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Chapter Text

''Stop this, Kacchan!'' yelled the small green-haired child. He stood protectively in front of another boy who'd already been beaten up by the class bully, Katsuki Bakugo. But that put him in harm's way as well, the blonde already preparing to blast him out of the way.

''Get lost, Deku! Your sorry quirkless ass can't do a thing.'' the blonde sneered, small sparks crackling in his palms. But Deku, whose true name was Izuku Midoriya, stood his ground.

''I won't let you hurt him!'' he yelled, hoping to draw the attention of one of the teachers. He could have sworn one looked their way, but just turned around and continued the conversation they'd been having with the others. So much for that. Izuku would receive no assistance, he had to stand alone against the now enraged Katsuki.

''Oi, Deku! Are you really ready to take a beating instead of this kid?'' he asked. Izuku couldn't verbally answer, but the new-found determination in his eyes spoke volumes. Katsuki laughed loudly at his bravery and proceeded to overpower Midoriya, hammering him into the ground.

Ten minutes passed before Katsuki and his gang of bullies left Izuku lying brutalized on the ground. He stared up at the sky wondering how it all came to be. How could he and Katsuki go from friends to enemies? The answer lied in their DNA.

Had past experts been asked what they believed the next step of human evolution would be, none would have proposed a mutation allowing for superpowers. And yet, this strange phenomenon occurred and was eventually referred to as a quirk. In just a few generations, almost eighty percent of the world's population had one.

And yet, Izuku Midoriya was one of the unfortunate twenty-percent.

"Your son is quirkless."

~Flashback~

Izuku couldn't wait to find out what quirk he'd have! Would it be his mother's ability to attract objects? His fathers fire breath? Maybe they would combine, giving him pyrokinesis! Or maybe he wouldn't take after either parent and would instead have a completely different power, one that was super smashingly awesome all on its own...

But instead, he was told four blunt, cruel words instead. The same words that had just replayed in his mind.

''Your son is quirkless.''

For days after visiting the doctor, little four-year-old Izuku asked his mother repeatedly, "Mom, can I still be a hero like All Might?"

After first seeing the Pro Hero's debut, all he'd ever wanted was to emulate the man who everyone called 'The Symbol of Peace'. But, his mother was unable to answer him at first. When she did, she turned to face her son before wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"I'm sorry… It's my fault… I'm sorry…"

It confirmed his fears. She didn't believe in him either…

But young Midoriya's misfortune didn't end there.

'Hey, Izuku, when will your quirk show up?'' one of the children in his daycare asked.

But Katsuki just scoffed. ''Haven't you heard? He DOESN'T HAVE a quirk. I guess now you really are a useless Deku! Ha haha ha ha.''

~End Flashback~

As Izuku lay in the dirt, his body aching from Katsuki's latest beating, he remembered how painful it had been to hear such cruel things from people he trusted… people who were supposed to be his friends. It was in that moment of recollection that he came to a gruesome realization. A realization that every child eventually comes to understand as he grows up.

'All men are not created equal'

It was a bitter and harrowing truth for someone so young to accept, but, he knew that if he ever wanted to succeed in this world, if he was going to achieve his dreams, then he would have to do it by himself. After all, it was now obvious that those around him would likely just laugh and tell him he was going to fail anyway.

Midoriya knew it would be brutal, already aware of how many obstacles would be in his way even though he was so young. But on that day, Izuku decided that nothing would stop him; he would be the Number 1 Hero in the world, no matter what.

10 YEARS LATER...

Izuku strolled down the street, making his way to Aldera. He was in his last year of junior high there and knew that today they were going to be reviewing their high school applications. He'd applied to U.A., the best hero school on that side of Japan, even though he's aware that everyone would make fun of him since they all believed he was a quirkless nobody.

As he made his way to the entrance, he spotted Katsuki and his gang waiting for him. He smirked at their stupidity; they'd been pulling the same stunt without success for the past year and a half. He wasn't going to be caught off guard by them today or ever. A rapid, short breeze swept across the street and he was gone. "Idiots…"

The three bullies were none the wiser, however, impatiently waiting for their target to show up.

"Damn it! There are only five minutes until class starts; he should have already been here. Are you SURE you didn't see him come in earlier?" Katsuki asked in agitation, looking down at his posse of 'extras'.

"I'm sure, Bakugo. I've been here since before school even opened; he hasn't come by yet." The teen with bat wings and a chubby figure answered.

They gave up and headed to class, only for the boy who could grow his fingernails super long to pause and pale when he got to the door. Katsuki noticed and stopped walking as well, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Deku is already in the classroom, isn't he?" he asked, doing his best not to blow a fuse; he'd save that for Midoriya. The rest of their classmates backed away from the door, sensing his wrath. Izuku's table was straight ahead, the boy completely engrossed and concentrating on the notebook he always carried around. Bakugo was going to burn that thing once he was done squishing the little pest that owned it.

Katsuki charged up explosions in his hands and took off, sailing through the air to nail the sorry bastard… Or so he thought. A split second before his fist connected with its target, Deku vanished from sight and the window opened. Everyone looked up just in time to see Bakugo flying out of the newly created opening before falling straight into the water container below, startling the carps that had been swimming peacefully.

The students ran to the window, watching as he surfaced and spewed out water. He looked up to find them laughing at him… all except Deku. Instead, the boy jumped down and offered him a hand.

"Are you alright, Kacchan? Do you need any help? he asked, his face blank even though his eyes were showing signs of concern. Bakugo, however, ignored the boy's kindness and swatted his hand away, climbing out himself and pouring the water from his shoes.

Their teacher leaned out as well, shouting down at them. "Katsuki, after you get changed I'm going to call your mother about using your quirk in school. Izuku, you're going to serve two weeks of detention for pulling stunts. Now, both of you get back inside!"

Katsuki grinned triumphantly. Calling his mom? Sure, he was going to catch hell at home, but, that was a slap on the wrist compared to Midoriya's punishment. He turned towards him, half-prepared to see him crying. The Deku he'd always known always cried. But all he saw was a blank expression; the bastard didn't even wobble his lip.

He couldn't help but wonder what had changed in Izuku. The once almost frail, easily pushed around, crybaby quirkless Deku was seemingly outsmarting him and suppressing his tendency to let his emotions get the better of him. It couldn't have been a quirk… those only manifested in young children. But something was definitely different.

He contemplated this rapid maturation in Midoriya's skills and personality for the rest of the day, fully intending on calling his ass out once more. Just as the final bell rang, he turned in his chair and shouted. "DEKU!"

But all that he found was an empty seat, another strong breeze rushing through the classroom and scattering everyone's papers. He grunted in confused irritation before getting ready to hang out with his group of extras as he usually did.

Izuku happily strolled to the convenience store to pick up cereal and spices for the katsudon his mom was preparing for dinner. He had just made it into the underpass when a manhole cover opened, a giant blob of green slime crawling out.

"Damn it! He's right behind me… I need a medium sized meat suit to get away… THERE!" It spoke.

"Oh boy, it noticed me." Izuku thought as it's form created tentacles that immediately sped toward him. He vanished though, avoiding the attack with ease.

"What?! Where is he?" It exclaimed, turning to find the teen staring at him curiously. "Stay still boy! This will only hurt for about forty-five seconds and then..."

Izuku wasn't listening though. He was preoccupied with wondering if the villains near liquid constitution meant that it was resistant to physical attacks and if it could survive being blown to chunks. He only refocused when he realized that it was moving to attack him again, this time with the intention of covering his entire body. Without hesitation, Midoriya cocked an arm back to send a punch, only to be interrupted by a hulking figure jumping out of the manhole as well.

"It's alright now because I am here!" the man yelled, his voice easily recognizable as Izuku's (still) favorite hero. He jumped towards the villain with incredible speed, readying his arm as he unleashed one of his signature attacks. "TEXAS SMASH!"

The criminal was blown away instantly, Izuku watching from the sidelines with hidden admiration and a touch of irritation. "Damn it! I had it!"

"I apologize for getting you involved, young man!" All Might stated, "But I admire your courage. You stood your ground, and I respect that. Now, just a moment, please."

All might moved to scoop the villain into his soda bottle, turning back to Izuku after he was finished. The boy was wildly writing in his notebook, mumbling under his breath.

"So, he could be blown apart as long as there was enough physical force… and he could survive being in pieces like that. If you aren't as strong as All Might or can't deal a powerful blow like that then he's only weak spot is his eyes since they are the only solid parts of his body. I wonder if muttermutter, muttermuttermutter, mutter, muttermutter muttermutter…"

"Ehem! Excuse me, young man? What are you doing?" asked the completely bamboozled hero.

"Oh, right!" Izuku gasped, "You're still here. Um… I sort of take notes on every quirk I see so that I know how to deal with it if I were to come across it again in the future when I… I…"

The Pro could see the apprehension start to spread over Midoriya's face. "Is there something wrong, young man?"

Izuku inhaled deeply, trying to calm his nerves. "All Might… Can… Can someone without a quirk become a hero like you?"

All Might was honestly surprised by the question. He'd been asked all sorts of things before, everything from details about his quirk to what his favorite ocean fish was (the clownfish, if you were wondering). But this was the LAST thing he was expecting. He knew what he had to say though and looked at Izuku, his famous smile slowly diminishing.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this, young man, but being a target for villains everyday… It just wouldn't be possible to survive without a quirk. So, in my good conscience, I must say that... No, you can't." He explained gently. He'd expected to see sadness on the teens face, possibly even tears in his eyes. But all he saw was a bitter understanding, disappointment, and anger.

"Yeah." Izuku responded hotly, "I figured you'd say that. Next, you're going to tell me to become a policeman, firefighter, or something else, right? I'd hoped that maybe, MAYBE, you would be different, but, I guess you're all one and the same."

All Might was taken aback by the venom dripping from the boy's voice, but, a moment later it was all gone.

"Ah, I'm sorry; I let my emotions get the better of me. Anyway, could you sign my notebook?" Midoriya continued quickly, forcing himself not to feel the painful sting of rejection once more. He held out the notebook and pen he had expectantly, being sure to seem as sorry and grateful as possible even though that wasn't at all how he was feeling.

The Pro hesitantly agreed and wrote his signature across two pages. It was a little concerning how the apparently quirkless boy had gone from resentful to totally calm so quickly, but, he told himself it wasn't worth his continued attention. He gave a nod and took off, leaving Izuku to continue on with his day.

"DAMN!" Midoriya fumed internally, "That jerk! I had it! I did not need help!"

He'd been heading home after his run-in with the Number 1 Hero and getting groceries when he'd noticed the commotion in the street. Upon closer inspection, he'd noticed that the perpetrator was the same villain who'd attacked him under the overpass, and this time it had a hostage.

It took him another moment to realize that the hostage was Kacchan, but once he did, he'd rushed into the midst of the chaos without a second thought, throwing his bag at the criminal and moving to pull Bakugo out. He'd been preparing to punch him again, but just as before, All Might rushed in and stole his thunder.

He'd kept his irritation in check even when he was scolded by the other heroes on the scene while Bakugo was praised for his strong quirk and endurance. Still, the ridiculousness was astounding and quite frankly, infuriating. He'd slipped away as soon as he could, slipping by the press as they swarmed.

"Oi! Deku!" Katsuki shouted after him.

"Ugh. Great… here we go again…" Midoriya groaned internally.

"Don't you think for a second that I owe you or anything! I don't know how you got there so fast, but I don't care! You're still a nobody to me!" But as he yelled at his once childhood friend, Katsuki wondered: "How DID he get there so fast?"

Izuku simply flipped him off and continued walking, completely done and far too fed up with everything to deal with the explosive blonde at the moment. He was relieved that no explosions followed him, suggesting that Bakugo had decided not to retaliate and had gone on home. "Good; I'm already late as it is."

"I am here!"

"Oh, for Christ's sake!" Midoriya thought with exasperation. He just couldn't seem to catch a break that day, not that misfortune was particularly abnormal in his life. He stopped walking and waited impatiently for the Pro to speak again.

"I escaped the reporters as fast as I could so that I could catch up to you, young man. I would like to speak with you!" All Might explained.

Despite how much he really just wanted to get home, Izuku nodded. "Alright, go ahead."

Steam suddenly erupted from the man's body, covering his large form momentarily. As it cleared, the once strong, muscular figure was replaced entirely by a skinny frail blonde with sunken eyes; he looked more like a skeleton than a human.

''What has happened to you! Are you a fake?! An impostor?! A-''

"Stop right there!" All Might boomed, "This pathetic form is the result of an injury I received during battle. The fight was never publicized, but, my wounds were substantial. I ended up losing my stomach and permanently hurting my respiratory system. Now, I can only be a hero for up three hours a day… a time limit that's lowering steadily. That's what I want to talk to you about, young man. Now… What's your name?"

Deku could only sweatdrop at first in response. "Izuku Midoriya…"

All Might grinned widely and begin shifting back into his heroic form. "Right. Young Midoriya, today I demolished your dreams and told you that you couldn't do something, but I was wrong. When asked 'Why did you save someone or do a heroic deed?', all of the heroes answer with 'My legs moved on their own.'. I saw that in you today. So, young Midoriya. I would like to correct my previous statement! YOU CAN BE A HERO!"

"Okay," Izuku responded blankly.

"And I have chosen you to inherit my power!" All Might finished excitedly, the pride in his voice and posture almost sickening to Deku.

The teen paused as he took in the hero he'd idolized, finding that he was far less enthralled by him than he once had been. He'd asked All Might if he could be a hero and the man had said 'no', just like everyone else did. Midoriya swore to himself he'd prove him wrong. He'd prove them ALL wrong… and he'd do it without taking the shortcut.

"...No."

"NANI?"

Chapter Text

"NANI?" All Might exclaimed in utter shock and confusion.

"I mean it; I don't want to inherit your power."

"But, young Midoriya!" The Pro responded incredulously. "I thought it was your dream to become a great hero! Why would you refuse the power that would not only put you par with others but, likely make you even stronger than them!"

Izuku's eyes were hard as he stared down his ex-idol. "Because I've spent my whole life doing everything myself since I had to learn early on that no one would help me. I will achieve my dreams on my own, without needing to rely on anyone… even you."

All Might flinched at the last line. It was evident that his careless dismissal of Izuku's dreams earlier that day had really done damage. "I see now, young Midoriya… You've suffered ridicule and contempt since you were young, forced to listen to people laugh at you and diminish your dreams."

Midoriya finally got his emotions back under control and turned away from All Might, the man slowly deflating both physically and emotionally as he realized how grave of an error he'd made.

"What I meant was, thank you for your offer but I'm not interested," Izuku explained quietly but with firmness. "All I need is myself, now and always."

He stepped past the seemingly paralyzed man and continued walking to his home, leaving him there to think about their conversation. All Might was painfully aware that he could have done so many things differently during their first encounter. He could have taken the time to hear Izuku out rather than instantly smash his dreams.

"I'm so sorry, young Midoriya." he thought in defeat as he walked away somberly. "I'm sorry I couldn't be your hero when it was clear that you needed one."

There were so many people he couldn't save in the past; desperate citizens all over the world that he'd never meet but that needed him anyway. All Might had never lost a person once stepping on the scene… until today.

After being thoroughly scolded by his mother for attempting to fight villains before becoming a hero, Izuku sat down in his room.

''So, not even Number 1 hero believes in my dreams. Go figure. Now... I've got 10 months before the entrance exam. Time to plan this out.'' He stayed up late that night, devising the perfect schedule for himself. He felt that if he followed it to a tee, he would be prepared for the U.A. exam, and pass it with flying colors. Satisfied with his work, he went to sleep.

Over the course of the next ten months, not much changed in Izuku's life. The only noticeable difference was that Bakugo wasn't trying to pick on him anymore, not that Izuku cared about that. He threw himself into his studies, learning everything he'd need for the written portion of the entrance exam. His hard work paid off in the end, allowing him to graduate at the top of his year. The only person who came close to his score was Bakugo, the blonde struggling not to blow a fuse over the loss.

On the night before the exam, Midoriya went to bed early, feeling calm and prepared for anything life could throw at him.

IZUKU'S DREAMS

Izuku sat in a lecture hall while the proctor handed out tests to everyone. He got to work, easily solving the test in fifteen minutes only to find himself in a Japanese dojo moments later. The R-rated hero, Midnight, was with him.

"Oh… So, it's one of THOSE dreams." he thought to himself, feeling a stir in his pants. But instead of the usual dream sequence that followed seeing the heroine, she sat before him and said: "For the practical portion of the exam, you have to beat me at Rock-Paper-Scissors."

The woman extended her hand towards Izuku, but he noticed something strange on it. Startled, he woke up and screamed. "DON'T COME PLAYING ROCK-PAPER-SCISSORS WITH A BOGGER ON YOUR FINGER!"

He sighed once he'd calmed down, checking the clock. Today was the day… He was going to start his path to showing the world what he's really worth. He confidently stood from his bed and walked to the bathroom; He was ready.

Izuku arrived at the U.A. facility early as any diligent student would and sat in the entrance hall waiting for the written portion of the exam to start. Other's started trickling in including a stiff blue-haired boy who'd immediately started reprimanding students about their hair, clothes, etc. Midoriya really hoped that he wouldn't have to be near that guy during any portion of the exam. Bakugo showed up not long after, scowl ever present on his face.

Once everything was ready, they were given an hour and a half to finish the first phase, of which Izuku only needed fifty minutes. From there, they had a half hour break before being redistributed to different areas for the practical portion.

Midoriya was quiet as he rode the bus towards 'Site Q', examining the other students who'd been assigned to the same area. He could only describe their quirks as mediocre at this point but decided to memorize them anyway, taking notes as always. He thought about the exam itself as well, concluding that it needed some serious changes. It only allowed people with combative quirks to shine and even then they had to be effective against non-sentient beings. He didn't have long to dwell on it, however, as the test was about to begin.

"ALL EXAMINEE'S TAKE YOUR POSITIONS ON THE LINE! START!"

Midoriya didn't waste any time and rushed towards the city, other students even pointing towards him and laughing at his 'early start'. But they were quickly grounded by the proctors next words.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? THERE ARE NO COUNTDOWNS IN REAL LIFE! GO, GO, GO!"

The remaining students quickly ran in, ready to trash some robots only to barely find any… any moving that is.

While they stood confused, Izuku was having a blast. He could finally unleash his powers more than usual. Here, nobody would care that the asphalt cracked under him as he ran or that he swatted the robots away like flies. He was enjoying himself so much, he even allowed a ghost of a smile to creep upon his face. He sprinted all over the exam site, destroying robots and occasionally saving other participants. However, after about five-six minutes, he decided to sit back and observe some of the other U.A. hopefuls'.

He spotted a group that appeared to be working together under the leadership of a boy with gravity-defying purple hair., the teen giving commands to the other's while they attempted to immobilize the robot before he tried to destroy it.

It was painfully obvious that he hadn't trained a day in his life, his arm almost breaking from just punching the robots eye.

Suddenly a giant-ass robot appeared from the ground right after, its hulking form preparing to smash the little group closest to it.

Izuku grinned for the first time in a while and then vanished in a burst of speed towards the metal giant, only stopping briefly along the way to save others from the debris. One of the people he helped was the purple-haired boy himself.

As their eyes met, Midoriya was able to see a mixture of emotions… Disbelief, anger, sadness, and something else… something familiar that he knew but couldn't remember for the life of him right then. Once again he didn't have time to think about it too long; he had to disassemble that monstrous robot that was edging closer to them.

Most of the U.A. personnel were sitting in a dimly lit conference room, reviewing the videos from the various testing sites.

"It seems like we have a promising year ahead of us." Nezu mused.

"Yes; It seems that we have some with powerful capabilities. They certainly surpass the last years' crop." Vlad King agreed.

Present Mic nodded as he looked over the footage that included Bakugo, the blonde destroying robots and screaming in joy. "I feel you. While the others got tired and slowed down, he just kept picking up steam and gathered the highest amount of points… If you don't count HIM, that is."

''I think it's time to address the elephant in the room,'' Eraserhead suggested.

They all turned towards the middle screen, examining the green blur that made its way through the makeshift city leaving a trail of destroyed robots in its wake. Eventually, it stopped on a rooftop, allowing them to see the face of the young perspective hero. All Might (in his skinny form) gawked at the boy, easily recognizing him as the one he'd hurt all those months ago.

"What information do we have on him?" The principal asked, not missing his newest employees expression. The R-rated heroine, Midnight, examined their documents and took over.

"His name is Izuku Midoriya; he just turned fifteen yesterday. There doesn't appear to be any medical or criminal history… He lives alone with his mother and his quirk is…" Silence filled the room.

"Well? What is it?" Hound Dog asked.

"It… These official forms say that he doesn't have one," she admitted, the rest of the board just as full of shock and disbelief.

"But how is that even possible? This kid is easily as strong as All Might himself, if not more so! I mean, he pulverized the 0-pointer with just a punch! We can barely pass what's left as scrap metal! That's simply not possible without possessing a quirk!" Recovery Girl insisted, the statement causing Eraserhead to roll his eyes at how close-minded his coworkers seemed to be. Nezu was the only one to notice.

"Have you something to add, Erasure?" he asked.

"You people forget that even before the era of quirks, mankind achieved some incredible feats. While I also find it hard to believe that he doesn't have a quirk of some kind, there is only one way to be truly sure."

"Oh, and what way is that?" Nezu questioned.

"We invite him here."

Izuku knew that U.A. usually sent their acceptance letters a week after all of the exams were graded, so he was quite surprised when the doorbell to his apartment rang and he found Present Mic and All Might standing in his doorway. The No.1 Hero was the one to finally break the tension.

"Excuse us for coming to see you unannounced, young Midoriya," he stated, "but could you please come with us? It's about your entrance exam."

Izuku looked at him with a doubtful expression before turning to the other hero present.

"He's telling the truth, kiddo… He will be teaching at U.A. this year. Now, notify your mother that you'll be gone this afternoon and please come with us."

"My mom isn't home." Izuku responded, "I'll notify her on the way." He put on his shoes and grabbed his jacket, phone, and wallet. "Okay, let's go."

Izuku was amazed by U.A.; it was where all of the heroes he'd admired went. He tried to look at everything, his neck almost snapping as he whipped it in every direction at once. However, when his gaze would land on All Might his eyes would grow cold. The Number One Hero noticed the abrupt changes and shivered, thinking back to the conversation he'd had with the principal.

ALL MIGHT: FLASHBACK

"So, Yagi… I couldn't help but notice that you had a strange look in your eyes while we watched the footage covering Izuku Midoriya… It almost seemed like perhaps you'd met the boy once." Nezu stated while he sipped on his cup of tea.

All Might sighed and looked deeply into his own beverage. He knew it was best to just come clean, so he explained his connection to the strange quirkless powerhouse. He told the principal about how he'd 'saved' him from the sludge villain, how he'd crushed his dreams only to eat his words when the teen had run in to save a peer, and about how he'd told him about his condition and offered him his power… He told him how Izuku had refused the opportunity.

"I crushed his dreams and let him down when he needed me most." He admitted sadly, "I should have-"

"Don't beat yourself up so much, Yagi." Nezu interrupted, giving the Pro a stern look. "You didn't say anything wrong; you couldn't have known that he had such strength when he'd already told you he had no quirk. Yes, Midoriya is bitter and angry with you, but, he's a teenager. What did you expect? It's unhelpful to blame yourself for saying what seemed like the most responsible thing to say in the moment. You simply gave him the best advice you could have with what you knew."

"What do you suggest I do then, sir?" All Might asked.

"Just be aware that while he might be angry now, he will come around eventually. When that happens, you must be there for him… You will have to help him as only you can truly relate to how it feels to desire to be a hero and not initially possess the quirk to be one. Teach Midoriya how to control his power as it will, in time, be even stronger than yours and look for another suitable successor."

FLASHBACK END

Toshinori looked on with determination in his eyes. Nezu was right; he must use the time he had left to find a successor and hopefully train young Midoriya. The power the boy exhibited would be devastating if it was left to rage uncontrolled.

Their car pulled up to a large building labeled 'Gym Gamma'. As Midoriya walked in, he found Nezu, Eraserhead, Midnight, Cementos, and Recovery Girl waiting for him. The old woman was holding a suitcase, staring at him expectantly.

"You have nothing to fear!" the principal explained. "All we want is for you to perform some additional physical tests and allow us to take samples of your DNA."

Izuku was easily able to figure out what this was all about, irritation flaring up in his chest. "You don't believe I'm quirkless… You think I lied on my official medical reports." He stated, anger making its way onto his face.

"With the extreme power you exhibited during the entrance exam, can you blame us?" Eraserhead responded.

Izuku relented then, turning back to Nezu to see what all they wanted from him. The mouse smiled reassuringly and continued. "Alright, we're going to need a sample of your saliva, blood, hair follicles, and skin. Once Recovery Girl is through retrieving those then you can start performing the extra practical tests we've set up. Is that alright with you?"

Izuku just nodded his head quietly, allowing the old pro to poke and prod at him until she had everything she wanted. She rushed to the lab right after, giggling like an excited little girl and leaving them to finish their own tests.

Cementos started the process by creating some obstacles for him to cross in the shortest time possible. After that, he conjured concrete slabs and pillars, only for Izuku to pulverize them all with a single punch. The pro stepped up the difficulty some, instead creating golems. Once again, Midoriya dispatched them with another simple punch. By this point, Cementos was getting slightly annoyed. He pushed his own power to its limit and created a giant concrete monster.

The corners of Izuku's mouth bent upwards at the display. He muttered under his breath, the phrase only audible to Nezu. "Surekill Move: Light Punch". His arm swung simultaneously with only a bit more effort than the previous times, pulverizing the stone. The rest of the spectators were stunned in disbelief."

"He doesn't appear to have a transformation or emitter type quirk…" Aizawa spoke, the words making everyone even more shocked. "I tried to erase his quirk every time he attacked but it did nothing; how long until the old lady gets results?"

"It should only be another ten minutes or so," Nezu responded. "Alright, now I have a few questions for you, Midoriya."

The teen turned to the small mouse and nodded, readying himself for the questions he'd already assumed they'd ask him.

"Did the last attack show us the limits of your strength?"

"No," Midoriya responded.

"Interesting; Could you tell us what your actual limits are?" Nezu pushed.

"I'm sorry, I can't. I haven't determined my full potential yet." Izuku explained; That's one of the main reasons he wanted to go to U.A., so that he could be in an environment where he could flex his power without running the risk of hurting others or damaging property he wasn't allowed to.

"I see…" The principal considered, "Then how is it you came to have this power if you maintain that it is not based in a quirk?"

"I'd prefer not to say," Midoriya responded coldly, a smug determination in his eyes.

"I see…" Nezu repeated, the group falling into an uncomfortable silence until Recovery Girl came back with her results.

The old woman cleared her throat, still astounded herself by the conclusion. "As hard as it is to believe, Izuku Midoriya does not appear to have a quirk. However, there is more peculiarity than just his speed and strength. His white cells seem stronger. His red cells can carry more oxygen. On a hunch, I attempted to infect some of his blood samples with viruses and his white blood cells disintegrated them within minutes, even the ones we tried to cure for decades."

The faculty turned towards Midoriya, finding that he still had a near emotionless mask planted firmly on his face. The only hint of anything else was the barest hints of smugness in the depths of his green eyes.

"So," he spoke, "if I've finished these ridiculous extra tests, can you tell me what I scored on the entrance exam?"

Nezu had to get his bearings before he answered, still just as blown away as everyone else by the news. "Of… Of course… You scored second highest in the written portion with a ninety-seven percent and first in the practical with our highest point count in history, 247 villain points. However, since we were secretly awarding rescue points as well, you ultimately scored a grand total of 293."

Izuku looked satisfied with the information, deciding it was best to take his leave then since it didn't appear they had anything more for him to do. He'd taken his first step in proving everyone wrong and had no doubt about his acceptance to U.A. He could go home, relax, and enjoy the last few days of his summer vacation before starting at his dream school.

Chapter Text

All over Japan, millions of recently graduated junior high school students made their way to the places they'd be studying at for the next few years. Izuku was no different as he used a map to find his classroom on the large U.A. campus… the school of his dreams, the place where heroes were made.

He was momently shocked by the size of the Class 1-A door. "Must be tailored for students with gigantification quirks or other mutations that make them too large for standard entrances," he thought to himself as he took a deep breath and stepped inside.

Midoriya was always one to arrive far earlier than was necessary, so he was genuinely surprised to find there were already three other students in the classroom. One was an incredibly beautiful lady with her hair styled in a spiky side ponytail and a shapely figure-not that he really paid attention to that.

The other two were boys. The first had six arms, each set of three connected by a strange membrane and a mask covering most of his face. The second was stoic looking with two colored hair; red and white split perfectly down the center. He turned towards the entrance as Izuku stepped in, allowing the teen to also note his mismatched eyes and the burn scar surrounding his left eye. Midoriya knew that the best case scenario was a quirk accident… the worst… well, he didn't really want to think about that.

They stood in tense silence before the girl broke the ice. "Hello, my name is Momo Yaoyorozu. It would seem that we are going to be classmates so, please, take care of me." She bowed to Izuku who was quick to mimic the gesture. "Yes, it seems so indeed; I'm Izuku Midoriya, please take of me as well." He turned to the two boys next, expectantly. The one with the multiple arms introduced himself as Mezo Shoji while the other simply stopped paying attention to their presence altogether.

Izuku shrugged at the teen's lack of manors and went to sit down, just making it into his chair as the tall blue-haired boy he'd met at the entrance exam came in, looking through the room's occupants. Again, Yaoyorozu made the first move and introduced herself formally, Izuku quick to follow her example.

''Pleased to meet you, Yaoyorozu-san! My name is Tenya Iida; I look forward to spending the next three years as your classmate!'' He then gave a stiff ninety-degree bow, before turning towards Izuku. ''Hello, My name is-''
''I've heard. Nice to meet you, Iida-san. My name is Izuku Midoriya.''
''Yes, I remember you from the written portion of the entrance exam," Tenya explained. "You arrived even earlier than I did and I must, therefore, commend you for taking your education so seriously. Tell me, how did you do on your entrance exam? I believe my score was raised due to the rescue points they didn't tell us about during the pre-battle explanation."

Izuku had the decency to look away since his score had shattered the previous records; he'd been the only person to ever score over two-hundred points during the practical. He thought about being direct with Tenya but decided against it as that would attract unwanted attention.

''I did well enough, I suppose,'' he said instead, still trying to avoid eye contact. Even after years of building and perfecting the mask he wore, he'd never truly learned to lie to someone. Luckily, Iida just accepted his noncommittal response and excused himself to visit with other classmates.

The rest of the students slowly filed in, greeting each other pleasantly. It was very different from his junior high experience where everyone went out of their way to be cruel to him. Of course, Bakugo showed up as well, nearly blowing a fuse when he saw Midoriya there. Tenya stepped in between them before anything got too out of hand, reprimanding Bakugo for his messy hair and 'foul mouth'. It made Izuku sigh to himself.

Not long after the almost-confrontation, another female student arrived. She was bubbly and kind, excitedly introducing herself as Ochako Uraraka once Tenya had insisted that Izuku meet her. The girl went on and on about how cool Iida was for heroically carrying her away from the falling debris during their practical exam, even as he tried to assure her that anybody would have done the same.

"If you're here to make friends, then leave now" a tired voice scolded, interrupting their conversation. The students looked towards the entrance, finding a man wrapped up in a yellow sleeping bag and sipping on a juice box. "It took you eight seconds to calm down; that's a luxury we don't have. In three years, we need to make you heroes. Be rational."

Everyone just stared at him in confusion, finding his scruffy appearance odd.

"I'm Shouta Aizawa and I'll be your homeroom teacher," he continued, "Now, put these on and meet me outside." He reached into his sleeping bag and pulled out a U.A. sports uniform. He passed them out to the students and then left.

As the students of Class 1-A scrambled to the changing rooms, All Might was reading through the syllabus and his teacher's book about his own duties as a new professor. "So, the homeroom teacher for Class 1-A is Aizawa, huh?" he noted with interest. "That means they'll likely have a quirk assessment test; I guess it wouldn't hurt to check it out."

He transformed into his muscled form once more and headed out to the testing field.

After they'd changed, the students gathered around Aizawa.

"The quirk assessment test will be just like the physicals you completed in junior high," The man explained. "The only difference is that you'll be allowed and encouraged to use your powers."

"Oh, that sounds like fun!" The student with pink hair and skin exclaimed, everyone seeming to agree with her.
"Fun, you say? How is this for fun… The student who comes in last will be expelled immediately." Aizawa responded coldly, ignoring the communal screech of 'NANI?' "Let's start with an example. Izuku!"

Midoriya looked at his teacher, not at all wanting to be put on display. "He's not going to-"
"You scored the highest in the practical portion of the entrance exam by a hefty margin…"
"Bastard did it…"
"How far could you throw a softball in middle school?" Aizawa continued, oblivious to the irritation starting in Midoriya's chest.

Izuku set his jaw tightly but kept his mask in place. "Ninety-two meters."

"Impressive. Now, use your… powers. Do what you have to, just don't leave the circle." The teacher stopped himself before he said 'quirk' and decided to go along with the teen's insistence on being quirkless; It was his decision if he wanted to lie to the class.

There was a pause after Izuku stepped into the circle, then he turned and spoke. "Sensei, how long is this field?"
"About two kilometers, why?"
Midoriya shrugged and readied himself, calculating the amount of power he'd need to throw the ball about that distance. "I just didn't want to throw it onto someone else's property…" The ball sped from his hand as he threw it, speeding away faster than the eye could pick up.

Aizawa showed everyone his result. "1,989 meters."

Almost everyone's eyes popped out from the number, some complaining about what they assumed was Midoriya's good luck or the flashy quirk that gave him such strength. Aizawa, however, could see the silent furry in Midoriya's eyes. "There was no luck involved; this kid worked hard for his power… whatever it may be."

All Might watched from his position near the building, equally as shocked to see Izuku's abilities. "To think he already possesses such power! If he were to have One For All on top of that, he'd be unstoppable! I wonder how the rest of the sets go?"

As the day came to a close, Midoriya stood atop the class in almost every test. He was the most flexible, almost folding himself in half during the seated toe touch. During the pull-up test, he was able to keep his pace fast while also continuous, only stopping when Aizawa told him to. For a short time, it seemed like maybe a grape-haired student named Mineta would dominate the side to side jumps, but he came in second once it was Izuku's turn.

In the grip strength, he VERY carefully squeezed the hand machine until it maxed out at 999 kilos and it took him exactly 1 second to complete the 50-Meter-Dash. When it came time for the long jump, he cleared the entire campus and then kept a steady pace during the long distance run that was on par with world record holding athletes.

The only test he came second in was the softball pitch. Uraraka had sent her throw straight into the stratosphere with her quirk, but he didn't take it to heart and congratulated her with an honest face.

Aizawa fumbled with his device until the projector started working, while also mentioning that the whole expulsion thing was a lie, his words making most of the students cheer in relief while Yaoyorozu commented on how obvious of a ruse the threat had been.

1. Izuku Midoriya
2. Momo Yaoyorozu
3. Shoto Todoroki
... (same as in manga/anime only everyone goes down a spot since Izuku is first.)

Bakugo was shell shocked. He wasn't first. He wasn't second. He wasn't even in the top three. But Deku was, the little nerd had scored first place... He'd dominated every single test they'd had and beat Bakugo's scores by miles.

He seethed silently for a moment, explosions just beginning to crackle in his palms. "How?" he thought. "Deku doesn't even have a quirk; he was always the one receiving beatings from me… always cry- No… He stopped crying almost a year and a half ago…"

His rage turned outward and he rushed towards Midoriya, shouting at him. "Since when do you have a quirk, you useless Deku!"
Aizawa was quick to step in and stop the fight, wrapping his cloth around Bakugo. The blonde tried to blow it off but was unable to, the Pro explaining that it was made from a special metal alloy before releasing him once he'd calmed down some.

"Anyway," he sighed, "You will find the curriculum on my table back in the classroom. Give them a look before coming back tomorrow."

The students began walking back to the changing rooms after their oddball teacher had left, some looking at Izuku in awe. Yaoyorozu and Iida caught up with him, starting a conversation.
"I'm impressed, Midoriya-san! I would have never guessed that you would have possessed such an incredible quirk. Could you tell us more about it?" Tenya asked.
Izuku was about to respond when the speakers crackled with an announcement. "Could Mr. Izuku Midoriya please report to the principal's office?"

"I wonder what they want to speak with you about Midori-" Yaoyorozu started, her statement ending abruptly when she turned to the mentioned classmate only to find him gone. All that was left was a quick, strong breeze sweeping past them.

Izuku knocked on the principal's door and waited until he heard the quiet 'come in' from the other side. The office was modernly styled, with the principal himself in the corner making tea.

"Ah, Mr. Midoriya it's nice of you to report here so quickly. Although, with your… powers… it is probably easy as there are no limitations on campus. Speaking of which, what do you plan to tell your classmates? I've already been made aware of your scores on Aizawa's quirk assessment test and I have no doubt students will have questions." The mouse stated.

"They probably do" Izuku responded, tension building in his chest. He knew where this conversation was heading. "But I don't plan on answering; My secrets are mine and mine alone."

Nezu frowned at the declaration. "But wouldn't it be better to confide in someone? If you try to bottle it up, you'll-"

"I'll what? Explode? Won't be able to handle it?" Midoriya interrupted hotly. "With all due respect Principal Nezu, that is a load of bullshit."

The mouse blinked in surprise, taken aback by the harshness coming from the young man before him. Before he could comment, however, Midoriya was speaking again.

"For years, I tried to find someone that I could trust and confide in. When I was young, I talked to other children in the park, desperately trying to form a connection. About 95% of those attempts ended the moment I couldn't show off a quirk and the other 5% showed me a pitied kindness that ended when I'd talk about being a hero. Some just walked away while others called me stupid or crazy… I was even beaten on occasion. When I was too fed up with people my own age, I moved onto adults, heroes." he explained, almost shaking with frustration.

"I figured that since they were older and more mature that they'd understand. Death Arms, Backdraft, Edgeshot… They all said the same thing, that I couldn't be a hero because I didn't have some stupid quirk. Even All Might blew me off until he saw me act heroically just once and then suddenly he wanted to help. I actually thought he believed in me! But no, he just wanted to 'give me the power that would put me on par with everyone else' or something like that. So, no, I don't trust anyone."

Midoriya sucked in a heavy breath once he'd finished, but soon realized exactly what he'd done. The principal was giving him an understanding look, one that made him want to leave immediately. "In short, I don't need or want to confide in anyone; I'll take my leave now."

Izuku left in such a hurry that he completely missed the person behind the door. All Might stepped in slowly, clearing his bloodied throat. "How did the talk go?"

"Worse than I had hoped, but better than expected." The mouse responded. "I learned quite a bit about your troubled student, though I admit there is still far more that I don't yet know. I think it would be wise to hold off on offering him tutelage, Yagi. For now, continue to focus on a successor if you've found one."

"I haven't yet, sir."
"I see...Perhaps you should reconnect with your old sidekick. I'm sure he has someone in mind already." Nezu urged gently.

The Number One Pro was hesitant at first. It had been a long time since he'd spoken with the man and they hadn't parted on the best of terms, but he knew it was time to swallow his pride. "I think you're right sir. I'll call Sir Nighteye immediately.

Chapter Text

Next day regular classes started. In the morning they had your everyday high school classes, like English or algebra. Those were followed by a lunch break, where Izuku found a variety of delicious dishes for a reasonable price. He was looking forward to trying them all. After lunch, the heroics department began their training. And part of that was Hero Basic Training! The rumor was that the new teacher was truly a famous hero and of course one of the Alumni of U.A. Izuku already knew who their new teacher would be. And he prayed to every deity listening to make him disappear. Hope dies last, right?

"I AM..." Hope just died.

"...COMING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!"

Dashing into the classroom, flexing, while your cape flows in the nonexisting wind is not normal.

As soon as All Might entered the class, his eyes traveled towards Izuku. For a moment, when blue met green, he could see them fill with resentment. Was that better than anger? Worse than anger? In between? He really needed to crack a psychology book.

All Might explained to them the purpose of basic hero training and that today they were gonna focus on the battle.

"And to go along with that, you are going to need THESE!" He flipped the switch underneath the teacher's table and 20 suitcases popped out of the wall, each labeled with numbers 1 through 20. Almost every student was radiating with excitement.

"These are your costumes, designed as per specifications you submitted with your application. Take the case corresponding with your seat number and change. We'll meet in front of site B."

Izuku hurried towards the changing rooms with his case, exited as everyone else to finally see his costume. The designer really did his job right. He made everything just as Izuku asked. His costume was a tight, green full-bodysuit, both frictionless, and heat resistant, with padded elbows and kneecaps. It also came with white gloves with some blue lines across it, a white cape, belt with red pouches to carry medical and survival supplies, and to top it all off, his signature red shoes. he looked himself into a mirror, and a smile crept on his face. Finally, he felt like his dreams were one step closer. Hearing others move towards the changing rooms, he rushes toward site B. He was the only one there... Besides All Might.

They were waiting in awkward silence, Izuku, standing there with his blank face, but eyes full of resentment that hurt no.1 hero every time he made eye contact. The silence lasted until All Might decided to speak, reverting to his skeletal form.

"Young Midoriya, I want you to listen to me. Carefully. I know you felt and probably still feel betrayed. Me, who was your idol, told you that your dreams aren't possible. I can understand why you would hate me. But try putting yourself in my shoes. I've been a hero for a long time. I know the dangers of the profession better than anyone. Now could you, in good fate, tell someone with no powers you knew off at the time, that would help them survive this harsh world, that they could be a hero? I would like to think about that for a while."

Although Izuku's demeanor hadn't changed, his face gained a thoughtful expression. Probably first emotion All Might seen on the youths face that wasn't resentment, disappointment or rage. But before either could say another word, other students were heard making their way towards them. All Might quickly shifted into his muscle form and struck a heroic pose, his cape once again fluttering in the wind that wasn't blowing.

Iida and Ochako made their way to Izuku, Ochako praising Iida for his cool costume. He caught on their conversation as they closed in on him.

"But, Uraraka-san, I think your costume is much better and much more original. Mine is just a copy of my brothers!

"No, Iida, your costume looks great. And mine's not that good. Because of my bad direction, it ended up being a skintight suit." She rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed, but then they both took a look at Izuku. Iida commented first.

"I must say, Midoriya-san, you choose practicality over impact, seems like a truly wise decision. I wish I would have thought the same."

Uraraka just blushed slightly, eyeing how the tight fabric stuck to his muscles. Come to think of it, Many of the girls were looking towards him with slight blushes. Izuku was suddenly very glad that he had something to cover his back, otherwise, the ladies would have something else to look at. Maybe skintight jumpsuit was a mistake. He quickly shook away those thoughts (no time for regrets) and listened to everyone talking about their costumes and way they augmented their specific quirks. Until All Might decided that was enough.

"Alright, listen now, students! Today we will practice indoor battles! You will all draw lots to form pairs and split into 'heroes' and 'villains. Any questions?" Tenya couldn't lift his hand fast enough.

"Is it truly alright to decide at random? Wouldn't it have been better to just have us form pairs?"

Izuku answered before the hero could.

"It is to simulate a real-life situation. Heroes often don't get to choose who their partners are when disaster strikes. This is to learn us to plan on the fly and to think how we can combine our powers." All Might looked impressed as did some of Izuku's classmates.

"Ahem, that is exactly right, young Midoriya. Now-" he pulled two boxes out of nowhere "In the first box are 20 balls with numbers from 1-10. Those with the same numbers pair up. In the other box, there are 10 white and black balls with letters from A to J. White balls are for heroes, black balls are for villains. Again, those with the same letter are together."

Izuku ended up with (firing up Decision Maker that I found online)... Ochako Uraraka (I shit you not, that really happened). Bakugo ended up with Eijiro Kirishima, who he immediately dubbed 'Weird Hair'. Izuku pulled a black ball with the letter J. Katsuki pulled same, except white. When he saw they were to battle each other he let out a feral grin. He was so gonna enjoy that. The only bright side for Izuku today was that they were gonna go last-

"Let's switch it up a bit on our first day. We will go to alphabetically... BACKWARDS! Team J villains, please head into the building, you will have a 5-minute head start to hide the weapon. Hero team may look at the building blueprints. Now go!"

Izuku finally realized something. The universe hated him. He and Ochako headed inside of a building, finding the weapon in the entrance hall. Izuku looked it over, before turning towards Uraraka.

"So... Wanna tell me more about your quirk?" As Ochako began explaining, Izuku started grinning on the inside. He could certainly work with that.

"So, that useless Deku thinks he can beat me, now that he showed his quirk? Why didn't he used it before? Maybe... THAT BASTARD WAS LOOKING DOWN ON ME! He thought I wasn't even worth using his quirk! I'll show him. I'll be no.1!"

While Katsuki was having his internal monologue, Kirishima was looking at his rage-filled face with worry. That wasn't the face of a hero. But he decided to ignore it in favor of memorizing the building's blueprints. As soon as All Might announced the beginning, Bakugo plugged in his earpiece and used explosions to launch himself towards the entrance, not caring what his teammate does. Kirishima just looked after him in worry, before he sighed to himself and walked towards the second floor.

Bakugo was now walking, having decided that conserving strength was his best bet. He searched three stories so far, and yet no signs of Deku. And it was starting to piss him off. Constantly ready to blast something or someone on in his way, he finally found his target. Izuku was at the end of a long hallway, sitting on a stool.

"As I predicted, you've come after me. I must congratulate you, King Explosion Murder, you took less time than I expected."

It took a full second for Katsuki to realize, he was just acting, mainly since Izuku still kept his face blank. But, still. Using his hero name he thought of in middle school, talking like a villain,... He was not taking this seriously. He was... HE WAS MOCKING HIM AGAIN!

He wasted zero time responding, instead opting for a full-scale charge. Izuku's face remained the same. But Katsuki noticed something in those green eyes. Something only someone who knew him well could. It was pure, unashamed smug. Like everything was according to plan. Katsuki fainted starting with a right hook, and then attacked with left, but Izuku was already out of the way, and executing a shoulder throw.

"Gotta admit, you surprised me, Kacchan. You usually start with a right. Trying to catch me off guard, weren't you?" Using his old nickname only served to fuel Katsukis determination to beat the everloving shit out of Deku.

"SHUT UP YOU LITTLE FUCK!" He screamed and launched an explosion where Izuku's face was a moment ago. But Izuku was already behind him and... Tapped him on the shoulder? He truly was mocking him.

"I have to say, Kacchan, I'm disappointed. I expected more from a hero who was to surpass All Might. Maybe I should take the no.1 spot?" again he dodged an explosion and attacked him by kicking him in the abdomen.

Katsuki was flying down the hallway, blinded by pain, before re-collecting and stopping himself with his quirk. He was sure that he had the advantage in ranged combat and was ready to use it. But Deku was once again behind him, tapping on his shoulder.

"DAMN IT! How is he so fucking strong? And fast? HOW IS HE BETTER THAN ME?!" Katsuki was forced to weigh his options. But just then he received a signal that his gauntlets finished charging. A grin crept on his face. He just got a game changer.

"Alright, you shit faced Deku! Think you're some hot shit now that you have a strong quirk?" He hasn't noticed how Izuku twitched at the word 'quirk'.

"THEN LET'S SEE YOU SURVIVE THIS!" he jumped backward to create some distance and prepared to pull the pin.

"Young Bakugo, cease this immediately! This could kill him!" spoke All Might through his earpiece.

"NOT IF HE MOVES!" he smiled and pulled the pin.

"DIEEE!"

A humongous explosion rocked the entire building. Katsuki was squinting his eyes, but even he could see that Izuku had no intention to dodge.

"He... He did not dodge? W-w-what? Did I j-j-just k... Did I just kill someone?" Katsuki lowered his arms, his whole body shaking.

"Is that all you can give me?"

Bakugo's eyes bulged in disbelief. But as the smoke dispersed, there he was. Standing, with his arms shielding his face, not a trace of the explosion, excluding few ash stains on his costume. Katsuki was too shocked to even register the capture tape wrapping around him. But it is hard to ignore All Might, especially when he's screaming into your earpiece.

"BOTH HEROES ARE CAPTURED! THE VILLAIN TEAM WINS!" That knocked Bakugo out of his stupor.

"You... You were toying with me the entire time, weren't you." Izuku stayed silent, but that silence spoke volumes. Katsuki felt rage bubbling inside him. He should be the winner. He should have murdered the shitty nerd! But, if Deku truly was stronger than him. There was only one thing left to do.

"You bastard. How did you get so far above me, without me even noticing... but that doesn't matter! YOU HEAR ME? IT DOESN'T MATTER! Because no matter how high you climb, I'll surpass you! And climb even higher! You hear me, Deku?!" but as Katsuki turned towards his newly-proclaimed rival, he was walking away, not even caring.

"STOP IGNORING ME, ASSHOLE!"

Katsuki and Izuku joined Ochako and Eijiro outside of the building. Ochako still had a slight blush of embarrassment on her cheeks, and Kirishima stood as if something had hit him between his... Oh. Both Bakugo and Izuku took a moment of silence, their heads lowered and their hands in front of their groins respectively. Kirishima gave them a ghost of a smile, before flinching in pain and desperately trying to avoid massaging his crotch in front of Ochako.

"I suppose there was a small mistake in my plan?" asked Izuku.

"Oh no, your plan worked perfectly. Until…"

FLASHBACK

Ochako has just finished setting up the trap Izuku described to her. First, she was to make the door weightless, so her opponent will immediately lose his balance. Then she made a few pieces of rubble Izuku made for her, float, and higher above it, a thick steel pie, ready to fall and trap anyone inside of it. Just as Izuku anticipated, Kirishima tried to tackle his way through the door, but since the door had no weight, he used too much force, tripped, and fell. At the same time, he hardened his entire body, enduring the rubble falling down on him, and quickly rising up. What he did not expect though, was a steel pipe dropping on him, trapping him from waist up. In confusion, he turned off his 'hardening' and tried to regain his balance. In his endeavor he came too close to Ochako, she panicked, kicked with her leg...

FLASHBACK END

"So after I... Disabled him, I wrapped him up with capture tape and waited for a minute or two. After that, All Might announced the end of the game." Ochako finished telling her side of the story, ending it right as they walked back into the observation room.

All Might decided to interrupt their little discussion by, first, giving Bakugo harsh reprimand about using such a dangerous attack indoors and on a person, and then giving his condolences to Kirishima, and letting him go to the nurse.

"Now, can anyone tell me who was the MVP in this battle?" Yaoyorozu was the first to raise her hand.

"That would obviously be Midoriya. He used his knowledge of his opponents' personality and quirks to devise a perfect plan. He knew Bakugo would go after him, while Kirishima would be more rational and go after the bomb. He was aware that his hardening quirk could get past his trap, so he devised a two-step trap that would catch his opponent off guard. And while he was taunting Bakugo during their battle, he distracted him for long enough so his partner could incapacitate Kirishima, however unconventional it was."

All Might sweatdropped.

"My goodness, she said even more than I was planning to, how smart are these kids?" But out loud he just praised Momo for her observation skills. He then sent the next group, while the rest prepared to observe their battle, with Bakugo sulking in a corner.

"Man, I'm beat!" said Uraraka, while stretching her tired limbs.

While she hasn't done much during her battle, it was still tiring to watch the others duke it out. Not to mention a little boring. Unless you were Izuku. During all the other battles, he displayed the most emotion Uraraka has ever seen from him, plus constant muttering, which was the reason he was standing in the far off corner(not the one with sulking Bakugo), focused on the screen while writing something in his notebook. Where did that notebook even come from?

As she and Iida were walking towards the exit of the campus, she spotted the green-haired male, walking with his emotionless mask back on. She never focused on it before, probably since it has only been two days, but he rarely had any other expression on his face. No, scratch that, he NEVER had any other expression on his face.

"Hey, Iida?" The teen stopped to look at her.

"Have you noticed that Izuku usually looks kinda... Empty?" Iida looked towards the classmate in question and gained a thoughtful expression.

"Maybe he's training to control his emotions. Heroes are usually praised by the public, but my brother told me that there were times when he wished he had a thicker skin, so to speak. Sometimes you see or hear something and you need to control yourself, no matter how terrible or detestable it is."

"Yea... Maybe..."

Even though, she agreed with Iida, inside she thought that there could be a different reason. She walked towards her home with a clear goal in her eyes. She will make Izuku smile.

Across the campus, confidently marching, was the so-called 'Big Three', top students of the academy. They were tasked with reviewing the Battle Exercise footage, to potentially scout some fresh interns for their respective mentors. As they watched, one of them took a special interest in the young green haired student.

"What has gotten your attention, Nejire?" asked Mirio Togata, top student of the academy, his blank face somehow full on curiosity.

"It's that boy. He looks so… Like how Tamaki used to look before we befriended him. He's empty."

Mirio hummed in thought, while Tamaki was off, facing the wall. He did not like to be reminded of

those times.

"What do you propose we do?" asked Mirio, looking at her in question. Nejire smiled mysteriously, and then…

"I call dibs."

"What?! No fair! He would thrive greatly under Sir Nighteye! He used to work with All Might, and knows how to train someone with power boosting quirk."

"Too late. I called dibs, and you know the rules."

Mirio just sighed in defeat. He hoped Izuku was prepared for what was coming for him.

Chapter Text

Izuku was by no means someone who could be easily agitated. Even Kacchan's bullying became something he could barely call a minor inconvenience. But what he really hated was being the center of attention. And since he made it a point to always be early, he got the full brunt of the reporters, preying on All Might in front of the U.A. entrance.

He was swarmed with questions about All Might's teaching methods and other less relevant questions. Thanks to his quick thinking, he rebounded them by telling them he was from General Ed, and they abandoned him like he was contagious. But that did resolve in him being a little cranky. Also, he could have sworn he saw a blue-haired girl spying on him from behind the window. That was weird. He hid it behind his emotionless face, as he walked towards the main building. But the day has only started.

Aizawa stood over the class, holding a stack of papers.

"I reviewed All Might's report on yesterday's battle practice. Bakugo." The blond looked at the teacher with some annoyance.

"Grow up. Stop wasting your talent." The blond just scoffed but took Aizawa's words to heart. He was gonna be no.1 and surpass Deku.

"Anyway, today during homeroom you will..." That made students scared. Will there be another test? A pop quiz? Will he just expel them?

"...pick a class president." Everyone blinked. And then…

"I wanna be the president!"

"I want to be a leader!"

"During my administration, girls will have to show 30cm of thigh!" It seemed like every student had their hand up. Except for two. Todoroki because... Who knows? And Izuku because he didn't care.

"Quiet down! Being a class president is a great responsibility, but ambition does not equate ability! The sacred position requires the trust of the class they are leading. SO I put forward the motion that WE ELECT OUR PRESIDENT!" Others just looked at Iida, and some remarked that his hand is raised the highest and that they're not a congress.

"I think we don't know each other well enough to properly trust someone." Said the girl with frog-like features
"Yea and won't everyone just vote for themselves?" asked Kirishima.

"But you see, that is precisely why the one elected will be the best suited for the job." He turned to Aizawa, who was already snuggled into his yellow sleeping bag.

"Will you allow this, sensei?"

"I don't care, just hurry with it."

Iida politely asked Yaoyorozu to create a voting box, he tallied the papers and he counted the votes. The end result was:

Izuku Midoriya, 2 votes
Momo Yaoyorozu, 2 votes
Iida Tenya, 1 vote
...

Iida looked heartbroken.

"I see! I have failed to gain the trust of the class. I am not appropriate for the office. Next, we'll vote for Midoriya or Yaoyorozu."

The whole class took a few minutes to vote, or in Bakugo's case raging that someone voted for Deku over himself. Iida collected the votes again and counted them, and the result was:

Momo Yaoyorozu, 10 votes
Izuku Midoriya, 9 votes

"Great. So your president is Yaoyorozu, and your vice-president is Midoriya. Class dismissed."

Throughout the rest of the day, Izuku was looking very thoughtful. His crankiness rose up even further since everyone was congratulating him on his position, which he did not even want, and it seemed, even teachers were only asking him questions. Teenager stuff. It wasn't until lunch when he finally got some alone time. But that went down the drain after Ururaka sat down opposite of him, and of course, Iida following her sat down beside him.

"So, Mr vice-president-" Izuku inwardly cringed at that "-how does it feel?"

"I didn't even want the position in the first place. I voted for Yaoyorozu since she seems like the smartest among us."

"Well, I voted for Iida first, since he seemed right for the job, glasses and all, but in the second vote I decided to go with you since you were the one to devise a plan to capture Kirishima, that's gotta mean you're smart, right?" said Uraraka. Iida looked at her gratefully, before adding his 2 cents.

"I also voted for you both times, since after what Uraraka-san told me you were right for the job. I did not know this made you unhappy. I humbly apologize."

Izuku waved it off, digging into his fried rice, whileOchako looked at Iida curiously

"Iida, the way you talk... Are you a rich kid?" Iida looked slightly embarrassed by her question, but Izuku answered for him, without even looking away from his fried rice.

"His last name is the same as hero Ingenium, pretty famous hero, who operates in Tokyo and employs 65 sidekicks. Both have the same quirk as the past members of the Iida family had. Based on his and Ingenium's age he must be his brother. But by the observations in the past, you are already reaching closer to speeds your brother had when he debuted with leads me to think that muttermutter, mutter, muttermuttermuttermutter, muttermutter..."

Iida looked gobsmacked. Midoriya has just told everything he was planning to say and more, and also remembered to compare his speeds during the battle exercise and his brother's debut. Ochako also looked surprised, since she did not expect Izuku suddenly start muttering and writing something into his notebook. Which again appeared out of nowhere! Iida tried to say something but was interrupted by the screeching sound of the alarm.

"Level 3 security has been breached! All students evacuate in an orderly fashion!"

All hell broke loose. All of the students immediately panicked, completely disregarding the ending statement. Ochako was about to be swarmed over, she closed her eyes in terror. Until she felt someone touch her palm and swing her on their back. When she opened her eyes she saw the familiar green hair of Izuku, while he was still holding onto his fried rice.

"You really think that you should be eating right now?" she yelled in his ear. Izuku just looked at her with mild agitation in a rare show of emotion.

"1. it's a waste of good food, 2. can you really expect me to eat in all this noise?"

"Yea, I'd expect these people to act more civilized and rational. they're in UA, aren't they supposed to be smart?"

"A person is smart. People are dumb." Both cringed from a particularly loud screech. Izuku had it.

"Ok, that's enough, I've gotta stop this."

He looked around and saw another flying student a little ways from where they were. He vaguely remembered her from this morning but decided to push those thoughts aside. With a wave of his hand, he managed to get her attention.
"Hi there! How are you floating? Why did you call me over? Do you need my help?" He was a bit taken aback by the flood of questions but ignored them all.

"I need you to drag me towards the exit so that we can try to calm down the crowd. The girl complied and pulled Izuku across the cafeteria, towards where the exit was. As they passed by the windows, they saw Iida shouting and pointing outside. They all looked out on the main yard.
There they saw reporters surrounding Eraserhead and Present Mic like vultures, demanding to see All Might, or at least get a statement.

"Damn it, it's just the press." Izuku looked around, trying to think of a plan. He decided to be direct and blunt. They arrived above the entrance and he thought how to get everyone's attention. Deciding to borrow a page from Katsuki's book, yelled with the loudest voice possible.

"EVERYONE CALM THE FUCK DOWN!" Ochako and the other girl looked at him, the first for never hearing him raise his voice, and the second for the language he used. After he got everyone's attention, he continued.

"It is just the press! We are the U.A students, so let's act like we belong here! Help the trampled, and evacuate to the designated spot!" Students looked around, some embarrassed, some feeling guilty, but all prepared to help. Together they got injured students to recovery girl, while the rest evacuated.

But while Midoriya took control of the situation in the cafeteria, Nezu and some other teachers looked at their 'U.A barrier', crumbled into a pile of rust.

''Who do you think could have done this?" asked Snipe, already knowing it couldn't have been one of the reporters.

"I don't know," said Nezu.

"But I worry what it could mean. Could it be a simple act of violence? Or a declaration of war?" His words left everyone feeling troubled, while the police arrived to take the press off campus.

After collecting his students from the evacuation spot and checking that none were injured, Aizawa decided to address the class.

"What you saw today is what happens when people let their instincts take over. People panic. You, as the future heroes, must learn to suppress that panic and act according to the situation. Midoriya!" The green haired student looked at their teacher.

"You reacted well and took care of the situation. Good job. But next time, watch the language." Izuku nodded, but still kept his emotionless look even as others praised him.

"Now, go home, but remember, tomorrow we have a special class in the afternoon."

Seeing as the school was called off for the rest of the day, all the students began to commute towards their homes or went to hang out with their friends. Ochako and Tenya tried to find Izuku but to no avail. They figured that Bakugo should know where he went, they seemed to know each other quite well.

Finding the explosive teen was the easy part. They just needed to listen for insults and cursing, and voila! There was Bakugo, already looking ready to murder someone. Talking to him, however...
"What do ya want, Round Face, Four-eyes?" he asked them.

"We were wondering whether you knew where Midoriya was?" asked Uraraka quickly before Iida could discuss Bakugo's tone.

"Hell if I know. I haven't hung out with that nerd since we were both 4. Our mums meet on occasion, but that's it." he walked away, leaving them in an empty hallway.

Ochako tried to not let the disappointment show on her face, but Iida knew better.

"Look, Uraraka-san, I know you're worried about him, but maybe all he needs is time." Ochako looked at Tenya. He was having the same face he had when he rescued her in the entrance exam. Full of concern, but at the same time giving off feeling that everything will be alright. Ochako liked that face.

"You're probably right. Thank you, Iida. And, please, call me Ochako." The smile she gave him made Iida blush a little.

"Alright, but only if you call me Tenya." Ochako nodded, and together they headed for the train station, walking in comfortable silence.

The next day, classes were going as normal, Izuku's only problems came from looking Midnight into the eye, thanks to how many times he... 'appreciated' her. Some boys had similar problems, and only Mineta declared Modern Hero Art History to be his favorite subject. What made it worse was Midnight's knowing glint as she stared at them. It made Izuku feel like she knew more. Much, much more. After the 'regular' classes, they headed out to lunch, and Izuku tried yet another new dish, it was gyoza.

Next came Basic Hero Training. Eraserhead crawled into class in his yellow sleeping bag, drinking an energy jelly. Then he crawled out and looked over the class.

"Today the exercise will be supervised by All Might and me, and a mystery teacher. While the day before yesterday you were focusing on BATTLE, today we will be doing the opposite." he held up a 'RESCUE' card.

"And to do that, we will go on a short field trip. Wear your costumes if you want, but remember something might get in the way. Yaoyorozu, Midoriya, get them on the bus in 20 minutes." With that, he was gone.

The students decided whether they should wear the costumes or not, before going to the locker rooms to change. After that, they gathered back in the classroom, and with only 5 minutes to spare, Yaoyorozu decided to take charge.

"So, Midoriya-san, how do you wanna do thi-" Momo was interrupted by a strong gust of wind sweeping through the classroom, Izuku nowhere to be seen.

"Why does he keep doing that. Well, it doesn't matter, I'll just-" another gust of wind, and Izuku was standing at her desk.

"The bus has open seats, so we don't need to assign a seating order. Let's just get everyone in line and go." Momo just blinked and nodded agreeing.

After they packed everyone on the bus, Izuku found himself sitting next to the frog looking girl. He was in a dilemma right now.

"Should I ask about her quirk? Which frog does her quirk embody? Should I even talk to her? What if I say something wrong? I feel like if I say something bad about her, I'll enrage a whole force of nature that is the internet. Wait, what? Ah never mind." Luckily the girl saved his brain from overheating by introducing herself.

"Hi, my name is Tsuyu Asui, call me Tsu. I generally say what's on my mind." Izuku was ready to take the bait.

"Oh, how nice, anyway what's your quir-"

"I think your quirk is very similar to All Mights."
"Oh." Izuku's mood dampened substantially.

"You know what, Tsu is right," said Kirishima. "You both use super strength and speed. You can do so many great stuff." He took a look at his arm, activating his hardening quirk.

"Unlike my hardening quirk. I'm good in a fight, but nothing else." Izuku leaped at the opportunity to change topics.

"That's not true. While generally speaking, most armors sacrifice movement for sturdiness, and you seem to bypass that, already getting rid of one of the disadvantages of your costume. As was demonstrated during battle practice, you can probably move into highly risking areas and save civilians. And have you ever tried to harden so much you can't even move? This could have possibly muttermutter, mutter, mutter, muttermuttermutter, mutter…"

"Oi! Shut up, you nerd!" came a yell from the back. Izuku gave his childhood friend an empty look that Katsuki recognized as: 'Fuck you too' look. But before he could open his mouth again, he was interrupted by Kaminari.

"Well, if we're talking strong, Midoriya, Todoroki and Mr. Boom-Boom Shtick here take the lead."

Everyone looked at him.

"What? He gives everyone nicknames, might as well give one to him. We've only just met, and he already shows the same personality as the steaming turd."

"Da fuck you said to me, Pikachu?"
Izuku was quietly enjoying the situation.
"Someone provoking Bakugo? What's next? A villain attack during class? Yea, right. hen hell freezes over." Of course, the universe saw Izuku happy. And the universe said: Oh no, you don't.

"See? They all have the powers, but none of the personality. Todoroki doesn't even cooperate with others, Midoriya looks like he will die of boredom and we all already know Bakugo. As sad as it is."

Everyone looked towards the mentioned students. Todoroki was either napping or just didn't care, Izuku was looking at Kaminari with his blank stare, making the blonde uncomfortable, and Bakugo said something that had no place in a 14 years old vocabulary, earning him a harsh reprimand from Aizawa.

After about 20 minute drive, they arrived at a colossal building.

"Welcome to Unforeseen Simulation Joint. Or USJ for short." They all admired the building as they unloaded from the bus. As they entered, another surprise was waiting for them.

"The landslide, the flood, conflagration... Every disaster or accident you can imagine. I've built this myself, I call it-"

"I already told them."

"Damn you senpai!" Aizawa didn't budge and pulled Space Hero Thirteen off to the side.

"Where's All Might?"

"He is nearly out of time, he might show up at the end."

"The irrationality of that man. Let's just get started."

They turned back to the students and saw them staring at Izuku, who was hastily making notes in his magic notebook, and Uraraka, who was fangirling about her favorite hero. Ochako soon realized what she was doing, and blushed a deep red. And Kaminari wanted to tap Izuku's shoulder. But before he could do that, he felt a wave of danger wash over him and leaped away from the greenette. The notebook was already gone, and Izuku was standing there, almost slouching.
"What was that I just felt now? The danger… Is this guy even normal?"

Thirteen coughed and spoke.

"Alright then, a few words, if I may?"

"My quirk is Blackhole. And as you know, I've dedicated my life to use it for rescue. But just as easily as I can save a person, I could kill one as well." That got most students serious.

"In our society, quirk use is heavily monitored, for a good reason too. Heroes are some of the few individuals who are allowed to use them for the betterment of mankind. But we must not forget, that it only takes one wrong move with a quirk to cause death. Through Aizawa's assessment test, you've realized your potential. Through All Might battle practice, you've learned how your quirk can cause harm. This class will show you another perspective. The fundamental job of a hero. To help and to rescue. Thank you very much." Thirteen ended his speech with a small bow, while students applauded.

After the applause settled down, Aizawa took over again.

"Since All Might is not here, let us split into two groups and-" he was cut short by Izuku, who's eyes detected something on the plaza. Everyone looked, just in time to see a black portal open up, and several dozens of armed figures emerging. Izuku cursed to himself, before turning towards the teacher.

"Sensei, are those..."

"Villains? Yes. EVERYONE, HUDDLE UP! THIRTEEN, PROTECT THE KIDS!" While they were rushing to follow the orders they were given, Izuku sighed to himself.

"Great, on the day hell freezes, I will enter it in nothing but spandex. Just great."

Chapter Text

Tomura Shigaraki was excited. He finally got permission from his sensei to attack the legendary hero school. He was even provided a Nomu; a biological weapon. Even more, this Nomu was specifically developed to kill The Symbol of Peace. So one can imagine his disappointment when he couldn't spot his target among the crowd.

"Just Eraserhead and Thirteen? Where is All Might?" he said. His hands began twitching, feeling the urge to scratch his neck.

"I don't know." said the last villain to emerge. His body seemed to be surrounded by a mist, the same mist out of which the portal was made.

"The Staff Schedule said he would be here."

"I see. You think he'll come if we leave a couple of dead brats?" He asked and pulled a picture of All Might out from his pocket. He looked at the picture with disgust before it disintegrated as his fingers grasped onto it.

"It certainly wouldn't hurt to try."

"Thirteen! Take the kids and get out of here!" Aizawa yelled as he entered his Eraserhead persona, placing goggles over his eyes, and firmly grasping his scarf.

"Sensei! Are you really okay going against those odds?"

"Don't worry, Midoriya. I'm sure you've already realized that no good hero is a one-trick pony." Aizawa replied grimly.

With that, he launched himself onto the plaza where he engaged the first group of villains heads on. Thirteen quickly got her wits back and began to take action with the students.

"You, blond with a lightning bolt! Try using your headset to contact the school. Who's the class president?" Momo raised her hand.

"Who's the fastest in the class?" Her eyes flickered towards Izuku, but he shook his head and pointed at Iida. The bespectacled man already wanted to object.

"But, Midoriya-san, you were way faster than mys-"

"True, but I can't keep it up. You're our best bet."

"Great. Iida, you will go ahead. The rest of you, form a line, with the president at the front, vice-president at the back with me. NO ONE GOES BEHIND ME! Now let's go!"

But just as Iida and Momo moved towards the door, the mysterious black mist erupted from thin air, blocking their path.

"Hello. We are the League of Villains. Please excuse us, we were under the impression that All Might was going to be here. Where is he? You see-" Out of the fog, stepped a tall man, seemingly surrounded by it. His presence filled the students with dread. Most of them at least.

"A warping quirk? That's quite rare. He's monologuing, I need a plan... mentalmutter, mentalmuttermentalmutter..."

"-sneaking out. All for our purpose, to... KILL ALL MIGHT!" Most of the students to quietly panic and chatter to one another. Midoriya used the commotion to whisper his plan to the Space Hero.

"I'm going to grab Iida, break the door, and get him out. Use black hole, but watch your back. I'll return and attack from behind."

Thirteen thought it over for a second and then gave him a small nod, giving an OK for the plan. Izuku mentally prepared.

"Sure-kill move: Speed o' Sound Sonic!" In a burst of near sonic speed, he grabbed Iida, weaved around the warping Villain, and busted through the door of USJ. He hoped the winds would help to further his distraction. He slowed down considerably and looked towards Iida, who was preparing to say something.

"No questions. I am going to toss you, low and slow. You start running the second your feet touch the ground. Can you do that?" He looked back towards his passenger, who thought and nodded. Once again Iida tried to ask something.

"No questions! Prepare! Now's the time, be a hero like your brother." Izuku quipped. Iida gained a look of determination, and Izuku smiled, surprising the bespectacled teen. Izuku came to a skidding halt and hurled Iida towards the UA.

"GO IIDA! BE THE HERO WE NEED!"

MEANWHILE WITH THE REST OF 1.A

ENTRANCE

Hagakure was shaking in her boots. In a span of one minute, she watched as the foggy villain shook off one of their strongest students, disable their teacher, who was a recognized pro Hero and scatter their class like leaves in autumn. Mina was trying to attack him but to no avail. She hoped help would come soon.

DOWNPOUR ZONE

Bakugo was enjoying himself as he began blasting villains unconscious, using the night vision goggles that 'Spiky ponytail' created for them. After he was through with the batch of villains in front of him, 'Duck bows' tied them up, using his tape. They kept talking about getting out of the rain, back to the entrance. Cowards. Bakugo wasn't leaving. Not until none of the villains were still standing. Hell, he was pretty sure it's what Deku would do. He blasted the one charging at him.

"DIE!"

MOUNTAIN ZONE

It was rough, but Kirishima, Sato, and Mineta finally had a decent strategy going. Kirishima was attacking ranged fighters with Sato covering him from behind. Minetta, while trembling, still did his part to help, riding on Sato's shoulders. Many of the villains found themselves stuck to the floor from stepping on his balls. Eijiro smiled to himself. Thinking like Midoriya definitely helped a lot.

LANDSLIDE ZONE

Kyoka Jiro was standing on top of the Landslide zone, with Koda behind her. There weren't any animals in the USJ, so his quirk was pretty much useless. Aoyama was shooting away at villains that came too close for comfort, while she was launching soundwaves out of her boots. They were in a good position as of right now, but Aoyama was already panting, and it was obvious that his stomach was paining him greatly. She did have a last ditch effort plan, however, but she hoped she wouldn't have to use it.

CONFLAGRATION ZONE

Kaminari was sweating. Not only because of the heat but also because he and his partner were pretty screwed. According to Tokoyami, his quirk 'Dark Shadow was stronger in the dark. And they got dropped right in the middle of the flaming inferno that was the Conflagration zone. They were moving in a straight line, hoping that on the edge the flames and smoke would be weaker. With that strategy, they managed to dispatch random villains. He just hoped they wouldn't stumble into a group.

"Well, well, look what we have here, boys." He just jinxed himself, didn't he?

FLOOD ZONE

"Think like Izuku, think like Izuku, think like Izuku!" One Gravity girl chanted to herself, as she and her friend tried to think of a way out of the situation they found themselves in.

After she was warped, Ochako found herself falling towards a pool of water, with a few villains swimming around. She made herself weightless, before something pink, wet, and a little slimy wrapped itself around her. She looked towards the source and saw her classmate, Tsu, on a boat in the middle of a pool. Tsu pulled her on a boat and set her Ochako threw up over the edge. After a quick explanation, that it wasn't the tongue, but her quirk, and after the internet furries laid down the pitchforks and torches (wait, what) they tried to think of a plan. What would Izuku do?

EARTHQUAKE ZONE

Earthquake zone wasn't really living up to its name. More appropriate would be 'Ice Age zone'. Ojiro sweatdropped, as Todoroki froze another street full of villains, before interrogating them. So far everyone told them the same: They were here to kill All Might with some sort of superweapon, the leader was the kid with hands, and no one knew who they worked for. Well, at least they won't be going anywhere any time soon. Ojiro pressed some points on the back of necks, knocking out their trapped opponents. Todoroki sure was cool. He slapped himself mentaly for the lame pun.

BACK TO IZUKU

Izuku turned around and dashed back, he ran further than intended, and needed to hurry back. As he dashed back through the door, he already saw that things had gone to shit. The Space Hero Thirteen was laying on his front, back of his suit torn up, with a pair of floating gloves and the student Izuku met on his first day, Mezo Shoji, standing next to him. There was also the pink skinned girl who was launching acid at the warping dude, who just created portals and warped it away. Izuku decided he needed to take control. When the villain was distracted, he 'lightly' punched him in the back of the neck, effectively knocking him out.

The girl stopped hurling acid, and her face lit up.

"Midoriya! I knew you wouldn't abandon us! I-" Izuku hated to be rude, but he had no time to chit chat.

"I'm sorry to be rude, but what happened?" She told him how Bakugo attacked the warp villain while she managed to hold Kirishima back, how he was warped somewhere inside the building, how Thirteen tried to disable the villain quickly, how the villain took her out by using her own quirk against her, and how he had scattered everyone.

"Good, thank you..."

"Right, we weren't introduced, I'm Mina Ashido, call me Mina."

"Then please call me Izuku. Look. I need you to stand guard of the villain, hold acid over him, possibly the one that will harm that neck brace he's wearing." After receiving a nod from her, he turned to the other students.

"How's the teacher?" A girlish, panicky voice, coming out of nowhere answered.

"His suit is still beeping, so we assume she's still alive. But we can't think of anything to help."

"Alright, calm down. What's your name?" There were a few deep breaths before a much calmer voice replied.

"Toru. Toru Hagakure."

"Alright, Toru. I need you to breathe. I'm going to need your help here. Mezo-san, could you please observe, and let me know if anyone is coming?" The dupli-armed student nodded and transformed two of his extra appendages into eyes, after making them longer and raising them above his head. Izuku turned back to Hagakure.

"I only know this because I'm a hero otaku, but in her sleeve, Thirteen has a vitals reader. Look." he opened a hidden compartment on the underside of the hero's arm and pointed to where it showed the screen with heart rate, suit pressure, etc.

"As you see, her suit's pressure is dropping. Her body is quite solid, but it can evaporate quickly when exposed to air. We will use some duct tape I have on me, to patch it up best we can, alright? Here, hold the edges together." Toru couldn't help but nod. She hasn't interacted with Izuku a whole lot. He mainly hung out with Iida and Ochako. Or they hung out around him, he rarely participated in conversations. Toru might not be the smartest, but she was observant. And since no one could see her, she could observe a whole lot. She pegged Izuku as the antisocial-because-he's-studying type, but right now, he exuded something different than that. It was an aura of calmness, an aura of a leader. If anything will go wrong, Izuku will know what to do. Those green eyes, they were so reassuring, so…

"Alright, we're done." Hagakure blinked. And then lightly blushed. Not that anyone knew that. She was so lost in his eyes, she forgot about the injured hero. Izuku was checking the vitals reader, muttering to himself. Nothing special, he muttered all the time. But Hagakure never realized, how cute he looked while he muttered. He looked like a cinnamon roll.

Izuku was completely unaware of the attention he was getting as he timed how long it took for suit pressure to go down again, and found it satisfying. With that, they had roughly 2 hours before it dropped to a critical low. He looked towards the plaza. Eraserhead still held his own. But his reaction time was slower. He needed to help.

"Alright, guys. I'm going to go help sensei. While I'm gone, you Mezo will be guarding Thirteen, and Mina the warp guy. Mezo-san. Observe the vitals reader. If anything starts dropping faster, tell me as soon as I get back. If villains come here, hold them off for as long as you can. Hagakure." The invisible girl perked up.
"I have a very important mission for you."

Aizawa was not having a fun day. First, his nap got interrupted, since Thirteen wanted to discuss details of the trip, he ran out of juice pouches, he was stuck on a bus with 20 teenagers, for 20 minutes, All Might was a no-show, and now the villains attacked. On the school property! He just hoped the kids were alright. He saw a villain in the corner of his eye and prepared to take him out when a green blur collided with that villain and knocked them across the plaza. Aizawa switched to his teacher's voice.

"Midoriya, I told you to evac-" The look in the younglings eyes told Aizawa that this was not the time. For the first time since their meeting after the entrance exam, he saw something else in youths eyes. And that was a look that tolerated no bullshit. He switched from teacher back to Eraserhead.

"Status report." he wrapped a villain charging at him in his scarf and hurled him over his shoulder.

"Thirteen is down, but stable, 3 students are at the entrance, 16 scattered across the facility." Izuku elbowed two villains coming at him from behind, knocking them to the edge of the plaza.

"Why are you here?" he turned towards his student while at the same time delivering a jump-kick to a villains chin.
"I want to know what are your orders. Should I go rescue my peers, or stay here and help out?" Eraserhead did a quick assessment of the situation, ignoring Midoriya lifting a villain looking like a bodybuilder made of stone with one arm and throwing him at three others.

"Midoriya." The green haired student looked towards him.

"I want you to go and save your classmates. Start with the dangerous zones, like conflagration and downpour. Then move onto the rest." Izuku nodded to his teacher and took off. Aizawa felt something akin to regret. Midoriya was way too grown up for his age. In a situation where he should be either panicking or obeying his fight or flight response, he was acting like a pro.

"Just what did that kid went through?" Before he could answer his own question, he was again attacked by another wave of villains. He will need to think about it later. He knocked two heads together and looked for his next target.

Izuku was rushing towards the Conflagration zone, thinking who he will find in there and if they will be alright. He had some basic first aid, but nothing much for burns of any degree. But just as he was about to enter the inferno, several things happened. First was a giant explosion that broke through the roof of the downpour zone.

"At least I know where Kaachan is," Izuku smirked to himself. But that was only the beginning. From where he was he had a pretty clear view of the Landslide zone. And he was pretty sure that the landslide that was happening, should not be happening. But then right in the corner of his eye, he saw the replica of the boat from the flood zone, slowly rising up from the pond. It slowly rose higher and higher, until it reached the top. He saw a figure jump off, and cling on one of the steel support pillars, and then the boat dropped back down, making a big splash. Izuku figured it out.

"They know who was supposed to be here. But they don't know our quirks." a feral grin crept on his face. Time for class 1.A to strike back!

Chapter Text

DOWNPOUR ZONE

Bakugo was panting, standing in the downpour zone. There was a villain, who was apparently resistant to explosions. He had been fighting him for a while now, but his strongest explosions only amused the bastard. But what the villain did not know was that Katsuki had a plan. It was only a matter of time before-

"BAKUGO! IT'S DONE!" Yelled Momo as she tossed an object towards the explosive teen. Bakugo caught the thrown object and looked at it in glee.

"And you sure it will work?" he asked the creation heroine.

"90% sure."

"Good enough for me." He put the mystery object on his hand and it was revealed to be an imitation of his gauntlet. He smirked, it was already filled with nitroglycerin. Bakugo aimed the device at the villain and smiled viciously.

"Die." The blast forced the villain into the air and out of the downpour zone.

"That was awesome! Spiky Tail! Make some more of these and let's go murder some more villains," said Katsuki gleefully, before something hit him upside the head and he blacked out.

LANDSLIDE ZONE

"Mademoiselle, I'm afraid I'm at my limit," said Aoyama, kneeling on the ground and holding his stomach in pain. Kyoka cursed under her breath. One of the two key players was out. I guess it was time for plan D. D as in desperate.

"Aoyama..."

"Oui?"

"...I hate to ask this of you, but could you please, on my signal, fire the strongest laser into the ground? Try slicing it, I'll do the rest." Aoyama took a second to think and reluctantly nodded.

"Alright. On three. 1, 2,... 3!" Aoyama sliced across the ground, making a deep trench. It was perfect. Villains were looking confused.

"What's the point? Trench ain't gonna stop us, ya know?"

"Oh, I know. The point was that now I can do THIS!" she turned towards her classmates.

"COVER YOUR EARS!" She then plugged her earphone jack into the speakers on her legs and blasted full volume. Ground shook. And cracked. And began sliding. Quickly villains learned what was the point of the trench.

