Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"We're here, Izumi." Inko Midoriya said to her daughter, Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama, the two getting out of the car.

They had arrived at the city's local Service Pokemon Training Centre, as due to her anxiety issues and autism, Izumi's doctor had recommended that she get a Service Pokemon to help her out.

Izumi fidgeted with her jacket, not quite looking up at the facility in front of them and still getting used to the idea of a Service Pokemon. The new, somewhat foreign surroundings didn't help to calm her nerves.

"Mama, what's going to happen?" Izumi asked her mother.

"I'm pretty sure you'll meet some of the trained Pokemon and interact with them a bit." Inko explained as best she could. 

"And if I like one we'll take them home?" Izumi asked.

The new idea was strange to her, as far as she knew people didn't just grab new friends off the street. She understood the concept, it was just strange. Plus the thought of meeting strange ones and having to choose one? That sounded hard.

"If you like them and they're able to suit your needs, then we'll be able to take them home." Inko nodded. "But if we don't find one today, that's fine. I heard the process can be long."

"Alright."

Izumi fidgeted and shifted her weight, not sure exactly what to feel about the whole situation. Her mother was usually right, but that didn't stop the nerves.

"Can we go in?"

Inko smiled softly. "That's the entire reason we're here, darling."

Izumi nodded, took a deep breath, and started toward the doors of the building.

Despite her anxieties, a new friend really did sound great. She'd heard plenty about people with Service Pokemon before, and she knew it sounded like they could really help, help her.

There was just the matter of finding them.

After a bit of a wait, the two were finally called up to the front counter, where the receptionist sat. 

"Hello there, welcome to the Service Pokemon Facility." The receptionist smiled. "How may I help you, today?"

"My daughter and I have a scheduled appointment here to help my daughter find a Service Pokemon." Inko explained.

"I see, now do you have a doctor's note?" The receptionist asked.

The question caught Inko by surprise, but she recovered quickly and pulled out a form from her purse, handing it to the receptionist.

Izumi shifted awkwardly, trying to be as patient as possible. This was going to be longer than she had hoped.

"Alright, one of our staff will be with you, soon." The receptionist smiled.

"Thank you." Inko nodded.

Then it was back to waiting. Inko, used to dealing with doctors and other assorted medical professionals, was taking the wait in stride. Izumi, on the other hand, was beginning to get antsy again. Fortunately the next wait wasn't too long. 

The door to the lobby opened and a woman in a labcoat stepped out, looking around before spotting the mother and daughter.

"Ah, you must be the Midoriya-Usagiyamas. My name is Ishikawa, I'll be your guide today."

"That's us." Inko nodded, standing and offering the woman a handshake. "It's very nice to meet you."

"And you too." The woman smiled, shaking Inko's hand. "And how about you?" She asked, crouching down to meet Izumi's eyes.

Izumi tried to shrink back behind her mother, but that didn't work as well with the woman crouching all the way down.

"Shy one, huh?" Ishikawa said gently. "Well, that's just fine dear."

"Yes, my daughter has been struggling with anxiety for years, now." Inko explained. "Her doctor recently recommended that she gets a Service Pokemon to help her out."

Ishikawa nodded, trying to make sure not to overwhelm the young girl. "That does tend to work. We have quite a number of Service Pokemon available." 

She started moving toward the doors through which she had appeared. "Let's go take a look at them now, shall we?"

Inko nodded and gave Izumi's hand a little squeeze as she started to head after Ishikawa.

This was it. As they walked through the back of the building Inko could see her daughter's mind at work, gears turning, anxiety in full effect.

The first room they entered was an open training floor, with several staff members and Service Pokemon going through drills with their humans. Inko could see everything from dogs running agility courses to a few humans practicing moves with a Lucario.

Izumi's gaze darted around at the unfamiliar surroundings, already on edge without even seeing the individual Pokémon.

"So, what particular needs do you have in regards to what Pokemon will be compatible?" Ishikawa asked, pulling out a clipboard.

Inko, sensing her daughter's distress from the unfamiliar surroundings, crouched down next to her as they paused a few paces from the action.

"Some amount of anxiety support, of course." Inko explained. "She's autistic as well, which adds its own challenges." Inko then looked at Izumi. "Anything you'd like to add?"

"Umm..." Izumi fidgeted with her coat sleeve, not sure exactly what the best way to answer was. "... Loud noises." She finally said. "They're uncomfortable. And... And crowded spaces, sometimes."

"That's okay, it's normal." Ishikawa nodded, then turned back to Inko to speak to her directly. "Those are very normal concerns. We have a few Service Pokémon that should work. There's a few more forms I have to fill out first, and then you'll be able to start interacting with the Pokémon and seeing which would work best for you."

"Alright, sounds good." Inko said.

Ishikawa nodded, then gestured to a bench off to the edge of the room where she had them take a seat. Then she filled out the paperwork, asking the necessary questions about medical history, any allergies, and a few other assorted topics. 

All the while, Izumi just looked around, occasionally sneaking a peek at one of the trainers and their Service Pokémon.

After a few minutes, Ishikawa turned back to face the two of them.

"That's all the forms taken care of. Are you ready to start looking at some of the Service Pokémon we have here?"

"Okay." Inko nodded, turning to her daughter. "Are you ready, Izumi?"

Izumi's nervousness had mostly been replaced with excitement, as she now was going to finally have an opportunity to meet some of the Service Pokemon. "...I think so."

"Alright." Ishikawa smiled. "Follow me, then."

The three of them entered through a different door off to the side of the training area, and the sounds of the exercises were shut out entirely by a heavy door.

The room was large, and each of the walls was lined with various pens on either side. Most of the pens held Pokémon playing or sleeping, and only a few of them were empty.

A strange feeling of awe overcame Izumi as they walked down the lines of pens. There were so many species, some of which she couldn't name, and of those she could recognize they came in all sorts of colors and patterns. None of the Pokémon in the pens were fighting, which she supposed was to be expected for a Service Pokémon training facility.

"And these are some of the Pokémon available?" Inko asked.

"Yes, I'll direct you to the ones with Psychiatric training." Ishikawa nodded, leading the mother and her daughter.

"Thank you." Inko smiled, walking along next to the woman, with Izumi a few steps behind as she continued trying to take in the sight of all of the different Pokémon in the pens.

A couple had their heads up and were looking at the humans passing by, but most were occupied with other things like toys or food. It was honestly surprising seeing so many different Pokemon that were trained to be Service Pokemon.

After a short walk they found themselves standing in front of several open pens, each of which contained a different Service Pokémon.

"We have a few options. Let's try and see if any of them are a good match for you, shall we?" Ishikawa asked the young girl.

Izumi's excitement was mounting even as her hands fidgeted, still nervous. So many choices, and not just one or two Pokemon, but a veritable buffet of some of the different types of Service Pokemon they had trained. It was almost overwhelming for the young girl.

"I'll start by bringing out different Pokemon that have been trained to suit your needs." Ishikawa explained, before heading into the pen where the Pokemon were.

Inko put a gentle hand on Izumi's shoulder, and the girl took a deep breath to try and ground herself in the moment. This was real. This was happening. She was really out here, about to get a Service Pokemon.

The first Pokemon was a Simisage. Ishikawa introduced him as Clifford.

Izumi smiled as she rubbed behind Clifford’s ears. Cliffod rested his head on Izumi's knees and chirped happily.

“I think I’d prefer a bigger Pokemon, one that can rest on me and can help me out in sticky situations.” Izumi requested. Normally, she wasn’t very picky about anything, but the one she got would be her constant companion for years. They had to be the best fit possible. Ishikawa nodded.

The next one was a Linoone named Gail. She was so fluffy Izumi swore she could bury half her arm in her fur before she reached her skin. She was much more energetic than the Pansage. She sniffed her hands and her tail was like a mini helicopter blade.

“I really like her fur.” Izumi commented. “But she has a bit too much energy. I don’t think I would be able to keep up with her, especially when she's not doing her job.”

“Got it.” Ishikawa nodded.

The next few Pokemon that came out of the pens were met with the same response. A small, round Swablu that tried to roost in her hair was absolutely adorable, as was the Arcanine with a shaggy coat and soft snout, and the stout Audino. However, they all didn't quite hit the mark for one reason or another. Some were too small, others didn't quite seem like they'd fill the role well.

This went on for a while, Ishikawa bringing out Service Pokemon one after another. She was understanding and patient, and Inko appreciated that she wasn't trying to rush Izumi in any way. 

After a few more Pokemon, it felt like Izumi had met the right one.

"She's so cute." Izumi smiled, petting the Dusk Lycanroc that came out. "What's her name?"

"Her name is Dusky." Ishikawa replied, enjoying the sight.

"Dusky." Izumi repeated. "It suits her."

Inko looked on happily, glad to see her daughter connecting to the Service Pokemon. Dusky in turn seemed to lean into the affection and attention from the young girl, her expression betraying nothing of what she thought or felt.

The Lycanroc stood just about the same height as Izumi, and was a bit more massive. While her fur looked fairly rough, it was actually quite soft to the touch.

Izumi continued to stroke the Lycanroc, enjoying the feeling of the slightly coarse but incredibly soft texture. If this wasn't the right one, then Izumi wasn't sure what was.

"If you're liking her, then we should head to the training room, and I'll teach you some of her commands." Ishikawa suggested.

"Alright." Inko nodded, noticing that her daughter was still rubbing Dusky, her hands lingering in the same spot.

This was the Pokemon it seemed likely for Izumi to leave with. The thought was somewhat surreal.

Ishikawa led the two of them back through the pens and out into the training room from before. The various trainers had long since finished their sessions, leaving the room nearly empty. There were a couple of trainers and Service Pokemon in the corner, working on some sort of obedience training, but the rest of the room was open.

Dusky padded along behind the three, making sure she was staying close to Izumi.

Ishikawa then led them over to a training mat and sat down. Dusky followed after them, and sat down next to Izumi. Izumi continued to pet the Lycanroc, enjoying the feeling of the Pokemon's soft and warm fur. This was definitely the one.

"So, here's a rundown of commands that you can use on Dusky." Ishikawa told the young girl after sitting down. "We've been working on some of her usual Service Pokemon tasks, and also a few to help with any anxiety you may experience. And of course, just the basics of walking heel, following commands... Those sorts of things as well."

As the two of them spoke, Izumi didn't let go of Dusky. She kept mindlessly petting the Lycanroc, enjoying the warm, soft texture and the sense of solidity and security the Pokemon provided.

Eventually, after about five minutes of going over the various commands and actions a Service Pokemon like Dusky could be taught, they switched from going over the basics to a demonstration of some of Dusky's more advanced skills.

The first was what Ishikawa described as an "interruption." "This is used frequently for autistic people." the woman explained. "If Dusky sees you doing something like rocking on your heels or scratching your skin, or any manner of self-soothing behaviours, though typically the harmful ones, she's been trained to come and lightly nudge you to stop."

Izumi nodded, continuing to pet the Lycanroc. That definitely seemed useful, though hopefully she would be able to avoid getting to the point where she'd need to self-soothe.

Ishikawa then moved on to explaining Dusky's support for panic attacks.

"Dusky can sense when you're experiencing an attack and is trained to help calm you." She said. "She'll usually come over and put her weight on you, providing a sort of hug. Some Service Pokemon can also apply things like acupressure to help with certain problems, Dusky is one of them."

The weight of a full-grown Lycanroc laying her head on her lap or back was definitely a comforting thought, if a bit heavy. Not to mention how soft the Lycanroc felt, and the fact that she'd just be a few seconds away whenever she was needed... The more she thought about it, the more clear it became that, even if there was a bit of a learning curve, getting a Service Pokemon like Dusky was not going to be a bad thing.

Ishikawa ran the girl through a few more commands, Dusky responding to all of them flawlessly. Inko watched on, feeling reassured that they actually knew what they were doing here. Dusky really was a well-trained Service Pokemon.

"She's very well-mannered, isn't she?" Inko commented once the demonstration was over.

"Oh, yes." The woman smiled. "All of the Service Pokemon we train here are extremely intelligent and well-trained. Dusky will be able to help allay any panic attacks or anxiety, as well as help you to ground yourself if you get overloaded. She also has a good sense for how her wards are feeling and when she needs to assist them."

It was reassuring to hear them go over Dusky's abilities, especially with how well-trained she was. Izumi looked down at the Lycanroc, who was looking back up at her with a calm, almost knowing gaze, and smiled. This really was the right Pokemon for her.

"Now, before we wrap up for today, I'll show you some of the vests and different gear, and you can pick out the ones you like." Ishikawa nodded.

This part was less exciting to Izumi, she didn't really care what the vests looked like, but she nodded and sat back with her mother as Ishikawa went on.

Inko, on the other hand, was paying close attention to what the woman was showing them.

Ishikawa gestured toward the various vests and gear laid out on a rack to the side of the training area. "We have a few different vests, which contain pockets to store Dusky's paperwork and other important info, such as emergency or contact information. The vests are also durable, and will help protect Dusky in case of an attack. Of course, you'll also be able to personalise it with her name, and she's even able to wear a couple of patches like any other working Service Pokemon."

The vests themselves had a few different pockets and harnesses, and varied from simple cloth to some made of heavier leather or rubbery material. Inko was looking them over carefully, while Izumi just wanted to go back to petting her new-soon-to-be Service Pokemon.

It honestly surprised Inko a bit, how excited Izumi was, despite her general anxiety in new environments. She was sitting there with her attention split between her new Pokemon and the display of vests, clearly excited and already attached to the Lycanroc in front of her.

After a short while, Inko and Izumi had selected the one with the designs and material they liked the most. It was fairly simple, with a few pockets and places to clip tags on it.

After they chose the vest, Ishikawa spoke up. "Alright. If you're both prepared, we can start the final steps for you to take ownership of Dusky."

"Yes, that sounds good." Inko nodded, standing up as she did. Izumi, too, rose to her feet, giving Dusky one last good scratch underneath the chin before standing just behind her mother.

Ishikawa smiled, watching as Izumi finished petting the Lycanroc one last time. "Alright, come with me."

The three of them once more walked into the back, through a door, and ended in a completely new-looking room with a counter at the far end and a few chairs.

Inko and her daughter sat in two of the chairs and, after a few moments, Ishikawa reappeared with a stack of papers. She sat on the third chair, opposite the two.

"Alright. Welcome to the final step, the signing of your form." Ishikawa smiled. "This is the paperwork which shows that you are Dusky's legal owners, and which has the information on the Pokemon's training and certifications."

Inko accepted the pen, already grabbing a form and beginning to fill in the necessary parts. As she did, she noticed Ishikawa talking to her daughter, explaining parts of the form she wasn't sure about. It made her feel better that they clearly had experience dealing with such young recipients.

Over the next few minutes Inko filled out the forms needed, with occasional help from the woman across from her. Finally, they got to the end of the papers.

"Alright, that's the last one." Ishikawa said. "Sign here, and that completes the transfer of ownership."

It was surreal, finally completing the final step to taking ownership of a new Service Pokemon. Inko signed the form, then passed the pen and remaining papers to Ishikawa.

Ishikawa accepted the papers with a smile, then reached into a drawer in the counter as she passed it back. "Here's her Pokeball, all of the paperwork, and her vest, some gear, and tags of ownership."

Inko took the Pokeball and the papers, placing them carefully into her purse. Meanwhile, Izumi took the collar and tags, a soft smile spreading across her face, thinking of when she'd finally get to call Dusky hers.

Ishikawa finished writing out a few things, then looked up at the mother and daughter sitting across from her. "Well, that covers everything. Dusky's all yours now. Be sure to take care of her, alright?"

"Yes, of course." Inko smiled, turning to her daughter. "Is there anything else you want to ask or do here, Izumi?"

Izumi sat there for a moment, staring down at the Pokeball, tags, and collar. She shook her head. "No, I think we're good to go."

"Alright." Inko nodded, then stood to get up out of her chair. "Thank you so much."

"It's our job." Ishikawa smiled, also rising to her feet and walking around the counter to the door. "It was a pleasure helping the two of you. Be sure to call us if you need anything, alright?"

"We will." Inko smiled back, and she and Izumi walked out of the room and back through the training area toward the entrance. As they walked along, the young girl fidgeted with the collar and tags, finally starting to sink in that Dusky really was hers now.

The walk back outside was the best part as Izumi finally got to let herself be proud of her achievement, letting loose with a string of comments on what she was going to do with Dusky, what the schedule would look like, and what kind of outfits they'd be able to get for her.

They made the short drive to the apartment, the entire trip filled with Izumi's chatter about how excited she was. She felt like her words were getting jumbled up in her mouth, but at the moment she simply didn't care. She had her very own Service Pokemon!

As they arrived at the apartment, Inko smiled as she parked the car. This was certainly the most animated her daughter had been about anything. The excitement was nearly infectious, and even the typically stoic Inko was having trouble not beaming as they stepped out of the car. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen her daughter so enthusiastic.

With Izumi nearly running to the door of the building, mother and daughter walked into the building, taking the elevator up to their floor. Then, they stepped into the apartment, and Inko closed the door behind them.

Inko then pulled out her phone and opened up the messaging app. She then started to text someone.

"Hey, when are you coming home?" The text read.

Inko waited for a reply. Then, just a minute later, her phone lit up with a new notification.

"Be home in about fifteen minutes." A text from Inko's wife, Rumi Usagiyama, read. "Did you head to the Service Pokemon Facility?"

"Yeah, we're back now. Ended up choosing a Lycanroc named Dusky."

After sending the text, Inko locked her phone and turned to look at her daughter, who had stopped fidgeting with the Pokemon's collar and tags, now petting Dusky like she did back at the facility. She looked so happy.

"That's great!" Rumi responded only a few moments after. "I'll be home soon. I can't wait to meet her."

Inko smiled, putting her phone away and walking over to her daughter, who was currently leaning on Dusky's back and absent-mindedly petting her fur.

"You enjoying that?" Inko asked, amused, walking up next to Izumi.

"Mhm." the girl responded, burying one of her hands in Dusky's soft fur up to the wrist. The Lycanroc made a contented sound, leaning back into the girl's hand.

"You look like you're really enjoying yourself." Inko observed, sitting down next to her.

"Dusky's so soft..." Izumi murmured, shifting her attention to the Lycanroc's back. Dusky let out another blissful sound as the young girl scratched lightly.

Inko smiled at this. "Sounds like you two are getting quite close already."

"I like her." Izumi confirmed, leaning in and hugging the Lycanroc. "She's soft, she's warm, she's mine..."

"And a bit oversized." Inko observed, still watching her daughter hug Dusky from the side.

"That's the best part!" Izumi giggled, burying her face in the Lycanroc's fur. "She's like a big fluffy pillow. She's the best."

"Well, try to not cling too much." Inko warned. "She's your Service Pokemon, not a stuffed animal."

"I can't wait to show this to Rara when she gets home!" Izumi exclaimed. 

"My my, this is the first time in a long while I've seen you so energetic." Inko chuckled. 

"It's just so much!" Izumi responded, looking up from Dusky to look at her mother. "I'm so excited, I've never had my own Pokemon, this was really the best choice, I'm- I-"

Suddenly, the sound of the front door opening interrupted the girl in mid-sentence. Turning to look, the two discovered that the door had opened, and a familiar voice called out from the hallway.

"I'm home!" Rumi said as she walked in, closing the door behind herself and placing her duffel bag on the ground. "Now, where's my family?"

"In here!" Inko called back from the living room.

Rumi then walked into the living room, and her face lit up when she saw the two of them sitting on the couch, her wife and child.

"Ah, how are my two favourite people doing... And who's this?" She asked, seeing the Lycanroc laying on the other end of the couch, with Inko's daughter leaning on her.

"That's Dusky! She's my Service Pokemon." Izumi said happily, sitting up and turning to look at her step-mother. "We picked her out today."

"Well, look at that." Rumi smiled, walking up to get a closer look at the massive Lycanroc on their couch. "...She's a bit big, ain't she?"

"That's the best part." Inko said, having seen Rumi's reaction. "She's big and she's fluffy, and Izumi adores her already."

"Of course I do!" The girl said passionately, reaching across the couch to pet the Lycanroc on the head. Dusky leaned into her palm just like she did back at the Service Pokemon Facility, loving the attention.

"Well, I can't say I blame you." Rumi commented, watching the interaction. "I've never understood how Lycanroc can be both big and fluffy, but it's sure a good combination."

She moved to sit down on the couch next to Inko. As she did, she looked down at Dusky, who was now lazily resting her head on the floor with Izumi still petting her.

"You take good care of my daughter, now." Rumi whispered to Dusky. 

Dusky didn't respond, but instead gave a short huff, shifting her head ever so slightly so it was further in Izumi's grasp. The young girl, for her part, was too distracted by the experience to notice the Lycanroc's nonverbal response.

Inko chuckled, looking over at her wife. "Looks like they'll get along just fine."

"I think so." Rumi smiled back, watching as Izumi continued to pet the Lycanroc and lean against her enormous frame, clearly already enjoying the feeling of having the Lycanroc as a constant presence. 

The two women sat in silence for a minute, neither saying a word and just observing the new addition to their family.

"So how did it go?" Rumi finally said, breaking away from staring at Dusky.

"Pretty uneventful, really." Inko responded. "They had a few Pokemon there who were trained for Service purposes, Izumi went through the options, she decided on Dusky, and we dealt with the paperwork."

"Huh. So it was that simple, huh?" Rumi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Surprisingly." Inko nodded.

Rumi nodded, then turned her attention back to the Lycanroc and her young ward. It was odd, seeing them together like this. Dusky was significantly larger than Izumi, big and fluffy and yet clearly incredibly well-trained given her behavior thus far. If nothing else, the Lycanroc would certainly be able to provide good physical security, for whatever that was worth. 

She leaned back into the couch, watching as Izumi scratched just the right spot, and Dusky leaned even further into her touch.

"Seems like she'll make a good Service Pokemon." Inko commented, continuing to observe the scene in front of her. 

Izumi and Dusky continued their interaction, seemingly oblivious to the two adults having their own conversation. The young girl was having the time of her life, running her fingers through the fluff on the Lycanroc's back, her face full of excitement and contentment. The large canine Pokemon, for her part, was enjoying the attention thoroughly, leaning into the young girl's touch and letting out little sounds of pleasure.

It was a cute sight, honestly.

Chapter Text

Since the beginning of time, Pokemon and humans have worked together. Some Pokemon assisted humans with their jobs, like construction, or police work. Others assisted humans with their day-to-day lives. Other people battled with their Pokemon.

After the uprising of quirks, people and Pokemon worked together as heroes. Some specialised in search and rescue, others honed in their fighting prowess. But in whatever day and age people and Pokemon coexist, people will always love Pokemon, and Pokemon will always love their people.

Izumi, Dusky, Inko, and Rumi were sitting in front of the TV, the news just finishing up for the night. 

"Seems like tomorrow will be a windy one." Rumi commented.

"You'd better be prepared then." Inko huffed. "I don't want to think of what would happen to you if you weren't prepared."

"Yeah, yeah." Rumi giggled. "Or, I could request for a day off to spend with my family."

"I wouldn't be opposed to that." Izumi giggled. 

Inko and Rumi couldn't help but smile. Ever since Izumi got Dusky, she's been a whole lot more brighter, at least around them. Public was a different story, for perhaps a different time. But they were really happy about seeing their daughter's true personality shine.

Inko sighed again, and leaned back in her seat. "I must say though, my shoulders are killing me. You wouldn't happen to have any free time before bed, would you Rumi?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at her wife.

Rumi smiled and shrugged, leaning back as well. "Depends on what you'd asked me to do." She replied, her hands already beginning to wander.

"Mama and Rara are flirting." Izumi observed blankly.

"Yeah, we are." Rumi giggled. "Who knows, maybe you'll be flirting with someone in the future."

Inko rolled her eyes jokingly, and lightly shoved Rumi's shoulder. "Don't tease her, she's just a little girl. Besides, the way you act you'd think you were planning on bringing someone of your own into the home." 

Rumi chuckled and gently took Inko's hand in hers, bringing it to her lips for a gentle kiss. "Now why would you ever think that? I've got everything I need right here."

Inko blushed lightly, her expression melting into a soft smile. "Sweet talker."

Dusky groaned from her spot on the couch and shifted around, getting comfortable as she laid down to sleep.

"Aww, is someone jealous?" Rumi teased, poking the Lycanroc on the nose.

Dusky huffed and turned her head away, trying to pretend she wasn't listening to their conversation.

Izumi couldn't help but laugh, when a loud squawking sound burst through the apartment, causing Izumi to cover her ears.

"Ugh, not again." Rumi grimaced, covering her ears as well.

Inko groaned and stood up, heading over the window where the screech had come from. "I swear, if that darn Murkrow is pecking the window again-..."

However, it wasn't a Murkrow, this time. Instead, it was coming from a tree near the apartment building. A group of Impidimp were harassing a lone Spearow in a nest.

Inko's expression quickly turned from annoyance to pity. "Ugh, again?"

Rumi stood and made her way to the window as well, peaking over Inko's shoulder to look at the commotion. "Oh for Pete's sake. Those stupid rascals won't learn their lesson, will they?"

"What's going on?" Izumi asked, getting up from the couch.

"A gang of Impidimps are harassing a Spearow's nest, as per usual." Rumi explained, leaning on the window frame.

"Those troublemakers should really know better by now." Inko agreed. "I just wish they'd stop tormenting those poor birds."

"You know, why don't I give them a taste of their own medicine?" Izumi grinned slyly.

"Go for it, kid." Rumi nodded. 

Izumi looked down at the mysterious watch that latched itself onto her wrist, one day, and pressed a button that lifted up a dial. Izumi twisted it until she landed on a bird-like silhouette, pressing it down as soon as she did.

In a flash of light, Izumi transformed into a large, mostly brown bird Pokémon with a vulturine neck and broad, powerful wings, the hourglass symbol of the watch on her chest.

"Let's get this over with." Izumi, now a Fearow, smirked, flying out of the window.

As she neared the tree, the Impidimps noticed and screeched defiantly. One of them picked up a pebble and threw it at her, another spitting at her. Unfortunately for them, the one attempting to spit missed terribly, and the one with the pebble's aim left much to be desired. 

Izumi laughed mockingly at their attempts as she circled around the birds harassing the Spearow's nest. Maybe this won't be so hard after all.

The Impidimps seemed to notice too, shifting nervously as they looked around and tried to come up with a plan.

Izumi seized the moment, swooping down closer to them. Fearow are fast and agile, after all, she reasoned. They couldn't hope to keep their attention on her for long.

Swooping down, Izumi prepared a Whirlwind, wanting to get this over and done with. One Impidimp noticed the attack first, screeching at the rest of the group to look up. The rest of the Impidimps looked towards Izumi as well, just in time to be caught in the whirlwind they were warned against. 

In their panic, they dropped the rock they'd been using against the Spearow, leaving the poor bird to look on in confusion.

Once the gang of Impidimps fled, Izumi perched on the tree where the lone Spearow sat.

"Are you ok?" Izumi asked.

"I'm fine, you scared them off before they could do any damage." The Spearow nodded. "Thank you."

"Of course, I wasn't just gonna let them get away with that." She responded, giving an awkward laugh.

The Spearow chuckled, a sound somewhat similar to that of a human's. "What did those little rascals think they were doing, anyway?"

"They were bored, I think. Those kids probably can't read more than a few sentences, honestly." 

The Spearow nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Impidimps aren't the brightest."

"So, are you normally alone?" Izumi asked. "Is your Mama somewhere?"

"A couple of weeks after I hatched, some guy threw a black and gold ball at my mother, and then, she disappeared." The Spearow answered. "I'm not sure where she is, or if she's coming back, though."

"Oh." Izumi's eyes widened, and she suddenly found herself unsure of what to say. "That's... terrible."

The Spearow seemed nonchalant about her mother's absence, perhaps having already accepted it as fact. 

"It's ok, though." The bird said matter-a-factly. "I've been doing just fine on my own so far. As long as I'm careful."

"Still though, it can't be safe being completely alone." Izumi mused, her eyes darting around her surroundings. 

The Spearow shrugged. "No more dangerous than any other day. Like I said, I've been doing fine so far."

"Don't you get lonely, though?" Izumi asked.

"A little, but all Flying-types leave the nest someday." The Spearow shrugged. "Why should I be any different?"

"If you want, I can take you under my wing." Izumi offered. "What if something like that happens again and you aren't helped?"

The Spearow hummed in thought, rubbing her beak thoughtfully. "I suppose that would be pretty terrible, huh? Being helpless in the middle of a big, open sky..."

"Exactly. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if a poor soul like yourself was helpless in a dangerous environment." Izumi admitted.

The bird sighed, looking down at the ground below. 

"...Alright." The Spearow agreed. "I don't see why you'd want to keep me company, but I won't refuse the protection."

"Great." Izumi smiled, her heart filled with a strange pride and joy. 

Suddenly, the sound of two worried voices from the apartment complex interrupted their conversation.

"Izumi!" Inko and Rumi called from the window. "Is everything alright out there?!"

Izumi gave the two a nod of confirmation.

"Follow me, I'll introduce you to my family." Izumi instructed.

The Spearow jumped from the nest, flapping her wings to keep aloft. "Alright, lead the way."

With the Spearow following behind her, Izumi made her way back to the window where her mothers watched closely.

"Well, there you are!" Inko sighed, looking at her daughter up and down as if checking for injury. "You had us worried. What happened out there?"

The symbol on Izumi's chest started beeping, and pretty soon, Izumi reverted back to her human self.

"I'm fine. But this Spearow was abandoned by her mother, and I kinda..." Izumi explained, before pausing. "Offered for her to live with us."

Rumi's expression immediately shifted to one of surprise. "Hold on a minute, did you just bring home another stray?" 

Despite her harsh words, her tail was wagging back and forth, giving her away a little.

Inko also seemed a bit surprised, but her expression quickly softened. "And you just... Offered for her to live with us?"

"I'm sorry." Izumi tensed up. "I wasn't thinking and I didn't want to leave her alone out there. Especially when she's so young."

"Of course you had to go and be a hero." Rumi rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. She knew it was pointless to try and stop Izumi from rescuing a Pokemon in trouble. 

Inko shook her head in faux disappointment. "You and your bleeding heart. You just can't say no to any Pokemon in need."

"I couldn't!" Izumi protested. "She was alone!"

The Spearow shuffled awkwardly. Despite Inko and Rumi's joking, the atmosphere was still tense. She had no idea what was going on.

Inko noticed the Spearow's awkward shuffling. "Come on in, dear." She said, motioning for the bird to come into the apartment. "Let's have a look at you."

Izumi looked up at the Spearow, smiling encouragingly. It was at times like this both she and Inko could understand the language of Pokemon.

"I know this isn't what you were expecting, but it's home, or at least to me, it is." Izumi smiled. "If you don't want to stay here, that's fine, too, though."

The Spearow nodded and stepped forward into the apartment. 

She looked around curiously. It was all very strange - all the furniture and strange devices were so unlike anything in the wild. The place was oddly comfortable too. The Spearow wasn't sure how to feel about it.

"All of this is unfamiliar, but you seem nice." The Spearow commented. "I'll stay."

A wave of relief washed over Izumi with the Spearow saying those words. Her eyes flicked over to Inko and Rumi, both of whom were smiling.

"Glad to hear it." Inko said. "I don't suppose you have a name?"

"Not yet." The Spearow shook her head, before looking down at Izumi. "Why don't you give me one?"

"Peaker." Izumi said, after a while. "I hope you like it."

"I love it." Peaker smiled.

"Great." Inko nodded, a warm feeling swelling in her chest. Even Rumi couldn't help but smile at this strange, yet charmingly wholesome moment. 

Of course, not that she'd admit it.

"Now, I actually have a question for you." Peaker said to Izumi. "What was with that transformation thing?"

"It's a bit of an intricate story..." Izumi replied. "In fact, it's so intricate, that I'll have to explain it in a flashback sequence."

FLAAAAAAAAASHBAAAAAAAAACK

Izumi hated being Quirkless. It meant that even if she wanted to, she couldn't be a hero just like Rara. It hurt, honestly. But what hurt the most was how she'd be treated at school. Sure, people tended to give her weird looks, already, even more so after she got Dusky. But that was beside the point! Though, it was relieving to hear that Rara would pull some strings, just in case anyone tried anything. But she felt like she was missing out. Izumi hated being Quirkless, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Admittedly, she didn't talk about how she felt to Mama and Rara. Izumi knew for a fact that they had a lot on their plates, especially since most people taking the Gym Challenge had beaten Karakura Town's Gym Leader, and were moving onto Musutafu City's Gym, which Mama ran. Not to mention, criminal activity was on the rise, so she didn't want to bother Rara about it, either.

However, her problems felt like they were finally solved one night, when the Midoriya-Usagiyama family were settling down for the night. 

Mama was preparing for bed first while Rara and Izumi sat on the couch. Rara had an oversized hoodie on, and her head was lolling back over the couch's armrest. Her eyes were closed, but Izumi knew better than to assume she was asleep.

Izumi tried to work up the courage to say something. This was a perfect opportunity to talk about her problems without too much risk of burdening her parents. But she was still worried. She didn't want to take up more time and energy than she needed to.

Rara noticed Izumi shifting awkwardly next to her, clearly thinking about something.

"'Sup, kiddo? Got something on your mind?" Rara asked, opening one eye.

"Oh, you know, just normal stuff." Izumi shrugged.

"Is it about being Quirkless?" Rara asked.

"Well, uh... Kinda." Izumi averted her gaze slightly. 

"I get it. When my Quirk first came in, I had no idea what to expect." Rara nodded sympathetically. "It wasn't as flashy as anyone else's, nor was it an Emitter or Transformation quirk."

Rara stood up, stretching before sitting down next to Izumi. She draped an arm over her daughter's shoulders, a more relaxed action than one would expect out of her. 

"So yeah, I was a late bloomer, quirk-wise, and some of the other kids made a point of reminding me I'd never be able to be a great hero like All Might."

"What did you do about it?" Izumi asked.

"I kicked them in their groins." Rara smirked. "After that, they left me alone. But just kicking people in their groins isn't always enough. So I worked hard to become the Pro Hero I am, today."

Rara pulled Izumi closer until the girl's head was against her shoulder, still holding her closely. 

"I was also lucky in that I didn't listen to anyone who told me I wouldn't be a great hero." Rara continued. "Sure, my quirk didn't immediately make me the strongest in the class or anything, but it's all in how you work at it."

"So do you think I can become a hero, even without a quirk?" Izumi asked, hoping for some confirmation from her mother.

Rara smiled, tilting her head so it was resting on top of Izumi's. 

"Kid, I think you could pull it off. It's more a question of whether you're willing to put in the time and effort. A quirk is only part of that equation, y'know?"

Izumi's eyes widened. She hadn't expected such reassurance from Rara. The woman always seemed like she was more pragmatic, and even coldly logical at times. Izumi thought Rara would tell her to aim lower, try to be a teacher or rescue worker. This was... different. But she wasn't complaining, not in the slightest.

However, the nice moment was cut short, when a loud BOOM burst through the apartment, causing Izumi to cover her ears. 

"What the hell?!" Rara yelled, the peaceful expression she'd been wearing a moment ago replaced with annoyance as she stood up. 

Mama rushed into the room, still in her nightgown. Rara would have teased her if the situation was better. 

"What happened?" Mama asked, noticing the commotion.

"I think it came from outside." Izumi presumed. "Should we check it out?"

"Damn right we should." Rara said, making her way towards the window. "I can't tell if it's a villain or just idiots with fireworks. Either way someone's going to get their ass kicked, tonight."

Mama sighed. Rara was always like this, ready for a fight or a challenge no matter the time.

"You two just be careful." Mama warned as Rara and Izumi pushed open the window.

"Yeah, yeah." Rara waved her off. "Have a little faith, babe. I can handle myself."

The two girls flew out the window, scanning the night sky for whatever had caused the noise. It wasn't far from the apartment building, and whatever it was was enveloped in a flash of green light, before slowly fading, revealing a small pod.

"The hell is that?" Rara wondered aloud, narrowing her eyes and tilting her head inquisitively. 

Izumi moved closer, curiosity winning out over concern for the moment, to get a better look. The pod was smooth and metallic. It didn't seem to be damaged from what either girl could tell. It didn't look like any sort of vehicle used by heroes or villains, and it had a strange aura that Izumi couldn't quite place. 

Rara landed on the ground next to it and knelt down, inspecting it closely. 

"I've never seen anything like this before..." Rara said, running a hand across the pod's surface. 

She found a spot on it that seemed to pop out slightly from the rest. Rara pressed on it, and the front of the pod started to crack open. A blinding white light streamed out of the pod, and Rara and Izumi both shielded their eyes. 

After a moment, the light died down enough that they could see something sitting inside the pod. It was hard to make out, but whatever it was, it was in the shape of an, albeit bulky, wristwatch.

"That's what was in the pod?" Rara asked, her brow furrowed as she picked the object up. "That's all we had to worry about?"

"Can I have a look?" Izumi asked.

Rara raised an eyebrow, but handed it over to her. "Go wild, kid."

However, just as Rara had handed it to her, the watch jumped onto Izumi's wrist.

"Whoa!" Izumi cried out as the watch began to glow. 

Rara jumped back from the light, watching apprehensively. She'd seen her fair share of strange and dangerous things in her hero work, so she wasn't going to act rashly until she knew what was going on.

The watch was now tightly hugging Izumi's wrist. She looked at it incredulously, then, somewhat awkwardly, looked up at Rara. "Uh, hey, I don't think it wants to come off."

Rara knelt back down next to her, poking at the watch warily. "Weird. Normally something like that would have some sort of clasp on the back for you to get it off. Try twisting the front or something."

Izumi did as Rara suggested, twisting the watch's face. To her surprise, the dial twisted as she was turning it. She heard Rara suck in a breath.

"Damn, I guess it really is stuck..." Rara muttered.

Izumi then started pressing random things on the watch, eventually pressing a button, which raised the dial of the device. After a little bit, a hologram of a Gyrados popped up. Izumi then twisted the dial, causing the hologram to switch to different Pokemon. Tyranitar, Swampert, Toxicroak, Volcarona, Hawlucha, Kommo-o, Grimmsnarl, Armarouge, and then Turtonator.

Izumi then pressed the dial down, and in a flash of light, Izumi had transformed into a Turtonator, with the hourglass symbol of the watch on Izumi's chest.

"Aaah! I'm a Turtonator!" Izumi exclaimed, though to Rara it just sounded like normal Turtonator sounds.

Rara stumbled back, shocked and concerned. "What in the- What in the world just happened?!" 

What in the world was one supposed to think when her daughter just turned into a large Fire/Dragon-type from Alola?

Rara started pacing, as if movement would help her wrap her head around the situation at play.

"Ok, ok, this is weird. But that doesn't mean it's bad, right? I mean, she's still conscious, and she could still turn back before."

The sound of Mama's footsteps, rushing out of the building, broke Rara out of her thoughts.

"I saw what happened!" Mama exclaimed, turning to Izumi. "Izumi, are you ok?!"

"I'm fine, Mama." Izumi replied. "Just, well... A Turtonator."

"What did she say?" Rara asked Mama.

"She said she's fine, just a Turtonator." Mama translated.

"Huh." Rara hummed, processing the new information. 

She walked over to Izumi, looking her up and down. She looked like a perfect replication of a Turtonator, with nary a human feature in sight. "You doing alright, kid? No weird feelings or anything?"

"No. But, to be honest, I don't think I want to be a Turtonator forever." Izumi admitted, Mama translating what she was saying. 

However, just as Izumi said that, the symbol on Izumi's chest started beeping, and after a few seconds, Izumi changed back to normal.

"Oh, few. It's not permanent or anything." Rara sighed, relaxing somewhat but still a bit confused by the situation. 

Mama let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness. Although that does beg the question of why this device even changed her into a Turtonator in the first place."

"Well, I pressed this button on the watch, and the dual popped up, and then holograms of different Pokemon showed up." Izumi explained. "Eventually, it landed on Turtonator and pressed the dial down, and that's what caused me to transform."

"Odd." Mama hummed, trying to make sense of it all. "It seems that this watch, if it can even be called such, transforms you into whatever Pokemon is currently on its display. Can you test some of the other ones?"

Izumi looked down at the watch, noticing how it was now red.

"I think we'll have to wait a little bit." Izumi replied. "I think it needs to recharge."

Rara huffed. "Typical. Well, I guess that means the danger's passed for now. But this is all just so damn strange..."

"I wonder if I could use whatever this is to become a Pro Hero?" Izumi wondered. 

"I think no matter what happens, you can be a Pro Hero just like anyone else can." Rara smiled. "As long as you put in the work. So don't let anyone tell you otherwise, Izumi. And if they do, kick em' in the groin."

Izumi laughed. "I don't think that'll be necessary. But... I hope you're right."

Mama wrapped an arm around her, giving her a comforting smile. "I'm sure you'll be a great Pro Hero, sweetheart. With or without that watch.”

"So, that's what happened?" Peaker asked.

"Yeah, I haven't mastered it, yet, though." Izumi nodded. "I only got this thing a couple of days ago."

Peaker tilted her head curiously, looking down at the watch. 

"That thing really turns you into a Pokemon? Like, actually turns you into one, not just illusion or something?" Peaker asked, as much for confirmation as in a vain attempt to wrap her head around the strange tale.

"You saw it yourself." Izumi nodded. "It's hard to wrap around my head, too."

"How long can you stay as one for?" Peaker inquired, still very confused and a little skeptical. She kept her distance while still asking all the questions bubbling up in her head.

"Currently, I'm not sure. But before I've reverted back, I've always felt like I was finished." Izumi replied. "There's still a lot I don't know about the watch. Like, how many transformations does it have? Can I scan other Pokemon to gain access to them? Can I scan two Pokemon from the same evolution line? So many questions."

Peaker nodded, her gaze trailing off, thinking about all those questions. 

Then, like a switch being flipped, she suddenly snapped out of it, and looked confused again. "Er, wait. Can you scan other Pokemon?"

"Like I said, I have no idea." Izumi shrugged.

Peaker went silent for a bit, her face the picture of contemplation as she struggled to wrap her mind around this new information. 

"If you can scan other Pokemon... Does that mean you can scan me?"

"Maybe, but I already have a Fearow transformation, so I don't see a point in having a Spearow transformation." Izumi shook her head, thinking thoughtfully. "No offence, by the way."

Peaker chuckled, somewhat awkwardly. 

"None taken." She said, before perking up again. "Hey, what if you-"

Before she could continue, she was interrupted by a yawn. Peaker's face quickly went from wide-eyed to bleary, as if she'd expended all of her energy. Izumi had almost forgotten how late it was, thanks to the excitement.

"Why don't we continue this, tomorrow?" Izumi suggested. "I'm pretty tired after today."

Peaker nodded reluctantly. She still had plenty more questions to ask, but she was starting to feel fatigue creep in. She'd probably feel pretty stupid if she ended up nodding off and missed all her next questions.

Izumi let Peaker sit on her shoulder as she walked to her room, of course getting Dusky in the process.

Peaker yawned. "I still have so many questions about this..." She murmured, leaning her head on Izumi's shoulder.

Chapter Text

What do you get for the boy who has everything?

Katsuki Bakugo has it all and he knows it. He was the son of the greatest fashion designer in the Yamashita region. He had a dadbeat dad who gave him everything he could ever want. He was a Pokemon genius who had been studying battle techniques and strategies since he was two, and at seven years old, he already surpassed all of his pathetic baby classmates and their pathetic baby Pokemon.

Despite not even having a Pokemon himself yet! That’s just how smart he was!

Oh, sure, he wanted a Pokemon. More than anything. It was the one thing his parents won’t give him, even though actual preschoolers have Pokemon. Even though whenever he borrows one from one of his classmates, he kicks total ass with it! His parents kept saying something about how “Trainers don’t start their journey until they’re ten years old.” or “You’re not ready for the responsibility yet.” or whatever, but they were squandering his potential! It was so frustrating!

Katsuki tried everything. He told them over and over that all of his buddies think it’s unfair. He told them over and over that owning and raising a Pokemon was scientifically proven to improve children’s “cognitive development” and “empathy” and “emotional maturity" whatever that meant. He told them over and over about the aforementioned “toddlers have Pokémon” thing. None of it worked.

So there was only one obvious thing to do, really. The next time he was roaming around Musutafu City with family, he sneaked a Pokeball out of the Pokemart displays and into his bag. And, as soon as he and dad were home alone, he rushed out of the house with his carefully acquired Pokeball and ran as fast as his legs could carry him into the waist-high grass of Route 8.

It was mainly covered in Deerling and the occasional Trumbeak. Those wouldn’t do. Not at all. He only had one Pokeball, but he knew better than anyone else how weak Deerling and Trumbeak were for a serious trainer like himself. He wanted something else - a Pawmi, maybe, or a Fletchling, that started strong and could evolve into even stronger forms.

That’s when Katsuki saw it. Or, rather, he heard it.

A Pokémon meowing.

Katsuki recognised its cry, from his studies - a Litten. But he had never seen one in person. They were offered as starter Pokemon in Alola and one of the many different starter choices here in Yamashita, and they weren't typically found in the wild.

Katsuki grinned. This opportunity was so perfect for him that it felt like destiny was reaching out to him, ready to send him to the stars. Litten was a strong Pokemon who evolved into Torracat, and then the ever unbeatable Incineroar. If he had one of those, nobody would be able to beat him. He’d be far better off with the Fire Cat Pokemon than he’d ever be with a Deerling.

Getting down on his stomach, he crawled through the tall grass towards the sound of the Pokémon. He didn't pay attention to anything going around him. He didn't care. All he wanted was to get that Litten.

When Katsuki peered out of the grass, his clothes and arms scuffed with dirt and grass stains, he finally saw it for himself. A red and black feline Pokémon, belching flames at a crowd of Flying-types swooping around it. Katsuki noted that the Litten was favouring its left front leg - its right leg seems to be cut and badly bruised, likely by the length of which the fight had been going on.

Perfect, Katsuki thought, taking the stolen Pokeball out of his pocket and feeling it expand to its full size in his hand. The Litten was already injured! That will make it way easier to catch!

Katsuki considered his strategy. He didn’t have any Pokémon of his own. No thanks to those old hags. Katsuki was not stupid – everyone knows wild Pokemon are dangerous. If you just run at them, arms swinging, you’re going to get hurt. It was common sense. But if Katsuki couldn't do that, then how would he get his own Pokemon?

But if he could manage to distract them...

Katsuki reached into a patch of grass next to him until he found a small, yet quite jagged, pebble. He tossed it at the crowd of bird Pokemon and quickly ducked back into the grass. Just as planned, the Flying-types scattered away in alarm, leaving the Litten wide open for Katsuki to then stand up, and then throw the Pokeball he rightfully stole right at its head.

With a satisfying bonk, the Pokeball bounced off its head and floated into the air. The Litten lowered its head and growled at the Pokeball, then started to hiss at it as the Pokeball opened. Before long, the Litten was surrounded by a multicoloured flash of energy. The Litten merged with the energy, which was pulled into the Pokeball, which closed and fell to the ground.

1…

2…

3…

Click!

Katsuki jumped up into the air and cheered, and then raced over to pick the Pokeball out of the grass. It felt so solid and real in his hands, even though it didn’t weigh any differently. It was his Litten. He, the amazing Katsuki Bakugo, caught it.

"Katsuki Bakugo!" Katsuki's mother, Mitsuki Bakugo, scowled at him as soon as he walked through the front door of his house. "Where the hell have you been?!"

"Just exploring." Katsuki shrugged nonchalantly, taking his shoes off. "You know me, it's a big, big world, but you know where to find me."

"You were instructed to stay with your father, and look at you! You're all dirty!" Mitsuki exploded. "Go take a bath!"

Katsuki grumbled, but did what he was told. He couldn't imagine what his mother would do to him, or his new Litten, if she or his father found out what he did. He needed to train his Pokemon in secret.

When he came out of the bath, both Mitsuki and Masaru had angry looks on their faces, while a police officer stood next to them, a blank expression on his face.

"Uh, what's going on?" Katsuki asked, acting like he didn't steal a Pokeball or had gone out on his own and didn't tell anyone.

"One of the city's Pokemarts have camera footage of you stealing a Pokeball from their display." The police officer recounted. "My quirk is to detect what was caused by quirks and what wasn't, and my quirk told me that the camera footage wasn't altered, nor were you under the effects of a quirk."

"So what, you gonna arrest me or something?" Katsuki inquired, crossing his arms like he didn't care.

"Since you're just a kid, I won't arrest you." The officer shook his head. "However, you have to either return the Pokeball you stole, or pay for it."

"Well, I already used it, so I'll pay for it." Katsuki replied, shrugging.

"What do you mean you used it?!" Mitsuki angrily asked.

"I went out to Route 8 to catch myself a Pokemon, but the one I tried to catch broke free." Katsuki lied. "I couldn't return it, even if I wanted to."

Mitsuki let out a breath that she didn't realise that she was holding.

"Alright, I hope you've learned your lesson." Mitsuki shook her head. "But, just to drive this home, you're grounded."

"Aww, what?!"

The next day, Katsuki brought his new Litten, which he nicknamed Kaen, to school to show off to his friends. 

Kaen, though, didn't seem to be a fan of people. If anyone got too close to her, she would lower her head and hiss, and he'd have to tell people to back off so she wouldn’t bite, or scratch anyone. Even Katsuki himself couldn't get too close to her. This wasn't how he was expecting things to go. He was expecting that Kaen would follow his commands immediately. That’s what happened with most trainers’ first Pokémon, after all, whether ones they got from their families or the ones they got from Yamashita’s Professor.

In the meantime, there was someone who hadn’t come up to view Katsuki's new catch, and he'd been wanting to show it off to her more than anyone.

Katsuki saw her in the back of the classroom, staring at the floor, her familiar green hair covering most of her face, and her Dusk Lycanroc's head on her knees.

Deku

Mitsuki loved Deku. Masaru loved Deku. Teachers loved Deku.

Katsuki hated Deku. That snot-nosed brat got all the attention and didn’t even do anything to deserve it. She had a Dusk Lycanroc - a fully evolved Pokemon, and was even allowed to keep it out of its Pokeball during class. She didn’t ever battle, and she definitely wouldn’t even be that good at it. But the worst of it all? Deku was QUIRKLESS.

That made Kaen the perfect way to one-up silly little Deku.

Katsuki walked over to Deku’s desk, his lackeys following behind him, and slammed the Pokeball down onto it. Deku jumped, her head whipping up to stare at the blonde boy with what he liked to imagine were wide, frightened eyes.

Katsuki laughed.

“Guess what I got, Deku?” Katsuki smirked, as if the answer wasn’t obvious. “That’s right. I caught myself a Pokemon. A rare one, and a strong one. Want to see it?”

She just stared at him, expression blank. What an idiot.

