front of him, glaring down at the field.

“I’m kinda getting what you mean when you call them little shits, Eraserhead.”

Aizawa scoffed.

Down on the field, Shinsou made sure to not let anyone grab the headband around his head, but purposefully let Tetsutetsu’s team snatch back one of the ones around his neck.

“Well, I guess we can allow that…” Izuku hummed and pushed the others away from the team.

“The kid on the top, Monoma, has a Copy Quirk. He touched your neck just now, right?”

“Huh?” Shinsou glanced down to the swaying mob of green hair. “He did, what about it?”

Izuku glanced up.

When did he take off his glasses? Moreover, how? His both hands are occupied…

“He has your Quirk fer the next five minutes.”

“Just fucking great…”

The thirty-minute cavalry battle was almost over when Shoto finally acted. As the team stopped to the edge of the ring they had to stay in, they found themselves surrounded by the other teams.

No one of them panicked, though.

“So, which teams we picked out?” the dual-Quirk user asked.

“Team Asui.” Yaoyorozu reminded him.

“Team Monoma. Tetsutetsu’s bunch.” Izuku continued.

The three glanced up to Shinsou.

“Shinsou?”

The boy stifled out a yawn. “The electricity boy’s team.”

Shoto nodded. “Kaminari.”

Then he exhaled, and used his ice to freeze all the teams aside from the three they had picked out to the ground. Of course he made it look random, and then created a tall wall between them and the others.

The countdown on the big holographic screen behind Midnight neared zero.

Ten.

Izuku yawned.

Nine.

Eight.

Someone—Tetsutetsu judging from the angry shouting—kicked the thick wall between his team and the ten million points, but the ice didn’t budge.

couple of green, thorny vines slithered from around the wall, reaching towards Shinsou’s headband, while Tokoyami's Dark Shadow lunged from the other side.

Seven.

Shoto guarded the team from Dark Shadow with a bright pillar of flames. Izuku nudged Yaoyorozu, who seemed to understand the boy’s request and created a plain white headband and a red marker, handing them to Shinsou.

Six.

Shinsou understood Izuku’s thoughts, as well, and scribbled something onto the strip of clothing and held it out for the vines to grab. They retreated quickly.

Five.

“AHAHAHAHA! LISTEN THIS, CLASS A BASTARDS AND THE PURPLE FAILURE FROM GENERAL STUDIES!!” Monoma’s loud voice carried through the arena. “WE GOT YOUR 10 MILLION POINTS!”

Four.

“So you’d like to think, Monoma Neito!” Izuku shouted back at him.

Three.

Two.

“WHAT THE FUCK?! YOU BASTARDS, WHAT IS THIS?!”

One.

“What did you write, Shinsou?” Shoto asked.

“TIME UP!” Present Mic screeched through the speakers, and Shinsou got down from the others’ arms. Shoto melted down the ice he had used to create the wall and restrain the other teams.

“Now, let’s take a look at the top four teams right away!” Present Mic continued. “In first place, Team Shinsou! Well, that was a foregone conclusion, considering that it had Class A’s demonic top two in it! Anyway, in second place, Team Asui! In third, Team Monoma and, in the fourth place, Team Kaminari!”

Shinsou glanced at both Izuku and Shoto. “I understand that the two of you are very strong, but why did Present Mic call you “Class A’s demonic top two”?”

The boys just shrugged.

“You’ll understand if you get transferred to our class.” Yaoyorozu sighed from the side.

“Not if, Yaoyorozu. When.” Izuku muttered. “This kid is awesome. If the teachers aren’t going to transfer him, I’ll riot.”

Shoto flinched. “Please don’t, Izu.”

“These four teams will advance to the final round!”

Izuku glared at the commentator’s booth.

“Why is he so loud… Sho-chan go stab him.” he buried his face into Shoto’s shoulder. Shoto chuckled.

“Maybe not. I mean, he is a teacher, after all, and I’d like to compete in the final event, as well.”

Izuku groaned. Shinsou looked at the two with bewildered expression before turning to Yaoyorozu.

“Is this normal?”

The girl shook her head. “I haven’t witnessed anything like this before, but… it might be.”

“Just tired Izu being ready to stab everyone. Nothing dangerous, he usually won’t do anything.” Shoto pushed Izuku away from his shoulder. “Moreover, Izu, when did you drop your glasses?”

"Usually?! You mean, he has at some point actually stabbed someone because they were too loud?" Shinsou asked with concern.

Izuku hummed, ignoring the boy. “At some point. I hope no one has stepped on them, they’re my only pair I took here with me.”

“A vastly idiotic thing to do, in all honesty.”

“Fuck you, Sho-chan.”

“Maybe later.”

Shinsou glanced back to Yaoyorozu. “And is this normal for them…?”

The girl nodded. “Extremely.”

“Now we’ll take a one-hour break for lunch before we start the afternoon festivities! See ya!” Present Mic announced and the audience began to disperse. “Hey, Eraserhead. Let’s go get food.”

“No thanks,” Aizawa’s voice carried through the loudspeakers. “I have a student to expel.”

Aizawa dragged himself to the empty room across the corridor from the room Recovery Girl used as a temporal infirmary. Mineta had been told to stay there until his homeroom teacher arrived.

Aizawa stepped into the room, kicked the door shut and glared at the boy from under his bandages.

“You do know that I’m going to expel you, right, Mineta?” the teacher asked.

“What? All I wanted was a ride across the pit! I did nothing wrong!” the boy protested.

Aizawa squinted his eyes. Was this kid serious?!

“Mineta. You could’ve possibly killed two people, two, by what you did during the obstacle race. That’s one person more than Bakugou, and I inform you that he’s still allowed to continue in General Studies after summer vacation because he has been a special case since the beginning. You, in the other hand, are just one of the regular little gremlins who I can expel whenever and whatever reason I wish. And you, you’re officially not a student in UA anymore. I hope your former classmates like their new classmate who’s going to be transferred from class 1-C soon.”

“What? But I did nothing wrong! She refused to carry me—”

“Silence! Go change out of your gym uniform. You’ll remain in the Class A’s waiting room until the end of the Sports Festival.”

“What? I can’t even watch?!”

“No.”

Outside the stadium, half of 1-A—Ashido, Kaminari, Sero, Kirishima, Satō, Uraraka and Hagakure—ambushed Izuku after he parted his ways with Shoto to meet up with his mom and All Might for lunch—Shoto was forced to eat with his flaming junk pile of a father—and dragged the green-haired boy into one of the alcoves built into the side of the stadium. Izuku sighed.

“What do you want? I have people to meet, a lunch to eat, and a competition to win.”

The lot reassured him that they wont take much of his time.

“Then? Get to the point already.”

Izuku wasn’t wearing his glasses—he hadn’t found them earlier—so his Quirk informed him of a faint, warm glow of light around the corner. Endeavor was eavesdropping.

An adult man eavesdropping on bunch of teens’ conversation? Pervert.

Uraraka cleared her throat.

“Midoriya-kun, are you All Might’s secret love child or something?”

Izuku squinted his eyes at the eager girl.

“…what?”

Chapter Text

“Midoriya-kun, are you All Might’s secret love child or something?”

Izuku squinted his eyes at Uraraka.

“…what?”

Uraraka puffed her cheeks.

“Are you. All Might’s. Illegitimate. Son?” the brown-haired girl articulated.

Izuku sighed. “No—no, I heard you clearly the first time, but why in the ever-loving fuck are you guys asking me this?”

Kirishima piped in. “Dude, you’re hanging around All Might like, all the time?”

“He obviously has his eyes set on you, too.” Satō pointed out.

“He might be trying to treat us like everyone else, but even I can see that he thinks more of you than he lets us know. And I’m dumb.” Ashido flailed her arms around.

“Even your Quirks are really similar!” Kaminari added.

“Like, seriously.” Sero.

“Not to mention how you look at him! Like kids look up at their fathers!” Hagakure.

Izuku sighed again and leaned against the wall behind him.

“My parents were properly married when I was born. My dad, whose name was Midoriya Hisashi and who had a fire-breathing Quirk, died in an accident not too long after my birth. But, this is, ultimately, what my mom has told me.”

He purposefully gave a vague, misleading reply to stir up their unwanted eavesdroppers’ imagination.

Yes. Plural. While Endeavor was hiding in the other, inside end of the alley-like recess, the other topic of the discussion—All Might, in his not-so-glorious true form of Yagi Toshinori—and Midoriya Inko were holding their breaths on the behind the corner on the outside end.

Izuku’s phone buzzed in his pocket, and he fished it up to find a new message sent through the chat app.

This Clusterfuck of a Family

Mamadoriya: Izuku, why are you saying such misleading things to your friends?
Mamadoriya: Answer me, I have my phone on silent.

Actually_Satan: hnngh mom I’m entertaining endeavor who’s eavesdropping on the other side
Actually_Satan: let me have this

Mamadoriya: Fine.
Mamadoriya: If I play my cards right, All Might is going to be your stepfather anyway, so go on.
Mamadoriya: But be quick about it, we have to go to eat.

Actually_Satan: ok
Actually_Satan: you guys go ahead so my friends won’t catch you together AND eavesdropping

Mamadoriya: All right.
Mamadoriya: Also, please change your username.

Actually_Satan: nah

“Sorry, my mom texted. I was going to eat lunch with her, so…” Izuku explained to the others as he stuffed the phone back into his pocket.

“Omg! Your mom came here to cheer you on? That’s so cute!” the girls gasped. Izuku’s phone buzzed again.

"What the fuck now..." the boy grumbled under his breath.

This Clusterfuck of a Family

Mamadoriya: Oh, and all your friends can join us if you’re all right with it, Izuku.

CuteDragon: eyyy I got out of infirmary too
CuteDragon: my wings are sore as heck though since I fell onto them and absolutely obliterated all the bones in them

Actually_Satan: doesn’t sound healthy but who I am to say
Actually_Satan: I’ve wrecked my bones too

Sumire: Kozue and I are joining you guys, as well

Actually_Satan: cool
Actually_Satan: I’ll ask them

He looked up into the eyes of his classmates.

“So… my mom invited you lot to sit with us during lunch. Might as well ask the whole lot, minus Shoto who is forced to eat with Endewhor… Endeavor.”

Everyone’s eyes lit up.

“Sounds fun!” Hagakure chirped.

“Is All Might coming, too?” Sero asked. Izuku flinched.

“Huh? No. Mom has invited Yagi-sensei, though… she mothers pretty much anyone who’s in poor shape, even the slightest bit, so Yagi-sensei, who looks like a walking skeleton, has gotten her attention pretty well.”

“Yagi-sensei?” Uraraka questioned.

“Yeah. Let’s go already, or we won’t find a table big enough for everyone.”

“I’ll message everyone!” Kirishima exclaimed and pulled out his phone, sending a message to the class group chat.

Class 1-A chat

RedRI0T: guys! meet up at the cafeteria entrance!

CreatE: Can I ask why?

suGARRRRRRRR: Let’s eat with Midori yaand his mom
suGARRRRRRRR: Midoriya and his mom

tail: Why not

defyingravity: Just Midoriya-kun and his mother?

meltY: mr. skeleton
meltY: I mean Yagi-sensei too

Actually_Satan: also Kozu-san and her mom
Actually_Satan: so guys be nice
Actually_Satan: also can someone delete Mineta from the chat he’s 1000% expelled

CreatE: How do you know that?

Actually_Satan: i
Actually_Satan: I mean Aizawa-sensei said that he had a student to expel when present mic asked if he wanted to go find food
Actually_Satan: but rationally thinking
Actually_Satan: Aizawa can only expel students from his own class
Actually_Satan: and all of us has been good little shits expect mineta
Actually_Satan: he almost fucking killed 2 people
Actually_Satan: @GRABe I hope you rot in hell

Izuku changed the chat and messaged his family.

This Clusterfuck of a Family

Actually_Satan: whole bunch minus Sho-chan is coming
Actually_Satan: all of my 17 classmates

CuteDragon: shouldn’t that be you plus 18

Actually_Satan: did you really think we’d invite the grape fuck who made you and the other kid fall
Actually_Satan: and he got his ass expelled anyway so he isn’t our classmate anymore

CuteDragon: fair point

Uraraka peeked at the green-haired boy’s phone and snorted.

“Y-you—your family chat is seriously named that?! Who was it? You?!”

Izuku shrugged and put the phone away. The lot was already walking towards the cafeteria to meet the others. “Well, it’s a pretty spot-on description of our household.”

He stifled a yawn. “Also, it was a collaboration between me and our resident Pro Hero.”

“Who is he, anyway?” Kaminari asked. “Or is it a woman?!”

Izuku sighed. “Man. Not telling unless he says it’s okay. Also no visits to our house unless all three adults says ok.”

“Aww, not fun. Wait, three?" Kaminari squinted his eyes.

"Your dad isn't around, so it's your mom, the Hero, and...” Sero mimicked his friend.

"Kozu-san and her mom are living with us, too."

“Izuku!” the green-haired boy was immediately ambushed by his mom upon the woman making eye contact with him. “You did so well! Mom is sooooo proud of you!”

“Whoa there, Inko-san, I think you’re suffocating Izu.” Kozue, who had her wings taped and couple of band-aids on her face, chuckled from the side, where she stood next to a youthful, petite woman sitting in a wheelchair. The classmates who had come with Izuku immediately noticed the similarity between Kozue and the woman.

“Oh! Kozue-san! Are you all right now?” Uraraka chirped.

“I heard what Mineta did! Should I kick his balls?” Hagakure continued, making Kozue chuckle.

“I think getting expelled is enough of a punishment, Tōru-chan. And Ochako-chan, yes, I’m okay now, though my wings are a bit sore still. It’ll pass.” the older girl flashed a cheerful grin at the two.

“Kozue-san! Good afternoon!” Kirishima and Kaminari greeted the girl enthusiastically. Kozue, as well as the beautiful woman next to her, chuckled.

“Heyy! Shark Boy, Stun Gun! How’s my favorite Class A rascals?” Kozue wrapped her decently muscular arms—she might not be a fighter, but she did lift a lot of different heavy things in the Support course, too—around the two boys’ necks. They both grinned.

“But Kozue-san, I thought Midoriya and Todoroki were your favorites,” Kirishima pointed out.

Izuku faked a hurt expression, still in his mother’s arms. “I’m hurt, Kozu-san.”

Kozue grinned. “Sho and Izu are more or less family. They don’t count.”

The rest of Class A found them, joining cheerfully and greeting the adults.

“Midoriya-san, it’s nice to see you again.” Iida bowed to politely to Inko, making her giggle.

Now now, Iida-kun, no need to bow me like that.”

Iida straightened himself. “Um… if I may ask… is that an All Might t-shirt you’re wearing, ma’am?”

Inko nodded with another giggle. “Oh, yes. This is actually Izuku’s, you know? My own clothes have become too loose for me to fit nicely because of my recent, quite fast weight loss, and I haven’t undated my wardrobe yet, so I just borrowed this from laundry.” she explained.

Izuku and Kozue noticed a small glimmer in Toshinori’s eye as the man stood few steps away from Inko.

Is he proud or jealous? Decide, man!

The lot managed to find an area with many small tables brought together into a one big ring, and decided to eat their lunch there. Their conversation topics varied from one end to another, and everyone seemed to have fun. “Everyone” naturally included Sumire, who had been cooped up in her home due her disability for nearly two decades, so her getting along with groups was a relief to Kozue, the Midoriyas, and Toshinori. Sumire especially took a liking to Tsuyu after she found out the amphibian girl’s—though ridiculously and sadly short-lived—relationship with her now deceased eldest daughter.

“That’s it. You’re my daughter-in-law now. Even if you started dating someone else, I’ll still call you that, Tsuyu-chan. You can’t escape from me anymore.”

Tsuyu laughed softly and gave Sumire a bright, reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry, Sumire-san, I don’t intend on dating anyone besides Nao-chan. She’s precious to me.”

No one dared to add anything to the matter.

Class A found their—now former—classmate, Mineta, in the waiting room before the recreational games, a.k.a. the normal sports festival stuff, started. The people who hadn’t advanced to the third event joined the games, while the others rested before the main thing. Izuku and Shoto remained in the waiting room, glaring venomously at Mineta.

“What…” the boy muttered under the glare. Izuku sat at the table across from him, while Shoto leaned coolly against the wall behind the green-haired boy.

“You know, Mineta, I have a piece of advice for you.” Izuku drawled, leaning his chin against his right hand and propping the elbow of the same arm to the table. His left hand was holding a dagger made out of ice Shoto had discreetly given to him under the table.

“W-what… Mi-Midoriya, you’re scaring me…”

Izuku raised an eyebrow. “Really? I’m not even trying yet.”

“Yet. And Mineta, you don’t want to see that.” Shoto pointed out.

Izuku waved his right hand slightly and propped his chin against it again.

“What I’m meaning to say here is that Mineta, you should avoid being out of your house when it’s dark. The Cerberus doesn’t… appreciate people stepping on its tail.”

Izuku’s voice was still monotone, but instead of the… emotionlessness the Class A had put up with for the whole day, his voice was freezing Mineta slowly inside out. Izuku’s eyes, too, gained murderous, cold glint only partially veiled by the plain tiredness.

“What does that even mean?!”

Shoto didn’t need to see Izuku’s face to know the expression the boy had on his face. He knew that by now, Izuku’s usually bright green eyes were darkened and full of disgust, and that his mouth was twisted into a small scowl. It might not sound very intimidating, but Shoto knew from first-hand experience that it was horrifying to be at the receiving end of the glare. What Shoto had done to unleash Izuku’s wrath was, however, classified information.

Izuku moved fast, standing up fast enough to knock over the chair he had been sitting on and impaling the icy dagger onto the table between Mineta’s hands.

“It means that you’re a disgusting little bastard and that if I find your ugly ass out of your house between 23:00 and 5:30 for the next couple of weeks, I’ll come to have your head on a stake for having hurt our background supporter, Kozue-san. And I can promise you, it will. Get. Ugly.”

He left with that. Shoto stepped towards the now-frozen-in-fear Mineta with unreadable expression, saying nothing. He reached his left hand towards the icy blade stuck to the table, and for a moment, Mineta saw—if he wasn’t already seeing—his life flash before his eyes.

Shoto evaporated the blade on the spot, leaving only the deep dent behind.

“You’re alive. That’s impressive after having encountered Green.”

He, too, left, leaving Mineta shiver and treble on his seat.

Todoroki Enji, also known as the Flame Hero, Endeavor, wasn’t easily intimidated man. In fact, the only emotion he seemed to feel was varying intensities and forms of anger. Even now, he wanted to punch a hole to the wall next to him.

He had abandoned his spot where he watched the progress of the Sports Festival after the recreational games began. He had no interest in the failures who competed in them, and decided to give his thing—masterpiece—son a prep talk before the final event. He saw before leaving that the boy wasn’t with some of his classmates at the secluded seats reserved for them, so he deducted that Shoto must be concentrating in either the Class A waiting room or somewhere else at the stadium.

Endeavor had found Shoto quickly.

But for some reason, couldn’t bring himself to stop the madness he ended up witnessing.

Before reaching Shoto’s class’ waiting room, Endeavor heard a faint “thump” from a shadowed recess in the wall ahead. Out of basic human curiosity—which he had even though he was a walking dumpster fire—he cautiously peeked around the corner to see a couple making out passionately in the shadows, completely void of any sounds. The thump he had heard had been the taller person, a boy judging from his body proportions, had lifted the shorter one up and pushed them against the wall. The shorter one had their decently muscular forearms wrapped around the taller one’s neck and their legs, which were too short to reach the ground, locked around the boy’s hips.

Teenagers nowadays have no shame… making out in broad daylight! the garbage dump hero thought before the taller boy, whose back was turned against him and the corridor he had been walking through, tilted his head enough for Endeavor’s brain to register the familiar, distinguish red and white locks divided perfectly in the middle, although the line between them was rapidly getting messed up by the other person’s hands.

SHOTO!

Endeavor took a step forward, but froze to the spot as the person Shoto had pinned up against the wall locked their green eyes with Endeavor’s turquoise ones over Shoto’ shoulder. The Hero now recognized the kid he had half-accidentally eavesdropped on before the lunch.

All Might’s bastard son…

The green-haired boy’s—although the messy mob looked black in the ill-lit recess—mouth was obviously busy, but his eyes lit up with glee and mockery. He tightened his hold around Endeavor’s masterpiece.

The two just stared at each other for a short while, All Might’s son clearly mocking and taunting the man whose offspring he was tongue wrestling with. Endeavor just stared back, shocked and in loss of actions, before decided to retreat.

That broccoli-haired cocky brat…!

Shoto and Izuku finally pulled apart, and the green-haired boy was set back onto his feet.

“You know, Sho-chan, your dad has no shame.”

Shoto sighed. “I swear to god if he was peeping on us just now—”

“He was. He also eavesdropped on me and Uraraka, Kaminari, Kirishima and some others before lunch. It was such fun messing with him. And the class, too, but mostly him.”

Shoto squinted his mismatched eyes at his boyfriend. “What did you do?”

Izuku hummed. “Let’s just say… Endewhore just might think that I’m All Might’s illegitimate love child. I mean, I hope I’d be calling Toshi-san my dad one day, but we’re not blood-related.”

“Izuku, you’re a bastard, you know?”

“My parents were properly married before I was born, you know.”

The two joined their classmates at the seats, Shoto not bothering to fix his hair. Kirishima and Kaminari snorted upon seeing him.

“Y-you guys are the worst… what if someone walked in on you?!”

The two vigilantes looked at the laughing boys with deadpan expressions.

“Endewhore did.”

“So it’s that again? What happened to Endead?” Kirishima asked.

“Wait, what do you mean he walked in on you?!” Kaminari held his stomach, wheezing.

Izuku explained things, making whoever was in the hearing range to break into a heartfelt laughter. Izuku and Shoto noticed Endeavor returning onto his spot at the other side of the stadium, and immediately wrapped their arms around each other.

“Guys, you know that the cameras can randomly take a shot of us, right?” Kirishima asked.

The two reluctantly let each other go.

Finally the recreational games ended, and the contestants of the final event were gathered to the arena. Cementoss created a stage where the students were to battle each other as Midnight explained the rules to the kids and announced the order they were to battle each other.

Izuku gazed lazily at the holographic screen. He was going first, fighting against Monoma.

The Class B’s annoying blonde kid, huh… Sucks to be him.

On the other side of the crowd, Monoma grinned confidently.

“It’s the broccoli kid, right? He should have used his Quirk at least once by now if it was a physical one… Mental Quirk, huh? I wonder what it might be… but whatever, I’m surely going to win.”

Present Mic was eager to introduce the first two contestants to the stage.

“Here we go, audience! Please welcome to the stage; the Class A’s scarred boy wonder who is way more than what he lets us believe! Hero course, Midoriya Izuku!”

Izuku pulled the bored, tired façade back onto his face after Mineta had riled him up, and walked onto the elevated ring, faking a yawn.

“And as his opponent, Class B’s mean-mouthed copycat; Hero course, Monoma Neito!”

Monoma scowled towards the commentator’s booth as he stepped on the opposite end of the podium from Izuku. hey met at the middle, in front of Cementoss, who acted as a referee.

“So… how does it feel like to lose at the first round, Broccoli?” Monoma sneered.

“I wouldn’t know, considering that I have 95% chance of winning the whole thing. You, in the other hand, have a full 100% probability of losing against me right now. If you’re lucky, you’ll last 5 minutes… no, actually, five minutes against me sounds pretty cruel. If you’re truly lucky, you lose under one or two minutes.”

Izuku knew that Monoma was trying to rile him up, but because he had released some of his anger at Mineta earlier, he was able to counter the taunts easily.

Also, everything he said was truthful.

“Start!” Present Mic’s voice echoed from the loudspeakers, and Monoma dashed towards Izuku. It was painfully obvious that the blonde was trying to copy Izuku’s Quirk, but knowing that Monoma’s body wouldn’t be able to withstand One for All, Izuku dodged.

Effortlessly and with no enthusiasm, riling Monoma up even further.

“Come on, don’t dodge! I’ve copied so many people’s Quirks, yours won’t make any difference! And it really can’t be that dear to you, it’s an arrangement of your parents genes, after all!”

Izuku sighed and side-stepped out of the boy’s way once more.

“I’m not dodging because I’m possessive over my Quirk. I’m dodging because my Quirk is self-destructive, and your frail twig of a body wouldn’t be able to withstand it. Your limbs could be blown off, and you might even lose your life.”

Dodge. The tips of Monoma’s fingers almost brushing against Izuku’s nose.

“Hah? You aren’t that much beefier than I am, you damn shrimp!”

Another swing, another dodge. Izuku chuckled dryly.

“So you would love to think. Why do you think I prefer my clothes baggy and one size too big?”

Izuku tripped Monoma over, sending the blonde boy kissing the concrete. Monoma gasped sharply as he tried to get up.

The jolt of the boy’s body sent alarms off in the green-haired boy’s head.

“Monoma, you… you didn’t touch my wrist just now, right?” he asked with worry in his voice. Monoma growled.

“I did, so what? And my arms started hurt all of a sudden…”

“DON’T MOVE, MONOMA!” Izuku’s voice was desperate. He still didn’t have his glasses, so Database informed him of the alarming state of the other boy’s body. “If you move too rashly now, the muscle fibers in your body will literally explode, possibly even severing your arm. That’s a damage even Recovery Girl can’t fix, so if you seriously want to continue your studies in the Heroics department, you should forfeit.”

Monoma wasn’t having that.

“Hah?! Who’s gonna forfeit because of some little muscle pain—!” he forcibly pushed himself up the ground, flinching violently. His right arm started swelling and turning rapidly blackish purple.

“Aaaaah, now you fucking deadshit went and obliterated your arm…”

“AAAAAAAAGH!!!! My… MY ARM!!!” needless to say, the sudden pain suddenly increasing nearly hundredfold wrung a panicked, pained yell out of the boy.

Izuku sighed. “I told you my Quirk would be too much for your frail body…”

“Shut up! I ain’t done—” Izuku moved fast, striking Monoma’s neck from behind with the side of his palm, knocking the boy unconscious.

“Don’t think evil of me. I’m just ensuring you don’t injure yourself any further with that Quirk.”

The stadium fell silent for a moment. The spectators knew from the cavalry battle that Monoma’s Quirk allowed him to copy other people’s Quirks, but Midoriya’s Quirk was yet to be revealed. However, the second he had copied the green-haired boy’s Quirk, Monoma started showing signs of immense pain and discomfort. Whatever Midoriya’s Quirk was, it seemed to cause extreme pain to the wielder.

Yet the boy moved and acted like nothing was wrong, which terrified the audience. Just how high was this kid’s pain tolerance?!

“Mo… Monoma Neito is knocked unconscious! Midoriya Izuku wins and advances to the second round!” Midnight finally realized to announce. Monoma’s unconscious body was carried to Recovery Girl on a stretcher, and Izuku dragged himself back to the Class A seats after Present Mic repeated Midnight’s words.

“That was quick. Good jog trying to keep the kid in one piece.” Shoto drawled as Izuku slumped onto the seat next to him. The other boy’s elbow found its way into Shoto’s ribs.

“I fucked up, Sho-chan. You know that, so shut the fuck up.” Izuku leaned against Shoto’s shoulder. “Also, I want to see the next match.” he added as the audience trained their attention down to the arena, where Present Mic’s voice welcomed Class B’s Shiozaki Ibara and Class A’s Kaminari Denki to the podium.

Shiozaki was proclaimed victorious only ten seconds after Mic yelled “start”.

Ashido jumped out of her seat. “It’s my turn already! I’ll do my best!”

“Let’s get to the next match immediately!” Mic yelled excitedly. “This young lady has a great Quirk and somewhat peculiar looks! From Hero course, Ashido Mina!”

Ashido pouted as she stepped into the ring. “What does he mean, “peculiar”…?”

“Versus! Uh, yeah this kid hasn’t done anything flashy besides having teamed up with Class A’s demonic top two! From General Studies, Shinsou Hitoshi!”

Shinsou dragged his feet to the stage. “Finally…”

“Oh, you’re the tall purple kid who teamed up with Midori and Todoroki! And Yao-Momo was there, too…” Ashido grinned.

“Who are you calling a purple kid when you’re literally pink yourself?” Shinsou snarled back, with no malice or ill will in his voice.

“Oh, yeah… my bad!”

“A—nd start!”

Ashido bounced forward immediately, producing clumps of acid into both of her hands and throwing them at Shinsou’s feet. The boy leaped out of the way, glaring at the girl’s yellow irises that shone brightly from the midst of her black sclerae.

“I gotta agree with Present Mic on this one, you do look quite amusing—”

“Whadd’ya mean with that, you punk—” Ashido ceased of all movements on the second she made the mistake to reply to Shinsou. The boy stopped, too, and stood in front of the now quiet and unresponsive girl.

“Don’t get me wrong… Ashido, was it? I’m just trying to remember the faces of my future classmates.” he touched one of the yellow, crooked horns poking out from the midst of Ashido’s pink, messy hair with his index finger.

“It’s actually pretty cute. The way you look. Blush for me?”

He barely contained his own facial expression when the girl’s pink cheeks darkened into a pretty shade of scarlet.

Oh fuck, that was a mistake…

“I’m sorry about this, but I really want to get into the Hero course. Turn around and walk out of the ring.”

Internally, Mina was screaming. On the moment she had replied to the Gen Ed kid’s comment about her looks, her mind had gone blank and her body stopped following her orders.

Everything around her seemed hazy and murky, and the voices around her became indistinct, quiet static in the background. Mina didn’t like that.

Yet she heard Shinsou’s voice clearly.

He complimented her. Not many people had found her looks pleasing before.

He touched one of her horns, gently, and the tickling sensation could made her giggle if she had control over her own body.

“Blush for me?”

Mina felt her cheeks burn.

W-what are you doing?! Aaaaaaa!

She wanted to scream. Not because she disliked anything Shinsou did—aside from taking control over her body—but because she just felt embarrassed.

There’s, literally, millions of people watching—!

“I’m sorry about this, but I really want to get into the Hero course. Turn around and walk out of the ring.” Shinsou’s voice was calm, almost monotone. Pleasant, somehow.

Mina’s body obeyed his words promptly.

She regained control on the second her foot crossed the line painted on concrete.

Chapter Text

Very confused and frustrated Ashido aside, Kirishima was raring to battle. Until he remembered his opponent, that’s it.

“It’s the similar kid from Class B again…!” he groaned to himself while jumping down the stairs to get to the arena.

“The fourth match is a match-up between redundant Quirks!” Present Mic’s voice welcomed the red-haired boy to the arena. The podium was ahead of him, and Kirishima took a deep breath before starting to ascend the concrete stairs.

“Manly and passionate steel! From Hero course’s Class B, Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu!”

I thought I was going to be introduced first. Kirishima thought as he observed his opponent. Gee, he looks angry…

“Versus—Manly and passionate hardening! From hero course’s Class A, Kirishima Eijirou!”

“Even our intros are the same?!” the redhead shed a manly tear.

“Let’s start this passionate fourth match!”

The both boys revealed to be both strong and durable, their fistfight lasting nearly fifteen minutes before they knocked each other out. The match was proclaimed a draw, and the two were to have a rematch—something simple, like arm wrestling—after they had recovered. The others moved to the next match.

Izuku, who had kept his eyes closed in order to avoid Quirk-induced headaches and pretended to have fallen asleep against Shoto’s left, warm shoulder—just to have a good excuse to have physical contact with his boyfriend in front of all of the people watching—felt his portable pillow’s other, much colder hand patting his head lightly.

