Chapter Text
“Now before we talk more about Class 1-A and 1-B’s practical exam… Let us begin the meeting about Class 1-C!” Nezu exclaimed, smiling brightly at his employees and fellow teachers. “Since the entrance exam and the USJ incident earlier this year, I’ve been keeping an eye on this special class, and have been delighted to see them grow exponentially as they face one obstacle after another victoriously! I am still in full support of nominating Class 1-C as a hero class… However, it would be neglectful of me to just ignore the other issues that have been popping up as of lately.”
“Stain’s legacy, the rise of the League of Villains, the Nomus, and the incident at the amusement park.” Eraserhead clarified, his eyes darkening
Nezu’s eyes darkened in reply as he nodded solemnly. “Yes… Just this year alone has not bode well for any of us at all. However, one of these events is not like the other.”
“It has to be the amusement park incident.” Ectoplasm declared confidently, frowning very deeply. “The first three are very interlocked with each other. The League who are using these Nomus for their terrorism, and Stain whose fall has caused the public to question the hero system and unite the villains under said League… What happened at the amusement park could be seen as another villain attack to try and shake the hero system. However, such tactics would cause the League to lose the steady traction they’ve been on. What happened in the amusement park could have only been nothing but mindless violence and destruction. It had no rhyme or reason to it at all.”
“Precisely!” Nezu chimed.
“But then, what does that mean exactly?” Present Mic questioned, also frowning. He thought of the students they had nearly lost if not for what was essentially a deus ex machina suddenly popping up to save the legally-dead-for-all-of-a-few-minute students. Just thinking of losing such young students sent shivers up Present Mic’s spine. “Was the amusement park just an unrelated incident?”
“It certainly looks like it, but…” Vlad King bowed his head slightly, wearing a contemplative look. “If it was just mindless violence and destruction, there would be no need for that strange barrier, would there? And according to eyewitnesses, the main perpetrators were golems. Similar to Nomus, but they weren’t there for mindless killing. Mindless destruction, yes, but they didn’t seem to be going after anyone in particular. They left the citizens well enough alone. I can’t see this incident as anything but purposeful. The ‘why’ part is unclear.”
Nezu nodded. “Yes, it is rather unfortunate that the only main leads we have are the quirks they’ve used. While we have found some similar hits through the quirk registry, none of them have been an exact match… Well, except for one. However, according to our information this one has been living in America for nearly 10 years now and hasn’t visited nor contacted anyone in Japan since then. Either they’ve been back for quite a while now without the government’s knowledge, or it’s a case of similar quirks. Either does not bode well, as we’ve still no lead.”
“Inui-San, how are those 1-C kids anyhow?” Midnight asked, turning towards the growling man. “I’ve no doubt that what happened in the amusement park has affected their mental state. Have they visited at all?”
“Not a single one…” Hound Dog growled softly. “I have made it clear to them several times that they are more than welcomed to visit… However, not a single one has visited my office since I opened the offer a few weeks ago. Either they’re more tougher than we think they are, or they’re most likely bottling their feelings up.”
“Hm…” Nezu hummed.
The headmaster was very sure that those kids had been affected. Afterall, hadn’t one of the girls completely broken down upon their persistent classmate’s urging to open up to them, having noticed their strange behavior?* While she had been the only one to have had a breakdown so far, Nezu had seen signs of trauma in the young kids who saw horrors they shouldn’t have witnessed yet.
“Well, we’ll just have to make sure to remind them that should they need to simply just vent, they can do so in your office, Inui-San.” Nezu smiled, sipping his tea. “As much as I would love to continue talking about the possible reasoning for the amusement park attack, let us return to the main topic at hand. Aizawa-San, has our first-year second-place winner said anything about moving up to the hero class?”
“Rejected.” Eraserhead replied bluntly.
“WHAT?!” Present Mic exclaimed, his quirk nearly blowing everyone’s eardrums out if not for Eraserhead’s timely red glare. Still, his regular voice was enough to give them all a ringing as he continued yelling in shock. “Akomachi rejected the offer?! But why?! She showed such great promise too!”