“Well, I don’t care.” Katsuki sneered, snatching the Pokeball back from the desk. He threw it to the ground. “Go, Kaen!”

In a flash of light, Kaen came out. Even before the light faded, she already started to look frantically back and forth at the people nearby. She raised her hindquarters, lowered her head, and started to hiss.

“Impressed?” Katsuki smirked as he crossed his arms and waited for Deku’s reaction.

She said nothing, of course, but Katsuki was annoyed to see that she didn’t look impressed at all. She never really looked like anything, so he didn't know what he was expecting. Getting on her hands and knees and finally acknowledging Katsuki as the best trainer ever? As if.

"That's right, I'M the better trainer." Katsuki scowled. "Got it?"

A little while later, during lunch, Katsuki ventured outside, where Deku mainly spent her time when class wasn't in session during the school day. He needed to show off how good of a trainer he was, if not, the best.

Deku was busy throwing a ball and her Lycanroc was happily chasing it, the vest it usually wore off. That just pissed off Katsuki even more than he was that day. Strong Pokemon shouldn't be having fun! They should be out in the world, battling! But what pissed Katsuki off the most was how Deku had somehow obtained it AND it was allowed to be outside of its Pokeball during school, when everyone else had to keep their Pokemon in their Pokeballs.

He walked up to her, smirking with Kaen's Pokeball in his hand.

"Oi, Deku!" Katsuki shouted, getting Deku's attention. "I want to battle!"

Deku silently nodded, taking out a Pokeball of her own, making Katsuki confused. Throwing it, a small Spearow came out.

"Go, Peaker!" Deku exclaimed.

"Alright..." Katsuki grumbled, throwing Kaen's Pokeball. "Go, Kaen!"

Deku’s Spearow squawked at her a couple of times, giving Deku a sorrowful look.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you didn't like being inside your Pokeball." Deku apologised.

The Spearow squawked again, causing Deku to smile.

"Right, thanks." Deku nodded. "Peaker, use Peck!"

The Spearow shot towards Kaen, wings beating hard in the air. Kaen let out a short hiss, and leapt right at the oncoming bird. Sparks of fire flailed off Kaen, the move causing her to glow as she pounced at the Spearow.

"You see that?!" Katsuki grinned. "That's called Flame Charge! It lets her-"

The Spearow managed to dodge out of the way, letting Kaen hit the ground.

Katsuki stared as he realised Kaen's attack had failed. 

"What?!" Katsuki yelled.

"Peaker, use Peck again!" Deku instructed, raising a hand.

The Spearow began rushing at Kaen again, just like before.

"Flame Charge!" Katsuki commanded, clenching his fists. "Don't let-"

But this time Kaen was too slow to respond. The Spearow's beak connected, and knocked her back with the force of the attack.

"That was a critical hit!" Deku said.

"Don't tell me what it was, Deku!"

Kaen was reeling, and let out a whine as she tried to hold herself straight up. Her eyes were watering from the pain. Katsuki just kept staring, dumbfounded. This wasn't how things were supposed to go!

"Peaker, use Peck again!"

As expected, the Spearow obeyed Deku's command and started rushing toward Kaen again. Kaen tried to jump out of the way, but fell into the dirt. Her leg was still in pain from before, and the Spearow was too fast for her to escape.

"Dammit!" Katsuki growled.

The Spearow then landed on Deku’s shoulder, smiling.

"You did great, Peaker." Deku smiled. "Especially for our first time."

First time? FIRST TIME?! Katsuki's first time battling with his own Pokemon ended with him LOSING, while DEKU's first time battling ended with her WINNING SPECTACULARLY.

Katsuki was fuming at this point. He returned Kaen to her Pokeball and turned his back to Deku.

"Whatever..." Katsuki grumbled. "See you after class, Deku..." 

Deku didn’t respond as Katsuki stomped back into the building, trying to pretend not to hear the giggles of the other kids around him.

Classes passed by like they did any other day, but the thought that he lost his very first match with his own Pokemon was eating away at Katsuki. It was supposed to be his triumph, but it ended up being an embarrassment. It was a complete disaster. 

Katsuki swore to Arceus that he'd give that Deku a black eye after school.

When Deku ended up with more than just a black eye, who's to say that Katsuki was responsible?

Katsuki made his way back home that afternoon, furious and bitter from his loss to Deku earlier. It was so stupid! It didn’t make sense! Sure, he had just started training his Litten, but he was a lot better than her at battling! He should have won that! But he didn’t, because she was a useless, quirkless loser.

"Katsuki!" 

Huh? 

Katsuki looked up and saw his mother walking over, a stern look in her eyes.

"What do you want, hag?" Katsuki grumbled, taking his shoes off at the door.

Mitsuki scowled at her son's insult. "I need to talk to you, brat."

"Ugh, what now?!"

"Sit down and listen." His mother commanded, crossing her arms. "I don't want any attitude from you."

Katsuki grumbled and slumped onto the couch.

"I got a call from your school today." His mother took a seat next to him. "Apparently you got in a fight with a classmate after school."

Katsuki scowled, looking away.

"It was just shitty Deku." Katsuki mumbled. "Why should it matter?"

"I don't care if it was Izumi." Mitsuki shook her head, her tone turning more stern. "I don't want to hear about you picking fights with anyone."

"But she was asking for it!" Katsuki protested. "She was being stupid!"

"What did she even do?!" Mitsuki snarled.

"She beat me in a Pokemon battle!" Katsuki exploded. "Deku took down my Litten and insulted me afterwards!"

"You mean your friend's Litten, right?" Mitsuki suddenly asked.

Shit.

"Yeah! Yeah, that's what I meant." Katsuki nodded, hardly breaking a sweat. "But you get the point!"

"That still doesn't explain why you got in a fight with her." Mitsuki crossed her arms and gave him a disapproving look. "If you got in a Pokemon battle with someone and lost to them, why did you then start to throw punches? That sounds a lot like you just lost control of yourself and are now trying to make it look like you had reason to be acting like a little brat."

"Ugh, shut up, old hag!" Katsuki stood up, glaring at his mother. "Why can't you just get off my back about this?!"

"Because you can't keep acting like this, brat!" Mitsuki got up and met Katsuki's glare with her own. "I don't care if you're mad at someone. I don't care if they were mean to you. If I hear about you acting like this again, I'm going to extend your current grounding! Got it?!"

"UGH, FINE!" Katsuki yelled back. "Whatever, then!"   

With that, he stormed off into his room and slammed the door behind him. Katsuki threw himself onto his bed and let out a frustrated scream into the pillow. 

This was all so frustrating! How was it fair? No matter what he did, everything kept going wrong! Sure, he had his Litten, but he was so bad at battling with her that he even lost a fight to Deku, of all people!

Needless to say, when Deku didn’t show up to school the next day, Katsuki was livid. He needed answers.

Class was starting without Deku sitting in the back of the room, like usual. She was completely absent. Normally, Katsuki wouldn’t have cared whether or not she was there. She was always just a nuisance.

But this was different. She humiliated him. Then she didn't even show up afterwards. How annoying.

After class, when everyone had gone out to lunch, Katsuki stayed behind, hoping to get a word from the teacher.

"Where the hell is Deku?" Katsuki angrily asked the teacher

The teacher looked up and raised an eyebrow at Katsuki. "I don't see why you'd want to know."  

Katsuki was caught off guard for a moment. "What do you mean, you don't see why I'd want to know?!"

"Why are you so concerned about it?" The teacher asked with a hint of irritation beginning to show in his voice. "You two are hardly even friends, let alone acquaintances."

"I just need to talk to that sorry ass!" Katsuki justified.

The teacher narrowed his eyes at Katsuki, leaning back in his chair. "That sorry ass, as you put it, won't be coming to school for awhile, if things go right. And it's not your business why."

Katsuki nearly choked at that statement. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

The teacher regarded him coolly, the annoyance still evident in his features. "You're not as dense as you act, but perhaps you really have no idea what the problem is. Maybe I should spell it out for you."

Katsuki just gritted his teeth, his rage building up. "Fine. Spell it out for me, then."

"The problem is you." The teacher said matter-of-factly, the annoyance from his voice fading away to reveal a more tired and frustrated tone. "You're the problem."

"HAH?!" Katsuki let out an outraged shriek. "How the hell am I the problem?! I didn't do anything!"

"Oh really? Well then, when spelled out, what does "Deku" mean?" The teacher asked Katsuki.

Katsuki raised an eyebrow at that. "'Deku' means worthless, or useless, loser."

A look of disappointment appeared on the teacher's face, and perhaps a hint of frustration as well.

"You really don't get it, do you, Bakugo?"

Katsuki clenched his fists, the anger rising. It was infuriating being treated like this. He should be able to do whatever he wants. 

But he knew better than to start a fight with the teacher.

"Enlighten me, then." He growled.

"Have you ever asked yourself why you bully that girl?" The teacher asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Huh?!" Katsuki snapped. "I already told you-"

"No, you haven't given a real reason." The teacher interrupted, his tone growing more stern. "You just keep on going on about how useless and worthless she is. Do you know how that looks? Do you not see what people think of you when you say that?!"

"She is useless! She's a weak, quirkless nerd who gets everyone's sympathy and attention when she doesn't do anything!" Katsuki yelled.

The teacher looked at him with a blank stare. "So it's just sheer jealousy. That's your excuse."

Katsuki was starting to lose patience. "Why else do you think I do it?! She's pathetic and annoying and everyone likes her even though they shouldn't!"

The teacher took a deep breath. "Did you know that you have more friends, a better situation, and far more opportunities for yourself than she ever will? You know that you're the privileged one, right?"

For some reason, that statement from the teacher was pissing Katsuki off even more than usual. "Huh?!" He snarled. "What do you mean?! I'm better than her every way possible! So what if I'm the one with everything?! It's because she's weak!"

The teacher just shook his head, beyond pissed off at this point. "You don't even realise how lucky you are, do you?"

"Of course I know how lucky I am!" Katsuki shot back. "I'm the lucky one! I'm supposed to be the winner! It's that worthless Deku that-"

The teacher slammed a hand down in front of him. "Enough! Do you think it's fair? Do you think it's fair that you have everything, just simply because you were lucky enough to be born with a quirk?!"

"Yes!" The world practically exploded from Katsuki's mouth. "Of course it's fair! That's how things are supposed to be! My Quirk makes me better than that Deku in every single way!"

"Katsuki Bakugo, you know nothing!" The teacher exclaimed.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!”

“It means you know nothing! You don’t know what it’s like to not know how someone will treat you after you tell them you’re quirkless! You don’t know if they’ll instead despise you or not! How they will only see what you are missing and not what you have! You will never know how Izumi feels having to deal with life without something literally everyone else has! You will never know how most girls feel as a girl being taught that anywhere she goes is dangerous! How, no matter, what she is a target and she can’t be certain who might have a freaking gun! You will never know how some people feel like with a quirk they never chose dictating what kind of character others see them as! You have a quirk that can take you places, anywhere you want, but others are stuck! Stuck as villains that nobody trusts purely off the fact they were BORN with a unique quirk! You will never know how Mutant-types feel when out in public and being discriminated against, just because they look different! You will never know! You will never understand the hell we all live through! But you could at least show some sympathy! Try, for once in your spoiled, silver-spoon-filled life, to sympathise with people less fortunate than you!”

Katsuki let out a frustrated grunt. "Sympathy?! And let that Deku think she's not useless and pathetic and a waste of space?! Not a chance!"

"Go to the principal's office... Now." The teacher ordered.

"What?! Why the hell do I-?!" Katsuki started.

A firm glance from the teacher froze him mid-sentence. 

Katsuki let out another frustrated groan, but turned and stormed out to the principal's office.

Over the next few months, everyone started acting weird about Katsuki. Deku returned to school soon enough. Katsuki didn’t get a choice in the matter, he didn’t get a single day off. She’s exactly the same as she once was. She’s quiet and expressionless but Katsuki could swear she was judging him anyway. She’s stupid but gets every answer right on everything. She’s ugly and gross, yet now everyone looked at Katsuki like he had grown a second head and it made Katsuki want to scream.

Katsuki didn't even have his lackeys to fall back on anymore. They didn't want anything to do with him either. It wasn't because they’re suddenly moral paragons, especially after what he did to Deku. After all, that bastard deserved it!

Even the girl who clearly had a crush on Katsuki, Tejina, was giving him the cold shoulder. He tried to make small talk with her before class started, but she just ignored him.

This wasn’t what he’d wanted when he got his own Pokemon. He was supposed to finally beat Deku at her own game, damn it, not make things worse for himself! It’s not like Katsuki was ever everyone’s favourite, but at least until now, he had respect.

Why couldn't Katsuki get all the attention that dumbass Deku got? Why couldn't Deku be like everyone else? Katsuki had everything Deku didn’t. A strong quirk, a normal family, friends. 

"Oi, Deku."

As soon as the last class of the day ended, Deku packed her bag and got up to leave. Ignoring Katsuki's request for her attention. That annoyed him, but he wasn't done talking to her.

"DON'T IGNORE ME!"

Katsuki's yell caught Deku off guard. She turned, just a bit, to look at him with that same blank expression.

"Why the hell are you ignoring me?!" Katsuki asked heatedly.

"I'm not ignoring you." Deku said, her tone soft and tired. "You've made it clear you don't want to talk to me."

"Oh, quit acting like such a victim." Katsuki replied. "I could say the same. I've been trying to get your attention all day."

"I'm not acting like a victim. I didn't want to talk to you, so I didn't talk to you. Simple as that." Deku said, her quiet voice having a hint of irritation to it.

"Ugh, you sound so annoying!" Katsuki growled, clenching his fists.

"Am I being annoying, or are you just realising I won't let you push me around anymore?" Deku asked, her expression unwavering.

Katsuki just responded with an annoyed frown. That wasn't what he was expecting.

"What got into you all of a sudden?" He asked, trying to get his footing back.

"I could ask the same of you." Deku replied, crossing her arms. "I haven't done anything to you since that battle. Why do you care so much about getting my attention, all of a sudden?"

"I..." Katsuki opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

He did go out of his way to try and talk to her, but he couldn't explain why. He just had an impulsive need to insult her. He just had to...

He was just acting as he always did. So why did this feel so different?

"Look, if you like me, I'm not interested." Deku glared, picking up her bag and walking out of the classroom, forcing Katsuki to wallow in his feelings.

"...WHAT?!" 

Katsuki stood frozen for a moment, stunned. The door closed behind her, but that was the least of his problems. 

...like her? Where did she get that idea from? Of all the things he was feeling, that was one of the things he was most certain he wasn't feeling. He certainly didn't like Deku. 

...right?

The bell rang, signalling the end of the school day. Everyone else was already leaving by the time Katsuki had collected himself. But he couldn't afford to wait any longer. 

He charged out the door, desperate to catch Deku before she left school. He couldn't just let her get away with calling him out like that, especially with an accusation so ridiculous.

However, when Katsuki reached the school gate, Deku was nowhere to be found, instead seeing a Fearow and a Spearow flying off, coincidentally flying in the direction that Deku would walk home.

Katsuki growled, letting out a frustrated scream into the sky. 

He really wasn't in the mood to chase her down at this point, or to wait till the next day to see her. What, was he supposed to just forget about this? 

He let out a frustrated sigh. 

He supposed so. He'd have to see her on Monday. 

The weekend that followed was agonisingly slow. Katsuki couldn't focus on anything. 

He didn’t feel like doing anything he normally liked. All he could think about was that idiotic Deku.

She made him so mad, for so many reasons. She'd stolen his spot in class. She'd shown him up in their battle. She was ignoring him. 

And now, she had the audacity to think that he liked her.

That was the most infuriating thing. 

The thought of her thinking he saw her as anything more than as just an easy target, someone he could push around and humiliate, someone who he could just get away with doing whatever he pleased to. It almost made him shiver from how infuriating the thought was. 

Dammit, why did it make him feel so weird?!

The weekend was over, and Monday morning arrived. Katsuki was one of the first to arrive at the classroom. He was sitting at his desk, his arms crossed and his foot tapping impatiently on the floor.

"Damn it, where is she..." Katsuki muttered.

But, when Deku didn’t show up to school after that, Katsuki didn't bother after that. He was DONE. FINISHED. COMPLETED. He may have lost the battle, but he KNOWS that he will win the war. And from that day onward, he became the boy who cried Tactical Nuke.

Chapter Text

Izumi wasn't sure what to think of her new school. Apparently it was full of people who were children of Pro Heroes and other big people. She was enrolled in said school after a certain blondie wouldn't leave her alone. Well, there was more to the reason, but those woes have already been told.

Izumi sat in her new classroom, shifting nervously. Dusky sat her head on Izumi's lap, ready to comfort her, if needed. 

Thankfully, class started without her getting too overwhelmed and having a panic attack.

"Good morning, class!" The teacher greeted as he entered the room. "Starting from today, we have a new student. Care to introduce yourself?"

Izumi stood up, trying to look as confident as possible. 

"Uh, hi, my name is Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama, and it's nice to meet you all." Izumi introduced herself, soon sitting back down.

"Which Pro Hero are you related to?" Someone asked, kind of loudly.

"One of my mothers is Mirko." Izumi replied.

The classroom had been quite silent before the question, the only sound was that of someone scribbling diligently in a notebook, but that question was the only thing that could have gotten a reaction like this. The entire room was suddenly filled with chatter, the students gossiping amongst themselves and asking each other how she was related to the Rabbit Hero.

Izumi shrank back slightly, feeling a little overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of social interaction. The kids around her were asking a million and one questions, and she could hardly string together a coherent thought.

"W-Well, what, uh, what Pro Heroes are you all related to?" Izumi asked, hoping to break the ice.

"The Nocturnal Hero: Batticus is my dad!" Someone replied.

"The Ritual Hero: Backpack is one of my parents!" Someone else replied.

The class went around, saying who their parents were. Some were in the top 100, some weren't, but some were close. There were Pro Heroes like Sawamular, Number Five, Lamphead, AirCon, Photo Finish, etc. It made Izumi quite excited.

The class continued around the room, each student revealing one of their parents to be a Pro Hero, and Izumi felt equal parts excitement and anxiety. These were actual Pro Heroes' kids, and they were just going to school like normal, with her. 

She couldn't help but think she was somehow invading their space. Sure, Rara was a famous Hero. But here Izumi was. In a school where almost every student had a Pro Hero in the family, and she still felt like she was somehow the odd one out.

Izumi just hoped that she would make some friends.

At lunch, Izumi found herself basically lost. She had no idea where she was meant to go and what was going to happen. Normally, she'd take Dusky outside to play fetch and eat her lunch outside. But were such things allowed here? Would it be discrimination against a disabled student if not? Was Izumi overthinking everything like usual?

As she tried to get her bearings, Izumi felt very out of her element. She was in a strange new place with strange new people, and she felt more than a little alienated. She was about to make her way to the cafeteria when someone spoke to her.

"Hey, are you alright, Midoriya-Usagiyama?"

Izumi spun around to see a friendly-looking girl with a big grin on her face. She had long black hair tied into a spiky ponytail with a large strand hanging on the right side of her face. Her smile and kind eyes gave her a very mature appearance.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine, thanks." Izumi replied with a shaky smile. "Just, uh, just trying to figure out where I need to be for lunch."

"Oh, well, you can just follow me." The girl replied. "I know where the cafeteria is."

The girl stuck out her hand for Izumi to shake.

"Oh, right, sorry! I'm Momo Yaoyorozu, but please feel free to call me Momo."

"Well, in that case, you can call me Izumi." Izumi smiled, shaking Momo's hand.

She's strong, and also very kind. Izumi thought as she shook her new friend's hand. 

"Alrighty then! Follow me, let's go grab some lunch." Momo replied as she started heading towards the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was exactly what Izumi predicted, crowded, loud, and hectic. They were lucky enough to see a spot, and made their way over to the table. As they sat down, Izumi realised that she and Momo were the only ones at the table, and the other tables were all filled with groups. She suddenly felt a bit insecure, wondering if maybe Momo felt obligated to sit with her since she had been nice.

"Not a fan of crowds?" Momo asked, startling Izumi out of her thoughts.

"What? Oh! Uh, I'm fine. I just..." Izumi trailed off, thinking about her time before coming here. She was used to being by herself, even if she didn't always enjoy it. Not to mention, her ever-present sensory issues, and her social anxiety.

"No, I get it." Momo said in a kind and sincere tone. "Crowds can be a bit overwhelming, right?"

Izumi couldn't help but smile in response. In the short amount of time she had known Momo, the black-haired girl had already figured out a few things, and was quite understanding. It was almost as if she could read minds.

"That, and sensory stuff." Izumi admitted. "I have... a lot of issues with noise."

They sat in silence for a bit, Izumi getting lost in her own thoughts again. The cafeteria felt even louder than it had before, the noise almost giving her a headache.

"You know..." Momo said, breaking the silence. "I think I have something that could help."

Izumi looked at Momo questioningly, confused as to what she was talking about. The other girl reached into her backpack. After rifling around in it for a few seconds, she pulled out something wrapped in red cloth.

"Here, put these on." Momo instructed.

Confused, but intrigued, Izumi undid the cloth to reveal a pair of headphones. They looked like noise-cancelling headphones, but sleeker and more high-tech. They were a shiny black with bright yellow accents on the sides.

"These are state-of-the-art noise-cancelling headphones." Momo explained. "They block out any noise you want to block out. I figured you'd probably like a little peace and quiet. At least, during lunch."

Izumi couldn't believe it. It was like Momo had been reading her mind the entire time. She put on the headphones, and immediately felt relieved. The cafeteria was still noisy, but the sound was dampened a lot by the headphones. They were also surprisingly comfortable.

"This... Thank you." Izumi said, a small smile appearing on her face. "How did you know?"

Momo shrugged as she put away the cloth she had been holding the headphones in. "I just... I guess I just realised that you seemed like someone who'd like a bit of quiet. Guess I was right."

"I... How do you do that?" Izumi asked, almost bewildered. "It's like you can read my mind!"  

There was a pause as Momo studied her, the other girl's dark eyes flicking around, as if she was searching for something. After a few seconds, the other girl's gaze softened and her lips turned upwards in a small, knowing smile.

"Actually, it's more like I've met a lot of people who aren't so good with crowds and loud noises." Momo explained. "And I've learned what they need."  

Once again, what the other girl was saying hit eerily close to home, and a small nagging thought wormed its way into Izumi's head.

"And, as for the sensory stuff..." Momo said after a pause. "You're not neurotypical, are you?"

That question hit Izumi like a tidal wave. It was so to the point and so blunt that, even though she was expecting it, it took her a few moments to respond.

"No..." She replied, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm not neurotypical. I'm... I'm autistic."

As she said that last sentence, Izumi braced herself for the other shoe to drop. For Momo to suddenly realise what a burden she was taking on by associating with her. For her to look down on her and start talking to her in a condescending tone.

But none of that happened. Instead, Momo put on an understanding smile and spoke in a compassionate tone.

"Yeah, I figured you might be."

What?

The thought of someone realising she was autistic so quickly and not only not caring, but almost acting like it was normal, threw Izumi for a loop. Her initial surprise soon gave way to suspicion. Why wasn't she bothered by it?

"You seem surprised." Momo stated, seeming to sense her confusion.

"I... I just..." Izumi hesitated. "I don't know. It's just... I'm not used to people realising so quickly... and not being bothered by it..." She finished meekly.

"I guess you're just used to people being idiots." Momo said with a shrug.

That sentence made Izumi chuckle involuntarily. It wasn't often that she met people who felt comfortable talking to her in such a blunt way.

"I... Yeah, I guess you're right." Izumi admitted, her surprise giving way to a comfortable feeling. "But still... I'm just used to people making a big thing out of it, asking me a million questions, talking in that tone..."

"Oh, the baby voice?" Momo laughed. "Yeah, that must suck."  

Izumi was starting to really like this girl.

"Yeah!" Izumi replied, still chuckling a bit. "It's so infuriating. Like, I can speak and understand just fine, thank you very much. But every time I tell someone I'm autistic, they start talking like that. They treat me like a toddler."

"People are just the worst, sometimes." Momo said, shaking her head. "And they think they're being helpful and inclusive when they do crap like that! It's stupid."

"Exactly!" Izumi agreed. "And it's like they see it as a character flaw or a disease or something. I try not to let it get to me, but sometimes it really feels like they're saying something's wrong with me."  

She sighed. "I wish people would just treat me like I was a normal person."

"But you are a normal person." Momo stated firmly, her voice filled with conviction.  

She...

Izumi's eyes widened momentarily, as the girl's words sunk in. It wasn't like she didn't already know that, of course, but hearing someone else say it, so confidently and bluntly, made her heart soar.

"You are a normal person." Momo repeated. "The fact that you're autistic doesn't change that. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a moron."

She means it.

Izumi couldn't help but marvel at Momo's sincerity. It was refreshing and comforting to meet someone who didn't see her autism as a problem, but rather just another fact of life. It was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Thanks, Momo." Izumi smiled giddily. "I can tell we'll be good friends for life."

And that they were. Despite how weird it sounded, Izumi really liked having someone she could talk to and share things with, someone who understood her. Someone who accepted her without judgement, without fear. Someone who treated everyone equally, even in their most difficult situations. 

They stood together from that day forward. When one of them had troubles, the other tried to help out and vice-versa. It felt nice having at least one friend. One whom Izumi could rely on for everything, and trust, and support her no matter what. 

Of course, when the topic of quirks came up, one day, Momo quickly found out about the Pokewatch, as Izumi liked to call it. 

"So, what's your quirk?" Izumi asked Momo.

"Oh, my quirk?" Momo replied lightly. "It's called Creation. I can basically create anything from my body fat, so long as I understand how it works at a molecular level."

"Wow..." Izumi's eyes widened with amazement. "That's so cool! So you can just, like, make anything you want? Out of nothing?!"

"Well, not exactly out of nothing." Momo corrected. "Like I said, I have to use my body fat as fuel. And the bigger the object, the more fuel it takes. But yeah, in principle, I can make pretty much anything I can think of."

"What things have you learned to create?" Izumi asked, getting more intrigued by the second.

"Oh, well, let's see..." Momo mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I know how to make a lot of things. Everything from flashbangs to smoke bombs to grappling hooks. I also make stuff like support items, tools, and stuff like that. Oh, and a taser, of course. Never know when you need one of those."

"Have you ever tried adding additional properties to them?" Izumi asked. "Like, adding a fire extinguisher to a flamethrower. Have you ever tried that?"

Momo pondered for a moment. "Huh... You know, I don't think I've ever tried that..."  

She turned to look at Izumi, a sly smirk on her face. "You've got a very interesting way of thinking, you know that?"

"Huh?" Izumi laughed, not quite sure how to react to the compliment. "I mean, I guess, I just-"  

"No, I mean it." Momo said firmly. "The way you think is... different from most other people I know. And it's not just your autism. You think outside the box. It makes you very good at finding creative, unexpected solutions. It's impressive."

"I guess it's just thinking creatively." Izumi shrugged. "As someone who overthinks a lot, my thoughts can turn into some interesting stuff."

"So I've noticed." Momo chuckled. She looked at Izumi with renewed admiration, impressed by her friend's out-of-the-box thinking. "It's a good thing, you know. It's what makes you special."

"Oh, uh, thanks." Izumi blushed slightly, barely trying to hide a smile.

Momo grinned. "Anytime. You know, I'm kinda envious of you." She admitted.  

Izumi seemed very surprised by that. "Huh? Why?"

"Well, your brain, for one thing." She said. "The way you think, the way you solve problems... I've always been a straight-A student, but you have an almost innate understanding of a lot of things. It's hard to explain. You're intelligent in a way I'm not."

Izumi was silent for a moment, taken aback by Momo's words. She had never really thought of herself as particularly intelligent. She had her moments, sure, but even then she usually only got things right by accident.  

Still, hearing such high praise from someone as intelligent as Momo was... nice.

"But anyway, what's your quirk?" Momo asked. "Does it have to do with your watch? I've never seen anything like it."

"Well, technically, I don't have one, but at the same time, I do, if that makes sense." Izumi explained. "This." Izumi lifted up the Pokewatch. "Is what I call the Pokewatch. I was born quirkless, but one night, this thing fell from the sky, and it allows me to transform into Pokemon."

Momo's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, so you don't have a quirk, but you can turn into Pokémon? That's crazy!"  

She leaned in, curious and perplexed. "How does that even work? Do you pick which Pokémon you turn into? How do you control it?"

"I just press a button, and this dial pops up, then I twist the dial until I find the Pokemon I want to transform into." Izumi explained.

"Oh, wow! Can I try?" Momo asked.

"I'm sorry, but this thing doesn't want to come off of my wrist." Izumi apologised. "Otherwise, I'd totally give you a turn."

"Oh, that's alright. I get it." Momo replied, clearly still intrigued by the Pokewatch's capabilities. "But I have so many questions! Can you transform into any Pokemon, or just a few?"

"I'm not sure how many Pokemon I can transform into, but I know it's at least 11." Izumi replied. "Gyrados, Fearow, Tyranitar, Swampert, Toxicroak, Volcarona, Hawlucha, Kommo-o, Turtonator, and Grimmsnarl, if you're wondering."

Momo's eyes widened as she listened to the list of Pokemon. "Whoa... That's quite a variety!" She was clearly impressed, but there was a hint of curiosity still present, and she couldn't help but ask another question. "But why those specifically? Is there a reason?"

Izumi shrugged. "Beats me. It was completely random. Well, probably not completely random, but not for any reason I can determine. I guess this thing was just designed that way."   

"Wow..." Momo was awestruck by the Pokewatch's capabilities. "That's... really impressive. You basically have the power of almost a dozen Pokémon at your disposal. That's incredible." She shook her head in disbelief. "I still have so many questions..."

"Honestly, I do, too." Izumi admitted. "Like, where did it come from? Who created it? What other features does this thing have?"

"No kidding." Momo agreed. "It's like you just got handed a Swiss Army knife, but it's a million times cooler." She studied the Pokewatch on Izumi's wrist, her mind reeling with possibilities. "I bet you could do all sorts of things with this thing..."

"Yeah, I know..." Izumi agreed, looking at her own Pokewatch. "Trust me, I've spent a while contemplating all the possible ways I could use this thing. But even though I've been using it for about a year, I still feel like I've barely scratched the surface of what it can do."

"I bet you've come up with some pretty creative ideas, though." Momo said with a smile. "You're good at thinking out of the box, remember?"

Izumi blushed lightly at the reminder. "Thanks." She said quietly.

"That's another thing I admire about you." Momo continued, unaware of the minor fluster she had caused. "You're not afraid to throw away the rulebook and go your own way."

"And you think that's a good thing?" Izumi blurted out, despite herself. She wasn't used to being complimented on things that were often criticised as social flaws.

"Are you kidding?" Momo asked, giving her friend an incredulous look. "Of course it's a good thing. You don't confine yourself to what other people think is normal. You do what you want, regardless of whether it's considered typical or not. It means you're braver than most people I know."

'Most people I know'   

Izumi's brain clung to that phrase. She knew it was just a turn of phrase, but still, the words struck a chord in her.   

Maybe... Maybe Momo really did think she was braver than most people. Maybe she really did think she was strong and capable in her own way, even if she was different.

Over the next few months, Izumi had learned more about what she could transform into. She could turn into 18 Pokemon. Sceptile, Turtonator, Gyarados, Volcarona, Smeargle, Fearow, Toxicroak, Luxray, Swampert, Sylveon, Hawlucha, Armarouge, Tyranitar, Excadrill, Frosmoth, Ceruledge, Kommo-o, and Grimmsnarl.

She had always considered her watch to be pretty neat, but the more she learned about it, the more she came to realise how utterly strange it was.

Why was she able to transform into so many Pokemon? Where did the watch come from? How had she, of all people, gotten her hands on it? 

She had tried to find answers for these questions, of course, but she'd made no progress. Even Googling the thing didn't bring up any results. Not that it would, hut Izumi thought she'd try.

The more time passed, the more Izumi came to terms with the fact that she might never find out the answers to these questions. It was a thought that didn't upset her as much as she thought it would. After all, as long as she had the Pokewatch, there was no real need to find out. 

It also didn't hurt that her new school year was off to a promising start, at least in terms of her social life. She'd made a friend, one who seemed to genuinely like her, support her, and understand her. And that friendship had grown into, as one might put it, best friend status.   

Izumi really couldn't imagine anything better than having Momo as a friend. She was smart, kind, strong, and reliable. But most importantly, she appreciated Izumi for who she was, quirks and all.

They spent more and more time together, whether it was during classes, lunch, or after school. They would study together and chat, usually at the library or each other's houses. Izumi found it easy to talk to Momo, even more surprisingly, it was becoming less and less embarrassing to tell her about her 'weird' interests.

In fact, Momo seemed to enjoy hearing about them. She didn't find those interests strange or off putting, but rather, found them intriguing, and even fascinating. She enjoyed listening to Izumi nerd out about things she liked, and genuinely found the knowledge she often spouted to be interesting.

"We're here, Izumi." Inko said to Izumi, the two, alongside Rumi, Dusky, and Peaker, who sat on Izumi's shoulder, getting out of the car.

It was the day that Izumi would finally get a starter Pokemon of her own. Sure, she had Peaker, but this would make it feel more official.

Izumi looked up at the Pokemon Laboratory, while fiddling with her jacket. However, this wasn't out of nervousness. It was more like Izumi was waiting for something, or rather, someone.

"Izumi!" A familiar voice called out.

"Momo!" Izumi called back as Momo and her parents, Tomi Yaoyorozu and Meisei Yaoyorozu, arrived. "Are you excited about getting your starter?"

"Of course, I am!" Momo beamed.

The two ten-year-olds rushed in, the adults following soon after. Once they were inside, they were met by a man who was a middle-aged Pokemon Professor with gray hair and sports a light lilac polo shirt underneath his lab coat. 

"You must be Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama and Momo Yaoyorozu. Pleasure to meet you." The man smiled. "My name is Professor Oak, but most people affectionately call me the Pokemon Professor. But I'm sure you already knew that. I'm guessing that you're both here to get a starter Pokemon." 

The Professor smiled at the young girls, his kind eyes meeting theirs as they nodded in confirmation.

"Well, you've certainly come to the right place." He said cheerfully. "I've got quite the selection of starter Pokemon for you two to choose from. If you could follow me, I'll show you to the Pokemon Room."  

The Professor gestured for the pair of young girls, plus their parents to follow him, leading them through the Pokemon Laboratory. They walked past several research rooms and even a small veterinary clinic before finally reaching the Pokemon Room, where all the starters were.

"Welcome, young Midoriya-Usagiyama and young Yaoyorozu, to the Pokemon Room." Oak smiled. "Normally, in other regions, there would only be three options, however, we have several, most of which have originated from other regions. Go on, have a look through, and see which one works well for you."

Izumi looked right at Momo, as Momo looked right at Izumi.

"Let's split up, ok?" Izumi offered. "We'll meet back here when we've both chosen our Pokemon."

"Sounds good." Momo nodded, the two splitting up.

The room was rather spacious and had Pokemon running around and having fun.

Izumi roamed around, not sure which Pokemon to choose. She saw a Chimchar and a Scorbunny playing some sort of game that was a mix of soccer and basketball, some Rowlet sleeping in a nearby tree, though a couple of Grookey were trying to wake them up, and over in a lake-like area, a couple of Squirtle, a Totodile, and a few Mudkip were swimming around in the water.

The sight of all these potential Pokemon was a bit overwhelming. How was she supposed to choose one? They all looked cool!

Izumi continued through the room, eventually coming across a large group of Litten playing around with each other. The kittens were playing a game that looked almost like tag. Every so often, one of them would jump over a rock, then start chasing the others. They didn't seem particularly bothered by her presence, giving a curious look in her direction before resuming their game.

As she was watching the Litten, another sound caught Izumi's attention. She looked up, seeing a bunch of Popplio and Piplup playing around in the shallower parts of the pond. The Popplio were spraying some of the Piplup with a Water Gun, and the Piplup were retaliating with an Ice Beam attack. Watching the two species engage in their mock battle, it looked to Izumi like the two groups had decided to make it a contest to see who could throw more water at their opponents.

Popplio was a cute Pokemon, and the more she thought about it, the more her decision jumped around in her mind.

Izumi sat near the edge of the pond, watching the Popplio and Piplup have their fun. The Popplio would let out a playful cry before spraying an unprepared Piplup, or a group of them would use their Water Gun in unison to send a stream of water arcing through the air. The Piplup would retaliate by creating small ice blocks and flinging them at a safe distance with Ice Beam. It was a fun game, and the two sides seemed evenly matched.

Izumi, not wanting to ruin the fun, looked around to see if there was a Popplio not joining in, or seemed lonely.

After a while of searching, Izumi spotted a single Popplio by the edge of the pond, not participating in the game, but instead watching it. The Popplio seemed happy enough, but there was something about her that made her seem a bit lonely.

The other Popplio and Piplup were all having fun playing their game together, but this one had been left on her own. She didn't seem upset, but it certainly seemed out of place.   

Curious, Izumi walked towards the Popplio. She noticed her approaching and looked up at her with a curious expression.

"Hey there, why aren't you playing with your friends?" Izumi asked, crouching down to the Popplio's level.

The Popplio's expression changed from one of aloof curiosity, to one that seemed almost... dejected. She looked at the other Popplio in the water, then back at the ground.

When the Popplio spoke, it seemed to do so with an attitude of resignation.

"My friends were a Litten and a Rowlet." The Popplio said quietly, not meeting Izumi's eyes. "They were already picked."

Izumi froze, the words hitting her like a punch in the gut. Her heart ached for the little creature. She could only imagine how terrible it must feel to watch your friends go off to their new lives without you.  

"I'm... I'm really sorry to hear that." Izumi said softly, kneeling next to the Popplio. "That must be really hard..."

The Popplio nodded, looking even more downcast. It was clear that this was a sensitive subject, and that she was still struggling to come to terms with what had happened.

Izumi wanted to say something, anything to comfort the Popplio, to take away some of its sadness. But what could she possibly say? What could make this situation better?

"Do you perhaps... Want to be my friend?" Izumi offered. "I know it might not be the same, but..."

The Popplio looked up, slightly surprised at the offer. She seemed to contemplate Izumi's words for a moment, her expression going from one of resignation to one of hope mixed with hesitation.

"Y... You'd really want to be my friend?" The little creature asked in a small voice.

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" Izumi replied, giving the Popplio a kind smile. "I think you seem like a really cool Pokemon, and I don't really have any friends other than my Spearow, my Lycanroc, and the one I came with, so..."

The Popplio looked up at Izumi with curiosity, tilting her head to one side. "You don't have a lot of friends?" She asked, a slight hint of incredulity in her voice.

"Yeah, not really." Izumi admitted, a slightly ashamed expression on her face. "I don't really... get out much, and I sometimes get picked on for being... different from other people."

"Different? How?" The Popplio asked.

"I'm autistic." Izumi replied.

"Au-ti-stic..." The Popplio repeated, sounding out each syllable. "What does that mean?"

"Autism is... um, how to say it?" Izumi pursed her lips, trying to find the simplest way to explain. "I guess you could say that it means that my brain works a bit differently from most people. Mostly because I think and behave in ways that are... well, different from most people."

The Popplio seemed to consider this for a moment, tilting her head in thought.

"So, you're unique." The Popplio concluded, a small smile on her face. "I've always liked unique things."

This made Izumi smile. For some reason, hearing that she was 'unique' and that the Popplio liked it made her feel... good. Almost proud, in a way. 

Usually, in her experience, 'unique' was something people used as a synonym for 'weird' or 'abnormal.' It was strange to hear it being used as a positive thing. Sure, both Momo and Izumi's mothers made it sound positive, but Izumi didn't always feel like that.

"Yeah." Izumi answered. "I guess you could say I'm a 'unique' person." 

The Popplio's smile widened slightly, and the look on its face seemed to change from contemplation to a sort of determination.

"I think... I think I'd like to be your friend." The Popplio declared.

Izumi felt her heart swell with joy. This little Popplio wanted to be her friend? Sure, it had kind of implied that it would take what it could get, but it still wanted to be her friend.   

"Really?" She asked, unable to keep the excitement from her voice. "You really want to be friends with me?"

"Well, you're offering." The Popplio smiled.

Izumi was suddenly thrown off balance and almost fell backwards as the Popplio practically threw itself at her. As it wrapped its flippers around her in a hug, she couldn't help but feel a mix of surprise and overwhelming joy. The Popplio's small body felt warm and soft as it pressed against her, and its flippers seemed to grip her tightly, as if it was afraid she would disappear if it let go.

"Alright then." She said, after taking a moment to process. "You're my friend now."

Izumi looked down at the Popplio once more.

"I'm Izumi, by the way." Izumi introduced herself.

"Izumi." The Popplio repeated. "Can I have a cool name like that?"

"Oh, sure." Izumi nodded. "Anything in mind?"

"Ashika!" The Popplio exclaimed.

"Ashika." Izumi tested how the name felt on her tongue. "That's a nice name. It suits you."  

Ashika gave her a happy look, clearly proud of her new name. 

Izumi was suddenly snapped out of the moment as she heard a familiar voice call out to her.

"There you are, Izumi!"

She looked up to see Momo walking towards her, looking a little out of breath.

"I was waiting for you for a while, but you didn't show up." Momo explained. "Is everything ok?"

"I'm fine. In fact, I'm more than fine." Izumi smiled. "I chose my starter. A Popplio. She's named Ashika."

"Oh! That's great!" Momo's face broke out into a big smile, her eyes twinkling with excitement. 

"What about you? What did you pick?" Izumi asked, curious to see which Pokemon her friend had chosen.

"I chose a Fennekin." Momo nodded. "I'm not sure what to nickname her, though."

"You could try something fire-themed." Izumi suggested. "Like... Ember? Or Cinder? Or Ash? Or something like that."

"Mm... Too... Stereotypical." Momo shook her head. "I want to be unique with my Fennekin's name."

"Hm, what's her nature?" Izumi asked Momo.

"I'll have to check, but judging from how she's acted, I'm going to assume Careful." Momo presumed.

"Then how about Grace?" Izumi suggested. 

"Grace... Not bad." Momo nodded, putting a finger on her chin as she pondered the name. "I like it. It's simple, but in a good way. Yeah, I think I might use that. Thanks!"

Izumi stood up, allowing Ashika to remain in her arms.

"Come on, let's go and register our Pokemon."

Momo nodded, the two of them, plus their Pokemon, heading out of the Pokemon Room, where Professor Oak and their parents were waiting for them.

"Ah, I see you two have found your starters." Oak smiled, looking at Izumi and Momo with their partners in hand. "Great work!" Oak exclaimed. "Have you two picked out a name for your new friends yet?"

"I named mine Ashika." Izumi nodded, giving the Popplio in her arms a gentle pat.

"And I named mine Grace." Momo smiled. "I have a sort of... feeling that it suits her."

"Sounds like you two have already started to form a bond with your starters." Oak chuckled. "I have to say, I'm glad. It warms my heart to see starter Pokemon find good homes."

"We'll take good care of them." Izumi assured.

"Of course you will." Oak nodded. "One of the best things about starter Pokemon is their loyalty. You've likely made a friend for life."

Izumi's eyes widened at the thought. A friend, for life... She'd never really had that before.   

Sure, Momo was a good friend, but there was always a chance of them drifting apart as they got older, right? People were like that; it was just a fact of life.   

But to have a friend that would stay by her side forever, come what may? That was...   

She looked at Ashika, who smiled up at her, and her heart melted.

The Popplio was so small and cute, and the joyous look on its face made Izumi feel... something. Warmth, maybe? She felt a desire to protect the little creature. To shield her from anything that could hurt her. To make sure she never had to feel alone. To be sure that she was always happy.

She held the Popplio to her chest, hugging her a little tighter.

"Looks like you're already making a strong bond." Inko mused, watching the two of them interact.

"Yeah." Tomi agreed, nodding with a smile. "It's a beautiful thing to see."

"Mhm." Meisei agreed, a little smile on her face as she watched the two girls with their starters.

Izumi blushed a bit at the attention. She wasn't used to getting compliments on something like this. Most people wouldn't have cared, or would have found her weird if she gushed about a Pokemon like she was.

Thankfully, everyone here was different. They thought this was cute, not strange. They thought her interest in it was endearing, not abnormal. In fact, everyone was smiling, watching the two young girls and their new partners interacting. 

It was an entirely new experience for Izumi.

Professor Oak smiled warmly at the group. "You girls have chosen wisely. Your starters are some of the best and most loyal Pokemon around."

Both Izumi and Momo nodded in agreement. Ashika and Grace both looked up at them with bright, happy eyes. 

"Now, before you leave, I have one last thing for both of you." Oak informed them.

The Professor walked over to a nearby table and opened up a drawer, pulling out a small, cardboard box. He set it down on the table in front of the pair of girls and their Pokemon.

"What's that?" Izumi asked, peering curiously at the box.

"It's something that every young trainer needs." Oak explained. "Your first Pokedex."

The two young girls' eyes widened in surprise and amazement. A Pokedex... Their very own Pokedex. 

Izumi and Momo looked at each other, both feeling a sense of excitement and awe. They had heard of Pokedexes before, of course, but they had never imagined that they would get their own.

Izumi held her hand out, Peaker flapping her way onto it. Izumi then opened her PokeDex and scanned Peaker.

"Scan Completed. Spearow, the Tiny Bird Pokemon. Type: ERROR. Very protective of its territory, it flaps its short wings busily to dart around at high speed."

"Huh? Error?" Oak raised an eyebrow.

"That's strange." Izumi pointed out. "Normally, Spearow is a Normal/Flying type."

"Indeed it is, young Midoriya-Usagiyama." Oak nodded. "If it's ok with you, may I see your Spearow for a moment?"

Izumi turned her head to Peaker.

"Are you ok with that, Peaker?" Izumi asked Peaker.

"Might as well." Peaker shrugged, flapping over to Professor Oak.

Oak scanned Peaker with the device once more, and raised his eyebrows. 

"This is most certainly odd." Oak commented, scanning her again. "It would seem your Spearow is a special case."

Izumi looked concerned, "Is she alright?"

"Oh, she should be fine." Oak said reassuringly, "It's just I've never seen a Pokemon get scanned as an Error before. It would seem Peaker is a rare one."

"What exactly caused the error?" Izumi asked.

"Your Spearow has a rare disability that causes a dual-type Pokemon to be a monotype of their secondary typing." Oak explained. "In this case, your Spearow is a pure flying type Pokemon."

"Will it affect her development?" Izumi asked, worried.

"Oh, no, no." Oak shook his head. "Currently known, it causes the Pokemon to not be able to learn any moves of their, would have, primary typing."

"Well, that's not too bad, at least!" Izumi smiled. "She can still learn Flying type moves, just not Normal ones."

Oak nodded, "Indeed. And there's always the possibility that new research could discover a way around the issue. But for now, Peaker appears normal and healthy."

Izumi breathed a sigh of relief, stroking Peaker's head. "Thanks, Professor Oak. Thanks for clarifying all that."

"What's the name of this disability?" Inko asked Oak, curious.

"It’s called TypeLock, and it's a rare genetic mutation that can happen in a dual type Pokemon. It's not completely understood what causes it, but it's thought to be a randomly occurring mutation during the Pokemon's embryonic development process." Oak explained, tapping away on his computer.

Izumi and Inko listened closely to Oak's explanations. "It sounds like Peaker might have a unique ability in the end too, if I'm understanding this correctly?" Izumi said, tilting her head slightly.

Oak nodded. "That's right, Peaker's disability could also be seen as a potential advantage. It gives her more focus on her Flying-type moves and can make her an exceptional aerial fighter."

"Now, is that everything?" Inko asked, Peaker flapping her way back to Izumi's shoulder.

"Yes, that's everything for now." Professor Oak smiled. "And I believe there are some other trainers waiting to receive their starter Pokemon right now, so I better get to that. Thank you for being so cooperative and understanding!" Oak said, before walking off to greet the next trainer in line.

Izumi nodded and smiled as she watched Professor Oak talk with the next few trainers in line. She was still a bit concerned about Peaker's... special situation, but overall she was happy with the news. Peaker would be just fine, even if it meant she was a little different. Besides, as someone with some unique physical challenges, it was honestly kind of nice to see that she wasn't the only one, even if Peaker didn't have quite the same issues.

"Woah! You have a big house!" Ashika exclaimed. 

"Oh, thanks." Izumi smiled, taking Dusky's vest off. "It's not that big, but it makes do."

"Why don't you show Ashika around the house?" Inko suggested. "Rara and I will get started on dinner."

"Ok, Mama." Izumi nodded, looking back down at Ashika. "Why don't I show you my bedroom?"

"Bedroom? What's that?" Ashika asked.

"Oh, well, it's a special room where people go to sleep or have some alone time." Izumi explained.

"So, it's kind of like a cave or a den?" Ashika asked.

"Yeah, kinda." Izumi nodded.

Pretty soon, the two walked over to Izumi's room.

As soon as Izumi swung open the door, the room was revealed. The walls had dark green wallpaper with golden constellations and stars, and there were a couple of glow-in-the-dark stars stuck to the ceiling. A bed sat in one corner, while a bookcase filled with books was in another.

"Wowww..." Ashika's eyes widened in awe. "This room is so pretty!"

"Oh, thanks." Izumi blushed.

"I especially like those stars on the ceiling." Ashika said, pointing to the ceiling.

"Oh, yeah, those are pretty neat, aren't they?" Izumi smiled, sitting down on one of the bean bags. "I've been thinking of adding more to the ceiling."

"More? But why? It's already so nice and pretty like this." Ashika asked, flopping down on the beanbag next to Izumi.

"Yeah, but I feel like it could be even prettier. Plus, some of those 'stars' aren't actually stars at all." Izumi explained, pointing at one of the stars on the ceiling. "Most of those are just glow-in-the-dark plastic, they're actually more like planetarium lights than actual stars."

"Oh, really? What's a planetarium?" Ashika asked, looking up at the stars on the ceiling, before looking back at Izumi.

"Well, a planetarium is kinda like a room that has a special ceiling that looks like the night sky." Izumi explained. "It's like a room with the sky in it, but better, because they can project stars from all over the galaxy, or even make the image move. I once got to visit one on a school trip."

"Woah, that sounds really amazing!" Ashika's eyes lit up with wonder and awe, imagining a night sky that moved and danced all around you. "You really went to a room like that?!"

"Yup!" Izumi nodded. "It was pretty fun. The teacher was giving a little presentation about different constellations, and then he turned off all the lights, and the room kind of lit up with stars. He showed us all the different constellations in the sky at that time. Some of them were really pretty."

"That sounds awesome..." Ashika sat up a bit, then pointed up at the 'stars' on the ceiling. "So wait, then why do you have glow-in-the-dark stars up here?"

