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Chapter Text

Midoriya Izuku looked up at Bakugo Katsuki as small flashes burst forth from his best friend's palms popping like firecrackers, a look of amazement on his face. A storm of remarks rained down on the young Bakugo complementing him on his strong quirk as the rest of the preschoolers and teachers congratulated him.

None smiled as wide or praised Bakugo as loudly as Izuku. "Kacchan that's amazing! Your quirk is perfect for being a hero!" He crinkled his nose as the smell of smoke affronted him, it smelled sweet but too sweet, and he had to stifle a cough.

"What did you expect Izu?" the blond shot back, "We're gonna be the best heroes! Once your quirk comes in no one will be able to stop us!" A devilish grin took over the boy's face.

Midoriya had never seen his friend look so proud and he smiled back, "Y-yeah! I hope my quirk is something cool, like dad's! He can breathe fire! Then we can be heroes together!"

The boys were interrupted as the teacher called the class to order and continued onto the next child for show and tell. Neither could pay attention as the young girl showed off some new toy she had gotten over the weekend, both thinking about their own quirks.

***

"K-kacchan? What are you doing!?" Izuku screamed at his friend. The class was playing outside and Bakugo was standing over another kid who was shaking and crying face down in the grass.

"Relax Izu we're just playing hero," Bakugo remarked cavalierly with a wave of his hand at his friend. His eyes never left the boy at his feet. "This guy's the villain!" he said and laughed as his palms crackled with explosions. In the months since his quirk came in, he had learned that he could make the explosions larger and hotter and his personality grew to match. The boy had been growing loud and hot headed.

"Kacchan this is wrong!" Izuku shouted at his friend. "It's mean and... and your acting like a villain!"

The explosive blond rounded on his friend with red eyes full of rage. "Who are you to tell me I'm wrong?! All I'm doing is helping this quirkless freak realize he's useless. He can't even stand up for himself against a four-year-old!"

Izuku's stomach dropped and he looked at the boy crying on the ground. He hadn't realized the boy wasn't in their class. He must be older since he was larger than Izuku or any of the trio made up of Kacchan and the two boys he had decided were worth his time due to having interesting quirks. Izuku felt the blood drain from his face. Kacchan wouldn't treat me like this...would he?

"You can't just decide someone's worth off their quirk Kacchan! That's not nice!" Izuku was shouting at his friend, a cold fist seeming to squeeze his insides.

Seeming to read his thoughts a smirk appeared on Bakugo's face. "What's wrong Izu? Worried you might be just as useless?"

"I-I'm not..." Izuku tried, but his voice failed under Bakugo's intense sneer. Bakugo's two friends turned away from the quirkless boy who they had dubbed the villain and backed up the explosive boy sensing that it was about to get more interesting.

"You might be," Bakugo sneered and his tone made Izuku flinch backwards and fall into the grass. "You might be nothing more than a worthless Deku." Bakugo was so close that his words were barely more than a whisper, but he might as well have shouted them for how bad Izuku's ears were ringing.

"B-but," Izuku began but as he was speaking Bakugo reared his small hand back and for Izuku the world slowed. He watched with disbelief as the Kacchan's hand began coming towards him, crackling and popping. He won't! Kacchan is my friend! He wouldn't hurt me! He screamed at himself. Even as he felt the blow land and his head jerk to the side, he couldn't make himself believe what was happing. The explosion left his ears ringing and spots in his eyes. Izuku felt the heat long after Kacchan's hand pulled away.

"I bet you are Deku," Kacchan said with a dangerous glint in his eyes. Izuku thought they looked like the eyes of an angry dog, full of rage and hunger. "The sooner you accept that the better. You're nothing and you're beneath me."

Izuku couldn't take it anymore. He got up and ran, tears stinging in his eyes. He heard the boys behind him laugh but he refused to look back and let Bakugo see how much his words had affected him.

***

Inko was doing the dishes in her apartment lost in thought. She had had a late lunch after getting lost in some briefs on her latest case. She was preparing for Friday when she'd be representing a young woman trying to separate from an abusive husband. Unfortunately, the evidence was lighter than she would have preferred, and she was worried that the request for a restraining order might be refused.

She was remembering the shock on his face when she had served him his court date, the way his sneer had transformed into confusion and his eyes had gone wide when she was pulled from her thoughts by the front door being slammed open before being swiftly shut again.

"Izuku is that you?" she called coming out into the hall. The boy was supposed to be in preschool for another few hours. He had never so much as come home on his own without his mother picking him up, much less left early before, but he was the only other person with a key. "Izuku wha..." but the words died in her throat as she looked at her son.

Izuku stood just inside the door staring down at the floor. He was panting heavily and his body shaking. Inko approached and knelt next to her son. His head sunk lower as she came close and she couldn't see his eyes.

"Izuku honey what is it?" Inko asked, making her voice soft and as comforting as she could. He mumbled something too softly for to make out. "Izuku look at me," she said and while her tone was sill soft it left no room for refusal and slowly, he looked up at her.

Inko had to bite her tongue to stop a gasp as she saw her son's face. A large red burn decorated the left side of his face, a burn with welts and blisters. Tears fell freely from his eyes and ran down clear tracks to his chin before falling to the floor.

"M-mom..." Izuku began wetly as he fought against the sobs trying to escape him, "am- am I... quirkless?" His voice cracked on the last word.

"Izuku honey why would you think that? Who did this to you?"

Izuku just shook his head and said nothing as tears poured from his eyes with renewed vigor.

Inko sighed. Truthfully, she had been having similar doubts and fears as the weeks and months had gone by since Mitsuki's son had developed his quirk, but she had been careful to keep such thoughts from her son. The fact that someone had attacked him proved that she had put this off for long enough.

"Izuku I know somewhere we can go where someone can help us determine your quirk." His eye shot up to her and filled with hope. "But I want you to tell me who hurt you."

"I don't want anyone to get in trouble," he said softly eyes shooting back down.

"Izuku, whatever happened, this isn't your fault. No matter what, it's not okay for someone to hurt you." She fought to keep the bite out of her voice as she thought about someone hurting her baby.

Slowly Izuku told her how he had stood up to Katsuki and he had turned on him. He had run all the way home afterwards not wanting to face anyone while so upset.

"Izuku," Inko said and waited for the boy to lift his emerald eyes and meet her own, "I'm proud of you. You did the right thing standing up to Katsuki. It wasn't right for him to treat someone that way and it wasn't right for him to turn on you either. Now I need to make a few calls and then we're gonna go see someone about your quirk. You go change into some fresh clothes and then I can get something for your face before we go."

Izuku looked conflicted to leave her, eyes flashing between excitement and worry. "Is... is Kacchan going to get in trouble?"

"Yes," Inko responded shortly, "but Izuku that is not your fault. Katsuki is the one who acted out and hurt others and it is not your fault. You did the right thing telling me. Now I can call the school and they can make sure that Bakugo doesn't hurt anyone else."

"But Kacchan is my friend! I don't want him to get in trouble!" Izuku shouted.

"Izuku would you ever hurt one of your friends?" Inko asked.

When he hesitantly shook her head she continued, "Would you ever bully someone for being quirkless?"

Izuku shook his head quicker this time.

"Do you want to be friends with someone who would, someone who has, and who you stood up to because of it?"

Izuku certainly couldn't realize the full depth of the question, but he did realize that his answer would determine the future of how he viewed Katsuki and she how unsure he was about how to answer it. Inko fixed her son with a firm look making clear that she expected an answer.

"No," he finally relented. Fresh tears filled his eyes, but they didn't fall.

"I know it's hard honey, but I promise it's for the best. Now go get changed and we can go find out about your quirk."

Izuku nodded and Inko thought she saw the hints of a smile as he dashed further into the apartment.

Inko pulled out her phone and began looking through her contacts. She would call the preschool and give them hell for allowing bullying to take place under their watch and demand that they take better care of their charges but first she had a more personal call.

The phone rang a few times before the familiar voice answered, "Hey Inko, what's up?"

"We need to talk Mitsuki."

***

Izuku sat in a chair next to his mother in a small room with white walls and a bed with paper over it. He was looking up at a diagram he had seen before during his research into quirks. He hadn't been able to understand it at first, but he had asked his mom to help. It took her awhile to explain to him, but she had done so with a smile. The diagram displayed the four types of quirks with little figures to help explain their affects.

The first was labeled mutation and showed a man with horns protruding from his head. The next was labeled transformation and showed number of figures. The first figure was that of a man and each figure changed a little more from the one before it as the man hunched forward and changed into a dog. The third was labeled emitter and its figure was a man with his hands out in front of him and some sort of beam springing forth from his palms. The last had been labeled as augmentation and it showed a figure flexing his muscles.

It had been the last one that had taken Izuku the longest to understand. Not because the man's quirk was hard to determine, it was obviously supposed to have super strength but because of the description which was paired with it.

His mother was reading from the computer screen "An augmentation quirk is one which changes the natural human body in a way that is not always obvious. Quite simply it either enhances or hinders without affecting the person or others in any visible way. It is theorized that many with augmentation quirks which are not particularly powerful never know their quirk and live their lives as though quirkless."

"But how can someone have a quirk and not know it?" Izuku had asked, "Wouldn't they be able to tell that something had changed even if it wasn't by a lot?"

"Hmm," Inko said, "I think the problem is that everyone is so young when their quirk develops that everything is still new and everybody's still changing. So, if it wasn't a very big change or if it activated when something happened that had never happened to them before then they wouldn't know that anything was different."

Izuku had pondered the topic for a long time after that night but he still thought that he would be able to tell no matter how little the change was. Now though, as he looked at the strong man, he almost prayed that he just hadn't noticed.

A tall man wearing a white coat walked in and broke Izuku out of his thoughts. The man took a seat at the desk in the room while reading from an open folder in his hands. He closed the folder sharply and turned towards the Midoriyas with a smile.

"Hello Mrs. Midoriya, young Midoriya. My name is Dr. Tsubasa. How are you two doing today?"

"Very well, thank you doctor," his mother responded for the both of them.

The doctor turned slightly more towards Izuku, "Young Midoriya, I am a quirk therapist, that means I help young boys and girls learn about their quirks. Would you be willing to answer a few questions to help me learn a little about you?"

Izuku nodded and the doctor continued, "Do you enjoy school Midoriya?" which earned him another nod. "Do you have lots of friends?"

Izuku thought of Bakugo and his hand moved up to the bandage on his cheek before he shook his head.

The doctor’s eyes followed the movement and a frown flashed across his face before it was replaced once again with a soft smile. "That's okay. Often with less friends one can truly appreciate those they do have. Now, your mother's quirk allows her to pull objects towards herself and your fathers allows him to breath fire correct?"

Both Midoriyas nodded, Izuku more vigorously and Mrs. Midoriya only subtly when she saw the doctor look her way for confirmation.

"Now have you noticed anything strange lately? Anything stand out, anything at all?"

"Everyone at preschool has been getting their quirks," Izuku responded in a soft voice.

A chuckle came from the doctor, "Yes, you are at the age after all. And what about you have you noticed a quirk?" he asked.

Izuku shook his head, "But I might not notice if it were an augmention type, right?" he said, he hoped he sounded hopeful, but he wasn't sure if he believed it.

"Augmentation," The doctor corrected before continuing, "that's true young man, very good. We have a number of tests we can do compared to those you did when you first started preschool to test for any subtle augmentation quirks but first, I have a few exercises I'd like to walk you through. I'm sure you've tried something similar yourself, but humor me if you will please. I'd like you to try and pull this pencil towards yourself. Mrs. Midoriya how would you describe it when you use your quirk?"

His mom cleared her throat, "Well my palms tingle and I feel a tug in my gut. But mentally I just have to summon it, kind of like how you move your arm closer to yourself."

"Okay Midoriya now I want you to try and think like your mom and pull the pencil towards yourself. Don't think of it as a force you're trying to activate, instead view the pencil as an extension of yourself and you are simply pulling it towards yourself. Go ahead and put your palm out, it might help."

Izuku extended his palm and tried to imagine the pencil as a part of himself and call it to his outstretched hand the way the doctor said. He imagined it rolling towards him, flying towards him, even zig zagging towards him. He scrunched up his face and focused on the pencil as hard as he could.

"Well I expected that to be honest." The doctor said and pulled the pencil back. Izuku let out a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. "Truthfully if you were to have one of your parents' quirks and hadn't noticed, I would expect it to be your father's. I understand he isn't around to help. I have a note from a man with a similar quirk however. 'When I breath fire I feel a rumble growing as though I were very hungry, and a burn in my throat as though I ate something spicy, and then it bursts forth in a torrent of flame. To call it I take a deep breath, as deep as I can pulling in all of the air with my diaphragm, and then I let out everything pushing from the very depths of my being.' Now Midoriya could you try that for me?"

With a nod Izuku took a few breaths to steady himself and then took as big a breath as he could, making himself a little light headed at the effort. He imagined a great fire burning within him and tried to call it forth, before exhaling until he had nothing left and spittle was flying from his mouth.

After a few more attempts the doctor stopped him. "Well that's okay too. I have a few more exercises we can do here before moving to a few specialty rooms. I'd like to start by taking a few samples of saliva, ear wax, etcetera just to check that you have no subtle mutations."

The doctor moved to grab a jar of cotton swabs from one of the shelves over his desk. As he was pulling it down, he knocked another jar full of tongue depressors over.

As the jar began to fall the world seemed to slow for Izuku. He heard his mom gasp as the jar raced towards the floor and she pulled it towards herself. The sudden jerk sent the tongue depresses flying mostly over Izuku, who was beside his mother. As they began to fall Izuku extended his hand with fascination. He was slow but he knew exactly how quickly he could move. Carefully he began to move his hand and, in a single wavy swipe, grabbed the tongue depressors from the air, his small hand barely able to contain them all.

Izuku looked up to see both adults looking at him with raised eyebrows.

"Well," the doctor said with a grin spreading on his face, "I guess that answers that."

***

Inko watched from behind a panel of glass as a volley of tennis balls shot towards her son from the other side of the narrow room he was in. A cold dread filled her as the six balls made their way towards her four-year-old fast enough that she knew they would hurt but not so fast that she couldn't watch as her son danced between them all. He reached out and plucked one from the air with all the simplicity of plucking fruit from a tree. The doctor had started the exercise with a single tennis ball shot relatively slowly and had increased the parameters slowly. Inko still couldn't stop the cold sweat that over took her with each new wave.

"How?" she managed looking on in awe, unable to look away from her son as he smiled widely at her and waved before another volley shot his way and his head whipped around so quickly that she was sure he'd get whip lash.

"Well it could be a mutation of your own quirk, where as you can summon things towards yourself, perhaps he has a hyper sense when something flies towards him. Perhaps it's an increase in his adrenaline production allowing him to enhance the sensation of the world slowing. Though if it were simply that then he would be far more exhausted after doing this for half an hour. He doesn't seem to have any increased speed or strength either. It's as though his reaction time is simply perfect. It'll take a few tests to confirm but I believe he has near perfect reflexes." With that he turned a little nob in front of him and the next volley that sped towards her son was so quick that she couldn't follow them as they flew. Her head whipped towards her son to see if he had been hit only to see him lying on the floor.

Inko rushed into the room slamming the door open and running to her son's prone floor. "Izuku! Are you okay?" She knelt down next to him so see her son smiling up at her, his fingers laced behind his head.

"Did you see that mom! They were so fast! I couldn't even weave through them, I had to fall, or they would have hit me!" He spoke so fast it was hard to tell that he was panting from the exertion of dodging for so long. Her son was so excited, she couldn't help but smile back relief mixing with pride as she saw that he was okay.

***

That night as Inko was preparing dinner, Izuku sat on the counter his notebook open in his lap. Inko had asked him not to bring it to the doctors so that they could focus on learning as much as possible. Izuku was excitedly asking questions about what his mom and the doctor had talked about while he was in the testing room trying to make sure he got everything he could recorded. Inko did her best to remember everything he had told her but truthfully it hadn't been her main focus at the time. He would ask her a question and then descend into a storm of muttering.

Inko noticed that Izuku hadn't asked a question in a few minutes and his muttering had stopped. She looked up from the pan to see her son with a scowl on his face and the pencil pressed firmly against his chin.

"What is it sweetie?" she asked him.

"Well... do you think I can be a hero? I mean I know my quirk is really amazing and it'll keep me safe. But can I save anyone with a quirk that..." he paused seeming to be at a loss. "I mean I'm not any stronger, I'm not any faster, I can't shoot anything out of myself. How am I gonna defeat any villains? It's not like I want to hurt anybody, but I wanna make sure that the people feel safe when I show up, like All Might. Whose gonna feel safe because aguywhocandodgewellshowsup?"

"Hmm," Inko interrupted the muttering boy before he started speaking faster than she could keep up. "I suppose you're right. It won't be very easy. You'll have to work extra hard. Maybe we should look into some martial arts. I know you can do it though!" She could see the tears trying to escape his eyes as he smiled so wide she thought his face wouldn't be able to hold it.

"Yeah! And I bet I could be really good at parkour too! Or maybe free running? I don't know the difference. I'll have to look it up and compare the pros and cons and which one I'm more naturally suited for. I should do the same for martial arts too. Though I'll have to factor in dojos and what's available and-"

Inko let her son ramble a small smile on her face as she turned back to her cooking. She was making Katsudon, his favorite. It was a day of celebration after all. Her son had a quirk and he was gonna be an amazing hero. There wasn't a doubt in her mind about that.

Chapter Text

            Inko was putting breakfast on the table the morning after Izuku's quirk assessment when Izuku bound into the room. He put his notebook on the table and began digging in with gusto uncharacteristic of the young boy.

            "Whoa! Someone's hungry this morning!" she remarked with a playful smile on her face.

            "I think it's a side effect of Reflex. I think because my brain works overtime as long as time slows for me so it burns extra calories. They say that thinking hard or taking a test can burn extra calories. So, if my brain is thinking hard on what to do, while processing information at an extreme rate then I must need lots of calories. I'm pretty sure I ate even more katsudon than normal last night and I'm still hungry!"

            How Izuku managed to say all that and never seem to take a breath or stop eating was beyond Inko. "I thought there was some leftover rice missing from the fridge this morning." She laughed at the blush that spread across his cheeks. "It's okay Izuku. I'll just need to up the grocery budget a little. I have a feeling you're gonna need it. Hmm but we should be careful to make sure you still eat plenty healthy. I'll have to look up some healthy recipes," she murmured happily while fixing herself a small bowl.

            Suddenly Izuku let out a huge yawn and reached to quickly cover his mouth trying to hide it from his mother. Her eyes locked on the young boy despite his efforts and she finally noticed the heavy bags under his eyes. "Did you sleep at all last night?" she asked her son sternly.

            "A little," he said sheepishly not meeting her eyes and taking special interest in the rice he was eating instead.

            "And how much is a little?" she pushed. If she wasn't careful, he could set some very bad habits.

            "I think I got three hours. But it's not a big deal mom! I managed to get so much work done! I found a dojo I think would be really cool. I saw some videos of one of their students in a tournament from last month. I think the style fits really well with how my quirk works. And then there aren't any free running or parkour gyms nearby but there is a gym which does gymnastics and I think that could be a good way to start." If Inko was anyone else she may not have been able to follow the quick string of ideas and plans her son let forth, but she was used to keeping up with him.

            "If we're going to do this Izuku, then you're going to have to take care of yourself. That means no all nighters and telling me if you need a break. Promise me." Inko's tone was firm as she fixed him with her eyes. He nodded eagerly a determined look on his face.

***

            That day at preschool Izuku excitedly stood for his turn in show and tell. Most of the kids started talking amongst themselves when they saw it was Izuku's turn. It wasn't that they were trying to be rude, but most were used to him whipping out his hero notebook and going on for as long as he could about some new hero. He spoke so fast that few could keep up with the boy. Those who could were often amazed and confused at the raw depth the boy covered on each hero, their quirk, and why he liked them.

            Izuku upon hearing the chorus of voices begin suddenly felt very nervous. What if they don't think it's a cool quirk? What if they don't believe me? He wished he had something else he could use instead but he had left his notebook on his desk not expecting to need it and it was too late now.

            "I-I got my quirk," the young boy said softly. The few boys and girls close enough to hear over the noise of the others gasped softly with excitement. The best show and tells were where someone got to show off their quirk and they had thought since everyone else got their quirks a while ago, that Izuku just wasn't gonna get one.

            Hearing the gasps and seeing Izuku standing without his characteristic notebook the rest of the class went quiet and looked at the boy.

            "What was that Deku?" Bakugo sneered at him earning a reproachful look from one of the teachers.

            "I got my quirk yesterday," Izuku said in a slightly louder but no braver voice.

            "What is it? Show us!" one of the girls shouted.

            "Umm- I don't know how," Izuku said, he was rubbing his hands together as his face began to burn under the stares of all his classmates. "It's called Reflex and it makes it so that I can dodge things and my timing is better. I guess if someone threw something at me I could-"

            Before Izuku could say anything else Bakugo leapt up and threw the signed baseball that the boy next to him had brought right at Izuku's head. The boy, Ida was his name, screamed "No!" before staring on in horror, though more for his baseball than for Izuku. The room slowed and Izuku was left with plenty of time to scowl at his friend before leaning to the side and grabbing the ball from air.

            Izuku bound back towards Ida, who was still visibly shaken. "Sorry about that, I didn't know Kacchan was gonna react so quickly. I avoided the signed part when I grabbed it. I hope it's okay!"

            Ida looked at the baseball in Izuku's hand with tears in his eyes and saw that he had indeed managed to grab it on the unsigned half. "Wow Izuku! That's amazing!!!" Ida screamed, his fear forgotten. He jumped up to hug the boy who had saved his prized possession.

            "It-It was nothing, Ida. It was my fault anywa-" Izuku tried but he was interrupted as more people around the circle began to scream praises at him and ask questions. Izuku was so caught up in the commotion that he missed the scowl forming on Bakugo's face as he watched.

***

            Izuku was standing on the playground debating whether to go to the monkey bars or the slide when the world slowed. He didn't see anything, but as he turned, he saw the open palm headed for the side of his head. With a yelp of surprise Izuku quickly ducked under the oncoming hand and whipped his body around to face whoever was assaulting him.

            Izuku honestly wished he was surprised to see Bakugo and his friends behind him. "Why would you do that Kacchan?! You could have hurt me!" Izuku screamed. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes, he clenched his fist and tried to keep them from falling, blinking to make them go away.

            "What was that Deku? Didn't you say it was impossible to hit you now?" Bakugo taunted the boy letting a few pops off with his quirk. "Don't think just because you got a cowards quirk that you can be a hero. You're still just a worthless Deku."

            Izuku felt the tears begin to fall as his friend, no as Bakugo began taking more swipes at him. Izuku was smaller than Bakugo but it meant he was a smaller target and dodging the explosive blond's blows was easier than he would have thought.

            "How are you gonna be a hero if you can't even fight. All you can do is keep your sorry ass from getting beat," Bakugo spat at him. It was the first time Izuku had heard someone speak while he was using Reflex, it left the words deeper and haunting but no harder to understand.

            Izuku noticed several things in the span of what could only have been a few seconds. First, the teachers were rushing over with concerned looks on their faces, but they were still quite a bit away. Second, the larger of Bakugo's friends, Tsubasa, the one with the wings, was behind Izuku, and Bakugo's swipes were directing him straight towards him. Third, Bakugo was currently sending a palm right at his chest and it was moving faster than Izuku could move out of the way.

            Izuku felt like the world slowed even further and he saw his moment. He raised his hand a swatted Bakugo's wrist with the back of his own. Bakugo's hand flew into the air and crackling of his palms finally stopped.

            Time came back to full speed as Bakugo screamed in frustration and the teachers finally made it to the group of boys.

            "What do you think you're doing!?" the female teacher shouted at Bakugo.

            "That was very irresponsible young man," the other teacher scolded. "Are you okay Midoriya?"

            "Yes sir," Izuku managed still a little stunned at what just went down.

            "Bakugo you owe Midoriya an apology," the first teacher said turning back to the boy.

            "We were just playing! Why should I apologize?" Bakugo tried.

            The two teachers were stunned and looked at Izuku for some kind of confirmation at the other boys claims.

            "I don't want anyone to get in trouble," Izuku said.

            The teachers at a loss for what to do decided that they couldn't really do anything and left the boys to it.

            "We're nots friends Kac-" No! Izuku scolded himself, "We're not friends Bakugo. I don't want to be friends with someone who hurts people without a reason. I didn't want you to get in trouble, but I'm not gonna let you hurt anyone else!" It was as much a promise to himself as it was to Bakugo. He would stand up for what was right.

            "Wha-" Bakugo started to say, but Izuku had already turned away from the explosive boy. "Don't turn your back on me, Deku!" he screamed lunging forward to grab the boy who simply stepped to the side. Bakugo was left stumbling and trying to clutch the air.

***

            Izuku walked into the dojo with a pit in his stomach. It had taken him awhile to find one that he thought would work well with his quirk. It had to be focused on out maneuvering your opponent and keeping yourself out of danger. His mother had described watching him use his quirk like watching a dancer and he wanted to use that to his advantage.

            Finding martial arts he was interested had been one thing, finding a dojo that taught it in the Mutustafu had been another. Of the seven styles Izuku had researched this was the only dojo that his mother had agreed to let him go to.

            He squeezed his mother's hand and the two approached the receptionist. His mother had called ahead that morning to make the arrangements and the kind lady at the desk instantly knew who they were and led them to the sparring floor. The room was a large open space with blue mats on the floors and mirrors along the back wall.

            An older gentleman with a shaved head in yellow and orange robes saw them approaching and broke off from his conversation and made his way towards them. The boy he had been speaking to just nodded and began going through a series of complex looking poses.

            "You must be the Midoriyas," he exclaimed with a wide grin and a strong Chinese accent. He stroked his long mustache before continuing, "I am shifu Gyatso. It is very nice to meet both of you!"

            "It's nice to meet you too shifu!" Izuku returned happily.

            "So young Midoriya I understand you'd like to learn Baguazhang. I must say I'm impressed. Not many boys or girls your age pursue something like this."

            "Thank you, sir!" Izuku said. He didn't often enjoy praise but something about the way the man spoke to him was like a friend talking about a shared hobby. "I saw videos of people 'walking the circle' and I thought it looked super cool! Do you think I can learn how to do it?"

            "Well I don't see why not. Anything is possible with dedication and hard work after all!" Gyatso replied cheerfully. "Why don't you go to the locker room right over there and change into this uniform, and me and your mom can talk about a schedule if you like what I show you today."

            Izuku rushed off with a nod and changed into the white loose pants and the long sleeve shirt. He was glad he had seen the way the students in the dojo had been wearing it, so he knew to tuck the shirt in. He looked at himself in the mirror and thought he looked pretty good. He felt like he belonged.

            "Well you certainly look the part," Gyatso remarked appraising his new potential student. Izuku noticed the large grin on his face. "To start with I'd like to ask you a few questions. Sit with me for a minute please." He led Izuku to a table with a tea pot and three glasses upon it. His mother already sat on one of the cushions sipping at one of the glasses.

            "Now Midoriya," Gyatso continued, "Baguazhang is not often taught to beginners. Not only because few beginners know to try but also because it is not easily taught to those who do not know the basics of other types of martial arts. We will need to work as well on your flexibility, coordination, fluidity, and speed. Your mother tells me you were planning to try your hand at gymnastics as well, is that still the case?"

            "Yes sir," Izuku responded, "but the closest gym is only open Tuesday and Thursday."

            "That is good, it will help with all of the aspects which we need you to gain." Gyatso poured himself and Izuku cups of tea. "We will start with exercises to do the same if you choose to join us. I must warn you that it may be awhile before you begin to feel you are learning how to fight. But there is much else that you can learn here. More than just how to defeat otherss. So, I must ask you Midoriya. What have you come here to learn?"

            "W-well shifu I want to be a hero! I want people to see me and think 'It'll be okay now, he is here!' just like they do for All Might. I-I don't wanna be a coward." Izuku could feel the emotions welling inside of him as he made his declaration. He knew it was childish, but he also knew he was a child. The tears that stung his eyes were ferocious and he felt they could better express his emotions than his words.

            "You have strong convictions for one so young," Gyatso said thoughtfully. "I think I can help you young Midoriya. Now we do not use quirks here when training or sparring until after you have been here awhile. Still I would like you to tell me a little about your quirk. Your mother tells me it is called Reflex?"

            "Yes sir," Izuku said.

            "Please Midoriya just call me shifu, sir is a bit formal for my taste. Now can you turn Reflex off?"

            "I... I don't know si- mm shifu. I haven't had it for very long. I only got it yesterday." Izuku confessed.

            "Yesterday! My my you do work fast don't you. Hmm well we'll just have to see. Although your quirk is subtle, if you can turn it off, I'd like you to try out of respect for your fellow students but if you can't then there's nothing to be done for it."

            The two chatted for a while, Izuku telling Gyatso about Reflex and himself. Gyatso smiled and listened intently to the young boy. Izuku felt like Gyatso was being more than polite, that he was honestly interested in the young boy despite how trivial much of what he said must have seemed to the old man.

            "Well young Midoriya," Gyatso finally relented, slapping both hands on his knees and rising fluidly, "if you're ready and willing. I'd like to show you some forms. They aren't anything too special, just some exercises to help develop your flexibility and control."

            "Now I know you won't have these forms memorized instantly, but once you do, I'd like you to do them every morning right when you wake up and every night right before bed," Gyatso explained while going through slow clear motions. Izuku was doing his best to match his new shifu, but despite the ease with which Gyatso moved, Izuku struggled to maintain his balance and to stretch his limbs quite as far.

            "Yes shifu," Izuku gasped. The form was rather difficult. Gyatso moved his arm into the correct place before continuing to show the basics.

Chapter Text

            Izuku came out of the locker room scratching at his chest and thinking over the last year. His training with Gyatso was going well. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Izuku came to the dojo. Izuku found that he no longer struggled through the basic forms and his flexibility was far higher.

            Izuku had also started going to gymnastics every Tuesday and Thursday. They were only doing floor exercises, but Izuku found it pushed him more than he had expected. He could now do a handstand and several summersaults in a row.

            Preschool had wrapped up and tomorrow Izuku would start Elementary School. He hoped that Bakugo would be better behaved now that any misbehaving would be on his record and could affect his chances at being a hero. Izuku wasn't holding his breath. He had spent the last year stepping between Bakugo and a number of other kids as Bakugo tried to bully them. This always succeeded in switching the explosive boy's attention onto Izuku. Bakugo hadn't hit Izuku since the day his quirk manifested, but it wasn't for lack of trying.

            "Midoriya! It's good to see you. Is everything okay?" Gyatso asked as the boy approached him.

            "Itchy, shifu. You didn't happen to put itching powder in my uniform again, did you?" Izuku asked, a wide smile on his face while he was still scratching at his chest.

            "Why I never!" Gyatso refuted, looking like he was fighting a smile while itching at his palm. His face turned more serious before he continue. "Though truthfully that wasn't what I was referring to. You seem pensive my student. What is it on your mind?"

            "Well... I'm nervous about school. What if nothing changes and I still have to save people from Bakugo," Izuku confided, trusting his teacher to help shed some light on the issue.

            Gyatso had helped Izuku with a lot of problems that weren't necessarily martial arts based. Gyatso told him that martial arts extended into every part of life as it was meant to be a way of thinking and being. When he had told Gyatso that dealing with Bakugo had been making him start to freak out about going to preschool, Gyatso had taught him meditation techniques to help fight his growing anxiety.

            "Are you scared of Bakugo, Midoriya?" Gyatso asked, his expression turning softer as he began going through the basics forms and motioning for Izuku to join him.

            Izuku thought for a second before he responded, his body mirroring Gyatso’s naturally. He watched himself in the mirrored wall trying to find fear in his own features. "I don't know shifu," Izuku finally conceded, "I don't think I'm scared he's going to hurt me. I know Reflex will keep me safe. I'm scared I won't be able to stop him. What if he hurts someone else?"

            "Midoriya," Gyatso said turning his head towards the boy. His tone was firm but still kind, "while it is honorable that you wish to protect others from the boy, he is responsible for his own actions. It is not your fault if he hurts anybody."

            "I know shifu, but I'm still scared. I promised I would stand between him and those he was trying to hurt. If I can't keep that promise than that makes me a liar."

            "I find that when I am scared, it is best to close my eyes, take deep breaths, and imagine my favorite animal," Gyatso said. Izuku was amazed at how simple a solution his teacher seemed to have to fear, even if it was advice he had heard before. He had found it helped. "Often, I can no longer remember what I was afraid of only a moment before. As for your promise Midoriya, who did you make it to? Was it to one of the boys you saved from Bakugo?"

            "Myself, shifu," Izuku confessed, the mirror in front of him displaying a deep red burning on his face.

            "Ah, so it is a matter not of obligation but of pride," Gyatso remarked. The boy didn't think his teacher was trying to be rude, but the words still stung.

            "No, shifu! It isn't about pride! It's about being a hero!" Izuku defended himself.

            "Midoriya," Gyatso cautioned, "you already said you know you are not responsible for the boy's actions. So, you know that you aren't obligated to stand in his way. You say that it's about helping others, but the teachers could stop Bakugo just as well as you could if you told them."

            Izuku started to interrupt but Gyatso raised a hand to stop the boy before continuing, "I know that you don't want to get anyone in trouble. I ask you, can a hero allow a villain to go free because he is worried about causing trouble?"

            Izuku shook his head.

            "Then you could keep your promise and be a hero by going to your teachers. Yet you do not. I believe that this isn't because you are worried about Bakugo's record, nor because you are worried about his retaliation. You said yourself that you know Reflex can protect you from the boy. I believe that you do not because you feel proud to stand up to a bully and be a hero. Rightfully so. It is important to do things which you can be proud of.

            "Doing things for the sake of pride is another matter. If you are not careful pride can lead you down a path you do not wish to follow. By continuing to allow Bakugo to get away with his actions do you help him learn? What happens on the days when you are ill and cannot be at school? The teachers would be unaware of the issue and be unable to help. I encourage you to think on this, and whether it is more important to help others or to keep your promise and your pride Midoriya." With that Gyatso left Izuku to his thoughts and his forms and went to help another student.

Chapter Text

Izuku was sitting at his desk writing in Hero Research for the Future No. 13 when the laughs of his classmates brought his attention back to the class.

"Sorry sensei, what was that?" Izuku asked.

"I was saying that you and Bakugo are the only ones applying to UA for high school," Izuku's teacher repeated. "While I am proud of both of you for aiming for the stars make sure you have backups. You don't want to be caught with nowhere to go if you don't get in. UA is the hardest high school in Japan to get into after all."

"Yes sir, I am applying to several other hero departments including Shiketsu to be safe," Izuku assured him.

Bakugo just scoffed and turned to look out the window.

***

By the time class had finished Izuku had all but forgotten that he and Bakugo had been called out by the teacher. Izuku was packing up the last of his books when Bakugo felt the need to remind him.

"What are you thinking, shitty Deku?" Bakugo pressed Izuku as he slammed his hand down on Izuku's desk with a loud explosion going off.

"Careful Bakugo," Izuku responded calmly, looking his classmate in the eye. "You're still on probation for what happened last week with that kid from class 2-C. I don't think the school would take to kindly to destruction of property."

"Shut up Deku!" Bakugo shouted. "Don't think you can get into UA with a cowards quirk like yours. I'm gonna be the only kid from this shit hole to get in and then everyone will know I'm the best."

"I don't see why you have to be the only one to be the best," Izuku remarked standing to leave. "I mean surely you aren't scared that someone could beat you, are you?"

"As if," Bakugo scoffed. He moved forward to quickly snatch Izuku's hero notebook from his arms but Izuku simply stepped back out of the boys reach. "Still as cowardly as ever Deku. One of these days you're gonna have to stand and fight me."

"I don't want to fight you, Bakugo," Izuku shot back.

"You coward! Why don't you just jump off the roof instead of wasting my time?"

Izuku was stunned at the lack of regard for life Bakugo displayed.

"If you insist Bakugo." Izuku smiled at the stunned expression on Bakugo's face as he flew past the blond and leaped out the window.

Falling with Reflex was one of Izuku's favorite things in the world. Time seemed to only inch along. It felt more like he was flying than falling. Izuku extended his arms and allowed himself to begin a gentle flip so that his hands hit the ground first and he could roll up and onto his feet.

Izuku laughed at the rush before turning, giving the stunned Bakugo a gentle wave and starting on his way home.

***

Izuku was trying to figure out how to tell Gyatso what had just happened. The man loved pranks and Izuku was sure that he would find the story hilarious. He only worried if he had done it because it was funny or because it would tick off Bakugo.

Izuku had made it about halfway through the tunnel that led to the train station, when the world slowed and ripped him from his thoughts. Izuku lunged forward, summersaulting on the grimy floor before leaping into a spinning flip to face his attacker.

Honestly, Izuku had expected to see Bakugo. What he saw instead shocked him. A slimy mass of goo was oozing its way out of a manhole cover and moving towards him.

"A medium sized invisibility cloak," the ooze said. Its voice sounded like someone speaking from the other side of a wall of Jell-O. "How perfect. Sorry kid but he's right behind me."

Foul smelling tendrils shot from the man towards Izuku, who side stepped them with ease. He's fast, Izuku thought, I don't know how long I can keep up dodging at this speed. Reflex made the man's movements easy to read and look as slow as molasses but Izuku still had to dodge with nothing but his own speed. Izuku couldn't depend on someone to come save him, he'd have to take care of himself.

When the next tendril shot towards him, Izuku tried to strike the ooze as it passed by him. He found his hand stuck in the muck. Oh crap.

As the ooze crept up his arm and the man started to incase him, Izuku heard the villain laughing. As his mouth and nose were covered, Reflex went into over drive. Time seemed to stop. It was slower than anything Izuku had experienced before.

An eternity passed as Izuku suffocated. Sewage filled his mouth and assailed his nostrils. The pain that filled Izuku as his lungs burned for air was agonizing. Worse though was the slow haunting laugh that surrounded him as his vision dimmed and Izuku lost consciousness.

***

All Might had been chasing the slime villain for far too long. He was running out of time. He needed to catch him soon or he'd have to hand it off to someone else and that was unacceptable.

"Never fear," he shouted popping out of the sewers through a manhole, "for I am here!"

All Might burst into a tunnel and was met with a grisly scene. A young boy with green hair was trapped inside of the slime villain. As All Might watched he seemed to be fall unconscious.

"Detroit," All Might screamed pulling back his fist, "SMASH!" The stereotypical burst of wind that accompanied one of All Might's smashes blasted the slime villain off of the boy and against the wall of the tunnel. All Might quickly gathered the now unconscious man in two empty bottle he had from his groceries. He guessed the boy would need a pick me up, so he grabbed the boy's notebook and signed nice and large. Then he went to check on the young boy.

"Young Man are you alright," he asked gently slapping his face to bring him to consciousness. He wasn't responding. All Might began to panic, his slaps coming faster as he started to worry that he had made a mistake not checking on the boy sooner.  Suddenly the boy grabbed his wrist and stopped him.

"Wha- All Might!" the boy shouted. He looked at All Might like he was a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. The boy seemed to only just now realize that he was clutching All Might's wrist. "Ahh! I'm so sorry All Might sir. Thank you for saving me. I owe you my life."

"That's quite all right my boy!" All Might assured him, "I'm always happy to help. But I really must be going no-"

"Wait! All Might," the boy interrupted, "I'm such a big fan. I have so many questions. Can I get your autograph? Wa! You already signed it! Thank you, sir. I will cherish it forever, I shall pass it down through my family for generations."

The boy could talk forever! Listening to him go on All Might wasn't sure he would ever stop. "You're quite welcome! Now I must be off!" He said leaping into the air. That was close, he thought, a few seconds longer and I would have transformed right there in front of him. All Might patted his thigh to feel for the bottles holding the villain. I should have time to get him to the police.

All Might touched down a few blocks from the police station and let his muscled form dissipate in a cloud of steam.

Walking around the corner and into the street. He bumped into a group of businessmen rushing past. "Terribly sorry gentlemen," All Might, now Toshinori, apologized weaving through the group and only earning a handful of shoulder checks for his troubles.

He thought of the young boy he had saved from the villain as he continued along. He had been quite the little fan boy. Toshinori wished he could have stayed for a selfie. He had a feeling that it would have led to quite the spectacle of thanks and praise.

Toshinori walked into the police station and waved at Detective Tsukauchi. He reached down to grab villain from his pocket. Oh no.

***

Izuku watched All Might fly off further into the city. He looked down at his signed notebook and felt another great swell of joy. He had met his hero and got his autograph!

Izuku was so swept up in admiring his notebook that he didn't even notice where his feet were taking him. He looked up as explosions rocked the block. Izuku saw a large crowd gathered around the source of the explosions and his hero fan boy side got excited. Fires burned and heroes were already keeping back the crowd.

Izuku rushed forward and joined the crowd. He pushed through and did his best to get a look. At the center of it all was the slime villain that had attacked him. The villain was attacking a boy who was writhing within the gelatinous body. Izuku stretched up to get a better look and what he saw sent a chill through his spine. The villain had Bakugo.

Izuku started running as the world around him slowed.

Izuku had more time to think through what he was doing than he would have liked. What am I doing? I'm saving Bakugo? I couldn't even beat this guy when it was to save myself. What can I even do?

No! I can't think like that. Look at him, Bakugo's struggling. He's in that same hell I was in. Izuku suppressed a shudder as he thought of his eternity within the slime villain. I can't just let him die!

Izuku ducked under Death Arms outstretched arms and ran towards the villain. He ignored the cries of all the heroes around him trying to call him back.

I wonder why Reflex activated. I wasn't being attacked. It's never activated under any other circumstances before. This run is taking too long damn it! I'm gonna be too late. If only I could move faster. Why aren't the heroes doing anything!?

Is All Might here? I thought he caught this guy already. Did I distract him? Is this my fault? No. All Might had the villain when he left. Whatever happened was after he left me in that tunnel.

I have to find a way to stop this guy. Hitting him didn't work. I need to come up with something better. The eyes! Izuku realized, I can throw my backpack at his eyes! It won't do much, but it'll give me an opportunity. I have to get Bakugo out during that time.

But what can I do? His form isn't solid enough to hurt and if I touch him to try and free Bakugo he'll cling to me too. Wait! He isn't solid. That's it!

Izuku slid the backpack off and spun, launching the bag at the villain's eyes. Izuku didn't stop running as the hit landed. The slime villain reared upwards in pain. Its form thinning as it stretched upwards to take its eyes out of range.

Izuku threw himself forwards and dove straight through the slime villain. He connected with Bakugo and his momentum carried him through just as he hoped. The two boys burst from the back side of the villain.

"Wha- Deku!?" Bakugo gasped. "What are you doing?"

"I couldn't just let you die," Izuku managed still lying atop the other boy.

"Thanks for making it easy my boy!" Izuku heard behind him. "Detroit Smash!"

A torrent of air ripped through the street and threw the villain down the road. Unable to keep his form in the turbulence the slime villain disintegrated into a thousand clumps which splattered across the buildings and the ground.

The police got to work instantly to collect the remains of the villain and contain them. The heroes in turn rushed in to check on the boys. They were led to an ambulance and checked over. Once the paramedics gave them the all clear the heroes started praising both of them for staying so cool under pressure.

Izuku found himself meditating to stay calm. The sound of his own breathing was all he could hear. Once Izuku's breath had returned to normal and his mind had cleared he opened his eyes. Bakugo and the heroes were gone and all that remained were the paramedics and the press.

Izuku got up and started to make his way home. The world slowed again and after the day he had had today, the natural rhythm of one of Bakugo's attacks was soothing. He caught the pen the blond had thrown at him as he turned around to face the boy.

"What's up Bakugo? I could really use a shower and a nap," Izuku wasn't trying to be rude but he had been inside the slime villain twice in the span of an hour and he felt foul.

"I didn't need your help, Deku. I'm not some damsel in distress, you got that?" Bakugo shot at the greenette.

"Bakugo, you couldn't breathe.," Izuku retorted. "The sludge was filling your mouth and flowing through your nose. You felt like every second was an hour. If I hadn't done what I did you would have died. I didn't do it for a thank you. Don't think for a second that I wouldn't do it again though."

Izuku refused to be the one to break away. With a huff Bakugo turned around and stalked off.

As Izuku turned back on his path he found another figure standing in his way.

***

"Young man!" All Might greeted the brave boy. "I didn't get the chance to commend you for your actions! You should be proud of-"

"Why was it necessary, All Might?" the boy interrupted.

"It was my fault," All Might confessed, "After I saved you, I was distracted, and the villain managed to get away. I'm sor-"

"I guessed as much All Might. That wasn't what I meant," All Might was stunned that the boy would interrupt him again. He hadn't been planning on staying around this long. He was already out of time. But he didn't understand what the boy meant, so he waited for the him to continue. The boy might need him. "Death Arms, Mt. Lady, Kamui Woods, and Backdraft were there All Might. They stood there and watched as Bakugo suffocated. I heard them talking about it. 'Our quirks aren't suited for this. We'll have to wait.' All Might we both know that that's bullshit."

All Might saw rage behind his eyes. A fire was burning within the young man that hadn't been there earlier. "My quirk isn't suited for it either. My quirk wasn't helpful. But I saved Bakugo. All my life I wanted to be a hero. Today I did something that the heroes refused to. Something they were too scared to do. Then they had the gall to praise me. To act like they weren't the ones who failed to act."

"So earlier," All Might started, realization striking, "when you were trying to calm yourself, it wasn't because you were scared..."

"It's because I was so angry," the boy said shutting his eyes and turning around, "I had to do everything in my power not to scream at them all. To tear them down before civilians, the press, everyone. They were so dependent on their quirks they were too afraid to even try without them. If I hadn't stepped in Bakugo would have died. His death wouldn't have been on my hands though. It would have been on the hands of the sludge villain and every single hero there."

The boy turned back to All Might. All that rage still burned, but he seemed to be trying to reign it back with a big All Might smile.  "Thank you, for coming back. Thank you for saving us. You're the only one."

All Might felt shame burning through him. He had been in that crowd. He had been one of those heroes too scared to act without his quirk. "Don't be too hard on them my boy." Steam started to rise off of All Might, his muscles burned as he kept up his enlarged form. "I have something to confess to you. I too deserve your ire and I certainly don't deserve your thanks. I should be thanking you. You see," All Might said releasing his enlarged form, "I was one of those heroes too scared to fight without their quirk too."

Toshinori told him about his injury. He told him how he had used up his time limit and lost the sludge villain. "You see young man, I too stood back and watched as that other boy was attacked. Your actions inspired me. You reminded me that being a hero is about going beyond. Thank you for your bravery today. That boy has you to thank for his life. I'm sorry that I left that burden for you to hold. You proved today that you are going to be a great hero, and to me you already are."

The boy fell to his knees and tears fell from his eyes. He wept in the street as Toshinori stood before him, the sun setting behind him. "What's your name my boy?" Toshinori asked. "I want to keep my eye on your hero career."

The boy looked up and stared into Toshinori's eyes, gone was the rage, in its place they were filled with determination, "Midoriya Izuku sir," he said.

"Well Midoriya my boy," All Might said. He approached and lifted the boy off the ground. "I look forward to seeing you again."

***

Izuku sat at the table in the dojo the next day waiting for Gyatso to join him. It wasn't one of his normal training days, but he needed to speak with his teacher. He sipped on a cup of tea as Gyatso finished with another student and came to join him on the cushions.

"What is it you wanted to talk about Midoriya?" Shifu asked as he poured himself a cup of tea.

"Shifu, I'm sure you saw the news of yesterday's villain incident," Izuku remarked.

"Yes," Gyatso admitted a gleam of pride in his eyes. "There may have been a video of you saving the Bakugo boy on the news this morning. You showed initiative and courage. You do me and the dojo honor."

"Thank you shifu. What the news didn't report on is that that was the second attack of the day," Izuku told him. "I was attacked earlier in the day. I was attacked and I couldn't do a thing. I fought back but his body just clung to me and started to drown me. All Might had to come and save me. I was useless. I was scared. Shifu I don't want to be useless. Shifu I want you to train with the sword and staff. I'm not enough on my own."

"Midoriya!" Gyatso exclaimed, more than a little taken aback by his student. "You are already the best student with both of those weapons. You know better than anyone that they are only extensions of yourself. They do not hold the key to victory. What is this really about?"

Izuku could feel the heat rise to his face. It was a blush, but it was more too. The fire within him only burned hotter as he thought about that day. "Shifu when I saved Bakugo, it was because no one else would. The heroes all stood back and talked about how their quirks weren't suited for the fight. I don't want to be that kind of hero. I don't want to rely only on Reflex."

"Hmm," Gyatso hummed. He pondered his pupil's words before he responded. He could see the storm brewing within Midoriya and didn't want to make things worse. "Midoriya what is a quirk."

"It's a power unique to each individual," Midoriya answered as literal as always.

"Yes, but more simply it is a tool. Reflex is nothing more than an extension of yourself. Replacing your reliance on one with the other does not make you stronger." Izuku looked away at his master's words. Gyatso was right.

"Will you help me Shifu?" Izuku pleaded. "I don't know what to do anymore. I feel like I'm running a race, but I can't see the track."

"Of course, Midoriya," Gyatso said as he placed a hand on Izuku's shoulders. "There's ten months till UA's entrance exam. We'll work every day to make sure you're ready. We start today. Go get dressed and we can begin."

Izuku looked at his teacher with awe and appreciation welling up in him and spilling forth in his tears. "Thank you, shifu. I won't let you down!" Izuku promised.

"I know you won't," Gyatso murmured as his student ran off to the locker rooms. "You never do."

Chapter Text

            Izuku stood across from Gyatso in a ready position. He focused on his breathing the way Gyatso and him had been practicing. "I'm ready shifu," Izuku said, taking deep calming breaths.

            The two began to slowly walk around the invisible circle which bound them. Neither taking their eyes off the other. They moved as mirror images, each movement in perfect sync.

            Gyatso and Izuku rushed at each other but time did not slow. Izuku struggled to dodge his teacher's swift blows. Gyatso moved like the wind was in his bones as his strikes flew in seemless tandem. Izuku fought for any opportunity to strike back while dodging or redirecting each of the Gyatso's attacks. Taking a chance, he lunged forward.

            Gyatso deftly side stepped Izuku's blow. He slid underneath Izuku's outstretched arm and grabbed his wrist and his shirt. Gyatso flipped Izuku swiftly over his shoulder and onto the mat.

            Izuku gasped as he struggled to reinflate his lungs. "That was much better Midoriya. I am impressed."

            "I didn't land a single blow, shifu," Izuku reminded his master.

            "I have trained every day for the last sixty years," Gyatso remarked with a wry smile on his face. "The day you land a blow on me will be a day for great celebration. You managed to go the whole match without Reflex and you no longer struggle to keep your focus on your opponent. I know it is far from where you hoped to be, but so too is it far from where you began. Strive to go as far down the path as you can, but do not forget to look back and appreciate the path you have walked. Continue to practice, even against others besides myself, and you will only continue to grow."

            Izuku plucked himself off the mat and bowed to his teacher. "Yes shifu," Izuku managed without sounding as winded as he felt.

            "Tomorrow is the big exam is it not?" Gyatso asked.

            "Yes, shifu."

            "Then we will be done for today," Gyatso said. "No reason to exhaust yourself before the test."

            "But shifu! I wanted to practice more with staffs," Izuku pleaded. He knew that Gyatso was right, exhausting himself was no good, but he hoped to have more time, to go just a little further before tomorrow.

            "No, this is enough for today. Go home and rest Midoriya. You may find you're glad you did."

***

            Izuku stood before the towering building that was UA's main campus. He was astounded at just how large the building was.

            "Get out of my way Deku!" Izuku heard Bakugo sneer from behind. Bakugo had mostly avoided him since the sludge villain had attacked. He hadn't even gotten into any trouble

            Izuku stepped aside and turned towards the boy with a smile. "Sorry about that Bakugo. Got lost in my own thoughts. Good luck today."

            "I don't need luck," Bakugo retorted. "I have skill." Bakugo tried to slam his shoulder into the boy as he walked past but Izuku simply stepped back and allowed the other to pass.

            Same old Bakugo. Guess I should head inside too. Izuku thought turning back towards the entrance. Izuku's foot caught a loose stone as he began to make his way and the world slowed as he fell forward. He had already begun to go into a loose summersault when he felt a hand touch the base of his neck gently. Izuku's summersault turned into him flipping in the air endlessly, as gravity seemed to lose its effect on him.

            "Ah! I'm sorry!!!" Izuku heard in the low warble Reflex gave to the world. Izuku could see a girl with brown hair and pink blush in her cheeks standing behind him. He counted six summersaults while she was talking to him, the extended time from Reflex making multi-tasking simple. She brought her hands together with a quick, "Release!" before gravity returned and Izuku was able to turn his endless summersault into a flip and land on his feet.

            "That was amazing!" the girl shouted at him. "Sorry I used my quirk on you without asking. I thought you were gonna fall. Didn't want you to go in with bad luck or anything. But it looks like you could have handled it on your own."

            "That's alright," Izuku assured the kind girl. "It was kind of you to try and help."

            "Good luck!" She said before turning and running inside. Izuku was quick to follow.

            Inside he found his seat right next to Bakugo. The auditorium was packed. The noise was deafening. Izuku closed his eyes and began to repeat one of the mantras that Gyatso had taught him to calm his nerves.

            Izuku felt his breaths deepen and his pulse slow as he released stress, he barely knew he had been carrying. He continued to focus on his meditation until an elbow in his ribs dragged him back to reality.

            "You can't even be bothered to listen to our respected proctor! Now please refrain from muttering again," a tall boy with blue hair was lecturing at him, chopping his arm as he spoke.

            Izuku had apparently missed most of the explanation for the physical exam. He had read the pamphlet he had received when he had registered for the exam, so he knew the details, but still it felt unwise to go in without as much info as possible.

            "Good question listener," the proctor continued, Izuku noticed with a start that it was Present Mic. If Izuku wasn't already so discombobulated from the tall boy breaking him out of his meditation he might have started fanboying. "The fourth robot is worth zero points. It's there as more of an obstacle, it'll go crazy in narrow spaces. If you want my advice, it's better just to run away. With that please look at your ID card to find your testing ground and make your way out front to the appropriate bus."

***

            Izuku got off the bus and looked around at the competitors around him. Many were wearing sweats or school gym uniforms. He felt a little strange in his Baguazhang uniform, like he was somehow showing off.

            Izuku spotted the kind girl who had tried to help him before the exam. He started to make his way over to her to chat when he found his way blocked by the tall boy from earlier.

            "Are you trying to distract that girl?" He accused. "She is clearly trying to focus on the exam. If you aren't taking this seriously and just hoping to bother others it would be better for you to just go home."

            "A tree which cannot stand up to a breeze, does not deserve to stand at all," Izuku responded. Izuku had learned many proverbs from Gyatso. They weren't always the kindest responses, but Izuku found they often had quite comedic effects.

            The blue haired boy spluttered and blinked furiously. Izuku was honestly curious how he would respond when he noticed the other applicants looking at the tall boy with hungry glares. They've written him off already. They don't even know anything about him.

            Izuku was wondering if the boy would manage a response when Present Mic jumped out from atop the wall and shouted "Go!"

            All the applicants froze. Luckily for Izuku, Present Mic's shout had been so loud and unexpected it had triggered Reflex and he had plenty of time to realize that the test had begun and shoot out at the head of the pack.

            Inside the faux city Izuku rushed towards the middle where he assumed a majority of the robots would have clustered. He made sure to keep an eye out for any outliers along the way.

            Izuku came across a two pointer a little way past the gate. The world slowed as the robot stabbed at Izuku with one of its legs. Izuku ran up the extended appendage and came to the things head. He brought a chop down on the neck of the creature and felt the wires crunch. The glowing red eyes flickered and then turned off entirely.

            Izuku continued on leaving his two points behind. Between Reflex and his training, he managed to continue in this manner at a good pace. The problem was that the other contestants kept getting in his ways. Worse than the blond boy with some sort of laser quirk that kept stealing his kills, were the applicants that seemed to rush head first into danger they couldn't handle. Izuku had saved a boy with strange purple orbs for hair, a boy with purple hair that seemed to defy gravity, and at least a half dozen others from three pointers that seemed to not understand the concept of controlled violence.

            Izuku couldn't tell how much time had passed. Reflex kept activating at every sign of danger. He needed the advantage his quirk provided too much to consider turning it off for the exam, but he wished it didn't react to those around him being in danger. It had been more sensitive ever sense the sludge villain incident.

            Izuku was pulling a boy with a green mohawk out of the way of a rocket when the ground started shaking. A giant robot came around a corner and turned down the main road. It was fifteen stories tall and had a giant zero painted on its head.

            "That's the zero pointer!" one kid shouted.

            "UA's insane!" Another agreed.

            "Let's get out of here."

            All the students turned away from the giant creature and started to run as it punched the side of a building. Debris flew everywhere and rained down on the street. Izuku was just turning to run himself when he heard a scream and the world seemed to barely be moving at all.

            Izuku whipped his head around and saw the kind girl, who had tried to help him, pinned beneath a large chunk of concrete. Running all out with Reflex was grueling. The burn in his muscles was like torture, but the girl needed his help. He looked up at the zero pointer and tried to think of a plan.

            I can't hope to fight it. At least not with strength. Most of the robots have weak points that correspond to pressure points in the human body. It doesn't have legs, its lower half is a tank, so that's not gonna help. Maybe I can jam the track?

            Izuku was getting closer to the girl. He needed to decide quickly. What I can throw? The concrete isn't strong enough. Izuku saw a flag pole laying in the road. He reached down and grabbed the flag as he ran. Izuku didn't slow his gait as he flung the pole towards the left wheel track with all his strength. It sunk down between the small gap and deep into the gears beneath, Izuku's timing perfect as always.

            He reached the girl, I really need to get her name, and began lifting the concrete off of her. Luckily the buildings were made with faux materials and he easily lifted it off of her. "Come on," he said reaching a hand out.

            She looked up at him in shock for several seconds, which felt like an hour to Izuku. Finally, she took his hand and Izuku hefted her up. He put an arm underneath hers and wrapped it around her, helping keep the weight off her injured ankle.

            The two headed away from the zero pointer as the gears loudly ground against flagpole and the robot spun in circles, only one of its wheel tracks working. Mercifully, Izuku heard Present Mic announce the end of the exam. Izuku helped the girl to the nurse before heading back to the bus.

***

            Izuku had done the math on his points a half dozen times. Comparing his score to the past acceptances only filled him with dread. He hadn't done awful. For a non-combat quirk, he had done incredibly well, but he wasn't sure it would be enough.

            The waiting had been hell. A week with nothing to do but worry. Izuku spent most of his time either training at the dojo or meditating, because anything else led to him being consumed with stress. That's what he was doing now, sitting beneath his bedroom window and meditating.

            "Izuku! It's here!" His mother shouted from the door. He slowly got up from his meditation and walking to her.

            Izuku grabbed the letter from her and moved to the dining room table without a word. Normally he would want to do something like this in privacy, but his mother had supported his dream to be a hero even when he didn't know what it truly meant. She was as much a part of this as he was.

            He ripped the letter open and a small metal disc fell out. Suddenly a hologram All Might appeared with a great "I am here!" shouted Holo Might. His mother squeaked in surprise but didn't say anything as the man kept speaking.

            "I bet you're wondering what I'm doing here. I am proud to say that I have taken a teaching position at UA and will be starting this April along with the new students! Now, on to your results young man. You managed to pass the written exam with flying colors, and you defeated enough robot villains to earn 18 points."

            I counted 20, Izuku thought. One of the two pointers must have survived.

            "Now the competition was very steep this year. So, it's a good thing that the physical exam wasn't scored off villain points alone!" Holo Might continued. Holo Might was replaced with a video feed of the exam. Izuku was shown tackling a boy out of the way of a two pointer, striking a three pointer away from a girl, and lifting the concrete off the girl that had tried to help him at the entrance.