“According to Akomachi, she has no need nor desire to become a hero.” Eraserhead sighed tiredly. “She had only gotten so far in the sports festival because her classmates were doing their best as well. She didn’t want to be left behind by them.”
Midnight couldn’t help but laugh, her expression lightening up. “Is that really her reasoning? My, she will certainly go down in history for being the first general-course student to reach second place! And all because she didn’t want to be left behind by her friends! It’s quite cute, actually.” Midnight then licked her lips. “For a girl simply following along, she certainly doesn’t strike as one. The way she fought, unabashed by her half-naked attire or the passion she showed when fighting Bakugou with every little thing she had. It's nothing I’ve ever seen coming from a general-course student! It really would be a shame for someone like her to reject such an offer. You know, I can try and convince her to take the offer.”
Eraserhead just shook his head. “There’s no point forcing someone who has no passion for heroics. Of course, the offer will be open until the end of the year, but Akomachi does not look like she’s going to accept it anytime soon.”
“Oh boo, Nayumi could have made a wonderful hero.” Midnight pouted. “I think the world could do good with more female heroes like Nayumi! So hard-working and brilliant!”
“I don’t know,” Snipe muttered, crossing his arms. “It is true that Nayumi would make a wonderful heroine, do you not feel as if there is… Something odd about her?”
“Odd?” Power Loader asked, frowning. Unlike most of the other teachers, Power Loader did not have the pleasure of meeting young Akomachi, only having seen her from afar. Even then, he was more distracted from preventing his own students from exploding their classroom, especially one particular pink-haired inventor who seemed to have a desire to see the whole support department up in flames. “I… Do not understand. What’s so odd about Akomachi-San?”
Sniper just shrugged. “She may be a general course student with a month of training under her belt, and she may just be that good at using her quirk… But isn’t it odd just how good she is at fighting? Mixing several arts with her quirk, using her quirk to get to and fro without a mistake. And then that move she used in the end, with the purple lightning… That’s not something you just pull out of nowhere without training, and certainly not from training from about a month. From the way I see it, she’s no normal general education student.”
“Maybe she’s just a prodigy?” Present Mic offered. “She may just be in the general course, but there have been previous prodigious general course students.”
“There have. However, even with all their efforts not many have been successful in ever reaching the second round, much less the final rounds and never before able to stand alongside the hero course students up on the podiums.” Eraserhead informed. “Nayumi Akomachi is the first ever student outside of the hero course students to ever stand up there.”
“Yes! And Edgeshot’s comments about her aren't anything to ignore either!” Nezu exclaimed, and his dark eyes glinted. “In fact, the pro-heroes that took in Class 1-C had something to say! Some outstanding! Some a bit worrying, but still passing.”
“But no matter how many compliments they’ve heaped on these kids, or just how prodigious these kids are, it’s too much of a risk to promote these kids into the hero course.” Eraserhead groused, looking at his fellow co-workers, before looking at Nezu with a look. “U.A is already understaffed as it is. We don’t have enough heroes to teach Class 1-C everything they need to know, and they have a lot to catch up on if they truly want to become heroes. And getting into disastrous situations and getting out of it alive is not teaching them anything but to be flexible and to survive. They can’t grow properly if they are constantly thrown into dangerous situations. Then there’s the fact that if U.A suddenly pops up with a new hero course midway through the school year, those media hounds will just worsen and those villains will find interest in those kids, and may even find another weak spot in our armor when they realize how little hero-teachers are here.”
“That is… True…” Present Mic wilted. It was difficult enough, balancing his hero, teaching, and radio job. Despite there being thousands of heroes in Japan, more were interested in the hero part of the business than the teaching part. It also didn’t help that Eraserhead and Nezu were absolute sticklers of the kinds of heroes they wanted as teachers.
All Might had barely passed Eraserhead’s scrutiny, and that was only because of Nezu’s interference. Though, it was no big secret amongst the faculty that Eraserhead still disapproved of All Might’s teaching, or lack thereof.
And if it weren’t for Nezu’s continued endorsement and how the two were grudgingly getting along, Eraserhead still would have wanted All Might gone. Though, having All Might running very late in the mandatory meeting did nothing to warm Eraserhead’s position on the number one hero. Even if what All Might claimed was for a very good reason.