"LANDSLIDE!" yelled those at the front, before being overrun by the moving earth. Kyoka heaved harshly but grinned. They made it.

EARTHQUAKE ZONE

Todoroki saw an explosion in the sky and heard rumbling from the zone next to theirs. He quickly called to his classmate.

"Ojiro! It's time to go."

"Alright, but where?" Suddenly the intercoms around the whole facility came to life, as a girly nervous voice came through.

"W-w-would all the scattered students please return to your original starting point? Ahem. I repeat, would all the scattered students please return to the starting point. This especially applies to Mr. Boom-Boom Shtic. This has been a public service announcement, by Toru and Deku."

Todoroki looked at Mashiro with the 'there you go' look. Ojiro just rolled his eyes.

"How do we know it's not a trap?"

"Because Deku is what Bakugo calls Izuku. We learned that during the quirk apprehension test. And Mr. Boom-Boom shtick? Kaminari made that up during the bus ride here. No way villains could know that." said Todoroki. Ojiro was surprised that he even knew that. He never looked like he was paying much attention to the class.

"Alright. Just needed someone to confirm it." They walked away, leaving the unconscious, slowly thawing villains behind.

CONFLAGRATION ZONE

Kaminari was panting on the floor. Suddenly his vision was filled by a capped boot, rushing towards his face. He barely managed to dodge it, so it hit his shoulder instead. He also tried to discharge some electricity but to no avail. He couldn't discharge enough to shock anyone before it would go out of control and fry everyone around him. Tokoyami was right beside his classmate, doing his best to dodge the punches and kicks, while Dark Shadow was crying in a corner, surrounded by fire. It was time to do something. And Kaminari will hate every second of it.

"Fumikage... I have a plan. But it will hurt you. A lot. Can you-"

"Do it!" Kaminari was impressed by the determination of his fellow classmate.

"Alright, get ready. Indiscriminate Shock- 1.3 mill-" before Kaminari could finish, a green blur rushed past them, knocking out all the villains. Kaminari smiled. That could only be one person.

"The calvary is here..."

"More like a tank," said Fumikage, helping his friend get up. But before either could move, they were both scooped up by Izuku and carried outside. While trying not to pass out, Kaminari managed to ask about the status.

"We have secured the entrance and backup is on the way Everything will be alright." Kaminari smiled at that, and then let his consciousness slip away.

ENTRANCE

Mina was walking up and down, almost pulling her hair out in frustration.

"I can't believe he got away like that!" Mezo who was watching her pace around with one of his... appendages, finally decided to speak.

"It's not your fault. I also was startled by the explosion."

"Yes, but you didn't let a villain go. I did. Izuku will be so mad..."

"He'll understand."

"I sure hope so." But their talk was interrupted by Momo, waving to them from the bottom of the stairs. And behind her was Sero... dragging a hog-tied Bakugo who had iron cuffs and boxes on both of his arms. Luckily he was unconscious, otherwise, they would surely be treated to some of the more juicy expressions of his dictionary. As if they haven't heard enough.

"Yaomomo! Where were you?" Mina jumped on her friend.

"What happened to you, and why is Bakugo tied up?" Yaoyorozu proceeded to explain everything that happened in the Downpour Zone. When Mina wanted to explain what happened to them, Shoji alerted them that someone's coming. Everyone tensed up, preparing for combat, but were relieved to see Izuku, carrying two of their classmates.

"I've got here Kaminari and Tokoyami. I see you managed to drag Bakugo off the battlefield. Lie to him when he wakes up. It will be better for everyone. Mina, where is the warp guy?" Mina tearful explained, how she kept the watch on the guy, how the explosion distracted her for a second, how the guy warped away, and who she managed to at least pour some acid on the metal plate. After she was done, he wore his usual emotionless expression, so she looked to the ground, trying to hold back a sob.

"I'm sorry Izuku. You trusted me with this job and I failed. I'm truly sorry-" before she could ramble on, Izuku placed one hand on her head, in consolidating gesture.

"It's alright. You did your best. Nobody expects more than that." Izuku wasn't really that good with people. mainly because his interactions mainly consisted of bullies and his mother. But he tried his hardest and by the looks of it, he succeeded. At least partially.

"Now, before I go. Yaoyorozu. Take these." He threw her some survival bars from his belt.

"These have sugar and fat. Eat and make as many first aid supplies as you can. Got that?" After receiving a nod, he turned towards Shoji.

"How many classmates can you see?" The dupli-armed student looked around and answered.

"Todoroki and Ojiro seem to be alright. Jiro and Koda are already coming towards us, they are avoiding the plaza. Koda is carrying Aoyama. I don't see Minetta, Sato or Kirishima. Tsuyu and Ochako are already here.

"Ribbit. Call me Tsu." said the frog girl as she landed in front of the group, with a bit green Ochako on her back.

"Good to see you, Tsu. Your plan to escape the villains was pretty clever."

"Thanks, ribbit. But Uraraka was the one to think of it. She muttered to herself: think like Izuku for about 5 minutes, before coming up with the plan."

"Great. So we have all the zones accounted for except for mountain zone. I'll head there. The rest of you, guard the prez, she is the most important right now." Class 1.a nodded with determination, while Momo blushed in the background. Izuku nodded back and off he went, leaving a trail of wind behind.

MOUNTAIN ZONE

Kirishima was tired. Like REALLY tired. He could keep his hardening on for 2 hours tops when he wasn't being attacked. And it has been 20 minutes since they have been dropped on this mountain. 15 since Mineta ran out of balls and passed out, maybe 10 since Sato has been reduced to a child by his own quirk. and now here he was, standing in front of his 'fallen' classmates, getting pummeled from all sides. He could drop any minute. He was so tired. His knees buckled, the villains cheered, but...

"LIKE HELL I'LL KNEEL OVER NOW! Besides... Reinforcements are on the way." Villains surrounding him looked at him like he was missing a few wheels.

"Who are you talking about?" asked one of the curious ones. Before Kirishima could answer, they were all almost knocked over by a gust of wind.

"I believe he was talking about me," said a new voice behind them. Kirishima smirked.

"Took you long enough."

"I apologize. Now, take 5, while I take out the garbage."

Kirishima sat down on the floor and took a few deep breaths as he watched Izuku dispatch the remaining villains with frightening ease. Not even 5 minutes passed, and he was done., each of the villains knocked out of the floor.

"Here, eat this." he caught the bar Izuku threw him.

"It's one of those energy bars. It should give you enough to go for another round."

"Another round? I thought we were done here."

"Not yet. The main boss has yet to enter the battle." Eijiro didn't have to think of what to do.

"Alright, give me a sec." Kirishima wolfed down the energy bar and did a few stretches before nodding. Izuku loaded Sato and Kirishima on his back, while carrying Mineta at the front, and speed off."

BACK AT THE ENTRANCE

"Is Izuku gonna be alright?" asked a pair of floating shoes and gloves, making everyone jump.

"For the love of... Hagakure! You can't just sneak up on people like that!" yelled upset Mina. The invisible girl hastily apologized, before repeating her question.

"I don't know. He's been gone for almost 10 minutes."

"Tch. Deku's gonna be fine," said Bakugo while rubbing off a nasty headache that Momo and Sero explained he got from a villain.

"And how are you so sure?" asked concerned Mina.

"Because he's coming here." everyone looked to where Bakugo pointed and saw Izuku running towards them as fast as he could while balancing two bodies and carrying the third one.

"Those are Minetta, Sato, and Kirishima. Only the last one seems conscious," said Shoji. After Izuku came up to them, he looked at the setup.

Momo was still in process of creating several rolls of bandages, while at the same time instructing Jiro and Koda how to wrap them around Kaminari and Fumikage. Ochako looked a lot better, and she explained that Yaomomo, as she called her, made her some pills. Same for Aoyama, although, he was still quite tired. After checking the bandages and slight burns both students from the conflagration zone had, he gently put down Sato and Minetta. He then stood up and gave a few claps so everyone's attention was on him.

"Alright. As we currently stand, only 4 students have serious injuries. And they are not in any danger. Everyone managed to save themselves from villains and make it here. As your vice-president, I'm proud of you." That raised their spirits a little.

"However, the fight isn't over. Who here thinks they can still fight?" The first to raise their hands were Eijiro, Shoto and Katsuki, all more than ready to knock some more heads. Slowly, more people began to raise their hands: Tsuyu, Mina, Yaoyorozu, and Shoji, who lifted one of his appendages, while still using others to look around. Izuku gave it some quick thought before raising his hand with the others.

"Alright. I need a small party that will come with me and help save our sensei. Shoji, sorry, but I need you here, so you can observe and later testify. Mina, Tsu, you are better suited here and protect the rest of our classmates. And Yaoyorozu, I'm sorry, but you're too important here to let you go." Everyone he called nodded in understanding but before more could be said, Shoji alerted them with a loud yell.

"SENSEI IS IN TROUBLE! GO! NOW!"

"Kacchan, Shoto, Eijiro, on me!" yelled Izuku as he blurred past his classmates and towards the plaza.

"Fucking Deku, giving me orders," said Katsuki, while using explosions to follow his rival. Shoto used his ice to pull him and Kirishima along, all rushing towards the plaza.

Aizawa was in trouble. And in not a small one either. After Izuku left, he continued fighting with a renewed vigor, knowing that his 'special' student will do everything in his powers to get his classmates out of here alive. The explosion from the Downpour zone had worked in his favor, letting him catch his breath, but the return of the warp villain wasn't good. So he preceded to knock heads together until only a few were left. Since they were afraid to approach him, he took a deep breath. But before he could charge ahead, the villain, covered in hands decided to speak.

"You're one tough player, Eraserhead. Your stamina is sky-high, and your special ability along with your talent with weapons make you a difficult opponent. But..." Suddenly, in an unexpected burst of speed, he quickly closed in on the pro hero.

"...everyone knows that what matters most in a game is speed! If you aren't fast enough to hurt me, you can't win." He grasped Aizawa's arm, and a strong pain invaded his senses. Before he could look at him to erase his quirk, the villain jumped back to where he stood, next to the black monster that hadn't spoken or moved since the beginning.

"Also, my special ability helps a lot." Eraserhead looked on his hand. His skin was gone, exposing the raw muscle beneath it, the skin around cracked and falling off. Almost as if-

"Decay. Your quirk lets you decay anything you touch," he said with a neutral voice, hiding the pain.

"Ha! I knew you'd figure it out. Your intelligence stat must be pretty high too." The fodder villains, seeing him hurt, were once again encouraged to attack him. While using one arm might have been a disadvantage against a villain worth their salt, Eraserhead by now realized what this crowd was; just fodder gathered in a hurry.

"Heh. Even with one arm, you're too much for them. I guess I see why you became pro-hero. I think you deserve to face the final boss. Now, Nomu... KILL." Eraserhead was prepared to turn towards where the monster was standing and erase its quirk. But before he managed to turn his head, it was already gone. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up in a familiar manner, alerting him. He tried to dodge, but he knew he was to slow. He braced for impact. That never came.

Slowly, he turned around and saw something that almost made him drop his jaw in a comedic matter. Almost. Behind him stood Izuku, using one hand to hold the fist of the Nomu back, while still keeping the emotionless mask. But if one were to look close enough, one could see sparks of excitement in his green eyes.

"Don't worry, sensei. We're here." Just as he said that Bakugo, Todoroki, and Kirishima all arrived on the plaza, panting slightly, but ready for action. It was time for the boss battle.

Chapter Text

Bakugo was surprised. Again. He really should raise his expectations of Deku. WOW, did it feel weird thinking that. But was it any weirder than the situation in front of them? The black hulking monstrosity, that the hand villain had called Nomu, moved so fast he could barely perceive it. There were dents in the concrete where it started. And for this to be an All Might killing weapon, it had to have strength at least equal to the Symbol of Peace. AND DEKU WAS STOPPING ITS FIST WITH ONE ARM LIKE NO BIG DEAL! Everyone was shocked, even the students at the entrance, who were getting direct reports from Shoji.

Izuku was mildly impressed. The thing was strong, he could give it that. Must be a strength enhancing mutation quirk, based on its appearance. He actually got pushed back for a little, before he adjusted his strength. He looked to Aizawa, who looked just prepared to drop his jaw. If that was at all possible.

"Don't worry, sensei. We're here." Aizawa looked towards the edge to the plaza, seeing some of his students, ready to rush to his aid. And it made him proud. Even IF they made the irrational decision of disobeying his orders.

Tomura was looking at Izuku with great interest. He did not imagine or account for, a student that could muster enough strength to stop his Nomu. He even decided to let Eraserhead walk away. But Nomu had many secrets. He watched the student in green costume raise his other hand, probably preparing to finish his weapon in one punch.

"Heh. You may be strong, kid. But Nomu here has Shock Absorption as his quirk. Not even All Might can hurt him."

"Oh?" Now Izuku was really interested. He smirked slightly, now was a perfect time to more accurately gauge his limits.

"Alright. The 'disable' won't do it. I guess it's time to step it up. I hadn't had to use 'higher' tiers for combat ever since I destroyed that robot at the entrance exam." Finished with devising his strategy, Izuku allowed a ghost of a smile to creep on his face.

"Sure-kill move: Light Punch," he said and buried his fist deep within Nomu's gut. For a second nothing happened. Tomura was already breathing in to mock the U.A student. But after that second passed, Nomu's gut began twitching and bulging in an unappetizing way. And then the bulge moved towards it's back and exploded in a shower of blood and gore. Everyone on the plaza was left gaping. Izuku sighed.

"I guess you over-hyped this thin-"

Before he could finish, he was pounded into the ground by two giant black fists. Kirishima gasped in terror, scared for his friend. Todoroki was standing still, looking passively interested, and Bakugo was fuming while threatening that he was gonna kill Izuku himself if he dies to this thing. Tomura was laughing.

"Aha haha ha. Maybe U.A will give him a memorial plate, what do ya think? 'Here lies a foolish boy who thought he was All Might.' Ha haha ha-" his gleeful laugh was cut short by the sudden increase of killing intent in the air.

"Oi. I'd appreciate if you don't compare me to Mr. Smiles-too-much." A green blur jumped out of the hole and made its way straight to Tomura. The villain found himself face to face with the still blank-faced, but a clearly agitated student. Before the said student could do anything, he ducked underneath the punch from Nomu, who rushed to aid his master.

"Huh. Seeing as Big and Ugly over there doesn't have a hole through his gut, I'm guessing Shock Absorption is not his only quirk." Izuku turned towards his teacher, who still stood where he was.

"Sensei." Aizawa looked towards his student.

"You are injured. While I'm sure you could still fight, it would be highly irrational. We have a first aid station set up at the entrance. Go rest. We'll handle it from here." Aizawa seemed to think hard about it, even flexing his injured arm for a bit. With a sigh, he made his decision.

"I won't fight. But I'm not going anywhere. You brats need someone to bail you out if you make a mistake." Izuku nodded, deciding not to push the issue.

"What are we supposed to do?" asked a confused Kirishima.

"You are the first line of defense for those at the entrance. Also, I'd appreciate if you'd keep the pest off my back while I'm duking it out with this." As if confirming, Nomu released a low growl. Weirdly, it was Bakugo, who said something first.

"Fine, nerd. But after this, you and I are gonna fight. And you won't be holding back like in Battle Training." Izuku released a heavy sigh, and then reluctantly nodded. Katsuki seemed happy with this answer, and he rocketed towards the villains who gathered around the plaza.

"Now. The thing is strong, we saw that. But what about speed? Sure-kill move: Light Punch Series." Tomura also seemed to regain his bearings, being warped away from the fighting monsters by a wheezing Kurogiri.

"NOMU! DESTROY HIM!"

What followed was soon compared to the legendary hero wars that Izuku had only learned about in school. The two powerhouses exchanged punches fast and powerful, creating mini shockwaves that shook the ground around them, causing it to crack. Meanwhile, Bakugo, Todoroki, and Kirishima made quick work of the remaining villains and even tried attacking Tomura and Kurogiri. But they had little success, as the two villains were more than capable of holding their own, even with Kurogiri's breathing problems.

Izuku was starting to feel the thrill of his battle. He kept up his punches, making Nomu's fists bleed, dying his gloves in a dark, eerie red color. But while he was stronger, Nomu was faster, slowly gaining ground. Soon Izuku was on defense, as he tried to match blow for blow with the creature. But it wasn't meant to be, as he received a fist straight to the gut. Before villains could celebrate, a joyless, empty chuckle resounded from the greenette.

"Boy. This thing IS STRONG! I need to up my game here. Sure-kill move: Normal Punch Soni-"

"I AM HERE!" a familiar figure broke through the ceiling. Tomura grabbed the chance with ALL hands (heh, because he wears hands as a costume).

"Nomu! KILL ALL MIGHT!"

All Might was furious. He and Nezu were having a conversation in a teachers lounge. He waisted too much time doing hero tasks on his commute to work. It was also the reason why he wasn't at the USJ as he should have been. After hearing the alarm and having young Iida explain, he immediately rushed to aid his students. He got so impatient, that he jumped through the ceiling and dropped down towards the plaza. Due to this increase in anger and decrease in rationality, he was too late to realize that a black fist was currently rocketing towards his head. He couldn't defend. He couldn't dodge. But before the punch could reach him, everyone heard: "Sure-kill move: Sonic Normal Punch!" A green blur made its way towards Nomu, and punched him on his ugly head, twisting his neck with a sickening crunch, and knocking it out through the same hole All Might made, before exploding in the sky, spraying blood and organs all over the roof. The No1. hero looked towards the green haired student.

"I won't let you die on me, old man! I still haven't proven myself to you, or the world."

All Might gave a surprised nod, and together they turned towards the remaining two villains. Kurogiri was desperately trying to drag Tomura through one of his portals, while the latter was kicking and screaming like a child throwing a tantrum.

"You cheated! You little school boy! Nobody should have been able to take down Nomu! You used some sort of cheat code for sure!" Izuku turned towards the hero, both still mid-air.

"Remember when you defeated Evil Natural Water? I think that they deserve the same." All Might saw something in his eyes and decided to push his luck. He gave his famous smile.

"Only if you do it with me, young Midoriya." For the first time, he saw a foreign emotion on Midoriya's face. It was a grin.

"Try to keep up, geezer."

"Cheeky brat." Remaining in the air, the two cocked their fists back, All Might his right, and Izuku his left. Together they shouted:

"Ohio Send-off Smash!" Their united force resulted in the air blast so powerful, it swept both villains off their feet, sending them toppling straight through the portal, with Tomura promising one last time to kill them both.

Tomura and Kurogiri toppled into their base at the abandoned bar. After managing to regain his balance, Shigaraki started to disintegrate everything in a fit of blind rage. He only stopped after hearing a voice from the monitor.

"What has happened, Tomura? Did you fail in your endeavor?" Shigaraki turned towards the monitor.

"Sensei, your Nomu was useless. It didn't even manage to lay a hand on All Might."

"Oh? Then did the students manage to beat the Nomu? Looks like this year's crop is even better than I imagined." Tomura shook his head.

"Not 'students'. Student. Only one. He matched Nomu blow for blow, and he still kept this blank expression on his face, like he wasn't even trying. And his moves! Sure-kill move: Sonic Normal Punch. With one punch, be twisted Nomu's head and sent him flying outside the building before the thing exploded! Not even it will be able to come back." The voice behind the monitor was quiet for a minute.

"I want you to show me this student. Sports festival will be here soon. He interests me... Personally." Tomura gave a short nod, before leaving muttering something about being tired. Kurogiri was also gone, trying to get his respirator back to working condition. The monitor stood there alone, in silence, before the voice sounded again.

"It seems we have both found our successors, All Might. Better hold on him, or I'll take him for myself, just like I took Tomura."

After landing on the ground, Izuku turned towards his ex-role model. He noticed that he was panting slightly.

"How much?" he asked, All Might needing no explanation what he was wondering about.

"20 minutes if I don't use my powers... maybe."

"Go rest. I'll cover for you with the students." The no.1 hero nodded and sped off towards the break room.

Izuku slowly climbed the stairs. After getting to the top, he was attacked by a pink missile.

"Izuku! You were so brave! And strong! And you saved us! And-" Mina could not find words.

"Calm down." After Mina took a few deep breaths, she smiled at him.

"Thank you."

"I just did what a hero would do." Izuku kept his blank face, but inside he felt... strange. It was a feeling unfamiliar to him. Suddenly there was a noise in a distance, and they saw a van with all the teachers. Aizawa was already there to greet them and explain the situation. Nezu came to him.

"You have my thanks, Mr. Midoriya. You saved everyone, showed a great understanding of hero protocol and kept a cool head. I must still reprimand you for disobeying a teacher's orders, but I believe Aizawa already has a punishment in mind." Izuku just gave a nod. The little animal walked away, but before he could, he heard the greenette mutter.

"The one you're searching for is in the break room." The principal gave a nod, his back still turned, before he walked away, together with Snipe and Ectoplasm, who's clones were already working hard on restraining the villains.

The teachers had brought some supplies with them and Izuku soon saw a pair of floating gloves carrying a water bottle towards him.

"Teachers brought water, so I thought you might be thirsty." She offered him the bottle. He gave her a silent thanks, before slowly gulping down the cool liquid.

"It's funny..." said the invisible girl.

"...I was so scared before. Everyone was. But then you took control, you saved us, even fought that monster, you were not afraid." Izuku was quiet, sipping on the last drops. He realized that he must have been really thirsty.

"Heh, listen to me rambling. I guess what I really wanted to say was... Thank you. For saving all of us." There it was again. The strange feeling returned. But now Izuku could recognize it. He hadn't felt that way ever since... well in a long time. As the gloves (and shoes) walked away, Izuku looked up to the sky.

"So that's how it feels... to be appreciated."

Not long after the teachers had appeared, the police showed up. Izuku stood by passively, as they took the now cuffed and restrained villains into the many vans and drove them away. He refused a medical check-up, stating that he was unharmed. After doing some tests the medics saw he was indeed alright, and left him be. After getting their treatments, his classmates were all questioned by a man in a brown trenchcoat and a fedora, probably detective or something. He saw Nezu whisper something to the detective, and the man looked curiously towards him. Nezu said some other things, before walking towards him, the detective going inside the building.

Some other policeman came to take his statement. After hearing what he had to say, he congratulated him for the incredibly detailed report, and for keeping a level head, which helped to eliminate any victims. Five people were hospitalized, out of which all except thirteen would be ready to attend school on Monday. Aizawa only went with them so that they could properly clean and patch the wound. After he was given clearance to go, he approached one of the buses that were driving students back to the main building. On his way, he was intercepted by All Might (skinny form).

"Em, excuse me, young Midoriya, would you like to take a ride with me?" He pointed towards a small car, which had a school logo printed on it.

"They always keep some here, for emergencies. Nezu allowed me to borrow one, for today." Izuku looked at All Might. What All Might saw in his eyes (his face was still blank) surprised him. There was almost no rage left, but there was still bitterness and resentment in his gaze. Midoriya, not trusting himself to speak at the moment, shook his head. The pro hero sighed.

"I was hoping we put that behind us. I guess I was a fool. I truly hurt you on that day." He wanted to continue, but Izuku was faster.

"To admire someone for as long as you are aware. For hoping that he will acknowledge you and your dreams. To finally get to ask him. Only to have it crushed in less than a minute. To realize not even your idol will believe in you. I thought about your words the other day, but I have hated you for 10 long months. I still do. Just a little less now, maybe." All Might thought about his words, while Izuku walked towards the bus that his other classmates occupied.

"Wait!" The youth turned towards the hero in response to his cry.

"Why did you help me then? You could have just left me to deal with it." Izuku looked All Might into the eyes, then turned away and said

"It was on my bucket list."

Hearing that, All might chuckled. He watched as the bus with kids drove away Nezu and Naomasa approached him.

"To see All might smile, after an event like that, I take it that you came closer to young Midoriya?" asked the furry principal. The no.1 hero just nodded. After, the Detective decided to speak.

"I have read his statement. His potential is amazing. He will easily surpass you when he goes pro. Yagi, are you sure, you haven't passed him One for All?" The hero just smiled again and shook his head.

"No, I'm sure I haven't. That boy hasn't scratched the surface of his abilities. As far as successors go, I'm meeting Nighteye this weekend. He said he had someone in mind already." The other two nodded in confirmation, as they observed the bus leaving towards the academy.

Chapter Text

Izuku sighed as he laid in his bed. It was the day after the USJ attack. School gave them a free Friday, so they had time to recuperate. Izuku did not like it. It was days like this, the ones with nothing to do, that he regretted stopping his training. suddenly heard his phone buzz and checked the device seeing a message from an unknown number, he opened his phone and looked at it curiously.

Hey, Izuku :3 This is Mina!

A bunch of us are hanging out at the mall today. I was wondering if you would like to join us? I would have asked you yesterday, but you kinda left in a rush, heh. Anyway, please answer back, your number was super hard to get!

Who gave her his number? He never gave it out to anyone, only his mother knew it. Did she give it to them? No, she knew better than to just give out his number like that. Then how in the world...? His train of thought was interrupted by another buzz.

Hi, Izuku! It's Toru!

Thank you again for saving us yesterday! I heard that there is going to be a big get together at the mall today and I was just wondering if you'd like to come with us! Please, answer soon!

Okay, this was not okay. Where did they all get his number? Another buzz.

Greetings, Midoriya!

I light of yesterday's events, Ashido-san organized a trip to the mall. Uraraka was insistent to invite you to come along. Not that I disagree with her. It would be highly beneficial. Please respond.

Tenya Iida.

Who sends texts like that? Where is this mall they all keep mentioning? AND HOW DID THEY ALL GET HIS NUMBER?! Another buzz. This was getting ridiculous.

OI, SHITTY NERD! Tell the extras to stop bugging me for your number! Either give it to them or tell them to fuck off. I don't know when, but at one point Auntie Inko gave it to the old hag.

Ok, so that explains a lot actually. So Katsuki gave them his number. But why did they all feel the need to invite him along? He saved them, end of the story. It couldn't be because they actually wanted to be his friends? No that wasn't it, no one wanted to be his friend. And it wasn't like he needed any friends, he had survived this far without any. With a sigh, Izuku decided to climb out of bed. It was time to get up anyway. He still had some duties to perform. Like cleaning the house. And cooking. And... No, that was it.

Many of the members of class 1.A gathered in the center of the mall. Among them Mina, Kaminari, Eijiro, Kyoka and even Momo. They were later joined by Uraraka and Tenya, followed by Hagakure. They waited for a few more minutes, but the last one to arrive was Tsu. Mina asked first what most had on their minds.

"Is Izuku not coming?" Many looked disappointed (including Toru). Iida was sad to see Uraraka one of them. He had to go through a lot of trouble to secure his phone number, not to mention listening to Bakugo chew him out. He kept his mouth shut, but boy, was it hard.

"Bakugo is not coming either," said Kirishima. After seeing their questioning glances, he struck a pose and said, without shame:

"When we battled that hand villain and that warp guy, he was super manly, so I asked for his number yesterday. He gave it to me, saying that if I dare to call him too early or too late, he's gonna blow up my phone. So manly. Anyway, I invited him, and he just responded with: Fuck you, I've got other things to do." Kirishima then turned around and saw that absolutely no one was paying attention. Everyone just went back to talking about Izuku.

"Maybe he is still recuperating. He did do a lot yesterday. Fighting that monster couldn't have been an easy task." Iida said with his expressive hand gestures, hoping to cheer them up.

"Y-yea. that must be it. Plus we can ask him on Monday." said Hagakure, back in her cheerful voice.

"Let us have a fun day. I have never been to a mall that small before. I'm excited to see how other people shop!" An eager Yaoyorozu said, with the others noticing how she just innocently rubbed her riches (monetary, you perverts) into their face. Regardless, they cheered with her and headed out, eager to see what the mall had in store for them.

Bakugo was not having a fun day. He had just gotten out of a shouting match with his mom (which he lost) about why he has been stuck in his room all day, strange for the usually proactive teenager. Not that she was wrong. But he had to think. He had a lot on his mind. He recalled how Deku behaved over the last two years. One day one of his lackeys saw Deku jogging in the park. The next day, Bakugo confronted the nerd, asking him why he was exercising. He was useless, why would he bother to stay in shape? The answer he got was unsurprising in the least. A bit of stammering, silence and perhaps a tear. When he beat him up that day, he went down harder than normal. Katsuki thought nothing of it.

But after a few months, Izuku changed. he was running faster, jumping further and higher. He even showed one of his extras away when he attacked him. Katsuki hadn't bothered, he could easily catch him when he came to school. And for a few weeks that worked. He would catch Deku before or after school and rough him up. But, now that he thought about it, Deku slowly lost his stutter, as he gained muscle. Others did not notice, he did, with how many times he handled him (that one was intentional). His eyes and face slowly became silent, and he muttered less frequently. His grades haven't changed, he was always his equal in academics, shitty nerd.

Eventually, he couldn't be caught leaving or entering the school, yet he was always in class before him, either writing in his notebook or checking his many news apps. Bakugo sat up as he thought harder. Whether he liked it or not, Deku was stronger, faster, and potentially smarter than him. That needed to be fixed. and Bakugo knew how.

"Yo, old hag, I'm going out."

"Take a jacket, it's cold. Annoying brat." Mitsuki Bakugo loved her son to death, but he did inherit her personality, Sadly.

Izuku just finished cleaning the living room, when he heard the doorbell.

"Oh god, did Bakugo also give them my address? Please no, please no, please no." He opened the door and got a shock of his life to see, standing on his doormat, the explosive teen himself. Izuku's face sifted from his blank to surprised. This caused Bakugo to smirk a little.

"Nice to see your face still works, nerd. But I'm not here because I would be worried about you like the rest of those extras are. Tell me honestly, that birdbrain wasn't even a challenge." Izuku thought about it a little bit and then spoke.

"It was strong, comparing to you, or even Aizawa. But All Might could have defeated it all on his own, without help."

"So, what does that say about you, Deku? How did you get this quirk?" Izuku's face fell. He reached into his backpack behind the door and pulled out a folder. He passed it to Bakugo. he explosive teen took the folder and opened it. It was a medical exam, dated about 1 month ago. In it, it was confirmed. Izuku Midoriya was 100% quirkless. No quirk whatsoever. And it was signed by Recovery Girl herself.

"But then how-"

"I don't know myself. About two years ago I noticed it when a piece of debris fell on me in a hero battle. I thought I was done for. It hurt, but otherwise, I was alright. The next day I visited the abandoned warehouse we found as children, and there I tested out my powers. Remember that steel beam you practiced your explosions on? I was able to lift it, easily. Today, I can swing it around like a meal bat."
"Show me."
"I'm sorry?"
"Show me just how strong you are. I won't believe until I see." Izuku knew that his childhood classmate wasn't gonna let this go, so he just sighed, grabbed his keys and jacket, and then leading the way.

The mall was awesome. Everybody shopped and tried and looked to their heart's content. After that, they proceeded to demolish the food court, courtesy of their awesome Yaomomo, as they proceeded to call her. Tenya took some of the bill on himself as well but kept quiet about it. Gradually, the group dispersed and went home until only Toru, Mina, Uraraka, and Iida were left.

"Mmm, today was fun!" Exclaimed Mina as she ate the last of her ice cream.

"Yea. Too bad Izuku couldn't be here," said Uraraka. Mina smiled devilishly.

"Oh, you're on a first name basis already? Is there something you're not telling us?" Ochako blushed slightly, and Iida... He looked constipated. Like, more than usual.

"W-well, you're also calling him by the first name! M-maybe there's something YOU'RE not telling us!" Ochako looked satisfied with her comeback. Mina and Toru shared a look (at least Mina hoped they did).

"He gave us permission to yesterday. I'm not sure he gave one to you as well." Mina gave her a sly smirk. Uraraka sighed and looked at her own ice cream.

"It's just... He never shows any emotion. He always wears this blank face. I want to change that." Mina thought for a moment. Now that she thought about it, Izuku never showed ANY emotion.

"You might be onto something, Ochako," said Toru, bringing a hand to her chin and stroking it thoughtfully, as if she had a beard.

"Girls, we need to make a plan. A plan to make Izuku smile!" proclaimed Mina, and both agreed. Meanwhile, Iida was off to the side, definitely NOT thinking about how cute Ochako looked while determined. Nope, not at all.

Nezu and Aizawa were not having fun (I'm noticing a theme here). Shortly after all students were safe back at home, they announced a press conference for the next day. They had to, before the press tore into them. Luckily there wasn't any trouble. Most questions were about well being of students. Most annoying questions were the ones that tried to make them say that students used excessive force. But Nezu was caught off guard by one particular question.

"We received an anonymous tip, that the monster police saw, Nomu, was beaten by a student. But why did it resulted in that? Shouldn't the teachers take care of such a dangerous task?" Nezu wasn't sure what to answer. This was supposed to be top secret! Naomasa swore his men were reliable! But before he could collect himself, Aizawa spoke.

"I was one of the teachers present at the attack. I was injured and not in a condition where I could fight something like that. I made a judgment call, and I judged the student in question to be strong and prepared enough to combat the so-called Nomu. My judgment turned out to be correct, as the student did not receive any injuries." The cameras paid attention to his every word. Once he had finished speaking, another reporter raised their hand.

"Could you tell us what quirk does the aforementioned student have?" Nezu quickly responded, now collected and calm again.

"I am sorry, but that belongs under the U.A privacy policy, and as such we are not permitted to disclose such information. Any other questions?" A thick veil of silence permeated the room.

"If that is all, then I shall call this press conference closed. Good night, everyone." The press slowly packed up and left, and both Nezu and Aizawa took a breath of relief.

"We need to discuss how Midoriya wants to deal with his quirk issue. That information is practically public knowledge, and after the sports festival, everyone will know his name." The principal nodded but remained quiet. He had an awkward phone call to make. He hated doubting the police force, but it had to be done. Next thing, it will leak that the monster actually survived and was studied in the stop secret U.A facility!

Izuku got up at 6:30, just like every morning. He quickly showered, got dressed, and ate two bananas for breakfast. His mom already left, the note said she'll be back in the evening. He decided to look at the newspapers. His mother had a subscription to all the major newspapers in Japan. Of course, barely anyone read newspapers anymore. Most used their smart devices to look at the news. But sometimes it just felt good to sit down, and look at the news the old fashion way, cup of mud and paper in hand. And while Izuku did not drink coffee, he could still enjoy the second part. And then the universe bitch slapped him in the face.

WHO IS THE NEW ALL MIGHT?!

That was the headline. Underneath was a picture of Nomu, and a picture of their class from the USJ accident. If he had that cup of Joe, he would be doing a spit take. He quickly switched to the page with details and read the part talking about it.

After receiving an anonymous tip, we got our confirmation of it from homeroom teacher of class 1.A itself, underground pro-hero, Eraserhead. He stated that it was his decision to allow the student to combat the monster and that the said student emerged from the fight unscratched.

Izuku… did not know what to think. While he would like to be pissed at his teacher, reading about the whole conference, he learned that they clearly did not have a choice. It was either take the blame or throw the vultures a bone to chew on (I know, birds don't chew.) Now everyone will be watching the sports festival, speculating who in 1.A was strong enough to go defeat Nomu. Hearing someone had the strength to beat such a monster, the pros, and the press will be watching with extreme care. Pros for the opportunity to raise and train the so-called 'next All Might' (FYI he did not appreciate the comparison) and the press to tear him/her apart before they could learn to fend them off. He looked at the clock. It read 6.54am. Not even seven in the morning and the whole day is already gone to shit. (You could even say he was not having a fun day! XD)

Chapter Text

Izuku was strolling down the road towards the entrance to U.A, immersed in his own thoughts. He was rarely able to test his own strength against an opponent like Nomu. And even then, he was only able to push him to second-tier strength. So far he was only using the first tier, he did not want to kill anyone. Nomu's explosion was a mistake on his part, too much speed, which resulted in too much force. He experimented on his own before. But it wasn't enough. He needed more data. Could students reserve training fields?

He entered the classroom, one of the early ones again, but this time only Yaoyorozu was there to greet him.

"Good morning, Midoriya. I trust you recovered from the whole USJ ordeal."

"I did, thank you."

"I can't help but wonder, why you did not join us at our little get together at the mall. Mina, Toru, and Iida have all sent you invites. Do you not enjoy spending time with our classmates?" Silence followed her question. When she was about to give up on receiving an answer, she heard him say:

"I don't have time for it."

"Excuse me?"

"I am aiming to become the world's greatest hero. I have no time for pleasantries or get-togethers. My life, ever since I was four years old, has been dedicated to this goal."

Momo thought about what he said. Sure, she had dedicated a lot of her time towards her hero studies, but Izuku had taken his to the next level.

"One more question, if you don't mind. I asked you on the first day, but you got called in before you could answer. What is your quirk?" To Momo, this question held great importance, and the look Midoriya gave her, wasn't his usual blank (his face was though.) It was the look as if he was about to entrust her with a great secret, a look that-

"I don't have one." Wait, what? Did she imagine all of that? He didn't look any different. Momo turned around and sat back down, while Izuku was mentally smashing his head against a mental brick wall, for being so stupid. He was overthinking. And when he was overthinking, he operated on auto-pilot. That did not have a 'lie' setting. Not like he just shared reality-shattering information or anything like that.

The class slowly filled in, and everyone greeted back Kaminari and Tokoyami, who had it worst during the USJ. Thanks to the efforts of Recovery Girl, they were as good as new. After greeting everyone, they surprised the class by stepping in front of Midoriya's table and bowing to him.

"We truly had no safe way to get out of that hell. Heh, hell." Tokoyami smacked his friend.

"Ouch. Right. We thank you for saving us. We would have been toast -ouch- if it weren't for you. Thank you." Izuku stood up and urged them to stand up, a rare showcase of emotion on his face, discomfort.

"There is no need to bow. It was nothing really, anyone would have done the same."

"Yea! Stop bowing to shitty nerd!" Interfered Bakugo, and immediately received a harsh reprimand from Tenya, not that he cared. At that moment Aizawa entered, looking right as rain.

"First I must commend you as well. You kept a level head and dealt with the unfortunate situation you were placed in. Even if some of you had to be saved, take this as a lesson, and think about how you can improve." Then he actually smiled, which shocked the students.

"Good job everyone." After a brief silence, the students cheered. It was rare for Aizawa to smile AND commend them at the same time. But the pro hero wasn't done.

"BUT! It is not over." The students tensed in silence. What could it be? A test? More villains? Or maybe-

"The U.A sports festival is in two weeks."

"THAT'S A TOTALLY NORMAL THING!" Yelled the students and they soon began to excitedly chatter amongst themselves. Until Jiro lifted her arm.

"Is it alright to hold such an event so soon after a villain attack?" Aizawa took a second to answer,

"U.A sports festival is to Japan like what the Olympics were to the entire world. But because of the closed borders and status of secrecy that most countries swore to, there has been no effort to revive the event. So the sports festival is the next best thing. It is important to not show weakness or admit defeat by canceling an event of this magnitude. The security will be heavily increased though, as many pro heroes were called in to assist the staff." His answer seemed to satisfy the students, and the chatter returned full force. But sensei wasn't done.

"As a reward for your bravery, the principal and I organized a little trip across some of the famous hero agencies nearby." The class cheered in glee and before Izuku could start muttering about every hero in a 10-mile radius, he felt a chill creep up his spine. he looked up and found himself staring into the red eyes of his teacher.

"Of course, while we tour the agencies, the vice-president will stay here and write a five-page-long report about the USJ. In the said report, he will take care to pay special attention to emphasize the importance of listening to teachers and following their lead." The whole class wanted to protest and Izuku silenced them all, simply saying he would do it.

Cementoss watched with astonishment, as Izuku wrote 5 pages in 20 minutes, most of which was spent chewing on the pencil. After he read through the report, he gave Izuku a nod and told him to have fun with the rest of the day. Seeing as it was time for lunch and he wasn't feeling like going home yet, he walked to the cafeteria.

At lunch Izuku decided he could not wait any longer and went with ramen, enjoying the silky noodles and flavorful broth. The pork belly was cooked to perfection and the eggs were just right. Life truly was great. And the Universe looked and saw that it was good. And the Universe can go fuck itself. A foreboding shadow fell upon our green-haired cinnamon roll.

"Hi, I'm Nejire Hado! So good to finally meet you, Izuku Midoriya." Nejire was quite well recognized inside of the U.A, she expected at least some sort of recognition from her underclassman. But Izuku was Izuku.

"Do we know each other?" Many would expect Nejire to fall on the ground, anime style. But no. Instead, she flew up, did a loop, and stopped right in front of Izuku, a pout forming on her face

"Do you seriously not remember me? We meet like, less than a week ago!" Izuku gained a thoughtful look. No one has ever seen him think hard about anything. He was Izuku, smartest guy in class, on par with Momo, even surpassing her occasionally!

"Less than a week ago? Let's see, that was around the time mentalmutter mentalmuttermentalmutter. Mentalmutter? Mentalmutter, mentalmutter..." Nejire was... uncomfortable.

"Is he aware he's saying that out loud?" She asked some random bypasser, who confirmed her ears weren't deceiving her. Meanwhile, Nejire was still pouting, waiting for Izuku to stop. After another minute she had enough. She reached with her arm to tap on his shoulder when an overwhelming amount of killing intent washed over her. If she touched the boy, she'll die. But, Nejire was the third year U.A student, an apprentice of Ryukyu, one of the top 10 famous heroes in all of Japan. So she took a deep breath and shook Izuku's shoulder, snapping him out of his muttering.

The confused greenette looked around, before pointing towards Nejire, who looked satisfied that he finally recognized her.

"You were the one stalking me on Thursday morning!" After another quick loop, Nejire was pouting more than before.

"That's all you remember about me? Do you have some sort of amnesia? Is it connected to your quirk? Do you give up mental capacity to achieve such a strength?"

"She didn't even deny the stalking!" panicked Izuku. How does one deal with something like that?

"Well, it doesn't matter whether you remember me or not, what matters is that I have chosen you as the next intern for Ryukyu." Izuku blinked at her. Then he broke one of his personal rules. Never display confusion or surprise. Or both.

"WHAT?!"

"Why did YOU choose me? And why did you choose ME?" Nejire looked at Izuku and after a brief explanation, he understood.

Izuku was looking at Nejire, his face blanking, which displeased her.

"So... Why did you choose me?"

"Ryukyu said she wanted a boy this year."

"There's 14 of us in 1.A alone."

"I like green."

"THAT'S SO SHALLOW!" he yelled. He was beginning to hate how this girl made him feel.

"Also, you did not answer my questions about your quirk. Is it super strength? It's a lot like All Mights. Are you related? How so? Is he your father? Uncle? Grandpa? And have you-"

"ENOUGH! Shorten it down to 20 words or less!" Izuku was about to make a run for it when he got an idea. When he asked Aizawa if students could reserve a training field, he was told that freshmen needed their teacher's permission. It is safe to say, Aizawa did not give him one. But With Hado-senpai... he quickly checked back into reality.

"-and that is why it is absolutely impossible for me to just shorten my questions to 20 words or less." She stared at Izuku's blank face.

"You weren't listening, where you."

"Nope." She sighed. This kid was hopeless. Thankfully for her (and unfortunately for Izuku), it wasn't in her nature to give up. Alas, before she could go on another tangent, she was interrupted.

"How about we make a deal?"

"I'm listening."

"You get me a training field, and I'll answer any of your questions."

"Done." Izuku quirked his eyebrow.

"Don't you need to fill out a form?"

"Nope. The Big Three have a training field that is always available to us." Izuku whistled in admiration. He needed a spot ASAP.

"Alright, lead the way, Hado-senpai.

"Follow me, my cute kouhai!"

"Never call me that." Izuku wasn't amused by her antics.

"How about cinnamon roll?"

"Kohai it is, let's go."

THE TRAINING FIELD

"So, let's start with a simple question. What is your quirk?" asked Nejire, as she observed the cinnamon roll doing stretches in his costume.

"Yes, me likes."

Izuku briefly considered lying but decided that it did not matter anymore. He'd be surprised if the whole class did not know by now. So he decided to be honest.

"I don't have one."

"Oh ok then, how- Wait. WHAT!?" Izuku winced. Her voice could be really high.

"I was diagnosed as quirkless at the age of 4."

"Sorry." Nejire knew their society was less than perfect. And she knew full well how many people who were part of the 20% ended up. Most these days were older people that were already used to it, and the young, who were still trying to persist in the world that was against them.

"But then how..." she gestured to him.

Izuku first finished with squats before taking on a thinking pose.

"I have no idea. I have been trying to take on an active lifestyle ever since I realized that no one will help me achieve my dreams. Playing outside, running and such. After I turned 11, I started actively exercising. Had a really strict regime and just stuck to it. After a year and a half, I discovered I was much stronger, and that is it."

"There is no way that is it!" Nejire felt like he was insulting her intelligence.

"I'm sorry, but that's how it was. No experiments, no life-changing, miracle quirk awakening. One day I woke up strong and that was it. This ain't a battle Shonen, you know?" Finished with his stretching, he turned towards the older student.

"Do you have your phone on you?" She showed him her device and looked back at Izuku.

"Great. Time me. The length of the field is about 750m. Let's see how long it takes me to get to here and back with this. He took a classik 'high start' running position.
"Sure-kill move: Speed O' Sound Sonic!"

Nejire was gobsmacked. She had just watched someone casually shatter the sound barrier. Luckily they were far away from any buildings, otherwise, Nezu would have their heads. But before she had time to continue that though, Izuku was back already.

"How long?"

"Four seconds."

"Good. My math was correct it seems." He then looked at the ground.

"Step away. I have a crazy idea. Or even better, fly up. This might get a little... shaky." Nejire took his advice and flew up good 10 meters high. She could still see Izuku clearly, as he delved deep into his thoughts. Then he took a stance as if he was gonna punch the ground and yelled:

"Impro Sure-kill move: Mediocre Punch!" With that, he punched the ground. And the results certainly were... Shaky.

The ground shook, a cloud of dust picked up, and Nejire was almost blown away. She desperately tried to pierce the dust cloud with her gaze, but when it finally cleared out, instead of Izuku standing there, he was standing in the middle of a crater. From her view, it looked to be about 55 meters wide and 15 meters deep. She had expected Izuku to be as shocked as her. Soon she would learn that normal expectations just did not apply to the greenette.

PRINCIPALS OFFICE

"So young Yaoyorozu asked him about his quirk and he told her that he did not have one," said Nezu as he was serving a cup of tea to his visitor.

"We truly must address this issue with young Midoriya." Said a skinny All Might, taking a sip out of the offered cup.

"We still have two weeks before the sports festival and before this becomes a problem. Rather, I would like to talk to you about your successor." Nezu gave All Might 'the look'.

"Young Togata has shown incredible... eagerness to inherit the quirk. Seeing as he was prepared and had a suitable body, I saw no reason to hesitate. He is now officially the ninth holder of One for All." All Might looked kind of proud. Of himself or his successor, Nezu couldn't say for sure

.

"Well, if that's no longer an issue then-" he was interrupted. By an earthquake.

"What in the name of-" All Might's curse was interrupted by the ringing of a cell phone. Nezu looked at the caller's ID and if it was at all possible, paled a little. After a moment, he answered.

"Ah, yes, miss Hado. You couldn't possibly know the cause of this sudden earthquake, would you?" His voice was full of hope. Hope that was currently being violently stabbed 37 times in the chest.

"Yes, I will come to the training field at once." He hung up and looked towards his employee, who was already entering his muscle form.

"We are needed outside, I'm afraid. Something with young Midoriya. To the Nezu-mobile!"

"There is no such thing! Right?" His question went unanswered.

He was standing in the middle of a crater he created himself, fervently writing into his notebook, muttering up a storm. She had half a mind to fly down there and smack him upside the head, but before she could, she saw a car rapidly approaching, with All Might running behind the said vehicle. Finally, reinforcements have arrived.

"I AM HERE! To see what happened!" All Might struck a pose. Nejire landed on the ground to explain.

"I was curious about his strength, so we decided to test it out. He shouted: Improvised murder: Medium bad punch! and the next thing this crater happened." Satisfied with her explanation, the no.1 hero turned towards the younger student.

"Is that true, young Midoriya?" Hearing someone say his name, the student in question finally looked up from his notebook, only to gaze into the eyes of his ex-idol.

"What are you doing here?" he asked casually.

"Well... I am here for a very good reason. It would seem that YOU were the cause of an earthquake and are currently standing in a huge crater that YOU created on school property," said Nezu with a smile that promised PAIN.

"But don't worry, young Midoriya. If I'm guessing right, your warden for your punishment is already well on her way."

"Well-" Izuku thought "-at least she can't be worse than Hado-senpai."

Izuku was terribly wrong. So terribly, terribly wrong.

"Next!" Came a yell from behind a mountain of smashed electronics and various robotic pieces. A new robot dropped down in front of him. Izuku lazily punched the thing back to the raw iron. He had been doing that for about... 4 hours now. And while his body did not feel exhausted, his mind did. Aizawa came by about an hour into his task, to tell him the report he wrote was satisfying, and to goad at his situation. Lazy bastard.

"Huh. I really had high expectations for this one. Next!" Mei Hatsume. The Bane of his existence. Not a minute after Nezu told him she was coming, she jumped into the crater and started measuring it. Then she asked who created it and how. After everyone pointed at him (bloody traitors) she dragged him into her workshop, talking about making babies. Izuku has never been more afraid for his chastity, not even when Midnight strolled into the boy's locker by "mistake".

Izuku just sighed and cocked his fist back. He really needed to blink. But his eyes felt so good when he closed them. Maybe just a second longer... Hatsume was writing down every baby Izuku destroyed, thinking of possible solutions when she heard something she wanted to hear all day. Well, at least for as long as Izuku was here. A dull thud of flesh against steel, NOT followed by an explosion.

"YES! YES! I FOUND IT! The baby that can withstand anything!" She rushed around the pile of broken 'babies' only to find Midoriya, sleeping while standing up, his fist buried deep within the robot, but still not at all bothering him. She just sighed to herself.

"Wrong again. Alright, Back to the drawing desk with it." She sat behind the aforementioned drawing desk, making new blueprints, completely forgetting about Midoriya until a few hours later. Maybe more than a few. Maybe a lot. Lots and lots of hours.

Here's a little bonus for the tenth chapter celebration. And a reminder, THESE AREN'T CANON. Enjoy, my peeps.

OMAKE: STALK MIGHT (idea by: so many people, I can't remember for the life of me)

All Might was all set in his little observation deck, as he called it. He had been spying on young Midoriya for the last three days, waiting for an opportunity to meet him again. He couldn't just pop out of nowhere, that would be ridiculous.

But now you're probably wondering, just why was he doing this. Well, All Might wants a perfect successor. And now he found it. And he will not take no for an answer. Midoriya WILL inherit his power.

Midoriya had a nagging feeling in his head, that he was being watched. In the restaurant. At the movies. Even in the sewers (don't ask). But every time he turned around, there was nothing out of ordinary.

All Might commended himself for his brilliant idea. Every time Midoriya would turn around, he jumped super high. But his future successor was being too careful. He needed a new plan.

Izuku was just having a nice day at the park. He just opened his water bottle, when a huge figure swiped his backpack. He set the water bottle down on the table and rushed after the intruder that was nowhere to be seen, his backpack leaning against a tree, barely 20 meters away. He grabbed his backpack and returned to his bench, where everything was in order. He reached for the bottle, ready to gulp it down. Who knew there would be such a hot day today.

All Might commended himself again. By burying a strong heater under the bench the day before, Midoriya was now thirsty enough to gulp down the water bottle, in which he deposited some of his DNA. Not the best way, but hey, go with the flow.

Midoriya gulped down the bottle of water, that tasted… off for some reason. And that reason soon got stuck between his teeth.
"How could a hair got into my water bottle he asked himself, then shrugged, and threw both, the bottle and the hair in the trash can. All Might meanwhile was happily on his way, thinking he passed down One for All. Later that week reports of an insanely strong squirrel began appearing all over the newspapers.

Chapter Text

Izuku had to question himself; how did life lead to this situation? He was a good kid, helped at home, and he didn't break any laws. He was sure that somehow, in some way, this was a part of The Universe punishing him for something. But what exactly? Even if he did something bad, it definitely did NOT deserve such a severe punishment! Right? You're probably wondering what happened to Izuku in order for him to question himself like this and to answer that, we need to go back. Back to the past. Samurai Jack. Sorry. Anyway, here's a flashback!

FLASHBACK TIME!

"Damn that girl! How could she wake me up at 10 pm?!" Izuku was annoyed. Very much so. After one uncomfortable nap, (You try sleeping standing up) the girl, Hatsume or something, who was watching over (torturing) him, woke him up. Telling him that is was 10 pm and the workshop was closing. After using some elected words from Bakugo's dictionary, he looked up the train schedule to his home. There were none. The last one drove off the station 15 minutes ago.

Again, after a few more selected words, all borrowed from Bakugo's dictionary, he came to grips that he was going to have to walk home. And that's when the descending shadow covered him.

"Hi there! Why are you still here? Is your punishment over? Do you have a ride? Remember, I got you the training field, so you have to answer!" Questions! So many questions!

"My punishment is over, I don't have a ride, and even if I could forget, you'd sure be there to remind me," said Izuku, hiding his real thoughts under his blank face.

"I can give you a ride," she said, smirking mischievously.

"Please tell me you're not one of those girls who drive motorcycles around town, performing stunts and joining gangs."

"Nope." Izuku's face descended into one of "terror".

"Oh god. I'm just fourteen and I've been offered a sexual favor. My mom was right, I truly am too cute for my own good." Nejire might have blushed at that statement and quickly plead her innocence. There was just his one thing. His voice was dripping with sarcasm. She decided to play his game.

"You got me. You are just too cute. Like a cinnamon roll. So I thought I'd drag you behind those bushes and EAT. YOU. UP." At those last words, she stepped closer, until she was uncomfortably close, and was hit by the killing intent, washing over her body.

"Do you have to do that?" she asked him annoyed.

"Do what?" Izuku was confused and glad she did not come any closer. As a warm-blooded male, he could admit she was attractive, and he was already socially awkward. A beautiful girl did not help the situation.

"Give off this... I'm not even sure what to call it! Best I can think off is... it's like if I lay a hand on you, something bad will happen to me." Izuku wanted to refute her claim but remembered something from a few months back. He wanted to hand some money to the cashier, but she almost fell over when their hands accidentally touched. From there on out, she was always super careful when he came by.

Seeing his face drop a bit, Nejire felt bad, so she decided to change the topic.

"So you want that ride, or what?" Izuku sighed" and surrendered to fate.

"Sure, why not. Where's your motorcycle?" The grin she gave him radiated danger.

"Oh, we won't need anything like that." Izuku gulped loudly.

FLASHBACK OVER

So that's how Izuku ended up in this situation. Riding (NOT in that way) on a girl, who was flying about 200ft in the air.

"Remind me why are we allowed to do this again? We passed like 2 heroes, and a police helicopter and all they did was wave to you!" he yelled into her ear. She punished him by doing a loop, before answering.

"Don't yell! And my father is the Head of the Department for Quirk Transportation, so as soon as I became 18 years old, I got my Quirk Transportation License.

"Huh. Do you have to be eighteen to get it?"

"No, that's just for flying. Or if you have super speed, if your max speed is over 40 km/h. But I don't think there has been anyone with a speed quirk that fast since the passing of Flashy Flash. At least in Japan. I heard there is this Flash guy in America, but those might be just rumors, since they keep their heroes well hidden, ever since-"

"-All Might left," said Izuku at the same time as her. Turning her head towards him, she smiled.

"So you're a hero otaku too?"

"Ugh, I hate that phrase. And, no, I'm not."

"Then what would you call yourself?"

"Hero enthusiast? I guess?" Nejire smirked. Time to smoke out the liar.

"What was the latest hero's tribute in Mustafu?"

"Mt. Lady, defeating the rampaging quirk user."

"How many people did All Might save during the fire in January last year?"

"126."

"How hot are the flames on Endeavor's face?"

"Trick question, the flames are not on his face, but his heath resistance and a special non-heating gel protect him from 1100 up to 2200 degrees flame that he uses as a mask."

"You're totally a hero otaku!" Izuku started sulking, as Nejire smiled in victory.

For the next few minutes, they flew in silence, passing another flying hero, who just waved them on. Shortly after they arrived in Izuku's home block and Izuku asked her to fly down.

"Alright, thank you for the ride, I guess." Izuku didn't really know what to do now, so he just awkwardly waited for her to leave.

"So... I'll see you around, I guess."

"Yea... I guess." He carefully watched her take off, making sure she left. Watching her fly away, Izuku gave a breath of relief and walked towards his apartment complex.

"That girl is gonna be the death of me." He thought to himself, without realizing that the corners of his mouth bent upwards ever so slightly.

The next day was going extremely well. He was in school on time, he got all the points on a pop quiz, and for lunch, he tried some delicious hot soba; ignoring a resentful glare that was sent by Todoroki. He was starting to hope that today was finally going to be a good day. Unfortunately, The Universe walked up to his Hope and brutally murdered it. With a stick.

"Izuku!"

"Don'tlookbackDon'tlookbackDon'tlookback-"

"There you are!"

"Damn it!" Keeping his face blank, he turned towards Uraraka, who was happily standing there, all excited. He sighed quietly, before addressing her, while walking onwards.

"Hello, Uraraka. How can I help you?" She looked at him strangely, before a smile returned to her face.

"Well, I need your help with something."

"Oh? And what would that be?" Izuku had no problem helping people, he was training to be a hero after all. But seeing as they were classmates, she was going to probably ask him for some tutoring or som-

"I need you to be my boyfriend."

CRACK!

Izuku was looking at Ochako slack-jawed while stepping THROUGH the floor with one foot. They got weird looks from around the hallway, and a loud complaint from the students on the down floor. After Izuku managed to pull his leg out of concrete and Ochako found Cementos who fixed the hole, she explained him her plan.

"Ok, let's see if I understand. Because you felt awkward walking alone with Iida, you need me to walk you around so you can get used to it."

"That's the gist of it, yes." She nodded.

"But why would you want that? Wait. There's only one reason I can think of..." Thinking everything over, Izuku did not miss a blush creeping up the girl's cheek.

"Well, it doesn't matter. Why would I agree to this?" Grabbing the new topic with both hands, Ochako dropped another bomb.

"So you can learn how to talk to girls."

CRACK!

After another search for Cementos, and a few juicy words used yours truly, Izuku and Ochako now stood still, eliminating the risk of another hole in the floor.

"Why would I want to learn how to talk with girls?"

"Well, I saw you and that blue-haired girl yesterday, and you looked uncomfortable, so I figured, it's because you don't know how to talk with her."

"Nope. I was uncomfortable because she was annoying. Kinda like Uraraka is right now." He looked another look at his classmate, suddenly noticing something in her eyes.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Oh! It's nothing. Well... It's strange, seeing you show your emotions like that. usually, you're all like-" She did a perfect copy of his blank face.

"Oh." He quickly schooled his face back to blank, getting a disappointed look from his classmate.

"Anyway, I don't know where you got the idea I would like to learn how to talk with girls, but I do not. Find someone else for this plan." Suddenly, something shifted in the air. And as Izuku looked towards his classmate, he saw something in her eyes, that did not belong there. Something... dangerous. Izuku gulped heavily and asked:

"What happens if I refuse to help you?"

The feeling of danger became stronger, as Ochako's eyes shone brighter.

"I'm going to give her your phone number."

"No!"

"No." She smiled at his gaping expression.

"You help me, and I'll help you. I'll give you till the end of class to think it over." With that, she smiled at him once again and left him standing in the hallway.

Izuku managed to collect himself before the start of the class and kept his composure throughout the rest of the day. He ate lunch alone, since Uraraka convinced Iida that they need to socialize with other classmates as well. Hado-senpai was also nowhere in sight, so he had a nice peaceful lunch, alone with his pho.

But after the last class has ended, and Aizawa dragged himself into the corner, wrapped snugly into his sleeping bag, there was a sudden blockade at the door.

"Hey! What is happening? Why are you all gathered around the entrance of our homeroom?" asked Tenya, with a lot of chopping. And the answer came, surprisingly, from Bakugo.

"They are here to scout the competition. Since they couldn't do it yesterday, and most don't come early enough to do it before. We did, after all, survive a villain attack." he then scowled.

"But it's useless. Out of my way you extras!" The sea of students split to let him pass, except for one person.

"Ha! So his is the famous class 1.A? I expected a lot more from someone who survived a villain attack! Anyway, I'm not interested in you, just in the All Might wannabe who took down the monster at the USJ. It would be an honor to shake his hand." The guy who said that had blond hair and was the living embodiment of the word douche. Everyone in the class looked at Izuku, who shook his head. He did not need that, not right now, not ever.

"Why do you care?" asked Kirishima, and stood defiantly in front of the blond.

"Ah! I haven't introduced myself yet! I am Neito Monoma, from class 1.B, best heroics class! And of course, your little adventure took away the spotlight from us! But if you're soo much better, then how did the villains even snuck up on you? And Why do you have such a rude person in the class!" he pointed at Bakugo.

"Even now, he looks like a villain!" He wanted to go on, but it was that moment Izuku had enough.

"Alright, I'm done. I'm going home."

"Oh, Izuku, me and Toru we're kinda hoping we could go to the mall together." Izuku stopped, his back turned. Then he quickly said,

"I don't have time today. Or tomorrow. Or this week. I need to train for the festival." Then he quickly tried to leave. But he forgot about Monoma.

"Look how he runs away! And from a girl nonetheless! Is that the true face of class 1.A? Bunch of weaklings and cowards?!"

"YOU WISH!" Came the response from the floating set of clothes.

"Izuku is no coward OR a weakling! He was the one who defeated the Nomu mmnghfff-" Mina tried to stop her friend from blurting too much, bit had already been too late. The whole crowd now looked upon Izuku in a new light. The looks of admiration, fear, jealousy, and in Monoma's case, greed, were being thrown his way.

"So this is the one! The 'New All Might' as they call you. Now isn't that interesting-" he tried to sling his arm around Izuku's shoulder, but before he could touch him, the full force of Izuku's killing intent hit him. He stumbled away from the teen, shivering in cold sweat, panting heavily.

"What is wrong with him! He couldn't possibly know about my quirk! But that feeling just now... If I would have touched him, I would have died for sure! Damn! I need to find another way to copy his power." Monoma wanted to speak again, but before he could, another voice resonated through the room.

"Hey, blond duche! Which Hero class is better?"

"Well that's obviously cla-" but before he could finish, his eyes dulled and glossed over, and he just stood there.

"Good. Now walk to your class, and apologize for being a pretentious duchebag." Monoma just walked away, the crowd parting in awe. At the door now stood a student who's purple hair defied gravity. He also looked as if he hasn't slept in days.

"Tell me something. Are all students in the Hero course either arrogant duchebags or rude assholes? Based on what I saw, I must say, I'm disappointed." Some of the members of class 1.A looked apologetic. Bakugo wasn't one of them.

"Those of us, who did not make it to the hero course, are stuck in other courses. There's many of us, you know?" Izuku was wondering what the kid was getting at.

"If you perform well enough on the festival, they'll consider transferring you to the Hero course. And of course, if any of you perform poorly, you might get kicked out. This a great opportunity to knock you guys down a peg or two. Consider this... A declaration of war!" Everyone in 1.A tensed up at his words. Well, almost everyone. Izuku still stood there, not a care in the world, while Bakugo was measuring the kid with his gaze.

Before the explosive blonde could speak, there was more commotion from the back of the crowd, someone from 1.B yelling not to embarrass the Hero course. That was the point Izuku had enough. He walked past the purple-haired kid, their gazes meeting for a single moment. Izuku felt something familiar, but could not remember it. Then he also walked past the member of 1.B who tried to grab his shoulder. But the moment his hand approached, he jumped back and activated his quirk, which by the looks of it was some kind of iron or steel coating. That started a wave of whispers, as every student now jumped away from him like he was carrying a plague. Not that Izuku minded.

Izuku walked outside, happy to be free of the crowd and alone again. Of course, he should really learn not to tempt the Universe like this.

"Hello, my cute kohai!"

"Fuck you, Universe. With a stick."

The two weeks breezed by, as class 1.A was waiting in their room, inside a massive stadium. Because of the news report about the 'New All Might', the viewing was boosted through the roof, not that there was any lacking in the first place. But while the first-years festival got more attention than the second ear, this one got the third years beaten by quite a margin.

Izuku's classmates were excitedly chatting with each other, sharing training methods and fighting tips. And Tenya and Ochako were no different.

"I see! So you've tried different pain medications to try and quell your stomach pains when you use your quirk on you." Tenya was chopping air with even greater vigor.

"Yea. They did help, but not for long, heh." Ochako laughed and rubbed the back of her head. Her 'special training' with Izuku helped about as much as a honey badger in your bed. While she could force Izuku to come along, she could not force him to hold the conversation. Either he would comment on something, or just made noises when she said something.

"So, how about you, Izuku?" she asked him. Izuku thought back to what he did in those two weeks and started shivering. Not a lot, but enough to notice. Ochako looked at him in worry, while Tenya started hypothesizing what could be wrong. All of that was all stopped when someone approached them. It was Todoroki.

"Midoriya. Objectively speaking, you are stronger than me. But my quirk is more versatile and I have complete mastery over it." Izuku just stared at him.

"They compare you to All Might, and he seemed interested in you well enough." He noticed a twitch in the greenette eyes, the gaze darkening, but face staying still.

"I won't privy into that. But, I will beat you." That's when Izuku smiled. Yes, smiled.

"You are very welcome to try." Todoroki narrowed his eyes at him, before walking off, Kaminari commenting that a war between strongest classmates will surely be worth watching.

"Class 1.A, please make your way to the playing field."

Here. We. Go.

Chapter Text

The stadium was filled to the brim. Proud parents, excited spectators and members of hero agencies, (even some heroes who took a day off) all those people gathered to watch the first-year sports festival. But the scouts were especially numerous this year. They had pictures and profiles of every member of class 1.A, although, for some strange reason, quirks were blackened out.

"It's a special surprise, and it will help get everyone the attention they deserve," said Nezu as he handed out the documentation, so the executive board had no reason to prevent him. After all, it would not be fair if the 'New All Might' kid got all the offers. Speaking of All Might, he was sitting in a special lounge, reading some pamphlets for the third year festival he was attending later.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! CAN I GET A HEY?!" The whole stadium responded to Present Mic's request.

"THAT'S WHAT I LIKE! WELCOME TO THE FIRST-YEARS SPORTS FESTIVAL! WE WON'T BE LOSING TIME, HERE THEY ARE, THE FIGHTERS, THE SURVIVORS, THE UNBEATABLE CLASS A! FOLLOWING THEM IS CLASS B!"

"You're being awfully biased," muttered Aizawa, as he sat next to the eccentric hero. How he got picked to be a co-commentator still eluded him.

"NEXT WE HAVE CLASSES C, E, AND D OF GENERAL STUDIES! FOLLOWED BY THE SUPPORT COURSE, F, G AND H! AND THE BUSINESS COURSE, WHO WON'T BE PARTICIPATING IN THE EVENTS! PARTY POOPERS."

"Language," muttered Aizawa.

The students of general studies muttered among each other, annoyed that they are participating just to make the hero courses look better. The support course students (who Izuku avoided with extreme care) were fixing and adjusting their many gadgets and trinkets. The heroic course, however...

"I am so nervous!" yelled Uraraka, almost making herself float with her own quirk.

"To perform in front of so many people is also the duty of a hero," muttered Iida, before grabbing Ochako on the shoulder, keeping her grounded.

"So manly!" said both Kirishima and a silver-haired guy from class 1.B. Most other students conversed among each other, trying to calm down their nerves. And Izuku, well he was looking over the piece of paper and kept checking the time as if he was waiting for something.

"The time has come... FOR THE ATHLETES OATH!" Came a familiar voice. And every boy in class 1.A and B automatically covered their privates. It was the voice of Kayama sensei, more well known as the R-rated Hero: Midnight. And as for the boy's reaction... Let's just say that Midnight has a habit of getting "lost" and "stumbling" into the boy's locker by "accident".

The crowd, on the other hand, was welcoming the heroine, and you could even hear wolf whistles as she posed on the stage. Until she cracked her whip, immediately silencing everyone.

"Now, your student representative is... Izuku Midoriya, from class 1.A, the new record holder for the most points gathered during the entrance exam, with a combined score of-" the drums rolled "-293!" The crowd clapped in awe, while some of the students were just gawking. One would expect Bakugo to be freaking out, but he just scoffed. He already knew the point difference between him and the nerd, he told him two weeks ago, when he lifted that steel beam. Tenya and Uraraka both looked shell shocked, and Eijiro felt his manly pride take a blow.

Izuku ignored all of it. The applause, the looks of awe, the looks of jealousy. He was still busy thinking of what to tell. They told him a week before that he was going to have to give an athletes oath at the festival, and no, they could not have someone else do it in his place. He was not a good public speaker. At least when planing. So, in the end, he decided to abandon planning altogether, and just wing it. He was good at that.

"I am not good at big speeches, so I'll just keep it at 20 words or less," he said to the crowd, who murmured at his response. Most of them were happy since they wanted to get right to the action. But some were hoping on something more inspirational. Izuku took a long look at the classmates gathered below him. The last one he looked at was Bakugo. He was looking at him, half bored, probably expecting a boring educational or motivational slogan, generic as the MCU villains. But then Izuku smiled at him, and he realized what he's about to do.

"I only ask this of my fellow students-" everyone leaned in to hear what he has to say "-try to make this-" he showed around the arena "-worth my time." The silence lasted for another moment before every single student booed him out. Even his classmates were enraged.

"I'd expect something like that from Mr. Boom-Boom shtick over there." Said Kaminari, while 'discreetly' pointing at Bakugo. But instead of usual insult, Bakugo just continued staring at Midoriya. And then grinned a bloodthirsty smile, yelling.

"You want a fight, shitty nerd? YOU GOT IT!"

"Alright then, for the first event-" Midnight cracked her whip in the direction of the display board "-we have an obstacle race! All students line up!"

Students moved towards the entrance, where an image of a smiling Nezu reminded them to play fair.

"Ah, yes... For the rules, all quirks are allowed!" the students cheered, now more pumped up.

Todoroki managed to get a spot at the starting line, his face more determined than before. The reason for that was currently standing on the stands, even people noticing him. No. 2 best pro hero, Endeavor. Todoroki scowled, seeing that man making a proud face. He will not concede to his desires. He will win using his mother's power. Shit, Midnight is ready to announce the start! He quickly shook the annoying thoughts out of his head and focused.

Bakugo could not get a spot at the very start, but it did not matter. As soon as the signal was given, he was gonna launch himself across with his explosions. He looked back, where he saw Izuku stand last in line, with hands in his pockets. He scoffed at that. He was probably relying on the speed he showed at the assessment test. but he himself admitted he can't keep it up. Of course, there was always a chance he was lying. But why would the shitty nerd lie? He never did, why start now?

"He lied to you before. Pretending to be weak, looking down on you." Said a nagging voice in the back of his head. He ignored it. He promised he'll fight with his all, even if it seems of no use. He. Will. Win!

Tenya was having his own preparations. First, he helped Ochako better her starting stance. Then he looked around for Izuku, seeing him standing all the way back. Good.

"Now's my chance. Then, she'll-"

"No, she won't. She will see HIM win, and she'll talk about him even more. They will hang around more, start dating. You lost your chance the moment you introduced them." Iida tried to ignore the dark whispers. But... Weren't they were right. He and Ochako were meeting almost every week after the entrance exam. She talked about how cool he was, and how heroic it was to save her. But as soon as Midoriya won the assessment test, that shifted. She wanted to invite Midoriya on their get-togethers, asked herself what Midoriya would do... He wasn't liking it but complied. Because he liked her. But it seemed like he was losing her to Midoriya. Their classmates talked about seeing them walking around the city, going to the arcade, having mochi (her favorite food) and even just sitting in the park together. She had also canceled their latest meeting, citing the need to train.

"Probably with him."

"Shut up!" Not knowing this, he almost shouted that out loud.

"Tenya, are you ok?" asked Ochako.

"Everything is good." said the bespectacled teen, forcing a smile on his face.

"Alright then. Good luck to you," said Ochako with a smile, before focusing completely on the race. Iida's smile became a bit more genuine.

"And to you too."

All the other students were pumping themselves up in different ways. The girl with vines for hair had her hands interlocked, and muttered words. Kirishima and the guy from 1.B were both using their quirks to harden their fists and knocked them together. The guy with purple hair was wishing good luck to everyone, almost everyone answering him. Minetta was ogling Yaoyorozu while standing almost behind Todoroki. And Izuku... Izuku was remembering those terrible two weeks before the Festival. Chills traveled down his back when he remembered what a foolish thing he did. Checking the results of the other year's festival is a must!

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"START!"

A strong breeze swept over the stadium, as the students threw themselves at the entrance, which revealed to be the first obstacle since it was WAY too narrow to let them all pass at the same time. Todoroki, who managed to be at the front, quickly thought of a plan and used the ice part of his quirk to freeze everyone to the ground. But the results were not as good as he expected.

"TODOROKI FROM 1.A SENT A CHILL UP THEIR LEGS, BLOCKING MOST OF THE COMPETITION! BUT NOT ALL ARE OUT YET!"

"It was a rational move."

"Too easy, you Half 'n' Half bastard! Yelled Bakugo as he used his explosions to leap over the crowd. Yaoyorozu created a pole from the palm of her hand to lift herself up. Tokoyami got launched forward by Dark Shadow, while Mashiro used his tail for an extra boost. Mina managed to melt the ice with her acid. The guy with purple hair, who declared war in the name of those who did not pass the entrance exam was being carried by a bunch of people. The crowd went wild in the stadium, and Present Mic was yelling about something, but Shoto ignored it in favor of sprinting onwards as fast as he could.

"HA! I knew staying behind Todoroki was a smart move!" yelled Minetta, already celebrating like he had won the whole thing.

"Now have a taste of my power! GRAPE-" before he could finish, he was knocked away, by none other than one of the faux villains from the entrance exam.

"RIGHT. UM, LET'S TURN BACK TO THE REST OF THE STUDENTS. OF COURSE IN THE OBSTACLE RACE, WE NEED SOME PROPER OBSTACLES!"

That's when the 0-pointers rolled up on the scene. But Todoroki just scoffed. He expected more, much more from the U.A, especially since his father was watching.

"MOST ROBOTS WERE DURABILITY TESTED TWO WEEKS BEFOREHAND, BY THE NOW OBVIOUS FAVOURITE-"

Shoto ignored him again, just freezing some of the giant robots, before slipping right past them. His pursuers were attempting to take advantage of the gap, but before they could, the robots collapsed.

"-LACE RUNNER TODOROKI CONTINUES GIVING HIS FELLOW STUDENTS A COLD SHOULDER BY CREATING AND THEN IMMEDIATELY DESTROYING THE ONLY PASSAGE THROUGH OUR ROBOT INFERNO!"

As Shoto ran, he saw some pieces of a robot carcass lying around but paid no heed, continuing his sprint. The rest of the class was not that lucky.

"Damn! This thing fell on me! I would be crushed if I wasn't me." said Kirishima, and the guy from class 1.B as they busted through the wreckage. Bakugo just scoffed and used his quirk to fly over the top of robots, a tactic that was quickly copied by Tokoyami and Sero, leaving others to deal with them on the ground. Yaoyorozu created a canon, blasting the robots one by one, Aoyama helped with his laser, and one by one they were cutting their way through.

In the meantime, Shoto already made it to the final obstacle.

"IF YOU THOUGHT THE FIRST OBSTACLE WAS A PIECE OF CAKE, GET A LOAD OF THIS ONE! IF YOU FALL DOWN, YOU'RE OUT! IT'S 'THE FALL'! AND WHILE IZ-"

Shoto heard what he needed to hear. He used his ice to carefully slide across the ropes connecting the pillars, the only way of crossing a giant chasm. But that gave the rest of the lot a chance to catch up.

"There you are, you Half'n'Half!" yelled Bakugo, as he again used his explosions to propel himself across. Others were not far behind them. Tokoyami used Dark Shadow's hands for extra support, while Sero used his tape to secure himself. Iida balanced himself on top and used his engines to move forward, grinding a shower of sparks.

"EVERYONE IS FINDING THEIR WAY TO GET ACROSS, BUT CURRENTLY, THE MAIN FIGHT IS BETWEEN SHOTO TODOROKI, TENYA IIDA, AND BAKUGO KATSUKI, WHO ARE FURIOUSLY COMPETING FOR S-"

Shoto tuned him out again, in favor of checking his back, and lo and behold, Bakugo and Iida were both catching up. Iida was using his calf engines to the maximum of their ability, while Bakugo was continuously proposed by explosions he created. Shoto cursed his inability to boost his speed. While he could use his ice to slide, he would need to use his fire to warm himself using the fire HE gave him. He'd die before that happens. He squeezed his teeth and pushed forward until he saw the last obstacle.

"-OND PLACE CONTESTANTS HAVE ARRIVED AT THE LAST OBSTACLE, THE MINEFIELD. OUR MINES MIGHT NOT KILL YOU, BUT YOU WILL NEED A CHANGE OF UNDERWEAR IF YOU SET ONE OFF!"

"Depends on the individual."

Todoroki cursed his luck. He could just freeze the whole field, but that would make a path for others as well. He started carefully navigating his way around the mines, and when he turned around he saw his two chasers doing the same, not wanting to set off anything. Bakugo noticed him staring and sneered.

"I won't let you be in front of me, Half'n'Half!" Todoroki shot him an icy stare.

"Sorry, Bakugo, but I'll be taking first place." Hearing him say that, Bakugo burst out laughing. He Turned to Tenya, but the bespectacled teen looked equally confused by the blonde's reaction as he.

"Sure, Half'n'Half, knock yourself out. But that doesn't mean I won't give chase." he laughed again. Todoroki just gritted his teeth, and speed up, throwing caution to the wind. Consequences were evident. Before long a loud bang resounded and a purple-bluish smoke exploded from the ground.

"Todoroki-san, I urge you to be more careful. if this was real life, you would be seriously injured!" Tenya, even during an important race like this, couldn't help but reprimand his fellow classmates. They managed to get over just about half of the minefield when the rest of the students started catching up. Shoto decided to completely abandon any strategy and just go for it. But before he could create an ice pathway, an idea crossed his mind.

He slammed his foot on the ground, creating an ice pillar that lifted him up, before creating an ice ramp. Katsuki, seeing what he was doing also stopped being careful and launched himself with explosions. Iida cursed the rashness of his classmates under his breath, before speeding up once again, rapidly crossing the field. Both were leaving explosions behind them, and they both inhaled not so small amount of the smoke from the explosion, but that did not matter. All three boys crossed the minefield at the same time, Todoroki using a lot of his ice powers to maintain his pathway and his speed.

Seeing his classmate distracted, Bakugo aimed a strong explosion right in front of him, destroying his pathway, and stopping his momentum. But as he was gloating, a sudden a muscular foot with engines, came out of the smoke, making him spin around it, before dropping on his back. Iida tried rushing ahead but got blocked by an ice wall.

"A TRULY HEATED BATTLE FOR SECOND PLACE. THREE OF THE STRONGEST STUDENTS CLASS 1.A HAS TO OFFER ARE CURRENTLY IN AN ALL OUT WAR!"

"Seems like pointless scuffle to me. Being second is the same as being the first loser," said Eraserhead, some bad childhood memories surfacing.

"HEY MAN, STOP BUMMING OUT MY AUDIENCE."

"They aren't yours."

Shoto, Tenya, and Bakugo still haven't paid the slightest bit of attention to the commentators. They were too busy making each other slip, trip and/or fall. Shoto somehow managed to get a decent lead, and bolted it all the way to the tunnel where it all began. Sealing the entrance shut, he bought those few precious seconds, needed to throw himself over the finish line. The crowd cheered for him, and for the first time in the entire race, he actually bothered to listen to what Present Mic had to say.

"-STANDING PERFORMANCE BY CLASS 1.A, SHOTO TODOROKI, WHO EARNED HIMSELF A SECOND PLACE!"

Second place...

Second place?

SECOND PLACE?!

Todoroki slowly turned around, and there, with his head on Midnight's lap, rested Izuku, while she fed him some grapes.

"Wait. What?" He shook his head clear, before looking again. He noticed Izuku leaning on the podium, with his blank face up. He quickly walked up to him, ignoring Bakugo and Iida who both yelled at him for shutting the way, before arguing who ACTUALLY came in third place.

"How?" He asked the green-haired teen.

"Gotta go fast." Was the reply he got. Todoroki felt anger take over him, he could feel the heat coming out of his left side. He took a few deep breaths, aimed one last glare at Midoriya, before walking away. The next event will be his.

"-AND WITH YUGA AOYAMA IN 41ST PLACE, WE CONCLUDE THE OBSTACLE RACE EVENTS. NOW IF THE REFEREE WOULD EXPLAIN ON?"

"Thank you. Those who managed to fight their way onward, congratulations. Those who did not, do not worry, we have some recreational games for you later on. But, it's time to find out what our next event will be!" (fires up easy decision-maker, to see if he should try and invent a new event, or stick to canon).

"And the event is... CALVARY BATTLE!"

Chapter Text

FLASHBACK

Izuku remembered those horrible, horrible two weeks that lead up to the Festival. A shiver ran down his spine as he thought of possible consequences. His mother was right, gambling was not worth it. Checking the results of the third year's Festival is a must!

"Three!"

Oh, right. The race; he should probably focus now.

"Two!"

Shoto wanted war?

"One!"

Then he'll give him one.

"START!"

Sure-kill move: Speed O' Sound Sonic!

By his calculation, moving approximately 375 m/s he would need 10.44' seconds to finish this race. He wanted to bring a stopwatch to time himself, but they would not allow it without filling out paperwork. He couldn't be bothered to do that. Oh, wait, there's the finish line.

Present Mic watched as the sensor at the finish line went off, and looked down at the stadium. There, with his head resting on Midnight's lap, was Izuku Midoriya. Wait. What? He shook his head clean, meanwhile, Shota already slowed down the footage.

"It checks out."

