Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“What has you so upset?” Nemuri asked, looking over at Aizawa who was slumped in his favorite chair in the teacher’s lounge, Hizashi across from him going over a lesson plan for the upcoming semester and humming lightly to himself. But rather than working Aizawa was just staring down at his hands, brow creased. She took a seat across from her old friend and said in a whisper, “Is it about our guests?”

“You don’t have to be subtle about it,” Aizawa stated. “I already told Yamada.” He waved his hand in the other hero/teacher’s direction. “Nedzu is going to let all the teachers in on the secret tomorrow so it was only logical for me to let him know now, so I could discuss it with him.”

Hizashi smiled. “What he means is he wanted to run all his little conspiracy theories by me.”

“They aren’t conspiracy theories,” Aizawa shoots back in annoyance. “I am not claiming they are a vanguard to an invading force or anything foolish like that.”

“You aren’t?” Nemuri asked as she sat down. “To be honest I thought that would be the first thing you’d go with.”

“Illogical,” he said shuffling up a bit in his chair so he could talk to her better. “There are far better and more cunning ways to infiltrate. It would be like me walking up to a criminal group and telling them I was a Pro Hero but I always wanted to know what it was like to steal cars.”

Nemuri was relieved that her friend wasn’t going down that paranoid route but still… “So what’s got you concerned?”

“The logistics of it all,” Aizawa stated.

“Nedzu is handling it,” Nemuri pointed out.

Hizashi though shook his head and smiled at Aizawa. “Yeah but he’s worried about everything the principal will miss.”

“What do you mean?”

Aizawa sighed. “You ever go undercover?”

Nemuri shook her head. “Not really my thing. I have enough trouble juggling being Midnight and Nemuri; adding a third persona is just asking for trouble.”

“Right. Well, I have. More than one mission required me to infiltrate an organization. The police will take all this time getting you the equipment, the failsafes, all that… and then forget what colors the gang wears so you show up with the wrong jacket.”

“…ah,” Nemuri said. “You’re worried about the culture shock.”

“Well, that’s why we need to make sure we lessen the culture shock!” Hizashi declared with a grin, raising his voice a few decibels higher than was comfortable for the others. “Make sure they understand how the little things work while Nedzu handles the big stuff.”

“I’m glad you see it that way,” Aizawa said, standing up. “I trust you two will have it in hand when you see them tomorrow.”

And with that he shuffled out of the teacher’s lounge.

“…I feel like we were just tricked,” Nemuri said, face screwed up in a mixture of annoyance and respect.

~MC~MC~MC~

Padme stretched as she slowly woke up. She’d had trouble falling asleep the night before, her mind active with all that had happened to them, and thus when she looked at the clock she saw it was already midmorning, far later than when she normally got up. Her mind was still active though, even after what sleep she’d gotten. Not just with the situation they found themselves in, of them being trapped on this strange planet. Padme kept thinking about everything that had been left behind. That had gone unsaid and undone.

She was surprised she wasn’t more upset that her entire career was gone, that all her hard work… it meant nothing on this planet. The bills she’d worked on, the alliances she’d made, the causes she’d championed… none of it mattered. And she knew that within a few months, maybe only a few weeks, others would begin filling in the gaps. Yet that didn’t make her sad. Rather it had been the thought that she wouldn’t see her family again, or if she did it would take years if not decades, that had caused her to toss and turn.

She knew she should have been worried about the war. Should have feared that Dooku’s plan would work and that the Separatists would believe she had killed the more open-minded leaders in a suicide attack. That the more war-hungry Senators of the Republic would push to extend the conflict, wanting revenge for her death. And yet… she didn’t focus on that. She didn’t worry. Because there were others that would take up her cause, on both sides honestly. And because she also understood, seeing this world that was so strange and different and filled with things she had thought were impossibilities… that she was just one small person in a vast universe and life wouldn’t end with her gone.

Rubbing her eyes she shifted to sit up. Padme knew such thoughts could be seen as nihilistic but instead she took them as a comfort. Ever since she’d been little she’d felt like she needed to bear all on her back. The different causes she championed. Naboo and its people. The Republic. If she took a moment to just breathe her mind would silently count all the lives that were suffering because she wasn’t working to help them anymore. But realizing she was only a small piece… it meant she could do whatever she wanted! She could relax! Here on this world she could be whoever she wanted!

It was freeing.