“You want to get up now, Izu? It’s my turn.”

Somewhere behind the two, Sero, Shoto’s opponent, flinched violently.

“Am I going to die…?” he murmured to Satō next to him.

“I’m sure you’re not. Now go and fight.” the tall boy gave the nervous one a reassuring pat to the back. Sero nodded and headed towards the arena.

Izuku reluctantly let Shoto go and yawned for real.

“I’m really getting sleepy here…” he murmured, rubbing his closed eyes. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

“You should go to the waiting room to rest, then… actually, no, since Mineta is there, you would just end up stapling him to the wall.” Tsuyu’s voice said. Izuku chuckled and cracked his eyes open.

“Yeah. I’d also rather not fall deeply asleep, so I’d prefer staying in somewhat sitting position and in a noisy environment like this. I might nod off here, too, but I won’t fall asleep properly.”

“Am I too short to be your pillow, then? You seemed pretty comfortable against Todoroki-chan.”

Izuku gave the girl an apologetic smile. “Yeah, I’d only get a stiff neck. Thanks for the offer, though. You’re really nice, Tsuyu-chan.”

From seats away from Izuku’s, Yaoyorozu called out to the boy softly. “I’m only a bit shorter than Todoroki-san. If you want, I can let you use my shoulder for a while before he gets back. I can also create a portable pillow for you with my Quirk—”

“Thanks, Yaoyorozu… scratch that, can I call you Yao-Momo or something? Your surname is annoyingly long to say. Also I view you as one of my friends, so…”

Yaoyorozu jolted a bit, but nodded with a small but bright smile on her face. “Sure, go ahead. Ashido-san already calls me that, and honestly, I kind of like that.”

“Yao-Momo~!” Ashido, sitting next to Yaoyorozu, gave the taller girl a big hug.

Izuku chuckled. “That reminds me, you guys don’t need to call me Midoriya like you do. We’re all friends here, right? As long as you don’t call me Deku like Kaccha—Bakugou does, I’m cool with pretty much anything.”

“Then you’re Midori!” Ashido chirped, releasing Yao-Momo so the girl could move to the seat next to Izuku.

“Midori…ya-san, I just realized something.”

Izuku nodded at the girl whose eager he was avoiding.

“If you wear fake glasses, I can create you a new pair! How silly of me, not having thought of that before—”

“It’s okay, Yao-Momo. Don’t use waste your Quirk before your match. Just… lend me your shoulder real quick.”

The girl nodded and sat properly onto her seat. Izuku pressed his unscarred cheek against her shoulder.

“Thanks, Yao-Momo.”

Shoto was back almost right away, having frozen Sero and half of the stadium behind him in a fit of anger. His personal dumpster fire—that claimed to be his father—only needed to be present to piss the dual-toned kid off.

“Sero’s good, before anyone here asks.” he said as he returned to the seats. “He was dragged to Recovery Girl just in case, but I made sure to warm him up properly when I got him out of the ice.”

Izuku groggily lifted his head as he heard his boyfriend’s voice.

“Come back here, Sho-chan, you’re warm.” he murmured.

Sleepy and clingy Izuku is surprisingly cute! the classmates who were witnessing this thought.

Next match was Iida versus Support department’s Hatsume Mei, who had advanced to the third event as a part of Monoma’s cavalry battle team. The pink-haired, chatty girl ended up using poor Iida as an advertisement tool for some of her babies—support items—and stepped out of the bounds voluntarily once she had nothing else to say. Needless to add, Iida was quite upset about it.

The seventh match was between Yao-Momo and Tokoyami. The two got down to the arena, and Present Mic eagerly introduced them to the world.

“Offense and defense in one body! The dark samurai accompanied by Dark Shadow! Hero course, Tokoyami Fumikage!” the bird-headed boy stepped to the ring, arms crossed and a determined look in his red eyes.

“Versus—All-purpose Creation! She was admitted through recommendations, so her abilities are certified! Hero course, Yaoyorozu Momo!”

“How do you think this is going to end, Midoriya?” Ojiro asked from behind the green-haired boy, who just hummed against Shoto’s shoulder.

“Honestly? Tokoyami’s going to win if Yaoyorozu forgets to watch her footing even for a second.”

In the end, the ponytail-haired girl did just that, and got pushed out of the ring by Dark Shadow under a minute. It was time for the first round’s last match.

“I won’t go easy on you, Ochako-chan.” Tsuyu said to her gravity-altering opponent as the two got up and headed don together. Uraraka flashed her a confident grin.

“I won’t either! Let’s both do our best, okay?”

“That’s given.”

“Finally, to the last match of Round One!” the Voice Hero grinned as he screeched into the mic in front of him. “Before match four rematch, of course. Anyway, here they are! The one I’m rooting for… Hero course, Uraraka Ochako! Versus, the amphibian girl with face and personality you find yourself trusting! Hero course, Asui Tsuyu!”

“So noisy… do you really need me here, Mic?” Aizawa groaned beside him, having turned his own mic off. Present Mic nodded, making Aizawa groan again.

Fucking Yamada… why do I even put up with this hell, again? the tired underground Hero pressed his bandaged forehead against the counter in front of him.

As the Voice Hero screeched “start”, Uraraka lunged towards Tsuyu, who leaped high into the air to avoid the other girl’s fingers. She shot her tongue out, attempting to wrap it around Uraraka and catapult the girl out of bounds, but was forced to pull it back when Uraraka almost grabbed it.

“Don’t think your usual tricks will work against me, Tsuyu-chan.”

Tsuyu sighed.

“Seems so.”

Now was the frog girl’s turn to attack. For the short time after UJS incident and Nao’s death, she had been practicing basic hand-to-hand combat with Izuku and Shoto. They had taught her some of the moves Nao had used frequently, and Tsuyu was rapidly forming two distinctive fighting styles—her usual, froggy style and a copy of Nao’s fast, powerful and destructive mixed martial arts style.

Tsuyu switched gears and straightened her back from her usual slouch. Her mouth tightened into a straight line, and she lifter her hands on front of her face—not the cute way she usually held them up, but fists clenched, ready to strike.

“It’s a good thing my usual tricks aren’t the only thing I know.”

Ochako wasn’t prepared for this. The cute and gentle Tsuyu-chan had straightened her back and readied her fists for an attack, and the pose the frog girl adapted was strikingly familiar to the one Ochako had witnessed Nao-san using more than once or twice.

Is she copying her girlfriend…? It’s kinda sweet, actually… if her girlfriend wasn’t an infamous vigilante and killer!

So she braced herself for Nao-esque attack.

But, her opponent ultimately still was Tsuyu, not Nao, so expecting Nao’s thundering force was a huge mistake.

Tsuyu’s strength was her jumping power and, after the few weeks of active training with Izuku, kicks. So, after falling into Nao’s usual pose before delivering a powerful hit, Tsuyu charged and sent her foot crashing into Ochako’s ribs instead. The gravity-altering girl didn’t have time to react, and was sent flying towards the edge of the ring.

“Ow ow ow ow ow…” she hissed as she pushed herself up—only to find herself dangling upside-down from her ankle a second later.

“Sorry about this, Ochako-chan, but this is the only way I can lift you up without you being able to use your Quirk on me.” Tsuyu apologized and explained, her pink tongue secured around the other girl’s ankle.

“I won’t lose this easily—”

Ochako was gently tossed over the line and Midnight announced her out of bounds, making Tsuyu victorious.

After the girls left the stage—Tsuyu returned to the seats while Ochako simply wandered off—and Kirishima and Tetsutetsu were called down for their rematch, which revealed to be the arm-wrestling competition Midnight had mentioned earlier. The competition was tough, as the two were evenly matched, but the victorious one ended up being Kirishima.

“So… It’s me against Ibara next?” Izuku’s voice was somewhere between a mumble and a grunt. Shoto pushed the green-haired boy’s face off his shoulder and gave him a pat on the head.

“Yeah, and you’ll surely win. Now go down there and give ‘em hell.”

Izuku chuckled. “Sure thing. See you soon.”

Aaaaand what are the chances I run into fucking Endewhore? Fucking sky high, it seems. Izuku internally deadpanned as is journey down the stairs was obstructed by the Flame Hero. He had been about to jog down the stairs when he noticed the obnoxious excuse of a man at the bottom of them, glaring at him.

“What do you want? Make it quick, I have a match to win.” Izuku made sure to make his words sharp and unpleasant.

“I saw you sexually assaulting my Shoto earlier.”

Izuku snorted.

“Yea, right—it was actually your precious little masterpiece pinning me against the wall, so if someone was sexually harassing other person back there, it would’ve been Sho-chan doing it.”

The flames Endeavor’s upper body was enfolded in flared, getting brighter for a moment.

Aaaaand he’s pissed.

Izuku had found a new, interesting game to play.

“But that aside, damn is he good with his mouth. I mean, both kissing and… yeah, there’s the look, you totally know what I meant.”

“You keep your dirty little man whore hands away from Shoto. He has a duty to surpass All Might, and fucking his illegitimate son is nowhere near accomplishing it.”

That made Izuku laugh.

“Ahaha, you fucking—y-you really think Sho-chan has enough fucks to give about that superficial dream of yours? Dear God, how funny little place your small brain seems to be…” Izuku was shaking his head, pressing on hand to his forehead while holding the other one on his hip.

“You, Todoroki Enji, are far beyond the stupid I took you for.”

The boy’s cold, unimpressed and unwavering stare made the grown man uneasy.

“I’m actually impressed that Stain the Hero Killer hasn’t gotten to you yet, considering that aside from a stupid man , you’re also a shit excuse of a parent and a human being, and have no rights to call yourself a Hero… no, actually, Stain would finish you off too quickly and painlessly. I hope the Cerberus comes after your sorry dumpster fire ass. That’d be an… eye-opening experience for you.” I mean, being hunt down and eventually killed by your own son is surely going to make even you re-think some of your life choices.

The boy jumped down the stairs, past the awfully—and thankfully—quiet man and jogging the remaining distance to the arena.

“Here we go, audience! Round Two, first match!” Mic’s voice boomed through the stadium. “Let’s welcome the contestants to the stage already! The man whose Quirk is still hidden by the veil of mystery but has already let its destructive nature shown! Hero course, Midoriya Izuku! Versus, the humble and courteous lady of Class B! Hero course, Shiozaki Ibara!”

The two stepped into the ring and gave small, almost nonexistent bows to each other.

“You have a cool Quirk, Shiozaki. Too bad I already know how to counter it.”

“I know nothing of yours aside from that it is highly self-destructive. Are you really thinking you can win with such a thing?” the girl calmly countered Izuku’s drawl. The boy huffed in amusement.

“Let’s see about that.”

Mic’s voice started the match, and Shiozaki’s vines shot out immediately.

“I can’t forgive you and your team for the ridicule you pulled on us during the cavalry battle!”

“Oh yeah, that…” Izuku drawled, dodging the things effortlessly. “I didn’t get the answer for Shinsou earlier. What did he write to the headband?”

One vine wrapped around his ankle and almost tripped him over. Izuku activated One for All and let the power embrace his whole body. Since he had been using less than 5% of it until now, most of the people witnessed the small, green sparkles dancing around his body for the first time. Izuku yanked his leg free and jumped high, landing on the edge of the ring.

“I’m really curious, y’know.”

Shiozaki grit her teeth.

“You will be utterly forgotten.”

Izuku tilted his head. “Was that what Shinsou wrote, or are you just spewing shit at me?”

“How dear you use such vulgar language—of course that was what the headband had written onto it!”

Izuku hummed. “Oh… thanks. Now I don’t need to play around with you anymore.”

In the next second, Izuku was behind the girl, who was standing fairly close to the opposite edge of the ring, and gently picked her off the ground. “I really don’t feel like hitting a girl, so put up with me.”

The strong, masculine hands around her waist sent Shiozaki’s pure brain into a disarray, and she forgot to use her Quirk on the boy who gently picked her up and simply set her down on the other side of the white line.

“Shiozaki-san is thrown out of bounds! Midoriya-kun advances to the final match!” Midnight announced.

“SHIIIIIIIIIOOOOOOOOOOZAAAAAKIIIIIIIIIIIIH!” Monoma’s angry voice rang through the stadium.

“Oh boy. The annoying one is already up. I wonder if he still has both of his arms.” Izuku hummed, partially to himself. Midnight and Cementoss’ concerned eyed lingered on his back as Izuku made his way out of the stage.

Back at the bleachers, Izuku peeked to the Class B’s side over the thick glass wall separating the classes from each other. He propped himself on the top of it with his hands.

“Yo, Monoma. You seem to be up and raring to go.”

To any other person, Izuku’s greeting would’ve sounded casually friendly, but both of the Hero course classes knew the sneer hidden behind the friendliness. Monoma growled.

“You damn demon bastard! Don’t talk to me, Class A scum!”

That made Izuku laugh. “Aww, look at that, Neito-chan is trying to act all tough.”

Couple of the green-haired boy’s classmates snickered at that. Some of Class B, too.

“SHUT UP! DON’T CALL ME THAT!”

Izuku laughed.

“You do know that telling me to stop calling you Neito-chan is only going to make me use it more, right? Hm, Neito-chan?”

If Monoma hadn’t had his right arm in a cast and every other limb bandaged, he would’ve punched Izuku’s sneering face. The green-haired boy’s body was completely in the air, only his arms keeping him upright above the glass wall—or tall fence, whatever. A small push would’ve been enough to knock him off, preferably making him hit his head to the seats behind him in the progress.

“Midori, don’t be so mean to someone you injured…” Ashido snickered behind the boy. Izuku glanced at her.

“No, I didn’t actually injure him. In fact, I tried to keep him from getting injured, but this bullheaded little bastard didn’t want to listen to me. So he needed to learn it the hard way.”

That was it. Monoma, despite his still-healing injuries, launched himself towards the other boy.

And missed his torso above the glass as Midoriya heaved his lower body up, standing on his hands above the glass.

“That must be the sloppiest attack I’ve ever been targeted by. Try healing your injuries first.” Izuku dropped down onto his class’ side of the wall.

“Also, I’d advice you to upgrade your insults a bit. Ask for advice from… I don’t know, Bakugou Katsuki? Shit, even All Might is better at insulting others than you. And he’s the Symbol of Peace.”

That cracked the Class A up.

“By the way Midori, in what situation have you heard All Might insult anyone?” Satō managed to ask from between his snickers. Izuku shrugged, but Shoto was the one to answer.

“Ask his opinion of Endewhore and he delivers.”

“Ende—WHAT?!” Monoma, Tetsutetsu and one of Class B’s female students wheezed at the other side.

Ignoring them, Izuku turned to Kirishima. “It’s your turn next—against Shinsou. Be nice to him, he’s our soon-to-be classmate.”

The spiky-haired redhead nodded.

“But how does his Quirk work? I think you mentioned it when the people came to our classroom back then, but I can’t remember… what was it, anyway?”

Izuku chuckled. “Brainwashing. It activates if you answer to him, but only if he wishes so.”

“So that’s why he commented on my looks? He was trying to make me reply to him?” Ashido murmured.

“Might be the case, or then he seriously meant whatever he said.” Izuku snuggled back against Shoto’s warm side, only to be gently nudged by Yao-Momo.

“I don’t have any more matches to worry about, so I made you a pair of fake glasses. I hope they fit you.”

Izuku cracked his eyes open and stared at the square glasses in the girl’s hand.

“They’re… they look perfect. They’re differently shaped compared to the ones I wore earlier, but in all honesty, I like these better.” he put them on and gave the girl a happy, sparkly smile—a proper, pretty and genuine one, though it still looked a bit strained and tired. “And they fit perfectly. You’re amazing, Yao-Momo!”

Here comes the sunshine Midoriya again…!

“Hey guys!” Kirishima shook the class out of their slight stupor, jumping out of his seat and hurrying off. “Wish me luck!”

Izuku chuckled after Kirishima had left, his tired sunshine smile changing, to his classmates horror and disappointment, into something more Aizawa-sensei-like.

“Kirishima’s going to lose. He’s too friendly and chatty for his own good.”

“I’m gonna whip his ass if de loses!” Mina huffed.

“Then get ready.”

Katsuki scowled at the television screen. While under house arrest—again—he wasn’t allowed to step a foot outside, so he watched awfully lot of TV. Now, the channel was tuned to broadcast the live feed from UA Sports Festival, the big event the explosive boy had always dreamt of participating and winning.

The third event was starting, and Katsuki pulled his phone out, opening a messaging app in it and searching for Deku’s contact.

Private chat with Actually_Satan

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: yo deku u shit gay for icyhot or something
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: the way you fucking almost sat on his lap was disgusting
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: all draped over each other you gay fucks
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: moreover why aren’t you fuck using your quirk
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: if you even have one
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: BITCH DON’T IGNORE ME
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: DEKU YOU GAY NERD SHIT

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: okay it seems you little fucker don’t have your phone on you
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: but I’m bored as fuck so imma fucking spam you little shit
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: have fucking fun reading all the shit I throw at you when you open your fucking phone again
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: ha bitch

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: how did the class b fuck her his arm obliterated when he copied ur nonexistent quirk deku
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: fucking superb that bitch is weak as shit

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: WHAT THE FUCK WERE THAT CLASS B STEEL BASTARD’S PARENTS ON WHEN THEY NAMED THEIR KID
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: FUCKING TETSUX4

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: ha fucking soy sauce was obliterated
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: damn dek uur fuckbuddy’s strong
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: ain’t he endeavor’s son
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: dangerous kid you’re fucking there deku

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: alright deku ur fast
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: but I’ll admit you’re good at beating those class b scum
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: though you don’t even beat them
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: YO DEKU THE WAY YOU JUST PICKED THE VINE BUTCH YP AND DROPPED HER OUT OF THE RING WAS FUCKING MAGNIFICENT
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: EVEN MY OLD HAG LAUGHED

…needless to say, having been spending more time than he normally does with his gentle-mannered father, who worked from home in order to keep an eye on his explosive son, had softened Katsuki a little bit.

Though he still had his trashy, foul mouth.

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: did Tired™ seriously expel the grape fuck btw
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: fucking hell I’m lucky I was a special case from the start
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: I mean sure I exploded your face off deku but it’s only you
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: getting expelled would’ve been an exaggeration
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: thanks deku for ratting me out to the fucking pros during the sludge shit thing 

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: ...okay don't fucking ask why I still have your fucking phone number
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: i'll kill you

Chapter Text

Shinsou and Kirishima were announced to the stage. The red-haired hero-in-training took a deep breath and looked into his opponents tired eyes—Geez, this guy looks just as tired as Midori.

Shinsou returned the look.

“What, is there something in my face?”

The redhead didn’t answer.

“Oh, smart kid. Did Midoriya rat about my Quirk?”

No response aside from a concentrated and stern expression and an intense stare.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Shinsou shrugged, and Present Mic’s voice started the match.

“But hey, speaking of Quirks, please be gentle with me. I’m soft.” the purple-haired boy shrugged, almost earning a laugh from his opponent. Almost.

“I mean, you’re literally rock hard and all that… sharp, too, from what I’ve gathered. You could easily break someone like me who has skipped training more than once or twice.”

Kirishima opened his mouth to respond, but caught himself in the last moment and instead hardened his fists and lunged forward.  Shinsou dodged with better-than-average, but still not outstanding agility.

“Whoa there, I really should try keeping up with my training.”

Kirishima growled. This was, unfortunately, not enough to activate Shinsou’s Quirk.

“Okay, so… you’re Kirishima? I’m trying to remember my future classmates’ faces, though I doubt I’d be interested in making friends.”

That triggered a response out of the other boy.

“Whadd’ya mean you’d not be making friends? Everyone at Class A is a friend—"

Shinsou smirked triumphantly. Brainwashing, success.

“I’m not a friendly type, that’s all. I’d like to get to know Midoriya better, the bags under his eyes somehow tells me he’s going to be relatable, at least from time to time.” he circled to behind Kirishima and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder.

“Don’t think evil of me, Kirishima. Walk out of the ring, please.”

And Kirishima complied.

“Shinsou, your Quirk is a nasty trick, you know?!” the redhead exclaimed as soon as the other boy’s Quirk wore off.

“I know. Sorry ‘bout that, but I really want to win.”

“Kirishima-kun is out of bounds! Shinsou-kun wins!” Midnight exclaimed.

Shinsou raised his hand.

“Yes, Shinsou-kun?” the R-Rated Hero gave him a permission to speak.

“When Midoriya from Class A won against Class B’s Shiozaki before us, you said that he advanced to the final match. But, in reality, he still needs to face me before the final one. Isn’t that right, sensei?”

Midnight sucked air between her teeth as she realized her mistake.

“My bad!” she called out to the audience and corrected herself. “Round Two Match One winner, Midoriya Izuku, will proceed to the semifinals instead of the final match. My sincerest apologies, everyone!”

In the commentator’s booth, Present Mic broke into a loud, cackling laughter.

“I was waiting for you to realize yourself, Midnight, so I didn’t correct you! But Shinsou did good job correcting you instead!”

Midnight flushed in embarrassment and lashed her whip towards the booth her fellow Hero was laughing at her.

“Silence, Mic!”

This comment had, however, gone unheard by Izuku who would definitely found it funny—he too, had noticed Midnight’s blunder but had decided not to mention it. He had went to the waiting room, despite from the high probability of him ending up stapling Mineta waiting inside to the wall, to retrieve his phone.

Mineta scurried away to the furthest corner from the door as soon as he saw who had opened it, and didn’t dare to move a muscle. Izuku didn’t speak to him, and he didn’t speak to Izuku, so the encounter passed without incident.

With his phone in hand and three canned coffees he had bought from a vending machine on his way stuffed into his pockets, Izuku made his way back to the seats and arrived at the same time as Kirishima.

“Good job, Kirishima.” Izuku didn’t even lift his gaze away from the phone in his hand. “You lasted longer than Ashido. That’s a Class A record now.”

Kacchan had decided to bombard him with more or less angry messages about the Festival. Izuku huffed in amusement as he sat back next to Shoto, allowing the dual-toned boy to read the messages as well.

“Also, Sho-chan, can you warm this up for me?” Izuku threw one of the cans from his pocket to Shoto.

The red-haired kid from his former class—Deku’s class—had just lost to the purple kid from General Studies—his possible new classmate after summer vacation—when Katsuki’s phone let out a string of small, popping explosion sounds, alerting him of a new message. He immediately checked it, hoping it to be from Deku.

But no.

Private chat with creephands

creephands: you probably have deleted my number so you won’t remember my name anymore Katsuki but it’s the kid with weird-ass stretchy fingers you used to hang out with until the Sludge Villain incident
creephands: I know u don’t bother remembering anyone’s name ever so
creephands: I hope u remember my Quirk

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: yea I remember what the fuck do you want

creephands: whole class is watching UA Sports Festival and
creephands: I kinda have told my classmates I know two of the kids competing in their first-year stage but
creephands: where the fuck are you man

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: house arrest
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: tried to blow off deku’s stupid fuckface on the second day
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: during all might’s battle trial
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: got suspended until the start of the summer vacation and transferred to gen ed
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: I might get out of the house arrest earlier if I’m good tho
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: BUT IF YOU TELL ANY OF THE NEW FUCKERS YOU SHITSTAIN HANG OUT WITH I’LL COME TO BLOW OFF YOUR FACE LIKE I DID TO DEKU

creephands: so that scar on Deku’s face was by you? Not villains during USJ?!

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: YEAH SO WHAT
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: FUCK OFF NOW FUCKFINGERS

creephands: I’m gonna change my username to that thanks man
creephands: also
creephands: uh… half of my class is kinda peeking over my shoulder so they know

                                     creephands changed their username

fuckfingers: my bad

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: BE GLAD I’M UNDER HOUSE ARREST AND I DON’T KNOW WHICH HIGH SCHOOL YOU ATTEND BECAUE OTHERWISE I’LL COME TO RIP YOUR FUCKING HEAD OFF

Katsuki was about to continue when he got another notification from different conversation. Deku had finally answered him.

Private chat with Actually_Satan

Actually_Satan: gee kacchan aren’t you a sweetheart today
Actually_Satan: I, in fact, do have a quirk,
Actually_Satan: I’ve been dating Sho-chan (or Icyhot as you called him) since we were around 12 but we’ve known each other since we were 5 so when we got official isn’t important
Actually_Satan: I agree your statement about Monoma, the bitch’s weak as shit (also his insults are even worse than yours which is an achievement)
Actually_Satan: happy to entertain Auntie Mitsuki, tell her and Masaru-san I said hi
Actually_Satan: yes the grape fuck is expelled
Actually_Satan: I won’t ask about the number but fuck please do kill me

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: HOW THE FUCK ARE YOU CHILDHOOD FRIENDS WITH ENDEAVOR’S SON
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: HOW
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: DEKU YOU USELEDD NERDFUCK
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: USELESS

Actually_Satan: Hi Bakugou, this is Shoto, Izu’s boyfriend
Actually_Satan: Don’t call me Endewhore’s son, I hate him hundredfold more than you hate Izu
Actually_Satan: Fuck I actually wrote “Endewhore” for once but Izu’s phone changed it
Actually_Satan: E-n-d-e-a-v-o-r
Actually_Satan: I can’t believe Izu has that on autocorrect
Actually_Satan: Fucking bless this quality piece of broccoli I’m in love all over again
Actually_Satan: I hate Endewhore with the intensity of million blazing suns
Actually_Satan: Okay that’s not actually enough

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: FUCKING ENDEWHORE AKDKDDKSL WHAT THE FUCK HAS THAT BITCH DONE TO MAKE HIS OWN KID HAVE HIS FUCKING GUTS THAT MUCH
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: I HAVE U AND I DON’T WANT TO TALK TO YOU ICYHOT BUT HOLY FUCK THAT’S GLORIOUS I’M NOT EVEN MAD
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: I’M GONNA TELL THAT TO FUCKFINGERS AND AIN’T NOBODY GONNA FUCKING STOP ME

Actually_Satan: Fuckwhat now

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: ask deku

Actually_Satan: All right, middle school classmate apparently, and if you’re going to tell him, say that Endewhore is a shitstain of a creature vaguely resembling a human being, who doesn’t deserve to be called my father, and much less a Hero, and two thirds of his offspring wants him dead for all the evil he has committed.

Katsuki was cackling in a rather ugly manner as he switched the chat again.

Private chat with fuckfingers

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: YO FUCKFINGERS DEKU JUST TEXTED ME
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: did your class catch the moment when deku was plastered all over Icyhot
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: I mean that half-n-half kid
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: endeavor’s son
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: they’re dating but that’s not the point
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: THEY CALL ENDEAVOR “ENDEWHORE” AND DEKU APPARENTLY HAS SET HIS FUCKING PHONE TO AUTOCORRECT ENDEAVOR TO ENDEWHORE

fuckfingers: all right what the fuck
fuckfingers: first of all: deku’s gay? second: how did he score ENDEAVOR’S SON
fuckfingers: third, why do they call Endeavor that, he’s the number 2 Hero

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: dunno what he has done but
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: I’m gonna directly quote Icyhot now
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: Endewhore is a shitstain of a creature vaguely resembling a human being, who doesn’t deserve to be called my father, and much less a Hero, and two thirds of his offspring wants him dead for all the evil he has committed

fuckfingers: okay
fuckfingers: there went the last shreds of my respect towards that man
fuckfingers: new question: you might not know this but I’m fairly good at math

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: that ain’t a question you fuck

fuckfingers: I KNOW OKAY? WAIT A BIT KATSUKI
fuckfingers: I’m not as much of a hero nerd as Deku but doesn’t Endeavor have 4 kids
fuckfingers: how do you divide that in thirds
fuckfingers: 2.6666666667 of his kids wants him dead?
fuckfingers: how bad is todoroki-kun’s math

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: fucking hell
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: NOT GOTTA ASK
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: PROBABLY SHIT

Private chat with Actually_Satan

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: YO ICYHOT HOW BAD IS YOUR MATH
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: HOW MANY FUCKING SIBLINGS DO YOU HAVE

Actually_Satan: Depends
Actually_Satan: All of them or only the ones the media/society/Endewhore knows of
Actually_Satan: Anyway fuck off now and stop pestering Izu
Actually_Satan: I have a match to win and a dumpster fire to piss off

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: I’ve never liked Endewhore
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: it’s the eyes I guess
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: so I’m keeping the nickname even if you told me to stop
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: ARE YOU IMPLYING THAT HE HAD ILLEGITIMATE KIDS TOO
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: HE HAD AN ONE NIGHT STAND OR SOMETHIING DID HE

Actually_Satan: I don’t mind you calling him that
Actually_Satan: Everyone in our class uses it already and I think we’ve influenced couple of kids from Class B too
Actually_Satan: Anyway Bakugou go away now
Actually_Satan: Endewhore is a rapist but don’t let anyone know that you know because it’s going to hurt the woman he violated and her children
Actually_Satan: Her child, one of them is already dead

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: FUCK
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: I AIN’T TELLING A SOUL
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: I HOPE YOU LOSE ICYHOT FUCKER

Actually_Satan: Highly unlikely.

Shoto ruffled Izuku’s hair as he passed the phone back to the boy contentedly sipping the now-warm black coffee from the can and rose from his seat. It was the time for his match with Iida.

Private chat with KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER

Actually_Satan: hi kacchan I got my phone back

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: GO DIE DEKU

Actually_Satan: nah I’m good for now actually
Actually_Satan: found coffee

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: OK DEKU WHYS THAT RED SHITTY HAIR KID FROM YOUR CLASS SO FUCKING PRETTY
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: I HATE HIM

Izuku snorted the warm coffee out of his nose, right onto the kid in question, Kirishima’s, back and hair. Kirishima turned around with a jolt.

“What the hell, Midori?!”

Izuku coughed and laughed. “S-sorry…”

Private chat with KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER

Actually_Satan: kacchan
Actually_Satan: do you have a crush on Kirishima

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: WHAT THE FUCK DEKU EW NO

Actually_Satan: mmm yea sure thing kacchan

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: WHAT THE FUCK DEKU
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: PISS OFF I DON’T HAVE A THING FOR HIM

Actually_Satan: you called him pretty kacchan
Actually_Satan: you have never, and I repeat, never ever called another human being pretty
Actually_Satan: so you’re totally having a thing for him

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: THE FUCK I AM
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: HELL NO DEKU
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: DIE

Actually_Satan: ok
Actually_Satan: but before I do here’s Kiri’s number
Actually_Satan: he’s soft be gentle with him
Actually_Satan: 0XX-XXX-XXXX

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: THE FUCK DEKU
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: THAT SHITTY HAIR IS FAR FROM SOFT
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: HIS QUIRK IS HARDENING U FUCKING USELESS IDIOT

Actually_Satan: yea and mine is actually related to analyzing people and their data so don’t I fucking know that
Actually_Satan: also my Quirk is telling me that you’re crushing hard on Kirishima so fucking admit it already you burnt caramel cretin

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT EVEN MEAN DEKU
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: I AIN’T A CARAMEL CRETIN U BITCH

Actually_Satan: actually, you are, considering that your nitroglycerin smells like burnt fucking sugar and you’re a cretin

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: GO DIE ALREADY DEKU

Actually_Satan: I would if I didn’t have Sho-chan

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: TAKE THAT HALF-N-HALF SHITBAG WITH YOU THEN

Actually_Satan: haha wouldn’t Endewhore hate me then
Actually_Satan: not only I was fucking his precious masterpiece son created for defeating All Might, I also dragged the said masterpiece to the depths of hell with me

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: the fuck now deku r u allright

Actually_Satan: no
Actually_Satan: have you ever drank cold canned coffee Bakugou Katsuki

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: jesus

“All right guys, I totally want to watch this match and all bit I’m gonna get my phone from the waiting room real Quick,” Kirishima said, getting up from his seat in front of Izuku. “Also going to dry Midori’s snotty coffee off my back with something.”