"HOLY SHIT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! WITH A TIME, UNSEEN SINCE THE DAYS OF FLASHY FLASH, IZUKU MIDORIYA SWIPED THE FIRST PLACE WITH A TIME OF EXACTLY 11 SECONDS!" The crowd went wild on the stadium, while Present Mic yelled more, trying in vain to shout over the crowd. This would have continued for a while if he hadn't received a sharp nudge in the ribs by his co-host.

"RIGHT. UM LET'S TURN BACK TO THE REST OF THE STUDENTS..."

The rest is history.

Ryukyu liked to spend her days off in her cabin on the land of her ancestors. There she could surrender herself to her draconic nature, hunt and rest as much as she pleased. But her protege insisted that viewing the festival and giving the presented first-year candidate a chance, was worth it. So she reluctantly called Nezu to have a spot reserved for her in the hero's section. At first, looking at the boy Nejire suggested, he seemed nothing special. Pretty plain looking, discounting the green main of hair, and with that blank face he wore, he could easily be lost in the crowd. She did not have high hopes.

That was until the race started, and her reptilian eyes managed to spot a blue-green blur shooting from the back. Before she could truly think over what it was, she spotted that blur making its way through the finish line, before stopping and taking the form of one, Izuku Midoriya. Even the commentators needed a couple of seconds before they announced his victory. Her eyebrow quirked in interest, at his still blank face, while he was congratulated by the referee, aka Midnight. It seemed like she might not regret coming after all.

"OUR ESTEEMED REFEREE WILL NOW EXPLAIN THE RULES OF CAVALRY BATTLE!"

"Doesn't everyone know them already?"

"You will all form teams of two up to four members! The rider must wear a bandana which shows the total of all your points. The objective is to steal the bandanas of other teams and earn more points. The four teams with the highest amount of points will advance into the final round. Yuga Aoyama, with his 41st place, has earned himself 5 points! the one above him has 10 and so one. Of course, the logical conclusion is that the first place has 210 points, right? YOU ARE WRONG! To spice things up, the first place has... ONE MILLION POINTS!"

The amount of bloodlust in the air was palpable. Ryukyu felt herself go on the defensive, as had many of the other veteran heroes. She turned her gaze towards the young man, who had just received a giant target on his back. Only to see him picking his ear, not caring for the deadly stares pointed his way. Either he was confident, or he was a dumbass. She leaned back into her seat and relaxed. This would be one bloody battle.

"Izuku!" Ochako yelled excitedly as she looked for her friend in the crowd. Tenya was following her, albeit very reluctantly. Traces of annoyance marrow the bespectacled teens face every time he hears her yell out the name of their friend. The voice in the dark corner of his mind spoke once again.

"She'll want to team up with him."

"You don't know that!"

"Of course I do! And he'll take her in after all couples help each other."

"THEY ARE NOT A COUPLE!"

"YOU DON'T KNO-"

"Hey, Iida?" He forced himself to ignore the voice and turned towards his classmate.

"Yes, Uraraka?" Ochako thought it strange since they have been calling each other by their given names for a while now, but decided to ignore it.

"I was just wondering... You're not planning to team-up with Izuku, are you?" Iida was surprised, how could she see through him so easily?

"No, Uraraka, I do not. I think Midoriya is very strong, and capable. But if I don't step out of his shadow, no one is ever gonna notice me." Ochako smiled a sad smile.

"If you truly believe that, Iida, then ok. I think Todoroki was looking for another team member."

What Ochako didn't know was that at that moment Iida's heart had dropped down a few degrees. He nodded, and quickly turned around, to hide the scowl that marred his face.

"Midoriya... I will defeat you."

Our green cinnamon roll was just thinking about his strategy when he got interrupted.

"Hey, Midoriya! It is your lucky day, for I, Minetta am prepared to join your team!" Izuku stared at his purple-haired classmate, and Minetta was preparing for a harsh rejection. But against all expectations, Izuku said: "You are just what I need."

"EHHH?!"

Ochako could not find Izuku, so she ended up joining Mezo and Tsu on their team as one of two riders. After asking Kayama-sensei to make sure it was okay, she made Tsu weightless and was ready to do the same to any other team that came too close. In an emergency, she would make herself weightless and have Tsu use her tongue to attack other teams. There was also a strange team of Tokoyami and pink-haired girl with dreadlocks, both being carried by Dark Shadow. But perhaps the strangest team was Izuku and Minetta, who was using his purple balls to stick on his 'horse'. (Other teams are the same as in canon.)

"15 MINUTES HAVE PASSED AND THE TEAMS ARE ASSEMBLED! WE HAVE 14 TEAMS, BUT ONLY 4 WILL MAKE IT INTO THE FINAL ROUND!

"Or more, depends on the number of members."

"RIGHT. NOW, OUR REFEREE WILL DO THE COUNTDOWN!"

"Are you sure you can do this?" asked concern Minetta, who was only now starting to regret agreeing with Izuku's plan.

"I did it once," said Izuku. Minetta did not look reassured.

"Are you ready?!" asked Midnight, doing a sexy pose.

"Then 3..."

"Remember the plan. We're going for the 10 million first," said Shoto to his team.

"...2..."

"Remember, we're going after 1.A first," said Monoma to HIS team.

"...1..."

"Man, I need to see how the third years are doing." Thought Izuku, as a slight shiver passed over his body.

"...GO!"

Almost every team on the field launched themselves at Izuku and Minetta. The audience cheered, expecting a tooth-and-nail fight, and even Ryukyu had to admit it appealed to her predatory nature. Boy, were they in for a surprise. While Minetta trembled on his back, Izuku just smirked a little, and then moved. Only... No one saw him move.

One moment he was there, the next he was already at Bakugo's team, taking off the ash blondes headband. He then vanished again, only to reappear next to Hagakure, taking the headband as well. And so on. Finally, he came to Shoto's team. It has been 5 seconds since he moved. Shoto was reaching for his headband when he saw Izuku's smirking face in front of him. And in that split second two things happened. Izuku slipped off his headband, and Shoto felt a familiar heat radiating from his left side. Even a few embers. But at that point, Izuku was already on the other side of the field, with now cheering Mineta, who was sporting around his neck EVERY. SINGLE. HEADBAND.

What followed was easily described as a game of cat and mice. If there were 13 cats and 1 mouse, and all the cats were terrible at their job. Every time it seemed like Izuku was cornered, he just vanished out of existence, only to then reappear on the opposite side of the field. By the ten minute mark, all carriers of the teams were positively exhausted. And when it finally hit that 15-minute mark, they all dropped on the ground."

"WELL... THAT IS IT, FOLKS. THE FIRST AND ONLY PLACE TEAM IS IZUKU MIDORIYA AND Minoru Minetta."

"Now, how to choose the other 14 participants needed?"

The audience slowly cheered for the winning team, most not knowing what to think. Minetta was soaking it up, baking in his moment, still on Izuku's shoulders. But Izuku just stood there stoically, his blank face not giving away anything.

"IT HAS BEEN DECIDED! THE NEXT 14 CONTESTANTS ARE GOING TO BE DECIDED BY A FREE FOR ALL BATTLE ROYALE!"

"I suggested drawing lots, but I guess this is fairer."

The Battle Royale was chaos and slaughter. But in the end, 14 young heroes emerged from the smoke. (firing up Easy Decision maker, because I piss on Canon's corpse)

"INCREDIBLE! THE PEOPLE WHO EMERGED FROM THE HEAT Of BATTLE ARE...

KATSUKI BAKUGOU 1.A,

SHOTO TODOROKI 1.A,

TETSUTETSU TETSUTETSU 1.B,

EIJIRO KIRISHIMA 1.A,

HITOSHI SHINSO 1.C,

(those were in from the start. From here on out, it's randomly decided)

OCHAKO URARAKA 1.A,

FUMIKAGE TOKOYAMI 1.A,

MASHIRAO OJIRO 1.A,

MOMO YAOYOROZU 1.A,

DENKI KAMINARI 1.A,

KOJIRO BONDO 1.B,

JUROTA SHISHIDA 1.B,

PONY TSUNOTORI 1.B and lastly,

TOGARU KAMAKIRI 1.B!

(I'd say that's not that bad, what do you think?)

THOSE ARE OUR CONTESTANTS FOLKS! NOW WE WILL ALL TAKE AN HOUR LONG BREAK FOR LUNCH!

"Forget lunch, I'm gonna nap."

"You do know we'll miss lunch if you keep staring at me like that?" said Midoriya. Todoroki did not stop staring. Izuku started to fear the worst.

"He's not gonna confess, is he? I need to check on the third year's festival."

"When the round started I was expecting a difficult fight. In my head I had plans, plans that all became worthless the second we let you move. You overwhelmed everyone. But, mostly me. You almost made me break my pledge. You almost made me use my fire." Izuku stared intently at Todoroki, who in turn stared back until he saw the smallest hint of confusion in the greenettes eyes.

"You had no idea I could use my father's quirk, did you."

"No." Todoroki felt the urge to facepalm.

"Ever hear of quirk marriages?" Izuku nodded, and he suddenly understood why Todoroki would detest his father.

"Let me guess. You have two or three older siblings, who were deemed 'defective'."

"Yes. Endeavor used his power and resources to convince my mother's family into marriage. Eventually, his treatment of her got to the point of her pouring boiling water on my face out of disgust at my father's quirk. After that, he locked her up in a psychiatric ward. My brother and sister were deemed useless since they did not possess what he wanted. The power to finally surpass All Might." At the mention of the number 1 hero, Izuku's gaze darkened ever so slightly.

"My teammates weren't there when you sent those two villains flying at the USJ. But the power All Might exuded then, it felt early similar to what I felt when you speed past us today." Izuku's eyes narrowed.

"Stop beating around the bush, Todoroki."

"Midoriya... Are you All Might's secret love child?" A cold breeze blew past Todoroki, and he, he felt a chill of fear creeping up his spine. He looked towards Izuku, and although his face hasn't shifted from the blank mask he usually wore, there was... SOMETHING in those green eyes of his, that was holding back an ocean of rage. The green-haired youth took a few deep breaths, before reaching inside his pocket, bringing out his wallet. For a second Todoroki entertained the thought of his classmate trying to bribe him. But what Izuku pulled out weren't yen bills. It was a photograph of a black-haired man, with some freckles scattered across his face. There was also a petite girl, in a form-hugging black dress, and green hair with some curls at the end.

"In this picture is my father, Hisashi Midorya, and my older sister, Tatsumaki. Better known as Tornado of Terror." Shoto widened his eyes. Even if the governments tried to keep the info on their heroes under wraps, it just simply wasn't possible in this day and age. Some heroes received global recognition and respect (read fear). One of those was the infamous Tornado of Terror. A villainous name for a villainous person, as Izuku (and the public), would tell you.

But deciding to think about his classmate's connection some other time, Todoroki instead opted to focus on the man in the photo. Aside From freckles, he didn't share many similarities with Midoriya. But before he could properly think about it, his mouth already started forming words.

"You don't look very alike. Maybe your mother-" That was as far as he got. Before the next word left his lips, he already felt an overwhelming amount of killing intent, and the very next moment, there was a fist planted in a wall behind him.

"Watch very carefully what your next words will be," said Izuku, his face contorted with rage.

Shoto decided to say nothing. Izuku pulled his fist out of the hole he had made and walked away. Before he turned the corner, he said.

"I'll be giving every student that has to face me a free shot. You better not waste yours."

Shoto shot him a glare, before deciding to walk away, towards the cafeteria. Izuku meanwhile, pulled out his phone and called one of the contacts.

"Hello! You have reached your favorite senpai!"

"Oh, stop it. I got in the finals. How about you?"

"Well, I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear-"

A griefing scream of anguish echoed across the stadium, it's origins unknown. But when Tokoyamin made his way inside the boy's bathroom, he could hear a muttering that sounded suspiciously like: "I'llnevergambleagain, i'llnevergambleagain, i'llnevergambleagain."

Meanwhile, Minetta was busy explaining how he managed to think of a plan to utilize Izuku's incredible speed, to make sure they win.

"Izuku wasn't sure of himself, he had never gone this fast for this long. But I looked him in those empty, emotionless eyes and said to him: Think of the boobs, Izuku. Think of the boobs and your body will do the rest!" Of course, Minetta completely ignored the fact that absolutely no one listened to him.

Most of class 1.A was down in the dumps, and the rest (those who got in the finals) tried to cheer them up. Except for Bakugo and Todoroki that is.

"But, man. Who knew Izuku could go THAT fast," said Mina more to herself than others. But they all heard.

"Yea. I'm beginning to think that guy is a monster," said Ojiro.

"I mean you kinda have to be one to willingly team up with Minetta." said the upset Yaoyorozu. That little pervert had tried to trick them into wearing cheerleader outfits, and to dance on the field. And he would have gotten away with it too if it weren't for the meddling of a certain ash-blonde getting annoyed at him, rubbing his victory in his face beforehand.

"But you'd think that after a win like that a guy could at least cracked a smile," said Kirishima.

"Yeeeee" confirmed Kaminari, flashing two thumbs up. Apparently he should be fine before the battle starts, but looking at him now, everyone had their doubts.

"Seems like that guy will give you a lot of trouble." said the kid from gen. ed., who declared war on them.

"So he won't be a problem for you?" Jiro caught on.

"No. My quirk will take care of it."

"And what is your quirk, if I might ask?"

"Sorry. I wouldn't want to give away my advantage. Anyway, my name is Hitoshi Shinso. Remember it, because, after today, I'll be your new classmate." with that, he walked off, back to his class, leaving the Hero students contemplating what his quirk might be, to make him so confident.

"WELCOME BACK LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I HOPE YOU HAD YOUR FILL BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NO MORE BREAKS!

"You don't know that."

"RIGHT. NOW, TO ANNOUNCE THE FINAL EVENT! THE ONE YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR, THE ONE ON ONE COMBAT!"

The crowd cheered on, as Midnight showed the screen, showing the first bracket of matches.

DENKI KAMINARI vs. SHOTO TODOROKI

TETSUTETSU TETSUTETSU vs. EIJIRO KIRISHIMA  (who saw that coming?)

IZUKU MIDORIYA vs. HITOSHI SHINSO

TOGARU KAMAKIRI vs. KOJIRO BONDO

KATSUKI BAKUGO vs. OCHAKO URARAKA

MINORU MINETA vs. JUROTA SHISHIDA

MASHIRAO OJIRO vs. PONY TSUNOTORI

FUMIKAGE TOKOYAMI vs. MOMO YAOYOROZU

"THAT IS THE FIRST BRACKET, LADIES AND GENTS, NOW BRACE YOURSELF! THE FINAL PAHSE OF THE SPORTS FESTIVAL IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!"

"And now for a classic cliffhanger."

Chapter Text

SOMEWHERE IN THE UNKNOWN LOCATION, AFTER THE CAVALRY BATTLE.

"Tomura. Doctor called, there seems to be a problem with the latest batch on Nomus. I want you to continue watching the Sports Festival, and tell me about it after it's over. Especially keep an eye out for All Might's successor. You're gonna have to face him someday, and it's never too early to start taking notes."

"Yes, Sensei." The monitor went from displaying 'sound only' to 'call ended' before fading into black. Tomura sat at the bar, with Kurogiri in his bartender uniform, polishing a beer mug.

"I'm assuming you won't tell him that you disintegrated the TV the moment he won the race, will you?" asked the mist villain, desperation and acceptance both evident in his voice.

"Nah. I'll just go to the library and use the computer there. I just hope that the hobo who was writing fanfiction instead of watching porn won't be there. It gets annoying when he yells that for the umpteenth time like he's making such a big sacrifice." The silence took over the room before Tomura spoke again.

"Pour me Jack on the Rocks."

"No. You're not 20 yet."

"Fuck you."

"Not helping your case here."

Kaminari snapped back to reality just as Kyoka pushed him into his waiting room.

"Your fight is in 5 minutes, dumbass," she said, before slamming the door closed and walking towards where her class was seated. He then remembered that he used too much electricity in the Battle Royale, making him short circuit his brain.

"Eh. It'll be fine." I'll probably have to fight one of those 1.B guys, or maybe Ojiro or Minetta." He thought to himself and patiently waited to be called in the arena.

"HERE, OUR FIRST CONTESTANT, SHOCKING US WITH HIS PERFORMANCE IN THE BATTLE ROYALE, FROM CLASS 1.A IS... DENKI KAMINARI!"

"You just had to go for a 'shocking' pun, didn't you."

"AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RING, SO FAR GIVING EVERYONE A COLD SHOULDER-OW, FINE I'LL STOP!- GIVE A WARM WELCOME TO, CLASS 1.A SHOTO TODOROKI!

"Nothing to add here."

"Huh. I guess jinxes are real." Thought Kaminari as he approached his opponent.

"Are the combatants ready? Then... FIGHT!"

"Todoroki!" called out the blond, before his opponent could make a move.

"Wouldn't it be nice, if we shook hands before the battle? I mean we are from the same class, so, no hard feelings, right?" Todoroki's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but he nodded and extended his hand.

"Yes, victory is mine!" Kaminari charged his had with electricity and grabbed Shoto's. Only to be covered in ice a second later.

"It would be a good plan, high probability to work on someone from other courses. But, as you said, we're classmates. And I have eyes." Shoto walked off the stage, ignoring the cheering crowd, and especially ignoring a man, wearing a mask made from pure flames.

Endeavor, the number two hero, scoffed at his rebellious spawn. He would realize it soon enough. He can't be the best without his flames. He thought about the kid who has been the leading champion throughout the entire festival.

"Izuku Midoriya. He seems abnormally strong. Kinda like All Might. Maybe they're related?" He made a mental note to check the kid's background, and to send him an offer for an internship. Maybe Shoto will be less stubborn if he has a worthy rival.

"Wow. Did Kaminari seriously think such an old trick would work?" asked Kyoka in disbelief.

"It could have if he were against someone not from our class. I guess he just didn't think things throug." said Yaoyorozu, both of them (and the rest of their class) trying and failing to ignore our cinnamon roll, who was sitting all the way back.

"Muttermuttermutter,muttermutter. Mutter? Muttermuttermuttermutter..."

"Shut the fuck up, nerd!" yelled Katsuki, who was trying to glare at both Izuku and Shoto walking off stage at once. Meanwhile, Kirishima got up from the spot next to him and turned towards Izuku.

"Hey, Midoriya."

"Huh?"

"Watch me down there. I'll show you how much better I got since the Battle Practice."

"...Sure." A bit taken aback by his flat response, Kirishima made his way down to the entrance. But before he could leave, a surprising voice called out to him.

"Oi, Weird-hair! Don't you dare loose down there!" Kirishima smiled and walked away without turning around, only raising his hand as an acknowledgment, while thinking to himself:

"Damn, I must look manly doing this."

"Why is he acting like a shonen protagonist?" asked confused Hagakure.

"No idea. But Kiri was always like that," said Mina, before sending her own words of encouragement to her childhood friend.

"NEXT UP, THOSE TWO COMBATANTS ARE EERILY SIMILAR, A REDHEAD HARDHEAD FROM CLASS 1.A, GIVE IT UP FOR EIJIRO KIRISHIMA!"

"Your puns are murdering my will to live."

Mina cheered loudly, as did Kaminari, wrapped in an electrical blanket, as well as Sero and Sato. Kirishima saluted him from the field, before selling himself.

"HIS OPPONENT IS A MAN OF STEEL... OR IRON. I DON'T KNOW WHICH."

"His Wikipedia article calls it steel, but it requires him to eat iron. Since carbon is abundant in the human body, it can turn into steel."

Tetsutetsu stepped on the field and class 1.B cheered him on. Most noticeably Monoma, who despite not getting to the finals himself, threw the fact that some of 1.A did not into the face of everyone who would listen. So, no one.

Kirishima and Tetsutetsu gazed at each other and waited for Midnight to start the battle.

"3, 2, 1,... FIGHT!"

Kirishima quickly hardened his body and waited for Tetsutetsu to make the first move. He did not have to wait long. The boy's body took on a silver metallic shine, and he charged in like a tank. Kirishima crossed his hands in front of his face, protecting his head, and took on the first punch.

"Ha, gotta admit. You're harder than I thought."

"Thanks. You're pretty hard yourself, but not as hard as me"

Tetsutetsu continued his onslaught but was then surprised by a fist to the gut. Not that it hurt him. He retaliated by a well-aimed fist to the shoulder, followed by a kick to the shins, attempting to throw his opponent off balance. Unfortunately, that worked against him, as Kirishima dropped low, and did a sweep kick, making him fall. The audience thought he would press his advantage, but were moved by the show of sportsmanship and manliness when he allowed his opponent to get back up.

"Thanks," said Tetsutetsu.

"Just making things fair," replied Kirishima, as they both shifted back into a battle stance. Again Kirishima stood his ground while letting Tetsutetsu take the lead. But then something weird started happening. Tetsutetsu continued his attack, but his punches started meeting more resistance, and when he managed to break through Kirishima's sm guard and throw a powerful punch on his forehead, he had to retract his fist and shake it to get rid of the tingling.

"Do you get harder the longer we go?"

"No. I just became so hard I can't even move."

"Damn. That's hard."

"Yea. That's what she said."

"Who?"

"My friend."

"You two both stop it."

Kirishima and Tetsutetsu both smirked at the teacher's irritation, before preparing to finish their battle.

"Well, if you got this hard, I'll just have to try harder to wear you down."

"You have no idea how hard I am."

"You're both serving detention for a month."

"Worth it." Said both teens at the same time, before smirking at each other. Tetsutetsu looked at his hands and back at Kirishima.

"Let's see what will drop first. The shield or the spear." Then it began. Blows rained on Kirishima, while Tetsutetsu danced around him, searching for any weak spots. Kirishima was starting to worry. There was a weakness to his technique, and his opponents must have seen through it since he started grinning.

"It seems this level of hardening consumes your stamina. I'm sorry Kirishima, but this looks like my win. You fought like a true man." Kirishima did not say a word, trying to catch his breath.

"Damn. Even practicing with Sato did not leave me this exhausted. But, it's good he became cocky. He will pay less attention that way. For you see, Tetsutetsu. This is not just a shield..."

"A very clever trick," said Izuku, suddenly appearing in the front row, right next to Mina and Hagakure.

"How so? He just got really hard," said Momo, while at the same time whacking the snickering Kaminar and Sero with a wooden paddle she made. Judging by the lumps on the back of their heads, this wasn't the first time.

"While that is true, there's more to it. Make a simple spyglass, and observe where Tetsutetsu is hitting." Momo did just that, and at first, she saw nothing. Then her eye caught a flash of silver. A small iron ship flew off Tetsutetsu fist when he stroke.

"He's not just defending, he is also causing damage!" she said surprised.

"Well, he got the scar above his eye, when his quirk manifested and he nicked himself. it would make sense that together with thoughts the sharpness of the edged would also increase," said Mina.

"Hum... That would mean muttermuttermutter. Muttermuttermuttermutter. Mutter? Muttermutter-"

"Shut up nerd! And get to the waiting room too. This fight will soon be over." Izuku looked at Bakugo, before nodding and heading off, ignoring Todoroki stare, Mina's yell for good luck, and the guy with a tail who called out for him to wait.

Tetsutetsu was already imagining himself standing on the 1st place podium, his head resting in Midnight's lap, while Itsuka was cheering for him. So he was entirely unprepared on a stab of pain that spread throughout his entire arm. After managing to calm down he looked and saw his knuckles bleeding, together with some cuts across his fingers. None were very deep, but he couldn't punch with that hand anymore.

"I see. So not only did you get hard, but your sharpness also increased. This is my loss, isn't it?

"I'm sorry. You fought like a true man." Tetsutetsu smiled sadly at his own words thrown back at his face, before lifting his uninjured arm.

"Referee, I surrender!" Sounds of shock spread throughout the stadium. After asking if he was sure, Midnight declared Kirishima the winner, and his advancement into the next round. In a final show of sportsmanship, and proving he was a true man, Kirishima shook Tetsutetsu's hand and escorted him to the Recovery Girls room.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THIS WAS A HARD FOUGHT BATTLE AND WAS EVEN HARDER TO WATCH. BUT KIRISHIMA PROVED HIMSELF AS A MAN, WHILE TETSUTETSU GAVE IT HIS ALL! I ASK FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE!

"It's important to know your limits. After a short break to fix the arena, the next fight will commence. Hitoshi Shinso vs. Izuku Midoriya.

"STAY HYPED!"

Izuku was inside the waiting room, writing things down in his notebook when he heard the slight knock on the door. Opening them, he saw Ojiro.

"The fight is over now. Tetsutetsu surrendered."

"A manly move."

"Present Mic said so too."

"Why are you here Mashirao?"

"That Shinso guy... I don't like him. I was on his team for cavalry battle, but all I remember is him asking me, and then Present Mic declaring you the winner. If there would not be a Battle Royal, I'd step down from the competition. I think his quirk-" Izuku raised his rm, and his classmate stopped talking.

"I appreciate the thought, but I don't need help."

"Are you sure?" Ojiro looked a little insulted, but Izuku was probably the last person to care.

"I did not need help before. I'll manage on my own now."

"Ok then. I'll leave you to it."

"Huh. This Shinso guy must have some type of manipulation quirk. I've never been against something like that. Will that even work on me? I guess I'll find out now." the buzzer went off, so Izuku stood up, and headed for the arena.

"HERE WE GO, DEAR LISTENERS! THE NEXT FIGHT WILL BE BETWEEN THE UNEXPECTED UNDERDOG OF THE GEN. ED. COURSE! GIVE IT UP FOR HITOSHI SHINSO!

"This guy needs some sleep. We should all take a nap.

"AND HIS OPPONENT WILL BE CLASS 1.A VICE PRESIDENT, THE FRONT RUNNER SINCE THE FIRST EVENT, IZUKU MIDORIYA.

"I don't like him."

If Midoriya was at all hurt by his homeroom teacher admitting his dislike for him, he did not show it. Instead, he stared down his opponent, the one who announced he would make his way into heroics class, and also the one who gave him a nagging feeling at the back of his head, that they meet before. Well, if he couldn't remember where it probably wasn't important. But, where DID they meet?

"Damn, this is like Nejire all over again. At least that guy didn't show up at my house... I hope I haven't just jinxed myself."

Shinso also stared down his opponent. But unlike Midoriya, he knew exactly where they met before. He was still pissed at him, but now? Now was time for some payback.

"Well, I see that the Hero course tends to get a grander introduction than someone else. Pretty biased for a professor, don't you think?" he started, waiting for his opponent to respond. But said opponent seemed to busy thinking bout something.

"OI! Do you even know who I am?" Shinso was starting to get a bit peeved.

"Just thinking about that. Give me a moment." This was Shinso's chance. He should have taken it. But honestly, he was so surprised and pissed at the answer he completely forgot.

"OI! Are you for real?"

"Let's see, I don't remember ever seeing him before he came declaring war on us. He wasn't in my middle school, and since none of our class went to the orientation, I couldn't have seen him there either? Was it the entrance exam? Wait a moment, is he-"

"Are you that purple-haired kid that I-" that was as far as Izuku got, before his eyes glazed over, and he lost control of bis body. It felt funny actually. Like watching from a third-person view. Or reading a story. Oh, that kid was talking. Time to see if he could wrestle control back.

Shinso was straining a bit. The first thing he felt when taking over, was absolute emptiness. The mind was completely blank. But it hadn't felt real. More like a camouflage, hiding something greater, and wilder. He also felt amusement, before something tried to push his control. Not that it would succeed, his command was absolute. But he couldn't afford to waste time. He has a stuck up snob to humiliate.

"Well, at least you remembered. Yes, I was one of those unfortunate enough to be in the same group as you during the entrance exam. None of us passed, you know? All because you stole every kill possible, even mine." Damn, this guy was pushing back hard. But he couldn't doubt his quirk now. He will see his plan through.

"The only good thing you did there was evacuating some of us before the 0-pointer got to us. But it still feels unfair. The Entrance exam was practically created for people like you. I'd love nothing more than to just send you out of the arena. But, I feel we deserve some justice first. So, go ahead, Izuku Midoriya. Tell us your darkest secret."

The crowd gasped, most already commenting on the "villainous" quirk he possessed. Some heroes were appraising his worth, but he was too busy enjoying his plan succeeding to listen. Izuku Midoriya straightened up, raised his head, and spoke with a clear voice.

"I am quirkless."

I also decided to throw in an omake that was supposed to go up for Endgame, but for some reason, it did not. Also, a friendly reminder, OMAKES ARE NOT CANON IN THIS STORY. Thank you and enjoy.

INFINITY WAR

Thanos was ecstatic. He was just about to conquer a world filled with people who almost each had an individual superpower. Once he cracked their genetic code, he was going to be the strongest in the galaxy, together with his Infinity Gauntlet. Wait. Where was his Gauntlet?

"Hey there." He turned around to see a green-haired adolescent male, playing with his gauntlet.

"You've been very bad. I need to punish you." Thanos smiled at this child's stupidity.

"Oh, yeah? And how are you going to do that? Are you going to beat me up?" asked the mad titan.

"No. I'm going to send you into a timeout corner. With Bakugo." Izuku donned the gauntlet and snapped his fingers. Thanos was immediately transported into the corner of a room, where an angry, chiby blonde awaited.

"What are you supposed to be? Did Minetta's turd somehow obtain life?" Thanos blinked.
"Who-"
"DON'T INTERRUPT ME! WANNA DIE!? Your face looks like a Grimace with steroid addiction! You look like an even OLDER version of Mister Clean, who got lost in a soda factory!" Thanos was now trembling.

"Please stop-"
"I WASN'T FINISHED! Yo mama so fat, you gathered Infinity Stones to finally get her out of the kitchen! Shiny Wailmer is yo daddy! You're such a failure of a father, Goku makes fun of you!" Thanos was now crying.

"S-s-stop this!"
"But the worst thing is…."
"Please don't say it!
"You are PURPLE! Like fucking Barney the dinosaur."
"NOOO!"

Izuku came by the time out corner later that day. What he found was a pile of purple dust and a very satisfied Bakugo.
"Had fun?" asked the greenette.
"With this guy? Hell no, he was way too easy."
"Alright, who do you want next, then?"
"Darkside." Izuku looked at his friend with the 'again with this' look.

"I told you. Darkside is from DC. And our contract with Marvel lasts another four years. You can get Mandarin from Iron Man 3."
"There was a Mandarin there?"
"Touche."
And so the friends bickered on their way home, walking into the sunset.

Chapter Text

Shinso kept his speculations about what his darkest secret might be open. You never know what some people carry with them. Hell, when he accidentally brainwashed his dad, the man admitted he used to be a streaker, often crashing his local stadium, then using his memory alter quirk to make everyone forget his face (and ad a few inches to his thing, but Shinso made sure to repress that information)

But... He was.. Quirkless? As in, no quirk? At all?! This was wrong. No way that was true. They all witnessed his immense strength. Speed... Rumor has it he was able to tank an explosion! He can't be quirkless. Shinso let go of his quirk, letting Midoriya take control of his body.

"Huh. I don't know if that was me or not. But, you used up your freebie." Shinso stared at him in disbelief.

"I-I just made you confess your darkest secret! I know you're quirkless!"

"So what? Dude, we're in the middle of a massive stadium with no microphones, speaking at a normal level. The only one who heard us is Midnight and she already knew. If I yell it out, the front rows might hear. Now THAT would be... Unpleasant."

"IT SEEMS THAT AFTER MIDORIYA SHOOK OF THE EFFECTS OF SHINSO'S QUIRK, THEY STARTED A DISCUSSION."

"Just move it along already, I need to go feed my cats."

Suddenly Shinso knelt and started beating the ground.

"It's not fair! Even if you are somehow quirkless, for you to be somehow this powerful... IT'S NOT FAIR. Why do you have all the luck? I should-" that was as far as he got before an arm grabbed him by the collar and lifted him into the air.

"I want you to listen to me for a moment. Can you honestly say, without a shadow of a doubt that you gave it your all, trying to get into this place? Did you not care what the world thought of you, did you push yourself to the limit daily, until your whole body burned and you puked blood? Because that's what I did to get into U.A. I relied on no one but myself. I broke through the limits set onto me by society. Did you do the same? Tell me, yes, and I will walk out of this ring right now, and resign. Then you can have my spot in the hero course. I don't care if you lie since you'll be only lying to yourself, and be weeded out before the end of the semester."

Shinso thought about his preparations. He did study hard and even exercised. But he did not push his limits. He realized now. Even before he filled out his application, he had given up. He never expected to pass. At some point, he started believing what his classmates said. That his quirk was only fit for a villain. But Izuku wasn't done.

"And don't you start wallowing in self-pity. If you spend even a minute thinking, you'd realize how amazing your quirk is. Of course, you'll never be like All Might. But if that's what made you want to become a hero, then give up right now. But, if you want to become a hero, to prove the world wrong, to do good, then you better be prepared to give it your all. If you have a dream, then you must be prepared to do anything, even become deaf to the screams of the world, telling you you'll fail."

Izuku did his best to hide the bitterness from his face and voice and to ignore the screaming in the back of his head: "Hypocrite! Hypocrite! Hypocrite!"

Shinso listened and was baffled. This guy should honestly hate him; he tried to expose his secret in public (even if he failed).

"But, I tried doing something evil with my quirk. The referee saw it." They both turned towards Midnight, who seemed to contemplate something. Izuku spoke to her.

"Let me make this easier for you. You keep nice and silent about this, and I'll 'forget' to mention to the principal when you get lost again in the male lockers." The R-rated heroine flashed him a thumbs up. Izuku then turned back towards his opponent.

"Will you surrender yourself, or do you want to drag this on?" Shinso wiped his eyes, tears he did not even know were there wiped away before he lifted his arm in the air and spoke loud and clear.

"I surrender."

Shinso was walking away, his head still spinning. When he walked out of the arena, he heard many pros discussing his usefulness in different situations. But when he rounded a corner, he ran into a scruffy man, who he recognized as Eraserhead, and class 1.A homeroom teacher.

"You know, not many people know this about me, but I can read lips. It came to be useful in many of today's situations, like when Tetsutetsu and Kirishima were dropping profanities. So, imagine my surprise when I "heard" what you two were talking about." Shinso froze. If a professor saw what he did, he might as well kiss his place in Hero course or maybe even the academy goodbye.

"Relax. I can understand why you did it, even if I don't approve of it. And since Midoriya won't file a complaint, all is good. But, if you ever want to get into the hero course, you're gonna have to drop that attitude and work hard. Every day after school, you'll meet me in the Gym Gamma. And rest assured, you're in for the grind of your life."

Aizawa left the student to consider his words of advice and returned to the commentator booth. Meanwhile, Shinso returned to his classmates, feeling like he was dreaming.

NEXT, WE HAVE ANOTHER CLASH BETWEEN CLASSMATES, BUT THIS TIME FROM CLASS 1.B! HE IS AS SHARP AS A BALDE, GIVE IT UP FOR TOGARU KAMAKIRI!

"Put me out of my misery."

"AND HIS OPPONENT, THE GENTLE GIANT, WITH STICKY HEAD, KOJIRO BONDO!"

"You did not just say 'sticky head'."

"I HEARD IT THE MOMENT I SAID IT."

Both class 1.B students made their way to the arena and shook hands, showing that there was no beef between them even if they're up against each other. Midnight cried at the 'showcase of sportsmanship in the youngest generation.'

"I don't want to fight you Kamakiri-" spoke the tall student, "-but I need to get noticed by the pros. You understand, right?"

"I do. And I apologize in advance, but I need to show those 1.A side characters who's boss." Spoke the mohawk sporting teen.

"Just like you to say that," smiled(?) Bono, before taking up battle stance.

"WHAT AN EPIC BATTLE WE WITNESSED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. BONO REALLY HELD HIS OWN, BUT IN THE END, WAS BESTED BY KAMAKIRI! NOW CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP PEEL HIM OFF THE ARENA?"

"Bono was smart. He knew he couldn't match Kamakiri in close combat, so he tried to keep him away. But then Kakamiri showed his ingenuity, by using his blades as skates, to slide across the ground and even though he fell and got stuck, he already did enough damage for Bono to forfeit."

"NOW, SEEMS LIKE CLASSMATE CLASHES WILL BE THE THEME OF THIS FESTIVAL, FROM 1.A, HE'S A TEEN WITH EXPLOSIVE PERSONALITY, AND A FACE ONLY A MOTHER COULD LOVE! GIVE IT UP FOR KATSUKI BAKUGO!"

"DA FUCK YOU SAID 'BOUT ME?!"

"Language!"

"AND HIS OPPONENT, SHE HAS A BUBBLY CHARM, THAT LIFTS YOUR SPIRITS LIKE HER QUIRK LIFTS GRAVITY, A WARM WELCOME FOR OCHAKO URARAKA!

"I wonder if I still remember how to make a noose."

Iida was disappointed in himself. He did not make it to the finale and after he tried calling his brother, he was sent to voicemail. He shouldn't be angry at his brother, he was, after all, a big hero, but he couldn't help himself. He would have left long ago if Uraraka hadn't gotten in. So he promised to himself, and to her, he'd show his support.

And now, having to watch her getting beaten up again and again by Bakugo, it hurt Iida in places he never knew could hurt. He had gone up to the waiting room to see if she was okay, but HE was there. Offering up a notebook he compiled on Bakugo, since "they worked together in Battle trial, and it would only be fair."

"I see. They are keeping their relationship a secret."

"We- YOU don't know if it's a relationship."

"But we don't know that it's not."

Iida had stood there until Izuku left, but instead of talking to her, he tailed his green-haired classmate back to the seats. And now he was forced to watch her getting hit by explosions. He immediately regretted not talking to her. He was sure she was gonna win when she managed to trick Bakugo with her jacket and launched the floating debris on him, but that came crashing down when Bakugo unleashed his super move. It was over.

"WOW, THIS BATTLE BLEW ME AWAY! NO, WAIT, ERASURE! PUT DOWN THAT ROPE!"

"Don't take away my salvation! I used my hair to make it!"

The medi-bots came and took her away to Recovery Girl, while he stood and watched. He was just contemplating if he should go check on her when his phone rang. He quickly checked the caller and couldn't help but be a little disappointed when he learned it was his mother. he still answered it though.

"Hello mother, I am sorry, I did not make my way into the-"

"Idda, it's not about that..." This put Iida on alert. His mother was not one to interrupt a person, and she sounded like she was crying.

"...Your brother, he's-"

"-we don' care that ya didn't win. Our little gal made it to the national TV! We couldn't be prouder of ya, Ochako." Uraraka smiled at her parents encouraging words. She thought about ending the conversation there but decided there's one more thing she needed to talk about.

"Mom, dad. I already know you'll probably be here tomorrow-" she ignored their overperformed 'we'd never' and kept talking.

"-and I'd like to introduce ya to someone." This shut her parents up.

"Is it one of your classmates, Ochako?"

"Yes. His name is-"

"AHEM. WHILE MY CO-COMMENTATOR IS TAKEN FOR A MUCH NEEDED BREAK, WE SHALL DIRECT OUR ATTENTION TO THE NEXT FIGHT. THE OTHER MEMBER OF THE ONLY WINNING TEAM IN CAVALRY BATTLE, AND SELF PROCLAIMED CASANOVA, PLEASE GIVE IT UP, FOR MINORU MINETA!

Silence permeated the stadion, save for Kaminar and Sero who threw out wolf whistles and cheers. And strangely a polite clap from Izuku, who explained it would be rude not to support a classmate and teammate. Despite that, he still received some judgmental stares, mainly from Kyouka and Momo. Not that he cared.

"AND NOW FOR HIS OPPONENT! THE BEAST OF 1.B, GIVE IT UP FOR JUROTA SHISHIDA!"

Stadion shook from the cheers and yells for Jurota to 'pulverize the little purple shit' and to 'teach the perv some manners'.

"The rumors of your perversion have already reached our class, Mineta-san. I apologize, but I will now defeat you."

"Ah, so my notoriety spreads. Good. Girls like bad boys." said Mineta, trying to sound cool.

"Fighters, are you ready? Then... FIGHT!"

"So, is that your zipper down, or are you happy to see me?"

"Huh?" Shishida checked his pants, before realizing that P.E clothes don't even have zippers! When he looked up to glare at his opponent, he only narrowly dodged a purple ball in the face.

"That was a dirty trick." he accused. Mineta looked down in guilt.

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't think of a good way to beat you. I honestly wanted to go to 1.B, especially when I heard you'd be there. And-"

"Cut it out, you won't fool me twice." Mineta stopped his pity party and smirked.

"Well, at least I got one shot in." Midnight groaned at the innuendo, having heard plenty from earlier fights. Shishida was of the same mindset.

"I see now why everyone is accusing you of perversion. I apologize in advance, but I shall enjoy kicking you out of this arena." Mineta smiled, surprising just about everyone.

"In that case, I have one final plan!" proclaimed Mineta, with a sharp look in his eyes.

"A final plan?" asked the baffled Shishida.

"Yeah, a final plan!"

"What are you talking about?" Mineta smirked and faced his opponent with a dangerous look in his eyes. Shishida braced himself for an attack that was most definitely coming.

"NIGERUNDAYO!" Mineta bolted it away from Shinshida, making almost an entire stadium yell out at once:

"NANI?!"

"Oi! Come back here you purple little shit!" Even the usually composed Shinshida lost his cool and started chasing Mineta around the arena. He was slowly catching up and could already envision himself kicking him in the back and out of the ring. They just about made their third lap around. And then it happened. Shinshida could feel, through the soles of his shoes, he stepped on something soft. And round. And in the next second, he crashed face-first into the arena.

"IT SEEMS THAT SHISHIDA STEPPED ON ONE OF MINETA'S BALLS! WAS IT A COINCIDENCE, OR A CLEVERLY SET TRAP?"

"I refuse to believe that that purple turd came up with that plan!"

"MISS JIRO! HOW DID YOU GET INSIDE? I MUST ASK YOU TO LEAVE OR IT WILL BE EXTRA ENGLISH HOMEWORK NEXT MONDAY!"

Mineta stopped running and strolled up to the fallen form of Shinshida. Before stopping and taking a minute to catch his breath. After that, he placed his balls around his fallen opponent, before asking Midnight to call the match.

"Shishida, can you move?"

"No."

"Mineta wins."

"Don't worry. I haven't pooped today yet, so they should only be sticky for... I'd say 10 minutes."

"WELL, WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE BALLS TO UNSTICK, WHY DON'T WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE FIGHT WE GOT LEFT, AND THE ONES THAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?

"For the preliminary round, we have Ojiro Mashirao vs Pony Tsunotori and Momo Yaoyorozu vs Fumikage Tokoyami.

"OH, ERASERHEAD, YOU'RE BACK! AND YES, THOSE ARE ALL GREAT FIGHTS THAT I'M SERIOUSLY LOOKING FORWARD TO. AND HOW ARE THE QUARTER FINALS LOOKING?"

"The first fight will be Shoto Todoroki vs Eijiro Kirishima. If he can keep a level head and show the same amount of ingenuity as he did in his previous match, Kirishima might avoid a complete O.H.K.O. Next, we have Togaru Kamakiri, facing off against Izuku Midoriya. It is impossible to predict how this fight will go. And then we also have Bakugo Katsuki vs Minoru Mineta. I'm surprised he made it this far."

"THANK YOU FOR THAT! IT SEEMS THE ARENA IS JUST ABOUT FIXED, AND SHISHIDA IS BEING TAKEN AWAY BY RECOVERY GIRL. THAT FALL WAS PRETTY UGLY."

"Next fight is a battle of tail vs horns. How amusing."

"I THINK THEY GAVE YOU TOO MANY ANTIDEPRESSANTS."

"WOW. THIS WAS ONE SHORT FIGHT."

"It's Mashirao's fault, he shouldn't have ignored her horns after he dodged them."

"TRUE, NEXT UP WE HAVE ANOTHER CLASSMATE FIGHT! CLASS 1.A PRESIDENT, CREATING HER WAY THROUGH THIS FESTIVAL, MOMO YAOYOROZU.

"Dude, that was terrible."

"I KNOW. MOVING ON. NEXT, IT'S CLASS 1.A'S DARK HORSE, OR SHOULD I SAY DARK EAGLE, WITH HIS SHADOW BY HIS SIDE, FUMIKAGE TOKOYAMI!"

"Dude, you're off your game. What happened?"

Momo was confident when she stepped on the stage. Normally a quirk like Tokmoyami's would be tough to deal with. But during Battle Royale, she saw something... Interesting. She knew Dark Shadow was fast, so she could only create one item before the beast would get close enough to attack. And she knew exactly what to make.

"I apologize in advance, Tokoyami, Dark Shadow. This would have been your match if there was no Battle Royale."

"Ahh. I suppose you discovered our weakness then, President? In the face of an uphill battle, we shall still do our very best to show our fighting spirit!

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't."

"Are the combatants ready? 3, 2, 1,... FIGHT!"

Dark Shadow leapt from Tokoyami's midsection, rushing towards Yaoyorozu, who was creating an object in her hand. Tokoyami recognized it, but it was already too late, and the flashbang flew straight into his charging quirk. A bright light enveloped the stadium, and all the viewers had to spend a few seconds blinking away the spots in their vision. Dark Shadow managed to recover, but when it searched for its target, it came face to face with a stage light, shining directly at him.

"Surrender Tokoyami," demanded Momo, another flashbang already in her hands.

"ANOTHER SHORT BATTLE, BUT FILLED WITH MUCH MORE EXCITEMENT!"

"Yaoyorozu was fighting smart, having noticed her opponent's weakness. And Tokoyami was rational in admitting defeat.

"NICE POINT! THIS CONCLUDE THE PRELIMINARY FIGHTS, AND NOW STARTS THE QUARTER FINALS! THE FIGHTS ARE AS FOLLOWED:

SHOTO TODOROKI vs EIJIRO KIRISHIMA!

IZUKU MIDORIYA vs TOGARU KAMAKIRI!

KATSUKI BAKUGO VS MINORU MINETA!

PONY TSUNOTORI vs MOMO YAOYOROZU!

"We'll be right back after this nap."

Shoto was walking towards the waiting room when he ran into the person he despised the most. There he stood, in all his scorching glory, the No.2 hero, Endeavor. Shoto did not slow his walk for a second.

"As stubborn as always." Now that stopped him, but only for a second. A second that Endeavor used to keep pushing his point.

"You won't be able to defeat that Midoriya boy with just your ice. I checked his background and he-"

"I know what he is-" said Shoto. Endeavor was slightly shocked. Never before has Shoto or any of his children beside Natsuo dared to interrupt him.

"-and I don't care. He will still fall before my mother's power." Shoto was now already at the end of the hallway, leaving Endeavor alone with his thoughts.

"So Shoto knows he's quirkless? Maybe he also knows how he got his powers? Artificial quirk research is still in the infant stage. What are you, Izuku Midoriya?"

"Huh? Where's Tenya?" asked Uraraka, after she made her way back to the seats.

"Said he had to go. Family emergency." Izuku did not even look up from his notebook.

"Oh. I hope everything will be alright."

With that, she sat down next to Mina and tried to put on a happy face. But somewhere deep down, she could feel something brewing. And it worried her. Mina noticed it.

"Hey, girl. What's on your mind?"

"I'm worried for Ten- I mean Iida!"

"Wow. That's two guys on a first name basis. You oughta be more careful, Ochako, or people might think you're an "easy" kind of girl." Uraraka blushed at the first part and got a little peeved at the second. Mina decided to stop the teasing.

"Just a joke, calm down. And don't worry. I'm 100% sure everything will be fine!" Ochako returned her smile but still couldn't shake off that dark feeling in her chest.

"DEAR LISTENERS, WE ARE BACK WITH THE FIRST FIGHT OF THE QUARTER FINALS! OUR FIRST COMBATANT, HE'S AN ICE-COLD FIGHTER, WITH AN INNER FIRE, LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR SHOTO TODOROKI!"

"I don't even care anymore."

"THAT'S THE SPIRIT! AND HIS OPPONENT IS OUR HARD AND MANLY GINGER, EIJIRO KIRISHIMA!"

Kirishima was prepared. No, he was more than prepared, HE WAS 100% SURE HE COULD WIN THIS! The hug that Mina gave him upon his victory had nothing to do with it, and he was not hoping for another one after defeating Todoroki!

"Are both combatants ready? Three, two, one,... FIGHT!"

Kirishima barely moved half a step before he was engulfed in a glacier. Todoroki already turned around, to walk away.

"LIKE HELL I'M DONE!" Thought Kirishima, and used all his power...

"Ok, I'm done." He couldn't move an inch. This was it.

"Kirishima can you move?"

He did his best to give the referee a threatening look. That was apparently a wrong thing to do since she seemed much more turned on than intimidated.

"Fufufu, Kirishima can't move. Todoroki wins!"

"TODOROKI ONCE AGAIN GIVES US A COLD SHOULDER WITH PLAIN AS ICE PERFORMANCE!"

"That was better."

"THANK YOU!"

"WE WILL BE MOVING RIGHT ON! HE IS THE FRONTRUNNER OF THIS FESTIVAL, EVEN TAKING HOME A FEW RECORDS, CLASS 1.A VICE-PRESIDENT IZUKU MIDORIYA!"

"Not as bad as I thought. I still don't like him though."

"AND NEXT, HOPING TO REPEAT HIS SHARP PERFORMANCE, WE HAVE TOGARU KAMAKIRI!"

"He slipped and fell. We had to peel him off the arena. There is nothing sharp about that."

"DA FUCK YOU SAID?"

"Why does that sound so familiar?"

Izuku walked into the arena. His opponent was staring at him, with a gaze that strangely reminded him of Bakugo.

"Ha! Don't you think you're better than me, you class 1.A side character! The only reason you got this far is that class 1.B wasn't trying and was conserving our strength! But now it all comes to an end. I'LL TAKE THE TOP!"

"DEKU! YOU BETTER THROW THIS EXTRA OUT OF STADIUM!"

"DA FUCK YOU CALLED ME?"

"DA FUCK YOU SAYIN TO ME?"

"Damn. Some serious Bakugo flashbacks happening." Izuku thought, while on the outside he still looked as uninterested as before. He let his opponent ramble a while longer until Monoma joined in from the 1.B seats. That's when Izuku lifted his arm, and both strangely stopped talking.

"You get one free shot in." The audience strained to listen, but Present Mic was there to clear it all up.

"INCREDIBLE! IZUKU MIDORIYA JUST OFFERED HIS OPPONENT ONE FREE SHOT! Damn, Erasure, you were right, lip-reading does come in handy."

"It's a useful skill. Especially as a teacher."

Kakamiri got pissed Izuku's statement, and charged as soon as Midnight counted down the start of the fight, spawning blades on his forearms, and his calves. He was sure Izuku was bluffing and therefore aimed for his chest. At the same time he was expecting Izuku to dodge down, so he already planned to do a 180 turn and then kick him in the back. The strategy was sound, now he just needed him to dodge. Any second now. Any second. Any time now he will move out of the way.

"YOU FUKING IDIOT MOVE OR I'LL IMPALE-"

"SHATTER!"

The whole stadium was filled with silence. They all saw Kamakiri charge. They all saw him ain at Midoriya's chest. They were sure he was gonna slice the kid in half. But... There he was. Behind Izuku, sweat pouring down his forehead, and the blade on his forearm shattered. and Izuku looking fine, except a gaping slash mark on his uniform that let out the barest hint of toned pecs.

UNKNOWN LOCATION

"NO FAIR! THAT'S NOT HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BLEED!"

A girl, wearing a school uniform, and her ash-blond hair styled into twin buns, was screaming and raging at her crappy TV. It was going so well! The mohawk guy was about to DISSECT the greenette! It would make for such a pretty sight, seeing someone so fast and strong bleed! But he... HE! How dare he ruin her fun! How dare he be born with a quirk that makes him invulnerable?!

"Izuku Midoriya, I swear to all the red in the world, I will BLEED YOU DRY!"

Chapter Text

Izuku stood over Togaru, who was still in shock, looking at the shattered ends of the blade on his forearm.

"That was your freebie. Will you walk away, or do I have to do it for you?" this snapped the lime-haired teen out of his stupor. He gazed upwards, only now realizing, that at some point he dropped to his knees. HE should surrender. It was a safe move. A sensible move. But...

"It is not in my blood to surrender. The only way I'm leaving this ring is victorious or unconscious," he told his opponent, a cocky smirk dancing on his face. And for a second, just a second! It seemed like Midoriya was smirking back. That was surely his imagination, right?

"Suit yourself then." Before Togaru could react, he was grabbed by his shoulder, and in the next second, he found himself promptly standing just out of bounds.

"TOGARU KAMAKIRI IS OUT OF THE ARENA! MAN, THE TENSION HERE WAS SO THICK YOU COULD CUT IT!"

"Dude, you're regressing. Try to keep your level."

"SORRY!"

Mineta was confident. So confident in fact, he hadn't bothered to check who he's gonna be fighting. How did the bracket system work again? Maybe he'll get to fight Yaoyorozu. Heh. Yaoyorozu sticking to his balls. What a great idea. He's totally gonna say that to her once she falls into his perverse trap.

"Well well, Yaomom, look at you. I could have sworn you never wanted to be near me again. But look at you now. Kneeling on the floor with my balls on your-" he bumped into someone, falling on his ass, bringing his daydreams to an abrupt end. He then looked around him and saw that during his daylight fantasies, he wandered straight into the arena where Midnight and his opponent were waiting.

"AND HERE'S OUR SECOND COMBATANT, THE SELF-PROCLAIMED CASANOVA AND PICKUP ARTIST EXTRAORDINAIRE, MINORU MINETA."

"Keyword being "self-proclaimed".

A lonely clap resounded from where his classmates sat, and immediately the camera focused on Izuku, who was clapping with the most boring expression one could manage.

Mineta looked at what he ran into. Or rather who. Over him stood, in all his explosive glory, Katsuki Bakugo. Now, if Mineta would have known about that beforehand, he might have been able to muster some bravado. He tried to think of a witty remark. But Bakugo beat him to it.

"I ain't Spiky ponytail, and I sure as hell ain't kneeling. But I know someone who will be." if smirks could kill, half the stadium would drop dead.

"Huh. Feels like I forgot to think here for a moment. The guy has battle potential, that's for sure. But, if what he said in the first fight was true..." Ryukyu sometimes cursed her draconic hearing. Like when her friend Rumi brought girls home, and she could hear everything happening even when she hastily made her retreat into her agency. She checked her phone during a short break, to ask her protegee how she did.

Dragonlady420: How are you doing, Neji?

Hadouken: I'm in the finals, against Mirio X_X

Hadouken: How's my cute little kouhai doing?

Dragonlady420: He's in the semi-finals. And you might wanna call him something else, like parter.

A loud squeal echoed throughout the land, making every single person with sharp hearing wince very uncomfortably. Except for Ryukyu herself. She learned to live with it a while ago.

Izuku also heard the squeal. And he knew only one person who could make such a noise.

"Christ, did she win?! No, she couldn't. Last time you checked, she barely got into the second bracket. There's no way she'd win. You're safe, izuku. You're safe."

"Oi, Green! You're muttering. Again." said Kyoka. Izuku turned to look at her with his empty face, only to have her empty face stare back. But she did not hold out long and turned back forward. But it made Izuku think.

"Wait, if she can hear me muttering, she can probably hear a lot of things. Wait. That means-"

"Shit."

"Language!" called out the president.

"Yaomomo, shouldn't you be preparing for your match?" Mina, as well as most other people, paid no attention at what was happening in the arena, where a very scared Mineta was running form Bakugo, while constantly having explosions lit underneath his behind.

"I suppose you're right. Soda stain won't hold out for long."

"AND CONTESTANT MINETA PASSED OUT IN THE ARENA! HE ALSO SEEMS TO HAVE A SEVERE CASE OF BURNED BOTTOM. BAKUGO SURE DOESN'T SHOW ANY MERCY!"

"He was expecting a different opponent and panicked. He still has potential, so I guess he's not getting expelled."

"WOW, DEAR LISTENERS, THIS WAS A FIGHT TO REMEMBER! PONY SURE HELD HER GROUND, BUT AGAINST AN ONSLAUGHT OF DIFFERENT WEAPONS, TRAPS, AND DEVICES, HER HORNS JUST COULDN'T KEEP UP THE PACE.

"It was over as soon as she allowed the sugar cubes to distract her. That allowed Yaoyorozu to create the weighted cuffs, and locking her up, immobilizing her, and then capturing the horns flying around."

"AS SOON AS THE ARENA IS CLEANED AND FIXED, WE WILL PROCEED WITH THE FIRST FIGHT OF THE SEMI-FINALS, IZUKU MIDORIYA, VS SHOTO TODOROKI!

Izuku was sitting in his waiting room, deep in thought. His normally emotionless face melting away, to be replaced with one of self-hatred. The words he said to Shinso, and the bitter hypocrisy behind them. Really, he should-

RING RING.

His train of thought was interrupted by him loud ringing of his phone. What that thing on loud the whole time? He could have sworn he set it on silent. Good thing almost no one messages him then.

"Hello? Izuku Midoriya speaking."

"You still remember our deal, Mr. Miodriya?"

Izuku's heart almost stopped. While the voice was deep and muffled there was only one person he made a deal recently. Or ever.

"How did you get this number?!"

"I sent myself a text while you were cooking breakfast. Figured you wouldn't give it to me yourself."

"Damn right I wouldn't! Delete it right now!"

"No. I don't think I will. Besides, you'll need it to notify me of our meeting time and place after I win our bet."

"How many-"

"Just one. It's against our class ace, but I've got a plan. See you on our date, Mr. Midoriya."

The mysterious caller hung up. And Midoriya saw that his hands were trembling. And while it was tempting to just hide into a dark corner for the next month, he still had a Sports Festival to win.

"Izuku Midoriya, please enter the arena."

That was his cue. He stood up, cracked his back, and donned his regular expression of not giving a fuck about anything. He was ready. but, deep down, there was still a faint echo, repeating the word.

"Hypocrite. Hypocrite. Hypocrite."

Todoroki calmly sat in the waiting room. His father came knocking, to warn him that he won't be able to beat Midoriya with only his ice, but he gave him the cold shoulder. He will end the fight fast, just like he did before. Then he'll have to fight either Bakugo or Yaoyorozu. Neither should pose much threat, his ice will cool the area and prevent sweating, and Yaoyorozu, while certainly agile, did not possess the speed to evade his glacier attack. He was distracted by the ringing of his phone.

"Hi, Fyumi, why are you calling?"

"Shoto? I'm not interrupting your preparations, am I?"

"No. I don't need to prepare, this fight will last as long as my previous ones."

"R-right. I just felt like I should check. The guy you're fighting seems super strong, hehe."

"Anything else?"

The silence on her end was foreboding.

"Sister?"

"Shoto... She's watching."

"..."

"Shoto?"

"I have to go. Keep watching, Fyumi. I'll win. For ALL of us."

With those words, Shoto hung up, leaving his sister with a bad feeling in her stomach. Fyumi knew she shouldn't have said that. It would distract Shoto. But... he deserved to know. He deserved to know that his mother is watching his debut to the world.

Once Izuku and Shoto were both in the ring, Izuku could see something burning in Shoto's eyes. Something that wasn't there before. He'd think about it later. Before the fight could start, he had a proposition to make.

"Kayama-sensei. Could you do me a favor and count to 20 before declaring one of us immobilized or unconscious?" the heroine gave it some thought, before deciding.

"I suppose I could. Do both parties agree?" Shoto just gave a small nod.

"Then it's settled." She pressed on a small device in her ear.

"Small change. if the opponent is not out of bounds, we're having a 20 seconds countdown."

"Roger that. We'll announce it."

"IT LOOKS LIKE THIS FIGHT GOT EVEN SPICIER! UNLESS THE OPPONENT IS OUT OF BOUNDS, THERE WILL BE A 20 SECOND COUNTDOWN BEFORE DECLARING THE WINNER."

Crowd cheered. While the sport of boxing wasn't nearly as popular as before, due to many quirks giving fighters unfair advantage, and online celebrities trying to use it to gain clout, it was still well enough known that the prospect of a count down excited many people.

"Now, are both fighters ready?" after receiving a nod, she held her whip up.

"3... 2... 1... FIGHT!"

As soon as her whip came down, Shoto did what everyone knew he was gonna do. He launched a glacier attack towards Izuku. Once the mist faded away, it showed the greenette himself, crossing his arms in front of his face, trapped in a mountain of ice, but still in bounds of the arena. Midnight started the count down, with some of the crowd joining in.

"20, 19, 18, 17-"

Shoto looked at his handy work, calmly awaiting the countdown to finish. But, the more he looked, the more he found something.. Odd.

"-14, 13, 12,-"

Something was different. But he couldn't put his finger on what that was.

"10, 9, 8,-"

Then it hit him.

"6, 5, 4,-"

Midoriya was smirking.

Right before Midnight could finish the countdown, the whole glacier began to pop. Then it began to crack. Then it crumbled. And Shoto looked on in shock. His one-hit K.O was just flexed off like nothing. As if to confirm his ability to continue, Midoriya spoke.

"I have no feeling in my fingers or my thing. But seeing that look on your face... So worth it.

"AND IZUKU MIDORIYA REMAINS IN THE FIGHT! HE BROKE THROUGH TODOROKI'S FINISHING MOVE!"

"He just HAD to wait until the last second to do it. Irrational punk."

Izuku clenched and unclenched his fist, trying to get some feeling back, when Shoto attacked again. But this time, instead of getting trapped inside the glacier, he punched it away halfheartedly.

"Sorry Todoroki, but you used up your freebie. Now, it's all fair game."

He then blurred into the mist created by evaporating ice, before charging at Shoto head-on. The bi-haired teen sent out another ice attack, but it was swiftly dodged, and Shoto received... A flick on the forehead. That almost knocked him over. He sent another ice attack and leaped backward, trying to gain some distance, but, when he landed, izuku was already behind him.

"So, I wasn't really listening back there, since I had to go take a leak, but you mentioned using fire. Where is it?" Shoto narrowed his eyes. Was this another one of his father's schemes? Did he bribe his classmate to coax him into using his left side? Well, good luck with that!

"I'll never use that bastard's power! I'll win this festival with only my mother's ice!" the rebellious look in his eyes made Izuku want to ask more questions.

"And with that, you'll achieve what?"

"It's my way of avenging my mother! He drove her to the breaking point! It's his fault and by refusing to use his power, that small victory over him, to me, it's worth anything."

Shoto sent another wave of ice at his opponent, but this one was noticeably slower. The side effect of overusing his right side was becoming apparent, and slow marks of frostbite spread over his face. Izuku punched away the glacier, but this time he did not do it with half-assed effort. No. That punch was powerful enough to instantly pulverize all the ice into tiny crystals, almost akin to snow.

"So to spite your father is worth everything to you?" receiving a determined nod, Izuku continued.

"Even the lives of the innocent?"

Wait, what?

"World is not fair. There will come the time, maybe tomorrow, maybe in 10 years, when you will be forced to choose between keeping your stupid promise to yourself or save a life. What will you do then?" Izuku has forgotten about the fight, about the stadium full of people, or his bet. Well, maybe not that one, but it was pushed into another part of his brain.

Sho stood still, mulling over what his opponent said. He never thought about it. He wants to say that he would use his fire in that instance. But... Would he really? Then the image of his mother appeared in front of him. It was the moment right before she poured the boiling water over his left side. His hatred and anger overshadowed his rational thoughts. But, izuku could see, a tiny glimmer in that darkness. He just had to draw it out.

"I will cross that bridge when I get to it." Izuku as not satisfied with that answer. Maybe if he took a small page out of Bakugo's book...

"Answering like a true coward. Instead of fucking lying to yourself, you can at least admit you don't know the answer..." He could hear the voices in his head rise in volume, calling him a hypocrite over and over. but he didn't have time for that right now. He was too close to stop.

"...But it's not my problem that you're a coward. And I couldn't care less that you're lying to yourself. No. What I hate about you right now is that you're throwing all the effort our classmates put into training straight into their face, and spitting on it. By not giving it your all, you're insulting all who gave it, and still failed."

"-crite, hypocrite, HYPOCRITE!"

Izuku really hoped Todoroki wouldn't call him out on his bullshit. He already felt bad as it was. But, he forgot the universe loved fucking with him in unforeseeable ways. With a stick.

"How can you say that, when you have been doing exactly the same! Why should I use my father's powers, when you haven't shown an ounce of power you used to combat Nomu!"

During their talk the sunlight thawed off some of the frost off of him, so the next ice attack he sent was stronger than the last. Still, that meant nothing to Izuku. After he smashed it like the previous ones, and the mist enveloped the arena, Shoto heard a woosh, and before he knew it, there was a finger placed on one of his ribs. Kid gloves were off now.

"See that? I could do that to you. All Might could do that to you. Why I'm not going all out? Because no matter how strong you seem to yourself, you are still frail. You are still human. You love, you hate, you get angry. And all this bullshiting about 'my mother's ice' and my 'father's power'... That's not how it is!. It's YOUR power."

Another image of his mom appeared. it was one of the happiest memories he had, yet one he hardly even thought about. Had he really allowed his anger and hatred to consume him this far? They were watching one of All Mights many videos, the no.1 hero teaching the viewers about... something. But what he really remembered was his mother's words.

"Honey, you still want to be a hero, right? Just remember, stay true to yourself."

He felt a familiar heat surfacing, and this time, instead of holding it back, he let it out.

"You are not your father. It is alright to use your quirk."

The frost marks slowly disappeared and his left side erupted in a warm glow.

"To become who YOU want to be."

For the first time in many years, Todoroki let his flames surge. Letting the heat of his fire surround him like a coat, he felt rejuvenated and ready to continue this battle. He looked towards his opponent to find him smiling widely. Seeing that, Shoto couldn't help but smile himself.

"You crazy bastard. Don't you want to win as well? Quit screwing around, AND COME AT ME!"

Izuku could feel his cheeks hurt. When was the last time he smiled? Was it during the USJ, when he fought that monster? That was an unnerving thought. He could hear Present Mic and Endeavour shouting in the background. but that did not matter. What mattered now was to scope out Todoroki's new abilities.

"I decided to give you another freebie. After all, no offers will come your way if you don't show off what you can do." Shoto's eyes widened in realization.

"Wait. You weren't giving freebies to mock us. You were giving us a chance to show ourselves!"

Izuku could feel a drop of sweat on his forehead.

"How did he arrive at that conclusion? I gave freebies because I wanted to see their quirks, so I could write them down in my notebook... But I guess he doesn't need to know that."

"Yes!" he said out loud.

"You've figured me out. Very impressive. Now, to borrow a page from your book, COME AT ME!" Shoto grinned.

"Gladly."

An intense chill enveloped the area and suddenly izuku's top half was encased in ice, the air around him rapidly cooling. Shoto, still grinning sent a wave of fire towards him. And Izuku knew well what happens if you rapidly heat up the air.

"You clever son of a b-"

KABOOM!

A loud explosion echoed through the stadium and the surroundings. Everyone in the audience had to blink spots out of their vision and wait for the ringing in their ears to stop. Those with sharpened senses had it worse than others. But they all managed to recover and were intensely gazing into the arena, which was surrounded by smoke. Slowly it revealed two figures, a panting Shoto, looking like he was about to collapse, and Izuku standing, unperturbed by the devastation around him... and apparently by his state of dress. The entire top half of his gym uniform was now nothing but ashes, and only his pants remained, although those were also singed with holes in places. Luckily none of them anywhere embarrassing.

"Man, I did not know Mean Green was so shredded," commented Mina, shamelessly ogling their classmate.

"Hey, Yaomomo, could you make a pair of binoculars?" asked the floating set of gym clothes.

"N-no! And Please act decent. There's already one pervert too many in our class." said the class president, although one could not miss the redness on her cheeks. Of course, before anyone could tease her about it, they would receive a paddle to the back of the head, or, worse, a jack to the ear.

UNKNOWN LOCATION

"Damn it! And he's hot too? Aww, how much hotter would he be if would just BLEED!" But as she was saying that, there was a hand descending down south towards her skirt. The girl noticed what her hand was doing and after a few seconds of internal struggle, she decided to just let it be.

"Eh. Why not, I've got time."

That day the nearby police station would receive several noise complaints. Some said it was a cat, trapped in a warehouse, others that it was a guard dog that was probably dehydrated. But when they finally sent someone to check later that day, all they could find was a broken television and a puddle on the floor.

Shoto was barely standing. And he had a bad case of blurred vision. But, as he tried to blink it away, he could hear steps approaching him. Suddenly he was face to face with a shirtless Izuku. Now, Todoroki was certainly well built for his age. But Midoriya? He could probably make even All Might self-conscious.

"That was a powerful attack. Make sure you think of a good name for it."

"Like (pant) your "Sure-kill" (pant) tiers?" That got a chuckle out of him.

"You know (pant) I'm not leaving this ring (pant) on my feet, right?"

"Of course. I just wanted to do this." he extended his hand towards Shoto. And after a second of looking at it, Shoto took it and shook it."

"No hard feelings right?"

"Ri-" Shoto did not get a chance to finish. he felt a karate chop on his neck and started falling towards the floor. His last thought was:

"Dick move."

"UNBELIEVABLE, LADIES AND GENTS! THIS IS WHAT THE SPORTS FESTIVAL IS ALL ABOUT! WHAT BRAVERY, WHAT SELFLESSNESS, WHAT A BATTLE! BUT, AS EXCITING AS IT WAS, IT HAD TO END, AND WITH ITS ENDING, THE WINNER OF THIS FIGHT, AND OUR FIRST FINALIST, CLASS 1.A VICE PRESIDENT, IZUKU MIDORIYA!"

"Both gave it their all, but in the end, the stronger one prevailed. If Todoroki was more in tune with his flames, maybe he could take this one. More work for me I guess. Man, it's gonna be a pain to fix that.

"HUH. I GUESS YOUR ANTIDEPRESSANTS WORE OFF. ANYWAY, OUR NEXT FIGHT OF THE SEMI-FINALS IS GONNA BE, THE ONE, THE ONLY, CLASS 1.A NUKE, KATSUKI BAKUGO, AND HE'S GONNA BE FACING OFF AGAINST HIS CLASS PRESIDENT! SHE'S LIKE A WALKING TALKING 3-D PRINTER, MOMO YAOYOROZU."

"Don't miss out."

Izuku was pacing around the hallway, mulling over the previous matches he had. What drove his opponents to where they were today? What was their reason for being a hero? He contemplated that, as he waited for Katsuki to deal with Momo. His class president was strong, there's no denying that, but Bakugo... He was on another level when it came to combat.

Honestly, he wanted to go home. There he could think everything over without anyone disturbing him. His mother should be working the late shift, again. But, he owed Bakugo a chance to fight him again. He could see the frustration in his eyes after the end of their last fight, the unyielding desire to fight again, to give it his all. Izuku understood that all too well. He saw that every day when he looked at the mirror.

Hearing the crowd cheer loudly, he took that as his cue and headed for the waiting room. This shouldn't be much longer. Yet as he was walking, he couldn't think about his own resolve.

"To stand at the top. To look down upon those who looked down on me. That's why I want to be a hero."

Chapter Text

Momo was nervous, that was an understatement. She was straight-up shaking in her boots. Her defeat over Tokoyami was easy because she had spotted an easily exploited weakness. Bakugo... he had no such weakness. Unless you count the berserker like rage, which would be very difficult to exploit. She took a sip of her water and thought of a way to stop someone from sweating.

There were ways, but which one was the fastest? Could she create magnesium powder? No wait, magnesium is flammable, it would do more harm than good? Maybe a water dispenser? No, that's silly. Attacking one of their top tier fighters with a water gun, what was she? A clown? Maybe he's scared of clowns? Could she make a colorful wig? A ball? Funny nose? Would he even laugh? Maybe laughing gas... But that could easily get out of hand...

"Momo Yaoyorozu, please enter the arena."

The announcer's voice startled her into spilling her water. But, she stood up, and walked outside.

"THERE SHE IS! OUR FIRST COMBATANT, CREATING BOTH GADGETS AND STRATEGIES, CLASS PRESIDENT OF 1.A, MOMO YAOYOROZU!

"Give up on the puns!"

Present Mic then announced the second combatant. And unlike before, Bakugo did not argue back, he just walked into the ring staring her down. She was preparing to say something, but before she could open her mouth, he spoke first.

"I don't have time for you, Spiky Ponytail. So I'll prove that I'm the best by beating you."

"What about Midoriya?" Katsuki stayed quiet for a moment, before replying.

"He may be ahead now, but he's an idiot if he thinks I won't catch up!"

"Are the combatants ready? 3... 2... 1... FIGHT!"

Momo created a riot shield and blocked the incoming explosions. She then tried to create a long-range weapon, but Bakugo didn't pull any punches, almost blasting the shield out of her hand. She backed away, carefully following his movements through the little window, always keeping the shield in between them, while thinking of something to create.

"Enough stalling, Spiky Ponytail!" Bakugo decided that the best defense was offense, and charged full force, using his explosions to propel himself forward.

"Shit, what should I make, I need to make SOMETHING."

Momo managed to dodge Bakugo's incoming charge, but in the process, his explosion caused the shield to be knocked out of her hand. She aimed her palm at the ground, rapidly creating a simple metal staff that launched her away from her opponent. But Bakugo wasn't one to wait for the enemy to finish making their move.

"I said enough stalling! Stunt Granade!"A blinding light spread throughout the area, blinding Momo, and giving Bakugo a chance to close in.

"BAKUGO LANDS THE FIRST PUNCH WITH A BIG RIGHT!"

"It almost knocked Yaoyorozu out of the ring. She can't risk taking another punch like that."

The world was ringing. Momo was trying to stand up, but her legs refused to obey. She looked at Bakugo who was standing a few feet away, trying to shake the numbness out of his hand. Next to him laid a half created shield with a sizable dent and some blood where the edge smacked into her temple.

She managed to scramble on her feet, and slowly the world stopped ringing. But, Bakugo was already there.

"Sorry, Spiky Ponytail. It's my win." He unleashed a point-blank explosion, launching her out of the arena.

"WITH AN EXPLOSIVE FINISH, THE WINNER IS BAKUGO, WHICH MEANS HE WILL BE FACING MIDORIYA IN THE FINAL ROUND!"

"Rabid dog vs neutered dragon."

Bakugo walked out of the arena, with a firm step. But as soon as he was out of sight of the crowd, he leaned on the wall and grasped his chest. Looking down his shirt, he could already see the bruise forming where Spiky Ponytail slammed the edge of the shield. Maybe even cracked a rib. No matter. His next fight will be on soon, and he'll be there. No matter what.

Izuku was still reflecting on his resolve and previous fights when he entered the arena, wearing a new gym top, to the disappointment of some of the audience. He could see Bakugo waiting there, impatient, almost skittish. So he pushed the distracting thoughts aside and stepped into the ring, head held high. Bakugo deserved his full attention.

"Get ready, Deku. Today, everything is on the line."

"If you say so."

They both took a stance, well, Bakugo did, at least. Izuku just stood there. Something was bothering him. No matter how hard he tried not to think about it, his resolve, the strive to be strong-

"...FIGHT!"

Bakugo charged ahead and prepared a big right. Izuku almost wanted to roll his eyes. But, as he prepared to intercept, Bakugo switched direction mid-air and slammed his boot into his chin... and coming to a complete halt. Izuku not budging an inch.

"Well, at least you tried." Izuku then grabbed his leg and tossed him into the air. This gave the explosion user a chance to maneuver away and try to launch some explosions his way. Other than singing the clothes he was wearing, and marking his hands with some sooth, it didn't do much. But Izuku was again thinking about something else. Striving to be the strongest, refusing to fail,-

"OI! Pay attention to me, you fucking nerd!" Bakugo was upon him like a bird of prey, executing an ax kick that he intercepted with his forearm, and then defending against an onslaught of jabs, punches, and kicks, with occasional explosions mixed in-between. It didn't affect Izuku. He decided it was enough, and gave Bakugo a shove, that took him halfway across the arena. He started coughing.

"Hey, you ok? Did you see Recovery Girl before the fight?"

"Fuck you."

"Oh, cool, you're fine."

"BAKUGO HAS BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THE OFFENSIVE, BUT IT APPEARS TO NOT DO MUCH AGAINST MIDORIYA! WHAT DID THAT BOY EAT GROWING UP?"

"Granite, with a touch of titanium."

Bakugo charged again, and Izuku really did not want to go through another set of gym clothes, so he resorted to dodging. And that went on for about three minutes. Then Bakugo started getting angry. More and more explosions were launched at his opponent until one hit him point-blank, and he had to rub his eyes. Bakugo used the time to launch into the air and attack with another ax kick, this one aimed at his back. It felt like kicking a cement floor. He then dropped on the ground, using his explosions to spin fast and try to knock Izuku down with a sweep kick. It felt like kicking a steel beam. He finally stopped and backpedaled, until there were several feet between them. He was panting, and there was a slight shake in his arms.

"Fuck. WHAT ARE YOU MADE OFF!" Taking a good look at Izuku, he truly wasn't in any worse condition than when he came onto the stage. Hell, even his gym wear was in worse condition after his fight with Todoroki than now. Barring a couple of scorch marks, and a small hole here and there, it was still in decent condition.

"Well, I can't answer for sure, but I do know that I'm about 70% water." Oh, Bakugo could just SMELL smug in that answer. And, he didn't find it funny.

"STOP FUCKING AROUND! YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN! I THOUGHT OVER WHAT YOU TOLD ME. AND THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL A COUPLE OF EXERCISES COULD DO THAT! NOW WITH YOUR QUIRKLESS ASS!"

Bakugo's voice was carrying across the stadium. And after he was done, the whispers spread. Izuku almost dropped in a state of panic, but there was one thought that prevented it.

"No one is hardly going to believe him."

Reassured of himself, he again prepared to face Bakugo, but the blond wasn't done.

"YOU THINK I DON'T SEE IT? I KNEW YOU BEFORE YOU TURNED INTO AN EMOTIONLESS SACK OF BRICKS! THE WAY YOU DODGE, OR BLOCK WITHOUT ANY EFFORT! AND WHAT WERE THOSE HALF ASSED PUNCHES? ROUND CHEEKS PUT MORE EFFORT INTO HER ATTACKS." He had to take a breath. Izuku was worried he was gonna suffocate.

"I'm telling you here and now, Deku... STOP LOOKING DOWN ON ME! THIS IS NOT YOU! WHERE IS THE ANNOYING LITTLE NERD THAT FOLLOWED ME AROUND, AND WISHED TO SAVE PEOPLE WITH A SMILE?"

Izuku stopped. The voices in his head fell quiet as well. What was Bakugo trying to do?

"LOOKING DOWN ON PEOPLE? ONLY WANTING TO WIN AGAINST THEM AT THEIR BEST? THAT IS NOT YOU! THAT'S ME!"

Something cracked. Izuku saw his life play in front of his eyes. What Bakugo was saying... It can't be right, right? No, no, he can't be like him. Izuku wasn't a good liar. So, he knew bullshit, even if it was him who said it.

"Holy shit. I almost turned into a Bakugo!" One could only stop and start muttering to himself in the face of such a revelation. Intentionally, or not, ignoring a walking talking barrel of nitroglycerin.

"You won't talk to me? Fine, just die then. And I'll be the winner!" He launched into the air and then propelled himself in a spiraling motion, creating a miniature tornado. Many of the audience recognized the maneuver, and Uraraka paled a little at seeing it.

"EAT THIS! HOWITZER IMPACT!" a spiral explosion launched towards Izuku who was still mumbling. Cementos tried to create a barrier between them, but it drilled right through, engulfing the mumbling teen in a spiral of fire and smoke. Many in the audience panicked, seemingly forgetting the guy flexed off a glacier in the previous round. But the experienced heroes knew better.

"The explosion kid wasn't even hurting him in the slightest, so this probably did little more than tore up his uniform." Of course, with Midoriya being only 15, Ryuukyuu didn't have any unclean thoughts about his ripped upper body. None at all.

Bakugo strained his eyes, trying to look through fire and smoke to spot his opponent. And once he did, he cursed himself. That last attack took about the last ounce of juice he had. And Izuku Midoriya was completely unhurt. But he was probably gonna need a new set of clothes. A full set. Out the inferno emerged the greenette, without an ounce of fabric covering his shredded body.

He walked towards Bakugo, who was fighting his exhaustion to remain to stand, despite all four of his limbs shaking. But when Bakugo looked him in the eyes, he couldn't help but grin. He could spot something in those pools of green. A tiny bit of old Izuku was back.

"I'm sorry." Apparently the part that apologized for no reason. Well, at least it was progress.

"Izuku, the one you want, he's gone. But... I'd like to get him back. Will you help me, rival?" Bakugo's grin turned into a smile. He extended his hand.

"Like you could do it without me, nerd." they shook hands, completely ignoring the fact that Izuku was naked, Midnight was passed out with a nose bleed, and that there were about a thousand different cell phones currently snapping pictures or filming.

"Now, let's finish this fight, Deku!"

"Damn right, Bakugo!"

Now, Bakugo saw how Izuku's previous fight ended. So, he, of course, expected for Izuku to let him lose with dignity. He was wrong, because at that moment the Universe sent a breeze across the stadium. And Izuku felt it. In places, he wasn't supposed to.

There were no words spoken. Only a blur rushing out of the arena, leaving Bakugo standing there, together with Midnight, who had no recollection of the last five minutes, except a feeling she just forgot something really important. But, she still performed her duties as a referee.

"Um, Izuku Midoriyahas left the area... the winner of the sports festival is Bakugo Katsuki!" the silence grew thick. Before it was unceremoniously broken.

"OI! GET THE FUCK BACK YOU FUCKING NEEEERD!"

In the end, Bakugo had to be chained to the podium and gagged so he would stop trying to get Izuku to knock him out, and the award ceremony could begin. Izuku, now dressed in ANOTHER new set of gym clothes, kept his blank expression, but, his gaze remained that of someone who lost his way, and was now wandering in the dark, not hearing the roaring crowd, as All Might made his entrance on the scene.

"Ha ha ha! I AM HERE! To pass the medals to our best! Now, in the third place, Miss Yaoyorozu, and Mr Todoroki!" The no.1 hero whispered a few words of encouragement to both before he proceeded to Izuku. But, he saw something had changed in the young man. The look in his eyes was something he recognized. He saw it in the mirror the day his mentor died.