“So, if Class 1-C is not being promoted into hero class… Does that mean they won’t be joining the hero course students for the training camp?” Vlad asked.
“No.” Eraserhead said, “It would give those kids mixed messages if we let them join the hero course’s training camp, but not allow them to be promoted into the hero course. And we return to the crux of the matter of not having enough teachers and mentors to watch over another twenty students.”
“Are you really against these kids becoming heroes, Shou-Chan?” Midnight asked, frowning.
“...I’m not.” He answered after a moment of contemplation. “In other circumstances, I would have grudgingly agreed to try it out. Right now, however, I am thinking of their safety. Despite their achievements in the Sports Festival, despite what they’ve been through, they are still students of the general education department. They have not gotten formal training, they do not have a proper homeroom teacher, and I do not want to risk their safety with so many villains on the move as of lately, especially in what looks to be a growing organization full of villains.”
The rest of the teachers were quiet. One by one, they all nodded in agreement as they looked at each other. Midnight gave a small sigh.
“Well, you always have the student’s best interest in mind, Shou-Chan. And… We can’t exactly disagree on the dangers should Class 1-C be promoted to hero class… Still.” Midnight gave a small sigh. “I really do think those kids have what it takes to be a hero.”
“I do as well, and I will continue to fully support their promotion.” Nezu piped up with a smile. “But for now, let us put this aside and focus on-”
The door suddenly slammed open, and skidding in was the number one hero, beads of sweat falling from his face as he shouted with gusto,
“I MAY BE LATE BUT I AM HERE!”
Eraserhead gave a heavy sigh while Nezu smiled widely at All Might’s appearance.
“Ah, great timing All Might.” Nezu greeted the late hero. “You came at the right time! We were just about to resume talking about the practical exam for the hero course students! Now then…”
“Who wants to go camping with me?!”
“Huh? That came out of nowhere.” Katsumi noted, looking away from the monopoly board game that Atsuki had brought. During her distraction, she didn’t notice Shigeru and Aki snatching some money from the bank that Katsumi controlled. Katsumi eyed Hiro who looked rather timid at his request. “What’s up with the shy look? Usually, you’d just drag us along with the excitement of a puppy. Why are you acting so shy now?”
Hiro scratched his cheek sheepishly.
“Well… Because all those other times, they were just outings to a movie theater or to the mall. But this will be the first time I’d ever invited anyone over to my home! Well, not my home at the penthouse exactly. I think it’s too small for all of us to fit.”
“You call your penthouse small?! I swear your bath is big enough to be a pool!”
“But I wanted to take you all to my family’s cabin out in the forest of Nagano!”
“Isn’t there a horror movie about a cabin in the woods…?”
“That place used to be a Summer Home, but over the years it became a place to rent out for those who want to enjoy a calm retreat away from the city. I was able to convince my parents to let us use the place for the Summer! It doesn’t even need to be a camp, just a hang out for all of us to relax and enjoy!” Hiro then gave his classmates a pleading look, nearly akin to one a puppy would make when it wanted food. “So… What do you guys say? Want to come with me for a quiet retreat in the woods?”
“I’m in!” Hirota exclaimed loudly and without any hesitation. He wore a savage grin. “Any type of excuse to get away from my family, I’m taking it. You’re coming too, Nao.”
“H-Huh?! Wait, I need to talk to my family about this first! Don’t just sign me up!”
“I have to talk to my family, too…” Maiko whined, pouting as she slumped on her desk. “My family is finally letting me go out and dance in the streets again, but they put a curfew on me of all things! And I’m pretty sure they’re tracking my phone now. I have to make a really convincing argument to let them let me go.” Maiko then turned to Hirota and grinned. “Do you think you can change their minds for me?”
“If they’re as stubborn as you are, my quirk will definitely not work. You’re on your own, Dancer.”
“Aww…”
“We’re definitely going, right Kat?” Aki pleaded, looking at her blue-haired friend.
Said blue-haired friend responded with a sneer, giving Aki a look. “Oi, we also have to convince my parents too. And if I can’t go, you sure as Hell ain’t going either, stupid Sonic.”