Perhaps what helped was the fact that Anakin and her could, at long last, be honest about their love. On Earth no one cared if they were together. Even those that had come with them hadn’t cared! And more than that… this world had heroes. Actual heroes. Like out of a story book! And Nedzu said that he would arrange for Obi Wan, Anakin, and even Rex to get their Hero License Exams so that they could be heroes here too. Which was good because Padme knew the boys and there was no way they’d be able to sit back and allow others to fight to protect the innocent while they sat by.

She laughed softly. It was like this world had been built for Anakin.

Speaking of…

Padme smiled and turned only to find his side of the bed empty. “That’s disappointing,” she mumbled. She was used to him leaving early, needing to sneak back to the Temple, but today they could have slept in and cuddled and only faced some ribbing from Obi Wan. He’d already teased them the day before, sarcastically asking how he could have been such a poor master… because Anakin was horrible at flirting with her (though she rather liked all his fumbling comments!).

Getting up Padme slipped on the bathrobe that had been left for her, thankful that at the very least the pajamas this world used were similar enough to what she was used to. The clothing was… odd… when it came to styles but she was sure she could figure it out.

Padme padded out of the room and down the empty hallway towards the living room, only for her shoulders to slump as she stared at the scene before her.

“We tried to stop him,” Ahsoka said from where she sat on a couch, flipping through what they’d been told was a ‘television’. “We were able to make some Caf at least.”

“I believe they call it coffee here,” Obi Wan said from the table he was seated at, a tablet that Nedzu had given him in one hand while he sipped his own drink. He had removed the armor from his robes and looked rather casual. If she ignored how the room looked she could believe that they were in her old Senatorial living quarters.

“Whatever,” Ahsoka said. “Want a cup?”

“Sure,” Padme said as she made her way into the kitchen. “But I’ll get it myself.” She looked at the counters and how decidedly empty they were that morning when compared to the night before. “Anakin…”

It had been rather startling how quickly Nedzu had been able to get them situated. By the time they had finished eating (Padme had rather enjoyed something Nemuri had said was an ‘American’ take on an ‘Italian’ dish known as ‘pizza’) the principal had happily told them that their apartments were ready and whisked them off to a building just a few kilometers away from the school. Anakin, Ahsoka, and Padme were staying in the middle apartment and the biggest while Obi Wan and Rex were on either side of them. It had only the most basic of furnishings but Padme was already thinking that if they were going to be trapped on this world it could be a lovely home.

“Anakin,” she tried again after pouring herself a cup of Caf, “did you really have to take everything?”

“I want to see how it all works,” Anakin said, never looking up at her. He was seated in the middle of the living room, a large sheet on the ground (thankfully) and the scattered parts of all their appliances lying around him as he fiddled with some box that Nemuri said could reheat food.

“We convinced him not to take apart the Conservator, ma’am,” Rex told her. He was dressed in full armor sans his helmet and Padme winced, feeling rather underdressed in her nightdress and robe while he looked ready for battle. “I let him look over my appliances.”

“Anakin,” Padme warned, “you will be giving Rex back everything by the end of the day.”

“Of course,” he said, fiddling with some wires. “It will be even better than it was. This planet really doesn’t understand energy output. I can get these things running at a fraction of the power needed. And if I could get a hold of some solar cells…”

“Just promise us you won’t blow up the apartment,” Obi Wan asked.

“I mean it,” Padme told him, looking down at her husband as he continued to take things apart. It was clear he was using Rex’s stuff as a guide to remember how to put their own appliances back together.

“It’s alright, ma’am,” Rex said from where he stood. “Honestly all that stuff… seems like overkill. Just give me a hot plate and I’ll be fine.”

“Oh no,” Ahsoka piped up. “Nope, not letting that happen. I am SO teaching you how to cook, Rex!”

Padme glanced at the trooper who was trying very hard not to let the fear show on his face over that idea and chuckled before walking over to sit with Obi Wan. “How did you sleep?”

“I didn’t,” Obi Wan admitted. “I will nap later. I chose to meditate instead.”

“Did it help?”

“…honestly? No.” He grimaced. “The Force is here on this world so that is a comfort. But I’ve never been so far away from other Force users. Yes, Ahsoka and Anakin are here but even when I was in the farthest corners of the galaxy there seemed to always be a Jedi out there somewhere. Now…”

“You were hoping there were others.”

Obi Wan nodded slightly, dropping his voice. “I know it to be foolish. There are planets where not a single person can tap into the force so it isn’t unusual. But… it would have been nice to discover someone hiding…” He quickly pulled himself out of his melancholy. “I have been taking the time to study this world and its history. It is rather… fascinating.”