"Well, Mama and Rara put those up when I was small." Izumi explained, getting up from the beanbag and standing next to her bookshelf. "When I was little, I used to be afraid of the dark, still am if I'm being honest. I'd get scared of whatever was under the bed. So they got those stars and put them up on the ceiling so I could look at them when I got scared at night, and then it would help me sleep. I even made a game out of it, sometimes, where I'd try to see how many constellations I could make out when I was having trouble sleeping."

"I see." Ashika nodded, her eyes shifting from the stars, to Izumi, and back again. "So why do you still leave them up? Don't they make you feel like a little kid?"

"I guess they do." Izumi admitted. "But I don't really care to take them down. They remind me of being a little kid, and they're still kind of nice to look at, even if they're not real. It's like... It's like a kind of special magic, you know?"

"Special magic, huh..." Ashika repeated, tilting her head. "Yeah... I think I understand."

She looked up at the stars again, staring curiously as she tried to make shapes out of the plastic pieces.

Finally, Peaker spoke up, whispering, just loud enough for Ashika to hear.

"Hey, you should show Ashika the watch." Peaker suggested, motioning to the Pokewatch on Izumi's wrist.

Ashika's attention immediately turned to the Pokewatch. She'd noticed it on Izumi's wrist before, but hadn't given it much thought until now.

"Oh, the... thing on your wrist?" Ashika looked at Izumi's wrist, the Pokewatch still attached. "What is that?"

"You know what a Ditto can do, right?" Izumi asked.

"Ditto..." Ashika thought for a moment. "Isn't that the one that, like, can become any other Pokemon?"

"That's right." Izumi nodded. "The Pokewatch allows me to do something similar."

"Wait, really?" Ashika's eyes widened once again, excitement growing in her voice. "How does it do that?!"

"Why don't I show you?" Izumi suggested, lifting the Pokewatch's dial up and twisting it around a bit, before pressing it down again.

In a flash of light, Izumi transformed into a bipedal, avian Pokemon. Its underside is mostly white with colourful plumage, and a mask-like face with green markings and orange around its eyes and top of its head with three orange feathers sticking out. The symbol of the Pokewatch was on Izumi's chest.

"Wassup, motherSawsbucker?" Izumi squawked.

"Woah! That's so cool!" Ashika exclaimed.

Ashika hopped off the beanbag and rushed over to Izumi, circling her around curiously.

"You look totally different!" Ashika stated the obvious. 

"Yep, that's kind of the point." Izumi nodded, or as close to a nod as she could do in her current form. "I can turn into, currently, 18 Pokemon with this watch."

"That's so cool!" Ashika continued to circle around Izumi, clearly in awe. "Who else can you turn into?"

"Well, as you can see, I can turn into Hawlucha." Izumi explained. "But I can also turn into Fearow, Smeargle, Sceptile, Luxray, Excadrill, Sylveon, Turtonator, Frosmoth, Ceruledge, Armarouge, Grimmsnarl, Kommo-o, Volcarona, Toxicroak, Swampert, Tyranitar, and Gyarados."

"Wow, that's just... Wow." Ashika was at a loss for words. Her mouth was hanging open, as if she could barely wrap her mind around Izumi's ability. "You can become all those?!"

"Yep. All the ones I listed." Izumi nodded, looking a bit amused at Ashika's reaction.

"And you can turn into all of them whenever you want?" Ashika clarified, amazed at the concept of such an incredible ability.

"Well, whenever I revert to my original form, I have to wait a little while before I can transform again." Izumi explained. "Though, the minimum I ever have to wait is five minutes."

"That's still really cool, though!" Ashika exclaimed. "If someone's in trouble, you could turn into basically any Pokemon and help them out!"

"I suppose that's true." Izumi agreed, her expression growing a bit more thoughtful. "I'd be pretty useful in an emergency, huh?"

"Of course you would! You'd be great, no matter what!" The little Popplio nodded enthusiastically. "Any problem that would come up, you could definitely solve it!"

"That's, kind of..." Izumi wasn't sure how to respond to that praise. Sure, she'd hoped she could help people out with this Pokewatch, but hearing that she could help with 'any problem' almost seemed like too much confidence. "I don't think I'd go quite THAT far..."

"Why not? You could put out fires as Swampert, take down baddies as Armarouge, save people from collapsed tunnels as Excadrill, or even save a Skitty from a tree as Hawlucha, plus more!" Ashika listed off.

"Well, it's just..." Izumi took a moment to collect her thoughts. "It's just, that's a lot of trust to put into one person, y'know? What if I do something wrong? What if I mess up and get someone hurt?"

"But you'd try your hardest, right?!" Ashika retorted, a quizzical look on her face. "I mean, if someone was in trouble, you'd give it your best shot and try to help them, right?"

"I... Well, of course I would." Izumi answered, caught a bit off guard. "I just don't think I have what it takes to solve ANY problem. I mean, what if something happened that even being a Pokemon couldn't fix? What then?"

"I..." Ashika fell silent momentarily, trying to formulate a response to what Izumi had just said. "Well, maybe you couldn't solve everything, no one could. But you'd be pretty great at helping out with lots of problems! That's gotta be plenty, right?"

"...Yeah. I guess you're right..." Izumi couldn't argue with that logic. Sure, her watch probably wouldn't be enough to solve every problem she came across, but... it wasn't about being able to solve something like a math problem. It was more about doing her part in a crisis situation. And if she were in one of those, she'd definitely rather be able to turn into Hawlucha or Excadrill than not.

"...Yeah. You're right. You're absolutely right." Izumi finally agreed.

"See? I knew you'd be great at helping people!" Ashika said, a wide smile on her face.

"That's just Izumi for you, always as humble as can be." Peaker chuckled.

"Hey, I'm just being realistic!” Izumi protested, folding her arms across her avian chest.

"Sure, just 'being realistic.'" Peaker rolled her eyes, letting out a little sigh. "You know you could probably solve more problems than most trainers, but you're just too stubborn to admit it."

"Well, I don’t want to become cocky, like other heroes." Izumi shook her head.

"There's a balance, you know." Peaker huffed. "It's one thing to be cocky, but it's never a sin to be proud of what you can do."

"I... Yeah, I suppose you have a point there..." Izumi admitted reluctantly. She knew Peaker and Ashika were right, really, but it still felt weird having them act like she was some kind of hero.

"But seriously." Peaker continued, "You really should think a bit more of yourself. You're a lot more capable than people are going to give you credit for."

"Capable or not, I..." Izumi took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to articulate her thoughts. "I just don't want to get anyone's hopes up, y'know? I don't know what I'll be able to do in a crisis. It might not be enough, even with this Pokewatch."

"I..." A strange thought occurred to Izumi. Ashika and Peaker were completely, unflinchingly, utterly confident in her. They truly believed that she could accomplish something good in a crisis. Their faith in her was almost... overwhelming...?

"...How are you two so sure that I'd be able to help people?" Izumi quietly asked.

"You saved me from that horde of Impidimps that one time, remember?" Peaker recalled.

"And you were nice enough to let me come with you!" Ashika reminded Izumi.

"I..." Izumi took a moment to gather her thoughts. It was true that she'd done those things, but it didn't seem like enough to inspire this kind of confidence.

"I... suppose I did." She finally admitted. "But... those just seem like things any decent person would do."

"Well, what's wrong with that?" Ashika asked, tilting her head to one side. "I think being helpful and nice to people is great!"

"It is, but..." As much faith as these two had in her, Izumi couldn't stop self-doubt from creeping into her mind. "There's more to being an actual hero than just being a good person. I'm not a hero. I'm just... me. I'm just average."

"Yeah, right." Peaker scoffed. "You're anything but average. You're smart, you're kind, you've got a lot of guts, and you have a power that most people would probably kill to have. You're basically perfect for the job, don't you see?"

"I mean..." Izumi tried to deny it, but Peaker's list of compliments left her without a response. "I... I guess... I guess I wouldn't be the worst hero, huh...?"

"Not even almost." Peaker nodded. "Heck, you're practically a natural for it. You've even got a great look for it; you look like a girl with a purpose. Not to mention you're already pretty fit."

"R-Really?" Izumi blushed at that, trying to keep her tone nonchalant. "I... I never really thought of myself as... 'heroic-looking,' really. I just... do what I need to do."

"Exactly my point." Peaker smirked. "A good hero isn't someone who struts around in a spandex outfit and tries to look like a model. A good hero just does what they need to, and you fit that description perfectly."

"But..." Izumi couldn't deny what Peaker was saying, but she still felt self-conscious about it. "What if... What if I'm just not good enough? What if I can't help, in the end...?"

"Hey, you might not be able to help everyone right now." Peaker admitted. "But that's what getting stronger is for, right? You're still a beginner, and we're probably going to get into some trouble in the future. So, you've just got to focus on getting stronger so that you can do what you can, then worry about what you can't after we get there."

"I... I guess you're right." Izumi nodded at that. She still had a lot to learn, and a lot to practice, but... she didn't mind trying, either. "I suppose... as long as I get to save at least one person in trouble, I don't mind at all."

"Exactly." Peaker nodded, a hint of a smile on the Spearow's beak. "You've got to start somewhere, and I think a good person, with a lot of potential and a whole bunch of useful skills, is a great place to start."

However, before the conversation could continue, the three heard Inko shout, "Dinner's ready!"

"Oh, great, dinner's-" Izumi stopped short. Right, she was still in Hawlucha form, wasn't she?

"Oh, right." With another flash of light, she reverted back to her normal form. "Every time I've used the Pokewatch, it seems like I get more used to being in a different form. Anyway, come on, let's go eat."

"Ooh, food!" Ashika said, running out of Izumi's room and to the kitchen.

"Well, let's follow her before she decides to eat everything." Peaker said, taking flight and following Ashika to the kitchen.

Izumi chuckled and headed out after the two of them.

Chapter Text

"You're all at an age where you're going to have to choose what High School you're going to go to." Sakamata-sensei informed the class going through his notes. "Sure, you could be a Pokemon Professor, or a Nurse, or even a Police Officer. But why be those things WHEN YOU COULD BE A PRO HERO LIKE MY HUSBAND?!" Sakamata-sensei then cleared his throat. "But, anyways... For those of you who don't want to be Pro Heroes, please raise your hand and we'll talk more about it after class."

Izumi leaned over to Momo's desk.

"Sakamata-sensei sure has a lot to brag about." Izumi whispered, chuckling. "Not that I blame him. If I had a Pro Hero as a significant other, I'd want to brag about it, as well."

"So, what High School do you plan on going to?" Momo asked Izumi. 

"I'm going to try for UA." Izumi replied. "What about you?" 

"I'm going to apply for UA, as well." Momo nodded.

"Awesome. Maybe we'll even end up in the same class." Izumi said, returning to a normal volume. 

"I hope so." Momo agreed. "It'd be nice to go to a new place with a familiar face."

As the bell rang, the class shuffled out of their seats. A few kids were packing up and heading for the door. Others were still hanging back, waiting for Sakamata-sensei to come over so they could talk about non-hero alternatives. 

Meanwhile, Izumi and Momo walked out of the classroom, Izumi making sure Dusky kept a steady pace as she walked beside her. The halls were crowded as usual after classes as kids moved around each other. Some hurried in the direction of extracurricular classes or clubs, while others took their time making their way out of the school building.

"Where are you headed after this?" Izumi asked, having to take a quick detour to go around a large group of kids. 

"Mm... Probably just straight home." Momo shrugged. "You?"

"I'm gonna stop by the manga shop." Izumi replied. "The latest volume of That One Time I Was A Vigilante is out, today."

"That's that one with the kid who's a vigilante, right?" Momo asked with a tilt of her head. "...wait, that probably didn't really narrow it down, huh."

"Yeah." Izumi nodded. "I was a bit skeptical at first, but it's actually gotten pretty interesting. He's really pushing the boundaries on what he can do with his Quirk."

"Is it more of a serious story, or a comedy?" Momo inquired, her eyebrow arched. 

"Probably closer to serious." Izumi thought about it for a moment. "Although, they do have a bit of a lighthearted moment every couple of chapters or so. It's not usually a major part of the plot, but the main character has a bit of an oddball for a mentor."

The conversation was briefly interrupted as the two had to sidestep the doorframe and go around a pair of girls who hadn't stepped out of the doorway. 

"Ah, I guess I'll have to give it a read." Momo stated as they came to a stop. "The main character isn't too overpowered, is he?"

"No, not at all." Izumi confirmed. "In fact, if anything, the other characters are usually the ones saving *him*. It's honestly more of a found family story than anything."

Momo hummed and the two of them made their way towards the edge of the courtyard. "What else has the author done?"

"Ummm..." It took a moment for Izumi to think of anything. "...I think this is basically their first major publication."

Momo looked surprised. "Wow. Well, I guess that explains why I haven't heard of it, then."

"Yeah, I've been following it since the first issue." Izumi said as she stepped through the gates. "I was honestly surprised that it managed to go on for as long as it has. I half-expected it to get canceled or something a couple volumes in."

"Well, it does sound intriguing." Momo paused, turning in the direction of her home. "I'll have to check it out sometime."

"Good luck with that." Izumi joked. "You'll be hard-pressed to find Volume 1 on the shelves. There's a bit of a rabid fan base for the series now."

"Oh. Well I'm sure I'll find a copy..." Momo laughed, before raising a hand to wave. "Well, I should start heading home."

"See you tomorrow!" Izumi waved back as Momo headed down one of the streets branching away from the school.

As she watched Momo walk away, Dusky let out a small sound. Izumi glanced down at her Lycanroc and sighed.

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Izumi chuckled. "We gotta get going, too."

Adjusting the strap of her backpack, Izumi began heading down the road herself, with Dusky trotting along beside her.

Pretty soon, Peaker had woken up from her little sleep on Izumi's shoulder.

"Schools done for the day?" Peaker asked.

"Yep, we're going to the manga shop." Izumi nodded.

"Hooray! New books!" Peaker cheered as she flapped her little wings, a common way for her to show excitement.

"You bet." Izumi chuckled. "We've all been waiting for the new Vigilante issue to go on sale."

The manga shop wasn't too far from the school, so the walk was fairly short. The bell above the door dinged as Izumi pushed open the door, walking in.

The little building was pretty small, but just about all of the walls were covered in shelves. At the center of the room stood a small counter, where an older gentleman was reading the day's newspaper.

As the bell above the door dinged, the shop owner looked up from the newspaper. 

"Oh, good afternoon." The older man greeted, placing the paper on the countertop. "What can I do for you today?"

"Do you have the latest volume of That Time I Was A Vigilante?" Izumi asked.

"You mean the one that just got released?" The shop owner inquired, putting down his newspaper. "I think we still got a few copies. Let me go grab it from the back." Without pausing, he disappeared through the doorway behind him.

While he was in the back getting the book, Izumi glanced around the store. Peaker fluttered off of her shoulder and started flitting around some of the lower shelves.

The older gentleman emerged from the back again a few minutes later, a fresh copy of the book in his hands. "Here you go." He said, placing the book on the counter. "That'll be..." He squinted at the price written on the bottom of the back cover. "...800 Pokedollars."

"Here you go." Izumi nodded, taking out her wallet and passing the man a couple bills. After accepting the payment, the store owner placed the book in a little plastic bag and handed it to her.

"Have a nice day." The shop owner bid her farewell, picking up his newspaper again as Izumi took the book and headed for the door.

Peaker, who was still circling around the manga on the low-set shelves, was quick to take notice of them leaving. "You got it?" The little bird inquired, flapping over to rest on her trainer's shoulder again.

"Yep." Izumi nodded, opening the plastic bag to show her the book. "Brand new, just off the shelves."

Peaker let out a little cheer again. "Awesome!"

Izumi chuckled, petting the top of her Spearow's head.

"Alright, come on. Let's get home."

The walk back home was largely uneventful, with only the occasional interruption from a car passing across the sidewalk. 

The three soon found themselves walking underneath a bridge, when a nearby manhole cover leading to the sewers started rumbling.

"What the..." Izumi mumbled.

Suddenly, a mass of purple and green sludge, large enough that it blocked the light that came from the putside world, came out of the sewer. Izumi would have thought it was an Alolan Muk if not for the crazed, wide yellow eyes and sinister wide smile on his face filled with razor sharp teeth. This wasn't any kind of Muk or any kind of Pokemon. It was obviously some villain with a slime body quirk.

"My, my... What do we have here?" The villain mused.

Instinctively, Izumi backed up. She could clearly see what the villain wanted, and her hand was already reaching for the Pokewatch on her wrist. Peaker gave out a screech as she hid behind her trainer's shoulder.

"A pretty little girl wandering all by herself? It's my lucky day!" The villain grinned, reaching out a slimey hand.

A second later, he flew straight at Izumi like a bullet train in a big city. She tried to run away, but before she could even take a step, the mass of dark sludge surrounded her. 

"Get... Off..." Izumi struggled, futilely flailing against the slimey grip. It was like trying to fight against a swimming pool.

"Hahahahaha!" The villain laughed gleefully. "Don't struggle, kid. After all... you're my ticket to freedom."

"H-help!" Izumi called out. However, her face was soon smothered by a wave of slime, forcing its way in to her mouth. She was unable to cry out or even breathe.

Dusky let out a howl, hoping to get somebody's attention. In the meantime, Izumi reached to the Pokewatch, hoping to transform into something useful.

Izumi found it difficult to grab the device, as the villain was still gripping her too tightly. His slimey form was clinging to her, making it hard to move. It felt like an entire pool of mucus surrounding her.

But eventually, she managed to press the button, pressing down the dial once it popped up.

In a flash of light, Izumi transformed into a Pokemon that resembled a fully-grown lion with a black and blue coat and a spiked mane. Black fur covered most of her body except the backs of her legs, midsection, and some of her face. She had light-blue legs with three yellow rings on the front legs. On her rear is a spiked tuft of fur. Her tail ends in a golden star. She has red scleras and golden irises and pupils. The symbol of the Pokewatch was on her chest.

"Luxray?" Izumi, now a Luxray, questioned herself, suddenly smirking. "How convenient."

The villain let out a shocked yelp as the transformation took place. "Huh?!" He looked down at the Luxray, suddenly unsure of what to do.

However, before the villain could do anything, Izumi charged up an attack, but before she released it, she turned to Dusky and Peaker.

"Dusky, Peaker, run! Get as far away as possible!" Izumi commanded.

The two nodded, and Peaker landed on Dusky's head, Dusky running off a reasonable distance. Once the danger of her Pokemon getting harmed was out of the window, Izumi let out a Discharge attack, electrocuting the Sludge Villain.

"AAAAAAGH!" The villain cried out as the bolt landed. He reeled back, his viscous body shuddering wildly. However, after a moment, he was able to reform again, glaring at the Luxray with anger. "You... you little..."

"You got a problem?" Izumi taunted, channeling another beam of electric energy, this time gathering it in her teeth. "Come and get me, slimey."

However, before either of them could do anything, a familiar, iconic voice shouted out in the distance.

"Go, Netsu!"

Suddenly, an Emboar came charging towards the two.

"What the-" The sludge villain was caught off guard as the Emboar came charging out of nowhere. He raised a hand to meet the new threat, but was still trying to recover from the previous attack.

"Get away!" The Emboar yelled, lunging at the villain with a Flame Charge. The burst of fire caused him to recoil, but it didn't seem to do much lasting damage.

As the two engaged each other, Izumi turned in the direction the new voice had come from, hoping to see who had arrived to help.

"Are you ok?" The Emboar asked Izumi.

"...Yeah." Izumi's voice was a bit shaky, but she was starting to calm down, at least somewhat. "I'll be fine once I get out of this mess."

"Well, you're going to." The Emboar said as he grappled with the villain. "Just hold tight."

With a heaving grunt, the Emboar hurled the villain through the air, right into a nearby wall. Soon, the same familiar voice called out.

"Ahahaha! I've finally caught up to you, Sludge Villain!" The Number One Hero, All Might, exclaimed, charging towards the villain, ready to attack. "Driftveil... SMASH!"

All Might delivered another powerful blow to the villain, causing the sludge's form to split into different parts. The sludge let out a pained groan, struggling to reform himself from the two new sections of viscous matter.

"Huh?" The villain let out a surprised gasp. "All Might?!"

"You think you can get away from me that easily?!" All Might exclaimed. "I'm the Number One Hero for a reason, Sludge Villain!"

"B-but-" The villain tried to protest, still working on reforming himself. However, his efforts were in vain, as All Might picked him up with no effort.

"Game over." All Might proclaimed, crushing what remained of the villain in his hands. The villain let out a pained yelp before going still.

All Might let the sludge fall out of his hands. It fell onto the ground with a wet thud before beginning to melt into a puddle. He let out a satisfied breath, putting his hands on his hips. The Emboar and All Might locked eyes for a moment, their eyes glowing slightly, before All Might nodded.

"Well, then, young Luxray, let's get you to a Pokemon Centre!" All Might exclaimed.

"Yeah." Izumi nodded. "That'd probably be-"

Before she could finish the sentence, however, All Might picked her up, wrapping her in his arms bridal-style. 

"....you're kidding me, right?" Izumi raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Eh, don't worry, he does this all the time." The Emboar shook his head.

"Right." Izumi sighed, before turning to where Dusky and Peaker were hiding. "Come on, guys, we're going."

Peaker gave a relieved cry as she took off back towards the pair. Dusky quickly followed after her, running on ahead of the group.

"Are you ok?" Peaker asked, rubbing her head against the Luxray's nose.

"I think 'ok' isn't exactly the word I'd use right now." Izumi sighed. "But at the very least, I'm still in one piece."

"Good." Peaker sighed, nuzzling her trainer again before flying over to Dusky.

"Now then, let's be on our way." All Might spoke, shifting the way he was holding Izumi. "The Pokemon Centre isn't too far away from here."

"Alright." Izumi nodded as All Might started making his way down the sidewalk. The rest of the group followed after him.

The group continued walking down the sidewalk. All Might was still carrying Izumi in his arms, which was a little embarrassing, if she was being honest with herself, but she also had to admit it was convenient not having to walk.

Peaker and Dusky were flying and walking, respectively, alongside the group. Both of them kept close, making sure they were within Izumi's line of view.

Eventually, after a few minutes, the five of them were standing in front of a building with the universal mark of a Pokemon Centre. All Might pushed open the door, strolling into the building. The automatic bell above the door rang, catching the attention of the nurse at the front desk, who looked up from her computer.

"Ah, hello there, Nurse Joy." All Might greeted. "This Luxray here was caught up in a villain attack. The villain had a slime quirk."

"Oh my, let me see her." Nurse Joy got up from her seat, heading out from behind the desk and towards the group.

"Here, I'll put it on the table." All Might lifted Izumi up onto the center of the nurse's desk, where Nurse Joy began examining her from different angles.

"How long was she in the villain's slime for?" Nurse Joy inquired without looking up from her inspection.

"It couldn't have been for more than a minute and a half." All Might replied. "I showed up pretty quickly after the attack started."

"Hmm..." Nurse Joy hummed, finishing her inspection. "Well, she's a little bit battered, but nothing too concerning. Looks like she should be alright, after a bit of rest."

"That's a relief to hear." Izumi nodded with a sigh, taking a moment to relax as the tension dissipated.

"It's good that you came when you did." Nurse Joy commented, addressing All Might. "If the villain's slime had infiltrated her internal organs, the situation could've been much more serious."

"Of course." All Might replied with a smile. "There's a reason I became a hero, after all. I wouldn't dare stand idly by, while I could instead lend a helping hand."

Nurse Joy sighed. "I can't count how many times I've heard heroes say those exact same words." She shook her head. "Don't get me wrong, I respect your work, but you don't have to give me some kind of monologue or speech every time you show up here, you know."

All Might chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Ah, sorry, sorry. I guess it's a bit of a habit for me at this point."

"Now then, did this Luxray have a trainer, or is she a wild Pokemon?" Nurse Joy asked.

"I didn't see a trainer, so either it's wild, or its trainer ran off." All Might shrugged.

"Right." Nurse Joy hummed, opening a drawer in the file cabinet and pulling out a piece of paper and a pen. "Well, we'll just have to mark her down as wild for now. We can change that later, if anything changes or if her trainer does show up."

"Oh, great." Izumi mumbled, knowing that neither All Might or the Nurse Joy could understand her in the state she was in.

"Alright then, now that that's settled..." All Might turned, putting his hands on his hips. "I believe I need to get back to business. If there's no other concerns, I'll be on my way."

"No issues here." Nurse Joy said, turning towards the computer to start putting in the new file. "Have a nice day, All Might."

"You, as well." All Might nodded, giving a little salute before making his way to the door, his Emboar following behind.

As the door closed behind him, Peaker and Dusky immediately turned their attention towards Izumi again.

"I think we just wait this out." Izumi planned. "Either we wait for a good time for me to transform back without scaring the shit out of anyone, one of us sneaks out to get Mama or Rara, or we sneak out and continue heading home."

"Couldn't we just... Ask the Nurse if we can leave?" Peaker suggested, looking towards the front desk. Nurse Joy had gone back behind it and wasn't paying attention to the group at the moment.

"I don't think she can understand what Pokemon say, and even if she could, it would probably take a lot of explaining to explain what our deal is." Izumi pointed out.

"That's unfortunate." Peaker sighed, crossing her arms. Dusky just made an agreeing noise.

"Or if there's a Chansey or any other nurse Pokemon around here, I'm sure they could help us out." Izumi presumed. 

Peaker shrugged. "There're probably a few around the back. They have to be, with all of the injured Pokemon they treat on a day-to-day basis."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Izumi nodded. "There must either be a few Chansey nurses, or a Blissey in charge, at the bare minimum."

"How should we go about getting their attention, then?" Peaker inquired, flying up onto the table to sit on it.

"Hmm... I'm not really sure..." Izumi hummed, raising a paw to her chin. "They're probably too preoccupied with other injured Pokemon to notice if we just sit around."

"Well, if they don't notice us, we can probably just escape, right?" Peaker figured.

"...I mean, we can probably get away with that, yeah." Izumi said slowly, mulling over the risk. "If we're careful, they might not even notice us leaving."

"Then it's settled." Peaker said. "We'll wait around for a bit, and if no other nurse Pokemon come around, we'll just sneak out."

"Alright." Izumi agreed with a nod. "Sounds like a plan. Hopefully we won't get caught in the process."

"I mean, we'll probably be fine!" Peaker reassured. "All we really gotta do is sneak out without the Nurse Joy's noticing. Shouldn't be that hard, huh?"

"No, I suppose not." Izumi said, starting to feel more confident about the escape plan. "There aren't that many people around right now, and we're already in the corner farthest from the main room of the building."

"Exactly." Peaker nodded. "Besides, this is a Pokemon Centre, right? Everyone's gonna be too distracted by the sick, injured, and dying Pokemon to spare us a second glance."

"That's true." Izumi admitted. "...It's probably a bit callous to think about it like that, but that's to our advantage, isn't it?"

"I mean, yeah, it's kind of callous, but it is the smart thing to do." Peaker agreed. "Besides, they have other stuff to worry about than three perfectly fine Pokemon."

"That's true..." Izumi nodded. "Well, then, let's go. I'm sure Mama and Rara will be wondering where we are."

"Yeah." Peaker nodded. "And they'll be better at explaining our situation, if we do get caught, anyway."

"Let's hope for the best, then." Izumi said, hoping off of the table. "Alright, you guys ready?"

"Yep." Peaker said with a nod. "Dusky?"  

"..." Dusky nodded, ready to go.

"Alright, then, let's head out." Izumi stated. Peaker and Dusky both nodded and the three of them slinked off, moving slowly to keep from drawing unwanted attention.

The three of them had made it home safe and sound, without any more casualties. In all honesty, after reverting back to her original form, Izumi was exhausted.

Izumi staggered through the front door, exhausted and still trying to sort through the day's events. It had been a lot to take in. The villain attack, All Might, the surprise visit to the Pokemon Centre. It was almost too much.

As she toed off her shoes and stepped through the foyer, she had to brace herself on the wall for a moment. Her legs felt like they were made of jelly.

"I'm home." Izumi called out. Her voice rang out over the empty halls, filling the air for a few seconds before being replaced by the silence.

After a few seconds, the sound of footsteps echoed through the house. A moment later, Rumi came down the hallway, half-dressed in her hero costume. 

"Hey, kid." Rumi greeted, looking Izumi up and down, frowning. "Rough day, I take it?"

"You could say that." Izumi said, straightening to try and hide her fatigue. She probably wasn't fooling Rumi, but she could at least try.

"Looks that way." Rumi said, walking up to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "What happened?"

"It's a long story, but-"

"I've got time." Rumi interrupted, turning Izumi around and ushering her to the living room. "You can tell me while you sit down and relax, yeah?"

"Yeah, alright." 

Izumi sighed and relented, allowing herself to be pushed towards the living room. She really couldn't find it in her to protest, after today.

Rumi ushered her into the living room, guiding her to the couch and gently pushing on her shoulders so she sat down.

"Alright, you just sit tight there and rest for a bit." Rumi said, sitting down next to her. "You look like you're about to pass out."

"That's not true- I'm fine, really-"

"You're swaying back and forth, and you can barely hold yourself upright." Rumi pointed out flatly. "I know you're trying to act tough, but don't try to convince me that you're not wiped out."

Izumi let out another sigh, her half-hearted protest dying on her lips. Rumi was right, as much as she didn't want to admit it.

"I guess I am a little tired..." she mumbled, leaning back into the couch and slouching against the cushions.

"Ha, knew it." Rumi smirked, gently nudging Izumi's shoulder. "I've seen you tired before, I know what it looks like. So, you gonna tell me what happened, or do I have to start making assumptions?"

"I mean, it's not a complicated story, really." Izumi said, rubbing one eye. "I was on the way home, and got caught up in a villain attack..."

"You got caught up in a villain attack?!" Rumi exclaimed, her eyes widening. She suddenly went from teasing to concerned in an instant. "Are you ok? Did you get hurt at all?"

"I- Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine." Izumi said hastily, raising a hand to soothe Rumi's worry. "All Might showed up before anything permanent happened. Worst I got was a bit of a beating."

Rumi's expression shifted from shock to relief to skepticism, as she took all of this in. "And you're sure you're alright? You're not just saying that so I don't worry?"

"No, I'm being serious, I promise." Izumi nodded, trying to push herself into a sitting position. "All I got was a bit of bruising. All Might stopped the guy before he could do serious damage."

Rumi scrutinised Izumi's face for a moment. It seemed like she was still unconvinced, but she let the topic drop. "Alright. Did the guy even have a motive? Or was he just a random wackjob?"

"Just a random wackjob, like all the others." Izumi nodded. "Before All Might came, I turned into Luxray and hit him with a Discharge. Though, All Might carried me to the Pokemon Centre and it took a little bit before we could escape, and here we are."

"All Might carried you, huh?" Rumi raised an eyebrow. "I can imagine how that must have gone down."

"Yeah, he must've guessed that I was a normal Luxray." Izumi nodded. "I didn't transform back, in case of damage that would've gotten worse."

"I see. Are you alright, though?" Rumi asked.

"Just a bit tired." Izumi said, rubbing her temples. "My muscles ache a bit, and my head feels like my brain fell asleep."

"You definitely need some rest." Rumi said, leaning back and crossing her arms. "And some food. I don't suppose you're hungry at all?"

"Not really." Izumi shook her head. "No offense, but the thought of food actually kind of makes me nauseous right now."

"Yeah, I kinda figured. Getting attacked by a villain'll do that to ya." Rumi nodded. "You want anything? Just a little bit of water, or maybe something sweet to get your blood sugar up."

"Water's fine." Izumi replied, closing her eyes for a moment and relishing the cool feeling of the couch's fabric. "...Actually, maybe an ice pack, if you have one. That might be nice."

"Alright, stay here. I'll go get some stuff." Rumi said, pushing herself up off the couch. "You just stay right there."

Izumi merely gave a weary-sounding "Mhmm" in reply, her energy completely spent. She slumped against the couch cushions, all but melting into the fabric.

Rumi sighed as she left the room. This was the third time that Izumi had been caught in a villain attack, and it seemed to be taking its toll on her.

She headed into the kitchen and poured a glass of cold water. She quickly snagged a few ice cubes from the freezer, dropping them into the glass. Then, she headed over to the first-aid kit and grabbed an ice pack.

Once she had what she needed, Rumi returned to the living room. As she returned, she stopped in the doorway and watched Izumi for a moment.

The girl clearly looked exhausted. She was half-slumped over, her head resting against the back cushions of the couch. Her eyes were shut, but Rumi noticed her eyelids twitching slightly. It looked like she wasn't asleep, just close to it. Every so often, she would shift around, as if trying to find a more comfortable position.

Rumi sighed again as she entered the room, moving over to sit next to Izumi. "Hey, kid." She said softly, reaching out to gently shake her shoulder. "I got the water and the ice pack."

"H-huh?" Izumi mumbled, her eyes fluttering open. She sat up a little bit, just enough to look semi-awake. She was clearly struggling to stay conscious despite her fatigue.

"There you go. Sit up a little." Rumi gently guided her into a sitting position, pressing the cool surface of the ice pack to her shoulder. "There. Doesn't that feel better?"

"Mhm..." Izumi nodded slowly, pressing the ice pack against her shoulder with the palm of her other hand. The chill of the cold compress had an almost soothing effect on her sore muscles.

"Here we are, UA High." Momo announced, she and Izumi standing in front of the big building.

"Look how big it is!" Izumi exclaimed. "It almost doesn't feel real!"

"We're lucky we trained a lot in the last 10 months." Momo pointed out.

"Yeah, the 10 months that the author decided to skip, since they didn't feel like writing it." Izumi nodded, the two walking into the school.

The halls of UA were quite spacious, with multiple people walking in. Some people had their Pokemon on them, either out of their balls or inside, while other people just walked by themselves. 

When Izumi and Momo had arrived in the written exam room, there had already been one boy sitting at a desk waiting. He had rectangular glasses and neat blue hair, honestly looking kind of like the Turbo Hero: Ingenium. Izumi wasn’t able to tell what his quirk was, but there would be other opportunities for that, depending on how things went for both of them.

More students had trickled in after them. Some looked normal, but others had obvious mutations. Izumi’s head was running a million miles a minute trying to figure out everyone's quirks when Present Mic strode into the room, carrying the test packets.

“All right, settle down listeners.” Present Mic said, even though the room was already dead quiet. “The test will begin in fifteen minutes. Here's how things will go. I'll pass out an exam to everyone. Please, fill out your information on the first page, but do not open the test packet until I say so. Just a reminder, no phones allowed, and no getting answers from your neighbour.”

After enough time for Izumi to check her information multiple times over, Present Mic announced the start of the exam. Izumi flipped open her packet eagerly, yet nervously as well.

The exam wasn’t hard. Honestly, even if the questions had been difficult, most of them were multiple choice, and Izumi was really good at multiple choice questions. They already gave the answer. It was just a matter of finding it with logic. That meant she had plenty of time to devote to the essay section. There were two shorter general knowledge essay questions, as well as a personal one. At the end was an optional quirk analysis question. It was about taking down a B-Rank Villain with a Water Manipulation quirk.

By the end of the two hour exam, Izumi’s hand was cramping from how much writing she had done. She massaged her hand as Ectoplasm collected her paper.

They were directed to locker rooms to change for the physical portion of the exam after that. Izumi got changed into a green tank top, and black track pants quickly and made her way to the waiting area, allowing Dsky to be looked after by Midnight. As they finished changing, others joined her and Momo, waiting awkwardly for the next phase to begin.

While waiting, Izumi considered her options. If the exam was centered on fighting, Armarouge or Toxicroak would be viable contenders, depending on the need for close combat, or ranged combat. Or if the exam was some sort of race or obstacle course, Fearow, Hawlucha, Volcarona, or Frosmoth would be useful, due to their ability to fly, or Sceptile or Smeargle, if flying was out of the question. 

After around 20 minutes of waiting, Present Mic took the stage again. “Alright, listeners, if I might have your attention. We’re just about ready to start the practical section of this year’s recommendation exam, which will be an obstacle course. You’ll be running it in groups of ten, so some of you may have to wait a while before it’s your turn. Make sure to stretch and stay warmed up while you wait.” He then began to read out the names of the examinees in each group.

As luck would have it, Izumi’s name was called for the first group. She moved to the indicated area, and watched the other students she would be competing against while she stretched.

The students stood at the ready position, their eyes fixed on the course before them. It sprawled across UA’s massive grounds, with obstacles and tests of skill that looked like they’d require more than the usual amount of training.

Present Mic’s voice crackled over the loudspeaker, a little warped by the sound system. “This obstacle course is three kilometers, although most of that is the run at the end. If at any point you need to tap out, for any reason, just call one of us supervisors over and we’ll get you out. Just do your best. Coming last doesn’t mean you fail the exam. This is only one portion, so don’t sweat it. Also, please note, this is NOT a competition and we will all not treat it as such.”

Pretty soon, the examinees got their first glimpse of the course they would be running. Up first came a large pool with the option to parkour over it, then a deep pit covered by a net, then a climbing wall. After that, the finish line came after a long stretch of open ground.

After the group lined up, Snipe fired the starting signal.

"Alright, everyone, GO, GO, GO!" Present Mic exclaimed as everyone started to run.

The moment the exam began, Izumi wasted no time, activating the Pokewatch and transforming into Fearow mid-run, using Agility to increase her speed. The transformation left the same light covering of dust as usual, and she quickly took off into the air behind her competition, flapping her wings with powerful beats.

The other examinees had spread out after the starting signal, the top of the pack a bit ahead of Izumi. She was able to catch up quickly using her enhanced speed, however, and kept the pack in her sight as the first obstacle came into view.

The first obstacle was clearly going to take a bit of finagling to get past, and the other examinees were having trouble with it. Some had decided to try and climb over the wall, while other chose to try and clamber under the net.

Izumi, however, had the advantage of flight. After flapping her wings once more and taking to the air, she was able to fly over the obstacle and continue on.

As the next obstacle came into sight, it became clear that having a flying type transformation had been a good choice so far, with plenty of other students still struggling with the first obstacle.

Luckily, it was the pit, which Izumi just continued to fly over. Even better, she could see the third obstacle coming into view not too far past the pit. It looked like a rather intimidating climbing wall. It didn't intimidate Izumi, however. Especially since, much like with the pool, and the pit, she could just fly over the wall. That was the best thing about flying. You could go wherever you wanted without having to worry about things on the ground getting in the way.

The climbing wall was definitely intimidating for those without aerial capabilities, but they were managing. There were certainly no other students in the air, however. After the flying start, she was now in the lead, with the other students having been split up by the first two tests.

Continuing past the climbing wall, a fourth and final obstacle came into view, a long stretch of open ground to the finish line. 

All things considered, the long stretch of open ground was pretty much a big piece of cake after the first few obstacles. And even though the other students were closing the gap from their previous slower progress, none of them were able to catch up to her in this last portion.

When Izumi had started nearing the finish line, she reverted back to her human form, not wanting to be mistaken for an actual Fearow.

Crossing the finish line, she immediately noticed that some of the other students were close behind her. A glance behind her showed her that some of the other students were approaching the finish at breakneck speeds, not even close to being tired out yet, as she slumped onto the ground, panting.

After getting Dusky back from Midnight, doing her interview with Nezu, afterwards, Izumi sat outside of the gates to UA, allowing Peaker and Ashika out of their Pokeballs. 

"Hold on, guys. I'm going to quickly text Momo." Izumi informed her team, getting her phone out of her pocket.

Usako

Hey, @Madoshi

I've finished my exam

Would you like me to wait for you?

Madoshi

I'd like that.

Though, I likely won't be out for a bit, since I'm in the sixth group.

Usako

Alright, I'll wait for you. 

Maybe I'll go browse the manga shop

Text me when you've finished.

Madoshi

K

The walk to the manga shop from UA wasn't long, and soon enough, Izumi stood in front of the bright storefront, staring at the selection of books. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped in awe as she saw the sheer number of mangas on the shelves. 

"Afternoon, Midoriya-Usagiyama." The shop owner greeted Izumi.

"Afternoon, Furui-san." Izumi smiled back at him.

"Looking for any manga in particular?" The older man asked. "We've got some new inventory just in the other day."

"I just finished an important exam, and I'm waiting for my friend to finish, so I'm just browsing." Izumi explained.

"Ah, an important exam, huh? Something for your job?" Furui asked from where he was standing, rearranging a section of the bookshelf.

"Oh, no." Izumi shook her head. "It's actually for getting into UA."

"UA, eh? Knowing you, you'll definitely pass." Furui chuckled.

"Ahahaha, thanks for the vote of confidence." She rubbed the back of her neck with one hand. "I think I did pretty well, but you never know, right?"

"Don't sweat it, kid. You're a smart girl with some powerful Pokemon." Furui chuckled. "If UA is your goal, you're as good as in."

"Thanks." Izumi smiled, glancing back to the bookshelf in front of her, perusing the spines. "I'm hoping you're right."

"Of course I'm right." Furui scoffed teasingly, before resuming his task of reorganising the shelf. "I've known you for three years, kid. You're one of the brightest kids I've ever met. If you want to get into UA, you will."

"I really appreciate the vote of confidence." Izumi said, turning back to the section of manga books. "I mean, I'm confident, but I'm also realistic. It takes a lot. There's honestly a lot on my mind at the moment."

"Hmmm? What's on your mind?" Furui asked curiously. "It's not often that I see you stressed."

"Oh, it's nothing serious." Izumi said nonchalantly. "Just school, exams, the normal things. I guess I'm just feeling a bit anxious about the future. Like, what would I do if I didn't pass the exam?"

"You, not pass the exam? Hah!" Furui let out a hearty laugh. "You'd have more of a chance of the stars going out than you getting rejected by UA, kid."

"I think you have a bit too much faith in me, Furui-san." She replied with a nervous chuckle. "I mean, I'll admit that I think I did well, but there's no guarantee I'll get in."

"Please." He scoffed, rolling his eyes playfully. "You and I both know that if anyone from this neighbourhood has a shot, it's you. You've got the skills, the grades, the determination. UA would be lucky to have you. In fact, it'd be a huge mistake if you didn't get in."

"Well, we'll see." Izumi said, a small, hesitant smile playing on her lips as she resumed perusing the books. "I'm trying not to get too ahead of myself. There's still a long wait before the letters come in. I wouldn't want to get my hopes too high in case I get rejected."

"Rejected?" Furui's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline, a look of disbelief on his face. "Please, kid, I've seen you grow up, and you're probably one of the best kids around. You think someone will turn you down? Why, I'd-"

He shook his head in disbelief. "I'm not telling you to be cocky, kid. What I'm saying is, you're the most gifted kid I've met in all my years."

He walked over, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I don't know what's got you so worried about this, other than your usual lack of confidence." He chuckled fondly. "But you're better than you give yourself credit for. I know that you're bound to pass, no matter what you're thinking."

"I'm trying to stay optimistic, trust me." Izumi replied, the smile on her face becoming a little less strained. "It's just hard. I've wanted this for so long, and the thought of failing... I don't know."

She let out a weary sigh, placing a hand on top of his where it sat on her shoulder.

"I guess I'm afraid that I'll let people down."

"Let people down?" The shopkeeper looked at her incredulously, then shook his head, letting out a light-hearted scoff. "Let's see, you've got, what, four people in your life? Not that many to worry about. Your parents? They'd be proud of you even if you failed. They're proud of you no matter what happens. The rest of your family? The same goes for them. They've always been proud of you, and that'd still be the case, even if you failed."

"Yeah, but-" She began to protest.

"No 'buts', kid." He interrupted forcefully. "You shouldn't even be thinking like that. You've been a good kid. You've done well. You've worked your ass off for this. All you need to do now is try to relax and have some faith in yourself."

"You really have a lot of faith in me, huh?" She said with a light chuckle. "Sorry, I shouldn't doubt myself- or at least not as much as I am right now. I just... this is such a big moment for me. I've been dreaming of this for as long as I can remember. And now that it's finally here, I can't help questioning if I have what it takes."

"Well, if you don't get into UA, I swear in the name of Arceus, I'll eat my oldest pair of shoes." Furui shook his head, slightly jokingly.

"Please don't, they must be pretty dry and gross at this point." Izumi let out a slight chuckle. "Plus, there's no way you'll have to eat your shoes. I'm definitely passing. One hundred percent. Guaranteed. That's the story I'm going with."

"See, now you're at the right attitude." He nodded with a wide smile. "No more doubts. No more of this stressing out nonsense. You've got this, you know you've got this. So there's no reason to worry."

Izumi gave Furui a small smile.

"Thanks, Furui-san, I don't know what I'd do without-..." Izumi suddenly felt a vibration coming from her pocket. She took out her phone and stared at it for a moment. "My friend finished the exam. I'll see you later, Furui."

Izumi soon exited the manga shop, the bell chiming as she walked out the door.

Halfway back to UA, a man with a body made of mud ran out of an alleyway, running past Izumi, who he soon came face to face with.

"My, my... What do we have here?" The villain mused. "A pretty little girl wandering all by herself? It's my lucky day!" 

Instinctively, Izumi glared at the villain, her eyes turning a slight shade of red. This had caused the villain to go from an intimidating sight to a quivering coward in just a few milliseconds.

"Not today." She growled.

"B-But!" The villain pleaded.

"I SAID... NOT TODAY." Izumi repeated.

That caused the villain to retreat back into the alley, as Izumi continued on her way.

"If you think about it, there may be six people who took the recommendation exam getting accepted, since there were six groups for the physical exam, exactly 60 examinees, and..."

"I think you're overthinking it just a little bit, Izumi. Besides, I don't think we'll have to wait much longer, since I heard that the acceptance letters will be coming out sometime this week, maybe even today, if we're lucky."

Right on cue, there was a sudden bang on the door, followed by a loud, deep squawk, causing Izumi to cover her ears.

"That must be the mailbird." Izumi presumed, going to open the door.

Just as Izumi thought, a Pelipper with a mail carrying bag was sitting on the railings.

"Pelipper mail! Pelipper mail!" The Pelipper squawked. 

"And hello to you too, Bakayaro." Izumi greeted, deadpanning slightly. "What have you got for me, today?"

"UA mail! UA mail! In the mouth! In the mouth!" Bakayaro exclaimed.

"You just love delivering mail in your mouth, don't you?" Izumi asked, not expecting an answer.

"Indeed! Indeed!" Bakayaro squawked.

Bakayaro spat out a letter unceremoniously in front of her. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the letter was emblazoned with UA’s logo, and the return address was clearly that of the school.

"Hey, Momo, come have a look at this!" Izumi called out.

"Hmm? What is it?" Momo came over and looked at the letter in Izumi's hand.

"New lady! New lady!" Bakayaro squawked, causing Izumi to blush.

"What did he say?" Momo asked, trying to hold back her laughter.

"I don't think he's met you before, so he said, and I quote, 'New lady. New lady.'" Izumi translated, before turning back to Bakayaro. "Bakayaro, this is Momo."

Suddenly, Bakayaro perked up.

"Yaoyorozu! Yaoyorozu! UA Mail! UA Mail!" 

Izumi reached into Bakayaro's mouth and pulled out a similar letter to the one she get, only it had Momo's name on it, instead of Izumi's.

"Huh. Looks like you got a letter too, Momo." Izumi handed Momo her acceptance letter.

"What are we waiting for?" Momo immediately moved to start opening hers.

"Anything else, Bakayaro?" Izumi asked the Pelipper.

"Don't think so! Don't think so!" Bakayaro squawked. "Good day! Good day!"

"Thanks for the delivery, Bakayaro." Izumi said, waving to the Pelipper.

"Pleasure! Pleasure!" Bakayaro took off back down the street, calling out to the various other tenants with mail. "Mail delivery! Mail delivery!"

As they walked into the kitchen and shut the door, Izumi and Momo stood in silence, clutching their letters nervously. They glanced at each other, the anticipation building between them.

"Should we open them now?" Izumi hesitantly asked.

Momo nodded. "Yeah, I can't wait any longer."

They both took deep breaths, and slowly tore open the envelopes with trembling hands. They each pulled out a neatly folded letter, their palms sweating with suspense.

"You go first?" Momo offered.

"Oh, uh, sure, I'll go first." Izumi nodded, cautiously opening up the envelope, revealing a letter and a small, round disk with the word, "Holoprojector" on it.

"Huh? What's that?" Momo asked, peering over Izumi’s shoulder.

"Looks like some kind of projector, I think?" Izumi replied, picking up the little disc, turning it over in her hands for a second before pushing the largest button on its face.

A hologram of what both Momo and Izumi recognised as UA's principal, Nezu, appeared.

"Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama. I am Nezu, the principal of UA." Nezu smiled.

The girls exchanged a glance. They’d never met Principal Nezu before, but his appearance and manner was so distinctive that they both felt as though they had.

"Now, as for your exam results..." Nezu began, a grim smile on his face. "You..."

Izumi felt her heart thump in her chest as she and Momo both leaned in towards the hologram. Nezu certainly had his dramatic pauses down.

"Unfortunately failed." 

"Failed?!" Both girls' heads snapped up in response to Nezu's announcement, staring at the hologram in disbelief.

"But... How? I don't understand..." Izumi said, her voice tinged with confusion. Momo simply watched the hologram, her expression solemn, though the surprise was evident on her face as well.

After a few more moments of silence, Nezu's hologram spoke up, once more.

"Aah! I got you good!" Nezu exclaimed. "You should've seen the look on your face!"

Both girls' shocked expressions quickly morphed into a mix of annoyance and incredulity as they realised that the principal was messing with them.

"Principal Nezu..." Izumi said, deadpanned in a mix of aggravation and embarrassment, while Momo let out an exasperated sigh.

"Congratulations, Izumi! You're going to UA for the next three years!" Nezu congratulated. "I'm sure Eraserhead will be estatic to see you in Class A."

Both girls were stunned. They'd almost forgotten that getting accepted was an option, they'd been so focused on the prospect of failing. Then Nezu's last words hit them. 

"Class A..." Izumi repeated, her voice carrying a slight tremor of excitement.

"I guess it's my turn now." Momo held up her envelope, looking at it with a slight tinge of fear in her eyes.

"Come on, only one way to find out." 

With those words of encouragement, Momo followed suit and opened her envelope, pulling out a letter and a hologram projector virtually identical to the one Nezu had used to communicate with the two of them.

Momo pushed the button, and once again, Principal Nezu's hologram appeared. 

"Momo Yaoyorozu. I am Nezu, the principal of UA." Nezu smiled.

Despite already having a pretty good idea of what the principal was like, both girls still leaned in slightly, interested to see what the video message had to say.

"Now, as for your exam results..." And here Nezu allowed himself a short pause, watching the expressions of the girls keenly.

When it was clear that they were holding their breaths in anticipation, he smiled and proceeded with, "I'm happy to say that you passed. Congratulations!"