“I guess that’s true… Then we’ll just have to beg on our knees until they agree!”
Joseph was quiet for a moment, thinking deeply with his platinum brows furrowed. “...Miss Marie did ask if I wanted to work with her, so I guess it’s a good time to quit my job and take a break for a while.”
Most were in agreement that they had to ask their family first before they were allowed to go off in some desolate place for a retreat. This included one Izuku Midoriya, to which a certain red-head was staring at. Very pleadingly at that.
Izuku laughed sheepishly at Hiro's intense look.
“I have to ask Kaa-San, too. It will take a lot of pleading and begging, but I’m sure she’ll let me go if I tell her that I’m going with all of you. …Maybe.”
Hiro grinned widely, and there was a look in his eye that Izuku was very familiar with as having a plan. A plan that would always end in his favor.
Izuku gave a small huff, half in exaggeration and the other half with excitement. It was never a dull day with his classmates, and he did want to spend a Summer with them. He couldn’t imagine the kind of fun they would get up to together.
Nayumi suddenly clapped her hands loudly, quieting the others enough to look at the blond. She smiled at them, her brown eyes sparkling.
“Before we start thinking about our Summer Plans, why don’t we do our best for the upcoming written exam happening in a week from today?”
Silence rang out through the classroom.
“OH SHIT! THAT’S NEXT WEEK!”
“Oh for the love of- Did you seriously forget, stupid Sonic?!” Katsumi exclaimed, glaring at Aki who was now flailing in panic. “What do you think we’ve been doing the past week?!”
“I thought that was just you being a perfectionist!”
“Perfectionist- You are such a- Wait, I never gave you that much money- YOU CHEATER!”
“Senjiiii help me!” Shigeru whined, alongside Maiko who were giving the winged young man a pleading look. “We’re gonna fail!”
“You guys are way too loud…” Atsuki grumbled, rolling his head so he was face down on his desk. “It’s just a test…”
“It’s not just a test, it’s a test worth lots of points!” Maiko exclaimed.
Joseph huffed, but there was no denying the smile in his gray eyes. He made eye-contact with Izuku, and Izuku could tell that the other was grinning underneath his black face mask.
“We’re not Class 1-C if we’re not chaotic.” Joseph quipped with a shrug.
And Izuku wholeheartedly agreed with his sentiment.
That was when Hitoshi entered. Not at all batting an eye as Katsumi chased Aki around the classroom, the Class 1-A student walked over to Izuku's desk and plopped right on top of Izuku's desk. That was when he glanced around the other students, lively as ever.
“”...You’re classmates panicking about next week’s exam?”
“Pretty much.” Izuku chirped.
“...Well, at least I get better entertainment here.”
Inko Midoriya hummed softly to herself as she ambled around her small apartment with routine. First, making a pot of green tea with leaves that Hiro Tokande, the very kind and generous best friend of her Izuku, had given her when he had first visited their home.
Thinking of that time, a smile curled up on her lips.
When Hiro Tokande had first visited their home, he had been carrying a huge wicker basket filled with so many luxury items. A variety of top-tier tea leaves, some expensive looking wine, and a box of macarons from the shop that Inko knew came from an expensive pastry shop coming from the more expensive part of town. Inko could only take it with grace, unable to refuse when Hiro-kun looked so awkwardly expectant, the clear wonder on his face if he was giving the right gift or not.
It was obvious the poor boy was so nervous, visiting a friend’s place for the first time in who knows how long.
Taking a seat down on the couch with a cup of hot tea in her hands, she turned on the channel to the news. She relaxed, leaning into the old but well-cared for cushions. However, even with her eyes on the news blaring something about another villain attack, Inko’s mind wandered over to her own son.
Her smile fell, and she lowered the tea cup as she thought back to two weeks ago.
Just two weeks ago, she had received that call from the hospital that her baby had suddenly been admitted into the ER, with grave injuries and that she needed to come in right away. They hadn’t needed to tell her twice, having dropped everything she had been doing and rushing towards the hospital where her baby and his classmates had been taken.
The time it had taken her to the hospital was short, but the time stretched long and by the time she had arrived, she had been running towards the emergency room her baby was in when she ran into Hirota, who had been staring down at his phone, unphased by his own messy appearance.
