Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Young Midoriya, this is your Hero Academia!” the voice of All Might yelled with pride as his acceptance recording turned off, tears of joy leaking from his eyes.

Midoriya Izuku, once a Quirkless boy who everyone thought was destined for nothing, now had All Might’s Quirk and was just accepted into his dream school, U.A. High, and was finally able to achieve his dream of becoming a Hero!

He ran out of his room and to his mom, hugging her. Shocked by it, she hesitantly asks the important question.

“So Izuku... Did you make it in?” she asks carefully, like she expects him to shatter with heartbreak if he didn’t. But to her relief, he nods in what only be described as pure, childlike joy. Her face beams with happiness at her son’s glee. “Oh, Izuku, you did it! You made it in! My boy’s gonna become a Hero!” she says, tear ducts threatening to flood the apartment.

He laughs at his mother’s excitement and speaks in a determined tone. “Yeah, I really am going to be a Hero. I’m glad I’m going to get a chance to help people,” he says, a smile donning his face.

Inko looks at her son and gives him a hug. “I’m glad too, Izuku. I’m so sorry for never saying I believed in you,” she apologizes.

“Thank you, mom,” he says, a small frown downing his face as he returns it. During the hug, while thinking about a way to make his mother feel less guilty, an idea pops into his head, replacing the frown with a small smile. “Hey mom, want to help me design my costume?”

Her face lights up with joy. “Of course, Izuku! Let’s go get some materials!” And with that, they sat together, notebook in hand, drawing any design they could think of my Izuku’s future debut as a Hero. 

U.A. was an intimidating place, Izuku had decided. The building was tall, the doors were tall, and the person who yelled at him at the entrance exam was tall, and brave enough to yell at Kacchan to get his feet off his desk, something no one at Aldera, teachers included, had the guts to do.

To Izuku, it was a sight to behold. Something he wholeheartedly thought he would never, ever see.

Right as he was about to be spotted by Kacchan, a voice called out to him. “Ah, it’s the curly-haired kid!” He turned to find the nice girl he had saved during the exam. “You made it in like Present Mic said! I knew that punch of yours would earn you a spot!” she says, punching the air dramatically while Izuku covers his reddening face.

She got them to exchange numbers as fast as possible, effectively securing a friendship and completely oblivious to the embarrassment going off in Izuku’s head. Never in a million years did he think he would get a girl’s number. Thankfully, Uraraka Ochako as he now learned her name was, kept talking and brought him out of his own mind.

As she was spouting out questions, wondering about what their first day would be like, Izuku noticed a yellow sleeping bag slink out from behind the corner through the gaps in his fingers. Seeing the bag, he asks the question anyone would. “Why is there a sleeping bag right there?”

Uraraka, confused, turns around and jumps nearly a meter into the air from the sudden appearance of the sleeping bag caterpillar. “If you’re here to make friends, get out,” the bag mumbles, turning over to reveal... a homeless man? Said man reached into the sleeping bag and pulled out a jelly pouch, which he quickly slurped up. “This is the Heroics Course. I’m your homeroom teacher, Aizawa Shouta,” he says, standing up and getting out of the sleeping bag.

Everyone had scrambled to pay attention from the reveal. “It took Midoriya pointing me out for anyone to notice was here. That isn’t good enough. Now, there’s gym uniforms in the teacher’s podium. Grab one and head out to the P.E field. Anyone late will be expelled,” he informs them before heading away from the door. It takes all of two seconds for the word to register before everyone in the room rushes to the teacher’s podium, grabs their uniforms and rushes out the door as fast as humanly possible. 

Within ten minutes, the entire class was in their gym uniforms and on the field. Aizawa looked at the students, looking at Midoriya with what looked like contempt on his face for a few seconds, before his face shifted back to neutral and moved onto the rest. “You’ll be doing a Quirk Assessment this morning.”

This led to mass confusion in the class. Uraraka made her confusion known to their sensei. “But the entrance ceremony is today! And we’re going to miss orientation!”

This complaint was met with a sharp glare. “If you’re to become a Hero, you won’t have time for such leisurely events. The big selling point for this school is the freedom it gives its teachers in teaching their students. These skill assessments are something you’ve been doing since middle school.” he says, while pulling a softball and phone out of his pocket, showing the screen to his students. “Tests done with a ban on Quirk usage, so that our country can use the averages taken from these tests. How irrational of the Ministry of Education, delaying the inevitable like that.”

His sentence is interrupted by him tossing a softball to Bakugou who catches it with one hand. “You finished first in the entrance exam. What was your furthest throw in middle school, Bakugou?” he asks the explosive-tempered boy.

Bakugou scoffs while readying his throwing arm. “Sixty-seven meters.” he replies.

Aizawa looks him dead in the eye. “You can do whatever you want to throw the ball in that circle right there, as long as you don’t leave it,” he instructs Bakugou, pointing to the throwing area.

Bakugou stands in the circle, prepping himself. Then, he throws the ball as hard as he can, using an explosion to propel the ball through the air while screaming, “DIE!”

The stunned class watched as the ball soared, slowly but surely going out of view, before Aizawa’s phone beeped. He turns the phone around to show the result of 705.2 meters. “Knowing your maximum capabilities is the most rational way to start training a Hero.” Most of the class calls out in surprise at the results, minus Todoroki and Yaoyorozu, the most composed of the class, and Izuku, who had more or less expected that result, if not even better.

“Seven hundred meters?! No way...”

“This looks like fun!”

“As expected of the Hero course! We get to use our Quirks as much we want!”

Aizawa watched the class with a growing numbness. “So, this is ‘fun’ to all of you, huh?” he says coolly, stopping the class in their tracks. “I wonder if you’ll have that attitude by the end of the day... Okay. The person in last place after all eight tests are completed will be deemed to have zero potential and will be expelled as punishment.” He grins maliciously, turning the image of their teacher's smile into something that brought fear into the hearts of every student who saw it.

Izuku was panicking to himself. He didn’t have enough of a handle on One For All yet! His only choices were zero or one hundred percent of his power! He needed to do well and save his uses of the Quirk, otherwise he’d lose for sure!

Before Izuku could spiral any further, a hand grabs his shoulder. He flinches, head turning to see who grabbed him, only to see the tall, pretty girl from the class. “I didn’t want to say anything, but you seem like you’re panicking. I’m certain he’s just lying to make us work harder, so don’t be too worried, okay Midoriya?” she says, smiling.

“I kind of have a hard time believing that...” he says. “B-but... t-thanks... Umm...” he cuts himself off, realizing he didn’t even know her name.

It only took a second for her to realize. “Oh, you don’t know my name yet! Yaoyorozu Momo,” she informs him, still with a smile that is slightly beneficial to his nerves.

“M-Midoriya Izuku.” The shaky smile on his face only helps to reinforce showing how nervous he was

While this exchange happened, the other students made their thoughts known. Murmuring of the unfairness of the situation were spouted until one voice called out. “You can’t do that! It’s not fair! It’s only the first day of school!” Uraraka shouts. Her response was met with a sharp glare that could cut steel.

“Natural disasters, big accidents, Villain attacks. Do you truly believe that any part of life will be fair to you? How irrational,” he drones out, a hint of disdain dripping from his words as he didn't dare drop his glare for even a second. “No part of life can be predicted perfectly and can never be fair to anyone. Heroes are expected to be the people in charge of reversing that. If you wanted to go hang out at the local burger joint with friends, then you need to rethink your priorities. You’ll be receiving hardship after hardship during your three years at U.A. Go beyond. Plus Ultra," he says in a mockery of the school motto, worry spread across many of the students’ faces. “Overcome the obstacles ahead with everything you got.”

As the students did their best to pump themselves back up, Aizawa continued to watch their reactions. “Demonstration’s over. The real test has just begun,” he says, walking everyone over to their first tests. 

Izuku did very poorly on every one of the tests. Since he couldn’t use his Quirk, and his training was almost purely for muscle-building, he had no advantage in any of the tests. Not the fifty-meter dash, not the grip strength, nor the standing long jump. Neither could he do well on the repeated side jumps either. Aizawa staring at him with disdain the entire time didn’t help his nerves whatsoever.

When it came time to do the ball throw again, Izuku was sweating bullets. He had done poorly on every test compared to everyone else, all because he couldn’t use his Quirk without breaking himself. Seeing the scores of his classmates, Uraraka’s infinite and Yaoyorozu’s out of the park score of 2,157 meters, he knew he needed to use his Quirk if wanted any chance of avoiding last place. While Bakugou tried to paint him as a Quirkless nobody and Iida argued against him, he walked up to the circle, imagining the egg in the microwave, trying his best to stop it from exploding.  ‘Don’t explode, don’t explode, don’t explode!’ 

He went to use One For All to throw the ball, only for his Quirk to disappear, his composure slip, and a score of sixty meters register on the phone. As he panicked about the disappearance of his Quirk, he looked over and saw Aizawa with his Quirk active. “I erased your Quirk,” he says coolly.

Izuku gasps at the sight. “Y-you’re the Erasure Hero, Eraser Head! The highest-skilled Underground Hero in all of Japan!” he half-shouts, nervous at upon recognizing the top dog of Underground Heroics. His enthusiasm was met with Aizawa’s capture scarf wrapping around him and pulling him close, his glare somehow becoming even more frightening.

“That exam definitely wasn’t rational enough, if someone like you can get in,” he spat, while All Might peeks around the corner, silently wishing his successor the best of luck in dealing with him. “You can’t control your Quirk at all, can you.” It’s not a question. It is very much a statement that didn’t need to be answered because said answer was obvious. “Do you intend to become incapacitated and force another Hero to save you, just because you can’t control a Quirk you’ve had since you were a child?” Izuku goes to respond, but he gets cut off. “That’s what’ll happen regardless of your intentions. Just because you have the same reckless valor as the man who made himself a legend doesn’t mean you don’t have the level of skill he did. You’d be instantly decked aside and made a useless doll after saving a single person.”

Izuku did his best not to flinch at the insults, ones all too familiar. He knew it was true, but he just needed to learn how to use this Quirk. That’s why he was here, wasn’t it? To learn to become a Hero?

“With your power, you cannot and will not become a Hero, Midoriya Izuku.” he says, releasing his Quirk and Izuku from his grasp. “Your Quirk has returned. You get one more chance. Hurry up and get it over with.” he says, walking back to his post. As the students were murmuring about what Aizawa may have said to him, Izuku was on the brink of despair. ‘Let’s see if this kid has the potential for greatness, or if he’ll let him fall into last place.’ Aizawa thinks to himself.

Izuku made one last attempt to steel his nerves. ‘I still can’t control this Quirk, but I need to do well on this test! I can’t settle for last place here! I need to catch up as soon as I can! Which means I need to use everything I can!’ he thinks as he goes into the pitching stance, without activating his Quirk.

‘Zero potential.’ Aizawa thinks, watching him throw the ball. Right before the ball left contact with his finger, however, he activated his Quirk, and, with a shout of “Smash!”, sent the ball flying 705.3 meters, left with a broken finger. Aizawa looked at his finger and scoffed.

Right as Izuku looked at Aizawa, ready to tell him he could still move, he felt the cold gaze of his teacher and stopped himself. “Did you really think that was good enough to keep yourself in my class?” he asks, the blood of everyone except Bakugou running cold at the threat. Despair set into Izuku’s heart as the dreaded words left Aizawa’s mouth. “I warned you, Midoriya. I warned you that you can’t have your Quirk hurt yourself if you want to be a Hero. You may have only broken a finger, but that isn’t good enough.” he says apathetically, pointing in the direction of the doors.

“Midoriya Izuku, you are hereby expelled. Get the hell out of this school."

Chapter Text

“Midoriya Izuku, you are hereby expelled. Get the hell out of this school.” 

Two sentences. Two sentences were all it took for Izuku to have his dreams crushed and his respect for Eraser Head as a Hero ripped away from him. He and the class stood in place in a silent shock, unsure if any response could get them expelled as well. 

Silent tears fell from Izuku’s face as he walked back to the doors, wondering how he could ever make up this failure to All Might. As for the man himself, he went back into his true form, came around the corner when his successor was near and led Izuku back into the building. 

As the doors close behind the two, the class is brought out of their shock. While Mineta acted smug about his safety in the course, Hagakure relieved at her safety, and Bakugou grinned maniacally about the expulsion, most of the class made their disapproval of Aizawa’s decision to expel Izuku known. The two most vocal being Uraraka and Yaoyorozu, both upset at the removal of a potential new friend, and Yaoyorozu was shocked that she was wrong about Aizawa’s threat being a ruse. 

“Y-you didn’t actually just expel Midoriya, did you Aizawa-sensei?!” Yaoyorozu shouts, quickly losing her composure. “I know you said that life isn’t fair, but this just seems needlessly cruel!” 

An activation of his Quirk stopped all noise from the class. “Midoriya Izuku was warned that if he couldn’t use his Quirk without hurting himself, he wouldn’t be a part of this school. If he’s hurting himself like a toddler who just got his Quirk after having one for his whole life, he doesn’t deserve his place in the Hero Course,” Aizawa explains, glaring at the class. 

Uraraka takes the chance to defend her new friend. “But we’re here to learn how to use our Quirks to be Heroes! Why would you kick him out because he has trouble using his Quirk if it’s U.A.’s job to teach us that!?” 

“You were almost on the right track, Uraraka.” he says coolly. “I’m here to teach people who already know their Quirk and its capabilities and how to use it in Heroics. I’m not a Quirk Counselor, and I am not teaching a student who has no clue what he’s doing.” With that, he deactivates his Quirk and reaches for his eye drops. “Now, we’ll be finishing the tests. After that, I’ll show the results and you’ll go inside to grab your syllabus. If anyone else acts out of turn or doesn’t impress me, they too will be expelled. Am I understood?” 

A chorus of a tense ‘Yes, sensei’ came from the class, as they swiftly moved onto the next task, not seeking to face the wrath of their teacher. Some did so more reluctantly than others. 

As Toshinori walked his successor to the nurse’s office, he was wondering how he was going to explain this to the boy’s mother. He knew of Aizawa’s fake-out expulsion, but this was not the method he used for it. The boy had been explicitly targeted by Aizawa, though he was unsure of the reason why. 

U.A. teachers had Quirk Counselling licenses for a reason, after all. 

He was broken from his thoughts by the sound of sniffling and quiet, fast-paced, apologetic mumbles from Izuku. As they approach the office, he pats him on the back. “My boy, you don’t have anything to apologize for. If anything, this is my fault.” The declaration causes Izuku's gaze to whip towards the taller man's face in shock.

“B-but All Might, I’m the one who got himself expelled! How could it be your fault when I’m a failure of a successor?” Izuku whisper-yells, regret clear in his voice. 

“You are not a failure, my boy. Far from it. You’re the best candidate for a successor anyone could ask for,” Toshinori says, before sighing. “He expelled you because you don’t know how to use your Quirk without hurting yourself. I’ll be honest with you, Young Midoriya... The Quirk came to me naturally, so I haven’t the faintest clue where to start with this.” Before Izuku can respond in shock, he continues. “I’ll be speaking with Nedzu on your behalf. Regardless of if I can get him to reverse this decision or not, I’ll help you become a Hero. I swear it.” 

And with that, they reach the office of Shuzenji Chiyo, better known as Recovery Girl. Toshinori knocks on the door and waits for a response. 

“How could someone already need to be healed? It's not even noon yet...” her voice mumbles out from behind the door. “Come in!” she says, much louder than before. 

As Izuku and Toshinori nervously made their way into the office, Shuzenji’s annoyed expressions quickly turned into one of concern upon observing Izuku’s broken finger, tear-stained face, and depressed eyes. 

“Oh dear, that finger must hurt quite a bit! Your Quirk is still doing so much damage... And you probably didn’t have any adrenaline in your system to keep the pain down...” she says, looking the finger over, before using her Quirk on Izuku and wrapping the fingers up in bandages. 

In what seems to be a regular occurrence today, Toshinori sighs once again. “Trust me, Chiyo, I saw the break happen, and he’s upset about what happened after he broke it, not crying from the pain itself.” 

Her expression once again shifted, this time to confusion. “Why else would he be upset on his first day of school if not for the finger?” she says, before realization sets in. “... Which class was he assigned to again?” she asks as she uses her Quirk on Izuku and wraps his finger. 

“He was assigned to 1-A. With Aizawa,” Toshinori replies, and that instantly causes her to freeze. 

“Ah. So, I’m assuming this wasn’t one of his fake-outs then.” It isn’t a question, but a statement. From what she’s heard from Toshinori about this boy, he would have known about Eraser Head and his fake-out methods. Meaning he would have been hurt, but not devastated if it happened to him. That only left her with one thought. 

This was very much permanent and was going to have disastrous consequences if Nedzu let things continue without interfering. 

“No, it was not. And it was far from any type of kindness I have ever seen. He had quite literally told Young Midoriya to, and I quote, ‘get the hell out of this school,’” he says, noticing Izuku flinch at the reminder of his expulsion. “He didn’t even tell him to go to Nedzu’s office for transfer to general education, for god’s sake. Just a straight expulsion!” he says, feeling himself growing angry, and trying his best to calm himself down. It wouldn’t do good to get mad here. He needs to save it for the right time. 

Shuzenji rubs her forehead in frustration. “Aizawa, that damn grump. The man may claim to want to stop young Heroes from dying, but that doesn’t sound like he cared in the slightest...” she sighs, patting the back of Izuku, doing her best to try and help him feel better. “Midoriya, I remember Toshinori mentioning you had notebooks with analysis on Heroes in them a while back. Do you have any of them on you?” 

Izuku’s eyes light up a bit, and he reaches into his bag, grabbing the few notebooks that contain the Hero Staff of U.A. in them, all tabbed out and ready to be signed. “I um... I was planning on having them signed before I ended up... well...” he trails off, the light in his eyes beginning to flicker out once more, tears threatening to start falling. 

He’s stopped by Shuzenji placing a hand on his shoulder. “Now, now, no need for crying, Midoriya. I’d like to borrow those books, if you’re willing. I can have the autographs in it by the end of the day for you. Minus Aizawa’s, unless you really want it,” she offers, hoping to bring some hope back into those verdant eyes of his. 

And indeed, it was a good decision. The excitement that lit up Izuku’s face could blind someone if they weren’t careful. “Th-thank you so much, Recovery Girl!” he says, nearly shouting, as he hands her the books. 

She sighs contently at his enthusiasm and pats his shoulder. “You’re welcome, Midoriya.” She smiles briefly, before turning to Toshinori. “Now, I know this is the last thing you both want to hear, but you’re going to have to explain this to his mother if you can’t convince Nedzu to reverse the decision,” she says, causing them both to freeze. 

Izuku starts panicking, tears pricking the corners of his eyes. “Oh my gosh, I forgot about mom! Oh, she’s gonna be so upset! How am I gonna tell her this!?” he shouts. 

Before Izuku can spiral further, Toshinori shakes him by the shoulders. “Calm down, my boy! I’ll explain the situation to your mother. And I’ll only need to do that if Nedzu can’t do anything. Everything will work out fine, okay, Young Midoriya?” he asks, to which he receives rapid nodding as a response. 

“Good. Now, is Young Midoriya able to wait here while I have my little chat with Nedzu, Chiyo?” he inquires. When he receives a nod in response, he turns back to Izuku. “It shouldn’t take any longer than half an hour. I’ll come back, and, regardless of what happens, I’ll take you home once the meeting is done.” And with that, the man leaves the office, ready to go speak with his potentially former boss. 

To anyone else, the door to Principal Nedzu’s office would be imposing, potentially even frightening. But to Yagi Toshinori, All Might, Symbol of Peace and man on a mission, the door was nothing was a barrier between him and the chance at getting Izuku re-enrolled in this school. With a determined vigor, he knocked on the door. 

Nedzu’s voice perks up from within. “Ah, Yagi! I didn’t expect you to show up this soon! But please, come on in!” he offers, and Toshinori opens the door. 

Closing it behind him, he sits on the couch across from Nedzu. The Quirked animal pours a cup of tea for himself, offering one to Toshinori as well, which he accepts. They sit in an awkward silence, both sides staring at each other, both knowing exactly why this meeting has occurred, but neither saying a word about it. 

After a minute of silence, it is finally Nedzu who breaks it. “So, I was correct in assuming you would come here about the expulsion of your successor.” As usual, Nedzu is able to perfectly read the situation.

“That is correct, Nedzu.” Silence for a few more beats. 

“And you want the decision reversed, I would assume.” 

“Also correct. Now, will it be done? Will my successor be allowed to attend U.A.?” Toshinori asks, knowing full well which of the two possibilities was more likely. 

Nedzu sighs, clear disappointment in his body language. “I wish it were that easy, Yagi. When I hired Aizawa, he was given the ability to expel and re-enroll students at his leisure. A part of that agreement included the inability for me to interfere with his decisions. I have never doubted Aizawa’s judgement before today. The man is a logical being, and I deemed the decisions to be made in good faith. However, this is one of the cases where such an agreement backfired heavily,” he declares regretfully, looking at his computer. “Aizawa sent me an email this morning, right before classes began. I had not gotten a chance to read it until his Quirk Assessment was halfway done.” 

Toshinori narrows his eyes. “What’s so special about this email in particular?” 

Nedzu turns the screen around to show an expulsion document. “It was to report the expulsion of one Midoriya Izuku, before he had even had the chance to see him for the first time outside of a screen,” he explains, causing Toshinori’s eyes to widen in alarm. “Indeed, he was targeting Midoriya. For what reason, I cannot confirm, though I do have suspicions...” he says cryptically. 

“And those suspicions would be...?” Toshinori asks. 

Nedzu shakes his head. “Nothing I can prove unless Aizawa brings the runner-up applicant into Hero Course, I’m afraid. My primary theory is that he simply wanted to get rid of a ‘weak link’ as an excuse to have his own successor in class sooner.” he says, finishing his tea. 

Toshinori shakes his head. “Once I heard he was training a student one-on-one, I should have known he would resort to nepotism.” The realization of the potential hypocrisy in his words causes him to sigh. No, Young Midoriya earned his spot. It wasn't nepotism, he reminded himself. “I assume you realize what my successor not being enrolled in this school means, Nedzu?” he asks, before being handed a small stack of paper. 

“Yes, I am well aware. In fact, the papers for your resignation were printed for you shortly after I saw the email. While there’s a small part of me that would have hoped you would stay despite this, the rest of my mind knows you far too well,” he says, sighing once more in what seemed to be a common theme for the day. “It is a shame you couldn’t teach more of the next generation of U.A. Heroes, but alas, this is just something else Aizawa has taken away from our students... Once those forms are filled out, I will accept your resignation from U.A., Yagi.” 

“Thank you, Nedzu,” he says, pulling a pen from his jacket. 

“And do not worry, Yagi. Aizawa won’t be allowed to do that again from today onward. Nor will he simply be allowed to get away from this with no consequences. I can promise you that much,” he reassures his friend, before pondering a thought. “As well, I can allow you and Midoriya guest access to U.A. if he needs medical attention for any broken bones that occur while training. Although, I would recommend you don’t let him break his bones,” he says, chuckling to himself. 

Toshinori nods at this, signing the last line needed for his resignation to be official. Nedzu signs his own approval line and sets the papers off to the side. He then grabs a letter from his pocket and hands it to Toshinori. “That’s to help save Mrs. Midoriya a trip up here. It contains a letter explaining the situation, as well as a check refunding the enrollment and uniform fees,” the rodent-like principal explains. 

Toshinori nods, taking the letter and standing from his seat. “It was nice being back, Nedzu. But I’m afraid I have to go explain the situation to my successor’s mother now.” 

Nedzu smiles at him. “Yes, it was nice seeing you too, Yagi. Train Midoriya well, so that he can be the next great Hero of Japan.” he says kindly as he watches him leave, his smile quickly disappearing as the door closed. “Aizawa... I don’t know what to think about this situation anymore. If I am correct if my assumptions...” he sighs to himself, looking out the window in his office. 

“This decision made out of your favoritism for that boy is going to have disastrous consequences for all of U.A.” 

Chapter Text

The drive to Izuku’s apartment was tense. Not because Izuku was in awe at his favourite Hero and mentor being the one driving him, but because both he and All Might, or Toshinori as he was asked to call him in this form, were stumped about how to explain this to his mother without either flooding the apartment or creating a nation-wide lawsuit. 

Once the car stopped in the parking lot near the building, both of them looked at each other for thirty seconds, in absolute silence. It was broken by Toshinori. “Show her the letter and go from there?” he asks. 

Izuku nods but gains a thoughtful look immediately after. “... I think we should tell her,” he decides, Toshinori instantly knowing what he was talking about. 

“It’s your Quirk now, Izuku. If you want to tell her, you may. However, I am glad you let me know beforehand, my boy,” he replies, chuckling. “Now, let’s go inside, shall we?” He opens the door to the car and gets out, waiting for Izuku to direct him to the right apartment. 

Izuku, realizing why the man was waiting, scrambled out of the car, leading him inside. 

The Midoriya apartment was small, but cozy, Toshinori noticed. Izuku had an All Might nameplate for his room, something the man found very amusing, much to Izuku’s embarrassment. Before Izuku could be embarrassed further, however, he and Toshinori were called into the living room by his mother. 

Taking a seat across from her, he drank some of the tea placed on the table for him. The small silence was broken by the nervous Inko. “S-so, can you tell me why Izuku is home early? And why you, a staff member, was the one who brought him, Mr. Yagi?” 

Toshinori handed her the letter from Nedzu. “Mrs. Midoriya, that letter contains the explanation behind this situation. I brought your son home early today because he was expelled by his homeroom teacher.” A gasp came from Inko. “Indeed. And despite my best efforts, this teacher had special permission to expel and re-enroll students whenever he wishes, and Nedzu wasn’t allowed to interfere with the decisions.” 

Inko face twisted into one of pure shock. “And why would Nedzu hire him if that was the only way he would work for him?” she asks. 

“I believe the reasoning was to give students he found to be cocky or reckless a ‘chance to experience death so they wouldn’t in the field.’ Which is kind in a roundabout way, I suppose. But neither I nor Nedzu believe that was why he expelled Izuku, since he was told to ‘get the hell out of this school,’” he clarifies, using air quotes to signify the words were not his own. “I don’t wish to lie to either of you. He and I believe that Aizawa used Young Midoriya’s lack of Quirk control as an excuse to get rid of him, perhaps because of his similarity to me, or, and this is the more likely prediction, nepotism for a student who got thirty-seventh on the general entrance exam.” 

It was Izuku’s turn to wear shock on his face, green eyes going wide. “W-wait, what!? Why would Eraser Head get rid of me for that?! He could have requested a new seat after the Sports Festival!” he shouts, startling his mother. “You mean that he just expelled me so he could get his... trainee, Apprentice, or whatever into the course faster!?” he all but screams, tears flowing down his cheeks. 

Toshinori sighs. “We don’t know for sure, Young Midoriya. But if that is the reason why, he may just see you getting in with poor Quirk control as an insult to his protégé, and decided to remove a ‘weak link in the chain’ as he sees it to get him in. I’m sorry Young Midoriya, but please, can you wipe your tears away so we can continue?” he asks, and he receives a sad nod. 

Inko clears her throat to get the attention of the two. “I’m sorry if I misheard, but what did you mean by my son’s similarity to you? From what I can understand about what Izuku told me, his Quirk is like All Might’s strength enhancer, but it hurts him. And I don’t want to sound rude, but...” she trails off, gesturing to his skinny form. 

Toshinori blanks at his slip-up, but then chuckles. “No, it was not a slip-up, Mrs. Midoriya. Now, I need you to promise me not to freak out.” he says cryptically, and Inko has no choice but to agree, unsure of what to expect. 

Toshinori, in a cloud of smoke, changed into the buff form of All Might. “I know this is a shock, Mrs. Midoriya, but I am actually All Might. And I will explain everything to you,” he says to Inko, who seems to be on the verge of fainting, but manages to steady herself enough to take a soothing sip of tea. 

“Y-y-yes, please do e-explain... whatever just happened,” she mumbles quietly. Toshinori almost didn't catch the words.

And he does. He poofs back down and begins to explain the accomplishments of his career: becoming a symbol of the relative peace Japan has seen since his debut, his toppling of his nemesis’ criminal empire, their fight which ended in Toshinori’s injury and All For One’s death (earning a gasp from Izuku), and the secret of his Quirk. Inko slowly starts piecing everything together in her mind. 

“Izuku has One For All. You gave it to him sometime after that incident ten months ago. Am I right?” she asks, and Toshinori nods. 

“Indeed, I did give him the Quirk. I apologize for not telling you sooner, but I figured that the secret should be kept for your safety as long as Izuku was at U.A. Since he was expelled, Young Midoriya and I decided it would be best to inform you.” 

Inko looked at the table, seemingly lost in thought. She didn’t look up as she asked her next question. “Would you have still given it to him if this ‘All For One’ man you mentioned was still alive?” 

Toshinori stared at her, before a smile graced his face. “Not as soon as this, but yes, I would have. I would still want Young Midoriya as my successor, but a part of being a mentor is protecting their student. I wasn’t able to do that today. But from this point onward, I will do everything in my power to do so. I swear it,” he declares. 

Inko once again thought about his answer. Finally, she sighed. “While I’m a little upset that you would have put Izuku in danger in that scenario... I’m happy to know that you still believe in Izuku to become a Hero. It’s all he’s ever wanted, and I was so worried about his safety, I never truly said I believed in him... So...” She stands up and bows deeply. “Thank you for helping my son where I failed,” she requests, head still in as deep a bow as she can manage. 

Toshinori sputters at the display. “Mrs. Midoriya, please, there’s no need for that! I almost failed him too.” he admits, shamefully. “I had been so caught up in my injury, I told him he couldn’t be a Hero without a Quirk. I regret saying that to this day. I know for sure now that Young Midoriya would have made an amazing Hero, regardless of if he accepted my offer or not,” he declares with a determined tone, causing Izuku to tear up. 

“Do you really mean that, All Might?” he asks, hopefully. 

Toshinori nods. “Of course I do, Young Midoriya!” he assures him, before receiving a hug from Izuku. He nervously sits there with his arms at the side before returning it. 

After about half a minute, they break the hug, Midoriya muttering in embarrassment at suddenly hugging his Hero and mentor, and Toshinori chuckling at his antics. 

Inko once again gains their attention. “So, now that Izuku isn’t in U.A., what happens now? Does he get transferred to another school, or does he try again next year?” she asks, looking over at her son in worry. 

Toshinori grins. “Well, he could transfer to a new school. But I had another idea, one I believe he’d like far more than going to another school.” he says a bit cryptically as he pulls a paper out of his pocket, containing the contact information of several Heroes. A few of the names were highlighted, but Izuku focused on the one he had never seen before, trying to figure out if he had seen the name before. “I want to make Midoriya my official Apprentice,” he explains, smiling fondly at the look of childlike joy making its way onto Izuku’s face. 

He continues, pointing to the list of contacts he just pulled out. “I know several Heroes who would love a chance to train a successor of the Number One Hero, and the name for my mentor on the list too. His name is Gran Torino,” he informs them, interrupting before Izuku can slip into a muttering spree. “Once we help him find a way to use his Quirk without hurting himself, Torino and I will come up with a schedule for Young Midoriya, creating a balance of training and standard school subjects, which will be done through online courses. And of course, calling in other Heroes occasionally to help him develop his fighting style,” he explains, looking to see their reactions. 

Izuku looks at his mom, eyes pleading that she’ll agree. Inko smiles and pats her son’s head. “I’ll agree to this plan of yours, Mr. Yagi. I trust that you’ll help him become the Hero he’s always wanted to be,” she says, as Izuku’s smile became brighter than the sun itself. 

“I’m glad to hear that, Mrs. Midoriya. I’m glad I was able to get the easy part out of the way. Now for the hard part...” he trails off, grabbing his phone from his pocket and leaving the Midoriya family listening in to what the hard part was. 

He sighs. “Time to actually call Torino,” he mumbles, hands shaking terribly. He heads into another room to make the call, leaving the two listeners with a concerned look on their faces. 

Torino Sorahiko was finishing his taiyaki when his phone started ringing. Any other time, he would have been slow to pick up, but the ringtone was different. 

He grinned to himself as he walked over to it. “So, you finally picked one, huh? Glad to see you’ve got enough of a brain to call me, Toshinori...” he says, as he picks up the phone and answers.

Chapter Text

Izuku watched in horror as his mentor’s hands shook, clenched to the steering wheel of the vehicle like a final lifeline. If he looked closely enough, he swore he could see him sweating bullets. This didn’t make any sense; the man is the Number One Hero! All Might’s teacher couldn’t be this scary... 

Right?  

He knew he would be finding out soon enough as the car pulled off to the side and was parked outside a rundown-looking house. It looked like somewhere no one could ever live, despite the fact it matched the address of Gran Torino’s home. Izuku looked over to All Might in confusion. 

“All Might, are you sure you wrote down the right address? This place looks... run-down,” he says, struggling to find the right words. 

All Might pat his shaking legs as he nods. “Y-yes, this is indeed the r-right address, Young Midoriya...” he stutters, shaking to the degree Izuku was half sure he would have to drag him to the door. 

“Well, I’m sure it’s nicer on the inside!” Izuku says, walking up towards the door, All Might following hesitantly behind him. “Care to do the honors, All Might?” he asks, causing the man to stiffen in fear. 

“Y-yes, of course, Young Midoriya,” he answers, knocking on the door. 

For ten seconds, nothing happens. There’s no sound in the awkward silence that has set in. All Might knocks again, this time a little louder. Still nothing. 

Getting worried, All Might finally opens the door, ready to check on his teacher... 

Only for him to receive a boot to the face and Izuku to get startled, screaming in fear as he jumped nearly a foot in the air. 

“Thank you for coming so early in the morning, Aizawa,” Nedzu says, staring at the insomniac teacher glaring from the opposing seat. 

“What was so important that you called in a one-on-one meeting during my morning nap? I need the energy for class, you know,” Aizawa grumbles, holding his glare at the stoat across from him. 

Nedzu takes a sip of his tea. “I noticed you gave a place to the runner-up in the Hero Course exam, after expelling the sixth-place examinee yesterday,” he states, seeing no point in beating around the bush. 

Aizawa nearly scoffs. “Yes, I filled the open spot in the Hero Course after one opened up. I’m not sure why my expelling of a student with zero potential this time warrants having a whole meeting before the second day of class,” he replies, clearly unimpressed. 

“Ah yes, your expulsion. Considering his marks, however, would it have not made more sense to transfer him to general education?” Hearing no response, he continued. “Furthermore, I do believe seeing a report that the student you just brought into Class 1-A, Shinso Hitoshi, was your personal student as of...” he pauses, checking his notes. “Nine months ago. Would that have had anything to do with the decision to completely expel Mr. Midoriya, by any chance?” 

Aizawa’s glare harshens further, clearly annoyed by the accusation. “Midoriya has the Quirk control of a four-year-old, and I’m not here to teach someone who’s had their full life to learn how to control their Quirk and end up with no control at all. It’s illogical, and a waste of my time.” Aizawa found himself sneering at Nedzu, ignoring how much of a hole he was digging for himself.

“Ah, I knew you would bring that up. As such, I’ve gone to the effort of emailing Midoriya’s student file for you to read later. But alas, I have my own plans for Midoriya’s education, so you don’t need to justify yourself. After all, you’re trying to defend yourself against a decision reversal that couldn’t possibly be made at the moment, Aizawa,” he says, hiding his smirk behind his teacup. 

“Then I ask again, why are we having this meeting? There’s no point in my being here if you were just going to tell me something I already knew,” he spat in complete exasperation. 

“Why, we’re having it for two reasons! One is for me to inform you that you have lost your privilege to expel and re-enroll students.” Before Aizawa could argue, Nedzu held up his hand to stop him. “There is no arguing this decision. Your contract states that while I cannot reverse your decisions through direct means, I can take away this privilege of yours as I see fit.” 

Aizawa grits his teeth at the decision. He wanted to keep that ability in case he needed to expel some of the other students who may pose to be a problem in the future, but he’d have to make do. 

He takes a deep breath, barely keeping his eye from twitching. “So, what is this second thing that you needed to inform me about so badly?” 

“Glad you asked, Aizawa! It refers to an update to your schedule,” he says, handing him a piece of paper. “You’ll notice that it’s mostly the same with one key exception. Given that our first-year Foundational Heroics teacher has resigned his position, you will be taking over the class, since you have the available time slots for it,” he explains, not bothering to hide his sadistic grin this time. 

“What are you talking about? Why would All Might leave his position at U.A.?” Aizawa asks, completely going from angry to confused. 

“Well, Aizawa, you were not the only one with a personal student,” he says, leaving Aizawa stunned. “Perhaps if Mr. Midoriya, a student who got into the Hero Course through his own merit, had been allowed to stay as a gen-ed student, he would have stayed in the hopes of his student placing in the Sports Festival. Or perhaps he would have been able to request the change regardless. Regardless of whatever ‘what-ifs’ we can think up, the fact of the matter is that All Might is no longer an employee at U.A. High, and we are to deny all rumors that he would be working with us this year.” 

Aizawa takes the time to process what he has just been told. All Might, the man who had expressed an interest in teaching seemingly suddenly abandons the position, and randomly takes a personal student? While he may be a little curious about this turn of events, he doesn’t care enough to investigate. There’s no reason for him to think about any what-ifs or regret his choices. He’ll just need to accept the ‘punishment’ as it lays before him. 

It’d be illogical for him to do otherwise. 

He’s brought out of his thoughts by Nedzu clearly his throat. “Well, you have a busy day ahead of you, as do I! Homeroom begins in twenty minutes, and I need to prepare some lesson plans myself,” he says, going back to his computer. 

Though he raised an eyebrow at that, it’d be illogical of him to annoy the principal further. With that in mind, he left, both U.A, Heroes oblivious to the rapidly approaching storm. 

After a vicious scolding from Torino towards Toshinori about having a better awareness of his surroundings, he directed the duo to his living room, so he could finally meet the boy to succeed All Might. The kid seemed well-built enough in his eyes but having brawn without at least some brains would just mean having another All Might, and that isn’t something the world needs right now. 

“So, you’re the ninth, huh kid?” he asks rhetorically. “Tell me kid, who are you?” 

“M-Midoriya Izuku, sir,” Izuku responds, a slight stutter stemming from excitement. Gran Torino studies him, causing Izuku to nearly break into a nervous sweat. 

“No kid, I mean who are you?” he reiterates. 

Izuku blinks in confusion at the question. “I... I don’t understand, Torino-sensei,” he says, looking down at his feet. 

“No need to look so glum kid. I wasn’t expecting you to have all the answers yet. You just need to think about it,” he assures him, tapping the ground with his cane. “Back to the more pressing issue...” He looks at Toshinori. “You mentioned this kid has enough power to break his limbs when he uses one hundred percent of One For All. How has he been visualizing it?” 

Izuku perks up nearly instantly. “It felt like an egg in a microwave!” he informs him in an entirely genuine manner, grin firmly on his face. Gran Torino simply stared at him, blinking as he processed the information. 

“Right...” he mutters. “Well, something is better than nothing, I suppose. How have you been using it?” 

“W-well, I can only power up one part of myself at a time, s-so I–” Izuku is cut off by a cane to the shin. 

“I am not training another wielder who can't use his brain... Your admiration of this blonde buffoon is acting like shackles on that mind of yours, kid,” he says, waving his cane at Toshinori, who looked offended but didn’t say anything.  “Think about how Toshinori uses the Quirk, Midoriya. I need you to really use that bright head of yours and think here, kid. I won’t be training you until you figure it out.” 

Izuku nodded at his soon-to-be teacher and began to think about One For All and how it’s used. “How does All Might use his Quirk? The Smashes are moves that use one or multiple of his limbs, he travels by using the Quirk in his legs, he holds back his strength in high population areas, and his body structure goes back to muscular from skinny when he...”  His mumbling trails off and his eyes widen in alarm. “That’s it!” Izuku shouts, jumping from his seat and startling Toshinori. 

‘Focus, Izuku! You can’t push all the power in at once... That’s what would happen with the egg. In the microwave... But what about a flowing stream of water? Slowly let the flow increase from nothing... And spread it throughout!’  

Gran Torino and Toshinori watched as a faint green light emanated from Izuku’s skin, slowly spreading across his skin, lightning spreading across his skin as the glow increases. They look at him in fascination as he smiles blindingly. 

Torino grins at Izuku’s quick comprehension. “See kid? You catch on quick to these sorts of things. Without the pressure this buffoon keeps putting on you, you can figure things out quickly.” Toshinori finds himself objecting to his teacher's insults, which causes the man to start laughing. “Don't undervalue that skill, Midoriya. Learning quick means you can take in many styles to pick and choose from for your own.” 

Izuku looked at his teacher with awe, nearly tearing up at the compliment but steeling himself. “Yes, Torino-sensei!” he shouts. 

“How much power would you say that is, Young Midoriya?” Toshinori asks him. 

“I... About five percent, I think!” he says, a little bit stiffly. 

“Five percent. Not great, but not bad either. Okay kid, let’s see how well you can actually move like that.” And with that, he suddenly launched himself at Izuku, causing his focus on One For All to break and for him to fall over, narrowly avoiding a kick to the chin. As Torino landed on the wall, Toshinori ducked behind the table, cowering in fear of another kick to the face. 

Gran Torino hangs off the wall, literally and figuratively looking down on Izuku. “You gotta keep your head in the game, zygote! A Villain isn’t going to wait for you to brace yourself. You need to act before they do!” he shouts as he bounces off the walls, jumping past Izuku and attempting a hit every few bounces. Izuku was getting grazed by each one, barely able to jump out of the way of a full hit. 

‘Think Izuku! Watch his patterns and attack the first opening! Wait... Wait... There!’ He charges One For All, his attack’s control slipping to ten percent as he swiped at Gran Torino, scratching his cheek and cracking the bones in his hand. 

He winces, dropping his Quirk and clutching his hand, as Torino takes the opportunity to attack, kicking him in the side and knocking him into the wall and to the ground. 

Torino approaches him, inspecting Izuku’s hand as he helped him up. “You did good with that hit, but you need to keep your control steady, kid. We’ll finish practical exercise today. You took a pretty good hit there from me, and I’m sure you’d prefer not to break your hand again either,” he says, grinning as his student nervously shuffled and averted his gaze at the accusation. 

He turned to Toshinori, who was just getting out of his hiding place. “Toshinori, the rat gave you a U.A. Guest Pass for training injuries, right?”

Chapter Text

Izuku, Toshinori, and Torino stood outside the gates of U.A., with Izuku’s hand wrapped poorly, waiting patiently for them to open. As the trio were waiting for a response from Nedzu, Torino continued to grill into his new student. 

“Now kid, what are you gonna do next time you’re training!?” Torino yells, swinging his cane near Izuku’s face as he desperately dodges. 

“I’m going to leave a better safety net for myself,” he says in fear, cowering away from the cane as he cradles his hurt hand. 

“What are you gonna do!?” 

“Leave a better safety net for myself.” 

“Louder, zygote!” 

“Leave a better safety net for myself!” Izuku shouts as Toshinori sighs at his mentor’s antics. The lanky man looked his mentor in the eyes. 

“I’m sure Young Midoriya doesn’t need this to be beaten into him...” he groans, rubbing his side as a phantom pain rang through it. 

Torino looks over at Toshinori, as though he were debating if he should start swinging at him as well. “That may be true, but he needs to learn his limits, so he doesn’t keep breaking stuff! We’re lucky he only has stress fractures...” he grumbles. 

Feeling a spike of either bravery or stupidity, Toshinori decided to press his luck. “So, your goal is to make sure you can beat it into him right before he gets healed?” he ponders, causing Torino to turn away from Izuku completely. 

Right as Torino was about to start laying into Toshinori, the gates of U.A. opened, allowing them entry to the campus. “Took him long enough...” Torino mumbles, as he finally stops swinging his cane around and walks through the gates, Izuku and Toshinori following closely behind him. 

The halls of U.A. High seemed to mock Izuku as he walked through them. A reminder of the fact he had his chance to study here ripped away from him. He wondered if any of his former classmates cared that he was missing. Uraraka might’ve, considering how eager she was to trade numbers with him. And Yaoyorozu might too. 

Oh right, Yaoyorozu. She was the one who told him it was a lie, wasn’t she? If he had felt so bad when he had been expelled, he wondered how she would have felt after it. He’d have to apologize to her for causing her to be wrong if he ever got the chance. 

If he remembered right, they’d be in their Heroics lesson right now.  'Who’s teaching the class now that All Might isn’t working here now?’  Izuku pondered. Logic dictated that based on the schedules, the only few teachers available to teach at that time would be Midnight, Nedzu, or Aizawa. And from the rumours he had heard about the principal, he wouldn’t be surprised if the stoat had chosen to be petty on his behalf. 

The doors to the Nurse’s Office came into view. Toshinori nervously knocked on the door, not eager to hear what Shuzenji had to say about the situation. The door to the office opened, and she looked at the trio before her. “Toshinori... Why the hell are you here and why is Midoriya’s hand wrapped up?” she scolded, waving her cane menacingly. 

Toshinori, in a similar showing as his successor mere minutes ago, cowered in fear of the needle shaped cane. “I-it was a training accident! Just some stress fractures, I swear!” 

Shuzenji glares at him for a few moments before ultimately sighing. “At least it isn’t another break. Come in, you three,” she says, walking over to one of the examination tables and prepping it for Izuku as they follow her in. She gestures for Izuku to sit down, and he obliges, eager to get his hand fixed. 

Shuzenji unwrapped the bandages from Izuku’s hand and examined it, humming in approval as she found nothing out of place. “This was done very well. Am I safe to assume it was Torino who wrapped this?” she inquires, looking at the two older men in the room with a small smirk on her face. 

“U-um, I was actually the o-one to wrap it,” Izuku admits, causing her to look over in shock. It definitely isn’t normal for a freshman to be this good at wrapping injuries, even if they were going into the Hero Course. Perhaps she’d need to request Nedzu investigate it. 

Realizing she still needed to respond, she simply smiled at him. “Well, you did a good job with it.” Giving him a quick Quirk-powered kiss on the hand and some gummies, she moves from the examination table to her desk, reaching into the drawer and grabbing a familiar notebook. Izuku’s eyes brightened up when he recognized it as his. 

“My notebook! I almost forgot I had left it with you, Recovery Girl!” he exclaims, almost rushing out of his seat before a small wave of exhaustion hit him. 

“Don’t stand up too quickly, dear. My Quirk takes a lot out of you, even with smaller injuries,” she reminds him, handing him the book. “And don’t worry, I got every signature you wanted in it. Even Nedzu took the time to sign it,” she says, remembering the cackling that haunted the U.A. staff in their nightmares. If Nedzu was any less kind, he’d have Midoriya help him take over Japan, she was sure of it. 

“Ah, r-right... Still, thank you, Recovery Girl! I never would have thought I’d have a chance to get their signatures if it weren’t for you,” he murmured. 

“You’re welcome, dear,” she replies, helping him to his feet as she glances over to his teachers. “Make sure he doesn’t do any training until tomorrow, otherwise he could exhaust himself for a couple of days,” she tells them, getting nods in acknowledgement. They knew what would happen if they didn’t listen to her warnings. 

As they were about to leave, the door to the office opened, and in came Yaoyorozu from her Heroics lesson, carrying what appeared to be a small, grape-headed boy with a rapidly swelling eye. Izuku recognized him as one of his former classmates. She seemed rather flustered upon walking in, and when Izuku saw her Hero costume, he went stiff. Seeing her red leotard made all of the blood rush to his face, to the degree he more closely resembled a strawberry than a person. 

Turning away, he attempted to calm himself down as she set the boy down on one of the examination tables. Torino smirked at the look on the kid’s face and got Toshinori to wait outside the office with him, using the reasoning that he should let the kid make a friend. 

“Oh dear... What happened to this one?” Shuzenji asks her, examining the boy’s eye. Whatever it was that hit him, it got him good. 

Momo seemed to flush at the question and looked away guiltily. “Mineta had been teamed up with me in the one-on-one sparring sessions Aizawa-sensei had us doing. And he, um... He almost grabbed my... So, I may have hit him in the face with a metal bo staff...” she admits, red-faced and nervously tapping her fingers together. 

Shuzenji has to hold back her laughter at that. “Well, serves him right, dear. Maybe he’ll know not to do that the next time he considers it,” she chuckled, using her Quirk to heal Mineta’s eye halfway and putting a couple gummies in his hand. 

Yaoyorozu, sighing in embarrassment. She looked around the room and found herself doing a double take when she saw Midoriya in the office.  'That can’t be right, he was expelled on the first day!’  she thinks, swallowing down the guilt of her unintentional lie. Taking a deep breath, she walks over to him. “Hello, Midoriya,” she says. 

Izuku jumps, and looks at her face, desperately trying not to look down. “H-hello Y-Yaoyorozu...” he mumbled, cursing his stutter. “How was your Heroics class?” 

She sighs, sitting in a chair near Izuku. “It certainly could have been better, Midoriya. Aizawa-sensei seems to have been extremely frustrated, and the new student was very uncooperative. And Aizawa didn’t seem to critique him as harshly as the rest of us, even though his form was a bit sloppy, and he over relied on his Quirk. He seemed to be particularly harsh with Uraraka and me...” she sighs, eyes downcast. 

Izuku, ever the hero, jumped to try and help her feel better. “Y-you know, Yaoyorozu, I don’t think it was because you had a poor performance. He may have just been frustrated with... With something else...” he whispers, Yaoyorozu barely able to catch it. “O-or maybe he just wanted to give the new student a warm welcome?” he says, clearly unsure of his own guess. 

Yaoyorozu studied his expression and smiled softly. “Perhaps that was it. Thank you, Midoriya. And, um...” she trails off, guilt showing on her face. “I’m terribly sorry for mistaking Aizawa-sensei's intentions yesterday,” she says, standing up and bowing. 

Izuku nearly freaks out, waving his hands around. “Y-you don’t need to do that, Yaoyorozu! It was my fault for not being good enough in his eyes anyway...” he murmurs. 

Yaoyorozu furrowed her brows in frustration. Midoriya was blaming himself, and he shouldn’t be. “Perhaps, Midoriya... We should just consider that Aizawa-sensei just has something against you?” she offers, barely noticing the lack of surprise at the possibility. 

“Maybe you’re right, Yaoyorozu,” he agrees, smiling. Then he remembers something. “O-oh! I meant to text you and Uraraka, but I realized I don’t have your number!” he exclaims, before going bright red once he realized he had just asked a girl for her number. 

Yaoyorozu giggled at the look on his face. “Indeed, I don’t believe I had the chance to. Here, pass me your phone,” she requests, holding her hand out. Dumbfounded, he simply hands it to her, as she hands him hers. After exchanging their numbers, Yaoyorozu asks a question that threw him off guard. 

“Forgive me if this comes as impolite, but how were you able to get on campus? You were expelled after all,” she asks, confusion blatant on her face. 

“I, um... I’m training as a Hero Apprentice, currently. My... mentor is close with the principal, and since my Quirk only came in recently, I’m still hurting myself with it, like when I broke my finger yesterday,” he admits, hoping she doesn’t probe his avoidance of his mentor’s identity. 

“O-oh! Yes, that looked like it hurt quite a bit. It only coming in recently would explain why you hurt yourself so badly, given your power level...” she trails off, nearly going into a Midoriya-level mumble spree before catching herself. “Did you hurt yourself again today?” she asks in worry. 

“J-just some small fractures in my hand! Nowhere near as bad as the three broken limbs I got when it first came in...” he says, completely missing the look of shock on her face. Looking over at the clock, he nearly freaks out. “I need to get home soon!” 

Standing up, he pockets his phone and looks at his friend. “I may be busy for a while with my training, but maybe we could hang out soon?” he asks, hope spilling from his words. 

Yaoyorozu smiles, patting Izuku on the shoulder. “We absolutely can. I certainly wouldn’t mind training together with you sometime soon. Perhaps you could ask your mentor to do our internships together?” 

Izuku nods. “I'll try! See you, Yaoyorozu!” he calls out as he walks out the door. 

Yaoyorozu smiles to herself as Shuzenji looks over. “Ah, young love,” Shuzenji whispers to herself in a proud shipper moment, Yaoyorozu completely oblivious to both her comment and the text that had been sent to the shipping mastermind that was Midnight. 

Chapter Text

“Remember to pack up for the trip we’re taking, Izuku. We’ll be heading off to some better facilities for training.” Toshinori reminds him as they pull up to the apartment complex. 

“I will, thanks All Might!” Izuku shouts as he leaves the car and dashes to go see his mom. He was so excited to tell her about his day that he forgot she was informed about one part of it already. Opening the door, he was met with flooded shoes and his mom pouncing on him with a hug. 

“Oh, Izuku! I heard about the training accident! Are you okay?” she asks, letting go of him and frantically checking over his hand. 

Izuku sighs in contentment as his mother’s worry. “I’m okay mom. All Might and Torino-sensei brought me to U.A. so Recovery Girl could heal the fractures.” he explains, holding up his hand and clenching his hand. “See?” 

“W-well, as long as you’re okay, Izuku...” Inko says, worry dripping from her words. 

Izuku chuckles, holding his journal up. “She even gave me this back, with the autographs of every pro in the school on their page! See?” he asks her, flipping through the various bookmarked pages. 

“Oh, Izuku, I’m so happy for you! May I see?” she requests, and Izuku obliges. As she looks through the notebook, reading every single personalized message. Izuku watched her flip through it with proud tears, reading every message until she flipped to the latest page. 

Izuku, realizing what she had just done, panicked. “Wait, mom, don’t read that!” he shouts, but it was too late. His mother had seen the page he made on Yaoyorozu. 

“Oh? Izuku, who’s this?” Inko asks, pointing to the drawing he had made of his former classmate, as his face went bright red. “A new Hero, perhaps? Her costume is a little revealing, though...” 

“She’s um... She was one of my classmates before I was expelled, Mom,” he informs her, the blush on his face intensifying. “I was gonna design a new costume for her and wanted to come up with some ideas for it tonight...” he mumbles. 

"Oh, that’s so kind of you, Izuku! I’ll let you do that while I get started on dinner, all right sweetie?” she says, ruffling his hair. 

“Okay. Thanks mom!” he responds, giving her a hug before dashing to his room. He flipped the next page in his notebook, sharpened his pencils, and was about to put pencil to paper before making a very important realization. 

Izuku had no clue how her Quirk actually worked. 

He knew that she could make things, and that she apparently needed a lot of skin to be revealed, but he didn’t know the specifics. What it took out of her, how she makes things, if she needs to have the skin revealed or if it can work through DNA... Izuku shook his head to stop the inevitable question spiraling. He needed to ask Yaoyorozu about her Quirk. 

With shaky hands, he grabbed his phone from his pocket, opening his contacts app and clicking on the fourth one. Taking several deep breaths, he begins to type, ready to ask his questions. 

In her room, Momo continued to read through her school notes, already having her work complete. She had just finished reading the second last page when a text appeared on her phone. Smiling, Momo immediately grabs the phone to see who texted her. 

It was Midoriya. 

She was absolutely elated that he had decided to text her and opened the messaging app to see what he had said. 

Midoriya: Hello Yaoyorozu-san. I didn’t get a chance to ask earlier, but I had some questions to ask about your Quirk!  

Midoriya: If you’re willing to answer them, that is.  

Momo giggled at Midoriya's extreme politeness, before writing a response of her own. 

Yaoyorozu: I’d be happy to inform you about my Quirk, Midoriya.  

Yaoyorozu: My Quirk, called ‘Creation’ allows me to create any non-living object I know the molecular structure of, as long as I have enough fat cells to convert into the object and enough available skin to pull the object from. 

Yaoyorozu: Is that a satisfying explanation for you, Midoriya?  

Midoriya: Yes, it answered most of my questions! But I had one more.  

Midoriya: Does your Quirk need to have open skin available, or could you theoretically use it through a material that matches your genetics?  

Momo was caught off guard by the question. Would that work? She designed her costume with her Quirk in mind, making sure to have as much skin revealed as she legally could, after she was informed her original design was too... revealing. She didn’t know if it was possible to make that type of material. But this was theoretical, so she didn’t need to worry about the reality of it. Thinking it over for a few moments, she had her answer. 

Yaoyorozu: I do believe it could work through the material.  

Yaoyorozu: Why do you ask?  

Momo watched as Midoriya proceed to type out and delete his text over and over for several minutes, and she couldn’t help but wonder what was going on through his head. After ten minutes of this, she finally got a response. 

Midoriya: I don’t really know how else to ask this than to just come out and ask.  

Midoriya: Do you think you could give me a bag of your hair?  

Momo, the socially innocent person she was, ignored the oddity of his question and immediately sent a response. Smiling, she calls out to her butler. 

“Tanaka, please prepare the barber’s chair for me. I would like to cut my hair,” she informs him, getting ready to assist her friend. 

Yaoyorozu: Of course! I’ll get a haircut tonight and send it to you as soon as possible.  

Yaoyorozu: Could you send me your address so I can have it delivered to you?  

Izuku, thankful Yaoyorozu didn’t immediately block him, obliges, sending the information before getting back to working on the costume. He had a hunch about where All Might was going to bring him, and if he was right, he could get the costume made while he was there by some of the best support item teams on the planet. 

Over the next hour, and after asking for measurements, which Yaoyorozu also gave happily, Izuku designed a costume which he felt would be perfect for his friend. Satisfied, he went out to go show his mom, when there was a knock on the door. Confused, Izuku opened the door to see a delivery person holding a package. 

“Expedited package for Midoriya Izuku,” the man says in a monotone voice, holding up a clipboard. “Sign here, please.” 

“O-oh! Um, okay?” he says, taking the pen and signing on the line, before the clipboard was swiftly swapped out for the package. 

“Have a good evening, Midoriya.” the man says before quickly disappearing down the hallway of the complex, leaving Izuku mystified as to what just happened. He closes the door as his mother appears around the corner. 

“Who was at the door Izuku? Oh, I didn’t know you were expecting a package!” she says, pointing at the box in his hands. “What did you get?” 

“I’m not sure...” he admits, bringing it to the table. He read the shipping label on the box to find it was from Yaoyorozu. Shocked, he rushed to the kitchen, grabbing a box cutter from the drawer, before cutting the tape on it and opening it up. 

Inside was a note and a bag filled with black hair. Izuku grabs the note in alarm. “She sent it already!?” he shouts, causing his mom to come over and peak inside. 

“Oh, Izuku... Even if you like this girl, asking her for her hair is bit too forward for having just met...” Inko teases, giggling when her son jumps in place, a blush appearing on his face as he rapidly waves his arms around in embarrassment. 

“I-it isn’t like that, I swear Mom! It was for the costume!” he shouts, handing her his journal as he covers his rapidly reddening face. “I told you about that trip All Might was taking me on, right?” he asks, receiving a nod as she looks over the design. “He’s keeping it a surprise, but he wants me to pack enough clothes to stay for at least a week, potentially longer if I wash them. So... I think he’s taking me to I-Island.” 

Inko nearly dropped the journal in surprise at her son’s prediction. “Are you sure, Izuku!? That’d be a long trip, and you’d probably be away for a while...” she trails off. 

“I don’t know for certain, but I’ll call you every night, Mom. But you know I need to do this. If I don’t, I’ll be behind my former class, even further than I already am...” he sighs, looking down at the table. 

Inko pats her son on the back, prompting him to look up at her. “I know, Izuku. Don’t mind me too much. I’ll just miss you, sweetie,” she assures him with a smile. “And if you’re going to be going there, you’ll be able to get this costume made for your friend,” she points out, handing him the journal back. 

“That’s exactly what I was thinking!” he exclaims, before blushing again. “Ah... Do you... Do you think she’ll actually want the new costume though, Mom? What if she sees it as me insulting her own work?” he mumbles, anxiety clear from his expression. 

“Izuku, believe me when I say that this girl will love this new costume. After all, her friend made it for her. And out of the kindness of your own heart, too. So don’t worry. I’m sure she won’t be upset,” she says, patting his head as he smiles. 

A beep from the oven interrupts the moment. “Oh, that’s dinner! I’ll go make you a plate, then we can pack up some bags for your trip!” she says, giving him a kiss on the forehead before rushing to the kitchen. 

"All right Mom!” he says, shaking his head fondly at her excitement on his behalf. 

For the first time in his life, Izuku truly felt he was on the path to becoming a Hero, and he couldn’t feel happier. 

“All right, kid, you can turn off the Quirk now,” Torino tells Izuku, the student sighing in relief as the glow of One For All dissipated. The elderly Hero had challenged him to keep a stable five percent across the entire drive to the airport, despite the previous two days being spent keeping a stable two percent. Izuku was able to accomplish it through the sheer fear of having to visit Recovery Girl and delaying the trip further. 

“All right, we’re here!” Toshinori calls as the car pulls to a stop in front of the airport. Tipping the Might Tower driver, they grab their bags from the trunk of the vehicle before waving him off. The trio begin making their way through the airport, as Izuku gushed about the different people and Quirks he saw. 

Torino shook his head at the ninth user’s antics. “You tell the kid where we’re going yet, Toshinori?” he asks, grinning as Toshinori struggled to carry his bags, along with his own. 