Izuku kept his eyes on the phone screen as he fished some coins out of his pocket after he had taken them from the changing/waiting room earlier and handed them to Kirishima.

“Can you bring me another coffee on the way, too? And buy yourself something with the extra money, I’m really sorry about snorting the coffee on you. Kacchan said something funny.”

Kirishima accepted the coins.

“You’re chatting with Bakugou…?”

Izuku shrugged. “He’s lonely.”

"The third match of Round Two! With both of them from hero families, it’s the battle of the elites!” Mic was as excited as ever as he welcomed the two contestants to the ring. “From Hero course, Iida Tenya! Versus! Also from Hero course, Todoroki Shoto!”

The two boys glared at each other, Iida clearly more into the whole fight thing compared to his dual-toned opponent.

But, when Mic started the match, Shoto put some real effort into his immediate attacks.

“Your fighting style is similar to your brother’s, Iida. I have never fought him, of course, but I admire him and I’m moderately knowledgeable of his style.” Shoto informed his blue-haired classmate. “Also, considering that Izuku loves to ramble about Heroes, especially about the ones he really likes, I have his battle scenarios embedded into my brain.”

Skipping through the corridors towards the nearest vending machine after retrieving his phone—and sending an angry glare towards Mineta—Kirishima felt the said small device buzzing in his pocket.

Private chat with KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: YO SHITTY HAIR WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU SO FUCKING GORGEROUS DEKU’S CALLING ME GAY BECAUSE OF YOU

Kirishima squinted at the message for a while.

RedRI0T: Bakugou…?
RedRI0T: how did ya get my number

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: YEA I’M BAKUGOU SUCK A DICK SHITTY HAIR
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: DEKU THREW UR NUMBER AT ME WHEN I ASKED HIM WHY THE FUCK YOU’RE SO FUCKING PRETTY

RedRI0T: I guess I’m flattered…?
RedRI0T: you’re real aggressive with your compliments Blasty
RedRI0T: oh fuck I totally didn’t mean to call you that Bakugou

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: WHATEVER
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: THAT’S KINDA WHAT I AM SO
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: WHAT THE FUCK I’M SAYING
KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: FUCK OFF SHITTY HAIR

RedRI0T: the name’s Kirishima y’know

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: I know

RedRI0T: okay Blasty
RedRI0T: so
RedRI0T: is it unusual for you to call people pretty if Midori called u gay for that
RedRI0T: ok calling other guys pretty is kinda gay
RedRI0T: also completely unrelated note have you looked into a mirror lately
RedRI0T: coz that’s pretty af

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: STFU SHITTY HAIR

Iida dodged the third wave of ice coming at his direction by jumping upwards.

“But ultimately, I’m not my brother. Recipro Burst!” the bespectacled boy responded and performed a fast and powerful kick aimed at Shoto’s head, getting dodged.

Another equally powerful kick was almost immediately delivered straight to Shoto’s back, stunning the boy for a moment.

“Fuck, Iida, it’s like training with Nao-nee all over again…” the dual-Quirk user coughed. Iida grabbed him from the collar of his gym uniform and began dragging him towards the edge of the ring.

Like hell you’re going to do that, Iida.

Returning to the bleachers, Kirishima handed Izuku the canned coffee and opened his own soda can.

“Midori… is Bakugou usually like an angry Pomeranian?” he asked, tilting his head backwards to gaze at Izuku. Izuku coughed.

“Pomeranian…” he shook his head. “Usually not. What do you mean?”

Kirishima’s phone was shoved under his nose.

Katsuki’s phone went off with the small string of explosion noises again, and he immediately grabbed it to check the new messages. Unfortunately, the one to send them was Deku, not Kirishima.

Private chat with Actually_Satan

Actually_Satan: kacchn you have a serious case of gay for Kirishima
Actually_Satan: my condolences it’s uncurable

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: WHAT THE FUCK DEKU

Actually_Satan: Kiri just called you and angry Pomeranian and showed me your messages
Actually_Satan: and I diagnosed you with intense gay for Kirishima
Actually_Satan: accept it

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: FUCKING DEKU

Actually_Satan: bye

Iida stumbled when his engines suddenly stalled and almost face-planted to the concrete. He glanced down to find the mufflers of his leg engines plugged with ice.

“When did this happen?!”

Shoto grabbed the wrist of the hand holding his collar with his right hand and let a thick cover of ice spread up over Iida’s arm.

“During the kick. Since I was only showing attacks with range, it seems that dirty little tricks like this slipped from your mind.”

Iida was now immobilized and encased into ice neck-down, and Shoto got up, rubbing his head.

“I tried to be more careful about your Recipro, though, but in the end, the fastest I’m used to being able to dodge is Izuku with five percent power input. You were faster than that.”

Midnight smiled at the side and slashed her whip in the air.

“Iida-kun is immobilized! Todoroki-kun advances to the semifinals!”

Shoto rubbed his head as he exited the arena.

“Sho-chan~ Warm another coffee for me~” Izuku called out in a sing-song voice when Shoto returned. Shoto chuckled and took his seat next to the green-haired boy.

“Sure.” he took the can Izuku handed to him into his left hand and turned to face Tsuyu, who was walking past him on her way to the arena.

“Do your best, Tsuyu-chan. You’re basically a part of us now.”

The frog girl gave him a reassuring smile.

“I always do my best, Todoroki-chan.”

“…you can call me by my first name, y’know?”

“Are you sure you want to be called Shoto-chan?”

“Positive. You won’t be the only one anyway.”

Tsuyu nodded and left, her opponent Tokoyami following shortly afterwards, and Shoto turned his attention back to Izuku.

“Zu-Zu, gimme coffee.”

Izuku glared at him. “Out of my cold, dead hands, Todoroki.”

Shoto hissed. “You do know that my surname actually hurts more than Icyhot or Freezer Burn or whatever the shit you and Nao-nee ever spouted at me?”

Izuku nodded. “Obviously.” the green-haired boy continued fiddling with his phone, so Shoto draped his left arm over Izuku’s shoulders and peeked at the screen in the boy’s hand.

“Seriously? You’re scrolling through Hero news?”

Izuku shook his head.

“Actually, I’m scrolling through what people has posted to the internet about the event. Mt. Lady being one of them.”

“Ugh…” Shoto grunted. “What’s she saying?”

Takeyama Yū, more known by her Hero name Mt. Lady, fiddled happily with her smartphone in the staff break room she had trooped in with Death Arms and Kamui Woods. She had just taken a selfie with Kamui in the background, and posted it on the net with caption and tags telling her location at the UA Sports Festival. Her fans started bombing her with compliments about her looks not even a minute after she posted the picture.

Death Arms sighed at his junior’s antics and focused on the television screen where the green-haired boy from the sludge Villain incident nearly a year ago gently picked up the vine-headed girl Mt. Lady had already dubbed as Kamui Woods’ future sidekick and put her down outside the ring.

“Hey, you two, tell me my eyes aren’t tricking me and that kid really sparkles.”

Mt. Lady and Kamui Woods immediately whipped their heads at the TV, squinting their eyes at the recap of the fight.

“Now that you mention it… is his Quirk electricity, after all?!” Mt. Lady gasped.

“But he said he has a Mental Quirk…” Kamui Woods mumbled next to her, partially to himself.

“Anyways, what happened to his face?” Mt. Lady shoved her hand to Kamui’s masked face, “He looked so cute before.”

Kamui swatted the hand off. “Villains? I mean, his class was attacked at USJ.”

“But only Endeavor’s son, Todoroki-kun, was reported as a seriously injured student.” Death Arms interjected. “That would be considered as a serious injury.” he pointed at the screen, where the next match was already about to begin.

“Moreover, doesn’t that kid have bad eyes? He was wearing glasses until some point during the cavalry battle, did he lose them?” Mt. Lady scratched her head. “Does that mean he’s giving like, major handicap to his opponents?”

“Either that or then he’s wearing contact lenses.” Kamui pointed out.

“…or that. Yes. Anyways! I'm hella curious about this kid's Quirk now!" Mt. Lady huffed and began typing furiously.

“She is… speculating about my Quirk. Along with her fans. Oh fuck, this is interesting.”

Tsuyu took a different route to the arena than she knew Tokoyami was going to use, passing by a large mirror hung to the wall. She stopped for a moment, and met eyes with the reflection on it.

Not her own, large and round eyes, but the unsettling, white orbs beaming from the pools of black ink that hovered way above her head.

“You're back, Nao-chan? Where did you go?”

The incoherent form floating behind the amphibian girl’s reflection chuckled with a hollow, oddly resonating voice and flickered a bit, changing forms into something that resembled more human. Jagged and torn, black leather outfit covered the muscular and tall figure, and disheveled, spiky locks framed the partially charred face smudged with blood and ash.

“Just wandering around.” Nao’s ghost replied. “I’m going off again, hope you don't mind. I promised you not to hang around while you compete, so... I also have an odd feeling, so I’m going to check out something. You're going to have to fill me in on the happenings here later.”

Tsuyu smiled softly. "We can watch the recorded version of this from TV some day, but I'll fill you in on the most important bits tonight at home."

The figure in the mirror nodded and faded away, and Tsuyu headed towards the light beaming from the entrance of the arena with a determined expression.

Good luck, Tsuyu. Nao’s soft whisper echoed through her head.

Good luck to you too, Nao-chan.

Chapter Text

After losing his match, Iida tried to call his brother, the Turbo Hero Ingenium, but the call went into voice message.

Figured he’d be out for work… I’ll try again later. The bespectacled boy shrugged and joined his classmates to watch Tsuyu and Tokoyami’s fight.

His brother indeed was out, but instead of doing Hero work like Iida had thought, Ingenium had been caught into the greatest danger of his profession.

Assaulted by a Villain.

And not just any Villain, the madman monologuing over his unconscious body was Stain, the man known as the Hero Killer.

“All these fake Heroes…” the Villain grunted. His ideals about a correct society and true Heroes were same as the Cerberus’, which had gotten him a free pass from them to continue harvesting the corrupted pretend-Heroes. He had been, however, warned that if he were to touch the people the Cerberus deemed as worthy or true Heroes, things were not going to get pretty.

And Ingenium was one of these.

Iida Tensei, the Turbo Hero, gasped greedily for air as he awoke. He was laying down, and under his back was hard ground. Not necessarily cold, but not warm either. It was pristine white, and unnaturally smooth.

Like was everything else around him.

No sculptures of any kind, buildings, furniture, nothing.

No sky either. It was the same pristine white as the ground under him, and it stretched what seemed to be infinite emptiness.

The whole place was bright and clean, and unnatural. Unsettling.

Tensei got up, groaning softly, and tried to found something—anything—from the midst of the whiteness.

Nothing.

Until, having wandered for a few moments—or hours, who knows—a harsh female voice called out from behind him, seemingly out of nowhere.

“You don’t belong here yet, Ingenium.”

Tensei snapped his head around, coming eye-to-eye with a girl—possibly a bit older than Tenya, his younger brother—with shabby and spiky, long red hair, light grey, almost white eyes that made the Hero feel a bit jittery and uncomfortable, and an outfit that seemed to be somewhere between a biker girl’s outfit and a Hero’s costume.

“Who… are you?”

The girl scoffed.

“No one important. What is important is to get you out of here as soon as possible. You don’t want to end up like me just yet.”

Tensei didn’t understand.

“Like… you? And where is “here” in the first place?”

The girl hummed, dropping the red sports glasses from the top of her head onto her eyes.

“Basically, this is inside your mind.”

“And why should I leave, then?”

“Because—” Tensei felt the girl’s unmoving glare fixed onto his head. “—if you stay this deep in your funny little brain, you’ll stay forever. And staying forever would mean that you can’t never, ever meet your loved ones again.”

Tensei squinted his eyes. “Like… coma?”

“More permanent. Like death.”

“Definitely not staying, then. How do I get out? How did I get here in the first place?”

The girl shook her head.

“You absolute fucking walnut fought the Hero Killer. Got stabbed. Boom. As for how to get out of here, how the fuck should I know. I didn’t, after all—or I did, in a way, because one of my Quirks is weird as fuck, but you…” she sighed. “You gotta do it in the hard way.”

Tensei nodded. “Any ideas?”

The girl sighed again, and lifted the glasses from the bridge of her nose back to the top of her head again. She gripped the Hero’s shoulder’s hard and stared determinedly into his eyes.

“I don’t have a slightest fucking idea how this really works, but this is all I can come up with. Think of your family. Your friends. Anyone—whoever you want to go and see again. Think of them. Also—” she took a deep, calming breath, “—there’s a fan of yours. Nothing special, you have millions of fans, but this one is particularly special to me.”

Tensei nodded. “Do I think of them, too?”

“You don’t know her. But if you did, you’d definitely think of her.”

Tensei nodded again.

“She sits in a wheelchair for what happened to her nineteen years ago. She doesn’t trust Pro Heroes, detests them, even, but All Might and Ingenium are the only two she feels like she can trust. In the other hand, Endeavor is the biggest no-go you can imagine.”

Nod from the Hero encouraged her to continue.

“She trusts you, Ingenium. She trusts you. So you have to get the fuck out of here so you don’t break that. Because…” the grip on Tensei’s shoulders grew stronger, and the Hero was quite sure it was going to leave bruises, “because if you break Miroki Sumire’s trust, I won’t be the only one coming for your head. Now get the hell out of here!”

Tensei felt something pulling him backwards, away from the girl’s grip. She released him, a relieved smile spreading over her lips.

“Go already, you damn turbo fucker.”

“And you watch your language!”

“Bitch, just go.”

Th girl’s form disappeared into a blinding beam of light.

Where have I seen her before…?

Tokoyami-Tsuyu fight had ended in the bird-headed boy’s victory. Tsuyu wasn’t too frustrated about it, she had known the boy was strong, and she joined her classmates at the benches again. There was a small break before the semifinals and final match started, so everyone went to retrieve their phones—and witness Mineta being dragged—carried—out of the waiting room and probably straight out of the gates of UA by Death Arms while Aizawa waited silently at the side.

“Not gonna miss that one.” the girls shrugged simultaneously while the boys turned towards their homeroom teacher.

“Please tell me Class C’s Shinsou is transferring to our class, sensei.” someone—Aizawa was too lazy to figure out who—sighed. The tired teacher sighed and shrugged.

“Can’t be sure, but most likely. He shows potential.”

“He’s pretty sure himself that he’s gonna transfer. Midori, too.” That was Kirishima.

Aizawa scoffed.

I have a bad feeling about those two already.

“Midori…ya-san said after the cavalry battle that he’ll riot if Shinsou-san doesn’t get transferred.” Yaoyorozu shrugged nonchalantly, sending chills down her teacher’s spine.

…gotta start working on that, then.

When the class returned to their seats, they found Izuku missing. Soon, everyone’s phones vibrated as a new message came in.

Class 1-A chat

Actually_Satan: concentrating in some random hallway
Actually_Satan: not missing, don’t worry
Actually_Satan: also if someone touches my coffee I’m going to roast you on the flames of Endewhore’s corpse

Burnt_Popsicle: I’m pretty sure his flames would go out if he dies
Burnt_Popsicle: But whatever pleases you, Izu

Actually_Satan: who said it was his Quirk flames

Burnt_Popsicle: Holy Hawks Izu I love you

meltY: I’m not even phased by this anymore

chidori: which is kinda worrying but same

defyingravity: Guys pls
defyingravity: Same tho Mina and Kami

EMERGEncyexIT: Midoriya-kun, please don’t commit arson on school grounds.

Actually_Satan: yea I don’t have my lighter with me so

RedRI0T: not going to even ask

Burnt_Popsicle: Jeez Izuku I have a name

can’tCmenowhuh: ASGDHDJDKSJAK

Frroppy: Tōru-chan calm down pls

meltY: * wheezing *

ducttapinmylife#together: gee guys that’s usually “my top” instead of “my lighter” calm down

chidori: but Todo isn’t necessarily the top so

ducttapinmylife#together: AHDKSJKLAS

meltY: yea thought so

Actually_Satan: …aren’t u guys together at the benches
Actually_Satan: why are you texting

Izuku yawned, leaning against the cool concrete wall of the shadowed hallway he was sitting on the floor of.

The phone in his hand rang. He didn’t recognize the unknown number, as always, and picked up the call.

“Yea?” he asked softly, pressing his head against the wall and closed his eyes.

“It’s me, Green.”

Izuku scoffed. “I know. Get to the point.”

In truth, Izuku couldn’t recall the name of the man he was talking with. He knew he was one of the poor lowlifes he had saved as Green, which the man had repaid the vigilante’s kindness by starting to work for him as an extra pair of eyes.

Izuku had lot of these “extra pairs of eyes” through the Kanto area in Japan, and they kept him updated on the happenings of the underworld—keeping track on Villains, informing him of misbehaviors of any Villains (like Stain) the Cerberus had let loose, etc.

This particular one was a resident in Hosu City, a ward in Tokyo, an area known to be one of Stain’s favorite hunting grounds.

“It’s Stain.”

Izuku sighed.

“Who did he attack now?”

“…Ingenium, sir.”

Izuku scowled and gripped his phone tightly.

“Dead?”

The man at the other end took a shaky breath.

“N-not at the moment, sir… the ambulance is rushing him to the hospital and police are already on site, but I doubt Ingenium’s family is aware of the incident yet. No news, y’know.”

Izuku let out a low grunt. “Figures. Keep eyes on him. Inform me of any movements he makes.”

“Y-yes, sir…”

The call ended, and Izuku used all of his self-control not to hurl his phone at the opposing wall.

“Fucking……………….” Izuku groaned. …STAIN!!!!!

Soft footsteps cut off his angry fuming.

“…what are you doing and why do you look like you’re ready to kill someone?” Shinsou asked, looking down onto the boy sitting on the floor. Izuku chuckled tiredly and ran the hand not holding his phone through his hair.

“Perhaps because I’m a hair’s width away from murdering a certain fuckass.”

Shinsou rubbed his neck uncomfortably.

“I sure as hell hope that’s not me.”

“No, not you. You’re actually cool. Someone else.” Izuku got up.

“Anyway, about our match…” Izuku stretched and walked past the purple-haired guy, “Good luck suffering.”

Tensei jolted awake, finding himself once again in the infinite whiteness. This time, instead of the ground, he was laying on an elevated cuboid, like a futuristic bench or something. He sat up with a sigh, putting his legs on each side of his resting place. His eyes met with the familiar white ones.

“What did I tell you literally an hour ago, Iida Tensei?” the redhead girl growled, sitting on a cube similar to the thing Tensei had been laying on.

So it’s not “Ingenium” anymore…

“Uh…” he mumbled awkwardly. “That being here will not end well for me? Wait, how do you know it has been an hour—”

The girl growled.

“Exactly. And yet here you are. Don’t you have a will to live, idiot?!”

Tensei flinched. “O-of course I have…”

“It’s pretty weak shit, then, considering that this is the third fucking time you flatlined during your surgery.”

“Third time… surgery? Flatlined? W-what is going on…?”

The girl sighed.

“I guess I gotta explain it to you, then…”

She took a deep breath.

“You fought Stain, the Hero Killer. He injured you severely, but didn’t immediately finish you off. Maybe because he remembered that you are, in fact, a Hero protected by the vigilante group The Cerberus—”

“Oh, I know them!”

“—or then he was interrupted. I don’t even care. My point is that during the ambulance ride to the Hosu central hospital, you flatlined. That was your first visit here. The paramedics managed to  resuscitate you. During the surgery, you flatlined again. And again. And now, for the third time. That’s four deaths within a time span of little over an hour. You’re lucky, but you’re also a massive idiot.”

Tensei sighed. “I—I guess I am.”

“Who the fuck goes fighting a man known for killing professional Heroes alone, anyway? Iida. Fucking. Tensei. I sure as hell hope Tenya-kun isn’t as much of an idiot as you.”

Tensei squinted his eyes in puzzlement. “Do you know my little brother?”

The girl shrugged.

“I was his classmate. I… I died. At USJ. Surely you got even a short glimpse of the news? Tsuyu-chan says the incident was all over the news for weeks.”

Tensei finally recognized the girl.

I... really am an idiot.

“Miroki Nao! The heroic girl who not only sacrificed herself to protect her classmates and three seriously injured teachers, but also took several Villains with her! While killing Villains is a wrong course of action, of course, your actions have been praised widely by different Hero agencies! I heard the government is even planning on presenting you an honor medal!”

Nao rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, sure. Only throwing it at me after I’m dead, what an honor.”

The Hero tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

Nao sighed.

“I’m one of the heads of the Cerberus. Red, the media called me. I killed my first target—a sexual offender, a serial rapist—when I was merely six years old. Stuffed my fist down his throat and melted his skull on the spot.”

Tensei cringed. “That’s disgusting…”

“Yeah. But I got used to it quickly. I have… killed many Villains in exactly same way and in same conditions as at USJ, but the police, or the media, or government has never praised me until I was a Hero-hopeful and died. I don’t want an honor medal like that.”

“Oh… I kinda see now what you mean. And… uh, what about Green and Blue? Who are they? Can I even ask?”

Nao chuckled. “Are you going to expose them?”

Tensei shook his head again. “I might not leave this place ever again, so…”

Nao rolled her eyes.

“They’re my little brothers, the same age as yours. Though Green isn’t actually blood-related to me, and I only share a biological father with Blue, I view them both as my brothers.” Nao rubbed her right wrist. “Your brother knows their real names, so if you want to know, then survive.”

Tensei chuckled. “Right away, ma’am…”

“Also,” Nao’s voice was soft as she spoke, “if you ever meet my mother, please give her your autograph and say hello from me.”

“Your… right.”

Then, Nao did something Tensei was not prepared for. She ignited her right hand and charged, pushing the said hand onto Tensei’s chest.

“When you appeared here for the third time, I lit your body on fire out of frustration. You vanished pretty quickly after that, so I guess the fire is the last remnants of my life. I’m giving them all to you. So you better fucking survive or I’m ripping you into tiny shreds in the afterlife.”

Tensei felt himself being pulled away again, this time carried and supported by the bright and warm flames enfolding him into their gentle embrace.

Izuku and Shinsou stepped to the podium, mouths drawn into tight, straight lines and their eyes full of determined fire. Both boys intended on exiting the said ring as a winner.

“The first match of the semifinals is HEREEEEEEE!” Mic’s enthusiastic-as-always voice screeched. “Let me introduce the contestants!”

Aizawa’s voice groaned. “Everyone already knows who they are, Mic…”

“From Hero course: Midoriya Izuku! Versus—” Mic wasn’t listening. “—General Studies, Shinsou Hitoshi!”

Both boys got ready.

“Start!”

Neither of them moved.

“So… you’re not in mood for a little small-talk?” Shinsou asked.

Snarky. Izuku thought and adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose, calculating his opponent’s possible movements.

He might get frustrated if I’m unresponsive… yep, he’s already jittery, he knows he won’t get me to talk.

“Come on, Broccoli boy, say something.”

That’s so old Shinsou, you’ll never get anything out of me with that!

“Aw, you’re such a dick, aren’t you? I’m talking to you. Answer.”

Aww, he’s so cute trying.

“I don’t like your eyes, you know? So cold and calculating… a bit like a Villain’s.”

Whoop! Don’t be an ass, Shin-shin! Calling us Hero-hopefuls Villains is real rude.

“Did you hear me? A Villain.”

Yet he’s doing it… he must have issues. Well, I guess “Brainwashing” is pretty Villainous Quirk… other kids around him must’ve made sure he doesn’t forget that.

Izuku sighed.

“I can’t believe how dense this guy is…”

“What did you just say, Midoriya?” Shinsou growled.

“Oh? Is he having hard time hearing me? That’s funny, I’m pretty sure I’m talking quite clearly at the moment…” Izuku mumbled to himself.

This is going to tick him off even more than being unresponsive like a tree stump.

“Oi.”

Oh boy, this is even more fun that I thought…

“Answer me!”

“Ooooooh, booooyyy…” Izuku sighed. “His methods are so… stupid. Who the fuck is going to answer him if he barks “Answer me!” at them when it’s known that his Brainwashing Quirk activates by verbal response…? What is this kid, an idiot?”

This time, Shinsou charged.

Fist ready, the taller boy lunged towards Izuku and aimed for his face. Izuku dodged by simply leaning to right a bit, Shinsou’s fist brushing against the green hair covering Izuku’s left ear.

The shorter boy changed his footing a bit, thrusting open left palm into Shinsou’s ribs.

He didn’t even use One for All, and the taller boy still flew a good three meters towards Cementoss’ referee’s chair.

“You bastard…” Shinsou grunted as he got up, rubbing his sore ribs.

Izuku was looking at his palm with a mildly worried expression.

“He’s lighter than I anticipated…” Izuku glanced worriedly at Shinsou. “I have to be careful not to break him.”

“Don’t you dare to treat me with kid gloves just because I might be a bit underweight!”

“He doesn’t have much stamina, so Recovery Girl’s Quirk would drain him out pretty quickly… if I break too many of his bones, his stamina would not last… but in the other hand, healing broken bones naturally is a long process, so I’m sure Recovery Girl might want to push his limits a bit,  especially if Shinsou is transferring to the Hero course… but too big stamina drain would be a heavy hit to his health…”

Shinsou jolted. He’s worried about my health?

“Y-you…” he coughed. “Are unexpectedly nice…”

Izuku chuckled to himself. “ Oh boy, he thinks I’m nice… what an idiot.”

“All right, I take that back! You’re horrible!” Shinsou attacked again. This time, Izuku caught the fist with one hand and stared into Shinsou’s eyes, face deadpan.

“Bitch.”

That triggered Shinsou’s Quirk, and Izuku’s body flinched a bit as it went unresponsive.

Hmmm, so this is how it feels… Izuku hummed internally as his world went all murky and hazy. Interesting. Would I be able to break out of this?

“You actually let me take control over you? What an idiot.” Shinsou’s voice sneered. Izuku wanted to growl.

Not an idiot, just curious.

“All right, since you literally just gave up, how about you walk out of the ring like the previous two?”

Izuku felt his body comply, turning around and approaching the white line.

Would One for All do the trick? Would I be able to activate it in the first place?

Izuku tried.

At first, nothing. The distance between himself and the white line grew shorter, and Izuku started to actually feel nervous.

Me and my stupid curiosity…!

“Need a hand, kid?” a voice asked.

Not Shinsou’s.

Or anyone else’s that Izuku recognized, to that matter.

It was a woman’s voice, strong and clear, a bit amused.

“I mean, at this rate you’re going to lose…” the voice continued, and a figure that Izuku assumed to be the voice’s owner materialized—or maybe it didn’t—in front of him. It remained hazy and unclear, but was clearly a silhouette of a tall woman, crossing her arms over her chest. Several other figures with gleaming eyes looked at him behind her, littered in a somewhat straight line towards the

Yeah… a little help would be great.

“Then, here it comes.” the dark figure pressed one of her hands onto Izuku’s forehead, and the boy felt the familiar surge of energy running through his body.

“Ohh… and tell Toshi I said hi.”

Who said hi, exactly?

“Oh… Nana said. See ya around, beansprout. Make Toshi proud.”

The figure vanished, the white line on the ground was right before his feet, and Izuku amped up the power running through his body.

The last step before crossing the line became heavily reinforced with One for All, launching Izuku back towards the center of the ring. He landed softly on his feet, like a cat.

“Well, that was an interesting experience.” he hummed.

Hitoshi was livid. How had Midoriya broken out of his Brainwashing?

“How… how did you do that?”

No answer. Bastard.

“What did you do?!”

Midoriya vanished.

No—he only moved behind Hitoshi so fast that his eyes couldn’t keep up. Hitoshi felt a hand grabbing the back of his jacket, and another helping it to lift him up by supporting his lower back.

Oh fuck… Hitoshi was so surprised about the sudden change in his position that he accidentally released his Quirk.

“Time to fly, Shinsou. Don’t think evil of me.”

And the excessive force behind Midoriya’s over-the-shoulder throw catapulted Hitoshi all the way to the wall of the arena.

“S-Shinsou-kun is out of bounds! Midoriya-kun advances to the final match!” Midnight announced, and Izuku jogged out of the ring to check on Shinsou.

“You doing all right over there, Shinsou? I accidentally used too much force… I don’t have even decently good control over my Quirk yet.”

Shinsou groaned, cracking a weak grin.

“You’re a monster…”

Izuku chuckled. “That, I am. You don’t even know half of it.” he lifted up his glasses and skimmed quickly over Shinsou’s injuries.

“Mostly scrapes and bruises. Yay me, you didn’t completely crush the poor boy. However, I did broke your right scapula and couple of ribs underneath it, so I’d advice not to move around too much…”

Shinsou frowned. “Scapula…”

“…shoulder blade. It's shoulder blade.”

“…right.”

“Aaaaaand BAM! There comes our champion!” Kirishima grinned as Izuku returned to the seats. The green-hared boy sighed.

“Hey, I still have to win one match, Kirishima. I’m not a champion yet.”

Kirishima laughed. “I know, I know! But, in all honesty, whether it’s Todoroki or Tokoyami against you in the final, I’m betting my right arm that you’re going to win!”

“No one wants your right arm, Kirishima, so keep it.” Izuku sighed and took his seat as Shoto and Tokoyami left for their match. Shoto left his phone onto the seat, silently asking Izuku to look after it. He had also warmed the remaining coffee for the boy, who happily chugged all of it down.

“Whoa dude, calm down with the coffee a bit…” Kirishima, tilting his backwards to peer at Izuku’s face, mumbled a bit worriedly. Izuku snapped a picture of him. He captured the moment Kirishima started saying the word "coffee", his mouth slightly ajar in a cute, small O-shape.

“W-why did you do that, Midori?!”

“I’m gonna send that to Kacchan and ask Mitsuki-san to record his reaction.”

“Why?!”

“Ooh, show me that, Midori!” Ashido giggled.

“Me too, me too!” Uraraka joined.

”Waaaait a bit, ladies.”

Class 1-A chat

Actually_Satan: someone seriously change the chat name
Actually_Satan: but here comes
Actually_Satan: [attached picture]

meltY: oh god
meltY: Kiri since when you’ve been that cute

RedRI0T: WHAT DO YOU MEAN MINA

defyingravity: THAT LITTLE O MOUTH OHMIGOD
defyingravity: HOW

RedRI0T: guys pls

Actually_Satan: I’m gonna send it to Kacchan now

RedRI0T: MIDORI NO

Kirishima tried to snatch the phone away from Izuku’s hands, but received the sole of Izuku’s red shoe onto his face instead.

“Midori you bastard—”

Private chat with Youthful

Actually_Satan: Mitsuki-san
Actually_Satan: I’m going to send Kacchan a picture
Actually_Satan: pls send me a pic of his reaction

Youthful: Ooooh, what picture?

Actually_Satan: my classmate who Kacchan definitely has hots for

Youthful: Who is it? Girl? Boy? The bird guy?