“Hirota-kun!”
Inko hadn’t meant to shout out his name in the quiet hallway. However, upon seeing Hirota, the young man she was beginning to see as a son, all bruised and clothes and hair all rumpled and disarrayed, Inko had to force herself to not start yelling again.
Hirota nearly dropped the phone he had been holding tightly in his whitened hands.
“Hirota-kun!” Inko breathed heavily, coming up to the much taller boy and panicking over his state. “Are you okay?! What happened?! I just got a call that Izuku was in the ER and I came straight away!”
By the time Inko met with Hirota’s eyes, she stopped and stared at his red-rimmed eyes, tears still dripping from his eyes and obvious on his dirt-stained face. When Hirota finally gained the courage to look at Inko, his lips tightened and more tears started flooding out before he collapsed onto his knees.
“Hirota-kun!”
Inko’s heart fell, and she collapsed alongside the inconsolable boy, who tried biting back his sobs by biting into his sleeves.
“I’m… S-Sorry!” Was all Hirota could choke out, pressing his face against the cold floor. I’m sorry!”
While Inko tried picking Hirota from the floor, she looked up in panic, her heart sinking even further when she saw two more of Izuku’s classmates and friends.
There was Nayumi Akomachi sitting on the bench, her face hidden behind her laced hands as she was doubled over. There was also Joseph Waters who was slumped against the wall. Though Inko could see his face, his expression was frightfully blank, especially as his eyes were staring at absolutely nothing. And just rounding around the corner out of sight was Hiro Tokande, wearing the most frightening expression she had ever seen on the amiable boy’s face.
At this point, Inko could feel her heart on the fringe of shattering as she tried asking about Izuku. No one was willing to answer her, and when she caught Joseph’s eye, he had quickly whipped his head to the other side, unable to even look at her.
‘It can’t be…’ Inko thought, feeling dizzy as she still tried prodding for answers, her tone growing more urgent by the second. ‘Please…! Tell me I’m wrong! Izuku- My baby- He can’t be-!’
Dizzy and reduced to tears, Inko didn’t notice a young pink-haired girl running past her, a look of pure determination on her face as she rushed into the ER room that Izuku was in.
Minutes later, Hiro returned in a rush, panting and eyes red, but he wore a smile full of disbelief and relief.
His voice rang out for all to hear.
“Izuku’s alive!”
Inko quickly wiped the tears away from her eyes, stifling back a sob as she thought back to that horrible day. The day she had lost Izuku without her knowing. Taking deep calming breaths before her emotional state got the better of her and she started crying a flood (again), she was both simultaneously glad and very surprised when her phone started ringing, interrupting her rushing thoughts.
“Hello, Inko Midoriya speaking.” She answered quickly without glancing at who had been calling her.
“My love!”
Inko barely noticed the tea she had spilled onto the carpet as she stood up in surprise.
“Hisashi-” She all but gasped out, pleased but slightly exaggerated. “It’s already past midnight in America, isn’t it dear? I know how cranky you can get when you don’t get proper rest!”
“I meant to call you earlier, my Shining Sun!” It took everything in Inko to not giggle like a schoolgirl when Hisashi started spouting out the nicknames.They may be embarrassing, but never say it didn’t work wonders on Inko. “Work has gotten the best of me again and I lost track! And I swear, I give those kids an inch and they will take it to the moon! And in a good way is what I meant but I can’t help but sometimes worry if they’re working themselves too hard to give me the reports I want to hear!” All throughout Hisashi’s fast rant, Inko listened patiently with a smile. Even years apart physically, Hisashi was the same as ever. “-I’m coming home!”
Obviously Inko must have missed a big chunk of Hisashi’s rant. If she hadn’t already dropped her tea, she certainly would have done so.
“Y-You’re coming home?”
“...Am I coming back at a bad time…?”