“I was waiting until we got on the plane to tell him.” he responds, voice a bit strained from the effort of holding so many bags. “But I can tell him now. Young Midoriya, we’re going to need better equipment to help you train, so that’s why we’re going–” 

“To I-Island, right?” Izuku intercepts, causing Torino’s grin to widen and Toshinori to nearly cough up a bit of blood in shock. “I... I actually drew up some ideas for some Hero costume improvements that I wanted to show to some of the people there, in case we were actually going...” he admits, a small blush lighting his freckles. 

“Heh, leave it to you to figure it out with the slightest hints, huh, Young Midoriya?” Toshinori chuckles. “Yes, we’ll be going to I-Island, and I’ll be introducing you to an old friend of mine.” 

Izuku nearly vibrates in place with excitement. “Are we going to be meeting David Shield?” he asks, barely keeping his voice down, the potential ideas he could get assistance with flowing through his mind rapidly before confirmation was even received. 

Toshinori chuckles once again. “Indeed, we are meeting with David when we arrive there. I must ask you something, though...” he trails off, looking over at his successor. “He doesn’t know, and I’d like to tell him. Do you think he should know, Young Midoriya?” 

Izuku squirms nervously as he thinks. “W-well, All- Yagi-sensei... He’s your friend, right? Shouldn’t it be your choice if he knows?” he asks, confusion blatant on his face. 

Toshinori shakes his head. “He may be my friend, but just like with your mother, it’s your secret too. You have more of a say than I do in who gets to know, after all,” he informs him, as they start to near the boarding gate for their private flight. 

“O-oh! Okay,” he says, pondering for a few moments. "I think we should tell him then. It’d do us better in the long run, I think,” he decides, causing Toshinori to smile. 

“Okay, Young Midoriya. Now, let’s get on this flight! We can’t leave them waiting for us too long, after all,” he says, showing his ticket and ID before passing the stunned gate worker. 

“R-right!” Izuku shouts, quickly catching up to his master and Torino trailed behind. 

If the group’s flight had been any later, they may have seen the headlines that started appearing on every single television in the airport and shook the people of Japan to their very core. 

“BREAKING NEWS! U.A. Facility attacked by Villains! Multiple deceased, and many more injured! As of this time, no identities of the deceased have been released, and the cause behind of the attack...”  

Chapter Text

Momo stood in front of the medics, a distinct tenseness showing as they inspected her injuries, vaguely aware of the police carrying away another body bag. The USJ had been a disaster. Her class had been ambushed by a group of Villains, and no one had trusted Aizawa enough to follow his directions.  

She couldn’t blame them, especially after the tension that had built up throughout the week... As she kept thinking about how much more could have gone wrong, and how she should have done better, she flashed back to the beginning of the week, tiring to understand how things had ended up this way...  

The class walked back into the class and to their desks, too stunned to do anything but look over the syllabus. Most of them couldn’t believe their homeroom teacher expelled someone on the first day, much less someone with such a powerful looking Quirk. Even if he didn’t use it, someone with a Quirk like that losing their spot meant that none of them were safe in the minds of most of 1-A. 

The class heard the door open and they all scrambled into their seats as Present Mic walked in. “Heya, little listeners! I’m Present Mic, but you can just call me Mic-sensei or Yamada-sensei! I’m gonna be chattin’ with you today about what you can expect in my classes this trimester, so make sure you take notes!” he shouts, grabbing some chalk and getting ready to write on the board, revealing himself to be the English teacher. 

One by one, the teachers went through their little speeches about the classes they would be teaching them throughout the year. Midnight with both Health and Modern Hero Art History, Cementoss with Modern Literature, and Ectoplasm with Mathematics. If their schedules were to be believed, they’d have to deal with Aizawa for Homeroom, Japanese, and potentially even Basic Heroics if there wasn’t some mystery teacher ready to jump out and surprise them tomorrow. 

After what seemed like several hours, the day was finally over, and the students were free to head home. Most of the class seemed all too eager to pack up and go, and Momo would have joined them if it weren’t for the invisible girl and the girl with pink skin calling the girls over to the back of the class. Curious, she joined the small crowd of five at the back. 

“Glad you came over!” the girl says, pumping her fists excitedly. “I bet you’re wondering why we called you all over, huh?” 

“Yeah, a little bit,” the girl with purple hair says, nodding along with the other girls. 

“Well, Hagakure and I were talking about how that boy got expelled today, right?” she asks, reminding both Momo and the infinity girl to wince from guilt, both recalling their experiences earlier in the day. “It got us thinking about how anyone could be expelled if we aren’t careful... So, we decided we gotta make a 1-A girls group chat! I don’t wanna lose potential new besties, after all,” she pouts, and while her intentions may have seemed a little selfish, Momo realized a second meaning to her words upon noticing a fearful, almost desperate look in her eye. 

She wanted to give the other girls a chance to talk about what happened, and to have someone there in case something happened.  Momo smiled softly at the girl. 

“I think that’s a wonderful idea. What do you girls think?” she asks, receiving murmurs of agreement from the rest. 

The invisible girl shot up in excitement. “Great! Let’s exchange names and numbers!” she shouts, holding her phone up and passing it to the girl beside girl, who had purple hair and elongated earlobes, who in turn passed hers along, creating a relay of phone passing. “As you heard Ashido say, I’m Hagakure Toru!” 

“Ah, boo! You still my thunder, Hagakure!” Ashido, the pink girl, pouts. “Yeah, my name’s Ashido Mina. Nice to meet’cha!” she cheers, pumping her fist in the air as she holds a phone in the other. 

The girl with green hair goes next. “I’ll go next. My name’s Asui Tsuyu, but you can call me Tsu or Tsuyu-chan, kero,” she informs them in a straightforward tone. 

“Jirou Kyoka,” the purple haired girl tells them, focusing intently on inserting her number into each phone. 

“Uraraka Ochako!” the infinity girl says, eager to pass around her flip phone. The sight of the phone combined with observing her earlier conversation with Midoriya made Momo want to go out and buy her a smartphone, but even she knew it was odd to buy someone you just met an item most people consider expensive. 

Momo found the other girls staring at her, and she realized the other girls were waiting for her to tell them her name. “Oh, yes. My name is Yaoyorozu Momo,” she informs them, bowing. 

Once the contacts had been sorted out and everyone got their phones back, Mina set up the group chat. “And... there! All done!” she cheers, displaying her phone to the others. With a simple group name of ‘The Girls’ and an empty group picture. “All right girls, we gotta get a picture for this chat! Selfie time!” 

The girls, after only a small eye roll from Jirou, group up around Mina, who’s holding her phone camera up in front of them. “Okay, gals, get ready to smile! Say U.A.!” she shouts, a wide grin painted on her face. The other girls match the cheer as the picture is taken and used, signifying the start of a long-lasting group friendship. 

Eight-thirty struck on the clock as Momo thought about the day’s events. The class was instantly thrown into a test of their Quirks, despite the fact the Entrance Exam should’ve been sufficient evidence of what their Quirks were capable of. Their teacher had shown no concern and had actually spoken to Uraraka in a condescending manner when she had shown concern about not attending orientation. 

None of the class had much of a clue about any of the various functions around the school, since Aizawa was, presumably, meant to explain it, but he didn’t. He had just taken them for that test and targeted Midoriya... 

The boy she had lied to. 

She had been so convinced she had figured out her teacher’s intentions that she had gotten Midoriya’s hopes up, only for Aizawa to expel him before the tests had even completed. Perhaps she was worse at reading people than she had thought... 

She didn’t even get a chance to apologize to him, either. She had been so stunned, so caught up in her own failure she didn’t even try and comfort Midoriya before he had left the field... She couldn’t believe how much of a failure she had been in that situation. If she couldn’t handle something as simple as helping her classmate... 

Could she ever really be a good Hero? 

Drowning in her own thoughts, she attempted to go to sleep. She felt as though she’d need it for the coming days. 

Momo sat anxiously as she looked at the empty seat earlier in the column of desks, letting the time tick by as homeroom was about to begin. Five minutes were left as most of the class shared in the nervousness afflicting Momo. 

The seconds ticked by, and four minutes had passed. Aizawa-sensei was still nowhere in sight, and Momo found herself swapping her view from Midoriya’s empty desk to the door, wondering if her teacher were truly so lazy as to miss the first period of the day. Just as she had nearly given up hope on this year being even remotely good, the door swung open and Aizawa walked in, looking at the wave of students that instantly froze in his presence. 

“You’ve gotten a lot quicker at getting quiet. Good. I don’t tolerate incompetence.” the insomniac man says, walking up to his podium. “Before we get down to business, I suppose I should address the empty desk in the room.” he says, glancing at the door for a moment. “Due to the expulsion yesterday, 1-A only has nineteen students. As you may have known, U.A. High likes to have twenty students per class. Two recommended, and eighteen from the public exams. Due to this, an offer was made to the immediate runner-up in the General Heroics Exam.” the man explains, turning to the door. “Come in, Shinsou.” 

The door opens, and in walks a boy with gravity-defying purple hair, purple eyes with eyebags to rival their teacher, and a somewhat smug attitude to the way he moved. He stood beside the teacher with an eerie air of confidence, before introducing himself. “I’m Shinsou Hitoshi. I’m warning you now that I’m not here to be friends with any of you. I want to be a Hero and use my Quirk for the sake of others. You’re just walls in the way of that goal.” 

The entire class upon hearing this found themselves scowling at the new student, even Momo herself. She could respect him not wanting to make friends and focus on his career, but to insult the class so blatantly on his first day here... She had a terrible feeling about him. 

“That’s enough,” Aizawa says, glaring at the class. “Take the empty seat in front of Mineta, Shinsou. Take this time to get to know each other if you wish, just don’t be loud,” As he finished his sentence, he began getting into his sleeping bag, before laying down facing the wall. 

No one said a word until Present Mic showed up for English. 

“Man, I wonder who we’re gonna have as our teacher for Heroics!” Kaminari wonders aloud, prompting others in the class to start throwing out suggestions. 

“Midnight, maybe?” 

“Nah, it’s gotta be Snipe!” 

“Maybe it’s a guest teacher for the year? Do you think Miruko would teach?” 

“Oh wait, there was that rumor about All Might being a teacher here! If it’s true, he could be our teacher!” 

That declaration shut everyone up. The class waited in collective anticipation, watching the door as the seconds ticked by. After what felt like an eternity, the door opened, and the class eagerly waited to see who the teacher was... Only for nineteen of the twenty students to be disappointed upon seeing Aizawa walk into the class. 

“Good to see you’re remaining consistent with this morning. It’s time for Basic Heroics.” he says, pressing a button and revealing twenty numbered suitcases coming out of the wall. “Grab your Hero suits and head to Gym Charlie. You have ten minutes to be ready. Hurry up,” he instructs them before leaving. 

The class wastes no time rushing to the wall, grabbing their respective numbered cases, and rushing out the door, swiftly making their way to the gym. The students read through the costume instructions and began putting them on, very conscious of the time limit creeping upon them. 

By the ten-minute mark, the last couple students with more complex costumes, those being Aoyama and Sero, were making their way into the gym. Aizawa looked at each of them, neutral expression in plain view. 

“You were thirty seconds late, you two, but I’ll let it slide today since this is your first time putting on your costumes. I want to see improvements in the future,” Aizawa informs them, eyes stuck on Shinsou just a bit longer than the others before moving on to the rest. “We’ll be doing Quirked sparring today. I generated random matchups that you’ll be assigned in, no exceptions.” 

Iida went to raise his hand, but Aizawa stopped him. “If you can’t see why the matchups need to be this way, you shouldn’t be here,” he bluntly remarks, causing Iida to lower it. “Standard sparring rules apply. No maiming, intentionally severe injuries, and you stop when your opponent is knocked out of the sparring ring or surrenders. Understood?” 

Everyone nods, and Aizawa begins listing off the matchups: Aoyama and Ashido, Asui and Iida, Uraraka and Ojiro... It doesn’t take long for Momo to notice that either the generation process created astronomically lucky scenarios, or he was just pairing everyone up based on the seat numbers. The others caught up one-by-one, disappointment clear on their faces. 

At least they get to try out their Quirks. Aizawa finally finished expositing the matchups. Momo would be up against the smaller boy who sat in front of her, Mineta Minoru, which didn’t make her too nervous. Finally, it was time to begin. 

“We’ll be going in order. Aoyama, Ashido. You’re first,” Aizawa directs, pointing to the sparring arena. The two get into position, facing one another and waiting for the direction to start. Once it’s given, the first moves, while somewhat sloppy, are made. 

The blonde fired his Naval Laser at the pink girl, who sidestepped it and began approaching him. Using her acid to increase her mobility, she slid under and jumped over the other blasts, taking advantage of Aoyama’s weakness to land a punch on his cheek. Before he could recover, she grabbed him by the cape and threw him to the edge, just barely out of bounds. The match was called in Ashido’s favour, and the two went back to the lineup, Aoyama somewhat dejected while Ashido had a bounce in her steps. 

The following matches were over at a similar speed. Asui bounced over Iida's dashing kick and used her tongue to throw him out of bounds. Uraraka was barely able to grab hold of the third tail attack to hit her and use Ojiro’s zero gravity state to push him out of bounds. Kirishima was unable to harden his body enough to handle Kaminari’s Indiscriminate Shock, resulting in both Heroes-in-training being unable to continue. Kouda, having no animals to assist him, surrendered upon being pinned by Satou. 

Then Jirou and Shouji began their spar. She began on the defensive, avoiding Shouji’s Dupli-Arms attempting to grab her as they began to surround her. She was nearly tripped by one of the duplicate hands before being grabbed and pulled close to the larger student. With her jacks free, she managed to avoid loss by jabbing Shouji with her earphone jacks and sending her heartbeat pulsing through his body, leading to his collapse and surrender, signifying the end of the longest spar to this moment. 

The next one began. As quickly as the second match, Tokoyami threw Sero out of the ring using Dark Shadow. And even quicker than that, Todoroki froze Hagakure’s legs to the ground, stopping her from moving. The match was called in his favour, and he melted the ice around her legs, letting her walk back to the lineup. 

Momo overheard a small huff from Hagakure as she stood near the other girls. “Jeez, you’d think he’d be more careful. What if I had gotten frostbite on my skin!?” she whisper-shouts just loud enough for Momo to hear as her gloves move in a frustrated manner. That made Momo freeze. Was... Was Hagakure only wearing gloves and boots? She’d need to speak with her about that at some point. 

One more match before Momo was set to go. Shinsou vs Bakugou... She didn’t have a single clue about what Shinsou’s Quirk actually was, but she knew that he’d something incredibly useful or be skilled in his own right if he wanted to stand a chance against Bakugou. He didn’t place third on the Quirk Apprehension Test for no reason, after all. 

Right before Aizawa called to start, Shinsou spoke up. “So, what’s your deal with the kid from yesterday, Bomberhead? I heard you were pretty rude to him.” 

Aizawa called for the start of the match, and Bakugo dashed forward, explosions threatening to ignite. “The fuck did you ju-” And suddenly, Bakugou stopped, sparks ceasing to emanate from his hands. The class was confused, unsure of why the explosive blonde had just stopped his charge. 

Shinsou grinned and put his hands on his sides. “Turn around and walk out of bounds,” he commands, and Bakugou obeys. Silence fills the room as Bakugou steps closer and closer to loss. There’s no sign of any consciousness in Bakugou’s head as he steps over the line, and that’s when Momo realizes it. 

His Quirk is brainwashing. She didn’t know how it activated yet, and that was dangerous. But it was effective for Hero work, she could see that. And if Midoriya’s mumblings about Aizawa-sensei were true yesterday, he seemed to be perfect for the field of Heroics their teacher was in: Underground. Her thoughts were shaken by an explosion. 

Shinsou had let go of his control on Bakugou and the second he did, the teen had turned around and exploded towards the brainwasher. “What the fuck was that, Eyebags?! You think you can just do that and get away with– Agh!” His shouting is cut off, the attacks that would have hit Shinsou being held back by their teacher’s scarf and Quirk-fueled glare. “What the hell is this cloth!?” 

“Bakugou, the match is over. This is your first and only warning. Attack others unprompted again, and I’ll see to it you never get into a Heroics course in any school across all of Japan,” Aizawa threatens, and that immediately gets him to shut up. That Aizawa was willing to go so far for the new student... 

Momo needed to file that information away for now. She was up next. Slowly but surely, she and her sparring partner made their way into the ring. She didn’t like the way the boy was looking at her, but steeled herself, nonetheless. She held her hand out to the side and right as Aizawa called for a start, she made her weapon: a simple steel bo staff. Avoiding the purple balls thrown by her feet, she rushed towards her opponent, swinging her weapon at the shorter boy. 

The boy jumps to the side, avoiding the attack and bouncing onto a small pile of the thrown balls. He bounces off those and rushes past Momo, landing a strike as he did so. A loud smack rings out through the gym and Momo’s face goes bright red with embarrassed anger. 

As a response to the smack and squeeze, she instantly turned to Mineta’s position and swung her staff, hitting him point blank in the side of the face, and sending him flying out of the ring. Aizawa called the match in her favour and walked over to the smaller boy, investigating his face. 

After a few moments, he sighs. “His eye is already swelling shut. Yaoyorozu.” he says, turning to her with a small glare. “Control your emotions better. And take Mineta to the Recovery Girl’s Office. Now.” It's an order, not a request, leaving no room for debate. Sighing, she hands her staff to Aizawa and grabs her classmate, watching as her teacher called for a new randomized match up. 

Momo was beginning to feel a little self-conscious about showing up to class today, her uneasiness being heightened by the attention U.A. was getting from the media. Why did they seem so sure that All Might was teaching at the school when he just... wasn’t? But she couldn’t let these feelings get to her. If she let something as simple as a haircut and media attention give her nerves, could she really become a Hero? 

Taking a deep breath, she enters the class, making her way to the other girls to class before Aizawa got there. As expected, the girls were very excited to see her new haircut, Ashido and Hagakure squealing in delight. 

“Woah, Yaoyorozu! Your hair’s short now!” Uraraka points out with a bubbly energy. 

“You seemed to like having your hair longer, kero. What made you decide to cut it?” Asui asks, blank eyes staring right at her. 

“Yeah, you gotta tell us! Come on, Yaoyorozu-chan! Please!?” Ashido and Hagakure both beg while clinging to her lightly. 

She shakes them off with a small giggle. “Well, if you must know, I–” Momo is cut off by the sound of the door opening. Within two seconds, everyone was situated in their seats, looking dead center at the front of the room. 

All except Shinsou, who seemed to be glaring back at Momo for some reason. What she may have done to make him mad was beyond her at this time, and she couldn’t focus on that anyway. Class had started. 

“All right class, you all did reasonably well yesterday. Some did very well, while others need to learn to get their emotions in check,” he says, a short glare passing both Momo herself, alongside Todoroki. “Other than a few issues, it was good enough for your first time sparring with Quirks against your classmates. But we have something more important to worry about right now.” 

Everyone tensed up, afraid of the words about to flow out of their teacher’s mouth. “You’ll be picking class reps,” he informs them, not even paying attention to the shift in their expressions as he got into his sleeping bag. “I don’t care how you pick them, just keep it down.” 

The class didn’t dare breathe for the next few moments, waiting for the telltale signs that Aizawa was sleeping. Hearing light breathing from their teacher, Iida stands up from his seat slowly. “Perhaps we should do a vote to decide the class representatives.” he suggests in a somewhat hushed tone. 

“Wouldn’t everyone just wanna vote for themselves then?” Kaminari points out, scratching behind his ear as the others seemed to nod in agreement. 

“Well, we just wouldn’t allow that then. That way, it is a fair showing to see who is viewed as responsible enough to lead the class,” Momo counters. 

Iida nods with her suggestion. “Thank you for your faith, Yaoyorozu. I will pass along the ballot sheets for everyone now,” he says, speed walking around the desks and putting a small piece of paper on each of them. 

Momo decided to vote for Iida. He seemed rather rigid and unwilling to change his ways at the start of the year, but it appears that the fear of Aizawa has mellowed him out... If only that he wasn’t constantly shouting now. 

A couple minutes later, votes are tallied, and the results are revealed to show her in first place with ten votes, Iida in second with six, Asui in third with three, and Todoroki with one. She felt a bright smile coming to her face outside of her own control at the near majority faith the class put in her. 

Ignoring the glare Shinsou was giving the class, she stood and bowed. “Thank you everyone. I’ll do my absolute best at being our class rep,” she declares, receiving quiet applause. Before Iida could give his vice rep acceptance speech, Aizawa woke up and got out of his sleeping bag. Everyone froze before the door opened and Yamada-sensei walked in, ready to start shouting about the lesson before noticing Aizawa’s mood. He settled for high energy instead as the insomniac walked out, sleeping bag in hand. 

Seconds ticked by in each of the subjects, it was now only the more excitable members of 1-A feeling impatient for their break. The ticking of the clock adding to the otherwise dull lessons didn’t help them. But finally, after what seemed like ages, the lunch bell rang out, sounding like heaven to the students’ ears. 

All of 1-A nearly bolted out of the room once lunch started, each eager to finally continue the conversations that had been cut off so abruptly that morning. Momo also found herself moving to the cafeteria rather quickly. Thankfully, her pace meant that, like most of 1-A, they had arrived before most other students and could get through the lines quicker. 

She had quickly obtained her very large lunch and made her way to the table the girls were planning to sit at. To her surprise, she was the first one there. Looking over to see them still in line, she decided to begin eating without them. But right as she was about to take a bite of her food, someone sat beside her, 

It was Shinsou. 

“O-oh, Shinsou! I didn’t notice you there. I know this seems rude, but the other girls and I were planning to eat at this end of the table, so we’d appreciate it if you could move down to the other end,” she requests as gently as possible. 

Shinsou glances down the table before returning his gaze to Momo. A small grin appeared on his face. “Hmm... No, I don’t think I will, Princess.” he responds, a snarky tone to his voice. 

Momo blinked at the aggression from him. She wasn’t being rude when she asked that... Was she? Regardless, she still needed him to move. “Please Shinsou? Even if it’s just when the others get here, we would appreciate it if you could move down the bench,” she insists. 

“I’m not moving, Princess,” he stubbornly declares. Frustrated, Momo moves to the other end of the bench herself, only for Shinsou to move down the bench with her. “What? Got a problem with me sitting across from you?” he sarcastically asks as the other girls approach the table.” 

“No, Shinsou, but I–” Momo suddenly stopped speaking as everything around her being clouded and somewhat muted. It took her only a moment to realize he had just used his Quirk on her, in plain view of everyone. 

“What’s wrong, Yaoyorozu? You just suddenly stopped talking...” Kyoka asks, nervousness clear in her voice as she looks at the violet-haired insomniac sitting across from her. 

Shinsou ignores the crowd and decides to ask a question of her. “Why did you decide to cut your hair?” 

And like a robot, Momo responded without hesitation. “Midoriya requested it after he asked me some questions about my Quirk, and he mentioned he needed it for something important. I was inclined to believe him after seeing one of his journals,” And suddenly, the control was released, and Momo felt her face go bright red for the second time in twenty-four hours. 

“Wow, I wasn’t expecting that. Man, that kid must be a major weirdo if he asked you for your hair. And you must be naïve as hell to have fallen for that loser’s tricks,” Shinsou taunts, a smug grin appearing on his face. 

Momo slams her hands on the table, startling the other girls and the nearby students. “Do not insult my friend! I believe I can tell well enough that he meant no odd intent by asking me for it!” she nearly shouts, her flustered state apparent to everyone around her. 

“Oh crap, I forgot to text him!” Uraraka whisper shouts as she hastily pulls out her flip phone, typing away on the numbers as the rest stare at Shinsou in disgust. 

“You really gave him your hair? I hope he’s not a creep...” Jirou mumbles under her breath. 

“Why the hell did you use your Quirk on Yaoyorozu? You really that desperate to creep on her life, pal?” Ashido says, getting up in Shinsou’s face, who simply scoffs. 

“She was the one bothering me. There’s no sign saying I wasn’t allowed to sit at this table, you know,” he says, rolling his eyes, stopping for a moment at someone quickly approaching. 

“That’s no excuse for you to do that, you know! If you’re gonna be like this, we don’t want you sitting with us!” Hagakure shouts, presumably crossing her arms. 

“Ahem,” a tired voice calls out from behind them. Aizawa looks from Shinsou to the girls surrounding him with a glare. “What’s going on here?” 

“Shinsou used his Quirk on me because I asked him to move seats...” Momo hesitantly explains. 

“And did you not think to move instead of escalating the situation?” he asks. Momo goes to defend herself but is interrupted. “I don’t want to hear excuses. It’s illogical to start conflict over something as simple as seating arrangements. Either let Shinsou sit at the table or one of you move,” he declares, before heading out of the cafeteria once more. 

Shinsou watches with a smug grin as the girls leave and head over to a new table, before allowing some of the Gen-Ed students who stared at him in some form of awe to sit with him. 

The interaction cemented the fact in her mind that Aizawa-sensei had a bias for Shinsou, though she wasn’t sure why. And that was how the interaction would have ended, if it weren’t for a Level-3 alarm going off. 

Momo and the other girls are pushed off to the side by the now panicking students, giving everyone a plain view of the reporters from earlier that morning, now conversing with an annoyed Present Mic and irate Aizawa. Momo realized she needed to get the students to stop panicking since there was no real threat on campus. But how to do it... How... 

Right as she got the idea to use a megaphone, the loud shouting of Iida came from the hallway, informing them of the media presence and requesting they be aware of those around them. And as he got everyone into motion, Momo felt the faith in herself slip a little. She should have been quicker to come to that conclusion, so why wasn’t she? 

It was a sign that she had so much improving to do... 

Friday had arrived, and it was time for their next Heroics Basics class. No one was excited today, after the lack of excitement from the last class they had. Nearly all of the energy was sucked out of the room when Aizawa walked up to the podium. But his next swords managed to save some of it. 

“All right, class. We’re going to be doing a field trip to an off-campus facility today.” He reveals, brightening up the mood of the class, albeit unintentionally. “We’ll be doing rescue work in various environments, so if you feel that your costumes may be a bad fit, feel free to wear your gym uniforms and use your experiences today to decide potential design changes with Power Loader. Now, make your pick and meet me at the bus.” he says, walking out of the class as they began to stand up and make their way to the change rooms, costume cases in hand. 

Everyone rushed to not make Aizawa wait too long. Everyone had chosen their costumes and while they did take longer to put on than the PE uniforms, their practice earlier in the week made the process a bit faster. By the nine-minute mark, everyone was outside, ready to board the bus. At Aizawa’s direction, everyone got on, sitting with those they were close to. 

Shinsou, however, was sitting alone. Everyone heard about what he had done earlier in the week and had made it a point to avoid speaking with him, much to the annoyance of the teen in question, as well as Aizawa. They couldn’t exactly be forced to speak with him, and they had a fair reason why they didn’t want to, after all. 

A tense silence began to fill the bus as everyone stared forward. It slowly became unbearable as the only sound in the air was the sound of the bus driving. 

Finally, Asui spoke up. “So, Shinsou, you can brainwash people?” she asked, and everyone held their breath. The Frog-Quirked girl was very blunt most of the time to get her feelings across, but this was a scenario where they wished she wasn’t. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem to offend him too much. 

“Yes, I can. Do you have a problem with that?” he asks, glare fixed solely on her. 

Asui shakes her head. “No, I was just thinking that it could be good in holdout or hostage scenarios, kero,” she points out, surprising the insomniac. “I just think it would be better if you got along with others, kero.” 

Shinsou didn’t say anything other than a mumbled “Thanks.” He appeared to have a lot to think about. 

The bus came to a stop and Aizawa stood. “We’re here. Follow me,” he says, opening the door and leading everyone out. The dome building in front of them was awe-inspiring and reignited the enthusiasm present at the start of the year, each of them eager to learn effective techniques for saving people. 

As they walked through the doors to meet the guest teacher, a group with dark intentions was finishing the final preparations to make their name known, and to get rid of the Symbol of Peace.

Chapter Text

As the students gushed about the sheer scope of the USJ Rescue Training Facility’s Center Plaza, Aizawa and Thirteen were discussing the details of the class with them, and what was to be expected of them. A speech that was beginning to get everyone thinking about the potential dangers of their Quirks if they weren’t careful while using them. 

Until a purple portal appeared in front of the fountain, and people started pooling out of it. 

“Students, get back to the entrance! Those are Villains!” Aizawa shouts before pulling up his goggles and getting into a fighting stance, as did Thirteen, but no one moved. 

All of 1-A froze and hesitated, apart from Shinsou, who attempted to rush to his mentor’s side and assist only to be reprimanded verbally. None of the class knew if he was testing them, or if it was true, and none of them knew what to do. If they picked wrong, they’d end their career before they began, in one way or another. 

It wasn’t until Momo noticed what looked like the leader come out along with a hulking, beaked man with an exposed brain that she was able to shake herself out of her stupor. “Class, this is real! We need to get out of here! Iida, run ahead of us!” she orders, as the rest of the class begins shaking themselves out of their hesitation. 

“Eraserhead and Thirteen, huh?” the raspy voice of the hand-covered leader says, a hint of anger reaching his voice. “The teacher’s schedule we received the other day said All Might was supposed to be here... Guess we’ll have to draw him out by killing his pride instead.” 

The students, including Shinsou, almost made it to the stairs, with Iida pulling ahead and making it up partway before the man made of purple mist appeared at the bottom. Iida tried to stop, but Momo gestured for him to keep running, so he did. As Iida made it to the door, the misty man began to speak to the students. 

“It’s nice to meet you all,” the misty man says, voice somewhat distorted. “My name is Kurogiri, and we are the League of Villains. It may be impolite, but we have invited ourselves onto the grounds of the birthplace of Heroes, U.A. High School, in order to eliminate the Symbol of Peace, All Might. I believe he should have been here.” 

As confusion spread around the students, wondering why the Villains thought All Might worked there when the news should have confirmed otherwise, Kurogiri kept on speaking. “Perhaps a change to the schedule? I suppose it does not matter too much in the end. After all, I have a part to play here,” he declares cryptically as the mist on his body begins spreading. 

Thirteen has caught up to the students and attempts to use her Quirk on the mist Villain, but Bakugou and Kirishima jump in front to attack the mist Villain, preventing her from doing so. 

“Die, bastard!” Bakugou shouts and he lands an explosion on him at the same time as Kirishima’s armored punch. A huge smoke screen covers the two students and the Villain as the other Villains watch with anticipation, waiting for the signal to strike. 

“Did you really think we’d stand by and let you do whatever you want?” Kirishima asks rhetorically, staring ahead at the quickly fading smoke cloud. 

“That was dangerously close...” the voice calls out again, causing Bakugou and Kirishima to freeze in shock.  “Even if you are students, you are excellent golden eggs...” 

“Move out of the way you two!” Thirteen shouts, and they do just in time for her to start sucking up a part of the Villain. The students cheered Thirteen on, hoping they could defeat the Villain blocking their escape. 

Their cheering turned to horrified gasps as a portal appeared behind Thirteen and began turning her own Quirk on her, eating away apart of her costume and revealing part of her face and body to the class. As she turned the Quirk off, she felt a series of painful pops throughout her body before passing out, blood leaking from her mouth and nose. 

“Thirteen!” several of the students shout as they go to rush to her aid. The few who didn’t saw Kurogiri preparing to do something and moved closer to Aizawa. 

“How unfortunate she tried to fight. Regardless, I still need to do my job... Of scattering you all and torturing you to death!” Kurogiri shouts as his purple mist spreads across the plaza, consuming all but four of the students and scattering them to the various sections of the USJ. 

And right on cue, the Villains struck, ready to attack the four students and Hero remaining. 

Tooru shook her head upon getting up from her landing, trying to ease the dizziness that had resulted from being transported across the USJ. She remembered seeing the blood on Thirteen’s face as she fell to the ground before the purple mist sucked her in... She really hoped she was all right... 

Finally gaining her bearings enough to take in her surroundings, she realized she was in the Ruins Zone, if the map was to be believed. Scanning the environment from behind cover, she saw a vast number of Villains patrolling the area. At least twenty, if she was counting right in her still panicked state. 

As Tooru began to try and calm her breathing and take off her gloves and boots, she saw him. Aoyama cowering behind a rock that a group of Villains was approaching. She didn’t know why she ran, but she just knew instinctively that she needed to get to him. 

Running as quietly as she could across the zone, she swiftly approached the rock, grabbing the shining boy by his cape and dragging him to a better section of cover. This had the unintended effect of causing him to shout out in whispered panic. 

“Who– Hagakure!? What are y–” Aoyama’s whispered shouts were cut off by her placing a hand over his mouth, but it was too late. 

“Hey, I thought I heard something over there!” one of the Villains shouted, as a group of five began approaching the pillar she had dragged them behind. Once again acting on pure instinct, she grabbed onto Aoyama and pulled him into a tight hug, clenching her eyes shut as she desperately pleading that none of the Villains see them. The next three minutes of searching felt like hours as her heart hammered in her ears, the sheer nerves thankfully taking away her ability to make any sound at all. It appeared that Aoyama was in a similar boat, though that may have been for some additional reasons. 

Eventually, she heard a sigh of frustration. “Dammit, that fucking mist guy didn’t send anyone up here! Let’s head down to the center, guys!” the leader of the squad shouts as they all begin rushing to the entrance of the zone. Tooru waited another full couple of minutes before opening her eyes, only to see nothing in front of her when she knew for sure she was holding onto Aoyama. 

Panicking, she lost her focus and slowly, the shining form of Aoyama appeared once again, shocking both himself and Tooru. Somehow, by some sheer miracle, her Quirk had changed, and she was able to hide both herself and Aoyama using her Quirk. 

“I... I do believe it is over, Hagakure...” Aoyama sighs, as the energy seemed to leave his body all at once. “At least we are both in once piece, oui?” 

Tooru found herself laughing at the lighthearted remark due to her nerves, and the sheer joy of the dark fate they escaped. She hugged Aoyama as tears began running down her face, hoping for this to all be over soon. 

Ojiro was quickly made aware of which zone he was sent to when he opened his eyes and saw several large fires in the buildings around him. The immediate danger nearly sent him into a panic, and if he had not heard his classmate land beside him, he may have immediately run off on his own without a plan. 

Glancing over, he saw that Shouji had been the one sent to this zone with him. “Are you okay?”  he asks, coughing a bit from the high level of smoke in the air. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. And you?” Shouji asks in response, receiving a nod from Ojiro. Shouji then shifts a couple of his Dupli-Arms into ears, trying to listen around the zone for any information he could get. Thirty seconds later, they shift back, and he looks back at Ojiro. “We’ve got about ten Villains throughout the area, with four blocking the exit and six patrolling around in groups of three. It seems like we’re around four or five blocks away from the exit.” 

Ojiro takes a moment to consider the information he just received. If it was just him, he could have used hit and run tactics to take out Villains and escape their immediate pursuit, but he was a lot nimbler than Shouji was. His being there meant that they would need to move slower, but also had someone else to rely on to prevent either of them being overwhelmed. 

“I have an idea, Shouji. It’s a bit risky, but I feel like it would give us a good chance against these Villains,” Ojiro informs his taller, masked classmate, whose eyes narrow in curiosity. 

“All right, I’m listening. What was your plan?” Shouji asks. 

“We move separately. I’ll move across the lamp posts and signs, and you move along the streets. If we run into any Villains, I’ll take one out with a sneak attack, and you can rush in to assist me with the others. Sound good?” he inquires, receiving a nod in response. “Perfect. Let’s go.” 

Ojiro then scales on the telephone pole, using his tail to bounce himself up most of the way and begins traveling along the path, following behind Shouji as the taller Hero-in-training uses his Quirk to map out directions for the two to follow along. 

Things progressed rather smoothly for the first couple minutes before the patrol ended up seeing Shouji. As the men progressed towards him, Ojiro waited for them to pass under before dropping down and landing a devastating kick to the back of one of the three men’s heads. 

The men freeze in their tracks and turn around, turning their aggression to Ojiro as Shouji began charging forward. Ojiro dodged a slash from a Villain wielding knives, distracting him long enough for Shouji to knock him out and throw the other Villain off guard, leading to Ojiro doing a flip and hitting the Villain with his tail. The Villain’s head hit the ground with a sickening crack, an injury that would definitely land him in the hospital. They had more important things to worry about, though. 

Moving across the last block, they make it to the door, and rush the two guards. They attempted to pull out guns and fire at the two students, however they weren’t fast enough to avoid Ojiro’s tail knocking the guns away. The tailed student jumped out of the way as Shouji grabbed the heads of the two Villains and knocked them together, knocking the two out cold. 

The two high-five before heading out of the door, before paling and hiding behind cover upon seeing the chaos of the Center Plaza. 

Ochako awoke in an alleyway, snow blowing in every direction from the artificial snow squall throughout the Squall Zone. As she hid behind cover and tried to gain her bearings, she heard a shout from around the corner. 

“Hey, there’s one right here! Let’s kill him!” a voice calls out, and she sees two Villains rush forward towards her! She stays behind the cover, facing away and desperately hoping they didn’t attack her, when she sees the person the Villains were actually targeting: her classmate Koda. 

She clapped a hand over her mouth as the Villains ran by, and Koda cowered in fear. She tried to stand but found herself freezing, watching as they were about to strike Koda. 

And then Dark Shadow’s hand came out of nowhere, smashing the two Villains into the side of a building. Ochako felt her jaw drop as she watched the sentient Quirk retract back to its user and watched the bird-headed member of 1-A run up to Koda. 

“That’s six Villains, down,” Tokoyami informs Koda, as Dark Shadow glanced around and saw her. 

“Fumi, Fumi, Gravity Girl is here too!” Dark Shadow shouts, pointing at Ochako as the other two students glance over. She awkwardly stands up and waves, moving over to them while rubbing her arms trying to keep warm. 

“H-hey guys! Pretty cold, right?” she asks with a light chuckle. “Sorry, not the time...” 

“You are forgiven, Uraraka,” the bird-headed student replied. “We must focus on surviving the trial at hand. The exit is at the end of the path before us.” he says, earning a confused look from both Ochako and Koda. 

“There’s a secret emergency exit at the end of this alleyway,” Dark Shadow sums up for Tokoyami, earning an understanding nod from the previously confused students, and an embarrassed Tokoyami, the boy cursing his Quirk’s behavior as the rush towards their freedom. 

Tsuyu felt herself become instantly refreshed as she splashed into the cool water of the Flood Zone. She would have loved this part of the training had this interruption not happened. Internally sighing, she scoped out the water, attempting to see if any of her classmates had been thrown into this zone as well. 

And by whatever luck one might call it, she found one of them. Kaminari splashed into the zone and the initial shock of the water temperature began to make him sink. She began swimming towards her classmate to assist him before quickly swimming to the side once she saw some fast-approaching bubbles from the corner of her eye. 

Villains were in this zone as well, and fast approaching both her and Kaminari. Out of desperation, she quickly made her way to Kaminari and kicked the approaching shark-Quirked Villain in the face, before grabbing him with her tongue and using the Villain as a springboard to launch them out of the water and onto the side of the yacht. 

With Kaminari still within her tongue’s grip, she climbed up the side and placed him on the deck, looking him over. It was clear he was not doing okay, a combination of stress and cold doing a masterful job at ruining any level of calm the electricity-Quirked student could have been. Tsuyu needed to help him calm down fast. 

“Kaminari-chan, I need you to focus yourself, kero,” she says, poking him gently. “We need to come up with a plan to get back to the shore, so I need your help to think of one.” 

Kaminari’s already fast-paced breathing seemed to quicken further as he spiraled into a further panic. “No no no, I don’t wanna die, Asui! I’m useless here! I can’t swim that well! It’s only the first week and we have to deal with real Villains!” he shouts, trying to stand up despite his wet clothing. 

“Kaminari, I understand that you’re scared, but we need to remain calm so we can think about how to escape their pursuit, kero,” she responds, worried about how poorly he was taking this. 

“I can’t calm down! We’re gonna die, Asui! We’re gonna die in the first week, and even if we don’t, who’s to say Aizawa won’t expel us for not handling this attack well enough!? He was perfectly fine letting that other kid go!” he continues to cry out, as he shakily stands, the cold water clearly still affecting him. 

“Kaminari, we can’t focus on those hypotheticals at the moment. Right now, I need to stay calm and sit back down before–” Tsuyu’s sentence was cut off by Kaminari’s wet boot slipping across the deck, causing him to fall backwards and over the railing. “Kaminari-chan!” 

As she watched Kaminari hit the water and the Villains move in for the kill, she was about to send her tongue in to grab him before stopping. She saw a yellow light emanating from the water and she jumped back just in time to see electricity dance across the Flood Zone, frying all of the Villains in the water and burning them to a crisp. 

In his panic, Kaminari had accidentally activated his Quirk while he was falling, and once it spread, it created a dangerous, unregulated blast. As thankful as Tsuyu was that she was able to catch that and that the issue of the Villains was taken care of, she couldn’t help but feel worried for how Kaminari was going to take this. She knew it was an accident, and she was certain the authorities would too, or at the very least, a justified incident, but she feared Aizawa’s reaction to the whole mess. 

If he was willing to expel a student from the Hero course because his Quirk had a powerful kickback, she had no doubt that Kaminari was right and that he would expel any one of them who he thought didn’t remain within the expected mindset of a Hero. The thoughts weighed heavily on her mind as she grabbed the now near catatonic Kaminari from the water and hopped as close as she could to the shoreline from the yacht. 

Satou and Sero stood there in awe of the sheer power that Todoroki just displayed when dealing with the Villains in the Landslide Zone. One second, they had been rushing towards the trio, shouting about killing them and earning their pay. The next, they were encased in ice, becoming human popsicles at the mercy of the red-and-white haired student. 

The two share a wary glance as they watch Todoroki approach the Villain, frost settling in on his hand as he begins to question the captured criminal. 

“So, you aimed to ‘scatter and kill us,’ huh? I hate to break it to you, but you were definitely the group they had no clue what to do with,” Todoroki coolly informs them, as the chattering of teeth begins to fill everyone’s ears. 

“D-d-dammit... T-this k-kid r-really j-just took us a-all o-out l-l-like that, h-huh?” one of the Villains manages to stutter out as the others mumble various forms of painful expressions, the cold affecting his speech tremendously. Todoroki pays him no mind. 

Before Todoroki can question the Villain, a knife-wielding man jumps out from behind his cover, attempting to stab at Satou. The sweet-loving student managed to sidestep the attack before punching the man as hard as he could in the side of the head, knocking him out and causing the weapon to fall to the floor. Sero begins taping up the Villain as Satou nods at Todoroki, directing him to continue with the captured Villain before them. 

“You all thought that you could just come in here and kill All Might... Clearly the intention wasn’t to use your numbers against him, since you’re a rag tag group of street corner thugs. So that must mean they intended to kill All Might using the few truly dangerous people to have arrived alongside you,” he deduces, glaring at the Villain in front of him as he holds a hand up to his face. 

“You’re going to answer what I have to say, or else I’ll let your cells keep dying out in the ice,” Todoroki threatens, the misty air hitting the Villain’s face. “On what grounds do you think you can kill the Symbol of Peace? What’s your plan here?” 

“Alright, alright! I’ll tell you!” the Villain shouts. “Okay, okay... Listen closely, because I'm only gonna say this once. The plan was...” 

“On your left!” Jirou shouts as Momo swings her staff once again, knocking out the Villain coming up to attack her, and nearly hitting Shinsou by accident. She murmured a quick apology as she got back into a blocking stance with the staff. Another Villain came up behind and tried to grab her, Momo leaning forward just in time to avoid being grabbed by her hair. 

It was this incident that made her realize that Midoriya may have asked her to cut her hair for more reasons than his surprise for her. 

The trio had been sent to the Mountain Zone and instantly put on the defensive from several people with weapons and power increasing Quirks. The situation was slowly improving as more Villains were taken out, but they just kept coming. It wasn’t until a Villain with an electricity-based Quirk came up out of the ground that the tides really began to turn. 

“You assholes are taking too long. Let’s finish these kids already and get to the fun part! You girls are in for a real fun time...” the Villain says as sparks shoot across his hands, as all of the Villains in the area begin staring lustily at Momo and Jirou, the former trying her best to cover herself up. 

Maybe she should have designed a better costume to avoid skin exposure. But she couldn’t think of any other options when she was designing it and was forced to redo hers anyway or risk legal action from the public. She enjoyed her newer design... Before this moment. 

“Yaoyorozu, get ready to make an insulated sheet...” Shinsou whispers to her, before raising his voice and causing her to realize what he was attempting to do. “Hey, you overblown light switch! You must be really ugly under that mask of yours if you gotta resort to something like this to get any!” 

“What the fuck did you j–” and the electric Villain suddenly stopped speaking and moving, eyes going blank as Shinsou grinned behind his scarf. 

Momo released the sheet over top of them just as Shinsou gave the order. “Use your Quirk on this entire area for twelve seconds.” he orders, smirking at the other two underneath the sheet as the pained screams of the Villains outside it began to die out, and the time limit passed. They get out from under the sheet and breathe a sigh of relief. 

“Thank you, Shinsou. As rude as you were earlier this week, I appreciate you putting that aside to help us,” Momo says with a small bow as Shinsou scoffs. 

“I did it to save my own skin, it just happened to benefit you guys as well. Now, can we get out of here before–” the insomniac student is interrupted by the electric Villain finally breaking free of his Quirk, using the opportunity to rush forward and grab Shinsou’s throat, using his Quirk at max power and burning his throat before releasing him. 

“Shinsou!” Momo shouts as Jirou rushes her jacks forward into the Villain’s arm before he can attack Shinsou again and finish the job, forcing her heartbeat through his body and knocking him out. 

The pair rush to Shinsou’s side as Momo begins making burn cream and a bag valve mask in a desperate attempt to help her classmate. They needed to get him to the entrance, as quickly as possible. Even if he was rude, a Hero didn’t pick and choose who they saved because of things like that. 

She makes a stretcher out of her hip, and with Jirou’s assistance, they load the purple-haired boy onto it and begin making their way down the steps of the zone, using the mask to assist his breathing the best they can. 

Mina once again dodged a punch from one of the oncoming Villains as she tossed another ball of middle-grade acid at her attackers, vaguely aware of some bright and loud commotion going on from several zones in the USJ. There were so many of them, and even with Kirishima watching her back, she wasn’t sure if they’d be able to hold them off. 

It didn’t help that Bakugou ran off to attack people and Mineta followed him, apparently not wanting to be a ‘sitting duck.’ Whatever floated his boat, she supposed. 

Risking a glance at her teacher, she saw him using his scarf to knock the heads of three Villains together, all while dodging over a Quirk-powered strike from behind and erasing said Villain’s Quirk. It was pretty impressive, even if she didn’t like the man at all. 

All in all, they were doing a good job at holding back the Villains while Iida was running for help, but even she knew that it could change at any time. People thought she wasn’t an observational person at all, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. She knew how to read people, and she knew exactly who the most dangerous people here were. 

The guy with the hands on him, the cloudy guy, and the one that seemed almost... Was that guy even alive? She doubted it, given his lack of reaction to anything, the fact it hasn’t blinked once, and the exposed brain it had. 

Her people reading skills were exactly why her heart dropped even worse than every other student there the second the hand-covered man dashed forward, his own hand outstretched and grabbing the elbow of Aizawa-sensei, who couldn’t dodge in it. 

That feeling of dread turned to horror as they watched the Villain grab part of his face with all five fingers attached, and the screams of agony that came from her teacher as his skin flaked off and muscles were starting to be revealed. By the time Aizawa could activate his Quirk again, blood was leaking down his arm and face, and his right eye was damaged badly. 

Aizawa took a chance to grab his knife and slash the hand of the man attacking him, nearly taking off one of his pinkies. 

“Agh, dammit!” the Villain shouts, clutching his hand close to his chest. “You really are amazing Eraserhead, but your lack of selfishness is gonna get you killed. Nomu!” he orders, and the hulking, All Might sized man pounced forward, grabbing hold of Aizawa-sensei's arm and crushing it. The man’s screams of pain were cut off by his face being slammed into the ground. “Ha! How does it feel to be beaten by the final boss, Eraserhead? The bioengineered Anti-Symbol of Peace, Nomu. Too many Quirks for you to erase...” Shigaraki chuckles, watching Aizawa get his face slammed into the ground once again. 

Mina found herself screaming in fear, attempting to move to help her teacher, until some commotion off to the side caught her attention. Mineta had managed to trap seven Villains with his Quirk in the line of sight near the leader, and, with a quiet cheer to himself, was moving in to try and catch more of them until something happened. Something really bad. 

Bakugou, seeing some Villains move in to try and free their captured associates, pulls back the safety latch on his grenade gauntlet, holding his arm up towards the Villains. “Not on my watch, you shitheads!” he shouts. Mina and Kirishima dived out of the way as fast as they could as the blonde pulled the pin on the gauntlet, and an explosion larger than a training facility hallway tore across the central plaza, engulfing the twelve Villains, Mineta, and nearly the Villain leader if he hadn’t been warped out of the way by Kurogiri. The force of the blast knocked over all the Villains in the area and would have knocked over Mina and Kirishima if they hadn’t already been on the ground. 

“Shigaraki, you must be more careful, unless you’d prefer to disappoint sensei by ending up like these thirteen young men here,” the warp gate says, gesturing with his arm as the smoke cleared to reveal the now charred corpses of the twelve Villains and 1-A classmate, being onlooked by a catatonic Bakugou, as though he had just realized the level of power the gauntlet had just unleashed. 

“That damn brat! Nomu, knock that kid around!” Shigaraki orders and in the blink of an eye, Nomu was off Aizawa-sensei and behind Bakugou, grabbing him with one hand and throwing him through the statue of the central plaza fountain, knocking him out cold. 

“Bakugou!” Kirishima and Mina shout in shock, catching the attention of Nomu. As the mindless Villain approached swiftly preparing to strike, Kirishima stepped in front of Mina and took the hit, his Quirk breaking slightly on his arms and face, leaving large gashes across both forearms and his other eye that would surely scar over. 

As the hulking monster before her moved in for the kill, she lashed out in desperation. “Don’t hurt my friend!” she cried, splashing two large balls of her most powerful acid on Nomu. And the effects were immediate. 

All across the afflicted areas, the skin began melting away, digging through the muscle and bone within mere seconds as the Nomu made unholy screeches of agony. The glob of acid that landed on its shoulder ate all the way through, causing its arm to fall off. 

“Dammit! You weren’t supposed to hurt the final boss! Nomu, regenerate your arm and kill her!” Shigaraki shouts, and the Nomu stops its assault to follow orders. Only for the regeneration to not work at all. The acid had burned over the skin and prevented any further healing, leaving the Nomu in a state of persistent pain. 

“Shigaraki, perhaps we should take this as a sign to take the Nomu and get out of here. It does not appear that All Might is a part of U.A. As well, the other thugs we hired are all disorientated and unable to continue fighting, and Sensei and the Doctor would be mad if we lost their project.” Kurogiri says, as Shigaraki nearly begins throwing a fit. 

They are all cut off by the sound of the doors being slammed open. “EVERYONE, THE HEROES ARE HERE!” the exhausted sounding voice of Iida called out with a megaphone from the entrance before collapsing to the floor. As the U.A. staff began closing in on the Center Plaza, the Villains on the ground accepted their defeat, raising their hands as they prepared to watch their leader escape. 

“Dammit, I can’t believe he wasn’t here! Fine! Kurogiri, portal! Nomu, follow us through!” Shigaraki shouts, and the two servants follow the request instantly. The Villains narrowly avoid the takedown shots from Snipe’s revolver. 

As the Heroes go around restraining Villains and checking up on the injured students, a slight wave of relief passes through the conscious, mostly fine classmates. They made it, and everything was going to be fine! Their teachers were here, and all of them were going to make it. Everything was fine. 

It wasn’t until after the emotions calmed down a bit that everyone realized that they were far from fine. 

Chapter Text

A few minutes after Momo was finished with her checkup, she watched the last of the bodies be brought out of the USJ, as well as the last few Villains being dragged out in cuffs. Thinking about her classmates’ injuries, most of them came out with nothing more than cuts or bruises. For a select few, however... Parts of Aizawa’s face, along with his right eye, had been decayed away, his arm crushed nearly entirely, and his orbital plate smashed, along with a good chunk of the left side of his face. 

Kaminari shocked himself when he landed in the water, though due to his increased resistance to electricity from his Quirk, the worst of his injuries ended up being minor first-degree burns, as well as shorting himself out slightly. Kirishima had his arms and skull fractured, a lucky outcome considering the supposed threat of the Villain he had taken the hit from. 

Shinsou and Bakugou had come out of this far worse. As it appeared, his throat was burned very badly, hitting second-degree, with completely untold damage done to his ability to speak. And Bakugou... While there’d be no way to know the exact extent of his injuries, it was plain to see that he had a very broken arm, and at the very least, a skull fracture, with back injuries being highly likely as well. Momo just hoped that it wasn’t permanent, despite the blonde’s temperamental nature. That wasn’t even considering that his future may have been ruined by what happened with those Villains... And Mineta. 

Even with the sheer amount of luck they ran into, the fact that an attack this bad had happened at all on U.A. property just... Didn’t sit right with her. She had zero clue about the potential repercussions of an incident like this occurring, where students were attacked and some even put in a situation where Villains were killed... If it weren’t for the cruel fact that she would need to continue her education at U.A. to achieve her goal of becoming a Hero, she wouldn’t want to think about it at all. 

All she could do was hope that none of her classmates were hurt too badly by the experience, mentally. She’d need to check on them later. 

For now, she just needed to speak with Izuku again, to let him know she was fine and to reassure him about most of the class’s safety. Something told her he’d be blaming himself tremendously. 

All For One watched the one-way camera feed as Tomura and Kurogiri made their way back, along with the Nomu. If Tomura's incoherent cursing and the Nomu missing its arm wasn't an indication of failure, he didn't know what would be. He turns on the microphone and begins speaking to his successor, only to be interrupted by Garaki. 

“What on Earth happened to the Nomu!? He’s missing his arm!” the doctor shouts, before being nudged out of the way by a now annoyed All For One. 

"Tomura. I presume the attack was a failure?" he asks, attempting to calm himself and nearly failing once Tomura’s cursing begins to pick up the pace. "Calm your language, Tomura. What happened at the USJ facility?” 

"One of those stupid little bastards managed to hurt Nomu! And All Might wasn't even there! The schedule said he would be!" Tomura shouts, reaching out to grab a nearby table to dust it before being stopped by Kurogiri. 

"A rare incident of the media being entirely truthful, Sensei,” Kurogiri informs him before turning to his charge. “Perhaps speaking about the attack would do you some good, Shigaraki?" the misty man suggests. 

"Oh, should I tell him about the stupid acid girl, or 'Bakugou', the little Villain wannabe who nearly killed me in an explosion wave!? And he even killed that little purple ball-hired midget, who was on his side!" Tomura shouted again, the description clicking in All For One's mind. “All of those students should be dead right now, and instead, they managed to kill some of my men!” 

"Oh yes, there was also one of the students I sent to the Flood Zone who... Well, it seemed that they accidentally fried every Villain there," Kurogiri explains, catching the interest of All For One. 

"Oh? It appears, Tomura, that your attack isn't a complete failure then..." All For One says, a grin appearing on his face. "I will need to make some calls in a moment. If you still need to calm down, feel free to destroy some buildings around the address I have just sent to Kurogiri," he says, as the message pops up and Tomura instantly demands to be sent there. If anyone was going to tarnish U.A.'s reputation, it was going to be someone under his thumb, not some up-start, emotional parents. 

Once Tomura went through the portal, he began looking through the contract list of one of the companies he had insiders in, Detnerat. And once he found what he was looking for, the grin that made even Garaki a bit uneasy appeared on his face once more. 

Bakugou Katsuki, recently accepted to U.A., sent in a request for a costume which included two grenade-shaped gauntlets to store a moderate amount of sweat and secure a takedown of a Villain. Looking over the notes for construction, he found something quite peculiar. An alteration far too big to be labeled as a misreading or mistake.  

Smirking to himself, All For One pulls up the support line of Detnerat and dials the number. He had a... suggestion to make about Bakugou Katsuki. 

A rather unimportant intern found himself rushing to his boss’ office, nervous beyond belief about the turn of events that has hit him today. The king of the Underworld calling their offices, hinting at knowing their intentions... It sent a chill up his spine. He nervously knocked on the door and entered upon being prompted. 

“What brings you into my office this morning?” Yotsubashi asks his employee, a mild tick to his eye. 

“S-sir... The Quirk Boogeyman called our lines. He said he knows our intentions for the Aldera district, as well as the Bakugou boy,” he says, and the visible stress of the Detnerat CEO skyrocketed. 

“What were his demands?” Re-Destro asks calmly, betraying the clear mental turmoil he was clearly in. 

“H-he... He’s demanding we use our connections with Curious to publish a hit piece on U.A. High, to limit both the school’s options, and the options of three students in his interest... He... He said if we refuse to cooperate, he would take Bakugou Katsuki from our grasp by force,” the employee says, gulping and standing stiff still when his boss stands up and marches towards him. 

“Thank you for passing this information along to me, dear employee. Now, please get him back on the line and tell him we accept his terms. And do it before I decide to use your head as a stress ball.” Re-Destro threatens, turning around and marching to a locked cabinet with several high-class bottles of wine in it. And as the employee turned and ran, he could only think of one thing: 

The fact that this is a step below being a complete disaster. 

All the teachers of U.A. had been hastily packed into the meeting room the day after the attack, alongside Detective Tsukauchi, in order to discuss the facts known about the attack. Even Aizawa was there, eye patch covering his now removed eye. He was injected with multiple adrenaline solutions to give him enough energy to heal his head, and his arm slightly, enough so he could move around without too much pain. As it stood, there were twenty-six deceased Villains on the hands of two students, as well as the death of both a student and teacher of U.A., as viciously reminded to them by the framed picture of Kurose Anan, the Space Hero: Thirteen, which stood before her empty seat. 

As for injuries, aside from the three major injuries rap sheets, the rest were all minor, which was a small blessing. Of the major list, however, two could have been career ending. Bakugou had just narrowly avoided permanent back damage, the force applied to it being nearly equivalent of one of All Might’s New Hampshire Smashes, slightly toned down. The blonde was lucky to escape that with a cracked skull, broken arm and three broken ribs. 

Shinsou was a different story. The burning had gone deep, enough to inflict permanent damage to his vocal cords, and by extension, nearly permanently destroy his Quirk. As it stood, if Shinsou were to attempt to use his Quirk, it could tear his throat open and cause internal bleeding that would require surgery to halt. 

“What a darn mess this turned out as...” Snipe mumbles to himself, and Nedzu is inclined to agree. It truly was a mess, one only to be made worseby the announcement Tsukauchi had for them. 

“There are a few incidents I need to report to you all today,” the detective begins, looking around at the Heroes before him. “It appears that the Villain behind this attack has some sort of vendetta against U.A. and wants to personally take this establishment down. I say this because the entire neighborhood Mineta’s parents live in was found destroyed, dust covering the ground, and multiple blood covered dust piles mixed in. DNA matches confirm that his parents were among the thirty-four victims of the attack. The attack itself also is estimated to have caused around nine-hundred million yen in damages.” 

“Dear god...” Midnight found herself muttering, with all the teachers agreeing with the sentiment.  

“That’s not even the worst of it. The man behind these attacks... I’ve gotten permission from him, but you must promise that none of this leaves the room,” he informs them. 

“Well... I can agree, but what’s so secretive about this guy? Why can’t we mention it to anyone after this?” Present Mic asks in a quiet tone, something almost unheard of from him. 

“You were all informed of All Might’s injury, correct?” Tsukauchi inquires, receiving a wave of nods in response. “The man behind these attacks was only discovered to still be alive thanks to the... Well, the bragging of the public figurehead, Shigaraki Tomura, leading us to do some testing on the arm removed from ‘Nomu’, as he had called the weapon. These tests confirmed the claim that Nomu had multiple quriks.” 

“Multiple Quirks... There’s no way...” someone had mumbled, though the volume left it unclear as to who. 

“That’s right. And the Villain who gave All Might his injury is the same one who created that weapon. The man who was thought to be dead for seven years... All For One.” 

The room stills as the name is mentioned. Everyone who tried to become a Hero learned the tale of the Quirk Boogeyman at one point or another, but to hear that he was actually real... That there was some amount of truth to the myth surrounding him... 

It struck fear into all their hearts, even someone as generally unshakable as Aizawa. 

“He’s real?” “I thought he was a myth!” “What if he attacks us and steals our Quirks?” “How are we supposed to protect the students?” 

The questions kept getting thrown around all of a sudden, and it was set to cause chaos in the room if it weren’t for the principal clearing his throat and catching the attention of everyone. 

“Please, remain as calm as possible and save your questions for the end, teachers of U.A. As it stands, All Might is being informed of the matter, and it will be dealt with as soon as possible,” Nedzu says, trying to prevent the storm of panic that was blowing in, and succeeding for now. “The last matter has to do with three of our students... The two who, through our failures, ended up taking lives, as well as the one who was permanently injured by the events.” 

And that snapped everyone back to reality. The sad truth of Heroics was that everyone had to take a Villain’s life at some point, and that while some Villains can be saved or at least apprehended, there were some that were the complete opposite. They were often swept under the rug, but those who owned up to their deeds were treated with a level of grim respect from Hero and civilian alike. 