"Ah..." Momo exhaled, the relief she felt at hearing those words washing over her in waves. And then the implications of that message sunk in.

"I... I actually passed..." She whispered, her eyes widening.

"I can't believe it." Izumi smiled. "Both of us passed."

"This... this is real, right?" Momo asked, taking a moment to process everything that had just happened. "Neither of us are dreaming?"

"I'm pretty sure this is real." Izumi pinched her cheek for emphasis. "And it hurts, so it can't be a dream."

They both broke into wide grins at that, before pulling each other into a tight hug. 

This was it. They were actually going to UA.

Chapter Text

UA High School. It was the best High School that trained heroes in Yamashita, some debate the entire world. Some of the top Pro Heroes came from UA High School. All Might, Endeavour, Best Jeanist, Eraserhead, Present Mic, etc. 

All of that made it feel so surreal that both Izumi and Momo were going to UA. In fact, there they were, standing in front of UA.

They paused a second before the looming gates, taking in the magnitude of it all.

"Are you ready, Momo?" Izumi asked her childhood friend.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Momo nodded. "What about you?"

"I'm sure I'll be fine." Izumi nodded.

"Alright, but if you have a panic attack or need to take a break from anything, please tell me." Momo instructed.

"Alright, alright." The two of them had had this conversation a thousand times. Anxiety sucks sometimes, Izumi mused. But sometimes having a crutch is nice, and who better than Momo?

"Now, come on, we don't want to be late." Momo nodded back at her friend. 

"Not on the first day, at least." Izumi joked.

"No, not on the first day." The two girls grinned at each other, then headed for the building. They each reached out and pushed open a half of the wide double door.

On the other side was a sprawling, spotless hallway filled with other young people dressed in uniforms. There were all sorts: large, small, muscular, skinny, animalistic, normal. Their quirks were as diverse as their people: giant robots, a girl whose hair was actually vines, a boy with a bird's head...

An anxious part of her mind began to worry. This many people... and you know they're all more gifted than you. What if you're not up to snuff? What if...

"Hey." Momo said, snapping Izumi out of her thoughts. 

"I'm fine." Izumi partially lied. "I promise."

"Alright. Let's head to class." Momo had grown accustomed to Izumi's anxiety. She knew it was a chronic problem that would never fully go away, but that her friend, like all things, was learning to manage. 

The girls found a room labeled 'Class 1-A' and headed inside. There were already a few students milling around inside.

Izumi's eyes darted around the room as she entered. She couldn't quite put her finger on why, but there was something... off, about this class. All of the students' eyes flickered to look at her, and then away. Something was going on... but that was just her social paranoia talking. 

Probably.

However, before she could properly reassure herself, a neat-looking boy with blue hair ran up to the two.

"It is against the rules to leave your Pokemon out of its Pokeball outside of activities such as Pokemon battles and approved Hero exercises!" The boy exclaimed, waving his arm in a chopping motion. "Put your Lycanroc in its Pokeball immediately!"

The Lycanroc at Izumi's side was unbothered, though her trainer was startled back. The boy was addressing her, and she could feel the class's attention being drawn back to her. Her breath caught in her throat, her heartbeat rising.

"Uh." Her words died as they left her tongue before she could properly respond. The anxious part of her mind was already beginning to drown out her thoughts, filling her head with a panicked litany: They're looking at you, they think you did something wrong, they think you're weird, you're making a fool of yourself, you're a dumbass idiot who can't do anything right...

Her breathing was coming faster now, and she could feel herself starting to spiral. This was bad. This was very bad. She tried to say something but couldn't get any words to actually escape her mouth.

Momo, however, noticed Izumi's predicament immediately. She didn't think the girl was in too much distress yet - and the last thing she wanted to do was draw the boy's attention to her and make her feel even more watched - so she put a hand on her friend's shoulder to ground her and then turned to the blue haired boy.

"My friend's Lycanroc is a service Pokemon." Momo explained. "She helps her with stuff."

"I see!" The boy exclaimed, walking off.

A sigh of relief escaped Izumi. It's fine, she told herself. Everything's fine. You're fine.

Her heart rate had slowed slightly as the boy headed back to his seat, but her pulse was still elevated. She could still feel the eyes of the class on her.

"Let's go sit down, alright?" Momo suggested, taking Izumi's hand.

Izumi nodded wordlessly. Her mouth was glued shut with anxiety, even now.

The eyes of the class tracked her as she and Momo found desks and sat. Most of them tried not to show it, but there were certainly a lot more glances at her than anyone else.

They think I'm weird. They're still looking. They're judging me. They saw me freak out. They're definitely judging me.

It was a self-perpetuating cycle. The more attention Izumi thought she was getting, the more she could feel her heart racing, which worsened as she had a harder and harder time taking deep breaths.

Everything's fine, Izumi tried to tell herself, but her mind was a hurricane of thoughts. The only thing she could focus on was how many people could be staring at her. Every one of them thought she was weird, or broken, or maybe even dangerous. She'd never get to make any friends here. She'd never get to be a proper hero. Her career was over, and she hadn't even graduated.

After a few minutes, a man in a yellow sleeping bag entered the room.

"If you're just here to make friends you can..." Eraserhead called out, before stopping. "Nevermind, normally in these situations there are two or three of you talking while standing up. Anyway..."

Everyone in the class froze up, falling into total silence as Eraserhead approached the front of the room.

"It took you all 8 seconds to fall silent. That's 8 seconds too long." He said flatly. "If you take that long in a real emergency, it could be a matter of life or death."

The class sat in stunned silence. Most of them had been expecting to meet the principal, but instead the Pro Hero Eraserhead - a legendary hero - was introducing himself.

Izumi was doing her best to hide how tense she was. That meant not showing any signs of how her heart was beating way too quick, and how her breathing was still a bit too fast. She was trying to keep her expression from showing the panicked feelings in her gut.

Thankfully, the attention of most of the class was on Eraserhead. Though she could still feel a few others' eyes on her every now and then. It was more than she was comfortable with, but at least it wasn't the whole class.

"Before I get into the big things, there are a couple of things I would like to announce..." Eraserhead started.

Eraserhead took a glance around the room. He was used to the nervous looks that he got from his students, it happened every year. They were always a little nervous on the first day, unsure of what to expect from a first class with him.

"As you may or may not have seen, there are a few Pokemon out of their balls. Most notably, Kaminari's Boltund and Midoriya-Usagiyama's Lycanroc. This is because they are their Service Pokemon, and are required to be with them." Eraserhead explained. "Any questions?"

A tall girl with pink skin, pink hair and yellow horns raised her hand.

"Uh, why are Service Pokemon, like, legal?" She asked, then added hastily, "I'm just curious. I don't have a problem with it or anything."

Eraserhead took a tired breath. This girl was going to be a troublemaker.

"Service Pokemon are protected under the laws regarding disabled people." He tried to sound as patient as he could. It's the first day. They're still just kids, even if most were 15 or older. "There's a bit more nuance to it, legally, but basically we're obligated to provide the necessary support to any student who needs it. For some, that means Service Pokemon."

"Ooooh..." The girl nodded. "Cool. Thanks."

Eraserhead glanced away from her, taking the time to look over the class one last time. All in all, it seemed like a talented bunch...

...and he was sure to have a headache with at least a few of them.

And then his eyes landed on Midoriya-Usagiyama. This girl was more interesting. Her hands were trembling, and she was still trying to control her breathing. He could practically see her anxiety through her expression. He'd have to keep an eye on her.

"Alright, go get changed into your gym clothes. The bags they're in are underneath your seats." Eraserhead instructed the class. "Once you're done, meet me out on the grounds. Don't make me wait."

Everyone started to get up at once, which led to lots of shoving, bumping, and general chaos.

Izumi was about to join the crowd when Momo grabbed her by the wrist. "You need to calm down."

"I'm fine, I-" her voice was cut off as Momo gave her a look.

"No, you're not." The black-haired girl said. "You're spiralling. I can tell."

Izumi opened her mouth to answer, but as she did, the panicked feeling in her chest intensified. She could feel the eyes of the other students on her again. A lump formed in her throat. "I..." She tried, but words failed her. Why was this happening now? Why couldn't she get control of her breathing?

Momo placed her hands gently on her friend's cheeks. "Hey. Eyes on me."

Izumi reluctantly looked up. Her breathing was still shallow and quick.

"Alright. I want you to pay attention to my breathing, okay?" The girl continued. It wasn't a question - it was an instruction. "Do what I do."

Momo's pace was deep and slow, like that of a metronome. She took slow breaths in through her nose, then exhaled gently through her mouth.

As her instructions implied, it only took a moment for Izumi to match pace with her friend's breathing. It was slow, and a bit awkward at first, but after a few tries she settled into a similar rhythm. 

"There you go." Momo smiled at her friend. "You've got it."

Eventually, Izumi's breath returned to being fully steady. Her mind was still racing slightly, but at least she wasn't in danger of collapsing from lack of oxygen.

"Thanks, Momo..." Izumi mumbled. Her eyes darted across the room to the other students. Please no more people staring, she thought. Please just mind your own business, for once.

"Let's head to the changing rooms." Momo suggested.

"R-right."

Izumi picked up her gym bag from under her seat and stood up, avoiding looking directly at the rest of the class. Dusky was on her feet, too.

Momo gently took her friend by the wrist and led her out of the room.

Once everyone had arrived, Eraserhead scanned over the class once, double checking, and then cleared his throat loudly. Immediately, the chatter stopped, and the class turned their attention to him.

"You've all been taking standardised tests for most of your lives." Eraserhead explained. "Here at UA, we tend to throw out traditions as soon as we can."

Eraserhead then looked right at Izumi, giving her a knowing look.

"Midoriya-Usagiyama, think you can throw a ball?" Eraserhead asked her, throwing a softball her way.

"Uh, I think so?" Izumi answered, though it sounded like she was asking herself the same question.

"Right. Try doing it with your Quirk." Eraserhead instructed. "Anything goes, just stay in the circle."

The class watched with suspense as Izumi made her way over to said circle. Eraserhead heard a few people talking amongst themselves about how interesting this would be, but the teacher just silently watched Izumi with a neutral expression.  

Anything goes, yeah right, Izumi thought to herself as she walked up, her Lycanroc at her heels. Everyone was watching her again. It wasn't just Eraserhead. Just focus on the task at hand. Throw the ball. You've done this before.

She held the ball in her hand, considering the different possibilities. It was a decent distance to throw.

Izumi activated the Pokewatch, lifting the dial up and twisting it until she found the transformation she wanted, pressing the dial back down.

In a flash of light, Izumi transformed into a bipedal, reptilian Pokemon covered in scaly armour, the Pokewatch's symbol on her chest.

Izumi, now a Kommo-o, set up a couple of Dragon Dances to boost her attack, and then hit the ball with a Sky Uppercut attack, sending the ball flying off into the distance.

The rest of the class could only watch as the ball was launched into the atmosphere. 

After a moment of stunned silence, several people broke out into chatter.

"I'm sorry, what?" A boy with spiky, red hair asked, a wide-eyed look on his face.

"Damn." A boy with purple balls on his head whistled. "I wonder if any of us can even come close to that hot chick."

"Settle down." Eraserhead said gruffly. He then took out a device and tapped it. The screen showed the new, apparently insane, distance.

"979 meters." He said bluntly. The class's eyes went wide at the number.

"All of you need to know your maximum capabilities. It's the most rational way of figuring out your potential as a Pro Hero." Eraserhead explained. "To prove my point, we'll be having a quirk apprehension test."

"What about orientation?" A girl with brown hair and pink cheeks exclaimed. "We're going to miss it!"

Eraserhead raised an eyebrow. "UA isn't like other schools. If you want to be a Pro, you need to learn how to prioritise. You can watch a video about the orientation later. This is more important."

A few grumbles of annoyance sounded from the class. Eraserhead waited for the grumbling to die down, then continued. 

"Today you'll each be performing 6 tests, each one judging your current physical abilities. Quirk use is allowed."

A buzz of excitement rose throughout the group. Everyone loves a quirk test.

"That sounds like so much fun!" Someone exclaimed.

"I can't wait to have a go!" Someone else shouted.

"You think this will be fun?" Eraserhead bristled. "Well, hey, how's this for fun? Whoever comes last gets expelled."

"But that isn't fair! We got accepted into this school fair and square!" Someone else retaliated.

"Oh really? Well, do you know what else isn't fair? Natural disasters. Villain attacks. Catastrophic events that can wipe out entire cities." Eraserhead scolded. "Life is full of unfairness. It's a hero's job to prevent that unfairness. Now don't forget. Go beyond. Plus Ultra style."

Everyone then nodded, agreeing with Eraserhead.

"Don't make me regret this." Eraserhead sighed, gritting his teeth together. "Now that you know what you're in for, let the test... Begin."

The First Test was a 50 meter dash. Izumi watched as the blue-haired boy from before, and a girl with froggy features ran.

The boy won the dash, with a time of 5.47 Seconds. The other girl wasn’t far behind him, with a time of 5.55 Seconds, leaving most students looking impressed. Watching her classmates run, and in some cases, use their Quirks in interesting ways to complete the Fifty Meters, really made Izumi wish she had her quirk notebook right now. The dash continued, many people going and running against the clock in an attempt to get the fastest times they could. Some of the results were impressive, and in some cases, surprising.

Once it was Izumi's turn to go up, she found herself racing against somebody who looked red and mollusk-like.

"You seem nervous." They said to her as they both waited for the starting alarm to sound.

"I guess I am." She admitted, her voice more quiet than usual. 

"It's normal." They shrugged nonchalantly. "It's not easy to turn off the nerves when there's so much riding on what we do."

"Yeah. I guess we-"

Whatever she was going to say next was cut off by the alarm sound, signalling to the two of them to start running.

The mollusk guy shot out water from their hands, pushing them forwards, while Izumi transformed into Sceptile, setting up a few Agilities, sharply raising her speed, and then running.

By the time they crossed the finish line, it was clear Izumi had beaten the mollusk, but the race had been close, with just a few tenths of a second separating the finish time between them.

"Hey, uh, cool quirk." Izumi complimented, once she reverted back to her normal form.

"Thanks, yours is nice, as well, I guess." They nodded, shrugging.

The two stood next to each other, watching as the other classmates did the fifty meter dash.

"You got a name?" The mollusk asked as the next pair raced.

"Oh, yeah, Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama." Izumi introduced herself. "Aka, the weird girl with the Lycanroc."

"I'm Nantai Shibuki." They ntroduced themself. "Nice to meet you."

The next test was the grip strength test, a simple test to see how much pressure could be applied to the device that was being used.

While some of the students couldn't generate too much power, many of the students produced impressive results, but there was a noticeable group that performed at the peak of the charts, with scores several times over the average.

While she was waiting for her turn, Izumi thought about which form would do the best with the test. Eventually, she settled on one, activating the Pokewatch and transforming into a large, muscular, humanoid Pokémon with light green ears, feet and stomach sides. 

Izumi, now a Grimmsnarl, set up several Bulk Ups while she waited for her turn.

When it was finally time for her turn to test her strength, Izumi took a hold of the grip strength device and tightened her grip as hard as she could.

The grip-strength device nearly broke in half at the amount of pressure, something that shocked most of the class.

Even Eraserhead himself, who usually kept stoic as a rock, raised an eyebrow in slight surprise.

"Remind me not to make you mad." A boy with spiky red hair joked to himself.

The next test was the standing long jump.

Many students had no difficulty jumping far enough to easily pass the test. Some students, however, were having trouble landing properly, either because of their Quirk or lack of skill in landing correctly.

When it was Izumi's turn, she once again contemplated which form to go with.

She quickly looked around to see how other students were doing the jump. 

Looking at such things, it was clear to her which form she should pick.

Activating the Pokewatch, she was once again enveloped in a flash of light, transforming into Hawlucha.

Once ready, she ran forwards and jumped across the sandbox, with the help from her wings, she landed on the other side with plenty of time to spare, turning to see most of the class looking stunned at her jump.

Afterwards, there were a few other tests, like repeated side steps, the distance run, seated toe-touch, and sit ups. It was then time for the ball throw. Since Izumi had already done it, she didn't have to do it again, so she just stood back and watched her classmates do it instead.

Most students, while performing well, only went so far. Many had only practised their Quirks and completely neglected their physical abilities.

Eraserhead had to bite back a smirk as he watched each and every student go to throw the ball. 

It wasn’t that they did bad, necessarily.

It was that they’d do alright, but they weren’t doing anything special.

Good results… But mediocre performance overall.

Izumi watched as the other students threw the ball. Her classmates were all doing okay in their own way, but she noticed that like her, they were all doing things within their comfort zone.

This was something she'd noticed early on: most people didn't like to step outside their comfort zones. The world can be a scary place, and sometimes it's easier to not try at all.

Izumi, however, was going to be a hero, and she would need to step out of her comfort zones all the time to save people.

But it was just like Eraserhead said. Life is full of unfairness, and a hero's job was to prevent that unfairness.

That meant going beyond your limits. And she, along with everyone else, would have to go beyond them a lot.

While she was watching, Izumi felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned her head to the side and saw a blonde boy with a black streak in his hair. He also had a Boltund who was out of her Pokeball.

"You're that guy who Eraserhead was talking about before, right?" Izumi asked.

"Yeah, that's me." He nodded. "I'm Denki Kaminari."

"Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama." Izumi introduced herself.

"So... does your Quirk turn you into Pokemon or something?" He asked her, looking her up and down.

"I mean, I guess you could say that..." Izumi shrugged, her expression sheepish.

"So how'd you get so good at using your Quirk? Is it, like, always active, or..."

"No, I kinda have to trigger it with this." Izumi explained, holding up her wrist and tapping the side of the Pokewatch.

Denki whistled, impressed. "Damn, I thought my Quirk was cool, but you get to go on a whole ass Pokemon adventure. How many different transformations do you have?"

"Currently, 18. Maybe I'll get more in the future." Izumi answered, looking down at the Pokewatch. "There's still a lot that I don't know about this thing."

"Damn." Denki whistled again, but it almost sounded like there was a twinge of envy in his words as well. "How do you decide what Pokemon to turn into, anyway? I mean, do you have any favourites?"

"It depends on the situation, since they all have their strengths and weaknesses." Izumi replied with a slight shrug. "But, some of my favourites are Fearow, Hawlucha, Armarouge, and Sceptile."

"Man, what I'd do to actually be one of them..." Denki sighed, clearly lost in thought. 

"You sound like you really like Pokemon." A voice suddenly said behind the two, and they turned around to see a boy approaching them, who had multiple arms, wearing a mask and a belt filled with Pokeballs.

"I guess you could say that I'm a bit of a Pokemon nerd." Denki admitted with a shrug. "There's so many cool Pokemon in the world, man. Like, how awesome is it that everyone basically has a walking nuke in their pocket? Imagine how different the world would be if we didn't have Pokemon, it'd be nuts."

“I’m Mezo Shoji.” The boy greeted Denki, before turning to Izumi. “The way you use your quirk to turn into Pokemon is unique. If I may ask, where are all the Pokemon you transform into being kept? Do you have a personal device that acts like a Pokeball?”

"They aren't actually individual Pokemon, nor are they stored anywhere." Izumi explained. "My watch is what's able to turn me into Pokemon."

"A watch that turns a person into a Pokemon..." Mezo repeated, his gaze turning to said watch. "Interesting. How long have you had this watch, if I may ask?"

"Ever since I was seven." Izumi replied. 

"A device that can turn a human into a Pokemon..." Mezo thought to himself out loud as he looked at the watch with interest. "How does it even work? What are the limits of such a device? What happens internally for human biomass to transform into Pokemon biomass?"

"I- uh... I've been wondering those things too..." Izumi admitted, looking at her watch and rubbing the back of her head as she admitted it. "I guess there's only a handful of people in the world who know those answers..."

"Where did you get it?" Mezo then asked.

"It fell from the sky, one night." Izumi explained. "I'm not sure where it came from, though."

"Fell from the sky..." At those words, Mezo's head perked up for a moment. "You're positive it was from the sky? You think it came from space?"

"I never questioned why it appeared, but I guess it's possible." Izumi answered. "It's a mystery that I doubt I'll ever get the answer to. But maybe that's for the best."

"Perhaps..." Mezo rubbed his chin, trying to think something over, but the sound of Eraserhead clearing his throat cut him off, making everyone's attention snap back to him.

"Alright, now with that done, I'll showcase the scores." Eraserhead explained. "I'll be showing them all at once so I don't have to explain about any of them."

Eraserhead then pulled out a hologram device, and a screen popped up, showing all of the rankings.

1. Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama 

2. Momo Yaoyorozu 

3. Tenya Iida

4. Fumikage Tokoyami 

5. Mezo Shoji 

6. Nantai Shibuki 

7. Ejiro Kirishima 

8. Mina Ashido 

9. Ochaco Uraraka 

10. Flannery Asuna 

11. Neito Monoma

12. Denki Kaminari 

13. Tsuyu Asui

14. Hanta Sero

15. Rikido Sato 

16. Kyoka Jiro 

17. Mashirao Ojiro 

18. Toru Hagakure 

19. Allister Onion

20. Minoru Mineta

The people's eyes were all focused on the board, looking over their scores.

Most were satisfied with their results, some were disappointed, and the one who'd come in 20th looked like he'd been hit with emotional damage.

"This can't be! I have so many hot girls that I have yet to drink tea with!" Mineta exclaimed.

"I think it's pretty obvious that you all need to work a lot on your physical abilities." Eraserhead then began, breaking the quiet murmurs of his students. "A simple ball throw can't be all of your physical fitness. You all have a lot of work left to be heroes."

Most of the students seemed a bit deflated by this.

Sure, it may have felt like they had impressive results, but it seemed like the teacher thought they were less than acceptable, and that felt a bit demoralising.

"Say, if I was taking the test when I was your age, I'd probably get, say... 14th or 16th place." Eraserhead continued. "That being said..."

Eraserhead paused for a moment, a small smile forming on his face. The class listened intently, wondering where Eraserhead was going with this. Some of them looked up at their teacher, curiosity and anticipation on their faces.

"I was lying. No one's getting expelled. At least not this early on." Eraserhead laughed. "That was just a rational deception to make sure you gave it your all in the tests. Welcome to the Yamashita region, kiddies." 

It was strange how quickly the mood of the class had shifted. 

One moment they were all tense and anxious, and the next they were all smiling and relaxed. They'd just barely been given a stay of execution, so it wasn't surprising that their emotions were running a bit rampant.

"However, I still expect you all to give your all this year. The tests are there for a reason, so take them seriously." Eraserhead told them. "Dismissed. Pick up a syllabus in the classroom. Read it over before tomorrow morning." Eraserhead instructed. "Everyons, be good and eat your vegetables or whatever. Go beyond..."

"Plus Ultra!" The class cheered, dispersing.

The students began packing away their things, some of them still whispering amongst themselves about the day's events. A few of them looked tired, while others looked more alert, eager for the training that lay ahead of them.

"I'm surprised nobody figured out Eraserhead's deception sooner." Momo mentioned to Izumi as they walked through the halls of UA, trying to find the exit.

"I mean... It was just so scary." Izumi admitted. "Just thinking about getting expelled on the first day is making me anxious."

"I doubt that even if you didn't give it your all, you'd still be within the top 10." Momo encouraged.

"Yeah, but what if I did something wrong or something happened and I-"

"Hey, stop that!"

Izumi flinched as her anxieties were interrupted by Momo cutting her off.

"You're spiralling, Zumi."

Momo then placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her friend down.

"I know, I know..."

Izumi took a breath. The feeling of her best friend's touch was a much-needed reassurance, and slowly, the tension in her muscles started to loosen.

"I know you're worried..." Momo said softly, her voice warm and soothing like always. "But you need to breathe. You can't do anything if your brain is going crazy thinking about all the things that could go wrong."

"Yeah..." Izumi nodded, taking a more measured breath. She knew that Momo was right. Her anxiety was like a storm, building up and stirring up the worst case scenarios in her mind.

"How about we find our way out of here and get something to eat." Momo suggested, releasing her grasp. "After all those tests, I could really go for something sweet right now."

"You know, I think a little sugar might do the trick."

Izumi felt a small smile tug at the corner of her lips.

Momo always knew what to do to make Izumi feel better.

Chapter Text

To Izumi's surprise, UA was normal. Or, at least the bare minimum of what can be considered normal.

For starters, in the morning, Class 1A had been doing normal School Subjects; Math, English, History, Pokemon Battles, all subjects that could be found in any Yamashitan High School.

But still, there was a sense of unreality about it all for Izumi. This was the day. The day that would, without a doubt, decide the course of her future. A feeling that was intensified by this odd school. It wasn't every day where you were taught by Pro Heroes.

After the morning classes concluded, it was time for Lunch.

Thankfully, Izumi didn't have to sit alone. Momo was able to gather up most of their female classmates, where they all sat together. It felt nice being included.

"What do you guys think afternoon Heroics Class will be like?" Mina questioned a few moments later.

"Probably just some introductions and basics, that makes the most sense." Kyoka replied as she looked towards the pinkette.

"That does sound reasonable." Momo nodded in agreement.

Izumi, who had so far kept quiet, suddenly spoke up, drawing the group's gaze. "I wonder who's teaching it."

“Oh, right, that's a good question.” Kyoka commented before the girls all looked between each other.

"It's gotta be someone like All Might, right?" Flannery's voice came from next to Momo.

"You really think the number one hero has the spare time to be teaching?" Izumi asked.

She had to admit, as much as she loved the number one hero, she was kinda hoping he wasn't the one teaching Heroics, especially after her confrontation with him 10 months before UA's entrance exam.

Flannery shrugged. "I mean, he's the Symbol of Peace, wouldn't be very heroic of him to not do something as simple as teach a bunch of upstart kids."

"That does seem like something he would do…" Mina rubbed her chin in thought before her eyes lit up. "And then he could do so much inspirational hero work and show us how to be just like him and-"

"Okay, we get it, you like All Might." Kyoka interrupted, rolling her eyes, playfully.

"Hey, don’t say it like it's a bad thing!" Mina protested. "Everybody likes All Might!"

"Not unless you "like" like All Might." Kyoka joked.

"Well, I'm glad I'm a lesbian." Mina laughed. "He's waaaaay out of my league."

Flannery snickered. "Imagine being attracted to guys."

"Pff, right?" Ochaco said with a shake of her head.

Flannery nodded, then turned towards Izumi. "What do you think, Izumi?"

"Honestly, I live with lesbians, so I can be considered higher than the majority of lesbians." Izumi joked.

There was a beat after that, the girls taking a moment to process what she'd said.

"I, uh, have two mothers." Izumi clarified.

"Oh, that makes sense." Flannery nodded as the rest of the girls seemed to relax a bit, the tension amongst the group having gone away.

Mina stared at Izumi for a moment before speaking. "That must be pretty awesome. Having two really cool parents who are both women. I bet they're super nice."

"They're the best." She smiled, rubbing the top of Dusky's head.

There was an aww from the rest of the girls, and Kyoka spoke next. "What do they do? For work, I mean."

"Mama is this city's Gym Leader, while my other mother, who I call Rara, is a Pro Hero." Izumi replied.

"Your mother is a Pro Hero?" Mina's eyes widened. "Who?"

"Rumi Usagiyama." Izumi said, keeping her voice as neutral as possible, trying to make it sound like it was no big deal. "Better known as the Rabbit Hero: Mirko."

There was a beat as they took it in, before Mina slammed her hands down on the table. "Wait, like the hottest woman alive?! That's your mother!?"

Flannery whistled. "Damn, you're really living the high life, aren't you?"

"Is she as cool as everyone says she is?" Kyoka questioned, looking amazed at the green-haired girl.

"She's even cooler." Izumi smiled, thinking of some of Rara's more over-the-top hero moments.

"God, I hope she's the one who's teaching." Flannery rubbed her hands together. "If she's even half as badass as you're making her out to be, we're in for quite the class."

Izumi chuckled. "We're going to have to wait and see."

At Izumi's admission, the girls continued conversing, but Izumi was pulled away by a thought. She was looking forward to afternoon classes, but there was something in the back of her mind keeping her from fully enjoying the moment.

Maybe it's just second-day jitters, she thought.

Before long, the bell rang. Everyone made their way out of the lunch room and towards the classroom.

Izumi, along with the rest of 1A, took their seats. They all were chattering amongst each other, each wondering who was going to be their Heroics Teacher.

And then the door flew open.

As soon as they heard it, the class went quiet.

In walked Mirko.

Her ears and tail twitched a few times as she surveyed the class. "This is 1A, huh? Not what I was expecting."

A gasp came from a certain pink-skinned girl, who had already been looking forward to her teacher's appearance. Now, however, she was a flustered mess, face reddening as she stared at her Idol turned teacher with amazement.

While the rest of the class was staring in various degrees of awe at the Pro-Hero in their midst, Izumi couldn't help but find their reactions somewhat humorous. She had to hold back a smile as she saw the look on Mina's face.

Mina looked to be about a heart attack away from a cardiac arrest, her cheeks a bright pink as she stared at Mirko.

"Welcome to your first ever Heroics lesson, kiddies." Mirko smirked, walking to the podium.

She then proceeded to take her time, walking back and forth in front of the desks. As she moved, her large rabbit ears twitched, taking in the sounds around her as her long and incredibly toned legs carried her back and forth.

"The fact that you've been accepted into the most prestigious hero school in the nation means that you all have some level of potential. You've demonstrated to the U.A. Staff that, while you may still have a long way to go, you could have what it takes to be Pro Heroes."

"Being a hero is not a game. It's a job. It's a life. If you expect this to be a walk in the park because you managed to pass the entrance exams, you're sorely mistaken." Mirko continued. 

"Over the coming years, you will be tested. We will train you. And hopefully make you the best that you can grow into. Some of you won't make it. In all honesty, a lot of you won't make it." Mirko paused, looking over the class. "And I am no joke. If you can't keep up, you're out. Understood?"

There was a series of nods from the students, and after a moment, a chorus of 'Yes, ma'am.'

"Good. I'm glad we're all on the same level on that topic." Mirko replied, nodding. "Now, as you all probably already know, I'm the Pro Hero: Mirko. I'm sure you know my Quirk, I can't imagine it being very difficult to have missed. My Quirk grants me incredible physical power, speed, and stamina. It makes me the perfect hero for those long, drawn-out fights. In fact, no matter what kind of hero you become, you're going to have those kinds of fights. It may happen only once, maybe several. That's what we're going to focus on, today."

With that, she pressed a button on a small remote she had. From the wall emerged twenty metal cases, each marked with a number corresponding to each student's seat. 

"These are your hero costumes. Get changed and meet me at Ground Beta." Mirko commanded.

A collective murmur ran through the class at the words: 'Hero Costumes'. But that changed as they realised they were going to have to start using them so soon.

They were quickly brought out of their heads as Mirko spoke again. "What, you all thought that today was just going to be some easy introduction like your other classes? Get a move on!"

There was another murmur between the class, and then the students all stood up and headed to grab their cases. 

In particular, Mina had yet to stop looking star-struck, even when she had received her case. She followed close on Izumi's heels as they made for the girl's changing room.

The girls all walked into the changing room, most of them excited to try their new Hero Costumes on for the first time. 

Mina, who hadn't stopped trembling at this point, was vibrating with excitement. "This… This is so cool! Our first Heroics Class and we get to do it in our Hero Costumes!"

Flannery, who was standing next to her, raised a single eyebrow. "You good?"

"Yes!" Mina squeaked, nodding rapidly. "Never better!"

"Come on, let's get changed." Izumi smiled, taking her case to one of the stalls. "Don't want to keep Rara waiting, after all."

It took a few minutes for Izumi to change into her hero costume, due to its simplicity.

It was a black tank top, black shorts, black socks, revealing Izumi's toes and heels, and a green scarf wrapped around Izumi's neck. 

It didn't take long for the rest of the girls to finish, and soon they were ready to walk to Ground Beta and the awaiting Mirko.

Most of 1A had already assembled at Ground Beta. Everyone in the class had had a chance to get a look at the different styles of costume some of their fellow students had gone for, and a lot of them were impressed.

Mirko was waiting for the rest of the class, hands on her hips.

Once everyone arrived, Mirko started.

"Most of the villain fights you see on TV take place outside. However, according to statistics, run‐ins with most villains take place indoors. For example, the Nyahoja incident that happened five years ago, where some potheads tried to make a boosted version of weed using a Sprigatito. Most villains tend to stay hidden in the shadows. For this training exercise, you'll be split into teams of two and fight two‐on‐two, with one team protecting a fake missile, and the other trying to get to it and capture it. But remember, if this was a real situation, you wouldn't be able to brute force your way through the situation. You're dealing with a dangerous situation with dangerous consequences if handled incorrectly."

Mirko gave the class a few moments to digest the information, and then continued.

"This exercise is meant to help you realise how important tactics are in these situations, and to figure out how to best use your Quirks in combat." Another pause. "Now, let's get you sorted into teams!"

"Will we be choosing our teams?" Tenya asked, raising his arm.

"Nope! They'll be randomised, since out in the field, you never know who you'll end up working with." Mirko replied. 

There was a collective groan of disappointment and annoyance from the class. They all wanted to work with their friends, after all.

"Ah, ah, don't want to hear it. You should be prepared to work with whoever's there." Mirko reprimanded. "Listen for who you'll be paired with."

There was another grumble from the class, before all of their attention was back on their teacher.

"Team A is Uraraka and Hagakure, Team B is Asuna and Ojiro, Team C is Iida and Asui, Team D is Izumi and Mineta, Team E is Kirishima and Kaminari." Mirko announced. "Team F is Shoji and Sero, Team G is Ashido and Monoma, Team H is Momo and Jiro, Team I is Shibuki and Sato, and Team J is Tokoyami and Allister."

There was an initial outburst at the announcement of the teams, before the students were shushed by Mirko.   

Izumi looked on with some annoyance: she was paired up with a boy who'd made it very apparent that he had an "interest" in her. While she could handle him well enough one-on-one, it would be more difficult to do so while trying to complete a task.

Then again, maybe it'd be a good thing for the two of them. Mineta was kind of like a small dog. He would behave so long as he was given something to do. She would hope, at least.

"First teams up, Team B and Team D." Mirko announced. "Team B, you're defending the missile. Team D, you're trying to get to and safely capture the missile. I wish you two teams luck. Izumi, before you go in, would you like me to handle Dusky for the time being?"

"That'd be great, thanks." She gave her Service Lycanroc a gentle pat on the head before letting her walk over to Mirko.

"Alright, the rest of you need to follow me. We'll be going and watching the first pair of matches from a monitoring room." With that, Mirko turned and began leading the class away.

Pretty soon, both teams had arrived where they were told to go. Izumi and Mineta stood outside the tall building. 

Pretty soon, both teams had arrived where they were told to go. Izumi and Mineta stood outside the tall building. 

There was an awkward moment of silence between the two. Izumi was trying to focus on the match ahead, while Mineta... well, he was trying to be subtle as he looked her up and down.

"Mineta, what's your quirk?" Izumi asked the short boy.

"I can take the balls off my head and they stick to stuff." Mineta explained. "They bounce off me, though."

It was a useful Quirk, then.

She turned to look at the building they were going to be assaulting. It was, of course, rather ominous-looking.

"Alright, I think I have a plan." Izumi nodded.

"You do?" Mineta was surprised. "Already? That was fast."

"That was the easy part. We just need to see how well it works now." Izumi nodded. "Let's go through it. Pay attention, as I'll only explain it once."

“Once the match starts, I want you to go in and start combing the rooms that don’t have windows, I’ll check the ones with windows from the outside. If you see Asuna or Ojiro, tell me their location, through the earpieces Mirko gave us." Izumi explained.

“How are you going to check the windows? There’s no stairs.” Mineta asked.

Izumi grinned. “I can climb.”

Mineta raised his eyebrows in surprise at that. "...oh."

He looked at the wall. Yeah, he had no idea how she was going to climb that.

Once the match started, she walked around the building as Mineta headed inside. Once at the back, she grabbed a window ledge and tested its strength, before starting to climb. Mirko had taught her a lot, and that included how to climb buildings, a very useful skill for any hero, regardless of specialty.

It had become clear very quickly that this building was designed more for training than any practical use, as the windows were far enough apart that there were not many handholds on the wall itself. As a result, Izumi was forced to climb from side to side, like some kind of Aipom at a zoo.

At least she was good at it.

Climbing this way also meant that she was visible from many windows, and therefore open to attack from whoever was checking the windows. But she was counting on the fact that they most likely wouldn't look outside, and as she climbed higher and higher she was proven correct.

Once she was at the third floor, she pulled herself over the ledge and into the hallway she had been seeing into.

As it happened, this floor seemed to be almost empty, and it was quite dark. The building was designed to mimic real world scenarios, so none of the lights in the room were on, leaving her to navigate in near total darkness.

Izumi looked down at the Pokewatch, debating whether or not to use it just yet.

"Should I?" She thought to herself. "Or should I wait?"

It was at that exact moment that she heard a crashing sound behind her. Izumi's head instantly turned to stare in the direction it had come from, her hands moving into a battle-ready stance.

There was a moment of silence, and then her earpiece buzzed, the voice of Mineta coming through.

"Hey..." Mineta's slightly panicked voice said over the earpiece. "I just found where they're guarding the missile. And... and I got a little distracted. They spotted me. You might want to get down here."

Izumi sighed. Mineta was a good guy, but he was also an easily distractible pervert, of course.

"Which floor are you on?" Izumi asked. 

"I'm on the first floor." Mineta replied, not without a hint of pride. He had made it that far, after all. "I was checking the rooms without windows, just like you said."

"On my way. Hang tight." She told him, picking up the pace.

"Alright, I'll try." Mineta sounded like he was breathing fast. "Get here soon."

With that, the connection was severed. Izumi cursed the short boy. She'd explicitly told him to wait, so why did he have to go rushing ahead?

Regardless of his recklessness, she couldn't just leave him on his own. Picking up the pace, Izumi made her way through the near-total darkness, quickly finding the staircase and hurrying down.

The moment she reached the first floor, the sound of people fighting could be heard from ahead. It wasn't hard to pick out Mineta's voice, as the short boy had no idea how to be quiet.

Izumi reached the large room that Mineta and the others seemed to be fighting in and had to take a moment of pause. The lights weren't on in here either, but the large windows on the other sides of the room let plenty of sunlight in for a good view of Mineta, who was currently trying to evade Mashirao.

"Help!" Mineta shouted at the sight of her, running towards her.

Unfortunately, that only meant that he ended up running right into an incoming tail, the boy's face getting slammed into the ground.

Izumi cursed. She really had told him not to rush into anything.

Mashirao, the owner of the tail, seemed a little shocked and surprised. He hadn't expected there to be another student in here with Mineta. He gave her a glance before his focus was back on Mineta, kicking the short boy once more to keep him down.

"You going to fight, or just stand there?" Mashirao questioned, glancing at her again. His words were calm and collected. It seemed as if he had the upper hand in the situation, and he knew it.

Not in the mood to make things easy, Izumi responded by dropping into her stance, her hands in front of her in open fists. But, rather than immediately attacking, she stayed still.

It seemed that this confused Mashirao. The boy stood up straight, tilting his head as he looked at her, no longer keeping pressure on Mineta, who took the opportunity to scramble back to his feet.

"Come on and show me what you can do." Izumi demanded. "Or are we going to do this the easy way, Aipom?"

Mineta let out a snicker, watching from the sidelines. 

Mashirao's eyes narrowed a little, looking slightly annoyed at the insult. But, the jab also seemed to get to him. After a few moments of consideration, he took up a stance.

"You asked for it." Was all he said before he raced forwards, his tail lashing out to sweep her legs from under her.

However, Izumi jumped out of the way, activating the Pokewatch and transforming into a light brown, slightly pudgy Pokemon with a tail that looked like a paintbrush.

Izumi, now a Smeargle, used Teleport, teleporting behind Mashirao, and then she used Scald, shooting hot water towards Mashirao.

Mashirao let out a cry of pain as he was splashed. He stumbled, caught off guard by the heat. It seemed as if he had completely underestimated the girl he was fighting.

"You've got range." He hissed out, trying to keep his voice calm and level. 

Mashirao's tail lashed out once more, looking to snag Izumi's leg and trip her up.

But, that wasn't an easy feat when she could teleport. The moment that the appendage got close to her, she teleported just out of reach, the tail missing by a hair’s breadth.

Izumi then started to whistle, performing the move known as Grass Whistle, putting Mashirao to sleep.

Mashirao tried to continue fighting, despite clearly starting to struggle to keep his eyes open. But, soon enough, he was out. Mineta let out a whistle, looking impressed.

Izumi then transformed back into her original form. 

"You deal with Ojiro, I'll go find the missile." Izumi commanded.

Mineta looked a little surprised at the order, but he didn't say anything to object.

"Yeah, got it." He nodded. Mineta pulled out a small roll of tape from his belt, and he began to tape Mashirao to the ground.

While he did that, Izumi headed in the opposite direction, starting her search for the missile. 

It was difficult to navigate her way through the near darkness of the building, but the fact that it was a pretty standard layout meant that it wasn't too difficult for her to find her way. 

It didn't take too long for her to find the room the missile was being kept in.

The missile was being guarded by Flannery, who playfully smirked once she saw Izumi.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

She looked at the much smaller girl in front of her, clearly assuming that she would be an easy target.

"Looks like we have a little intruder." Flannery continued as she took a step forward. 

Izumi, however, wasn't intimidated. 

"Looks like we do." She responded, her eyes narrowing as she took a step forward as well. "I wouldn't get any closer if I were you."

"What, you gonna stop me?" Flannery smirked, taking another step forward. She seemed amused by the other's confidence.

"That's the entire point of this exercise." Izumi snapped back. "Let's settle this like adults now."

Flannery let out a cackle, clearly amused.

"Oh, you are fun! You've got spunk." Flannery then took a Pokeball from her belt and threw it. "Go, Combusken!"

The Pokeball opened and a large chicken-like Pokemon came jumping out. The Pokemon let out a few squawks, looking excited to fight.

Izumi smirked, taking out one of her own Pokeballs and throwing it.

"Go, Ashika!" Izumi exclaimed, her Popplio coming out.

Combusken let out a small cry as she looked up and down at the Popplio, clearly sizing her up.

Flannery grinned as she took the opportunity to give her command. "Use Ember!"

Combusken spat out a few small embers, the small flames heading for Ashika. However, Ashika didn't seem that concerned. In fact, the Popplio seemed to almost be dancing around, looking like she was dodging the small flames without even trying.

Flannery's eyes widened as she noticed how easy the Popplio was avoiding the attacks. 

She quickly gave her next command. "Don't let up on the attacks! Keep using Ember!"

"Ashika, Water Gun!" Izumi commanded.

Ashika formed a bubble of water in her mouth, then sprayed it at Combusken with impressive precision. The Water Gun hit the ember flames midair, extinguishing them entirely and leaving a sizzling trail of steam as it closed the distance between the two Pokémon. 

The move hit Combusken head on, causing her to stumble backwards, clearly not expecting the attack. Flannery's eyes widened in surprise. She knew Water-type moves were super effective against Fire-types, of course, but she hadn't expected the move to do that much damage. 

"...Interesting." She muttered under her breath. Clearly this wasn't going to be as easy as she had thought. She was going to have to change up her tactics.

"Combusken, use Double Kick!" Flannery called out, changing her strategy.

Combusken didn't waste a moment before running towards the Popplio, her legs glowing as she prepared to attack.

Izumi thought quickly, seeing the attack coming from a mile away. "Ashika, dodge it and use another Water Gun!"

The Popplio jumped up to avoid the kick effortlessly, before turning and spraying another Water Gun at Combusken. The attack hit Combusken hard. With her typing, the large amounts of water did a good deal of damage.

But, she didn't drop, taking a moment to shake the water off her body before letting out a squawk. 

Flannery, for her part, looked more than a little concerned. She hadn't been expecting the opponent to be so good at dodging.

"Double Kick again!" Flannery ordered.

Combusken, not needing to be told twice, went for another two kicks, determined to land even a single hit.

Izumi smirked as Ashika danced backward with a playful flip of her fins, splashing puddles onto the floor.

"Switcheroo!" Izumi called, activating the Pokewatch. 

In a burst of green light, Izumi transformed into an amphibious quadruped Pokemon resembling both a mudskipper and an axolotl. Now a Swampert, Izumi rushed behind Flannery to spray Muddy Water down Combusken's back feathers. The flaming chicken let out a surprised cluck as it was now two against one.

Combusken let out a cry of protest, trying to move out of the way of the attack, yet unable to do so before she was hit. The super effective move, coupled with the Muddy Water, had clearly done a good deal of damage, and it was clear that the large chicken was struggling.

Flannery's eyes widened a little more as she saw the large Swampert standing there. How many Pokémon can this girl transform into!? 

Flannery looked over at Combusken, taking in the state that the poor creature was in.

Combusken was clearly weakened, and that Muddy Water had made her feathers into a mess. 

She cursed under her breath, starting to look worried. Combusken, despite its best efforts, had taken quite the beating, and it was clear that this wasn't going to end the way she had planned. She was getting desperate. Flannery desperately looked around for a way to turn the tables, but, as far as she could see, there wasn't much else she could do.

"Don't lose, Combusken. Just hang in there, dammit!"

Combusken looked up at her trainer with a plea in her eyes, silently begging for her to recall her.

Flannery stared back, weighing her options. She didn’t like the idea of withdrawing her Pokemon so easily, yet there was no way she could continue to fight while she was in such a damaged state. She bit her lip for a few moments, before letting out a huff and reached for the Pokeball.

"Come back, Combusken. You did good."

The red light of the Pokeball enveloped the large Fire-Type, calling her back inside.

Flannery placed the ball back on her belt before turning back to Izumi.

"You and that Popplio are more powerful than I expected, girl. You've got skills, that's for sure, but this exercise isn't over yet."

However, while Flannery was distracted with her Combusken, Izumi had transformed back to herself and was bear hugging the faux missile.

"Or not..." Flannery mumbled.

"Team D wins!" Mirko shouted over the intercom.

Izumi let out a whoop of joy, raising one fist above her head in triumph. She had won.

Flannery's shoulders slumped as the realisation of the fact that she had lost dawned on her, but it only took a few moments for her to recompose herself.

"That was some good battling." She said, looking at the smaller girl. "I haven't had to put that much effort into a fight in a while. You've got talent, girl."

"I try my best to." Izumi nodded, sending Ashika back to her Pokeball.

Flannery couldn’t help but chuckle, crossing her arms and shaking her head.

"Oh, I'm sure you do." She smirked, a look of amusement on her face. "I wonder, how many different Pokemon are in that arsenal of yours?"

"Eighteen." Izumi replied. "Now come on, let's get the boys and head out. We don't want to make Rara wait, after all."

Once the four of them made it to the Observation Room, they were met with a small applause from their classmates.

"Now that was an interesting battle, indeed!" Mirko smiled.

Class 1A couldn’t help but agree. Although it had taken Izumi and Mineta a while to complete the match, they had managed to complete the exercise without getting caught.

"That match was sick!" Mina exclaimed. "You really just have all those different Pokemon hiding up your sleeve, Midoriya-Usagiyama!"

Izumi smiled, rubbing the back of her neck. "Well, yeah, but I wouldn't really call it a talent or anything... It's just an added benefit of my Quirk. It would be almost irresponsible for me to not spend a lot of time learning the ins and outs of my transformations."

"Yeah, but the amount of work you've put in definitely shows!" Mina grinned. "You fought well and you're totally awesome."

Izumi chuckled awkwardly, still a little unsure of how to respond whenever someone praised her talents. "I just did my best. I had some help."

Mina laughed, gently elbowing the girl. "You're way too modest."

Mirko, who was standing nearby, let out a small chuckle and interjected into the conversation. "She's always been like that. Even when she was just a little tyke running around, this girl would never gloat about her victories."

"Rara!" Izumi blushed.

Mirko let out a scoff, waving off the other girl's embarrassment. "Don't you 'Rara' me. You know I'm right."

"But do you have to say it in front of everyone?" Izumi protested.

"Of course I do. You're adorable when you get embarrassed." Mirko grinned.

Her words made Izumi's face go completely red, and the rest of 1A couldn't help but let out a collective "Aww."

"Alright, next teams up, Team H on defending the faux missile, and Team J on capturing the missile." Mirko announced. "Let's see how well you can do."

As the next team got ready for the battle to begin, Izumi heard someone walking up to her. She looked up to see that it was Mezo.

"I never got the chance to say this to you, but congratulations on getting first place on Eraserhead's Quirk test, yesterday." Mezo congratulated. "Also, I have something to ask you. It's about your watch."

Izumi tilted her head, surprised by the sudden shift in topic.

"My watch?" She repeated. "What about it?"

"I basically want to know what you know about it." Mezo replied. "If you aren't comfortable sharing that information, that's fine, though."

"Oh, no, I don't mind." Izumi shook her head. "I don't know a whole lot about it, I'm still learning the ropes, but I could tell you what I know. Actually, I have an entire notebook about my watch if you'd like to read it."

Mezo nodded. "I wouldn't mind. Actually, I prefer learning things through reading, rather than listening. It's easier for me to process information."

Izumi smiled at that. "I get that."

Izumi then reached behind her back pulling a yellow notebook titled, "Pokewatch" on it out of... Somewhere (Mezo wasn't sure where), before handing it to him.

SUMMARY

The Pokewatch is a device that allows the wearer to transform into Pokemon. Each Pokemon (barring one) has a moveset of up to six moves. As I've researched, I don't have to worry about PP being used up, so each Pokemon can use a move however many times.

Regarding time limit, I can be transformed for however long I like. But if the time is over five minutes, then the Pokewatch has a recharge time of however long I was transformed for.

Mezo flipped through a few pages, before landing on one of the pages about Izumi's transformations.

Smeargle

Moves:

Normal (Mega Punch) ☆

Fire (Flame Charge) ☆

Water (Scald) ★

Grass (Grass Whistle) ○

Electric (Thunderbolt) ★

Ice (Freeze-Dry) ★

Fighting (Power-Up Punch) ☆

Poison (Poison Jab) ☆

Ground (Dig) ☆

Flying (Air Slash) ★

Psychic (Teleport) ○

Bug (X-Scissor) ☆

Rock (Rock Polish) ○

Ghost (Nightmare) ○

Dark (Hone Claws) ○

Dragon (Twister) ★

Steel (Mirror Shot) ★

Fairy (Floral Healing) ○

Power Integration Ability(ies): Enhanced Painting/Drawing, Enhanced Skill Learning

Power Integration? Now that was interesting. Mezo flipped through a few pages, hoping to find some information on whatever Power Integration was. However, no matter how many pages he flipped through, he couldn’t find what he was looking for.