“Oh no! No, no, no!” Inko denied vehemently, shaking her head. “It’s not that! I’m happy- So ecstatic that you’re coming home! You haven’t been back in years, not since Izuku was in Elementary and- '' There was a long stretch of silence over on Hisashi’s side, and Inko covered her mouth with a squeak. Her and her big mouth! Hisashi not being apart in most of Izuku’s life was a sore topic for her sensitive husband! Tears burned Inko’s eyes. “Oh no- I’m so sorry love- “I didn’t mean-”
“Please don’t cry Inko.” Hisashi reassured, his voice rough but understanding. “It’s very true that I haven’t been in Izuku’s life very much. The best I could do were awkward chats over the phone, and only for a few calls every couple of months. I haven’t been a good father to Izuku.”
“But you had something you had to do in America, something you had to finish at all costs.” Inko argued, remembering that argument years ago when Hisashi had still lived in Japan. Just after Inko had put Izuku to sleep, Hisashi had broken the news to her that he would be moving to America along with the other preteens he had taken in over the years. It had been a horrible argument, one that had left Inko depressed long after Hisashi had left for America. “Is it… Is it over?”
Inko had an inkling that Hisashi had been more than just a simple, dorky man when they had first met when Inko had been working as a new cashier in her local grocery store. However, no matter how much she prodded, waited, or demanded, Hisashi would just give her a small, sad smile and promised her that he would always keep her safe.
“I… No, it’s not .” Hisashi admitted, “Not even close… But I promise my love, it will all work itself out. I’ve been neglectful enough. I nearly lost Izuku. I hadn't even known it until you called! I still have full intentions of completing what I started years ago, but I won’t do it at the cost of losing you and Izuku. This time, it’s my turn to protect the both of you like I should have done.”
Tears streamed down Inko’s cheeks, and she didn’t bother wiping them away as she smiled brightly.
“Then… When you come home, let’s all have dinner together again!”
“Hm… Hm-mm-hmm~”
“You… Seem to be in a very good mood today…” She started hesitantly, staring at her sharply dressed boss idly swinging his cane around with a finger while staring off into the large window that looked down most of Tokyo. In her hand was a box full of the only stuff she had in this world. It wasn’t much, but it was hers. She held the box close anxiously when the boss’s grin sharpened further.
Her unnerving boss had been in an awfully good mood since they had been forced to flee to Japan, where plan after plan continued falling apart. Even the recent failings of the park and their escaped prisoner had done nothing to deter his good mood…
Though, as she thought about it… Her boss never did show any sign of their failed plans bothering him. In fact… That man… Found amusement in these failings.
Were there any point to these plans, or were they just amusing for him?
“Now, now. No need for such a scornful face, Acela. I do find it annoying how my plans seem to be falling apart as of lately,” Her boss smiled, absolutely lying about his feelings as his eyes shone ominously with growing amusement. “However, I can only blame myself for that. I must admit, I’ve been rather rash ever since we’ve come to Japan. But, I’m just excited! It’s been so long since I’ve been back home, isn’t it just normal to be feeling such things?”
She would agree to it, but hearing the word ‘normal’ come out from her boss, she was very inclined to disagree .
He simply laughed, then looked out the window.
“Have you ever heard of the proverb, ‘The more things change, the more they stay the same?’”
“What…?”
“Quite a strange phrase, but something I feel like I very much understand.” Her boss laughed. “Things have changed so much, and yet the people remain the same. So slow to change that until then, the change they’ve wanted so badly becomes the norm for the next generation, and so on and on that sometimes people will just loop back around to the start. Did you know-”
Before her boss could go off onto a tangent, she cut in quickly.
“What will we do now?”
“Nothing.”
He had answered it so swiftly that she had to pause for a second. She reiterated slowly with disbelief.
“Nothing…?”
“Nothing.” He repeated, nodding sagely. “I do not wish to step on someone else’s toes.”
Her boss was actually concerned about someone…? No, that couldn’t be it. He had no concerns. And if he did at one point, any kind of sanity or empathy he did have had been catapulted out of the window long before she had come into unfortunate contact with this insane man. He was probably more worried about his amusement being ruined than anyone being killed. But should she dare ask who he was talking about?
She didn’t have a choice to ask when her boss simply answered.
“I suppose this is a proverb you will understand better, ‘History never repeats itself, but it does rhyme,’ Mark Twain.”
“...Who?”
“....”