            The video cut to what looked like security cam feed and the kind girl was standing before Present Mic. "Please," she began, "can I share some of my points with the boy that saved me? He was rather plain, with green hair. He could have gotten more points, but he saved me instead. It just doesn't seem right."

            "I'm afraid you can't do that, young listener." Present Mic apologized. "But, it'll be okay. I promise."

            Holo Might returned with a laugh. "You inspired her," he boomed. "What kind of Hero School would we be if we didn't reward you for helping and motivating others? The was a secret panel of judges, made up of the teachers of UA, who assigned rescue points.

            "For your courage and resourcefulness saving that young girl the judges awarded you sixty rescue points!" Sixty! Izuku's mom was squealing with joy. "No one has managed to debilitate the zero pointer in over a decade young man, you should be very proud. Combined with your actions from earlier in the exam your total for rescue points was one hundred points! That is the highest amount of rescue points in the history of the exam. I must confess Recovery Girl is not happy to have her record broken, might be best to avoid any unnecessary trips to the nurse."

            Wait, Izuku thought as he processed Holo Might's words, does that mean-

            "With a total of one hundred and eighteen points you came in first in the entrance exam. Come young Midoriya, this is your - Hero Academia."

Chapter Text

            Aizawa sat at his desk in the teachers lounge. He was looking over the student files for his class. Several students showed promise if they could stay out of their own way, including the Todoroki boy. Other's would need to prove that they could handle themselves, he was especially worried about Hagakure.

            With a sigh Aizawa pulled out the two files to match the two students that sat before him. He had let the silence drag on while he looked through the other files to let the tension grow. The boy with purple orbs for hair, Mineta, seemed to feel the pressure and was shaking in his seat. The tall blond boy, Bakugo, just seemed ticked off to be here.

            "You are both here for the same reason," Aizawa said, breaking the silence. "Your records are such that I recommended you not be accepted to this school. Mineta, you have three separate sexual assault complaints against you. None of them could be proven and so no action could be against you. As such you could not be denied for them." The purple headed boy shook even harder and Aizawa could see sweat beading on his brow.

            "Bakugo, you have a history of disrespecting teachers, bullying students, and were even on probation as recently as last year." Aizawa scowled as the boy made a dismissive noise and looked away. "Let me make this perfectly clear to both of you, if I receive a single report saying you have acted in any way that is against the UA code of conduct, you will be expelled."

            "You can't do that!" Mineta shouted. "You just said there wasn't any proof! How can I be on probation for something you can't even be sure happened? Don't lump me in with this delinquent!"

            "What'd you say you little perv!" the boy blond retorted. "You better shut your mouth before I shut it for you!"

            "Enough!" Aizawa silenced the boys with a flash of his quirk in his eyes. "Mineta the UA handbook gives teachers complete authority over their class. It was for this reason I asked for you both to be in my class. I plan to keep an eye on you. Now I will not tell you boys again. This is your one and only chance to prove me wrong. Is that understood?" Both boys gave a silent nod. "Good then get to class."

***

            Aizawa left the office with just enough time to make it to class before the bell, inching his way along the floor in his yellow sleeping bag. When he made it to the room, he was annoyed to see two figures blocking the doorway.

            "If you're here to socialize then get out," Aizawa scolded. He had no patience for those who weren't going to take this class seriously. He didn't feel a spark of joy at the students shock at seeing him in his sleeping bag.

            They finally sat down, and he made his way to the front of the room. "It took all of you eight seconds to quiet down. Time is precious, not a very rational bunch, are you?"

            "I'm your home room teacher, Aizawa Shota. Now put on your gym clothes and head to the grounds."

            Without another word Aizawa turned and walked out of the room.

            His class took their sweet time getting ready. When they finally made it out to the field, another five minutes had passed. "You lot need to stop wasting so much time," Aizawa remarked as the last student walked up. "Today we will be conducting a quirk apprehension test."

            "A test? What about the entrance ceremony?" Ashido asked.

             "You don't have time to waste on such trivial things if you want to be a hero. You've done similar tests in middle school. The difference is this time you will be allowed your quirks. It is the logical first step. We need to know your limits. Uraraka, what was the best you did on the ball throw in Middle School?"

            "25 meters sir," the girl chirped in surprise.

            "I want you to step into the circle and throw the ball. You may use your quirk or do anything else you want, so long as you do not leave the circle," Aizawa instructed.

            The girl came forward and took the ball from him. She walked towards circle with a smirk on her face. She stepped inside the line, extended her arm, and simply let go of the ball. The ball flew from her grasp and straight up into the air.

            Gasps and shouts came from behind Aizawa as he watched the ball soar higher and higher. It was a risky show of strength on the girl's part. If she ran out of energy before the ball broke the atmosphere it would fall back down. With the lack of lateral momentum, the ball would then fall wherever the breeze took it. If she had even lightly tossed it, the ball would have flown for miles regardless.

            Aizawa waited until the ball showed the infinity symbol that meant it had broken through the stratosphere before turning back to the class and displaying the tablet.

            "Wha- infinity! That's insane!" the boy with red hair shouted, Kirashima. The other students murmured in agreement with him.

            "You will each complete the tasks in whichever way you see fit. You will be assigned a rank at the end," Aizawa said finishing his speech and walking towards the first test.

            "This is gonna be so much fun!" Aizawa heard behind him.

            In a flash he had turned around and his scowl had silenced the class. "Fun?" he sneered, "You think being a hero is fun? Was your plan to spend the next three years goofing off? How's this for fun? Whoever scores last in the rankings, will be expelled."

            That shut the class up real quick. Some looked scared, others bored, but several developed looks of determination. Aizawa was gonna keep his eye on those. Especially the boy with green hair and eyes, Midoriya, the fire in his eyes was something to be watched, lest it burn out of control.

            The first event was the fifty-meter dash. Most preformed as expected. Uraraka impressed him with her plan to lighten her clothing. It didn't shave much time off her old record but it was a rather creative solution. Aoyama disappointed him with his endurance but still did well enough. Mineta placed dead last.

            Aizawa looked up and watched as Midoriya and Bakugo walked up. The two took their marks and the gun rang. The blond released two large explosions behind him, propelling him forward and engulfing the start line with the blasts. Midoriya however was no longer there. He had shot forward in the same moment as the gun shot. Aizawa knew the testing robots would have disqualified him if he had started early but he still had a moment of doubt before he remembered the boy's quirk.

            Reflex, heightened reflexes and timing, interesting. It gives him quite the reaction speed.

            Midoriya's lead didn't last as the explosive blond overtook him with by harnessing his explosions. Bakugo finished in 4.13 seconds, Midoriya in 5.4.

             Next came grip strength. Shoji placed first and Yaoyarozu second, but once again Midoriya did far better than Aizawa expected.

            105 kg? What's the boy doing to train? Hanging by his finger tips from roof tops?

            The standing long jump proved to be the place where the most students excelled. Aoyama, Uraraka, Bakugo, Todoroki, Yaoyarozu, and Asui all cleared the sand pit and thus earned the maximum amount of points. Midoriya had launched into a backflip to gain more forward momentum and spun in the air as well just for flourish causing Aizawa to roll his eyes.

            The fourth event was side stepping. For once Mineta didn't place dead last. He was managing to hold a narrow first, just ahead of Iida. Maybe Mineta had some potential after all.

            Midoriya got into position and started swiftly going back and forth. Aizawa was fairly impressed. He wasn't moving exceptionally fast, but he wasted little time when switching directions. The boy had been doing far better in the events than Aizawa would have expected, given his quirk.

            Aizawa looked at the boy, trying to gauge exactly how far he was gonna go, when he noticed something strange, the boy's eyes. They were flicking around rapidly. They would settle on a person for no more than a second before moving on to someone else.

            Is he... is he using Reflex? How? His file says it activates when he's under attack. Is something wrong? Are we under attack? Aizawa did a quick scan of the field and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. He must have learned to activate it on command. Aizawa realized with a start. I wonder how he'd do without it.

            Aizawa felt his hair begin to rise up off his shoulders as he activated his own quirk, staring down Midoriya. The boy's pace barely slowed, but a smirk dawned on his face.

            "So. you're. Eraserhead," the Midoriya managed, the words disjointed by the boy's steps. "Thought. you. looked. familiar."

            "Midoriya why were you using your quirk?" Aizawa asked.

            "Helps. with. timing." Midoriya said with a small shrug.

            "Hmm," Aizawa remarked, "very well." As he released his quirk, he saw the boy’s eyes go back to scanning the room. Aizawa would have to update the files. This was a useful skill, they would have to make sure that they helped the boy focus it.

            The ball throw went as expected. The front runners continuing to excel, with the exception of Midoriya. It was probably Midoriya's worst event. Rather disappointing honestly.

            Can't really blame him for this one though. Not much good timing can do to help throw a ball. Wait. What am I saying? What is with this kid? I can't seem to stop rooting for him.

            Flexibility was measured by reaching past the toes and measuring the distance. Asui managed to lay completely flat and was looking like a sure first place, when Aizawa noticed Midoriya too had his stomach flat against his legs. They had to look at the measurements to know who won for sure, Asui, by an inch thanks to her longer arms.

            The students all did push-ups together to save time. After only a few minutes they started to drop like flies. Soon only Midoriya, Ojiro, and Bakugo.

            "I won't lose to some Deku with a cowards quirk!" Bakugo shouted. Aizawa looked at the boy with some concern. That wasn't a promising outburst. Ojiro fell exhausted to the mats.

            Midoriya seemed to be muttering something under his breath. His eyes were closed, and his face was blank. The last two boys kept going for nearly ten more minutes. Aizawa was about to tell the boys to call it a draw when Bakugo collapsed out of breath.

            With a joint sigh of relief Aizawa and the class turned to head to the track.

            "Sensei!" Iida shouted. "He's still going."

            Aizawa turned and saw that Iida was right, Midoriya was still going strong. "Midoriya," Aizawa called. The boy didn't so much as flinch when the teacher said his name. Aizawa walked right up to the boy and crouched down. "Midoriya?" he said again. The boy still continued to do push-ups.

            Finally, as Aizawa placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, Midoriya's eyes fluttered open and the boy switched to a seated position. "How'd I do?" he asked with a smile. Aizawa felt a smile drawing on his own lips as the boy stood and rolled his shoulders. 

            "Not bad kid. Not bad at all." Aizawa chuckled under his breath.

            The last event was the endurance run. Yaoyarozu made a motorized bike and began riding around the track much to the chagrin of the other students. They all started running around the track with a mix of grumbles and cheers.

            Much like the last event the students started ducking out faster than Aizawa was pleased with. The last three this time were Yaoyarozu, Iida, and Midoriya. Iida was the first to crash. Quiet literally, he tripped and tumbled for nearly a quarter of the track. The last two went on for about another half an hour before Midoriya stumbled and collapsed on the track.

            Aizawa waited for the boy to stand. Why isn't he getting up?

            Yaoyarozu rode up to him on her bike. Getting off, she knelt down and shook his shoulder. She stood and waived at Aizawa. "Sensei," she shouted, "he's unconscious!"

            "Oh for the love of god," Aizawa muttered. "Shoji, go help Yaoyarozu please. Then join us back at the classroom. The rest of you, pick your syllabi from the classroom and go home."

            "Sensei, what about the student who got last?" Ashido asked.

            "Yeah who got expelled?" Kaminari pushed.

            "Oh, that was lie. A logical ruse to get you to do your best," Aizawa informed them. "Here are the results though." As Aizawa turned to leave them he couldn't help but notice Midoriya's name second on the list.

***

            Aizawa had just sat down at his desk to do the last of his paperwork for the new year, when he heard a commotion from the hallway. It sounded like someone was screaming.

            Please don't be my problem. Please don't be my problem. A knock came on the door. God dammit.

            "Come in," he prompted. "This better be important."

            Midoriya came in wearing only the pants of his school uniform and carrying Mineta by the back of his gym uniform.

            "Apologies sensei," Midoriya said with a bow. Mineta struggled in his grip.

            "I was only kidding!" Mineta pleaded. "Come on Midoriya! Where's your sense of fraternity? What about the bro code?"

            Aizawa narrowed his eyes at the two boys. "What happened?" he asked.

            "Mineta was trying to spy on the girls' locker room through a peep hole he found in the boys'." Midoriya explained. "I tried to reason with him. When he attempted to go through with it regardless, I grabbed him and brought him straight to you."

            "I was honoring the work of our senpais, who passed down such a glorious gift!" Mineta screamed.

            Aizawa sighed. "Thank you Midoriya. Leave him here and go finish getting dressed. Stay there until I come meet you. I'll bring Cementoss and we'll fix the hole." The greenette bowed again and ducked out of the room.

           "Mineta, I gave you one chance." Aizawa said, staring down the small boy. "I had hoped you would use it to prove me wrong about you." Aizawa could feel his hair start to lift off of his shoulders as his rage activated his quirk. "I guess that was naïve of me. Mineta, you're expelled. Normally, being expelled from the hero course, you'd be allowed to apply for general studies. Under the circumstances however I will be barring you from doing so. I also do not trust you to be on campus unsupervised. I will be accompanying you to the classroom to gather your things, and then to the gate. Consider this the end of your hero career."

Chapter Text

          Izuku was sitting in his seat anxiously awaiting the start of the last class of his second day at UA. All day he had fanboyed over having his favorite heroes teaching everyday subjects like English and Math. The last class of the day was the one everybody had been anticipating though, Foundational Hero Studies. Izuku had read who was teaching the class at least a hundred times. He was still working on believing it though.

            "I am here!" Izuku heard from behind the front door. "Coming through the door like a regular person!" All Might came strutting into the room, most unlike a regular person.

            "It's All Might! He's really gonna be teaching us!" Mina shouted.

            "That costumes from the silver age! It looks really out of place."  Kaminari remarked.

            "Foundational Hero Studies, where you will learn what it takes to make it in the world of heroics," All Might said as he took his place at the teacher's podium. "Let's jump straight into it with this!" All Might held up a card that read simply 'battle'. "The trial of combat!"

            There was a chorus of cheers from the class. Izuku looked around and saw his classmates on the edge of their seats. Murmurs were running back and forth as theories were discussed as to what their trial would entail.

            "And to go with your first battle," All Might silenced the class, "we have prepared the gear you requested with your application." The roar that rose from the class shocked Izuku so much that the world slowed for a second. "Get ready and meet me at Ground Beta. Remember, from here on out, you're all officially heroes!"

***

            Izuku walked out of the locker room still fiddling with his hero costume. He had designed the costume after Gyatso's robes and his old martial arts uniform. The pants were loose and made of a light grey material. They tucked into a pair of red boots, which were made of a light leather and came up just beneath his knees. His shirt had a single sleeve and was comprised of two overlapping layers. The bottom, which included the sleeve, was black. The top was green. To finish the ensemble Izuku had a red belt tied around his waist.

            Izuku had requested two weapons from the support department as well, a bo staff and a sword. He had the bo staff in his hand and the sword strapped to his back. The strap across his chest was what Izuku was fiddling with now. He couldn't decide if it looked better atop of his robes or underneath.

            He opted to have the strap beneath his robes and against his skin to keep it from causing his robes to resist him. Izuku walked through the tunnel and joined the class.

            Izuku joined Uraraka at the back of the pack. "Your costume looks super cool, Uraraka! The colors work really well together. The big boots and helmet are supposed to resemble a space suit, right?" Izuku bit his tongue to stop himself from launching into one of his famous mumbling episodes. Better not to annoy his classmates so early in the year. He wasn't used to having friends. In middle school he had spent so much time keeping an eye on Bakugo he hadn't had time to really make any. Anyone he tried to be friendly with always left when he started mumbling.

            "Thank you!" Uraraka responded rubbing the back of her head. "I think I should have been a little clearer with my drawing. I had wanted a full space suit like Thirteen’s, but I ended up with a skin-tight bodysuit. Yours is super cool too! You look like a ninja!"

            "A ni-ninja!?" Izuku gasped. "I didn't mean to look scary!"

            "Nah, you still look like a big softy," Uraraka teased. "You just have that martial arts vibe. You know I bet you and Ojiro would get alo-" Uraraka froze and her eyes grew wide. "Is that a sword!?" she asked.

            "Yeah," Izuku responded simply with a shrug. "It's a jian."

            "Isn't that dangerous!?" Uraraka pressed.

            "No more than a quirk that makes explosions," Izuku defended. "My teacher always used to say that a sword is just a tool. It is the way we choose to use it that defines it. If it makes you feel better though, me and Aizawa talked and we agreed that I would have to leave it in its sheath when I was fighting students."

            Uraraka looked like she was going to say something when All Might began again. "It's time to see what you're made of! Let's being."

            "We're at the same grounds as the entrance exam," Iida remarked. "Will this exercise be more city scape combat?"

            "Almost, you need to take it two steps further." All Might informed them. "You have all seen many hero fights which took place outside. Statistically speaking though, the most dastardly villains are found indoors. Back room deals, human trafficking, and gang meetings are just a few of the heinous crimes which take place indoors. Villains of any intelligence keep to dark halls. Now for this exercise you will be divided into teams of two and each team will be assigned the role of either the heroes or the villains."

            "What about foundational training?" Asui asked.

            "This is foundational training," All Might assured her, clenching his fist. "This time you won't be facing robots which you can just destroy. You-"

            All Might was cut off by a string of questions from the students. "I can't hear you when you all speak at once," he commented taking out a small piece of paper from his suit. "In this exercise the heroes will be attempting to foil the villains who have hidden a nuclear bomb within their hide out. The villains will have five minutes to prepare before the heroes are allowed in. The heroes will win if they either capture both villains or secure the bomb. Villains win if they capture both the heroes or time runs out. We will determine the teams via lots."

            "Is that wise?" Iida interrupted again. "Wouldn't it be better if we chose teams based off whose quirks and styles worked well together?"

            "The apple cannot choose where it falls, Iida." Izuku assured the boy.

            "Shut up, you damn fortune cookie!" Bakugo shouted at him. "No one else understands your crap."

            Izuku was shocked, not that Bakugo would calm him out, but that looking around Bakugo was right. His classmates, and All Might, were staring at him with looks of confusion. "I only meant," Izuku tried again, a blush on his face, "that heroes don't get to choose who they work with in the field. So, choosing partners at random helps simulate real hero work."

            "I see," Iida conceded, "we must keep our eyes on the future. Apologies."

            "With that let us see who you will be teammates with!" All Might shouted.

            Izuku ended up on team A with Uraraka. He went and stood by her and waited to see who they would be up against. "Let's kick butt, Uraraka!" Izuku encouraged and held his hand up for a high five.

            "Yeah!" Uraraka shouted, smacking her hand against his. "I wonder who we're gonna have to fight."

            "I don't know," Izuku stated. It was obvious, but what else could he say. "I just hope it's not Ojiro. Truthfully I might not be able to fight him very well."

            "Really?" Uraraka asked. "I would have thought you could fight anyone. Why do you think Ojiro-"

            Uraraka was cut off once again as the last team was formed and All Might began again. "Now to draw our first combatants!" he shouted. He put a hand in each of the boxes, labeled 'Hero' and 'Villain' respectively. He pulled an orb out of each box and proudly displayed the letters on them.

            "Well," Izuku murmured, "guess that answers the first question."

***

            "Uraraka," Izuku said. "I have the base of a plan that might work. Would you hear me out?"

            "Of course!" she said. "Truthfully, I'm not much of a planner."

            "That's okay," Izuku reassured her. "So, here's what I'm thinking. Bakugo and I have a history. He's gonna seek me out and look for a fight." Uraraka looked concerned at what he was saying, but Izuku just held up his hand. "Don't worry. I can take care of him. If we split up then, while I deal with Bakugo, you can go find the weapon and Iida. I'll make my way to you as fast as I can. Iida's too fast to capture. I think our best bet once we're both in the room is for one of us to distract him and the other to secure the weapon. Is that okay?"

            Uraraka nodded before adding, "I can get us in with my quirk too. I can float us up, so we don't have to go through the front door."

            "That's a good idea," Izuku confessed. He wished he had thought of it. "In a villain conflict we wouldn't want to do anything obvious, that's how you fall into a trap."

            "Heroes!" Izuku heard All Might shout through the com in his ear, "You may enter the building. The trial starts now!"

            Uraraka promptly grabbed Izuku's arm and leaped into the air, touching her own cheek as she jumped. Izuku gasped and the world slowed as the two sailed straight through a window on the third floor of the building. He slowly stood up and brushed himself off. They exchanged a brief nod, turned, and went opposite ways into the building.

            The building seemed to be set up as an office. Each door Izuku opened led to a room that had a desk, a few chairs, and a filing cabinet. Izuku needed to make sure Bakugo could find him before he bumped into Uraraka. Izuku doubted that he would just let her go if she crossed his path. He began chanting one of his meditation mantras. It wasn't very loud, but in the quiet building it carried a long way.

            Izuku's plan worked. Bakugo burst around a corner and ran at him. Izuku sighed at how easy the situation was to manipulate and the world slowed. Bakugo was flying at him with a right hook. Izuku slid under the blow and grabbed the blonde’s wrist with his free hand. He flipped Bakugo over his shoulder and slammed him into the ground. Izuku jumped back and held the bo staff between them.

            Bakugo breathed greedily, trying to refill his lungs with air as he picked himself up off the ground. "Finally decided to fight back you coward?!" He shouted accusingly at Izuku. Izuku had been sparring long enough with Gyatso that Reflex no longer slowed the time between attacks which made conversations much less awkward.

            "Even a shark does not kill without reason," Izuku supplied.

            "You saying you're a shark?" Bakugo barked. "Don't make me laugh, Deku. You're nothing but a coward."

            "I'm saying I never had a reason to fight you before," Izuku clarified. He knew he wasn't as good at proverbs as Gyatso but to have to clarify two in one day was a new low.

            "Oh I'll give you a reason!" Bakugo exploded as he released two large bursts behind him and flew at Izuku.

            The world was slow again but Izuku still struggled to move swiftly enough. He dropped his staff and grabbed the capture tape from inside his robes. Izuku took a step backwards and held out the tape. As Bakugo's leg passed by Izuku used the capture tape to halt the boy's momentum. Izuku managed to wrap it thrice around Bakugo's ankle before the blond yanked away.

            "The fuck was that?" Bakugo shouted getting into another fighting stance. "I thought you said you were finally gonna fight me?!"

            "I said I needed a reason to," Izuku cheeked. Just as Izuku thought, Bakugo flew forward in a rage at his words, forgetting that he had the capture tape on his ankle.

            Izuku saw the feint the moment Bakugo thought of it. The blonde's eyes had flicked down to the ground before looking behind Izuku. As the blond let off an explosion at the ground to try and flip over the greenette, Izuku side stepped and wrapped the capture tape around the boy's wrist. With a tug, Izuku pulled the two captured limbs together behind Bakugo's back.

            Bakugo's own explosion drove him into the ground. Izuku rushed and tied the two limbs firmly together. Picking back up his staff Izuku moved to continue the search for the bomb.

            "Where are you going, Deku?" Izuku heard from behind him. He turned around to find Bakugo jumping towards him on one leg. "This isn't over till I put you in the ground, ya hear me?"

            "Bakugo just stop," Izuku tried. "There's dignity in loosing honorably."

            "I haven't lost, you bastard!" Bakugo seethed. He jumped at Izuku with all his might. Izuku watched as Bakugo let out an explosion to spin in the air and extended his leg to roundhouse kick Izuku in the head. Izuku ducked under the kick and slammed his bo staff into the side of the boy's head.

            Bakugo hit the floor like a sack of bricks, but Izuku didn't take his eyes away from him until he was sure that was it. He left the unconscious boy lying face down with his limbs in half a hog tie. So much less dignified than I tried to leave him.

            "Uraraka," Izuku said into the coms as he began searching for the stairs, "Bakugo is out of the trial. Any luck with the weapon?"

            "Yes!" Uraraka responded. "Iida has it on the fourth floor, but he cleared all the objects I could use and has been keeping me away from the weapon."

            "I'll come as quick as I can," Izuku assured her. "Do you think you can keep him distracted. I have an idea."

***

            Uraraka hoped that Midoriya wouldn't be long. Iida had been monologuing about the 'dark path of villainy' for a while now. She had switched from her tactic of leaping over him to trying to dash past him. It wasn't working, but it kept his focus on her as he was forced to stand between her and the weapon.

            She lunged to the right. This time when Iida moved in front of her, Uraraka dropped down and tried to sweep his legs out from under him. The boy jumped her attack and kicked out at her. His kick landed on Uraraka's shoulder and sent her stumbling backwards to keep from falling down.

            "A good attempt, hero!" Iida shouted. It sounded like he was trying to sneer but the words lacked any real venom. "You'll find I'm much too quick for such simple attacks."

            "Iida that's mean!" Uraraka pouted. It wasn't. It wasn't even untrue. But she needed to stall the boy, or he would capture her. It worked perfectly and the boy blushed and began to profusely apologize and bow.

            Uraraka saw movement behind Iida as he continued his apologetic tirade. A panel in the ceiling was slowly lifted and moved to the side, revealing a black emptiness. Midoriya's head popped out of the hole. Uraraka had to stifle a gasp.

            She watched in awe as his torso slowly descended from the ceiling too. Izuku was holding onto the edge of the hole with just his fingers. He pulled his knees to his chest and rotated his body so that when he extended his legs, he was perfectly parallel with the ceiling and the floor. Uraraka couldn't imagine the core strength it required but Izuku looked untroubled. Uraraka could see the bulging muscles in his arms and felt a blush forming beneath her cheeks.

            She shook her head as he began to slowly let his legs move towards the ground. She had to keep Iida distracted. She looked at Iida to find he was still bowing repeatedly. Uraraka rushed forward to try and capture him while he was distracted only to have him dash five feet back and almost slam into Midoriya as he dropped from the ceiling.

            "You would attack someone who only hoped to make amends?" Iida furiously accused, "Is this what it means to you to be a hero? Have you no shame?"

            "No," Midoriya said casually, making Iida whip around in shock, "not really." Izuku laid his hand flat against the bomb.

            "HEROES WIN!!!" All Might shouted through the coms, causing all three of them to flinch. Uraraka was the first to recover and ran to Midoriya, tackling him into a hug.

***

            "Midori! That was amazing!" Mina shouted as the four of them made it back to the control room. "Bakugo was all like 'baboom', and you were all 'pow, pow, swish, crack'. Where did you learn to fight like that!?"

            "Oh, well I've been training in martial arts since I was four," Izuku confessed.

            "That makes sense," Yaoyarozu added, "I've only ever seen martial arts masters move similarly."

            Izuku blushed at the compliment. He was proud of his skills, but no one had ever called him a master before, even indirectly.

            "Indeed," All Might interrupted their conversation, "but now we must decide on an MVP for the first match. Does anyone have any suggestions?" All Might asked turning to the rest of the class.

            "Please sir," Yaoyarozu answered raising her hand, "I propose Midoriya was the MVP."

            "Very good," All Might complemented the girl, "but can you tell me why?"

            "Yes sir," Yaoyarozu confirmed with a nod. "Firstly, Bakugo refused to communicate with his partner and ran off on his own. This led to himself getting captured and allowing Midoriya and Uraraka to gang up on his teammate." Bakugo just scoffed and turned away from the group, his arms crossed.

            Yaoyarozu ignored him. "Iida did well considering the circumstance he was in. He planned for his enemy's quirk and neutralized it. However, he was easily distracted by both the scenario and his enemy and this led to his defeat."

            Iida had a deep blush on his face, and he was staring at the ground. "She's right. I have to do better," he berated himself.

            "Uraraka did well," Yaoyarozu continued, "both finding the weapon and distracting her opponent. She too became distracted when Midoriya came into the room however, and if not for Iida's obliviousness, it might have lost them the match."

            Now Uraraka was blushing too, though she kept any self-doubt to herself.

            "Midoriya on the other hand quickly devised a plan based off what he knew of his opponents. He fought Bakugo and used his own rage against him. He then effectively snuck into the room with the bomb and captured the weapon. Midoriya's only mistakes were not securing Bakugo before turning away, leaving himself open to one final desperate attack, and not warning his partner about his unusual entry."

            "Very good Yaoyarozu!" All Might said with a nod. "I couldn't have said it better myself. Now all of you should think over your mistakes and what you can do to improve. Bakugo, please go see the nurse. That last blow was rather nasty, and I want to make sure you don't have a concussion. Midoriya congratulations on MVP." All Might flashed him a smile and a thumbs up before turning back to the rest of the class to continue the lesson.

Chapter Text

            Izuku was approaching the school gates when he noticed the large crowd swarming the place. As he got closer, he saw the cameras. Izuku wasn't terribly concerned by it so he began to weave his way through the crowd.

            Reporters began shouting questions when they noticed him; "How is it having All Might as a teacher?", "Is the number one hero really as cool as he seems?", "Have any students been overwhelmed by the presence of the number one hero?" that sort of thing. Izuku ignored them all and continued to make his way to class. He noticed Iida and Uraraka giving interviews. He was about to see if either of them needed help, when a reporter cut in front of him.

            "You're the kid who saved the victim during the sludge villain incident, aren't you?" she asked. There was a cameraman hovering over her shoulder and she held a mic out to him.

            "All Might is the hero who defeated the sludge villain," Izuku responded, taken off guard.

            "Yeah, but you're the one who helped him," the reported bobbed with excitement at finding such a good subject to interrogate. "What's it like learning under someone who you've worked with in the field? Has All Might decided to make you his protégé?"

            "You're all disturbing class." Aizawa said from behind Izuku. Izuku felt someone grab the back of his collar and pull him through the gate. "This is a school. Now leave."

            The reporters began protesting and moved to follow Aizawa and the students through the gate. A metal divider slammed down on them and locked them out.

            "Thanks, Aizawa-sensei," Izuku said with a small bow.

            "Reporters are nothing but a bunch of vultures," Aizawa told him, "They fly around and look for scraps to eat."

            Izuku had heard a lot of proverbs from Gyatso but he wasn't used to metaphors with such venom in them.

            The look on his face must have reflected how confused he was because Aizawa just sighed. "Get to class Midoriya," was all he said and turned back towards the school.

***

            The students of class 1-A sat on the edge of their seats as Aizawa walked into the room and to his desk for homeroom. After all the excitement from the last two days, they were excited to see what today would bring. Aizawa looked around at the class before speaking.

            "Good," he remarked, "I see you're all becoming more rational. I took the liberty of watching the video footage from yesterdays exercise. Bakugo! You need to learn to grow up and stop getting in your own way. Iida! You need to stop letting others manipulate you so easily and stay focused on the task at hand." Bakugo scoffed and Iida looked away in shame.

            "Moving on. Today you will be making a decision that will affect all of your futures." The class was hanging on his every word at this point. "Today you will pick a class representative."

            "That's so normal!" Ojiro shouted.

            "Class representative is a manly responsibility," Kirishima enthused. "I'm perfect for the role!" The class reacted with violent protests. Each student throwing up their hand and declaring that they were the best suited for the task.

            "Quiet!" Iida shouted, silencing the room. "Class representative is a sacred duty. Only the most disciplined and worthy should hold the title. We should determine via vote." The impact of Iida's words was dampened by the fact that he had his hand raised higher than any of the others.

            "Iida your hand is higher than anyone's," Asui astutely observed. "Besides we barely know each other. Everyone would just vote for themselves."

            "That's exactly why a vote will reveal who is best suited," Iida resolved. "Only someone who has proven themselves to the others will garner additional votes. Sensei, you agree, don't you?"

            "Decide however you want," Aizawa deflected. "Just don't wake me." With that, Aizawa zipped up his sleeping bag and laid down. Iida went to the front and began the vote.

            Izuku considered who would be best suited for the role as Iida passed out slips of paper for their votes to be written on. Uraraka was incredibly kind. Iida was incredibly concerned with the rules and etiquette. Either would do fine by the class if they got the job but he didn't think either of them were the right choice. From what he had seen of the training exercise yesterday, no one stood out to him particularly, except Todoroki, but raw power wasn't a quality to choose a leader by. Finally, Izuku decided to write the name of someone well liked, straight forward, and responsible, Asui.

            With all the votes collected Iida went through and tallied each student's score on the board. Izuku was a little disappointed to see that Asui only had one vote. She didn't vote for herself? he wondered. He was shocked to see that he had managed to win a total of six votes, defeating Yaoyarozu's three votes handily.

            "Speech!" Mina began shouting. "Speech! Speech! Speech!"

            Kaminari and Kirishima joined her and Izuku knew he'd have to give in if he wanted to get them to stop. He rose from his chair and made his way to the front of the room a little nervously, he had never been much of a public speaker.

            "Thank you all for your trust in me," Izuku said with a bow. "I will do my best to honor you all."

            "Relax man," Kirishima chided him, "you're gonna do great!" He gave Izuku a big thumbs up.

            "Okay," Aizawa interrupted them, "Midoriya will be your representative, and Yaoyarozu will be vice-representative. Now let's get on with class."

***

            "That's a lot of food Midoriya," Iida commented as Izuku sat down with his lunch. The cafeteria was crowded and noisy today. "Are you not worried about getting fat?" the blue haired boy continued.

            "It's a side effect of my quirk," Izuku explained. Izuku started to eat the first of his lunch trays as he kept talking. "Whenever I've used my quirk a lot, I get really hungry. It increases my metabolism too. I normally eat about six thousand calories most days. If I've really been using my quirk it's closer to ten thousand."

            "That's very much like my own," Yaoyarozu commented. "My body converts lipids into other inorganic materials. The more I eat, the more I can create. We should exchange recipes some time Midoriya. I'm always looking for more things I can cook that are high in calories but aren't too unhealthy."

            Izuku nodded in agreement. It was always a pain to not overload on sugar when trying to eat so much. More recipes would make his and his mom's life easier. "That sounds like a good plan. We're going to be seeing a lot more of each other now that we're on the student council together, so we'll have plenty of time."

            "That's right!" Uraraka exclaimed. "I didn't get to congratulate you two. You're going to do great."

            "Thanks, Uraraka," Izuku blushed, "I still don't even know who voted for me."

            "You didn't vote for yourself?" Iida asked. He had put down his chopsticks and was listening to the conversation intently.

            "No," Izuku confessed. "I voted for Asui."

            "Please," Asui said, "call me Tsuyu. I'm glad to know who voted for me. I wanted to say thank you. Kerro. Why did you vote for me though, Midoriya?"

            "Well," Izuku paused. He wanted to make sure he had his thoughts in order before he responded. "You're kind, you are very straight forward and say what you mean, and you're well-liked by the class. I felt that if you were the representative you would take care of the class and help keep us in line as well."

            Tsuyu blushed and looked away with a "Kerro."

            "That was well said," Yaoyarozu complimented him. "I am surer of my vote now than before though. I think you will do a fine job Midoriya."

            "Wha! Yaoyarozu! You voted for me?!" Izuku exclaimed. He looked at the taller girl in awe.

            "I did," she said simply. "I bet I wasn't the only one here either."

            Izuku looked at his friends and saw Iida, Uraraka, and Tsuyu all nod. He was about to say thank you when a loud alarm began blaring through the cafeteria. The noise hurt and seemed to go on forever. Izuku looked around at his friends and saw them all frozen in place.

            Reflex, Izuku realized with a start and allowed his quirk to release. His friends all began to react simultaneously. After flinching at the noise, they began to rise. "Security level three has been breached," the alarm rang. "All students please evacuate immediately."

            A great storm of students rushed the cafeteria doors. The bottleneck left students pushing and shoving as they tried to make their way to safety.

            "What does security level three mean?" Yaoyarozu asked.

            "It means somebody has snuck onto the grounds!" An older student shouted as he pushed past them in the crowd. "If it's a villain we're all in serious trouble!"

            The students behind their group began to push and shove harder. Iida was thrown up against the window and Izuku watched as Uraraka was knocked down. The crowd was gonna trample her.

            Izuku allowed Reflex to slow the world once again as he tried to make it to her. Izuku used the shoulders of the boy in front of him as a spring board and flipped over him. He only had one shot at this, he had to make it count. Adjusting the angle of his fall, Izuku kicked off the student about to step on Uraraka and sent them stumbling back and holding off the crowd. He landed by Uraraka's side and helped her stand.

            "It's the Press!" Iida was shouting over the crowd; the deepened tone Reflex gave his voice making him sound more ominous than reassuring. Izuku needed to handle this before anyone else could get hurt. He deftly jumped straight into the air and landed with each foot atop a shoulder of one of the two tall students before him.

            He released Reflex as he began to speak to the crowd. "Everybody, calm down," he tried. No one was listening to him. No one could hear him. His voice was lost in the crowd.

            "Midoriya!" Izuku turned and saw Yaoyarozu throw him a megaphone. He caught it before turning back to the crowd and trying again.

            "Everybody needs to calm down," Izuku tried again. His voice carried over the noise this time and some students actually turned towards him. "This kind of behavior is dangerous, and someone is going to get hurt. There's nothing to worry about, the intruders are merely members of the press. Now please make your way to your evacuation zones calmly and help any who have been hurt in the scramble."

            The students looked appropriately ashamed. They all began to continue their evacuation in a much calmer manner.

            "Thanks Midori!" Uraraka gasped as he dropped back down to the floor. "I thought I was gonna get trampled for sure."

            "It's not a problem, Uraraka," Izuku assured her. "Please, let's get you to the nurse. She should look you over at the very least before we get back to class."

            Uraraka nodded and the two joined the crowd as they left the cafeteria behind.

***

            Izuku knocked on the nurse's door with his free hand, his other was wrapped around Uraraka helping to keep her weight off her ankle. "Come in," they heard from the other side. The two slowly made their way into the small room and a short woman with a high bun of white hair approached.

            "I thought I'd be seeing you sooner or later, Midoriya," the old lady remarked. Izuku recognized her small frame and syringe like cane, she was Recovery Girl. "I expect that the alarm caused a stampede, am I correct?" When Izuku and Uraraka nodded she continued. "I've told them time and time again, that alarm is designed to cause panic and fear. Somebody is gonna get hurt one of these days, and it's going to be a lot worse than a sprained ankle. I assume you are the one that intervened and kept things from getting out of hand Midoriya?"

            "How could you know that?" Uraraka pressed. "Do you two know each other?"

            "I've had my eye on him since the exam," Izuku thought back on what All Might had told him about Recovery Girl being displeased with her record for rescue points being broken as he helped Uraraka to one of the exam beds. "Not a single student within twenty feet of him so much as tripped without him appearing to help. He set a new record for rescue points and saved more than a few people from unpleasant injuries."

            "Wha!?" Uraraka screamed. "Midori, you're amazing! I knew you saved me, but I didn't realize you were such a star! You've even got teachers rooting for you!"

            "It was nothing," Izuku blushed at their praise. "I just helped where I could."

            Recovery Girl eyed him carefully. Seeming to find him genuine she turned back to Uraraka and began checking on her ankle. "This is a nasty sprain but it's nothing I can't heal," she assured Uraraka. "You'll be tired for the rest of the day though. Try not to do anything too strenuous. This ankle will be weaker for a while. I want you to go easy for at least a few days."

            Recovery Girl turned to Izuku, "I'm putting you in charge of keeping an eye on her," she told him, "if she pushes too hard and ends up back in here, you'll have hell to pay. Do you two understand?"

            "Yes ma'am," they both said at the same time. Recovery girl planted a kiss on Uraraka's forehead, and the young girl seemed to deflate under the wave of exhaustion that hit her.

            "Good, now Uraraka, you should get to class." Recovery Girl said dismissing her. "Midoriya, I would like a word with you if you don't mind."

            Izuku gulped but nodded. Uraraka left and Izuku watched her go as he was left alone with Recovery Girl. What does she want with me? Izuku wondered as he turned back to the old woman. She had a mischievous glint in her eye and a smile on her face that made Izuku's stomach drop. He had a bad feeling about this.

Chapter Text

            The students of 1-A were waiting for the bus to take them to start their rescue training. Izuku was near the back of the line with Yaoyarozu when Uraraka finally caught up with him.

            "Midori! I haven't gotten to talk to you all day!" She shouted. She was practically cutting off his circulation with how tightly she clutched onto his arm. "What happened yesterday?! What did Recovery Girl want?"

            "Oh!" Izuku chuckled, "Apparently she wants to 'make sure at least one of the idiots in the class can do something right'. She wants me to take advanced first aid training with her and volunteer in the nurses office during free periods."

            "That's so cool!" Uraraka exclaimed. "To be honest I was worried, she seemed scary."

            Izuku shuddered at the memory of the old woman's devious smile. "I think it may just be an excuse, but I can't figure out what she's planning. She just keeps smiling at me."

            "I'm sure she only wishes to see you grow," Yaoyarozu remarked. "You should be quite proud that she sees potential in you."

            Izuku was about to respond when the bus pulled up and Iida began trying to organize everyone onto it. Iida seemed to deflate when he stepped on the bus and saw that it was open seating. Izuku ended up between Tsuyu and Sato.

            "Midoriya," Tsuyu said as the bus pulled away from the main building. "As you know I always say what I'm thinking. I don't know what your quirk is."

            "What are you talking about, Asui?" Kirishima butted in. "He has an acrobatics quirk doesn't he?"

            "I don't think so," she said turning to Izuku for confirmation.

            "She's right," he confirmed shaking his head. "My quirk isn't acrobatics. I didn't mean to hide it or anything like that. It's just that it's not very obvious."

            "Yeah," Sato remarked from his other side. "it's a weak strength augmentation, right? That's why it's not clear by watching. You got fourth in the grip test exercise after all."

            "That's not it either," Izuku informed them. He heard Bakugo scoff at the conversation, clearly unimpressed with their attempts at guessing and uninterested in the truth. "My quirk is called Reflex. It heightens my reflexes is all."

            "Wha?!" The three of them, as well as a few other students who were listening in, shouted in unison.

            "That means all those crazy flips and the hanging from ceilings..." Kirishima said with wonder clear in his voice.

            "Yeah, that's all me," Izuku confirmed.

            "That's hot, kerro," Tsuyu stated bluntly.

            "That's crazy!" Sato shouted in his ear helping the blush stay away from his face. "You could be in the Olympics or something."

            "I mean they asked if I wanted to be," Izuku remarked offhandedly. "Though I don't know who'd want to be in the Olympics anymore."

            "That's so manly," Kirishima cried as tears fell down his face. "You've made it so far without relying on a flashy quirk. You put me to shame, Midoriya!"

            "What do you mean?" Izuku asked the boy.

            Kirishima blushed. "Well," he said sheepishly, "I always thought my quirk was a little dull for heroics. Most heroes have awesome flashy quirks. I was always worried I wouldn't be able to make it without one. But you, your quirk is so subtle we've been watching you all week and none of us knew it. Despite that, you're the number one boy in the class."

            "Quirks are just tools Kirishima," Izuku assured the boy. "It doesn't matter what a person's quirk is, what matters is what they do with it. You're going to be a great hero because of your kind heart and your determination."

            "Whoa," Kirishima breathed a little stunned. There were fresh tears in his eyes. "That was so manly." He nodded and there was a fire burning behind his tears.

            "I don't know," Tsuyu confessed biting her lower lip. "Isn't it important for a hero to have the power to help others?"

            "Of course," Izuku confirmed, "but why would their quirk determine that? Tsuyu would you let anything stand between you and helping others?"

            Tsuyu shook her head without hesitation.

            "Now, say you were quirkless," Izuku proposed, "do you think you would feel any different? Or would you do everything you could to help people?"

            "I'd try my best," Tsuyu confirmed, "but if I were quirkless I couldn't be a hero."

            "Why not?" Izuku asked. "You've already said you would work as hard as you could. If you would do everything you could to help others, if you would fight tooth and nail, then who would have the right to say you weren't a hero? Besides, a hero can't rely solely on their quirk. What would they do if they came across someone who was impervious to it? Would they simply stand aside and let someone die? Being a hero is about more than having a strong quirk."

            "Midoriya might be onto something," Kaminari said, joining the conversation. "I mean look at Bakugo. He has a cool quirk but with his attitude he won't ever be very popular because people are gonna think he acts like a villain."

            That's not what I meant at all. Izuku thought.

            "What did you say?!" Bakugo screamed throwing himself against the rail in front of him and towards the other blond. Apparently, he was paying more attention than Izuku had thought.

            "Only that it's remarkable that in the short amount of time we've spent with each other, we've all come to the conclusion that your personality is like something you'd find in a public restroom." Kaminari laughed.

            "I'll kill you!" Bakugo screamed and started to climb over the seats to get to Kaminari.

            "Sit down," Aizawa said turning his head just enough that the students could see the flash of his quirk activating. "We're here."

***

            Izuku found himself falling through the air at a crawl. Truthfully, he must be hurtling towards the hard earth, but to him he might as well have been hovering. Villains had attacked the USJ and a villain comprised entirely of black mist had sent them all through black portals.

            Izuku took the opportunity the fall presented to look around and get his bearings. He was over a city with tall buildings that were buried under a thick layer of earth and rocks. The city must have had narrow streets as there was very little space between the buildings. To his left Izuku saw Yaoyarozu also falling and beneath him he saw more figures wandering between the buildings.

            They must be more villains! Izuku realized. That means we haven't left the USJ or else there wouldn't be so many villains in broad day light. This must be the landslide zone. It would hurt to hit the ground, I should try to catch myself and make my way to the top of one of the buildings.

            Izuku stretched his bo staff out and stabbed it down into a crack that ran through the concrete structure next to him. Using his staff like a pole vaulter Izuku sprang up and over landing heavily on the roof. He looked to see if Yaoyarozu needed help only to see her slowly gliding through the air with a parachute coming from her back. Izuku let Reflex go and the world sprang back up to speed.

            "Midoriya," Yaoyarozu nodded as she touched down, "I'm glad to see you landed without harm. I was worried when I saw you. You were too far for me to assist. Did you see anyone else in this area?"

            "No," Izuku answered. He was a little annoyed that she didn't think he could take care of himself until he realized that he had done the same thing to her. He sighed. "If anyone else is in this area they weren't warped into the sky like we were. We should keep an eye out just in case though."

            "What are we gonna do?" Yaoyarozu asked. "I mean these are real villains. Aizawa said to evacuate but I don't think we can now."

            "We'll have to do our best to make our way towards the exit," Izuku said calmly. "Our best bet is to fight our way through the landslide zone and towards the central fountain. From there we can make our way towards the exit."

            "O-okay!" Yaoyarozu agreed.

            "We need to contact the school somehow too," Izuku thought. "Whatever they're doing to jam the alarms probably messes with our cell phones too. If only we had a satellite phone."

            "I could make one," Yaoyarozu remarked. Izuku must have been muttering. "It would be hard though. I'd need to be able to focus for a few minutes, and I wouldn't be able to fight during that time."

            "That's okay," Izuku sighed. "I can handle the fighting. We'll have to get moving though. The villains probably saw you and are making their way up the building as we speak. Go ahead and get started on the phone and I'll protect you. Don't stop. No matter what." Izuku pulled his staff out of the roof and they made their way to the door.

            The moment Izuku opened it, an ambush of villains was upon them and the world slowed. The first two villains seemed to have bats meaning their quirks weren't too dangerous. One was swinging for his head and the other for his knees. Izuku turned and spun between the blows allowing his momentum to drive his feet into one's stomach. Standing Izuku rose his staff quickly and slammed it into the jaw of the other attacker. Both villains fell to the floor and Yaoyarozu and Izuku made their way past.

            Another villain, this one with knives instead of forearms, met them on the stairs. Izuku flipped over him and swung with his staff at the man's head. The villain raised his arm in time to slice the top half of the staff off, but Izuku simply jammed the bottom half forward and broke the villain's nose. He caught the top half of his staff as it bounced off the wall and turned back around.

            At the bottom of the stairs was a door that led to the top floor of a what looked like a hotel. All the doors had numbers on them, and the carpet was a style that was dated from before Izuku was even born. Izuku walked over towards the elevator and gave the down button a push. Amazing both himself and Yaoyarozu, it actually lit up and the hum of the elevator rising could be heard.

            "Is this wise?" Yaoyarozu asked.

            Izuku shrugged, "I don't know. I doubt the electric in here's actually damaged, but it could be a problem if the villains catch on. I just can't imagine fighting our way down the stairwell is all that much safer."

            The doors opened with a ding and the two students stepped on with mild trepidation. Izuku pressed the lobby button and they anxiously waited. Just as the doors began closing another villain, this one with an extra pair of arms dashed through the doors. Izuku pressed Yaoyarozu into the corner of the elevator and separated her from the villain.

            The man began to throw punches at the two of them, but Izuku could see just how bad his form was. The blows were easy to dodge, and those that Izuku had to block from hitting Yaoyarozu, were weak and easily stopped with the halves of his bow staff. Izuku tried to find an opening to strike back at the man, but with so many arms flying at him and Yaoyarozu to protect, Izuku was stuck blocking the man.

            The doors dinged open again but Izuku saw that they were still several floors up. A crowd of villains stood outside the door. Izuku took his time observing each of them as he blocked another pair of right hooks. Three of them were charging into the elevator with one in the lead and two flanking him, all three of them had mutation quirks it seemed. A fourth villain was standing off to the side, but he was drawing in a great breath that Izuku didn't want to see the other side of. The blow from the villain in front of him finally struck the staff and Izuku threw both halves out of the elevator. The first hit the villain leading the charge in the head. The villain was knocked clean off his feet and his gorilla arms slammed into his companion. The second struck the inhaling villain in the gut. He retched forward and the air escaped from his lungs with the force of a hurricane and blowing him straight into the ceiling. The doors closed and the elevator continued down.

            Without his bo staff Izuku had a harder time blocking the blows of the four-armed villain. He couldn't draw his sword in the cramped quarters and opted instead for using his forearms to swat the villain's blows away from both him and Yaoyarozu. Izuku was getting tired. He needed to end this fight, but he hated the idea that he had on how to do it. The villain began another overly telegraphed blow towards Izuku's head. Izuku ducked under the blow and sent a kick out at the man's knee. It snapped harshly to the side and the villain fell with a scream. Izuku took the opening to punch the villain in the face, another crack signified a broken jaw, and the villain fell to the elevator floor.

            "That was rather terrifying," Yaoyarozu said. Izuku turned and saw her standing in the corner, a little pale and a large phone in her hand.

            "You did it!" Izuku exclaimed. "That's amazing, Yaoyarozu! I was worried that the fighting was getting too intense for you to focus."

            "So long as I don't actually join the fighting it doesn't matter," Yaoyarozu explained. "Though that was far more intense a fight than I am used to witnessing."

            Izuku nodded his agreement. "I'm not sure these guys are gonna pull their punches just cause we're kids. We'll have to go all out." Izuku pulled his sword from its sheath and the cold steel glinted in the light.

            "Also," Yaoyarozu said as she formed a bo staff for herself, "please, call me Momo. You just risked your life keeping me safe, after all.

***

            Izuku was exhausted. He felt like he had been fighting for days not a quarter of an hour. Izuku and Momo had made their way through the landslide area without much issue, but the fight had still taken a lot out of them. They had called the police before making their way out of that first building and explained what was happening. The police had said help was on the way, but that meant little in the moment. They had had to fight their way out on their own.

            They ran out the gate of the landslide zone and into the central plaza. Aizawa was underneath the bird headed behemoth and the villain covered in hands with silver hair was monologuing.

            "I always thought the monologuing villain was a cliché," Momo panted. It felt like in any other situation there might have been humor in her voice.

            "I know what you mean," Izuku agreed, his breathing just as ragged. "It's like a bad manga."

            Just then the mist villain that had warped them away from the entrance appeared next to the silver haired villain. "Shigaraki Tomura," he greeted the him.

            "Kurogiri, did you kill Thirteen?" Shigaraki asked him. Izuku felt his grip tighten on his sword. To talk of death so casually disgusted him.

            "Thirteen is out of commission," the misty man said. "I regret to inform you that a student managed to escape."

            Shigaraki scratched his neck like the skin was offending him. "Kurogiri, if you weren't our exit strategy, I'd kill you."

            "The pros will be on their way," Kurogiri pointed out.

            "We can't handle an army of pros," Shigaraki spat. "We'll have to leave."

            Izuku felt his heart pound. It was too good to be true.

            "The Symbol of Peace didn't even show," Shigaraki grumbled. "What a waste. Maybe we can ruin a bit of his pride before we go!"

            Shigaraki was fast. He sped towards Momo quick as the wind. As the world slowed, Izuku had all the time in the world to react.

            I don't know his quirk. Izuku thought. It probably isn't a long-distance emitter, or he wouldn't be rushing at us. He's moving his hand up. It must have to do with contact with his hands then. He's looking at Momo. I have to stop him or who knows what he'll do to her.  I'll only have one shot, gotta be quick.

            Izuku's sword flashed and a thud silenced the plaza. Shigaraki looked at him in shock clutching at the stump where his hand once was. The silver haired villain leapt back towards his comrades.

            "Who does this punk think he is?" Shigaraki asked no one in particular. Izuku couldn't tell if his calm was due to shock or if he was simply accustomed to being dismembered. Maybe those were his own hands decorating his form. "That wasn't very heroic you know? Cutting off an enemy's hand. You heroes are such hypocrites."

            "Even the kindest of dogs will bite to save his master," Izuku shot back. Izuku had dealt with his qualms concerning violence long ago. He'd do whatever it took to save others.

            "What? What are you some kind of monk?" Shigaraki asked scratching at his neck with his remaining hand.

            "Shigaraki," Kurogiri called to the boy, "we should retreat. You need medical attention."

            "Not before I kill this brat!" Shigaraki screamed back. "Nomu! Change of plans. Kill the boy."

            The large black villain rushed at Izuku leaving Aizawa unconscious on the earth. At first Izuku wasn't sure Reflex had activated. The villain was rushing at him so fast that if it wasn't for Reflex, Izuku doubted he'd have been able to see it at all. Izuku tried to dodge the blow but his body just couldn't move fast enough. The giant fist connected with his left shoulder with a deep crack. The moment of impact seemed to stretch on for eons. The pain was excruciating. Izuku struggled to retain clarity.

            The villain stood before him and waiting. The creature was quick, but his reaction time was abysmal. Izuku had a chance but he had to take it now. Gritting his teeth, Izuku raised his right arm and his sword flicked through the air again.

            The villain before him fell backwards and hit the ground with a boom. Its head rolled away from its corpse and back towards its commander. Izuku released Reflex to help with the pain and tried to catch his breath. He felt his pulse pounding in his broken shoulder.

            "Nomu!" Shigaraki shouted, "Hurry up and regenerate so you can kill this runt!"

            Regenerate? Izuku wondered before he saw exactly what Shigaraki was talking about. Bloody red muscle tissue was exploding out of the Nomu's neck. Organs appeared and were swallowed up by the expanding muscles. Black skin was the last thing to return to the body. It slid down from the creature's neck and quickly covered the exposed muscles. Nomu stood back up and turned towards Shigaraki.

            "Kill the monk!" Shigaraki ordered the creature. "Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!"

            He's like a child throwing a tantrum. Izuku thought as the world slowed and Nomu began running at him once again. Izuku felt a cold fist clench in his stomach. He tried to jump, tried to flip over the creature and get behind him. As his feet left the ground, he knew he wasn't going to escape the creature which was already upon him. As Nomu reared its fist back to finish Izuku off, an explosion at the entrance got all of their attentions.

            Izuku had the time to see All Might standing in the entrance before the cloud of dust hid him form view. All Might had given him one last chance to hit the creature. He had saved his life more than likely. Izuku moved his legs above him in a backflip to ensure he cleared the creature. Izuku was upside down, over the creature's shoulder, and no idea what he could do to hurt it. In desperation he stabbed through Nomu's head and left his sword there.

            "Never fear, children," All Might's voice boomed from the entrance. The deep reverberations of his slowed voice left Izuku vibrating down to his bones. Izuku landed behind Nomu and fell down to his knees in exhaustion. "Why? Because I am here!" Izuku looked up at his savior to see All Might with a look of pure rage on his face.

            All Might leapt into the air and flew down to main plaza. If Nomu looked like he was running, then All Might looked like he had been launched from a canon. Reflex was pushed to its max just to keep from losing All Might in a blur. He landed first by Momo and grabbed her gently before dashing back to the base of the stairs. He returned then for Izuku. Izuku locked eyes with All Might as he was picked up by the hero and saw the confusion flash on All Might's face. After depositing Izuku by the stairs All Might brought Aizawa over as well before leaping into the ruins zone.

            Izuku had just enough time to blink before All Might stood before him again. Izuku felt Reflex drop as the action mercifully ceased. "Everything's all right now, young Midoriya, Yaoyarozu," All Might said. "I need you two to take care of Aizawa for me. I'll handle the villains."

            "All Might!" Izuku managed through gasps of pain. "The villain made of mist has a warp quirk. I couldn't tell what the silver haired villain's quirk is, but it has to do with his hands. I managed to cut one of them off. The bird headed villain has some sort of super regeneration. It regrew its entire body after I decapitated it. It's impossibly strong and fast too."

            All Might and Momo stared at him. All Might looked concerned, Momo looked impressed. "I am sorry I was not here to keep you safe," All Might said and put a hand on Izuku's good shoulder. "I'll take it from here. You did a good job Midoriya. Now let your teacher handle the rest."

            All Might turned his attention back to the villains. Shigaraki was practically vibrating with excitement. "Finally! The final boss comes out!" Shigaraki shouted. "Nomu! It's time to do what we made you for! Kill the Symbol of Peace and bring down this gross excuse for a society!"

            The bird headed creature just stood there, facing away from Shigaraki, with Izuku's sword in its head.

            "It can't hear him," Izuku realized aloud. "All Might! It can't-"

            "I heard you, Midoriya," All Might cut him off. "Looks like your ace is a dud!"

            All Might rushed forward and grabbed Nomu around the wrist. He spun like he was in shot put and threw Nomu straight out of the USJ.

            "Now that that's handled," All Might remarked, dusting off his hands, "why don't you go ahead and surrender? I promise it'll make all this easier on you."

            Shigaraki was trying to scratch his neck with both hands and a fair amount of blood was splashing against the dry skin. "This wasn't supposed to be how it went!" he complained. "You were supposed to be weakened. Nomu should have been able to handle a kid! This is ridiculous!"

            "Shigaraki," Kurogiri said from behind Shigaraki, "we should flee while we can. Without Nomu, we have no chance against the Symbol of Peace. You're also loosing a lot of blood."

            "Shut up Kurogiri!" Shigaraki snapped. "We're so close. I can't stop now!"

            Shigaraki rushed forward and the world slowed. Shigaraki was fast enough that Izuku had had trouble reacting in time, All Might on the other hand, moved like Shigaraki was a child running at him. Shigaraki had his arm fully extended as he rushed at the Symbol of Peace and All Might simply swatted villain's hand aside and punched him in the stomach.

            Shigaraki fell to his knees and lost his lunch. "Damn you, All Might," he managed. "This isn't over." He reached his arm out to try attack All Might again, not even managing to get up off his knees, when a shot rang out.

            Izuku had never seen a man get shot before. The bullet sent shockwaves over the skin as it pushed its way through. The bullet exiting the other side was a far bloodier thing to witness.

            "Looks like it's over for you after all, partner," Izuku heard from the entrance. The full might of UA stood at the top of the stairs, the teachers! Five more shots rang out as Snipe unloaded the rest of his revolver.

            Kurogiri flashed in front of Shigaraki and absorbed the bullets into his mist like body. "We'll be on our way," he remarked and began to warp himself and Shigaraki away.

            "We'll be back!" Shigaraki shouted. "The age of heroes will die with All Might, and it'll be by my hand that society is reborn!" With that Shigaraki was gone.

            "What a load of bologna," All Might huffed.

Chapter Text

            Izuku sat on a bed in Recovery Girl's nurse's office. His shoulder had been wrapped and the bones set, he hadn't had the energy for a full healing from Recovery Girl. Right now, he was trying his best not to be consumed with worry. He had been rushed straight to the main campus before anyone else was even accounted for and he wanted to know that his friends were okay. He repeated one of his mantras again and tried to loosen the tension in his shoulders.

            Izuku's meditations were interrupted as All Might laid a hand on his good shoulder. "Midoriya!" the hero shouted. Izuku's eye fluttered open and he looked at the weakened form of the number one hero.