Actually_Satan: …definitely not the bird guy
Actually_Satan: Kirishima, the spike-y redhead

Youthful: OH MY FUCKING GOD YES
Youthful: He’s a cute one
Youthful: I want a cute son-in-law

Izuku chuckled.

Private chat with KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER

Actually_Satan: Kacchan

KINGEXPLOSIONMURDER: WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT SHITTY DEKU

Actually_Satan: [attached picture] this is who you’re gay for
Actually_Satan: kacchan
Actually_Satan: did I break you

“Aaaaaand done. I think I might have broken him.” Izuku removed his foot from Kirishima’s—hardened—face, waiting for Bakugou’s mother to send the picture he asked for. It came quickly.

Private chat with Youthful

Youthful: IZUKU-KUN WHAT DID YOU SEND TO HIM
Youthful: MY LITTLE SHIT IS BROKEN
Youthful: [attached picture]

Actually_Satan: …
Actually_Satan: oh boy he’s in even deeper than I thought
Actually_Satan: congratulations Mitsuki-san you have a disaster gay son in your hands now

The picture was taken in the Bakugou household’s living room, obviously, and had perfectly seized the blushing mess Bakugou had turned into.

Phone in left hand and right hand covering his open mouth and violently blushing cheeks, the blonde boy sat on the brown couch with his left foot tucked under him and a green pillow squeezed onto his lap, staring wide-eyed to the device in his hand. Izuku wheezed.

“Ohmyfuckinggodthiskidisinsodeep…!”

“What did you say, Midori?” several classmates of his asked, Ojiro and Tsuyu reminding him to breathe. Izuku sent the picture to the class chat.

And regretted it immediately as the girls squealed and almost all boys cracked into more or less uncontrollable laughter. The only calm ones were Kouda, Shoji, Iida, and Kirishima, the last-mentioned too busy with blushing the same shade of red as his hair to laugh.

Iida flinched and started violently shaking in his seat almost right after he had pocketed his phone, scaring everyone.

"I-Iida-kun, what's wrong?" Uraraka gasped.

"It's-my-phone." Iida answered in a funnily robotic voice, recognizing the caller ID immediately.

"It's Mother... sorry, everyone, I'm going to get this." the bespectacled boy stood up and walked away from the group to take the call in somewhere more private.

He didn't come back.

Chapter Text

Shoto and Tokoyami’s fight ended quickly as Shot unleashed his flames to bring down Dark Shadow—whose major weakness was light—and used his ice to mercilessly freeze his classmate to the spot. The match was over, and Present Mic went nuts over the match-up for the final.

“Who could’ve guessed that the final match would be the one between Class 1-A’s demonic top two?”

“Literally everyone who has had the displeasure to know the both of them once the order was first announced. But Mic, if you keep calling them “the demonic top two”, you better give a reason other than the painful fact that they’re my strongest students.” Aizawa drawled next to him.

“Hoo… but I don’t have any other reason than that.”

“…I give up.”

Class 1-A chat

chidori: midori/todo
chidori: I was thinking

Actually_Satan: oh god Kaminari, don’t strain your brain.

chidori: rUDE
chidori: anyways is the Cerberus only the two of you now or
chidori: do you have some shadow members, associated who enjoy the protection of your name or
chidori: something

Actually_Satan: kami thank god you didn’t ask that out loud

chidori: why

Actually_Satan: class b is right over that stupid block of glass? they can hear everything and I’d rather scare the shit out of the fuckers (mainly monoma) with the revelation instead of some human stun gun blurting our secrets out like the idiot he is

chidori: RUDE

Actually_Satan: but to answer our question, we consider Kozu-san as part of us… not a head, like me, Sho-chan and Nao-nee, but more like a tail… y’know, background supporter. We also have one guy I like to call our precious paw
Actually_Satan: …pawn, like a chess piece, but paw makes actually sense too

RedRI0T: A PAW
RedRI0T: IS HE A HINDPAW OR FOREPAW
RedRI0T: LEFT OR RIGHT

Izuku smacked the red-haired head in front of him that was shaking in suppressed laughter.

“Idiot.”

Actually_Satan: idk actually
Actually_Satan: I don’t even care
Actually_Satan: they all get stepped on equally

CreatE: You’re being mean, Midori.
CreatE: San.

Actually_Satan: Yao-Momo you don’t need to force yourself to use a nickname for me

CreatE: Actually, I might manage Midori-san. If it’s all right with you.

Actually_Satan: sounds cool enough. but you should come up with a nickname to Sho-chan, too

CreatE: …all right.

meltY: anyways midori
meltY: what about Tsuyu-chan then
meltY: is she a paw too

Frroppy: am i?

Actually_Satan: nnnnnnnnnnnnno
Actually_Satan: she’s a second tail

Shoto had returned to the seats and immediately took a part of the conversation.

Burnt_Popsicle: Or a collar around Nao-nee’s neck

Actually_Satan: ...definitely that
Actually_Satan: am I your collar then sho-chan

Burnt_Popsicle: No
Burnt_Popsicle: You’re the bitch second head who gnaws on my ear

Actually_Satan: and you actually like it

ducttapinmylife#together: please continue that conversation in a private chat you gays

Actually_Satan: sero you can’t call us that
Actually_Satan: remember I know of your thing for kami

ducttapinmylife#together: and kami’s thing on Jirou

RockUxoxo: don’t pull me into this

RedRI0T: OKAY GUYS
RedRI0T: I’M CHANGING THE SUBJECT
RedRI0T: if midori wins the final, I’m changing this chat name to The Cerberus and Extra Paws™

Actually_Satan: I’m going to win

The class broke into snickers and congratulated Kirishima on the great chat name idea.

“What if Todoroki wins?” Kaminari asked, getting an eyeroll from Izuku as a reply.

“Yea right, like he has any chances. But if that happens, against all odds, I’m making Kouda and Aoyama to come up with a different chat name.” the two boys mentioned flinched.

“Pardon~ but why us, Monsieur Midoriya?”

Izuku growled. “Call me that one more time and I’m feeding you to the dogs, Aoyama. Anyway—” the malice was gone as soon as it had appeared, “I picked the two of you because you two are the least active ones in the chat.”

Aoyama and Kouda sighed simultaneously.

Anima: I’m voting for something animal-themed ▼・ᴥ・▼

*bunch of sparkles*: Of course you are, Kouda-kun
*bunch of sparkles*: I vote for something sparkly and bright like myself~

Anima: …sparkly animals
Anima: Animal Sparkle

*bunch of sparkles*: Oui~ that seems to be our conclusion~

Actually_Satan: holy Hawks now I gotta win harder
Actually_Satan: no offence guys

Izuku groaned, getting up from his seat.

“I’m going to barricade myself into the waiting room until the match. Need to concentrate.”

Shoto flinched.

“Please try not to break my bones, Izu. It hurts.”

Izuku growled. “Yea, right, and you should try not to freeze or burn me because that hurts too, Icyhot.”

“Here we go again…”

Izuku sauntered off.

“Here they come, here they come!” Present Mic’s excited grin was audible from his voice. “Finally, the final match! And the contestants… Both from the Hero course Class A, Todoroki Shot and Midoriya Izukuuuuuu!”

Izuku rolled his eyes as the two boys stepped into the ring. He looked at Midnight standing next to Cementoss and raised a hand.

“Midnight-sensei, can you hold my glasses for a bit?”

The R-rated Hero nodded. “Sure, but… don’t you need them?”

Izuku shook his head. “They’re fake. I only wear them to block off my Quirk which I can’t turn off otherwise. Not wearing them would just cause constant headaches.”

“Oh, I see. Give them to me, then.” the woman held out her hand, and Izuku placed the eyewear on the slender palm.

“Thank you, sensei.”

“Aww, you could’ve kept them on, Izu.” Shoto pouted uncharacteristically, snapping the hair tie around his wrist. He had asked Yao-Momo for something he could tie his hair with if necessary—he usually refused to do so, even—read: especially—when Endewhore constantly complained about his longish and overgrown hair and the fact that the boy refused to tie it up even during their “training” sessions many times. The man also did not know about the piercings in his ears, and Shoto wanted to keep it that way until he had gotten few more piercings and tattoos—solely for the purpose of Endewhore losing his absolute shit when he finally found out. “You know, a bit of a handicap. I’m weaker than you, after all.”

Izuku scoffed. “I already have a nasty headache, so this is a bigger handicap than me wearing the glasses.”

“How considerate.”

“I’ll still pulverize you.”

The two got into their positions and Mic’s voice from the loudspeakers started the match. Shoto shot a large wave of ice spikes towards Izuku right away, forcing the boy to jump towards the edge of the ring while dodging it.

Izuku had decided to dart to right, positioning him to Shoto’s left. He braced himself for the blast of fire he knew was coming next. He activated One for All, letting the little green sparkles dance around his body as Shoto fired the flames at him.

Izuku countered the blast with a heavy wind pressure created by a flick of his fingers, giving Shoto a taste of his own flames. Before the dual-haired boy could fully recover, Izuku darted towards him and aimed a punch to his face. While Shoto wasn’t able to dodge or properly counter it, he caught on enough to freeze Izuku’s hand up to the elbow.

“Bastard.” Izuku growled as he jumped back, holding his now-frozen forearm.

It’s a solid, thick coat of ice… if I break it, there’s a huge chance of me ending up breaking my bones, too… Izuku tapped the ice on his arm and dodged another large wave of it coming from Shoto by jumping high above the ring. Shoto, who hadn’t budged from his spot since the start of the match, pulled his hair back and tied it up. A wave of gasps and murmurs broke in the audience as they saw the boy’s pierced ears. Both Shoto and Izuku could swear they saw Endewhore’s flames flare up in anger from the corner of their eyes.

Oh shit he’s so going to hit me once we get home. Shoto deadpanned internally and sent another blast of ice towards Izuku, who amped up his One for All usage and drove his frozen fist into Shoto’s stomach after dodging the ice with enhanced agility.

“This is so going to break my bones…” the dual-Quirk user heard Izuku grunt under his breath.

And the next thing he knew, Shoto collided with wall around the arena, dangling at the level of the spectators sitting in the fist row of the seats, closest to the arena. He let out a pained groan and started sliding down from the dent his body had created.

The black spots in his vision took over everything, and his mind went blank.

When Shoto started falling, Izuku dashed forward to catch him before he hit the ground.

“Uh… Todoroki-kun is our of bounds! The winner is Midoriya Izuku!” Midnight announced as the green-haired boy placed his (boy)friend gently to the ground.

Needless to say, Present Mic was more than excited to praise the name of the winner of the First-year stage. Both Shoto and Izuku, whose right forearm was no longer frozen, but as broken and mangled as Monoma’s arm had been when he had copied Izuku’s Quirk, were escorted to the infirmary. The entirety of 1-A tried to immediately visit them, but Recovery Girl had driven them off, saying that only three people were allowed to come in at the same time. In the end, the class chose Tsuyu, Ashido and Kirishima to be their representatives.

Shoto was, for the time being, unconscious, but had not sustained any too serious injuries. Izuku, in the other hand, had damaged the bones of his right hand—metacarpals, mostly—excessively enough to require surgery, so the boy had been dragged by Recovery Girl to another, quieter room, leaving the three visitors overseeing the two other patients—Shoto and Shinsou, who was still sleeping after the exhaustion from the healing after his match with Izuku. Ashido blushed when she saw the purple-haired boy’s peacefully sleeping face.

“You have a crush on him.” Tsuyu stated matter-of-factly, ribbiting softly like the good frog she was. Kirishima snickered as his middle school classmate’s brush deepened.

“I-I do not, Tsuyu-chan!” Ashido whisper-yelled at the amphibian girl.

“Yeeah, right.” Kirishima drawled right into Ashido’s ear.

“Y-you shut up! You went all red when Midori sent us the pic of Bakugou blushing like a virgin, so you aren’t the one to say!”

Kirishima scoffed. “All right! I have a thing for that angry Pomeranian, okay?”

“Pome—!” Ashido choked on nothing, accidentally raising her voice enough to make Shinsou on the bed behind her stir and groan groggily.

“Oh god I didn’t wake him up, did I…?”

Shinsou groaned again and cracked one of his purple eyes half-open. He clearly wasn’t fully, or even half-awake.

“Who’ssoloud…”

Ashido’s breath hitched.

“I-I’m sorry… I’ll try to be quiet…”

Shinsou stared at her in haze for few moments. No one moved or said anything until Shinsou let out a long, deep sigh and buried his head back into the pillow.

“Guess I’m dreaming…” he mumbled, about to black out again. “There’s no way… that cute… alien angel would’ve come to… check on me…” and he was out like a light.

“C-cute alien angel—!” It was Kirishima’s turn to choke on nothing. Tsuyu chuckled softly next to Shoto’s bed.

Loud footsteps were heard from outside the door, everyone awake bracing themselves for the intruder.

Endeavor banged the door open, making Shinsou to jolt awake while the three visiting students flinched uncomfortably.

“Only three visitors at the time, Endeavor sir. We came first, so you leave until we do.” Tsuyu stated calmly.

The man didn’t listen, and proceeded to stomp over to the bed his masterpiece was sleeping in and grab the front of the boy’s jacket, shaking him awake while spouting curses and derogatory comments to the still—somehow--unconscious boy. Shoto didn’t show much signs of waking up, which infuriated his father even further.

“What are you doing?!” Kirishima and Ashido half-yelled, but didn’t dare to move from their seats when Endeavor shot small, warning flames close to their faces. Tsuyu, sensitive to fire, held herself back and kept quiet.

“Leave him alone! He is injured and exhausted! He’s not even awake!” only Tsuyu’s long tongue around her wrist kept Ashido from spraying acid all over the violent man. “We’re going to call All Might on you!”

Endeavor stopped shaking Shoto, holding the boy’s limp body up in a weird position and looked down on the pink-skinned, angry girl with disgust in his turquoise eyes. Just then, a knock was heard from the door.

All Might stepped into the room quietly, sighing deeply as he saw the man towering over everyone else. A small—only compared to All Might—form stepped into the room next to the Number one Hero and gasped.

“Sho-chan!” Miroki Kozue’s voice hitched in worry. All Might set a hand onto her shoulder to keep her from bouncing at Endeavor’s face.

“…why am I not even surprised I find you manhandling your own son in the infirmary?”

The two-colored boy was unceremoniously dumped back onto his bed, and Endeavor turned to his self-proclaimed arch rival. Shoto’s head made a dull, nasty “thud” sound when it connected with the metal bar of the bed’s headboard.

“How I treat that failure should not be a concern of yours.” Endeavor’s statement worried the others. “What about  you then, Mr. Number One Hero, visiting your own bastard son?”

All Might’s signature smile had not been there from the beginning, and the odd, neutral face the man wore threatened to change into a frown, but he managed to keep it the way it was.

“If you want to believe that, then yes, I am visiting my boy. Though he seems not to be here, just as I feared.” All Might crossed his arms across his broad chest.

Kozue coughed awkwardly, trying to hide her amused snicker as she and Tsuyu checked on Shoto. When they found no bleeding wounds or anything else equally alarming from the boy’s head, Kozue gave a tiny nod to All Might, who took a step aside and silently gestured Endeavor to step out of the room. The Number 2 fortunately did as asked, and All Might followed him out before shutting the door behind him.

“I knew it…” Ashido and Kirishima both gasped softly under their breaths.

“Uh… what’s going on?” Shinsou, finally (almost) fully awake, asked.

“MIDORIYA REALLY IS ALL MIGHT’S SON!” Kirishima couldn’t keep his voice down anymore.

“Wait, what?” Shinsou coughed.

Kozue squinted her eyes at the boys. “What kind of bullcrap has that kid been spouting to you, Shark boy?” she then gave Shinsou a small, a bit strained smile. “Anyway. Hi, Shinsou-kun, congrats on the third place together with Tokoyami-kun. I think you were really cool back in the tournament.”

“Uh, thanks… who are you, exactly? Also, what the fuck is that shit about Midoriya being All Might’s son?” Shinsou, the poor boy, still had no clue what was going on. Kozue introduced herself and asked Ashido and Kirishima to explain the Midoriya-is-All-Might’s-son thing.

“We asked Midori before the lunch if he was All Might’s secret love child.” Ashido explained. “Me, Kiri, and couple of others.”

Kozue and Shinsou nodded, the dragon girl trying to wake Shoto up just in case something happened to his brain.

“He didn’t give us a straight reply, but I’m pretty sure what he said meant yes.”

Kozue sighed. “What did he say, exactly?”

“Can’t remember… Kiri?”

Kirishima coughed. “I don’t remember the exact words, either, but he told us about his biological dad, Midoriya Hisashi, and then said that he doesn’t know anything himself, and all he told us has been told to him by his mom.”

Kozue buried her face into her palms.

“Kiri, Mina-chan, he only said what he said back then because that dumpster fire from just now was eavesdropping on you guys. All Might really isn’t his biological father, but… eh, scratch that, Izu might be his son, after all.” Izuku explained. When the two didn’t seem to catch on, Tsuyu piped in with a small chuckle.

“Because he’s dating Izuku-chan’s mom?”

“Be engaged to seems to be more fitting term at this point.”

The room was silent.

Three.

Two.

One.

“HOW IN THE NAME OF PEACE AND JUSTICE—” three voices screeched in a perfect unison.

“Whoa there, Shinsou-kun, you don’t look like a guy who could shout louder than Kirishima.”

The purple-haired boy coughed awkwardly.

“I don’t, usually… anyway, can I ask something, Miroki?”

Kozue nodded. Kirishima hissed at Shinsou, telling him to be nicer to Kozue since she was a good three years older than them. Shinsou apologized and proceeded with his question.

“Is it a coincidence that you and Endeavor have the exact same eye color? Sorry, it probably is, but I just found it funny…”

Kozue sighed. “Unfortunately, it’s not.”

Kirishima and Ashido gasped. It was common knowledge within class A that Kozue and Nao were a result of a rape, and now that they had met their mother, the pieces started to come together. Kirishima was the first one to speak.

“E-Endewhore… he, he’s not the rapist, is he?”

Kozue bit her lip and nodded.

“Mom told me not to tell anyone, because she’s really scared of him. But yes, I am Todoroki Enji’s illegitimate offspring. Please don’t spread this knowledge, things could possibly get really ugly.”

“Moreover,” Shinsou piped in, “what did you just call Endeavor, Kirishima?”

Izuku walked on his own back into the infirmary, and slumped straight into the bed that had been prepared for him. He was out like a light—Thank God, Kozue thought—when the other teens began narrating about the happenings. Recovery Girl immediately rushed to check Shoto’s head with more experience than Kozue, but ultimately came to the same conclusion that the boy had not sustained any further injuries. She managed to wake the boy up.

“Do you feel all right, Todoroki-kun? Any dizziness, weird spots in your vision, ringing in your ears? How about your neck?” the old lady asked after the situation had been explained to the confused boy.

“My, uh… neck hurts like hell…” Shoto groaned, sitting up and rubbing the painful area. Recovery Girl frowned.

“Listening to your friends’ narration, your father did give you quite a trashing…”

“Todo…roki’s neck looked like it was going to snap!” Ashido claimed.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if something got sprained.” Kozue added to this. Recovery Girl nodded.

“Let’s see what I can do about that.”

Toshinori, in his buff All Might form, led Endeavor away from the infirmary. He wasn’t going anywhere in particular, just taking the angry flame man as far away from the children as he managed. The two eventually ended up running into Inko and Sumire, who had been on their way to check on Izuku and Shoto as well, and three out of the four froze immediately.

Sumire in utter fear.

Inko and Toshinori in worry and loss of knowledge of what to do.

Endeavor only needed three seconds to refresh his memory of the girl he did wrong almost two decades ago.

His eyes went cold and his mouth twisted into a disgusted scowl.

“You—”

Inko stepped in between the man and the wheelchair-bound woman, her eyes determined and fearless. All Might cleared his throat behind Endeavor.

“You should leave before things get ugly, Endeavor.”

The Flame Hero turned to glare at his superior.

“What, are you threatening me?”

All Might shook his head. “I’m warning you. My girl is a vicious one, and she wouldn’t hesitate hurting you if you laid a hand on her friend.”

“Your fucking what, All Might—”

Inko chuckled. Not in amusement, but to mock the Number Two. “He’s talking about me.” she lifted her hand and made few small tugging motions with it. Endeavor grit his teeth as an unpleasant feeling spread into his mouth.

“I’ll give you five seconds to disappear from my sight. If you do not do that, things will, as my fiancé said, get ugly. Painful, too.”

Endeavor didn’t budge, and the odd feeling in his mouth started turning slowly into a throbbing pain at his upper back teeth. He gulped.

Inko kept doing the small, slow and soft movements with her raised hand, now resembling more some sort of spellcasting than tugging.

“Five.”

All Might walked to Sumire, who was still frozen in fear, and wrapped his giant suit jacket around her shaking, petite shoulders.

“Four.”

The Number One pulled Sumire’s wheelchair back, further away from the now visibly uncomfortable Flame Hero.

“Three.”

The pain in Endeavor’s mouth started to get really nasty, and he unconsciously brought his tongue to the aching teeth in the back of his mouth.

“Two?” Inko’s voice rose a bit towards the end, and the word she vocalized sounded more like a question. Are you sure you don’t want to retreat?

“One.” A jolt of pain ran through Endeavor’s mouth and upper jaw, and he yelped. Clamping a hand on his slightly ajar mouth, he soon felt warm liquid filling his mouth and staining his gloved palm. He knew the taste of his own blood.

“Wha—”

Inko displayed a small, white object between her fingers. A small object that had most definitely flown out of Endeavor’s mouth when he opened it to yelp in pain and surprise.

“I’ll rip out another one if you don’t straight up leave the UA campus right away. Don’t worry, Shoto-kun will be more than happy to spend the next couple of days in my care.”

She took Endeavor’s hand and closed it around the tooth she had ripped out of his mouth with her Quirk. Then, like the man was air to her, she turned to her two companions and steered them off.

Endeavor didn’t need another warning. He left the school grounds promptly, swallowing the blood pooling in his mouth.

The awards ceremony started some time later. The fighting podium had been removed, and now another one rose to it’s spot, displaying the top three—though the third place was actually shared by both Tokoyami and Shinsou—on the differently elevated stands.

In the middle, Izuku stood as tall as his 166 centimeters allowed him to, his right arm bandaged and propped up against his torso with a sling.

On his right, Shoto sported bandages around his sprained neck and couple of band-aids here and there. His eyes were tired, and he looked ready to lay down and take a nap right there.

On Izuku’s left, both Tokoyami and Shinsou stood side-by-side on the lowest stand, third place. Both boys seemed—though Shinsou looked absolutely joyous behind his tired eyes and deadpan face—content with the outcome. I mean, who wouldn’t, considering that they had only lost against the two remaining heads of The Cerberus, though Shinsou didn’t know it at the time. To him, the two who had overcome him were “the Class 1-A’s demonic top two” as they had been dubbed as by Present Mic.

The medals were hung around their necks by no other than the Number 1 Hero, All Might himself, and the man made sure to congratulate everyone with a big, warm hug. Izuku and Shoto were unaffected by it, since it wasn’t the first time neither one of them received hugs from the man, but they could swear they saw stars in Tokoyami and Shinsou’s eyes as the big, strong arms retreated from around them. The boys’ faces didn’t let it show, but they were both most likely inwardly screaming and having a major fanboying fit.

“Don’t scream until you’re off the stage, guys,” Izuku whispered to them under his breath, making them—and Shoto—snort.

“W-whatever you’re t-talking about, Midoriya—” Tokoyami stuttered. Izuku flashed him a lazy grin and drawled,

“Yeeeeeeea, riiiiiiight… like you’re not screaming “holy fucking shit All Might just hugged me” in your funny little bird head, Toko. Shinsou, too. It’s so obvious.”

“…I admit my defeat.”

“Shut up, broccoli kid. I’m totally not fanboying over your—”

“Whoops, let’s not go there, Brain freeze.”

“—idol.”

After leaving the arena, Izuku sought out Iida, who had been hiding somewhere at the stadium since he had received a call from his mother after Izuku’s fight with Shinsou. He found the bespectacled boy from one of the unused rooms, lights out, sitting in the corner, hugging his own knees. Izuku hesitated for a moment at the doorway.

“Hey… you okay?” was all he could ask, even though he knew Iida was far from okay. “I—I have a confession, Iida.”

Iida sniffled and lifted his gaze to the green-haired boy.

“I would appreciate if you left me alone, Midoriya-kun. There’s… something happened with my family.”

Izuku sighed and stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

“I know Stain attacked your brother earlier today.”

Iida flinched.

“How?”

“I have informants all around the Kanto region, though most of them are around Tokyo and Musutafu. I had one of them trailing Stain, who The Cerberus would’ve disposed of a long time ago if he wasn’t doing our job for us—I kept him informed of the corrupted fake Heroes, and he took care of them. But we had rules. We listed several Heroes who he had no authority to touch, and as long as he kept his hands off of them, I kept the info of the phonies coming.” Izuku sat onto the floor next to Iida and closed his eyes. “Stain could live as long as he kept his hands away from the Heroes on our protection list. Ingenium is the second name in it, the first being All Might.”

Iida stared at the vigilante next to him.

“But… Nii-san is…”

“He was attacked. Stain violated the conditions we set for him. It means that we have no use for him anymore, and that we’re surely going to kill him.” Izuku opened his eyes and gave Iida a look from the corner of his eyes. “Originally, Nao-nee was supposed to take away Stain’s Quirk before we killed him. Y’know, it’s super cool and useful, so Nao-nee would’ve liked it. But since she’s dead… gotta come up with something else.”

Iida pressed his face against his knees.

“What’s Stain’s Quirk?”

Izuku knew where this conversation was going.

“You’re not going to avenge your brother, Iida. He’s alive. You don’t need to do anything, The Cerberus has you covered.”

Iida grit his teeth.

“What is. Stain’s. Quirk.”

“…Blood curdle. He can paralyze you for a time ranging from two to eight minutes by consuming your blood. The time is different for each blood type, Type O being two minutes, Type A four, Type AB six and Type B eight. Iida, I’m serious, you’re not strong and experienced enough to fight Stain and come out alive. That man almost killed Ingenium, for fuck’s sake!” Izuku gave in. And was angry.

Iida glared at him. “And you have enough strength and experience?”

Izuku nodded. “Not me alone. But me and Shoto—we can do it together.”

“When are you going to do it?”

“As soon as possible. The internships are coming soon, so if we get lucky, we’ll both get into a Hero agency around Hosu. Stain likes to frequent that area, so it’s natural for us to start hunting him down from there… Iida, no, I can’t see your face but I know what you’re doing. You’re not going to choose a Hero agency from Hosu just so you can go pick a fight with the Hero Killer… Iida, I’m serious.”

“Don’t tell me what to do, Midoriya.”

Izuku sighed. “Let’s make a deal, then… you keep your ass out of danger… maybe go to check on your brother, we have the next two days off anyway, and, I don’t know, just be good? You can choose a Hero agency from Hosu if you want, but don’t do anything stupid on your own, and me and Shoto will let you watch when we bring Stain to justice. Only watch.”

Iida sighed, too. “I won’t promise anything.”

“You’re insufferable.” Izuku groaned, and his phone buzzed in his pocket. He checked it out immediately.

Private chat with Hosu Central Hospital Nurse #2

Hosu Central Hospital Nurse #2: Ingenium is out of the surgery, sir.
Hosu Central Hospital Nurse #2: He is currently unconscious, he’s being kept that way for at least the next 12 hours to stabilize his condition.
Hosu Central Hospital Nurse #2: Would you want a more detailed report, sir?

Actually_Satan: how did the surgery go

Hosu Central Hospital Nurse #2: He flatlined thrice, sir.
Hosu Central Hospital Nurse #2: But somehow, after the second and third time it happened, his vitals perked up towards more healthy numbers. It was… strange, to say at least.
Hosu Central Hospital Nurse #2: This is a very unprofessional thing for me to say as a medical practitioner, but it was like life energy was suddenly just passed into him.

Actually_Satan: that’s interesting

Hosu Central Hospital Nurse #2: Yes, I must agree, sir. It was also very reassuring, somehow. Like there was some otherworldly force saying, “This man is not going to die in your hands as long as I’m here making sure of it.”
Hosu Central Hospital Nurse #2: Maybe it was his Guardian Angel?

Izuku exhaled deeply. “You brother is out of the surgery. He flatlined three times, it seems—” that made panic and fear flash through Iida’s eyes, “—but each time he did so, he seemed to somehow gain… uh, I don’t know. Life energy? Like, he inched away from death every time his heart stopped temporarily. My informant in Hosu Central Hospital says that it was like he had some kind of Guardian Angel watching over him, and that the angel gave him more life energy every time he ran out of his own. It sounds really dumb, I know, but… he’s safe now. That’s all that matters, right?”

Iida exhaled deeply in relief and pressed his forehead against his knees again.

“Thank God…”

“Yeah. Now, let’s go change our clothes and go home. You can get ready and head to Hosu to see your brother… they’re keeping him unconscious for a while to stabilize his condition, but from the sound of it, he will wake up at some point tomorrow. Tell him hi from me and Shoto when he does.” Izuku stood up and presented his hand to the still-sitting boy.

Iida nodded tiredly and, after wiping away the remnants of the tears that had been rolling down his cheeks, took the hand, standing up.

“I… will try to contain myself.”

“I’ll stab you if you confront Stain on your own, Emergency Exit. I will come and fucking stab you.”

“…duly noted.”

Izuku sighed one more time and shook his head, ushering the taller boy towards the locker room.

Hosu Central Hospital; the day after the Sports Festival, 2:38 in the afternoon

Tenya had arrived to Hosu the previous evening, around eleven-thirty, and found his worried-sick mother sitting outside the hospital room Iida Tensei was resting in. The two were unable to see the man right away, and the nurses had steered them both to an unused room where the hospital were willing to let them sleep in. As worried and exhausted as they were, both Tenya and his mother took up to the offer, and slept until the next afternoon.

“Tenya,” the boy heard a familiar, soft voice call him. “Tenya, wake up.”

Tenya groaned, feeling groggy and heavy from crying s much the previous day—and night—and sleeping in an unfamiliar place. He recognized his mother’s voice and her gentle hands trying to shake him awake, and cracked his puffy and red eyes open.

“W-wha…”

“Wake up, you. It’s already twenty to three in the afternoon, and you probably haven’t eaten anything since the lunch yesterday.”

Tenya sat up and rubbed his eyes.

“That is true, but… how is Nii-san? Have you heard anything?”

Mrs. Iida ran her hand through her younger son’s hair and cracked a weak, tired smile.

“He’s waking up. Let’s go get something to eat, and we may be able to see him afterwards.”

Tenya nodded.

“And you’re washing your face before that, young man.”

“Yes, mother…”

Iida Tensei woke up.

And found his body not cooperating—it was heavy, sluggish and numb, and forcing his eyelids open felt like he had ten pounds of dead weight pulling them back shut.

An impossible hurdle.

But when they finally stayed semi-decently open, Tensei recognized two things around him.

The white hospital room, filled with machines that monitored him and kept him alive,

and Miroki Nao's face, pulled into a small, a bit disappointed frown. She looked slightly different from before, but the only thing that had changed was the color of the whites of her eyes—they weren’t white anymore, they were pitch-black.

"Don't react to me. Two nurses in the room, can't see or hear me. Just you, reckless turbo fucker."

Tensei groaned weakly at his new nickname, the nurses immediately rushing to check on him. When they retreated, Tensei turned his hazy eyes back to the tall—and floating—girl. She chuckled.