“I have received word from Kaminari Denki that he wishes to leave the Hero Course, but not U.A. as a whole. I have placed him into Yamada’s class with the reassurance he could rejoin the course at any point in the future should he so choose. I have also insisted that he go to Inui for counselling at least once a week, which he did not openly oppose. As for Bakugou Katsuki...” the principal trails off, snapping his fingers together somehow. The gauntlets of Bakugou were placed on the table, the plating removed to show the internal workings of the secondary function. 

“Why are Bakugou’s gauntlets here? Shouldn’t they be being analyzed in the labs right now?” Ectoplasm asks, others murmuring the same question. 

“We have found the issue far quicker than predicted. The design that Bakugou submitted to U.A., signed off by Aizawa, was designed to hold four hundred millilitres of his sweat. Based on the tests, that would be enough to cause serious damage, but not enough to kill someone who wasn’t already severely damaged, and surely not enough to burn their bodies to the crisp that those Villains and the deceased student were. Looking into the actual design sent in by the company chosen to produce his costume...” Nedzu trails off, reaching into his bag. 

The principal pulls out another file, showing a fairly similar design to the first, with one key difference. “The design made by Detnerat shows that, with a simple explanation and sign off from the department head, they tripled the amount of sweat the gauntlets could store, unnoticed by Bakugou due to the amount of adrenaline in his system, combined with the stress he was put through.” 

The silence would have allowed one to hear a pin drop. “So... That means that Bakugou had truly intended for the attack to be a fight-ender, not cause a surprise trip to the morgue?” Midnight asks, hopeful that was what her menace of a boss was implying. 

“You would be correct, Kayama. From all accounts, from questioning, to designs, to behavioral analysis, Bakugou Katsuki is an aggressive boy with a fire lit in him for Heroics. He is not, however, looking to kill Villains if avoidable. Which I suspect is why he was unresponsive for nearly two hours after he was healed enough to be questioned. Aside from that, however, there is another issue. These design papers were also signed by Aizawa.” 

All eyes in the room turn to Aizawa, who scoffs. “You know I don’t read the student paperwork, especially for costumes. It’s better they learn to regret their choices now, so they don’t make a poor costume choice later,” the insomniac reasons, with no one openly coming out to agree with him. “Besides, you filter out the initial designs that would be borderline or actually illegal, so what’s the issue?” 

“The issue, Aizawa, is that this is yet another example of your complete lack of effort into your job teaching the students of U.A. This failure of yours prompted me to investigate the last week of behaviour, and I do not like what I have seen. Not informing your class they are not at risk of expulsion, putting minimal effort into teaching their Heroics classes, allowing unprompted Quirk use by your Apprentice and dismissing the students who were victims of it... Perhaps you hadn’t decided to take my little hint when I revoked your expulsion privileges. So, I am demoting you further. As of today, you are officially a teaching assistant, and Kayama will be taking over as homeroom teacher for 1-A.” 

Before Aizawa can protest, Mic slaps a hand over his mouth as Kayama gives him the side eye. “I’ll do my best for those kids, Nedzu,” she responds. 

“Good. Given this evidence, aside from mandatory counselling sessions three days a week, as well as a suspension of Heroics lessons until he and Majima can sort out his costume error, I see no reason to punish Bakugou further for something which, in the interview itself, he truthfully admitted guilt towards. Now, onto the last order of business, though arguably less important than the last... Shinsou Hitoshi is also leaving the Hero course at U.A.,” Nedzu sighs, shaking his head in disappointment as he watched Aizawa try and peel Yamada’s hand off his mouth. “Due to the fact he was permanently injured during his time at U.A., the school has offered to provide financial aid to him for the rest of his working life. Do not worry, we have the budget set aside specifically in case this happens, so his transfer out of the Heroics career is–” 

A slam on the table cuts Nedu off and brings all eyes on Aizawa once again, the ever-tired Hero glaring across the table at Nedzu. “Less important? What the hell do you mean less important? Why the hell is he leaving the course? Did you make him?” Aizawa accuses, Nedzu unfazed by the hateful eyes of the man across from him. “Put him back in the course. I’m not letting you remove him that easily.” 

“Why, Aizawa, I do not believe you’re in any position to be making demands of me, given your major stunt at the start of the year, and your little ones throughout the last week,” Nedzu chuckles. “Besides, you have it completely wrong. I did not remove Shinsou from the Hero Course. In fact, I requested that he stay, due to his injuries being rather minor in the grand scheme of his potential as a Hero. However, he wished to leave, not believing himself to be able to be a Hero without full access to his Quirk. A real shame that he believes that.” The principal sighs as he watches Aizawa stand and try to head to the door. “And where are you going?” 

Aizawa ignores him, storming out the door and slamming it shut. The principal sighs. “This meeting is adjourned early. Kayama, the notes for the homeroom operations of Hero Courses are in the folder in the top left drawer of my desk,” Nedzu says, hopping off his seat and walking towards the door. 

“Um... Sir? What’s going to happen to Shouta?” Yamada asks, nervousness clear on his face as Kayama seems to have accepted her friend’s turn. 

“Why, Yamada, isn’t it obvious? If it’s what I suspect he’s doing, he may damn well lose his other eye and be out on his ass!” Nedzu cackles, sending a jolt of fear down the teacher’s spines. “No one messes with my students and gets away with it.” 

And with that, Nedzu stalks off after Aizawa, the only one sending their condolences to the insomniac Hero being Yamada. 

Shinsou laid on the bed in the Nurse’s Office, staring at the ceiling as he tried to calm himself. The previous day still sat heavily on his mind, and he was unable to express his thoughts about it. 

He was unable to express his thoughts about anything. That Villain had burned straight through and effectively ended his career before it could ever begin. But... After the chaos of everything, he wasn’t even sure if he wanted to become a Hero. The media certainly liked to dress up the true horrors of the career path, and he paid the ultimate price. 

He was effectively Quirkless now. He had once said to himself that he’d rather be Quirkless than have a Villain’s Quirk, but now that it actually happened... He hated the future he was looking towards. 

He was shaken from his thoughts by the sound of aggressive knocking on the door to the Nurse’s Office. Before he could press the call button for Recovery Girl, the door opens and in comes with his mentor, Eraser Head. 

And boy, did he look annoyed. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? You’re leaving the course?” Eraser Head questions, as though he truly cannot believe that Shinsou would actually want to. 

He tries to grab the notepad Recovery Girl gave him for communication, but Eraser Head cuts him off, not letting him have a chance to communicate. “With the amount of effort I put into training you, you shouldn’t be letting something as trivial as this injury let you lose faith this easily. So, once you recover, you’re going to go to the principal and reverse your decision, got it?” 

Shinsou didn’t know what to do. He didn’t want to disappoint his mentor, but he was pretty sure about this decision. He couldn’t even communicate with the notepad because Eraser Head was blocking it. And his throat still hurt a lot. 

He was thankful when the door opened, and the principal came in. “Aizawa. What exactly do you think you’re doing to my student?” 

“What does it look like? I’m stopping him from making the biggest mistake of his life and preventing him from ruining his future,” the man scoffs, glaring down the rodent-like man. 

“And why would he be doing that by following his own wishes, may I ask? The USJ attack was a very traumatic experience for the students, one I’ll be requiring them at least one session a week with Inui until he clears them, just in case. There’s untold mental strain that could be affecting our Heroes-in-training. So, I ask you again: What are you doing?” Nedzu challenges, daring Aizawa to stick to his guns in this scenario. 

Aizawa tightens his glare, not backing down. “I’m ensuring my student stays in the Hero Course.”

Nedzu chuckles to himself. “I thought that was the case. Except you’re mistaken about one thing, Aizawa. Shinsou Hitoshi is no longer your student. Your contract with U.A. is terminated, effective immediately. Now, unless you have some form of logical rebuttal, I ask that you get the hell out of my school.” 

While Shinsou stared wide-eyed at the principal, Aizawa found himself growling. “You can’t just terminate my contract like that, Nedzu.” 

“Yes, I can, and I just did. Your contract stipulates that you were to be employed by U.A. until either you or I were dissatisfied with your work here. While I initially saw the value in your work as a teacher, this year has truly exemplified how flawed your teaching style is. And I believe that I owe all your former students a written apology, given your brutal and, quite frankly, traumatizing methods of teaching,” Nedzu says. 

The insomniac tries to counter but gets interrupted. “No more complaints. Hand in your U.A. badge and grab your belongings. I expect you to be gone by the end of the day.” And with that, he holds his hand out and points to the door. Aizawa hesitantly hands over the badge, grumbling to himself as he walks out of the Nurse’s Office. Nedzu sends a text to Recovery Girl, asking her to sit in with Shinsou for a while before looking at the student and smiling. “I appreciate that you did not let him pressure you into choosing a career you do not wish for. And I apologize that I did not get here fast enough to stop him from scaring you,” the principal says regretfully, bowing. 

Shinsou hesitantly grabs the notepad and writes out a quick ‘thank you’ on it before writing that he would like to be alone for a bit. The principal nods and waves goodbye, closing the door behind him as the purple-haired boy lays back and rests his eyes. 

Momo sat in her home on her bed, staring at her phone with growing nervousness. She didn’t mean to keep ignoring Midoriya like this, but so much had happened the last couple days, and she’s probably worried him to no end... 

It was a little hard to talk about what happened, even now. Especially with how she had almost been grabbed... But maybe opening up about it would be a good thing. Perhaps for the other girls as well. 

Sighing, she grabs her phone and puts in the password, before bringing up Midoriya’s chat. Taking in a deep breath, she types in a message and hits send before she can stop herself once again. 

Yaoyorozu: I apologize for keeping you so long, Midoriya. I am ready to speak with you now.  

Chapter Text

Izuku stared at the text in front of him, ready to immediately text her back. 

Midoriya: It’s totally fine! Are you okay? And everyone else? 

He had been so worried when he heard about the attack. That worry turned to fear when he saw people had died. And that fear turned to guilt when he found out who had died. And how. The guilt grew further when he realized the reason things were so bad was due to All Might not being there. Because All Might was here with him, prepping routines for his training. 

Kacchan was just trying to take down the threat. If the design was anything like they had once come up with, then there was no way it could have given anything more than what could barely be classified as a second-degree burn. Kaminari was scared, and this source shouldn’t have been demonizing him for an accident. And if what the reports about the Villain Ashido had taken the arm of were true… 

She didn’t do that to a human. That thing was a monster, created in a lab by a Villain older than the modern Hero. A Villain who struck fear into the hearts of every Villain and Hero who heard his name. 

A Villain who Izuku was going to have to face if All Might failed to stop him a second time… 

A vibration from his device but him out of his own thoughts. 

Yaoyorozu: I am fine, as are most of the girls… I haven't spoken too much to the boys, but it appears that Shinsou, Bakugou and Kaminari were the only ones doing particularly badly. 

Midoriya: I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help.  

Yaoyorozu: Please, do not feel guilty about this. You not being there was no fault of your own, and there was no way for you to know this attack would have happened.  

Yaoyorozu: I want you to promise me that you'll stop feeling guilt about this.  

Izuku sat there, staring at the message in front of him. She, a victim of the attack, was telling him he shouldn’t feel bad for not helping. That he shouldn’t feel bad for being a failure. That he shouldn’t feel bad for not being able to prevent Kacchan from accidentally becoming a murderer. 

He didn’t think he was allowed to feel guiltless. But... It wasn’t his fault he wasn’t there; he could admit that. He still felt bad for it happening though. 

Midoriya: Are you sure?  

Yaoyorozu: Yes, I am. Don’t second guess this. You can feel bad for us, but don’t think about the hypotheticals. Okay?  

Midoriya: Okay.  

Yaoyorozu: And if you want to feel better about things, you should know your request to cut my hair helped prevent me being hurt during the attack. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.  

Izuku smiled softly as he stared at his phone. Yaoyorozu was a good friend. He was able to determine that much, even though he still hung onto the idea of being friends with Kacchan as much as he did. And Uraraka was too. Looking at the time though, he realized he needed to be off to training, so he shot her a quick text saying goodbye for now and grabbed the bag containing the material necessary for the costume redesign. He’d need to text Uraraka later. 

He still really hopes Yaoyorozu likes the redesign. 

Izuku, with one percent of One For All boosting his running speed, makes his way to his destination in record time. With a nervous smile, he knocks on the door, eager to meet Mr. Shield and request he make the costume. 

He did not expect to see a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl that was slightly taller than him open the door. “Oh, you must be Izuku! I’m Melissa Shield, and you’re just the person I wanted to see!” she shouts in rather fluent Japanese, and Izuku finds himself blushing at the use of his first name. Melissa looks at him, confused as to his reaction before snapping her fingers. “Oh right, last names! Sorry about that,” she apologizes, an awkward smile on her face.

“I-it’s okay,” he replies, before clearing his throat and trying to calm himself. “So, why did you need to see me?” 

“Ah, right! Uncle Might sent me an email with your new costume design, and I spent a few all-nighters getting it ready for you when you got here!” she says with pride, and Izuku realizes this is the same Melissa that All Might had been talking about on the plane. 

“Huh? A new costume? But I already– Oh." He never got his costume back from U.A. Right. “I guess I did need a new one, now that I think about it. Can I see what you made?” 

“Of course!” she shouts with glee, pulling him by his arm into the personal lab and to a mannequin covered by a sheet. With a small countdown, she pulls back the sheet and reveals the new costume. A dark green jumpsuit, with black highlights across the arms, hips and legs. On the arms were black arm braces with red highlights across them, which made the armor attached to his legs. It went up to about the halfway point on his thighs, and even included iron soles to cover his shoes. It was... It was... 

Absolutely amazing!  

“Well, thank you for the compliment on my work,” Melissa giggles, as Izuku realizes he had, in fact, said that out loud. He should probably curb that habit soon. 

“Thanks for doing this for me. While it does look a little tight, I can tell the material is a lot stronger than the last one I had,” he says, pinching the sleeve of the costume. 

“Glad you like it. Now, I also heard from Uncle Might that you had a costume design ready for a girl you like,” she informs him, winking as Izuku sputters. “Now, let me see the design and give me the hair he mentioned. My team and I will start work on it immediately, and have a couple ready by the time you three head back to Japan,” she informs him, hands open as he places the notebook in them, the page bookmarked. 

Melissa opens the book and glances at each aspect of the design he made, and compared it to the sketch of the original he had done. “Hmm... I see why you decided to give her the option for a new costume. This one is a bit impractical, even for her Quirk. Hell, the only Heroes I’ve seen rock heels properly are Midnight and Lightning Jack...” she says, Izuku not recognizing the other name. 

“I’m sorry, who’s Lightning Jack-” 

“Don’t worry about it too much,” she says, moving right along.  “We can definitely get this suit up and running by the end of your trip here. Leave it to me, Midoriya!” she says with a thumbs up. 

“Thank you, Shield-san!” Izuku says, bowing, as Melissa waves him off. 

“Don’t worry about it. You’re Uncle Might’s successor! Anyone good with him is good with me. Speaking of him though, you don’t want to leave him waiting! Especially with that surprise he said he had,” she says cryptically, handing Izuku a case containing an additional costume for him, before moving to pack up the display one as a spare. 

“Ah right! Talk to you later, Shield-san!” Izuku says, boosting his One for All usage to three percent before boosting off to the training grounds All Might told him to meet him at. 

Izuku rushed out of the change room, finally wearing his Hero costume for the first time, and made his way into the sparring grounds, buzzing with excitement. “I’m here, Toshinori-sensei! Gran Torino!” he says, smile plainly visible on his face. “So, what did we have planned for my training today!” 

All Might looked a bit nervous, but Gran Torino just laughed. “Oh, you’ll see in a second here, kid.” 

Izuku blinked, confused as he looked around and saw absolutely nothing except the two Heroes in front of him backing up a lot. Right as he was about to open his mouth again, he feels a chill up his spine and suddenly ducks, an object and a rush of wind shooting just over where his head had been. The object landed, and stood back up, and upon recognizing just what had almost hit him, he felt the colour drain from his face. Because it wasn’t a matter of what. 

It was a matter of who. 

There, standing before him, dressed in her Hero costume, was Miruko. “Sup, runt! Mister Number One over here called in a favour, so I’m here to help train you! By the time I’m done with you, you’ll be as much of a badass as I am!” she shouts, banging a fist to her chest. “Are you ready, kid!?” 

“Y-yes ma’am,” he mumbles, and Miruko stomps her foot. 

“That ain’t it, kid! Give it more energy, more confidence! Now, are you ready!?” Miruko shouts. 

“Yes, Miruko.” 

“Louder!” 

“Yes, Miruko!” 

“LOUDER!” 

“YES MIRUKO!” 

“Now that’s what I wanna hear! Now, get ready to dodge, because I’m not holding back a whole lot in this first spar!” she shouts, dashing forward as Izuku powers up to four percent and jumps to the side, narrowly avoiding a kick that definitely would have broken his ribs. 

In no time flat, Miruko has already bounced off the floor, off the wall, and started heading right back at Izuku, who once again has to dodge. He takes the chance to try and land a punch in, missing narrowly, and being grabbed by his collar. “Gotta be kicker than that, kid!” she shouts, tossing him over her shoulder and preparing to attack as soon as he gets back up. 

Izuku stands up, powering up his Quirk again, this time to five percent. “Detroit... Smash!” he shouts, dashing forward as Miruko jumps at him, managing to scrape a punch across her arm as she lands a half power kick to his gut, thankfully not sending him flying all the way through the wall. 

“Come on, kid, you gotta throw in more mix-ups! More variety! You don’t only have arms, and you sure as hell ain’t fast enough to go for pure power hits!” she says, and Izuku feels like his whole world has been shattered. Gran Torino had been righter than Izuku had initially thought. He’d just been using all of All Might’s moves, without even bothering to come up with any of his own, or even combining them with other Heroes’ moves! 

Before getting lost in a trail of thoughts, he yelped and ducked before a kick aimed at his face. The yelping continued as she tried to sweep her leg around and kick his legs out from under him, causing him to jump high up in the air to avoid it. As he began to fall back down, Miruko’s grin crept ever higher, and she prepared to bounce after him. 

And that’s when he had an idea that could and probably would end extremely poorly. 

He lifted his leg up and Miruko hopped up to try and grab him. Her eyes widened as she realized what he was about to do, but she was already in the path of the attack. “Luna... SMASH!” Izuku shouts, bring his heel down onto her back and sending her crashing to the ground. 

As he landed on the ground, he noticed the shocked looks of All Might and Torino, who had been sitting off to the side. The older man had been eating popcorn, and seemed both surprised and genuinely impressed he had landed a solid hit in. 

And then he heard laughter coming from behind him, and he turned to Miruko standing... well, not over him, as he was seven centimeters taller than her, but she was still intimidating all the same. She stared directly into his eyes with manic grin on her face, and Izuku decided that an excited Miruko was scarier than an angry one. 

“Using my own move on me… You’ve got some guts, kid!” she says, slapping him on the shoulder. “Combat wise, you’ve got more balls than a good chunk of the top Heroes, I’ll give you that! But you gotta work on that social confidence of yours, or you’ll be torn to shreds. So, I’m toning it up a notch, and you’re gonna try and come up with quips every time you hit me!  Every two quips missed is a kick in the chest from me, and every three messed up quips is a kick in the face from the old guy over there. Understand?” She asks. 

“Wait a second, I-“ 

“Perfect! Now, let’s get started!” she shouts, cutting off Izuku and pouncing forward. 

By the time all the training is done for the day, Izuku had pushed his max up to seven percent, and he had four rabbit-foot shaped bruises and two smaller cheek bruises due to his failed quipping. He felt amazing despite the pain. 

Izuku sat in his room, asking several questions to the doctor who was currently using his Quirk on him. It was a healing Quirk that sped up the body’s healing process during the next time they slept and used far less of the target’s energy to do so. While not as convenient as Recovery Girl’s, he found it applied to a more general basis, hence why he was one of the main doctors of I-Island. 

He decided to take a shower to help himself get ready to sleep, and to relieve some of the stress in his muscles. It, alongside the very pleasant soaps in his I-Island room worked wonders to soothe the soul. 

It was only as he grabbed his phone while drying off that he noticed he had a text from Yaoyorozu. Clicking on it, he saw it was an invite to a group chat. The 1-A girls chat, specifically. 

Realizing once again he forgot to text Uraraka, he quickly joins the chat. In his haste, he accidentally double clicked the screen and joined an ongoing video call... Wearing nothing but a towel. And once the faces appeared on his phone, he immediately turned the screen face down and bolted back to the bathroom with his clothes. Since he was the only one in the room, he was able to hear the voices still coming from his phone. 

“Was that Midoriya? Damn, that boy’s jacked!” an energetic sounding voice said, to the absolute embarrassment of both him and Yaoyorozu. Perhaps even Uraraka, if the incoherent sputtering was anything to go off. 

“Yaomomo, was that your boyfriend!? How can someone so adorable have so much muscle at the exact same time!?” a bubbly voice shouts in what he can only describe as pure confusion. 

“He looked like he had bruises, kero,” another voice calls out, this one monotone as Izuku finishes getting dressed and rushes out of the bathroom, picking up his phone and looking quite flushed. 

“I can explain that!” he says way too loudly. “I’m on I-Island currently, and I got those from training!” 

“Man, who have you been sparring with to get brushes like that, Midoriya?” a purple-haired girl named Jirou, with cable like appendages coming off her ears, says. 

“... Miruko...” he mumbles, as the other girls' eyes widened with shock. 

“You got to fight Miruko!? That’s flipping awesome!” Ashido, the source of the enegertic voice, shouts with glee. “Did you beat her at all, or did you get your butt kicked across the arena?”  

“W-well... I got one good hit in, but that was mostly because I caught her off guard... And may have borrowed her Luna Arc... I’m gonna need to start using kicks for sure...” he mumbles again, shying away from all the attention. 

“You borrowed her Luna Arc and lived to tell the tale!? That’s awesome!” Uraraka shouts, causing Izuku to blush further and look away. 

“Hmm... I think he's still embarrassed about us catching him shirtless,” A disembodied voice says, Izuku directing his gaze to the section with no face on it and seeing that her name was Hagakure from the label on her video feed. “We gotta make things fair! Shirts off, girls!” she commands, taking her shirt off and causing the others to giggle and Izuku to blush when he discovers she was not wearing a bra underneath. 

Not that it mattered, since she was invisible. 

“Man, you look so flushed right now! I haven’t seen someone look that embarrassed since I managed to turn Aoyama invisible at the USJ,” Hagakure says, which catches Izuku’s attention. 

“You turned someone else invisible?” he asks, mind already racing through the possibilities of what her Quirk actually was. 

“Yep!” she confirms. “One second, I was wondering around, trying to find anyone. Then I saw him and just… ran to him. I stopped him from screaming, and I just remember hoping we weren’t seen. And then he and his costume started disappearing! It was crazy!” she shouted as Ashido began mumbling to herself about the first and second ships being constructed, and Izuku’s mind began racing. 

“How scandalous! Did you at least have something covering you if you grabbed onto him?” Yaoyorozu shouts in shock, as Hagakure makes a confuses noise. 

“What do you mean, Yaomomo?” she asks. 

“Your costume is only your gloves and boots, is it not?” Yaoyorozu asks, now starting to grow confused as well. 

“Ooh! That! ” Hagakure giggles. “I just said that stuff to make people think I was only wearing that! I have a suit made from my hair, at the school’s suggestion. Apparently, your costume was borderline, but mine was straight-up illegal,” she says with a deadpan tone. 

“O-oh.” It's all the heiress could say to that. She looked so disappointed at being tricked that Izuku almost spoiled his surprise to try and cheer her up.

Almost. 

As the boy began to think about the whole situation Hagakure had just explained, he began tapping his finger to his thumb for a minute, the girls confused as to what he was thinking about. He snapped his finger upon realization. “You don’t have invisibility!” he shouts. 

“Um... Maybe explain for those of us who don't understand, Green?” Jirou says, testing out a new nickname, as she, Uraraka, Ashido and presumably Hagakure have dumbfounded and confused looks on their faces. 

“Ah, right! Well, I think that your Quirk actually involves bending light. If you try and do what you did to Aoyama, but with a different intention and on yourself, you could probably even make yourself visible!” he exclaims, with the girls having to cover their eyes at how bright his smile was. 

“Try it in another way, on myself... I got it!” Hagakure says, as she makes a sound indicating she’s concentrating. As she was doing so, Izuku’s smile instantly vanished and he suddenly put his phone face-down, much to the confusion of the other girls. 

“ Why'd Izuku put his ph– Oh,” Ashido realizes, staring at a now visible Hagakure... who still wasn’t wearing a shirt. “Hagakure-chan you look absolute adorable, but you almost killed the poor boy. Please put a shirt on,” Ashido responds with a deadpan tone as she yelps and rushes to put it back on, much to the laughter of both Uraraka and Jirou. 

“Well, that’s gonna be a fun surprise for the class tomorrow.” Jirou manages to say after the laughing fit. “How much you wanna bet the class will think we got another replacement if we try and prank them?”  

“None of us would pick the opposing side, so we couldn’t have a bet.” Yaoyorozu replies, with nods of agreement all around as Hagakure cheerfully informs everyone she is dressed again. 

Izuku takes the chance to pick his phone back up and study her appearance. The short hair that goes just below her chin was particularly intriguing, considering she used her hair for her costume. “Your eyes and hair are kinda… How do I describe this without sounding creepy...” Izuku mutters and the girl grows a nervous expression. “They’re clearly a light green, but also rainbow tinted at the same time? If that makes sense?” 

“It did. Thanks for pointing this out, Midoriya!” Hagakure says with a smile, as she grabbed a hand mirror and took a chance to look for herself. 

“Me next! I want to see you improve my Quirk!” Ashido chants, and Izuku gladly offers to help. 

The rest of the night is spent with Izuku theorizing ways to help their Quirks. Ashido trying to imitate other liquids by changing viscosity and pH levels to specific levels. Jirou attempted to send sound through her jacks and into the air. Uraraka attempted to better float herself without developing nausea. And Yaoyorozu tested out various materials to find a perfect balance between effectiveness, fuel efficiency and time efficiency. 

And Izuku couldn’t have been happier as he said goodbye and laid on his bed that he had finally found a chance to share a passion which was called creepy by everyone else up to that point and be celebrated for it.

Chapter Text

Izuku opened his eyes, and all he saw before him when an empty void of space, with a small, incomplete stone path in front of him. As the teen tried to move forward, he noticed something very wrong.  

His body was not there in any capacity.  

Before he had any time to process to panic that was building up in his thoughts, the scene shifted to a hazy, fuzzy image of a weak, sickly-looking man having a hand pressed against his head by someone with a very similar hair colour, implying a potential connection in the back of Izuku’s mind.  

The scene shifts again to the same sickly man, coughing up blood as he muttered something incomprehensible to Izuku, before he held up his blood covered hand to a completely hazed out figure.  

Many of the following scenes went similarly, with completely cloudy, unrecognizable figures of varying colours, passing on a flame to the other unlit cloud, which slowly grew larger and brighter than before, before a black void would show up and suck up part of the cloud before leaving, and repeating the process.  

That was, until a very fuzzy version of a familiar memory popped up: Izuku receiving One For All from All Might.  

As it dawned upon Izuku what this was, his view jolted back to the stone path, where an unfamiliar figure stood before him, bearing the same colour as the first cloud he witnessed. “Ah... You’re here a little too early, Ninth...” the man said, approaching Izuku slowly. “We haven’t quite reached the threshold yet, so I’m afraid I can’t show you more... But just know that we’re watching over you...” he tells him.  

The man touches where Izuku’s forehead would have been, and everything went black.  

Izuku jolted awake in a cold sweat, seeing the telltale glow of Quirk use on his arms. Looking around him, he noticed two things immediately. The first was that everything in his room was, thankfully, intact, meaning he had only been charging up power. The second, however, was a bit more inconvenient. 

It was three-thirty in the morning, and Izuku felt far too restless to be able to fall asleep again tonight. So instead, Izuku decided to do what he did best on restless nights, and begin researching what he had just seen. 

Open his laptop, grabbing a fresh journal from his temporary desk and pulling up his secure browser, he began his research on the Hero he arguably knew the most about: All Might, of course. Looking through the timeline of events, from his debut to the Sludge Villain, he looked for any familiar figures, anyone who felt out of place with an odd familiarity. Aside from noticing Gran Torino and Sir Nighteye a couple of times until a little after the timeframe his mentor said his crippling fight took place, he didn’t find anything. 

So, he expanded his search. 

He started with looking to his activity just before his debut in Japan, some of the work in America he did with Mr. Shield. Despite some of the impressive feats, there wasn’t much notable there. 

So, he went back further. Further and further, noticing a distinct lack of footage from All Might’s time just after and during U.A., until he finally managed to find something. A picture of a first-year U.A. student, alongside a young-looking Gran Torino, and a woman with jet black hair in a ponytail, and a distinctive beauty mark just below her lip. Her name? 

Shimura Nana. 

A feeling in the back of his mind told him this was the right person, so he looked up her name. And from there, the dominos began to fall. Shimura led way to a few high-profile takedowns in their early careers, but also to a major incident the woman was involved in: An alleged freak accident that killed around thirty-two pro Heroes, including one simply known by En, who was seen with Shimura at some point before his passing, caused by being crushed by rubble... a half kilometer away from where the buildings were destroyed. The feeling again. 

En led way to a few small newsworthy busts and impressive showings of his Quirk, Smokescreen, and was coincidentally enough, involved in another devastating attack: An unnamed Villain who got into a brawl with Heroes at an unnamed bank, causing the deaths of several civilians and twenty-six pro Heroes. One Daigoro Banjo was also at the scene, his death being noted as surprising due to his brutal efficiency in taking down many Villains. That strange feeling returned. 

Said man, also known as Lariat, was noted as finding the body of yet another curiously familiarly individual, noted at having been stabbed by an unidentified weapon or Quirk, known only as Shinomori Hikage due to the characters being found on an article of his clothing, and his extreme resemblance to the missing man of the same name. And as if on cue, it returned, the feeling resting itself firmly in his mind, and gut. 

The man had gone missing for eighteen years, his last appearance before his death being with a Hero of no recorded name, who himself was related to another disappearance of another name lost in time. As the hours ticked by, and Izuku found himself tiring as he went back further and further, he took notice of his morning alarm going off and was about to shut his laptop off for now, when he began to notice a common name in investments around that time frame: 

Shigaraki. 

A man who, according to barely legible records, was a tall man, at around 225 centimeters, with white hair, and no family records... With the exception of a brother... 

And the last piece fell into place, that strange feeling burning bright in his chest. He wrote out the last bits of information into his journal, before rushing up and getting dressed. By the time he had made it out the door, he was going to be late for breakfast. 

The information he had ended up finding made the inevitable earful he would get from Gran Torino extremely worth it. 

Izuku rushes into the training ground, where All Might, Gran Torino and a very impatient Miruko were waiting for him. “Toshinori-sensei, it’s good to see you! Listen, I have something very important to tell you! It’s about this dream that I–” 

“KID, GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE FOR YOUR LESSON BEFORE I KICK IT!” Miruko shouts from her spot on the other side of the training grounds. 

“Ah, sorry Miruko!” Izuku yelps, before quickly shoving his journal into his mentor’s hands. “All of the information I was gonna cover is in there and it would take way too long to explain in words! Talk to you later!” he shouts before powering up to five percent and making his way over to his temporary mentor for the day. 

As Torino watched Izuku duck below a kick in the initial stages of their spar, he glances over to Toshinori who has opened the book. “Well? What’s in it?” 

“Curious... It’s about... The history of that Quirk,” Toshinori answers cryptically, which leads to Torino snatching the journal from the taller man’s hands and flipping through it himself. From present day to the earliest records, and written in a Heroics code, was a large portion of the history of One For All, some of it not even known to either of them. 

“We’ll need to talk to the kid once we finish looking this over about what brought this bit of research on,” Torino decides, closing the book and putting it into Toshinori's bag. “Let’s watch this kid grow, shall we?” the older man requests, resting on his cane as he watches Izuku get punted into the wall of the training grounds. 

Izuku picked himself up, shaking the dust out of his hair as he regained his bearings. Even if it was just barely an increase, he was extremely glad that One For All also improved his durability. That hit would have definitely knocked him out otherwise. 

“All right, kid! I got a new lesson for you now that you’ve warmed up!” Miruko shouts, punching her first into her open palm. “You’re gonna dodge my attacks for three minutes, then I’m gonna dodge you for the same amount of time! We’ll end it once of us is either unconscious or hit three times!” 

“I’m ready, Miruko!” Izuku says, maintaining his Quirk percentage at five. Within a split second, a rabbit foot was quickly approaching his face, causing Izuku to fall into a roll, pushing off the ground and spinning through the air to land on the wall. Miruko hops forward into the wall, using the chance to bounce straight at Izuku with a cartwheeling kick. Izuku kicks off the wall and over the rabbit Heroine’s head but is scraped by the foot and sent off course, hitting the ground with a skid before getting back into a position to move at a moment’s notice. 

“That’s one of three, kid! Don’t lose too quickly on me!” she shouts, and the back and forth continues again. Miruko rushes, Izuku dodges in more and more complex ways to try and throw off the tenacious Heroine. Back and forth, back and forth, and Miruko manages to scrape him again, resulting in the second of his three hits. But before she can kick again, a buzzer sounds, signaling that it is Izuku’s turn to attack and Miruko’s to dodge. 

Izuku immediately got to work, jumping at Miruko and trying to land a Detroit Smash, doing his best to not shout the words and give away his attack. This leads to a couple minutes of Izuku attempting attacks, and with the help of a couple slip-ups in not attack calling, the Heroine avoiding his attempts at scoring a point. This leads to him jumping at her once again with a forward kick, which Miruko responds to by sliding under him, grinning as she watched him fly overhead. Izuku landed and shifted, holding up his finger and flicking it, jumping the percentage up a bit to create a small blast of wind pressure to throw off his opponent. 

Thankfully, the slight increase doesn’t injure Izuku, which gives him an idea. He jumps at Miruko, shifting his body and going for what he was planning on calling Rushing Smash. Miruko hops over him, sticking her tongue out and flipping him off as she does a flip. The second Izuku’s feet touch the ground, however, his tactics shift. 

Raising his percentage up to seven, he doesn’t feel any sting, and, using the increase in power, leaps at Miruko with full intent to attack, nailing an airborne roundhouse kick to the back of her head. It causes her to stagger a bit, which gives Izuku a chance to rush forward and land an axe kick on her. But right as he was about to go for a Texas Smash and finish the exercise... 

The buzzer went off again, and he froze in fear, seeing Miruko bloodthirsty grin turn to face him before she pounced, landing the exact same roundhouse kick on his back and sending him tumbling across the floor. “And that’s three, kid! Good to see you’re taking moves from someone who knows how to fight better than the number one, though!” she laughs, as Izuku sits up and blushes a bit. 

So, she knew that he tried to copy her Luna Rush. That was a bit awkward, but not the end of the world, given her lack of aggressive reaction. 

“Well kid, that was a good little exercise for the day. I’m gonna go relax for the rest of the day, then get on a plane with some of those science nerds to get back to Japan. When you get introduced as All Might’s Apprentice, though, I wanna fight again! Got that?!” 

Izuku nodded. “Sure, Miruko!” 

“Good,” she says, heading over to the door before stopping and grabbing something from her bag, tossing it to Izuku who managed to catch it with little difficulty. “You managed to impress me, so I’d say you earned that little gift.” 

Izuku smiled at her before realizing something. “You were confident enough that I’d impress you that you had a gift made in advance ?” he asks, causing Miruko’s ears to twitch. 

“Don’t push your luck, Midoriya,” she grumbles. “Another smart-ass remark like that and I’m kicking your ass for sure the next time we meet. See you, kid.” 

And with that, she hoisted her bag over her shoulder and began walking away. Shrugging to himself, Izuku opened the box that Miruko handed him, and took a peek inside. 

The contents of the box were amazing. An exclusive Miruko figure that only ever had one thousand made, the gold variant of her most popular shirt that was never officially released, and a signed poster of her performing her Luna Fall pose. Izuku could feel a giddy energy resting in his chest as he closed the box and carefully carried it over to Toshinori and Torino, eager to take a chance at a break after the intense kicks he took. 

Izuku ducked into a ventilation shaft as the stealth-based Hero he was training with turned the corner, just barely missing a glimpse of him and moving to check another area. Sighing in relief, he made his way deeper into the vents of the training facility that had been made using robots overnight. 

He kinda wished his mentors had given him a heads up that he was doing a stealth training session today. He didn’t like being reminded that he was leagues ahead of most Heroes in training in terms of stealth knowledge and skill, nor did he like being reminded of why he needed to be good at it. 

Regardless, he had a task to complete. To remain uncaptured by his opponent for as long as possible. And thankfully, even in his Hero costume, the darker colours and his careful movement made him difficult to see and hear. As such, he was able to move through the vents for several minutes, unimpeded by any unwanted bumps or scrapes. 

That was, of course, until his opponent finally used their Quirk. 

Appearing out of nowhere, he was suddenly wrapped up in a tight, thin string as the face of the pro appeared in front of him. “Seventeen minutes... Not bad for someone with no professional training against me, Midoriya.” Edgeshot says, unwrapping his thing body from Izuku and floating out of the vent. Izuku followed, still a bit spooked by the sudden appearance of the pro. 

“T-thanks, Edgeshot...” Izuku says, holding his chest as he tries to calm his heart rate down. 

“Hmm... You seem to be quite a bit more spooked than I would have expected. Are you sure you’re okay, Midoriya?” Edgeshot inquires. 

“Y-yeah...” Izuku says, shaking the resurfacing memories away. “Perfectly fine. J-just... Caught off guard.” 

Edgeshot nodded, before quickly writing out a short list of improvements that could be made for Izuku. Apparently, Izuku had gotten a bit better at lying. Or perhaps Edgeshot just did not want to make things awkward by touching upon a sensitive subject. He wasn’t sure. 

Suddenly, Izuku had a page thrust into his hands. “Study that page, Midoriya. You have one minute to memorize at least three vital points to hit during a fight, and why they are effective. Starting… now,” he explains, as Izuku felt his skin jump and he began reading the page over. His eyes darted around the page, doing his best to absorb what information he could. 

But similarly to a fight, time flies when you’re under pressure. “Time’s up,” Edgeshot says, managing to snatch the paper from Izuku’s hands before he could blink. Edgeshot started another two-minute timer without saying a word, initially confusing Izuku before he shook his head, focusing on memorizing the information. A beeping went off, and the Hero nodded. “Your answers, please.” 

“Right!” Izuku says before quickly listing them off. “The knees are an obvious one, but pretty useful. Even if you don’t aim for the front of the leg and hit the back instead, it still will put them to the ground and allow a swift follow-up. Next would be the eyes. Even if it is seen as a dirty tactic, if you’re on the backfoot in a fight, tossing debris into an opponent’s eyes is better than losing the fight and potentially the life of those around you... or yourself,” he quickly adds. 

“All valid points. And your last one?” Edgeshot asks. 

“Ah, right! That would be the Adam’s Apple, sir,” Izuku says, before going into his explanation. “While performing a move wrong on someone’s throat can lead to a fatality, it is objectively one of the best points on the human body to target to give yourself an edge in a fight. Of course, Underground or Twilight Heroes would be allowed to target that spot without worry of lethality, given the laws surrounding those licenses...” he says, mumbling something that was not caught by Edgeshot. 

The Hero was legitimately surprised. Not many people knew about the existence of Twilight or Underground Heroes, and even less about the stipulations around Villain capture and elimination that came with the special licenses given to these classes of Heroes. That surprised turn to being impressed as a smirk appeared on his face underneath the scarf. Tapping Izuku on the shoulder, the boy was startled out of his mumble spree with a slight flush to his face. 

“Well, I’d say you passed the tests with flying colours today, Midoriya. I heard Miruko gave you a little gift package, so I prepared one of my own,” he said, handing a small box to the teen. Inside was a replica of his scarf, designed to match Izuku’s costume colours, and a booklet detailing several methods for staying well-hidden on stealth missions, alongside a list of places to train in those skills. 

“Thank you so much, Edgeshot sir!” Izuku says, a smile beaming off his face. 

“You’re going to be a fine Hero, Midoriya...” Edgeshot says as he walks past to the door, stopping just before and turning around. “You know, if you haven’t put the thought in yet... You should consider what you want your Hero Name to be. It won’t be too much longer before you could be officially announced as the Number One’s Apprentice, after all. So that’s my homework for you; Think long and hard about the type of Hero you aspire to be, and the one you think you’ll end up being.” 

And with that, the stealth Hero left, leaving Izuku alone with his thoughts on the matter. 

With stealth on the list right next to swift, strong attacks on his list of things to improve upon, Izuku was determined to take some solid notes from his next teacher. 

“All right, Midoriya, I want you to watch my movements against the training bot,” Kamui Woods said, holding a roll of capture tape before rushing forward. The pro ducked below a stab from the knife the robot was using to jab forward, before the pro twisted the bot’s arm, causing the knife to drop and allowing him to twist the arm behind its back, following a similar movement with the other before swiftly wrapping the wrists in the tape. 

“Wow... That was really fast, Kaumi!” Izuku marveled, the excitement in the teen’s eyes almost appearing like stars. 

“Thank you, Midoriya,” he replies, standing up after untying the bot, before heading over to his trainee for the day and handing him the tape. “I want you to try that twice. Once with your Quirk, and once without. We’ll call the exercise when you finish both tasks,” Kamui instructs, to which Izuku nods. 

Izuku took a deep breath, holding the air in his lungs for a few moments before exhaling, readying himself. And then he took off at seven percent. Instead of going for a stab, the robot instead tried to go for a horizontal slash with the training knife, resulting in Izuku jumping over, spinning in midair to face the bot as he landed, before rushing forward once again, grabbing the arm with the knife and performing the same disarm and takedown that Kamui showed him. 

Smiling to himself, he reset the exercise and prepared to do it again, this time without his Quirk. He dashed forward, ducked below a stab, but before he could perform the takedown, the robot had enough time to react and hit him with the training blade, causing a loud buzzing sound and signifying a failure. 

Shaking off the shock of the failure, he reset and tried again. Same result. And again. Hit before he was able to dodge the first strike. Tagged by the edge of the blade. Misjudged the level of grip needed to prevent the robot from escaping and attacking. 

He failed without using his Quirk seven times and slumped over as he walked to reset it again. He needed to be better, faster, but when he couldn’t use his Quirk, he couldn’t rely on doing it the same way. But what to do... if he couldn't manage to take down a target without his Quirk, did he really deserve to have the one he had now? He didn’t, so he wanted to remedy that. He kept thinking about the problem, trying to find any type of solution in his mind by thinking back to the histories of many Heroes... 

And that was when it hit him: Sir Nighteye. All Might’s former sidekick, and the Hero who has honed the Seer-Style of fighting to near perfection. So that was it! He needed to predict his opponents moves, and work on analyzing the attack patterns faster.  

With newfound confidence, Izuku tried again. A flicker on the eye lights of the robot gave Izuku the sign he needed, and he kept his eyes open, waiting for the hint of movement as he continued to charge forward. A wide motion signaled a slash, and Izuku dropped to the floor, sliding under the attack before quickly shifting back onto his feet and grabbing the wrist of the bot, twisting it, causing the knife to drop as he brought the robot’s arms behind its back and tied them up. 

Taking a moment to realize what happened, Izuku found himself cheering. After eleven total attempts, he finally had managed to do the takedown without his Quirk. He immediately went to write down two things into his notebook for fields to improve on.

Quirkless fighting, and Seer-Style fighting. 

Hearing some clapping from behind him, Izuku turned to see Kamui giving a congratulatory clap for him. “That was some good work, Midoriya. Definitely could improve, but that’s the joy of being in training; You have a lot of time for improving,” he says, before gesturing to a box near his feet. “The other Heroes got you gifts, but I didn’t hear about it until last second, so I had to scramble a bit to get this for you. Hope you like it.” 

Izuku picks up the box, unwrapping it carefully and peeking inside. The contents were of various comics, depicting various spider-based Heroes of similar names. “I used those as a basis for a lot of my mobility. I heard you were a super-enthusiastic Hero fan, so you might have wanted to know about the origin of some of my moves came from.” Kamui explains. 

“Thank you, sir!” Izuku says, smiling. 

“See you when you go pro, Midoriya!” Kamui says, waving goodbye as he leaves the training grounds. 

Izuku glanced back at the comics. He wasn’t fully sure yet, but a feeling in the back of his mind was telling him that these were going to be very important to read at some point. 

“... and honestly, I really don’t get why I got fined for that! It’s not my fault some Villain hit me with an air blast and knocked me onto that lady’s car! If anything, she should get fined for parking her car there, and having one of the mirrors end up in my–” 

“Mt Lady, I thought you were here to give me tips on how to avoid property damage...” Izuku sighs, rubbing his forehead. 

“Huh? Oh yeah, right...” the Heroine coughs, bringing herself back to focusing on the task at hand. “So listen, in a city, and with a power like yours, property damage is going to be inevitable. But the thing a lot of Heroes don’t know is that the HPSC actually covers a good chunk of the damage. In my case, up to twenty million yen, usually.” 

“T-twenty million!? How is your agency still in the red then?” Izuku shouts. 

Mt Lady scratches her cheek as her face flushed in embarrassment. “A lot of my bigger fights cause enough damage for me to barely break even… And if I use my Quirk... Well, road and sidewalk repairs can rack up quickly,” she says, before shaking her head. “Anyway, try and direct the fight away from expensive looking buildings and crowded streets. If you can’t avoid it, direct the wind pressure from those super attacks of yours down streets or towards the ground rather than at the buildings.” 

“Right... Well, um... Thanks for the advice?” Izuku says in an unsure tone. 

“I suppose the other bit of advice I’d have is to not be afraid to call for backup but know that it isn’t always going to be there for you to rely on. The uh… the Sludge Villain kinda gave me a bit of a wakeup call, there...” Mt Lady sighed, slumping over. 

“You know... That was actually a really good reminder, Mt Lady,” Izuku said, smiling. 

“You mean it, kid?” she asks, before smiling softly at Izuku’s nod. “Well, that makes me feel a bit better about not being able to teach much... Oh, wait a minute! I did have one more thing.” 

Izuku stares quizzically at the Heroine as she turned over to her bag, digging through the seemingly endless pile of belongings inside before she pulled out a crumbled journal. “What’s that?” he asks. 

“This, my dear student, is a list of all the ways I’ve found to save money when you first open an agency! Just in case you wanted to open your own or help a friend who wants to,” she explains, handing it to him before stretching and grabbing her bag. “Welp, I gotta run. I only have two days here, and All Might only said I needed to give you some advice from a newbie Hero to help you out. You get it, right?” 

Izuku nodded. “I understand. Have fun on the island,” he says, giving her a thumbs up. 

“Thanks kid! Good luck with your career!” she shouts as she dashes out the door. 

Izuku glanced back down at the journal in his hands, wondering what his mentors were going to say about all the gifts he had gotten. 

“Seems that rabbit woman was trying to woo your Apprentice, Toshinori,” Torino says, laughing as both Toshinori and Izuku began sputtering. 

“She wasn’t, I swear!” Izuku says, attempting to defend himself as Torino begins laughing wholeheartedly. Confused, Izuku begins sweating. “Why are you laughing?” 

“Seems your successor is just as gullible as you were and still are, Toshinori,” Torino laughs, clapping his much taller student on the shoulder. “I was just pulling your leg. Next thing on my list of teaching is getting you a proper sense of humor.” 

“I really need to stop falling for these jokes...” Izuku sighs. Toshinori patted his shoulder in a poor attempt to help him feel better. 

Torino glanced over at the clock before standing up and grabbing his cane. “Welp, it’s getting late. It’s clear the kid has been bursting to talk to you alone about something, so I’ll leave you be. Just make sure you tell me everything tomorrow,” Torino calls out, walking out of the room and to his own, closing the door behind him. 

After a few moments of silence, Toshinori was the first one to speak up. “So, you wished to speak to me, Young Midoriya?” 

“Ah, yes...” Izuku says, trailing off as he struggled to find the right way to word this. Sighing, he quickly found the most logical explanation was to just rip the Band-Aid off in one fell swoop. “I was wondering why you didn’t contact Sir Nighteye about training me.” 

The air in the room shifted, an uneasy weight settling on the shoulders of both occupants. “I’m not quite sure if you would want to know the reason.” It was Toshinori’s only response. 

“I didn’t mean any offense by asking, I just only thought about it while I was training and used his style of fighting. I was curious since it seems like if anyone could find out about my Quirk, it’d be him...” Izuku explains. 

Toshinori takes a long breath, as though he were contemplating his words carefully. Finally, after what felt like hours, he answered. “Nighteye and I were once very close. Arguably as close as David and me, as I’m sure you already knew. But shortly after I got my injury, we had a disagreement... One about how I should move forward with my life following that injury, before I became what you see before you.” He explains, gesturing to his thin body. 

“So... You wanted to continue being a symbol for the world, and he wanted you to retire?” Izuku asks. 

Toshinori nods. “You’re very sharp, Young Midoriya. That is indeed what the heart of the disagreement was. He had a vision of the future, saying if I had continued along the path I did...” he trails off, taking a deep breath before continuing. “That if I continued the way I was going, I would be dead, fighting a powerful Villain within the next six or seven years after the prediction.” 

Izuku’s eyes immediately widened, and he shot up out of his seat. “A-All Might, you can’t die! I-if you died, that would mean that... That...” Izuku tried to say between breaths, unable to form the sentence that wanted to come out...

That I would be all alone.  

“I know, Young Midoriya. Believe me, I have no intention of dying if I can avoid it. Training you is far more valuable than giving my life to stop some powerful force,” Toshinori says calmly, trying to soothe the panicking Izuku. “Should it come down to fighting, I intend to be far more careful than I was the last time. My not having to teach classes at U.A. should also help me preserve my strength for that fight when the time comes.” 

“O-okay...” Izuku says, still shaky but ultimately sitting down. “What... What happened next? Did you tell him about choosing a successor?” 

“That I did. Nighteye had his own candidate in mind, and I had been scheduled to meet him within the next few days at U.A. But then I met you, and through your actions, I knew that I had already found the perfect candidate., should you have accepted. Nighteye wasn’t too happy with my choice, and demanded I reconsider, but nothing about this Quirk is his to decide. If he can’t accept that, then... Well, then that’s just the way things will be.” 

Izuku tapped the table nervously, thinking about his own relationship, or lack thereof, with Bakugou. “This was... About a year ago, after you chose me, right?” He asks, to which he receives a nod as his answer. “Well... Maybe he’s changed his mind about it? Or would he be willing to talk about it? I don’t know... But it seems... wrong, for the two of you to let a friendship be destroyed for something ultimately very minor... Ah, not that I’m trying to belittle your feelings!” Izuku quickly adds, hoping he didn’t offend his mentor. 

Toshinori sat there, taking a sip of his water as he contemplated his successor’s words. “It’s all right, young Midoriya. I understand the sentiment you were trying to get across,” he says, before glancing back up to the clock. “It’s getting fairly late. You should get some rest for tomorrow. I’ll do my best to give the journal you gave me a read over tonight, since I’m no longer busy.” 

“Right! Goodnight, All Might!” Izuku calls out, jogging to the door and heading back to his own room. 

As Izuku shut the door, All Might pulled out two things: The journal and his cellphone. Toshinori, the Number One Hero All Might, and a Hero who was said to be one of the greatest and one who would save someone with zero hesitation, found himself unsure of how to move forward at this very moment. 

Chapter Text

Sasaki Mirai was a man who took everything serious. His relationships, his career, and the art of comedy were always under his scrutiny, the man trying to make sure everything was performing as intended. So imagine his surprise when his sidekick burst into his office with little warning, causing him to smudge some ink on an important document. 

“Bubble Girl,” he says coldly, causing his sidekick to freeze. “What have I told you about entering without knocking first?” 

“I-I know, Sir! And I’m sorry, but this is important!” she says nervously, Nighteye narrowing his eyes at her. 

“What’s so important that you break one of the most important rules I have?” he asks, unimpressed. 

“All Might is calling, Sir!” she reveals, causing Nighteye to drop his pen. 

“Out,” he says, and Bubble Girl complies. Quickly cleaning his mess and grabbing the phone, he merges into the line All Might was calling into. “All Might. Have you called to reconsider my offer?” 

A tired sigh can be heard over the other end. “No, Sasaki, that’s not why I'm calling. Quite the opposite, in fact.” 

“And whatever do you mean by that?” Nighteye asks, feeling a familiar tension rise up. 

“I want you to come and meet my successor. Help train him into the Hero he wants to become,” All Might answers. 

“The Quirkless boy? So, you went with this rash decision after all? The one I specifically warned you against taking?” Nighteye remarks. 

Another sigh comes from the other end of the line. “His name is Midoriya Izuku. And he’s the only reason I’m even calling you right now, Sasaki, so I would suggest you watch your wording before I rescind the offer.” 

Nighteye scoffs but holds his tongue. “So, you want me to meet the boy then? When you wouldn’t take the time to meet Mirio before making the decision?” 

“Not this again…” All Might groans. “This decision was not yours to make, Sasaki. I’m sure Togata could have made a wonderful choice for the Quirk, but I chose Midoriya. Now, will you agree to meet him, or have I wasted my time once again trying to reconnect with you?” 

Nighteye takes a long, deep breath and rubs his eyes, already feeling that he would regret the decision he was going to make. “Very well... I will meet Midoriya. However, I will not be training him or having anything to do with this if I am not impressed.” 

“And I wouldn’t force you to. We both know that would end poorly for everyone involved,” All Might agrees, his voice sounding far less strained now. 

“So, I am to meet you at U.A. High then? How much time should I set aside?” the ever-serious Hero inquires. 

All Might coughs, confusing Nighteye. “About that. Midoriya is no longer a student of U.A., nor am I a teacher." He admits, but cuts back in before his former sidekick can interrupt him. “Aizawa’s biases got the best of things, and it appears that may have led to the end of his career. Unfortunately, given that the paperwork has been finalized, he wouldn’t be allowed to rejoin the school or course until the semester is up.” 

“What a mess you have to deal with... Wait...” Nighteye says, realizing something. “If you’re still teaching him... You signed the boy up as your official Apprentice, haven’t you?” he asks. All Might makes a noise of confirmation, causing Nighteye to groan. “Right. I would assume you’re either at Might Tower or I-Island training him then?” 

“The latter, yes.” 

Nighteye marks several days off on his calendar and begins writing down instructions for his team to follow in his absence as well as the reasoning behind it. “I’ll be there within the next couple days. Do not inform the boy of my meeting him. I would prefer to hear him speak in a genuine manner.” 

“Very well. Goodbye, Sasaki,” All Might says before hanging up the phone. 

Nighteye does the same as he stares at the All Might merchandise along his office walls. Not once did he get called by his first name during that conversation. Perhaps their relationship was more strained than he had first thought. 

Pressing a button on his desk, he got the attention of one of his sidekicks. “Centipeder, I am heading out. There will be instructions on my desk for you and the rest of the team to read over,” he informs them, not waiting for a response. 

He had some packing to do. 

A half-moon cast a dim light over the Kamino Ward, one which helped cover up the dimmer light coming from a mostly abandoned bar in the area. One that had been recently spruced up on the inside and was currently being used as the meeting ground between the ringleader of the USJ attack and an information broker. 

“So, this is the man responsible for breaking the indestructible image of U.A.? I’ll admit, not what I was expecting,” the broker says, taking a puff from his cigarette. 

The pinky finger of Shigaraki twitches, almost tapping the glass of his drink. “Are you mocking me? I won’t stand for that…” He forces out in response. 

Kurogiri makes a sound akin to clearing his throat. “Pay the comment no mind, Giran. We are very interested in working with you again.” 

Gran grins, his missing tooth becoming plain to see. “Right then. I’m looking forward to getting you what you need. Equipment, supplies, weapons... And proper Villains. Not those low-grade fools you had me find for you before,” he chuckles, writing down a number on a piece of paper. “These are my prices for each. I won’t charge you for any product you don’t receive, of course... But I take pride in my work, and you’ll see that each item you acquire is satisfactory.” 

Giran slides the paper over to Shigaraki. Upon reading the numbers, his eyes narrow and he goes to stand up, but Kurogiri stops him. “This is within Sensei’s budget. We’ll pass the information along to him. We thank you for your service.” 

The television at the back of the bar suddenly turns on, and a sinister voice comes from it. “No need to inform me, Kurogiri. I am aware already. I do have one more request for the broker, however. In your business email, you will see the pictures of a few of my interests. I would like you to bring them to me or deal with them promptly, through whatever means necessary. My assigned bounties are attached to each picture. You have until September of this year to get the job done.” 

Giran shrugs, pulling out his phone and looking into his email. His eyes widen and his grin stretches as he looks back up at the screen. “I’ll get you into contact with my best people. If you find them before I do, just send them in. They’re good at both retrieval and taking care of business.” He says before leaving the bar. 

Shigaraki turns around to face the television. “Who did you send the pictures of?” 

All For One chuckles. “You’ll see in time, Tomura,” he says, not elaborating further. 

Izuku, dressed in his Hero costume, walks into the close quarters training zone, taking note of how close the walls were to each other. A cough caught his attention, and he stands up straight as Torino walks into the room. “You’re awfully punctual today. That's good. I expect you to only get faster from here, Midoriya,” he says, tossing his cane over to Toshinori as he does some stretching. 

Izuku’s eyes widen as he quickly realizes what’s happening. “We’re training together again, Torino-sensei?” 

“That’s right, kid! Now eyes open, and power up! I’m not going easy on you!” Torino shouts, zooming past Izuku to the wall behind him, hanging off it. “Let’s see if your training with the rabbit helped you with your mobility enough to properly keep up with me.” 

And then he was off. He zoomed off the walls, faster than most could see. Izuku powered up to five percent, concentrating as he listened to the room around him. He heard the angle of the bounce alter just enough and he acted, leaning to the side and narrowly avoiding a punch to the face. 

Giving him little time to readjust, Torino bounced off the wall right back at Izuku and managed to scrape his cheek with a swift kick, Izuku’s counter punch barely missing. The older Hero kept up his bouncing, and Izuku decided enough was enough. 

Increasing his charge to seven percent, he bounced off the walls at the same speed as Torino, blurs of yellow and green racing across the room. Near misses kept occurring, as the two sparring partners kept trying to outsmart their opponent. 

The stalemate is broken as Izuku twists himself, landing a kick into the gut of Torino and sending him flying into the wall behind him. Torino catches himself at the last second, landing on the wall again as Izuku himself landed on the ground, concerned for the older Hero’s wellbeing. Izuku then learned another valuable lesson, like he had been from all his teachers so far...

Don’t show concern for your opponent too soon, or you’ll end up with a boot mark on your face. 

Toshinori grabbed a water and wet towel, along with the first-aid kit upon seeing his teacher kick his student into next week. He helped Izuku up, offering him the cold water to hold as he carefully wiped the blood off his nose and dirt from his face, and giving a satisfied nod upon seeing the bleeding was only from the initial hit. 

“Much better than the first sparring match, I’ll give you that,” Torino says, and Izuku glances over from having ointment applied to his scrape. “Keep focusing on speed. With your level of strength to go with it, it’s a double trouble combo that most Villains won’t be expecting until they’re out cold.” 

Izuku beams, eye slightly wincing as the scrape is irritated from movement. “Thank you, Torino-sensei!” 

“Now then...” he says, cracking his Knuckles as Toshinori carefully backs away. “We still got an hour left in the room and you’re not fully wishing for mercy yet!” he shouts, boosting forward with his Quirk. 

Both Torino and Izuku needed to make use of the on-site healer before heading to bed that day. 

Izuku knocked on the door to the private dining room, opening it upon hearing All Might call him in. Looking in, he saw an empty spot with a pre-made plate of food for him, which he sat in rather quickly. 

“So, All Might... You called me in about the journal I gave you, right?” Izuku asks almost too quickly. 

Toshinori nodded. “Perceptive as per usual, Midoriya. Tell me, what prompted you to investigate the history of our Quirk?” He inquires, opening the journal up and laying it on the table. 

“Right... Well, I had this weird dream. It was... I think it showed the creation of One For All, as well as each passing of the Quirk? It’s hard to say, everything was so... Not blurry, but incomplete. Unfocused,” he says, eyebrows furrowed. “And at the end, a sickly, cloudy figure appeared in front of me. He said that I was there too soon, and that I... No, ‘we’ haven’t quite reached the ‘threshold’ yet.” 

All Might put his fingers to his chin, pondering the information he had just been given. “It appears you had quite the vivid appearance of the vestiges, my boy. Even I didn’t see that much when I had my chance to see them. But this threshold... Tell me, do you happen to be familiar with the Quirk Singularity Theory?” 

“The theory that as generations go by, Quirks will become so powerful that humans will no longer be able to control them, right?” Izuku asks, receiving a nod in response. “But what would that have to do with- Oh! I get it! You think the ‘threshold’ is actually the Quirk about to reach its own version of a singularity!” 

“That would be correct, Young Midoriya,” All Might says, finishing his rather small breakfast and taking a sip of his tea. “I cannot say for sure what the result of the Quirk reaching Singularity would be, but it does appear to be the most likely answer to this question.” 