"Hey, thanks for letting me read your notebook." Mezo thanked Izumi, giving her back the notebook. "I have one last question, though."

"Yeah?" 

"What's Power Integration?"

"Have you seen either of them, yet?" Fumikage asked Allister through the earpiece.

"N-No, not yet." Allister quickly replied. "I m-might be coming close, th-though."

"Alright, if you see either of them, contact me immediately."

"R-Right..."

As if on cue, Allister heard footsteps coming from behind him, followed by the opening of a Pokeball.

Allister quickly turned around and stared at whoever was behind him. He could barely make out their shape, since the hallway wasn't very well lit.

Allister took a small step back, glancing down at the Pokeballs strapped to his belt. "D-Don't come any closer!"

A girl's voice responded, sounding a little amused.

"And what, exactly, do you plan on doing to me?"

Allister squinted through the darkness, trying to make out the intruder. Judging by her height and voice, it was probably Kyoka.

Allister took another step back, glancing down the hall. He looked around, but Fumikage was nowhere to be seen. He felt his heart rate increase as the girl took a step closer to him.

"Are you going to send out a Pokemon, or are you just going to run away?"

The girl took another step forward, now almost completely visible. Allister felt his back press up against the wall of the corridor, and quickly realised that he had nowhere else to go.

"So that's the deal, huh?" Mezo asked.

"Pretty much." Izumi nodded. "But the weirdest part? It all happened a few hours after I accidentally collided with a dude with pink hair and horns."

"That does sound strange." Mezo nodded.

"Is that all you wanted to know?" Izumi asked.

"Pretty much, yes." Mezo replied. "Thanks for your time."

"No problem." Izumi smiled, before bringing her attention back to the screen that the class was watching the battle trials on. "Kick their asses Momo!"

From what the class could see, Momo and Kyoka were, in fact, kicking Fumikage and Allister's asses. When Fumikage sent out Dark Shadow, Momo figured out their weakness, and brought out Grace, who just so happened to be a Fire-type Pokemon.

"Look alive, kiddies! What makes a good blind team up?" Mirko asked the class, not waiting for an answer. "Good communication. And both teams are clearly showcasing good communication!"

Rikido raised his hand.

"Yes, Sato?" Mirko called on him.

"If both of them are showcasing good communication, then why is Team J getting totally clapped?" Rikido asked.

Mirko smirked. "Because, my friend, communication isn't the only factor in battle. Both teams have their own strengths and weaknesses, and it's up to them to manage them to the best of their ability."

It wasn't the first time Izumi had heard that explanation, but it still made sense to her. 

After all, while both pairs were communicating well, one team was clearly better coordinated. And that wasn't the kind of thing an opponent could just account for on the fly.

As the battle trials continued, Class 1A watched intently, taking notes on what they could for their upcoming trials.

Izumi leaned forward, her eyes fixed on the screen. "Come on, Momo..." She muttered under her breath, hoping her friend would come out on top.

It seemed like fate was on her friend's side, as Momo and Kyoka eventually came out victorious. Izumi couldn't help but cheer, her heart swelling with pride for her friend.

Classes had finished for the day, and Momo and Izumi were walking in the halls.

"Any plans for this afternoon?" Momo asked Izumi.

"Well, I'm probably going to catch up on the latest chapters of That One Time I Was A Vigilante." Izumi shrugged. "The Grand Slammer Arc has recently concluded, and before the next arc, a couple of breather chapters have been published, and I haven't had the time to read them, yet. You?"

"You know what, I think I might join you." Momo smiled.

The two continued to chat for a bit, until they were stopped by a familiar voice.

"Hey, you two!" Mirko called out to them, running up to them as well.

"Oh, Rara!" Izumi smiled at her mother.

"How was your first Heroics lesson?" Mirko asked. 

"Amazing, Rara." Izumi chuckled. "You did great."

"Thanks." Mirko smiled right back at her. "Say, Hawks is picking me up in the party bus. Want to join me?"

Momo and Izumi looked at each other for a moment, silently debating with each other.

"Sure, why not?" Momo nodded.

Chapter Text

“Ashika, Water Pledge! Just like I showed you!”

It was Class 1A’s first Pokemon Training lesson of the year, and Izumi, currently a Sceptile, was teaching Ashika and Peaker some new moves. Ashika did what Izumi had taught her, soon causing rain to fall on Izumi.

“How was that?” Ashika asked.

“You’re learning fast.” Izumi nodded, before looking at Peaker. “Hey, ready to learn Agility?”

“You know I am!” Peaker eagerly nodded.

Izumi touched the Pokewatch symbol on her chest, switching to a Fearow.

“Doesn’t your Sceptile form know Agility, too?” Peaker asked.

“It does.” Izumi nodded. “But I thought it’d be easier to teach to you if I was teaching you in the form of your evolution.”

“Ah.”

“Now, all you’ve gotta do is relax and lighten your body.” Izumi instructed. “Watch what I do.”

Izumi started to relax and lightened her body, before moving forwards, quickly.

“There, now you try.”

Peaker nodded, doing the same thing as Izumi, and quickly moving side to side, then quickly flying to where Izumi was.

“That was great! Really great!” Izumi congratulated, before spotting Momo walking to where she was.

“I knew you’d be out here somewhere.” Momo chuckled.

“What’s up?” Izumi asked, tilting her head.

“I wanted to ask if you could teach my Pokemon some moves.” Momo asked.

“Anything for you.” Izumi nodded, Momo bringing out Grace, Beauty, her Ralts, and Chime, her Chingling. “Hey, guys.”

Chime happily chirped in greeting, while Beauty and Grace let out cheerful cries. 

"Alright, what are your guys' current moves?" Izumi asked.

"I currently know Flame Charge, Howl, Tail Whip, and Scratch." Grace explained. "Beauty knows Teleport, Confusion, and Double Team. And Chime knows Wrap, Growl, and Astonish."

"Not a bad selection." Izumi nodded. "Alright, Beauty, Chime, why don't you work on your current moves with Peaker. Grace, we'll start with you. Do you know what region's lineage you have?"

"I... Think it's Kalos." Grace presumed. "Why? Is that important?"

"Yamashitan Pokemon don't really have much Yamashitan lineage." Izumi explained. "So that means wherever your lineage is, it means your moveset is from there."

"So what moves will I be learning?" Grace asked.

"Well, my Turtonator form knows Flamethrower, which is something that Fennekin learns at level 35, which is way after it has evolved. Normally, Braixen learns it at level 41, and Delphox learns it at level 42." Izumi explained. "But, Grace, how'd you like to learn Flamethrower earlier than you already would have?"

"Yes!" Grace nodded. "I'd love to! Can you teach me now?" 

"Alright then-" Izumi nodded, touching the symbol on her chest, her form changing to a Turtonator. "Just watch what I do, and repeat it as best you can."

"Got it." Grace nodded.

"Basically, Flamethrower is a stronger version of Ember, which you should have known at some point." Izumi began. "So, what you're going to do is perform a stronger version of whatever you did when you knew the move. For reference, if you can't remember, watch me."

Izumi shot out a large stream of flames out of her mouth, setting a nearby patch of grass ablaze.

Grace watched avidly. "I think I can do that!" She said, her excitement barely controlled. She let out a series of embers, getting her body ready to fire an actual Flamethrower, before focusing her energy into a single stream out of her mouth.

Grace's Flamethrower was far smaller than Izumi's, though that was to be expected from a young Pokemon. 

"Not bad!" Izumi smiled. "With a bit of practice, that could really pack a punch."

"Really?" Grace practically glowed with pride. "I got it on my first try?"

"Yep." Izumi grinned.

"Awesome!" Grace cheered. "I think I could do this all day."

"Why don’t you practice on Ashika?" Izumi offered. "She's a Water-type, so she resists Fire-type attacks."

"Sure! I'd love to!" Grace agreed, turning her attention over to the Popplio, who was currently working on her technique with Water Pledge.

Izumi couldn't help but smile. She knew the Fennekin had feelings for her Popplio, and they made a great duo. 

"Beauty, you're up!" Izumi called out to the Ralts.

Beauty nodded eagerly, and joined their group, stepping up next to her trainer. "I'm ready!" She chirped.

"Alright, what region's lineage do you have?" Izumi asked. "Before you ask, it's to judge what moveset you have access to."

Beauty hummed, thinking. She'd never really paid much attention to that sort of thing. "I think I'm Kalosian?"

"Huh, just like your sister." Izumi nodded. "Well, how'd you like to learn Zen Headbutt? My Volcarona form knows it."

Beauty's eyes shone with excitement. "Yes, please!" she chirped. "Zen Headbutt sounds awesome!"

"Alright, I'll teach it to you." Izumi nodded, touching the symbol on her chest, transforming into a large six-winged insectile Pokemon that resembled a fiery moth. 

"You ready?" Izumi, now a Volcarona, asked, getting into position. 

"As ready as ever!" Beauty nodded.

"Alright, just charge your head with Psychic-type energy, and prepare to strike." Izumi instructed. "I'll demonstrate."

Beauty nodded, and she closed her eyes, getting focused and centering herself, before charging up energy and opening her eyes with a confident gleam.

"Exactly like that!" Izumi nodded, giving the Ralts an encouraging smile. "But, instead of focusing that energy into a Confusion, I want you to focus it into your head, and charge forward, using the energy to make your forehead strike harder."

Beauty nodded, understanding. She focused the energy on her head, before charging forward, headbutting a nearby tree. She stumbled a little from the force of the blow, but managed to maintain her balance.

"Great job!" Izumi praised. "With a bit of practice, your Zen Headbutts will be strong enough to knock out most opponents."

"Really?" Beauty asked excitedly. "I can't wait to try this out in battle!"

"I'm sure Peaker wouldn't mind sparring with you." Izumi chuckled. "I was teaching her Agility before Momo asked me to teach you guys some moves."

"Alright!" Beauty cheered, going off to spar with Peaker.

"Alright, Chime, you're up!" Izumi called over the Chingling.

"Finally!" Chime chimed gleefully, bouncing over to where Izumi was. "What move am I learning?! Hyper Beam? Giga Impact? Frenzy Plant?!"

"Calm down, Chime." Izumi chuckled. "Remember what I told you when we first met. Knowing strong moves doesn't..."

"Make someone a better battler." Chime finished. "I know, I just want to be as strong as my big sisters."

"And that's something we can work on." Izumi nodded. "Since you're a baby Pokemon, your stats aren't that big in terms of numbers, and your level up move pool is kinda limited. But, I'm sure we can make it work. What region's lineage do you have?"

"Umm..." Chime's face scrunched up into a frown. "I'm not really sure... I mean..." She hummed, trying to think. "Sinnoh?" She eventually said, though unsure of herself.

"Alright, I think I know a move I can teach you, then." Izumi nodded. "Since your best stat is Special Attack, it'd be a good idea to learn a Special move. So how does Swift sound?"

Chime's face lit up. "Swift? Really? You think I can learn Swift?!"

"Of course, you can." Izumi nodded. She knew the Chingling wasn't exactly the best battler at the moment, but she could tell she tried, and genuinely cared about getting better. 

She quickly got Chime to touch the symbol on her chest, due to the fact that Volcarona don't have any arms, and she transformed into a quadrupedal, mammalian, feliform Pokemon with white coloured fur covering most of her slender body. The top of her head was a vibrant shade of pink, and had long pink rabbit-like ears with dark blue insides.

"Since, normally, pun intended, Swift is a Normal-type move, it's easy to learn." Izumi, now a Sylveon, explained. "Now, watch and listen carefully."

"Got it!" Chime nodded, getting ready. The Chingling had already seen several of the others learning moves, but she was determined to pay the most attention this time.

"Basically, Swift is a move that shoots out several stars at your opponent. The stars, although small, are quite powerful, and have the ability to home in on opponents, which means they're guaranteed to hit." Izumi explained. "Understand me so far?"

"Yep, got it!" Chime nodded. "The stars are small, but powerful, and they always hit the target!"

"That's right." Izumi nodded. "Now, I want you to channel all your energy into a single point, so that it can be used to create the stars for Swift."

"Okay." Chime nodded, closing her eyes and concentrating. She focused all the energy in her small body to a point on the tip of her head. She was going to do this, with just a little guidance.

"Perfect." Izumi nodded. "You're doing great. Now, while keeping that energy focused, try picturing stars in your head. Try to form an image of a bunch of little, glowing stars."

Chime nodded again, the little Chingling focusing even harder, trying to form a mental image of a bunch of tiny, shining stars.

"Alright, now try to shoot out what you imagined." Izumi instructed. "Imagine a bunch of shooting stars in the sky."

Chime nodded once more, and she did her best to use the energy she was focusing into the point on her head to create the stars she was imagining in her mind. Suddenly, a stream of small, glowing projectiles shot from the point on her head, and they flew forwards, heading towards a nearby tree.

"That's it!" Izumi praised, the stars managing to slam into the tree, causing a little bit of damage. "You managed to create a bunch of stars, and have them hit their intended target. You've mastered the basics of Swift, Chime."

"Really?!" Chime squealed, her eyes widening in a mixture of pride and excitement. "I did it?!"

"Yep, now it'd be a good idea to work on Swift with the others, since the move hits multiple opponents, which makes it perfect for double battles." Izumi instructed.

"Oh, right!" Chime nodded, before rushing off, eager to go test out her new move with the others, especially Grace and Beauty, her two older sisters.

As Izumi watched the Pokemon spar, she noticed one of her classmates, who she soon recognised as Ochaco, finishing up a conversation with Momo, and then started walking up to Izumi.

"Hey, uh, Midoriya-Usagiyama, I kinda heard from Yaomomo that you were teaching her Pokemon some moves and I was kinda wondering if you could do the same thing with one of my Pokemon?" Ochaco asked, kind of awkwardly. Izumi figured it was because she was a Pokemon at that moment. "You don't have to if you don’t want to, though! It's completely up to you!"

"It's fine." Izumi nodded.

"Oh, thanks!" Ochaco smiled, sending out a Duskull. "I only caught her recently, and she's only level 9."

"H... Hello." The Duskull greeted. "My name is Requiem."

"It's wonderful to meet you, Requiem." Izumi smiled. "Now, just out of curiosity, what region's lineage do you have?"

"What region's... What?" Requiem asked.

"It's to determine your moveset." Izumi explained. "Depending on what region you or your ancestors were born in, you'll have different moves that you can learn. For example, Charmander in Kanto learn Metal Claw at level 13, while Charmander found anywhere else, can't."

"Oh, well, I'm pretty sure it's Sinnoh or something?" Requiem replied, mentally asking herself whether she was right or not.

"So, you're not sure?" Izumi asked, receiving a nod in return.

"Well, that's okay." Izumi assured. "But, it does mean that the moveset I teach you will come down to a bit of trial and error."

"So what move will you teach me?" The Ghost-type Pokemon asked.

"Since you're a Ghost-type, it'd be a good idea to know a Ghost-type move." Izumi pointed out. "What I'm about to do might be a little bit weird or strange, but don't freak out."

Izumi touched the symbol on her chest, transforming into a tall humanoid Pokemon resembling a knight that wears dark purple armour that is segmented across their body. 

Requiem just looked up in awe at the new form.

"Woah..." Was all the Duskull managed to get out.

"How would you like to learn Shadow Sneak?" Izumi, now a Ceruledge, asked.

"Th... That sounds like a really strong move." Requiem managed, still stunned. "I'd love to!"

"Alright." Izumi nodded. "Now watch what I do."

Izumi took a step or two forwards, before moving at a much faster pace in a small, shadowy blur before stopping on a spot a few feet away. 

"You try that." Izumi instructed. "Just focus a small amount of your energy on moving forwards, and move forward faster than usual."

Requiem nodded, and did just as Izumi had shown her. She focused a small amount of energy on moving forwards, before speeding forward at a much faster pace before stopping herself.

"Like that?" She asked for reassurance.

"Exactly like that." Izumi nodded. "Now that you've gotten a grip on that part, try adding a little bit more energy to the burst next time." 

"What?! No way!" Someone shouted. Izumi recognised the voice as Mina's.

Izumi looked over to see Momo chatting with Mina, the latter having a shocked look on her face.

Requiem also looked over, curious as to what the other girl was yelling about.

Meanwhile, Izumi was just confused as to what was going on.

"Midoriya-Usagiyama! You've GOT to work your magic on one of my Pokemon!" Mina exclaimed, rushing over to Izumi. "So, like, I have a Sneasel, right? She's my strongest Pokemon. Can you teach her a move or two?"

"I'll see what I can do." Izumi nodded.

Excitedly, Mina sent out her Sneasel, though it wasn't like any other Sneasel Izumi had seen up close. Definitely not a Shiny. Instead of the usual teal-coloured body normal Sneasel had, she had a white and purple body.

"So yous ‘da cool cat Mina was talkin' bout?" The Sneasel looked Izumi up and down. "Seems legits. ‘Da name's Nyala."

"Oh, uh, I'm Izumi." Izumi introduced herself, snapping out of her thoughts.

"Cool name." Nyala replied, before sizing up Izumi. 

Requiem, who was still standing next to Izumi, just awkwardly watched the conversation take place.

"Requiem, I think you should train with Shadow Sneak, in order to get used to it." Izumi ordered.

"Alright." Requiem nodded, floating over to where the other Pokemon were sparring.

"So, whatcha gonna teach me?" Nyala asked.

"Well, that depends." Izumi explained, placing a hand to her chin. "Before I teach you a move, I need to ask you something first."

"Alright ‘den, shoot." Nyala nodded, placing her hands on her hips in an almost sassy way.

"Where does your Sneasel lineage originate?" Izumi asked. "Depending on where you hail from, it could affect what moves you can learn."

"Really, I'm not sure." Nyala shrugged. "But if it helps, I knows Low Kick, Rock Smash, Sludge Bomb, and Agility."

"I see, so you're not sure either..." Izumi hummed. "In that case, your moveset will come down to a bit of trial and error... Still, I have an idea of what I could teach you." 

"Really? What move's 'dat?" Nyala asked. 

"Poison Jab. A Physical Poison-type move." Izumi answered.

"'Dat sounds sick as hell!" Nyala grinned. "I'm in."

"Alright, just don't freak out about what I'm about to do." Izumi touched the Pokewatch symbol on her chest, transforming into an amphibian-like Pokemon that bears a close resemblance to a Poison Dart Frog. 

However, much like Requiem, Nyala didn't freak out. Instead, she just looked Izumi up and down again.

"So yous a Ditto? Pretty cool." Nyala complimented.

"Not exactly. It's really more complicated than that." Izumi shook her head. "But just watch what I do, and see if you can copy me."

"Gots it." Nyala nodded, before focusing on what Izumi was going to do.

Izumi focused her energy on her right hand, before it turned a vibrant shade of purple, indicating the poison inside. Then she suddenly took a swing, striking with her poison-imbued hand. 

"Try doing that." Izumi instructed, taking a step back to let Nyala try it.

Nyala nodded in understanding, and focused her energy into her right hand as well. She watched as it turned the same shade of purple Izumi's did.

"So yas just gotta swing?" Nyala asked, as she prepared to copy Izumi.

"Yep, exactly." Izumi nodded in response. "Try it just like I did, with as much force as me, and you've got yourself a nice, strong Poison Jab."

"Okay, sounds easy enough." Nyala nodded, and did exactly as Izumi had instructed. She swung her right hand forwards, and was pleasantly surprised by a decently strong, purple-imbued punch.

"'Dat actually didn't feels half bad!" Nyala grinned. "’Dis is pretty rad."

"Hey, no problem!" Izumi smiled. "Just keep working on your jabs and you'll be able to pull it off flawlessly! If you ever have trouble using the move, I like to think that the poison is a boxing glove, while your fist does all of the hard work."

"Oh, thanks for the tip." Nyala nodded. "And trust me, I definitely wills work on 'dis one!"

Izumi smiled, glad that she was able to teach another Pokemon a new move.

At the beginning of every year, after the first few days, the teachers all met in order to discuss important matters. They pointed out any students who seemed like they would be problems, or were particularly bright. They also alerted the rest of the teachers to any physical or mental issues the students had so everyone was prepared. They went in class order, so 1A was first.

“I want everyone to keep an eye on Minoru Mineta. I don’t like the way he keeps looking at his female classmates. Denki Kaminari has ADHD and dyslexia, so allow him to use his fidget toys in class, they help him concentrate. He also has epilepsy, so he has a Boltund who alerts to seizures. Momo Yaoyorozu’s Quirk relies on body fat, and if she overuses it, it could cause some health issues.” Eraserhead started. "Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama, Tsuyu Asui, Mezo Shoji, Tenya Iida, and Kyoka Jiro all have ASD."

Eraserhead looked at the other teachers. Most of them looked surprised. One teacher raised a brow and asked, "ASD? What's that mean?"

"Autism Spectrum Disorder." Present Mic answered. "Basically, they have some form of autism. They'll probably react differently to some things, and you'll have to be understanding towards them and their needs."

"How can we be understanding if we don't even know what they need!?" Another teacher exclaimed. 

Eraserhead raised a hand to silence them. "Like Present Mic said, it's a spectrum. It's different for each of them. You just have to be open to learning what each one needs. Like we do with all the other students with different needs."

Mirko raised her hand. "Can I add on a few things?"

"Go ahead." Eraserhead nodded. "I assume it's about your daughter?"

"Yep." Mirko nodded. "Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama, much like Kaminari, has a Service Pokemon. She has anxiety issues and often has panic attacks. If these occur, allow her Lycanroc to do her job. If the panic is severe, get me, and allow Yaoyorozu to help her. They're childhood friends and Momo has accustomed herself to dealing with Izumi's needs."

The teachers were listening intently now, taking in all the information. Present Mic spoke up. "Does she have any other needs we should know about?"

"She gets overwhelmed very easily, and her anxiety causes her to get overstimulated in loud and crowded places." Mirko answered. 

Eraserhead scratched his chin, thinking. "How often do her panic attacks occur?"

"They're pretty frequent." Mirko admitted. "They can happen almost anywhere, at any time. She'll need time to collect herself after them, so give her some space if she panics."

The teachers nodded, taking notes on everything being said. A question popped into Midnight's mind.

"I have a question." Midnight spoke up. "How long does she usually take to recover from a panic attack?"

"It can vary." Mirko replied. "Sometimes it's a few minutes, other times it can be over an hour."

The teachers murmured amongst themselves, discussing this information. Cementoss raised his hand.

"This is an important question." Cementoss spoke. "What are the signs that a panic attack is oncoming?"

"Her body language will change." Mirko answered. "She'll start biting her nails, picking at her skin, and rocking back and forth. If it's a full-on panic, she'll also start sobbing or hyperventilating."

The teachers listened intently, making notes. Ectoplasm looked deep in thought.

"One more question." Ectoplasm spoke up. "Is there anything in particular that triggers her panic attacks?"

"Crowded places and loud noises are two big ones." Mirko answered. "She also gets overstimulated by certain textures, but those don't usually lead to panic attacks, just discomfort. And sometimes, if something really stressful happens, it can set off a panic attack. It varies from situation to situation."

"Anything else in regards to your daughter?" Eraserhead asked Mirko.

"I think that covers the big stuff." Mirko replied. "She's a smart kid with a lot of potential. Just be patient and understanding with her, and she should do fine."

"Thank you for the information, Mirko." Eraserhead nodded. "That should be everything we need to know for right now. If anything else comes up, we'll let you know. Now, onto Nantai Shibuki. They're a smart kid, though they're a bit blunt, at times."

"I've noticed that their Pokemon are a bit underleveled." Mirko pointed out. "Normally at their age, people would have one or two Pokemon that are on par, or one or two Pokemon that they've caught recently."

"Hm, I'll try to work with them one on one during Pokemon training lessons." Ectoplasm nodded.

"They also seem to have a bit of trouble with social cues." Eraserhead added. "Sometimes they're too blunt, and other times they don't seem to pay enough attention to how they're coming off."

The teachers nodded, making a note of this. 

"That's all I really have to say, at the moment." Eraserhead concluded.

"Excellent." Nezu nodded. "Onto you now, Vlad King."

Chapter Text

"Wait, that's what they meant when they encountered each other?"

"Yep. Haizengo has a thing with foreshadowing stuff like that."

"Damn, I genuinely thought it was shoehorned in at the last minute."

"You there!"

Momo and Izumi were walking to school, like usual, when a few reporters started to bombard the two with questions.

"What's it like being taught by Mirko?!" One reporter exclaimed.

"Uh, we, uh..." Izumi stuttered.

"Is it true that Mirko's daughter is attending UA?!" Another reporter shouted, shoving a microphone into Izumi's face.

Izumi was having a bit of trouble speaking. The reporters asking questions was making her nervous. 

There were so many people surrounding them, and they were all being pretty invasive in her personal space, while Dusky tried to provide a barrier between her and the reporters. The voices of the reporters seemed to echo in her head and cause a ringing in her ears. Her hands were shaking and her breathing was getting faster.

Momo noticed her friend's distress and quickly stepped in. "Guys, give her some space! Can't you see you're making her uncomfortable?!"

The reporters seemed to reluctantly listen to what Momo was saying and slowly backed off. But it was too late. Izumi was starting to have a full blown panic attack. She was hyperventilating, trembling, and tears were streaming down her face, which Dusky started to press herself into Izumi's side, trying to calm her owner down.

Momo reached out and gently placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, trying to comfort her. "Hey, take deep breaths. It's okay. You're safe. Just breathe."

Izumi tried her best to focus on taking deep breaths, but it was difficult. She felt like her heart was racing a million miles an hour and her head was spinning. She leaned into Momo's touch, seeking comfort and grounding.

Momo continued to talk to her in a calm, soothing voice. "It's alright. You're doing great. Just keep breathing."

After a few minutes, Izumi's breathing slowly started to return to normal, and her trembling lessened. The tears stopped falling from her eyes, but she still felt shaken up.

Momo kept her hand on Izumi's shoulder and spoke softly, "Are you feeling a bit better now?"

Izumi nodded weakly, still trying to compose herself. "Yeah... I think so...."

Momo gave her a sympathetic smile. "That was a pretty bad panic attack. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I... I'm fine." Izumi insisted. "Come on, the school won't go to itself."

Momo nodded and gently pulled her friend along, still keeping a close eye on her. "Alright, but if you start feeling overwhelmed again, you let me know, alright?"

They continued walking towards UA, the reporters now keeping a careful distance from them. Despite the previous incident, Momo stayed close to Izumi's side, ready to support her if needed.

"I swear, those reporters are so pushy." Momo grumbled. "They have no sense of personal space."

"Yeah... They were all up in our faces." Izumi mumbled weakly. "I didn't think they would mob us like that."

Momo sighed. "They'll do anything for a scoop, it's ridiculous."

Izumi nodded slowly, still feeling shaken from the encounter. The ringing in her ears was starting to fade, but her heart was still pounding. She didn't like it when so many people were invading her personal space. It always made her feel uncomfortable and anxious.

Momo noticed her friend's uneasiness and gently squeezed her shoulder. "Hey, you sure you're alright? You're still pretty pale."

Izumi nodded again, trying to put on a brave face. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just... still feeling a bit shaken. I don't like it when people get too close to me."

Momo gave her a worried look. She knew about Izumi's anxiety and sensory issues, and how overwhelming interactions like this could be for her.

"You don't have to be all tough all the time, you know." Momo pointed out, giving her a knowing look. "It's okay if you're still feeling overwhelmed. You just had a panic attack, for Arceus sake."

Izumi bit her lip, feeling a bit embarrassed. She knew Momo was right, but she hated feeling weak and vulnerable in front of others.

"I just... I don't like people seeing me like this." She mumbled, looking down at her feet.

"Izumi. You know for a fact that I don't mind dealing with your panic attacks." Momo reassured her friend. 

Izumi nodded reluctantly, knowing that Momo was right. Her best friend had been there for her through every panic attack and sensory overload, always understanding and supportive. "I know, I just... I hate feeling like a burden."

"You're not a burden." Momo insisted, giving her shoulder another squeeze. "I don't care how many panic attacks you have. I'm always going to be here for you, no matter what."

Izumi let out a shaky breath, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes. She was grateful to have a friend like Momo, someone who truly understood her and accepted her for who she was, quirks and all.

"Thanks, Momo." She whispered. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Momo smiled warmly. "You don't have to worry about that, because I'm never going anywhere."

The two girls continued their walk to UA, with Momo still being very close to Izumi, just in case she needed any support. They walked in comfortable silence, both lost in their thoughts.

"Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me!" Izumi internally screamed.

When Momo and Izumi had arrived at UA, the same group of reporters that had caused Izumi to spiral were now blocking the entrance to the school.

Izumi felt her heart sink as she saw the pack of reporters standing in front of the gate to UA. Her pulse quickened and her hands started to shake.

Momo noticed her friend's growing anxiety and scowled. "Seriously, they're here now? Just how annoying can they get?"

They both noticed some of their classmates being crowded by the mass of reporters as well. Ochaco, Mina, Kyoka, and Flannery were practically back to back. Mezo and Rikido could be seen near the edge, both of the taller teens with mics being shoved in their faces as well. 

Izumi took a shaky breath, her heart racing as the reporters began bombarding the other students with questions.

Momo noticed her friend's distress and protectively moved closer to her. "Those freaking reporters..." She grumbled. "They have zero respect for boundaries."

Izumi nodded weakly, her breathing growing quicker and more erratic. 

"I... I can't go through them again..." She mumbled, her voice trembling. "I just can't..."

Momo looked down at her friend, concern etched onto her face. She knew how much Izumi struggled with anxiety and crowds, especially with people invading her personal space.

Momo frowned, her protective instincts kicking in. She wasn't about to let some reporters cause her friend any more distress. She turned to Izumi, her voice firm but gentle.

"Hey, look at me." Momo instructed.

Izumi reluctantly lifted her head, her eyes wide and fearful.

Momo's expression softened as she met Izumi's gaze. She wanted to reassure her friend, to get her to focus on her instead of the chaotic reporters.

"Focus on me, okay? Just me." Momo told her. "Just keep looking at me. Block them out."

Izumi nodded quietly, doing her best to follow Momo's instructions. She tried to block out the shouting and the chaos around them, focusing solely on her best friend. Her breathing started to slow slightly.

Momo gave her a small, encouraging smile. "That's it. Just keep looking at me. You're doing great."

Momo reached out and gently took hold of one of Izumi's trembling hands, squeezing it reassuringly. 

It had taken a few minutes for the reporters to clear out, tak a few threats of calling the cops and whip crackings from Midnight to finally get them out of the way. But as soon as the reporters left, everyone started heading inside.

Before Midnight or Momo and Izumi got inside, Midnight turned to the two.

"Midoriya-Usagiyama, are you ok after that?" Midnight asked.

"Y-Yeah, I'm... I'm fine." Izumi nodded, still quite shaken after both encounters.

Midnight looked at Izumi skeptically, not entirely convinced by her response. "You sure? You look pretty shaken up."

Momo chimed in, her hand still holding onto her friend's. "She had a panic attack earlier, too. The reporters mobbing us really rattled her."

"Alright, if you need it, you can go to the teacher's lounge or Hound Dog's office for some peace and quiet." Midnight offered.

"Thanks..." Izumi muttered softly, still feeling a little uneasy.

Momo squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Come on, let's go inside."

Momo started leading Izumi into the school, still keeping a protective grip on her hand.

The hallways were relatively quiet, save for a few students chatting in the background. Momo could still feel how tense Izumi was, her grip on her hand tight and trembling.

"Hey, relax." Momo whispered to her friend. "We're away from those reporters now. It's just us."

Izumi nodded silently, taking a few deep breaths to try and compose herself. Her heart was still racing and her hands were shaking, but she felt a little safer now that they were away from the reporters.

Momo gave her a small smile, happy to see her friend slowly calming down. "There you go. Everything's gonna be alright, I promise."

"Now with all of that out of the way, this week, you'll be deciding something important." Eraserhead informed the class." "Something that'll affect the dynamics of the entire class going forward."

Everyone tensed up, expecting another Quirk test or threat of expulsion, just like they had on the first day.

“You need to choose your Class Representatives.” Eraserhead announced. "Whoever you choose will be the de facto leaders of your class, going forward."

“That’s so normal!” Almost the entire class exclaimed.

Everyone instantly started to argue over who should be class rep. Suggestions were flying around like rapid fire, while some just quietly sat in their seats, watching the chaos unfold.

"Quiet. Down." Eraserhead commanded, his voice cutting through the noise like a hot knife through butter. Immediately, the class fell silent, and all attention focused on Eraserhead once again.

Eraserhead's gaze swept over the class, taking in the eager faces and the subtle signs of nerves and determination. "This is a serious decision. Class Representative is not just a badge of honour. It's a position of responsibility, of leadership. It requires maturity, integrity, and an ability to make difficult decisions."

The silence deepened as Eraserhead's words echoed in the air. Every student was acutely aware of the weight of their impending decision. This was not just about who got to sit at the head of the class; it was about who would have the influence to steer their peers in the right direction, to be the one responsible for keeping their class in check.

"You're all big enough to make your decision." Eraserhead said. "You have until Friday to make your decision. If you don’t figure it out by then, we'll be forced to choose for you."

The class nodded in understanding, their eyes flickering with determination. The decision seemed deceptively simple, but they knew it was anything but. The class representative would be the face of the class, the one who would represent their class in interactions with teachers, other classes, even the school as a whole. But, before they knew it, Eraserhead was in his sleeping bag, now fast asleep.

"So, how are we going to decide who's going to represent us?" Flannery asked.

"I... May have an idea." Izumi spoke up anxiously.

The class's focus shifted to Izumi, their curiosity piqued by the timid girl's unexpected confidence. 

"Go on, what is it?" Ejiro asked.

"A... A vote." Izumi suggested. "We'll all close our eyes, and someone who doesn't want to represent us will tally the votes. We'll vote by raising our hands for who we want to vote for."

"That... Actually isn't a bad idea." Momo agreed. "It's simple, and fair."

The class nodded in agreement, impressed with her idea. "Who should be the one to tally the votes?" Mina asked.

"I'll do it." Allister raised his hand.

Everyone turned to look at the Ghost-type specialist from Galar. Within the past few days, he tended to keep to himself, and didn't really make himself known.

"I don't really want to represent us, and I don't really have any biases against anyone." Allister explained.

The class looked at him, slightly surprised. They hadn't really expected Allister to speak up, let alone volunteer. But his reasoning made sense, and he seemed like a logical choice to keep the voting process unbiased.

"Alright then." Momo nodded. "Onion will do the counting."

"O-Oh, my home region doesn't really do the "use family names until friends" thing." Allister informed, walking up to the front of the room. "Please, just call me Allister."

"Right, noted." Momo nodded. "Taking all the responsibilities that being Class Rep will have into consideration, who wants to nominate anyone, including themselves, for being Class Representative?"

A few minutes passed and Allister wrote several names down.

Tenya Iida

Fumikage Tokoyami

Neito Monoma

Minoru Mineta 

Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama 

Momo Yaoyorozu

"Is that everyone?" Allister asked, receiving murmurs of 'yes' throughout the classroom.

The class fell into a contemplative silence, as they silently stared at the names that had been written down. The names staring back at them were a mix of expected and unexpected, representing a range of personalities, strengths, and weaknesses.

"Alright..." Mina finally spoke, breaking the silence. "Now we vote."

"Tenya Iida, seat four, please come up and give us a reason to vote for you." Izumi commanded.

Tenya stood up from his seat, his demeanor stoic yet poised. He had a dignified confidence about him, and it was clear that he took this responsibility seriously.

"I believe my leadership skills are unmatched. I'm organised, disciplined, and capable of making rational decisions quickly." He began. "My experience as Class President in Middle School proves my ability to lead."

The class nodded, impressed with Tenya's concise yet confident response. "Very well. Fumikage Tokoyami, seat 14, if you would." Momo requested.

Fumikage wordlessly made their way to the front. Their demeanour was stoic, almost brooding. 

"I may not be the most socially inclined out of everyone." They started, their voice a low and quiet murmur. "But my ability to think carefully and strategically could be beneficial."

The class nodded again. They couldn't help but be slightly intimidated by Fumikage's intense aura, but they could respect their strategic thinking. "Neito Monoma, seat one, please." Allister requested.

Neito quietly walked up to the front, a small smile on his face, hands in his pockets.

"I don’t want to be Class Representative. I’m not the best at making a good first impression, and you all deserve a Representative who can make that good first impression. Instead, I want to be Vice, I want to support our class president to the best of my ability. I won’t put up with any disrespect against any one of you. I know I’ll never be the main character, but I’d like to be a supporting role in your stories.” Neito then bowed politely, walking back to his seat.

"Minoru Mineta, seat 15, please." Izumi requested.

Mineta practically bounced over to the front, a cocky smirk on his face. The class groaned, knowing exactly what to expect.

"In this class, there are eight girls to twelve boys. It has been scientifically proven that boys are stronger than girls." Mineta started, already receiving eye rolls from his classmates. "The only reason Yamashita is crawling with villains is because girls become Pro Heroes, so I think we should break that cycle. How? Well, really the only reason girls exist is for boys to make babies with them. So, vote for me as Class Representative and I'll help us make a change!"

The class all knew they wouldn't vote for Mineta.

"Next is you, Izumi, seat 19." Momo smiled. "Make us proud."

Izumi took a deep breath. Her knuckles were turning white from how tightly she was clenching her fists. She'd been mentally preparing for this, but the moment still felt overwhelming.

She forced herself to calm down, her hands relaxing slightly. She stood up, her expression calm despite the emotions roiling beneath the surface.

"I..." She began, her voice barely audible. She was met with a patient silence, the class waiting for her to continue. "I might not always be the most confident... But I sure always try my hardest to be."

The class gave her a few nods or muttered words of encouragement, showing that they were listening. Izumi's anxiety was clear on her face, but despite her nerves, she pushed forward.

"I..." She took another deep breath before continuing, her words coming out a little more confident this time. "I care about everyone here a lot. I... I want to make sure everyone's well being is taken care of. And make sure everyone is heard. As Galarian Pro Hero, Long Dennis, once said, "Here we go." which many have taken to heart as something that keeps them going. And... And I want to be like that to you all."

"And..." Izumi continued, her voice gaining a bit more strength. "I know I have my drawbacks. My... anxiety, my autism, those can be weaknesses, but I want to use them as strengths. I want to show that it's not shameful to be different, to need extra help. It can only make you stronger... That is all."

Izumi then sat down at her desk, fidgeting a little bit.

"Over to you now, Momo, seat 20." Izumi requested. "Make us proud."

Momo stood up from her seat, fixing her hair and giving a soft smile to her classmates.

"Thank you." She began, her tone warm and confident. "I'm very humbled that I was even suggested as a candidate. I believe my ability to think logically and calmly in stressful situations will help me be a good Class Representative. I'll always do what's best for the class, and won't hesitate to make tough decisions, even if they're unpopular. I want to make sure everyone feels comfortable and supported in this class, and I'm sure you all want to feel comfortable, as well."

Several people nodded and muttered their support. They all agreed that Momo made an excellent Class Representative, and some even felt a little guilty for thinking of other people instead of her.

“Okay, everyone, close your eyes." Everyone did as prompted. "Now raise your hand if you’d like to vote for Tenya Iida.”

Allister took a moment to tally the votes.

"Hands down. Raise your hand if you'd like to vote for Fumikage Tokoyami."

Allister took another moment to tally the votes.

"Hands down. Raise your hand if you want to vote for Neito Monoma."

Another short pause.

"Hands down. Raise your hand if you'd like to vote for Izumi Midori..."

"Hey, you skipped me!" Mineta exclaimed.

"No I didn't." Allister denied. "Raise your hand if you'd like to vote for Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama."

Mineta just grumbled in his seat as Allister continued.

"Hands down. Raise your hand if you'd like to vote for Momo Yaoyorozu."

After the last few votes, Allister finished tallying.

"Everyone, open your eyes."

When Izumi opened her eyes, she was genuinely shocked by the results.

Tenya Iida: ||

Fumikage Tokoyami: ||

Neito Monoma: ||

Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama: |||| ||||

Momo Yaoyorozu: ||||

"I think it's very obvious that Izumi is our Class Representative, and I am our Vice Representative." Momo stood up, suddenly smiling. "Bow down to your new masters."

"I... I got... The class rep role?" Izumi gasped, still in shock by the results. To be fair, she hadn't really expected to get this role. She hadn't thought that she was the best candidate.

Momo just smiled at her classmates. "Sure did."

"Wait, you did that, yesterday?" Flannery asked Izumi.

"Yeah. Being able to transform into Pokemon has its benefits." Izumi winked.

"Think you can teach my Combusken some moves?" Flannery asked.

"I think that can be arranged..." Izumi nodded, smirking. "For a small fee."

"Let me guess, heart scales?"

"I'm joking, I'm joking." Izumi laughed. "I'm more than happy to teach any of your Pokemon a move."

Izumi, Momo, Flannery, Ochaco, Mina, Kyoka, and Toru were heading to the teacher's lounge to ask about some English homework they were given. But that was when they saw them. Two villains snooping around in the teacher's lounge. They both had their backs to the door, and one was digging around a desk. He had greyish-blue hair, and his companion was made of black and purple mist. 

"Um, who are you two?" Izumi asked.

The villain who was digging around the desk turned around, revealing how crusty his skin was.

"We are just a couple of new teachers." The villain explained. "Nothing to see here. Go along now."

"I don't believe a word of that." Izumi replied bluntly. "New teachers don't go snooping through the teachers' desks."

"I second that." Kyoka spoke up, crossing her arms. The mysterious villain chuckled darkly.

"Why are you all so hostile?" The villain asked. "You kids are awfully nosy."

"That's rich coming from someone trying to rummage through the desk that's labelled 'important documents'." Mina snapped back.

The misty villain chuckled at this. 

"You all are so quick to jump to conclusions." He stated. "We were just looking for some coffee."

"Right." Kyoka deadpanned. "Coffee that you were obviously searching for in the drawer marked 'important documents.'"

"You're all smartasses, aren't you?" The crusty villain grumbled.

"We certainly are." Flannery smirked. "And we aren't buying the bullshit you're trying to sell us."

The misty villain sighed.

"You're all as stubborn as you are intelligent." He stated. "It's a shame, you seem like a lovely bunch."

"I'd say the same about you, if you weren't trespassing and snooping through private property." Izumi shot back, arms folded.

"Always the witty response, I see." One of the villains chuckled. "Very well, kids. You caught us. We aren't new teachers."

The seven girls all looked at each other and smirked, each of them preparing their quirks.

"You people don't get it! You need to leave!" Mirko shouted. 

"Mirko! Is it true that your daughter is attending UA?!" One reporter exclaimed.

"I'm not disclosing that information!" Mirko answered. "Please leave! The police have been called!"

"We haven't done anything wrong!" Another reporter argued.

Mirko just sighed. Where in the Distortion World was Midnight when you needed her?

Suddenly, Mirko felt her pocket vibrate. She took out her phone, seeing a text from Izumi.

Usako

Rara u ned 2 com 2 teqxhers lingw

NOW

Mirko

Why? 

Usako

Villains tried snooping around there

Tried tricking us into thinking they were teachers

Mirko

I'm coming.

Mirko turned her head to one of the teachers also dealing with the press trying to get onto the school grounds.

"I have to go." She told them.

"Don't worry, I'll hold down the fort while the police get here." The other hero nodded, Mirko rushing off.

Mirko ran through the halls of UA, quickly trying to find the teachers lounge. She had no idea what was going on, but she knew her daughter well enough to know if she was calling her, she needed help.

Mirko reached the teachers' lounge, opening the door to see her daughter and her friends standing in front of two villains, both tied up. At first glance, she saw that none of her daughter's friends looked physically harmed, so she allowed herself to relax a bit.

"What in the Distortion World is happening here?" Mirko asked, crossing her arms.

"Found villains here." Izumi explained. "Thankfully, we contained them."

"And you girls did this on your own?" Mirko asked, raising an eyebrow. She then shot a glare at the now tied-up villains.

"It wasn't that difficult." Mina shrugged.

"They underestimated us." Toru stated. 

"Yeah, and that was their biggest mistake." Kyoka smirked.

"Thankfully, the police have already been called for something else." Mirko nodded. "You kids did good."

"Thanks, Rara!" Izumi smiled. 

One of the villains scoffed at how sweet the interaction between mother and daughter was.

"Shut it." Mirko spat, glaring at the villain, shutting him up. She looked back at her daughter. 

"None of you are hurt, right?" She asked.

"We're all good, Rara." Izumi reassured her.

Mirko sighed with relief upon hearing that her daughter and her friends were all okay. That was all that mattered. 

"Good, good..." Mirko exhaled, before smirking. "You all did good. I'm proud of you."

All of the girls, excluding Izumi, lit up at the praise. Izumi was used to it by now, but that didn't stop her from blushing lightly.

"All right, you girls should get going." Mirko stated. "The police should be here soon."

The seven girls nodded, saying their goodbyes to Mirko and leaving the room. 

Mirko watched them leave, before turning back to the two villains who were still tied up.

To be honest, some villains baffled her, sometimes.

To Rumi, hero work was easy. Go clock in wherever she wanted, kick idiots in the groins, sometimes pop into the Gym and see how her wife was doing. It was all fine and dandy.

But teachers work? It was, admittedly, difficult. Sure, she had a daughter, a neurodivergent one, at that. But that was only one child. One she knew like the biology of a Scorbunny. 

When Nezu reached out to her to work at UA, she jumped at the opportunity to teach the next generation of Pro Heroes. Needless to say, it was harder than expected.

Currently, she was in the teacher's lounge, since, at the moment, she only taught first years in Foundational Heroics, and third years in Limelight Heroics. 

She's only officially been on the job for a few days, but it's been long enough for her to learn the ins and outs of the cafeteria, the faculty room, and the gym. In fact, there aren't many places she hasn't visited in the UA faculty building. It's just part of the job, memorising where everything is.

It's pretty easy to remember where things are, once you've been there a few times. And Rumi's a quick learner.

But one thing still evaded her: where the hell the coffee machine was.

She's seen some teachers carrying cups of it, meaning there was a coffee machine somewhere, but she had yet to figure out where.

Right as she continued her search for the coffee machine, there was a knock on the door. Rumi got up, and opened it.

"Just the person we were looking for." Momo whispered, suddenly smiling.

Izumi was leaning against her friend, stimming with Dusky's soft fur. She was obviously experiencing sensory overload.

"What's the go?" Rumi asked, also whispering.

"The classroom was too loud, and Izumi got overstimulated." Momo explained.

Rumi was no stranger to sensory overload, with her heightened bunny senses.

She crouched down next to Izumi, taking the girl's hand and placing one of her own on her head.

"Hey, kid. You doing ok?" She asked calmly, trying not to add to the sensory input.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Izumi whispered.

"You're not in trouble." Rumi assured Izumi, trying to make her own voice as steady as possible. "If those idiots can't keep their voices down, that's their problem."

She stood up, taking one of Izumi's hands and guiding her over to the couch. 

"Sit down and rest, I'll be back in a second." She paused, turning towards Momo. "You can go back to class, now. If I need help, I'll text you."

Momo nodded, clearly not wanting to leave her friend but trusting that Rumi understood how to help.

Rumi sat down next to Izumi, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders. She didn't say anything, allowing Izumi the chance to speak if she wanted to. Instead, she began to run her fingers through Izumi's green hair.

"I... I n... I... w... I..." Izumi stammered, struggling to say anything coherent.

"What do you need, Izumi?" Rumi asked, encouraging her daughter.

"I n... n... n-need..." Izumi repeated. She was struggling to put her feelings into words.

Rumi continued to run her fingers through Izumi's hair, allowing her time to collect herself. "Take a deep breath, then try again."

Izumi took a shuddering breath, trying to steady her breathing. The repetitive motion of Rumi's hand going through her hair helped calm her.

"I-I... I... I n..." She tried again, but still couldn't get the words out. Frustration built up inside her. It was like the words were there, but they were stuck, just out of reach.

"Struggling with your words, huh?" Rumi lightly teased. "That's ok. Do you have your phone on you?"

Izumi shakily nodded her head. She reached into her pocket, pulling out her phone and unlocking it.

"Alright, just do what we always do in these situations. Open your communication app and tell me what you need that way." Rumi instructed her.

Izumi unlocked her phone and opened her communication app. Rumi had suggested it years ago, once she realised that Izumi struggled to communicate verbally, especially during her worst meltdowns and shutdowns. It was like a crutch, but it worked wonderfully.

She began typing. Her arms were still shaking from the overload, but at least she could communicate clearly.

After typing for a few moments, Izumi handed her phone to Rumi.

"Too loud. Too bright." The message read.

"Alright, I'll turn off the lights." Rumi nodded. "I'm pretty sure there's a box of fidget toys and a weighted blanket somewhere, as well. Would you like me to get them for you?"

She got another nod, and went to work turning off the lights, plunging the room into relative darkness. Rumi was thankful UA had large windows, allowing a decent amount of natural light to still filter through. 

She returned to where Izumi was sitting on the couch, holding a box of fidget toys and a weighted blanket.

Izumi immediately reached for the weighted blanket. The pressure from it always helped her calm down, and combined with the dark room, she had no doubt she'd feel better soon. 

Rumi sat back down next to her, beginning to go through the box of fidget toys.

She pulled out a variety of toys: some fidget cubes and rings, a tangle, and some fidgets that Rumi didn't know the names of. She began setting them out so Izumi could choose.

Izumi didn't bother with the cubes or the rings, instead reaching for the tangle. She grabbed the blanket with her other hand, pulling it up around her shoulders and laying it across her lap.

With the combination of the dim lighting and the steady motions of her hands, Izumi began to calm.

Rumi could see that Izumi looked a bit better, now that she had some proper tools to manage the overload. 

She leaned back, allowing Izumi to stim with the tangle as she ran a hand gently down Izumi's back. 

"Feeling better?" She asked.

Izumi looked up, pausing in her stimming for a moment. Rumi noticed that the girl's hands and arms had stilled significantly. She nodded in response. 

"That's good." Rumi replied, still running her hand across her back. She leaned further back, allowing Izumi to curl up and rest her head on her shoulder.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Rumi kept her hand on Izumi's back, while the girl focused on the tangle toy. Every now and then she would glance over at Rumi to check that everything was alright.

Eventually she set down the tangle, indicating that she was no longer overwhelmed.

"Better?" Rumi asked, glancing down at her.

Izumi nodded. The overwhelming sounds and lights and colours were gone, and the sensory overload that they triggered had faded. The blanket and the tangle toy had helped, but it was largely due to Rumi that she was feeling better. 

"Thank you." Izumi mumbled, still leaning against her.

"Hey, it's no problem." Rumi reassured. 

"I'm sorry for disturbing you." Izumi apologised.

"Izumi, you're my daughter." Rumi sighed softly. "You don't have to apologise for something like this. It's not like you can help it."