"Young Midoriya. I can see you lost something. Will you let me give you some advice?" Izuku tried to glare at his ex-idol, but with the turmoil in his head, he couldn't muster enough wrath. So he gave a tiny nod.

"Go to Dagoba Beach tomorrow. You'll know what to do, and it might help you find what you lost." Izuku nodded again and accepted the silver medal, while All Might's smile became a little wider. Just like the teen psychology books said, baby steps.

All Might then tried to hang the first place medal on Bakugo, but the explosive teen refused. After removing the gag that kept him silent, he immediately turned towards Izuku.

"OI, DEKU! YOU HAVEN'T KNOCKED ME OUT, YOU BASTARD! THINK YOU'RE STILL BETTER THAN ME? I'LL SHOW YA! WHO CARES IF YOU'RE NAKED! NOT LIKE YOU GOT ANYTHING TO BE IMPRESSED ABOUT YOU FUCKING NERD!"

All Might laughed it off, and in the end stuck the medal in his mouth, after some words of advice of course. With that the UA. Sports festivals concluded, and the masses were leaving without regrets, while the observing pro heroes were already thinking about which students to send the offers to. Including a certain Dragon Heroine.

"Yes, send an offer to Izuku Midoriya." Some mumbles came from her phone in a reply.

"Yes, I know he'll probably receive one from everyone." More jumbles and mumbles.

"You forget we have an ace up our sleeves."

"They trained together before the festival and made a bet that she won." Some more jibbers from her device.

"Ok. I'll see you at the agency." she hung up and pocketed the device, before stopping to wait for someone. She did not have to wait long.

"Ryuukyuu!" a blue blur came crashing into the ground next to the dragon lady, who barely batted an eye. From the dust cloud emerged her favorite sidekick, Nejire Hado.

"I'm sorry I didn't watch your fight with Mirio." the hero apologized to her.

"Oh, no biggie. It wasn't a very exciting fight anyway."

"Yea, I gathered that. But tell me, how in the seven blazes did you beat him?"

"Oh, I made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Speaking of which..." she rummaged through her duffel bag, before pulling out her phone, together with a 1st place medal.

"I need you to take a picture." she hung the medal around her neck and posed with a peace sign and a smile that could outshine the sun. Ryuukyuu chuckled to herself as she took the picture, before returning the device to its owner. Said owner hummed to herself a jolly tune, as she wrote a few lines of text, and send the picture to someone labeled Mean Green Cinnamon Roll.

"And now we wait." she counted down with her fingers. Three, two, one.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Citizens of Mustafu never heard a scream more filled with a sense of dread, loss, and regret. Ryuukyuu looked pretty shaken. But all Nejire had so say was:

"Yes."

SOMEWHERE IN THE U.S OF THE FUCKING A!

Hisashi had a long day at work, so he was happy to be able to sit down in his favorite recliner, open a can of beer and watch some good ol Japanese TV. American programming always had too much drama for his taste. He saw a re-run of the U.A Sports Festival, first-year division, and decided that should be good enough until his daughter came home and started on dinner. He could cook, but his quirk demanded a level of spice that most people just weren't comfortable with, so he usually just poured over what Tatsumaki made, with half a bottle of the famous Ghost Sauce; Brings the heat to even the most fire-resistant mouth!

They were just about to announce the top scorer of the entrance exam, who was to give an athlete oath. He hoped they'd keep it short and to the point. He afforded himself a wolf whistle at the sight of the R-rated Heroine, before taking another sip of his beverage.

"-ow, your student representative... Izuku Midoriya!"

PFFFFFFFFFT!

"NANI?" Hisashi flinched at the second voice and slowly turned around. At the entrance to the living room stood his daughter otherwise knows and USA's top Hero Tornado of Terror, bags of groceries floating behind her. She slowly turned towards him, with the sweetest smile.

"Daddy dearest." Hisashi did not like that smile.

"Would you please explain why my brother, who supposedly died in childbirth, is swearing an athlete's oath, as a top scorer at Japan's best hero School?" Hisashi swallowed. He had a lot of explaining to do. And, if he survives that, a phone call to make.

"Why did he tell me to come to the beach?"

It was the day after the festival, and Izuku begrudgingly decided to take All Might's advice. His mom was home late after he went to bed, and he was out of the house early before she got up, to see the beach. His expectations were low. Universe proved they should have been lower. This place was a dump. He remembered the sea like to carry trash up there, but one would expect someone to clean that. But if no one did, people probably just started dumping things here. Shame. He remembered coming there with his mother once. She would show towards the horizon and said:

"Look Izuku! That's where your father and sister live. Once you get a quirk we'll go live there as well!"

Man, what a mood. He did not like to think back to those times. When the illusion of the family still existed. Made him regret what he did even more. Time to distract himself.

"Why would the Top Hero in Japan send me to a junkyard?"

"If I were to guess it's to clean it up, nerd." He jumped at that, before turning around, and eyeing the ash blond, who was sitting on the rail. He thought about something, and then finally decided to ask.

"Bakugo... why do you want to be a hero?"

"Easy. To beat every villain, save everyone and surpass All Might." Izuku was silent for a moment.

"I guess even with a resolve like that, you're better than me." Katsuki had to wonder what did he mean by that.

"Do you know why I want to be a hero? Not just that, but a no.1 hero? Because of revenge. Small, petty revenge. I want to be on the top, not to be a Symbol of Peace, or Hope, or to save everyone. I want to be on top to look down on everyone who berated me, ridiculed me, and stomp on my dreams. You, our old classmates, heroes who said I couldn't. My reason to be on top was to look them down and say: I'm better than you. Always have been, and always will be." He waited quietly for Bakugo's judgment.

"So what?" Izuku looked at his childhood friend.

"So your reasons are selfish. So what? It's human to be selfish. It's human to want things for yourself or to show off to others. Do you think other heroes aren't selfish? They are also humans, like you and me. Even All Might, I know, must have been selfish sometimes. What matters at the end of the day is that you act like a hero. I have selfish desires, but I still would not hesitate to save a person. So stop feeling sorry for yourself let's start hauling trash. I'm not letting you get further ahead than you already are."

Izuku smiled at Katsuki's words. Maybe they can both change. Maybe there was still hope for him yet.

"You're right... Kacchan." Bakugo grinned at the old nickname.

"No problem… Izuku."

Izuku looked towards his childhood friend. Bakugo looked at him too. Then he spoke.

"I don't like this."

"Yea it sounds weird." Izuku agreed.

"I'll just stick with Deku."

"Much better."

"Now shut up and start hauling." For the rest of the day, Izuku had to listen to Kacchan curse under his breath, as they together dragged big pieces of trash towards the pickup truck that All Might had sent. And he wouldn't trade it for anything.

Izuku returned home later that day, with a small smile danced on his face. Sadly it was not meant to last. As soon as he closed the door and took off his shoes, he was greeted with the sight of his mother, reading a magazine, and trying to ignore the ringing phone, although she kept stealing glances at it. She then looked and her eyes met her son's. There was tension in the air, before they both looked away, guilt racking them.

Izuku tried to hurry into his room, but before he could, his mother decided to speak.

"I was watching the festival at work. You came second."

"Yeah." He continued down the hallway. But before he could disappear into his room, his mother spoke again.

"Izuku... I'm proud of you."

He did not have a retort for that. He just stood in the hallway a minute longer, his back turned towards her, before nodding once, and entering his room, the door closing behind him. It seems things weren't perfect in the Midoriya household.

Chapter Text

Izuku was used to doing nothing. Ever since he stopped his training, he spent hours upon hours staring at his bedroom ceiling. But this time, he wasn't doing nothing. Well, sorta. This time, he was waiting for something. Something he still wasn't sure about. The clock slowly hit 8:01.

Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzzzzt.

Ah. That would be the devil ringing. He crawled out of his bed, and on the way to the front door plugged in the coffee machine. His visitor might not need any, but HE needed some just to survive the encounter. Opening the door, he had to close his eyes, to not be blinded by the scorching smile. He couldn't help but remember how he ended up in this mess.

Flashback time. Two weeks until the sports festival.

It was the weekend and Izuku was just sitting down for breakfast. After that... Who knows? Maybe he could recount the cracks in his ceiling, or maybe actually be productive, and train for the Sports Festival. He chuckled at the thought. Yeah, right. The only exciting thing there would be seeing how his classmates use their quirks.

Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzzzzt.

"Huh. I wonder who that could be? Maybe it's a salesman."

He went to open the door, slowly making it down the hallway, not knowing he was walking... TOWARDS HIS DOOM. Opening the door, he was blinded by a beaming smile.

"Good morning my cute little kouhai!" exclaimed the girl at the door. Izuku closed the door. This can't be happening. Maybe the milk he had used for his coffee was bad?

Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzzzzt.

He sighed to himself. This was reality now. He opened the door again. To reveal a no longer smiling Nejire, dressing in what appeared to be rather tight looking workout clothes.

"Mou. How can you be so rude! And after all the time it took to find you!" He had to admit, her pout was rather cute.

"How long did it take you to find me?"

"Well, let's see. I started going through the first building at about 6..." Wait. No, she didn't.

"Please tell me you did not go through every building in the block."

"Well, not ALL of them. Just two. Then, when I came into this one, this nice old guy told me that the Midoriyas live on the eighth floor."

"Ah. Mr. Kuseno, I think. Nice guy, heard he used to be a doctor. I always wonder- Wait, no! That still doesn't explain why you're here!" Seriously, what was with this girl. He could never properly focus around her!

His question made her hesitate for a second before she responded.

"Well, you see, since you became so strong without a quirk, I was wondering if you could help me train for the sports festival. I would really like to win this year, just to break Mirio's streak."

Izuku wanted to say no, and slam the door. But, that wouldn't stop her from annoying him further. So he decided to give her what she wanted. He smirked inside his head.

"After I put her through my exercise regime, there's no way she'll be back."

"OK then. I'll train you," he stated putting on his shoes.

"You had breakfast, yes?" The bluenette started rubbing the back of her head.

"Well, you see, I was so excited to begin training, that I might have skipped it..."

Izuku sighed to himself. It shouldn't have bothered him so much. He should put on his shoes, and start the training. But...

"*sigh* FINE. I hope you like your eggs sunny side up."

"Oh, I love them like that! Would you happen to have some bacon?"

"I have Canadian bacon."

"What is wrong with you?"

SKIP TO AFTER BREAKFAST

They were now standing in the middle of one of the bigger parks in Mustafu city. A nice artificial lake in the middle, with a running track around it, with a total length of about a kilometer.

"So... What are we doing? Are we running?"

Nejire hadn't stopped bombarding him with questions even whilst they had eaten breakfast. That was after she stopped arguing over his taste in bacon. Where was his mother? Father? Did he have any siblings? How many? Older or younger? But after a while, she did get the hint and stopped. Or at least that's what he would like to believe. Instead of questions about his family, she started asking about his hobbies, favorites, and so on.

"Yes. My training method starts with running 10 laps around this lake!"

"Huh? Now?"

"Yes. Now. 3,2,1 go!"

She started running, while he sat on a bench under a tree, pulling out his notebook and organizing the data he compiled on his classmate's quirk so far. Hopefully the Sports Festival gives him greater insight. He was finally left alone. For about 45 minutes.

"I'm done!" she was barely even winded! What was wrong with this girl?

"Umm, great? Now do 100 squats."

"OK! Wait, you're not doing that to stare at my ass are you?" Izuku had the decency to blush, before furiously denying the accusations.

"Well, I wouldn't blame you. It does look good in these pants," She remarked. Blushing some more, he just told her to get on with it.

"Oh, and after you get done with it, 100 push-ups, and sit-ups!"

"Okidoki."

"That will send her on her way. I give her an hour tops."

2 hours later

"97...98...99...100! There, sit-ups done!"

Izuku could only gape. Sure, she was sweating and panting, but other than that, she looked like she could go another lap around the lake no problem.

"So... What's next?"

"Umm... Nothing. This was it."

"Oh. Well then, it's time for lunch! I'm starving!" she was trying to cover up the disappointment.

"Umm... Sure? There's a sandwich place that way."

Izuku led the way, still a bit dazzled by the girl's stamina. Maybe it was to do with her quirk? All he knew about it was that it made her fly somehow. Should he ask? Wait, why was he even reluctant about asking?

"So, your quirk, does it only make you fly or..."

"Well, it's a little more than that. Can we get the sandwiches first, please? I'm really hungry!" He hadn't even noticed they were at the shop already. They entered and the employee smiled at them.

"What can I get for you two?"

"I'll have the extra-large, bacon sandwich." Izuku quirked his eyebrow. She must have really been hungry.

"I'll have the same, but with Canadian bacon."

Ignoring the hard stare that Nejire was giving him, he paid for both sandwiches and walked back to the park, leaving her to pick out and pay for the drinks. It was too nice of a day to eat inside. She quickly caught up with him, giving him an ice tea she had bought for him, while still sighed. Here she goes again.

"I am not having this argument again, I just like Canadian bacon."

"Why though? It's not even real bacon!"

"I told you, personal reasons!"

"What could bacon possibly do to give you a personal reason to hate it, except being too delicious and jamming up your cholesterol?"

They argued over it for well over ten minutes before Nejire decided she was too hungry and went to town on her sandwich. Izuku decided to follow her example, but only because arguing over bacon can make one strangely peckish. After finishing the sandwiches, they just sat for a bit, enjoying the afternoon sun. Izuku then asked the question which was burning in his mind.

"So, your quirk?"

"Oh, right! Well, the simplest explanation would be, I can convert my vitality into energy, and then release it into spiral shockwaves!"

"I see! So, I guess you can release it from your feet as well? That would explain how you can fly.

"You're right! But it was super hard to learn! It took me a year and a half at U.A to finally get it!"

"It would also explain the monstrous stamina you have. If it truly converts your vitality then muttermuttermutter, mutter, mutter. Muttermutter, muttermuttermutter."

"Yes! That's exactly right! You're pretty smart to figure that out."

Before either of them realized, it was already evening. They had spent the whole afternoon talking heroes, and (again) arguing about his tastes in bacon. Izuku would be lying if he said he was bored that day. It seemed like forever since he talked so much to, well, anybody. looking back on it, it was the best day he had in awhile. Not that he would say that out loud. Even the setting sun wouldn't stop them if Nejire's phone hadn't suddenly started ringing.

"Oh, shoot! That's the emergency tone! Ryuukyuu needs me!" She quickly pocketed the device, before looking at him.

"Hey, I read the report on the USJ, and it said you tossed someone to give them a boost. You think you could do the same now?"

Izuku seemed reluctant, but as it was an emergency, and she basically spent her entire day with him, he decided he owed her at least that much. Luckily the park was pretty much empty at this point.

"Fine. Her agency is that way, so get ready."

Nejire was impressed that he knew where the location of the agency was even from here, but quickly remembered he was basically a hero nerd. He placed the back of his right hand on the ground, for Nejire to step on. He then quickly charged forward, using his entire body to hurl her upward in the sky.

"THANK YOUUU!" Was the last thing he heard from her before she used her own quirk to go even faster. He felt the corners of his mouth slowly bending upwards, and before he realized it, there was a full-fledged smile on his face.

NEXT MORNING

Izuku was frying some pieces of Canadian bacon when...

Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzzzzt.

Opening the door, the second sun was gleaming at him.

"Good morning my cute little kouhai! I'm back for more training!"

BACK TO REAL TIME

"-uku? Izuku!" He came back from his trip down memory lane, to see a concerned Nejire, still standing outside his door.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, I just remembered something."

"Really? What was it? Was it important? Was it about me? Was it a doctor's appointment? I forget about those all the time!"

He grabbed her and pulled her inside, before turning around.

"Breakfast is on the table, Canadian bacon, your favorite."

"Mou!" Nejire really wanted to argue. But she decided they had too many important things to do. So she went straight to the point.

"I came for my prize." Izuku stopped frozen.

ANOTHER SHORTER FLASHBACK! (1 week till the Sports festival.)

"Hey, Hado-senpai?"

"Yes, my cute little kouhai?"

"Stop calling me that."

"I will when you start calling me by my name."

"Why would I call you by your name?"

"Because we're friends!"

"We are not friends! I'm just training you!"

"Mou!" Great, now she was pouting. If she was talking to anyone else, they would be defeated by the cuteness of the sight. But Izuku held strong!

"I checked the records on that Mirio guy. And, I'm not sure you can beat him."

"That's why you're training me, no?"

"Yea, but it took me three years to get to this point. We only have about a week." She looked surprised by that. Seriously, this was not a battle shonen, these things don't happen overnight!

"Oh. Well then. Wanna make a bet?"

"No." He remembered mom's teaching. Gamblers in the end always lose.

"You don't even know the stakes yet!"

"I don't care. I'm not betting."

"If you win I'll leave you alone."

"What are we betting on?"

"That was way too eager!"

Izuku was split. On the one hand, with her around, he wasn't so bored all the time. On the other hand, she could be so annoying! Is it possible? To enjoy someone's company, while they still annoyed the crap out of you?

"Well then, Mr. I-am-not-your-friend, if I manage to defeat Mirio, we're gonna spend an entire day together-"

"So kinda what we're doing right now."

"No! This is training! it's totally different!"

"I'm not taking you on a date."

"Wouldn't want you to, you seem like you would be a bore."

"I would not!"

"Oh? So does that mean you have been on a date?" Izuku wanted to bang his head against a tree, but that would do more damage to the tree, so it wouldn't help. He couldn't tell her he was going on "dates" with his classmates so she can get used to talking to boys. He told her it was a stupid idea, why did he go with it again?

Oh, right.

"No, I haven't."

"You're a terrible liar. Anyway, it doesn't matter. You didn't let me finish. So, if I beat Mirio, you'll have to hang out with me all day. AND, you'll join Ryuukyuu for internships."

"If she sends me an offer."

"She will. You just have to impress her at the Festival. Now, do you accept?" She spat in her palm, before extending it towards him. He was hesitant to accept, partially because of the lessons his mother taught him about gambling of any kind, and partially because, maybe, deep deep down, he didn't hate hanging out with her.

"Ok, but you can't just beat Mirio, you have to win first place." He reluctantly spat in his hand, before they shook on it. And then they had a race to the water fountain to wash their hands.

BACK IN REAL TIME

"-uku? Izuku!" he shook his head and noticed he was stuck mid-turn.

"You ok? You keep spacing out."

"I'm fine. Now, go eat and then drag me whenever."

"You said that like I'm taking you to jail. Or execution."

"With what you have planned, it might as well be. Tell me though, how did you manage to defeat Mirio?" she smirked like she was about to share a mischievous secret. He didn't like that.

"I made a deal with him." he was almost scared to ask.

"What kind of deal?"

"Should I tell you... Should I keep it a secret?" Izuku decided he did not look the look in her eyes. Reminded him too much on… Something he watched once. Only once!

"I'm one "ara ara" away from bolting it through the wall." again with the pout that could slay evil. Could any girl do that?

"Fine then. He's going through some sort of quirk evolution and needs a sparring partner that can hold out against him."

"How strong are we talking about?"

"I dunno. Not really All Might level, but not quite that far. Probably gonna get stronger over time."

"Ok, let's go!" he marched towards the door and was already putting on his shoes when she caught up.

"Why are you so eager all of a sudden?"

"This guy gave up 1st place on his final Sports Festival. I can't leave him waiting."

"I don't like the expression on your face, Izuku," he was smiling. But not in a good way. In a someone-is-about-to-die way.

"No idea what you're talking about. Now, do you wanna take the train, or will you fly us there?"

Mirio was pretty happy with himself. He and All might were usually able to train only on weekends, because of his time limit, and with the passing of the quirk even that time was slowly starting to lower. He was pretty sure it was less than 3 hours now, maybe even less than two and a half. But, Nejire promised this Izuku Midoriya would be a perfect sparring partner. His excitement only grew after he reviewed his performance at the Sports Festival. Plus, if he was as unapproachable as he seemed, he had one hell of an ice breaker.

"I think I can see Nejire," said Tamaki from the corner he was hiding behind. He saw Nejire trying to hold back a very determined-looking greenette, one that had to be none other than Izuku Midoriya. Oh. They were approaching quite rapidly now that he thought about it.

"Hey! Blondie! You're Mirio Togata, right?" yelled his kouhai.

"Yup! And you must be Izuku Midoriya. Nice to me-"

"Sorry, I'm gonna stop you right here. Did you, or did you not give up the first place to this blue menace here, so you could have a sparring match with me?"

"Well, I wouldn't quite put it quite like that but-"

"I heard enough. Put your hands up, I have some frustration to let out."

"Um, could we not do it here? I reserved a gym and-"

That was as far as he got before izuku charged him. He barely managed to put up a crossguard, his hands digging into the ground for several feet before coming to a grinding halt.

"Well, I guess your icebreaker was better than mine," he said with a smile on his face, trying to regain the feeling in his forearms. Damn, the kid can punch.

"Oh? What was yours?" asked the ever-curious Nejire.

"I was gonna say it was nice to meet a fellow exhibitionist." the girl made a confused expression.

"He means they both had their willies shown on prime time news," answered Tamaki, reluctantly looking from behind the corner he was hiding.

"Wait. You serious?"

"Yup. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if our kouhai received a few photoshoot requests, and maybe some roles in movies."

"Damn it! Where was I when that happened? Probably doing something stupid like floating around! Wait, no I love floating around. But still, what a missed opportunity!" Takami was impressed. it was rare to see Nejire lose composure. But he better distract her before she starts banging her head on the wall.

"You do know there are probably already many screenshots and outtakes on the internet, right?" Nejire had the decency to look embarrassed before there was an evil glint in her eyes. She will see the nine inches of justice! Wait, why did she guess nine inches? Who knows, the number just sounder right in her head.

Pulling out her phone, she used her web browsing app and entered "Sports Festival flasher" into the search bar. Choosing to search for pictures, the first one to come up was, unsurprisingly, Mirio. Nothin new to see there, he accidentally flashed her and Tamaki so many times it just wasn't worth giving a reaction. Next picture, however...

"It's fascinating. Who knew a person could get a nosebleed so fast." pondered Tamaki, observing Nejire, who was frozen mid-flight, staring at her phone, with a small trail of blood slowly dripping, making a puddle on the floor.

"What is Hado-senpai watching?" asked the greenhead. Damn, when did he even appear next to him?

"My guess is you, flashing the whole of Japan at the Sports Festival." Izuku looked at his dark-haired senpai. Then he realized he wasn't joking.

"Nejire! Give me that phone!" that jogged her out of her stupor.

"No! I haven't finished watching! Why didn't you tell me you were so hot!" she quickly flew away, with Izuku chasing after her. Then Mirio came out of nowhere. With no shirt. Or pants. or really anything.

"Wait! We haven't finished our spar yet!"

This resulted in one of the weirdest chases the U.A grounds had seen, at least ever since Midnight graduated. A girl with blue hair, flying as fast as possible, clutching her phone, occasionally leaving behind a drop of blood, being chased by a green-haired boy, who was, in turn, being chased by a blond-haired student, naked as the day he was born. Nezu smiled from his office, taking a sip of his tea. Yep, today was a good day.

Here's a little surprise. Enjoy.

OMAKE 3: MARKETING (these things aren't canon to the story!)

Sports Festival (before 2nd event)
After his confrontation with Shoto, Izuku was fully intended to wait out the team picking, and then take one of those who were left last. Someone who will not have moral drawbacks about literary piggybacking off his power.

Suddenly he was approached by a pair of students, one dragging a whiteboard, and another carrying a projector.

"My good sir, if we may have a minute of your precious time?" without waiting for a reply, he continued.

"We are from the business course, and we came here to offer you the deal of a lifetime!"

He then uncovered the whiteboard, that had some diagrams drawn on it, together with his face.

"As you can see, my future business partner, you have a rather plain face. Now some might think this is bad, but I say NEY! Having such a plain face knocks 0.021 yen off the production price!"

"Production price of what?"

"Your action figure, what else!"

"Huh?"

"You see, you've attracted a lot of attention, so we would like to help you cash in on that. Now, let's talk your hair."

"My hair?"

"Yes." his friend who has been silent all this time brought out a holographic projector of sorts. it displayed him, fully dressed in his costume.

"Your hair is super weird and it would be expensive to mold, so I suggest we shave it off."

All the hair on holographic Izuku disappeared, leaving him completely bald.

"You should also consider changing up your color scheme. Yellow is currently the cheapest on the market."

The color of his costume turned yellow, and became overall blander. Just like a plain yellow onesie.

"And, we've been able to get some nice red glove pieces almost free, so your gloves need to be changed to red. It will match your belt pouches and shoes."

The hologram that started off as Izuku, now looked like a bored man, with a blank expression, a bald head, and dressed in a yellow onesie.

"So… What do you think? If we split the profits 20-80, we both walk away richer."

"50-50"

"25-75"

"45-55"

"Let's just meet in the middle now, time is money. 35-65."

"You got yourself a deal." they shook hands, and Izku left, feeling satisfied. He just got himself a stable earning that he didn't have to lift a finger for, and all it had cost him was his costume colors and his hair.

Wait.

"What have I done?"

Chapter Text

"Again, I apologize, I did not mean for you to see my willy" apologized Mirio, once the epic chase was complete, and Nejire was tied up to a poll, gagged, and with her phone under safe guardianship of Tamaki. Who did not switch her profile picture on all her social media accounts for an octopus, no sir, he did not.

"It's fine, just... Just don't bring it up again." they were standing in Gym Gamma, also called the Training Kitchen land, or TDL for short.

"Now, are you ready for our REAL spar to begin?"

"Whatever, just bring it on, Perv-senpai." a burst of muffled laughter came from Nejire was tied up, and Mirio could have sworn he heard quiet chuckles from Tamaki's corner.

"Alright then. POWEEER!" Mirio activated his quirk, and slowly eased into 5% of OfA. But. His clothes started sliding off of him. And Izuku saw. And he was having none of that. The last thing Mirio remembered was a burst of wind, and something tapping him on the back of his neck, and before that, a faint whisper.

"So Mr. Smies-too-much choose you. At least he did that well."

Before he could fully comprehend the words spoken, he was swallowed by darkness.

"Mirio? Mirio!" he felt someone repeatedly tap him on his cheeks. He opened his eyes to find an untied Nejire and Tamaki standing over him.

"What happened?"

"You were knocked out. Like a little bitch." Tamaki really knew what to say to improve a situation.

"Wait. Where's Midoriya?" Nejire started pouting. And he felt the urge to go on a crusade.

"He knocked you out and left. He said next time you want to spar, bring some clothes that work with you quirk."

"Damn. I was really hoping to let loose today. I guess I should've thought ahead."

"Yea. Not everyone is as used to being flashed as us." they all chuckled, reminiscing of times they first started training together, Mirio almost suffocating because he forgot to turn off his quirk, Nejire passing out from exhaustion, and the many foods Tamaki ate, that caused him to have a queasy stomach. And now, after all that hard work, they were at the top of the academy, and some already proclaiming them better than some of the pros out there.

"Anyway. I need to see if All Might is free today. Sir said I need to train every chance I get."

"Don't you think you're running yourself a little too much, Mirio?"

"It's fine. besides, it's all for becoming the next symbol of peace." he suddenly remembered what Izuku whispered to him.

"Izuku knows." Nejire and Tamaki looked at him strangely. He jumped up, quickly putting on his pants, before pushing the limit to which he mastered the power he inherited.

"Full Cowl: 10%!" he then rushed out of the gym, in pursuit of his underclassman.

Izuku was impressed. It seemed his senpai managed to catch up to him before he left the campus AND keep his pants on. This was the second time that day he saw him wearing a pair of those. What a sad world he lived in. His naked pictures online, and he's already been flashed multiple times by a man. What a sad, sad world this was.

Mirio finished catching his breath, only to find his target staring off into space, with a single tear sliding down his cheek.

"Midoriya, you ok?"

"I'm fine, now what do you want?" Mirio wasn't sure what to say, before deciding for a simple and forward.

"How do you know?" Izuku was much less inclined to be forward.

"Just because you were the best choice, doesn't mean you were the first one."

"But Sir Nighteye-"

"It's not his quirk you inherited, was it? It was All Might's."

Silence fell between them, Mirio contemplating what he said, while Izuku was remembering that day. The day his greatest idol became nothing but another face on the list of people who didn't believe in him.

"Do you want it?" Izuku snapped out of is trip down memory lane, to look at the blond.

"Come again?"

"I asked, do you want it? One for All?"

"Hell no."

"Why not? You said it yourself, you were chosen by All Might himself! Surely that makes you more worthy than me."

Izuku sighed. They really gave that muscle head too much credit. Hell, he was everyone's favorite teacher, but he barely was able to get through the syllabus for the semester.

"One. Because I don't need a power-up. Two. There's a high chance it will take away your own quirk as well. And three. I don't need anyone's help. I'll become the strongest hero on my own."

"Sounds lonely."

"I've never been much of a people person."

Mirio looked at him for a while. How could one with such a blank face muster such a piercing gaze? He then smiled and said:

"You don't mind dragging my ass along, do you?"

"Why would I?"

"Because All Might only has time on weekends, and no one else can really keep up with me." Ok, that made sense. But wait.

"Isn't it weekend today?"

Mirio was about to laugh it off, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He looked at the date. And the number of unanswered calls. And messages. And turned pale.

"Full Cowl, Maximum Limit! 23%" with that he dashed away rapidly towards one of the further facilities on the campus. And because Izuku was actually curious how All Might trained this so-called 'Next Symbol of Peace', he decided to follow. Oh, and because the next train to take him home wouldn't be here for another hour.

"You suck at teaching."

He didn't have high expectations, but this was something else.

"I beg your pardon, young Midoriya?"

"I won't get started on your teaching career, but let's do a quick test, shall we? Mirio!" the blond teen snapped to attention.

"What instructions did All Might give you to activate One for All?"

"To clench my buttcheeks and yell out-"

"And how many times have you broken your bones?"

"I think it was seven or eight-"

"Yea, that's what I figured." he faced they Symbol of Peace and told him straight.

"Your time limit is a huge obstacle, and once it runs out, Japan will face one massive withdrawal syndrome." he then turned back to Mirio.

"Our only hope is a blondie that can't keep it tucked in to save his life. I can already hear the screams of traumatized people he'll rescue.

Both All Might and Miro looked kinda down now. He almost felt bad. But the chance to tear into someone who trampled on his dream was just too great. He sighed and hoped he wouldn't regret his decision later.

"I'll spar with you-" he could see the blond lighting up and prepare to say something.

"-but ONLY if you keep your pants on." Mirio stopped, thought about it for a moment, before smiling again.

"I think those are reasonable conditions." he spat in his hand and reached out for a handshake. Izuku did the same, before a race to the sink to wash it. All Might had to smile. To be young again. But quickly that smile became strained, as the memories of youth brought back the memories of his first failure. A face of his old mentor appearing, with a smile on her face.

He felt something wet sliding down his cheek and realized it was tears. How stupid of him. It was a long time ago. All Might moved on.

"All Might did. What about Toshinori?"

A bitter chuckle escaped his lips, along with a trickle of blood. he wiped it away, together with that lone tear. Toshinori stopped mattering a long time ago.

Ochako loved her parents to hell and back. But sometimes they could be a bit much. like how they pounced on her like wild animals, causing her to drop the bag of groceries. She had a nice talk with them both before her father excused himself and stepped outside to make a business call.

"We're really proud of you, Ochako."

"I know you told me like a hundred times."

"Heh. I guess I did."

Silence fell between them, but not a comfortable one. Ochako knew what she wanted to say, she just didn't know how to say it. Iida hadn't returned any of her calls. He was going through really tough times, and she wanted to help him. But how can you help someone who doesn't want help? Her mother took a sip of the tea she prepared, before setting it on the table and looking straight at her.

"Alright, Ochako, spill it."

"Wha-"

"Young lady, I've known you your whole life, I can tell when your holding something. Like that time you ate bananas before they were ripe and got all consti-"

"OK! You made your point, geez."

"So, what is the problem. Is it a boy?"

"No... Maybe? I sigh Yes. You could say it's about a boy." Her mother gained a knowing look.

"A classmate of yours?"

"Yes. He- Well, his brother got into an accident, and will have to quit his job because of it. I tried calling him but he just won't answer. I really like him, even did something stupid to try to understand him better, although it was less than helpful. I just... I really want to help him."

She wasn't crying, but she wasn't far. Her heart couldn't stand still thinking about what he must be going through. Suddenly mom pulled her into a hug and held her tight until she stopped shivering. Afterward, she released her, but took her hands into her own, being careful to avoid being rendered weightless.

"Well, Ochako. Men have different ways of expressing feelings than we do. Some show them openly, some reluctantly, and some just keep them in no matter what." a blank face with a green mop of hair came to her mind, and she had to stop herself from giggling.

"Yea, I know someone like that."

"See. This boy you like. He is going through a tough time. And when you meet him again, he won't necessarily want to share his burden with anyone. Now you can't force him to do anything. But the best thing you CAN do is show him your full support, letting him know you're there for him."

Ochako thought about the advice, and couldn't help but agree. Iida might be trying to hide what he's feeling, but that doesn't mean he doesn't need support. So she'll be there for him. She won't push him, but she will let him know, he always could fall back on her. Her eyes light with flames of determination. She'll be Iida's hero!

"It seems my advice will be of help. I'm glad. Now-" mother's eyes gained a dangerous glint.

"-what were you saying about doing something stupid to understand that boy better?"

"Nothing!" of course her father entered then.

"What?! Did I just hear something about boys! None of them are good enough for my little Space Princess!"

Ochako just buried her blushing face into her hands, making herself float unintentionally. Her parents were truly too much.

"Iida. I want you to carry on my name. Tensei's Hero path may end, but Ingenium's should continue. Take it, Iida, and carry it higher than I ever could."

Those words echoed in his head, as he researched the old cases involving the Hero Killer. He was, of course, limited to police department statements, and media, but it still gave him some idea where to look. His phone buzzed, and he only glanced at it. Ochako was calling for the umpteenth time, probably to see if he was alright.

"Look at her, pretending to care for you."

"Ochako would never pretend. Even if she and Midoriya re together, I'm still her friend."

"She didn't telly ou about Midoriya and her."

"I'm not talking to you anymore."

He started researching for less known heroes stationed in Hosu City. Those never bothered to send offers to top scorers, but if you received no offers you could pick one from the open agencies. It seemed he was in luck. Pro Hero Manual runs one of such agencies. He'll accept whoever applies. Iida quickly jotted down some final notes, before packing up.

"Wait on me Stain. Your days are numbered. You will be done in... BY THE HERO INGENIUM!"

Izuku was hauling trash by himself. Bakugo was forced to stay in after a heated argument he and aunt Mitsuki had about wearing a jacket. He had to admit, he enjoyed a little break from stringing curses and growls. He and Bakugo were better now. But it was still... awkward. Without a pile of trash to haul, they couldn't carry a conversation to save someone's life!

On the other hand, dealing with Nejire has become... Easier. She still sometimes argued his tastes in bacon, but he had a damn good reason for it, and no one will convince him to touch regular bacon again! it was really awkward when she came ringing and his mom opened. He spent 15 minutes explaining they were just... acquaintances? Friends? Well, whatever they were, they were not what his mother thought they were. But his rant wasn't enough to wipe that smirk off her face.

Come to think of it, that was the longest he talked with his mom in, well, years.

The metal plate he was carrying bent as he squeezed his fists. It was all dad's fault! Why couldn't mom see he didn't care for them anymore? Sure he sent cheques, but that was it. No letter, no phone call. Wait though. His mother's cellphone was ringing a lot lately, and every time he just canceled and said it wasn't important. Could it be-

"What are you doing here?"

"FOR THE SAKE OF ALL THE STICKS IN THE UNIVERSE! What are you doing here?" he could hear his heart beating in his ears.

"Oh, you weren't at home, and when I asked that Boom guy, he said that you're probably here. Except he cursed a lot in between."

Izuku was honestly surprised by how little that bothered him. Wasn't he just thinking about how used to he got of her company? Hell, she even showed him a picture of a guy she met on one of the dating apps, to ask him if he looked like a dude to get coffee with. He said he didn't know how dudes who liked the coffee look, so she asked Miro instead. But that is something that one would ask a friend and not acquaintance. So, Nejire and he were friends. How about that. A first friend and it only took him a decade and a half to make one. Oh boy, his love life did not look promising.

"-uku? IZUKU!"

"Yea?"

"Quit spacing out on me. And you were muttering. Am I really your only friend? And if you need help with love, I can always give you advice!"

Oh, right. I guess they also hung out because she could somehow understand his muttering. Well, since they were friends, and she was already asking what kinds of girls he liked, he supposed they could talk about something serious.

"Nejire?" she immediately stopped asking what were his preferable three sizes and looed at him. He sounded serious.

"Why do you want to be a hero?"

"Why do I want to be a hero? Well? I just figured that if I can help people I might as well right? Big power, large responsibility and such. Besides, there's just so many interesting heroes and villains out there and I want to ask them a lot of questions. Like why are they a hero, why are they fighting, what's it like turning into a dragon? Those kinds of things."

Izuku took a second to think over what she said. But as he was about to comment, she interrupted him, looking at the horizon with a smile.

"And, you could also say I do it for fun."

"Run that by me again, please." Izuku was confused.

"Well, it was though getting into U.A, but the times I've and there were the best times of my life. The classes, the training, hanging out with Mirio and Tamaki, working beside Ryukyuu... If you have fun while working, is it really work at all?"

Izuku thought about what she said. Her answer was weirdly serious, not something he would expect forms her. But then she also added something that was so Nejire, it was about to take to the air, and ask questions to a random passerby. But then he started chuckling.

"Oi. Stop laughing." the pout that could slay armies appeared on her face, but Izuku was unaffected.

"Sorry. It's just... I think you might have helped me find a solution to my problem."

"Really? What was it? How did I help? Does that mean you owe me one? If so, I want us to go hang out.

Izuku was about to answer the flood of questions but was interrupted by the blaring of Nejire's phone, the tune that signaled an emergency.

"Ah, shoots and ladders, now I have to go." she quickly answered the device, before looking at him expectingly. Izuku sighed but placed his hand on the ground anyway. A few seconds later a blue blur was making its way across the sky, towards the general direction of Ryuukyuu's hero agency.

Izuku observed it until she was too far for him to see, before turning towards the horizon and immersing himself in his thoughts.

"Maybe this could be my conviction, at least for now. Izuku Midoriya, a Hero for fun."

Chapter Text

The small vacation the students of the hero course were afforded after the sports festival ended. But for some reason, the female members gathered in their homeroom half an hour earlier than necessary.

Mina looked over the gathering, before turning towards Yaoyorozu.

"Did you bring the thing?" the class president nodded, before pulling out a roll of paper. Pulling together a few desks, they unrolled it, revealing a front shot of their green-haired classmate, in all of his birthday suit glory.

"That's... Oh my."

"I have seen bigger, kero."

"Why do we care again?"

Mina found herself just a little irked about the last two comments and decided to address them all.

"Oh my indeed, Toru. Tsu, never show me your search history and Kyoka... You didn't have to be here you know?"

"I know. But I slept over at Momo's, and it would be stupid to go school separately."

Mina looked towards the well-endowed teen, a tease on the tip of her tongue, but found herself at the end of a "silence or death" glare. Although it's effect was slightly dampened by the burning red cheeks.

"Anyway, now I ask you, ladies... What do we do with this information?" Everyone stared at each other, and some occasional glimpses back at the poster, where their classmate was displaying his nine inches of justice.

Suddenly, Mina smiled.

"Dibbs!" There were some groans of disappointment, but the power of dibbs was absolute.

"Alright then. You know the rules. Mina now has two months to pursue a relationship with Midoriya. After that, he's free game for anyone."

The girls grudgingly agreed. But then Toru noticed something strange. Ochako was sitting behind her desk, worriedly staring at her phone. Tsu approached her and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"He still hasn't called back?"

"No."

"Just remember what your mom told you. I think it's good advice, plus, if he doesn't show up today, we can totally storm Iida estate." Ochako chuckled at the joke, before hugging her best friend.

"Thanks, Tsu."

"Kero." the frog girl decided that a change of topic was in order.

"So any of you guys got recognized on the way to school?"

That sparked a colorful discussion that stretched until the start of the class.

Izuku came to shool a bit later than usual, because of the rain that has been soaking the street all morning, and because of all the people that harassed him on the train. He could have sworn someone tried to reach for his crotch, and only his "killer aura" as Nejire dubbed it, prevented them from doing something they'd regret. He took off his raincoat, only to run into Iida, wearing what seemed almost like a poncho.

"Hello, Iida-san. How is your-"

"My brother is fine, he is recovering as we speak, thank you very much."

"Oh. Well, then, see you in class." Izuku left, while Iida was stewing inside his head.

"She wasn't waiting for you like she normally does."

"That could have been because of the rain. Plus, she did say she was going to be in school early."

"Yes. And You know who else goes to school early? Izuku."

Iida ignored the voice and stepped towards the classroom. Izuku followed shortly after him but got... Delayed. By a group of girls who all got nosebleeds from seeing him, and only he was allowed to escort them to the Recovery Girl's office. At least the old heroine wasn't giving him any looks. Small victories, or something like that.

"Today we will be having a special Hero Informatics class." some grumbling was heard form the less academically inclined students, that was silenced by the teacher's next words.

"You'll be coming up with your hero names." the class immediately erupted into a cheer. Only a few students didn't jump on their feet, among them Izuku.

"Also about the offers you'll be getting. Don't just assume that means your hero path is guaranteed. Those offers can and will be revoked if the agencies and heroes offering them think you're not worth it. So keep putting your all into becoming the heroes of tomorrow." everyone was surprised by Ereaser's words of encouragement, but they took them to heart nonetheless.

Aizawa then proceeded to write up all the students who received offers from the various pro heroes. The top was dominated by Bakugo and Todoroki who had offers numbering in thousands. Next was Yaoyorozu, who had a good few hundred offers and then in descending order Kirishima with barely more than a hundred, Uraraka with just over twenty, and Ojiro with twelve. Even Mineta got one. It seemed that even with the Battle Royale, most offers went to those who made it into the final round. But... There was something wrong with the board.

"Sensei! I do not see Midoriya-san name on the board, and he won second place. I doubt he did not receive any offers."

The class exploded, theories and questions flying all over the room before suddenly they all turned their eyes to the student in question. Izuku Midoriya was calmy scribbling in his notebook, his surrounding the last of his concern. Sero tried to nudge him to gain his attention, but as soon as he got close, he flinched back, and almost fell out of his chair.

"What the fuck!? I thought he was gonna straight-up murder me!"

Aizawa who finished administrating eye drops to his dry eyes took it upon himself to explain.

"Nejire Hado, a senpai of yours, already declined all the offers, because apparently, he already received and accepted an offer from pro heroine Ryukyu." that got the class into even more of an uproar, and while everyone was scared to try to get Izuku's attention, that did not apply to one ash blond.

Izuku was surprised when a pair of hands slammed on his table in a strangely familiar matter.

"OI, Deku! How the fuck did you get an offer from one of the top 10!?"

"Did you look over the offers you got?"

"No, teach didn't hand them out yet."

"Well, I'm sure you got some as well." this seemed to placate the explosion user, and he sat back down, while Aizawa continued with class.

"I advise you to think hard about this because the name you decide on today-"

"-might as well be what the World ends up calling you tomorrow." hearing the seductive voice, all the boys in class quickly covered their groins, while the R-rated Heroine Midnight strolled into the class.

"Right. Midnight-sense is here to help you, while I take a nap. Good luck." already zipped inside his yellow sleeping bag, Aizawa closed his eyes. Midnight meanwhile provided each one with a small whiteboard and a marker. The class fell into silence, as each individual though about what their hero name should be. Midnight was of no help, strolling around and whispering "useful pointers" into the ears. Strangely, it seemed only boys deserved the pointers.

She tried to do the same to Izuku, but hesitated for a moment, because of the killer aura. But, as it is becoming of a hero, she overcame the fear seizing her and whispered in his ear:

"You know what would be a great name? Flash Jhonson, the Flashing Hero."

Izuku wanted to slam his head on the desk. but that would probably obliterate it. He forgot it for a moment because thankfully, none of his classmates mentioned it, but he now had naked pictures on the internet. He also remembered all the letters he burned, and emails he deleted from companies with less than questionable reputation. And he was pretty sure two or three people followed him to U.A from the train station. And the neighbor three doors over, Miss Miyamizu started giving him... The look.

"Alright, it's been 15 minutes, let's see what you kinds came up with." the first to come up was Yuga, with whom Izuku hasn't really interacted with. His hero name was a whole sentence, but strangely, Midnight was ok with it. Game him some pointers on how to reform it, and the Shining Hero: Can't Stop Twinkling was born.

Mina's hero name was refused, because of the copyrights and legal issues (damn corporations), so she disappointingly sat back down, to rethink the entire thing. Tsuyu, on the other hand, went with the Rainy Season Hero: Froppy. Midnight commented on how it suited her and her cuteness.

Kirishima decided to have his hero name be Red Riot, a homage to one of the early heroes of the quirk era. Even their quirks were similar. Jiro went with her quirk name, while Shoji went with Tentacole.

Then Izuku stepped up.

"My hero name will be, The Disinterested Hero, Izuku!"

"No. Try again."

"Damn it. I wanted to be done with it."

Some names his classmates came up with were interesting, creative, very on the nose, or just their first names. made him wonder why his was denied. After another 15 minutes only he, Iida and Bakuo had yet to find the name that adhered to 18+ heroine standards.

"Explosion Murder!"

"Nope. You just removed the "king" bit, and that wasn't the problematic one."

Izuku stepped up again.

"The Impervious Hero, Emerald Fist."

"Is that the best you can do, Mr. vocabulary?"

"Yes."

"Ok then."

Tenya chose his first name, and now they were all waiting for Bakugo. But after his ideas getting shot down by Midnight, he was done.

"Fuck this shit. Deku, give me a name!"

"Ground Zero."

"I'll take it!" the whole interaction Deku had yet to look up from his notebook. Midnight found the name to be up to standards, and so they naming part concluded. Now it was time for the offers. Bakugo mocking Izuku how he received an offer from Best Jeanist, only to be shut down by Todoroki, who received an offer from his father.

U.S.A

Tatsumaki was patrolling the streets of her home city, while also checking her phone every five minutes or so. While she usually hated getting texts from Stich, since they meant more work or a major threat, she was eagerly awaiting one specific text. One that would finally allow her to see her brother, and mother.

FLASHBACK (day of the Sports Festival)

"Pray tell, Stich, why can't I go to Japan to visit my mother and brother. Or better, tell me how are you planning to stop me."

It took Tatsumaki about 5 minutes to intimidate her father into spilling the beans, and it was absolutely despicable. Apparently, the only reason she even had a brother was that the U.S government offered a lot of money, and citizenship for Inko of her brother would have even half the power she showcased when her quirk awakened.

While he talked, she used her psychic powers to pack her suitcases. But, of course, the excess usage of her power alerted the agents monitoring her home, who in turn called her currently the least favorite person in the world. After her father.

"Miss Midoriya, you have to understand, that you flying to Japan, without permission, using your quirk, could be seen as an act of war."

"And YOU have to understand, that I have been lied to and deceived. I WILL see my mother, and I WILL protect my brother."

"What makes you think he needs protecting?"

"My idiot of a father performed an x-ray on him when he was less than a day old. he has a double joint in his pinky, which means he's quirkless. I don't even wanna think how hard his life was, and I sure as hell won't let him be beaten up for the amusement of ignorant masses!."

"Miss, I sent you a video, and before you make any rash decisions, I want you to look at it."

Tatsumaki opened the file Stich sent her. First, it showed the obstacle race, and she noticed her brother standing in the back. And once the green light lit, he was gone, only to appear on the finish. next was him dodging the teams for 15 minutes, and unbelievable speeds, and stealing their bandanas, all while carrying a purple midget. Next was someone trying to bisect him, only for the blades to shatter. Him flexing off a glacier. And him tanking two different explosions without a scratch, only tearing his clothing, leaving him in a state that almost made her say: Ara ara.

"Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't go visit. But, please give us time to obtain permission from their government, and to find heroes who will cover for you in your absence. As wonderful as your sidekicks are, they together barely scrape half the power you pack."

Tatsumaki took a few deep breaths and allowed herself to think over what she saw, and what Stich said. And, as annoying as that was, he was right.

"Ok, you do your bureaucracy magic. but, if my brother has to suffer longer because of this, I'll never forgive the Japanese."

FLASHBACK OVER

Ever since she has been waiting for Stich to obtain permission from the Japanese government to visit. Then she'll have to get a flight, reserve a suite, and set to find her brother. U.A will probably be the best place to start. Or maybe she should visit her mother first... it was also safe to say Tatsumaki moved away from her father and was (for now) sleeping at her agency. Maybe she'll go check on him once she gets back.

"So, this is your costume. How do I know it won't fall off when you use your quirk?"

"The support company made it using some of my hair. This WILL stay on."

Izuku and Mirio were again standing in the Gym Gamma, preparing for their first real spar. Nejire was vibrating with excitement, while Tamaki was in the corner, but not even he could stop himself from watching.

"I'm ready when you are, perv-senpai," Mirio smirked and then... Sank into the ground. Izuku quickly turned around, only for Mirio burst out, phase through him, and kick him in the back. Izuku spun to face his opponents, only to get a face full of a knuckle sandwich, that again phased through him, only to elbow him in the back. Mirio continued his onslaught, keeping Midoriya guessing whether his punches will connect, or phase through. Then he suddenly retreated back into the ground, and reappearing on the other side of the building, rubbing his hands together.

"What are you made off?"

"It's your fault. You should have used One for All, instead, you wanted to gauge my abilities. I kept up with you but didn't defend myself. Now. Are you going to take this seriously, or do you need another dirt nap?"

Mirio turned serious. izuku wanted his best? He'll give it to him.

"You asked for it, kohai. Full Cowl, 15%!"

"Sure-kill move: Speed O Sound Sonic!"

Lighting cracked around Mirio's form, and he charged Midoriya head-on, before diving underground, reappearing behind him, ground expelling him high in the air. But Izuku already turned around, jumping to meet him. They exchanged a few punches, all of them blocked, or in Izuku's case, tanked, because he didn't have a good way to block what he couldn't grab.

"You are sturdy and fast Midoriya! But that's not enough!"

"Then I'll go faster!"

Izuku now moved with speed surpassing Mirio's, evading his blows, and timing his attacks, forcing the third year on the defensive. But that wasn't enough, and Mirio was faced with a sharp pain radiating on his shoulder. He quickly sank to the ground, surfacing a good distance away from where his underclassman should have been. But he wasn't. Instead, he received a tap on his shoulder, and a fist to the face, so fast, it caused a whirlwind behind him that ruffled Nejire's hair.

"I figured it out. You never sink to the floor too long, and you always carefully observe my movements. Not only do you pass through things, but things also pass through you too. Air, sound, and light. It's like you completely stop existing. That means you have to take a moment to breathe." Izuku was smirking now. it seemed he enjoyed the thrill of the fight.

"Very good, Midoriya! But.. will knowing that be enough?"

They blurred again, moving so fast Nejire and Tamaki could barely follow. Mirio kept dishing out ineffective punches while receiving as much as he gave. He retreated back into the ground after receiving a particularly mean jab aimed again at his shoulder. He surfaced behind Izuku and decided to go a bit over his limit. Plus Ultra, and all that.

"One For All 30%: Phantom Smash!"

"Tell me again. How did Togata shatter all the bones in his arms." she smacked the aforementioned student with her cane, while he smiled sheepishly. Izuku was trying to look anywhere but at the school nurse.

"Well you see, he went a bit over his limit, which already caused hairline fractions. But he then also punched something really hard."

"Oh? What what would that be?"

Izuku muttered something.

"Louder, dear. I'm old, I can't hear well."

"He punched me, and then the force of the impact shattered his bones." Izuku received a bonk on the head, Mirio a pack of gummy bears and a cast, and they were sent off on their merry way.

"She can be a little harsh, but she means well." Izuku said nothing.

"Midoriya?"

"Just call me izuku. Nejire does it." Miro smiled knowingly.

"In that case, you can call me Mirio as well. You excited about the internship?"

"As much as I can be."

"Aw, c'mon, you're this first male student Ryukyu took under her wing in like, ever!" Midoriya has to smile a little. Mirio's enthusiasm was contagious. Like Nejire's cheerfulness.

"Me, Neji and Tamaki are going to go hang out on Thursday. Want to come with?"

"Huh?"

"Well, you and Nejire are friends, and I'd like to think we are as well. And Tamaki doesn't have a say in the matter, otherwise, we'd just sit around his apartment, being quiet. But he'll warm up to you eventually."

Izuku thought about it. He was used to hanging out with Nejire in the park. He was also used to hauling trash away with Bakugo. And... That was it. His social life outside of school revolved around community service, and entertaining Nejire. Which should also count as community service, but whatever.

"I... I guess I have time. Have Nejire give me my number, and text me the time and the place."

"Deal! See you on Thursday Mid- I mean Izuku!"

"Yea. See ya." Izuku now knew what was like having a friend. And he liked that feeling.

Chapter Text

Izuku honestly enjoyed his time with the Big Three. First, they checked around the new mall that opened up. Then they went for some BBQ, and Tamaki entertained them by suddenly changing his mouth into that of a cow, and scaring the crap out of Nejire, causing her to spit her water all over Izuku and Mirio. Mirio was fine, of course, even if he was shirtless for a second, while Izuku had to dry his shirt in the bathroom.

When he got back they paid and went to wander around town, with Tamaki managing to scare Nejire with mooing two more times, both resulting in her jumping on Izuku's back. After the second time, she refused to leave until Izuku promised he'd defend her from any cows, after which they argued who'd be left behind as a distraction in a cow apocalypse.

They were just about thinking about hitting a karaoke bar when Tamaki got a notification from Fat Gum, that he was needed. He also agreed to introduce the hero to Izuku, so he could ask some questions, albeit reluctantly. By now all were familiar with the muttering habit, and only Nejire could keep up with him in a conversation, once he got going. They decided to call it quits when Mirio was summoned by Nighteye for another training session. So that left Izuku, and Nejire, as they walked towards the train station.

"So, not flying away today?"

"Nah, I don't feel like it."

They walked onward in comfortable silence. It was nice, walking through the city together, and silently admiring its beauty. Before the silence was broken by the blue-haired ball of energy.

"Actually, would you mind if I show you something?"

"Um, sure."

"Ok. Get on my back please."

They slipped into a back alley, where Izuku grabbed onto her piggyback style before they slowly took off towards the low looming cloudy sky. Izuku was wondering if she wanted to show him a bird's perspective view of the city, but she kept going, straight up, and through the thick layer of clouds. And Izuku was at a loss for words.

The brilliant night sky opened up before him, with millions and millions of stars sparkling, unobstructed by the city lights. The moon was shining, not quite full, but not too far away either. And the absolute silence made him feel detached from the world and its problems. All that mattered was him and her, under the gaze of the universe.

"It's..."

"Incredible? Magical? Something that makes you want to smile and cry and yell and be silent?"

"Yes," she laughed, happy with his reaction.

"When I was first learning how to fly, there were times when I felt unmotivated. And on a very bad day, when the clouds were covering every inch of the sky, Ryukyu took me flying. It was nothing special, I've flown with her before. But then we passed the clouds, she showed me this. It was one of the true reasons she loved flying. This view was something only us two shared."

"So why show it to me?"

"Because you're my friend. And I've seen you try to be a better person, even if you still don't speak a lot about yourself. So maybe this will help motivate you as well."

Izuku was surprised by this. He avoided talking about himself because his classmates would just try to use that to hurt him more. But with Mirio, Tamaki, and Nejire, he really had a set of friends. Friends he could... Trust.

"What do you want to know?" Nejire smiled a little. She didn't want to screw this up, so she needed to be careful with what to ask.

"What is with your irrational hatred of bacon?"

"Oh."

"You don't have to answer-"

"No. it's alright. You showed me this, and I feel like you deserve at least one question." Izuku took a deep breath.

"As you already know, I'm quirkless. It's why my dad left my mom. But... He didn't leave immediately. Although he split his time between here and the U.S, when he was here, when we had breakfast, he would almost always eat bacon. Said the fat helped fuel his fire. And sometimes he'd give me slices when mom wasn't looking. He didn't go with us to the quirk doctor. And after mom told him, he left the very next day. I learned why he left when I overheard them talking on a phone. From then on, bacon lost all flavor for me."

Nejire didn't know what to say. She thought it was something silly like he ate too much of it and threw up or irrational fear of cholesterol. But...

"I'm sorry, Izuku."

"Don't be. He is gone, and will never return. He is much too busy leeching off my sister."

"You have a sister?"

"Yea. She's six years older than me, top American hero, Tornado of Terror." Nejire could just hear the admiration in his voice. His hero otaku persona shining through.

"You guys ever talk?" she could feel the cheerful mood drain from the air. Great job Nejire. You blew it.

"She doesn't even know I exist."

The awkwardest kind of silence fell between the two. Nejire slowly lowered them back on the ground, and they continued their trek in silence. At the station, they had to split, but Nejire did not want to leave things hanging like that.

"Izuku. Tomorrow, when you go to the internship, would you mind if I came along?"

Izuku wanted to say no. He really did. He already had it on the tip of his tongue. But... he was already holding enough grudges. So he should let go. Right?

"No. I wouldn't mind," he spoke with reluctance. And was rewarded with seared coronas, because of the sudden smile that illuminated the closed station.

"Great. I'll see you tomorrow then." She rushed to her train, throwing one last smile, and a wave at him before it departed. Izuku couldn't help but wave back, before heading over to his platform. Tomorrow was the start of internships. The day he'd meet one of the best pro heroes, Ryukyu. His otaku senses were flaring.

"Alright, you brats. You all have your costumes. After I call your name, come get your train pass." Aizawa looked dead on his feet. Who knew it would be so hard to escort a couple of teenagers toa train station. Luckily all he had to do was give out train passes and he'd be free! Well, he still had a brat to teach, but he could just give him exercise sets, and sleep in-between. He was a genius.

Ochako was worried about Iida. He had something dark in his eyes today, and he still avoided her. But she managed to see where his internship was. Hosu city. The last known location of the Hero Killer. She tried to say something, but Iida gave her a robotic farewell and walked towards his platform. She tried to think of something until she saw a familiar mop of green hair making its way towards the platform.

"Izuku!" She rushed after him, not noticing Tenya turning around and glaring at the greenette.

"She will say goodbye to him, while you get nothing."

"I don't have time for you." The Engine user turned back around and walked towards the train that would take him to his destination. The thoughts of revenge kept him going, even as his guilt at ignoring Ochako ate away at his sleep. No backing down. He would return honor to the name Ingenium.

"So, basically, if you and Ryukyu ever swing by Hosu, please check on Iida." Izuku was surprised. Uraraka came out of nowhere, explained that things have been tense between her and Iida, and asked him to check in on the guy. Nejire meanwhile had more important things on her mind.

"Who are you? How do you know Izuku? Is he your boyfriend? Who's Iida. Where are you interning?"

"Um... I should go. I got my own train to catch. talk to you later." Ochako rushed away from the flood of questions, leaving Nejire and Izuku in awkward silence. Luckily, awkward silence had a four times weakness against Nejire.

"So, what you wanna talk about?"

"I dunno."

"Wanna check this guy I'm meeting for coffee on Wednesday?"

"The one in a man-bun?"

"No, that guy was boring. I found this really funny ginger-" after boarding the train, they continued checking out Nejire's dating app, ate their bentos, and then she told him about the time Mirio ended up crashing the national news program. Apparently the villain sought refuge on the roof of the filming studio, and Mirio forgot that ceilings weren't as thick as the floor. He fell straight on the weather reporter, and then made a joke about raining men. Luckily the station didn't sue, but he caught hell for it from Nighteye. That reminded Izuku.

"Do you think Mirio is training too much these days?"

"Hum. Maybe. Why?"

"It's just that, yesterday was your off day, and yet he got called in for training anyway."

"Well, Nighteye was All Might's sidekick, maybe he wants to have Mirio as ready as possible to become the Symbol of Peace."

"You're probably right. How far away are we?"

"Another 5 minutes or so. Then it's a 10-minute walk from the station to the agency."

15 minutes later

"Wow."

"I know, right?"

Izuku saw the Dragon's Lair, Ryukyu agency before in pictures, and videos. They did not do it justice. In the middle of the skyscrapers and other tall buildings, there stood a castle-like building, complete with a drawbridge. As it lowered, the well-oiled chains were releasing eerie sounds, as if the gates of Hell itself were opening.

"Welcome, to the Dragon's Lair!" Nejire ushered him inside, to an inner yard of sorts, big enough to hold Ryukyu in her dragon form, with room to spare. Izuku looked around, trying to take it all in. Meanwhile, Nejire was looking up at the sky.

"Oh, look. It seems you're getting the show-off introductions."

"What is that?"

"You'll see."

Izuku startled from his pondering, by a roar that drew fear from the heart of most hardened criminals. He turned his gaze to the sky, to suddenly find himself gazing into the reptilian eyes of the creature from legends and fairy tales. The mighty beast circled her nest, creating strong winds that left Nejire's hair in wild disorder, while Izuku's was so messy, that it didn't look any worse than normal. When the heroine made her landing the ground shook, and Izuku could observe the shift from dragon to human, his eyes open wide in awe. Nejire clapped him on the shoulder and proudly spoke.

"Izuku Midoriya, meet Ryuko Tatsuma, better known as the no.9 top pro Hero, Ryukyu."

Toshinori was in the teacher's lounge, sweating bullets while staring into his phone. The caller was someone who he hasn't spoken to in months. It was his old teacher, Gran Torino. Knowing it wouldn't get any easier, he answered the phone.

"Good day, Torino-sense-"

"Don't try to butter me up, Toshi! Now, tell me why my offer to your successor was rejected?"

"Offer? You made an internship offer? To who?"

"That broccoli kind from the sports festival. Gotta say the lad is doing pretty great for himself, even if he has a no-good teacher."

"I'm not that bad though..."

"Please. I bet 5 boxes of Taiyaki that your advice included butt-clenching and yelling."

Yagi was hoping for the floor to open up and swallow him. His old teacher was right on the money. Hell, even Midoriya. Wait...

"Did you send an offer to Izuku Midoriya?"

"Yes, the broccoli kid."

"He's interning with Ryukyu."

"Scale Lady? How annoying. Thanks anyway, Toshi, I'll be on my way."

"On your way to whe- Hello?! Torino-sensei?"

Toshinori agonized over what to do next. And after reaching a conclusion, he did the smart thing. He worked on his teaching plan and tried to forget about everything that happened.

Mirio was drenched in sweat, as he repeated the drills Sir Nighteye designed for him. he had been running drills with minimal breaks. Phasing through the objects launched at him, smashing others with One for All, moving it around his body to different body parts, and then suddenly using Full Cowl to dodge a wall of projectiles from a random direction. He suddenly stumbled, his foot getting stuck into a stake on the floor he was supposed to phase through.

"Start again. From the beginning." Sir Nighteye was observing his student, the gleam of the lights reflecting in his glasses.

"Yes, sir!"

Mirio started the whole exercise again, while Nigteye's sidekick Bubble Girl observed with a concerned expression.

"Sir, isn't it enough?"

"No."

"But-"

"He can handle it. He MUST handle it. He will be the Symbol of Peace one day. This is nothing."

Bubble Girl stopped questioning her superior, but concern still showed on her face. Nighteye was known for his strictness, but this... This was another level. But Mirio did not complain. He took it all in stride, with a smile on his face.

"This is where you'll be staying. Your room is right next to mine. Isn't that great? We should totally morse code across the walls! Wait. Do you even know the morse code? I should teach you! A is-"

"Nejire, you don't even sleep here." Ryukyu's eyes showed sympathy for the poor greenette, likely having dealt with her fair share of Nejire over the years.

"But you're so boring! You always fly away home, and then I got nothing to do! Wait, now that Izuku is here we can totally have sleepovers without adult supervision! We're gonna watch movies, eat popcorn, gossip about guys, experiment- Wait, that's for sleepovers with Yuyu. What do guys do on sleepovers?"

"No idea. Never been to one."

Nejire gasped so hard, he got scared she'd explode like a big balloon. She did three loops in the air, to calm herself down from the outrage, and declared that she and Izuku would make up for all the years of sleepovers he missed. He was once again saved by the Dragon Heroine.

"Locking up your door at night aside, Midoriya. First, we will determine your skill level, then you and Nejire will go patrolling. Tomorrow we're gonna go see about helping track down the Hero Killer."

Nejire gave a mock salute, before flying to do whatever it is she did around here. Izuku quickly changed into his costume and met Ryukyu in the inner yard.

"Well then, no delays."

She quickly transformed into her dragon mode and roared aggressively at her intern. This caused Izuku to smirk, readying his stance.

"Bring it on, you overgrown gecko!"

AFTER EPIC FIGHT THAT TOOK BREATH AND CAUSED ORGASMS

The dragoness was slightly panting. And Izuku was standing, breathing normally. Safe to say none of the combatants were going all out, but Ryukyu was majorly impressed.

"I gotta say, Midoriya. You're pretty good."

"Thank you."

"I guess that clears that up. Go to the kitchen, you can use anything in the fridge that isn't labeled. Nejire did some shopping, I think she got something just for you."

Izuku nodded and headed towards the appointed way. The kitchen was very clean, with a blender, toaster oven, and a stove. Izuku looked around some cupboards, discovering some sandwich bread, and after opening a fridge, he saw a big pack of Canadian bacon, labeled with his name. Underneath, a sticky note from Nejire.

You have a good reason to like this. And it makes you, you. Hope you enjoy it. But I'm not eating any of it ;P

Izuku made himself some sandwiches, but, he didn't notice the smile that was dancing on his lips, the sandwiches being some of the best he ever had.

GUNHEAD HERO AGENCY

Uraraka was quite surprised by the hero's gentle demeanor, a polar opposite to his street reputation. But, she adapted quickly and took to combat exercises, and was taught some great evasion moves by the hero himself. In this scenario, Gunhead was the attacker, and she was supposed to execute a dodge, and redirect her opponent's force so they would lose their balance. But just before the hero charged, her mind flashed to Tenya and worried if he was alright.

Next thing she realized, there was a practice knife jabbed into her gut.

"What was that just now, Uravity? Your mind was so far away."

"O-oh. It was nothing, just thinking too much, that's all." Gunhead shot her a knowing stare.

"Is it a boy?" Her blush betrayed the truth, and the hero sighed, before sitting down, cross-legged.

"Wanna talk about it? It will help clear your mind." Ochako thought for a second, before nodding. She needed this, and the hero seemed like a good listener. Maybe he'd even have some advice. She sat down as well.

"Well, there's this boy in my class and..."

HOSU CITY

Tenya was already busy with observing the city while patrolling with Manual. He only paid half attention to the hero, who explained what they normally faced in a city and on patrols. The youngest member of the Iida family was wracking his brain for the spots where the Hero Hunter would stalk his victims. Manual soon noticed that and decided to confront him.

"I know why you're here, Iida." The teen stiffened his posture, trying to meet his mentor's gaze, but was prevented by his feeling of guilt.

"Don't get me wrong, we're happy to have you, but... Look. Stain took down many experienced and powerful Heroes, your brother among the strongest. Please trust the police and the pros to capture him." Iida looked down in shame.

"I apologize sensei! I will trust the police and other heroes on this matter. Just... Anger blinded me."

Manual was all too happy to console the teen and continue his explanation. But he was unaware of the conversation taking place inside his intern's head.

"See? No one thinks you're good enough. Not Uraraka, and not the heroes. Will you let them believe you are nothing?"

"No. I am Iida Tenya. No. I am Ingenium. I will prove them wrong. All of them. I will take Stain down myself. No matter the cost."

"WE will prove them wrong."

"That's right... We."

Chapter Text

The city Ryukyu made her agency in was a lively place where things kept happening. To be honest, Ryukyu did very little work herself, aside from patrolling the skies, letting her sidekicks ride or fly alongside her, and sending them to where the police summoned them. Unless there was a wide-scale attack or a powerful villain, she rarely descended from the skies. But it did speak miles about her endurance since sustaining flight for 6 hours is no joke. Of course, there were breaks but Izuku truly admired his mentor.

Today's patrol was cut short because Ryukyu also took it upon herself to teach Izuku the ins and outs of the hero industry. At least the basics of the trade.

"So you see, Midoriya-kun? We are government employees with a special status that allows us to get paid based on our performance instead of set wages. I, as a part of Top 10, gain enough commission so I have no need to take any side jobs. But back when I was starting out, I did my fair share of those. Mainly commercials and merchandising."

"I remember that. My mom got me your Limited Edition Morphing Delux figurine, made from a quirk-derived material that allowed for a plastic object to shift between two forms."

"I remember those. I'll be honest, those were my favorite. Do you still have it? I could sign it for you." The expression of sadness upon Izuku's face could melt the coldest of hearts.

"No. Sorry. My... friend accidentally destroyed it." Izuku was cursing Bakugo inside his head. He deserved to be punished for this.

"Oh, no worries, I'm sure I still have some at my lair. I'll get you one." Nevermind, Bakugo was the best guy ever. A boxed, signed, mint condition, metamorphic Ryukyu figurine?

"You know, Tatsuma-sensei, you seem oddly used to hero-otakus." Ryukyu's eyes gained a mischievous glint.

"Why, of course. Nejire is one, after all."

"She is?"

"Well, yes. Maybe not completely by choice, but definitely by circumstance. She asks so many questions, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who knows as much about heroes as her."

Izuku could easily picture that, Nejire going around, asking questions to various heroes and annoying them. Where was she, anyway? The day patrols should be over by now so was she running an errand? Did something big happen?

"IZUKU!"

Never mind.

"-and so I just stepped on the train and arrived here." Ochako and Gunhead sat on the floor, Ochako telling the tale of how she met Iida and started liking LIKING him, while Gunhead gave her a shoulder massage, contradicting his rather violent reputation.

"I'm disappointed in you, girl." Ah, there it was.

"Why are you disappointed in me, sensei?"

"Because you did not fight for your man! Seriously, girl! Will just let him walk over you like that even when you're married?"

"MARRIAGE? WHAT! I'm not ready to be a bride!" The heat provided by her cheeks raised the temperature in the room. What is Gunhead thinking, spouting such nonsense!

"Whatever you say, Uraraka. But you really should stand up more for your sake and his. And, you didn't get that advice from me, sometimes your friend and/or significant other needs a good wake up slap."

"But, I don't know if I could slap Tenya. Even if he needs it-"

"Do you like Tenya?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"I didn't hear you. Do you like Tenya?"

"Yes! Stop interrupting me-"

"I ASKED! DO YOU LIKE TENYA?"

"I DO!" Both were yelling at this point.

"THEN TELL ME WHAT YOU'LL DO TO MAKE HIS STUBBORN BUTT LISTEN!"

"I'LL SLAP THE STUBBORN OUT OF HIM! AND KEEP THE BUTT!"

"Great! Let's get back to training! Repeat 50 sets of katas, then we will contact Manual and go to Hosu after patrols tomorrow!"

"ALRIGHT!" Ochako felt a new fire re-awaken inside her! She will find Iida, and she will slap some sense into him! But, only if he won't listen to her. Violence should never be the first answer.

Izuku's lodgings in Dragon's Lair were pretty nice. The room was about the size of his back at home, maybe a bit bigger. He had his own bathroom and a nice comfortable twin-sized bed. He knew where the kitchen was, and he knew the sidekick in charge of the night shift.

However, there was something in his room that irked him ever so slightly. It was tall. And blue. And vibrating.

"Izuku! I brought cards and popcorn and my laptop with movies!"

It, who was actually she, wore a bluish-green cotton shirt one size too small, stretching around her orbs and stopping a little bit above her belly button. And she also wore a bluish pair of shorts that barely covered her curvy- You know what, Izuku should really stop staring. What was she saying?

"You do know we have to be up and ready at 6 am, right?"

"Yep!"

"And it's 10 pm now."

"Aha."

"So we should sleep. You know, get between seven and eight hours of sleep every day?"

"Oh, I only need like four or five. Six if we have a big mission." Nejire was saying that like it was nothing. Just thinking about it made Izuku exhausted.

"Well, I'm not you, so please leave, and good night."

"Mou! Party pooper."

"Every party needs a pooper that's why you invited me, party pooper, party pooper." Nejire pouted more, while Izuku hummed the melody. For real, world leaders would bow to the cuteness of that pout, but Izuku held strong. He turned off the lights with Nejire still in the room, plopped down on the bed and turned against the wall.

"Maybe if I wish for it hard enough, she will disappear." She did not.

Not a minute passed and something warm and very soft pressed into his upper back. Three guesses for what that was. The first two don't count.

"Can I at least get your opinion on the guys from the dating app? I promise it'll be quick! I could really use a friend's opinion on this." Ah. She played the friend card. And he was her friend, wasn't he?

He turned around only to have a phone shoved in his face.

"Here, what do you think of him?"

"Umm… Too many piercings in my opinion. I get the appeal, but three nose rings is kinda putting a hat on a hat."

"I see. How about this one? I really like his hair."

"He's Canadian, I approve."

"Oh. Never mind then."

She showed him 10, then 20, then 30 guys. They laughed at some of the pick-up lines they used, were a little grossed out by some of their interests, and weirded out by one's beard with looked like All Might's face on each cheek.

"We've been at it for an hour, did you swipe right on every dude in the area?" The confused stare was the answer he got.

"Isn't that how it works? Just swipe right?"

"Good night, Nejire."

"Our goal is to destroy everything we hate. We want to collapse society by bringing down its main pillar, All Might."

To say Stain was unimpressed was a massive understatement. He thought he had found some kindred spirits, who also saw the rot in current society and would dirty their hands to purge the false idols parading the streets in bright tights. What he found instead was a video game-obsessed punk who threw tantrums and thought disintegrating his problems was the only way. He did not have time for that. He needed to hunt.

"Mr. Kurogiri, please warp me away before I decide to repaint the walls of this place."

"Not gonna join my party?"

"I have a society to rebuild. I don't have time for temper tantrums of a manchild." Said manchild did not take that kindly.

"We also want to rebuild society. But to rebuild something, you must first make it fall. Why do you think we're gunning for All Might? He is carrying this party, and without him, they all fall apart".

Stain gave some thoughts on his words. But in the end, the conclusion he arrived at was that the League was under command of a petty boy who only planned to cause destruction and nothing else. There was no goal and no conviction behind his actions.

"Our goals may be similar, but where mine stand on a solid formation comprised of sound arguments, yours wobbles and tries to balance on your petulance. I tire of this conversation. Return me to Hosu, for I still have prey awaiting for me."

Kurogiri was willing to obey his wishes. Shigaraki, on the other hand, showcased why he and Stain could never work together.

"You think you're too good for us!?" He lunged at the hero killer, only to be barely saved from the flying knives by Kurogiri. But he was too slow to completely dodge the very tip on his sword that grazed him beneath the eye, drawing blood. Before the fight could continue, Kurogiri opened a portal beneath Stain, depositing him to who knows where.

"That motherfucking rogue! He has OP precision stat and way too high of a speed stat!" Tomura was about to sit down, so Kurogiri could tend to his wound, which bled profusely. The knife had been ripped out at some point when he suddenly froze and toppled over. He tried moving but found everything except his face completely paralyzed.

"Oh, OH! That ugly fucker! He got me with his special ability! Sensei! What do you think we should do?" The monitor that kept quiet until now started crackling to life.

"Well, Tomura. Stain won't join us but that doesn't mean he can't be of use, does it?" Tomura laid on the ground, thinking until a blood-curling smile stretched across his chapped lips.

"Sensei, do you have any Nomu to spare?"

"Hum. I just might."

Izuku got out of bed. Barely. Not because he was tired from the lack of sleep. I mean, he was, but that was not the main problem. The main problem was a blue menace clinging to his leg, not letting go and shoving her own foot into the side of his head. Sometime after he fell asleep, Nejire managed to do a 180 turn, her head now resting at his feet and clinging onto them like a stuffed animal.

His mental annoyance was interrupted when he felt something enter his ear. It was a toe. Izuku screamed.

"Oh, morning Zuku. Why the screaming?" Despite barely just waking up, Najire was already going 100%, looking at him with her infinite curiosity.

"YOU TRIED TO SHOVE A TOE IN MY EAR!"

"Oh. Sorry about that. I toss a lot in my sleep. One time, when I and Yuyu had a sleepover, I woke up to Yuyu sucking my toe in her sleep. She was ok with it. It was strange."

Izuku facepalmed. Of course, her best friend having a foot fetish was strange, but not hanging out with a quirkless kid who can shatter ground with a single punch.

"Whatever. Let's just set up, we need to meet with Tatsuma-sensei in- OHFUCKIT'S5.52, WEGOTTAFUCKINGGO!"

As Izuku blitzed around his room, from the bathroom where he brushed his teeth with such force the toothbrush broke, to his pack, unzipping it so fast the zipper went to shit, to the bathroom again, closing the door, not noticing the crack in the wooden floor caused by his feet.

Nejire calmly observed his rampage, before bending over, and pulling out her costume case she strategically placed underneath last night. Without muss or fuss, she discarded her nightwear and pulled out a fresh pair of forest green panties, putting them on before reaching for her costume.

Once Izuku steeped outside of the bathroom, he was greeted by the sight that brought his mind, which was racked with the worry of being late, to a screeching halt. Nejire almost finished putting on her costume. All that was left was zipping up the back zipper, that started right above her thicc booty, and finishing up right at the nape of her neck, covered by radiant blue hair that any man would be happy to wrap his hand in.

Taking this all in, Izuku noticed another important detail. She wasn't wearing a bra.

"Oh, Zuku. Right on time. Could you help me with the zipper please?" She asked him while holding her hair in a bunch above her head.

His body running on autopilot, Izuku slowly approached the bluenette. As he drew nearer he saw the unblemished skin on her back that showed off her muscles, but still gave off the feeling of being impossibly soft.

He gently reached for the zipper, which, coincidentally fell on the inside of her costume. He took it between his fingers, one of them unintentionally rubbing against her skin, sending shivers through them both. He slowly pulled it upward, his eyes unable to look away from her back as it moved. Nejire could feel his heavy breath on her bare skin, invoking another shiver.

Izuku was captivated by how her costume clung to her being, becoming like the second skin, the higher he pulled the zipper. His imagination ran wild as he pulled higher and higher, with how good she looked in the costume. As he passed over the area where the clasp of the bra would normally be, he stopped for a single moment.

"Anything wrong?"

"N-no."

He kept going, not noticing another shiver of his senpai, as the breath of his words laid upon her. He quickly finished up the zipper meeting the end with a slight click. Before he could step away, a waterfall of blue fell upon his head, smelling like lavender, the pleasant scent doing wonders with his hormones.

"Oh, sorry! I just threw my hair on you!" Nejire quickly turned, her hair whipping away from his face, leaving only the delightful aroma behind. Izuku needed a second to gather himself before he could properly answer, assuring her that it was no big deal.

They managed to rush their way through the castle layout of the Lair and to the courtyard with just barely half a minute to spare. The patrols were rather easy, with himself and Nejire busting two muggers and him helping Ryukyu move a truck that broke down off the road.

It was a fulfilling morning and after some lunch at the heroine's favorite sushi place, they returned to the lair for a very important job of filling out paperwork from today and yesterday. But when they entered, they found an old man dressed in a hero costume with a cape and some very bulky boots.

"Ahh, there you are. The broccoli kid." He pointed at Izuku with his cane.

"Can I help you, sir?" Before the old man had a chance to respond, a very displeased looking sidekick made herself known.

"This man came here at 8 in the morning, asking for you, Midoriya. He was quite insistent of talking to you in private." Ryukyu nodded, before deciding on the course of action.

"Nejire, you and I will go work on paperwork. Midoriya, after you're done, I left some law textbooks. After we come back, there's gonna be a pop quiz. If you fail, no patrol for you."

As Izuku observed how his mentor and his friend both walked away, the old man tried to pull a sneak attack on him from behind by kicking him in the head. After grabbing an ice pack for his foot, they both sat down in the break room, with the old man introducing himself as Gran Torino, All Might's teacher.

"I've seen you at the Sports Festival. It seems you already have a very good grasp on One for All."

"Actually, I don't-"

"Surprising, really. Maybe I don't give Toshi enough credit as a teacher."

"You mean All Might? Oh, he's terrible at it, but that's not the point-"

"Or maybe you're just really smart. More likely anyway, given that most of his advice revolves around clenching your ass. Now, I'm sure he told you about One for All, but did he tell you-"

"I DON'T HAVE THAT IDIOT'S POWER!" Gran and Izuku stared at each other, Gran surprised by the news and Midoriya taking deep breaths to calm down.

"Why didn't you say that before?"

"ARRRGH!"

Izuku needed a minute to cool down before he could explain his meeting with All Might, how he refused the power and how he deduced his upperclassman had it. He also talked about All Might's terrible teachings, and how he worked together with Mirio to help him improve his control better. It was well into the afternoon when he finished venting.

"Ahh, so I was wrong from the start, and Toshi didn't even bother to correct me. No respect for the elders."

"He probably told you, but you didn't listen."

"Well, I suppose I should get going, I need to catch a train home."

"Final- I mean, good luck with your travel."

"Ho? You're going with me."

"I'm not."

"Sure you are. I'm old, I could get lost, or mugged. AND you injured my foot."

"You did that yourself! I can't go anyway, I have responsibilities here, and-"

"Just tell the scaly lady that I commanded you as a hero. That should get her off our back."

Izuku seriously wanted to say no. But the geezer was right that he was at least partially responsible for his foot injury. His mom always told him to help the elderly, after all. With a long sigh, he decided to just deal with it, the old man could not live far.

"Alright, I'll go with you, old man."

"That's the spirit!"

Izuku went to look for his phone, his headphones, and one of the textbooks Ryukyu left for him. It was quite thick, so there was no way he'd read through it on the short train ride. He also shot Nejire a text.

This old man is insane. His asylum has no people to pick him up, so I'll escort him. Shouldn't take long.

It did not take long for the bluenette to respond with a few questions, praising him for upholding the hero spirit and an emoji or ten. Then another text that told him Ryukyu was ok with it. He then followed the old man, who was in such a rush he did not even let him change out of his costume.

He wasn't paying attention beyond keeping up with the geezer until they boarded the train (on which they had to wait for half an hour). It was only then he bothered to ask where they were going. He did not like the answer.