Izuku glances down at his own half-finished breakfast, gripping the fabric of his pants as he thought about the possibilities of the Quirk. He thought about all the advice and assistance he had received from the Heroes these last couple weeks, and unbeknownst to him, the beginnings of an identity for himself began to form within his own mind. Determined, he looked up to his mentor. “All Might. I want to master One For All. I know it’ll be a long path, and the Singularity is likely to only make it take even longer... But if that’s what it takes to help as many people as I can, I won’t hesitate for a second!” he half-shouts, surprised by his own volume. 

All Might glances at the boy across from him, reaching out and patting him on the shoulder. “I'll do my absolute best to support you along the way, Young Midoriya. If it takes a year or ten, I swear to myself that I won’t rest until you become the Hero you want to be,” he declares, grinning at the giddy face of his biggest fan ever, his successor. “You may want to hurry up, though. You had plans for today, did you not?” 

“Ah, right!” Izuku yelps, grabbing his utensils and continuing to eat his meal as his mentor laughed, both enjoying the peaceful environment. 

Giran leaves the coffee shop he frequents, a new contract freshly signed and a small drink in his hand. He pulls out his phone as he walks down the alley next to the building, studying the photos of the three students. Their appearances were all very striking, and aside from one, hiding in a crowd would be very difficult for them. 

Case in point, when he looked up, and saw the pink-skinned girl, Ashido Mina, walking down the street alone. “Well, if it isn’t just my lucky day...” he chuckles, pocketing his phone and trailing the girl. Without realizing, the girl had turned onto a mostly empty street, and Giran took his chance. 

It’d be too risky to go for a kidnapping, of course, but if she’d potentially come willingly, even as unlikely as it was, he should still try. After all, he could slip away easily. So, he took the opportunity to speed up a bit, and call out. “Hey, you there! You’re a U.A. student, right?” he asks, catching the girl’s attention and causing her to stop and turn around. 

“That’s right! Why are you asking, though?” 

“Well, I have a daughter of my own, yeah? A couple years younger than herself. She’s actually studying for U.A. right now, at a tutoring institution in Kamino. I’ve been asking around for some U.A. students to help give her some advice, so once I saw you, I thought I should ask you as well,” Giran lied, the words flowing smoothly from his mouth as he put on the act of a doting father. 

“Oh! Well, if she ever comes into the area, I could help her out!” Ashido says in an upbeat manner. 

Giran grits his teeth. “I don’t think she’ll be out of Kamino anytime soon. Are you sure you don’t want me to arrange a time for you to meet her?” 

The girl narrows her eyes. “I’m a little too busy to be able to do that...” she says, getting suspicious. “Hey, you said you were asking around, right? Surely you have an address then? Tell me it, or I’m calling for a Hero,” she threatens, getting into a stance to start running away. 

Giran sighs. “So much for that attempt,” he mutters under his breath as he walks down the sidewalk and towards Ashido. She holds up her hands to get ready to defend herself when Giran’s hand brushes her head, and she suddenly gets a bit woozy. 

Giran had activated his Quirk to cover his own retreat and have her not recall anything of him. He would have also taken the girl in her amnesia filled state, but the street was beginning to get crowded. He chose the smarter option of heading back to his car, and escaping the scene, as Ashido makes it the rest of the way home without remembering anything about it. 

“Another guest is coming? I thought Mt Lady was the last one,” Izuku says, taking a sip from his sports drink. 

“I thought about our conversation the other day, Young Midoriya, and I decided. He should be here right about...” Right on cue, the door to the gym opens, and in walks a tall, green and yellow-haired man, wearing cloudy glasses and a white suit. 

“Sir Nighteye!” Izuku says, looking over to his teacher. “Toshinori-sensei, I didn’t think you would take my advice, given the situation...” 

“I wouldn’t have if you hadn’t said anything.” he reveals, glancing over to his former sidekick. “It’s up to you to impress him if you’d like his help, Young Midoriya.” 

Izuku nods, standing up straight and walking over to Sir Nighteye. The man stares down at the Ninth Holder, very clearly unimpressed. “So, you’re Midoriya Izuku?” 

“That’s correct, Sir!” Izuku says, as Nighteye scoffs under his breath. 

The Hero reaches into his pocket, pulling out a few weighted stamps. “As I’m sure you’re likely aware, I know of you. And I disagree with All Might’s decision on the matter. However, my personal feelings won’t change what’s done. It will, however, change how things go from here. You’re already starting out with a deficit in my respect. So, like your mentor just said, you’re going to need to work extra hard to earn any advice from me,” Nighteye finishes, pointing to the sparring ring on the other side of the gym. “Your first test begins in mere moments. Do your best not to disappoint.” 

Izuku nods, mentally preparing himself for the unexpected do-over of the situation nearly identical to his first day at U.A. And even without Nighteye’s reminder, he was very aware of how hard he was going to need to work.

Chapter Text

Both Izuku and Nighteye stared the other down, each waiting for the call from Torino to begin the spar. Izuku, while a bit nervous, got into a fight stance, his off foot planted forward and his fists brought up. 

The teen was very confused. Nighteye didn’t use his Quirk on him to gain any advantage, and he seemed like he was going to open the fight with his stamps. Neither of these were typical of the man in the few recorded sparring sessions he had seen. Taking in those details, Izuku had his plan set, and he waited. 

“Are both of you ready?” Torino asks, to which both combatants nod. “Right. Three, two, one... Fight!” he shouts, bringing his arm down and using his Quirk to back up a bit from the inevitable chaos. 

Nighteye gripped his weighted stamps and threw them, the objects flying in a perfect straight line towards Izuku. The teen responded by powering up to seven percent, pressing his middle finger against his thumb, and flicking at ten percent for a split second. The resulting air pressure was enough to stop the stamps’ momentum entirely, at the cost of some stinging in Izuku’s hand. 

Annoyed, Nighteye grabbed some more stamps, tossing them forward as he rushed Izuku. The teen sped through them, using some of the moves he learned from Miruko to dodge them before using that momentum to slide into a low kick, which Nighteye dodges. 

While in the air, Nighteye throws one more set of stamps, Izuku narrowly dodging by creating air pressure with a kick to knock himself backwards. Both fighters get back to stable footing, the initial deadlock of fake outs returning. 

Nighteye rushes forward, using his stamps to cover his advance. Izuku’s cheek is grazed by one, but he manages to dodge the attempt at a takedown from Nighteye by flipping over him, landing a hard kick on the man’s back with his iron-sole shoes in a crude iteration of his new Luna Smash. 

Seizing the opportunity, Izuku pushed off the ground the second he landed, jumping back at Nighteye and landing a punch to the stern man’s cheek. He landed once again and dashed forward, hoping for a third hit, but the punch he threw was caught by Nighteye, and a purple hue glowed behind the lenses of Nighteye’s glasses. Immediately, Izuku grabbed Nighteye’s arm and threw him to the other side of the room to minimize how much information the man’s Quirk would inform him of, but he knew it was a last-ditch effort. 

Nighteye slid to a perfect stop before standing back up, having fully expected to have been thrown. Seeing that the man wasn’t even in a fighting position anymore told Izuku everything he needed to know. If he wanted to continue fighting, he would have to try and go for feints. 

Dashing forward, he readies his fist to attack, trying to make both his potential moves as subtle as possible. Jumping up to make it seem like a falling overhead strike, his instead swaps his fist into a finger flick, sending air pressure at the man that, while slightly cutting his suit jacket, does not hurt Nighteye at all. His jump left Izuku open to having his leg grabbed by Nighteye and flung to the other side of the sparring ring, just as he did to the man before. 

Once again, he tries to feint. A fake hop into a sweeping kick. A finger flick into a dash kick. An uppercut into a Luna Smash. But each time, Nighteye would dodge or painfully counterattack in some way that left Izuku running out of options. As he tried to rush forward once again, a weight stamp hit its mark, smashing into Izuku’s cheek and sending him sprawling to the ground. It was at that moment that a peculiar thought popped into Izuku’s head. 

‘I never actually asked for Sir Nighteye’s help with developing my skills in Seer-Style, did I?’

And so, after standing up, Izuku did something that caught every person in the room off-guard, especially Nighteye. “I forfeit.” 

“You... You forfeit? You’re not even going to continue to attempt to try and beat me?” Nighteye asks, genuinely bewildered at the turn of events, and pointedly ignoring Torino nodding in approval at the decision. 

“I never did ask for your assistance, Sir. I’ve certainly accepted the help that has been offered to me by other top Pro Heroes, but I didn’t ask for them to help. They chose to,” Izuku explains, placing special emphasis on the distinction. “This entire time, you’ve been going full force against me, even though I have only been in combat training for a month and a half at most.” 

Nighteye scoffs. “Even more reason to continue to try and earn my help,” he argues, but Izuku shakes his head. 

“I don’t believe you would give me the help even if I did earn it. You’ve been scowling at me the whole time. Your immediate reaction to seeing me was to scrutinize me and clarify that I was starting out in a deficit of respect, as you put it,” Izuku sighs. “Would I greatly appreciate your help? Absolutely. But placing that high of a wall in front of someone before they’ve really had the chance to get moving? If I wanted to experience that again, I’d just have asked Aizawa to expel me a second time. Good day, Sir.” 

And with that, Izuku gives a very slight bow before leaving the sparring ring, no doubt heading to the change room to dress up his cuts and bruises. 

Nighteye stared blankly at the door that the One For All successor went through, as he heard Toshinori and Torino chuckling behind him. There was only one thought that popped into his mind. “... What the hell just happened?” 

As Izuku walked out of the change room, in fresh clothes and bruises adorned with cold-pad bandages, he ran into someone, nearly knocking them both over. “Ah, sorry!” he shouted in panic as he moved to steady them both, but then he recognized the person he had bumped into. “Shield-San?” 

Melissa’s eyes light up as she realizes who she found. “Midoriya! I’ve been looking all over for you! I have super, great, fantastic news!” she shouts, her joy and overbearing nature coming off as quite unnatural in comparison to how she was about a week ago, when he had checked in with the group working on the Hero costume. As was another feature of her face that Izuku noticed. 

“Shield-San, when was the last time you slept...?” he asks, backing away slightly, only for her to get right back in his face again. 

“Three days ago! I pulled two all-nighters and have been running off pure caffeine to replicate the first suit we made, so we have three suits that I already sent to your friend!” Melissa declares as she then proceeds to down a whole travel mug of presumably coffee. Her pride in her own accomplishments was very much on display. 

“Didn’t you want to show me them before you sent them off?” he asks nervously. “Actually, wasn’t I supposed to give them to Yaoyorozu myself?” 

“No time! Your friend needed those costume improvements yesterday, so I sent them yesterday!” she shouts as she drinks more coffee from a new travel mug, before her eyes suddenly grow droopy. 

“Shield-San, what’s wrong?” Izuku asks, having to catch her so she didn’t fall on her face. 

Grumbling, she pulls a receipt from her pocket and scowls at it. “I knew it... Dad, you... traitor...” she manages to mumble out before it was lights out. 

Izuku heard a sigh of relief from behind him and he turned to see David Shield coming down the hallway. “I knew she wouldn’t get far if I mixed a decaf order in with her other two. Thanks for helping to distract her, Midoriya,” he says with a fond smile, taking his daughter from Izuku and picking her up. 

“Ah... It was no trouble, really,” Izuku responds, unsure of how to accept the attention from the David Shield. 

A look of realization comes across David’s face. “Oh, I overheard a bit of your conversation there...” he says, as he whistles to direct a robot towards the two. The robot was carrying a tablet. “Thanks to you being so thorough with the info collecting for this project, we were able to make simulations to estimate how well the costume would work. The simulations have a point zero, zero one percent margin of error, of course.” 

Curious, Izuku takes the tablet from the robot, thanking it for bringing it to him as he opened the software loaded onto it. Immediately, he was met with a few simulation files, the most recent of which had his and Yaoyorozu’s names attached to it. Clicking on it, he was met with a perfect, digital mannequin replica of the girl, fit with the costume he designed for her. 

“It’s... It’s... Perfect! You guys even managed to come up with a better material choice for the tablet casing than I did! This is absolutely amazing!” Izuku shouts, his face beaming as he excitedly looks at all the details listed for the costume. 

“We thought you’d like it, Midoriya. Sorry you weren’t able to see them before we sent them... But on the bright side, that friend of yours should be receiving the costumes by the end of the day... Oh right, end of the day for us. It would probably be around the middle of the school day or so for her,” he clarifies. 

“Right! Thanks Professor Shield!” Izuku replies, handing the tablet back to the tablet before running off to get some lunch, his mood from before being completely overturned as soon as he forgot about who was on the island with them. 

Mirai sat at the table of a small café with Toshinori and Torino, the waitress quick to take their orders to the baristas. The man sighed, as the two older Heroes across from him were still mildly chuckling at Nighteye’s expense. 

“You know, I just don’t understand why Midoriya said what he did. It’s entirely irresponsible of the next holder to turn down any offer for training from a top Hero,” Mirai argues, causing Torino to scoff. The reaction caused Mirai to scowl. “And you would know why he did so?” 

“I would, as a matter of fact. The only reason you don’t understand is because that bias of yours is blinding you entirely!” Torino shouts, holding his cane threateningly at Mirai. The man didn’t flinch at the false threat, and instead narrowed his scowl further. “Don’t look at your elders like that, you walking fortune cookie. He quite literally told you why, and you still somehow didn’t understand.” 

“I heard what he said, yes. My confusion comes from the matter that he didn’t actively ask for my assistance, especially given that my position as All Might's former sidekick would surely have enticed any candidate chosen, much more so one with such a... lack of experience, so to speak,” Mirai admits, bringing a frown onto Toshinori’s face. 

“You are correct in your assumption that Young Midoriya was aware of you, yes. Quite so. In fact, he is the reason I decided to contact you at all,” Toshinori admits, bringing a look of shock onto the face of Mirai. “However, his reaction to bringing him up was not to ask for your help. He instead wanted to know what happened to cause our falling out. And at the end of that tale? He told me that I should try and see if you had changed your mind on the matter that caused our tension. That our years of friendship were too valuable to throw away over a couple ultimately minor disagreements. And to be blunt? I agree. Our bickering was quite petty.” 

“Petty?” Nighteye scoffs. “I was petty for wanting you to retire and find a successor? I was petty for wanting to stop you from getting yourself killed in a mere half-decade?” 

Toshinori sighs. “No, but the fact we let it destroy our friendship was. You know I couldn’t retire, but I should have taken more time to recover. I could have fibbed to the media and said I was on vacation, but instead, I threw myself back into the fight in a mere two weeks. I should have considered the advice of you, as well as Torino and Shuzenji and found a compromise. And for refusing to do that, I apologize.” 

The small declaration was followed with a bow, one that Mirai was unsure how to respond to. Thankfully, he was given more time to do so once the waitress came back with their orders, and a small murmuring of ‘thank yous’ went around the table. Once she left again, Mirai responded. “I’ll accept your apology, Toshinori. However, that doesn’t mean things will return to as they were. I am still very frustrated with the turn of events that have occurred.” 

Toshinori and Torino sigh in frustration, the latter grumpily taking a sip of his drink as the former began pinching the bridge of his nose. “I won’t argue with you, as you are allowed to be. I won’t force you to teach someone you don’t want to... However, I also won’t let you force yourself into my or Midoriya’s decision-making any further either. You are not the holder of it, and you have no final say in the matter of what either of us choose to do with it,” Toshinori states bluntly, staring his former sidekick in the eyes. 

Mirai stares back before nodding in agreement. “I’ll consider it. Now, onto the more... pressing concerns. There was a set of files related to the attack on the Unforeseen Simulation Joint that I had sent to me by one Detective Tsukauchi. I presume that would be due to your influence?” he asks to which Toshinori nods. “Right. Then am I correct in my assumption that the current state of that individual is not what we had thought?” 

“That would be correct,” Torino confirms in between sips of his drink. 

“What information do we have available on the matter, besides what’s available in the file?” 

Toshinori sighs at the question of Mirai. “Not much, unfortunately. Izuku had been made aware of that man’s existence, but I could never have imagined that this would happen. Preparing against threats at his level was why I had brought Young Midoriya here in the first place. To know I had accidentally started preparing Midoriya for the man himself? It makes me feel... conflicted,” he admits. 

Mirai clears his throat and passes over a card containing a list of Heroes on it, as well as their agency contact info. “While I disagree with your decision on who to pass the torch to, I am not so stubborn as to admit that regardless of who is holding it, the torch needs to be protected, lest the world fall into despair. As such, I am giving you this list to ensure that investigations into the League of Villains progress far smoother than they would otherwise... As well to assist in training with Midoriya if they so choose. I am not entitled to make decisions on their behalf, after all,” he finishes, finally taking a sip from his own drink. 

Toshinori looked up at the man in front of him, chuckling to himself at the realization of what had just happened. “Thank you, Mirai,” he responds. 

The rest of the meeting is spent in relative silence as they finish their orders, all three lost in their own set of thoughts. 

Momo sat to herself, pondering the last couple of weeks. The experience had certainly been... odd, to say the least. Midnight had been assigned to be their new homeroom teacher, which had helped to lift a small amount of tension that remained in the room from the first week of school. 

It didn’t help to lift the unnerving feeling of three empty seats, and a fourth that was empty for about an hour after lunch a few days a week. 

Contrary to the popular opinion among the entire staff, the U.A. School Board was not allowing the Sports Festival to be cancelled. Midnight explained that even Nedzu, with his recommendations against it, was unable to prevent the event from proceeding as planned, given the amount of revenue it generated for the school. He was, however, able to use his influence to control some aspects of how the event would turn out. 

The first was that the event would be recorded, but not televised, and those recordings would be sent to every agency in the country to determine internship offers. This would decrease the chance of Villains getting ahold of any advantageous information and using it against the first years while they were still fresh Heroes-in-training. The second stipulation was to have at least three members of the top ten there as security, as well as several other Heroes in the top hundred in addition to a small police force, to ensure no casualties would occur if a Villain were brave enough to attempt an attack on the school during the event. 

And finally, participation for 1-A was voluntary, given the trauma they went through. However, despite the fear still felt in their chests, the remaining seventeen members of the class agreed to participate in the festival, with the condition in place that they would be allowed to drop out at any point if they felt it necessary. 

An incident before the lunch break where every other first year class had gathered around the door to get a look at the class who nearly lost to Villains almost made them reconsider their decision. However, Midnight was quick to shut the matter down, making it extremely clear to every student there, and especially to the other Hero Class students, that what they dealt with was not something they were attempting to use to boost their egos. Each student left for the cafeteria with an intense feeling of guilt after the events were explained in full, and 1-A left the room in awe of their new homeroom teacher defending them. 

With the information briefing and near-miss of an inter-class war declaration out of the way, the class had spent many of their following gym and Hero Classes focusing on improving their own combat and physical abilities, the uneasiness in their hearts slowly dissipating over time. The two weeks passed by quickly, but they still had a couple more until the actual event itself. 

As she kept pondering the events that had rushed by so quickly, a large metal suitcase being set on her desk by Midnight shook her out of her thoughts. Startled, she looked up at her teacher. “Ms. Kayama, what is this?” she asks, growing a bit nervous at the smirk on her teacher’s face. 

“This little thing right here...” she says, tapping the case as her classmates grow a bit curious. “It’s a gift from that friend of yours, Midoriya. It came straight from the brilliant mind of Midoriya himself and was shipped here all the way from I-Island!” 

The news caused gasps, and whispers murmurs of excitement across the class. Ochako, from the other side of the room, ends up shouting over to Momo. “Come on! You gotta hurry and open it! We’re dying to see what Midoriya got for you!” she shouts. 

Nodding nervously, she rests the case down and opens the latches on it, taking a deep breath before opening it to find... “A new costume?” she questions, pulling out the instructions and one of the three copies of the costume. The costume consisted of a red body suit with a similar pattern to her original, covering her whole body with sleeves going down to her elbows and was, according to the instructions, created using the hair she had sent Midoriya, and resistant to varying types of damage. 

There was a gold-coloured utility belt, containing various medical supplies and high-calorie snacks. In place of her original red heels, she had white combat boots, containing a similar pattern to the one on the bodysuit itself. And for her wrist, a tablet in a third-tier Hero grade case was firmly attached to it, a case capable of surviving most types of natural disasters, as well as impacts just short of one of All Might’s punches. On the tablet was a record of varying molecular structures, for every type of material and object that Momo might need to make. 

The class had all gathered around and were congratulating Momo on getting a costume redesign, even Bakugou, albeit begrudgingly. Momo, however, was in shock for two reasons. The first was the fact Midoriya had gone through a lot of effort to design her a brand-new costume. The second was how, despite never having asked her about any potential problems she may have had with her costume after the exercises and the USJ attack, every single one of the problems that had popped up with her design over the first week had been resolved. His talent with Hero and Quirk Analysis truly would have helped the entire class a lot, if he had been allowed to stay. 

She nearly felt herself coming to tears as she hugged the costume tightly to her. As Midnight informs Momo she’d be able to try on the costume later before asking the class politely to go back to their seats so she could continue homeroom, the thought of who made it caused a realization to pop into her mind. She was going to make sure to thank Midoriya as soon as she possibly could. 

Yet another week had passes by, with Nighteye piecing together information with the investigating agencies, Melissa recovering from her caffeine overload, the visiting Heroes enjoying both their time teaching and relaxing, and Izuku dealing and receiving hard hitting blows from both Gran Torino and Miruko. 

The last nearly month of time here had been a blast for Izuku, and, while he felt it was over too soon, he knew that it would be better to return at a future date, as he couldn’t progress to the next stage of his training... 

Patrols and Villain takedowns. 

Simulated exercises could be done, of course, but the best experience in that field was gained with hands-on experience, unlike disaster training which could be reasonably simulated. The Unforeseen Simulation Joint was a prime example of that. 

While the time at I-Island had been fun, it was time to say goodbye, the group of Heroes plus Izuku getting onto the plane, Toshinori and Izuku taking the chance to wave goodbye to David and Melissa before boarding completely. 

While he had initially been planning to sit alone with his mentors, the other Heroes insisted the entire group sit together to enjoy the view during the flight and discuss the various dramas of the Hero community. Somehow, even Nighteye had been roped into it, most likely with the intrigue of being caught up with any potential bonds and tensions among pro Heroes in the current social climate. 

The plane took off on its way back to Japan, and the Heroes happily discussed anything that came to mind, laughs and gasps occurring every now and then, while everyone had a good time. 

While some of the top Heroes of Japan began their return trip home, tragedy was set to strike, and dark dealings were proceeding forward. The time set aside for smiles and laughter in the world of Heroics was diminishing rapidly, all under the noses of the Heroes who were blissfully unaware. Just as the malicious powers that be wanted. 

Chapter Text

“You didn’t lure her here!? You let her get away!? Why the fuck did we even hire you!?” Shigaraki shouts, nearly lunging out to decay the face of Giran, but being stopped by Kurogiri readying himself to make a portal. 

Giran sighs, putting his cigarette out into the ashtray on the bar. “I wish it was that simple, pal. But as it was, they’re all on high alert right now. Heroes are starting to get more active. More of my low-level guys are getting caught by mid-level shmucks who finally bothered to learn basic people reading skills. Best chance we have is one of my plants at the stores near U.A. and the various malls manage to find one and get a tracker on them. And if my info is right...” He reaches into his phone, pulling up an old interview of a former U.A. student talking about the Hero Course Quirk Training Camp. “I’ll be getting more guys in there around the end of June or July, and they’ll roll right in. We’ll have ‘em find some excuse to interact or fiddle with something, and then we’ll get the tracker on. Something low-key and nigh untraceable...” 

“And then you’ll send your special operations mercenary crew, correct?” Kurogiri interjects, causing Giran to grin. 

“Damn right. Glad someone’s paying attention. We’ll go in, take care of our targets one way or the other, and deal with however many others we can promptly and efficiently. That’s how that crew operates, and it’s why they’re the best.” Giran’s answer isn’t good enough for Shigaraki, and he nearly slams his palm against the bar before a familiar voice cuts in from the television. 

“Calm yourself, Tomura. The man is right. We should allow things to progress at their own pace for now and allow our connections to do their jobs. Speaking of...” All For One chuckles. “Have you read the news from our newest friend, Kizuki Chitose? It’s quite the article, I can assure you. Show him, Kurogiri.”

Kurogiri grabs the newspaper from behind the bar counter, showing the front-page article to Shigaraki. The frustrated Villain nearly dusted it, before he began to read the headline. Continuing from there, the grin on his face progressively grew, unnerving the informant sitting across from him. “Those damned Heroes will crumble with this...” Shigaraki cackles, the only person joining in the laugh being All For One. 

Opinion: Is U.A. Truly the Best of the Best Anymore? 

Written by Kizuki Chitose  

For many years, U.A. has been deemed to be the peak Heroics school in all of Japan, some arguing that it was even the best on the planet. And for as many years, U.A. seemed to assure the public that high regard was warranted, even to be expected, delivering promising Heroes and upholding peace across all of Japan.  

However, it seems that faith in U.A. has shaken, and rightfully so. The thought to be impenetrable U.A. property was attack by Villains that resulted in the death of a student, teacher, and several Villains by the hands of both sides just a mere two weeks ago, and word has come in from the learning establishment that they will be proceeding forward with the Sports Festival, with the only alterations being that the first and second-year events will not be broadcast to the world until next year.  

This has me, and all of Japan, asking ourselves the same question: If U.A. is truly is so great and deserving of our respect, why have they faltered in their decision making? Why have they not gone one way or the other in response to the thought of canceling the Sports Festival, and why have they seemingly glossed over the deaths one of their students is responsible for?  

With all this stacked against them, I, for one, am going to keep my eyes on U.A., and ensure that at least one person holds them responsible for their disastrous mistakes. And I imagine many more will do so as well.  

(Disclaimer: This article is the opinion of its writer and is not verifiably indicative of the opinions held by the network or any of its employees.)  

“Goddamn vultures...” Shouta scoffs, closing the article and shoving his phone roughly back into his pocket. Releasing this a few days before the event was very intentional, regardless of what the disclaimer says. 

While he knew it was inevitable, an opinion hit piece on U.A. so soon after their response to the media about the Sports Festival, this article alongside the one outing three students as ‘violent liabilities to the public’ rather than the panicked and cornered kids that they were continued to put a bad taste in his mouth. 

He ignored the voice in the back of his head reminding him he did the same thing to Shinsou, but more privately. 

He leaned back on his couch, the armrest remaining uncomfortable under his neck. Without having to worry about getting up to do morning announcements and teach a few classes a day anymore, he went back to his old routine of patrolling from six in the evening to seven in the morning and sleeping the rest of the day away. 

Not for lack of trying, he couldn’t sleep. That damned article... He blamed All Might, making the public think that every Hero had to be this infallible figure of absolute justice. It was their job to minimize the loss caused by Villains, accidents and natural disasters. The thought of trying to stop any damage from happening all together without a thousand peak All Mights running around was absurd. 

Frustrated, he gives up on attempting to rest for the day, instead heading to the kitchen and making himself his strongest brand of coffee. As it brews, a vibration from his phone catches his attention, and he pulls it from his pocket. Unlocking it, he sees a text from Yamada, asking if he’s doing all right. His coffee machine beeps as he sends a basic response back, and Shouta sits alone at the table, slowly dipping the caffeine concoction in the mug in front of him, oblivious to how his observed views of the world would come to affect him and his friends in the coming days. 

The members of Class 1-A sat in the waiting room, nerves for the events to come for the day causing them to be antsy and twitchy. Even with the promise of the day’s recordings only going to Hero agencies until next year’s festival, they still were under the pressure to make a big enough splash to impress the Heroes of Japan, and infer from that attention if it was for their own skill, or to get publicity for taking in a student from the ‘damaged and splintered’ Hero course class. 

Attempting to clear up the mood with the other girls, Uraraka decides to speak up. “Hey, you guys hear about anything interesting happening lately?” 

Asui, noticing what she was trying to do, decided to assist. “I heard there were leaked designs for some new Hero merchandise, kero. Something about a prospective Hero group set to announce their team up soon.” 

“I’d recognize Mt Lady’s costume outline anywhere, with her massive debut and all...” Jirou says, before she groans and smacks a hand to her forehead. “That wasn’t an intentional pun, I swear.” 

“It’d be a pretty big issue if it turned out you were lying about that, Jirou,” Hagakure says, a giggle escaping her lips as Jirou groans again. “Oh, I saw some articles about U.A.! There were a few predictions about who would win the third-year festival, some mentioning which Heroes would be here for attending guests to get autographs and one about... About... Um...” 

“About what?” Uraraka interjects, curiosity getting the better of her. A flash of guilt seemed to pass over her face when she looked at the blank expression on Ashido’s face. 

“It was... Well, it was a hit piece on U.A., implying they were irresponsible and approaching incompetent for allow the Sports Festival to continue, right after... That.” Hagakure didn’t need to clarify. The tension in the air grew tighter as even the vague reference to the USJ attack was made. “Hey, Ashido... Are you sure that the article isn’t-” 

“I’m fine, Hagakure, honest!” Ashido interrupts, cutting off Hagakure’s worry with reassurance. “I can’t let it bother me, or I’ll just get stuck in a loop thinking about it, yeah? So, it’s fine! I’ll tell you if it’s bothering me, okay?” 

“Okay...” Hagakure replies, clearly not completely convinced but agreeing to move on for the sake of her friend. 

“In other news...” Ashido pulls out a magazine from her bag, putting it on the table the girls were sitting at. On the cover was a woman who looked almost exactly like what an older Jirou would look like. “Is this your older sister or something? She’s so pretty!” 

“I, um... Well... No... She...” Jirou mumbled something under her breath the others couldn’t hear. Ashido and Hagakure both put hands up to their ears in response, prompting Jirou’s face to go red in embarrassment and release a third groan of annoyance from her mouth. “She’s my mom.” 

As Ashido and Hagakure both release shocked gasps, Momo nods. “I figured as such. While she does look young, it seemed far more likely that your mother had the similar Quirk rather than a sibling who wasn’t a twin.” 

“She looks very nice in that outfit, kero. A fitting theme for a musician. Can you tell us a bit about her?” Asui asks, as Jirou sits in contemplation, clearly in conflict about whether to oblige her friends’ wishes or not. 

Eventually, she sighs. “Yeah, I could tell a story or two before the festival starts.” She puts a finger to her chin, trying to think of one to tell before snapping her fingers. “How about the time my mom nearly ended up with one of her fan clubs turning into a cult?” 

“Tell, tell, tell!” Ashido and Hagakure chant at the same time, the other girls nodding in agreement. 

“Okay, okay! Well, it’s a simple and short story, all things considered. My mom decided to visit some of her most popular fan clubs to do cd sales and autograph signing. One of the clubs she visited took the visit as something far more special than it actually was and grew rather obsessive about it. They even watched back the security footage of the day on a weekly basis from what I heard,” Jirou explains, earning disgusted looks from the rest of the girls. 

“Ew, that’s really gross... Stalker-fans are the worst...” Uraraka says. Every one of the girls agreed with her. 

“Right? Anyway, fast forward a couple months, and my mom starts receiving really creepy letters at the recording studio, from the fan club, under the pseudonym of ‘The Cult of Mika’. Except some of the dumbasses actually signed theirs under their club’s real name, so she was able to report it to the police and get it taken care of swiftly.” 

“The club sounded like it was a domain for degenerates, kero.” As with Uraraka before, all the girls found themselves nodding in agreement with Asui’s statement. 

Jirou snaps her fingers once again. “There was also this other time when a family friend of ours saw the dynamic between my mom and dad, and proceed to say he was totally–” She's interrupted by the voice of Present Mic cutting over the intercom, asking 1-A to start making their way to the stadium center. “I’ll tell you some more stories later. Let’s get going!” 

Everyone stands up, stretching their limbs as they exit the waiting rooms, most of the nerves temporarily eased by the conversations had amongst friends. It was a big day, after all. They couldn’t be afraid of a little attention from the public, especially with their future careers in mind. 

“You better spar with me sometime again, kid!” Miruko shouts as she hops from the doors of the airport to a nearby rooftop, waving goodbye as she continues racing across the tops of the buildings. The group of Izuku, Toshinori, Torino and Sasaki wave goodbye as well, before heading down the street, filtering through the awestruck fans of the top ten Hero. 

“Well kid, how’s it feel to be back in Japan?” Torino asks, looking behind him at the slouched over teen. 

“I... I am very jet-lagged... But it does feel nice to be back. I was pretty antsy about the fact U.A. was attacked right as we left, but I’m sure the Villains will stay put for a while with many high talent Heroes being back on patrol!” Izuku points out, receiving a nod from each of the Heroes in response. 

“Speaking of patrols... Perhaps we should have Midoriya patrol soon. Maybe when he decides on his Hero name, or a little bit before.” Nighteye’s observation causes Izuku to begin to think. 

“You’re right. I’ve only developed my combat and stealth skills. Patrolling, rescue and media are things I definitely need to improve,” Izuku says, hands twitching in the urge to grab his journal from his bag and write them down in his list. He pulls out his phone to put the notes in digitally, turning the device back on, only to be met with a bombardment of texts from his mother, with well wishes and asking when he’d be home today. 

Torino laughs, as do the other Heroes, at Izuku’s expense. “Your mother wants to see you that badly, huh?” 

“Um... Yeah...” Izuku mumbles, going to type out a response before he’s stopped by the elderly Hero. 

“Hold on a second, kid. We still need to discuss what patrol routes we’ll be doing when you’re ready. And your mother would surely want to spend some time with you before that, right?” he asks, getting a nod of agreement from Izuku. “Well, why don’t we combine the two and invite your mother out to lunch? It’d help her get to know our resident complainer as well.” 

“Ignoring your jab... I presume you’re making this a chance to go out to eat because you miss authentic Japanese cuisine, correct?” Sasaki says, adjusting his glasses slightly. 

Torino huffs, waving his cane threateningly at the much taller man. “And what if I am? I’m allowed to prefer real food over pale imitations,” he complains. Izuku and Toshinori couldn’t bring themselves to argue against the sentiment, as aggressively worded as it was. 

“I’ll go ahead and ask her.” Izuku quickly types out a text to his mother and hits send. Less than fifteen seconds later, his phone chirps, and he looks at his phone. “She wants to know what place,” he says, a bead of sweat dripping down the side of his cheek. Torino quickly forwards an address to Izuku, who in turn forwards it to his mother. With the confirmation she saw it, Izuku puts his phone away, nodding. 

“All right, let’s get over there soon then. We don’t want to get caught up in any afternoon rushes,” Toshinori says, the group quickly making their way to the train station to get to the other half of the city and meet up with Inko. 

Toga Himiko was, to put it lightly, not having a good day. 

She nearly got caught shoplifting, a cop nearly saw one of her knives, and her contact was far behind schedule. She could feel her thirst make her skin itch, every fiber of her being in an uncomfortable state as she struggled to maintain a semblance of control. To not lose herself yet again. 

“Dammit, dammit! Where is he!?” she shouts, kicking a can at the brick wall of the alley hard. The aluminum crumbled under the force of the hit. She kicked it again, the crumpled material causing it to shoot off at a different angle than intended. However, instead of crashing somewhere in the distance, it hit flesh. 

Out from behind the corner stepped Giran, holding the can in his hands. “It’s dangerous to kick stuff wildly like that, you know. Apologize, Toga.” 

As much as Himiko wanted to get snippy with the man for being late and demanding an apology out of nowhere, she needed her product too badly to ruin her chances for a little bit of self-vindication. “I’m sorry...” she mumbles, cringing as the last bit of self-respect she had moved a tiny bit closer to the edge. 

“That’s better. Now, I have the product.” Himiko went to pull out her stolen money, but Giran held up a hand as he put down the duffle bag he was holding. “No cash. This transaction is more... Conditional.” 

“I don’t care how much I need it, I don’t like older meat, you freaking perv.” 

“Woah, easy with the assumptions! I may be a Villain, but I’m not a creep,” Giran assures her, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone, an article about the League of Villains already pulled up on the screen. “You’ve heard of them, right?” 

Himiko scoffed. “Of course. Everyone and their mother have heard of them by now... What do they have to do with our business though?” she asks, narrowing her eyes as her pupils shrink. She unknowingly begins moving her hand down to where she keeps the knives on her leg. 

In response to the threatening movements, Giran opens the bag on the ground to reveal at least ten blood bags, all packed full of her favourite blood type to consume: O. Himiko’s attempt at intimidation faltered, and her eyes remained fixated on the blood. 

Giran chuckles, zipping up the bag and snapping Himiko out of her trance, putting her in an annoyed state. “The League is looking for some members. Right when I was about to start digging through my connections, your little backstory popped right into my head. You’ve attacked, what, six guys now? All in the hospital?” 

“... Eight.” 

Giran’s eyes widen. “Geez, must’ve missed the news about the hospitalizations then.” His tone indicated he was lying, but Himiko just wanted to get the interaction over with by this point. 

“So, you want me to join this stupid little organization for the blood?” she snaps, teeth bared. 

“Exactly. Think about it; you’re getting over seven times your usual supply of blood for joining an organization that’s willing to take you in, despite your status as a wanted criminal. What’s more, their benefactor would surely buy you enough blood to keep you happy, just as long as you obey orders,” Giran points out, making sure to make the offer sound as appealing as possible. “Your options are jail or this, kid. The Heroes and cops aren’t exactly known to let eight attempted murders slide, Toga.” 

Himiko hisses at him, feeling her control of her bloodlust beginning to slip. “I’m not joining some stupid Villain club! I don’t want to hurt anymore people, you know that!” 

Giran sighs, picking up the duffle bag. “That’s a real shame, Toga. You’ve been doing consistent business with me for months now, so it hurts that you would decline the offer. No skin off my back, though. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to track down a more willing client.” 

“W-wait!” Himiko shouts, grabbing Giran by the arm. “P-please, at least let me buy my usual! I’ll even pay double!” 

“Didn’t you hear me? The offer was conditional. You aren’t getting anything from me from this point onward. Goodbye, Toga.” The man tries to pull his arm free, but Himiko’s grip deepens. Giran responds by pushing her to the ground, her hand being scrapped as she tries to catch herself. As she attempted to get up, the sight of blood on the ground, even though it was her own, had her fixated. Her vision and thoughts began to get cloudy as the bloodlust fully seeped into her thoughts, drowning the sense of morality the girl was once showing. 

In her state, Himiko barely heard Giran punch in a number and began speaking to someone on his phone near the end of the alley. “Long time no talk, m... Listen, I need a favor, y...? Can you swing by the... address... send you...  minutes? I... new member for... told you about... Good, good... I’ll m... speak with you a... Twi...” 

Before Himiko could hear the last part, she fell unconscious, the last steps of her bloodlust’s takeover finishing up. 

Izuku stood outside the restaurant, waiting for his mother while the others stood inside, doing their best to get a table. As much as he tried, he couldn’t see his mother in the crowd, and he attempted to move through the people to get a look. But as he moved, he heard something slide across the ground, before a crushed can hit the side of his foot. Looking into the alley, he saw a small flash of movement from the corner. 

He knew All Might would be disappointed in him, but Izuku decided to investigate anyway, his hand hovering over the panic button in his pocket in case things went badly. 

Despite having seen movement before and being sure someone was in the alley with him, investigating several potential hiding spots revealed no one, even down each path of the crossroads. Some rustling from inside the trash can did catch his attention. However, investigating the inside of it revealed a startled cat attempting to get an easy bit of thrown out food. The cat ran away as Izuku tried to coax it out. 

The teen sighed, realizing that was probably the source of the movement, and he took a step back. The step back turned into a slip as his foot caught on something loose and he fell backwards on his back. Wincing at the impact, he quickly gets back onto his feet, looking in front of him to see what he slipped on. In front of him sat a hair tie with a few blonde hairs in it... 

And a knife. 

Feeling a crawling sensation on the back of his neck, Izuku’s instincts caused him to whip his head to look behind and above him. He was met with the sight of a girl not much older than him jumping from the rooftop, a glint of metal in her hands and a grip that showed she was ready to stab the metallic object into its target. Immediately, Izuku rolled to the side, the girl crashing painfully into the ground beside him, but got up quickly, her body only covered in minor scrapes rather than the broken bones she surely should have had. 

Her hair was unkempt, one side stuck in a bun with hairs sticking out of it while the other was clearly stuck in a bun until the hair tie came loose and fell off. Her eyes with wild, bloodthirsty intent written behind them as she licked her canines, which resembled a cat’s more than his own. She shifts on her feet; the minor adjustments clearly being made to compensate for any pain she may have felt, and Izuku begins to prepare himself for the next attack, pressing the panic button as he did so. 

His mind jumps back to Kamui’s takedown training, and he got into a fighting stance. The girl rushed forward, her knife in a reverse grip as she attempted to slash him, Izuku sidestepping and ducking under each of the attacks. With each one, he made sure not to activate his Quirk, ensuring he would only use it to escape a potentially fatal attack. 

As she missed her fifteenth attack, she hissed, jumping back as she bared her teeth. “Just give me some of your blood already! I need to see the pretty red!” she shouts, an almost sing-song tone to her voice. She vanishes from Izuku’s sight, causing him to panic and look wildly around him in search of the girl. 

Hearing a giggling from beside him, he looks over swiftly, only to once again feel that crawling sensation. He turns just in time to react to a knife being stabbed directly at his face, moving his head over just in time to only receive a shallow cut across his cheek. Seizing the chance from the last-ditch effort attack from the blonde, Izuku grabs her wrist and bicep, bending her arm the wrong way just enough to cause her to drop the weapon. 

With the assailant disarmed, Izuku twists her arm to force it behind her back before forcing her to the ground, pinning her other arm that was attempting the slash wildly with her nails. As the blood from the cut dripped from his face and onto the ground, he noticed with a pang of pity as she desperately tried to lick the crimson liquid from the alley pavement. Presumably, a behaviour caused by a Quirk-related blood dietary need. 

He was broken from his thoughts by someone walking into the alley while talking very loudly to themselves. “This job sucks! Why did I have to take it? This is the easiest thing ever! It’s time for my payday!” the voice shouts, before the body the voice came from turned the corner. The one responsible for the wildly conflicting statements was a man wearing a black and grey mask, the colours split horizontal across the bridge of his nose halfway up his head. The man easily spots Izuku and gives him a simultaneous thumbs up and thumbs down. “Thanks for making this easier for me, little man! I didn’t want to hurt a little girl! Boo, you ruined my fun, you little brat!” 

As the man with twin personalities approaches Izuku to try and take the girl from him, another person could be heard, this one filling Izuku with a sense of relief. “I am here... Coming to check on Young Midoriya!” Toshinori shouts, the man having shown up to the encounter in his Hero form. 

It took the man a mere few seconds to realize the situation, glancing at Izuku, a cut donning his face, pinning a thrashing girl on the ground, and the other man in the twin-coloured mask in the process of taking another step towards the two, hands in the air. “I see we have two people to bring in for questioning! Now, Young Midoriya has the girl covered. Would you like to make this easy, or difficult for you?” the Hero asks, cracking his knuckles. 

The sound of the number one Hero readying his fists was enough for the masked man to go from hands in the air to on the ground in a begging stance. “I’m really sorry! Don’t hurt me, I didn’t want to do this job, honest! I’m not sorry at all! Do your worst, All Might!” 

Izuku and All Might both look at each other in confusion at the reaction, before the Hero ultimately decided to cuff the two and call Tsukauchi, the man not having the patience to deal with the two potential Villains without the help of friend in the authorities.

Chapter Text

To say Izuku’s mother was worried about him having gone and taken down a knife-wielding girl on his own would be an understatement. 

After calling and informing her the meetup spot would be relocated to the police station rather than the restaurant, the trio of Sasaki, Torino and Toshinori were met with the amusing sight of Inko trapping her son in an All Might-strength hug, constantly muttering whispers of worry as the blush on her son’s face continued to grow to concerning levels. The Number One Hero would insist that he did not chuckle as his successor’s misfortune. 

“Mom, please, you’re crushing my ribs...” Izuku manages to gasp out, being released by his mother as she continues to fret over him. “Thanks... Anyway, Toshinori-sensei, how are those two doing?” 

“We’ll need to head past the lobby to cover the details. Active case, sensitive information, after all.” Torino waves for the group to move in, and Inko politely bows, waving her son away as she goes to chat with the receptionist to pass the time. 

After some time of walking, the Hero finally sighs and answers the question. “They're doing well, all things considered. We’ve had to keep the mask on the man who identified himself as Twice, as he responded rather violently to attempts to remove it. As for the girl...” His expression shifted to one of discontent. “Her records are far less clear cut in the situation she’s in. While Twice’s record indicates a history of petty theft and street brawls alongside unlicensed Quirk usage, Toga Himiko has several attempted murders attached to her name. Despite her Quirk record indicating the actual Quirk she possesses is unknown, we are aware that she has a fascination with blood due to it, and there had been bloodstained straws found near the victims.” 

“So, a blood Quirk that causes an urge to consume blood?” Izuku asks, receiving a nod in response. “Hmm... Why would she be attacking people though? And why is her record so blank? Her parents had to have known she would have special dietary needs, so why did she feel to need to source blood through aggressive means?” 

Torino takes the chance to take over. “That’s... unfortunately where more of the bad news comes in. Like yourself, she’s only ever had one Quirk appointment.” Izuku’s eyes widen in realization. “Yeah. There was definitely something fishy going on, so I did a bit of digging, kid. After Toga attacked her classmate and ran away a year or so back, her parents were rather quick to disown her, rejecting all responsibility for the girl’s actions.” 

Izuku felt sick to his stomach, his breaths becoming deeper as his mind raced to all sorts of conclusions. Nausea, distress, sympathy and anger all found themselves quickly replacing each other in a loop as the main emotion the teen was feeling. But before he could spiral further, a firm but kind hand found its way onto his shoulder. Looking up, he saw the reflective glasses of Sasaki. “Are you okay, Midoriya?” 

“I... Yes, I’m fine.” The teen takes a deep breath. “I’ll be okay.” 

The Hero nods. “That’s good. Normally, Heroes-in-training wouldn’t be exposed to cases this severe until the second semester of their third year... but your being an Apprentice of a high-ranking Hero means that the comfort of innocence of these types of investigations is not something we can afford.” The explanation, while blunt and harsh, was harshly true. Everyone in the room knew it. 

Even if he knew crimes like these were still very real, he didn’t have to like that they existed. And it seems that his mentor agreed. “It’s not wrong to be angry or upset about these things, Young Midoriya. But you must remember to harness and use those emotions productively, or else progress in the investigation will halt, and a criminal could get away with more crimes.” 

“I understand, Toshinori-sensei,” Izuku responds, and a series of impressed nods come from the Heroes in front of him. 

“Tsukauchi is set to be here soon, right?” Sasaki asks, and Toshinori nods. “Good.  Midoriya, I would recommend that you sit in with the rest of us behind the glass for the interrogation room. It’s one of the nicer ones, before you start worrying.” Izuku, despite having a concern answered, raises a hand to say something, but is beat to the punch. “And yes, we will be testing the blood theory by giving her a sterile blood packet to drink if she proves uncooperative and violent to start.” 

Izuku nods as the detective makes his way around the corner to the group, three coffees on a tray in one hand and two bottles of water in the other. “Sorry about the wait. Traffic was a nightmare.” He hands out the beverages to the group, the coffees being for Nighteye and Torino, and the waters for Toshinori and Izuku. “I was filled in on the way to the station. We’ve already chatted with Twice, so I’ll just be there to help confirm his story later. For now, we’ll be chatting with Toga.” The detective didn’t miss the way the Hero Apprentice’s hands tensed as he led them down the halls towards the interrogation rooms, no one particularly keen on what truths may await them, but searching for it nonetheless. 

“Kizuki-san, Kizuki-san!” an intern shouts after the reporter, attempting to catch her breath as they finally managed to get the woman’s attention.  

“What is it? I have an important meeting to attend,” Chitose asks, annoyance plain as day on her face.  

The intern swallows nervously, a shaking hand giving a phone to the reporter. “T-there’s a call for you, ma’am.”  

Confused as the why intern was so nervous, she took a look at the caller ID of the muted call, and her face went from a deep blue to pale as the sky. She quickly shot a direction to the intern to inform Yotsubashi-sama she would be unable to attend, and unmuted the call, a shaky hand bringing the phone up to her ear. “H-hello sir. How may I be of service to you?”  

“There will be some files on your computer. Ones that, while I am sure are useful, I myself do not have the time to spare and look through. I am aware of your opinion piece on UA being released soon, and I want you to have an investigative piece ready using those files for the day of the Sports Festival. Faith in UA needs to be as poor as possible. Disappoint, and you shall find the life you know will not be present for much longer.” The call ended before she could get a word in edgewise.  

Another shaky breath, and she begins the short journey to her office, not eager to disappoint All For One, her heart beating rapidly in her chest and a shortness of breath. When she turned her computer on, sure enough, they were there. A deep breath, and she began clicking through everything.  

And what she found was shocking. UA had informed them on the first official day of the year that All Might was never employed by UA for anything other than that year’s Hero Course acceptance letters. But all this information... All these documents... This authentic evidence! She needed to assemble her team, and get to work immediately! She had to let the people know that-  

Chitose shook herself awake from the memory, taking the last sip of her coffee as she finally managed to finish the article that had her life hanging in the balance. It was rather short and sweet, but it got to the point, and would surely spike a great deal of mistrust in UA. 

A knock on the door catches her attention. The journalist quickly presses a button to unlock it, and in comes that same intern from before, passing her a memo and a fresh coffee before swiftly moving to leave, face pale beyond compare. “Hold on, a moment.” The request from Chitose is short, but to the point, and the intern quickly turns around, not eager to hear what may happen next. “You’ve done well this week. You’ve been under the highest amount of stress one could be in the field, I understand that. So, I’m making you an offer. I can either write a letter of recommendation for you to swap jobs... or you can take a position as one of my personal assistants. Big pay raise and benefits included. Just think about it, okay?”  

The intern looked like she was about to cry from relief. “T-thank you so much, Miss Kizuki!” she all but shouts before leaving the office, gently closing the door behind her. As the woman left, Chitose began reading the memo she was left. It had two simple notes on it: 

- Editors have given the go-ahead for posting your new investigative article  

- “He” wants you to send any notable information, as well as an uncensored version of the article  

Chitose stared at the memo with a blank face. Thankfully, she knew that man would likely want any noteworthy findings there could be, no matter how minor. And the name of the student who’s expulsion caused All Might to leave... Surely that would be notable enough for All For One. 

With her editors having given the clear, she finishes the last touches to the formatting before positing the article, and sending the other data to an anonymous email. Glancing down at the coffee on her desk, she sighs, knowing she damn well didn’t feel comfortable sleeping until she got a response from the man holding her life in his hands. She grabbed the coffee and took a large sip. 

If there was one silver lining to today, it was that she got to enjoy that intern’s impressively made drinks. 

The three Heroes and the Hero-in-training sat behind the one-way glass. The girl’s oversized sweater that she wore over her school uniform sat on the table, and her eyes rapidly darted from the handcuffs to the glass, and from the glass to the camera in a repeated loop, as though she were a trapped animal. 

Izuku didn’t like the fact that was the first thing that popped into his mind upon seeing her behaviour. 

The doorknob turned, and her cat-like pupils became pins, staring directly at the detective as he walked in along with an extra officer, who was carrying a cooler. The girl seemed conflicted on whether or not to focus on the detective or the cooler, surely having already figured out what was in it. A snap of the detective’s fingers brought her attention back to the man. 

He hits a button on the device in front of him, built into the table. “This is Detective Tsukauchi Naomosa, beginning questioning of teenage suspect. Names will be stricken from the recording once complete. Now... You are Toga Himiko, correct?” The question is rhetorical, asked purely for the interview recording. Toga gives no response. “Are you all right with this interview being recorded, or would you prefer it be done in a transcription?” No response once again. 

“Should we test the theory, Tsukauchi?” the other officer in the room asks, hand shifting slightly to open the cooler. 

The detective sat in contemplation for a few moments, before nodding. “Yes. We shall be testing a theory suggested by a student of the arresting Hero. The student theorized that her Quirk could have something to do with blood, and a lack of consumption of blood has led to negative side effects. We will be giving Toga Himiko a pouch of blood containing approximately five hundred millimeters of blood, and recording the reaction,” Tsukauchi explains, the officer opening the cooler and removing one of the four blood pouches inside. 

Very carefully, a straw is poked into it and the item is held up for Toga to drink from. The girl leans forward, sucking on the straw and draining the pouch as fast as she could without giving herself a stomachache. After a short period, it was completely drained and the teen had gone from hyper vigilant and defensive to far more relaxed and lucid. 

“Toga Himiko, how are you feeling?” Tsukauchi asks, noticing the girl flinch. “Would you prefer to be called by your first name, or an alias?” 

“F-first name is fine, thank you...” she mumbles, shrinking in on herself as she recognizes her surroundings. Vague details of what she did starting flowing back slowly as tears began to prick the corners of her eyes. “What... what did I do, detective?” 

“From the current information we have... You seem to have lost control of yourself from a lack of blood consumption, leading to you attacking a Hero Course student who saw movement from the alley you were found in, and began to investigate.” The man’s explanation caused Himiko to whimper, tears finally flowing  down her cheeks. “Now, Himiko. I want to be able to assist you as best as I can. The Hero that arrested you does too. So, I need you to do your best to remember any crimes you may have committed, okay? Your cooperation would assist us greatly.” 

Himiko took a deep breath, her hands shaking as the guilt became clear as day on her face. “I... Okay...” she says. Hesitantly, she begins listing off the approximate locations and times she had attacked people and drank some of their blood, and, after a clear amount of deliberation and hesitation, the name of someone who had supplied her with blood for a price. The attacks decsribed matched with what they already knew, more or less. But that wasn’t all she had to say. “That man... He tried to get me to join some... group. I think it was those people who attacked that UA facility... I lost control because he refused to sell me any blood when I declined the offer...” she managed to choke out before she began sobbing. 

“That matches up with what Bubaigawara told is about the situation... Thank you for your cooperation, Himiko. Would you like a minute or two before we escort you back?” he asks, and Himiko nods, trying to wipe the years away without much success. The detective reaches across the table and turns off the recorder. “Just off the record, here... I noticed you flinched quite harshly when I said your family name. I won’t pressure you to speak about anything today, but... I can help. Just keep it in mind, okay?” he says, sliding a card with both his and the police station’s information on it. Himiko accepts it without much fuss. 

Izuku watched the girl try and calm herself down with a conflicted look on his face. He didn't know what to say, or what he could do to try and help her. He knew he should leave it to the authorities, but they couldn’t do anything if she didn’t come forward. It was so frustrating. Toshinori, sensing the growing emotions in his Apprentice, placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, giving the boy a soft smile when he turned to look at him. It reminded the boy to take a deep breath, and calm down. 

The two went to take a walk as Mirai and Torino discussed matters, missing when Himiko spoke up once again. 

In an empty, dark alleyway, Chizome drew his eyes from the list of remaining Heroes he was set to hunt in Hosu and read the article opened on his phone, ignoring the sound of engines as cars passed by. With each passing sentence, his grip on his phone kept tightening, and he found himself looking to etch in just one more name on the list of four Heroes. 

The amount of evidence suggesting the argument in this article was true... There was no way this could be the typical lies and half-truths of the Hero media. They were echoing the beliefs he had already held true, but the issue was rooted far deeper than he could have imagined. It was almost too much for a man like him to alleviate, to cleanse. 

But he had declared it so that he would. This world of filthy, fake Heroes would be cleaned. After all, if it was so far gone that even He wouldn’t support it any longer... 

His remaining targets in Hosu would receive harsher punishments. Those who were taught by the recent filth of UA would receive his vengeance as well, regardless of if they were on the list. The dreaded stain of hero society would be cleansed. Chizome swore it on his life, lest All Might himself ended up before his mission was complete. 

Movement flashed from the corner of his eye. Glancing behind him, he saw the Hero Ingenium. “I’ve found the Hero Killer! I’m ready and set to engage!” the Hero shouts, getting into a combat stance. 

Stain growls, pocketing his phone and drawing his katana as he turns around, glare fixated directly at the interrupting Hero. He watches as the Hero rushes forward, using his Quirk to attempt to catch him off guard. Stain doesn’t even want to humor the pitiful UA graduate, leaping in the air as the Hero rushes, landing just behind him. 

Not giving the Hero a chance for an opening, Stain closes the small gap between them and slashes diagonally across Ingenium’s back, the jagged blade of the katana shredding the thin armor and the flesh, causing the Hero to drop to the ground in pain before Stain had even used his quick. Flipping the Hero over before licking his katana, the Hero Killer smirks as Ingenium freezes, unable to move as blood began to slowly flow from the back wound and puddle on the ground. 

“The well of Heroism has grown so ill, so corrupted that even the greatest seed to have been grown from it has rejected the place he flourished...” Stain mutters in anger, throwing two knives to pierce the kneecaps of the Hero, prompting him to scream in agony. “It has grown so corrupted that they threw away the one seed, the one sapling of a Hero that All Might had declared worthy!” Another shout, two more knives thrown, this time piercing Ingenium’s shoulders. 

“I... I need... back-” Ingenium’s plea for help and call for backup to his location is cut off by a spiked boot to the side of the head, knocking his helmet off and into the wall of a building. 

The Hero Killer swaps his blade to his kodachi, holding it in a reverse grip above Ingenium and staring into the fake’s pleading, fearful eyes. “I do this today to make a world of Heroics All Might can be proud of! I am cleansing the world of you fakes, you UA filth so that the world may produce true Heroes! And you, Ingenium... To go after me alone... To try and claim the glory for yourself... You’re just as bad as any other fame or money obsessed Hero... And you shall share their same fate!” Stain shouts, stabbing straight through the top of Ingenium’s sternum and nearly piercing the pavement underneath the Hero. 

Stain takes that chance to leave, already beginning to hear the faint sounds of the Hero’s backup arriving. He left the kodachi pierced in the man, as a mere professional courtesy to the fact he had been an upstanding Hero much earlier in his career, before Stain felt that he had fallen. 

“Are you all right now, Young Midoriya?” Toshinori asks, patting Izuku on his shoulder in comforting gesture. The teen only nodded in response, bringing a mild frown to the Hero’s face, but he ignored it. He knew better than to force someone to open up about something. “Perhaps the check-up with Bubaigawara will go better?” he offered. 

“Didn’t they already question him?” Izuku asks, confusion washing over his face. 

Toshinori nods. “They did, but they need to question him again with the detective. Both to verify the answers, and to make sure he’s keeping his story mostly consistent. So, shall we go?” 

“Okay.” It was a one-word answer, but more than enough for Toshinori as he led the Hero Apprentice through the police station and to the other questioning room... Just to be met with the sight of Bubaigawara performing a mime act for Tsukauchi, who seemed to just be sipping his coffee as he finished taking his notes, nodding to the other officer who returned his guard at the mask-wearing man. Finally finishing the notes, the detective stood, awkwardly thanking the man for his act, before promptly and swiftly leaving the room. 

Only to be met with the sight of the stunned Number One Hero and his Apprentice. 

Tsukauchi sighs. “Please tell me you’ve only been there a little while... It was the only way he would answer our questions a second time.” 

“R-right... Did he have the location of anything important?” Toshinori asks. 

“Only a phone number for Giran. He didn’t have anything else. We can try and get an undercover Hero or officer in there, but it’s pretty risky... It’s all but officially confirmed that the man is working with Him at this point,” Tsukauchi replies, eyes glancing over to Izuku as the look of realization sets in on both his and the Hero’s faces. 

“We’ll have to take whatever information we can get... Any information that could be an advantage for us, that we can use to prepare...” Izuku mumbles, hand itching to write something, anything , but knowing it would be a bad idea. He wished he could find confidants for his Quirk aside from people his mentors knew and his mother. 

“Right you are, Young Midoriya. I shall need to prepare as well. Tsukauchi, can you forward the case files over to my agency so I can read them over myself later?” 

“Of course, Toshi. Though... I may need to make a selfish request of you,” he says cryptically, handing the Hero the files of both Toga and Bubaigawara. “The HPSC commission is looking to ‘find preventative measures to prevent minor Villains from being locked up.’ Fancy talk for the fact that they want to save the cells of Tartarus for people who are actually menaces to society at large, since they’re starting to run out of room with how many people do get locked up.” 

Toshinori nods, looking over the files once more, scanning for any keywords. “And what would we have to do with this situation?” he asks, no ill will present in his voice. The idea sounded familiar, like it had been mentioned as something they were absolutely, one hundred percent going to do as soon they could, but then never did. If they had a better game plan for it, the Hero would have donated a sizeable chunk of his salary to keep it funded with no hesitation, but as it stood... Well, there was a reason it was still only a barebones idea he barely ever thought of. 

“Right, well... Before any of the prospective rehabilitation centers can get funding, they want to do a test run of a Hero watching over them. And... Well, you saw both of them. They aren’t wholly bad people, they just trying to live the best they can with the shitty hand they’ve been delat, pardon my language,” Tsukauchi reasons, and what the detective is implying clicks in Izuku’s head. 

“You want Yagi-sensei and I to watch over them for a trial period, right?” Izuku asks, and Toshinori finds himself a little bit in shock when the detective nods his head. 