            "A-All Might," Izuku stammered. "Is it okay for you to be here like this?" Izuku asked and his eyes flickered to Recovery Girl sitting at her desk.

            "All of the staff are aware of my situation," All Might assured him with a laugh. "In this form however, please call me Yagi."

            "Okay, Al- Yagi," Izuku nodded. "What are you doing here? Is everyone okay?"

            "You were the only student to receive any injuries," All Might informed him. "Thirteen and Aizawa have both been transferred to a hospital, but I have been told that neither is in critical condition."

            Izuku sighed with relief.

            "As for what I'm doing here," All Might continued, "I know your quirk burns through calories like a madhouse, so I brought you some lunch." Yagi held up a bag of American Fast food and Izuku's stomach gave a treacherous lurch. The hero gave him the bag and Izuku began tearing through burgers and fries.

            "Glad to see I picked something you like," Yagi chuckled. Izuku wasn't sure if he did like McDonalds or not, it had been a long time since he had indulged in the wasted calories. At the moment he was pretty sure he'd have eaten a log if someone had put it between two pieces of bread.

            Yagi made idle chit chat at Izuku while he continued to consume the greasy food. Izuku learned that Kaminari, Tsuyu, and Kirishima had been sent to the Flood zone where Kiaminari had simply electrocuted the water and defeated the villains. Bakugo, Ojiro, and Jiro had been in the conflagration zone, where Bakugo was turned into a sweaty explosive weapon against all who stood in his way, though Jiro had needed treatment for tinnitus as a result. A bunch of students had managed to avoid the attack by the warp villain and Iida had managed to escape and was heading to the school to alert the teachers, who met had him half way, having been alerted by Momo's phone call. Izuku was impressed at how each of his friends had managed to hold their own.

            "All Mi- Yagi," Izuku interrupted him after he finished his eighth burger, "I really appreciate you bringing me some food and letting me know everyone's okay, but... That isn't why you came here." It wasn't a question. Izuku thought he knew what this was about.

            "No," Yagi confessed bashfully, "Young Midoriya, could you see everything I was doing during my fight with that creature? When I was pulling you out of the way, you made eye contact with me. It wasn't just that your eyes looked towards mine or that I moved into their path, your eyes were focused, communicative... Is your quirk that powerful?"

            Izuku was right and his stomach felt like it was replaced with a ball of steel. "Powerful?" He murmured softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know about powerful. Yes, I watched as you saved us." Izuku's volume was rising. "I watched and was frozen in my own body. Stuck. I couldn't help. I couldn't move. What good's a quirk that lets me watch helplessly from the sidelines! What good's a coward's quirk like that!" Izuku realized he shouting as he finished. He slumped back on the bed, exhausted from the emotional strain.

            Yagi was at a loss for words. He wanted to reach out, to hug this boy and bring him out of the darkness in his heart.

            "You wouldn't get it," Izuku continued, his voice was soft, but it hadn't lost its steely edge, "even injured, you're still the number one hero. It must all come so naturally to you. I don't have that luxury. I had to struggle, I had to claw my way to where I am. And it wasn't enough. I wasn't enough."

            "You were!" Yagi exclaimed, "you were amazing! Young Midoriya, if half of what Young Yaoyarozu told is the truth, then you saved her life on multiple occasions, you defeated numerous villains, and held your own against two monstrous excuses for men." He reached out to put his hand on Izuku's shoulder again but seemed to think better of it halfway. His hand hung there for a moment before Yagi let it drop to the bed. "Young Midoriya, you have now proven to be a hero beyond any shadow of doubt to me on two separate occasions."

            "But it wasn't enough," Izuku said. "Not now and not then either. You saved me, you saved everyone, not me."

            "Young Midoriya," Yagi assured him, "it is my job to save you and your classmates. I am your teacher. It is your job to learn. It's your job to become a hero who can save the day."

            "And how much can I learn?" Izuku asked with tears flowing down his face. "How much faster can I push my body? My reaction time is flawless, but it doesn't matter if I can't move in time!"

            I could make you faster, Yagi thought. I could give you the speed to fight gods. But would it do anything other than confirm your own fears. Would it make you doubt yourself even more?

            "I don't think that's the problem," Yagi sighed. "Midoriya my boy, I know what it is you're feeling. You've put the weight of the world on your own shoulders. I have carried that burden. Let me be the one to tell you that it doesn't matter how strong you are, that weight can't be bared alone. You are not the only hero and sometimes you won't be enough. That is okay."

            "How can that be okay!" Izuku cried. "A hero can't just do nothing!" Izuku thought back on the sludge villain incident and all those heroes who had stood by and done just that, nothing. He hated them for it.

            "No," Yagi confirmed, "a hero should never stand by and do nothing. It is the job of a hero to get involved even when they are not wanted or when they're scared. A hero can do more than just fight. Look at Young Iida, he ran to get help. Do you think he was not acting as a hero?"

            Izuku's face burned. "That's different," he murmured, "I'm not as fast as Iida."

            "And what of Aizawa?" Yagi pressed him again. "Do you think he was a failure for falling to the beast?"

            "I-it was a surprise attack," Izuku denied. "He was protecting all of us."

            "And what were you doing?" Yagi asked. "Fighting for yourself? No, you fought for the same reason. You fought to protect yourself and Young Yaoyarozu. You acted like a true hero. I'm proud of you, my boy."

            Izuku was at a loss for words. He had been so sure that Yagi would agree. Would tell him that if he was able to watch and done nothing then he wasn't fit to be a hero. Here he was telling him that he was proud. Izuku must have been hit harder then he thought. He must be hallucinating.

            "But," Izuku tried again, "my quirk couldn't-"

            "You once told me," Yagi cut him off, "how angry you were that a bunch of pros had let their ideas about their quirks stop them from acting."

            Izuku remembered. He would never forget how All Might had saved him from that anger. Had given him a drive to be more than his quirk. Izuku had told a bus full of his peers only that morning that being a hero was about more than having a good quirk.

            "Your right," Izuku relented. He was ashamed of the way he had been acting. "Quirks are nothing more than tools. It is what we do with them that determines their worth."

            Yagi smiled at the young boy. "The way you used your quirk today is a testament to that ideal," Yagi affirmed. "Stand tall Young Midoriya. You did good work today. Now I believe your mother is expecting you home and you still need to give your statement to the police before you go. Best to be on your way."

            Izuku got up and held his head high. It wasn't quite a lie. He felt pride in his actions, but he also had a determination growing. A fire that he was going to stoke until it was an inferno within him. He wasn't going to be held back by his quirk. He was going to work until he had overcome every hurdle in his way.

***

            Yagi watched Midoriya leave the nurses office with a determined gleam in his eye. Chiyo turned to him as the boy shut the door behind him.

            "I thought you were gonna offer to make him your successor," she remarked.

            "I was," Yagi confessed rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, "but that isn't what he needed right now. Perhaps after the sports festival."

            "You did right by that boy not pushing it on him right now," Chiyo nodded sagely, "but if you try and wait until after the sports festival he's not going to be able to say yes."

            "What do you think of him?" Yagi asked.

            Chiyo smiled deviously, "I think you're gonna have to fight for him."

***

            Izuku had been stir crazy all weekend. Classes had been canceled Friday as UA beefed up their security to ensure the future safety of the students. As a result, Izuku had been unable to put his renewed resolve fully into action. His shoulder hurt too much to go the gym and Gyatso had all but barred him from the dojo when he learned that Izuku's shoulder was still technically broken. Izuku was only welcome to come by for tea and meditation.

            He had stopped by Recovery Girl's office first thing to finally get his arm healed. Recovery Girl had given him his new schedule which included his new first aid courses, which were to take place every Tuesday and Thursday after school, and volunteer slots in place of free periods.

            Now he sat in homeroom, trying to keep his eyes from drooping, and listening to his classmates debate who was going to sub for their teacher. The door opened and in walked what looked like a mummy. Only the loose black clothing and shaggy black hair clued them into the mummy's true identity.

            "It's too soon!!!" Mina shouted at Aizawa. Several students exchanged similar remarks as Aizawa made his way to the podium.

            "Should he really be up and about with those injuries?" Izuku murmured.

            "Missing class would be illogical," Aizawa chastised them. "And Midoriya, are you really one to talk? It looks like you're barely conscious after Recovery Girl fixed your shoulder this morning."

            Izuku blushed and the class fell silent at the man's words.

            "Now in two weeks’ time UA is going to be hosting its annual sport's festival. Man-"

            "The sport's festival!" Kaminari screamed cutting off their teacher.

            "It's so normal!" Ojiro joined in. Aizawa's cold glare silenced them both.

            "As I was saying," Aizawa continued once there was silence, "many of you have probably watched the UA sport's festival on TV. It has largely replaced the Olympics as the premier display of Japan's best. As such it is a prime opportunity for you to show off."

            "Many pros watch," Momo remarked. "They use it to determine who they think have potential."

            "That's true," Aizawa confirmed. "This will help them determine who they want to offer internships too. As such it is not something to be taken lightly. Some of you may question why we would hold the festival so soon after a villain attack. The principal believes that this is a prime oppurtunity to show UA's resolve. Security will be five times higher than in the past. You have nothing to fear."

            "You'll only get this chance to stand out three times before you graduate. If you're aiming to be a hero, then I suggest you don't waste it."

            Homeroom went by swiftly after that as Aizawa went over the increased training schedule in preparation of the sport's festival. It was about five minutes before the bell would ring when Aizawa called him up to the desk.

            "Yes sir?" Izuku asked as he stood before the bandaged pro. He was having trouble finding his eyes beneath it all.

            "You need to prepare a speech," Aizawa informed him.

            "Wha?"

            "The student who places first in the practical exam gives the opening vow for the first years," Aizawa said sounding annoyed at having to explain himself.

            "I-I'll do my best," Izuku said. His voice didn't sound nearly as confident as he had hoped.

***

            "Any ideas on what you're going to say in your speech," Momo asked him as he sat down at their lunch table. He had told his friends about his new responsibility and they had been giving him suggestions all day.

            "I have an outline in my head," Izuku told her. "Nothing too fancy yet, but I have time."

            "You're not going to use one of your proverbs are you?" Uraraka groaned with obvious despair in her voice.

            Izuku blushed but didn't respond as he opened another bento.

            "I think they're cute," Tsuyu commented.

            "Sure," Uraraka agreed, "but they're so confusing."

            "I agree," Iida remarked.

            "Not you too, Iida!" Izuku complained. "I trusted you!"

            "I'm sorry, Midoriya, I think you might be using them wrong."

            Izuku just harrumphed and went back to eating his bento, rewriting his speech in his head. He was too focused to notice the large figure approaching the side of the table.

            Conversations stopped throughout the cafeteria and finally Izuku noticed All Might standing over them.

            "Young Midoriya," he said, "would you like to join me for lunch?" All Might showed a neatly wrapped pair of bento. Izuku thought he heard Uraraka mutter something about the number one hero being 'cute'.

            "Sure!" Izuku said with a nod. He grabbed all of his bento and began following All Might out of the crowded room. All Might led him to the teachers’ lounge and closed the door behind them before dropping into his normal form. The two sat down and began to eat in silence.

            "Young Midoriya," Yagi began after he had finished his lunch. "I wanted to talk to you about the sport's festival."

            Izuku nodded as he opened yet another bento.

            "Have you thought about what you're going to say in your speech?" Yagi asked.

            "This is an opportunity for me to show myrself to the world," Izuku reiterated Aizawa's earlier point. He set his bento aside. "It is not something I want to take lightly. However, I think I have an opportunity that is unique. I think this is a chance for me to prove to everyone what I can do, what anyone can do. Yagi, how much do you know about Reflex?"

            "More than most," Yagi remarked, "which isn't all that much."

            "And you've seen my quirk up close," Izuku reminded him. "Now what about everyone watching who can't process things moving at supersonic speeds?"

            "No one watching is going to be able to identify your quirk," Yagi caught on. "As a result, there will be a lot of speculation and debate, if you can get far enough that they take interest."

            "Like on the bus the other day," Izuku confirmed, "Kirishima and Sato both thought I had a physical augmentation quirk. They both thought that my strength and flexibility were impossible without one."

            "Understandably," Yagi remarked. "You're a testament to the lengths a man can go with the right determination."

            "Exactly," Izuku laughed, "so, when I win, and tell the world the truth about Reflex, think of what it'll mean."

            "It'd be liked you said that anyone can be a hero."

            "Well," Izuku mused, "can't they? Who are we to say otherwise?"

            "You've thought about this a lot," Yagi chuckled. "But I have something to ask you, it might throw a bit of a wrench in your plans." He was scratching the back of his head and seemed unsure.

            "What is it Yagi?" Izuku asked. He had never seen his teacher so full of doubt.

            "Young Midoriya, I came to teach at UA for a reason," Yagi told him. "To understand why, first I need to tell you a secret. Regardless of your answer to my question I need you to swear that you'll never tell a soul. To do so would be disastrous."

            "I promise," Izuku promised. "Whatever it is, your secret is safe with me."

            "Good," Yagi nodded. "My quirk is called One for All. It is a secret generations old. It is a quirk that can be passed on, from one wielder to the next, like a sacred torch. My question, Young Midoriya, is if you will be the next wielder. I want you to be my successor. I want you to be the next symbol of peace."

            "That's impossible!" Izuku exclaimed. "Quirks can't be handed off like that."

            "Quirks are unique, Midoriya," Yagi explained. "No two are the same. One for All is no exception. Whether or not it is the norm, what I have told you is the truth. I want you to be the one to bare this torch next."

            Izuku sat there dumbfounded. How could he say no? How could he say yes?

            "Can I...Can I think on it?" Izuku asked.

            "I would be concerned if you didn't," Yagi laughed. "Don't take too long though. I will wait for your answer no matter, but I should stress that you should try and answer before the sport's festival. If you were to accept, I'm afraid you won't be able to prove that anyone can do it. You could show the world who you are though, that your time was coming, and that you are here!"

***

            Todoroki woke up with a start. His classmates were all joking and laughing around him. No one seemed to notice that he was covered in sweat and panting. His dreams had been horrendous. He had been there, laughing, as his mother wept over him.

            The bell rang, marking the end of classes for the afternoon. Todoroki rushed out the door. He needed air. He needed to be alone. He rushed up the stairs and out onto the roof before anyone else joined him in the halls. His hands were on his knees as he gasped for air. Todoroki was glad there were clouds filling the sky so the heat of the sun couldn't remind him of the heat of his flames. He felt his breath begin to calm. As his breath returned to normal Todoroki realized he wasn't alone.

            Midoriya was standing by the edge of the roof in what looked like tree pose. Todoroki watched as Midoriya began to slowly go through a series of fluid movements with his eyes closed. The greenette looked like a dancer, his moves fluid and graceful.

            "Is everything okay?" Midoriya asked not bothering to turn to face him. "You seem out of breath."

            "I guess," Todoroki murmured. "Just needed some air."

            "I understand," Midoriya nodded. "Sometimes a nice quiet place is needed to clear the mind. Would you care to join me?"

            "Join you in what exactly?" Todoroki asked. He had seen martial arts forms before, he had had to memorize more than a few of them, but he had never seen one as fluid as what Midoriya was doing.

            "I'm working through a form to improve my flexibility and fluidity," Midoriya answered. "It's not too hard, and I can show you any part your confused by."

            Todoroki was going to refuse. He wanted to go find somewhere he could be alone, but the thought of going back into the crowded hall of the school kept him on the roof. Might as well do something, he thought.

            Todoroki did his best to match the other boy's movements. How does he move his arms so far back? Todoroki murmured to himself.

            "So, what were you so conflicted about?" Midoriya asked. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, of course. Though a dam without a run off is doomed to burst eventually."

            "I don't-" Todoroki started. He paused. It was rude to tell him off.

            "I-" he tried again. Maybe Midoriya was right. He didn't have to tell him everything, but he could at least tell him enough to get him off his back.

            "Have you ever heard of quirk marriages?" Todoroki managed. He proceeded to tell Midoriya everything. His abusive upbringing, the way his mother had broken down, and his father had locked her way. While he talked, he followed Midoriya through his form, and it helped. His heart rate lowered, and his mind cleared.

            "I have to be number one without him," Todoroki said. "I'll never use his quirk. I'll reject him and everything he stands for."

            "Todoroki," Midoriya breathed as he finished his form and returned to tree pose, his eyes never opening, "life is a great gift. It is a terrible thing to waste on rage."

            "You don't get it," Todoroki sighed. "I don't need him. I can be number one and I can do it without him."

            "Todoroki, what will you do when it isn't enough?" Midoriya asked.

            "I can be enough."

            "Do you think All Might is always enough?" Midoriya asked. "I can tell you he isn't. No one knows more about All Might than me except maybe Sir Nighteye."

            "I will surpass All Mig-"

            "Three hundred and eighty-five," Midoriya cut him off.

            "What?"

            "That's how many people All Might says he couldn't save," Midoriya said. "That was three years ago in an interview so the number might be higher now. Three hundred and eighty-five deaths All Might blames himself for. He said the only thing that lets him sleep at night is knowing that he did everything in his power to save them. He still mourns their deaths. He still weeps wishing he was stronger. That he was faster. But he knows he did everything he could."

            Midoriya opened his eyes and Todoroki saw a conviction within them that rivaled his own, but there was something else there, not pity, empathy? He had never seen anyone else who burned with passion like he did.

            "Don't you want to be able to say you did everything you could when you speak to their loved ones." Midoriya's voice was soft but there was an edge hidden within. One that made Todoroki shudder. "How do you tell them that you didn't even do everything you could?"

            "I-I don't-" Todoroki tried.

            "I know," Midoriya said as he put a hand on his shoulder. "You don't need to yet. But think about it."

            Midoriya began to walk away leaving him alone. He turned his head back to the conflicted teen, "And thank you, you've helped me find my own clarity."

            Midoriya walked away without another word, leaving Todoroki with his thoughts.

***

            Izuku knocked on the teachers' lounge's door. He hoped they hadn't gone home. He wanted to do this now.

            "Young Midoriya!" All Might exclaimed as he threw open the door. "Please, come in!" As Izuku walked in All Might shut the door and deflated back down to his normal form. "What can I help you with?"

            "I was hoping to speak to you and Aizawa. Is he still here?" Izuku asked.

            "What do you want Midoriya," Aizawa announced his presence from underneath the table. He wiggled his way onto the couch not bothering to get out of his iconic yellow sleeping bag.

            All Might waved Izuku forward and joined Aizawa on the couch. Izuku took the seat across from them.

            "Before I begin, does Aizawa know everything you told me earlier today?" Izuku asked Yagi.

            "Everything except the offer itself." Yagi confirmed for him.

            "Okay then," Izuku turned to Aizawa. "Aizawa, I never said thank you. You risked your life for us. On behalf of 1-A, thank you." Izuku bowed from his spot on the couch.

            Izuku thought he saw surprise in Aizawa's eyes, but it was hard to tell beneath all the bandages. "It was my job, Midoriya," Aizawa said lightly.

            "Regardless, thank you." Izuku tried again. "I need you to know that I don't want to even think about what would have happened if you hadn't been there. You saved all of us. But... do you wish you could have done more?"

            "Every time," Aizawa said without hesitation. "Midoriya I would give my life in the line of duty. Anything short of that would be a disservice to my title both as hero and as teacher. I do everything I can, and when it isn't enough, I wish nothing more than to be better. That's the point of the school motto. Go beyond: Plus Ultra. Be more than you are. Do more than you can. Never stop pushing yourself." Aizawa spoke with passion that Izuku found inspiring.

            "Yagi, I have one more question for you, before I can give you an answer," Izuku confessed to the hero. "Could someone else do more? Could someone else save more people with the gift you offered me?"

            Yagi thought for a moment. "I don't know," he finally confessed. "Maybe, but the point is that you care enough to ask. You deserve this opportunity because you would give it up for the sake of the innocent. No one else is going to push as hard or strive as far. That's why I chose you."

            "I'll do it," Izuku said. "I'll become your successor."

            "Excellent!" Yagi exclaimed as he surged back into his muscular form. All Might held out a single golden strand of hair. "Now! Eat this!"

Chapter Text

            "What do you mean eat this?" Aizawa asked All Might indignantly. "You can't just ask a student to eat your hair. It's highly inappropriate. I expected better of you." Aizawa shot him a glare that had the number one hero shying away from the smaller man.

            "He- he has to," All Might tried to explain. "To receive One for All you have to ingest the DNA of the previous wielder."

            "Almost every cell in the human body contains DNA," Aizawa murmured. "Why not just have him eat an eye lash or a tear?"

            "W-would that work?" All Might stammered.

            "If what you told me about DNA is true then yes," Aizawa sighed. "Why must you do everything in the most over the top way."

            All Might rubbed the back of his head. "I-"

            "Forget it," Aizawa cut him off. "You two do this however you want."

            "No, you're right," All Might said and plucked an eyelash. "Midoriya, her-.... where's the hair?"

            "I ate it while you two were bickering," Izuku remarked. "Time is a terrible thing to waste, right Aizawa?" Izuku laughed as the two men looked at him in shock. "So how soon can we get started on training?"

***

            Izuku was sitting in the middle of gym B about two hours later, meditating in his gym clothes. All Might said it would take a while for his body to digest the hair, so he had no choice but to wait. All Might had gone to let Nedzu and Recovery Girl know of his new successor and Aizawa had been napping in the corner.

            Izuku began to feel a current of energy that rolled through him in waves. It started as the waves on the shore on a calm day but grew into the great swells of the deep sea in a storm. It felt like he had been munching on coffee beans and washed it down with a double shot of espresso.

            Izuku allowed the waves to crash over him. He gasped as his whole body was rocked by the violent torrent. Izuku's shock had broken his meditation and his focus causing him to lose his hold on One for All.

            Izuku focused on his breathing and calmed his heart back down, returning to his meditations. Izuku waited and felt the familiar weight of his own body. He felt the cold air of the gym against his exposed arms. He felt the need to look for danger that Reflex had hardwired into his head. It seemed stronger, harder to resist, but Izuku kept his eyes closed and his breath steady. He felt the tension in his shoulders and did his best to let it go.

            Izuku tried activating One for All again. This time, instead of diving head first into the deep, Izuku recalled the feeling of the gentle waves of when One for All had begun to appear. He breathed and focused on calming himself and the sea of his new quirk. The torrent within him seemed to respond, returning to a peaceful tide, and Izuku submerged himself again.

            He felt the ocean of energy wash over him. He felt the ability to unleash the torrent, but Izuku stayed in the shallows and tried to become familiar with the way the current flowed through him. Izuku stood and shot up far quicker than he intended. He felt a small hint of pride at how fast his movements were, but he knew that control was more important than unbridled speed.

            Izuku began going through his flexibility routine and paid extra attention to taking his time and controlling his movements. At first, he struggled to keep his limbs from flying rapidly through the simple movements, but as he continued Izuku was able to slow down and regain full control of himself.

            After Izuku had finished his first form he moved onto another. This form was meant to strengthen the core. Izuku used it to explore his new strength and speed. He started slow and moved faster and faster as he went through the form. He never lost control or allowed his movements to grow sloppy, but he moved with the ferocity of a striking viper.

            Izuku finished his second form and allowed himself to rise from the waters of One for All. He opened his eyes to find Yagi and Aizawa both watching him. Aizawa looked a tad insane, with a manic grin on his face. Yagi on the other hand was still trying to pick his jaw up off the floor.

            "What?" Izuku asked his teachers. "That was okay, right?"

            "Young Midoriya!" Yagi shouted, "How did you manage to do that!? Your control is beyond anything I could have expected! I was prepared to coach you through how to call on One for All, but you already seem to be able to use it without any backlash!"

            "I wouldn't say that," Midoriya said as he embarrassedly scratched the back of his head. "I was just going through some forms. They help with theory, but they do little more than that. You can't fight with them and they don't even prepare you for a spar, much less for a fight. I'd be able to figure out more if I could spar with somebody."

            "Spar with me!" Yagi exclaimed as he swelled into his larger form. He was bouncing on heels like a kid waiting in line for a roller coaster.

            "Is- Is that okay?" Izuku blushed. "I mean you're the number one hero, it's like a dream come true!"

            "Now don't go all fan boy on me now, my boy," All Might laughed, his voice filling the empty gym. "I want to see what my successor can do!" All Might walked out onto the floor directly across from Midoriya and struck an intimidating pose, with his arms crossed and his head held high.

            Izuku knew it was silly, but he performed the customary bow he always did at the dojo before taking a ready stance. Then, he waited. All Might eyed him and the two entered a game of patience. Izuku had always loved this part of a spar. The calm before the storm. The way two opponents measured each other.

            Izuku breathed and tried to find an opening in All Might's defense. Even posed as he was the number one hero's guard was impeccable. He represented an impregnable wall Izuku was faced with tearing down.

            All Might began shouting something as he suddenly rushed at Izuku, but as the world slowed Izuku found the words stretched too far to interpret. All Might's steps were quick but Reflex had no trouble watching. He was going for a right hook, telegraphed from the very moment he began to move.

            Izuku waded into the sea of One for All within him and was shocked to see green electricity crackle across his skin. He shoved his questions about the lightning to the back of his mind and focused on the approaching hero. All Might finished saying whatever it was he was saying and threw his punch. Izuku took a step forward and ducked beneath it. He moved to grab the hero's wrist, planning to toss the hero over his shoulder and get behind him, but All Might wasn't like anyone Izuku had sparred with before.

            All Might's eyes widened with surprise as he pulled his wrist back and away from Izuku's grasp. Izuku watched with amazement at the hero's speed. He could have kept up, he knew One for All could give him the speed, but he was nervous about submerging himself too deeply. Izuku pondered his next move carefully using the time Reflex gave him.

            What would happen if I used more of One for All than I'm ready for? Izuku wondered. All Might said something about backlash. But I was able to handle it for a second during meditation without any backlash. Maybe it's because I wasn't actually doing anything. That means if I don't use the full power for my attacks themselves, I might be able to handle using it to keep up!

            The waves of One for All grew into mighty swells and Izuku's hand shot forward suddenly faster. All Might hadn't been prepared for the burst in speed and Izuku managed to grab onto the underside of his wrist. It was too thick for Izuku's hand to wrap fully around, but Izuku used the increased strength of One for All to grasp it tight enough that it didn't matter. He  quickly threw All Might over his shoulder.

            Instead of crashing down onto the floor the way Izuku was used to, Izuku had accidently launched All Might flying towards the far wall of the gym. The number one hero was smiling as he sailed through the air. He turned his body and hit the wall feet first, launching off of it and straight at Izuku with another telegraphed punch.

            Izuku stepped to the side, planning on allowing All Might to sail past him and use the opportunity to get a punch in on the hero's ribs. All Might wasn't the number one hero for nothing though. Planting one foot, he spun once again and sent a round house kick right into Izuku's chest.

            Izuku saw the blow coming and had tried to jump back, but even with how much of One for All he was using he couldn't keep up with its full speed. He watched as the blow inched towards him with trepidation, he knew he wasn't moving fast enough, and he tried to keep his body from tensing and only worsening the impact.

            The kick hit Izuku like a truck. A horribly slow truck. He felt his muscles tense against his will, he felt his insides shift, and he heard the crack of one of his ribs. Izuku was horrendously reminded of the blow he had received from Nomu at the USJ as he fell to his knees. The strength and speed the number one hero wielded was absurd. A strength and speed that were within him now.

            Izuku lost control of One for All and felt the waves recede into the background as he struggled to calm his breathing. He let Reflex go as well, the fight was most definitely over after a blow like that. All Might knelt by the boy to make sure he was okay with a huge grin splitting his face.

            "That was excellent!" All Might shouted. "The way you move with One for All is beyond anything I could have dreamed of! I'd say you already have a good grip on about fifteen percent of its power, and you spiked up to at least fifty when you flipped me!" All Might helped Izuku up off the ground and Izuku flinched at the pain in his side. All Might didn't seem to notice.

            "Thank you for sparring with me," Izuku said formally as he bowed again.

            "I won't pretend to have kept up with all of that," Aizawa remarked, he sounded almost bored, "but I heard that crack, Midoriya you need to go see Recovery Girl."

            Izuku blushed at that, not wanting to be back in her office so soon with another injury. "I don't know if that's necessary Aizawa, it was only a rib," he tried.

            "Midoriya you will go see Recovery Girl for any and all injuries so long as I am your homeroom teacher, or you will have more detention than you know what to do with. Is that understood?"

            "Yes sir," Izuku relented. He would be glad to not spend the next few weeks in pain even if it meant getting chewed out by Recovery Girl.

            "I'll send All Might with you to explain what happened," Aizawa allowed. His face was its usual mix of bored and exhausted but Izuku thought he saw the hint of a smile. All Might on the other hand had paled dramatically. "You should continue this training every day after class until the sports festival. I'll make sure either All Might or myself can oversee you. After that you'll be on your own outside of class."

            "Um," Izuku hesitated.

            "What is it Midoriya," Aizawa sighed. He seemed too exhausted to deal with any complaints.

            "It's just that I'm due to start my first aid courses with Recovery Girl tomorrow," Izuku confessed.

            "As that is now a part of your class schedule you will simply train afterwards," Aizawa instructed him. "You won't be getting any off days or special treatment just because Recovery Girl decided you weren't completely useless."

***

            The next day Izuku struggled to pay attention to his classes. The ocean of energy within him was making him stir crazy. Izuku was staring out the window, his foot tapping rapidly, when Ectoplasm had called on him to solve the problem on the board. Izuku's attention snapped back to class and he looked at the complex logarithm. Izuku's mind went through the steps to solve it so fast he barely registered that he had had to do them.

            "Twenty-seven point seven three four," Izuku answered. There was a murmur from the class and Ectoplasm's eyes widened a little with surprise.

            "That's correct," Ectoplasm responded, "moving on."

            Izuku was confused to say the least. He had always had good grades, but math was never his strong suit and he had barely been paying attention to the lecture. So how had he done the problem like it was nothing. What's more, how had he done it without a calculator. He'd have to talk to All Might and Aizawa about this. Maybe it had something to do with One for All. Maybe it increased mental aptitude too.

            The bell rang for lunch and Ectoplasm burst into a puddle of goo.

            "Jeez," Kaminari complained, "wish we could just send clones to class and relax."

            Izuku got up and made his way out the door only to find his path blocked by a crowd of students.

            "Can I help you?" Izuku asked. He wasn't sure what all these students could want with class 1-A.

            "They're just checking out the competition, dumb ass!" Bakugo snapped at him. He pushed passed Izuku. "Out of the way extras!"

            "Bakugo!" Iida scolded him. "You can't just call people extras!"

            "Yeah!" Kaminari griped. "You just painted a target on all our backs!"

            "If this is the best the hero course has to offer then color me disappointed," a tall boy with impossibly tall hair sneered. He moved through the crowd until he was right in front of Izuku. "I came to see what all the fuss was about, but I guess it was all just hot air. A lot of us in the general education course are only there because our quirks aren't suited to a test like the hero course practical. The sport's festival gives us another chance to prove ourselves. One of you already flunked out, probably came in too cocky. Let's see if we can't worm more of you out. Consider this a declaration of war."

            With that the boy turned to storm away. Izuku felt like he needed to say something. His class was behind him, but he could feel the anxious air that over taken the class room. He grabbed the boy's wrist.

            "I accept," Izuku told him. "As class representative of class 1-A, I accept your declaration," he waited for the taller boy to turn and meet his eyes, "but don't think for one second that anyone in 1-A isn't giving it their all. If you want to beat us, you're going to have to work for it."

            There was a murmur running through the crowd at Izuku's words. It wasn't that they were afraid of the boy, but no one had expected such conviction from the small greenette. Izuku let the boy go and the purple haired teen walked away without another word.

            "That's what I'm talking about!" Shouted an excited boy with dense silver tufts in place of eye lashes. "I came to see what our sister class was like and now I'm stoked! Don't think class 1-B is gonna let you get full of yourselves because you defeated a couple of villains, we're coming for you too!"

            "I wouldn't expect any less," Izuku told him. He headed off to the cafeteria with a mind focused on the future.

***

            Izuku showed up to his One for All training that afternoon exhausted. After a full day of classes, he had gone to Recovery Girl's office to start his knew training in first aid. It had been hell. She had a robot built special by Power Loader which would simulate real traumatic injuries and he had to determine their severity, assign it a priority, and then treat the injury. He still hadn't managed to get all of the intestines out from underneath his finger nails.

            "Good you're here," Aizawa remarked as he walked in. "I asked Snipe to join us for today's practice."

            "How ya doin' partner?" Snipe asked in his southern American accent.

            "I'm doing well, thank you Snipe-sensei," Izuku responded formally. He didn't get much one on one interaction with the sharp shooting hero.

            "I'm going to have Snipe fire non-lethal rounds at you and you're going to have to dodge them," Aizawa explained as though he regularly planned the shooting of children.

            "Where's All Might today?" Izuku asked. He was still hoping to discuss the weird thing that had happened to him during Math.

            "He'll be joining us any moment," Aizawa informed him. "Now get ready. These shots may not be lethal, but they move as fast as a regular bullet, so it'll hurt like hell."

            "Yes si-" Izuku was cut off as the sound of a gun went off and the world slowed. Izuku looked at Snipe, no more than ten feet from him, with disbelief. He'd shot him when he wasn't even paying attention!

            Izuku sunk beneath the waves of One for All and slid out of the path of the bullet. As Izuku dodged, Snipe fired the other five bullets. Izuku saw the holes between them easily enough. He wondered if Snipe had left them there on purpose or not as he weaved between the shots.

            Izuku took a moment to look at the bullets as the passed, only to realize they were bouncy balls. Izuku was strangely reminded of the first time he had knowingly used Reflex and the tennis balls that had been shot at him. He chuckled at the image of four-year-old him and decided to grab one of the bouncy balls just to complete the image. His hand shot out like a viper and back just as quickly.

            "That wasn't very nice Snipe-sensei," Izuku laughed as time returned to normal.

            "Just followin' orders," Snipe explained himself. The gunslinger pointed a finger gun at Aizawa.

            Izuku blew a raspberry at his teacher, who had calmly watched, and flicked the bouncy ball at him with a little bit of One for All. The tired looking man's hand shot up and caught the ball easily despite the quick speed. "When did you catch one of the bullets?" Aizawa asked.

            "After I decided that this exercise reminded me too much of the quirk test they gave me when I was four," Izuku told him. "It wasn't terribly difficult, truth be told. No offense Snipe-sensei."

            "I told you," Aizawa said teasingly. Izuku was shocked to realize that Snipe had been holding back. He hadn't trusted Izuku to dodge and had gone easy on him. Izuku wanted to be hurt by the lack of faith but he was touched that this teacher at least didn't seem to want to shoot him.

            "Fine," Snipe snapped, Izuku would bet there was a blush under his mask, "I'll go grab my gear."

            As Snipe exited the room, Yagi entered.

            "All Might!" Izuku shouted as he ran up to the hero. He almost didn't catch Aizawa's 'bout time'.

            "Midoriya my boy," Yagi chuckled and ruffled the boys mop of hair. "How are you doing?"

            "I'm all right," Izuku told him. "But I wanted to ask you something about One for All." When Yagi nodded at him to continue, he asked, "Did One for All increase your mental capabilities at all?"

            Yagi looked a little confused at the question, but Aizawa began laughing loudly. "No," Yagi told him and shot Aizawa a steely glare, "why do you ask?"

            "Well today in math I did a problem I probably shouldn't have been able to do without a calculator in almost no time at all," Izuku explained.

            "Hmmm," Yagi mused, "it could be that One for All is responding to your quirk and evolving it."

            "Reflex is making me better at math?" Izuku asked with no small amount of doubt.

            "Possibly," Yagi chuckled.

            "No," Aizawa stated bluntly and began walking towards the door. He left the gym without another word and Yagi and Izuku exchanged concerned glances. They stared after him for a time in pure shock.

            "Should we-" Izuku started to ask but was cut off as Aizawa stormed back into the gym carrying a tablet. He shoved it roughly into Izuku's hands with a huff.

            "Press start and then read as fast as you can without activating Reflex," Aizawa instructed him. "The test uses the camera to track your eyes and auto-scroll, so you don't need to do anything but focus on reading."

            Izuku stared at his teacher waiting for some sort of explanation.

            "What are you waiting for?" Aizawa asked when he saw Izuku's dumbfounded expression.

            Izuku looked at the tablet and slammed the big green start button. He read a story about a dog who died and went to heaven only to come back and run around the city of New York. It was a surprisingly long story and the dog got into lots of trouble with cats from hell and all kinds of other dogs. He was just about to find out if the dog got to come back to life or not when the screen flashed red at him and asked if he was ready for his results.

            Aizawa snatched the tablet back and read the results of his test. "Just as I thought," Aizawa murmured. "You're sure you didn't use your quirk? Even unconsciously?

            "Yeah," Izuku nodded, "the world didn't slow. Why what is it?"

            "You just read two million words in a minute," Aizawa told him. The grin on his teacher's face was maniacal to say the least. "Reflex isn't making you smarter, it's making your synapses fire faster."

            "What does that mean?" Yagi asked him.

            "It means his brain is quite literally running faster," Aizawa explained. "At speeds like this it's like he's a super computer."

            "I meant what does that mean for his training, Aizawa," Yagi sighed. "How dumb do you think I am? On second thought, don't answer that."

            "Smart choice," Aizawa glared at him. "As for his training," the devious smile returned, "I think it calls for extra homework."

Chapter Text

            The prep leading up to the sport's festival became a sort of hell for Izuku. Between his training with Aizawa and All Might, his new first aid lessons, and the sudden barrage of homework Aizawa gave him, he was running thin. Literally and figuratively, the increased use of Reflex increased his metabolism to absurd rates and no matter how much Izuku ate he never seemed full. His body was stripped of what little body fat it had still had.

            Time had never been a looser concept in Izuku's mind. Hours of training were more akin to days. His homework never took him more than an hour, but it always left him feeling drained and over worked. It made sense given the papers and readings Aizawa was giving him. All of their Foundational Hero Studies for the week were replaced with free gym periods. Izuku had once tried to use it the time to meditate, which led to him sleeping for a few hours in a corner.

            By the time the weekend rolled around, he was exhausted despite his numerous naps. He had stumbled in and fallen asleep for the whole break, only waking up when his very concerned mother brought him dinner on Saturday, which consisted of ten thousand calories of katsudon, beef fried rice, and fried tofu.

            Izuku wanted to complain about his work load, but he was making such progress learning how to use One for All. He was getting better at focusing while the waves crashed through him. He hadn't managed to so much as land a single hit on All Might, but after the scolding Recovery Girl had given them, All Might had been careful not to hit Izuku so hard again. He had switched to flicking the boy instead. The flicks hurt and left nasty bruises, but at least he didn't have the added strain of Recovery Girl's healing on top of his exhausting schedule.

            It was that Monday, two days before the sport's festival, that Nedzu called him into his office and told him that he would be starting personal lessons with Izuku after school for the rest of the week. Izuku had shown up expecting rigorous physical or mental exercises, only to find the principal laying out a hearty meal next to a futon that had been set up in the corner. The principal had instructed him to eat up and then rest.

            Izuku ate the entire bowl of food and slept like a log. He had woken to the principal gently shaking his shoulder and telling him it was time to go home and not worry about his homework. The next afternoon he found a larger bowl and a note when he showed up. The note read 'Midoriya, I believe you understand the purpose of these lessons. I will be speaking to your teachers about over working you. For now, rest, you'll need to be at your best for tomorrow after all.' Izuku had munched on the food and leaned back on the futon smiling.

            So Izuku found himself sitting in the 1-A waiting room refreshed and excited for the ordeal before him. He was trying to think of a way to thank the principal, debating between a cheese, honey, or meat-based gift, when Todoroki walked up to him.

            "Midoriya," the multi colored teen called to get his attention, "I've thought about what we discussed. I've decided I'm going to prove I can do this without him by beating you today. I'll show you. Be prepared, I won't be holding back."

            "Todor-" Izuku paused, "Shouto," he decided, "it isn't me you're trying to prove this to, it's yourself. Today is a chance for us all to declare to the world who we are. Who do you want to be?"

            Shouto didn't have an answer for that. He turned and walked away with a look of doubt on his face.

            "That was intense," Ashido whispered. In the quiet of the room, everyone heard it regardless.

            "Yeah," Sato agreed, "the two strongest guys in the class going at it head on."

            "Oi!" Bakugo shouted, "The fuck you say Lips!? Half-and-half only picked Deku to compete with cause he knows he doesn't stand a chance against me!"

            Just before Bakugo launched himself at a chuckling Sato, Present Mic's voice rang over the PA calling the contestants to the field. The students all began walking and chatting, replacing the earlier tension with an anxious excitement.

            "Get ready!" Present Mic shouted over the loud speakers as 1-A made their way through the tunnel. "Here come's our first competitors! Already having proven they can hold their own against villains, make some noise for the future heroes of class 1-A!"

            Izuku was astounded at the thundering of applause that rocked the stadium as he and his classmates stepped into the light. They made their way to bottom of the stage as Present Mic introduced the other classes. Izuku tried not to flinch as each cheer got softer and softer, as the crowd grew less and less interested.

            "Alright ladies and gentlemen," Midnight screamed into the microphone, "please put on a warm welcome for the student representative, Midoriya Izuku, as he gives the athlete’s oath!"

            Crap! Izuku thought, I didn't have time to prep a speech with all the extra training! Iida gave him a gentle shove forward and Izuku began making his way up the stage. Izuku's fear started to activate Reflex and Izuku tried to keep it under control.

            Wait! That's exactly what I need!!! Izuku let Reflex slow the world and the roar of the crowd became an almost ominous background noise, deep and long. Izuku went through all the points he wanted to make, all the people who needed to hear him, and all the lessons he had learned. By the time he finally made it to the mic, Izuku had his whole speech planned and had even managed to run through it a few times in his head.

            "Thank you, Midnight-sensei and all of you in the crowd," Midoriya began, "Today is a day of unique opportunity for us first year students. We declare today to the world who we want to be. We all have long roads ahead of us, but today is the first stop on our paths.

            "Some of you may recognize me as the kid who stepped in during the sludge villain incident last year. I acted when professional heroes who were on the scene refused to act. They did so because their quirks were not suited for the incident. I think that this is unacceptable.

            "I don't say this to call out these heroes, but to call out all heroes. A hero should be more than a strong quirk. If strength were everything in this world, then the tiger would not fear the viper. A hero needs to be fearless, compassionate, willing to step in to save someone no matter what, and willing to fight with everything they have. We have forgotten that.

            "We glorify men and women who do not act as heroes because they wield strong quirks on our behalves. We celebrate bullies and ignore their victims. I will not be a hero in that system.

            "If I have to start a new system myself then I vow to do so. I vow to stand here with my fellow students, proud to say that we are giving it our all. I vow to never judge someone based off their quirk, but off their effort, determination, and heart. I vow to always stand up for what is right. I vow to be a hero!"

            As Izuku finished, he heard the unnatural silence that had filled the stadium during his speech. His heart hammered in his chest as he waited for something to happen. Slowly and then all at once the stadium came to life with cheers and applause, growing louder and louder until it was deafening. Izuku felt the stage shake underneath his feet.

            With a smile he turned and began walking back to his place between Uraraka and Iida. As he passed many students gave him pats on the back or complimented him. Izuku stopped by a certain dual natured teen.

            "I vowed we'd give our all, Shouto," Izuku said. With the roar of the crowd around them only Shouto could hear his words. "You plan to make me a liar?" He quirked an eyebrow and left him without waiting for a response.

            "That was so cool!" Uraraka shouted as he rejoined his friends. "You just called out all of Japan! To all of Japan!"

            "Indeed," Iida agreed with her, "that was quite eloquent. How long did it take you to write?"

            "Not too long," Izuku half truthed.

            "Alrighty then," Midnight shouted over the loud speaker, trying to get the last of the applause to stop. "Without further ado, let's see what our first event is gonna be! Please direct your attention to the screens!" The crowd let out a softer cheer at her words.

            The screen showed a large wheel rapidly spinning. As it began to slow, an anxious murmur passed through the students. They saw options of tug-a-war, paintball, even an obstacle race tick past. Finally, the wheel stopped.

            "Looks like our first event is going to be a round of 'the floor is lava!'" Midnight confirmed. She leapt deftly into the stands and continued speaking. The ground beneath the students began to rumble. A number of walls and platforms began to rise up around the students. "In just a moment a nice hot and steamy 'lava'" she finger quoted the word lava, "is going to be pumped in. It's your job to stay off the ground and out of the lava for as long as possible."

            Suddenly a thick orange substance began to flow out of the tunnels and onto the field. The students were standing on an invisible high point, but it wasn't going to be safe for long. Many students backed away from the edge of their little island and pressed towards the middle.

            "Go!" Midnight shouted and another wave of 'lava' shot out of the tunnels. The world slowed as Izuku felt a chill run through the ground. He submerged himself in the pools of One for All and leapt off of the island. As he flew towards one of the walls nearby, he looked down and saw that Todoroki had sent a sheet of frost across the island and a little more than half of the students were now stuck to.

            He struck the wall and used his strength to create foot and hand holds, digging into the stone like it was little more than clay. He looked around to see which of his classmates were nearby. Todoroki was standing atop an icy pillar, which seemed to be melting in the 'lava'. Momo was on a pair of stilts, the bottoms of which burned. Uraraka was floating upwards and seemed to be aiming for one of the higher platforms. Sero had swung to a wall using his tape and had Kaminari clinging onto his back for dear life.

            Izuku watched as the students frozen to the island were taken out by the ever rising 'lava'. A lot of them screamed, but it seemed to be more in shock and fear than pain. Present Mic's commentary began to fill the stadium but Izuku couldn't focus on it with how slow the world was moving. Satisfied that UA wouldn't put students in any real danger, Izuku began bouncing down a narrow alleyway created by two parallel walls. He was looking for a platform that he could stop on and wait for some time to pass.

            He saw one at the end of the alley and pushed off the wall harder, up towards the plateau. Izuku lazily spun into a backflip, more to pass the time than anything, and landed softly. He stood up and saw the safe haven was in fact crawling with robots from the entrance exam. He debated just jumping away again and finding a different place to rest, but he decided that that would contradict the vow he made.

            Izuku noted five three-point robots, with their rocket launchers, and three two-point robots, with their strong tails. He moved deeper into the ocean of One for All and quickly grabbed a two-pointer by the tail. He spun around and around using the two-pointer to bludgeon the other robots off the platform before swiftly throwing the robot in his hands after them.

            Safe on his plateau, Izuku let One for All and Reflex go. He couldn't be sure how long he would be safe here, but he couldn't hold One for All for all that long and Reflex just made everything feel so much longer.

            "What an amazing display of skill by Midoriya!" Present Mic shouted over the loud speaker. Izuku could finally listen. "He swept those robots aside like yesterday's garbage! You must be proud Eraserhead!"

            "All of my students should at least be able to do that much," Izuku heard Aizawa's bored response.

            Returning to the field Izuku considered the strategic value of his location while he waited for a reason to move. It was of a medium height, not overly tall like some of the platforms. This meant that it wouldn't be a target for some of the heavy hitters, but it might be under attack from those who were struggling to get higher. It was wide, about thirty feet in diameter. This would mean lots of room to maneuver around his opponents. It also had a clear view of one of the screens. Not all that useful but at least it provided a welcome distraction.

            Izuku watched as the names of other students began darkening to signify that they had been eliminated. More and more names dimmed and Izuku wondered if they were having trouble with the robots. When he heard the sound of approaching explosions, he remembered that not everyone was as isolated as he was. Present Mic described Bakugo's bloodthirsty rampage and Izuku suppressed the urge to go stop him.

            Izuku looked around to get a sense of what was going on closer to home. He saw a few students trying to scale the cliff face of his platform. There was a ledge on a cliff about thirty feet away and fifteen feet up. It wasn't as cozy as his plateau, but it would make a good escape route if nothing else. Izuku looked back down at the scaling students and saw that they were closer to the 'lava' than before.

            Did they fall? Izuku wondered. The students kept on climbing, but they seemed to get no further away from the red goo. Realization dawned on him. Izuku then watched in horror as the 'lava' slowly overtook them on their climb. The 'lava' was rising.

            Izuku dove into One for All and leapt to the higher ledge to get further away from the threat. Izuku looked back to see if he could still see the screen, only to find a concrete wall now surrounded the entire field. He checked on the students to see they were floating on the hot liquid, not needing or being able to swim in it, he wasn't sure. Izuku had no way of knowing how many students remained, but he intended to be the last of them. Izuku began looking for the endgame.

            He couldn't find it. There had to be one cliff or spire, higher than all the others, but Izuku couldn't find anything taller than the structure he was on...Oh! Izuku looked up and saw that rather than a cliff he was on a spire that started thick near where he was but spiraled upwards thinning to a singular point.

            Izuku took a deep breath and jumped as far up the wall as he could. When his jump lost its momentum, Izuku put his feet against the side of the spire and used his speed to run up it. Running with Reflex had always been grueling. It had felt like every muscle was on fire and he got nowhere. Running with Reflex and One for All was more like being shot out of a canon. Izuku could feel the rush of the wind pulling against him, his body was pumped with adrenaline, and he felt alive.

            He kept Reflex low enough that even his increased speed seemed to be a gentle jog. It meant he could still react easily enough to anything around him, but he didn't get bored.

            Izuku heard deep extended explosions behind him, apparently Bakugo had seen his jump and was trying to catch up with him. He would burn that bridge when he came to it, or maybe blow up in this case. For now, Izuku was completely focused on what awaited him at the spire's peak.

            Todoroki Shouto stood at the top. He had frozen the top thirty feet of the spire and looked like the king of his castle. The top of the spire itself looked like it was only about a foot in diameter, barely enough to fit both feet upon.

            Izuku launched himself upward so fast Shouto couldn't counter. Izuku grabbed the heterochromatic teen by the collar and threw him into the air. Ice seemed to fly with him and solidified around his foot, holding Shouto onto the spire.

            Izuku punched the ice and shattered it, he could feel one of his knuckles split on the hard surface. He watched as Shouto began to fall back towards him. Izuku could feel the chill that forewarned one of Shouto's ice barrages and decided it was safer to simply leap into the air and over him. Multicolored eyes widened as Shouto landed back on the spire. Izuku looked down and saw that the spire was all that remained in the field of lava. Half a dozen of his classmates clung to its side.

            Bakugo was rocketing straight for the top. It gave Izuku an idea. He just had to wait for the perfect opening. As Izuku began to fall back towards Shouto he pulled back a fist. Shouto was totally focused on the threat in front of him, namely Izuku. Bakugo's eyes had also been unerringly tracking Izuku. The moment Izuku's feet hit the spire, rather than throw his telegraphed punch, he jumped.

            Bakugo's right hook, which had been aimed right at the back of Izuku's head, hit Shouto in the jaw. Shouto on the other hand, who had been aiming a counter blow for Izuku's ribs, hit Bakugo on the hip. The two blows knocked both boys away from the peak. Izuku saw Shouto make a step of ice before his foot left the ground. Bakugo fired an explosion to correct himself. The two boys began to exchange quick blows as Izuku's jump reached its peak.

            Izuku took his eyes off of the two boys just long enough to look and see that only Momo remained on the side of the spire. She had used mountain climbing hooks to dig into the ice. She seemed to be avoiding the conflict on the top, content to save her energy for later rounds. The 'lava' rose just beneath her before Momo simply let go and began to fall into the goo.

            The 'lava' was rising swiftly and Izuku didn't have much time left. He slowed the world with Reflex until his fall had all but stopped. He needed a plan. Izuku knew he'd advance to the second round if he fell now, but he wanted to win.

            The fall gave him time to consider all of his options. He didn't like the thought of entering a slug fest, the winner would be determined more off of luck than anything. He couldn't throw them off, he didn't have the room to maneuver. Coming up with something a little crazy, Izuku let go of Reflex just enough that the fall resumed, albeit slowly.

            As Izuku approached the peak of the spiral both the other boys' eyes flicked towards him. They both prepared blows to hit him as he landed, but Izuku didn't land. He spread his legs, flying past the small platform and both punches, and clutched at the icy peak with his knees. When he had stopped his decent, Izuku quickly struck the spiral with both palms and broke off the top five feet. Bakugo and Shouto fell as the spiral was ripped from underneath them.

            Shouto got the worst of it. The peak had launched directly into his leg and sent him spinning head over heels. Bakugo managed to right himself with an explosion and was looking down with a crazed smile on his face. Izuku waited until the blond looked up, clearly planning to use his explosions to maintain his flight, before he leapt off the now shortened spiral.

            As Izuku flew through the air he looked down and saw Shouto splash into the 'lava' just as the 'lava' covered the spiral. All safe havens now gone, Izuku had nowhere to land. At least not anywhere he could stay on for long. Thankfully his timing was always perfect.

            Izuku's foot connected with Bakugo's face. Izuku pushed off hard the second his knee absorbed the impact of the hit. With one last adjustment to the plan, he changed the angle of the push. Izuku went flying through the air. Bakugo was sent tumbling back, his own explosions propelling him down into the 'lava' with a mighty splash.  

            Izuku hoped he had aimed right. He hadn't thought of it at first, but he had realized as he was kicking Bakugo that he didn't really want to land in the lava. He had seen the spiral as the highest point, and that had been true then. There was something that had to always stay above the lava though, the containment wall.

            Izuku's jump was barely long enough. The spiral had been in the exact middle of the stadium and the wall was at the very edge of the field. Izuku landed with a bit of a stumble but the thick wall proved an easy place to land. Izuku stood straight and looked down out at the audience beyond the wall. Izuku dropped his quirks and the roar of the crowd welcomed him back to reality.

            "Incredible!" Present Mic shouted over the loud speaker. "Midoriya has defeated both of the other front runners and avoided the lava completely! Ladies and gentlemen the winner of the first round, Midoriya Izuku!"

            The crowd's applause surged and Izuku thought he might be blown straight off the wall and into the 'lava' by the force of it. A wide smile split his face and he laughed with exhilaration. That had been terrifying and exhausting, but Izuku had won.

            Izuku felt the wall rumble as it suddenly began to slip back into the earth. Izuku turned and watched in amazement as the sea of 'lava' dropped with it. None of the platforms or walls reemerged. It all simply slipped away, leaving only the students lying in various positions on the field.

            Students quickly shot up and began rushing around, looking for friends and answers. Uraraka ran straight over to Izuku and gave him a hug. The 'lava', which she soaked in, was ice cold now that it was all in small clumps. Uraraka only got to say a quick 'Congratulations,' before Midnight hoped back onto her stage, which had somehow reappeared, and called them to order.

            "I hope you all had fun!" she shouted into the mic. "After all what's better than a little hot oil," she teased with a wink. "Now I'm sure you all want to know if you made the cut. Unfortunately, we can't take you all into round two so only the final forty-two to fall will advance."

            Students around Izuku let out a mix of groans and cheers. He had known he was safe so neither left him. The screens relit the names of the other forty-one contestants that would be joining Izuku in round two.

            "There ain't no rest for the wicked! So, let's see what the second round is gonna be!" Midnight exclaimed. The spinning wheel returned to the screens, replacing the names of the contestants. It spun for less long this time before slowing down. Izuku saw battleships, chariot battle, and sharks and minnows flash by just before it stopped.

            "And it looks like it's gonna be a game of Mr. President!" Midnight shouted. The stadium roared in anticipation for the coming spectacle.

Chapter Text

            "Now for the rules of Mr. President!" Midnight shouted over the roar of the crowd. "The students will divide into teams of three to five. Each team will have one President, and the other students will be considered body guards. Each President will wear a blind fold as well as a tie Velcroed around their neck.

            "The ties will have the teams' points on them. The objective for the body guards is to acquire as many points in fifteen minutes as possible by stealing the other president's ties and protecting their President. Any ties taken by a body guard must be put on their president as soon as possible, the points won't count otherwise.

            "Each team's starting points will be determined by combining the value of all of its members. Each student's value will be based off of the order in which they finished in the first round. Forty-second will have five points, forty-first ten, and so forth all the way to second place with two hundred and five. The only exception being first place who will have ten million points!"

            Hungry eyes turned to Izuku at the reveal. He was a target, a sure-fire way to advance to the finals. He thought he ought to feel anxious, but he felt exhilarated. He was starting at the top and no one was going to pull him down.

            "Students!" Midnight called bringing their attention back to her. "You will have fifteen minutes to form your teams and strategize. Go!"

            Izuku let time slow to a crawl around him. He knew what he wanted to do himself, but he wanted to plan out his team. He went through the students of 1-A and who's quirks would be well suited for type of gameplay.

            Izuku made a mental list of who he wanted and a list of backups. Releasing Reflex, the world returned to normal and Izuku went after his first teammate.

            "Momo!" Izuku called as he found the tall girl, she was scowling at the ground. "Would you like to join my team?"

            "Are you sure?" Momo asked him. She seemed surprised that he had sought her out and Izuku worried for her. She was ideal for this type of game, but she needed to keep her confidence up.

            "I'm positive," he assured her with a grin. "Your creativity is ideal for this! Plus, we already know we work well together after the USJ right?"

            "Y-yes!" Momo agreed. "Very well Izuku, I'll be on your team."

            "Awesome!" He cried. "Follow me, we need to get our other teammates!"

            He turned around to search out his next target when Uraraka popped up right in front of him.

            "Midori!" Uraraka shouted in his face, "Let's team up!"

            "Yeah!" Izuku agreed. He had been planning on finding her next. "So far, it's you, Momo, and myself. Let's go get our last two teammates and then we can talk about plans."

            Izuku saw his next target and quickly walked up to the blue haired boy. "Iida!" He called as he approached. Izuku didn't even get to ask the boy to team up before he responded.

            "I'm sorry Midoriya," he said. "I know it is wise to team up with friends you know you work well with, but Todoroki isn't the only one looking to prove themselves against you."

            "I understand," Izuku sighed. He was sad he wouldn't get to work with Iida, but he understood needing to make a stand. "Good luck Iida."

            The taller boy nodded and walked away. "Aw man!" Uraraka cried from behind him. "Now what?"

            "We adapt," Izuku shrugged and looked around the field again. Small groups were beginning to cluster together, but his last pick was still alone.

            "Ojiro!" Izuku called and waved at the boy. "Would you like join our team?"

            "Can Hagakure join too?" The tailed boy asked. "We sort of agreed to partner up already."

            It was only then that Izuku noticed the floating uniform next to him. "Of course!" Izuku cheered. "That'll be perfect."

            The four students gathered around him and Izuku felt a growing confidence at his team.

            "Okay here's what I was thinking," he told them. "The best way to obtain the other teams' ties is for all of you to act as a unified strike force. Most of the teams are probably going to leave only one or two body guards with their President, so having the superior numbers you can overwhelm almost any one."

            "But that would leave you unguarded!" Momo exclaimed. "We can't do that."

            Izuku held in a chuckle, it was rude to be dismissive of her concerns. "It'll be okay Momo," he assured her. "I am sure I can avoid getting into trouble. Reflex will keep me safe and I won't have to fight anyone."

            Momo looked concerned at the idea but nodded her consent.

            Izuku then turned and faced each teammate in turn. "Momo, I think you should be in charge of leading the strike force. Focus on selecting vulnerable targets and neutralizing dangerous quirks. Keep an eye out for Kaminari and Ashido especially."

            "Are you sure?" Momo looked at Uraraka and Ojiro. "I'm sure one of the others would be more suited to leading a strike force."

            "You're all able," Izuku confirmed and Momo's face fell a little with what looked like glum acceptance, "but I think that having you lead is ideal. You can direct the team's focus on going after those whose quirks you've already thought of a counter for."

            "O-okay," Momo relented. She still didn't seem confident in her role, but she took on a steady determination to do her best. Izuku was proud to see it. Uraraka clapped the taller girl on the shoulder and gave her a big smile and a thumbs up.

            "Uraraka, partner with Momo," Izuku said turning to the optimistic girl. "You two will have to have each other’s backs. Send anyone you can flying, even if they already seem down. Once they fly out of the stadium, the teachers will grab them, and they probably won't be allowed to return to the field."

            "Right," Uraraka confirmed with a nod.