"Come on, man. I'm dead. A ghost. Or a poltergeist, to be exact, but in the end, it’s the same. Dead. Your mom and little brother are outside, by the way, why don't you ask the nurses if you can see her?"

Tensei let out a defeated sigh.

"He-y..." he croaked, looking at the nurse closest to him. "M-my mom... and Tenya—outside... right?"

The nurses gasped.

"Yes, sir... both your mother and younger brother are waiting outside. How did you know?"

Tensei attempted to chuckle, but it came out as a pathetic wheeze. "A...hun-ch... ca-n I... se-see them?" his words came out jagged and stumbling, as well. The nurses nodded, one of them stepping out of Tensei's limited field of vision.

"I'll call them in."

Only a few seconds later, Tenya’s distressed “Nii-san!” was heard from the doorway as the boy rushed in. Tensei couldn’t help but smile.

The nurses gave Tenya a surgical mask to cover his mouth and nose with, and began to sort over some things with their mother as the teenaged boy stumbled closer to his older brother’s bed. Miroki Nao floated around, now behind Tenya.

“All right, Mr. I-Can-Totally-Fight-The-Hero-Killer-On-My-Own, what do you say to him?”

“T-Tenya…” Tensei’s voice was weak, almost a whisper. “Even though… such an accomplished younger brother… like you… looks up to me…”

The ghost girl groaned and floated into the corner, imitating the motion of banging her head against the wall.

“I’m sorry… Tenya… your Nii-chan… lost…”

Tears pooled in Tenya’s eyes and the boy let out strained, pained sobs.

“Nii-san…!”

The girl in the corner growled.

“Way to break your brother, idiot.” she floated closer and placed her left hand over Tensei’s chest. “And why do you sound like you’re dying when I made sure you won’t? Get yourself together, man.” small, warm flames flared from the girl’s palm and absorbed into Tensei’s chest. Couple of machines around him beeped abnormally, alerting the nurses.

“N-Nii-san?!” Tenya gasped in worry.

“I’m okay…”

“Clearly not, seeing that you’re in a hospital bed, strapped into a dozen of weird machines, but whatever bullshit you want to feed your brother.” the ghost shrugged.

“It’s weird…” one of the nurses muttered.

“W-what is?” Mrs. Iida gasped, panic flashing in her eyes.

“He’s doing a lot better than literally couple of seconds ago. This also happened two times during his surgery, and we have absolutely no explanation for this.”

Tensei chuckled weakly from the bed. “Maybe some ghosts don’t want me dead…”

“Nii-san, ghosts aren’t real. You’re being weird.”

Miroki Nao giggled, left unheard by everyone but the Hero laying weakly on the bed. “Ooh, if he only knew~”

“No, Tenya, I’m being serious.” Tensei deadpanned.

“…Go to sleep, Nii-san.”

“I’m still going to be serious about the ghosts even after I wake up, Tenya.”

“Just… Nii-san. Please.”

“Tenya—”

“Nii-san.”

Nao left them alone, cackling contently as she floated through the wall.

Chapter Text

Tsuyu yawned. After coming home from the Sports Festival, she chatted with her family—her parents were, for once, both home at the same time—and played with her two younger siblings for a while before everyone went to sleep. Tsuyu retreated into her room, but she wasn’t going to bed just yet.

Sitting in front of her vanity mirror (not the kind with lights, but just a desk + mirror), the ceiling light of the room turned off and a small, dim desktop light turned on next to her, Tsuyu went over some hiragana exercise papers scattered around her desk. The answers to the neatly handwritten questions were written way more messily, like the person answering the questions used their non-dominant hand or were not used to writing. There were mistakes here and there, too.

A movement behind her reflection in the mirror brought Tsuyu’s concentration away from the papers in front of her. She smiled at the mirror.

“Welcome home, Nao-chan. How did the whatever you did go?”

Nao chuckled, floating down, and wrapping her arms gently around Tsuyu’s shoulders.

“Ingenium was badly injured by Stain. I had to make sure he doesn’t die during the surgery.” Nao, looking as much human as she could, muttered into Tsuyu’s soft hair. “I’m going there again tomorrow, to make sure he wakes up properly. Iida arrived when I left. but was unable to see his brother yet.”

“Um… what?”

Nao sighed.

“Didn’t you know that Iida is Ingenium’s younger brother?”

“Not sure. Anyway, you’re improving.” Tsuyu waved few papers in her hand. “Still a lot of mistakes, and your handwriting is sloppy and messy, but you’re improving.”

Nao flashed a tired smile to her girlfriend’s reflection.

“Moreover, Tsuyu, you’re really beautiful.” she rubbed her cheek against Tsuyu’s bare shoulder like a cat, enjoying the warmth the living body emitted. Her own arms around Tsuyu were cold, transparent—and the amphibian girl could only see them through a mirror—and not fully present. Tsuyu, however, liked the feeling and reached out to smooth Nao’s unruly locks.

“I’ll leave my phone to the table. don’t unplug the charger, the video of the Sports Festival is on the screen, just play it. Wear headphones, you’re solid enough to do that.”

“Aww, and here I hoped you’d watch it with me.” Nao pouted.

Tsuyu thought about it for a moment.

“…I have no school tomorrow anyway. I’ll watch it with you.”

“Aww, you’re the best, Tsuyu-chan~”

“But it’s not going to be my fault if I fall asleep in the middle of everything, ribbit.”

---

The next day;

The Cerberus and Extra Paws™ (1-A Chat)

chidori: yo guys who have already woken up
chidori: let’s play a game
chidori: it’s called “who’s the pro hero living in the same house with midori?”

Actually_Satan: Sorry Kaminari but you have to clear the previous level first
Actually_Satan: Wait shit is this Izu’s phone
Actually_Satan: Izu where did you go with my phone
Actually_Satan: Anyway it’s literally four in the afternoon, who the hell is not awake?

chidori: …kiri, mina, satō?… SERO
chidori: me under normal circumstances,
chidori: hagakure maybe

Burnt_Popsicle: on the roof
Burnt_Popsicle: gee Endewhore is texting you
Burnt_Popsicle: “Shoto do not acquaintance yourself with that shameless bastard of a boy of his even more notorious mother”
Burnt_Popsicle: what the fuck has my mom done to him

chidori: WHY ARE YOU ON THE ROOF MIDORI

meltY: THAT’S DANGEROUS

Burnt_Popsicle: shhhhhh it’s not the first time I’m here
Burnt_Popsicle: also our roof is pretty safe
Burnt_Popsicle: if I wanted to fall I’d need to jump down on my own

Actually_Satan: You’re not doing that Izuku

Burnt_Popsicle: of course not
Burnt_Popsicle: anyways ppl who want to know who our resident pro hero is
Burnt_Popsicle: you gotta clear at least one game before that

MadBanquetOfDarkness: I’m actually intrigued, so count me in.

chidori: GIMME THE GAMEEEEEEEEEEE

Burnt_Popsicle: simple: who is the Miroki twins’ father?
Burnt_Popsicle: though Ashido and Kiri (as well as Sho, Tsuyu-chan and Shinsou) can’t participate since they already know the answer

meltY: awwwwww that’s not fun midori

Burnt_Popsicle: the others can’t ask the correct answer from them, either

RedRI0T: damn it guys, I thought what kind of emergency it was when my phone went off all the time but it was you guys wanting to play a game
RedRI0T: should we get the whole gang?

tail: I’m here
tail: The game actually sounds cool, can I join?

Burnt_Popsicle: everyone but the aforementioned three

tail: all right @Kakashi @can’tCmenowhuh @SUGARRRRRRRR LET’S PLAY A GAME

can’tCmenowhuh: I’m so in

defyingravity: Guys
defyingravity: Sounds cool lemme join

CreatE: I already have a theory…

Burnt_Popsicle: I got my phone back from the broccoli phone thief

Actually_Satan: rUDE
Actually_Satan: anyway @EMERGEncyexIT @Frroppy are you guys around

Frroppy: barely here

EMERGEncyexIT: I am here as well, though I might go offline soon.
EMERGEncyexIT: As Midoriya-kun, as well as Todoroki-kun and Asui-kun (I suppose) knows, my older brother was attacked by Stain yesterday.
EMERGEncyexIT: I’m at the hospital with him.

Actually_Satan: tell him hi

Frroppy: call me Tsuyu-chan, Iida-chan

EMERGEncyexIT: Tensei-niisan also said hi to the whole class.
EMERGEncyexIT: He also asks whether he could play, too.

Actually_Satan: sure
Actually_Satan: but for the game to be fair, he should be shown a picture of Nao-nee, Kozu-san and Sumire-san

Burnt_Popsicle: The best one I have with all of them in and without Nao-nee looking like she’s going to murder a bitch
Burnt_Popsicle: [attached image]

Frroppy: that’s a cute picture actually
Frroppy: I’m going to save that and put it as my background image

Burnt_Popsicle: Sure

EMERGEncyexIT: …Nii-san just asked if Sumire-san (he pointed her out in the picture) sits in a wheelchair.

Actually_Satan: …???? there’s no wheelchair in the picture, and Sumire-san is sitting on Nao-nee’s lap so
Actually_Satan: hOW DID HE KNOW

EMERGEncyexIT: Nii-san said “a ghost told me” which is unsettling me.

Frroppy: tell him to tell the ghost to go home they’re clearly giving him the answers
Frroppy: that’s cheating

Actually_Satan: are you hiding something from me Tsuyu-chan

Frroppy: no
Frroppy: why would I

Actually_Satan: ANYWAY PEOPLE GIMME YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE ANSWER
Actually_Satan: OR TYPE YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS

CreatE: Should I just voice my suspicion or should I give some basis to my claim first?

Actually_Satan: some basis, please
Actually_Satan: only-the-name answers will be disqualified

chidori: damn

CreatE: All right.
CreatE: First of all, their father obviously has red hair since both Kozue-san and Sumire-san have black hair
CreatE: Nao-san’s hair texture (wild, spiky, kind of shaggy) also seems to come from their father.

meltY: oooooooo hey isn’t Nao-san’s eyes from their mom?
meltY: y’know
meltY: light grey

Actually_Satan: Ashido Mina you aren’t allowed to participate

meltY: damn

tail: Now that you mention it

defyingravity: And Nao-san’s fire Quirk is also from their father?
defyingravity: Is Kozue-san’s dragon mutation from him, as well? Since Sumire-san doesn’t have that Quirk

Burnt_Popsicle: nah that’s from mom’s dad (it skipped a generation)
Burnt_Popsicle: this is Kozu on Sho’s phone btw

EMERGEncyexIT: The winged girl from the photo? (This is Tensei(Ingenium), I took Tenya’s phone)

Actually_Satan: for the love of All Might don’t do that pls
Actually_Satan: Kozu-san just screeched really loud and my head hurts already

EMERGEncyexIT: …sorry, kid
EMERGEncyexIT: ANYWAY WHO’S THE ONE WHO CHANGED TENYA’S USERNAME TO THIS MASTERPIECE BECAUSE PLEASE LET ME LOVE YOU :DDDDD

Frroppy: that would be me
Frroppy: Asui Tsuyu

EMERGEncyexIT: You’re my favorite Tenya’s classmate Asui-san
EMERGEncyexIT: Anyway, as I’ve been allowed to play the game with you, here’s my input to the answer: their dad needs to be considerably tall, too, considering that their mother CAN’T BE OVER 150 CM
EMERGEncyexIT: Wait
EMERGEncyexIT: Tall, redhead, blue eyes (Kozue-san seems to have their father’s eyes while Nao-san has their mother’s) fire Quirk
EMERGEncyexIT: Pretty buff too if the girls’ body type is in any way hereditary
EMERGEncyexIT: I’m just going to say that that doesn’t sound good (Tenya has given me all the information about their family situation so this really isn’t looking good)

meltY: IF SOMEONE DOESN’T SPIT OUT THE ANSWER SOON I’LL DO IT
meltY: AND SOME HALF-BURNT BROCCOLI CAN’T STOP ME

Actually_Satan: excuse me

EMERGEncyexIT: Half-burnt broccoli?

Burnt_Popsicle: That’s Midoriya Izuku
Burnt_Popsicle: [attached image]

Actually_Satan: TODOROKI FUCKING SHOTO DID YOU JUST TAKE A PICTURE OF ME IN MY ONLY INGENIUM PJS
Actually_Satan: I’LL ACTUALLY MURDER YOU

Burnt_Popsicle: You wouldn’t dare and it’s your fault for loitering around the house in them

Actually_Satan: maybe not but I’m not above stabbing you
Actually_Satan: also real rich coming from a guy in borrowed Gang Orca pjs

Burnt_Popsicle: Not when Sumire-san is looking
Burnt_Popsicle: THEY’RE YOURS
Burnt_Popsicle: WHY ARE THEY THE PERFECT FIT FOR ME (i.e. too big for you)

Actually_Satan: she can’t stop me
Actually_Satan: I’M GROWING, OKAY?

Burnt_Popsicle: I’ll call All Might

Actually_Satan: LIKE HE CAN STOP ME EITHER I CAN FUCKING FOLD HIM LIKE AN ORIGAMI

Burnt_Popsicle: …maybe not yet but you’re right, no one can stop you… TIME TO RUN BYE

meltY: I can’t believe Todoroki is dead
meltY: at least he was killed by someone who knows what he’s doing

Burnt_Popsicle: (kozu using sho’s phone again to chat you lovely kids) you don’t know what you’re talking about Mina-chan

meltY: what do you mean

Burnt_Popsicle: GOOGLE “THE CERBERUS KILLING STYLES”

EMERGEncyexIT: So the broccoli kid is Green?

Burnt_Popsicle: …is this Ingenium I’m speaking with

EMERGEncyexIT: Yes. Considering that this chat’s name is “The Cerberus and Extra Paws” and the fact that I know that your sister, Miroki Nao is Red, and that she and Blue are half-siblings, I can say this:
EMERGEncyexIT: The father of Miroki Nao and Miroki Kozue is Endeavor, the Number 2 Hero. His youngest son, Todoroki Shoto, is also Blue. Midoriya-kun is Green apparently.

meltY: BLESS THIS MAN INGENIUM SAID IT

Burnt_Popsicle: it’s correct. Endeavor raped our mom when she was 13 and made her carry me and Nao-nee

EMERGEncyexIT: I never liked the man, but I would gladly commit an act of villainy if I had a knife and working legs

Frroppy: you don’t have to worry about that

chidori: what
chidori: what do you mean Ingenium-san

Actually_Satan: so it’s true

CreatE: Oh no…

defyingravity: No

EMERGEncyexIT: Yes. The Turbo Hero Ingenium is paralyzed waist-down because of Stain’s attack.
EMERGEncyexIT: Also can someone tell Tenya that ghosts are real
EMERGEncyexIT: Your classmate, Miroki Nao, is really annoying and WHERE HAS SHE LEARNT SUCH LANGUAGE SHE CALLS ME “RECKLESS TURBO F*CKER” AND SWEARS LIKE AN SAILOR

Frroppy: you can see her?

That was followed with everyone typing varying forms of “what the fuck” into the chat. Nao, trying to read the texts over Tsuyu’s shoulder—and failing miserably, which was why Tsuyu was reading them out loud to her—laughed.

“Say hi to all of them and tell Ingenium that I’m not sorry for calling him that.”

Tsuyu relayed the message.

“Izuku-chan is asking if you’re real.”

“Tell his that I’m as real as his sorry as is, and that I became poltergeist after my death because of one of my Quirks.”

Tsuyu nodded and typed the message. “He says that his ass is fine and you don’t have a Quirk that turns the user into a poltergeist.”

“The Quirkless guy whose Quirk I decide for shits and giggles when I got drunk one time few years ago.”

The Cerberus and Extra Paws™ (1-A Chat)

Frroppy: she erased the Quirk of a Quirkless man
Frroppy: when she got drunk few years ago?

Actually_Satan: for the love of All Might
Actually_Satan: you’re not supposed to know about that

Frroppy: Nao-chan just told me, whispering over my shoulder while I text you guys
Frroppy: anyway it appears that he wasn’t Quirkless, but believed so because his Quirk only activated after death
Frroppy: and your Quirk gives the name of the Quirk the holder has given to it, right? like your Quirk tells you mine is “Frog” because that’s what I call my Quirk, or Shoto-chan’s is “Half-Hot, Half-Cold” for the same reason?

Actually_Satan: yea
Actually_Satan: so his Quirk was called “Quirkless” because he believed he had no Quirk and called himself that? damn it makes so much sense now
Actually_Satan: that’s why Nao-nee had that “Quirkless” in the list of her Quirks
Actually_Satan: what does she call it, then?

Frroppy: as uneducated as she is, she has come up with a name “Postmortem Poltergeist”
Frroppy: please no one read that out loud, she can’t read kanjis and she’ll kick me if she knew I called her uneducated
Frroppy: also I think it should be Posthumous Poltergeist but what can I say? Postmortem sounds cooler somehow

Actually_Satan: oh shit that’s so cool
Actually_Satan: what can she do with that Quirk

Frroppy: well, she can pick up small objects (my hairbrush and three hair ties are currently the weight limit), she can be seen by people who are dead (apparently flatlining during a surgery counts as death, so Ingenium is able to see her) I can see her too, but only through a mirror. She can touch me and she feels mostly solid when she does, and the braid I wore my hair in yesterday was done by her
Frroppy: she can give her flames, somehow transformed into life energy, to other people (she gave some of it to Ingenium, which is the only reason he is alive)

EMERGEncyexIT: I can confirm, she set me on fire twice

Frroppy: Nao-chan says that you deserve being set on fire twice because you’re an idiot who thought he could fight Stain alone

Actually_Satan: why doesn’t Toshi-san see Nao-nee then
Actually_Satan: he has flatlined during a surgery too

RedRI0T: who’s Toshi-san

Actually_Satan: THE PRO HERO

Frroppy: Nao-chan hides herself from him
Frroppy: “for shits and giggles” apparently

Actually_Satan: I’m telling him

Frroppy: don’t
Frroppy: Nao-chan will work on that

Actually_Satan: damn

Frroppy: anyway what happened to Shoto-chan

Burnt_Popsicle: (still kozue) mom and Inko-san are tending him
Burnt_Popsicle: Izu stabbed him into his leg
Burnt_Popsicle: with a fork, though… no blood this time, fortunately, but that fork will leave a nasty mark

meltY: jesus

EMERGEncyexIT: That’s not normal

Actually_Satan: what can I say
Actually_Satan: I haven’t slept in… 144 hours? might be more I don’t know any more at this point

EMERGEncyexIT: HOLY HAWKS THAT’S SIX WHOLE DAYS KID ARE YOU OKAY

Actually_Satan: probs not

Burnt_Popsicle: if he doesn’t sleep tonight I’ll knock him out

Actually_Satan: aww hell no kozu-san I don’t like your synesthetic version of Midnight’s Quirk gas

Burnt_Popsicle: who said I’d be using that

Actually_Satan: well shit

EMERGEncyexIT: Oh god you kids are hilarious
EMERGEncyexIT: I bet Shota says he hates you
EMERGEncyexIT: But in truth he fucking adores you
EMERGEncyexIT: I’m calling Hizashi

Actually_Satan: tell Present Mic Midoriya said hi

EMERGEncyexIT: HOW DO YOU KNOW ALL OF YOUR TEACHER’S CIVILIAN NAMES
EMERGEncyexIT: OTHER THAN SHOTA, EVERYONE USES THEIR HERO NAMES AT WORK AND THEIR CIVILIAN NAMES AREN’T KNOWN BY PUBLIC

Actually_Satan: that’s my Quirk
Actually_Satan: Database

EMERGEncyexIT: Sounds like a headache

Actually_Satan: it IS a headache.

EMERGEncyexIT: Hang in there, kid
EMERGEncyexIT: I like your pajamas by the way

Actually_Satan: thanks

chidori: anyway we (or Ingenium-san) solved the first game
chidori: is now the “who’s the resident pro hero living with Midoriyas” time

Actually_Satan: all right fine
Actually_Satan: I’ll send a picture of him when I’ve fucked around with you guys enough

chidori: All Might

Actually_Satan: that’s quite a stretch, give some basis to that claim

chidori: he’s your dad

Actually_Satan: no he isn’t

chidori: you said he is
chidori: yesterday

Actually_Satan: I gave you little shits a roundabout answer because I was fucking around with Endewhore who was eavesdropping on us
Actually_Satan: All Might is not my blood-related father

chidori: damn

meltY: can I join

Actually_Satan: if you kiss Shinsou

meltY: what????? NO!

Actually_Satan: yeah exactly

meltY: rUDE

Actually_Satan: all right let’s make this a one-answer-per-day game, today I will permit someone else to give their own guess too, but starting from tomorrow, only one person may take a guess during one day

tail: that’s mean

Actually_Satan: it’s fun and I’m Satan

tail: okay
tail: I’ll let someone else to answer I was going to say All Might on no basis as well

can’tCmenowhuh: do we know his civilian name midori

Actually_Satan: actually yes but you don’t know it’s him

can’tCmenowhuh: so it’s not Aizawa-sensei

Actually_Satan: god, no
Actually_Satan: we would’ve stabbed each other by now but considering that he’s covered in bandages from head to toe, he’d be the only one hurt

can’tCmenowhuh: all right I have no basis for this or anything but I’m saying Vlad King
can’tCmenowhuh: just so nobody else can answer today

Actually_Satan: it’s not Vlad King and you’re mean Hagakure

can’tCmenowhuh: says a guy who has tortured twenty-odd Villains and Pro Heroes to the brink of death and then stabbed them

Actually_Satan: DIDN’T STAB
Actually_Satan: that was Sho-chan feeling sorry for my victims

EMERGEncyexIT: …I’m just… going to give Tenya his phone back now bye

Actually_Satan: bye Ingenium-san

EMERGEncyexIT: My Hero career is as good as over so pls call me Tensei

Actually_Satan: my extremely sleep-deprived brain tells me it’d be a fucking good idea to call you Tensei-niisan like Iida calls you
Actually_Satan: can I pls call you Tensei-niisan

EMERGEncyexIT: Omg yes
EMERGEncyexIT: I’m adopting you Midoriya you’re awesome
EMERGEncyexIT: Tenya’s amazing little brother too but I want you as my little brother as well

Actually_Satan: can I be your little brother, sir
Actually_Satan: do you really want a psychopathic, occasionally severely sleep-deprived, cunning, manipulative, cursing, asshole little brother who tortures baddies as a hobby

EMERGEncyexIT: I do now
EMERGEncyexIT: You’re my other little brother now Midoriya

Actually_Satan: then you gotta call me Izuku
Actually_Satan: oh shit that’s mom calling me to eat

EMERGEncyexIT: Okay you go to eat, Izuku, Tenya is also dragging me back to my room

Actually_Satan: bye Tensei-niisan

meltY: that’s like
meltY: seriously cute

RockUxoxo: …yeah

defyingravity: I see what you mean

can’tCmenowhuh: awwwwww

CreatE: I, too, see the odd cuteness.

Two days later, everyone returned to school. The train ride to UA had been interesting, as the whole car had suddenly recognized Izuku—and Shoto, who had stayed at the Midoriya-Miroki household for the whole time—and congratulated him on his success on the Sports Festival.

“You’re like, mad powerful! What’s your Quirk?”

“I’d love to take a photo with you if this place wasn’t this stuffed!”

“High five, kid! You were awesome!”

“Hey, Midoriya-kun, Todoroki-kun! Can I take a picture of the two of you?”

“Midoriya-kun, you looked so cure dozing off against Todoroki-kun’s shoulder! His dad looked kinda mad, though…”

That comment earned Izuku’s reply.

“Oh? Yeah. Endeavor hates me. But, to be fair, he hates everyone, even Shoto, so…”

“Yea.” Shoto nodded along. “He isn’t a nice person, my old man.” he subtly scratched the old scar around his left eye, and their fellow passengers—fortunately—took the hint. Endeavor— touchy subject.

“Morning.” the class was greeted by Aizawa’s usual, tired—or maybe a bit less tired than is had been lately—voice, and everyone sat promptly onto their seats. Tsuyu let out a soft, surprised “ribbit” as she saw the teacher who stumbled to the teacher’s desk.

“Aizawa-sensei, your bandages are gone. I’m glad.”

Aizawa scratched under his left eye with his corresponding pinky. Under his other eye, there was a new, small scar.

“The old lady went overboard with her treatment. More importantly, we’re having a special Hero informatics class today. Before we start, Midoriya and Asui, go fetch Shinsou from Class 1-C.”

The two students called stood up promptly. “Yes, sir~” Izuku, who had more or less recovered from his insomnia cycle—though the impressive bags remained under his eyes—hummed, knowing what the teacher’s order meant.

“I don’t suppose Shinsou-chan has been transferred to our class this quickly?” Tsuyu asked. Aizawa shook his head.

“We’re only preparing. Shinsou will be an official part of Class A after the internship week you lot are going to have. Now you two, go get that kid before I get angry.”

The two slithered away.

Hitoshi was barely awake when an annoyingly cheerful knock—how do you make a knock on a door sound so overly cheerful, anyway??—was heard from the class door a moment before it was slid open. A familiar face grinned behind it.

“Excuse me, ma’am.” Midoriya Izuku of Class 1-A greeted their teacher. “We’re here to fetch Shinsou-kun.”

A girl from his class—Asui Tsuyu, the surprisingly okay frog girl—peeked from behind the boy.

“Shinsou-chan is being transferred into our class soon enough, and since we’re doing something special—”

“Picking Hero names.”

“—apparently picking our Hero names, Aizawa-sensei wanted to include the new addition to the happening as well.”

All right, now Hitoshi was awake.

“…Hero names?”

The two at the door nodded.

“Come on Shinsou, Eraserhead has really short temper and I would rather not get onto his bad side—though he can’t do much against me anyway. I beat his ass once already.” Midoriya ushered him, and Hitoshi stole a glance at his homeroom teacher, who nodded approvingly.

“You’re apparently spending today with Class A, and you’re officially transferring there after their internship week. Have fun, Shinsou-kun.”

Hitoshi quickly gathered his bag and stumbled to the door.

“Thank you, ma’am.” he bowed quickly at his teacher before shutting the door.

Aizawa explained the day’s special Hero informatics to the class once Izuku and Tsuyu had returned with Shinsou. As the green-haired boy had stated, they were deciding their Hero names.

“This is also related to the Pro Hero draft picks I mentioned the other day,” Aizawa continued, referring to the afternoon of the Sports Festival when the class has gathered to their homeroom before going home. “The drafts begin in earnest in the second and third years, after the students have gained experience and can become immediate assets to the Pros. In other words, to them to extend their offers to first years like you shows that they’re interested in your future potential. These offers are often cancelled if that interest dies down by graduation.”

“So we’ll have to prove ourselves once we get picked, huh?” Hagakure hummed in her seat.

“That’s right. And here are the totals for those with the offers.” Aizawa nodded and displayed the statistics onto the blackboard.

Midoriya Izuku: 4129

Todoroki Shoto: 4123

Tokoyami Fumikage: 360

Iida Tenya: 301

Kaminari Denki: 272

Yaoyorozu Momo: 108

The list went on.

Izuku whistled. “That’s a lot of offers.”

Shinsou, having sat onto Mineta’s old seat in front of Izuku, chuckled. “The difference between you and Todoroki and the rest of the class is amazing.”

“In other years, it’s been more spread out, but all eyes were on these two this year.” Aizawa pointed his thumb vaguely at the board, but everyone knew he was talking about the two now dubbed as “Class 1-A’s demonic top two” thanks to Present Mic. “Anyway, keeping these results in mind, whether or not anyone asked for you, you will all me participating in internships with Pros—unfortunately excluding Shinsou, who is yet to become officially a student in the Hero course.

After some more talk about the internships and the mention of the Hero names again, the R-rated Hero Midnight barged into the class and took over the selection of the students’ future aliases. Everyone were given a small whiteboard and a marker.

Hero name, huh… Izuku hummed. I know Shoto’s, after Tsuyu-chan relayed Nao-nee’s message to him… but mine…

He started scribbling.

The first one to step to the front of the class and announce the name they had come up with was Aoyama. His name was a monster—Shining Hero: I can not stop twinkling—but Midnight approved of it after some changes, and the final result was gently twisted into “Can’t Stop Twinkling”. Aoyama was content with it, and returned to his seat.

Next was Ashido, who proudly announced her own creation. “Alien Queen” was however disqualified by Midnight as too scary, and the peppy girl returned to her seat with an angry huff.

“Should’ve gone with Alien Angel, Ashido.” Kirishima snickered to her, which made Mina—and Shinsou—blush a bit. Izuku grinned knowingly behind the purple-haired boy.

“Ribbit! Then, should I go next?” Tsuyu raised her hand, and Midnight welcomed her to the teacher’s desk.

“I’ve had this in my mind ever since I was in elementary school,” Tsuyu explained proudly and happily and displayed her whiteboard to the class. “The Rainy season Hero: Froppy!”

“That’s so cute! It sounds friendly! I like it! It’s a great example of a name that everyone will love!” Midnight swooned.

“So that’s where her chat username comes from…” couple of people muttered, followed by Kirishima’s loud “Froppy!” which in turn resulted to the whole class chanting it for a full two minutes.

“Then I’ll go, too!” it was now Kirishima’s turn, and he presented the whiteboard in his hands to the class. It read “Sturdy Hero: Red Riot”, and the boy proudly explained that he had gotten the inspiration for it from the old-generation Hero he admired, Crimson Riot.

After Kirishima returned his seat, Izuku stood up and walked to the front of the class.

“Ohh, this is exciting…” half of the class chuckled under their breaths, excited grins on their faces. Izuku sighed.

“It’s nothing flashy, guys. Or… it is, kinda, since it’s a name of a god.” he showed the board in his hands to his friends. “The Omniscient Hero: Hades.”

Midnight hummed and arched her eyebrow. “Care to elaborate?”

Izuku nodded. “It’s simple. Hades, the Greek god of the underworld, is often pictured with the three-headed watchdog, Cerberus, on his side. So, in a way, he’s Cerberus’ master. And since I, Green, am the mastermind behind the vigilante group The Cerberus, Hades seems fitting. The “Omniscient Hero” refers to my Quirk.”

Shinsou stared at the boy in disbelief, eyes wide, barely breathing.

What kind of monster—

“Shinsou, I can see you thinking. Am I a monster to you?” the green-haired boy chuckled.

Shinsou, deciding to be honest, nodded.

“Yes, I’ve always seen Green as a brutal monster. But I’m not bothered by it, and by now, I actually take and use that as a compliment. I have been called a monster because of my Quirk pretty much my whole life.”

Izuku chuckled.

“Then let’s be monsters together. Sho-chan, I dare you to come next.”

Shoto rolled his eyes and stepped in front of the class.

“The name I chose to take isn’t mine originally. Nao-nee had planned on calling herself this if she ever became a Hero, but since she died, it’s only natural for me as her younger brother to take it on and carry it proudly. I just added something of my own to it.” he flipped the board around. “The Hot-n-Cold Hero: Frost Volcano. Obviously Nao-nee’s original Hero name concept was only Volcano.”

Midnight smiled. “That’s a great way of honoring your… wait, what? Miroki was your actual sister?”

Shoto shrugged. “What can I say,” he let his mismatched gaze roam though the class once before focusing back into Midnight’s blue eyes. “Endeavor couldn’t keep it in his pants?”

“…I’m going to need to discuss this later with you—and I suppose we need to take Midoriya-kun with us.”