“That’s right. Normally, I’d just contact Eraser Head or UA, but... Well, both of those aren’t really options right now. With how important it is that an idea like this actually succeeds, we can’t afford to tarnish the reputation with it being associated directly with UA... And we all know why I can’t contact Aizawa about this.” The silent agreement felt between the three men was loud enough to speak volumes about how much their opinion of Aizawa had fallen. 

“I can’t imagine I would end up declining, but we’ll need to run it by Sasaki and Gran first. It wouldn’t be polite to drop something like this one them without giving any amount of heads up,” Toshinori says, receiving a nod from the detective. “Mind pointing us in their direction?” 

Tsukauchi points in the direction of the lobby. “Torino said he needed to check something in the lobby, Sasaki went back to his agency to meet up with his work study student.” 

“Thank you, again, Tsukauchi. We’ll go chat with Mrs. Midoriya and Torino, and you should go run that offer by Toga and Bubaigawara, just so we can be on the same page when we chat about it in the near future,” Toshinori explains, receiving a thumbs up from the detective before the man speaks into his earpiece, giving directions to some officers to get the two into the same questioning room. 

With no further business to address, Toshinori and Izuku continue their walk, this time heading back to the police station lobby, unaware of the chaos occurring in the outside world. 

After negotiations between the members of the fifth-place team of which two members would proceed, the final match-ups had been decided. Everyone looked up to the giant display, looking for the names of the students who would be fighting each other. And the list seemed far slanted towards 1-B than one would have guessed, an outcome which surprised even Midnight and Present Mic. 

Komori Kinoko vs Tsunotori Pony  

Iida Tenya vs Kamakiri Togaru  

Shiozaki Ibara vs Bakugou Katsuki  

Honenuki Juzo vs Todoroki Shouto  

Kirishima Eijiro vs Awase Yosetsu  

Kendou Itsuka vs Yanagi Reiko  

Tokage Setsuna vs Tokoyami Fumikage  

Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu vs Yaoyorozu Momo  

The competing students began glancing around, locking eyes with their respective opponents. While each member of 1-B seemed so filled with determination, it was clear the members of 1-A who did make it into the finals were nervous. Be it about wanting to impress someone, be it about not wanting to hurt anyone badly, or even nervous about the change in energy from the crowd, they were extremely nervous, a fact not helped by Present Mic’s announcements. 

“With the second round of the festival out of the way, it’s time for an intermission! Make sure to refresh your refreshments, use the bathroom if you have to, and watch some general education students participate in the recreational activities we’ll be having before the real show starts! You won’t wanna miss this!”  

With no one to bounce off, Present Mic was slightly less appealing as a commentator for the Sports Festival, but his enthusiasm was still appreciated for the students in the increasingly tense atmosphere. It was painfully obvious for the students that something was wrong, but no one knew exactly what it is. They had some hunches though. 

“Hey... Wasn’t Backdraft in the audience a while back? Where’d he go?” one of the students asked, and it didn’t take long before more and more people noticed a mildly dwindling crowd, mostly civilians of those who left entirely, but even a few Heroes had. Those who stayed were undeniably giving them more scrutiny, and were looking for them to make mistakes to rag on. 

In their viewing box, 1-A sat, slumped in their seats as the observations continued. “Man... This blows! I thought things would be kinda fun today, but it feels like everyone’s giving the third degree! What’s we even do!?” Hagakure shouts in despair, dramatically flopping over onto Ashido. 

“Yeah, those looks everyone have been giving us... It’s bumming me out a lot,” Kirishima remarks, and the rest of the class gives sounds of agreement. 

Ashido wails in despair. “Why’s it always gotta be us getting cramped on like this!? Fate’s had it out for us since day one!” she whines. Iida was about to remark on her language, but got interrupted by Ojiro, who grabbed his phone. 

“Take a look at this, guys!” he shouts, sending it to one of the group chats he had with the class members, which then got passed around to every single guy’s chat or number, as well as the girls group chat. Ojiro had sent a link to an article which, when opened and read by everybody, suddenly explained why the mood became so tense. 

It was an article detailing what had happened during their first week, how a student had been expelled, and damning evidence proving All Might was set to teach there. None of the class knew how to react to that, stunned that they almost missed the announcement over their booth asking Iida to proceed to the preparation room. He moved swiftly, shaking his head and regaining his bearings as he walked away. The rest of the class did so as well. 

Eventually, it’s Uraraka who breaks the silence. “So, that rumor was true? All Might really was supposed to teach us...” 

“... Yeah. He was.” Surprisingly, it was Bakugou who replied. Hearing a calm reply from him, while not uncommon since the USJ attack, still felt wrong on the ears of the rest of the class. “And he left after that damn De- after Izuku got expelled,” he spat, as though he was forcing himself to give some begrudging respect to his assumed rival after the revelation at hand. The shock at Bakugou giving someone respect almost caused them to miss the fact that Tsunotori had won the first match. 

No one knew how to respond to it. The fact that All Might, the Hero , the one everyone thinks of when they think of an inspiration as to why they want to become a Hero... He had abandoned the opportunity to teach the next generation all for one student who lost his own chance. Why did he do that? What was so important about Izuku that All Might would leave when the teen got expelled? 

While no one knew for sure, many had their guesses. And of those who had their own guesses, the few who had paid attention to the news or had witnessed a Villain attack from over a year ago, and remembered the two teens All Might had saved... They had a more accurate suspicion towards what may have happened, to varying degrees of belief in the thought. And it was all beginning to lead towards a resentment towards 1-A from the other classes. 

The tense feelings in the air only grew when Iida didn’t return to the booth after his loss against Kamakiri after several matches. One of the boys received a text from Iida, simply saying ‘I had to leave. Family emergency.’ There was nothing else to it. No clarification, which continued to unnerve 1-A, but they could not focus on that. They still had a tournament to watch, regardless of the continuing glances of varying emotions sent their way. 

A Hero never wavers under pressure, right? 

In his usual dark room, All For One sat at his computer, using the Quirks he stole for supplementing his vision to glance effortlessly at the various parts of his reports just received, courtesy of Curious. On the page, there was some very peculiar information. Names of staff members and their Quirks he thought may be useful if the opportunity ever arose, as the same with students. 

Oh, what joy he got from having someone under his thumb do the highlighting for him. 

He continued to scan the important notes pages. Former employee, Aizawa Shouta and his Quirk, Erasure, seemed like something that could pair well with a line of easily portable Nomu. Ishiyama Ken and his Cement Quirk could be used in many ways, almost all of which would be advantageous to whichever side held it. Yaoyorozu Momo’s Quirk, while seemingly a gold mine on paper, was something he ended up disregarding. Both he and Tomura did not appreciate Quirks that required that much active studying to use properly, and he wasn’t getting any younger, much to his own dismay. 

Oh, but how Curious had truly delivered. The 1-A roster highlights helped him refocus his thoughts off the Quirks and back onto the matter at hand. After having already confirmed All Might was, in fact, set to be employed by UA before he left in solidarity with a student, it took a mere glance at the first and second edition rosters of this year’s Class 1-A seating chart to realize who the odd duck out was. Midoriya Izuku... Now where had he heard that name... Glancing up ever so slightly, he noticed a name that was very familiar to him at the moment. 

Bakugou Katsuki. 

Grinning, he began running both names through internet and file searches, and he was quite pleased with the results. Bakugou and Midoriya had both attended the schools, the last being Aldera Junior High if you didn’t count his brief acceptance to UA High. And when he glanced to his second monitor, he was greeted with a series of articles from about a year ago... 

Two Aldera Junior High students attacked by a Villain with a sludge Quirk, only to be saved by the sudden appearance of Japan’s very own number one Hero. The picture was clear as day, showing the two in the article matched the appearances on the junior high ID cards. And what’s more, a video of the event showed Midoriya charging in recklessly, seemingly with no plan at all, in order to save his classmate... 

All For One found himself grinning. If that type of reckless abandon wasn’t what that blonde fool of a man would pick for his successor, he wouldn’t pick anyone at all. He knew exactly who he’d be keeping his main focus on for the foreseeable future. Oh, how that man continued to play into his hands so predictably. 

Izuku and Toshinori weren’t sure what to expect when they went back to the front desk of the police station to meet up with Inko and Torino. There was a great deal of conversations they could be having, after all. So perhaps it wasn’t too surprising to see the duo gossiping about embarrassing stories of their son and student respectively, though it was absolutely embarrassing for them. 

Izuku took the opportunity to duck away and check a text he had received earlier, lest he be pelted by Torino’s remarks about some of those stories. Toshinori, however, was not granted such mercy, and Inko began her own assortment of teasing and prodding at the man’s expense. Which led another sight that was unexpected and funny to those in the know; 

The emancipated Symbol of Peace covering his face in one hand as a mother in her thirties began to spout off embarrassing stories she had been told, some of which occurred before the woman telling them was even a thought in her parents’ minds. 

The teasing continued for a few more minutes before the elderly Hero noticed something. “That Apprentice of yours is taking a long time to answer a couple texts, eh Toshi? Think he’s chatting it up with a girl?” the man asks with a singular eye brow nudge, prompting eye rolls from both Inko and Toshinori. 

“I’m sure he’s just getting caught up in a conversation. Most of the class should be watching the final rounds by now, if my memory of the schedule serves me right... I’ll go grab him though. We do need to head out soon,” he says, chuckling as he walks down the hall after Izuku. 

It doesn’t take long before the man finds the teen, frozen in place and taking harsh breaths as he grips his phone tight enough his hands were turning white. “Young Midoriya, are you okay?” he asks, placing his hand on the teen’s shoulder, who barely responded as he kept staring in an angry shock at the screen. “What’s wrong, my boy?” Wordlessly, the phone is handed to him. Toshinori quickly scroll to the top of the page and discovers what has him so appalled. 

Investigation: UA High Lied About Their Lack of Connection with All Might. A Shocking Truth with Irrefutable Evidence has been Uncovered  

Normally, Toshinori would laugh this off, concluding it to be nothing but a load of tabloid garbage, if not for a few reasons. The first being that UA was already under heavy scrutiny, meaning any hit piece needed to have some weight behind it to get in a heavy hit. The second was due to the publisher and writer, both being highly reputable sources many more times than not. And the last... UA’s schedules were notorious for being nigh impossible to photoshop, Nedzu himself having developed a special font only he could access. This wasn’t photoshopped. 

And like a wave of cold water tossed upon him, a feeling of dread crawled into his chest as he remembered the break-in at the start of the year. Why Shigaraki Tomura had been so adamant about All Might being employed by UA, and why he had still attacked. While he clearly didn’t read everything, lest the casualties been much, much worse, the man-child still read and took pictures of the first week’s schedule... 

Before it would have been changed from a re-print. And from all the other documentation on here, it was clear that wasn’t the only thing he had been assigned to take pictures of. The most damning thing on here was how Miss Kizuki had managed to deduce that Izuku had been the reason he left, a sentiment which, based off the quick glance at the comments on the article, was very easy to believe when you could prove it to be the most logical explanation. 

But of course, as Toshinori handed the teen his phone back the feeling of annoyance at this journalistic was replaced once again with dread as he recalled who was behind the face of the League of Villains, behind Shigaraki Tomura. Judging from the panic look on Izuku’s face, he had remembered the same thing. “Young Midoriya, we need to move.” There was no room for argument, and Izuku nodded. 

“I think we need to get my mom to Might Tower... It’s the safest place she could be aside from maybe I-Island, and if He knows who I am now...” Izuku shudders, pocketing his phone and quickly heading back down the hall, Toshinori following closely behind. “From what you’ve told me, he won’t do anything that’s too obvious. Regardless of what he thinks we know at this point; this man sounds like someone who wants to make the most dramatic attack possible, to make sure everyone knows who the top dog is, and to utterly humiliate his opponents to get what he wants...” 

Toshinori nods. “Indeed. We have time, but it’s hard to say how much... Hell, with how many eggs he’s put into a particular basket, he may be waiting to weaken more parts of Hero society using Shigaraki before he tries to do us in. We should remain alert, and ready to move while we train you.” The implication of abandoning Japan to continue training at I-Island if the situation calls for it remains an unsaid, heavy and regretful agreement between them, an understanding that Izuku continues to be angry at... 

The fact you can’t always save everybody. In the face of an overwhelming threat, sometimes your only option was retreat. It was something UA made sure to teach its students early on, lest their careers and lives end far too soon. 

“Toshi, what’s happening? You two look like you just witnessed a murder.” Torino’s snark was stone-faced stares, and he understood the situation. “That bad, huh? What’s the plan of attack, then?” 

“We need to get Izuku some practical experience, and overhaul his progress with his Quirk. While he has improved fast, we no longer have time to be picky about when he can train, so I will have to... bend my authority a bit to allow him to use it passively, even outside of practice patrols. As for Mrs. Midoriya...” Toshinori trails off. 

“What about me, Yagi-san? Inko asks hesitantly. 

Toshinori sighs, opening the article on his own phone before showing her. “It’s come out that Izuku was both expelled from UA, and that I was set to be a teacher before this happened. The fact that I left in solidarity is going to cause people to start making connections of many kinds... And I fear as though the source of this article’s information has come to the correct conclusion.” A look of horror crosses Inko’s face as she catches on. “For your own safety, we believe it would be better for you and Izuku to be moved into Might Towers, at the very least until that Villain is captured.” 

“I... I... I understand, Yagi-san,” she mutters before quickly hugging Izuku. “I’m so sorry, my baby boy... I... You’re being so brave about this, and here I am, trembling out of my own shoes...” Izuku goes to interrupt but his mother cuts him off while wiping a tear away from her face. “I won’t hear any of that. I know you’re scared too, but you’re so brave as well... Acting despite all that pressure on your shoulders, kind enough to try and claim fault for something out of your control... I’m so proud of you, Izuku. So, I need to be brave for you, like a mother should.” 

“Mom... You don’t have to be brave... But, thank you...” Izuku mutters, trying to hold his own tears in. 

“Right... I hate to interrupt the touching moment, but we need to get a car to bring us to the agency. And Toshi needs to text Sasaki to let him know what’s happened, as well as to call some of those employees of his to pick up their clothes from the apartment... Or get some new ones. Don’t know, don’t care. We need to get Mrs. Midoriya safe and ruin any chance of manipulation...” Torino muttered the last part, but Izuku caught it. And it didn’t take much thinking for the teen to realize that was what happened to Shimura Nana. 

With an understanding nod, everyone begins to move. As each person began to complete their own tasks, Toshinori sent the texts he was responsible for, as well as a couple to Tsukauchi. One requesting police escort for their ride to Might Tower, and the other requesting the two rehabilitation candidates be sent along with them, with the shocking Quirk-bracelets on. 

They’d figure a way out of this mess of things. A Hero never loses in the end. 

Chapter Text

“I’m sorry to say it, Mrs. Iida, but it’s impossible to tell when he’ll wake up. His injuries have been healed as best they can, but he had slipped into a coma before the operation could begin. We’ll have our best staff working around the clock to ensure he stays stable and in a position to recovery, rest assured... I’ll give you both some time.” The doctor grabs his clipboard and leaves the room, closing the door behind him as Tenya and his mother both stand there, a stunning despair cooling the blood in their veins as they realize Tensei has a chance to not wake up at all.  

As they realize Stain, the monster of a man he is, have not only killed his career, but his chances at even living his life further.  

Tenya couldn’t help but gently grip his brother’s hand with his own gloved one, tears threatening to poor out from his eyes as he silently wept, his mother’s hand finding its way onto his shoulders as she too began to weep.  

Tenya snaps back to reality as Kayama-sensei walks into the room, a smile on her face that seems a bit forced. She looks a bit tired, but the teen can’t bring himself to care at all at the moment. Regardless, she had announcements, so he forced himself to listen to her. 

“Good morning, 1-A! I hope you all had a good rest of your weekend.” The murmurs made the mixed feelings in the room very clear, and Kayama-sensei nervously cleared her throat before continuing. “Now, I know that article that came out during the Sports Festival was... Well, it was very damaging, no way around that... However, even considering that, your internship numbers were still rather impressive!” 

She presses a button on the projection disk, resulting in all the internship request numbers being displayed on the board. To everyone’s surprise, they had each gotten at least one. And to their further surprise, no one had surpassed one thousand requests... 

• Todoroki Shouto: 911 

• Yaoyorozu Momo: 639 
• Bakugou Katsuki: 612 
• Iida Tenya: 114 
• Tokoyami Fumikage: 103 

…  

The rest of the class had all been bundled up into a range of one offer to fifty, with no others surpassing it. It was both a relief and a disappointment to the students, with most murmuring questions about who may have wanted to take them in. Kayama-sensei cleared her throat again, catching everyone’s attention. “While the numbers are low, the fact that everyone got at least a single offer should be cause for celebration! And what’s more, just because you got an offer, it doesn’t mean you have to take it. We have twelve U.A.-sanctioned agencies with clearly labeled specialties if you would prefer to go with one of them instead.” 

Asui raises her hand and Kayama-sensei calls on her to ask her question. “Shouldn’t we be accepting these offers anyway? After all, these Heroes went out of their way to submit them, kero.” 

“You raise an excellent point, Asui. However... Not all offers are created equal. You’ll want to make sure you do your research on the type of Hero you’re looking into going with, if they seem to have well-meaning intentions or are only doing it for attention, their overall geographical location... There’s a lot to consider, you know.” The stressed look on her face suddenly seemed to be matched by the seventeen students in the room. “But don’t worry yourselves just yet! You have plenty of time to do that once class ends. For now... It’s time to decide your Hero Names! And you...” Kayama-sensei seemed to catch herself, before continuing. “I’ll be making sure they’re up to code, and not something you may regret picking a few years down the line!” 

The mood in the room shifted, smiles coming to the faces of the previously bummed out students. As their teacher gave whiteboards to the students in the front row for them to pass out, each student murmured to themselves or their seat neighbors about what a potential good name for themselves would be. Even with his lack of focus and regretful consideration, Iida could tell most of them wanted to pick something good, many of them even erasing whatever they had initially had in mind. 

A few minutes passed and eventually, Aoyama came up to the front, revealing his board to have... “I cannot stop twinkling!” Aoyama stated with seeming pride. Every single person in the class felt themselves wince upon hearing the suggested name. Kayama-sensei went to go whisper into his ear, before his grin widened and he threw his whiteboard to the side, pulling out... another whiteboard out of nowhere, with his actual proposed name on it: 

Sparkling Hero: Supernova  

“With this name, I shall be as bright and noticeable as the sun in the sky, mes amis!” Aoyama shouts, sparkles somehow appearing in mid-air as he presented this new whiteboard. The class chuckles, and Iida realizes Aoyama must have done that on purpose in order to ease the nerves of his classmates. 

Kayama-sensei claps her hands together. “What a wonderful pick, Aoyama! Approved!” she says, writing his name down on her clipboard and ticking off a box. “Now, who would like to go next?” 

Ashido takes her chance, stepping up to the podium and presenting her whiteboard. “Alien Queen!” she says, a bright smile on her face. 

Kayama-sensei hums in consideration. “That could run into a selection of issues, those being international copyright and potential... ahem, biases...” She taps her finger to her own chin, clearly deep in thought before she finally snaps to attention. “Ah, I know. How about you add a title related to your acid, and take out the alien part?” 

Ashido nods, quickly erasing something and writing it down before presenting the new name. “Acidic Hero: Queen!” 

“Approved!” their teacher chirps, the pink-skinned girl happily skipping back to her seat. “Now, who would like to–” She’s interrupted by Asui raising her hand. “Ah, Tsuyu-chan! Please, go right ahead.” 

Asui hops over, presenting her name of ‘Rainy Season Hero: Froppy’, she got a chorus of polite clapping. Despite her typically blank expression, it was clear as day that she was pleased with the positive response to her chosen name. Kirishima got a similar response to his chosen name, ‘Sturdy Hero: Red Riot’. 

Jirou seemed to be about to say something to Sero but shook her head before walking up with her board. “Hearing Hero: Earphone Jack.” While the rest of the class nodded in approval, Kayama-sensei gave a quizzical glance. “Is something wrong with that?” 

“Hmm? Not in itself, no... But naming yourself after your Quirk... Are you sure you don’t want to try something more unique? There aren’t many Heroes named after their Quirks, and it could cause confusion when the media begins to discuss you.” Noticing her student start to look down in thought, Kayama-sensei jumped to catch her point. “Perhaps you could try taking from one for your interests, and combine that with an aspect of how your Quirk works? That could be difficult, but it could make for a more unique and memorable name.” 

Jirou hummed, erasing part of the writing and replacing it. “Acoustics Hero: Beat Wave.” She looked at her teacher, waiting to see her reaction, and beamed when she saw a thumbs up. 

Jirou patted Shouji on the arm as they passed each other, the taller boy nodding as he presented his own chosen name. “Tentacle Hero: Tentacole,” he says, Kayama-sensei immediately replying with a thumbs up as the next person goes. 

The next few names go by in a rapid manner. Sero choosing a name complimented for being nice and simple, ‘Taping Hero: Cellophane.’ Ojiro chose one based in mythology, taking an insult used against him as a sign of strength, ‘The Martial Arts Hero: Sun Wukong.’ Sato took a bit of advice from Kayama-sensei, ultimately going with ‘Sweets Hero: Sugar Rush.’ Hagakure, in a similar vein to Sato’s advice, changed the actual name up entirely from what she had gone with, ending up with ‘Stealth Hero: Wraith.’ 

The next student to go up surprised him, Todoroki himself actually having volunteered to go up. He did not say a word to anyone, simply writing down something on his whiteboard before turning to present it to the class: 

Climate Hero: Ice Age  

“Oh? Are you sure you don’t want to... Ah, never mind. It’s kind of covered in the tagline anyway... Approved! Just remember everybody, if you change your mind, you’ll want to do it before your second set of internships, otherwise the name may stick!” Kayama-sensei calls the next few students up. 

The soft-spoken Koda came up, and, with a similar number of words to Todoroki, gave his name, ‘Petting Hero: Anima.’ The bubbly personality of Uraraka made for a rather cheerful response when she gave her name, ‘Zero Gravity Hero: Uravity.’ Tokoyami, ever the chuunibyou, went full-in on that idea, ‘Jet-Black Hero: Tsukoyomi.’ 

Tenya felt his body beginning to move to the front of the room before he had even processed it. He had presented the name, and he saw Kayama-sensei’s eyes widen. “Iida... Are you sure you want to pick that name? It could set some unreasonable expectations for your career, and...” She stopped, visibly unable to find the words as she looked at Tenya’s expression, glancing down to the whiteboard presented to the class. 

Turbo Hero: Ingenium  

“I’m sure. My brother would have wanted the name to live on, I’m certain of that.” He left no room for argument, and Kayama-sensei approved it after a good deal of hesitance. The class all let go of their conflicted feelings about the situation as their class representative went up to present her own name. 

Yaoyorozu took a deep breath, hiding her whiteboard behind the podium. “For some time now, I had been considering what I should have as my Hero Name. My original name had been one I had liked before... But after further thought, I believe this would be a better pick.” She lifted her whiteboard, presenting her chosen name to the class, and receiving claps. 

Creation Hero: Pandora  

“Ooh, Greek mythology! A box containing many things found in the world... Approved!” Kayama-sensei claps herself before calling up the last student, everyone taking a quick glance over to their seat. That student... was Bakugou Katsuki. 

He slowly crept up to the front, making sure his writing was completely hidden from everyone. He stood at the podium just as everyone else had, but his expression showed no nervousness or excitement. Rather, it was of regret and determination. “I ain’t gonna beat around the bush, here. Doesn’t matter how much of an accident was, I still did a bad thing at that stupid fucking dome.” Bakugou’s impromptu speech caught everyone off guard, to the degree not even their teacher commented on his language. “I can change the design to a revolver system and limit the storage tanks better all in retrospect, but I still... Still did that. There’re empty seats here ‘cause of me.” 

No one knew who the other person was supposed to be, and just assumed that he blamed himself for all three empty seats, regardless of how it had happened. “I can’t take any of that shit back, but I can’t let it bring me down either... So, I’m picking this name to have a new goal. I ain’t trying to be any number one anymore. I wanna be a Hero who can wear my costume and name damn proudly, so I can make my Hero damn proud of me.” With his speech done, he flipped his whiteboard up. 

Explosive Hero: Dynamight  

The class all stared at him in awe, well aware of the pressure he would be putting on himself to have a name even close to their current number one. Kayama-sensei looked to be stunned as well. “Such an impassioned speech, with heartfelt emotion strewn throughout... How can I say no to that?!” Their teacher rushed forward and gave Bakugou a hug, who grumbled in place but accepted it with tinted cheeks. “There’s no need to feel guilt over Kaminari and Shinsou’s spots, okay? And if you ever need to talk about... that, feel free to let any of the staff know... And that goes for the rest of you as well.” 

Kayama-sensei let go of the hug, allowing Bakugou to go back to his seat, but as he did so, Iida caught a rather peculiar whisper. “ Ain’t damn Pikachu or Eyebags I was talking about... ” The teen didn’t bother to ask him about it. 

He had his own troubles to deal with. 

“Come on, kid, you can go faster!” Torino shouts, clapping his hands as Izuku narrowly avoids being clotheslined by a sudden bar that shot out from the obstacle course’s wall. The teen grabs onto the bar and swings off it, using it to push himself forward a great distance rolling into a landing. As he landed, that crawling sensation on his neck returned, and he hopped forward a smidge to avoid getting pelted by... a tennis ball? 

Turning to his right, he saw Torino loading– “IS THAT A TENNIS BALL CANNON!?” The old man had the nerve to grin as he cranked it up to max speed, firing balls which the teen could barely avoid in time. Izuku, in a panic, bumped his percentage of One For All up from his typical seven to a higher one, surprised by how comfortable he had felt. Where he had previously was avoiding the shots by the skin of his teeth, he was now able to extremely comfortably avoid them. The crawling feeling continued, subtly advising him how to move in order to avoid the shots that were aimed ahead of him. 

The last obstacle of the course, a classic set out large, rubber-covered bouncy balls that were common in Pre-Quirk game shows. Screeching to a halt just before them, a ball whipped right past his face, the wind feeling sharp against his nose. Izuku then dashes quickly, hopping and tucking in his legs to land at the very edge of the first ball before pushing them out, managing to jump the rest of the way and, to show off slightly, perform the backflip he had been practicing. He landed perfectly and rang the bell, signifying the end of the course. He went to cheer and go discuss his results with Torino, but the crawling feeling returned. He whipped around to find himself getting hit hard in the face by the large yellow boot of the elderly Hero before he had the chance to really think about what that continuous feeling was. 

With One For All active, Izuku didn’t feel the hit as much as he otherwise would have, but he still had to deal with getting launched backwards and onto his back by the sudden attack, despite his best efforts to dodge. Izuku groaned as he rolled into a position to get up easier, quickly checking his nose to make sure it wasn’t bleeding before glaring at the now laughing Torino. “Ha! I wasn’t gonna let you get off that easy, kid!” Izuku grumbled, hopping off the course and heading over to the recording monitor, hoping to rewatch his efforts now that any thoughts he had about that feeling were firmly kicked out of him. “I saw that large power boost of yours. What percentage do you think you hit?” 

Izuku ponders that as he goes through the various menus to get to the recordings. “I was at about seven or eight before, so I think that jump was to... Twelve?... No, thirteen. It was definitely thirteen percent. It’s still not enough, though...” 

“You’re right about that. But that’s what we’re doing all this for,” Torino states firmly. “Unlike that blonde buffoon, you’re using your connections to your advantage. Building your skills, enhancing your training, allowing yourself to rely on others when need be. Every single holder of One For All, from what I’ve heard, worked by themselves or with very few allies. You’ve got damn near twice the number of trusted allies Toshinori has currently by virtue of overlap and your own efforts, and you have so many more than he did when he was your age, and you even have the big man himself to teach you fighting technique... Not to copy, but to learn from, before you go getting any funny ideas!” the man shouts, waving his cane near Izuku’s face. 

Izuku found himself laughing, despite the threat of bruises from the elderly Hero’s walking stick. “I think that lesson has been made extremely clear by now, Torino-sensei. But... Thanks for the reminder, sir!” Izuku’s infectious smile was on full display, and Torino couldn’t help the grin that made its way to his own face. Before the conversation could continue, however, the door to the training grounds opened, revealing a trio bringing lunch. 

“Ah, Young Midoriya! It’s great to see you only got hit by one of the tennis balls!” Toshinori laughs, ignoring the teen’s mildly disheartened mumbling. “Ah, can you two please set the food over on that break table in the corner there, Young Himiko, Young Bubaigawara?” 

“You got it, Mr. Secretary! I’m gonna drop it on you! ” Bubaigawara shouts, as the two carry trays of basic, but delicious looking sandwiches, as well as water bottles and various fruit juices. Izuku noticed the steel bracelet around their right wrists, a green light visible on the top, and he realized they must be the Quirk Detection Wristbands the detective had mentioned. He approached the table to join them, as did Torino, but Izuku noticed something about Himiko’s expression. 

Her pupils had expanded greatly when she had walked in and laid her eyes on him, and she seemed to vibrate in anticipation of some kind of friendly interaction. “Midoriya-kun, sit with me!" she demands, before blanking and seemingly in a panic at her own rather aggressive tone. “Please?” she adds on as a gesture of good faith, a hint of fear in the tone change. 

“Ah, well... Sure, but can you respect the bubble this time?” Izuku asks, mentally prepping himself for patience. He noticed he’s been a bit... short with others lately, and he doesn’t want to snap at someone, especially someone who’s putting her best foot forward to get a better life. 

Himiko, in response to Izuku’s request, nods rapidly. “No hugs or touching or biting unless they say so!” she says, chanting it as though it were her new mantra for life, prompting Izuku to smile lightly at the thought of her saying it to herself at a job interview. He takes his seat, very aware of Himiko staring holes into the side of his face, but ultimately ignores it, knowing it’s harmless at the end of the day. 

The group all begin to dig into their food, sitting in relative silence for a time, aside from Bubaigawara and Himiko making small talk. It’s about four minutes later when Toshinori clears his throat. “So, Young Midoriya, the paperwork has all been collected and submitted for your Apprenticeship. We would have discussed that during lunch the other day, but with everything that happened... Well, regardless of that, you officially have authority equal to a Provisional License. As long as a Hero is there and gives you permission, you can assist in a conflict.” 

“Really?” Izuku asks, eyes wide as he resists the urge to fanboy about who he could get to patrol with. “That’s amazing to hear, Toshinori-sensei! Does that mean we– I mean, I’m going to be going patrolling soon?” 

Torino grins, poking Izuku in the shoulder with his cane. “Damn right you are, kid! You and I will hit a few patrol routes across various districts over the coming week or so. Some days, some nights, some with multiple patrols in a day. You’re getting the basic rundown of everything,” he explains, biting into a takoyaki he got from who knows where. “So, any places you want to try patrolling in particular?” 

“O-oh! Well, uh...” Izuku stumbles through his thoughts, trying to organize them the best he can. “Well, if it wasn’t for the fact we’re trying to avoid being seen there, I’d want to patrol the Musutafu district at least once... Shibuya seems like it would a bit chaotic, but important to learn... Maybe somewhere in Saitama?” The rest of his thoughts were incomprehensible mumbling, causing Himiko to giggle. He wasn’t broken from the spell until Torino tapped his cane on the table. “Ah, sorry!” 

“Eh, well, at least you got the part about those mumbles not being understood down... But make sure you work some more on that, got it?” Torino waves his cane threateningly, prompting Izuku to nod rapidly. “Good. Glad we have that sorted out. Though I will say... We did have to leave one part of that application blank...” 

Izuku had a pretty good idea of which part that was when Toshinori nodded at Torino. “Right you are. Have you made any progress on coming up with a name? You’ll be going by Izuku for now, but it’ll help both you and the populace around you create an idea of the Hero behind the man once you truly decide on a name. Or I suppose in All Might’s case, the Hero in front of the man,” he says, their two guests completely unaware of the mild jab he had taken at himself. 

“Ooh, we could help!” Himiko and Bubaigawara chant together as they begin to throw ideas off of each other, firmly distracting themselves from the conversation as a whole. 

Switching his focus back to his teachers, Izuku nods in response, eyebrows furrowed as he was deep in thought. “I want to really make it something great... I need to get a better grasp of the Hero I want to be first, so I don’t end up regretting my choice. Is that... Am I weird for thinking that?” 

“Not at all, kid. As we said, you got time,” Torino assures him as he finishes his own food. “Back to our previous topic, I’m glad you said you wanted to patrol Shibuya. We’ll be doing an night patrol of the district later this week, hopping on a train to get over there and spending the night at a hotel once we’re done.” With this explanation, Torino pushed a paper containing a vague plan of proposed patrols and travel methods to them to Izuku. Everything seemed up to board and relatively organized, but one thing did catch him off guard. 

“Ah, the train would pass by Hosu...” Izuku muttered to himself. He had heard about Ingenium’s rather brutal career ending injuries, a fate much worse off than the typical injuries the Hero Killer had left on victims he left alive. “Have the Heroes made any progress on catching Stain yet?” 

“No, and we aren’t going to be looking for the bastard either. As fast as you are progressing, you’re still a rookie. We don’t need to be throwing you against someone like that and hoping you come out on top.” The statement was direct and to the point, leaving absolutely no room for argument. Neither of the two missed the conflicted flash of emotion on Himiko’s face as Stain was mentioned, but they chose to ignore it. “Last I heard, Endeavor was bringing his Hero Course kid or whatever on a mission to track him there, not that it’s any of my business.” 

“Did... Do you inquire about the matters of Hero News because it isn’t your business?” The grin Torino replies with tells him enough. “Right... Well, I would want to face someone that terrifying this soon...” They pointedly ignore the fact of All For One’ looming threat over them all. “I just hope Endeavor is able to catch that lunatic... I think Ingenium’s younger brother may have been in my class at U.A., and with this recent attack on him... Well, it seems rather likely that Stain is on the verge of ramping up his spree...” 

Torino chuckles. “Never thought I’d hear those words out of your mouth, kid. Though with the type of bastard we’re talking about, I guess that makes more sense... That Ingenium fella likely isn’t going to wake up anytime soon, if at all. But you’re right. They’re bringing in the big guns, so they’ll be able to take care of it.” As Torino finishes his sentence, he notices Izuku has finished with his lunch. “All right kid, break’s over. Get back on the course. I’m raising the difficulty and expecting you to beat your time, or else I’m gonna kick you in the face again!” 

Izuku had never moved so fast in his life up to that point. 

Nemuri was, to put it lightly, having an awful, stressful week. 

Having to do extra grading and paperwork of extra classes with three lost teachers with no replacements in sight, stressing about properly presenting herself as to not unnecessarily dampen U.A.’s dwindling reputation, and the onslaught of internships requests being revoked, causing her to have to communicate to her students to pick new Heroes... She’d be lucky if she didn’t come out of this with a streak of grey hair. 

Heck, it was even worse in the case of Todoroki, where Endeavor made it extremely clear that no one else was going to take his kid on for an internship his first semester, ultimately leading to every single one of his offers being revoked in fear or acceptance of the circumstances. Still, if the rumor that All Might had left U.A. in order to take on a student were true... Well, Todoroki Enji was nothing if not a very competitive man. It made perfect sense to her that the man would want his son to be in tip top shape in the coming world of Heroics. 

Still, there was work to done, as Nemuri sighed and continued working through it. She had finally managed to finish grading the last quiz about fifteen minutes ago, and had since moved onto the internships once more, many of them being a second round of attempts for internship acceptance. Thankfully, it seems like the first three had managed to get their first picks on their second attempts, but she sighed once she noticed the fourth was stuck with their third choice. She had vaguely heard the sound of the door to her office being knocked on, and called out. “Come in!” 

Despite her frazzled state, she was pleasantly surprised to see Iida walk in with his internship sheet, and with a relatively neutral face, with all things considered. “Hello, Kayama-sensei. I am here to drop off my chosen Heroes,” he stated in his usual robotic tone as he placed the paper on her desk. Before he could leave, she snatched the paper up and scanned the list of revoked offers, cross-referencing the list in her hands with it. Even though Iida had picked five agencies, it seemed the only one who had an offer remaining was the Normal Hero: Manual. 

She stamped it, hoping to double check and make sure the offer would still be open after she had finished checking the rest of the sheets. “Sorry about that, Iida. There’s been a lot of cancelations for the offers, and I just wanted to make sure that... Yeah. Your choice of Manual should be fine if he hasn’t taken it back already. I’ll double check later.” She had a good feeling it would be unnecessary, though. 

“Thank you for your time, Kayama-sensei. I’ll let you get back to your work now.” With those final words, Iida left, ultimately reminding her that she needed to get this paperwork done as soon as possible. Continuing where she had left off, she left Iida’s on the pile of one’s to look over later, ultimately not realizing that each of the agencies listed had at least one patrol route through Hosu. 

Izuku’s supervised patrols had, so far, been quite the varied learning experience, one which he felt both positively and oddly about. 

On his first patrol with Gran Torino, no one had recognized the elderly Hero or Izuku himself. On his second patrol with Sir Nighteye, a few people had actually taken pictures with the rather stoic Hero, and even asked Izuku to pose in it. While normally he would simply decline, Nighteye had acknowledged that allowing Izuku to interact with the general populace would allow him to build enough of an authority so they would be more likely to listen to him if the situation arose. 

Still, as much as it made sense, it was still embarrassing to have to explain he hadn’t decided on a Hero name yet so many times... It was even more embarrassing when he realized immediately after assisting Gran Torino with a Villain capture on his third patrol that he was going to start receiving media attention as well now. Needless to say, Izuku was internally freaking out a lot. 

He was freaking out even more when the texts started pouring in from the 1-A girls group chat. 

Queen: Midoriya, you’re on the news! When the heck did you get such a nice costume!?  

Wraith: I just wish it was a bit tighter fitting...  

Froppy: That’s really pervy, Toru-chan. And I don’t like that you put that image in my head, kero.  

Uravity: Tsuyu's right! Ignore her, Midoriya! But also, please tell us why you’re patrolling, we’d love to know!  

Pandora: I would like to know as well. Perhaps we’ll get to patrol together. We have just started our internships, after all.  

Beat Wave: Don’t overwhelm the guy too much, or he may blow a fuse from the attention, girls!  

Beat Wave: But seriously dude, you should answer all our questions.  

(Several people are typing...)  

As he continued to expertly avoid their rapidly incoming questions during one of his breaks, another notification had popped up, this time from someone no longer saved in his contacts... But still one he knew extremely well. And as such, dropping all pretenses and adding the contact back onto his phone, he stared at the message, unsure of what he should even say in response. 

Bakugou Katsuki: Saw you on the news. What’s up with you right now? There’s clearly something weird, given you’re both in a Hero costume and hanging out with an old geezer and All Might’s former sidekick. And the hag said she saw people taking your stuff out of your old apartment!  

Bakugou Katsuki: So, mind telling me at least anything about that, Izuku?  

Izuku was... Well, he didn’t know how he felt. Shocked, for sure, that Katsuki wasn’t referring to him by that damn tormenting nickname anymore. Hurt that he wasn’t texted sooner. Perhaps angry that it only came after he had started getting attention as a Hero-in-training. But deep down inside him... he felt a shimmer of hope. But he didn’t want to pour any oil onto the spark, lest he cause things to burn brightly and shortly. And as such, he answered with respect, but without quite answering, and got a surprisingly calm answer in response. 

Midoriya Izuku: I can’t really tell you yet, Katsuki. All I really can say is that Mom and I are both okay. Once things have been figured out more, officially or otherwise, you’ll know.  

Midoriya Izuku: If not from me, likely from the news or the class if they catch it first. I’m sorry.  

Bakugou Katsuki: Fine. But I want to hear it from you, you damn nerd.  

There were a few minutes between when he sent the first response, and when he sent the last message of the day, but when he had, those conflicting emotions in Izuku’s heart only continued to grow. 

Bakugou Katsuki: Good luck with whatever this thing you’re doing is, Izuku. I’ll let the hag know you and Auntie are okay.  

Izuku stared at the phone’s now blank screen, having finished his snack and trying to process that last message. Did Katsuki really want to try and mend things? Did he really want to try and make up for the years of torment that he put Izuku through? The green-haired boy decided that, before anything else, he wanted an apology, a proper one. After that... Well, they were friends before. There’s no universal law saying they could never be friends again. 

A large amount of crashing from a block over caught his and Gran Torino’s attention. They both glanced at each other and, with a grin, pocketed their phones before racing each other over to the scene, Quirks active the whole time. Their utter dismay at the crashing just having been a few unstable boxes of glass falling over was also captured by the public and thrown onto social media. 

Izuku couldn’t quite remember a time when his phone had pinged with messages so many times in one week, let alone a single day. 

Shouta stared at the ceiling of his apartment from the couch as he continued to ignore his ringing phone. He had realized upon waking up this morning that yesterday would have been the day he sent his class off to their internships. A crawling feeling began to settle in his chest as he thought back to his own internships. To Oboro. To the looks of absolute despair on the first whole class he had ever done his expulsion trick on. 

And then painfully flashed forward to Ingenium. 

Any Hero who had expressed even remote interest in the Hero Killer case was sent updates over HeroNet, every single time he claimed yet another victim. Shouta may not have spoken to Tensei in several years at this point, but he still wanted to believe they were friends. He pointedly ignored the part of his brain that told him that the speedster would think otherwise once he heard what the man had done to Shinsou. 

And dammit, Shinsou... 

For the first time in over a half decade, Shouta didn’t want to get up. It was only because of his phone ringing for the fourteenth time that he managed to actually do so. Grumbling as he walked over to the device, ready to put it on silent, he took a quick second to glance at who was actually calling. 

Kayama Nemuri  

With how he had left things off with Mic and Midnight, those two had made it clear they did not want to speak to him again outside of a purely professional context. So, for Nemuri to be calling him right now, on the second day of internships, this many times... He shook his head and answered the phone. “Hello?” 

“Shouta! Thank goodness you finally answered, I was damn near ready to leave work and break into your apartment to get your attention!” The worst part about that sentence was that he did not doubt for a second that she actually would. 

A heavy sigh escaped his mouth. “What do you want, Nemuri?” he asked in his usual deadpan tone. 

Normally, a lighthearted scoff would be heard on the other end of the line at his attitude. There was no such mercy this time. “Listen closely, okay? It’s... It’s about Iida.” That got Shouta’s attention. “We sent everyone off to their internships yesterday, and we’ve been so busy that I didn’t get a chance to really think about where we were sending him... But... Shouta, he picked Manual’s Agency! It’s... It’s...”  

“In Hosu...” Shouta wanted to be angry at Nemuri for not catching this, for not doing something beforehand to prevent the teen from going there. But he couldn’t bring himself to. After all, if it hadn’t been for the death and injuries of his former students, along with his firing, he wouldn’t have had a chance to do any amount of self-reflection, and this would have slipped through the cracks, intentionally or otherwise. “What are your options, Nemuri? I assume they can’t be simple if you’re having to call me.” 

It sounded like a sob came from the other end of the line, and Shouta felt his heart clench. “I don’t have any options, Shouta! The board won’t let us send any staff to watch over him or swap his internships around! They keep saying it’ll be too damaging to U.A.’s PR! They’re valuing the chance of U.A.’s reputation turning around over the chance a student may get himself severely hurt, or worse!” she cried, and Shouta began to try and run through potential solutions in his head. He didn’t like any of them. “I’m such a failure, Shouta...”  

“Stop that, Nemuri. It’s illogical to blame yourself for the mess of bureaucrats and heavier workloads.” While he didn’t say it, both knew this increased workload was nearly entirely a result of his own actions, directly or otherwise. “So, what are you thinking?” 

“I... Could... I have no right to ask this of you, especially after what I said to you... But can you please keep an eye on Iida? Can you keep him safe?” Nemuri’s voice was cracking at this point, her guilt on the matter extremely clear. 

Shouta took a deep breath. “It would be illogical of me to promise his safety. We both know how unfair life can be...” His mind continued to betray him as his mind flashed once again to the biggest failures of his life. Oboro... His previous students... Tensei... Shinsou... and Midoriya. “But I promise I’ll do everything in my power to try and prevent him from facing a deathly threat. I swear it on Oboro’s name.” He heard Nemuri suck in a breath at the mention of their long since deceased friend. 

“Thank you, Shouta. This means more to me than you could ever know.” With those final words, the line clicked off. Shouta set his phone back down, went to the kitchen to begin brewing coffee, and went to go take a hot shower. 

He was going to need to be as prepared as possible in order to save this absolutely reckless teen. 

Chapter Text

Stain stood across the bar from the two individuals who contacted him, as well as the information broker sitting in the corner with his own drink. His eyes narrowed as he studied the gazes and appearances of them. “So, you are the ones who attacked U.A.? An impressive feat...” he asks, gripping his knife. “And with this achievement, you wish for me to join your ranks...” 

“Yeah. You’ve got a lot more experience as a Villain, don’t you? Come on, why not join us?” Shigaraki questions, staring at the Hero Killer with an interested gaze. 

Stain continued to study the Villain in front of him, beginning to get a read for the man. “What are you after? What drives you forward?” 

“Me?” Shigaraki asks, leaning back in his seat. “For now, I just want to kill All Might. I want to kill that kid he went with. I want to break down everything I don’t like. And those U.A. kids... Yeah, I want to take or break them too,” he answers, holding up copied photos from the student files of a few teens. Two blondes and a pink-skinned girl. He ends up disintegrating the picture of one of the blondes by accident. 

Stain’s gaze narrowed, his eyes displaying the disgust he felt. “I was foolish to ever be interested in what you had to say. You’re the type of person I hate the most, Shigaraki Tomura,” he spat, ignoring the shocked reaction as he turned his attention to Giran. “And what of you, information broker? What is your role in all of this?” 

“Who, little old me?” the man asks sarcastically, chuckling as he lit up a cigarette. “As the job title implies, I’m just here to hand out information and supply resources to whoever needs them... for the right price, of course.” 

“A man who has disregarded his principles for the sake of wealth... You’re no different than any of the filth that roams the streets, pretending to be better than they are...” Stain growls, his grip on his knife tensing. “Be grateful you don’t indulge in the fantasy of grandeur and moral grandstanding, lest I cull you where you sit.” 

“Me, morally upstanding? In my wildest dreams, maybe...” 

“Oi, don’t just disregard me!” Shigaraki shouts, nearly dusting the bar counter as he stood harshly from his seat in anger. 

“Oh? You want me to go along with this childish tantrum of yours that badly?” Stain growls, reaching his other arm across his body to grab his other knife. “You’re worse than those U.A. jesters, prancing about as though everything is perfectly fine and every decision they make is that of true morality... And yet here you stand, in direct comparison to those fakes,” Stain draws his blades, pointing the tip of one in Shigaraki’s direction. “What meaning is there in killing without conviction? In attempting to make a mockery of those with proper ideals?” 

Kurogiri stills as blades are drawn and fingers are flexed, turning his attention to the television at the back of the room. “Sensei, is it really all right to let this continue? They could...” 

“Yes, this is fine! There’s no point if we tell Tomura the answer. He won’t grow that way. No... He needs to think about where he should mature, to spur on his growth! That is what it means to educate...” All For One says, joy filling every word that came from his mouth. The man sounded eager to see what happened next. 

The two begin to rush at each other, both parties aiming for lethal blows immediately. Kurogiri attempts to intervene, summoning portals to redirect the attacks, causing Stain to stab a stool and just past Kurogiri’s head, and Shigaraki to dust a couple tables. However, Stain quickly caught to the trick, flipping the blade to slice the shoulder of the misty Villain as he pulled his arms out of the portals. He licked the blade and Kurogiri froze, his portals beginning to close as Shigaraki pulled his own arms out. 

The misty Villain froze, and Shigaraki charged forward again, shouting in rage as he tried to grab the arm of the Hero Killer. Stain leapt backwards to avoid the lunge, landing on the wall and pushing off it for a boost in momentum. A knife cut into the shoulder of the younger Villain, and a steel boot pinned his other arm as the two fell to the floor, Stain having won the duel swiftly. 

As the hand-covered Villain began to scowl harshly at the man pinning him down, Stain scoffed. “So, do you still wish to add me to your numbers?” he asked, pushing the knife a bit deeper. “No matter what you wish to accomplish, it is necessary to have conviction and desire. Those without either, as well as those who are weak, will be weeded out. It’s only natural. That’s why things have turned out like this.” 

“That... hurts–!” Shigaraki growls, glaring at his adversary. “Kurogiri, get rid of this guy! I don’t want him anymore!” 

“I... I can’t! The Hero Killer’s Quirk... I can’t move my body at all–!” the misty Villain shouts, struggling as he tried to move in vain. He tried to push forward a portal and failed. 

Stain tosses a throwing knife just past Kurogiri’s head, embedding itself into the wall behind him. “Everywhere you look, the streets are overrun by fakes, and deceitful Heroes, looking to use the great ideal for their own personal gain, causing the word ‘Hero’ to lose all its meaning... Look even further and you see blind fools, criminals who believe they have right to wave their power around idly.... This Hero society is diseased, rotten to the core. And only I can save it from itself. All those who continue to feed into the rot... should be purged.” 

As Stain brought his knife up to the hand on Shigaraki’s face, the man’s hand shot up, gripping the knife. “Hey, wait a sec... Not that palm...” he growls, as the blade begins to crack and decay. “I’ll kill you...” 

“As if you could, with a meager conviction such as–” 

“You sure talk a lot... Conviction? I don’t have anything as grand at that, you know...” His grip on the now rusted knife tightens, and it turns to metallic dust in his hands. “If I had to say what motivated me... Yeah, it’d be All Might... This society that worships people like that, while it throws people like me to the side... I want to completely crush it.” 

As Stain recoils in disgust and shock from those words, Shigaraki whips a hand towards his face, causing the man to jump back, his remaining knife pulled painfully out of the younger Villain’s shoulder as the Hero Killer holds it in a reverse grip. Before he can reply, however, Shigaraki continues speaking. “You know, I only barely escaped from the USJ without any injury...  We don’t have a healer in our party yet, so we’re lacking a bit in survivability... Are you going to take responsibility for my injuries, Hero Killer?” 

Stain studies his opponent’s face for several seconds, critical of every part of the look, before he drops his stance. “So that’s who you are...” he says, putting his knife away as Shigaraki makes a confused sound. “It’s plain to see that our goals oppose each other wholeheartedly... Even still, we do agree on one thing; to destroy the present society.” 

Shigaraki loosens his stance as well, staring at the Hero Killer with a bored expression. “Stop messing around. Go home and fall on your knife. Die... Aren’t I the type of person you’re supposed to hate the most What happened to that?” 

“Don’t misunderstand, I hold no positive feelings for the likes of you. This was a test. One of your true motives for this world. People show their true motives in the face of death, or in the face of an overwhelming threat,” Stain explains, Shigaraki scowling at the unintended implication of his words. “It’s a twisted desire, but there is a warped sapling of conviction beginning to bloom in you... I should kill you before it has a chance, but...” he remarks, causing the hand-covered man to tense up again. “I can’t help but wonder... How will you bud? What will you turn into? I want to see that... I can always make sure to dispose of you later if I don’t like what I see... The fact you’ll help destroy the fake Heroes plaguing the people is an unintended, but not unwelcome benefit.” 

“Hah? You’re gonna dispose of me?” Shigaraki questions, one hand to his bleeding shoulder while the other scratches his neck in an indulgence for his stress-fueled habit. “Kurogiri... I don’t want someone this crazy as one of my party members. Get him out of here, now.” 

As Kurogiri slowly begins to start moving again and moving towards the first-aid kit, Giran interjects from his corner, blowing cigarette smoke out of his mouth as he speaks. “Come on, kid, don’t be so hasty now... It’d be silly to throw away an asset like that. Even if he doesn’t act with us at any point, he’ll draw people in through association alone. The guy may have his own self-interests in mind, but in this line of work, who doesn’t, eh? Hell, I lost a couple potential recruits ‘cause of their own self-interest.” 

“Giran... Tell me why I shouldn’t dust you for disagreeing with me and admitting to another failure...” 

Giran holds his hand up in surrender, while putting out his cigarette with the other. “I’m just saying we can use him to make up for lost recruits. I’m still arranging training for new guys on my own team, you know. He isn’t going to kill you, he approves of you killing most Heroes, and he isn’t interested in being directly opposed to us yet. So, we accept the man’s gracious offer to use his name for advertising...” he trails off, gesturing for Shigaraki to finish. 

The hand-covered Villain grumbles, stopping his neck scratching as he turns back to glare at Stain. “We get new recruits by using his ideology, he gets notoriety to spread his message by being loosely associated to us... I don't like it...” 

Giran shakes his head. “How about you give it a bit of time, yeah? Take a bit of a breather once he leaves, so you two can chat again tomorrow or something with a more level-head.” 

Shigaraki scowls further, tapping his foot in irritation as his hand threatens to start scratching again. Eventually, however, he relents. “Fine. Kurogiri... Finish the chat...” 

Kurogiri nods, turning to Stain and gesturing lightly with his now bandaged arm. “I’m content we were able to come to a conclusion that didn’t require any further bloodshed, Hero Killer. With this, the negotiations are complete...” 

“Don’t misunderstand my intentions. I do not intend to work directly with you. I will be staying with my own current goal: to reform Hosu City, before moving onto the next,” he explains, pulling a list of potential targets out of his pocket, a large circle around Native being present on the page. “I require more victims to accomplish my goal.” 

Kurogiri nods. “So that’s what you meant when you said you had other matters as you tried to decline our request for a meeting...” 

“It doesn’t matter! The hell do you mean you aren’t working with us!?” Shigaraki shouts, flexing his free hand. “You have a death wish? Should I start calling you Face McShooty? Why the hell aren’t you going to ally yourself with us after you said you wanted to observe me, huh? Lose your nerve al–” 

A knife flying by Shigaraki’s face and just below the torn All Might poster on the back wall cuts him off. “Being loosely associated and directly working together are two very different things you would do well to learn the difference between,” Stain growls. “What you choose to do with my name is not my business unless it directly interferes with my message... End of discussion,” he decides, glaring at Shigaraki. “My business here is done here... Now, return me to Hosu,” Stain demands, licking his lips briefly. “I still have many things I need to attend to there...” Kurogiri obliges, forming a portal behind the man, leading into a random Hosu alleyway. 

As the portal closes behind Stain, Shigaraki shouts in rage and dusts another chair, ignoring the mumbles of disbelief from his caretaker. “Who does that guy think he is, huh? Talking all high and mighty, when he’s just some grassroots start-up hippie... That’s the type of nobility that makes me want to cry,” Shigaraki drones out sarcastically. 

“You can’t make fun of him too much...” Kurogiri chides him, startling slightly as his charge whips his gaze around towards him. 

Giran sparks up another cigarette in the corner, taking a quick puff as he swirls his drink. “He’s right, you know.” Shigaraki’s gaze once again turned, a glare fixated on the broker. “Crime rates keep falling in cities where he appears. I would know, it interferes with and disrupts my business on rare occasions...” His face takes a bit of a sour look, but it disappears just as quickly. “Heroes get more aware of people breaking the law when they have to deal with a couple weeks of a serial killer breathing down their necks. They get smarter, they wisen up, try and become better people according to his ideology... They become ‘true Heroes’ as he would call them.” He finishes his drink off, gritting his teeth lightly at the burn of the alcohol. “That’s the theory, anyway.” 

“What, so Heroes are all working together to solve everybody’s problems and bring down the cost of food and whatever, is that it? The ‘Hero Killer’ is also a damn ‘Hero Breeder’!” Shigaraki scoffs, crossing his arms, a finger lifted on each hand. “The whole thing is too damn roundabout... We just disagree on a fundamental level. He annoys me...” he grumbles, as an idea pops into his head. “Kurogiri, what Nomu are available?” 

Kurogiri relays the question to the television, unaware of the knowing smirk on Giran’s face as the broker takes another puff of his cigarette. The doctor’s voice rang out from it shortly after. “Thanks to the generous offer of scheduled resupplies from Giran, we’ve gone above and beyond what we were expecting to get done! Ten completed projects, including the one we recovered. And yes, I have finished fixing up the Near High-End that assisted your attack on U.A. I even improved him with a temperature equilibrium Quirk. It’ll take a lot of cold or heat extremely quickly to override his regeneration now!” Garaki shouts with glee. “Aside from him, I can allow you five other Nomus. I have a Lower, Middle and Upper-End...”  

The sound of papers being flipped could be heard, as the doctor tried to pick which Nomus he could use from the list. “Oh! I have two more Upper-Ends that should be good to pick! They’re actually prototypes of some High-Ends that didn’t work out as well... I have two copies of each, so I can give you this set now for field testing to improve the others.”  

“Good. Have those six ready to be picked up by Kurogiri tomorrow...” Shigaraki commands, Garaki giving an affirmation of the order before leaving the call. Shigaraki shifts his gaze back to Giran from the television. “So, you’ve started supplying the research of the Doctor and Sensei? I’d hope you gave them a good deal, and you’re not ripping them off like some live service game...” 

“Please, who do you take me for? I have more than enough connections and sales to supply the ruler of the criminal underworld with a good deal,” Giran assures him. “Your successful shaking of U.A., as well as your Sensei throwing his weight around has led to very good things for those willingly associated with the League of Villains, you know. Hell, I’ve been able to push a ton more product than usual, thanks to the Heroes being more focused on settling the uneasiness caused by U.A.’s rep going down the drain. I also have a lot of people in a lot of places now. Some tinkering with some side support projects, others locking their sights on new ventures to expand the business.” 

Kurogiri felt there was a double meaning to those words but chose not to comment on the matter. 

Shigaraki’s eyes narrow. “So, the Secret Shop is open for business then? Gonna use all those fancy connections to get us some good gear, help entice people in?” 

“That was the plan, at least... Listen, the guy causes occasional supply chain issues for me, so I do stand to have a small long-term benefit from him being out of the picture... But what does the League really have to gain from trying to steal the spotlight from him? Isn’t that just gonna piss him off? It seems like you’re going to throw away a good chance at advertising for pettiness.” Kurogiri stilled, gauging the reaction of his charge. But surprisingly, Shigaraki seemed... calm. Almost too calm. 

Before either of the two could begin to speak, Shigaraki cuts in. “It’s extremely petty...  But that doesn’t change that I want to do it. Stain is the type of person who pisses me off the most... A Hero glorifying lunatic who can’t help but hold All Might in the highest tier of all things... So, why don’t we take advantage of him giving us a bit of leash to work with?” he asks, sitting down as Kurogiri begins to stitch up his wound. “We cause as much chaos as we can at the same time Stain is getting his own kill, and it puts us in association with him. Regardless of what the truth is, the media pushes the message that we’re working together, even if he gets captured somehow. And if he comes back to get us somehow? He knows we have backing now, and if he’s as smart as he claims to be, he’ll think twice. It’s a win-win for us.” 

A grin begins to appear on Giran’s face as he processed the information. “Forceful association to increase our numbers while bringing down the message of the Hero Killer... Shit, kid. Didn’t think you had it in you. Still though... If Stain gets captured, wouldn’t all the attention just go to that?” 

“We’re going to destroy and kill as much as we can to avoid that... As for how things will go? That's for the coming days after to decide...” Shigaraki finishes, rolling his shoulder slowly as he gets a feel for the stitches there. “Start putting out request notices again. We’ll catch the attention of some party members soon enough... But I am not working with someone who loves All Might as much as that fucker.” 

No one listening in could really fault him for feeling that way, regardless of their opinion on what Stain coming into the League could do for them. At the end of the day, they could all agree... All Might was just the worst. 

‘In the seven places he’s appeared so far, he’s always injured or killed at least four Pro Heroes... Whether it’s coincidence or a superstition of the killer, it’s a fact of his patterns. Tensei... The former Ingenium is still the only one who’s been attacked... It’s very likely he’ll attack again... and when he does...’  

‘... I’ll dispose of him with my own hands.’ Those thoughts kept running through Tenya’s head over and over again, the helmet on his head being the only thing he had to hide his ever-present hateful glare. He found himself glancing around at any possible hiding place, every alleyway, every distant rooftop, just for the chance to spot the man he wanted, no needed, to kill. He was only brought out of focus slightly by the sound of his mentor’s voice. 

“We’ll be doing a patrol of Kyoto today. It’ll be good practice for you, even if it is a bit monotonous,” Manual explains, glancing back at his intern with a smile. 

Tenya continues looking around. “It’s fine. I think it’s actually better this way,” he replies, not noticing how stiff his tone was in comparison to his regular manner of speaking. 

Manual notices, his smile disappearing as he stares at the student in concern. “Ingenium.” It was only his Hero Name, yet it was enough to snap his attention forward all the same. “This is a little difficult for me to just come out and ask, but I feel like I would be doing wrong by your brother if I didn’t, so... Are you trying to hunt down the Hero Killer?” 

“That's a preposterous claim! I wouldn’t–” 

“You don’t need to lie, you know. I get it,” Manual interrupts, turning around to look him directly in the eyes, causing both Hero and Hero Intern to stop in their tracks. “There’s almost no other reason why you would have picked my agency, and any others are flimsy at best. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad you came!” 

Iida finds himself clenching his fist. “Then why are you questioning my intentions for my choice in internship?” 