            "Ojiro, Hagakure," Izuku addressed the two together, "I think we should keep the two of you together. Ojiro can distract the guards and Hagakure you can slip by unnoticed and steal the headbands. You need to keep an eye out in for if either of you start getting overwhelmed."

            "Does that sound good?" Izuku asked as he finished. He wanted to make sure he wasn't being bossy. He had come up with a good plan, but he didn't want to ignore the ideas of his teammates.

            "Yeah!" Hagakure bobbed. "I can totally stealth mode!" Hagakure began taking off the gym uniform that she was wearing. Izuku did his best not to blush or stare as she revealed her sports bra and lack of panties.

            "Hagakure!" Momo blushed. "You can't just strip in the middle of the field! And why aren't you wearing any underwear!?"

            "I can't?" Hagakure whined.

            "She isn't the first," Izuku coughed. He still wasn't looking at the invisible girl, but all eyes seemed to be focused on him now. "Well there was a boy two years ago who stripped naked for the first event. It was a really big scandal, what with him only being fifteen. He ended up coming in dead last too, so it wasn't even like it helped him. But it is allowed."

            "Fine," Momo huffed, "That still doesn't explain the lack of underwear. It's indecent."

            "I thought it would be better not to flash my panties to all of Japan," Hagakure explained. She folded her uniform neatly and placed it and her bra just pass the edge of the ring.

            Izuku spent a few minutes musing aloud the most likely approach of the 1-A students. He had thought a good deal about what roles they would be suited to and how to best use them. Some would probably come up with their own plans, but better to share the information he had.

            Midnight came around and confirmed their team then she gave them the blindfold and Velcro neck tie. The blind fold looked like a blacked-out diver's mask. Midnight headed back towards her podium, the stage having been removed in preparation for the second event.

            "All righty!" Midnight shouted and the students all turned towards her. "I need all Presidents to put on their ties and blindfolds please." Izuku slipped the tie around his neck first and then put the blind fold over his eyes. The world went dark and Izuku felt the mask suction to his face. He tried to pull it off only to find it stubbornly clinging to his face.

            "Remember, don't worry about me," Izuku told his team as the Presidents continued to ready themselves and were checked over by Midnight. "Focus on getting as many head bands as you can. This is your chance to show the pros that you can work in a team. Trust each other and work together."

            "The Presidents are ready!" Midnight roared excitedly into the mic. "The second round begins now!"

            Izuku took a deep breath and as he inhaled, he fell backwards into his own mind. He had practiced using Reflex as a danger sense before with Gyatso. His teacher had thrown things at him and Izuku dodged them with his eyes closed. This was going to be a bit more intense.

            Izuku knew that at least half of the body guards that were attacking were going to rush him. He was not only the biggest fish in the pond, but he had been left unguarded. He placed his left hand on his chest to keep his tie from flying around.

            Izuku could only tell that world had slowed by the deepening of the roar of the crowd. His body moved on instinct, his eyes flicking to the place of attack. He ducked and slid underneath what seemed to be a thrown-out hand. He stepped behind the attacker and took a few steps to separate the two of them.

            Izuku dodged another blow, this one coming from his right side, by leaning forward and moving outside of its path. He would have laughed if it wasn't nearly impossible with Reflex activated. He was having such fun.

***

            TetsuTetsu was getting ticked off at the little green haired teen in front of him. He seemed to slip past his jabs without any real effort. TetsuTetsu was one of eight people coming after him, but no one could land a hit or grab the ten-million-point tie.

            A girl with long green hair sent something flying at the boy, was that her tongue?! The boy shot up into the air.

            "And with a leap, Midoriya has performed another impossible dodge! What are you feeding that boy Eraserhead!?" Present Mic screamed over the loud speaker. TetsuTetsu was getting annoyed at hearing the hero shout the small boy's praises.

            Everyone had been certain that the boy was simply planning to let the ten million points go and start from the bottom. Present Mic had even called it a good plan, it meant the heat would be on someone else. The moment he had dodged TetsuTetsu's first grab it had all gone downhill. Present Mic had then started a play by play that felt more like cheering for the ten-million-point boy.

            TetsuTetsu and a red-haired boy rushed simultaneously. Each had their arm outstretched in a lariat. TetsuTetsu's shined gloriously, the other boy's seemed jagged and rock hard. TetsuTetsu was aiming high, the red head low. The was no way the green devil could dodge them both!

            He watched in awed rage as the boy threw himself parallel to the ground and spun between the two outstretched arms as the boys rushed past him. TetsuTetsu stopped himself and whipped back around only to find the boy already on his feet and slipping past a flurry of blows being directed at him by Kodai.

            TetsuTetsu began searching for an opening. He needed a moment when the boy was already distracted. The boy next to him shot a wide cloth from his elbows at their mutual target only to have him side step and it wrap around Kodai instead. It clung to her like tape and pinned her limbs to her sides.

            The green haired boy was surrounded. He was blind and alone. This should have been easy. So why couldn't anybody touch him!

***

            Momo had seen Izuku do amazing things before. He could hang from just his fingertips, move his body in complicated and seemingly painful ways, and she didn't think she'd ever seen him get hit except for by that horrible creature at USJ. He was amazing. What he was doing today was impossible.

            She had watched in awe as Izuku scaled the side of the spire, he ran so swiftly that she had thought she was seeing things. She had pinched herself to check if someone had knocked her out and she was dreaming. He was real. He was running up a nearly ninety-degree angle cloaked in what looked like green lightning.

            She had frozen the moment he had begun running, too shocked to keep up her climb. When he leaped forty feet straight up into the air, she had been dumbfounded. Her face had frozen into a mask of calm, but she knew that that was impossible. No one could jump that high without some kind of quirk that helped and Izuku's couldn't do that. She had let go of her climbing hook and fell into the goo without even noticing, she had been too lost in her confusion.

            She had been plagued with thoughts of deceptions and lies. Izuku had lied to them, lied to her, about what his quirk did. Except... Izuku wouldn't do that.

            Izuku was the boy who had saved her life again and again. He had kept her safe from countless villains as they fought their way through together. He had stood between her and Shigaraki when the villain had tried to kill her. He had fought the Nomu while she had stood there helpless. Together they had dealt with the stampede of students. They were class representatives together. He had been her first real friend. He wouldn't lie to her.

            When he had approached her to join his team, his smile had convinced her. Whatever was happening, he really was her friend. She would ask him about it later. Right now, they needed to focus on the tasks at hand.

            She thought Izuku was gonna ask her to be the President. It would be exactly like the USJ. He would protect her, and she would use her quirk to make anything he asked, anything he could use. Then he sent her away. He had refused any help, having to take on the world by himself. She didn't understand why it had hurt so much.

            She hadn't gotten to mope for long. He had interrupted her feelings by putting her in charge. She'd tried to refuse, she couldn't lead a strike force. He had denied her self-doubt and trusted her. She wouldn't let him down.

            The moment the round started all four members of the strike force ran straight for President Kaminari. He was the easiest person to counteract. Momo passed out grounding rods to each member.

            "Four o'clock!" Sato shouted to Kaminari.

            Kaminari grinned maniacally as he turned towards them. Momo led Uraraka off to the left and Ojiro led Hagakure to the right. Sato ran after Ojiro and the two exchanged a few blows, but Sato didn't have access to sugar, he was fighting quirkless. Ojiro quickly overpowered the muscular boy and drove him away from his President.

            Momo and Uraraka were trying to quietly approach the electric blond while his guard was distracted but the boy's quirk could be seen flowing over his skin. Making a move for the tie was a dangerous gamble.

            "Now!" Sato shouted as Ojiro stepped fully between him and Kaminari.

            "Indiscriminate Shock!!!" Kaminari screamed and let his quirk flow down into the earth and towards everyone. The second started screaming every member of team Midoriya stabbed their grounding rod into the earth just as planned. Momo felt the tingle of the electricity pass through her and then down into the earth.

            Momo readied herself for another quick attack but noticed that Kaminari had the dumb expression on his face that meant he had over used his quirk. She snatched the tie from around his neck. "Disengage!" she ordered her teammates and started running away to regroup. Maybe she could do this after all.

            As she ran, she looked at the other teams around her. Shoji stood on his own, having changed two of his arms to eyes to see despite the blind fold. There was a shell made out of vines that some students were trying to hack their way through. In the corner Todoroki was putting the finishing touches on a wall of ice to protect his president. That's when she saw the perfect target.

            Jirou was standing with three ties around her neck and Mina standing guard. After they dropped off the tie with Izuku they'd come right back. She hadn't seen their green haired President since the round started but she knew just where he'd be. Right in the middle of the biggest mob of students.

            "Just like we planned Uraraka!" Momo shouted as they ran up behind the group whose focus was entirely on the green haired boy.

            Momo, Ojiro, and Hagakure all slowed for a moment as Uraraka ran behind the ring of students and began slapping them on their backs. As soon as a student was hit, the three of them took turns running up behind the startled weightless student and giving them a swift push upward. After a hand full of students were sent flying through the air the others seemed to notice the commotion. By then it was too late and Uraraka slapped Kirishima on the back finishing her lap around the circle.

            "Uraraka! That's so manly!" he shouted as Momo struck him with the grounding rod she was now wielding like a bo staff. He flew straight towards the heavens until Powerloader-sensei grabbed him with a retractable claw attached to the top of the stadium.

            "Guys?" Izuku asked. "How'd it go?"

            "We got Kaminari's tie and sent about ten or eleven people out of bounds," Momo informed him.

            "Nice!" Izuku grinned. "Uraraka, how ya holding up?"

            "Not bad," the girl lied, she was green in the face and had her head in between her knees.

            "I think team Todoroki is coming this way!" Hagakure shouted. Her sleeve was raised in the direction of the split haired boy, Iida, and a student Momo didn't recognize ran towards them, all of whom were rushing straight at Izuku from the other side of the stadium.

            "I got this," Izuku assured them. "Go ahead and try and get another tie. I wouldn't try and sneak up on Todoroki though, you could get frozen in place and taken out of the game. If you get another just hold onto it until the end. Now go!"

            Izuku turned and put his hands out towards the oncoming team. Momo helped Ojiro pick Uraraka up and hurried off to get out of the splash zone.

***

            Bakugo blew up another extra with a disgusted sneer. Why couldn't any of these pathetic whimps put up a good fight. He had started out with shitty hair, but when some trash from the other class had tried to lecture him, he had decided to make it his mission to see the entire class destroyed instead.

            So far he had gained two of their pathetic ties and made sure sound girl had 'em and hadn't been knocked out yet. He was going after some skeletal fuck now and he was nothing to write home about. The fucker seemed to have made the ring around him into liquid cement and a plain looking kid with black hair was stuck in it already.

            Bakugo stopped his assault for a moment as he watched a stream of extras fly up and out of the stadium. He spotted a familiar shitty spike of red hair and his scowl deepened.

            Fucking Deku, he thought. Serves them right though, trying to take down someone that strong. The only people who have a chance are me and-"

            His thoughts were interrupted as a giant glacier formed in the middle of the stadium.

            Icy-Hot! Bakugo grinned. He leapt over the moat of cement and came down with a hard punch to the skeletons face. He grabbed the tie off the unconscious fuck and blasted his way back towards Sound Girl, excited to join a realfight.

***

            Izuku was having more trouble than he had expected. He had planned for the initial wave of attackers to come on strong. Reflex had been pushed in almost every way. He hadn't perfected its danger sense, but it had still kept him out of trouble.

            He had expected Shouto to wait until the first wave had been dealt with to move in. What he hadn't planned for was the total onslaught Shouto brought with him. He had heard the engines in Iida's legs, but he had almost been taken by surprise by the third attacker.

            Shouto's glaciers came in fairly straight lines that were preempted by a drop-in temperature. Izuku could dodge to either side easily enough. The problem was that every time he did, he seemed to jump straight into an oncoming attack from either Iida or the mystery student. He was sure they weren't from 1-A.

            Luckily Iida's reaction time was not as high as his speed and it made him sloppy. The other student seemed to be relying on stretching their limbs out at Izuku and grabbing at the tie. Izuku was swatting away the hard appendages any time they came near. Between all three attacks Izuku had been forced to start using One for All to up his speed and slow time even further. He was keeping the waves of One for All small though, only about five percent.

            Izuku ducked underneath another kick from Iida, the roar of his engines giving his moves away. He slipped past the boy and towards what he hoped was an open section of the ring. Time meant nothing anymore and Izuku feared he was moving too quickly and time too slowly. His stamina was not infinite. If he wasn't careful, he could deplete all of his energy and pass out.

            The back of Izuku's neck began to tingle, and Izuku went into a high flip to get out of the way of whatever attack was coming at him. He thought he heard the grinding sound that came from the extendable limbs beneath him. He winced in sympathy for the poor student's joints.

            The flip gave Izuku a rare glimpse into how slow time was moving. He fell slowly but not even as slow as when he jumps from windows. He hoped that meant he could hold onto Reflex and One for All long enough to make it through the round. He landed heavily on the outstretched limbs beneath him and his stomach churned as he felt a crack.

            Guess that takes care of one attacker, Izuku thought morbidly. His relief didn't last long as he heard the deep boom of slowed explosions drawing near.

            Izuku luckily knew Bakugo's attack pattern fairly well, he'd start with a right hook. Izuku began to duck underneath the blow when he felt a burst of hot air in front of him. It was the same feint as in the battle trial Izuku realized, but this time without being able to see the explosive boy's eyes, Izuku had fallen for it. The explosion at his back started to go off and Izuku ripped One for All through his body and moved into a roll.

            Izuku could feel the heat on the back of his neck and shoulders even after he came out of the roll. He must have been burnt by the explosion. This wasn't good. He had struggled to deal with both Shouto and Bakugo with his sight, he wasn't sure he could do it blind.

            Izuku felt the preemptive cold of Shouto's ice but it was wrong. Rather than being underneath him it seemed to be running in front of him. He jumped away from the ice regardless and felt an intense drop as the glacier took form. It must have been larger than the others because the cold air pouring off of it was greater than ever before.

            Izuku heard the dull thud of muffled explosions as another drop ran underneath him. He jumped aside again and heard a great crack. Izuku realized that Shouto must have caught Bakugo in one of his glaciers and Bakugo had just exploded his way out.

            He risked dropping Reflex for a second when the deep sound of a voice started.

            "What the fuck was that, Icy-Hot!?" Bakugo shouted. "Deku 's right fucking there!"

            "You're getting in my way," Shouto shot back coldly. "Now go away."

            Izuku felt the drop-in air temperature again and jumped away but it wasn't aimed him, it was sent at Bakugo again. Izuku was amazed that the two boys could be so hard headed as to fight each other now.

            The roar of engines brought him back into the fight as he rushed to reactivate Reflex. Too slow the kick caught him in the head, and he was thrown to the side. He used his changed momentum to do a cartwheel and get back to his feet. He got back in his ready pose and prepared for another fight.

            An electrum booming began to resonate through the field. Must be Mic doing the final countdown. I wonder when he started?

            Izuku felt the tingle on his neck and the roar of engines but it was wrong. The sound was deeper and louder. Present Mic's countdown got slower.

            He must have gone into a higher gear! Izuku realized. I'm not fast enough to dodge right now with how little of One for All I'm using. I'll have to use more.

            Izuku felt the ocean within him. He urged the gentle swells into large crashing waves and he no longer felt like his body was slow. He rolled to the right and popped back onto his feet. Iida must have been unprepared for such speed because Izuku didn't notice another frontal assault.

            Before he could relax, he felt something coming at him from behind. The lowered sound of explosions tipping him off to his attacker. He waited until the perfect moment and performed a low flip, rising above his attacker. He slammed his feet down into their back.

            Izuku was surprised to find not one but two people crushed beneath him. Shouto must have been attacking him as well, or maybe one of Bakugo's teammates. Izuku heard a loud buzzer ring through the field and fully released Reflex and One for All. The blind fold unstuck from his face with a squelch and Izuku went ahead and removed it.

            "What an amazing display from class 1-A's Midoriya Izuku!"  Mic was shouting. "Single handedly maintaining the lead for his team and dealing with both Bakugo and Todoroki in a single blow!"

            Izuku only then remembered he was atop of the boys and looked down. Both of the boys were scowling at him as though they could light him on fire. Izuku stepped back and tried to help them up.

            "The fuck was that, Deku!" Bakugo shouted at him as he smacked the greenette's hand away. "You can't move like that! Did you take some sort of drug you cheater! I swear to god I'll fucking end you, if you did something that stupid!"

            "I-it's not like that, Bakugo," Izuku assured the angry blond. "I can explain-"

            "Well you fucking better!" Bakugo shouted.

            Shouto stood and walked away without a word.

            "It all-"

            Izuku was interrupted by Midnight's snap of her whip. "At the end of round of round two the four teams who managed to keep points will be moving onto the finals!" she shouted. "In first place, maintaining their ten million points, Team Midoriya! Joining him in the final round will be team Jirou, Ibara, and Tokoyami!" The crowd roared in thunderous applause.

            "For round three!" she continued drawing the crowd back in. "We will have a single elimination one v one tournament!"

            The crowd interrupted her again with more cheers. "Here are the fights of the first round!" She shouted into the mic.

            The screens flashed and showed the bracket of the tournament.

            Midoriya Izuku v Todoroki Shouto

            Ojiro Mashirao v Kirishima Eijiro

            Iida Tenya v Hatsume Mei

            Shinso Hitoshi v Bakugo Katsuki

            Yaoyarozu Momo v Uraraka Ochako

            Hagakure Toru v Jiro Kyoka

            Ibara Shiozaki v Ashido Mina

            Kendo Itsuka v Tokoyami Fumikage

            "The first round will commence in one hour after lunch!" Midnight finished. The crowd actually booed at that. Guess they don't wanna wait.

Chapter Text

"Now explain!" Bakugo shouted as Midnight left the podium.

"I-it's m-my quirk!" Izuku stammered. Bakugo's furious glare was making him nervous. "It-"

"Your coward's quirk can't do that shit!" Bakugo interrupted him.

"It evolved! D-during the attack at the USJ," Izuku explained. He and Aizawa had come up with the explanation earlier in case someone asked and had even updated his quirk registration. He hadn't been prepared for the intensity that was Bakugo's interrogation though.

"How'd you coward's quirk evolve into super strength?!" the blond shouted at him.

"It's-it's n-not super strength," Izuku corrected him. "It's more like the super speed of my neurons was pushed beyond my brain and through my whole nervous system. So, I can move super-fast and the increased force is a result of that!" The explanation made sense. Izuku mostly used the stronger waves of One for All to increase his speed and not his blows, so it was the speed he needed to explain more.

"You better not get it into your head that you're anything but a coward you bastard! Always have been and always will be. Just cause you can run away faster now doesn't mean shit!" With that final outburst Bakugo turned and stalked away. The scowl on his face was scary enough that the crowd of students parted before him to let him pass.

Izuku was about to follow when he heard his name shouted from behind.

Izuku turned to see Uraraka and Momo come sprinting up to him from across the field. The world slowed as Uraraka tackled him into a bear hug and they fell together into a heap on the field, Izuku too tired to bother moving out of the way.

"Ah! You did it, Midori!" She screamed. "I can't believe it! You were amazing!"

"Uraraka!" Momo scolded the girl as Izuku blushed a little from underneath her, he hadn't expected to be taken down so easily. "Are you okay Izuku?"

Izuku managed a hasty nod. "A b-bit tired," he confessed. "Using Reflex like that is pretty draining."

Uraraka jumped up freeing Izuku and he shakily got to his feet. His knees gave out and Momo and Uraraka each grabbed an arm to help steady him. The two girls exchanged a look and slipped his arms around their shoulders. Both girls were crouching as they supported the shorter boy and they made their way to the cafeteria for lunch.

"The way you dodged Todoroki and Iida! They were all like fwoosh tututu, and vrrooomm vrooom. But you were all like kakow and boosh!" Uraraka began excitedly using her free hand to recreate the second event for him as they walked.

Izuku tried to listen but Momo was deep in thought next to him with a scowl on her face. He was worried about what could have her so focused. Izuku waited for her to talk to him though. It wouldn't do any good to rush her.

As Uraraka was beginning to describe how Izuku had crushed the mechanical arms sent at him by the third member of Shouto's team, thank god Izuku hadn't broken real arms, Momo finally broke in.

"Izuku..." she hesitated, she seemed unsure of how to phrase whatever was on her mind. "How did you do all that?"

Izuku sighed. He decided he much preferred Bakugo's yelling to the hurt expression that Momo wore in that moment. It stabbed at his heart and for a brief moment he thought about telling her the truth.

"I'm sorry Momo," Izuku started. She seemed to take it as a confirmation of her worst fears but Izuku didn't stop. "My quirk evolved after the USJ and I should have told everyone, but I was still trying to figure it out myself."

"Whoa!" Uraraka exclaimed. "What does that mean?"

Izuku chuckled at his excitable friend. "Well Reflex roughly works by increasing the rate at which the neurons in my brain and eyes fire. The stress of fighting the Nomu forced it to increase the rate at which all my neurons fire."

"Whoa!" Uraraka repeated herself.

"So, you have enhanced speed now and it's because of the USJ attack?" Momo asked with trepidation in her voice.

"Y-yeah," Izuku confirmed. He gave Momo an abashed look and hoped she would accept his apology. He was concerned to see her face had gone from intense to ashamed.

"Then it is my fault!" She exclaimed. Izuku was shocked by the sudden outburst and he felt Uraraka stiffen next to him, neither had seen the tall girl anything but regally composed. Right now, she looked close to tears. "You got hurt and pushed yourself further than your body could handle because I couldn't help! Your quirk had to evolve just to keep us both alive!" Tears began spilling from her eyes. "And then I go and think the worst of you! I was so sure that you had lied to me. That you didn't care and were just trying to take advantage of my trust! I don't deserve to be here. I don't deserve to be your frie-"

Momo was cut off as Izuku moved and hugged the girl firmly. It was a little awkward given their height difference, but Izuku's arms were strong and reassuring. He looked up at her with a smile that could outshine a thousand-watt bulb. Momo stiffled her sobs.

"It's okay Momo," he assured her. "The USJ was a hell hole, but that wasn't your fault. I don't regret pushing myself and I'd do it again if it meant I could save you. Friends should be more precious to a man than jade or jewels, right?"

Momo was a little awe struck at the greenette's kindness. How could he be so selfless? How could he think so highly of her friendship that he would risk death for her? She didn't deserve such loyalty. "But I thought you were tricking us and hiding your real quirk." Momo murmured looking away from the bright boy.

Izuku suppressed his own shame at that. He might not have been tricking them then but in a way he was now. He couldn't tell her the truth though.

"Well yeah!" Uraraka came to his rescue. "Who’s ever heard of a quirk evolving? Midori must be super unique! You can't blame yourself for not knowing about something like that."

Momo looked at her friends and the supportive smiles both wore and she nodded. "Y-yes. You're right. I'm sorry for doubting you nonetheless."

Izuku's smile grew as his friend seemed to pull herself out of her troubles. "Let's go get some lunch! I'm starving!" Izuku said and grabbed both of their hands, no longer needing their support to walk. He dragged them off to the cafeteria unaware that both girls were blushing behind him.

Izuku got to the cafeteria and rushed through the line in record time. He had placed an order in advanced with Lunch Rush to ensure that the hero had enough time to prepare the veritable feast that Izuku was going to need after the first to events.

As the three of them got to the front of the line Lunch Rush passed him an oversized tray which contained triple servings of beef fried rice, tempura veggies, ramen, and of course katsudon. In total it was a little over fifteen thousand calories and there was more tucked away for him if this wasn't enough. They still weren't sure how much One for All was further boosting his metabolism and Recovery Girl had made it very clear that if he was hungry, he was to eat until he wasn't.

The three of them joined Iida and Tsuyu, who had already sat down with their food, and Izuku began to eat while the others talked about the first two events and their fights to come. He listened to the conversation, but he wasn't in much of a place to join, what with the constant stream of food into his mouth. The others would occasionally pause and just watch the boy mow through his mountain of food.

Izuku had just finished his third oversized bowl and was pealing the lid off the katsudon when Shouto approached the table.

"Midoriya," the split haired teen interrupted, "may I speak to you alone for a minute?"

Izuku just nodded as he continued shoveling food into his mouth. He got up, bringing his oversized bowl with him, and followed the stoic teen. He was led into a deserted hallway. Shouto stood against one wall and Izuku ate against the other. They waited there in silence for a few minutes.

"You were holding back until now?" Shouto finally asked him. He was the one whose reaction Izuku had worried about the most. He was so close to finally helping him see past his father, if he answered poorly Shouto could rebuild the walls Izuku was tearing down. Izuku swallowed the food in his mouth.

"No," he responded. "It's not that simple." The other boy seemed content to wait for his explanation so Izuku sighed and explained, or rather lied, for the third time about how his quirk had evolved due to the struggle at the USJ.

"I haven't been holding back. If anything, I pushed so hard against my boundaries that I found new hope." He smiled sadly at Shouto. "I found a new tool that I could use to help people. I spent the last week training nonstop so that I could show the world that I would do everything I could to be a hero."

"Fine," Shouto grunted. "Then at the very least you aren't a hypocrite. But I will still prove that I am better than you, better than him." The split haired teenager turned to walk away.

"Shouto," Izuku called. The other boy stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Every runner runs their own race and the only one standing in your way is yourself."

Shouto paused for a few moments, hopefully absorbing the greenette's words, before turning and walking off into the dark hallway.

Izuku slumped against the wall the moment he was out of sight. Helping his friends was rewarding and he wanted to see them succeed but it was aslo exhausting. Maybe if he hurried, he could get that extra food Lunch Rush had set aside for him. He turned to hurry off to the cafeteria.

"Lunch time's over folks!" Present Mic announced over the PA. "Will our first two competitors, Midoriya and Todoroki, make their way to the field!"

Damn, Izuku thought and took off towards his entrance to the field. As he rounded the corner, he saw the outline of a large man in the sunlit tunnel. At first glance he thought it was All Might due to the size.

"There you are," said an unfamiliar cold sneer. "I wanted a word."

Izuku squinted at the man. His blood ran cold as he recognized the last person he wanted to see, Endeavor.

"I'm afraid I'm due on the field," Izuku responded trying to remain light.

"It won't be but a moment," Endeavor assured. Somehow even that had sounded demeaning and Izuku had to focus on his breathe to keep calm. "Your quirk is a fairly weak augmentation, I don't expect you to be much of a challenge for my Shouto but try not to put on too poor of a showing. After all he was made to surpass All Might. It's time to show the world that the Symbol of Peace's time is over."

Endeavor, having said his piece, began to walk away. He passed Izuku without even looking at him and Izuku's blood boiled. He was not one to let anger control him, but neither was he someone to let a bully just walk away.

"Endeavor," Izuku called and the man looked over his shoulder at him. Unlike his son, who had turned to allow Izuku to say his piece, Endeavor stared at him like he was an ant who dared speak to a god. "I am more than a quirk." Endeavor scoffed but Izuku wasn't finished. "And Shouto is more than your legacy. He's been trapped in this role you've built for him. He's been drowning in anguish because of you." Endeavor's scowl had somehow deepened, but it failed to scare Izuku. "Not anymore. Why?" Izuku turned to walk through the entrance and onto the field "Because I am here."

Chapter Text

            Shouto watched as the green haired teen walked out of his tunnel and joined him in the ring. He had a scowl on his face and there was a ferocity in his step.

            "Here they are folks!" Present Mic shouted as Izuku got into his starting position. "Our first match up has taken the field. The legacy with the power to freeze hell itself, Todoroki Shouto!" The crowd roared in response for a moment. "And his opponent, the man who has dominated both rounds of this tournament so far, the blind warrior, Midoriya Izuku!" The crowd roared equally for the other teen. Todoroki shouldn't have been surprised, Midoriya had proven himself in both of the previous rounds, but still he was used to people freaking out over his last name.

            "I want a good clean fight! Is that understood?" Midnight asked from her podium. Todoroki and Midoriya nodded.

            "Come at me with everything you've got, Shouto," Midoriya said from across the ring, an icy calm in his voice, "or you're not gonna know what hit ya."

            "Match Start!" Midnight shouted.

            Todoroki unleashed the ungodly amount of ice he had been building up since he had stepped into the ring. A mountain of ice shot towards where Izuku was and blocked where he had been from view.

            The stadium was filled with the sounds of the settling glacier as it cooled the air around them. The audience was shocked into silence by the jagged ice which now rose so high that it poked out the top of the stadium. Todoroki let out a deep breath and released a small puff of condensation. There was no way Midoriya could have dodged that.

            The sound of cracking came from deep within the ice. Spiderweb fractures appeared and the front of the glacier burst forth to reveal a panting Midoriya. He stood there for a moment calming his breathing as blood dripped from his palms onto the field.

            Shit, that type of attack left Shouto too cold, he wouldn't be able to send something that size again. He had let his emotions get the better of him and now he was at a disadvantage. From the looks of it though Midoriya wasn't doing too hot either.

            "I said everything you've got!" Midoriya shouted at him. Green lightning began to dance across Midoriya's skin, and he simply disappeared. Shouto's eyes scanned the entire ring, even the sky, but he couldn't find any trace of the greenette. Realization dawned on him but a whisper from behind sent even more ice through his veins before he could turn around. "Or you aren't going to stand a chance."

            A kick connected with the side of Shouto's head painfully and sent him flying towards the edge of the ring. He formed a wall of ice to stop himself, the impact hurt, but it was better than defeat. Midoriya now stood where Shouto had at the start, a deep scowl furrowing his brow.

            "Did my father put you up to this?" Shouto accused him as he peeled himself out of the ice. Why else would anyone care so much about him not using his fire? Why else would someone be so persistent about something that didn't involve them?

            "Forget about your father Shouto," Midoriya grimly responded. "This is about you and me. Nothing else matters right now."

            With a flash of green Midoriya was in front of him and aiming a roundhouse at his head. Shouto reached up and blocked the boy's leg with his left forearm out of instinct. The kick hit hard and Shouto found himself taking the kick to the face after it broke his guard. This time Shouto managed to just stumble a few steps, but he was so close to the edge that it was almost enough to knock him out of bounds.

            Shouto turned his stumble into a sideways run and made an ice path to bring him further into bounds. As he ran, he chanced a look behind him and found Midoriya was right on his heels, running along Shouto's own icy path.

            Shouto pushed off the wall and tried to put some distance between him and his opponent only to find Midoriya somehow jumping in perfect sync with him. The two boys landed not two feet apart and Midoriya sent an open palm directly into Shouto's stomach. Shouto lurched forward and almost lost his lunch at the blow.

            "You're shivering Shouto," he whispered in his ear, a hand coming to rest on his left shoulder. Shouto tried to grab the other boy with his right arm, but the greenette jumped away from him as he got close.

            "Quit playing around!" Shouto screamed at him. "I don't need your pity!" Shouto let another rush of ice off towards Midoriya. It wasn't even a tenth the size of his opening attack, he was too cold to safely make anything stronger. The greenette simply jumped aside.

            "Is this what being a hero is all about to you? Is it all about pride? Why do you want to be a hero Shouto?"

            "I will prove I don't need him!" Shouto cried. "I don't need hispower!"

            "Fuck him! It's not his power! It's yours!"

            Shouto was thrown back to a memory. Something he had long forgotten.

            His mother sat next to him carding her fingers through his hair. They were watching the Hero News Network as they played the latest footage of All Might fighting another villain.

            "You want to be a hero too, don't you?" his mother asked him.

            Shouto curled up on himself in shame. How could he want to be like him?How could he do that to his mother?

            "It's okay," she told him as she wrapped her arms around him. "You aren't bound by his blood. You get to decide who you want to be."

            Shouto felt tears flowing down his face. A fire was burning inside of him. A shame that he had forgotten her words. A passion to prove to her that he could protect her now. That's why he wanted to be a hero. That's always why he had always wanted to be a hero. To save her.

            The fire that burned inside him began to flow out of his left side and the stadium was filled with the orange light of his flames. He thought he heard screams and shouts from the crowd but right now the only people that mattered were Midoriya and himself.

            "You're crazy," Shouto laughed a manic smile on his face.

            "Only if I lose," Midoriya smirked. The green lightning returned and Midoriya raised his hands in a fighting stance. He rushed forward slower than before.

            Shouto sent a massive wave of ice at Midoriya once again, the heat from his left side allowing him to fight at full power once again. The green haired boy simply jumped over the jagged spikes and straight at Shouto. Shouto smirked, knowing that Midoriya had played right into his hand.

            Shouto unleashed even more flames from his left side, melting half his shirt, and pushed them at Midoriya. All of the cold air trapped in the stadium was suddenly heated and expanded. The wind that ripped away from Shouto's flames was almost like an explosion. Shouto only managed to keep his feet thanks to the wall of ice he made behind him. Midoriya should have been blown out of bounds.

            Steam filled the stadium. Todoroki tried to find the greenette, scanning the wall opposite himself for his unconscious form through all the vapor. A burst of movement coming from the glacier made by his opening move sent much of the steam away from the field as a blur of green was upon him once again.

            Shouto let his flames out to guard himself and the greenette barely had the maneuverability to pull back his blow in time to keep from getting burned. Midoriya jumped over Shouto and behind his wall of ice, separating them from each other.

            Shouto began to run around the structure and as he rounded the corner, he was smacked in the face with something hard and cold. As he jumped back, he saw Midoriya had pried off a hunk of ice and was using it as a type of club.

            "That's not going to work!" Shouto informed him and let his flames pour out once again, focusing on heat this time. The heat of it started to melt all of the ice in the ring. Shouto ran forward to strike again. He sent a flurry of blows at Midoriya, letting his flames coat his left arm and keeping his ice ready in case his right landed a hit. Midoriya managed to weave through around every strike and didn't even get burnt by his flames.

            "You can't stay on the defensive forever!" Shouto shouted at him.

            "Now that you're no longer worrying about hypothermia, what's your limiting factor?" Midoriya mused, seemingly undaunted by Shouto's onslaught. "Is it dehydration?"

            Truthfully Shouto wasn't sure. He wondered if Midoriya was right and missed the fact that the green haired boy was using the distraction to sweep his legs out from under him. Shouto's flames dropped as he did and Midoriya grabbed him by his now half a shirt and threw him like a shotput.

            As Todoroki flew his right arm touched the ground and he made a slide that changed his momentum and shot him feet first back at his opponent. Midoriya side stepped the double kick and Shouto was forced to go into a roll to stop his momentum.

            Midoriya was upon him as he shot back up to his feet. Todoroki had to put his total focus on trying to block the boy's strikes. There wasn't a chance for him to use his quirk. He took an open palm to the shoulder and stumbled back a step. Midoriya kicked down at his ankles and he was forced to step back again.

            Shouto was getting frustrated, he was losing ground. He threw a right hook and Midoriya slipped underneath it and behind him. A hand grabbed him by the waist of his pants and his shoulder, and he was flipped face down onto the ground.

            Shouto was trying to get the wind back in his lungs when Midnight's voice rang through the field. "Todoroki is out of bounds! Midoriya wins and will advance to the second round!"

            Shouto looked at his feet in shock. His ankles rested on the line. He had lost. He had failed. He hadn't proven anythi-

            "That was pretty awesome Shouto," Midoriya chuckled. He reached out a hand and helped Todoroki to his feet. "Thank you for going all out." Midoriya bowed to him.

            Maybe it was okay that he had lost. He had given it everything he had. Now he knew he simply had to be more.

            "Guess I'll have to go Plus Ultra to beat you," Todoroki dead panned with his usual serious expression. Midoriya got a goofy smile on his face and laughed.

            "You kidding?" Midoriya gasped. "I can barely stand! If you went any harder, I think I would have passed out from quirk exhaustion."

            Now that Midoriya mentioned it he did seem to be slowing down at the end. Even now he was swaying on his feet, as though a light breeze could knock him over.

            "I could help you to Recovery Girl if you need," he offered.

            "That would be amazing," Midoriya sighed as Shouto put an arm underneath the boy's shoulders and helped support his weight. The two began to make their way to Recovery Girl's temporary office.

            As they were walking through the dark passageways a familiar presence made itself known. Endeavor stepped out from around a corner, flaming ego as alight as his mustache.

            "What do you want?" Shouto asked him indignantly.

            "That pathetic display only goes to show you what your little rebellion has done," Endeavor sneered. "You should have mopped the floor with any of these small fries. A simple augmentation quirk is nothing compared to the gift I gave you and yet you let this boy make a fool of you."

            "I don't n-" Shouto tried.

            "The only fool I see here is you Endeavor," Midoriya interrupted him. The exhausted boy slipped out of Shouto's grasp and stood between him and Endeavor.

            "What was that, boy?" Endeavor put so much venom on the last word that Shouto took a step back like he had been struck. Midoriya didn't so much as flinch.

            "You're a fool if you think Shouto's performance was anything short of extraordinary," Midoriya affirmed. Shouto couldn't see his face but his shoulders were set, and his head was held high. "Shouto put everything he had out there and showed the world his determination. There is no shame in defeat."

            "And who are you to lecture me on how to speak to my own son?" Endeavor hissed. The flames of his beard began to burn low and hot, a sign of his father's anger.

            "I'm just a boy who could never ignore a bully," Midoriya retorted. Shouto was in stunned silence. No one had ever stood up to Endeavor like this before. No one had ever called him out, not since his mother.

            That's when Shouto saw it. Endeavor had apparently had enough. A gloved hand was streaking towards Midoriya as Endeavor's face contorted with rage.

***

            Izuku saw the slap coming a mile away. Even without the extra wind up, the world had slowed the second Endeavor's hand had left his side. Yes, maybe Izuku had pushed the man a little hard, but seriously who strikes a child at a school function. Izuku's blood was boiling in his ears. He just wasn't sure what he wanted to do about it yet. He took a moment to calm his thoughts and went over the options.

            His first instinct was to simply take a step backwards and let the man miss, the shame of being easily dodged by a first year would hopefully have broken him out of his rage. The problem was Shouto was directly behind him and Izuku would most likely collide with the boy.

            He could just take the hit. It was a rather tempting option. Nedzu was famous for having UA rigged with a multitude of hidden cameras and he was sure that assaulting a minor would be more than enough bad publicity to get Endeavor in hot water. Even if he didn't lose his hero license, he'd be sent back in the charts. He could even fall out of the top one hundred. Izuku just wasn't sure he really wanted to give Endeavor the satisfaction of having hit him.

            The angrier part of him wanted to step in and strike Endeavor himself. The saying 'the best defense is a good offence,' ran through his mind. But he wasn't quite sure if his blow would actually affect the number two hero or just make him angrier. Better not to get into a full-blown fight right now anyways. He was still exhausted.

            Finally, he decided to just stop the blow. That didn't mean he couldn't show off a little though and remind Endeavor that judging a book by its cover was always a mistake.

            Izuku sunk back into the angry waves of One for All. The longer his fight with Shouto had gone on the harder it had been to control the sea within him, and now he felt like a row boat trapped in a storm. Izuku raised a single finger and caught the number two hero's wrist an inch away from his face. Izuku dropped Reflex but kept One for All up incase Endeavor tried anything else.

            The flame hero's eyes widened with shock and Izuku heard a gasp behind him. Endeavor's eyes flicked back and forth between Izuku and their connecting hands.

            "If you don't mind," Izuku said in his best bored Aizawa impression. "I really am quite tired and should probably see Recovery Girl."

            Izuku reached behind him and grabbed Shouto's hand. He dragged the boy along with him, keeping himself between Shouto and his father. After they had rounded a few corners Izuku stopped and collapsed against the wall.

            "Midoriya!" Shouto cried. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

            Izuku smiled weakly up at his friend. "No," he told him. "Just exhausted. I'm afraid I might have over done it."

            Shouto looked at him for a moment with concern plain in his features. Izuku was shocked when the taller boy picked him up off the ground and began to carry him to Recovery Girl. He was too tired to protest but he did blush a little as he was pressed against Shouto's bare chest.

            "Thank you," they said at the same time. They exchanged slightly puzzled looks and then shared a soft laugh. Izuku was glad to have made another friend, and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to save him.

***

            Sir Nighteye was sitting at his desk going through the evidence for a rather disturbing case of kidnapping. He was combing through the crime scene photographs when he felt his phone buzz. It was a text from Mirio.

            M: Did you see this fight!?!? www.herotube.com/nr84m Could be a fun addition to the team!

            Nighteye sighed and clicked the link. He wasn't fond of taking students under his wing, but Mirio had proven himself a perfect addition to the agency. If he had found someone who peaked his interest it was worth a look. The link took him to a fight between two first years at UA.

            Was that Endeavor's son? He had met the boy once or twice at charity galas. He was as cold and prideful as his father. Surely Mirio wasn't suggesting they get involved there?

            As the match started the Todoroki boy unleashed an impressive display of power, even if it did lack control. Nighteye was preparing to click out of the page when he saw the cracks forming on the ice. The green haired boy burst from the glacier with a fierce expression on his face.

            What unfolded there after astounded Nighteye. Displays of speed, power, determination, and seemingly a drive to push his opponent to stop holding back. Had the Todoroki boy been looking down on him by not using his flames?

            As the green haired boy flipped his opponent out of the ring, Nighteye was met with one final surprise. The boy smiled, and helped his opponent, who he had fought tooth and nail just a moment before, get to his feet.

            Nighteye scowled. Mirio was right. This boy was impressive and, in many ways, sure to be a fine hero. But he recognized that speed, even if it lacked the strength. Fine. He'd send the boy an offer, but whoa on him if he accepts.

***

            Gran Torino clicked off the TV laughing.

            Couldn't even tell me that you'd found a successor, could ya Toshi! he chuckled. Maybe he had been a little too rough with the brat's training if he was too scared to even call him for something that important. It had been the only way to get it through his thick skull!

            The successor seemed to be alright though. Smart, good quirk control even beat that Todoroki boy. Gran was pleased that at least Toshi seemed to be doing an okay job at teaching the boy, though he doubted he was the only one involved in the process. The boy was doing too well for that to be the case.

            Maybe he should come out of retirement and send the boy an internship offer. It could be fun seeing how Toshi reacted. He wasn't sure there was all that much left to show the boy about One for All, but he certainly had some pointers on his fighting style.

            Why not, he decided. He had to sift through a mountain of papers on his desk to find the old forms. He hadn't ever sent one before, but every pro got some. He filed out the info for Midoriya and set the form on the table. He'd mail it out tomorrow. Or maybe he would just call Toshi, that'd give him a scare.

***

            Miruko had yet to pick her jaw up off the floor. She had a private box at the UA stadium, being the number six pro hero had its perks after all. She didn't come to scout out talent like the other heroes though. She just came to watch some good old fashion blood sport.

            She had watched with glee as the green haired boy had punched his way out of literal glacier. He had a fire in him that she could respect. He fought like a demon out of hell too. Truth be told she had considered breaking her no team-ups rule the second he had somehow slipped behind Endeavor's kid without him even noticing.

            When the explosion had rocked the stadium, she had been a bit disappointed. She had hoped that Broccoli boy would win. When he used the glacier to keep himself in bounds, and unleashed a devastating flurry of blows, her jaw had dropped. As the two boys helped each other off the field her dropped jaw shifted into an ear-splitting smile.

            She picked up her phone and called her assistant.

            "How do I send an internship offer?"

***

            Stain looked down at his phone. He was listening to the green haired boy's speech for a third time. The look of determination and rage on his face was the same one Stain saw every day in his own reflection. If he meant what he said, then he had real potential. But it was easy to claim you had ideals, it was much harder to live by them.

            Perhaps he should test the boy. See if he would really purge the world of the fakes. See if he was willing to stain himself too.

            But that was a problem for later...or was it? Right now, Stain was stalking a one of his prey. Another false hero who only worked for fame and money. He would cleanse the streets of them all. But maybe he could use this one.

            The hero Ingenium was patrolling dark alleyways. He was looking for the hero killer. He didn't notice the shadow that passed over him. He was out cold before he could make a sound. Gone before anyone could notice.

Chapter Text

            "Two lacerated palms! Severe quirk exhaustion! Second degree burns! And a dislocated finger!?" Recovery Girl seethed at him. She had been displeased, to say the least, to see Shouto carrying him into the temporary clinic. "I thought I'd picked you for extra lessons because you were the smart one!"

            "To be fair they aren't all self-inflicted," Izuku murmured.

            "Would you like to talk about what you did to him?!" Recovery Girl shrieked pointing at Shouto who was resting on the other bed. She had treated him first and he was now sleeping off the exhaustion of her healing. "Three cracked ribs, a broken nose, and a minor concussion! If I catch you kicking anymore students in the head, I'll have yours!"

            "Yes, Recovery Girl," Izuku relented. He bowed his head in shame. He hadn't meant to injure Shouto that badly, but it was the only way to win.

            "I can't heal you," Recovery Girl told him. Izuku's eyes went wide. "Don't give me that. You're barely standing as it is, if I were to heal you, you wouldn't be able to stand let alone continue."

            "Will I be okay to fight?" Izuku asked her nervously. He had more than proven he was capable with the fight against Shouto, but he wanted to win, and he knew Recovery Girl had the authority to pull him from the tournament.

            "No," Recovery Girl responded firmly.

            Izuku was heart broken. "Please," Izuku begged her. His voice was barely a whisper and was as unsteady as the heart beat that was pounding in his ears. "I have to go back out there."

            "Well I don't know what you expect to accomplish, if you use either of your quirks again, you'd more than likely lose consciousness. Your hands will have to be bandaged, your finger put in a splint, and the burns will need ointment and to be covered."

            "That's okay!" Izuku cried looking up and meeting her gaze with excitement. "I'll just fight without my quirks or my hands! Just please. I need to go back out there."

            Recovery Girl locked eyes with him and Izuku saw thought he could see her weighing him, trying to see if she could take him at his word. After what felt like an eternity she sighed. "Fine," she relented, "but if I catch wind of you using your quirks, either of your quirks, in the next two hours, I'll have you cleaning bed pans for a month!"

            Izuku nodded and turned to watch the screen displaying the next match as Recovery Girl got to work bandaging his hands. A fifteen-minute break had been called to rebuild the ring and clear away all the ice, but now, Ojiro and Kirishima were standing twenty feet apart, waiting for Midnight to start the match.

            Midnight screamed 'Start!' and the two boys rushed at each other. Kirishima hardened his skin and went for a strong right hook. Ojiro ducked under the blow and used his tail to knock the red head's feet out from under him. Kirishima hit the ground hard, cracking the floor beneath him, before slowly getting back to his feet with a smile.

            The two exchanged brief words and rushed each other again. This time Ojiro gave the opening move. He jumped and swung his whole body around to strike at Kirishima with his tail. Kirishima put up a rocky guard and the tail slapped his forearms with a thud. Kirishima grabbed Ojiro's tail and spun, throwing him towards the edge of the ring. Ojiro managed to put his tail down and catch himself before he sailed over the edge, but it was a close call.

            Ojiro pushed off with his tail and did a flip as he sailed back towards Kirishima. He slammed into the boy's raised guard and knocked him clear off his feet. The second both boy's landed, Ojiro on his feet and Kirishima on his back, Ojiro grabbed Kirishima by the ankles and threw him out of the ring.

            Midnight raised her arm and declared Ojiro the winner. Izuku felt his stomach drop. Ojiro was the one person in 1-A that he was anxious to fight. It was like the boy had been built to counter act his fighting style. How do you get behind someone whose main weapon is on their back!? Without Reflex, One for All, or his weapons he'd be forced to fight Ojiro with nothing but his hand to hand combat skills and Ojiro was clearly as skilled as Izuku was there.

            As Izuku worried over his next match Recovery Girl finished with the last of his medical treatment. She sent him on his way and Izuku rushed to try and catch the next match.

            "Midori!" Uraraka shouted as he made his way into the student section. "That was amazing! I don't think I've ever seen anyone fight like that!"

            "Yeah," Kaminari agreed, "I knew you were tuff but to take down Todoroki like that was insane."

            "Indeed," Tokoyami nodded along with a number of his other class mates.

            "It was nothing," Izuku blushed. He sat down in the seat Uraraka had saved for him and tried to pay attention to the next match. Iida and the girl with pink hair, 'Hatsume Mei', took the field. Iida seemed to be decked out in lots of support gear, which Izuku seemed to remember being against the rules.

            After a brief discussion between Midnight and the two contestants the match started. What unfolded before Izuku's eyes was hard to watch. Iida was dragged around by the very support gear he was wearing, forced to demonstrate their uses as Hatsume sold them over the loud speaker like a bad car salesman.

            After a destressing amount of time had passed, it seemed Hatsume had run out of 'babies' to sell. Iida regained control of his limbs in the same moment that Hatsume simply stepped out of the ring. To say the match had been strange was an understatement.

            "Next," Present Mic shouted through the PA, "we have the explosive blond who's been a front runner since the beginning, Bakugo Katsuki! And his opponent, the man from Gen Ed, the underdog of the century, Shinso Hitoshi!"

            "That's our queue Uraraka," Momo said as she stood to go to the waiting room.

            "Right," Uraraka nodded and began to follow.

            "Good luck you guys!" Izuku shouted to his friends, his eyes never leaving the field.

            Izuku saw Midnight raise her hand to start the match but her words were blocked out as Bakugo exploded forward. Shinso was clearly taken aback by the ferocious onslaught, flinching backwards. Bakugo made it to the purple haired teen and slammed into him without slowing down.

            Shinso was sent sprawling onto the ground to the frenzied roar of the crowd. He got up and spit out a mouthful of blood, glaring at the audience that cheered at his pain. He snarked something at Bakugo who only screamed incoherently in response. Izuku heard the scream die in the blonde’s throat and watched as his arms fell limply to his side. Shinso barked a command and Bakugo began to lumber his way towards the edge of the ring.

            The stadium watched in stunned silence as Bakugo simply walked over the line and disqualified himself. The moment Midnight declared Shinso the winner, the tall teen turned and began walking away and Bakugo came back to his senses. Intense rage filled the blonde's features. He launched himself at Shinso, the string of profanities he was surely screaming drowned out by his own explosions.

            Before the blond could actually reach Shinso, pink mist flooded the field and both boys dropped like a sack of bricks. Midnight had to go in and carry the boys to Recovery Girl's temporary office herself, as no one else could navigate the pink mist without falling similarly unconscious. Afterwards there was a brief break to allow the mist to dissipate.

            Izuku spent the time writing a more detailed analysis of the previous matches in his notebook. It was hard with his hands as bandaged as they were. He ended up holding his pen between his two palms and shakily writing out the descriptions and ideas. He was so absorbed he didn't notice the wide-eyed stares of his classmates around him.

            After about fifteen minutes Present Mic came back over the loud speaker and announced it was time to continue with the tournament. Momo and Uraraka took to the field and faced off. The two nodded at each other and Midnight screamed for the round to begin.

            Uraraka rushed forward quickly. Izuku knew time wasn't on her side. She had to get to Momo before... that. Momo now held a ten-foot pole and was using it to keep the brunette back. Uraraka did her best to duck under the over long pole and was doing well for a time. The pole was heavy and that kept Momo from being able to quickly change its course. Momo managed to keep Uraraka at bay but it was clearly a challenge. Izuku wondered why she had chosen such an unideal weapon. Present Mic was making similar observations over the loud speaker.

            Uraraka's mistake came when she once again tried to step closer to Momo. As she ducked under the pole, she instinctively placed her hand against it to protect her head. All five fingers touched the heavy weapon and the genius of Momo's plan became clear. Momo suddenly was swishing the long pole like a whip and Uraraka had to scramble backwards to keep from getting hit.

            "A stunning use of her opponents quirk by Yaoyarozu!" Present Mic screamed.

            Uraraka moved to release her quirk, but Momo was quick to use the pole to swat at one of the gravity girl's wrists. The fight became an onslaught as Momo went from defensive to oppressive offense. Uraraka was backed up until she came to the very edge of the ring. In desperation she flung herself sideways and tucked into a roll, finally bringing her hands together to release her quirk.

            Momo dropped the pole as the weight returned to it, but she was still hot on Uraraka's heals. A second, shorter pole formed out of her palm. This one resembled more of an escrima. As Uraraka stood back up Momo delivered a brutal upward strike with the pole and Uraraka fell backwards on her butt.

            "Uraraka is out of bounds!" Midnight shouted into her mic. "Yaoyarozu wins and advances to the second round!"

            Yaoyarozu was instantly kneeling beside her friend and fretting to make sure she was okay. After ensuring she wasn't hurt, she helped the brunette up and the two made their way off the field to the applause of the crowd.

            The next fight was over so quick, Momo and Uraraka didn't even have a chance to make it back to the stands. Hagakure and Jiro took to the field and Hagakure stripped while Midnight went over the rules. The match started and the crowd watched Jiro on bated breath. The earjack girl stabbed one jack into the ground and the second shot off towards the other end of the field. Apparently, the thing packed quite a punch, because soon it was harrying Hagakure out of the ring. The crowd could only tell when she fell out of the ring because of the cloud of dust that the made when she landed.

            As the two girls walked out of the ring, Momo and Uraraka walked back into the student section. Both of them sported red ringed eyes and tear tracks running down their faces.

            "Are you guys okay!?" Izuku shouted as he shot to his feet and rushed at them.

            "Y-yeah!" Uraraka nodded.

            "Fights between friends can be quite emotional," Iida remarked sagely.

            "It is indeed a dark place in the heart one must go to, to so viscously attack a trusted comrade," Tokoyami agreed. Though Izuku wondered what exactly inspired such poetic darkness from the boy.

            The last two fights were more quick ones. Ibara and Ashido had started off with an intense barrage of vines from Ibara. Ashido had thrown globs of acid on them though and quickly skated at the girl from 1-B. Ibara had tried to throw up a defense of vines to protect herself, but Ashido had weakened it with acid and used her moment to kick through it and land a powerful blow against her opponent. Ibara was apparently a bit of a glass canon, or Ashido could kick like a horse, because the one blow was enough to knock the vine haired girl out cold.

            Then it was Kendo's and Tokoyami's turn. Kendo's quirk was fascinating, her hands growing massive and swatting Dark Shadow's initial attacks away, but it was clear that using it in a prolonged fight exhausted her. Eventually Dark Shadow snuck underneath one of the enlarged fists and threw the girl out of the ring.

            "And that's it for round one!" Present Mic announced as Tokoyami skulked from the field. "Will our competitors for the first fight of the second round please make their way to the field!"

            Izuku only then realized that he was next and that he had missed his chance to use the waiting room. He sprinted through the stadium to make it to the field on time. He burst through the tunnel and onto the field to see his opponent standing across from him with a nervous grin on his face.

            "Hey Midoriya," Ojiro called.

            "Hey Ojiro," Izuku replied.

            "You don't look so good," Ojiro said with a bit more hope in his voice than Izuku enjoyed hearing in the voice of an opponent.

            "Don't think I'm gonna go easy on ya," Izuku told him.

            "Wouldn't dream of it," Ojiro laughed.

            Midnight went over the rules and got both boys to nod their consent and then screamed, "Match Start!"

Chapter Text

            Ojiro and Izuku rushed towards each other as fast their feet could carry them. As they came together in the center of the ring, Ojiro spun and lashed out with his tail. Izuku leaned back and narrowly avoided the extra-long appendage. Ojiro was facing him again before he could even think of a counter attack.

            The tailed boy began unleashing a barrage of punches, kicks, and tailed attacks but Izuku wove through them all. After a particularly high kick from Ojiro, Izuku slipped underneath his leg and began moving behind him. He didn't see the tail coming towards him until it was too late. The blow caught him in the face and Izuku blinked stars out of his eyes.

            Izuku managed to get his bearings just in time to avoid a round house from Ojiro.

            "Another spectacular dodge by Midoriya," Present Mic called out. "If he doesn't do something soon though, Ojiro's mighty blows might just take him out of the running!"

            "Never fought anyone with a tail before, have you?" Ojiro asked him as he continued to try and land a hit against Izuku.

            "No," Izuku laughed. "I knew it'd be a problem too," he remarked as he ducked a particularly nasty elbow strike.

            "Why's that?" Ojiro questioned him. Ojiro never let up on his attacks and had clearly spent enough time sparring with friends to hold a conversation while trading blows.

            "Baguazhang, the martial arts I study," Izuku explained. "One of the main goals of any fight is to get behind your opponent. It's normally safer there."

            "Harder to hit someone who's behind you," Ojiro agrees as Izuku side steps another punch.

            "Unless they have a limb on their back," Izuku grumbles as he is forced to duck said limb again.

            Ojiro just laughs as he continues the flurry of blows, he's been raining down on Izuku. Izuku lets him continue without trying to do anything more than avoid the heavy strikes. He keeps close to Ojiro, never getting too far, all while moving back and drawing the other boy with him.

            "We should spar again sometime," Izuku tells him.

            Ojiro eyes widen a little at the boy's request. "But I thought you just said that your style wasn't good for fighting someone like me."

            "It isn't," Izuku confirmed. "That's exactly why it's so much fun. Fighting someone like Bakugo is easy."

            Izuku blushed at the snort that escaped his opponent.

            "Whaaatt?" he whined as he jumped over a leg sweep. "It is! He's ruled by his anger and his instincts, so he hardly ever thinks of anything but a frontal assault. Even when he does, he doesn't know how to feint without giving it away."

            "Don't you think that's a little unfair?" Ojiro asked him. He was getting out of breath now, but he refused to slow his assault. He launched himself up from his leg sweep into a round house. "Not everyone has cat like reflexes. Are you so sure that your feints are any better?"

            "You tell me?" Izuku asked as he threw an elbow right at Ojiro's face. Ojiro raised his arms to block the blow but his eyes closed on instinct. Izuku took the opening to slip between Ojiro's legs and grab the boy by the base of his tail and his thigh. He lifted him up and threw him a few feet, right over the edge of the ring.

            "Ojiro is out of bounds!" Midnight cried, "Midoriya advances to the semifinals!"

            Izuku walked over to Ojiro who stood a little shocked at the edge of the ring. He offered him a bow and then a hand. Ojiro looked at the hand and then shook it, laughing.

            "Alright, ya got me," Ojiro confessed. "How long were you planning that?"

            "Since you got that hit in when I tried to get behind you," Izuku chuckled. "I wasn't going to be able to drive you back, so I had to make you think you had me on the ropes."

            "The entire thing was a feint," Ojiro sighed. "I'll get you back for this next time," he added and punched Izuku lightly on the arm.

            "I can't wait," Izuku smiled at Ojiro. Hoping that this new friendship would last. "Let's go watch the other matches!"

            Izuku grabbed Ojiro by the hand and dashed through the stadium and to the student section. As they joined their peers they were greeted with a cacophony of congratulations and condolences respectively.

            "Thanks guys!" Izuku blushed. He wasn't used to having people compliment him so openly. His mom and Gyatso, sure, but not his classmates.

            "I thought he had you for sure!" Kirishima laughed as he punched Izuku on the arm. If this kept up Izuku was gonna have a bruise and it wasn't even going to be from the fights.

            "Are you kidding?" Ashido cried. "Ojiro only got in the one hit?"

            "Yeah," Kirishima retorted, "but Midoriya didn't even throw a single kick, and his hands are so bandaged he was at a clear disadvantage."

            "There's nothing more dangerous than a wounded animal, Kirishima," Izuku told him.

            All of the students who had heard him stared at Izuku like he'd grown a second head. He couldn't stop the blush creeping up his face and he had to wonder what about that proverb had been so strange. It made perfect sense for the situation.

            "So manly," he heard Kirishima whisper as he held back tears. Izuku didn't know what to do so he turned back to the field to watch the next match.

            "Next up," Present Mic announced, "we have the speed demon himself, the maninator with the carburetors, Iida Tenya!"

            Izuku cheered for his friend as Iida bowed to each section of the audience in turn.

            "And his opponent," Present Mic continued. "the pride of UA's gen-ed department, the mysterious contender, underdog Shinso Hitoshi!"

            The purple haired boy seemed to glare at Present Mic's booth and Izuku tried to figure out why he was so angry.

            "I don't know who's going to win," Tsuyu murmured.

            "It's gotta be Iida!" Uraraka said pumping both fists in the air in support of her friend.