"We're going to Yamanashi prefecture."

"I'm sorry, but WHAT THE FU-"

"Language, young man!"

"It's gonna take almost three hours to get there."

"That's why you brought your book, right?"

Izuku said nothing. He was just done. He plugged his headphones, ignoring the 'disrespectful younglings' comment thrown at him by the old man, replied to a text from Uraraka, and started working through his textbook, on what was going to be one boring ride. Izuku Midoriya, the Universe graciously accepts your challenge.

Chapter Text

Ochako and Gunhead arrived at Hosu in the starting hours of nightfall, due to a crisis in his city, which had been successfully taken care of. Ringing up at Manual's agency, they've been informed by his secretary that both he and his intern were out patrolling the streets, so they decided to do the same. And if they happened to run into the water hero, then all the better.

"Alright, Ochako, you got your game plan, now it's time we catch your dream man!"

"Please stop saying it like that, sensei."

"How about your soulmate through space and time?"

"Less poetic, but equally ridiculous."

Gunhead wasn't disheartened, and kept coming up with how to call the "fated lovers". Most nicknames made Ochako very warm underneath her costume, but there were one or two that made the girl give out so much heat, Gunhead started seriously thinking of opening a hibachi stand.

It wasn't until later in the evening that something finally happened.

"Help! That person stole my purse!" Ochako was after the man while Gunhead tried to aim with his quirk, before deeming the area too crowded and also gave chase. Both the hero and the intern were passed by a silver blur, who quickly caught up to the mugger, and tripped him with a well-placed foot.

Gunhead caught up to the mugger and the one who stopped him, cuffing him tightly, and then returned the stolen purse. By that time, another hero showed up, the one they were searching for.

"Good job there, Tenya."

"Thank you Masaki-sensei!"

Yup, that was Iida alright. No one could swing his arms like that. Ochako perked up at seeing her dear classmate but blushed when Gunhead sent her a knowing look. She could just hear him mouthing the word "Marriage" underneath his helmet. Ochako was preparing herself to talk to him, but surprisingly, he stepped up first.

"Ochako, it is good to see you here." He removed his knight-like helm, so she could see his expression. And the smile he wore was not real Iida.

"Ah! Y-you too, Tenya."

"How has your internship been so far? I hope you find your choice adequate." Ochako wanted to say something mean about Gunhead, who, she was sure, was listening in on the conversation. But that would be lying. Any marriage starting on a lie was bound to fail- WAIT! WHAT MARRIAGE! DAMN YOU GUNHEAD-SENSEI!

"Um, yea! Gunhead-sensei taught me a lot already, but I can't wait to learn even more!"

"That is good to hear. I hope all our classmates are learning as much."

"Me too. Actually, Midoriya told me that-" Ochako watched Iida's expression darken at the mention of their freckle-faced classmate. She made a mistake. Before she could try to salvage the situation, Iida donned his helmet back on and turned towards Manual.

"Masaki-sensei! Will you allow me to bring this mugger to proper authorities?"

"I don't see why not. Go ahead Tenya. I'll notify the police chief."

"Thank you Sensei!" he helped the cuffed wrong-doer on his feet before escorting him to the police station not far from the block they were at. Gunhead questioned that decision, but Manual quickly explained that this was not the first time Iida brought a person to the station and that the police were completely fine with it.

Ochako stared longingly behind her crush and berating herself for not noticing the signs earlier. Iida was jealous of Midoriya. But why? He never showed it before. Could it be that he overheard about them going out together? That couldn't be right. Izuku never showed any interest in her, nor was she friendlier with him than with Iida.

She forced herself to shake those thoughts away. Gunhead and Manual already decided to stick together for the rest of the patrol. There was just a matter of time before Tenya came back and she could talk to him again. With a determined expression, she followed two pros who resumed their patrolling. Far off behind them, a street lit up with flames

Izuku and the veteran pro were about halfway into their train ride. Izuku tried to read the book slowly, but at some point, he just couldn't stand it and breezed through it. Geezer asked him about the usage of quirks but was quickly shut down by him admitting he was quirkless. No further questions.

He tried delving more into the music, and surfed the hero forums, posting a few troll entries about All Might and his quirk. And then everything changed when the Universe decided to dunk on him with its might.

A tall, lanky, pale green creature with empty eyes and exposed brains crashed through the train, and with it a hero. Izuku recognized him as one of the minor heroes in Hosu City. Gran Torino was on the move, but Izuku was faster.

He delivered a vicious punch at the chest, but it surprised him when the force got absorbed and returned to him. He tanked it, of course, but it still wreaked destruction around him, luckily only causing minor injuries among the passengers.

"It has an absorbing and ejecting quirk. We have to get it away so I can gauge the limit!" Gran Torino nodded in understanding and began zooming around, catching the beast's attention. He then yelled out a taunt and zoomed past it into the open city, with it on his tail.

Quickly checking around to see if any passengers needed immediate attention, Izuku was relieved to see that the cart was mostly empty, and most injuries boiled down to bruises and cuts. He decided to follow the old-timer, and take down the Nomu.

Or at least that was the plan, but it seemed that the old man yeeted himself on the other side of town. And he had the balls to complain about getting mugged. Izuku moved through the city as fast as safely possible, while avoiding the urban obstacles, like cars, trucks, and panicking pedestrians. He was about 6 blocks away from the railroad when he spotted someone familiar.

Ochako was doing her best to help people by making vehicles plaguing the streets weightless and moving them aside, clearing the path for evacuating townsfolk. Manual and Gunhead were doing their best to hold back the rampaging beast with no eyes or upper jaw, yet it still bore a terrifying similarity to the one who attacked them at USJ. But for now, it seemed to be much more focused on widespread destruction.

Suddenly it picked up a car and threw it towards the building, causing chunks of concrete to plummet down towards the evacuees. She released the cars under her quirk and rushed to help, but was assaulted by a wave of nausea. She closed her eyes, not wishing to see what was about to happen, only to feel a gust of wind and the sound of concrete shattering.

Opening her eyes, and the weight fell from her shoulders. In all his glory, his curly hair waving in the wind together with his white cape stood none other than Izuku Midoriya, brushing his gloves and coughing his lounges out from the dust he inhaled.

"Izuku! How are you here?"

"Due to a very fortunate set of circumstances. Say, you haven't seen a green-ish monster, around yay big, being yeeted away by an old midget dressed as a banana?"

"You're saying there's more than one?"

"Yup!" Before Ochako could question him further, she remembered something that slipped out of her mind during all the rush.

"Izuku! T-tenya! He's here for revenge! He's searching for the hero killer!"

Izuku seemed to hesitate a moment before he sighed and gave a nod to her unspoken request. It may have been selfish from her, but Tenya stood no chance against Stain. The only one who could safely stop him was Izuku. But before the greenette went to search for her crush, he ran a fist through the chest of the rampaging Nomu, exploding it's upper body, and giving a much needed breather to the surrounding heroes.

Iida rushed through the city, searching a dark alley after dark alley, slowly losing hope, but not giving up. He will find the hero killer, and he will have his revenge.

"Our revenge."

"Our revenge, yes."

Another street passed by, empty. And another. Then another. One more, void of life. Ano- WAIT! Movement in the shadows! He turned up the speed, preparing to deliver a vicious punch, carrying all of his momentum!

A flash of a blade! He barely managed to dodge underneath, skidding to a stop, and turning to face him. There he stood. Hero Killer Stain, holding up a local hero Iida remembered as Native.

"I found you. I FUCKING found you!" This was it. On this day, he will take justice for his brother!

"Uraraka will have to notice us. She will forget about that green wonder boy."

"Pray tell, youth. Why would you seek me, when even veterans pray to deities to never meet me." Stain was intrigued, but he could already see by his eyes. This youth was not a true hero.

"Say it."

"I came here, as hero Ingenium... To stop you."

"To KILL HIM!"

"But Heroes don't kill!"

"We do. We will do what it takes to get what we want. Ochako, revenge on Izuku! It will all be ours if we kill him!"

"That does not sound right! That is not what Tensei would want!"

Iida was so into his inner monologue, that he was only brought back to reality by a steel boot with spikes jammed to his shoulder, at the same time as a serrated knife. Using both as leverage, Stain somersaulted behind him, and only his timely drop saved him from a slash, aimed at his back.

Stain stepped on him to keep him down, before pulling out his knife, the serrated edge ripping out chunks of flesh. Iida couldn't see it when he gave the blade a lick, but he could feel it when the paralyzing effect took hold.

"I did not think that the rot of society spread so far. To infect even those who carry on their shoulders the burdens of tomorrow. I thank you, youth, for showing me I was too lenient. And take solace. For your death shall not be in vain. Farwell, the last Ingenium."

Iida could just see the flash of silver heading towards him. He tried fighting, willing his body to move, calling out to even the dark voice his mind created. But, for the first time in weeks, his mind was silent. As the steel drew nearer and nearer, Iida's last thoughts weren't that of revenge or anger. They were of sorrow, as the name of her, who he loved slipped his lips.

"Ochako…"

CLANG!

"Damn right Ochako! You better thank her well for this, because without her I wouldn't even know to look for your sorry ass."

"HE'S here! Kill him!"

Voice in his head was right. Izuku Midoriya had arrived!

Tomura observed the chaos unfolding beneath him with an expression of a kid who got the go-ahead to take everything he wanted in a candy store.

"I take it you're not going down there?" asked the ever-present Kurogiri.

"Nah. Stain got me good, I'd just get my ass handed to me. Better to stand back and watch the show."

Tomura liked this. Not only was he causing chaos and mayhem, but he was also associating the League with the Hero Killer. This meant more recruits, more action, and more resources from Sensei. maybe then he can try to capture that super strong student from the USJ. The Nomu made from THAT, under his command would surely spell the end for All Might.

"Now… If only the Nomus managed to kill Stain… That would be perfect. Be prepared, Hero Killer. be prepared to be forgotten."

"When we are forgotten we cease to exist."

"You're such a mood, Kurogiri."

"Thank you."

Stain was used to being feared. He was also used to the ire directed at him by the public. Poor sheep did not know any better. But what Stain was not used to was being ignored.

"Now, Iida. I won't pretend I'm good at feelings, or people. But I can listen. So why in the name of the Creations pointy stick?"

Izuku felt something poke him in the shoulder, and a moment later a throwing knife clattered on the ground. He chose to ignore it.

"I don't have to explain myself to you!"

"So you want me to get Uraraka on the phone, wanna explain it to her?"

"Stop rubbing it in my face!"

Three more throwing knives, one at his shoulder, beneath his knee, and one at his neck, presumably trying to cut open an artery.

"Rubbing what? Her number? I'm the class vice president. I have everyone's number." Another set of knives.

"Ok, just give me a sec here." he turned around and faced the Hero Killer.

"I admire your strength, young one. Your quirk is indeed powerful. Tell me. Why are you a hero?"

Stain peered into the blank eyes of the green-haired youth, hoping against hope to finally find a diamond in the rough, a hero, to surpass all heroes. A true prodigy of the cent-

"Oh, that? I'm a hero for fun."

…

"Excuse me, but WHAT?"

"Is it that bad? My conviction was kinda half-assed and mean spirited before, so a friend suggested I take on this one for a time. But-"

"Being a Hero is supposed to be a life calling! A selfless sacrifice of one's own health and time for the sake of others, to make the world a better place!" Stain was starting to see red. Whether that was due to rage, or a burst blood vessel, he did not care.

"Hey, now, I get that, but c'mon, Heroes have families and hobbies, and their own lives, they should-"

"They should throw all that away, for being a Hero is the greatest honor and the greatest sacrifice a person can make! And yet they demand to be paid for it and compete in pointless rankings. Fakes the lot of them! But you! YOU ARE DOING THIS BECAUSE IT'S FUN? DO YOU THINK LIFE IS A FUCKING GAME?"

"Well, with my luck, I'd expect my game guide would be a snarky gremlin, but no. I don't think life is a game. But I also don't think anyone has any right to demand one person give himself fully because of his choice of profession. It is ok to be selfish if it's not hurting anyone!"

"Heroes taking time off is hurting people!"

"Heroes are not deities responsible for every John, Dick, and Harry out there! They are regular people, who have needs, wants, and dreams! They get hungry, tired, hurt, they need a break! You know what, I'm done. Iida, we're going to find an ambulance, and then I'm going back to Nejire and Ryukyu. How can one evening turn a day into a shitshow?" Izuku turned around and seemed to fumble with something in front of him.

The stain was done with this kid. He just didn't get it. He pulled out his blade and charged the kid. Showing his back to him was his last mistake. He watched as the silver edge advanced towards his victim's unguarded neck. Until that victim turned around, and opened its mouth for parting words.

SWISH!

CHOMP!

SHATTER!

Both Stain and Izuku looked in horror at the remains of the sword falling from the mouth of the green-haired hero in training.

"Oh god no! No FUCK FUCK FUCK! NO! I am not getting aids because I bit into a blade of a serial killer! Iida, you're the kind of guy to have wet wipes on hand, right? Where are they?"

Iida wanted to answer, but he was too busy. As the rant between Stain and Izuku went on, the voice in his head got louder.

"You have to kill them both!"

"I don't want to!"

"But you must! For Ochako!" Normally this would have sent Iida over and he'd start raging on. But it's surprising how much clarity a near-death experience can bring.

"Why would killing him endear her to me? If she loves him, won't killing him do the opposite and drive her away?"

"No! It'll show her that you are prepared to do whatever it takes to get what you want! Even Midoriya said that it's ok to be selfish!"

"If you're not hurting anyone! And when my life flashed before my eyes, it occurred to me that we never asked them if they're dating!"

"Why would you ask them? I know. Is that not enough?"

"No! I must know for sure!"

"Silly Iida. I AM you. I am your fears, nightmares, and terrors. I am the better you, that will not let some broccoli kid stand in the way of his happiness. It is all his fault That we don't have Ochako, that Stain is still alive, that our brother was hurt-"

Now Iida knew for sure. The voice, or better, he was full of shit.

"Izuku!"

"Yea? You found those wet wipes?"

"No! I mean, I have them, but that's not important right now. Did you and Ochako ever date?" There. He asked. What now?

"Now you realize I was right and kill-"

SHATTER

"Aaaargh!"

Izuku was staring at him as if he grew a second head. Stain did not let the chance slip and shoved one of his knives violently into the greenettes kidneys. The blade shattered like all others, and Stain got a few shrapnels stuck inside his hand.

"For fuck's sake, Iida. Don't just say that. Now we have an injured villain. Do you have any idea how much paperwork a hospital has to go through to treat a villain? Or how much it costs the Hero organization to arrange said treatment? Were you listening to anything Manual taught you?"

"Answer the question! For the sake of my fucking sanity, answer it, before the voice speaks again!"

Whether it was because he used a swear word, or because he was genuinely concerned, Izuku decided to spill the beans.

"We kinda did. But that was because she felt awkward around you, and wanted to get used to the company of boys, so you could hang out more. It was nothing but platonic."

It was as if the dark filter over his eyes had shattered. She wanted to hang out more? She felt awkward around him? He thought their outings were perfect! Then again, he might not be the best judge as far as social interactions go.

"I… I think I need help."

Stain just had about enough of being ignored. He threw himself at the Izuku with the ferocity of a wild animal, and unleashed a flurry of slashes with his good arm, breaking knife after knife. He then performed a high kick that collided with Izuku's raised forearm, and a sickening crunch echoed through the street.

"Ok, you need to stop. I am not getting sued for use of excessive force, even if I have an out."

"Fuck you." Stain used his good arm to lift himself and perform a sweeping kick. Izuku jumped over it, and reached into one of his pouches of some zip ties.

"I, Emerald Fist, a hero in training hereby place you under arrest, on the authority of Hero Ryukyu."

That surprised Stain, Iida, and Native, who everyone forgot was even there.

"Ryukyu is not even in this city!"

"No, but she's on her way. I texted her that one of my classmates found you while trying to search for Iida. She permitted me to defend myself, and to send her the location. She can fly wicked fast. Should be here in about half an hour."

"And you think I'm gonna just sit and wait?"

"Yes. Good night."

"Wha-" A chop to the neck, and Stain was out. Ryukyu arrived in 26 minutes instead of 30, and with sufficient restraining gear. And on her heels arrived Manual, Endeavor, Gunhead and-

SLAP

"Now you listen here Iida Tenya! For the last 45 minutes, I was sure you rushed straight to your death and afraid Izuku would be too late. I did not spend a week of my afternoons with his blank face just so you could go impale yourself all willy nilly. From now on, you are gonna tell me when something bothers you, you and I are gonna go for mochi and orange juice after you're all healed up, and you are going to hold my hand when we come and go to school ."

Iida could only nod before he was escorted to the hospital. And despite him being completely fine, Izuku was still checked over by a field medic. Who kept trying to poke him with a needle.

"Ma'am, I am fine, I was not injured in any way, please stop trying to take my blood."

"But I need it."

"What?"

"I SAID I NEED IT!" the nurse flashed a blade from somewhere, Izuku didn't care where. He was just done. He grabbed the hand holding the blade, and raised it above their heads, before leaning in close.

"Hello, nurse. You better listen now. Stain tried to stab/impale/slash me a good few times. And while I barely felt any of it, I am fed up with it. SO, since I highly doubt they just let nurses stab patients and the fact that your clothes are melting, I'm gonna assume you wish to retreat. Goodbye, and may we never see each other again."

The nurse hissed at him before fleeing into an ally, and into the cover of darkness. The next hour or so passed in a blur. Gran Torino with a bandaged leg asking for Mirio's phone number. Endeavor looking scuffed but no worse for wear asking who his parents were. Ochako also thanked him, with Iida behind her bowing repeatedly. Last he remembered talking was Ryukyu, asking him to climb on her back.

All of a sudden he was back in his room at Dragon's Lair, just about ready to tuck in. But once again his room contained something tall and blue.

"Hi, Izuku. Can… Can we talk?" He wanted to say no. He wanted to push her out, and maybe slam the door. Her eyes held the look of concern. He hated that look. it meant he got hurt. It meant people wanted to help. He didn't want help. He didn't need it. He did fine on his own. But, this was Nejire. And she was his friend.

He sat on his bed, before patting the spot next to him. For a moment it was like they were back in the park after Nejire finished the training he gave her.

"So. Defeating your first villain. How did that feel?"

"Surprisingly underwhelming."

"You're talking like Stain was some mugger."

"I survived explosions. Knives don't scare me." She had to admit he had a point.

"Then what does scare you?"

This brought the conversation to a halt. What was he scared of? He survived explosions, punches, blades, fires, being frozen, being stabbed. Was there anything that scared him genuinely? Yes, there was.

"I'm scared of my dad returning."

"How so?"

"As long as he's away, it means he might have left for a reason other than me being quirkless. But now, with the Sports Festival, and now Stain, if he comes back now, thinking I have a quirk, I seriously doubt I'll be able to resist decking him in the face. And if I do… I don't know if I'll be able to hold back."

Nejire decided that was enough talk. She pulled him down on the bed, and they just stared at the ceiling. Eventually, Izuku drifted off, completely unbothered by her presence. He felt oddly comforted by it. His last thought before his mind started painting pictures of hippos and ice cream fishes were:

"Having a friend is surprisingly warm."

Chapter Text

SOMEWHERE IN AMERICA

So. Apparently, Japan had some tiny problems with letting one of the U.S strongest heroes enter their country. For a moment she thought this would have been easy, considering she was born there, after all. Didn't that account for anything? No. Because apparently, one Hisashi Midoriya saw it fit to terminate their Japanese citizenship when they left. Not that he had consulted her about it.

Between dealing with an enraged dinosaur-like monster, who could breathe fire, and pondering whether Izuku would find an "Oppai" shirt humorous enough to forgive her, she had been patiently waiting. For a day. Man, modern-day villains sucked ass. She sometimes yearned for the good old days of Psychos, but then she remembered the bitch dropped a city block on her, she had it coming.

Suddenly there was a doorbell ringing. Which made her frown. This was a government-issued apartment for heroes, no one was supposed to know she was here. They barely even told familie- wait, she knew who was at the door.

She took three deep breaths and things around her stopped floating. She was observed by the government 24/7, the last thing she wanted was for her new home to get SWATed because she had an anger outburst.

Another three deep breaths, before she went to open the door, slowly walking down the hallway. She did not bother to look through the peephole. She knew who was on the other end. Opening the door ever so slowly, she came face to face with one ragged-looking Hisashi Midoriya.

"Can I help you?" it seems he felt the chill in her voice.

"Hi, Tatsu. Can we talk?"

This was gonna be one long morning.

BACK TO JAPAN
Inko just finished mopping up the floor after last night's crying episode. Seeing her baby boy on the news made her so proud, and yet so sad. She knew Izuku couldn't hate her, no, he couldn't hate anyone. But, he did not understand her. And that was what made him… avoid her.

Weak for still having feelings for Hisashi Midoriya. The man she fell in love with, the father of her two children. The man who took one of her precious babies away, and never looked back. He didn't divorce her, for whatever reason that was. And he regularly sent money to them. But she didn't use a single yen. She wired all the money he sent to her to an account she made for Izuku. It belonged to him. It could never replace the pain he felt, growing up, knowing his father abandoned him, but it was still something.

The ringing of the phone derailed her train of thoughts. She checked the screen. Another call from overseas. Ever since the Sports Festival, that number had consistently called twice a day. There was a chance it was her daughter reaching out to her. But a much bigger chance was that it was Hisashi, wondering what the hell had happened to Izuku.

She wished she knew herself. Her boy often disappeared in the mornings and came back home half dead. On school days he would stay out for hours, coming back tired, and sometimes covered with scrapes, burns, and bruises. But he never cried about it. The last time she remembered him crying was the night she all but told him he couldn't be a hero.

One day he took her out to an abandoned warehouse and lifted a steel beam like it was nothing. She fell on her knees. She also cried. Izuku hugged her, told her he could be a hero. Then she made one mistake.

"T-that so great, Zuku! I c-cant wait to tell your father…"

He stopped hugging her. He looked her dead in the eyes, and he must have seen the hope shining in them. That Hisashi and Tatsumaki would come back. That all would be as it once was. That they could be a family.

Izuku did not want that.

"If that scumbag ever sets foot on Japanese soil again… I will not hesitate to punch him."

She remembered looking at his hands, his fingers digging holes into solid concrete, turning it into a fine dust. Inko did not tell Hisashi. And after that, Izuku spoke to her only when strictly necessary. She tried to explain, that once you love someone, you do stupid things for them, but, all he did was scoff, and lock himself inside his room.

She held back another waterfall of tears. The phone stopped ringing, and it was time for her to go to work.

Aizawa observed as his trainee struggled to make another push-up. He sipped on his gel pack while watching him, counting down in his head when his arms would give out. He was right on the mark.

"You are not working with the plan I made."

"I need to-"

"You are going to need a doctor if this keeps happening. What drives you to risk damaging your body, just to get a little ahead, a little faster?"

"-did you push yourself to the limit daily, until your whole body burned and you puked blood?"

"I have to prove myself. I need to be better."

"Sigh. You forget. I know what Midoriya said to you. And while that kind of training might have worked for him, it doesn't mean it'll work for you as well. Now, take the rest of the day off, and don't forget to stretch."

Shinso turned himself on his back from where he was lying on the ground. Gazing up at the sky, he let his body rest for a bit before he started the stretching. He forgot to do it once. Never again.

He will prove his worth to Midoriya. He will earn his damn spot in the hero course. HE WILL BE A HERO! He would show the world and all those who mocked him that even with a villainous quirk, he would be a hero. Checking one more time if Eraserhead left, he started doing sit-ups. He planned to do stretchings after one more set.

Mirio was chasing down a mugger that came across his path during a patrol. Apparently, he had a minor speed-boosting quirk and was a parkour master. Still, no challenge for Lemillion. He was hot on his tail, when he suddenly climbed over a fence, like a squirrel.

A simple matter, he needs to just phase throu-

He didn't phase through. He crashed in it, leaving a nice dent. He took a second to pick himself up, before trying again. Before he knew it, he was thorough, and back on the mugger's trail. Nothing to worry about, he supposed, and performed a proper, by the books takedown. Now to trace down the owner of the handbag.

Tenya was supposed to still be in the hospital, but a small favor from the Recovery girl, and he was allowed to move around while keeping his injured arm in a sling. The surgeons his family found him managed to save it from any long term nerve damage, and with some special exercises, it should be completely back to normal.

Which was great, cause that would mean he had another hand that he could hold his (unofficial) girlfriend with. He looked down at her as she led him across the U.A campus by his uninjured hand. Tenya's wounds, despite the healing, were too much to continue his internship, and Gunhead gave Ochako full marks for hers, due to her actions during that attack on Hosu. So now they both had free time to spend together.

Except, not all was perfect. Tenya knew it. He didn't hear any whispers in his head anymore. But they came back, in his nightmares. Where he went off the edge. Where he killed Stain, and Izuku, where Ochako rejected him. Where he reached his arms, soaked in blood towards her turned back, his fingers resembling claws.

He might have hoped it wouldn't come to this. That he could heal on his own. But after a brief talk with Tensei (that included severe reprimanding from his older brother)

He learned that Tensei had a number on speed dial that was not friends or family. A number of his psychologist. Ingenium didn't really deal with huge crimes, and yet he still needed one. It was their father's advice that he got himself one before starting out. And it was less than a month on the duty, he already had to make an appointment.

Ochako gently squeezed his palm to snap him out of his thoughts. They both looked at the door. Hound Dog was waiting behind them, together with a psychologist his family hired. He will be seeing both of them once a month at the least.

"You don't have to wait for me, you know?" he told her while looking into her ever so beautiful doe eyes. She gave him one of her smiles, reserved just for him.

"I know. I want to. How about mochi and OJ after?"

"It's a date."

She gave him another smile, before taking a seat in one of the chairs. Tenya straightened his tie, made sure his glasses were on properly, and knocked on the door. Not all was perfect. But he would do anything to make it so.

As it often was, Nejire had Yuyu come pick her up at the Lair, for some lunch. Yuyu's internship was in the same town, by a very lowkey hero, because who could really ever step into the spotlight, with a literal dragon next door.

Still, it allowed both of them to meet up often, and that seemed to suit Yuyu just fine. She was waiting for her at the drawbridge entrance this time with her hair in green color. But not 'Izuku' kind of green. What a shame. Before they left, she yelled goodbye to Izuku, with a big wave, which he returned.

"So, what do you wanna eat today?" Yuyu asked as they crossed the streets.

"Mmm. I feel like sandwiches today… Or maybe chicken. What about ramen? Or maybe-"

"Sandwich it is.." decided Yuyu, and began to firmly steer it in the way of the best sandwich shop in town. She knew very well how to deal with Nejire's antics.

"So, what's with you and the green newbie?" Yuyu needed info on her potential rivals.

"He's interesting."

"Nejire, you can't just hang around people because they are interesting."

"No, but… What I mean is he's MORE interesting. More than Mirio. More than Tamaki. Sometimes even more than you."

"Gee, thanks."

Arriving at the shop, Nejire went with her favorite bacon sandwich, while Yuyu picked one with peaches and cream. The cutest option. They sat outside to eat, but Nejire had a problem.

"It's not good anymore."

"What do you mean? We went through almost every single restaurant in town. YOu decided this one had the best sandwiches."

"I know! It's just… There's this one in Mustafu, that is just…" Oh no. Yuyu knew that look.

"We are not flying to Mustafu just so you can get a sandwich."

"Poo. You're no fun. I bet Izuku would be all for that. He loves that place."

"Then why didn't you go to lunch with him?" The bluenette gave a deep sigh.

"Ryuko is having him review how he did against Stain. She was a bit worried when he sent her a text that he found him, but seeing him without a scratch made her more confident in him. He now helps more than a newbie should, not that he minds."

"Wait, so it was the kid who handled Stain? The news said nothing about that, just that Ryukyu did it, with the help of Endeavor." Now Nejire had the look that said she told too much, and will not talk about that topic again.

"So, if the freshman did it, what's his quirk to make it out with no scratch?"

"Well… he doesn't really talk about it. He's super strong, and wicked fast. Also invulnerable, kinda. When we stopped on the way back because he insisted on a blood test, he had to take the sample himself, otherwise, the needles would just snap."

"Why the blood test?"

"He bit Stain's sword in half, and was worried about contracting a disease, or a virus or something."

"He bit a sword in half?!"

Nejire was enjoying that outing. Even if Yuyu kept grilling her about Izuku. What were his hobbies, his favorite food? She was also appalled by his apparent dislike of bacon, but now that Nejire knew the cause behind it, it honestly didn't bother her much. She was almost looking forward to their next breakfast together.

But thinking about bacon, reminded her of what he told her of his family, namely father, and sister. He strangely barely spoke of his mother, even though Inko-san seemed like she was a great parent. If she didn't like her dad so much, she'd almost trade her.

Back to sister and father. She watched a few videos of Tatsumaki in action, and with her being about 6 years older than Izuku, it is kinda amazing that the U.S allowed someone barely past drinking age to be their top hero. She behaved awfully like Endeavor, but then again, being pestered by lolicons must be a nightmare.

As for the father, Izuku seems to hate him. A lot. She also did. Seriously, what kind of parent leaves their kid by choice? Izku didn't know why he moved to America, taking his sister with him, only that he permanently made the move once he was diagnosed as quirkless. Before that, he'd be home every month for at least a week, and on holidays, except Christmas.

Lunch break ended, so she and Yuyu hugged it out, Yuyu being especially clingy for some reason, and she was heading back towards the Lair. Upon her arrival, she learned that Ryukyu took Izuku someplace and that they were going to be gone for the afternoon. That meant that the sidekicks were in charge, which meant she was gonna have to work hard. No matter, what's life without a challenge?

Sensei was right. Making it appear as if he was working with Stain was a good thing. News helicopters spotted him and Kurogiri and made the connection, the headlines appearing all over the many journalistic outlets. And with those, an influx of recruits came in.

Some were excellent, like a kid named Mustard and a woman, Magne, and Twice. He really liked Twice. And some were completely insufferable. But, different kinds of insufferable. Spinner, for example, was a Stain fanboy, and if he did not spout the Hero Killers name at least 15 times per day, he was not happy. And then there was Dabi. Damn did he hate that guy. He did whatever he wanted, came and went as he pleased, and because he was drinking for way longer than Tomura had, he always drank him under the table.

Still, despite all that, the influx of manpower outweighs the loss of three Nomus. It seemed the little flying one was about to get away when the Dragoness had to show up. And then she also somehow caught Stain. There was a picture of her on the darts board, placed there by Spinner who hated her guts. Even if he, Sensei, and Kurogiri knew who really caught Stain.

Izuku Midoriya. All Might's successor. Sensei told him that he was trained by All Might in a manner similar to his own. That made them sworn enemies. If Sensei and All might never do battle again, it'll be him against the broccoli. What a goddamn pain. He knew there was more to it. Something Sensi was not telling him. He wondered if Midoriya kid knew… Maybe he should ask him?

Suddenly the door to the bar opened with a loud slam. In a matter of seconds the present league members, so himself and Twice, poised to strike at the intruder. Who was a deranged looking blonde, wearing a school uniform? Also, she had one depraved look in her eyes.

"You guys are the league, right? You're gonna be attacking U.A firsties some more, right?"

"That is true, you pretty girl! Not at all, you crazy hag!"

"Let's say that we are. What is it to you?" Tomura had to be careful. He had no idea what she could do, but she felt dangerous.

She slammed a photo on a wall and stabbed through it with a knife. It was a picture of Izuku Midoriya, completely naked, as he was at the Sport's Festival.

"Gross, take it down! Holly shit, I'm jealous!"

"When you attack them, I want him. And I want him bloody."

Ok, not the strangest request they'd gotten for joining. And one he could definitely work with.

"That can be arranged. Depends on what you bring to the table, though."

She smirked at him, and pulled a small vial of… blood? And she licked it? Suddenly she began melting and before long, in front of him stood a perfect copy of himself, clothes and everything. it was pretty self-explanatory, once you saw it happen.

"That's scary! Do me next!"

"Where'd you get the blood?"

"Police guard around the evidence is easily deceived."

"Well then, girl, it seems you have yourself a deal. What's your name?"

"Himiko Toga." She posed cutely, and it looked utterly terrible with his body and voice.

"Stop, turn back! Do a Jojo pose!"

Chapter Text

"Thank you for all the training and wisdom, Tatsuma-sensei. I will make an effort to retain all you've taught me as long as I live."

"Now now, enough of that. It was a pleasure tutoring you, even if we were reprimanded by the HCD. You are one tough kid, and you helped a ton with subduing Hell Joe, even if he sent you flying."

Izuku was still embarrassed about that. He tried jumping the villain and was handed the mother of all backhands, sending him flying across town. He was perfectly fine, which could not be said for the house he landed in. Luckily the old couple there didn't mind too much, and they even gave him cookies for the agency. The villain, who broke his hand by yeeting him, was easily defeated by Ryukyu and Nejire, and they celebrated with cookies and milk. It was a perfect day all around.

"I'm sure Izuku will HOLD onto your teaching. He will NEVER LET GO of the precious memories he obtained here."

Izuku felt heat starting to creep up on his cheeks, so he quickly bowed to the heroine, and rushed towards the train station.

Catching his train and settling into his seat, he then began looking through his phone, only to be once again assaulted by a rush of blood in his cheeks.

He had enough waking up with Nejire trying to shove something into his ear, nose, or worst of all, mouth, so he came to the conclusion that if he held her while she slept, that would keep her from moving. And it did.

The problem was that holding her while sleeping made him feel… happy. So happy in fact that he ignored his morning alarm, in favor of staying in bed. After both he and Nejire were late for the morning roll call, Ryukyu came into his room and decided to take some incriminating photos, before waking them up.

Now, he was rather embarrassed by the situation. Nejire on the other hand, RELISHED it. Making jokes about holding, clinging, letting go. And now that he was finally away from her, sending the pictures Ryukyu took. He turned off his mobile device, before sinking into his seat. This was gonna be one long train ride.

The return from the internship was more glorious for some than it was for others. Todoroki was praised for taking down a Nomu together with his father. Tsu as well for making a big bust. Momo received compliments from the girls (and Mineta) for starring in a commercial with Uwabami.

Bakugo was mocked for his hairstyle until he got so pissed, it actually pushed his hair back to spikey. Mineta was thoroughly regretting his decision to intern with Mt. Lady, and Tenya was starting to get a little bit tired of everyone asking if he saw Stain before Ryukyu arrived on the scene.

Surprisingly for most of them, Midoriya was actually talking about his experience. He mentioned he was not in Hosu, only Ryukyu and her top sidekicks were allowed there, that Tatsuma-sensei taught him a lot, and that he felt much better prepared for the challenges ahead, which Kirishima proclaimed as manly! Since homeroom was over, they all got up to go to the next class, except Mina, who stayed behind at Izuku's request

"You want me to teach you what?"

"Breakdancing. I saw you use it in exercises as well as at the Sport's festival. Ryuku told me that I fight too brutishly, causing damage to both the surroundings and to villains. I attempted some on my own, but I feel it's too… choppy, and if I try to compensate with more power, I crack things, like the floor… and walls… and ceiling once…"

Mina struck a thinking pose, appearing to think his request over thoroughly. Inside she was cheering.

"I was looking for a way to get close, but he came on his own. This must be fate at work!"

"I suppose I can help you. But! You need to do something for me."

Izuku's eyes narrowed, and he got a sense of danger and Deja Vu.

"Alright. What's that."

"You need to help me study for the exams that are coming. And you need to go out with me!"

Deja Vu intensifies.

"...You can have one." His job as a hero would be worth it. And Nejire might be impressed.

"Going out then! See you after school!" She rushed outside, and if Izuku were to pay attention, he might have heard a high pitch squeal.

They met after class in one of the many smallish empty rooms on campus, readily available to students who needed special exercise equipment, of course, provided by the U.A. Both of them were wearing the gym uniform

"We will start with the basics. Top rocks, go-downs, and footwork. Now, You said you had problems with the movement. I'm assuming you don't know how to shift weight properly so you compensate with power."

"Kinda like that, yea. Best case scenario, cracks here and there. Worst case…"

She did not hear what he mumbled, but it sounded suspiciously like broken sewage pipes.

"We'll be changing that."

She pressed a button on a remote and music started booming.

"Alright, Izuku Midoriya. Show me your moves!"

Izuku surprisingly enjoyed the time he spent with Mina. She was not good at explaining things which meant it was mostly her posing and showing him moves, while he copied as best as he could, but it was fun, and some pictures she took of him were good enough he considered sharing them with Nejire, Mirio, and Tamaki.

The next day was going normal as well, aside from meeting with the support course, and the pink-haired gremlin asking him to bend her rods. Oh and also All Might dropping the One for All baggage on him and Mirio.

"I called you here young Midoriya because it seems like it's time for Mirio to learn the origins of One for All, and he requested that you be here as his close friend."

"I'm sorry to burden you with this, but both Neji and Tamaki were busy, and I would really like to be having a friend sharing this with me." apologized the blonde.

"No worries. Let's hear it then."

All Might explained it all. the dark times when quirks barely started emerging. How one man saw fit to take the reins of chaos into his own hands. How there were those who resisted. How he forced a quirk on his brother, not knowing another one already resided within him. How One for All was born. How his master and gran Torino taught him, fought for and with him. How he managed to defeat the arch-nemesis, and also how it seems like he did not finish the job.

At the end of it, Mirio felt a bit overwhelmed, and Izuku was smacking the pro upside the head for having the common sense of a grapefruit. You were supposed to tell that before forcing some grand destiny on a kid. A super-skilled kid that can phase through walls and has seen some shit, but still a kid.

Oh, and also Nighteye wanted to see if he was giving Mirio enough of a challenge in their sparrings. Mirio held a great deal of respect for the man, so izuku was willing to give him a chance. He just hoped the man was better than All Might.

"No no no! You were supposed to give him a challenge! How will Lemillion learn to be the best if he's not properly pushed? How will he save everyone?"

In some ways, Nighteye was worse. Izuku decided to cut the spar short due to the hero constantly interrupting, but instead of resting, the hero had Mirio run through some dumb hard drills. Apparently, he had his sidekick hide 50 small chips, some square and some circular, inside the walls across the campus. Mirio had to find all and destroy only circular, all while doing no damage to the walls.

Mirio took it in stride and dashed away, leaving Izuku alone with the future seeing pro. Who immediately strode over to him, his arms reaching out ohmygodIneedanadult,whatthefu-

Mirai immediately felt the danger coming from this kid, just as Mirio described, it made his hair stand, and his back start sweating. Yet he needed to do this. For his hero's sake.

He laid his hand upon Midoriya's shoulder, and activated his quirk, letting himself be immersed in what was to come…

"I see nothing."

"Huh?"

"I tried seeing your future just now. Pushing through your overwhelming aura of intimidation, and try to catch a glimpse of what may yet come your way. But I saw… nothing."

The pro looked absolutely puzzled. Midoriya much less so.

"Well, since I have not dropped dead yet, I'm gonna assume my imminent passing is not the cause of it. So the next conclusion is that I have no future… That sounded wrong. And depressing. I have no destiny, no fate, no determined path for me to follow. Which means my life is my own to do so as I please."

Mirai had to commend the kid for his thinking. Maybe he should extend an offer for work studies-

"I don't like you."

Never mind.

"You push Mirio too hard. I spoke to Tamaki, he canceled their date because of you. He also did not show up to lunch this week."

"You know what he carries. He needs to be the best."

"But he doesn't have to do it alone. Nejire and Tamaki will always stand by his side. I will as well if I can."

"You're mighty powerful for a 1st year, I'll admit that. but, kiddo, you'll never be able to reach the heights Lemillion will. No one can."

Mirai was done. He had to check on how his student was doing anyway. Walking away he did not see a determined glint in the emerald eyes that shined ever so brightly.

"Just watch me Nighteye."

With exams approaching rapidly, this caused panic through the class, especially those at the bottom. Yaoyorozu offered to tutor them and gave them some relief, but others decided to study alone or in pairs, like Kirishima and Bakugo, or Uraraka and Iida. Mineta through some means managed to get Izuku to stay an hour after class to help him since he was second smartest in class, Yaoyorozu beating him by a small percent any time they had any sort of test or pop quiz.

Mina was switching between being perky, thinking about what she and Izuku should do on their date, and scared that she'll flunk the exams. Eventually perky won out when she got a seat next to the cinnamon roll at lunch. She was trying to rope him into a conversation when someone behind them slipped and fell.

it was a blonde-haired student from class 1.B, if she remembered right. And he was staring at Izuku with terror in his eyes.

"What the fuck are you! What the fuck? Why do you constantly exude this aura like you're about to massacre half the school?! Is this your way of looking down on 1.B? We'll show you! We'll prove once and for all who's the better class and-"

Thankfully he was silenced by a chop to the neck, courtesy of a redhead, who then profusely apologized for the blond's behavior, before dragging him away. The cleaning bots already cleaned the mess, so none concerned themselves with that.

Mina asked the table who were those two, and to her surprise, Izuku was the one who answered.

"The blonde was Neito Monoma. He's a stalker. He copies quirks by touch, and he's been trying to touch me ever since we came back from internships. The girl is Itsuka Kendo. She's the class prez. She sits next to Yaoyorozu and me in the student council meetings."

The table surprisingly forgot that Izuku was their vice president. It always seemed that Momo did most of the work.

"Anyway. You guys heard what the practicals are gonna be?" asked Kaminari.

"Some older students mentioned robots. So it'll be like the entrance exam."

"Maybe if we rack enough points we'll pass even if we fail the written portion!" That got both Mina and Danki excited and they began asking around for their entrance exam scores. Most were eager to share, except Izuku who just kept munching on his karaage. Mina noticed this, and an idea popped into her head.

"So, Midori. We know you came first in the entrance exams, by a large margin. Did you score over 90? over 100 even?"

"293 points."

No one talked behind that table until the break was over. All were too busy gawking at Izuku.

The men (boys) of class 1.A were dressing up for practicals when Kaminiari spotted something peculiar in Mineta's locker.

"Dude, why do you have a hard hat?" The purple midget looked left and right before whispering.

"For protection."

"From what?"

"From Izuku."

"Pretty sure he's not gonna do a thing, and even if he does, a hard hat won't be stopping him." Minata gave him a look that spoke 'you poor naive soul'.

"Not from Izuku himself. But his penis. You and I both saw what he has. And I am right in the batting height. I am not having my skull caved in because I was careless!"

Kaminari looked torn between laughing and being concerned for his friend. He was also torn between knowing more and walking away from the conversation. In the end, his curiosity won out.

"I seriously doubt he'd ever do that. I mean we both saw that he has the hots for that older girl."

"Oh, I don't doubt Izuku. I doubt the tensile strength of his pants and underwear"

Crap. That was a good argument. Maybe he should look into getting a hard hat himself. Just in case.

"Good, you're all here. It seems we can get the exams started."

The class cheered, everyone ready to bust some metal.

"You are going to be split into teams and fight your teachers!" Said the rat, bear, dog thing that was ruling their academy with an iron paw.

Wait, what?

"Um, principal Nezu, sir? Weren't we supposed to fight robots?" Mina really hoped this was some sort of joke.

"Correct Miss Ashido! However, in light of recent events, the faculty decided it would be much more prudent to fight real opponents." Aizawa took over, easily speaking over the groans of terror.

Teams are as followed: (all were generated randomly)

Group 1 vs Power Loader

Mina Ashido

Tenya Iida

Group 2 Cementoss

Rikido Sato

Minoru Mineta

Group 3 Midnight

Yuga Aoyama

Hanta Sero

Group 4 Present Mic

Denki Kaminari

Kyoka Jiro

Group 5 Ectoplasm

Koji Koda

Fumikage Tokoyami

Group 6 vs Snipe

Tsuyu Asui

Mezo Shoji

Group 7 vs Thirteen

Mashirao Ojiro

Ochako Uraraka

Group 8 vs Eresarhead

Shoto Todoroki

Momo Yaoyorozu

Group 9 vs All Might&Nezu
Katsuki Bakugo
Eijirou Kirishima
Toru Hagakure

Now, Izuku noticed he was not mentioned. And he was completely comfortable not bringing it up, and doing his own thing, mainly, write down notes on what his classmates learned during their internships. Yaoyorozu on the other hand was not.

"Sensei? What about Midoriya-san? He is not in any of the groups. Is he having a different test?"

"No. Izuku already passed."

"WHAT?! HOW?!"

The entire class wanted to know.

"Extra credit." Nedzu's answer sent everyone sprawling.

GROUP 1 vs POWER LOADER

Tenya and Mina faced the hero on a dirt field. They crossed it cautiously, to learn that it was riddled with pitfalls. Mina was completely shameless in suggesting she piggybacks on Tenya, and he speeds across, using his super move Recipro Burst. Which worked until the pro cut them off, and stalled them. They engaged in combat, but what allowed the students to snatch the win was a trail of acid Mina left that allowed Tenya to slide across the finish line.

GROUP 2 vs CEMENTOSS

While Sato was about the brute force approach, Mineta managed to talk to his friend down and went to get an aerial view by bouncing on his balls. Locating Cementoss however, was proving harder than he thought. In the end, they picked a direction, and Sato charged. by pure luck, they picked right, and when Mineta went flying for another look, he spotted their teacher reading a book close to the finish line He indicated their goal to his partner, and then went ahead, but was sadly caught in a trap. Upon arriving, Sato engaged in combat but was out of classes, so with his goal set, he downed another packet of sugar and was able to free his partner, before yeeting him… right into a concrete slab. They were both restrained and defeated, but put a valiant effort.

GROUP 3 vs MIDNIGHT

Foolishly thinking they had an advantage because they were both ranged combatants, Hanta and Yuga were both taken off guard by their teacher's skill with a whip. And a bit turned on in Hanta's case. While trying to keep the heroine at bay, both failed to notice the cloud of gas closing in, until Yuga dropped into a deep sleep. Hanta held off a bit longer, but he too eventually succumbed to the world of dreams.

GROUP 4 vs PRESENT MIC

Kyoka tried to nullify Mic's screams with her own sounds but found herself outmatched, her speakers just unable to keep up with the hero. But she held out long enough for Denki to come close and electrocute the teacher. It also fried his brains, and Kyoka had to lead him across the finish by hand. Aizawa decided Kaminari did not pass due to making himself useless after a single attack. That he was dead last on the written exam did not help his case.

GROUP 5 vs ECTOPLASM

Due to them being in an enclosed space, Koji had some trouble summoning creatures, which saddened Fumikage who hoped for "a murder of crows under their command". They did manage to find a snake, a mouse, and three pigeons. After speaking to the scaly creature, they learned that Ectoplasm's clones have a lower body temperature than a regular human, so they sent the snake to find the warmest of the bodies, while Dark Shadow ran wild, destroying the clones. getting the locations, they had pigeons show them the way and used the mouse together with Dark Shadow to successfully cuff their teacher. Fumikage and Koji both pass!

GROUP 6 vs SNIPE

Tsu and Mezo proceeded with caution, the silent student straining all of his six appendages, to try and locate their teacher. And while they did manage to track him down, he was hunkered down in an elevated place, with his back against the wall, and the exit well in his sights. They did think about it, but in the end, Mezo decided to run at him as fast as he can, spreading his limbs, all to cover Tsuyu as she prepared to jump Sine as soon as her partner was down, using her tongue to disrupt the aim, and then engage him in close combat. Snipe was no slouch and was only defeated due to the limiting bracelets all teachers wore. Mezo was glad his partner succeeded, it was well worth the bruising he got.

GROUP 7 vs THIRTEEN

Ochako was happy to work with Mashirao. They compared their combat techniques, he showed her a better way to perform a grip she learned at Gunhead, and they both almost got sucked into one of Thrinteen's black holes, because they got too into their chat. It seems that scoring high on the written portion had gotten her a bit overconfident. Still, she managed to remove her partner's gravity, and that allowed him to escape the pull, and together they engaged their teacher on two fronts, disabling her. Ochako and Mashirao both pass!

GROUP 8 was the same as canon. Nuff said.

GROUP 9 vs NEZU & ALL MIGHT

This was the chance Bakugo was waiting for. To take a swing at his idol, his hero, and his life goal. But, he needed to defeat the nerd first. So he'll rely on Shitty Hair and Camo Chick. They were placed in the middle of a factory complex, and when they tried moving to a more open space, they quickly found their paths blocked by debris. This had to be the work of the principal. He made a very bright explosion, which gave Camo chick time to dress down and go scout onward, while he and shitty hair plowed onward. She managed to spot where the rat was hiding, but there were apparently thermal sensors. What's more, All Might joined the fray. Shitty hair told them that he could hold him off for five minutes, enough time for Katsuki to confuse the thermal sensors with his explosions, and for Hagakure to capture the principal. Except he was gone by the time they got through his traps! They quickly rushed back, only to see Kirishima drop, and All might wrap his bleeding fists. bakugo engaged, without realizing that his explosions made it impossible for Camo chick to get anywhere close to the brute. A pair of floating handcuffs did not go unnoticed, and Toru was captured by the rat. Seeing this, and thoroughly exhausting his aggression on the impervious figure of the Top Hero, he knew he lost.

Aizawa gathered his students, most appearing calm, but he knew they were anything but. Those who did badly on both portions of the exams trembled in their seats, worried that they'll get left behind. He should probably stop holding the suspense now.

"That's the bell. Everyone sit down."

We reviewed your performance in the exams. Sadly, we had some failures. Which means… YOU'RE ALL GOING TO HEL- I MEAN SUMMER CAMP!"

Cheers rang through the classroom, with Mina being the loudest. All were quickly silenced by Aizawa's glare.

"Clearing the test was not the only criteria for passing the practicals, some of you had odds stacked against you to see how you would react under pressure. I have to say you all did pretty well. None of you gave in to panic and you all devised strategies, instead of charging in blind. Since the purpose of the camp is training, it would also be highly irrational to leave behind those who need it most. BUT."

The students again started quaking in their boots. those who failed anyway.

"Hanta, Aoyama, Kaminari, and Sato will be having remedial lessons with me. Every night. And let me assure you. it'll be far worse than any summer school." Aizawa loved this part of his job.

Homeroom ended, and they all got pamphlets, containing the equipment list, and some general information about the camp. And this got Mina excited. Why?

"Because a huge packing list means shopping! LET'S GO TO THE MALL EVERYBODY!"

Everybody come and play
Throw every last care away
Let's go to the mall, today!

Izuku died a little inside.

Chapter Text

Tatsumaki understood what she did wrong. But she was not regretting it whatsoever. Dad explained himself, and she tried to force choke him. This of course triggered the many sensors, and the special ops team, designed specifically to deal with her, who busted down the door and window.

First was the dude who could make one change in reality per day, as long as it was within 20 feet, and was from a video game. He turned her into a pokemon. Not any specific one, just changed her to behave as a pokemon would. Next was the girl who could create one creature per 10 years. Her first was an Umbreon. You could see where this is going. Dark-type vs psychic type? Yea, she got her ass kicked.

Last but not least was the guy who could take away your quirk by licking your palm. Gross beyond measure, but it did the job. She was now effectively quirkless until she drank exactly 2 cups of prune juice. Sitch was not happy with her in that tone.

“You could not keep yourself together? You tried to choke your own father!”

“My mistake, I should have just snapped his neck.”

“You don’t mean that Tasumaki” He raised his voice.

“I do.”

“You’re gonna have to be kept on observation for the next three days..” Now that pissed her off.

“NO!”

“ You talked with him for less than 3 minutes! We need to make sure you’re even stable enough to keep working, let alone leave the country on your own.”

“SO?”

“SO?!! WHAT IN THE WORLD COULD YOUR OWN FATHER POSSIBLY SAY IN 3 MINUTES THAT WOULD MAKE YOU LOSE YOUR SHIT AND TRY TO CHOKE HIM?!!” He lost it. She did as well.

“BECAUSE MY MOTHER IS ALIVE AND WELL! MY BROTHER IS ALIVE AND WELL! ALL THE YEARS I BEGGED HIM TO LET ME VISIT HIS GRAVE, ALL THE YEARS OF ME THINKING MUM DOESN’T LOVE ME! THE ONLY THING I HAVE OF MY BROTHER IS HIS NAME AND AN ULTRASOUND PICTURE! THE ONLY TIME HE SEES ME IS ON TV WHERE I BEHAVE LIKE A COLOSSAL BITCH! I NEVER MET HIM! NEVER HUGGED HIM! I COULD NEVER BE THERE FOR HIM WHILE HE GREW UP QUIRKLESS IN A QUIRK SHAPED WORLD! HE LIED TO ME ABOUT EVERYTHING! HE TOOK AWAY MY BROTHER! HE TOOK AWAY MY MOTHER! AND NOW...”

She could not help it. She broke down crying. Stich, for all his faults, was right next to her, patting her on the back.

“It’s not fair, Stich. He took so much away from me. Why?”

In one of the rare moments, Stich did not have an answer for her. Not even a sarcastic one. But that did not mean he couldn’t help. He pulled something out of his pocket and showed it to her.

It was a plane ticket to Japan, scheduled for three days from now.

“J-just three more days??”

“Just three more days. Can you hold on until then?”

She could do it. Quickly wiping away her tears, she prepared herself for the first of the many psychiatrist and mind readers who would evaluate her mental health.  She was the damn Tornado of Terror. She could do anything.

Tomura was not in a good mood. All these new recruits were coming in because of Stain, or in Toga’s case one seriously unhealthy obsession. it got his blood boiling. None of them came for the League itself.

They also kept questioning all that he did, and to be honest, it was starting to get to him. He was beginning to doubt himself, and his sensei. In their last conversation, he talked about how this Midoriya kid was All Might’s successor, and how he was destined to battle him. But there was more. There had to be more. He was gonna go and get some fresh air. And maybe, just maybe get some answers as well. Just as he stepped outside an old jingle popped into his head, and brought a smile to his face.

“Let’s go to the mall… today.”

“So. This is the mall you talked about.”

It was a pretty nice mall, actually. If Izuku was alone or with Nejire, he wouldn’t mind browsing through it. But, alas, he was here with all of his classmates. He tried slipping away, but before he could,  Mina called him out on it and declared this was their first date. So he reluctantly followed his classmates, all the while Mina walked beside him.

Since they all needed different stuff, they decided to split off, and meet at the food court after they were done. Mina stuck to Izuku’s side as they went and purchased a giant backpack for him, some durable shoes (red), and then izuku was treated (tortured) with Mina trying on various outdoor outfits. Still, he did his best to tell her what he thought, and in the end, she purchased the one that he thought was the best.

Since the store became crowded with the rumors of a hot U.A babe, Izuku stepped outside to wait for her. Luckily it seems that when the event was aired most people were too busy staring at his junk instead of his face, so there were not a lot of people who still recognized him. Which he did not know what to feel about, so chose to ignore it Just as he was thanking the Powers that be for small mercies, he heard a bunch of curse words behind him. Looking back he saw a man in a hoodie sprawled on the floor, glaring at him with familiar red eyes.

“Sorry there. Lost my cool for a bit.” The man picked himself up and dusted himself off.

“But man, that is one neat ability you have there. Is it a mutation that intimidates whoever approaches you?”

“Um… yes?”

“Wait a second! It’s you! You’re the one who got second place! Man, I gotta tell you, you were so good until you ran out like a little bitch.”

“Ahh. Yeah. I got yelled at a lot on social media for that. Had to switch my account to get a moment of peace.”

“It’s so cool to see you again though!” The man slung his arm around him, this time barely twitching at his aura.

“Again?”

“Right. You wouldn’t remember me, since I was wearing a disguise, but last time we met…” He leaned closer to his ear.

“...Was at the USJ.”

Mina left the store after signing an autograph for a small discount. She expected Izuku to stand there, looking bored as he was the entire time. It was honestly starting to worry her, she had hoped she would get through to him by now.

What she was not expecting was to find Izuku restraining someone on the ground with one hand, using the other to call the police. The pinned man did not appreciate this.

“Oh, you think you got me punk? I’ll show you!” Through some mental gymnastics, Tomura managed to place all five fingers on Izuku’s hand and waited for the screams of pain to start. Except they didn’t.

“Wow. Your special defense must be off the fucking chart! Does this mean you have to be beaten up for it to stick? Or do you have immunity on your skin only? Let my touch inside your mouth!”

Security came and tried to cuff him but since he kept dissolving them, they politely asked Izuku if he could help detain him until the police could come with the necessary gear. Patrol sent to confirm the identity of the restrained man already called for backup.

Visiting the mall was not Izuku’s plan for the day. Neither was babysitting a dangerous criminal inside the mall prison. Fun fact, they really did have a little jail at the mall. Sitting there with Tomura was no picnic.

“I heard you took down Stain, how did that go?”

“Much harder than it was to take down you.”

“Heh. A sense of humor, what a surprise. The way you look, it seems that you’d only reply with grunts and nods.”

Izuku just grunted in answer, ignoring the burst of laughter that he got as a response.

“So, let me ask you this. What did Stain have, that I don’t?”

“Couple of knives and one dirty sword.”

“I’m serious.”

“Why would I help you?”

“Well, I’m already going to jail, am I not?”

“Whatever Stain had did not help him. Why’d you think you can do better?”

That got the villain to think a bit.

“I don’t know. Then, why are you doing this? Why are you a hero?”

“For fun.”

“Bwahaha! Oh, your sense of humor must be really good.” Izuku said nothing.

“Wait. You’re serious?”

“Kinda. The goal I had previously became meaningless. A friend of mine told me one of her reasons for being a hero was that she had fun doing it. So I decided to take up that for myself until I can find something better.”

“I see. Maybe convictions and goals really do make or break the cause.”

Neither of them spoke again until the special apprehension unit rolled up with powerful quirk canceling cuffs. They also gave Izuku a stern talking to about endangering himself and others and to contact proper authorities. Tomura tried to give him some parting words, but Izuku was already on his way.

He was also ambushed by Mina and was forced to promise that they’d hang out another day. But the upside was, Nejire visited and they went to eat at the sandwich shop. He even managed to convince her to try his Canadian bacon sandwich, in exchange for intimidating that one dude who wouldn’t leave her alone. A handshake sent the guy screaming for the hills and gave them both a good laugh.

Once he got home, his mother only asked him if he was alright. Once he gave her a nod, she smiled, glad, before the phone rang and gave Izuku the distraction needed to escape to his room.

It was only the next day that a report about two escaped villains was released to the public. Because one of them was Shigaraki, the school board decided to switch up the location of the training camp. On the morning of departure. Aizawa looked appropriately needled, and only told them they were driving for an hour.

That was after Monoma tried to shake hands with Izuku, almost pissed himself, and then tried to save his dignity by mocking those who failed the exams. No one took it to heart, it was common knowledge he failed as well.

Momo and Izuku got everyone on the bus in an orderly fashion, and soon they were ready to take off. Izuku sat next to Asui, and they both got into a discussion about the different types of frogs, and what they could do. Taking a short stop in the middle of nowhere they got an unexpected surprise, but a welcome one. 

“Rocking on with sparkling gazes!”

“Stingin’ cute and catlike!”

“We’re the Wild Wild PUSSYCATS!”

“You mean the four-member team that works as one agency, specializing in mountain rescue, and have been in the business for 12 years-”

The blonde, Pixie Bob took offense at Midoriya’s analysis and decided it’s her civic duty to teach the youngster that age is the state of mind, therefore she is not a week over 18. But just as she approached to enforce the lesson, a wave of terror passed over her. It was commendable that in the face of Izuku’s killing aura the pro heroine flashed her own dangerous grin.

“Oh, I like you, kid.” Izuku wasn’t sure how to respond, while Mineta was stewing his jealousy.

“Anyway. This whole area is our territory. Your lodgings are right at the foot of that mountain.”

The brunette, Mandalay showed them a mountain on the other side of the valley. Students were already starting to put the pieces together and inching back towards the bus.

“it’s about half-past nine. I'd say around noon-ish?”

Class 1.A turned to try and escape. But it was all in vain.

“Kittens who don’t make it there before 12.30 won’t be getting any lunch!”

Aizawa was blocking their way to the bus, grinning madly, as they were all swept downhill by the avalanche.

“Sorry, kiddos. The Hel- I mean training camp has already started.” While Mandalay told the falling students that quirks could be used, since it was private property, Eresarhead turned to the side.

“You too, problem child.”

Izuku was standing there, looking at his classmates down below. Staying up would probably be considered a dick move, so with a  sigh, he jumped down after them.

“Who was that Eraser?” asked Pixie Bob.

“A menace. But he’s a good kid. On the outside, he appears to already be a perfect hero. Luckily, on the inside, he knows better.”

Izuku tried to stay with the class, he really did. But they were so slow! Battling the beasts through the forest reminded him a lot of the entrance exam. So, he decided to have some fun. Utilizing some of the parkour Tamaki showed him (since he was the only one who couldn’t fly over the obstacle or phase through it) he navigated the forest, taking down the earthen creatures, and filling the air with dust. Despite taking great care to zigzag up and down, taking the longest route possible, he still came to the lodgings after only an hour had passed.

The two pussycats there looked impressed, while Aizawa looked annoyed. and sleep-deprived, just like always. Since his uniform got dirty, he decided to unpack and take a shower, while avoiding the blond who tried to ‘mark him as hers’. Why were all the pro’s so eccentric?

Refreshed and clean he wondered what he should do while waiting for his classmates when he stumbled upon a child.

“Huh. You’re the kid who was at the rest stop. You with the Pussycats?” The kid glared at him.

“Ah, right. I’m Izuku Midoriya, nice to meet you.” Izuku didn’t think he was bad with kids. The few that stopped him because they wanted his autograph on the street thought he was the best. So it came as a genuine surprise to him when the kid did what no bro should do, and launched a punch at his nuts.

CRACK

“Ahhh!” Great, now the kid was screaming.

“That was a stupid thing to do. Can you walk?” The kid glared at being called stupid but managed to stand up.

“Let’s go find Mandalay. Pixie Bob creeps me out.” Oh, now the kid had a look Izuku knew all too well. It was the look Kac- Bakugou had when he did something bad, and would get punished for it.

“Alternatively, we can go get my backpack. It has some equipment for fractures."

The kid looked much more agreeable to that option, so they found the room Izuku left his backpack in, and using the first aid kit wrapped the broken finger. Izuku was confident in his abilities, he did after all finish a course in first aid, as was recommended for anyone who was planning to enter a hero school.

“So, kid. Why are you here?” 

“My aunt made me.”

“One of the pussycats?”

“Mandalay. She’s my aunt.” 

“That’s neat. Having a hero for a relative.”

“It’s not! She’s dumb for being a hero! And you’re dumb for trying to become one! Thank you for bandaging me, you dumbass.” Having said his piece, Kota ran out of the room, leaving Izuku on his own.

At around 6 in the afternoon, the rest of the class dragged themselves to the lodging. Apparently, Pixie Bob was worried that there weren’t gonna be enough earth beasts left after Izuku plowed through them, so she made extra.

izuku was spared by the wrath of tired and dirty classmates, mainly because there was a hot meal waiting for them that he helped prepare. Even Mineta could forgive him for “spending time alone with two mature women” which earned him a firm resounding slap by the blond pussycat.

Kota did not show up for dinner, but Mandalay reassured Izuku that, yes, he did eat three meals today. Aizawa told them when to get up tomorrow and anyone who made a mess in the bathroom would be cleaning it with their underwear.

All the boys were eager for a good soak in the springs, so wrapped in towels they all relaxed in the water, with Mineta taking care to avoid Izuku. Which was pretty easy since while Izuku took a relaxing dip in the hot water, Mineta was after something completely different.

“It is behind these walls, that our goal and our sole mission lies. Yes. I can hear the heavenly voices of temptation right across.”

Most boys just shrugged as if to say “That’s Mineta, what can you do?”. Iida was of course outraged and tried to harshly reprimand the purple midget, only for Mineta to give bro oath to not peek at Ochako, since she’s taken. Which made Iida blush, poor dude probably for the first time considering Uraraka’s lovely curves.

“You have nothing to fear, Iida. As a fellow bro, I shall not cast my gaze upon what is yours. Walls are built to be overcome, so let’s go beyond! PLUS ULTRAAA!” 

Utilizing his balls, he began the righteous climb towards the promised pastures, with Iida, who managed to overcome his embarrassment, yelling about disgracing the school motto. But before he could gander one peek, a horned silhouette gazed down upon him. Was this Satan himself, here to lend him a hand?

No, it was Mandalay’s kid, using his uninjured arm to punch Mineta back to the depths of sausage fest hell.

“A perv such as this trying to become a hero? Try becoming a respectable member of society first, you purple scumbag.”

Mineta plunged down towards the floor, but luckily was caught by Iida’s face, softening the impact.”

“Man, that guy’s the worst. Thanks, Kota!” The kid turned his head to the girl's side and was blessed by the images of Toru’s water displacement, Tsu’s soft cleavage, Kyoka’s firm backside, Ochako’s curvy curves, Momo’s bountiful chest, and Mina’s pink… everything. That last one was a little too much for his prepubescent brain, and he rolled right over the edge on the boy’s side, dropping swiftly towards the stone floor. 

Everyone tried to react, But between the harsh beasts of the forest, and the relaxing bath everyone felt sluggish. They would be too slow! No. A burst of air and water exploded from the springs and Izuku held the unconscious Kota firmly in his grasp, being careful of the kid’s head and the injured arm.

“Ashido! Stop corrupting the youth!”

“Come over and make me, Midori!”

“I do not consent to that nickname!”

“Is Zuzu better?”

“Anyway, I’m gonna take the kid to his aunt. Also, I’m telling her it’s your fault.”

“No you won’t. You still feel bad for making Pixie Bob sending more beasts at us.”

“...Fine.”

“You’re the best, Midori!”

Finding Mandalay was easy. Evading Pixie Bob, while wearing just a towel was not as easy. The blond seemed to have a supernatural sense of where he wanted to go, and sat there, like a cat waiting for a mouse to show up. Luckily, he managed to find Kota’s aunt without being spotted.

“So he fainted after seeing your classmates in the hot springs. Well, my cousin did have weird luck with the ladies. Makes sense it would carry over.”

Mandalay then stood up and bowed.

“Thank you for helping him twice in one day.”

“It was nothing.”  Silence reigned for a moment before Izuku decided to speak.

“He doesn’t seem to like us much.”

“He’s like that with everyone who wants to be a Hero.”

“That seems… strange for a kid his age.”

Mandalay explained how it went. her cousins, both brave heroes. How they defended a city block from a villain. How they managed to drive him off. And how they ended up giving their lives for it.  Pixie Bob added her two cents, entering with teacups, for once not hitting on Izuku.

“While we may see a hero dying in action as honorable death, for a child of three, who lost everything in one day… Society praised them for dying. He saw it as praise for leaving him alone.”

izuku thanked the two heroines for the tea and explanation and left them to tend to their matters, immersed in his own thoughts. Mandalay threw a sly look at her co-worker who was busy browsing her phone.

“I’m surprised, Ryu. You didn’t even try to remove that towel. Maybe your years are finally catching up on you?”

“Ha ha. I’m 18 at heart. Plus, I don’t need to pull down the towel to see what he’s hiding.”

“If you peeked on the locker room, Ryu, I swear I’ll-” 

Instead of responding, the blonde showed her her phone.

“Oh. Oh my.”

Chapter Text

Class 1.A was up bright and early, standing in front of Aizawa who looked like he always did. Tired and annoyed.

"Now this camp begins today in earnest. Usually, this wouldn't be so hard as it is going to be for you all, but the faculty believes that you all need your provisional licenses as soon as possible. A new force is on the rise, and it will be a hostile one. So stay sharp, and work hard."

He tossed a ball at the resident demolition expert.

"Bakugo. At the start of the year, you could toss this about... 705 meters. Let's see if you can do better."

The blond gave a savage grin and reared up his hand, before giving the ball a good explosion boosted toss. The class chose not to comment on the… explicit vocabulary used to send it off.

The device in Aizawa's hand gave off a few beeps and showed them… 710 meters. Barely an improvement since the beginning, leading to the surprise of many

"While it is true that you've been through a lot, the only thing that was strengthened was your mindset and your techniques. In this camp, we'll be focusing on strengthening your quirks." Aizawa smiled at them all.

"Try to stay alive, kiddos."

It was brutal. It was hell. Bakugo kept dipping his hands in boiling water. Tokoyami was in a dark cave, wrestling for control with his companion. Ochako was trying to raise her nausea threshold. Mita was strengthening his scalp. Ojiro was smacking Kirishima around with a steel brace on his tail, both improving the appendage's strength and toughness, while Kirishima was trying to hold onto his "next step manly hardening". Kota was yelling on top of the hill, many hearing his voice for the first time. And Izuku was… breakdancing?

" C'mon boy! I've seen old ladies dance better than you!"

Class 1.B was rather confused by that strange site, and a little bit worried about how five people would handle 40 students, but…

"Rockin' on with sparkling gazes!"

"We've come from somewhere,"

"Stingin' cute and catlike!"

"WILD WILD PUSSYCATS!"

It still did not feel right, as one of the four-member team was missing. Neito tried to open his mouth.

"Meowth, that's rig-" Itsuka's intervention put a stop to that real fast.

"I thought that Wild Wild Pussycats had 4 members?" asked Kinoko.

"We literally got called in to do this yesterday morning. It's why Kota is here, and why Ragdoll is down at the office dealing with the paperwork explaining our absence. If all goes well she should be with us tomorrow."

The group then explained how they could manage such a big group of people with their quirks, and put the other class to work. Safe to say, it was an exhausting day for all the students, made no better by the notion that dinner would have to be made by them.

Izuku promptly started peeling and cutting vegetables, used to being in the kitchen. Todoroki tried to help, but soon found he was more useful in making the water boil faster. In fact, many classmates tried to use quirks to speed up the process. Izuku also helped supervise the cooking process, firmly protesting when Mina wanted to just "toss it all in and boil it".

Soon both classes enjoyed the pretty decent curry, some opting for the spicier version, while most stuck to the mild one. Izuku, noticing the kid was gone, and asking Mandalay if he ate, took his and one more bowl, and went to seek him out. He found him sitting on a cliffside, staring down at the valley below them.

"I see you got a proper cast for your finger."

"Go away."

"I brought some dinner. It's curry."

"Not hungry. Now begone! This is MY secret base!" Any further arguments were stopped by a growling stomach. It was Izuku's.

"Secret base, huh?" he asked as he plopped down a bit away from the kid which earned him a glare, and placed the extra bowl next to him while digging into his own.

For a moment they were silent, Kota sulking and Izuku eating the curry. Then the hero trainee decided to keep the conversation going.

"Me and my friends used to have a secret base when we were younger."

"..."

"It was an abandoned building, with a massive steel beam."

"..."

"My friends used it to practice their quirks on it and-"

"Tsk. Stupid friends. Stupid quirks!" Izuku kept silent, glad he at least got the kid to talk.

"Pushing the limit on quirks. Flaunting the power around like that… It's disgusting!" The kid fell silent once again. Izuku decided to push on, now sure of his theory.

"Your parents… They were Water Hose, right?" Oh, that pushed it alright. The kid was on him in a moment, screaming bloody murder.

"I'm a hero nerd, so I know stuff like that. No one told me anything. I remember it happening. It was..." Not a complete lie. He did know far more than he should about some things.

"SHUT UP! YOU'RE ALL IDIOTS! Idiots who show off! Idiots who are villains! Idiots who are heroes! All talking about their quirks! You are all idiots!"

It was not just heroes. It was quirks also, as part of society. It was like looking at an inverted mirror.

"You are all idiots. Just go!"

"I'm quirkless."

"I said… Wait. What?"

"It's a birth defect that about 20% of the population has. Most of them are from older generations, but I'm one of the few who was born with it now."

Kota was stunned. That… That was impossible! Quirks were everything! You could not become a hero without one! The machines built to aid them, to stop them. They permeated everyday life. Without a quirk...

"I said I was a hero nerd. I loved heroes above all else. I tried so desperately to manifest it. To move objects like my mom and sister could. All in vain. While I admired heroes, there was no one to call 'MY Hero'. I grew up alone, relying on myself."

Kota wanted to say something. Growing up without quirks, without heroes… Was that not what he wanted?

"It was terrible. Alone, always alone. I was bullied for so long for my lack of quirk. I have classmates now, and friends. You should be glad my best friend isn't near. She would ask you so many questions that would make you want to go deaf. And yet she would bring a smile to your face, always. Honestly, it might have been better if she was here. People aren't really my forte. "

He did miss Nejire. They should hang out after he comes back, maybe go to karaoke with Miro and Tamaki.

"What I want to say is. Don't reject the world. Don't keep it all in. It only festers and hurts more."

"YOU JUST KEEP TALKING AND TALKING! YOU KNOW NOTHING! GET OUT!"

"Ah, sorry. I normally say 20 words or less, but I guess I started rambling. Eat curry though, we all worked hard to make it, and it's important to eat 3 meals a day."

Izuku picked up his empty curry plate and left Kota behind, not noticing the tears, or rocks, cracked and soaked in water.

"Stupid hero wannabes. Sticking their noses in."

U.S.A

She left the message for Stich with his wife. He knew better than to presume to come along with her, and he got her the tickets in the first place, so she decided to not just up and vanish on him. Plus, she wore the quirk restraining bracelet he wanted, powering her down by about 25 percent.

She's gonna have to wear another, this one from the Japanese government, as part of the agreement to still let her visit, despite almost killing her father in a fit of rage. Japanese were pretty nice, she decided. But she still wouldn't forgive them if they hurt her mother and brother.

She had to be a bit mean to the attendant on duty to let her take a much earlier flight. Still, it was gonna take a while, since they were making a long stop in Hawaii. Didn't matter, it will still take her to Japan faster than the one Stich booked.

Taking her seat in first class, and graciously accepting the complimentary champagne, she started to decide what she was going to have for her in-flight meal. And to check out how to get to her mother's address Stich got her. She relaxed into the comfy seat and prepared herself.

"Mom, Izuku, I'm coming to you."

"Toga no. Toga yes."

"Twice stop pretending you're in charge."

"Sorry, Dabi. Go fuck yourself."

"Sure. Make me a clone then."

"Ha ha, just joke. Here you go."

Another Dabi spawned in existence, unbuckling his pants when he was consumed by a curtain of blue flames. Flames that came a little too close to Jin for him to be comfortable making any more jokes.

Mustard meanwhile laid Toga down, after dousing her with some narcotic gas. She was way too trigger-happy and seeing her green-haired crush almost made her lose her shit. Dabi would honestly rather take anyone else for this mission but she made a deal with Shigaraki, so she had to be involved, less his naked pictures find themselves online.

Toga was way too skilled at blackmail.

"Not that I agree with blondie's murder boner, but why ARE we waiting. They're right there."

Ahh, yes who could forget the OTHER murder maniac. The sheer stupid coincidence that had him, Shiggy, and Moonfish in the same heavy transport vehicle, while they were rescued, hurt his head.

Muscular stood tall as he gazed in the valley below, just barely making out the tiny figures of heroes and students. Luckily, his serious eye was still in his pants pocket. Which was gross on another level, but who cares.

Wait. He did care. Pink eyes were infectious right?

"We still are not in full numbers. As it is, one wrong move and Eraser would have you pinned. Then a good kick from Tiger and it's night-night for us."

Muscular had to give him that. So he sat down on the floor and pulled a beer out of the cooler Kurogiri packed for them. That guy was way too nice to be stuck babysitting Shiggy. Still, he knew the time drew close. The time for League of Villain's Vanguard Action Squad to show them what real fear was was nigh!

"Scorching everybody is a hobby,
Murder is the job, should've never stepped to Dabi, yeah!"

Tamaki was chilling in Mirio's room, waiting for the blonde to come home. He was supposed to be here already but was running very late. Thankfully, Mirio's dad was a nice guy, so he let Tamaki wait inside, and knew he was too shy for conversation.

He only came up once, asking him if he wanted a drink, which he gladly accepted. While waiting, he also talked with Nejire on the phone, she and Yuyu were trying out the sandwich shop Midoriya showed her.

The door opened, and in stumbled Mirio, sweaty and exhausted.

"Sorry, you had to wait for that long. Sir wanted me to run extra drills. I did pretty badly, for some reason my feet refused to permeate, so I kept falling over the wires."

Tamaki sighed. Lately, Mirio was running himself ragged, but would not listen to anyone telling him otherwise. Still, he was here now. That was all that mattered. He was going to give him an earful later, as the quirk malfunction worried him a bit.

"Well, if you manage to take a shower in 5 minutes, I'll let you nap on my lap" Miro was gone before he would even finish that sentence, his sweaty clothes all that was left behind. How convenient that his room was right above the bathroom.

The shy man smiled to himself. He and Mirio were as opposite as they come. But they worked perfectly together and knew they loved each other. So he relaxed on the bed, while silently counting down the time before the blonde would leap through the floor, butt naked. There were advantages to having a boyfriend who could strip in a blink.

Tenya and Ocahko were together on a break bench, sitting in silence. Both were sporting blushes and what they were about to do.

Ochako made the first move, increasing the tension significantly. Tenya tried to follow, but he wavered. What if someone were to see them. What would they think or say?

Ochako looked at him curiously and then gave him an encouraging smile. Iida had to laugh at his silliness. With Ochako at his side, he could do anything.

He boldly picked up where they left off and… there it was! They were holding hands in public! They both smiled, glad to finally do something so bold. But then…

"Tenya and Ochako, sittin' in a tree!
F-U-C- gah!"

Mineta was wrapped head-to-toe in Aizawa's capture weapon and slung right to Tiger for more training. And the couple was reprimanded with a lesson on public decency. Still, it could not wipe the smile present on their faces.

"A test of courage?" The students were rather confused.

"Yup! As a reward for extreme training, now it's time for some extreme fun! Each class will try their hardest to make the other run away, leaving a wet trail. The one with the least pissed pants ratio wins!"

Izuku knew what was coming.

"Midori! Let's pair up for the test of courage!" Mina was leaping at the opportunity. Only for her to be tied up in Aizawa's scarf.

"Nope. Those who fail don't get to play."

"Nooo!"

Despite kicking and screaming, Aizawa dragged the remedial group with him back towards the cabin, while Izuku waved at them, blankly. He honestly felt sorry for them. At least watching Mina scream in terror would be mildly entertaining. Still, he resolved to try and enjoy the evening. At least he would have a funny story to tell to Nejire if someone managed to scare him. Or the more likely option of him scaring them instead.

"Alright. Now that we're all gathered, let's go through objectives once again."

"Toga…"

"What is the main quest?" Toga was parading around as Shigaraki again, trying to act serious, but every once in a while doing a little twirl, that had Magne and Spinner snickering.

"I know! But I won't tell!" Twice, helpful as always.

"Not even if I say please?" Toga/Shiggy was clapping her hands while trying to look innocent. it was all sorts of wrong, and Dabi felt the need to purify his eyes… maybe with his flames he could-

A firm slap from Muscular sent him sprawling, but also knocked him back to his senses. He gave a short nod to the giant.

"Our main quest is capturing Green and Yellow players! The black player is a side-quest for bonus exp. Teacher/Hero NPC's are expendable." Twice recited from memory, while fawning over the cutesy pose Toga/Shiggy did.

"Correct, Twice! Very good! Your reward is a kiss from the boss himself!"

"Hell no!" Huh. So he could agree with her on something.

"Well, I never liked long briefings anyway." Dabi cracked his neck and took over as Toga/Shiggy melted back to just Toga.

Moonfish; Mustard; Muscular; Magne. Mr. Compress; Spinner; Twice; Toga; Nomu that was lent to them by the mysterious boss. And of course himself. They were ready.

"League of Villains Vanguard Action Squad, move out!"

First thing they noticed was the smoke. Mandalay sent out a message to students, warning them of it, and that's when they struck. Or attempted to. Pixie Bob was one moment looking at the quickly approaching steel beam, wielded by some dude. Next, she was pressed into the rock hard chest of one of the students, the sudden rising of her hair identifying him as none other than Midoriya.

"Villains!"

At his call, the few remaining students that had yet to have their turn turned towards the end of the clearing, where two figures stood.

"Ah, crap. We got the Green Player. Way too OP" said the dude with glasses.

"Hey, Dabi. Yea, green is here. We're gonna need that Nomu here" the lizard dude reported to his comm, before pulling out a massive pillar of many different bladed objects, bound together by chains and belts. He pointed the weapon right at Izuku.

"You! You were a disciple of Ryukyu, The hero who caught Stain. I'm Spinner, and the lovely lady next to me is Magne. We are… Stain's disciples! We carry on the will of the hero Killer! We're here to avenge him."

"Ok."

That was not the response Spinner expected.

"W-well, just so you know. Magne, get him!"

"Gladly."

They waited for something to happen. Nothing did.

"Oi, why is it not working?"

Spinner moved to attack himself but had to evade Tiger who used his quirk to cover the distance between them.

Izuku observed the fight and thought if he should get involved, and he was tapped on his shoulders by Mandalay.

"Izuku, I hate asking this of you, but… Kota. You know where he is. Can you make sure he's safe?"

Izuku saw the worry in her eyes, and nodded, before speeding off. The Heroine watched as one of the strongest students ran off to save her cousin. It was selfish, but only Izuku knew where Kota had his little hiding place, and despite all her attempts, she just couldn't project her thoughts inside his head. But she knew that Kota would be safe with Izuku.

She turned her head back on the fight, and moved on Spinner, projecting some flirty thoughts to his head, and surprisingly, making his blush. It was so easy to score a hit on him. Suddenly she was pulled off the ground, right towards Magne, only to be stopped by an earth wall.

"Damn that kid. He's something completely else. Took me a moment to stop the shivers."

Earth beasts appeared all over and reared to charge. But suddenly the villains smirked. And through the threes lumbered a monstrous form. it was green in color and possessed six extra limbs on it's back, each wielding a different tool.

Pixie Bob sent her beasts to charge, but it demolished them one by one, no matter how many. With the blonde so focused, Spinner tried to do a sneak attack but was again distracted by Mandalay's voice in his head, this time giving a thorough thrashing to Stain, which caused him to growl, and then swiftly dodge to avoid getting mauled by earthen beasts, which were popping out of the ground like mushrooms.

Tiger and Mandalay keeping the other two villains at bay, and her creations at least keeping Nomu busy, Pixie Bob prepared her super move. The earth beneath her wrapped around her legs, anchoring her in place.