“Because I recognized the look on your face in the break room yesterday. In fact, it wasn’t just your showing at the Sports Festival that prompted me to send in a request. It’s because I had heard the type of person you were. And I knew that, under the right circumstances, you could be pushed into this dark mindset.” Tenya stilled, the anger turning to complete shock as he realizes he’s been called out and caught red-handed. “It’s okay to be angry. Beneficial, even! But... you can’t act on a grudge. Even if you were skilled enough to fight him, which neither of us are by ourselves, you’re going about it for all the wrong reasons.” 

“What... What could you possibly know–!?” Tenya asks, doing his best not to let the anger leak into his voice. 

“If by any chance you’re ever thrown onto the manhunt team for him, I just want you to remember... If you ever were going to do it, do it so no one else has to suffer that same fate as your brother, okay? Not out of revenge.” 

 “... You know nothing about this. You should mind your business,” Tenya mutters. The look on Manual’s face said otherwise, but the teen ignored it, anything to justify his hatred to himself. 

“If you’re not going to listen to my advice, at least let me remind you of the law...” Manual says, his gaze steeling slightly. “Heroes don’t have the authority to arrest or punish. We are only aspects of the law, for apprehending those using Quirks to cause damage to people or property. We’re only even allowed to use Quirks to do so because we follow regulations. So that’s why, no matter the reason...” Manual trails off, as Tenya looks down in contemplation. “We, as Heroes, should never use their Quirks for themselves. Using your Quirk for those selfish desires... It’s a serious crime.” 

Manual notices Tenya looking down and decides to shift into a more cheerful mood to try and help him feel better. “Listen, it’s not that I don’t think he’s guilty! Far from it, actually. From what I’ve seen and heard, you’re a very earnest person, someone who focuses on one thing without trying to consider alternate solutions from what you think is the right one. I was worried because of that.” 

Tenya remains silent for a moment, pretending to ponder over his words before he nods. “Thank you for your warning,” he says in the most natural tone he can muster. 

Manual smiles fondly, patting him on the shoulder. “As long as you understand why I said all that.” He turns on his heel, motioning for Tenya to follow. “Come on, Ingenium! We still have a long patrol ahead of us, and I don’t feel like being too late to dinner today like usual!” he remarks with a laugh. 

Tenya nods again, following his mentor as he grits his teeth and clenches his fist even harder than before, his focus shifting back onto his thoughts. ‘Even though you say all that... You don’t get anything! He needs to pay! I need to go after him! Otherwise... what am I supposed to do... about these feelings?!’ 

Izuku sat at his desk, finishing up and submitting the last of his online assignments for the month. It shamed him to admit he got a bit distracted from some of his work on I-Island, but he had been making up for that lost time in between his training at Might Tower. Ever since then, he’s been improving his grades rather steadily. Logging off for the day and stretching, he turns the computer off before quickly changing into his Hero costume and waiting for the call to get moving, browsing his phone as it charges by his bed. 

He's caught off guard by the sound of the phone ringing, his eyes widening in surprise when he sees that it’s Melissa sending a video call request. He readjusts his seat on his bed, answering the call and balancing the phone against his alarm clock. “Hey, Shield-san! How are you?” 

“Come on, you spend a month here and you still aren’t calling me Melissa?” she remarks in a teasing tone. Izuku panicked and began apologizing but was cut off by the sound of the girl laughing. “I was joking! Goodness, you don’t need to be so high strung. I know you’ll call me by my first name when you’re ready.”  

“R-right... Thanks, Shield-san...” Izuku replies as he breathes a sigh of relief. “Not that I mind having a chance to chat, but do you mind if I ask what got you to call?” 

Melissa scratched the back of her head with a grin. “Straight to the point, huh, Midoriya?” She taps some keys on her keyboard, searching for something before she clicks and starts a presentation within the call, showing a document title for... 

“Wait, Hero-Grade cybernetics? I thought that technology was super expensive and only worked with particular kinds of Quirks!” Izuku shouts in surprise, as he begins to swipe through the documents. 

“That’s what we thought too! But then when you visited, and Daddy saw Uncle Might again, he swapped all focus from trying to boost Quirks that were already usable to wanting to help people recover their Quirk and body functionality after an injury. And the best way to do that? Pushing a lot of development time into a baby field of technology, to make it better and more affordable!” Melissa exclaims, as she causes the document to jump to a particular page. “This right here is the most advanced model of civilian grade cybernetic. Really good for what it is, with about a half second delay and perfect for regular life.”  

“I think I’ve seen a few Villains use these...” Izuku says, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “But all the ones the Villains use have next to no delay... Which means... Oh, they’re overclocking the technology...” 

“... to increase the short-term effectiveness, at the cost of long-term quality assurance, yes.” Melissa pulls up another page, showing the operational difference between legal and illegally purchased cybernetics. “Because Villains are set to have ill-gotten gains, they decide it’s worth it to keep buying black market cybernetics with less delay set to only last a couple years or less, than a legal one that would last you your whole life because the longer delay could be the difference between hitting a punch and being captured.”  

Izuku hummed in contemplation. “It’ll be a double-edged sword, improving them like this... Unless you’re keeping the technology–” 

“On I-Island and exclusively sold to Heroes, yes. The big thing we’re doing with these new cybernetics is moving beyond just limbs... If things go to plan, we’ll be adapting parts to a specific person, and be creating a whole selection of cybernetics to recover from any injury! Cyberoptical insertions to replace damaged eyes, synthetic organs to replace internal injuries, and even whole spinal and partial nerve replacements!” Melissa exclaims, before visibly deflating. “ That’s the plan, at least. Even with all of us focusing on it, unless we have a few test subjects for each of them, it’s going to take a while...”  

Izuku contemplates her words, scratching the back of his head. While Toshinori-sensei could definitely help test out the internal organs, the chance that something could go wrong and the fact he wasn’t completely sure if Melissa or the man in question would want to take that risk so soon. “Well... Aside from maybe All Might after he retires, I don't have anyone in mind who would want to be able to test the organs right away... But I do know of a Hero in need of a new spine!” 

“I HEARD THAT, YOU CHEEKY LITTLE SHIT!”  

Izuku yelps as the voice of Gran Torino rings out from across Might Tower. “I meant Ingenium-san, Torino-sensei, please don’t kick me!” he shouts in a plea, Melissa laughing all the while. “A-anyway, there may be some agencies or Hero Schools you can call... Oh, and the hospitals too! Even with artificial organs from Quirks being able to be made, the process for them is far from perfect, and rejections happen all the time!” 

“Right, thanks for the advice, Midoriya! I’ll be sure to follow up on all of it!” Melissa says with a grin. 

As Izuku is about to respond to her, a voice calls out from the background of the girl’s call. “Melissa, where did you leave the documents for the cybernetic outlines? We need them to get started on the new prototypes. I’m taking time out of my robotics project for this, you know!”  

“Ah, right, sorry Mr. Tinker! Workshop three, second drawer down on the left side!” she answers, and the rather rotund, yet tall and lanky man could be seen briefly in the view, wearing... a night cap, green track pants and a pink shirt. 

“I told you, I have a doctorate, so it’d be Dr. Tinker! And Tinker isn’t even my name, it’s- oh, forget it! Just... come back into the workshops when you’re done chatting with your friend there,” he says, visibly slouching as he walks back into the room he just left. 

“Eccentric coworker?” Izuku inquires, an amused grin reaching his face. 

Melissa giggles. “A little bit. He knows we like him, though. We only call him Mr. Tinker because he’s always tinkering away on those little robots of his! Heck, I think he only ever leaves his lab when he’s specifically called for, or when he needs to go grab food, like those massive sandwiches he’s a bit infamous for... I’m not even sure he sleeps,” she says, a deadpan expression on her face. Izuku gave her an unamused stare. “H-hey, I go to bed!... S-sometimes... But it’s like he almost never needs it! A lot of the scientists have bet he came up with a supplement that acts like a full eight hours of sleep, but I’m not so–”  

“Wait a minute...” Izuku interrupts, glancing at the clock on his phone, before doing a bit of mental math. “Isn’t it like... five in the morning for you?” 

“OH MY GOSH, WOULD YOU LOOK AT THE TIME, I SHOULD GET GOING, CYBERNETICS TO DEVELOP, BYE!”  

“W-wait, Melissa, you really should!–” The call ended before he could finish his sentence, and Izuku could only find himself sighing. Standing up and stretching, he moves to leave his room... only for the door to nearly get kicked open in his face by Gran Torino, followed closely by their two other companions for their trip. 

Torino looks at him, an amused grin on his face. “You ready, slowpoke?” he asks, waving his cane in Izuku’s face. Seeing the poorly hidden threat, the teen decides his shins are not worth making a comment in response and grabs his overnight bag from the end of his bed, moving a bit too swiftly out of his room and to the elevator. “Heh, I have you and Toshinori shivering in your boots!” he shouts, as the group follows Izuku. 

It was time for a walk. 

The group of Izuku, Torino, Himiko and Jin walked through the busy streets, Izuku nervously waving at all the people who called out to him, while the others laughed kindly at his attempts to overcome his social anxieties. The walk was what could vaguely be called a patrol while they made their way over to where the meet-up with Toshinori was. He had had some business to take care of, something he needed to discuss with Sir Nighteye, if Izuku recalled correctly, and he had asked them to meet him there. 

“So, what do you think Yagi needed to talk about? I bet he was admitting to a secret love affair !” Jin said a little too loudly, cringing at himself from behind his mask, now coloured a far more appealing pattern which resembled All Might’s Hero costume. “Sorry, sorry. I’m trying to work on that .” 

“Hey, it’s no big deal, Jin! You’re trying, and that’s what counts. Right, Midoriya-kun?” Himiko says as she pats Jin on the shoulder empathetically. Seeing the other teen nod, she gives him a big grin, her fangs on full display. “See? Don’t feel bad about the verbal tick! How does that one saying go? No harm, no foul?” 

“You got it, Himiko!” Izuku says, giving her a grin and a thumbs up. 

“Sweet!” she shouts, pumping her fist into the air. 

Jin nodded, his determination obvious from his body language. “Thanks guys! I’ll keep trying to say less random stuff though! Do or don’t, no trying allowed !” he shouts, catching the gazes of the people around them. 

“Glad you guys have so much energy...” Torino grumbles, tapping the ground with his cane. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone attempting to pickpocket a woman with a weak telekinesis Quirk. He handed his cane over to Jin, who struck a dramatic pose as Torino turned to Izuku. “You three wait here, say hi to people if they walk up... DON'T THINK I DIDN’T SEE THAT, PAL!” he shouts, boosting up above the crowd and over to where he saw the crime taking place. 

The trio gave an exaggerated sigh of exasperation and stood off the side of the sidewalk, making sure to stay out of everyone's way. Izuku waved politely to the people who said hello as they walked by, the boy feeling a bit overwhelmed by the amount of positive attention he was getting. Eventually, most of the attention was turned back to Torino, who was currently occupied kicking the faces of the man who got caught pickpocketing, and his two buddies who tried to back him up against the elderly Hero. Izuku found himself wincing as he saw the familiar sight of Torino’s sole hitting the Villain square in the nose. 

As the crowd cheered at the sight of the elderly Hero restraining the punks for arrest, Izuku felt a small tug on his glove. Turning around, he saw a couple of kids, a boy and a girl no older than five or six, staring up at him. He noticed that the boy seemed almost transparent, with a green tint to him, while the girl wasn’t, and had red hair and eyes. “Hey, mister!” the two of them greeted him together. 

“Ah, hello! Can I help you two with anything?” he asks, steadying his nerves as he crouches down a bit to meet their eyes better. 

The two twiddled their fingers, as though they were trying to find the right words. “You were walking with that Hero guy over there, right?” The girl’s voice was a little shaky, and Izuku could was immediately able to pick up the English-speaking accent. It didn’t sound quite like Melissa’s though, but the maple leaf pins on their backpack were a pretty heavy giveaway on where they were from. 

Realizing he hadn’t answered yet, Izuku nods. “Yeah, I was! I’m training to be a Hero myself,” he replies, an awestruck look creeping into the eyes of both of them. 

“Wow! That’s amazing!” the boy says, as he swaps from being transparent to solid, as the girl swaps to transparent, with the red hue of her hair and eyes. “Me and Jo-Jo wanna be Heroes too! What’s your name, Hero guy?” 

“Ah, well... I don’t really... have one yet, so you can just call me Izuku for now,” Izuku answers, scratching his cheek lightly in embarrassment before quickly perking back up. “But hey, I think it’s great you two want to be Heroes! I’m sure you’ll be able to help a lot of people,” he says, smiling at them. “That seems like a really interesting Quirk you have there, too! Can you tell me what it does?” 

Once again, they swap states, and Jo-Jo speaks for the two. “We call it Gemini! Joseph and I are kind of the same person, I guess? Exact same... D... um... DNA, yeah! But we just call each other bro and sis! He can hit stuff a little harder and make someone’s owies go away... I can hit people really hard and give them big owies!” 

“And if we focus real hard...” Joseph trails off, as visible strain appears on both twins’ faces. Right before Izuku can tell the two to stop, however, both twins are in a solid state. “We both can fight the bad guys and help people together! A Duplici special move!” he shouts excitedly, giving Jo-Jo a fist bump. 

“That really is an amazing Quirk, you two! I bet if you practice lots with it, and you learn how to fight well, you could be a top pro, easily!” Izuku says. He isn’t even saying it to be nice, either. Just from seeing Jin alone, and his knowledge of Ectoplasm, he knew how powerful a Quirk that allowed more than one to fight from one being could be. A Quirk similar to that which also had increased strength on top of the twin nature? They’d be a force to be reckoned with. 

“Ah, I almost forgot! Can we get a picture, Mr. Izuku?” Joseph asks, looking up at him with the most pleading eyes he could. 

Izuku glanced over at Torino, seeing he was still talking with the police, the patrol apparently not having believed him to be a licensed Hero due to his age, and now having to negotiate their kneecaps with the elderly man. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he looked back at the two and nodded. “If it’s okay with your parents, sure!” 

“Mom, mom, can we take a picture with the Hero?” Jo-Jo asks in a sweet voice, and the twins’ mother nodded. Taking out her phone, and taking Izuku’s at his request, the teen crouches down to better pose in frame. With wide smiles and a peace sign from each of them, the pictures are taken, his phone is returned, and Torino is finished dealing with the cops, fortunately, or unfortunately in the opinion of Jin and Himiko, with all their kneecaps and faces intact. “Bye, Izuku! I hope you sign the picture when you pick a name!” 

“I will! As soon as I can!” Izuku promises, running to catch up with the rest of his group who were on their way to the meetup location. Despite his moving away, he can still hear the last bits of the conversation. 

“I wonder what that older Hero’s name was...” Joseph thinks out loud as he reverts to his non-physical state. 

Jo-Jo bumps him on the shoulder, able to touch him still despite his current form. “Just ask dad when he gets back to the hotel! He knows about all the Heroes, and you can see the old guy yelling in the background of the picture!” she points out, causing the two to giggle. Their fun is interrupted by their mother calling their attention, and Izuku turns around to see the two as they scramble to follow her, with the goal of getting an autograph from the nice Hero in the back of their minds. 

A smile on his face, Izuku and Himiko chatted about the twins the rest of the way to Toshinori’s car. The man in question stood beside the vehicle, having bulked up when he received a text from Torino that they were close by. “Heya, All Might! Been a while since we’ve seen ya!” Himiko says, patting Jin on the shoulder as they waved. 

“Yes, it has been some time now, Young Himiko! My apologies, I’ve been rather... busy. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows being the top pro, after all!” he remarks with a laugh, noticing the group nod in agreement. “Right! Now, it’s getting closer to evening, which means it’s almost time for Young Midoriya’s first nighttime patrol! We’ll be staying at a hotel in Hosu, where we’ll drop off Young Himiko and Young Bubaigawara. After that, we’ll move onto our patrol! It’ll be a long one, so we won’t be back until late!” he proclaims, his cheerful grin present on his face. 

“You young folk will have to deal with the boring hotel TV shows. These two zygotes and I will be whipping those Villains into next week!” Torino shouts cracking his knuckles. “Now, let’s get on the train! All Might, I presume you’re jumping there?” 

“You’d be correct, Gran Torino!” the Hero replies. 

“W-wait, why wouldn’t you just take the... train...” Izuku trails off, his eyes widening in realization, “Ah, right... The people...” 

“Right you are, Young Midoriya! We’ll be stopped at every moment for autographs, and we’ll be behind schedule if we do it that way! As such... I shall meet you there!” he shouts as he jumps away. 

The group watches as All Might flies off before Torino starts waving his cane angrily. “We need to get moving, you three! Let’s go!” They all scramble after the elderly Hero, quickly making their way to the station, on their way to the next step of Izuku’s Hero journey. 

Shouta stared down at the street, perched up on the ledge of a building as he looked at his watch. He had to fight and takedown a couple people already, but if his mental mapping was correct, Manual’s patrol route was set to come through this street in about thirty seconds, where he could then continue following Iida better. 

He takes the brief chance to take off his goggles, tilting his head back as he puts eye drops into his remaining left eye. It was frustrating, the fact his field of vision was off. It still caught him off-guard at times, and he found himself missing the occasional throwing knife or binding attempt. But a Hero wasn’t allowed to make excuses, and as such, he’s been forced to learn and get used to having only one eye faster than he would have liked. 

This injury was his own fault anyway. He wasn’t allowed to complain, even to himself. 

The duo of Manual and Iida came around the corner, continuing their patrol with no worry... at least on the surface. Shouta could tell the teen was still tense, looking around everywhere for a sign of the killer who nearly took his brother’s life. He couldn’t blame the kid for feeling that way, but he really wished someone as smart as him would have the self-awareness to realize he can’t take on a serial killer by himself and win. 

As they moved past his position, he stepped back onto the roof, running towards the next building and propelling his capture weapon forward, wrapping around a pipe to help pull him onto it. He continued to do so until he was ahead of them again. The process continued for around ten minutes, and things seemed like they were going to be fine, and they would be heading back to the agency... 

... Up until two familiar looking beasts crashed onto the street and the roof Shouta was standing on. 

A pale-green version of Nomu, standing a little taller than himself, started bulking up a bit. With the clear use of a Quirk, Shouta activates his own, erasing and reversing the muscle expansion Quirk of the Nomu as he flings his capture weapon around its neck. He jumps forward, landing a series of hard-hitting kicks right into its exposed brain, causing it to screech in pain, at a frequency that caused immense pain for the Hero. He gritted his teeth and fought through, rolling onto his back and catching the Nomu with a pushing double kick to the chin, knocking it into the air. 

The Hero jumps back onto his feet and into the air, using his momentum to swing the bio-engineered beast out of the air and brutally into the street below. Seeing it now moving immediately, he whipped around to go help the two he was assigned to protect. With his student in sight, he jumps off the roof, his Quirk giving the opportunity for more civilians to escape and for Manual to knock a Nomu with scythe-like claws for hands to the ground, unconscious for the time being. As he continued falling to the ground, an explosion from his right caused him to whip his gaze around... 

And to catch sight of a danger he would have seen before it was unavoidable, had he still had his right eye. 

A winged Nomu with sharp claws barreled right into him and began flying towards a train making its way around the last corner to Hosu station. He catches the sight of Manual and Iida running towards the explosion, having not even seen him get grabbed. Shouting in anger as he sees his former student leaving his sight, he attempts to grab his knife to slash at the feet of this Nomu and escape. 

It's a mistake, as the movement prompts the thing to screech and grip twice as hard, and the air escapes his lips painfully as he feels his back, hip and lung get pierced by the sharp claws of the beast. The pain was immense, and he was sure it was the only thing keeping him conscious at this point. He manages to turn his head slightly, only for his eye to widen and barely brace himself in time as he feels the sharp impact of being used as a battering ram to break down the wall of the train. 

As the screams of civilians catch his ears, and the panicked fleeing shakes the train cars, Shouta catches the sight of a figure, dresses in a green and black costume, that even with his fleeting vision and the immense difference in body language, he manages to recognize. 

‘M-Midoriya…?’  

“No way! My Quirk wouldn’t be able to do that!” Himiko exclaims, shaking Izuku’s arm lightly in disbelief as he chuckles. 

“Maybe not right now, but if you do end up deciding to train to become a Hero, it could get stronger! I’m not sure if it would require a Quirk Awakening, or just being really familiar with a particular transformation, you could be able to use someone’s Quirk, in theory, at least,” he says, pointing to his book of notes. “The other idea I thought you could potentially try would be partial transformations, where you change some features to match the blood consumed, but not all of them, but that one seems like it could be a bit more of a stretch that the other.” 

Himiko was quiet for a moment, looking at the page with her sketch and Quirk notes on it. Her voice is much quieter the next time she speaks. “You really think my Quirk is that good?” 

“Yeah! Both you and Bubaigawara have really strong Quirks. I won’t say something as cliché as ‘there is no such thing as a Villain or Hero Quirk’, but I will say your Quirk is what you make of it. I... didn’t have mine for a while, as I explained a little while back...” He sees the girl nod in acknowledgement. “When I had finally trained enough to activate my Quirk for the first time, my first thoughts had been ‘how can I use this to help others’ and ‘will I be strong enough to stop those who would want to hurt people’.” 

“What... What are you trying to say?” Himiko asks, a bud of hope pushing its way through her sad looking eyes. 

“Well... My Quirk’s ‘Heroic’ to myself and others because I want to use it to help people and stop Villains. But to a Villain, I’d have an ‘annoying’ or ‘dangerous’ Quirk, because I’d be constantly thwarting them!” he chuckles, smiling as Himiko giggles a bit. “Anyway, my point is that you shouldn’t let others label your Quirk for you. You should decide the label yourself... That being said, I think of the blood-based Quirks I’ve seen, yours is definitely the most interesting.” 

Himiko gets quiet again, wiping her eyes discreetly. Izuku sees it but doesn’t say anything. The two sit in silence a bit longer before the girl pulls on his sleeve a bit. Looking over, he sees her smiling a bit. “Can I have a hug?” she asks softly. 

“... Yeah, you can,” Izuku decides, and she reaches over, wrapping her arms around him, a bit tight for his liking. After a mental count of five, she lets go, adjusting herself back into her seat to get comfortable again. “Did that help?” 

“Yeah... Thanks, Midoriya.” 

A huff from the seats in front them caught their attention. “Bah, look at you, kid. Quadruple timing those poor girls. The Yaoyo kid, Melissa, the rabbit, and now Himiko. Maybe I should start drafting up a will for you, because you’re gonna get your ass whooped on Valentine’s Day!” Torino says, barking out a laugh. 

Izuku grumbles to himself. “It’s not quadruple timing to have friends...” Torino didn’t see the malicious grin on his face as he heard the elderly Hero growl at Izuku’s successful attempt to make him feel bad. 

“Oh, stop sulking, I was just teasing you, kid!” he shouts back, huffing once again. “Anyway, I want us to drop them off at the hotel as soon as possible, then we can get moving and get into our own skirmishes! Villains love causing a scene at night!” 

“You’re way too excited for this! You’re a guest star on Street Fighter, aren’t you!? ” Jin shouts, pointing in an accusatory manner at the elderly Hero, who merely grins, not supplying the man a reply. 

Seeing that Torino was thoroughly distracted by Jin’s mannerisms, Izuku pulled out another page from one of his notebooks. “Hey, remember that blood-themed Hero you were telling me about? The woman who makes sais, knives and kodachi using her Quirk?” 

“Yeah, Scarlet! She’s my favourite Hero ever, and I’ve been trying to work up the courage to... ask to meet...” Himiko gasps as she realizes what he’s implying. “No, you didn’t!” Izuku wordlessly hands her the paper, and inside is a signed poster of the Hero, along with a personal card containing her number to arrange for a lunch meeting. She squeals in delight and hugs him again, though Izuku didn’t have the heart to remind her of the bubble this time. 

“I hope you like the surprise. One of us will still have to go with, but you and Bubaigawara have been going above and beyond expectations for behavior, and Toshinori-sensei and I agreed that you both deserved a small reward for that.” 

“T-this is a small reward!?” Himiko yelps, before it clicks in her mind. “Oh... right. Works for the Number One Hero.” She gives a small cough as she calms down a little bit. “Still, I love it! Thank you so much!” 

Before Izuku can reply, an explosion in the distance shakes the entire train, causing everyone to grip their seats and a few people to scream in fear. The boy vaguely sees All Might jump over to check things out, and he prepares himself to get ready to move and back his mentors up. 

His preparations are thrown out the window as a winged Nomu flies through the side of the train, collapsing the wall onto thankfully empty seats and screeching. Izuku vaguely sees the shape of a person underneath the Nomu as jumps forward, trying to slash at a civilian. Izuku charges up his Quirk to five percent, punching it right in the face and knocking it off-balance. 

Another impact hits the train, and people cower in fear, before they see the Nomu get picked up like a stray cat by an extremely familiar figure. “Never fear, everyone! Why? Because I AM HERE!” All Might shouts, right before chucking the beast partway across the city and jumping after it immediately following a quick look around at the status of everyone in the car. 

“All right, kid, showtime a bit earlier than planned! This train’s in its automatic stop process, and someone will be here to grab them later! Do a quick check over of everyone, then get your ass out here and help us!” Torino shouts, tossing him an object. Upon inspection, he saw it was the device that deactivated the stun bracelets on Himiko and Jin’s wrists. “Your call on if you want to let them use their Quirks to help defend the train! I’m heading out!” 

As Gran Torino jets away and after All Might, Izuku begins moving around the car, reassuring everyone as they begin to calm down. As he made his way to Jin and Himiko, noticing the man was holding his nose and the mask seemed a bit bloody, he held up the device. “Himiko, Bubaigawara... Are you okay to be able to defend the train?” 

“I’m not melting... I’m not melting! I’m the real one!” Jin shouts to himself, throwing off his jacket in an eccentric fit before turning to Izuku. “I’ve never felt better! I can do this! Those baddies won’t know what hit ‘em!” 

“I... I don’t know if I can...” Himiko mumbles to herself. In response, Izuku hits the button, disabling the sensors on the wristbands, before taking a device from his own pocket. He presses it to his neck and a small sucking sound is heard by Himiko before a ding plays. A small, red capsule pops out and into Izuku’s hands from the device. 

“This is enough for a twenty-minute transformation. Once you swallow it, it’ll dissolve in about a minute, so you’ll want to make the decision soon if you’re going to use it,” he explains, handing the capsule to Himiko, much to her confusion. Next, he pulls out a small knife from his bag, handing it to her, before grabbing a baton and handing it to Jin. “Pocketknife in case you need to stab one of those things, the baton is for a similar purpose.” 

“I... don’t get it... We were Villains, why are you trusting us?” Himiko asks, bewildered. 

Izuku simply smiles at her. “Because you’re trying to be better.” 

Without another word, he directs everyone into the train car ahead of them before heading to the open hole in the one he was currently in. He took a deep breath, ready to charge up his Quirk, before something grabs his leg. Whipping around in anticipation, his face drops as he finally recognizes the person the Nomu grabbed. “Eraser Head...?” he mutters as he moves to try and stop his bleeding upon realizing he was still alive, but a soft slap to his arm catches his attention, enough to have him realize it’s already too late to do anything. 

“M-Midoriya!–” Eraser Head is cut off by a coughing fit, blood hitting the air and ground as he tries to gain enough composure to deliver his message. “You need... to find Iida... his brother, Ingenium... Stain... get himself killed... please...!” he shouts, weakly reaching his hand out for the teen. 

Izuku gasps as a wave of memories of his brief time at U.A. wash over him, of the somewhat eccentric boy with glasses. Of someone who he had wanted to try and be friends with once he realized he wasn’t trying to be rude to him about the exam orientation. Ingenium’s little brother... “Oh god...” Izuku mutters, his gaze sharpening as he stares at his former teacher, the man who took away his chance to study at U.A. High...

But none of that mattered right now. He wasn’t about to tell off a dying man. He gets down to one knee, clasping his hand gently as he looks him right in the eyes. “I’ll do what I can to save him, Eraser Head.” 

“Thank you... and... I’m sorry... Midoriya...” The Hero is staring out at the night sky now, his hand no longer having the strength to reach out for it, despite his clear want to. “O... Oboro...” he mutters, before his gaze is unfocused, and his eye loses its last bit of life. Gritting his teeth, he quickly grabs Jin’s abandoned jacket, making a mental note to buy him a new one later as he covers Eraser Head’s body as best he can in a show of respect for the Hero. 

With a shaky breath to calm his nerves and center himself, he charges up to thirteen percent, jumping as far as he can into the chaos of Hosu, in search of Iida. He had people to save, and a promise to keep, and he had already failed enough today. 

Chapter Text

After a small glance at the train behind him, Izuku refocused himself as he dashed across the rooftops, putting his training to excellent use as he hopped the gaps between buildings. Each time, he found himself glancing to the streets to see if there was any other chaos being caused by Nomus, or any sign of Iida. He never saw anything on the path he took, and as such, continued to make his way to the center of the chaos, where the explosion had occurred, with no incident.

Just as he arrives on the scene, another explosion from the center catches his attention. A jolt in the back of his head prompted him to lean his body to the side as a few small pieces of metal flew just past his face and torso, the teen briefing a small sigh of relief at the narrow miss. His instincts kept saving him these last couple weeks, it seemed.

As the flames die down, he sees a very bulky Nomu with no eyes standing over a slammed and exploded car, and he witnesses a badly injured Hero, The Fly, if his memory serves him correctly, crawling from the exploded car to some cover. He felt twitching and crawling under the skin of his arm as he saw the sight, wanting to grab him and get him to safety. He jumps down, rushing like a blur and performing a roundhouse kick in the air to knock the eyeless Nomu away. He uses that time to grab The Fly and place him behind a Minotaur-themed Hero, Asterion, and…

“Ah, Manual!” Izuku shouts, the Normal Hero glancing over to him as he begins directing the water from a broken fire hydrant to put out fires. The Hero nods, gritting his teeth as he pushes the water harder, all of his concentration going into using his Quirk. Out of the corner of his eye, Izuku sees a Nomu with scythe claws for hands roar, right before it begins to rush towards Manual. Quickly realizing he needs to go higher and fall faster than he can with his Quirk, he whips around to face Asterion. “Asterion, throw me into the air, now!”

The Hero gaped in surprise, before seeing the Nomu back-up rushing in, and nodding, grabbing Izuku as the teen curls into a ball and chucking him into the air. Izuku spins as he corrects his orientation, before lifting his foot above his head in an impressive split. As he realizes for sure that he will hit his target in time, he shouts his attack name. “Luna… SMASH!” The concrete cracks and the Nomu has quite the indent in his head as it ends up sprawled out on the ground.

Manual nods in thanks as Asterion sputters at Izuku’s action. “Who the hell do you think you are, kid!? Miruko!? That guy could be dead ‘cause of that damn kick!” he shouts in panic, rushing forward to punch the approaching eyeless Nomu and slash his arm with his horns in an attempt to ward the beast off.

Izuku flashes a look over to the Hero. “It’s Izuku for now, Asterion! And they’re already deceased, sir!” he reveals to the Hero, recollecting the files he and his mentors had reviewed together. “They’re bioengineered weapons, designed with the capability of taking on top pro Heroes and have multiple Quirks! The strongest was said to be on par with All Might, if not outright stronger! Please, be careful!”

“Shit, you really know your stuff about these guys!” Asterion relents, as he watches the slash heal. “This one’s got regeneration and super strength! We gotta try and overwhelm it, guys!”

Manual nods to Asterion, looking around as he begins speaking. “We need a full team assault on the Nomu! Ingenium, we need to…” Realization passes over both Pro and Apprentice as Manual fails to find his intern, and Izuku realizes who Iida was interning with. “Ingenium!? Ingenium!? Shit, Tenya, where’d you go!?” he shouts in a panic, looking around as he ducks below a flaming tire being chucked his way. As he stands, he spots the teen. “Kid! Uh, Izuku, right? Can you–”

“On it, Manual! Where do you remember seeing him last?” Izuku shouts, cutting the Hero off as he tries to get straight to business.

“Dammit, um…” he squints as he pushes another wave of water towards the attacking Nomu, trying to remember. “It was some streets back, down the way where the scythe Nomu came from! I can’t remember exactly! Sorry I can’t help you more! It’s way too chaotic to track him down like this!” Manual shouts as he runs back into the action.

Those words click in his mind, the final piece of the puzzle fitting carefully into place. Track him down… That was it! “Thanks, Manual, you’ve helped plenty!” he shouts, tapping his earpiece as he grabs his phone from his pocket. “Gran Torino, All Might, do either of you know the tracker frequencies in U.A. student costumes?”

“Huh!? What for, kid!?” Torino shouts as the sound of concrete breaking is heard over the microphone, followed by a shout for people to get to safety.

“Iida Tenya, intern of Manual! He’s missing and might be after Stain!” he explains, charging up One For All and jumping to a rooftop.

A sound of acknowledgement comes from All Might’s comms, overshadowing the sounds of grateful citizens running for safety. “I have knocked out the first Nomu and just finished dropping off civilians at the hospital! Izuku, I’m glad to hear you were so dedicated to U.A.’s student guidebook that you remembered such an obscure fact!” the Hero says, as he jumps to the sky as he glances around for a new place to assist. An unholy screech is heard across all three feeds, closest to Torino. A blast of wind pressure is followed, the sound of All Might punching to boost himself through the air. “Gran Torino, send Heroes over to that area as soon as you can, I’ll need any help I can get, then go help the ones in the area with that large explosion! Izuku, open your tracker app and punch in what I tell you, there’s no time to waste!”

Izuku does so, inputting the tracking codes as he’s told. A quick refresh on his map of the area, and he gets two new area pings, one appearing next to his existing pinpoint ones. “Gran Torino, I have one tracking area down the street from you, can you confirm who that is?” he shouts, as he starts dashing in the direction of the second one, turning on his own tracker before turning off his phone.

The sounds of ice and flame being shot out, as well as the pained screech of a Nomu, are heard on Torino’s feed, followed by shouts of gratitude and running from the civilians. “Endeavor and his kid in the shitty costume! Other ping has to be the Idaten brat, now go save that little idiot you call a former classmate!” he shouts before directing the duo over to where All Might is for back-up and jetting off towards where Izuku just was using his Quirk.

“Already on it, sir!” he replies, turning his comms’ volume down so he can focus, rushing across the rooftops as fast as possible to the location. With his thoughts on both Aizawa and Iida, Izuku vows that this won’t be the first promise he breaks, and that he would do everything he could to save Iida.

He wasn’t going to fail to save someone a second time today.

All Might’s gaze continued to whip around, trying to find the location of the screech. He had an extremely bad feeling about this, and his suspicions were confirmed when he passed a street and saw the hulking beast described from the USj Attack file, standing over bloody, trembling Heroes and about to launch himself at Endeavor and his son.

Whipping around and angling himself, he reels his fist back. “New Hampshire… SMASH!” he shouts, punching as hard as he can into the Nomu, knocking it away from the injured Heroes and causing it to bounce off the pavement into a light pole. “Fear not, everyone! For I am here! Please, get yourselves to safety to recuperate, and get the severely injured to Hosu General Hospital!” he shouts, and the Heroes nod, picking up those they can and balancing them over their shoulders as they begin to run away.

Endeavor and Ice Age run up behind All Might, and the Number One Hero has to make an effort not to chuckle at the boy’s costume, clearing his throat as Endeavor glares at him. “All Might, you made no mention of being here this week… Why are you here? To interfere with my investigations into the Hero Killer?”

“Ah, I see you have not changed much in the last few years, my friend! Still straight to the point, I see. But I am here, not to interfere with your case, but rather to get some night patrol experience for my Apprentice!” At those words, Endeavor’s glare sharpens, and Ice Age’s eyes widen a bit, as though he was remembering something. “As for why I am still here, assisting with this menace? Why, it’s because I’m a Hero!”

Endeavor finds himself scoffing, marching up to the Number One Hero and about to give him a piece of his mind. All Might holds his hands up in surrender, about to ask that they get a move on to taking down more of the Villains, before the faintest hint of movement catches the corner of his eye. His gaze sharpens as he watches, in what seems like slow motion, as the Nomu begins to bolt off the ground and towards the distracted son of the Number Two Hero. In a swift and fluid motion, All Might pushes Endeavor to the side with his left hand and moves in front of Ice Age, before he raises his right fist in an arc over his shoulder.

As the Nomu came upon them, All Might cut its momentum short with a devastating overhead punch to its head, causing it to bounce up into the air, right before winding his left fist back. “Texas… SMASH!” The straight punch to its body was enough to send the Nomu flying, screeching as the wind pressure sent it through three walls of an evacuated building at the end of the street. He turns to Endeavor’s son, a look of concern present through his otherwise consistent smile. “Young Todoroki, are you okay?” he asks, patting him on the shoulder.

The teen can barely get a nod in before Endeavor interrupts, pushing All Might back. “Why did you help my son there? He had it handled,” the Flame Hero says, though he sounds unsure of it himself, and All Might realizes he is trying to let himself be riled up by the action.

Even still, he sees no need to try and escalate things further by intentionally antagonizing him. “My apologies, Endeavor, it seems I had forgotten the description of this dreaded Nomu! It was the one designed specifically to take on me at the Unforeseen Simulation Joint attack,” he explains, and Ice Age nods to confirm his suspicions. “Still, it’s appearance is… off. Young Todoroki, would you say it seemed… different from the last time you encountered the beast?”

“Yes, All Might. It did not have claws as sharp, resist temperatures as effectively, or have a differently coloured arm than the rest of its body,” he answers, his visible eye narrowing as the ice on his other half cracked slightly when he shifted. “I believe whoever made this thing managed to make it stronger, through whatever process that gave it back its arm after Ashido managed to burn it off with her acid. It even has… some form of self-thought. I am certain I saw it targeting already injured Heroes before you came along.”

“Excellent analysis, Young Todoroki! Now, Endeavor, I feel I will need both of you to help me in this time of strife, so we can take down this Villain! Can I rely on you both to do so?” he asks, looking over with a flash of his grin, prompting the Flame Hero to roll his eyes.

After a screech comes from the building, signifying that the Nomu has recovered and is done playing around, Endeavor groans in annoyance. “Fine! Ice Age, provide cooling support and attempt to lock the Nomu in place when I’m not using my attacks. All Might, I know you can take my blasts, so jump in when you can, and make sure to avoid sending the flames into the buildings!”

All Might laughs, flexing his muscles as he readies himself. “Sounds like a plan, Endeavor! Now, let’s take the Villain down, shall we!?” With a nod from each of them, All Might rushes forward, catching the wrist of the Nomu as it attempts to slash his face.

He twists its wrist painfully, before hitting it with a series of rapid punches to keep it absorbing impacts. A rush of fire moves towards the two, and All Might flips himself over the Nomu, pinning its arms behind its back to force it to absorb the flame head-on. Even still, it didn’t react too much, and the flames eventually died down.

“Ice Age, pin it with your ice and assist me! I need to use this lull to cool down any amount I can!” Endeavor orders through the sound of a triumphant screech from the Nomu. The teen obliges, cringing at the sound of cracking ice and intentionally dislocated shoulders as the weapon broke from its icy prison. As water from the melting ice begins to pool around their feet, the two watch in shock as it regrows its own feet, and manages to force its arms from All Might's grasp, popping them back into place without even flinching.

Ice Age pushes his ice further, cooling his father down at a heightened pace as the Nomu begins pushing All Might back, unleashing its own flurry of punches that forces the Hero to respond with his own. The shockwaves crack the buildings and streets around them, and it makes the two extremely glad the buildings had already been evacuated, and the Number One Hero was there to help them fight.

They didn't want to think about what would have happened otherwise.

Endeavor was shouting into his ear piece to his sidekicks, telling them to report the threat level to the HPSC and get approval for higher force as soon as possible, right before he gets Ice Age to stop cooling and he rushes in to assist All Might once again. The chatter on his own comms tell him they are working efficiently to follow his orders, and he once again has to admit his begrudging respect for his talent as the number two.

All Might manages to catch the fist of the Nomu, allowing him to grapple it once again as he shifts his grip to around its waist. With a small grunt of effort, he lifts the beast and suplexes it, drawing up a lot of dust and causing the Nomu to be embedded into the street. “I believe it's your turn, Endeavor!” he shouts, jumping out of the way.

Taking advantage of both his opponent's precarious situation, as well as his body having been cooled down, he decides it's time to unleash a near max power blast. He pulls his fist back, charging it with his most intense fire before he punches forward and shouts his attack, looking positively embarrassed as he invokes his school’s motto. “ Plus Ultra… JET BURN!” A rush of blue, hot flames flow like a tidal wave down the street and towards the stuck Nomu. Over the sound of the fire licking at the air, they couldn’t hear the sound of digging…

Up until the Nomu broke out of its asphalt prison, dropping briefly below the flames, it flips itself upright before beginning to charge through the fire. It continues rushing through, despite its skin starting to melt, fall off and get carbonized before falling to the street. Even still, despite All Might’s best efforts to catch it, the fire was too hot for him to approach and Endeavor was hit with a hard punch, cutting off the flames and knocking him down the street as the Nomu began regenerating. All Might punched it in the back of the head in a hit and run, but it didn’t even budge.

It instead swung its fist at the man, hitting him square in the chest and knocking him onto the ground near his allies. Before it could charge, Ice Age froze the ground in front of him, the ice traveling its way up both of the beast’s legs. Without hesitation, it still moves forward, breaking off the two limbs before they swiftly begin regenerating, as it stands back up with renewed vigor. The Nomu screeched again, seemingly bulking up a bit more as it cracked the pavement beneath its feet.

All Might coughed as he stood back up, blood leaking from his mouth as he held his side. Despise his efforts to hide it, the other two notice it, and their eyes widen in surprise. “Endeavor, are you okay?” All Might asks, as both he and Ice Age rush to his assistance.

“We should be asking you that…” Ice Age remarks as begins putting ice on the Number Two Hero’s back to ease his aching and overheating. The teen's visible eye narrowing. The ice is melting and evaporating into steam immediately, but the teen keeps up its efforts. “It’s definitely stronger than before. Smarter, too. That attack should have been enough… Father, I…” He cuts himself off, shaking his head. “Will you two be able to beat him like this?”

“Yeah… We’re just going to need to both start fighting at once instead of looking for openings… Ice Age, your job will be trapping its legs when you can to wear down the regeneration…” Endeavor says, standing back up and reigniting his flames.

All Might’s grin returns as he stares at the man. “An effective idea, Endeavor! I forgive you in advance for any damage to my hair!” he shouts with a laugh, the Flame Hero forcing himself not to groan as they rush forward to meet the now advancing target head-on. All Might unleashes a fury of blows onto the Nomu to buy some time for his ally. Seizing the opportunity, Endeavor wraps a large amount of fire around his right fist, and All Might reels his own left fist back, as the two shout their ultimate moves as one.

“VANISHING FIST DETROIT SMASH!”

The combined attack generated enough explosive force that it cracked the front walls of the buildings surrounding them, and began knocking away the Nomu at a much faster speed than previous attempts. It looked to be a successful attempt… until the Nomu began angling itself to drag its limbs across the ground and hit objects to slow itself down, ultimately resulting in it only being knocked away through a building and a half, the collateral damage causing both to fall… the second one falling on top of it.

“Did… Did you beat it?” Ice Age asks, a look of nervous confusion falling upon his face. A wave of dread washes over him as the rubble shifts, and out pops the Nomu once again, still looking okay. “It seems to just keep absorbing the hits like they’re nothing… That combo should have blown it halfway across Hosu, and yet…”

“Right you are, Young Todoroki! I think I’ve determined its Quirks now!” All Might declares, coughing briefly before looking at the two as the Nomu shakes itself off and starts running at them from a couple blocks down, picking up speed somewhat slowly as the regeneration finishes healing its bones. “Listen close, as we only have time for this explanation once! Fast regeneration, muscle and strength augmentation, shock absorption, and based on the lack of permanent damage from either of your Quirks, some kind of temperature resistance that works better against heat! We’ll need to focus our efforts on overwhelming the shock absorption and resistance Quirks, and the regeneration will follow in their footsteps!” he declares, stepping forward and getting into a wrestling stance. “Now, prepare yourselves!”

The Nomu jumps in the air towards them, ready to bring down hammer fists onto All Might as all three Heroes prepare to double their efforts, and show the beast what it truly means to go beyond.

Stain stood, gripping his target by his face as he stared him down with obvious contempt. An explosion catches his attention, and he glances up at the flaming sky. “Those fools and their damn noise… That was their chance. I’ll deal with them later.” He returns his attention to the Pro Hero within his grasp, unlatching a pocket knife with his free hand. “Right now… I must focus on what needs to be done.”

Native grits his teeth, trying desperately to move but can’t. “My body… Your damn Quirk…! Go die, bastard!” he shouts in frustration, his voice muffled by the hand holding him up against the wall.

“You damn fake… You’re a disease…” Stain growls, squeezing Native’s head just a bit harder as he grips his katana. “You dare call yourself a Hero? ‘Hero’ is a title given only to those who accomplish great deeds for the sake of others! There are far too many like yourself who act like Heroes, yet instead indulge in money, fame and glory as though it is your pure object of worship… Until the world has realized its mistake by allowing these people to become Heroes, I will continue to appear… Continue to cull the fakes… Continue to cull the likes of you!”

Stain twists his grip on his katana, getting ready to slash Native’s throat, before movement catches the corner of his eye. His gaze whips over to the intruder, and he sees a familiar looking set of armor flying at him, ready to kick him to interfere with his mission. He shifts his wrist again, slashing upwards at the armored figure and knocking off his helmet and glasses, revealing quite the familiar looking face in addition to the armor. “A child wearing a suit… A suit resembling that U.A. imposter, Ingenium… Tell me, who are you?”

At the teenage stranger’s refusal to answer, Stain scoffs. “You’re playing a dangerous game, posing as a Hero I have utterly and thoroughly punished for being a fake… Go home. This is no place for a child to be.”

The kid ignored his words, instead choosing to turn his glare right to the Hero Killer. “It’s just as the news said… A man wearing a blood red scarf, with bladed weapons all across his body… You’re the Hero Killer: Stain! You are, aren’t you!?” he shouts, getting back to his feet and shifting into a fighting position. “I’ve been chasing you, killer! I must have lucked out, having found you so soon! I am–”

His words are cut off by a katana being pointed at his face, mere centimeters from cutting his face. The anger nearly leaves him entirely, replaced with shock as sweat begins to flow down his face as he falls to his knees. Shortly following, the sound of Native hitting the ground was heard, along with the pained groan. A brief glance helps him realize Stain threw him in a way that he slid across the wall of the building, scraping the Hero’s back. The Hero Killer doesn’t take kindly to him being distracted, and slices the teen’s cheek shallowly with his katana. “Those eyes of yours… Are you here for vengeance, perhaps? I’d choose your next words very carefully, boy, because they could very well be your last. Depending on how the situation turns out, I am not above targeting children. I won’t stop at just cutting your cheek.” The threat is not vague in any way whatsoever, yet the kid was very obviously offended.

“You…” The teen grips his fist in anger. “Are you trying to say… I’m not even a target?” A memory seems to flash through the boy’s mind as his anger comes back tenfold. He begins to stand back up in defiance as he begins to speak once more. “Listen here, criminal! I am the younger brother of a Hero you attacked! The younger brother of such an amazing person, of someone I was proud to call my older brother! And I have come to stop you in his place, to finish what he started!”

Stain’s grip on his katana tightens, and his gaze turns cold when he hears the following words. “I want you to remember my name for as long as you live, scum! I am Ingenium! It is the name of the Hero who will defeat you!”

A flurry of emotions passes through Stain in that very moment, as files of information come into his mind. “Ah… So you’re the younger Iida brother. The one who goes… to U.A.” He is silent for a moment, his pupils shrinking as he glares at Ingenium the Second. “I see… Die.”

“Like I would, bastard!” the teen shouts, revving his engines as he attempts to kick Stain into the air, only for Stain to jump above it and dodge entirely.

“I granted you mercy by allowing him to live, you know. I should have killed him by coming from U.A.... I won’t make the same mistake again!” Stain shouts, kicking Iida in the shoulder while still in the air with his spiked boots, sending him sliding down part of the alleyway. Ingenium stood, trying to charge his engines again to perform evasive maneuves, but he didn’t get the chance as Stain expertly threw a small knife from his off-hand, which embedded itself in the teen’s left shoulder. His target tried to shrug it off until he realized there was a rope connected to it. “Get back here!” Stain shouts as pulled the rope harshly, pulling both the knife out of his shoulder and the teen along with it, giving the Hero Killer a chance to jump in the air and deliver a harsh stomp to the head, sending Ingenium to the ground flat.

“You and your brother are both weak… Because you’re worse than fake. You’re the scum of the earth, produced from a U.A. that is long past its prime,” Stain remarks, glaring at the teen underneath his boot. He holds the knife up, careful not to let any of the blood spill off.

Ingenium did not care, glaring hatefully at the Hero Killer. “Shut up, Villain! My brother is paralyzed… He’s in a coma, all because of your actions! He was a great Hero! A wonderful Hero who saved so many people, and made the lives of many more better! He led those who followed him with enthusiasm! And yet… Yet!–” Frustrated tears before flowing from the teen’s eyes, no doubt from so much pent-up emotion. “Now I don’t even know if he’s going to wake up, if he’s ever going to say my name again, much less be a Hero anymore! There… there was no reason for you to crush him… He was my hero! He was an excellent older brother who gave me a dream! I’ll never forgive you… I swear, I will kill you!”

Stain watched this fit the second Ingenium was having with cold indifference, glancing over at Native. “You should have saved him first. Perhaps I would have spared you then,” he remarks, before glaring back down at Ingenium. “Being taken in by your hatred, using your power for yourself to fulfill your own desire for revenge… That is the furthest thing from what a Hero should be, and yet I expected it from U.A. scum such as yourself… And that is why you die tonight, as a sacrifice for a more just world…” He finally licks the knife, allowing his Quirk to settle into his target. He holds his katana up for a killing blow, before a green blur kicking out at him forces him to dodge. He glares at the interjector, trying to recall where he had seen him before.

The skyline around him continued to blur as he kept running. Izuku couldn’t stop now, not when he was so close to the tracking point. He continued to wonder where exactly the alleyway was, if it was just Iida blowing off his duties from fear or if he actually went after the Hero Killer… and what state he would be in when he got there. He managed to get the answer to his last question when he heard the shout from about four or so buildings away. “... was an excellent older brother who gave me a dream!… I swear, I will kill you!” Hearing those words shouted from the highly respectful Iida sent a shiver down Izuku’s spine, gritting his teeth as he maintained his efforts trying to find him. Thankfully for him, that shout was all he needed to readjust himself, finally able to shoot off in an exact direction.

His speed continued to prove useful. That was the thought that popped into his mind when he caught sight of Stain, standing over Iida with his katana pointed just above the other teen’s neck. He jumped down from the roof, bouncing off the wall of the opposing building, and attempted a five percent kick at the Hero Killer, forcing the Villain to stop his fatal stab and dodge as the teen landed in front of his rescue target. “The tracker worked!” he whispered to himself, before he began to take note of the situation, his eyes not missing out on any detail.

There was another Hero in the alley, with clear injuries to his left arm and shoulder. A closer glance also showed bruising around his face, as though it had been gripped hard, likely the result of the Hero Killer. Him not moving to cover his wound told him that he likely couldn't move. Izuku recalled the Hero's name as Native, and he grit his teeth in irritation. If it was just Iida, he could have gotten them both out of here… He ignored the continued wriggling, crawling feeling that had firmly settled underneath his skin, trying to refocus himself. Based on Stain's tense posture, it seemed he was doing the same, choosing to wait and see what Izuku did.

“Who… who are you? Get outta here, kid! He's just after us two! You're gonna… get yourself killed!” Native shouts in pained breaths, his gaze turned as best he can to Izuku.

Iida seemed to be in a similar state of shock. “You…! You're the one who was expelled from U.A.!” he shouts in alarm, shock and anger distorting his expression. “Midoriya, what are you doing here!? You aren't a student anymore! You need to leave now! He's mine to defeat! You need to get away and evacuate with the other–”

“Iida, I mean this as respectfully as possible, but please, shut up,” Izuku says, daring a glance at him. The armored teen grit his teeth, but otherwise said nothing, thankfully having decided to heed his words. Looking him over, Iida's injuries seemed ultimately minor in comparison, with some bleeding on his right arm, a small wound in his right shoulder, and a series of two small cuts across his right cheek, yet he also was clearly unable to move. A glance at the Hero Killer showed the likely culprit, a small throwing knife with a rope attached to it. A makeshift rope kunai, then. Both cuts were bleeding, and Iida was unable to move, just like Native. “So cutting or blood is the answer to his Quirk…” he mumbles to himself.

He puts his hand up to his earpiece, opening it to the channel his mentors were on again. “Gran Torino, I found Iida. Pro Hero Native is also here, and he's incapacitated. I'll do my best to keep him back, but back-up sent to my location would be appreciated,” he says, his gaze now fixated on Stain.

“We're all preoccupied here, kid! But I'll send someone as soon as I can! We trained you well, so don't make us look bad!” the elderly Hero shouts over his comm, the sound of yet another object being chucked towards a building being heard before he goes radio silent again.

“Are you done yet, boy?” Stain asks, his voice leaking out malicious intent into the alleyway. “So, you said you followed a tracker here, and you clearly are different from these two… But that is merely what things look like. So tell me, what do you intend to do?”

“I came here to save Iida from encountering you. It was the last request of Eraser Head, and I may not have even found out he was here without him telling me… But that doesn't matter now. I will save Native and Iida. If you won't leave now and let me get them medical attention, I'll stop you from getting the finishing blow instead!” he declares. A gasp of shock comes from Iida, and an intrigued hum comes from Stain, bringing Izuku's attention back to him.

“Such Heroic words… There may be a chance you're worth letting live, unlike these fakes…” The statement brought Izuku no comfort. “Those are some good lines, but it won't matter if you cannot back them up… So, tell me, little Hero, your name and who you're here with,” he demands, licking his lips with his long tongue. “I would suggest you make it quick… After all, if we were to clash, the weaker would surely be culled.” Stain’s words cut deep, and Izuku has to force himself not to falter under the intense gaze of the murderer.

“My name is Midoriya Izuku, and I don't have my Hero name yet… I was here with my mentors to help me figure that out, and now we're all fighting for our lives to stop the League of Villains from killing people… and evidently, it seems you’re on that list of people we need to stop now.” Izuku shifts into a fighting stance as Stain’s expression shifts into something he can’t quite recognize. “You may think that these two are fake Heroes… But they can change! They can get better! I made a promise to save Iida, and anyone else you tried to hurt tonight, and I will fight you if I have to! Because meddling when you don’t need to… that’s the essence of what it really means to be a Hero.”

Stain stares him down, Izuku’s glare does not falter, the teen shifting only slightly to better block Iida from the Villain’s sight. But once he does so, a maniacal grin makes its way onto the Hero Killer’s face. “Yes… That’s the spirit I want to see… Midoriya Izuku… That's where I recognized you!” he shouts, his gaze turning near euphoric with the obvious joy flowing through him. “To hear such words from the boy that All Might chose, the Hero who was able to escape the clutches of that corrupted and diseased school… You want to save them, and I will only allow myself to be stopped by All Might… or you! So come, Midoriya Izuku, and show me what you're made of!”

Izuku sparks up One For All across his body as Stain readies his katana, and the two rush forward, ready for their climatic clash to finally begin.

Chapter Text

Inko fusses as her phone continues ringing in her ear. She knows she shouldn't call him so frequently, but with all her worries, she just can't help it. She lets out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding when the other end finally picks up.

“Inko? Something wrong, Honey?” Hisashi’s voice was a relief for her to hear. Even though it had only been a few days, she still wanted to ensure her husband was okay, safe, and sound while this All For One business was in the air.

She startles as he calls her name again in concern, causing her to realize she should probably respond. “Yes, Hisashi, I'm here. Just… stressed…”

“From this Villain stuff and Izuku's Hero Apprentice business, right?” Inko hums in confirmation. “I won't pretend like I understand the true gravity of the situation… I'm just glad you got that email sent from All Might of all people to expedite me being put in a safe house and on leave from work. I know you'd be pacing a hole in the floor if I wasn't… How'd you and Izuku even manage to score a deal like that anyway?”

Inko starts to panic, trying to figure out how to explain this to her husband before she hears muffled laughter. “What's so funny?”

“Ah, don't worry, Honey. I know the basics about that Quirk of his. Did you forget he emailed me shortly after he got kicked out of school?” The laugh she hears over the other end of the line only makes Inko mildly annoyed. “I was just teasing you. Don’t be upset, okay?”

“Don’t joke like that! I’m worried for Izuku…” A heavy sigh escapes her lips. “I know he has All Might there to keep an eye on him, but he’s still going out into the world, fighting real Villains. Not everyone who decides is so eager to take the chance to leave… Many of the people Izuku’s going to have to face are people who chose that life because they enjoy it. I’m scared for him, and I’m scared for us… This Villain that wants his Quirk… He’s… He’s…”

“I know, Inko… But I’m safe here. You’re safe in Might Tower. Izuku has the strongest Hero in the world, looking out for him—and so many others! He’ll be fine. We’ll be fine. We just need to be brave and face the world head-on, right?”

“Be brave… I promised Izuku I would be brave for him from now on, but I didn’t realize it would be this hard…” Inko takes a steady breath, the pressure weighing on her finally lifting. “But I’m going to keep at it, for Izuku and myself… Talking helped a lot, Hisashi. Thank you.”

“It was nothing, Honey. Just make sure to send me any pictures you and Izuku take with the Heroes as payment, okay?” Hisashi’s lighthearted comment manages to get a laugh out of Inko. “I gotta go now, but I’ll call you again soon. I love you, Inko.”

“I know. I love you too.” With kisses blown into the air, Inko hangs up the phone. After the call with Hisashi, she feels calm enough to finally turn on the news, eager to get any updates on her boy’s success as soon as they are reported.

Inko is suddenly extremely glad she had calmed herself beforehand. The scene she was witnessing on the screen may have caused her to burst into tears if she had been worried still. But she presses on, leaving the scene playing in the background with her hands clasped together, repeating soft reassurances that her son would be okay to herself. It was the only thing keeping her from flooding the room.

“Stay down already!” Torino shouts, his jet-powered kick sending him flying into the now recovered scythe-Quirked Nomu, knocking it back into the ground and out of the fight briefly. He turns his attention back to the eyeless one. Things were not going great.

None of the active Heroes there had enough strength or the right Quirk to stop it, and they were very clearly losing this battle of attrition. The Nomu picks up the remains of a car, swinging it at a duo of Heroes in ninja-like outfits and sending them crashing into and through the windows of a building, beginning to catch flame. Torino grits his teeth, glancing over to Manual. “Manual! The damage is spreading too far! Can’t you drown this thing?”

Manual looks tired, but shows an immense determination behind his eyes. “It keeps breaking through any barriers of water I put on it. It’s too strong for me to deal with that way, and trying to make it burst wouldn’t work either; Not enough water.”

“Dammit…” Torino quickly surveys his surroundings once more, and spots something that could be the key to slowing this thing down. He jets over Manual's head, grabbing a broken streetlight pole and bringing it over towards Asterion. “Wrap this thing up around the Nomu! No time for arguing!” he snaps, cutting off any debate that had begun to stir within the Minotaur-themed Hero.

As Asterion grabs the pole, Torino rushes forward with his Quirk once more, landing a solid punch on the Nomu that distracts it. Even with his age, the elderly Hero is much too nimble for the hulking, eyeless beast to get a good read on, leading to the man playing a dangerous game of keep-away as his fellow Heroes focused on restraining the two Nomu and trying to stop the fires from spreading further than they have already. Within the next couple minutes and one more solid hit to the bulked-up Nomu’s brain, the two are restrained as best they can be, and they have a moment to breathe and focus on damage control.

A vibration from his pocket catches his attention, and he pulls out his phone to find notifications that both Himiko and Jin have used their Quirks from their wristbands. Izuku turned off the wristbands’ shock mode, which means that he trusted them to use their Quirks at the first sign of danger. “Shit!” He quickly pockets his phone and turns to the other Heroes. “Civilians in danger on the trains! I’ll head over there now, so take care of things here!”

Without waiting for a reply, he blasts off into the air. But even as he heard the faint sound of restraints breaking and a loud yell after about thirty seconds, he didn’t turn around. They were Heroes, after all. This is the type of thing they were trained to handle. Above all else…

Civilian lives came first.

“So come, Midoriya Izuku, and show me what you're made of!”

The green glow of One For All and the glint of a katana light up the alleyway, and the two opposing parties lunge forward at each other, the tension finally snapping as the battle between Killer and Apprentice begins. Neither party notices the small drone attached to the wall behind them, zooming in on the fight.

The Hero Killer attempts a horizontal slash meant to make the teen jump back, but Izuku’s momentum allows him to slide under the blade and between the Villain’s legs.

Before the man can respond, Izuku flips backward, landing a ten-percent backflip kick right into Stain's face, knocking him off-balance… but not unconscious. Izuku's eyes widen as he realizes it didn't work, and he rushes forward again, pulling his fist back. “Detroit… SMASH!” He throws the punch, but Stain sidesteps it, whipping his katana around to hit Izuku with the end of the hilt.