            "But we still don't know how Shinso got Bakugo out of the ring," Tsuyu pointed out.

            "I mean su-" Uraraka started only to be cut off by Izuku.

            "What do you mean?" Izuku asked her. The match seemed to be delayed somewhat beneath them as Iida was ranting to Midnight, probably about some rule he wanted clarification on.

            "Well I mean what kind of quirk does he have?" Tsuyu wondered. "We bounced some ideas around but none of them seem right."

            "I still say it was telekinesis," Kaminari added. "He just forced Bakugo to walk out."

            "Didn't you ask Bakugo?" Izuku asked them.

            "He never came back to the stands," Kaminari said.

            "Well," Izuku pondered. "I still think it has to be a brainwashing quirk." Izuku noticed a shudder go through his classmates at the mere idea.

            "But that's so villainous," Ashido whispered. "I mean come on, they wouldn't let someone with a quirk like that compete... would they?"

            Izuku couldn't help the scowl that formed or the fire that burned in his gut. "Ashido," he snapped, "no quirk is villainous. Quirks are just tools that we have at our disposal." How many times was he gonna have to say it? "Think of all the good he could do with a quirk like that? Hostage negotiations, talking down a person from suicide, I bet he could defeat All Might himself." He turned at met her yellow eyes. "But that's beside the point. Before us is someone who's fighting with everything they've got to be a hero, and you just labeled him a villain for something he can't even control."

            Ashido looked down in shame and Izuku felt a bit of guilt twist his stomach. He couldn't apologize for standing up for what he believes in. He would just have to hope Ashido would forgive him regardless.

            Izuku turned back to the fight and saw Midnight finally raise her whip and call the start of the fight. Shinso said something with a quick bow to Iida, who bowed back and replied. Instantly Iida seemed to lose much of his rigid posture and at a command from Shinso, he walked out of bounds.

            "If it is brainwashing it seems to be activated by a verbal response." Izuku told them. "I have an idea, but if it doesn't work then whoever faces him should probably know."

            The silence that followed his last remark was tense and uncomfortable. Only Izuku's anger at what had happened kept him from breaking the silence with murmuring or apologies. When Iida rejoined them a soft murmur of condolences finally broke the silence, but the student section of class 1-A remained a solemn place for much of the next few matches.

            "Our next match," Present Mic called, "is between the heiress of fortunes, the unbridled creator, Yaoyarozu Momo! And her opponent the punk rock queen, the aux cord warrior, Jiro Kyouka!"

            The two girls faced off in the ring with grim determination painted on both of their faces. As Midnight called the match to a start, Jiro sent her aux cords straight at Momo. Momo managed to roll out of the way but it was a close thing. Standing up she held something in her hand and held it high for Jiro so see. The shorter girl flinched when she saw the air horn in Momo's hand but sent another assault at her.

            Momo unleashed a loud honk ring forth and Jiro cried out in pain, sinking to her knees. Momo rushed forward. As she grabbed Jiro's sleeve the other girl started to fight again and Momo was forced to let another blaring sound out from the air horn. Jiro's cry of agony made all of them wince in sympathy and it was clear Momo was less than happy. She carried a dazed Jiro to the edge of the ring and gently set her down.

            The audience gave her a round of muted applause as she picked Jiro up in a bridal carry and rushed from the field as Midnight called out her victory. Before they knew it the last contenders of the quarter-finals were taking the field.

            "Our last match for a spot in the semi-finals!" Present Mic excitedly announced, trying his best to reenergize the crowd. "The prince of darkness, the fear of augurs everywhere, Tokoyami Fumikage! And his opponent the mink, pink, hit you with a kitchen sink, Ashido Mina!"

            Izuku couldn't help but laugh along with the audience at Present Mic's introduction. Tokoyami standing there with all the regality of a prince contrasted heavily Ashido who was screaming something at Present Mic about him not even knowing what a mink was.

            Midnight called the two to order and began the match. Dark Shadow burst from Tokoyami like an animal uncaged and launched himself at Ashido. Ashido flung her acid at the beast but he must not feel pain because it didn't even slow him. He collided with her and pinned her beneath one of his claws.

            For a moment it seemed that was the end of it, but Ashido managed to squirm her way out. From the holes forming in her uniform Izuku guessed that she had coated herself in viscous acid. Dark Shadow bellowed in rage and rushed at Ashido again. This time, Ashido began skating on her acid to dodge around the oncoming beast.

            Ashido tried to make her way towards Tokoyami, but every time she started to head in his direction Dark Shadow was there to keep her at bay. The dance between the two continued for a few minutes until Dark Shadow seemed to grow impatient. He raised a large claw and smacked Ashido. With her acid beneath her to decrease her friction the blow was enough that she slid all the way out of bounds and the match was called.

            Izuku sat back and wondered about the matches to come. He'd have to face Shinso first and then either Momo or Tokoyami if he won. He was considering which was a more likely opponent when he felt an elbow in his side. He opened his eyes and saw it was Uraraka trying to get his attention.

            "Present Mic just called you to the field," she told him.

            "Oh," Izuku laughed. "Right. That's the second time I forgot to go to the prep room. Too late to do anything about it now." He got up and began to make his way towards the ring.

            "Good luck," he heard from behind him, he wasn't sure who had said it, but he waved a thank you regardless.

            As he made his way to the ring, he wondered about Shinso. The boy who had challenged 1-A, who had fought his way to the semi-finals of the UA sport's festival, who seemed so angry at the world. He thought of the way Ashido had reacted at the mere idea that he might have a brainwashing quirk. He was nearly certain that's what Shinso had, and he could only imagine the pain and prejudice he must have gone through because of it.

            Izuku wanted to help him. To reach out to him and let him know he wouldn't have to stand alone. How could he reach him if he couldn't talk to him? Izuku didn't have an answer, but he was determined to find one. As he stepped out onto the field and saw the boy across the ring from him, he stopped thinking of him as an opponent. Instead he decided to make him his ally.

Chapter Text

            The roar of the crowd and Present Mic surrounded Izuku. His stomach was still in knots at what Ashido had said. He was angry. He was so angry on Shinso's behalf he couldn't even think about how to fight the boy. He needed to talk to him. How could he though? He had an idea but was it worth risking his place in the finals just to test it?

            Izuku saw the rage twisting Shinso's features he knew he couldn't wait. Izuku's hands began fidgeting and he took the brace off of his dislocated finger and slipped it in his pocket. He took his place opposite Shinso and took a deep breath.

            "Get ready folks!" Present Mic screamed. "It's our first semi-finalists! The boy who won both qualifiers, Midoriya Izuku! His opponent is none other than the purple haired man of the hour, underdog Shinso Hitoshi!"

            "You both know the rules," Midnight said and waited for both boys to nod at her. "then may the semi-finals begin!"

            Izuku and Shinso stared at each other for a long moment. The fight had begun but neither boy was going to be the first to start the brawl it seemed.

            "What are you waiting for?" Shinso cried out. "Someone gifted with an awesome quirk like you surely isn't scared of me!" Shinso's voice was filled with anger.

            "You're right," Izuku told him. "I'm not scared of you."

            "You should be!" Shinso laughed bitterly. "You already lost. Now walk out of the ring."

            "No," Izuku told him firmly. The look of shock on Shinso's face almost made the pain of re-dislocating his finger worth it. Izuku began walking towards the other boy still applying pressure to his finger with his thumb. "I want to talk to you Shinso. Will you sit with me?" he asked. As he reached the middle of the ring he sat down and looked at the angry teen.

            "Like hell!" Shinso screamed and rushed at Izuku. Izuku had expected it. As Shinso grew closer Izuku dove into the waves of One for All, fully submerging himself in the stormy waves.

            Izuku had never rushed the activation like this. Zero to one hundred in a second. It was instant and awe inspiring. Lightning as thick as his thigh ran down his arms and struck the earth with mighty thunder. Shinso fell on his ass in surprise as he tried to shield his eyes.

            Izuku waited a moment as the lightning shrunk and silence reigned over the stadium. "I admire your drive Shinso," Izuku told him. "I want to see you succeed, but if you won't hear me out, I will throw you from this stadium."

            Shinso didn't say anything. He just glared at Midoriya. Since he didn't try to attack him or get up though, Izuku took it to mean he would at least hear him out.

            "Shinso," Izuku began, a little unsure of how to approach the boy. "why do you want to be a hero?"

            "I'm gonna prove to everyone that I'm not a villain!" Shinso spat. "Someone like you could never understand." The venom laced within his words struck Izuku to his very core.

            "Why do you say that?" Izuku asked.

            "I've seen what you can do," Shinso told him. "Even just now, sitting down, you put off enough power to knock me off my feet. Society was built so that people like you could become heroes. People like me just get left behind."

            "You're half right Shinso," Izuku responded calmly.

            "Don't patronize me!" Shinso screamed. "What could you possibly understand!"

            "Tell me if this story sounds familiar," Izuku said and a sad smile decorated his face. "A young boy who has always looked up to heroes. Always dreamed of being a hero himself. He awaits the day his quirk comes in and he can finally begin his heroic journey." Shinso stared at Midoriya like he was growing a second head.

            "Maybe it's not clear right away what his quirk is. He might even go see a specialist. When he does get his quirk, he's happy. Not just happy, he's proud. He rushed off to school to tell all his friends.

            "They don't react how he expected though. 'What good is a quirk you can't see?' they asked him. 'It's not very heroic,' was thrown out too. His friends turn away from him and soon it seems like the whole world has forgotten him. He wishes that someone would just look at him again and see him.

            "It doesn't take long for the other kids to start calling him names. They judge him off his quirk and nothing else. They forgot that people are more than just their quirk." Izuku let out a deep sigh and looked at Shinso. Shinso whose face went from doubtful to angry.

            "So what!" he screamed and rocketed up to his feet. "You put together my tragic back story? Good for you! It doesn't change anything. You don't know what it was like! You can't know..." Shinso's rage fizzled out as he looked into pained green eyes.

            "It wasn't your story, Shinso," Izuku told him. "It was mine."

            Shinso flinched back in horror. "No," he said. He fell onto his ass again as he stumbled backwards. "Your quirk is..."

            "My quirk when it first manifested was nothing more than increased reflexes and good timing. I see the same drive in you that I had. The drive to show the world that it's wrong about people, that it needs to do better, and that anyone can be a hero."

            "But you..." Shinso tried, his voice shaky. "You quirk..."

            "It happened during the USJ," Izuku lied, again. "I was fighting a monster that the villains had brought to kill All Might. It was so strong and fast that I pushed my body to it's very limits. I pushed Reflex, my quirk, so hard that it had to evolve to keep up."

            Izuku felt his gut twist in shame. "I failed to do what I set out to do," he continued. He let all of the anguish he felt, over turning his back on his goal, into his voice. "I failed to be a hero with what society had labeled a 'coward's' quirk. I can't inspire the underdog anymore."

            Shinso's eyes widened as he recognized the name that Present Mic had been calling him all day. He had hated being called the underdog. Hated that even as he won people still couldn't see him as a hero. Couldn't see him as on the same level as someone like Midoriya.

            "I can't do it anymore because I'm not the underdog," Izuku said remorsefully and suddenly Shinso didn't hate the title anymore. He thought about his childhood. How he had scoured the internet for any hero he could look up to. He had found some mentions about Eraserhead but there just wasn't enough info on him out there. There wasn't enough info about anyone with a less than flashy quirk. He thought of the little kids out there now who were searching for a hero like them. A hero like him.

            "Why?" was all Shinso could ask as the tears started to flow down his face.

            "Because I believe you can be the hero I can't be," Midoriya told him as he stood up. He extended a hand to his opponent. "I think you can be the hero that I always needed."

            As Shinso took Midoriya's hand the greenette pulled him to his feet. The crowd roared in approval and Izuku was shocked to remember that they had an audience. He looked up and saw his own face on the large screen and blushed. He had just told the entire world his tragic backstory!

            Shinso laughed at him and slapped him on the back. "Don't go all shy on me now," he remarked. "We still need to give these good people a fight!"

            Izuku nodded and stepped back. Truthfully, he was running on fumes. The display with One for All had almost knocked him out on the spot. Now he was going to have to fight Shinso, and he couldn't even give the boy any cheek!

            "You ready?" Shinso asked him. Izuku nodded again and gave a small bow, never taking his eyes off of his opponent. Shinso returned the bow and instantly shot up with a ferocious upper cut.

            Izuku leaned back and Shinso missed by a mile. Izuku wasted no time though and quickly drove a kick directly into Shinso's gut. Izuku was exhausted, he couldn't use either quirk, and he couldn't talk. Even still Izuku had been studying martial arts since he was four and Shinso had clearly not even been working out very hard.

            Izuku sighed internally as the taller teen fell to his knees and gasped for air. He's relied too much on his quirk. I'm gonna have to fix that.

            Shinso shakily got back up to his feet and raised his hands in front of him. His guard was awful. Izuku rushed at him and swept his feet out from under him. Grabbing his ankle with his good hand, Izuku flung the purple haired teen out of the ring and ended the match.

            The crowd cheered for him and Present Mic announced his spot in the final as he walked to his downed opponent.

            "Heroes so focused on quirks," Shinso murmured. "That without them they can do nothing."

            "The paths we walk have many twists and turns," Izuku told him as he extended a hand to the boy for a second time. "Sometimes they are hard to see before it is time to turn."

            Shinso accepted the greenette's hand and laughed. It was the first time Izuku had heard Shinso laugh without it sounding bitter or angry. It was a pure sound and it made Izuku smile. "You get that out of a fortune cookie?" Shinso asked.

            Izuku blushed and didn't bother to respond. The two walked off into the stadium as Momo and Tokoyami took the field.

            "I'd be more than happy to help you prep for the hero course," Izuku offered as they entered into the shadows of the tunnels.

            "We don't know that I've made it in yet," Shinso remarked. "Besides, why would you do that?"

            "I want you to succeed Shinso," Izuku told him and gave him a warm smile. "I need to start working out again now anyways and I thought it might be more fun with a partner."

            "What makes you think I don't work out?" Shinso defended himself indignantly.

            Izuku just raised an eyebrow at the other boy.

            Shinso chuckled. "Alright," he confessed. "You got me."

            "I'm gonna get to school two hours early every day to use the training facilities," Izuku told him. "If you come, we can even spar again, and I can show you some hand to hand techniques."

            Shinso promised to think on it and left to go back to his seat. Izuku didn't have enough time to make it back to the student section, so he went to the waiting room instead.

            He almost immediately regretted the decision. There wasn't a TV in here to watch from. Izuku was left trying to piece together the other semi-final match from just Present Mic's description.

            Tokoyami had taken an early lead by having Dark Shadow rush Momo. Momo had managed to avoid the heavy blows long enough to counter. She had rained down an oppressive amount of flash bombs. Tokoyami had been left defenseless as Dark Shadow fled, and Momo quickly knocked the boy out with a taser. It had been a rather brutal, if short, fight.

            Izuku and Momo were given fifteen minutes to prepare and Izuku did his best to calm his nerves. He wanted to meditate but he worried he would fall asleep or miss his summons to the field, so he held off. Instead he did his basic flexibility form to help keep his muscles loose.

            Present Mic called for the finalist to take the field and Izuku made his way in a daze. He could hardly believe he'd made it this far. He couldn't believe he would be fighting one of his best friends in front of the entire world and he couldn't use his quirk. So far, his exhaustion and focus had kept Reflex at bay, but this fight would push him harder. Momo wasn't someone to underestimate.

            As Izuku took the field he saw Momo standing tall on the other side and smiled at his friend.

            "We made it," he laughed.

            Momo looked at him and smiled kindly. "I suppose we did, didn't we," she said. She took off her jacket and revealed a black tank top underneath.

            "Finalists," Midnight called. "By now you both know the rules. You win by either ring out, knock out, or getting your opponent to submit." Midnight put a flirtatious emphasis on the word submit and winked at Midoriya. "This is the last fight so don't be afraid to go nice and hard!" Midnight looked at both finalists and smiled. "Let the match begin!"

            Instantly Momo's hands began to glow with the light of her creation. Izuku rushed at her with no intent to let her focus. Izuku got in close and aimed a kick at the girl's side. Momo put her arm up and tanked the blow with her forearm. She shoved Izuku's leg back and he planted it firmly before throwing it forward again in a simple kick. Momo proved a more capable opponent then Shinso and smacked his leg to the side using the escrima that was coming out of her palm.

            Momo began unleashing her own assault on Izuku and he was forced onto the defensive. Izuku could feel the bruises forming on his forearms as Momo stuck them again and again with her escrima. Izuku began to sidestep the blows rather than trying to block them and Momo began moving forward to push Izuku back towards the edge of the ring.

            Izuku found himself with nowhere left to go with Momo before him and the boundary line nipping at his heals. As Momo struck out at him again, Izuku ducked underneath the blow and stepped behind Momo. She must have known to look out for it though because as he slipped past her shoulder, he noticed an odd protrusion.

            Izuku's eyes went wide as the taser that was sticking out of Momo's shoulder launched two barbs directly at his face. Izuku managed to jerk his head back and out of the way, but Momo used the opportunity to strike him across the shoulders with her escrima as she turned to face him.

            Izuku diffused the force of her blow with a forward summersault and popped back up onto his feet as Momo rushed at him. Izuku did his best to keep his breathing steady as Momo began trying to push Izuku back again. Izuku knew that this was his best chance though and refused to be moved.

            As Momo struck out with her escrima Izuku would duck underneath each swing and strike out with his elbows. He managed to hit her in the stomach a few times. Momo gasped at each blow but she never let it break her onslaught and even used the opportunity to score a glancing blow with her elbow on his shoulders a few times.

            Momo was losing ground though. She was now right up to the line and Izuku wanted to end this quickly, before his exhaustion really caught up with him and he collapsed. Diving underneath another nasty swing, Izuku struck out with his elbow right for Momo's solar plexus. His elbow connected but instead of the soft feeling of flesh he was met with the sharp pain of striking hard metal.

            Izuku's eyes flicked up and he saw a smile on Momo's face. She'd made a breast plate to stop his blows! Izuku tried to step back, but without the pain of his blow to distract her, Momo was able to get a solid hit in and Izuku hit the ground hard. Momo discarded her staffs and twisted Izuku's arm behind him.

            "Yield," she commanded him.

            "No," Izuku gasped out. Izuku felt Momo apply pressure to his arm in response and his shoulder screamed in protest. Izuku rolled into Momo's hold and spun on the ground so that he was facing her. The arm that she had had pinned was now underneath him. The position, with Momo kneeling over his waist, would have made him blush under most circumstances but in the middle of a fight it was nothing but a tactical move.

            Izuku drove his free elbow directly into Momo's hip, since her stomach was still protected by the breastplate. As she lurched forward in pain, he brought his forehead down on her nose and felt the blood splatter against his face. He felt bad for drawing blood but holding back would have been nothing but an insult. Momo began her own stream of blows down on Izuku and while he was able to block some of them, having only one arm available meant that Momo got quite a few hits in.

            Present Mic was screaming something about a slug fest, but Izuku couldn't let his focus leave Momo to listen too closely. He drove an elbow down into her thigh, and as she screamed out. He shoved her backwards and she fell off of him.

            As the two got to their feet they both spat out blood, Momo from her broken nose flowing into her mouth and Izuku from a busted lip.

            "You're not gonna give up, are you?" Momo asked him.

            "Not so long as I can stand," Izuku responded. The two lurched towards each other again but at this point neither one had the energy for much more. Izuku had more hand to hand experience and was able to dodge the girl's sloppy blows while he waited for an opening. It came when Momo overextended on a punch and stumbled forward. Izuku, who had side stepped, brought his knee up into the girl's thigh. She collapsed down onto her knee as she screamed out, and Izuku struck her across the face with an elbow.

            Momo fell onto the stadium floor and silence fell over the stadium as everyone waited to see if the girl would stand. Time seemed to stretch as everyone held their breath and watched. Finally, after what felt like whole minutes had passed, Midnight broke the silence.

            "Yaoyarozu is unconscious and unable to continue," she called. "The winner of the match and the sport's festival is Midoriya Izuku!"

            Izuku heard the roar of the crowd at the announcement, but he was already kneeling by Momo's side to see if she was okay. She didn't respond when Izuku tried to rouse her. He picked her up in his arms and began to carry her to Recovery Girl as the crowd cheered. He smiled at them as he walked from the ring, proud of everything he had accomplished.

            Izuku tried not to let the strain in his muscles get to him, or the pain in his shoulder. Momo came to as he walked into the shadowy tunnels.

            "Izu-Izuku?" She asked weakly. Izuku looked down and smiled at his friend.

            "You really kicked my ass, you know that Momo?" he laughed.

            "Wha-what happened?" She managed.

            "I managed to get one last good hit in," Izuku confessed with a bit of a chuckle. "It knocked you out for a bit."

            Momo's eyes widened as she recalled the end of their match and her hand flew up to her cheek, where Izuku's final blow had landed. There was a nasty bruise beginning to form, deep purple spreading across her face. Momo flinched as she touched the sensitive mark.

            Izuku flinched in sympathy. "Recovery Girl should be able to help with the pain," Izuku said. "I'm sorry it got so brutal."

            "Not your fault," Momo told him and she nuzzled into Izuku's chest. Izuku felt his face growing warm as Momo fell asleep in his arms. He doubted she would remember this conversation, but he doubted he'd forget it in a hurry.

            As he walked into Recovery Girl's office, Recovery Girl was standing there with a scowl on her face.

            "Blood sport," she spat at him. "That's what I just witnessed between the two of you. There was no reason for either one of you to push yourselves as hard as you did."

            Izuku put Momo down in one of the beds and turned back to Recovery Girl with what he hoped was an appropriately abashed smile on his face.

            "I couldn't fight with anything less or it would have been an insult to Momo," Izuku tried as he scratched the back of his head.

            His efforts were met with a swift whack to the knee from Recovery Girl's cane. Normally it would have just stung but as tired as he was, he collapsed and was only saved from hitting the floor by Recovery Girl catching him.

            "Don't give me that," she scolded him. She threw him, not all too kindly, onto one of the beds and moved back to Momo to treat her wounds. "The matches are designed so that they can be won without extreme violence. You are both smarter than this. Neither of your plans were anything more than attempts to batter the other into submission."

            She drew a curtain around Momo's bed, Izuku assumed so that she could view the rest of the girl's wounds, before continuing to berate him.

            "The only fight you even thought through was your fight against Ojiro," she said. "You didn't land a single hit and you still won. Can you tell me why it was different?"

            "Well Ojiro has a hard counter to my fighting style," Izuku defended himself.

            "And that did what?" she asked. Izuku could tell she was trying to lead him somewhere but Izuku's tired mind was struggling to follow and he sat there contemplating what was different.

            "It forced me to think of a plan that wasn't centered around overpowering him," Izuku finally answered.

            "Exactly," Recovery Girl said as she came out from behind the curtain. Izuku caught a glimpse of the heavily bandaged Momo on the other side and felt a cold pit in his stomach. "You can't rely solely on brute strength; I don't care how strong you are."

            Izuku sat in contemplative silence as Recovery Girl got to work treating his injuries. She scowled at him when she saw his re-dislocated finger, but she left him to his thoughts.

            A knock came on the door. Recovery Girl walked over and opened it to reveal, Uraraka, Tsuyu, and Shouto.

            "Can we see them?" Uraraka asked. "Are they okay?"

            Recovery Girl just sighed before stepping aside and allowing Uraraka and Tsuyu to rush into the room. Shouto followed behind a little unsurely.

            "Midori!" Uraraka cried and threw herself at the green haired boy in an attempt to hug him. Izuku couldn't brace for the impact though and he crashed back onto the bed.

            "Careful!" Recovery Girl cried. "He only just got the snot beat out of him!"

            "Sorry!" Uraraka laughed as got up off of Izuku, who was blushing beneath her. "I'm just so excited. You won, Midori! I can't believe it!"

            "I can," Tsuyu murmured. "You won the first two events practically single handedly, kerro."

            Izuku felt the burn in his face grow hotter as the two praised him.

            "Where's Yaoyarozu?" Shouto asked.

            "Sleeping," Recovery Girl told him. "She should wake up soon though."

            "Um..." they all heard from behind the curtain. Recovery Girl pulled back the curtain and they all saw Momo sitting up on the bed. Her tank top had been removed, leaving her in just her sports bra, so that her ribs could be wrapped, and her right pant leg had been rolled up so that her thigh could be bandaged. She had a large bandage on her cheek, and another covering her nose.

            "Momo!" Izuku cried. He flushed with shame as he took in the damage he had brought down on his friend. "Crap! I'm so sorry!"

            Momo chuckled and Izuku flinched when he saw her wince from the pain. "It's okay, Izuku," she told him. "We both fought with everything we had. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way." Momo either ignored or missed the scoff of Recovery Girl made at her words. "Besides, I think I managed to pay you back for just about every blow."

            Izuku looked down at his heavily bandaged forearms and felt the bandages that adorned his face. He couldn't help but agree.

            "You're both fools," Recovery Girl remarked. "Neither one of you will be able to stand if I heal you, so you'll have to wait until after the award ceremony. Even then, you won't be completely healed. You'll have to come by my office first thing Friday. I don't want to hear any complaints about you sleeping during classes either. You did this to yourselves so you will deal with the consequences."

            Momo and Izuku both nodded to show that they understood. Recovery Girl scowled at them again and then returned to her desk. "You can head out to the field for the ceremony when they call over the PA and not a moment sooner."

            As Recovery Girl sat down to fill out more forms, the students began discussing the details of the match. They hadn't been chatting for long when another knock came on the door. Whoever was on the other side had the courage to open it themselves this time and Izuku saw All Might in his small form on the other side.

            "Yagi!" Izuku screamed. "What are you doing here!"

            Yagi just chuckled. "I found these two wandering around inside the stadium. I thought I'd help them find their way."

            Yagi stood aside and a flash of green launched at Izuku. Izuku looked down at the crying form that had latched onto him. "Mom?" he realized with mild shock. "I didn't know you were coming! How'd you even get tickets!?"

            "I normally manage to get one or two, whenever I have a student competing," someone said. Izuku looked up to see Gyatso standing next to Yagi with a sly smile on his face.

            Inko was blubbering wildly as she clutched herself close to Izuku's chest. "My baby! I know I've seen you spar before, but this was just so much more violent. You won! I can't believe my baby won the UA sport's festival." Inko continued to cry and murmur but her words became lost in the sobs.

            "I think what she means to say," Gyatso remarked. "Is that you did well. We're proud of you."

            It was Izuku's turn to cry. The tears burst forth with such intensity that they struck the ceiling and doused his friends. Just as he was starting to reign it in, Yagi placed a hand on his shoulder, and the water works were renewed. The people who had always believed in him, the ones who made it all possible were here. They were proud of him.

            Izuku's tears were interrupted as Present Mic called the students back to the field for the awards. Izuku and his friends made their way, chatting amicably about anything and everything. As they made it to the tunnel for the field, Momo and Izuku broke off and went to the one that led underneath. Cementoss put them in place on a podium with Shinso and Tokoyami next to them. Izuku smiled at Shinso and he got one in return.

            They heard Midnight announce them. The winners podium began to rise up onto the field and Izuku was awed as the crowd roared for them. The students before them all cheered, but Izuku thought a lot of them seemed to be cheering just for Shinso. Izuku didn't mind. He was proud that his new friend was getting the recognition he deserved.

            Midnight announced who would be presenting the awards, but All Might must have missed his mark, because he arrived too early and the two talked over each other. A mix of groans and chuckles ran through the crowd. Izuku couldn't help but laugh at seeing All Might blush with embarrassment.

            All Might presented Shinso and Tokoyami with their bronze medals, and Izuku was a little shocked to watch him hug them both. As he made his way to Momo, the crowd was still roaring for the third-place finishers. He slipped the silver medal over Momo's head and gave her a hug. Izuku saw that he whispered something to her as he gave her a hug too. Her eyes misted over slightly and when the two pulled apart, she gave a firm nod to All Might.

            Suddenly it was his turn, and All Might was there in front of him. Izuku felt like he couldn't breath and worried he might just pass out from all the emotions that were filling him.

            "You did well, my boy!" All Might told him as he slipped the gold medal onto his neck. He pulled him into a hug and Izuku noticed that he smelled like Justice and America. "You told the world who you are and stayed true to everything you believe. I know that you'll do more good for society as a hero than I ever did."

            As All Might pulled back and smiled at Izuku, fresh tears were pouring down Izuku's face. He still managed to smile up at his hero and mentor with all the joy and pride that swelled within him. All Might laughed and smiled back. Izuku had done it.

Chapter Text

            Izuku sat in his seat and waited for the day to begin. He had still been tired even before his stop by Recovery Girl's office. He had almost fallen asleep on the train, and probably would have if not for all of the people who assaulted him with praise for winning the sport's festival.  Now he was barely keeping his eyes open.

            The second- and third-year’s sport's festivals had filled his two days off and Izuku had slept through more of them than he was happy with, though less than his mother wanted him to. He had read all of the hero discussion boards as they broke down each fight. He could hardly believe all of the people who were talking about him. Some people were saying they were impressed with his skills, other were saying that he wasn't flashy enough, but the ones Izuku loved the most were the people who told stories of how Izuku had inspired them with his speech and his talk with Shinso and how they would be watching both him and Shinso in years to come.

            He smiled as he saw Momo walk into the room. She looked better than he felt so that was something at least. Momo smiled back at him and took her seat. It was still early, the only other people in the room were Iida, who was scowling down at his notes, and Koda, who was doodling in a notebook. Izuku put his head down on his desk and tried to get a few more minutes of sleep. He was blissfully unaware of what was happening at that very moment in the teacher's lounge.

***

            Aizawa was filled with a strange sense of deja vu. He was looking over the student file for one Shinso Hitoshi, the new transfer student into his class, as two boys sat and waited for him to say anything. He sighed and turned to look at them.

            Shinso was sitting as if the back of the chair had barbs, shoulders back and upright. His hands were clinched in his lap and he had a bandage tied around his wrist. Bakugo sat slouched in his seat refusing to look at either of them. He didn't have a mark on him.

            "You two are here for very different reasons and yet you've still both managed to give me a headache," Aizawa groaned. "Do you know why you're here?"

            Bakugo just exhaled sharply but Shinso stiffly tried to answer, "Is this about a transfer to the heroics course?"

            "You're half right," Aizawa confirmed. "You managed to prove that you aren't without potential." Shinso got a small smirk on his face at that and it made Aizawa scowl.

            "Normally," he continued, "you would be placed in extracurricular remedial lessons to allow you to catch up to your peers and transition more easily. However, because there is an open spot in my class, and because you and Midoriya made a spectacle out of the quirk discrimination you've both been on the receiving end of, you've forced UA's hand. You will be transferred to class 1-A starting today."

            "Thank you, sensei," Shinso said and bowed a little in his seat.

            "Don't thank me," Aizawa growled out. "As a result, you will be weeks behind and none of the teachers will be able to cut you any slack. I hope you can keep up, if you fall behind, you'll be kicked back into General Studies."

            "Yes sensei," Shinso nodded. There was at least a little fire in his eyes, so Aizawa had some hope for the boy.

            "Bakugo," Aizawa let his tone grow cold as he turned to the other boy, "you are here because you tried to assault another classmate outside of your tournament battles. If it wasn't for Midnight, you might've succeeded."

            Bakugo just tsked and crossed his arms causing Aizawa's scowl to deepen.

            "Is this how little your spot in the hero course means to you?" Aizawa spat. "Or is it that your own pride won't let you admit you made a mistake even at the cost of said spot?"

            "Cut the crap," Bakugo snapped at him. "You're gonna expel me either way. Like hell am I gonna give you the satisfaction of seeing me beg."

            "If I were going to expel you either way, then I would have sent a letter and saved you the time of coming in," Aizawa sighed. Bakugo looked at him for the first time, the shock in his eyes almost masked the held back tears. "I also wouldn't have had the conversation with Shinso in the room."

            Bakugo scowled over at the purple haired teen. "You're gonna leave it this fuck," Bakugo sneered. "Aren't ya?"

            "Yes," Aizawa confirmed as he turned back towards Shinso. The confusion on Shinso's face was plain as day. "Shinso, as the one Bakugo attempted to assault, the principal has decided that Bakugo's fate is in your hands."

            "I could have him expelled?" Shinso asked softly.

            "Yes," Aizawa confirmed. He wanted to give warnings about power, but this needed to be Shinso's choice. He could teach him ethics in the classroom.

            "If you had asked me after the match, I would have told you to kick him out," Shinso said. "I've been so angry at everyone." He closed his eyes and tried to breathe deeply. "I don't want to be angry anymore."

            Bakugo just stared with wide eyes as the other boy just sat there with Bakugo's future in his hands. He held his breath and waited.

            "Let him stay," Shinso said as he opened his eyes. There was no doubt on his face.

            "Very well," Aizawa nodded. "You can go Shinso."

            The purple haired teen got up and left. He never looked at Bakugo. If he had he would have seen doubt and shock on the explosive teen's face.

            "Why?" Bakugo whispered. "Why didn't he just have me expelled?"

            Aizawa just sighed at the boy. "Maybe he felt bad for how he treated you," Aizawa theorized. "Maybe he just didn't want to tell anyone they couldn't be a hero, didn't want to be like all the people who had told him that."

            Bakugo's face scrunched up with pain. Aizawa could guess why. He had read the files on Bakugo's middle school years. He had seen the bullying. It couldn't feel good to know that someone was trying not to be like you.

            "How do I get better?" Bakugo asked, his voice breaking as he got the words out. "All I feel is rage! It doesn't matter what's going on, everything just pisses me off!"

            "I'm not a therapist, Bakugo," Aizawa told him. "Bu-"

            "Then what fucking good are you!" Bakugo screamed at him.

            "But I can help you make an appointment," Aizawa continued as though he had not just been interrupted. "We keep a licensed therapist on staff year-round. If you'd like I can set up an appointment."

            Bakugo stared at him for a minute in silence. He harrumphed and threw himself back into his seat. "Fine."

            "Good," Aizawa nodded. "Now get to class."

***

            Izuku woke up as someone jabbed him in the back. He slammed up in his seat and saw Aizawa walking up to his podium. He turned around real quick to thank whoever had awoken him and felt his eyes widen as he saw Shinso in the seat behind him. Shinso just raised one of his eyebrows. Aizawa started talking before Izuku could so much as say hello.

            "Good job, all of you. Your performance in the sport's festival was adequate," Aizawa praised them in his usual bored tone. A number of outbursts and small conversations filled the room as people talked about the recognition and praise they had received both by strangers and by their own families. Aizawa raised his hand and the class fell silent once again. "Now as you all know, hero agencies were watching the sport's festival to see if any of you caught their attention. They're trying to determine if any of you are ready to join the work force. If you are, then they submit an internship request with us." All of the students were on the edge of their seats as Aizawa spoke.

            "Here are the number of requests for each of you," Aizawa clicked a remote and the screen came to life, displaying a handful of names.

Yaoyarozu: 3,435

Todoroki: 3,414

Midoriya: 2,256

Tokoyami: 360

Ojiro: 301

Ashido: 256

Uraraka: 109

Jiro: 74

Hagakure: 51

Shinso: 5

Bakugo: 1

            "Whaaaa!" Ashido shouted. "But Midoriya was the one who won! Why doesn't he have the most?"

            Izuku had been a little disappointed to see that he had not achieved the top spot, but it made sense. "Ashido," he explained, "my quirk isn't very flashy. The heroes probably wanted somebody with a more versatile quirk who could add more to the team."

            "It still seems a tad unfair," Momo murmured.

            "Mine are likely just from pathetic heroes who wish to gain positive press by associating themselves with my last name," Shouto noted. He remained his same apathetic self, but much of the tension that normally rolled off of the boy was gone.

            "It is also partially the fault of this year's sport's festival," Aizawa added. "None of you received an opportunity to show your skills at rescue work, and so heroes who specialize in rescue had only your combat skills and your quirk analytics to determine if you could be of use to them. Those of you with more rescue ready quirks will find more offers from rescue heroes than those of you with more combat heavy ones."

            "Now," Aizawa continued, "these are the equivalents of heroes saying that they are interested in your future. There's still three years for that interest to wain or grow so it's not over yet." A number of the students audibly gulped but everyone met their teachers gaze with determination.

            "With that settled," Aizawa went on, "all of you will be working alongside pros next week. Those of you who received offers will be allowed to choose from those, those of you who did not will be partnering with one of forty hero agencies that partner with the school. Make your decisions carefully, this is a rare opportunity for you to learn about the kind of hero you want to be, you don't want to make a choice you'll regret. Here are your choices, inform me of your decision by the end of school."

            Izuku began flipping through the thick stack of papers that Aizawa had plopped down in front of him. He would have to think carefully on this, he just wished he had more time! He would need to think carefully on what kind of hero best reflected who he wanted to be. All Might wouldn't be able to send him a request, that would be favoritism, but maybe Sir Nighteye. Though Nighteye was a bit more-

            Izuku's train of thought was derailed as Aizawa began again. "Today's Hero Informatics is going to be special," he informed them. The tension instantly skyrocketed in the room as everyone waited for the other shoe to drop. "You'll be coming up with your hero names."

            The classroom exploded with noise as everyone began shouting over each other in their excitement. Very few students were left in their seats. The classroom instantly returned to order as Aizawa activated his quirk.

            "They're temporary, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take this seriously," he reminded them. "Seeing as I don't really care about this kind of thing, I've asked someone to come help." As if she had been waiting for a cue, Midnight burst through the door.

            "That's right," she proclaimed. "The name you pick today may be the name that the world ends up knowing you by. So, we need to make sure they have the right appeal." She winked on the last word, putting her usual implications on it.

            "Much in the same way the agency you choose will determine your future," Aizawa told them as he zipped himself inside his sleeping bag, "your hero name should reflect the character and image you wish to present."

            Midnight began passing out whiteboards and markers while the students sat in self-reflection. Izuku had always known what kind of hero he wanted to be. He wanted to be the hero that everyone could count on. He wanted to be the hero who could inspire everybody and prove that anyone can be a hero. But now he had a duty. He had to be the hero that the world depended on. He had to be the hero the next Symbol of Peace, just as All Might had asked of him.

            Izuku's friends began going up and presenting their names as Izuku thought. Some of them got sent back to try again, but some were praised and seemed to inspire the others to show what they had come up with. Izuku listened to each one, but he didn't nerd out the way he normally would. He was too focused on trying to find the answer to something that shouldn't be hard. What was the message he wanted to send as a hero?

            When he was little, he and his mom had come up with plenty of hero names. Dodge-man, the dancing hero: Izu (that one had been his mom's suggestion), and even Super Mighty Boy. None of them would work now that he had One for All. He knew that One for All was a powerful tool, but it came with a lot of responsibility too. But it was just that wasn't it? One for All was nothing but another tool in his arsenal.

            Izuku thought back to what Recovery Girl had told him about thinking through his fights more. He thought about all of the times Gyatso had reminded him that strength was only useful if the wielder knew how to use it. How a fighter could use their opponent’s strength against them. He thought of his own words as he addressed the world. Maybe not as many things had changed as he thought.

            He wrote down his hero name and he waited. Most of the class had gone already, but a few people seemed to be waiting already. Izuku didn't mind. Now that he had his name, he could actually enjoy watching his classmates present themselves.

            Shinso walked up to the podium and hesitated with his whiteboard in his hands. "I never really thought that I'd make it here," he told them. "I never wanted anything more than this. But every day when I looked at my dream it seemed to slip further and further from my grasp." He looked at them all and paled a little. "No one ever believed in me." His eyes locked onto Izuku. "At least not until I met you guys. I want to be the hero that inspires people to believe in themselves, the way I never did." Shinso spun his sign around.

            The Underdog Hero: Puppet Master

            "It has a good ring to it and it fits well with your quirk," Midnight commented. "I approve!"

            Izuku had to do his best not to cry. He clapped for his friend as he walked back to his seat. The two boys made eye contact, but they both quickly looked away while blushing.

            Shouto was up next. He walked up to the podium. "I recently reconnected with my mother," he told them. "She helped me come up with this in preparation for the work study." He flipped his whiteboard and revealed his hero name.

            The Guardian Hero: Duality

            "Perfect!" Midnight cried.

            Izuku knew the name meant a lot to Shouto, and that's all that mattered to him. It was a good name.

            "That just leaves Midoriya and Iida then," Midnight informed them. Izuku looked over at his friend to see if he wanted to go first. Iida was still staring down at his blank whiteboard, with a clenched fist resting on the table. Izuku got up to give his friend another few moments to come up with a name.

            "I wasn't sure what my hero name should be at first," Izuku confessed. "I've come a long way from where I first started, but the lessons I learned along the way are ones that I don't want to forget. So, I'll carry this name as a reminder to myself, and to everyone, that a hero should be more." Izuku turned his whiteboard around and showed the class the name he wanted the world to know.

            The Adaptable Hero: Viper

            "Well you don't go pulling any punches, do ya kid?" Midnight chuckled. "Might still hit a few heroes in some sore spots but I like it. It's a good name."

            Izuku got a handful of applause and quietly and quickly returned to his seat. He got a thumbs up from Uraraka and a smile from Momo as he tried to gauge their reactions. He hoped they liked his name.

            Only Iida remained and he slowly stood and made his way to the front of the room. Izuku watched his friend and really got a good look at him. He had deep bags under his bloodshot eyes. That seemed to be the only sign that anything was off but to Izuku it screamed of deeper issues. Iida wasn't Izuku's closest friend but anytime they hung out he made sure to emphasis the importance of taking care of yourself. Something big must have happened to keep Iida from getting enough sleep.

            "Is this okay," Iida asked as he presented his board.

            Tenya

            "It's not very creative but there's nothing stopping you," Midnight said a little concerned. "You can always change it later when you come up with something you feel fits."

            Iida nodded and returned to his seat.

            With that the students began discussing their internships and who they were planning to go with. Izuku tried to make eye contact with Iida, but the boy went straight to Aizawa when it became clear that class was over and left the room after speaking to the teacher.

            Sighing Izuku turned around and gave a smile to Shinso. He hoped it didn't look as strained as it felt, he just couldn't stop worrying about Iida.

            "I told you they'd bump you up," Izuku playfully goaded him.

            "From what they told me," Shinso retorted, "it only happened so quickly because you had the whole world looking to make sure they did."

            Izuku strongly doubted that. The teachers were not idiots, and it was plain to see that Shinso belonged in the hero course. He didn't voice his doubts, choosing instead to just shrug. "So, who sent you an offer?" he asked to change the subject.

            "Ms. Joke," Shinso said. "I'm a little surprised to be honest."

            "What? Why?" Izuku questioned. "Your quirks are fairly similar. She forces her opponents to laugh until they can't even put a fight. It's a little flashier than yours but I can see why she'd be interested in sure."

            Shinso just raised an eyebrow at the quick tongued greenette for a moment. "I'm surprised," Shinso told him with a roll of the eyes, "because most people are too scared of my quirk to speak to me, let alone invite me to spend large amounts of time with them."

            "That's silly," Izuku shot back. "Heroes aren't gonna think like that."

            "Then why do I have only five requests?" Shinso asked him. Izuku looked down at the paper in front of Shinso with Ms. Jokes’ name circled amongst the few choices on it. Shinso was a semi-finalist, he should have had hundreds of requests. "It's okay. It's this kind of thing we're working to fix, right?"

            "Yeah," Izuku nodded resolutely. "You go kick some ass Shinso. Cause if I hear you've been slacking, I'm gonna come kick you back into shape. Ya got that?"

            Shinso just chuckled and held out a closed fist. Izuku bumped his own into it and smiled at his new friend.

            "What about you?" Shinso asked him. "You picked where you wanna spend your week?"

            Izuku looked back at the massive pile of papers on his desk. Looking through them all was going to be impossible. He'd have to decide on who he'd want and then just make sure they sent him an offer. A hero who didn't let anything stop them. A hero who didn't hesitate, or wait for the right moment to strike, but someone who hit quick and who hit hard. He knew who just the hero. He just had to make sure they were on the list.

Chapter Text

            Izuku sat down at the lunch table with his food. Lunch Rush was still trying to figure out how much to feed him, so Izuku had about twenty thousand calories of lean turkey, brown rice, and spinach.

            "Has anyone seen Iida?" he asked as he looked around at his friends.

            "I think he went to Recovery Girl's office," Uraraka answered. "He didn't look too well."

            "I wonder what's wrong?" Momo worried.

            "You don't know?" Shouto asked. "Endeavor told me that his brother disappeared."

            "What do you mean disappeared?" Uraraka pressed him.

            "Well from what I understand he never returned from one of his patrols," Shouto continued. "They've been searching for him since Wednesday, but they can't find any trace of him or of any foul play. There haven't been any demands or anything to suggest it was kidnapping. A lot of people think he ran off."

            "Poor Iida," Uraraka murmured. "To have your brother just disappear and then have people tell you he must have abandoned both you and his responsibilities. No wonder he's so upset."

            "Do you think he's going to be up for the work experience?" Tsuyu asked.

            "I wouldn't be surprised if he's hoping to help in the search," Shouto commented. "The effort is dying down a little, but I'm sure there are still some heroes who won't give up."

            "Is that safe?" Izuku asked. "What if Iida is a target too?"

            Shouto shrugged. "We're training to be heroes," he said. "We aren't supposed to run away from danger."

            Izuku wanted to argue that they were only students, but as he opened his mouth, he remembered the day of the sludge villain incident. He had run towards danger to help someone he didn't even count as a friend, what would he do for a brother?

            The heavy atmosphere hung over their table for a few minutes as they all considered the situation. There wasn't anything they could say. There wasn't anything they could do. They couldn't help their friend and it was hard to look forward to the coming week when they knew it would be one of turmoil for their friend.

***

            Izuku spent the weekend either training or researching the disappearance of Iida's brother, the hero Ingenium. He had been patrolling in Hosu when he vanished. The most common theories seemed to be either that he ran away or was killed by the Hero Killer and they just hadn't found the body yet.

            The second theory had merits. The Hero Killer Stain had been seen in the city before Ingenium disappearance. The biggest issue is that Stain always left the bodies of his victims in the open where they were easy to find. Still there hadn't been any attacks since the disappearance though, and it made Izuku nervous.

            Could something have happened between the two of them? What could lead to the disappearance of a hero and the Hero Killer going into hiding? Izuku didn't have any good answers.

***

            Izuku walked into the train station on Monday with his costume case under his arm. He looked around for his classmates and found them gathered around Aizawa.

            "Good," Aizawa said as Izuku approached the group. "Now that you're all here let me be extra clear. You are representing UA to both the heroes you're working with and the civilians you're interacting with. I expect you to be on your best behavior. If I receive a single complaint from any of you, there will be hell to pay. Also remember that you aren't allowed to wear your costumes without the express permission of the hero you're working with."

            Everyone nodded and headed off their own way. Izuku looked for Iida as the class divided. He found him marching off towards a train for Hosu. He ran after him, surprised to see Uraraka right next to him.

            "Iida," Izuku called. The taller boy stopped but didn't turn back towards him. "I don't know what to say. But if you ever need to talk, know that we're here for you."

            "Yeah!" Uraraka agreed. "We're your friends Iida. You can count on us!"

            Iida turned to face them. He gave them a hallow smile. "Of course," he said. "I appreciate your concern. I'm afraid all I can do is act. Nothing else will save my brother." He turned away from his friends and went to his train without waiting for their response.

            Izuku shared a concerned look with Uraraka before the two parted ways. Izuku caught a local train going to downtown Tokyo. He sat down and tried to organize his thoughts. He tried not let his worries for Ingenium or Iida distract him. He needed to focus on getting the most out of this week that he possibly could.

            He got off the train and walked through the crowded streets. Businessmen and businesswomen are making their way to work. The few shops in this district are opening their doors and a few shoppers can be seen within. He walks along with the general masses until he finds the address.

            It was a tall building right in the heart of downtown. Izuku walked in and the secretary directed him to the elevator. Izuku got off at the top floor and the world slowed. Coming straight at him, with her foot aimed straight at his face, was the Rabbit Hero: Miruko.

            Amazed at the tenacity and ferocity of the attack, Izuku just watched for a moment as the hero came at him. He admired her form and her costume. The entire time Miruko was slowly moving towards him. He wondered about her quirk and if it affected her personality as well as her physical body. Eventually he realized he was going to need to move or take the hit.

            Only submerging himself in the gentle swells of One for All, Izuku ducked under the kick and slid behind Miruko. He should have known it wouldn't be that easy. As he straightened up, Miruko planted her other foot and spun her leg into a round house aimed at his head again. Izuku decided that dodging again would just lead to another attack. He raised his arm and pushed Miruko's leg off course.

            The Rabbit Hero planted her kicking foot and began laughing as the world returned to normal speed.

            "I knew you were a good choice," she said with a manic smile on her face. "Your reflexes are excellent, and your form isn't even all that bad."

            "Thank you?" Izuku tried. He was little concerned as to what he had gotten himself into. He didn't want to be stuck in a room sparring for a week. He had no doubt he would improve working with the number six hero, but he wanted to be out in the world learning how to apply himself to hero work.

            As if reading his mind Miruko spoke up. "Don't worry pipsqueak, I won't be spending the whole week trying to hit ya. I just had to make sure you weren't gonna be a liability while we're patrolling."

            "So we will be patrolling?" Izuku asked.

            "Of course," Miruko laughed. Her laugh came from deep within and shook her entire frame. "What good would just sparring do ya? I planned a full schedule for ya. Even had my assistant type it up. Here."

            Izuku took the folded-up piece of paper Miruko pulled from her pocket. Once unfolded it showed an hourly break down of the week to come. Each morning started at seven with a three hour work out, followed by two hours of sparring. Then they had an hour break for lunch, before going and patrolling until sundown.

            As Izuku glanced down and instantly absorbed all of this info, he noticed the world slow. His eyes flicked up in time to see the water bottle and protein bar that Miruko had thrown his way. He caught them and waited for some sort of explanation.

            "Your school nurse called and made sure I was aware of your dietary needs," Miruko shrugged. "The protein bar is specially designed for heroes like you. It's something like four thousand calories and is easy to digest. Anytime you get hungry while we're working you can quickly eat one."

            "Thanks," Izuku said looking at the protein bar with new appreciation. It had Miruko's face on it and was carrot flavored. Izuku couldn't help but wonder if it was just marketing or if Miruko had requested the flavor personally.

            "So Green," Miruko pulled him out of his thoughts. "Did you pick a name yet?"

            "Viper," Izuku told her.

            "Go put your costume on then Viper," Miruko told him. "We still have about an hour left to spar before we go patrol."

            Izuku nodded and rushed off to change. His worries forgotten, Izuku was ready to see what being a hero was really like.

***

            Miruko kicked the stick out of Viper's hands. He was skilled enough to be annoying with it. He hadn't hit her. But it gave him the reach to keep her from hitting him too. Whoever he was used to sparring with was fast enough that she didn't have to hold back too much against him.

            She began a new series of kicks to keep him from grabbing the sword off his back. He weaved between the blows with a practiced ease that not many first years could claim. She laughed as the dance between them continued. She hadn't had a chance to spar like this in a long time.

            Viper ducked beneath a kick, dropping close to the earth, and struck out with a kick of his own, trying to sweep her planted leg. Miruko jumped over his leg and brought down an ax kick towards him. He rolled out of the way and Miruko planted onto the wooden floor hard enough to crack the planks.

            "Fuck," she groaned. "Ishi is gonna kill me."

            Viper collapsed onto his ass and pulled out another protein bar. It wasn't the first time he had needed one. Miruko was a bit impressed that he could eat them and not slow down. They made most people feel bloated.

            "Why don't we grab a quick lunch and then we can hit the streets," Miruko laughed. Viper was more fun then she had thought. She couldn't wait to see what he'd do on patrol. Viper nodded and took a long drink of his water.

            Miruko offered a hand and pulled the boy to his feet. He was panting heavily but he looked like he still had a few hours in him once he caught his breath. They took the elevator down a floor to the actual office space. It was where Miruko's PR and legal teams were stationed. There was a small break room with a table and a fridge. That was were the two of them headed.

            Miruko went into the fridge and pulled out two large salads. They were made from lots of leafy greens and veggies, but still had enough calories to keep a hero functioning throughout the day. The two of them sat at the table and ate in silence for a few minutes.

***

            Izuku dashed after Miruko. The two of them had been going around her patrol for a few hours at this point. It was a circle that started at her office and ran through some of the most dangerous parts of downtown Tokyo. They would walk a circuit before running the next one. This way they kept tabs on the entire area, but they made sure their presence was noticed.

            Miruko was already half a dozen rooftops further than him and she only seemed to get further away as they ran. She dropped into an alley so fast Izuku almost missed it. By the time he arrived Miruko was standing over an unconscious mugger and comforting the woman he had tried to rob. Izuku put his hands on his knees and tried to catch his breath.

            "You're going so slow Viper," Miruko laughed. She slapped him on the back and Izuku thought he might collapse at the impact. "You moved faster than this when we were sparring. What's holding you back?"

            "I have to be careful how much of my quirk I use," he told her. "It's a lot of power and I don't think I can handle it all."

            "I didn't ask why you aren't using more power," she rolled her eyes. "I asked why you aren't moving faster."

            "What do you mean?" Izuku asked her confused. "How do I run faster without pushing off with more power?"

            "That's how you're running?!" Miruko exclaimed. She doubled over laughing and Izuku felt his face start to burn. "Didn't you ever run track?"

            "No," Izuku whined. "But I still don't see what that has to do with what you're talking about."

            "Look," Miruko sighed. "When you run, it's better to focus on moving onto the next step as quick as possible. You'll get a lot further a lot faster without having to put more power in your steps. After we drop this guy off with the police, I want you to focus on speed instead of power while you're running."

            Ten minutes later Izuku and Miruko were running across more rooftops. Izuku quickly realized just how effective Miruko's advice was. The two of them flew along like arrows from a bow. Miruko had clearly been holding back before, but now they were racing as quickly as they could. Izuku laughed at the rush.

            They come across two groups of villains fighting in an alley and this time they descend on them together as time slowed. Izuku landed on the back of a villain with fire coming from his fingers and knocks him to the ground. He slams his staff into the side of the villain the fire user had been standing off against and he too falls.

            Izuku turned and ducked under a kick. The villain was still a good five feet from him. He must have a quirk that lets him stretch his limbs. Izuku rushes him and slams an elbow into his stomach. The impact feels wrong though.

            His whole body must be elastic. Izuku realized. Concussive blows aren't going to help. Maybe if I...

            Izuku grabbed the hand of the stretchy villain and began running in circles around him. He pulled the arm and wrapped the villain snuggly before tying it off on his ankle. He turned back to check on the rest and saw Miruko watching him appreciatively.

            "Not bad," she remarked. "I would have just stuffed him in a trashcan."

            Izuku laughed. "Oh man that would have been great." Izuku looked around and saw the half dozen villains Miruko had dealt with. "Looks like I still have a long way to go," he sighed.

            "Relax Viper," Miruko told him. "It's day one. You've got time."

***

            Izuku collapsed into his bed at the end of day three. He was sore and the thought of using either of his quirks right now made him sick to his stomach. He just wanted to fall asleep and escape the pain for a few hours. He closed his eyes and was halfway there when his phone went off.

            He had a text from an unknown number. Izuku opened it. It was a photo of someone sleeping in a chair. He was about to close his phone and forget about it when he recognized the white armor they were wearing. It was a photo of the Turbo Hero Ingenium.

            Now he could see the bruises on his face. His hands were behind his back. He wasn't asleep he was unconscious.

            Another text came through.

            Unknown: Meet me here at midnight. Come alone or the "hero" dies.

            There was an address attached. Izuku read the text half a dozen time. Why was this sent to him? It had to be from Stain, right? Why had the hero killer even kept Ingenium alive? What was he gonna do? Izuku couldn't handle it himself, he needed a hero's help.

            Izuku was standing, when had that happened. He didn't have time for that. He rushed out of the room and was at Miruko's office. Hopefully she was still here. He pounded on the door. As he was knocking, he noticed that the sounds were blending together strangely. He'd activated Reflex and One for All in his panic.

            Miruko opened the door as he dropped both the quirks. She looked at the cracked wood with little more expression than a raised eyebrow.

            "We have a problem."

Chapter Text

            Ingenium woke up in the dark room. It was empty of anything except the cold metal seat which he was chained to. He pulled against his bonds until the cuffs had cut into his wrists and his muscles ached. He screamed for help until his throat felt raw.

            The other heroes would have started a search party. He had disappeared from the middle of his patrol after all. He just had to hold out until someone found him. It could only be hours at most. That's what he thought at least. Until hewalked in.

            As the man walked into the small room Ingenium's heart sank. Ingenium had never seen the man, but the descriptions from survivors left no doubt. This man, with his katana, his red mask, and long black hair, was the serial killer that had been targeting heroes. This man was Stain.

            Why had he brought Ingenium here? The few survivors the maniac had left described a brutal and quick assault, over before they even fully processed what was happening. Was Ingenium going to be the first one Stain tortured?

            "You're one of the fakes that poisons this society," Stain growled. He struck Ingenium across the face. The blow left his ears ringing so that he barely heard Stain's next words. "I would have killed you in that alley. Heroes like you only serve yourselves. You spit on the ideals of true heroes and lie to the people. But now you're going to serve me and finally do something worthwhile."

            "Looking for a sidekick?" he asked. "I'm flattered but I'm going to have to decline." Maybe sassing a serial killer wasn't the smartest plan.

            Stain's fist caught Ingenium off guard and, based off the crunch, it probably broke his nose. "As if a hack like you could ever understand my mission."

            Ingenium spat the blood that was flowing down from his nose at the villain. It splattered across Stain's face, but the killer didn't so much as flinch. "Mission, calling, passion," Ingenium said, "however you want to rationalize it you're nothing but a killer. It may not be me, it might not be today, but somebody is going to stop you."

            "The only one who can kill me is a true hero," Stain remarked. "All Might is the only one worthy. At least for now."

            "For now?" Ingenium couldn't help but ask. The Hero Killer was clearly deranged. All Might could take care of himself, but if Stain was focusing on someone else, then he needed to find a way to warn them.

            "You're here to be my touchstone," Stain told him. "A test of purity if you will."

            "Bait," Iida realized. "You're using me as bait." It meant that Stain probably planned to keep him alive. It did not, however, put him at ease. He thought of Tenya and his sidekicks, people who would be drawn into the search for him, and he felt a chill run down his spine.

            Stain shrugged. "Call it what you will," he said. "Together we will see if this next generation of heroes is as doomed as you." Stain strode out from the room without another word.

            Iida had spent the following days trying to find a way to escape. His engines had been plugged preventing him from using his quirk. He received no food while he was here and only the smallest amounts of water, delivered by Stain himself on his few visits. Each visit was accompanied by a handful of blows and an exchange of only a few words. Iida learned nothing else from these conversations but got to see the harsh conviction of the Hero Killer firsthand. Iida was too tired and too hungry to fight much longer.

            He had been about to fall into another shallow sleep when he had heard doors slamming in the building. He snapped awake and began watching the door, ready for Stain to show himself yet again.

***

            Stain paced in the middle of the old warehouse. He had brought the false hero here days ago. Since then he spent as little time here as he could, unfortunately that was still a great deal given that he was a wanted man. He had stepped out to meet with the supposed "League of Villains", but they were nothing but a directionless band of thugs. Stain didn't have time to worry about them. He was in the final stages of his plan.

            The boy should be on his way. He would probably bring the rabbit with him. He had shown a keen mind and only a fool walks into a potential conflict on his enemy’s terms. Stain planned and expected him to do it though, so it was still Stain's terms.

            He thought once again about the boy's speech. If I have to start a new system myself then I vow to do so, he had said. The strength of his conviction had been moving. It had been fierce. Most of all it reminded Stain of his own. Would he have the stomach to do what was required to make his vision a reality?

            Stain would have to wait and see. He checked his phone and saw that the boy's time was almost up. He would show up soon, or Stain would send him the false heroes head in a box. It probably wouldn't make it to him before getting marked suspect, but the message would be sent regardless.