The two boys nodded. “Whatever.”

“Anyway,” Midnight turned to the class with a smile as Shot returned to his seat, “Next!”

After Jirou, Shoji, Ojiro, and Satō, Ashido came back and called herself “Pinky”, despite from Kirishima’s snickered protests. Midnight approved of it this time.

Next was Kaminari.

“I combined “charge” with “lightning bolt” and the nickname Kozue-san has pretty much given to me, and the result is Stun Gun Hero: Chargebolt!”

After him, Hagakure, Kouda, Tokoyami, and Uraraka announced their own names. Iida, a bit reluctantly, came to the front next.

“I… am sure everyone but Shinsou already knows, but my older brother, Ingenium, was attacked by the Hero Killer Stain three days ago, which resulted him getting paralyzed waist down. His career as a Pro Hero is over, but he asked me to take on his name, so this is my choice: Ingenium II.” Iida showed his determinedly written name to the class.

“It’s kind of sweet, you adding “the second” to the name.” Midnight smiled. Iida nodded.

“I don’t want to pose as my brother, after all, and the “Ingenium” will forever be him. To me, and his fans. I’m merely continuing from where he left.”

He returned to his seat, and all eyes in the room turned to Shinsou.

“It’s your turn now.”

The boy exhaled nervously and stepped to the teacher’s desk.

“I’ve only been thinking about this for a couple of days, since the Sports Festival, so it doesn’t have any backstory like some of you guys have, but… Zero. Zero is the name I’ve decided to take. I didn’t want anything overly descriptive of my Quirk, but “Zero” still hints at what I can do—I “zero” the minds of my opponents.”

“That’s actually amazing. You don’t want any epithet?”

Shinsou pondered about it for a moment.

“I think it would end up being something that gives my Quirk and abilities away fairly easily. I mean, I’d like to keep it under the wraps as long as I can, preferably even after I officially become a Semi-Pro.”

Midnight nodded. “Makes sense.”

The rest of the classes were normal, the same as the General Studies, until the basic Hero training after the lunch. Today the students practiced hand-to-hand combat without Quirks—expect Ojiro who was allowed to use his tail as he liked, though he kept it out as much as he could for the fairness of the exercise—under Aizawa’s watchful eye.

And for the first time in his life, Shinsou walked home, or at least to the train station, with friends.

“So… I suppose you don’t want to talk about the fact that you’re wearing the winter version of the gym uniform in May.” Izuku stated bluntly as he, Shinsou, Shoto—who was still staying at Izuku’s place, as Endewhore hadn’t come to claim his masterpiece back—Tsuyu, Uraraka, and Iida walked out of the gates of UA. Shinsou shook his head and tugged at the sleeves of his uniform.

“It’s nothing. I get cold easily.”

“You know that I know that is bullshit, Shinsou, but okay. You clearly don’t want talk about it, so I won’t force you.”

Shinsou’s eyes lingered at Izuku’s face for a moment.

“…thanks.”

Uraraka and Iida, a bit out of the conversation, glanced between the two.

“What are you talking about, Midori, Shinsou-kun?” the brunette asked innocently.

“Nothing if Shinsou doesn’t want to talk about it.” Izuku shrugged. “But, now that I’m in the mood, I might as well tell you guys that I’ve self-harmed in the past.”

Other than Shoto, everyone stopped dead on their tracks.

“You have?” Iida was the first one to ask. Izuku nodded at him.

“Yeah, cut myself with pretty much anything I could get my hands on. Not on the arms, as you’ve seen—” Izuku shrugged again, talking about the short-sleeved shirts they wore under their uniform’s grey jacket, “—but my thighs. You know, I change my clothes in the locker rooms really fast… it’s not like I’m ashamed, the scars just look pretty nasty so I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.”

“Why did you do it…? Can I ask?” Shinsou asked warily. Izuku simply nodded.

“I was bullied because my Quirk was mental, and I had been misdiagnosed as Quirkless when I was five, so none of my classmates didn’t believe I had a Quirk. And when I used it to them, you know, I read their data, they called me a creepy stalker and such. So, I, uh… yeah, Anyway, I stopped after we met Yagi-sensei. I was… twelve. At the time, I was still lacking in physical strength, too, so punching the living hell out of the bullies wasn’t an option.”

“…ouch.” the purple-haired teen muttered and pushed up the sleeves of his uniform as far as they went. Small, straight and thin lines were thinly spaced onto his skin, all the way from his wrists to way past under the sleeves. They must have reached the elbow. “I cut myself, too. Even now, occasionally, when things get rough in the house.”

A pair of gentle arms caught both Shinsou’s right and Izuku’s left arm in their embrace. Uraraka squeezed her squishy cheeks against the boys’ arms.

“You know, you two are really brave and strong for being able to tell this to all of us.”

“Uraraka-kun is correct. I’m proud of you guys.” Iida smiled, speaking softer than usual.

“All right, next question: can we come over sometime, Shinsou? You said things tends to get “rough in the house”, meaning that your home doesn’t feel home to you and your situation in there is kinds shitty. I also can assume that the kids have been calling you Villain because of your Quirk’s nature… I doubt you have had many friends growing up?”

Shinsou shook his head. “None. The family I’m living with isn’t my real one, either, my parents abandoned me once my Quirk manifested. I’m a foster kid, and this family is my twenty-first foster family in ten years.”

“…that’s a lot. Like, seventeen too many families.” Izuku deadpanned.

“Twenty-one too many. No parents should abandon their child in the first place.” Iida huffed.

“Can we come over sometime, Shinsou-kun?” Uraraka, still clinging on the two boys’ arms, chirped. Shinsou found himself nodding.

“Sure… anytime. It’s not like my foster parents give a rat’s ass about what I do as long as I don’t hurt their biological brats or destroy the house.”

Izuku hummed. “Can we come over right away? I’ll just call Mom that me and Shoto will be going to a friend’s—”

“MIDORIYA IZUKU AND TODOROKI SHOTO! ARE YOU SHAMELESS BASTARDS TRYING TO GO HOME WITHOUT ME?” Kozue’s angry—not really—voice yelled at them from behind, and the girl herself jumped onto Shoto’s back about two seconds later. The dual-Quirk-using boy didn’t fall over, but let out a loud, strained groan.

“Fucking hell Kozu-san, you weight like rock.”

“Oh, shut up you little brat—oh, hi Shinsou-kun. You guys are friends now?"

Shinsou nodded, flabbergasted about the drastic change in the girl’s tone of voice.

“I-I guess so…”

“Let go of me already, woman!” Shoto hissed and shook Kozue off his back. Kozue chuckled and joined the group.

“So, are you going to hang out together now? I can tell Mom and Inko-san. I have something to do at home, so I can’t tag along—whether you wanted me to come or not.”

Shinsou chuckled a bit. “That’s too bad. It would’ve been fun if you could’ve tagged along, I guess.”

“We’re going over to Shinsou’s house.” Izuku flashed Kozue a small grin. “Have fun with the laundry today.”

The winged girl hissed at the boy and slashed her tail at his ankles.

“I hate you Izu.”

“Nah, you love me.”

“Go to hell.”

“Obviously.”

“God, you’re infuriating.”

Chapter Text

Izuku, Shoto, Tsuyu, Uraraka and Iida ended up going home after all, with a promise to meet Shinsou at the city about an hour later. Couple of others from 1-A, Kirishima—who dragged his classmate since middle school, Ashido, with him—Kaminari, Sero, and surprisingly, Shoji and Tokoyami. They glanced around the plaza they had agreed to meet to find Shinsou, finally spotting the boy sitting on a low curb beside the pretty fountain, surrounded by couple of guys their age.

The Heroes-in-training immediately knew that the bunch loitering around their purple-haired friend were bullies. Izuku, and Shoto right behind him, were the first ones to approach.

“I can’t believe this shitty little Villain is still hanging around.” Hitoshi let the comment slide, he wasn’t taking any of this bullshit tonight.

“Hey, you shitpile, are you listening? We already told you to get lost!” another bully—they were Shinsou’s classmates from middle school, but he had been transferred there during their third year, so he had never bothered to learn their names—swung his foot at Shinsou.

“Why are you sitting here, anyway? Get lost, Villain!” as the foot was about to connect to Shinsou’s shoulder, it was suddenly grabbed by the ankle from behind the bully. Shinsou recognized the two ends of the scar that ran an almost complete circle around the hand holding the bully’s ankle.

“Yo, what in the ever-loving fuck are you assholes doing to our friend?” Midoriya Izuku asked from the bullies, tightening his grip around the other boy’s ankle. The grip of the hand he has obliterated at the Sports Festival to the point Recovery Girl had had to operate on it before healing the broken bones, and they still had settled a bit funnily.

“What the fuck are you, you damn runt? Let go of me!” the bully in Izuku’s hold struggled, but the green-haired boy didn’t give in.

“He asked what you bitches are doing to our friend.” Todoroki Shoto joined the boy, followed by almost half of the class 1-A.

The first bully to recognize them was the tallest one in the group, apparently having a Quirk that mutated his appearance into the one of a gorilla’s.

“W-wait, aren’t you UA Hero course’s class 1-A?” the burly guy coughed, taking a cautious step backwards, only to walk straight into Shoji, who towered over his by a good ten centimeters.

Hitoshi heard Midoriya hum.

“Yep.” the green-haired boy nodded, popping the “p” loudly. “And we don’t exactly appreciate you kicking our classmate on the face in public. That’s our job during Hero training.” the half-burnt broccoli finally let go of the ankle he had been holding. The bully stumbled back closer to his four friends.

“You okay there, man?” Kirishima asked from Shinsou, who nodded.

“No bodily harm sustained. They just called me a Villain, again, like everyone has done since I was five.”

Midoriya hissed loudly.

“Dude! There’s two gays in the bunch who has actually done something counted as villainous, but even then we haven’t been called that.”

“Midori…” Ashido muttered, holding back a snicker.

“D-did you just say t-two gays…?” Uraraka giggled beside her. Izuku turned his deadpan face at the girls.

“Ladies. Did I fucking stutter?”

Shinsou coughed awkwardly, and both Ashido and Uraraka broke into laughter. Sero and Kaminari, too, curled their arms around themselves while laughing their asses off. Iida looked confused, and Kirishima just face-palmed with a groan.

“I mean, he’s not wrong?” Shoto added his own spoon to the soup, his perfect monotone voice making the UA kids lose their shit and the others uncomfortable.

“Oh my fucking god did I already know about this?” Shinsou, having had his first real laugh in a really long time, wheezed. Izuku and Shoto just shrugged.

“Anyways, what I was trying to say, these fuckfaces have no rights whatsoever to call you a Villain when you’ve never done anything bad… what’s the worst thing you’ve ever done, with or without your Quirk?”

Shinsou shrugged. “Punched my younger foster brother couple of years ago because he was strangling me with his tentacle arms. Self-defense, but his parents threw me out, anyway. That was… my eighteenth house, I guess.”

“Oof. Do I need to pay them a visit? I feel like I do.”

Shinsou looked at Midoriya in confusion—the bullies had been utterly forgotten—and sent a pleading glance towards Shoto, who wasn’t even paying attention. He turned to Tsuyu and Uraraka.

“I guess he has pretty much adopted you already, ribbit.” the frog girl said with a small smile in her voice. “He’ll go punish some of the people who has punished you if you asked.”

“Oh, God, really? Because I’d really like him to punch couple of bullies in the face right now.”

The green-haired boy hummed and cracked his knuckles. “These five, right? I’d rather not fight in an open space like this… unless they’re stupid enough to assault me fir—” his half-mumble was interrupted by the gorilla guy swinging his fist at his face.

“Jesus fucking—at least let me finish my sentence, you brain-dead primate!” Izuku dodged and dug his foot into the tall guy’s stomach, which in turn sent the guy flying and crashing into his four friends—all knocked out. Izuku sighed.

“And I didn’t even use my Quirk.”

After the bullies were taken care of, Hitoshi was more than happy to take his new friends into the cat café he frequented. Izuku, who was instantly revealed to be a cat person, was over the moon when a slender, completely pitch-black cat with yellow, calculating eyes curled up onto his lap. Shinsou, who had a lazy, orange tabby cat chilling on his shoulders and another one—a calico—on his lap, chuckled softly.

“Oh, Raven likes you. She usually doesn’t come close new people.”

Izuku pet the cat’s head softly. “Really? I’m honored.”

Shoto, Tsuyu and Uraraka were taking pictures. Of Izuku and Raven, Shinsou and the two cats, and even Tokoyami and Shoji, who sat next to each other and got a pair of grey, curious cats over them—Tokoyami’s bird head was very interesting to them, and Uraraka managed to snap a picture of the boy with the cats sniffing his feather-covered cheeks. She giggled and swooned about how the cats looked like they were giving him small kisses. The two grey kitties soon moved over to Shoji and settled on his broad shoulders, getting many pets from the boy with multiple hands.

The evening got worse after the lot left the café. The sun was setting already, which was Tokoyami’s cue to go home—his Quirk got harder to control when it was dark—and Shoji and Iida excused themselves, too. Uraraka, Ashido, Kirishima, Kaminari and Sero were left to hang around The Cerberus—and their new, secret amphibian addition—and Shinsou.

“So… you guys wanna do something, or are we just going home?” Kaminari asked, getting a really ugly, humored snort from Izuku.

“Are you fucking kidding, Kaminari? The fun is only starting!”

Izuku and Shoto’s attires started only now sinking into the others’ brains.

A pair of loose, black cargo pants, black combat boots, and loose hoodies with their hoods turned inside-out. Izuku’s was a shade of army green, while Shoto wore dark, navy blue.

Their vigilante costumes.

Even Tsuyu was wearing clothes suitable for sneaking around, a pair of black, skintight running pants—which also gave the onlookers a good idea of the strong legs underneath—a pair of well-worn and fitting sneakers, and a grey, hooded jacket over a green t-shirt with a cartoonish frog printed in the front.

“Oh, good God, what the hell guys…” Kirishima groaned, making Izuku smirk.

“What? Just some patrolling around. Tsuyu-chan wants to tag along because she is Nao-nee’s girlfriend, so…”

“Can I come, too? I’ve always wanted to see you guys in action.” Shinsou asked, eyes sparkling. Izuku and Shoto put on their masks and hoods, and after giving it a small thought, they both nodded.

“Sure. Uraraka, Kirishima, Kaminari, Ashido, Sero?” Izuku asked. The five nodded enthusiastically.

“Sounds like an awesome experience!” Ashido grinned. Tsuyu butted in.

“Be aware that you might end up witnessing a murder. Now that Izuku-chan and Shoto-chan have the government’s permission to continue on their vigilante work, they’re legally allowed to kill the Villains they encounter. I am officially a part of The Cerberus, too, Izuku-chan has reported it to Detective Tsukauchi, but I only have the permission to engage in combat and fully use my Quirk in public if necessary.”

“I’m not going to let the sweet little Tsuyu-chan to become a murderer like the rest of us.” Izuku shrugged.

“Again, reminding you that you have never actually taken other person’s life, Izu.” Shoto shrugged at the side, getting a finger jab to the ribs from the green-haired boy.

And the two—now three—vigilantes led their friends to the dimming evening and the dark alleys.

They had been wishing for a peaceful night.

They ended up running unto a phony Hero having some sort of transaction with two Villains, instead. Izuku recognized both the Hero and one of the Villains—the White Hero: Pale Pearl, and a Villain named Superior—but the third person was a new face.

The bunch of teens observed the three adults from a nearby rooftop for a while, Izuku providing information about them in a quiet, hushed tone.

“Pale Pearl is a Hero I’ve been suspecting for arranging fights with Villains to up her popularity for a while, but this is the first time I’ve caught her red-handed.” The green-haired vigilante muttered. He was snapping pictures with his phone—how did his phone possess such a high-quality camera?—and Shoto knew that a manic grin was slowly forming onto Izuku’s lips as the boy spoke.

“She’s also a former sidekick of Ingenium’s—two years ago, she just suddenly quit her job here and opened her own Hero agency, with money that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Around the same time, Superior there committed a string of highly successful bank robberies, and seeing that the two are in pretty good terms—” the woman down in the alley ran her fingers up and down the Villain’s arm while smiling at him sweetly, giggling, and batting her eyes as a way to try to look cute, “—I can take a pretty accurate guess of where the money came from. Also, Superior a bastard extraordinaire with an ego the size of fucking America—I should’ve killed him when I had a chance. Anyway, let me take a look at the new guy…” Izuku lifted the ski goggles he had replaced his fake glasses with—the glasses were now sitting on the bridge of Uraraka’s nose—to his forehead and squinted his eyes at the new Villain.

“Yeah… the new guy calls himself The Serpent. His Quirk seems to be that—” Izuku pointed to the ground under The Serpent’s feet—or the place where his feet were supposed to be. Instead, a tail of a giant-ass snake peeked under the floor-length robe the man wore. “—snake mutation. He has a human head, but his bite is toxic. Not fatal, just hurts like a bitch.” He hissed. “He’s so new face that even I haven’t seen him before, but he already has an impressive rap sheet… five murders and two robberies… some boring petty thefts… his first offense was a rape, though.”

“How do you know all that? I thought your Quirk gave you the ability to read people’s physical data only.” Sero squinted his eyes at his classmate.

“I usually just tell people I can read their physical data because that doesn’t sound too creepy, and gives me an advantage over them. I actually can find out even more than that, almost their whole history, if I can concentrate on them enough. The crimes they’ve committed are relatively easy to unveil… anyway, with enough time and concentration—and a godforsaken, head-splitting migraine later—I can read the person’s entire history, as long as they themselves know that. If the person has been deceived about something, like names of some of their relatives, I would get the names the person themself knows.”

“Like, if someone who was adopted as a baby thinks their adoptive parents are their real parents, your Quirk would tell you they’re the person’s real parents?” Shinsou asked.

Izuku nodded. “Only if I haven’t met the parents.” he pocketed the phone he had been fiddling with for a while, “All right, I’ve gotten all the pictures I need. I’m crashing that little meeting down there.” Izuku grunted, standing up.

“You need back-up?” Shoto asked, smirking behind his mask.

“You know, we are a team. So get you ass down there with me. You guys, don’t join in unless we die or call out to you.”

The others nodded in understanding, lying flat against the roof to stay hidden from the Villains and the phony Hero down in the alley. Izuku and Shoto jumped down, landing gracefully like a pair of cats.

“Well, hello~ what might this meeting be about, hm?” Green grinned behind his mask. The three adults whipped around, ready to defend themselves.

“The Cerberus? What the hell are you guys doing here?” Superior asked with an angry growl.

“Stopping you, obviously—teaching our friends what it means to be a vigilante—really, maybe we’re just practicing our Quirks.”

The boy’s answer just ticked the three off.

“Pearl, stand back! I’ll bite that brat and—” The Serpent was about to join Superior, but Izuku’s lazy drawl halted him.

“Bite me? No thanks, I’m not into that kind of stuff.”

Shoto scoffed at the side.

“That’s a big. Fat. Lie, Izu.”

“Don’t overshare, bitch.”

The two boys’ conversation riled up Superior, the one with the shortest temper, and the Villain charged towards Izuku, the vigilante closer to him, only to get decked in three seconds flat. A quiet, a bit sympathetic hiss was heard from one of the rooftops, followed by a dull “thwack” and a whined “ouch…”.

“Last time we met, I spared your life because we had just promised All Might to cut down the senseless killing. I saw it not necessary to take a life of someone as pathetic and weak excuse of a Villain as yourself, but now…” Izuku chuckled and stomped his foot violently onto Superior’s back. “We have the government’s permission to kill any Villains we encounter. We’ve been requested not to kill too many Pro Heroes, but…” Izuku blocked Pale Pearl’s attack, a beam of pure white, hot and burning matter, with a wide swing of his arm, One for All activated. “You ain’t a Hero, Pale Pearl.”

The woman scoffed. “That’s the biggest bullshit I’ve ever heard. Eat this—”

Izuku dodged the next attack—now more of a shapeless, semi-liquid blob than a beam, but it was even hotter than the previous one—that spread over the area, barely missing the now unconscious Superior.

“Whoa, there!” the boy chuckled mockingly.

Meanwhile, Shoto battled The Serpent. The younger one was winning, so easily that he was actually just toying with the Villain, and called out to Izuku.

“Hey, is it all right if I test the new thing on this one? Will his toxic bite hurt me too much?”

Izuku, dodging yet another one of Pale Pearl’s attacks, gave him thumbs-up.

“If you’re not afraid of pain, the go for it. It will be subdue in about five or so hours, and it won’t hurt as much as boiling water poured over your face, so you’ll live.”

That was all Shoto needed.

“You know,” he said to the Villain, dodging him. “For a Villain unknown enough for The Cerberus to not know about, your rap sheet is quite excessive. Two burglaries, five murders, a rape, and some petty thefts? You got onto my kill list with only the rape. I hate those people the most.”

Shoto flexed his left arm, balled the hand into a tight fist, and enfolded it into the bright flames.

“This is originally Red’s killing method, and I’ve never used it myself before. My flames haven’t been hot enough. So, it might take a while, and I’m going to need you to stay still.” with a small movement of his right foot, Shoto trapped The Serpent into a pillar of ice, leaving the man’s face alone without the ice cover.

“H-how d-d-did y-you know… m-my-my we-weakness…?” The Serpent asked with a shivering voice, his sharp teeth clattering. Shoto shrugged.

“A lucky guess. Snakes don’t do too well in cold temperatures…” Shoto paused, walking closer. “No, really, I just needed you to stay still. I didn’t know you were sensitive to cold.” he grabbed the guy’s jaw with his right hand, bringing the flaming left one closer. He glanced up to the rooftop the others were hiding.

“You guys don’t want to see this!”

“What are you gonna do?” Kirishima, figuring out that they didn’t need to stay silent anymore, asked and peeked down cautiously.

“You said that was originally Red’s killing method, right? In that case, we really don’t want to see that.” Shinsou dragged Kirishima away from the edge.

“I have seen that before and I can confirm, none of you have stomachs strong enough to watch.” Tsuyu’s voice joined in, followed by Ashido, Kaminari and Sero complaining.

By now, Izuku had beaten Pale Pearl unconscious and dumped her onto Superior, and was on Shoto’s side in a heartbeat. “I’m being good this time and leaving Pale Pearl alive. Superior, too. You go on and try Nao-nee’s thing.”

Shoto wordlessly shoved his fist into The Serpent’s mouth and heated the flames to their maximum. They turned blue for a moment, flashing white, before he pulled the hand away with an angry, pained hiss. He quickly spread ice over his left hand and wrist.

“The bitch bit me.”

Izuku patted him on the shoulder. “That’s what you get when you shove your fist into someone’s mouth. You also burned yourself a bit, but it’s nothing we can’t treat at home.”

The Serpent’s head was now a scorched, partially melted mess. Izuku called the others down and asked Ashido to use her Quirk to melt away the ice around the dead Villain—he didn’t want Shoto to use his Quirk any more tonight. Kirishima helped the girl. Tsuyu and Sero took it as their duty to tie up Superior and Pale Pearl, and Shinsou steered Uraraka and Kaminari away to throw up when the two saw the remains of The Serpent’s head.

After everyone was done with their part, it was time to deliver Superior and Pale Pearl to the nearest police station. Izuku whipped out his phone again, and started typing.

“Superior’s waking up, Shinsou. You might want to use your Quirk on him.”

The boy addressed nodded and patted the said Villain’s cheek, making sure the man was awake.

“Yo, asshole, you with us?”

Superior groaned. Not enough.

“Aw, man, Green sure as hell did a number out of Pale Pearl’s face…”

“What?! Not my—” Superior jerked violently as Shinsou’s Quirk took over him.

The purple-haired boy smirked. “Gotcha~ Now get up and follow me.”

The Villain complied. Uraraka made Pale Pearl’s unconscious body weightless, and Kirishima, Kaminari and Sero made sure the Pro Hero didn’t float away. Shoto, while cradling his injured hand, kept making sure Izuku didn’t walk into anything while he texted to someone.

That someone revealed to be Detective Tsukauchi, who was patiently waiting for the teens and the delivery while sipping a coffee—he was going to have a long night ahead.

“Green, Blue,” the police detective greeted the two boys, “and anyone else tagging along.” he gave the others a small nod. “There’s a new face. Others I recognize from USJ.”

Shinsou coughed and ordered Superior, still under the effect of his Quirk, to sit down. Not onto the bench literally two steps away from where the Villain was standing, but to the exact spot on the floor.

“He’s Shinsou Hitoshi. Transferring to our class soon enough to be called our new classmate already.” Kaminari, surprisingly, was the first one to come to the mind-controlling boy’s aid.

“Hoo~? I assume his Quirk is somehow related to his voice and controlling people, but what is it, exactly?”

Now Shinsou replied by himself.

In the end, the ones not affiliated with The Cerberus got a scolding from Detective Tsukauchi for using their Quirks in public, but they were cut some slack since they did it under the three vigilantes’ supervision and none of them had engaged in actual combat—and they had delivered a Villain and a corrupted, crime-committing hero straight to the police.

“Green, am I expecting your report tonight?” Tsukauchi asked, receiving a simple nod from the boy before he continued tending the burn—and bite marks—on his fellow vigilante’s hand with the contents of the first-aid kit they had been given upon seeing Blue’s injury.

How did he get burnt…? Todoroki-kun should be immune to fire, at least on the left side.

After that, Izuku and Tsuyu decided it was time for everyone to start going home, and the two steered their peers towards the park where they were supposed to split up, but unfortunately ran into another Villain situation. Some asshole had decided it was a good idea to harass a couple on their date—Izuku groaned LOUDLY as he recognized his own mother partially hiding behind Yagi Toshinori.

“For fuck’s sake, I thought this would be a peaceful night. Not only a phony hero and two Villains dared to attack me and injured my boyfriend, now I find some suicidal maniac harassing my mom on her date?” the green-haired boy strolled closer, hands in his pockets. The others followed, earning confused and disappointed looks from their tall, gaunt teacher—not to mention Izuku’s mother. The Villain let out an intrigued “Ooh?” and turned to face Izuku instead.

Mina’s muscles tensed as the Villain turned to grin at Izuku and the others, herself included, behind him. She felt something cold crawling up her back, shuddering and trying to subtly shake it off before realizing it was a cold sweat and fear crawling at her back and turning her stomach into knots. She grabbed the arm in front of her, not caring of who it belonged to. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Uraraka and Sero attempting to hide behind Kirishima, and Tsuyu-chan taking a hold of Shoto’s right arm, Kaminari already hiding behind the boy. That meant…

She glanced up to the face of the person she was clinging onto.

Shinsou’s eyes were fixed onto the Villain’s grinning face, his stance slightly lowered. He seemed a bit sweaty and nervous, and he gently moved Mina behind his back, allowing her to grab a tight hold of the back of his hoodie.

“I’ve heard of you. Green, right? One of the heads of The Cerberus? Some kind of big shot around here?”

Ah, a new guy around.

Izuku kept still, observing the Villain and the situation they were in. “You don’t know who the hell you’re messing with. Currently, I still go with that ridiculous vigilante name the media gave me years ago, but soon enough you’ll know me by my Hero name.”

The Villain scoffed. “A Hero? You? Don’t make me laugh! You and your two little friends are even worse than me! I’ve never killed anyone! If someone here is going to become a Hero, that’d be me!”

Izuku rolled his eyes and removed his hood, mask and goggles.

“Actually, I am going to be a Hero. See? I’m an UA student, from the Hero course.”

The others behind him took off any disguises they had.

Toshinori, who had been ignored after the teens’ appearance, joined in with a sigh.

“Can confirm, I’m a teacher at UA.”

He felt someone’s intense stare examining him from head to toes, and a gasp of realization was heard, followed by Shinsou’s soft, full-of-feeling whisper.

“What the fuck—”

Izuku cut him off, addressing the Villain again.

“Anyway, if you want to live, this is your chance.” he took a picture of the lawbreaker’s face and started to compose a text message. “If you’re gone by the time I finish this message, I’ll let you go. If I, however, see you when I get my eyes of this screen, the hell will break loose and even All might himself won’t be able to stop me.”

“Can confirm, the kid’s a beast.” Toshinori chuckled in a low, hushed tone, mostly talking to the woman clinging onto his shirt—how ironic it was, Inko could face Endeavor, the man capable of burning anything to crisp in few measly seconds, but was afraid of an average-height man, bit on the thinner side, swinging nothing but a pocket knife at her and her date.

Maybe it was the Villain’s Quirk.

The Villain scoffed and lunged towards the boy whose full attention was on the phone in his hand.

Or, at least it looked like that, but when the blade of the Villain’s weapon neared his scarred face, the boy crouched down and tripped the man over.

“You really want to die, huh? You damn brat—”

“Toshi-san, guys, get the hell out of here. This guy’s Quirk inflicts uncontrollable, senseless fear to the people at his close proximity, though it works better on females.”

Ah. So it was the Villain’s Quirk.

Shinsou chuckled, nervously. “I’m used to fear.”

“I know, and it’s kind of concerning. Sho-chan is the same, now get the hell out of here.”

“A-aren’t you—” Kirishima stuttered, his voice dying into his throat.

“Aren’t you scared, Green? I’m actually concentrating my Quirk on you, why aren’t you a trembling, weeping mess on the ground?!”

Izuku chuckled.

“I have a series of serious problems within my head, partially due the nature of my Quirk. Some people even say I am sociopathic, but that’s not it, actually. I just have some problems with my emotions, and I don’t—usually—feel fear at all.”

I do only if it’s fear for my family or friends’ lives.

“I’m pretty good at faking it, though.”

Izuku’s voice went from remotely cheerful to flat-out emotionless as he watched Toshinori leading Inko away from then, followed by Shoto and Tsuyu dragging Kaminari, Kirishima, Sero, and Uraraka behind them with Shinsou, whose arm was protectively wrapped around Ashido’s shoulders, on their tail. Izuku hummed contently as he saw all of them disappear.

“You know, I’ve never actually killed anyone. That’s because I like to leave my targets suffer as long as possible, and Sho-chan, who is more human than I am, finishes them off because he doesn’t want to see them suffer. But today,” Izuku slipped his hand under his hoodie behind his back, grabbing the Bowie knife he had strapped at his belt—he loved how the whole knife, the blade and all, was a shade of matte black. He caressed the smooth surface of the blade fondly.

“You know, normally I’d go for your arms and legs first, then tie you up and hang you upside-down from your ankles, and start skinning you alive… and make sure to inject you the medicine—or a drug, whatever—I’ve invented, so you’d stay awake… you’d probably stop screaming after, say, thirty minutes? I really am not in that kind of mood, though, so I just might poke this right into your heart and call it a night.” Izuku held the weapon in a reverse grip, his thumb ghosting over the end of the handle. He licked his lips. “Because, you know, I really don’t like you interrupting my mom’s date with All Might, and I’m already snappy as hell because my boyfriend was injured by anther Villain earlier this evening, and I know he’s in pain.”

The Villain squinted his eyes.

“All Might?” he glanced at the direction the others had disappeared. “But that bitch just now was clinging onto a guy who looked like a stick figure with a skin—that ain’t All Might.”

Izuku rolled his eyes.

“Yea, sure.” he chuckled, forcefully. “It is, though? That’s his true form, He can do his Hero work for a limited amount of time per day, and since he has used all of that time today, he had to pretend to be a normal citizen in a pinch. Otherwise he would’ve punted you into the moon.”