She wrapped an arm around Izumi, pulling her closer.

"Trust me, if I minded dealing with your sensory overloads, your mother and I would've put you up for adoption, ages ago." Rumi joked. "But, in all seriousness, I would do anything to help you out."

Izumi chuckled slightly, glad that Rumi didn't mind that part of her. In truth, she had asked her once or twice, and Rumi had reassured her again and again that it was no trouble. But having a condition that often interfered with her daily life, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty, especially on days like today. 

She leaned her head further against Rumi, letting herself relax in the embrace.

The day Izumi got diagnosed when she was five was a day Rumi would never forget. It was a lengthy process, sure, but it answered a lot of questions they had about Izumi's behaviour.

For Rumi, finding out that a lot of Izumi's quirks - like her food aversions, her attachment to certain clothes and items, and her aversion to loud or unexpected noises - weren't because she was picky, or annoying, or any range of adjectives she'd read about on parenting forums, but rather because of her autism... it completely changed her perspective.

Now that she knew what to expect, Rumi could anticipate Izumi's needs and plan to help her accordingly. 

She wasn't just the annoying difficult child that other parents were complaining about on internet forums. She was Izumi, her Izumi, with a wide smile and an incredible talent for analysing Pro Heroes.

Sometimes, though, there wasn't much to be done except help Izumi ride out the overload. Sensory overloads and meltdowns were something that couldn't always be avoided and needed to be helped through. 

But Rumi didn't mind. She was Izumi's mother, and she would deal with whatever life decided to throw at them.

And honestly, it wasn't all bad. Sensory overloads could be a hassle, and had caused more than a few embarrassing incidents, but Rumi wouldn't give up Izumi's heightened senses for anything. Because having a little part of herself in her daughter was worth it.

The extra energy and excitement when Izumi was on one of her hyperfixations was also a nice bonus. Even if it did get to be a little tiring, sometimes.

There were more advantages too, of course. Izumi's incredible analytical ability was one, even if it was often channeled into something very specific.

She could read a room better than any other child her age, and her attention to detail made catching people in lies more difficult for many. 

Izumi was a lot different than most kids - hell, more adults- but she was Rumi's kid, and she wouldn't have her any other way.

"How you doing now, kid?" Rumi asked.

"'M tired." Izumi mumbled. 

"That sensory overload must've sapped the life outta you." Rumi chuckled.

Izumi simply nodded, leaning further against Rumi and closing her eyes. After the overload, she was feeling completely drained.

It was times like these when having Rumi as a teacher was very convenient. Most of the other teachers would have expected her to go back to class by now. But Rumi understood what these attacks did to her, and let her just rest.

Rumi pulled Izumi closer against her, allowing the girl to rest against her. 

She checked the time. Class was almost finished, thankfully. Izumi would be fine to return home for the day. 

But, despite the late hour, a sense of annoyance rose up in her. The class shouldn't have been loud enough to trigger Izumi's overload in the first place, she thought grimly.

"I can't believe everyone saw me like that..." Izumi mumbled, her voice barely audible. "They chose me as Class Representative this morning, and here I am, freaking out about something so small."

"Izumi." Rumi stated flatly, waiting until her daughter looked up at her. 

"You did not 'freak out about something small'. You had sensory overload. Which, I might remind you, is something completely out of your control."

She gave Izumi a firm poke on the side of her head. "Stop talking like that."

Izumi opened her mouth to argue, but immediately shut it at Rumi's expression.

"You need to stop being so hard on yourself, kid." Rumi told her, wrapping an arm around Izumi's shoulder. "It's not your fault you're neurodivergent. It's not your fault you have sensory overload. Anyone who makes you feel bad about it is an idiot, and needs to find a better hobby."

Rumi could be stubborn, and a little aggressive, and Izumi had inherited quite a bit from her in that sense. But for all the trouble that had caused them over the years, she could be thankful that it at least helped her to take no nonsense from anyone. 

And the thought of her daughter getting hurt by someone who didn't understand her condition filled Rumi with a simmering anger. 

"If anyone gives you trouble, you have permission to kick them in the groin from me." She stated bluntly.

Izumi choked a bit on air, still adjusting to her mother's casual bluntness. 

After a second she nodded, trying to fight back a smile. 

No matter what happened, Rumi was in her corner.

"Good." Rumi nodded, a satisfied smile gracing her lips. She leaned back on the couch, allowing Izumi to nestle against her side.

"You need to remember that you're allowed to get overwhelmed, kid. It's not your fault, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Some people just don't get that."

She sighed, running her hand through Izumi's dark green hair. 

"And you know I'll kick anyone's ass who says otherwise."

A small, tired smile graced Izumi's lips, and she buried her head into Rumi's shoulder. 

Rumi had always made sure to impress the importance of self-care, and accepting herself and her condition, upon Izumi. It wasn't anything personal against how people treated neurodivergence, she just hated the idea of her child feeling like she was defective in any way.

"I love you." Izumi mumbled.

Chapter Text

At UA, there were two Hero Course classes, Class A and Class B. That was a well-known fact. Did they interact much? Not really. But would they, today? Certainly.

"Today, we're doing something a little different." Mirko told the class. "Put on your Hero costumes and meet me at Ground Gamma where I'll explain further."

The class complied, curious but also excited for a change of pace from their routine morning classes. Donning their hero suits, they made their way to Ground Gamma, the training ground consisting of an industrial site compiled by many factories that formed a labyrinth. There, they saw twenty other students, as well as a skinny teacher with blonde hair. 

"Right, now that everyone's here, we can get started." The teacher announced.

The students from Class 1A looked around at the unfamiliar faces, curious about the students from Class 1B.

Mirko clapped to get everyone's attention. "As you can see, today's training will involve both Hero Course classes."

"For those in Class 1A, I am Toshinori Yagi, Class 1B's Heroics Teacher." The teacher introduced himself. "This lesson, each class will be split into four teams of five, and you'll be duking it out."

The students exchanged glances, anticipation building.

"The objective is to capture every member of the opposing team, putting them in prison." Mirko explained. "Each team will have a 30-minute time limit. The teams will be formed based on a random selection."

"For Class 1B, Team A is Young Tokage, Young Yanagi, Young Shiozaki, Young Kamakiri, and Young Honeuki." Yagi announced.

"For Class 1A, Team A is Izumi, Momo, Uraraka, Ashido, and Jiro." Mirko announced.

"For Class 1B, Team B is Young Rin, Young Kuroiro, Young Tsuburaba, Young Kaibara, and Young Kodai."

"For Class 1A, Team B is Asuna, Sato, Monoma, Kirishima, and Sero."

"For Class 1B, Team C is Young Todoroki, Young Shishida, Young Tsunotori, Young Shoda, and Young Kendo."

"For Class 1A, Team C is Iida, Shoji, Shibuki, Ojiro, and Mineta."

"For Class 1B, Team D is Young Awase, Young Bondo, Young Tetsutetsu, Young Fukidashi, and Young Komori."

"For Class 1A, Team D is Kaminari, Hagakure, Asui, Tokoyami, and Allister."

"Alright, no more waiting, let's get right into things!" Yagi exclaimed, pulling out a hat from... Somewhere, reaching his hand into it, pulling out two small golf balls. "First up, Teams A-D and B-B. Get out there and show each other what you're made of!"

While that was going on, Izumi turned to Momo. 

"I'll be honest with you, Momo, I'm kinda nervous." Izumi admitted, whispering. "But also, kind of excited."

"Don't worry." Momo put a hand on Izumi's shoulder. "You'll do well."

"You think so?" Izumi asked, eyes slightly downcast.

"I know so." Momo stated with confidence. "You're plenty strong, more than capable. I'll admit being nervous is expected, but I know you can do this. We'll be working together, after all."

Izumi smiled. "Yeah, you're right. We make a good team. Thanks, Momo."

"Hey, Katsura! The maildragon just came in! There's a letter for you!"

Katsura got up from her desk, placing her pen down. She looked down at her two Pokemon, a Growlithe and a Corvisquire.

"Hot Shot, Blue Jay, you two stay here." Katsura instructed. "I'll be right back."

Katsura then left the room, heading to the Pokemon Sanctuary's common room, where Sasayaki was, an envelope in her hand.

"For me?" Katsura asked, as she walked over to Sasayaki. Her red eyes flicked down to the envelope for a moment, before she looked up at her friend.

"It has your name on it, so it's definitely for you!" Sasayaki nodded. "It says it's from the Professor's Bureau."

"Oh! I wonder if it's the results from that test I took?" Katsura wondered, taking the envelope.

"The one on becoming a Pokemon Professor?" Sasayaki asked, before taking a curious look at the envelope. "It looks like something official..."

Katsura nodded in agreement, tearing open the envelope. "It doesn't feel like the results of a test, but I guess I'll know in a minute."

Opening the letter, Katsura skimmed through the contents, before her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"I... I did it..." Katsura mumbled. "I passed..."

"Passed?" Sasayaki questioned, her own eyes widening with curiosity. "Passed what?"

"The test. The Professor's test. I passed." Katsura repeated, shock and disbelief written all over her face. "I'm... I'm going to be a Pokemon Professor!"

"WHAT?!" Sasayaki exclaimed, grabbing Katsura's shoulders and looking her up and down in disbelief. "Y-you? A Professor? Seriously?!"

"Yeah! I'll have to thank Midoriya-Usagiyama for helping me when she comes in, today." Katsura smiled. "When is she coming in?"

"3:15, when the school day finishes." Sasayaki replied.

"Right, I always forget she's still a teenager." Katsura chuckled.

"I know, right? I swear, she has way more common sense than most of the adults we know." Sasayaki agreed, grinning slightly. 

"She does... She's so levelheaded and mature, it's kind of hard to believe she's only 15..." Katsura mused, a small fond smile on her face.

Sasayaki giggled quietly. "She's a good kid. And really responsible, too. I honestly wonder how she stays so mature."

"Isn't her mother this city's Gym Leader?" Katsura questioned.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure she is." Sasayaki nodded.

"I guess that explains a lot. Her mother is one of the most well-known trainers in the city, after all." Katsura hummed thoughtfully.

"Not to mention really strong. I've seen some of her battles on the news, she's really something..." Sasayaki's eyes sparkled.

"You're gushing." Katsura teased, nudging her friend with her elbow.

"Shut up." Sasayaki huffed, though there was no true frustration to her words.

"I'm just stating the truth, Sasayaki. You gush over her mother more than a teenager in love would." Katsura smirked, still poking fun at her friend.

"Whatever. Come on, let's get back to work." Sasayaki chuckled. "Those Pokemon won't take care of themselves, you know."

Katsura laughed slightly in response, nodding in agreement as they started to head back to their rooms. 

"You've got a point." She replied. "The day's not over yet."

"Really? You work with Wari?" Kyoka asked Izumi.

"Yeah, her mother owns the Pokemon Sanctuary we both work at." Izumi nodded. "I'm actually the youngest one to actually be working there, at the moment."

"So, do you still plan on working there after we graduate?" Mina asked.

"Oh, absolutely! One of my co-workers took an exam the other day to become a Pokemon Professor, and she doesn't plan on leaving any time soon." Izumi beamed. "Also, if she passes, she'll be the first Pokemon Professor stationed in Yamashita to be from Yamashita!"

"Wow, seeing you all excited is making me all excited, Midoriya-Usagiyama." Kyoka chuckled.

"Ah, sorry, was I being annoying?" Izumi sheepishly asked.

"Izumi, we've been over this." Momo gently scolded. "Talking about your special interests isn't annoying. If you want to talk, talk. If anyone tells you otherwise, you have my permission to knock all of their teeth out."

Izumi couldn't help but laugh.

"Ahaha, thanks, Momo." Izumi blushed.

"It's my job as Vice Representative to make sure the Class Representative isn't doubting herself or her abilities." Momo lightly teased.

"I couldn't help but overhear..." An orange-haired girl from Class 1B, wearing a teal knee-length qipao with yellow accents spoke up. "But you two are the Representatives of your Class, aren't you?"

"Oh, yes, we are." Izumi nodded, playing with Dusky's fur a little. "I'm Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama, Class 1A's Class Representative."

"And I'm Momo Yaoyorozu, Class 1A's Vice Representative." Momo introduced herself.

"Wow, no offence, but by just looking and not knowing who was who, I would've thought the positions were swapped!" The girl laughed, before noticing Izumi's slightly uncomfortable expression. "Ah, sorry. I should probably introduce myself, shouldn't I? I'm Itsuka Kendo, Class Representative of Class 1B. It's nice to finally meet our rival class."

Itsuka then held her hand out, which Momo, then Izumi shook.

"Also, that guy over there..." Itsuka pointed over to a boy with icy blue hair, wearing a black, high-collared suit with a trim of pale white lines around its collar and hem, and was currently on the receiving end of a one-sided conversation with Denki. "Is Nirengeki Shoda, Class 1B's Vice Representative."

Izumi chuckled awkwardly as she thought to herself, I guess a person like Itsuka could easily be mistaken for a Class Representative, she radiates leadership.

She was about to thank Itsuka for the introduction when she heard the blaring of a horn, signalling the next round of the joint training exercise that was the reason both Classes were together.

"Alright, next up, Teams A-A and B-C!" Mirko announced.

"Looks like that's us." Izumi pointed out. "May the best class win."

"May the best class win." Itsuka nodded right back at her.

"Right, should we go over the plan one more time before the exercise starts?" Izumi asked.

"I'm in favour of that." Mina nodded.

"Ashido, you and Uraraka search the left of Ground Gamma, Momo and Jiro will search the right, while I search the middle." Izumi explained. "If anyone from the opposing team ambushes you, try and lead them back here to where our prison is. If any of you are separated, don't be afraid of looking for each other, just be sure to do it stealthily, or send out one of your Pokemon to do recon, while you try to regroup. Any questions?"

"Sounds like a plan!" Mina declared, her fists clenched. 

"This should be a piece of cake!" Kyoka smirked, her headphones draped around her neck. 

"Let's do our best!" Momo concurred, her face a calm expression.

After that, a horn blared, signalling the start of the exercise. Izumi looked down at the Pokewatch as the other girls split off. 

"Alright, eenie, meanie, minee..." Izumi scrolled through her options, trying to pick the right Pokemon for the job. "How about this one?"

Izumi pressed down the Pokewatch's symbol, transforming into a tall humanoid Pokemon that resembles a knight, wearing a suit of armour that is primarily golden yellow.

Now an Armarouge, Izumi leaped into the labyrinth that was Ground Gamma. The labyrinth was a confusing mess of steel, concrete, and machinery. There was no natural light and no clear signs of where to go.

Izumi searched through the labyrinth, her steps almost silent, as if avoiding making a sound was second nature to her. She peered around every corner cautiously, wary of anyone who might ambush her. Suddenly, a sound in the distance made her freeze.

It was faint, almost imperceptible, but it was there. Footsteps.

Izumi crouched low, making herself less visible, and waited. The noise grew louder, drawing closer. Izumi's heart pounded in her chest. Was it a teammate? Or an enemy?

Just then, Izumi heard a faint whisper.

"Alright, Frostbite. Search." 

The whisper was followed by some shuffling noises and a faint cry. The footsteps grew closer and closer. Izumi held her breath. 

Suddenly, a familiar white shape appeared in the distance. A Galarian Darumaka. He was searching the area, his eyes darting around. He seemed to be scanning for something. 

Izumi felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. This Pokemon was on the enemy team, and he was searching for her.

The Darumaka sniffed the air and its eyes seemed to land on Izumi. The little Pokemon's ears pricked up and he charged towards her.

Izumi acted quickly. She darted off to the side, hoping to hide in the shadows, but the Darumaka was fast and had caught her scent. He kept chasing her, closing the distance with each step.

It was time to think fast. Izumi quickly set up Clam Mind, raising both her Special Attack and Special Defence. She then climbed up a couple of steel pipes, looking for the Darumaka, which wasn't hard to spot, despite his size. Izumi then moved her pauldrons to her hands and put them together to form a cannon. She aimed at Frostbite carefully, shooting a spiralling ring of pink and orange flames at him.

The flames hit the Darumaka, and his cry echoed throughout the labyrinth. He let out a pained whine and tried to shake off the pain. Izumi used this opportunity to try and find the trainer that the Darumaka belonged to. As she darted through the labyrinth, a glint of metal caught her eye. Izumi squinted, trying to make out the person in the distance. It was a boy, dressed in a plain off-white shirt with matching pants and boots. He was crouched on the ground, looking at his Darumaka with a stern and disappointed look on his face.

The boy then noticed Izumi standing a few feet away. His eyes widened slightly, and he quickly stood up, his disappointment turning into a cold stare.

"An Armarouge is here, just need to find its trainer." The boy mumbled.

The boy reached into his pocket and withdrew a Pokeball, gripping it tightly in his hand. He then threw it, releasing an Arctibax.

"Koru, get it." The boy pointed at Izumi, the Arctibax starting to run towards Izumi.

Izumi leapt back onto the metal pipes of the labyrinth, climbing away. The Arctibax let out a roar and leaped up to the pipe, trying to follow Izumi, frost covering the metal.

Izumi then leaped onto an abandoned train car that looked stable enough to stand on. She looked at it for a moment, before turning to see the Arctibax on a metal beam above the car. It leaped down, the metal crunching beneath its weight as it landed.

Izumi pressed the Pokewatch's symbol, switching to Hawlucha.

"See if you can catch me you... Ice/Dragon type." Izumi taunted, flapping her wings, beginning to fly.

The Arctibax was clearly pissed off by that, so he fired up an Ice Beam attack, shooting it at Izumi, who just flew around, pissing him off even more.

A grin came to Izumi's face as she continued to fly around the Arctibax, dodging his attacks. After a few moments, the Arctibax was visibly annoyed. Izumi landed on a metal beam, smirking at the Arctibax.

"That all you got?" Izumi taunted. 

The Arctibax roared and fired a Dragon Pulse attack at Izumi. Izumi dodged the attack, leaping back into the air. She then dove into the Arctibax, striking him with a Flying Press. The Arctibax's body was slammed into the metal pipe, leaving a sizeable dent.

"Sorry about that." Izumi grinned. "But I'm not pulling any punches." 

She stood triumphantly on top of the Arctibax as he lay in a dazed state, before letting out a roar of victory. 

"I'm just gonna leave you there." Izumi chuckled. "You're not hurt or anything, right?"

"I'm fine, you beat me fair and square." 

Izumi then leapt away, leaving the Arctibax on the metal pipe. She then ran back to where the boy initially sent out his Arctibax to chase Izumi. She needed to get him to her team's prison.

Izumi found the half and half teen still crouched on the ground where she had first spotted him. He seemed lost in thought. She reverted back to her original form, jumping back down to the ground.

"Hey! You!" Izumi called out, hoping to get his attention. 

The teen looked up, his calm demeanour quickly vanishing as he realised Izumi had found him. He quickly stood up, his eyes darting around for an escape route. 

"Damn it! Why did it have to be you?" He hissed under his breath.

"I'm not going down without a fight!" Izumi exclaimed. "So let me capture you, so my team can win!"

The teen let out a small laugh.

"No thanks." He responded. "Besides, you're the one that should surrender. That is, if you want to make it easy for yourself." He raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"And why should I do that?" Izumi asked.

"Cause I have a pretty good plan." He replied, his smirk turning into a wolfish grin.

"And what would that plan be?" Izumi asked, a slight hint of curiosity in her voice.

"You'll see soon enough." He chuckled. His smile faltered when he heard the roar of his Arctibax.

"You..." He started. "Did you take down my Arctibax?" He asked angrily, his fists clenching.

"Yep. Hawlucha used Flying Press." Izumi smirked. "It was super effective."

The teen sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, I probably should've seen that coming." He muttered.

He turned away from Izumi, his back to her as he thought about his next move.

"Well, I guess we should both try and capture each other then." He spoke. "After all, you did just say your Hawlucha took out my Arctibax. So I have nothing to lose if I try and capture you at least, right?"

"Right, but that doesn't mean I don't." Izumi took a step back. "So if you want me..." Izumi then climbed up onto the metal pipes. "Come and get me!"

The teen smiled.

"Oh, I don't plan on making it easy for you either." He replied, before leaping up onto the metal pipes himself. He then ran after Izumi, the two leaping across the pipes, their footsteps echoing throughout the labyrinth.

Izumi looked behind her and was surprised to see that the teen was easily keeping up with her pace. She frowned, looking for the right chance to turn on her heel when she caught sight of the pipe that led to her team's prison. She stopped on the pipe and turned around to face the teen.

"End of the road." Izumi smirked. 

The teen stopped in front of Izumi, his calm expression making Izumi's smirk falter slightly.

"You've finally stopped running, huh?" He raised an eyebrow and smirked. 

"Shut up." Izumi fired back, causing him to chuckle. He was enjoying this... Too much.

"Let me just say, you were fun to chase around." The teen spoke. "I don't usually enjoy things like this since it's more of a bother than anything. But this was quite the exception..."

He stepped closer to Izumi and put his hand on her shoulder. She flinched from the sudden contact as he whispered into her ear. His breath tickled her ear.

"I almost wish we could continue like this."

That was too far for Izumi. Without even thinking about it, Izumi grabbed the boy by the shirt, not letting go when he resisted.

"H-hey! What the hell are you-" He tried to speak, but Izumi didn't let him finish.

"You think flirting like that will distract me?!" Izumi yelled, throwing him down.

The teen landed on the ground, the fall taking the air out of him.

"You..." He coughed. "You're a lot stronger than I thought you'd be."

"If you're interested, I'm not." Izumi grumbled. "I win, you lose. Come with me before I kick you in places that'll make it hard to sit normally for weeks."

"Fine, fine. I give up. Happy?" The young man sighed in defeat, putting his hands up in surrender. 

Izumi, not wanting to risk him fleeing when she looked away, kept her guard up as they climbed down and she escorted him to her team's prison.

When they reached their prison, Izumi opened it, and pushed the young man inside. She closed the door behind him.

"You're good, I'll give you that." Izumi spoke. "But not good enough." 

She then walked away, leaving him in the prison. If it were anyone else, they would've found the experience humiliating. But the teen just chuckled.

"Well, can't say I didn't enjoy myself." He smiled.

"By the way, the name's Shoto Todoroki." He spoke casually.

One person down, four more to go. Izumi headed to the left of Ground Gamma, her intuition telling her that her teammates might need some help.

"I wonder if either of them found anyone yet..." Izumi muttered to herself as she continued walking through Ground Gamma. Then she heard something ahead of her. People shouting and Pokemon battling.

Izumi sprinted towards the noise, ready to jump into the fight. 

Izumi climbed up onto one of the pipes and looked down, quickly assessing the situation. She was surprised to see a scene straight out of a battle arena.

"Coral, Acid!" Mina commanded her Skrelp, who shot acid at the opposing Tangrowth. 

"Dodge it, Shaggy!" The opponent from Class 1B with a very beastly appearance, wearing a regular pair of pants, and dark brown boots with light fur lining on the collar, shouted.

The Vine Pokemon wasn't fast enough, and got hit by the Acid attack. 

"Damn it..." He mumbled.

"Now, Seven! Struggle Bug!" Ochaco commanded her Dottler.

The small Bug Type emitted a buzzing noise, and shot out a blue and purple wave of energy at the opposing Tangrowth. It hit the Vine Pokemon, weakening him.

"Now, Shaggy! Ancient Power!" The opponent commanded.

The Vine Pokemon let out a cry and let loose a large number of ancient stone chunks in the air, letting them fall onto his opponents.

Izumi knew she needed to step in. She jumped from the pipes, not bothering to transform into a Pokemon. While in the air, she kicked the ancient rocks away.

The beast-like teen looked up. "Hey! It's rude to interfere, you know!" He shouted.

Izumi landed in front of Ochaco and Mina. She looked at them, then the beast-like teen, who was glaring at her.

Izumi smirked and crossed her arms.

"Awww, you were already beaten by two girls?" She teased. "You must be in the bottom of your class."

The beast-like teen's lips drew back in a snarl. He looked like he was about to charge at Izumi, but he stopped himself.

"Hey, you two." Izumi's tone changed as she stood up, looking down at Ochaco and Mina. "Are you both okay?" Her tone of voice indicated what she was really asking - "Did he try anything?"

However, Izumi already had a good guess of the events that had happened before she arrived.

The two girls nodded. "Yep, we're fine." Mina confirmed, standing up.

Ochaco stood up as well. "This guy wasn't much of a challenge actually. He's really slow." She added.

Both of them were smiling, clearly proud of themselves and their Pokemon.

"That's good." Izumi was relieved. "But it does look like you need to train some more." She looked at the beast-like teen, who was fuming with anger.

Izumi's lips turned up into a smirk.

"Well then, let's get to battling, shall we, Beast boy?" She cracked her knuckles.

"Don't call me that!" He growled.

"Aww... But it's cute." Izumi teased, smirking even more. "Besides, it fits you. Unless you don't identify as a boy, then I apologise and I'll call you something else."

"No, I'm a guy!" The teen growled, still furious.

"Ooh! Feisty!" Mina laughed.

"Hey! Quit it!" The young man was getting angrier, so Izumi knew it was time to get the battle started again before he snapped.

"Let's see just how feisty you are in this battle." Izumi taunted.

"Oh, I'll show you feisty, alright!" The teen snapped, throwing a Pokeball. "Go, Scooby!"

Out emerged a Dachsbun, who growled at the three girls.

"Come on out, Ashika!" Izumi sent out her Popplio.

"Scooby, use Play Rough!" The beast-like teen commanded his Dachsbun as she launched herself at Ashika.

Ashika, quick on her feet, dodged the incoming attack with ease. She smirked. 

"Is that all you got?" She taunted, making the Dachsbun even angrier. She growled, her eyes narrowing in anger.

Izumi smirked. So this was the beast boy's strategy, huh? Get so angry that anyone would be scared? She laughed to herself.

"Alright, girl." Izumi whispered to Ashika. "We're gonna have some fun. Now, go for it, Ashika!" 

The Popplio let out a sound halfway between a laugh and a giggle before forming bubbles around her body. The bubbles flew towards the Dachsbun and began to burst on her.

"Aqua Jet!" Izumi commanded.

Ashika let out a happy cry, before using Aqua Jet at the Dachsbun, hitting her.

The beast-like teen's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't expect the Popplio to be so fast.

"Scooby! Use Double-Edge!" He commanded.

The Dachsbun charged at Ashika with great force, hoping to knock her down. Ashika however, was quick to dodge the attack once again.

"Use Aqua Jet again!" Izumi commanded Ashika.

Ashika nodded and used Aqua Jet once more, hitting the Dachsbun square in the face, making her slide across the ground.

The beast-like teen was getting annoyed now. He clenched his teeth in frustration. Seeing him getting increasingly angry, Izumi smirked. 

"Ashika, time to finish this." Izumi commanded.

Ashika nodded and smirked, before using Aqua Jet one last time. The attack hit the Dachsbun, and she fell to the ground, defeated.

"Yes! We did it!" Ochaco cheered.

Izumi smiled. They had won the battle.

The beast-like teen was fuming. Angry that he had lost and his Dachsbun had been defeated.

"You..." He growled angrily. "You just caught me off guard! I'll beat you if we fight again!" He shouted.

Izumi chuckled. She knew this guy wouldn't beat her no matter how many times they fought.

"I really doubt that, Beast Boy." Izumi teased.

"Don't call me that!" He snapped.

Izumi smiled. She liked teasing him. "Then what do I call you? I can't just call you dude for now, so tell me your name."

The beast-like teen frowned. Clearly he didn't like that Izumi had seen through him like that.

"My name is Jurota Shishida." He answered.

Izumi smiled. "Shishida huh? What a nice name." She put her hands on her hips. "Well, Shishida. You're our prisoner now. So behave." She grinned. "Unless you want me to fight you again."

Jurota growled. He obviously didn't like being called their prisoner. He glared at Izumi angrily, but he couldn't do anything to her. He had lost fair and square.

Izumi laughed. Seeing Jurota's angry face made her happy.

"Aww, are you angry at me, Beast Boy?" Izumi teased.

"Stop calling me that!" Jurota yelled. He clearly did not appreciate the nickname Izumi had given him.

Izumi grinned, enjoying the teasing way too much.

"Well, as I've told you, you've earned the nickname Beast Boy." Izumi smirked. "You're angry so often, and your voice keeps going from normal to rough when you shout, like a beast would." 

She put a finger on her chin, acting as if she was thinking. "Not to mention your appearance, who is half beast like with fur and all." Izumi chuckled. "Beast Boy really is the best nickname possible for you."

Jurota let out a growl, his temper rising. 

"Don't call me Beast Boy!" He shouted, stomping closer to Izumi.

"Or what?" Izumi stood her ground. She wasn't afraid of him.

"Or I'll..." Jurota paused, not knowing what to say. Izumi was a hard person to threaten. "Just don't call me Beast Boy!" He spat.

"Aww, I'm so sorry for that." Izumi spoke in a mocking tone. "I won't call you Beast Boy... I'll call you... Beast man." She grinned.

"I-I..." Jurota stumbled over his words, clearly not finding a reply to Izumi's teasing.

Izumi chuckled, enjoying Jurota's lack of a response.

"Now, come Beast man." She gestured. "I'm taking you to the prison."

Jurota gritted his teeth, clearly not liking the situation he was in.

Izumi smirked. She took Jurota's silence as obedience and took him to the prison. She then opened the door and shoved Jurota inside.

"Good luck finding something to do, Beast man." Izumi smiled and shut the door.

Shoto turned to face Jurota.

"You too, huh?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Fro, Horn Attack!"

"Counter it with Zen Headbutt, Beauty!" 

Momo and a girl from Class 1B with blonde hair, horns, and her hero costume looked like a jockey uniform had encountered each other and were having a Pokemon battle. Momo was using Beauty, while the other girl was using a Bouffalant named Fro.

The girl's eyes narrowed as her Bouffalant charged forwards, her powerful horns glowing as she prepared to attack. Meanwhile, Beauty braced herself, her body glowing as she focused her psychic energy. Just as Fro was about to collide with Beauty, the Ralts quickly darted to the side, dodging the attack with ease. Using her psychic powers, she unleashed a powerful Zen Headbutt, striking Fro in the side.

Fro staggered backwards, stumbling as she tried to regain her footing. But Beauty wasn't giving her a chance to breathe. She quickly followed up with another Zen Headbutt, this time striking Fro square in the head. 

The Bouffalant let out a pained cry before toppling to the ground with a heavy thud. 

Momo and the girl stared at each other in silence for a few moments before Momo finally spoke. "I believe that makes Beauty the winner of this Pokemon battle." She announced with a hint of triumph in her voice. "I hope your Bouffalant is alright, though."

"She'll be fine." The other girl sighed.

"Yaomomo!" Kyoka shouted, Momo's head turning to her classmate. "I'll take her from here, you carry on!"

As Momo nodded in agreement, she recalled Beauty, who returned to her Pokeball, and then set off to continue searching for other opponents. 

Momo continued to search Ground Gamma, but the area was eerily quiet. Suddenly, she heard shifting in the shadows, and her heart began to race. She cautiously approached the sound, her hand ready to grab one of her Pokeballs just in case. 

Suddenly, a familiar head popped out of the darkness, and Momo's heart skipped a beat before relaxing when she realised who the head belonged to.

"Hey, Momo!" Izumi grinned. "I thought I might find you here."

"Have you caught anyone, yet?" Momo asked her friend.

"Yeah, two people." Izumi nodded. "Three more to go."

"Make that two. Jiro is taking one of our opponents to our prison." Momo nodded.

"That's awesome!" Izumi pumped her fist in excitement. "We're almost there, Momo!" 

As Momo smiled at her friend's enthusiasm, Izumi's grin faded when she heard a rustling in the distance. She quickly turned towards the source of the sound, noticing movement in the shadows.

"Looks like we've got company, Momo." Izumi's voice was low and cautious. "Be on your guard!"

Suddenly, jumping out in front of the two was Itsuka and Nirengeki.

"Class Representatives versus Class Representatives." Itsuka glared at the two. "A showdown to end all showdowns, eh?"

"Looks like we do have company." Izumi smirked, taking on a defensive stance as she reached for one of her Pokeballs. 

"Bring on your best!" She grinned, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "We won't make this easy for you!" 

With that, Momo reached for one of her own Pokeballs, mirroring Izumi's stance. "You won't win against us!" She declared.

And then it started. A double battle.

"Go, Peaker!" Izumi sent out her Spearow.

"Go, Chime!" Momo sent out her Chingling.

"Go, Taiken!" Itsuka sent out her Machamp.

"Go, Light!" Nirengeki sent out his Plusle.

Peaker let out a sharp caw as she took flight, while Chime began to float in the air, ready to take on the incoming opponents.

Meanwhile, Taiken flexed her muscles while Light let out a small squeak before taking a defensive stance.

"Peaker, use Peck!" Izumi ordered. 

"Chime, use Swift!" Momo followed suit.

Peaker flew towards Taiken at high speed, her sharp beak glowing with an intense aura. She darted and dipped around the Machamp's punches, her movements quick and precise. 

Chime began to emit a rainbow of stars, which floated in the air in front of her. With a swift movement of her arms, she sent the sparkling energy at the two opposing Pokemon.

Peaker was relentless in her attacks, and with each strike, she managed to chip away a good chunk of Taiken's health. Meanwhile, Chime's Swift attack also did some damage to both Taiken and Light. 

"Taiken, use Submission!" Ituska commanded, "Go for that Spearow!"

Taiken let out a powerful battle cry, her muscles glowing with power as she charged forward, her fists ready to deliver a devastating attack.

"Chime, use Growl!" Momo shouted. 

Chime let out a small, but loud cry, and the sound waves reached Taiken, causing her to flinch. This gave Peaker the chance to fly away, narrowly avoiding the Submission attack. 

"Peaker, use Pursuit on Light!" Izumi commanded. 

Peaker changed the direction of her flight, diving towards Light from above, her beak glowing with a sharp aura. 

"Light, use Protect!" Nirengeki commanded.

In a flash of light, a transparent barrier appeared around the Plusle, shielding him from Peaker's attack.

Peaker's beak bounced off the barrier, and she let out a surprised cry.

"Chime, use Wrap on Taiken!" Momo shouted.

Chime let out a series of musical notes, which transformed into green vines, swiftly wrapping around Taiken, immobilising her.

Taiken let out a cry of frustration as she struggled against the vines, but it was no use. She was completely immobilised.

"Finish her, Peaker!" Izumi ordered. 

Peaker flew towards Taiken, her beak glowing with a sharp aura. She delivered a swift and powerful blow, knocking out Taiken with one hit.

Itsuka's eyes widened as Taiken fell to the ground, knocked out. She quickly withdrew Taiken into her ball and looked at Nirengeki, who looked a bit worried.

Izumi smirked, "Looks like we're the better Class Representatives after all!"

"Not so fast!" Itsuka exclaimed. "I still have one more Pokemon up my sleeve. Go, Mosaru!"

Itsuka threw a Pokeball, revealing a Monferno.

Izumi grinned at Itsuka's new Pokemon. "So, you finally sent out a Fire-type, huh? Well, let's match that with fire of our own! Go, Ashika!"

Izumi recalled Peaker and sent out her Popplio, who landed gracefully on the ground with a splash. "Let's do this, Ashika! Use Water Pledge!"

Ashika let out a loud call as water began to surround her, forming a large whirlpool that grew larger and more powerful with each passing moment. The whirlpool then transformed into a powerful torrent of water, which surged towards Mosaru with an incredible force.

The Monferno tried to dodge the attack, but the force of the torrent was too much for her to handle. She was thrown backwards by the force of the water, stumbling as she struggled to keep her balance. 

"Light, use Nuzzle on Ashika!" Nirengeki commanded.

Light darted forward, his fur crackling with electricity as he approached Ashika. With a sudden burst of speed, he leapt into the air and delivered a powerful Nuzzle attack to Ashika's side. The Popplio cried out in pain as she was knocked back by the impact, glowing with an electric charge.

"Ashika! Are you okay?" Izumi cried out, concern etched on her face.

Ashika struggled to get back to her feet, her body shaking from the electric shock. "I-I'm fine...let's do this!"

"Ashika! Use Water Gun on Light!"

Ashika opened her mouth and let out a powerful stream of water, which shot towards Light with pinpoint accuracy. The Plusle tried to dodge, but the water caught him head-on, knocking him to the ground with a heavy thud.

"Light!" Nirengeki shouted in alarm, recalling his Pokemon back to his Pokeball.

Izumi grinned, feeling confident about her chances. "Looks like we've got the upper hand! Let's finish them off, Ashika!"

"Damn it..." Nirengeki mumbled, throwing another Pokeball, revealing a Minun. "Go, Rodney! You're our last shot!"

Izumi smirked, not one to be outdone. "Ashika! Use Water Pledge again!"

"Combine it with Swift, Chime!" Momo commanded.

Chime let out a series of high-pitched notes, which transformed into stars that surrounded Ashika. At the same time, Ashika unleashed another powerful torrent of water, combining the effect with Chime's Swift attack.

The combined attack was formidable, creating a wave of water and stars that surged towards the two opposing Pokemon. Rodney and Mosaru struggled to fight back against the torrent, but they were no match for the combined power of the Swift and Pledge attack.

"Yes! We've got them cornered now!" Momo exclaimed with excitement.

"Ashika! Focus your attacks on Rodney!" Izumi commanded.

Ashika let out a fierce cry as she redirected her attack towards Rodney, unleashing another powerful surge of water, combined with Chime's stars. 

Rodney struggled to avoid the attack, dodging left and right, but the water and stars proved too much for the little Pokemon to handle. The combined attack hit him hard, sending him flying through the air and crashing onto the ground with a heavy thud. 

Momo and Izumi watched with bated breath as Nirengeki recalled Rodney, leaving Mosaru as their lone remaining Pokemon.

"Ashika! Finish her off with Water Pledge!" Izumi commanded.

Ashika nodded, summoning another torrent of water that surged towards Mosaru, surrounding her in a powerful vortex. Mosaru tried to fight back, struggling against the water, but the torrent was too much for her to handle. 

After a few moments, the water subsided, leaving Mosaru unconscious on the ground. Momo and Izumi breathed a sigh of relief, feeling victorious. 

"Now that we beat you..." Izumi started, before getting cut off by Itsuka.

"Beat you?" Itsuka scoffed. "You may have won that first fight, but that doesn't mean you won't win a one on one."

Itsuka then enlarged one of her fists, and sparks of orange and green flickered across her skin.

"Catch me if you can." Itsuka smirked.

Izumi raised an eyebrow, not intimidated by the sight of the enlarged fist. 

"You know, you're really not that scary when you try to act tough." she taunted. "But if you want to go one-on-one with me, I'm more than up for the challenge." 

Izumi turned the face of the Pokewatch, before landing on the one she wanted. She pressed it down, and she transformed into a large, bipedal dinosaurian Pokemon with a grey-blue diamond-shaped scale on its belly and hard green armour covering its entire body, with some holes on it. 

Izumi, now a Tyranitar, stared Itsuka down, waiting for the redhead to make her first move.

Tyranitar was known for being one of the most feared Pokemon in the world, with powerful attacks that could devastate even the most legendary of opponents. It helped that it was a Pseudo-Legendary.

"I hope you're ready, because I'm not holding back!" Itsuka exclaimed, rushing towards Izumi.

Itsuka's first attack came swiftly, a spinning hook kick aimed at Izumi's side. But Izumi was faster, moving with surprising speed and agility for a Rock-type Pokemon. She sidestepped the attack with ease, then retaliated with a powerful Ancient Power attack, sending ancient rocks flying the redhead's way.

Itsuka ducked and dodged the ancient rocks, her instincts honed from years of martial arts training coming in handy. She weaved through the attack, then launched a flurry of punches and kicks with incredible speed and precision, trying to find an opening in Izumi's defenses. But each time she thought she had her cornered, Izumi would retaliate with a strong attack of her own.

After a few minutes of intense back-and-forth between the two, both fighters were starting to show signs of fatigue. Itsuka panted heavily as she tried to find an opportunity to land another hit, while Izumi was also starting to struggle to catch her breath. 

"Alright, now's my chance to lead Kendo to our prison." Izumi thought to herself. She let out one Rock Slide attack and jumped back.

Itsuka's eyes narrowed as she saw the attack coming, but before she could dodge or block it, the rocks hit her with full force. She was knocked back by the impact, falling to the ground with a heavy thud. 

When Itsuka looked back up, she noticed that Izumi had disappeared. Where was she? Before she could regain her footing, Itsuka heard a loud squawk from behind her. She turned around, seeing a Hawlucha with the same hourglass symbol on her chest as Izumi's Tyranitar form. Was that...

Izumi, now transformed into a Hawlucha, grinned at Itsuka with a confident smirk on her face. 

She flapped her wings, taking to the skies as she launched a powerful Aerial Ace attack towards the redhead. Itsuka barely had time to react, and before she could do anything about it, the attack hit her squarely in the chest, sending her flying backwards with intense force. 

Izumi landed gracefully, staring down at Itsuka with a victorious grin. The next thing she did was use Double Team, creating several illusions of herself. 

Itsuka slowly got to her feet, her eyes scanning the area. She couldn't tell which one was the real Izumi, and which ones were just illusions. 

Itsuka stood in the middle of the illusions, her eyes darting back and forth as she tried to figure out which one was the real Izumi. She threw a punch at one of the illusions, but it passed right through it. She tried again with another, with the same result. 

One of the Hawluchas jumped right in front of Itsuka, gesturing like she wanted the redhead to follow her. Itsuka was hesitant at first, unsure if this was a trick or not. But she quickly snapped out of it, realizing that this could be her chance to catch Izumi and bring her to their prison.

She wasted no time in following the Hawlucha, hoping it would lead her to the real Izumi. The Hawlucha led Itsuka through the treacherous terrain of Ground Gamma, leaping and flying over obstacles and debris with ease. Itsuka followed close behind, barely able to keep up with the fast-moving bird Pokemon. 

However, Itsuka soon realised that she was at the opposing prison, seeing her teammates trapped there. Before she could run, each of the Hawluchas tackled Itsuka, preventing her from doing anything.

Itsuka struggled and thrashed as the Hawluchas pinned her down, but it was no good. She was trapped, and there was no way she could break free from their grip. 

Izumi, standing by the door to the prison, watched the scene with a satisfied grin on her face. She had won the battle, and now she had her opponent right where she wanted her. 

"Squadzumi, throw her in the cage!" Izumi commanded her clones.

The Hawluchas did as they were told, easily hoisting Itsuka into the air and throwing her into the prison cage. They quickly shut and locked the door, leaving Itsuka trapped inside with nowhere to go.

Then, a horn blared throughout Ground Gamma.

"That's time! Team A-A wins 5-1!" Mirko declared over a speaker. "The cells have been unlocked, can everyone return to the meeting point!"

With the horn signaling the end of the battle, the students who had been captured were quickly released from the prison and led back to the meeting point. 

After school, that day, Izumi had entered the building of her job, which was a Pokemon Sanctuary. There were many Pokemon that lived there, mostly due to unfortunate circumstances.

Some Pokemon were abandoned. Some were taken from a bad environment. Some lost their trainers, and some just needed a temporary home. 

It was Izumi's job, as an employee of the sanctuary, to look after the various Pokemon who took refuge there.

After she arrived at the building and changed into her work outfit, Izumi made her way over to the main room of the sanctuary to check in with the Pokemon and whichever staff members were in there.

"Hey, good to see you, Midoriya-Usagiyama!" 

The voice came from Fumika Sasayaki, a woman in her early 20s with soft, pink hair, glowing eyes, fair skin, and she wore a pink shirt, and black shorts, who Izumi knew to be one of the employees of the sanctuary. She was behind the main desk of the room, a smile on her face as she greeted Izumi.

"Glad you could make it, as always!"

"Hey, Sasayaki!" Izumi greeted cheerfully, going over to the desk. "What've we got today? Any new arrivals?"

Sasayaki shook her head, before her eyes drifted towards Katsura, who was off to the side. Izumi followed her gaze to the woman, who was in her early 20s with magenta hair, fair skin, one red eye and one blue eye, and she wore a brown shirt, indigo jeans, a light blue jacket, and orange shoes, who seemed to be reading a letter.

"Actually, there's been something big that happened..." Sasayaki replied, before going back to looking at Izumi. "Something about a test that Katsura took... and... uh... let's just say that she's been pretty starstruck since."

"Oh, did her results come back?" Izumi asked.

"Yes, and... well, I'll let her explain." Sasayaki replied. She looked over at Katsura, raising her voice slightly. "Hey, Katsura, are you gonna tell her?"

After an instant of no response, Katsura snapped out of her daze. "What? Oh- uh, yeah! I will!" She replied quickly, before making her way over to the two of them. Her movements seemed to be unusually light, almost as if she was almost floating. She greeted Izumi, before holding up the opened letter she had been reading.

"Look at this, Midoriya-Usagiyama!" Katsura exclaimed, smiling brightly as she showed Izumi the letter. "My test results... I- I passed! And it's all thanks to you!"

"No need to thank me." Izumi rubbed the back of her head, sheepishly. "It was you who did all of the work."

"Are you kidding me?" Katsura laughed, looking up from the letter at Izumi. "You prepared me more than well enough!"

Sasayaki nodded in agreement. "She has a point. The amount of material you assisted her with was incredible."

"Well, I'm sure you would've figured something out." Izumi replied politely. "I was just doing what any person should, when they see someone in need. If it wasn't me helping you, it would've been someone else."

"Stop being so humble." Sasayaki chuckled, grinning to show that she was joking around with Izumi. "I've never seen Katsura so energetic and happy before, so you did a great job."

"Yeah!" Katsura nodded rapidly, and Izumi could clearly see how giddy she was. It was almost like a Togedemaru. "I would never have passed if you hadn't helped me so much, so you better accept the praise!"

Izumi took a look at Katsura, and how the woman was holding the paper against her chest as if it was something precious. She chuckled at the older woman's excitement, before replying.

"Okay, fine, you're welcome!" She grinned. "What did I do to deserve you guys, anyway? It's my first real job, and I couldn't ask for a better work environment."

"Hey, you're more than just a co-worker to us." Katsura laughed, placing a hand on Izumi's shoulder. "But enough about me. How was your school day?"

"Oh, today was pretty good." Izumi replied, thinking over her day. "Nothing really out of the ordinary, besides the usual antics that we all get up to, though my class did join up with the other Hero Course class, today for battle training. What about you two?"

"It was relatively uneventful." Sasayaki replied, leaning back slightly in her seat as she looked at Izumi. "That is, until Katsura got her letter. You probably wouldn't believe how much she's been blushing and giggling since she opened it."

"Oh my Arceus, Sasayaki, you're still talking?!" Katsura groaned, letting out a flustered whine. Her cheeks had an obvious rosy tint to them, showing that Sasayaki was 100% right about her being blushing and giggling.

"Maybe I should make fun of you more!" Sasayaki laughed, a mischievous grin on her face. "You're cute when you're flustered."

After hearing those words, Sasayaki's teasing quickly achieved its intended effect. Katsura's face instantly turned bright red, as her whole body seemed to become hotter from her blush. Katsura wasn't used to being praised, much less complimented in such a way.

Izumi laughed as she watched, enjoying the playful bickering between her two friends and co-workers. It was nice to see them so relaxed, when they weren't busy working.

Just then, another employee ran in. She was a woman who was 19, and she had dark blue hair, a white shirt, and blue leggings. Her name was Oritatami Wari.

"H-Hey!" Wari gasped, panting for air. "M-Mid... Midoriya-Usagiyama, Katsura... M-My mother... Wants to see you both in her office."

"Oh?" Izumi's curiosity was piqued, and she could see the same look on Sasayaki's face as well.

"What is this about? Did something happen?" The pink-haired woman questioned, before glancing over at Katsura, who seemed just about as confused as her and Izumi.

"No, nothing like that." Wari replied, shaking her head. She straightened up, now that she had gotten her breath back. "But... I guess you're about to find out, anyway."

She smiled at them, before heading off in another direction. Izumi was left wondering about what exactly was happening, but she and Katsura made their way towards the office of the sanctuary's owner.

Katsura and Izumi arrived at the office's door, before sharing a look with each other. After a moment of hesitation, Katsura knocked.

After a moment, an older woman's voice responded, saying "Come in!"

When they entered, Katsura and Izumi looked around the room. 

It was spacious, and furnished similarly to the lobby. The main point of interest in the room, however, was the woman sitting behind a large mahogany desk. 

She had long blue hair and light blue eyes, and a rather mature figure. To any young adults, such as Katsura and Izumi, she could be considered rather attractive. Her name was Origami Wari.

She was currently typing on a laptop, before she noticed the two of them enter.

"Ah, you're finally here. Good." Origami spoke, pausing her typing and looking up from the screen. "Please, have a seat."

She gestured over to the two chairs in front of her desk. After a brief bit of hesitation, both Katsura and Izumi sat down.

"Now." Origami continued. "Do you know why I've called you two in here?"

Izumi and Katsura both looked around for a moment, before shaking their heads. They looked back at Origami, who chuckled.

"So, Oritatami didn't tell you?" She chuckled. "Well then."

She reached down into her desk, eventually pulling out two eggs. One was white, fuzzy, and had some orange bits all around it. The other one was also white, with some green bits, and some sparkly pink lines all around it. She placed both eggs on the desk, allowing for better inspection.

Izumi and Katsura were both surprised to see the eggs, and they looked over the eggs for a few moments.

"Eggs... Are you going to train new Pokemon to help at the sanctuary?" Katsura asked, taking a look at the egg with the orange bits.

"Not quite." Origami shook her head. "These two eggs appeared in the outside area, this morning. They're not like any eggs I've seen before. And they definitely didn't come from any Pokemon that live here, either."

"Really?" Katsura mumbled, looking closely at the orange egg. Izumi looked just as confused, staring at the egg with the green bits.

"Do you know what might have brought them here?" Izumi wondered aloud, looking around as if the perpetrator of the strange eggs could still be nearby. "Or what they are?"

"I did a little bit of research, and it seems like one of these eggs is from the future, and the other is from the past." Origami explained.

"The past and future?" Izumi asked, her eyebrows raising. The words seemed absurd, but it was also something she could believe given the existence of Quirks and Pokemon.

"Wait, which one's which?" Katsura spoke up, staring at the two eggs with confusion and curiosity.

"I don't have any definitive proof, but..." Origami placed her hand on top of the egg with the orange bits. "I believe this one is from the past."

She then placed her other hand on the egg with the green bits, a curious expression on her face. "And... this one is from the future."

Izumi and Katsura both looked amazed as the woman spoke. "From the past...?" They both whispered, in almost perfect sync. The thought of Pokemon from the past or the future was an unexpected but curious one. 

Izumi wondered what the eggs would hatch into, if they really were what Origami thought they were. What kind of Pokemon would come from the past or the future?