"Earth Flow Super Move: Tsunami Burial!"

A gigantic wave of earth rose at her command, and fell straight onto Nomu, imprisoning him beneath a few tons of material. Still, Pixie Bob could feel the creature inside squirming, as all of it's extra limbs turned into drills, trying to dig it out.

"On, no you don't! Earth Flow Super Move: Earthen Prison!" The layer of dirt started twisting, turning, and compacting, shaping itself into a sphere, trying to simultaneously crush and restrain the Nomu inside.

Both villains and heroes briefly admired the strength of the blonde, before resuming their own battles, the villains trying their hardest to lay a hit on Pixie Bob, and both tiger and Mandalay fighting to prevent them. Somewhere in the forest, a pillar of flames rose up high.

Mineta barely dodged another swipe of the knife. He was sent ahead to warn everyone of Tokoyami's rampage, and to hopefully find Bakugo or Shoto. Maybe Midoriya could wrestle Dark Shadow down?

Instead what he found was Tsu pinned to a tree, about to be cut open like she was in 7th-grade science class. Of course, as a true man, he felt the need to establish dominance over her assailant.

"No one's touching Tsu-chan before I tap that!"

Sadly the effect was lessened, since the attacker was a woman also, so he found himself at the end of two disgusted glares. But then one glare sparkled with recognition.

"You were green's partner in the Festival, weren't you. So, if I cut YOU, will he come?"

Mineta came to a realization. This girl had the horny for Izuku. No surprise. She was also absolutely insane. Which resulted in him starting to toss his balls around. Sadly, the crazy girl was nimble as fuck, and he had about as much luck landing hits on her, as he did on the girls in his class.

He was running out of steam, so he stopped for a second to catch his breath.

"You know, for a midget, you can go pretty hard."

"Man, I bet I would be hard if I saw what's under that uniform." Mineta was a gambling man. He gambled with his life any time he tried sneaking into the girl's locker room. So he knew well when a young maiden let her guard down.

"Ho? You're a pervert, aren't you? Maybe you'd rather join us? We have a dude who can make a clone of anyone." Disgust well hidden, Toga tried to throw some cute eyes at him.

"Anyone?" The boy seemed tempted.

"ANYONE."

"Even… You?" now that really caught Toga off guard.

"Umm, yeah sure. All you gotta do is take me to my darling Izuku~!"

"Mineta-'' Tsu was bewildered, her mind spinning from blood loss. What the hell was happening right now?

"Should we shake on it?" asked the purple boy, and reached forward. Toga walked towards him, arm stretched out, while already thinking if maybe Dabi's fire would be enough to purify her.

SQUISH

She looked down. Her shoe was firmly stuck to a purple ball. Light suddenly erupted, a pillar of flames reaching towards the skies. And a yellow boot meeting her forehead at high speed, knocking her down. She braced for impact, already planning to ditch her footwear and slice the scalp of the midget.

Only to find herself immobilized.

"I'll be borrowing this" He grabbed a knife from her thigh holster and using the last of his balls to climb, cut Tsu loose from the tree.

"You ok?"

"I'll be fine. Just lost some blood." Her reply was curt.

"Oi midget! I thought we had a deal?!"

Mineta imagined how cool he must have looked, helping his classmate, walking away without turning back. He just needed to say something for that epic finisher… OH! he got it!

"Everyone knows you don't stick it in crazy."

Hell yeah, he was so awesome. That was until Tsu smacked him with her tongue. He was gonna count that as first base.

Kota saw the flames from his hideout. And he heard Mandalay tell him someone was coming for him. Still, he couldn't help but feel scared as he saw fire consume the forest, and give off an eerie blue glow.

Suddenly a gust of wind blew from behind him, and he turned around in a panic, almost falling off the cliff. But he was caught by Izuku.

"Woah, sorry there." He quickly pulled Kota up on the ledge, where the poor kid lost the feeling in his legs.

"A-a-are you the one my aunt sent?"

"Right it one. Smart kid. Catch your breath, then we're going straight to the cabin."

"Why did she send you?"

"Well, for one, I know where you were. And I am the fastest in my class."

"Bullshit! You told me you were quirkless! Why would my aunt send someone like you!"

Izuku tried to not feel hurt, The kid was upset, plus he almost took a tumble off a cliff. But before he could sort that out, a tall figure showed up from around the corner.

"Quirkless you say? My my. How did your sorry ass get itself in the U.A without a quirk?"

The villain was tall, and buff. And beneath the hood, Izuku could catch a glimpse of a mask. He stepped in front of Kota, his mind suddenly calm. He would protect Kota. He will not let a hair on Kota's body get touched.

"Slick hat, kiddo. Wanna trade?" He pointed towards the mask. But Kota was much too frightened to answer.

"Well, if you won't give it, I'll take it!" In an impressive burst of speed, the villain tried to pass Izuku, but his leg impacted something insanely hard, and instead bit the ground as his momentum carried him forward, knocking away his lame mask.

Picking himself up, and discarding the dusted cloak, he faced the duo. And Kota recognized the face that haunted his nightmares.

"M-mom… Dad…"

Izuku turned towards the child, and his brain connected the dots. Fuck, did this kid have shit luck. Seeing the villain that killed his parents again? That would be something that'd scar even adults. But taking his eyes off Muscular proved to be a mistake, as the villain charged them again. Izuku decided to move was the best option, so in the time it took Muscular to move the 10 or so meters between them, he picked up Kota and implored the "wall run" technique that Tamaki showed him.

Muscular noticed them moving and skid to a stop, while also pivoting so he faced his victims once more. but this time the distance between them was much greater.

"Heh. You're pretty quick for a quirkless one. You sure you're not taking a shit on me?"

"Nope. Diagnosed when I was some odd hours old. Two pinky toe joints"

"Damn. Who x-rays a baby?"

"My dad."

"Tough luck, kid, welcome to shitty dad land, population: way too fucking many."

"Do I get a passport?"

"No, but there is initiation."

"So I'm supposed to let you kick my ass?"

"No, by all means, resist. It will make it so much more fun."

Muscular charged again, but this time Izuku met him, using what he learned from Mina, to dodge the punch, slip inside the villain's guard, and deliver a kick to the abdomen. Except instead of knocking the air out of his opponent, his leg sunk into the mass of muscles that sprung forth.

"Heh. Not bad kid. You're Midoriya, right? You're pretty high on the list. In fact, you're number two, right after Bakugo."

"Wait, why do you guys want Bakugo?"

"Dunno. I was promised that I could rampage, and kill whoever I want except him and one other. Oh, and that if I make you bleed, I must take a picture. What'd ya say? Would one selfie with your corpse be enough?"

The villain punched Izuku. And Kota screamed in terror. Not like this. Not another person leaving him behind. But to his surprise, Izuku spoke as if nothing happened, while Muscular shook his numb arm.

"It's alright Kota. I'm still standing."

"B-but how! You're-"

"Quirkless isn't hopeless. Now trust me when I say this, Kota. I will save you."

For the first time, Kota looked at a hero (in training) with something more than contempt. But the fight was not over.

"Phew. Now I know I'm not the sharpest knife in the crayon box, but there's no way a quirkless trash could tank that. Also, just touching you gave me the shivers. What's up with that, kid?"

"Well, you know. I did some push-ups, some sit-ups, and drank plenty of juice."

"Heh. Fine, don't tell me." The villain then casually plucked out his fake eyeball, and threw it away, only to replace it with another one he pulled out of his pants pocket. Izuku cringed, just thinking about the infection risk.

"I'll squeeze the secret out of you. Kiddie gloves are off. Now I'm wearing my serious eye."

Muscular bulked out, even more, muscle fibers surrounding his limbs and torso, increasing his strength greatly. And Izuku. Izuku prepared to dance.

Muscular moved with even greater speed, being sneaky with his punches, and mixing in a kick or two. But Izuku dodged all of them, using what he learned from Mina and Tiger. He banked on the villain either getting tired or frustrated. He did not count in that he would RELISH it.

"Yes, yes! Dance kiddo! But be wary, one hit and you're done!"

The speed with which he attacked increased even more, with Izuku keeping up, and waiting for the chance to land a decisive hit of his own. But he got a bit too into it and decided to backflip over so he can land a hit in the much less muscled covered back. Which was exactly what Muscular was waiting for.

Even as Izuku was in mid-air, the villain charged forward, towards the only other person there. Kota, who just began hoping Izuku will save him, froze completely, and could only watch as the guy that killed his parents charged forward with the murderous intent rolling off of him.

Somehow, in that same second, just as the pillar of flames lit the valley below, a horrendous crack echoed, as a good portion of the cliff crumbled down. And just as Muscular was so close to Kota that the kid could feel the heat his muscle fibers gave off, the villain's face lost the smile he was wearing from the start.

Izuku wasn't sure how fast he was going, but he pushed off with enough force that a part of the cliff crumbled down like a small avalanche.

He knew he was moving fast, but still, everything seemed in slow motion, as his brain took all the information it could. But right now, only one thing mattered. He could not see the kid from behind the buff figure of the villain. but he knew he was there. And he knew he had to save him!

He cared not for the noise his initial kick made. He cared not for the pillar of flames slowly rising from the forest, or for the dispersing fog cloud. He readied his fist and aimed at the upper back, right between the shoulder blades.

In what was barely a second, but to Izuku felt like an hour, his fist impacted the villain. But instead of launching him away… it sunk in.

While firearms were a lot less prevalent in pop culture, since the rise of quirks and all, they still were used. And just like anyone, Izuku too wondered what it would be like to get shot. He never questioned what it would be like to be a bullet.

He tried stopping himself, but his mind felt numb. Deeper and deeper his fist sunk. Past his wrist, and it kept going. He barely registered the difference between bones and flesh. Past his elbows. He could feel wetness, the heat, like he was dipping his arm in a hot tub. And just as has he sunk shoulder deep, he felt the cold breeze on the skin of his fist.

And the body dropped, no longer containing any life to carry itself.

Chapter Text

NIGHT TIME, THIRD DAY OF TRAINING CAMP

The villain's grin was still bearing down on him, despite the remaining eye appearing devoid of life. It seemed that he would move any second now, continue his mad charge, ready to turn him into nothing more than paste. Yet, he did not.

What prevented him was the blood-soaked fist, peering out of the other side of the villain's chest. The splash barely missed Kota, yet a drop still landed on his shin. He quickly used his quirk to rinse it away, yet he could still feel it, despite it being scrubbed into the ground.

The sound of splashing water seemed to jolt the hero trainee out of whatever funk he was in. He slowly pulled his arm out, and Kota covered his ears to ignore the sounds the body was making. Once the arm was out, Kota could see the blank face of his savior. And it scared him even more than the body.

The bloodied student tried approaching him. And he scrambled to get as far away as he could. That stopped him, as he stood still, the one unbloodied hand still reaching out towards him. A second that felt like hours, only silence between them. Then the student turned around, to look at the body.

"Run, Kota."

"W-w-wha-"

"Run. As fast as you can. Straight to the cabin. Teachers will take care of you. Run, kiddo. RUN!"

Kota's legs suddenly found the strength to lift him up and sent him into a mad dash towards the lodgings, where he knew he could find safety, at least until his aunt came back. Adults were there, adults can protect him.

He steadily ignored the thought that an adult was the one who attacked him. And that a student was the one who saved him. He kept running and running, until he collided with a wall of lean muscles, that smelt like juice pouches and cats. And he knew he was safe.

Aizawa saw the flames. He left Vlad in charge, and rushed outside, only to dodge a stream of azure flames, so hot he was already sweating and found it hard to breathe. But that didn't stop him from peering through the fire, to see his attacker, and deprive him of his greatest weapon.

"As expected from a pro, dodging that was no problem. How about this?" As the last embers died down, Dabi pointed his palm at Eraser. But nothing happened.

The pro already sent out his capture weapon, binding the villain, before falling down from his spot, and kneeing him in the face. One foot on the ground, he gave his scarf a tug that spun the villain, disorienting him, and giving the heroes a chance to pin him down on his front.

"Your objectives, numbers, and positions. Start talking."

"To capture black, yellow, and green player, full party, and strategic. Happy enough?"

He was not. With a snap, an arm was broken.

"Any more mouthing off and your other arm goes as well. Let's be reasonable about this."

"Damn, that's hardcore. Not getting enough sleep, teach?"

Right arm popped gruesomely. Eraser was not playing around. Suddenly several things happened at the same time. Some students from his class ran to the cabin. The sky was illuminated by an orange pillar of flames. And a portion of the cliff near the cabin came crumbling down in a small avalanche.

This gave the villain a window of opportunity. He shook off Eraser and managed to stand up. But with so much damage Dabi clone knew he wouldn't last much longer. Still, clone or not, Dabi was someone who had to have the last word.

"So caring to the students. Being a teach at U.A must be one happy job. But, I wonder…"

The pro and the students watched as the villain began dissolving into goo.

"...Do you have what it takes to protect all of them, hero?"

Aizawa pulled back his capture weapon and cleaned it of whatever substance the thing was made of. Students were panicking, but he managed to direct them inside, with Tenya in charge to get them all to Vlad.

Eraser himself took off into the woods until he collided with Mandalay's kid, who had tears and snot dripping down his face. He also shook terribly, and one look into those young eyes told him he saw something no kid should ever see, let alone this one.

This was no time for words, this was time for a hug, and the kid took it, and clung on for dear life. Eraser looked around, worried someone might have chased the kid. But all he saw in the distance was Midoriya, looking at him blankly. He then began mouthing a message.

"They are after Bakugou. I will deal with this. Take Kota to safety."

Midoriya then took off in the woods again, appearing to drag something behind him. It was too dark for Aizawa to see, but he had a bad feeling about it. Still, the kid could not be abandoned, so he reluctantly turned back towards the cottage, and moved the child to cling to his back.

The child meanwhile stopped sobbing and began muttering, repeating the same sentence over and over.

"He's gone... He's gone... He's gone..."

Momo and a boy from 1.B were sneaking through the woods as carefully as they could while carrying an unconscious person each. Awase offered to carry Jiro as well, but Momo could not trust anyone else with her girlfriend.

They thought it to be a good idea to sneak past the pathway of the now epically failed Test of Courage and follow the cliffs to the lodgings. Only for a good portion of that cliff to suddenly start dropping down on them.

They got away, surprisingly scot-free, and decided to risk it on the path anyway, ready to hide in the bushes at any moment.

That's when they found an incapacitated villain. It was a girl, the same age as them, but quite obviously stuck to the ground, something that appeared to be Mineta's work if her cursing over purple midgets was any indication.

But before they could decide on interrogating or avoiding her, someone beat them to it. It was Izuku Midoriya. He stepped out of the woods, missing a right sleeve of his hoodie, and dragging behind him a villain. He took one look at the girl to the ground, with his blank face, and spoke...

"Hello, nurse."

Toga was ecstatic. Here he stood, in all his glory. All that was missing now was a bloody shower. His or otherwise.

"Oh, you remember the little old me? This makes me feel so many wonderful things inside!" She tried wiggling her hips suggestively, but he would not budge. It seems a new tactic was required.

"I wish to speak to your leader." Now that was interesting.

"Why?"

"I want to bargain."

Toga started laughing. But then she realized he was serious.

"We're not gonna stop just because you captured one of us, you know? And there's no way you can catch us all!"

"I don't plan to catch you."

"Ohhh? Then please tell me. What do you plan to do to us? Better yet, what do you plan to do… To me?"

Still no reaction. But as he dragged Muscular to the front, and raised him by his hair, even Toga in her horny/trigger-happy state found herself lost for words.

"If your leader refuses to talk to me, this is what awaits you, and every villain in this forest."

He held the body high. And Toga saw it. The lifeless look in the eye. A small dribble of blood from the still grinning lips. The beam of moonlight passing through the hole in his chest, looking just the right size for a fist.

This was getting better and better! Her legs started to unconsciously rub together, as a heavy blush covered her pale cheeks.

"I'm gonna need my arm free. The rest you can leave tied down. I like it more that way." She shot him a seductive look, which went ignored completely, in favor of prying her left arm off the ground. Her favorite sweater now had several holes on it.

"Thanks." In a flash, a knife flew from her sleeve into her awaiting hand, and she slashed wildly across his face. All it did was snap against his impervious skin.

"Not gonna work. Your leader. Now."

"Alright, alright, sheesh. Can't even let me have a bit of fun, can you?". She pressed the transmitter in her ear.

"Alucard to Azula. Green player found. Mr. Incredible KIA. The green player wants to parley."

"Roger, Alucard. Bring him in."

"He'll meet with you. I'll take you there."

"Thanks awfully."

She was grabbed by the front of her shirt, and plucked off the ground, tearing some more holes in her clothes, as well as taking one or two of the purple balls with her. Her 'blood pack', as she lovingly called the container in which she collected blood sadly stayed glued to the ground. Not that she really noticed in her state, too busy pressing herself into the hunks muscular back, and imagining it being torn, shredded and bleeding.

"What direction?"

Toga pointed the way with one hand while trying to slice his main artery with the other. She was woefully unprepared for the speed they took off with.

Momo removed her hand from Azawe's mouth, allowing him to finally start hyperventilating before he threw up in a bush. She let him gather his breath, as well as create a small towel for him to wipe his mouth with.

"What the fuck… WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!"

"Awase-san, I…"

"No. No. NO! You've seen that! That guy was dead! Your guy killed him in cold blood! And now he's negotiating with the villains! WHAT THE ACTUAL FU-"

A sharp slap knocked his head to the side. As he looked, astonished, and a little bit hurt to Yaoyorozu, he noticed tears in the corner of her eyes, and he noticed she was also short of breath.

"We will figure this out LATER. Right now we need to get to the cabin, We need to get Komori and Jiro to safety."

He gave a grim, but detriment nod and they continued their track towards the cabin. But as they were walking Momo quietly combated the feeling of dread, that settled in her gut. She doubted there was anything the villains could do to injure Midoriya. But could they persuade him? She kept his secret for a long time, only telling the principal, and never bringing the sensitive subject up.

Maybe that was a mistake. Midoriya always exuded the aura of power, and he was easily the strongest in the class, even if no one would admit it out loud. But, what about his mind, the only of the bunch that could give her a run for her money in academics… That was a whole other matter. But suddenly she bumped into Awase, who stood, frozen still.

"Damn! That's some hot babe you got there kid. Get that jailbait away from me, punk!"

Dabi was waiting, calm and collected. But on the inside, he was a bit worried. With Muscular dead, and Moonfish not responding they lost their cover in case something went wrong. Those two on their own could hold off a police department AND the heroes, while the rest made hasty retreats. But, if they got taken out…

That train of thought remained unfinished, as suddenly a gust of wind blew straight at his face. And he was not alone anymore. Toga was unceremoniously tossed at his feet, whining about rough treatment, while... furiously rubbing her thighs together? Yea, he was not ready to unpack that yet.

"So, you came to bargain. What is your proposal?"

The green-haired kid just raised Muscular's corpse in the air. Dabi noted the lack of one sleeve, while he examined the deadman. But suddenly, all pieces fell in place. Coming to 'bargain'. One sleeve missing. And a perfectly fist-sized hole.

"You did not come to bargain. You came to threaten us."

"No, I've come to bargain. And it's an offer you can't refuse." The boy let the body drop to the ground while peering his blank gaze straight at him.

"Call off the attack, and leave."

"Not much in it for us, is there?"

"Your lives. And myself."

"Ahh. So you're making a 'noble sacrifice'."

"No."

"What are you doing then, oh hero?."

"I'm the only one who can get you to leave. On your feet, or in a body bag, that choice is entirely up to you."

At least the boy did not waste any time. But still. Dabi gazed deep into those green eyes of his, trying to discern how much of the threat was real. But what he found was a blank stare, making even him nervous. He could not get a read on the kid. And that made his threat that much more dangerous.

"Alright then. You win, kid."

Just as Dabi contemplated offering a handshake to cement it, a series of explosions resounded through the air, and in the clearing landed Bakugou, Shoji, and Todoroki, all on top of an unconscious person in a mask and a tophat.

"pant Fucking pant caught you, you piece of shit!" Dabi was at an impasse. One of their main objectives was right there, sitting on the ground! The other was still standing next to the corpse of his teammate. Maybe if he called Kurogiri, they could-

A shiver passed over the clearing. And as they all looked towards the source, they saw the blank eyes of Izuku Midoriya. Eyes that promised death. Dabi couldn't talk for the rest of the team, but he was not ready to die yet. He still had to do one thing before he went up in flames.

"Kurogiri, extraction, NOW."

As he spoke a purple misty portal opened behind him. He looked towards the U.A students, still wary of their own classmate. The blond however looked damn right pissed.

"Oi, Deku! What are you doing with this bunch? Why didn't you beat them up?!" Izuku stood silent, not responding.

"Answer me, nerd! Why aren't you fighting?! You are strong enough to murder these losers!" as the blond's words left his mouth, he suddenly stopped raging. He stood perfectly still, looking straight at Midoriya.

"Is that your plan? You dumb fuck?! YOU PLAN TO GIVE UP?! JUST GO WITH THEM? DO YOU THINK YOU'RE SO HIGH ABOVE US?! THAT WE NEED TO BE SAVED BY YOU?!"

"Yes." That response sent the blond sputtering. But before anyone could say anymore, a purple portal opened up, and swallow the tophat villain, and another had enveloped Muscular's corpse. Dabi decided to speak out.

"It's time to go, green."

Izuku nodded and stepped towards the portal. But someone stepped in his way. It was the person Dabi least wanted to see, Shoto.

"Midoriya. Is going with them what YOU want?"

But the green did not halt his step for a second. As he passed his brother, he pressed a finger on his rib. Shoto understood the gesture, whatever it meant, and moved out of the way. But blondie was not done.

"WE'RE COMING TO GET YOU! YOU HEARD THAT, NERD?! YOU DON'T GET TO PLAY HERO WHEN YOU'RE A BRAT LIKE THE REST OF US! I'M GONNA BE THE HERO! AND I'M GONNA SAVE YOU! YOU HEAR ME?! I'M GONNA SAVE YOU, IZUKU!"

Dabi walked through the portal backward, not able to leave without a peal of mocking laughter. Until a feeling of terror came over him, and he almost collapsed. He looked behind him, at the green kid, who stopped. But before he could say something, Midoriya kept going, through the portal, and away. Dabi followed. The League of Villains Vanguard Action Squad won.

MORNING, FOURTH DAY OF TRAINING CAMP

Tatsumaki opened her eyes, blinking, trying to adapt to the new setting she found herself in. She slowly sat up in a bed that was not her own, in a room that was unfamiliar to her, still dressed in her clothes from yesterday.

But as she looked down, all became clear, as the peaceful sleeping face of one Inko Midoriya was right next to her. Her mother was smiling slightly, her face no longer streaked from tears. And that alone brought Tatsumaki's own smile down, ever so slightly. She did not inherit the famous Midoriya tears and was woefully unprepared for the flood that happened once her mother recovered from the shock.

But as nice as it would have been to just sit and watch her mother sleep, she was awake now and felt like she should be doing stuff. Yet another habit she got from dad, who had to work a full day to get rid of that extra energy.

She slowly extracted herself from her mother's grasp, frowning slightly, when the smile on her face vanished. She stepped into the hallway, and used her quirk to bring her luggage, forgotten at the front door, and pulled out the toiletries she needed for her morning routine.

She then began trying out the doors, to find the bathroom. First door she opened led to a closet, filled with cleaning supplies, and some old clothes. In there was a blouse Inko wore in one of the few photographs Hisashi kept around the house. And, was that a box of baby toys? There was one picture Hisashi displayed proudly. It was of him, holding her in his arms, all while she was making a rattle float.

She couldn't stop herself, and after a quick inspection, she found the rattle she was thinking off. It was a red one, shaped like a flower with blue petals. But she remembered the rattle as a whole. Why were there petals missing? And where did those bitemarks come from? Tatsumaki smiled as she held the toy her brother played with.

She gently placed the toy back in the box and left the closet. She opened the next door. It was Izuku's room. She got an insight into who her brother was. And he was a hero nerd. Posters covered the walls. There was a whole shelf of figurines. She took a hesitant step inside, not wanting to intrude into the personal space of a brother she hasn't even met yet.

But one thing did bring a smile to her face. Tucked away in the background, hidden between Endeavor and Hawks, was a little figurine of her. It was the chibi version that was unpopular in America, so they shipped them to Japan, where they sold out in a week.

She decided to leave the room. She opened the third door in that hallway and finally found the bathroom. It was very similar to the one she and dad had back in the U.S, as both of them liked a good soak after a long day of work.

She began removing her clothes, a bit annoyed that her sleeves caught onto the quirk restraining bracelets. With both of those on, she was effectively powered down to about 50%. No biggie. She wasn't expecting anything to happen anyway.

She turned on the shower, and slowly adjusted the flow and the temperature. As she washed away the dirt and sweat of yesterday, she couldn't help but think about it.

FLASHBACK TIME

AFTERNOON, THIRD DAY OF TRAINING CAMP
Arriving at the Tokyo airport, there was already a suit waiting for her, holding up a sign that spelled her name in English. She may not have grown up in Japan, but she still knew the language, damn it! It's not like Hisashi forgot about his homeland, even if he left it for fortune and fame.

"Miss Midoriya, welcome to Japan. Though we were not expecting you quite so soon." No kidding. The guy looked like he got no sleep whatsoever. It almost made her feel guilty for the delightful nap she took on the plane.

"Anyway. My name is Yokumiru Mera, from the Hero Public Safety Commission. I came here on behalf of the Japanese government to give you this."

He passed her a bracelet, identical to the one she was already wearing. She did not hesitate to snap it on her arm, and despite not quite feeling the effects, she knew her quirk was now effectively powered down to about half of its usual strength.

"Thank you for your cooperation. Now, Mr. Stich also asked us to give you this phone as soon as you land."

He handed her the device, which made her confused. She had her phone with her, and international call services were commonplace nowadays. But the moment she touched the device, it started a call on its own. And she recognized the number.

She tried to find some way to cut the call, but there was none. Tatsumaki had to give it to the man. When he wanted to, Stich could be a right sneak. She conceded and placed the device to her ear.

"Ahh, Tatsumaki. How was your flight?"

"Delightful, thank you for booking it."

"DON'T YOU EVER PULL THIS SHIT AGAIN! I AM LATE TO WORK BECAUSE OF KAREN AND WHEN I FINALLY ARRIVE TO SEE YOU OFF, I LEARN YOU WERE ALREADY GONE?! JUST BECAUSE YOU COULD NOT WAIT 6 HOURS ON YOUR DIRECT FLIGHT?!"

"I was bored, and Karen was oh so excited to help me."

"DON'T YOU GO BRINGING KAREN INTO THIS! YOU KNOW FULL WELL THAT SHE'S YOUR FAN! FIRST YOU UP AND VANISH, AND THEN YOU TURN MY OWN WIFE AGAINST ME?!"

"Oh, please. You said that you needed to exercise in the morning. I just provided Karen with the incentive to get you started."

Silence from his side. Honestly, it might have been evil to promise his wife an appearance at one of her social events in exchange for her to 'surprise' her husband in the morning, but she did everything by the book. All things considered, Stich should be thanking her. Still, maybe she should assure him everything was alright?

"Look, I'm being a good girl. I'm wearing the bracelets, I haven't sassed anyone, and I did not get drunk on the plane. Now is this it, or are you gonna keep me from seeing my mother any longer?"

More silence. Until a defeated sigh. She won this round.

"I'm sorry. And good luck. I hope you have a nice time."

He hung up, and Tatsumaki returned the phone to the official, who almost dropped with the device, before pocketing it. He then escorted her to the car, sent by the government, that would drive her to her mother's address.

The drive itself was uneventful, but it still seemed to be over way too fast. As she stood at the entrance to the building, unsure of how to proceed, an old man in a mushroom cap came by, fumbling with his keys.

"Can I help you miss?"

"Umm, yea. Can you tell me which of these apartments belongs to the Midoriya family?"

"Another pretty girl searching for Midoriyas? My oh my, that Izuku kid truly is a casanova."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, just a few weeks ago, another girl was looking for their apartment. I'll tell you, they didn't make girls like her when I was young. Gorgeous blue hair, and a smile to die for, I'll tell ya."

Tatsumaki had to fight off the slight feeling of jealousy and agitation, imagining some hair-dying hussie trying to take advantage of her brother.

"Oh, seems like I went off a bit there. Forgive me, girl, us old folks like to ramble."

"No worries, Mr…"

"Kuseno, dearie. Doctor Kuseno, at your service. Though I am retired. Anyway, I'm getting off again. Midoriya's live on the 6th floor, door no.9"

"Thank you, mister. I'll be off then."

"Good luck, Tatsu."

She stopped at the door that led to the staircase.

"How do you-"

"Better hurry. You don't want to leave dear Inko waiting."

He was right. With a quick goodbye, she started sprinting up those stairs, jumping two at a time, until she made it to the sixth floor. She ran past the doors until she arrived at number nine. She raised her hand to knock, halting for a second, feeling afraid. But then she remembered. She was the damn Tornado of Terror! She could do anything!

She knocked on the front door and waited. It took a few moments, but shuffling was heard, followed by the sound of locks. Then the door opened. And there she stood, her mother, Inko Midoriya.

"Yes, can I help you?" Inko looked at this stranger at her door, but something was tingling in the back of her brain.

Tatsumaki looked at her mother, desperately trying to burn every detail into her brain. She struggled to find her voice, until she half spoke, half sobbed.

"M-mom!"

Something snapped inside Inko's head. And suddenly she could see! She could see her daughter, who she lost almost 13 years ago.

"M-my… MY BABY GIRL!"

A flood of tears poured out of the green eyes that she shared with her daughter. And she lounged to hug her! To squeeze in her arms, after all this time. And, instead of putting on a strong front like she was used to, Tatsumaki cried as well.

FLASHBACK OVER

Tatsumaki got out of the tub and unclogged the drain. As she wiped herself down, she thought of what they talked about last night. She was doing most of the talking, while her mother sobbed, and laughed, and tried to hydrate herself.

She was careful to avoid mentioning father as much as possible. Both for her sake and mom's. As the hours went by she recapped her entire life. Her early training, at a special institution, which regularly produced the strongest heroes. Her time in middle school, high school, and college. The VERY small number of people she dated. She told her about Stich, her sidekicks, some bits and pieces about U.S hero regulations.

By the time she was done, her mother could barely keep her eyes open. She also felt exhausted, never having talked so much in her life. She tried to excuse herself to leave, she planned to stay at a hotel. But Inko just hugged her tight, and she did not have the heart go. So she stayed the night, in her mother's arms, sleeping the best sleep she had in years.

She put on one of her favorite dresses, a black silky piece that almost reminded her of her hero costume, by the way it clung to her, almost like a second skin. She followed the hallway to the living area and decided to make both herself and her mother some breakfast. Checking the fridge, she found some eggs, rice, and Canadian bacon. The American inside her sneered at the sight.

Still, she should be able to cook up something. But as she was deciding between using her quirk, or making it by hand, the phone rang, and she picked it up without even really thinking about it.

"Mrs. Midoriya? This is Principal Nezu, from U.A academy. We would like for you to meet us urgently. It's about your son. An escort will be at your address in 30 minutes."

Before the caller even finished, Tatsumaki was already putting away the ingredients, while the pen behind her was scribbling a note to her mother. 5 minutes later she was out of the building. Ten minutes later, she landed at her destination.

Nezu was taking a small break, his third one since Vlad King called that the camp was attacked. Sipping on some tea, he slowly went over the scenarios in his head of how to deal with everything. He spent the better part of the morning calming down the frantic parents whose kids were unconscious, saying that everything will be alright and that they should wake up in a matter of hours.

He saved the hardest call for last, yet in the end, he decided that news like that should be told in person. He looked at the Izuku Midoriya's profile he had opened on his screen. He was also prepared to take responsibility. One of his students was taken away by villains, and he was prepared to do everything in his power to reunite young Izuku with his mother.

Suddenly the sensors on the wall surrounding the campus alerted him of a flying object, rapidly approaching. Just in case he engaged the passive defenses and closed up the gates. The object soon landed, right in front of the gates, kicking up a cloud of dust, and out of it stepped a petite figure of a woman that seemed familiar to him.

The woman looked at the mighty gates, before taking a deep breath, seemingly to calm down. Next, she peered her gaze right at the camera. And Nezu found himself staring into hauntingly familiar green eyes. He had a bad feeling about this.

"Hello, U.A academy. I know you can see and hear me. My name is Tatsumaki Midoriya, Tornado of Terror. And I want to know, WHERE IS MY BROTHER?!"

Chapter Text

Aizawa and detective Naomasa had gathered the most healthy people in class 1-A, to make the report of what exactly happened. It has been about 1 hour since the start of the attack, and about 30 minutes since the villains all pulled out, 10 minutes before the police arrived with ambulances and helicopters.

Out of 40 students, 22 were unconscious due to the gas. Out of 18 that weren't, 6 were injured, with varying degrees of severity. Tsu lost a lot of blood and had to be rushed out for transfusion. Shoji lost a limb but ensured everyone that there would be no permanent damage. Tetsutetsu got shot in the head, so they had to check him for concussions. Tenya and Ochako each had some cuts, and Momo had some bruising. The rest never even encountered the villains.

But, 1 student was missing, Izuku Midoriya. They tried asking Kota what happened, but the kid was clinging to Mandalay and refused to speak with anyone. So Aizawa gathered Itsuka from class 1-B, as well as Yaoyorozu, Iida, Todoroki, and Shoji, and they each described what happened.

The first attack was widespread, the fire distracting enough for the sleeping gas to get to the majority of students. Itsuka told how she and Tetsutetsu encountered Momo, carrying Jiro on her back, and distributing gas masks. They traced the gas to its source, where they encountered a villain, Mustard. They took him down, but not before Tetsutetsu was shot several times. After they defeated the villain, they both carried as many classmates as they could to the cabin, and stayed there shortly after the flame pillar and the avalanche.

Next to give his report was Shoji. He and Tokoyami were attacked by Moonfish, which caused Dark Shadow to go out of control. Shoji avoided battle after he lost a limb, and just followed them from a distance until they encountered Bakugo and Todoroki. They were the cause of that flame pillar, which defeated Darkshadow, and Moonfish at the same time. Iida and Ochako came rushing in soon after and barely prevented Bakugo and Tokoyami from being snatched by another villain, Mr. Compress. The villain got away, but Iida used his super move to spin super fast, while Ochako made the other three weightless. This gave them enough speed so they could catch him. They landed on a clearing where Izuku Midoriya surrendered himself to the villains in exchange for them to stop the attack.

This had Aizawa wanting to bang his head against the table. The problem child went and did the single most stupid thing he could. Still, if anyone could survive this, it was Midoriya. He had yet to see the kid injured in any way since the school started. He might very well be indestructible.

Todoroki had nothing more to add, except that he used his ice to cool the air, and then heat it rapidly to create a draft that blew the gas away from him and Bakugo, and how they stumbled into Dark Shadow and Moonfish, taking them both out.

Iida told how he and Ochako were walking on the trail, almost back at the starting point, when suddenly the earth shook beneath them. They just barely glimpsed the Wild Wild Pussycats fighting off the villains, and Pixie-Bob giving it her all to restrain SOMETHING inside a sphere of compressed dirt. They decided to backtrack, gather what classmates they could, and make a break for the lodgings. They stumbled upon Moonfish and Dark Shadow, but barely got scraped before Todoroki and Bakugo came from the other side, and took out the rampaging villain, and the rebellious quirk. Then they used the combined quirk that enabled the three to give chase to the tophat villain.

Finally, it came time for Momo to recount her version of events. She and Jiro stumbled upon Awase and Komori, just as the short girl succumbed to the gas. Momo rushed with the masks, but before she could finish, Jiro fainted also. She and Awase, carrying a classmate each, decided to hang around the cliff before the avalanche made that impossible. They went through the woods instead, sticking close to the path when they stumbled upon the villainess, which was incapacitated by presumably Mineta.

Here, she hesitated to continue. But at the encouragement of Itsuka, she did. She told how Izuku came to the clearing, dragging one of the villains behind him. She recounted the entire conversation, noting how it seemed that the villainess and Midoriya weren't meeting for the first time. She told how Izuku wished to negotiate. And how he responded to the taunts of the girl. By showing off the corpse, he killed single-handedly.

That sent Shoji, Bakugo, and Todoroki reeling. They remembered the unmoving body of the villain next to their classmate. It was right there! And Izuku killed him?! Both Todoroki and Shoji paled a little. And Bakugo looked like something broke inside of him.

Momo kept speaking, recounting the conversation she overheard, word for word. She spared the details of Awase's panic attack and told them they kept stalking through the woods until they encountered a villain, that either had a split personality or just loved trolling people. They fought him and managed to tie him down. They discussed what to do next when the villain was taken through the purple misty portal, the same kind that was at the USJ.

Having now heard an almost complete version of events, Aizawa dismissed all the students and went to seek Mineta, to ask him about his encounter. Bakugo managed to drag himself away. But when he looked back, he saw the Spiky Ponytail whispering something to their homeroom teacher and passing him a device of sorts.

He had a pretty good idea what it was. He saved the info for later and went to board the vehicle that would take them to the nearest hospital. Now was time for rest. The time for action will come. He repeated to himself the words that echoed inside his head since he saw De- Izuku walk through that portal.

"I'm gonna save you."

"Ignore your thoughts. Ignore the people. Focus on your goal."

Izuku walked through the misty portal into a skanky-looking bar. The originator of the portals was behind the counter, wiping some mugs, before focusing on the new arrivals.

"Ahh, Dabi and Toga. And you brought us a guest as well."

Izuku said nothing, he just kept standing around awkwardly, while Toga poked and prodded him with her knives. That's alright. He needed a new hoodie anyway. He was so tired, but the storm inside his head could only be held back if he was awake.

"Ignore your thoughts."

"May I interest you in a beverage, Mr…"

"Ignore the people."

"I dunno if you're gonna get anything from him, Kurogiri. Green here fisted Muscular right through the chest, didn't even twitch when he threw his corpse at us."

"Focus on your goal."

That's what kept him going through his worst. Keeping his goal in sight. Wait. What was the goal? He was already strong. He is in the U.A. He has friends. He saved Kota. He made villains go away. What was his goal now? For a second Muscular's corpse flashed in his mind.

"NO!"

He did not mean it! He just wanted to save the kid! He took the corpse as a deterrent! The threats he wasn't gonna… wasn't gonna... No! He should not think about it. He never thought about it! He just did. If he thought about it he heard it all.

The laughs. The insults. The ghostly feeling of scrapes, burns, and bruises. He heard his father, praising his drawing, of him and his sister in matching hero costumes. He heard his mother crying in her room when she thought he was asleep. He heard it all.

"You'll never be a hero!"

"Why are you even trying?"

"You're quirkless!"

"Useless Deku!"

"I c-can't wait to tell your father…"

He remembered the feeling in his muscles, torn, sore, begging for a reprieve. The clicking of his joints. His lungs struggled to suck in just a bit more air. The taste of blood in his mouth.

He was so tired. His mind started slipping...

No one cared. For everyone already knew him. Izuku Midoriya. A stupid kid, with an even stupider dream. No kid played with him. Hell, sometimes adults would drag them away faster as soon as they saw him, doing his regular set.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a tickling sensation like an ant was pacing up and down his arm. It was Toga, who ditched her knives in favor of a saw... and was enthusiastic trying to take his hand? She looked up at him, pouting heavily when all the teeth were ground down to nothing. She threw the tool angrily and walked away, presumably to get something else.

"Mr. Midoriya, our boss would like to meet you."

He did not have the mental fortitude for dealing with crusty again.

"I already met the manchild."

"Not that boss. The REAL boss."

Now… Wasn't that interesting? He also had no choice in the matter, as Kurogiri simply warped him where he stood. He took in his new surroundings, finding many tanks with bodies of Nomu, suspended in some sort of liquid, and filled with tubes.

"Ahh, I see you're taking interest in my pet projects."

Izuku turned towards the voice. What he saw was a man, sitting on a throne, his face hiding in the shadows. At first glance, it would seem intimidating. But once one took a closer look, one could see that the man was thin, with a pale complexion. And the throne, while big and menacing, also served as life support, with various medical devices surrounding him.

"You stand in my presence, yet you don't cover. You are braver than most. Welcome, All Might's successor. I am All for One."

"..."

"..."

"Yes. I AM All Might's successor."

"Your lying face is pretty telling, you know?"

Izuku could feel amusement in the voice. He didn't think it was that funny.

"So, you're the big bad All For One, All Might's arch-enemy, the plague of Japan, a relic from the olden days, that has yet to crawl under a rock and die."

"And you're Izuku Midoriya. Impervious Hero, Emerald Fist. Brother to Tornado of Terror. And… a murderer."

It shouldn't have hit so hard. But it did. All he wanted was to save Kota. Still, in the face of the big bad wolf, he would show no weakness.

"Yea, that was… not part of the plan."

"I imagine so. After all, taking someone's life is not exactly heroic, is it?"

"..."

"Nothing to add? Then let's get right to the point, shall we?"

Both waited in silence, staring at each other.

"Ho? Quite peculiar. The quirk I just used should have made you relive your worst nightmares, yet you stand tall? Is your… power some kind of enhancement?"

Izuku looked shocked, by the use and emphasis put on the word. Power. Not quirk, POWER.

"Oh, yes, I know it. Well, more accurate is to say, once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth. You had an x-ray when you were barely two days old. You've been officially diagnosed as quirkless at the age of 4. You had several tests performed to confirm that fact, the most recent one done by the U.A academy.

You seemed a perfect candidate to become the bearer of One for All. Yet, I do not feel its call inside you. No, the 9th is far from here, and yet, he will come to me soon. He will come to save his friend."

Izuku was silent. Mainly because he knew that Miro would do exactly that. Nejire and Tamaki as well. Bakugo… Bakugo would try to save him, but not because they were friends. Well, they kinda were. But things changed too much between them, to ever regain what they had before his quirk came.

Finding the old Izuku? That was a nice pretense, that could never come true. He was too different. His idols were smashed to dust, with All Might's smile sitting on top. His convictions shifted drastically, yet were not solid enough. Not yet.

"Even though by today's standards, you should be, completely and utterly useless, you persevered. And now here you stand, in front of me, being subjected to 10 different quirks, meant to inflict pain, hallucinations, and even control your body! And you did not notice a thing."

Izuku really did not notice. He for a second doubted the man's words, which must have shown because he redirected his attention to one of the Nomus inside the tank. The creature began convulsing, moving grotesquely, bending its body in ways that should not be possible, its mouth open in a soundless cry.

"Now that you can see I was not bluffing, shall we continue? We only have so long before the authorities trace your phone, and I have so many more tests to run. Let's get along, Izuku."

Nezu did not get a chance to sleep. At around 11 PM, he got a call from Vlad King, telling him that the camp was attacked. He exchanged several calls with police, fire department, and hospitals, securing everything to rescue his students. Once that was done, he began notifying the parents.

He got yelled at, was threatened, and had to calm a few people from panic attacks. Some did not pick up, but he could not do anything about it. At around midnight, Eraser called and told him all students were accounted for, except one. He worked tirelessly, calling parents almost every hour with updates, as he got them from the police and heroes and doctors. He finally managed to reach Mrs. Midoriya, after which he sent Snipe to escort her here. And now that he was enjoying his tea, he let his thoughts drift.

Izuku Midoriya was a constant mystery to him. How could one be so strong, and not constantly wreak the world around them? Was he able to turn his seemingly limitless power on and off? He saw him every day, doing ordinary things a student would, and he seemed normal. But then, in the afternoon, he would match blow for blow one of the strongest students since All Might, and even exceed him, which undoubtedly frustrated Nighteye to no end. But, as he gazed into the blank green eyes on the student profile picture, his brain was slowly formulating a theory.

His train of thoughts was broken though, by the sensors announcing a fast approaching flying person. He precariously engaged the defenses and turned on the video feed to the perimeter cameras.

What he found waiting was another pair of green eyes, hauntingly similar to the ones he was just peering at. And then Tornado of Terror made her introduction. And Nezu felt fear.

Keeping his cool was hard, as he switched on the intercom, and hoped his voice did not shake.

"What a pleasant surprise, Miss Midoriya, but I remember asking Mrs. Inko to come. Of course, as Izuku's sibling, you are welcome to attend, but without his parents present, I am not at liberty to disclose any information."

The camera lens cracked. The U.A barrier groaned. The ground caved in ever so slightly. And Nezu started sweating nervously. All Might was out today, And most other teachers just couldn't stack up to a hero of Tornado's caliber. The youngest No.1 Hero in the U.S, dethroning the rather infamous Silver Fang, who seemed grateful for someone younger to take the spot-light. The amount of power she could pack was comparable to high-power missiles.

"W-well, Miss Midoriya, if you are willing to wait, I will send one of the students to escort you to my office. I won't be able to give all the details, but I am happy to share what I can."

Seeing the woman give a nod, he quickly began searching through the rest of the cameras to see who of the third years was closest to the entrance. His eyes landed on a familiar waterfall of silky blue.

Quickly dialing up the number, he was more than happy to hear the familiar bubbly voice.

"Yes, Miss Hadou. Could I ask you to help escort a guest from the front gates to my office? Thank you very much."

He cut the call and sank in his chair a bit. Nejire was the best choice. No one could dislike her right off the bat, and Nejire seemed to simply like everyone. There was no possible way for this to go bad. He quickly dialed up another number. He just hoped Snipe wasn0t above breaking some traffic laws.

Nejire was in school bright and early as always. Her dad was not a morning person, and she knew she could be a lot to handle, so she was always out of the house around the time he got up. It didn't bother her at all, since they always spent at least 30 minutes talking before he went to bed.

She was just thinking of doing some laps before class (flying of course) when Nezu called. She was surprised by his request, but eager for something to do. Maybe this visitor could tell her something interesting!

She went to the U.A gate that opened once she scanned her student pass. And was surprised to find herself face to face with green eyes that were running through her mind a lot. Except instead of a handsome boy, they were planted on the face of a girl slightly shorter than her.

"It's you!"

The green-haired woman in front of her queried her eyebrow, clearly not understanding.

"Well, I mean! Wow, Tornado of Terror, here in the flesh! After Izuku mentioned you, I did a quick google search, but to see you here?"

Nejire could hear the gears grinding inside the woman's head. Could people hear her brain working when she thought hard? Izuku often thought hard, like when calculating if taking the family meal is cheaper than the individual (it was not), or if taking Mirio and Tamaki to the sandwich shop would get him a discount (it did, but just because the cashier liked Tamaki's ears).

Before Nejire finished her derailed train of thought, she found a finger pointed at her face.

"It's you! The blue-haired hussie who's trying to seduce my brother!"

Wait. What?

"I am? How? I mean we hang out a lot because Mirio is so busy these days, and Tamaki is too shy to go out without him. And Yuyu is cracking some big cases in her work studies! So it's either be alone and die of boredom, or call up Izuku!"

Tatsumaki stared into the blue eyes, trying to discern even a hit of lie or deceit. But all she saw was curiosity. And positive energy. So much, it kinda hurt to stare at them for too long.

"Fine, I guess. Take me to the principal then."

"Right! Off we go!"

Tatsumaki cheated and used her quirk to float herself to keep up with the happy-go-lucky stride of the tall girl. On the way, she was asked some casual questions about her quirk, the U.S, and, weirdly, what was her favorite kind of bacon. But after she answered all of those, the big one came.

"So, Tatsumaki-san, why are you here?"

She stayed silent for a moment, hoping that they would get to their destination first, but the school was surprisingly large. Seeing no easy way out, she asked a question of her own.

"How much did Izuku tell you? About our family, I mean."

"Well… He told me you didn't know he existed. And also that he wants to punch his dad in the face."

"Well, I found out he existed. By pure chance. Dad was watching the Sports Festival when they announced him. I kinda dragged some basic explanation out of him, packed up my thing, and left. I was half tempted to just fly here using my quirk, but my supervisor talked me out of it. About a week later dad showed up at my new place and told me the whole story.

He got paid a lot of money to move to the U.S, once my quirk truly awakened. He jumped a lot between the U.S and Japan. Mom was also preparing to move when she learned she was pregnant. She wanted to have her probably the last child in Japan, and dad had no problems with that since all his flights were paid for by the Hero Association. I was busy training to be the best by then, so I would sometimes go a month or two without seeing him."

Here she took a break. This was not an easy story to tell, but Nejire proved to be an apt listener and has given her her full attention. She barely even noticed they stopped walking.

"Dad came to see me one day. He told me my brother was dead. That mom was very sick, and she won't be joining us for another year. He came to visit almost every day, for a month, before he flew back to Japan. For four years, he visited mom every few weeks. Until one day he stopped going. He-"

Her voice broke, but she kept going.

"He told me mom didn't want to come. That she wanted to stay in Japan. He canceled the request for her visa. He took down pictures of her. He found a new job, and kept living as if nothing had happened!"

She was glad for the restraining bracelets because she was sure there would be walls and floor crumbling without them. She felt hatred pour inside her, so much time, lost, because of him. What if-

"He doesn't hate you." as if she guessed her thoughts, Nejire decided to speak.

"What?"

"Izuku. He does not hate you. We talked about you once. And even back then, I could tell he admired you greatly."

Tatsumaki still felt the hatred for her father inside. But it was quelled. Maybe all was not lost. But before either one of them could speak again, they found themselves staring at the confused and startled eyes of one Inko Midorya, who was escorted by a hero in a cowboy hat and a gas mask.

"Ahh, I see we're all gathered. Thanks, for the help, miss Hado."

Nezu wanted to usher the two Midoriyas inside his office when Inko spoke with a timid voice.

"Actually, could Nejire-chan join us? She's a good friend of the family."

Tatsumaki wanted to object but thought better of it. She was absent from mom's life for a long time. And right now, mom knew best who she needed by her side. It pained her to admit that, but it was the truth nonetheless.

Nezu gave a thoughtful nod, seemingly coming to his own conclusions on the matter. He offered tea to everyone but no one accepted, so he sat behind his desk and took a deep breath.

"The situation is such."

Iida was sitting inside Momo's hospital room, together with the rest of his conscious classmates. Everyone had their wounds treated, and they had some time to rest. They were gathered there by Bakugo, who straight-up told them that Spiky Ponytail knew where Izuku was. But many also demanded to know the truth about Izuku… killing someone.

Rumors were running rampant, between both classes. Apparently, one guy from 1-B was there with Yaoyorozu, and he didn't bother to keep his mouth shut. Bakugo growled at the thought, but instead of chasing that train of thought, he instead paid attention to the people in front of him. He might need their help to get what he wanted.

"Yaoyorozu-san, are you absolutely certain?"

"Yes. But I'm only telling you this under the vow of silence!"

"Still, to think Midori could do something like that… We need to find him ASAP!"

Some of the students cheered, but Momo herself stayed strangely quiet. Mina asked her what was on her mind.

"...the girl Midoriya encountered. It seemed as if they may have met before. I'm just worried, what if Midoriya joins them?"

This caused most of the room to object loudly. Until Iida managed to calm everyone down. In the chaos though, everyone missed Bakugo gave an ugly sneer. Nevermind, he didn't need the extras.

"Yaomomo, don't say things like that! What could possibly make you think that-"

"You know, don't you, Spiky Ponytail."

Onyx met crimson, and the two of the top students entered a staredown. But it was Momo's loss, as she broke eye-contact first, and gave a small sigh. She just hoped Midoriya could forgive her.

"Izuku Midoriya, our classmate grew up quirkless." That made everyone uncomfortable.

It was a fact that in the modern world, being born quirkless was in a word, terrible. Sure, 20% of the populace is like that, but what the statistics don't tell you is that out of that 20%, a great majority are people over the age of 50, who could not care less about it. The children born with it though… They often ended up as footnotes on news websites, and no more.

"So you're suspecting that because of what he had to go through as a child, he might walk down the path of villainy?"

Momo did not say anything. But they could read her line of thought. The first to speak up was Toru.

"I don't believe that. Izuku is not like that. Did you guys forget the USJ? How he confronted that monster to save Sensei? To save us?"

"He saved Tenya, even though he didn't have to," Ochako spoke quietly, her hand firmly clutching her boyfriends, who just nodded. Less said about Hosu, the better.

"We trained together after school. And he caught the leader at the mall. No way Midori could join the bad guys!" Mina was furiously shaking her head, refusing to even entertain the notion.

"I know that guys, I really do. But, out of all of us, does anyone here actually know who Izuku Midporiya is?"

She had a point, they could see that. For all his heroic deeds, they knew little of Izuku Midoriya as a person. Still, some found Momo's assumption utterly ridiculous.

"I know who Izuku Midoriya is. He is our classmate. And a good person." with her piece said, Mina walked out of the room, the other classmates following. One of the last two to go being Iida. He gave her a stern gaze through his spectacles.

"Your reasoning was valid, Yaoyorozu. But when this is over, I expect you to apologize to Midoriya. For doubting him, and for revealing his secret."

He did not wait for her answer and simply walked outside, where Ochako was waiting. Momo sighed, before looking at the last person still in the room.

"How can I help you Bakugo?"

"I think you know exactly how, Spiky Ponytail."

Indeed she did.

Chapter Text

All For One was ecstatic. He watched as the 5 or so Nomu struggled greatly to hold down his strange new toy. Izuku Midoriya had no problem matching his creatures in strength. There also was nothing that could damage him. But, something was stopping him from splattering them all across the walls.

He destroyed the Nomu he sent at USJ, and he pierced Muscular with a single punch. Yet now he punched and slapped and kicked at the Nomus and all it did was stagger them back, before they returned into the fray, trying to keep him pinned so he could test even more quirks.

He made some observations during the fray that had been going on for three hours, going on four now. He could not do anything to influence the boy's body in any way. When he tried to grasp his limbs with a puppetry quirk, he grasped nothing. Or more reasonably, he could grasp it, but not hold the limb back, redirect it, or stop it.

He could still make rebar sprout out the ground, attempting to impale the kid, but those either bent or straight-up broke. Izuku Midoriya had, through some unknown circumstances, become indestructible. But… that did not mean unkillable.

Boy did he love a good challenge. What should he try out next? Oh… Maybe? Yes, that could work. He used one of his arms to secrete an oil-like substance on the floor and waited for the young man to slip up. It took a while, but while the lad was trying to execute a dance move, he finally slipped and fell headfirst on the floor, cracking it. Nomus immediately dogpiled him, and that was enough.

As Izuku tried to get from beneath the pile of violent creatures, he could no longer breathe. it wasn't that something prevented him. There was just nothing to breathe in! He slowly started panicking.

"Ahh, yes. it seems you're not at all completely invincible, are you? Despite your incredible might and defense, you still need to breathe. How fascinating. This quirk creates a small pocket of vacuum, roughly the size of a football. More than enough to cover one's face, though the target does need to keep still."

Izuku, now really worried, started thrashing wildly, before slamming his head on the ground, again and again. It was a move made in blind panic, but it paid off, and he broke through the floor, falling inside some sort of drainpipe.

He took a deep breath, finally relieved to once again have something in his lungs, before he began to crawl through the tight space. Maybe he could escape this way and-

Luck was not on his side. The pipes began to curve upward, and coil tight around him as if to restrain him. He broke them apart with ease, but by then he was already back in the warehouse.

"Now now, there's still so much I have to learn about you Izuku! I don't know nearly enough! I disabled your phone's transmission after we called your sensei, but how about we shuffle through the contacts list, learn a bit about you, and who you hang out with?"

Nomus eagerly jumped him again. And he resisted. But every time he came in contact with their flesh, his mind flashed to the feeling of piercing through the skin, muscle, and bone. And it was as if the monstrous strength left him, barely enough to stagger the creature, but not disable it in any way. Like something restrained him.

"Hum… You have a lot of numbers saved, but don't exchange a good many texts, do you? Except, oh! Inko Midoriya in your contacts, your mother, right?"

He slowly scrolled through the messages, absorbing the information.

"My my, that's one cold family dynamic. As far as I can see, dear Inko cares for you dearly. A text, almost every day, 'Have a good day' and 'Did you eat lunch?'. But your replies are very frosty. Does it have anything to do with your estranged father? Let's look at someone else for now, shall we?"

It took about a full hour to explain everything. During that time he had to dodge a pencil or two which inexplicably decided they wanted to impale his head, as well as calm down Mrs. Midoriya from a mild panic attack. Miss Hadou for the most part just sat there, looking to be deep in thought.

When he told them of how Izuku went with villains willingly, Inko's dam broke and he got a front-row seat to the Midoriya tears. Safe to say, he should have worn a poncho. He also politely ignored that Tatsumaki's chair seemed to groan as if a mysterious force was pressing it into the ground.

"The situation is delicate, and we are threading with utmost care to gather the permissions and resources necessary to rescue your son, Mrs. Midoriya, and I promise you we will do our very best to have him back with you."

When he finished the explanation, he could accurately deduce what was the first thing anyone would say.

"I want in." The younger of the Midoriyas was not taking no for an answer. At least she no longer tried to commit violence on his things or person.

"While I can't allow you to be a direct part of the rescue efforts, Miss Midoriya, I can arrange for you to be present in the rear, and escort your brother to hospital for a checkup. "

Tatsumaki took a deep breath to present her argument.

"No."

Everyone was surprised to hear Inko speak. But speak she did, her voice loud and clear, no longer shaking. She stayed quiet for years. But now she was done letting others dictate her family.

"I'm terribly sorry Mrs. Midoriya but-"

"Tatsumaki will be there. '' It seemed that Tornado of Terror inherited more than her looks from her mother.

"I can see why you would want a family member present, but I ask you to trust us-"

"I did trust you. I trusted you to keep my son safe and teach him how to be a hero, help him fulfill his life-long dream, something I could not do. But since he has signed up for this school, he had to fend off villains during class, was assaulted outside of it, attacked again at the location, not even we parents were privy to and is now in hands of those same villains. Frankly, the only thing keeping me even slightly sane at this point is the knowledge that no matter your incompetence at keeping him safe, he has yet to suffer a single injury."

The room stood still, not expecting such a rant from the timid woman. But every person has their limit, and Inko Midporiya was WAY past it. Nejire decided to speak as well.

"I also think Miss Tornado should be there. Not only could she help contain the damage but…" she hesitated.

"Please, Miss Hadou, speak your mind."

"I know what Mirio must fight against. And I know who you suspect to be behind the League. That person is unpredictable, and it would do us well to also have someone unpredictable on our side."

Nezu thought for a minute. While the fact that young Togata had shared so much information between his friends was concerning, she did have a point. The operation was going to go off tonight, at sunset. They gathered a team, a powerful team. And they had already made the mistake of underestimating All for One before. He made a decision.

"I… will try my best to get you in, miss Midoriya, but I can not predict how H.P.S.C will react. If they decide this is over the line, they might be too late to stop you from helping, but will deport you as soon as the operation ends."

That meant she could be kicked out before speaking to Izuku. Before she could hug him, tell him she was sorry. Before she could give him her hurriedly bought gift… It was a conflicting battle. The need Tatsumaki had, to piece her family back together, against the need to save the said family. Staying behind, letting the rat handle it, was the rational choice. The 'safe' choice.

Tatsumaki was in no mood for rationality. As for safety, she would provide that herself.

"I'm in."

"You revealed a pretty big fucking secret, you know that Ponytail?"

"Yea, I did. But if it helps people save him or... It's well worth it."

"So you told everyone, then? The cops, the heroes, and now the extras?"

"Yes."

Bakugo stared at the class prez. She did not squirm in the least. She was dead serious. It was vital information, and hiding it would not help anyone.

"You're wrong about Deku though. He'd never go bad."

"How are you so sure?"

"Because I grew up with the dumbass! I had to watch him almost every single day, striving for that one goal! To help! To save! To be a hero! No matter how many times he was knocked down! However many times I told him to stop! That he was worthless! That he had nothing to offer to this shitty world!"

He was not crying. He was NOT!

"He would always get up! He would tear up, stammer, apologize for nothing! And then he would keep going. "

Bakugo turned around, one hand slamming into the wall. But he embraced the pain. It helped him keep his head clear. All was quiet in the room. But then Momo decided to speak.

"Do you regret it? What have you done?"

"I don't regret shit! I knew it back then, what I was trying to do. He had no chance in this world! He could not keep spouting bullshit dreams and then watch everyone stomp on them. Better me than them right?!"

He took a deep breath. If he kept going like this, a smoke detector might trigger.

"I don't care what could have been done differently. And regrets won't change a fucking thing. I… We tried, being friends again. It's not gonna work. While I stayed the same, Deku grew, he changed. The Deku I knew, is no more."

Deep breaths. Just keep taking deep breaths.

"Maybe you can grow and change as well?"

"Why? I'm already fucking perfect?"

"I dunno. Your people skills could certainly use some improvement."

Bakugo had nothing to say to that, much too busy to keep breathing deeply. Momo was not stupid, she could see wisps of smoke coming from his clenched fists, so she decided to change the topic.

"You want the tracker, don't you."

"Yes."

"What will you do if you find that Midoriya is not there?"

"Fuck if I know. Maybe have a look around, see if I can find those fuckers on the bluff? They're either gonna save him tonight, or he's gonna go free himself. No fucking way those guys have anything that can hold him."

Once more silence descended on the room. Momo already made up her mind. But, since Bakugo seemed to not be opposed to talking, maybe she could ask just one more thing.

"I have to ask. Midoriya does not have a quirk, and yet he is… well, him. How?"

"He told me he exercised."

"Bullshit!"

Slowly, very slowly, as if trying to keep reality intact, Bakugo turned around and looked at the class president, who looked like running a high degree fever, hands firmly clasped over her mouth.

"Ponytail, did you just…"

"No! No I did not! Anyway, I'll give you the tracker. But I'm coming with you"!"

"The hell you are! I'm already taking Shitty Hair with me, cause he wouldn't shut up about it! Plus, you're still injured."

"Actually, I was cleared an hour ago. I just said I'm waiting for my driver."

Bakugo looked at her. And she looked back. A lot of thought flashed through his mind, the pros, the cons. In the end, he settled for a snarl.

"Fine. Not my fault if you fucking die though."

This was already becoming bigger than he intended it. But, it wasn't like they would be useless. He did not have a plan. He did not have any gear or safety net to fall back on. But maybe, with this crew, he could feel what it was like to really be a hero.

"You and Mina seem close. Look at these useful breakdance poses she sent you. And she did them herself, instead of looking them up online. And they say friendship isn't magical. Now imagine her pretty pink face, when she learns you killed someone."

This guy would not shut up! He just kept talking and talking! How distant he seems to most of his classmates. That he was sloppy in his duties as vice president. And he kept trying to poke holes into his psyche.

"Now this Mirio guy. He seems like a true hero. He's also in his third year. How kind of him to take care of his kohai. Wow, you guys seem to talk about sparing a lot. Did he make you such a proficient fighter? We've been going for 14 hours now, haven't we?"

Why couldn't he just SHUT UP? The next Nomu he punched flew straight at All for One, who caught it casually and then set him down.

"Now we get to letter N… Ho? Izuku, do you have a girlfriend named Nejire?"

The briefing was set to start, and Detective Naomasa glanced at the heroes gathered in the conference room. There was a lot of firepower on this team. Toshinori insisted heavily on it.

Ryukyu was in right away, almost demanding it. It seemed young Midoirya really grew on the dragoness. That also meant that another one of the Big Three, Nejire-chan was in. All Might was in, of course, with the suspicion that All For One was behind it all, he would not miss it. Though he was absent from the meeting, to conserve his strength.

Endeavor, knowing something big was going on, also agreed to participate. There was also Edgeshot and Kamui Woods, with Mt. Lady in tow. But the real surprise came in the form of the Top Ranked female hero.

Miruko was sent an invite as were the rest of the Top 10. But no one expected her to actually show up. Yet, show up she did, explaining that there was a storm brewing that she simply could not ignore. The one most pleased to see her was Nighteye, another surprising addition, but it seemed he was here on the insistence of Lemillion. And last, but certainly not least, Gran Torino who was quite eager to help "such a plucky lad".

"Thank you all for being here today. To quickly summarise, last night at approximately 10.31 pm, a U.A student by the name of Izuku Midoriya willingly surrendered himself to the villainous organization, known as the League of Villains. His reasons for this course of action are unknown."

A slide with Izuku's picture was shown, one taken at the end of the Sports Festival, him standing on the second-place podium.

"Due to quick thinking of one of his classmates, we managed to track down the location of one of the two suspected bases of operation. The target has not left the premise in the last 14 hours, and the people we have observed the location had so far come up empty. But at 3.07 am, Eresarhead received a call from Izuku's cell phone. We suspect the villains did this on purpose, which means they are trying to lead us into a trap."

Edgeshot politely raised his hand.

"Why would they do such a thing?"

"We suspect they have no means to restrain young Midoriya long-term. The kid is by all accounts indestructible, and very strong."

"Then why did he not escape yet?"

Mirko's voice carried a commanding presence, with a dangerous edge, like she was prone to attack you if you did not respond to her appropriately?

"I've seen the kid perform, and he's strong. but he's also a brute. Not technique, just powering through everything. Yet his academic scores place him at the very top. So, why did he not escape, better yet, you say you don't know the reason why he'd surrender himself. But, I can tell there's something you're not telling us, detective."

It was not a secret, there was no reason to tell them, but nothing that forbade it. Tsukachi hoped to keep it under wraps, thinking it was a good thing to do. But if anyone could understand it, it would be the Pros.

"We have confirmed it through eye witness reports, that Izuku Midoirya was responsible for the death of the villain named Muscular."

The room stood still for a second. Then Ryukyu spoke.

"Indirectly or…"

"To save the witness, Midoriya punched the villain clean through the chest. The body was not recovered, so there's little else we know. But, after killing the villain, he dragged his body through the camp and used it to threaten and intimidate other villains."

That… was not what the heroes were expecting, but only a few of them reacted visibly. Mt. Lady looked a lot paler than before, and Mirko let out a dangerous grin. But as far as Tsukachi could see, all at least had the semblance of an idea of how that could impact someone.

"We will be split into two teams. We already have people scouring the general location of where we traced the call, and will probably pin down the hideout before the raid begins. Most of you will be attacking there since there's a high chance of Nomus being present. Your job will be to defeat them, or contain them until the other team can back you up."

Edgeshot, Kamui, Lemillion, and Nejire-chan were to attack the bar, while the rest of the pros were on standby or hitting the hideout if it was found by then. When the location was found, they were to engage any and all villains and detain them. The Nomus present were to be put down with prejudice.

Most pros agreed with their placement. Except one.

"I must object. Lemillion is a powerful asset that would be wasted on such an operation. He would perform much better against the Nomu, and would also be invaluable when searching for the hideout."

"Lemillion is perfect to combat against Shigraki with his Decay quirk. Our experts also agree he should be immune to the Warping quirk that another member possesses. He is not a well-known hero, which gives us yet another advantage. Both Nezu and our strategy team put a lot of thought into this, Sir Nighteye."

The foresight hero wanted to argue more. But a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him. It was the student himself, a determined expression on his face. Nighteye stared down his prodigy, before reluctantly dropping the matter. He could threaten to withdraw from the operation as a whole, but he knew Mirio would still go, even without his approval.

The meeting was concluded and now began the worst part. The waiting. Many of the heroes gathered left the station, for various reasons. That included Nighteye. But before he could leave, he saw a familiar figure standing in front of one of the empty offices. It seemed his old friend wanted to talk.

As soon as the door closed, Toshinori Yagi went straight to the core.

"I know why you wish to have Mirio close to me, Mirai. Your concerns are needless. Whatever happens, out there, I do not plan to lose."

"Losing and dying are not the same thing. I know that look in your eyes. My quirk refuses to offer me any glimpse of the child. I can't predict how this operation will go. I can only rely on my gut, and it only tells me things won't end well."

"That may be. But rescuing Midoriya is my responsibility. There's only one reason I can think of that would send All for One after him."

"He thinks the child is your successor. This is why I wish to have Mirio close to you. To show the world who is the next pillar of Peace."

"There will be time for that. After we save young Midoriya. After I defeat All For One one last time. Mirio will be a great hero, you'll make sure of it."

All Might walked out of the room, giving his former sidekick a wide berth. For a moment Nighteye was tempted to touch his friend. To look him in the eyes, and get a confirmation of how the events will play out. But it would be in vain. When he used his quirk on Miro, on Monday, he could not see anything past Wednesday. Anything concerning Izuku Midoriya was shrouded in darkness.

What could one child do that would leave such a big impact on the future? Mirai looked down at his hands. They were shaking.

Toga was happily humming while carrying a duffle bag, stuffed to the brim with various murder weapons. Some form her personal collection, and some she borrowed from Spinner. She looked at the blood she collected. While she had drained the frog girl a lot, her backpack container was left behind. She had enough for maybe three or four transformations at best. It would have to do.

"Oi, Alucard. What are you doing? You haven't unlocked the world map yet!"

"Oh, relax! Plus, I was promised my Izuku time. Or would you prefer to watch yourself on PornHub, furiously masturbating to hero Wash hentai?"

Say what you want about Toga, but her quirk was perfect for blackmailing. Maybe a bit too perfect.

Very reluctantly, Shigaraki let the girl transform into one of the NPC's, and walk outside, a skip in her step. Sensei did not like to be disturbed during his fun… But Sensei also did not have hundreds of his naked pictures hidden around in the city. Tomura was not the sharpest knife in the crayon box, but even he knew there were better hills to die on.

DING DONG

Was that the fucking bell? Who rings a bell at a bar? Dragging himself to the door, Tomura found a pizza delivery guy.

"TWICE! I TOLD YOU YOU CAN'T ORDER PIZZA HERE!"

"Pizza time! Is it pineapple and olives?"

"Nope. But there is an extra thick justice, with a can of whoop-ass! Free of charge!"

A blonde hero jumped THROUGH the pizza delivery guy, and then THROUGH the hand Tomura attacked him with, delivering a vicious hook right to his temples, sending him flying across the bar.

Kurogiri raised the alarm and tried to warp the intruder, but not only was the guy fast as fuck, but he also seemed to be completely unaffected by the portals. Magne was the first to respond, with Spinner hot on her tail. Suddenly Magne was blasted back by a spiral of energy. Spinner managed to dodge it but was encased in thick branches before he could charge ahead.

"Kurogiri, get us out, NOW!"

Shigaraki tried to pick himself off, but his head was still ringing and the world refused to stand still. But he could pick out a thin line making its way across the room, straight through the warping bartender, who slumped down behind the counter. Their ticket out has been denied. They were so fucked.

He finally got back on his feet, when he got hit in the chest by a spiral wave that made his nausea even worse. A wall of blue flames did make him feel a bit better though. Dabi with Compress and twice struck against the two heroes, one flying chick with horns and Kamui, who retreated hastily to not be scorched. But wait, where was the blondie?

Oh, there he was, behind Dabi, executing a perfect suplex. He kinda looked like All Might, didn't he? Wasn't that annoying? Now there were two final bosses. Twice rushed to his side in the chaos, and helped him get up. But before he could order him to make some clones to help, they were swept away in a storm of wood.

"I'm absolutely astonished!"

"Right? I knew he would interest you, Doctor."

"He's not sweating. He's not breathing heavily. It's like he is a perpetual motion machine!"

"But he is getting tired. It's probably just mentally tough. Humans were not meant to fight non-stop for 19 hours."

His psyche also held up surprisingly well. The kid was scared of killing someone. But it did not seem it could be used against him.

"Indeed. Have you tried getting a DNA sample?"

"Yes, some hair. But, it revealed nothing. Just plain hair. No abnormalities, no mutations, no energy signals."

"Then how-"

Someone slammed the door to the warehouse wide open, it was a girl with frog-like features, already melting off her, and a crazed bloodlust in her eyes.

"Izuku, I'm he-"

And then everything went to shit.

"I AM HERE!"

ROOOOOOAAAAARRRR!

They had managed to narrow down everything to about 4 or 5 locations. It might have taken them a lot longer if Ryukyu did not notice one of the students she had an interest in wandering the streets with a giant duffle bag, that rattled with a metallic sound at every skip she made.

It was suspicious, so they followed her to a warehouse. Just getting within 100 feet of it made everyone's hair stand straight. And the second the girl opened the door, Ryukyu could see her intern, his clothes in tatters, and fighting what seemed to be 7 or 8 Nomu's. And the Dragon awakened.

Both Ryukyu and All Might taking point, they broke down the walls, the signature "I AM HERE" almost drowning beneath the roar of a furious dragon. With but a thought from All for One, the Nomus rapidly switched their target, abandoning Izuku to stand, confused, and making a head-on collision with one very angry set of claws and scales.

All Might stood tall, and angry, in the face of his enemy. In a very rare instance, he was not smiling. Even Izuku was thrown off by that change, from an overly enthusiastic teacher, barely qualified for the job, to a hero who never loses. And he did not plan to lose this time either. At least not alone.

"Ahh, All Might. I did not expect you to show up here, let alone so soon. I guess that's what happens when you let your soldiers get a bit too eager."

Toga felt the full pressure. Something which she thought only Izuku possessed. A killing intent, an aura so powerful it made her wanna vomit. Sull, after a second it was gone, and she could breathe normally once more.

"It seems Shigaraki was captured as well. You assembled a crew specifically for this, didn't you? Even as the rest of the Nomu rush to help, your defense line is standing strong. I should feel honored, but I can't help but think my pupil and his men might feel left out."

A chill passed down All Might's spine. He rushed in to attack the bane of his master. But the villain was unperturbed, simply raising his arm. And as All Might saw the fine fabric of the suit get shredded, he also found himself being blasted back, together with the remains of the building.

"Might as well make this into one big party, right?!"

He would not hold Tomura here for long, just long enough to give him a taste of what he will become! It should be enough to light an even bigger fire inside him! Then he'd send him away with Kurtogiri. Yes, let her grandchild see the destruction he was to saw upon the land his grandmother died to save! Would she be smiling then?

Mirio was checking over the captured members. There were 7 of them, with one Himiko Toga missing, presumably, she snuck out earlier, under the disguise of one of U.A students. They let her through, in hopes of showing them to the min hideout and Izuku. And based on the radio silence, it worked.

Kamui Woods reinforced the branches holding the villains bound. Dabi was still unconscious thanks to the suplex,. and based on a quick examination, Shigaraki might have a concussion. They would have to be careful with his treatment, or he could very easily escape.

Nejire was still rearing to go but heeded his advice about slowing down. Kamui too wished to save Izuku as well, but they could not help him if they were running on empty.

"You think you won, blondie?"

Miro looked into the red eyes, barely visible through the badly kept hair. There was something inside those eyes, and it had nothing to do with a concussion. A sort of clarity, as if a great truth has been unveiled.

"You have no idea what's coming, you All Might-wannabe! I see it now, yes! The green player was never the final boss, YOU WERE!"

Before Shigaraki could say more, black sludge began oozing out of his mouth, as well as all the other League members. The heroes and police tried to stop them, but no matter what they did, nothing prevented the villains from vanishing into thin air.

Miro wanted to curse himself for being so careless. but there was no time for moping. His earpiece buzzed with a message from Sir Nighteye.

"Mirio, we need you here, NOW!"

Before Nighteye even finished, Mirio was already outside.

"Nejire! We're needed elsewhere, can you fly?"

"Stupid question. Will you give us a boost?"

"Indeed."

Nejire grabbed her friend beneath his arms, while Miro crouched. He was not sure where he should be going, but something in his gut called out towards that way. He flooded his body with the power of One for All, and the call got stronger.

"Let's go! 30% Phantom Leap!"

Immediately after takeoff, he could feel nejire boosting them with their energy, and vastly increasing their altitude. He also politely ignored two hard nubs poking his back.

"Izuku does it faster!"

He could barely hear her over the wind. But he still gave a hearty laugh.

"I won't believe it till I see it! So let's bring him home, so we can compare!"

She said nothing, but he could definitely feel the increase in their momentum. It seems their cute little kohai lit a fire in his friend. Could he have that fire inside him as well?

All Might was flying through the air. And then he wasn't. It agitated his insides greatly but he was still way closer to the battlefield than he hoped. He had to get back! he had to fix his mistake!

He turned around and found a mop of green curly hair. One pair of green eyes stared at him, filled with fear and doubt. He wanted to smack himself on the head. In his fury, he almost forgot why they were here in the first place!

"Thank you, young Midoriya! Now please, retreat to safety. This is my battle. Allow me this one chance to be your hero!"

Izuku did not know what it was. Something in the voice of Sir-smiles-a-lot triggered a memory he forgot, something that took place after the internships.

FLASHBACK

Izuku entered Gym Gamma, ready to once more kick Mirio's ass. But what he found was… a strange sight.

"Once more, young Togata!"

"I am here!"

Mirio and All Might were standing in front of a full-body mirror, where Miro was trying to contour and shift his face into something that uncannily resembled a nightmare he once had.

"No, no! Like this! I AM HERE!"

It was a textbook image of All Might's smile. One could not help to think that after it vanished, the room grew a little bit darker. What toothpaste did the guy use?

Miro tried once more to imitate the expression, failing, and developing a cramp in his jaw muscle. That was when he noticed Izuku standing there.

"Oh, Izuku! How the time flies when you're having fun! I'm practicing my I-AM-HERE smile, but it's still no good."

Izuku thought for a second. It has been a good year since he practiced, but he should still be able to pull it off, right?

"I AM HERE!"

Both, the pro hero and the third year were treated to a near-perfect imitation of All Might smile. And face. Aside from the occasional twitch, and freckles, one could scarcely separate them. It was kinda creepy.

"Alright! I can't let my kohai show me up! Once more! I AM HERE!"

FLASHBACK OVER

"You're going there to die, aren't you?"

A deep sigh was heard. Was this guy for real? Was he just gonna roll over after all those speeches? The smiles? He did not spend almost a full day being thrown his faults in his face, to then also shoulder All Might's death!

"I don't want to. But, I am not as strong as I used to be. He knows it, you know it, I know it. Sir Nighteye predicted something like this when I defeated him for the first time. And, if it means you, and young Togata don't have to deal with this, then I'll gladly-"

"Don't you fuck with me!"

The hero was taken aback. It was not like Midoriya to curse. But clearly, some sort of line has been crossed.

"You don't get to just go and die, because you think it's right! Or because it was meant to happen! You don't get to die, PERIOD! You still need to teach Mirio how to smile! You still need to teach my class how to be heroes! I still have things on my bucket list! YOU. DON'T. GET. TO. DIE!"

All Might was shell shocked. To see so many emotions pour out. But then he smiled. Big and wide, like he always did.

"You are right, young Midriya! I let myself be blinded by my duty. But being a hero comes from the heart! Let's go! We've already been away for too long!" He prepared to take off, before sending a challenging look towards the young student.

"I trust you can keep up?" A fire was lit inside those eyes once more. And All Might knew, wherever he would go that night, Izuku Midoriya would be right beside him.

All For One gazed upon the battlefield. It was pure and utter carnage. Endeavor was trying his best to incinerate any Nomus that came near. 4 or 5 already perished under his flames. That was alright, he could always get more. Ryukyu, for her ferocious charge, was sticking to the background together with Mt. Lady, making sure no creature made it past the perimeter, enforced with concrete blocks, and policemen, taking whatever potshots they could.

Gran Torino, that old chap was doing his best, wheezing around, distracting his creations, and drawing attention on himself. but the real star of the show had to be her. Mirko was laughing maniacally, while shattering bones, rupturing organs, and rendering flesh with the power of her kicks. And people thought thicc thighs save lives. Fools, the lot of them.

Still, there was something beautiful in observing a combination of years worth of training, guided by an animalistic instinct, present in those with animal quirks. Despite the showers of gore, not a single drop landed on her, her leotard still pristine white as it was at the start of the assault.

He would single-handedly make sure it would be stained with a hero's blood by the end of the night. His musing was interrupted by the arrival of Tomura's precious League. Toga joined them from wherever she hid, he'd have to have words with her later.

Ahh, and there was All Might. Something changed, there was a fire in those eyes once more. HER fire. But wait, his newest friend was with him! Maybe he has yet to learn all there is about Izuku Midoriya?

The last few Nomus, hidden in the deepest crevices of his base entered the fray. Still, The League was strong enough to inconvenience a hero or two, which would give his Nomus an opening while he played with the Hero and the student.

All was according to plan. And then it wasn't. Tomura's posse had the right idea, aiming for Gran Torino, the weak link so to speak. But then they were all frozen on the spot, together with a few of the Nomus as well. His Quick Analysis told him it was a form of psychic force. but there was no here in Japan strong enough to freeze 8 people, and creatures strong enough to put your average hero to shame.

He looked to the sky, and there she was. He would be a fool, not to recognize her.

"Tornado of Terror. What is such a famous American figure doing on my turf?" The longer he stared, the more something bothered him. Something about the eyes seemed ever so familiar…

Oh.

OOOH.

This was not in his plan. He should take care of this rogue element quickly. But before he could do that, he had to defend himself from… Buff Tintin? What was going on here?

He was also blasted by a spiral energy blast, courtesy of a blue-haired hero. Wait, they let students attend this raid? The Big Three of the U.A, he should be feeling honored. So why did he only feel frustration?

"I see, I see! It seems I was the foolish one here! I brought a machine gun for an RPG fight! That is the way the youngsters say it now right?"

He extended the black tendrils, his own quirk as ready as always. He should attempt to wake up Dabi together with Kurogiri. While he was at it, Tomura doesn't look so good. He did not have a healing quirk that could work on others, but he could boost his student for a limited time.

All Might stood tall and proud. God, he hated that smile. Was it because he was defeated by All Might? No, it was because even in HER final minutes, SHE still smiled. Not even death could take that smile away. Her small victory over him. He would erase that smile from the Earth. Forever.

"Surrender All for One! You are outmatched!"

"Indeed, you're right! Sadly I don't have an RPG myself." He forcibly activated Kurogiri's quirk. There was only one location he had in mind.

"My tank will have to do. Come to me… GIGANTOMACHIA!"

Chapter Text

Bakugo… was scared shitless. How did it all go so wrong? He did not expect such a goddamn clusterfuck to occur when he swaggered out of the hospital with Ponytail and Shitty hair on his ass. They got to the city no problem, but then Ponytail insisted they wear disguises. That's how he found himself with a dumb goatee and a pink t-shirt that had some writing on the back. He didn't see what it was, but he could just feel Shitty Hair snickering while he walked behind him.