The Villain charged, getting really tired of Izuku’s yapping, his pocket knife’s blade tiny compared to Izuku’s fighting knife.

“You really call that a knife? That’s sad.” Izuku shrugged, dodged to the Villain’s left, rotated his body and shoved his own blade into the man’s chest, all the way to the hilt.

The life drained from the man’s eyes, but it wasn’t enough for Izuku, who forcefully twisted the blade in the wound.

The Villain screamed.

The others, having wandered away from Izuku and the Villains as far as they managed, all flinched as they heard the lawbreaker’s dying scream. Shoto glanced behind them, towards the source of the voice.

“That… wasn’t Izu’s usual torture.”

“I really don’t want to know that right now.” Toshinori sighed, gently caressing Inko’s hair as the fear looming over everyone suddenly disappeared. Ashido bounced away from Shinsou’s arm so fast she accidentally collided into Toshinori, who lost his footing and the two stumbled onto the ground.

“Oh my god! Sorry! Sensei, are you okay?!” the girl gasped, now jolting away from the gaunt man in fear of having accidentally hurt him. Toshinori gave her a small chuckle.

“I’m all right, I’m all right,” the man reassured the girl who was uncharacteristically panicky. “I stumble and walk into things all the time, Ashido-kun. Really, no harm done.”

Inko, now standing taller than the sitting man, patted Toshinori’s wild mane of blonde hair.

“I can confirm that, this man in honestly such a klutz.”

“And here I thought All Might was Midori’s dad…” everyone heard Kaminari mutter, and as they turned to look at the guy, they saw Sero and Uraraka nodding along. Kirishima and Ashido choked on air while trying not to laugh. Shinsou shot a glance at Toshinori, who was still sitting on the ground, somewhere between knowing and questioning. Toshinori glanced back, his eyes screaming “oh no I’ve been found out holy shit—” in the most distressed All Might voice Shinsou could imagine.

“I’ve only recently heard about the game 1-A is playing, but I think I just won the whole shit. Do I have to text my answer into the group?”

“Yeah.” the one to answer his question was Izuku, who appeared—landed—from the sky after he had used One for All to hop over some trees and other greenery to get to the others faster. His hoodie didn’t look green anymore at all, having stained with red.

Shinsou sighed and pulled out his phone.

The Cerberus and Extra Paws™ (1-A Chat)

Trick!Question?: all right folks this is your new classmate shinsou speaking
Trick!Question?: midoriya added me to this group earlier and I gotta say I’m diggin’ the name
Trick!Question?: anyways I’ve heard of this game you fucks are playing
Trick!Question?: something like “who’s the pro hero living with the midoriyas” or something
Trick!Question?: and I’ve understood you have to explain your answer/give some basis to it or otherwise it’ll be disqualified even if it was correct

chidori: get to the point my man

Trick!Question?: it’s all might. the pro hero living with the midoriyas is all might.
Trick!Question?: his civilian name is yagi toshinori, the absolutely skeletal stick figure who claims to be all might’s substitute teacher/former secretary/whatever
Trick!Question?: idk how he makes his appearance change so drastically tho
Trick!Question?: maybe it’s his quirk

“That’s kinda far-fetched, bro.” Kaminari and Sero glanced at their new friend. Toshinori raised an eyebrow, and Izuku came over and showed him the messages from his phone. Toshinori sighed and got up.

“He’s spot-on, though.”

“…”

The students just… froze. Izuku found it hilarious to watch, but after watching the gears turn in everyone’s—minus Shinsou, who had made the discovery, and Shoto and Tsuyu, who already knew—heads for a while, the green-haired boy cleared his throat.

“How about the whole class comes over tomorrow? We could study a bit and welcome Shinsou to the class in some way before the internship thing starts.”

“Eh? So we’re allowed to come to your house now?” Kirishima, Ashido, and Kaminari exclaimed. Izuku shrugged.

“Why not? You guys already know the truth abut our resident Pro Hero.” Izuku shrugged and typed the same to the group chat for the others to read whenever they got online.

“Not let’s go home for real. I want to get out of these clothes as soon as possible.”

At somewhere else in Musutafu, a man named Tsukauchi Naomasa groaned loudly as he read the text delivered from a number he had saved into his contacts under the name “Green”.

Hiya, Tsukauchi

Just informing, someone will find this bitch dead at the [insert name here] park, stabbed to the chest. Report it as Green’s kill, though it’s not my usual style. I’m hella agitated and pissed off not, I won’t have the patience to torture the poor fucker.

He deserves what he has coming, this idiot tried to mug my mom and All Might—Toshinori-san—on their way to home after their date.

Yeah, so, and you’ll find a charred guy named The Serpent at the location I’ll send you later. The killing style is Red’s, though she’s dead and can’t obviously kill anyone, and the real killer is Blue anyway.

But, don’t reveal that. Like you haven’t made it public that Red’s actually dead? Please? I’d like to make the Villains doubt the rumors that have been circulating in the underground lately, since, you know, Toshinori-san isn’t going to be able to continue his Hero work much longer. Before the society gets the new symbol of peace, or anything else, really, it’s The Cerberus’ duty to try to keep the Villains at bay. No matter how insignificant.

[attached image]

Naomasa put his forehead against the desk in front of him.

“What is this kid planning…?” he read through the message again.

Or is he even planning anything?

Chapter Text

The next morning during homeroom, Aizawa noted several of his students—Ashido, Kirishima, Kaminari, Uraraka and Sero—nodding off at their desks. Asui seemed tired, too, but was awake enough to not piss the teacher off.

What the hell have these kids been doing all night?

He threw a piece of chalk to Kaminari’s head, waking up the boy who had started snoring in his seat.

“Kaminari! The school is not a place for a nap! Sleep at night!”

“But sir…!” the boy whined, rubbing the spot on his head where the chalk had hit. “I was with Midori—”

“Kaminari, you were home a bit after midnight. You should’ve gotten enough sleep not to doze off in the middle of the class.” Midoriya’s voice interrupted from the back of the class.

The electricity-wielding boy groaned and banged his forehead against his desk.

Sero did the same after Aizawa left the room and Cementoss came in, starting his lesson.

After school, the class A kids gathered to the school’s front doors, waiting for Shinsou and Kozue. When the purple-haired boy was collected, and the winged girl had her arms draped over Kaminari and Kirishima’s shoulders, the lot headed to the Midoriyas.

“We’re home!” Kozue and Izuku called out as they kicked off their shoes and entered the house. Kozue took out as many house slippers as they had for the guests, though some had to go without—Kozue, Izuku, and Shoto didn’t bother wearing them even when they had no quests over, anyway—and led everyone further inside.

“Toshi-san’s not back yet?” she asked from her mother who had gotten out of her wheelchair and was sitting more comfortably on the sofa. Sumire shook her head.

“Staff meeting about the Hero course’s internships, I guess.” she smiled at the guests. “Hi everyone! Welcome!”

Tsuyu hopped closer, greeting the woman and receiving a pat to her head, followed by a warn sideways hug.

“There’s my little girl’s cutie girlfriend.” Sumire cooed, making Tsuyu smile and couple of others chuckle.

“Yeah, expect we’re not “little”, Nao-nee and me.”

“Aww, is my other little girl jealous? Come here, Mama will give you a hug too.” Sumire cooed, now tauntingly. Kozue blushed.

“I-I’m not jealous!”

Kozue allowed herself to be pulled into her mother’s hug nevertheless.

Kaminari rubbed his neck uncomfortably, starting to get a bit sweaty.

Aww hell, she’s cute.

Inko interrupted the scene from the kitchen, asking if anyone was hungry. Kaminari, along with almost half of his classmates, turned to see the green-haired woman with a giant plate of sandwiches in her hands.

“If anyone wants more, or anything else, I’m heading to the grocery store now. Don’t be shy, you can ask Izuku or Kozue-chan to message me.”

Izuku snatched a sandwich from the top of the pile, chomping down.

“Hey!” Inko chucked as Izuku ducked away with the food. Shoto came up next, grabbing a sandwich with a small nod and strolling after Izuku.

“We’re apparently going to Izu’s room,” he said as he went.

“Izu and yours, Sho-chan.” Kozue gave her brother a small, playful giggle to his behind and took the tray from Inko’s hands. “I can take care of this. You can go ahead with your errands!”

“Thank you, Kozue-chan.” Inko smiled and watched the plethora of teens disappear into the second floor.

The first thing everyone noted was the piece of paper spelling out “SHOTO” taped under the All Might-themed nameplate with Izuku’s name on it. The girls couldn’t help but “aawww” at it.

“So, what does a guys’ room look like, anyway?” Hagakure—might have grinned—asked excitedly. Izuku coughed.

“Normal teenage guy’s room or the one of a kid obsessed with Heroes and stuff? Because this is the latter one.” he opened the door and let everyone into the surprisingly big room.

“Aah, what the hell?!” Ashido screeched. “That’s a lot of All Might posters!”

“A true fanboy!” Uraraka and Hagakure giggled.

Shoto just maneuvered himself to the wooden shelf next to the bunk bed and picked up an action figurine from the top of it.

“It’s not All Might alone.” he twirled the little Present Mic in his hand. “He even has some Endewhore stuff, he mainly uses them for his knife-throwing targets.” he placed the Mic figurine back onto its place on the self and crouched down to open the drawer at the bottom. He pulled out a ruined Endeavor figurine, with its head severed at least once and then glued back.

“This is the newest one.”

Couple of guys whistled.

“You guys really hate him, huh? I mean, sure, I do too, now that I know what he has done, but I don’t hate him enough to stab his figurines?” Kaminari chuckled.

“Throw knives at his figurines and posters, Kaminari. Stabbing is a different thing.” Izuku answered nonchalantly, dropping his backpack to the floor next to his desk—which also held several All Might figurines.

“All right, all right… I got it. So, what are we gonna do?”

“Do our homework together and then have some fun until you guys need to go home? I think some of you can stay for a night too.” Kozue proposed, setting down the sandwich tray to the low table in the middle of the room.

“Just dig in, everyone, I’ll get us some juice.”

The poor sandwiches didn’t last long.

“Okay, I’m messaging Inko-san now. Is anyone still hungry? Do you want snacks, drinks, anything?” Kozue asked. Yaoyorozu raised her hand bashfully.

“I-I’m still a bit hungry…”

Kozue grinned. “Same! What do you want? I’m asking for some pizzas from the freezer. Do you want pizza? Does anyone want pizza?”

Everyone lifted their hands up, some more enthusiastically than others. Kozue laughed.

“Drinks, snacks?”

“M-mochi?” Uraraka asked softly. Kozue nodded.

“That’s so cute. So, like, 20 frozen pizzas, some mochi… do you guys want cola? Some other soda? Chocolate? Chips? Pockys?”

 Inko ended up needing to call her fiancé to help her with carrying the grocery bags, but Toshinori was more than happy to do so. When they got home, the kids were done with their homework and hogged the kitchen when they started cooking the pizzas. They were so into their task they didn’t even realize the Number One Hero—in his true form—who has arrived until they were done with the pizzas and were about to return to Izuku’s room.

“Ah… All Might.” Shinsou was the first one to greet the man.

“The one and only!” Toshinori shifted into his Muscle form in front of everyone, flashing his bright signature smile to his students. A chorus of surprised and excited noises rose from the teens.

“It really is All Might! How?” Uraraka gasped.

“Whoa…” Jirou muttered.

“That’s sick! So cool!”

“I was fucking right all along! All Might is Midoriya’s dad!” Kaminari exclaimed. Toshinori coughed up blood and shifted back into his true form at that.

“I am—not—Izuku’s father—” he coughed. “At least not biologically. I am not married to his mother either—”

“Yet.” Izuku interjected.

“—which means that I can’t really call myself his step-father, either.”

“Not yet.” Izuku pointed out from the side. “Because Toshi-san is a huge coward and can’t bring himself to marry mom. They’re already engaged, though.”

“Izuku—”

“What? it’s the truth, Toshi-san.”

“…fine. You kids go eat your pizzas, I’m going to look for something, too.” the tall man stumbled into the kitchen, and Izuku led his friends—everyone carrying a warm pizza in their hands—to his room.

Two hours of chatting, eating and occasional video game later, Hagakure and Ashido proposed a game of Truth or Dare, and got everyone dragged in. For the sake of simplicity—and in order to not make the area around the table too crowded—everyone got their name written to a piece of paper and placed to the table in a ring. Ashido went first, spinning an empty soda bottle in the middle of the name ring on the table. It stopped onto Izuku’s name.

“All right, my murder-y friend! Truth or dare?” the pink girl chirped enthusiastically.

“Uh… truth.”

Ashido thought for a moment.

“How does your Quirk work, exactly? I don’t really remember what you told us…”

Izuku sighed in relief.

“I read people’s data. Physical data, like your height, weight—yes ladies, I know that—age, your Quirk, how it works, that’s the easiest info to get, but in reality, I can get your full history just by staring at you long enough. My Quirks biggest weak point is the fact that I can only read the data of the people I can see—which means that you’re safe from it, Hagakure.” Izuku shot a glance towards the floating uniform.

“Thank god. I don’t want you to know my weight.” the invisible girl sighed.

“I can just pick you up and measure, Hagakure.” Izuku jabbed. “Do I spin the bottle next?”

The truths revolved around the participants’ Quirks for a while, and so did some of the dares—Shinsou was dared to brainwash Iida into doing a hand-stand after the bespectacled boy had somehow manages to slip out of it the previous round, and Ashido was dared by Izuku to produce the most harmless blob of acid she could manage.

Then the bottle pointed to Izuku’s name again.

“Truth,” he said before anyone could ask him which one he wanted.

“All right… Shinsou, the one who had spun the bottle, smirked.

“What are your Quirks weaknesses and drawbacks?”

Izuku sighed. “Weaknesses are invisible people, as I already mentioned, or people who I can’t see in general, and any objects between me and my target. Eyewear, for example. Windows work too, I can’t use my Quirk if there’s any kind of see-through surface between me and my target.” Izuku scratched the back of his head. “Drawbacks… if I use my Quirk too much, I get huge, nasty migraines. I also have a really detailed memory thanks to my Quirk, and it’s hard to forget anything. And I really mean anything. I remember almost every single day of my life since I was five, starting from the day I was misdiagnosed as Quirkless. The medical term for the condition where a person is unable to forget is called hyperthymesia, I think.”

“Izu’s pretty messed-up because he can’t forget even the most unpleasant or horrifying things in his life. His emotions don't come off correctly, he has a thing for stabbing and torturing people, I mean a thing for blood in general, and he loves to mess up with people, either physically or psychologically.” Shoto joined in.

“Whoa there, aren’t you chatty when it comes to Midoriya.” Sero smirked.

Shoto didn’t answer.

Couple of bottle-spins later, Kirishima dared Kozue to give him a small ride around the room.

“I’m sorry… I can’t.” Kozue said with a sad, almost pained tone. Izuku butted in before anyone could ask why.

“Kozu-san lied about her wings being fine after the fall during Sports Festival. The truth is that the bones in her wings were too badly broken to be strong enough to fly anymore.”

Kozue nodded. “It hurts just to flap, or even open them fully.”

“I’m so sorry, Kozue-san, I didn’t mean—” the red-haired boy started to apologize, only to be interrupted by the tall girl.

“It’s okay, Kiri. I didn’t tell you, so it’s only natural you guys didn’t know. But if my wings were still functioning, I would love to fly all of you around.”

“Aww, man, let’s just skip this. Kozue-san, spin the bottle.” Kirishima shrugged.

It landed on Tsuyu.

“Truth or Dare, Tsuyu-chan?”

“Dare.”

“Then I dare you to do that thing with Nao-nee in front of everyone.”

Ah… everyone had forgotten that Nao was still there, lurking around Tsuyu almost every moment.

Tsuyu sighed.

“Fine… I wonder where Nao-chan is though, she hasn’t said anything in a while, and I can’t see her without a mirror…” Tsuyu quieted down for a moment.

“Nevermind, she’s here.”

“What are you going to do, Tsuyu-chan?” Izuku asked from Shoto’s top bunk where he was laying on Shoto’s back, both of their feet lifted up against the wall behind them. Tokoyami had climbed up there with them, sitting at the other end of the bed.

Tsuyu smiled.

“I’m letting Nao-chan to temporarily possess me. Maybe you can see her data mixed in with mine?”

That got Izuku excited. “Oh god, just do it already!”

Tsuyu closed her eyes. “Okay, Nao-chan, you can do it now.” her body flinched and shivered a bit, and she—or whoever was in charge—took a deep breath.

“I… kind of don’t want to open my eyes because they look really creepy on Tsuyu’s face.” the words, the speed of the speech, and the stressing on the words were off, though the voice itself was still Tsuyu’s. Izuku took off his glasses and gasped loudly.

“Nao-nee!”

Nao, in Tsuyu’s body, chuckled. “Hi, beansprout. Can you use your Quirk on me now? Tsuyu’s curious.”

Izuku nodded before remembering that Nao was blind—and keeping her eyes closed anyway. “Yeah, I can… The physical data is Tsuyu-chan’s, but I can see your Quirks… hold on, let me write them up white I have the chance.” Izuku dropped down from the bed, grabbed a new notebook from his desk and started writing.

“It’s really you, Nao-san?” Kirishima was the next one to ask. Nao nodded.

“That’s right.” she shifted into a sitting position more comfortable to herself and scratched her neck. “This must look really weird, right?”

Several people nodded and hummed affirmatively. Nao chuckled.

“Yeah, so, anyway… after the Sports Festival, I was really agitated because what happened to Kozue and, uh… I just hugged Tsuyu, and kinda wished that I had a physical body so I could go and strangle that little grape bitch, and this just sorta happened? Suddenly I was in Tsuyu’s body and… yeah. We showed this to Kozue later to cheer her up a bit.”

Kozue giggled. “She even possessed me, but I felt so sick afterwards that Nao-nee refuses to possess me anymore. Tsuyu-chan is stronger, so she’s fine.”

“That’s… interesting?” Ojiro, having occupied the chair in front of Izuku’s desk, muttered, his tail curling around the leg of the chair.

“Can we see your eyes, Nao-san?!” Ashido gushed.

“They look like yours, Mina-chan, only white instead of yellow. They clash really badly with Tsuyu’s looks, though, so I’d rather not open them.” Nao rubbed the closed eyelids gently. “Also I’m not a friend of bright lights when I have a physical body.”

“I thought you were completely blind?” Jirou asked. “Like, no light perception.”

Nao shrugged.

“That was a problem of my own body’s eyes. Tsuyu has no problem with hers, but my mind is still set into that darkness, so bright lights are confusing… I can’t explain it well but do you get the idea? My mind is still set to the idea that I’m blind, but I’m not, so…”

“I think I get it.” Jirou nodded.

Kozue got up and switched the lights off.

“The lights are off now. Show them.”

Nao sighed in defeat. “Okay, but please don’t scream,” she said and opened her eyes.

Which indeed had black scleras and white irises, and clashed enormously with Tsuyu’s cute and froggy appearance. Aoyama, Ashido and Kaminari almost screeched, Shoji managing to silence all three of them. Kouda flinched uncomfortably beside the six-armed boy.

“Those are actually kinda cool…” Shinsou muttered. Nao remembered the new person in the room and cleared her throat.

“Thanks? Uh, Shinsou, right?”

The boy nodded. “Yeah. And you’re… the girl who died at USJ? Miroki Nao?”

Nao nodded, too. “That’s me, though I don’t exactly appreciate that “the girl who died” thing. I’m a poltergeist, okay? Just call me that.”

“A-all right…”

That was when Izuku piped in.

“You should let Tsuyu-chan have her body back soon, Nao-nee, or she might die.”

“Fucking hell—what?!”

Izuku sighed. “If her mind—or soul, if you believe in that—is detached from her body for too long, it’ll disappear. There would be only her lifeless body left.”

“Well fuck, better get going, then—”

“Also, Nao-nee?”

“Yeah?”

“If you took over Kozu-san’s body and purposefully killed her consciousness, you’d be able to morph her body to look like you. Same thing if you took over either one of your parents’ bodies and then ingested some of the other parent’s DNA. Consider.”

Nao gasped. “Holy fucking shit-in-a-stick, Midoriya Izuku—are you telling me that I can come back alive?”

Izuku simply nodded.

“Don’t curse when you’re wearing Tsuyu-chan’s face. It’s creepy.” Shoto deadpanned from the top bunk.

“She could come back alive…!” Tokoyami muttered beside him, eyes sparkling.

“Anyways… I’m giving Tsuyu her body back now. I’ll stay lurking around though.” Nao said and her eyes started fading back into Tsuyu’s colors. Soon, the frog girl was back.

“It feels weird every time when she does that…” she mumbled.

“That was so cool…!” Kaminari gasped. The others just nodded along. The experience had been interesting, to say at least.

The questions steered away from Quirks and into more normal Truth or Dare topics after that—Truth about crushes or childhood shenanigans, some silly Dares—stuff like that.

Finally, the next Monday, the hero-hopefuls left for their internships. Izuku had decided to go to a Pro Hero he had never heard of, Gran Torino, after Toshinori had started shaking in fear after reading the man’s name in the list of agencies having scouted his protégé. Apparently Gran Torino was an old friend of Toshinori’s master, and had taught him at UA for a year. Izuku couldn’t help but be intrigued.

So, standing in the front of a shabby, run-down place that was Gran Torino’s place according to the mad Toshinori had drawn to him, Izuku knocked the door and peeked inside.

“Excuse me? It’s Midoriya Izuku from UA High—” his eyes laid onto the small, elderly man laying face-down in a puddle of what he had to admit to look like blood in the very ill-lit room. The smell familiar from the kitchen lingering in the air was only one of the things that gave the man’s prank away, though.

“Sir, I must inform you that I’ve fought enough Villains to tell the difference between actual blood and spilled guts and a link of sausages in a puddle of ketchup.” the boy sighed tiredly from the doorway. The old geezer groaned.

“Damn it kid, ruining my best trick like nothing! Who are you?”

Izuku sighed. “As I said, I’m Midoriya Izuku from—”

“Who are you?”

“As I said—”

“Toshinori?”

Ah, the geezer was still fucking with him. Izuku clicked his tongue, his face twisting into a small scowl.

“I’m not All Might.”

“Ah…” the man finally stood up from the floor and raised his eyebrow at the boy. “You know his real name?”

Izuku scoffed. “Of fucking course I do. He’s my dad.”

“He’s your what—”

“Step-dad, actually. My mom’s fiancé, if you wand to be even more precise.”

“So, whadd’ya doing here, kiddo?”

“You asked for me, that’s why. If Toshi-san hadn’t reacted that strongly to your name, I think I would’ve gone to piss off Endeavor.”

“Piss of Todoroki? Why?” Gran Torino asked out of pure curiosity.

“I hate the bitch. Anyways, can I make a quick call…?” Izuku took out his phone and stepped outside.

Toshi-san, Toshi-san…Your old teacher is a huge son of a bitch and I’m currently fighting a huge urge to throw a rock at him… He absentmindedly glanced behind him, seeing Gran Torino rummaging through the suitcase where his Hero costume was in.

“Hey, what the hell are you doing—”

“Fire off a One for All at me.” the old man said, not taking his eyes off from the case. “I wanna know how well can you handle it.”

Izuku sighed. “Right… can you please take your hands off of my Hero costume?”

“Put it on and come at me, you zygote.”

Five minutes later, Izuku stood at the center of the room, clad in his improved and modified Hero costume. While the basic design was same, the forest green jumpsuit now had a black tactical vest—with extra pockets—over it, and a knife sheath was added to the back of Izuku’s red utility belt. Another four, a bit smaller knives that the 12-inch Bowie knife at his back, were strapped at his thighs, two on each. Gran Torino hissed at the look of them.

“Why do you have so many knives? You look like a Villain.”

Izuku shrugged nonchalantly.

“I like knives.”

“You’re mad.”

“You know what? Yes. Yes I am.”

“So? What are you waiting for? Activate your One for All already and come at me, brat!”

Izuku complied.

Honestly, Gran Torino has expected the kid to have less control over One for All. This assumption had already been proven incorrect during the Sports Festival, when the small green sparkles had appeared around the boy’s body. He had already learned to divide the power equally into all of his body parts, not to focus only onto the limb he was going to use. The kid was fast, too, and his agility and maneuvering skills were excellent. Gran Torino still lulled into the assumption that he was faster, and more experienced, as he bounced around the boy in his little apartment.

That, too, was proven incorrect, when the kid’s fist suddenly found itself in Gran Torino’s gut, sending the old man back-first into the wall. The brat exhaled deeply and cracked a slightly mocking grin.

 “Ahh, finally caught you. Your Jet is quite troublesome Quirk, but predictable.”

“I don’t think Toshinori has told you about my Quirk, kid. How did you know its name?” Gran Torino asked, rubbing his stomach. The kid’s punch was going to leave a bruise.

“Oh? it’s just my Quirk. I don’t assume Toshi-san has been keeping contact with you, either? My Quirk is called Database. The name should be self-explanatory.”

“Ho? Quite a Quirk you got there, kiddo.”

“Thanks. It’s a huge headache if I don’t use any kind of eyewear to block it.”

The first evening went on as the two sparred in the small kitchen—breaking a microwave in the process.

The late afternoon of Day Three, Gran Torino ordered Izuku to change into his costume and follow him.

“Sparring against me only will lead into weird habits, Kiddo. It’s time for a real Villain fight.”

Izuku rolled his eyes. “Sir, I didn’t tell this to you earlier, but I’ve been fighting that scum since I was eight. I’m Green, one of the Heads of The Cerberus.”

“…I had a hunch you were into vigilantism, but I had no idea you were such a big shot…” the old man glanced at his intern. “We’re taking a bullet train to Tokyo’s Shibuya. There’s a lot of criminal activity during night hours there, unlike this old little town here.”

Izuku nodded.

If we’re taking the bullet train, we’ll pass Hosu City, too… should I sneak out there, somehow?

Sneaking out proved to be not necessary.

Izuku’s phone buzzed once he and Gran Torino were seated in the train. The old Hero grumbled something about teens nowadays being always on their phones, but Izuku didn’t give his ramblings half a mind.

Private chat with Burnt_Popsicle

Burnt_Popsicle: I’m heading to Hosu with Endewhore
Burnt_Popsicle: How’s your internship with whoever that Gran Torino guy is going

Actually_Satan: cool
Actually_Satan: this old coot is annoying as hell but he’s taking me to Shibuya to fight villains
Actually_Satan: he’s literally shoving those poor bastards into the arms of their death
Actually_Satan: we’re in a bullet train now

Burnt_Popsicle: How about you guys come to Hosu instead
Burnt_Popsicle: Those poor bastards at Shibuya won’t be much of a practice for you right

Actually_Satan: dunno
Actually_Satan: this old coot might hit me if I asked if we could go to Hosu instead
Actually_Satan: I mean Toshi-san is scared shitless of this guy because he used to beat the poor, defenseless, young Toshi-san into a pulp during the year he was teaching at UA

Burnt_Popsicle: Ouch

Actually_Satan: yeah
Actually_Satan: anyways if you’re at Hosu, how about you ask Tsuyu-chan to tell Nao-nee to come loiter around
Actually_Satan: maybe she can help you killing Stain if you run into him

Burnt_Popsicle: I’ll ask, bye

Actually_Satan: bye~

Izuku changed the chat.

Private chat with EMERGEncyexIT

Actually_Satan: iida I sure as hell home you’re not looking for a fight with Stain
Actually_Satan: I know you went to Manual’s Hero Office because it’s in Hosu

Actually_Satan: ...iida tenya I can see you’ve read these messages and I sure as hell hope you’ve received them, too

“Hey, look at that!” another passenger suddenly gasped, making Izuku stuff his phone back into his pocket and glancing at the direction of the new voice. “That building just exploded!”

What—

“Where? Where?” a woman’s voice replied.

“—what’s going on?” Gran Torino glanced behind him, too.

“—it’s true! There’s smoke!”

Suddenly, right after an electrical female voice asked the passengers to hold on their seats, a Pro Hero was smashed though the side of the train car with a loud crash. A pale blue, large hand pushed the grunting man down. Izuku hissed angrily as he saw the face—or the lack of it—of the hand’s owner. The exposed brain, unfocused, unblinking eyeballs, and the inhumane, shrieking sounds momentarily took him back to USJ.

“Noumu!”

Chapter Text

“Noumu!”

Gran Torino heard the pain in his intern’s cry. He remembered the news of the USJ incident, and concluded that the boy must’ve been close friends with the girl who had died in the hands of a similarly named monster.

“So that’s a Noumu… stand back, Kiddo!” the old-timer bounced off, kicking the Noumu back into the city.

Izuku’s brain went into fighting mode instantly.

At least one Noumu is here… panicking people, a big fire… the League of Villains? Has that son of a bitch Stain formed and alliance with them now—no, no, he can’t have, he thinks All Might as a one true Hero in this society, and the League of Villains’ only purpose at the moment is to kill the said man… Stain would never affiliate himself with them. Izuku jumped out of the stopped train, not listening the conductor who yelled him to come back.

Sho-chan’s strong, and he’s with Endewhore anyway, so he’ll be all right. Izuku’s head was unusually clear, and he knew what to do. Usually he’d have too many possible courses of action thought up, making him unable to think clearly and respond in time—that’s why he had Shoto and Nao on his side as The Cerberus—but this time, he only had one, clear goal, and the one logical course of action to achieve it.

Izuku ran.

He ran towards the dirty, shady alleys, similar to the ones of Musutafu he had spent half of his childhood at, away from the panic and ruckus the Noumu—possibly multiple Noumus, a voice inside his head reminded—had created.

Because he knew Stain would stay away from that shit and use it as a chance to remove couple of the straying Heroes from the world. He didn't need his Quirk to know that.

He also knew that, Iida, who was currently interning at Manual’s Hero Office, was most likely to confront Stain if he found the Villain.

Izuku hoped that he found Stain before Iida did.

But, of course, Lady Luck wasn't on his side today, and as he skimmed through the dirty alleys similar to the ones of Musutafu he had spent the nights of his childhood at, Izuku stumbled onto the sight of Iida laying on the ground, flat on his stomach, and Stain monologuing over the boy's immobile body. Another Hero—a Pro called Native—was sitting against the wall a bit further into the alleyway, conscious, but silent. Izuku interrupted the scene.

"Attacking the original Ingenium is a violation of our rules itself, Akaguro, and yet you dare to raise your blade against the said Hero's second coming."

Akaguro Chizome, known as the Hero Killer Stain to the society, growled angrily at the boy using his real name.

"How do you know my name? Who are you?"

Izuku chuckled.

"Midoriya-kun? What are you doing here?!" Iida wailed from the ground.

"Not saving your dumb ass, believe me or not. I'm here on business with Akaguro." Izuku nodded towards Stain, pulling out one of the knives strapped to his thigh and kneeling next to Iida.

"You know, I warned you, Iida. I warned you that this will happen if I find out you confronted Stain on your own.”

Iida let out a strained, pained wail as the blade dug into his already bleeding arm.

Izuku straightened himself, nonchalantly putting on his respirator and pulled out his phone, boldly right in front of the notorious murderer, who was standing back, cautious. The kid, who was clearly a friend of Ingenium’s younger brother, had just stabbed the boy without batting an eyelid.

Izuku sent his location and one of his pre-arranged messages to Shoto.

Shoto's phone buzzed, and he checked the new message, despite from his personal dumpster fire—father—glaring angrily at him as the boy stopped listening to his lecture—Shoto hadn’t actually been listening from the start, but had had enough motivation to pretend he gave a rat’s ass about Endewhore’s ramblings.