“What have you learned?”

He set down the tablet so she could see. “Nedzu and the others were right… quirks are very common. And for the most part don’t affect much in day to day life other than sometimes determining what career path one goes into.”

“Or doesn’t,” Padme said, her good mood falling a bit. While none of their new acquaintances had said it she had quickly figured out that in this world one’s quirk determined much of their path in life… and what paths were closed forever. Just another way for some to lord over others. “What about powerful quirks? Nedzu said UA was a school for heroes.”

“It is and I admit how they handle their heroes is…” He sighed. “Honestly there is no way of me putting it without coming off as rude.”

“What do they do?”

Obi Wan went to a tab on the tablet, pulling up a holosite on the holonet (or whatever it was called here). “This planet’s land masses are divided up into countries, with there being no real central government. And each country has a list of heroes, ranking them so that there is a #1, 2, 3, so on.”

“So #1 is the most powerful? Most called on?”

“Yes,” Obi Wan said, pulling up a picture of a truly massive man with blonde hair, black eyes, and a huge smile wearing a rather… tight costume. “In Japan the #1 Hero is a man known as All Might. It seems his quirk makes him incredibly strong.”

“Hmmm,” Padme said as she looked over the information on All Might over. “According to this he is rather active in assisting people, protecting them from villain attacks.”

“Yes,” Obi Wan agreed, his face growing more solemn. “The problem that arises is with the rest of the list. As far as I can tell nearly every hero is worried more about marketing than they are about heroic; at least those on the list.” He pulled up Nemuri’s profile (though she appeared to be only in the Top 50) which had a list of companies she apparently had deals with to promote their products. “Some, such as our new friend Midnight, still actively work to be heroes in the most honorable sense of the world, even if they do trade on their actions for wealth and fame. Others-“ he pulled up the profile of a hero in the low twenties, someone called Silver Bullet, whose page was filled more with headshots and ads than details of crimes he had stopped, “-treat saving others as an afterthought.”

Padme scowled at that. “I have met more than one Senator who saw their position as being about lining their pocket rather than helping their people. I shouldn’t be surprised to find that here but it is… disappointing.”

“I know,” Obi Wan said, tugging on his beard. “It seems… abhorrent for those that claim to protect others to be more concerned with… selling soaps and having action figures made of them.”

“But that would be pretty interesting to have!” Ahsoka called out.

“No, it would not,” Obi Wan informed her. “A Jedi does not seek out wealth or material goods. A Jedi is not concerned with popularity.”

“I don’t know about that, if I can be honest General,” Rex said. “Far easier to win a battle when people are one your side.” He moved towards them. “If these heroes allow their quests for fame and fortune to get in the way of the mission then ya, you have a point. But if it doesn’t then what does it matter? In fact it might be helpful.”

“However could advertising for a…” Obi Wan looked at one of the ads, “Gut Buster Burger, whatever that is, be helpful?”

“Permission to speak freely?”

Obi Wan pressed his lips together. “Rex… you are permanently allowed to speak freely. We are not in a war anymore… and it is hard to be a General when there is only a single soldier and no enemy to fight.”

“Oh, there is always an enemy to fight, sir,” Rex replied before getting back to the topic at hand. “You don’t notice it because you are usually moving on after we free a village or a town but… a lot of those we save aren’t that trusting of the Jedi.”

“Well, I suppose there are some startled by what we do-“

“It is more than that, General,” Rex said, cutting him off. “When you go someplace it’s usually because you want to fix something. Even before the war you weren’t going out there just because you were interested in seeing the sights. You had a goal, you achieved it.” He shrugged. “I did the same thing at first. It was what I was created to do. But…” He grimaced at that point. “You didn’t see what it was like for people when you came by. There would be civilians that were happy to come up to us clones and offer us food and drink and shelter… that would suddenly go quiet when one of you Jedi came strolling by. They either had heard rumors you kidnapped babies or that you were secretly emotionless slime creatures who wore human flesh or… any other twisted thing. And it would bother than and terrify them and all of you did little to stop that, honestly.”

Padme sighed. “I have to agree with Rex on this. When I was working to be selected to represent Naboo in the Galactic Senate I had to attend so many parties and events. There was no purpose to them other than to mingle with people.”

“I know how to mingle,” Obi Wan stated.