Although both of them agreed that Ponytail pulled off that Rocker look a bit too well. It would draw too much attention so they convinced her to change into something that a housewife would wear, so they didn't have every Tom, Dick, and Harry hitting on her. There were still some drunken vagrants who tried their luck but quickly scrambled after seeing the smoke coming off his palms.

They were kind of drifting, reluctant to approach the seedy bar that the tracker was pointing to when something rather peculiar happened.

"What the fuck is Frog face doing here?"

His question alerted the other two, to the presence of their classmate, who was happily skipped down the street.

"You're right, that is Tsu-chan! HEY TS-"

Kirishima found a sock jammed in his mouth, courtesy of Yaoyorozu, who discreetly pulled it out of her cleavage.

"Oi, Shit hair. She was recovering from blood loss this morning. You really think we'd find her here, skipping out of all things?"

Kirishima couldn't argue with that. The trio quickly elected to follow their 'classmate'. Well, Bakugo did, the other two following his lead, because he didn't really leave them any other choice. They trailed her to the warehouse district, before making a run for the back of the building she entered. It took them no longer than ten seconds to get there. And yet, in that little time, the clusterfuck began.

Before he could even tell Shitty Hair to boost him so he could look in through the window, a roar of an apex predator pierced the night, making their bones tremble. The entire building shook to the foundations. And a voice that practically everyone in Japan knew by heart.

"I AM HERE!"

Everything was going to be fine now… Right? Before Bakugo could decide on a plan of action, he and the trio were assaulted by a killing intent. They each knew the feeling. It was impossible not to know it, with Midoriya in their class. But this… this was on a whole other level!

He and Spiky Ponytail were huddled close by Shitty Hair, who had turned on his quirk, to shield them from debris that fell down. The building they were trying to scout was gone.

"Man, these Nomu guys are WEAK!"

Miruko, discontent as she may have been with the strength of her opponents, still had a smile on her face. It was rare that she could get to let loose, and the erupting fires of Endeavor and the old flying banana guy just added to the thrill.

But all that time, she was looking for an opening to charge against the big bad wolf himself, who stood in the skeletal remains of the building, observing his creations getting taken out by the pros. But it was not to be, since All Might came back, with the broccoli kid in tow.

Also, suddenly a lot more people appeared on the scene, including the short stack that drove with them. She was wondering for a second who let this sassy kid ride with heroes, before being told she was looking at a Top U.S hero. Who was also broccoli's brother? Small world.

Villains tried to reinforce the attacking Nomu, before they were frozen still, some of them mid-step. Thinking she finally had the opening she needed to take a shot at the boss, she was proven wrong when with a single sentence that turned everything on its head.

"Come to me… GIGANTOMACHIA!"

Out of all the heroes present, only Gran Torino truly realized the meaning of those words. The blood froze in his veins, as his mind flashed back to the unending rampages, where the best help heroes could offer was by removing civilians from its path.

The black misty portal opened and grew and grew, looming over the battlefield. And from it emerged. The Nightmare of Days long past. Walking on all fours, its towering height intimidating all on its own.

The creature announced its entrance with an earth-shattering roar, before bowing low to its master. Who then spoke the simple command, that had razed cities and slew hundreds, no, thousands!

"Charge."

Gran Torino saw it in slow motion. The muscles bulging to begin its reckless sprint, trampling everything in its way. He also saw All Might jump in, ready to take on the beast.

"Toshi, DON'T!"

It was in vain. While still mid-air, All Might was smacked away like a fly. But only a few truly knew how bad it was. He was hit directly into his unguarded injured side. Nothing was standing in the monster's way. Kamino was about to be razed to the ground.

While many froze at the entrance of the giant, Endeavor did not. Because the Nomu did not get distracted. They were all aiming towards one single goal. To kill every hero they possibly could. Like he'd let them!

"Flashfire Fist - Jet Burn!"

Another Nomu bit the dust, this one seemingly lacking the incredible regenerative capabilities the others had. It was almost like a lottery. Would the monster get up, or not? Just in case, he made sure to torch as much of it as he could. He could still go for a little while longer, and the Nomus was slowly being pushed back. They could win! They WILL win!

But then he saw a yellow-bluish missile flying away from the battle. And he could pretty accurately guess who it was. This was in no way good. And now the giant fucking monster was charging right towards the police line. Looks like this villain had no qualms in endangering civilians!

But someone was standing in its way. The little brat they were trying to save. One of Shoto's classmates. The one who defeated his son. It left a bad taste, but ultimately, was for the best, since Shoto was much more willing to train with his fire.

The kid may have the power to stop it, but he did not have the mass. The best he could do was maybe trip it. The only rational option was to move and find someone else to handle it. But the kid was not moving.

"He's not gonna try to stop that, is he?"

"I'm gonna stop that!"

Izuku Midoriya stared down at the beast as it was charging. He was too small to grab it. Too light to lift it without some sort of anchor. Which meant he could only halt its movement one way. By outputting the same amount of momentum. Momentum was mass times velocity. He had a lot less mass. That meant he was gonna need a lot more velocity. Good thing the ground around him was already wrecked.

The monster ran closer and closer… not yet… Closer and closer still… not yet… It was almost upon him… NOW!

He pushed off the ground, caving it into a larger crater, and flew towards Gigantomachia, who only now realized he was there. It didn't try to block. It had probably never met anything that could effectively penetrate its outer shell. It was only when Izuku's head met its chin, that it recognized its mistake, as it was raised off the ground, before falling flat on its back.

Izuku was falling, but he was more concerned when the monster was already getting back up. He underestimated it. Of course, he did. He should have just gone beyond and-

Muscular's still grinning corpse flashed in his mind. He knew he should not be holding back. He should have fought harder. He should have been stronger…

"Is it that wrong I don't want to kill again?"

The thought echoed in his mind. But before anything could become of it, Gigantomachia was enveloped in a green glow that arrested its movements. And so were his pants?

He felt a tug on them and found himself flying towards the other end of the battlefield. Away from the monster. No! That wasn't right! He had to fight! He had to clean up his mess! He had to…

He was dropped on the ground, in front of his 'savior'. He had a few choice words for them, all of them that borrowed from Bakugo. But… they all died in his throat.

In front of him, in an elegant black dress, with her green hair flaring, and she raised arms shaking stood Tornado of Terror. The Number One American Hero. Tatsumaki Midoriya. His sister, who he had only seen on live television.

"What in the actual fuck?!" Bakugo's dictionary came to the rescue once more.

"Language. And I'm here to save you."

"WHAT?!"

"Mom threatened the U.A rat that I have to be here."

"MOM DID WHAT?!"

He was seriously freaking out now! But one thought slashed through the storm in his mind. One question he had to ask.

"Why are you here now? Why after 15 years…"

"I saw you on TV and-"

That was the wrong thing to say. Even in her quirk-overusing mind, Tatsumaki could see that. Her brother's face turned from confused to blank to angry in quick succession.

"Ahh. I see. Once the quirkless embarrassment starts making it big, all of a sudden it's family reunion time?"

"DON'T YOU DARE!"

Izuku wanted to rant more. To scream and shout! He had a good decade of frustrations to air out. But what stopped him wasn't the scream. It was the tears pooling down... His sister's face.

"I WAS TOLD YOU DIED AS A BABY! I WAS TOLD MOM NEVER WANTED TO SEE ME AGAIN! I LEARNED YOU WERE ALIVE LESS THAN A MONTH AGO AND DID MY BEST TO GET INTO THIS COUNTRY! MY FIRST HUG WITH MOM AFTER 15 YEARS WAS BARELY A DAY AGO! FIRST TIME I GET SO YEE YOU, MY BABY BROTHER IS ON A BATTLEFIELD!"

She was panting and blood started leaking from her nose. Even cut in half, her quirk was capable of holding down 25 people. But not if one of those 25 was a monster that actively fought and seemed to get stronger by the second.

She remembered the call she received at the police station, from the H.P.S.C.

"We cannot prevent your involvement any longer, Miss Midoriya. But this is an official warning. If your bracelets come off even for a second you will find yourself on the first available transport back to the U.S. Both H.P.S.C and the Hero Association agree on this."

Of course, the suits didn't care what was happening unless it was their asses on the line. Bureaucrats were the same, no matter the continent. The monster gave another valiant struggle. Another blood vessel busted, this time dying her left eye red. Her hold on the Nomus and the League grew weaker.

The villain spoke. Not even phased by a blonde blur evading and phasing through his attacks searching for a weak point. It was a simple command, directed at his loyal bodyguard.

"Move."

Gigantomachia broke free of the psychic lock that was holding him. Tatsumaki's head exploded in pain, relinquishing her hold over the League and the Nomu. The world turned black.

Bakugo took a deep breath. Ponytail gave them all masks so they didn't choke on the dust, and Shitty hair shielded them from the debris that was falling. All and all, they got out of that pretty well.

Dust was beginning to settle, and they could once again survey the situation. It was not good. All Might was nowhere to be seen, Nomu and the Leauge were no longer locked in place, and there was a giant fucking monster!

"Bakugo, what do we do?"

Where the hell was Deku in this mess? And All Might, why wasn't he fighting? Who was the Tintin wannabe? In the end, Bakugo decided not to overthink this. There was only one possible answer.

"WE KICK THEIR ASS!"

It was a simple plan even Shitty Hair should understand. Ponytail just shook her head, before starting to pull a fucking Gatling gun out of her belly!

"I'll provide cover fire. You two charge ahead."

"Yaomomo is that…"

"They don't have real bullets. I don't even know how to make those. They'll hurt like a bitch though."

Kirishima wanted to ask more. But they were wasting time. Time they didn't have to fucking waste!

"Good enough for me. Ready Shitty Hair?"

"Hell yea Bakubro! Real men don't shy from danger!"

His entrance was all but quiet. But he still managed to take them by surprise, first blasting away the creep in a tophat that tried kidnapping him in the woods. Next, he dodged the crusty hand dude and delivered a spinning kick to the chick with a giant magnet. A knife tried to shank him from behind, but Shitty Hair tackled the blond bitch into the ground.

"Bakugo Katsuki. And here I was, sure that you would join us. It seems I was mistaken."

"No fucking shit, you creepy asshole! I'd never join a guy who needs more than one pair of hands to get himself off!"

The dude with blue fire tried to get him but had to dodge a hail of whatever bullshit Ponytail stuffed inside her barrel. That sounded oddly euphemistic.

With most of the villains being distracted by cover fire, Bakugo and Kirishima charged the ones purposely being left out, namely the blonde bitch with a knife and a lizard dude, who swung a spinning contraption of assorted blades, bound by belts.

"Bad news dude. Blades don't work on me!"

Then Kirishima got hard. Like REALLY hard. His joints became stiff. His skin became jagged. And any movement caused sparks to fly. The damn weapon didn't stand a chance. But Kirishima couldn't hold onto it for long. The blond bitch tried to take advantage of that. All it got her was an explosion in the face.

She threw two knives at him, but those too were blown away. Sadly, the smoke made him miss the third one that whizzed past his arm, clipping a bit of his ear. Also, Hand Fetish already managed to escape the hail of projectiles and charged right at him. He already knew he was fucked if he let the fucker touch him, so he decided to gain some height, only to be drawn back down by whatever the Magnet Bitch did.

Momo stopped firing, which meant she had to reload, or move positions. But that didn't stop her from chucking a duo of smoke grenades. No pink smoke though. The haze masked Kirishima as he charged Magne, and tackled her to the ground, making her lose her weapon. He then rushed to Bakugo, and the two took the back-to-back stance. The two students were surrounded by five villains, each dangerous in their own right. Those were rookie numbers!

"BRING IT ON YOU FUCKS!"

Did her mind go blank for a second? It must have because she was leaning against a rock, and blood was wiped off her face. She looked at Izuku, who upon seeing her awake, dropped the first aid box, and turned towards the battle.

The League was engaging two students who were somehow holding their own, while the monster was trying to shake off a dragon and a rabbit who did their best to annoy it and keep it in place. Endeavor, a banana dude, and a giant blonde chick tried to contain the Nomu, but it was clear they wouldn't hold out for long.

The Blonde dude with a vizor was fighting the big bad, seemingly phasing through every attack, getting few good hits in. But even with strange lighting surrounding him, the punches had no visible impact.

Izuku prepared to jump. He wanted to get back into the fray.

"Wait! You must stay here!"

"No. All Might is still gone, and Mirio needs my help."

"We came here to save you! You can't just run right back!"

"I didn't ask to be saved! I didn't ask to be quirkless! Or ask for a father who would abandon me! Or ask for this power of mine! Or for friends! ALL I ASKED FOR WAS SOMEONE TO BELIEVE IN ME!"

He cursed the tears that slid down his face. He swore to never cry again after he showed his power to mom. Those were supposed to be the last tears he shed. He took a deep breath that definitely wasn't holding back a sob.

"A-and now… And now my best friends, those who DID believe are here fighting because I did something stupid. The heroes I admired fighting for their lives because I couldn't believe in my classmates, and the heroes who were with us."

Tatsumaki stood up. She felt the urge to hug him. In front of her, there wasn't the blank-faced Izuku Midoriya, 'the strongest first-year student' or the 'Sports festival runner-up'. In front of her was a 15-year-old boy, who got in way over his head, and was now taking all the blame on himself.

"Listen. You did what you thought was right. You could not foresee that it could get so out of hand, none of us did. That monster is a complete wildcard. Mom said you were in a mess before, but you got away without a scratch. So I'm trusting you that when you get out there again, you make it back in one piece. Can you promise me that, brother?"

Izuku felt something warm inside of him, being called brother. He wiped away what tears there were left, and gave his sister a firm nod.

"I promise. I'll be back, safe and sound."

Mirio took a deep breath, before attempting once more to charge ahead. His attention was wholly focused on the black-masked villain. Who seemed much more interested in speaking than fighting him seriously.

"I sense it inside you, boy. I can see the fire of One for All shining through you."

Mirip phased through the incoming tentacles and weaved around the rebar spikes. He went to take a breath and had to guard against a punch that rattled his entire body.

"You have All Might's fire boy. And you are very skilled for your age. But I had decades to master quirks upon quirks. Even if I was injured by that blubbering oaf, I am not someone you hold a chance against without the full power of One for All!"

Mirio did something stupid. He clenched his buttcheeks, and screamed from his heart!

"SMASH!"

This was his 100% and it staggered the villain greatly, even pushing him back a couple of meters. But he himself was blinded by a world of pain. His right arm was mangled and tangled, sporting bruises and bleeding at some points. He dropped his guard for a single second.

"You're mine!"

He tried to focus on phasing, to sink into the ground and retreat, before trying another strategy. But whether it was pain, or his quirk stalled for the third time in his life, he stood on the spot, solid as ever, as a jagged spike approached his head. Only to be stopped dead, and promptly crushed.

In front of him stood his topless kohai, prepared to take the fight to bad guys. But the villain only seemed to get giddier.

"Izuku! You finally joined us! Did you get tired of looking at how the people who came to save you are failing so miserably? Endeavor won't be able to defeat the Nomu alone, and they'll rip him to shreds, fire or not! Your classmates, where did they even come from? All three will be killed by the League. And All Might… You saw what happened when he tried to take on Gigantomachia!"

Ryukyu flew upwards to reevaluate the situation. It was bad. Like, REALLY bad. Endeavor, Gran Torino, and Mt. Lady were the only people left to fight the Nomu, while two students charged the League on their own. They seemed to be holding out well, but how long could they keep it up?

Izuku has pulled away from the fight, but right now they need extra muscle! Where was the Tornado of Terror? Where was Nejire? She had dropped off Mirio, but now she was nowhere to be seen!

She dived back into the fray, using her size and mobility to obstruct the giant, and leave openings for Mirko to exploit. But suddenly the giant sped up and one of his blows grazed her. It didn't break or dislocate anything, but it hurt. A lot.

She landed on the ground and took a deep breath. Her side hurt, probably were going to be bruised like hell. She attempted to regulate her breathing. Mirko tried her best to hold back the monster, but it seemed to be preparing for a charge. At the same time, Nomu ganged on Endeavor, burying him beneath them.

Gran Torino jumped, trying to draw their attention. He never saw the blade coming and was thrown to the side, drops of red trailing behind him. One of the students fighting was surrounded by blue flames, the other was spiraling through the air, about to be smacked down by a steel beam. Was this it? Were they gonna lose?

Like hell! She picked herself up, managing to stop wheezing and breath normally. Every inhale brought a dull throb, but she could bear with it. A great blast of flames sent Nomu flying everywhere. Endeavor was down on one knee, but he still had some fight left in him! Gran Torino used a part of his cape to form a makeshift eyepatch. And the student spinning in mid-air had a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"HOWITZER IMPACT!"

A massive explosion engulfed the League, casting an orange glow over the battlefield. It signaled something. That the Heroes were not defeated yet!

"Lacquered Chain Prison!"

A great many Nomu were suddenly trapped in a wooden cage. Kamui then severed the parts binding it to him and yelled at the Flame Hero.

"Endeavor! DO IT NOW!"

"Prominence Burn!"

Just like that, a great deal of Nomu was gone. Nejire dropped her other passenger, Edgeshot, who went whizzing around the battlefield, rounding up the remaining Nomu. Suddenly a roar reminded everyone of Gigantomachia, who began his charge. But before he could get going, a green glow surrounded him, this time not trying to lock him in place, but slow him down.

Ryukyu saw this as her chance and flew towards the giant, shoulder-checking him off course, and away from the police line. She then saw it try to punch her, and dodged, before targeting its weak points with her claws. It was monster vs. dragon. And she had no plans to lose! Mirko was on her way to help out the students. It looked good for the heroes, they had managed to turn the tide. And then things got even better!

"I AM HERE!"

Twice laid in the rubble. He and Mr. Compress were pretty near Magne when the blonde unleashed that explosion. Now he felt a bruise forming on his side, and he definitely had a broken leg. Possibly a concussion as well. But despite that, his head was clearer than ever. So much so he couldn't help but cry.

"I-i'm the real one… I AM THE REAL ONE!"

He slowly picked himself up, just in time to see a great deal of Nomu burn to ash, and be swept by a gust of wind sweeping across the battlefield. It was seeming like their side was losing. Toga had a bad burn on the side of her face. Magne was lying on the ground, smoke coming out of her.

Tomura was trying to get a hold of the explosion brat who kept just out of range with his explosions and trying to land a good hit. Dabi was still a target of the mysterious shooter, who managed to get him with the tear gas. That wasn't gonna be a problem much longer.

He delved deep inside, using his quirk to feel out his body. He didn't change much over the years, but to make the clones as strong as possible, he needed to know EVERY detail. They wouldn't be the best, probably a solid impact will be enough to disperse them. But they will serve their purpose.

With a deep breath, Jin was about to turn the tide one more time.

"Infinite Doubles: Sad Man's Parade!"

Toshi could barely draw breath, and each exhale brought forth the taste of copper in his mouth. Still, he stood tall, One For All burning bright. This might be All Might's final fight, but it wouldn't be his resting place! He promised Izuku! He would not disgrace Nana's memory like that!

"So you return, All Might. Looking a bit pale, I see."

Toshi said nothing as he stood with Midoriya and Togata. His successor seemed to have an arm broken, and all Izuku had on him were some rather torn jeans. But they stood tall. They would win on this day.

"Here you three stand. A dying flame, a boy with too big of shoes to fill, and Izuku. I had hopes for you yet, my jolly green friend. But you would not let me in. I guess you'll learn your lesson the hard way."

"What lesson?"

"Power corrupts. And absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Suddenly the trio was swamped by dozens upon dozens of villains. With a mighty sweep of his arm, All Might tried to blow them away, but that only caused them to erupted into a mud-like substance, not halting the rest in the slightest.

"Ahh, my dear Twice. Finally realizing his true potential. It brings a smile to my face. After killing you All Might, I might even be laughing out loud, smiling wider than Nana ever could."

"Don't bring her into this!"

Toshi attempted to plow through the endless parade of poorly made clones, but it slowed him down just enough for All for One to stop him and start pushing back. He was slipping on the slick goo fallen clones left behind.

"Oh, but she's already involved! I find it very poetic, that her successor and her grandson find themselves on the same battlefield, but on opposite sides!"

No! That couldn't be…

"What are you talking about?!"

"Oh, you're gonna love this. You too, Gran Torino!"

An extra limp sprouted from his arm, deflecting the old pro who tried to ambush him, but not out of hearing range.

"You thought leaving him in an orphanage would hide him from me. And it did. I never met the son of Nana Shimura. However… When he needed a hero the most, he was stranded, left to fend for himself in the streets! Shigaraki Tomura is a name I bestowed upon him when I picked him up, starved, and abandoned! Shigaraki Tomura, also known as Shimura Tenko is Nana's grandson!"

The world stood still for Toshi. That… That couldn't be! Right? Nana's grandson was abandoned? He was starving in the streets? His master strictly told both him and Gran Torino to keep away from her son. But how could anyone born from a person as kind as Nana Shimura abandon their own child?

"ALL MIGHT!"

Toshi was punched hard in the stomach, and that was what brought him back to reality. Coughing blood, he was for the second time that day caught by young Midoriya, with young Togata right behind him.

Now a sea of clones laid between the villain and the heroic trio. And All For One began his counterattack.

"Yes! YES! Despair more for me All Might! Just imagine what Nana would say! Illusion! Nightmare! Kaleidoscope! Amplification! Unite and create ENDLESS DOME OF GLOOM!"

A mirror surrounded the three heroes. But only two could perceive it. All Might suddenly saw his mentor, lying in the rubble, impaled by bones, rebar, and shards of glass. In her abdomen laid a huge hole of nothing but darkness. And on her face, still the ever bright smile she wore in life.

"How could you Toshi? I trusted you! I gave you One for All so you could save people with a smile! Why did you not save Tenko?! Why DID YOU FAIL ME?!"

"No…" All Might slowly deflated, only the shock keeping him standing. Next to him, Mirio clutched his wounded shoulder.

"You failed as the 8th holder! I should have known Midoriya would have been a better choice! You are the worst student I have ever taught! All that time, all the preparation I did, all to be wasted in your hands!"

In front of him stood Nighteye, strict as always. But Mirio did not shiver, or despair. He stood tall and proud. Le Million would not fall for such tricks.

"Sir would never say something like this. I'm guessing your illusions depend on how well you know the person. And if you knew Sir Nighteye half, as well as I, do, you would understand, Izuku would be his last choice to receive One for All."

Izuku, confused, now understood the situation. He quickly stepped to All Might and tried to shake him back. But the shrunken form remained unresponsive. Eyes open, but not seeing.

"You were almost right, 9th holder. But you missed one big detail. The more they succumb, the harder it is to snap them out of it! Now watch as the Symbol of Peace is broken from within!"

"DIE!"

Bakugo sent another three clones splashing on the ground. His arms shook and ached with how many explosions he let out, and he was pretty sure he was starting to get dehydrated from all the sweat.

Shitty hair had to charge his way through the crowd to get to Pony Tail and help her against the clones. That left Bakugo fighting side by side with two other pros.

"You dead yet, Nighteye?"

"Not even close. A toddler would be harder to predict than these simpletons. But it's nice knowing that you care Mirko."

"Like hell, I care! I just want to know when you kick the bucket so I can poach your All Might merch. Gotta be worth some nice carrots, that one."

The pros stood unyielding, even in the face of an army. A shitty army that argued and pushed each other around as much as they did heroes.

Bakugo was no longer smiling. He would rather die than admit defeat or tell anyone that he was scared. But could he really win this? Could he really save D- Izuku? Did he bring Kirishima and Yaoyorozu here to die?

A firm hand on the shoulder stopped those thoughts. it was Sir Nighteye, All Might's old sidekick. And he was not giving up. What excuse did Bakugou have then?

"I AM HERE! AND FUCK ALL OF YOU!"

The League was perched on top of a small pile of rubble, observing as two pros and a student held their own against the tide of clones. And they weren't the only ones. The group that held back the Nomu now set on decimating as many clones as they could, waves of fire, branches, and giant fists squashing the poor Twice time and time again. They stopped multiplying once their progenitor passed out from quirk exhaustion, but there were still more than enough.

Not even the blue-haired bitch with her spirals managed to make a big dent in the army, though a few did meet quite an unfortunate end when they tried to get involved in the wrestling match between Gigantomachia and Ryukyu.

The dragoness managed to get some good hits, even gouge out one eye, but as good as she gave, she also got. Multiple bones were broken, and if it wasn't for the sassy psychic chick making sure to slow down the giant and keep her fractures together, she would have easily lost a long time ago. Her two broken teeth taught her better than to try biting, so she relied on her fists and using her claws to search for weak points.

Tomura Shigaraki observed that chaos. He reveled in it. This was what Sensei was able to achieve by kidnapping just one student! What could he achieve if he killed a class worth, a building's worth, a town worth of people? How much more death, violence, and destruction? He laughed out loud, seeing All Might kneeling on the ground, deflated, exposing his true form.

News helicopters were already flying around at a safe distance, trying their best to capture every angle they could. This battle was gonna go down in history! And he was right in the middle of it! What could he do but laugh?

Kurogiri was waking up, and slowly getting together. Soon as the Heroes were dead, they would bail and revel in the resources, party members, and exp. This boss battle was as good as theirs!

All Might tried not to listen. But the voices kept getting louder! He knew he failed! He knew he was not worthy! Something struck his cheek. Were they throwing rocks at him? Another. No, someone was smacking him. Repeatedly. Wait. Who was doing that?

"-to me you blibbering orangutan! I know jack shit about Nana Shimura. But I imagine that if she's someone you admired so much, then would you really doubt her choice? Look inward! What would SHE say to you?! LISTEN TO YOUR HEART, CLENCH YOUR BUTT OR WHATEVER AND BE THE HERO I KNOW YOU ARE!"

Was that young Midoriya? Was he right? Did he start doubting his master? Toshi felt a pull. Something he hadn't felt since he received One For All. The last embers of the quirk were pulling him inward. And there he saw her. Smiling and standing proud.

"You ARE my choice Toshinori. Always. Now go! Save people with a smile!"

Izuku jumped back as his teacher stood up once again. As he did, muscles started booming, and the little hair strands stood tall once more. A booming voice echoed through the battlefield, raising the spirits of all those who fought for the light.

"I AM HERE!"

All For One observed as his rival stood up one last time. He was not scowling anymore. He smiled. The smile that haunted him in his dreams. The smile he mocked out loud but feared deep inside.

"Young Midoriya! Young Togata! We are ending this! RIGHT NOW!"

Easier said than done. Between them still laid an army of clones. The terrain was slick with their goo. The charge was going to be hard. Building momentum for maximum power even herder. But they had forgotten for a second. They were not alone.

"Prominence Burn!"

"Lacquered Chain Barrier!"

"Nejire Flood!"

A path was cleared. They had a chance now. The ground was still slippery, which meant they needed someone fast enough to bypass it. Izuku picked up Mirio and All Might.

"I'll be the horse. You two give him hell!"

Nejire above them was giving it her all to keep the path clear. But she still had enough breath to yell at them.

"All Might! Le Million! Emerald Fist! GO BEYOND!

It was like everyone said it at once. Every hero, every policeman, every person who was watching at home or in the streets and rooting for the heroes. For just a moment it felt like the whole world said it at once.

PLUSSS ULTRAAA!

Toshi felt his young student move. He felt the pressure increase. The ground shook and cracked with each step young Midoriya took. Next to him, Miro had a face of determination, his left arm poised to strike. Toshi matched it with his left. One for All had never burned brighter inside.

"You fools! Like I'd let you just charge me head-on! Air Cannon! Relentless Breath! Gust! Amplification! Enhancement! Need for Speed! Go, GALE RAPID FIRE!"

A strong wind blew their way, carrying with it clones and debris. But Izuku was unrelenting, simply digging in his feet deeper, and pushing off even stronger. Their charge was slowed down for barely a second before it once again began picking up speed. Before All For One could try something else, a yellow blur jumped at his unguarded back, interrupting the intense concentration of maintaining all the quirks needed for the assault.

"DO IT NOW! TOSHINORI!"

Yagi's smile burned brighter. Gran Torino was a man of simple words. He felt the quirk he EARNED flow through him, one last time.

"Goodbye, All For One."

"BOTH OF YOU! TOGETHER NOW! UNITED-"

"-SONIC-"

"-PHANTOM-"

The heroic hearts beat in unison at that moment.

"-SMASH!"

All For One deployed defensive measures, as well as several cable-like protrusions hooking him to the ground. His arms, sporting grotesque muscles And some kind of ivory armor stood in their way. He was planning to fight them for every single inch. They might be able to plow through, but it would take away the momentum. But All For One forgot one crucial detail. They had Le Million on their team.

For the second time that evening, All For One was surprised by buff Tintin, permeating right through his defense, right as he felt All Might impact it with great force. He saw it in slow motion. The glowed fist rocking towards him, the eyes, blazing with hope, and a smile. That god-damned smile!

The punch connected with his midsection. The defense boosts, hardening, and healing. All were applied to the area. It prevented him from going out the same way Muscular did. It did not prevent every single ounce of air in his body from being violently driven out as his lungs were violently compressed. In the last seconds between awareness and the bliss of unconsciousness, a single thought passed over his mind.

"I wonder what kind of bacon they serve in Tartarus?"

"CHEATERS! YOU DAMNED CHEATERS! I CALL HAX ON ALL OF YOU! SENSEI! LET ME GET THEM!"

The manchild was dragged through a portal hastily by Spinner and Compress. Magne and Dabi were supporting each other, and Toga had Twice, who had passed out after his super move. Slowly but steadily the number of Twice willing to fight went down, and many tried to book it, only to be repelled by the reinforced police line and the extra heroes, drafted in a hurry from nearby agencies.

Endeavor for once did not care to stand tall. Lying on the ground cooled him down much faster. Still, he was grateful to Kamui who had erected some small wooden screens around them. What surprised him though, was the young hero removing his helmet to guzzle up some water. One look and he understood This would stay between them.

Gigantomachia managed to escape Ryukyu and almost trample her in his rush to get away. His master must have had some sort of mental control over the beast, since its first instinct was to save the fallen leader, before seemingly forcing itself to turn around and charge full speed through the portal, squashing every clone and a rare Nomu that somehow survived up until now.

Slowly shifting from her dragon form, Ryukyu was prepared for the worst sort of pain. What she was not prepared for was to not feel anything from the waist down, nor the rapid darkening of the world around her. The Dragon hero Ryukyu fought the good fight and then passed out on the spot.

It took another half an hour to mop up the clones and make paths through a thick layer of their goo on the ground, though even that was rapidly evaporating. Rescue teams moved in together with police and firefighters, scouring the area for injured, and those, possibly trapped.

Momo was escorted to her classmates, Bakugo who had splints for his arms and an IV drip, and Kirishima who was passed out and leaning on him, a little beaten up, but no worse for wear.

She was given a blanket to preserve some modesty that in many places torn clothes couldn't afford her. That was too bad, she really liked the look. At least she still had the Rocker outfit, something Jiro was sure to appreciate.

"So, how deep in shit are we?"

Bakugo opened his mouth, but she could already guess what he was gonna say.

"Yea, I swore. I don't care. I need to know how long until I can get my hand on a greasy burger."

"Shitty Hair has some survival bars on him."

"It'll do for now."

Finding a bar in Kirishima's pocket she sat down and ate it quietly. It staved off the worst of her hunger, but with how much fat she exerted, she was going to have a cheat day for at least a week. Mmm, 4 cheese pizzas…

"We should get out fine… Or so Mirko said. With all the chaos and the news vultures not daring too close, everything should be fine if we keep our mouth shut. Except whatever Aizawa sensei gives us."

"And Midoriya?"

"No idea. Shitty nerd is somewhere with All Might."

"Thank you for your help, young Midoriya. You were my hero today."

Izuku turned away from the skinny teacher, muttering something about buckets, cringy lines, and no problems. Mirio was already taken away by the medics, and All Might was about to join him as well. Izuku, as usual, got away without a single scratch.

"Izuku…" a voice called from behind him. Turning around, he faced his sister, who this time was not bleeding from every hole in her head. She was handing him something that looked like a hoodie.

Remembering that his clothes, except pants, were destroyed he accepted the gift and put it on without looking. It had red sleeves, and a white front, on which big yellow letters spelled 'OPPAI'.

"Thank you… sister."

Tatsumaki did a little dance inside, but outward she just smiled.

"Ready to go home?"

"Not just yet."

Izuku glanced at the sky as if waiting for something. He was not disappointed.

"IZUKUUU!"

A blue comet slammed him in the chest and wrapped him in a steel grip. And he wouldn't have it any other way. He hugged back tight. When All For One was scrolling through his life, he had helped him realize just how big of a part of his life Nejire had become. They didn't go a day without talking at least once, even when they managed to tone down the bacon argument to once a week. Truly, Nejire was his best friend in the whole world.

The best friend who was currently clinging to him like a koala, on the verge of passing out. He hugged her tightly once more.

"I missed you, Nejire."

"Missed you too, Zuku. Tired now... "

"Wanna have a sleepover at my place?"

"Yes… please…zzz"

And she was out. He gently moved her on his back, ignoring the soft globes dragging across his body, and looked at his sister who was watching their moment with a conflicted expression.

"I'm ready now. Let's go home."

Chapter Text

There were no deaths. At least they had that going on for them. Gran Torino lost an eye. Endeavor had a few deep scratches that he cauterized himself during the battle. He had done a decent job but was still taken away for a proper checkup. Info on All Might was restricted, but the hero was still able to walk when last seen by the news crews.

The one worst off was the Dragon Hero Ryukyu. Multiple fractures in her upper body, her right forearm broken on two spots, three of her ribs cracked, one at both ends, and her collarbone sporting multiple hairline fissures. But the worst off was her spine.

With modern medicine and generous help from Recovery Girl, none of the damage would be permanent. But it was gonna be a long-term healing period, and therapy so she could learn to properly use her legs, in both forms. Until further notice, Ryukyu was off duty.

Kamui Woods chopped off his arm during the fight, but he reassured the medics it would grow back. Mt. Lady had some bruises on her shins, the highest place Nomu could reach, and one of the Twice clones bit Nighteye but did not break the skin, so he waved off any help.

Mirko was one of the rare few to get out of the whole ordeal unscathed. And despite feeling a bit drowsy, she helped to coordinate the search & rescue effort, pulling civilians out of the rubble, as well as a few corpses to be passed to loved ones and mourned.

She was also happily squashing any clones that still lingered in holes and crevices. Stomp, stomp, stomp~

"OUCH!"

Wait. What?

Bakugo just got done with the police. He and Ponytail got their stories straight, and she promised to stay with Shitty Hair, while he got taken to a hospital for a more detailed look at his arms. There was just one thing holding him back.

"Where the fuck is De- Izuku!"

He was waiting for over 15 minutes already, and he was getting quite tired of standing! He was just about to yell for the nerd to show up when-

"Oh, you gotta be fucking…"

De- Izuku was walking next to a green-haired loli, while piggy-back carrying a passed-out girl, with the word 'OPPAI' written across his chest. This was too good to be true. He wasn't even pissed off when he could not find his phone in any of his pockets, deciding to rather laugh out loud.

"BWAHAHAHA! Deku! I think you just passed grapeshit as the class perv!" He laughed some more, while Izuku just kept walking. But right as he passed by, he placed a hand on his shoulder and looked him dead in the eyes.

"Thank you, Katsuki."

Bakugo was stumped for a sec, before shaking the hand off and looking away. Of course, he would pull something like that.

"Tch. Didn't do it for you, shitty nerd."

"Of course not. See you back in school, kay?"

Without waiting for a response, Izuku and the loli who looked eerily similar to the nerd made their way towards the police line, where a man in a trenchcoat was waving them over. Bakugo looked over to where Momo and Kirishima were waiting for him. And it almost put a smile on his face.

"By the way, nice shirt!"

"You got no room to talk, OPPAI hoodie!" Scratch that, he was smiling full-on.

Tomura was thrashing and yelling out loud, wherever they landed. It wasn't supposed to be that way! Sensei promised him a spectacle, a taste of what he would do in the future once he took upon himself the legacy spanning centuries!

He had wanted to jump into the fray with Twice! But Sensei forbade it. He wanted to take on his nemesis by himself, no matter the backup. Was it pride? Or was it acceptance that he would not win, not even with Tomura at his side? The Doctor was tight-lipped whether this was part of the plan or not, only contacting them briefly, telling them to stay put, and cutting off before anyone could demand answers. Kurogiri was outside trying to reach him now.

Kneeling in a wide shallow crater of dust, Tomura slowly shook himself off. It wouldn't do anyone any good to keep throwing tantrums. Sensei was gone and until his return, Tomura would be running the show. Leaving behind the results of his temper tantrum, he turned around and returned to their accommodations.

A crappy warehouse, but with some living essentials, and what looked like hospital beds strewed around. Almost all of them were occupied by his League. Dabi was running on fumes, whatever boost Sensei used on him running out. Also, whatever parts of his skin he could see were either bruised or bleeding. He seemed to be a preferred target for whoever peppered him with a fucking gatling gun!

Magne had some nasty burns, that Bakugo kid really wasn't going easy on her. Spinner was alright, but cursing loudly, every single one of his weapons breaking on the skin of that red-haired kid. Compress saw better days, having suffered both explosions and gunfire, and Toga… Toga was weirdly calm about the whole situation, just sitting on her chosen bed, and staring at a wall. But then something caught his eye.

Twice was looking right at him, before quickly pretending to be asleep. He also looked picture-perfect. Very sus.

"Oi, Twice! Get up and help!"

"Fuck you! I don't wanna!"

Suspicion intensified. Something wasn't right here. With no other word, Shigaraki strode to the bed and kneed the bastard right in the gut. He slowly watched him melt into a puddle of black and white.

"FFFFFUUUUU-"

Inko Midoriya was worried sick all throughout the evening. She observed whatever the news helicopters could catch, and once the fighting settled she stared at her phone so intently there was a realistic chance it might combust. She didn't see Tatsumaki at all, and Izuku, he jumped right in with All Might and the other kid, what if-

Then the device finally started ringing. For a second she was too scared to pick up. But then she slapped herself on the cheeks. She was done being afraid. She answered the call and held her breath.

"I have them, Miss Midoriya. Both your children are alive and well. We are on our way as we speak."

Midoriya's waterworks became full-on active, and relief flooded her entire being. Her Tatsu and Zuku were both alive, and coming home! With a shaky voice, she tanked the detective, and hung up, before distracting herself by soaking up all the water. But while doing that, she also came to a conclusion. She had her family back, almost. And she would be damned if she lets it fall apart again! It was time for the Midoriyas to have a much-needed talk.

There was a knock on the door, and she was there in a heartbeat, swinging it open, and glomping her children in a big hug. Also, Nejire, who was sleepily clinging to Izuku's back.

"Zzz… oh, we're hugging? That's nicezzzzz."

"Mom? Nejire is super tired, and I was wondering… can she stay the night?"

Izuku kept his eyes on his feet. He couldn't look his mother in the eyes, not yet.

"Yes, of course."

Izuku awkwardly scooted past them, to show Nejire to the bathroom where she could wash up, and get her some clothes to sleep in, the blue-haired girl sleepily arguing against abandoning her perch.

Inko closed the door after her daughter, and both sat down on the couch. Inko looked at Tatsumaki, eager to know how her first meeting with her brother went.

"It was… something. From the moment I saw him on TV… I wanted to protect him. Keep him close, never let him go… He doesn't need that, does he?"

"No. But that doesn't mean he won't need his big sister."

"He needs his mom too."

That made Inko look aside, ashamed.

"Mom, what happened between you two?"

The Midoriya matriarch took a deep breath. It used to be so easy to say it. But after her son started shunning her for it, she only said it to herself, in the dead of night. A whisper, proclaiming the truth of her heart.

"I love Hisashi. I had since the day we met. And still do to this day."

Tatsu was taken aback. She was not expecting that. But it did make some sense. After all, Hisashi still wore his wedding ring, and he never had another relationship as far as she could remember. And she had a damn good memory! Perks of being a psychic.

"Mom… Why?"

"I don't know. Mitsuki, do you remember her? She placed the divorce documents before me once. Sat down with me. But I could not force myself to even let the pen touch the paper. He took you away. He left me and Izuku behind. Yet despite all of that, I love your father with all my heart."

Inko looked down. She had this talk with Mitsuki before, her best friend getting frustrated, and telling her to her face she was weak, foolish, and other less appropriate things. It was the biggest fight they had as friends. Well, not a fight. Inko said nothing. And after 15 minutes of cursing, screaming, and begging, nothing has changed. She and Mitsuki were still friends. And her heart still belonged to Hisashi.

"I… Damn, we're one messed up family, aren't we?"

"While it's true, it's still not nice if you say it out loud, Tatsu."

The mother and daughter duo fell into somber silence before Inko finally decided to move on to a lighter subject.

"Izuku and Nejire, are they…"

"Don't think so. At least not yet. But… I think she makes him happy. And that makes her good in my books. For now."

This was not easy to admit. In her head, the image she had of Izuku was a lot different. She saw him as someone who needed protection. One that should stay behind her, while she flattened whoever dared cross him.

"Aww, look at you, going full 'big sister' mode."

"Mum!"

Nejire sat on a small stool, her body devoid of clothes, and started splashing some cold water on her naked person. Soft unblemished skin sported goosebumps as the cool liquid spilled all over her form. She quickly crossed her arm underneath her bare bust, where her nipples stood at attention from the cold

Slowly, slowly droplets dripped down her heavenly bosom, past her hardened peaks, before dropping down on her soft thighs. However, some rare few slipped between those perky mounds, slithering across the smooth navel, and ending their journey right next to a pair of pink lips. The sensation had her shivering, but she did not hesitate to splash herself again.

The reason for doing so was to shake at least some cobwebs out of her, and it helped, since now she was able to think with a lot more clarity. Her hero costume and the panties she wore underneath were discarded on a shelf in a corner.

There was a hesitant knock on the door.

"Nejire? I brought some clothes for you to sleep in."

Izuku was so sweet! She wondered what he brought her. Maybe a shirt of his? Guys liked it when girls wore their clothes right? She really hoped it was Izuku's shirt now! Maybe it would smell like him too? How did Izuku smell? His hair had an apple sort of scent, probably from the shampoo he was using. Would he be mad if she used some? But she didn't have time to wash her hair, did she? Usually, Yu was there to help, and she didn't have her brush here. Maybe one day she should teach Izuku how to? And he can show her how to wash his hair! Then they can have a hair washing party!

"Nejire?"

"Thanks, Zuku! Can you bring them in?"

Izuku did in fact bring them in. Almost. When he was in the process of opening the unlocked door, he suddenly realized what he was doing and what was behind those doors.

"Izuku?"

"Um, Nejire? A-are you… decent?"

"Why does that matter, you've seen me naked before?"

"I've seen your back naked, that's it!" And her panties. In fact, they were almost exactly the same as the ones in the corn-

Izuku decided his best bet was to close his eyes. And open them immediately, while cursing his pubescent brain for conjuring such delicious imagery. Was there no solution?

"Izuku, the sooner you give me clothes, the sooner I'll stop being naked." That did sound reasonable. He quickly passed the clothes behind his back and froze when a soft hand momentarily touched him to grab them.

He waited for a minute, but he decided to risk a peek over his shoulder after nothing happened. Nejire's hair was wrapped around her head, and secured with a towel, while the girl was busily lathering herself with soap. For a second he was mesmerized, watching the suds on her back slide slowly, lower and lower, ending up on her-

He quickly faced forward, his face heating up.

"I thought you were getting dressed!"

Nejire just laughed melodiously. He liked her laugh. He got to hear it often, yet something was different. It was pretty before, but now it was simply… more. Before he could dwell on the discovery more, Nejire decided to speak.

"Your sister and mum don't look much alike. Except for the eyes. Even the hair is a different shade."

"Yea."

An awkward silence descended on the room, interrupted only by brief splashes of water. Well, awkward for Izuku. Nejire never seemed awkward, ever. But her observation reminded him of something.

"Hey, Nejire?"

"Hmm?"

"Me, mum and s- Tatsu… We're gonna have a talk tomorrow. The heavy 'try to solve our problems' kind."

"Uff, I had a few of those with dad."

Izuku hesitated. Before deciding to just go for it. Fortune favored the bold, right?

"Iwouldreallyappriciateitifyouwouldbethere."

Nejire stopped drying herself with a towel. She heard it loud and clear. Understood it too, even if it was said in one breath, very quickly.

Izuku was a very private person. Even if she knew more about him than practically anyone else, she still felt she knew very little. He talked big about his days, but the conversation rarely strayed into his past before U.A. She knew some things were tough. Like that his dad was an asshole.

"I'll be there."

"Thank you." The relief was heavy in his voice. He stood there for another second, not sure what to do, his mind still heavy with worries and anxiety. Maybe he should-

"Wanna help me wash my hair?"

He turned around and saw her standing there, wearing one of his larger t-shirts, with kanji for 'socks' struggling to encompass her chest. The shirt just barely reached her thighs, showing just a small hint of her navel, the rest being covered by some loose boxer shorts that stretched over her hips and her fine posterior.

"Ok."

"Great! I really like the shampoo you use! Smells like apples!"

It took over an hour, almost all of his shampoo and a lot of water to wash the endless river of blue silk that was Nejire's hair. There was also splashing, laughs and silence, but not the awkward kind. Izuku had fun, and after they were done and cleaned up after themselves, he felt more relaxed than ever. Nejire really was an awesome friend.

In a dark room, a group of people sat behind a conference table. Many things were discussed that night, with the battle of Kamino in the forefront. Voices were raised, opinions exchanged, votes tallied, motions passed and canceled. But in the end, there was one last subject to vote on. A picture of a petite woman with green eyes, hair, and a black dress appeared on their screens.

"Now the issue of the Tornado of Terror. How to deal with such a precarious individual? We shall vote on the motion put forward by Yokumiru, in cooperation with the Hero Association. All those in favor?"

The majority raised their hands.

"Motion received. Yokumiru, will you notify Miss Midoriya?"

"I shall."

"Very well. With that, I officially call this emergency meeting to a close. Good night to all of you."

The next morning the three Midoriyas and Nejire sat tensely around the table, Tatsumaki and Inko on one side, Izuku, and Nejire on the other. It was more akin to a meeting than a family talk, and the atmosphere reflected it.

Izuku was once more wearing his blank face, gazing down at the table. Inko was doing the same, except she fidgeted a lot more. Tatsumaki looked between her brother and mother, not sure where to start, and Nejire… well, she felt a bit out of place, which was new for her.

"Um, maybe we should start with Izuku's father?"

"Yea, let's start with him. You could say he is a catalyst for… this." Tatsumaki waved her hand, indirectly pointing to all Midoriyas.

"Well, best start at the beginning then. Um… Well. Dad, he… Basically, he got contacted by the U.S government about a week after I was born. Some scans were done early after birth because I wasn't crying and it showed that my brain was… different. After about a month, I managed to use my quirk to lift my pacifier from the other side of the crib."

Tatsumaki paused for a bit. Inko looked to be reliving some memories, a small smile on her face, while Izuku was still blank-faced. Nejire meanwhile listened attentively.

"The agent talked about a possibility of my quirk strengthening by special training, citizenship for the family, and some money. But dad refused, being content where he was. For a time it seemed that was it. I had my mum's quirk, everything was good. I could float small objects before I could walk. Then about a month after my 4th birthday, I managed to lift the coffee table. It was not very high, but it was significantly more than what mum could do. One counseling later, it was revealed that my brain was now… MORE different. It grew with me and would continue to do so. So technically speaking, I had another 3-4 years before I reach my peak."

"Izuku was now blankly writing something in a notebook, while Nejire looked over his shoulder. Looking at Inko, she just waved at her to continue.

"Right. Well, during that time dad was unemployed, having been laid off from his job. So when he was approached again, by the same agent, this time offering not only citizenship, but also healthcare, and housing, with more money. This tempted him into accepting. It took a while for the paperwork to travel back and forth. by the time everything was confirmed, well… Izuku happened. And dad said you threatened to tear his head off if he forced you to give birth in the U.S."

Inko looked sheepish, while Izuku looked at his mum like he was staring at a whole other person. Best she continues and wraps up the story.

"Well, by the time mom was due, it became common knowledge that they were planning to move. and some people did not like that. They saw dad as a traitor. Quirks were and still are seen as a precious resource. People can move to another country these days, but back then, it was a big no-no. His friends turned on him, except Masaru and Mitsuki. He was also promised additional benefits and education for the second child. All seemed great. Until the birth.

Barely a few days old, dad had them do on you the same scans they did on me. And it showed that you were a completely normal newborn. And it showed that you had an extra joint in your pinky. That… that scared him. He already had you signed up in the same programs as me, which would help nurture quirk abilities as soon as they appeared. And there was a 95% chance that you would have none."

There was a small creek on the table. Izuku gripped it harshly but didn't break it. Whether that was because he stopped himself, or a comforting hand Nejire put over his shoulder, that was anyone's guess.

"At that point, I had to go so I could start the program. So he went with me to the U.S. He stayed there with me for a month, before returning to Japan. In the states, he was praised as a father of a talented, mostly well-behaved daughter with a powerful quirk. In Japan, he was a 'traitor'. If by chance his son would turn out quirkless, he would be ridiculed everywhere. He hesitated to make the final move for a while."

Tatsu turned to Inko who seemed on the verge of tears.

"He said you knew that he hesitated, but he never told you why. You knew something was wrong."

Inko just nodded, her tears now spilling freely into strategically placed buckets.

"When you and mum went to the quirk doctor, dad was given an ultimatum. Either bring Inko and you to the states, or they would revoke his visa. Dad made his choice."

There was silence in the room. Izuku was no longer tense. His face was still blank. But underneath the table, Nejire held his hand, her thumb massaging the back of it. It helped to keep him grounded. And at this point, there just wasn't any more anger, bitterness, or resentment left in him. He felt empty.

Tatsumaki decided to say one last thing.

"Dad he… he said he sent money every month. Did you guys not know or…" or was that a lie?

Inko looked a bit embarrassed.

"He did send the money. But, I didn't muse any of it. I kept it all for Izuku when he would be old enough. I felt like Hisashi owed him at least that much."

Izuku looked at his mother with a perplexed face, the first expression he made since the talk started.

"How much?"

"Well, he sent you about 2000 dollars a month, for the last 10 years. So, a lot."

Izuku sat, stunned. This was going to need some time to digest. But that would have to wait. They weren't quite done yet.

"I need to say something."

Everyone looked at him, Nejire with encouragement, Tatsumaki with expectations, and Inko with worry. It hurt him, but he knew it was his fault. This had to end now. He stood up and walked around the table, before hugging his mother tightly.

"I've been a bad son. I've been judging you, resenting you, ignoring you. I still can't understand your feelings for dad. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to. But the way I dealt with it, it was wrong, and it hurt you! I am sorry! For not understanding! For hurting you! For being a jerk!"

It wasn't quite the Midoriya waterfalls. Her baby boy probably grew out of those. But the tears she felt on her back and shakes that racked his body were too much, and her own waterworks went off full blast.

"No, I'm sorry! I should have believed in you! When you showed me what you could do, I shouldn't think of Hisashi first! I'M SO SORRY IZUKU!"

Tatsumaki and Nejire were left watching as the mother and son apologized to each other excessively all while trying to turn the apartment into Sea World. Nejire had the mind to quickly fetch some water so no one would die from dehydration, while Tatsumaki looked on wistfully.

The talk ended with that. The rest of the morning was spent with Tatsu and Nejire gleefully listening to Inko who told endless tales of Izuku's childhood mishaps and embarrassing events. Izuku just tried to ignore it all, with a smile on his face. That was until someone knocked on the door.

No one expected anyone to show up, and Izuku wondered if the detective maybe failed to deliver on the promise he gave on the car ride home. Reluctantly he opened the door to find one seriously sleep-deprived dude in a suit standing there.

"Good day, young man. My name is Yokumiri Mera, and I'm here to talk with Miss Midoriya on behalf of the Hero Public Safety Commission."

Oh. That couldn't be good. But they wanted to speak with Tatsu and not him. Are they… ARE THEY GONNA TRY TO TAKE MY SISTER AWAY?

Something must have been showing on his face because the man took a big step back and looked much more awake.

"Wow, calm down! I swear, I'm just here to talk!"

Izuku continued glaring before a small hand patted him on the shoulder.

"It's fine, Izuku, I know him."

Tatsumaki led the man inside and they all sat behind the kitchen table again, except Nejire who was on a phone call.

"I prefer to get straight to the point if you don't mind. Miss Midoriya, on behalf of Japan's H.P.S.C, and the U.S Hero Association, we would like to extend you a work visa."

"A what now?"

"Mr. Stich and our representatives in the states worked tirelessly on your case ever since you requested to be allowed a visit to your family. Stich also explained the circumstances behind your family's… special status. Since Mr. and Mrs. Midoriya do not live in the same country but are still married, that gave us a bit of a gray zone to work with. The hard part was convincing the Association, but Stich really knows his way with words. Basically what this entails is that you will be allowed to travel between Japan and the States freely, so long as you fulfill a certain quota of hero work in both places. Since the U.S is listed as your home country, the majority will have to be done there, but it gives you an opening to visit regularly."

The Midoriyas sat stunned. Tatsumaki knew that her intervention would bring about consequences, but this was… this was actually great! Inko thought so too if the beginnings of another waterworks and a wide smile were any indication, and Izuku just sat there, staring at the man with suspicion. Why would he- Oh. There was a catch to this, wasn't it?

"What's the catch?"

"No catch. You will have to sign some documents, and there will be a hearing for your family to verify your… story."

Everyone realized the implications. Tatsu was glaring. Inko was no longer smiling. And Izuku's clenched fists could produce diamonds. Hisashi Midoriya, after 10 long years, was returning back to Japan.

Chapter Text

"Color me impressed. Instead of collapsing, you persevered. Through your irrational acts, you somehow made yourself into something greater than you were."

Aizawa actually had a smile on his face. The proud one, not the sadistic one. There was a subtle difference. Shinsou saw the sadistic one so many times, he could recognize it in an instant. The proud one was much rarer, but also much more rewarding.

"Now that you have surpassed your limit, we will keep training. Right now you can match most of your hero classmates. But with this next stage, you'll be on even footing with the very best of them. Are you ready?"

No words were said. He still needed to get a firm grasp on his new ability. But the smile spoke louder than any words could. It was a smile that truly screamed:

"PLUS ULTRA!"

It was the next day that Izuku returned to school. Alone. Nejire was picked up by her dad in the afternoon, too late for the man to save him from the embarrassment of showing her and Tatsu his room. Nejire curiously looked over his collection of figurines, surprisingly not asking that many questions. She got excited briefly over the Ryukyu one since she had one just like that. Which quickly brought the mood down, remembering the call she received from the Lair.

The dragon heroine was still in the hospital, with Recovery Girl healing her every three hours or so, allowing her exhausted body to rest, and focusing on the most dangerous injuries. The nerves in her lower body were once again responsive but far from fully healed. And her legs were in an especially bad state, with some muscle groups requiring removal, and then re-growth. She will probably have to re-learn how to use her legs. Her brain knew what to do, but without muscle memory, it would take some time. Nejire promised to schedule a visit as soon as it would be allowed.

After the older student left, the rest of the day was spent with his sister, showing her around the neighborhood. It had been… awkward, but pleasant all the same. He even took her to the sandwich shop, and while she seemed to share Nejire's distaste with his choice of bacon, she didn't say anything against it. He told her some of his life. Mostly the good parts. She listened to them with a smile. A smile that was different from the one she had at the end of Kamino.

She also entertained his questions about the American hero system, how the Top 10 heroes were strictly monitored for quirk usage outside their work, mainly to avoid another Mr. Incredible incident. The hero saved someone jumping off a building, only to get the crap sued out of him. That seemed to be the main difference between Japan and the U.S. While in Japan their heroes were almost worshiped, in the States, some people were part of one extreme that actually did worship them, and others wanted heroes to be de-powered, incarcerated, or executed. There was a whole slew of laws protecting heroes so they could do their job without every 5th American sending a bullet their way and bullet protection was a requirement in almost every hero costume.

His notes on some American heroes also got a lot more detailed. His sister knew a great many deal of the up-and-coming heroes and heroines, and of course, had rubbed shoulders with the Top Heroes. All and all, by the end of the day they were both smiling, and it warmed Inko's heart when she saw them like that.

But today, he had an obligation to fulfill. As per his deal with detective Tsukauchi, he would be questioned at U.A, in front of the principal. He was dwelling on what Nezu would have to say on the matter when his train of thought was de-railed by someone calling his name.

Looking ahead he spotted the class prez herself waiting there for him, dressed in casual apparel. She looked surprisingly quaint in the simple summer dress, and her hair down from the usual ponytail. Though her facial expression seemed… off. Maybe a student council meeting went wrong?

"Prez." He greeted her, and tried to proceed onward, thinking this was just a polite greeting exchanged between two meeting acquaintances. He thought wrong. Before he could make more than three steps past the brunette, she squeaked.

"I saw you with that girl villain! The one that was stuck on Mineta's bal- orbs."

He slowly turned around, and something in his eye prompted Momo to speak quickly

"I saw you showing off the body. There was also someone from class 1.B there, and he told everyone that you killed someone. I should have told him to keep quiet, but I didn't. But, I also… I also told almost everyone in class that you were quirkless."

She bowed at the waist, unknowingly imitating Iida.

"I revealed your secrets. Because of my negligence, your reputation might be ruined. And I suspected you of becoming a villain. I profusely apologize, and will try my best to make amends!"

Izuku was not sure what to do, or say. To be honest, her revealing he was quirkless bothered him the least. It was something he had gotten over and freely talked about it to... Kota. Crap, the little guy must hate his guts. People knowing he killed someone was a different matter. Tatsu described potential scenarios to him, but he would need to talk to a proper law practitioner if things escalated. As for suspecting him, she could have known better, if he had taken the time in their bi-weekly discussions as class representatives, to maybe talk about himself. Instead, he was strictly business then, and just fulfilled whatever she told him to do, which wasn't much, probably because she was not sure if she could rely on him. Great, his anti-social behavior had come back to bite him in the ass.

He took a second more and decided on what to say. His first thought was to dismiss her, but that would be rude, and he just decided that being a dick was not the way to go. Also, he had an annoying feeling that he might need help in the future.

"I accept your apology. As for the amends, I have two... No, three things."

She looked at him, eager to earn forgiveness. It was almost cute.

"First off, I recently became aware that I possess a not-insignificant amount of money. I would like some advice on how to… you know. Stonks and stuff."

While confused by the term he used, she could get the gist of it. He had money, he wanted more of it, and investing was a decent way of getting that.

"What amount are we working with?"

"If I did my math right, about 26 million yen."

Not the amount she expected, but that was a good thing! It gave her much broader options.

"Next, I might need an attorney shortly. I don't expect you to cover the fees, just get me in contact with one."

Again, another easy one. Her family attorney most definitely knew some reliable people.

"And third one… I need a month's supply of the best Canadian bacon commercially available."

He did feel a bit guilty asking for that one. But Tatsu and Nejire both needed to see that the meats of the Great North can match and outclass the American grease strips any day of the week!

Momo was surprised by the last request, but she could probably arrange that through her family's contacts in Toronto. While governments closed themselves off and rarely shared info, the business world had to keep running to deliver goods and services people wanted/needed, quirks, and closed borders be damned!

"Um, sure, I can do that."

"Thanks, Yaoyorozu. I'll see you when school starts." Izuku turned and rushed off, not wanting to be late, leaving Momo standing there, mildly shocked. He said that with a smile. She went to the gate where her driver awaited her, while also pulling out her phone, wanting to get started on his requests ASAP.

It was harder than he thought, reliving those events. What made it worse was the principal. He just stared at him. He had not said a word, after greeting him and inviting him into the office. The Detective had asked questions and recorded the entire conversation. From the start of the Test of Courage, all the way to when he left the premise of the battlefield in Kamino. Izuku decided to leave out his brief meeting with Bakugo but otherwise told the whole truth, as confirmed by Tsukauchi.

The detective left after getting all his answers, promising to stay in contact in case they'll need him. Which left only Izuku and Nezu in the room. The rat himself stayed quiet for another minute, before finally breaking the suffocating silence.

"I've been keeping an eye on you, Midoriya. I saw how you behave in class, and carefully read reports of your teachers, both inside and outside of U.A. You changed throughout the school year, and I was comfortable keeping away, letting you figure things out on your own. But, what you did in Training Camp, was incredibly stupid, so I decided to take a bit more of an active approach."

Izuku listened. It was not strange to him that the principal took interest in him, the extra test after the entrance one made that very clear. But he had no idea what this active approach would be.

"You decided to engage a dangerous villain, to test your new skills, and tried to gauge the limit of your power. A selfish, foolish action that ended up forcing you to take a life. You then surrendered yourself to the villains, not trusting your classmates, teachers, and heroes on-site to be capable of defending themselves and others. You counted on your imperviousness to pull you through. As you learned, that wasn't the case. You fought opponents that you could take care of easily, but you did not. Something held you back."

Nezu looked deep into the green eyes of his student.

"At U.A we do not make killers, but we don't make cowards either. We make HEROES, people who fight the good fight, and try as they might, sometimes that requires taking a life. Your desire to not kill, while not inherently wrong, puts others in danger. My first question to you is… What will you do about this fear?"

Izuku found it harder to look into the eyes of his principal. It made him angry to be called a coward. He did not say it was wrong, not wanting to kill. But it was not something he, a hero-in-training, had the luxury of. Except…

"I want to master my power. I didn't have to kill that guy. I could have knocked him out, or move away from the fight. I need to be better."

"I expected such an answer. We all want to be better. But, do you know what in your case 'being better' means?"

Izuku did not. But he was prepared to learn. To improve himself. He would master his power. He would become a hero for fun! But...

"I can't do it alone. And I'm guessing that you have an idea, so, would you help me, principal Nezu?"

The spark returned to the black eyes of the furry creature, and the serious atmosphere dispersed. The small principal jumped from his chair behind the desk and moved to a much more comfortable seat next to a coffee table.

"Most certainly. Your unique power has intrigued me for many weeks, but I believe that I have a workable theory."

Izuku took a seat on the couch, feeling not so terrible as he thought he would, asking for help. That might have been because the one he was asking wasn't a human, but that was not something to ponder on ever.

"Your power seems to have no limit as of now. You can easily handle delicate objects with the same fingers capable of punching a hole through steel. You can give a fist bump with the same fist that can punch through walls and floors. I asked myself why that was. And I came to a solution. Intent."

"Intent?"

"Yes. Intent. Your strength, wherever it may come from, is tied to your intentions. The fastest you ever moved was when you desperately wanted to save little Kota, correct?"

Izuku thought for a second. He jumped over Muscular, who had charged straight at Kota without pause. It took him a few seconds to turn mid-air, notice what the villain's intentions were, land, and then kick off into a mad dash to stop the villain. His air from the moment he realized the blunder he made was filled with one thought. SAVE KOTA!

"Yes, that single goal made you move. You did not know how much speed you needed to cross that distance. But it was enough to reach the villain, and in fact, save the little boy. I theorize that if we teach you to master your intent, you could move at any speed, and if we make you focus on the intent of knocking someone out, I fully believe that no one will be able to stay on their feet. You will defeat them all, in One Punch."

Izuku pondered on this. On all the times he used the power within him. How it responded, how it felt. Could it really be that simple? Could he guide this power with intent alone? Thinking it over, he only had one question.

"When do we start?"

Nezu slammed some papers on the table, together with a pen.

"May I talk to you about the Height Alliance dormitories?"

"Hey, Nejire, can I borrow your phone?

"Yea, sure."

Yuyu fumbled with the device, before looking for whatever she needed, probably to see if Nejire still had a higher score than her in Candy Crush 666, Sugar-Free Saga. However, she noticed something else.

"Oh, hey! You deleted all your dating apps!"

"Yea. With Ryuko gone, I'll need to work overtime at the Lair, so no time for meeting new people."

"How many more people do you want to meet? Didn't you max out your contact list once?"

"That was just to see if it had a limit! Turns out it does, damn phone companies."

Yuyu laughed at her grumbling friend, floating on her back with her legs in the air. Good thing she was wearing pants, otherwise, she might have tried to sneak a peek of her underwear. Deciding to check on a whim how many contacts her blue-haired friend did have, Yuyu discovered something that shocked her to the core.

"Nejire…"

"What?"

"Why is your top favorite contact Izuku Midoriya?"

"I dunno. Guess we just text that much."

"Why?"

"I dunno. Guess we have a lot to talk about."

Suddenly Nejire found herself upside down, being shaken by her collar by her distressed friend.

"Please don't tell me that's true! How could you!"

"What did I do?!"

"You replaced me as your best friend! With a boy of all things!"

"I did no such thing!"

"Say it then! SAY IT!"

"SAY WHAT?!"

"SAY THAT I'M YOUR BEST FRIEND!"

"YUYU, YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND!"

Both girls started laughing, and Nejire hugged her best friend tightly. The concern for Izuku and Ryuko had left her tense, but her best friend always knew how to make her forget, if even for a second. Now her head was a lot clearer, and she felt a lot better.

"So, you're gonna move in the dorms too?"

"Yea, my dad was a bit… too happy when our homeroom teacher approached with the paperwork. I guess I'm still a bit too much for him in the morning. But I promised to call him every evening, so we can still talk."

"That's nice. You have a really cool dad, Nejire."

"I know. Dad's the best!"

"I do wonder if he would still approve if he knew about your little green boyfriend."

A pillow smacked Yuyu right in the face.

"Izuku's not my boyfriend! Keep that up, and he truly will become my best friend"

Nejire was pouting hard at her supposed best friend, but the thought did take root in her head. How would Izuku do as a boyfriend?

Toshinori Yagi sat in a hospital bed. He just finished signing his letter of resignation, placing it next to a 'Get well' card from young Melissa. Maybe now that he is retired he could visit her more. He felt bad when he told her that young Mirio couldn't use support items unless she knew of a way to make hair into materials other than fabric. Young Togata explained once how his vizor was made, but the process was gross, and Yagi worked hard on repressing that memory.

He would still work as a teacher at U.A, but he had to do at least one more press conference before that. People deserved to know the truth. Experimentally, he turned into his muscle form. It hurt. It hurt a whole damn lot, even when he was not moving! Just breathing caused pain. And, of course, the ever-present spark of One for All was absent. He reverted to his now normal form and spat a mouthful of blood to the trash can.

He thought he'd become an anxious wreck by now. That he'd be twitching something fierce, or at least wallow in self-pity some. But the words spoken by young Midoirya echoed through his mind. This was not the end yet. He still had a job to do! He confidently swung his legs over the side of his bed, prepared to teach Miro and the new generations with whatever vigor he could manage! Only to get whacked by a cane in the shin.

"Maybe some consideration for the injured!" He wheezed and looked at his assailant, who looked completely unapologetic.

"Exactly! You're injured! Stop working yourself up like that, or you'll make your stay here even longer!"

Recovery girl sat on the chair next to his bed, while he settled back on it, and sighed.

"I doubt you're here to heal me."

"I'm not."

"Then I assume this is about young Togata?"

"Yea. He's still asleep, but when he wakes up, tell him this is the last time I'll be healing his shattered bones."

Yagi wanted to object, but the nurse's stern gaze made him clamp his mouth shut.

"I healed that boy more times this year, than in his other two combined, Yagi. He's been getting a better grasp on One for All, but Mirai keeps pushing him over the limit, instead of letting him acclimate. Izuku is the only one who knows how to keep their spars tame, and even then, Mirio pushes forward, hoping for a victory, only to find himself in my care. I won't tolerate it anymore. Not for you, not for Mirai."

The two adults sat in silence for a moment.

"Why do you let the kid push himself so much, Toshi?"

"I tried to reign him in. But Mirai is a much larger influence on the boy. He seems to be sure that I'll die, and that the power of One for All will be needed in the future. I thought that Kamino would make him ease up, but no. With young Midoriya making the visions he sees so much vaguer, his paranoia only grew."

"Couldn't Midoriya help Mirio?"

"No, I don't think so. Mirio and Midoriya are friends and rivals, but with Midoriya being strong as he is, Mirio will do what he can to keep growing stronger. If anything, I'd say young Amajiki could help better. They are, um, close."

"I'd hate to exploit the bond they share, but if it benefits Mirio in the long run, I suppose we might as well try."

"Tatsu, are you sure about this?"

"I am. As soon as we get done with dad here, I'm leaving for the U.S, and start getting Lucy up to snuff. It's high time she became her own hero."

"Her quirk is powerful, but is she prepared?"

"I personally trained her to use Vector in a nonlethal manner. I will personally vouch for her, as the new leader of the Blizzard agency."

"Alright, I'll set the paperwork and break young Kaede the good news. Have fun at your part-time job!"

Stich hung up before she could reply, which made her huff in annoyance. She always preferred to have the last word, but she'll let him get away with it this time. Putting down her phone she picked up the small bunch of papers she just finished sighing. On top of the first one, in bold writing spelled: U.A. DORMITORY SECURITY DETAIL CONTRACT

Boy, would Izuku be surprised? She looked up from the papers at the smiling face of one Present Mic, and Eraserhead, sipping on tea, while Inko reluctantly signed the consent papers, while confirming on the phone with Izuku.

Izuku could take care of himself. But why should he have to if she could take care of him? He might not be fully appreciative of her efforts, so she decided to keep the contract a secret. Just for now.

"What do you mean we don't have enough Nomu?! There's over a million useless NPC's outside, just infect them, and let's go!"

The Doctor listened to Shigaraki complain on the call, thoroughly regretting humoring Kurogiri's request to talk with him. The brat was still not ready, and he doubted that he'd ever be.

"We currently lack the resources and quirks to make a Nomu worth their salt. With All for One gone, our revenue is dropping, and our benefactors are abandoning us to sink. What we need right now is to lay low, and wait until we can get our hands on something tangible, that will attract people and resources back to our side."

"So we need to find loot…"

God, he disliked the kids and their slang.

"Yes. We need loot. Gold and materials before we can begin infecting the NPC's."

Silence ruled the room. The Doctor watched the youth ponder on something.

"Where did most of our benefactors go?"

Huh. Not a temper tantrum. Color him surprised.

"They call themselves the Eight Precepts of Death. Rumor has it-"

By the end of their discussion, the Doctor's opinion of Tomura Shigaraki rose by several levels. He was still a brat though.

"There is just one more thing I wanted to discuss today with you, Midoriya."

Izuku looked up expectantly. So far the principal helped out a lot, and while he wasn't thrilled about living with all his classmates, he accepted nonetheless. The best way to overcome your problems is jumping right in the thick of it, right?

"As you know, you made quite an impression during your time at my school. Not only do you hold the record for the highest points gathered during an Entrance Exam, but you also performed admirably during the USJ attack, came 2nd during the Sports Festival, and while I can't approve of your actions during the invasion of Training Camp, you returned without a scratch. Not to mention you came first place in academics during Finals."

Izuku couldn't help but feel proud, mainly for finally beating Yaoyorozu in academics. The girl always seemed to be a point or two ahead, but now he was in the lead!

"Those were just the ones on paper. They know about your involvement with Stain, which only adds to your credentials. The school board recognized your endeavors, and in collaboration with the HPSC, they decided, since you might be a target of an attack again, to let you take your Provisional License exam ahead of everyone else."

Izuku was a bit stumped at that. He knew the purpose of the Training Camp was to get them up to snuff for those exams, but why had he been placed ahead?

"Why?"

"The murder of a villain is a fickle thing to process. And while the proper authorities are still deciding on what actions they should take, one thing did come to their attention. The fact that you are registered quirkless. I feel that the test they'll put you through will be both to earn your license and satisfy their curiosities."

Izuku disliked the idea. And Nezu must have seen that.

"I understand that the idea is not exactly appealing. But while you can't be charged as a villain, you can be charged with assault, should you defend yourself in a bad scenario. This means a different set of laws will apply to you, one that will afford you less leeway or protection. I recommend you take the exams."

Izuku pondered. He was hardly experienced in matters of law and gave himself a small pat on the back for asking the prez for contact with a lawyer. But the gist of it was that it was better to be a provisional hero if someone tried to save themselves via legal loopholes. After all, even gorillas and villains have rights.

"I'll do it."

Finally wrapping up his talk with the principal, Izuku stepped outside, feeling just a bit lighter. He promised himself to visit his mother every weekend. He also planned to ask her to teach him how to cook, at least a little bit. Food was the best way to gain friendship, right? He's gonna be living with his classmate now. He could hardly act like an ass, nor would he want to.

Stepping towards the campus exit, he ran into someone he did not expect.

"Well, Izuku. You took your sweet time."

"Um, hi, Tatsu. Why are you here?"

"I was in the area and decided to walk y- with you home. Maybe we could talk a bit more?"

"Sure, I guess."

They began walking towards the train station, the silence between them they both found uneasy.

"So… What did the ra- Principal want?"

"Well, after talking with the detective, he basically scolded me, then offered to help me use this power better."

"That's good."

"Yea. Also, I can take the provisional exam early."

That stopped her in her tracks.

"Come again?"

"He said that HPSC wants to test my limits. Probably both strength and psyche wise."

A single brick cracked in the wall. Tatsumaki took a deep breath, before smiling, and resuming her walk.

"That's great. I'm happy for you."

Izuku looked at her, before nodding. He did not like that smile. It was… strange. The one at Kamino made him feel much better. This one just put him on edge. He let it go for now, but he could not help but gaze at his sister as they walked. Something was not right.

Chapter Text

A dark sparkling sky danced with waves of azure, imitating a candle dancing in the wind. Green trees spanned below him, giving him the feeling of flight. An orange flower sprouted from the sea of green, and everything suddenly shook, like an earthquake. Suddenly from the stars fell a comet, rushing right towards him! He tried running, but could not move, he tried to call upon his quirk, not thing happened, he was trapped!

Before the comet could hit him though, a blur emerged! A bright green shield, that stopped the comment in its tracks, before turning into a flowing ribbon, weaving, and dancing across the comet, never letting itself be touched. But the beautiful dance came to an end when a ribbon flew over the fallen comment. The comet seemed to move again, right towards him! But behind it, he could see the ribbon spiral and shift into a drill sword, before spinning rapidly, and piercing the comment right through! Shouldn't he be happy? Wasn't he saved? Slowly the edges of his vision started bleeding bright crimson red, and a wet feeling climbed over his body. It leaked out of the comet as well, and the bright green of the sword could not be seen beneath it.

He tried to run away, to close his eyes, anything to stop the red liquid from consuming him, but slowly but surely it took away the forest and the sparkling sky until all he could see was the reD OF BLOO-

Kota woke up in his soaked bed, his quirk unconsciously activating from his nightmare. He sat up, trying his hardest to not let the tears spill. Hugging his knees to his chest, he closed his eyes, which despite all the effort, started tearing up.

"Go away! Go away… someone, please... save me…"

That was how Mandalay found him, as she entered his room to help prepare him for the day. She paid no mind to the still damp sheets or the tear stains on Kota's cheeks. She just gave him a hug, a gentle one, so as to not make him feel trapped.

Kota slowly moved to collect the clothes he was gonna wear. He noticed his horned hat sitting in the corner. His RED horned hat. The hat that the villain wanted to take, along with his life. He quickly looked away, before carefully picking out a pair of blue socks, some brown pants, and a purple shirt. He was just glad he didn't have too many red clothes.

He and his aunt ate breakfast before she drove him to the same place he visited every day for a week already. The waiting room was full of pictures drawn by other kids. While waiting for his aunt to finish talking to the psychologist, he took up some crayons, carefully picking around the red ones.

He felt he was simply doodling, but suddenly before him was the sparkling sky of his dreams, along with the azure waves, and the orange flower. Before he could think of throwing it away, the door opened, and his aunt stepped through, along with the doctor. The older woman had a kind smile on her face.

"It's your turn now, Kota. You can bring the drawing with you if you want."

He took it with him. And as he and the doctor settled in their bean bag chair, he laid in on the table next to him.

"Now, your aunt told me you had another nightmare this morning. Would you like to talk about it?"

She still asked him that. Every time he visited. He was just about to shake his head when he looked at the drawing again. And he gingerly pushed it forward.

"That is a very pretty drawing. Are you saying this is what your nightmare was about? I'll try to guess what it is, you can just nod or shake your head, alright?"

The woman gazed into the drawing for a full minute before she spoke again.

"I can see a night sky, speckled with stars." A nod from Kota kept her going.

"I see an azure sea below. And an orange flower. I never heard of a flower growing from the ocean."

A mumble stopped her guessing. She looked at the kid, who seemed just a bit upset.

"Could you repeat that, Kota?"

"It's fire. Not an ocean."

"I see. Is the flower also fire?" Kota nodded his head. The therapist took a few moments to think, before grabbing from a drawer a fresh pack of crayons, and also making a few color copies of his drawing.

"Is there anything you would like to add?" She presented him with the copy and the crayons.

He gingerly picked up the yellow one, drawing the comet. Then the dark green, and drawing a shield.

"Can I ask, were you seeing the dreams yourself, or like on the screen?"

"The first one."

"So, the comet was falling towards you, and the shield protected you?"

Kota nodded and shivered as his mind flashed to the crazed smile. The doctor saw he was uncomfortable and moved on.

"Was that all?"

Kota grabbed another copy, and drew the comet this time bigger, and with what vaguely resembled arms and, perhaps, a head? He also drew the shield, but smaller, and from it a green spiral surrounding the comet.

"So the comet is being trapped by this spiral?"

"..Yea."

"So the green protects you in the dreams?" Kota said nothing, he just looked to the ground. The green did protect him, but…

Another copy of the first picture was there, and he drew the comet again. But this time, the green spiral wasn't trapping the comet. It was drilling through it.

Kota put down the green crayon, and then looked towards the box. In the corner sat the red crayon. He thought to reach for it, but then he was assaulted by a red fist protruding from the chest, the blood drops on his leg, the red arm reaching for him, behind it a concerned face, surrounded by green hair. And then, like a distant echo, the last words his protector said.

"Run, kiddo. Run!"

His heart went crazy, his whole body started shaking. Cold sweat soaked his back he needed to go, he needed to run, HE NEEDED TO-

He was hugged tightly in the arms of Mandalay, while she used her quirk to whisper soothing words to him. Slowly he stopped shaking and his heart settled down. His shirt was wet, but it didn't matter.

"Kota. We still have some time. Do you want to continue, or should we stop a little early today?"

He looked at the crayon box. The red crayon was missing, and he could see the tip of it in the therapist's hands.

"If you want I can draw it for you?" she gently asked, holding the crayon. "What part of the drawing was red?"

Kota remembered the dreams. And then he spoke softly.

"First the green. Then the yellow. Then all of it."

They sat in silence as the doctor covered the whole picture in red. Kota watched it from the corner of his eye. When she was done she asked if there was anything else, but he shook his head. He woke up after the red.

Mandalay looked at her ward with worry as they strolled through the mall. The therapist figured Kota developed a fear for the color red, erythrophobia. It could also be closely connected to hemophobia, fear of blood.

She also asked her if she knew what the comet and the green meant. She explained the incident. How Kota was attacked by the same man who killed his parents. How he was protected by a student, and how due to a slipup, the student had accidentally killed the villain.

The therapist jotted down some notes on what to focus on in the next session. Due to significant progress made, they would only have them visit once a week from now. This brought relief to both Mandalay and Kota.

After the session, and once confirming Kota was feeling well enough, Mandalay decided they should go shoe shopping. She also bought ice cream for both of them, raising their spirits. She was just about to enter the store they usually shopped at, but she felt a pull on her sleeve.

"Auntie, could we maybe go to another store?"

Mandalay was about to ask why, when a flash of color caught her attention. There, right in the center of the exhibit window sat a pair of red sneakers. On a closer look, they were the exact same snickers, worn by a certain green-haired student.

Mandalay gave her nephew a sad smile, before gently taking his hand in her own, and leading him away. There were other stores in this mall.

Inko timidly entered the courtroom. She was asked to come in about an hour earlier than the hearing and was surprised that a lawyer waited for her. He would not be entering with her, since there were no charges yet, and Hisashi himself had no lawyer, so just giving her some basic advice should have been good enough.

When she entered, she found five people there. There was the chief of the police precinct, two foreigners, a Japanese woman, and…

Her husband seemed to have put on some weight. She remembered him saying fatty foods helped fuel his fire longer. He also had some wrinkles around his eyes and mouth, and his hands were less calloused. He must have been working less than he did in Japan, before he-

Hisashi turned around and looked at his wife. Emotions passed through his eyes, but Inko was not in the right state of mind to comprehend any of them. She felt her heart quicken when he looked her in the eyes. She always said there was a fire burning in them, one that made her flush when they were both still young. Now that fire barely had some embers, but even that was enough to make her remember.

Before she could get lost in those eyes, the woman in the room grabbed her gently by the arm and led her to a set of chairs on the other side of the table. She was sitting opposite of one of the two foreigners, and one chair away from the chief who sat at the head.

"We will now begin. Both parties have agreed to no lawyers. This hearing will be recorded. Everyone, please state their name and purpose, for the record. Tsurugame Kenji, the questioner."

"Fujimura Taiga, translator."

"Cricket Fursby, translator."

"Stich Bush, representative of Hero Organisation of the United States."

"Midoriya Hisashi, the guilty party."

"M-midoriya Inko, t-the damaged party."

"Alright. We will start with Mr. Midoriya. I will ask questions. You will answer with yes, or no." Hisashi nodded calmly. He had prepared for this and was ready to execute his plan.

The questions were at first basic, to confirm his identity, quirk, marital status, parental status. But then came the hard-hitting one.

"Were you offered U.S citizenship when your daughter was born?"

"Yes."

"Were you offered U.S citizenship again after her quirk had properly awakened?"

"Yes."

"Did you accept the offer of citizenship, with all the benefits and add ons?"

"Yes."

"Did you plan to move your whole family there?"

"Yes."

"Did you delay the move because of your wife's pregnancy?"

"Yes."

So on it went. Hisashi confirmed that he had Izuku tested days after birth for his quirk. That he knew his son was quirkless. That he kept in contact with them until his son was officially diagnosed. And he denied any knowledge of his son and wife after.