Private chat with Actually_Satan

Actually_Satan: [location pin] Stain. bring Endewhore. iida and another victim, both conscious.

Burnt_Popsicle: ETA 2 min

"Who is so important that you need to check your phone when I'm speaking to you, Shoto?" Endeavor growled.

"My classmate interning around here was attacked by Stain. Sent a location pin as an emergency message."

The mention of the infamous Villain perked up Endeavor's interest. His popularity would surely go up if he defeated the Hero Killer and saved a reckless kid from him.

"You." he addressed his sidekick who had remained on their side after the others had ran off to help with the Villain attack and fire. “You and the others can take care of the fire and the Villains there. If I don’t contact you within fifteen minutes, gather all available Heroes and send them as a back-up to the address Shoto gives to you.”

Shoto felt a hand, not visible to anyone present, squeezing his shoulder lightly. Nao was there.

“It’s an alleyway at 4-2-10 Ekou Street.” the boy informed Endeavor’s sidekick and ran off, away from the raging fire and wailing sirens. Endeavor took off after him.

The two ran.

“You know, fifteen minutes is quite an overestimation, even from you. It’s the Hero Killer, you know?”

“Silence, Shoto! A small fry like him won’t stand a chance against me!”

“You… didn’t answer my question. Who are you and how do you know my name?” Stain growled cautiously at the boy who now put his phone away. Izuku chuckled behind his mask.

“Oh, gee, you really don’t recognize me? We had a deal, Akaguro. You don’t touch the few Heroes in the list we gave you, and we let you continue giving hell to the fake Heroes. You broke the deal. You attacked Ingenium. I don’t have any reasons to keep you alive anymore.”

Strain grit his teeth.

“Green… I can’t believe I’ve been dealing with a bunch of brats all the time.”

The Pro Hero Native gasped.

“G-Green? One of the Heads of The Cerberus? But... you're a kid!”

Izuku just chuckled again.

“Not everyone in The Cerberus are brats, Akaguro. Red is eighteen… wait, she’s turning nineteen soon. We have couple of background supporters, too, including Red’s twin sister, girlfriend, and Blue’s older brother.”

Izuku decided to take off his respirator after all, and grinned almost madly at the Hero Killer.

“But I feel like I should re-introduce myself, using the Hero name the society will learn to know me for. I am the Omniscient Hero, Hades, and I am here to save both Ingenium II and Native, but also to kill you. Though I guess you already figured that one out.” the boy shrugged and lifted up his dark-tinted visor, dodging the knife that Stain threw at his face.

“You do know that throwing knives at me won’t work, right?”

One for All took over Izuku’s limbs again, and the boy charged.

When Endeavor suddenly flinched and stopped running, Shoto turned around angrily, ready to bark at the man. Instead of Endeavor’s blue eyes, his mismatched eyes met a pair of white ones with ominous, black scleras. Shoto cracked a small grin.

“Hi, Nao-nee.”

Nao, this time wearing Endeavor’s face, chuckled. “Hey.”

The flames on Endeavor’s facial hairs died off when the body changed the person in charge, and for the first time in a long while, Shoto saw his father’s face without the flames that the man kept on all the time as “a display of his power”. He didn’t like it.

“Ugly as shit, with or without flames.” he deadpanned.

“Yea, yea, that would be temporary. Let’s go to do some Villain killing.”

“You’re taking his Quirk first, right? Stain’s.”

“Obviously. That dear old man of ours won’t be getting his body back ever again, after all.”

“It’s really weird when you say it with his face and voice.”

“Shut it and run.”

“Aye aye… you should set that ridiculous mustache on fire again, by the way. There’s another victim beside Iida, so you might wanna act like Endewhore.”

Nao complied. “How can he deal with this? It feels weird.”

Stain was a tough-enough opponent for Izuku to not toy with, but the green-haired teen wasn’t exactly serious either while making sure the Villain didn’t get too close to either Iida or Native. He soon heard two sets of footsteps approaching.

“And the cavalry arrives! Right on time, I was getting bored!” the Izuku grinned, twirling the two blades in his hands, and grew the distance between slightly roughed-up Stain and himself. He shot a short glance towards Endeavor’s—Nao’s—eyes and nodded knowingly, sheathing his knives.

“Endeavor, sir.”

“You.” Nao grunted back.

“E-Endeavor!” Native gasped in relief.

“Another fake…”

“Endeavor?” Iida gasped as well, not noticing the chance in the Flame Hero’s eyes from the angle he was forced to look at the others. Nao cracked her knuckles and took a step closer to the Hero Killer.

“Now then… let’s get to the business, huh?”

Stain grinned.

“You’ll be purged!”

Yea, sure… not by you, though. Out of habit, Nao closed her eyes and slammed her ignited fist into Stain’s ribs, which cracked nicely as the lighter-set man flew further into the alley.

I kind of like Endewhore’s body more than Tsuyu’s… I can use my fire freely this way.

“No, you shall die here tonight.” she said with Endeavor’s deep voice and shed off the gloves the man wore.

He gets an adrenaline rush so much easier and faster than me or Tsuyu… taking Stain’s Quirk will be no problem.

Next, Nao let Stain close, and the man’s jagged katana pierced her shoulder—she made sure it hit nothing important, but was sure to look bad. She grabbed the Villain’s head with both hands and ignited her fingers on the man’s temples. She also felt the satisfying, electric current-like feeling running through her body, indicating a new Quirk. Stain, in the other hand, felt nothing out of ordinary expect from the burning pain on the both sides of his head. He let go of his katana, and Nao let go of his head, both stumbling back while groaning in pain. Nao purposefully hit her back and head to the brick wall behind her, sliding down and feigning unconsciousness.

“Old man!” Shoto gasped, having practiced acting for years with Izuku, who was also pretending to be in the verge of panicking. For Iida and Native, the fear was real.

“No! Endeavor!”

Shoto helped his father’s body, now unconscious for real, into a semi-comfortable position on the ground, not daring to touch the katana shoved through his shoulder.

Nao-nee copied Stain’s Quirk and passed out, huh… According to what Izu told me about her Postmortem Poltergeist Quirk, she’ll remain in old man’s body even if she’s unconscious, as long as his own consciousness is killed before it… Knowing Nao-nee, she got rid of him as soon as she got into his body.

“You… you’re good. Not everyone renders h…im unconscious with one strike.” Shoto stood up and let small flames dance over his knuckles. “Damn that useless old man… he can’t even beat you, huh? And the sole reason he dragged me to Hosu in the first place was to show me his true strength by defeating you.”

“I don’t want to hear your yapping, fake Hero’s son…!” Stain, his train of thought disoriented because of Nao’s attack, growled.

“Well, I can’t deny the fact that my old man is a huge-ass fake, and only a slightly better person than you are, but honestly speaking, I’m not the right one to say. I’m the same as you, a murderer in order to change the society. The difference is that I’m still able to tell a difference between a good Hero and a fake one. You aren’t, not anymore.”

Stain flinched away from the blast of flames Shoto shot at him, and stumbled right into Izuku.

“Hee? Endeavor’s attack left you that messed up? You can’t even stand straight!” the green-haired boy drawled mockingly, suddenly finding one of Stain’s pocket knives stabbed into his thigh.

“Whoa. What a bitch.” a quick knife-hand strike to Stain’s jaw below his ear sent the man staggering away, pulling the knife out of Izuku’s thigh as he went.

“It’s over for you now…” the Villain grinned, lifting the bloody blade to his lips and licking. Izuku hummed.

“Mmh, yeah, sure. Why is it that I can still move just fine, then?” he moved his arms around. “Actually, I take that back, my leg hurts like a bitch because you stabbed me. I like stabbing, not being stabbed.”

“Y-you’re mad…”

Izuku laughed heartily. “Oh yes, yes I am. Still, who’s gonna complain?”

“Me when you stab me with a fork?” Shoto offered, helping Native’s still unresponsive body up.

“Me and the teachers if you do something stupid during Hero training?” Iida, finally getting free from Stain’s Quirk, joined in.

“Oof. Yeah, complaining is pretty much all you can do. That, or just accepting the reality.”

Native gaped at the others in fear and confusion.

“Wa-what are you guys…?”

Iida stumbled to the Hero, who was held up by Endeavor’s son.

“While I would enjoy watching the man who hurt my brother perish, I must remember that before being Ingenium’s brother, I am a Hero. I must help those in need or danger.” both of his arms were badly bleeding, but still somewhat functioning, so the boy managed hold the paralyzed Hero on his back after Shoto helped him to get the man there.

“Get him out of here, Iida… no, Ingenium. We’ll take care of my old man. Also, his sidekicks, or at least someone, will be coming shortly.”

“Wa-wait! You, uh, Ingenium II! Why are you leaving those kids with the Hero Killer—"

“The situation will be properly explained by someone later. For now, I’ll just say that Green and Blue have the government’s permission to continue on their career of vigilantism while also attending UA. No police or Heroes are allowed to disturb them.”

“That’s nuts…”

“Yes, I feel the same. But, as Midori… Green—no, he’s Hades now—said, the only things we can do is either complain or accept it.”

“Got it…”

As the two disappeared behind the corner, Izuku and Shoto grinned maniacally at the now-powerless Hero Killer.

“Now then… do you have any final words, Hero Killer?” Izuku asked.

Stain didn’t answer. He attacked.

His head had cleared up a bit and he had regained his stable footing, but his head, as well as the clearly broken ribs from the fake Hero’s punch earlier, hurt, which made him angry. And dangerous, even without a Quirk.

A switchblade into Green’s right bicep. Two into Blue’s left forearm. Dodge Blue’s fire, stab Green in the leg. Another knife into Green’s pelvis, kick Blue in the face, dodge Green’s punch, dodge Blue’s ice—no... not Green and Blue. The boys fighting him weren’t the two vigilantes anymore, Stain noted. These were Heroes-in-training, protecting an unconscious body of a fake Hero, Endeavor.

“Say, Green… you introduced yourself as a what Hero, again?” Stain asked. The boy, rendered immobile due his injuries, was kneeling on the ground, but had not given up. He drew his own, completely black knife out of its scabbard on the back of his belt.

“The Omniscient Hero. The name’s Hades.” Stain got uncomfortable under the boy’s green, unwavering gaze.

“And Blue here, he’s Frost Volcano.” the boy nodded towards his friend—Endeavor’s kid. “Remember that in Hell.”

Stain growled. “I will. An I will take you there with me!”

The Villain calculated that with the big knife still stuck into his pelvis, Hades wouldn’t be able to dodge. He threw one of his knives at Frost Volcano’s right shoulder and another to his right thigh, and dodged the wave of ice spikes the boy sent in his direction. His last knife in hand, Stain jumped at Hades.

Izuku had deducted the pattern of Stain’s last attack, and had purposefully made himself look weaker and more vulnerable than he was—his right arm was wounded, sure, but not as badly as Iida’s was, and Stain had clearly forgotten that Izuku, too, carried five visible knives on his person.

Stain’s knife came swinging down from Izuku’s left, and he quickly grabbed his beloved Bowie from behind his back, flipping it around and ramming it into the Villain’s ribs in the same time the Villain’s knife hit his left shoulder, ripping a long, deep wound into his bicep.

Izuku held back the scream, giving Stain a good kick to the chest before staggering few steps back and sliding down the wall his back hit. Stain’s lifeless body plumped down onto the ground.

“S-shouldn’t have worn the extra weights…” Izuku whispered, giving a look at the weights on both of his wrists. He had similar ones around his ankles, under his boots.

“Izu, what the fuck…” Shoto groaned, now loosing his footing and falling down. The sudden impact made him groan loudly.

“Miscalculation, Sho-chan. I made a miscalculation.”

Rapid footsteps approached the scene, and six Heroes—Shoto recognized two as Endeavor’s sidekicks—arrived from around the corner.

“The reinforcements are… here…” a female Hero from Hosu announced, her voice dying down when she saw the state of the battle.

“Sir!” one of Endeavor’s sidekicks rushed to his employer, while the other checked on Shoto.

“Brat! I told you to stay in the train!” Gran Torino began to bark at Izuku, who chuckled weakly back. He didn't though.

“I’m known for not giving a single, flying fuck about orders if it’s not me giving them, sir.”

Gran Torino frowned. “I give up with you, Problem Child.”

Shoto groaned as the sidekick giving first-aid to his wounds squeezed his arm too strongly. “Someone punch that idiot in the face, he deserves it.”

“That’s harsh, Sho-chan. I’m already bleeding like a—okay, maybe that’s not appropriate to say out loud.”

“Wow, look at that, you actually have a filter between your mouth and brain.”

“Eat a dead donkey’s dick and die, Todoroki!”

“…I take that back. You’re the worst.”

The Pro Heroes couldn’t hold back their laughter.

“H-how… how can you two be so snarky and… I don’t know, emotionally okay? You just fought the Hero Killer! And the man is beaten unconscious!” the female Hero who had announced their arrival in the first place asked, tending to Izuku’s wounds together with another Hero. She was sure she heard the green-haired kid murmur "I'm never okay, that's my secret" really quietly under his breath.

Gran Torino inched closer to the Villain on the ground.

“Not unconscious…” he soon murmured. “Stain is dead.”

“…WHAT?!”

The things only went south after the Heroes had managed to help the three injured persons to the waiting ambulances on the street. The Heroes who had remained in the other scene, battling the other, seemingly non-intelligent Villains, had lost.

In total three Noumus charged the scene, making both Izuku and Shoto groan.

“Fucking—Shigaraki needing to stick his disgusting fingers into every soup possible!” the Heroes and paramedics—who had just used their healing Quirks on the three teenagers, Endeavor, and Native to stop the bleeding—flinched away as Izuku bellowed furiously. Shoto, much calmer on the exterior, but equally angry on the inside, slid down from the edge of the back of the ambulance where he had been seated.

“No! You kids stay back! You’re injured!” the Heroes yelled at them.

“Yea, well, Endeavor and the two of us are the only ones capable of defeating these Noumus, so…” Izuku shrugged and activated One for all.

“Which one is mine?” Shoto asked.

“Midoriya-kun, Todoroki-kun, let me help!” Iida exclaimed.

”No offence, Emergency Exit, but you’re not much help with stalled engines.” Izuku looked at the boy with a small, apologetic smile on his face. “Sho-chan, the big one. Regeneration. You gotta do a Nao-nee.”

Shoto nodded and charged towards his target, letting it close enough for him to place his left hand onto his—nonexistent—face.

“If I remember right, Nao-nee said once that carbonated cells do not regenerate.”

The flames bursting out of his hand were blue.

Meanwhile Izuku, having taken off the extra weights on his wrists and ankles, launched himself at the other Noumu on the ground, kicking it hard enough t send it flying towards the third one, a winged one that flew above the other, a bit bigger ones. The Heroes at the scene gasped as the Noumus came down, Izuku’s targets knocked-out and Shoto’s dead.

Or maybe the Noumu Izuku kicked was dead, too, its neck had made a rather loud snap when it landed.

Or then, it was just the bones in Izuku’s leg breaking.

“Aww, FUCK! This was a mistake!”

It was all a bit hazy, really. The next thing Izuku remembered clearly was waking up in a hospital room the next morning.

“Hey, Todoroki-kun…” Iida, having just finished his medical examination a while ago, called out to his classmate. The all three UA students were sharing a room. Izuku sleeping—again, after the doctor checked him and let him go back to the room with his friends—in the bed next to Shoto’s while Iida sat on the edge of his own, opposite from the dual Quirk-wielding boy. Shoto hummed.

“What does… it feel like? Taking someone’s life?”

Shoto sat up and stared at the class president.

“Iida, what the fuck?”

“I was fully prepared to kill Stain for having paralyzed my brother.”

Shoto scoffed. “That’s bullshit. You’re a good kid, Iida, and an honest one. You wouldn’t have been able to kill another human being, no matter how notorious Villain they were. You’re a Hero, a good Hero, not a vigilante.”

Iida looked down.

“I… don’t feel like that.”

Shoto sighed and leaned back. “How does taking someone’s life feel like, huh? Basically, you’ll always feel like shit about it. Because it’s never just the victim who dies. The killer dies inside a bit every time, too.”

“Mmmnh, you talk for yourself, Sho. I don’t feel a damn thing.” Izuku suddenly mumbled, still half-asleep. Shoto pointed at him while looking straight into Iida’s eyes.

“Except if the killer is this kind of nutcase. Or Nao-nee.”

“Fuck you too, Icyhot.”

“Maybe when we get out of here.”

Iida cleared his throat.

“Guys, not in front of me, please.”

A knock was heard from the door before it slid open, and Gran Torino stepped into the room together with Manual, Iida’s internship employer. The two Heroes sighed deeply.

“Your parents have been informed about your injuries.” Gran Torino announced, glaring at his intern. “Your mother is apparently on her way, Iida’s things we were asked to sort the things out with Ingenium, who is also hospitalized here, but we couldn’t reach either Todoroki’s mother or elder siblings, so Midoriya’s mother is taking care of you too.”

Shoto nodded.

“How about my old man? Isn’t he here, too?”

Manual coughed.

“The thing is… he’s unconscious. He was the least injured person out of the four of you, but he’s the only one not woken up yet. The doctors are perplexed, at least.”

Shoto looked at the floor and nodded.

Coming back alive must be harder for Nao-nee than we thought.

“I… see. Can I go to see him later, at least? After Inko-san comes here?”

Manual tilted his head. “Inko…?”

“Ah, that’s my mom. And, I don’t think I have introduced myself? I’m Iida-kun’s classmate, Midoriya Izuku. Though, if you want my Hero name, that would be Hades.”

Manual nodded. “Ah, it’s nice to meet you. I’m—”

“The Normal Hero: Manual. I know, I’m a huge Hero otaku.” Izuku interrupted him before managing to control his tongue. “Also, my Quirk feeds me information about the people around me non-stop, so I can’t really not know.”

“Oh, I see. Anyway… there’s a visitor for you guys.”

That was the cue for a large, tall man with a head of a Great Dane to step into the room and introduce himself as Hosu’s Chief of police, Tsurugamae Kenji.

H-he “woofs” at the end of his sentences… Izuku snickered inwardly.

“You must be the UA students who brought down the Hero Killer, correct?” the police dog (har har) asked.

“Well, mainly Izuku, but yeah.” Shoto answered.

“I didn’t do a thing…” Iida admitted, looking down.

“Midoriya Izuku, right, woof?” Tsurugamae turned to Izuku, who nodded.

“That’s me.”

“Was it self-defense? The knife in the Hero Killer’s ribcage?”

Izuku thought for a few seconds.

“It was a reflexive reaction.” I aimed. Well.

“Did you want him dead, woof?”

Izuku nodded. “Naturally. I know how many Heroes he has killed and injured, plus he attacked and injured both my good friend and my boyfriend. Of course I wanted him to perish.” No one breaks my rules without a punishment. He broke the rules.

Chief Tsurugamae scrunched his canine face.

“I do not like the sound of that.” Manual muttered next to him.

“Just spit it out, Izu.” Shoto sighed and plopped down onto his bed. Izuku nodded.

“Chief Tsurugamae, what is this questioning for?”

The canine sighed.

“It is to determine what punishment is accountable for your actions—”

“I mean, it’s not like you’re able to punish me, anyway. As long as I report it to Detective Tsukauchi Naomasa from Musutafu Police Department, every kill I make is justified. And I know I made my report.”

“What?”

“I am Green, one of the Heads of The Cerberus. And, if you want to know, Sho-chan there is Blue.”

Shoto groaned into his pillow and turned his head around just enough to look at the dog-faced police chief with one, grey eye.

“Yeah, I’m Blue. Let me sleep.”

“I think you can’t just yet.”

“Izu. I’m tired.”

“Well, no shit! You’re always tired!”

“True…”

Chief Tsurugamae cleared his throat.

“I’ll confirm that later with Detective Naomasa, but for the time being, I have few more questions.”

Izuku turned his attention back to the policeman.

“About Akaguro?”

“Who?” the three adults asked in unison. Izuku coughed.

“Stain. His real name is Akaguro Chizome. Or is it about which one of us caused which injuries on him?”

“Both. Start with the injuries, please.”

Izuku nodded. “Everything made with a knife is my doing. He dodged my kicks and punches really well, because I was wearing a bit too heavy wrist and ankle weights. The only hit I landed was the knife-hand strike below his ear. I almost dislocated his jaw, I’d like to think. He dodged most of Sho-chan’s ice and fire, too. The punch on his chest, which definitely broke ribs, and the burns on either side of his head were made by Endeavor.” Izuku paused for a moment. “Speaking of knives, when can I have my Bowie back? I like that one.”

“…Green or not, your knife is still a murder weapon. You can’t have it back.”

“So, did you want to hear about Stain? I got all his physical data, info about his Quirk, all his crimes… everything stored, right here.” Izuku tapped his temple back. “Other Villains, too. Just give me back my knife, and I’ll spill out anything I know about Stain and another Villain of your choosing. One Villain.”

Tsurugamae sighed. “I really can’t do that…”

“Aww, that’s too bad. How about you ask superior? You know… you’re not on the top of the food chain, there’s always someone above you.”

Chapter Text

The fussing and worried Midoriya Inko—and Kozue, who had tagged along—arrived at the hospital at around 8:30 in the evening, the same time Iida Tensei had come to visit his injured baby brother.

“You know what, Tenya?” the now lively former Pro Hero asked from his wheelchair. “Izuku is my new favorite Class A kid now. I’m really disappointed in you.”

“Thanks, Tensei-niisan.” Izuku chuckled from his own bed. He was fiddling with his phone, chatting with Kozue. Manual and Gran Torino, who had been waiting for Inko to arrive after Chief Tsurugamae had left, glanced between the two in confusion.

“I don’t think you two are related…” Manual muttered, making Tensei laugh.

“Oh, we aren’t. I just adopted Izuku after the UA Sports Festival, the kid’s amazing. Tenya’s too boring, sometimes. And apparently dumb as a stump, too.” he glared at his younger brother.

“Nii-san!” the bespectacled teen protested.

“Listen up, you brat! Just because you inherited my name as Ingenium doesn’t mean you have to so the same mistakes! I thought you were better than me!”

“I…!” Tenya couldn’t argue with that.

“I’m sorry…”

Private Chat with CuteDragon

Actually_Satan: you brought what I asked?

CuteDragon: everything
CuteDragon: we’re here, almost at your room

Actually_Satan: cool
Actually_Satan: Ingenium’s here, by the way

“What?! Nope, not going in there!” Kozue’s voice carried out from right behind the closed door. Izuku chuckled.

“Too late, Kozu-san!”

Midoriya Inko slid the door open. “Midoriya Izuku, I assume you have a valid reason for me to have been called to the Hosu Central Hospital.”

Izuku gulped. “I forgot I changed the wrist and ankle weights I wear with my costume to heavier one, so I made some miscalculations in my fight with Stain and got stabbed.”

Inko frowned. “That,” she said sternly, towering over her son’s sitting form on the bed, “is not a valid reason.”

“…but it’s true.”

“Sho-chan!” Kozue bounced to her half-brother, burying him into a bone-crushing hug.

Or so Shoto would’ve thought, but the girl jumped onto his bed and hid herself behind his smaller flame, instead.

“I-It’s Ingenium…” she whispered.

Shoto huffed. “It’s two Ingeniums, to be exact.”

The older Iida brother’s face lit up as he recognized the girl attempting to hide herself behind the red-and-white-haired boy.

“Miroki Kozue! You’re the Poltergeist Girl’s twin sister.”

Kozue nodded.

“Yeah…”

“Come on, Kozu-san. He’s not scary. He’s actually one of the nicest people in this room.” Shoto sighed.

“I know! That’s why I’m scared! I’m used to deal with assholes like Nao-nee, Izuku and you! Ingenium-san is so nice, it’s scary!”

Tensei chuckled.

“You know, I, Iida Tensei, am not actually as nice person as the Turbo Hero: Ingenium. You should see me with Shōta, Hizashi and Nemuri. We’ve gotten lifelong bans from at least five grocery stores and supermarkets around UA, that one movie theater, and the school librarian absolutely detests us.”

“Huh? No way she hates you! She loves everyone!”

Tensei chuckled. “Try making a Torii gate out of the books and couple of planks stolen from the Support department. I swear, she will Plus Ultra hate your guts for the eternity and beyond.”

Kozue sighed in defeat and pressed her forehead against Shoto’s shoulder. “This man in unbelievable…”

“It was Nemuri’s idea, though. You know… Midnight. She was out senpai by one year, but we were quite close. I swear to All Might about half of the school she was either dating one or all of us.”

“I—whoa.”

“Yeah.” Tensei nodded and turned back to his younger brother. “Now then, where was I?”

“No more, Nii-san…! I understood it already, I did something stupid…!”

“And you’ll be hearing from it for a long time, young man.”

A bit later, Manual volunteered to escort Shoto and Kozue, who insisted tagging along, to Endeavor’s room. The Flame Hero had started showing signs of waking up, but hadn’t regained consciousness yet.

“Um… only one visitor at the time, please.” a nurse looking over the man squeaked nervously. Shoto and Kozue nodded, the girl ushering the boy into the room.

“You’re his son, after all. Go on.”

Shoto closed the door behind him, leaving the others to the hallway.

“So… I didn’t get a chance to ask you earlier, Miroki-san,” Manual, who had introduced himself to the two ladies shortly after their arrival, said, “but are you Ingenium—Tenya-kun’s classmate? You also seemed to be really close to Todoroki-kun…”

Kozue shook her head.

“Nah, I’m not a Hero material. I’m from UA class 1-G, Support department. I’m Sho-chan’s… Shoto’s childhood friend.”

Manual raised his eyebrow. “A childhood friend? I would’ve guessed a girlfriend.”

That made Kozue laugh.

“A-are you serious? Me and Shoto? No way!” she leaned against the wall for support while gasping for air. “I’ve always been an older sister for him. Also, he’s about as straight as a circle and dating Izu.”

“Izu… Hades? That green-haired kid?”

Kozue nodded, still chuckling. “Yeah, the same kid.”

In the hospital room, Shoto carefully made his way to the sleeping form on the bed. He poked Endeavor’s arm harshly.

“Don’t hurt me, Sho,” Nao grunted, opening one of her eyes and glaring at the boy.

“Sorry. I was testing if you’re awake.” he opened his hand, revealing a small plastic bag squeezed into it. “Kozu-san brought you this.”

Nao looked at the item in the boy’s hand.

“And “this” is…?”

Shoto opened the bad and pulled out a few strands of black, slightly blue-tinted hair, holding them out to Nao.

“Sumire-san’s DNA, so you can morph into yourself. There’s a limit how long any of us can tolerate the face you’re wearing now.”

Nao chuckled, forced herself into a semi-upright position and swallowed the hair like Izuku had swallowed Toshinori’s hair to receive One for All.

“Okay, now I know how Izu felt—”

“You’ll be able to morph in about three hours. That’d be a bit before midnight. Will you be able to sneak out and meet us at the roof?”

Nao nodded and laid back down with a heavy sigh. “Yeah.”

“See you there, then.”

“See you… finally, really see you.”

“…really funny, Nao-nee.”

After Shoto left, Nao laid awake on the bed while pretending to be unconscious. She was fairly good with her act, apparently, since not a single nurse or a doctor who came to check on Endeavor noticed a thing.

Finally, it was midnight.

Nao had found a pattern in the nurses’ and doctors’ visits—a nurse came every hour, while a doctor came with them every other hour—so after the ten-minute check-up with a nurse, Nao had fifty minutes to drag herself to the roof. She did so as soon as the nurse’s footsteps faded away, making sure to stagger and lean against the wall for support as she walked—Izuku’s orders in order if she was caught in a surveillance camera or by a passing nurse.

She dropped the act as soon as she reached the roof.

“Fancy meeting you here, huh, Endeavor?” Izuku mocked. He, Shoto and Iida were to be discharged the next day, and Inko and Kozue were currently occupying Manual’s guest bedroom not too far from the hospital. Nao gave the green-haired boy the finger, telling him to, and I quote, “fuck off to the moon, shithead”. Izuku laughed and ushered his pseudo-sister to morph into her own form now that it was possible.

“Just imagine what your own body felt like.”

Nao nodded and closed her eyes, concentrating.

It was amusing to watch Endeavor’s large, menacing form to shrink—not too much, Nao was very tall herself, and her frame was powerfully built, too—and transform into what Izuku and Shoto couldn’t help but call a gender-bent version of himself. They were only now realizing how much Nao resembled the Flame Hero.

“So? Do I look like I used to?” Nao asked, finally wearing her own face. The hospital scrubs on her were too big, but Izuku handed her a bad Kozue had brought earlier. The two boys nodded.

“Aside from missing tattoos, piercings and few scars, that’s our Nao-nee.” Izuku shrugged, making the older girl chuckle.

“And that’s easily changed.” Nao chuckled and went behind the entrance of the staircase to change into the clothes Kozue had brought for her. It was her vigilante costume.

“All right, what do you recommend I do next, Izu?”

“Burn the scrubs, take off and see if you can live on the streets for couple of days. The bag Kozu-san brought has your phone in it, as well as some money.”

Nao nodded. “I’ll keep in touch.”

“Also, Touya is in Hosu right now. Go give him a big-ass heart attack.” Shoto interjected as he and Izuku started heading back to their room, leaving Nao alone onto the roof.

“Right.”

Todoroki Touya was indeed shocked when he accidentally crossed paths with his dead half-sister. So shocked, to be honest, that in addition to jumping five feet into the air, he blasted a bright, azure blue flames at the girl’s face. Of course, it did no damage to her—Miroki Nao was, unlike any other offspring of Endeavor’s, even more heat-resistant than the man himself. She wasn’t completely immune, but the only source of heat that could do actual damage to her were her own, bone-melting flames kept on for longer than two minutes.

“Well… Aren’t you jumpy, Patchwork Panda.”

Touya gave the girl a small scowl.

“You would be too, if you suddenly saw your dead little sister in front of you. How the hell?”

Nao shrugged. “Icchan is so much better at explaining things than I am, but basically, I died and became a poltergeist because of one of my Quirks, and then hijacked our dear old man’s body. After ingesting some of my mom’s DNA, I was able to morph back into myself. That’s how the hell I came back alive.”

Touya coughed. “So… that’s Endeavor?”

Nao shook her head. “Used to be. Now it’s me.”

“Neat. So the big bad flame fuck is dead now?”

Nao chuckled. “Officially missing. In reality, yes, dead.”

“Thank you. So, what are you doing here? What are you going to do now?”

The pair started to walk, side by side. Nao was amused by the fact that she towered over Endeavor’s oldest son by a whole ten centimeters—though she, who had been blind for her whole life, had very loose grasp on the concept of measurements of length. She just enjoyed the fact she could look down on him.

“I only recently became fully aware of how much I look like Endewhore, so… I was thinking about dyeing my hair like you do.” Nao nodded towards the spiky black bush of hair which was already sprouting bright red roots.

Touya chuckled. “Then you came to the right man. Follow me.”

Nao chuckled. “Would you also know a tattoo artist who works at night and takes in minor walk-in customers?”

Touya chuckled, giving the taller girl a crooked smile while trying to not stretch his burnt and stapled-together face too much.

“The same place where we’re going. I assume you got money?”

Nao fished out a wad of cash from the bag she was carrying. “It’s not much, but—”

“Bitch, with that, you’ll get one of those full-back tattoos the Yakuza has.”