            Stain heard a knock on the door. He turned as the boy walked through and into the open space. He was wearing a hoodie and jeans but carried a wooden staff and he had a sword across his back. Stain had expected him to be in hero garb. The boy must be trying to hide the rabbit's involvement and make it seem like he had snuck out. Smart but pointless.

            "I'm here Stain," the boy called. His eyes darted around the dark room and tried to find Stain. Stain rolled his eyes and stepped out of the shadows and into the light that was coming through one of the windows. The boy's eyes locked onto him and he put the staff between the two of them.

            "So you are," he answered. He stayed loose and unthreatening, but he was ready to grab the katana from his back at a moment’s notice. The two entered into an uneasy standoff. "Midoriya Izuku, the boy who called out the heroes. You've become a beacon for those discontent with this society you know."

            "What do you want Stain?" the boy asked him. Stain was almost impressed that his voice didn't waver. He was a child standing off against a serial killer and he held his head high. He was brave, foolish, but brave. Stain could work with that.

            "I want to help you," Stain told him. Based off the glare the boy was giving him, he didn't believe him. "You've declared your convictions. I happen to share them."

            "Then you grossly misunderstood them," the boy retorted. "If you truly believed in the value of a hero you wouldn't go around killing them."

            "Don't you see," Stain urged him, "I don't kill heroes. I only kill the fakes, the bullies, and the hacks. I only work to purify the name of heroes and lay the foundation for the very system you vowed to make." The boy's eyes widened in understanding. Good.  

            "Then the system would mean nothing," the boy tried. The disgust in his voice was thinly vailed and it made Stain's eyes narrow. "If it only came about because the heroes who were trouble were gone, then no one would have learned anything. Society needs to see them for what they are, not just loose them to a psychopath like you."

            "Society will never learn," Stain insisted. "So long as the false heroes continue to stand at the top no one will be there to keep them in check. No one but me."

            "I will be," the boy said with determination. Stain stared at the boy. He weighed this child's convictions once again. It's one thing to declare something on TV surrounded by those who are there to protect, it's another to do so alone with a killer. He was just as sure of his statement now as he was then. Stain smirked.

            "Good," Stain chuckled. He took a step forward. "But how? The law won't be on your side."

            "Of course it will be," the boy naively denied him shaking his head. He didn't seem to notice that Stain had closed some of the distance between them. He was now close enough that a single leap could put him in melee range. "The law is impartial."

            "The law is designed to maintain the status quo and will always favor the rich and the powerful," Stain informed him. It was a lesson as old as time. "Every iota of justice for the weak and the poor has had to be wrenched from the grasp of the powerful who hide behind lawyers and paid for politicians."

            "That doesn't mean we should kill them," the boy argued. His voice wasn't as strong now. There was doubt. He was waning. His eyes flickered all around him rapidly.

            "Looking for the rabbit?" Stain guessed. The boy's eyes lasered in on Stain. They were utterly focused now. "Don't worry. She's just another fake. Only a hero for a license to beat on the weak. Just another obstacle to remove from the path of making our vision a reality. We'll kill her, and then, once you've culled the false hero Ingenium, we can purify this world of heroes."

            The boy's gaze turned into a glare. "You're wrong," he declared. The doubt was gone. His conviction had returned, if anything it was stronger than before. It put steel in his voice and in his eyes. "Not just about heroes, not just about society, you're wrong about me.

            "Heroes may be flawed," he continued, "but their reason for being a hero doesn't matter. All that matters are their actions. The powerful will always be answerable to the people. I may wish to reshape the hero industry, but I would never join you. I would never share your vision. Become a monster to deal with the monstrous and you lose the right to judge anyone else."

            The boy tightened his grasp on his staff and held it just a little higher. Stain sighed. "I suppose I was wrong to assume a child could be anything but naive. Very well. If you're just going to be another slave to the system, then I ought to just be rid of you."

            Stain lunged forward. He ripped the katana from his back and slashed at the green haired boy before him. He would have killed the boy if not for the foot he suddenly found in his face.

***

            Miruko used Stain's face as a springboard to push herself back towards Viper. They'd learned enough. Stain's motives and plans were clear. Now it was time for action.

            "Viper," Miruko called behind her as she landed in front of him, "it's time for you to remove yourself. Go find Ingenium and get out of here."

            "Yes ma'am," Viper replied.

            Miruko's eyes never left Stain as Viper ran past her. He was headed for the door on the back wall that the blueprints had showed led to a series of offices. Stain was probably keeping Ingenium there if his earlier words about Viper "culling" him were any indication.

            Stain threw something at Miruko and lunged towards Viper to stop him. Miruko leapt over the knife. It wasn't much of a threat, but it served the purpose of delaying her. Stain might have made it to Viper, if not for the capture weapon that wrapped around his chest and pinned his arms to his sides.

            "I'd rather you didn't harm my student," Eraserhead told him as he slipped out of the shadows.

            "Nice one Eraserhead," Miruko laughed.

            "So," Stain growled, "he brought more back up then I thought."

            Viper made it through the door and Stain made an angry growl as he disappeared further into the structure. He turned his head back to look at the two heroes who stood in his way.

            "A hero should dictate as many parameters as possible in any conflict," Eraserhead remarked. Miruko watched as he squeezed the capture weapon tighter around the villain. "I taught him better than to play into some low life’s hands."

            "Shame you couldn't follow your own lesson," Stain said with a chuckled slipping his hand into his pocket. He pulled a small remote out and pressed its single button before either hero could react.

***

            Iida stared at the boy who had stormed into the room. He was young, about the same age as Tenya. He wore a green hoodie and jeans but the weapons he carried showed that he hadn't just stumbled across the place.

            "What are you doing here?" he asked the boy.

            "Ingenium!" the boy cried. "Thank goodness. I'm here to get you out of here."

            "It's not safe!" Iida told him. "Get out of here."

            "Not without you sir," the boy shot back. "Don't worry I'm a hero intern. I'm here with Eraserhead and Miruko. Everything is gonna be fine."

            That made Iida pause. If Aizawa was here maybe things wouldn't be so bad. Miruko was a pretty heavy hitter to have on their side. "All right but let's hurry," Iida told him.

            The boy nodded and walked behind the chair Iida was tied to. The chains were sturdy, but the boy must be strong because with a resounding crack Iida found his bonds broken.

            "Thank you," Iida sighed in relief. He stood and found the floor coming up to meet him. Before he could meet the hard concrete, he found the boy had caught him and thrown Iida's arm over his shoulders.

            "I got ya sir," he said. He had good reflexes.

            "What's your name?" Iida asked him as they stepped into the hall.

            "Midoriya Izuku," said as he checked around a corner before continuing down the hall. "Though you should probably call me Viper."

            Iida was about to ask him another question when the entire building shook and

***

            The next thing Miruko truly processed was that she had somehow been knocked down onto the floor. Her ears were ringing, and her body ached. She pushed herself up onto her knees and looked up. The warehouse was up in flames, the smoke burned her lungs as she breathed. Support beams and chunks of the roof littered the floor around her.

            Stain was standing in the midst of the inferno and laughing. The grating sound of his laughter was barely audible between the ringing in her ears and the roar of the fire. He sauntered over to a crumpled heap on the floor. It must have been Eraserhead.

            Stain raised his katana and Miruko knew she had to act. If she didn't Eraserhead was done for. She dragged herself to her feet and threw a kick at the Hero Killer. She connected with his back and kicked him away from Eraserhead.

            The villain caught himself and turned to look at her. The two stared for a moment as they each panted. Stain was mostly unharmed from the blast. The only noticeable change was the dust that had settled on his clothes. Miruko on the other hand felt like she was only standing due to her will power.

            Stain smirked at her and turned away. He ran from her and towards the door that Viper had slipped through. She leapt after him, but every step hurt, and she knew she was going too slow. She tried to push herself faster, but he made it through the door with her hot on his heels.

            She chased him through the halls. The destruction wasn't as bad in this section. The walls were cracked from the force of the explosion and the lights were flickering but at least the fire was contained to the warehouse's main room. Stain dipped around a corner and Miruko heard shouts. Miruko rounded the same corner and it took a moment for her to process everything.

            Stain and Viper were face to face. Each one had their sword drawn. Stain's jagged katana pressed against the fiercely straight jian Viper wielded. Ingenium was propped up on the wall behind Viper, he was bruised and bloody, but he was alive.

            "Found ya," Stain smirked. He didn't have long to relish in the victory before Miruko's foot connected with the side of his head and sent him through the wall.

            "You okay Viper?" Miruko asked.

            "I'll be fine," he sighed. "What was that explosion?"

            "Booby traps," she told him. "Stain had contingency plans."

            "I should have expected that," Viper scolded himself.

            "Yes," Stain's voice called from the rubble. The villain stood back up and glared at the two of them. "You should have."

            Stain lunged at them as he threw a handful of knives. Miruko ducked to the left to dodge blades. She saw Viper catch the knife that Stain had thrown at him. She had to leap over Stain's katana as he burst through the hole in the wall. She began dodging the flurry of blows that he rained down on her. She watched for any kind of opening.

            "What's wrong rabbit?" Stain taunted her. "I thought the number six hero would be a bit more of a chal-"

            Stain was cut off as Viper intercepted his blade with his own. Miruko took the opportunity to kick Stain in the chest and the villain was once again flung back into the wall. He pried himself off the floor and wiped the blood from his mouth and the three of them stood off once again.

            Stain brought his blade to his mouth and a grossly long tongue snaked out of his mouth. He must be poisoning the blade, Miruko thought. Best not to get-. Suddenly Miruko collapsed and fell towards the floor.

            "Miruko!" Viper shouted as he quickly caught her. "What's wrong?"

            Before she could answer, or he could ask any other stupid questions, Stain was upon them. Viper dashed backwards and flung Miruko against the wall. It wasn't a gentle landing but Miruko understood its necessity. She watched as Viper brought back up his sword and faced off against the villain alone.

            "It's not too late," Stain said. "Two quick strokes of that sword and all the false heroes are dead. Then we can deal with the rest of them."

            "Give it a rest already," Viper replied. Miruko could practically here the eyeroll in his words. "Surrender now and you won't get hurt."

            Stain laughed and lunged at Viper with no warning. Viper caught the villain’s blade with his own like it was second nature. The exchange of blows that followed was strange to say the least. Stain attacked like an animal. He was brutal and unrelenting. On the other hand, Viper moved like it was all a dance. The elegant and sure movements made the sword in his hands carried a weight that Stain lacked. Viper was different from the villain. Viper was a swordsman.

            Stain lashed out trying to score a blow against the young hero. Viper caught his wrist and drove his elbow into Stain's solar plexus. The villain doubled over and Viper tried to hit him in the head with the hilt of his sword. Stain rolled forward and dodged the harsh blow.

            Stain leapt up and spun in the air. He threw a handful of knives. Miruko watched the one coming at her as she struggled to move even an inch. It was all in vain if not for Viper. He ducked the blade Stain had thrown at him and lunged to catch the one coming at her, stopping it mere inches from her face.

            Viper threw the knife back at Stain, but the villain deflected it with his katana. The two stared at each other for a long moment. Miruko was just about to shout at Viper when the young hero lunged forward and began slashing at Stain. The villain's eyes went wide as the viscous onslaught drove him backwards.

            Miruko realized only now just how deadly Viper was. Before he had only been deflecting Stain's blows. Now he was aiming to take him down. His movements blurred as his speed increased. Stain tried to keep up, but he was slowly amassing a large collection of minor cuts. They weren't life threatening but Miruko could see the pain on Stain's face.

            Stain was slowing but Viper didn't relent. Stain roared in anger. The bellow of a wounded animal with one last attempt at safety. As Viper's gleaming blade shot towards Stain's side the villain swung his katana as hard as he could. The two weapons met with a great clang and both shattered to pieces, much to the surprise of everyone present.

            Stain pulled out a long knife with a wild grin on his face. "What now?" he taunted. "Ready for some payback?"

            "Kid," Miruko heard Ingenium say from his spot next to her. Her eyes flicked over to him and saw as he tossed Viper's staff to him. The motion seemed to take everything the hero had.

            Viper caught the staff without so much as turning his head. He put the weapon between him and Stain. He was still standing tall.

            "You can try," Viper said.

            Stain threw another knife at Viper, who knocked it from the sky with his staff, and the two rushed at each other again. This time there was little contest. Stain slashed down with his knife, but Viper simply side stepped it. Viper then knocked his staff into Stain's side so hard that not only did the villain slam through the wall, but the torrent of wind that he made crashed into said wall and caused it to crash down around the villain.

            The three heroes all stared into the wreckage and waited. No motion or sound came, and they all breathed a sigh of relief.

***

            Midoriya Inko was sitting on the couch in her home and looking over case notes for tomorrow's trial. The news was playing in the background, but she wasn't really listening. That was until she heard the breaking news alert.

            "I'm being told we have breaking news on a raging fire in downtown Tokyo," the news anchor reported. "We go now to Yao Tris live on the scene."

            The shot changed to a young woman standing before a raging inferno.

            "Thank you, Amari," she said. "I am currently in the heart of downtown Tokyo. Reports came into one one nine about fifteen minutes ago about the fire. The heroes have been unable to do anything yet besides evacuate the area. As you can see this abandoned warehouse-"

            "Wait!" Shouted the camera man. "I think I see something."

            The camera zoomed in on the front of the structure and the door was knocked clear from the frame. A massive silhouette filled the door frame, but the shot was too dark and unfocused to make much out. Until the camera finally focused and Inko watched as her son, carrying four others, walked from the burning structure.

            The camera followed him while everyone presant stared in awed silence. He carried someone under one arm, cradled another in the other, and had two across his back. Izuku walked first to the heroes and dropped the one from under his arm. The camera zoomed in on the face.

            "That's Stain," the reporter gasped. "That's the hero killer."

            The camera refocused on her son and then each of the other forms in turn. The two on his back were heroes that Inko could recognize. Given how little interest she had in the industry that probably meant they were a big deal. She couldn't tell who he was holding in his arms though. He walked over to the fire fighters and dropped all three of them off.

            The heroes and the firefighters came out of their shock at once. They secured the villain and began treating the heroes. The camera stayed on her son though. He walked back towards the fire engulfed building and stared at it. He pulled the staff from his back and held it tightly in his hands as he took another step forward.

            Inko gasped as green lightning began to arc across him. He took another step forward and swung his staff so fast that the camera didn't even show it. One moment he was winding up, and the next a burst of air was rushing into the heavens.

            The cut split the clouds in the night sky. For a moment Inko was deeply confused. But then they came rushing back together, filling the void that Izuku had made. Heavy rain clouds formed and began to pour down onto the area. Her son had made it rain.

            The heroes, the firefighters, even the reporter all began to clap and cheer as the fire dwindled. It wasn't out, but it was no longer spreading. The firefighters moved in with hoses and continued to fight against the flames, but now it seemed like they were making progress.

            The cameraman and reporter rushed towards her son.

            "Young man!" the reporter cried. "You're the boy who won the UA sport's festival right? You're Midoriya Izuku?"

            Izuku looked at the camera and gave a small laugh through his panted breath. "That's me," he confirmed. "But you can call me Viper."

Chapter Text

            Iida sat in his assigned room with his head in his hands. He and Manual had spent the day combing through the abandoned buildings of Hosu. Manual and his sidekicks were some of the last people still searching for his brother, but they weren't getting anywhere.

            Iida took a deep breath and tried to think positive. Another section of the city had been cleared today at least. They were one step closer to his brother.

            He was just about to flick off the light and go to bed when his phone began to ring. It was probably his mother; he had meant to call her. He picked up his phone, but his eyes didn't believe what he was seeing.

            "H-hello?" Iida answered it doubtfully.

            "Hey bro," he heard his brothers voice on the other end. He felt the tears fill his eyes.

            "Tensei!" Iida shouted in relief. "You're okay!"

            His brother laughed and the sound, weak and pained though it was, lifted the weight that had been crushing Iida the past few days. "I'm okay," Tensei assured him.

***

            Hitoshi was sitting on his bed. He was on his laptop browsing a number of different forums and waiting for some sign to go to bed. It was only about one in the morning and his training with Ms. Joke wasn't due to start until five. When Hitoshi started seeing comments about some hero activity in downtown Tokyo, he didn't think much of it. Someone posted a link though and he clicked on it with a mental shrug.

            When he saw Midoriya with a serial killer under one arm and their homeroom teacher cradled like a baby in the other he couldn't help the laugh that escaped him. Hitoshi quickly copied the link into the 1-A group chat to share the joy.

***

            Uraraka collapsed onto her bunk. She let out a breath so deep it felt like she expelled all her tension. Sweet, sweet relief. Her body ached from the training Gunhead was putting her through. They had only just finished for the day, and after a quick shower, she was very ready for bed.

            She was just about to fall asleep when her phone buzzed. She resolved to ignore it and just go to bed, when it began rapid fire buzzing. With a groan she grabbed her phone off the nightstand.

            The 1-A group chat was blowing up over something. She scrolled up until she found the link Hitoshi sent that had started all of this. She clicked on it and watched the news clip of a hero breaking their way out of a burning building while carrying a number of people to safety.

            It wasn't until she saw the name Viper scrolling across the bottom of the screen did she realize the soot covered boy was Midori. Not only was it her friend, but that was her teacher being held gently in his arms. She watched him drop the Hero Killer off like he was a sack of potatoes before he took the number six hero and Iida's brother to the paramedics.

            The whole thing was nearly impossible to process. She was just about to flick back to the group chat when a message popped on her screen.

            1-A BEST A: Kaminari: Holy crap did you guys see what he did at the end???

            She dismissed the message and watched on to see what else could possibly happen. She must have blinked and missed what he did, but she saw the clouds split open and rain fall from the heavens. She jumped up cheering, completely oblivious to the world around her, until the sidekick in the room next to hers pounded on the wall.

            She opened the group chat and read through what their friends were saying. She waded through the exclamations of astonishment, the quickly made memes, and the few jealous complaints with a giant smile.

            Someone sent a link to a live broadcast. Uraraka clicked on it confused. What else could be happening tonight? The link was to the same news source showing live feed from the scene. What she saw made her blood freeze.

***

            Izuku stepped away from the reporter and watched the fire fighter's progress. He couldn't do much to help against a fire, but he wasn't about to walk away before the situation was completely in hand. The rain began to fizzle out but with the surrounding area now damp, the risk of the fire spreading was far reduced.

            He was still catching his breath but at least the whole ordeal was over. Stain was captured, Iida's brother saved, and no one had been hurt. Of course, Izuku should have known better than to tempt fate even in his own head.

            A familiar inky black portal opened up just in front of the building. Izuku reeled back in horror and refused to believe it. From the portal's haunting depths, three familiar forms stepped out. The portal closed and left the three nomu between Izuku and the civilians.

            Izuku looked around to see who else was here. Miruko was up again and making her way towards him, Eraserhead and Ingenium were still with the paramedics though. There were four or five other heroes nearby, but Izuku didn't really recognize any of them.

            One of the nomu, one with wings began taking off into the air. Miruko leapt up and delivered an axe kick straight to the things head, knocking it back down to the ground.

            "Miruko," he shouted to the hero. "These things are nomu! They're crazy strong and follow orders from the league of villains!"

            Miruko leaped back from the winged nomu just in time to avoid a fist from the large black one. She landed near him and the two faced the nomu together. "No time to worry about who they work for," Miruko told him. "For now, we need to focus on containment. If these things get away, we're gonna have a hell of a time tracking them down."

            "The winged one is gonna be the biggest issue," Izuku murmured.

            "I couldn't agree more," Miruko said as she charged at the winged nomu. It screeched in horror and shot out a gross net that seemed to double as the creature's tongue. Miruko hopped to the side and dodged the net. A quick round house kick to the head sent the nomu straight into the still burning building. Its pained cries filled the air.

            The green nomu was making its way towards Miruko but the black one was trying to use the opportunity to slink away. Izuku rushed at the creature and fell into the ocean of One for All. Time slowed as Izuku drew close to the monster.

            He swung at the creature’s head with his staff. The blow connected with a sickening crack, made all the more horrendous by the deepened sound Reflex gave the noise, but Izuku was disheartened to see that it was his staff breaking on the creature’s hard skull.

            Izuku took a moment to remember everything he could about the first nomu while he was coming out of the swing. It had been incredibly strong and fast. These seemed to be strong but neither one had displayed the kind of speed that one had been capable of. It had some form of shock absorption. It was possible that these were each equipped with such an ability, that would make damaging them physically a problem. He'd have to do his best to keep this from becoming a battle of attrition. He had managed to stop the first nomu by deafening it with a sword through the head, but that had only worked because it couldn't hear any orders. These weren't taking orders; they probably had a standing order to create chaos or destruction. Deafening these creatures likely wouldn't accomplish anything then.

            Izuku mentally sighed. He needed a plan then to restrain these things as long as possible. He wished he had his sword. It would make impeding the creatures significantly easier. His eyes flicked around the battlefield to check on the others and to try and find anything he could use.

            Miruko was engaged with the green nomu, hopping in and delivering devastating blows that barely seemed to phase it before dodging its counter blows and hopping back out of its range. Ingenium had taken a spot at the front of the group of civilians, putting himself between them and danger, but he was clearly dead on his feet. The other heroes who had responded to the fire were rescue heroes, they weren't suited for this, so they were creating a perimeter, both to keep civilians out and the monsters in. Izuku and Miruko were on their own for now.

            He had his half of a staff, but he wasn't sure if it was going to be effective against the behemoth before him. There was some debris from the fire on the ground but that wasn't much better. Maybe he could wrench some rebar from the rubble?

            The winged nomu burst from the burning building wreathed in flames. Izuku's eyes flashed to Miruko but she still hadn't noticed, or maybe couldn't react as quickly. He took aim and threw his staff at the creature's wing.

            While the staff flew through the air, Izuku ducked beneath a swiping blow from the nomu before him. He watched as the staff struck the nomu in the shoulder. He had been trying to sheer off one of the wings, he only succeeded in making it drop a few feet. Miruko leapt up from where she was and was on her way to handle the winged nomu again.

            Refocusing on his nomu Izuku decided he needed to test its strength and durability. Assuming it was invulnerable wasn't smart. He calmed the raging storm within him to a safer level and ducked behind the nomu. He drove his elbow into the small of its back, but it didn't so much as stumble forward.

            Izuku dove through its legs as it turned to face him and looked for anything he could use. There was nothing of any value. The nomu snapped back around to him with a violent overhead strike that Izuku side stepped.

            Okay so he wasn't strong enough to hurt this thing without hurting himself. He didn't have any weapons that were going to help him. He still had to stop this thing. If it got away from him then it would wreak havoc in downtown Tokyo and possibly kill hundreds before it was stopped.

            Izuku began dodging around blows that the nomu sloppily threw at him. He was just buying time at this point. Either he'd come up with a plan or someone would come to help them. He truly looked at the nomu and tried to see a weakness. The exposed brain seemed like a good option but the nomu wasn't exactly using it. Izuku wondered if hurting it would even do anything.  

            He checked on Miruko and saw her still fighting. He also saw the flying nomu trying to take off again. Izuku ran up the arm of the nomu and launched off his shoulder and at the winged nomu. He began flying through the air when a hand clasped painfully around his ankle. He turned and stared at the black nomu who had seized him from the air with a horrible pit in his stomach.

            The sensation of being flung towards the ground with time passing at a crawl was horrible. Izuku tried to do anything while the ground rushed at him. He pulled as hard as he could against the nomu's grasp. He kicked at its arm with his other leg. Finally, he resigned himself to his fate and, in a last-ditch effort, let storm of One for All rage within him to its full strength.

            The impact didn't instantly kill him, so Izuku was taking it as a win. It did leave him gasping on the floor with his entire body aching. He knew that he couldn't stay in the crater that his body had made, but it was very tempting. He tried to drag himself to his feet, but he fell back into a heap when the pain hit him from just putting the weight on his arms.

            Something hard jabbed into his stomach as he collapsed. He reached into his hoodie and rolled onto his back. He pulled out the knife he had caught during the fight with Stain and watched as the nomu lumbered over him. This was it. He was going to watch as the nomu killed him, but he wasn't going to do it without a fight.

            He threw the knife as the nomu pulled back his fist and the action caused him to scream out as his joints screamed at him. His eyes closed and he felt Reflex finally fall and the world rush back to normal. He opened his eyes and looked up at the nomu towering above him. It had stopped mid motion with its fist halfway to Izuku's face. Izuku and the nomu both stared at the knife that was now sticking out between the nomu's eyes.

            The nomu ripped the knife from its skull with a blood curdling scream. It dropped the blade and Izuku watched as the hole in its head knit itself back together. Well so much for it not having regeneration. Izuku couldn't stop Reflex from activating as the nomu's fist began streaking towards him again. The first blow struck him in the stomach and Izuku's vision went black.

            His sight came back just in time to see the second blow coming at his head. He tried to roll out of the way, but he didn't have the strength anymore. He didn't want to die. Luckily someone else didn't seem to want him to die either.

            The nomu's fist had stopped just inches from his face. The entire creature was encased in ice and Izuku was alive. Reflex fell once again as Izuku's exhaustion hit him like a brick and a manic laugh escaped him. He was alive.

            A loud cracking sound caused Izuku to flinch. The nomu broke its way out of its icy confinement with a loud roar. Izuku worried for only a moment before a streak of blue and orange slammed into the nomu and away from him.

            "Midoriya," Izuku heard from off to his right. He turned his head and saw Shouto standing near the edge of the crater. Shouto climbed down to him and knelt by his side. "Are you okay? Can you move?"

            Izuku had never been so glad to see anyone in his life. "Maybe," Izuku told him. "That last blow wasn't great though."

            "Here," Shouto said and offered Izuku a hand. Shouto lifted him onto his feet and Izuku tried to stand. His muscles burned but he could at least stand on his own power. He scooped up the knife from where the nomu had dropped it and looked out at the battlefield.

            Endeavor had joined the fight and was taking over fighting the black nomu. His flames weren't incapacitating but Izuku could admit they were doing better against it than he had been doing. Miruko was still fighting the green nomu but she seemed to have it under control. Her kicks were having a clear effect on the monster.

            Izuku scanned for the winged one. He couldn't find it and he started to panic. If it got away, then all of this was for nothing. He scanned the skies and saw a spec high in the sky that he hoped was the creature.

            "Shouto!" Izuku exclaimed as he grabbed his arm. He pointed at the winged nomu. "The third one's getting away. I need you to launch me!"

            Shouto looked first at the small form in the sky and then doubtfully at Izuku. "Okay," he said with a shrug. "Bend your knees." With that he slammed his right hand onto the ground and a pillar of ice grew up beneath Izuku and threw him into the air. Izuku couldn't use Reflex, he couldn't control One for All, all he had was Stain's knife, but he wasn't about to give up now.

            Izuku flew through the air and straight at the winged nomu. It squawked in astonishment when it saw Izuku coming towards it, but it was too late. Izuku landed on its back and grabbed its wings. He pulled them close and the two of them went into a free fall. As they fell the creature fought against him, and the two of them spun wildly.

            As they neared the ground Izuku forced the wings to spread and slow their fall. The crash into the earth was still a lot harder than Izuku would have liked, but at least it didn't kill him. The nomu didn't seem conscious.

            They'd fallen back onto the battlefield with Endeavor, Shouto, and Miruko. That was good. Izuku needed to keep this thing contained though. He wasn't all that strong it seemed, but he could still be a problem. He saw a trashcan and laughed at the idea that came to his mind.

            "Shouto come here," he shouted. He ran over to the alley and stuffed the dazed nomu into the metal can. He looked up as Shouto ran to meet him. "Can you freeze this thing shut?"

            "Sure," Shouto nodded and placed his hand on the can. Frost crept over the metal until it was totally encased in a block of ice.

            They turned back in time to see Endeavor obliterate the head of the black nomu in a burst of blue flames. Izuku's stomach churned as the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. The creature fell to the ground, head missing, and Endeavor glared at them.

            "Quit gawking you two," he shouted. "You should be helping."

            "Helping with what Endeavor?" Miruko asked from behind him. She had the green nomu's limp form over her shoulder. "They handled themselves fine."

            Izuku looked each of the three contained nomu's and breathed a sigh of relief. He collapsed onto the hard earth and caught his breath. Miruko and Endeavor went to go talk with law enforcement and Shouto sat down next to him.

            "I stand by what I told you during the sport's festival," Shouto said.

            "What's that?" Izuku panted.

            "You're insane," he deadpanned.

            Izuku couldn't help but laugh at his friend. "Only if I lose," he repeated with a chuckle.

            "You don't think you lost?" Shouto asked with a raised eyebrow.

            Izuku just sat back and closed his eyes. "Nah," he sighed. "I didn't lose. I just needed a little help from a friend."

            They sat in silence for a moment. Izuku opened his eyes and saw Shouto staring at him with a strange look on his face. He waited to see what he would say.

            Eventually he just shrugged and leaned back too. "I guess," he said. "Just try to not cut it so close next time."

            Izuku laughed a deep hearty. It felt so good to be able to laugh like that. The last few hours had been nothing but stress. But now he could sit with a friend and laugh, if only for a bit.

***

            It was day four of the internships and Bakugo was fed up. He had been lectured, forced into jeans far too tight, and made to bear the humiliating goodie too shoes hairstyle everyone in this office wore. Best Jeanest was a top ten hero and the only hero to send him an offer, but if Bakugo had known what he'd have to put up he might have considered not doing an internship at all.

            He slammed down into a seat in the cafeteria. He had a light and healthy breakfast in front of him. He picked up the apple on his plate and turned to watch the morning news. The apple fell from his hand when he saw the story they were playing.

            Endeavor and Duality aid Miruko and Viper in violent downtown smackdown.

Chapter Text

            Izuku walked through the empty school halls. The first hints of the morning sun were lightening the sky. It was the first day back from their internships and he wanted to hit the ground running. He had booked one of the gyms for a morning workout and invited Shinso to stop by if he got the chance. First though he needed to talk to someone.

            He stopped at the enormous door and knocked. The silence that followed was intimidating. He was about to walk away, try again after classes, when a voice squeaked from the other side.

            "Come in Midoriya," Principle Nedzu called from within his office. Izuku pulled open the heavy door and looked into the dark room. Nedzu sat behind his desk illuminated by the light of his many computer screens. "How may I help you Midoriya?"

            "Sir," Izuku began as he sat down in the seat across from Nedzu. "I wanted to talk to you about an incident that occurred during the sport's festival."

            "And what would that be?" Nedzu pushed him.

            Izuku took a deep breath. "I was present for a conversation between Shouto and Endeavor where Endeavor spoke to Shouto in a way that hints at abuse."

            Nedzu watched Izuku carefully, and Izuku held his gaze without flinching. After what felt like hours Nedzu sighed. "I believe you Midoriya," he said. "But even I can't make a legal case off of hints."

            Izuku shook his head. "I know that sir," he continued. "I'm worried about Shouto though."

            "While very noble of you Midoriya," Nedzu said, "it is not our place to go making accusations that cannot be substantiated. Unless you know of any crime committed by Endeavor, then I'm afraid there's nothing we can do."

            Izuku sat and scowled at Nedzu's desk. He thought back to how angry he had felt seeing Endeavor talk down to Shouto. He wished he had struck the man. The same way Endeavor had tried to strike him...oh.

            "Sir," Izuku exclaimed, head snapping up. He was suddenly sitting straight as a board and he stared intensely at the slightly surprised Nedzu before him. "Endeavor tried to hit me during the sport's festival."

            Nedzu's eyes narrowed and he brought his hands together before his face, probably to hide how he was barring his teeth from Izuku. "Where and when? Tell me what happened."

            "It was as Shouto and I walked from the arena to Recovery Girl's office, just inside the entry tunnel," Izuku told him. Nedzu began furiously typing away at one of his keyboards. "I disagreed with him about Shouto's performance and called him a bully. He tried to slap me, but I stopped him before he could."

            Nedzu was staring diligently at the screen now. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention," Nedzu said stiffly. "This will be handled as a UA investigation and I promise you that we will see it through to the full extent of the law. Now I have just two more questions for you. Firstly, were you in any way harmed by Endeavor's assault?"

            "Maybe?" Izuku answered. "I was pretty beat up already from the fight with Shouto. I was suffering from quirk exhaustion and it definitely exacerbated that. I also dislocated that finger, but I don't remember doing that during the fight."

            "Thank you," Nedzu nodded. "I will likely need you to give a more detailed account to the police." Izuku sighed with relief. At least he was doing something now. Endeavor wouldn't be able to get away with his actions. "Now secondly, I would like to actually begin one on one lessons with you. This would require a large time commitment on your end. Is this something you're willing to do?"

            "What exactly would we be covering?" Izuku asked nervously. He had to stop himself from fidgeting in his seat. Nedzu wasn't someone to take lightly and one on one lessons might be more than he was bargaining for.

            "Crisis management for one," Nedzu told him. "Hero law and how best to use when it suits you and bypass it when it hinders you. Perhaps the most important will be how to read the people around you. In short Mr. Midoriya I plan to groom you. I have seen many students come and go here at UA, and many have had augmentation quirks similar to ours. You are the first student I have seen with not only the ability but the moral compass and self-awareness to take what I can teach you and use it to ensure the world remains a just and fair place."

            "And if I find the world to be unjust and unfair?" Izuku shot back.

            Nedzu just shrugged. "Then I'm giving you the tools to help bring us back on track," he assured him. "I have done the best I can. The truth is that an animal, even one given personhood like myself, can only do so much. I believe that you can pick up from the foundation I have laid and bring us to new heights."

            "You're asking me to be your successor," Izuku remarked. "You know the truth about my quirks mutation, right? About the relationship between myself and All Might?"

            "I do," Nedzu nodded. "All Might has been a boon to society, but he has also encouraged a stagnation, and some might argue degradation, of the heroics industry and society as a whole. He has been a close friend of mine since his days at UA, and he has worked with me, but he never understood what I was working towards, so he could not help me see it through."

            "And what is it your working towards?" Izuku asked. At this point he was on the edge of his seat, hanging on every word the principal said. 

            "A world that protects those who need protecting and isn't afraid to see justice served even if it isn't convenient," Nedzu told him. The two of them locked eyes and each weighed the other. They sat there in silence for a long time.

            "I'll do it," Izuku broke the silence, head held high. Nedzu's goal was so similar to his own, he had no reason to question it.

            "Excellent," Nedzu chirped instantly chipper and heavily contrasting with the previous serious mood. His tone caused Izuku to deflate as the knot of tension in his chest suddenly left him. "We'll begin today after classes. You will work with me on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during the same schedule that you work with Recovery Girl on Tuesdays and Thursdays, that way you won't be overworked."

            Izuku paled a little at the thought of so many extra lessons. He might not be overworked in the strictest sense of the word, but he would still be the first-year student with the most classes by far. "Yes sir," he nodded.

            "You may go then," Nedzu dismissed him. "I'll be sure to have Lunch Rush give you an extra serving at lunch today to prepare you for today's lesson."

            Izuku bowed and began making his way towards the exit.

            "Oh and Midoriya," Nedzu called after him. Izuku turned and saw Nedzu entranced by his screens. "Good job bringing this to my attention."

            Izuku nodded and left the Principal to his work.

***

            Hitoshi couldn't believe anyone would be working out at this ungodly hour. The sun was blindingly bright in the sky and classes were gonna be starting in about an hour. Normally Hitoshi would only be waking up right now, but instead he was already at school and in his gym clothes. He slumped into the gym Midoriya had told him about and desperately prayed that he would find it empty so that he could take a nap.

            He looked around the room and saw a lot of equipment he wouldn't know how to use. There were beams, bars, and rings like you would see on the Olympics, a rope straight out of an old sitcom, and the entire room seemed to have blue mats covering the floors.

            He scanned the room again and found Izuku suspended between two of the rings, holding his arms in a perfect line between them. He cleared his throat and Midoriya's eyes flashed open. He smiled when he saw Hitoshi standing by the entrance, and jumped down, flipping as he did.

            Hitoshi rolled his eyes. "You can't help showing off, can you?" he snarked.

            Midoriya just smiled at him. It was a big happy smile like Hitoshi hadn't been on the receiving end of in a long time. "What would be the fun in just hopping down?"

            "You wouldn't risk splitting your head open for one," Hitoshi pointed out.

            Midoriya just rolled his eyes. He didn't bother retorting though, instead he started making his way to one of the open sections of the mats.

            "So do you want to spar?" Midoriya asked back at him.

            "I don't think that went all that well for me last time," Hitoshi remarked. "I don't exactly have a lot of martial arts training."

            "Didn't Ms. Joke help?" Midoriya worried. He fixed Hitoshi with a serious look and gave him a once over. "She trained you right?"

            "Yeah," Hitoshi admitted. "She only had me for a week though and we also worked on my quirk. I only really got to learn the basics."

            "Well they're important so don't go selling yourself short," Midoriya said encouragingly. "Come on you can show me what you learned."

            Midoriya turned and held his arms up in a ready position. Hitoshi sighed and picked his hands up too in a poor imitation of the way Ms. Joke had shown him. The two poses were different, but Hitoshi couldn't tell much of what that meant besides the fact that Midoriya didn't keep himself as low as Ms. Joke taught Htioshi to keep his body and he kept his palms open where as Hitoshi had closed fists. 

            "Keep your elbows in close," Midoriya coached him.

            Hitoshi cursed himself and tucked in his elbows. The two of them stood like that, standing off against one another, for only moment before Hitoshi took a step forward. He snapped his fist forward, pulling his other arm in to snap his torso with the punch.

            Midoriya raised his arm and swatted Hitoshi's fist into the air with his wrist. "Hey that's pretty good Shinso," he said with a big smile.

            Hitoshi just shook his head and slid forward into a kick at Midoriya's chest. Izuku took a step backwards and swatted Hitoshi's leg off to the side. Hitoshi lost his balance and his foot slammed down leaving him overextended. Midoriya didn't take advantage of it though and just stepped back.

            Hitoshi righted himself and tried to ignore the burning in his cheeks. "If you aren't going to take this seriously, I'll just leave," Hitoshi told him. "I didn't come just so you can show off."

            Midoriya looked at him with eyes wide from shock. "Shinso," he said softly, "I offered to help you, not beat you up. If I wanted a punching bag, I would buy one. Strike a student and you teach nothing but a fear of trying."

            "What is that even supposed to mean," Hitoshi groaned. Why did Midoriya always have to talk in such a lame way?

            "It means that when we spar, I am looking for things I can help you learn," he explained. "Would you like me to show you what you did wrong?"

            "Fine," Hitoshi grumbled. He took a deep breath and followed Midoriya as he showed him how to do the kick and some exercises to improve his balance too. He hated to admit it, but maybe these workouts would be worth waking up early for.

***

            Izuku felt naked in his costume without his weapons, but hopefully he'd only have to be without them for today. He had an appointment with the Support department tomorrow morning. Just one heroics class between now and then.

            Izuku and the rest of 1-A were standing around Field Gamma waiting for All Might. Most of 1-A had been shooting looks at Izuku all day. They were either doing that or laughing at Bakugo's smoothed out hair. After the morning workout with Shinso, Izuku had only had a chance to chat with Momo and Uraraka for a brief moment and then deal with a thousand thank yous and bows from Iida for saving his brother before classes started.

            Now, looking out at the maze of pipes that made up Field Gamma, Izuku was just trying to stay calm. A lot of things had changed since the last heroics course. He had received One for All from All Might, he'd won the sport's festival, interned with Miruko, and made his heroic debut taking down Stain. He wasn't the same hero he was then, and this was his chance to show it.

            "HI! For I am here!" Boomed the voice of All Might as he appeared before the gates of the city scape. "It's been a hot minute since we were all together like this huh boys and girls? Let's get right down to business today."

            The students began to murmur to themselves, mostly complaining about All Might's lack luster entrance. Izuku wasn't paying much attention to them though, he felt like a rubber band pulled to just before the snapping point. He had more energy than he knew what to do with and he was ready to get started.

            "We are going to give each of you a chance to show off what you've learned during your workplace experiences," All Might interrupted their murmurings, though he seemed a little hurt that they didn't like his entrance. "Today's heroics course will be a rescue race!"

            "Wouldn't USJ make more sense for rescue training!?" Iida shouted out as he raised.

            "No," All Might dismissed his concern. "The USJ is designed for disaster rescue. Today will focus more on how quickly you can get to a rescue situation rather than how you handle one. A hero can be called from anywhere and must be ready to make their way to where they are needed as quickly as possible."

            "To that end," All Might continued, "each of you will be placed at a different entrance to the city, once I've given the distress call you will race to me. Whoever makes it to me first is the winner."

            "The first group is going to be Sero, Ashido, Iida, Ojiro, and Midoriya," All Might informed them. "Each of you may make your way to your entrance."

            Izuku took a deep breath and began to make his way to the far entrance to the city. He smiled at Uraraka and Momo as he walked past them and got a thumbs up from them in return. As he was almost out of the group of students Shouto put his hand on Izuku's shoulder.

            "Good luck," he said.

            Izuku smiled at him. They hadn't had too many chances to talk but it seemed like Shouto wasn't ruling out friendship.

            "Thanks," Izuku nodded.

            He made his way to the large metal gate to the city and took deep breaths as he waited. His foot was tapping, and he was chewing on his lip. He could feel the ocean within him churning, angry and turbulent, ready to respond to the slightest call.

            The door slammed open before him and the voice of All Might rang through the speakers through the city. "Help me heroes!" He called in a high-pitched imitation of a scared citizen. "You're my only-"

            Izuku released all of the air from his lungs as All Might began talking and with a swift inhale called on both Reflex and One for All. The world around him slowed as he fell into the waves. He focused on moving just how Miruko had taught him, focusing entirely on moving his legs as quickly from one step to the next, and began to run through the city.

            The pipes weaving between the buildings made good jumping points for Izuku to get a higher vantage point. He ran up and took a quick look around the city. He could see the other student's gates and each of them making their way into the city. He found All Might by the tips of his hair peeking out atop the tallest building in the middle of the city.

            He jumped from pipe to pipe and made his way towards him. As he drew near, his foot slipped off one of the pipes, and he was forced to catch the pipe with a hand as he fell. He pulled hard and threw himself into the air, landing right beside All Might. He breathed a sigh of relief and let go of the sea within him.

            "-ope," All Might finished and blinked in surprise. "Midoriya is the winner," he called over the speakers to the others.

            "How did you do that?" All Might asked in a great laugh of joy. "That was amazing!"

            "Think I did alright?" Izuku jokingly asked as he plopped down on the roof. The dead sprint to get here had left him breathless.

            "Alright?" All Might half shouted as he draped a sash over Izuku, "My boy, you just ran halfway through a city in the blink of an eye."

            "Had to learn to keep up with Miruko," he explained. "She wasn't one for holding back."

            Just then Sero's tape snagged one of the guard rails and he flew up onto the roof.

            "Aw man I thought he was joking," he groaned as he saw Midoriya sitting there. "Hell man, you really showed us."

            Izuku scratched at the back of his head a little embarrassed. "You still managed to make good time thought," he offered.

            "Young Midoriya is absolutely right," All Might interrupted. "Your time is nothing to scoff at Young Sero."

            "Thanks All Might," Sero said halfheartedly. They didn't have to wait much longer before Iida, Ashido, and Ojiro showed up as well.

            "You should all be very proud of the progress you've displayed today," All Might smiled at them. "Now let's go back and you can watch the other students."

            As they made their way back to the others Izuku was swarmed by his classmates.

            "That was amazing!" Uraraka cheered. "I couldn't even keep track of you."

            "Indeed," Momo nodded. "It was most impressive."

            "Did you get a teleportation device from that crazy girl in the support department?" Kaminari called out from the back of the crowd.

            "Thanks guys," Izuku chuckled.

            "I was gonna promise to beat your time," Shouto said shaking his head. "But I guess that isn't reasonable. So instead I'm going to promise to catch up. So you better not slack off Izuku."

            "I can't wait," Izuku smiled at him.

***

            Izuku showed up to the support lab the next morning munching on a Mad Miruko's Crazy Carrot Calorie Bar. He'd actually grown to quite like them, and Miruko had sent him home with a box of a few hundred. There were fewer remaining than he was proud of.

            He knocked on the reinforced steel door and the sounds of drills stopped from the other side. It was only a brief moment before a head of pink hair popped out through the door. A pair of mechanical goggles zoomed in on Izuku's face and a wide smile broke out over her face.

            "Ah!" the girl screamed. "You're the boy who won the sport's festival!" She grabbed his arm and dragged him into the lab.

            "Yes," Izuku nodded. "I was hoping-"

            "I have all kinds of ideas for you," she interrupted him. She grabbed his arm and began trying to fit a large metal exoskeleton to it. "Check this out."

            Izuku held up his arm and looked at the green metal that plated his arm. "What's it do?" Izuku asked. It may not have been why he came but he couldn't suppress his curiosity.

            "That baby is a shock absorber with the ability to lock the hand into any position you want," she explained. "That way you can grab onto things and never let go. Here," she brought over one of the grip strength testers that Aizawa had used during their quirk apprehension tests. "Give it a try. Grab this as hard as you can with your quirk and then press the switch inside the middle finger."

            Izuku felt the switch she was referring to. He took the grip tester and let the waves of One for All rage within him. He slowly clenched his fist around the machine, and it groaned at his strength. When the machine burst into shards of metal and circuitry it would have blinded Izuku if not for Reflex slowing the world and allowing him to duck.

            Izuku sheepishly handed the broken skeleton of the grip tester back to the girl. "Sorry about that," he said.

            "Don't be!" the girl exclaimed. She seemed only enthused by what happened. "How'd my baby hold up?" she asked and quickly grabbed his arm. She flipped the palm upward and scowled when the busted metal was revealed. "Hmm, you're stronger than I thought. This needs more reinforcement. Maybe titanium instead of steel but then if it warps, you'd need the limb amputated instead of the exoskeleton cut off."

            "Let's avoid amputation," Izuku squeaked. "Look I appreciate it, but I don't need shock absorbers."

            "Fine," she pouted. She began taking off the now busted "baby" from his arm.

            "You're Hatsume Mei right?" He asked.

            "That's right," she nodded proudly. "Good to see my reputation proceeds me."

            "I remember you from the sport's festival too," he explained. "I had an appointment to discuss replacing and maybe upgrading some of my equipment."

            "I know," Hatsume told him. "I got permission from Power Loader to handle your request personally."

            "Oh," Izuku murmured.

            "You need a new staff, right?" she asked. She finished taking the machine off his arm and took it back to one of the work desks.

            "Yeah," Izuku confirmed. He flexed his hand and checked his palm for any damage. There was a small cut but nothing too bad. "How'd you know?"

            "I saw your debut," she answered. Izuku's surprise must have shown on his face. "What?" she chuckled. "A support girl's gotta keep up with all the latest in heroics if they want to have the edge in support gear needs."

            Hatsume walked back over to him with a large metal pole from her desk. "Here," she said as she handed it to him. "I whipped this up for you when I saw you shatter your staff on that creature’s skull."

            He held the metal pole in his hand. It was heavy for a bo staff, but not unreasonably. "What's it made out of?" He asked.

            "It's a chromium steel alloy, often considered the world's strongest metal" she told him. "It weighs a little under twenty pounds. It's not exactly your standard staff either." She pressed a button on the table and a metal slab rose up in front of them. She turned to him and rose an eyebrow. "What do you think, are you strong enough to bend the strongest metal in the world?"

            Izuku sighed and held the staff before him. He fell into the waves of One for All once again and struck down at the metal slab. The clang that filled the room was like a windchime, but neither the slab nor the staff were any worse for wear.

            "Gonna have to hit it harder than that," Hatsume laughed.

            Izuku scowled and let the ocean within him grow more and more turbulent. He struck out so quickly that with Reflex dormant Izuku wasn't even able to see it. One moment he was readying the blow and the next he was in the follow through. The ringing in the room was even louder and for a moment Izuku thought that he still hadn't done it.

            "Color me impressed Mr. Champion," Hatsume laughed. Izuku straightened up and looked at the staff in his hand. What had once been a six-foot staff, was now only three, but instead of being shattered or broken, the break was clean, and a blue light shown on the end. "Inside the staff are two powerful electromagnets. Their pull strength is just weaker than the structural integrity of the staff itself. That way instead of the staff breaking it just splits. Bring the two halves back together," she picked up and brought him the other half of the staff, "and it's good as new. They're self-contained and only work on each other so they won't hinder you when you're out in the field either."

            As Izuku brought the two halves of the staff together, when they were about half an inch away from each other, they pulled themselves out of his grasp and together.

            "This is perfect," Izuku said with a big smile.

            "I'm glad you agree," Hatsume laughed. "I added another upgrade to it too. Since there was already an internal current running through both halves of the staff I added a taser feature. Just press the flat of the staff against something, press the button right here, and it'll shock whatever you've pressed it against."

            Izuku looked at the end of the staff and saw a small bump. He held it further from himself and suddenly had far more appreciation for its dangers.

            "Is there anything else I can get for you? Perhaps some EMP grenades?" Hatsume asked eagerly.

            "Actually, I ran into a similar issue with my sword," Izuku told her. "It shattered during my fight with Stain."

            "Hmmm," Hatsume mused. "A sharper blade might be able to cut through more materials without breaking. We could upgrade you to a similar alloy there as well, but you've already proven your strength is enough that that might not prevent it from shattering. I could create a plasma-based blade, then its practically shatter proof. Oo or maybe a chainsaw sword. It wouldn't be more shatter resistant, but it'd be easy to make the core strong and then replace the chain."

            Izuku suddenly understood what it was like to have a conversation with himself when he murmurs. Keeping up with Hatsume was tough and he wasn't sure he really liked what he was hearing when he did.

            "T-that's okay," he stammered. He couldn't see himself wielding either of those. They just didn't sound right.

            "Well if you're sure," Hatsume shrugged. "I'll come up with some options for you and we can chat."

            Izuku sighed in relief and left the support office. He left the staff with Hatsume and made his way to the gym for another pre-class work out. Hopefully Shinso would stop by again, it was nice to have a workout partner.

***

            Izuku and Shinso walked into class together. They'd only gone through some of Izuku's easier forms together, so they were in good spirits. Shinso had told Izuku that Aizawa was going to start giving him after school combat lessons. It'd be better for him to take it easy in the mornings, at least until he was used to the routine, and Izuku was happy to dial it back for a bit.

            They walked into the classroom and made their way to their seats. Izuku stopped dead when he saw a large gift on his desk. He looked around at everyone in the room, they were all staring at him with hungry eyes waiting for him to open it Everyone except for Momo, Tokoyami, and Bakugo, who seemed to just be waiting for class to begin.

            Izuku sat down and picked up the note from the top of the package. It read:

            Izuku,

            I wanted to thank you for saving my life at the USJ. It took a while for me to think of something you would find useful. When you told me about your fight with Stain, I realized I knew just the thing. Inside is a new sword. Its blade is made from a steel alloy known as Bright Steel and it was fashioned by the sword smith Doragon. It should be nearly impossible to break. Hopefully this will help keep you safe and finally repay the favor for USJ.

            Your friend,

            Momo

            Izuku looked over at Momo sitting in her seat, but she was facing away from him and chatting with Jiro. He turned back to her gift and began taking off the wrapping. The sword sat in a red leather sheath. Its hilt was made of glimmering silver and in its pommel sat a bright red gem, Izuku thought it looked like a ruby.

            He pulled the blade an inch out of its sheath and saw the bright red steel of the blade. He sat in awe of the beauty in the craftsman ship and realized just how much this must have cost. He couldn't accept this.

            He was ripped from his thoughts as Aizawa stormed into the room. He quickly set the sword down and payed attention.

            "Now that you've all had a chance to settle back in," Aizawa began as he reached the podium, "it's time we turn our attentions to the fast-approaching final exams. Those of you that pass will be going to a forest retreat during summer break." This announcement was met with a large cheer from the students. "However," Aizawa continued drawing instant silence from the class, "those of you that fail will be stuck with me in remedial hell."

            The class collectively gulped at that. The thought of being stuck at school for all of summer break working with Aizawa was intimidating. He, of course, instantly ruined the tone of his speech by wordlessly slipping into his sleeping bag and laying down.

            A number of small conversations began around the room. Izuku got up and walked over to Momo with the sword she had given him.

            "Momo," he said.

            "Yes Izuku?" she asked innocently.

            "Momo," he tried again, "Thank you for the gift but I can't accept this. I think it costs more than my apartment. Besides, you don't need to repay me for anything."

            "Then consider it a gift from a friend," Momo told him. "It's not the kind of thing that can be returned and you have far more use for it then I do."

            "But-" Izuku tried but he was interrupted by Kaminari and Ashido slamming into him.

            "Yaomomo, Midoriya," they pleaded. "You have to help us."

            "What?" they asked in harmony.

            "The exam," Ashido explained. "We're doomed without you. Please tutor us."

            "Yeah," Kaminari agreed. "You two are our only hope. Plus, it's your duty as our class representatives to ensure no student gets left behind."

            Momo and Izuku looked at each other. Momo looked flattered but Izuku knew his face probably showed the confusion he felt. Sure he was normally either first or second in his class, having competed with Bakugo for the top spot, but no one had ever asked to study with him before.

            Momo smiled at all of them. "I think it sounds like fun," she nodded. "We can meet at my place after school."

            "I have extra lessons immediately after so I might be late," Izuku said trying to worm his way out of Momo's inclusive answer.

            "That's alright," she said. "I can lead the study session until you arrive and then you can take over."

            Izuku looked over at the joyful relief plaster on Kaminari and Mina's faces and sighed. He wasn't willing to dash their spirits. Looks like he was stuck in it. "I can tutor for Math, English, and Heroics," he told her.

            "Perfect," she nodded. "Then I'll take History, Literature, and Science." She seemed to deflate slightly. "Now if only there was some way to study for practical."

            "Why don't you just join Midoriya for his morning training?" Shinso chimed in.

            Izuku scowled at his friend but there was no real heat to it.

            "You train in the mornings Izuku?" Momo asked hopefully.

            Izuku just sighed. "Yeah," he confessed. "It's a relatively new thing but with how busy my afternoons are with extra lessons it was the only time I could reserve one of the gyms."

            "Could we join you?" Momo asked hopefully. She looked like she had just found a golden ticket and Izuku was the one holding it. He couldn't say no to her.

            "Yeah," he sighed. "I show up at around six most mornings. You guys are welcome to join me if you like."

            Kaminari and Ashido cheered so loud that Aizawa woke up and threatened them all with detention. Izuku sighed and returned to his seat. Looks like he'd have a busy few weeks ahead of him.

Chapter Text

            Izuku walked into the Nurse's office after classes ended for the day. He slumped down into the chair by the door and waited for Recovery Girl to finish up with the two third years who she was speaking to.

            "I swear," Recovery Girl sighed. "Tamaki, I expect better from you. How long had that chicken been in your bag?"

            The boy clutching his stomach on the bed just hid his face in the pillow. A muffled answer was the only response she got from him.

            "I'm sorry Recovery Girl," the tall blond standing by the boy's bedside laughed. "I shouldn't have pushed him so hard."

            "No, you shouldn't have," Recovery Girl agreed with a short nod. Recovery Girl turned and saw Izuku sitting by the door. "Izuku, good you're here. I'm sorry to do this to you but I need you to keep an eye on Tamaki here. Just make sure the bucket doesn't get too full while I go hunt down a shot of Zophran."

            "Yes ma'am," Izuku nodded. He got up and found a pair of gloves as Recovery Girl went into one of the back storage closets. Izuku took up a spot on the other side of the bed from the blond and checked the bucket by the floor. It was empty, and with any luck it would stay that way.

            "You're Midoriya Izuku, aka Viper, right?" the blond boy asked him as he rubbed Tamaki's back.

            "That's right," Izuku nodded. "And you're Togata Mirio, right?"

            "Hey that's right!" Togata exclaimed excitedly. "How'd you know?"

            "I watched you win the third's years sports festival," Izuku explained. "Your quirk is really interesting. Some form of intangibility, right?"

            "Yeah!" Togata laughed. "You got it in one."

            They were interrupted when Tamaki scrambled over the edge of the bed and threw up in the bucket.

            "Sorry," Tamaki groaned as he leaned back on the bed.

            "Don't worry about it," Izuku assured him. He switched out the bucket for a clean one and took the full one to biowaste trash can and dumped its contents. Once he'd given the bucket a good rinse, he replaced his gloves, and returned to the bed.

            "So, how'd you get roped into helping out in the nurse's office?" Togata asked him. "Get detention?"

            "Nah," Izuku chuckled nervously. The thought of serving detention with Recovery Girl almost made him shudder. With the work she assigned him already, the thought of what she could come up with for punishment was horrifying. "I actually take field medic lessons from her. She wants me to get certified as an EMT too."

            "Jeez," Togata laughed. "I've never heard of her doing anything like that. Whatcha do to catch her eye?"

            "That boy," Recovery Girl said startling them both with her reappearance, "Beat both of our rescue scores on the entrance exam."

            "What!?" Togata exclaimed. "I didn't even think that was possible!"

            "Neither did I," Recovery Girl sighed. She walked over to Tamaki's bed side and shooed Togata out of her way. She pulled out a needle and a little bottle and began preparing the shot. "I held that record for over sixty years and got to watch as he casually blew it out of the water."

            "That's crazy!" Togata laughed, earning him a glare from the short heroine. "So, you chose to take him under your wing because of that?"

            Recovery Girl paused for a moment as she injected Tamaki with the needle. He didn't seem to notice and as she kissed his arm, the color came back to his face and he sighed in relief. She turned back to Togata. "More or less," she told him. "Now if you would be so kind as to escort Tamaki home you may both go."

            As Togata helped Tamaki to his feet he smiled at Izuku. "Hopefully we see each other again some time," he said.

            "If you want you can swing by Gym B sometime," Izuku told him. "I reserve it in the mornings for workouts. 1-A's actually going to be having some training sessions there before finals too."

            "We'll swing by," Togata smiled. "Right Tamaki?"

            Tamaki got a look of utter despair on his face. He leaned in close and whispered to Togata, it was loud enough that Izuku had no trouble hearing it though. "I can't be taken seriously now," he groaned. "I practically threw up on him."

            "Oh relax Tamaki," Togata laughed. "We'll be there Midoriya. See you then." The two of them walked off chatting about some plan Togata had that involved tricking all of 1-A into fighting him all out.

            Izuku sighed, he'd have to warn them not to fight a third year. Hopefully they were smart enough to know that though.

            "Go wash the buckets Midoriya," Recovery Girl directed him. "When you get back, we're gonna work with Symptom Simulator Sam and practice what to do in the case of dismemberment."

            Izuku shuddered as he thought of the amount of faux blood he was about to be covered in. "Yes ma'am," he gulped and made his way to the sink.

***

            This had to be the wrong house. Izuku stood before the modern equivalent of a castle. He'd known that Momo was rich, but this is changed the course of modern economics rich. He pressed the intercom on the gate and waited.

            The screen came to life and showed a man dressed in a full tuxedo. "May I help you," he asked in an impossibly posh voice through the small speaker.

            "Um," Izuku hesitated. "I'm here for the study session."

            The man sighed such a deep sigh Izuku thought he could hear years' worth of stress in it. "Come in," he said. A loud buzzer sounded, and the gate opened up before him. Izuku made his way across the large grounds and to the door. As he reached it, the man appeared and opened the door.

            "Right this way sir," he said stepping back and letting Izuku in. He led Izuku through a number of ornate rooms and to a large dining room where Momo, Mina, Kaminari, Ojiro, Jiro, and Sero were working.

            "Midoriya!" Mina cried out. "You made it."

            "Sorry I'm late," he apologized. "It took longer to clean up from Recovery Girl's lesson than normal."

            "That's alright," Momo said with a smile. She walked over and whispered so that only he could hear. "Dear god help me." Izuku saw the smile on her face and knew she was joking. He smiled at her and walked over to look at what they were working on.

            "Oh wow," he remarked. "You guys already covered the first week of all of Momo's sections."

            "Yeah!" Mina cheered. "Honestly she's a lot easier to understand than Cementoss."