Then it was Stich's turn, and while the translatory dutifully translated everything, it felt a bit redundant, since even if her knowledge of English was nonexistent, she could have figured out the meaning of 'yes' and 'no' after ten questions.

She did learn a bit about Tatsu's training program, so most of the answers were not surprising, but she did not know her daughter assaulted her father, nor that she technically came to Japan almost 12 hours earlier. Her daughter deserved a scolding, then a big hug.

"Did you ever try establishing contact with your husband?"

"Yes."

"Did you ever try establishing contact with your daughter?"

"No."

It made her feel bad, but it was the truth. Hisashi never responded, and she stopped trying after two or three years. She tried focusing her all on Izuku, to protect him from the world that would try its hardest to beat him down. And she had failed at that too.

"Did you make use of the money your husband sent to you during his absence?"

"No." She saved it all for Izuku.

"Alright. That was everything. Information will be compiled, and along with the transcripts sent to your respective attorneys. Whether to go to court or not is entirely up to both of you.

Hisashi looked at her. And she folded. She could not take him to court. She could never put her family through all of that. It seemed her husband knew that as well, and in his eyes, she saw… disappointment?

The translators and the chief all walked out, and Mr. Stich excused himself, citing the need to make a phone call. She waited for the lawyer to escort her out, and so she could tell them she wanted no court case made out of this.

"I knew this would happen, you know?" The voice of her husband snapped her out of the daze.

"I mean, I'm surprised you even showed up. I fully expected you to just sit at home, too scared to move."

Her lawyer stepped into the room, and she hoped that would be enough to quiet her husband. She thought wrong.

"I shall leave this country with a huge weight off my shoulder. Finally, I can forget about you, about Tatsu, and about Izuku. None of you can hold me back anymore. Honestly, I can't wait to return to the states, so I can file for divorce. I'll never have to listen to you cry and laugh at the same time, or Tatsu whine about being overworked. And... I'll never have to see that failure of a son."

It was like being stabbed with a knife. Again. And again. Was that what he really thought of them? Was this him speaking the truth? Inko could feel herself breaking down. Tears wanted to enter her eyes. Then he called her son, the only family she had for the last 10 years, a failure. She remembered her boy crying when she let him down. So many times… She did not support his dreams. She never spoke to him about bullying. Upon revealing his strength, her first thought went to Hisashi, not Izuku. Then she remembered the apology. He made it in a spur of the moment. He was not ready yet to trust her, to rely on her, to let her be the mother he needs. But he tried. It's about time she started trying as well.

Hisashi was running out of steam. He could only keep insulting them for so long. He tried stabbing the weak points, but it seemed that his wife would only break down before fighting back. So he decided to go for the throat. His son. Izuku. A failure. Then he fell silent. Those words, he could believe them himself. He had no right to mention his son. But maybe those would be enough. Maybe he could at least hurt her right. He'd done so before after all, hadn't he?

The lawyer glared at him, not realizing his client might go into an emotional breakdown. But then Inko raised her head, tears nowhere to be seen. And she spoke with a voice as clear as possible, and no trance of stutter.

"Hisashi. I want a divorce."

He held back a smile. He gave a nod of acknowledgment, then turned to her lawyer.

"I am fully prepared to pay alimony and child support. I had an estimate made of my possessions and finances. You will find them in the envelope. Determine a fair amount, and get back to my lawyer in the states."

He passed over a thick envelope and a business card. He then turned towards his now very confused wife. He planned to say something, but words got stuck in his throat. He settled for a sad smile and turned to leave. But… he had to say this one thing.

"I'm leaving tomorrow at 10 am, from Mustafu airport, hangar 7. I… Goodbye Inko."

Hisashi Midoriya walked out of the office, never looking back. He had done many bad things in his life, but he hoped this would at least make up for some of it. His burden still weighed heavily on his heart. But at least after today, he might be able to walk with his head raised again.

Inko refused any form of alimony. She never used any money her hus- Hisashi sent her before, she wouldn't start now. She didn't want any property or possessions either. But she did plan to request the highest amount possible for child support. Hisashi hurt Izuku in ways no child should be hurt. He owed him at least that much.

She came home exhausted and confused. She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. She tried to wipe the tears that weren't there. And then she noticed her ring. The ring she wore for over two decades. She tried to pull it off, but it would not slide past the knuckle.

For a second she thought to try again, pull harder, and harder until the ring came off, no matter if she injured herself! But… She was done hurting herself for Hisashi. She did the smart thing, using some soap, to eventually slide it off. She did not bat an eye when it slid between her slick fingers and rattled down the drain.

She had no tears to shed. No feelings to feel. There was nothing more in her for Hisashi. She was now Inko Midorya, soon no longer a married woman. At least Mitsuki would be proud of her. That thought brought a small smile to her face.

"Mom? Are you okay?"

Tatsumaki stared at her, concerned. Inko could not resist the impulse and hugged her daughter tightly.

"Yea. I'm fine. You can go back to babysitting Izuku."

Her daughter had the decency to blush. But she did not deny it. Ever since they were reunited, there was seldom a moment where Tatsu wasn't near Izuku. Inko saw no harm in it. But with the clarity, she now possessed, maybe she should say something…

"Tatsu, I know you mean well, but… Izuku is very independent. He has not caught on yet, but he might be suspecting something. If he finds out why you're doing this… It might drive him away."

The younger Midoriya saw the point her mother was trying to make. She saw her brother's strength first hand. But… Her brother should not have to be strong. She was supposed to be there to protect him. She NEEDS to protect him! She had not been there for so long, she had to make up for it now that she knew about him! No one would dare harm Izuku ever again.

She thought long and hard about the test they wanted Izuku to take. Since there were no physical things that could harm him, they would try going for the mental trauma. His first kill, his estranged family, things she did not know about but they might… She had yet to find a suitable training facility, but the rat assured her U.A would be adequate. She'll grow stronger. Her powers had not yet peaked, she could break through the ceiling in her own way. Even if the monster from Kamino was to go after Izuku, she would be enough to stop it, no dragons or rabbits needing to assist her!

"I'll try to be less obvious. Enough about me, how did it go with dad?"

"Well enough. Things will be settled out of court, and he's leaving tomorrow. I'll… I'll see him off. If only to get closure. I want to finally be done."

"Closure, huh?"

Izuku woke up to someone shaking him. He had planned to sleep in today since he would be moving to the dorms soon, and the new bed there would not be the same as his old one. He opened one eye annoyingly, and there Tatsumaki stood, arms crossed, and looking stern.

"Get dressed, we're going to see dad off at the airport."

Izuku stared at her hard.

"You're not the one who can kill with a look, brother. Mom is going to see him off, and I need to make sure she doesn't have a relapse."

That was a paper-thin excuse, and Izuku saw right through it. He was not good with people, but even he saw his mother was different after coming home. He just refused to ask her about it, since he wanted nothing to do with Hisashi, ever.

"Go then. Why would you need me there?"

"I'm not leaving you alone here. Plus seeing him fly away forever might give you some closure, not to mention the slightest possibility that his plane explodes on take off.

Izuku just turned away from her and tried to pretend she wasn't there. The keyword 'tried'. He was yanked out of his bed by his Gang Orca pajamas, while socks were being pulled on his feet. Next, he was yanked out of the pajama top, and stuffed into a Cementos t-shirt.

"Want me to keep going?"

The look in her eyes told him she was fully ready to strip his pants and put him into his limited edition 'TIME TO SMASH' All Might boxers.

"You made your point."

She left him to get dressed by himself, only to jump him again, the second he stepped out of his room. A slice of toast was shoved in his mouth, and he was dragged swiftly out of the apartment.

"At least this could not get any worse." Universe heard Izuku. And laughed.

"Oh, Izuku! Tatsumaki! Why are you running? Is there a fire? Izuku, why do you have a piece of toast in your mouth? Is it Anime Cliche day already? Oh, maybe-"

"Can't talk now, must see our father off to get closure."

"Oh, you mean the dad that made Izuku disgusted with bacon for life?"

"One and only."

Izuku could barely process the conversation between trying not to stumble and trying not to choke on the toast in his mouth. It was not helped in the slightest when the group made it outside and took to the skies. Now that he didn't have to use the other hand for balance, Izuku finally got to pull out the bread.

"ARE YOU INSANE?!"

"YOU NEED THIS IZUKU! YOU NEED TO SEE DAD GO TO GET CLOSURE!"

"I NEED NO SUCH THING!"

"WHY ARE WE YELLING?!" Izuku completely forgot about Nejire and strained his neck to see her keeping up with them. And she looked right at him. She understood what was happening, and why this was hard for Izuku. She gave him a nod. She was there for him. She will hold him back.

Izuku relaxed slightly and waited for Tatsu to fly them both to wherever they needed to go. They approached the airport, but then traveled on foot, so they would not trigger every sensor/radar or give a pilot a heart attack.

They saw Inko standing there, and reached her just as a car drove to the hangar. Izuku stood stone still, as Hisashi Midoriya stepped out. He walked towards the plane, and by sheer chance, he looked aside and saw his family standing there, And a blue-haired girl he did not know. But the man only had eyes for his family, greedily burning their image into his brain, knowing this was the last time he'll ever see them.

His wife, his daughter, and… His son. He did not get a good look at him on TV. But here he was, standing tall, tallest of the bunch, actually. He wore a hero shirt, he always did when he was younger, he wanted hero-themed everything. the green hair, like his mother. But messy and frazzled… like his own.

Hisashi unknowingly took a step towards them. Towards his son. When the blue-haired girl suddenly flew forward and wound her hand back.

SLAP!

The man's head turned violently sideways and almost make him fall to the ground. He managed to catch himself, and with his cheek, and his mouth burning, each from a different cause, he turned to face the girl, whose eyes were hard as stone, matching the voice she spoke with.

"You should go. And fast."

The girl looked serious. And Hisashi decided to follow her advice. There was nothing to say. He had no right to say a single word to his family, let alone his son. Hisashi almost ran on the way to the plane, never once looking back. Once inside he took a seat away from the window and buried his face in his hands. It was time he left their lives, never to return again. His business in Japan was over.

Nejire was relieved. She stood right next to Izuku when the man stepped out of the car. She noticed the similarities, but her friend would not appreciate it if she brought them up. The man walked as if not seeing them. But when he did see them, he almost stumbled.

Nejire never saw anyone look at something with so much desire or regret. But even if Izuku saw the regret, he did not care for it. Slowly his killer aura expanded, and she saw his hands start shaking. This meeting was a disaster waiting to happen.

When the man was about to step towards them, she saw Izuku twitch fiercely, so before she could even think things through, she was flying towards that man and slapped him in the face. She also warned him of his impending death, but it seemed just a slap was enough as he seemed to understand what a mistake he almost made.

When she turned back towards the Midoriya family, she saw Tatsumaki give her a thumbs up, Inko holding her hands over her mouth to hide shock or a smile, she couldn't tell. And Izuku… he seemed grateful, tired, and… She wasn't sure. There was something unreadable in his eyes, but he was definitely not angry with her.

When she walked back to him he gave her a hug, and she hugged him back, just as tight. And she knew he was thanking her for stopping him. But what she did not know was the thought that had just taken over a large portion of Izuku's head.

"I love Nejire."

Chapter Text

The Tomura brat was planning something, and the Doctor was cautiously standing on the sidelines. The introduction of Gigantomachia into the fray expedited some plans, while others had to be held back. At least Shigaraki did not presume he could maintain any form of control over the beast, merely demanding updates on its location, which mostly stayed the same as it entered hibernation mode. While the battle barely strained it, and the wounds were superficial, both the Doctor and All for One knew to keep their resources at 100%.

He forwarded all the information he possessed on the Eight Precepts of Death, and then elected to stay back and observe before committing to the kid. And… something else stayed his hand. Izuku Midoriya. He was the wildcard in all of this. They counted on All Might's successor being incredibly strong, and Le Million so far was within acceptable parameters, but Midoriya… The ungodly stamina and strength he possessed could seriously throw a wrench in his plans.

Still, he did possess some hidden aces on his own, didn't he? His eyes wandered towards his phone. Just one call, and he could…

No. No sense committing everything and more for a cause that might not even succeed. First, he'd see how Shigaraki handled things. All for One liked to say he had confidence in Tomura's abilities, but in Doctor's family, there was a saying that as of this moment has yet to lead him astray:

Confidence is a fool's substitute for intelligence.

Momo let out a deep sigh and leaned against her broom. She also added a mental note to show more appreciation to the cleaning staff her family employed. She remembered alarm bells going off in her head when Aizawa visited her family's home, for when the teacher saw her, he smiled.

Bakugo and Kirishima shared a similar experience, except Bakugo swearing a lot when he saw Aizawa smiling at him like a maniac at his doorstep. With Miruko and even Nighteye covering for them, there was no official punishment, but that did not stop Aizawa from tearing into them viciously, before making them pack their bags and be the first to move into class 1-A dorm. Then he made them clean the entire thing by themselves before their other classmates arrived.

They accepted it with no complaints; even Bakugo didn't have much to say, except something along the lines of "I'll fucking do it, grrr, fucknuggets!". Still, they managed to organize themselves so they would have some time to enjoy the dorm's facilities. Bakugo, surprisingly, was a pretty decent cook, even if his palette was a tad spicier than she had expected. When she had commented on it, he scoffed and said that he had held back, and that his normal fare was much spicier. At least, that was how she had translated "My normal grub is spicy as fuck".

Today, they had passed Aizawa's inspection and were left to enjoy the dorm in full before their classmates got here tomorrow. They made pizza, watched some movies, and then Kirishima convinced Bakugo to engage in a few rounds of the Nintendo49 Smash SUPER. She retreated to the kitchen to do some light reading. Say what you will, but three days of living with Bakugo with only Kirishima as a buffer was not the easiest thing to do, so she would take whatever silence she could get.

But, soon after, Bakugo entered to grab a drink. He stood by the sink, gulping down some water before he turned suddenly and caught her looking at him.

"What do you want, Ponytail?"

"You know, after all we've been through, you could at least call me by my name."

"Yeah, not gonna fucking happen." He walked to the fridge and took a look inside.

"The fuck did all this bacon come from?"

"Oh, I had it delivered today, for Midoriya."

"Pff, yeah right. Like he would like this weak Canadian shit. You can just say you ordered it for yourself, Ponytail." Momo was not a vengeful person, but right now she felt like taking the cheap shot.

"Izuku personally requested this type of bacon. Someone who knew him their entire life ought to know that."

Cheap shot indeed. Bakugo circled through angry, to wrathful, and back to angry before he settled on simply showing her his middle finger, accompanied with the words "fuck you".

"You know Kirishima wants to be your friend, right? And after all we've been through in Kamino and then cleaning this dorm, I would like to think we formed some connection as well."

His eyes narrowed. He looked her in the eye, confused and annoyed.

"What are you getting at, Ponytail?"

"It's simple. We want to be your friends, so maybe you could meet us halfway."

"And how do I do that?"

"You could start with dropping the nicknames."

He looked thoughtful, and for a second she thought he might actually comply. But then he gave her a smirk.

"Nope. Your name is long as hell, and Shitty Hair doesn't care." He walked towards the exit, and Momo turned back to her book and sighed. This was a lost cause.

"But you guys helped me that night, so if you need help, I'll do it."

Before she could turn to look at him, he was already gone. She turned once again to her book, but this time with a small smile on her lips. Slowly but surely, she would succeed.

Tatsumaki watched her brother as he carefully exchanged money with the cashier at the supermarket, picked up the bags, and started walking home. She saw that he weaved between the crowd, avoiding contact. It was a practiced movement to avoid people falling over themselves from his killing aura. She has gotten used to it by now, and mom never had any issues with it to begin with. A small mercy, since the last thing Izuku needed was scaring his mother half to death with a single hug.

She walked alongside him as he occasionally muttered under his breath. Usually, she would write it off as just usually rambling about traffic, weather, or how his favorite snacks got 10 yen pricier. She didn't see a way that was a problem until Inko told her that Izuku was quite stingy with his money ever since he didn't have enough pocket money left to buy the "once-in-a-decade All Might flavor" ice cream cone that included a small figurine of the man on top. Izuku was embarrassed by that story, but ever since, he has been very careful with his money.

But anyway, this muttering was a lot different from other mutterings. She still could not understand a word, but the rhythm was different, and the break patterns were all scrambled. She thought about teasing him about it, but… Izuku was starting to get suspicious. The old 'I'm going with you to familiarize myself with the area' excuse could only work for so long. When they finally arrived back to the apartment, Izuku swiftly put away the groceries, and then excused himself, citing he needed to do an urgent phone call.

RING

RING

RING

"You've called the Casanova residence, Chad Mineta speaking."

"Mineta."

"Wow, someone slap my sack, is that Midoriya on the phone? You NEVER call! You only text the topics of Student council meetings! What's up man, how can I help?"

"I need advice. Of romantic variety."

There was one long pause on the other land. Not even breathing was heard. Izuku had to double-check that the call was still going. But then his classmate spoke, with a voice more serious than Izuku ever heard him speak.

"Midoriya. You called the worst person possible. Even Bakugo with his trashy social skills would have been better than me."

This time it was Izuku who was silent. For a moment, he wanted to simply hang up. But that would not be very friendly.

"Can you explain?"

"Only to you, since you were a bro at the Sports Festival. Man… this might take a minute."

Mineta took a deep breath to gather his thoughts, then he explained.

"Look. Being a hero… it's hard work. I know that. As much as I say I'm in it for the babes, the babes don't come as soon as you get your license. You have to work hard, establish turf, connections, and reputation. And that takes time. To add dating to that? Yeah, no, I prefer my sanity. So, I figured I'd get it all out of my system now, during high school, when things are a bit easier than out in the real world. It also helps that our classmates are total bombshells. After we graduate, I will work hard. I'll become a hero. Only after that, can I focus on being the Casanova this world needs."

"Is that what they call the Sigma grindset?"

"Something like that. But listen, I may not be able to give much advice—aside from what's on the internet—but I can listen, and honest to bro, I won't talk."

"She's my best friend. But now there's more. I want more."

"Hmm, I see. And when did this want for 'more' come about?"

"When she slapped the daylights out of my dad."

"Daddy issues. Hot. Wait… Is it still hot if it's the guy that has the issues? You know what, never mind, we're getting off track. The important part of this is, you're already friends. So, you just need to let your nuts drop and ask her on a date."

"But there are no places to go out on campus."

"Wait, the girl you like is our classmate? Is it Mina?"

"No. Where would you get that idea?"

"Hmm. Well, we're first years, so the only answer is… YOU'RE DATING A SENPAI!"

"We're not dating yet."

"Midoriya, my boy, you made me very proud today. Good job!"

Izuku could hear actual tears on the other end. Were these tears of sadness? Joy? The rarely-seen legendary tears of manliness? Should he say something?

"You can call me Izuku. We're friends… right?"

"No Izuku. We are more than friends. We are bros now!"

"…Ok."

Mineta threw in some more generic advice, and to top it off, sent him a few links to pretty decent spots for a first date, taking into account that neither Izuku nor his lady friend seemed to be much for fancy restaurants or high-end clubs. But Nejire might wanna go dancing, so Mineta promised to 'check the scene for some low-key places', but not too low-key, since they were still high schoolers.

Izuku hung up and then looked around his room. He still had things to pack for tomorrow. First time moving out. That was an important step in life, right? Should he be feeling excited? He didn't. At least, not about moving. But seeing Nejire again tomorrow? He could be excited about that. With a smile on his face, he began marking what clothes he would take with him. Tomorrow was gonna be a great day!

It was beautiful. He was running through a field of flowers, and his pollen allergies were a thing of the past. He was also chased by hippos in top hats, who wanted him to give them stock market advice. And at the end of it was To-

"AHH!"

Twice woke up with a start, hastily looking around. Kamino, battle, who was the real—there was a cast on his leg. THERE WAS A CAST ON HIS LEG! HE WAS REAL! HE WAS—captured. Strapped to a chair. With quirk-suppressing cuffs. Wonderful.

"Bubaigawara Jin. It is good to see you awake."

"It's not so wonderful on the inside. My leg hurts, and my head is worse."

"Yes, I would imagine so. Now, my guess is, you want to know where you are, correct?"

"It would be nice."

"You are currently detained at U.A. underground holding facilitiers, under my authority. Frankly speaking, it was a pain to gain custody of you, but after a few promises, the HPSC relented."

That made Twice think. He should have been on his way to Tartarus, or a facility of a similar kind. The fact he was at U.A. instead meant there was a purpose to which he could serve for the principal. The rat went through the trouble to get him, but for what?

"I see you have an inkling as to why you are here, but to clear away any confusion, let me show you."

The door behind the rat slowly opened up, showing a barrier of sorts, and behind it…

"This will not work. Only Shigaraki could command it."

"Ah, but luckily for us, we have a student in our midst who will be able to directly, or through trickery, make it do our bidding. Which is, of course, nothing nefarious. I merely seek to use it as a training exercise."

"You what to use THAT as a training exercise? U.A. is even more intense than I thought."

"Of course, regular students will not have access to it. But I know of at least four who will benefit from it greatly."

"So, I make clones of it for your super students to train on? What's in it for me?"

"Absolutely nothing. Because you see, Jin, your compliance was never a factor. Either you will make the clones out of your own free will, or…"

"Who's the ugly asshole on the chair?"

"I'll show you ugly—"

Suddenly, Jin stopped moving, sitting perfectly still with a glazed look in his eyes. Nezu looked behind the chair to see the open entrance and two people standing there.

"Ahh, young Shinso, thank you very much for helping us with this. Of course, I assure you again, if you change your mind, you will still be guaranteed a spot in the Hero course."

"And I will still help you. Because I want to. Now let's get to work. Twice, make a clone of the Nomu."

"Oh, my baby boy! I w-wrote all the washing tips in your notebook, a-as well as the katsudon recipe. And remember to call and tell me what washing machine they have, so I can check if it has the settings needed. A-and—"

"Mom, I'm gonna be fine. You taught me everything I need to know. And… I'll visit on weekends. You can show me more recipes then."

Inko smiled at her son who peered at the floor as if it held the secret of life. It was so strange to see him moving out already, but she knew he was going to be alright. Izuku Midoriya could look after himself. Now if only someone else learned that too…

"Alright, I'm all set. Let's go, brother!"

"Tatsu… why are you going with me to U.A.?"

"Well, for one, I'll help you unpack and build the furniture, then I need to go see the ra—I mean, the principal, and get a rundown of security so I can do my job."

"And your job is…"

"Watching over y—U.A.! You are looking at the head of the Campus Security team."

She looked very proud of that, and Izuku… he looked at her funny. Why would she get employed at U.A.?

"Don't you have a hero agency back in the states?"

"Yeah. Honestly, I expected the whole thing with dad to take a lot longer, and planned to fly back with him before transferring leadership to my sidekick, but the r—principal asked me to help out for a few weeks as extra muscle. Once I come back from the states, I'll look for something more permanent."

"Wait, so you're moving back to Japan?"

"Yes… and no. My official employers are still the Hero organization, but apparently, me coming here gave both governments a push to start talking about actual cooperation beyond trade deals. I'll probably have to switch between the states and here for the first few years, but hopefully, it won't be too long before I can make Japan my permanent residence."

They wanted to talk more, but were interrupted by the doorbell. It was the company U.A. had hired to help move whatever students needed to feel more at home in the dorms. In Izuku's case, that was some boxes with clothes, and a few still-packed pieces of furniture. Driving in the truck was a new experience for Izuku, but what truly impressed him was the dorm building itself. Living here might actually be kind of fun. That enthusiasm was severely lowered the moment he walked through the door.

"Take off your fucking shoes! I ain't scrubbing this fucking floor again!"

Bakugo was there already, and so were Momo and Kirishima. Iida and Ochako were also there, but he quickly turned away as soon as he saw them. Who in their right mind would hold hands so brazenly in a communal space?! The next thing everyone knew, Bakugo was tossed out the open window, and the shameless pair was forced 7 feet apart.

"There better be chaperones available. Dorms on paper sounded like a good idea, but it seems we all forgot that you're a bunch of teenagers."

"She walks in with class! She walks in with sass! But most importantly, she walks in with that loli ass! Hi, my name is Minoru Mineta, glad you could meet me."

Mineta would follow the same path Bakugo did if Izuku wasn't there to catch him. The purple midget dusted himself off and thanked his friend.

"This is the only time I'll do that, so you better quit hitting on my sister."

"Oh, sure, bro. Sisters are off-limits, Bro code article—Wait, what?!"

"That is my sister. She is also head of campus security."

"Stop dallying around Izuku, now let's go pick your room."

Following his sister and the train of luggage she carried with her quirk, the Midoriya siblings moved up to the upper floors, leaving the folks that were in the common room with a lot to go through.

"That WAS Tornado of Terror, right? I haven't gone insane from living with Bakugo for three days, right?"

"Nope, I saw her too. She was super manly!"

"Kirishima, you also lived with Bakugo for three days. We might both be insane."

Speak of the wolf, and he shall blast on explosions and a fountain of swear words.

"WHERE'S THAT FUCKING MIDGET?!"

Before he could either go off on a tangent or go search for the green-haired pair, something landed on the lawn in front of the dorm.

"Hey, Bakubro, isn't that your bed?"

Everyone chased up the stairs to the first floor to find Izuku standing in the hallway, looking confused, and the door to Bakugo's room wide open. Peeking inside, they saw Bakugo's dresser being flown out the balcony and on the grass below.

"Um, Miss head of Security Tornado, what are you doing?"

"Just Tornado if fine. And I'm preparing Izuku's room."

"That, um… That's Bakugo's room."

"Was. Now it's gonna be Izuku's."

Bakugo… he stood there, in the middle of his increasingly bare room. Clearly, something overheated in his head, and now he had to reboot. The gathered classmates looked towards Izuku, who found something on his phone very interesting. Yaoyorozu was the first to question the explanation.

"Um, and why must Izuku stay in this room?"

"Isn't it obvious? It is close to both the elevator and the stairs, and it's on the first floor, so Izuku can evacuate safely in case of emergencies."

"But isn't Midoriya like… indestructible? He could easily just jump from the higher floors. Plus he's super-fast; he could easily use the stairs."

Izuku nodded, seemingly glad someone else saw sense.

"That's true, but—"

"Plus the view on the upper floors is much better. Midoriya, you want a nice view, right?"

"Yes, please."

"Well alright then. Let's go pick something from the third floor."

"Why not the fourth one?"

"What if the roof collapses? Izuku might be fine, but his stuff would get wet and/or damaged."

"…Of course, how silly of me."

"We all have our faults. Now let's go, Izuku."

Izuku mouthed out an apology and followed his sister.

"WAIT A FUCKING MINUTE! WHAT ABOUT MY FUCKING STUFF?!"

Bakugo was rebooted, but before he could start blasting after the siblings, he was mowed over by his bed dresser and chair which came flying back through the balcony and deposited themselves on top of him.

"You're a big boy, I'm sure you can handle it."

His shouts were silenced by the door, and everyone present decided it was much wiser to let him cool off. Even Kirishima decided to leave Bakugo to the 'manly job of moving furniture'.

"Well, that's the last of 'em. You sure you can bring them in yourself?"

"Yep, thanks a lot dad. I promise to visit!"

"I know you will. Take care."

Nejire and her dad stood at the front of the U.A., awkwardly.

"You can go now, dad."

"I know."

"But you won't?"

"I'm sorry, Nejire, but you did mention that this Izuku fellow will come to help you. By how much you speak of him, I just figured, maybe I should meet the guy."

"Dad!" No one could resist the Nejire pout.

"Fine, fine, I'm going." With one last hug, her dad got in his car and drove away, but not before honking one last time. She waved after him. It might be annoying to get around being split between U.A., the Lair, and her house, but for her dad, she would make it work. Plus, how awesome would it be, living with Yuyu and Miro and Tamaki! And to see Izuku every day! She can come to see him before AND after class! Was his dorm room also filled with hero nerdy stuff? And what about his bed? The one he had at his home was comfy! Wait, they could have more sleepovers now! Yay! She flew up into a celebratory loop, and when she landed, he was there.

"Izuku! I just had a thought! We live close now, that means sleepovers every day!"

"We're not having sleepovers every day."

"Mou!" The pout was weaponized twice in one day. The Universe felt the disturbance.

"We can have them once a month though."

"Every week?"

"Twice a month."

"Deal!"

They both spat in their hands and shook on it. Then they realized there was no place to wash their hands.

"I have some wet wipes." Nejire started rummaging through her boxes. First was her decorations, then it was her clothes—her nice bra almost fell out!—then she found her toiletries and brought out the packet of wet wipes. She handed two to Izuku, one for his hands and one for the nosebleed he got all of a sudden.

"Alright, let's get moving!" They precariously loaded the boxes on Izuku, who carried them while Nejire flew around and kept them from toppling over. That way they managed to bring them all in one trip, depositing them in front of the 3-A dorms. Turns out Tamaki was the first one there already, so Nejire had free pick of the girl rooms. She picked one right at the top, and instead of carrying the boxes up the stairs, she ferried them up to Izuku on the balcony, who then placed them inside.

Izuku then also helped assemble her bed, desk, and drawer, and hung her pictures. But she built her chair herself. And she arranged her decorations and put away her clothes. Still, to repay her underclassman, she did order some pizza for them both. After eating that, they just chilled in her fully furnished room.

"Thank you for helping me, izuku."

"No problem, I was happy to help."

"Me too, imagine how long it would take me by myself!"

"You'd rope Tamaki into helping you."

"I would not!"

"You totally would! You'd go downstairs and whine about how heavy the bed was, and then he would feel bad and go help you." They laughed at that. Tamaki was currently completely happy, playing some games on the giant TV screen in the living room. He would probably run off to his room as soon as the rest of 3-A showed up.

"So, about the sleepovers…" Izuku just sighed. She would not drop the subject, so best he gives in.

"We can have them on weekends."

"Great! Just tell me which room you're in and—"

"Wow, we can't have them in my room!"

"Why not?"

"I got a cardboard bed, those only hold one person!"

"That's a lie and you know it! They have been thoroughly tested!"

"You can't sleep in my bed together with me."

"We slept together at the Lair!"

"That bed wasn't mine, it's different!"

"And we slept together at your house, in your bed after Kamino!"

"That's… We were both tired then!"

"Oh, so you need to be tired to sleep with me in your bed?"

Izuku did not know if it was the way she kept repeating 'slept together', or if it was the way she said that last sentence that made him imagine all kinds of stuff they could be doing to get tired. He was still a warm-blooded boy, in the midst of puberty! So, instead of coming up with more excuses, he blurted out something else.

"We should go on a date."

Chapter Text

"Thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to attend this meeting."

In the room gathered were many U.A alumni, and some who could not attend directly had sent their sidekicks. In the room off to the side, to their wonder, sat a face well known to those who were at least a little bit familiar with the global hero scene. Tornado of Terror, the top American hero.

"It brings my heart great joy to see so many of you responding to your alma mater cry for help. As you may be familiar, we've recently implemented a dorm system to provide better protection to our students, after our first years, in particular, were twice targeted by the organization known as the League of Villains."

Many heroes nodded in understanding, to either confirm they knew of the new implementation or to confirm that they saw the reasoning for it.

"But, it was decided that is not enough. So we established a new department, Campus Security. What I called you for today is to ask if any of you would wish to volunteer to assist in making the U.A safer in these times."

Heroes seemed reluctant. No one had seen All Might since the end of the Kamino battle, and crime was on the rise. It was the perfect time for them to make a name for themselves.

"We don't expect you to commit to this, of course. But if you could maybe stay here for a day or two in groups of three, switching as your schedules allow it, that alone would bolster our defenses significantly, and with no set schedule or personnel lower the chances of any prepared assault."

"But would it not be bad if we all switch between each other all the time? How would anything be kept in order? Coordination in case of an attack is important."

"A good question. Of course, everything will be coordinated by the leader of the Security team. "Due to her ties with japan, the U.A was able to request that the team be led by Tornado of Terror!"

Every eye in the room was suddenly on Tatsumaki, who gazed at them with boredom, before resigning herself, and speaking a few words.

"U.A has graciously offered me the position of heading the new Security team, temporarily, until I have to return to the States. It is a position I accepted eagerly, as it is in my interest to protect the heroes of tomorrow." But mostly Izuku.

"So… any volunteers?"

Some heroes signed up, writing when in their schedules they'd be free. From about 130-ish heroes that responded to Nezu, about half signed up to help guard U.A during the day. Now it was on Tatsumaki to learn of their abilities, organize shifts, and prepare protocols for various emergencies. A lot of work, but then, after she's done, she can crash the 1.A dorm, and eat some dinner. Izuku would definitely love showing off his great super-cool hero big sis, right?

Izuku carried the last of Mina's stuff up the stairs, putting them down in her chosen room. For his work, he got to be her ride, as the pink-haired girl jumped on his back, somehow even more bubbly than usual.

"Thanks a lot for the help, Midori! Now that we live together, we can practice dancing even more!"

"Actually, Nezu told me he had a training program in mind for me, so I don't think I'll practice with you as much."

"Oh." Mina looked quite saddened by the fact. They didn't practice much before because of commuting and Izuku's duties as vice-president. She had hoped to make big moves during their time living together, and dance practice seemed the best time to do it. But if he was not gonna do it anymore-

"Hey, I said I won't practice as much. I still wanna learn more though, just maybe we limit it to Tuesdays and Thursdays?"

"Yay! It's a date!"

Those words sent Izuku ramrod straight before he relaxed again. She did not mean it like that, he was sure. If Mina noticed his strange reaction, she did not mention it. Instead, she dragged him back downstairs to chill with the class and maybe eat something. Seemed like someone had the same idea because there was a head of blond hair rummaging through the fridge.

"Hey! Which chick ordered this much Canadian bacon?" Kaminari asked, completely unaware of Momo freezing in place, before rapidly looking around and paling, seeing Izuku standing at the stairs, clearly within hearing range. Was it just her or did the boss music start playing? Why was Izuku walking towards the kitchen? Was he walking slowly, or was it just her brain perceiving everything in slow motion? And she must be imagining the dorm shaking with every step right? RIGHT?!

Izuku approached the fridge, where Kaminari was standing, the Electrification user unaware of the Storm that was approaching.

"Hey Midoriya, check this out. A whole shelf full of this weak Canadian stuff. Someone trying to watch their figure maybe, eh?"

Izuku inspected the fridge himself, picking up a pack of bacon to inspect it himself. Then he looked up with a smile.

"Thanks a ton, Yaoyorozu! This is real quality stuff! I'll have some right now!"

Kaminari realized how close to death he had just been and promptly collapsed. Mineta was quick to check on him and declared what happened to the room.

"His brain was fried from fear!"

"Wheey…"

"Is he gonna be okay?" Izuku seemed quite concerned for his classmate's health, but it only scared the class more. Izuku Midoriya was not the most… sociable.

Now, Izuku was a bit people dense, but he managed to pick up on some of the clues, like Bakugo's palms popping, and Tsu slowly inching aways. He remembered the few times his classmates tried to reach out to him, sometimes litrealy, only to be scared of by his attitude, or the aura he gave off. He could do little to stop the aura. But he could stop acting like an asshole. So he decided to do something about it. He dragged a chair in front of the TV, stepped on it, and faced the class.

"I owe all of you an apology. It has come to my attention that during my involuntary absence, my allegiance came into question. I blame no one for this, and I do not want to hear any names. I have behaved unbecomingly, seeking solitude, and not making much effort to respond when you reached out to me. I can't promise to befriend you all, but I shall endeavor to try harder, and at least get to know you as my classmates, and maybe friends."

Izuku bowed to his classmates.

"I am sorry for my behavior. I'll be in your care, and hope we can get along."

The class was silent for a second, but then Mineta broke the silence.

"I told you already, Izuku, we're bros! We're in this together!"

"Yea, it's all good Midori!"

Momo felt like she should say something, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. It was Bakugo.

"You already apologized to the fucking nerd, and as he said, he doesn't want to know if you were with or against him. Extras don't need reasons to be split. He's moving on, so should you."

Momo gave her kinda-friend a grateful nod. Meanwhile, the rest of the class all professed their fate in Midoriya. Tenya was especially loud, but no one dared to look his way, lest they see him holding Ochako's hand so indecently. The class slowly began to disperse, but before they could each go off on their own, Mina stepped on the chair next.

"Guys! Now that we're all moved in, we should have a room contest!"

"Or we could play Xing Hai Shi Bu Xing!"

"Or spin the brottle!"

In the end, it was decided they would have the room contest, mainly because no one wanted to know what 'spin the brottle' was, and Yaoyorozu refused to make the various items necessary for Xing Hai Shi Bu Xing. It was actually fun, and Izuku was impressed with Todoroki's traditional room, Tokoyami's edge, and Mineta's… collection. For some reason, he was also the only one who dared to enter the midget's room, the rest just had moved on. He also reminded himself to ask Iida for some books and to always knock before entering, lest he saw something indecent.

Koda's bunny was neat, and while he was not a music person, he could appreciate the instruments Jiro had on display. He also noticed a fancy hairbrush with some long black hair in it, but decided to ignore it, it was not his business anyway. He enjoyed the taste of cake Sato baked for everyone, and was thoroughly impressed with the size of Yaoyorozu's bed. In the end, he voted for Todoroki's room, but Sato took the lead with his, as Mineta called it, 'sugary bribe'.

When he finally retired for the night, on his comfy cardboard bed, he felt relaxed. The dorm was still new, and it would take time getting used to living with everyone, but seeing the rooms, and the hustle and bustle, it made the whole thing look and feel more homely. His thoughts slipped to other things that made his cheeks redden, and cover his head. It was with such thoughts in mind, he drifted to sleep.

The class stood next to Gym Gamma, all costumed up, and excited as ever. Aizawa announced that they'd be working on their super moves! It sent them all into a frenzy that soon got a lot calmer, once Midnight strolled into the room, making all the boys sit down and cover their crotches. Truthfully, it has been a long time since one of her 'accidental strolls', but the way she whispered to them in the hallways, asking about homework, or even just how their day was, kept their memories fresh.

"Well, go on in." Aizawa strolled with three other teachers in tow. Aside from Midnight, they were to also be supervised by Cementos and Ectoplasm.

"Welcome, students, to my Training Kitchen lab. As you can see the floor is made entirely from concrete, giving me more than enough material to work with to create various environments for you to test your super moves in. Ectoplasm, meanwhile, will supervise each of you personally and offer advice. Any questions?"

One hand was raised, the class president, Yaoyorozu.

"We're not all present, Midoriya is not here yet."

"Midoriya is receiving special training from principal Nezu. His test will likely be different from yours, so Nezu is preparing him for that."

It would also be terribly unfair to have such a powerhouse with them during The Crushing of the U.A, but Aizawa kept that to himself. It would look bad if the problem child went off solo and completed the task, and it would look even worse if he carried the whole class. As amusing as it would be to see other schools being crushed for a change, it was a rational decision to not have him participate.

"So, you took control over the army spawning villain from Kamino, convinced him to clone the Nomu that attacked USJ, just so me and Mirio can have something to train against?"

"Precisely!"

"I think I now know why my sister doesn't like you."

Izuku faced down the beak-faced monstrosity that stood limply, without any will of its own.

"Ahh, don't worry about them, we have a few ideas on how to incentivize them. Nomu activation, test 1: playing a recording of Shigaraki's voice. Begin"

From all around the room, a familiar voice sounded out.

"Now Nomu… KILL!"

Everyone waited tensely. But the Nomu did not move one bit. It stood there limply. Nezu wrote something down on his computer, before pressing the mic in the observation room.

"No response in his vitals, or increased brain activity. Proceed with the second test."

Shinso pulled out a curious gadget, reminiscent of a facemask. After pulling it on, he fiddled with it, before giving a thumbs up.

"Nomu activation test 2: imitating Shigaraki voice. Begin."

"Nomu, KILL HIM!" Some may expect a dramatic pose, but Shinso did not even point a finger. His voice though was an incredible imitation of Tomura Shigaraki.

The Nomu still did not move. Nezu made some more notes.

"Nothing on our end still. I think we should pull out all the stops. Using your newfound ability, while imitating Shigaraki."

That got Izuku interested.

"A new trick you learned, Shinso?"

"Yes."

"Neat."

"Nomu activation test 3: using Silver Tongue, paired with voice imitation. Begin."

Shinsou took a deep breath, and spoke once more, something in his voice sounding different even to Izuku.

"Nomu, KILL HIM!"

Black blurred over the small distance and Izuku quickly crossed his arms to guard against the punch that could shatter concrete.

"Hella strong this thing. What's the objective here?"

"You must destroy it before it creates any significant damage to this room. The ground where it stood has cracks in them from the launch, that's already minus points from you."

"So I should have destroyed it as soon as I saw it?"

"Precisely!"

Izuku looked accusingly at Shinso who stood bored at the other end.

"You guys already tested these out, didn't you. You knew from the start what would work."

"Yea. Sorry. Nomu, FULL SPEED!"

The creature obeyed, disengaging the power struggle, and blurred around the room, trying to attack from the blind spot. But Izuku was too fast following it with ease. That was when he also realized it kept causing more damage to the room, simply by moving around.

"Shit."

He rushed on the offensive, easily catching up to the critter, before grappling it in a full nelson. A good kick to the legs, and the creature was kneeling, restrained.

"Good. Now, kill it."

Izuku… hesitated.

"Izuku, this is a Nomu, an amalgamation of evil, a result of quirks being crammed into one person without a proper catalyst, and then followed by weeks of brainwashing to eliminate even a single spark of personality. It's a biological robot, unfeeling, its only purpose is what it's commanded to do. Now, please. Put it out of its misery."

Izuku gazed down, and all he saw was the exposed brain. And the eyes. Somehow in its struggle, the creature twisted its eyes to look at him. Empty. Despite all the power it used to try and wrestle free, there was nothing. Small mercy. Izuku released the creature, but before it could even realize it, his hands already held its head and twisted.

Nomu was no more. All that was left was the brown sludge it melted into.

"Right, this was just a simple clone."

Nezu entered the test room, his tiny steps snapping Izuku out of the spiral of morbid thoughts he almost began descending.

"How are you feeling, Izuku?"

"...Pretty shit."

"Yes, I imagine so. You did about as well as I expected, all things considered."

"You knew I would hesitate?"

"I was counting on it. In fact, I would have been a lot more concerned if you did not. I do not want to turn you into a killer, Izuku. but you know Nomu. And you now know what they are. Containing them is a solution, but one that can be undone with a single command from the right person. As of yesterday, the HPSC declared any Nomu to be killed on sight. We managed to hang onto ours, to prepare the best of the best students for what may come. But one day, even that Nomu will have to be ended."

Shinsou walked up to them and laid a hand on Izuku's shoulder.

"To do good, you better prepare to give it your all. That's what you said to me. It was in a different context, but something similar applies. I know you're better than to see the world in black and white. I see the world in infinite shades of gray. Or maybe that's because I lost my color vision from a caffeine overdose."

Izuku nodded and turned towards the rat.

"Are we done here?"

"Just one more thing. Here."

Nezu passed a piece of paper and a plastic card. It was his provisional license. Izuku stared at the small piece of plastic, before pocketing it. He did not like this. Was his purpose not to become a hero for fun? Killing a monster, that was definitely not fun. He turned towards the exit, but before he left, he turned back and looked Shinso in the eyes.

"You should stop by the 1.A dorms sometimes. It would be good to meet your fellow heroes, right?"

Before the purple-haired teen could respond, Izuku was out of the room. Seeing as Nezu was already busy, making arrangements to have the room cleaned and fixed, he also stepped outside a certain lightness in his step and a smile in his eyes.

"Bye Yuyu!"

"Hang on."

Nejire stopped and faced her friend, who got all up in her face and looked over every inch of her face with a scrutinizing look.

"Something's different. Have you been sad recently?"

"No."

"Angry?"

"Not really. A bit upset maybe."

"No, you pout when you're upset. I got it! You look… distracted. Concerned maybe? Did you get a bad grade or something so now you have to actually study?"

"I study!"

"You cram before tests."

Nejire pouted and turned away, ready to walk. But at the end of the hallways, she saw Izuku, who looked like he was looking for someone. That someone was her, as soon as he spotted her, there was a light on his face, and he almost ran towards her.

"Nejire! I-" He noticed Yuyu standing behind her.

"I need… your help with something! Yes, I need you to help me."

Nejire was confused but if it was Izuku asking, then she could spare some time. It was just strange because-

"I thought you wanted us to stay apart until Friday."

Izuku looked at her, then at Yuyu, before making a decision l, and rolling with it.

"I said that because I panicked. I'm happy that I asked you, and even happier that you said yes but I had a different scenario in my head. but then we talked, and it was fun, and then you started teasing me, and I just blurted it out. But I'm still happy I did!"

"Ok, you two are gonna have to give me some context here." Yuyu was confused but also felt like something shifted in the dynamic of the Universe.

"Oh, well, Izuku helped me move in the dorms, then helped put together my stuff, and we ate pizza and we talked, then I wanted sleepovers, and Izuku did too, but not at his place, then he asked me out!"

Nejire told the whole story in one breath, with no effort, and Yuyu understood perfectly.

"I see. And you said yes?"

"Yup! We're going on Friday!"

"Ok. Ok, ok, ok, ok. I see then. Well, Nejire, you better help your boyfriend here with whatever he needs, I gotta catch my train."

Yuyu rushed away from the couple, Izuku standing there confused, and Nejire a little worried. But Yuyu was a big girl, and it wouldn't be the first time their friendship went through a rough patch. She turned towards Izuku.

"So, what do you need help with?"

She was engulfed in a hug. His hands around her waist, and his head buried in her shoulder. You never had to ask her for hugs, so she quickly wrapped her arms around him. He held her gently, uncertain, so she squeezed harder, making him do so in turn.

"Everything ok?"

"No. But it's better now."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"...I don't think so."

"Well, I'm here, or a phone call away. I'll drop anything. Except for hero stuff. With Ryukyu gone, we need all hands on deck."

"I'd never ask you to choose between me and heroics. Tell Wyrm I'd be happy to help."

"He'll be happy to hear it, but you can't do much until you get your license."

"Well, it's a good thing I'll be able to get it early then."

"Right! You better get it, or no date for you!"

Izuku smiled into her shoulder, squeezing her tight one last time, before letting go.

"I'll head back to my dorm. Feel free to swing by any time."

"I'll sneak through your window! Then everyone will be surprised how I got there, and I'll be like 'Speak in 20 words or less!'"

Izuku blushed a bit, Nejire enjoyed impersonating him way too much. He was trying to be better! But he also shivers in thought how he'd be if he hadn't met her. He already planned to bring some nice flowers to Ryukyu, he should add some fruit as well.

He gave her a smile and turned around, but before he could go, something jumped on his back, the familiar blue hair in the corner of his eye, and his hands automatically grabbing some soft skirt-covered thighs, while grabby arms danced across his chest.

"Nejire?"

"That hug was for you. Now this one? This one's all for me! Also, you got nice pecs."

They stood there for a minute or two, and it was nice. And Izuku definitely did not think about the soft things in his hands, or the soft chest pressing into his back, nope. All too soon, Nejire got off, but she did not leave without parting words.

"Thanks for not grabbing my butt, maybe I'll give you a reward after our date!"

With that she was gone, leaving Izuku steaming, all kinds of 'rewards' flashing through his mind. He started realizing that maybe this girl would be the death of him. And maybe he would not mind.

Days passed in a flash, and soon enough it was time to board the bus that would take them to the exam site. Students chatted among themselves, but it was clear there was tension in the air. Especially for Momo, who somehow wound up sitting next to Bakugo.

"Are you alright?"

The silence was her answer.

"It must be upsetting that Midoriya got his license before you, but there was barely a week before, does the difference really matter?"

More silence.

"You're a pain in the ass."

That got a reaction from him. The tiniest smirk.

"Do I have to use expletives to get you to talk to me?"

"Dunno, High-class, why would you talk to me?"

"Because we're friends?"

"You're barely better than an extra."

Momo took a deep breath. She'd crack that shell with time, but this time being mean would not help. So she would have to use the less easy approach.

"I heard you got defeated by Todoroki during the last battle training."

"So fucking what? Icy-hot just got lucky."

"Maybe I will get lucky as well?" Hook.

"In your fucking dreams. I destroyed you at the Sports Festival."

"Maybe. But who walked away from that fight with bruised ribs, I wonder?" Line.

"Fuck you. If you want a fight, we will fight, but don't you dare fucking cry when I win!"

Huh. She guessed she did not need a sinker. Satisfied, she leaned back into her seat, and enjoyed the rest of the ride. Once they boarded off the bus, in the middle of grabbing their costume cases from the luggage compartment is when they heard a panicked cry.

"Eraser! Thank goodness you're here! I have terrible news! Have you heard of Updog?

"What's upd-"

Before the sentence could be finished, Ojiro's mouth was covered by Aizawa's capture tape.

"Do not talk to this person, and do not respond to any question she might ask you. She's a teacher from another hero school."

At the empty dorm, Izuku sat on the couch, dressed casually. Mineta tried to push him into a suit, but just the image of himself in a suit, standing next to Nejire made his head hurt from the contradiction. Nejire was the opposite of everything a suit could possibly stand for.

So he just went with a simple shirt that said: "Funny Writing" on it, and some jeans. It looked like the autumn might come early this year. Hecking again that he had everything on him, he felt a shiver down his spine. The good kind.

DING DONG

He went to open the door. And there she stood. Wearing a pink bardot top that exposed her shoulders, and folded over her chest, barely meeting the black skirt at the waist. Blue horizontal lines circled over the black material, and to complete the outfit, black thigh-high socks.

"Ready to go, Izuku?"

Chapter Text

They walked from the dorms to the entrance of the U.A campus, and Izuku already felt his stomach doing some weird things. Was this the butterflies? Or was this nausea? Either way, he tried hard to concentrate on his feet, so he would be in step with his date. If he focused on their feet, he would forget about his stomach. Let's go Izuku, just match her step, left, right, left, right.

But then his date started floating. He turned to look at her, a tad annoyed, and again feeling the nerves. And found her trying to contain her laughter, failing miserably at doing so. After a full minute, she got her breath under control and flew in front of him, using her quirk so they may look each other eye to eye.

"It's a date, Izuku, it's not that different from when we hang out normally. Just close your eyes, take a deep breath, and let's do something fun, ok?"

Izuku closed his eyes and went to take a deep breath, But just as he did, he felt a kiss being pressed on his forehead and started choking on air immediately.

Her laughter filled the air again, as he looked at her accusingly, which in turn made her laugh even harder. She was also flying just out of reach. Not if he jumped, of course, but that would defeat the purpose. So he instead clapped his hands, producing a gust of wind that ruffled her hair, and flipped her upside down. And it may or may not have given him an upskirt look, which made him blush heavily and quickly look down.

She landed with a pout and looked at her reflection in her phone, to see how her hair looked. Izuku helped her out by straightening up those in the back, which she could not see. His cheeks no longer red from the accidental show, he faced her and spoke.

"I'm sorry. That was not very mature of me."

"It's alright, I started it. But no more winds, ok? I don't need everyone to see what panties I'm wearing."

A reminder sent another rush of blood to his head, while she just smiled, before grabbing his hand and dragging him out of the campus proper. Wait, they were hand holding! He must never tell anyone of this! He'll get put on a watch list!

"Well, you were the one who asked me out, so I'm assuming you have some kind of plan. Unless your idea of a date is me dragging you around. Which is fine, but then I'd rather switch out my shoes."

"I do in fact have a plan."

"Is it a secret?"

"No, because keeping secrets from you would be a nightmare."

"Hmm. I guess I do ask a lot of questions." She looked thoughtful, and Izuku did not want to make her feel bad. So he muttered something only she could possibly understand. And the smile his words got him was just so beautiful.

"Aww, and you're cute when you mutter all serious like. Now, where to? Where to?!"

"Train station. We're going to the center of the city, and then scouring a few Hero Otaku shops."

"What for?"

"Limited edition Prime costume Ryukyu dinner plate!"

"Whaaa?! I heard that they were packaged poorly and over 90% of them got smashed on the way to the stores! Even the ones Ryukyu got to distribute as promos!"

"Exactly right!"

"But, those things are expensive, are they not?"

"Don't worry about it. Apparently, d- Hisa- HE kept sending money over the years, and mum saved it up all for me. So the budget is pretty big."

"Ok. But why are we buying that particular plate today?"

"Cause after we find it, we have a reserved public kitchen and all the ingredients to make sensei's favorite dish, which we will then bring to her in the hospital, served on the plate."

"Can we do that?"

"I have a note from Recovery Girl that says we can."

"Izuku, you're the best!" She hugged his arm and looked up with sparkles in her eyes.

Izuku was not blushing, it was just the Sun. He sped up his walk, Nejire right alongside him, their hands again entwined. They caught the train to the center, listening to some music Nejire had on her phone (and still holding hands). It was peaceful. Somehow, by holding her hand, the people rushing around them seemed to matter less, hardly something to even notice. It was like being in a trance. Until they made it to the first place. Then it was time to put his game face on, as they began browsing the wares.

"See that Mirko plush?"

"Yep."

"She only did those for one series, after losing a bet with Wash, so they are extremely scarce. But you can tell this one is fake because of the costume design. When she did the plushies, her leotard was connected to her stockings with three belts. This one has four. Could be the designer was focused more on symmetry than details."

"Damn. I thought it was because of the leotard itself."

"Nah, only her very first costume was not a leotard. It was a skintight suit, ending in short sleeves and shorts reaching almost to the knee, but she switched to leotards to boost her appeal, to climb ranks faster."

"I thought she didn't care for ranks?"

"She doesn't anymore, cause she now knows how strong she is. But in some of her earliest appearances, starting out fresh out of school, she would often be overly cautious in her work, which is why her first costume had those armored bits. But as she grew confident in her strength, she dropped almost all of the armor except the one's covering her feet."

Hunched over the plushie, Izuku turned to his companion, who looked at him with a smile of wonder.

"Um, you ok?"

"I just love watching you talk about heroes. The deductions, the facts, the research! It just brings some kind of excitement to your face, even when you're focused. It's captivating."

Izuku blushed and looked back at the fake Mirko plush.

"It's just…"

"You don't have to explain it. If it feels right, just go for it, ok? It's something you like, and it's also part of what I like about you!" Izuku looked unsure for a moment, before quietly asking:

"...What are some other parts you like about me?"

"Well, I like your hair, one of these days we should totally just lay under a tree, your head in my lap, while I run my fingers through it, that will be amazing! You're cute when you mutter to yourself! And I like your determination while you're out heroing! And how your face gets when you talk about heroes- wait I just said that before! I also like how your butt looked when you were running away at the Sports Festival!"

Izuku was now really red in the face with that last one. He just hoped no one was around to see it. Or hear it. Or perceive it through the mysterious powers of quirks or the Universe. But he should have known better than to rely on that.

"Mina? What's wrong?"

"I sensed a disturbance. Something incredible has happened, and I was not there to witness it. Now life feels… emptier."

"Must be your imagination. Now, what was that about a DDR competition?"

"Oh, well, Izuku's getting pretty good with his moves and I figured-"

Izuku, now assured there was no witness to his embarrassment at Nejire's open admiration of his bottom, kept checking the merchandise in the shop. But it did not carry what he was looking for, specifically. There was one of the Ryukyu plates, but it was one of the many broken ones that were painstakingly collected piece by piece, then repaired using Kintsugi. He of course appreciated the craft and the work put into piecing it back, but such plates were not very rare, nor very pricey, ever since a villain called Tesoro flooded the gold market with his Midas-pinky quirk some odd 60 years back.

"The pattern of Kintsugi is nice, so I'll write it down as a 'maybe', in case we fail to find an unbroken one." They stepped outside the door after giving a small nod to the owner.

"That's fair. Are we going to check every single shop in the center?"

"No. I've been stalking forums, Reddit, and various merchandise websites, ever since I finished my internship. There are always rumors floating about with rare merch, but cross-referencing, interviews, and a greased up palm or two helped me narrow down the location to about seven stores."

"What did you grease them up with?"

"They give me info on rare merch, I give them info on rare merch. I told them that there's gonna be a 1-hour auction for a limited edition silver age costume All Might pen cap in about a week."

"Oh? Telling them that means more competition, so either you're confident that you possess enough money to still outbid them, or-"

"Or I'm the one who's gonna be selling."

"Why would you sell a collectible?"

"Well, I have a girlfriend now, so I figured I should downsize my collection a bit. Also, it's getting really hard to justify owning four of those pen caps. The pens ran out of ink years ago, too."

"You don't have to do that just for me, you know?"

"I want to. Cause after I asked you out, I kinda started thinking, and well, hoping I don't do anything stupid in the foreseeable future, maybe one day, if we work out, we'd start maybe living together, and then you'd need room for all your stuff, and me for my stuff, and I'd feel really bad if all my stuff got in the way of your stuff, so I should check over what I can sell, so I started to float some rumors online, which is how I heard about the unbroken plate, andI'mjustnowrealizingthatI'mramblingandmutt-"

A gentle finger on his lips stopped him from talking. In fact, it made his whole body seize up, preventing him from continuing to go on a muttering spree. Nejire stood in front of him, smiling, and that made him want to smile too, which he did, despite her finger still on her lips.

"You might be thinking a bit far off in the future. Or maybe not. Cause not-so-slowly but surely you're making me really REALLY like you, I-zu-ku~."

And she meant it too. She may have been the one who kept getting close to the loner boy, but somehow, little by little, Izuku started slipping into her thoughts more and more as weeks and months passed by. And when he asked her out, it just felt so natural to say yes. If becoming friends with him was so easy and wonderful, how difficult could it possibly be, to become something more? Nejire was going to try to answer that question herself, all while experiencing the joys of spending time with her Izu-kun.

…

Oh boy, she already gave him a nickname in her mind. Should she call him that out loud? Does he have a nickname for her in his mind? She'll ask some other time, they were already entering the next shop.

Three more shops later they still had no luck. And after an hour of watching Izuku nerd out cutely, as well as asking several customers and store owners questions, Nejire asked if they could get some food. So they decided to take a lunch break going with sushi, and Izuku insisted he pays.

"I have every intention of splurging today. And it's our first date, so all the more reason for it."

It was a wonderful omakase set, and together they experienced the flavors of baby tuna, shrimp, eel, tamagoyaki, squid, salmon, and grown-up tuna. It was delightful, and upon the chef's advice, they refreshed their mouths with pickled ginger between courses to properly experience each set. Izuku was also concerned by the amount of wasabi Nejire piled on her pieces, concerned both for her health and if she could even taste the sushi under all that heat. But she assured him she could taste just fine, and he shouldn't worry since they would not be kissing today, which made him feel as if he had just eaten a spoonful of wasabi himself.

Nonetheless, the conversation was kept light, Nejire talking about the fish they were eating, asking random inane questions while cheering up Izuku, and catching him whenever he started mumbling. Turns out she got lost in the fish market once, and spent the next 4 hours asking every fishmonger in sight about their craft, while her dad was looking for her frantically. And the sushi chef seemed to have fun confirming or denying her fish knowledge.

Izuku mainly talked about running around after hero fights or rescues or just running around in general, trying to be a fit kid so he would have a decent base for when he could start exercising. Nejire also pushed him into showing her one of his analysis notebooks. She was impressed by both the drawings and the information gathered. The chef even ended up asking him if he could design a new logo for him, which the teen politely declined. Paying up it was time to leave, both of them thanking the chef for a wonderful time, with Nejire even getting invited to come by again if she wanted to learn more about fish.

"And your boyfriend can come too, as well."

Izuku got escorted out of the restaurant by the laughter of the chef, after seeing his blush, but he also made no effort to deny that statement, which Nejire noticed. They continued their search then, and just by luck, it was the store they hit up next that carried what they were looking for.

"Hmm. The edges are unchipped, and the picture is unscratched. The art looks genuine, and the colors and contrast match."

He turned to the shopkeep.

"May I hold it for inspection?"

The young woman sighed, but still pulled one of the many keys from her belt to unlock the display case. Meanwhile, izuku already donned a pair of white gloves, as well as a digital microscope connected to his phone, along with a transparent sheet of plastic.

Carefully holding the plate, he placed the sheet on it, then began inspecting, focusing sharply on his screen

"Um, what are you looking for?"

"Checking over the pixels of the art. It's where you find most artists' signatures these days. I am also checking if the pixel ratio is correct." He showed the small signature, hidden in the eye of the dragoness.

"He's the third one today to do so. I'll never understand hero nerds." The Shopkeeper kept a careful eye on them, clearly understanding that the plate was valuable, but not what made it so. Izuku would waste no pity on this commoner. But he would still try to educate them.

"The material used costs about 10400 yen per plate. Adding on the art's price raises it to about 18300. But this was always meant to be a limited edition and was to be sold as such, so the retail price, if they all made it to the stores undamaged, would be about 21500 yen. But since they didn't, this practically quintupled the price to about 110.000 yen."

Nejire could not believe her ears. She knew just how much of a nerd he was, she was in love with that part goddamnit! Still, seeing him analyze and guess something like this never ceased to amaze her. Even the shopkeep looked mildly impressed.

"Not bad, kid. Our asking price is 113.600 yen."

Izuku hummed upon hearing the price. He could afford it, no problem, but he was not a man to just accept the first price offered.

"Is your boss in? I have a… proposition."

"We're not accepting firstborn children. But you do probably have a much higher chance of signing one than the last guy who proposed such a deal."

"Not what I was gonna offer. Could I please have a chance to speak with him?"

The girl sighed, but placed the plate back in the display case, locking it up, before turning and walking towards the back of the shop. Not long after she emerged with a tall purple-colored kangaroo, wearing a suit following her.

"You wished to speak with me Mr…"

"Midoriya. Or maybe you might know me as Green_might$8?"

"I am indeed familiar with that username. Your analysis of heroes, villains, and their quirks are always a joy to read."

"I'm glad my ramblings can bring joy."

"Mmm. Now, onto your proposition?"

Izuku took off his backpack and opened it to show its contents to the purple man. And whatever was inside was enough for the boss of the shop to be willing to negotiate.

In the end, Izuku paid about 95.000 yen for the plate, and also added in an All Magic All Might 8-Ball, a few 'chibi hero' keyrings, and a Food Battler signed soda cup from the hero's favorite chain restaurant.

"Phew, that was intense. I really thought they were gonna kick you when you asked for 75 thousand."

"Well, I really wanted to kick them when they tried to prove that my 8-ball was fake because it refused to give them the answer they wanted."

"And then you only shook it once, and BAM! Favorable answer! They looked ready to flip the table! We're gonna go cook now, right? Is it far?"

"No, I planned our route accordingly, so the last shops we'd check would be closest to the kitchen we'll be using."

"Izuku Midoriya, the man with a plan! Amazing as always!"

He hid the slight blush behind a chough. It took them less than 15 minutes to walk to the public kitchen they would use. They have been shown to their dedicated space, and the ingredients were brought to them.

"Wow, you actually got some bear meat! I didn't even know you could get that stuff from that shop."

"Yep. Now for the last ingredient…"

He pulled out a tightly sealed opaque container from his backpack and opened it. The scent of sake and a familiar scent filled Nejire's nose.

"The pickled five-flavor berry! You actually got all the ingredients to make sensei's favorite dish!"

"Mhm. I had help from the guys in the Lair, but none of them knew about the berries. I had to cross-reference the recipe on a few cooking forums."

"I remember when Ryukyu cooked this dish for the agency. She purposely skipped a few spices, so she could have more to herself. She then regretted it, because even with dragon instincts, there's only so much gamey flavor she could tolerate. As an apology, she made it again, properly this time, and it was so good!"

Nejire reminisced fondly, but then a flash of how her teacher and idol looked after the battle of Kamino dashed away the happy memories. Izuku saw her smile dropping and gently took her arm in his.

"She's going to be alright. I may not know her as long as you do, but I do know this will not hold her down for long. She'll come back swinging."

"She'd chastise me for feeling sorry for her. And probably tie some weights on my legs so I couldn't fly anymore as a punishment ." Nejire was smiling once again, and swiftly donned the chef jacket provided by the kitchen.

"Let's cook, Izuku!"

It was fun, working together. Nejire ground up the meat, while Izuku prepared the onions and seasonings. Then he watched over the sauce while she battered and fried the cutlets. Despite having lunch, they had no qualms, trying out the finished product themselves.

"Mmm! These are good! Just like she would make them!

Nejire gushed with her mouth full of meat.

"And with the sauce?"

"It's even better! You nailed this, Izuku!"

He was proud. He was an alright cook before but asking his mother for advice paid off loads. Subtle tells and signs to look out for, tips and tricks when in the kitchen, as well as just some good general advice about ingredients and nutrition, raised his level of skill and made him confident in tackling a fussy ingredient like bear meat.

They packed up 3 pieces, the maximum amount permissible to a patient like Ryukyu. Then they dutifully cleaned up, and paid for their time and ingredients, before leaving. As soon as they were outside, Izuku took a deep breath of relief.

"You noticed, huh?"

"Hard not to, they weren't even hiding."

What Izuku talked about was a group of about five or seven housewives who were also using the kitchen, and who took great pleasure pointing at them, giggling and semi-loudly commenting about "young love" and the likes, with the clear intention of being overheard. Still, Izuku pushed through, he had lots of experience with focusing only on his immediate surroundings, letting the whispers, teases, and mean comments of people, young and old wash past him. Surprisingly though, focusing on nejire had an almost identical effect, actually, it was even more distracting, allowing him to pay attention to her and only her.

Nejire, of course, noticed that she was the object of his sharp focus, but it made her feel nice. There were no mean intentions in his gaze, and it made her picture many different scenarios where Izuku would gaze at her. Some of them are on the naughty side.

She grabbed his hand, dispersing any thoughts of those old gossips, and led him with her to the train station. They had a delivery to make, after all!

Izuku's image of the Dragon hero Ryukyu was one of strength and pride, in both her work and her person. She may have behaved camera shy, but she confided, that it was because as a "dragon", she was raised by her father to be above the squabbles of "humans". She then also tacked on that her father was someone who believed his own hype way too much, and that the matriarch of the family, her great grandmother eventually put him in his place, by simply whacking him unconscious before he could even grow any scales. After that, the man became a lot more humble.

Still, to see this proud, strong woman, a hero to many, including himself, lying down on a hospital bed, in a white gown, and without any hair ornaments, it clashed horribly with that image. A caged dragon, as she jokingly commented when she saw him look in confusion. Still, there was certain anger in her eyes, probably because of her situation, until she began sniffing the air.

"Alright guys, I know you got meat. You best give it up, or I'll-" her threat when unfinished, as Nejire pulled from behind her back the plate of warm bear croquettes, together with a small dish of sauce.``

She at first had insisted that he should hide it like he does his notebooks. Izuku still had no idea what she meant, he never hid his notebooks, he just kept them very very close.

"I don't know if I'm even allowed to eat this, but I don't care. GIMME THAT MEAT!"

The first piece disappeared in a matter of seconds. The heroine fought hard to keep the second piece around for longer, especially after looking at both her students who both shook their heads, not that there would not be anymore. The third piece she managed to savor slowly, with plenty of sauce, some of which dripped on her hospital gown, not that she cared.

When she finished the last scrap of meat and licked the last trace of sauce from her fingers, she turned back to Izuku and Nejoire, both of whom watched her in obvious relief.

"You guys won't get in trouble for this, right?"

"Izuku cleared it with Recovery Girl."

"Thank you, Midoriya. I knew I had visitors today, but I had no idea it would be you two, or that you would be dressed so nicely."

"That's because we're on a date!"

Ryukyu looked at Nejire. Deep into the blue of her eyes. She at the least SEEMED convinced that was the truth. But was it an actual truth, or a wild assumption Nejire's brain created with the help of substances that may or may not be legal?

One look at Izuku cleared it. The blush on his cheeks, the averted eyes. Holy shit, they were actually on a date! Ryuku knew what she must do.

"Nejire dear, could you help me change my gown? Seems like I got sauce on it, me the clutz."

"Oh, sure!" Nejire floated over to her, helping her uncover and sit up. Then they both looked at Izuku, who seemed caught off guard.

"I'm not wearing anything under Midoriya. So while your interest is flattering, your presence is unnecessary."

Izuku stood confused for another moment before he caught the insinuation. He looked split between defending himself, complimenting her, or just plain combusting in flames. In the end, he found a fourth option, mumbled something about getting coffee, and bolted out of the room. A moment after his departure both females started laughing.

"That was mean, sensei!"

"I'm a patient, I get to be mean. Plus, you can't say his face wasn't worth it!"

"It was. But, still mean."

"He's a big boy, he'll get over it. But we should probably change this gown before he comes back. We got about 10 minutes, enough time to do that, and for YOU to give me the details!"

So Nejire retold when he helped her move, of their talk, and his blurted-out invitation. She spoke of her anticipation, of fretting how to dress, how Yuyu had no time to help her, Miro was not around and Tamaki seemed more closed off than normal. And then finally how the date went, teasing the shops, Izuku looking cute while nerding out, the sushi, her teasing Izuku about kissing, the store owner bartering for the plate, and finally the kitchen, the cooking and the housewives.

At the end of her explanation, Ryukyu found herself staring at the plate on which the meal was served.

"He actually found an unbroken one. That kid, he really is something." She carefully placed the plate away on her bedside table, before turning to look at her apprentice.

"Nejire, how do you feel about Izuku?" her voice was serious, her gaze more so. She was asking out of concern for both of them.

"Well, he's more open now, and I really like seeing him so. When we were cooking he sometimes focused on me completely, and it was just so…" She tried to use her hand where her words, for a change, left her, and Ryukyu seemed to at least get an idea of what she meant. Before Nejire could ramble on, she cut her off, deciding that a simpler question was best.

"Do you like him?"

"...I do. I really do."

That was more than enough for her. When Izuku returned 15 minutes after he left, with a cup of coffee from a coffee shop two blocks away, he found the two talking about the agency and Ryuku asking about how it's being run in her absence. Izuku listened attentively, and then the heroine had a discussion about the changes in ranking the battle of Kamino would undoubtedly bring. When it was time to go, they both promised to bring fruit to the patient, and the patient told them both where they could stick their fruit, and to bring more meat. They all smiled before the two left the recovering dragoness to her nurses.

Nothing notable happened on the way back, just smalltalk, and music. Izuku took Nejire all the way to the 3.A class dorm and they both pointedly ignored the shadows behind the curtains, no doubt looking at what they were doing.

"I had a really nice time today, Izuku. We'll definitely go on dates more often!"

The assurance seemed to lift some weight off Izuku's chest, but he still seemed a bit hesitant with something, standing awkwardly on the porch. Nejire made an educated guess and smiled at him.

"Izuku, we're in no rush. Take things at your own pace."

"Might not be the best idea. My pace is a bit… slow."

"Then how about this? We go at your pace, and I sometimes drag you on to my pace for a bit?"

"That sounds ok."

He stood there, a tad less awkward, but still hesitant.

"Would it help if I closed my eyes?"

"If it's not too much trouble?"

Nejire closed her eyes and after a few moments, she felt a pair of lips press themselves against her cheek, and a gentle voice whispered in her ears:

"Thank you, Nejire. Have a good night."

Still keeping her eyes closed, but letting her best smile shine forth she responded.

"Goodnight, Izuku. Talk to you tomorrow."

"For sure."

A moment of silence, before quiet footsteps moved away. She opened her eyes slowly, watching him go, but then he turned around, and waved at her, with a beautiful smile on his face. She was waving back, and he waved and walked backwards, until he was out of sight. This truly had been a wonderful date.

Chapter Text

The date with Nejire went terrific. It was a warm cloud of emotions that carried him to his dorm, straight through the empty common area, his classmates all resting up from the license exam, and into his room. There, he collapsed on the bed and vibed with the feels. The warmest, fuzziest feeling he had ever felt in his life. Until a text arrived from Nejire.

Hadouken: U up?

GreenMight: Ye

Hadouken: I was just gonna sleep, try to dream bout u, but figured I’d send u this. Good night again!

It was a picture of Nejire in her normal sleeping wear. Except for the shirt. The shirt she modeled was familiar. An oversized white cotton shirt with the word “sleep,” which he could have sworn he wore to bed less than a week ago. Instead of chasing the rabbit hole of when he wore what shirt, Izuku chose to fall asleep with a pleasant thought of how good Nejire was wearing his shirt.

It was only early in the morning that his pleasant sleep was interrupted by a knock on his door. It took him a second to recognise the secret code. Quiet as a mouse, he opened and exchanged a nod with his fellow conspirator before following him quietly downstairs, into the shared kitchen.

“So, how did it go?” Mineta whispered to his bro.

“Your advice was good. Picking a common interest, visiting Ryukyu, and looking up Hero nerd stuff, and letting her see me in a different setting from school or home. I also tried to be relaxed, not completely successful, but the conversation did flow naturally, and I did not need the flashcards at all.”

“See, I told ya. You’re already friends, you’ll always have stuff to talk about. Now, the big question. Did you kiss her?”

Izuku blushed deeply and looked at the floor. Mineta read the signals as well as he could.

“Something did happen. But I don’t think it was a kiss… Did you two-” he gestured suggestively.

“Wha- NO! Stop doing that with your hands!”

"Then spill!"

"...I kissed her on the cheek." Mineta looked somewhere between shocked and disgruntled.

"I am disappointed with you, and kinda shocked that she let you get away with just that. Girls have their pride, you know?"

“She wasn’t insulted! We just agreed to take it at our own pace. And if she ever feels like we’re going too slow, we can talk about speeding up.”

“Because you’re socially awkward?”

“Because I’m socially awkward, yes.”

“Sounds like you got it all squared away. But if you need advice, your bro is there for you, ok?”

Before Izuku could respond, some of the earlier risers of class 1.A stumbled down into the kitchen, which made the two bros shelf the debate and help them figure out what to eat for breakfast..

The next time Izuku saw Nejire was at lunch in the school cafeteria. With a determined gait, she walked right up to where he was sitting and hugged him from behind.

“I missed you!” 

Izuku decided that instead of pointing out that not even a day had passed since their last meeting, he should just enjoy the moment, placing his hand on hers and leaning back into the hug.

Nejire then pulled a chair next to him and dug into her meal, while at the same time trying to ask Izuku about every minute detail that may or may not have happened to him in their time apart. Izuku hid his smile behind a sip of water. Dating really was just like being friends. Except now he got hugs and maybe kisses. Much better, but still familiar.

The Universe saw the relaxed content atmosphere, exuding from the green-haired teen. And sent a pink comet to crash the party.

“MIDORI! I finally managed to pick out our date spot! There's this cool arcade just a block from- Oh. Oh! You’re the senpai he hangs out with! Hi, I’m Mina Ashido!”

“Hi! You may call me Hado-senpai. Izuku talked about you, you taught him how to dance. I’ve been trying to get him to show me some moves, but he hasn’t budged so far.”

“I wanna have them down perfectly before I use them.” Izuku showed some frustration, something new to Mina, but she still tried to cheer him up.

“You’re already pretty good, Midori! You haven’t cracked any floor or walls or ceiling in like three sessions!”

“I still brute force it too much. Instead of shifting weight, I force my body to change positions. It feels too unnatural.”

“Oh! I can help with that! I used to do a lot of exercises for that when I was still learning how to fly! I’ll book us a gym and equipment for tomorrow.”

“Right, third-years can use facilities unsupervised! Please do that, then text me where and when.” Mina rubbed her eyes, unable to believe Midoriya’s smile. Damn, she and the senpai must be good friends.

“It’s a date then!” Nejire, somehow already finished with her food, left them alone. Izuku watched her go for a second before going back to his meal.

“So, how did you guys meet?”

“She stalked me for a day, then picked me as an intern for Ryukyu because Ryukyu wanted to train a boy and Nejire likes green. It kinda snowballed from there.” Holy shit! That was more than 20 words! That was like 30 words!

“Ashido, are you okay?”

“Perfectly lovely, thank you. Now, when are we going out?”

“I can’t do weekends, so I guess Friday? When are you free?”

“Oh, any time is good, but if you want me to pick, I’d say about six works for me, if we meet at the arcade?”

“Alright, Friday at six then. Text me the location, I’ll be there.”

Izuku took his empty tray to clean up and left the cafeteria. He was barely paying attention to where he was walking, steeped too deep in teenage thoughts, only to be surprised by a skittering feeling climbing up his body. He turned to look at his shoulder, where the face of the principal sat.

“They were not kidding. Your aura is positively terrifying.” Izuku could see the fine fur standing on its ends, revealing the pale leathery skin underneath. But the mammal sat on his shoulder still, clearly not planning to get off.

“Then why are you still on me?”

“To properly function as closely to humans as possible, I felt it necessary to rein in my animalistic instinct. It does not rule me, it is merely another tool for me to use at my leisure. Now, I need you for a special project. You’ve been excused from the rest of your classes for the day, so please do make your way to the basement.”

Izuku did so, fairly curious, and wondering if he should ask for extra credit points, which helped him pass the exams before. He decided to wait until he knew more about this task so he could negotiate an appropriate amount. When they did make it to the basement, he decided to mark it up steeply.

“Yo, broccoli kid, who ya doing? Are your pubes green too, punk?”

It was after the “special classes" that Izuku dutifully scrubbed his hands for the past five minutes. The mud from the clones felt sticky and uncomfortable between his fingers. Still, it felt better than blood, bones, and obliterated organs. Nezu had him take on five clones of the USJ Nomu, and his objective was to kill them all. Then again. And again. And again. The rat explained why, too.

“It is my understanding of human psychology that mental obstacles like this are not resolved with one therapy session. It’s something that requires time to work through. Also, Hound Dog is available to you if you need him.”

Maybe he did need to start seeing a therapist. But he didn’t know if it should be Hound Dog. Something told him that having his therapist a few floors above the combat room where he had just killed several beings—clone or not—was not a good idea. He should be taking care of something else instead. After drying his hands with a towel, he headed toward the teacher’s lounge and politely knocked on the door. It was Midnight who opened it.

“Hello, Midoriya. How can we help you?”

“I was told about work studies and would like to know how to apply for one.”

“I see. Yes, I’ll print the forms for you. Do you know who you want?” She fiddled with her phone, and Izuku heard the printer in the room start printing. Convenient.

“No. With Ryukyu away, I’m not sure who I should ask, or how.”

“Well, you’re friends with the Big Three, ask them about it. However, if you do see Mirio, tell him his Hero Art project can only be delayed for one more week at most.”

“I will, thank you for your help, sensei.”

He received the freshly printed forms and decided to look for either Miro or Tamaki. He also briefly texted Nejire to ask if she had left already. It turns out she was already looking for Tamaki, who seemed to be dodging everyone all day. He was curious, especially since he had just run into the man in question, trying to become invisible.

“Have you ever tried to eat something from a quirked animal?”

“Huh?”

“Sorry, but it seems like you need to get your mind off some things.” The boy shriveled further, and Izuku barely caught a mumbled “Maybe.” .

“So, did you ever try?”

“Once, through the U.A. I was delivered a tail from a lizard that could grow its claws ten times longer than others. I ate it, but could only turn my body parts into those of a lizard. No Wolverine claws for me.”

“Sad. Now, hear me out. What about-”

“Human doesn’t work.” After an uncomfortable period of silence, Tamaki looked at his junior to find him gazing stonily in disbelief.

“What?” he asked shyly.

“Did you eat human meat?”

“Well, I’m gay, aren’t I?”

The joke came so suddenly that Izuku had no chance and let out an audible snort that evolved into laughter. He had to wipe a tear from his eye, and upon looking at his friend, he saw him looking very pleased with himself.

“Alright, on that note, I came to ask you, how do you secure a hero for work studies?”

“Well, usually a recommendation from a teacher goes a long way. But if you want, I could ask Fat Gum.”

“You would do that?”

“Yep. He talked about choosing a work-studies candidate from the U.A. If I put a word in, you’d get picked for sure.” Izulu looked at him strangely, and Tamaki got the idea of what he was aiming at. He turned his head, but Izuku could still see the fluster.

“I can talk to people. Just… not that many.”

“Ok. I appreciate it, man. Saves me the trouble. I was gonna ask Mirio, but he works with Night Eye and…”

“Yeah. Hate that guy.”

Again, Izuku was surprised. It seems like Tamaki had more sides to him than the shy introvert. And based on the expression on his face, he meant it, too.

“He said some mean things to me when we met, but I thought you’d like him.”

“Why?”

“... I don’t know. I guess mainly because Miro seems to adore the man.”

“I thought he was alright. But now…” The elf boy seems to struggle between saying what he wanted, which might include some profanity, or putting on airs to not besmirch the reputable hero too harshly.

“You can say curse words. I grew up with Kastuki Bakugo, I can take it.”

“I won’t. Just thinking of him makes me tired. He is so obsessed with making Miro stronger, making him perfect. And I don’t know why.”

“He’s trying to remake Mirio into another All Might. As close as possible.”

“And I’ve said to both of them, Mirio is not All Might. He is his own person. But all the prick had to say was how Japan needs an All Might. Mirio… said nothing.” Tamaki paused and turned some thoughts over in his head.

“He’s trying to keep the status quo. When All Might retires, he will try to swap Mirio in, and hope life will keep going as it is.”

Izuku could see it. He hoped his friend was wrong, but that was copium talking. From his limited impressions of Nighteye, the man probably envisioned a future he didn’t like, but instead of fighting to change it, he fought to maintain the world as it was. Izuku could understand; it was hard to break patterns. When coming home, he had to actively remind himself to greet his mother and talk to her, rather than just retreating to his room. He still flinched when his phone buzzed with a text, as he rarely received any throughout his years of having one. And don’t even get him started on phone calls. Change was hard and miserable. But would the world be better for it?

“No.”

“No?” The older teen looked confused.

“I’m not letting Mirio waste away like All Might did.” Izuku stood up, determined, and offered his hand.

“I don’t know what world All Might and Nighteye came from before they built this one from scratch. But it’s not perfect. Sometimes, it barely seems worth fighting for. But Mirio is. He’s worth more than just keeping the world as it is. And I would fight both of them on this, for him. How about you? Would you fight for Mirio?

Tamaki took his hand with a determined gaze and let the smaller teen pull him to his feet. They strode across campus, with Nejire joining them along the way, intertwining her hand with Izuku’s. Two-thirds of the Big Three and Midoriya were on their way to storm the Night Eye agency to win back their friend.