The teen leans forward into a roll, only getting grazed by the weapon, and he uses the opportunity to bounce to the wall, beginning to bounce around like he was taught from Gran Torino. With the cramped space, he couldn't push the percentage up just yet, lest he crash into the walls. But even still, ten percent was more than enough to keep tagging the Hero Killer with quick punches and swipes.

Stain's eyes continued to follow him, though, and he was forced to avert his follow-through as the Villain predicted his movements and nearly slashed his chest with his katana. “You're fast…” Stain mutters as Izuku lands between the Hero Killer and his targets. “But not fast enough!” Before he knew what was happening, Izuku was met with the sight of several throwing knives coming right toward him, forcing him to duck below. The clattering far behind him allowed him to take a breath, but the follow-up improvised rope kunai made him hold it once more.

Thinking back to his softball throw, he grits his teeth and readies his hand in front of himself before flicking his middle finger at fifteen percent with a shout of, “Delaware Smash!” The resulting shockwave sends debris along with the weapon back towards the killer. The knife embeds itself into the wall behind Stain, and the rope is dropped, the killer steadying his blade once more.

Stain lunges forward and slashes diagonally at Izuku, but the Apprentice dodges at the last moment, bouncing upwards off the wall and lifting his leg above his head as he spins around. With a chant of “Luna Smash!” he lands a solid axe kick on the back of Stain's head. The hit causes the Hero Killer to bounce off the ground and Izuku uses the opportunity to grab the man by his scarf and throw him back into the other end of the alley, away from Iida and Native.

Stain flips himself in mid-air, landing on his feet and sliding to a stop as he stares at Izuku with a manic grin. “Those moves were quite impressive, Midoriya… They remind me of Heroes like Miruko! Of course, the next Symbol of Peace would draw from everywhere he can! What better way to protect the innocent than to use any tool you can!” he shouts before a serious glare returns to his face. “But I'm not done testing you yet… All Might picked you, but if you cannot beat me, then it means that he was wrong…  Don’t lose yet, Midoriya! Don't disappoint me!”

Stain renews his assault on the Apprentice with vigor as though he had finally caught his second wind, slashing with extreme precision at Izuku, who is beginning to notice a dull throbbing in the back of his head, not quite unfamiliar, but a bit harsher than he's used to at this point. The teen continues to dodge, but eventually, the blade catches his left arm, managing to tear through the fabric and break the skin. With a wild panic, Izuku grabs the tip of the blade as Stain brings it to his mouth and kicks it, the iron sole causing the already heavily chipped blade to snap cleanly in half.

Izuku tosses the bloody half of the blade away, glaring at the Hero Killer as the man throws away his own half. ‘This guy… How is he able to keep up with ten percent? Just what the hell is driving him this crazy?’ he thinks. With frustration seeping through him, he just knows that whatever is causing this doesn’t matter; he only needs to win. “You’re not gonna get my blood that easily, Stain!” Izuku rushes forward, fully committing to his max of thirteen percent, launching a barrage of punches at the man, who himself is forced to deflect away and dodge the attacks. Izuku's assault pauses as he feels an even sharper pain than he had up to that point. Before he can figure out what caused it, he spies Stain grabbing hold of the rope once more, pulling the knife out of the wall with a single pull and managing to slash deep into Izuku's left cheek, at the cost of the rope slipping free of its knot and falling uselessly to the ground.

“Dammit!” Izuku grits his teeth through the pain, flicking his finger at Stain once again to knock the knife out of his hand and landing a roundhouse kick into his arm, allowing the teen the chance to kick the blood-covered blade far down the alleyway. Another spike of pain, and Izuku correctly predicts Stain's next attack. ‘Let's hope this works well,’ he thinks, and with a shout of, “Komaki Smash!” he drops himself low and lands a solid counter strike into Stain’s gut as the Villain was about to swing another shorter blade at him. A kodachi this time. The hit sends him flying down the alley a short distance; Izuku watches as he stands up while holding his stomach in the first real show of pain he’s seen.

At this point, Izuku was finally able to figure out what was happening with those spikes of pain. Somehow, it had to be a Quirk. Did One For All have some kind of danger detection that All Might never told him about? Questions for later, as he refocuses himself on his opponent, who is watching him warily.

The two move to clash once again, Stain throwing knives at Izuku once again, only for Izuku to slide and use another Delaware Smash to send them off-course into the walls of the buildings around them. More of the ground was torn up, sending debris into the eyes of Stain, which allowed Izuku an opportunity to strike. With a running jump, Izuku performed a mid-air roundhouse kick with a shout of, “St. Louis SMASH!”

The attack crashes into the side of Stain's skull, sending him reeling away and crashing into the wall beside them, causing the killer to crumple to the ground. Izuku moves to disarm and restrain the man with cuffs, but another massive spike of pain causes him to stop in his tracks right before he's forced to lean back and avoid an uppercut from Stain, from a fist that's now adorned with a spiked glove.

Izuku repeatedly jumps back to regain his bearings, watching as Stain pulls on his other spiked glove. “This doesn't make any sense… Why is he using so many different types of weaponry?” he whispers to himself. From all the reports, Stain had only ever used katanas and throwing knives. The rope kunai and spiked knuckles… these were new. He had been willing to look past just the improvised ranged weapon since it did make sense to Izuku that the Villain would want to pull back a blood-covered knife or a victim who tried to run.

He doesn’t know how to feel about Stain’s sudden shift into becoming a brawler.

“… How did you improve this much in just a couple of months…” Iida’s voice sounds hoarse and full of utter disbelief as he stares up at his former peer. A very conflicted look passes over his face as he grits his teeth. “You’re still bleeding a bit. Don’t let him grab you.”

“Right. Thank you, Iida,” Izuku replies, daring a quick glance behind him to check on his condition. It definitely looked a lot worse than it was, but he still wants to finish this as soon as possible. As he turns his attention back to his front, a spike of pain hits him once again, and he flicks a fourth Delaware Smash down the alleyway, this time at seventeen percent, launching the kodachi thrown his way hilt deep into the side of a trash collection bin. “Dammit… Why can’t you just stay down, Stain? They may not be in danger of bleeding out, but you’re keeping me from helping them and preventing an infection.”

Even through Stain’s battle-hardened glare, Izuku can see the excitement in his composure. “All Might’s Apprentice, annoyed at having to fight his opponent… All because it prevents him from helping those right in front of him… It’s almost too good to be true; how perfect of a choice All Might has made!” he shouts, licking his lips. “But we’re not done yet… You keep protecting and fighting for these fakes, so we won’t be done until I say we’re done. I’ll take in just who you are as a person, and I’ll make sure I show you where to properly put your efforts…”

“You really are out of your mind…” Izuku’s voice is flat and his eyes are beginning to reflect on his anger towards Stain’s actions. He can feel his emotions simmering and crawling under his skin like a writhing mass that needs to break free. But he keeps himself in check, not wanting to break the buildings around him in addition to his limbs. “Do you not even consider what your actions do?! Iida wouldn’t even be out here right now if not for you! You nearly killed the first Ingenium, all for the crime of having graduated from a school!”

Stain opens his mouth to respond, but Izuku slams his foot into the ground, the iron sole cracking the concrete below him harshly and shutting his mouth. “For every Hero that cleans up their act, you’re leaving several more people grieving, some with more pain and sorrow than they even know what to do with! You attacking Ingenium caused Iida to fall victim to his emotions, but that doesn’t mean he can’t change! He had to have changed to even be here in the first place! This one strike, and you’re done thing of yours… It’s…” Izuku takes a harsh breath, focusing on One For All increasing its percentage past his set limit. He can feel his bones creaking a bit, but he ignores it. “It’s wrong! People can change! They can get worse, but they can always get better too! You stick so harshly to your narrow worldview and kill others because of it… It's unforgivable!”

Stain gives a slow clap for Izuku, a sick grin plastered over his face as he does so. “I must commend you, Midoriya Izuku! You’ve cemented your resolve to defeat me! You continue to improve more and more by the second!” Stain punctuates the sentence by cracking his knuckles, not even flinching as he pushes his palms onto the spiked knuckles. “Now it's time to put your resolve to the test. No more holding back from either of us! If you want to truly win, you’ll take the title I have offered only to All Might, and you’ll end my life!”

“Damn lunatic!–” Izuku mutters only his breath, pushing himself just a bit further, up to sixteen. His muscles and skin felt like it was crawling even more, but he ignored it. He launches himself at Stain, sending rapid strikes at the Villain to take full advantage of his intense boost in speed. Knowing he couldn’t keep up evasion forever, the Hero Killer decides to deflect moves and counter, still putting up an impressive fight against Izuku despite what should have been a huge difference in power.

After a minute of their clash, Izuku hit Stain’s arm, breaking through his guard, and he launched a roundhouse kick into the killer’s chest. Seizing an opportunity, Stain pushes off the ground as it connects, using the momentum to launch himself into the air. Two glints catch Izuku’s eye. A slight hint of metallic and red, almost like a dart, shining from a pouch on the Hero Killer’s hip…

And a reappearance of his DIY rope kunai. It seems the Hero Killer kept an extra one on his person, just in case.

The surprise launch of the knife towards Izuku doesn’t catch the teen off-guard, and he grabs the weapon as it flies at him. With a glare and shout, he pulls Stain in close, letting loose a Texas Smash into his face and sending him flying down the alley. But even still, he was getting back up. “How… are you still conscious?” Izuku mutters under his breath, his mind trying to process the shock of witnessing the fanatic's tenacity.

“The adrenaline must be pushing him to this point… I just need to keep fighting him until he tires out…” With a shout, Izuku rushes, and the two begin punching each other, matching blow for blow as fists bruise and graze the skin of the opponent. Stain attempts to land an overhead punch on Izuku, but the teen grips the killer’s shoulder, flipping over him. He tries to land a solid punch on him but is interrupted by a spike of pain, followed by a spinning back fist to his right cheek too fast for him to properly process.

As Stain attempts to bring the glove to his mouth, Izuku grabs his wrist and lifts his elbow, striking the Hero Killer in the cheek and jaw before managing to wipe away the blood on the glove. Stain groans in pain, grabbing his chin and adjusting his jaw to recover from the hit. “That tenacity, that determination… Only someone who respects All Might to the same degree as I do could match mine!”

“You showcase that respect in a disgusting way… I’m glad I’ll never be like you,” Izuku mutters, settling into his stance against the wishes of his breathing and lungs to pull back. He shouldn’t have felt this out of breath, though…

Stain scowls, rushing forward at Izuku while snatching his kodachi out of the trash collection bin’s side. “Enough of that nonsense! A true Hero can handle any attacks thrown their way! I’m striking to kill you, Midoriya, so you better not disappoint!” He lets out a vigored shout and begins slashing at Izuku, who sidesteps the first two and ducks underneath the third, bouncing to the walls and around Stain rapidly, taking full advantage of the pains in his head to avoid each of the future slashes.

Seizing the opportunity, he pushes his percentage up to twenty, trying to take the deepest breaths he can while doing so, and manages to lose Stain’s point of view. He grins to himself before he launches himself at the Hero Killer, winding back his leg for his attack. “St. Louis… Sma-” He’s cut off by the pain returning, and he’s able to catch a glimpse of Stain’s own manic smirk as he winds up his own roundhouse kick. His opponent was able to strike faster with his ground advantage and trickery, and Izuku could feel himself coughing up a bit of blood as a spiked, steel boot hit him square in the chest, knocking him down the alley and nearly face-to-face with Iida. The pain was immense, and Izuku wanted to take a moment to recover from the harsh hit. But he knows, deep down, that if he didn’t get back up here, he couldn’t rise up to face Stain…

Native and Iida were not going to make it.

So with a pained shout, Izuku rolls over onto his stomach before pushing himself to his feet and dashing at the slowly approaching Stain, surprising him. He hops into the air, grabbing Stain’s shoulders and reeling his head back. “Kamurocho… SMASH!” He smashes his forehead into where the Hero Killer’s nose used to be, causing the man to fall over and, combined with Izuku’s One For All powered headbutt, fall unconscious once his head hits the ground, dropping his kodachi.

Izuku breathes heavily, rubbing his forehead as the fight finally ends. He reaches for the cuffs that should be in one of his pouches, only to find nothing there. “Dammit… I must’ve forgotten it on the train…” With a frustrated sigh, he quickly runs to the bin, digging through it to find several oddities. A thrown-out kettle, half of a chair, an Endeavor trading card stained in grape juice… And a rope! “How convenient…” Izuku hums, returning to quickly tie up the Villain’s hands tightly behind his back. He quickly checks to ensure no more weapons are on him and kicks away the kodachi in case he does wake up before making his way over to Stain’s now-rescued victims.

“Iida, are you okay? Can you move yet?” he asked, moving to help pick him up.

Iida dismissed him, however. “I’m fine, Midoriya,” he said through gritted teeth, his fingers starting to twitch as he attempted to move them, getting more successful as the seconds passed. “Just help Native up, please… I’ll be there to assist in a moment.”

“Okay, but I’m restraining you too if I see you charge at Stain,” he warned, turning his back on his fellow teenager.. Izuku noticed that the man seemed to be staring in absolute shock. “Can you move at all, Native? I can help you out of the alley so the paramedics and I can clean out and bandage your wounds,” he offered.

A pained groan came from Native. “No, I can’t move still… I’m going to need some help… Still… Great work, kid…”

The compliment helped relieve some of Izuku’s lingering doubts about his capabilities. But as the Apprentice made his move over to Native, he stopped as a spike of pain hit him, that same early alarm system in his head.

He had mere moments to turn his head to see the two knives being flung in his direction.

Torino used his Quirk to blast himself forward towards the train, mere meters away from getting inside. His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of something inside. It was another one of those Nomu, this one resembling a dog with some kind of fire body, sniffing at a bloody jacket on the floor of the train.

Wasting no time, the elderly Hero blasted in, drop-kicking the Nomu with both feet. Once the Villain was pressed against the wall of the train, Torino blasted his Quirk into its head, the force crushing the beast’s head. With a huff, he wiped the Nomu's brains off his boot, checking what the bloody jacket was.

He didn't hesitate as he lifted the jacket, confirming his suspicions as he saw the body underneath. Underneath was the face of someone who looked vaguely familiar, until realization hit him in a wave all at once. “Shit, this is Eraser Head… No wonder Izuku took so long getting out of this train…”

Torino gritted his teeth, lifting the body before he dragged it away from the opening in the train car and set him back down. With that distraction out of the way, he shot forward to the door leading to the other train car, seeing that it had been clawed open.

Expecting a fight, he jumped through the opening, only to find several dead copies of that same Nomu he fought in the previous car, along with two Jins, three Himikos and an Izuku wearing Himiko's clothes… He felt the words escape his lips before he could stop himself

“What the hell is happening here?”

One of the Jin's stepped forward, lifting his All Might coloured mask with a wide grin. “I broke my nose!”

Torino narrowed his eyes as he saw that Jin had, in fact, broken his nose. “Right… Himiko, what happened?”

The real Himiko, who was disguised as Izuku, shrugged, glancing over at Jin doing an excited dance with his clone. “Jin had a little mental thing with his Quirk, so he thought he was a fake this whole time. When the train stopped, he smashed his face really hard off the seat from being sent forward, and now he's sure he's real! And with Izuku believing in him, and all these people relying on us, I was able to convince him to make a clone! Then he made a clone of me, and his clone made two clones. We didn't have enough blood or knives for all of them though, so they've been biting and scratching.”

Torino glanced around to see traces of brown, almost mud-like liquid across the floor of the train car. “Needed a few replacements, I assume?” Himiko nodded rapidly, and Jin gave a thumbs up. “Right… Well, I'm going to report to the HN and get some people over here to help evacuate the train. Can you dismiss the clones so we can avoid any confusion?” 

“Yes sir! You got it, boss! ” Jin said with a thumbs up. While Torino began his report, Himiko released her Quirk, a gray slime leaking out of her clothes as she rushed to give her clones a hug. Jin gave his own clone a high five before all four clones melted into a puddle of the muddy liquid. While Himiko giggled at the feeling of the goop, Jin stood at attention, saluting like a soldier. “Ready for evacuation, sir! Let's get these people movin’! ”

“Good work, you two. You've definitely earned a good word in our progress reports,” Torino said, prompting Jin and Himiko to hug each other with excited squeals. He waves the two over, and he spoke in a hushed tone so the civilians didn't overhear him. “I'll need you two to keep your eyes open, though. All Might, Endeavor and his little brat are fighting one of these Nomu things.”

“What's so wrong with that?” Himiko asked innocently, before a loud crash and a plume of smoke could be seen from a block of buildings in the window, punctuated by an inhuman screech. “Was… was that…?”

“Yeah… It's one of those Nomu, except it's powerful enough to actually take on All Might. And maybe even win,” he revealed, prompting Himiko's eyes, and the eyes on Jin’s mask, to widen. “Don't say anything worrying to the civilians. I need you to be aware of the situation, but remain calm so you don't do anything rash or cause a panic. Can you two do that for me?”

The two nodded, and Torino gave a hum of acknowledgement. “Good.” He turned his attention to the civilians, walking forward to speak to them. “All Might and Endeavor or both in the city, taking on their heaviest hitter right now. They'll be keeping it occupied while a group of Heroes comes here and helps you all get to a safer location. Now, is anyone injured?”

A wave of murmured no's made its way to his ears. “All right. Everyone, once the Heroes arrive, Himiko and Jin will release the emergency lock on the doors, and they'll help you out of the train. So be cooperative and–”

Torino was interrupted by another loud impact, this time from the other side. However, it was different this time. It wasn't laced with the howl of a creature screeching in pain, no…

That sounded like someone screaming out.

He narrowed his eyes and saw long tendrils, whipping around in the air and damaging the roofs of the buildings around it. Realization dawned upon him as his mind jumped back to the research Izuku had done on One For All, and the confirmation of that information he and Toshinori had done. The previous holders of the Quirk, and their own Quirks…

“The Fifth’s…” he muttered under his breath, cursing as he ran to the open hole where the connecting train door used to be. “Himiko, Jin, keep these people on the train until the Heroes arrive! I need to go help the Apprentice!”

“Got it!” Himiko and Jin speak at once.

“Shit…” Torino cursed to himself as he shot out of the train using his Quirk, heading right in the direction of the out of control Quirk. He opened the communication channel on his earpiece to Izuku, hoping to every god out there he was listening. “Hang on, kid! I’m on my way!”

Chapter Text

As the Apprentice made his move over to Native, he stopped, a spike of pain hitting his head hard. Not the dull throb he had from the headbutt, no… It was that same early alarm system in his head, and he made sure to listen.

He had mere moments to turn his head to see the two knives being flung in his direction, and he barely managed to react in time, falling to a crouch to dodge the weapons. It was only after he did so that he realized his mistake, punctuated by the following thunk and squelch of a blade sinking into flesh.

A quick glance as he stood and Izuku's heart clenched at the sight, gritting his teeth at his failure. Native had a knife sticking from his throat, the new lethal blow compounding with his previous injuries and blood loss to kill him swiftly. Despite Iida having nearly been back on his feet, he was on the ground once again. The blue-haired teen gritted his teeth and held back a yell at the knife resting in his shoulder.

He slowly turned his head to find Stain, seemingly no worse for wear despite the harsh headbutt to his head, standing up with an object in his hand. The Villain cracked his neck before he lifted the object to his mouth.

Realization struck Izuku and he lifted his hand to send a blast of air with a flick, but it was too late; the blade had been licked. He felt the Hero Killer's Quirk take hold of his body, and he fell to his knees in his vain attempt to fight it. “How… How did you get up so fast…?”

There was the possibility that adrenaline was still flowing through him, but surely he wouldn't have been knocked out for more than a few seconds if that was the case. Clearly something was wrong, whether it was Stain faking being unconscious to throw Izuku off…

… or if there was some other explanation. One that explained why he had been able to keep up with such a high percentage of One For All. Sure, he could have written it off as a result of Izuku having to defend two people during their fight, but adrenaline combined with tenacity wasn’t a proper explanation for taking a twenty-percent headbutt and getting slammed into the ground.

Especially given how his own head was starting to feel.

Izuku gritted his teeth as Stain moved forward, his kodachi recovered from the side of the dumpster. The man ran a finger along the chipped blade, and both the Villain and Apprentice noted how there was no blood on the finger, confusion taking hold in both of them. “You fought well, Izuku,” Stain said, the attempt at forcing closeness between them filling the teen with disgust, “Be proud of yourself. I’ve never had to fight so hard to accomplish my goals in my life.”

He did his best to bite back his anger, instead choosing to try and negotiate for Iida’s life with the maniac. “If I did that well, then you should just leave while you can! You already got your target!” he shouted, straining himself to try and look at the man who had walked past him. “You don’t need to kill Iida, I’m sure he’s learned his lesson! So just let him go!”

Iida wisely stayed silent as Stain growled, looking back at Izuku. “This fake hasn’t learned anything!” he yelled, placing extra emphasis on the word, “He came out here to try and kill me! All to fulfill some self-indulging fantasy of revenge for what I did to his brother. That’s the furthest thing from what a Hero should be.”

“He only did that because you nearly killed his brother! You threw him down this path, Stain!” he shouted, no longer putting the cap on his anger. The emotion flowing through him began to surprise even Izuku himself. “You say that a Hero can never change from their true nature, that they pretend to be good before they reveal their true nature! But you’re spouting a load of bullshit! People can change, and Iida is proof enough of that!”

“I suppose you’re right… But he is still a fake at the moment,” Stain pointed out. Izuku tried to speak up, but the Hero Killer cut him off. “I've decided… You have earned him the right to live, but he won’t be escaping his punishment! He’ll be paralyzed, just as his brother before his was, because that’s all a fake deserves, especially one who has fallen from the ideal! Every Hero I have encountered, they all deserved to be culled…”

Izuku had barely managed to turn his head enough to see Stain grinning at him at the very edge of his vision, before he continued speaking. “But not you, no… You are everything a Hero should be. A Hero who upholds All Might’s ideals, chosen by the very man himself… A Hero who pushes himself well beyond his limits and isn’t afraid to be brutal if it means the difference in saving a life… I wish to test you once again, once you’re stronger… And once I figure out what the hell that bastard Giran did to me.”

Izuku had no time to consider the words’ implications, nor who this ‘Giran’ was, before he saw Stain flip his kodachi into a reverse grip out of the corner of his eye, hovering over top of Iida. “Stop it… Stop it! Just let him go, please!” he shouted in a rage-fueled desperation, frustrated tears pricking the edges of his eyes. He all but screamed out in pain as he forced his head to move and look at the Villain, his body protesting all the while.

Stain didn’t look back at Izuku, instead looking down at the injured Iida with a manic expression, speaking in a deranged tone. “I will not stop! You still have a lot to be taught about how the real world works, Midoriya Izuku! All Might will teach you everything you need to know… And he will continue to ensure you live up to his ideals! But until you are ready, I will continue to stain the streets, the alleys, and my own hands in order to purge the corruption from this Hero Society!”

Stain lifted the blade slightly, and Izuku felt an overwhelming urge of anger flow through him. “STOP IT!” he yelled at the top of his lungs, actively fighting against the Quirk that held him in place as his thoughts raced. All through his mind, his anger at his helplessness and failure, his anger and Stain, his anger at Iida for even getting himself into this situation, and his need to capture the Hero Killer boiled over… and everything momentarily went black.

The teen’s vision retreated into a familiar mindscape, the one he had been thrown into during his dream on I-Island. The one where he had seen bits and pieces of the history of One For All.

He still couldn’t speak or see below his neck, but he had the lower half of his arms, and the top half of his head; an improvement from last time. In front of him, eight figures stood before him, all but the first and the last in line clouded over to varying degrees with a lock embedded in the fog covering their bodies, two of the locks being cracked. The only one he could see the full figure of was the First User, Shigaraki Yoichi, who seemed to be watching him cautiously, muttering something about the Singularity.

With little warning, two of the clouded figures moved forward, the fourth and fifth from the line-up. Izuku would have gasped if he could as he recognized the forms of Shinomori Hikage, the Fourth User of One For All, and Daigoro Banjo, the Fifth User. Without any chance for him to try and communicate with Yoichi, the locks began to crack. Izuku watched with wide eyes as the metal began to chip away, cracking more and more until it finally snapped off the clouded figures.

And with that lock taken off, the clouds burst out towards him, knocking him back into the real world.

Nearly no time had passed in the real world from when he had last shouted for Stain to stop. The man began to stab the blade down, signaled to him by the spike of pain in his head. But before that fatal blow could occur, Izuku yelled out in pain as the crawling sensation he had been feeling all this time itched and itched until his body couldn’t handle it. It was so sudden, Stain had stopped his movements, glancing back at the teen to ensure he was all right.

And that was when he felt the pain of his skin bursting open on his right forearm, and the entire alleyway was engulfed in the Quirk of Lariat, Blackwhip.

He could hear both Stain and Iida shout out, in surprise and pain respectively, as the Quirk took hold of them, engulfing their figures and keeping them locked in place, the Villain in restraints and his fellow teen in a protective bubble. He was sure the body of Native was in a similar boat, but he couldn't turn his head enough to focus on it.

All he could focus on was the pain.

With his free hand, finally free from the Hero Killer's Quirk, he began to try and claw through the Quirk and place a hand over the opening in his arm it was forcing its way through. The action caused him more pain, which in turn caused the Quirk to react even more violently as the buildings around them continued to have their sides damaged.

Izuku couldn't help but yell out as the Quirk yanked him forward, tears blurring his vision as he desperately fought to take control. “Stop it…! You need to stop, One For All!–”

But it wouldn't stop. All Izuku could do was keep fighting, keep begging for this out of control Quirk that had reacted to his anger to finally calm down, or until someone could help him.

Until then, he was stuck staring at blurred, green-tinted darkness while screaming out at every hard jerk of his arm, helpless to the situation he was in.

All Might stood at a standstill with the Nomu, neither side backing down as both Todorokis caught their breath. The two had locked themselves in, their feet sliding against the street as they failed to move the other, but the effort had eaten into All Might’s time tremendously. ‘Well, Gran said I should use my head more…’ the Hero thought, right before he headbutt the Nomu on top of its beak, angering the beast.

The Nomu began pushing harder, which caused All Might to be on the back foot once again, the man gritting his teeth at his circumstances. “Endeavor, Young Todoroki, some assistance would be much appreciated!” he shouted, sucking in a breath as the claws of the Nomu tried to break through his skin.

“All Might!” Ice Age shouted. The Hero grinned through the pain, taking the signal and spinning to the other side of the Nomu, still holding the creature in a grapple as a blast of fire scorched its back, courtesy of Endeavor. Once the fire diminished, All Might forced its arms down as Ice Age sent a wave of ice. It had been frozen up to its waist, pinning its wrists underneath.

“Thank you, Young Todoroki!” All Might shouted, reeling his fists back and beginning an intense flurry of punches to the Nomu's face and beak, the thing screeching as it started to crack the ice in its anger. “Endeavor, I believe it's your turn to strike!”

The Flame Hero, who had repositioned to be some distance behind All Might, rushed forward as the number one jumped in the air, lighting his entire arm in flame using his Quirk. “Vanishing Fist!–” Endeavor's hook caught the Nomu in the mouth. Before the Hero could increase his Quirks power, however, it bit down, causing the man to yell out in pain, having to reposition his grip to prevent the beast from biting straight through his arm.

He tried to release more heat, but that only resulted in the ice beginning to melt, allowing the Nomu to begin to crack through, eager to gain more leverage on the Number Two Hero. “Dammit… All Might!–” Endeavor called out, but the number one was already ahead of him. Forcing his hands between its jaws, All Might pried open its mouth, allowing Endeavor to pull his arm free.

A quick look at his arm showed shallow teeth marks along the limb, each hole streaming a flow of blood. The Flame Hero clenched his teeth and lit his Quirk along the limb, forcing the wounds shut from the focused heat. He used the pain to focus himself on the task at hand, and looked up in time to witness All Might pull hard enough to crack the beast's jaw open, unhinging it.

The Nomu released a gurgle of pain as its regeneration did its best to fix the damage. It began to flail towards the two weaker Heroes, stopped by All Might knocking it to its knee with an overhead smash.

As All Might went for a Detroit Smash, the beast struck and hit a punch right into the man's left side. The force of the punch was immense, sending the man backwards, knocking the wind out of him, and causing his secret to become that much closer to being revealed as he coughed up blood onto the street.

He didn’t need to look behind him to know his two allies were shocked by the turn of events, but he forced himself to stand strong, spitting out a ball of leftover blood in his mouth as he tried to catch his breath.

That was when they heard the screams.

The Nomu immediately whipped around, allowing the source of the screams to be seen. Two civilians had been chased all the way to this part of Hosu by another Nomu, this one resembling an extremely warped idea of a dog, and the shockwave from the Nomu's punch had been the final straw for a bent light post, falling in the street and cutting off their path.

The three rush to intervene, but the two Nomu are faster. Time seems to slow as the bioengineered Villains near their soon-to-be victims, while All Might, Endeavor and Ice Age were too slow to do anything about it.

But not all hope was lost, as the sound of something flying through the air hit their ears. From the ground, a familiar blonde figure popped out, grabbing the civilians with a shout of, “POWER!”

The save was perfectly timed, as the USJ Nomu crashed through the wall of the building behind them, having been caught off guard too quickly to adjust its path. The Dog Nomu attempted to jump after the group, but the source of the flying object was made known personally to the creature as it flew through its exposed brain, its body falling limp and lifeless within an instance.

On the ground, All Might could just barely make out a now bloodied hyper-density seal, courtesy of Sir Nighteye himself.

“Lemillion of the Nighteye Agency… has arrived!” Mirio shouted as his momentum carried him through the air and down the street.

“And so have I,” Nighteye remarked as he retrieved his seal from the ground. “I'll be making my leave with Mirio before that Villain recovers from the rubble, and heading to assist the other Heroes in the fight against multiple Nomu. Once we've made it far enough, you're free to go all out on this sector of Hosu.”

Mirio landed on the ground, sliding to a stop as he looked at Nighteye. “Sir, are you ready to go? I can move faster if you help me carry one of the civilians!” 

He turned his head to face his former mentor. All Might could see the seriousness in his expression, despite his glasses blocking his eyes. “You have an area of a little over four blocks to deal with; make it count.”

“Good work as always, Nighteye,” All Might coughed out, clearing his throat as he finally caught his breath. “Get those two civilians to safety, then go help the other Heroes where you can! The night is still young, my old friend!” The man gave a huff of acknowledgement as he accepted one of the civilians from his student. The Number One Hero watched as the two retreated from the area in a sprint, nodding to himself as he refocused on the enemy in front of them.

The USJ Nomu made its way out of the building, growling as it looked down at the street at the retreating figures. It screeched, ready to jump after them, but something rushing towards it caught its attention.

“What do they say in those shooting competitions again? Ah, yes…” All Might muttered to himself, tapping into his power just a bit more. He grabbed the Nomu, spinning him around to get some momentum. “Endeavor, call your target when you're ready!”

It managed to catch a glimpse of Endeavor, his fist reeled back and holding a spear of blue flames, a grin on his face as he caught on to what All Might was doing. “PULL!”

All Might grinned as he tossed the Nomu high into the air, angled to land right in front of the father-son duo, coughing to himself as he recovered. Endeavor pulled back just a bit further, before he called his attack with a shout of, “Plus Ultra… Ignited Arrow!”

The spear was tossed, moving at a rapid pace towards the Nomu. Once it was close, two parts of the fire split off, piercing the Villain in both arms and its chest as a wave of heat and pain washed over. Ice Age released a wave of ice, making a bed of icicles for the damaged Nomu to land on and get stuck.

But the two Heroes underestimated its temperature resistance and its regeneration.

The Nomu shifts inside in mid-air, stomping hard onto the ground as it lands. The shockwave from the landing cracked the middle of the street,which caused Ice Age to lose his balance. The Nomu seizes the opportunity, rushing forward and slashing his claws down towards the teenager, attempting to maul him and take him out of the fight…

Only for Ice Age to be pushed out of the way by Endeavor. All Might could only describe the look on his face as frantic and desperate. He couldn't move himself in time to pull Endeavor out of the way. The strike broke through his guard, resulting in a large diagonal slash across Endeavor's face from the left side of his forehead to his lower jaw, along with a cleanly snapped arm.

All Might rushed in, fist reeled back to try and assist Endeavor, only to be met with a backhand from the Nomu, knocking him back down the street and into another coughing fit.

The Nomu turned back around, lifting its fist up in an imitation of All Might's overhead strike, ready to finish the job it had started with Endeavor, already having brought the Hero to his knees. “Old man, you need to move!” Ice Age shouted, sending a trail of ice towards the Nomu that was too weak to stop it, but did distract it enough to shake the frost off his foot.

However, Endeavor didn’t react. The Hero was frozen in place, breathing heavily as blood dripped down his face and into his eye. “You need to move! Come on!” His entire body felt cold as he watched Endeavor kneeling in front of the Villain, his eyes as far away from the situation as they could be, an expression that was recognizable only to his son. “Guilt? Now!?” he shouted, his tone oozing with disbelief. “This isn't the time for that!”

That disbelief turned to horror, a rush of emotions flowing through his body and numbing the cold as he realized Endeavor was truly out of it. “Dammit, snap out of it!” The Nomu inched closer, Ice Age tried to force himself to move through his iced over body, as did All Might try and force himself to stop coughing blood. “You need to move, now!”

Ever so closer before it was ready, letting out a screech of triumph as it swung down. Suddenly, it wasn't Ice Age and Endeavor standing tired, wounded and bruised in front of an overwhelming threat.

It was a son who, despite it all, still wanted to believe his father was a good person deep down, and a man who is currently flowing through a lifetime of actions reprehensible to a respectable parent.

It was Shoto, a conflicted and hurt son, watching as Enji, his glory-obsessed and immoral father,  was about to die.

That conflict of emotions swirled inside him, and he felt his Quirk whipping around like a tornado inside his heart, as a gut wrenching cry escaped him.

“FATHER!”

In a complete betrayal of his promise, he pushed his left hand forward, his father's rising to the surface for the first time in years. But it didn't feel normal, not at all. It felt as if his father's fire was spreading throughout his whole body, and his mother's ice was doing the same, crossing over what should have been his biological barrier, and bursting out of his chest in a messy spiral that spread through the air like flame without any of the heat.

Shoto watched as his arm sparked up with fire, initially orange, but they turned lighter and lighter, until brilliant white fire rushed forward towards the Nomu, the flames licking at both the air and flesh surrounding it.

The flames pushed the Nomu back, causing its fist to just barely miss the top of Enji's skull, instead hitting him in the nose. The hit knocked him out of his daze, recoiling from the pain of his new injury and further irritation of his previous one.

Shoto continued to release this new fire at the Nomu, frost and burns spreading across its body, one injury replacing the other in rapid succession. Though the regeneration was keeping it steady, its temperature resistance was beginning to falter as both ends of range were attacked at once, lowering its effectiveness.

It took a step forward, and Shoto tried to put his other hand forward to release more fire, but his power began to take its toll as the flame on his chest began to dim, only a small flame and a chunk of ice being released from his hands as his body forced him to rest for a moment. Shoto watched with horror as the beast drew closer to him and his father, and he prepared for the worst.

But right as he expected to get hit, a rush of wind suddenly surrounded him, and both of them were all the way down the street, and the Nomu was knocked through the wall of yet another building. Shoto looked up to see All Might standing before him. “Are you all right, Young Todoroki?”

The flames on his body finally went out, and the teen stared at the number one. “I…” Shoto's voice failed him, so he nodded instead.

“Good,” All Might replied with a nod. He turned back to the Nomu frustratingly making its way from the building once again. The Number One Hero gritted his teeth. “This is going to eat into my daily time limit… But I don't have much choice. Stay here, you two. I'm going to teach this Villain what it really means to go beyond your limits!”

“Daily time limit…? All Might, what do you!–” Endeavor's questioning is cut off by the shockwave of All Might lunging towards the Nomu, locked in combat.

The Number One Hero's eyes narrowed as he grabbed an oncoming punch. “You're slow, Villain! It seems Young Todoroki had more of an effect than you care to show! I'll be sure to carry on that effort… and overload your Quirks until you can't fight any longer!”

He threw its fist to the side and began unleashing blow after blow, his punches a series of blurring motions as he tapped into his embers, pushing himself beyond his injuries, and beyond his limit.

Shoto and Endeavor watched All Might's increasing display of power with nothing but awe, both men stunned at how hard the man could still fight even after the hard hits he had taken.

Each punch sent shockwave after shockwave from the colliding titans, cracking the street and buildings surrounding them and forcing the two Todorokis to brace themselves, fighting to even stand upright.

All Might’s grin, stained slightly with blood, grew wider; he recognized the signs of the Nomu's guard breaking. “Your bothersome Quirks have run their course! It's time for you to begone, Villain!” After just a few more punches, he finished the set off with an uppercut that launched the Nomu into the air a small distance. He pulled his fist far back, his muscles seemingly bulking up more to the observations of his audience.

“Plus Ultra…! Detroit…!” All Might launched his fist forward, embedding itself into the chest of the Nomu as an explosion of force gathered at the impact.

“SSSSMMMMAAAAAASSHHHHH!”

The force that had gathered exploded all at once, releasing a powerful shockwave that collapsed the buildings immediately surrounding All Might and knocked both Shoto and Endeavor onto their backs hard. The Nomu was sent flying through the air, just barely missing a patrolling news helicopter as it kept going… and going… until it was long gone.

Several people across Japan swore they saw a shooting star the night the League of Villains attacked Hosu City.

All Might coughed into his fist, forcing the steam coming off his body and leaking through his torn costume to subside for now; there was still much to do tonight. He turned on his heel and walked back to where Shoto and Endeavor sat, both of them having to shake themselves from their stupor. “It’s been quite a while since I’ve had to go so far… Are you both all right?”

The question was punctuated by the sound of another wall falling somewhere around them, causing All Might to wince. Shoto shook his head, ignoring that. “I'm okay, All Might. But Father's arm is broken; he needs to be brought to the–”

“I’m fine, Shoto.” Endeavor's voice was eerily calm and quiet, causing both Shoto and All Might to blink in surprise. “I just… needed a moment to catch my breath. I can still fight.”

Shoto stared at his father, an expression on his face that All Might couldn't fully determine, before his gaze shifted down to his left hand, now free of the faux ice that had lined his body beforehand. Eventually, a look of resolve crossed his face, and he chose to speak up. “You shouldn't push yourself. With an injury like that, worsening it could put you on track for rehabilitation, if you don’t outright ruin your limb.”

It was a sound argument, but Endeavor wasn’t accepting it. “I’ll go when I’m sure the civilians are all safe…”

Shoto looked frustrated, a flurry of emotions passing through his eyes before he settled on reluctant acceptance. “Fine. All Might, where do you want us to–”

A pain-fueled scream echoed across Hosu towards them, and all three present whipped around to see the ends of an unknown Quirk whipping up a frenzy on the other end of the city. To Endeavor and Shoto, that was another civilian who needed help, and had lost control of their Quirk in a desperate plea to defend themselves, or a Villain who needed to be stopped. To All Might, though…

“That voice… that Quirk!– Izuku!” he exclaimed in alarm, Shoto's face shifted to one of shock at the familiar name, while Endeavor's shifted to an intrigued confusion. He let out a cough, glancing at the blood on his thumb. “Both of you… I have enough left in me to make it over there, but I'm not sure if I'll be capable of assisting afterwards. My Apprentice was facing off against the Hero Killer, and I fear he may not have been able to receive backup in time…”

All Might looked them both in the eyes, his gaze piercing both their spirits. “I need you to assist him. Please.”

Endeavor took a single deep breath before he relented. “Consider it done… But we're talking about all of this once this attack is done and over with.”

All Might simply nodded, allowing the two to grasp onto his arms and shoulders. He made sure they had a good grip on him before he leapt towards the out of control Blackwhip. He’d worry about apologizing to Izuku for not being there sooner after this was over.

For now, he just hoped they would make it to help in time.

Stain stood on the rooftop, ready to begin hunting down his prey once again after a brief break before he heard the shifting of broken glass behind him. He spun around, katana in hand and stilled the blade just before it struck the intruder’s neck.

Before him stood the information broker that had allied himself with that pitiful League of Villains he chose to keep an eye on. “Leave, now,” he spat, leaving no room for debate, “And do so quickly, or else I'll cull you as well.”

“Now, now, there's no need for that! I come in good faith, with free equipment… unconnected from any other of mutual acquaintances, of course,” Giran said, grinning as he pinched the sides of the blade and moved it away from his neck.

Stain growled, sheathing his katana for now. “We have no mutual acquaintances. They are my potential targets. You're their on-demand supplier. Give me a single good reason why I should trust you even the tiniest amount.”

Giran turned around, reaching into a bag he had brought with him. Stain readied himself for a fight, but was instead handed a small collection of items:

A meal bar, a closed pouch and a business card.

He held back the urge to rip up the business card and throw the items back at the smug prick as the older man lit up a cigarette. He gave a quick inspection of the packaging of the meal bar, noting nothing out of the ordinary aside from a lack of any branding on it.

“I figured you don't eat very often, so I got you that. Like I said, here in good faith,” Giran remarked, blowing smoke out of his mouth as he observed Stain's actions. Stain didn't want to admit the man was correct, instead opening the bar and eating it at a moderate pace.

“What are these?” Stain asked in between bites of the bar, holding up the pouch and shaking it lightly.

Giran took another puff from his cigarette before speaking. “My newest clients wanted me to find someone to test those fun little items you're holding,” he answered. Stain didn't think anything of the way his smirk shifted ever so slightly. “Open the pouch.”

Stain followed the direction, his own curiosity getting the better of him. Inside were three small parts, red in colour… No, they were clear, with something red inside. “What are these?”

He went to reach inside the pouch before Giran stopped him. “I'd be pretty careful if I were you. If these work as advertised, they'd be pretty devastating for your work. After all…”

Giran leaned in, uncomfortably close as smoke escaped his mouth. “... You rely pretty heavily on your Quirk, don'tcha?”

Stain reached for a knife, prompting Giran to get out of his face. “So, these little darts will do something to my Quirk?”

Giran shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not,” he remarked, a noncommittal statement that did nothing to raise Stain's opinion of the man, only causing him to glare instead. “Should they work, they'll cut the power of someone's Quirk in half for a period of two to four hours, depending on their body makeup, Quirk type, et cetera. That's what you're here to test… On the Quirks of others, of course.”

Stain looked at the pouch in his hand, then back at Giran before he closed it and attached it to his hip. “I'm not testing anything of yours, nor do I need any of your equipment… But I also don't trust you with these. If you want your test so bad, you'll ask your little clients for new prototypes.”

Giran pursed his lips, looking as though he had just bit into a lemon. The thought got an amused huff from Stain. “I'm sure this particular client wouldn't be so happy to hear that… But I'm certain you'll come around.”

“Unlikely.”

Giran chuckled, dropping his cigarette to the ground and crushing it under his shoe. “We’ll just have to wait and see, won't we? You never know for sure if you need something until you get put in a situation where you do, after all.” He approached the edge of the roof, climbing over onto the fire escape. “Hope you enjoyed the meal bar, at least.”

Stain thought nothing of the remark, simply watching as Giran climbed down and walked away from view. He scoffed, tying the pouch to his waist before he got back to work, jumping from rooftop to rooftop for another hour and a half before he found Native.

Stain shook himself from his memories of earlier that day as the rampaging mystery Quirk continued to tighten its grip on him. “That bastard… He had to know something like this would happen…”

Giran did something, that much was clear. It was the only explanation for why he had felt so much more powerful than he typically would while fighting Izuku…

He vaguely heard the sound of the second Ingenium shouting towards Izuku, and found himself pausing in his struggles. This whole situation had happened because he was about to kill Ingenium… So, if Ingenium assured Izuku he was okay and calmed him down…

It was worth a shot, at least.

He wiggled his arm down his side, trying to position it near the pouch that currently rested on his waist. He was barely able to open the lip of the pouch and reach his hand inside, keeping an eye on his surroundings as he tried to locate Izuku in the sea of dark tendrils.

As Ingenium replied to Izuku, trying to get him to calm down, Stain felt the tendrils binding his body loosen just enough for him to lift his arm out, dart in hand, and begin to aim where he saw the tiniest amount of Izuku’s body.

In the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Ingenium, staring wide-eyed at him and about to blow his cover. Stain cut him off before he could speak. “Don't interfere with this… He won't be harmed, but you will be if you warn him. If you have changed even the slightest amount for the better… You'll say nothing. ”

He watched Ingenium struggle between anger, concern and fear, before settling on a reluctant acceptance, yelling out one more assurance he's fine. That surprised Stain a little bit. Perhaps Izuku had a point in this specific student being able to change.

He'd have to ponder it.

As the Quirk cleared up just a bit more, Stain took aim, let go of the breath he had been holding…

And he threw the dart.

A look of shock crossed Tenya's face as he watched the green-haired teen land just in front of him, and recognition washed over him. “You…! You're the one who was expelled from U.A.!” Anger crept into his voice as he realized who was standing in front of him; who was interrupting him. “Midoriya, what are you doing here!? You aren't a student anymore! You need to leave now! He's mine to defeat! You need to get away from here and evacuate with the other–”

“Iida, I mean this as respectfully as possible, but please, shut up. ” Midoriya's words caught Tenya off guard, and he could only grit his teeth in irritation as he watched and listened to the two standing figures bantering with each other.

Midoriya put a hand up to his ear, and it was at this point that Tenya took in the fact that he was wearing an earpiece and a Hero costume. “Gran Torino, I found Iida. Pro Hero Native is also here, and he's incapacitated. I'll do my best to keep him back, but any back-up you can send to my location would be appreciated,” he explained to the Hero on the other end, right before his gaze returned to Stain.

Tenya tried to grasp the situation in front of him as Midoriya listened to the response from the Hero and Stain spoke up once more. Midoriya was supposed to be a civilian, but here he was, interrupting his fight, in clear connection with a pro and wearing a professional grade Hero costume as though he was an actual Hero. This didn't make any sense! After all, Aizawa-sensei had-

“I came here to save Iida from encountering you. It was the last request of Eraser Head, and I may not have even found out he was here without him telling me… But that doesn't matter now. I will save Native and Iida. If you…”

The rest of Midoriya's words were lost on Tenya as a shocked gasp escaped him involuntarily. Aizawa-sensei… is dead? He died, in this city, during this attack? But the only reason he would have been here…

The realization struck him as though he had just been slapped. “He died because of me…” Tenya muttered under his breath, regret soaking his words.

He loosely listened to the back and forth between the two, not at all surprised when he heard Stain testing Midoriya's value as a Hero. And it was all but expected that Midoriya would pass that test.

Midoriya had evidently always been better at doing the right thing than he was. During the exam when he saved Uraraka. The talk he had heard of his fellow teen calling the girls after the attack on their class trip. And even now, Midoriya had gone out of his way to save Tenya himself.

He was a shoddy example of a vice representative.

He had focused back into the conversation just in time to hear Stain's manic tone once more. “To hear such words from the boy that All Might chose, the Hero who was able to escape the clutches of that corrupted and diseased school… You want to save them, and I will only allow myself to be stopped by All Might… or you! So come, Midoriya Izuku, and show me what you're made of!”

And then he witnessed their clash. The movements were fast, almost as fast as his top speeds, and the exchanges felt as though Midoriya was an unstoppable force hitting an immovable object. Stain's durability and tenacity were truly terrifying.

He gave advice through a voice that was hoarse, and made no attempt to hide his absolute disbelief at the situation he was currently witnessing. Midoriya's Quirk wasn't breaking his bones anymore, and he was moving in a way maybe of the more agile members of the class would envy. It made no sense to him, and yet, it did. And it only caused more questions to pick away at his remaining pride.

Why did he feel so ashamed of himself for having to be saved? Why did he decide this was a good idea? Why did he ignore Manual? Was he truly so weak he couldn’t begin to compare to a boy who had been expelled before the first official day of their course started?

Did he truly care about his brother so little that he would throw his life away at the bare minimum chance of avenging his honor?

He forced himself to swallow that feeling as he watched Stain slowly lose more and more weapons. The two remained evenly matched, up until Stain caught him with a spiked roundhouse kick, sending him flying to the ground. Tenya thought that was it for a moment. That Midoriya was outclassed in the end, and that all three of their lives might be snuffed out.

And then Midoriya rolled over, shot forward and tackle-headbutted Stain so hard his head bounced off the ground.

The fight was over as he finally felt his ability to move return, or so he thought. It was only as he felt a knife pierce his flesh, and witnessed another take Native's life that he realized it was far from over. He didn't have any time to process that before the alley was engulfed in darkness.

Frustrated and pained tears pricked the edges of Tenya's eyes, his ability to move restricted once again, only this time it was done unwittingly by his own savior. This entire mess had been caused by his own blindness, his misdirected anger and his declaration to his brother.

A declaration he knew deep down the person he looked up to so much would never want to hear coming from his mouth.

But as he began to feel himself fall into a spiral, feeling himself become a self-pitying mess, he heard the screams of pain from Midoriya. And he also heard something else.

“Stop…! You need to stop, One For All!–”

What was One For All? Was it Midoriya's Quirk? He couldn't recall for sure, but hadn't he called it something different? And wasn’t his Quirk supposed to be just super strength?

Tenya shook his head. There wasn't any time to follow that line of thinking right now. He took the deepest breath he could and yelled out. “Midoriya!”

The tendrils separated just enough for him to be able to look at Midoriya's face, and blue eyes met green. “I’m okay, Midoriya! You don’t need to be angry anymore! You saved me!”

“I-Iida!” He watched a flash of pain cross Midoriya’s face as he desperately fought his out-of-control Quirk. “I'm sorry, I can’t stop it!–”

“You can! Just-!” He's cut off by the Quirk squeezing harder on him, but he doesn't let the pain show. He needs to help Midoriya calm down. “I'm okay now! There's no reason to panic, and there's no harm done! The other Heroes will surely be here soon to assist! You stopped him!”

“You're right…!” Midoriya gasped out as he finally started to catch his breath, able to fight the pain just a bit easier. But it still wasn't fast enough, and he still couldn't get out of the Quirks grasp, even if he could breathe properly now.

Out of the corner of his eye, Tenya saw the man responsible for this situation to begin with. The grip on Stain had loosened enough for the man to force one of his arms out, and the two made eye contact.

Tenya's breath stilled, unsure of what to do as the killer looked at him dead-on. “Don't interfere with this… He won't be harmed, but you will be if you warn him. If you have changed even the slightest amount for the better… You'll say nothing. ”

Those words struck true, and he couldn't doubt the man's words, as warped as the Villain’s mind was. If Stain had truly wanted Midoriya to come to harm, he wouldn't have passed him by after using his Quirk. He wouldn't have gone straight for Tenya, and instead killed or maimed him when he had the chance.

But he didn't.

So, as much as it made his body revolt at the thought, he had to help Stain. Just this once. He gritted his teeth, took a deep breath and yelled out again, “You're doing a great job, Midoriya! You've almost got your Quirk under control! I can already breathe better! Just a bit more and I think I can wiggle out!”

Midoriya gave a pained noise in acknowledgement, and went back to concentrating. More and more, the Quirk loosened and retracted, opening the gap between the green-haired teen and each of the unwilling captives of the Quirk. Tenya watched with hesitant acceptance as Stain took advantage of the situation, adjusting his arm and his hold on the object in his hand.

And then he threw it forward.

With a speed Tenya couldn't track, the object flew towards Midoriya, striking him in the neck, which allowed the blue-haired teen to see what he had just allowed the killer to throw at his former classmate. He watched as a red liquid quickly drained from a dart into Midoriya’s neck, leaving a clear glass vial sticking from him.

Without warning, the Quirk rapidly began to retreat back into Midoriya's arms, whatever the dart was apparently having allowed him to get it under control if the determined look on his fellow teen's face was anything to go off.

Tenya took in their surroundings as the Quirk fully disappeared, he noted a few things: they were now in the street, Native was very much dead, there was a lot more fire down the street than he remembered there being before the fight started…

And Stain was kneeling on the ground, catching his breath as he glared at Tenya.

He ignored him for now, instead taking the risk to check on Midoriya. The Apprentice had removed the dart from his neck and was now cradling his arms, taking deep, strained breaths as he looked down at them, a pained expression across his face. Tenya sucked in a breath as he took in the sight.

On both of his forearms, two wounds that would surely scar, one for each limb, that almost looked like stars had formed, no doubt from when the Quirk had forced its way to the surface. There was no other explanation of the wounds and how violently the Quirk had appeared, in conjunction with the fact he hadn't heard of this side of Midoriya's Quirk at all.

Midoriya's Quirk continued to make less and less sense to him the more he saw of it.

The sound of rushing wind and an impact of something landing caught everyone's attention, and Tenya whipped around to witness who had just arrived… Only to find a battered looking All Might, who was struggling his way to Midoriya, Endeavor, who was holding his own broken arm in place and…

“Todoroki!? What happened to you!?” Tenya exclaimed, momentarily forgetting about the Villain behind him as he saw his classmate. His body was littered in cuts, and his costume seemed to be covered in a lingering frost, yet Todoroki showed no obvious signs of Quirk exhaustion specifically, just physical exhaustion.

Todoroki appeared to struggle to find the right words. “Something… weird… happened with my Quirk. When I figure out what exactly happened, I’ll let you know,” he said, which helped Tenya narrow down the cause, but still gave him nothing to determine what exactly it was.

The stomp of a metal boot shook him from his thoughts, and caught the attention of everyone. They all turned to see Stain, having recovered, staring with delight at All Might, before his gaze turned and his look turned downright murderous. “Endeavor…”

The name was laced with every hint of venom one could possibly throw into a word, and no doubt if Stain still had his katana on him, he'd be ready to use it.

Endeavor stood to fight, but it was clear to Tenya, and the Hero's allies, that he was in no condition to fight. None of them were. Even still, they needed to respond to the threat that Stain posed. He could see out of the corner of his eye everyone getting ready to fight, even All Might, despite how bad he looked.

Was the Number One Hero supposed to have steam coming off him…?

He shook his head, refocusing on making sure his allies were ready to fight and making sure Stain didn't charge them. The Villain was readjusting his gloves and grabbing a knife he had retrieved while they were distracted. He heard a pained gasp, followed by shocked exclamations from the Heroes and a growl from Stain, and he turned to see what was happening. His eyes widened at what he saw.

A Nomu with a long tongue had grabbed Midoriya, pulling him off the ground and towards itself. The Nomu was trying to take his former classmate, his savior, to the League of Villains for who knew what purpose.

Endeavor and Todoroki both tried to send flames out, only for them to be absorbed and launched back at the two, nearly scorching both then and Midoriya. All Might tried to lunge forwards to grab Midoriya’s leg, but stumbled and began coughing into his fist as more steam came off of him. His allies were unable to assist, and Midoriya was going to be taken, and he was already halfway to the roof…

Tenya wasn’t going to stand and let this happen, go after the Villain when there was someone who needed saving right in front of him. Never again.

“Midoriya, get ready to grab me!” Tenya exclaimed as he revved up his engines, feeling the familiar rush of his Quirk starting to go into overdrive. He crouched down, and as his engines began to let blue fire burst from them, he called out his special technique.

“Recipro… BURST!”

He launched skyward, heading right towards Midoriya as he prepared a kick. Twisting himself, he launched a roundhouse kick that tore through the Nomu’s tongue, and Midoriya latched onto his armor as soon as he could get himself free of the now loose binding. From the corner of his eye, he saw Stain running up the side of the building, passing by so close he was sure Midoriya could have reached out and touched his arm as he went by.

He watched as Stain jumped high from the side of the roof and fell onto the Nomu, stabbing his knife through its brain and twisting it several times, causing it to finally fall to the ground dead as Tenya landed on the street safely.

They all watched, their breaths held, as Stain stared down from the roof at all of them, his disdain for most being made clear. It wasn’t long before he began to speak. “Before today, I would have culled you and your spawn, Endeavor,” he spat, before he turned his gaze to Tenya, “And before this moment, I was set to kill you as well, Ingenium the Second.”

For a brief moment, Tenya was sure the Villain was going to jump down and pounce on him. He couldn’t move, not with this intimidating glare, this immense pressure that was being placed on his body. But just as quickly as it had arrived, it began to relax. “But your actions just now… And the words of that boy in your arms… You will get a second chance… for now.”

The group stared in shock, stunned at the turn of events. But Stain kept speaking. “Do not misunderstand me, fakes. You step out of line even once… And I will end you, personally. I’m much stronger than I was before, and I now see my true purpose…”

“And… What’s your new purpose?” Endeavor manages to get out, an even more pained expression painting his face than the one from mere minutes ago.

Stain pointed down at Tenya, but the student knew it wasn’t him he was pointing at. “Midoriya Izuku! You’ve shown multiple Quirks tonight, and there should only be one man who can allow that to happen, and it would show a connection to the League of Villains. And yet, you’re the boy All Might chose to train, the one who will become a beacon! A paragon! The embodiment of what a Hero should be!”

He spun his knife in his hand before he pointed it down at the green-haired teen. “I will be your true test! You will pass two more trials of my design… And then I will be sure you are not a Villain… That you will have completed your journey into a full-blown Hero…” A manic grin appeared on his face as he tongue hung out of his mouth a small amount. “Heal your wounds and grow ever stronger, Izuku! We'll surely meet again, and settle this for good!”

With that final note, Stain turned on his heel and began jumping away across the rooftops, with no one in any condition to chase after him. It was quiet for what felt like eternity, aside from Todoroki calling an ambulance and body collection crew to their location. That silence was only broken by Midoriya clearing his throat.

All heads turned to him, and he squirmed a bit at the attention. “Is this a bad time to mention that I stole his pouch of darts?” he asked, holding up his hand to show he had, in fact, stolen those weird darts from Stain.

The lack of context and randomness of the question almost made Tenya laugh, but he held his tongue. Instead, All Might spoke up, a fond grin on his face despite the situation. “Not at all, Young Midoriya. Not at all.”

Chapter Text

In a private room in Hosu General Hospital, Izuku turned his nose up a bit at the smell of his surroundings. Hospital rooms, of course, were supposed to be sterile as to prevent any complications during someone’s recovery period, but he really did wish the smell wasn't as noticeable. A combination of rubbing alcohol, peroxide, and bleach hung in the scent of the air.

It really is a good thing he was able to get a handle on One For All so quickly, even outside of it helping increase his capabilities as an Apprentice. Izuku is pretty sure he would have grown to despise even being in a hospital with how many broken bones he’d get otherwise.

Sighing, he looked around at the faces both familiar and not that had been gathered for the meeting after the events that had occurred in Hosu City last night. His mentors, Toshinori, Torino and Sasaki, two of his former classmates, Iida and Todoroki, and the Number Two Hero himself, Endeavor.

Everyone in the room had bandages on their bodies, covered to varying extents based on how much of their bodies had been injured. Those who had gotten lighter workloads and or evasive fighters like Sasaki and Torino had the occasional bandage hidden underneath their clothes. The former's work-study student, Togata, hadn't needed to go to the hospital, so he was missing from the meeting, no doubt in part to his advancements in Quirk control. It was a similar case for Iida's mentor, Manual, whose injuries were light enough to return to his agency, not that he would have been invited to this meeting anyway.

The rest of the room was not so lucky.

Endeavor had his arm in a sling and cast, alongside bandages across his entire face and several on his body. Todoroki had bandages under his shirt, covering the bruised ribs he got when his father pushed him out of the way from a lethal blow. There was a temperature-regulating blanket beside him, unused now that he had mostly recovered from his Quirk exhaustion. Iida had a bandage along his cheek where he had been cut, and both of his shoulders were wrapped up, thankfully in much better condition than when he had come in.

Izuku’s injuries required a similar number of bandages. He had a patch of bandages on his left cheek and below his right eye, covering cuts he had gotten from the various sharp weapons of the Hero Killer. The rest of his body wasn’t much better, with bandages covering his bruised and cut-up torso, a cut on his left arm, and the exit wound of that Quirk on his right. His first fight with a higher class villain, and he’s already likely gotten more scars than most would have.

A dull throb made itself known to Izuku, his expression shifting into a wince and his fingers clenching once again as he held his right arm. Due to how sudden the attack was and how many people were injured, Recovery Girl had only just arrived this morning and was prioritizing civilian injuries and Heroes whose injuries were life-threatening.. Whether through fortune or misfortune, no one in this room had either, and as such, they wouldn’t be getting a check-up for at least another hour.

Still, none of them were willing to complain. After all, given the Heroine’s age, it was a blessing that she was still working. That level of dedication to her career was just behind All Might’s, and it was something Izuku admired about the ironically titled Youthful Heroine, aside from how many people she saved with her Quirk.

Speaking of All Might, he sat in front of the group in his shrunken form that was better known as the Hero's secretary, his thin and frail body a far cry from the sight the newcomers to their meetings were used to, much less the sight of him covered in bandages. The shock had settled into their bodies, tenseness radiating from them as they stared wide-eyed at the Number One Hero, as they had been for the last three minutes since he had released his muscle form in front of them. Endeavor was the first to speak. “How… How long have you been like… this… for?” The words were strained, a sign of the wildly conflicting emotions peeking from under the surface of the Number Two Hero.

“Six years. All For One and I were fighting each other with every ounce of strength we had, as far away from civilization as I could take us.” Toshinori pulled out a folder of pictures, showing the aftermath of their fight and the present state of his injury, given that he couldn't show them through his bandages.