"Then, why do you need us?" Katsura questioned.

"I want both of you to look after one egg, each." Origami explained. "I trust that you can sort it out between yourselves."

"What?" The young women both blurted out. It seemed like neither of them had truly comprehended what their boss had just asked of them.

"I- are you sure you trust us with this?" Izumi asked, still glancing at the eggs. They seemed so incredibly important, and yet... there was also a part of herself that wanted to take care of them, as well.

It was like seeing an Eevee for the first time. A part of her just knew that she wanted to love it, to look after it.

"Of course. You two are two of my most reliable employees here." Origami replied, a smile on her face. "I know I am asking quite a bit from both of you, but I can't think of two better people to care for these mysterious Pokemon."

"I... I'll do it." Katsura spoke up. She still seemed uncertain and nervous, but a determined look had made its way into her eyes. "I'll take care of one of them."

Izumi didn't even hesitate to speak up after that. "Me too." She replied, a fierce fire in her eyes. 

Origami chuckled. "I never doubted either of you would refuse." She replied, gesturing for Katsura to take one of the eggs. "Why don't you pick, Katsura?"

"M-me?" Katsura asked, surprised that she was the one picking out of the two of them. She stammered for a moment, before eventually replying, "O-okay, uh..."

"I think you should pick the one from the past, Katsura." Izumi suggested. "It might help you with your research on why some Pokemon are different between regions."

"O-okay." Katsura nodded, still seemingly nervous but determined to see things through. She reached over, picking up the fluffy egg with the orange bits on it. 

It seemed surprisingly light as Katsura lifted it, almost feathery in weight. She looked down at the egg, and a small smile made its way onto her face as she cradled it against her chest.

"I'll take the other one." Izumi spoke, as she reached out and picked up the remaining egg. It seemed heavier than she expected, but she didn't show it. 

She too looked down at the egg, and couldn't stop a small smile of her own from forming on her face. There was a little voice in the back of her head, already imagining what Pokemon might come out of the egg.

While their feelings were different, both women seemed to have already grown quite attached to their eggs. It had barely been a few minutes, and yet they already seemed quite protective of the mysterious eggs.

Izumi could almost feel the egg pulsating slightly against her hand as she held it, like a heartbeat. Was there really a Pokemon inside there that would eventually hatch? The thought was enough to excite her heart despite herself.

"It's not hard to care for Pokemon eggs." Origami stated, after a moment. "The important part is making sure that the temperature is right, and that it doesn't go too long without being moved around."

She then reached down into her desk again, and this time she pulled out a strange device that looked like a Pokeball, but with a large black screen on the front and a red button on the top. "You're going to want one of these, as well. It's a Pokemon Egg Incubator."

"What does it do?" Katsura asked, her curiosity piqued as she stared at the strange Pokeball-like device. She already knew what an Incubator was thanks to her research, but these devices looked like something completely different from the ones scientists usually used.

Izumi was also curious, eyeing the Incubator device. What could it do? Could it really help with growing the egg? So many thoughts raced through her mind, but she knew that she would find out what it was in a moment, after Origami explained it to them.

"This isn't your ordinary Incubator." Origami explained. "It's an experimental new device that helps increase the growth rate in eggs. It's a new invention from the Pokemon Research Lab of Johto that they've been working on for a while."

She held up the Incubator, showing it off to Katsura and Izumi. "It might speed up the growth rate of the egg inside." 

She then handed an Incubator to each woman, before continuing. "Take care of them well. I expect to see results, soon."

"We will." The two of them replied, almost in perfect sync. They were both filled with determination, despite the uncertainty of the situation.

They looked down at the eggs in their hands, both feeling their anticipation rise. They would see this through, no matter how long it took.

Izumi felt her heart race at the thought of what her egg would hatch into. It was a little scary, but also exciting, to say the least. How long would it take for it to open? Would it even open at all?

"I know you two won't let me down." Origami spoke. "These eggs could be the most amazing discovery in all of Pokemon research, if the research I've found is right. I just hope it all turns out well."

She smiled, before gesturing for them to both get going. "Now, go on and keep the eggs safe. You're dismissed.”

It was night-time in Musutafu City. There weren't many people out at this time, which was perfect for people to snoop around. And as much as Nantai hated it, it's what they had to do for the time being, until they knew they could return to Kiusana, which was currently being taken over by some other race of aliens. But, for now, they were on Earth.

They had arrived on Earth at the beginning of the year, and in that amount of time, they had learned to pass as human, which was easy when your next door neighbour could potentially have a stack of pancakes for a head. Heck, Nantai didn't have a proper name before they had arrived on Earth. They had learned about these creatures called "Pokemon" who had abilities and powers, and humans cared for them, and even worked alongside them. So to not cause suspicion, Nantai caught a few.

"Guys, I'm sorry for what happened today." Nantai apologised to their team, who were all out of their balls.

"It's ok, Nantai." Sephlaod, Nantai's Omanyte, comforted his trainer. "We all did our best!"

"Easy for you to say, spiral." Pandora, Nantai's Darumaka, rolled his eyes. "You actually lasted long."

"Guys, don't fight." Siladamonter, Nantai's Bagon, pleaded. "We're on the same team."

"That's bold, coming from the dragon." Pandora sneered.

"I hate to say it... But I need to agree with the Fire-type." Bo'lat, Nantai's Chinchou, hesitantly agreed. "If we keep losing like that, we'll all die painful deaths. Trust me on that."

"Then we just have to get stronger!" Valdiva, Nantai's Sandshrew, exclaimed.

"I wish it was that easy." Nantai sighed. "Everyone we fight is just stronger and stronger. I don't know what to do..."

Pandora gave a smug smile. "Then you leave it to me!" He declared. "I know a move that can easily beat them to the ground."

"That's bold, coming from the one who was the first one defeated in our match against that mushroom girl." Bo'lat snorted, stifling a small chuckle.

"Hey, nobody asked the balloon fish for an opinion." snarled Pandora.

Valdiva cleared his throat, trying to get everyone's attention. "What move? Maybe you could show us instead?"

Pandora smiled, clearly enjoying the attention. "I will! Watch closely, you pathetic losers."

Pandora closed his eyes, and then a small flame started to burn inside his mouth. In a second, the small flame exploded into a roaring torrent of heat and light.

"Now that's a real man's fire attack!" Pandora yelled, and the torrent of flame shot out from his position towards his teammates.

Valdiva barely managed to dodge to the side, and Sephlaod dived underground just in time.

"What was THAT?!" Sephlaod screamed as he emerged from the ground, shaking dirt from his shell.

"That's a Fire-type's real strength! Don't you all just feel pathetic next to me?" He laughed maniacally, then his eyes went wide open.

"That... is... SO COOL!" Valdiva jumped up and down, and the ground started to shake beneath them. "You have to teach me how to do that!"

"Uhh... I'm not sure your kind can learn a Fire-type move." Pandora thought for a moment. "Or any Fire-type move for that matter."

"Sunny Day." Sephlaod replied.

"What?" Pandora turned to the Spiral Pokemon.

"Most Pokemon, including the Sandshrew line, can learn Sunny Day." Sephlaod clarified. "Sunny Day is a Fire-type move."

"What does Sunny Day do?" Nantai asked.

"It boosts Fire-type moves for a few minutes." Sephlaod explained. "It weakens Water-type moves, though."

"Then that gives me more reason to learn it!" Valdiva yelled excitedly. "I need to know! Teach me the skill of the fire!"

"Woah, woah." Nantai put up a hand. "Before we do anything, let's take a step back. That move just now... What was that, Pandora?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Pandora gave a toothy grin. "That was Flamethrower, the most powerful Fire move a Pokemon can learn! Well, aside from Blast Burn, I hear that one's even better. But I can't learn it, so Flamethrower it is!"

He shot another burst of flames into the air, showing off the move. Valdiva watched with awe, while the others just rolled their eyes, as this was getting a bit repetitive.

"Flamethrower... It does seem to be pretty strong." Nantai finally commented after Pandora finished his little show.

"Pretty strong?!" His eyes shot wide open. "I'd like to see you do better, you coward. That's right, I called you a coward. What are you gonna do about it? What's your strongest move?" He stomped up to Nantai, who towered over him. "I'm waiting."

Nantai held up one of their hands, and squirted a small stream of water out of it at Pandora, hoping to shut him up, a deadpan look on their face. But that just did the opposite.

"That's it?" Pandora crossed his arms. "Wow, I can't believe this is our trainer. The most they can do is shoot a weak-ass stream of water. No wonder we keep losing our battles."

Valdiva stepped up. "Hey, maybe we should stop fighting-"

"Nobody asked you, Sandshrew!"

"WOULD YOU ALL SHUT THE FUCK UP?!" Nantai shouted. "I am TIRED. I am HUNGRY. I DON'T NEED YOU ALL FIGHTING OVER MY TERRIBLE TRAINER SKILLS."

There was silence for a moment, as everyone absorbed what Nantai had just done. This was the first time Nantai had raised their voice, and everyone didn't know how to react.

Pandora opened his mouth to say something, but was shushed by one of Sephlaod's tentacles.

Realising what had happened, Nantai slowly slumped against the nearest wall, slowly crouching down.

"Fuck... Guys... I'm sorry..." Nantai apologised. "I didn't mean to..."

Sephlaod slithered over to Nantai's side. "It's ok, Nantai. Everyone gets stressed sometimes."

"I just... I don't know what to do." Nantai sighed, staring down at the ground. "I'm not cut out to be a trainer, and you guys shouldn't have to suffer because of it."

"Maybe it's not Nantai's fault!" Valdiva piped up. "They're so awesome, we're just bad at battling. Right Nantai? It's definitely not their fault!"

There was no response from Nantai. They just sat still, unmoving. Sephlaod slowly curled himself around Nantai, and the other Pokemon moved closer to their trainer, forming something of a group cuddle to keep warm. And despite the cool night's air, the group was kept warm by the heat emanating from Pandora's body.

For the rest of the night, Nantai quietly sobbed. 

Chapter Text

"Mmm... looking at it, I still can't think what Pokemon might be in this egg." Izumi muttered.

Izumi and her team were walking through the forest nearest to Musutafu City, something they typically did for bonding and stuff. Izumi was currently a Volcarona, due to Flame Body. The egg she was given was currently in a small bag being carried by her.

"How long will it take, anyway?" Peaker asked, jumping onto the bag and briefly looking inside.

“By the looks of it, at minimum, a few days, at maximum, a month or two.” Izumi mused.

“A month?!” Ashika exclaimed. “I can’t wait that long!”

“I’m sure it’ll be worth it, though.” Izumi chuckled. “In the meantime, we could always speculate what Pokemon will hatch.”

“If it’s from the future, maybe a Steel-type or something?” Peaker wondered.

“Or maybe a new type that’s never been seen before!” Ashika beamed.

“Like what?” Izumi chuckled.

“Maybe a Sound-type, or a Nuclear-type!” Ashika responded.

Izumi couldn’t help but laugh at the Sea Lion Pokemon’s enthusiasm about a new potential teammate.

“Yeah, maybe.” Izumi nodded. “Though, Wari didn’t say how far in the future the egg came from. So, really, it could be anything.”

“Maybe it’s a convergent form of a Pokemon from today?” Peaker suggested. “Like Gardevior, or Gallade.”

“Peaker, those are from the same evolution line.” Izumi pointed out.

“Those were just the first Pokemon that came to mind.” Peaker shrugged.

“Good gosh, imagine if it was a fusion between those two?!” Ashika exclaimed. “That’d be so cool!”

As the trio continued to speculate about the egg’s contents, a rustling caught the trio’s attention.

“Hm?” Izumi hummed as she looked towards where the noise came from. “What was that?”

The two Pokemon looked at Izumi for instructions, unsure if she was about to tell them they should leave or see what it was.

After a second, a Houndoom popped out of the bushes, staring at the trio. 

“Okay… a Houndoom…” Izumi muttered.

If a Houndoom was here, then at least a few Houndour would be nearby.

Just as Izumi thought that, Houndour began popping out of the bushes and surrounding the trio.

"Do we fight them?" Ashika whispered to Izumi.

"Let's see what they want." Izumi whispered back, before turning to the pack of Dark Pokemon. "Hey, Houndour, Houndoom. How are you today?"

Most of the Houndour barked out greetings. A few growled, but it was nothing beyond what you’d normally expect from their line.

The Houndoom was the only one that did not participate in the conversation. He seemed... Distracted by something.

"My mate..." The Houndoom mumbled, looking away. "We were attacked by a pack of Breloom. Most of us got out of the fight with little injuries, but my mate suffered the most...She's really hurt. Normally Pokemon that know healing moves are rare in these parts of the forest, but we thought we'd try to search, anyway."

The Houndoom then turned to Izumi, Ashika, and Peaker. "You look somewhat experienced. You wouldn't happen to know of such a Pokemon in the area, would you?"

"Mm..." Izumi thought for a moment, then she remembered something. Her Smeargle form knew Floral Healing. "I might know a healing move."

The Houndoom brightened up, immediately. "Really? Please, can you help my mate?"

There was a loud howl from where the rest of the pack was, in the direction the Houndoom had come from. That seemed to be the cue to lead her to the Houndoom's mate.

The pack made its way deeper into the forest, until coming to a small cave, in which lay a few Houndour, as well as the injured Houndoom mate.

As the trio entered, two Houndour rushed towards the injured one, whimpering at her and nuzzling her. It seemed she was their mother.

The injured Houndoom was definitely worse for wear. She had many gashes and scars all around her body, which looked like the result of Breloom claws, as well as a rather large and bleeding one on her side.

Izumi slowly moved closer, before crouching and examining her. Izumi was no professional at this, but it looked as if she had been attacked in the side and lost a lot of blood because of that.

"Her skin is a bit loose here." Izumi pointed out to the Houndoom that led them there. "She might have a cracked bone... if it's not too small or in too many pieces, I can use Floral Healing to fix it. It may not help with her wounds, though."

The Houndoom nodded solemnly, looking very sad. "She's been bleeding for what feels like forever at this point. She's getting weaker and weaker by the second... At this point, I'd do anything to help her. Even if it's just a little, anything you can do to help would be great."

"Alright, I'll do what I can." Izumi nodded. After getting Peaker to touch the Pokewatch symbol on her chest, Izumi switched to Smeargle. "This may sting or itch a little, but don't worry, everything will be ok."

Izumi touched the injured Houndoom's side where the cracked bone was and used her Floral Healing. 

The bone slowly mended itself, but the bleeding did not seem to stop, though it slowed a little. It must be something deeper inside that was damaged. Still, the Houndom was breathing a bit easier, and her eyes looked more focused.

"Thank you." The Houndoom's mate nodded. "She already looks a bit better. I think if it wasn't for your help, she would have collapsed by now."

"No problem, but I think she might need more than just Floral Healing." Izumi pointed out.

"Hmm..." The main Houndoom mused, before perking up. "Oh, I remember where I saw a grey Chansey earlier. Chansey can help us with more than just Floral Healing."

Izumi was confused for a moment. Chansey wasn't typically grey. They were pink, and their shinies were green.

"Can you describe in more detail who you saw?" Izumi asked.

"Of course. The Chansey was skinnier than other Chansey. They also had horns that spiralled down." The Houndoom explained.

"Alright." Izumi nodded. "My friends and I will do our best to find who you're looking for."

After asking her a few more follow ups (the Houndoom couldn't say how deep into the forest the Chansey was, only that they were in the direction of the mountains, and that she had only seen them once so far) and promising a return, Izumi led her Pokemon out of the cave.

Once outside, they huddled up behind a big rock so they wouldn't be overheard.

"Alright, I have some good news and some bad news." Izumi chuckled a little. "Which do you want first?"

The two Pokemon looked at her. "Good news, obviously." Ashika finally spoke, after the pause became long enough.

Izumi paused for a few more moments, before saying, "Good news is, I'm pretty sure I know exactly who that Houndoom is looking for. I'm pretty sure the Pokemon that the Houndoom was describing is an Indeedee."

"And the bad news?" Peaker asked.

"The bad news is that Indeedee that live in the wild are notorious for being extremely difficult to find, at only a five percent encounter rate." Izumi explained with a sigh. "Who knows if we'll find one in time."

Ashika was about to say something, but Izumi cut her off with a shake of her head.

"Before you say we should try anyway, yes. Of course we're going. No Pokemon should be left to die like that if we can help it. I'm just pointing it out because we probably won't do anything else until we find this Indeedee." Izumi pointed out.

"Alright." Peaker spoke. "If this Indeedee is in the mountains somewhere, I can fly up ahead and look from there. We'll cover more ground that way."

"Alright, Ashika and I will search on the ground, while you scout out the area." Izumi nodded. "Squawk really loud when you find one."

Peaker took off with a nod and a salute and began looking around.

"So..." Ashika spoke up. "We're just wandering around now, aren't we? No real leads, or anything?"

"Not yet, anyway." Izumi shook her head, before heading back into the cave, where the Houndoom family was huddling.

"Did you find Chansey?" The male Houndoom asked.

"Not yet, but don't worry. Where did you see this "Chansey"?" Izumi asked.

"Hm..." The Houndoom thought for a moment. "I think I was around the edge of this part of the forest, a bit closer to the city. There was a big tree around there that had long, narrow leaves at the top and red berries that hung down around the trunk."

Izumi nodded, and told the Houndoom to stay here until more help arrived. Then she turned to Ashika and told her the Houndoom's directions.

"Looks like we got our lead." Izumi smiled. "Let's move."

The two traveled at relative speed, but Izumi told Ashika to slow down when they saw a similar tree to the one the Houndoom described.

"Should we split up?" Ashika suggested, already bouncing in eagerness to help the injured Houndoom.

"Well, I-" Izumi began, but stopped when she heard a faint rustling in the bushes.

"What's that?" Izumi asked, turning in the direction the noise was coming from.

Ashika followed her lead, and quickly spotted a grey, fluffy tail poking out of the bush.

"Wait a minute..." Izumi muttered. "That looks like an Indeedee tail."

Ashika was about to jump towards the tail, but Izumi held her back. Ashika opened her mouth to protest but Izumi placed a finger over her own lips and whispered, "Don't scare them off. Be quiet."

Just seconds later, a full Indeedee, just like the one the Houndoom had described, appeared from behind the bush, revealing herself to be a female Indeedee. 

"Ok." Izumi whispered to Ashika. "Now we need to talk to her quietly, so she doesn't run away."

Ashika nodded, before taking slow, quiet steps, or at least what a Popplio could consider steps, towards the Indeedee, who was currently unaware of the duo.

But, just Izumi's luck, the egg in her backpack chose that moment to fall out, making an awful racket as it hit a rock on the ground and began to roll, stopping only a few millimetres away from the unaware Indeedee.

"Oh no." Ashika whispered.

"Hm?" The Indeedee looked up, seeing the egg and both Ashika and Izumi. "Are you two alright-deedee?"

"Yes, we're fine." Izumi nodded as she walked over and picked up the egg, placing it back in her bag. "We're looking for someone to heal an injured Pokemon. We think you could help."

Indeedee gave a slightly suspicious glance to Izumi and Ashika, before sighing slightly. "Which Pokemon is hurt, and where-deedee?"

"A female Houndoom, and she's in a cave." Izumi explained. "I tried healing her, but the move I used wasn't enough. Are you willing to help us out?"

Indeedee thought for a moment, and Izumi feared for a split second that she would refuse, before nodding slightly. "Alright, indeedy. Show me the way."

The way back was a lot simpler than they feared, and Indeedee didn't need to be told to be quiet. The three were back at the cave in record time, with no detours.

The Houndoom was still with their mate, as well as their Houndour pups, but they looked up when the trio entered.

"Did you...?" The Houndoom began, but stopped when they noticed Indeedee following Izumi and Ashika.

Indeedee nodded at the Houndoom in greeting and smiled warmly at the two Houndour, before approaching the injured one and crouching down next to her.

"Don't worry." Izumi told them. "The Indeedee is here to help. She promised."

Indeedee, for her part, nodded in agreement before saying, "Is it alright if I check your wounds-deedee?"

The injured Houndoom was a bit hesitant, but nodded, allowing Indeedee to check her wounds.

Indeedee's face twisted into an expression of worry. "Oh dearie-deedee, these are quite serious."

"We were attacked by Breloom." The male Houndoom explained. "We were able to scare them off, but they got my mate. Please, help her."

Indeedee nodded, before closing her eyes for a second and beginning to focus on her next move. Slowly, a green, glowing ball of energy grew in size on her hands. When it reached about the size of a grape, Indeedee touched it to the Houndoom's wounds.

A faint glow appeared and covered the Houndoom, from her head down to the tip of her tail. The glow slowly retreated back to the ball hovering over Indeedee as the injuries sealed up.

Ashika and the male Houndoom watched on, amazed.

Indeedee pulled back, after the last of the Houndoom's wounds disappeared with the glow.

"Are you alright?" Izumi asked the Houndoom. "How are you feeling?"

"I... feel fine?" The Houndoom answered, staring at her claws in confusion. Indeedee had healed them.

The Houndoom mate, however, was overjoyed. "You're ok! Thank you!" The Houndoom cried, rushing over to embrace their mate and nuzzle her.

Izumi smiled, and motioned for Ashika to follow her out of the cave, so they could give the happy family some privacy.

Once outside, the two saw Peaker coming from a distance and waving to them.

Izumi waved back, and Peaker began to fly towards them.

"Izumi, I'm so sorry, I couldn't..." Peaker apologised, before noticing the Indeedee. "Oh, you found her. Is the Houndoom alright?"

"The Houndoom is back to full health." Izumi nodded confidently. "Thanks to the help of this lovely Indeedee. Thank you, Indeedee."

Indeedee waved it off as she walked past, before stopping and turning back to Izumi. "It's not a problem-deedee. Healing is what Indeedee like myself do."

There were a few moments of silence, before Indeedee spoke again. "You didn't find me-deedee just for the Houndoom, though, did you-deedee?" She asked, looking at the bag Izumi had on her back.

"Uh..." Izumi stuttered. She hadn't been planning to take Indeedee in as a Pokemon, but she hadn't anticipated the Indeedee offering to go with her, either.

After a second more of quiet panic, Izumi decided it wasn't really a problem. Indeedee certainly seemed trustworthy, and having a healer on the team was always useful.

Izumi took a deep breath and nodded to the Indeedee. "Would you like to join my team?"

"Team-deedee?" The Indeedee questioned.

"Ah! I'm not being entirely honest with you right now. I'm not actually a Smeargle...." Izumi then reverted back to her normal self in a flash of light. "I'm just a human."

Indeedee's expression went through several different emotions in quick succession: confusion, surprise, surprise again, and suspicion.

"Please, explain-deedee." Indeedee asked, tilting her head slightly.

"I'd be happy to, after I introduce myself properly." Izumi held out her hand to Indeedee, which Indeedee slowly and cautiously clasped before letting go. "I'm Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama. That's Peaker, and that's Ashika." Izumi explained, pointing to her Pokemon, before motioning for them to introduce themselves as well.

"Hey there!" Peaker squawked.

"Hi!" Ashika chirped.

"Pleasure to meet you all-deedee." Indeedee nodded, before looking at Izumi. "Now, please-deedee. Explain."

"Basically, this device on my wrist." Izumi lifted up her wrist, the one with the Pokewatch on it. "It allows me to transform into Pokemon. I found it when I was seven."

"Hmm..." Indeedee mused, looking at the watch. After a moment's thought, she nodded. "I see-deedee. I won't pretend I understand-deedee, but you don't seem to mean any harm-deedee, so I'll accept that explanation."

"So, would you like to join my team?" Izumi asked again. "You're very polite, and a healer too. We can always use someone like you on the team. Of course, I'll understand if you turn me down. You have no real reason to leave your home."

Indeedee looked conflicted, with a very obvious inner struggle brewing, before she finally nodded. "Alright, indeedy. I'll come with you-deedee. I'm already here, anyway-deedee."

Izumi pumped her fist in the air. "Great! Thank you so much for joining us. Uh, what name would you like to go by?"

"Name?" Indeedee asked, before shaking her head. "Sorry-deedee, but I don't have one. None of the Pokemon in this forest-deedee do. We don't need to. I suppose I could pick a name-deedee, but I think I'd like you to choose it for me-deedee."

Izumi thought for a second, trying to find a fitting name, before finally deciding on one. "How about 'Inochi?'"

"Inochi?" Indeedee repeated, testing out the name by saying it out loud and giving herself a quick nod in response to how it sounded.

"Yes, I'll adopt this name-deedee. Please treat me well-deedee, Master Izumi-deedee." Inochi declared with a slight bow.

"Please, you don't have to call me Master." Izumi shook her head. "You're not a servant, you're a friend. Besides, it's a bit weird for me to be called a 'master' considering I'm only fifteen."

"Not until you have defeated the Elite Four." Peaker chimed in with a smirk on her face.

Izumi chuckled, but Inochi looked confused. Maybe an inside joke that the Indeedee didn't know about.

"I assume that means just Izumi will do?" Inochi questioned, tilting her head to the side.

"Yeah, just Izumi is fine." Izumi nodded. "But, before we do anything else, there's one thing we need to 

"Hm?" Inochi questioned. "What's that-deedee?"

Ashika looked curious too, having not been told whatever this was yet. Peaker, meanwhile, was trying to keep a smirk off her face.

Izumi reached into her bag, grabbing a pink Pokeball with a heart on it.

"To make things official." Izumi smiled, throwing the ball at Inochi.

Inochi watched the ball hit her, and then was encased in a white light.

The ball fell to the ground and rolled a few times before it closed. A few moments of silence, and then the ball shook.

1...

2...

3...

CLICK!

Inochi was successfully caught.

Excitedly, Izumi picked up the Love Ball she had used and raised it in the air.

"Alright! Today's a brand new day!" Izumi exclaimed. "Why? It's because I just caught an Indeedee!"

Peaker and Ashika let out cheers of celebration as the ball burst open, releasing Inochi in a flash of red light. 

Inochi looked around at the others' excitement before giving a small smile.

"It seems I made the right choice in joining you-deedee." Inochi mused. "You three are certainly full of energy-deedee."

 "Now, shall we head home, now, guys?" Izumi asked her team.

The trio looked to Izumi and nodded, and the four of them started walking home, the Houndoom family waving to them in thanks as they left.

A childhood crush of Mina's was Mirko. It was a well-known thing within her family. She was even her gay awakening when she was 10. So when she went to UA, she was absolutely ecstatic when her Heroics Teacher was revealed to be Mirko. Not only that, but one of her classmates was Mirko's daughter.

Now, it wasn't often that Mina harped on about things that happened to her, but the day that Class 1A joined with Class 1B to do a training exercise where they were split off into teams of five was one of the few exceptions. Midoriya-Usagiyama was so cool when she jumped in to help her and Uraraka. It made Mina want to squeal thinking about it as she laid in her bed that night.

Mina let out a long sigh and rolled over in bed. As much as she'd like to keep gushing about Midoriya-Usagiyama to everyone the next day, though, she was forced to admit to herself that the main reasons her heart wouldn't slow down and stop feeling like it was going to beat out of her chest were... less innocent.

"Oh no, I'm not having a crush on my sensei's child!" Mina thought, flipping back around. The mere thought of it was ridiculous...

...

She really was, though. Especially after the way the girl had grinned back at her and Uraraka afterwards, flushed and out of breath with her ears perked up and twitching.

"This is ridiculous." Mina declared out loud to herself. She flipped over in bed again as if that would somehow change the answer.

"I've only known her for a week!" She protested, then immediately thought again of how cute she'd been earlier. "Ugh. This is gonna be a problem."

Mina tried to fall asleep, but sleep stubbornly refused to come to her. Her mind kept circling the drain, returning over and over again to one thought that made her skin tingle despite herself and her common sense.

Finally she turned over, grabbed her pillow, buried her face in it, and screamed.

"Stupid, cute, green-haired girls!"

If this wasn't Mina, her words probably could have been heard by everyone on the same floor and some on the floors above and below her.

That done, Mina flung her pillow away in disgust and laid flat on her back.

"I am just not going to get any sleep tonight, am I?" She asked the empty room rhetorically. Then she sighed again and grabbed her phone off the nightstand.

"I hate you, internet." She grumbled as she opened up Google on her phone's browser and typed 'how to make yourself fall out of love with someone fast.' The search results came back with nothing that helped, just some links to forums where other people had the same question.

Mina wasn't the type to give up easily, but she was the type to know when she had to take the L.

"How to get a girl to kiss you," was her next search. Those results were much more promising.

After making a mental note of her favourite search result links, Mina turned her phone's screen off and let it drop.

"Okay! Now... I get to sleep. Right?" She tried, but it took hours before she was finally able to drop off, thinking of green-haired girls kissing her the whole time, and not at all wondering how in the hell she was going to face any member of the Midoriya-Usagiyama family on Monday.

At least she had the entire weekend to think about it.

Ochaco sat in her, relatively small, apartment. It was Friday afternoon, and school had finished for the day. Only one thing was on her mind. Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama. The training exercise they did that day was the biggest, if not only, cause. When she jumped in to help her and Ashido, she looked so... Spectacular. 

To be honest, before that day, Ochaco felt a little weird about Midoriya-Usagiyama. She was different than people she knew. She had a Service Pokemon, she was autistic, she could transform into Pokemon. Heck, she even taught Ochaco's Duskull, Requiem, Shadow Sneak. But, Ochaco wasn't sure what she was feeling now. 

She'd changed a lot since starting at UA, but being a hero in the making hadn't prepared her for the emotional rollercoaster that came with a crush.

The thought that she might be gay kept creeping into her head, no matter how hard she tried to push it away. It wasn't something that just happened. You didn't wake up and suddenly start liking girls.

It wasn't who she was.

...right?

It was time to put the question beyond a doubt. She opened her laptop to a private browsing window and prepared to do research on the matter of being gay.

Her fingers paused before she entered the search. What if her parents saw what she had googled? What if they started asking her uncomfortable questions? And with all the hero stuff she had on top of just her ordinary high school duties, she really didn't need this.

She pushed the laptop aside and pulled her phone out of her pocket to type 'Am I a lesbian?', before realising she might be leaving evidence on her phone, too.

What was she to do...

She thought of the most sensible, responsible, and least embarrassing way she could find out if she was gay, and then did something very different. She typed a quick query into the search engine "why am I gay?" and clicked enter.

The results were, on the one hand, helpful.

On the other, they suggested she may have been a little late to the party.

"How do I get a girl to kiss me?" was something that could have been useful advice last year. Not so useful now when she didn't even have an object of desire.

"How to make a girl like me back," though: that sounded promising.

By now, Ochaco's phone was the focus of her full attention. There was no homework she should be doing, no messages she should be sending, no one she could really talk to- but, by god, she had an internet connection. She was going to figure this out even if it took all night.

"Do things that show you care."

She already cared about everyone in her class, and they all cared about her; that didn't feel romantic.

"Flirt!"

This was a bit more to the point, but the guide on flirting that was linked had a lot of advice about what kind of body language to use. She couldn't imagine anything more embarrassing than trying that stuff out on a girl only for her to laugh.

"Be direct."

Well, that sounded simple enough.

"Go up to the girl you like and tell her how you feel."

She thought of Midoriya-Usagiyama again. Could she really just walk up to her tomorrow and say 'Hey, I think I might be in love with you'? No way! That was totally not something Ochaco could do. She'd probably faint before the first word came out of her mouth!

But... What if she could work up to it? Maybe start by just talking more? Yeah, that sounded like a plan. Baby steps.

Okay, so step one on her mission to find out if she was a lesbian and, if so, how to date her crush was to talk to the girl in question more, without being too obvious. She could do that. All girls liked talking with other girls, right? 

But what would they talk about? The weather? Homework?

Ochaco then opened up another tab, typing, "How to talk to autistic people."

She scrolled through the list of links, clicking away from the one that promised "Ten easy ways to get close to people with disorders" and ignoring the ones that were actually for families with autistic kids.

Oh!

This one was more promising. A guide to being friends with people on the spectrum. 

A lot of the words were more technical than she really understood, but most of them boiled down to "Don't force them into situations where they aren't comfortable." Easy enough.

And the rest of the advice was just... normal friendship stuff. It was all about being honest and not forcing your friend to be someone they aren't.

In hindsight, that shouldn't have been a surprise. But, she had to admit, a lot of what this guide had been saying was new to her. She was glad she looked it up - she'd definitely been doing some of these things wrong before.

She glanced at the time and realized she'd been researching for way too long. But now she had a plan: 

1. Talk to Midoriya-Usagiyama more, but casually.

2. Figure out if these feelings are real (she'd cross that bridge when she came to it).

3. ...Profit?

...Okay, maybe step 3 needed some work.

With that sorted, Ochaco closed her laptop and flopped onto her bed with a sigh of relief—or was it nervous anticipation? She wasn't sure yet, but at least now she had something resembling a game plan that started as soon as she saw Midoriya-Usagiyama on Monday.

"We're starting to make a few friends now, here at UA." Momo started. "And it's just an idea... But we should get their numbers! Start a group chat, even!"

"Momo..." Izumi whispered. "That's a great idea!"

Izumi's enthusiasm soon dissipated.

"Wait, but what if they say no? What if they don't have numbers? What if they..." Izumi's rambles were interrupted by Momo.

"Hey. Look at me for a moment."

Izumi shifted her gaze to her friend's, but her eyes flitted from Momo's face to the ground and around the room, unable to completely hold the gaze. Momo didn't comment, and after a second grabbed Izumi's hand, squeezing it once.

"Sorry." Izumi mumbled. "I just..."

"Izu, you know you don't have to apologise." Momo smiled. "You can't help it when you start to get anxious."

Izumi smiled gratefully at Momo. The two had gotten very close ever since she was first invited to sit with her at lunch, and Momo had proved to be a good friend, always taking everything calmly. Izumi was grateful. But Momo's words hadn't quite assuaged all her concerns yet.

"What if they do say no though?" Izumi chewed on her thumb, a rare nervous habit she usually suppressed.

"Would you say no if someone asked for your number?" Momo asked calmly.

"Well... no." Izumi admitted after a moment.

"And I wouldn't either." Momo added with a smile, then she gently pulled Izumi's thumb away from her mouth. "If you keep going at that, you'll be tasting blood."

Izumi grinned a little sheepishly at that, but allowed Momo to pull her hand away.

"What if they-" She started, before Momo placed one finger on her lips.

"We can start with the ones we're closest to." She whispered. Izumi nodded mutely.

Momo finally removed her finger, though not before booping Izumi's nose, making the girl grin.

"Let's try with Asuna first. She always seems happy to talk to you." Momo suggested

Izumi silently nodded and played with the device on her wrist nervously, a habit that had grown on her over the years.

Momo saw the gesture and gave Izumi's hand one more squeeze before letting go.

"You go over and ask. I'll be close behind to help in case you freeze up."

Izumi smiled at that, nodding. Slowly, she made her way towards where Flannery sat, Momo keeping pace one step behind.

Flannery smiled at them as they approached.

"Hey, Midoriya-Usagiyama, Yaomomo, what's up?"

"We... We were just wondering if you... Wait, I'm not saying that right..." Izumi stuttered.

"We were wondering if we could have your phone number." Momo clarified, Izumi giving her a grateful look.

Flannery giggled softly at their adorable dynamic.

"Of course! Though I might warn you, I send a lot of fire emojis." She winked as she pulled out her phone.

Izumi let out a small breath of relief. "Oh, that's okay!" She smiled genuinely. "I give random Pokemon facts at three am sometimes."

Flannery laughed warmly in response, before taking Izumi's phone and quickly typing in her number.

"There, now I'll always be available for random Pokemon facts." She grinned at Izumi as she handed back the phone, then turned to Momo. "What about you, Yaomomo? Anything unique I should prepare for?"

Momo laughed and shook her head. "Nope, just lots of messages checking that people have eaten that day." She quickly took Flannery's phone and typed in her number. "Though I usually don't get a reply on the weekends, so that's when I'm most likely to panic." Flannery laughed again, the sound bright and infectious. Izumi grinned happily at her.

"G-Good morning!" A voice called out to the three. They looked up to see that it was Ochaco, whose face was as pink as a Magost Berry. "H-Hey, Midoriya-Usagiyama! Your hair looks wonderful today! Did you wash it?"

Izumi grinned happily. "Yup, this morning!" She bounced in place a few times, the energetic motion causing Flannery to giggle again. "My Mama showed me this new conditioner from Alola that makes it super soft!"  

Momo smiled between the girls. It was obvious Ochaco had a crush on Izumi, who had yet to realise it.

"Hey, Momo and I were collecting our friend's numbers, can we have yours?" Izumi asked.

"Of course!" Ochaco beamed, looking absolutely ecstatic at the idea. She quickly gave each girl her number, then stood nearby, just kind of smiling.

Momo and Flannery couldn't keep it together anymore and began laughing softly at Izumi's cluelessness and Ochaco's obviousness. 

Izumi was just smiling, unaware.

Flannery eventually managed to get control of herself. "I don't think Uraraka is going to come out of this trance any time soon." She joked, still giggling slightly. "And I can't blame her, Midoriya-Usagiyama's just too cute!"

Izumi just giggled at those words, still bouncing energetically. After a few more seconds Ochaco seemed to snap out of her love-struck daze, realising what Momo and Flannery had been laughing about. She went beet-red, quickly hiding her face.

"I'll just go find Jiro and say hi!" Ochaco squeaked as she scurried away.

Flannery sighed and giggled softly. Those two were going to be adorable together, once they finally got anywhere with their relationship.

Izumi looked back at Momo and Flannery.

"What's so funny?" She asked, oblivious.

Flannery and Momo exchanged knowing glances before bursting into another round of laughter.

"Oh nothing, Izu." Momo finally managed, wiping a tear from her eye. "Just... friendship things."

Izumi tilted her head to the side like a curious Growlithe, but shrugged happily anyway.

"Okay! So who's next?" She asked excitedly.

Momo thought for a moment. "Let's go ask Asui. She always seems so lonely."  

Izumi nodded eagerly—her social confidence was building now that they had successfully gotten two numbers—but then hesitated when she spotted Mina nearby. The pink girl was making no attempt to hide the way she stared dreamily at Izumi.  

"...Maybe we should invite Ashido too?" Izumi suggested innocently, completely missing the lovestruck look on Mina’s face.   

Flannery had to turn away to keep from laughing again as Momo sighed in fond exasperation.

Momo placed a gentle hand on Izumi's shoulder. "Let me handle this one." She said, before walking over to Mina.

"Hey Ashido! Would you like to exchange numbers?" 

Mina squealed in delight, bouncing over immediately. "YES! Especially if I can get her number too!" She pointed excitedly at Izumi.

Izumi blinked in surprise but smiled brightly anyway. "Sure thing!"

Momo quickly exchanged numbers with Mina while Flannery stood nearby, giggling. Momo then returned to Izumi and showed her the newly-saved contact in her phone. 

"Look who I got." She grinned, before turning the screen towards Izumi, revealing that her contact name was "Queen of the Pinks".

Izumi blinked a few times.

"That... is surprisingly accurate." She agreed. "I wonder if she'd mind if I saved her number as The Pink Fairy?"

Flannery giggled again. "And there's more?" She teased, gesturing back to where Mina stood.

Momo sighed and shook her head in amusement as Mina happily bounced over, face alight with excitement now that she'd been invited into the group chat.

"Oh my god! We're gonna have so much fun together!" She squealed happily.  

Izumi just grinned at that—she was happy enough to have friends who enjoyed talking with her. 

Momo smiled softly, watching the interaction between the two of them—though she couldn't help but worry if things might eventually get complicated down the line...

"Everyone, take your seats, homeroom is about to start." Eraserhead instructed, walking into the room.

"Looks like we can get some more numbers, later." Izumi whispered, everyone going to sit down.

Homeroom wasn't really that eventful, except for the fact that a few folders being passed around. Izumi just so happened to be one of the people receiving said folders. She noticed a note folded up on the outside. She peeled it off and started to read.

Good day to you, hero in the making! I'm from Class 1H of the Support Course! I won't hold you up with needless greetings or introductions, so I'll cut right to the chase! I saw your costume and I thought it could use some improvements. I’ve sketched up some new ideas for you. You by no means need to change your costume if you don’t want to, but feel free to see me in the Support Classroom during Lunch!

-Mei Hatsume

“As I hope you all are aware, UA has an entire course dedicated to support work, such as support gear and costume design. These students are often looking for any way to get closer to their goals, which often leads them to taking interest in the hero course.” Eraserhead held up a folder from Toru's desk. “Occasionally a hero student will find a folder on their desk, in their locker, or somewhere else. I’ve seen them everywhere from backpacks to inside Pokeballs. These folders usually have a stickynote, or some other indicator of who it came from or at the very least which class it came from. If you like any of the ideas in the folder, you can go to the classroom of the class you got it from, and talk to whoever wrote up the ideas there. Be aware that it is against the rules for any support student to modify your costumes in any way without the direct approval of their teacher, no matter what they tell you.”

Izumi was only passively listening to her teacher at this point—after all, she wasn't all that interested in modifying her costume, even if the sketch in the folder seemed cool. Though, she'd stop by the Support labs, during lunch, anyway, just to hear Hatsume out.

She folded the note carefully back onto the folder and tucked it into her desk, making a mental note to visit Class 1H later. The rest of homeroom passed uneventfully, though Izumi noticed Mina shooting her several excited glances—probably already planning some chaotic group chat shenanigans.  

As soon as the bell rang, Momo leaned over with an amused smirk.  

"So... Support Course? Are you considering any changes?" She asked knowingly—she'd seen Izumi eyeing those sketches with interest.  

Izumi scratched her cheek sheepishly. "I dunno... Power Integration just works so well with my current costume. But, I think I should head there, just in case."

Momo smiled knowingly. "Well, if you do go, I'll come with you. Just in case this Hatsume person tries anything... too enthusiastic."  

Izumi giggled—she could practically feel the chaotic energy radiating off that note already. "Yeah, probably a good idea."  

Flannery popped up behind them suddenly. "Ooooh! Are we going to see what kind of crazy upgrades they can give us?!" She grinned excitedly—her costume was already fireproof by default, but she wouldn't mind some extra flare (pun intended).

Izumi laughed—Flannery's enthusiasm was contagious. "Yup! Though if she tries to strap rockets onto your shoes, we're vetoing that." She said, pointing at Flannery with a playful smirk.  

Momo groaned dramatically. "Please don't give her ideas—I still have nightmares about the time my cousin got hold of experimental jet-boots."  

Flannery just grinned wider, clearly already imagining herself zooming through the air like a Charizard on caffeine.

"What are you three planning?" An enthusiastic voice called out from behind Izumi, and she spun around to see Mina bounding up to them, practically radiating excitement. 

"Are we doing some secret costume upgrades?!" She squealed, bouncing up and down excitedly, and Izumi just laughed. Mina's boundless energy was infectious, and it made it hard to be annoyed with her. 

"Not exactly secret." Momo cut in with an amused smirk, "But I suppose we'll be going down to the Support Course classrooms if you'd like to join us."

Mina squealed in delight, practically vibrating with excitement. "Yes please! That sounds like so much fun!" 

Flannery laughed at her enthusiasm, slinging an arm around her shoulder to steady the pink girl. "Alright then, let's go! I can't wait to see the crazy stuff they come up with!" 

Izumi giggled at her friends' enthusiasm and led the way down towards the Support Course rooms—hopefully this trip wouldn't end too disastrously, but just in case it did, Momo could act as a voice of reason. Probably.

As they approached the door to Class 1H, Izumi hesitated slightly—there was a faint sound of explosions and cackling laughter coming from inside.  

"...Should we knock?" She asked uncertainly.  

Before anyone could answer, the door burst open to reveal a pink-haired girl with wild eyes and grease stains all over her uniform. "OH! You came!" Hatsume beamed at Izumi before dragging her inside by the wrist. "COME SEE WHAT I MADE FOR YOU!"  

Momo sighed deeply as Flannery immediately followed in with an excited grin while Mina just giggled, skipping in after them—Izumi was on her own now... unless Momo decided to rescue her eventually.

Izumi let herself be dragged across the room to a workbench covered in various blueprints, half-completed gadgets and the occasional singed piece of fabric.

Hatsume immediately dove into a technical rant, gesturing at her sketches as she explained. Izumi tried to follow, but was quickly getting lost in the jargon.

Momo watched from the doorway with a small smile. This was why she'd followed Izumi in the first place—she'd been half-expecting the green-haired girl to start stuttering within seconds from the attention, but Izumi was handling it with surprising composure.

Izumi held up a hand, and Hatsume reluctantly paused her explanation. 

"Okay, maybe... could you go a little slower?" Izumi suggested apologetically. "I'm not always the best with technical stuff."

Hatsume blinked once, then broke into a grin. 

"You're right! This stuff is only useful if you can understand it!" She laughed boisterously. "Let's start over!"

Momo smiled and nodded approvingly—looks like Izumi had things well in hand, after all. Maybe she'd be okay after all...

Hatsume took a moment to shuffle through her sketches, muttering a few notes to herself, before she finally found what she wanted. 

"Aha! Here's my favourite one!" She held it out for Izumi to see - a drawing of a sleek, black costume with various armour panels and sleek gloves and boots. 

"So, I was thinking of a new design with integrated power armour! It'd help increase your strength, speed and durability, and it even has some built-in gadgets!" Hatsume explained excitedly, practically bouncing to see Izumi's reaction.

Izumi's eyes widened in awe as she carefully examined the sketch. "This is... really cool." She admitted, tracing a finger over the sleek armor plating.  

But then her expression faltered slightly. "Though... my quirk already enhances my physical abilities, so I don’t know if—"  

Hatsume interrupted with a wild grin. "Exactly! That’s why these are reinforced! You won't have to worry about ripping through your costume mid-battle!" She pulled out another sheet, showing technical specs for shock-absorbing fibers and pressure-distributing joints. "And see here? These compartments can hold emergency potions or Pokéballs!"  

Momo peeked over Izumi's shoulder, nodding approvingly—some of this was actually pretty well thought-out... for Hatsume standards, anyway.

Izumi frowned slightly, still clearly a bit uncertain. "I mean, yeah it's cool, but isn't this kind of... overkill?" She glanced back at Momo, clearly hoping for some kind of input.  

Momo just raised an eyebrow and gestured around the chaotic workshop. "Look around you, Izu. I think overkill is their entire philosophy here." She teased, though her tone was fond.

Izumi just rolled her eyes in response, though a small smile tugged at her lips. She'd quickly learned that her friends loved to tease her any chance they got. After a moment, she turned back to Hatsume, who seemed to be buzzing with anticipation.

"Uh, okay." Izumi agreed reluctantly. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it on?"

Hatsume let out a loud squeal of excitement and immediately dove into a pile of boxes. "YES! I just knew you'd come around!"  

She emerged seconds later holding what looked like some kind of prototype bodysuit, still with exposed wiring and testing modules—clearly not the final product.  

"Here! You can try this test version first!" She beamed as she shoved it into Izumi’s hands. "The locker room is that way!"

Izumi hesitated, glancing back at Momo for reassurance.  

Momo just chuckled and gave her a gentle push towards the locker room. "Go on, Izu! I promise we'll save you if things go too wrong."  

Flannery cackled from across the room—she was already getting roped into trying some experimental flame-resistant gauntlets—while Mina bounced eagerly next to Hatsume, apparently volunteering as her next test subject.  

Izumi sighed but obediently disappeared into the locker room... fully expecting disaster in three... two... one...

The moment Izumi stepped back out in the prototype suit, a loud BZZZT echoed through the room as all of its built-in systems suddenly flared to life at once—lights flashing, panels locking into place with mechanical snaps, and somewhere beneath it all... the faint whirring of something suspiciously rocket-shaped activating.  

Izumi yelped as her feet left the ground slightly. "WHY ARE THERE JET BOOTS?!"  

Hatsume's grin was pure chaos. "FOR SCIENCE!"  

Momo immediately buried her face in her hands—this was exactly what she'd been afraid of.

Izumi flailed slightly before finally regaining her balance, gripping the workbench for support. The prototype suit whirred and shuddered around her, a cacophony of beeps and alarms filling the workshop.  

"Hatsume!... Please... turn them off!" Izumi pleaded between deep breaths.  

Hatsume cackled madly, already pulling Izumi towards some kind of diagnostic console—clearly unaware of the chaos she was causing. "Don't worry! This is all part of the testing process!"  

Flannery and Mina just giggled hysterically from a safe distance—this was some quality entertainment.

Momo could only watch helplessly as Izumi was dragged away, Hatsume chattering excitedly about "optimising power flow" and "emergency ejection systems". She made a mental note to have a talk with whoever was supposed to be supervising this mad inventor.  

Flannery and Mina, meanwhile, were happily trying on various pieces of equipment, with varying degrees of success. Flannery was already fiddling with the gauntlet she'd borrowed, mumbling about "thermal conductivity" and "optimal ignition points."

Eventually, after much tinkering (and a few more unexpected bursts of propulsion from the jet boots), Hatsume finally managed to stabilise the suit's systems.  

"Okay, now we can get some proper data!" She grinned as Izumi carefully tested her footing—the suit felt... actually kind of amazing now that it wasn't actively trying to fling her into orbit. The reinforced panels were light but sturdy, and she could already tell they'd be perfect for high-speed combat.  

Momo sighed in relief—maybe this trip hadn’t been a complete disaster after all.

Flannery and Mina bounded over to examine the suit, their eyes wide with awe. "Dude, that looks amazing on you!" Flannery grinned, poking at an armour plate.  

Mina beamed. "Totally! With this gear, you'll be unstoppable!"  

Izumi blushed slightly at the praise, but couldn't help noticing the genuine excitement in her friends' eyes. Maybe her new equipment really would help her become a better hero, and it seemed like Hatsume had actually done a decent job with the design...

Hatsume bounced over, already pulling out a measuring tape. "I can make it even better!" She announced excitedly. "I could add some built-in Pokéballs for emergency captures. And maybe a grappling hook for mobility. Oh, and I've always wanted to try incorporating a jetpack into one of these..." She trailed off into a mumble as her mind raced with new ideas. However, a low growl could be heard behind Hatsume. Annoyed, she turned around, looking at a Mawile right in the eyes. "I'll eat in a moment, Mawlie!" The Mawile growled again. "Can't you see I'm busy? I'll take my afternoon meds once I'm done!"

Izumi stifled a giggle at Hatsume's conversation with her Mawile. "Hatsume... maybe you should take your meds first?" She suggested gently—this girl's chaotic energy was getting more and more concerning by the minute.  

Momo nodded in agreement, shooting the support student a slightly concerned glance as well.  

Hatsume just waved them off with another cackle. "Pfft! I can work on full throttle just fine!" The moment she said that, however, her eyes briefly glazed over—as if she had momentarily short-circuited—before snapping right back into focus like nothing had happened. "Anyway, about those modifications..."  