            Izuku chuckled. "Well we might as well get started on Math then," he told them. Izuku was a little shocked to see Momo sit down and pull out a notebook as well. He didn't dwell on it too much though. He pulled out the notes and took a quick look over the first week. He hadn't thought too much on the whole "One for All turned him into a supercomputer" thing but seeing how much less clear his old notes were then his recent ones made it obvious just how far he'd come.

             Together they all worked their way back through the in-class exercises and Midoriya even made up a few extras himself. He'd walk around and double check everyone's work and made sure everyone understood what they were doing. It wasn't exactly the most fun afternoon of his life, but the smiles and thanks he got in return made it worth it.

***

            Izuku walked into Gym B the next morning to find a mass of students waiting for him. Everybody from yesterday's study session, Shinso, Shouto, Uraraka, Iida, and Hagakure were all there waiting for him.

            "H-hey," Izuku stammered. He pulled out his phone and saw it 6:05. "You guys all here to spar?"

            "Yeah!" Kaminari exclaimed punching at the air. "I haven't gotten to test my stuff against you yet and I wanna see what all the fuss is about."

            "You are one of the best fighters in 1-A," Ojiro pointed out. "It makes the most sense to keep our skills sharp by sparring against the toughest people we can, so this is perfect."

            "Indeed," Momo nodded.

            "All right," Izuku shrugged. He took a quick look around and made sure everyone was in appropriate clothes. "I'm gonna start off with a basic stretching form, just to warm up. You guys can follow along if you want."

            With that he made his way to the center of the gym and began to make his way through the first form Gyatso had taught him, the same one he'd spent weeks getting right before learning anything else. He made his way through the movements with patience, focusing on his breathing. He heard the sounds of people following along, slamming down their foot when they couldn't keep their balance and breathing hard when a stretch proved too hard. He completed the form and turned to see that everyone had followed along behind him.

            "So why don't we partner up and spar in pairs?" Izuku offered.

            "We're all here to spar against you," Shinso pointed out to him. Izuku looked around at everybody around him and saw a lot of nods.

            He sighed. It'd be good practice for him. Fighting against many people who all had different styles would help him from falling into any lazy habits. He also had the most experience fighting of everyone here except maybe Shouto or Ojiro.

            "Fine," he groaned. He turned to Ojiro pointed at him and then stared down Shouto. "But I'm fighting you two last. You two wouldn't get much from watching the others anyways so spar against each other over there while you wait."

            The two looked at each other and Shouto just shrugged. They made their way off to the other side of the gym and faced off without much discussion.

            "Everybody else gather round," Izuku directed in full teacher mode. He'd have to thank Gyatso for having him help out with the younger students occasionally. "I'll spar against each of you. The order will be up to you guys. Remember that we can't use our quirk without a teacher here. The spars go for five minutes and then we switch. While you aren't sparring you should be watching. A smart hero learns from his mistakes, a wise hero learns from the mistakes of others. Who would like to be first?"

            As most of the class eyed each other carefully, Hagakure bounded forward. "I'll go!" she called happily, garnering a number of groans and few glares from the crowd.

            "Okay," Izuku nodded. He prepped a timer on his phone and handed it off to Shinso so he could keep track. As he turned back to face off against Hagakure he saw she had removed her jogging coat and was wearing a tank top. He suppressed a smile. "I won't be able to critique your form as much," he observed.

            "That's okay," Hagakure said with a tone that suggested she was smirking. "This isn't exactly my first fight."

            Izuku bowed, never taking his eyes off of Hagakure, and waited for her to do the same. Once she had, he straightened, and waited.

            "Go," the board voice of Shinso called out. The match had begun.

            Hagakure rushed at him and Izuku watched the thin straps that were all he could see of her shoulders. He kept Reflex from activating and began weaving around her punches. He thought her form was probably fine. The way the fabric on her shoulders didn't bunch meant she kept her elbows in, and the turn of her body was consistent with a strong punch that relied more on the core than the arm.

            Izuku barely side stepped a kick. He'd been focusing too much on reading her shoulders and she'd noticed. That was good. She was observant.

            It was obvious that Hagakure wasn't kidding. She had a lot of martial arts experience. It explained how she made it through the entrance exam with a stealth quirk. Once Izuku knew that she wasn't going to make any dumb mistakes he began to press her with his own attacks.

            Ducking under one of her punches, he sent a quick jab at her ribs, catching her by surprise, and managing to land his hit. Hagakure's breath rushed out of her and she stepped back.

            "Damn," she gasped. "I thought I wasn't doing half bad."

            "You aren't," Izuku assured her. staying ready in case she took the opportunity for a surprise attack. "Just don't assume that it means I'm gonna stand there and let you go until you get a lucky hit."

            With her defenses now up the two of them circled around each other waiting for openings. Something caught Hagakure's eye and Izuku rushed forward. He swept her legs and hopped back as she hit the mat.

            "You can't get distracted in a fight Hagakure," he chastised her.

            "I know," Hagakure groaned. She got back up to her feet and faced back off against him.

            "Time," Shinso called to them before they could rush towards each other again.

            Izuku straightened up and bowed once again. Hagakure bowed back and returned to the crowd.

            "Did you hit him?" Izuku heard Kaminari whisper to her. He didn't get to hear her answer before another voice called out.

            "That looked fun," a familiar voice said. Izuku spun around and saw Togata standing in front of a small group of his own with a large smile on his face. Standing behind him was Tamaki and a girl with blue hair he recognized from the sport's festival but couldn't quite name.

            "Togata," Izuku greeted him warmly. "You made it."

            "Of course!" he laughed. "I could never pass up the opportunity to help out some underclassmen."

            "Careful," Izuku teased. "You offer and we might just have you in here every morning."

            The blue haired girl bounced forward and "Oh, you won't have to twist his arm too hard," the blue haired girl teased. "He was practically planning on it already."

            "Nejire," Togata groaned. "You aren't supposed to sell me out like that."

            "What? Like you weren't going to offer?" she joked with a roll of her eyes.

            "I was at least gonna wait until after," he halfheartedly defended himself.

            "Well that's very generous of you," Izuku smiled. "Would you like to watch or..."

            "Oh we're gonna spar," Nejire told him with a smile. "And as long as we're here you guys can use your quirks too. We're official UA TAs."

            Izuku wasn't sure if what happened next was a testament to how good Shouto was at remaining aware of his surroundings, or if Ojiro had simply driven him to the point of frustration, but the room suddenly dropped in temperature as ice began getting thrown around. The three heroes in training before him all snapped their heads in the direction of the ongoing spar.

            "I'll go over there and make sure they don't hurt each other," Tamaki said with a deep sigh. "That way I'll be out of the way too."

            As he was walking off Izuku felt the need to reassure him that he would have been welcome to help out with the others. Luckily for him Togata beat him to it.

            "Tamaki," he scolded after him. "We've talked about this. You have to give people a chance."

            Tamaki didn't respond but Togata seemed satisfied. He turned back to Izuku and waved him back towards the group of students. Izuku hadn't noticed that Nejire had made her way to the group of students, but there she was mingling.

            "Togata," Nejire called as they approached. "Togata you gotta give them a demonstration. Half of them didn't even watch our sport's festival."

            An excited glint entered Togata's eyes. "I could do that," he said with a smile. "What do you guys say? You can all come at me together to make it fair."

            Izuku sighed as everybody started excitedly talking. "You know that isn't a fair fight Togata," Izuku told him.

            "Yeah," Kaminari shouted his agreement. "Eight v one isn't a fair fight. I don't care who you are."

            That wasn't what Izuku meant at all but Togata seemed to understand. He faced Izuku with the same dangerous glint. "Well then how about one v one. Me and you Izuku."

            Izuku cracked his knuckles one by one and eyed Togata up and down. He'd watched the final fight of the third year's sports festival and seen him and Nejire fight. It had been brutal on both sides. He showed strength, speed, masterful control of his quirk, and a combat ability through the roof. Izuku wasn't sure he could win. It made him excited to see if he could. He felt the waves of One for All begin to stir within him at the thought.

            "All right," he agreed with a smile.  

            The two of them walked to the center of the mat with everybody cheering behind him. As they faced each other everyone went silent. Izuku felt like he was facing off against All Might again. Togata had no guard and yet he had no openings. Small sparks flickered across Izuku's skin as the turbulent storm within him began to leak out.

            Suddenly Togata dropped through the floor. Izuku was most curious about the fact that he left his clothes behind, but he waited. He focused on his breathing and waited.

            As Togata popped up behind Izuku the world slowed, and yet Izuku didn't call upon One for All. Dropping to the floor, Izuku spun out his leg and tried to sweep Togata. He watched as his leg passed clean through the waist of a very naked Togata. He did enjoy the surprise on Togata's face. He watched as it shifted to a look of joy. Togata's fist came straight for Izuku's head. Izuku slipped into a back roll and flipped up to get to his feet.

            As he watched the world mid flip, he saw Togata rushing towards him. He felt the smile pull at his face. Togata was every bit the fighter Izuku thought he was. Izuku landed and had to instantly move a block up to redirect Togata's punch. He sent his own punch at Togata, but it passed straight through his abdomen.

            The two of them exchanged a number of blows. Neither could touch the other. Panting they stepped back and eyed each other once again. Izuku let Reflex fall.

            "You're holding back," Izuku remarked. "I saw your fights, you're better than this."

            "You're one to talk," Togata shot back. "That first fight of yours was one of the most intense I've seen in a long time. Still I thought it would be a better demonstration if they could actually see what was happening."

            Izuku laughed. As he laughed, he fell into the waves of One for All. Lightning crackled across his skin and he felt his weariness fall away. He watched Togata crack his neck and pull his fists up in a guard reminiscent of a boxers.

            Izuku rushed forward first this time. He used every drop of speed he had. He pulled the same move he had used against Shouto in the sport's festival. He slipped behind Togata and delivered a round house kick to the side of his head. Izuku knew that it wouldn't work though. And as he watched his foot pass through Togata's head, he felt a sigh of relief that he wouldn't get another lecture from Recovery Girl.

            He waited as Togata spun to face him. He was fast, but with Reflex working to normalize the max speed of One for All it still took ages for Togata to spin. It took even longer for him to finally throw his punch. It's what Izuku had been waiting for though. You can't punch if you're intangible.

            Izuku could recognize a feint. He was quite proud of just how easy it was for him. Even still he almost missed that Togata blow was a fake. He didn't look, he didn't stop, the only clue Izuku had was the smirk on Togata's face just before his fist phased through Izuku's face and Izuku's fist phased through Togata's ribs.

            Togata dropped at just that moment. It was a smart, practiced move. Against anyone else the follow up blow, the real punch, would have put them on the ground. But the second Togata's fist exited Izuku's face and he could see just where Togata was moving to, he drove his elbow down at full speed.

            Izuku's elbow hit Togata square in the chest. The dull thud reverberated through Izuku's arm confirming it. Yet the smile only grew on Togata's face. Instead of hitting the ground, Togata phased through the mats once again.

            Izuku waited, but this time Togata popped up by his clothes, rubbing at his chest. Izuku let himself come back to the world around him, and Togata got dressed.

            "We should probably call it there," Togata laughed as he slipped on his shirt. "We push much harder and one of is gonna get hurt."

            The throbbing in Izuku's elbow gave Togata's words credence.

            "Probably a good idea," he agreed. He bowed and plopped down on the mat. He looked over to see the gathered students cheering as Nejire gathered their attention and began talking. He turned back to Togata and took the chance to confirm something. "You were still going easy, weren't you?"

            "Not nearly as much as I thought I'd have to," Togata laughed. "And that elbow caught me totally off guard."

            "Not that it did all that much," Izuku pointed out with a chuckle.

            "Gonna leave a nasty bruise," Togata promised. He walked over to Izuku and plopped down on the mat next to him.

            Izuku could feel Togata appraising him. He didn't bother acknowledging it. Instead he watched his classmates chat happily with Nejire and felt a small smile at how easy it all seemed.

            "It's different, ya know?" Togata sighed. "Fighting here after being out there. Seeing what the villains are like. When someone's trying to kill you it's easy to fight them. When it's your friends you have to worry about hurting them and taking it too far."

            "Yeah," Izuku nodded. He thought of hitting Stain through walls and fighting his way through villains at the USJ. "So how do you prepare for them? How do I make sure that when push comes to shove, I'm ready to do whatever it takes?"

            "I only know two ways," Togata told him with a shrug. "Getting experience out in the field and training with someone who can stand toe to toe with you even at your best."

            Izuku looked over and saw Shouto thawing Ojiro out of a block of ice. "Someone to go toe to toe with, huh?"

            "That's right," Togata nodded sagely. "But that'll have to wait until after you lot pass your finals. Come on let’s go see what the others thought of our demonstration."

***

            Izuku knocked on the door to Nedzu's office for his second lesson with the bear/rat/mouse principal. The first one had been a discussion of different strategies to deal with crises, and it had ended with more reading assigned to him then he knew what to do with. It wasn't that it took him a long time to get through, but it was exhausting processing so much material.

            "Come in," Principal Nedzu called.

            Izuku stepped into the now familiar office and saw Principal Nedzu had brought a student's desk into the space. Assuming it was for him he took a seat at the small desk and brought out a pen.

            "What'll we be doing today sir?" he asked.

            "Today Midoriya I'm going to have you implement what we worked on last session," Nedzu said with a cheery smile. "Would you like some tea while we work?"

            "Yes please," Izuku nodded. Nedzu hopped up from his desk and made his way to a small kettle he had on a table near the door and started heating the water.

            "Go ahead and pull out some paper please," Nedzu directed him. Izuku pulled out the notebook he had dedicated for these lessons and opened to a blank page. "Now while we wait for the tea let's go ahead and start." Nedzu returned to his seat at his desk and picked up a stopwatch. "I'm going to give you ten seconds. In that time, I want you to write out three different plans for the following situation."

            Izuku nodded. "What's the situation sir?" he asked.

            "A nuclear bomb is rushing towards downtown Tokyo," Nedzu told him. "There are thirty seconds until detonation. You may begin....now." Nedzu clicked the stopwatch and time began.

            Izuku looked down at the paper in front of him. He started writing the first plan, finding an energy absorber.

            "You're not going to have enough time at this rate," Nedzu pointed out.

            Shit, Izuku thought. He tensed up and let Reflex all but freeze the world around him. He rolled his eyes. Of course, Nedzu was going to want more than a sentence. But how was he gonna write enough to appease Nedzu? Reflex could give him the time to come up with more detailed plans, but the only way he could write fast enough was if he used One for All but that kind of power was hard to use and if he lost focus then he could destroy the pen or even the desk.

            It was his only option though. He submerged himself in the waters of One for All and the crackle of electricity filled the room. Focusing fully on speed, he began to flush out the energy absorber plan. He knew of two heroes that worked in downtown Tokyo with a quirk like that, Fullstopper and Heatsink. Izuku didn't think Fullstopper had the power to handle a nuclear explosion so Heatsink would be the priority. He discussed exactly how to bring Heatsink to the site of impact and prepare for detonation as well.

            The second plan he came up with was to stop the bomb. Nuke's fly at roughly twice the speed of sound. If it was thirty seconds outside the city, then it was roughly twenty kilometers away. That meant it was either over Japanese land already or over Tokyo Bay. If it was over Tokyo Bay then going out and pulling it down into the bay would be ideal, the water would contain the explosion. If it were over land, then pulling it down would still represent the best circumstance to minimize causalities. This plan involved a lot more ethical dissection of a hero's duty to the people and if they had the right to make such a call.

            The PR would have to be handled carefully. Many would be angry at the redirection of the destruction and blame the heroes for all casualties. Quick search and rescue and disaster relief would need to be deployed. Those with healing quirks and radiation absorbers would ideally make their way towards the detonation zone.

            As Izuku started the third plan the pencil snapped in his hand. Izuku gritted his teeth and threw the shards of his pencil aside. He reached into his bag and snatched another one. He got back to work as quick as he could.

            His third plan was evacuation. It wouldn't be easy. There wasn't enough time to focus on evacuating the people. He'd need to find either a single teleporter who could transport the entire city of Tokyo, or hundreds who could handle sections. The second would be impossible without preplanning. Teleportation quirks were rare too, so even with preparations it might still be impossible. In the history of Japan only one teleportation quirk had been strong enough to handle the first plan, The Chasm Hero: Void. She had been active over a hundred years ago and if anyone existed on her caliber then they were keeping their quirk secret or worked for an origination that kept them secret. Izuku discussed where to search for that person; the different governments, private facilities, and criminal organizations.

            He then discussed the full implications politically, economically, and psychologically of having fully moved Tokyo. All of the infrastructure would need to be replaced and the people likely assured that everything would be alright. Ideally Tokyo would still be a coastal city to allow for the continued heavy economic reliance on the sea.

            Izuku took a deep breath and released both of his quirks. He looked up at Nedzu who clicked his stopwatch.

            "Two seconds to spare," Nedzu smiled. "Not bad. How many pages did you finish at?"

            Izuku flipped through the pages. "Plan one is seven, plan two is fifteen, and plan three is twelve."

            "Why the difference?" Nedzu asked.

            "Well," Izuku mused. "I feel the first plan was the simplest and in many ways the best. The second plan exists in a moral grey area and I felt that if I didn't cover that then I hadn't really explored the full implications of the plan. The third plan is the most outlandish and as such would require the most preparations for it to be viable.:

            "Very good," Nedzu nodded. "We'll discuss each of these in depth and see how you did. Next time please refrain from throwing things," Nedzu's gaze flicked to the side and when Izuku turned to look he saw a pencil sized hole in the wall.

            "Sorry sir," Izuku said with a bow. He could feel the heat of a blush spread all the way down his neck.

            "It's not a big deal," Nedzu laughed. "Don't let it worry you, we have a lot of work left to do. But first, tea!" Nedzu got up and prepared two cups of green tea for them. Izuku focused on calming his breathing and ridding himself of the tension that had filled him during the exercise.

***

            The weeks leading up to the final passed quickly for Izuku with how busy he was. Every morning he showed up to spar, some days Togata and his friends would show up and they'd get to work with their quirks, some days they didn't and Izuku helped everybody with their hand to hand. Recovery Girl bumped up the intensity of their lessons until Izuku was dreaming about setting bones and giving stitches. Nedzu's lessons weren't any better. The principal pushed him with every lesson, and he learned more about the world then he had ever thought possible.

            The day before the exam the students of 1-A were crammed around two of the lunch tables. Lunch rush had started making more compact meals for him with different calorie additives. Today was a calorie boosted ramen with pork.

            "I still don't know what the physical portion of the exam is going to entail," Momo mused.

            "Well it should be a summary of what we've covered in our Foundational Hero Studies," Iida declared.

            "Yeah but we've covered so much," Uraraka pointed out. "They can't possibly hope to cover everything."

            As the world slowed, Izuku thought for a moment that Bakugo had thrown something at him like in middle school. He would have believed it, if not for the fact that he could see Bakugo two tables away with Kirishima. He leaned forward and out of the way of whatever was coming at him.

            "Wha-" he heard a voice behind him. Izuku turned around and saw a first-year student with straight blond hair. "Hmph," the blond grunted. "Oh! If it isn't Midoriya Izuku. I saw you on the news. Trying to seem all big and bad taking down the Hero Killer. You should be careful, one of these days you might find you've bitten off more than you can chew."

            "I'm sorry," Izuku said with a tilt of his head, "who are you?"

            "I am the great Monoma of class 1-B," the boy, Monoma, declared. "I'm the one who's going to surpass you 1-A jerks."

            "That's nice," Izuku shrugged. He turned back to his bowl and went to take another bite. Apparently, he had said something to offend the boy because the world slowed again. He ducked down to avoid whatever it was, but this time he slipped out of his seat and into a ready position. He watched as a girl standing behind Monoma karate chopped him and he fell in a heap, right into her arms.

            "Sorry about that," she apologized with a small bow. "Monoma's just excited."

            Izuku straightened himself up and smiled at the girl. "I suppose," he grumbled. Then he remembered his manners and straightened out of his defensive crouch. "We've never been properly introduced. I'm Midoriya Izuku. Thanks for helping out."

            The girl returned his smile. "Not a problem," she laughed. "I'm Kendo Itsuka. By the way, I heard you guys talking about the final. I heard from some upper classmen that it's going to be robots, just like the entrance exam."

            The other students of 1-A began excitedly talking about this new information, but something was off to Izuku. "I'm sorry but I don't think that's going to be the case anymore," Izuku told her. "Nedzu's concerned about the amount of villain activity that's involved UA. He's revamped security, curriculum, and during my lessons with him I've even heard him talk about implementing a dorm system. I don't know what the final is gonna entail, but it's not gonna be like anything we, or anyone else, has seen before."

            Kendo looked shocked, and from the silence at the table so were the students of 1-A. "O-okay," Kendo said a little shocked. She walked off, carrying the limp body of Monoma. Izuku sat back down. He looked up after another few bites of ramen and saw everyone staring at him with surprised faces.

            "What?" Izuku asked. "Did I say something wrong?"

            "No," Uraraka assured him. "It's just-"

            "I don't think any of us knew your extra lessons were with Principal Nedzu," Momo finished for her.

            Izuku just shrugged. "Only half of them," he told them. "The other half are with Recovery Girl."

            "So wait," Kaminari said. "You're taking extra lessons from Recovery Girl and Principal Nedzu, you train every mornings, and you still came and tutored us with Momo?"

            "Yeah," Izuku nodded.

            "Midoriya, you're too good to us," Kaminari cried out. He seemed to have actual tears in his eyes.

            "So, what do you think the final is gonna be?" Iida asked him.

            "I don't know," Izuku confessed. "Whatever it is though, I'm sure it'll be custom tailored for our weaknesses. So, we better be ready."

            "Ah no," Mina whined. "How are we supposed to prepare now!? The exam is tomorrow."

            "A day or a year," Izuku shrugged. "A readied mind is the most important preparation."

            "Easy to say for the guy who can slow time," Shouto pointed out.

            Laughter filled the 1-A table, and everyone was able to forget about the oncoming exam, if only for a moment.

Chapter Text

            Izuku was in bed staring at the ceiling and trying to think about what the teachers would throw at them. Nedzu and Aizawa were both analytical and brutal. They wouldn't pull punches. They knew exactly where each student needed to grow, and they were probably going to try and push them beyond these limitations. Plus Ultra and all that.

            He'd nailed just about every 1-A student's weakness. Some were obvious, like Kaminari and Mina needing to strategize more. Others were a bit harder, like how Tsuyu struggles with teamwork. Izuku actually had fun coming up with his analysis of his classmates.

            The problem was Izuku wasn't sure what his biggest weakness was. Nedzu had made him write a hard counter to an attack from himself. It had been a fun exercise on how well he knew his strengths, but this was different. He had a habit of relying on his training and his fighting prowess to get through a fight, but that's what a fight is built off of, and it was better than relying totally on his quirk. He was using his quirks a lot these days, but that was so he could master them and be a better hero for it. So, then what was his weakness?

            Izuku rolled over and checked the time. It was a little after one in the morning. He grabbed his phone off the bedside table and saw an email notification from Nedzu. It was a request asking him to stop by his office in the morning before the exam.

            Izuku sighed and sent him a quick confirmation that he'd be there. He set the phone back down. He was about to roll back over when something glinting in the light of his alarm clock caught his eye. He grabbed Stain's knife off the table and inspected it.

            He'd gotten into the habit of fiddling with it a lot on his more sleepless nights. It was a souvenir from his debut as a hero. And yet it made him feel so melancholy. Stain had been a monster. He'd murdered more people than Izuku cared to count. But did he have a point? Were the heroes untouchable? Would Endeavor get away with everything?

            Izuku's phone buzzing startled him out of such thoughts. He put down Stain's knife and checked the notification. It was a short email from Nedzu.

            Izuku,

            Go to bed. I don't need another super powered insomniac at my school.

            Nedzu

            Izuku chuckled at the image of him with bags around his eyes to rival Aizawa and Shinso, maybe he'd carry around a green sleeping bag and sleep wherever he could. Putting his phone down, he closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. Next thing he knew his alarm was going off and the early light of predawn was coming through his window.

            He got up and stretched. He'd need a big breakfast and a shower. Today was exam day.

***

            Izuku didn't even get to knock on Nedzu's door before he was called in. Opening the door, he found Nedzu there with a man in a long trench coat.

            "Hello," Izuku nodded to the man.

            "Hello Midoriya," the plain looking man said. "My name is Detective Tsukauchi. I'm the officer assigned to your complaint against Endeavor."

            "Nice to meet you," Izuku said. "Is there something I can do to help with the case?"

            "Not at all," Tsukauchi told him. "With your statement given to the school and the video feed of the incident we should have everything we need."

            "Please let me know if there's anything I can do in the future then," Izuku requested.

            "I will," the detective assured him. He shared a look with Nedzu and when the rodent like principal gave him a nod he continued. "Midoriya I wanted to warn you that we are filling the official paperwork for the case today."

            "Okay," Izuku said uncertainly, not quite seeing where this was going.

            "These things are supposed to be kept out of the public eye until a certain point," Tsukauchi continued. "We'll do our best, but once Endeavor's PR firm hears about it they're going to try and get out ahead of this. They're going to try and discredit you and say you're lying for attention."

            "What should I do?" Izuku asked turning to Principal Nedzu.

            "Well the worst of it should be over by the time you return from the summer retreat," Nedzu told him. "Your disappearance from the public eye will serve to prove you aren't doing it for attention and bolster your case. If, when you return, any reporters try to get a statement from you, just refer them to me or Detective Tsukauchi."

            "Okay sir," Izuku nodded. "Anything else?"

            "No that will be all," Nedzu confirmed. A smile came onto his face that sent chills down Izuku's spine. "Good luck today."

            The devious look in the principal's eyes had Izuku rushing to get out of there. Once he was out in the hall, he found he could breathe again. He walked off to class and tried not to stress over the inevitable.

            Walking into the classroom he found he was the last to arrive. He quickly took his seat, and not a moment too soon, because the second he sat down the door slid open and Aizawa walked in, his arms full of papers. He would have looked rather intimidating if not for the sleeping bag draped under one arm.

            "These are your finals," he said and began handing large stacks of papers to the first person in each row. "You will have two and a half hours to complete the paper exam, there will be a break for lunch, and then we will make our way outside for your practical exam."

            He finished handing out the last stack and returned to his desk. When the stack of papers reached Izuku he noticed that there was only one test left. He passed it back to Shinso with a sigh and went up to Aizawa's desk. Aizawa, half into his sleeping bag, looked at him expectantly.

            "We were short an exam," Izuku told him.

            Aizawa looked at him with some mix of pity and annoyance. "Nedzu and I prepared a different exam for you," he told Izuku. He reached into his sleeping bag and pulled out a stack of papers just as thick as the one that he had walked in carrying.

            Izuku tried not to gulp as he took the oversized exam from Aizawa. It was multiple packets, each about twenty pages. He went back to his seat and did his best to ignore the stares of his classmates. He caught the smug grin of Bakugo from the corner of his eye. Kaminari started to whisper something, but Aizawa's glare silenced him before he could really say anything.

            Izuku sat down and opened the first packet. It was Math. Only it was Math they hadn't even covered yet. It was all based on the principles of what they had learned from Ectoplasm, but it expanded on them and branched out so that Izuku had to really think about the questions and how to solve them.

            The next test was English. Inside were half a dozen articles and reading comprehension questions concerning the author's ideas and purposes. It wasn't all that bad truth be told. He struggled with some of the words he'd never seen before, but none of the questions were about the words or the grammar so he thought he did alright.

            He moved onto History and quickly made his way through the multitude of questions. He had taken to looking over the history book during class. Given how quickly he could read now that meant he'd read the entire thing half a dozen times. Seeing as all of the questions covered material from the book, he breezed through them. The only ones he paused on were the ethical discussions. He wanted to answer them fully, but Midnight hadn't left enough space for more than a few sentences. He had to choose his words carefully.

            Next was Science, another one where Izuku's reading of the textbooks came in handy. He wasn't sure he fully understood all of the processes he described, but he knew all of the jargon associated and did his best to describe them.

            Moving onto Literature, Izuku began to struggle. He'd read all the books sure, but he didn't exactly have perfect recall. He worried he was mixing up characters and plot lines, but he made it through with no blank questions, so he counted that as a win.

            Izuku laughed softly when he picked up the next packet, earning him some concerned looks from those around him, and more than one glare. It was a section on First Aid and Emergency Medicine. Shaking his head, he made his way through Recovery Girl's questions. They weren't all super clear, Izuku guessed this was the first test she'd ever written, but he did his best to give full and responsible answers to each question.

            Last was the thickest of all the packets, Heroics. The first couple pages were what he suspected were the standard heroics portion of the exam. Then he turned the page and found a single question at the top of an otherwise blank piece of paper. He flipped through the last dozen pages and found that each of them was exactly the same. Reading the first question Izuku cracked his neck.

            He wouldn't be able to use One for All without disturbing his classmates, so he'd have to write these out on his own. He got to work on the first question, a quirk analysis based off a two-line effect description, and did his best to separate his factual analysis from his assumptions and speculations. The next question was an ethical debate, and then a hero law question. Every single thing he and Nedzu had worked together on had its own essay question.

            When he had finally put the finishing touches on the exam, and gone through it all one more time just to be safe, he got up to turn it in. He'd been too focused on the exam to really process anything else going on in the room, but he'd expected to see a large stack of papers on Aizawa's desk. Instead he found that there were only two exams turned in. He added his packets to the stack and returned to his seat, doing his best, once again, to ignore the gazes of his classmates.

            Izuku looked at the clock, there was still over an hour until they'd be dismissed for lunch. He stared out the window and tried to pass the time. His foot started tapping and he spun his pencil between his fingers. Time was funny thing for Izuku. It was his greatest tool, but it was a double-edged sword. The torture of sitting in silence and waiting for the test to be over was a perfect example of this.

            He cleared his mind and focused instead on his breathing. He put his hands on his desk, closed his eyes, and just breathed. Focusing on the in and out of his breathing really helped him calm down. He felt his heartbeat calm.

            In the depths of his own mind, he could feel One for All and its ocean of energy. A boundless sea with no end in sight. He was just a rowboat rocking in the waves. He could see it stretch out in front of him. And then he wasn't just seeing it or feeling it, he was there.

            Izuku was actually sitting in a little rowboat in the middle of an endless sea. The boat was battered side to side by the choppy waves. And sitting there in the boat with him were eight shadows. He looked at them and they looked back. Somehow, even with all the other oddities of the scene before him, Izuku still found himself surprised when he recognized one of the shadows. He would know that emaciated form anywhere.

            Izuku tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat. He tried to reach out to the shadows, but his limbs were too heavy to move. The shadows rustled and shimmered and then they were gone.

            Izuku sat bolt upright in his seat. The other students were all getting up and heading for the door. He looked around quickly and tried to find the shadows. They were gone. Not a trace left.

            "You coming Izuku?" Momo called to him from the door of the now otherwise empty classroom.

            Izuku paused for a moment just to be sure. "Yeah," he finally relented and followed Momo to the cafeteria.

***

            "What was that exam man?" Kaminari complained as they sat around the lunch table.

            "I know," Uraraka groaned. "I thought my hand was gonna give out."

            There were a number of nods from around the table. Izuku just ate his pecan-and protein-crusted salmon.

            "And what was with Midoriya's?" Tsuyu asked.

            "Oh yeah!" Uraraka exclaimed. "I was so brain dead I almost forgot. Yours was so much bigger! Do you have bad eyesight?"

            Izuku actually laughed as he thought about a blown-up exam with extra-large questions. "No," he admitted. "I think Aizawa and Nedzu were worried it wouldn't be fair to give me the standard exam?"

            "What do you mean?" Momo asked him. "Did Nedzu incorporate things from your private lessons?"

            Izuku sighed. "Kind of," he told them. "He definitely added to the Heroics portion, and Recovery Girl made up one that was based off First Aid too."

            "Okay," Tsuyu said, "but that's only two sections. You had like eight tests."

            "Yeah they added a bunch of questions to the other sections too," Izuku confirmed.

            "Why would they do that?" Momo asked. "Have you been taking extra lessons with the other teachers too?"

            "No, it's not that," Izuku said biting at his lip. He hadn't exactly meant to keep it a secret, but he didn't want everyone to think differently of him. "So, you guys know how Reflex evolved?"

            "Of course," Iida declared. "It spread from the neurons of your brain to the neurons across your entire body and gave you super speed."

            "Yeah," Izuku nodded, close enough to the official story anyways. "Well it also increased the speed at which I process information even when Reflex isn't active."

            "What does that mean?" Uraraka asked.

            "You're super smart now?" Shouto explained with his own question.

            "I don't think it actually made me any smarter," Izuku shrugged. "But it made a lot of things a lot easier. So they gave me a lot more questions. I don't know if they were any harder though."

            "How much faster?" Momo asked him.

            Izuku shrugged again. "I don't know exactly," he admitted. "Aizawa had me do a words read per minute test and I got something like a million words."

            Everyone around the table just stared at him dumbfounded. Izuku suddenly found his salmon very interesting. There was a rustling and Uraraka slammed a notebook down in front of Izuku making him jump.

            "I wanna see the hardest math question," she demanded.

            "Wha-" Izuku tried.

            "I'll confess I'm also rather curious," Momo told him.

            Looking between the two of them he found no judgement or anger that he had an advantage, just curiosity. A quick glance around the table and everyone else seemed to be being watching him expectantly. With a sigh he quickly wrote down the question that he was sure Ectoplasm had made specifically to stump him.

            He handed the notebook back to Uraraka. She just stared at the paper, the pencil in her hand unmoving. She handed it to Iida without a word. His happy expression quickly turned to one of exasperation. He handed it back and Uraraka passed it to every person at the table, until finally Momo got her hands on it. Taking Uraraka's pencil she started writing out the equations. She paused a few times, but after about ten minutes she handed it to Izuku with a fiercely proud expression.

            "Yeah," Izuku nodded. "That's what I got too."

            "Truly you two are the best of us," Iida nodded sagely. "I stand by our decision to have you two as our representatives even more."

            "Bu-" Uraraka mumbled as she took her notebook back and tried to follow Momo's work.

            "Like I said," Izuku shrugged, "I don't think it made me any smarter just faster. I think part of the test was supposed to be a test of our mental endurance. If mine had been the same length, then it wouldn't have been fair."

            "That makes sense," Momo nodded. "I wonder how that will play into the class rankings."

            "Maybe they sprinkled the real questions in and will only grade those," Iida suggested.

            "That doesn't seem fair," Tsuyu remarked. "What if he did better on the other questions?"

            The conversation revolved around Izuku and his exam for a little bit longer before everyone got up and headed to the locker rooms. It was time for the practical exam.

            As Izuku pulled out his new sword and staff he felt like he ready to take on the world. He took a deep breath and took a quick dip into One for All to split the staff. He had Hatsume add slots for the halves across his back, right next to where he hung his sword. He righted his robes and retied his boots, he'd be ready for whatever the teachers could throw at him.

            As he walked out and joined the line of his classmates Izuku saw that all of their teachers were in front of them. As he took his spot Aizawa walked forward.

            "Hopefully you are all prepared for this exam," Aizawa said eyeing them harshly. Their silence was met with a raised eyebrow. "Really? You didn't run to the upperclassmen and ask them everything."

            "With all due respect," Izuku remarked. "After everything that has happened this term I would be amazed if you kept the exam something as easy as robot villains."

            "Very good Midoriya," Nedzu laughed popping out of Aizawa's capture scarf. "You're absolutely right of course. The exam will no longer be like the entrance exam. Instead each of you will be paired up and set against a teacher."

            "Your styles, your grades, and most importantly your strengths," Nedzu told them. "We judged all of these things and matched you up with a teacher accordingly."

            The murmur that broke through the crowd was full of anxiety. Izuku knew that it meant a nearly impossible fight, and he felt the excitement of it as the ocean within him began to stir.

            "You will be dropped in one of the combat facilities and your goal is to either to defeat the villain, secure them with these cuffs, or to have one of you escape through the victory gate," Nedzu explained presenting ten pairs of steel hand cuffs.

            "That's so not fair!" Mina cried out.

            "Indeed," Nedzu nodded. "To help even the playing field each teacher will be wearing these cuffs specially designed by the support department. They weigh about half that of the teacher wearing them."

            There were still a number of grumbles from the students. Izuku didn't care. He was eyeing the teachers. Who would he get to fight? Aizawa? He would be able to counter both of Izuku's quirks with his own. He'd have to rely entirely on his fighting abilities. He felt the grin pull at his lips.

            "The first exam is Shinso and Shouto vs me," Eraserhead declared.

            Izuku smiled even wider. So, he wasn't going against Aizawa then. He thought he knew who they would pull out next. Aizawa was their homeroom teacher. He knew them the best, so he made an intimidating opponent, but he wasn't the strongest teacher.

            "Bakugo and Asui are working together," Aizawa said turning to the new duo. "And you'll be fighting-"

            "I AM HERE TO OBLIGE!" All Might interrupted him as he came flying onto the scene.

            The students went wild with various exclamations at that. Izuku just stared at him dumbfounded. Izuku wasn't going to get to fight All Might. His eyes scanned the other teachers. None of the posed the challenge that All Might or Aizawa presented. They were all pro-heroes. They all posed a massive threat, but none of them got Izuku's blood pumping the way All Might and Aizawa did. That's when the realization hit him. One of the teachers was eyeing him carefully and he could feel the pit form in the bottom of his stomach.

            Cold dread made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he and Nedzu watched each other. Nedzu, the smartest hero, maybe the smartest creature on the planet. Nedzu, who knew more about Midoriya than anyone. Nedzu, who wanted to push his students harder than any other teacher.

            "I will be going against Midoriya and Yaoyarozu," Nedzu announced as though he was revealing something wonderful and not a death sentence.

            Izuku's eyes never left Nedzu as the other match ups were declared. When the principal cheerily got down from his perch atop Aizawa and started walking towards a bus, Izuku quickly grabbed Momo's attention.

            "Follow my lead," he whispered. "Don't trust the bus. Save any real plans and ideas until we're in the exam."

            He got on the bus and headed to the seat in the very back. Nedzu had taken the very front seat and was smiling at them widely as they passed. The second they got to the seats Izuku began the search. He found three hearing devices and promptly gave back them to Nedzu before returning to his seat.

            "We should be in the clear," Izuku lied.

            "He tried bugging us?" Momo asked astonished. "Isn't that underhanded?"

            "Right now, he's a villain," Izuku remarked. "I doubt there's much he won't do to win."

            "But it's just a test," Momo argued. "Surely as long as we do our best we'll succeed."

            Izuku wished he believed that. "Momo," he said. "Trust me when I say we have been given the hardest exam."

            "I think you're over exaggerating Izuku," Momo insisted. "He's the principal but he wants us to succeed."

            "No," Izuku shook his head. Momo stared at him in confusion but Izuku knew the principal in the same way that the principal knew him. He'd seen the man's drive. He'd seen the cruel conviction within him. "He wants to win."

            But then, so did Izuku.

Chapter Text

            "Izuku," Momo said breaking the silence that had lasted since Nedzu had dropped them off in the heart of the city. "What are you doing?"

            Izuku breathed out another deep breath. "Staying calm," he explained. He could feel the waves of energy crashing around inside of him. The electric like surges flicking just beneath the skin. His every nerve was on edge. "We need to get moving."

            Izuku began walking quickly down the street and away from where Nedzu had brought them into the city. Momo fell into a hurried step next to him.

            "Momo, you should make sure you have weapons," he told her.

            "Right," she nodded.

            She started to glow and pulled a metal staff from her shoulder. Izuku pulled the two halves of his own staff from his back and put them together. They made their way a little further before Izuku turned at an intersection.

            "Izuku, is everything okay?" Momo asked. "I know Nedzu is a dangerous opponent, but you can't get disheartened."

            Izuku chuckled a little. "That's not it," he told her shaking his head. "Nedzu's going to try and overwhelm us."

            Momo didn't say anything but Izuku knew he hadn't really explained anything.

            "Nedzu knows me better than anyone," he continued as they made their way down the deserted street. "He's analyzed my quirk and seen all of my notes, even had me write a counter strategy on how I'd fight me for him. And I've seen his notes on the rest of 1-A too. They're savage, almost cruel. He made sure that the two of us, the top two students in 1-A, would have the hardest final."

            Momo was now on high alert, scanning the streets and rooftops for any sign of movement. "So, you're saying you don't think we can win?" she asked seriously. It didn't sound like she was angry or disappointed, but analytical and calculating.

            "I don't know," Izuku confessed. He gripped his staff and felt his knuckles crack as they squeezed around the hard metal. He couldn't help the big grin that stretched across his face as the cold shiver passed beneath his skin. "But I can't wait to find out."

***

            Bakugo stomped through the fake ass downtown. He just had to get paired up with the weird ass frog girl. She had been following behind him since he had started his march through the city. Neither of them had said a word. Of course, Froggy had to go and ruin that.

            "Do you have a plan, kerro?" she asked.

            Bakugo growled under his breath. "We find All Might," he told her.

            "And then?" she pressed.

            "Fuck do I have to spell it out for ya?" Bakugo snapped. He slammed his fist into his palm and the resulting explosion gave him a sick satisfaction. "We kick his ass."

            "I don't-"

            Whatever Froggy was going to say was interrupted by the impossibly large gust of wind that ripped through the buildings and threw them along with the debris. The noise was so intense Bakugo couldn't hear the curses coming out of his own mouth. He did notice the rope snag him around the middle at least.

            The rope wrapped around him and tugged him right onto a nearby roof. He was set down so he was standing right on the edge. Taking in the scene before him was not intimidating. The buildings they had been hiding between were gone. In their place was a deep gouge carved into the earth. He looked down and saw the rope around his waist return to Froggy's mouth.

            He suppressed a shudder and turned back to inspect the damage before him. He pointed off towards where the gouge narrowed.

            "I'm guessing All Might is off that way," he remarked.

            "Probably standing right in front of the gate," Froggy nodded.

            "Come on," Bakugo said tossing his head towards the entrance. "We can talk on the way."

            He jumped down, with only a small explosion from each palm to lessen his fall near the street. Froggy landed next to him and they started off down the street.

            "You've got the gross ass tongue, can jump, and I'm guessing you swim better than ya run. Did I miss anything?" Bakugo asked as they picked their way through the rubble.

            "I can regurgitate my stomach," she shrugged.

            Bakugo side eyed her to try and tell if she was joking. Didn't seem like it. "Gross," he said.

            "Hey, you asked," she pointed out.

            "Fair enough," Bakugo grumbled.

            They continued on in silence for a bit. Bakugo scanned the tops of the buildings for any sign of movement. He did it so that All Might wouldn't get the drop on them, but he knew that wasn't where All Might would approach from. You don't have to hide a tank from a gunman after all. 'Course a grenade can still blow up the fuckers inside, Bakugo thought to himself with a smug smirk.

            "Where are you heroes?" the commanding voice of All Might sounded from before them. There was venom on the word heroes, but Bakugo still felt his smirk grow into a wild grin. He was right.

            Now that he knew where to look, he could see it. There in the distance stood All Might with his obnoxious blond hair and blue costume. He posed with his hands on his hips like he was an immovable wall and Bakugo couldn't wait to tear him down.

            "Come on Froggy!" Bakugo called as he began to sprint at All Might. All Might in turn watched, unmoving, as Bakugo got closer. Bakugo leapt into the air and unleashed his explosions to spin around. Finally, he'd get to show that he was the strongest. He had perfected this move for the sport's festival, but he hadn't gotten to show it. Now he would prove that he should have been the one to win.

            "Howitzer Impact!" Bakugo cried as he ignited his sweat and sent a bombardment of explosions raining down on All Might.

            Bakugo was blown back by the force of it all, but he managed to right himself and land without getting hurt.

            "That was a lot of force," Froggy said from right beside him. He might have jumped in surprise if he wasn't panting like he'd just sprinted a mile. Instead he just smirked at the praise.

            "Once all the smoke clears, we can slap the cuff on his unconscious body," Bakugo told her through heavy breaths.

            "Are you sure he's down?" Froggy asked.

            "Fuck off. Not even All Might could have tanked something like that," Bakugo rolled his eyes.

            As the smoke began to clear though Bakugo's stomach dropped and his rage grew as he saw All Might standing unharmed and unmoved from his pretensious pose.

            "Impressive," All Might commended him, "but you'll need more than that little light show to take me on hero."

            Bakugo screamed in frustration as he rushed forward again. If large scale attacks weren't gonna cut it, he was going to see if blowing up the assholes face did anything. He leapt at All Might with his palm already glowing, but as he thrust his hand forward, All Might grabbed him by the wrist and threw him back the way he'd come.

            Before he hit anything hard though Froggy's tongue wrapped around his waist and set him down on the ground. He looked at her, stuck up on the wall and watching over the scene, and nodded his thanks.

            He rushed forward once again, this time staying low to the ground. He'd give Froggy a chance to drop in on him from above. As he approached, he could sense the movement of her incoming attack. All Might couldn't defend against both of them. At least that's what Bakugo thought until he saw All Might grab Froggy by the ankle and watched him use her as a club to slam Bakugo back. The two of them landed in a tangled mess some twenty feet away from All Might.

            "You'll have to do better than that," All Might mocked them.

            Bakugo threw himself upward and launched himself at All Might with a series of explosions. If he could just get close enough, he could do something, anything. He went for the feint, a big over displayed right hook. All Might fell for it, and as he tried to grab Bakugo's wrist again, Bakugo used an explosion to flip over him. Bakugo grinned as he sent a white hot explosion, the hottest he could produce with one hand, straight at the back of All Might's neck.

            All Might stumbled forward a single step as the blow landed. Bakugo grinned and began reigning down explosion after explosion on All Might's back. The scorch marks began to pile up, but All Might stood straight once again. Bakugo's standard explosions just weren't cutting it.

            As All Might turned around, Bakugo aimed for his ribs, but All Might swatted his wrist away. Bakugo readied his gauntlet to pull the pin and unleash a fiery explosion even All Might couldn't tank, but All Might grabbed his wrist and pulled him up off the ground by it.

            "Come now Bakugo," All Might scolded him. "Surely you're better than such petty tricks." All Might clenched his fist and broke the gauntlet on his left wrist. As Bakugo was thrown back down the street, the shattered remains of his gauntlet fell away.

            Bakugo righted himself with an explosion and launched back towards All Might before he'd even touched the ground. He needed to confirm what he'd just seen. He went low and to the right, straight for All Might's ribs. All Might's eyes widened ever so slightly as he saw Bakugo approach, and Bakugo smirked. He had him.

            "Not bad," All Might chuckled. "Not that it will help you much." All Might flicked Bakugo's wrist away and Bakugo cried out in pain. "Oh come now Young Bakugo," All Might teased, "Young Midoriya never whined like that from such a petty blow."

            Bakugo screamed in bloody rage and rushed at All Might again. Like hell was he gonna let that cowardly little shit one up him. He leapt into the air and All Might's fist came straight for his stomach. The blow knocked his lunch out of him and threw him through the air.

            He felt Froggy's tongue wrap around him again but instead of setting him down it kept him aloft. The ground rushed beneath him as All Might grew further and further away, watching them go with an obnoxious grin. Froggy was running away and carrying him with her.

            "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he screamed at her, letting his palms crackle with warning explosions.

            "We nee da ge ow uh ear," she called back. Bakugo didn't know what the fuck that was supposed to mean but it did nothing to make him feel better about the situation.

            "Put me down you coward!" he yelled and grabbed her gross ass tongue. He unleashed a small explosion and she dropped him with a scream. Bakugo fell to the earth hard, but at least he wasn't being carried like some damsel in distress.

            "Now what the fuck do you think you were doing," Bakugo questioned her again.

            Froggy stared at him with more emotion in her eyes then he had even seen from her. There was contempt and rage in her gaze. "We needed to get out of there and regroup," she said, and the contempt was there even in her weird frog voice.

            "Like hell we did," he snapped. "I had him on the ropes."

            "He was toying with you," she told him evenly. "All you managed to do was burn his costume."

            "I found two weak points," he sneered. "What did you do?"

            "I kept you from getting knocked into brick buildings and getting knock out," she reminded him. "And then had to stay out of the way as All Might drove you into a blind rage."

            Bakugo noticed she had a hand covering her shoulder, the costume burnt and blackened beneath. Fuck!

            Bakugo took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Ten," he counted. He breathed another breath. "Nine. Eight."

            "What are you doing?" Froggy asked.

            "Shut up," Bakugo snapped at her. "This stupid shit is supposed to help me calm down."

            Once she had shut up he returned to the stupid counting trick. The school therapist had taught him lots of tricks like this. They were all idiotic, but even though he hated to admit it, they worked. She had taught him things to help him not get angry, and to deal with it if he did get angry. He finished counting and opened his eyes.

            "I'm sorry," he said.

            "What?" Froggy croaked with wide eyes.

            "Fuck off," Bakugo snapped. "I'm not saying it again. I shouldn't have lost my cool, and I shouldn't have hit you with any explosions."

            "Okay," Froggy nodded slowly.

            "Are you still good to fight?" Bakugo asked her.

            "Yes, kerro," she said. "But I don't know if we can do much."

            "Weren't you listening dumbass?" Bakugo smirked. "I found two weaknesses."

***

            "There," Momo whispered as she ducked into an alley.

            Izuku followed and tried to spot what she had. About thirty feet down street was a small robot scurrying around. It's glowing red eyes scanning for any signs of them.

            "There's only the one," Momo pointed out as she scanned the street beyond the robot.

            "It's probably some type of scout," Izuku guessed. "I bet it summons back up if it finds us."

            "What should we do?" Momo asked.

            Izuku looked back and tried to find another way. The alley was a dead end so they couldn't just slip out the other side. Izuku looked up at the rooftops. It was an idea he didn't love. If Nedzu had anything in the air it would instantly spot them and defeat the point.

            "We need to destroy it," he sighed.

            "What if it sends a distress signal?" Momo worried.

            "I don't suppose you could make an EMP?" Izuku asked hopefully.

            "Nuclear or non-Nuclear?" Momo prompted. Izuku stared at her. Momo just shrugged and crossed her arms. "Not that it matters, both are far too complex to make within the time limit, I just wanted to know if you planned to kill us or not."

            Izuku's face grew warm. He should have known that; he had seen her make a cell phone and that had taken ages. An EMP would probably take thirty minutes of undivided attention at minimum.

            "Right," Izuku nodded. "Then the way I see it we have two options. We can either try and take it out with speed, or we can try and sneak over the rooftops."

            Momo thought for a second before she voiced her opinion. "Let's try taking the robot out," she said. "If we fail then we can flee to the rooftops."

            Izuku nodded. He kept his doubts about the roof to himself and went about a quick search of the alley. There wasn't much to work with. Izuku found a metal trashcan and some cardboard boxes but nothing else. He grabbed the lid of the trashcan and made his way back to Momo.

            "What do you think?" he asked softly and presented the lid to Momo who was pulling a shield out of her arm. She strapped the shield to her arm before accepting the trashcan lid. She seemed to still be glowing though.

            "It's a trashcan lid," she said flatly.

            "True," Izuku chuckled. "But I was thinking it'd make a good frisbee."

            "A noisy frisbee," Momo countered. "If there are any other robo-arachnids nearby they're sure to come scurrying over."

            "What if I caught it?" Izuku tried. Momo rolled her eyes. He knew she was right, but he had liked the plan. Having it squashed instantly was more than a little disappointing. He sighed. "All right then what if-"

            The world froze around Izuku mid word as a loud beep sounded from the mouth of the alley. His eyes flicked to the red eyed spider-bot that was staring directly at them. The waves of energy that had been boiling beneath the surface now crackled across his skin in the form of lighting. His fist drove through the spider-bot in an instant.

            Its body curled around his fist and blood tricked from a split knuckle. The spider-bot was leaking some viscous liquid too.

            Izuku let the time return to normal and he heard the dying words of the robotic arachnid.

            "TARgets found," it buzzed.

            "Shit," Izuku cursed. He could already hear the clanging of what was sure to be an army of some kind making their way towards them. "We need to move!"

            Izuku grabbed Momo's hand and ran out of the alley as fast as he could without One for All. The moment he was back on the street he could see them. A wave of red eyed spider-bots banging into each other as they raced towards the pair of heroes.

            "Izuku," Momo called. She was staring the other way, Izuku turned and found another incoming wave of robots with wide eyes. "It's too late."

            Izuku fell into the waves of One for All and felt the energy buzz through him like ice cold water. He held Reflex back as the waves drew near.

            "I'll take the million on the left," he joked.

            Momo dropped her staff and grabbed a metal ball that was coming out of her hand. She pulled it like a rip cord and a chain flew out around her. After about fifteen feet of chain a wickedly sharp looking blade dropped out. "I'll take the million on the right," she nodded as she began spinning her new weapon.

            Izuku laughed as the world slowed around him. An endless sea of enemies drew nearer and nearer, but he couldn't wait to take them on.

***

            Shouto walked next to the tired looking boy through a faux suburb. He couldn't remember his name for the life of him. He was wearing a gym uniform and his only accessory seemed to be the bags under his eyes. The two of them had been looking for the exit for a hot minute at this point. It felt like they were no closer now than they had been at the start.

            "Can't you make a platform so we can see over all the houses?" the boy asked with a groan.

            "I could," Shouto nodded. "But then Aizawa would know exactly where we were."

            The tired boy grumbled something under his breath. Shouto ignored him and just kept walking.

            "Should we split up?" the tired boy offered.

            "Maybe," Shouto murmured as he checked around a corner before continuing on. "But if Aizawa gets us on our own then he'll have no issue taking us down. We're probably safer together."

            "So then do you have a plan?" he asked grabbing Shouto's arm and forcing him to turn and face him.

            Shouto sighed. "My plan," Shouto told him, "is to get out of here before Aizawa can find us."

            "That's a shame," a nearby voice spoke up. "I was hoping for something better from you Todoroki."

            Both boys turned and saw their teacher crouched atop the nearest rooftop. Todoroki slammed his foot down and formed a massive wall of ice between them.

            "Run!" Shouto screamed and grabbed the other boy's arm. He dragged him along as he sprinted as fast as he could down the road.

            Shouto slammed around a corner and continued booking it as quick as he could. Aizawa was there waiting for them. Hair floating and eyes glowing red he looked like a demon.

            "Fuck," Shouto cursed under his breath.

            "We can fight him together," the boy offered putting his hands into a sloppy ready position. "He can't erase both of our quirks."

            "He doesn't have to," Shouto pointed out. "He just has to not respond to you and keep mine erased and we're powerless."

            "You didn't have to spell it out for him," the other boy groaned.

            Aizawa just rolled his eyes. "You two better have a better plan than 'run'," he remarked.

            The purple haired boy rushed past Shouto and straight at Aizawa. The moment Aizawa's eyes flicked to the oncoming assailant Shouto put up another wall of ice between the two of them and their teacher. This time it blocked the entire street.

            "What did you do that for?" the boy screamed as he turned around. "We can't just keep running?"

            "Like hell we can't!" Shouto shouted at him. "What's your plan? Knock him out?"

            Shouto's entire body froze up. He couldn't move a muscle.

            "Not exactly," the boy smirked. "Sorry about this. I need you to run to the exit as quick as you can. Don't stop for anything."

            Shouto wanted to scream at him how dumb this plan was, but his body was already acting on the command. He stomped down his right foot and began sliding away on a path of ice.

            He heard Aizawa behind him. "Decided to divide and conquer?" he asked Shouto's teammate. "Does that make you the distraction?"

            "Call me whatever you want," the boy shot back. "I'm not letting you pass."

            Whatever Aizawa said back Shouto couldn't make it out. His body continued to make its way as fast as it could towards where he thought the exit was. How that worked, Shouto couldn't have guessed.

            The suburban houses began to blur past him. The only thing that didn't blur was the figure racing along the rooftops to his right. The dark clothes and flowing white cloth left little doubt to the figure's identity. Shouto tried to move, to shoot some ice at him, but his body refused to respond.

            Just as the tacky gate with Nedzu's face on it came into view, Shouto felt something snag his ankle. The earth rushed up to meet him. The impact wasn't gentle, but it did clear his mind. Shouto groaned and pried himself off the hard earth to face his teacher.

            "Wasn't exactly the best laid plan," Aizawa remarked as he landed before Shouto. His glowing red eyes and floating hair meant Shouto wasn't going to be able to overpower him.

            "I've seen worse," Shouto shrugged as he got into a fighting stance. His eyes flicked around and took in his surroundings. Or they tried to. The second his eyes left Aizawa, the exhausted hero rushed at him.

            Years of training had honed Shouto's reflexes to perfection. They had, however, trained him to rely on his quirk. A quirk that he no longer had. As the ice wall Shouto tried to put between him and Aizawa failed to form, Aizawa was already too close. The fist that collided with Shouto's jaw was enough to make him stumble back, but he followed it up with a blow of his own.

            Aizawa just stepped back and out of his reach. Shouto dropped low and went for a leg sweep. All he got for his trouble was a kick to his chest. This time he fell back on his ass. He looked up just in time to roll away from the capture weapon rushing at him. Shouto leapt back to his feet and faced off against Aizawa once again.

            "You can't beat me Todoroki," Aizawa told him sternly.

            Todoroki caught the motion behind Aizawa and smirked. "I don't have to," he sighed.

            "Todoroki and Shinso have passed," an electronic voice boomed from the gate.

            Aizawa slammed around and stared. Just beyond the flashing gate stood Shinso, blood pouring from his nose, and a large smirk on his face.

            "That was the distraction," Shinso called.

***

            Momo's parents hadn't been the most thrilled when she had told them about her dream to be a hero. Her father had wanted her to take over the family business, but they had always supported her. They had hired trainers in almost every form of combat imaginable for her to work with. She had trained with staffs, blades, and her bare hands until she was comfortable with anything. The kusarigama had never been her favorite. She had only chosen it in this instance because it was good at creating distance between you and your opponent, but as she watched it cut through another line of robo-arachnids she started to reconsider.

            Watching the blade cut through the robots like butter was endlessly satisfying, but it wasn't endlessly effective. More than one had slipped through and she had had to swat them away with her shield, letting the rest of them draw closer as a result.

            She hadn't been able to check on how Izuku was doing, but from the rhythmic sound of crunching metal behind her, he was either doing fine or the robo-arachnids were using each other as clubs to beat him into the earth.

            Shit! One of the bots had launched itself and was flying straight at her. She moved to the side to get her head out of the way and felt Izuku flip across her back. When she straightened up the robo-arachnid was flying the other way and she and Izuku had switched places.

            Momo was faced with the swarm of bots Izuku had been dealing with before. Crumpled metal littered the floor and deep cuts decorated the buildings and street. Momo swung her blade through a rather brave bot that launched itself at her and continued to battle the endless onslaught of metal spiders.

            "Izuku we can't stay here!" Momo realized. "We'll waste all our time!"

            Izuku didn't respond. He was too focused on the swarm. She needed to get his attention, but she couldn't exactly let the swarm of robo-arachnids approach unimpeded. Just as she was about to smack him with her elbow, a rapid beeping from her left caught her attention.

            She turned and found, not a foot away, one of the bots. Its red eyes were blinking rapidly and with each blink it got faster. Momo kicked the bot square in the face and sent it flying back. The robo-arachnid collided with the swarm and exploded into a giant mess of webs.

            "Momo!" Izuku cried as the webs flew towards them at an insane speed. She didn't have any time to react, the webs were gonna cover them and then they'd be trapped and at the mercy of the bots.

            Momo didn't see Izuku swing his staff, but the wind buffeted her hair and as it cut straight through the webs. The white latticework fell on either side of them leaving barely enough space for them both to stand. The robo-arachnids beneath the web struggled in vain against the material. More bots scurried over the top of them but every time one of them touched the web they were instantly stuck straining against the sticky cords. It didn't take long before they were climbing over one another trying to get closer to the two of them.

            "How strong do you think this webbing is?" Momo asked as she pressed her backs against Izuku's and readied herself for the oncoming wave of enemies.

            Izuku slammed his staff down on the nearest cord of the webbing. Lightning danced across his skin as pulled the staff upwards. After a moment the top half of the staff split off, leaving the bottom half standing bolt upright where Izuku had stuck it.