“But you aren’t good at hiding that you don’t enjoy it,” Padme said. “I’ve seen you at events the Chancellor has thrown, Obi Wan… you always looks so stiff and serious. If I didn’t know you as well as I did I would have avoided you like you were a diseased womp rat.”

“Heh,” Anakin said with a snicker, turning to glance at them over his shoulder. “She has you there, Master.”

“Oh, does she?” Obi Wan said with an arched eyebrow. “And you are the life of the party, Anakin? That must be why you preferred to hide in your room during diplomatic feasts rather than making conversation.”

“Why do I need to chat with them when you are so much better at it?” Anakin asked.

Ahsoka though smirked, cutting in. “You just admitted he was bad at it so you must be even worse!”

“Some would say padawans should be seen and not heard.”

“Is that the case now?” Obi Wan asked, bemused. “I do wish someone had told me. Though I’m glad Qui Gon didn’t know about that little rule.”

They all, even Anakin, had a little chuckle over that.

Rex finally continued. “There is something to be said about being approachable, sir. I think some of you forget that.”

Obi Wan rubbed his chin. “Well, I suppose that you have a point there.” He lifted up the tablet which showed some heroine named Mt. Lady posing rather suggestively with a large pop bottle, the words ‘When you have GIANT thirst’ written in rather stylized letters below her. “Though I would prefer not to resort to such things-“

“If you wear that outfit I am joining the Dark Side,” Ahsoka teased.

“-I am willing to have an open mind.”

“The Force truly is working in odd and mysterious ways,” Anakin said, holding up an appliance he’d managed t put back together. “There, now I-“

There was an electric chime, rather similar to the ones used in Coruscant, and Padme got up and pressed the button on the screen near the door, revealing Nemuri’s face close to the camera.

“Good morning, Amidala. Do you mind if we come up?”

“Of course. Let me just get dressed.”

“I’ll get you some breakfast,” Obi Wan said, rising up from his chair and stretching. “Probably good for me to stop looking over everything anyway.”

Thus it was that 15 minutes later Padme walked out of her room dressed once more in the dress she had worn the day before, makeup in place (thankfully other than what held them that wasn’t too different) and hair perfect. When Nemuri, who was seated at the table with Obi Wan, glanced at her in surprise Padme merely smiled. “On my planet I was a queen and that required a lot of formal gowns, elaborate hair styles, and makeup. One learns to dress quickly.”

“She means she looked like a clown,” Anakin said.

“I did not!” Padme exclaimed, glaring at her husband.

“I love you-“ And he paused, glancing at Obi Wan because it was SO weird he could just casually say that, “-but it’s true.”

“It was the royal makeup of the Naboo,” Padme protested.

“Clown,” Anakin stage whispered to Ahsoka, waving his hand in front of his face.

Padme huffed and accepted the eggs that Obi Wan gave her, realizing that was probably the safest thing for him to try and make considering what appliances Anakin HAD left for them were too complex for them to learn on such short notice.

“I must admit I am rather surprised by your choice of outfits, Nemuri,” Obi Wan stated. Rather than the outfit they had seen her wearing the day before she’d arrived, along Hizashi, dressed in a knitted sweatshirt and faded jeans. While the new arrivals hadn’t seen him in his costume in person Obi Wan had seen pictures of ‘Present Mic’ and was rather startled to see him in a simple red t-shirt, leather jacket (though far different than his heroic one), and hair tied up in a ponytail.

“While there are some heroes who like to make their outfits little more than extensions of their normal selves-“

“Or the other way around,” Hizashi stated with a smile from where he sat on the couch, having moments earlier explained to Anakin what a blender was. “That’s how Shota is.”

“-a lot of us like to make our hero personas and our day to day personas be far different, that way we can blend in and live like everyone else.”

“I can see that,” Padme said. “That’s another reason why I had to wear the royal makeup-not a word, Anakin.” Her husband snapped his jaw shut. “I could easily swap with one of my handmaidens when I wanted to get away from the stress of it all.”

“So you really were a queen?” Hizashi asked, leaning back to address her. “Do I need to bow when I enter the room? I feel like I should bow.”

“No, there is no need for that,” Padme said with a laugh. “On Naboo the title of ‘Queen’ was given in elections and it was more ceremonial than anything. Often times people vote for a Queen, or a King because we can have those too, to honor someone who worked to help others. They get a few years living in the palace attending parties and let their council handle the actual running of things.” She frowned. “The Trade Federation forced me into taking far more of an active role than most queens ever take.”