Flannery leaned towards Momo and whispered, "Is this normal for Support students?"  

Momo sighed deeply in response... because honestly? Probably yes.

Izumi watched with mild concern as a slightly-disoriented Hatsume started measuring her and jotting down notes at record speeds, all the while listing off more ideas for upgrades.

"Uh, Hatsume?" Izumi ventured cautiously. "You... Did remember to take your meds this morning, right?"

Hatsume waved her off with an absentminded Mhmm, already lost in her own world of schematics and diagrams. Momo winced in sympathy—clearly, this was about to get very interesting.

Just as Hatsume started to ramble about something called "automatic response gyroscopic stabilisers." Her speech suddenly became more rapid—and slightly less coherent.  

Izumi and Momo exchanged nervous glances, but before they could intervene, Hatsume swayed on her feet for a moment... then promptly face-planted onto the nearest workbench with a soft thump.  

Mawlie sighed deeply before picking up her trainer by the collar of her uniform and gently dragging her toward what looked like an emergency cot in the corner—clearly this had happened before.  

"Uh... Does this happen... Often?" Izumi asked the Mawile.

"More than you'd think." Mawlie groaned. "I always tell her to eat, or drink some water, or go to bed, or take her anti-fainting meds, but nooo she's always like, 'I'll do it later, I'm busy!' or 'Just wait a second, I'm almost finished!' but then she doesn't and then she freaking faints!"

Izumi winced in sympathy as she watched Mawlie tuck a blanket around Hatsume, who was still muttering something about "variable-frequency resonance buffers."

"I'm... Going to get a teacher." Izumi then turned to the door and walked out.

As Izumi dashed down the hall in search of a teacher, Momo stayed behind, watching Mawlie vigilantly guard her sleeping trainer.  

Flannery nudged Mina with a smirk. "Well... this trip got interesting real fast."  

Mina giggled nervously. "You think?"  

Just then, Power Loader—their Support Course teacher—burst into the room, having clearly been flagged down by Izumi. He took one look at Hatsume’s unconscious form and sighed deeply, rubbing his temples like he was fighting off a headache.  

"Again?! Mei Hatsume! I told you to eat your lunch today!" He groaned before turning to the girls with an exasperated but fond smile. "Thanks for letting me know—I'll take it from here."   

And thus ended their chaotic (but admittedly productive) Support Course adventure... until next time.

"Everyone, you're now free to do whatever." Ectoplasm instructed, after a short lecture about Pokemon Training. "Shibuki, please, come with me."

Izumi, Momo, Kyoka, Flannery, Toru, Ochaco and Mina had gathered up outside, since they all wanted to do some peer review training. Plus, it gave Izumi the perfect opportunity to show off her new capture.

"So, what should we start with?" Izumi asked the group.

"Can you teach my Combusken a move or two like you said you would?" Flannery asked.

"Oh, sure." Izumi nodded. 

"And the rest of us?" Kyoka asked.

"Well we could always practice our battling skills." Momo suggested, "We could take turns pairing up and have mock battles to see how our Pokemon are doing."

"Sounds good." Izumi nodded. "You all get started, and I'll be with you guys in a moment."

"Come on out, Combusken." Flannery sent out her Combusken.

"Hi there!" Izumi smiled at Flannery's Pokemon as she knelt down to talk to Combusken. "I have to ask what moves you know before we get started, okay?"

"As you saw during our initial battle, I know Ember and Double Kick, but I also know Flame Charge, and, not to brag, but I also recently learned Quick Attack." Combusken listed off.

Izumi whistled, impressed. "That's a strong set of moves you have there. How do you feel about learning a new one?" she asked.

Flannery looked excited. This was her first time seeing Izumi teach a move, and she was eager to see what would happen.

"Mmm... Depends." Combusken shrugged. "What move will you be teaching me?"

"I was thinking you would probably enjoy Fire Punch." Izumi replied. 

A pleased smile spread over Flannery's face as her Pokemon seemed to consider Izumi's offer. She knew Fire Punch would be perfect for Combusken's fighting style; if she could learn the move, she'd be much harder for her opponents to approach and get a clear shot on.

Flannery wasn't the only one excited at the prospect of Combusken learning Fire Punch. Kyoka eagerly leaned forward.

"So, are you interested?" Izumi reiterated.

"Well... How exactly can you just teach me a move?" Combusken asked.

"Easy. Just watch and learn." Izumi activated the Pokewatch and transformed into Kommo-o. "So, what you're going to do is ignite one of your fists and punch your opponent. Watch how I do it."

One of Izumi's fists became surrounded by orange flames. She then punched a nearby, thankfully dead, tree, setting it ablaze.

Everyone gasped as they watched the demonstration. The tree went up almost instantly, and they all took a step back to avoid getting too close to the intense heat.

Even Combusken was speechless for a moment. "Whoa..." she murmured, completely enthralled by the sight of Kommo-o's flaming fist.

"Now you try." Izumi instructed, taking a step back from the burning tree. 

Combusken nodded and focused intently on her left fist, trying to summon the same orange flames she'd just seen Izumi use. 

After a few moments of concentration, a soft orange glow suddenly enveloped Combusken's left fist. In seconds, the glow grew much stronger until her fist was completely surrounded by fire.

"Great job! You're doing really well." Izumi encouraged. "Now, all you have to do is punch something. That tree over there looks weak enough, give that a go."

"Alright. I can do that!" Combusken declared, turning to face the tree. She swung her flaming fist at the tree with as much force as she could muster, hoping to knock out a chunk of bark with her new attack.

The sound of wood splintering filled the air as Combusken's fist connected with the tree. When she pulled back, there was a sizable hole in the trunk. Flannery was speechless.

"Wow, that was amazing!" Kyoka exclaimed, her eyes wide with awe.

"Yeah, good job!" Mina agreed with a grin. 

Flannery couldn't even find the words to express her amazement. Instead, she just whistled in appreciation.

Izumi soon reverted to her original self.

"So, how did that feel, Combusken?" Izumi asked the Combusken.

"Incredible. I've never felt so strong!" Combusken beamed. "I can definitely get used to this."

Flannery was too stunned to say anything. She honestly couldn't believe her Combusken had just learned such a powerful move in a matter of minutes.

Izumi chuckled at Flannery's stunned expression. "Happy with the results?" she asked.

"Happy?" Flannery repeated incredulously. "I'm over the moon! I always knew Combusken had potential, but this is way more than I could've ever hoped for. I-"

She trailed off as she watched Combusken practicing her new technique, flinging a flaming fist at random trees nearby and watching the bark splinter beneath the force of her attack. "This is amazing." Flannery eventually managed to say.

"She's really taken a liking to the move, huh?" Ochaco observed as Combusken continued to demonstrate her new skill. "She's hitting those trees like they're made of paper!"

"Yeah, and look at how happy it's making her!" Mina pointed out, grinning. All the others turned their gazes to Combusken, seeing a wide grin plastered on the bird's face as she decimated more trees.

"Oh! That reminds me!" Izumi took the remaining Pokeball from her belt, and opened it, revealing her Indeedee. "Everyone, meet my newest Pokemon, Inochi!"

"Awww, she's so cute!" Ochaco squealed as all the girls turned their attention to Izumi's Indeedee. 

Mina, however, looked confused. "Hold on, aren't Indeedee really rare or something?"

"Mmhm." Izumi nodded. "They're very difficult to find in the wild."

"Seriously?" Kyoka asked. "Then how did you manage to capture one?"

"I was helping out a family of Houndoom, and one of them needed medical attention. So I went to search for a healing Pokemon, and found her." Izumi explained. "After she helped out, she offered to join my team."

"That's so cool!" Mina gushed. "I wonder if I could ever get an Indeedee for myself." 

"Not likely." Momo interjected with a chuckle. "Considering they're so rare, you'd be lucky to even see one in the wild, let alone catch it."

"You never know though." Flannery teased with a smirk. "Maybe if you ask Izumi nicely she'll take you out on an adventure too~"  

Mina flushed red as all eyes turned to her and Izumi at once—especially Ochaco's intense stare burning holes into her skull—while poor oblivious Izumi just blinked cluelessly between them all, utterly unaware of any tension whatsoever.

"Well, regardless, you should show us what she can do!" Momo suggested, eager to change the topic. All the other girls seemed happy to return their focus to Pokemon, except for the still blushing Mina, and a now-fuming Ochaco.

"Good idea." Izumi smiled. She gently patted Inochi on the head, smiling at the Indeedee as she spoke. "Who'd like to do a one-on-one battle?"

"I will!" Kyoka immediately volunteered, stepping forward. "I've been meaning to test out my new moves with my Noibat."  

"Alright, sounds like a plan!" Izumi agreed.

"This'll be good." Flannery piped up, standing to the side with the other girls.

Mina took advantage of the distraction to try and avoid being near Ochaco, so she ended up standing right next to Izumi.

"Alright, come on out, Metalpop." Kyoka sent out her Noibat.

Izumi and Kyoka both took a few steps back. Then, the battle officially began.

"Alright, Metalpop, use Agility!" Kyoka commanded.

Metalpop let out a cry as she flapped her wings, surrounding herself with a pale yellow aura. She began flying around Inochi faster than Izumi could see. 

"Ooh, that's a clever move." Izumi remarked, looking impressed. She turned her attention to Inochi. "Inochi, use Calm Mind!"

Inochi nodded and closed her eyes in silent concentration. After a moment, she began glowing a light blue, a calm aura now radiating from her body. The other girls watched in silence as two Pokemon silently buffed themselves.

Kyoka smirked. "Alright, now use Supersonic!"

Metalpop screeched loudly as a visible shockwave blasted toward Inochi. The sound was so loud that it made everyone watching cover their ears.

"Nice try!" Izumi shouted over the move. "But my Indeedee's ability is Own Tempo—that attack isn't going to do shit against her!"

Kyoka gritted her teeth in frustration. That Supersonic was the first move she'd taught Metalpop, and she was really hoping it would work. 

"Fine, let's try a real move then, shall we?" She shot Izumi a challenging grin. "Metalpop, use Wing Attack!"

Metalpop flapped her wings and flew straight toward Inochi. Mid-flight, her wings started glowing blue. When she reached Inochi, she swung both glowing wings together, striking Inochi with a dual-clawed slash. 

Inochi cried out with pain and stumbled backward a few steps, wincing at the sharp pain from the blow. She had taken quite the hit. 

Kyoka smirked, pleased that she'd landed her first real attack. "How's that?" she taunted.

"Inochi, Zen Headbutt!" Izumi commanded.

Inochi nodded and charged up psychic energy before ramming into Metalpop. The blow connected with the Noibat's stomach, the force of the impact sending her flying backward through the air before eventually skidding to a stop on the ground.

Metalpop tried to hop back on her feet, but her knees buckled, still unsteady from the hit. She was running out of steam.

"Come on, get up!" Kyoka urged her, trying not to sound desperate. Despite her best efforts at acting calm, she seemed to be starting to sweat a little. It looked like she might be in trouble...

"Once more!" Izumi called out. "You're doing great, Inochi!"

Inochi nodded and charged again, this time even faster. Her body began to glow pale blue as she closed the gap between her and Metalpop, and in a blink of an eye, there was a violent collision. 

As the dust cleared, everyone looked on in shock, only to see Metalpop laying unconscious on the ground.

"It seems Metalpop is unable to battle." Kyoka pointed out. "You win, Midoriya-Usagiyama. Good job."

There was a moment of silence, broken only by the sound of a single person clapping. It was Mina, who was looking at Izumi in awe.

"That was incredible!" Mina gushed. "I mean, I always knew Midoriya-Usagiyama was strong, but seeing it in action again is something else!"

Kyoka nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you kicked my ass, Midoriya-Usagiyama! I guess I still have a long way to go before I can be a Pokemon trainer like you."

"I'm not that amazing-" Izumi began, but was interrupted by Mina, who threw an arm over her.

"Aww, no need to be modest!" Mina teased playfully. "It's okay to accept compliments every once in awhile, you know~"

Izumi blushed at Mina's words, and quickly averted her gaze. She was unused to taking compliments, let alone from girls, and found herself at a loss for words.

"Heh, looks like Izumi's too shy to respond." Momo teased gently, a grin on her face. 

"Yeah, and look at that adorable blush on her cheeks!" Ochaco joined in. This only made her blush even more.

"You guys are so mean..." Izumi pouted a little, but she couldn't hide the small smile beginning to spread on her face.

"Oh, that reminds me!" Ochaco perked up a little, her scowl temporarily gone. "Midoriya-Usagiyama, your Pokemon transformations... Do you name them?"

"Oh, I actually never thought about that." Izumi shrugged. "Sure, they're "me." but when I'm "them." I feel like I'm someone different."

"Different?" Ochaco asked curiously. "What do you mean?"

Izumi was silent for a moment, looking thoughtful. Then she just shrugged, unable to fully explain her feelings about the Pokemon that she transformed into on a regular basis.

"Well, can we name them?" Ochaco asked. "I already have some ideas!"

Izumi blinked in surprise at Ochaco's sudden enthusiasm. "Oh. Uh, I don't see why not." she finally answered with a small smile.   

Mina was positively giddy with excitement. "This is gonna be good. Go ahead, Uraraka—give us your best!"

"Alright!" Ochaco's face spread into a wide grin. Her thoughts turned to Izumi's Sceptile and her heart skipped a beat at the thought of the big gecko-creature. That was when a name popped into her mind—a perfect name for Izumi's transformation.

"Okay, when you turn into Sceptile you should name it... Frenzy Leaf! Like Frenzy Plant, but with leaf, instead!"

A moment of silence passed with everyone looking at Ochaco in shock. After a brief moment of panic, Izumi regained her composure and spoke to Ochaco in a serious-sounding voice. "I love it! Frenzy Leaf is so cool!"

"Really?" Ochaco turned bright red at Izumi's praise. "Y-You think it's cool?" she stuttered. "I mean, it's pretty cheesy, so I don't know if-"

She trailed off as Izumi flashed her a smile that made all thoughts in Ochaco's head come to a screeching halt.

"It's not cheesy!" Mina insisted, jumping in to save Ochaco from having to form a coherent response in front of the smiling girl. "Sceptile is already really cool on its own, and Frenzy Leaf just sounds amazing!"

Momo nodded eagerly. "Yeah! It makes your transformation sound totally badass!" 

Izumi let out a laugh at that. "You guys are great; I'm going to name all my transformations at this rate if you don't stop coming up with awesome ideas!"

"Alright, I'll spend tonight thinking of some names, and then we'll discuss them, tomorrow!" Ochaco squealed. "Deal?"

Izumi smiled, looking at the girls' giddy expressions at the prospect of thinking up names for her transformations. 

"It's a deal." She agreed, her heart fluttering at the happy squeals of the girls upon her agreement. "In the meantime, how about some more one-on-one fights?"

"Alright, I'm up!" Mina volunteered excitedly, bouncing up and down in excitement. "I'll take on your Combusken this time, Asuna!"

"Alright, but I'm warning you, she's gotten pretty strong." Flannery smirked.

"And then Brionne and Simisage flew off in their hot air balloon, saying their goodbyes to Plusle and Minun, continuing on with their adventures." Izumi shut the book she was reading. "The end. Goodnight, guys."

"Goodnight." Inochi yawned.

"Night." Peaker perched on the makeshift nest she slept in.

"Izumi?" 

"Yes, Ashika?"

Izumi looked down at her Popplio, who was staring intently at the picture of a Brionne on the cover of the book Izumi finished reading.

"Brionne looks familiar." Ashika admitted. "Like I've seen her somewhere."

"I wouldn't be surprised if it was because Popplio evolves into Brionne." Izumi chuckled.

"Wait really?!" Ashika beamed.

"Yeah, they evolve at level 17, so you might end up evolving soon." Izumi nodded. "If you want to, of course. If you don’t want to evolve, I'd never force you to."

"Thanks, Izumi." Ashika smiled, letting out a yawn. "Yeah, I want to evolve. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Ashika.”

Chapter Text

"Good morning, Master Izu..." Inochi greeted, before looking slightly worried. "Dee?"

"Inochi, I told you, just Izumi is fine." Izumi yawned, noticing Inochi's expression. "Is... Everything ok, Inochi?"

"Was your hair... Always... Like that-deedee?" Inochi asked.

"Uh... I don't know what you mean." Izumi shook her head.

"Go look in the mirror room-deedee." Inochi instructed. 

Izumi shrugged. "Alright, if you say so."

However, what Izumi saw made her scream.

"WHAT THE FU-"

"Hey, Ru?" 

"Mmm?"

"You off, today?"

"Pretty sure."

"I've been lacking some cuddles lately. How about we-..."

Inko was suddenly cut off by a scream of, "WHAT THE FUCK?!" 

Neither she, nor Rumi were that surprised.

"Who's turn is it to check on Izumi's shenanigans?" 

"I think it's your turn, Ru."

"Mmm... Alright."

Rumi grumbled and rolled out of bed, walking tiredly down the hall to the bathroom. 

"Izumi?" She called out. "You alright in there?"

No response for a moment, then,

"U-um... I think so. You might wanna just... come here though."

The white-haired woman sighed. 

"Okay, I'll bite." She called out, opening the door and stepping in. 

"So what's going- OH WHAT THE-"

She stumbled back, eyes wide.

Her daughter's bright green hair was fully aflame! The fire was almost a foot above her head, and it didn't seem at all as though her hair was burning. She wasn't in any obvious pain, though.

"Uh... Does this have something to do with Power Integration?" Rumi asked.

"I don't know." Izumi shrugged. "Probably, though. Except, I don't think I gained any new transformations."

"Huh." Rumi blinked. "Weird. Well, it doesn't seem to be doing any harm." She stretched her arms over her head. "It looks kinda cool, actually. Whatcha think?"

"Well, I'm not in any pain, so maybe this is some kind of aesthetic thing?" Izumi questioned.

"Maybe." Rumi shrugged. "I think it looks cool." She reached out and ruffled Izumi's hair - which she almost immediately recoiled back. "Wow! That's hot!"

"Really?" Izumi touched her own head, but was unfazed by the temperature. "Weird. Do you think I'll even burn myself?"

Izumi quickly swiped a hand over the flame. Sure enough, despite the roaring fire that felt hot from Rumi's perspective, Izumi did not seem burned in the slightest.

Rumi was still for a moment.

"I don't see why you wouldn't if you touch hot fire." she started.

"And there's only one way to find out for sure." She added, with an air of finality as she put her hand next to Izumi's hair.

As she brought her fingers closer to her daughter's head, she found it was getting painfully hot. And then she touched it.

"HOLY-" She yelped, pulling the hand back. "Yep, still hot. Put it out." She ordered. It was the kind of voice that Izumi knew she should listen to. The two had enough of a height difference that Rumi's height alone could be intimidating, and her years of kicking villains asses hadn't softened it any.

Izumi focused, thinking about what exactly was causing the flames, or whether she could control them. 

She frowned. "I don't think I know how to turn it off, actually." She admitted.

"Hmm." Rumi thought for a moment. It was still early, she wasn't exactly in top form right now. "Did it come on just now? What were you doing before it happened, anyway?"

"I woke up, Inochi said good morning to me, she noticed the fire, told me to look in the mirror, and here we are." Izumi recalled.

"Mmm..." Rumi was stumped, and she was really, really too tired to be thinking creatively right now. In a moment of genius, she took Izumi's water bottle and opened the lid.

"Head forward." She ordered, pouring water right on the flames. Izumi yelped, and the flames didn't seem to be going out. As soon as Rumi noticed that, she stopped.

"It didn't work?" She asked, setting the water bottle down.

"That was kinda weird." Izumi noted, rubbing her arm and shivering. 

"Mmmhmm." Rumi hummed, trying to think of what to do next.

Izumi grabbed a towel and started drying herself off. Briefly forgetting that her hair was fire, the towel and her hair connected, but as soon as Izumi remembered, she quickly brought the towel back down, and started checking for any burns or new flames.

"It... Didn't burn?" Izumi stared at the towel. "Is this towel fireproof or something?"

"Not... to my knowledge." Rumi answered. The fact that she'd answered at all spoke to how weirded out she was by all of this. 

"Hmm... let me try something." Izumi walked out of the bathroom and walked over to the sofa. Much like with the towel, the sofa didn't catch fire.

"Alright, I'm at a loss." Rumi admitted, watching Izumi drag a cushion off one of the chairs. "I'm going to go have coffee, or something. You just... keep trying stuff, I guess." 

Izumi kept walking around, touching other materials with her hair. Not paper, that would have been bad. Fabric didn't light either. She even managed to touch the TV without it going up in a ball of flames, which seemed promising. Maybe the fire was just aesthetic, yet still hot? 

She sighed. This was going to be a really long day, she could tell. How long would she be like this? She just had to hope her classmates didn't see her like this today. This wasn't that weird, right? There were people with mutation quirks. She could pass this off as a side effect of Power Integration. 

Right?

As she thought about it, she realised a problem: She had school soon.

Izumi decided to try and tackle things one by one. The first thing she needed to do was turn it off. She wasn't going to have her classmates making fun of her for looking like a lit match! Or the teachers calling her out in front of the class.

As if summoned by the mere thought of it happening, Rumi appeared in the doorway to the living room, sipping from a mug. From the smell, Izumi could tell Rumi was at least 30% coffee now, and it appeared to be doing the trick. She looked a lot more awake, at least.

"Anything yet?" Rumi asked.

"No." Izumi sighed. "But none of the furniture or anything catches on the flame, either."

"Huh. You know what? I don't think it's that big a deal if you can't turn it off. I'm pretty sure you could still attend your classes looking like that."

The thought of what other kids her age might say about it had Izumi's heart sinking.

"Oh, come on. Nobody's said anything about you yet, so why start today?" Rumi asked, chuckling a little. "Besides, despite being fire, your hair looks really cool."

"Wait, nobody's talked about me yet?" Izumi asked, surprised.

"Well, I think Uraraka's been gushing to anyone who will listen about how strong you are." Rumi teased.

Izumi felt her face flush, and she hoped her cheeks didn't look as hot as she felt.

"She's saying stuff? Like what?" Izumi asked, trying to sound nonchalant and most definitely failing.

"Mmm, a lot of things I can neither recall nor repeat in polite company." Rumi teased, grinning. "I think she might like you."

Izumi found herself wondering if her powers would stop her from blushing. She sure hoped so, considering her face felt like it was on the verge of setting a small forest up in flames in retaliation! Her cheeks looked like they were trying for third-degree status. Rumi's grin at least got her to snap her mouth shut. In her shocked embarrassment, she'd been staring with her mouth open like a particularly pretty fish.

"Hey, don't look so surprised." Rumi chuckled. "You're a cute girl who's been training with me. Nobody in their right mind could blame someone for going head-over-heels for you."

"Huh?" Izumi blinked. "But... but... that's not... I've never-" She stammered, unable to form whole sentences.

"That's the beauty of it!" Rumi laughed. "You don't have to do anything for it to be true. That's just how powerful you are, just with your looks alone. I'm surprised more people aren't openly gushing about you."

Izumi made some very confused noises. None of them were very close to being words, but all of them were very cute. Rumi couldn't help but chuckle at her confused, embarrassed antics.

"Alright, come on, we should get you ready for school, now." Rumi chuckled.

"W-wha?" Izumi was still processing Rumi's comments.

"We don't know when your hair's going to turn off, so it's better for you to go to school with it now. Besides, you've been making such great progress, there's no way in the Distortion World I'm going to let you skip. So, chop chop. Go have a shower and get in your school uniform." Rumi ordered. "I'll make breakfast in the meantime."

Izumi's brain couldn't argue against her mother's logic, but it was still a few seconds before she could get the wheels turning again enough to respond.

"...Alright." She agreed, though she was still a little miffed about being called 'cute.' If she'd looked like Rumi, maybe it would be something to think about. But Rumi was like a model, and compared to that...

She shook her head quickly, willing those thoughts away and leaving Rumi alone in the living room. 

Getting ready for school that day, despite Izumi's hair being on fire, wasn't that different to any other day Izumi got ready for school, other than a few winces and yelps from the shower. But that was due to the shower having water, and as many people knew, fire and water didn't particularly mix well.

Izumi's mind lingered on the conversation she'd had with her mother. She certainly hoped that whatever Ochaco was saying about her wasn't too embarrassing. She'd never really done anything to get someone to talk about her, and she really didn't want rumours following her around for... well, for any number of reasons.

Izumi hadn't even really thought of herself as a girl who people would do things like that over. She just hadn't considered it. 

"Dusky! Come on, girl!" Izumi called out to her Lycanroc. "We're heading out, soon!"

Dusky gave a happy bark, before leaping up and rushing over to Izumi. She jumped up on the couch, then on Izumi. She landed halfway up her back. This was routine, though, as Izumi was used to Dusky jumping on top of her like this when she was standing around.

"Alright, alright, down." She laughed, feeling Dusky's tail thumping on her head. "I can't get ready with you on my head. Off, off." She insisted. Dusky jumped back to the floor, bouncing as Izumi gave the Pokemon a few pets.

"Thank you, girl." She murmured. Dusky gave her hand a little lick, getting a chuckle from the green-haired girl.

"That's enough of that, now go eat so we can go, okay?" She told her Pokemon.

Dusky gave an affirmative, before trotting off into the kitchen to find her food bowl.

After getting her other Pokemon, having breakfast, and quickly texting her friends to let them know that her hair was on fire, Izumi heard a knock at the door.

Izumi went over to open it up. As usual, Momo was at the door.

"Good morning, Momo." Izumi greeted her friend.

"Morning, Izumi." Momo smiled back, trying to hide the tired look on her face. "I saw your text. Are you alright?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

Izumi shrugged. Dusky happily trotted over to Momo and gave the newcomer a gentle lick. Momo giggled, bending over to give Dusky a pet.

"It's nothing to worry about." Izumi insisted. "I haven't found a way to turn it off yet, but it seems pretty harmless. To me at least."

"Oh... good to know." Momo nodded. She looked a little worried, but mostly that seemed to be about how little sleep she'd gotten.

"Shall we head off, then?" Momo asked. 

"Just a moment, I need to quickly vest Dusky and get the Paradox egg from my room." Izumi nodded, going to get Dusky's service Pokemon vest.

"Right, I'll wait here." Momo called back, as Dusky waited expectantly for her vest.

By the time Izumi had gotten a jacket and her bag, she was feeling surprisingly normal despite the situation. She even laughed when she passed a mirror again.

"Man, this is weird." She told Dusky. "I'm off to school with my hair on fire like this is just a normal day." 

Dusky gave an unimpressed grunt. After all, as far she was concerned, it was a normal day. What was Izumi on about?

"Alright." Izumi patted Dusky on the head as she finished putting the last of the straps on. "We good, girl?" 

Dusky barked, jumping up and thumping her tail on the floor.

Izumi chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes." She opened the door to see Momo still waiting.

"Ready?" She checked.

"Ready." Momo agreed. "Also, I hope you don't mind, I kinda..."

Momo was cut off by a flash of familiar pink coming up to both of them.

"Morning, Midoriya-Usagiyama!" Mina greeted. "Yaomomo passed me on the way here and she offered me to walk with you two to school and of course I said yes! Like, why wouldn't I say yes? Ahahaha!"

Once Mina's laughter died down, she noticed Izumi's hair.

"What's with the hair?" Mina asked bluntly.

"Ah-uhhh..." Izumi stuttered out. "I, uh, woke up and it was like this. I don't know what's causing it or how to turn it off."

Mina studied her for a moment.

"Huh. It looks kinda cool, though... Or would hot be the correct word?"

Izumi sighed. She had been expecting mockery, but that was the second time someone had complimented it, now.

"Yeah, it is kinda hot." Mina grinned.

"Literally or metaphorically?" Izumi deadpanned, in a tone that implied she was at the absolute limit of the nonsense she was willing to deal with right now.

Mina giggled. Izumi sighed for what felt like the hundredth time, and hoped her hair didn't catch on the sound. If she'd inherited only one thing from her mother, it was the ability to put up with nonsense.

"We should get going." She added. "It's a long walk to school."

"Not that long." Mina argued.

"Still. We should head off." Izumi insisted.

"Yeah." Momo nodded. "Better to be early than late!"

Izumi couldn't argue with that, though she still felt a bit like a bundle of nerves, especially with the thought of going to school like this. She had been hoping to avoid as much notice as possible, and there was no way that was happening with what was currently adorning her head.

She sighed. If she was lucky, nobody would pay too much mind. She'd already told her classmates, or at least the one's that had her number. So hopefully it would be a bit of a joke, and nothing more.

Izumi looked down at the Pokewatch as the three of them walked. Since Mina was with them, Izumi didn't have to feel bad about turning into Volcarona to help with the hatching process of the Paradox egg...

"Hey, Momo, do you mind if I...?" Izumi started, before getting cut off by Momo.

"Go ahead." Momo smiled. "As long as we don't get into any trouble on the way, it should be fine."

Izumi gave her a nod of thanks, and reached down to her Pokewatch. The three-toned beeps sounded, but instead of a flash of light enveloping her, nothing happened. 

"Transformation unable to occur." The Pokewatch's robotic voice announced. "Please try again in 16 hours and 30 minutes."

"Huh?" Izumi tilted her head in confusion. "It's never done that before."

She gave it another try with a different transformation. 

"Transformation unable to occur. Please try again in 16 hours and 29 minutes."

Momo blinked. "I'm guessing this is the first that's happened, then." She noted. "Maybe changing your powers affected your watch somehow, and this is just a safeguard to make sure you can't overdo things?"

Izumi sighed. As convenient as the Pokewatch was, it was still something she understood little about. 

"I don't really know. Maybe?" She offered. "I guess, I'll need to find out later."

"At least it's not permanent by the sounds of things." Momo pointed out. "That must be a good sign, right?"

Izumi nodded. The two didn't have to say it aloud, but they both had the same thought.

What if her transformation powers had failed for good?

It was a chilling thought. So much of who Izumi was, and what Izumi had achieved, was tied up in her transformations. To think that might be gone forever...

But it would help no one to start worrying now. Instead, Izumi decided to try changing the subject, and turned to Mina.

"So, you ran into Momo on her way to my apartment, does that mean you live close to the Ikiteiru Apartment Complex?" Izumi asked.

"Eh, close-ish." Mina answered absently, distracted by her own thought processes. She snapped herself out of it. "Sorry, what was that?"

"Just wondering where you live." Izumi supplied. Momo nodded, though there seemed to be something on her own mind. Dusky trotted between them contentedly, with Momo occasionally stopping to pet the Pokemon.

"Oh, I live on Doku Street!" Mina cheerfully replied. "It's in-between Esupaa Street and Jimen Street if you ever want to come by to my house for a visit!"

"Oh, you live closer than I thought." Izumi commented. "If you ever wake up early, or want some walking-buddies, you're more than welcome to join us. Right, Momo?"

"Mm?" Momo blinked. "I- ah- yes, of course!"

Izumi raised an eyebrow. 

"Are you ok? You seem a little distracted."

"I'm fine, just didn't get much sleep last night." Momo shook her head. "I'll be fine, I promise."

"Alright, but if you need to talk about your feelings, you know I'm here." Izumi nodded.

"Of course." Momo nodded. She seemed a little worried, but Izumi didn't want to push her.

Mina was quiet too, although that was more to be expected from the pink-haired student. She was usually the more chatty of the three, so Izumi was a bit surprised. But it had been an early day.

As she walked in silence, Izumi's mind wandered. If it weren't for the literal bonfire on her head, it would feel like just another morning with her friends.

The rest of the walk to school was mostly quiet, other than the random icebreakers Mina shot at Izumi. When they arrived in the classroom, Flannery walked up to them, a big smile on her face.

"Hey, Yaomomo, Ashido, Midoriya-Usagiya..." Flannery greeted, before noticing Izumi's hair. "Midoriya-Usagiyama, are you ok? Your hair's... Kinda on fire."

Izumi sighed, giving Flannery a smile.

"I'm alright, it doesn't seem to be actually burning me." 

She reached out and, to prove her point, grabbed a few strands, before wincing and dropping them quickly. Flannery seemed to take her point.

"Yeah, it must be pretty warm at least." The other girl frowned, reaching out with curiosity.

Izumi leaned closer, allowing Flannery to feel her fiery locks.

"Wow, they are pretty hot." Flannery noted. "Must be at least 1093 degrees."

Momo raised an eyebrow. "You can tell just from touching it?"

Izumi was starting to get a little worried about being this close to other people, with her hair seeming to be at a temperature that would injure a human.

"I think maybe we should back up a little..." She suggested.

"Oh, right, sorry." Flannery apologised, stepping back a few steps. "Maybe it's some kind of Quirk?"

"Yeah." Izumi sighed. "This morning, I woke up and it was just like this. I don't think it hurts me, but I can't seem to control it, either."

Momo and Mina nodded, having been witness to Izumi's transformation's failure. It seemed as if Flannery had forgotten about her, in face of the fact that Izumi's hair was literally a flame. 

"Have you tried turning it off like your transformations?" Mina asked curiously.

"Yeah." Izumi frowned. "Even when I try, no luck."

The four girls continued chatting for a bit while Flannery got out of Izumi's hair and the rest of their classmates started coming into the room. Some, like Denki and Kyoka, immediately did a double-take and then laughed before asking Izumi some questions. Others, like Neito, were more subtle, giving Izumi a quick glance, but then going to sit down.

As everyone was setting down their books and bags, Eraserhead walked in, looking just as tired as usual.

He walked in front of the class, pausing as he saw Izumi's flaming green hair.

"Midoriya-Usagiyama." He called.

Izumi looked up at her teacher in mild surprise, not really expecting him to say anything.

"Your hair's on fire." He finished. It was a statement.

"Yeah, thanks for that information." Izumi nodded. "Much appreciated."

Eraserhead sighed.

"Any reason?" He asked.

"I dunno." Izumi shrugged, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "I just woke up like this."

Eraserhead thought about it for a moment, before apparently deciding he didn't get paid enough to care any more than the bare minimum.

"Okay, then." He shrugged. He turned back to the front of the class, looking to address them all.

"Alright, everyone pay attention, as we have a fair bit to get through, this morning."

As usual, Eraserhead led the class through some of the upcoming school events, or just regular class events. It felt like such a normal school day. Izumi almost managed to feel like she hadn't woken up with actual flames sprouting from her hair.

Izumi had made a point to sit as far away from other people as she could, to make sure her hair didn't get in the way of any other people.

It didn't seem like she was going to accidentally burn anyone, but it was still something to be cautious around.

After the start of class, the day had gone by more-or-less as normal, with Izumi just doing her best to avoid causing issues and trying to hide the fact that she was now a human torch. 

She hadn't spoken much since talking with her friends. Izumi was feeling uncomfortable in class, but she could probably make it to the lunch break without doing anything weird.

If she hurried. 

The second-to-last period of the morning was a self-study period, and while it was meant for work, sometimes students took advantage to goof off with friends. Izumi wasn't normally one of them, and it seemed like this wouldn't be an exception.

As the start time of the period approached, Momo, Mina, Ochaco, Kyoka, Toru and Flannery came over to sit next to her. The first of her friends to say anything was Flannery, who leaned down to Izumi's ear to comment, in a quiet voice, 

"You know, you really do look gorgeous like this."

Izumi tried to hide that her face was aflame too, now. She tried to keep a straight face, but it was difficult.

Her voice was a little shaky as she responded, "Th-thanks." 

It felt so odd to have another girl call her hot, especially in a very literal sense.

"So, studying." Mina winked, implying that she had plans for not doing any studying or outstanding work.

"You're not going to study." Kyoka deadpanned, giving Mina an annoyed look.

Mina just gave Kyoka a wide, bright smile. 

"I do all my best work under pressure, anyway."

She leaned over to look at Izumi's books. "And what do you have there, Izumi?"

The green-haired girl was surprised to have so many of her friends crowding around her, but she quickly got back into the rhythm of it. "Ah- uhm, mostly math stuff." She answered quickly.

She looked back down at her books, trying to keep her mind off of anything, well... inappropriate.

"You know, we've been working really hard lately." Mina pointed out as she pulled out a pack of playing cards. "How about a game of Pledge?"

"Mina, I'm actually busy today." Izumi sighed, but Mina was clearly excited.

"Come on..." She whined, giving Izumi her best puppy-dog eyes. "It'll be fun, I promise!"

Izumi sighed. She wanted to get her work done, but she knew she had a very weak will where Mina was concerned.

"Ah- alright. Who wants to join?" 

The answer to that, was pretty much everyone.

They soon had more than enough people for Pledge. The game was simple: At the start of the game, each player got seven cards, each with a possible Pokemon type on them, some were monotype, but others had two types on them. The aim of the game was to get rid of all of your cards. To put down a card, you had to put down a card that was super effective against the type that was already down. For example, if the most recent card to be put down was Ground, then the card to be put down would have to be one with the Water, Grass, or Ice types on it. 

It started off calmly enough. It tended to, given Izumi's propensity to draw mostly fire or bug types.

But things didn't stay calm for long.

It was Kyoka, as per usual, who started it. She put down a Fairy/Fire card, and gave Izumi a challenging look.

"Oooh." Mina purred. "The stage is set."

"Alright. Good start we have." Izumi mumbled, picking a Poison card and placing it on top.

"My turn." The pink-skinned Pokemon trainer laughed gleefully, putting down a Psychic/Electric card. "Your move, Jiro." She smirked.

"And you're sure this is luck?" Kyoka snarked, putting down a Ghost card.

"I never mentioned luck." Mina answered, putting down her Dark card.

Kyoka rolled her eyes, as Momo put down a Fairy card, and continued the chain. She'd get Mina back for this. Probably when Mina picked up her lunch, but she'd get back at her. 

"Next!" Flannery called, putting down a Steel/Fighting card and looking to Ochaco.

Ochaco blinked, putting a Fighting card down. Now, Toru put down a Flying card, smiling deviously.

Flannery put down an Ice card in return, but the chain didn't stop. Mina put down a Fighting card, looking at Izumi with a smug grin on her face.

Izumi looked down at her hand. It seemed impossible. She hadn't pulled any type that could match Ice.

So Izumi huffed and picked up a card, the consequence of not being able to put a card down.

It continued around to Mina again, who gave a cackle as she put down a Water/Psychic card, to go against the Fighting type. 

Kyoka rolled her eyes, as Mina made to move again, and put down yet another Dark card.

"That's gotta be cheating." Kyoka deadpanned. 

"How could I be cheating?" Mina asked, putting down a Bug card.

"Because- you- I- you-" Kyoka stammered out, getting more and more flustered. "There's no way it's just chance you're keeping your hand, now!" She insisted.

"Oh, and you're one to talk about probability." Flannery deadpanned.

Izumi giggled, and put down a Fire card to match the last move.

"You're not gonna get her to back down that easily." She noted.

Mina had the grace not to respond out loud, and instead focused on putting down an Electric/Rock card, before giving Izumi a challenging look.

Izumi responded by putting down a Fire/Ground type, hoping Mina wouldn't be able to respond.

But she did, and easily. She put down another Fire/Ground type, and Izumi was starting to run out of things that could counter what Mina already had out.

"You don't have an answer." Mina asked, grinning. "Do you?"

"I don't." Izumi sighed, picking up a card.

It went around the group again to Mina. Everyone was down to their final cards, and this would likely be the last round of the game. If Mina couldn't counter the Ice type, the chain would end.

"Oh my God! I got the best card from this deck!" Mina laughed. 

"Are you sure you didn't stack your deck?" Kyoka insisted, crossing her arms, even as Mina put down a Fairy card.

Kyoka didn't have anything in her hand that worked. Even if she'd gotten another Ice card, it would simply mean Mina could play the same card. She could feel her loss approaching, and as usual with Pledge, it would be a humiliating one. It always was, with Mina.

"This is it!" Mina declared proudly, putting down her Fairy card, just the right thing to counter the Ice type. "I win!" She squealed excitedly.

"Good game, everyone!" She declared happily, going to pick up her own cards and put the rest of the deck away.

Most of the girls gave Mina congratulations, or at least accepted the loss with good grace. Though the rest of them didn't have the personal score-settling to do with her, that Momo or Kyoka had.

Izumi smiled a little, feeling a warmth on her cheeks that wasn't from her fires. "You're... very good, Mina." She admitted.

She got a giggle in response. 

"You'll get me back, next time." Mina promised. "And now, we have only a few minutes of study period left. And I was thinking..." 

She gave Kyoka and Momo a mischievous, but not innocent glance.

"We could play again."

When Izumi woke up the next morning, her hair was back to normal, now no longer on fire. When she activated the Pokewatch, using Hawlucha as a test, it worked as normal. It was a weird situation, but Izumi wasn't complaining.

During lunch that day, Izumi and Ochaco discussed potential names for Izumi's transformations.

"So I was thinking about naming your Sylveon transformation Nymphairy." Ochaco admitted. "What do you think, Midoriya-Usagiyama?"

"I like the name." Izumi nodded. "Why Nymphairy, though?"

"You know, Sylveon is a Fairy-type, and fairies are often called nymphs, so Nymphairy is a fitting name!" Ochaco explained.

"Uraraka... That's brilliant!" Izumi beamed. "Naming things is hard, I'm glad you're here." She smiled as she turned to her friend.

She had been in a good mood all day. The stress of the day before had faded away, and in its place was a deep satisfaction and comfort. It was a good day to be her, and she wasn't going to let anyone take it from her.

"Hey, what should we name my Turtonator transformation?" Izumi asked, her eyes glowing with excitement.

"Oh, I've got one!" Mina spoke up. "How about Blastoff?"

Izumi beamed, appreciating the name choice.

"I feel like I'm not creative at all." Izumi laughed, rubbing the back of her neck.

"It's fine! There's plenty of inspiration! We have the whole world! Like, for instance, you could name your Smeargle transformation Sketchpad!" Ochaco exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.

"And hey, what names have you thought of?" Mina asked.

"Well, a name I really like is Jaragon for my Kommo-o transformation." Izumi admitted. "Most of my names have Nihonnian puns in there, somewhere. Like Numarth for Swampert."

"Those are great names!" Mina chirped. "What about your Tyranitar form?"

"I was thinking Yabanosaur." Izumi answered. "Yaban means savage, and pretty much all of the Tyranitar line are known for being savage."

"What about Volcarona?" Ochaco asked, leaning over the table.

"I... Haven't thought of one, yet." Izumi admitted.

"What about Vulcan?" Flannery suggested. "Vulcan is the Alpha of fire and volcanoes, after all."

"Great, we'll go with that, then." Izumi nodded.

"What about Armarogue?" Ochaco wondered.

"Armorouge..." Mina mused, looking out the window. "Oh, I know!" She turned back to face the group. "How about Crimson Cannon?"

Izumi paused for a moment, thinking. The name did match, and she had to admit it was a good one. "Yeah." She smiled, nodding. "Crimson Cannon sounds great."

"Awesome!" Mina cheered. "And what about for your Ceruledge transformation?"

"Maybe to match Crimson Cannon... Azure Anlance or something like that?" Izumi suggested.

"Ooh, I like it!" Mina beamed.

"Yes, that sounds great, Midoriya-chan!" Ochaco enthused.

Izumi smiled. "Alright, I like the name Azure Anlance. And for Grimmsnarl?" Izumi asked, looking around the room.

"Hm..." Ochaco mused before grinning. "Oh, I have a really good one! How does Ognarl sound?"

"Ognarl..." Izumi repeated, testing the name out. "Hmm. It's unique, and... I like it!" She beamed.

"Great!" Mina clapped excitedly. "What about for your Excadrill form?"

"I was thinking Uzuvate, but I don't really like it all that much." Izumi mused out loud.

"Hmm... Uzuvate..." Mina tried it out. "No, doesn't sound great to me, either. What about Terra Drill?"

"No no... Too basic." Izumi shook her head. "I think we can leave it, for now. I'm sure inspiration will strike one of us."

"That's true." Ochaco nodded. "We always have time to think of names. We don't want to settle on something you don't love, after all."

"Thank you guys." Izumi smiled at them, the gratitude in her eyes clear. "I appreciate it, really."

"Of course, anything for a friend!" Mina grinned, flashing Izumi a wide thumbs-up. "It's so much fun thinking up new things, too!"

Ochaco nodded enthusiastically, her smile brightening. "Yes, it's like a game! And I'm glad that my friend is the focus!" She added cheerily.

It was now the end of the school day. After a rigorous hero training lesson, Izumi walked out of Recovery Girl's office, having sustained a few minor, yet fixable, injuries. She had Ashika out with her as she headed out to the front gates, however, she soon came into view of a boy with a Litten walking beside him.

"And then you were all like, woah yahoo!" Ashika cheered. "You're going to be an excellent hero! I just know it!"

As the two trainers and Pokemon walked closer to each other, the Litten had a look of realisation on his face.

"That voice is familiar..." The Litten thought to himself. "Could it be her? After all this time?"

Without a second thought, he ran towards Ashika, who was still in her own world, gushing over their latest hero training session.

"Pop!" The Litten exclaimed as he ran.

The Litten's trainer started to rush after him, surprised by his Pokemon's behaviour. 

"Spider, wait!" He shouted. 

But it was too late. Ashika was rambling about Izumi's past achievements, when she was tackled by the Litten, which was surprising, since Litten couldn't normally learn Tackle.

"Hey!" Ashika exclaimed.

"Ashika!" Izumi yelled, worried for her Pokemon. 

"Spider!" The boy scolded once he caught up to them. "Oh my Arceus, I'm so sorry! He's normally so calm!"

"Are you ok?" Izumi asked Ashika.

"I'm fine." Ashika nodded, her usual smile on her face.

Once Izumi got the all-clear, she let out a sigh of relief and looked back at the boy.

"It's ok." Izumi waved off what just happened. "We've suffered worse."

The boy kneeled down to his Litten, arms out to let the Fire Cat Pokemon come back to him. He flinched when he got scratched in the face, however.

"Ah, Spider!" The boy rubbed around his face. There was no blood, however.

"Lit, it's been so long!" Ashika gleefully cheered as the Popplio and Litten hugged.

"Do you... Know this Litten, Ashika?" Izumi asked. She felt like she knew what was going on, but wanted to make sure, just in case.

"Do you remember when we first met and how I told you my two friends were already picked?" Ashika asked. Once Izumi nodded, she continued. "This Litten... Is my childhood friend."

"Sup." Spider raised a paw in greeting. "I hope you've been treating Pop right. Otherwise, I'll scratch your eyes out."

"Oh, of course." Izumi nodded. "I'm Izumi."

"You can understand Pokemon?" Spider's trainer asked.

"Yeah, I can." Izumi nodded. "I'm Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama from Class 1A."

"Cool, cool." Spider's trainer nodded. "I'm Hitoshi Shinso from Class 1C."

Izumi smiled, giving Hitoshi a once-over. She found it somewhat amusing, considering how different they looked. Hitoshi sported wild purple hair and dark, almost black, eyes, while Izumi's features were more feminine and softer.

"It's nice to meet you." Izumi extended her hand out, hoping for a handshake.

Hitoshi stared at it for a moment, not expecting the gesture. However, after a couple of seconds, he realised what she wanted, leading to a handshake between the two.

"Likewise." Hitoshi commented.

Ashika and Spider were still busy catching up and laughing with each other, leaving the two teens standing awkwardly side-by-side. Izumi wanted to start a conversation, but found herself unable to. Thankfully for her, Hitoshi was the one to break the silence.

"So…" Hitoshi started. "You're in the Hero Course?"

"Yeah." Izumi nodded. "And... You're in General Studies?"

"Yeah." Hitoshi nodded, feeling a little embarrassed by it. "I... Wanted to go into heroics. But, well, my Quirk is not exactly hero-material."

"What's your Quirk?" Izumi asked Hitoshi.

"I can control the actions of anyone who answers me in a conversation." Hitoshi explained. 

"Wow..." Izumi's eyes widened at the information. She looked at Hitoshi, who was still staring out ahead. "That's a really amazing Quirk, Shinso! I can think of at least 15 ways it can be used in Hero work!"

Hitoshi turned to her with a surprised look. "You're... You're not afraid of me?"

"No." Izumi denied, shaking her head. "Why would I be afraid of you?"

Hitoshi was, for the first time in a while, speechless. Everyone in the past either laughed at or was scared of Hitoshi's Quirk. But here Izumi was, not bothered by it at all. It almost felt unreal to Hitoshi.

"Because... In the past, people haven't been all that nice to me because of my Quirk." Hitoshi explained. "You wouldn't get it."

"I think I do understand." Izumi disagreed, causing Hitoshi to raise a curious eyebrow. 

"Yeah?" Hitoshi responded, not believing her. "And why's that?"

"I was actually born Quirkless." Izumi admitted. "I was bullied by a lot of my peers for it once they figured it out."

Hitoshi's eyes widened in surprise once more, not expecting what Izumi had just revealed to be true.

"Really?" Hitoshi asked, in disbelief. "You were really Quirkless? But... You're a Hero student! How did you pass the entrance exam?"

"When I was seven, my Quirk fell from the sky." Izumi explained, raising her wrist that had the Pokewatch on it. "This watch thingy? It allows me to transform into Pokemon. As for me passing the exam, I just tried my hardest, like anyone else would."

Hitoshi looked at the Pokewatch with intrigue before sighing. "You're really lucky, you know?"  

"Yeah..." Izumi agreed softly, looking down at Ashika and Spider still playing happily together. "But it doesn't mean my past wasn't hard too."  

Hitoshi was silent for a moment before muttering, "...I guess not."  

They stood in comfortable silence until Hitoshi finally asked, "...You think UA’ll ever let someone transfer into the Hero Course from Gen Ed?"  

Izumi grinned. "Only one way to find out. You just need to try hard, and maybe someday, you'll get recognised by Nezu, maybe even by one of the teachers here. But you can't do anything if you don’t give it your all. Heroes aren't just celebrities, you know. They work hard every day to make sure others are safe."

Hitoshi's eyes widened in surprise for the third time that day. "You're... Really supportive, aren't you?"

"Of course I am!" Izumi smiled. "If I have the opportunity to encourage someone to chase their dreams, then I will! It would be wrong of me not to."

Hitoshi's heart slightly warmed at the sight of Izumi's smile. But, as quickly as it came, Hitoshi pushed that feeling away.

Just then, a familiar voice called out, "Hey, Izumi! Come on, we're stopping by the post office, then we're heading home!"

Izumi turned around to see Mirko calling out to her.

"Coming, Rara!" Izumi called right back, turning back to Hitoshi. "I'll probably see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, we'll definitely have to meet up again, hopefully in better circumstances." Hitoshi nodded, Izumi and Ashika walking off.

So, Midoriya-Usagiyama is related to Mirko in some way?

Hitoshi couldn't help but chuckle bitterly to himself.

There's definitely nepotism at play here.