“All that destruction six years ago, the incident that never aired but was still reported to the top twenty-five Heroes and the Hero Public Safety Commission… That was you two?” Endeavor asked in a stupefied tone.

Toshinori nodded, and the blood in the Flame Hero's veins seemed to start running cold as he paled at the thought. “As you can see, neither of us were willing to show mercy to the other. We both fought under we were well beyond bloodied, bruised, and exhausted. Even with my lung destroyed along with a great deal of my stomach, I managed one last punch that destroyed the upper half of his skull.”

“The expert opinions of Recovery Girl and an onslaught of doctors employed by the hospital confirmed that All For One should have died of his injuries,” Sasaki revealed, prompting everyone to look at him. An impossibly exhausted expression was plain to see on his face, a whirlwind of emotions from the events surely resurfacing. “I had watched his body get brought down to the morgue and went down with Gran Torino to watch it be cremated. But there was around a twenty-minute interval between his body being received for cremation, and us heading down.”

“You wouldn't think that someone could swap out a body in that amount of time. But we underestimated that monster,” Torino muttered through clenched teeth. The wood of his cane surely would have been creaking under his grip if not for the strong wood it had been made of. “The hospital staff had its rats cleaned out over time, either from them resigning from their positions over the recent interrogations that have had the police swamped for a while. But the fact of the matter is that we were still too late to do anything. And now…”

“Now he's back,” Toshinori finished, confirming everyone’s fears in a grave tone as a pressure settled in over the room like a concrete-filled blanket. Izuku watched as the information caused Endeavor, Todoroki and Iida to tense up and lean back, their expressions somehow becoming filled with even more shock than before.

Iida was the first to recover, and promptly cleared his throat. “This villain… All For One, you said his name was?” Those already in the know nodded as one at the question. “Surely, even if they had swapped out the body, he should have died! No one can survive a blow like that.”

“No human should be able to survive as long as he has either, but he has. He’s been alive since shortly after the birth of the glowing baby, the first appearance of a Quirk.” The explanation was met with furrowed brows and contemplative hums.

“So… some kind of survivalist Quirk? One that slows his aging and helps him survive attacks that would be lethal otherwise?” Todoroki frowned at his own suggestion. “That still doesn't explain how he was powerful enough to contend with you, All Might. You have a Quirk more powerful than any other that has ever been registered.”

Endeavor's eyes widened as realization struck him. “That creature from last night that we faced together… A Nomu, I believe it was called?” At his son's nod, he continued. “You said it had multiple Quirks. Shock absorption, enhanced regeneration, body enhancement, and temperature resistance. All For One… That's not just a fun little name the man chose for himself, is it?”

“It is not,” Toshinori confirmed, clenching the sides of his chair absentmindedly. Even despite his shrunken form's frailness and his injuries, he still had an impressive grip on the object, nearly denting it. “All For One is the name of both the villain and his Quirk. It allows him to take and store Quirks, either to bestow onto others such as his followers, or to use them for himself.”

The three newcomers sat in silence, brow furrowed and limbs shaky as the implications settled into their minds. A man alive for centuries, with Quirks from every single era at his fingertips…

It’s no wonder All Might nearly died attempting to kill him.

“This is… Well, it’s a lot to take in. But you clearly have told us all this for a reason, All Might? I can’t imagine this information would have been available to Endeavor, much less myself or Todoroki-kun, if you didn’t have some plan in place,” Iida reasoned, bringing a mildly impressed grin to Torino’s face. Even if it was a little obvious, noticing and pointing something out was a good habit to enforce for meetings like this.

“I do. I've been discussing this option with Mirai in private for a little over a week now, and I think it's time I put the idea forward,” Toshinori stated, standing up just the tiniest bit straighter despite his injuries. “Apprenticeship, and an agency partnership between Might Tower, Endeavor Agency and Nighteye Agency. Perhaps some others as well.”

“Apprenticeship? Like what you did with the Midoriya boy here?” Endeavor questioned, gesturing to the green-haired teen with his hand. At Toshinori’s nod, the Flame Hero hummed, stroking his chin. “I see. I suppose there is a reason those old laws haven’t been snuffed out yet, then. After all, with what Shoto told me of the circumstances regarding your expulsion, your skills and Quirk had to have improved greatly… aside from the unforeseen circumstances from last night.”

Sasaki chose that moment to cut in. “Speaking of those unforeseen circumstances… Midoriya. Todoroki.” Both teens sat a bit straighter at their names being called. “Do you happen to have any explanation yet for what occurred last night? The descriptions and video of what happened… They should not have been able to occur, given what your Quirks are.”

Izuku sat in quiet contemplation while Todoroki jumped in. “Actually sir, I believe I finally do have an answer. When Father was in danger, it felt like my…” He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. “It felt like the fire and ice in my body was flowing through my blood and to my heart, before it burst out of my chest and… I have no other way to explain what the result was than a fire that froze and burned all at once.”

Endeavor looked intrigued and conflicted as he turned to his son. “Do you believe you would be able to draw on that power again?” There was a slight hesitation from Todoroki before he shook his head, prompting his father’s expression to shift from his prior warring emotions to one of mild disappointment. “I see. We’ll have to introduce a new training regiment, one that includes sparring with Midoriya, as well as one-on-ones with the other Heroes in this room. Perhaps some of my sidekicks as well.”

Toshinori’s eyes widened. “So, that means you accept the partnership proposal then? I honestly thought you hated me, Endeavor.”

“After everything you just told us? I’d be a suicidal fool not to accept a partnership,” the man scoffed, his flaming beard flaring slightly. “While he would make the final choice, I am also willing to bring my son on as my Apprentice, or the Apprentice of one of the Heroes at my agency.”

Todoroki’s face betrayed his shock for a moment before he cooled his expression. “I… I’d like to talk to Mother first, but… I think I will at least leave enrollment at U.A. I… I may urge my classmates to do the same as well. Iida, to be blunt, the school staff were idiots for allowing you anywhere near Hosu, and I don't trust the fools on the board to be responsible for our class anymore,” he informed the blue-haired teen, who seemed caught off guard by his classmate’s choice in language, but otherwise didn’t call it out.

Instead, Iida nodded in agreement, a slight wince to his face. “I will admit… My intentions for coming to Hosu were not pure. In fact, I would dare say Stain was right, despite his ravings being that of a lunatic. I was no Hero in that situation, and a Hero even died because he had been trying to keep watch for me… Which is why I will also be dropping out of enrollment from U.A.”

Before anyone could react, Iida stood, turning to Torino and bowing as far as he could with his injuries while still looking the man in the eyes. “Gran Torino, sir! I ask that you take me on as an Apprentice so that I may learn more from you all! I know you can train me so I won’t stray from my path again, so that I won't be a liability to others! ”

“All right, all right, fine. But knock it down a few, will you? We’re in a hospital, you know!” Torino remarked, shaking his cane as Iida stiffly apologized and sat back down. The elderly Hero looked the two unfamiliar teens over, an analytical expression on his face. “Besides, I think you two got less work in that regard than you may think.”

Toshinori smiled fondly at his mentor’s words, even as both Iida and Todoroki grew confused. “I think you’re right, sir. These young men have already shown the same trait I saw in my own Apprentice, after all.”

“What do you mean, All Might?” Todoroki asked, Iida nodding along to the question with a furrowed brow.

“Well, think back to last night. Young Todoroki, when your father was about to be attacked by the Nomu... Young Iida, when Midoriya was in danger of being kidnapped… They say that in the early days of every great Hero, they all shared one trait, one story, in common… They saw someone in danger, and their bodies moved on their own to save them. That happened to you, did it not?”

“Well… Perhaps a little? I saw that no one else could move, and I knew I was the only one who could help Midoriya… Perhaps Stain could have, but I wouldn’t put it past him to have taken over the kidnapping himself…” Iida tried to argue to remain at least somewhat humble.

Todoroki nodded in agreement. “I believe it was the same case with myself. I did act, but I knew that no one else could at that moment, and part of the reason we were in the situation in the first place was because of me…”

“Perhaps you didn’t experience the same hyper focus as Young Midoriya, but you did still feel it! That overwhelming feeling of ‘I need to save them’ as your body moves to protect someone in danger… Young Iida, the fact you are willing to admit and grow from your own faults to better help people, and Young Todoroki, that immense care for others that makes you step in even when your meddling isn't necessary … Those are all part of what makes a great Hero, you two.”

Toshinori stood from his seat, smiling at the two teens across from him. “You may have stumbled just after your starting line… But you can get right back up, and we can help you become the best Heroes you can possibly be. So, there's no more room for doubt, because you two can be Heroes!” he declared, pointing his finger at the two.

Izuku felt a fond smile trace his lips as his mentor gave the same speech as the one given to him over a year ago. He saw embarrassed grins appear on the faces of his former classmates and even could swear he saw Shoto try to discreetly wipe away a tear. Endeavor gave an amused huff to the words, Torino pretended he wasn’t smiling and Sasaki shamelessly smirked at witnessing a certified All Might pep-talk once more.

Eventually, Sasaki seemed to catch himself and cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. “As riveting as this conversation has been, I must remind you all that we will need to continue this meeting at a later point. Each of us has medical exams coming up, and most of you have more rounds with healing Quirks later.”

Torino let out a sigh. “Right, right… We'll need to meet at Might Tower once we get out of here then. Finalize the partnership details, deal with the press frenzy that's gonna follow… and get these boys a better training regiment.”

The grin on Torino’s face sent a chill up the spines of the aforementioned boys.

“Ah yes, the press… That raises a good point in my mind, actually.” Toshinori turned to face his Apprentice, and Izuku blinked at the sudden singling out. “I know it's rushing you… But I think it's finally time for you to pick your Hero Name. Take the day to think about it, and when we reconvene at Might Tower tomorrow, you should have your answer.”

“But I… I really don't think I have an answer for that yet…” Izuku muttered, clenching his hands as the wounds on his forearms ached again.

“Midoriya, my boy… I think you do have the answer. Reflect on what happened, and it'll become clear, I'm sure.” With a reassuring pat on his shoulder, Toshinori turned to face the other two. “The same goes for you two as well. You may already have names chosen, but a lot happened last night. Once we go before the press, the announcement will be high profile enough that I wouldn't be surprised if all of Japan knows your names. Take care to consider who you want to be known as.”

Both Iida and Todoroki nodded, the former actually speaking up. “I will be speaking with my brother about me taking on his name, and coming clean about my intentions last night. If he wants to change it, I shall, but if he wants me to carry on the Ingenium name… Then I shall do my best not to tarnish his legacy!” he shouted, chopping his good hand in the air to punctuate his sentence.

“Ah, right!” Izuku exclaimed, suddenly standing up. “Iida, can you remind me to visit your brother and family once my exams are done? There's some tech developments happening on I-Island, and they're interested in speaking to him.”

Confusion crossed the boy's features before a twinkle of hope sparked in his eyes. “I… Of course! I'll be sure to ask when they're available this afternoon!” Iida assured him with rapid nods.

“Ah right, thanks for reminding me as well… Toshinori!” Torino shouted, causing the man to yell as he suddenly had a cane pointed threateningly at him. “Get those I-Island engineers to bring some of their fancy training tech over to the tower. I want the best of the line from them!”

With a sigh, Toshinori slumped in defeat. “I’ll make the call after the exams.”

A short time later, the door was knocked on and opened by a nurse. “O-oh! I wasn't expecting so many people in one room…” she muttered, nervously looking over the crowd, noticing the Heroes and teens. “Endeavor and Yagi, your exams are set to happen soon, so please follow me back to your rooms.”

“If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to attend this exam as well,” Sasaki interjected, leveling the nurse a look that was intimidating, despite probably not intended to be.

It was apparently effective though, given the small squeak of surprise the nurse released. “O-of course you can go with them! You may get an exam too, but it's likely just a formality anyway… Torino, would you like to watch over these young men here, or would you like to go with the others?”

Torino rolled his eyes. “Better stay with the boys here. Make sure they don't break anything.”

The sarcastic comment seemed to release a lot of tension and nervousness from her, because the nurse nodded with a soft, relaxed smile. “Right then. If you would please follow me, sirs.”

Soon enough, they had all left, leaving the three boys alone with Torino, who almost immediately went on his phone. “Hopefully this doesn't take too long. I'd like to visit my brother soon,” Iida remarked.

“I want to be cleared today as well. Visiting my mother… It's something I should have done some time ago. I've put it off for too long.”

“Todoroki…” Izuku muttered, before looking the boy in the eyes. “I'm sure they'll let you out today. Of the three of us, your injuries are the least severe… Well, okay, the amount of bruising was bad, but you didn't burst your skin!”

“It seems this conversation has been a series of reminders, but I've been meaning to ask you about what you said when those tendrils were released from your arms.” Izuku felt confusion fill his body for a brief moment, before the following question made his blood run cold.

“What is One For All?”

Izuku shrank in on himself under the questioning gaze of Iida, the confused glance from Todoroki and the absolutely deadpan, unimpressed look from Torino. No one made any noise, and Izuku dared not even breathe. How could he have shouted that last night!?

Oh right. Painful, agonizing Quirk emergence.

It seemed Torino came to that conclusion as well, a frustrated sigh escaping him as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “You're lucky I already got my hit on you yesterday and that you're injured, otherwise you'd be flat on your ass faster than you could blink for doing something that careless, kid.”

As Izuku absentmindedly rubbed his slightly sore nose, Torino turned to the now pale Todoroki and Iida. “You're not gonna repeat that name to anyone, and you're not going to get an answer. Not until tomorrow at least, and that's if Midoriya wants to tell you. You're not gonna complain, and you're going to accept whatever choice he makes. Understood?”

The two teens nodded, and Torino took a deep breath. “Okay. You three, don't bother me.” And with that, he went right back to playing on his phone as if he hadn't just scared the crap out of the three teens in the room.

Conversation trailed off at that point, so Izuku finally pulled out his own phone for the first time today. “Time to see what the news is saying about Hosu…”

“We're coming to you live above Hosu as a group of villains have begun to wreak havoc on the city!” the news anchor began, the camera panning from a hole in the side of a train car to the city at large. Fires littered the streets and buildings closest to the center, and roars from the villains could be heard even from inside the helicopter. In the distance, a spark of green shot into the air before hurtling down at an impressive speed into one of the creatures, stopping it in its tracks. “Who is that? Are we seeing a new Hero’s debut?” she remarked, trying to get the helicopter to move in closer.

Before they could get a good shot, the mysterious figure darted away, dashing across the rooftops at a remarkable speed, the green light coming from him fading away. Instead, they shifted focus onto the chaotic scene below, capturing the footage of the recovering Heroes as an eyeless villain got ready to charge at them. On the ground was a sprawled out villain with scythe hands, its exposed brain slightly indented and the pavement cracked beneath it. “It seems these villains are of a similar appearance to the eyewitness reports from the Unforeseen Simulation Joint attack on U.A. students! Could this be yet another attack from the League of Villains?” the news anchor pondered aloud.

The scythe villain began to recover, its body twitching before it stood, letting loose an unholy screech. It attempted to slash at another Hero, but a yellow and white blur zoomed in, kicking it in the face and knocking it off balance. “Another newcomer!? It seems that many new faces are making themselves known tonight. Though this Hero does appear to be an older man, it is clear his age hasn’t made him lose his touch!” the woman said into her microphone.

The camera caught the elderly Hero blasting forward, flipping around to land a double kick to the villain’s chest, sending them sprawling to the ground once again. He looked around briefly before he flew over the head of another Hero to pass a broken telephone pole to the Hero, Asterion. Seriously, old, skilled and resourceful? Just who was this man?

Just after the Hero helped the Minotaur-themed Hero apprehend the villain, the man got an alert of some kind. His eyes widened calling to the Heroes to handle the situation on their own before began to jet away using his Quirk. “It seems the situation in other parts of the city is starting to escalate… We need to get a closer look,” the news anchor directed. Nodding, the pilot moved away from the carnage below them, heading up in the air 

As the helicopter flew around the city, a familiar voice was heard, even over the helicopter blades. “New Hampshire… SMASH!” In an instant, a blur of red, white and blue rushed past them. “No way… Pilot, get us closer!” The camera zoomed in more on the direction the blur had been heading in, and down on the street, knocking a huge hulking villain out of the way was…

“All Might is on the scene! And he’s protecting a group of injured Heroes from a villain, and even-! Endeavor and his intern as well!” The mood inside the helicopter had audibly shifted to a more positive one. “The top two Heroes, and the son of the Number Two Hero, all up against this villain!” Though she didn’t say it, there was an assumption made. Surely, this villain would be going down in no time?

However, as more time passed, even with an impressive combo move from All Might and Endeavor, a never before seen Vanishing Fist Detroit Smash, they were taking more damage than they were leaving… No, it wasn’t that. The villain was healing against anything they threw at it! It wasn’t looking good, even worse when a group of fleeing civilians were seen at the end of the street. But then…

“POWERRRRRR!”

Sir Nighteye and his intern arrived, taking out the dog-like villain and causing the bigger villain to stumble through the wall of a building, calling out to the other Heroes locked in combat before retreating, civilians in tow. The camera zoomed in on All Might, catching his coughing as he caught his breath before they began again in earnest.

Another combo attack, with All Might throwing the villain into the air and Endeavor nailing them with an Ignited Arrow. The attack looked to be a sure thing, until the villain shifted in midair and stomped the ground hard as it landed, causing Endeavor’s son to stumble. The villain rushed forward, seizing the opportunity to crush a weakened opponent, only for Endeavor to take the blow, his arm broken and a face wound that ran from the left side of his forehead to the right of his jaw. The helicopter hovered to the other side to get a better view.

When All Might ran in to assist, he was backhanded, and the news crew watched with hitched breaths as they thought they were about to witness the death of the Number Two Hero. That was, until his son shouted out for him, and sent forward a blast of brilliant white flames that seemed to give off both steam and frost as it hit the villain’s body, overloading whatever Quirk was protecting them so well..

As they eventually began to flicker out from pure exhaustion, All Might recovered from the previous hit and saved the father-son duo. The villain went to throw another punch at the Heroes, but the Symbol of Peace caught it, before he began to throw a flurry of punches at him, breaking through the villain's guard and landing several punches on them. With a bloodstained grin and a shout of “Plus Ultra Detroit Smash!”, the villain was sent flying…

Right in the general direction of the helicopter.

“Left, left, left!” The news anchor called as they veered out of the way of the blasted away villain, the camera just barely catching as it went out of sight.

As the camera panned back over, it caught sight of All Might checking in on Endeavor and his son, making sure they were okay. It seemed as though the situation had calmed until their gazes shot towards the same direction. Having not heard anything inside the helicopter, they were confused for a brief moment before huge tendrils shot up from the distance, whipping the edges of the buildings nearby.

“What… is that…?” That sentence rested over the crew like a weighted blanket, their bodies tensing in fear as the out of control Quirk continued its rampage. It took a few moments for the news anchor to shake herself from her stupor. “Pilot, get us over there ASAP!”

The pilot nodded, flying the helicopter as fast as it could go over to the danger zone, the cameraman just barely able to zoom in on the action as they approached. He was just able to catch the tail end of the Quirk retracting back into a familiar face. “Ma’am, it’s the new Hero from earlier! The one who landed that falling axe kick!” he yelled into his headset.

The words certainly got her attention, as they were able to catch the end of the interaction. Another villain attempting to kidnap the newcomer, both an Ingenium-lookalike and the Hero Killer coming to his rescue where the injured All Might and Endeavor couldn’t, and Stain’s taunting speech. But some of the words they managed to pick up.

“Heal your wounds and grow ever stronger, Izuku! We’ll surely meet again, and settle this for good!”

The camera trailed away from Stain’s retreating form, instead focusing on the now-named Izuku, who said something and held up an object that caused All Might to grin fondly, even despite the obvious pain he was in. “We have a name for this mysterious new Hero that seems to know All Might! I wonder what their relationship is… Oh, it’s the elderly Hero from earlier!” the news anchor remarked as a familiar white and yellow blur came into view. “It seems he also responded to the–Oh my goodness, his face! He just kicked Izuku in the–”

Giran finally turned off the burner smartphone he was watching the news stream on, laughing quietly to himself on his rooftop chair as the image of that green-haired little shit getting kicked in the face played on loop over and over in his mind. Everything was falling into place, in ways that all worked out quite well for him.

The League showed off even more to the Heroes, ensuring they were priority number one on their list of takedowns, which meant they would need even better gear. Stain's popularity was growing even more thanks to his declaration to that Hero brat, which meant his priority for capture was also increasing. The aforementioned maniac helped him get Shigaraki riled up and tested that little wonder drug he had ordered…

And of course, one of his clients’ Quirk dampening darts got a sample of data to improve the effectivity, thanks to the recording drones he ordered, and whatever testimony he could rip from Stain.

Speaking of which, he needed to contact that inventor again, as well as send the results of the dart tests to the yakuza…

Movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention, and that impending sense of danger he had been feeling suddenly made a lot more sense. As Giran heard the whistling of a knife cutting through air, he held his burner phone in front of his face, barely flinching as he suddenly found a knife embedded to the hilt through the device.

He scoffed as he tossed the now useless thing to the ground. He had already taken out the battery and sim card anyway. “What's with the pointed greeting, Stain? I thought we were on decent terms.”

Stain landed in front of Giran, the sarcastic remark not doing anything to curb the glare he was leveling at the information broker. “You tricked me.”

Giran had to fight the smirk that threatened to appear on his face. “Whatever do you mean?”

“Don't play coy with me!” Stain shouted, whipping another knife at Giran that whipped past the broker's cheek. “During that fight with Izuku, despite the level of power he was using, I kept up with it. Realistically, I should have been knocked out from his first blow to the head, and I took several.”

Stain flexed his hands, which still had the spiked knuckle gloves on. “Despite all of that, I stand here, my injuries having mostly healed overnight, and feeling stronger than ever.” He certainly wasn't lying. There wasn't a single wound on him, no sign of a concussion, and he looked like he had a bit more muscle than before. “So tell me the truth, Giran, and I may just let you live.”

An old, battered katana was drawn and pointed at the broker's throat. “What did you do to me?”

Well, there certainly wasn't a harm in revealing what he had done now that the testing was over.

“You see, Stain, I was testing a new product I've ordered. Frankly, you don't look like you eat much, so I figured that even if it did nothing, you'd at least appreciate having something.” The blade was moved slightly closer. “Right, well, what it did was alter how your body functions a bit.”

“It… What?” Hoo boy, if looks could kill, Stain would have likely killed the subject of every Hero poster he's ever leveled that glare at.

He kept talking, not eager to have his life ended so soon. “I don't know if it was some Quirk produced thing, or some kind of technology, but it causes your body to become… enhanced, in a sense, almost like you have a minor enhancement Quirk. Stronger, denser muscles. Increased durability. Enhanced reflexes. Completely increased biological efficiency, as they described it. Only downside is an increased caloric intake to fuel it.”

“I should kill you for tricking me into being your test subject,” Stain stated, pushing the blade forward just enough that it was about to touch Giran’s throat, before ultimately relenting. “But I'd be arrogant to admit that it didn't help. Your darts, as well, functioned as advertised. It damped the power of Izuku's Quirk when it increased beyond a level he could control.”

“Oh, so you did use one? I thought the kid was just trying to use overwhelming power to take you down and failed.” Giran's lips shifted into a smug smirk that didn't fade under Stain's glare.

“Let's make something very clear, Giran. I am letting you live only because your wares were actually beneficial to me. If they hadn't been, you'd be dead where you stand several times over. I do not like you, but I won’t kill you yet. Should my opinion of you ever falter, however…”

“Let me guess: I'll never see you coming?”

Stain nodded. “Good to see you catch on quickly. A necessary skill of someone in your field. Now, I'll be leaving. Midoriya Izuku was a skilled combatant, and I'm afraid he left me with little in terms of weaponry to work with at the moment.”

As Stain turned to walk away, the broker decided to speak up once more “Should I expect you'll be a repeat customer then?” Giran chuckled.

He only grew more smug as the Hero Killer glanced at him over his shoulder. “Don't count on it. I've killed for lesser foolishness.” And with that, he jumped away across the rooftops, leaving Giran by himself.

“Oh yeah, he'll be back.” Using a different burner phone, he sent a quick series of messages to his yakuza contact, informing him of the successful test and that there were no leftover darts to be retrieved.

He, of course, knew Stain only used one and that the fact he had none when he got here likely meant the Heroes had swiped them. But the Shie Hassaikai didn't need to know that.

He took the battery out of that phone and slipped it into another model. Call him paranoid, but he didn't like leaving any tracking method on for too long. He punched in the required phone number and put the phone to his ear. He didn't like splurging on foreign prepaid plans, but this was an exception to the norm.

After a couple rings, he heard a familiar voice. “Starline Robotics Lab, Doctor Ivo speaking.”

“Such an impersonal greeting? I thought you I-Island brainiacs would be closer to each other than that,” Giran quipped, grinning as he heard the gasp of shock on the other end.

“Y-you!?” Ivo shouted in alarm, before he heard the sound of the phone shuffling and a door being shut. “I thought we were only doing that one transaction! And after all the work I did, this better not be about either creation not working well enough! I take a lot of pride in my work, and I know they should have–”

“Calm down, Hoshito. They worked great. Really showing your three-hundred IQ there,” Giran informed him. Still, he couldn't help but roll his eyes.

While the man was brilliant, and his Quirk put him on a level above even a Hero like Nedzu, he was also a prideful person and somewhat annoying to deal with. Much like he assumed Nedzu would be if he ever had the chance to talk to the esteemed UA Principal.

Smart people could be really irritating if there was no one to keep them in check, after all.

“Of course they did! But you're calling me, so you still need something.” It wasn't a question. Good. It meant he was getting the hang of this ‘under the table dealings’ thing.

“Right you are, Doctor. I'm going to need an improved formula on those bars you sent. They worked well for someone who has already trained heavily in life-or-death fights, but for someone lower level? They could still get floored with a few good hits by the right Hero.”

Give him some credit, Giran was willing to admit his own faults… when he wasn't being upfront about the fact he was doing so.

The broker snapped his fingers. “Oh, and I'll need some more surveillance drones… Oh, and some information about the island's current research focuses. A bit of weaponry too, if you can sneak it in.”

“Are you insane!? Even with the amount you pay, sending weapons or information is out of the question! The Japanese government would have my head if the border guard and heads of I-Island didn't first! I'm risking enough with the drones and ability enhancers.” Ivo could certainly shout when he didn't like an idea. Well, Giran wasn't one to shy away from a challenge.

Time for a mix of blackmail and the fine art of kissing ass.

“Ivo, let me tell you something. I know you've got quite the catalogue of achievements under your belt,” he started, rolling his eyes as he could hear the hum of agreement on the other end of the line. “You work hard, you develop new innovations in the robotics field consistently, but people still don’t acknowledge your full list of talents, do they?”

“Well… They haven’t exactly been open to some of my ideas… ‘Ethics standards and practices,’ they said.” Ivo let out a sigh, and Giran knew he had chosen the right words.

Giran smirked, holding back the chuckle that threatened to escape him. “Right, right… Those proposals of creating robot replacements of Heroes, right?”

It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop on the other end of the line. “You… How do you know about that?”

“I have my ways,” Giran replied smoothly. The method in this case was Gentle Criminal's partner in crime, La Brava, tracing his emails. Those two attention-seeking clowns had their purposes, after all, even if they were certainly going to get caught by the Heroes sooner or later if they didn't vet their clients beyond a surface level.

But his thoughts were getting sidetracked from the main point.

“So, here's the deal: I have a chance to get some valuable information, and you have the chance to make some money and get your own discreet transfer of the data on the first of these little bots of yours, even before I sell it off to the news. All you need to do… is tell me what the eggheads over there are working on and maybe throw in some weapon production on the side. Not necessarily for me, mind you…”

“Not for you? What do you mean?” Ivo questioned. Giran smirked at the lack of refusal.

“You, my robot tinkering friend, are going to start production on some of your imaginative designs…” Giran could feel the anticipation increasing on the other end of the line.

“A project like that is going to take a lot of money, both for storage and materials, something I'd never have the chance for… But this partnership…” Ivo cackled, and Giran couldn't help but make the comparison to Santa giving an evil laugh with how it sounded. “Oh, how I've waited for an opportunity like this! Send over the video data right away. I'll have to leave that Metal Hero Project on the back burner for now, but I'll be sending a message to the phone you're using.”

“It'll delete itself from records after a short period?” Giran asked, receiving confirmation from Ivo. “Good, good. I'll be in touch soon after.”

He hung up, leaving the phone on so that he could receive and view the message once it arrived. He headed down the stairs at the back of the building, walking back down the street to blend into the crowd. Sometime later, the phone buzzed, and he checked the message in a discreet area.

His eyes scanned the document, and his grin only grew as he saw the potential of cybernetics research and innovation. He sent a message back, adding another part to his request with the offer of a healthy bonus on top should he be able to complete it.

Ivo didn't know it yet, but he just helped push Giran's own plans forward quite a bit, a fact that the broker certainly wouldn't complain about.

Katsuki closed the video on his phone, pocketing the device as he stepped out of the car with his boss for the week. Even with the evidence right in front of him, he still found it hard to believe that Izuku was working with All Might.

All Might! Their mutual favourite Hero! And he didn't even tell him!

Well, not that that was surprising. Quite frankly, Katsuki was astonished that Izuku was even willing to give him the time of day, after everything he had done. He tormented someone who was supposed to be his friend for a decade, and treated him like he was worth less than nothing.

And sure, maybe Katsuki didn't tell him to jump off a roof, but he certainly didn't say anything to the extra that did. That stupid fuck really thought that was gonna win him some brownie points.

Still, he wanted to try and be his friend again. At bare minimum, he was going to put all this behind both of them, even if nothing else came of it…

A loud thump that cracked the pavement in front of him shook him from his thoughts. “Oi, blondie! Quit getting caught up in your head, or I'll be leaving you here when we're done.”

Katsuki growled as he looked up from the ground to see Miruko thumping her foot impatiently with her arms crossed, a gym bag slung over her shoulder, similar to the blonde’s own bag. Katsuki, from the first week of school, would have expected an internship like this to be handed to him as if it were a requirement on his path to glory in Heroism.

Right now, Katsuki was just surprised how the Rabbit Heroine was both everything he expected when it came to learning to fight and yet way more helpful in helping break him of the mindset he developed recently.

“Kid! You hear me?” Miruko snapped, suddenly in his face.

“Gah! I'm coming! Fucking hell…” Miruko started walking towards U.A., and Katsuki fell into step beside her, costume case in hand. As he did so, he couldn't help but think back to the first day of his internship with her.

Katsuki landed on his back, coughing as he tried to gasp for air. Almost immediately after he had shown up to the gym, he was instructed to head to the gym. Miruko told him to get dressed, head up to the empty second floor, and be ready for a spar.

And in less than a minute, she had utterly decimated him, hitting a devastating kick that had launched him halfway across the room. It was utterly humiliating, and he wanted to be angry and yell at her for mocking him like this. But he couldn't.

Ever since the USJ, he had been doing his best to stop being so angry. Hell, he was pretty sure his mom was actually growing concerned with his sudden shift in behavior. But he needed to be better. His actions caused–

“You done with your mental self-pity party yet?”

In an instant, the effort Katsuki had put into not blowing up disappeared, and he snapped his gaze up to meet her unimpressed look. “The fuck are you talking about, Bugs Bunny!? I'm not–not…”

He stopped himself, the wind being taken from his sails as quickly as it had arrived. Miruko rolled her eyes and grabbed the blonde by his shoulder, pulling him to his feet effortlessly despite her being a full thirteen centimeters shorter. “You say you aren't, but you cut yourself off pretty quick. You don't seem entirely convinced of that.”

Katsuki grumbled to himself, slipping his hands into his pockets. “What do you care for? I spent the whole first week being… I was being a damn violent piece of shit, and it got a bunch of people killed! Are you saying I should just go back to that!? Huh!?”

Miruko snorted, flicking the blonde's forehead hard enough to leave a mark. “Of course not, you dumbass.” As Katsuki yelled indignantly at her, she pulled out her phone and showed him a video of his training. “Wanna know what I see here?”

Katsuki narrowed his eyes at her, unsure of what she was saying. “A video of me training?”

“I see a smug, arrogant little shit who hasn't had anyone to show him he isn't the top dog. Not yet, anyway,” Miruko explained before she put her phone away and pointed at him. “What I have in front of me is a coward, someone who got a little too burned by something that ultimately can't have the blame put on him and is reevaluating his whole life to drown himself in the guilt of every shittychoice he's made.”

“Can you get to the fucking point already!? I didn't take your internship offer for a goddamn therapy session!” Katsuki snapped. He felt his hands heating up in his pockets from the Heroine pushing his buttons.

Miruko smirked at his expression. “Well, too bad because you fucking need it to be pointed out for you. You've hit the other end of the extreme. You've gone from thinking you're hot shit who’s better than everyone to being meek as hell, second-guessing yourself, and getting upset with anyone who points that out.”

“And how the hell would you know that, huh!?”

“I was the opposite, kid.” At Katsuki's confused look, the Heroine chose to elaborate. “When I was young, I was probably closer to what that Midoriya kid was like–”

Katsuki’s attention was immediately grabbed. “You know Izuku!? Tell me how, now!”

His outburst was met with another forehead flick. “Don't interrupt me when I'm talking, punk! I know him because I helped another Hero with a favour, and I got to fight him in exchange! And let me just say, that kid is so much better at dodging my kicks than you!”

“You wanna say that again, you goddamn–”

“Anyway, as I was saying before, I was interrupted… As a little kid, I was meek as hell, the very stereotype of a bunny. Meek, weak-hearted, whatever you wanna call it.”

At Katsuki's look of disbelief, Miruko laughed. “Believe it, kid. Sure, once I got older, I grew out of it and was more social, but that assumption always remained. And over time, I grew to hate the comments people made, especially as I got to high school. I was more than that, you know! So, I started showing why they shouldn't laugh at me. I was more actively aggressive and even did quite a few debatably illegal things.”

Katsuki blinked. “You what?”

“Oh yeah, it was wild. I'd constantly infiltrate fight clubs in middle school and even got expelled after I got caught a couple of times. In high school, I even got roped into some serious shit at the Underground Masquerade. Took on all challengers and kicked every single one's ass, and even helped out O'Clock back when he was still around! First time I met All Might, actually.”

He vaguely remembered Izuku talking about the Underground Masquerade almost seven years ago, when he had been on his borderline obsessed spree of investigating any and all cases involving All Might, even if his involvement had only been surface level. Izuku didn't make it through every case, of course, but that was one of the more notable ones. He knew about that Hero she mentioned that drifted into obscurity, but there was another person there too he had talked about… Wait.

“You're freaking Tiger Bunny!?”

Miruko grinned at his exclamation. “Hah! Didn't expect you to actually know about that! What level of deep digging did you have to do to find that out?”

“I didn't do shit, that was Izuku!” Huh. He had gotten pretty good at referring to Izuku by his name without slipping back into his old habits. He had practiced for over an hour in the mirror, after all.

Not that he'd ever admit that to anyone.

“Midoriya did, huh? He certainly knows his stuff, then. Must have found one of the few sources that tried to label” Miruko hummed in thought, a shit-eating grin gracing her lips. “Smart and strong as hell… Shit, he'd be the perfect guy to chase after if he was closer to my age.”

Katsuki sputtered, his cheeks heating up in embarrassment at that thought. “What the fuck are you saying, you damn freak!?”

“Hey, don't call me a freak, punk! I'm allowed to comment on missed opportunities!” Miruko huffed, flicking Katsuki's forehead a third time. It was really starting to tick him off. “Besides, the kid would be way too shy for that, even if he was older.”

Katsuki stayed silent for several moments before a sigh escaped him. “... Well, we can agree on that, at least.”

“Ha! Good. Otherwise, I'd be giving you a concussion,” Miruko laughed, clapping the blonde on the shoulder. “Now, where was I…? Oh, right. I was meek and quickly grew into someone arrogant about my strength. But arrogance about your strength can only exist if you can't back it up! And I made sure I could back it up as fast as I could. So now I'm not arrogant. I'm confident in my abilities.

“You did the opposite, so I'm building you back up here. You're going to grow some natural confidence and see just exactly how strong you are, and then we'll get you to the point where you stop acting like a piece of shit and start acting like an asshole.”

Despite the wording being horrendous for a professional setting, Katsuki's eyes widened at the words as the message lifted his spirits, just a bit. “You… are surprisingly good at this therapy shit. Did you study for it?”

Miruko doubled over in laughter, and Katsuki blinked in surprise. “Ha! Me, studying emotional shit… Nope. I just see someone who has the potential to keep up with me in a fight, and I want to make sure they can reach that potential. Call me selfish, but I just can't help myself back from a proper rival! Why do you think I bothered training Izuku?”

Katsuki looked at her in disbelief. “I thought you said it was because you owed a favor?”

“Well, yeah, I did owe All Might a favor for not arresting me in high school. But I only kept training him because he impressed me. Hell, he even stole my Luna Arc!” Her grin grew even more intense as she reminisced about the spar. “Midoriya's got some balls, I'll tell you that! Stealing my move right in front of me and using it to counter my air grapple on top of that! I made sure he earned those bruises; I'll tell you that much.”

Katsuki stared at her, stunned at the realization that Izuku had fought with Miruko more than once. But then his mind processed the Heroine's full sentence, and he was full of irrational, jealous rage as the fact he hadn't been able to confirm until now finally reared its head. “He's actually studying under All Might!?”

Miruko's grin turned smug as she decided to poke at his emotional sore spot. “If by studying, you mean being his Apprentice, then yeah! And let me tell you, All Might really picked a good one! He's the perfect match for sparring.”

Katsuki, already irritated and not appreciating the attempt to provoke him, made one more snide remark. “I am so glad you're talking about fighting, the way you're attempting to groom–”

“All right, brat, I gave you enough free passes! Spar begins in three!” Miruko yelled, barely giving Katsuki a chance to react. “Three two one GO!”

That was the only warning he got before an armored rabbit foot came barreling towards his face.

Katsuki rubbed his nose, feeling a phantom pain from the hit he took. Izuku wasn't the only one who nearly had his nose broken this week. Part of why they had come here was to heal up lingering bruises with Recovery Girl. But the other part…

“You ever going to tell me the other part of why we're here?” he asked, impatience oozing from his words.

Miruko chuckled at his irritation. “You’re getting that gear of yours adjusted. In fact, I called ahead already, so it should be just about finished.”

Confusion crossed his face as he noticed the telltale signs of the support course labs. “Huh? What do you mean by that?”

“Well, the notes I got from your teacher told me you changed the design of your gauntlet. Something about sweat storage tanks…?” She didn’t notice Katsuki tense up, but instead continued to talk. “So anyway, I called in and… Let’s say ‘talked’ to the support course teacher. So, I’m getting that fixed for you–”

“What fucking right did you have to do that!? Tell me right now!”

She stopped, turning around to come face-to-face with a livid Katsuki. “Right to do what, kid? I haven’t even told you what I did.”

The blonde grit his teeth, his hands clenched as smoke began to rise from them. “You… You can’t just go over one of my decisions like that, you damn bunny! That was my choice!”

“This is about what happened at the USJ, right?” With no reply from her student, Miruko continued. “Look, I get it. You think you fucked up, pulling that pin. Some would argue you did, but I sure as hell won’t. Ignoring your original design, you wanna know what really killed those guys?

“They were weak scrubs, and they were knocked out of the fight. Would your original design have not killed your classmate? Sure. Those guys on the ground though? I feel like I could’ve held back as much as possible, and they’d still get fucked up by my moves.” She whipped into a roundhouse kick that stopped just before the blonde’s face. “You get it, yet? Those guys were sadistic little civvies who tried to punch way above their weight class. You’re a kid with a top-of-the-line Quirk who’s been training to be a Hero most of his life, even if it was the bare minimum of thinking about ways to improve your Quirk’s effectiveness.”

She patted Katsuki’s shoulder, a serious look on her face. “Your idea wasn’t bad, kid—just the execution. And even if I don’t think you did anything wrong, the important part is that you’ve learned this lesson before civilians were involved. Tragedy or not, the other kid signed up for this shit, and accidents are part of the career. Anyone who pretends like they aren’t is a fucking dumbass.

“So, if you wanna let that guilt keep holding you back? You can stay here when we’re done today. But if you want to really learn the right lessons from that accident with your classmate, if you wanna be the best damn Hero you could ever be, then you’ll force yourself to face your flaws head on. And that starts… with some equipment improvements.”

As if to punctuate her sentence, the doors to the support labs were blown off their hinges. Catching a glimpse of a figure in the smoke, Katsuki launched himself forward and caught them, pulling them out. “You! The hell happened!?”

As he took in the person’s appearance, he realized it was a girl with pink dreadlocks and crosshair-shaped irises as her most notable features, aside from the soot covering her from near head to toe. He realized he was still holding the girl, and let her go, his hands sparking in frustration. “You gonna answer my question at all, or… just… Why are you staring at me like that?”

Her crosshair-like eyes seemed to sparkle as she stared at him, a manic grin on her face. “It’s you! Explodey Boy!”

He stared at her, dumbfounded. “The hell are you calling me that for? I got a name, you know!”

“And I certainly know it, Bakugou Katsuki! I was the one who made both sets of your new gauntlets, after all!” she said, pride shining through her grin. “It’s just more fun to call you Explodey Boy. Easier to remember for project sorting, too!”

She stood, brushing herself off as Miruko watched from the sidelines, an amused grin on her face. “Nice to finally meet you face to face, Explodey Boy! The name’s Hatsume Mei, future CEO of Hatsume Industries!”

A hand was thrust out in front of Katsuki, which he shook in his stunned stupor. “You're insane, you know that?”

She shook her head, chuckling to herself. “‘You're insane’ is something said to every great mind just before they develop the next great innovation! So, thanks for the compliment!”

Katsuki released a series of dumbfounded and frustrated sputters as Power Loader finally exited the room, refilling a cup of coffee. “Hatsume! I don't know how many times I've told you to stop playing with- Oh, hey, Miruko. You and your student intern here for that gear?”

“Damn right, we are. So let's get to it!” The Heroine hopped over the two teenagers, walking into the support labs without a care in the world.

Power Loader sighed, looking Katsuki right in the eyes. “I hope you know how to take responsibility for this girl. Ever since your gear request got put on my desk, the explosions haven't stopped. Your gear gives her the perfect excuse…” he trailed off before taking a long drink of his coffee. After a few seconds, he stopped, satisfied, and turned on his heel to head back inside the lab.

Hatsume stood up, lifting Katsuki up by the collar of his blazer before dragging him into the lab as well, the support student blatantly ignoring his protests. When she finally let go, he was met with the sight of his familiar grenade gauntlets, though they did look slightly different.

Looking closer, he saw that it was slightly bulkier. Not enough to cause issues, but just enough to be noticeable on closer inspection. On the gloves, there seemed to be little buttons to adjust something.

“Ta-da! Here it is! Your new and improved gauntlets!” Hatsume shouted, a wide grin on her face.

“This… What did you do to the design?” he asked.

“I'm so glad you asked!” She held up the gauntlet, gesturing to where the storage tanks were held. “I've added a new function, and through thorough testing that may or may not have ticked off my teacher and blown through half the support budget, you can change the amount of power you have!

“Taking reference from your new revolver design, you have several storage tanks inside of here, and using the buttons in the gloves, you can fire any amount of them that have been filled up. Each vial filling up is indicated by a vibration on the back of your hand and a small blink of this light on the side of the grenade lever,” she explained, pointing to the side where there was a small LED light.

He took the other gauntlet into his hands, a contemplative expression on his face. “And what does that mean for this? Do I just have a faster-filling version of my current set now?”

“Yes and no! Sure, you could fire it off one by one and get similar results with what you have now, but that’s where my alterations come in! With just a bit of adjustment using your gloves, you can shoot any amount of the vials that have already filled up! That way, you have a range anywhere from a simple long-range blast to a building-leveling monster!

“So, what do you think!? Pretty cool, right!?” Sparkles seemed to bounce off her grin, and Katsuki couldn’t help but be stunned by her.

“I… That… Hatsume, right?” he asked, receiving a rapid nod in response. He placed a hand on her shoulder, a serious expression painted across his face. “This is the best thing to ever happen to me, aside from getting to spar with a top-ten Hero. So… Thanks, I guess.”

“Thank me by letting me work on your stuff exclusively from now on. That sound good, Explodey Boy?” she offered, holding out her hand, which Katsuki shook with no hesitation. “Oh, and getting me into contact with that green blur who was on the news.”

Before the blonde could even process that sudden addition to the request, someone cleared their throat and the two teens turned to see Miruko and Power Loader watching the two with barely hidden amusement. “As cute as this shit was, your face still has a two o’clock appointment with my foot, so can you grab your gear and get a move on?”

“I'm grabbing it! Jeez…” Katsuki muttered, turning around to swap the gauntlets that were currently in his costume case with his new ones. “Can't make you any promises about getting Izuku's contact info, but next time I need some gear adjusted… I’ll let you know.”

Katsuki left the room, waving over his shoulder to Hatsume as he followed Miruko out of the room.

They walked for a while through the long hallways with only a brief stop at the locker rooms for Katsuki to change before they finally made it to Gym Alpha. But to their mutual confusion, a sparking light was coming from inside, and a muffled shout of an attack name. They exchanged a glance and opened the door to see a familiar face. What was his name again…?

Oh, yeah.

“Kaminari, what are you doing here?”

The other blonde yelped, whipping around and almost tripping over his gym shoes. “Oh, well, you know… Just Quirk practice. Before you say it, yeah, I dropped out of the Hero Course… But I just… I need to control it better. Even if I don’t come back, I…”

“You don’t want another accident. I get it,” Katsuki said, patting the other teen on the shoulder. “If you need any help with that… Just let the class know. I’m sure one of those losers will want to help you out.”

Despite his word choice, there wasn’t any of the usual bite in his words. Kaminari beamed at him. “Hey, thanks for the offer man! Though, now I am wondering… What the heck are you doing here? I thought you were on your internship with– HOLY SHIT! Is that Miruko!?”

“‘Sup, kid?” the Heroine replied, an amused huff escaping her. “As much as I can appreciate someone working to improve themselves… The intern and I are gonna be sparring. So I either need you off to the side, out of the gym or in a combat stance in about… we’ll say ten seconds.”

As the intern and boss began to stretch and prepare themselves, Kaminari buzzed with excitement as he stepped away from the duo. “Oh, there’s no way I’m missing this! Bakugou, you mind if I record this?”

“Do what you want, just don’t post it! And stay in one spot so we don’t hit you!” he shot back, getting into a combat stance. “Time to see what these bad boys can do…”

Miruko finished her countdown, and the two lunged forward, the swing of a gauntlet meeting a rushing kick once more.

Izuku stepped out of the car, turning and waving goodbye to the driver. “Thanks for the ride, Kudari! Oh, and could you say hi to your brother for me? He gave me a ride to Might Tower last time,” Izuku asked.

The white-suited driver tipped his cap to the teen, an unnervingly wide smile on his face. “I am Kudari. I will pass along your message to Nobori. Thank you for being a pleasant passenger as always,” he said in his clipped speaking pattern before Izuku shut the door and he drove off.

Izuku made his way into the tower, making a sharp turn to the elevator before he was seen as the doors closed. He pressed the button for the assigned meeting floor before leaning back against the side of the lift, tuning out the hum in the background as he thought over his Hero name again.

It took him the couple days he had been given before their follow-up meeting, but he had an idea for a name; one that he would be telling everyone there to get their thoughts.

Of course, they still had to cover the details of the partnership between the three agencies, what they were going to reveal to the press, and their new training schedules with all the extra gear those I-Island employees were supposed to be bringing… Maybe telling them the idea for his Hero Name wouldn’t be so bad in comparison.

Oh wait, he also had to tell them about One For All.

His Hero Name definitely wasn’t as bad in comparison to letting that tidbit slip…

Mentally berating his mistake again, he stepped into the meeting room, finding that he was there just after his mentors. Toshinori grinned, waving him over. “Good morning, Young Midoriya! I trust the drive from the hospital went well?”

Izuku nodded. “Yep! Iida wanted to speak to his brother before coming over though, so his family will be bringing him over. And I haven't heard from Todoroki yet, but I'm sure Endeavor wouldn't skip out on the meeting.”

“You'd be right to assume that, Midoriya.” Izuku turned around to see Endeavor walking into the room, with Iida and Todoroki following closely behind.

“We all showed up simultaneously, so we decided to come up together!” Iida explained, chopping his hand for emphasis.

“Good, saves us some time. Now, how about you all take a seat so we can get started?” Torino said, and the group nodded. Endeavor closed and locked the door and everyone made their way to a seat.

“So, the first order of business would be deciding the details of our agency partnership, would it not?” Endeavor asked. He wasn't wrong to assume that to be the most pressing matter, if not for the elephant in the room that was Izuku’s Quirk.

“We’ll cover that second. Since you're going to be partnering so closely with us… And the kid here let part of it slip… We're offering to tell you part of the reason why All For One is such a big threat, and why he's targeting both All Might and Midoriya,” Torino said, tone deathly serious as he stared down the three people not in the know.

“This is… about your Quirk, Midoriya? About One For All?” Iida asked, to which Torino and Izuku nodded.

“All For One, One For All… I've thought about it the last couple days. The names are similar, yet opposites. So, the Quirks are connected somehow. Is that right?” Todoroki asked.

“Indeed they are,” Toshinori confirmed. “I told you the basics of All For One, but I did not tell you everything. Namely, that All For One had a brother, one who was sickly, and thought to have no Quirk at all. However, it turned out he did possess a Quirk; one with the power to pass itself on.

“So, when All For One gave his brother a strength stockpiling Quirk in a bid to control him, he unknowingly created the power that has been passed down to Hero after Hero since its creation. That Quirk… is One For All. I held it as the eighth holder, and Young Midoriya…”

“I'm the ninth,” Izuku confirmed, clenching his hands nervously underneath the table.

“I see… What was your Quirk before One For All then?” Todoroki asked, and despite himself, Izuku couldn't stop himself from wincing.

“I… Well, I…” He sighed, slumping slightly. “I didn't have a Quirk. If it wasn't for One For All, I'd be Quirkless still.”

“The case is the same for me as well,” Toshinori said in an attempt to lessen any negative reaction to Izuku's confession. Even now, that fact still helped Izuku feel better about himself, and he gave a grateful nod to his mentor.

“You were both Quirkless?” Endeavor asked. To Izuku's shock, there wasn't a hint of disdain from the Number Two Hero. No, he was surprised instead.

“That does make sense when one considers the overlap in power between All Might and Midoriya,” Iida pointed out. “However, one thing does not make sense to me… What were those tendrils that came out of your arms the night of the Hosu attack, if not your original Quirk?”

Toshinori placed a notebook on the table and slid it over to the guests, who opened it to the marked page. In a moment of clarity, Izuku recognized the notebook as the one he gave to Toshinori on I-Island.

The one that contained some details on the previous holders of One For All.

“Fifth User… Blackwhip? What are you trying to say here, All Might?” Endeavor asked.

“While we originally thought One For All just stockpiled strength, it was more than that. As it turns out, the Quirk was stockpiling the Quirks of the previous holders,” Toshinori explained.

Izuku interjected, wanting to elaborate. “I don't think it's just the Quirks either. There's this… I guess the proper term would be mindscape, that is inside of One For All. The First spoke to me in a dream, during my training on I-Island. I dreamed of bits and pieces of the moments the Quirk was passed on, up to when All Might passed it on to me, before he told me that I was there too early.

“But then he said ‘we're watching over you.’ And during Hosu, just before…” He unconsciously rubbed his arm, right over where a new starburst scar was present under his sleeve. “Well, just before Blackwhip emerged, my mind retreated back into One For All again, when I was under the effects of Stain's Quirk. I saw each bearer of One For All shrouded in mist, with a glowing lock embedded inside.

“The locks of the Fourth and Fifth were already cracked, with power leaking out, and with the high stress situation I was in, with emotions running high…” Izuku imitated an explosion with his hands, which was followed by a series of understanding nods.

“The Fourth…” Endeavor flipped the page back, his gaze immediately locking to the relevant information. “The Quirk's name is listed as ‘Danger Sense.’ And the details of it…” A hum escaped him as his mind worked through the information. “So, you currently have the strength stockpile, black tendrils that could be used for capture or mobility, and a warning system that can be focused on yourself, on other people, or over an area. Impressive.”

“Is that what caused you to flinch so violently when you moved to help me up then, Midoriya?” Iida asked, and Izuku nodded in response. “I see. You were focused solely on helping us at that point, so when Danger Sense activated, you thought something was about to hit you instead.”

“Sorry again… for not stopping the knife, Iida,” Izuku said quietly.

“While I accept your apology, it is not necessary for you to do so! The Hero Killer was the one holding the blades, and it was my own fault I was in that situation to begin with. If anything, I should be thanking you for saving my life again!”

Before Izuku could retort, Sasaki tapped one of his seals against the table. “We are in a time crunch here. Let's conclude you're both apologetic and grateful for the help of each other, and leave it at that,” he said, receiving a confirmation in response.

“So, this partnership… It would involve my father helping to train the new Symbol of Peace then?” Todoroki asked, an inquisitive look on his face.

Toshinori coughed into his fist, catching everyone's attention. Thankfully, he hadn't spit up blood with it. “Not exactly, Young Todoroki. Yes, he would be assisting in the training of Young Midoriya, as well as yourselves, a Symbol of Peace wasn't what I had in mind.”

Seeing confusion cross the faces of the teens around him, he continued. “Initially, I had wanted Young Midoriya to take my place as the Symbol of Peace. But as time went on, as I've spent more and more time training him, it puts into perspective just how heavy that burden is.

“I wasn't sure what I should do to alleviate that burden… At least, I wasn't sure until I saw you both act in Hosu,” Toshinori said, gesturing to the two teens.

Their eyes widened, and Todoroki seemed to catch on. “You don't mean…?”

Toshinori nodded. “I do. I meant what I said in the hospital, after all. You both acted like real Heroes in the moment it counted, even when no one would fault you for not being able to move. And that's part of what led me to this idea.

“Despite the man's ravings not lining up with his actions, Stain is right that there are many Heroes who do this job for the wrong reasons. Selfish ones. It is commendable that, despite their selfish intent, they chose an altruistic career. However, when presented with a threat with even half the power of All For One at his peak… I'm not sure if most Heroes could hold a united front against him.

“At least… I wasn't sure. But I recognize it now… Our top Heroes, along with the next generation… They can be that united front,” Toshinori said, concluding his point.

“This partnership goes beyond just partnering the top two agencies then. You're looking to help push forward a refresh on the stagnating quality of Heroes by partnering with the best of the best, and with several agencies across the country,” Endeavor said, to which Toshinori nodded. The Number Two Hero rubbed his chin in thought, uncaring of his flaming beard. “I can't push for my son's involvement on his behalf… But I must admit, this is what Heroics needs right now. I daresay the average quality of Heroes hasn't been this low since before you debuted.”

Todoroki looked noticeably shocked at his father's words, Izuku noted. Whether that was from Endeavor setting aside his rivalry to concede a point or something else entirely, he wasn't sure.

“I suppose the biggest potential issue to worry about would be the Hero Commission. Having more powerful Heroes is a good thing, but if we partner with too many agencies too quickly, we may get pushback from the bureaucrats,” Endeavor said, pointing out a valid concern.

“If I could interject for a moment,” Sasaki said, cutting off Toshinori who had been about to speak up. “I have thought through the potential outcomes of our decision in relation to the Commission. Without my Quirk, of course. And the most reasonable conclusion I can come to… is that we'll need to argue in one irrefutable way: numbers.

“It is true that our partnerships will begin to shrink competition at the lower level, with smaller Hero teams disbanding in the face of more daunting odds of reaching higher ranks and less rivalry between the top Heroes. However, as long as we do our jobs correctly, having partnered agencies will lead to greater success for Heroes overall.”

The adults in the room all nodded in agreement, and began to discuss the points that were needed to bring up to the press, what needed to be run by PR firms, and more, leaving the teens alone with their own thoughts.

Izuku's thoughts inevitably led back to Hosu, and everything that happened that night. He had been praised for his actions that night, but the teen still felt he could have done more, could have been better, or been there sooner.

He had his own feelings about Eraser Head, but maybe if he had been there sooner, the man wouldn't have died.

He shook his head, his hands clenched into fists. Those thoughts were what he needed, as uncomfortable as they were. His resolve was firm as the adults finalized their own discussion, and turned to face the boys.

“You three will be with us during this press conference, and you'll need to be introduced by your Hero Names. This is likely the last chance you’ll have to decide, as I warned you previously,” Sasaki stated plainly, a hand pressed against the table.

“As such, we'll record the names you pick today and submit them to the HPSC. Shoto and Iida will be newly recognized as Apprentices, and Midoriya will have his record updated to replace his placeholder name,” Endeavor said, taking out a few forms.

“All right, I guess it's time.” Torino grabbed his cane, pointing it in Iida's direction. “Who are you?”

Iida raised a hand before he paused, considering the question. “After speaking with my brother, he has expressed his wish to pass his name onto me… I am the Turbo Hero: Ingenium! And I will do my best to ensure I live up to and surpass my brother's standard!”

“I'll hold you to that, kid!” Torino said. He then shifted his cane, pointing it at Todoroki. “You next. Who are you?”

Todoroki took a deep breath, looking down at his left hand. “It’s become clear to me that my first name won't work anymore. After discussing things with my mother, and after Hosu… It will be difficult, but I don't want to just use my ice anymore. I can't only use it. So, I intend to name myself after my new Quirk development.

“‘Thermodynamic Hero: Snowflame.’ That will be my new Hero Name.”

The reactions had been highly approving, though Torino's grin grew sharp for reasons unknown… Well, unknown to all but two.

Izuku looked over at Toshinori, who had been drinking tea during Todoroki’s speech. As he processed the words, the man started coughing, a bit of blood escaping his mouth and falling onto the table.

“All Might, are you okay!?” Iida shouted, looking ready to jump across the table to assist the Number One Hero.

“I'm–” Toshinori coughed again, clearing his throat. “I'm fine, Young Iida. Thank you for your concern.”

Mentor and Apprentice shared a look. Both of them were fans of older comics, and took the time to appreciate the more comical nature of stories from well before either of their time. But, in that moment of mutual understanding, they both knew not to bring up that particular character around anyone in this group.

The human instrument of a narcotics's will, Todoroki was not.

“Good pick, Shoto. A fine name indeed. What made you change your mind from just using your name?” Endeavor asked.

“Well, Midoriya isn't using his own name anymore, and I thought it may be odd to be the only one of us to not have a unique alias. I can always use my own name though,” Todoroki said.

“We already wrote it down anyway. It works. Now…” Torino whipped the cane in Izuku's direction, the teen leaning back in time thanks to his training. “Your turn to go, Midoriya.”

Izuku took a deep breath as he sorted through his thoughts, staring down at his clenched hands. The others had their moment, so he wouldn't mess his own up. “The last few days, I've been thinking about everything that's happened. With UA, with Hosu, with Aizawa… Everything. I know that nothing that happened was my own fault, but I still can't help but wish I had been there sooner, been able to do more.

“When I was younger, I wanted to be a Hero as strong as you, All Might. Someone who could save over a hundred people just by himself in minutes. But that's not the kind of Hero I want to be anymore.”

Izuku looked up, and a determined fire burned in his eyes. “I want to be a Hero who leads the charge to save people. To have someone look at me and think, ‘Help is on the way.’ To be a Hero brave enough to jump into any situation and help, no matter how dire.

“The Valiant Hero: Vanguard. That's who I want to be.”

The following seconds of silence felt like an eternity to Izuku, and for a brief moment, his confidence felt like it would falter. However…

“Bravo!” Iida yelled, standing from his seat as he clapped for him. “Once again, you have shown me how much I have to learn about being a Hero!”

Todoroki and Endeavor both gave their own approving nods. “It's a good name, Midoriya,” Todoroki said.

“A great name! I certainly look forward to seeing you live up to your declaration, Young Midoriya!” Toshinori said, clapping his Apprentice on the shoulder.

“It's not as individually striking as All Might… But I suppose that's not what you're going for. It's a good name.” Izuku looked at Sasaki, the surprise caused by his words plain to see on his face. However, the sharply dressed man didn't react to it.

“Whatever the case, good to see you kids finally know who you are,” Torino said, chuckling to himself. “Ingenium, Snowflame, Vanguard… I look forward to helping train you. But first…”

The three teens looked confused as Torino's grin widened. “We gotta get you ready for the press. So, to make sure your nerves are up to par, I’m putting you through a training exercise…”

“We'll do whatever we need to, Gran Torino, sir!” Iida said, chopping his hand down. Todoroki nodded in agreement, but when the two looked over to Izuku…

He suddenly didn't look valiant. No, he looked pale, afraid even, of what the elderly Hero could possibly have in store.

“Well boys… No sense wasting time! You three, get that stuff run by the PR teams. The younger three, with me! I got some calls to make, and a Might Tower karaoke bar to clear out!” he said, laughing to himself.

Izuku groaned at Torino's words, while Iida scolded the green-haired teen for reacting that way to their mentor. However, Todoroki just looked confused. “What's karaoke?”

Torino’s laughs only sounded more sinister after that question.