“…I still feel like I should bow,” Hizashi said with utter seriousness.

“I know the feeling,” Obi Wan said with a light chuckle. “So, Nemuri, what brings you over here? Checking in on us?”

“Not quite,” the heroine said. “I first wanted to let you know that Nedzu nearly has everything worked out for you, Skywalker, and…” she paused, looking at the clone trooper, “I’m sorry, but I only got your first name…?”

“All I have,” Rex stated. “I suppose we never got around to it, did we? I’m a clone.”

“…somehow that is at once shocked and not shocking at all,” Hizashi stated.

Obi Wan chimed in. “We mentioned that currently, in our galaxy, there is a war between the Republic and the Separatists. While their army is made up of droids out is mostly made of clones.”

“Like, of different people?” Hizashi asked.

“My brothers and I are all cloned from the same man.”

“So you would use his last name,” Nemuri reasoned.

Rex and Obi Wan both grimaced. “That… wouldn’t be the best idea, Miss,” Rex finally said.

“The clones were made from the genetic template of a man named Jango Fett. A bounty hunter who not only fought for the Separatists but also tried to assassinate Padme.”

“So not the best name to toss about,” Rex added.

Hizashi frowned at that, tugging at his small mustache. “Wait, if he fought for your enemies why did you make the clones based on him?”

“That… is something I never really understood myself.” Obi Wan’s brow furrowed. “I meant to look into it but the War distracted me…” He sighed, shoulders slumping. “And now I may never know.”

Nemuri, deciding to leave the topic of Rex’s last name for a later time, merely reached over and pattered Obi Wan on the shoulder. “Well, no need to worry about that because we have a full day ahead of us.”

“What do you mean?” Ahsoka asked. “What are we doing?”

Hizashi thrust his arm up, pointing at the ceiling. “While fashion can be a bit wild in Japan we figured you guys would like to blend in a bit… and have more than one outfit. So we are going to take you shopping!”

The three Jedi and the clone trooper all looked down at their outfits, mentally thinking about how they all had closets back home filled with identical wardrobes.

“I… think we’ll be fine-“ Anakin began only for Padme to collapse in her chair, relief on her features.

“THANK YOU!” she moaned before looking at her friends. “I’m sorry, I really am, but… its embarrassing how you four run around in the same outfits all the time.”

“We… we don’t all the time,” Obi Wan said weakly, sensing he was about to lose this fight before it even really began.

“You do. Because robes don’t count as different clothing.” She stood up and clapped her hands. “Come on, up up up!”

“Can’t you do something about your wife?” Ahsoka hissed at her master.

“If you have a suggestion?” Anakin asked even as Padme grabbed the two of them and dragged them to the door.

~MC~MC~MC~

Author’s Notes: Next time we get the cast their Earth outfits and, in the words of one of my friends on Discord when I revealed what they were getting, “Oh no, their hot”

Also, much like I have done with other fanfics I write, occasionally I am going to put up plot bunnies that occur to me in hopes someone will adopt them.

Today’s begins when Bakugo and Izuku are really little, maybe 3 or so years old. While playing in a part there is a villain attack only for All Might to appear and save the day. The boys are FLOORED, especially when he stops to say hello to them, and they stick around to watch him do an interview. All Might states he only was able to catch the villain thanks to the help of his sidekick, Sir Nighteye. He tells the press that he couldn’t be the Symbol of Peace that he is without Sir.

And this interview… changes everything.

As soon as they get back to Bakugo’s place his tiny little mind is a whirl… if they are going to be heroes one of them needs to be All Might and the other Sir Nighteye. And Izuku quickly agrees that he will be that for Bakugo, that they will work together. And things change. Bakugo becomes more protective of Izuku and also asks for his advice. He likes when he mumbles because “My sidekick is coming up with ideas!” When Izuku doesn’t get a quirk at first Bakugo is horrified… until his father shows him footage of Nighteye fighting and he realizes Nighteye’s quirk doesn’t help him fight so Izuku doesn’t need one. When people try and bully Izuku Bakugo instantly stands up for him.

And when its time for the UA exam… Bakugo and a quirkless Izuku go together, working together. Bakugo purposely lets Izuku get some points, enough to make it in. The first day of class he makes clear that Izuku is his future sidekick. When they have to battle against each other on teams they forget they are supposed to compete and work together. Izuku tends to wear suits and invests in a smart phone for all his hero notes and he and Bakugo come up with code to talk on the battle field.

It is a story about them becoming true brothers in arms.