            "Too strong," Izuku said. She could feel him trying to stretch out his shoulder. "If that stuff touches us then we're in trouble."

            Momo began swinging her blade at the bots again, but as it cut through the very first bot, the tip snagged the web and froze in place. It was as if the robo-arachnids could sense their opportunity. They rushed forward with a renewed vigor and Momo felt her heart jump into her throat.

            "We need to get out of here," Momo said again. "We're wasting ti-"

            Momo was interrupted as she found herself swept off her feet. She felt her face grow uncomfortably warm as she realized Izuku now had her in his arms. Thank god he was looking at the rooftops and not her face.

            "Hold on tight," Izuku told her as the lightning flashed brighter across his skin. He leapt into the air so fast Momo ended up wrapping her arms around his neck just to have something stable to hold onto. His skin burned under her touch.

            Momo looked back to see a disappointed swarm of robo-arachnids overtake the safe haven they had left behind. The moment they landed on the roof Izuku took off sprinting across the city. Momo was about to ask where he was going when she saw them. Flying in from behind them at insane speeds were half a dozen drones. Her eyes went wide when she saw the guns mounted on their backs.

            She slung her shield up to try and protect Izuku's back, and not a moment too soon either. Rapid clangs began to ring out as the bullets pelted her shield. Her shield wasn't meant to protect from bullet fire though, and from Izuku's grunts she guessed that the bots were smart enough to aim at the unprotected areas.

            Izuku spun around and flung his half of a staff at the drones. It flew straight through two of them, and they began spiraling towards the earth. It didn't matter though, Momo could see more drones flying in from every direction.

            Izuku spun and hopped down off the rooftops and into an alley, bouncing off the walls until he was sprinting along the ground. He dashed through half a dozen turns so fast Momo thought she was gonna be sick. When he finally came to a stop the world was spinning and she was pretty sure there were three Izukus now.

            Momo rubbed at her eyes and groaned. She just wanted the world to be normal again.

            "Sorry," Izuku said and bowed his head. "I tried to hold back but the drones were too fast."

            "It's fine," Momo shook her head and got to her feet. She stumbled a little but caught herself on the wall before she could fall. "Where are we?" She looked around the dirty alley they had stopped in, but it wasn't one she was familiar with, which wasn't saying much but still.

            "A couple blocks from the exit," Izuku told her. He pointed down the alley. "We go that way and then head left down the street. It should be dead ahead."

            "Oh thank God," Momo sighed. "Alright, let's get underway then."

            "Are you sure?" Izuku asked. "We can take a moment if you need one."

            Momo straightened up and held her head high. It didn't matter that she still felt like throwing up, she was going to march straight through those gates if it killed her. Without a word she started down the alley and towards their victory.

***

            Shouto sat in Recovery Girl's tent next to Shinso. They hadn't said much since the exam had finished. He was staring at the screen that had had Izuku and Momo on it. There for little more than a moment of action and gone in a flash, same as always. Shouto shook his head at his friend.

            "I'm sorry by the way," Shinso finally spoke up.

            "Don't be," Shouto told him. "It was a good plan."

            "But I should have asked," Shinso said softly.

            Shouto looked at him. Recovery Girl had put Shinso's nose in a splint before healing him, and apparently, she had chosen to leave it on for a while. Shinso was staring down at the bed and picking at a loose thread.

            "Maybe," Shouto shrugged. "But then Aizawa would have heard it." Shinso looked at him shamefully. "It was a good plan and we won because of it. You should be proud."

            "You aren't mad that I used my quirk on you?" Shinso asked doubtfully.

            "No," Shouto shrugged.

            Shinso just stared at him. Shouto didn't really care what that was about. He turned back to the screens and scanned for one to watch.

            Midoriya and Yaoyarozu hadn't reappeared yet since they had managed to get away from the drones. Kirishima and Sato were still pounding away at Cementoss' cement walls. Kaminari and Ashido were doing alright against Ectoplasm's clones but it didn't seem like they were having much luck finding the real Ectoplasm. Tokoyami was shielding Ojiro from Snipe's suppressive bullet fire, but it looked like they were making their way towards the hero. A flash from one of the screens drew his eye, and when he saw what was happening his eyes went wide.

***

            "Come now heroes," All Might called out. "Hiding like cowards is no way to win."

            Bakugo breathed through gritted teeth. Like hell was he going to be so easily manipulated. Stick to the plan. He waited as All Might walked past the alleyway he was hiding in. He snuck out of the alley as quietly as he could and went straight for his head with as big an explosion as he could.

            All Might stumbled forward half a step, but it didn't seem to have the same impact as last time. Bakugo cursed and jumped back. All Might spun and grabbed his wrist before Bakugo could get much further.

            "That's much better!" All Might smiled at him. "Now if only you could get some real fire power!"

            "How's this for fire power," Bakugo snapped and kicked at All Might's head with his right foot.

            All Might brought up his arm and blocked the blow with ease. "Come now Bakugo," All Might shook his head. "Surely you didn't think it would be so easy."

            "Honestly I'm shocked at how easy it was," Bakugo sneered.

            Froggy had perfect timing. She was already in position, just under All Might's raised arm. All Might's eyes went wide as she pulled the pin of Bakugo's second gauntlet.

            The explosion blew all of them away. Bakugo flew back and slammed into one of the buildings. He pried himself off the ground with a groan and spat out blood that had filled his mouth. He checked around, Froggy was still standing, if just barely. All Might was nowhere to be seen, but a very All Might shaped hole had formed on one of the buildings.

            "Go cuff the fucker," Bakugo groaned as he got to his feet. Froggy nodded and started making her way towards the hole.

            They froze as a deep booming laugh began to echo out of the building. The rubble on the other side of the hole began to stir and the towering figure of All Might slowly stood. All Might stretched tall, his hands linking over his head.

            "What a wakeup call!" he laughed. He stepped back through the hole and onto the street, his costume was scorched, and his hair was ruffled, but otherwise he looked fine. "Thank you, young heroes, that massage really helped with a sore muscle that's been plaguing me for weeks."

            "Like hell!" Bakugo screamed at him. "You aren't a god goddammit."

            "No," All Might laughed. With a flash his features shifted and morphed into a dark mask that really made Bakugo think he could have been a villain. Bakugo must have blinked because he missed All Might rush at him, he was just instantly in Bakugo's face. "But you're little more than an ant."

            The backhanded slap All Might struck Bakugo with felt more like a truck than a hand. It launched him through the air and left him dazed. He shook his head and stood. Bricks fell off of him, he hadn't even noticed that he'd been knocked straight through a wall.

            As he stepped back through, he saw All Might ripping Froggy's tongue off of his eyes. She was already flying straight at him though. Her kick landed square in his gut, but she might as well have kicked a wall for all the reaction she got. All Might grabbed her ankle and launched her into the air.

            Bakugo leapt up with an explosion and caught her, flying to one of the nearby rooftops with the momentum. He promptly dropped her once they landed.

            "Thanks," Froggy said as she got to her feet.

            "Whatever," Bakugo dismissed her thanks. He stared down at All Might as All Might stared back with a smile. "Get to the exit. I'll keep him busy."

            "Bakugo-"

            Whatever Froggy was gonna say was interrupted as Bakugo launched himself off the roof with two explosions. He flew straight at the smug bastard of a hero. He was almost there when a tug around the waist hoisted him back towards the roof.

            "What the hell are you doing Froggy?" Bakugo screamed at her.

            "You're fasser," she shrugged. With a flip of her head her tongue whipped him towards the entrance. Bakugo stared as she fearlessly leapt at All Might. Bakugo scowled but she was right. He screamed in rage and let his explosions speed him towards the goal. As he soared through the air he heard the scream behind him, he heard the thunderous leap, and he heard All Might declare his attack.

            He threw an explosion to the side and All Might barely missed him, the wind of the smash causing Bakugo's flight to wobble wildly. Bakugo's shoulder slammed into the gate and he spun through.

            "Bakugo and Asui have passed," an electronic voice boomed from the gate.

            Bakugo lay on the ground panting for breath. He sat up and flinched as pain shot through his arm.

            "Well done young Bakugo," All Might said gently as he knelt down next to him.

            "The fuck it was," Bakugo spat. "I ran like a coward."

            All Might gave him a bright smile. "No," he shook his head. "You kept your head, trusted a teammate, and secured victory. There's no shame in knowing when an opponent is beyond you."

            Bakugo took a deep breath. All Might was right. He and Froggy had done what they could, and they had managed to pass. They had the hardest opponent and succeeded. No one would be able to say he wasn't number one now.

            "Come now," All Might offered him a hand. Bakugo took it and All Might pulled him to his feet. "Let's get Young Asui and get you two to the Nurse's tent." Bakugo nodded and followed All Might back into the city.

***

             Izuku let out a frustrated sigh as he took in the scene before the exit. He and Momo were hidden in an alley. From here they could see just about everything Nedzu had laid out for them. The rooftops were set up with some kind of turret bots. The guns didn't look normal, but Izuku didn't know enough to even guess about what made them special. Spider-bots were scuttling around scanning for any sign of them. What concerned Izuku the most though was the large robot blocking the gate.

            It wasn't terribly large compared to some of the robots Izuku had seen UA create. Standing about ten feet tall, it was still large enough to be intimidating though. Its long lanky limbs looked built for speed and it was built thick in the body, Izuku guessed that it was so it could tank a few hits. The most concerning thing was the bright white glow it was emitting.

            "Why's it glowing?" Momo asked.

            "It was one of the ideas I had," Izuku explained. "When I use my quirk, I produce a lot of energy and a lot of heat."

            "Right," Momo nodded. "It makes sense, you're sending electrical signals at super speeds, so of course it would produce more body heat."

            "Well," Izuku continued, "I'm not sure I'm immune to the negative effects. I noticed during my time with Miruko that I needed a lot more water, and a couple times I got dizzy and nauseous."

            "You think it was heat stroke?" Momo pieced together.

            "Or heat exhaustion," Izuku agreed. "But that was after a few hours out working. In a short fight or a single incident, it shouldn't be an issue."

            "Unless you were fighting something that compounds the issue," Momo realized and stared at the glowing bot. "You think it's a space heater!"

            Izuku snorted at that. "I don't know that I would have used that wording," he chuckled. "But yeah, I think it's designed so that if I use my quirk near it, I'm putting myself at risk."

            "So are you going in quirkless?" Momo asked.

            "I don't know if I can," Izuku shook his head. "Between the turrets, the spider-bots, and the space heater we're gonna have a really tough fight on our hands."

            "I think I have an idea," Momo said. She pulled two climbing hooks from her arms and looked up towards the rooftop. "How long do you think you can keep their attention?"

            Izuku smiled at her as he pulled his new sword from his back. It's red blade glinted in the sunlight. "Long enough hopefully," he chuckled. He stepped out onto the street as she began to scale the side of the building.

            The second one of the spider-bots spotted him the world slowed. The bot rushed at him as the others turned towards the commotion. Izuku grabbed the bot out the air and launched it at the space heater.

            A massive hum filled the air, its pitch so low it hurt Izuku's ears. That was all the warning he got before the world slowed to a near stop and the turrets fired their guns. Izuku felt frozen in his own body, something he hadn't felt since the USJ. He couldn't even move his eyes, he only saw what he saw because he had already turned towards the source of the hum. He watched as the laser beams came at him.

            Watching light speed towards him was mind boggling for Izuku. He knew the math. He knew that logically what he was doing was impossible. Light travels more than one hundred thousand times the speed that the brain processes information. No one can see light travel with their naked eye. No one except Izuku apparently.

            A lot of good being able to see it did him though. His body was fast now, but if he could move at the speed of light, he'd have a lot of issues to deal with more complicated than a few laser beams. He tried to move out of the way all the same, but it was like the air was cement, holding him in place.

            The laser beams both slammed into his shoulder, and Izuku was engulfed in a blinding pain. The scream tore its way out of his lips as his grasp on his quirks fell away. Izuku opened his eyes and tried to clear his mind. The spider-bots and the space heater were coming at him and he could hear the turrets preparing to fire again.

            Izuku tightened his grasp on his sword and let the waves of One for All flow back through him. As the world slowed, Izuku went about making some chaos.

            The first thing he did was scoop up one of the spider-bots and launched it at the turret on the right. He sliced through another four as he made his way along and drew near to the space heater. Space heater was an understatement. The heat was overwhelming. Izuku's mouth felt dry and his skin burned. When the turrets fired again though, Izuku's plan went into effect.

            The right turret shot straight through the spider-bot and unleashed the powerful webbing within. The sticky cords wrapped around the turret and locked it in place. The turret on the left's laser fired directly into space heater's back. The powerful bot seemed unaffected, but at least Izuku wasn't any worse for wear either.

            Izuku kept space heater between him and the working turret. He dodged a few swift punches from space heater. He was far faster than the other bots, but he still wasn't as fast as Izuku. Izuku swiped his sword across space heater's chest. The sharp blade cutting through easily, though it did glow from the heat.

            As Izuku readied himself for another swipe he felt the heat pour out from the cut even hotter than before. This was bad. Sweat poured down his face. His head was pounding, and he was sure he was gonna have heat blisters.

            Izuku ducked beneath another swipe from the bot. The turret took the opportunity and shot him with another laser but Izuku just grit his teeth as the blast hit his calfe. He swiped at the space heater's leg. If he could cripple its mobility, then it wouldn't be much of a threat.

            As Izuku's sword made contact he felt the tingling of an electric current in his palm. He let go of the sword before it could really shock him, but the sword stayed in space heater's limb.

            Izuku jumped back and put space heater between himself and the turret again. Space heater started rhythmically punching out at him, but Izuku just weaved between the blows. Izuku grabbed space heater's wrist and brought his forearm down on its elbow joint. The metal cracked but Izuku could feel the burns blistering on his palm and arm.

            Izuku's head was spinning. The heat was really getting to be too much. His eyes hurt from looking at the bright glow of space heaters body. He wasn't sure what else he could do.

            "Hey space heater!" Momo called. Izuku and space heater both turned to find Momo standing on the roof, holding the turret's laser. "It's time to turn out the lights."

            Momo fired the laser right at space heater's chest. The beam shot straight through the cut Izuku had carved and into its white-hot core. Izuku turned away as space heater started to glow even brighter and dashed into an alley. The explosion rocked the street and blew out the windows of all the buildings.

            Once everything settled, Izuku walked back out onto the street. Pieces of space heater were littered everywhere. The blast had taken out the last of the spider-bots and left the street and all the buildings scorched black.

            "You alright Izuku?" Momo called down as she approached the edge of the rooftop.

            "Time to turn out the lights?" Izuku teased. "Really? That was your witty finishing line?"

            "I don't want to hear it from you," Momo scolded him. She leapt down from the roof, using her climbing pick to dig into the wall and slow her decent. "Mr. Bad Proverbs does not get to judge my amazing combat dialogue."

            Izuku just rolled his eyes. "Let's finish this," he sighed.

            Together the two of them walked through the gate.

            "Midoriya and Yaoyarozu have passed," the electronic voice buzzed. Izuku sighed in satisfied relief. They'd done it.

Chapter Text

              Izuku plopped down onto his bed utterly exhausted. After all the exams had finished Aizawa revealed his "logical ruse". Turns out everyone would be going to the training camp, much to the relief of Kaminari, Mina, Kirishima, Sato, and Sero who had all failed their practical exams. A bunch of them were even going to head out to the mall tomorrow to buy camping supplies.

              Izuku could feel the weight of the day on his body. His muscles ached from all the activity. Even after Recovery Girl's healing his skin was still sensitive from the burns. His mouth was dry, and his eyes were heavy. He would love to just go to bed, but something had been bothering him.

              He couldn't stop thinking about it. That silhouette of Yagi Toshinori, All Might's true form, sitting in a small boat, adrift on the sea that was One for All. Had it just been a dream? Had he imagined it all? Or was it something else, something more?

              With a bone-weary sigh Izuku sat up in his bed. There was only one way to find out. Closing his eyes, Izuku let the world fall away. All there was was himself. And within him was an endless ocean of energy. He could feel the waves rising and falling with every breath. He could feel it buzzing beneath his skin, ready to respond to his call.

              Izuku's breathing slowed and his stress fell away. He was in this moment, alone, and neither the past nor the future mattered, only this one point in time. Izuku wasn't sure how long he sat there. He felt like he was sitting on the shore and watching the waves. He felt at peace.

              Izuku opened his eyes to find himself at a beach. He looked around, but all he could see was an endless shoreline boarding an endless ocean.

              "Whoa," Izuku breathed.

              "No kidding," a voice mused from behind him making Izuku jump.

              Izuku spun around. Where a moment ago there had been no one now stood a dark-haired woman in jeans and a t-shirt.

              "Who-" Izuku started but the woman interrupted him.

              "Ya know, I like this place a lot more than the one Toshi always imagined," she said. "All the flames and smoke, it was all a little much."

              "Toshi?" Izuku asked out of instinct before realizing. "You mean All Might!?"

              "Well duh," the woman rolled her eyes. She plopped down on the sand and motioned for Izuku to do the same. Hesitantly he sat down facing her, the waves off to the side of them and filling the silence as they crashed against the shore. The woman watched him with a smirk. "What did you think all this was?"

              "It's my quirk," Izuku answered. "Or my visualization of it anyways. I think. It's different from last time."

              "Well that's because you pictured it differently than last time isn't it," the woman said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

              "But that doesn't explain who you are or how you know All Might," Izuku pointed out.

              That made her laugh, though Izuku wasn't exactly sure why. "Straight to it huh?" she asked. She turned to stare out at the horizon. "Are ya sure you don't just want to sit and watch the waves for a little bit?"

              Izuku turned his gaze out to the sea, the calming sound of the waves crashing to the shore, the salty air, it was all so alluring. Shaking his head, he turned back. "I need to know," he told her.

              The woman sighed. "I understand," she said with a soft smile. "My name is Shimura Nana; I was the seventh wielder of One for All."

              Izuku shot to his feet. "Wha!?" he gasped. "That's impossible! Isn't it?"

              "You watched light move today kid," she shrugged. "With One for All the line between possible and impossible becomes a lot less clear."

              Izuku stared at her in disbelief. "How do I know this isn't some kind of projection quirk?" Izuku asked. "Ms. Shimura, you could be a villain trying to get info on All Might."

              Ms. Shimura laughed. "Please, you should call me Nana," she told him. "I know you're just meeting me, but I've been in your head for months at this point Izuku, no need to be so formal. As for Toshi, I know more about him than he knows about himself. But if it makes you feel better, we don't have to talk about him."

              Izuku wanted to refuse. He wanted to get out of here, but more than that he wanted to know what was going on. Slowly he sat back down.

              "I guess we should start at the beginning," Nana said. "Toshi hasn't really told you much at all, but if you ask, he'll confirm everything I'm about to tell you." Nana closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "When quirks first came about, not everyone was thrilled at the thought of people having superpowers. Those with quirks faced prejudice and danger at every turn. Many chose to reject themselves and their gifts. Those who didn't were often branded as criminals, some fairly, others not."

              Izuku had known all this. It wasn't exactly taught in history books, but erasing the past wasn't an easy thing to do. The truth was always out there if one was willing to look for it.

              "It was in these turbulent times that two brothers were born," Nana continued. "The older brother had a strange and powerful quirk. He could take quirks from others for himself and give them to others if he felt like it."

              "But that's impossible," Izuku interrupted her. "A person's quirk is written in their DNA. It's fundamental to their very being."

              "Is it?" Nana asked with a raised eyebrow. "How then would you explain One for All? Did it rewrite your DNA? If it did then why couldn't another quirk do the same?"

              Izuku didn't have an answer. After a moment Nana continued. "So, this older brother began to amass power. He took on the name All for One and the disgruntled of society flocked to him and his abilities. He gave powerful quirks to those who were willing to help him and took away the quirks of any who dared to stand in his path. The world fell into a dark time of underground wars and conflict.

              "His younger brother hated what All for One was doing," Nana went on. "He stood up to him, but he was sick and weak. The older brother decided to give his brother a quirk to gain power over him. It was a simple stockpiling quirk. Designed to let the user build their strength.

              "What happened next no one expected though," Nana told him. She turned and stared out at the sea of One for All. "The quirk he was given combined with a hidden quirk that had laid dormant inside of him. He could now pass his quirk on and build the reserve even greater. When All for One realized what he had created he desperately wanted it back. The first wielder managed to run away and pass on his new quirk in secret. With each generation another hero took on the responsibility and hid One for All from him. Until one day a hero laid the villain low."

              “All Might,” Izuku whispered. It only made sense. How else could he be as public with his strength? What other villain could have caused such a devastating wound to the number one hero?

              “Yeah,” Nana nodded. “You’ve seen what it cost him too.”

              “I don’t understand,” Izuku said. Nana was staring to the side, out at the horizon; everything was calm and quiet. “If All for One’s been defeated then what’s left for me to do? Why did you appear to me?”

              Nana burst into a startling peal of laughter. “Firstly, I didn’t appear to you,” Nana told him. “You delved into One for All and found us within. Secondly, All Might didn’t give you One for All because he wanted you to fight his battles. You’re the first wielder free of the burden that has plagued us for centuries. You’re the first one who can be whatever hero you want.”

              “That’s a lot of pressure don’t ya think?” Izuku chuckled hollowly. The weight of wielding One for All was somehow growing even more heavy on his shoulders.

              “Maybe,” Nana shrugged her shoulders. “But I gotta tell ya we’re pretty excited to see who you’re going to become.”

              “We?” Izuku asked her.

              “All the past wielders,” she explained. And for a moment Izuku saw them, all standing behind Nana. Then he blinked and they were gone and Nana continued. “Don’t worry too much about it. You’ll meet the rest of them in time. After all, they’re all a part of you, just as I am.” Nana stretched her arms far above her head and rolled her shoulders back. “But now, I think it’s time you wake up.”

              “Wake up?” Izuku asked but his voice was already distant to his own ears.

***

              “Wait!” Izuku shouted bolting upright in his bed. His phone was buzzing on the nightstand beside him. Izuku rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and reached out for the device.

              “Hello?” he answered.

              “Midori!” Uraraka cried out. “Where are you?”

              “What do you mean?” he asked confused.

              “What do I mean?!” she exclaimed incredulously. “You’re late! We’re all at the mall waiting for you.”

              Izuku stood and stretched his sore muscles. He was still in his uniform but at least he had showered after the final, so he was clean.

              “Give me twenty minutes,” Izuku shook his head. “I’ll meet you guys there.”

              “Fine,” Uraraka relented. “But you better not take one minute more.”

              Izuku tossed the phone down on his bed and quickly changed into a pair of jeans and a baggy hoody. He slipped on his red sneakers and grabbed his phone off the bed. He grabbed his keys and his wallet off the nightstand. His fingers brushed the cold steel of Stain’s knife and Izuku found himself frozen.

              He picked up the gleaming blade as Nana’s words resonated in his mind, ‘You’re the first one who can be whatever hero you want.’ What kind of hero was Izuku going to be? He thought about Stain, a serial killer with a cause, and Endeavor, the hero without a heart.

              Izuku was ripped back to reality by the buzz of his phone. He slipped the knife into his hoodie and pulled out his phone. It was a text from Uraraka.

              U: Fifteen minutes left. You better not be late!

              Izuku chuckled and put his phone back in his pocked. Slipping out of his bedroom he said a quick goodbye to his mom as he left. The moment he was outside he hopped up onto the guard rail and looked out over the buildings. Izuku loved this. He felt like an eagle perched high in a tree and watching his forest. He thought about his sprints through the city with Miruko. He wished he could just dash to the mall, he could be there in seconds.

              With a sigh Izuku hopped down from the guard rail and bolted down the stairs three at a time. He hit the street running. It was lucky they were going to a mall near his house. He could run there rather than take the train. Izuku dashed through the busy streets quick as he legally could. He only dipped into One for All's energy stores to help with his stamina, a subtle enough use that no one would be able to tell. When he finally burst through the front doors of the mall he saw his friends all waiting by the fountain just inside.

              “Hey guys,” Izuku called as he walked up to them. He did his best to keep his breathing steady, his lungs burning and calling for deeper breaths.

              “Midori!” Uraraka shouted.

              “Finally man,” Sero laughed. “I thought you’d never show up.”

              “We’ve waited like ten minutes, give him a break,” Momo said shaking her head. There were some laughs and the large group began breaking up into smaller groups as the students made their way to various stores for camping supplies. Momo made her way to Izuku. “Though really you could have at least texted that you were going to be late.”

              “In my defense I didn’t know I was supposed to be here,” Izuku told her quietly.

              “You mean no one invited you?” Momo gasped.

              “No,” Izuku shrugged. “To be fair I don’t really need camping gear. Did you look at the list Aizawa handed out? It’s all pretty basic.”

              “It’s true,” Momo nodded. “I just wanted to get a pair of hiking boots. I think a couple people are going a little overboard.” She was watching Sero, Mina, and Kaminari walk into a camping supplies store with giant grins on their faces.

              Izuku chuckled. “Why don’t you go after them?” he suggested. “Keep them from getting into too much trouble.”

              “You know, I think I will,” Momo nodded and marched off after the trio and into the camping supplies store.

              Izuku shook his head at his friend. Maybe he should go after her. He could get a kick out of watching her scold them. He was just about to head in when an arm was draped around his shoulder.

              “Well well well,” a raspy voice sounded in his ear. “You’re that boy from the UA sport’s festival. You took down Stain too right?”

              “Oh,” Izuku squeaked. This guy was way too close. “Yeah that’s-

              Izuku cut off as he looked up into the haunting eyes and scarred face of Shigaraki Tomura.

              “I’m such a big fan,” Shigaraki smiled. The skin pulled too far from his bright teeth. They contrasted terribly from his chapped lips and his blood shot eyes. Shigaraki’s fingers wrapped around Izuku’s throat. Izuku could feel the threat in the four fingers digging into his skin. “Why don’t we sit awhile and talk?”

              “And why would you want to talk to me Shigaraki?” Izuku asked as Shigaraki led him over to a bench. Izuku slipped his hands into his hoodie pocket, trying to appear as natural as possible. “Why shouldn’t I call for help?”

              “And risk all these innocent people?” Shigaraki asked in disbelief. “Sure, the heroes might be able to stop me eventually, but how many lives will be lost because of you?”

              Izuku scanned the crowd. The mall was packed with people. If Shigaraki started going after civilians, then there’s no telling how many he could kill. Izuku still didn’t know what his quirk was but he knew it had to involve all five fingers or else there’d be no reason for Shigaraki to keep one of his fingers off Izuku’s neck.

              “That’s right,” Shigaraki growled. “You can’t risk them.” He threw his head back and let out a grating irritating laugh.

              Now was his best chance, while Shigaraki wasn’t watching. Izuku ripped the knife out of his pocket. As quick as he could he dragged the knife from the tip of his clavicle to the base of his jaw. He felt the sharp blade digging into his flesh. He also felt the resistance of Shigaraki’s fingers as his knife cut straight through them.

              Shigaraki shrieked in pain as hot blood began to spill down Izuku’s clothes. There were screams all around them and the crowd began to clear. Izuku shoved Shigaraki off him and spun around to face him, clutching at the cut on his neck to staunch the bleeding with his free hand as his other held the knife at the ready. Shigaraki stood there, staring down at his disconnected fingers where they littered the floor. That same grating laugh started bubbling its way out of Shigaraki’s throat as he tried to scratch as his skin with only one hand and no fingers.

              “You always surprise me hero,” Shigaraki teased as one of Kurogiri’s inky black portals started to make its way up Shigaraki. “You’re everything I hate about society. So certain of your own superiority while ignoring and endangering those you say you protect. One day, hero, you won’t be so lucky.”

              “One day,” Izuku said just before the portal overtook Shigaraki’s head. “There won’t be anyone to save you.”

              The haunting sound of Shigaraki’s laugh was the last thing Izuku heard before the portal closed.

              Momo pushed her way through the crowd that was rushing into the camping store. She instantly narrowed her focus on Izuku, her eyes going wide when she took in his appearence. “Izuku?” she called. “What is it? What happened?”

              Izuku sighed. “Shigaraki stopped by,” he told her. He pulled his hand away from his neck to see it drenched in blood, though he wasn’t sure it was his. “Don’t suppose you could make me a bandage?”

***

              Izuku was giving his statement to the police officer when he felt a shiver run down his spine. He turned in time to see Kaminari pointing Aizawa his way. The traitor.

              “Why is it,” Aizawa groaned as he walked up to Izuku. “That you’re the only one that I can’t leave alone for five minutes without you deciding to try and take down some villain.”

              “In my defense,” Izuku argued. “Shigaraki was threatening immediate harm on myself and civilians, I used no quirk in my defense, and I used my best judgement-”

              “You’re best judgement?” Aizawa cut him off. “Midoriya you nearly slit your own throat; with a blade you shouldn’t have had in the first place.”

              “Sir,” Izuku tried. “I was only acting to try and prevent the loss of any lives.”

              “And what if he had had backup?” Aizawa asked. “Or if he had found someone to regrow his other hand?”

              Izuku hadn’t thought about that. The idea of regrowing limbs was out there, ridiculously expensive, but not impossible. Aizawa was right in that regard. Perhaps he had acted rashly.

              “You’re right,” Izuku conceded with a shake of his head. He wanted to continue to argue the point, to fully flush out his logic and see if there was a better coarse of action, but this was his teacher and he could kick him out of the hero course in an instant if he so chose. It would be better to leave the in depth analysis for his next lesson with Nedzu and just be agreeable for now. “Of course you’re right. I’m sorry I argued sir.”

              Aizawa groaned and grabbed Izuku’s shoulders. “Look,” he said. “I’m glad you’re okay. But you cannot act on your own. Not yet. You got it?”

              Izuku nodded.

              “Good,” Aizawa nodded back. “You’ll have extra work at camp as punishment for your behavior today. And I don’t want to hear a single complaint about it.”

              “Yes sir,” Izuku sighed glumly.

              “Now let’s go tell your mother about all this,” Aizawa said and turned to walk off. Izuku stared after him for a moment before following. Well this conversation wasn’t going to be ideal.

Chapter Text

            Inko threw open the door and almost tackled Izuku into a hug the moment she saw him.

            “You’re okay?” she asked gently as she pulled away and held him at arm’s length. There were tears welling in her eyes, but she did her best to hold them back. She looked him over and instantly came to the large bandage on his neck. “What happened?” she asked as she gently traced the outline of the cloth.

            “He sliced the fingers off of a villain who had his hands around his throat,” Aizawa explained. “The wound isn’t serious, but it could have been.”

            Izuku’s mom looked up at the hero and nodded. “Thank you for bringing him home,” she told him. “What about the villain?”

            “He escaped through a warp gate,” Aizawa told her.

            “A warp gate?” Inko asked, recognition in her voice. She looked back to Izuku. “Was it Shigaraki again?”

            “Yeah,” Izuku nodded. “He kept rambling about hero society like last time too.”

            “You’re okay though?” Inko asked again as she fixed him with another serious look.

            “I’m okay,” Izuku confirmed. He gave her the warmest smile he could right then, which didn’t really feel all that genuine, but it was better than nothing. His mom pressed him into another hug.

            “Come on,” Inko stood up. “You go get cleaned up and I’ll make some tea.”

            “That sounds really nice,” Izuku sighed. It had been a weird day. He was wearing a Tokyo Paramedics shirt that they had given him so they could take his shirt into evidence, and he still felt sticky from the blood despite the baby wipes Momo had made to help clean up. A shower and a change of clothes sounded like heaven.

            She turned back to Aizawa and gave him a smile. “Can I offer you a cup?”

            “No thank you,” Aizawa shook his head. “I did want to inform you that he will be receiving disciplinary punishment for his actions. It won’t go on his record, but he needs to understand that acting without a license is prohibited.”

            Izuku felt the hand Inko had on his shoulder tighten slightly. He did his best not to sigh. He was hoping she would just let it go.

            “I’m sorry?” she asked with a tilt of her head. Izuku could hear the annoyance in her voice, it was the same tone she would take when she got on a lot of her work calls.

            “Midoriya acted rashly and as a result injured himself and endangered the lives of those around him,” Aizawa explained, completely unaware or uncaring of the warning signs.

            “Izuku honey why don’t you go inside,” his mom told him.

            “Mom it’s fine,” Izuku tried to reason with her. “He’s right.”

            “No, he is not,” Inko said firmly. She fixed him with a steely gaze out of the corner of her eye. “And you know it.”

            Izuku sighed. He wasn’t going to be able to stop her.

            She turned back to Aizawa and held her head high, she was in full work mode. “You are fully aware of the law,” Inko told him. “A civilian may act in defense of themselves and others with or without their quirk. My son may not have a license, but I hardly believe that villain with his hands around his throat was doing anything other than directly threatening his life.”

            “That isn’t the point,” Aizawa defended himself. The confusion was clear on his face, he hadn’t expected resistance. "He had no idea the full scope of the situation."

            “Would you have preferred he trust a deranged villain not to act rashly and murder him then and there?” Inko asked him venomously. "Is my sons life worth so little to you?"

            “We have little information on the mental state of Shigaraki,” Aizawa argued.

            “Childish, prone to tantrums, quick to violence,” she listed off as she looked to Izuku. “Did I miss anything?”

            Izuku shook his head nervously. He didn’t like getting dragged into this fight. He’d rather have taken the punishment and just been done with it.

            “So let me ask you,” Inko snapped at Aizawa. “What should my son have done instead of acting?”

            “I see your point,” Aizawa relented with a sigh. He turned to Izuku. “I let my concern for your well being cloud my objectivity. However you’re mother makes good points. Not acting would have been foolish and wouldn’t have prevented things like this from happening in the future. It doesn't change the points I made, and we will be having conversations about situational awareness and de-escalation. However, you won’t be punished.”

            “T-thank you,” Izuku stammered. He hadn’t expected it to end that quickly. He’d expected the two to be arguing for hours. Maybe he should have expected better of the overly rational Aizawa.

***

            Izuku sat at the kitchen table having showered and changed. He sipped at a warm cup of green tea and looked at the lunch his mom had set out. None of it looked good to his angry stomach. His foot was tapping at a breakneck pace and he could feel his heart in his ears. He was trying to keep his mind clear, to calm down, but he kept feeling Shigaraki’s fingers around his throat. He kept remembering the way his raspy voice had grated in his ears.

            “Izuku?” his mom asked. The sudden sound of her voice made Izuku jump in his seat.

            He looked up to find his mom looking at him with concern.

            “Sorry,” Izuku told her with a shake of his head. He looked over to see her sitting at the head of the table, giving him a concerned look. “Guess today got to me a little bit more than I thought.”

            She reached out and grabbed his hand. “That’s okay sweetheart,” she assured him. Her voice was so gentle and warm it made the knot in Izuku’s stomach unwind just a bit. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

            “I don’t know,” Izuku shrugged. The thought of putting the emotions into words was a weird one. “There isn’t much to say.”

            “I’m still willing to listen,” she told him.

            Izuku sighed. “I just- I still feel on edge,” he explained. He fiddled with his chopsticks and tapped them on the table in time with his still tapping foot. “Like Shigaraki is still here, still waiting for his moment to strike. Like I'm ready for a fight.”

            Inko squeezed his hand. Izuku looked up to see tears in her eyes. Maybe this had been a mistake. His mom was strong, but she wasn’t the one who wanted to be a hero. She didn’t need to hear this.

            “Thank you for telling me,” she whispered and smashed Izuku’s line of thoughts into a million pieces. “Izuku, honey, it’s okay to feel scared.”

            Is that what this was? Was he afraid? He felt the tears coming to his own eyes.

            “But a hero can’t be afraid,” Izuku argued, he could hear the tension in his voice. The sobs were only just being held back. “They have to be brave.”

            “You don’t always have to be a hero,” Inko told him. “Not with me honey. Heroes are people too.”

            Inko got up and hugged Izuku. He couldn’t hold them back anymore; he felt the tears fall as the two of them held onto each other.

***

            Izuku was officially exhausted. Between the stress and the crying he was ready for the peace of his dreams to take him. That’s how he found himself in bed at eight o’clock on a Sunday evening. They would be leaving for the training camp in the morning so it wasn’t a bad idea to get lots of rest.

            His phone buzzed on the nightstand. He strongly considered ignoring it. His friends had been texting him all day to check that he was doing okay after everything that went down. He really appreciated that. The only thing that got him to grab the phone was that he didn’t want them to worry.

            Unknown: Meet me at the park by your house in ten. Don’t be late. – Bakugo

            Bakugo? What did he want? Izuku sighed and sat up in his bed. He really wanted to just not go.

            But what if it was important? Bakugo hadn’t ever texted him like this. Hell, he didn’t even know how Bakugo had gotten his number. Izuku sure as hell didn’t give it to him. Would Bakugo have bothered reaching out if it wasn’t important?

            With a sigh Izuku got up. He slipped into a pair of jeans and threw on a t-shirt. He slipped out of his room and to the living room. His mom was sitting there with the news on as she flipped through some case files.

            “I’m gonna step out mom,” he called.

            “Okay hun,” she responded. “Not too late.”

            “Okay,” he shouted back as he stepped out into the hall.

            Izuku walked through the warm streets. They were mostly empty. The only people still out were a few stragglers making their way home. The night air seemed to make it easier to breath and before Izuku new it he was arriving at the park.

            There were a lot of memories here. This was the place he had first met Bakugo. Or at least that’s what his mom had told him. They would have been only two or three at the time, not even in preschool yet. He had come to the park a lot through the years. At first it had been fun, but eventually it became a chore as he jumped between Bakugo and the other kids.

            Bakugo was sitting there on one of the swings. He looked too big for the little thing, his legs thrown all the way out in front of him, so his knees weren’t in his chest. He was staring down at the ground.

            Izuku walked up and leaned against one of the support poles of the swings. Bakugo didn’t move. The blond didn’t even acknowledge him. Izuku didn’t say anything. They stood like that, silently waiting, for what felt like an eternity.

            “Dammit,” Bakugo cursed under his breath. “Why is this so fucking difficult?”

            Izuku didn’t know what to say to that so he chose not to say anything. He waited for Bakugo.

            Bakugo’s eyes snapped up to laser in on Izuku. “Jesus Christ say something you fucker,” he barked.

            “I didn’t come here to be assaulted,” Izuku told him. “I’ve had a long day Bakugo. Get to the point or I’m leaving.”

            Bakugo bit back a retort and took a deep breath. Izuku heard him counting backwards under his breath.

            Control? Bakugo was controlling himself? That was new. It was strange. Izuku had no idea he could do that. He found himself staring at Bakugo and struggling to wrap his head around this new developement. It put him on edge.

            “You’re right,” Bakugo relented.

            Izuku felt like his eyes were going to bulge out of his head from hearing Bakugo say those words. Bakugo, the guy who would fight anyone at the slightest provocation, had just admitted he was wrong.

            “Look,” Bakugo sighed. He looked up and made sure Izuku was focused on him. “I need to tell you something. And I’m only going to say it once. So you better make sure you get it.”

            “Okay,” Izuku nodded a little unsure.

            “Thanks for being there to stand up to me,” Bakugo told him. Bakugo looked down at his feet. There was an emotion Izuku couldn’t recognize on his face. Pain? “I don’t know how much worse things might have been if you hadn’t.”

            Izuku felt the knot in his stomach tighten to the point that he thought he was gonna be sick. He could barely process what he was hearing.

            “I’m sorr-” Bakugo said and the words cut through the haze in Izuku’s head.

            “Don’t,” Izuku cut him off breathlessly. He couldn’t bear to hear him say it.

            Bakugo’s head snapped up and he stared at Izuku. Izuku looked into his red eyes and the normal ferocity wasn’t there. In its place there was a desperation that made Izuku feel empty inside.

            Izuku wandered over to the swing beside Bakugo’s and sat down. He brought his knees up to his chest. It was a warm night but he suddenly felt cold.

            “I don’t know what to say,” Izuku sighed.

He looked up at the few stars that managed to shine in the night sky. They seemed sad.

“Sure, I wish things had been different,” Izuku confessed. “I wish we could have stayed friends and taken on the world together.”

Bakugo seemed to sag under the weight of his words.

“But I don’t blame you for that not happening,” Izuku told him.

“You should,” Bakugo growled. His shoulders were rigid and he was clenching his fists. The venom in his words stung. “I was a piece of shit. I am a piece of shit.”

“Yeah,” Izuku nodded. He almost laughed. Bakugo deflated a little more. “But you’re changing.”

“I don’t know if I am,” Bakugo shook his head. He sounded so defeated that if he had been anyone else Izuku would have rushed to give him a hug.

“No man ever steps into the same river twice,” Izuku recited. “For it is not the same river, and he is not the same man.”

It was an older proverb, one a lot of people had heard before, but its weight had always stuck with Izuku. A quiet stretched between him and Bakugo as Izuku continued to stare at the stars. It wasn’t tense or painful like it had been before, it was the quiet of a warm summer night. Izuku sat on the swing and took in the endless expanse above them. The stars were shining so gently. It made him feel so small.

“I know you can be a great hero Bakugo,” Izuku told him. He dragged himself up off the swing and left without another word.

Chapter Text

            Izuku could feel the trap. The whole thing just felt wrong. They hadn’t needed another stop yet. Aizawa had been insistent on no more than one stop every hour. It had only been twenty minutes since they had left the gas station. For another thing they were stopping in the middle of nowhere. They had just pulled off on the side of the road onto an overlook. But worse than any of that, the thing that made Izuku sure that something was afoot, was the smirk hidden in Aizawa’s eyes as he told them to get off the bus.

            “Be ready,” Izuku murmured to Momo as they stepped off the bus.

            “Wha-” she began to ask, but a quick shake of the head from Izuku cut her off.

            He put his finger to his lips and let his eyes flick over to Aizawa. The erasure hero stood off to the side. He was looking at his watch and tapping his foot impatiently.

            Izuku looked back over to Momo and she gave him a nod that showed she understood. Izuku went back to scanning, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

            A little blue car pulled into the overlook. The engine idled for less then a second before two figures leapt out of the car.

            “Sorry we’re late Eraser,” the first woman said.

            “It’s been awhile,” the other winked.

            “Whatever,” Aizawa sighed.

            The colorful outfits and cat like gloves made them instantly recognizable. “It’s the Wild Wild Pussycats!” Izuku shouted at the same time the two women did.

            “Who?” Kirishima asked.

            Izuku turned excitedly. “They’re one of the premier hero rescue squads in all of Japan,” he explained. “They’ve been active for twelve years now-”

            Izuku cut off as the world slowed around him. His head whipped to the side to find Pixie Bob lunging towards him. Weird. His eyes flicked to where Mandalay and Aizawa were, but they didn’t seem concerned. Izuku noticed a young kid had joined them. With a tilt of the head he let time speed back up and ducked under her extended arm.

            “They debuted after an avalanche had covered that big ski resort on Mt. Fuji,” he continued as Pixie Bob stared at him in confusion. “They specialize in mountain rescue.”

            “You’re right,” Pixie Bob nodded before lunging at him again. Izuku ducked under the blow. “But we’re 18 at heart. Ya got that?”

            “Yes ma’am,” Izuku nodded.

            “They’re going to be helping out with your training camp,” Aizawa explained.

            “Yep,” Mandalay nodded happily. She threw an arm out towards the cliff and the forest that extended below. “In fact we own this entire area.”

            “That’s so cool!” Uraraka exclaimed.

            Mandalay’s finger shifted till she was pointing right at the base of the mountain in the distance. “Our base is right over there,” she told them.

            “But it’s so far,” Momo murmured.

            “Yeah,” Kaminari agreed. “Why’d we stop so far away sensei?”

            Izuku’s eyes went wide with realization.

            He heard the murmurs of his classmates as they came to the same realization.

            “Let’s get back to the bus guys,” Sero offered. His voice sounded thin, like he was trying extra hard to sound calm.

            “If you make good time you might make it by lunch,” Mandalay laughed.

            The murmurs of his classmates turned to panicked screams as they all began racing towards the bus. Pixie Bob bent down towards the earth. Of course, her quirk was earth manipulatuon. She could mold the earth and send them all flying. Izuku locked eyes with Momo.

            The light of creation glowed just as the earth began to surge up beneath them. Lightning crackled across Izuku’s skin as he ran forward. He seized the rope from Momo’s hands and ran back to the guard rail of the overlook. He tied it off with a quick knot and dashed back. He wrapped the rope securely around each of the screaming students, starting with those closest to the edge. By the time he secured the last one the ground was already sloping to the point that he was losing his footing. He scrambled for purchase, and just before the ground turned into a ninety-degree slide towards the forest below, he leapt up into the air and over the surge of earth.

            Izuku landed in front of Aizawa and the others in a low crouch. One for All and Reflex slid off of him and the world came rushing back. He was panting, more from the tension then the effort, but his breaths felt too shallow.

            “Oh, one of them managed to avoid the trap Eraser,” Mandalay remarked. She seemed surprised.

            “Pathetic,” the boy at her side sneered. “You just left the others behind?”

            “Umm, no, not exactly,” Izuku shook his head.

            Pixie Bob stared at him. She slammed the mound of earth back into place and scanned for the others.

            “Hey what’s the big idea,” she yelled at him with a wagging fist. “There isn’t anybody else.”

            Izuku hesitantly pointed her attention to the rope tied to the railing. The Pussycats both ran to the railing and stared down. Izuku, Aizawa, and the kid followed behind.

            “No way,” Pixie Bob said under her breath as she stared.

            Izuku looked over the edge to find his classmates dangling along the rope, each a few feet apart.

            “You all still have to make it on foot,” Aizawa called down the rope. Izuku looked up to find his teacher standing by where he had tied the rope off, a sadistic grin on his face. Without any other warning he pulled on the end and undid Izuku’s knot.

            The students fell the rest of the way. Their screams echoed up making Izuku grow pale. He felt especially bad for Iida who had been the first person tied up and thus had the furthest to fall. Aizawa turned back to Izuku and the others.

            “I warned you it wouldn’t work if you gave them warning,” he sighed.

            “Yeah yeah,” Pixie Bob pouted.

            “Go on problem child,” Aizawa told Izuku. “You have to go too.”

            “Yes sir,” Izuku sighed with a nod. He leapt up onto the guard rail, standing tall on the thin metal with little issue. He turned back to Pussycats with a smile. “It was nice to meet you guys,” he called cheekily and with that, he pushed off the railing and flipped off the cliff.

            Izuku took the opportunity to enjoy himself as he fell. It had been a long-time since he had had a good to reason to launch himself off someplace this high. Actually, he wasn’t sure he had ever jumped off something this high before. The cliff was definitely taller than the buildings he was jumping off with Miruko and he couldn’t think of anything else tall enough to be comparable.

            The feeling of the wind slowly whipping past his face was almost soothing. The drop of weightlessness in his stomach was one of his favorite things in the world. He felt the smile spread across his features as the ground slowly came closer.

            The other students were only just starting to untangle themselves from the pile they had landed in. Luckily no one seemed to be hurt. Izuku wondered if Pixie Bob had softened the earth in preparation for their fall. It seemed like a dangerous stunt to pull if she hadn’t done something.

            Mandalay was shouting something down at them, but he couldn’t make it out with the distortion from Reflex. If it was important then the others would tell him about it.

            As he got close to the ground Izuku spun around so his feet were pointed at the earth. As he landed, he shifted into a quick roll and popped back up on his feet.

            “We get it,” Bakugo sneered as Izuku let go of his quirk. “You’re good at falling.”

            “Bakubro come on,” Kirishima chuckled. “He tried to save our asses. Thanks for trying Midoriya.”

            “We should get underway,” Iida declared as he excitedly chopped his hand through the air. “We don’t want to miss lunch.”

            Izuku chewed at his lip as he thought through their situation. They were a good way from the mountain Mandalay had pointed them towards. He could get there rather quickly himself, but he didn’t want to leave his classmates behind. Nor did he think they’d like the idea of him carrying them there. If they went at the pace of their slowest then they wouldn’t make it until after sundown.

            Izuku looked up as a couple of his classmates screamed. A giant behemoth lumbered out from the trees. It looked like a mix between a dog and a dinosaur.

            “Devil Beast!” Kaminari shouted as he stared at the creature.

            Bakugo launched himself forward and blew the head of the beast clean off. Earth rained down on them all as it fell over on its side, crumbling away.

            “So Pixie Bob made them with her quirk,” Izuku murmured. “I wonder if they’re sentient. She probably wouldn’t be able to control more than one or two at a time otherwise.”

            As he was musing about the creatures three more leapt out of the forest.

            “Izuku you’re a genius,” Momo laughed. “I have an idea.”

***

            “Whew,” Pixie Bob sighed as she hopped out of the car. She eyed Eraser as he was walking off the bus, his gross yellow sleeping bag under his arm. “God do you still have that thing?” she called teasingly at him.

            His eyebrow twitched, ever so slightly. “Yes,” he grumbled.

            “Eraser you gotta take better care of yourself,” she laughed, shaking her head. “At least tell me you’ve washed it in the last ten years.”

            He just glared at her, which honestly made her more concerned for his health than her safety.

            “How are they doing Ryuko?” Mandalay asked as she walked around the other side of the car.

            “Hmm,” she mused. “Well I haven’t felt any more of them get destroyed in a while. So, either they decided to go with a stealth approach or they’re dead.”

            “Doubtful,” Aizawa told them. Without another word he turned and walked off towards the tree line behind the house.

            “What does he mean ‘doubtful?’” Pixie Bob asked, doing her best Eraser impression. It wasn’t too hard she just had to glower and put as much exhaustion in her voice as possible.

            “I don’t know,” Mandalay shrugged and walked after the hero.

            Pixie Bob followed after too, Kota a few steps ahead of her. The four of them gathered near the trees. At first Pixie Bob didn’t understand, but then she heard it.

            The sound of her Devil Beasts echoed out from within the forest. They sounded angry. Like they were chasing something. Green flashes of light began shining through the branches. Then, suddenly, the green haired kid came sprinting past them with three of her babies hot on his tail.

            The second they made it into the clearing, the kid flipped back and dropped a harsh kick right on the head of the closest beast. Pixie Bob watched as her beautiful child crumbled to dust and the students on its back began to cheer as they fell to the earth. Less than half a second later the other two were destroyed, one in a fiery explosion, the other trapped in a block of ice.

            Pixie Bob stared at the scene with wide eyes. Mixed in with the dirt from her creations were the students of Eraser’s class. Some seemed a little dazed, but all twenty of the kids were there. She checked her watch; it wasn’t even past ten.

            “How?” Mandalay murmured beside her as the students began getting up and dusting themselves off.

            Aizawa let loose an overburdened sigh. He took a step forward. “Good job,” he grumbled. “But just because you made it here early doesn’t mean you get to slack off. We’ll be starting individualized quirk training as soon as you unload the bus. Now hop to it.”

            The students went straight to the bus without complaint and made their way into the lodge. Pixie Bob could only stare at the bustling crowd before her. She felt the smile creep on her face. She didn’t notice the shaking of her laughter until the tears started to come to her eyes.

***

            Izuku watched as Eraserhead called out each of his classmates and set them onto weird personalized tasks to help them with their quirks. He felt a pang of sympathy for Uraraka and Shouto as neither one’s task was overly kind and the blowback was sure to be unpleasant. The only one whose task might have been worse was Bakugo, who, despite never complaining about it, Izuku was sure suffered from a myriad of shoulder issues due to his quirk. Eventually the only one left before Aizawa was Izuku.

            “Midoriya,” Aizawa called as he looked up from his clipboard. “Nedzu has designed your training regiment for the week personally.”

            Izuku felt a small smile creep on his lips as he squirmed at the unease in his stomach. “What would he like me to do sensei?” he asked.

            “You’re going to work on using the speed aspect of your quirk without the enhanced perception and reflexes,” Aizawa told him. Izuku was sure he could see a sadistic grin in his teacher’s eyes as he was told what his task would be. It didn’t instill him with a great deal of confidence.

            “Yes sir,” Izuku nodded.

            He could see the benefit. One for All had paired wonderfully with Reflex, but he couldn’t, or maybe shouldn’t, be dependent upon that relationship. If he could focus his natural reflexes and reaction time than he could potentially be even faster, even when using Reflex. And if anything ever happened that he couldn’t call on his quirk any longer than he would still be better prepared to deal with any threats.

            “Good analysis Midoriya,” Aizawa interrupted him. “But if you continue to mumble about state level secrets than they won’t be secrets for very long.”

            Izuku flushed at his sensei’s words. “Sorry sir,” he apologized and ducked his head.

            “Whatever,” Aizawa waved him off. “I want you to navigate the forest using only your speed. Each time you complete a lap around the property I want you to check in with myself or Mandalay who will then relay that info to me. I’ll be keeping track of your times.”

            “Yes sir,” Izuku nodded and began to feel the rush of adrenaline that came with the rising waves of One for All.

            “Oh, and Midoriya,” Aizawa called over his shoulder as he turned around. Izuku looked up to see a smirk in Aizawa’s eyes. “Try not to break anything too far out in the forest. I doubt even Jiro would be able to hear your screams.”

            Izuku smiled back and gave a nod before dashing off into the woods.

***

            Izuku showed up to dinner covered in bruises and small cuts. It wasn’t the tree trunks he was having a hard time with so much as the multitude of branches that whipped across his skin and he could hardly see as he ran.

            He had tried running on the ground and leaping through the tree branches but either way there were just too many things that cut at his face as he ran. He was up to maybe fifteen percent by the end of that first day of training, and he was rather proud of that.

            “Whoa,” Uraraka gasped as Izuku sat down next to her at the table. “What happened to you?”

            “Had a fight with just about every tree in the forest,” Izuku shrugged as he dug into the stew that the Wild Wild Pussycats had made for them as a welcome gift.

            Momo took one look at his face before the light of her creation began to glow on her arms. She pulled out a small tube and handed it to him before going back to eating.

            Izuku raised an eyebrow and waited for some sort of explanation. It took a minute before she looked up and noticed.

            “It’s a neomycin sulfate-polymyxin B sulfate-Pramoxine Hydrochloric acid cream,” she explained. Upon seeing the still confused look on his face she huffed a sigh. “It’s Neosporin Izuku. You shouldn’t leave such dirty wounds untreated.”

            “Thanks,” Izuku nodded. He pocketed the tube; it wouldn’t really do anything to apply it before he got to wash the cuts with soap and water.

            “I can’t believe we have to make it through a whole week of this,” Uraraka groaned as she shoved away her bowl. She still looked a little green.

            “Indeed,” Iida nodded. His blue hair was slick with sweat as it clung to his forehead.

            “All right you lot,” Mandalay called as she stood up from her seat. “We’ve got one last surprise for you. Tonight, you’ll all get the chance to enjoy our world-famous hot springs to help soothe those sore muscles.”

            A round of cheers went up from all the students as they celebrated the news. Of course, Aizawa, always ready to ruin their fun, chose that moment to chime in.

            “You’ll be expected to work just as hard tomorrow as a result so don’t go wasting time and be sure to get plenty of rest,” he informed them. The grin in his eyes at their groans had Izuku shaking his head.

            The thought of a scolding hot bath in the summer heat really didn’t sound all that nice to Izuku, so as the others began rushing off to grab a change of clothes, he relaxed at the table and continued to eat his food.

            A few others stuck behind as well. The heroes and the young boy who had been with them the entire time, Koda and Shoji were sitting together though neither one was talking, and Momo had stayed at the table with him to continue eating her food. They had both been served over sized portions but looking down at his now empty bowl Izuku had to admit that it wasn’t anywhere near enough for either of them.

            “I’m gonna go ask for another bowl,” Izuku told her. “Want me to grab you another too?”

            “Yes please Izuku,” Momo nodded as she passed him her empty bowl with a smile. “Thank you.”

            Izuku got up and headed over to the table where the Wild Wild Pussycats sat with the big pot full of stew. Izuku cleared his throat and got their attention.

            “Would it be possible to get another serving for myself and Yaoyorozu?” Izuku asked.

            “Oh?” Pixie Bob mused with a raised eyebrow and a strange smile. “Did you enjoy my cooking so much?”

            “It was very good,” Izuku nodded.

            “They need higher calorie diets for their quirks,” Aizawa informed them. “Take the whole pot Midoriya.”

            Izuku nodded and was about to grab it when the boy butted in.

            “And what if I wasn’t finished yet?” he snapped at both Izuku and Aizawa.

            “Kota!” Mandalay scolded the boy. “That was very rude, you need to apologize.”

            The boy glared at Izuku before harrumphing and turning away from them all.

            “You’re welcome to come sit with us Kota,” Izuku offered. “We’d be happy to share and chat with you.”

            “And why would I want to talk to a bunch of losers like you wannabes,” Kota snarled. He slammed away from the table. He stormed off into the woods without so much as a backwards glance.

            Mandalay gave a great sigh. “Sorry about that,” she said as she rubbed at her eyes. Clearly this wasn’t unusual for the boy. “Kota isn’t too keen on heroes these days.”

            “Did something happen?” Izuku asked.

            “His parents were the Water Hose duo,” Mandalay explained.

            It wasn’t much of an explanation, but Izuku already knew the story. Murdered by the villain Muscular during an otherwise normal patrol.

            “Oh,” Izuku offered lamely.

            Luckily Aizawa came to his rescue. “Your stew is getting cold Midoriya,” he reminded him.

            Izuku took his exit with a quick nod and brought the pot back over to their table. He and Momo dug in but he couldn’t help but look where Kota had run off.

***

            The next day 1-B arrived, and they joined in on training alongside them around noon. Izuku only found out when he stormed back into the main clearing and saw that there were twice as many people. He didn’t get long to watch what they were doing before he was thrown back out into the woods for his next lap.

            He knew a lot about the property at this point. He had gotten lost several times and ended up finding all sorts of places he never would have expected. There was a beautiful waterfall on the back side of the mountain that threw rainbows into the air. A field populated with wildflowers tucked behind a thick grotto of trees. And now he found himself climbing up to an overlook on the mountain to try and find his way back to the clearing where the others were.

            The first thing he noticed as he came grinding to a halt was the young boy, Kota, sitting on the edge of the cliff. He was staring off at the horizon and Izuku was prepared to leave him be when the boy turned around. The moment Kota’s eyes landed on him the boy stiffened.

            “What are you doing here?!” Kota screamed as he shot to his feet.

            “I was trying to find my way back to the lodge,” Izuku defended himself, arms raised as he backed off from the boy.

            “Well this is my hideout so just go away!” Kota snapped at him.

            “It’s a pretty cool hideout,” Izuku offered. It was a weak attempt at a peace offering, but it was something at least.

            “And it’s mine so get lost!” Kota screamed as he began stomping towards Izuku.

            Izuku just gave a final nod of confirmation and took off in a flash. But he couldn’t get Kota out of his head. The boy was clearly upset, and if his hideout was any indication, he must have felt like it was just him against the world. Izuku just wasn’t sure what he could do to help.

***

            “All right everyone,” Pixie Bob cried cheerfully. “Now that everyone is here, we’re going to give you guys another treat!”

            The two heroics classes gave some cheers at that. They had overseen cooking their own dinners that night and it had been quite the adventure to say the least. Sato and Bakugo had ensured that the meal was edible, and quite good if truth be told, but it had been a close call on several occasions, what with Iida failing to understand how to peel a potato and Shouto trying to quick fry the beef using his quirk. Getting a chance to relax again sounded nice.

            “We’ll be doing a test of courage,” Mandalay explained. “Class 1-B will go into the woods and try and scare the students of 1-A as they make their way through the set course and attempt to make it back to the lodge.”

            “The remedial students will be sitting this one out and instead will spend the evening with me at the lodge,” Aizawa told them, much to the despair of several of the most excited students from 1-A.

            With that the heroes set about breaking them off into groups. Aizawa led the students who had failed the final off towards the lodge. Mandalay broke the students of 1-A into pairs and gave them marching orders for when they’d be allowed to head down the path. Pixie Bob sent pairs of 1-B students off with maps as she smiled gleefully after them.

            Izuku was partnered with Momo. He was immensely grateful he wasn’t the one to have to be alone. He didn’t give it much thought though as the two of them headed into the dark woods. He cracked a smile at the thought of “unknown horrors” awaiting them within.